The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-08-22

Christ; but it might be carried I'D 1 200
years earlier than that time, because
Josias destroyed the ohariots Of the
Sun, A. NJ. 1902. It also appears
that these ceremonies we're used by va.
rious nations in different countries. and
have even been traced to York. 1t has
been shown with what cagerncss the
Roman people pursued these amusc-
ments, and SO closely have tho English
followed the practice Of the Romans in
that respect, that, taking the evidence
ct tho scriptures found at York into con-
sideraaon, there is little doubt that it
was there that horse racing was first in
troduced into England in the celebra.
ton of the Nitrate festivities. The
meagre accounts that have descended
to US Of tho transactions of the Romans
IN Britain afford US no means of dcscrib-
ing these sports; indeed during the 500
years that the Romans held possession
of the Island from the landing of Julius
Cesar, B. G. SIS, tc the time they quit
ted it A. D. 446 no notice is taken of
British affairs for the space of 317 years
OF that time. Hence it is not surpris-
ing, when we are unac0uainted with
transactions Of Importance, that we
should be left in ignorance of the amusc-
ments of the Romans in England.
After the Romans quilted Britain,
succession ofinvasions, and of cruel and
intestine wars occupied the time and
thoughts of the people SO fully that they
had little time to think of horse-racing;
and though the disputes hctwixt the
houses of York and Lancaster, ended
IN Henry VIII, yet VIC find no attempt
to revive these diversions until the rcicn
James I, when VIC find horsc-raccs at
Croydon in the South, and at Gathcrlcy
common, a little North of Richmond in
Yorkshire, but how long they had been
held there previously: VIC are not in
formed.
Edward Lord Herbert, of Chcrbury
(who died in 1913, seemed to think
these sports unworthy Of man cf hon
our, 'for in running horses there is much
cheating, neither do I delight why a
brave man should delight in creature
whose chief use is to hclr him to run
away Lord Herbert forgot that
horse is as necessary for pursuit as it is
for flight, so that his argument is like a
two.cdged sword--it cuts equally on
both sides. Gcrvasc Markham, who
wrote on the management of horses A.
D. 1873, mentions running horses, but
these were only designed for matches
between one gentleman and another.
The diversions, however, was so much cs-
teemed that subscriptions were at last
made towards purchasing a piece of
plate, or making a purse, as prize to
the winning horse.
'The English says Pcnnant, 'wcrc
always attentive to an exact culture of
the horses, by introducing horses from
different countries, and by crossing the
breeds, obtaining horses possessing all
the good qualities Of their proyonitors.
Roger de Bclcsnc, created Earl of Sal
tshury by William the Conqucror, is the
first upon record who introduced
Spanish stallion into his estate in Pow
island, from which that part of Wales
was celebrated for swift and generous
breed ofhorscs. Giraldus Cambrcnsis,
who lived in the reign of Henry H.,
takes notice Of it; and Drayton, the
poet, a contemporary of Shakspcre,
sings the excellence of the breed, in the
sixth part of Poly Olbion. From this
race sprang, to speak the language of
the times, the flower of coursers, to the
contests in the tilt yard, whose beauti.
ful form added grace to the rider, and
whose activity and dexerity obtained
tho palm in the field of romantic honor.
The breeds for race horses arc de-
scended from Persian and Arabian stall
lions, which are given to mares to suit
in bone, size and strength. Formerly,
when gentlemen begin, amongst other
feats of sporting, to try the Aectncss of
their horses against ono another, they
rode themselves without measuring the
horses or weighing the burthens they
had to carry. They also fell into the
mistake of breeding their horses fine for
the sake of speed only, without regard
TO strength, until the reign Of Queen
Anne, when public spirited gentle
tleman left thirteen hundred guincas
annually for thirteen plates or purses,
to be run at such places as the Crown
should appoint; (whencc they are called
Kings or Queens Plates or Queens
Plates OF Guincas,) upon condition that
each horse, mare, or gelding, should
carlY twelve stone wni.rht thn hnct al