A group of three extremely rare and early horse racing manuscripts outlining in detail the Rules for the ''Manx Derby'' on the Isle of Man for the yea

A group of three extremely rare and early horse racing manuscripts outlining in detail the Rules for the ''Manx Derby'' on the Isle of Man for the years 1691, 1692 and 1693, being of exceptional significance for the history of horse racing as one of the earliest official documents to exist, and perhaps the only of this early date to have survived in private hands and perhaps unique in covering three successive years of this ancient horse race, the 1691 manuscript is in the best condition, paper stable and good overall except for paper loss on Article Three, the 1692 is browned and in a fragile state, the 1693 manuscript is distressed and in need of professional conservation The Rules specify the types of horses eligible to run, entry conditions, registration procedure and route and conduct of the race itself as well as other details and are annotated in the form of 16 ''Articles'' as below for the 1691 manuscript: ''Articles for the Plate which is to be run for in the said Isle being of the value of five pounds sterling given by the Rt Hon William, Earl of Derby, Lord of the said Isle, and seventy shillings, augmented by the contribution of the masters of the horses that did run the last year which makes up the Plate that is to be run for this year, to the value of six pounds.'' First article: The Plate to be run on the 28th July, every year, while his honour is pleased to allow the same, except if it happens to be a Sunday when the said Plate is to be run for on the following day. 2nd: Only horses, geldings or mares foaled within the said island or in the Calfe of Man to be permitted to run for said Plate. 3rd: Every horse, gelding or mare that is designed to run to be entered at or before the 14th day of July, with his master's name and his owner if he generally be known by any, or else his colour and whether he be horse, gelding or mare - and this to be done at the Competitors' office by the clerk of the rolls. 4th: That every person who enters a horse (or mare or gelding) shall at time of entering deposit five shillings apiece to the clerk of the rolls to go towards the augmenting of the Plate for the following year, and one shilling apiece to the clerk of the rolls for entering their names and engrossing these articles. 5th: That every horse shall carry horseman's weight - that is 10 stone besides saddle and bridle. 6th: That every horse shall have a person for its tryer, to be named by the owner of the said horse. Tryers to have command of the scales and weights and to see that every rider carries full weight as mentioned in the previous article. 7th: That a person be assigned by the tryers to start the running horses going for the Plate, between the hours of one and three in the afternoon. 8th: That every rider shall leave the three poles set up on the back of the land near the rocks upon his left hand and the poles around the harbour and the running poles next to William Looreye's house also to be left upon the left hand. The two poles leading to the distance pole to be left on the right hand and the distance pole to be passed on either hand at the discretion of the rider. 9th: That the distance pole be a certain number of yards from the ending pole and that there be sufficient persons chosen by unanimous consent of the masters of the horses to stand at such poles to see that the riders leave these poles to the right and left as detailed in the previous article. 10th: That whichever horse, mare or gelding does first win two heats, such horse be deemed and adjudged to win the Plate. 11th: That if any horse be found to have gone short of the distance pole in any of the heats, that horse to be turned off and not admitted to run any more for the said Plate. 12th: That if any horse should run on the contrary side of any pole as detailed in the 8th article and then should turn back again and come in on the side he ought to have done, he shall not be admitted to run any more and the second horse shall be adjudged to win the same heat. 13th: That the master of the winning horse to give an amount to the person who carries the weights and scales, and that the masters of all the horses that run to also contribute a full proportion towards the charges of setting up the poles and clearing the course of stones and other annoyances. 14th: That every rider should conduct himself in a civil manner over the course and if any reasonable complaint be levelled at him during any of the heats, he shall lose the benefit of the horse he is riding for the Plate and the next horse shall be deemed and adjudged to win the same instead. 15th: That all disputes arising upon the said race shall be determined by three sufficient persons nominated and appointed by the tryers for that purpose and that those chosen persons stand at the ending pole as Judges to deem and determine which horse, mare or gelding hath fairly won the said Plate. 16th: That these articles be lodged in the Competitors' Office so that the masters of the running horses and all other persons whatsoever have recourse to them and that the aforesaid articles be read to the riders by the said Clerk of the Rolls at the starting point on the raceday so that they may take notice of the rules they must abide by and not plead ignorance afterwards. Details of two of the horses entered plus the note of a deposit of five shillings towards the next year's race appear at the end of this manuscript, together with a memorandum that Major Heywood won the Plate this year. The Manx Derby was run on the Isle of Man, starting in the mid-17th Century (the precise year being unknown), and, as an Order of 1670 shows and these Rules confirm, the riders competed for a plate gifted by the Earls of Derby who were throughout that period ''Lords of the said Isle''. Through family name this makes the race a direct forerunner of the Epsom Derby - instigated in 1780 also by the Earls of Derby. The race was run each July 28th, in celebration of the birthday of the ninth Earl's son, James, bearer of the courtesy title ''Lord Strange'', across a beach on Langness Peninsula, just below ''Mount Strange'' - the Derby family's banqueting house on the island. The provenance of these Rules is a private residence in the north of Anglesey, directly opposite the Isle of Man across the Irish Sea. The ancestors of the present owner appear to have had a connection with the race which was a significant social occasion for the region.