Athletics and Football (extract)

l8 ATHLETICS hear of a foot-race betweentwo lame men, on NewmarketHeath, in the presence of the king himself. ' At 3 of the clock in the afternoon there was a foot-race between 2 cripples,each having a wooden leg. They started fair' (a fact which even then seems to have deserved chroniclingamongst pedestrians) ' and hobbled a good pace, which caused great admiration and laughter among the beholders; but the tallest of the two won by 2 or 3 yards.' However, there were plentyof contests more interesting than this, and Pepys makes frequent reference to them. On August 10, 1660, the diarist makesan entry ; 'With Mr. Moore and Creed to Hide Park by coach, and sawa fine foot-racethree times round the Park between an Irishman and Crew,that wasonce myLord Claypoole'sfootman.' On July 30, 1663, there is another entry which is even more significant of the popularity of foot-racing; 1 The towne talk this day is of nothing but the great foot-race run this day on Banstead Downes, between Lee, the Duke of Richmond's footman, and a tyler, a famous runner. And Lee hath beat him ; though the king and Duke of York,and all men almost, did bet three to four to one upon the tyler's head.' One cannot suppress the thought when hearing of such an ' upsetting of a pot,' and knowingof the wiles of professionalsportsmen, that the ' tyler' upon this occasion found it more lucrative to lose than to win. Not only, however,werethe ' professionals' busywithrunning at this time, but the amateurs were also to the fore. Two noble­ men, my lords of Castlehaven and Arran (a son of my lord of Ormond's), rivalled the exploit of Henry V., and 'they two alone did run down and kill a stoute bucke in St. James's Parke.' This was for a wager,and came off in the presence of the king. These two, however, were not the only athletic noblemen. Pepys says of the Duke of Monmouth that ' he is the most skittish leaping gallant that ever I saw; always in action, vaulting or leaping or clambering.' Macaulay,in the second chapter of his ' History,' has given the same picture of him: ' He mingled in every rustic sport, wrestled, played at quarter-staff, and won foot-races in his boots against fleet