"On the ninth of October, will be run for, on Coleshill heath, in Warwickshire, a plate of six guineas value; three heats, by any horse, mare, or gelding, that hath not won above the value of five pounds; the winner to be sold for ten pounds; to carry ten stone, if fourteen hands high; if above or under, to carry, or be allowed weight for inches, and to be entered on Friday the fifth, at the Swan, in Coleshill, by six in the evening. Also a plate of less value, to be run for by two asses.

The donkey racing always afforded most fun to the multitude at large, even though it was always accompanied with some cruelty; there was terrible whipping and spurring; the spur often, according to the jocose Hudibras,

"Convey'd a sympathetic speed

From heel of knight, to heel of steed."

They had not learned the difference between persuasion and force, as the writer once saw practically enforced at a village wake; two donkey sportsmen made a bet, when one got a bunch of carrots, placed it on a long stick, and held it about a foot farther than the animal's nose, which induced him to exert himself to his utmost speed to get; and this was found more persuasive than the coarse whipping and goading of his antagonist, who actually rebelled, kicked, and threw his rider.

George the I., instead of kings' plates of 100 guineas, gave a purse of that value in specie. The kings' plates are now, in general, a gold cup worth (£105,) they were instituted to stop gambling, supposing that a prize of that value, would be a sum sufficient to induce breeders of horses to undertake so desirable an object for their improvement; but, as regards gambling, it is found to be of little avail.

The Godolphin Arabian, appeared in the reign of George the II. In the fourth year of the reign of George IV. (1764) was foaled Eclipse. But the fastest horse ever known, is Harkaway, an Irish horse now living. I believe the best trotting horse of his day, was from this Union, Tom Thumb. On the second of February 1829, he trotted 100 miles in ten hours and seven minutes.*

"The amusements of the turf, are supposed to have been introduced into this continent by Governor Samuel Ogle, of Maryland, from 1732 to 1745." Annals of Annapolis.

George Washington devoted himself to the turf, between 1759 and

1774."

"The red fox was imported from England into Maryland, 1780," "Fox hunting, as well as horse racing, was introduced into Canada, a few years past. A pack of dogs is kept at Montreal, having been brought by an English butcher." Spirit of the Times, N. Y, 1841.

Virgil has left us a good description of a horse. "A firm neck, a tapering head, a short compact body, loins full and round, and a high spirit manifested in every muscle."

The reign of Henry VIII. produced the earliest treatise on agriculture, and the management of horses and cattle, by Sir A. Fitzherbert, judge of the common pleas: he says a horse has fifty-four properties, viz.: two of a man, two of a badger, four of a lion, nine of an ox, nine of a hare, nine of a fox, nine of an ass, and ten of a woman. This description has been somewhat altered, but perhaps not improved upon, viz. three qualities of a woman, a broad breast, round hips, and a long mane; three of a lion, countenance, courage, and fire; three of a bullock, the eye, the nostrils, and joints; three of a sheep, the nose, gentleness, and patience; three of a mule, strength, constancy, and good feet; three of a deer, head, legs, and short hair; three of a wolf, throat, neck, and hearing; three of a fox, ear, tail, and throat; three of a serpent, memory, sight, and cunning; and three of a hare or cat, cunning, walking, and suppleness.

FALCONRY.

"Dost thou love hawking? Thou hast hawks will soar above the morning lark." SHAKSPEARE.

THE gun has superseded this delightful sport, in which there was great state, great skill, and much diversion.

it

"To grace this honoured day, the queen proclaims,

By herald, hawkers' high heroick games;

She summons all her sons: an endless band

Pours forth, and leaves unpeopled all the land." POPE.

It was still followed, for the last act upon this subject was passed in the reign of James, which merely limited the time of hawking at pheasants and partridges. A very necessary act was, for without these periods are strictly observed, all will soon be destroyed. These laws, as regards the time of killing game, are now rigidly enforced; for instance, in the month of June, and some other months,

"No one wears a scarlet suit,

And no one wings a bird."

The following Latin aphorism shows the ancients had pro

English race horses were introduced into Canada as early as 1738. I believe Janus, a stud horse was the first; his sire was the Godolphin Ara. bian.

per ideas on preserving game: "Boni venatorius est plures feras capere non omnes.

Game was always plentiful in England, but difficult to be obtained, until the art of shooting flying, with the gun, was brought into practice. In the chapter on Provisions and Labour, vol i., page 16, it will be observed that the prices of game were much higher, in proportion to other food, than the relative prices of the present day.

Hawking is not likely to be revived; the numerous enclosures are a great impediment to it, except upon Salisbury plains, the South downs, or the Welch or Northern moors.

It has been attempted by the present Duke of St. Albans, who is hereditary grand falconer of England.

In the reign of James I., Sir Thomas Monson gave £1000 for a cast (two) of hawks.

SHOOTING-This century is remarkable as closing with archery, and falconry, and the commencement of the gun. The arquebus was first used for fowling, in 1535, the barrel was the same length as now, twenty-seven inches long; it had a large bore, and discharged hail shot. In 1548, an act was passed to regulate shooting with the hand gun, and hail shot.

Shooting flying is mentioned in the British

Apollo, 1708. Pegge says, William Tunstall was the first person who shot flying, in Derbyshire. He He was pay master general, and a quarter master in the rebel army; was made prisoner at the battle of Preston, 1716. He died, 1728.

It is painful to notice the constantly recurring accidents by fire-arms, all of which might easily be avoided, if persons, taking them up, were always to handle them as though they were charged, and never present the muzzle toward any object that has life, except it is meant to take it away. Reader, let me beseech you to imprint this short admonition on your mind, with the same care as you preserve the apple of your eye," it may prevent you from maiming, or destroying, your most honored friend. Perhaps this advice would be worth framing in all the schools of the Union, as was the case with good maxims in former times.

*It is the business of a good sportsman to kill much game, but not all.

Those who may be curious in keeeping their game and poultry some days before they are cooked, will find the following a ready guide to know the day of the week, by cutting off the claw, as the cut represents, on the day it was killed.

The "Athenian Oxonensis" says, Robert Dudly, Duke of Northumberland, was the first person to learn dogs to set, in order to catch partridges.

There is a curious bond in existence, dated 1685, engaging to pay ten shillings for teaching a spaniel dog to set partridges; but, during the last century, a Hampshire game-keeper taught a pig to do the same, and he was so staunch, no pointer could be found to beat him.

The "Postman," of 1713, advertizes, that a stall fed deer was to be shot for at the Grey hound, Islington, on Wednesday, in Whitsun week, for half-a-crown a man; forty to shoot, at four o'clock in the afternoon.

The same week, foot-ball and crickett matches were played by the young apprentices, within the porches of Covent Garden.

ARCHERY.

"Draw, archers! draw your arrows to the head."

Richard, at Bosworth Field. "The deeds achieved by our forefathers, which secured to England its present Constitution, were with the bow." PIERCE EGAN.

IN one of Bishop Latimer's sermons, he calls archery, "Godde's instrumentes." The first book of the "Last of the Barons," contains a pleasing illustration on this subject, in the olden times, to which I respectfully refer the reader.†

In describing the state of the army, vol. i., p. 35, I gave some remarks from Dr. Franklin, about the advantages of the bow and arrow. I find, from the "Book of Sports," there was * Guy's Trevia.

In former days, ships trading to Venice, were obliged to bring ten bow staves of yew for every butt of Malmsey wine. It was from the Mediterranean the best wood came, of which their celebrated bows were made; the following prices prove this :

"A bow made of the best foreign yew, in the reign of Queen Mary, as fixed by act of Parliament, was six shillings and eight-pence; for an inferior sort, three shillings and four-pence; and for one made of English yew, two shillings."-Maitland's London.

"The office of bow bearer of Sherwood Forest was continued to the year 1633, but it appears to have been a mere sinecure." Archaologia, vol. vii. p. 36.

a Sir John Hayward who wrote about it, in 1613, in his "Lives of Norman Kings," and who, after speaking of the effects of archery, gives four reasons for his preference of those weapons: 1st, "At a reasonable distance it is of a greater certainty. 2d, It is discharged faster.* 3d, More men may discharge them at once, for only the first rank dischargeth muskets at once, but with the bow, ten or twelve ranks may discharge them. Lastly, The arrow doth strike more parts of the body, from the head to nailing the foot to the ground." He also observes, "that a horse stroke with a bullet, if the wound be not mortal, may performe good service; but if an arrow be fastened in the flesh, the continual stirring thereof, occasioned by the motion of himself, will enforce him to cast off all command, and beare down, in disorder, those that are neere."

The general opinion then was, a preference of the bow over the musket.

"The white faith of history cannot show, That e'er a musket yet could beat the bow." Alleyn's Henry VII. Archery was practised at Harrow school (which was founded 1590) by the scholars, until abolished by Dr. Heath.

Charles II. took great delight in it; a treatise, called the "Bowman's Glory," was dedicated to him. He knighted a Mr. Wood for being an excellent shot, who had the following epitaph sculptured on his tomb:

"Long did he live the honour of his bow,

And his long life to that did owe."

There was a society of archers began at Richmond, in Yorkshire, in the year 1673; Henry Calverley Esq., of Eryholme, is said to have given the first silver arrow, which is still in their custody. The rules and regulations were agreed upon at Scorton, and the first meeting held there in that year.

The first rule regulates the sum to be deposited; the second, that the place of shooting "shall always be within six miles of Eryholme, unless otherwise resolved by the majority," (it was extended to twenty miles, in 1823.) The third regulates the colours of the targets; the fourth, the distance to be at least "eight score yards;" fifth, he who hits the gold to be captain, and shall "enjoy all the privileges due and belonging to that office, during the year ensuing," but he must bring the arrow to the next annual meeting; the sixth, regulates the manner of shooting; the seventh imposes a fine for swearing,

* "In modern days an archer has shot twelve arrows in a minute, into a circle not larger than a man's hat, at the distance of forty yards." Mr. John Timbs.