g^I^V^^^^^^f FROM THE LIBRARY OF THE IiAIfi GEORGE H. GUTTRIDGE _^ ^J '(D'ULliuu CluM'lc^^c j3iPUFUu.€[eirl JPit^tbtUuim. a/L-f-iS^*/ mSr' Sfl^^*", « 713 THE HISTOMY OF THE Ancient Borough of Pontefracty CONTAINING AN INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF ITS CASTLE, AND THE TIIREK DIFFERENT SIEGES IT SUSTAINED, DURING THE CIVIL WAB, WITH NOTES AND PEDIGREES, OF SOME or THE MOST DISTINGUISHED ROYALISTS AND PARLIAMENTARIANS, CHIEFLY DRAWN FROM MANUSCRIPTS NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED, BY B. BOOTHROYD. *_i " I love Pomfret. Why ! Tis in all our histories: " They are full of Pomfrel Castle." SWIFT, pontefract: PRINTED BY AND FOR THE AUTHOR, AND FOR J. FOX ; AND SOLD BY LONGMAN & CO. PATERNOSTER-ROW, B. CROSBY & CO. ST.4.TI0NERS-C0URT, LONDON; J. HEATON, LEEDS; J. HURST, WAKE- riELD; WILSON & CO. AND TODD & CO. YORK; SHEARDOWN, DONCASTER; AND MAY BE HAD OF OTHEft BOOKSELLERS- 1807. SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES. <:.•.•.•*«»**■.•■.•: F17S-7 J. ALLOTT, Esq, Hague Hall G. Alderson, Esq. Ferrybridge J. W. Astley, Esq. Duckenfield Lodge, Lancashire Michael Ann, Esq. Burghwallis Mr. J. Alton, Pontefiactj J. Ankin, ditto R. Arton, ditto J. Addingley, ditto G. Appleby, ditto J. Ash, ditto J. Ashton, ditto G. Atlcy, ditto W. Archer, ditto W. Atkinson, ditto E. Airey, ditto J. Atkinson, ditto T. Atkinson, ditto F. Anderson, ditto W. Allen, Church Fenton J. Anderson, Ledstone G. Althass, Brotherton Ash, Masbro' W. Ashton, Purston Jackling J. Atkinson, ditto B. Atkinson, Knottingley Robert Atkinson, Womersley J. x'^caster, Brotherton Rev. J. Acasier, York Mr. J. Aislebie, Ferrybridge Arnald, ditto Rev. G. Alderson, Birkin Mr. D. Askam, Knottingley Acomby, ditto B T. D. Bland, Esq. Kippax Park R. H. Beaumont, Esq. Whitley-Hall, 2 copies T. Beever, Esq. Queen's College, Cam- bridge, G. Brookes, Esq. Twickenham J. Brookes, Esq. London T. Baxter, Esq. London, 2 copies Mr. T. Barker, Pontefract W. Barker, ditto T. Barker, ditto W. Bell, ditto Miss Benson, ditto Mr. W Briggs, ditto W. Brook, ditto T. Belk, Esq. ditto Mr. J. Br ice, ditto J. Burton, ditto Mrs. Beckett, ditto Miss S. L. Booth, ditto Mrs. Bamfather, ditto Mr. G. Birkinshaw, ditto Mrs. B. Brown, ditto Mr. T. Berkby, ditto Mr. R. Beaumont, ditto Rev J Bindloss, ditto Mr. R. Brown, ditto M. Beaumont, ditto B. Brown, ditto J. Berry, ditto W. Beaidshaw, ditto W Bonner, ditto Thos. Barton, ditto Burton, ditto J. Berry, Jun. ditto Thomas Brewer, ditto G. Bennet, ditto Miss Bennet, ditto Mr. S. Boys, ditto Briggs, Brampton Brown, London T. Brindle, Oldham Boothby, Doncaster Mrs. Brookes, Bedale Mr. W. Burton, Pool Birks, Carleton W. Brown, Purston • £, Baines, Leed; osae IV SUBSCRIBERS KAMES. Rev. Braken, D. D. Snaith Mr. G. Rurley, Sherburii Rev. J. Bailey, Kiiottingley Mr. Thomas Braim, ditto J. Brooke, Kippax E. Brook, Coroner, Wakefield Mr, Booth, Wragby W. Beevor, Claypoole Mrs. Brooke, Grange Miss Brooke, ditto Mr. T. Berry, London C C, Crowle. Esq. Curzon St. London J. Cooke, Esq. Camps Mount Nich. Carlisle, Esq. London J Clayton, Esq. Kippax A Carr, Esq. Rotherham J. Crowder, Esq. Brotherton Serjeant Cockell, Pontefract Mr. J. Cartner, ditto J. Coleman, Attor. ditto, 2 copiei Mrs. Collier, ditto Mr, Clibbs, ditto Thomas Chapman, ditto J. Craggs, ditto J. ('arr, ditto J. Calvert, ditto Castlehouse, West Hardwick J. Cockhill, Altoss T. Casson, Minsthorp E. Coates, Rippon R. Coulson, Rev. R. Crowther, Smitheles J. Clarke, Attorney, Barnsley Mr. Carter, Ferrybridge W. Cambidge, Knottingley M. Carter, ditto J. Cawthorn, ditto J, Collinsonj Hook G, Collinson, London T. Croyzer, Saltmarsli Mr. Cuttle, Wakefield Mrs. Chapman, Burton Mr. Cuttle, Wakefield T Chamberlain, Carleton, Craven W. Clay, Manchester D Rev. F. Drake, Walkington Mrs F. Drake, ditto R. Drake, Esq. York N. Drake, M. D. Hadleigh Mrs. Drake, Lincoln Dr. Drummond, Hadleigh D. Dunderdale, Esq. Dunford House Mr. T. Dickenson, Por.tefracc J. Dibb, ditto J. Daniel, dttto P. Dunhill, ditto J. Dennison, ditto J. Dickenson, ditto T. Dunhill, Pontefract H. Dunhill, ditto R. Dickon, ditto M'Dowell, ditto Miss Dove, ditto Mr. J. Day, ditto W.Day, TyersHiU R. Duffin, Hemsworth Mr. Dickon, Kellington Rev, K. Dyneley, Burley Lodge Mr. B. Denis, Cork E Right Hon. Earl of Euston, Francis Edmunds, Esq. Worsborough Mrs. Ellison, Pontefract Mr. J. Elliot, ditto J, England, ditto G. England, ditto W. Edmondson, Lancaster D. Emmerson, Upton W. Earnshaw, Roal J. England, Knottingley Erringlon, Grove J. Earnshaw, Knpttingley G. Earnshaw, Hull EUerton, Surgeon, Kippax H. Eccles, Beverley F Rt. Hon. Earl FitzwiUiam, Wentwortli« House Bacon Frank, Esq. Campsall T. Foljambe, Esq. Wakefield J. FlintofF, Esq. Leeds N. Fowler, Esq. Pontefract Major Fox, ditto Mr. F. Fisher, ditto F. Fryer, ditto R. Foss, ditto J, Faint, ditto J. Fryer, ditto W. Fryer, ditto Foster, ditto . SUBSCRIBERS* NAMES. Mr. J. Fisher, Pontefract J. Fox, Heindly Rev. W. Fa!/er, Darringtoii Mr. J. Fletcher, Wiiwood Farrar, R. Freer, Knotiingley T. FariihiU, ditto Miss Finh, Gainsbro' Mrs. Fowles, London G Right. Hon. Viscount Gallway, Serlby, 6 copies [ T. H. Granger, Esq. Leeds J. H. Gillet, Esq. Lincoln's Inn, Lon. Mr. W. Gelder, Pontefract Gill, ditto Mrs. Gunning, ditto Mr. Gowthorp, Wakefield C. Green, Holmfiith J. Gill, Ackworlh J. Gouthwaite, Fairburn W. K. Gowihorp, Wakefield J. Gariiett, Feriybrdge E. Gaggs, Knottingley Gill, ditto J. Garlick, Saltmarsh B. Guy, Londjn T. Graham, Doncaster H Right Hon. Lord Hawke, Womers'ey Hon. Martin Bladen Hawke, Towton J. P. Keywood, Esq. Wakefield J. Hepworth, Esq. Rogerthorp J. Hill, Esq. Knowsthorp E. L. Hodgson, Esq. Siapleton W. Hutton, Esq. Gate Burton, Gainsbro* B. Heywood, Esq. Stanley Hall Mr. Hawcroft, Pontelract R. Hepworih, Esq. ditto John Haxby, M D. ditto Mr. S. Hurst, ditto J. Hiniby, ditto B. Hick, ditto T. Hestletine, ditto Rev. T. Heron, dittto J Hurst, diiio Mr. B. Hupp, ditto T. Higgins, ditto R Horncastle, Esq. ditto Mr. T. Hall, ditto W. Hutchinson, ditto Mr. F. C. Halley, Pontefract E. Hattersley, ditto Darley Henisworth, ditto Mrs. S. Hawksworih, ditto Mr. J. Horner, ditto C. Haigh, ditto J, Hunt, ditto T.Hawksworth, ditto T. Haigh, ditto M. Hutchinson, ditto W. Hunt, ditto G. Hopkinson, ditto B. Hartley, ditto W. Hestletine, ditto George Hesletine, ditto B. Hunter, ditto R. Hall, ditto W. Holme, ditto H. Haigh, ditto S. Hurst, ditto Rev. E. Howard, ditto Mrs. Hanks, Tanshelf Heptinstall ditto 2 copies Mr. Hey, Cridling Park J. Haidcastle, Knottingley J. Hoyland, ditto Rev, W. R. Hay, Ackworth Mr. W. Hurst. Srubbs Harrop, Featherston R. Hurst Esq. Mirfield Mr. F. Hurst, Bentley T. Hobson, Brotherton Hunter, Leeds W. Hick, Micklefield W. Horncastle, Esq. Tanshelf Mr. W. Harrison, Scarthingwell G. Hurst, Roiherham Heslop, Rippon J. Henderson, Darrington J.Hutchinson, Wakefield Rev. T. Hale, Heckmondwike Mr. J. Hall. Ferrybridge G. Hurst, Thirsk W Hardy, Knottingley H. Holmes, Leeds W. Hayley, Castlelord Hextell, Eyram Halliley, Lumby G. Hedley, Gainsbro' Hodgson, Wakefield J. Hill, Malton VI subscribers' names Mr. G. Halley, Rotherham R. Hides, Sheffield I Sir John Ingleby, Bart. Ripley Mrs. Ince, FoiUefract Rev. C. Ishcrwood, Broiherloii J Mr. S. Jackson, Pontefract H. Jackson, ditto J. Jefferson, M. D. ditto Mr. J. Johnson, ditto Joseph Johnson, Juii. ditto \V. Johnson, ditto Edmund Johnson ditto John Johnson, Newcastle J. Jackson, Esq. Doncaster Mr. W. Janneson, York S. Jackson, Esq. Providence Green B. Jowitt, Esq. Carleton Mr. T. Jackson, Brotheiton T. Jackson, Knotiingley Jowitt, Park Mrs. Jennings, Sheffield K Mr. J. Knowles, Pontefract S. Kidd, ditto Mrs. Knowles, ditto Mr. Knapion, ditto M. Kay, ditto Rev. G. Kelly, Featherston Mr. G. Keir, Attorney, Barnsley J. Knutton, Knottingley J. Keathly, Chft G. Kendall, ditto J. Kershaw, Wakefield L Rt. Hon. Lord Lowther, Westmoreland 3 copies W. Leaiham, Esq. Pontefract J. Leatham, Esq. ditto 2 copies Mr. T. Lea, ditto W. Lodge, ditto R. Liiidley, ditto G. Linton, ditto Rev. J. Lowe, Wentwonh Mr. Liversiege, Minsthorp J. Longwood, Knottingley Long, Birkin \V. Long, Leeds Lane, Minerva Office, London W- B. Legg, Ackworth Long, Mclhley Mr. E. I>owe, Sheffield Lindley, London G. Long, Mrs. Leatham, Featherston Mr. R. Long, Knottingley D- Lindsay, Ackworth G. Liitlewood, Sheffield Loyd, Tewkesbury M Rt. Hon. Earl of Mexborough, Methley, 2 copies Coimtess of Mexborough, 2 copies Rev. R. Markham, Aichdeacon of York Rt. Hon. Lord Milton, Peterborough R. P. Milnes, M. P. Fiyston Mrs. Milnes, ditto Sir W. Milner, Bart, Nun Appleton W. H. Marsden, Esq. Burntwood Lodge Capt. Montague, Royal Dragoons, 2 copies J. Milnes, Esq. Wakefield F. Maud, Esq. ditto Mr. Morvill, ditto J. Marshall, Esq. Pontefract R. Medley, Esq. ditto Mr. F. Moody, ditto Moorhouse, ditto H. Mason, ditto J. Muncaster. ditto Mrs. Marshall, ditto Mr. T. Martin, ditto W. Moody, ditto J. Morley, ditto T. Moor, ditto D. Morley, ditto Miss 5. Morley, ditto Mr. J. Mountain, ditto 5. Moore, ditto A. Moody, ditto. M. Mitton, Attorney, ditta J. Moody, ditto Mrs. J. Mountain, ditto Mr. Maykin, Leeds J. Moate, Fenwick. J.. Maude, Purston Jacklln Miss Mann, Fryston R. Mitton, Esq. Hardwick Mr. B. Moorhouse, Knottingley Maude, Beale J. Muscroft, Surgeon, Kippas Mabson, Birmingham J. M^jrley, Esq. Beamsley Hall subscribers' names. VII N ■ Neville, Esq. Badsworth, JI. J. Nettleton, Pontefract Nelsthorp, Ackworth G. Nay lor, Purston Tho. Nicholas, London O Rev. Mr. Ogle, Castleford C. Gates, Esq. Sheffield Mr. T. Oxiey, Surgeon, Pontefract S. OxIey, ditto C. Oldiidge, ditto P. Oxley, ditto ]\Ia!en Oxley, ditto J. Orde, Knottingley J. Gates, Wragby P Sir Tho. Pilkington, Bart. Chevet W. Pilkinglon, Esq. ditto J. Pock'.ington, Esq, Muskham House, Nottinghamshire — — ^— Pockiington, Esq. ditto W. Payne, Esq. Frickley G. Pertect, Esq. Thorp-Arch G. Pyemont, Esq. Tan shelf W. Perfect, Esq. Pontefract Mrs. Perfect, ditto Mr. J. Purslove, ditto A. Palfryman, ditto J. Petty, ditto J. Pease, ditto J; Patrick, ditto J. Perfect, Esq. ditto Mr. W. Popplewell, ditto Prince, ditto J. Puttage, ditto R. Petty, ditto Miss G. Pottage, ditto Mr. Price, Camblesforth Plinth, Leeds J. Preston, Brothertoa Rev. Paddy, Kellington Mr. Pye, Poskitt, Kellington Rev. E. Parsons, Leeds Rev. T. S. Parris, Burghwallis Mr. Pollh.ll, ditto R. Proudfoot, London, 2 copies Piiider, Methley J. Prince, Castleford B. Pickhard, Houghton Mr. Petyt, London Rev. Maurice Philips, Masbro' Mr. J. Parker, Attorney, Sheffield W. Priestly, Ouseluet R Mr. J. Robertshaw, Pontefract J. Ray, ditto Hurst Rhodes, ditto J. Revnolds, ditto D. Rideal, ditto T. Roberts, Jun. ditto J. Rayner, ditto R. Roebuck, ditto VV. Richardson, ditto T. Rarnsden, Jun, ditto J Robinson, ditto J Reynolds, ditto Mrs. A Rusby, ditto Mr. T. Roberts, York Rev. W. Richardson, Hardwlck. Mr. B. Rowley, Smeatoti Miss Rawson, Leeds Miss L. Rawson, ditto Mr. C. Rudd. Rochdale R. Robinson, York S. Rusby, Ferrybridge R. Redfearn, Knottingley Redman, ditto W. Roberts, \V. Robinson, Jun. Wakefield J. Rhodes, Micklefield R. Rhodes, Knottingley W Rhodes, Epwoiih, Lincolns. Miss Ryley, Wakefield S Rt. Hon. J. Smyth, Heath, 2 copies J. H. Smyth, Eq. ditto W. Smithson, Esq. ditto Sir Edward Smith, Ban. Newland Waller Spencer Stanhope, Esq. Canoji Hall Mr. Steevens, Cleobury Mrs. Sykes, Worsborough J. Stocks, Esq. Kinsley Mr. M. Shiliio, Puiston Tackling ■ Mrs. Sunderland, Pontefract Miss Shilito, diito, 4 copies Mr. ShinclifF, ditto Spurr, ditto J. Standish, ditto p. Senior, Jitto vm subscribers' names. Mr. W. Stewart, Pontcfract W. Smiili, ditto R. Sadler, ditto Smith, ditto J. Seaton, Esq. ditto, 2 copies J. Fox Seaiuti, Esq. ditto R. Seaton, Ksq. ditto Mr. J. Shirtcliff, ditto VV. Shepherd, ditto Stringer, ditto A. Sadler, ditto J. Scholey, ditto J. Seeker, ditto J. Shepherd, ditto T. Shuttleworth, Esq. ditto Mr. T. Sherwin, ditto K. Smyth, Esq. ditto Mr. T. Shertcliffe, ditto T. Summerton, ditto R. Smith, ditto J. Swallow, ditto W. Silverwood, ditto T. Scholey, ditto B. Shepherd, ditto W. Sharp, Knottingley J. Sharp, ditto S. Smith, Esq. Hambleton Mr. T. Stackhouse, Ackworth Sleddle, Carleton Mrs. Simpson, Fairburn Miss Simpson, ditto Mr. J. Sams, Ackworth T. Sayle, Esq. Wenlbridge M. Shertcliffe, Merchant, Leeds W. Swainson, Esq. Halifax J. Smithson, Esq. Rothwell, 2 copies W. Sotheron, Esq. Dairingtoii Rev. W. Smith, Haxton Mr. T. Smith, Sheffield W. Smith, Brotherton, 4 copies Mrs. Ann Spooner, Ackworth G. C. Seaton, Esq. Huddersfield A. Surtees, Esq. Ackworth Mr. Sanderson, Milford J. Shore, Esq. Loscoe Gian^^e Mr. M. Saul, Knottingley J. Stacey, ditto W. SutclifF, Brotherton Sampson, London T. Shay, Castleford, Miss Sayle, Wentbridge Mr. J. Scholey, Wakefield W, Shipton, Green Hammeiton J. Smith Holbeck W. Simpson, Darrington T. Smithies, Knottingley J. Simpson, Newton Spink, North Elmsall T. Scholefield, Sheffield T T. Taylor, Esq- Pontefract W. Townend, Esq. ditto T. W. Tew, Esq. ditto E. Trueman, Esq. ditto Mr. H. Towns, Attorney, ditto T. Twaits, ditto T. Thompson, ditto Mrs. Torre, ditto Mr. P. Taylor, ditto T. Thompson, ditto Mrs. Townend. ditto Mr. J. Tute, ditto J. Tattersall, ditto J. Thompson, ditto C. Thomas, ditto W. Thistleihwaite, ditto H. Teal, ditto W. Towndrow, ditto VV. Thompson, ditto T. Taylor, Tanshelf- Mrs. Turner, Bugden T. W. Tottie, Esq. Leeds Mr. Townend, Womersley Grove C. Tibbiis, Esq. Barton Seagrave M. J. Taylor, Scarbro' 2 copies Rev. H. Torre, Srjydall \V. Thompson, Esq. Ferrybridge Mr. J. Turton, Ackwoith A, Tree, Knottingley Rich. Thompson, Ferrybridge J. Thorp, North Elmsall R. Thornton, Methley V Rev. W. Vint, Idle Mr. R. Vaux, Pontcfract Vaux, Whitley Vaux, Knottingley W Sir Edmund Mark Winn, Bart. Ackton D. Wilson, Esq. Dallam Tower, Wc^stm. Lady Wood, Hems worth E. Wright, Esq. Walloti subscribers' names. IX p. Wilson, Esq. Metliley J. Walson, Esq. Havercroft T. Wormald, Esq. Leeds Valentine VVhitwill, Esq. ditto Mrs Wilson, Elmsall Lodge Col. Wade, Alufis Rev J. Woodrow, Ashton, Lancashire Dr. Walker, Leeds R. Wilkinson, York Mr. Woodcock, Surgeon, Hetnsworth E. Williams, D. I). Masborough Capt. Wilson, Queen's Royal Reg. Mrs. Wade, Pontefract Mr. S. Wade, dittto T. Wade, ditto Walton, ditto J. WilUt, Esq. ditto Mrs. Whiteford, ditto Mr. S. Wainwright, Surgeon, ditto Wliitaker. ditto T. Wilson. Pontefract Mrs. A WaiHe ditto Mr. R. Walker, ditto B. Wright, Jun. ditto W. Wood, ditto B. Wright, ditto J. Ward, ditto T. Walshaw, ditto T. Ward, ditto A. Waine, ditto J. Wilson, ditto T. Whitaker, ditto General Waide, Lofthouse Mr. Wigham, Pontefract Ward, ditto R. Wilcock, ditto J. Wadsworih, ditto M.-s. Wilson, Sherburn Mr. R. Wilkinson, Ackwoith G. Womack, Knotiingley Wade, Hesle T. Wads«'orth, Methley Wilks, Brotherton Woiknian, Ouston A. Wade, Ackworth Mrs. W. Westwood, Ml. White, Sutton W. Wilson, Sheffield Webster, Methley T. Wheator, Hensall Wyley, Selby J. Wroe, Ferrybridge R. Whitaker, Ackworth R. West Knottingley Wilscn, ditto Whitelock, Brotherton T. VVhiggle^worth J. Williamson T. Wilson, Thornhill R. Winn, Ulleskelf Mrs. Ward, Sheffield Y Mr. Yeamans, Wakefield W. Yates, Paik Subscribers^ Names omitted in the aforegoing List. Mr. A. Beaumont, Smeatoa W. Brown, Lofthouse Blakey, Pontefract D. Bulgraddery, Cork, Rev. Rob. Croft, Rowley Mrs. Colley, Tanshelf Mr. J. Collinson, Kiplin Godfrey, Snydall W. Goodville, Pontefract Mrs. Heptinstall, ditto Mr. Horsefall, Barnsley R. Hopp, Pontefract W. Homer, ditto J. Hesleiine, ditto G. Hdigh, ditto R. P. Hawkesworlh, ditto Hill, Leeds ^ilI, Brotherton Mr. Hartley, Wakefield W. Jubb, Brookman T. Jones, ditto M. Lee, Grove Liversiege, Brotherton Lee, Knottingley Mrs. E Lindiey, Allenon By water Mr. Marshall, Britton W. Moor, Knottingley J. Mariin, Wood Mills W. Petty, Pontefract W. Pilkington, ditto "W. Richardson, Micklefield J. Redfearn, Knotiingley W. Robinson, Sw.inefleet J. Thorp, Womersley Thomas, Sheffield J. Twibell, Badswotsh CONTENTS. Page. INTRODUCTION, i SECTION I. On the State of the Place during the Dominion of the Romans, __-_---S SECT. 11. On the Saxon Period, and the Introduction of Chris- tianity, - - - - - - -19 SECT. III. Inquiry into the Constitution and Privileges of the Borough under the Saxons, - - - - 36 SECT. IV. The Norman Conquest, and the changes it produced, 46 SECT. V. Oti the modern Name of this Borough, and the building of the Castle, - - - - - - 53 SECT. VI. The History and Pedigree of the Lades, - - 60 SECT. VII. Inquiry into the Conduct and Character of Thomas Earl of Lancaster, _ _ _ _ - 84 SECT. VIII. Historical Events till the Death of Richard II. 99 SECT. IX. Historical Events till the Union of the Houses of Lan- caster and Fork, - - - - - -117 SECT. X. Historical Events from tlie Death of Richard III. till the commencement of the Civil War, - - 139 SECT. XL On the Civil War, the state of Parties, and a descrip- tion of the Castle in its perfect StatCf - - 148 XU CONTENTS. Page SECT. XII. Events during the First Siege, - - - - 169 SECT. XIII. Events during the Second Siege, - - - - 185 SECT^ XIV. Events xchieh followed the surrender of the Castle, the manner in whieh it zms surprised, the last Siege, and final Demolition, - - - - _ 249 PART II. Priory of St. John, - - - - - -319 Dominican Friars, - - - - _ -338 Carmelites, - -- -__ _ -340 Austin Friars, - - - - - _ -341 Church of All-Hallows, - - - - -343 Church of St. Giles, - .. - - . _ - - 364 Chantry of St. Thomas, - - - - -376 -5"^ Nicholas Hospital, - - - - _ -378 Lazar House, -.- - - - - -382 Knolles\ or Trinity Hospital and College, - -383 Bead House Hospital ^ - - - - - -392 Twaite's Hospital, - - - - _ -393 Frank's Hospital, - _ - _ _ -394 Cowpefs Hospital, - - _ _ _ -397 Peifecfs Hospital, - - - - _ -228 JVatkin's Hospital, - - - - _ - 39§ The King's Free Grammar School, - - -401 Charity School, - - - _ - - -411 Talbofs Charity, Sayles Dole, - - - - 4I4 Corporation! s Bequest, - - - - - -418 Acaster's Bequest, ------ ib. Mrs. Dorothy Frank's Bequest - - - - ib. FothergiWs Donation, - - - - - -419 The Park, ----__-_ 428 Stump Cross, - - - _ - -441 Market-Cross, Town-Hall, Theatre, - - - 445 Ancient Cave, -_--.- . ib. Corporation, - - - - - _ -44.5 Parliamentary History, - . _ . . 458 Beligious Sects, and modern State of the Town, 484 A ppendlv— Addenda. ------ PREFACE. jtVGREEMENT in language, community of pri- viliges, and a similarity in general habits, form the basis of the virtue called patriotism, or the love of our country ; a virtue which grows with our growth, and ripens with our years. The same principles which generate the love of our country, give every man a peculiar interest in the place of his nativity, or in that where he has spent the chief part of his life. The former he recollects in connection with his boyish sports, and the gay and enchanting scenes of his youth, when his mind was free from care, and the illusions of fancy added charms to every object, and converted the world into a paradise; the latter is impressed on his heart by the toils he has endured, the friend- ships he has formed, and most probably by those tender sympathies and emotions which he feels as a husband and a father. The same principles which attach us to a particular place, lead us to enquire into its origin, and into the events which have occurred respecting it ; and by connecting the idea of the place with the events, and disregard- ing the time, we feel as if personally interested. Topography is founded on the above mentioned principles ; and while it gratifies a natural desire, it often illustrates and improves general History. Every particular town, is a part of a general whole; an unit of the aggregate number of which a king- dom consists. To describe each separately, and to state with precision the most interesting occur- rences, must tend to render general Histary more minute and more faithful. XIV PREFACE. The work now presented to the public, origi- nated in the wish of a respectable friend, Richard IIepworth. Esq. who had made a collection of such materials towards it as he had raet with in the course of his reading. These he oftered to the Author, and generously promised any assistance which it was in his power to afford ; and during the pro- gress of this work, he has faithfidly adhered to his engagcmcMit. On perusing these materials, the Author found that much was yet to he done — . that beside the task of arranging, diligent research was necessary in order to explain and illustrate various facts which were only noticed en passant by our Historians. He availed himself of all the sources of information within his reach ; and in the course of his researches, he met wjth materials far beyond what he had expected. The most valuable communication the Author received from the Kpv. F. Drake, I^ectqrer, of Pontefract. This was the MS. journal of the siege wrote at the time by his ancestor, Captain Drake, Qnd which had been carefully preserved in the fa- mily. By the aid of this valuable MS. the history of the siege is more particular and interesting than it could possibly otherwise have been. 7"he notes, containing some account of the fa- niilies of several distinguished persons in the castle, and of some in the army of the Parliament, have been derived from Wilson's MS. Pedigrees, in the Leeds library, compared with another valuable copy in the possession of the Kt. Hon. J. Smyth, Heath, near Vv''akerieM. Both these MS. are copies' from one in the possession of the late Dr. Kichard- svon, of Bierly, near Bradford, collected by Mr. Hopkinson, the friend of Dugdale, from the records in Pontefract Ca.stle, previous to its demolition. The Author has to acknowledge his obligations to J. Milues., Esq. for tlae accurate pedigree of the Pool family, and some other communications. W» H. Beaimioat, Esq. of Whitley, has honoured the Author with some documents respecting his family ; and as a gentleman and a scholar, he has disco- vered a readiness to impart information from the valuable collection of ancient documents in his possession, which leads the Author to regret, that he "had not the happiness of becoming acquainted with him, previous to the commencement of his work. From a letter of Sir Thomas Beaumont, it appears, that the note, page 215, explaining the term Snaphances, is not correct as applied to that period, whatever it may be as now used among the military. Sir Thomas, in a letter dated from Pon- tefract, June 7, 1643, answers one he had recei- ved — " for the Match you write for, I shall shortly send you some; but I put you in mind once more, to use yoiir Snaphance Pieces to keep centery \N\ih, as that zvill save our Match.'^ This decides the ense of the term as then understood. The note in page 284, respecting Lady Saville, copied from Kimber's Baronetage, is a misrepre- sentation. Sir Thomas Beaumont was the governor of the castle, and in the articles of rendition, there is one, which respects the safe return of Lady Saville, to Thornhill. Some persons will probably conceive that this Work is too much connected with the general history of the country. In reply, it may be ob- served that every local history must be less or more so ; and as such a work will fall into the hands of many, whose situation and circumstances preclude access to works on general history, it was judged advisable to relate the causes of those events which more properly belonged to the history of the place. The history of the priory and religious orders might have been rendered more minute, had the XVI PREFACE, Author had the opportunity of searching the valu- able stores of the Bodleian Library. He found, that his materials were as ample as his plan and proposals would admit ; and he was under the ne- cessity of leaving this to some future historian, that he might give an account of the churches, charities, &c. within the Borough. On the whole, the Author commits this work to the public, sensible that further attention and re- search might have rendered it more perfect. He has had the double task of collecting his materials, and of immediately arranging them for the press. Hence he has rarely had an opportunity of attend- ing to his language, and of giving to it, that polish and grace, which would have enlivened the subject, and rendered the whole more pleasing and inte- resting. He hopes this will disarm critisism of her severity, and excite her to practice the virtue of forbearance, where she cannot smile with appro- bation. P. S. Since the history of the siege was printed off, the life of Sir H. Slingsby has been published, in Scotland. In this work, some particulars re- specting the castle, previous to the battle of Mar- ston Moore, are noticed ; and a Sir John Red- man, is said to have been the governor. A hard fought battle is described, between the royalists and the parliamentarians, which began at Bi other- toHj, and extended to Berkin. The royalists were victorious, but Sir J. Kedman soon after died. Vid. the Work. INTRODUCTION. JrllSTORY it is generally admitted, is not less calculated to afford rational amusement, than to impart useful instruction. It collects the experi- ence and wisdom of all ages; it records useful dis- coveries, and traces the progress of the arts; it notices the influence of civil institutions, in forming the character and regulating the manners and sen- timents of a people; and combining the useful v^^ith the agreeable, it never fails to please. A faithful delineation of the conduct and cha- racters of distinguished individuals ; a detail of those great events which have contributed in a considerble degree, to the greatness and happiness of a people, or to their misery and wretchedness, cannot be perused without interest. While reading an animated description of some rencounter, which is to decide the fate of nations, who does not feel the oscillations of hope and fear, while the battle hangs in suspence? While contemplating the character of those who have ennobled human nature by their distinguished virtues, who is not excited, at least for the moment, to imitation? Who does not wish in whatever situation placed, to digniiy that situation by the exercise of appropriate virtues? It is not possible that all should command armies, emd by their achievements obtain general renown ^ }sO, LB* 2 LXTRODUCTION. but it is possible for each individual to obtain a sufficient portion of fame by a virtuous conduct in the station in which he is placed. The examples of excellence which history sets before us, in every science; in every profession and calling, must have a considerable, thou<:^h it may be an imperceptible influence on our conduct and pursuits. These ex- amples like the dew on the grass, cherish and invi- gorate every virtuous principle. They operate like the sun , nor, after ages have elapsed, is their influr. ence spent. Nor are examples of vice useless. Though on many occasions history pourtrays some of the worst of our species as prosperous, it tends on the whole to establish the maxim, " That the prosperity of the wicked shall destroy them." If it exhibit the character of a Pharoah or a Nero tram- pling for a season on the rights of men j and exulting in the misery their own crimes have created ; it also shews their end; — that while one for his obduracy, cruelty and oppression, is made an example of divine vengeance; the other is driven from a throne on which he was unworthy to sit, and falls a just sacrifice to the hatred which his own vices had ex- cited. After having erected a palace, covered with gold wrung from the people by oppression, and coolly observing, " that this was an habitation fit for a man to dwell in ;" Nero was forced to fly to an homely cottage, and there slain. As history shews vice on a throne thus punished; it also displays inferior examples equally wretched ; and one would hope that such examples cannot but afford to mankind the most salutary admonitions. In a word, when virtuous characters excite our esteem, those of vice must excite our abhorrence. INTRODUCTION. 3 and this abhorrence must become a motive to a more amiable and dignified deportment. Ex- amples of vice act by a repellant, as those of virtue by an attractive influence j and unless a man is ah-eady decided in his character, and estabHshed in criminal habits, it may reasonably be expected, that such examples will, on the whole, be favourable to virtue. The influence of civil institutions cannot be more clearly displayed than in topographical history. As this is confined to a particular district, it is ne- cessarily more minute in its details, it marks every change in the institutions, the sentiments and man- ners of a people j it describes distinguished indivi- dual characters, and by being more particular, it becomes more influential and interesting. Every man is led to reflect that he inhabits the place where the most striking events have occurred; where the most noble examples of patriotism, valour and prudence, have been exhibited; and he is influenced to become equally patriotic, bold and daring, prudent and circumspect, with those who have been — but alas are no more ! Though this place has not been hitherto honored by a particular history, it is not owing to any Avant of authentic and interesting materials. Its antiquity, the singular events which have occurred; its connec- tion with the general history of the kingdom, aflbrd ample matter for the historian. To use the lan- guage of a late writer, this place is memorable for the residence of a proud Norman conqueror — for the tragical end of a beloved King — for the noble blood which flowed bv the hand of the executioner : and for the unshaken loyalty here manifested in the defence of that unfortunate monarch Charles tlie first. THE HISTORY PONTEFRACT. SECTION r. On the state of this place during the dominion of the Rornans. It is difficult, not to say in many cases im- possible, to trace with precision the original founda- tion and establishment of particular places. The lapse of so many ages, and the want of ancient records, are obstacles which no industry or research can surmount. Nor can it excite wonder that the origin of particular places should be unknown, when the subject is deliberately considered ; but on the other hand, it is what may reasonably be expected. When objects grand or novel are beheld, they strike the imagination with an irresistable force, and the plea- surable emotions they excite, lead the mind to dwell on them, till they become indelibly impressed on the memory ; but those which are common are seen and forgotten j the impression which they make fades away with the passing moment. While the majestic river, which fertilizes and enriches the country through which it winds its course, is beheld 6 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. with admiration, the spring from which it rises is iinnoticed. hi hke manner the populous town or busy city contains ol)jects which arouse the atten- tion, and the various occurrences and events of such places, afford matter for the historian; while the farm house or the few cottages, from which such lown or city arose, are beheld with indifference ; and no one thinks of describing who built them, or by whom they are inhabited. As most places have originated from such small beginnings, years, if not ages, must have rolled away before they became sufficiently interesting to deserve notice; and on this account our inability to produce direct evidence of the time when, and the manner how this ancient 'tovv'n arose, is the less to be regretted. But though we cannot attain what is absolutely certain on this point, by the consideration of collateral circum- stances, we may yet arrive at what is highly probable. The state of Britain before the invasion of the Romans is but imperfectly understood. The enter- prizing spirit of the Phenician merchants of Tyre an the land of Judaea, had early pushed discovery beyond the pillars of Hercules ; and to open new sources of wealth and trade, they had reached Britain. At this remote period, the Britons were not unacquainted with the treasures their country contained; and long before Caesar visited them they knew how to extract the valuable metals of lead, tin, and 'copper from their ores. These articles they exchanged with the Phenicians for the merchandise of the east; and the Phenicians gave the name of Cassiterides *, to the British isles. * Vid. BoRLACE Ant. Cor. 29. p. Five or six centuries before the Christian era, they carried on this trafic. Herodotus, who •flourished 4:40 jfears belore Christ, calls the island from whence HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 7 Julius Caesar about fifty-five years before the Christian era passed over from Gaul, and made a descent on Britian. The Britons not discouraged by the fame of his conquests, and the subjugation of their brethren the Gauls, made a brave resis* tance; and though compelled to give way to. the disciplined legions of Kome, they obtained the praise due to their valour and courage from their enemies. The ambition of Caesar was now directed against his own country; and having received hos- tages from the Britons he departed, and they esca- ped the yoke prepared for them for near a century. Ccesar, who amidst the toils of war and the various duties which his high rank imposed upon him, still found leisure for the cultivation of polite literature; and to his elegant Commentaries we are indebted for the best information respecting the laws, customs and manners of the Britons. From these we learn, that the island of Britain was peopled from the Continent, and that our ancestors spake the same language, worshipped the same idols, and were governed by the same laws as the inhabitants of Gaul. The kingdom was divided into a numiber of inde* pendent and separate states, one of tire- most con- siderable of which was that of the Brigantes, who inhabited this part of the country. Each state acknowledged one chief or king; but this chief or king was not absolute. He could neither make laws, nor engage in any matters of importance, without the advice and consent of the equitcs, or lead- tin came Cassiterides, and confesses he knew not where it lay. KTU'Dp is the Chaldee name for tin, and it is probub'e it was so called by the Phenicians; as the Greeks cannot be supposed to have given a name to an island they did not know. 8 HISTOTIY OF PONTEFRACT. ing men, and the druitls, or priests *. There appears only to have existed among the Britons these two orders, for the common people were in a state of vassalage f . Each of these equites enjoyed a cer- tain district of land, where he resided M'ith his re- tainers around him, who attended him in war, and in peace cultivated his ground, and supplied his table with its produce. 1 hese districts must have differed in extent, some being larger than others; and it has been supposed these divisions of land, were the foundation of our present parishes. The houses of the Britons were of a round form, and covered with a convex roof; and houses of this form continued in the highlands of Scotland, where the remains of the old Britons still reside, within a few centuries }. They were made by driving stakes into the earth, and watling them with osiers; and the roof was covered with branches of trees, and thatched. They had much the appearance of tents, and were so ca'Icd by Dion and Zonaras§. At the arrival of the Romans, the population of Britain was considerable. Bede inform us, there were twenty-eight cities, besides other fortified places ||. Tacitus expressly asserts, that the Bri- gantes were the most numerous, and formed the largest kingdom of any within the whole island ^, This people whose capital was called Isurium, (now Aldborough, near Boroughbridge,) were justly ranked among the most warlike of the Britons, * Whitaker, Hist. Man, Vol. 1. p. 6. f Cesar, pene servorum loco. t B^ETius, Scot. Reg. Descrip. Fo. 4. 1575, Paris. § (7X»ivaj, and !7x>iviJire. II Eccl. Hist. B. 1 C. 1. % Tag. Agr. c. 17. Brigantes — civitas nuraerossissima totius provincise. I HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. They had either peopled, or acquired by conquest the whole of that territory now divided into the counties of Durham, York, Westmoreland, Cum- berland, and Lancaster. In the Itineraries of An- tonine and Richard, there are twenty-eight towns mentioned, whose names prove their British origin, subject to the Brigantes. According to Ninius, Danum, or Doncaster was then a town of impor- tance *. The towns or cities of the Britons were generally built in valleys, upon the margin of a stream or river, for the convenience of water and security from winds. They were not scenes of general and constant residence, but may be considered rather as places of refuge amid the dangers of war, where they might occasionally lodge their wives, children and cattle, and the weaker resist the stronger, till succours could arrive. Surrounded by impervious woods and secured by a rampart and fosse, they were sufTiciently strong to resist the ordinary attacks of their enemies. The Britons had a peculiar method of giving alarm and collecting their forces, on the invasion of an enemy. They raised a cry which was caught tip, and transmitted from mouth to mouth through all the region, and as the notice passed along the warriors snatched their arms, and hurried away to the rendezvous. When Caesar first invaded Britain the alarm was spread in this manner, in sixteen or seventeen hours, one hundred and. sixty miles in a direct line •{• The partial remains of this custom * Usserii Prim. Eccl. Brit. f Ubi major atque illustrior incidit res, clamore per agros, reglonesque significant ; hunc alii deinceps excipiunt, et proximis tradunt : ut tunc accidit ; nam quae oriente sole Genabi gesta NO. I, c * 10 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT Still exist among us in the hue and cri) which is raised after a thief who would escape justice. After the invasion of Julius Caesar, a more gene- ral intercourse was established between Britain and the continent, and i^iitain was considered as a field where the generals of Rome might obtain fame, and the empire receive an addition to its territory and wealth. At length they obtained a settlement in the country; and in the progress of their con- quests reached the Brigantes ; and, after numerous and hard-fought battles, reduced them under sub- jection. Unaccustomed to a tame submission our brave countrymen, soon raised the standard of re- volt, and once more committed their cause to the decision of arms. Though possessed of equal valour and courage with their enemies, the Britons were deficient in that steady discipline and order which they had acquired, and were at last compelled to submit to the Roman eagle. This revolt of the Brigantes and the triumph of the Romans over them, happened in the seven- teenth consulate of Domitian, and about the eigh- teenth of the christian era. The fact is establised by a leaden trophy dug up near Ripon, about the middle of the last century*. Having conquered this part of Britain, they adopted the most prudent methods to keep the people in subjection; to check the spirit of revolt and to render their conquest useful and lasting. As they could not confide in Britons, they fixed essent, ante prlmam confectam viglllam in finibus Arvernorum audita sunt; quod spatium est milliumpassuumcirciter 160. C^sar. Com. p. 135. * The inscription of it is, TMP. CAES. DOMITIAN. AVG. VII. COS. BRIG. Phil. Tr. 6S7. UISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. IL their camps, on the site of their towns or near to them, and a certain part of a legion was there stationed. The camps of the Romans vvliich are supposed to have given origin to many of our towns and cities, appear rather to indicate some prior settlement of the Britons. In many instances this is certain, and in others the reason of the thing establishes it. Within two miles of this place the vestiges of a E-oman camp or station remained till within a late period, and the Itineraries furnish us with tlie name Lagecium or Legeolium, now called Castleford. In the Bean-field, or Castle-garth, numbers of Roman coins have been dug up ; a sure indication that the Romans once dwelt there. From this circumstance, and if the above remark be just, we may infer that previous to their arrival, the banks of the Aire and Calder were inhabited; the native Britons there depastured their cattle, while the surrounding woods supplied them with game for the chase, and with food for their tables. Nor is it improbable that the Britons fed their flocks and their herds in the valley where the old town of Pontefract stood. The Romans stationed in this neighbourhood did not only check the ardent and restless spirit of the natives, but gradually introduced among them their own arts, and the comforts of civilii^ation ; and thus rendered their conquest equally beneficial to themselves and the vanquished Britons. The Roman soldiers were as much accustomed to the use of the plough as the shield, and were as industrious in peace as they were brave in war. When they had fixed their camps they availed themselves of the advantages the surroundnig country presented, in 12 HISTORY OF PONTEFHACT. order to secure to themselves the necessary sup- pHes. Woods were cut down, the ground cleared and plowed up; and roads were constructed from station to station, to facilitate the conveyance of goods, and collect their forces together with more ease and expedition, on any sudden emergency. The great Koman road called Wathling or Wat- ling Street*, which divided England in length, and runs from the port Ritupce, now Richborough in Kent [usque ad lineam valli] to the limit of the Roman M-all, and beyond it, unquestionably passed either through or near to the town of Pontefract, It may be traced from Danum, or Doncaster, over Scawsby Leas to Barnsdale; and from thence to East Hardwick, and through Pontefract Park to Castleford. A second Roman road from Chesterfield, by way of Sheffield, Barnsley, Hemsworth and Ackvvorth, joined Watling Street, at Pontefract: as did also a third from Manchester, by Cambodu- num, Wakefield, and the Street houses. A vicinal way appears to have passed through the site of the old town in a south direction to Darrington, Wentbridge, Smeaton, Campsall, and Hatfield ; and nortliward to Castleford f . From the circumstance of so many roads meet- ing at or near this place, Leland and Drake were induced to consider it as the ancient Legeolium. Although much deference is due to the opinion of * Whitaker and Hearne differ from most other writers respect- ing the name of this Roman road. They maintain that Watling Street led from Sandwich directly west into Wales : and that the true name of this street is Ikening, or Ikinild. f The remembrance of this road is still preserved in the name of the closes called Street-furlong, which lies contiguous to it, near Darrington. HISTORY OF rONTEFRACT. 13 these celebrated antiquaries on subjects of this nature; they seem in this instance to have been mistaken, and the honour of that ancient station undoubtedly belongs to Castleford *. It is not however improbable, that a secondary and a sub- ordinate station to that at Legeolium was established here, as we find such secondary and subordinate stations usual in other places. These stations were placed at convenient distances for the protection of their cattle; and Whitaker mentions six of this kind in the vicinity of Mancuniensis, or Manches- ter. Before the inclosure and cultivation of the Park, evident vestiges of a Roman camp remained on its ridge -f. The Roman custom of grazing in Italy was adopted in the remotest parts of their widely ex- tended empire. The dry ground of the hills, and the moist meadows of the vale were successively the pasture of their flocks and herds. During the sum- mer they confined them to the marshes and low grounds; and on the approach of winter they drove them up to the hills J. Accordmg to this custom the * The greater part ot our antiquaries are oftliis opinion, and the distance in the fifth and sixth Iter of Antonme confirm it. In the fifth, the distance from Danum to Legeolium is said to be sixteen miles; and from thence to York twenty-one. In the eighth, it is said, from York to Legeolium is twenty-one, and from thence to Doncaster sixteen miles. Besides the coins which have been in such numbers dug up, and are still occasionally found, there have been other monuments of Roman elegance discovered at Castleford. T. Wilson, F. R. S." in a manuscript letter to the author of the Eboracum, now in tl>e pos- session of the writer, remarks that he had seen at Castleford several fragments of a fine tesselated pavement, which had been dug up iu a garden adjoining to the Bean-field. t In the letter mentioned in the last note, the writer, whcH seems to have examined the ground, gives it as his decided opinion, that a Roman camp had been formed on the Park ridge. I Vegetius, Lib. iii. c. 8, Animalium pascua. t4 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. low and marshy land about Castleford would be deemed unsuitable for their cattle in winter, and the higher ground of this place would be prefered. There have been some Roman coins found in this place, and there are still remaining in many old walls, bricks, which from their dimensions, thickness, colour, and texture, appear to be Roman. On the whole it is highly probable that this place derives its origin from a secondary Roman station, and although not equal in magnitude and impor- tance with Legeolium, yet owing to its excellent pasture grounds, the salubrity of its air, its com^ manding prospects and beautiful scenery, it would be preferred by the more wealthy Romans as well as by the native Britons ; it became to Legeolium what Baiae was to Rome, the seat of elegance, pleasure, and refinement. The provincial government of Rome, has been censured as severe and oppressive; and it must be acknowledged that in some instances the censure is just. A high territorial impost, a tax on the pro- duce of land was rendered still more grievous and burdensome by the rapacity of the collectors of the revenue. These oppressions produced the revolt under Boadicea which proved so fatal to the Roman legions, and nearly subverted their dominion in Britain. The towns were governed according to their rank. They were divided into four orders, towns municipal and stipendiary, colonies and cities in- vested with latin privileges. These last were like our present boroughs, enjoying the privilege of ^busing their own magistrates, and not subject to a foreign prefect or questor. The stipendiary towns enjoyed no corporate privilege, and were subject to the provincial regimen, like our hamlets and HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 15 villages. Colonies were comrnunities chiefly con- sisting of the veteran soldiers who had served out their legal time. Their government was partly by the civil, and partly by the military law. Every person in a colony was a soldier, and in cases of necessity the whole colony was called to take the field. A colony was established at York, and the chief officer of the government of the province, Flavia Cassariensis, resided there. The municipia were citie senfranchised; where the natives were allowed the use. of their own laws, and at the same time honoured with the privilege of Roman citizens. The Britons were chiefly employed, during this period, in agriculture and in the usual manual occupations. Though numbers enlisted and filled the ranks of the legions, they were denied the advantages conferred on the veterans of Kome, and were subject to the disgraceful punishment of being beaten with rods, or scourged* 3 a punishment humiliating to a brave, and insupport- able to an high-spirited people. At length the Romans began to treat the natives with more respect, and to consider them as a com- ponent part of the empire. Anxious to preserve what they had acquired at the expence of so much blood, 'they endeavoured to unite the people into one body by the reciprocations of interest, and the participations of similar laws, privileges and immu- nities. In the reign of Antoninus Pius, these rights were conferred on every Briton of property and worth; and the cunning and artful Caracal^ extended them equally to all. By this wise act the Britons no longer suffered a disgraceful exclusion, but were admitted to a participation of marriages,. * Acts xvi. 37. f^ ritSTORY OF PdNTEFRACr.' and a communion of honours wiih tlib Romans; They became eligible to every situation and office for which they were quahfied ; and to this wise pohcy Rome was indebted for some of her best commanders and emperors. The Roman station at Legeolium, the subordi- nate one of this place, and the native inhabitants of the country, now became fellow citizens. The distinction vvhich had hitherto existed between the conquerors and the conquered, was now hap- pily abolished; and no other difference was known, but what arose from the inequality of property, in- terest, or the discharge of civil or military ofiices. Under the influence of just laws, wisely administer- ed, population increased; and Britain could raise and send forth armies sufficiently powerful to obtain the empire of the world. From this province arose Constantino, called the Great; and supported by the British legions, he assumed the purple, and vanquished all his competitors *. From the time the empire M'as divided into the eastern and western it began to decay. The incessant wars carried on with equal fury and ran- cour by the emperors of the east and west, as well as by the various competitors, exhausted its strength and resources, and rendered it a more easy prey * At a subsequent period the British legions raised MaximusI to the tlirone; and on his passing into Gaul, he took with him the flower of the British youth. The British forces remained with Victor, the son of Maximus bj a British lady ; and on the defeat of Victor, were left in the most deplorable situation ; in a distant coun- try, surrounded with enemies ; without a leader, or ships to convey Ihem home. They pushed forward to the sea coast, then called Armorica, in hope of getting over into Cornwall, but were disap- pointed. Theytettled with the Belgae on the coast, and gave their name to the province now called Brittany, in France. Henry's Hist. Vol. 1. p. 77. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 17 to its enemies. The northern nations as if by general consent, issued forth and assailed it through the whole length of its frontiers ; and though often repelled, they reiterated their attacks, till at length they obtained a final conquest. The Romans, un- able to stand before their enemies on the Continent, withdrew their legions from Britain, four hundred and three years subsequent to their first settlement in the country. From their possession of the country for so long a period, it is natural to infer, that their customs, laws, and arts, had become deeply rooted among the Britons; and that on their departure these would be observed, and continue to maintain their influence. It is not possible for a people in any degree civilized to relapse all at orice into a state of barbarism j and it is probable the Britons would adhere to those institutions the Romans had estab- lished among them. The Britons do not appear to have adopted their language. The higher ranks acquired it as an elegant and necessary accomplishment; but the lower orders continued to speak in their native dia- lect. Conquerors fmd it more difficult to change the language of a people, than their institutions and manners. On the departure of the Romans from this place and neighbourhood, many of their buildings would be left uninhabited, and would soon become ruins: and subsequent events would obliterate the remem- brance of those which had preceded. Few vestiges of the Roman name and greatness now remain; and had not the page of History outlived the works of art, it would have been impossible to have traced the existence of this once famous people either in this place or neighbourhood. 18 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. The Romans flattered themselves witli the ho])e, that their government and dominions would be eternal. And if we consider the wisdom of their institutions; the propriety and equity of their laws; the elegance of their arts ; their military achieve- ments; their high spirit and invincible courage, such a iiope may appear to be well founded; but when on the other hand we contemplate their vices, luxuries, and oppression, we see the falacy of their hope and the principal causes of their ruin. The same virtues which acquire dominion are re- quisite to preserve and keep it; and if a people cease to be virtuous, they will ultimately cease to command. While the rise, greatness, and duration, of the Koman state for so many ages, shew what the union of wisdom, justice and valour can accom- plish; tiieir fmal subversion and ruin shew also what must be the end of every state in which vice prevails over virtue. Vain fluctuating state of human empire! First small and weak it scarcely rears its head. Scarce stretching out its helpless infant arras. Implores protection of its neighbour states. Who nurse it to their hurt. Anon it strives For povv'r and wealth, and spurns at opposition, Arriv'd to full maturity it grasps At all within its reach, o'erleaps all bounds, Robs, ra\'ages and wastes the affrighted world. At lengtl) grown old, and swell'd to bulk enormous. The monster in its proper bowels feeds Pride, luxury, corruption, perfidy. Contention, fell diseases of a state. That prey upon her vitals. Of her weakness Some other rising pow'r advantage takes, (Unequal Match !) plies with repeated strokes Her infirm aged trunk : she no.ls — she totters — She falls — alas ! never to rise again. The victor state upon her ruins rais'd. Runs the same shadowy round of fancy'd greatness. And meets tlie same certain end. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 1^ SECTION II. On the Saxon period^ and iJie Introduction of Clu'istianity. 1 IlE name of this place in the time of the Saxons was Kirkby : a name evidently posterior to the in- troduction of Christianity, and imposed on the erection of a christian church. A church is called kirk * in many parts of this countr}^, and is inva- riably so denominated in Scotland. The term Bye, is Saxon for an habitation, and when joined with kifk, signifies the town or hamlet near to or around the church. There is in this neighbourhood a South-Kirby, a place of considerable antiquity, as it is so called in Doomsday -book. It is nOt improbable that as this name was imposed for a similar reason, it was * The term Kirk is derived from the Greek, (kv^i-m;') denoting what belongs to the Lord ; and has been applied to the building in which he is worshipped. The word translated church, in the New Testament, is (ExxxviTin) and in no instance denotes a building, but an assembly of people; and in the old versions Of" the Bible, it was always rendered congregation ; a word which conveys the sense of the original much better than the technical term adopt- ed by King James's translators ; and it has this further advantage over the word church, that the bulk of tlie common people could not misunderstand it. In the articles, the word church is defined to be, " an assembly of faithful men," but how few are there, who on using tlie word church, affix to it the same ideas as are contained in the definition. The popular has nearly obliterated the theological sense. Vid. Pearson in Cred. 20 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. called south, to distinguish it from this Kirkby which lay north of it, The Saxons at their arrival in Britain were equally strangers to the doctrines and genuine spirit of cliristianity. The idols of their fathers were the objects of their profound veneration and regard ; and their mythology while it displays the wildness of the untutored mind, strikingly deline- ates their habits and character. It seems wholly designed to inspire a contempt of death and a love of martial glory. By attaching disgrace and infamy to cowardice, both in the present and in a future world, it forcibly operated on all the energies of the mind, and contributed in a considerable degree to form their warlike character. The fear of disgrace prompted to deeds of the most daring valour. This mythology equally flattered the hope and ambition of the brave. It held out to them the never fading laurels of fame, and the enjoyment of the spoil and wealth of their vanquished enemies. Amid the dangers of war and the carnage of battle, they were taught to believe, that though they should fall on the ensanguined plain, they should enjoy in the invisible state, " their airy hall," the luxury of drinking ale out of the skulls of those they had slain *. * The mythology of the Saxons is interwoven with our lan- guagej and many of their wild notions are still entertained among the vulgar. From the objects of their worship, the days of our week have derived their names. The first and second, they dedicated to the Sun and Moon — Hence, Sun-day and Moon-day. The third and fourth, were dedicated to Tuisco and Woden, hence, Tuisco's-day and Woden's-day. The fifth, sixth and seventh, in like manner to Thor, Frosa, and Seater ; and hence, .Thor'.s-day, Fro^a's-day, and Seater's-day. Besides the above Gods and Godesses, they had others of an inferior kind, to whom they paid respect Such was Eostre, to HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 21 The influence of this mythology on the manners and conduct of our Saxon ancestors may easily be in- ferred. Strangers to the decencies and refinements of civihzed Hfe, they dehghted in the turbulence of war and the effusion of blood. Unaccustomed to reason on the propriety or equity of any undertak- ing, and governed solely by interest, or impelled by caprice, they attacked all who opposed their de- signs. Like the corsairs of Barbary they infested for a century the northern seas ; and whatever fell into their hands was deemed a lawful prize *. By their whom they sacrificed in the month of April, which was from thence denominated Eostur monath : and on their conversion, the name was continued and apphed to the resurrection. Another of their Gods was called Mara, supposed to terrify people in their sleep, whence comes the word night-7nare. The doctrines of Ehk and Fairies is purely Saxon ; and to these imaginary beings, they offered a peculiar kind of sacrifice called Alf-b!ot. Many still believe, that the green circles which are seen in meadows, have been the theatre of their midnight gambols ; and that an exudation from a particular species of plant, is the butter they have made. Vid. Brands, pop. Ant. * Tacitus observes, that they accounted it more honourable to take the necessaries of life ;rom others, than by honest industry to provide them for themselves. Their laws and customs had all a tendency to inspire courage, and form them for warriors. No man could bear ai ms till he was solemnly admitted to the privilege in a general assembly. A man was not suffered to cut his beard, till he had slain his enemy, or taken his standard from him. If any one quitted the field of battle without success, he was under a temporary disgrace. If any left the field, where his general was slain, he wa^ branded with perpetual infamy. If a soldier lost his shield in batde, he was interdicted their sacred rites, on account of which many committed suicide. For a man to die of disease or in bed, ihey held to be dis- honourable, and believed that all such could be excluded from the joys of a future happy state. 22 JIISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. piracies on the ocean and tlieir plundering incursions on the land, they contributed their full siiare in the devastation and ruin of the western empire of Rome. The Britons finally abandoned by the liomans, and much enfeebled by the loss of their brave youth who had enlisted into their legions, were not long suflered to enjoy peace and tranquility. The Cale- Badsworth, Bramwith. Burghwallis. TOWNSHIPS. Ackworth, Badsworth, Thorp Audlin, Upton, Bramwith, Burghwallis, Campsali, Norton, Fen wick. Moss, Sutton and Askorn, Castlefoid, Houghton, Darrington, Stapleton, Feat,;erston, Purston Jaglin, Water-Fry ston, Part of Ferrybridge, Kirksmeaton, I Castleford. > Darrington. Featherston. Ferry-Fryston, or rather Water* Frystcn. Kirksmeaton. 32 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. equally corrupted at the time of the general survey, in the reign of William the conqueror 3 and is called Politcfract, TansheU^ Carleton, East Hardwick, KnottingJey, Part of Ferrybridge, Owston, Carcroft Hamlet, Skellow, Skelbrook, South Kirkby, South Elm sail. North EInisall, West Hardwick, Hassle, ( Owston. Skelbrooke. i South Kirkby. i Wragby. ^Snaith; LOWER DIVISION. Annine, Hooke, * Goole, Ravvclifte, Cowick, Snaith, Gowdall, Heck, Hen sail, Follington, Balne, Part of Whitley, Kcliington, Beaghall, Egbrough, Part of Whitley, Womersley, Cridling Stubs, Little Smeaton, Stubs Walden, * Adhngfleet, Fockerby, * Haldenly and Eastoft, * Whitgift, * Reedness, * Swinfleet, . . * Ouzefleet, N. B. * These are all in Marshland, on the South Side of the River that goes to Thoine and Doncaster. • Kellington. ■ Womersley. ■ Adlingfleet. > Whitgift. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. ^3 in Doomsday-book Osgoodcross, If the name had been recently imposed, it would have been clearly and graphically expressed ; and from this corruption of the name it may be inferred, that the cross had been long erected, and that both the ob- ject and occasion of it were then almost forgotten. It is natural to suppose, that the place where this cross was erected, was then a place of some importance and consideration ; at least, that it ex- ceeded every other within the division. The erec- tion of this cross at so early a period, will establish the fact, that the inhabitants of this Burgh had then embraced and professed Christianity. And is it not probable from this circumstance, that Oswald, had honoured the place by his royal presence? that he had conferred some particular privileges on its inhabitants .? May not he be the person who built a church, and as a testimony of their gratitude, they thus honoured him ? It could not be earlier than the middle of the seventh, nor later than the eighth century, when the church was built, which gave the name of Kirkby to this town. Within this period lived the before mentioned Edwin and Oswald ; and afterwards' Ceolvvolf and Egbert, who abdicated a throne to spend their last days in devotion among the monks. During this period christian churches were erected in most places of importance, through the Northum- brian kingdom ; several monasteries were built and largely endowed, which supplied the churches with a succession of teachers : and it is probable that many of the parish churches may date their origin from about this period * Had they not been now * It is not meant, that the present buiWings were erected, but tliat structures were raised for rehgious worship, on the decay of which, others have been built. F * 34 IIISTORV OF PONTEFRACT. built, the turbulence of the succeeding time?— the invasion of the Danes — the iurioiis wars between them and the Saxons, would not admit of leisure for works of this kind. Owing to the want of ancient documents, it is impossible to point out witli certainty where tlie first christian church stood; or what was the form of the structure. It is however most probable that it occupietl the site of the present church of AlU Saints; and from the veneration paid to the cross, would be built in that form. The ground ^vhere it stood would be esteemed sacred; and when the wood cliurch gave place to a more permanent structure of stone, its site would be preferred. What was the precise extent of the parish at this period cannot now be ascertained. As churches Avcrc at first built only in towns and cities, parishes would be much more extensive than they now are; and it is not improbable that many of tlie contigU" ons parishes might then be included in that of Kirkb}^*. * Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury, obtained from the king royal hcences, that he viho built a church should enjoy the patronage of it; and it became common for every thane to build a church on his own land, for the use of his servants and tenants ; and a lav/ ot Athelstan proves that no one could enjoy the dignity of thane without possessing a church. As there were inlerior freeholders who were not able to erect churches on their estates ; these gave their tythes, and attended at the church nearest to them ; and as the thanesland constituted a township, over VAhich he exercised civil jurisdiction, all the surrounding districts which brought their tythes to the same church formed a parish. As population increased, chapels of ease were erected, at this time called Oratories, where the common prayers only were read. The bishops often found it necessary to raise them into parish churches, and to grant them full parochial rights and privileges. In some instances, their dependence on the mother church was perpetuated by the payment of tlie dues, though they were permitted to admi- ziister all tlie sacraments. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 35 During the period of the Saxon dominion, Bri- tain was tlie theatre of long, bloody, and destruc- tive wars. What from their contests with the Britons, their animosities among themschcs, and lastly their fierce and desperate conflicts with the Danes, there Mere few intervals of peace. Yet amidst all this confusion Christianity was introduced and established; and though its mild spirit, its bene- volent precepts, and genuine principles, appeared during that period to produce little effect, it has gradually prevailed to soften, humanize, and polish this, as well as every other conntr^, where it has been received. The idols of the pagans fell before it, for Not Mars, the lord of wounds, who scatters round The seeds of war, and rills the rancorous heart With Gorgon poisohs, can assist his fanes ; Nor Venus can avail, nor her vile boy^ The golden statues of Minerva fall, Tho' fools proclaim her goddess of the arts ; Nor he for whom, as ancient fictions sing, The leaty vines, their precious branches spread. Can prop the columns no.lding with their gods. The marbles trertible with terrifid crash. And the vast fabric rushes into dust. Ev'n Neptune rumour'd sovereign of the waves. Who by his swelling billows rules the main. He cannot save his scuiptur'd effigies. Whose marble brows the golden leaves surround. Not ev'n Alcides who the centaurs crush 'd, And dar'd the fiery breath of prowling Cacus, When from his throat liis words in flames were pour'd, Tho' his right hand the dreadful club may grasp. Can shield his temples when the Christian prays. 36 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. SECTION III. Itiqulri} into the Constitution and Privileges of this Burgh under the Saxons. -*- HAT this was a bursjh in the time of Edward the Confessor is certain, from evidence the most decisive; but how long it enjoyed this privilege anterior to this period i^ uncertain*. If the popu- lation was such as to render it advisable to build a church in the seventh century, it may be presumed it would then be accounted a burgh, and probably might be so accounted from the time the Saxons obtained possession of the place. The term borough, in its original Saxon hnrghy is said by Bracton to signify primarily a tything, or a company of ten families of freemen, who were bound or combined together as each others pledge; and hence a pledge is called horh. This territorial division has been ascribed to Alfred, but without any foundation, as it is noticed in the laws of Edgar, ^y his law it is thus enacted, " Every man shall find and have borh, and the borh shall produce him to every legj^l charge, and shall keep him, and if he have done wrong and escapes, his borh shall bear what he ought to have borne. But if it be theft, and the borh can bring him forward within twelve months, then what the borh paid shall be returned." * Vid. Doomsday -book^ among the possessions of Ilbert de ^acy, under the manor of Tateshall. IlISTOUY OF PONTEFRACT. 37 From hence it may be inferred that the district and division of land which they possessed, wlio found borh, or were pledges for each others good and peaceable behaviour, formed the limits of their juris- diction. Whatever might be the number of freemen who inhabited a burgh originally, or whatever their number by the increase of population, the limits of the jurisdiction of such burgh still remained. And it is not improbal)le that the ancient tythings were nearly of equal extent with our present townships, and the bounds of our present boroughs. As castles and other fortifications were built for the defence of towns, the teim burgh came to sig- nify a fortified place. According to Verstegan, all places which had this name were one way or other fortified. The land and houses within a burgh might belong to the king, or to some of the thanes, or bishops. In Canterbury Edward had fifty-one burgesses*; in Bath sixty-four; and ninety bur- gesses of other men are mentioned f . In Romenel twenty-five burgesses belonged to the archbishop J .? On the authority of the Dodsworth manuscripts, ^ Doomesday, Fol. 2. f Ibid 100. t. Ibid 87. " The burgesses and tradesmen, in great towns, had in the reign of Edward the Confessor, their patrons, under whose protection they traded and paid an acknowledgment therefore ; or else, were in a more servile condition, as being, in Dominio .Regis vel aliorum, altogether under the power of the king or other lords." Brady on burghs. This advocate for the prerogatives of the crown, and enemy to the representative branch of our excellent constitution, would lead his reader to believe, that burgesses were in no better state than the servile, but equally subject to the will of some lord. It is true, lliey ^ere subject to the land proprietors, as renting houses or land belonging to them ; but it does not appear from any authority he has produced, that they were in that degraded state, he has described, till 0])pressed by the Conquerorj ^8 HISTORY OF POXTEFr..\CT, Camden informs us that one Aske * was the first Saxon proprietor of this place; and that it de- scended by due succession to one Ahic, from whom Wilham the Contjueror took it. Fie had issue, Swayne, Ttho had Adam Fitz Svvayne, who had two daugliters; one of whom married Gaufrede Neville, and the other Thomas Brough f. Burghs were generally inhabited by tradesmen and mechanics. They enjoyed the exclusive privelege of fairs and markets: and the commerce of the nation centered in them. By this privilege they were distinguished from the villages, which were inhabited by ceorls and villani, or farmers and husbandmen. Burgesses were not considered in this period as Madox has pro\'ed, that the burghs of the king were only subject to a fee-farm rent; and as this was very moderate, they may be considered as the proprietors, and holding by burgage tenure, which Cooke considers as a species of free socage. * The family of the Aske's, continued in this county till the time of Charles I. The seat of the family was at Aske, in the parish of Easby, in Richmondsiiirc. One Wyhomere, bearing the arms of Aske, was a kinsman to Allen, first Earl of Britain, in the reign of the Conqueror, which Allen had the Earldom of Richmond, given him by the said William the Conqueror, and gave to tliis Wyhomere the manor of Aske. He married A nnabell, daughter of Sir John Neville, of Hofrtby and Hooton, Knight, had issue, Conan, Werner, Warine, Roger, Hugh. The manor of Aske continued in this family, and a branch of it married the daughter and heiress of de la Haye, of Aughton, on the Derwent ; by which marriage, they became Lords of EUerton and 7\ughton, and patrons of Ellerton Abbey, near Howden. 'f Stovve's An. p. 116. It is difhcult to reconcile the above .account of the Sa^^on proprietors, with the silence of doomsday* 'book. The manor of Tateshall is said to have belonged to the king in the time of Edward, and as the burgh oF Kirkby is noticed in connection with Tateshall, without any Saxon proprietor being mentioned, it is natural to infer, tiiat it equally belonged to the king. The king might indeed grant Im right in the burghj or lilSTOHY OF rONTEFRACT. 33 eminent either for their rank or property. A con- siderable part were such as by their good conduct, and the generosity of their Lords, had obtained their freedom. For among the Saxons slavery not only existed, but was acknowledged by the laws, and regularly organized into a system. In conve\^ances of land, slaves are mentioned with the stock, and disposed of in the same manner *. ]\Iany of the slaves were the remains of the conquered Britons; and others were such persons as had forfeited their freedom by their crimes f. On the conversion of the Saxons, the mild influ- ence of Christianity was felt by this unhappy class of society. It became customary for the bishops and abbots to manumit the slaves attached to the property appropriated to them. Other persons, by being taught to consider acts of benevolence as a religious duty, imitated their example; and in their wills they frequently bequeathed the boon of free- dom to their slaves +. what is now called the fee-farm rent, to the above family; which thev might continue to enjoy without ever obtaining it as a freehold inheritance. In this case, though they would be consider- ed as lords of Kirkby, in a popular sense, they would not be noticed in doomsday-book, as not being the proprietors. * In an innumeration ol property on an estate, it is said there were an hundred sheep, fitty-hve swhie, two men, and live voked oxen. 3 Gale's Scrip. 43 1. A duke of Mercia, in a donation to a church, gave six men with all their offspring and their family, that they may alvv'ays belong to the said church in perpetual inheritance. Hicke's Diss. Ep. p. 12. f In the laws »f Ina, it is enacted " that if a freeman work on a Sunday without his lord's orders, he shall lose his liberty, or pay sixty shillings. Leg. Ince. 15. t A landholder, in Edgar's time, in his will, directed that thirleen of his slaves shoviUl be liberated as the lot should decide. 3 Gale's Scrip. 407. 40 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. Those who had thus obtained their freedom were called Frilazin. Some of them became agri- cultural labourers, and took land of the clergy and great, paying them an annual rent; but the chief part went and resided in the burghs, and be- came burgesses. In the ])urghs, during the Saxon period, every freeman, or freedman, who occupied a house, and paid his gafal, or rent, was a burgess. The theows, or such as had lost their freedom, and the hereditary slaves, as being the property of their masters, though thoy resided within the busgh, were not admitted to enjoy the rights and rank of burgesses,. Freedom deserves to be noticed as the ^firsi pj'i- vilege, the burgesses of Kirkby enjoyed*. While the slave was doomed to toil for his lord, however severe and oppressive, the freeman could work for any employer he chose. This was a valuable right, as it secured to the freeman mild treatment. A slave for the most trilling fault might be whipped; * The Editor cannot but lament, that in the enlightened period in which he lives, when the rights and duties of men are more clearly ascertained ; when a sound philosophy has not only encreas- ed the circle of the sciences, but has enlightened the understanding and enlarged the social affections ; — when Revelation is admitted as the test of truth and duty ; when that maxim, " Whatso- ever ye would, that men should do to you, do ye also to them," is admired for its conciseness, simplicity, and propriety ; slavery should still be encouraged. He hopes the day is not far distant, when a sense of duty will prevail over personal interest, and this reproach of our nation be for ever done away. Though hitherto, the efforts of a Wilberforce and other friends of humanity, have not been crowned with success ; they have not laboured in vain. They have produced a spirit of enquiry; they have exposed the injustice of the slave-trade ; they hav^e laid a foundation for its abolition ; and their names deserve, and will be handed down to posterity, with honour and respect. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 41 but a freeman was exempt from this disgraceful punishment. If any person put a freeman inro bonds, the law enjoined a hne of twenty shillings , a great sum in those days, and which demonstrates the high regard the Saxons had for liberty. If a freeman was accused of any crime, he was judged by his peers; while the master was both judge and jury over his slaves. How valuable was the privi- ]ege of being a burgess, when so many endured the galling yoke of vassalage. Burgesses could acquire property and dispose of it according to their own pleasure. The avenue to wealth and honour was open before them ; and this circumstance could not fail to impart energy to their exertions, which would in many cases be crowned with success. When the condition of a man is such as to preclude tlie hope of realiz- ing property, and of bequeathing it to the objects of his regard, the noblest motive to industry is de- stroyed; and the mind sinks into an apathy respect- ing both present and future concerns. But bur- gesses and freemen could attain to the highest rank and dignity. By a law of Athelstan it is expressly declared, " that if a ceorl, or farmer, and of course any other freeman, have the full proprietorship of five hides of land, a church, and kitchen, a bell- house, a burgh-gate seat, and an appropriate office in the king's hall, he shall thenceforth be a thane by right. The same laws provide, that a thane may arrive at the dignity of an earl, and a merchant, who went three times over the sea with his own craft, might become a thane *. Though burgesses, as mechani(5s and tradesmen, did not rank high, yet, as freemeUj who might aspire and attain to the * WiLK. l.eg. Sax. 70,-and 71. G * 42 lilSTORY OF PONTErRACT. honours of nobility, their condition was reputable. The houses or land ivliich they held of the king or superior lord, they could sell or dispose of, reser- ving the rights of the king or the lord. They had the privilege to devise such houses or land by will, nor was the deviser, subject to any relief, or other feudal burden, but on the demise of the proprietor, entered into immediate possession of the property devised. The tythings and burghs enjoyed the privilege of choosing their own peace officers, and governing themselves according to the laws of the land. All government is unquestionably derived from parental authority. A family is naturally governed by its parents, and its ramifications by the aged. The father, says Homer, is the legislator of his wife and cliildren. Among most barbarous tribes the aged ancestors have prescribed rules of mutual be- haviour, and have adjudged disputes. That our Saxon forefathers were governed in this manner is evident from the fact, that the words of their lan- guage which denote authority also express age*. The government of the burgh was simple, but efficient. As all the burgesses choose the burgh- reve, so all the burgesses when met together formed the burgh-mote, or court in which causes were tried and determined f. Though the ealdermen would be respected for their age and experience, and their opinion would have considerable influence * In the Saxon version of the Scrip. Gen. xlv. 8. which states, that Joseph was appointed ruler over Egypt, the words are *' sette into euldre over Egypta land." Caesar is called " cyninga yldest," tiie eldest king. Vid. Turner, Hist. Ang, Sax. Vol, IV. p. 10. f On account of the circumstance of all the burgesses forming the burgh-mote, this court is often called the folk -gemote. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT, 4?> in the decision of the court, they do not appear to have had any legal authority above other burgesses. Any burgess, during this period, might be chosen burgh-reve. The duty of this magistrate consisted in keeping the peace; in calHng the court of the burgh-mote, and presiding in it; in putting the sentence of the court in execution; and in collecting the rents due to the king or lord. The time for the meeting of the burgh-mote was fixed by the law, in the reign of Canute, This court was to be held at least three times every year. As all the burgesses together with the burgh- reve, formed the court, the manner of deciding causes was similar to what obtains in our present house 01 peers, where every peer sits in his own right on any judicial proceeding. The trial by a jury of twelve men did not generally obtain, but every freeman, if a burgess, was tried by the other burgesses his peers, whatever their number might be*. This mode of proceeding answered all the ends of substantial justice ; and ultimately led to the grand assize, or trial by twelve honest and substan- tial men; the great palladium of British liberty. Whether the burghs possessed any political im- portance, whether they were in a?ii; way represented, * In the documents of the Anglo-Saxon period, which have come down to us, we find, that the praiciple of a man's being tried by his peers or equals was generally recognized and estabhshed. This appears in the laws of Wehtrced, " where the clergyman is to be acquitted by four of his equals, and the ceorlick by four of his own rank." Leg. Wiht. Wilk. p. 12. In case of plundering the dead, the law required the oath of forty-eight thanes to clear the accused. Leg. Inas. Wilk. 27. Tiiese appear to be chosen from the shire-gemote, for the purpose of investigating the evi- dence of the fact, and whose- verdict, like tliat of a modern jury wai to be decisive. ■*•* HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. in the Saxon witena-gemote, or parliament, it is not possible now decisively to ascertain. What were the quahfications of such as attended this assembly; whether they attended in virtue of their own right, or whether as the representatives of other ]and proprietors, are questions which cannot now be satisfactorily answered. It has been supposed that the burgh-reve became the representative of the burgh in the gemote of the hundred, in the shire-gemote, and in the witena- gemote or Saxon parliament *. As the burgesses enjoyed various privileges, so the imposts to which they were subject were de- finite and easy. In the kings expedition every five hides of land f appear to have furnished one man^ * St. Amand's Ess. on the legislative authority. Among the persons who sign to an act of the witena-gemote, at Clofeshoe, m 82 1-, is one who mentions the circumstance of his being chosen, " Ego Beonna ekctus consent, et subscrib." Astles MS. charters. No. 12. t As hides of land, oxgangs, and knights fees, will frequently occur, it may be necessary to give, once for all, a general expla- nation of these terms. A carucate of land, a plough-land, or abide of land. Is not of nny certain content, but as much as a plough can by course of husbandry plough in a year, and may contain a messuage, wood, meadow, and pasture. The oxgang was invariably one eighth part of a carucate, whatever mi^ht be the number of acres contained therein. In Doomsday inquisition, tlie arable land is estimated in carucates, tlie pasture in hides, and the meadow in acres. — Skene makes the carucate the same as the hide of land. In a manuscript law book, written by Ambrose Cooper, Esq. a student in one of the Inns of court in the year 1579, it is laid down as a rule, that a hide of land consisted of a hundred and sixty acres, and was made up of the following parts: — ten acres make a ferundel or farding- deal, four ferundels a yard land, and lour yard lands a hide, so four hides or six hundred and forty acres, made a knights fee. When ^ History of pontefracx- 4S and tlie burghs a number proportioned to their population. Doomsday-book furnishes various in- stances of the nvnnber of men dilferent burghs were to raise *. From the state of population in respect to other place, the burgh of Kirkby would not have above one man to raise and sup})ort ; a very mo- derate war-tax, if compared with that of the present imes; and particularly so, when it is considered that this^was the only tax the people had to pay ' knights fee was taxed at forty shillings, a yard land paid two shillings and sixpence, and so in proportion, so that six Imndred and forty acres of land made one great knights fee, which paid for a relief one hundred shillings, Blount. A. T. Yet, notwithstanding the above account, (he learned Selden asserts, that the quantity was doubtless uncertain. He agrees in the above general description of it, and his observation is certainly very just, that it must of necessity vary according to the nature of the soil, and custom of husbandry in every county. He also cites a record, which shews that it had been uncertain for ages before he wrote, which is from an old court book,of the manor of Cran- field, parcel of the possessions of the Abbey of Ramsay, where tlie homage at a court of survey, held there in the time of Henry III. said they did not know how many acres made a yard land, because, sometimes four hundred and eighty acres, and sometimes fewer made a yard land, and that four yard lands made a hide. — The measure of a carucate, appears to have differed in respect of place, as well as time. In the reign of Richard I. it was esti- mated at sixty acres, and in a charter of the same reign, at one hundred acres. In the time of Edward I. at one hundred and eighty acres ; and in the twenty-third Edward HI. at Burcester, one hundred and twelve acres; and in Middleton, one hundred and fifty acres. The carucate plough-land or hide, in general, is estimated at one hundred acres. * Doomsday-book, con. Devon, Exeter, was to serve as for five hides of e. i. land, to raise one man. It is said of Berkshire, " if the king should send an army any where, only one soldier should go for five hides of land, and for his victuals and pay, every hide was to give him four shillings for two months." Com* JBerokcscire. 46 HISTORY OF PONT£FRACT. SECTION IV. On the Normaji Conquest, and the changes it pro- duced in this Borough. 1 HE conquest, as it is called, of "William, the bastard of Normandy, forms a distinguished era in the annals of Britain; and effected such changes in the government, laws, and institutions of this country, as entitle it to particular notice and at- tention. This event, so fatal to the independence, free- dom and happiness of the country, is closely con- nected with the influence the clergy had acquired ; an influence founded on the blind submission of the lower, and in many instances of the higher orders of the state, to their usurped authority. From the munificence of kings and private individuals, they had not only acquired a competency, but enjoyed immense possessions. They had not only secured a tenth of the produce of the land, but had become the chief land proprietors; and as power follows property, their influence in the state may easily be conjectured. Spelman observes, that in the time of William, all the land in the kingdom was divided into sixty thousand tico hundred and , fifteen knights fees\ and of these the church jjossessed tiventy- eight thousand one hundred and fifteen, nearly one half of the kingdom. Although William had con- ferred some lands on the church for the pious ser- vices its dutiful sons had rendered to himself; the HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 47 iibove fact will support the conclusion, that the clergy had acquired an influence in the state, dan- gerous to its liberties and independence. Property in the possession of lay persons, is iiot long stationary, but is ever circulating by means of the vices, marriages, or deaths of its possessors. But property devoted to the church, or clergy, as forming a spiritual corporation, which never dies, became inalienable ; so that this body appeared likely to realize in practice what they maintained in theory, " That dominion is founded in grace." Property extorted from the hopes and fears of men in their departing moments, often at the expence of their dearest connections, was con- tinually encreasing the wealth of the church, which received all, but parted with nothing. At this period the clergy, separated from the vulgar by their general habits, and the sanctity of their calling, formed a kind of independent body in the state, subject to the bishops of Rome. These, on the establishment of Christianity in the empire, had acquired a dignity in the church equal to that of the city in which they resided. On the subversion of the empire, they artfully availed themselves of every circumstance to increase their power and acquire dominion : and were so success- ful that they appear to have perpetuated the autho- rity of the Csesars in the exercise of their spiritual power over the nations of Europe. William, who had no legal claim to the crown of England, applied to the bishop of Rome for his warrant, to seize it by force. This warrant was readily granted, and every pious son of the church was enjoined to aid and assist him in the enterprise. He collected an army, invaded England, and on the death of 48 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. Harold, at the battle of Hastings, took possessloh of the throne and kingdom. The Saxons, who were not inferior to the Nor- mans, eitlier in prudence or courage, had to contend for near a century before they effected the conquest of tlie kingdom. What reason can be assigned, why one partial engagement should now decide the fate of the same kingdom ? The reason is obvious, the clergy betrayed the liberties and interests of their country. To have opposed William, would have been to have opposed the lord's anointed. After the battle of Hastings, they exerted ail their influence to prevent the election of Edgar Aiheling to the throne ; and persuaded the citizens of London to open their gates, and give William the possession of the capital. For some little time William acted with lenity; but as soon as his power was established, he threw off the mask and displayed the ferocity of his temper. The Saxon kings had enjoyed lands for the support of their crown and dignity, fn the time of Edward, the crown lands consisted of one thousand four hun- dred and twenty-two manors, in different counties. In right of the crown these belonged to William. Not willing to alienate his own property to satisfy his needy followers, he soon found some occasion to murder or banish the Saxon nobles, and other inferior land proprietors, and gave their possessions to his friends. On Ilbert de Lacy he bestowed the burgh of Kirkby, with all that immense territory included within the honour of Pontefract *. * The following is the account given of tliis burgh at the time of the Doomsday survey, and clearly establishes the above fact HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 49 Had the conquest only effected a change in the proprietors of land, it would soon have been for- gotten. But William, not content with rewarding ■p[T¥'n Taxes u ALL. sunt. xvi. car trie siue gcldo. ubi poss. ee. X vim. car. Hoc m hb rex. Nc ht Ilbtiis ibi. iiii. car. et, lx. burcenscs minutos. vii. coteros et xvi. uill. et. viir. bord. hntes XVIII. car. Ibi. e. JECcla et pbr. et 1. piscaria, et iii. mold redd. XLii. sol. et III. ac pti. Siliia past, .l.lev Ig. et dim lat. Tot m. 1. lev. et dim Ig. et dim lat. T.R.E. ual. xx. lib. m. xv. lib. Infra hanc ceta ctinet elemosina paupum. Ad eunde maner adiacet H See a. Manestorp. Barnebl. Silchestone. Simul. v. car trae et dim ad gld, ubi poss. ee. v. car. Ibi. sunt ix. uilli. et. iii. bord. hntes. iiii. car. Doomsday -book. Vol. I. p. 316. The following remarlcs may explain this account: — The manor ofTateshall, is the present township ofTanshelf; which, thougli not within the borough, forms a part of the present town of Pontefract. In the time of the Saxons, places derived their names from those wlio inhabited them ; but after the conquest, a custom the reverse of this prevailed, and persons derived their names from the place where they resided. Some one ot the name of Tate enjoyed this manor under the king, and by connecting with his own name the term, Hall, or place of residence, gave denomination to it. The family name of Tate, with the addition of the Saxon Ham, home or ville, Tatham, continued in Tanshelf, till within a few years. Some of this family have been respectable for property, and were mayors of Pontefract. Tatham's yard is a name now given to some houses in Tanshelf, and which will probably per- petuate the name of this ancient Saxon family. The modern appellation seems derived from this, by an easy corruption in the pronunciation, as Tatshall, Tanshall, Tanshelf., The burgh of Kirkby is not mentioned by name, but is included as a part of the manor of Tateshal!; and what follows unquestion- ably contains a description of its state at that period. In the Dooms- day survey, many places are omitted by name, either through haste or from some other cause, which are clearly described under some other neighbouring district. - The number of burgesses, together with tliose in a servile state, amount^ only to an hundred families ; and reckoning on an average, five to a family, the population of the place at ihat period, consisted only of five hundred persons, men,women and children. When we reflect on the bloody wars during the heptarchy ; on the ^0 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT, his followers with tlie lands of the Saxon proprietors, he subverted the constitution, and introduced and established the feudal system ; a sjbtem of organized Danish invasion, and the contests wiili the Conqueror, the tiiin state of population will cxtito no surprize. Hierc is no tliaae or lord of Kirkby mentioned. As this survey got.;s back to Edward, and as in odier plates, tiie tlianes atid earls are specified as proprietors, does not this circumstance imply tlial it was theu in tlie possession of the king ? 'i-i;e burgesses appear to have been chiefly nicchanics and tradesmen, as only eighteen plough-lands were in possession of the burgesses and the servile. The carucate or plough-land, if estimated at fiO acres, the whole will give only 1080 acres,, or about ] to each j>erson. Tlie greater part of the land was culti- vated by persons in a servile condition. The Cotarii, were so called, because they dwelt in small huts or cottages, near to the mansions of their masters. They were persons, who had been instructed, by the direction of their owners, in some handicraft trade, as that of smidis, carpenters, &c. which they practiced foi* the benefit of their masters. The Bordarii, were a kind of upper domestic servants, who, waited at table, (then called bord) and performed other oiilces in their masters houses. They resided in huts of their own, to which little gardens ard parcels of land were annexed, as the 'ee or reward of their services. The Villani, were predial slaves, who cultivated the inlands of their lords. Vid. Spelman Gloss, in voci. In this account it is remarkable, that notliing is said respecting the number of burgesses, the quantity of land in cultivation, or who enjoyed it, in the time of the Confessor. The only thing noticed is, that the value of tliis manor had decreased one fourth, being then worth twenty, and now only fifteen pounds. The whole quantity of land in cultivation, was thirty plough lands, in the hand of the burgesses ajid the servile, which at sixty acres, will make one thousand eight hundred acres. No waste lands were liicluded in this survey. The land in the present township of Pontefract, according to Mr. Hepworth's survey, is two thousand one hundred and thirty one acres ; and as the townships of Tanshelf, Carlton, and Hardwick, were at the time of Doomsday survey, included within the manor of Tateshall, we may infer, that, not much above one thii«i of the land was then cultivated. The wood which might be depastured, one mile long and a half broad, most probably stretched along irom the site of tlie ITTSTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 51 tyranny and oppression. In this system the king i^ sole proprietor of all the land in the kingdom, and the only freeholder. He gives to his friends land to hold of him, on what condition he pleases; but most commonly on condition that they fnrnish him with a number of men proportioned to the extent of their estate. Those who thus obtained estates, are said to hold of the king in capite, and were called barons. These let off some portion of their estates on like conditions; and thus estates passed through all the various degrees of subinfeudation. The great body of freeholders were now deprived of their freeholds, and their land subjected to this new species of tenure. The burgesses of Kirkby became subject to Ilbert de Lacy, their feudal lord, and were de- prived of their most valuable rights and privileges. The right of choosing their own bureh-reve, and governing themselves^ according to law, was now taken from them. The burgh-mote gave place to the court baron, in v.'hich he presided, either per- sonally or by his constable. He, and not the bur- gesses, choose the burgh-reve*. They were called present town through Fryer-wood gardens to Carlton, and South Hardwlck; on the side of which, the Roman road passed to Legeolium. The church has been already noticed, and the Alms-house for the poor is undoubtedly that ot" St. Nicholas. * The otiice of Burgh-reve, bailiff or constable, was put up to sale by the feudal proprietor, as appears by the first charter. Vid, App. Ch. 1. It is said, that the " burgesses should have the preference, iftliey would give as much for the office as others." When an office is purchased, the purchaser will always attempt to reimburse himself ; and if the usual fees are not deemed sufficient, he will find some causes of complaint, in order to impose fines and obtain the sum wanted. When civil offices are put up to stilC;, justice and equity cannot be expected. 52, HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. burgesses, but deprived of their right as such ; and the only privilege they appear to have enjoyed, was, that as freemen they could not be sold like the servile. The burgesses now became subject to imposts and exactions, which were indefinite and arbitrary. The lord could tallage them at his pleasure ; nor had they any redress. If they had not submitted to pay as an aid what he demanded, they would have been deprived of their houses and tofts. They could neither buy nor sell without his permission ; nor was this permission granted without some pecuniary fee, or impost, denominated lastage. A people who choose their own peace-officers can never be long oppressed; and William, by subjecting the burghs to feudal lords, put his fmger on the great artery of the constitution, and by stopping the vital circulation, paralized and ex- tinguished civil freedom. The burgesses, by this event were stripped of all their immunities, and foe a series of years, remained without rights, corpo- rate privileges, or political consequence. The hostile chief, in conquest's laurels dress'd;, Sporting the trophy 'd car and pompous crest. But little thinks, or, thinking, little cares. How hard the tenant of the cottage fares ; By him depriv'd of all his former toil. And left to starve upon the fruitful soil: Lauglis at the churl, and revels o'er his wine. Whilst flatt'rcrs hail each fiend like deed divineJ HISTORY CXF rONTEFRACT. BZ SECTION V. On the modem name of this Borough j and tlie building of the Castle. JrllSTORlANS have differed as much respecting the name as the origin of this place. The fictions of superstition and the reveries of a wild imagination, have been united together to account for it. Hume conjectured, tliat it derived its name from the fer- tihty of its soil, and the excellent produce of its orchards. From Porno fero, he would make Pom- frete. This etymon would not be improbable, if this orthography was established 3 but is wholly inadmissable when it is considered, that in all the Latin charters, jt is written Pontfractus, and not Pomfrete. Thomas de Castleford, who was bred a Bene^ dictine monk, and who wrote the history of this place, accounts for its present name from the fol- lowing miracle. William, Archbishop of Yorkj^ and son of the sister of king Stephen, being on his return from Rome, was met by such crowds of people, who were desirous to see him and receive his blessing, that a wood bridge over the river Aire, near to this place, gave way and broke down; by which acci" dent vast numbers fell into the river. The bishop, who had been invested with the pall*, and who was * The pall which popes were accustomed txD send -to archbishops, is an ornament worn on their shoulders. It is made of Iambs wodJ, and spotted with purple crosses, and is considered as a token of their spiritual authority and jurisdiction: .w V £4 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. deemed to have an interest equally as gi'eat in the court of heaven, as in the Vatican, aftected at the danger of so many persons, poured out his prayers with such fervour and success, that not one perished. Whether this miracle consisted in dividing the stream, or in rendering the gross bodies of those who fell in, speciflically lighter than the fluid, we are not informed; and to reason or form conjectures on so mysterious a point, would be equally vain and impertinent. To perpetuate so striking and so signal a miracle, the pious Normans, says Thomas, gave the name of Pontefract, or Broken-bridge, to this place *. It is unfortunate for the credit of this story, that the topography of the miracle (indulge me in the expression) has been disputed. The metropolis of the county, York, contends with us for' the honour of it. Drake maintains that the bridge over the Ouse fell in, and that it was there the miracle was wrought f. It must be acknowledged there is stronger proof of its belonging to York, than to this-place, as Gent describes a representation of it painted in a window of a church near to which it happened. What wholly destroys the credit of this legend, * PoLYDORE Virgil is the -first who hath related this story, and Thomas impUcitly follows him, though acknowledged to be an author of srpall credit. Thomas^ in the genuine spirit of a monk, solely intent on the honour of the place where he resided, recites Polydore without noticing Brompton and Stubs, who refer it to tho city of York. f " The saint seeing the accident made the sign of the cross over the river, and addressed himself to God with many tears. All ascribed to the efficacy of his prayer, the miraculous preser- vation ot the multitude, especially of the children, who all escaped out of the wat€r unhurt." Burton's Lives of the Saints. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 55 is, that this town was called Pontefract half a cen- tury before St. AVilliam was made Archbishop of Vork. In the charters granted by Robert de Lacy, commonly called liobert de Pontefract, to the monks of St. John the Evangelist, it is stiled both Kirkby and Pontfract. — The words are " De Dominio suo de Kirkby, et deo et Sancti Johanni et Monachis meis de Pontfract." The first of which charters Robert says he made by the advice of Thomas Archbishop of York, and the second was signed by Thomas Archbishop of York, which must have been the first archbishop of that name, as Robert de Lacy died in the seventh of Henry I. ajmo 1 107, and the second Thomas did not succeed to that see till the ninth of that reign. St. William, to whom this miracle is'attributed, was not in pos- session of the see of York till the year 1153 ; from which it is evident that this town was called Pon- tefract, at least, fifty-two years before the above miracle is pretended to have been performed. The opinion of a respectable antiquarian that the name Pontefract was originally given to Castleford, and that on the decay of the place, the inhabitants having fled here, gave the same name to their new abode, is equally unfounded and unsatisfactory. There is no evidence that a bridge had been built at Castleford, at so early a period; but on the other hand, its very name implies, that on account of the breadth of the stream it was fordable. When the navigation was cut, the old Roman road was found some feet below the surface of the ground, shelving down towards the bed of the river. From this circumstance it is evident, that no bridge was there in the time of the Romans ; and the following fact proves there was none pre- ')G HISTORY OF ^0^'TEFRACT. vioiis to the conquest. Mortimer informs us tliat William the Conqueror, in the year 1070, receiving intelligence of great devastations committed in the north by the Danes, and the Northumbrian rebels, levied a formidable army, at the head of Avhich he marched to\vards the kingdom of Northumberland, of w^hich Yorkshire was a part, vowing in the fury of his wrath, that, " by the splendor of God's face'* (his usual oath) he would not leave a Northumbrian alive to stir up future insurrections. On his march into Yorkshire he took Nottingham in his way, but when he came to Pontfret, or Pontefract (be- fore this called Kirkby] he found that the enemy had broken down the bridge over the Aire at Ferry- bridge, and the waters being at that time swelled, he despaired of being able to pass the river for a considerable time. He had waited three weeks with the greatest impatience, when one of his Nor- man knights called I^isois (probably the same per- son afterwards called Lacy, on whom he bestowed the town) discovered a ford, by which William and his army passed the river. Other historians assert, that tlie name is derived from the decay of an old bridge, which had been formerly built over an aqueous and marshy place, near to which the old town principally stood. Ice- land says, " the ruines of such a bridg yet ys scene scant half a mile est owt of old Pontfract, but I cannot justely say that this bridge stoode ful on Watheling streete;" for the want of which the road was often impassable to travellers, till proper chan- nels were made for the use of two mills, one called the upper mill, and the other the lower, or Bond- gate mill*. * The upper mill was situate within a few paces of the north aiStORY OF PONfEFRACT. 57 The principal part of the town formerly lay round the castle, and the place where the town now stands was a wood. Leiand says, " the fairest parte of Pontefract stand ith on the toppe of the hille wher was after the conquest a chapel with a few sparkeled houses. The chapel was caulled St. Leo- nardes in the frithe (wood), and as I can learne this part of the town was called Kirkeby." Cambden says " Saxonicis temporibus Kirkhy vocabatur, sed Normanni a fracto Ponte, GalHce Pontfract nominarunt," It was customary with the Normans to call their towns and villages after the names of bridges, and this might induce them to do so in England; but as there is not a river within two miles of this place, and before the drains were made, the wash was not only supplied from the high springs, but frequently heightened by ex- cessive rains, it must consequently have been here that the said bridge was built, and came to decay, which gave the present appellation to this ancient borough. And this is rendered the more probable, because by an inquisition taken in the reign of Edward II. it appears that one John Bubwitb held the eighteenth part of a knight's fee, " Juxta vete- rem Pontem de Pontfract," and a place at this day called Bubwith-house terminates this wash; so that it is presumed it must be this bridge, which being broken down, gave occasion to the Norman lord to change the name of this town from Kirk by to Pontefract. That this must have been the situa- tion is the more apparent, when we consider that east corner of the castle, and is now in a ruinous state ; the lower was situated near the wash, about six hundred yards below the castle, and was internally demolished in the year 1766, the mate- rials sold, and the large dam filled up and converted into a meadow. * T 58 HISTORY OF PONTES ACT. before the late alteration of the roads, by whick the stream called the Wash is now confined to a narrow channel, upon any violent rains or sudden thaw, it so swelled and overtlowed as to be scarce passable, particularly before the drains were made from hence to the river. Nor does there appear from the high situation of the town to have been any necessity for a bridge elsewhere. Such are the varying opinions respecting the name of this place. The last seems most probable and supported by the clearest evidence. The orthography of the name in the latin charters, would induce the belief, that it must refer to the breaking of some bridge; and as there is no other place near the town where a bridge was built but over the wash, the breaking down of this must have given name to the place. But as names are arbitra- tory, and frequently imposed from mere whim and caprice, or from accidental circumstances, which in many instances are not handed down, no cer- tain conclusion can be made; and we must remain satisfied with what is most probable. The castle is supposed to be of Saxon origin; and the site of it is perfectly agreeable to their mode of fortification. While the Romans formed their camps on a plain, or on the level ground, and de- fended them by afoss and a vallum, the Saxons rais- ed the area of their camps and castles, if the ground was level, or selected hills as pUces best adapted for defence and security. The elevated rock, on which the castle is built, stands wholly insulated, its sides originally steep and craggy, forms one of those appearances, which indicate some great con- vulsion of nature, by which rocks have been rent assunder, and the various strata of earth washed HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 59 away. A site like this, without much trouble or expence, might soon be converted into a keep or castle; and it is not probable that the Saxons would neglect it during the period of their dominion. In support of this opinion, since the demolition of the castle, it has been found that the keep of the great round tower stood upon a raised hill of stiff hard clay, of which materials the Saxons usually made their keeps. After the conquest, llbert de X.acy having recei- ved a grant of the place, and in the tenth of William,-' all his vast possessions being confirmed to him, he soon after began to erect the castle. This noble structure cost immense expence and labour, and no one, unless in possession of a princely revenue could have completed it. This formidable fortress and magnificent palace was carried forward for the space of twelve years, with unremitting attention, and in the year 1080 was finished. llbert de Lacy, when he laid the foundation-stone of the castle, called the name of the town Pontfrete, because the situation, as he conceived, resembled the place so called in Normandy, where he was born *. * Vid. M. S. Fed. of T. Wilson, in Biblioth, Lced. This authority is deserving of more credit, as T. W. copied from Hopkinson, who transcribed whatever was valuable from the re- cords of the castle, previous to its demolition. ^0 mSTORY OF PONTEFRACT. SECTION VI. The history and pedigree of the Lacies', Lords of Pontefract, till the failure of the male line, and the union of this family ivith Thomas Planlagenety Earl of Lancaster. X HE noble family of the Laciescame in with the Conqueror; and if we are allowed to judge from the extent of their possessions, they enjoyed a con- siderable degree of his favour. Ilbert * received the gift of one hundred and fifty manors, or the greatest part of so many in the west of Yorkshire,, ten in Nottinghamshire, and four in Lincolnshire. These possessions were confirmed to him in the tenth of William f. William the Conqueror, after a turbulent and un- quiet reign of twenty years, departed this life; and as his eldest son Robert, who had rebelled against him during his own life, was heir to the Duke- dom of Normandy, he sent William to England previous to his death, desirous, that he might en- joy the British throne. William succeeded, by the favour of Lanfrank, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Eudes, his fathers steward, who delivered to him all the royal treasures, and secured the cinque * His brother Walter, received considerable possessions as a rewg^rd for his services, in Hertordshire and other counties. He died before the survey, and all his estates had devolved to his eldest son Roger, who enjoyed one hundred and twenty lordships. Vid. Doomsday, Herf. t DuDG. 99. This account agrees with the Hopk. MS. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. - 61 ports in his interest. As he expected his right to the throne would be disputed by his brother Robert, he endeavoured to ingratiate himself by every act of popularity. He courted the English, and they became strongly attached to his interests, and reso^ Jute to maintain his cause against all opposers. He confirmed the grants made by his father to the Norman barons, of all the lands they held, that they might be secure in the possession of their pro- perty. Among others, Ilbert de Lacy obtained a confirmation of all the customs belonging to the^ castle and honour of Pontefract, as he had enjoyed- them during the former reign. He founded the collegiate chapel of St. Clement, in the castle; and dying soon after the accession of William Ilufus toe the throne, left his vast possessions to his eldest son Robert *, called Robert de Pontefract, from the circumstance of his being born here. William Rufus, confirmed to this Robert all the lands of which his father died seized; and he appears to have acquired the lordship of Blackburn- shire, now one of the hundreds, in the county of Lancaster, bordering on his own estates in Yorkshire, from Roger de Busli, and Albert de Gi-eslet, and * He left a younger son called Hugh ; but according to the law of primogeniture, the whole estates went to Robert. This law was introduced into Europe by the feudal system ; and was essential to the support of it. The Saxon law of gavel-kind, the original law of all nations, by whicii a father's property, whatever it was, was equally divided among all his children, was abolished, as incompati- ble with duties imposed by this system. The clergy had laboured much to introduce the canon law, which sanctioned primogeniture, as divinely appointed ; and as this harmonized with the feudal sys- tem, it became at length firmly established. If the law of primo- geniture be examined, it appears to have no foundation in reason OF equity ; and could never have obtained in society, but in con- nection will) the factitious system which required personal service tQ be rendered to the king, ibr tJie lands held of him. 62 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. to have held it under them*. He founded the priory of St. John the Evangehst here, and was a great benefactor to the hospital of St. Nicholas. lie is said to have added greatly to the strength and beauty of the castle. On the death of Rufus, by the fortunate arrow of Walter Tyrel, Henry, the youngest son of the Conqueror, had interest sufficient to gain possession of the throne. JRobcrt, Duke of Normandy, who in the true spirit of the age, had joined his forces to the first crusade, and had contributed essentially to rescue the holy city, Jerusalem, from the infidel Mahometans, was now absent ; and notwithstand- ing it had been agreed by William Rufus, that if Robert outlived him, he should succeed to the throne, Henry was solemnly crowned. What he had thus acquired, Henry endeavoured to retain, by conciliating the affections of the people. He punished the instruments of his late brothers op- presion; he rectified the abuses of government, and secured the regular administration of justice. He revived the laws of king Edward, and granted a charter of liberties, according to which his go- vernment was to be regulated. Robert, on his return to Normandy, made pre- parations for putting his claim to the crown of Eng- land to the decision of the sword. He collected a body of troops, and having crossed the channel, landed at Portsmouth. Although tlie barons had taken the oath of allegiance to Henry, and he had not given them the least cause for complaint, many joined Duke Robert, and among the chief of these was Robert de Pontefract f. * At the time of the survey, these are mentioned as the tenants in capite. Vid. Whit. Whalley. f It is difficult to assign any reason sufficient to justify the HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 63 Henry marched against Kobert with the utmost dispatch, resolved to give him battle. The two armies approached and faced each other for several days without coming to action. During this state of awful suspense, some common friends of both interposed and effected an accommodation, on condition that Robert should resign all claim to the crown, unless Henry should die without issue, and for which he should receive an annual pension of three thousand marks. It was also stipulated that those nobles who had joined Duke Kobert, should be indulged with pardon, and the full resto- ration of all their lands and estates, to which Henry very readily consented. Promises made in a time of danger are often forgot in a season of security and peace ; and Henry no sooner saw the storm which had threatened him dispersed, than he began to shew his resent- ment to Robert de Pontefract and his son llbert, and the several nobles who had taken part with his brother. A brave man knows no malice, but at once Forgets in peace the injuries ot war. And gives his direst foe a friend's embrace. According to Dngdale*, Henry banished Robert de Lacy, and his son llbert the realm, seized the- castle and honour of Pontefract, and gave them to Henry Traverse. Whatever might be the gratifi- conduct of the barons. It is probable they were governed by motives of personal interest. As most of them had large estates in Normandy, tiiey apprehended ihat if Robert held Normandy, without being rai:.ed to the British throne, he would deprive them of the estates tliey had tliere. Their design appears to have been to have united the two crowns in one person, that the)' might se- cure their possessions in both comitrici. Vid. Lixxi.. Henry II. * Bar. v. 1. p. 99. Oh HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. cation H. Traverse might feel on this advancement to power, wealth, ami dignity, he was permitted to enjoy it only for a few days. One Pain, a wicked servant of his own, whetlier intentionally or accidentally is not clear, mortally wounded him; aiter which, to atone for his crime, he became a monk, and died three days afterwards. This circumstance did not tend to the benefit or restoration of Robert de Lacy. The king on the demise of Traverse, bestowed his castle and lands on Hugh Delaval, who enjoyed them for some time. During Dclaval's temporary possession of the castle and honour of Pontefract, he made several grants of churches to different religious houses. He bestowed on the priory of St. John here, the church of Whalley*; and gave lands to the priory of Nostel f. Dugdale gives a confused account of Robert de Lacy, and informs us, he was never restored to his possessions, but died in exile; that his son Ilbert was treated with the same severity, and experienced the same fate,— that Henry, the son of Ilbert, after the death of king Henry I. taking advantage of the troubled state of the kingdom, in the be- ginning of Stephen's reign, returned, — expelled Delaval from the castle of Pontefract, and took possession of it as his lawful patrimony. He cor- rects the above statement, on the authority of art old historian, who averred, that Ilbert, the son of Robert, was restored during the reign of Henry I. and who calling to mind the sufferings of his father, strenuously supported the cause of king Stephen, with whom he obtained great favour. * Vid. Whit. Whalley. f Burton, Monasticon Ebor. 504'. Whitaker, Wh. Vol. I, 140. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 65 The above account is unquestionably inaccurate. Indubitable evidence can be produced, that Robert de Lacy, after a few years exile, was restored to all his estates and honours. We find him con* firming some of the grants of churches, made by Delaval during his possession *. He built the castle of Clitheroe, previous to his exile. Tiiis may be fairly inferred from the circumstance, that it did not exist at the time of the survey, and Delaval, during his possession, granted a charter, under the dependencies of the church of Whalley, of the capellam Sci. Michaelis in Castro de Clyderhow. Robert de.Lacy, called also de Pontefract, died in the latter part of Henry I. reign, and left two sons, Ilbert and Henry;. the. first of which inherited all his vast estates f. ■ :?'r:" ■• :■. On the accession of Stephen, 1135, Earl of Boulogne to the throne, the friends of Matilda, the daughter of Henry, who had married to her second husband Geoffry Platagenet, Count of Anjou, made various attempts to obtain for her the crown as her just inheritance. Ilbert de Lacy espoused the cause of Stephen, and greatly contri- * Vid. Burton, Mon. Eb. in Nostel. The following are grants and confirmations between these partiei?, CHURCHES. GRANTORS-. CONFIRMATIONS. Batley, Robert de Lacy, Hugh Delaval, Hen. 1. Alex. 3 South Kirkby, Hugh Delaval, Robert de Lacy, Featherston, Hugh Delaval, Robert de Lacy, Step. Alex. 3. Huddersfield, Hugh Delaval, Robert de Lacy, do. Rothwell, do. do. Warmfield, do. do. do. f The Townley MS. pedigree of ihis family, mentions a Gilbert Lacy as the successor of Robert ; but as this disagrees with the pedigree taken from the hospital of Pontefract; with that of the Lacies of Cromwelbottom, and others, it appears to be an error. W. MS. K * ^^ HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. butcd to his success and triumph over David, king of Scotland, uncle to Matilda, who, to support her pretentions, entered the northern parts of England, with a formidable army, and penetrating as far as Northallerton, ravaged the country, and wantonly murdered the inhabitants. Stephen was at this time engaged in quelling an insurrection in the south, headed by the Earl of Gloucester; he therefore appointed Thurston, Arch- bishop of York, assisted by Ralph, Bishop of Durham, his lieutenant of the north of England. On their arrival in Yorkshire, they represented to the barons and principal inhabitants, the indispen- sable necessity of raising troops, and exerting their united efforts, to repel the invaders. Animated by the presence of this gallant and martial archbishop, they unanimously embarked in the common cause of liberty, and assembled their troops under the command of William, Earl of Alhermarle, assisted by Robert de Lacy, Robert de Ferrers, Walter Espec, Roger de Mowbray, and other northern barons, determined to stand or fail by one another. They advanced as far as North- Alverton (Northallerton) in Yorkshire, where they drew up in order, expecting the enemy, and where the venerable Thurston had caused to be erected a famous standard, at the top of which was placed a silver cross, and under this the banners of St Peter, St. John of Beverley, and St. Wilfred of Ripon, from whence the battle that ensued was called the battle of the Standard. The English forces were drawn up in a firm compact body round the standard, when Ralph, Bishop of Dur- ham (Thurston as that time being ill) made a suit- able oration, and absolved from sin all such as should HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 67 be slain in battle. Thus encouraged they fell upon the Scots with such bravery that they totally routed them, killing ten thousand upon the field of battle. The place where this battle was fought, which was on the twenty-second of August, is called Stanclard-.- hill to this day*. Ilbert de Lacy, after the above battle, obtained a pardon on behalf of all his servants, and for all forfeitures whatsoever f. He married Alice, daugh- ter of Gilbert de Gant, a benefactress to the monastry here, AiTiidst the confusion of Stephen's reign, in which, the greatest barons changed sides as interest or caprice might lead, Ilbert continued faithfully attached to the king. Whether he outlived Stephen, or died before him, we are not informed. As he had no children by Alice de Gant, his estates came to his brother Henry. The sudden death of Stephen left Henry, the son of Matilda, without a competitor for the crown. Though young, Henry H. possessed talents equal to the arduous duties of government, He had the wisdom to select for his ministers, some of the best statesmen in the kingdom; and instead of banishing those nobles who had been faithful to Stephen, he had the greatness of mind to overlook this fault, and to raise them to places of trust and honour. Henry de Lacy received from him a confirmation of his whole honour ot' Pontefract, with a charter * See a correct account of this important victory in Littleton's history, Henry II. t This Ilbert, with the consent of his brother Henry, gave the mill and land at Campsall to the knights templar of St. John, of Jerusalem, as appears from the original grant in the possession) of Burton, W. MS, 65 HISTORY OF PONTEFUACT. for an annual fair, to be held there, and to begin on Sr. Giles' day, the first of Sept. (O. S ) and to continue eight days following. Henry de Lacy, in pursuance of a vow he had made durmg a painful and dangerous indisposition, founded the monastry of St. Mary, at Bernoldswick, in Craven, He assigned over this town, which he held of Hugh Bigot, Earl of Norfolk, at the yearly rent of five marks, and a present of a hawk, to the monastry. The Scots having ravaged the lands belonging to the monks, and other unfavourable circumstances occuring, induced them to seek a more safe and fertile retreat. Alexander, the abbot, travelling along the banks of the Aire, came to a woody spot, where some anchorites had fixed their humble habitation. The site of the place pleased the abbot; and he persuaded his patron, Henry de Lacy, to remove the monastry from Bernoldswick to Kirkstall. Henry obtained a grant of the land from William of Poitou, and founded the once magnificent abbey of Kirkstall, near Leeds. At his death *, in the latter part of Henry 11. reign, he was succeeded by his son and heir Robert de Lacy. He was one of the barons who attended at the coronation of Richard L and dying without issue, in the tw-elfth kal. Feb. 119'3 ; the estates and honour of Pontefract descended to Awbrey de Lisours. She was his sister by the mother's side, who was the daughter of Eudo de Lisours, by Awbrey his wife, who was the widow of his father Henry, and therefore his nearest relation. Awbrey claimed as her right, not only the barony of Pon- .tefiact, but all the lands of Robert, by virtue of a * He was buried in the abbey of Kirkstall. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 6B grant from Henry de Lacy to Awbrey, her mother*. She also as heiress to her father's large possessions was immensely rich; and by marrying Richard Fitz Eustace, constable of Chester, and baron of Hal- ton, enjoyed a rank equal to her ambition. Kichard Fitz Eustace, having died before Robert de Luc}', the estates of both noble families came to John. John animated by the' spirit of the times, joined Richard in the third crusade, together with his eldest son Roofer. A^Hiether he M\ bv the hand of the enemy, or by the fatigues and changes of climate, is micertain; but he is said to have died at Tyre, in the land of Judea f . Roger, his eldest son, who had accompanied him in this expedition, now became entitled to all his estates. He continued with Richard I. and contributed to the success of his arms against the Mahometans. He was present at the memorable siege of Acre, which, after an obstinate defencCj was surrendered to British valour. "j:. Roger was accompanied in this crusade by William Bellamonte, ancestor of the Beaumonts of Whitley, near Huddersfield, to whom, after his risturn, he gave eight oxgangs of land at Hudders- field, and who appears to have been his inseparable * Saxaglnta Feoda Militum (of the honour of Pontefract) unde ilia post Robert! de Lacy mortem utramque Hereditatem, frater- riam de Lacy et Paternam de Lisours occupavit." f He left issue by Alice de Mandeville, Roger, Richard, and Peter. " + See Whitakf.r Wh. It is amusing to consider, that this same Acre, where English and French, although not much better friends than now, united their forces to combat Saladin, and where so many of both nations perished, should, after a lapse of seven hundred years, become again memorable by the gallant defence ©f Sir Sydney Smith, and the repulse of Bonaparte, 76 HISTOIIY OF rONTEFRACT. companion ever after, as he generally attests the charters which Roger granted. Chester, being contiguous to Wales, often suf- fered greatly from the incursions of the hardy moun- taineers of that country. Although the kings of Wales, did homage to the kings of England, and paid an annual acknowledgment, they were ever ready to rush forth and- plunder the adjoining districts. Koger Fitz Eustace, fierce in his temper, and in- mu'ed to a state of warfare, repelled their aggres- sions, and treated them with such severity, that they gurnamed him, Hell*. He was the first of his family who took upon him the name of Lacy, and in the fifth of Richard I. he came to an agreement with Awbrey his grand- motlier, for all the lands belonging to the honour of Pontefract ; and by a fine levied at Westminster, before H. Archbishop of Canterbury, W. Bishop of Eli, Chancellor to the king, and others, she quit claimed to him all the lands which did belong to Robert de Lacy. In the same year Roger granted a charter to the burgesses of Pontefract f. He also granted to those burgesses who had lands in the moor J one hundred and ninety-four acres, to hold, * " There is evidently something allusive to the temper and achievments of Roger de Lacy, in his great seal, some drawings of which have been preserved. On the obverse side, instead of the equestrian figure, usual in that situation, is the spirited figure of a griffon grinding the body of some other animal ; and on the en- dorsement, an armed man trampling on the body of ah enemy, whose head he holds up, triumphantly with his right hand, while the left sustains an antique heater shield." Whit. Wh. Vol. I. l-i'2. f Vid, App. Charters. No. 1; t Where did this lie ? Is it not the la^d now called the West-, field > This was a common field in which the burgesses had sepa- rate lands, till within late years ; and what establishes the fact is. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 71 to thetji and their heirs for ever, paying to him and liis !ieirs, at the feast of St. Michael, fourpence per acre annual rent. In the sixth of Richard I. he answered £i5. Ids. for the scutagc then levied, on account of the king's redemption. While the feudal system con- tinued, the military tenents, were obliged, in case the lord of whom they held was taken prisoner, to contribute, in proportion to their land, towards his ransom. Kichard I. returning from the third cru- sade, and willing to take the nearest rout home, travelled incognito through Germany. He was however recognized, and the emperor treacherously seized him, and detained him a prisoner. To obtain his ransom the above scutage was levied. In the seventh of Richard I. he paid a fme of two thousand marks to the king, for livery of all his lands and castles belonging to the barony and honour of Pontefract, except the castle of Ponte- fract, which the king now retained in his own hands. Are we to consider the above fme as ',he relief which Roger paid for admittance to his estates? If we are, it is certainly exorbitant *, and affords one, among many other proofs of the tyranny and that some proprietors of land here, now pay to the mayor four- pence per acre, as being the lord of the manor. What origin can be assigned of this tenure, if it did not spring from this charter ? * The mark is'estiniated at thirty shillings, and the fine now- levied would amount to three thousand pounds. When the compa- rative value of money is considered, this sum then, would be equal to thirty thousand pounds now. In the reign of William the Con- queror, and down to Richard I. commodities were on an average ten times cheaper than they are at present. Bishop Fleetwood has shewn that in the year 1240, four pounds thirteens shillings and ninepence was worth fifty pounds of our present money." Enc v. in. mon. 72 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. oppression of the feudal system. For as the king thus arbitrarily tined the tenants in capite, on enter- ing into possession of their baronies and honours; the barons imposed fines in like manner on all their under-tenants; and nearly the whole land of the kingdom was subject to a tenure, in many respects similar to the worst of our modern tenures, that of holding by copy of court-roll, usually called copy- hold. By detaining the castle of Pontefi^act in his own hands, Richard appears, either to have doubted, the fidelity of Roger de Lacy, or to have kept it for the purpose of extorting from him another sum of nione\'. On the death of Richard I. and the accession of l)is brother John, Roger de I^acy had livery of all the lands and castles belons:ing to him. As John's title to the crown might he disputed by Arthur, Duke of Bretagne, he like most of A¥il- liam's successors, began his reign by conciliating the barons. He did not admit Roger de Lacy to possess his estates till he had agreed to pay five hundred marks, and to give his son and heir as an hostage for his future fidelity. It appears however that Roger de Lacy had not paid the five hundred marks in the fourth of John, as he then came to a, new agreq- ment to pay the whole by instalments, of a hundred marks per annum, and to give the king annually, ten palfrys, aiid ten lease of greyhounds. :...^,^ r-^j,^, , When king John had most wickedly put to de^ili Prince Arthur, his nephew, and who was the real heir to the throne, a general defection of his barons in Normandy, and other foreign provinces, took place; and Philip king of France took them under his protection, and assisted them in their enterpises. histohy of pontefract. 73 The principal castles in Normandy had been surren- dered to Philip; and John, instead of repeiling the enemy, conscious of his own crimes andof theabhor- ence of the Normans, shamefully fled to England, The only place which made any resistance to the arms of Philip and the barons, was Chateau-Gaillard, in the Vexin. This place was bravely defended by Roger de Lacy, for the space of six months, against all the power of Philip; and when Roger de Lacy was compelled to surrender, he was treated with great respect, and allowed to live at liberty in Paris upon his parole, but he could not obtain his release until he had paid six thousand marks for his ransom. Roger de Lacy, after having obtained his liberty, was actively employed in arranging his own private concerns; and in the sixth scutage of John, he answered for forty three knights-fees and a half. He died October 1, 1211, and was interred in the abbey of StanloWy leaving by Maude de Clarke his wife, a daughter married to Geoffry, dean of Whalley ; and John de Lacy who succeeded to his possessions. At this period the oppressions, cruelties and crimes of the king, had incensed the whole kingdom against him. Every one secretly wished his deposi- tion ; and some avowed their wish, that such a pest to society and scourge to the nation, might be removed. While men's minds were thus agitated, Peter de Pontefract, commonly called the zvise hermit^ on account of his various predictions of seve^ ral strange things, which were to come to pass, prophesied openly of king John, and said, " that on the ascension day following, there should be no king, and that the crown on that day should be translated to another." The king hearing thereof. 74 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. commanded the hermit to be brouQ:ht before him, and on his arrival, the king demanded whether he should die on that day ? or in what manner he should be deprived of his crown ? Tlie hermit answered, " know this most certainly, that at that day thou shalt not be king, and if I should be found a lier, then doe with me what ye will." On which the king replied, " it shallbeeeven so as thou hast saide," and instantly ordered him into prison there to be kept till the time *, * " According to M. Paris, his prediction was, " that John should not be king the next Ascension-day, nor afterwards, but that the crown of England should on that day be transferred to another." The original runs thus ; " Sub his quoque diebus, erat in provincia eboracensi, heremita quidam Petrus nomine, qui eo quod multis futura multa proedixerat, sapiens dicebatur. Hie, in- ter alia quae spiritu prophetiae tactus videratde rege Johanne; palam coram cunctis astantibus, illud proeditando publice aserebat : 2uod nonforet rex in die dominicoe Ascensionis proxime sequentis, nee dc' inceps : sed die ilia coronam Jngl/ce ad aliiirn transferri prasdixit. Cujus assertio cum ad regis notitiam devenisset, et, ipso jubente, ad ejus praesentiam adductus fuisset, quaesixit ab eo rex ; si die illo esset moriturus, vet quo or dim a regni solio privaretur ; Quires- pondit ; 'Noveritis certissime quod die prcedicta rex non eris. Et si de meudacio convictusfuero, de me quod placuerit facialis. Cui rex, fiat, inquit, secundum verbum tuum. Tunc rex tradidit ilium Willielmo de Harecurt, custodiendum, quem idem Wiilielmus, custodibus et arctioribus vinculis constrictum, apud corricum incar- ceravit, donee probaret quem txitura res haberet." Matt. Pak. p. 195. Wikes treats this hermit ag an impostor for pretending to the knowledge of future events, which our author says belongs to God only ; ascribes his popularity to the ignorance of the vulgar; and represents him as foretelling expressly, that John should die in the fourteenth year of his reign. His words are too remarkable to be omitted. " Eisdem temporibus erat qu idem laicus in Anglia, no- mine- Pefrus de Punfret quem vulgo Petrum sapientem anglice nun- cupabant, cui laicorum rusticaria simplicitas, pro eo quod multa praedixeraf, quae postea rei exitus approbavit, prophetix spirituni asserebat inesse, tribuens ei procscientiam futurorum, quae secun- dum fidgm catholicam soli deo creditur ascribenda; diu autem HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 75 predicted was expired. In the mean time, the pope had excommunicated the king, and laid the king- dom under an interdiction, which obliged the king to resign his crown and dominions into the pope's hands, which he did by charter, dated the 15th of May, (being the ascension day) in the fourteenth year of his reign to Pandolph the pope's vicegerent, who kept the crown four or five days, by which the hermit's prediction was in some measure fulfilled, but as it Avas the king's prerogative to make his own interpretation, it cost the poor hermit his life. As- cension-day wasno sooner past than the kingordered the hermit out of prison, and condemned him to be tied to a horse's tail, and drawn through the streets, and that both he and his son should be hanged on a gibbet, which sentence was instantly executed, prcedixerat post annum quartum decimum regni regis, regnandi potestatem regi finallter eximendam, quod quidem contigit, sed ailo modo quam putabat. Alludebat etiam huic prsesagio revelatio facta cuidam monacho viro sancto transmarino in somnis : quod ultra annos xiv. non regnaret. Et quidem anno regni sui quarto decimo (ut praetactum est) se et regnum suum sedi apostolicae subr jugavit," Our author, after expounding and confirming the truth of the hermit's prediction, by the king's submission to the apostoHcal see, proceeds to inform us, that John having enquired of Peter the day before he made his submission, how long he thought he should reign, was answered, " till three o'clock the next day at farthest :" and John was so highly exasperated by his reply, that he ordered him to be closely confined in Corf-castle, with a firm resolution of bringing him fo punishment, and the next year he was torn to pieces by horses, after having been hung upon a gallows. Chronic. T. WiKEsadan. 1213 and 1214. This extraordinary prediction is authenticated by the manu- script of Wendover ; and Polydore Virgil imputes it to the dis- coveries of magic, " magicis artibus." But Speed judiciously sus- pects the whole of i. posture, and imagines that the hermit was suborned, to lessen the attachment of the people to the king. Speed b. ix. ch. 8. p. 558. 76 HISTORY OF rONTEFRACT, John de Lacy, the lord of Pontefract, who, after the death of Alice de Aquilay his first wife without issue, married Margaret, daughter and coheiress of Robert, son of Saher de Quincy, Earl of Lincoln. This Robert married Hawys, fourth sister and coheiress of Randal Bhmdevil, Earl of Chester and Lincoln, who gave to her, in the distribution of his lands and honors, the latter earldom, scilicet quan- tum ad me pertimdt ut inde comitissa existat — from her it descended to Margaret her daughter, who, by marrying John de Lacy, brought the earldom of Lincoln into that family. In the fifteenth of king John, John de Lacy engaged to pay to the king seven hundred marks, in the space of four years, for livery of all his lands as inherited by his father, and to be discharged of all his father's debts due to the exchequer; obliging himself by that oath, in case he should ever fall from his allegiance, and adhere to the king's enemies, all his possessions should be forfeited to the crown. It was also by this agreement stipulated, that the king should retain the castles of Pontefract and Dunning- ton in his own hands, and that Johnde Lacy should allow forty pounds per Annum, for the custody of them. Under the influence, and by the direction of Archbishop Langton, a number of barons associated for the purpose of obtaining a redress of grievances. The archbishop had found a copy of the charter granted by Henry I. on his accession to the throne. He shewed this to the barons, who engaged, to ob- tain a renewal of it, and a full restoration of the laws of Edward the Confessor. They collected their forces, and ultimately obtained the fanaous charter. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 77 called Magna Charia'^, which is consldeicd as the foundation of British liberty. The barons, who had obtained this important charter, were too wise to leave this work unfniished. They knew too well the king's character, to think that he would ever agree to the performance of this charter, unless compelled by necessity. They chose twenty-five of their number to see the chartef carried into execution. John de Lacy was chosen one of 'this number; and on their cantoning the kingdom among themselves, he had Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire allotted for his share. The barons, in this struggle for liberty, incurred the displeasure of the pope. John having disgrace- fully given the crown to the see of Rome, and now holding it as a fief of St. Peter, was considered as a dear son of the church, v/hile the wicked barons were doomed to suffer all the penalties which the church could inflict. They were solemnly excommunicated, and all the pious were separated from them. This had such an effect on John de Lacy, that on ob- taining letters of safe conduct, he went to the king and made his peace. In the first of Henry HI. Lewis, the son of Philip, the king of France, who had been invited f by the barons, to come and accept the crown, being expelled by the prudent conduct of the great Earl of Pembroke, the regent, John de Lacy was admitted to favour. Lie, together with many other English * This important charter ascertained the reliefs for earldoms, baronies, and knights fees, which had been arbitrary ; it stipulates, that no aid, scutage, or tax should be levied without the consent ot the common council of the nation ; and that no person should be taken, imprisoned, or disseized of his freehold and liberties, without legal process, and the lawful judgment of his peers; t Matt. Par. p. 303, or 30. 78 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT, nobles *, took the cross, and M'ent to the holy land, in the 3'ear following. Richard, the king's brother, assisted by John de Lacy and others carried oii the war against the Saracens with vigour, and covered with laurels, at length returned. John de Lacy appears not to have continued long abroad, but to have returned with him. We find him among the barons in the great council assembled in the twenty-third of this reign; and in that year he had a grant of the sherijfalli) of Cheshire, and was appointed governor of the castle of Chester. He had returns of all tiie king's writs through- out the wapontakes of Staincross and Osgoldcross, in this county; and obtained the further privilege, *' that all merchants and strangers, coming by wa- ter to the town of Pontefract, should be free from l)ayment of any tollf. John de Lacy, died July 22, 1240, and left issue by Margaret his wife, two daughters, and Edmund his only son and heir. The daughters were sent for to court, and educated with the king's own daughters. Edmund de Lacy, appears to have been at the time of his father's demise under age, and conse- quently a ward of the king. His great possessions, excited in the queen, the desire of marrying him to one of her own relations. Accordingly, a daugh- ter of the Marquis de Saluces, was brought over from Italy, and Edmund was forced to marry her; a circumstance, which occasioned no little discon- tent among the English nobility. In the 3.5th of Henry III. Edmund obtained a charter for free warren J in all his demesne lands, * Pal. 21. Henry III. f Rol. de Eeor. % Free Warren, is a franchise granted for preservatipn or HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 79 belonging to his honour of Pontefract. He alst) obtained another charter from ihe same monarch, for 3 weekly market, to be held every Wednesday at Tanshelf, within his lordship of Pontefract ; and a fair yearly for three days, viz. on the eve, day and morrow of the feast of the Holy Trinity, Edmund dying in the life-time of his mother, never assumed the title of Earl of Lincoln. He founded the house of the White Friars in Ponte- fract, and was succeeded by his son and heir, Henry de Lacy, the last and greatest man of his line. He married Margaret, daughter and sole heiress of William Longespe, son of the Earl of Salisbury. By her he had two sons, Edmund and John. It is said that Edmund was drowned in a well at Denbigh castle; and that John, when young, running hastily upon a turret in Pontefract castle, fell down and was killed. It is scarcely pro- bable, that two children should perish in this man- ner; and it is more natural to believe that the two accounts have originated from the fall of John, and custody of beasts and fowls of warren ; which, being ferae naturae, every one had a right to kill as he could ; but upon the introduction of the forest laws, at the Norman conquest, these animals being looked upon as royal game, and the sole property of our savage monarchs, this Iranchise of free warren was invented to protect them ; by giving the grantee a sole and exclusive power of killing such game so tar as his warren extended, on condition ot his preventing other persons. Manwood informs us, " that the hare, the coney, the pheasant and the partridge, were beasts and fowls of warren ; and no other. Sir Edward Cooke, mentions as beasts and fowls of warren, roes, rails and quails, woodcocks, mallards and herons. Henry I. granted to Henry Keighly, knight, the privilege of free warren within his own manor," i(a quod nullus ineret terras illas ad fugandum in lis, vel ad aliquid capiendum quod ad Warrcnnum pertiiieat sine licenda et voluntate ipsius Henricl et successorum ejus. Free warren gave to the lord of a manor an exclusive right to hunt and kill the game therein. 80 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. the early death of Edmund. He had two daughters, Alice and Margaret ; the former of which only sur- vived, and was married to Thomas, son of Edmund, Earl of Lancaster. Henry de Lacy was the confidential friend of Edward I. whom he seems not a little to have re- sembled in courage, activity, prudence, and every other quality which can adorn a soldier or a states- man. His services began with the reign of Edward. In the fu'st of Edward he beseiged and took the castle of Chartly, in Staffordshire, which Robert de Ferrers had entered and detained by force from Hamon L'Estrange, to whom i- had been granted by Henry HI. upon the attainder of Ferrers. In the sixth of Edward I. he granted a * charter to his burgesses of Pontefract, confirming the gi'ants and charters of his ancestor, Roger de Lacy, and also f another charter respecting the right of erecting stalls. In the year 1290, he was appointed the first commissioner for rectifying the abuses which had crept into the administration of justice, especially in the court of common pleas ; an office in which he behaved with the most exemplary fidelity and strictness. He was sent in 1Q92, Ambassador to France, to demand satisfaction for plundering the English merchants by the subjects of that kingdom. He obtained a charter in the year 1294, to hold several markets in different places, and among them a market every Wednesday at Pontefract, and a fair upon the eve of Palm-Sunday, and the three days; following. After the death of Edmund Earl of Lancaster, he was appointed commander in chief, of the army of Gascony and Viceroy of Aquitaine. * Char. 2. Appd, f Char. 3. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT, Si In 1298, be raised the siege of St. Catherine, near Tlioulouse, and expelled the French from the confines of that country. In 1299, he led the van- guard, at the memorable battle of Falkirk, in Scot- land, in which the Scots lost one thousand two hundred men, and Edward obtained a victory the most brilliant and decisive. Henry having been long married, and not having any male issue living, did in the twentieth of Edward I. render up his castle and barony of Pontefract, with all the manors, hamlets, and other rights there- unto belonging, into the king's hands; but condi- tionally it seems, for that monarch, by his charter, dated at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 28th December, in the twenty-first of Edward I. regranted the castle and honour of Pontefract unto the said Henry de Lacy, and the heirs of his body, with remainder to his royal brother, Edmund, E^^rl of Lancaster, and the heirs of his body, and for want of such issue to the king and his heirs. In the year 1294, the king granted him a charter to hold several markets at different places, and amongst them, a market upon every Wednesday at Pontefract, and a fair upon the eve of Palm Sunday, the day and three days following. In the twenty-eighth of Edward I. Queen Marga- ret resided at the castle of Pontefract, while the king was engaged in an expedition to Scotland. Several of the nobility who attended her, fond of the chace, went a hunting in the neighbourhood. The Queen, who was then in a pregnant state, took a r;ide for the benefit ;of her health; and being drawn on by the sport of the field, as far as Brotherton, was there taken ill, and safely delivered of her fifth son. The royal infant was therefore at the queen's desire, M * S2 ItlSTORY OF PONTEFRACr. from St. Thomas of Canterbury, to whom she prayed in her extremity, called Thomas de Bro- therton *. He was afterwards by king Edward the- second, his brother, made Earl of Norfolk, and the office of marsiial of England was conferred by parliament on him, and his heirs male lawfully begotten, which his descendent, the present Duke of Norfolk enjoys. Not far from the church at Brotherton, was a piece of ground of about twenty acres, surrounded with a trench and a wall, where (as tradition informs us) stood the house in which queen Margaret was brought to bed, and the tenants were obliged by the tenure of their land, to keep it surrounded by a wall of stone. In the parliament of Carlisle, ult. Edward L Henry de Lacy had precedence of all the peers of England after the Prince of Wales 3 and after the death of his old master, he seems to have retained the confidence of his sonj for in the important expedition of Edward H. into Scotland, he who had shared the triumphs of Falkirk, was spared the dis- grace of Bannockburn, by being left protector of England. He died February 5. 1310, aged 60, and was buried in St. Paul's, London. * In the Cottonian library is a book of grants, beautifully illuminated, among which, there is one of Edward II. giving a commission to Thomas de Brotherton, appointing him his marshal of England. Over this painting is written, LitercB, K. Edwardi, constituentes Thomam de Brotherton, Comitem Nottingham Marescallem Angliae. This curious painting is richly embossed with gold and ele- gantly coloured ; the king sits on a h'ght red throne, dressed in a blue robe, lined with ermine; the armour of Thomas is a light blue, except the body, which is painted red 5 and the lion argent, and the joints of the armour at the elbows, and knees, which are gold ; the back ground is a deep sea green j the letter is white, shaded with red, inclosed in a gold square. HISTORY OF rONTEFRACT. S3 Thus terminated the once noble name of Lacy. Whatever anxiety men may feel to transmit their name to posterity in that of their children, in a few generations, it is probable, that very name will be forgotten. All has its date below; the fatal hour Was register'd in heav'n ere time began. We turn to dust, and all our mightiest works Die too: the deep foundations that we lay. Time ploughs lliem up, and not a trace remainSj We build with what we deem eternal rock : A distant age asks where the fabric stood ; And in the dust, sifted and search'd in vain. The undiscoverable secret sleeps. All flesh is grass, and all its glory fades Like the fair flow'r dishevell'd in the wind ; Riches have wings, and grandeur is a dream r The man we celebrate must find a tomb. And we that worship him ignoble graves. Nothing is proof against the gen'ral curse Of vanity, that seizes all below. The only amaranthine flow'r on earth Is virtue i Ih' only lasting treasury, truth. Z4 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACr* SECTION VII. Ifiquhy into the conduct and character of Thomas^ Earl of Lancaster, commonly Called St. Thomas. 1 HOMAS, Earl of Lancaster, was the son of Edmund, who was the fifth son of Henry III. Henry de Lacy^ on the failure of male issue, had bequeathed to his daughter and heiress, Alice, who had married Thomas Earl of Lancaster, all his estates; and on a failure of issue from this marriage, he entailed them on the king and his heirs. Henry de Lacy, who had been the ornament of the court of Edward I. and one of those, whose fidelity and courage had contributed to the glory of his reign, by this entail of his vast possessions, gave a remark- able proof of his strong attachment to the royal family. Edward II. previous to the death of his father, had given too many indications of that w^eakness which characterized his reign, to escape notice; and his attachment to Piers Gaveston, the companion of his crimes and pleasures, 4t was foreseen, would one day become a source of calamities to his kingdom. It is said, that Henry de Lacy, after the death of his old friend and master, Edward I. and the acces- sion of Edward II. particularly charged Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, to watch the conduct of Gaves- ton, and strenuously to defend the liberties of the people. Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, with other barons HISTORY OF rONTEFRACT. 8,5 of public and independent spirit, had soon to con- tend against this unprincipled minion. Edward II, gave him the earldom of Cornvval; and he disposed of all offices and places according to his pleasure. By his advice all the faithful servants of the lato king were removed from their po.sts, and their plac« supplied with his creatures. The favourite could not bear his good fortune with moderation ; he became haughty and overbear- ing, and looked down on the English nobility with the most supercilious contempt. In the splendor of his dress, he endeavoured to outshine, not only the nobility, but even the king himself. The insults which the barons received, excited them unanimously to seek redress, and to insist on the banishment of Gaveston. The king supported his minion to the utmost of his power, but finding it impossible to vanquish the spirit of the barons, he at length complied with then' request, and Gaveston was banished the realm. He was sent into Gascony, where the king made him a grant of a large estate, and even be- stowed the honour of Cockermouth, in England; The king could not endure his absence; and having obtained the assistance of the pope, to absolve him fix>m his engagements, this favourite was recalled. He was no sooner restored to power, than, for- getting his late banishment, he exercised it in the same wanton manner he had previously done. He appeared to think his authority so well established, that he had nothing to fear from the future attempts of the barons; and he not only neglected to con- ciliate their esteem and regard, but attacked the character of the leading nobles by pei'sonal i^eflec- tions*. * He'characterized Uie Earl of Lancaster, by the title of S6 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. The prodigality of the king and the favourite soon exhausted the treasury, and a parliament was called to grant an assessment for the supply of the king's necessities. The barons went prepared to ' destroy the favourite, and to regulate and reform the administration. They insisted that a certain number of their own body should be chosen to correct the abuses of government, and to whom the administration should be given. The persons thus chosen were called Ordainersy and among them was Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. . While the king was intent on prosecuting the war against Robert Bruce, the renowned leader and king of the Scots, the ordainers were drawing up ordinances for preserving the peace of the church, collecting the customs, and calling the Jate collectors to an account; for regulating the court of exchequer, and for redressing all griev- ances. Piers Gaveston was banished the realm, for having embezzled the king's treasure, procur- ing blank charters, which he filled up according to his own pleasure, protecting robbers, and arro^ gating to himself the regal power and dignity. Edward had no desire to comply with any of these ordinances, and least] of all with that which "banished his favourite. The barons insisted on his complying with every ordinance; and not having the power to resist, he submitted, and Gaveston was again banished. The king having no sources of enjoyment in his own mind, and being accustomed to draw his pleasure from his favourite, found life insupportable without him. He privately invited him to return, and meeting him at York, restored him to all his honours. stage-player ; the Earl of Pembroke, by that of Joseph the Jew ; and the Earl of Warwick, he called tlie wild boar of Ardeime, HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 87 The barons, who appear to have formed the design of abridging the prerogatives of the crown, were incensed at this instance of folly in the king, and presumption in the favourite j and having collected troops, the Earl of Lancaster marched with such expedition and secrecy, that he nearly surprized the king and Gaveston in Newcastle, to which place they had retired. Edward not being able to contend with Lancaster, fled to Tinmouth, and going on board a vessel with his favourite, put to sea. He landed Gaveston at Scarborough, and having put him in possession of the castle, departed to York. Lancaster was no sooner informed of Gaveston's retreat, than he sent Pembroke, Piercy, and Clifford, with a body of troops to besiege the castle; while he took post with the rest of his army between that place and York, in order to cut off all com- munication between the king and his favourite. Gaveston, finding himself thus pent up, and the king unable to afford him any assistance, was forced to capitulate, and surrender himself to his enemies. He was conveyed to Dedington. and was taken by Guy, Earl of Warwick, and carried to his castle there. The Earls of Lancaster, Hereford, and Arun- del, repaired to Warwick to decide his fate. They soon came to a determination to put him to death as a public enemy. The next day he was accordingly beheaded, and Lancaster is said to have viewed the head with marks of brutal joy. The news of his death gave general satisfaction, and few beside the king lamented him. He vowed vengeance, and a civil war would have been the consequence, had not common friends interposed, and effected a reconciliation. Si HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. It was the misfortune of Edward, thht he could not live without fayourites. On the death of Gaveston, the Spencers were admitted to en- joy his place; and by a similar spirit and con- duct, excited -tlie same general resentment. The ordinances continued to be disregarded, and Lan- caster on this account maintained his opposition to Edward. To mortify Lancaster, the Countess was carried off from her house at Caneford, in ■Dorsetshire, to the castle of Ryegate, by a knight of a most deformed figure, being lame and hunchbacked. He claimed the lady in con- sequence of a contract previous to her marriage with the earl; alledged he had cohabited with her as her husband; and, by an action brought in the king's court at Westminster, demanded the earldoms of Lincoln and Salisbury, of which she was heiress*. " This singular transaction appears to have been a contrivance of the king; and what must for ever entail infamy on Alice de Lacy, now the countess, she joined in the prosecution. Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, enraged at this * This lady, the heiress of the family of Lacy, at an early period, was infamous for her amours and intrigues. She Was married to Lancaster when only nine years old, and when arrived at the age of nineteen, carried on an illicit amour with the Earl of Warreii. He built Sandal castle, near Wakefield, where, having taken the Countess of Lancaster, he detained her for some time. In an affray concerning this lady, be- tween the retainers of Lancaster and Warren, commenced that fatal tragedy in wliich Sir John Elland, of Elland, and so many other valiant knights lost their lives. Vid. Watson's, Halifax, p. 176. and Whit. Wlialley, p. 146. This lady survived her husband, and married one Eubulo le Strange, a man with whom she had before cohabited. She died without issue in the sixty-seventh year of her age, and was buried at the conventual church of Berling,. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 89 cruel attempt against his honour and fortune, applied to the king for redress. The king re- fused to grant his request, and even threatened to punish him for his arrogance and presumption. Lancaster resoh'ed to do himself right by force of arms, and with that view collected a body of eighteen thousand men. The king, conscious of his own inability to contend with this powerful nobleman, had recourse to the legates of the pope, to ward off the blow and effect a reconci- liation. They went to Lancaster, and managed matters so well, that he and the king were once more made friends. The conduct of the Spencers in seizing som6 of the castles of the barons, and persuading the king to resume some grants he had made; and especially depriving John de Mawbrey of an estate, which had been bequeathed to him, pro- duced a general union of that body, who were determined to obtain redress. They applied to Lancaster for assistance, the only person who could give effect to their schemes. Thus strengh- ened, they demanded the restoration of their pro- perty, and the removal of the Spencers; and not finding the king ready to comply with this demand, they collected their forces, attacked the castles of the Spencers, laid waste their lands, burnt their houses, and took away their cattle. Alarmed at the danger of his favourites, Edward issued out a proclamation, commanding the barons to lay down their arms, and to sub- mit their grievances to the decission of a par- liament, which should be called. The barons, in the mean time, assembled at Sherburn, near Pontefract, drew up an instrument, and engaged N 90 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. not to lay clown their arms, till they had expel- led tlie Spencers. After this they marched forward towards Lon- don, and fixed their quarters on Clerkenwell- green. They presented their demands to the par- liament which was 'then sitting; and a bill was brought in and passed, banishing the "Spencers. This sentence was immediately published. That the Spencers, would be accounted public enemies, if seen in the kingdom after the 29th of August. The barons, on having obtained pardon for their proceedings, dismissed a part of their forces, and returned to their own estates; but being doubtful of the king's sincerity, kept themselves in a posture of defence. A circumstance now occurred, which, in its consequences, proved fatal to Lancaster, and to the cause of the barons. The queen, according to the, spirit of the times, going to pay her de- votion at Becket's tomb, being near to ' the castle of Leeds, belonging to Badlesmere, sent her servants to demand lodging for a night. Badlesmere was not in the castle; but his wife told the servants they must go and provide lodg- ing for their mistress in some other place; for without an order from her husband, she would neither admit her majesty, nor any other person, into the castle. The queen not believing that such an answer had been returned, repaired to the gate of the castle, but was rudely repulsed, and six of her attendants slain by the garrison. This insult, offered to the queen, roused the spirit of Edward. He immediately raised an army and invested the castle, which had it been sup- plied with provisions, was well furnished with every other requisite for a long siege. HISTORY OF rONTEFRACT. 91 The lords of tlie marches considered tliis as a commencement of hostihties, and collected their troops in order to raise the siege. Lanr caster refused to support them, considering that such an insult, offered to the queen, ought to be avenged, and her honour vindicated. The castle surrendered at discretion, and the governor, and ereven principal officers were executed. The king encouraged by this success, recalled the Spencers, and set the barons at defiance. Lancaster was no sooner apprized of this event, than he inveighed with vehemence against the arrogance of the favourites, and the perfidy and baseness of the king, who sacrificed his honour to gratify his- ruling passion. Determined to oppose this violation of the late statute, he summoned the barons in his inte- rest to meet him at Doncaster, on the 29th of November; and circular letters were sent over all the kingdom, representing the danger to which the nation would be exposed by the return of the Spencers. Many of the barons had espoused the cause of Edward against Badlesmere, in order to vindicate the honour of the queen. , This circumstance strengthened the king's party, and contributed to the fall and ruin of Lancaster and his friends; for jdes.erted by many, on whose support he had relied, he was unable to maintain the con- test. The king having subdued the castles in the west marshes, advanced to attack Lancaster. In the mean time, Bruce, the king of Scot- land^, invaded Northumberland, and Lancaster, conscious of the weakness of his party, resolved to conclude an alliance with him; and. for this 92 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. purpose sent Mawbrey and Clifford with pro- posals. Bruce embraced this overture with alacrity, and the barons encouraged with a prospect of assistance, laid siege to the castle of Tickhill, belonging to the crown. Edward came to its relief, and Lancaster drew his forces together, determined to hazard a battle; but when he saw the vast superiority of the king's army, he judged it more wise to retreat north, in hope of being reinforced by his Scottish allies. To oppose the Scots, Simon Warde, governor of York, and Harcla, governor of Carlisle, had imited their forces near Boroughbridge. Edward, detached the Earls of Silrry and Kent after Lancaster, invested the castle of Pontefract, where Lancaster had intended to have defended himself*, but being threar.ened with death by Clifford, had gone north. The castle of Ponte- fract surrendered to the king on the first sum- mons; and at Boroughbridge, Lancaster found the passage guarded; and was under the neces- sity of either surrendering himself to his enemies, or of hazarding an engagement, and by fighting his way, escape to Scotland. He endeavoured to force the bridge, but failed jn the attempt. Harcla, being reinforced in the night by the sheriff of Yorkshire, with the posse comitatus, entered next morning the town and took Lan- * Leland informs us, "that Lancaster and the lords, met in the house of the Black Fryers at Pontefract, to consult what they ought to do. They advised him to march north to Danstanburgh, one of his castles in Northumberland ; while he declared his resolu- tion to stay at Pontefract. On this, Roger de Clifford drew his dagger, and swore he would kill him, unless he went with them.'* Col. Vol. I. 667. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 03 caster, and above a hundred barons and knights, beside many gentlemen, prisoners. The king being at the castle of Pontefract, when he heard of this event, sent orders for Lancaster, and some others, to be brouglit to him. The third day after their arrival, the king sitting himself in judgment, v/ith Edmund, Earl of Kent, his brother, tlie Earls of Pembroke and Warren, Hugh Spencer, created Earl of "Winchester and others, sentence of death was passed on Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, to be drawn, hanged, and beheaded as a traitor. The king ^-emitted the two first punishments, in considera- tion of his being a prince of the royal blood. It is related, that when he was brought as a prisoner to Pontefract, he was rudely insulted by his own vassals, and called, king Arthur; a name, which it is said, he had once ironically applied to Edward. He was put into a tower, which Leland * * The following account of this matter, extracted from the Chronique of William de Pakington, is contained in the 1st vol. Lei. Col, p. 461, &c.-^About this tyme Henry Lacy Erie of Lincoln dyed, and charged Thomas of Lancastre his sunne yn law and heyre, that he should maynteine his quarelle agaynst Peter Gaveston. Be whos meanes after, and the Counte ot Warwickes, was Pers Geveston behedid at Gaverishith by Warwick the xxix pf Juinyn the yereof our Lord 1312. King Ediiarde lamenting and desiring God that he might ons be revengid of Peter Gave- stons dethe. The Nobles of England seing the infinite covetousness of the Dispenser, came to Thomas of Lancastre to treate a meane for it. And after of one assent made assemble at Shirburne yn Ehnede. And sending tlie Kings supplication, and not hard, the Barons went into the Marches of Wales, and destroyid the Dispensars landes. Then King Edward, at the motion of the Dispensars, banishid John Mountbray, Roger Cliftbrd, Goseline Dainviile, and dyvers others. And after the Barons calid by brief to a par- Jamcnt cam with 3 battayles in order, having ten colourid bandes 9* HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. says, lie had newly made towards the abbey. It is most probable, this was tl^e tower afterwards called on tlieyr sieves, whereof it was caullid the parlefnent de la Bende. and yn tliis company were Hunifre de Bonn Counte of Hereforde, Syr Hugh de Audeley, Sir Roger Damare, &c. &c. Tlie Barons hering (the King- had taken the Castle of Leeds) both the Mortymers toke Bridge-north, for Vvhich the King banished, by proclamation, Thomas of Lancastre and Humfrede Boun with al theyr adherents. And after the King camming agayn his Barons with a strong hoste, both Mortymer the uncle, and Mortymer the nejjhew, put them self yn the Kinges grace, and were sent to the Toure of London. The Barons hering this cam to Pontefract, fo Thomas of Lancastre, and there gathering theire poure, assauted the Kinges caslel of Tickille, but not wynning it. And hering of the Kinges hoste, went to Burton apon Trente, keping the Bridge to let the Kinges passage. But the Kinge pas- sid perforce, and thens wente the Barons with Thomas Lancastre to Tuttebyri, and thens to Pontefract. And yn this gorney Syr Roger Dainmore dyed yn the abbay of Tuttebyry. After this Thomas Lancastre and the Barons counselid togeth- er in Blake Freres in Pontfracte, and the Barons concludid to go to Dunstanburg, a castel of Thomas Lancasters in Northumberland : but he utterly' refusid that counsel,, lest it might have be thought^ that he had, or wolde liave intelligence \vith the Scottes. Where* fore he intendidtoremayne at his castel at Pontfract. Syr Roger Clyfford hering this, toke out his dagger, and sayde, that he wolde kille him with his oune handes in thatplace> except he woold go with them. Then Thomas Lancastre a force granted, and went with them, having in company VII. C. menne to Borowbridge. To Borowbridge came Syr Andrew he Harkeley Warden of Cairluel and that Marches, and Syr Simon Warde, to encountre with the Barons. Where Thomas Lancastre told Harkeley his juste quarel agayne the Dispensers, promising hym, if he would favor his cause, one of the V Countes that then he had in possession. But Herkeley refusid his ofFre. Then Thomas prophetied that he wold sore repent, and that shortly, so fair, and that he should dy a shameful deth that is to say, to be hangid, drawn and quartered. Then Harkeley, whom Thomas of Lancastre had afore tyme jma.de Knight, made his arcbiers to shote, and so did the Barons HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. OS Swillington tower*, and which seems to have been designed as a place of close confinement. upon the bridge. Ai\d emong al other, one gotte unde the bridge, and at a hole thruste with a launce the renounid Knight thorough cute al Christentye Humfrede de Bonn yn the foundemente, so that his bowels cam oute. And Syr Roger ClifForde was sore wonded on the hedde. And Syr WiMiam Sulley and Syr Rogec Bernefeld were slayne. And then wente Thomas Lancastre into a chapel, denying to rendre hymselF to Harkely, and jsaid, looking on the crucifix, " Good Lord, I render myself to thee, and put me yn to thy mercy." Then they toke of his cote armures, and put on hym a ray cote^ or goune, one ot his mennes lyveryes, and carried hym by water to York, were they threw balles of" dirte at hym. And the resi-* dew of the Barons part were pursuid from place to place, and to the church hold w^as no reverence gy ven, and the father pursuid the sunne, and the sunne the father. The King hering of this discomfiture, cam with the Dispen- sars and other Nobles his adherentes to Pontfract'e. ■ Syr Andrew of Hei keley brought Thomas of Lancastre to Pontfracte to the Kinge, and there was put in a towre that he had newly mad toward the abbay, and after juged in the haule soden- ly by thes Justices, Syr Kugh Dispensar the father, Syr Aimer Counte of Pembroke, Syr Edmunde Counte of Kent, Syr John de Britayne, and Syr Robert Malmethorp, that pronouncid his judgement. Then Thomas Lancastre sayd, " Shaul I dy withowtanswer r'* Then certayne Gascoyne toke him away, and put a pillid broken hatte or hoode on his hedde, and set hym on a lene white jade vvith owt bridil, arid he thau cryed thus, '* King of heaven have mercy on me. For the King of Herth nous ad querpi." And thus he was caryed, sum throwing pelottes of dirt af hym, and having a frere Precher for his Confessor with hym, on to a hille withowte the toune, where he knelid doune toward the este, on tille one Hughinde Muston causid hym to turne his face towarde Scotlande : wher kneling, avillayne of London cut of his hedde, 11 Cal. Aprilis anno D. 1321. And after the Prior and the Monkes required his body, aud got it of the King, and buried' it on the right hand of the hy altare, Lel. Col. vol. 1. p. 464, &c. * Part of this tower has been lately cut aw'ay, in order tO' widen the public road. The tower was square 5 its walls of great 96 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. After sentence was passed upon him, he said Shall I die ivilhoiU ansiver^ He was not how- ever permitted to speak in his own defence, but a certain Gascoigne took him away, and having put an old hat or hood on his head, set him on a lean white mare, without a bridle. Lan- caster then said. King of heaven have mercy on mCy for the king of earth, nous ad qiierpi. At- tended by a fryer-preacher, as his confessor, he was carried out of the town, suflering the in- sults of the people, who continued to throw dirt at him. Nay then farewel ! I have touch'd tlie highest point ot all my greatness ; And, from that full meridian ot".my glory, I haste now to my setting. I shall tall. Like a bright exhalation in the evening. And no man see me more. At length he reached the hill where he was doomed to suffer, and having kneeled down, with his face toward the east, one Hugin de Aluston, caused him to turn his face towards Scotland, and the executioner severed his head from his body. The prior and monks having begged his body of the king, took and buried it on the right hand of the high altar, in the church of the priory. Thus fell Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, the first prince of the blood, and one of the most power- ful noblemen that }iad ever been in England. His death involved many others in the same strength, being ten feet and a half thick, nor was there ever any other entrance into the interior, than by a hole or trap door, in the floor of the turret; so that the prisoner must have been let down to this abode of darkness, from whence there could be no possible way of escape. The room was twenty-five feet square. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 97 fate; and all their estates were confiscated, and according to the will of the Spencers given to Others. Daniel, has made the remark, " That this is the first blood of nobility, that ever was shed in this manner in England, since William I. which being such, and so much as it was, opened veines for more to follow, and procured a most hideous revenge, which shortly after en- sued*." It is difficult to delineate the character of .Thomas, as he has been by one party charged with every crime, which can add disgrace to human nature; and by another, not only ex- culpated, but adorned with every quality, which can add dignity to Tnan. If we judge of the man by his actions, he seems to have been high- spirited and passionate, and wholly destitute of that self-command which accompanies true great- ness of mind. The ordinances, drawn up under his influence, and by his direction, exhibit him in the most amiable light, as the advocate and decided friend of liberty, and as the avowed enemy of those prerogatives of the crown, the exercise of which, particularly in a weak reign, was alike injurious to the true interests of the king, and of the people. Time has sanctioned the wisdom and propriety of these ordinances, and no king thinks now of advancing to the highest offices, men to whom a majority of the legislature is confessedly inimical. It may be doubted whether Thomas possessed any qualities which entitled him to the charac- ter of saint; unless his liberality to the religious orders, be admitted as sufficient to constitute * Daniel's Col, of especial affairs of government,- p. 180. D3 HISTORY OF rONTEFRACT, such a character. It is said indeed, That many miracles ■were wrought at his tomb; — that blood continued to issue from it; and that such was the fame of St, Thomas' tomb, that Edward placed a guard to restrain the people. AVhen repulsed from the tomb of the Saint, the people flocked to the hill where he was beheaded, and where afterwards a church was built. Not- withstanding these miracles, it is doing more jus- tice to his character, to consider him as a mar- tyr in the cause of liberty, than to honour him with the apotheosis of a saint. For, if invaded rights the task demand. If men behold oppress'd their native land. By foreign despots, wand'ring far for prey Who, locusts like, with ruin mark their way; Or, see their Prince direct the nation's helm. In ruin's surge, his people to o'erwhelra : Reward for foulest deeds a venal tribe. Nor shun to blacken whom he cannot bribe ; Engaged his meanest subjects to defend. Yet, prove their tyrant, rather than their friend; On pow'r despotic, rear a rush-built throne : And, crown'd for all, live to himself alone : 'Twill then be right to grasp the blazing spear. Be duty then the banner'd staff to rear. To dare the fight at freedom's sacred call. Maintain her rights, or with her bravely fall. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 1*9 SECTION VIII. Illstcrkal events till the death of Richard II, IN the moment of triumph, Edward, instead of displaying the god-Hke virtue of clemency, and conciliating the affection of the barons, manifest- ed the weakness of his mind, by yielding himself up to the passion of revenge. On the day Lan- caster was beheaded, the following barons, his ad- herents, were hanged here*: Lord Warren de Lisle, Lord William Tochet, Lord Thomas Man- dute,, Henry de Bradburne, Lord Fitzwilliam the y.Qunger, and Lord William Cheyney. On the day following, the Lords Clifford, Mawbrey and Deynville, were executed at York, and hung in chains, and considerable numbers in other parts of the kingdom. While the king remained at Pontefract, he created Andrew de Harcla, Earl of Carlisle,. for the good services rendered him in taking the Earl of Lancaster,, granted a special charter to him and his heirs male of an annuity of twenty pounds per annum, to be paid by the sheriff of Cumberland for the time being; and also lands and rents in Cumberland and Vv^estmoreland of the value of one thousand marks per annum, and five hundred marks per annum, out of the marches of Wales. This is the first creation of honour, wherein any preamble importing the merits of the person so * Sl'EKD, 675, 100 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. dignified was ever used, and beareth date at Ponle- fract castle, the 25th March, 1322, (15th Edward II.) being three days after the execution of the above mentioned persons at Pontefract. According to the will of Henry de Lacy, the castle and honour of Pontefract, with all his other possessions, ought to have descended to Henry, the brother of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster; but Ed- ward for some time kept them in his own hand, and then gave them to his favourite. The conduct of the Spencers, and the cruelties of Edward, produced a complete change in the public mind; and even those barons, who had assisted against Lancaster, were highly incensed on accovmt of the unequal division made of the spoil. The common people revered the memory of Lancaster, as their patron and protector, and who had fallen in their cause. His character, by being contrasted with that of his enemies, ac- quired additional lustre; nor could the royal au- thority itself, restrain the populace from expressing their veneration for him. The king appears to have been much alarmed with this state of the public mind, and to have ap- prehended, that some attempts would be made by the Lancastrian party, against his favourites and himself. He had hoped, the death of Lancaster would have been the death of his party ; but now found his mistake. He came down to Pontefract, and then went forward to Craven, where the Clif- fords had great power, to check the spirit of the people, and frustrate the design of his enemies *. * It appears from " the Fruyt of Tyme/' printed by Wynkyn de Warde, 1528, that the king was at " Craven at Scipton, because he should undo the pilgrimages made at the tomb of Lancaster," which threatened to end in an insurrection. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. l6l ■ The insults of the Spencers to the queen lier- self, sister to the king of France, induced her to join the- Lancastrian party; and effectually to ruin the Spencers, she went to France, under the pretence of bringing about a peace between Edward and her brother. Being joined by the disaffected barons, and assisted by her brother, she set sail and landed at Orwell, in Suffolk, the latter end of September, 1326. She was no sooner landed, than she was joined by Thomas de Bro- therton. Earl of Norfolk, John Bretagne, Earl of Richmond, and Henry Plantagenet, brother and heir of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, and the chief part of the nobility. The king forsaken by all his people, was soon seized together with his favourites, the cause of his disgrace and ruin. The Spencers were condemned to be hanged for robbery, drawn for treason, and beheaded for invading the pri- vileges of the people; and this sentence was executed with the utmost rigour. They were hanged on the common gallows, their bodies cut to pieces and given to the dogs for food, their heads exposed, the elder at Winchester, and the younger on London bridge, where the citizens received it with marks of joy. We are told their execution was ordered on a Monday, in revenge of the death of the late Earl of Lancaster, whose royal blood was shed upon th it day. The Earls of Surry and Arundel, two of the principal lords who beheaded him, now suffered the same fate, with a great many others of the king's party. The king himself was soon after deposed, and after suffering the most unheard of cruelties, was at last most 102 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. inhumanly murdered in Berkley castle, with the consent of his queen and son, by the order of the Bishop of Hereford, in the night of the 21st of September, 1327, eight months after his deposition. The sentence of the late Earl of Lancaster was now reversed, (7th March 1327,) because lie was not tried by all his peers, and his bro- ther Henry, Earl of Leicester, succeeded him in his honours and estates. The people still retaining their veneration for the late earl, and the parliament begun on the morrow after the feast of the Epiphany, in the the first of Edward IH. having vacated and anul- led all the proceedings relating to his attainder, began to flock from all quarters once more in pilgrimage to his tomb. The king wrote letters' to the pope to solicit the canonization of the said earl, but this favour was not obtained till the following reign. The queen also Joined her influence, and wrote to the pope in the king's name, but did not prevail. The people notwith- standing reverenced him as a martyr, and the king granted a permission in the first j ear of;his! reign, dated at York, at the desire of the queen, r to make a collection for the building a chapel: on the veiy spot where the earl was beheaded. All proceedings of attainder against the late Earl of Lancaster, and his adherents, being anulled in parliament, and Henry, his brother and heir, restored to the lands and honours, he was the same year made high steward of Eng-' land, entrusted with the guardianship of the young king, and captain general of all the king's- forces in the marches of Scotland. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 103 In the second year of his reign the king was resident at Pontefract, when he granted full powers to commissioners, dated at Pontefract castle the 22d of August, 1328, to demand of the Duke of Brabant, that he should engage to serve him as well in peace as in war, against any king or prince whatsoever. In the fourth of Edward III. Henry, Earl of Lancaster, had a confirmation of all his ho- nours and estates, and he died in the nineteenth year of the same reign. He was buried at Leicester, the king, the queen, and almost all the bishops, earls, and barons of the realm honour- ing his funeral by their attendance. He was succeeded in his lands and honours by Henry, Earl of Derby, his son and heir. He was absent, at Bourdeaux, at the time of his father's death, having a great command in the king's army there. In the twenty-third of Edward HI. (1349) this Henry was by patent created Earl of Lin- coln, and elected into the honourable society of the knights of the most noble order of the gar- ter, then newly formed. In the twenty-fifth of Edward III. for his prudent conduct and valour in the late wars, he was advanced to the highest pitch of honour by the king's special charter, dated the 6th of March, 1351, viz. to the dignity of Duke of Lancaster*, by the consent of all the prelates * This is the first duke created since the Norman conquest, except Edward the black prince, who was created Duke of Cornwal fourteen years before. As William enjoyed only the title of Duke of Normandy, previous to the conquest, and his successors were honoured only with the same title, they appeared jealous of advancing any to this dignity, least they should aspire also to the crown. 104. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. and parliament assembled, and was invested therewith by the cincture of a sword, with power to have a chancery in the county of Lancaster, and to issue out writs there under his own seal, as well touching pleas of the crown as any other relating to the common laws of this realm, as also to enjoy all other liberties and regalias belonging to a county palatine, in as ample a manner as the Earls of Chester had within that county. By this charter the earldom of Lancas- ter became a duchy. In the thirty-fifth of Edward III. a great pestilence prevailed in England, which car- ried off numbers of people, and amongst them the Duke of Lancaster, who died thereof at Leicester, npon the eve of the annunciation of the Virgin Mary, and was buried on the south side of the high altar in the collegiate church, founded there by himself. Not having male issue he left his two daughters, Maud and Blanch, by Isabel his wife, daughter of Henry, Lord Beaumont, his coheiresses; Blanch, by virtue of a dispensa- tion from the pope in regard of their alliance, was married to John of Gant, so called from his being born at Gant or Ghent, in Flanders, Earl of Richmond, the fourth son of King Edward IIL and on the l6th of July, in the same year, par- tition was made of all the lands and honours of the late Plenry, Duke of Lancaster, between the coheiresses, Aland and Blanch, when John of Gant had been married two years, and having issue, had livery in right of his wife of several lord- ships whereof her father died seized, viz. and (amongst others) of the castle and manor of Pon- tefract, with the bailiwick and honour of Pontefract. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 105 In the thirty-sixth of Edward III. Maud, sister ,to Blanch, died without issue, on which John of Gant, in right of his wife, had all the remainder of the lands, &:c. that the late Henry, Duke of Lancaster, died seized of, and was advanced to the title of Duke of Lancaster, in parliament assembled, on the thirteenth of No- vember following, by girding with a sword, a cap of fur on his head, with a circlet of gold and pearls. Both he and his heirs for ever, were made free, and all his vassals, or whosoever were resiants on his lands and fees whatever, which were the property of Henry, formerly Earl of Lancaster, progenitor of Henry, late Duke of Lancaster; and it was further granted that the said John and Blanch his wife, and their heirs on the bodies of them the said John and Blanch begot- ten, and all their vassals, and lands, and fees whatsoever, should be for ever exempted from pannage, passage, paage, lastage, stallage, tollage, carriage, pesage, piccage and terrage, throughout the whole kingdom. The above mentioned Blanch, his wife, died of a great pestilence, then raging in the king- dom, and was buried in St. Paul's cathedral. In the forty-sixth of Edward III. the Duke of Lancaster married Constance, the daughter and heiress of Don Pedro, king of Castile, in whose right he thenceforth bore the title of king of Castile. In the fourth of Richard II. happened a dangerous insurrection, headed by Wat Tyler and Jack Straw. The expences attending the French wars, and the prodigality of the court, had exhausted the exchequer; and in order to p ^ 106 niSTOKY OF PONTEFRACt. ' procure a present supply, the parliament was obliged to impose a tax of three groats on every person, male and female, above the age of fifteen; and they decreed, that, in raising the tax, the rich should relieve the poor, by reasonable com- pensation. This imposition, in consequence of the im- prudence of one of the collectors of the tax*, excited the above-mentioned insurrection, which nearly proved the overthrow of the government. The lower class of tlie people rose against their rulers, committed th6 most terrible outrages, and took a severe vengeance for all the calami- ties and hardships with which they had been oppressed. Become formidable by their numbers, they entered the city of London, and committed great outrages. The Duke of Lancaster at this period was unpopular, and his fine house, called the Savoy, accounted the most beautiful structure in the kingdom, became the object of general re- sentment. It was instantly assaulted, set on fire, and reduced to ashes. Nothing escaped the fury of the flames. The rich furniture which graced the interior of this place; charters, deeds, and other valuable records belonging to the duke, were all destroyed. This event spread a general terror through the kingdom, and it was expected that the popu- lace would rise in other places, and be guilty * The brutal officer, collecting the tax of a poor black- smith, insisted that a daughter of his ought to pay, as being above the age specified ; and to prove the fact, seized the maid and proceeded to acts of indecency, which so enraged the father, that he knocked out the ruffian's brains with his hammer. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 107 of equal violence and outrage. The duke's castle at Leicester was not considered safe. The most valuable goods were removed to tlie cluircii there; and Lady Constance fled with precipita- tion towards Pontefract castle, as being a place of greater security. When she arrived here, such was the terror excited, that her own servants re- fused her admittance. They expected that AVat Tyler and Jack Straw were in pursuit, and that if they received . her, they would soon have to endure all the hardships of a sjege, or to sustain ajl the fury of an immediate assault. Lady Constance was under the necessity of proceed- ing by torch-light to Knaresborough castle, where she was received with the respect due to her rank, and where she remained till the insurrec- tion was quelled, and the duke returned from Scotland. The vast possessions of the Duke of Lancas- ter, and his authority over his own tenants, ren- dered him nearly equal to the king, both in wealth and power. Some of his courtiers buzzed it into the weak head of Richard II. that it was necessary to destroy the duke, before he could enjoy the crown in security. The king guided by the counsel of favourites, entered into a plot, laid by the infamous Trisilian, for accomplish- ing this design. He had not only devised otTences, and already set on foot a private pro- secution, but had also fixed the time for the duke's arrest, when he vvas forthwith to have been arraigned, condemned and executed. But the duke having private information thereof from one who was in the plot, retired to his castle at Pontefract, and put it in the best posture of 108 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. defence. He supplied it with men and provisions, and determined to stand upon his guard, if he found it necessary. But the princess Joane, mother to the king, dreading ilie fatal consequences of this breach, took uncommon pains to effect a recon- ciliation; which required no little address, as the whole kingdom was greatly dissatisfied with the administration; and the duke, on account of his opposition to the oppressive measures of govern- ment, was more than ever the favourite of the people. The princess, though very corpulent, travelled to and from the parties, till she at length accomplished her design, and Richard and the duke became friends. In the twelfth of Richard II. the duke obtained divers charters, confirming his chancery court and duchy of Lancaster, together with others^ giving him for life, the sole jurisdiction and sovereignty within the same, and his honour of Pontefract. In the seventeenth of Richard II. died Constance, his wife, and two years afterwards he married Catherine Swinford, his kept mistress, and a foreigner. She had been brought up in his house, and waited on his wife Blanch, in whose service she married one Sir Hugh Swinford: her maiden name was Roe, and after Sir Hugh's death, she became the duke's concubine. The Duke of Lancaster, called John of Gant, died on the third of February, 1399, in the fifty-ninth year of his age, and was buried near his first wife, Blanch, in St. Paul's cathedral. By his death the duchy of Lancastec, and the honour of Pontefract, fell to his son and heir, Henry de Bolinbroke, Duke of Hereford, then in exile. The king, previous to his departure. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 109 had granted letters patent empowering him, thougli in exile, to sue by attorney for livery of all lands descending to him. But on the death of the duke his father, Riclianl, hy an incrc- .dible act of injustice, not only revok{;d those .letters patent, but also decreed that his banish- ment, which was originally only for six years, should be perpetual. He confiscated all his ■ paternal estate, nay, he even stretched his iniqui- tous power so far as to condemn to perpetual banishment, one Bonner, the duke's attorney, who had sued in his name for the livery of his lands. It is not to be supposed that a nobleman of Hereford's character and rank would patiently siTfler such a complication of injuries. Possessed of a bold and enterprising spirit, he had often signalized himself, both at home and abroad, and was regarded with respect l)y the i)eopIe, and adored by the soldiers. AKvays cool, and having the perfect command of his temper, he could not be easily provoked to a rash action, el- even to use an unbecoming expression. He had likewise the great advantage of being related either by consanguinity or affinity to all the principal nobility of England, and his sufierings made him more than ever the idol of the people. On the other hand, Richard's flagrant injustice had opened every mouth against both him and his government; and the citizens of London in particular, were highly enraged at the injurie^s done to their favourite. I'he folly, extravagance and injustice of the king, made them turn their eyes toward the Duke of Hereford, (now b\' right Duke of Lancaster) as the only person no .HISTORY OF PONTEIFRACTs who could retrieve the lost honour of the nation. With this view they secretly invited him to re- turn to England, promising to assist him in the recovery of his lawful inheritance at the hazard of their lives and fortunes. The duke, thinking this a favourable opportunity (the king being then in Ireland) embraced the generous ofler, and with a retinue of about eighty persons landed at Ravenspurg, in Yorkshire, on the 21st July, 1399, where he was immediately joined by the Lords Willoughby, Koss, D'Arcy, Beaumont, and several gentlemen of distinction, attended by an army of forty thousand men. Richard now found the whole kingdon was alienated from him ; few of the nobles, and fewer still of the people, retained their allegiance. He was at length taken, sent to the tower, and obliged to resign the crown and kingdom to Lancaster. The parliament confirmed the depo- sition of Richard, on account of his incapacity; and though Lancaster was not the next heir to the crown, yet on account of his blood, and his superior talents, he was considered as the only person worthy to wear it. From the Nor- man conquest down to this period, the law of descent had not been regularly observed, but the parliament had at times disposed of the crown to any branch of the royal family, which they thought proper. Lancaster's best title rested in this act of the parliament, as expressing the sense of a large majority of the people. The parliament having deposed Richard, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, placed Lancaster on the throne, amidst the general ac- clamations of the people, and Richard was im- prisoned in this castle. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. Ill Some assert tliat as soon as he was deposed, Henry sent him from the tower to Leeds castle, in Kent, and from thence down to Pontefract castJe. But John Harding*, the old rhyming chronicler of the north, who lived in the same cen- tury, and may be therefore supposed to have been beUer acquainted with the transactions of this coun- try, affirms that he was sent by King Henry IV. to the casrle of Leeds, in Yorkshire, from thence to Pickering castle, thence to Knaresborough castle, and from thence to Pontefract castle. Richard deprived of his crown, and immured within the walls of a prison, now became a prey to his own desponding reflections. Having en- joyed the highest elevation of rank, he was more sensible of his present humiliating condition. Accustomed to command, he found it difficult to obey; and still more difficult to submit to those restraints under which he was laid. Feel- ing the miseries of a prison, and expecting an unhappy end, he could not avoid the painful re- flection, if he had any conscience left, that in the time of his prosperity, he had been deaf to the claims of justice, and steeled to the milder influence of compassion and mercy. The ghosts of those nobles he had unjustly murdered, and the cries of a plundered and an oppressed people, could not fail to haunt his guilty mind, Shake- * The king then sent King Richard to Leedis There to be kept surely in previte Fro' thens after, to Pykering went he needfs And to Knaresburgh, after led was he' But to Pauntfrete last, where he did die Both therles of Kent and Salisbury Therl of Huntingdon and Spencers sothely. HARDiNd's .Chroi5, 112, HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. spear, with his usual propriety, jwslness and ele- gance, has dcscrihed the reflections of llichurd in the castle of Poutefract. I have been studying how to compare This prison where I live unto the world ; And, ibr because the world is populous. And here is not a creature but mjsclf, I cannot do it, yet PI! hammer on't. My brain shall prove the female to my soul, My soul, the father ; and these two beget A generation of still-breeding thoughts ; And these same thoughts people tiiis litllq world : In humour, like the people of the world. For no thought js content. The better sort, (As thoughts of things divine,) are iiitermixt V/iih scruples, and do set the word itself Against the word; as thus; Come, little ones; and tlien again. • It is hard to come, as fur a Camtl To thread the postern of a m^edle's eye. Thoughts tending to ambition, they do plot Unlikely Wonders; how these vain weak nails May tear a passage through these flinty ribs Of tills hard world, my ragged prison-walls, And for they cannot, die in their own pride. Thoughts tending to content flatter themselves. That they are not th.e first of fortune's slaves. And shall not be the last. Like silly beggars, . Who sitting in the stocks refuge their sJiame, That many have and others must sit there; And in this thought they find a kind of ease. Bearing their own misfortune on the back Of such as have before endured the Hke. Thus play I, in one prison, many peoi)le. And none contented. Sometimes am I King, Then treason makes me wish myself a beggar. And so I am. Then crushing penury Persuades me, I was better when a King; Then am I lyng'd again ; and by and by Think that I am unking'd by Bjlingbroke, And straight am nothing The Earl of Salisbury, the Bishop of Carlisle, HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 118 Sir Thomas Blotint, the abbot of Westminster, and sfeveral other persons of power and interest, entered into a conspiracy to dethrone Henry, and, restore Richard; and engaged as their tool one MaudHn, who had been chaplain to Richard, and resembled that prince so exactly, in his shape and features, that they thought they could easily impose him upon the public for the true monarch. They clothed him in royal attire, and boldly asserted that he was Richard, who had escaped from prison, and was come to implore the assistance of his faithful subjects. This had considerable effect upon the \owet orders, wh6 are generally found soon to forget their com- plaints, and ready to aid the unfortunate. They flocked to the royal standard, and the conspira- tors found themselves at the head of an army of twenty thousand men, and marched toward London. Being encamped near the walls of Cirencester, the mayor with a -'valiant band of about 400 men, boldly attacked a body of the rebels, took some of their leaders prisoners, and dispersed the rest. ''^>M" ^"?. •;'^--'^^ This conspiracy is justly supposed to hkv^ hastened the death of Richard. Henrv could ,j ■ ■ not but perceive, that so long as Richard was living, the factious and discontented would be ever ready to rise under the pretence of restoring him to the crown. To put an end to all future attempts of this kind, Richard was put to death in the castle of Pontefract; but the manner in which he met his fate, is variously reported by historians, though all agree as to time and place, -i' Fabian and Rapin inform us, " that on Rich- ard^s arrival at Pontefract castle. Sir Piers Exton Q * 114 mSTORY OF PONTEFRACTi is related to have murdered the king in the following manner. On the king's arrival at Pon- tefract castle, he was closely confined in the great tower ; soon after Sir Piers Exton, a domestic of Henry's, Was sent down with eight ruffians to imbrue their hands in the blood of this unfortunate king. On the day of their arrival, llichard perceived at dinner that the victuals were not tasted as usual. He asked the reason of the taster, and upon his telling him that Exton had brought an order against it, the king took up a knife and struck him on the face, saying, " the devil take Henry of Lancaster and thee/' Exton with his eight attendants en- tering his chamber at that instantj and shutting the door, attempted to lay hold of Richard; he immediately perceived their fatal errand, and knew he was a lost man. With a noble reso- lution he snatched a halbert, or poleaxcj from the foremost of them^ and defended himself so bravely, that he slew four of his assailants. Whilst combating with the rest of the murderers, £xton got upon a chair behind him, and with a poleaxe discharged such a blow on his head as laid him dead at his feet, where the niiserable king ended his calamities, on the 14th February, 1399. Before he expired he faintly uttered the following words, " My great grand father. King Edward H. was in this manner deposed, impri- soned and murdered, by which means my grand- father, King Edward HI. obtained possession of the crown, and now is the punishment of that injury poured upon his next successor. Well, this is right for me to suffer, but not for you to do. Your king for a time may joy at my HISTORY' OF POl^TEFRACT/ 115 death, and enjoy his desire, but let him qualify his pleasure with the expectation of the like justice, for God who measureth all our actions by the malice of our minds, will not sufter this violence unrevenged." The above account is most credited, though Stow and other historians say that the most pro- bable opinion is, that he was starved to death by order of King Henrv IV, suffering the most unheard of cruelties, keeping him for fifteen days together in hunger, thirst and cold, before he reached the end of h s miseries. Polydore Virgil says, " That at all times his victuals were served in, and set before him in the same princely manner as usual, but that he was not suffered to taste any one thing." This account is certainly more consistent with the story which says that King Henry caused his dead body to be brought to London, and exposed in public, both on the road and at St. Paul's church, with his face uncovered, and that no marks of violence were observed upon it. After being exposed three days in St. Paul's, he was interred at King's Langby, in Hertfordshire, but afterwards removed to AVestminster Abbey, by order of King Henry V. where his tomb now remains. The account of his being starved to death, has moreover the advantage of bemg confirmed by the declarations of the Earls of Northumber- land and AVorcester, and Lord Piercy. These were the likeliest persons of any to know the truth of the fact, it having been perpetrated in their neiglibourhood *. It is however alto- * To decide in what manner Richard died, whether by the hand of Exton, or by want of support, his tomb in West- minsj,cr Abbey was opened in the presence of a respectable body W^ HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. getiier^ uncertain in what manner lie ended his days. In general murders were perpetrated in castles, in such a secret way, that few, if any, e.%cepting such as were employed as agents, knew any thing more concerning them, than what they might learn from public report. Qf the members of the Antiquarian and Royal Societies ; but as thQ royal, corpse .was not disturbed, nor tlie bandage on the Jiead removed, so as that the skull might be examined, the sub- ject' continues yet uncertain. Gough makes tlie following judi- dious remarks, "concerning the death of this unfortunate prince. Mr, Kiiig (Archaeol. 4. Sl-t.) notices, it has been accurately enpugh observed by Hume, "that the account of his having been starved to death, is more consistent with the public exposure of his'body after liis death, with the face uncovered, (Holingshed 3.517.) in all the places and towns between Pontefract and London, where those that had conveyance of it did stay all night, for we do not find that any external marks of violence ^yere perceived or visible on that occasion. — It was exposed, as Froissart tells us, in Cheapside. — How he died, and by what mean's," says that circumstantial author, " I could not tell when I wrote this chronicle; but this King Richard dead, was laid in a litter, and set in a chaire covered with baudkin, four horses, ail black, in the chaire, and two men in black leading the chaire, and four knights, all in black, following. Then the chaire departed from the Tower of London, and was brought along through London fair and softly, till they came into Cheap- side, where the chief assembly of London was, and there the chaire rested the space of two hours. Thither came in and out more than twenty thousand persons, men and women, to see him, as he lay, his head on a black cushion, and his visage open. Some had pity on him, and some Lad none, but said he had long ago deserved death." But if we consider the temper of the times and of the spectators, and the difficulty in such a croud of discerning with accuracy, not to insist that we may be sure any wound in the head would be carefully concealed, though the face was left open, the conclusion will not be so obvious, as Mr. King imagined from the examination of the skulls in the tomb, at whicli I was present, and recollect the circumstance of the small cleft on the left side of one of them, mistaken for a fracture, but pointed out to be a suture of the os temporis, a part easily concealed, though the face was left open. Cough's Sepul. Mon. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 117 SECTION IX. Historical events till the union of the houses of Lancaster and York. JriENRY IV. from his accession to the throne, and during the whole of his reign, honoured the castle of Pontefract, the paternal inheri- tance 'of his family, by his frequent residence. At tliis period, Scotland was the common assy- lumt (^ all who were disaffected to the reigning prince; and from this country they readily received assistance, and by making incursions into the northern parts, they disturbed the peace and often threatened to subvert the govern- ment. To guard against danger from this quar- ter, -it may be presumed was the principal reason, why Henry so often visited and dwelt at this place. In the first of his reign, he granted a passport for the Earl of March then in Scotland, dated at Pontefract castle, 2 1st June, 1400. After the battle of Shrewsbury, in which fell the valiant Piercy, called Hotspur, and near six thousand of the rebels, the king marched to Pontefract, to watch the motion of the Scots and the Earl of Northumberland, lie granted a full power to certain persons, to treat with the king of Scotland, which is dated at Pontefract castle, August 6, 140.3. On the loth of the same month, an act passed at Pontefract castle, requiring an oath from the inhabitants of Northumberland, Ills HISTORY OF POKTEFRACTr that they would not obey the earl of that name any longer, he having joined the insurgents. But "we find that soon afterwards on his disavowing: his son's conduct, he was pardoned, and committed to safe custody. In the year 1404, Henry granted full powers to treat with the king of Scotland for the ran- som of Mordac Stewart, Earl of Fife, and Archibald, Earl of Douglass, both taken prisoners at the battle of Halladon-Hill, dated at Ponte- fract, the 6th of July. Also the same year a truce was signed between England and Scotland \>y the king, dated as above, at Pontefract. An insurrection being feared in the north, in consequence of its being reported that Richard II. was still alive in Scotland, the king again directly marched to Pontefract, where he no sooner arrived, than the Earl of Northumberland, anxious to keep on good terms with Henry, brought his grand children and nephews as hos- tages for his loyalty. The king at this time held his court at Pontefract castle. In the year 1405, an insurrection actually broke out in the north, and Henry again marched to Pontefract, where he granted a power to compound with the rebels for their pardon, dated at Pontefract castle, 2oth April, 1405. An order was likewise granted to *ake and seize the Isle of Man, which belonged to the Earl of Northumberland, who had joined the insurrection. This order is also dated at Pontefract castle, June 3, 1405. The rebels still increased, and the city of York declared in favour of them ; Scroope, Archbishop of York and his party declared, the. king an. u^ur-> inSTORY OF PONTEFRACT/ 119 per, and prepared articles of impeachment against him. They raised an army of tvvtnty-thoiisand men; aa:ainst whom the king sent the Earl of "NWstmoreland, and Lord Jvjhn, Duke of Lancaster the king's third son, but finding the rebels so Strong: and advantageously encamped, they did not think it prudent to attack them. Westmore- land desired a conference, at which pretending to commiserate the soldiers, who had been under arms the whole of the day, he persuaded the archbishop to agree that their forces might be disbanded. The deluded prelate had no sooner complied, than Westmoreland, who had also dis- missed his troops, gave orders to a troop of horse suddenly to return and Wheel about, and bv this manoeuvre took the archbishop and the Earl Marshal prisoners. Westmoreland plighted his faith to them, that they should not suffer in their lives, but meeting the king at Pontefract on his way to York, the prisoners were there brought before him. Henry soon ordered them to appear before a mock tribunal, who condemned them to die, and they were forthwith executed. This is the first instance of an archbishop being tried and condemned by the civil power. Henry now resolved to take ample vengeance on the citizens of York, for siding with their arch- bishop, and in consequence directed a mandate, dated Pontefract castle^ 3d June, 1405, in the sixth year of his reign, to two of his ofiicers *, * The king to his chosen and faithful servants John Stanley and Roger Lei'che, greeting: Know ye that for certain special causes, intimately con- cerning us and the state of. our kingdom of England, we do assign you, together or separately, our city of York, together 199 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. authorizing and commanding them immediately to seize the hberties and privileges of the city for his use. hi this year also, the Earl of Northumber- land, who had been restored by parhament to all his possessions, came at midsummer to the king at Pontefract. The Earl of Northumberland, notwithstanding the lenity with which he had been treated, con- tinued to foment disturbances, and encourage the spirit of revolt. He, together with Lord Bardolph, being closely pursued, fled from Wales into Scot- land, raised a small army and entered England. They took some of the earl's castles; and encou- raged by this success they entered Yorkshire. At Thirsk they set up the standard of revolt, and publishing a manifesto, declared their object to be to punish Henry as an usurper. : Sir Thomas Kokesby, the sheiiif of Yorkshire having assem- with all and singular liberties, francliises, and privileges to the citizens of" the said city, by our progenitors or predecessors sometimes kings of England, or ourself, before this time granted and confirmed, to take and seize into our hands; and the said city thus taken and seized, till further order from us, in our name to keep and govern. And therefore we command you, or either of you dili- gently to take heed to the premises, and that you should do and execute them in the manner aforesaid. Also we command all and singular high sheriffs, mayors, bailiffs, and other officers, and all other our faithful subjects, as well within liberties as without, by the tenor of these presents, strictly to aid and assist you, or either of you, in the execution of the premise!?, being helpful, advising, and obedient to you as they ought. In testimony of which, &c. Witness the King at his Castle of Pontefract the third day of June, 1405, in the sixth year of his reign. By the KING. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 121 bled a large army, watched all their motions, and on February 19, 1408, brought them to action on Bramham Moor, in which the Earl of Northumberland and Lord Bardolph were both killed. Henry was on his march when he received the agreeable news of this victory. He came to Pontefract castle, April 8th, and resided there for about a month, employed in trying and punishing some of the unhappy persons, who had been engaged in the late insurrection, and com- pounding with others for their delinquency. Among those who were capitally punished was the abbot of Hales, because he had been taken in arms. In the ninth of Henry IV. a truce was granted for one year for Guyenne, signed also at Pontefract castle, the 30th April, 1408. Henry IV. died at Westminster in the four- teenth year of his reign, and was succeeded by his son, now Henry V. Henry V. ratified and confirmed all the grants, declarations and franchises, contained in all the former charters granted to this borough, the honour of Pontefract and duchy court of Lancaster, by his letters patent, with the consent and authority of both houses of parliament. In the year 1415, Henry obtained one of the most splendid victories recorded in the annals of history, over the French at Agincourt, where the Duke of Orleans and several other persons of the highest rank were taken, and by his order sent prisoners to Pontefract castle; nor were they re- leased till the fatal disasters of the following reign had destroyed the English interest in France. In the third of Henry VI. (1424) the Duke 122 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. of Bedford, protector of the realm during the king's minority, enlarged the yoimg king of Scots, James the first, from his imprisonment in Pontefract castle. When a boy, Robert his father,, to preserve him from the snares of his uncle, who liad murdered his elder brother David, put him on board a vessel, with a design to send him to France; but the ship falling into the hands of the English, he had been detained a prisoner seven- teen years. On his release he did homage and fealty for the crovi^n of Scotland. In the seventh of Henry VI. the king granted a charter, confirming the rights, liberties, customs and privileges of the duchy of Lancaster and honour of Pontefract, dated 4th June, 1428. The weakness of Henry VI, the arrogance of his queen, and the dissension and quarrels of the court, emboldened Richard, Duke of York, to assert his claims to the crown, and the whole kingdom was divided into two hostile factions, the partisans of the red and white rose, the dis- tinguishing emblem of the houses of Lancaster and York. The contest which followed, spread desolation and slaughter through the land. There ■were few of the nobility who ended their days in peace. They either fell on the field of battle, or by the hand of the executioner. For the laws which regulate the conduct of nations, who are in a state of hostility towards each other, in civil war have no place; and such as escape the carnage of the sword, when they fall into the hand of their enemies, are doomed to the block. Meek-eyed mercy is unnoticed and unregarded; and the noble and the brave are immolated to the demon of revenge. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 123 It would be foreign to the purpose of this work, to enter into the detail of all the events of this interesting period. Such only can be noticed as are connected with the history of this place. The first battle, in this destructive contest, was fought at St. Alban's, where the Duke of York was vic- torious. The Duke of Exeter, who had the good fortune to escape the slaughter of that day, fled for sanctuary, to the Abbey of Westminster ; but he was taken from thence, and sent a prisoner ta the castle of Pontefract *. After the battle of Northampton, in which the forces of Henry were vanquished, and him- self taken prisoner. Queen Margaret fled to Dur- ham. Through the interest of the Earls of Nor- thumberland and Westmoreland, an army was soon collected to support the house of Lancaster. Richard, Duke of York, who had marched to London, and who had, by act of parliament, been declared Henry's successor, hearing of the design of the queen, hastened to meet her with an army of five thousand men. When he reached Wakefield, he was surprised to hear that the queen was advanc- ing against him, at the head of twenty thousand men. He took refuge in Sandal castle, resolved to stand on his defence, till Edward his son should come to his assistance. Margaret, by a success- ful stratagem, induced him to venture on a gene- ral engagement. Having detached a considerable body of troops, who lay in ambush, the Duke of York rushed forth, and commenced a violent attack on the main body of the queen's troops; but those in ambush coming upon his rear, the most determined valour on his part was una- vailing. * Stowe, p. 400. 124 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. This battle, called the battle of Wakefield, was fought on the 21st December, 1460, in which Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, was killed, the Earl of Salisbury was dangerously wounded, taken prisoner, and in a very bleeding condition sent to Pontefract castle, where he was beheaded along with Sir Kalpli Stanley, Sir Richard Lim- bricke. Captain Hanson, then Mayor of Hull, Mr. John Harrow a valiant gentleman, and seve- ral other persons of distinction, whose heads were exposed on the gates and towers of York. The head of the Duke of York was severed from his body, and being put upon a long pole, was placed on the top of Micklegate-bar, on which Clifford at the instigation of the queen, placed a crown of paper in derision of his title, with his face towards the city. — Shakespear makes the haughty Margaret opprobiously order, " Off with his head, and set it on York Gates j *' So York may overlook the town of York." The duke's body was brought and interred in the church of the priory at Pontefract. The triumph of Margaret, and the house of Lancaster, was disgraced by the cruelties they exercised on their enemies. Instead of improving the victory by rapid advances towards the capi- tal, they spent their time in the execution of their prisoners. Edward, Earl of Marche, son of the Duke of York, who had raised a strong body of forces, on the borders of Wales, when he heard of the defeat and death of his father at Wakefield, marched for London; and after encountering a party of the enemy, which he totally routed, he reached the capital. The citi- zens declared for him, and he was crowned king, by the title of Edward IV. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 125 In the mean time Margaret was not inactive. She had collected an army of sixty thousand men. Edward, conscious that success frequently depends on prudence and celerity, at the head of about forty thousand men, set out from London March 12, 1461, scarce resting till they came to Pontefract, where they encamped, the king residing in the castle, and his army around him. The day after his arrival. Lord Fitzwalter was detached to seize the pass at Ferrybridge, upon the river Aire, who executed the order with equal celerity and success. Henry understanding Edward had gained and guarded the pass at Ferrybridge, sent Lord Clifford with a party of light horse to dislodge him J who made such expedition that he attacked him on the night of the 28th, with superior numbers, and drove him thence with great slaughter. Clifford found the guards asleep, and not in the least expecting the approach of an enemy. The Lord Fitzwalter, awakened by the noise, supposing it to arise from some tumult amongst his own men, jumped out of bed, and with only a battleaxe in bis hand, went to ap- pease them. But too late aware of his mistake, the bastard of Salisbury and himself, both lost their lives in the action * Warwick was no sooner informed of the issue * There was found in digging a grave in Brotherfon church yard. May 21, 1781, a chalice, very much mutilated, and its lid, a spur and part of a stocking. These most pro- bably belonged to one of the lords slain at Ferrybridge, before the battle of Towton, on Saturday the 28th of May, 1461. It was usual to inter the lords who fell in this contest, near the place where they were slain j and it is not improbable, that the chalice, spur and stocking might belong to Fitzwalter. Arhaeol, Vol, ix. 55, 126 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. of this rencounter, than alarmed at this misfor- lune, and dreadin<;j the consequences at so cri- tical a juncture, when a general battle was every moment expected, he rode with the utmost speed of his courser to the castle of Pontefract, and spoke to the king, who was reviewing his troops, as follows, " Sir, X pray God have mercy on their souls who in the beginning of your enterprize have lost their lives. I see no succour but in God, to whom I remit the vengeance." On which he had recourse to a measure as brave as extraordinary. Alighting, he instantly stabbed his horse in the sight of the whole army, say- ing, ^* Let him flee that flee will, I will tarry with him that will tarry with me." So saying, be kissed the cross on the hilt of his sword in confirmation thereof, and swore he was firmly resolved to share the fate of the meanest soldier, and die in the field or conquer. This noble declaration of an officer so idolized by all the soldiery, awakened in every breast an insuppressible ardour ; and in order to inspire them with greater courage, Edward issued a pro- clamation, " That every man who was unwilling to stay, or was afraid to fight, had leave to depart," but denouncing the severest vengeance against those who in the ensuing action should betray the least sign of treachery or cowardice. He commanded such to be slain by his own men, and promised that they who executed this command should receive a great reward, besides double pay. But they cried out as with one voice to be led on, declaring their resolution to gain the day, or die at the feet of their king and general. The valiant Lord Falconbridge, with his friend HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. l27 and companion in arms, Sir Walter Blount, un- dertook to regain the pass at Ferrybridge; and crossed the river at Castleford, in order to in- close the troops under Lord Cliiford, then laying on Brotherton marsh, which ClifFord perceiving drew off his men and retired in great haste to the main body. In his retreat he fell in with a party of the enemy, and whether it was by acci- dent, owing to the confusion into which they were thrown on the approach of Lord Falcon- bridge, or from some other cause, he had either put off or lost his gorget, when an headless arrow, from one in ambush, pierced through his throat, and immediately put a period to his life. Thus died the implacable Clifford, one of the most inveterate foes of the house of York. The Lan- castrians no sooner beheld their leader dead, than they fled with the utmost precipitation. John Lord Clifford, who was born April, 8, 1430, held the title and estates five years, eight months, and seven days. His hands were early dipped in blood ; for he was engaged in the civil war of the houses almost three years before his father's death. In the second battle of St. Alban's, the king was brought to meet the , queen in Clifford's tent. This nobleman, partly from the heat of youth, and partly in the spirit of revenge for his father's death, pur- sued the 'house of York with a rancour which rendered him odious even in that ferocious age. His supposed slaughter of the young Earl of Rutland in, or perhaps after, the battle of Wake- field, has left a deep stain upon his memory; and his own untimely end, which happened the next year, is remembeied without regret. In the 128 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. MS memoirs of the family at Appleby this is said to have happened at Deindingdale, a place un- noticed in any map; but a respectable friend, resident near this place, has discovered the evanes* cent and almost forgotten name of Dittingdale, in a small valley, between Towton and Scar- thingwell. Here therefore, John Lord Clifford^ fell. The place of his interment is uncertain; but the traditional account of the family is pro* bably true, that his body was thrown into a pit with a promiscous heap of the slain. Ditting- dale is so near the field of Towton that it proves at least the advanced posts of the two armies to have been close to each other on the evening preceding the battle*. The next morning by day break the army begun its march from Pontefract, headed by the kinsr and the Earl of Warwick, and advanced towards the Lancastrians, who, to the number of sixty thousand, occupied the fields betwixt Towion and Saxton, and about nine o'clock on Palm Sunday, the 29th March, 1461, the two armies met, when a desperate battle ensued. AVhether it was because the enemy were so much superior in numbers, or out of revenge for the cruelties exercised by them at the battle of Wakefield, Edward published an order through- out his army, that his soldiers should not en- cumber themselves with prisoners, which seems to have been the principal cause of the carnage of that day. In the beginning of the battle, whilst the Yorkists were advancing to the charge, it began to snow, and a sharp wind drove the sleet full in the face of the Lancastrians, and * Whitaker's Craven, p. 224. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 129 disordered their sight in such a manner, that they could not discern the jiist distance between them- selves and the enemy. The Lord Falconbridge, an old and experienced officer, made an admi- rable use of this accident. He commanded the van, and ordered his men to advance as near the en6my as they possibly could, and discharge a volley of arrows upon them ; and then to retire with all speed out of the reach of those of the enemy. This stratagem had a wonderful effect, the Lancastrians galled by this attack, and think- ing their enemies were not many yards dis- tant, and on account of the snow, not per- ceiving them fall back, plied their bows till their quivers were emptied without doing the least execution, the Yorkists all the while keeping theirs in reserve. Lord Falconbridge judging their shot was nearly spent, and seeing them advancing sword in hand to begin a close fight, advanced again with his archers, and gave them another furious discharge, which obliged them to fall back to the main body, where they now assailed them without opposition, and slew a great number with the ver\'' shafts they picked up from the field after their own quivers were empty. The Lancastrian generals, finding the disadvantage they laboured under in this way of fighting, pressed on to nearer combat, and then the battle became firm, obstinate and bloody. The sword decided the fate of the day, which after ten hours obstinate fight, with equal and unremitting fury, ended in the total defeat of the Lancastrians. Edward pursued them towards Tadcaster with such impetuosity, that numbers were drowned s * 130 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. ill attempting to pass the narrow, but deep, river Cock, which lay in their way. Many miles of the country round were stained by the blood of tliirty-six thousand seven hundred and six Englishmen, who were slain by the hands of Englishmen*. The Earl of Devonshire, who had but lately espoused the cause of Henry, was the only pri- soner taken. Edward marched directly to York, hoping to find Henry and Margaret there, but they had set out for Scotland before his arrival. He immediately ordered the heads of the Duke of York, his father, and the Earl of Salisbury to be taken down and interred with their bodies, and that of the Earl- of Devonshire, who was beheaded by martial law, to be put in their stead. Edward being established on the throne, prepared to discharge the duties of a son, by taking up the corpse of his father, and honour- * In the Paston letters, the number of those who fell, is stated to have been twenty-eight thousand men. This appears to have been a copy of a letter, sent by Edward to his queen, to inform her of this happy event. " On the king's part, Fitzwalter and Lord Scroop wounded, J. Stafford and Home of Kent were killed." " On the enemies part killed at Ferrybridge, the day be- fore the battle. Lord Clifford. Then fell in the field of battle, H. Piercy, Earl of Northumber- R. Wells, Lord Willoughby, land. Sir Ralph Bigot, T. Courtney, Earl of Devon, Gray, Viscount Beaumont, Sir Richard Jeney, Lord Neville, Sir Harry Belingham, Dacre, Sir And. Trolop; CiifFord, With twenty-eight thousand Stafford, men, numbered by heralds. Lord Wells, Fenns, Lett, first Edward IV. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 13 T ing it with a splendid and magnificent funeral. The form of this funeral is thus described, by Sandford, from a manuscript preserved in the college of arms. On the 22d July, 1466, his bones were re- moved from the church of the priory of St. John, at Pontefract, and put into a chariot covered with black velvet. They were richly wrapped in a cloth of gold, and royal habit. At the feet of the corpse stood a white angel, bearing a crown of gold, to signify, that of tight he ivas king. The chariot was drawn by seven horses, trapped to the ground, and covered with black, charged with escutcheons of the said prince's arms. Every horse carried a man, and on the foremost rode Sir John Skipwith, who bare the banner of the prince displayed. All the bishops and mitred abbots honoured this solemnity by their attendance. Dressed in their pontifical robes, they went two or three miles before the procession, to prepare and con- secrate the churches for the reception of the corpse of the prince. Richard, Duke of Glouces- ter, followed next after the chariot, accompanied by the principal noblemen of the kingdom, and a number of officers at arms. In this order the procession departed from Pontefract, followed by an immense concourse of spectators, and the first night they reached Doncaster; and from thence proceeded by easy journej's to Blythe, Tuxford, Newark, Stamford, and then to Fother- ingay, where they arrived on July 29. Edward IV. the queen, and officers of state, met the procession as it entered Fotheringay. They proceeded into the church, near to the 132 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT, high altar, where there was a hearse covered with black, and furnished with a number of ban- ners, bannerols and pensils; and under the said hearse, were laid the bones of the prince and his son Edmund. Over the hearse was a cloth of majesty, of black sarcenet, with the figure of our Lord sitting on a rainbow beaten in gold, having in every corner escutcheons of the arms of England and France quarterly. Around the hearse was a valance of black sarcenet, fringed half a yard deep, on which were three angels of beaten gold, holding the arms within a garter. Upon the 30th several masses were said, and then at the Offertory of the mass of requiem, the king offered for the prince, his father; the queen and her two daughters offered afterwards; then Norroy, king at arn^s, offered the prince's coat of arms; March, king of arms, the target; Ire- land, king of arms, the sword; Windsor, herald at arms of England, and Rovenden, herald at arms of Scotland, offered the helmet, and Mr. de Ferrys the harness and courser*. In the year 1470, the Earl of Warwick and several others, having taken up arms, proclaimed Henry king, and assuming the government in his name, obliged Edward to fly to Holland for safety -j*. Here he endeavoured to collect some forces, and landing at Ravenspurg with twenty * Bib. Top. Vol. VI. Fotheringay. ■}■ In the Paston letters there is an account of several persons who were taken and confined in Pontefract castle. " John Pilkington, Mr. W. at Cliff, and Fowler are taken, and in the castle of Pontefract, and are like to die hostily.' Sir T. Montgomery and Jourdane be taken, what shall fall of them I cannot say." Fenns. Lett. Vol. II. p. 4-5. HISTORY OF PONTErRACT. 133 thousand soldiers, gave out that he only came to claim his dukedom of York. He arrived at York, on the 19th March, 1471, where he was well received as Duke of York, but not as king. Having got possession of the city, he assumed the regal title, and began his march southward. Warwick sent orders to his brother the Marquis Alontacute, who then lay at Pontefract with a great army, to march immediately and fight him; but one would suppose the marquis was all this time asleep, as he never once attempted to op- pose him in his march. Edward, conscious of the strength of his enemies, wished to avoid a battle if possible till his friends had joined him. The irresolution, not to say cowardice or trea- chery of Montacute, suffered Edward to pass the river Aire, at Castleford, without the least re- sistance. The battle of Barnet soon after fixed Edward once more on the throne for life. In the fourth of Edward IV. a safe conduct was granted to John Lord de Lanoy of France, at the request of the Duke of Burgundy, dated at Pontefract castle, the 10th December, 1463. On the 26th September, (nineteenth Edward IV.) 147S, Edward made a progress into the north, accompanied by a very numerous suit of dukes, marquisses, earls, barons, and a great croud of other courtiers. He was met on his journey by all the public officers and gentry of these parts, amongst the rest by the lord mayor of York, and many of the richest citizens, who went as far as Wentbridge to meet him, and escorted him to Pontefract, where the king re- mained a week, and then set oft' for York. Edward the IV. died on the 9th April, 1483, 134 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. and was succeeded by his elder son Edward V. Edward was only in the thirteenth year of his age, at the death of his father. He was imme- diately proclaimed king; and kept his court at Ludlow castle, being under the tuition of An- thony Woodville, brother to the queen of Edward IV. He had been advanced to the dignity of a baron, by the title of Lord Scales, and was afterwards honoured with the title of Earl of Rivers. He became a most distinguished warrior and statesman ; and was accounted one of the most learned men of the age. The friends of the queen enjoyed all the offices about the per- son of young Edward. The court had been divided into two factions, during the reign of Edward IV. The old nobility were headed by the Duke of Buck- ingham, and the queen's friends by Earl Rivers. Richard, Duke of Gloucester, had the address to secure the friendship of the queen and her party, by outward marks of respect, while he entered into a secret agreement with Buckingham and his party. On the death of his brother, Richard laid claim to the office of protector; and insisted on it as his right. Earl Rivers, Sir Richard Grey, and Sir Thomas Vaughan, aware that the Duke of Gloucester, would attempt to seize the person of young Edward, and as- sume the government of the country in his name, raised a body of troops for his defence. Glou- cester, by pretending a regard for his nephew and the welfare of his country, so far imposed on the queen, that she gave orders to her bro- ther, Earl Rivers, to dismiss the forces he had col-r lected, and to bring his nephews to Westminster. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 135 In obedience to her orders he set off, but when he had reached Northampton, was met by Glouces- ter and his friends, who seized the young king and his brother, and sent Earl Kivers, Sir K. Grey, and Sir Thomas Vaughan, under a strong guard, prisoners to Pontefract castle. Sir Richard Radcliffe was governor of the castle, a creature of Gloucester's, and every way qualified for the perpetration of deeds of cruelty and blood. On the 15th June, first of Edward V. he went to York, and delivered a letter from the duke to the lord mayor, requesting him to raise forces to aid and assist him against the queen and her adherents; and it was agreed that such forces as the city could raise on such a sudden, should be on the Wednesday night then next at Pontefract, where the Earl of Northum- berland waited to conduct them and others to London. Richard, true to his purpose of seizing the throne, on the day that Edward V. should have been crowned, when they met in the tower, pre- tended Lord Hastings and others had assaulted him in order to murder the king and subvert the government, and cominanding him immediately to be beheaded, the coronation was put off till, as he pretended, this alarm had ceased. He had, however, so ordered and arranged his plans, that on that very day Earl Rivers, his uncle, and other friends, in Pontefract castle, were executed, with- out any crime being proved against them. The following is the account that Grafton gives of this transaction. " Nowe was it devised by the protectour and his counsaile, that the same day that the Lord Hastings, chamberlayne. ,136 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. was headed in the tower of London, and about the same hour should be beheaded at Pounfretc, the Earle Rivers^ and the Lord Richard, the queens son, Sir The. Vaughan and Sir Richard Havvte; whiche execution was done by the ordre, and in the presence of Sir Richard Racliff knight, whose service the protectour specially used in the execution of such lawlesse enterprises, as a man that he had been lolig secrete with, hav- ing experience of the worlde and shrewed wytte, shorte and rude in speech, rough and boysterous of behaviour, bold in mischief, as far from pytie as from fear of God." " This knight brought these four persons to the scaffold at the day appointed, and shewed to all the people that they were trai tours, not sufferying the Lords to speake and declare their innocency, least their wordes might have inclj^ned men to pytie them, and to hate the protectour and his part, and so. without judgement and processe of the lavve caused them to be beheaded without other yearthly gylt but only that they were good men and true to the king and to Tiye to the queen, insomuch as Sir Tho. Vaughan going to his death sayd, A wo worth them that tooke the prophecy that G. should destroy King Edwards children (meaning Lord G. Duke of Clarence) which for that suspicion is now dead, but no we remayneth Richard, Duke of G. whiche novve I see is he that shall and wyll destroy kyng Ed. children and all their alyes and frendes, as appeareth by us this day, whom 1 appele to the highe tribunal of God for his wrongful murther and oure true innocencye, and then Racliff sayd, you have well apeled, lay downe HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 137 your head, ye sayd Sir The. I dye in wright, beware you dye not in wrong, and so that good knight was beheaded and the other three and buried naked in the monastery at Pounfrete." Many a crime, deem'd innocent on earth. Is register'd in heav'n ; and these no doubt. Have each their record, with a curse annex'd. Richard having seized the crown and usurped the throne, by the title of King Richard III. in the second year of his reign granted a charter to this town, whereby he incorporated it, and ap- pointed John Hill the first mayor thereof, in July, 1484. This charter was confirmed by par- liament the 9th of August following. Richard, who, to the most consummate hypo- crisy, added the most ferocious cruelty, and ascended the throne by the murder of his king, was not permitted to enjoy it long in peace. The Duke of Buckingham, a character equally depraved as his own, by whose assis- tance Richard had hitherto met with success, soon formed a scheme to dethrone him, and unite the houses of York and Lancaster. Thus it frequently happens that associates in guilt, become the instruments of each others punish- ment; and the ways of providence are justified in rendering to them their deserts. The scheme devised met with general appro- bation ; and measures were soon adopted to carry it into execution. Buckingham lost h'ls life in the first attempt, and many of his friends were taken and executed. Richmond, the heir of the house of Lancaster, not discouraged by this event, but having collected some troops in France, at length landed at Mijford-haven. 13S HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. The people flocked to his standard, and lie soon found himself at the iiead of an army suf- ficiently powerful to encounter Richard. The two armies met at Bosvvorth, where Richard lost his crown and his life. This battle was fought on the 22d August, 1485. At this time was also slaui the above mentioned Sir Richard Ratcliffe, the governor of Pontefract castle, with many other persons of rank. The crown being found in the field of battle. Lord Stanley put it upon the head of Richmond, who was immediately proclaimed king, by the title of Henry VII. amidst the acclamations of the whole army; and, by his marriage with the princess Elizabeth, he put an end to the dread- ful contests of the kingdom, by the union of the houses of York and Lancaster. No more the thirsty entrance of this soil Shall damp her lips with her own children's blood : No more shall trenching war channel her fields. Nor bruise her flowrets with the armed hoofs Of hostile paces. Those opposed files. Which like the meteors of a troubled heaven. All of one nature, of one substance bred. Did lately meet in the intestine shock And furious close of civil butchery. Shall now, in mutual, well-beseeming ranks, March all one way ; and be no more oppos'd Against acquaintance, kindred and allies : The edge of war like an ill-sheathed knife. No more shall cut his master. IirSTORY OF rONTEFRACT. 139 SECTION X. Historical events from the death of Richard III. till the commencement of the civil war, W HEN raised to the throne, Henry VH. might justly have conckided, that as he had no com- petitors to fear, his reign would not be disgraced by those intestine feuds and animosities which had so long prevailed. He, however, soon found that the spirit of enmity had acquired strength by time, and nothing but the strong hand of power could repress or subdue it. The nobles had been so long accustomed to assume and ex- ercise an authority above all law; and the people to follow them implicitly as leaders and com- manders, that the former could, whenever they chose, excite commotions, disturb the peace, and endanger the throne. Though the houses of York and Lancaster were happily imited, by the marriage of Henry with Elizabeth, the same factions still continued, and the friends of the latter naturally expected that the king would reward their fidelity, and re- store their forfeited estates and honours. The Yor- kists, who had feasted on the spoils of their ene- mies for near twenty years, and had no wish to relinquish what they had obtained, soon perceived their danger ; and by encouraging false pretenders to the throne, and raising partial insurrections, in- volved themselves in those very calamities they wish- ed to avoid, and lost both their lives and fortunes. 140 HISTORY OV PONTEFRACT. In the second of his reign, Henry made a tour into the northern countries, and visited Ponlefract, the ancient patrimony of his family, where he resided some days. He then hastened to York, and while he remained there, an insurrec- tion broke out, headed bv the Staffords in the south, and by Lord Lovel in the north, who pursued Henry with a body of three or four thousand troops. This insurrection was soon quelled, and tranquillity for a short season restored. In the fourth of Henry VII. (1488,) a rebel- lion broke out in the northern counties, in con- sequence of a heavy tax imposed by parliament. The people instigated by a popular incendiary, named John a Chambre, a man who ''delighted in war and plunder, rose in arms; and choosing one Sir John Egremont, a factious partisan of the house of York, they declared they would march to London, and give battle to the king. Henry was no sooner informed of this distur- bance, than he sent a body of troops against the rebels, under the command of the Earl of Surry, whom he had lately received into favour. That nobleman marched with all speed against the insurgents, who had reached the village of Ackworth, near this place, on their way to London. On the first attack they were routed, and John a Chambre taken prisoner; but their commander. Sir John Egremont, had the good fortune to escape. John a Chambre and the rebel captains were executed at York; but the rest were pardoned at the intercession of the Earl of Surry, by which he gained the favour of the country. Henry this year renewed and confirmed the HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 141 above mentioned charter of Richard III. to the borough of Pontefract, dated 1st Dec. 1488. During the latter part of the reign of Henry VII. and the former of that of Henry VIII. few events of importance occur respecting this place. Henry VII. had the felicity to have out- lived the spirit of faction, and to leave the king- dom in peace. In the course of his reign he had amassed much wealth, of which his son and successor, Henry VIII. was extremely prodigal. His amours and intrigues, his cruel and unjust treatment of those he denominated his wives, ultimately led him to quarrel with the pope, and to encourage the reformation. Henry had emptied his coffers by extrava- gance and dissipation. Some measure was neces- sary to relieve his pressing wants; and the spirit of the times according with his inclination, he determined to seize the wealth of the religious, and wholly to suppress the monastic orders. The authority which the pope had hitherto en- joyed, Henry assumed and exercised; and he and his successors were declared to be the supreme head of the church of England. The religious orders could not behold with indifference the gathering storm, which threatened to overwhelm their elegant mansions, and their richly ornamented temples; and to strip them of all that wealth which had been conferred by the piety or superstition of past ages. They were not disposed to give up their all without a struggle; and had not various circumstances favoured Henry, this struggle might have proved fatal to his crown and life, and also to the reformation in this kingdom. 142 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. On the establishment of the king's supremacy, and the allowing of the service of the church to be read in English, in the year 1636, the spirit of disaffection and revolt particularly appeared in the counties of Lincoln and York. Most of the heads of religious houses took up arms in defence of the church and their own orders; and a body of forty thousand * men was soon collected, well fiu'nished with arms, horses and artillery. Sir Robert Aske, of Aughton, was chosen commander. This formidable army, ani- mated with all the enthusiasm of religious zeal, surrounded the castle of Pontefract, and obliged Thomas Lord D'Arcy and the Archbishop of York, who were therein, to deliver it to them. These insurgents called themselves the " Pilgri- mage of grace." Lord D'Arcy and the archbishop took their oath, viz. "To enter into the pilgrimage of grace for the love of God, the preservation of the king's person and issue, the purifying of the nobility, expelling all evil blood and evil counsellors, for no particular profit to themselves, nor to do displeasure to any, nor to slay nor murther any for envy; but to put away all fears and to take afore them the cross of Christ, his faith, the restitution of the church and the supression of heritics and their opinions." Cer- tain it is, that though Lord D'Arcy and the archbishop pretended want of provisions to hold out the castle, yet they were suspected of favour- ing the rebels, for they continued with Aske, and were named as two of his deputies to treat for peace. A general pardon being granted, the rebels dispersed, and Aske being ordered * Sir Richard Baker says forty-five thousand. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 143 to court was well received, but Lord D'Arcy not complying, was taken and sent to the tower, and afterwards beheaded. Aske * leaving the court without leave, was also taken and executed, and hung in chains on a tower in York. At the dissolution of abbeys, one William Tindall, Esq. of Brotherton, raised a tumult in this borough. When the persons v/ho were ap- pointed by government to appraise the goods in St. Giles' church, had entered the church to discharge their office, W. Tindall, attended by a servant with a spade and mattock, went through the town and up to the market-cross, and made the following ludicrous address, which at least indicates his spirit and attachment to the super- stitions which had hitherto prevailed. " If there be any person," cried he, " that Jesus Christ is indebted to, let him come and make his claim, for Jesus Christ is dead, and J have brous-ht my man to make his grave and bury him.'* The appraisers came out of the church and asked what was the matter? W. Tindall told them, " he was come to bury the' body of Christ." The appraisers were angry, and bade him take care what he said, but he replied, " Surely Jesus * It has been noticed, that the family of the Askes were the original lords of Kirkby, in the time of the Saxons. This Sir Robert Aske, was a person of great abilities, though much attached to popery, and an avowed enemy to the refor- mation. Christopher, the son of this Sir Robert, built the steeple of the church at Aughton, which is yet standing, and contains an inscription, which indicates the impression which the death of his father had made upon his mind. Christofer, le secound fils de Robert Aske Chr oblier ne doy anno D'i. 1536 Vid Gentleman's Mag. 17 5 i. vol. 24. 144 IIISTOItV OF PONTEFRACT. Clirist is dead, Was it ever heard that goods were appraised before the owner is dead? Ye are appraising his goods, therefore I thought he was dead, and what more Hkely *." in the year 1540, King Henry VIII. visited the castle of Pontefract. After this period, Talbot, Earl of Salisbury, commanded the English troops in the marches of Scotland. The English army entered Scotland, Oct. 21, 1542, and having desolated the west inarches, returned to Berwick. On the 24th JSJov. the Scots invaded England with fifteen thousand men, and were totally routed at the battle of Solvvay Moss, by a small band under the com- mand of Sir Thomas, afterwards Lord Wharton. Many persons of the first rank in Scotland were taken prisoners; and according to the hospitable custom of that time were committed to the custody of different nobility. In the quaint stile of the Talbot letters, we have an account of the following persons being committed to our castle. " The Lairde of Makreth, of 1001. land in the year, to Sir Henry Saville, governor of Pontefract castle." " The Lord Carlishe, a man of 300 marks and more, but hath little in his own hands, be- ing witheld from it by rebels; himself remaynith in Pontefract castle under Sir H. Saville." " The Lairde Johnstone, a gentleman of 100 marks per ann,; for whom the king's majesty hath paid an 100 marks in part of payment to his taker, for his ransom, and himself remainith in Pontefract castle." * Wilson's MS. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 14^ " Lairde of Grutney and Nevvbye, between them of 40 marks or more, their pledges their brother, with Sir H. Saville, for 122 marks*." In the year 1545, Lord Maxwell was a pri- soner in this castle, concerning whom the fol- lowing letter from Henry VIII. was sent to the then governor: BY THE KING. ** Trusty and well beloved, we greet you well; and, for certain causes and considerations, ns and our council specially moving, we will, and straitly charge, and command you, that ye, with all possible diligence, do send the Lord Maxwell to our town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in safe and sure custody, so that he may be here with our trusty and well-beloved counsellor, the Earl of Hartford, our lieutenant-general in these north parts, on Friday or Saturday next at the farthest; and these letters shall be unto you a sufficient warrant in that behalf, — and to the intent ye may the more surely accomplish our pleasure herein according to our expectations, we do send unto you herein inclosed a commission for taking post-horses by the way, as the need shall require. Not failing hereof, as ye tender our pleasure, and will answer the contrary at our ut- most jeopardy and peril. — Given under our signet, at our town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the 22d day of September, at eleven of the clock before noon, of the 38th year of our reign. To our trusty and right-well beloved counsellor, . Sir Henry Savil, Knt. Steward of our Honour of Pontefract, and Constable of our Castle * Lodge's Illustrations of British history. TT '1^ 146 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. there; and in his absence, to his Deputy or Deputies there ; in haste, post-haste — for life, for life, for life, Delivered to the Post the day and year aforesaid." No fact of importance occurs during the reign of Edward VI. whose piety has embahned his memory, and whose charity schools have con- tributed to the instruction of thousands. The plague prevailed in the second year of his reign, of which many died in this place. The bloody reign of Mary, or the more vigo- rous, active and glorious one of Elizabeth, is equally barren of topographical history. The inhabitants of this borough have however one improvement, or public conveniencCj to commemorate, — the erec- tion of the conduit in the market-place, for sup- plying the inhabitants with water, which was finished in the year 1572. Queen Elizabeth, some little time before her death, repaired and beautified the castle, and ordered the chapel of St. Clement, within it, which had gone to decay, to be rebuilt. In 1003, King James I. in the first year of his reign, visited this town on his return from Scotland; and after his departure a grievous pes- tilence broke out, of which many died. He granted the castle and honour of Pontefract to the queen, as part of her jointure. Power was given in this grant to make leases of her ma- jesty's lands for twenty one years, reserving the old rents*. In the year 1616, the king again visited Pontefract in his progress to Scotland, and * Lodge's Illustrations. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 147 viewed the late established college in the castle, which still retained its original name of St. Clements. The year 16:25, King Charles I. visited this town in his way from Scotland. He also created Sir John Saville, Knight, high steward of the honour of Pontefract, and by letters patent, dated 21st July, the fourth of Charles I. advanced him to the dignity of a baron of the realm, by the title of Lord Saville, Baron of Pontefract. His son inherited the. title, and was created Earl of Sussex, and the family became extinct in his grandson James. 143 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT, SECTION XL On the civil war, the state of parties^ and a description of the castle in its perfect state. W E have now reached the period, when the war between Charles and the parhament com- menced; an event which various causes operated to produce, and which, though for a season it convulsed, if not destroyed, the regular motion of the machine of government, in its conse- quences, has tended to adjust its parts; and to establish and consolidate that constitution which is justly the pride and boast of Englishmen. During the vigour of the feudal system, the mass of the people were without property and without rights. The king and the nobles enjoyed the supreme power, and the house of commons liad no legislative existence. By degrees the lower order of the people acquired property; and in the struggles between the crown and the nobles, their influence was sensibly felt, and gave victory to the party they espoused. The people became gradually of more weight and consequence; and at last attained a part in the government by their representatives in parliament. The commons, as emanating from the people, like the tribunes in Rome, became the constitu- tional guardians of their rights and privileges. In the reign of James, the representatives of the people were respectable for their property. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 149 their virtue and talents ; and displayeid a firmness in resisting the encroachments of the crown, which justly entitles them to the admiration of a grateful posterity. Not convinced by the potent arguments James produced, for establishing the divine right of kings, and their absolute power to do what they pleased with the persons and property of their subjects, they defended the rights of the people, and evinced that spirit of liberty, which, in the reign of Charles, burst forth like a torrent, and swept away whatever impeded its course. In a word, the increase of trade, the spirit of inquiry excited by the reformation; the revival of literature, and the diffusion of knowledge by the invention of printing; the weakness of James, and the arbitrary, impolitic and unconstitutional conduct of Charles; all united to kindle the •flames of this unhappy war, which spread deso- lation through the country, subverted for a season the church and the throne, and brought Charles to a disgraceful end. In the year 1542, Charles erected the royal standard at York; and called on his subjects to aid him in subduing his rebellious parliament. The low.er orders, for obvious reasons attached to freedom, warmly espoused the cause of the parliament: whilst the old noble familes generally supported that of the king. Most of the lead- ing persons in the county of York, in order to supply the king's necessities, gave- according to their ability, some one hundred, others two hundred pounds, and up to ten thousand. They inlisted men and supported them at their own expence. They seized the casthes 150 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. within this county, and supphed them with pro- visions. The following is a hst of the distinguished persons who formed the garrison in the castle of Pontefract; and signahzed themselves by their bravery and valour. It is given in the style of the writer, who contributed his share in the de- fence of this important fortress. " A true list of the manner of our watches, undertaken by the knights, gentlemen and volun- teers in the first siege, with the names of them as they were inlisted in their squadrons and divisions." " The standing officers of the garrison were Colonel Lowther *, the governor, advised by the pains of his brother, Mr. Robert Lowther." " Lieut. Col. Wheatley, Lt. Col. Middletonf. * Sir William Lowther of Leeds and Swillington, who was the governor of our castle, was a younger son of Sir John Lowther, of Lowther, in Westmoreland. The family ■was ancient and respectable. This Sir William Lowther mar- ried Jane, daughter of William Busfield, of Leeds, merchant. He was one of the council of the north. He purchased the Swillington estates of Coniers Darcy, Earl of Holderness, which have continued in the family, and are now the property of Lord Lowther. He died February 1689, aged eighty, and left issue. Sir William and Richard. Sir William Lowther married Catherine, daughter of Tho. Harrison, of Dancer's Hill, in Hertfordshire, by his wife Ca- therine, daughter of Sir John Bland, of Kippax park. This Sir William Lowther was sheriff of this county in 16SL f Of the family of Lieutenant Colonel Wheatly, the editor can give no account. The original seat of the family of Middleton, was at Middleton, in Wharfdale. The family is very ancient. William Middleton, Esq. in the reign of Heniy V. removed to Stockeld, near Wetherby. From him descended William, who was Lieutenant Colonel of a regiment of horse, and among others threw himself into our castle, and with his brave colleagues nobly defended it. Attachment to the same cause united this family to that of Sir Marmaduke Langdale, who after the restoration, was created Baron Langdale, of HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 151 Major Dinnis,' Capt. Cartvvright, Capt. Munroe, Capt. Gerrard Lovvther, son of the governor, and captain of horse, as was also Capt. Mus- grave, but these have now turned foot, and are commanded by Mr. Lowther." " The gentlemen volunteers were inlisted into four divisions. The first commanded by Col. Grey, the second by Sir Kichard Hutton, the third by Sir John Ramsden, and the fourth by Sir G. Wentworth, who had in their divisions the following gentlemen." Fii'st. Colonel Grey's Division. Colonel Grey, brother Lieut. Colonel Darcy, to Lord Grey, of son to Lord Darcy, of Warke *, Hornby f , Holme. Peter Middleton, the son of the colonel, married the daughter of Marmaduke Langdale, Esq. son and heir of Lord Langdale. * The Greys were settled in Northumberland, as early as the reign of Edward IL This family has produced many- distinguished warriors and statesmen. William Grey, Esq. [of Chillingham, was advanced to the degree of baronet (seven- teenth of James) 15th June, 1619: and afterwards to tlie honour of the peerage, by the title of Lord Grey, of Warke, Feb. 1 1 , tlie twenty-first of James. He espoused the cause of Charles with ardour; and his son followed the example. Whether tliis son was Ralph, who afterwards enjoyed the estates and title of his father, is not certain, as Lord Grey had othet sons, though none but Ralph survived him. f The family of the Darcies came in with the conqueror, and received from him the gift of thirty three Lordships in Lincolnshire. Different branches of tliis family settled in the county of York. Sir Coniers Darcy was restored to the barony of Lord Darcy and Meinell, and to the barony of Hornby castle, where he resided, by Charles L He was strongly at- tached to the royal cause; and his son, it appears from the command he enjoyed, was animated by the same spirit of loyalty . 152 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. Sir Edward Radcliffe, Capt. Iluddleston, Bart*, Kob. Portington J, Sir Francis Radclifie, Grimstone, Lieut. Col. Portingtonf, Vavasour§, pa §. Alajor Huddleston, C'coh, pa. * The family of RadclIfTe was settled at Tlireslifield, in Craven. Ralpli RadclifTe, Esq. was made high constable of the Wapentake of Stainclifl', the thirty-second of Elizabeth. He Jeft tlie estates to liis son and heir, Charles, who was clerk of the peace in the West-Riding, and associate before the judges in the northern circuit. He left issue, Edward, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Hesketh, of Hes- lington, near York. It is probable this Edward was advanced to the degree of baronet, by Charles ; as the sale of titles was one method he adopted to obtain money from his subjects. It was probably tlie son of this Edward who volunteered in the defence of this castle. f Portington of Barnby Dunn, an ancient and respectable family. Roger Portington was justice of the peace, and suf- fered much in the royal cause. He was fined in the time of Oliver, the sum of one thousand eight hundred and ninety- pounds for his delinquency. He enjoyed the rank of colonel, and shared in the duties of the brave defenders of this castle- He was interred in the church of Barnby Dunn : and a mo- nument still remains, recording his virtue, his sufferings and his hopes. Vid. Miller's Don. 133. X Robert Portington was brother to Roger, and resided at Arksey. He was major in Sir Wilham Saville's regiment of horse, and distinguished himself by his courage as an officer. After the war was over he returned to Arksey, and lived some time in retirement; but after Oliver became Protector, he ■was taken prisoner, and sent to Hull, where he remained till the restoration. Being set at liberty, in crossing the Hum- ber he was bit by a monkey, and not regarding the wound, it gangrened and carried him to the grave. In Arksey church, on a stone, near the altar, is the following inscription. Hie sepultus Robertu.f Portington, Strategus, miles insignis, Principi q. fidelis; obiit 23 die Decerabris, A. D. 1660. § It is necessary to inform the reader, that pa. annexed to any name, denotes the person to have been a papist. § The family of Vavasour, of Haslewood, derives its HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 153 Capt. Wheatley, Capt Fumsdale,! o . Hoult, Seaton, ) ^° ' Sayle, pa. Wheatley, Mr. John Thimbleby, Smith, Mr. Charles Clarkson, Tathum, Mr, Takefield, Perry, Mr. Hammerton f , pa, *, Mr. Stapleton J, /)«. origin and name from the office they discharged. Qui ex munere (Regii enim olim Valvasores erant) hoc assumpserunt. Cambden. It is a very ancient family, and the pedigree may be traced up t) the conquest ; and several of the family have been distinguished as valiant commanders. Sir Walter Vava- sour was born in the year 1613. He raised a regiment of horse, and supported them at his own expence. A branch of this family resided at Weston, near Otley. Vavasour of Weston, married the widow of Edward Saville, Esq. the second son of John Lord Saville, Baron of Pontefract, and it is pro- bable that one of these was the captain noticed as a volun-: teer in the castle. - Another branch of this family settled at Fryston near this place. In the computus of the honour of Pontefract, p. 19. it is said William Vavasour paid five pounds to the honour for one knights-fee, in Fryston, after the death of his brother Henry, the thirty-second of Edward III. 1357. In the seventh of Henry IV. Sir H. Vavasour paid ten pounds relief for two knights-fees, at Water-Fry ston. * The MS. is imperfect, where the dotted lines are, and the names cannot be made out. -j- The family of Hammerton resided at Purston Jaglin. The old hall fronting the public road was their seat. Attached to the superstition of their fathers, they continued in the catholic church. It is most probable the person here noticed, was one of this family ; and the other under Sir G. Wentworth's division, his brother. t The family of Stapleton is ancient; and has been long settled at Carleton, near Snaith. A branch of this family un- questionably resided at Stapleton, near this town, and either gave their name to, or received it from, that of the place. This family has continued in the bosom of the catliolic church, down to the present day. Brian Stapleton is mentioned under Sir G. Wentworth's division, a name still continued in the fan^jly. ^^ * 1j4 history of fontefbact, Mr, Anne *, pa. Mr. Hif!:ror(], Mr.CiniibutMedcaulpb, Mr. Wilkes^ Mr. Jolin Medcaulpl), Mr. Burton, Mr. Abbott, Mr. I ley. Cornet Sjiurgion, Mr. Mast. Erench, ^ 1 larrington, Cleri^y to this Division. Ensign Hcarbert, Mr. Hey, ]\ Ir. Stables, Alderman f, Mr. Oley, Mr. Smith, do. Mr. Buchanan, Scotus, Mr. Taytam, do. In all forty-eigirt; ■ Sect^id. Sir Richard Hiittons Division. Sir Richaid Kutton "|, high-sherijET of Yorkshire, * This is an ancient ; catliolic family; and branches oi' it. have settled at Frickley, Bolton, and Burghwallis. Philip Anne took a decided part with Charles, and contributed two hundred pounds to the support ol the common cause. f The luyaky oF the corporation of this Borough,.; wai; strongly displayed by its members. Nine aldermen with the mayor, ten out of thirteen, of which number it consists, left their houses, aad volunteered ; their, service in the. castle. Mauy ol" them became great sufferers; as their houses vvere seized by* the irpops of th^ paiJiament, and suffered mos,t , durijig the siege,, . •, : ' . y/j . . .. , % The original seat of this family, is Hatton in^- Curnbdr- land, from which it derived its name. A branch of it settled at Goldsborough, near Wetherby. Sir. Rijch^ri^-jHuttoij^ w'as sergeant at law, and one of the jusjtipes ^of the>,common pleas. He was a man of great legal knowledge; and was justly bonour-t ed for his uprightness and integrity. King Charles used (o calli \\im i\ie. honest judge. His son and heir Sir R. Hutton, in the. beginning.of the war, along with: some other gentlen'.eni seized and garrisoned Knaresbro' castle, of which he was made gover- nor. He did not long retain this, post, b>it either- resigned or vvas superseded by some other person> a* we find hiiji an;ongst the garrison of York, which surrendered to the forces of the parliament, Aug. 16, \Q\^. Sir Richard Huttqn; nuist have- departed with the honours of w ar, as he entered our castle .intin mediatelv, and obtained command of the second diyisioi) of tlie- HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 155 Capt. Constable*, Miisgrave, Standenen, ■ ■ Fair burn, ■ Croft, Lieutenant Smith, Antrobus, Cornet Najlor, ' Bamford, Mattliewman, Mr. Toyton, George Wentvvorth, James Ellison, John Longwitl^ Steven Grammenden, James Kendrlck, M. Biirchill, M. flopgood, M-atthew Sutton, Robert Halyfax, Robert Burton, William Watson, Thomas Walker, Edward Gauthrope, John Farram, Sergeant Fletcher, Mr. Grovener, Mr. Atkinson, Mr. Preston, Mr. Joustone, Mr. Massej, Mr. Maddock, garrison. He survived the siege, and afterwards joined the king. In the battle of Sherburn, where Lord D gby and others were taken prisoners, he lost hii life. * Constable of Flamborough, was descended from Fitz Ea-stace Constable, ot Chester; and of course sprung from the .sto -k, an-l was connected with the Lacies of Pontefract. Sir Robert Con-itable, in the reign of Kenry VIII. was concerned in the rebellion, called the pilgrimage of grace. For this he was pardoned, but engaging in another commotion, he was beh&aded at Hull, and his body hung in chains, June 1537. His son Sir Wm. Constable, was, however, admitted to favour, and advanced to die degree of Baronet, June 2y, 161 1. He re- membered the death ot his father ; and in the reign of Charles, distinguisliei himself by his enmity to the royal cause. He adheJ'ed to Cromwell, and was one of those who signed the warrant for the king's execution. A branch of this family settled at Everingham, in the East Riding of this county. Constable of Everingham, ma ried into the tamily of Langdale, and warmly espouse. 1 the royal cause. He was the Capt. Constable who entered this castle. In many instances, we find persons of the same family engaged against each other, and the ties of blood and kindred forgotten tlnough the influence of political animosity, and rancour. 156 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. Jonathan Heslam, John Oxley, Ilobert Moore, Walter Steele, Thomas Senior, Clergy to this Division. Mr. Binnes, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Mankenhole, his Thomas Monke, peculiar chaplain. Third. Sir John Ramsden^s Division. Sir J. Ramsden, Bart. * Lieut. Col. Tindall J, Sir Jarvis Cutler f. Major Warde*, * Sir John Ramsden, of Longley, near Huddersfield. This is the original seat of this ancient and respectable family. A branch of it resided at Lasscel Hall, near Kirk-Heaton ; and the ancient seat was forsaken for the more agreeable one of Byram. This family ha; intermarried with tlie Savilles and Lowthers. Sir John Ramsden, the son of William of Longley, married first, Margaret, the daughter of Sir Peter Fretchvill, of Stovely, in Lancashire, and had issue William and John. To his second ■wife, he married Anne, widow of Alderman Pool, of London, This Sir John engaged in the royal cause ; and after the sur- render of the castle of Pontefract, at the close of the second siege, he entered into that of Newark, where he died. The estates and name of this respectable family have descended to the present baronet. Sir J. Ramsden, of Byram. f Sir Jarvis Cutler resided at Stainbrough , near Barns- ley. He fell a sacrifice to his zeal in the cause, and died in the castle. t The family of Tindall resided at Brotherton. The colo- nel was the son of William Tindall, Esq. who excited some disturbance in our borough, as was noticed in the time of Henry VI IL He was zealously attached to the king, and gave 3001. at the meeting at York, to support the war. He outlived his royal master, and in the time of Oliver paid 3401. for his com- position. X Wade, (or Warde) of New Grange, near Leeds, an ancient and respectable family. Benjamin Wade rebuilt the family seat of New Grange; and was so warm in the royal cause, that he considerably involved his estate to support it. He sold an estate of 5001. per ann. and spent not less than ten thousand pounds in the service of Chades. Was this the major in our siege? HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 157 Major Wentworth, Capt. Pilkington*, Morrett, Horsfold, Swillovant, Standeanen^ Clbugh, Beale, Shaw, Cornet Herrington, Nunnes, Lieut. Savillef, Flemming, Mr. Burton, Mr. Baumforth, Mr. Warwick, Mr. Stringer, Mr. Safrone, * Pilkington, of Pilkington, in the county of Lancaster. One of this family purchased Stanley, near Wakefield ; and a branch of this family has resided there ever since. It is pro- bable this Capt. Pilkington was a younger son of Sir Lionel Pilkington, of Stanley. f The Savilles is a very ancient family, in the West- Riding of this county. The Savilles of Bradley Hall, near Halifax, have married with the best Yorkshire families; and the eldest branch of this family has long resided at Methley, and was advanced to the honour of the peerage. It is not certain, whether Lieut, Saville mentioned in the list belonged to the Savilles of Methley, or some other family of that name. In Watson's pedigree of the Savilles of Hullenedge, near Eland, there is noticed a Gabriel Saville, who was Captain of foot under King Charles, and who married the daughter and coheiress of Capt. Ralph Rokeby, of Skiers, near Rother- ham. Perhaps he was the person who volunteered in the de- fence of the castle of Pontefract. i It is to the industry and labour of this Capt. N. Drake, the editor and the public are indebted for this list of the per- sons who defended this castle ; as well as for the very parti- Mr. Peary, pa. Mr. Will Tindall, Mr. Hodgson, Mr. Pearry, pa. Mr, Keeper, Mr. Clarkson, Mr. H. Tindall, Mr. Foster, Mr, Hitchin, Mr, Shilito, Mayor, Mr. J. AVilkinson, Alder- man, Mr. E. Wilkinson, Alder- man, Mr. Lunn, Alderman, William Strickland, Nathan Drake {, Peter Heaton, T 5 8 HISTORY ' OF TONTEFRACT. Daniel Morret, Clergy to thin Division. Steveii.Standenen, Mr. Pickrin, George Shiiito, Mr. Hirst, John Oxiey. Mr. Cocker, III all foil'ty-six. ciilar account of/fhe 'v^rioils events of the sie*e, w!.ich will be given. The original seat of the Drakes was Shibueii Hall, near Hahfax; ^nd tiic family is said to com? oat of Devonshire, where a family of this name Hal been long settled, alv. 6i which the famous Sir Francis Drake, whose naval acliieve- ments have rendered his name illustrious was a bianch. The pedigree is traced fom the time of Edward I. in Watson's Halilax, down to Thomas, who lived iii tl;"e time of Hf^nry VIII. who had issue, William, Gilber*, Humphry and Isabella. William had issue, four sons and four daughters, of wliom the second was Naihan, who lived at Godley. The part he look in the civil war exposed him to the resentment of Cromwell, who deprived him of his estate at Godley. Naihan had i^^ue, Samuel, who was bred up to the churrh, but was expelled from his fellowship in St. John's Cambridge ; and afterwards served the king at tlie siege of Newark. A ter the resto.a- tion, this Samuel was admitted to the degree of D. D. was made rector of Handsworlh, and vicar of Pontefract. He wrote the life of his tutor and friend, Mr. Cleveland. He married daughter of Mr. Abbot. His eldest son, Francis, was M. A. and succeeded iiim in the vicarage of Pontefract. He married to his first wife, Hannah, daugiiter of Paylin, of York, merchant, by whom he had John, B. D. prebendary of York, and who succeeded his father as vicar of Pontefract. The above Francis to his second wife married Elizabeth, the daughter of John Dixon, of Pontefract, by whom he had Francis, a fellow of the Royal Society, author of the history of York, the parliamentary liistory of Eng- land, down to the restoration ; and also of several tracts in the philosophical transactions. He married Mary, the daughter of Woody ear, of Crookhill, near Doncaster, by whom he had a son Francis, who vyas vicar of VA'omersley, lecturer of Pontefract, and fellow of Magdalene College Oxford. This Francis married a daughter of Joshua W^ihon, Esq. of Ponte- fract, by whom he had the Rev.. Francis Drake, of Walking- too, near Beverley, who is the present lecturer of Pontefract. HISTORY. OF PONTEFRACT. 159 Fourth. Sir G.'W'entworth''s Division. Sir G. Wentvvorth'*i Colonel Vaughan, Sir Thomas Bland f^ ' Lieut. Col. Weiitworth, * Weniworth, of West Bretton, a branch of the ancient family of the Wentworths, of Wentworth VVoodhouse, near Rotherham. Sir Thomas was a deputy lieutenant of the West-? Riding of tliis county, and a captain of the train bands for Charles I. He suffered much lor his loyalty; but living till the restoration he was knighted 27th September, 1664. Sic G. Wentworth, of Woolley, a branch of the above family. He married to his first wite Anne, daughter of Tho- mas Lord Fairfax, of Denton : to his second wife — - — (he daughter of Christopher Maltby, Esi^. and had issue two sons, who died- young, and three daughters.; Averil, who married John Thornton, Esq* ; Frances, who married Jbhn Grantham, Esq. ; and Ann, who married W. Osbaldiston, Esq. ; Sir tjfeo. suffered much in con.sequence, of the, part .he took< in the war. He was fined for his delinquency 31881. f ■ Bland, of Blands-Gill, in the North-Riding. Arms, Argent on a bend sable, three Pheons Or. Sir Thomas married Ca- tharine, daughter of John Lord SaviUe, of Pontefract and How- ley, and sister of Thomas Savilje,' Earl of Sussex. He had' issue, first Thomas, second Adam, who. married the widow of John G.irlingtoni of Thurgoland castle; and two daughters, Catherine, who marrjed, Thomas Harrison, Esq. of Dancer's? Hi}l, in Hertfordshire,. and.-Frajic«s,v who married John Belton,' Esq? of Ra wcUffe. Sir Thomas Blandt the.jsan and heir of the above Tho- mas commanded in Sir G. Wentwortli's division, and his brother Adam was a major of horse, and one of those who issued: from the castle and surprised Rainsborough at Doncaster. This Sir Thgmas married Rosamond, daughter of Francis Neville, Esq. of Chevet, near. Wakefield. By her he had issue, Francis, Adam, Rosamond, and Catharine. Rosamond married Martin Headley, Alderman of Leeds, and Catharine married . John Frank, Esq. of Pontefract.- Sir Thomas, like most of Charles.' tHends, suffered greatly in his cause, and was fined 405.1. by Oliver. As. a compensation for hia loyaltv, Chailes XL honoured him, with knighthobd. Sir Francis Bland,, his son. and heir, married the daughter of Sir Wilham Lowther, of Preston, He was succeeded ■ by 160 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. Alajor Copley *, Mr. Emsan, sen. p^. Beaumont, Mr. Ilammerton, pa. Mountain, Mr. Stokes, Baron Killovvson, Mr. Richard Fisher, Capt. Harris, Mr, Rusby, Aldermanj Ramsden, Mr. Gates, do. Benyon, Mr. Austwick, do. — '■ — Ilardvvicke, Mr. CUtennor, Washingtonf , Cornet Andshoy, Mr. Jervise Neville, —Sanderson, Mr. Thimbleby, sen. pa. Lieut. Cooke J , Mr. Andrew East, pa. Cutbert, Mr. B. Stappleton, pa. Mr. Fairmaine, Sir Thomas Bland, who dying young the estate came to Sir John Bland, who was for many years a worthy representa- tive of this borough, and built a new steeple to St. Giles' church. * The family of Copley has been long seated at Sprot- brough ; and intermarried with that of Fitzwilliam. Sir George Copley was knighted by Charles II. and it is probable was the person . who engaged in the cause of his royal father, and was major in our castle. f A family of the name of Washington enjoyed a large estate at Adwick-le Street. The register of baptisms in the church there, proves that this family was there settled as early as 1548, and many of this name are also interred there. The Wash- ington who contributed to the defence of our castle, was most probably one of tins family. N. B. It has been said that the famous General Wash- ington, sprung from them. It is certain, that the ancestors of the general emigrated from Yorkshire; and like many who departed to America, were zealous friends of religious and civil liberty. + Lieut Cooke, might probably be one of the respectable family of that name, which has been so long in, or near Don- caster. Branches of this lamily have intermarried with the most respectable families in that neighbourhood; and a considerable part of the estate belonging to the Yarboroughs, originally of Snaith Hall, came to the present G. Cooke Yarborough, Esq. of Streetthorpe. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 161 Mr. Allot *, Richard Dobson, Mr. Fenton, Kichard Beaumont, Joseph Oxiey, Cle?'oy to this Division. Richard Hefkliffe, Dr. Bradley, Daniel Fielding, Mr. Lister, Thomas Wiggleskirke. Mr. Mason, Tliomas Motherby, Mr. Burley, Gilbert Grey, In all forty-four. The list which has been given cannot fail to gratify a laudable curiosity, by imparting considerable information respecting the brave defenders of our castle. Many of the respectable families, whose ancestors distinguished themselves, by their loyalty, prudence and courage, still re- main in this neighbourhood; and the more humble names of many others continue likewise in the borough and surrounding villages. Before we come to detail the event of that siege which ultimately led to the demolition of the castle, it is deemed necessary to give a des- cription of it in its perfect state; that the reader may form some conception of the strength and grandeur of this celebrated fortress, once esteemed one of the greatest and strongest in England. * Allot of Cngglestone and Bentley, a family respectable for property, and united by marriage with the Wentworths and Copleys. The Allot who volunteered in the defence of our castle was most probably Edward, the son of John Allot, of Crigglestone. A Richard Allot settled at Bilham Grange, and married Grace, daughter of G. Wentworth, Esq. of Bretton. Part of the Crigglestone estate is now the property of J. Allot Esquire, of Hague Hall, the eldest male branch of this femily. 162* JIISTORY OF PONTEFRACTj THE CASTLE OF PONTEFRACT Is built on an elevated rock, and commands the most extensive and picturesque views of the sur- rounding country. The north-west prospect takes in the beautiful vale, along which flows the Aire ; skirted on each side with woods and plantations, and ornamented with several elegant and beau- tiful seats. It is bounded only by the hills of Craven. The north and north-east prospect is more extensive, but the scenery not equally stri- king and impressive. It presents little more than a view of farm houses and villages ; and all the bolder features of a fine landscape are wanting. The towers of York minster are distinctly seen, and the prospect is only bounded by the limits of vision. The east view is equally extensive, but more pleasing. While the eye follows the course of the Aire towards the Hum- ber, the fertility of the country, — the spires of several churches, and two considerable hills,. Brayton Barf and Hambleton Haugh, which rise in the midst of a plain, and one of which is co- vered with wood, relieve the prospect and consider- ably add to its beauty. The south-east view, which takes in a part of the counties of Lincoln and Not- tingham, though extensive, has nothing deserving of notice. The south and south-west prospect comprises a rich variety of grand 'and sublime objects. The towering hills of Derbyshire, stretching towards Lancashire form the horizon; while the fore- ground is enlivened by a view of gentlemen's- seats and a picturesque country. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 163 The situation of the castle contributed greatly to its strength, and rendered it almost impreg- nable. It was not commanded by any contigu- ous hills, and the only way it could be taken was by blockade. In its perfect state, the state-rooms of the castle were large, and accommodated with offices suitable for the residence of a prince. The style of this building shews it to be Norman ; though it has received various additions and improvements of a later date. The first member of this castle which merits notice, is the Barbican. Tiiis was situated on the west side of the outer yard (13) * beyond the main guard. Barbicans, were watch towers, de- signed to descry an enemy at a distance, and were always outworks, and frequently advanced be- yond the ditch, to which they were joined by draw bridges. This Barbican formed the en- trance into the castle, called the west-gate house. A similar tower with a draw bridge stood near the Booths, (12) and formed the entrance on the east, and was called the east gate house. The third gate, (14) was called the south gate, and opened into the road leading to Darrington and Doncaster, at the bottom of what is now called the castle garth. This gate led to another in the centre of the wall, which runs across the area from the east to the west gate; and was called the middle gate (15), The north side of this area was formed by the south wall of the ballium or great castle yard ; in the centre of which wall was the * The figures refer to the plate of the castle, and point out the situation of the part described. 164 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. porter's Jodge, (8), the grand entrance into the yard of the castle. : All these gates might be, and were frequently used as watch towers. The whole of this area was sometimes called the Barbican ; and within it stood the king's stables, (10) and a ■ large barn, (11). Near the Barbican, and close by the west entrance into the castle was the main guard, (17) a place of considerable magnitude and strength. A deep moat or ditch was cut on the west side of the castle extending from the west gate, round, the great tower to the north ;■ and another on the east, extending from the constable's tower along to the east gate, . The wall of the ballium or great castle yard was high, and flanked with seven towers, called (1) the round tower, (2) the red tower, (3) trea- surer's or pix tower, (4) Swillington tower, [5) queen's tower, (6) king's tower, and (7) consta- ble's tower. The walls of the ballium h^d a para- pet, and the merlons were pierced with long chinks, ending in round holes, called oilets. Within the ballium, were the lodgings and barracks for the garrison and artificers, the cha- pel of St. Clement (16) and the magazine (9). The magazine is cut out of a rock, the descent to which is by a passage of four feet wide, and forty-three steps to the bottom. It is six yards over and three broad, with six cavities cut out of the sides of the rock, and nine yards in depth from the surface of the earth. Near this place was a large dungeon, the entrance to which was at the seventeenth step of the passage, and was a yard in breadth, but it is now stopped up by the foiling in of the ruins. The wall, as you descend HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 165 these steps, is inscribed with many names evi- dently cut by the soldiers at the time of the siege of the castle, and amongst others, we find the fol- lowing, who were officers in the castle at that ^period, as will appear hereafter. ,J ymoa biiii 1 6 Geo. 43 1 648 John Smith, Beale, John Grant, 1648. ^b 'iii 1 So strong the zeal t' immortalize himsejf Beats in the breast of man, that ev'n a few. Few transient years, won from the abyss abhorr'd - Ot blank oblivion, seem a glorious prize, ' j so; ■ .;' , ; And even to a clown. The entrance into the ballium was usually through a strong machiolated and embattled gate, between two towers, secured by a herse or port- cullis. Over this were the rooms intended for the porter of the castle, the towers served for the corps de garde. On an eminence at the western extremity of the ballium, stood the. keep or dungeon, here called the round tower. — It was the citadel or last retreat of the garrison. — In large castles, it was generally a high tower of four or five stories — having turrets at each angle, and here we find there were six, three large and three small ones. When these towers were round instead of square, they were called Juliets from a vulgar opinion, that large round towers were first built by Julius Cassar. The walls of this edifice were always of an extraordinary thickness, and having in conse- quence withstood the united injuries of time, and weather, novv remain more perfect than any other part of the castle. Here commonly on the second story, were the state rooms for the governor. The light was t66 History of pontefract. admitted by small chinks which answered the double purpose of windows, and served for em- brasures, whence they might shoot with long and cross bows. These chinks, though without they had some breadth, and carried the appear- ance of windows, were very narrow next the cham- bers, diminishing considerably inward. The different stories were frequently vaulted, and divided by strong arches; on the top was generally a platform with an embattled parapet, whence the garrison could see and command the exterior works. The annexed plate, figure 1. is a plan of that corner of the area of the castle, where the keep or dungeon, just mentioned * is situated, and also of the principal entrance. (a a) Are the first outward steps ; ascend- ing from without to the area of the castle. (h b) A second very steep flight of steps, with- in the ballium, ascending up the artificial mount to the entrance of the keep. >»: (cc) Is a narrow loop, well secured ; and made through a wall no less than eighteen feet in thickness. On entering the keep, on the right hand, at d, are remains of a great staircase, going up to the state apartments above, which are now all destroyed. At e, is a small square room ; probably design- ed for the captain of the guard. It is within one of the three round towers, mentioned by Leland : and all the substance of that tower, beneath this room, is solid stone work, quite to the bottom of the mount. A circumstance which shews the vast * See King on." ancient castles. F.2. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 167 Strength of thisbuilding, and the improvement made on the original mount ; and at the same time exhi^ bits a curious device for deception, something hke that of the round tower at Rochester The other small tower, being in like manner continued down to the ground, beneath the mount, contains a very singular, narrow, and most irregularly winding, zig-zag staircase j which goes down from the door at/ to a small sally-port at X ; and moreover leads to what appears to have been a well at gy and besides this it terminates in one part, in a very frightful small dungeon, at ;:;. There do not appear to have been even loop* holes, or any admission for light or air, unless from the door, into the great lower apartment of the keep ; only there was a small window in the captain of the guard's room. The diameter of the keep is about 63 or 64 feet. And between f and A is a very re- markable appearance j for after you have as- cended a ladder, against the inside of the wall, for a few feet, you then look down into a dismal square cavity, at h ; about 14 or 15 feet deep, or rather more; but only about five or six feet square ; which cannot be conceived to have been applied to any other purpose than that of a dun- geon ; since t»here is neither loop, nor door be- neath J or any outlet whatsoever : nor does there appear the least possibility of there ever having been any ; nor could it from its shape and dimensions, have served for a staircase, or, for drawing up timber and machines of war, or for any other purpose, than that of a place of severe confinement. In short, it reminds one of the 168 HISTORY OF POl^TEFRACT. description, given by Sallust, of the Tullianum, in the ancient capitol at Rome : and as it even now very well answers to that description, must have done so still more, before the upper part of the building, with the arches, was destroyed. But this is not the only strange place, within the inclosure of this formidable castle : for, front- ing the foot of the stairs, at a little distance, at /, is the square mouth of another well, of a most extraordinary kind ; having been either a very horrid dungeon, or the inward mouth of some very singular subterraneous sally-port. It is very deep, but quite dry ; the sides are neatly lined with stone, and on that which is nearest to the foot of the stairs, on looking down, appears at a great depth, a very high arch, leading to some vault, or passage, as represented, (Fig. 2)j where it leads to, or for what purpose it actually served, may be well worth examining. At k, is a \evy small, wretched chamber ; formed in the thickness of the wall ; which had two very narrow windows next the court. Here tradition says, Richard II. was confined, and murdered: but the smallness of the room hardly agrees with what is related of the manner of his death, by a blow, with a battle-axe, from Sir Piers Exton, as his being so murdered was a story ge- nerally received and believed. By comparing the correspondent members of the remains of this castle with the above de- scription, a tolerable judgment of what it has been, may be formed. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 169 SECTION XII. Events during the .first Siege. J- HE war, which had commenced in the year 1642, between the king and the parhament, had been carried on with various success ; in some places the advantage appeared to be on the side of the former, and in others, on that of the latter. In the month of June 1644, was fought the de- cisive battle of Marston-moor, near York ; in which the king's jarmy was completely routed, and many of his best troops and officers slain. In this action Cromwell equally displayed his invincible courage, and his admirable talent for command. After having vanquished that wing of the enemy, to which he was opposed, he pru- dently checked the ardor of pursuit; and wheel- ing round, found the main body and the other wing, of the army of the parliament, had given way, and the enemy ready to take possession of the baggage and amunition. Having collected the troops together, and occupying the same ground the enemy had occupied at the commence- ment of the action, he made an irresistable charge and decided the fate of the day. The enemy lost their ordnance and artillery, and were pur- sued with great slaughter to the gates of York. It is computed that near 8,000 fell on the field of battle. The appearance of Cromwell in the political 170 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. hemisphere hke that of a portentous comet, shed a deadly influence on the royal cause. Victory attended his course; and from an inferior officer, lie rose to the rank of chief commander; and at last, having put down the powers which raised him, he assumed tlie supreme government of the kingdom. The victory of Marston was followed by the speedy surrender of York; and detachments of troops were sent to besiege the castles occu- pied by the king's friends; and among the rest that of Pontefract. The command of the de- tachment sent here was given to Colonel Sands, who, in the month of August, 1644*, fell in with a party of the enemy, sent out to protect some cattle, routed them, took all the cattle, and made forty horse prisoners. Col. Sands, for some time, rather watclied the motions of the enemy, and endeavoured to cut off their foraging parties, Hhan to form a regular siege of the castle. The strength of the place, and the courage and prudence of the royalists, rendered a much greater force than he possessed necessary, to undertake the siege with any prospect of success. To have done more than he did, would have been rashly to expose his men to the fire of the enemy, with- out being able to return it with effect. The success of Sir Thomas Fairfax, and others, in subduing the castles of Helmsly and Knaresborough, set the troops which had been on that service at liberty; and they soon marched to the assistance of Col. Sands. Sir Thomas Fairfax, as the superior officer, now enjoyed * Whit. 100. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT, 171 the command: and in the beginning of December, 1644, he drove in the garrison, took possession of the town, and on Christmas day closely be- sieged the castle *. Some of the besieged, protected by the fire of their friends from the castle, kept for a few days possession of the low chnrch. The enemy, sensible of the importance of the church, as a place of defence and security, prepared to dislodge the royalists; and on the 29th December, 1644, they drew up and commenced their attack. The royalisls defended the church for some time with resolution and courage; and their friends in the castle made there sallies, in order to repel the enemy, or at least to cover the retreat of their brave comrades. Their efforts were not crowned with success; for the enemy obliged them to re^ treat, and obtained possession of the church. In this action the royalists lost Capt. Waterhouse, of Netherton, three privates, and eleven wounded. The loss of the enemy, though victorious, was much greater. They are said to have had sixty killed and forty wounded f. On the retreat of the royalists, eleven men and boys, who had been stationed in the steeple, were left to defend themselves. They could ea- sily withstand the superior force of the enemy from the nature of their situation. They . had however an enemy to encounter which threatened soon to subdue them. They were destitute of provisions ; and unless soon relieved must of ne- cessity surrender at discretion. They endured the force of hunger and thu'st for five days and nights, and at length effected their escape by a * Whit. 102. f Drake's MS. 1'2 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT, method as bold as dangerous. By means of a rope, which they liad probably taken from the belfry, having descended to the roof of the western part of the church, they let themselves down to the ground. While engaged in this at- tempt they were discovered by the enemy, and though exposed to a hot fire, only one was killed, and Capt. Joshua Walker wounded in the thigh: the rest escaped to the castle in safety f.. No day passed without some effort on the part of the besieged to aunoy the enemy. By the fire of the musketry from the towers, and by frequent sallies they cut off numbers, and ob- tained partial advantages over their opponents. At length the cannon which had been employed in the siege of Helmsly and Knaresbro' castles arrived; and the besiegers being in possession of the ris- ing grounds around, began to erect their bat- teries in order to storm the castle. They oc- cupied the house of Alderman Lunn, who, in the cause of royalty, had relinquished all the sweets of domestic repose for the toils and dangers of war. In his back yard the first battery was erected*. Previous to the commencement of their attack, Lord Fairfax, who had now joined his son Sir Thomas, sent the following letter to the governor of the castle. " To the commander in chief of Pontefract castle. " In performance of the trust reposed upon me by the parliament for the service of the pub- lique, and particular safety and preservation of this f Drake's MS. * Another was raised on Bagliill, which afterwards did the most execution. .HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 173' country, / have marched part of the troops under my command to Fontefract for the recovering of that castle, vvhicli hitherto hath opposed the par- liament and enfinitely prejudiced the country, to obedience of the king and parhament, the which I desire may be effected without the effusion of blood, and to that end now send you this sumr mons to surrender the castle to me for the serr vice of the king and parliament, which if you presently doe, I will engage my power with the parliamenr, for your reception unto mercy and favour therewith, but your refusing or deferring the same will compel me to the trial of success which I hope will prevaile for the publique good. I shall expect your answer to be returned to me Ipy Col. Forbes, to whom I have given farther Instructions in that behalfe." « FER. FAIRFAX*," On the receipt of this summons, the governor, \vho only wished to gain time, answered the mes- senger verbally, " that the matter was of great consequence, and would require some time to consider of it , — that he would call the gentlemen of the castle together, being many of good quality, and consult with them about it, and would then send an answer, which should be sometime to-mor- row morning at the farthest." Col. Forbes, to whoni this answer was delivered, replied, " that it should be welcome to him, if it came not too late," and then departed. * Drake's MS. The words in Italic are obliterated in the original, hut the editor presumed the words supplied were most probably those used by the writer. 174. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. The conduct of the governor soon discovered his real intentions, and evinced tliat the an- swer he had given was only designed to amuse and impose on the enemy. He had ah'eady be- gun to erect- a battery against that which the enemy had erected on Baghill ; and during the night, he employed sixty men, to complete it, and to line the battlements and strengthen the walls on the side which would be most exposed t© the fire of the enemy. The governor prepared the following answer to General Fairfax's letter. " According to my allegiance to which I am sworn, and in pursuance of the trust reposed in me by his majestie, I will defend this castle to the utmost of my power, and doubt not by God's assistance, the justice of his majestie's cause, and the vertue of my comrades, to quell all those that shall oppose me in the defence thereof, for his majestie's service, for the blood that is like to be ]ost in this action, let it be upon their heads who are the causes of it. This is my resolution, which J desire you to certify to the Lord Fairfax.'* " From your affectionate friend, RICHARD LOWTHER*." The besiegers, the next morning, perceiving the works of the besieged, and convinced that they bad no inclination to surrender, did not wait for the governor's answer, but opened a dread- ful fire upon them. For three successive days they continued to cannonade the south side of the castle, in which period they discharged one * Drake's MS. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 175 thousand and thirty-four balls. On the 19th January, having directed the battery against Pix tower, this massy pile gave way; a consi- derable part of it fell down, and by its fall carried the castle wall along with it, by which means a breach was made*. Whilst the besiegers thus assailed the castle, the besieged were not inactive. A shot from the castle hit a match belonging to the besiegei's, and some sparks falling into the powder, it im- mediately blew up and killed twenty-seven men. By a well directed fire of musketry the be- sieged obliged the enemy to keep their distance, and frequently did considerable execution f. A breach being now made, the besiegers indulged the hope that the castle would be sur- rendered. On the 21st of January, 1644^ — 5, Col. Forbes sent a drum to the gate of the castle, which beat a parley. The governor sent to know his business, and understanding he brought a letter from Col. Forbes, he sent word that unless the enemy ceased firing, he would not receive any letters. In consequence of this, command was given, by Col. Forbes, to the en- gineers to discontinue firing till further orders. As soon as this command was obeyed, the drummer was ordered to go down to the lower gate, where, being admitted, he delivered the following letter. * Two brothers of the name of Brlgges, who lived at the halfpenny house, in the road leading to Wakefield, standing together under the Pix tower, were unfortunately killed by its fall. t About this period the besieged lost Capt, Maulet, who was shot through the head whilst standing on the top of the round tower. Capt. Smith was wounded by a piece of stone broke by a musket ball, but soon recovered. 176 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACt. « Sir, 1 desire to have possitive answer of the summo?is sent in upon Thursday lasr. that 1 may give an account to my Lord (who is now here) of your resolutions; and likewise 1 desire to know whether Mr, Oi:?ale is exchanged for Lieut. Brown or for money, and if for money for what summe." « Sir, I shall remain your friend, AVILL. FORBES." On the receipt of this, the governor sent the letter he had before written to all the gentle- men in the castle, for their advice and approbation; and to know whether they were willing to run all risks, and to hold out to thelast extremitv. They fully approved of the letter, and engaged to de- fend the castle, and support the governor with their lives and fortunes. I'he governor then dismissed the drummer with the fore-mentioned letter to Col. Forbes. On the refusal of the governor to surrender, the besieged expected the enemy would immedi- ately make an assault, and endeavour to enter the breach which had been made. They percei- ved from the castle the horse drawn up in the Park, and a part of their infantry ready to march, with sprigs of rosemary in their hats. The go- vernor commanded the drums to beat to arms, and the trumpets to sound on the battlements ; and then ordered the soldiers to their posts. The gar- rison continued under arms the whole afternoon, expecting the enemy with great cheerfulness. Although the enemy had made a breach, and HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 177 continued a very heavy fire against it, and king's tower, they made no attempt to storm the castle. The courage and resohition of the garrison, and the dangers of an assault, so dispirited the enemy, that many deserted and fled, for fear least they should be ordered on this service. The besiegers had expected that the garrison would have been incli- ned to surrender ; and when they found this expec- tation was unfounded, they lost their confidence, and for some time did little more than keep on their defence. Information had been sent to Lord Fairfax, that it was expected th6 castle would be surren- dered. Plis lordship, accompanied by his son Sir Thomas came here, and were received with the honour due to their rank. Feu de joys were fired, and guards of horse and foot were appointed to receive and attend them. On viewing the breach, and considering the determined valour of the gar- rison, his lordship judged it more advisable to continue the blockade, than to sacrifice his men in a dangerous, and perhaps fruitless assault. Having given orders accordingly, he returned to York. While the siege was thus carried on here, various altercations took place in the parliament. The Earl of Essex was charged with neglect of duty, and an intention to prolong the war, instead of bringing it to a speedy conclusion. At length the self-denying ordinance, as it was called, was brought into the house; and. On the failure of the treaty of Uxbridge, after violent debates, it was passed. By this ordinance, every person was disqualified for any military command, who en- joyed a seat in either house of parliament. The A a * 173 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. chief comTnaiid of all the forces of the parliament was now conferred on Sir Thomas Fairfax *, who was engaged in tlic siege of Pontefract castle. Col. Lambert was appointed commissary general of the army of the north, and ordered to post down to take the charge of the troops, when Fair- fax should quit that station, in which by his steady conduct, he had obtained the confidence of both houses. The besieged as soon as the fire of the enemy was remitted, began to repair the breach which had been made. Captain Munroe, and Captain Faybarne, were sent out to view the extent of the breach, which they found not to exceed a yard. The men were ordered to dig and cairy earth, and by this means the breach was soon clo- sed ; and the besieged were delivered from all fear of an assault. The garrison, nearly cut off from any sup- plies found their ammunition greatly reduced, and were under the necessity of using it more sparingly. As the enemy had been well suppli- ed with this article, and continued to pour in their shot, the governor allowed his own men 4d. for each ball of the enemy any of them might bring to him. Thus encouraged, the men often at the hazard of their lives, sought the shot of the besiegers, and were so successful as to obtain in this way no inconsiderable supply. The besiegers seeing no prospect of taking the castle by the breach which had been made, * " Sir Thomas Fairfax," says Baxter, " was a gentleman of no quick parts or elocution, but religious, faithful, valiant, and of a grave, sober, resolved disposition ; neither too great nor too cunning to be directed by the parliament." ijfe p. 48. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 179 began to mine, in order to blow up some of the towers, and make a larger, which would not admit of defence. They sprung one mine from the hos- pital, at the east end of the castle, and drove it towards king's tower. They sprung another from the house occupied by one Ward, and carried it under the moat, towards the round tower, which they intended also to blow up. On the discovery of this attempt, the garrison began '.o countermine. They sunk several pits within the castle, and commenced their mines from thence. They also sunk several without the castle, near to the walls. The number of pits within and without the castle, is said to have been one hundred and ten or twelve * ; from whence they mined under the castle walls, and could have mined from one place to ano- ther all round, if it had been necessary. The besieged, in the beginning of February, continued a regular fire against the enemy, and much damage was done in various parts of of the town. Several houses were destroj^ed in Mickle-gate, and on the 17th some gentlemen's houses at the lower end of North-gate, occupied by the besiegers, were cannonaded, on which the besiegers set them on fire and departed. The besiegers were continually annoyed by the garrison, and on the 22d above thirty were killed. The work of slaughter went regularly on. * Drake's MS. A tradition has prevailed concerning various subterraneous passages belonging to the castle. One of these is generally believed to have extended into the park. Doubtless, there vi'erp various secret sallyports; but is it not probable, that the mines and pits which Mr. Drake mentions have given rise to such traditions? 180 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. and Englishmen, divided into hostile and irrecon- cileable parties, rejoiced in each others destruction. On the 24th of February, the besiegers re- ceived an additional force of two hundred and fifty men. They came over Ferrybridge, and one part marclied through the park to the town.; and the other to the low church, on their ap- proach toward which, the garrison gave them a furious discharge of musketry and cannon ; and it was thought did much execution, as in the night they fired two volleys, which was supposed to be at the funeral of a commander. The besieged were now reduced to great straits for want of provision ; and they found it would be impossible for them to hold out much longer, unless they could obtain supplies. The gQvernor sent with Air* Corker sixteen men to join Prince Kupert, and to acquaint the king with the situation of the garrison. The kin^ was not willing to loose a fortress of such im- portance, or to suffer so many brave men to fall; into the hands of the enemy, without an attempt to relieve them. Although the treaty of Uxbridge was still pending, there was no hope of any accommo- dation; as the king was unwilling to yield any thing; and from his letter to his queen, it ap- pears he was determined to support the catholics, and maintain all his pretended prerogatives. From the achievements of Montrose, in Scotland, and the divisions in parliament, he seems to il)ay;^ indulged the hope that in a little time his enemies would be obliged to submit to any terms he might choose to dictate. He however judged it prudent to send Sir Marmaduke HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 181 Langdale, with a body of tno thousand horse, to raise the siege of Pontefract castle. On receiving his orders, Langdale departed from Oxford, and under the colours of the enemy, marched through several of their quarters, and soon reached Doncaster. On the 28th February, the garrison received information of his approach, and anxiously awaited that contest which was to decide their fatCj and either bring them re- lief, or by disappointing their hope, oblige them to submit, however reluctantly, to surrender the fortress to the enemy. The l>esiegers on the same day received in- telligence, and not knowing the strength of the royalists, took every precaution to secure their cannon, ammunition and stores. They set fire to several houses below Monk-hill, least they should aiford a cover to the besieged in the expected action. The troops were stationed on the south and south-west of the town, to be ready to re- ceive the enemy. Col. Lambert and Col. Forbes had the command of the forces, but re- ceived possitive orders from Fairfax to stand on their defence, and if possible to avoid an action, till some additional troops had come up to their assistance. About three o'clock in the afternoon, on the 1st March, Langdale was seen from the castle on the top of the hill, on this side Wentbridge. He marched on to Darrington, and then wheeled to the left by Carleton,. and formed for action in the Chequer field. The two armies faced each other till near six o'clock, the cavalry of the parliament retreating as Lang- dale advanced, till they came to some of their 182 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. infantry, which had been stationed behind the hedge. Lambert, without waiting for any addi- tional troops, now attacked the enemy with great impetuosity, and the fire of the infantry from the hedge, so galled Langdale's horse, that they were driven back. At this critical moment the garrison sallied forth, and coming upon the rear of Lambert's infantry, turned the fortune of the day. The chief contest was near this liedge. The same ground was lost and regained four or five times; but Langdale's horse return- ing to the charge and some of the parliamentary troops cowardly flying without making the least resistance, Lambert was under the necessity of sounding a retreat. The forces of the parliament fled without order towards Ferrybridge: and more perished in the pursuit than in the action. The enemy hung on their rear till they reached the bridge, where they were for some time protected by a cannon which had been placed there. It was loaded with grape shot, and being discharged killed four men belonging to the garrison. The troops on the bridge were instantly attacked, and driven from it, with the loss of their field piece. The flying parties of the army were pursued between Sherburn and Tadcaster. In the action Lambert himself was wounded, and rr.any of his officers slain, among whom were Col, Armin, Col. Thornton, and Col. Malary. In the Checpier field, where the bat- tle commenced, and in the pursuit to Ferry- bridge, he lost about one hundred and sixty men. In the contest at Ferrybridge, and in the pursuit to Sherburn, it is supposed about HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 183 one hundred and forty more were killed. Near seven hundred were taken prisoners, among whojn were fifty-seven ofiicers. Twenty-two stand of colours belonging to the infantry, which were all they had, were taken; and twenty standards of horse, one iron piece of ordnance and twenty carriages; thirtj-four double barrels of powder and a proportionate quantity of match and bullet, together with two thousand stand of arms, fell into the hands of the victors. Sir Marmaduke Langdale returned to the castle, between ten and eleven o'clock the same night, having quartered his troops in the towns and surrounding villages. A body of cavalry were stationed at Featherstone, and another at Houghton. These were commanded by Langdale Sunderland, Esq. of Ackton, who had raised a regiment of cavalry for the king, and supported them at his own expence. He was connected with the family of Sir Marmaduke Langdale by marriage, and accompanied that general in most of his enterprizes. Lord Fairfax, on the news of Langdale's ap- proach, had ordered the Yorkshire forces to march with all speed to Pontefract. He had himself departed to bring them up; and on his way was apprized of the defeat of his own troops , ,* Langdale Sunderland having purchased Ackton, removed theTfe'from High Sunderland, near Halifax, the ancient seat of his family. He spent fifteen hundred pounds per annum in. the royal cause, and suffered considerably in the time of Oliver; but like many others, after the restoration, was neglected and forgotten. He lies interred in Featherstone church. His grand- son Peter sold the Featherstone and Ackton estates to Edmund Winn, Esq. from whom it has descended to Sir Edmund Mark Winn, Bart, the present possessor. 184 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. before the castle. In the same night a part of the Yorkshire infantry had jDiished forward as far as Glass Houghton, and falling unexpectedly on the body of Langdale's horse, quartered there, routed them, and took one hundred horses, and made several men prisoners*. The Lord Fairfax, with the cavalry, hastened to their assistance, but the fight was over before his arrival. The rallied forces of the parliament now joined his lordship, and in a few days he was at the head of a formidable ^vmy. Sir Marmaduke Langdale, having relieved the castle, after refreshing his men with a few days rest, retreated to Doncaster, and from thence to Newark. In this march he had nine passes to dispute; and had twelve skirmishes with the enemy, in which he vanquisiied nine thousand men. Thus ended the first siege of Pontefract castle, during which the garrison had given the strongest proofs of their fortitude, prudence and courage. The besiegers had lost in killed more than five hundred men, and near one thousand prisoners; while the besieged had not lost in all more than one hundred. They were not however suf- fered to exult long in their victory, for on Langdale's departure, the troops of the parlia- ment again collected, and the garrison had to sustain a second siege, which at length ended in an honourable surrender. * Whitlock. p, 136. ■ 1 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 185 SECTION XIII. Events during the second Siege. 1 HE garrison availed themselves of the oppor- tunity they now enjoyed of providing as ample a supply as possible for future contingencies. They made several excursions, and levied heavy contributions on the surrounding country. They seized the cattle, and laid in a stock of pro- visions. Necessity, they considered, destroyed the claims of private right; and whatever they could seize, they deemed it proper to take for their own use. The inhabitants of the town and the surrounding country, were alternately exposed to the exactions of the royalists and parliamentarians; and were eq[ually insecure which ever party prevailed. On the 11th of March, Capt. Laborne and another taking a ride from the castle, towards AVentbridge, and meeting with Mr. Ellis, of Brampton, a great sequestrator*, and a quarter-, * Sequestrators were persons appointed to examine into the- conduct and morals of the. clergy ; and such as were *< 'scandalous in their lives, and ill-afFected to the parliament," they had the power to present to a committee of the housCj, which committee in consequence ejected them from their liv- ings, and appointed others to officiate. The royalists detested the sequestrators. ' Mr. Ellis was a, highly respectable character, and from a just concern for the interest of his country, and of the Protes- tant religion, embraced the cause of the parliament. His son, oi' grandson, Geo, Ellis, left a good farm at Brampton to build B b * 18.6. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. master, took them both and brought them pri- soners to the castle. They afterwards made ex- cursions to Turnbridge beyond Ackworth, a small station belonging to the enemy, which they attacked, and took Lieut. Col, Lee, Lieut. Col. Ledger, and three horses. On the 15th, a party went out towards Don- caster, and meeting with Col. Brandling's regi- liient, they routed it and took one major, one lieutenant, and about one hundred horse. Ano- ther party, on the same night, paid a second visit to Turnbridge, and plundered the enemy's storehouse of whatever it contained. The reappearance of the troops of the parlia- ment soon checked the garrison, and put an end to their excursions. On the 21st, a consi- derable body took possession of the upper town. Capt. Redman was killed near the Brigg/ and three others belonging the garrison taken pri- soners. The enemy were not sufficiently strong to surround the castle, and the garrison continued still in possession of the lower part of the town, from whence they could be always sup- plied with wood and provisions. The besiegers, fully convinced that the castle was impregnable, and that the courage and loy- alty of its defenders could not be subdued, un- less by famine, began to intrench themselves, and to form a regular blockade. They took possession of the New-Hall, Monkhill, and Bag- hill, where they cut trenches and erected strong works. The besieged endeavoured to prevent the construction of these works; and by daily and endow a charity school there, for the instruction of the children of the poor of Brampton and West Melton. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. f^7 sallies, and a heavy fire from the castle*, they greatly annoyed the enemy. A party from the garrison made a sally on the 28th, and attacked the intrenchments on Baghill, killed two of the enemy, and then re- treated without loss. In the night of the 31st, Capt. Smith, with thirty men, went forth, and unexpectedly falling on a barn which the enemy had converted into a guard-house, routed the guard, and killed four men. The besiegers, notwithstanding these attempts of the garrison, and the losses they daily sus- tained, continued to work at their intrenchments, and converted different houses and barns in the town, into guard-houses. The houses of the alder- men, who had fled to the castle, and volunteered in its defence, were immediately occupied j among which, as being best situated for the purpose, those of Alderman Lunn, Rusby, and Gates, are particularly mentioned. The garrison, equally bold and watchful, availed themselves of every opportunity of im- peding the works, and diminishing the numbers of the enemy. On the 1st of April they as- saulted the guard at Monkhill, and killed ten men; one was also shot at the low church from the king's tower. On the 4.th a vigorous and successful sally was made by three companies, consisting of thirty men each. Alderman Rusby 's house and barn were assaulted, one captain and three pri- vates were killed, the rest dispersed, and the * On the 22d the besieged fired fifteen cannon into the town and other places, and had a woman shot through the hand, and a man through the thigh, on the round tower, by the same bullet, but neither of them were killed. On tlie 2'4th they fired three cannon to the house of one W. Booth, in the park. 183 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. house and barn set on fire. The different gen- tries, near the low church, were also attacked, and compelled to retreat with the loss of one taken prisoner. The besiegers, in consequence of this sally, drew up their forces, and lined the hedges from the park to Denwell, with infantry. They erected their standards at the top of Skinner-Lane, which the besieged perceiving, directed their cannon against them, and beat them down. The besiegers were not long permitted ta enjoy repose, but from the activity of the gar- rison were almost incessantly kept on duty. On the 5th a party of horse under the command of Capts. Washington and Beale, and forty mus- keteers, under the command of Capt. Smith, sallied forth against the enemy. The horse fought with gi'eat bravery, and compelled the enemy to retreat into the town, and to double the number of their cavalry; who then returned, and renewed the attack, supported by one hun- dred musketeers, who lined the hedges. Though the enemy kept up a heavy fire, the party from the castle maintained their ground, and took in their presence, two butchers coming into the town loaded with meat, which afforded a seasonable repast to the garrison. On Easter-Sunday the rancour which pre- vailed in each party displayed itself. The go- vernor had solicited Col. Forbes to permit him to buy some wine in the town, for the sacra- ment; and Col. Forbes, with that spirit of libe- rality which distinguishes the gentleman, readily granted a protection to any person the governor might send into the town for that purpose. But the men on duty refused permission ; and HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 189 one Browne, of Wakefield, observed, " If it was for their damnation they should have it, but not for their salvation;" language which suffici- ently evidences his narrow mind, bigotry and prejudice. The garrison having attended divine service, were ordered to arms. Strong parties were commanded to sally forth in different directions, and to make a combined and general attack on the enemy's works. Capt. Washington and Capt. Beale commanded the horse, attended by fifty musketeers, under Capt. Munroe, Capt. Flood commanded another body of fifty musketeers. To each of these bodies were added twenty-five men, taken from the volunteers, who served under the four colonels within the castle, twelve were taken from Sir Richard Hutton's division, commanded by Capt. Croft, ten from Sir G. Went- worth's, commanded by Capt. Benson; and ten from Sir Jarvis Cutler's, commanded by Capt. Ogleby. The first party sallied out of Swillingtoii tower, up Northgate, and made a long and a desperate attack upon the enemy's works, which were as nobly and bravely defended. The other party sallied out of the lower gate, to the low church, and having dispersed the guards, they turned up the south side of the town, by the halfpenny-house, to the enemy's trenches, where a similar attack was made. While these parties were engaged with the enemy, they were in part protected and considerably assisted by the fire of their friends from the castle. In these rencounters the principal loss fell to the share of the besiegers, having one hundred and thirty killed, besides -the wounded; the besieged 190 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT- had only two men killed and two wounded. They took one prisoner, a quantity of muskets and swords, and one drum*. On the evening of the same day, Capt. Smith, Capt. RatdifTe, and Lieut. Wheatley, with an hundred men, again sallied forth up North- gate, and thence into the market-place, where they kept up a severe fire, and did great exe- cution for near an hour. In this attack the ene- my's powder was set on fire, and blew up about twenty men, near Mr. Lunn's house, many of "whom were killed, and the rest so burnt that there was httle hope of their recovery. Although the besiegers suffered much, they received various reinforcements, and carried on their works with diligence and success. If the besieged by their bold and well-conducted sal- lies compelled them to retreat with loss, their numbers were inadequate to maintain the works the besiegers had left; and in their turn they were obliged to retreat to the castle for their own security. The spirit, the valour, and the perse- verance of the besieged, eifected all that was possible. On the 7th they made another sally to Bag- hill, where they killed one man and took another prisoner with two horses. The musketeers from the castle protected them, and by a vigorous fire killed eight or ten men in the trenches. The following day they repeated their attack against the enemy's works on Baghill, but on the whole were unsuccessful. The enemy hav- ing retreated and doubled the number of their horse, and bringing one hundred musketeers^ * Drake's MS. HISTORY OF PONTEFKACT. I'Jl compelled the party from the castle to retreat; which they effected without loss, Lieut. Moore being only wounded by a shot in the arm*. At this period a body of troops under the command of Sir John Savillef, which had been employed before Sandal castle, came to strengthen the besiegers here. They were princi- pally stationed at the New Hall, and during the remaining part of the siege, they suffered much from the sallies and fire of the garrison. The besieged continued their attacks on the 10th. The fire of the cannon and musketry did considerable execution. About twenty of the enemy were killed in their different works, du- ring the day; and in the night the cannon was discharged twice, loaded with grape shot, into the trenches at Baghill, where the cries of the enemy indicated the slaughter which was made. Alderman Thomas Wilkinson, who had with many others, entered into the castle, was on the l2th unfortunately killed by a shot from Baghill, whilst standing near the gate of the * On the 9th a Lieut. Perry, with another, met one of the enemy's scouts on Baghill, and run him through ; but his companion fleeing, and the enemy approaching, he was obliged to leave both the man and the horse. On relieving the sentries the fire from the castle killed two men and one woman. The besieged saw from the castle the besiegers send off five waggons with the wounded. f Sir John Saville, of Methley, the son of Sir John who had married, to his second wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Tho. Wentworth. Esq. of North-Elmsall. This Sir John married, to his first wife, Mary, daughter of John Robinson, of Rither, Esq., and was high sheriff of Yorkshire, in the twenty-fourth pf Charles I. He espoused the cause of liberty and freedom, and exerted himself on the side of the parliament. 192- HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT.' barbican. Thus, were one party watching the other; and an individual could not make his ap- pearance without being exposed to the fire of his enemies. How dreadful is that unnatural state of society, which destroys that respect and regard which man should feel for man 5 and im- poses it as a duty for one to become the exe- cutioner of another! The besiegers on the 13th drew up three or four troops of horse, as if they intended to form in a body for some important enterprize. About noon a considei'able number formed on the sand bed, below the New Hall, on perceiv- ing which, the besieged discharged the cannon from king's tower, dismounted a whole file, killed two men and their horses, and severejy- wounded four others. The besieged, by firing from the towers> endeavoured to protect the cattle, whicb they sent out of the castle to graze in the adjoin- ing meadows. The besiegers on the other hand, availed themselves of every opportunity of shoot- ing at the cattle, and of compelling- the be- sieged to drive them in again for the purpose of security. This g3.ve rise to various, and. al- most daily, skirmishes, which seldom terminated without the etfusion of blood. On the 14th a. party of the enemy attacked the cattle, neap Swillington tower, but a heavy fire of musketnjc from the tower, compelled them to retreat, and saved the cattle. On this day the enemy received three loads of. ammunition, and the garrison counted five troops of horse more than they had hjtherto observed. They conjectured, that, as the treaty of Ux- HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 193 bridge had failed, and as it was the king's in- tention to raise the siege of Chester, and to de- tach a part of his forces to recover his authority, into Yorkshire, a general engagement in this part was expected, as an army of three thousand Scotch now lay at Leeds, Knaresborough, York, Cawood, Selby, and Pontefract. This day a sally was made by about twenty musketeers, without any commander, except one of their companions, distinguished for his per- sonal courage and conduct, called Wm. Wether, alias Belwether. They approached one of the enemy's barricades, near the New Hall, bravely attacked it, and drove the men away, who fled to their horse guard. The assailants began to de- molish the work, and continued their employ- ment till they observed the enemy's horse ready to charge, when they retreated without loss in- to the castle *. The same night Wm. Belwether, attended by six of his companions, fell on the enemy's tren- ches, near Broad Lane end, killed three men, and an officer dressed in a buff coat and black scarf, supposed to be Col. Eden, dispersed the rest, and returned in safety. On the 15th various attacks were made by the garrison, but without much loss to the be- siegers. In a sally made on some part of this day, the garrison suffered a severe loss in the death of Col. Tindall, Lieut. Col. Middleton, * Drake's MS. On the affemoon Lieut. Perry obser\'ing five of the foot belonging to the garrison, engaged with four of the enemies horse, near Baghill, rode to their assistance, attended by Sir Jarvis Cutler's man, rescued them, and brought them back to the casUe. C C * IS* HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT, and Other officers, as well as many soldiers of inferior rank *. A vigorous and successful sally was made on the 16th. Capt. Hemsvvorth, with fifty mus- keteers, went out of the lower gate to the tren- ches, near Alderman Lunn's house; and Capt. Munroe, with other fifty, from Svvillington tower, lip North-gate, to the enemy's upper trenches. These were assisted by fifty gentlemen volun- teers, drawn from the four divisions as before noticed. A party of horse, under Capt. Beale and Cornet Speight, were stationed near Baghill, to prevent the horse of the enemy giving any assistance to their infantry during the attack. The two parties assaulted the enemj^'s trenches with great bravery, and compelled them to retreat to another trench, nearer to the bridge. The loss of the besiegers in this skirmish was about fifty, in killed, wounded, and taken; amongst the for- mer was one lieutenant, and in the number of the latter was Capt. Wade, seven drummers, and sixty stand of arms. The next day the enemy was observed to carry away seven wag- gons loaded with wounded men. On the 18th the besieged discovered about forty oxen and milch cows, belonging to the enemy, grazing in the fields. Impelled by the privations they suffered, they formed the design * Whitlock, p. 142. It is singular that Mr, Drake gives no account of this sally, nor of the loss the garrison sustained. As parties were often sent out of the castle to Sandall, and other places belonging to the king, it is probable tliis party might be sent out for this purpose, and being at- tacked before thejr had cleared the enemy's works, were over- powered by numbers; and the fact not being known to Mr, Drake, till some time after, he forgot to notice it. HISTORY OF rONTEFRACT. 195 of attacking the enemy and seizing the cattle. A body of horse commanded by Capt. Beale and Cornet Speight, and another of infantry, under Majors Bland and Dinnis, saihed forth and com- pletely effected their design, seizing all the cat- tle, and returning to the castle without the least loss. About an hour after this the besiegers re- ceived a reinforcement of six hundred Scotch horse and foot, under the command of Col. Montgomery. The supply the garrison had just obtained was very seasonable, as they were now completely beleaguered. They gave the Scotch a warm reception on their arrival, keeping up a heavy fire from the castle, by which several were killed, and among these were Capt, Hamilton, and other officers. This being the market-day the besiegers drew out a considerable body of cavalry and musketeers, on Baghill, to protect the butchers and others coming to the town, and to prevent the garrison obtaining a supply of fresh provi- sions; but the besieged by a well directed fire from the towers, obliged them to disperse, and quit their station. A party of the Scotch from Monkhill lined the hedges, and assaulted the musketeers, sent from the garrison to protect the cattle whilst grazing, but were repulsed. On the following day the besieged set fire to the lower side of Monkhill, and at three dif- ferent times compelled the enemy to retreat from their works. No considerable advantage v^as ob- tained, nor did the enemy suffer materially in these rencountres*. * Drake's MS. On the same day three privates dis- 196 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. On Sunday the 20th the Scotch fired the upper part of Monkhill, and began entrench- ments from Bondgate Mill towards their barri- cades, at Cherry Orchard Head; and from thence raised several strong works to the top of Monkhill. The besieged, in order to annoy the enemy on Baghill, began to raise a mount within the barbican, where they intended to plant the only Jarge iron cannon of which they were possessed *. The besiegers perceiving their design, continued a steady fire against the men employed in ma- king the platform. On this and the following day the work was, notwithstanding, carried on and completed. The besieged fired several cannon on this day, one of which shot through the enemy's barricades, behind the School-house, and as there were many men there, it is supposed it did great execution. By some mistake, the Scotch run to arms, and taking a party of their own men for cava- liers, fired upon them, and killed a major, be- fore their mistake was discovered. The Scotch continued to strengthen their played their courage, by sallying forth up Grange Lane, and attacking the Scotch in their works at the top of it, and com- pelling them to retreat. * There was found in the park closes about fourteen years ago, a ball weighing fifty-eight pounds and upwards ; and as it must have been diminished by time, it could not have weighed less originally than sixty pounds. The ball is now in the possession of Mr. Mitton, of Spittle Hardwick. Whether this was the caliber of the cannon in the castle, or of one possessed by the besiegers, is not certain. There have been many balls found in and near the town, of the weight of forty pounds. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 197 works, but did not extend them further ^ and on the night of the 2l2d marched away through the park, and were replaced by troops com- manded by Sir J. Saville. From this time the besiegers regularly brought up parties to Baghill, which were posted be- hind the hedges and in the trenches, and kept a constant watch on the garrison, and when oppor- tunity offered, they poured in their shot, which the besieged in like manner returned. In these attacks many lives were lost on both sides; but it does not appear that the besieged were ever able to sally beyond the enemy's works, so that from this period they were completely surrounded. On receiving intelligence that the king had raised the siege of Chester, and obtained some advantages over his enemies, the besieged began to indulge the hope that they should be again speedily relieved. What gave strength to this hope, was the information which a woman, taken by Belvvether, imparted. This woman asserted that the besiegers would remain only two or three days longer before the castle, and that the troops of the parliament would be col- lected together, to wait the approach of the royal army. Though this information was true as far as respected Chester, the conclusion drawn from it was never realized. The expectation of the besieged was wholly disappointed by the disasters which befel the royal army. The besiegers received a reinforcement of one hundred and fifty men, on the 26th. They came by way of Ferrybridge to the New Hall, where they kept a very strong guard. In the night they sent one hundred men from the up- 198 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. per town to Baghill, where they threw up a trench. "While the besiegers were thus employed in pre- paring for their own security, the besieged sal- lied forth in strong parties to prevent the ac- complishment of their design. About sixty men, commanded by Capt. Smith, and Lieut. Saville, sallied out of Swillington tovver, up Northgate, where they greatly alarmed the enemy, who beat to arms, both in the town and through all their trenches. A brisk fire was kept up on both sides for about half an hour, and the be- sieged retreated without any loss. Another party sallied out of the east gate at the same time, and drove the besiegers from their sentries to their works, near the New Hall. The besiegers carried on their works on Bag- hill, and kept about one hundred musketeers stationed there, who were regularly relieved by the same number from the upper town. So vigilant were the besiegers on Baghill, and so vigorous and constant their fire, that the be- sieged were closely confined; nor could they send out their cattle to graze without extreme danger. The garrison now began to suffer many pri- vations, and fresh meat was considered a great luxury. On the 27th some of the besieged see- ing three hogs, which had strayed down to the Broad Lane end, rushed out of the barbican, and at the hazard of their lives, drove them into the castle. This incident shews more clearly than any language the state of the garrison. During the night the enemy employed one hundred men in completing the trenches on Baghill, and on the following morning these HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 199 were relieved by one hundred and fifty from the town, who continued at the same work through the whole of the day. A party of the besiegers' horse drew up about noon, and marched through the park to Ferrybridge; on seeing which a number of bold and resolute men rushed out of the castle, with- out any commander, and bravely assaulted a troop under Sir J. Saville; gave an alarm to their guard at the New Hall, and having killed and wounded as many of the enemy as equalled their whole number, they retreated with safety to the castle. During the night of the 28th the besiegers employed at least three hundred men on their intrenchments at Baghill. The next morning, the garrison, to preserve some of their cattle alive, ventured to send a few of them to graze around the castle; but the enemy's works being now so near, they were soon compelled to drive them back, with the loss of one cow and two horses. The governor, hearing nothing satisfactory of the king's affairs, and perceiving the increa- sing force of the enemy, came to a resolution, to send four of his officers to Newark, to inform his Majesty of the state of the garrison, and to obtain, if possible, relief. In the night of the 29th the four officers departed from the cas- tle, attended by twenty musketeers, who at- tacked the enemy up Northgate, while their friends pushed forward and cleared their lines. On the 30th the besiegers relieved their guard on Baghill, with one hundred and fifty men at least, and through the whole of the day 200 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. a heavy fire was kept up on both sides. The besieged had one horse killed in the barbican, and the enemy had several men killed and wounded by the musketry from the round tower. Daring the night the besiegers burnt a house, called Hillhall house, occupied by one Oates, on Monkhill j and another small house near the castle walls. The poor inhabitants were thus expelled from their cottages; and at this unhap- py period were not only exposed alternately to the rapacity of the besiegers and the besieged, but compelled to seek a peaceable abode else- where. The 1st of May the enemy relieved their guard on Baghill, and began to erect a strong triangular work, which they walled with stone and filled with earth. The besieged planted their cannon against this work, and by a well-directed shot greatly annoyed the enemy. Within the work the officers and men were regaling them- selves with ale, but on the discharge of the cannon they betook themselves to their deep trenches. Several sallies were made by small parties against the besiegers at Monkhill; and as these parties were covered by the fire of the castle, their loss was commonly much inferior to that of the enemy. The troops of Sir J , Saville were this day several times driven from their works, with the loss of some killed and more wounded. In the afternoon three of the garrison, without orders, issued forth against the enemy. They gave fire freely, and displayed the greatest personal courage and resolution. They continued their assault, till the enemy began to collect. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 201 when they retreated, exposed to their fire. One of them, Nathaniel Sutton, a barber, was shot through the shoulder into the body, and in- stantly fell. Another, Capt. Dent, was wounded, receivinof a fracture in the skull, but recover- ed again. A ball entered the doublet and grazed up the back of the third, who had stooped to avoid the fire of the enemy, by which his life was preserved. The enemy cut down branches of trees, and made blinds at the ends of their work oa Baghill, where they placed a long drake, belong- ing to Sir J. Saville's troops, and on the fol- lowing morning opened a fire on the castle, but after having fired about eight times it was re- moved again. The besiegers lost ia killed and wounded this day near twenty men; and the besieged had one man shot in the head, who instantly expired. They also suffered a loss in one of their oxen, which the enemy shot whilst grazing; but a party from the castle suc- ceeded in bringing it off. On the 3d there was little firing on either side. The enemy kept close in their trenches, and the besieged, in the castle. The latter however were more straitened, and the loss they sustained from the destruction of their cattle began to be more seyerely felt. They had two oxen and a mare shot on this day, but secured the carcases. A deserter fled into the castle, on the fol- lowing day, and gave the besieged information respecting the state and numbers of the enemy. A number of royalists who had been taken pri- soners, near Newark, were brought to Ponrefraet, D d * 202 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. and exchanged for an equal number of the enemy within the castle. On the 5th, and some following days, the enemy relieved their guard on Baghill, with not more than thirty or forty men, and from this part of their works there was very little firing. On Monkhill they made ways through all the houses which they had burnt, till they came to one which had been occupied by a widow Tup- man, whei-e they kept their Gentries, and from whence they continued a constant fire. From their works in Paradise Orchard, in the Trinities, and from Alderman Lunn's and Rusby's houses, they continued a heavy and vigorous fire against the round tower, and the north part of the castle, which the besieged returned, and partial losses were sustained on both sides. Having in a measure rested on their arms for a few days, on the 9th each party recom- menced a strong and galling fire. The besieged shot an officer and one soldier at their works, at the top of Broad Lane. The name of the officer was Capt. Coulartes. The besiegers, in order to complete their lines, about four o'clock in the afternoon, set fire to several houses and barns in different parts of the town. From North- gate towards Micklegate, they set on fire two barns, which were joined together, the one be- longing to Mr. Shilito, the mayor, and the other to Mr. Batley. From thence they pro- ceeded in consuming all the houses aud malt- houses, till they reached Micklegate, amongst "which were several excellent buildings 3 particu- larly one newly erected, belonging to Mr. Bat- ley. They then crossed the street, and set fire HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 203 to Alderman Wilkinson's house. The fire of these houses and barns, raged with violence du- ring the whole of the night ; and the besieged fired several cannon into the town, which did considerable execution, and added to the horror of the scene. The besiegers had suffered much from the sallies of the besieged from Svvillington tower. They now determined to confine the garrison by the erection of strong works on Monkhill. Having once formed the resolution, they soon carried it into execution. The work was in the form of a half-moon or crescent, and while it afforded protection to the besiegers, it consider<- ably annoyed the besieged. If they made a sally up Northgate they were exposed to the fire of the enemy, from Monkhill; and the most determined valour of the besieged was unavailing. It is impossible to ascertain what human na- ture can endure, when supported by the plea- sing delusion of hope, or animated by the energy of a party spirit. The more men suffer in the cause they have espoused, the stronger their attachment frequently becomes; the importance or glory of the cause is thought sufficient to justify all the sacrifices they make, or all the sufferings thej'^ indure in its support. The truth of this remark is established by the' spirit of the garrison on the evening of the l*2th. While recounting their deeds of valour, and conversing on the cause they had hitherto maintained, a general enthusiasm was enkindled; and not hav- ing any more reviving liquors, they drew water from the new well, and drank the health of the king, and of all his good friends. They pledged one 204 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. another, and engaged to be faithful, and hold out the castle to the last extremity. On recei- ving these pledges, they rent the air with shouts and halloos. The besiegers, on hearing the noise of rejoicing, run to their arms, drew up their horse, and doubled their guards, supposing that either a vigorous sally would be made, or that the garrison had received some good news. The tattoo in the castle, at length relieved the ene- my from their fears, and the night passed in tranquillity. The following day a strong fire was kept ^ on both sides. The besiegers had two killed and several wounded. The loss they daily sus- tained, made them keep close within their trenches ; and they rarely made their appearance unless when they relieved their guards. The besieged observed the enemy send off toward Ferrybridge three or four waggons loaded with goods, which led them to believe that they were preparing to depart. What strengthened their be- lief was, that on the following day the enemy drove a considerable number of sheep and cat- tle the same road ; but it was afterwards found, that these were sent to York, for supplying the troops there with victuals. The garrison on this day were deprived for a season of the ser- vices of Cornet Thurley, vvho, while standing in the Barbican, was wounded by a shot in the arm. The enemy received a reinforcement of a troop of horse from Doncaster, which joined the main guard at the Nevp Hall. The whole of the enemy's horse was afterwards drawn up in the parks and their number appeared consi- HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 205 derable. The losses tlie besiegers sustained were soon made np by the arrival of fresh troops, while the garrison was gradually diminished in numbers, and still more weakened by the pri- vations they suffered. On the 15th a party from the castle sallied out of the east gate to the low church, in order to obtain some wood for firing. Two lieute- nants of the enemy observed them, but before they could retreat, or bring up any of their own men to their assistance, they were at- tacked, and Lieutenant Thompson, after being wounded, was taken and brought a prisoner into the castle. About two hours afterwards a drum was sent to propose an exchange of Mr. Thompson for an officer of the same rank, who was a prisoner at Cawood. About twelve o'clock at night Belwether, who had been sent to Newark seven days before, returned and brought letters from his majesty containing joyful news. As the king had now a re- spectable army, and was pushing forward into the southern counties, where it was conceived he would possess a decided superiority, it is pro- bable the letters received had a reference to this subject. The news the garrison received inspired them with fresh courage, and on the following day a vigorous sally was made to Monkhill, and the enemy were driven from their works to their main-guard, at New Hall. Anoiher party at- tacked the work below the old church, on per- ceiving which, the enemy drew about thirty men from the barn in the grange, and com menced a brisk fire upon them. The party 206 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. from the castle retired to a close and thick orchard, from whence they returned the fire for near half an hour, and then retreated into the castle. In the night another party issued from the castle, intending to destroy a new work the enemy had raised at the bottom of the abbey closes. The besiegers had by some means received information of their design, and had lined all the hedges with infantry; so that the moment the party from the garrison sallied out, they were exposed to a brisk and heavy fire. They returned the fire for some time with spirit, and then retreated in safety, having only two men slightly wounded. It was .supposed that a woman, who had gone out of the cas- tle, had given intelligence of their mtended at- tack, and thus frustrated their intentions. The next day the besiegers had one man shot from the round tower, in the market-place; and the besieged suffered a similar loss of a man, who was going out of Swillington tower. A drummer was sent from the town, and a trumpeter from the Lord Montgomery's brother, to the castle. The latter was ordered to the governor's chamber, and after a slay of half an hour was sent back. He informed the besieged that the parliamentary tioops did not exceed eight thousand men, in all the surrounding country. On Sunday the 1 8th, after attending prayer, and sermon in the castle, the governor ordered all the men to their arms. Old Major Warde was sent to the mount in the barbican to watch the towers, that none might make any signal with hat, hand, or handkerchief, or any other thing, to give the enemy notice of their pro- HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 207 ceedings. Capt. Smith, Capt. Flood, Ensign Killingbeck, and Sergt. Barton, went first over the drawbridge towards Monkhiil. Capt. Smith, with thirty men, went np Denwell Lane, to the outworks at the back of Monkhiil, and hav- ing beat the enemy fi'om thence, scoured the trenches to the lowest work. Capt. Flood and Ensign Killingbeck charged up the High Street to Monkhiil top, where they fired the houses and demolished the works of the enemy, and were joined by Capt. Smith and his party. Another party, under the command of Capt. Alunroe, Ensign Otway, and Sergt. Coupland, consisting of seventy men, sallied out by the old church to the lowest works of the enemy, and beat them from thence. Having set fire to an adjoining house, they charged up the lane to the grange barn, and there found several, who were sat after their dinner drinking healths to the upper house of parliament; these were in- stantly attacked, and every man slain. They next proceeded towards Monkhiil, and joined the other parties at Cheiry-Orchard liead, near New Hall. Lieut. Gilbreth, Lieut. Willowby and Lieut. Warde, with seventy men, were sta- tioned at the low church, and Major Warde and Lieut. Favell, with forty men, lined the walls in the low barbican. These formed a corps de reserve, designed to assist their friends in case the enemy had marched to the aid of their companions, either from the town or from Bag- hill. The different parlies succeeded in every direction, and being all united, near the New- Hall, charged the enemy at the very gates, and drove them from all their trenches over St. 208 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. Thomas' Hill, towards Ferrybridge. In this at- tack the enemy. lost about sixty men killed, and as many wounded. The party from the castle, on their return, seized tlie hats, arms, &c. of those they had slain. They likewise rifled their pockets, and as their own pay was much in arrear, the little they ob- tained afforded a seasonable supply. They brought also into the castle a quantity of swords, muskets, halberts, drums, saddles, spades, &c. and in every trench was found a bag of pow- der and some match which had been left by those who fled. The garrison lost in this sally Cornet Blackley, a brave and enterprizing officer, and had one man wounded, and another taken prisoner. In the evening the enemy sent two waggons loaded with the wonnded to Ferrybridge. The loss the besiegers had sustained checked tbeir ardor and abated their courage. The fol- lowing day they lay close in their trenches, and scarce one man appeared. The besieged encouraged by the success of the preceeding day, raised great shouts from the towers, and by crying out a " prince, a prince," alarmed the enemy, who fetched up their horses from grass, saddled them and drew up in Grange Lane. A strong party came from the town to Baghill, and another to New-Hall, to strengthen their guards there. During these movem^ents the besieged shot several of the enemy. The besiegers had their losses soon repaired by the arrival of considerable reinforcements, both of foot and horse. They came from Fer- rybridge by a circuitous march, under the hill from Darrington to the West Field, and from HISTORY OF PONTEFRACt. "209 thence into the park. The besieged had their eye upon all their motions, and fired their can- non from Treasurer's tower against them. The shot killed two men, and the rest marched off behind the r^ark ridge, where they abode. The fire of muketry from the round tower annoyed the enemy in their works at Baghill, and several fell there. The 21st being a very rainy day, both parties continued quiet till the afternoon. A small party of the besieged went to the low church to obtain wood, and the enemy imme- diately opened a vigorous fire in all directions upon them, which compelled them to retreat without accomplishing their object. At the same time about five hundred men, with drums beating and colours flying, marclied through, the lower part of the park, in single files, to the New Hall, to relieve their guards there. The troops commanded by Sir J. Savjlle, since their arri- val, had been kept on constant duty. They had scarce ever enjoyed a night's repose, and suf- fered severely by the dfferent sallies the garri- son had made. They now quitted the danger- ous post they had for some time occupied, and in the evening marched into the town, where they found the repose and refreshments nature demanded. The governor received letters from his Ma- jesty and Sir M. Langdale on the 22d, con- veying the pleasing information that a royal army was advancing for the relief of the castle. On receiving this intelligence the expectation of the garrison was raised, and they accompanied their friends coming to their assistance " with E e * 210 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. hearty desires and earnest prayers for a prosper- ous Messing upon their endeavours." One Han- son also arrived from Sandal castle in the night, confirming this information. Whether the kinc^, at this period, had any real intention of sending a part of his troops to raise the siege of the castles of Ponlefract and Sanflal, or whether the letters sent were only designed to raise the hopes of the garrison, and encourage them to a vigorous defence, till op- portunity occurred of affording them effectual assistance, is not certain; but the latter ap- pears mt.st probable, as the king was now marching with all his forces into Leicestershire. On the following day the enemy kept up their fire from Baghill against the castle, but did no execution. The besieged received infor- mation from Skipton Castle and Latham Hall, that these places which had been reduced to the greatest distress for want of provisions, had been happily relieved, and had obtained a supply of sixty head of cattle and other necessaries. On the same day there came into the castle, one Blag- bourn, a clothier, and another tenant of Major Beaumont's, who rejoiced much at the welfare of their landlord. The garrison considered this as a favourable sign, that they should soon be relieved, as these tenants evidently came to regam the the favour of their landlord, in case such an event should restore him to his estates and liberties. In the night a fire was made on the top of Sandal Castle, which was answered by one from Pontefract Castle, by which it was con- sidered that good news had been received. The governor received information that the gar- HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 211 Tison in Scarboro' Castle liail made a vigorous and successful sally, in whicii the besiegers had lost three hiruhed men, and that all their can* non had been spiked. ■ ' The 24th, as early as three o'clock in the m">rning, the besiegers commenced a dreadful fire against the nmnd tower, which continued for the greatest part of I he day. It was sup- posed they vvere irrilated on account of the fire the besiegeJ had kindled on the round tower the preceeding night, and the joy they disco- vered on receiving intelligence of his Majesty's success. 7^he besi{\c:ed were in suspense, and dill not know whether the enemy were now preparing to take the castle by storm, before the army of the king came up to their assist- ance; they however resolved, in case of such an attempt, to defend it as long as possible, and to surrender it only with their lives. On this day a poor woman, who was ga- thering potherbs, was wounded in the thigh by a shot of the enemy, but not dangerously. In the afternoon four men from the castle went down to the old church, where a small party of the enemy were stationed. They did not M'ait the attack, but all shamefully fled except one lieutenant, who threw stones at them so fast that for some time they were not able to enter. At length one Thomas Lowther, a bold and courageous soldier, closed in upon the lieu-- tenant, and would have taken him prisoner, had he not been at tliat moment wounded by a shot in the leg, which the enemy perceiving hastened to take him, but his three companions with much difficulty brought hini to the. castle, where he suffered amputation and recovered. 212 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. The besieged received letters this day, in- forming them that the array of the king which consisted of fifteen thousand men was divided, and that one half, under the command of Piince Maurice, was marching to raise the seige of Carlisle, and the other under his Majesty, was coming to their assistance. The enemy continued their fire all the night, and the next morning, they poured in whole vol- lies, from every quarter against the castle. They rent the air with crying, a Cromwell! a Crom- well! They had received intelligence that Crom- well was marching in his Majesty's rear. Thus the hopes of each party were alternately encouraged, and depressed. The besiegers set fire to two or three houses in Northgate, and to the water- mill in Bondgate, together with a few other houses. The reason of this severity is supposed to have been, to compel the inhabitants to pay a contri- bution, which the enemy had laid upon the town, and with which they very reluctantly complied. On the 26th, being Whitsun-Monday, the great gun in the castle was removed from the mount before the gates, and planted on the platform, without the upper gates, from whence in was discharged against the sentry house, near Alderman Rusby's; the shot struck the house with great force, and from forty to sixty per- sons ran out in great consternation. They also planted a little drake on Swillington tower, which they played against the enemy's guard at Paradise orchard, but did little execution. On this day a man called W. Tubb, and a boy, along with many others, went out of the castle to cut grass for the cattle, and impru- HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 213 dently venturing too near the enemy, the boy was wounded by a ball, which entered side-way his mouth and went through his cheek, and the man was taken prisoner. The enemy perceiving that he was an ignorant clown, gave him ale till he was nearly intoxicated, and then tried to obtain fi'om him an account of the number of the garrison, the quantity of their ammunition, provision, &c. but he either gave an exaggerated account, or evaded the questions put to him, and as they were conveying him to their prin- cipal guard-house, at New-Hall, he slipt from them and regained the castle. The besieged on the 27th played their can? non against the enemy's, trenches, near Mr. Kusby's, and at Mr. Oates' house in the Mar- ket-place. One of the enemy, whilst carelessly walking on Primrose Close, under Baghill, and smoaking his pipe, was killed by a musket shot from the castle, A poor lit.le girl, who was feeding a cow under Swillington tower, was w^ounded by the enemy in the thigh, but reco- vered. In the night of the 27th, about twelve o'clock, Lieut. Wheatley arrived, who had been sent along with Capt. Washington, a few days before, to Sandal Castle. He had brought with him forty or fifty horse, who in their way had met with two of the enemy's scouts, taken them prisoners, and brought them to the castle. They had also met with one hundred and twenty or thirty head of cattle, which they had driven before them, and if they could but succeed in getting them into the castle, they would be supplied with provisions for some time. It was no easy thing f 14 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. to effect this on acconnt of the enemy's works and strong guards, with which the castle was HOW surrounded. Necessity prompted the gar- rison to make the attempt, whatever it might cost them, or whatever might be the event. Capt. Wiieatley had left the cattle at some distance, while he had pushed forwi^rd with all the speed of his horse to give the garrison information. It was agreed that the cattle should be brought from the Chequer Field, by ■way of Carleton, and on the public road to Bag- hill; and that when they came near he should cry out a prince! a prince! to arms! to arms. All was ready in the castle an hour before the cattle arrived. At length they arrived, and Capt. Wheatley came ndi ng as fast as he could, crying a prince! a prince! to arms! to arms. Some played the cannon against the enemy's "Works, and different parties sallied forth to aid in bringing in the cattle. Capt. Flood, Capt. Ogleby, and Lieut. Killingbeck, with fifty mus- keteers were sent to Baghill, with orders not to enter the enemy's works, but to remain under the iiill-side, and keep up a constant fire upon them, to prevent them from sallying forth. Lieut. Col. Gilbreth, Lieut. Smith and Lieut. Warde follovv^ed them up the hill, with forty musketeers, to the enemy's works at Primrose Close, under Baghill, from whence they soon compelled them to retreat to their strong tren- ches on Baghill. Next went Capt. Smith and Lieut. Oglebj^, with thirty musketeers, and at- tacked tlie enemy at Broad-Lane end, to pre- vent them from affording any assistance to those on duty at Baghill. Another party under the HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 215 command of Capt. Muiiroe, Capt, Barlhrome, and Sergt. Barton sallied forth from the east gate to the enemy's works below the church, and prevented them from coming from Monk- hill, or New-Hall. The different parties having reached their stations, and fully succeeded in checking the enemy, Capt. Joshua Walker, with about twenty snap-/ianc/ies*, went up the closes, on the south side of the low church, to Bag- hill, where he met the cattle. The Sandal men then returned, except about ten who assisted Capt. Walker to drive the cattle down to the cas- tle. Anxious to place the cattle in safety, be- fore the enemy could collect in numbers suffi- cient to prevent it, they drove them down the hill -^ with such haste, that they lost thirty or forty, which of course fell into the hand of the enemy. They however secured the possession, of ninety-seven, which would enable them to hold out the castle for some time. The cattle having reached the castle, the drums beat a retreat, and all the different par- ties of the garrison returned in good order, with- out having suffered the loss of a man killed, having only one wounded. The besieged now gave vent to their joy, for having obtained such essential relief, and in a manner so unexpected. They kindled bonfires on the tops of all the towers in the castle, and commenced a heavy fire against the enemy's works in all directions. The orders which the governor had given to * Snap-Hanches, the editor has been informed, is a term derived from the Irish, and is applied, among the military^ to persons not regularl}' trained to the art of war. 216 • HISTORY OF PONTEPRACT. the difTerent parties, demonstrated his prudence and the solidity of his judgment. Had the dif- ferent parties, instead of keeping the enemy in check, fallen upon them, it is probable they would have been compelled to retreat, and thus have failed to accomplish their design. The men whose zeal and courage were not always regulated by wisdom, expressed a strong desire to attack the enemy, and their commanders had much to do to restrain them; they however did obey orders, and to this circumstance they, most probably, owed their success. The besiegers the next day commenced a heavy fire against the castle, but did not the least injury to the besieged. They seemed to be ashamed of their conduct on the past night, in suffering the castle to be so easily relieved. They informed their govenor, Overton, that five hundred men had escorted the cattle. Fear, as it magnifies danger, often multiplies the number of an enemy, and justifies the inactivity, not to say cowardice, of those imder its influence. The besiegers might have found a better rea^ son for their conduct than what they assigned. They might with truth have said, " That being ignorant of the strength of the enemy, they judged it more proper to remain on the defen- sive, than to desert their lines, and expose tjlemselves wholly to their fire." Overton, the governor, sent a drum and three women, who were owners of part of the cattle, with a letter to Governor Lowther, either to deliver up the cattle, or make composition for them in mone3^ The governor, conceiving tlie letter to be an insult, as it was written in a HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 217 peremptory and commanding stile, replied, If he could take the castle, he should have the cattle, otherwise he should not have the worst beast brought in, under forty pounds. In the night the men vvlio came from Sandal, went out of the castle, with an intention to re- turn, but some of the garrison, who attended them, having their matches lighted, the enemy took the alarm; and, commencing a brisk fire, compelled them to return to the castle. The enemy, during the night, raised a strong baricado across the lane, leading to Baghill, in order to prevent the garrison from sallying forth in that direction. They also set fire to an house at the lower end of Northgate, which continued to burn for above two days and nights. The followmg day the garrison lost one of their number. The governor in order to preserve the cattle alive, allowed four pence to each man who cut and brought into the castle a burden of grass. Some, to obtain this trifling reward, exposed themselves to the fire of the enemy. The man who was this day killed, had cut six burdens of grass, and brought them to the cas- tle. Resolved lo cut one more, he was shot by the enemy, and afterwards run through with the bayonet. The enemy relieved their guard at New- Hall with three hundred men from the town; and there came back to the town three hundred and eighty men, marching in single files, through the Abbey Closes. During the night they erected a new triangular work, in the npper closes above Denwell, near to Swillington Tower, to check the garrison from sallying forth from that quar- F f 218 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. ter. On the following day tlie besieged fired their cannon against this work, and compelled the enemy to flee to their trenches. They how- ever returned during the night and repaired the damage which had been done to^ their work, and rendered it tenable for the future. A wo- man on this day standing in the Market-place, was unfortunately killed by a musket ball from the round tower. On the 31st the besieged kept a constant fire from the different towers of the castle against the enemy. They played their cannon against the guard-houses, which it was supposed did considerable execution. The 1st of June was a joyful day to the garrison. Having attended divine service, the governor informed them, that he had received letters from Sir M. Langdale, which contained the intelligence that he had beat in the enemy at Derby, and summoned them to suri'ender, and that the king and his friends were every where successful. The garrison considered this information as the prelude of then- own speedy relief, and final triumph over their enemies. On the 2d Governor Lowther sent Mr. Massey into the town, to Governor Overton, to propose and agree concerning the exchange of prisoners, who had been taken at Hull and other places. Overton granted all that was de- manded, and sent for them with speed. During the time Massey continued with the governor, an officer came and informed him that the men were almost in a state of mutiny, and that it was with difficulty they could be induced to obey orders. In the night the enemy threw up HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 219 j^nother work in the closes below Baghill, against the low church, in the form of a half- moon. They had now formed double lines around the castle, and were kept on such con- stant duty, that a spirit of disaffection generally prevailed, and many deserted. On the 3d the governor received letters from Newark, which conveyed the intelligence of his Majesty's success at Leicester. The country people, on tiie approach of the royal army, had carried all their moveables into that city, conceiving that a vigorous resistmice would have been made; and that before the city could be taken, the army of the parliament would relieve it. The king no sooner appeared before the city, than he began to batter the walls; and a breach being made, he assaulted the town on all sides, and after a desperate attack, the soldiers rushed in sword in hand, and commit- ted great cruellies on the garrison and inhabi- tants. An immense booty fell into their hands, which they took and divided among them. The loss of the enemy was great, and fifteen hun- dred prisoners were taken. On this success, his Mcijesty wrote to the queen, that his aff'airs were never in so hopeful a posture since the re- bellion. The hopes of the garrison here, were highly raised on hearmg of this splendid victory, and the spirit of the besiegers was proportion- ably depressed. The garrison had a {q\v wounded this day by the enemy's musketry; and the enemy had several killed by grape shot, discharged from the cannon in the castle. The following night the besiegers began ano- 220 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. then work at a little distance from the former, at t^e top of Mr. Stables' orchard, in the fields below Baghill ; and the besieged seeing a fire on Sandal Castle, 'answered it by another from the round tower. From this circumstance they in- ferred that his Majesty's forces had obtained another victory. On the 5th, a boy, an apprentice to Mr. Richard Stables, went from the castle to cut grass for the cattle, and was unfortunately M'ounded by a shot, which went through the arm, and part of the shoulder. He however recovered without suffering amputation. The enemy had five ensigns killed and several privates. The besie2:ers received a reinforcement of horse on the 6th, from Doncasterj and several troops were drawn up about the town. The garrison discovered four of the enemy in the mill under the castle, who were stealing the iron from about the works ; and a few running to the mill, three of the men fled, but one was taken pri- soner. He informed the garrison that a body of the king's troops were pushing forward to their relief, and had already reached Tuxford; — that in consequence, the troops of the parlia- ment were retreating, and would probably as- semble in this neighbourhood, where a general engagement was expected. This intelligence was confirmed by the arrival of about four hundred horse on the 8th, who in consequence of the approach of the king's forces had judged it ad- visable to withdraw from their quarters at Tick- hill, Rossington, and other places beyond Don- caster, Some troops of these horse were sta- tioned at Cridling-Stubbs and Knottingley, and HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 221 a part went over Melhley Bridge, towards LeetJs. On the -Qth the besieged heard distinctly the firing of cannon, which they supposed to be near Sheffield, and of course concluded their friends were drawing near. What encouraged the garrison and confirmed them in this opinion, was, that in the night they beheld a fire on the lop of Sandal Castle, the usual sign of good news. The besieged had one man slightly wounded, and by their fire from the castie killed several of the enemy. The besiegers kept a strong guard of horse "at New-Hall, which they relieved in the evening. At the same time came two horsemen at full speed into the town. They brought letters to Governor Overton; and a drum reported at the lower Barbican vail, that the troops of the king had taken Derby. The enemy, on the 10th, began another work in a close near Baghill, called Moody's Close, designed to check the garrison, and pre- vent any relief being aftorded. They began also another nearer Svvillington Tower, but the fire of the besieged compelled them to desist, and to flee to their other works. Ihey also received a reinforcement of eight troops of horse from Doncaster. These drew up in a body at Carle- ton, and one troop marched to South Hardwick ; another came from Darrington, and marched into the town; a third came from Ferrybridge, and marched into the park. On the llth, the forenoon was spent without much firing on either side. About two o'clock, the governor ordered all the men in the castle 222 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. to arms, which they readily obeyed. A heavy shower of rain compelled them to seek shelter for some time. After having received their orders, they sallied forth in different directions. Capt.. Munroe led out the first company consisting of Lieut. Moore, Sergt. Barton, and thirty muske- teers. Ihese went down to the church, but find- ing no men in it, they passed through it to Mr. Kellam's House, where a party of the enemy was stationed. Here Captain Munroe remained to prevent the enemy from sallying forth from their lower works ; but at his approach they fled. Capt. Smith, Capt. Flood, Ensigns Killingbeck and Otway, vvith eighty musketeers, followed Capt. Munroe through the church, to the lowest work the enemy had erected, at the top of Mr. Stables' orchard. Capt. Smith led his company fu'st to the work, and then passed along the hedge, where he took his station to prevent the enemy coming from their upper works to the assistance of those in the lower. Though exposed to a brisk fire from the enemy, he continued his post with great bravery. During this time Capt.- Flood and his company approached, and attack- jBd the work, which they found very strong, and exceeding difficult to enter. There was but one place of entrance, and that so low and narrow as to admit only one man at a time. They however began a heavy fire against the work, and shot in at the port-holes. Those within returned the fire, and bravely defended the work, till Capt. Flood having forced the entrance, spme escaped over the wall, and the remainder were taken pri- soners, consisting of one captain, one sergeant, one corporal, and eight men, who were severely wounded. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 223 Col. Gilbreth, Lieut. Wheatley, and Llent. Ward, with forty volunteers and soldiers, with clubs and muskets, formed a corps de reserve, and were stationed in the orchard, near the work, in case the enemy should sally to the assistance of their comrades. Lieut. Willowby, Lieut. Middleton, and Sergt. Parker, with forty musketeers, took post at the houses on the north-side' of the church, near the Star Inn, and prevented the enemy from cohiing from the Grange-Laith and their adjoining works. Lieutenant Alonkes, with Sergt. Barton, and twenty musketeers, were sent towards Monkhill, to prevent the enemy from sallying forth from thence. Here a warm contest ensued; each party endeavouring to gain possession of a wall and a hedge, but the party from the garrison ultimately prevailed. Lieut. Monkes ordered bis men to attack in files, which having fired fell back, and another came up and fired, after the manner of street firing, which led the enemy to believe that their number was much greater than it actually was. The besies:ers at last retreated to their works on Monkiiill, and left Lieut. Monkes and his party in possession of the pass. Capt. Joshua Walkei- with about twenty snap- hanches arid firelocks, sallied with the first party into the church, where, according ',o their orders, they were to remain for the space of twenty-four hours. They took with them sufficient provi- sions, match, powder and ammunition. They entered the steeple, and kept up a fire against the enemy on every opportunity. After Capt. Flood had taken the work, a party of the enemy (Came down to re-occupy it. The party within 224 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. the steeple fired upon them and killed twelve men, among whom were three officers, and wonnrled several others. The musketeers, snap-hancheSy and volunteers which remained in the castle, were commanded to the top of the towers and battlements, to watch the motions of the enemy, to annoy them in every direction, and to cover the different parties, who had sallied forth, by a steady and constant fire. The besiegers lost from this sally forty killed, eleven taken prisoners, and a considerable num- ber wounded ; the besieged had ox\\y two men wounded, one of whom afterwards died, and the other recovered. The besieged brought into the castle a quantity of muskets, pikes, powder, match and ammnnilion, which they found in their works. The siege of Pontefract Castle had now been carried on for several months, and there did not appear any prospect of its being taken by storm, or surrendered by -capitulation. The parliament was dissatisfied with the commanding officer, and the manner in which the siege had been hitherto conducted. An order came to Lord Fairfax, to remove Sands, and to appoint General Poyntz, to the command. On the 12th Lord Fairfax, and General Poyntz, came from York, attended with a guard ■of four troops of horse, but they returned again in the evening. 1 hey came to take an account of the number of the effective men, and to view the v.'orks of the besiegers. On this day, they lost several men by the discharge of grape shot i>om the castle. The besieged kept posses- sion of the low church, and regularly relieved HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 225 their guard there, consisting of a captain and twenty or thirty men. Capt. Ward was shghtly wounded in the arm. On the 13th, Gen. Poyntz came post from York again, and took upon him the command. The besieged, in order to relieve tlieir guards at the church without danger, began a trench from the east gate, and continued it clown to the churchyard. They also made blinds of bousjlis and sods, from the church to Mr. Kellam's, un- der the cover of which they cut grasps for their cattle, and brought in not less than one hun- dred burdens on this day. The guard in the church steeple kept up a coiistant fire a2:ainst the enemy's works, and effectually prevented any attack on their own men. The next day the besiegers reheved their guard at New-Hall, vvith three hundred and twenty men from the town; and on the return of the other, three men were killed in the closes' below the Headlands, by a ^hot of a cannon from Treasurer's Tower. They also played their cannon into the town, and shot throus^h the houses near Alderman Wilkinson's, where many of the enemy were assembled. A woman, who was carrying a stand of ale from Monkhill to the Grange guard, was killed, together with three or four men by the musketry of the guard from the church steeple. Capt. HJemsworth, with twenty-six men, was sent to relieve the- guard in the church. ' On the 15th a troop of horse passing along Bondgate, the besieged played their cannon fulli upon them from King's Tower, killed three metl' and their horses, and wounded many othei^s.^ G g * 226 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. The enemy this day sent several waggons loaded with the sick and wounded towards Ferrybridge. Capt. Cartwright, with twenty-six men, reheved the guard in the church this evening, aud du- ring the night the enemy formed a trench on the south side Mr. Kellam's, to prevent the be- sieged from cutting grass for their cattle. The besieged had, on the morning of the 16th. a boy and a man shot, as they were get- ting apples in an orchard adjoining the castle. The boy had been shot through the cheek about a week before, but was now nearly well. He foolishly called to the enemy from the tree, and dared them to shoot at him. One of them fired, and the same ball went through the body of the boy, and entered the thigh of the man. The boy soon died, but the man afterwards recovered. On the 14th was fought the decisive battle of Naseby, in which the royal army was com- pletely routed, near one thousand being left dead on the field, and five thousand taken pri- soners; all the king's train of artillery, bag and baggage, fell into the hands of the enemy. On the l6th the news of this important victory was conveyed to General Poyntz, who imparted it to all the men under his command. In conse- quence of this information they fired whole vol- lies against the castle, and rent the air with shouts of triumph and exultation. Gen. Poyntz sent an officer, with a drum, conveying a letter to Governor Lowther, to in- form him of this event, and to summon him to surrender the castle, while there was hope of mercy; as considerable reinforcements were coming HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 227 to his assistance, and he must at last be compel- led to surrender. The governor no sooner read the letter than he answered verbally, " That he neither feared the forces that might come against him, nor valued the mercy which was now offered," and instantly ordered the officer to be gone, and impart this information to his general. The governor appears to have wholly dis- credited the information, as he had received let- ters from Col. Washington, dated June 14th, from Newark, conveying the intelligence that his Majesty was at that period at Melton- Mowbray, and intended marching north, and in the space of ten days, if all succeeded, would relieve the castle of Pontefract. On this ground the garrison concluded that the enemy had recei- ved false intelligence, or invented the whole in order to intimidate the governor, and induce him to capitulate. The besiegers received in the afternoon a considerable body of forces, which were quartered in, and around, the town. They continued a brisk fire against the castle, which the besieged as briskly returned. They fired grape shot against the enemy's works at Baghill, but what execution was done was not known. The be- sieged sent Capt. Smith, with twenty musketeers, to relieve their guard in the church. On the 17th the besiegers began to enlarge the work, east of Baghill, in the closes south of the church, where they lost so many men, in the last sally made by the garrison. The guard of the besieged, in the church, discovered their intention, and by a regular (n'e of mus- 223 HISTORY OT PONTEFRACT, ketry from the steeple, compelled them to de- sist, and retreat into their trenches. The garrison continued to disbelieve the in- formation respecting the defeat of the king. Tliey received letters, which supported their hopes, and fully convinced them, that there was no truth in it. It is happy lor man, that in some circumstances, at least, he has the power to believe what he pleases; and can indulge hopes, which, though without foundation, afford him some present gratification. The besieged felt the influence of this power, at this period ; and hallooing and shouting in the castle, as if they had received some good news, the enemy run to arms in all quarters, and thus afforded the besieged an opportunity of powering in a heavy fire among them, which did considerable exe- cution. , ■ , f,i;»[Oii the 18th the besieged received two. let- ters from Newark, dated the 15th, wherein it was stated that the king, at the head of his army, was at Melton-Mowbray, as before men- tioned; that he intended to be at Newark on the Tuesday, and to march forward to the relief of Pontefract. They also brought information that great dissention prevailed in the House of Commons, and in the city of London, which, it was conceived, would tend to the advantage of the royal cause. Whether the letter contained this false intelligence, or the whole was an ar- tifice of the governor, to keep up the spirit of the garrison, is impossible to decide. As the battle of Naseby was fought on the 14th, it is scarcely possible, that those in the confidence of his Majesty should be suffered to remain so long HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 329 in ignorance; unless it be supposed that the fatal overthrow had so deranged his Majesty's affairs, as to cut off all communication. Gen. Poyntz, Overton, the governor of Pon- tefract, and other general officers, met at Don- caster, and held a council of war, to order and arrange the plan of their future operations. The besiegers remained in their works, and the besieged sent Capt. Kitchin, with twenty mus- keteers, to relieve the guard in the church. On the I9^h Gen. Poyntz and Overton, the governor of Pontefract, returned from Don- caster. Thev drew up their men in the Market- place. On seeing which the besieged played their cannon full among them, but what execu- tion it did was not known. Through the whole of the day, the besiegers appeared to be uncom- monly busy, and to be preparing for some en- terprize of importance. At the relieving of the guard in the church, four or five of the enemy were killed, and many wounded, which they conveyed into Mr. Kellam's house. The go-. vernor sent Capt. Washington, and Lieut. Empson out of the castle, to Newark, most probably to obtain correct information, as well as to learn whether any thing could be done for the relief of the castle. Gen. Poyntz called a council of w-ar, on the 20th, in the town. In the afternoon there arrived several loaded waggons at the New-Hall, in one of which was a cannon. There came also a party of infantry, which marched in single files through the park into the town. The garrison, on descrying the waggons whicli came on the lane above St. Thomas' Hill, played their 230 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. cannon among them, but did not perceive any damage done. The besieged received on this day an account of the battle of Naseby; but the account, hke a modern Gazette of a defeat, was palpably incorrect, and favourable circumstances were add- ed, so as to render it rather a victorv than a defeat. It was stated that the king had been defeated, and lost his cannon and baggage; but that on the day following, Gens. Goring and Jarrett, had come up with Fairfax and Crom- well, and after a furious and bloody contest, they had put them to flight, recovered the can- non and ammunition, and had pursued them nearly to Northampton, and to conclude all, that Cromwell was slain. On the following day a poor man, whose house had been burnt down at Monkhill, and who had fled to the castle for refuge, was shot whilst cutting grass near Monkhill, and instantly expired. Ihe body was fetched into the castle, and there interred in the evening. The enemy this day began to form a plat- form at Monkhill, for the cannon which had been brought two days before. The garrison played at them from the King's Tower, but their efforts were not successful. The enemy were protected by the works they had already raised, and they wrought with such diligence, that be- fore night they had completed the platform. Governor Overton himself superintended the work ; and on the following night they brought up the cannon from New-Hall, and planted it against the church. The garrison sent Lieut. Willowby, with HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 231 twenty musketeers to relieve the guard at the church; and a deserter came into the castle bringing his firelock and his sword. He in- formed the besieged, that it was reported that the troops of the parliament, though successful against his Alajesty, had since been routed. On the 22d, as soon as the day dawned, the enemy made a strong attack upon the guard in the low church, which they entered with an hundred men. Another party went into the trenches of the besieged, and up the High- street towards the castle. The guard withui the church defended themselves with the greatest bravery, and compelled those who had entered to retreat. Those in the steeple, by ringing the bell, gave the alarm to the garrison ; and a continued fire being kept up from the steeple, and from the east tower of the castle, rendered the attempt of those who had entered the trenches useless ; on which they retreated to their works, carrying the killed and the wounded with them. This attempt to obtain possession of the church, and to expel the guard which the be- sieged had for some time kept there, indicated the wish of Gen. Poyntz to preserve, if pos- sible, that fine Gothic structure from injury. The failure of this attempt, and the destructive fire of the guard, rendered it necessary to dis- lodge them by the battery of the steeple. After some time, the cannon planted at Monk- hill, carrying a ball of eighteen pound weight, began to play against the lanthein of the steeple. In about an hour and a half, they played thir- teen times, but did not make any impression^ 232 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. The besieged, to preserve the church, and pro- tect their, guard there, played their cannon from King's Tower against the enemy's works at Monkhill, and at the fifth discharge dismounted the cannon of the enemy. During the remain- dett of the day, the enemy were employed in rcntounting their cannon, and throwing up works for its security. In the afternoon they relieved all their guards;, and brought down four hundred men from the town to New-Hall, and as many returned. 1 he besiegers in the evening conversed freely with some of the besieged, and informed them of Cromwell's success, and the almost final destruc- tion of the forces belonging to his Majesty. The besieged, happy in their incredulity, con- sidered this information as designed to induce them to surrender, and they still hoped that they should soon be relieved. On the 23d the besiegers, as early as two o'clock in the morning, began to play their cannon asrainst the church. With some little intermission, they continued their fire against the lanthern of the steeple till near six o'clock, when a breach was made, and a part of it fell down. They then directed their shot to the steeple below the bells, for some time, but as no impression appeared to be made, they dis- continued their fire till the afternoon. The garrison had one man shot in the arm whilst he lay asleep in the lower Barbican. They watched the motion of the enemy, but owing to the works they had raised at Monkj hill, they were not able to make any diversion, nor coLi,ld' again dismount their cannon. Tlie HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 233 enemy recommenced their fire against the church, and in the course of the afternoon, poured in- to the steeple and body of this structure, forty eigliteen pound balls. The steeple was so much injured that the besieged considered it no longer tenable. They however sent Lieut. Moor, \Aith twenty mus- keteers, to relieve their guard; but he was ordered to occupy tlie houses round the church, and only to place two or three men within it. The besieged concluded that the enemy would make an attempt in the night to obtain possession of it, and either to take or driv^e in the guard to the castle. They had loaded their cannon with grape shot, and as they expected, the enemy about one o'clock, made an attack upon the church. The party of the besieged stationed in the houses began to fire briskly upon them; and those in the castle discharging the cannon, compelled them to retreat to their works. On the following day both parties rested on their arms, and few shot were fired till towards evening, when the different guards were relieved. Lieut. Otway was sent down to the church with two flies of musketeers, to relieve those who had been stationed there, and in the ad- joining houses. It was expected that the enemy would make another attack in the night, and as the governor was convinced they would carry their point, he ordered Lieut. Gtway, with his musketeers, to return to the castle at the beat- ing of the tattoo. The enemy, as was expected, about one o'clock entered the church, and the lower part of the town; and as they found none to resist them, remained in possession. H h *" 234 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. The garrison did not permit them to enjoy much rest; but l)y a steady and constant fire of musketry greatly annoyed them. They also played their caimon from King's Tower against the steeple, and fired five sliot from the garden into the body of the church ; so that the enemy never appeared in the steeple. They were em- ployed in digging up the dead, and making a work within the church for their own defence and security. From this circumstance it appears that the body of the church wi'.s much injured, and the interior v.holly destroyed. The besieged experience a severe loss this morning, in the death of Sir Jarvis Cutler, Knight. He was seized with a fever, and being destitute of good advice and necessary support, it carried him off. The enemy would not per- mit any fresh provisions to be obtained for him in the town. They only once indulged his lady with permission to visit him, and convey to him one chicken and one joint of m.eat. When dead, they would not permit him to be buried in the church, or suffer him to be con- veyed to his own home to be interred among his ancestors. On the 26th they prepared to inter the body of Sir Jarvis in the chapel within the castle. The body was first put into a coffm of wood, and the whole covered with lead, that his friends, after the siege might take him up and convey him to the family vault. The resident chaplain in the castle preached his fu- neral sermon, and the garrison honoured his interment by firing three vollies. The enemy would not permit Lady Cutler to depart after HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 235 the funeral, but obliged her to remain In the castle; and though often solicited to permit her to return to her house and children, they refused. The besieged began now to suffer severely. They could not obtain relief from any quarter. They were wholly destitute of fresh provisions. This produced its natural effect : the men were discouraged, and desertion became frequent. In the night of the 26th a person of the name of Aledcalf, who had waited on one Alexander Med- calf, who was confined by the gout, deserted to the enemy, and took with him whatsoever he could convey. He informed Gen. Poyntz that the surgeon who went to the castle to dress the wounds of the prisoners, and the drum who car- ried their provisions, communicated intelligence to the garrison, and supplied them with tobacco and other articles; in consequence of which in- formation they were taken up and imprisoned. The 27th was observed as a day of thanks- giving by the besiegers, for their late success and victory over the king. They had two discourses delivered suitable to the occasion ; and afterwards fired whole vollies from all their works around the castle. They twice played their cannon; and the first ball went through the drawbridge and the lower castle gate; the second fell short of the bridge, but shivered to pieces a large beam of timber against which it struck. The besieged had two men wounded in the Barbican, from the enemy's works on Baghill; and the besiegers had one man killed from the round tower, while standing at the back of Mr. Rusby's bouse. Lord Fairfax, after the battle of Naseby, 236 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. nmicluMl to relieve Taunton, vvhicli had been Jong be.sieged by General Goring, and was le- (bieed to the hist extremity. The Scotcli troops achanced to Newark, and began the siege of tlie town and castle there. The besieged re- ceiver], on the 28th, the news that their friends at Newark had made a snccessful sally, killed five hundred of the enemy, taken their cannon, and completely dispersed their forces. 7'his news aiTorded them some consolation amidst the disasters which had attended the royal cause. On this day the governor, Overton, sent a drum to the castle, to inform Lady Cutler that she might depart, if she pleased, to her own home. Anxious to revisit her mourning family, and administer comfort to her children, she im- rnediately availed herself of the opportunity. On her arrival at the first guard of the enemy, she was however seized, together with her maid, chaplain, and a tenant who had come to meet her, who were all stripped in order to discover any let- ters which might be concealed about them. Though no letters were found, yet they detained the lady and her maid till next day at noon without any provisions, the governor having countermanded the order for her departure. They then sent her back to the Barbican gates, but Governor Lowther considered it as improper again to admit her, as the enemy had given her leave to depart. In consequence of this determinatidn the lady, her maid, and her chaplain, remained without shelter in the street till ten o'clock at night, when they were permitted to go into the town, where they remained till next day, and then de- parted. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 23t W!iat could be the reason of tlie severity exercised towards I.ady Cutler, is impossible to devise. It was surely unbecoming the character of the governor, as a gentleman and a soldier, to insult a lady on account of the part her departed husband had taken ? To order her to be strip- ped in the presence of the guard, and to detain her without supplying the demands of nature, discovers a total disregard to propriety, and a cruelty bordering on barbarism. On the 30th the enemy had a general ren- dezvous of all their horse in this part, on Bro- therton marsh, which amounted to one thousand. After they haight,) Ann and Jane. His second wife was the daughter of Henry Lord Clifford, the first Earl ot Cumberland, and the widow of John Lord Scroop, of Bolton. By her he had issue John, who died young, Henry, and Catharine, who married R. Button, Esq. of Whitby. Francis, son and heir of Sir Richard, married Joan, daugh- ter and coheir of Sir Richard Bulmer, Knight, but died with- out issue. Sir Henry Cholmley, Knight, second son by his second wife and heir to Francis, inherited the estate and married Margaret, daughter of Sir William Bapthorp, of Bapthorp, Knight. He had issue Sir Richard, Henry, John, and Barbara, "^who married Sir Tho. Bellasis, Bart, afterward created Visct. 276 HISTORY or FOKTEFRACT. by the committee of the militia, was highly ofltenderl at this ap}X>iint merit, and petitioned parliament against it He seems to have con- sidered it as a reflection on bis hononr and talents, and in his letter asserts '* that the dis- jjaragement to him would be great." The House referred the leHer and the whole of tlie busi- ness to General Fairfax, to settle it as he should Falconberg) Margrret, Dorotliy, Hilda, and Mary, (who married Henry Fairfax, Rector of Bolton Percy, and second brother to F;.:rdinando, Lord Fairfax, of Denton,) Ann, Susanna, and Arabella. Sir Richard, son and heir of Henry, married two wives; first, Susanna, daughter of Ledyard, of Gatton, Esq. by whom he had issue. Sir Hugh, Sir Henry, (who n arried Katharine, daugiiter of Henry Stappleton, ot Wighill, Esq. •widow ol Sir George Twisleton, of Barlow, near Selby,) and two daughters, Mary and Ursula. His second wife, was Margaret, daughter of Wm. Cobb, Esq. arid by her, he had issue Sir Richard, (who married Mafgaret, daughter of John Lord Powlet.) This Sir Richard Choimley, was High Shenffe, 1623. Sir Hugh, his son an ! heir, (married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Wi.'iianl Twisden, of East Peckham, in Kent,) and had issue Sir William, Sir Samuel, Hugh, Elizabeth and Ann. This Sir Hugh was created a Baronet in the year |641. On the breaking out of the Civil war, he threw himself into Scarborough Castle, of which he was governor for some time. He attended on the queen, with eight thousand horse and foot, \Vliich cost him of 10000, and for which he afterwards suffered a tedious banishment, and paid for his delinquency .£1850. Sir Henry, his younger brother, espoused the cause of the parliament; was appointed one of the committee of the militia for Yorkshire, and commanded the troops before our castle. This is a singular instance of the unhappy divisions made in families during ti.ese troublesome times ; brother literally rose up against brother. The baronetage has become extinct; and the male line of one ot the branches has ended in an heiress, whose husband lias by licence again taken the name of Choimley, and re- !-ides at Hou-ham. *' HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 277 think proper, but to take care to. preserve the honour of (Sir Henry Cholmley, and that the business be carried on against the enemy*." Cromwell, having settled the alliiirs -of Scot- land, and left Gen. Lambert there with a few regiments, marched at the head of the rest of bis forceps into England. AVhen he reached New- castle he was received with every mark of re- spect and honour; ajid he continued there for some time to settle the affair of the northern countries. He however dispatched a body of troops to Pontefract, to strengthen the besiegers; and on the 30th of October the troops of the parliament, in and about Pontefract, kept a day of thanksgiving for his success in Scotland f. While the besiegers were thus exulting in the victories they had obtained, the besieged were suffering the vexation of disappointed hope, and envy ng the superior felicity of their enemies. They did not however sink into a state of apathy and indifference, but retained their usual valour and prudence. They were as bold and courageous to attack their enemies, by well conducted sallies, as they were resolute and firm to resist when attacked. A party from the garrison issued forth on the 31st, and fell on the besiegers with such impetuosity as to bear down all before them. In this rencontre they slew many, and made some prisoners +, On some occasions both the besiegers and the besieged rested on their arms, and drank to one another by the name of brother Boinideady and brother Cavalier; epithets M'hich distinguished * Whitlock, p. 34.4. t Ibid. p. 34-6. % Ibid. 346. 278 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. the adherents of the parliament, and of the king*. The besiegers had not hitherto made any impression On the garrison; nor had they strait- ened and confined them in any great degree, as they still kept possession of the New Hall, as an outwork to the castle. The little progress made in the siege, notwithstanding the numbers of men employed, sufficiently proved that either Sir Henry Cholmley was unequal to the com- mand, or that he was negligent in the discharge of the duties of his office. It is probable that Gen. Fairfax, who knew the strength of the castle, considered a more able and experienced officer necessary to reduce it; and that on this account he adhered to his former appoint- ment of Gen. Kainsborough to the chief com- mand. Whether Rainsborough ever came to Ponte- fract, to take the command, is not clear. It appears from letters sent from York to the parliament, that the difference between Sir H. Cholmlev and Rainsborough gave great advantage to the enemy f. From this it should seem that Rainsborough did come, and that Sir H. Cholmley would not give up the command to him. If Rainsborouarh did come he must have soon departed, and left Sir H. Cholmley again to conduct the siege.' The unsuccessful manner in which the siege ■was carried on, at length compelled the gene- ral in chief to send Rainsborough, with two regiments of horse and twelve hundred foot, to 4ake the command. He had readied Doncas- * Whitlock, p. 346, f Ibid. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 2Td ter, where most part of the infantry were lodged, and the horse lay east and west of the town. On his arrival Capt. W. Paulden formed a scheme to surprise and take him prisoner, with an intention to exchange him for Sir M, Lang- dale, his old general. The scheme, on reflec- tion, would seem rash and wholly impracticable. How could a few men surprise a general in the midst of his troops? What seems improbable on the ground of reason is often rendered cer- tain by the united efforts of prudence and courage. At midnight, on the 31st of October, Capt. Paulden, taking twenty-two select men in whom he could most confide, ^vell mounted, rode through the open gate over the meadows be- tween two of the enemy's horse guards, whom by favour of the night, they passed. They were all good guides, and understood the ways public and private very exactly. At break of day they reached Mexborough, from whence they sent a spy to Doncaster, to know if there was any previous caution sent against them, and ordered him to meet them at Conisborough when the day was closed. In the mean time they refreshed themselves and their horses till about noon. At night the spy returned, and assured them there was no mistrust, and at sun- rise a person would come with a Bible in his hand, as a silent indication that all was right according to their earnest desire. On the fol- lowing morning, by break of day, the man ac- cordingly came; and Capt, Wm. Paulden then divided his twenty-two men into four parties, six were to attack the main guard, six the guard upon the bridge, four were ordered to 280 BPISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. Gen. Rainsborongh's quarters, and the captain with the remaining six, after he had seen tlie four men enter the general's lodgings, was to beat about the street and keep the enemy from iassembrmg. On their a-pproach to the town, attacking the first barricadoes, the soldiers fled into the covmtry, and the guard on the bridge, having flung their 'Weapons into the water, scam- pered for their lives. The mam guard was sud- ■denly surprised by an interposition between them and their arms; and the men were or- dered to disperse and make the best of their way out of danger. In the mean time the art- :ful captain and his men were tracing the >1own, to prevent their enemies from joining together. Those royalists who came to the general's ilod- ■gings, pretended to the guard and the lieute- iiant, who were on duty, that they had brought letters from Oliver Cromwell. The gate of the inn being opened, three df them only went in, the other rode to the bridge, leading :to Ponte- 34 5 Tower, the Great Kitchen, and so to the Great Hall, Paid them more for the Great -^ Hall timber, and the Gate House > 12 5 taking down, j ^1.52 12 6 Paid Simon Procter, for demo-^ lishing the King and Queen's Tower f i^ , ^ g and all the buildings betwixt the fcame, the sum of 502 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. ^! £, 15 luse, J g oiTj 5, thef ler of r £3<^6 :! Paid three labourers for remov ing timber out of the fall of a Tower Paid for taking down the timber) from Swill ington Tower, J Paid John Oxley and Tho. Lee, ) for melting of lead into pigs, j Paid for filling up the Graff at"| the upper Drawbridge, and the > Chapel Walls pulling down, J Paid Simon Procter, for felling | down Swillingtoii Tower, } s. D. 6 8 Paid Thomas Lake and others," for demolishing the two Out Gate Houses and the Skreen, by the Constable Tower, Paid Edward Wilson, for de-*^ niolishing the Constable Tower, and all the other buildings from the King's Tower to the Gate House, as also the Treasurer Tower, Gas- V 201 coigne Tower, the Great Kitchen, I and all the other buildings from the I Skreen unto the Great Hall, the I sum of J Paid Edward Handson, for pul-"\ ling down the Skreen Iretween the f upper Gate House, and the Round t Tower ; also for the Guard House, ) Paid James Jolly, for pulling oft' the iron from off the three Gates, two Drawbridges, and the timber the low Drawbridges taking up Paid for filling up the Graff at the low Drawbridge, and pullin<^ down part of the Skreen close by the Constable Tower. 1 10 S 16 7 4 13 A 10 10 10 1 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. Paid Simon Procter more, in re gard we did conceive that he had a losing bargain upon former work done by him. Monies expended upon severaP messengers sending abroad into se- veral parts of the country, to seek out experienced workmen, for the speedy demolishing of the castle: and also for monies expended at several contracts making: as also monies sriven to workmen for their encouragement at the falls of se- veral towers, with other incident charges. 303 £. S. D, 4 - 20 ,0 Q £^'2, 17 4 Paid for baring of timber from ) under the fall of Constable Tower, ) Paid for two paper books, and' to the justice's clerks for drawing the orders betwixt the committee and the trustees. Given to a maimed workman^ that was to return to his own home >■ at Malton, towards his charges, J Given to Lancelot Lamb, for'] his care and good services in the > work, J Paid seven soldiers, by orderl from Captain Ward, for work done > by them, J Paid for 5 stone and 5 lb. of iron,'] for making crows for pulling off > lead, J Paid Francis Bradley, for crows) making and shovels shoeing, ^ 2 14 10 5 10 7 14 8 4 304 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. } Paid several labourers for work done, as appears by a note in Mr. Long's bands, Paid John Smith, for work done > by him, j Paid six carpenters for loading" timber that was secured from burn- 1 ing by the soldiers, and surveying | the rest of the timber. Paid George Rennard, for tak-V ing crooks out of the walls, f Paid Lake and Hanson for de-l molishing the Great Hall, and the > Liner Gate House, J Paid John Oxley and his three men for several days work, for tak- ing the lead of the castle down, Paid for lime and workmanship, for the two drawbridges walling up of either side, Paid Richard Lyle, for the loan"] of his beam and weights for weigh- W ing of lead, J Paid for cools to several guards) to secure the timber from burning, j' Paid several draughts for leading timber out of the castle garth secure it from the soldiers. Paid labourers for several bul-*l warks pulling down, about and near > the castle, J Paid two counsellors their fees' for advice how to proceed in suit, and in whose names, for materials sold and not paid for. <£. S. D. 3 11 5 2 10 o £\() () 1 Id 37 6 8 ding") h toV 5 1 lo 5 4 18 3 2 8 12 o loo ^50 4 8 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 305 Paid by Mr. Robert Moore, to several workmen and labourers, as appears by his note of par- ticulars, as follovveth: £. S. D. For the first week. - - 1 s 10 For the second week, ^- - - 5 \5 6 For the third week. - - 6 19 9 For the fourth week, - - - - 14 14 6 For the fifth week, - - 9 i6 10 For the sixth week, - - 5 2 For the seventh week, - - - 4 17 4 For the eighth week, - - - 17 16 For the ninth week. - - 4 2 For the tenth week. " * 3 15 4 £T3 19 6 Lead taken off Pontefract ' Castle, and 1 sold as followeth • £. S. D. Sold to the church- ward ( ens on 10 2 6 Barnsley, 20 cwt. at " Sold unto Mr. Richard Wilcock,) jq 20 cwt. at j Sold unto Mr. Samuel Childe, oPt Leeds, forty fother of Lead, at U/. J> 4oO 5s. comes to Sold him more, 9 fother 12cvvt. ) j^^ ,q q 241b. at the same price, comes to j He rests indebted for wood, for I o in smelting of lead, j Sold unto Mr. Winter, of Hull,) 4 fother of lead, at f Sold unto Mr. John Skurr, one) web of lead, 21 stone, r2 lb. at j Sold unto Mr. Edw. Rhodes, 84) fother of lead, 1 4 cwt. 2 qrs. 5 lb. at j £ \567 4 9 R r * A5 1 10 940 306 HISTORY Of PONTEFRACT. Sold unto Grace Briggs, three) webs of lead, &c. 9 cvvt. 13 lb. i^t. i Sold unto Sir Tlio. Weiitwoith, | one fother of lead, S Sold unto Lieut. Ward, 1 1 sione ) <"> lb-, nt ) Sold unto Bryan Fosteard, 30 \ stone oflead, j Sold unto Lord Savile, 2o cwt. ) of leE^d, at ) Sold unto Mr. John Savile, ofl ^^ i« n Methley, 3iotlier i3lb. j oj lo u Sold unto a porter, 1 8 stone 1 7 m Sib. at J ^ ^ ^^ 1 116 5 15 6 €. s. D, 5 11 5 17 ^^ :U^. 6 10 2 6 Sold unto Francis Br; stone oflead; at is. 6d. &c adley, 211 c. j Sold unto Mr. Robert Moor,l 1 1 cut. 1 qr. l71b. at 1 Is. 5d. &c. J Sold unto Mr. John Clayton,! ^ itone 4 lb. at J 18 stone 4 lb. at Sold unto Edw. Field, 43 stone 1 10 lb. at J 2 lo lO. ~£7Q 3~^ Tiie total of all the lead sold,"^ amountstothesumof^l64o:l6:n. > l54o 7 2 whereof received in money, J ^Monies owing for lead, to balance the accounts above written, as follows: Sir Edward Rhodes, debtor fori lea - - Thomas Boswell, _ _ - Peter Cuthwait, - - - - John AVattson, . - - - Francis Lee, _ _ - - Robert Bawlderion. - - - Wilham Ward, - - - - Mary Rothwell, - . _ Thomas Fielde, For timber for the church. Timber for the windm.ill, Mr. John Skurr, - _ . John Wildman, - - _ For the remainder of the timber! in Brame Gartli, J £. S. D. 10 6 1.5 4 6 8 1 10 10 18 2 15 9 10 2 12 5 12 9 13 4 20 2 3 2 8 5 £9% 15 Monies received for glass, - - 1 Debts owing for timber, as follows: William Farrowe, . - -. 13 4 Col. Overton, by an order from"^ the Lord Geaeial, for the pubhc > 8 6 service of Hull for timber, J Geo)-ge Wrigley by assignment \ s o from John Potter, J Thomas Farrowe, - - - 3 Q HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. Thomas Farrowe and Thomas 1 Jackson jointly together, J Thomas Jackson, _ - - llichard Cattle, - - - - John Hodgshon, - - , John Box, - - - - Thomas Eaden, - . - - Thomas Boswell, John Ambler, - - - Air. John Lambe, , - - Bryan Fosteard, - - - - Richard Fosteard, ^ ^ ^ Monies received for lead, Monies received for timber, Monies received for iron, . Monies received for glass. The charge for demolishing, Monies allotted unto the town, - The rest due to the common wealth. 309 £, S. D, 3 5 4 1 6 1 17 Q 8 8 2 IQ 1 10 2 3 6 8 2 16 1 10 I 10 £^' 4 '^ <£. S. D. 1540 7 3 201 7 10 37 2 4 1 ofl77S' 17 4 £. S. D, 777 4 6 1000 2 12 10 .£1779 17 4 Debts owing for materials, which are due unto the • common wealth: For lead, - For timber, For iron, - £. S. D. 100 9 9 42 4 2 2 17 8 ,i*l4.5 11 7 310 HISTORY -OF fONTEFRACT, The preceding account of the expences of its demolition, and the monies raised by the sale of the materials, will furnish the best idea of the strength, and grandeur .of this fortress. Thus fell the -castle of Pontefract, which had successively been the strong hold of the brave arid warlike- Saxons ; ihe . residence of a proud and imperious Norman conqueror; the turr'etted seat- of the high aspiring Dukes of Lancaster; the palace of princes and of kings; at some' periods, a nest of treachery and re- bellion, and at others the last hope of van- quished royalty. Here the Lacies, attended by their knights, esquires and vassals, lived in splendor and dignity, scarcely inferior to the 3s;ing upon the throne; and enjoyed the abso- lute property of all the. land included within the honour of Pontefract.; an extent of territory equal to many, of our modern counties. Of the Lacies, every person within the honour held his land, subject to such conditions as they were pleased to grant. They enjoyed the same rights, ami exercised as absolute an authority •jyithin their demesne, as the king did within his; and they claimed the same obedience, subjection and privileges. When this castle and its de- pendent territory passed into the house of Lan- caster, impelled by ambition, or urged by the more generous motive of redressing the grie-» vances of an oppressed country, the dukes often called forth their vassals, put on their armour, unsheathed the sword, and bid defiance to kings. In these unhappy times what lives were destroyed, and doubtless the appartjnents of this castle, HISTORY OF PONTEFRACf. 3li have often been stained with the blood^ of many an innocent victim. When the wars of the barons, and the contests of the houses of York and Lancaster were happily terminated, then commenced religious animosities ; which led to the destructive civil war, in M'hich the castle of Pontefract holds a distinguished place. Before its massy walls three or four thousand men must have fallen. It is now in ruins, a memento of fallen grandeur j and may it ever remain as a mere oniament of antiquity. The lover of antiquity may lament when hg Edwin, late Lord Harewood, the whole came into that farailjr. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 329 ^' ALTOFTS, one carucate of land here was given to the priory, by W. Fohotli, and confirmed by the charter of Robert de Lacy *. BARNSLEY. . This town was given by Radolph de Caeprecurise, the proprietor, with tlie woods, meadows, mill, and rights belonging to the same, on condition tliat the convent should appoint one monk to pray expressly ibr his mother, another for his sister, and a third for himself after his death. He also reserved to himself the privilege of being admitted a member of the convent, in case he sl.ould request it ; and according to the spirit of the age he prays, that il any one should attempt to deprive the monks of this property, " God would blot him out of the book of life." His son confirmed the above grant, for wliich the convent gave him ten marks of silver, and promised to give annually pelliceam tt boias monchi, i. e. the black robe and t!ie boots of the order f. The priory of Monk Bretton had some property here. In the year 1469, Richard de Leeds the prior, and the convent granted leave to those of Pontefract, to make a new-miildam for a corn-mill, in the close called Le Manroid and Fageroid, lying on the south east part of, and adjoining to the bridge, for which the monks of Pontefract were to pay annually a rose, if demanded ij;. BARNSETE, now called Barnsed, in a high and naked situation, contiguous to the moors of Yorkshire, belonged to this priory ; a circumstance which has given to a neighbouring house the name of Monkrode, upon the same estate. It was held under the priory for two or three generations by the Townleys§. BEXALE, or Beale, Henry de Lacy granted the fishery here ||. BRACKENHILL. Roger de Lacy gave all his lands here; and Hugh Delaval confirmed the same, specifying the quantity as being fourteen acres. BRETTON. See Lund. BROCTUNE, in the county of Cumberland. Alice de Romeley, daughter of Robert de Romeley, Lord of Skipton in Craven, gave a carucate of land here ; and a house in the same town, where the monks ipight reside occasionally, when they went to receive their rents or the prodiue of the land. She also granted them, or those who held the land under them, all common rights and privileges which the town enjoyed^. ♦ Ch. Mon. t ^bid. {Burton's Mon. 95. § Whit. Whalley. U Ch. Mon. ^ Ibid. U U * 330 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. ■' 'BURNLEY. Hugh Ddaval gaviv the church here; CATWYK, or Cutwick. By; the advice and with th^ consent of Roger, Archbishop of York, vvlio was a great friend to the monks, Peter de Falkenberg" gave the mediety of the church l;ere, on the condition of his obit, and that of his wife, being annually celebrated ; and that himself and his heirs should be admitted to the privileges of the house*. . , { CASTLEFORD. Two mills were given here by Hugh Delaval; which Henry de Lacy confirmed, and. gave; iii ad4 dition the benefit of the ferry. W. Feiioth gave here one carucate of land, lying before the castle. COLTHORN, or Cawthorn. See Silkstone. i CLITHEROE. The church within the castlis was given to the priory, as well as the ciuirch of St. Mary Magdalene^ in the town, by the charter of H. Delaval ; with the tithes of all his lands there f. .i COLNE. The church here with whatever belonged, to it, the above Delaval gave tb this house. CRAVEN. In the first of Henry H. Alice de Rom.eley,. daughter of Robert de Romeley, Lord of Skipton in Craven, gave to these monks Iree ciiase in all her lands and woods within her fee, with liberty to hunt and take all manner of wild beasts there. Furthermore, she bestowed on them the tenth of all the deer taken within her own lands and chase in Craven. Also a certain piece of ground in each of her lord*, ships, to make a grange for their tithes, with common of pasture for their cattle, together with her own, in all her woods^ moors and fields, during the whole time of autumn J. . DARDINGTON, or Darrington. Robert.de Lacy gave the church with all its privileges; H, Delaval, during hii temporary possession of the estates of the Lacies, confirmed the above grant, exempting from the authority of the monfc#^ one carucate of land, and an hospital for the sick and aged.. H. de Lacy, by his charter, confirmed the above, with the chapel of Stapleton §. DODWORTH. The founder of the priory, Robert de Lacy^ gave the manor and all his land here, reserving to himself only the apernarii of a certain water. The boundaries are accurately * Ch. Mon. f Ibid. + Dugd. Baron. § Siapleion must have been, at thia early' period, a coiisiderable village* It is unceriain at what time the chapel was destroyed. The village it.self has given plaqj' to an elegant seat, late the property and reudence ..uf Ii.ord Stourton, who has sol^ it to E. L. Hodsson^ Esq.. , HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. J3l> «tefin6di''On one hand a certain valley separate? it from Tlmr-. goland and Stainburgh ; and on another a streani called Mer- vinbrook, which ialls into the same valley. On the third side it is bounded by a place called Woli-Hole, and by another stream, which runs through Helilcy, and falls into the water which comes from Silkstone; and lastly along the valley beyond a' place called Huggeside^^, and following the watercourse to- wards Barnsley, then turning along the hill .called Ravenslou, which divides Dodworth from Beck. The above grant was made to supply food for their horses, and those of their friends *. Two brothers of this place, Richard and William, sons of Ulf de Doddewrda, gave to the convent, for the love ot God and the salvation of their own souls, all the men they had on the land, with their houses and chattels for ever. How degraded was the state of these men, who could be transferred like cattle from one proprietor to another ! The love of God ought to have prompted these devotees ratlier to have 'given liberty to their villani, than to have transferred them to a convent. Such was then the state of society, and such then the spirit of the age. FAIR BURN. One Ada gave half an oxgang of land here, to supply the monks with bread and wine when they celebrated mass, for the redemption of his own soul, and those of his wife, parents and friends. FEREBY-SOUTi'I, in the county of Lincoln. Gilbert, the Earl cf Lincoln, gave the ferry here, and three and a half oxgangs of land, together with fourteen houses, reserving to hirtself the- annual payment of six pounds. In a contest be- tween him and Henry Lacy, he had injured the monks, and trampled on the sacred rights of the church. Conscious that "he had been guilty of a great crime, he made a vow to be- stow the above mentioned property, either to purchase for them a lamp, or to supply them with oil to keep one con- tinually burning. FERRYBRIDGE. Jordan de Sancta Maria gave a mea- dow here. The boundaries are defined, but owing to the di- vision of fields, it is perhaps now nearly impossible to ascer- tain it. One head was above Longlathes, and stretched to "the Aire, Another towards Haliwell, was beyond the stream which comes from Pontelract, between the meadow belonging to tlie abbey of Fountaines on tlie north, and Ferrybridge Field * Ch, a. M. 332 HISTORY OF rONTEFRACT, on the south. Another part joined the meadow belonging th*' hospital of Fulsnaph, and the last a field belonging to Robert de Hickleton. FRYSTONE. The same Jordan gave the Foredales, or headlands of a meadow here, which joined the stream that dii vides this township from Ferrybridge*. FOXHOLES. H. Delava! gave six oxgangs of land here. 1 As this is noticed after Dodworth, it is probable it lay there. See Dodworth f. FEATHERSTONE. See Whitwood. INGOLVESMELES. Alice de Gaunt gave one carucate of land here, which had been given to her as her dowry by Ilbert de Lacy. It was confirmed by Roger de Malbrai, her second husbandt . KESWICK, in the county of Cumberland. Simon de Mohaut gave two oxgangs of land here, consisting of twenty acres, together with a toft of one acre in the same town, with all lights and privileges thereto belonging, on condition of enjoying the prayers of the house, and liberty to become a brother when he should demand it §. KELLINGLEY. Henry de Lacy gave this whole village, with all the land from Knotlingl^y on one hand, and Beale on the other, to the piiory. The boundary on the side of Knottinglt-y is said to be a dilch ca'led Post Leiesic||. KIPPIS. H. Delaval granted the church here, the tithes and whatever belonged the same. Henry de Lacy confirmed this grant ^. KIRKBY. See Pontefract. KLMBERWORTH, near Rotherham. One John Bouilli gave half an acre and a toft here **. LEDESHAM. One half of this village was given by Robert ue Lacy, together with the church, which was con- firmed by the charter of H. de Lacy ff. LEDoTON. Robert de Lacy gave the whole of his land here, which grant was confirmed by H. de Lacy jj. LUND, or Monk-Brctton. Lands had been left here to the priory. On some account a contest arose respecting these lands between the priories of Pontefrac t and Bretton ; and the affair was p .t to reference. William Bradford and Robert Chaloner, referees, decided that the convent of Monk-Bretton * Ch. Mon. + Ibid. ; Ibid. § Ibid. i| Icid. ^J Ibid. ♦* Ibid. tt Tanner's N. J; Ch.Mob. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 333. should have the lands in question; they paying to Rich. Brown the prior, and the convent of Pontctract, fifty-five marks*. MEER, or Maram. See Whitwood. MINSTHORP. See Siikstone. NORTON. Jordan Folioth gave the west mill here, with the land on which it stood, and a tott of one acre, between the mill and a garden near to the road, on the north, with the soke and suit of the said mill, paying to the chaplain of Norton one mark of silver annually, on the feast pf St. DioniMusf. PONTEFRACT. Rohert de Lacy gave the ground on whi h the priory was erected, and the closes around, which ^n the charter o' Delaval are estimated at seven acres;];. ALL-SAINTS' CHURCH was granted by (he sai-l Robert. St. MARY'S CRURCH, now called St. Giles', in the market-place, was also granted by H. Delaval. One half of this church had been given by Ilbert de Lacy to the canons of St. Oswald, but Archbishop Thurston granted Delaval per- mission to bestow it wholly on this convent. * Arable lands in the Common-Fields, amounting (o twenty- one acres, were enjoyed by the monks. * Baghill. One carucate of land§ lying here was given to the convent by W. Folioth, and afterwards confirmed by his son Jordan. * Bayliff-Yard, a small close mentioned among the lands granted to Lord Talbot. * Carter Closes, mentioned in the same grant, and estimated at twenty-four acres. * B'^ist-Field, and a part of Darrington field, also men- tioned, estimated at sixty-two acres and a half. * GaUoios-HUl Close, of which no estimation is given. * JJudercnft, containing by estimation six acres. ^ KellingUy, coniaining by estimation twelve acres. * New-Close, containing six acres. * North-Fidd, containing sixty-one acres and a half. * Spittle-Close, no estimation given. * Vestry -Close, containing ten acres. * Walfjiat and Watfall Closes, containing six acres and a half. * Burton's Mon. p. 93. f M. A. J Cart. § This carucaie is most probably the closes called in Talbot's grant, Baghill-field, or Burton Flat and Bene Flat, and Baghill and Flaghill, which are there e:>iiniated at &Uy-four acres. SSi HISTORY OF TONTETRACT. * Well-Close, near Millddm, containinjr one acre and a half. St. NICHOLAS' HOSPITAL. The custody of this, fo^ the uses intended, was given to the priory by its founder, Rob. de Lacv, and confirmed by Delaval and Henry de Lacy. St' CLEMENT'S CHURCH, in the castle. Robert de Lacy gave this also to the convent, expres ing in the strongest terms that it shouUl not be hereaiter given to any otlier house. WEST-MILL, he also granted for the use of the priory^ EAST-MILL was granted by Henry de Lacy*, and sixty shillings annually to be paid by his bailifi', thirty at Easter, and thirty at Michaelmas f . The convent had a twvery in the park. Their right to a road here seems to have been disputed, and to settle which they entered into an agreement with one John Scot, to have a free passage to the said turvery, through the land of the said John Scot, in Halivvell t. Houses and lands in this town, were given through the piety and zeal of severaK of its inhabitants to the priory. They enjoyed * t'xenty acrea of pasture in the park, which were taken from them about the lOlh of Edward IV. but by due course of la^^, had them restored §. In the fines of Yorkshire, they paid for two houses and thirty-eight acres of land in Pontefract {{. ' oi PECKFIELD. The convent enjoyed some land here, *s an agreement was entered into betv^een the cotj'vent and Hubertus and Gaufridus, sons of W. de Boelter, concerning the middle part of Peckfield ^. QUELDALE, or Weldale. See Witwood. ROTHERHAM. The conveht enjoyed sotne land here, in tlie reign of Richard II **. * They are called the East and West Mills in reference to the situa- tion of each other, and not with respect to the town. The East Mill is that usually called Bondgate Mill; and the West is that under the castle. Robert gave this latter in his first charter, and it was contained within the clausum, and formed the boundry of the south and west angle. •j- Trifling as this sum may now appear, it will be considerable if the comparative value of money be recollected. According to some authors, a thilling then, was worth a pound now. X Vid. App. ad Sleventii, vol. 2. p, 219. This appeals to warrant the observation, that no coal mines had been opened in this part of the country as late as the fourteenth century, but that turf and wood were the fuel cotnmonly used. § Vid. Beb. Harleiana. mo. 433. p. 121, In Talbot's grant, the Park Close is estimated at twenty-i*o acres. II Tanner's N. ^ See Tanner's N: ** Par, 13. Trin. Rot. 22d Richard II. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT.:!' SS« RUGHALA, or Raul. Henry de Lacy granted two ox- gangs of land here. RANGBROOKE. See SUkstono. STAPLETON. See Darrington. SLADEBURN, in Craven. Ddaval gave this church, with the lands and chapels thereto belonging. Henry de Lacy con- firmed the grant. After tliis grant, the prior and convent pre- sented the first six rectors ; and enjoyed undisturbed whatever belonged to it. John of Gant deprived the house of this part of their property, nor could they ever recover it. The convent however made the attempt, and assigned the advow- son of the church to Booth and Byron, who gave it to the church of St. Catherine of Eccles. Though this gift was con- firmed by a Papal bull, the crown disregarded it and kept- possession *. SILKSTONE. Swain, ♦he son of Alricus, gave the church here, with six oxgangs of land lying near to it, and the chapels, lands and tythes, and vv-hatever belonged thereto. His son, Ada, confirmed the aoove, as well as the grant ot the chapel of Cawtliorn, witli two oxgangs of land in the- same village ; and two parts of the tithes ot all his demesnes, in; Cjwtlioro, Kexburght, Gunultwayt, Penyingstone, Wyrkes- burgh, Carleton, Newhall, Brerely, Walton, Manestiiorp, Wrangbruk, Midleton, Garharum et cum omnibus ad eas per" tinendbus. SMITHELES, or Smithale. John Fitz Adam gave thirteen acres of jn^dow here, a^id two oaks in his wood: of Byrkin, and one buck annually, out of his park, at the feast of St. John, ente purtam Latinam. STAINBURGA, or Stainburgh. Adam Fitz Petre, gave one moiety of the mill here; and his brother John, gave tha other. SWINEFLETE. Here was a house belonging the priory, which at the dissolution was let for ibrty shillings per annum f. THORP. Henry de Lacy gave two oxgangs of land here. WITEWDE, or Witwood. Robert de Lacy gave all his lands here, and at (Maram) or Meer to the priory, with all common rights and privileges. Also, the fishery from Whit- Wood, to (Queldala) or Weldale. The canons of St. Oswald, ^ ... * Whit. Craven. _ . -J* Return of Rents in the Court of Augmentations. . . 336 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. or Nostel, possessed in Witwood and Mecr, thlrfy acres of arable land; and the tithe of iiay in other fifteen acres, which they exchanged with the prior and convent of Pontefract, sav- ing the rights of the churches of Featherstone and CasLletbrd, for two parts of their corn tithes in Brerely, Maynesthorp and Wrangbruck, which they enjoyed from the grant ot Adam Fitz Swain, and which belonged to the church of Silkstone, tliough within tiie parishes of Feikyrk and Southk\rkby. WHALLEY, in the Hundred of Blackburn, Lancashire. The church was given by H. Delaval, but was not confirm- ed by Robert de Lacy, or any of his successors. Being a place at that time of little importance, the prior and convent here continued to enjoy the patronage, and successively pre- sented four vicars. When the Lacy fee came to the Con- stables of Chester, they claimed the advowson of this church, and afterwards conferred it on the abbey 1,) giving his soul to God Almighty his Creator, and to Jesus Christ his Redeemer, and his body to be buried in the parish church of Pontefract, nigli his wife. January 15. 1606, Henry Kaye, of Knot- tingley, gent, made his will, (proved April 21, 1607,) giving his soul to God Almighty, and his body to be buried in the parish church of Pontefract, September 7, 1613, Christopher Sands, of Pontefract, gent, made his will, (proved Dec. 18, 1615,) giving his soul (ut supra,) and his body to be buried in the parish church of Pon- tefi-act. January 8, 1616, William Stables, of Ponte- fract, made his will, (proved May 8, 1617,) giv- ing his soul to God Almighty, his Creator and Jledeemer, and his body to be buried in the parish churchyard of All-Ha!lows, in Pontefract. »- January 16, 1618, John Frank of Ponte- fract, alderman, made his will, (proved July 2, 1522,) giving his soul (ut supra,) and his body to be buried in the parish church of All-Hal- lows, Pontefract. 1619. William Holgate, of Pontefract, getit. made his wilK {proved May 4, 1620,) giving his soul (nt supra,) and his body to be buried in the parish church of All-Hallows, iu Ponte- fract, near his father. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 35^ May 9, IS-^O, Richard Tvvaites, of Pontefract, gent, made bis wdl, (proved June 15, 1620.) giving his soul to God Almighty, and hoping through Jesus Christ to be saved, and his body to be buried in the parish church of All-Hal- lows, in Pontefract. December 19, 1621, Allen Aire, of Ponte- fract, gent, made his will, (proved May 9, 162*2,) giving his soul (at supra,) and his body to be buried in the parish church of AH Saints, in Pontefract. January 17, 1626, Henry Franke, of Pon- tefract, made his will, (proved April 13, 1627,) giving his soul (ut supra,) and his body to be buried in the south alley of the church of All- Hallows, in Pontefract, near his sister Twaites. July 27, 1627, Administration of the goods •f Tho. Pulleyn, late vicar of Pontefract, de- ceased, was granted to Francis Pulleyn, his son. April 18, 1638, John Grymesditch, of New- hall, Esq. made his will, (proved ) giving his soul (ut supra,) and his body to be buried in the parish church of Pontefract, near his father. December 12, 1672, John Ayscough, of Pon- tefract, gent, made his will, (proved Oct. 8, 1679,) giving his soul to God Almighty, his Creator and Redeemer, and his body to be buried in the parish church of Pontefract. St. Clement's Chapel^ witlibi the Castle, This chapel was built by llbert de Lacy, in tl;e reign of William Rufus, and was doubt- less designed as a place of worship for himself "360 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. and his atfcndants, including those who dwelt in the park and St. Nicholas' hospital *, It appears from the foundation which still remains, to have been on a small scale, and not capable of containing more than three hundred people. Situated close to Constable Tower, and extend- ing towards the King's Tower, it was securely protected from the hostile attacks of an enemy. This chapel was amply endowed by its founder. He gave two parts of the tithes of the demesne lands of Camaselle f, Kodewell ;{;, Barwica §, Parlington, Chipsey cum Arleton, and Ledston, for which the said church had one mill in Newsome. Also the tithes of his demesnes in Octon||, and Wolmersley; Chamsale and Emesale, in Linsey, Lincolnshire. Also in Cherisbery, and Frisbery, in the county of Nottingham ; and in Hickleton, Stainton, and Lusham, in the county of Oxford; Also the tithes of his own herds, and of his fishery of Knottingley, together with five oxgangs of land there. Also the tithes of ap- ples in Kodewell, Cherwist, and Went •[, and of one mill in Burgo**. Robert de Lacy gave in Knottingley the iixth part of an oxgang of land, in lieu of which, he afterwards gave two parts of the tithes of Norton, great Emsala, and Hemelswurd. * In the cerfificate of colleges, first of EdwarJ VI. it* is said that in St. Nicholas' liospilal was made all their offerings and privy tithes to the dean. ■f Campsall. t Rothvvell,. § Barwick, in Elmet. 11 Houghton, now called Glass-Houghton. ^ Probably the village now called Wentbridge. ** Now called Burgh wallis. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 361 He also gave two oxgangs of land in Feria, (or Ferrybridge;) and Roger Pictavus gave two parts of the tithe of grain in Altofts. llbert de Ramosvilla gave two parts of the tithes of grain, of his own land, in Chamsala. Ernulphus gave also two parts of the tithe of grain in Prestona, (or Purston Jaglin;) and the same in Kovedena. Gilbert, the son of Dama, gave two parts of the tithe of grain in Stapiltona, and Rodulphus, the same in Thorpe-Audlin, and the tithe of the mill there. Radulphus, the son of Edelina de Stubs, near Enecelam, gave two parts of the tithe of grain; and one Chemi the same out of his demesne. Henry de Lacy gave one half of the tithe of Scelbroke. AVilliam Pictavus gave two parts of the tithe of grain in Seal i ell a. Ansgotus Ruffus gave the same in Hanpole, and Girardus de Ramosvilla gave the half part of his own tithe in Smeadetona; and Gerbadus two parts of the tithe of one carucate in Fry- stona. Umfrid de Villeio also gave two parts of the tithe of the corn in Snetela, and Newtonia*. Robert de Somerville gave the third part of one carucate of land in Seacroft f . * The villages of Smithals and Newton. f It appears from these grants that the proprietors of land considered tithes as personal property, and gave them in what proportion and to what place they thoughi proper. At this period it is evident parish (hiirches only received such tithes as were freely gi'anted, and had no claim to any portion of tithes arising from other lands within the parish. In process ef time the church extended her claims, and by degrees suc- A a a * i6'2 HISTORY OF PONTfiPftACT. Tills cllaj;)el was collegiate and free*, and governed by a dean. It is said to have had three pnhends. In the charter of Ilbert, the son of Robert de Lacy, two persons are only mentioned, Kannlphus Grammaticus and God- fridiis, the presbitei*; and in the rental no prebend is mentioned, bnt that of the son of Theobald de Lnce. This chapel was given by the founder to the priory. At the disohition of the priory, an inventory was taken of the g ods, ornaments and plate, belonging to this ch;i' el. The goods were va- lued at two pounds eight shillings and tenpence; and the plate used in celebratirtg divine service, at four pounds fourteen shillings and eightpence. The rental of the deanry is stated to have been twenty-two pounds twelve shillings and seven- pence ■f. A part of the tithes which belonged to the deanry, within the parish of Ponlefract, are now in the possession of Bacon Frank, Esq. and covered by a modus. This chapel, in the sixteenth century^ was in such a delapidated state that it wiis found neces- sary to rebuild it. Queen Ehzabeth had the lionour of this work. She completely rebnilt it, but suffered it to retain the name given at its dedication. ceeded in obtaining the tithes of the wliole parish. Without any positive law, usage has founded a right, on which the incumbent of every parish now demands his tenths. * Free chapels were places of religious worship exempt from the jurisdiction of the ordinary. They were mostly built upon the manors and ancient demesnes of the cr(;v\n, whilst in the hands of the king, for the use of himself and retinue, when he came to reside there. When the crown parted with these estates the cliapels went along with them, and retained their first freedom. t Certificate in the Augmentation office. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 363 At the surrender of the castle, this chapel suffered the same fate with that fortress, and nothing now remains but the foundation. A Catalogue of the Deans of this Chapel. TEMf. DECANI CAPELLE. 142. Dns Tlio. Wvkprsley. 149. M. John de Wayneflete. 143. M, Joh. Tliorncton. 144. M. Joh. Lathom. 15. . lac. Thvvaytes, (obiit Oct. 1545.) As the deanrv of Pontefract forms one of the ecclesiastical divisions of the county, it is deemed necessary t) give the following list of the churches included within it *. The Names of the Parishes and Chapelries witliin Pontefract Deanry^ Ackworth, Cumberworth Chap. Adlingfleet, Ca<;tleford, Almondbury, Calverley, Armin Chapelry, Crofton, Batley, Coley Chap. Bir-^tall, Crostone Chap. Bradford, Chapelt hoi p Chap. Briars Chapelry, Carlton Chap. Cleckiieaton Chap. Darrington, * Visitations are held antiually within each deanry in the county; and at these visitations the clergv within the division are bound to attend. Tiiese visitations were formerly held here, but, to suit tiie convenience of the clergy, are noiv held at Wakefield. 364 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. Dewsbury, East Ardsley, Em ley, Elland Chap. Featherston, Flockton Chap. Ferry-Fryston, Goole Chap. Honley Chap. Haworth Chap. Hartishead Chap. Huddersfield, Halifax, Holy Trinity, Halifax, Heptonstall Chap. Holmfirth Chap. Hooke Chap. • Horbury Chap. Idle Chap. Illingvvorth Chap. Kirkburton, Kirkheaton, Kellington, Knottingley Chap. Lightcliffe Chap. Luddenden Chap. Loiigvvood Chap. Marsden Chap. Meltham Chap. Morley Chap. Metliley, Mirfield, Normanton, Osset Chap. Pudsey Chap. Poniefract, Rastrick Chap. Kippoiiden Chap. Roth well, Roecliffe Chap. Scammondea Chap. Slaithwaite Chap. So werby- Bridge Chap. Sowerby Chap. Sandal Magna. Snaith, Swinfleet Chap. Tong Chap. Thornbill, Thornton Chap. Wibsey Chap. Womersley, Warmfield, Wragby, Woodkirk, Wakefield, St. John's, "Wakefield, Whitgift. The Church of St. Giles, This church is mentioned as early as the time of Henry I. in the charter of Hugh Dela- vali and from circumstances noticed in the S, GiiLEs CHr]?.rH M.\IIKET- CMO S& J:.rMri..MlliS.f...X^fl< HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 365 charter, it must have been built some time before. A part of it is said to have belonged to the canons of St. Oswald, but he, by the hand of Archbishop Thurston, deprived the canons of their part, and gave the whole to the priory of St. John here. It is singular that the name given to this church in the above mentioned charter, is that of St. Mary. The same name is given to it in the will of William Hagvvyk, as late as the beginning of the fifteenth cenUny. As there was a chantry to :.the blessed virgin, is this the reason why it is called by her name? Or is this the original name, and that of St. Giles only given to it, because situated near the ground where the annual fair was kept on St, Giles' day? Leland informs us that it was called St. Leo- nard's * in the frith, or wood; from which it may be inferred that at the time of its erection, the town lay around the church of All-Saints. This must have been long anterior to the time of Leland, as he informs us that the fairest part of the town M'as here. In Delaval's charter it is called St. Mary de foro; from which it fol- lows, that the markets and fairs were then held there. This church appears to have been originally of very small dimensions. It has been enlarged both in breadth and length. The south ile as well as the present chancel, seem to have been added to the original structure. The length of the church, from east to west, is forty-two yards * As no other writer has mentioned (his name, it is pro- bably an error, and ought to have been St, Mary's. 366 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. ' and throe quarters ; and the breadtli, from north lo south, is eighteen yards and two feet. The old steeple was about seven yards square, and thirty-six yards high to the top of the spire. Afier the siege the ruined condition of the parish churcli of All- Saints, rendered it necessary to perform divine service in this of St. Giles; and from that period this church has undergone various alterations and improvements. It had only a small broach steeple without any bells, previous to the year 1707. At that period Sir Tho, Bland, of Kirpax Park, the member for this borough, gratified his constituents by build- ing, at his own expence *, the steeple, which on account of its shattered state, was lately pulled down and the present erected. This church is now in excellent repair, and its interior yields to few in neatness. The chancel has been lately ornamented with a fine painting by John Standish, a native of the town, and a self taught artist of eminent merit. The subject is the crucifixion; and as far as the pencil can realize the awful scene, it is here realized. The attitude of the Saviour, when he had yielded up the ghost, is finely conceived and well expressed. The groop of pious women, who stand around the cross, among whom Mary, our Lord's mother, is distinguished by her looks, and the poignancy of her sorrow, adds consi- derably to the effect, and the whole lives on the canvas. With all the improvements this church has received, it cannot bear a comparison with what the mother church of All-Saints once was. Con- * It jcost him o^e hundred powiid?. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 367 traded in its dimensions, and bniit witliout re- gard to any order of architecture, it bears, the steeple excepted, a strong resemblance to what a modern reverend author, in the abundance of his ciiarity, calls a conventicle. The artist, or the man of taste, will find none of those sub- lime and awful impressions while contemplating this church, which he cannot fail to experience while beholding even the ruins of that of All Saints. The ordination of the vicarage has been no- ticed; and a list of the vicars down to the restoration of Charles II. has been given. Cir- cumstances which have occurred since that period, and which more properly regard this than the mother church, are now to be detailed. The church of All-Saints being deserted as a place of worship, and only used as a part of the burying ground, and this of St. Giles being appropriated to the use of the parish, was gene- rally considered as a parish church, and as en- joying all the rights of one. It had been usual for the ditTerent townships, within the parish, to contribute a proportionate sum annuailly, as a church assessment. Owing to soime extraordinary exp*^nues, the township of Knottingley refused to p, which has since been advanced to the annual sum of sixty pounds, is usually paid by the king's receiver to the mayor, for the time being, at Michaelmas, who gives a treat to him and such of the aldermen, &c. as he thinks proper, at which entertainment are provided some fme red apples and nuts; as it has been an ancient custom to present some of them to the duchy of Lancaster, this has given rise to an erroneous idea that the corporation hold their charter by this service. The mayor immediately distributes this sum of sixty pounds, in equal shares, amongst the poor people in the hospital. This hospital will, in the course of a fe\\t years, receive an addition to its revenues. John Whiteman, brickmaker, has bequeathed the rents of certain houses, and the interests of certain monies to this hospital for ever, after the de- cease of his widow, brother and sister;, who arq tQ enjoy the profits thereof, during the term gi their natural lives. The follownig is th6 clause of his will, in which this bequest is made, " And lastly at my said wife's death, I give fipd bequeath all, rents and interests,, to be pviid in half-yearly payments by my executors^ w their heirs, as before named, to the Trinity Hos]3ital, in Ponteiract, to be distributed to the brothers and sisters of the said liospital, sliar^ and share alike for ^ver, subject only to the use* ful and necessary repairs of my aforesaid Ijouses.*' 392 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. From the provisions of the will of the said John A\^hitemaii*', it appears that on the demise of his widow, the rents are to be appropriated to the use of the poor of the said hospital, paying out thereof the sum of two shillings per week to his sister, and the like sum to his brother, if living. The poor of this hospital will, from this be- quest, gain a clear income of twenty pounds and upwards per annum ; a sum which, added to their other resources, will contribute much to alleviated the anxiety of old age, and to ren- der the winter of life more serene and peaceful. Bead-House Hospital. This hospital is situated at the bottom of Micklegate, and has eight rooms, in which are placed sixteen poor people. There is a small parcel of ground at the back of this hospital belonging thereto. ,^' Also Mrs. Favel gave a garden at the bottom of Slutwell Lane, called Favel Garden, which is now part of Mr. Seaton's grounds, and for which he pays the poor of this hospital four pounds per annum. This payment is paid to the vicar, who distributes the same amongst the widows, who are exclusively entitled thereto. * John Whiteman was a native of Pontefract, and had by diligence and labour acquired the property specified. Having no chil.lren, nor any relatives likely to preserve what he had industriously acquired, he was induced to leave all to the hospital, in which two of his uncles and his brother had found an assylum ; and he hoped should any of his remote re- lations be reduced to want, the town would provide for them in the same house. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 393 Thwaitcs' Hospital, in Nezvgate^ May 20, 1620, Mr. Richard Thwaites, by his will, gave two cottages, divided into four rooms, and also two gardens threreto belonging and adjoining, for an hospital for four ancient poor women, who shall be single women, to dwell severally in the said four rooms, and have equal shares and profits of the two gardens. Also an annual rent, to be paid by his heirs, out of the rents and profits of a close, called TansheJf Well Close, adjoining to Pontefract Park, of twelve horse loads of coals to each poor woman in the said hospital, for their fire, yearly; and also forty shilWngs a year, to be paid quar- terly, on the feast of St. John the Baptist, St. Michael the archangel, St. Thomas the apostle, and the annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary, to them and their successors for ever, towards their relief and maintenance. Three of the said poor people to be placed in the said rooms to be taken out of the town of Pontefract, and the fourth of them out of Tanshelf, at all times for ever. And in case the said coals should not be brought regularly to the poor people by his heirs, or the purchaser of his copyhold estate, then the trustees therein after mentioned should receive three pounds every year, out of ihe rents and profits of the said Tanshelf Well Close, and therewith procure the said coals for them for ever. The trustees appointed by the said will were his heirs and their successors, so long as there should be any of them remaining. And in case of a failure therein, then the mayor and vicar of Pontefract, for the time being, and E e e * 394 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. Henry Frank, his brother in law, and two senior aldermen, during the life of the said Henry Frank; and the three senior aldermen, after his death, to have the sole direction of the said hospital. It was decreed by the commissioners of pious uses, by an inquisition taken at Snaith, April 10, 1674, that Mr. Thomas Ward, the then possessor of Tanshelf Well Close, his heirs and assigns, and the owner and occupier of the said close, shall for ever thereafter pay and stand charged with the payment of three pounds yearly, to the poor women of the said hospital; and the mayor and vicar of Pontefract, tor the time being, and three senior aldermen, or the greater number of them, be perpetual trustees for the said hospital. Frank''s Hospital. This hospital is situated at the bottom of Micklegate, and formerly contained only one apartment, in which were placed two poor women. It is supposed to have been left by Mr. Matthew Frank, formerly an alderman of this borough, and the donations of it are — One garth at the back thereof; a liquorice garden, near St. Nicholas' hospital, called the Bull Garth; and an house at the bottom of Micklegate. There is also another hospital adjoining to the above, supposed to have been built by Mr. Robert Frank, upon part of the ground left by Mr. Matthew Frank, above mentioned, and is endowed as follows. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 395 November J 6, 1629, By a deed made be- tween Leonard A\^ird, of Pontefract, on the one part, and Robert Moor, s^ontleman, then mayor, Matthew Kay, of Bcghall, Richard Frank, of Campsall, gentlemen, and Dorothy Frank, of Pontefract, widow, on tlie other part, reciting that Mr. John Frank, alderman, deceased, by his last will, in writing, bearing date January l6i 1618, did give to the poor of Pontefract fifty pounds, to be paid by his son, Mr. Rich, Frank, within two years after his death, out of lands in Fen wick and Norton, to the church- wardens of tlie town of Pontefract, for the time being, to be bestowed in lands or otherwise, to and for the use aforesaid, by the mayor of Pontefract, for the time being, and by Matthew Kay, of Brotherton, and by Henry Frank, his brother, and Richard Frank, his son, or by so many of them as should be then living. And his will was that the said fifty pounds, or lands and profits thereof, should yearly remain to the use aforesaid for ever, to be distributed by the consent of the said mayor, and his heirs. And further reciting that the said Richard Frank had already paid the said fifty pounds into the hands of the said Dorothy, his mother, by the consent of the said churchwardens; and that she, of her own free will, had given ten pounds more to the use aforesaid, which said sums made together sixt}^; with which the said mayor, Mr. Kay, and Richard Frank, with the assist- ance of the said Dorothy, had agreed with the said Leonard Ward for the purchase of the lauds thereafter mentioned. The said Leonard Ward, in consideration of the said sixty pounds. 396 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. dhd convey one acre of arable land at Beckhill, and two acres of inclosed land, called Long Close, in St. Thomas' Hill Field, abutting upon Monkbill Lane, to the only use and behoof of the said Robert Moore, Matthew Kay, and Kichard Frank, and their heirs for ever, upon trust, that they and the survivor or survivors of them should stand and be seised as feoffees in trust, to the only proper use of the poor people in Pontefract, for the time being, for ever, to be distributed by the mayor, for the time be- ing, and by the heirs of the said John Frank. Although the above donation is to the poor of the town generally, the rents of the land, have been distributed to the poor people in this hospital, out of respect to the donor. Robert Frank, Esq. by his will, dated Dec. 0,6, 1737, devises to his daughter Margaret and her heirs, the above mentioned cottage or tene- ment, which he had lately built in Micklegate, in Pontefract, for an almshouse, wherein he had placed or put Susanna Firth and Ann Porter, two poor widows, for their lives. And also all his, the said testator's trust, estate and interest of and in the closes of land above mentioned, to have been purchased with the said sixty pounds*.; for the use, and in trust, and to the intent that the said Margaret Frank, her heirs and as- signs, should pay and distribute the rents, issues, and profits thereof, to the said Susanna Firth and Ann Porter, for their lives; and after their decease to such widows as should thereafter be placed in the said almshouse, in the room and * By what right had he the disposal of this land. See the before mentioned deed, Nov. 16, 1620. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT, 397 place of her or them so dying, for ever, such rents to be paid halfyearly, at Whitsuntide and Martinmas. The electing, placing, and dis- placing of the said widows for misdemeanors, to be in the said Margaret Frank, her heirs and assigns, the mayor and three senior aldermen, or comburgesses, of Pontefract, resident in the said town, for the time being, and their suc- cessors, or the major part of them. The testator also appoints the same persons and the vicar of Pontefract, and his successors, to elect and place the poor widows, upon vacan- cies, into the almshouse in Micklegate aforesaid, founded by his great grandfather or great uncle, or one of them, as also in the almshouses in Naut Market, in Pontefract, founded by Mr. Cowper. And he also declares that if the rents and profits of his close, called Rancal Pits, should be let for four pounds a year, then he charges the same with the payment of ten shillings a year, to the said poor widows, in the said alms- house for ever, to be paid by his said daughter, Margaret Frank, her heirs and assigns, out of the rents, issues, and profits of the same close. Cottpej-'s, or Bidt's, Hospital. Mr, Robert Cowper, of Darrington, , by his will, dated May 20, 1668, gave two cottages or tenements, in Pontefract, for the use of four poor widows of the town of Pontefract, and appointed "Samuel Drake, D. D. John Ramsden, John Frank, and Robert Tatham, gentlemen, feoffeeSj to elect poor widows, of the town of Poiitefract, 3$$ histohy of pontefract. when and as often as vacancies should happen in either of the said two tenements; and did hke- wise desire and appoint that when any of the said feoffees die, that the surviving number shall have power to elect another to act in his stead. And he also gave unto the said four poor widows for ever, twenty shillings each yearly, to be paid by his heirs, out of his close at Purs- ton Jacklin, for the repairs of the said cottages, and their relief for ever. N. B. This twenty shillings each to the above poor widows, is now paid out of the rents and profits of a close, iii Bailygate, in lien of the above lands in Purston, every Christmas-Eve. Mr. Robert Frank, son of John Frank, by his will*, appointed the following persons trustees for the above hospital, (but query by what power) — viz. Mrs. Margaret Frank, his daughter, the mayor, for the time beiug, the three senior aldermen, and the vicar, for the time being, of Pontefract. This hospital was situated at a place for- merly called Boner Hill, in the middle of the Beast Fair, where the Corn Market is now held, but being in a very ruinons stale, as well as inconvenient in point of situation, in the year 1765 it W'as pulled down, and a new hospital erected at the Butts, at the expence of the town, in lieu of the old one, which cost the sum of ninety pounds. FerfecCs Hospital. This hospital is situated at the bottom of Micklegate, and was built in the year 1667, * See the clause of his will under Frank's Hospital. HISTORY OF PONtEFRACT. 399 at the joint expence of the town and the cor- poration. It is called Perfects Hospital from the endow- ment thereof by the late Alderman Wm. Perfect, who by a deed gave to the corporation several houses and gardens thereto, situate near to the said hospital, in trust for the poor persons in the same hospital ; who were to be three poor antient decayed housekeepers belonging to the town of Pontefract, and their wives. The placing and displacing the said poor persons in the said hospital was vested in the said William Perfect, during his life, and after his death in the mayor and aldermen of Pontefract, for the time being, for ever, who were made perpetual trustees for the same. It is the custom when any of the poor peo- ple in this hospital die, to remove the sur- vivor into Knolles', or Trinity, Hospital, upon the first vacancy that shall happen there, in or- der to make room here for another poor married couple, and so from time to time, in order that it may be always enjoyed by three poor ancient decayed housekeepers and their wives. Dr. Watkinson's Hospital^ The late Edward Watkinson, of Ackworth, M. D. by his will, dated April 176-5, gave (af- ter payment of some small legacies) all the re- sidue of his personal estate, after the death of his wife, unto the rector of Ackworth, the rector of Hemsworth, and the vicar of Pontefract, for the time being; the mayor, recorder, and two senior aldermen, of the borough of Pontefract, 400 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. for the time being, upon trust, that they and his friend Mr. Alderman Samuel Saltonstalt should put the same out at interest, and pay and apply the produce thereof (after payment of some annuities) for the maintenance, support and comfortable living and subsistence of nine poor unmarried persons, of the protestant reli- gion, for ever; to be nominated, chosen and elected as follows, viz. the said trustees to nomi* rate and chuse two poor men and two poor women, who should live in Ackworth, and two poor men and two poor women, who should live in Pontefract, and also one other women, who should live in either of the said townships, to be the servant of the said eight poor persons, and to wait and attend upon them as such; and which said eight poor persons, and their servant, should from time to time have the said interest, produce and dividends, paid equally amongst them, share and share alike. And the said testator wills and declares that no married person shall be capable of being elected one of the said nine persons, and that if any of them do afterwards marry, that such; person shall cease to have any share in the said produce and dividends, and be displaced from having any benefits or advantage. And he also gives the said trustees power to displace any of the said persons guilty of any immorality, misconduct or bad behaviour. And also to fill up vacancies, so as there shall always be therein two poor men and two poor women, belonging to each of the said townships of Ackworth and Pontefract, and a maid seiTant. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 4^1' And he gives the said trustees a discretionary power as to the best method of perpetuating and performini? Ihe trusts of Ihs will, and all matters and things relating thereto. On Feb. 9, 177^, the trustees held their first meeting, to put the said will in execution, and soon afterwards purchased a piece of ground in Northgate, and built a handsome house thereon, under the direction of the said Mr. Saltoiistall. On Oct. 25, 1779, the said hospital being ready for the reception of its intended inhabi- tants, the trustees nominated eight poor persons and a servant to dwell therein, according to the said will, and ordered them to be; paid ten shillings each every calendar month. The vacancies arising hy death or otherwise have been regularly filled up from time to time, and the trustees have laid out the testator's estate in the purchase of South Sea anmtities, the dividends of which are paid monthl}' to the poor people of this hospital, now amounling to fifteen shillings each person; and the trustees take care to keep their respective apartmenti^ clean and in good repair, rendering this place a desirable and comfortable retreat to old age and infirmity. ft/ The King's Free Grammar School. Few of our kings deserve so much the grate- ful remembrance of the nation as young Ed- ward VI. If the importance of a reign be es- timated from the general good that results from it, his reign, though short, is one of the most important in the annals of Britain, it is. true Fff * 402 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. it was not distinguished by splendid conquests; by the enlargement of the national territory, at the expence of thousands of its inhabitants; but it is rendered remarkable by the progress of the reformation ; by the piety and benevo- lence uniformly displayed; by the wisdom of those establishments, which yet continue to in- struct and bless the rising generation. His father, Harry, capricious and inconstant, acted rather from the impulse of passion, than from the cool and delibtsate dictates of wisdom; and though he threw off the yoke of the pope's supremacy, he assumed il himself, and unmercifully shed the blood of those subjects who ventured in the least to deviate from the creed which he prescribed. The spoils of the Catholic Church filled his coffers; and the patronage he enjoyed, as head of the church he es'^^ablished, gave him additional power, and every thing in church and state was subject to his despotic will. Ed- ward, in every thing the reverse of his father, temperate, chaste, humble and pious, had the wisdom to follow the advice of his counsellors, and the inclination to execute the plans which they formed. Hence arose those excellent insti- tutions. Free Grammar Schools ; and few were the towns of any importance, but what had in this reign such schools erected and endowed. One was erected here, in the second year of his reign, and various others within the Honour of Pontefract. The endowment of this school was small; the sum of fifty-nine shillings only being annually al- lowed to the schoolmaster. It continued without any alteration till the fifth of Elizabeth, when com- HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 403 plaint was made of the inattention and neglip:ence of the schoohnaster, to the Chancellor of the Dut- chy, and in consequence the right to present a suitable master was vested in the mayor and alder- men. The following is an abstract of the grant, " And forasmnch as we are credibly in- formed that the schoolmaster, which n :>w ser- veth in the same, does not his endeavour and diligence in the due education and bringing up of young children there, according to the trust committed to him. We therefore considerins: the same, minding reformation thereof, and also good education and bringing up of young chil- dren in virtue and godly learning. And having a trust and confidence in our mavor and com- burgesses, or chief burgesses, of the said town, now for the time being, and which hereafter shall be. Do by these presents for us, our heirs and successors, by the advice and consent of our chancellor and council of our said dutch v, authorize our said mavor and comburiresses of our said town, for the time being, and which hereafter shall be, that they from time to time from henceforth shall by their di- rection and wisdom appoint such a sober, discreet, learned, able person to serve and be a schoolmaster in the said town, as to them shall seem good and best for the education and bringing up of young children there from time to time, in virtue and godly learning and edu- cation, as they will answer for him from time to time at their peril." No addition was made to the endowment till the twenty-fifth of Elizabeth, when on the petition of Boniface Savage and others, several 404 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. small endowments of schools, which had beea wholly neglected, were appropriated to this, that a master every way qualified to teach and in^ struct the rising generation might be obtained. This grant is too curious to be omitted, as it contains some interesting particulars respecting tlie town and castle. After reciting what had been done by Edward, and noticing the small salary allowed to the master, it goes on, *' Whereupon the chancellor and council of this court persuading themselves that if tliQ small stipends were collected and put together, the same w^ould maintain a meet, learned and sufficient schoolmaster and usher, which were not only a matter very laudable, but also a great benefit to the country, and weighing and considering how the Queen's most excellent Majesty is and always bath been, of her princely disposition naturally inclined, and ready to nur* ture and further the education of youth in learning, virtue and godly life. And for that the said borough and town of Pontefract, is one of the greatest and most populous boroughs of her Majesty's said dutdnj in those parts, in which town there is the most stately castle and meetest house for her Majesty, her heirs and successors, to resort unto in those northern parts of England, and yet the said town of late is very poor and most decayed, being the most meet and convenient place in those parts to have and maintain a Free Grammar School, which shall greatly tend to the honour and dignity of her Majesty. And that hereby her Majesty's lenity there shall in respect thereof daily have most occasion to remember her highuess's godly. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 405 charitable, virtuous and princely acts, and be daily moved up and stirred continually to pray for the long and happy continuance of her most royal person. In consideration vviiereof the chancellor and council of tliis honourable court, having well and deliberately considered of the premises, and thinking it very meet and con- venient as well for the maintenance and augmen* tatioii of the said Free Grammar School in Pon- tefract, as for the causes and considerations afore- said, at the humble suit of Boniface Savage and others, the inhabitants of the said town . of Pon*- tefract. And forasmuch as the said Boniface Sa-? vage, as well for himself as in the name of all others the inhabitants of Pontefract aforesaid, bath undertaken and faithfully promised unto the said chancellor and council at his or their own cost to make and furnish a fair 8chool-house within the said town of Pontefract, which shall be a sufficient, meet and able place for that purpose; and the said school-house so furnished from time to time to maintain, repair and continue for ever; Do in this present term of Easter in the five and twentieth year of her Majesty's reign, order and decree in manner and form following, first that there shall be ^ Free Grammar School continued within the said town of Pontefract, and a godly learned school- inaster and usher to be chosen from time to time to teach and instruct the youth there, and that the same Grammar School for the better jnemorial of her Majesty's most gracious,, vir- tuous and princely disposition for the careful bringing up of youth in learning, piety and godly life, shall be called by the name of The 406 HISTORY OP PONTEFRACT. most excellent Princess Queen Elizabeth's Free School in Pontefract. And that the said yearly stipend and pension, amounting to the sum of twenty-five pounds seven shillings and twopence of lawful money of England, shall hereafter du- ring the continuance of the said Grammar School be yearly paid and allowed to the mas- ter and usher of the said school and their suc- cessors there for the time being, in manner and form as hereafter by this presejit decree is set down and declared. Also that The Right Ho- nourable Sir Ralph Sadler, Knight, now chan- cellor and all others which hereafter shall be chancellors of the said dutchy shall from time to time nominate and appoint one sufficient meet and able man to be schoolmaster there, during the pleasure of the Queen's Majesty her heirs and successors, who for his stipend and wages shall have twenty pounds parcel of the said tv»'enty-five pounds seven shillings and two- pence, to be paid unto the said schoolmaster by the hands of the particular receiver of the Honour of Pontefract for the time being, at two usual terms in the year, that is to say, at the feast of St. Michael the archangel and the annuncia- tion of our blessed Virgin Mary, or within fifty days next after either of the said feasts by even portions, and that the residue of the said sum of twenty-five pounds seven shillings and twopence be paid in manner and form aforesaid to one meet and sufficient man to be usher there, to be from time to time elected and chosen by the mayor and brethren of the town of Pon- tefract, with the advice and consent of the school- master there for the time being. And that thig HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 407 order and decree shall be a sufficient warrant and discharge as well to the said particular receiver of our said Sovereign Lady the Queen's Majesty her heirs and successors of her and their pos- sessions, parcel of her Highnesses dutchy of Lan- caster in the said county of York for the time being, both for the true payment yearly to the said schoolmaster of and in the said town, of Pontefract and his and their successors for the time being, being schoolmaster of the said Grammar School for the said sum of twenty- pounds, during so long time as he or they or any of them shall continue schoolmaster or schoolmasters of the said Grammar School. And also to the usher there for the time being for the true payment yearly of the said sum of five pounds seven shillings and twopence, during so long a time as the said usher shall continue there. And also to the auditor of the posses- sions of the dutchy in the north parts for the time being, to make unto the receiver due and reasonable allowance yearly of and for the pay- ment of the said sums or yearly pensions ac- cordingly. Provided always that if at any time hereafter it shall be thought good to her Ma- jesty her heirs and successors to determine after- wards to withdraw or diminish this her Majesty's most gracious gift, or that the said mayor or brethren shall be negligent or remiss in the well repairing or maintenance of the said school-house, or in furnishing of the same as is before premised and appointed, that then it shall and may be lawful for th • chancellor and council of the said dutchy for the time being either to see the same redressed and reformed. 408 HISTORY Of PONTEFRACT. or else to call in and make frustrate this pre- sent order and decree, any thing herein con- tained or specified to the contrary notwithstand- ing. We have given and specified by these pre sents the form of the afoiesaid decree and or- der, at the request of the aforesaid Boniface Savage and other inhabitants of Pontefract. In witness of which we have made these our let- ters patent. Given at our palace at Westminster, imder the seal of our dutchy of Lancaster, the last day of April in the twenty-fifth year of our reign." From this period the school continued to flourish, or otherwise, according to the talents and industry, or inattention and neglect, of the Various masters appointed. The above grant or charter took from the mayor and comburgesses the right of appointing the schoolmaster, and such right remained with the chancellor of the dutchy. The schoolmaster was only to be pro- perly qualified for his office; nor was he in the least bound or restricted to any particular branches of instruction. In the lapse of a century the school again fell into decay, and for some years no school- master applied for the appointment. The inha- bitants, desirous to restore this foundation, and to render it permanently useful, again petitioned the dutchy court, and engaged to rebuild the School and to purchase or erect a house for the residence of the schoolmaster. The petition of the inhabitants was graciously received, and in the thirty-second year of his present Majesty, the school was refounded; and a charter was granted containing rules and regulations for its better government in future. J HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT, 409 By this charier the mayor, recorder, alder- men, and the vicar are appointed curators; and their office is to superintend the said school, and to see that the rules and regulations an- nexed to the said charter are strictly observed. The appointment of the schoolmaster is re- served to the chancellor of the dutchy; but as a necessary qualification for such appointment, he must have taken the state and degree of mas- ter of arts or bachelor of laws in one of the universities *. The number of boys on this foundation is fourteen, one of which is to be taken from the Charity School, and educated free from all expence; the remainder are to pay one guinea per annum for being taught the Greek and Latin languages; and such as learn writing and arithmetic are to pay one guinea more. The admission of such hoys is made by ballot among the curators, and the boy that has a majority is elected. But no boy can be chosen unless the parents are legally settled in the townships of Pontefract or Tanshelf. The schoolmaster is not permitted to teach * This clause of the charter, by limiting the objects of choice, must uniformly operate against the prosperity of the institution. Those clergymen who have been trained up in the habit of teaching, and to whom the instruction of youth has become the chief object of attention, are generally much better qualified for such an office than graduates in the uni- versity. Should such graduates have devoted their time to the study of the classics, and should they have attained general knowledge, their inexperience in the art of teaching will ren- der it an irksome task, in which they engage with reluctance, and from which they depart with pleasure. Whoever framed this charter, if they had consulted the interest of the town, should have appointed any clergyman, properly qualified, eligible to the office. 410 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. the English Grammar, AVriting and Arithmetic, separate from the learned languages*; but is obliged to take any other boys, besides those on the foundation, belonging to the towns of Pontefract and Tanshelf, for the additional sum of one guinea. All the children are to be instructed in the Protestant religion, according to the rites and ceremonies of the church of England. John Frieston f, of Altofts, in this count}^ gave some lands in this town to the University College, Oxford, for the maintenance of one fellow or exhibitioner, to receive out of them ten pounds a year; besides the use of a chamber and exemptions from all decrements. He built and endowed a Free School at Normanton. He left five hundred pounds to purchase twenty five pounds a year, for the maintenance of one fellow and two scholars in Emanuel's College, Cambridge; the said fellow and scholars to be sent cut of Normanton, and for want of such there, then out of the Free Schools of Ponte- * This rule narrows and confines the advantages of this school. Many in the town might wish to have their children taught English, writing and arithmetic, without being put to the expence of a classical education. By this rule the children of the greatest part of the inhabitants are wholly deprived of any benefit from this Grammar School. Would it not be a general advantage to this school if such clauses were disannul- led? Would it not be wise and prudent in the inhabitants to apply to the Dutchy Court, that such other regulations might be adopted as would render the Free Grammar School an institution of general utility? While this charter remains, and the limitations it contains are in practice regarded, it will never be of any essential advantage to the town. f He was descended from an ancient family, the Lords of Mendham, in Suffolk, and died the 37th of Elizabeth, 1594-. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 411 fract, Wakefield, Leeds and llotherbam, or any part of the county. The Charity School. It is not certain when, or by whom, this school was first erected. There is no mention of such a school prior to the year 1709. Wil- liam Earl of Strafford, by will, dated the 9th of September, 169-5, out of his favourable and charitable disposition to this town, gave and devised unto the mayor and aldermen the sum of two hundred pounds, towards the repairs of the great church, if the trustees, named in his will, should be well assured on payment thereof that the said church would be repaired, and constantly used as other churches were for the performance of divine service. In the year 1709, there being no likelihood of this church being repaired, the Honourable Thomas Wentworth, the residuary legatee of the said Earl of Strafford, in regard to the memory and pious intentions of the said Earl, and wish- ing that the said two hundred pounds might be employed for charitable purposes, for the benefit of the poor of Pontefract, instead of applying it to his own use, as he certainly might have done, paid this sum to the cor- poration, on their giving a proper indem- nity, to the intent that the interest thereof might be annually employed in and about some good charitable undertaking within the said town, either in setting up a school or a workhouse. In consequence thereof the corporation, by 412 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. deed dated the 25th August, 1709, after reciting the above particulars, did grant thc3 three closes, called Town's Closes, to the said Honourable Thomas Wentworth, and his legal representa- tives, as an indemnity for the payment of the said sum; and it was by the same deed de- clared that the mayor, recorder, vicar and the two senior aldermen of Pontefract, for the time being, should be trustees to manage, expend and lay out the said interest monies for the benefit of such Charity School or Workhouse. The said trustees were also impowered to lay out the said two hundred pounds in the purchase of land, and apply the rents to the purposes aforesaid, and in case the said church should be rebuilt, the lands so purchased were declared liable to the payment of the said two hundred pounds. This bequest appears to have laid the foun- dation of tlie Charity School. It cannot be doubted but the persons mentioned laid out the money in land, for which land ihey of course became trustees. The following is a list of the donations, inclusive of the above, wlVich have been made to this school; and whatever lands were purchased with such dona- tions they must have been invested in the same trust*. * Though there can he no doubt that the persons men- tioned in the deed of release are the legal trustees o( the lands belonging to this charity, it is singular tliat they are not in possession of any one deed of conveyance. Is it not pro- bable, that on the death of Recorder Frank, when tlie office whicn he had kept here was given up, and all the writings in his possession were conveyed to Campsall, such deeds were conveyed also? HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. Hon. Tho. Weiitworth, Aug. 25, 1790, 200 Patientius Ward, Esq. Feb. 7, 1711, Mr. Wm. Stables, Alderman, Mr. Josepb Lod^e, Sep. 3, 1712, Mrs. Elizabeth Adams, Dec. 12, 1713, Madam Savil, Wife of J. Savil, Esq, Jun. Mrs. Sarah Sharpass, Widow, Aug. 1716, Patientins Ward, Esq. to put out ap-) prentices, Aug. 2, 1717, I Patientius Ward, Esq. for the same) purpose, Aug. 2, 1719, ) Mrs. Catherine Favil, 1722, Mrs. Anne Vickers, by will, May 21,) 1722, j Mr. Richard Shillitoe, late cf Sharl-) ston, Sep. 21, 1724, j Patientius Ward, Esq. Oct. 1, 1725, Mrs. Sarah Cayley, Nov. 26, 1725, Mr. John Staveley, Nov. 26, 1728, From an unknown person, Dec. 18,) 1728, 3 Mrs. Dorothy Frank, by will. May 3,) 1728, J Mrs. Anne Lowther, April 18, 1729, Mr. AVilson, July 2, 1729, John Lowther, Esq. by will, Oct. 16,) 1731, j Mrs. Elizabeth Perfect, Jan. 5, 1731, Mr. Solomon Dupeir, June 4, 1732, Mrs. Mary Kellam, Dec. 28, 1732, From an unknown person. May 27,) qq q ^ 1 736, Ji 415 €. s. d. 00 2 7 3 2 2 10 2 3 20 2 2 2 2 2o 3 10 10 10 10 10 1 1 30 5 21 20 3 3 100 5 100 Mr. Schole}^, educated as a Charity ) Boy, ; ^608 14 414 HISTORY OP PONTEFRACT. This Charity School, besides the donations made to it, has received considerable support from annual subscribers; and every annual sub- scriber of one guinea, has acted in conjunction with the proper trustees, in the regulation and management of the said school. The conduct of the trustees, in relinquishing their exclusive right of management, deserves commendation. They have acted on the obvious principle, that when men voluntarily give their money for any charitable purpose, they have a right to see that it be properly applied. By this conduct annual subscriptions are encouraged, as the subscribers have full liberty to recommend the children of the poor to the benefit of this charity. After the establishment of this institution, for f>ome time the children of the poor were only instructed in reading, writing and arithmetic, free from all expence; but the donations and private subscriptions at length enabled the trus- tees, not only to educate, but to clothe the boys and girls admitted on this charity. A house, situate in Micklegate, was pur- chased for the master of this school; and m the year 1779 the present spacious school- room was erected on the ground behind it. When the King's Grammar School was re- founded, the trustees of this charity appropriated one hundred and fifty pounds from its funds towards the erection of the said Grammar School. The number of hoys and girls admitted on this foundation is regulated by the state of its finances. It is usual for the children admitted to receive their coats and gowns, and one pair ©f shoes on St. Thomas' day; their shifts, shiits HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 415 and another pair of shoes at Midsummer; the girls their aprons, handkerchiefs and caps at Easter J and the two oldest girls alternately at- tend in the house of the master, in order to learn the necessary work. Children are admitted Into this school at the fjge of eight years, and remain until they are fourteen; and if then put out apprentice it is the custom to give one guinea along with them. The following is an account of lands, &c. now belonging to this Charity School, exclusive of the annual subscriptions. LANDS, &c. A close in Purston Row, Do. do. Do. and piece in Bennet Ings, Do. at Baghill, Do. in Darrington Lane, Do. in Upper Taythes, A Garden in Bailey-gate, Do. northward. Three eights of a close at Dar-) rington, let for j[!8. perann.ji A close at Darrington, Do, under Wenthill. Do. at Cutsyke, L,ady Betty Hasting, annually. An annual payment out of land") at Ferryb. by Dr. Jefferson,) Do. by Mr. Popplevveli, out of) land at Spittle-Gap, j RENT. A. R. P. £. s. d. 3 36 12 12 2 16 7 10 1 1 25 5 3 11 16 4 1 13 17 1 1 32 6 1 1 18 9 1 22 1 1 4 3 5 3 31 11 11 2 3 4 3 6 5 7 16 8 8 4 34 10c£l04 19 J 416 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACTi. BEQUESTS AND DONATIONS. Talbot's Charity. In the tbirty-seconcl of Elizabeth, (1.590,) George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, by his will of this date, appointed the sum of two hun- dred pounds, to be yearly employed for ever unto the benefit of the poorest artificers in the town of Pontefract, for the increase ot trade and occupations there, that is to say, that the mayor of the said town and his brethren, or the major part of them with the mayor, by the assent of the Earl of Shrewsbury, lor the time being, shall upon Monday in Whitsun week, pay and lend to every poor artificer of the same town, so far as the said money will extend, five pounds for the term of three years next fol- lowing, putting in good and sufficient security for the repayment thereof*. Sayle's Dole. Mr. Thomas Sayle, mentioned as a benefactor to St. Nicholas' Hospital, by his said will, June 8, 1673, gave one hundred pounds to the poor of Pontefract, the interest of which to be distributed * Dug dale's Baron. Whether this bequest of the Earl of Shrewsbury was ever paid to the ma) or, and disposed of in the manner directed, is not known. There is not a word relating to the above bequest in any of the books now belong- ing to the corporation ; and if the two hundred pounds has ever been appropriated according to the will of the said Earl, it has been lost either for want of sufficient security for the re- payment thereof when lent to poor artificers, or unjustly ap- plied to some other purpose. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 4l7 amoiigst them by the mayor and vicar, for the time being, every Christmas for ever. The said Thomas Sayle omitted to appoint trustees to receive the said one hundred pounds, on which account a commission for pious uses was held at Snaith, and an inquisition taken the iSth April, 1674, and it was decreed that John Frank, Esq. then mayor, Samuel Drake, D. D. and William Wilkinson, should stand and be trustees to receive the same, and that it should remain a stock for ever, and the income and profits thereof be distributed yearly, by the mayor and the minister of the town, for the time being, and their successors for ever. Some years afterwards the trustees applied the money to different purposes than those in- tended by the donor, and another commission for pious uses was held at Barnsley, on the 2nd June, 1678, and a decreetal order was then made that the said one hundred pounds should be paid to Mr. Thomas Jackson, then mayor, Mr. Drake, then vicar, Richard Lyle, Hastings Sayle and Thomas Sayle, who soon after the receipt thereof should purchase land of inherit- ance of the clear yearly value of six pounds, to the use of the said Richard Lyle, Hastings Sayle and Thomas Sayle, the mayor and vicar of Pontefract, during the natural lives of Richard Lyle, Hastings Sayle and Thomas Sayle, and after their decease to the use of the said mayor and vicar for the time being, and their succes- sors for ever, in trust, nevertheless lo and for the charitable use aforesaid. The said one hundred pounds was afterwards received by the said Hastings Sayle, who pur- H h h * 418 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. chased the close hereafter mentioned therewith, and by his will, dated July 23, 17^1, did give and devise unto tlie poor of Ponlefract, one close in Purston Jacklin, called Lady Close, then in the possession of Robert Lorryman, in lieu and consideration of and satisfaction for the said one hundred pounds, so received by the testator, Hastings Sayle, and given by the said Thomas Sa}'le as aforesaid. To the intent and purpose that the mayor and vicar of Pontefract, lor the time being, and their successors for ever, might annually re- ceive the rents and profits thereof, then about six pounds, and distribute the same yearly at Chrislmas. September 11, 17^22, Mr. William Kitching- ham, by deed, confirmed the title of the above close to the said mayor and vicar, and their successors for ever, in trust for the uses before mentioned. The Corporation's Bequest. The corporation of Pontefract purchased eight acres and a half of land, {query if not a close at Purston-Row of six acres two rood and ten perches, and a close in West Field, of two acres one rood and twelve perches,) in the West Field, of William York, Esq. and Mrs. Heptinstall, for the use of the poor for ever. Mr. John Acaster*s Bequest, Mr. John Acaster, by bis will, gave three bushels of wheat, to be paid annually out of the HISTORY OF PONTF.FRACT. 419 rents anri profits of his house and garden in Micklegate, (now the eastern part of Mr. Sea- ton's house and yard,) to be distributed every Christmas, by the overseers of the poor, for ever, to as many poor widows in Micklegate as they shall think most needful. Mrs. Dorothy Frank's Bequest^ Mrs. Dorothy Frank, by her will dated the 29th of March, 1728, gave one hundred pounds to be laid out in land, the rents and profits thereof to be distributed as follovvs, thirty shil- lings to the Charity School of Pontefract, and the remainder to be annually distributed to the poor people of the town of Pontefract, at Christ- mas, at the discretion of Robert Frank, Esq. Nicholas Torre, Esq. and the vicar of Ponte- fract, for the time being, who are appointed trustees for the same. A close at Darrington was purchased of Joshua Wilson, Esq, with the above one hun- dred pounds, and thirty shillings is paid to the Charity School, and the remainder of the rent, it is presumed, is distributed yearly at the dis- cretion of Mr. Frank, Mr. lothergiTs Donation for the Appointment of a Catechist or Lecturer. The Reverend Marmaduke Fothergil, the proprietor of the land called Frier Wood, not having any children, and considering the duty of the parish too great to be discharged by the vipar, conveyed tlie land above mentioned 420 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. to the Archbishop of York, Sir Wm. Dawes, in trust for the support and maintenance of a catechist to serve in the church of St. Giles. -By deed, bearing date Jan. 3, 1716, after specifying the reasons which had influenced him to make the bequest, and pointing out the pro- perty, he then adds, " To have and to hold tlie said messuages or tenements and cottages, garths, gardens, lands, tenements, and premises above mentioned, with all their rights and ap- purtenances whatsoever to the said Sir William Dawes, and his successors in the see of York, to and for the only proper use, benefit and be- hoof, of him the said Marmaduke Fothergil and Dorothy his now wife for and during their na- tural lives, and from and immediately after the deaths of them the said Marmaduke Fothergil and Dorolh}^ then to and for the several uses hereafter mentioned and declared of and concern- ing the same (that is to say) to and for the use of his Grace the Lord Archbishop of York and his successors for ever, in trust, that never- theless all the rents, issues and profits thereof may half yearly be paid to for and towards the support and maintenance of a chatechist in the ■chapel of St. Giles within the town of Ponle- fract aforesaid, or in the parish Church of Pon- tefract when rebuilt, whom the said Archbishop of York and his successors, from time to time, shall and may always nominate after the deaths of the said Maimaduke Fothergil and Dorothy his wife; provided that the said archbishop and his successors shall and may impose such further obligation of duty as in his wisdom he shall think most reasonable for the catechist to do HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 421 and perform in the discharge of his office, and ibr neglect or omission of such duty of the said <;atechist, the said archbishop and his successors shall and may from time to time proceed against such caiechist and catechists hy what ecclesiastical censure, even to deprivation, as he or they in their great wisdom shall think most expedient, provided always, and it is the true intent and meaning of the said Marmaduke Fothergil, that the said Frier Wood and the houses, garths, gardens, orchards, lands, tenements and premises, and all their appurtenances shall from time to time and at all times be let and disposed of without any foregift at the utmost and full improved extended yearly rent and income by his Grace the Lord Archbishop of York for the time being. And whereas the parish of Ponte- fract aforesaid is too great for the sole discharge of the vicar thereof, therefore the said znca?- of Ponief'act shall not at any time be cateckisty neither at the same time shall the catechist he vicar of Pontefract aforesaid^ but the respective discliarge of their duties shall always be distinct and executed by two different persons. And the said Marmaduke Fothergil for himself and his heirs doth hereby covenant, grant and agree lo and with the said Sir William Dawes, Archbishop, and his successors, that the said Marmaduke Fothergil, at the time of sealing and executing of these presents, is and standeth lawfully seized of a good estate of inheritance of and in the houses, garths, gardens, orchards, lands, tene- ments and premises thereunto belonging, with •their and every of their appm^tenances, and hath in himself good right and full power and lawful 422 IHSTORY OF PONTEFRACT. authority to convey, assure and dispose of the same and every part thereof, in trust as afore- said, to and for the several uses and under the several provisoes, conditions, restrictions, and limitations above mentioned, for and notwith- standing any former or other act or thing whatsoever by him the said Marmaduke Fothergil or his assigns done or acted to the contrary. In witness whereof the parties to these presents interchangeably have set their hands and seals first above written." " Also a lease for a year, bearing date the S2nd of January aforesaid, made between the said Marmaduke Fothergil of the one part, and the said Sir William Dawes, Archbishop of York, of the other part, of the said messuages or tenements, cottages, garths, gardens, orchards, lands, tenements and premises. Which said in- denture of lease and release are witnessed by Arthur Gargrave, Nathaniel Stavely, Matthew Wilkinson, John Dickson, and Robert Staveley, gentlemen, all of Pontefract aforesaid*." MARMADUKE FOTHERGIL. Signed and sealed by the above named Marma- duke Fothergil in the presence of us, M. WILKINSON, JOHN DICKSON, NATH. STAVELEY, Jun. * The two lecturers, which have been appointed on thU donation* are noticed in the Drakes' pedigree, page 158. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 423 THE PARK. Uncivilized man, impelled rather by his wants than allured by pleasure, ardently pursues the beasts of the forest. Hunting may be consider- ed as his necessary employment; and the game caui^ht by his agility, dexterity and cunning, as being the chief part of his subsistance. This employment, toilsome as it is, yields however but a precarious and uncertain support; and when man has been taught to supply his wants by the cultivation of the ground, if it be not wholly relinquished, it will only be pursued as an amusement, or as an healthful exercise. The Normans were passionately devoted to the sports of the field; and nothing can more strongly establish the fact, than the conduct of William, who laid waste the county of Hamp^ shire, and made it a forest for wild beasts. The nobles, like their leader, within their do- mains inclosed extensive districts to preserve the fera naturce, to afford them the pleasures of the chase. Parks have been defined forests enclosed*, and were called Haise dominicales. This word Haicc appears in the composition of a variety of local names, under its dialectical ditTerences of heyy hay, how, haigh. It is the Saxon Hceg, and means an hedge. Hence parks v^^ere called haighs, on account of being inclosed with hedges, as Rothwell Haigh, which was the park belonging to the Manor House of the Laoies, Hence Houghton, the village now called Glass * See Whitaker's Wholley. 424 HISTORY OF rO"NTEFKACT. Houghton, seems to derive its name, as being originally within the inclosure of the haigh or park. To our royal and baronial castles usually be- longed two parks, one inclosed with a wall for fellow deer, the other for fed deer, fenced around with an hedge. To the parks as well as the forests were appointed keepers, and the game was secured by the forest laws. A family of the name of Hippon *, which came in with the Conqueror, were hereditary keepers of Pontefract Park. This family resided at Featherstone, and con- tinued in their office under the Lacies and Plantagenets, down to the time of Queen Eliza- l!>eth, when an account was taken of the deer and wood in the park. Parks were usually driven twice in the year, once before fence month, and secondly about Holyrood Day. Fifteen days before Midsummer, and fifteen after were called fence month, in which all hunting was strictly forbidden, the hinds being then either big with young, or having calved. On Holyrood Day the agisters began to take in cattle, and all who had common right, came to the pounds, where a roll of the gates they were entitled to was kept. It appears that however tenacious the barons ^f^ere of their game, they allowed their tenants the advantage of common right for their cattle, as well within their parks as in their waste * This ancient family, though its hereditary office was neither honourable nor lucrative, for ages continued to be re- spectable. It is now become extinct in this neighbourhood i and the only branch of it remaining resides at Dewsbury. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT, 425 lands. From this custom has originated the claims of freeholders to a proportionate share of waste lands in a manor, and of landholders to gaits for their cattle in common lands. In the thirtieth of Elizabeth a commission was issued to inspect and survey this park, as part of her Majesty's inheritance of the Dutchy of Lancaster, within the county of York. The following gentlemen were appointed Commis- sioners, Anthony Thorney, John Ridial, Ed- mond Tyas, Thomas Austwick, Thomas Ether- ington, John Leatham, Willam Dillock, Stephen Crosby, John Milner, William Holgate, Ralph Airy, and Allen Andrews. Certain articles of inquiry were given to these commissioners, to which they returned the following answers. " To the first article, the said park is distant from Pontefract Castle half a quarter of a mile, but how long the same hath been a park we cannot tell, but so far we have heard said, it was sometime called Pontefract Moor*." " To the second article, the same rout within the whole circuit of the pales, seven hundred acres, whereof we think there is none may be employed for meadow -j-, one hundred acres for arable ground, and all the rest for pasture." " To the third article, we say that every of * It should seem from this, that the extensive tract of land called the park, prior to the conquest, was fenny and waste; and most probably depastured by the cattle of the burgesses. When the Lacies became the proprietors of the burgh, this district was then surrounded by a foss and paled. •}• Such were the sentiments of gentlemen and farmers in the reign of Elizabeth? This land now produces as good crops of grass and hay as any land in the neighbourhood. I i i * 426 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. the one hundred acres of arable land and every acre of pasture is worth by year twelvepence." *' To the fourth article, there is in the pales about the said park, and within the premises of the same, one thousand three hundred and seventy timber trees, whereof we think four hundred of the best are worth teri shillings a piece, other four hundred oi' the next sort worth six shillings and eight pence a piece, and the rest at five shillings a piece. In fuet trees one thousand seven hundred and sixty, whereof five hundred of the best are worth to be sold at six shillings and eightpence a piece, of the second sort other five hundred at five shillings a piece, and the rest at three shillings and foiirpence a piece. Also four hundred saplings woi'th sixteen pence a piece, one hundred ash at sixteen pence a piece *,'* " To the fifth article, there is no manner of mines to our knowledge f." * At this pedod the best timber trees were only worth ten shHImgs; at present they are not worth less than ten pounds. Wood was then plentiful; nor did the navy, the pride of Britain, though then strong enough to defeat the Armada, consume one thousand part of the timber which is now found requisite. An increased population has turned de-* serts into fruitful fields; and though the country is shorn of its stately oaks, other countries are ready to cut down their forests, and exchange them for the produce of British industry. f It is evident that these commissioners were not com- petent judges on the subject. Their ans'^er however implies, that hitherto nO mines had beert foYmed. Since then coal has been gotten, and there is no doubt, but a bed of eoal runs nearly through the whole extent of the park. It is probable: the whole might be got by the mean of one steam engine. By the act ior dividing the park, the inhabitant* are debarred from working any mines; and the coal can only be got by at grant i'rom the dutcby of Lancaster. HIS-TDRY OF PONTEFRACT. 427 "To the sixth article, there is growing M'ithin the precinct of the said park certain underwoods, thorn, maples, hazles, allers, and othei' brush- men t, but M'hat acres the same be or what age the same be of, we know not, but we say that they are worth to be sold at sixty pounds." " To the seventh article, there was in the park in anno primo of the Queens Majesty's reign three hundred deer, and at this present five hundred fourscore and fifteen viewed by William Mallet, John Tindal and Robert Hip- pon, keepers and others." " To the eighth article, we say that George Lord Talbot hath the said park by indenture, under the seal of the Dutchy of Lancaster, pay- ing therefore by year four pounds three shillings and fourpence. And further saith, that the toum and inhabitants of Pontefract and Tanshelf have by custom common in the park, with their horses and kine yearly time out of man's mind, from the feast of St. Ellen, called the inven- tion of the cross, unto the feast of St. Michael, and so hath this present, paying therefore yearly unto the herbage or farmer of the said park for every cow one shilling, and for every horse or mare two shillings for the whole jist, and for a cow if she lies in the park nightly one shilling and fourpence. For a circle for brackens twopence, for a swine in pannage time four- pence. And further saith the King and Queen's Majesty's tenants, or copyholders of Carleton, Hardwick and Tanshelf, have common in a close called Carleton close in the said park, with their draughts, oxen or cattle yearly from the said feast of St. Ellen unto the said feast of St. 428 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. Michael, paying therefore yearly for every beast fourpencp, for which custom and common the said tenants are bound by the tenure of their lands to carry the queen's timber and others to their highness's castle or mills, having therefore for every carriage according to the custom paid by the receiver there, which said close has been so used and occupied until four years last past, and since then the pales there taken by the keepers and the ground laid into the new close adjoining to the same, whereby the same tenants are not able to serve the Queen's Majesty as they have done in times past. And further saith, that the farmer of the said manor of of Hardwick hath had time out of man's mind common in the park yearly, as well in winter as in summer, for sixty beasts and ten horses or mares. Also in pannage time swine without number, for which custom the late priory of St. Oswald, before the dissolution of the house, hath paid to the keepers of the said park six quarters of wheat and to the palace four quarters, and since the dissolution thereof, the receiver here has paid yearly in respect to the said wheat three pounds six shillings and eightpence until now of late. And also says that the farmer of the capital messuage of Houghton, called Houghton Hall, have had time out of man's mind, and also since thence the first year of her Majesty's reign in the said park common for sixteen beasts and four horses from the feast of St. Ellen until Michaelmas yearlj'^, and also hath had one key of custom delivered unto him, by the keeper of the said park at the said feast of St. Ellen until Michaelmas, of one HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 42* gate, called Houghton Carr Gate, for the dri- ving out of their cattle, paying yearly unto the said keeper at the delivering of the said key fourpence, and in pannage time swine without number. And further says that the queen's Majesty is charged WMth certain fees payable forth out of the said park, that is to say, to the keeper for his fee one pound six and eight- pence for carriage of pale and rail, and making pales thirteen shillings and fourpence." " To the ninth article, there is built in the said park three lodges or houses, whereof two of them are in good reparation and the third partly in decay, but who is charg d with the reparation thereof we know not. Also there is a barn built in the said park to lye hay in that is gotten for the deer, the reparation whereof is at the queen's charge." " To the tenth article we cannot depose." " To the eleventh article, there is in the said park one close called the New Close, ano- ther called Vicar's Close, the most part thereof of the pales are in good reparation and also of the said park. Also there is another close in the said park called the Carr, granted by inden- ture to William Mallet, Esq. forth out of the exchequer and before belonging to the late dis- solved monastery of St. John, in Pontefract. And further saith that there are fifteen acres of meadow in Allerton Ings belonging to the said park for the deer, gotten yearly at the Queen's charge. Every acre worth by year three shillings and fourpence." " To the twelfth article we can say nothing." " To the thirteenth article, the same is a prince- ly pm'k and meet before any other to be preserved." ♦30 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. It does not appear, notwithstanding the re- commendation of the commissioners, that much attention was paid to the park after this period. When the wood was cut down and the deer sold, the author has not been able to ascertain. It is however most probable, that this was done during the civil war. For after this time, as the castle was destroyed, the park was in a great measure neglected, and a considerable part left to the operations of nature, unaided hy the hand of man. In the park, there wee three houses erected and occupied by the keeper and his servants. One was called the Upper Park-House, now in-' habited by Mr. Jones; the other the Lower Park-House, now that which M. D. Denison occupies; and the third was the lodge, where the keeper resided, and in which Mr. Alumforth ROW dwells. It is probable it was at the Upper Park-House a scene of cruelty and plunder was ex- hibited, not often equalled in the annals of New- gate. The Reverend Leonard Scurr, who had been ejected by the Act of Uniformity from Beeston Church, where he had assisted the Rev. Mr. Cudworth, lived in the above-mentioned house, with his mother and a maidservant. He enjoyed a considerable estate in the neighbourhood, and it is probable, that the respectability of the family Jed his neighbours to permit him to re- side there, though contrary to the five-mile act. Whether he became the object of resentment on account of his nonconformity, or whether he fell a victim to a lawless banditti, who merely wished to secure his property, it is im- possible to determine. Whatever might be the HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT; 431 motives of the actors in this tragedy, they en- tered the house, iu the night of the 22nd of January, 1680, murdered Mr. Scurr, his mother, and the maidservant, then plundered the house, and on departing set it on fire *. The Upper Park-House being so near to the town of Pontefract, tfiis horrid transaction could not be long unkno^vn. An active search was made after the murderers; and circumstances occuring which led to suspect a party at Hol- beck, near Leeds, they fled to Ireland. They were however pursued, and two of them taken; and being tried at the next assizes, were found guilty. One was executed and hung in chains on Holbeck-Green f ; the other was reprieved, in hope that he would make a further discovery,.- i;.ib * See Palmer's Non, Mem. Vol, 3. page 424. t A narrative of tliis tragedy was printed. The editor regrets that he has not been able to meet with it, as it might have thrown some light on the transaction. On repeatedly perusing Palmer, the editor doubts whether this transactibni took place in Pontefract Park, or in some place called the park, fledr Beeston.' ,The: following is the account Palme* gives. " Mr. Scurr, Of Sidney Col. Camb. Born in Pontefract,, He had a good estate in this neighbourhood. Some lime after being silenced here (where he assisted Mr. Gudworth) he and his mother, with a maidservant, lived retired at a house in the park, where thieves broke in, robbed and murdered then^, set the house on fire. Jan. 22, 1680, and then fled into Ire- land, whither they were pursued. Two of them were taken and condemned; one was hanged in chains, on Holbeck Green ; the other was reprieved, in hopes of a further discovery, which he could never be brought to make. A narrrative of' this tragedy was printed. It was said diat Mr. Scurr, though a. good preacher, . was a man of a bad character, and a scandal to his professioiK" 433 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. but he resisted every attempt to obtain any information from him *. * A few years ago an atrocious n urder was committed in the forenoon of the day, at a newly erected iami-house in the park, accupied by Mr. Denison. A servant lad re- turning home with liis cart, near noon, and his loot being hurt by a nail, which came through the heel of his shoe, went into the liou^^e to find a hammer to knock it down. In searching tor tiie hammer, he aiscovered blood in different places, and at last turning his head to the cellar door, de- scried the body of Mrs. Denison in the cellar, which was then half full of water. He drew her out of the water, and laid her near the fire, and then ran and called his mas- ter, who was plowing in a close at some little distance, v\lth a seivant man. On the alarm being given, that Mrs. D. was killed, Mr. D. hastened to his habitation. Mr T. Oxley, Surgeon, was sent for, and considerably within an hour from the body being found he examined it, but could not discover an)i signs of life, nor so much as the least animal heat remaining. It appeared that the murder had been per- petrated by a stroke with the crow end of a hammer, by which a deep wound was made in the forehead, and the body afterwards thrown into the cellar. The coroner's inquest was taken, and every circumstance minutely examined, in order to fix the guilt of this foul mur- der on its real author. Nothing however occurred decisive. The servant lad, who found the body, was suspected, taken up and tried; but the evidence of the surgeon saved his life. He considered it impossible for the body to become cold in so short a space of time as had elapsed from the lad be- ing seen to enter the house, and his examination of the corpse. It was his opinion that the murder had been committed much earlier. Suspicion arose, from other circumstances, that the perpe- petrator of this nefarious deed, must have been either a branch of the family, or some one intimate with it. There was a mastiff in the house, which would suffer no stranger to enter, unless checked by some one acquainted with him ; and as Mrs. Denison was the only person left in the house, it is not pro- bable, that this dog should permit a stranger to attack her, without making a strenuous defence. As tlie dog was unln- '7 i HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 438 After the revolution the park was leased off to the Moncton family, with a reservation of the rights of the inhabitants of the borough of Pontefract, and of the township of Tanshelf, to their usual gates and strays. It wholly re- mained in the possession of this family till an act of Parliament was obtained in the year 1780, for dividing and improving this extensive district of land. By this act three hundred and twenly-five acres were allotted to the inhabitants of Pontefract and Tanshelf, in lieu of all their rights; and provision was made for its cultivation and management. In the preamble to the act, the reasons for passing it, and the agreement en- tered into by the parties interested, are men- tioned: then follows the enacting clauses, in which trustees are appointed for that portion of the park allotted to the inhabitants of Pon- tefract and Tanshelf. The following are the words of the act. " Jnd to the end and intent the said portion or allotment of three hundred and twenty-five jured, and in the house when the body was found, it is natural to infer, that some person, who had an equal com- mand over the dog with Mrs. D., was the murderer. Had the murder been committed for the sake of plunder, whatever could have been secretly conveyed away, the murderer or murderers, would not have left behind. On examining the house, the goods were found unmo- lested. No drawers had been opened ; no search had been made after any valuables, the house might contain. The lad, though acquitted of the heinous crime, has since manifested a depravity which renders the suspicion stronger, that he perpetrated the deed. He has been guilty of theft, for which he was tried and sentenced to transportation. It is singular also, that the vessel in which he sailed was lost, and every person on board perished. Kkk * '^34 HISTORT OF TONTEERACT.. acres hereinbefore assigned to ami fot the bene- fit of the said inhabitants, .ho'oseholders resiant in the said township of Pontefract and Tanshelf, may be appropriated and converted to the best advantage, and the pasturage thereof taken and enjoyed in the most beneficial manner, and un- der proper regulations and restrictions; Be it further enacted^ That thirty-three male inhabi- tants of the township of Pontefract for the time being, of the age of twenty one years or upwards, whose respective estates shall be the highest assessed to the poor rates, within the same township, and four male inhabitants of the said township of Tanshelf for the time being, of the age aforesaid, whpse estates shall be highest assessed to the poor rates within the same township of Tanshelf, such estates being freehold or copyhold, or being leasehold, for ninety-nine years or a longer term, and held in the person's own or his wife's right, shall be and are hereby constituted and appointed per- petual trustees for the cultivation, improvement and future management of the said portion or allotment; and that such trustees, or any seven or more of them, assembled at the times and places hereinafter mentioned, shall have the full exercise of the powers hereinafter contained." " And be it further enacted. That it shall' and may be lawful to and for a major part of the trustees, who shall be present at any meet- ing to be held under the authority of this act, to elect a chairman to preside at such meetings, so as such election be made previous to the proceeding in or discussing all other business : And in case at any meeting, where a chairman- lilST-OTlYv OF rONTEFRACT; 4 3, 5 sliall have been so elected to preside, there shall happen to be an equal number of voices for and against any question then put to the vote, the said chairman shall have a second or casting vote, for the purpose of deciding such question " " And be it further enacted. That the said trustees shall meet at the tovvn';^ hall in Ponte- fract on the twentieth day of April in esery year, from and after the passing of this act, at ten of the clock in the forenoon, and siiall then and there decide what number of catt'e may be proper to be taken into the said portion or al- lotment the then ensuing summer; which de- cision shall, within three days after the said twentieth day of April, be publicly made known in the said towns of Pdntefract and Tanshelf by the common cryer or bellman, and by notice to be affixed on the dobr of the upper church in Pontefract aforesaid : And the said trustees shall also on the said twentieth day of April in every year, choose a proper person to be clerk or treasurer, and also anotlier proper per- son to be the Herdsman for the several pur- poses hereinafter mentioned ; and shall also then settle what salary, not exceeding five pounds per annum, shall be paid to the said clerk or treasurer, and what salar}^ not exceeding twenty- five pounds per annum for the first fifleen years from the passing of this act, and not exceeding twenty pounds per annum from thenceforth, shall be paid to the said Herdsman ; and shall also on the said twentieth day of April in every year inspect and settle the accounts of the clerk or treasurer and herdsman for the preceding year." ^SS HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. " Jnd be it further enacted^ That the. said Trustees shall meet again on the first day of May in every year, at the town's hall aforesaid, by ten of the clock in the forenoon, when such of the said inhabitants as are desirous of put- ting cattle into the said portion or allotment shall appear at the said town's hall by them- selves or proxies ; and in case a greater number of persons shall appear and apply for cattle gates in the said portion or allotment than the number of cattle decided to be taken in as above-mentioned, that then the said persons shall write, or cause to be written, their names on scrolls of paper, and deliver the same, wrap- ped up, to the said clerk or treasurer, who shall put them into a box provided for that purpose; and after all the said scrolls of paper shall be put into the said box, the same shall be drawn out by any two of the said trustees; and the first drawn scrolls, to the amount of the number of cattle decided to be taken in, shall have the right to stock the said portion or allotment with one gelding, mare or cow each the then ensuing summer; and in case there shall not be so great a number of persons ap- plying for cattle gat>is as the number ot cattle decided to be taken in as aforesaid, that then all the persons so applying shall every one re- ceive a ticket to put in one gelding, mare or cow, and a ballot shall be taken in manner above mentioned which of them shall have a right to turn ia a second head, and so on in like manner for a third, fourth, or greater number, until the whole number decided to be taken in shall be completed; and from and ipimediately HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 437 after it shall have been decided who sliall have a right to put in cattle as aforesaid, every per- son so decided to have a right shall declare the species of cattle he or she proposes to put into the said portion or allotment; and each such person shall, for every gelding' or mare, immediately pay down to tiiC said clerk or trea- surer the sum of ten shillings, and for every cow the snm of eight shillings, for the herbage or eatage for that season; and that the like rates or sums shall be paid in every future year by the persons who shall be decided to have a right to turn on any gelding, mare or cow for each season respect ivel}', nntil the end and ex- piration of the term of fifteen yeacs from the passing of this act, and afterwards such sum or sums, not exceeding the sums above mentioned, as the said trustees shall, from time to time, order and direct; and in case any person or persons shall neglect to pay such money as afore- said at the time aforesaid, then the person or persons so neglecting shall have no right to stock, but the vacancy or vacancies occasioned thereby shall be immediately filled up by ballot in manner aforesaid out of the persons there ap- pearing, who shall not have obtained a right to stock, or have obtained a right of stockii)g with the smallest number." *' And be it further enacted. That the persons who shall have obtained a right of stocking in manner aforesaid shall and may put their cattle into the said portion or allotment on or after the twelfth day of May in every year, and con- tinue them there until the tenth day of October next following, but not longer; and in case the A^n HIS Wry Ot KJNtEFRACT. gelding, mare, or cow of any person shall hap- pen to die, or be sold or exchanged, or if it shall happen to be convenient to any such per- son to take out such gelding, mare or cow, that then he or she shall have a right to put in another gelding, mare or (iow in the stead of such gelding, mare or cow, so dying, sold, ex- changed, or taken out." *' J7ul be it further enacted. That another meeting of the said trustees shall be held at the said town's hall, on the twentieth day of Sep- tember in every year, at ten of the clock in the forenoon, in order to r'ecide what number of sheep only shall be put into the said portion or allotment from the tenth day of October to the thirteenth day of February in every year, and in order to give such directions to the herdsman respecting the manner of stocking the said portion- or allotment with sheep during the time aforesaid as they may think proper and neces- sary j and no iperson whatsoever shall have a right to put any kind of stock into the said portion or allotment, from the said thirteenth day of February to the said twelfth day of May." *' Provided always, and be it further enacted , That no person shall be permitted to ballot for or have a cattle gate in the said portion or allotment, who is not, at the time of his or her appearing to claim the same, an inhabitant, householder resiant within one of the said town- ships of Pontefract and Tanshelf; and that all fresh cattle put into the said portion or allot- ment shall be shewn to the herdsman at the time of their being first put in ; and that no HISTORY OF PONT EFR ACT. 434 cattle shall be put into or continue in the said portion or allotment except mares and geldings three years old and upwards, and cows in milk or with calf, intended to be kept milch cows for tlie owners own use, and not intended to be fattened for sale or slaughter; and that no person shall take out of the said portion or al- lotment his or her gelding, mare or cow, and put in another in the stead thereof, oftener than twice in a summer, (except in the case of the death of such gelding, mare or cow) and that no exchange shall be made, except for one of the same species; and that no scabbed, infectious, or other uncommonable cattle, shall be put or continued in the said portion or allot- ment on any account whatsoever, nor any cat- tle which are not bona fide the property of the persons appearing or pretending to be the owners thereof, nor any mare having a sucking foal." In case any person is convicted of putting into the park scabbed, infectious, or other un- commonable cattle, or such as are not bona fide his, or her own, such person becomes liable tq a penalty of five pounds. The trustees have a power to grant short leases for four or seven years, of certain parcels of the park, for the improvement thereof, such parcels not exceeding one hundred acres. They have also a right to make brick; but are wholly restrained from digging mines, or getting coals. The whole of the above mentioned parcels of land have been cleared, and after producing large crops of grain, converted into excellent pasture-ground. The trustees have this year ad- mitted three hundred head of cattle. 440 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. A Cew years ago, the innkeepers, joined by a considerable number of the inhabitants of the town, set on foot annual races. Numbers of sporting gentlemen, residing in the neighbour- hood, encouraged the scheme, and it has been carried into execution. The ground of the park is considered highly eligible as a course; and the ridge above the course as affording one of the finest prospects for an immense concourse of spectators. A grand stand has also been erected ; and hitherto the races have been well attended, and the stand filled with fashionables. That part of the park which continues to belong to his Majesty, as parcel of his dutchy of Lancaster, was, by the above mentioned act, made a new district, to be called Pontefract Park District, for which constables, overseers, &c. are appointed, and assessments made and levied as in other townships. This has been in- closed and formed into several good farms. The entire park consisted of one thousand three hundred and sixty-one acres three roods and thirty-seven perches, and is divided and held as under. A. R. p. Allotment belonging to the inhabitants') ^^^^ resiant of Pontefract and Tanshelf, ^'^ Rt. Hon. Earl of Gallway, on lease, 871 39 Mr. Appletree, do. - - 62 2 36 Mr. Thistlewaite, do. - - 32 20 J. Leatham, Esq. do. - - 33 Q Roads and drains, - - - - - 171 22 Amount of the whole, - - - - 1361 3 37 His Majesty's portion, - - - 1036 3 37 HISTORY OF PONTEPRACT^ 441 Stump Cross, Is on the road from Ferrybridge to Pontefract. The shaft of this cross has perished long ago, and nothing but the base how remains. At what period it was erected, or for what particular purpose is uncertain. Browne, in ancient sculp- ture and painting, observes, " that the sculptures which were on the shaft of this cross, bespeak it Roman". These consisted of a circular-headed recess with an eagle; foliage, twisted bands, pateroe, &c*. It is not probable that this cross was erected so early as the time of the Romans. The shaft indeed might be Roman, and erected by that people, as a monument of some victory obtained; and after the introduction of Christianity, it might be chosen to form part of the cross, on account of its antiquity and the elegance of its workmanship. The veneration paid to the cross soon con- verted it from its original design, and it was made to answer a variety of civil purposes. The Romans had their Terminus^ the god who presided over bounderies and land-marks, and in honour of this god they kept the feast termi- nalia. The Christians rejecting this profane idol, substituted the cross in its place; and hence crosses were erected to mark the boundaries of townships and parishes. The Stump-Cross now * Vid. Gentlem. Mag, March, 1806. In Cough's edition ©f Camden's Britannia, the figures on three sides ot this cross are given, but nothing is said from whence they are taken. They are, most probably, engraven from some drawings in the possession of the Antiquarian society. L 1 1 * 4'4'3 HISTORY OP PONTEFRACT. answers this end, and was probably erected for this purpose, as it is a boundary-stone between the ' townships of Ferryfryston and Pontefract. Market-Cross. Gougb reprobates the removal of St- Os- wald's cross, and the erection of the present. He says, " and, as if Pontefract was to shew no evidence of its former splendor, St. Oswald's cross gave place, within these thirty years, to an unmeaning markei-house." The inhabitants of the town and coiinlry nre of a very different opinion to this celebrated antiquary. They enjoy essential benefit from the latter, while the former, if it had been suffered to remain, would be wholly useless. The plate will furnish the reader with an idea of this structure; and the only circum- stance which merits notice, is some account of the man by vvhose munificence it was erected. The follovving is the inscription. " Erected by Mrs. Elizabeth Dupier, relict of Solomon Du- pier, gentleman, in a cheerful and generous compliance with his benevolent intention, 1734. Solomon Dupier is said to have been one of the garrison of Gibralter, at the time it was taken by Sir G. Rooke. It is probable that there had been some good understanding between the admiral and this gentleman, previous to the attack made on that place; and the success of the attack might in part be owing to the ser- vices which he rendered. Whatever truth there may be in this conjecture, he came over to England, and together with a Capt. Lay, who K\0^^ THE TO'WS^'-HAILJL P,vtt.ir.«.nt fc UrM HISTORY OF • PONTEFRACT. 443 had been with Rooke, came and resided here. Tradition makes him a pensioner; and consider- ing all things, it is not improbable. On the first erection of the cross, the roof was flat, and surrounded with a balustrade; but the roof decaying it was new roofed in the style in which it is now seen. Town^s Hall. This is an elegant modern structure. On entering the market place from the west, this building catches the eye and arrests the attention. The lower part is in the antique style, and gives to it the appearance of great strength. In this part are two rooms for prisoners. The pillasters which grace the front are of the Doric order, and the cornice of the Ionic. It was erected on the site of the old Mote-Hall, partly at the expence of the corpo- ration, and partly of the county. The quarter sessions for the wapentake of Osgoldcross are held here. The business done at this sessions exceeds that of any other within the Riding. Here the cloth searchers are examined and ap- pointed; the accompts of the Riding audited and settled, The sessions usually continue four or five days. Theatre, Anxious to render the town equal to others in the amusements of the age, a number of gentlemen built by subscription the theatre. It is small but neat. The York company of come/- 444 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. dians visit the place annually; and since the races have been established, they attend at that season. Ancient Cave. In a garden belonging to Mr J, Leatham, Banker, is an ancient cave, which has been, with great labour, cot out of a fine and solid rock. There was anciently over the door the word Ditis. It is now wholly obliterated, and not the least trace of it remains. This word has led some of our antiquaries to suppose, " that this cave is druidical, and was formed to be a place of worship, where the old Britons invoked Du, whom they believed to rule in the lower places.'* This opinion approaches the extravagance of fixion. AVhat has the term Ditis to do with the Du of the Druids? If this term had any meaning, why not affix to it its usual import?* On entering, the first thing which is observ- able is the cave, extending three yards forwards, and four from the right side to the left. From this room directly forward is a descent of thirteen steps; and from thence there is a de- scent of fifty-nine steps, regularly turning round a center, and which terminates in a small bason containing excellent water. On one side the rock, out of which the whole is cut, a fisure is observable, which descends to the bottom. * As the word is in the genitive case, it is evident some other term must have been connected with it. It is not im-» probable that the word Domus ought to be supplied, and the sense will be ** the house of Pluto ;" an inscription "whicli perfectly suits any cave or dark rec«ss. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 445 It is doubtful for what purpose this place was formed. Some have conjectured that it was intended to be a mansion for the dead. The least reflection will convince any man, that this conjecture is wide of probability. Is it not more natural to suppose, " that as this cave is so near the place where the house of the Black Friers once stood, it was formed by the brother- hood, either as a penetentiary exercise, or for the purpose of obtaining water.'' The one or the other of these' seems the^ most probable, conjecture which can be formed. 446 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. THE CORPORATION, The Privileges, CustomSy and interesting Occurs rences relating to it. 1 ROM the earliest records the burgesses en- joyed many, and, at that period, very valuable privileges; but they possessed no corporate rights. The grant of Roger de Lacy *, while it confirms the privileges of the burgesses, clearly evinces that they possessed no authority, but what he condescended to bestow. The office of bead borough or praetor, a burgess might hold, provided he would give as much for it as any- other person; but any other person was eligible, in case he was the highest bidder. In this dependent state the burgesses con- tinued till the honour of Pontefract became the property of the Dukes of Lancaster, and the Dukes of Lancaster lost their names in that of Kings of England. Richard III. in the first of his roign, granted to this borough a charter, to be governed by a mayor, recorder, and thirteen comburgesses, or aldermen; and before the conclusion of the year, a charter of confir- mation. The charters are in the usual style, * Vid. Ch. No. 1. Appendix. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 447 and define and confer the rights and immunities of a corporate body on the burgesses. Whether the burgesses had aided and assisted Richard in accomplishing his design on the crown, or whether he bestowed this boon to attach them to his interest, is not easy to dc'- cidCi The latter conjecture is most probable, as Kichard saw the storm now gathering, which at last burst upon him, and put an end to his cruelties and his life. As it was usual for our kings to resume the charters of corporate bodies, in order to raise money for granting new ones, it is not im- probable that Henry VII. resorted to this mea- sure, in regard to this borough. In the fourth of his reign he granted a charter, expressed in the same terms as that of Richard, but without noticing or referring to it in any way. In the above charter it is ordained, that the mayor shall be chosen by the votes of the bur- gesses; and the mode that obtained was to give these votes openly in the Mote-Hall. This mode of choosing the mayor became a source of strife and contention among the burgesses; and the quarrels and differences which arose from one election scarcely subsided before another took place, which in like manner gave birth to others. Thus the town was rent by factions; peace was banished and good neighbourhood destroyed. To terminate these differences, and restore peace and harmony to the town, the burgesses appear to have petitioned James I. to grant a new charter, to regulate the mode of choosing the mayor in future. Accordingly, in the fourth 44S HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT* of his reign, a charter was granted, appointing that mode of choosing the mayor which has ever since obtained. The mode is this, each burgess writes on a scroll of paper, *' On the fourteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord (mentioning the current year) such a person is elected mayor of this town or borough." The , name of the burgess is not signed, but the scroll of each is put into a box, then taken out by the town clerk, and the alderman, whose rame is wrote on the greater number of scrolls, is declared duly elected; and the scrolls are burned, that the handwriting may not be scru- tinized, least it should be known for whom, or against whom any burgess voted. In the charter of Charles II. the same rights and privileges are conferred, as in those before granted; one clause excepted. The town clerk and recorder had hitherto been chosen by the mayor ; but by this charter the right of appointing these he reserves to himself and suc- cessors. The nomination is left to the mayor, but they are not allowed to enter into office without a warrant in that behalf, under the .King's sign manual. •jtv James II. eajger to introduce popery, availed liimself of his prerogative to grant charters, to accomplish this object. In his charter to this borough, he reserves to himself, his heirs and successors, the right of removing at pleasure, the mayor or any of the aldermen. It is easy to perceive his design, in inserting sudi a clause in his charters. It was, that corporate bodies might feel their dependence on tlie crown, and be led to support all its pretensions, or >be de^ HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 449 prived of all their privileges, and others more obsequious and obedient be substituted in their place. Previous to the commencement of the civil war the corporation appear to have been much alarmed, and to have felt themselves incapable of performing their duty as liege subjects, in maintaining the peace of the town. They chose out of the burgesses sixteen, and asso- ciated them with themselves, for the better ma- nagement of the town's affairs. During the civil war, and the siege of the castle, the authority of the mayor was superseded by the chief commanding officer in the town. In this turbulent period, corporate privileges were disregarded; and no other law was admitted to be valid than that of the sword. On the restoration of Charles II. commis- sioners were appointed for regulating corporations, by his letters patent, dated Sept. 10, 1 662, at which time the following persons were removed from their office of aldermen, Leonard Ward, John Cooper, Richard Wildman, John Drake, and Jarvis Cooper; and these six gentlemen were placed in the office of aldermen, the said places beitig void as aforesaid, Wm Wilkinson, Jun, Robert Tatham, Jun. Richard Austwick, G. Shillitoe, Jun. Leonard Stables, Jun. and Thomas Jackson, Jun. The reason of the removal of the above gentlemen, was their attachment to the interests of the late parliament. Those who had enjoy- ed power and authority under the auspices of Ciomwell were ousted ; and the friends of those high prerogative notions which now ob- tainedj were substituted in their place. M m m * 450 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. The corporate bodv, having a right to make by-laws, exercised this right; and several such Jaws were made, which as they strongly mark the contracted notions and spirit ot" the times, as well as prove the existence of the Saxon Guilds, deserve to he mentioned. By one of these, ** no man was suffered to set up and follow his business and employment within the borough, un- less he had served an apprenticesliip to the said business within the said borough." In conse- quence of this law, the burgesses and inhabitants who followed any particular occupation, secured to themselves all tli- tradj of the place; they formed companies?, into which no otie could be admitted, but on the condition specified. By another by-law, the condition of apprenticeship was changed for a pecuniary consideration ^ and any person, who desired to be admitted a mem- ber of any company might obtain the privilege, on paying to the mayor, and to the company, certain large sums of money. There were within the borough, the mercers', the drapers' and taylors' companies, &c. and as it may gratify curiosity, the following is the form of admission into the latter. Borough of) 23rd May, 1738. Pontefract. f Thomas Hill, Taylor, was then ad- mitted free of the Company of Drapers and Taylors within ihe said Borough. Witness B. Hepworth, Clerk to the said Company. The companies continued to be kept up, as appears from tlie above copy, though they had HISTORY OF PONTEPRACT. 451 been abolished by a by-law, passed in ihe Mote- Hall, Feb, 1. 1736. It is said, *' that restric- tions laid on trade, by preventing the spirit of competition, tended greatly to the injury of trade, and was found to be destructive of the posperity of the town ; aud in consequence, all orders, constitutions and by-laws, lieretofore made, are repealed, revoked, disannulled, and made absolutely void, and that all persons what- ever may have free liberty, right and authority to use and exercise their respective trade*-', bu- sinesses or employments within the said borough from henceforth." The corporation are proprietors of about fourteen acres of land within the borough, and a house in tiie Shoe-Market, and a Corn-Wind- mill, situate in the township of Tanslielf The corporation are also entitled to the fol» lowing rents and tolls. Certain burgage fee-farm rents, issnhig out of certain houses and lands within the borough, amounting annually to jCoO. A fee-farm rent paid by the King*s Receiver. A toll of wool, sold in the market, at the rate of |d per stone. of fruits and vegetables, &c. ' of horses sold at 3d each, and for one exchanged 6d. of sheep sold at 4d per score. • '2d for every hawker, pedlar, &.c. sel- ling goods within the borough. of boats passing upon the river Air, betwixt Temple Hurst and Knottingley Mills, for every boat with a cockboat 4d, and for every boat without a cockboat 2d, 452 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. A toll from the butchers and other stalls every market day 2d each. On the first market-day after Michaelmas^, each butcher pays 6d for his stand, called book- ing-money. From butchers and others, at St. Andrew's Fair, Twenty-Day Fair, Candlemas Fair, Palm- Sunday Fair, L' vv-Sunday Fair, Trinity Fair, and St. Giles' Fair, for their stand 4d each. On the market-flay before Christmas, called Castle-Farm, each butcher pays 6d for his stand. Every butcher that has only a stall in the market on Christmas-Eve pays 12d each. if any person come on St. Giles' Monday, who was not there on Saturday, he pays 4d, but all persons that paid on Saturday are exempt on Monday. li" anv butcher die, or neglect to make use of his stall for six months, the corporation has the disposal thereof A toll, called Gate Law Toll, of one Id for every waggon or wain bound with iron, and one halfpenny for every bare wain. Out of these rents and tolls, the corporation pay a reserved rent of ^49. ISs. formerly be- longing to the crown, but now to the Kight Honourable Lord Elliot. They also pay various small salaries to their officers. Since the incorporation of the borough, the following is the list of the mayors down to the present time. RICHARD III. HENRY VII, 1 John Hill, - - 1484. 2 Nicholas Green, 1485. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 453 .3 William Sadler, 1486. .4 Richard Jackson, 7. S William Strother, 8. 6 Robert Austwick, 9. 7 Jos. Springall, 1490. .8 Robert Geilis, 1. .9 John Adams, - 2. 10 Richard White, 3. 11 Thomas Butler, 4. 12 John. Hill, - - 5. 13 John Hill, - - 6. 14 John Hill, - - 7. 15 John Watson, 8. 16 John Hodgson, 9. 17 Rob Tt Moor, 1500. 18 Richard Grave, 1. 19 Tho. Huntingden, 2. 20 Will. Wakefield, 3. 21 Henry Austwick, 4. 22 Thomas Smit'i, 5. 23 W!lliam Purser, 6. 24 Robert Ward, 7. 25 Dionis Austwick, 8. HExNRY VIII. 26 Thomas Cook, 9. 27 Thomas EUisley, 10. 28 Robert Gibson, 1 1. 29 John Hodgson, 12. 30 Henry Butier, 13. 31 John Strother, 14. 32 Thomas Ynce, 15. ;33 William Purser, 16. 34 John Illingworth, 17. 35 Thomas Smith, 13. 36 William Hodgson, 19. 57 Roger C lapman, 20. 38 John Grave, 1521. 39 William Nelson, 2. .40 William Purser, 3. 41 Rob. Han-ison, 1524, 42 Roger Jackson, 5. 43 John Wakefield, C. 44 Thomas Hodgson, 7. 4.5 Lionel Roaiston, 8. 46 William Hodgson, 9. 47 William riiwaits, 1530. 48 William Norcon, 1. 49 RogerWedderton, 2. 50 Robert Hairison, 3. 51 \\m. W iibore, 4. 52 Peter Wakefield, 5. 53 Lionel Rouls.on, 6. 54 \\m. Hodgson, 7. 55 Richard Wilbore, 8. 56 Robert Farnell, 9. 57 Edmund Tyas, 1540. 58 John Skipton, 1. 59 Tho. Austwick, 2. 6.0 John Wakefield-) and Rob. Farmer, 3 61 Allen Airey, - 4. 62 William Hodgson, 5, 63 John Atkinson, 6. 64 John Hiidgson, 7. G5 Hicha,rd Wilbore, 8. 66 Tho. Wakefield, 9. 67 William Norton, 1550. 68 Allen Airey, - 1. 69 Robert Robinson, 2. 70 Thomas Holgate, 3. 71 Richard Wilijore, 4. 72 Tho. Edrington, 5. 73 John Oldfield, 6. 74 Bonifiice Savage, 7. QUEEN ELIZABETH. 75 Richard Wilbore, 8. 76 Tho. Austwiik,. 9. 77 Stephen Eldsley, 1560. 454 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. ftUEEN EUZABETH. 78 Rich. Wilbore, 1561. 79 Rowland Savage, 2. 80 John Skipton, 3. 81 Tho. Holgate, 4. 82 Leo. Healaugh, 5. 83 P. Etherington, 6. 84 Jo'ui Skipton, 7. 85 Richard Wilbore, 8. 86 Boniface Savage, 9. 87 Tho. Wakefield, 1570. 88 P. Etherington, 1. 89 P. Etherington, 2. 90 W. Colebeck, 3. 91 Peter Skelton, 4. 92 Boniface Savage, 5. 93 P. Etherington, 6. 94 Ralph Airie, 7. 95 John Skipton, 8. 96 John Eldsley, 9. 97 Wm. Colebeck, 1580. 98 Thomas Crosby, I. 99 Edward Rusby, 2. 100 Robert Cook, 3. 101 Henry Farnell, 4. 102 Rich. Tawaits, 5. 103 Wm. Savage, 6. 104 Henry Farnell, 7. 105 Boniface Savage, 8. 106 Allen Austvvick, 9. 107 Richard Th waits, 1590. lOS John Bramhall, 1. 109 Tho. Robinson, 2. 110 Wm. Stable, 3. 1 1 1 Allen Austwick, 4. 112 W. By water, 5. 113 Henry Farnell, 6. 114 Rich. Th waits, 7. 115 Wm. Savage, S. 116 Allen Eldsley, 9. 117 John Frank, 1600. 118 James Moore, 1. 119 Jolm Bramhall. 2. JAMES I. 120 Tho. Chattel, 3. 121 Josh. Wakefield, 4. 122 John Skipton, 5. 123 Tho. Stable, 6. 124 P^ter Rodgers, 7. 125 William Tatham, 8. 1.6 Allen Austwick, 9. 127 Wm. By water, ' 10. 128 Rich. Thwaits, 11. 129 Rich. Bullock, 12. 130 Josh. Wakefield, 13. 131 John Frank, 14. 132 Wm. Taiham, 15. 133 John Eastwood, 16. 134 L onard Ward, 17. 135 Wm. Wilkinson, 18. 136 Peter Skipton, 19. 137 Tho. Austwick, 20. 138 Tho. Raisin, 1. 139 William Gates, 2. 140 Stephen Cowper, 3. 141 Tho. Hitchin, 4. 142 Maxim. Adams, 5. CHARLES I. 143 Rich. Clement, 6. 144 Edvvm-d Rusby, 7. 145 Robert Moore, 8. 146 Matt. Hard wick, 9. 147 Rob. Moore & t i ^on Maxim. Adams, 3 ^^"^"' 148 Wm. Tatham, I. 149 Wm. Gates, 2. 150 Leonard Ward, 3. 1.5 1 Tho. Hitchin, 4. HISTORY or PONTEFRACT. 455 CHARLES I. 152 Nich. Stable, 153 Maxim. Adams, 154 Robert Frank, 155 Tho. Wilkinson, 156 Tho. Anstwick, 157 John Tatham, 158 John Wilkinson, 159 R char.l Gates, 160 Jarvis Shiliito* 161 Ditto, - 162 John Skurr, 163 John Ramsden, 164 Edward Field, 165 Matt. Frank, CHARLES n. 166 John Cowper, 167 Leonard Ward, 168 Robert Frank, 169 Christ. Long, 170 William Gates, 171 Christ. Long, 172 Richard Gates") and Rob. Moor -, 3 173 John Ramsden, 174 Robert Cowper, 175 Rich. Wiidman, 176 John Frank, 177 Nich. Stable, 173 Rich. Smith, 179 Wm. Wilkinson, 180 Rich. Austwick, 1 8 1 Rob. Tatham, 1635. 182 Ditto, - - 6. 183 Geo. Shiliito, 7. 184 Tho. Jackson, 8. 185 John Rusby, 9. 186 Francis Kellam, 1640. 187 John Johnson, 1. 188 Samuel Taylor, 2. 189 John Frank, 3. 190 Edward Holcott, 4. 191 Christ. Hayford, 5. 192 William Gates, 6. 193 Francis Farrer, 7. 1 94 Rich. Austwick, 8. 195 Rob. Tatham, 196 George Shiliito, 197 Tho. Jackson, 9. 198 William Gates, 1650, 199 John Rusby, 1. 200 Ditro, - 2. 201 John Knowles, 3. 4. JAMES n. 202 William Coates, 203 Francis Kellam, 6. 204 Hastings Sayle. 7. 205 John Johnson 9. 1660. 1. 2. 3. 1664. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 1670. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 1680. 1. 2. 3. 4. 8. and Sam. Tay ison 7 ,dor, 3 WILLIAM AND MARY. 206 Peter Mason, 9. 207 William Stables, 1690. 208 Thomas Taylor, 1. * On the commencement of the civil war, Jarvis Shiliito, the mayor, fled to the casile; and it appears he continued in office during the year 1643 an;! Id+i. Though some one of the aldermen was regularly cliO'sen mayor, yet their civil au- thority within tlie borough, during the different sieges of tSie castle, was wholly annulled by that of the military. 456 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 209 Jarvis Shillito, i692. 210 Win, Bur>iess| , and John Frank, 3 '2,1 1 Thomas Sayle, 4. 2,12 William Braine, 5. 213 Bartho. Batf^man, 6. 214 Thomas Ronth, 7. 215 Hastings Sayle, 8. 216 William Coares, 9. 117 William Stables, 1700. QUEEN ANNE. 218 Thomas Taylor, 1. 219 Sir J. Bland, Bart. 2. 220 Hastings Sayle, 3. 221 George Holcott, 4. 222 Thomas Sayle, 5. 223 Richard Routh, 6. 224 Thomas Taylor, 7. 225 John Kellam, 8. 226 George Skipton, 9. 227 Mich.Waterhome, 10. 228 Thomas Taylor, 11. 229 Rob. Sharpass ? and Wm. Coates, j GEORGE I. 230 Robert Lovvther, 13. 231 William Lee, 14. 232 HastingsSayle, 7 and Law. Fox, j 233 William Lee, 16. 234 George Skipton, 17. 235 Thomas Mason, 18. 236 George Skipton, 19. 237 Wm Kitchingman, 20. 238 Lawrence Fox, 1. 239 George Jenings, 2. 240 John Kellam, 3. 241 George Jenings, 4. 15. GEORGE II. 242 W. Kitcl)ingman,1725. 243 William Lee, 6. 244 W. Kitchingman, 7. 245 Jo!in Kellam, 8. 246 Lawrence Fox, 9. 247 W. Harvey, Esq. 1730. 248 JosephKitchingman, 1. 249 JohuKiichnigman, 2. 250 John Lee, 3. 251 Joshua Wilson., 4. 252 John Perfect, 5. 253 Lawrence Fox 7 ^. and John Kellam, 3 254 John Stephenson. 7. 255 William Crewe, 8. 256 Ld. Vic. Gallway, 9. 257 John Bruce, 1740. 258 John Stephenson, 1. 359 Tho. Whiteman, 2. 360 Joshua Wilson, 3. 361 William Lee, 4. 262 William Drake, 5. 263 J. Kitchingman, 6. 264 John Kitchingman, 7- 265 Joshua Wilson, 8. 266 Sam. Sahonstall, 9. 267 Joshua Wilson, 1750. 268 William Crewe, 1. 269 John Perfect, 2. 270 John Bruce, 3« 271 Riciiard Sugden, 4. 272 John Bright, 5. 273 Butler Lucas, 6. 274 Lawrence Fox, 7- 275 George Swiney, 8. 276 William Perfect, 9. GEORGE III. 277 J. Kitchingman, 176a, HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 457 GEORGE III. 278 William Lamb*, 279 Thomas Taylor, 280 Joshua Wilson, 281 Sam. Saltonstali, 282 T.io. Popplewell, 283 William Crewe, 284 R;chard Sngden, 285 Thomas Taylor, 1770 286 William Cockell, 1. 287 John Perfect, 288 Thomas Taylor, 289 William Cockell, 290 William Perfect, 291 Butler Lucas, 292 Law. Fox, and ") Sam. Saltonstali, 3 293 Rob Davison, 8 294 William Perfect, 9, 295 William Cockell, 1780 296 John Seaton, 1, 297 Wm. Tomlinson, 2 298 John Seaton, 3 299 William Cockell, 4 1763. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 300 Wm. Tomlinson, 1785. 301 John Perfect, 6. 302 Thomas Taylor, 7. 303 John Seaton, 8. 304 Wm. To!i)linson, 9. 305 John Willott, 1790. 306 Thomas Taylor, 1. 307 William Cockell, 2. 308 John Perfect, 3. 309 John Seaton, 4. 310 John hepworth, 5. 3 1 1 Wm. Tomlinson, 6. 312 John Willott, .7. 313 Grosvenor Perfect, 8. 314 George Alderson, 9. 315 Joseph Marshall, 1800. 316 Thomas Taylor^ 317 Wm. Cockell,-) an^d John Seaton, I 318 Wm. Tomlinbon, 319 Robert Seaton, 320 John Wiliot, Z2 1 Joseph Marshall, * In printing from another copy of the list of mayors, and on comparing it with the old corporation book, it was found that an error of two years had been admiltca. In the old corporation book, no mayors are specified for the years 1688 and 1689, the period of the glorious revolution ; so that the reader is desired to observe, Uial die mayoralty ot John Johnson and Samuel Taylor was in the year 1(390, and that ©f tlie rest in regidar succession. > n n 458 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. Parliamenlary History of /lie Borough, Frbrii the era of the bonqnest, the oppres- sions of* the crou'i) compelled the barons to unite ill defence of their own order and privi- leges; and to give success to their eflbrts, they associated their own cause with that of the people. Henije they obtained tlie Magna Charta, the foundation of British Hberty. The people however had no security for the punctual exe- cution of this charter, while they were destitute of any legislative authocity. During the long reign of Henry I If. the charter was neglected j and the barons and the people had no other way left to enforce the observance of it, than by drawing the sword; Henry, always in need of supplies, conceded to their v^ishes in appear- ance, till he had obtained what he wanted, and thetl reverted again to his usual tyranny and oppt*ession. At length the barons took the chief part of the executive power from the crown, and lodged it in the hands of a council, formed of twenty-four of their own body. Thus, after a considerable struggle, the ari- stocracy seem to have triumphed, and the crown was sufficiently humbled. The aristocracy had prevailed through the assistance of the people; and the great Earl of Leicester, as well to se- cure his own power as to gratify the nation, adopted the expedient of summoning to parlia- ment, two knights of each shire, and two bur- gesses for each borough. Edward I. had seen the kingdom rent by the weakness and profligacy of his father's reign. Prudent to discern defects, and prompt to ap- HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT, 459 ply proper remedies, in his reip:n numerous and excellent laws were enacterl ; laws which gave to the House of Commons its lesjal origin, and which have been justly consirlered ^s the l)ul- warks of liberty. The Magna Charta seciu-ed the persons of Englishmen, and the law of the twenty-fourth of Edward enact.s " That no t 'X should be laid, no impost levied, without the joint consent of lords and commons," From this period, kinghts oi" shires and bur- gesses were regularly summoned to parliament. The journals of the house incontestably prove, that as early as th s reig:n, this borough returned members. The contests between the houses of Lancas- ter and York, and the part the burgesses took in them, reduced them to such poverty, rhat they were unable to support their representa- tives; and for some reigns ceased to send any*. In the tenth and eleventh of Flenry VI. writs were sent to the mayor, but the return made was, that they could not send burgesses by reason of their poverty. The borough continued without representatives till the rei2:n of James I. who grin*ed them " all their former liberties * Glanvllie, who is probably more accurate, thouojli his account i< of less teclinical aut .ority, says, " That Ponletract discontinued b'incr a parliamentary borough From the time of King Edward 1." and he adds, " That by reason ot the long disconlii.uance of the borough, there did not appear any knov^'n u>age or prfscription by whom the election should be made." Glan. p. 141. Is it not more probab'e, that the borough sent members af.'er the reign ot Edward I. tiian that it should discontinue irom that period? Indeed, it would be more pro- per to say, that it never e Lowther interest, and the contest lay between Sir John Bright and Robert Moncton. The two parties seem to' have been nearly equal in strength; J. Bright having seventy-two votes and R. Moncton seventy. The meml>ers returned of course were Sir Joha Bland and J. Bright, Esq. R. Moncton, Esq, petitioned; and it appeared from evidenee pro- duced in ihe committee, that one burgage had been split into four by sham conveyances, and that on both sides the most scandalous and illegal HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 465 practices had been used. It was resolved by this committee, " That the right of election was agreed to be in such persons as have inherit- ance, or freehold of burgage tenure within the said borough." The house, on the report of the committee, considered, that neither J. Bright nor R. Moncton had been duly elected, and a new writ was ordered to be issued. The same candidates again offered, the same persons voted as before. J. Bright was again returned, and R. Moncton again petitioned. Before the petition was investigated the parlia- ment was dissolved, and at the general election, 1701, Sir W. Lowther and Sir John Bland were returned without opposition. These gentlemen were chosen in three short successive parliaments, and no contest arose till ]713, when four candidates offered for the bo- rough. These were Mr. Dawney, Mr. Frank, Sir W. Lowther and Mr. Bethel. The two lat- ter opposed the two former. After a long and violent contest, Dawney and Frank were re- turned, and the other two petitioned. When the petition came to be examined, it appeared, " that Robert Lowther, the mayor, and Mr. Frank, who was the recorder of the borough, and Mr. Abbot, the town's clerk, had refused to admit many legal votes for the petitioners; and had admitted many illegal ones lor the sit- ting members. Abbot, who as town's clerk had the making up of the fee-farm book every year for the mayor, wherein the different tenures were distinguished, and all the burgages truly entered, had marked several as burgage tenants who were not so; and omitted others who were. 000 * 466 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. The committee came to the resolution, that the two sittiiii^ members were not duly elected, and tliat the petitioners were^ which the house agreed to. From this period the burgage freeholds were chiefly engrossed by one or two families; and these either sat for the borough them- selves, or sent whom they pleased. The Low- ther family had the greatest number, and of course the greatest interest. Sir, William Lowther about the year 1734 sold his burgage tenures and property o William Moncton, Lord Gallvay, in whose family they have con- tinued. At the general election, 176(S, several bur- gesses resiant in the borough, began to question the right of persons who did not dwell in the said borough, though in possession of a bur- gage freehold, to vote for members to serve in parliament. The burgesses resiant were highly dissatisfied with the prevailing practice of making sham conveyances, and bringing men from a distance, who had no connection with the town, to vote. They stated their views and wishes to a worthy neighbouring baronet. Sir R. Winn 3 and he generously undertook to try the merits of the cause. He appeared in the town, and was hailed as a deliverer. As the cause of freedom is generally the cause the people ardently espouse, this gentle- man received all the popular support which could be expected. Possessed of an ample for- tune, and naturally liberal and generous, he spared no expence. Before the Lion Inn a sheep was roasted whole, balls were given, and HI>=1T0RY OF PONTEFRACT. 467 the spirit of the party kept up by the methods generally adopted on such occasions. 1 o in- dicate the downfall and political death of the Sham interest, the bells were muffled,' and the dumb peal rung. The other candidates were W. Moncton, Lord Gallvvay, and H Sirachey. When the poll commenced, the most violent and unjustirial)le measures were r ursued by the populace. Many out- voters were prevented from appearing: and exercisinsj what they judged their right. Ninnbers of sailors and others from KnottinQ:lev came to the town, and in connec- tion with some of the inhabitants, disturbed the peace, and raised a furious riot. The houses of the mayor and recorder were assaulted; and all the windows in front wholly destroyed. Much damage was done, and the personal safety of those in the sham iiiterest endangered. The mayor was compelled to return Lord Gallway jmd Sir R. Winn. An action was brought against several of the more active rioters; and at the next assizes they were tried and convicted. Lord Gallway and H. Strachey, Esq. petitioned, stating '^ that the returning oflicer had been compelled by force to return Sir R. Winn vi^ith Lord Gallvvay ; and that a great majority of legal voters would have presented themselves, and voted for Mr. Stra- chey, if they had not been intimidated by the violence of several hundred rioters, armed with bludgeons and other offensive weapons." When tlie matter of these petitions came to be tried at the bar of the house, the house resolved, *^ That the counsel be confined to proceed only iipon the allegations of the said petitions, which 468 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. complain of the freedom of the said election being disturbed by rioters." After hearing coun- sel and examining witnesses, the election was declared to be void; and a new writ was or- dered to be issued. On this determination of the house, a gentleman in the lobby, who had been searching the journals of the house, and had met with Glanviile's report concerning Pontefract in the year I6'i4, said, " That the right to vote was neither in the burgesses resident, nor non-re- sident; but in the inhabitants, householders re- siant." Some gentlemen, warm in supporting Sir R. Winn's interest, on hearing this, took new spirit; the journals were examined, and the report found to be as stated. Having taken the opinion of counsel and of friends, the worthy baronet posted down; and, together with his brother Mr. Edward Winn, offered himself a candidate to represent the bo- rough, on the right of the inhabitants. Lord Gallway and H. Strachey, Esq, again stood on the burgage tenure interest; and were of course returned, as the mayor, the returning officer, was obliged to make the return in the usual manner *. Sir R. Winn and his brother now became the petitioners, together with certain in- * By 7 and 8 Will. III. cap. 7. § 1. it is enacted, " That, in case any person or persons shall return any mem- ber to serve in parliament, for any county, city, borough, cinque-port, or place, contrary to the last determination in the House of Commons of the right of election in such county, city, &c. such return so made shall be adjudged to be a false return." This made the last determination of the house binding on returning officers. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 469 habitants, householders, in their interest, Dec. 14, 1768, on the ground of the resolution in the year 1624. At this period election causes were referred to a committee of privileges and elections; and rejected or confirmed hy the whole house. From this it is evident, that whatever might be the merits of the cause, the candidate who had a majority of the house in his favour, would be triumphant. In most elect'on litigations the house did not so much consider the justice of the claims as to what party the candidates be- longed. If the sitting members were in the in- terest of the ministers their right was almost uni- formly established; and the claims of the peti- tioners disregarded. If, on the other hand, the petitioners were on the side of the ministry, their claims were established, and the sitting members rejected. In short, to bring in the favourite candidate, and strengthen the majority by a new voice, every fence of law, justice, and even decency was broken down. Sir R. Winn waited on the Duke of Grafton, the minister, who referred the case to the law officers, and was favourably inclined to it; but the duke going out of office, Lord North succeeded as Chancellor of the Exchequor. Sir R. Winn waited on this gentleman, who assured him that he was also favourable to the claim of the in- habitants of Pontefract, but observed, that he could not take it up as a ministerial measure. He recommended to this gentleman to make "what interest he could by personal application to the members of the house, that when the petition came to be considered they might nn- 470 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. derstand the grounds of it. The worthy baronet not having been in the house, his personal inte- rest with the members was inconsiderable; nor could he, after every possible exertion, succeed in procuring that attention to his cause which its merit deserved. The hearing of the petitions was by repeated adjournments put off to Feb. 6, 1770. By an act of the second of George II. the last determination of the house respecting contro- verted elections was rendered final*. When the petition came to be considered, a doubt arose how far the entries in the two journals of May 28, 1624, were to be considered as the last determination of the house, within the meaning of the act of George II. counsel was heard to that point, after which, *' A motion was made, and the question being put, the two entries of the 28th day of May 1624 of resolutions concerning the right of election for the borough of Pontefract, appearing in two several journals, be admitted to be read to the counsel at the bar, as the last determination of the house, touching the legality of votes for members to serve in par- hament for that borough; the bouse divided, and it passed in the negative, l6l to 32." On this the counsel for the petitioners desired that leave might be given to withdraw their petitions, but this was objected to by the counsel on the other side, who desired to offer evidence to * The clause of the statute runs thus, " That such votes shall be deemed to be legal which have been so dec lared by the last determination in the House of Commons, vvliicli last determination concerning any county, shire, city, borough, cinque-port, or place, shall be final to all intents and purposes ivhatsoevcr, any usage to the contrary notwithstanding." HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 471 establish the right of election. The house re- solved. That the petitions should not be with- drawn. The counsel for the petitioners declined giving the house further trouble. The counsel on the other side examined a witness to prove the right to be in the freeholders of burgage tenure; and produced several returns to shew that the elections were made by the mayor and burgesses. They then read the entries in the Journals of 17th Jan. 1699—1700, and of 24th of March 1715 — 1 6, on which the house came to a resolution determining the right as follows : 6 February, 1770. Resolved, " That the right of election for members to serve in par- liament for the borough of Pontefract, in the county of York, is in persons having within the said borough a freehold of burgage tenure, pay- ing a burgage rent." Thus after an arduous struggle, and after having spent a sum of money equal to what might have supported a contest for the county, the burgage interest appeared to be more firmly established, by the efforts which had been made to overturn it. It did not seem probable that any future attempt would be made on the right of the inhabitants. Their cause appeared now to be hopeless and desperate; nor was there the least probability that it would ever be established. In the year 1770 the Grenv He act was pas- sed. By this act a committee is appointed by ballot, to consist of fifteen members, to settle controverted elections, two of which are nomi- nees. This committee has power to examine 47-2 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. witnesses on oath; to hear counsel; and its de- cision is final. Tile committee being chosen by ballot, the minister cannot avail himself of his TTiajority to support the candidate in his inte- rest. As the appeal to the house, hitherto al- lowed, is taken away, no undue influence can be used ; for the committee, it is probable, will consist of men of different parties; and the me- rits of the cause, it may be presumed, and not the men, will reo;ulate its determination. At the general election in 1774 Sir R. "Winn, though strongly solicited by the inhabitants, and by his friend, the Hon. C. Fox, declined offering himself as a candidate, on the right of the inhabitants. The expences he had already in- curred, and the probability that he would not suc- ceed, appear to have induced him to adopt this determination. The Hon. C. Fox and his friend James Hare, Esq. then offered themselves on that right. The other candidates, on the bur- gage interest, were Sir J. Goodricke and C. Mellishi Esq. These were of course returned, and the other gentlemen, with some of the in- habitants, petitioned. Their petitions were refer- red to a committee under the Grenville act; which met and took the petitions into consider- ation, on the 1st of March, 1775. The two petitions being read, it appeared, that the only question. in the case was the right of election in the borough of Pontefract; and whether a resolution of 1624, or one of 1770, was to be considered as the last determination in the House of Commons, within the meaning of the statute of George II. After some dispute among the counsel whe- HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 475 tlier any, or which, of those two resolutions should be read, the committee agreed, that both should be read; and the counsel of the peti- tioners maintained that as the resolution of 1624 was the last determination of the house in 1729, when the statute of George II. passed, no subsequent act of the house can annul it: for that statute is binding on the House of Commons, and every last determination is to be considered as incorporated with, and making part of, the statute, as much as if it was therein recited. By giving a history of all the contests, the counsel contended that there had been no re- solution, no determination of the house on the right of election; nothing but the agreement of parties; and neither the agreement of parties, nor even the resolution of a committee, unless ratified by the house, can alter the law of elec- tions. The counsel for the sitting members contended that the resolution in 1770 was the last deter- mination of the house; and that the right of election was not finally settled till then. They endeavoured to invalidate the resolution as sta- ted in Glanville's reports; and contended from the charters of the Lacies that the burgesse!> had always enjoyed the right. They argued from the returns, that the mayor, aldermen and burgesses only had a right to vote; and which right they only had exercised. In reply the counsel for the petitioners main- tained, that the charters of the Lacies do not contain any regulation touching the right of election i so that though they had been known ppp * 474 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. to tl)e committee in 1624, their jurlgmrnt woiiUl have beeH the same; and tlmt thf^ir- hy- pothesis is still trile, there was no charter for choice. Thoy concludefl by observing, " That if the committee sliould decide on the present oc- casion as the house did in 1770, the decision will not bind any future committee, nor annul the rights of the inhabitants; which, as they depend on an act of parliament, and are secured by it, cannot be taken away by the determination of any particular case like this, but will be still as valid as ever on a new election." ■'- On Friday, the 3rd of March, the committee, by their chairman, informed the house, that the two sitting members were duly elected. This determination, while it seemed to perpetuate the burgage interest, dispirited the friends of the popular cause, and nearly led them to relinquish it as an impracticable attempt. At the general election in 1780, though urgent application was again made to Sir R. Winn, he continued to adhere to the opinion he had before formed, and refused to stand. Several neighbouring gentlemen were also soli- cited, but none could be found who would asain stand on the right of the inhabitants. At this time a deputation of the town proposed the business to J. Smyth, Esq. but having no knowledge of the nature of their claim, he also declined. Lord Gallway and Mr. Needham "Were returned without opposition. The application which had been made to J. Smyth, Esq. led him to investigate the nature and grounds of the claim of the inhabitants of this borough. The result of this investigation HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 475 was> that he was fully, satisfied, *' That the ri.s^jit of election was in the inhabitants, honse- h Iders resiant." Lord Gallvvay accepted the envoyship to Miuiich, in the, year 178.'3, and in consequence vacated his seat. No oppontion was expected J and it was then supposed that the popular cause would he finally ahandoned. A gentleman or two, who had been hiiherto most active in the attempts which had been , made to obtain the freedom of the borouo^h, consulted what was now to be done, but could qot determine to whom to apply, or in what manner another effort should be made. One of these, without informing any pe,rson of his inieii>ion, rode over, and again applied to J. Smyth, Esq. The answer of this gentleman was favourable; and he engaged, that in case his friends in London, to whom an express was sent, were of his opinion, he would offer himself as a candidate. The ex- press returned before the day of ek-ction, and his friends encouraging the attempt, his steward was sent before to announce his approach to the town. The bells rung, and the inhabitants instantly assembled. Nothing could exceed their enthusiasm when they found that this gentleman had undertaken the cause of their freedom and liberties. On the burgage interest J. Smith, an East India Director, was proposed, and returned by W. Tomlinson, Esq. mayor. J. Smyth, Esq, polled a fevy of the inhabitants, and petitioned. The period when this petition was presented was auspicious. Mr. Pitt, by his commanding eloquence, had roused the spirit of the nation in favour of a parliamentary reform. The conr- 476 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. duct of the house, during the American war, furnished unanswerable arguments to prove the corrupt influence which prevailed; and numbers of liberal and well informed gentlemen met in the different counties to consult on the measures necessary to be adopted in order to obtain a reform *. Many members of the house advocated the cause; and it was generally hoped that a temporate reform would have been effected. Such being the spirit of the country, and of numbers in the House of Commons, when the petition was heard before a committee, April the 8th, the more attention was paid to it; and the counsel ably and forcibly supporting it, on the 11th the committee decided that J. Smyth, Esq. was duly elected, and he took his seat accordingly. When the news of this tri- umph was received in the town, the people were transported with jov; and indulged their feelings by public rejoicings of every kind. On the return of J. Smyth, Esq. into the country in summer, he came to congratulate his consti- tuents on their triumph in the establishment of their just rights. He was received with every possible mark of respect; and scenes of festivity and merriment succeeded each other, till the ebnlition of the popular mind gradually subr sided into the tranquil emotions of gratitude and self-satisfaction. * It deserves to be recorded to the honour of Lord Gall- way, " That in different county-meetings, he declared his rea- diness to relinquish his interest in the borough of Pontefract, provided other noblemen and gentlemen would relinquish theirs His Loruship's proposal met with the warmest ap- probation among the friends of reform ; but rot one borough proprietor followed his noble and patriotic example." See Wyville's Tracts, &c. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 477 At the dissolution of Parliament in 1784, J. Smyth, Esq. Col. Sotli.'ron and Sir R. Winn, offered themselves on the right of the inhabi- tants. The two former gentlemen had canvassed the town before the worthy baronet made his appearance. He had not ever) given the least hint, that he intended to offv^r himself; nor had lie engaged any law-agent. He met with such support, as to leave no doubt what would have been the event, had he commenced his canvas as early as the other gentlemen. The two for- mer were returned by J. Seaton, Esq. mayor, on the right of the inhabitants; and the Honourable W. Cockayne and J. Walsh, Esq. stood on the burgage interest, and petitioned against the le- gality of the return. In June the petitions came before a committee, which after hearing counsel, who entered into the same argmnents as before, decided that the return was legal, and the members enjoyed the possession of their seats in peace. In the year 1788, an act passed to amend the Grenville act, respecting the trial of con- troverted elections. By this act, where the right of election is in dispute, the parties are al- lowed to petition; and if the committee decide against the petitioners, an appeal is to be made within twelve months; a committee is again to be formed, and its decision is to be conclusive, binding and final. Previous to this act there was no law to put an end to petitions and contests, and though a committee had decided a case against the petitioners repeatedly, still the house might be pestered with fresh peti- tions on every new election. Finally to settle 478 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. disputes of this kind, and with a particular re- ference to the case of Pontefract, was this a-ct brought in and passed. The general election in 1790 brought for- ward the old members again on the same right; and Lord Gal! way, to the surprise of all his friends, also offered himself on the same right, J. Anstruther,. Esq. and C. MelHsh, Esq. stood on the burgage interest. Tlie lale members were j-eturned; and the two last gentlemen, as usual, petitioned. On the first of March, 1791, a committee was appointed, and the petitions ta- ken into consideration. Counsel for the peti- tioners defended the burgage right by the same arguments which had been on a former occasion produced; and the counsel for the sitting mem- bers in like manner answered I hem. On the 8th of March the committee decided in favour of the inhabitants. In June 1791, J. Smyth, Esq. vacated his seat, by accepting the office of one of the lords of the Admiralty, and was returned without op- position, except from the burgage interest. J. AValsh, Esq. in right of his burgage freehold, petitioned; and as this was the last time the subject could come before the house according to the provisions of the above-mentioned act, every possible effort was made to establish the burgage right. Owing to a pressure of public business, the hearing of the petition was put off till February 1793. On the 19th of that month the committee sat^ and continued till the 27, when after the fullest investigation, it was again decided in favour of the inhabitants. The counsel for the petitioners established HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 479 by the clearest evidence, tliat from the year 1624, till the late decision, persons possessing a bur- gage freehold had claimed and exercised the right of voting, and that the inhabitants, house- holders resiant, iiad not iii one instance exer- cised that right, nor had they claimed it prior to the year 1 770. They could however produce no proof that persons in possession of a bur- gage freehold, exclusively enjoyed and exercised that right prior to the year 1624, nor Could they prove that the right of election had been litigated after the above period, till the act of George II. Which makes the last determination of the house of commons finally decisive re- specting the right of election. The whole efforts of the counsel were directed to invalidate the decision of the house in 1624, The counsel for the sitting members replied, and with much force and perspicuity stated the circumstances respecting the resolution of the house at th6 above period, and clearly demonstrated, that no subsequent usage ought to establish a right, and according to the constitution of parliament could not. They maintained, that the determi- nation of the house in 1770, though last in point of time, yet that in 1624 was last when the act of George II. passed, and consequently that the committee was bound to consider the right of the inhabitants as fully and legally esta- blished. Thus after a ten years contest, a contest which cost large sums of money to both par- ties, did the inhabifatits see their cause finally prevail, and their rights and liberties firmly and unalterably established. ' "■■ 480 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. In 1794. J. Smyth, Esq. vacated his seat by accepting the office of one of the lords of the Treasury, and was reelected without opposition from any quarter. The st-neral election in 1796 brought forward Lord Gallway. The long comiection of his Lordship's family with the borough, the liber- ality of the family to the inhabitants, as well as his Lordship's property, gave him a considerable interest, and Col. Sotheron judged it most pru- dent to decline offering himself as a candidate. lii consequence of this his Lordship and the Lion. J. Smyth were returned, May 30th, with- out opposition. At the general election 180^, Lord Gall- way declined, and R. Benyon, Esq. offered on his interest. The Hon. J. Smyth stood again. After these gentlemen had commenced their canvas W. Wrightson, Esq. offered himself as a candidate. He was supported by several neigh- bouring gentlemen; but fmdmg when he had finished his canvas that he should not succeed, he declined previous to the poll commencing. The two other candidates were of course re- turned. At the general election in 1806, R. P. Milnes, Esq. supported by Lord Gallvvay's in- terest, offered himself, together with the Hon. J. Smyth. No opposition was at first expected. From a concurrence of circumstances, a third candidate at length came forward, the son of the ancient and noble family of Saville. His Lordship's connection with the volunteer corps rendered him a formidable opponent. Although he had the disadvantage of commencing his can- HISTORY OF PONTKFRAGT. 481 vas after the other two gentlemen had nearly finished theirs, yet he met vvitli considerable sup- port; and the assurance his Lordship received from such as had previously promised their votes, rendered it certain what would have been the re- sult, had he offered himself earlier. The contest chiefly lay between his Lordship and the Hon. J. Smyth. After a warm and violent contest, and carried on till his Lordship had not a man to poll, the old member, together with R. P. Milnes, Esq. was returned. The number of votes stood as follows, Lord Pollington 3^4, JR. P. Milnes, Esq. 484, Hon. J. Smyth 371, At the general election in 1807, the same candidates again offered for the borough. Flat- tered by the reception he had before met with. Lord Pollington again came forward ; and becom- ing the popular candidate, nearly received a vote from every one of the electors. The contest be- ing between the two late members, as might be expected, was arduous and sufficiently violent. The two parties w re nearly equal in strength; the one being supported in general by the te- nantry of Lord Gailvvay, an^ the interest which his own respectable family, residing near the town, naturally creates; the other by the at- tachment of old friends, and the important ser- vices he had rendered to the borough. Every art, usual on such otcasions, was tried by each party to turn the popular mind, and bring the struggle to a successful conclusion. At last the poll commenced, and during the first day the two parties kept so near to each other, that there was only a difference of one vote at the conclusion. The next day the battle was equally Q q q * 482 HISTORY OF PONTfiFtlACT. well fonglU; anrl vvhf'n the poll closetl, K. P. Millies was only nine a head of his opponent. He and Viscount Pollington Mere returned. Thus terminated the arduous struggle; and the Hon. J. Smyth, who by his peisevering ex- ertions had secured to the inhabitants their rights, alter having been in ])arliannent twenty- three years as their representative, found him- self the unsuccessful candidate. This event did not arise from want of attachment in his friends, but from circunibtances which no prudence could avoid, nor any influence counteract. In the course of twenty yens a new race had sprung \tp; many strangers had come to reside in the borough; and it is natural to suppose that these would not feel all the respect for the old re- representative which his tried friends might wish. In short these being wholly indifferent to past transactions, were ready to give their votes as their c-'unections, prejudices, or expectations might influence. The friends of this gentleman have testified the highest respect for his past services; and so long as fair freedom is esteemed tlie Eng- Jishman's birth-right, so long as the elective franchise, shall be deemed a privilege; so long will the name of Smyth be associated with free^ dom in the borough of Pontefract. The fullowing is a list of the Members returned for Pontefract, 16th JAMES I. 1620, George Skillet, — Edmunds Sands, Jun. 21st JAMES I. 1624, Sir Tho. Wentworth, — Sir John Jackson. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 485 1st CHARLES I. 1625, Sir John Jackson, — Sir Rich. Beanmont, 1st CHARLES I. 26, Sir John Jackson, — Francis Foljambe. 3rd CHARLES I. 29, Sir John Jackson, — Sir John Ramsden. 15 th CHARLES I. 40, Sir John Ramsden, — Sr G. Wentworth, I6lh CHARLES I. 41, Sir George Wentworth, (Woliey) — Sir G. Wentworth, (of Wentworth House,) 46, Henry Arthington, — William White. 1 1th CHARLES II. 58, John Lord Lambert, — Joiin Hevvley *, 60, Sir Geo. Saville, — William Lowther, 61, Sir John Dawney, — William Lowther, 78, Sir John Dawney, — Sir Patientius Ward, 81, Sir John Dawney, — Sir Patientius Ward, 85, Lord Downe, — Sir Thomas Yarborough, 88, Lord Downe, — Sir Thomas Yarborough, 90, Sir John Bland, — Henrv Downe, 95, Sir William Lowther, — Robert Moncton, 98, John Bright,— Sir John Bland, 1701, William Lowther, — Sir John Bland, 2, William Lowther, — Sir John B'and, 5, William Lowther, — Sir John Bland, 8, William Lowther, — Sir John Bland, ]0, Robert Frank, — Sir John Bland, 13, Robert Frank, — John Dav/ney, 14, Hugh Bethel, — Sir William Lowther, 22, John Lowther,— :Sir William Lowther, 27, John Lowther, — Sir William Lowther, 34, Lord Gall way, — Sir William Lowther, * The above list is taken from Willis's Nolitia Parlia- mentaria. 484 itlStORY OF PONTEFRACT. 1 74 1, Lord Gall'Vay, — George Pitt, 47, William Moncton, — George Pitt, 54, Lo.d Gdllway, — Snmbroke Trueman, 61, Lord Gallway, — Wm. Gerard Hamilton*, 68, Lord Gallway, — Henry Strachey, 74, Sir John Goodrick, — C. Meliish, 80, Lord Gallway, — William Needham, 83, J. Smyth, 84, J. Smyth, — Colonel Sotheron, 90, J. Smyth, — Colonel Sotheron, 96, J. Smyth, — Lord Gallway. 1802, J. Smyth,--R. Benyon, 6, J. Smyth,— R. P. Milnes, 7, R. P. Milnes,— Lord PoUington. RELIGIOUS SECTS. Within this town there are the ususal and prevaijing denominations of professing christians, — rCatholics, Dissenters, Wesleyan Methodists, and a society of friends, commonly called Quakers. Catholics Several ancient famlies, respectable for their property in Hiis neighbourhood, maintained an unshaken attachment to the catholic cause, tho' exposed to all the rigour of the penal statutes j and when the lenient and tolerent spirit of the age, outrun that of the law, the Catholics emer- ged from their obscurity, and assembled to wor- ship according to their ov n modes and opinions. They ventu»ed publicly to address the Virgin- * From the restoration the list is taken from Wentworth; and the remainder from the journals. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 485 Mother, and to revere the hallowed relics of past ages; to offer the sacrifice of tlu^ mass, and again to celebrate their holy mysteries *. Their number in this place lias never ex- ceeded thirty or forty persons. Their place of Worship, till lately, was a room in the house occupied by their teacher. They have now erected a place of worship on a more enlarged scale; and adapted to all the peculiar ceremo- nies of their worship f. The building is a neat structure, and its interior well finished. Protestant Nonconformist Dissenters. The rise of the Dissenters, as a distinct body, dates from the time when the Act of Uniformity was passed. A considerable num- ber of the clergy, who then filled the churches, were either Presbyterians or Independents; and were thus denominated fiom tlu'ir opinions re- specting the nature of a christian church, and the mode of its government. The former of these maintained, that in the New Testament the terms bi^hop, elder, or presbyter are applied to the same person, and that there is no proof of a bishop enjoying any superior sanctity or * In the year 1791, an act was passed to repeal the penal laws against tliis body, and to allow the general privi- leges ot olher sects, on taking certain prescibed oaths, t Tne ground on which this building has been erected is in old deeds, called HalywuUs. As in the times of the Saxons, lands were often htid of the church, on the condition of the tenant keeping the church in repair &:c. is it not pro- bable, that this lana was held by such a tenure? That the proprietor was bound to keep ni repair the holy walls, i. e. the church' It was eitaer held by such tenure, or otherwise it has been the site of some religious house. \ 486 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. authority over the presbyter, while the church continued separate from the state. 1 hey con- tended, that there ought to be no difference of rank among the clergy ; and that the church ought, according to scripture and the purest ages, to he governed by provincial synods and a general assembly. The Independents agreed with the Presbyterians on all subjects, except the last. They maintained that each christian society had a right to choose its own minisier, and to regulate its interior affairs, unavved by any superior influence, and without being amen- able to any earthly tribunal. On passing the Act of Uniformity, * those who held these opinions could not in consci- ence comply with the provisions of the act; and ■were therefore compelled e'ther to make a false declaration, or finally to leave the establishment. They chose the latter, and on the 24th of Au- gust, 1662. two thousand clergymen quitted their livings, and voluntarily submitted to po- verty, disgrace and persecution, rather than sub- scribe to declarations they did not believe. No other age, no other country, ever witnessed * This bill was hastely brought into the house, and ob« sequious a^; the parliaments ot Charles were, it met with such violent opposition, that every exertion of the crown, and all the direct and indirect influence which could be used, was found necessary in order to get it through the House ot Commons. At last this act passed in the House of Commons, by a majo- rity of only six, the yeas being 186, and the noe-i 180. The reader who wishes to know how far the object of this act has been attained, may consult Archdeacon Black- burne's Confessional ; Overton's " True Churchman ascertained," and the publications to which this work has given rise within these few years past. / HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 487 such a sacrifice of interest to principle; and while the love of truth, honour, integrity and liberality is cherished, these men cannot fail to receive their due measure of praise. The Rev. Joseph Farret, who had laboured for some years, in the church of St, Giles* here, was one of the respectable number of sece- ders from the establishment. Though far advan- ced in years, Calamy says, " He was a constant, laborious preacher, of competent gifts and learn- ing." He had an excellent library, and though on quitting the church he was reduced to great straits, like most men of letters, he chose to part with any thing rather than his books. He met with a kind friend in a Mr. Ward, who resided in the old mansion, called the court, in. Tanshelf, in which township he also enjo)'ed a considerable estate. Under his hospitable roof Mr. Farret, and those Christians who adhered to him, met to worship God according to the opinions they held respecting the nature of a christian church. This respectable scholar and divine, worn out with labour, was the year following removed out of a tempestuous world to a state of rest. He died in the sixty-fourth year of his age. The little society he had formed, and to which he had preached during the last year of his life, still subsisted and remained firm to its principles after his demise. The Rev. J. Noble succeeded him as minister; and continued to la- bour among them as much as the persecuting spirit of the times would permit *, for the space * From the restoration of Charles II. to the revolution, the Dissenters were persecuted with a severity wliich will re- 488 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. of sixteen years. He died Feb. 11, 1679, aged sixty-eight years. Calamy gives the following ac- coimt of him. " He was born at Asleby, in the parish of Holden, l6ll. He was admit ed at Christ Col. Camb. in 1630. In 1637 he was minister at Whitgift. in 1646 he removed to Smeaton, where he continued till the Act of Uniformity. He was an excellent, useful, and a solid divine; a man of a happy memory, great presence of mind, and ready wit; a mighty op^ poser of the factions and tumults of the times. He was an excellent disputant, and never lost or disparaged his cause or reputation by igno-^ ranee or passion. He was succeeded by the Rev. J. Hey wood, the younger son of the great and good Oliver fleet disgrace on the intolerant spirit of the age. Some thousands lost their lives in prison; and the loss of property which they sustained by legal processes and lines, amounted to the sum ot two millions. The Dissenters here had their share in the pommon cala- mity. The Castle Chain House was then used as a prison, and several were confined there for daring to claim and ex- ercise, what every liberal man, whether in or out of the esta- bhshment, now admits, the right of private judgment. Tradi- tion has handed down, tliat one of tlie Medleys, who had a large family, was confined there at the time William and Mary landed. The news of this event rapidly spread through the country, and a brotiier of the above-mentioned gentleman, went down to Ferrybridge to obtain further intelligence. While he remained there an express arrived, ordering the pri- sons to be opened, and all persons confined on account of re- ligion, immediately to be set at liberty. The good man in- stantly kneeled down on the bridge to return thanks to heaven, for a favour so interesting to himself, his friends and his country. This family, which has nearly become extinct here, will pro- bably be perpetuated in the descendents of the late Rev. S. Medley, of Liverpool. HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 489 Heywood; whose persecutions were severe, whose piety and worth are not often equalled ; who was generally and justly beloved, and for whom pro- vidence almost miraculously provided** During the time of his son's ministry he occasionally preached for him, as appears from his own diary. His son John came here from Rotherham, but how lonsr he continued his ministerial labours is not known. Tradition has handed down the fact, that he died here; and was buried in the old Dissenting Meeting-house. It is probable, from the period his successor laboured in the ministry, that his death may be referred to the year 1720. The Rev. Stamford followed him ; a gentleman whose knowledge rendered him dear to his own hearers, and justly respected by all who knew him. In his time the Dissenters were considerable in their numbers, and respect- able in point of property. The families of La- pidgef, Waterhouse, Kiplin, and others belonged to this body. This respectable divine died in the year 1746. For some time the congregation was des- titute of a pastor. At length the Rev. • Coppock came, and was chosen to be their teacher. This gentleman had received a liberal * The lineal descendant of this great man, is Sergeant HeyA'ood, of Nottingham; and the respectable family of Hey- woods, at Wakefield, spring from his brother Nathaniel. See his life by Fawcit. t John Milnes, of Wakefield, merchant, married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Lapidge. — Ester Lapidge, the second daughter, married the Rev. Isaac Wilkinson, Dissenting minis- ter, at Warley, near Halifax, and ancestor to the present Isaac Wilkinson, of Tapton-House, near Chesterfield, banker. Ann, tlie third daughter, married to John Kiplin, of Ack- worth, gentleman, R r r * 490 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. education; and as a scholar had the esteem of those who knew him. He embraced the theo- logical sentiments of Socinus; and for a period of thirty-six years he preached and defended V them. He lived to see, that these sentiments, thongh considered as most consonant to reason, are not tlie best calcnlated to reform the profli- gate, to promote a sp rit of warm and lively devo- tion, or to increase a congregation. This gentle- man fonnd a respectable congregation, and he preached it away. He died in 1782, and had on- ly two or three families who attended his ministry. On his demise, sone persons who had em- braced those sentiments generally called evan- gelical, united together in order to obtain a Dissenting teacher of similar sentiments with their own. They repaired the old meeting-house, which had fallen into decay; and they invited the Rev. W. Tap, to take the pastoral charge over them. Accordingly he came, and continued to discharge the duties of his office till 1791, when he removed, and was succeeded by the author. The late Hans Busk, Esq. who during the latter years of his life, usually spent the winter in this place, gave himself, and collected among his friends, a sum of money to purchase, or erect, a house for the Di-ssenting minister. On his demise, this money was paid in by his ex- ecutor, R. S. Milnes, M. P. with which an house was purchased, and ground for the erec- tion of a new meeting-house. In the year 1795 this structure was begun, and completed in 1796. The building is neat and well finished. Mary Reynolds, cousin to Patience Ward, HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 491 Esq. by her will, dated the 17th of Apr. 1731, gave to him the sum of twenty pounds, to be laid out in land, the rents and profits of which were for ever to go to the minister of the Dis- senting chapel in Tanshelf; and if it should happen, that there should be no Dissenting minister to preach in the said chapel, or else- where in Tanshelf or Pontefract, the said rents should go to the use of the pov>r of Pontefract and Tanshelf, aiid be distributed amongst them at the discretion of th? said Patience Ward, Esq. the executor of the said will, and his heirs for ever. In compliance with the above will Patience Ward, Esq. purchased a small close, called Carleton-Gate Close, which was surrendered to him in Tanshelf court, for the uses specified. On the back of the surrender it is observed, that the society of Dissenters, by a collection among themselves, raised above ten pounds more in or- der to complete the purchase, the sum be- queathed by Mrs. Reynolds not being sufficient for that purpose. Quaker's Meeting-house. Although the tenets of the people called Quakers began to spread abroad as early as the year 1655, through the searching and pow- erful ministry of Fox, Penn, B.irclay and many others, yet we do not find that any buiidmg was erected in this town for the purpose of meeting, and performing public worship in, un- til the year 1685, when the plot of ground in Southgate, on which the present building stands. 492 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. was given by Thomas English, of this place, grocer, to John Seaton, of BIythe, Nottingham- shire, yeoman, Henry Jackson, of Tottess, in Wooldale, Richard Morton, of Woodand Hill, yeoman, Robert Clark^on, of Pontefract, grocer, Henry Calf, of Pontefract, Malster, and their heirs and assigns for ever, in trust to erect a meeting-house on, and for a burial place for the use of the members of this society. The present remaining trustees are John Leatham, John Thistlethwaite and Joseph John- son. This society has been more numerous than it is at present. Several of the members have, by honest and persevering industry, raised them- selves to opulence; and their general conduct, in many respects, reflects honour on their prin- ciples. Wesleyan MethodisCs Chapel, Itenerants belonging to this body, sometime after its rise, obtained admission into the town, and soon formed a small society. They increased by degrees, and in the year 1789 laid the foundation stone of their meeting-house. This building was completed and opened April 4. 1790, by an appropriate discourse, deliverd by Mr. Mather. Soon after the head of this society, the Rev. J. Wesley, visited the town, and preached in the meeting-house to a large and crowded audience. From Pontefract the itenerants have diverged in all directions, and formed small societies in the surrounding villages. Two of the regular HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. 493 preachers reside here during the perior* granted by the Conference, the supreme legislative body of this society. The number of the people who attend varies according to the talenis of the preach- ers. Among the lower classes their labours have been useful here, as in most other places. Modern state of the Town. The town of Pontefract yields to iew in the neatness of its buildings. Its streets are open and spacious; iiept clean and in good re- pair. There being no manufactories carried on, the atmosphere is never loaded with the smoke of steam engines, and the air is uncommonly pure and salubrious. Market. — The market is held on Saturday; and is well supplied with the best butcher's meat, poultry and fish. Large quantities of grain of every discription are brought and sold here. Fairs. — The principal fairs are St. Andrew's fair, on the first Saturday in December ; Can- dlemas fair, the first Saturday after February 13 ; St. Giles' fair, the first Saturday after Sep. 12; and all the moveable fairs, Palm-Sunday and Trinity Sunday to be held on the Saturday before each of these days respectively. Land. — The soil is in general excellent; and in the highest state of cultivation. The gardens and nursery grounds about the town are exten- sive. The superfluous produce of the one is regularly carried to the populous towns of Leeds and Wakefield; and seedlings from the other are conveyed to the most distant parts of 494 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. the land. Licorice has been long cultivated with success; and Pontefract licorice cakes are well known throughout the British empire. The population of" the town, as taken in 1801, is as follows; houses inhabited 693, houses not inhabited 48, families 702, males 1394, females 1703. Tota) 3097. The popula- tion has increased near six hundred since the year 1764. The number of famihes then was 538, and of persons 2515. Few men who have ranked high in church or state, or who have been distinguislied in the annals of literature, have either been born or re- sided in the town of Pontefract. It is probable that no further information can be obtained than what has aheady been given, from Leland, respect- ing the monkish historian, Thomas de Castleford. Gough has noticed several particulars respecting the indefatigable antiquary Dr. Johnson, who spent the greatest part of his life here. He is said to have made large collections for the history ol Yorkshire*. Where he was born, or where he ended his days, is uncertain. Bishop Bramhall, who was Primate of Ireland, after the restoration, was born here. He rose by his learning and talents to this distinguished ho- nour, and high station in the church. He took an active part in the contentions of Charles I. reign; and after the fatal battle of Marston * Dr. Burton says, " that he had the use of above one hundred folio volumes relating to this county, collected by this indefatigable physician, then in the hands of R. Frank, Esq. of Campsall. Part of this collection was sent to Lon-? don and sold, and the remainder are in the possession of E, Frank, Esq. > HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT, 495 AIooFj with many others, fled to the Continent. There he chiefly remained till the restoration, when he received the bishoprick of Armagh, as a reward for his fidelity and services. He died in June 1663. The author of the Newcastle Rider, and other poems, merits notice, as an instance of native genius, without the advantage of a lite- rary education. His name was Lun, and his occupation that of a barber. The first attempt to obtain the freedom of the borough brought his poetical talents into exercise; and his various squibs and etfusions obtained considerable ap- plause. These productions were collected to- gether and published under the title of Duniad. Some of the pieces in the collection, for keen- ness of satire and justness of sentiment, would not disgrace the pen of a Churchill. For persons unconnected with trade, Ponte- fract is a most pleasant and agreeable situation. It is surrounded by the seats of nobles and opu- lent commoners; and persons of small or large fortunes, may find agreeable society either in the town or neighbourhood, according to their own wishes and rank. The state of morals, if not such as the man of piety could wish, is at least not worse than what generally obtains. The lower orders are more refined and polished than in some larger commercial towns; and are even more sober and temporate; not that they are less inclined to the usual vices of the age, but their resources are more limited and confined. The rich and the opulent invariably display the virtues of humanity, compassion and benevolence. To the 496 HISTORY OF PONTEFRACT. eries of the wretclied they are not insensible, but objects of real distress ever meet with the most speedy and generous rehef. Improvements in morals, in internal order and government, are still wanting; and a re- spect for the prosperity of the place, not only prompts, but compels the acknowledgement. The decorum due to the christian Sabbath is commonly and grossly violated ; and as a pro- per attention to the duties of this day will be found to be the best guardian of private and public virtue, it is to be wished that the re- spectable part of the inhabitants would sanction by their own example, and exert their influence to promote the general observance of it. APPENDIX. CHARTERS BELONGING TO THE CORPORATIONo CHARTER OF ROGER DE LACY. p -I^ERSONS present and to come, know that I Roger de Lacy, Constable of Chester, have given and granted, and by this my present charter have confirnied to my bur- gesses olPontefract and their heirs and successors, their liberty, and free burgh, and their tofts to be held of me and my heirs, in fee and by descent freely and quietly, honourably and entirely. Yielding yearly to me and my heirs for all services twelvepence for every whole toft, as they did in the time of Henry de Lacy, paying a moiety of the rent at mid- lent, and a moiety at the feast of saint Michael. Moreover I ha\e granted, and con- firmed to my aforesaid buigesses, and their successors the liberties, and tree-laws, which the burgesses of the Lord the king of Grimsby use, which ate these, Eveiy burgess may give or sell his land to whoever he shall please, unless to the religious (or in mortmain) the rent of the lord being reserved, and he shall enter a plea, and render the land into the hand of the headborough (or praetor) for the use oftheloid, and he shall give a penny of tribute, and the headborough stiall give the land to the buyer, of the gilt of the lord, clear from all things, and the pur- chaser shall likewise give a penny. Whoever shall purchase any part of any toft, and shall have been seized theieot as above prescribed is as free as if he had bought a whole tolt. If any person shall have many houses in his lolt, and shall let them to any persons, they shall be free to sell and buy all merchandizes, but he shall give fourpence a year to the headborough. He who shall dwell in a mansion, house shall be unmolested and fiee as if he was a burgess. Whoever shall commit a forfeiture in the borough aforesaid, there he shall be attached ; he shall stand to the law according to the sentence (or judgment) in ihe borough court. But the aforesaid burgesses shall not go out of their borough tor any plea or any plaint save only for pleas of the crown. When the headborough (or praetor) shall have paid the boiough rent to the lord, at the feast of saint Michael, the lord shall remove him, and shall substitute whomsoever he shall please, but the burgesses will be the proper persons if only they will be agreeable to give as much as others. He who hath accused an^^ther person of any Offence in a plea before the praetoi, that unjustly and without reason and in peace and he shall forfeit to him, and that person shall deny the injury and not the reason and peace and whatsoever he sayed against him, that person baih given a good answer or reply. He who hath denied S S S * 11 APPENDIX. the injury, or the unreasonableness or the peace, and hath not been blame worthy ot any of them, he s!:all be tryed according lo the laws ot ihe pisetor, and by bis for'eitu'e (or fine) he shall recover his an>»er (or repiy.) Ke who shah begin to deny his words exai tly for a negative, and shall not exactly deny all, he fails, and by his lurieiture he shall recover hi; answer (yr reply.) 1 lie lorltiture oi the bur- gesses ii lilt praetor «ha!l p!ease to aggrieve any one sli.ill be asreriamed by twelve lawfii' men elected lor this purpose. None of the burgesses shall give his forfei- ture for his fiist dtlau't but for the second, unless lie shall lie able to vave his ciay« Evfciy burgess shall find pledges fur his own proper naam (ordistiess) unless he shall have been accused ot the crown of the lo^d the king or shall fail to make liable his proper pledge. If a servant of the praetor shall have spoken against a burgess he shall not answer without a witness. If a burgess shall have bren accu- sed by his equal ol bloodshed or ot battery and he shall deny it, he shall swear (or purge) himsel on the sixth day ; it not o* bloodshed he shall purge himself on the third day. Jf any o her than a burge»s shall have been accused by a burgess ot the same thing, he shall purge himself on the tweli'th day. Every ot the burgesses whatsoever, is bound to answer another bur^^ess without a witness and not a foreign- er unle«s concerning an apparent fact or ; debt. If a burgess shah take an oath of his equal unless it shall be relating a del;, he- shall furfeii, if of another than his equal he shall from forfeiture be free. If a foreigner shall take an oaih from a burgess, he shall be subject to the greatest forfeiture. If a foreigner shall owe a debt to any burgess, it is lawful fo>- him on every day of the week, to tske a naam (or d. stress) ol him without the licence yjf the praetor, unless in the fairs oti laint Egidius. II ihe naam of any burgess shall be taken upon another he shall be adjudged on the first day of the contention (or wrath) to dischaige it at his own expences : but if he shall be unwilling to do it, he shall be compelled by a proper naam of wratli. He who shall carry away the lord's tribute shall be liable to for- feit in this manner; to wit, for a farthing, five shillings and a fjrihing ; for a half- penny, ten shillings and a halfpenny ; i'or three farthings, filteen shilfngs and three farthings ; fur a penny, twenty shillings and a penny. It is lawful for every one in his ground to make shops (or warehouses) whatsoever in order to acquire the ferm (or rent) of the lord. Whosoever shall deny (or accede) to any thing othet than ol which he shall have been accused, he shall continue in forfeiture. Every burgess may bring provision and all other merchandizes by waier and by land, whenever he shall please, without loll and tribute, unless he shall be pro- hibited by the lord or his bailiffs. We ate liot obliged to answer any one concern- ing any our tenement in which we have been seized by the hand of the prxtor, and we have held for one whole year and a day without disturbance. If any per- son shall have been summoned in a plea of us whilst he shall have been elsewhere about his business, he shall be free when he returns for the days of indulgence. If any burgess shall have been accused of larceny or felony, by any person ; we will try him in our borough, the lord's sergeant assisting us, executing the law together at one time, with thirty six compurgators. If at another time he shall be accused either by battle or by water he shall purge (or clAr) himself. No woman pays tribute in our borough lor selling ale or beer. Moreover I have given and granted and by my present charter I have confirmed to my said burgesses of Pon-- tefract and their heirs and successors, exemption from all toll and tribute through my whole territory belonging to the castle of Pontefract, and to the castle of Cli- therow. And my aforesaid burgesses of Pontelract for this gift and grant of having and firmly enjoying their liberty have given me three hundred marks of silver. Wit- nesses Hubert, by the grace of our Lord, Archbishop of Canterbury, the Eari APPENDIX. Ul Roger Pigot, William of ihe cluiich of Saint Mary, William. de iVVarren, Ralph archdeacon of Heretord, Richard de Harrietl, Simon de Pateshill, Hugh Peverell, Osbert his son, Richard of Chcncr, Hugh d(' Bohy, Roger de avcnt, Ralph the son of Ralph, Waller de Bovirh, Allen de Sindirhy, Thomas ihe son oi Thomas, Rubtrt le Vavaser, Aldred de Dution, Robeit Walensis, Aldred de Reincville, John de Rirkin. Jumiius of Luvenirs, Thomas of Reuieville. Dated thesixih of the ides of June, ai Westminster belore the justices of Richard the lord the king in the fifth year of his coronation. CHARTER OF RQGER DE LACY. ALL persons present and to come. Know that I Roger de Lacy, Constable of Chester, have given and grarted, and by this my present charier have confirmed to my burgesses of Pontefraci, who have land in the moor. Nine score acres ot arable land, and fourteen acres and an half in the moor, to hold to them and their heirs of me and my he:rs, free'y, quietly, peaceably, yielding thereiore year- ly to me and my heirs for all service, for every acre, four pence ot ferm or rent at the feast of Saint Miciiael, that is to say, to Spracli^enus thirty iw^' aces ; to Henericus, his son in law, four; to Etnisius, nineteen; to Helias his son, ele.en ; to Edwinus, the sun of Waldanus, eleven and a half; to Alexander, the son of Here- ward, ten ; to Matildas RufFe, nine, to Simon, his son in law, two ; to 'I'humas, the son of Winiarias, tsv-o; to Gilbert, the son of Miruldus, ihiitetn ; to Beneduiine, the «on of Ranulfus three; to the heir of John Nobilis three; to William, the son of Aldred, and to William his son, three; to the heirs ot Richard, the son »f Harald, three and a half; to Aldred, the son of Aldred, six ; to Semanus six ; to Astinus, the son of Stephen, three ; to Simon, the son of Denedictine, eight ; to Robert, the son of Sunipe, two and a half; tu William, the son of Benedictine, three ; lo Ro- bert, the son of John, nine ; to William, the BroUier of Bened rVine and Roben, the son of Hadulphus, three; to Rami, the son of Walter, three ; to the heJr< of Heneri- cus, the cleric, six; to Henericus, the son of Haschinus, seven ; to .'\lexander, the Headborough , one ; to William, the son ofLewinus, eleven acres. These witn"sses, Eustachius, the brother of the lord, (the donor) Robert Walensis, William de Lun- gerviUe, Jordanus Folioit, Gilbert de Lacy, William de Bello-Mount, Richard de Stapleton, Magrinus Reimudus, Richard, the clerk, William the son of Geron- das and others. Henry de Lacy confirmed the above charters of Roger de Lacy. CHARTER OF HENRY DE LACY, HENRY DE L.'^.CY, Earl of Lincoln and Constable of Chester, to all persons -to whom this present writing shall come greeting in the Lord. Know ye that We, even at the lisast of ihe apostle Philip and Jnmes in the sixth year x){ the reign of King Edward have granted and by this present writing, for us and our hei.s have confiraed to our beloved l>urgesses, and men of Ponte- fraci, all the shed* (or stalls) which thev shall bf, or their nncestors have been able to erect in the markeior our waste gnund of the said village, lo have and to iiold to our said burgesses and men and their heir« and successors of us and our heirs freely, quietly and fai, ly and peaceably by hvreflitary right forever, yielding therefore annually to us and our heirs the just and accustomed ferm (or icn;) at the usual and accustomed times. And that we will and grant that neither we nor our IV APPENDIX. heirs nor any other incur name, any right or claim in the said sheds (or stalls) un^ less unto the just and accustomed term or rent for the time to come may exact or iave, to this present charter we have caused our seal to be affixed. For this our grant and quit claim our aforesaid burgesses and men have given to us forty pounds sterling. These Witnesses the Lord Peter of Chester, Governor of Bever- ley, the Lord John of Bely, John le Vavesur, Alexander of Holy-Mount, Wil- liam de Vavasur, William the son of Thomas, Stephen le Walensis Knights, Smion of Pontefract, Thomas Bely the then constable of the same place, Peter of Kirketoii, William of Malton, Henry of Kirkeby, Nicholas of Burton and others. Dated at Pontefract the day and year above said. RICHARD THE THIRD'S CHARTER OF INCORPORATION. RICHARD, by the grace of God King of England and France, Lord of Ire- land and Duke of Lancaster, To the Archbishops, B-^hops, Abbots, Priors, Dukes, Earls, Barons, Justices, Sheriffs, Eschaeiors, Officers, Mmisters, and to all his bailiffs and faithful subjects greeting. Appointment of mayor, free borough and same liherties as Stamford. — Know ye that We, not only for the love and affection which ■« e have and bear for our vil- lage and borough of Pontefract, and for our beloved and laiihful bailiffs and bur- gesses of the same, but also recollecting the many free and acceptable services heretofore done us at considerable cost and charge, and being desnous to reward them in a proper manner, out of our certain knowledge and mere motion have or- dained, constituted, appointed and made our beloved subject John Hill, one ol the burgesses of the said village or borough, the m.iyor of the said village n borough, andofourspecialgrace we have granted and by this our present writing liavecoi firmed for us and our heirs to them the mayor and burgesses ol the said village or borough for ever, these liberties, franchises, remunerations and immunities hereunto writ- ten; that is to say, that the borough be from henceforth a free borough in reality and name to consist of a mayor and burgesses, and that the said mayor and burgesses and theii heiis and successors be free burgesses, and may have a merchant's guild, and use and enjoy the same liberties and freedoms in the said borough, which the burgesses and inhabitants of the village or borough of Stamford have heretofore used and enjoyed and use and enjoy. Mayor and burgesses a body corporate, ma^ purchase, plead and be impleaded, — Moreover we will and grant by these presents for us and our heirs, that the said present mayor and burgesses, and their successors aforesaid being mayor and burgesses of the village or borough of Pontefract, thus incorporated, be a body corporate lor ever, in reality and name, by the name of the mayor and burgesses of the»vil- lage or borough of Pontefract ; and that they may have perpetual succession, and that the said piesent mayor and burgesses and their successors aloiesaid by the said name, may be persons fit and capable in law to purchase lands, tenements, rents, services and possessions whatsoever ; and to prosecute and defend all and singular pleas, suits, plaints, demands, actions real, personal and mixed, now depending or to be depending in any of our courts whatsoever, or of our heirs or of any other persons whatsoever, as well before us and our heirs as before any justices and judges whatsoever spiritual and temporal, and that in the same they may plead and be impleaded, may answer and be answered* Common seal, and thirteen cotnburgesses to be chosen on Michaemas day, one of APPENDIX. V which to he mayor, ^c. — And that they may have a common seal for the business of the village or borough aforesaid, to be made use of for ever; and also we have granted, and by these presents do grant, for us and our heirs, to the said present mayor and burgesses and their heirs and successors for evet, that the said present mayor and burgesses, and their heirs and successors bei g mayors and burgesses, upon the feast of St. Michael the archangel, next ensuing the date of these pre- sents, and afterwards from year to year, upon the said feastday, may amongst the said burgesses, in a certain hall, called the iMoot-Ha;i, chuseout of themselve* thirteen combuigesses of the more creditable sort of men, being burges es of the village or borough a oresaid, one of which burge ses always is to be chosen tor the mayor of the village or borough aforesaid, and to remam mayor of that village or borough for one whole year after his election. Comburarssfs mmj remain, resi'rn, &^c. — Which comburgesses indeed thus bem« elected in the office of comburgesses of the village or borough aforesaid, during their natural life mav remain and continue, and each of them may remain and con- tinue, unless they or any of them at their own special request to be made lo the mayor and the rest of the combuigesses of ihat mayor ol the village or borough aforesaid for the tmie being, or for any substantial reason, have or hath liom those comburgesses by the mayor of the villlage or borough aforesaid, and the rest of thp comburgesses of that village or borough for the time being, been removed. To chris' a bnr;!;rss, andlivo sfrgeants nl mace. — And that upon the death of such comburgesses or otherwise upon his resignation or removal from the office oi a com- burges-, the mayor for the time being; and the comburgesses of the village or borough aforesaid, and their heirs and successors fo ever, may have full power and authority by virtue of these presents to chu^e one other burgess out of themselves for a combiirgess of the village or borough aforesaid, in the place of that combur- gess so dying, 'esigning, or being removed, and so from time to time for ever. And further we have granted, and by these presents do grant, tor us and our heirs, to the aforesaid piesent mayor and burgess, and their heirs and successors, that the said present mayor and comburgesses of the village or borough atoresaid, and their heirs and successors for the time being, from year to year, at their plea, sure, may chuse out of the burgesses of the village or borough aforesaid, two Serjeants daily to bring or cairy the mace, with the arms of us and our heirs en- graved thereupon, before the albiesaid mayor and other mayors of the said village or borough aforesaid, for the time being, and to do and execute all and singular precepts and mandates which by the afoiesaid mayor, for the time being, shall from time to time be commanded them, or either of them. Power to arrest — And moreover, we grant to the said mayor ar.d burgesses and their successors, that they by their Serjeant at mace, n\ay have power and authority to attach and arrt st whatsoever men and women less sufficient ,(or that are proper objects) by theii bodies in whatsoever pleas, plaints, coi.tiacts and demaiids. or in other actions personal, real, or mixt whatsoever vvithin the village or borough aforesaid, and the precinct thereo' in any manner whatsoever accruing or arising, and which in any manner have been or shall happen to be depending for the lime to come. Alayor, coroner, SCc. and mayor's oath. — Moreover, we have granted lo tiiem, the said mayor and burgesses, that they and their successors may have in the said Yl APPENDRC. Village ,o;- borough psweraudaiithoiity, jurisdiction and libarly, toperfoptn and ex- ecute er, within the village or borough and precincts and limits aforesaid, taken or to be taken in the said prison or gaol, safely and securely to be kept until from the same, according to the law and custom of our kingdom of Kngland, they shall be dischar^'cd. And that the setjeant at mace, so appoint- ed within the vifage or borough aforesaid, for the time being, all receipts and war- rants of the sessionses so held, in all things may do and execute, or the one of them may do and execute, and they and the one of them may attend upon the said justices m their sessions for inquisitions, and other things whatoever in the premises to be taken or dune, and the executions of judgments and mandates of them the said justices in all things may execute and do, or the one of them may execute and do as fully and effectually as the sheriff of our county of York, and other our sheriffs, justices in this behalf elsewhere, in our kingdom of England, ought to attend and the precepts and warrants, ought or shall execute or order to be executed ; so that HO sheiiff of our said county of York, for the time being, may in any manner en- ter lor the execution of these kind of precepts and warrants of the said justices, ■within the village or borough, precincts and limits aforesaid, neither may he in any manner enter into the said Nillage or borough, upon this or upon account of any ^)t the premises. Pozvcr to delernune nil ofrnces wilhin the borough. — And also, we will and have granied, that the said mayor and coniburgesses of the village or borough of Pontelract aforesaid, for the time being, twelve, eleven, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, lour, three or two, of them, together with the mayor of the village or borough afoiesaid, and one skilled in the law, may have fuU correction, punish- ment, power and authority, to take cognizance of, and inquire, hear and deter- mine all mailers and thing-i, as well touching all felonies, trespasses, misprisons and extortions, as ot all and all manner of other causes, comp'ainis and offences what- soever, within the same village or borough, and liberty, and precincts and limits thereof, howsoever happening or arising, so fully and effectually as conservators of the peace and justices assigned, and to be assigned to hear and determine felonies, trespasses and oilier misdemeanors, and justices of servants, labourers, artificers, within our county of York, without the village or borough, liberty and precincts aforesaid, have or shall in any manner have for the time to come. APPENDIX. IX Mat)OT to collect fee farm rents and lolls. — Provided always, that the said mayor of the village or borough aforesaid, for the tioie being, be constrained either by himself or by his de,)uty or their deputies, yearly to collect or cause to be collected, as well the rents of our village or borough aforesaid, as the rents called Casile-Farms, Andrew Farms, and Plovrland -Farms, with all tolls, escheats and oilier profits whatsoever, to us belonging. And further — Wheieas, forty-nine pounds thirteen shillings and lourpence only have been used to be paid to us and our predecessor?, out ol the profits of the farms aforesaid, and now lately we have been informed, that filteen pounds thirteen shillings and fourpence thereof, out of certain profits of the farms aloresaid, within the precincts of the village or borough, cannot be levied because several tenements through decay are totally destroyed. Know ye, that we out of our abundant grace, mere motion and certain knowledge for the bettering of our said village or borough, do acquit, remit, and release by these presents to the said mayor and burgesses, and their successors foi ever, the sum of fifteen pounds thirteen shillings and lourpence due to us annually; so that the said mayor and burgesses and their successors ot the village or borough of Pontefract aforesaid, who may happen to be in time to come, are bound to answer and pay to us and our heirs tor ever, out of the profits of the farms, the sum of thirty-four poui^ds and no more. And that neither we, nor our heirs have any right to the said filteen pounds thirteen shillings and fourpence, nor any part thereof shall for the time to come, exact or claim. Market on Saturday, and two fairs. — And moreover, we have granted and do grant, and ,by these presents do confirm to the said mayor and burgesses of the said village or borough of Pontefract aforesaid, that they and their successors may have within the village or borough aforesaid, one market to be held there eiery week for ever, on every Saturday ; and yearly two fairs there (to wil) the one fair of them upon a Palm Sunday in QuadrageS'iima, and to continue lor six days next proceeding ; and the oiher fair thereof upon the feast and Lord's day of the holy undivided Trinity, and to continue for six days next preceeding, to- gether with all liberties, rights, privileges, and appurtenances to ihese fairs and markets, or any of them belonging, so that these fairs and markets be not to the detriment ol other neighbouring lairs and markets. Ordering of the stalls, &)C. Exemption from loll, ftzvo fairs excepted.] — Also, we will and grant for us and our heirs aforesaid, and by these presents confirm to the aforesaid mayor and burgesses of the village or borough aforesaid, and their successors for ever, that they may have by the mayor of the said village or borough for the time being, and two or three of the more creditable and dis- creet comburgesses ol the said village or borough, assistants to the said mayor, ihey being foi this purpose yearly elected or deputed by the said mayor, tor the lime being ; the management, ordering, and appointment of the stalls and booths in all these fairs anc" markets, or any of them to be had or placed, and the whole direction of the markets, fairs, and of all and singular liberties, and other usages to the said ma, kets and fail s belonging, without the hinderance or disturbance of us, or our heirs, or of other our officers whatsoever. Therefore, we will, and srictly order and command the aforesaid mayor and burgesses for the time being, that none of our subjecs for the futuie coming into the said village or borough, to the markets or fairs (save only m the time above specified) be bound or Constrained to pay any toll or other duty to the said mayor and burgesses for our, T t t * X APPENDIX. or their use. But that all, and singular our suhjects in this manner for the time to come, resorting to:,ether by reason of our grant aforesaid, he therefore ireej unmolested ai>d exonerated lor ever. Mayor, £^r. tn makrf lazvs, rules, joy by heiedirarv descent, by leason, or in pursuance of any chatters, or letters patent, by any of our progenitors or ancestois, laie King's oi queen's of England, in any manner heretofore, made, confirmed or granted, or by reasun of any other lawful means, riijht, tithe, custom, use, or prescription, heret. fore, lawfully used, had, or accustomed, although the same, every, or any of them heretofoie, ha\e or ha,h not been used, misued, or wrongfully applied, or have, or hatii been discontmued, and although the same, every, or any of them, are, or have been forfeited, or extinguished ; — To have, hold, and enjoy the same unto the aforesaid mayor and burgesses of the village or borough aforesaid, and to their successors for ever. And therefore, Yielding and paying to us, our heirs and successors yearly, so many, so great, such like, the veiy same, and he same kind of rents, services, sums of money and demands what^oevei, as many, as great, such as, and \»hich hi retofore they have used to yield and pay to us, for 'he same, oi ought to yield and pay. VVhi-re- fore, we will, and by these presents, lor us, our heirs, and surces-ors, co grant that the aforesaid mayor and buigesses of the village or borough afoie^aid, and their successors may have, hold, use, and enjoy, and may lie ena^'led and im- powered, fully and eflFt-ciually, to have, hold, use, and enjov for ever all the liberties, freedom^, customs, privileges, au;ht)rities, ju isd'ctions, and e.iempiions aforesaid, according to the' tenor and true meaning of theve, our letter < patent, without the hindetance or obstruction of us. or of our heirs or successors whatsoever. Forbidding, that the said mayor ahd burgesses of the > illage or boroutjh afore- said, and their successors, or any of them, or any others, by r< aso < o' the pemises, or any of iheni, may be therefore harrassed, diiurbed vexed or distressed, or in any manner molested by us, our heirs or successors, or by i ur justices, sheriffs, eschaetors, or other bailifFj, fejdaries, or other, our officers or miristers, or of our heirs and successors whatsoever. Willing, and by these presents lor us. our heirs and successois, comm.mding and enjoining, as well our treasurer, chan- cellor and barons ot our exchequer, and ot our heirs and successors, as our attorney and solicitor general fjr the time bemg, and every of them, and all ot'ers, our officers and ministers whatever, that neither they, or any of them, or any other persons may prose< ute, or continue, or cause, or procure to be prosecuted, or continued any writ, or Summons, for which they have our warrant, or any other writ or w.its, or processes whatsoever against hero, the mayor and burgesses of the village or borough aforesaid, or any of them, or against any other persons, for any profits, matters or things, offences, claims or custims, or for any of them due, claimed, challenged, used, emoyed, or had by prescription from them, or one of them, before the day of the gianting these presen's. Willing also, that the mayor and burgesses of the village or borough aforesaid, or any of them, may not by any person, or any of the j istices, officers, or ministers aforesaid, be in the least oppressed or incumbered, for or in respect of any debi, prnfir, claim, enjoyment, or misuser of any ol the liberties, franchises or jurisdictions, before the granting of these our letters patent, or that they may be compelled to ■ answer for the same, or any of them. (Then follows the regulations of St. Nichalai' Hospital, as stated under that Aiiide.) APPENDIX. X* We wilt, also, and by riiese presents, do grant to' the aforefaid mayor and burgesses of the village or boiougli, that they may have, and shall have, these our letters patent, under our great seal of England, in due form, made and sealed without fine, or great or small fee, in any manner, by reason thereof, to be yielded, paid, or lendered to us, in our hanaper, or elsewhere, lor our use, notwiihstandmg express mentioned, is not above made of the annual value, of of any other value, ur a certainty of the premises, or any of them, or of any other gifts or grants heretofore, made by us, or by any of our ancestors or progenitors, to the aibresaid mayor and burgesses of the villages or borough aforesaid, is at least ascertained in or upon these presents. Any statute, act, law, proviso, proclamation, or restriction to ilie contrary ilureof, heretofore, had, made, pub* lished, enacted or provided, or any other matter, cause or thing whatsoever, in any wise notwithstanding. In witness whereof, we have made these our letters patent; witness ourself at Westminster, the 2d day of March, in the fourth year of our reign, of England, France and Ireland, and of Scotland the fottieth. By writ from the private seal, &c. TOP? IN. No ncsv grant is made in the Charter of Charles II. The following clause re- gu'ales the choice of the Towns-Clerk and Recorder : Also, we will, and by these presents, we declare our royal meaning to be, that John Dickson, the now common clerk, or clerk ol the peace of the borough aloiesaid, may be, and shall be the common clerk and clerk of the peace there, during his natural life. And that no recorder or common clerk of our village or borougli aforesaid ; for the future to be elected or appointed into this kind of office or offices, or either of them may respectively enter before, they, and each uf them is, are, or siiall by us, our heirs or successors, by a warrant in that behalf, under out sign mannual ; and of our heirs and successors be respectively appioved of, any thing in these presents contained, or any other matter, cause, or thing whatsover to the contrary thereof, in any wise notwithstanding. The Charter of James II contains no new grants, and it is deemed unnecessary to print more than the following clause : Officers removecible at the wilt nf tlie Kinz. — Provided always, and by these presents, we reserve to ourself, our heirs and successors, full j^^owt-r and authority Irom time to time, and at all times hereafter, at uur, at the will and pleasure of our heirs and successors, to remove and to declare them to be removed, the mayor, recorder, common clerk, and any ether, or others ot the aldermen of the village or borough aibresaid for the time being, by any order of us, or of our heirs or successors, mace in the privy counsel, and under the seal of the privy counsel aforesaid, respectively notified. And as often as we, our heirs and successors, by any such order in our privy counsel, made, shall, in this manr.er declare the mayor, recorder, common clerk and any othf r, or others of the aldermen of the village or borough aioresaid, for the time being, to be removed (rom their re- spective offices, that then, and Irom thenceforth, the mayor, recorder, common- clerk and any other, or others of the aldermen of the village or borough aioresaid, for the time being, thus declared, or to be declared, to be removed Irom their several and respective offices, may be, and shall verily, 'and without any further process ; itally, and to all intents and purposes whatsoever, be removed, and this must be done as oft as occasion shall so require, any thing to the coniraiy thereof Qutwithsianding. X^l APPENDIX. CHARTRR FOR THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL. GEORGE THE THIRD, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Deiender of tlie Faith, and so forth; and to all to whom these our letters shall come, gretting Whereas, ii hath been represented to us that the Flee Grammar ^ctlool in our tov.-n of Pontelract, in our county of York, hath of late been going rapidly to decay, and that particularly for several years past, there hath been no master oi the said Free Grammar School Hppointed by us, to whom, in right of our Dutchy of Lancaster, the patronage of the said school of right belongs ; nor hath any proper or fit person, for several years past, appeared to solicit ihe ap- pointment to that office. And, whereas the mayor, aldermen and burgesses, of our said town of Pontefract, and divers ir,habitants of the said town, have humbly reptesented the several matters aforesaid, to us, for our royal consideration and as- sistance therein, and have expressed themselves ready and willing, by, and at the expence of the inhabitants of our said town of Pontelract, to rebuild the said Free Grammar School, together with a convenient residence for the master thereof, to be appointed by us and our successors, in right of our said dutchy of Lancaster, in the same manner as heretofore hath been done; and they have also humbly requested us, for the better carrying into execution the several purposes aforesaid, to re-found the said Free Grammar School, and to make aiid enact, or cause to be made and enacted, by some proper and fit persons or person, by us appointed thereunto, some constitutions, rules, statutes and ordinances, for the regulation of the conduct of the master and scholars of such Free Grammar School ; and for electing, limit ng and defining the number of Scholars to be educated upon the said foundation; and for the intrcductitn and permanent regulation of such ctiiet matters as may tend to the advantage of tlie said school, as to our royal wisdom shall seem fit. Now, Know Ye, that we being wi'lmg and desirous to promote the welfare of our said town ol Ponteliact and our township of Tanshelf, in the county of York, and to re-establish the said school, in such manner as may hereafter encourage and pro- mote 'he education of youth of the description herein-aficr mentioned, within our town of Pontefract and township of Tanshelf ; of our special grace, ceitain know- ledge and mere motion, will and grant, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, that the said Free Grammar School, situate and being within the said town of Pontefract, in the said county of York, shall for ever hereafter be called The King's School ; and shall be deemed a id taken to be a Free Grammar School of our own royal foundation, for the teaching and educating ol seventeen boys, all of whom (except the buy to be elected, nominated, and appointed from the charity- school in the town of Pontefract, as herein-after is mentioned) at the time of being elected and appointed to be of the said foundation, shall be children of resident in-' babitants, legally settled wiihin the township of Pontefiact, or the said township of Tanshell, or ot any deceased inhabitants or inhabitant, who were legally settled therein at the time of their or his decease ; and for the teaching and educating of such children, we further will, direct and appoint, that a fit and discreet person, as soon as conveniently may be, and for ever hereafter upon the happening of any vacancy within three calender months from the happening of such vacancy, shall be nominated and appointed in the name, or names of us, our heirs and successors, bv the chancellor of our dutchy of Lancaster, by letters patent under the sea! of our said dutchy, to be master of the said Free Grammar School during the good-will and pleasure of us, our heirs and successors, in the manner heretofoie accustomed ; which person, as a necessary qualification for such appointment, shall have taken upon him, previous to such appoininient, the state and degree of a master of arts. APPENDIX.- XVU 0> bachelor of laws, at one of our Universities of Oxford or Cimbiidge, and also shall have had oidination as a priest or deacon of the church of England; and who, at the time of such his appointment, or at any time afterwards, during his conti- nuing mister of such Free Grainin:ir School, shall not have or po^sess any benefice, •within fifteen miles of the town of Pontclract, the leciure-hip of the said town, or preacher of the Sunday afternoon seimon, in the said town only excepted. And for the better regulation of the said foundaiion, we further direct, appoint, and order, that the seventeen boys to be educated upon the said foundation, shall be elected, nominated, and appointed by the peisons, and in the manner herein- after more particularly specified, (that is to say) Our royal will and pleasure is, tha two of the said seventeen boys, of the de- scription aforesaid, shall be nominated and appointed by the chancellor of the dut- chy of Lancaster, for the time being, in his own name in writing, under his owa proper hand and seal, when and as often as such boys, or either of them, shall in any manner make a vacancy, by dying, or leaving, or being removed I rom the said foundation ; so however that such boys or bov, so nominated and appointed, at the time of such nomination and appointment be madam the manner aforesaid, within three Calendar months from the time such vacancy shall hjve been announ- ced, and certified in writing, signed by the master of the said foundation, and two of the curators, (herein. after to be appointed) or if there shall be no master at the time of such vacancy, by two of the curators; and in default of such appoint- ment withi.i the time aforesaid, then we will, direct and appjint, that such nomi- nation and appointme It shall, for that vacancy only, be made by the curators of the said loundation ; so howe\er, that such appointment and nomination be made ill writing, and signed by the greater number of such curators for the lime being, the mayor of the town for the time, being one of such sgning parties ; and that such appointment express, that the boy so nominated and appointed, is made in default of appointment, by our chancellor oi our dutchy of Lancaster for the time being, within the time herein-betore specified. But we hereby turther declare our royal will and pleasure to be, that no informality in the manner or form of appointment, provided it be made within the time before specified, by our chan- cellor of the said dutchy of Lancaster, shall entitle the said curators to make such' appointment. And our royal will and pleasure (urther is, that fourteen boys, to be of the Said foundation, who shall also be seven years of age at the least, at the time of appointment, shall be ot the nomination, election and appointment of the curators of the said foundation, or the major part of the complete number of sucli curatots, living at the time of such nomination, election, or appointment ; sucii nomination, election, or appointment, to be made pusuam to the constiiuiions, statutes, rules and ordinances, to be ordained by the attorney general of our dutchy of Lancaster for the time being, by writing under his hand and seal, or as they may hereafter be altered or added to, by the curators herein-alter mentioned; so however that such alteration in the said constitutions, s atutes, rules and ordinances, from time to time, be approved by our said attorney general, of our said dutc.iy of Lancaster for the time being, under his hand and seal. And that such nomination, election, and appointment, be made within three calendar months, trom the lime of the vacancy happening, which is to be filled up by such curatois, and which ultimate time for making such election or appointment, we will and direct, shall not be subject to any alteration by our said attorney general, or curators, or either of them ; and in delault of such nomination, election and appointment of the said last-mentioned fourteen boys, or any of them, within three calendar months from the. time of any vacancies, oi" vacancy, happening j out royal will and plasure is, u u u * XVJ^l APPENIVIX^ that our chancellor ofo^f Put^gHy of Lancaster, fpr.-tht, contained in this our royal charter,, and in the con- stitutions, rules, statutes and Qidinances made by our attorney general,, of our Dptchy of Lancaster, for the timq being as aforesaid, or as aljered by the sai4 cijrators, and approved as, aforesaid by, our s :i(i allpriiey general. And our royal will and pieasjirP: lu.V'her. is, tl>^J the one other boy to be qfr the age and desciiption alo^e-^aid, sl^,^ll be elected, nominated and appointed outt of, ard from amongst, the hoys maiinajned and etincated at tN Charity. SchopJi within our said town of Ponie^Vact, called or kp^wnby ihe name of the '' Tc»vmi School," by the trustees of th^ s«iid CViarity Schoj', for the time b%ing, or tb«- major part of them , such eleciion, nijminatiqn aii.ct appoljrtment, to be made or certified in writing, and signed by the major part of such trustees.; and such boy^ so nominated, elected and appoir^t^d, shall be taught and educated in ili.e saip«n manner as the other boys upon the said foundation sh.aU be ; (free ftom all, feesr. or expences whatsoever) for a,te^-m n,(;)t; exceeding five years, or fctf such ot,her. time and no longer, within, the space of seven .years, as sliall be specified in,th*n said certificate, or apppiiitment of the, said trustees, or m,ay?r part of them > in- case any time shall be therein specified 3 and at t'le end of such period , of tio^e SQ specified, or at the ertd of fiye years, or within thnee c,ilendar months after, either of such times, the sai^ trustees, or the major pai t of them, shall again iri manner aforesaid norninaie, elect and appoint, and certify, the election, nomina- tion and appointment of orie other boy, out of, and from amongst, the boys of th© said Town Charity School, to be taught and educated in raaoaer, and duticg the time aforesaid. A lid our further royal w\ll and pleasure.is, a«d w;edQ ordani, nominate and appoint, the mayor, recorder and aldermen of our said town of Pontefi act, and the vicar of the vicarage within ths, parish of Pontefract, forever hereafter, to be the curators or guardians of our said school ; and that they shall have full power and authority to enforce and carry, into execution, in such manner as to them shall seem fit, and consistent with the law of the realm, and this our charier; all such constitutions, statutes, rules and ordinances, as shall be made by our attorney general, of our Dutcy of Lancaster for the time being, under his hand aijd seal, for the regulation of the said foundation and school, and of the mast-er- and scholars thereof ; and to regulate and direct what books, or authors, sbalt be taught in tlie said Free. Grammar School, and to appoint and distribute the • times of teaching the same; and what sums, or sum of money, shall be paid by the boys, to be educated upon the said foundation, to the master of the said' Free Grammar School, and the times and time of payment thereof, and < their continuance upon the, said foundation, and the time of quitting the same ; and the discipline o! the said school, as well. of correction as expulsion ; and the im- posing of such conditions or performances upon the said master^ consistent with - the provisions albresaid, as the said cura:ors shall ihink for the- benefit' of the ■ said Free Giammaiv School, aa^^oi.a,i\ pih^t -xiMUiri- ai)d' things, touching ihc APPENDIX. Xix regulation an©<*«x9(!@rJj§^((^'®jO)^g< Coiistittirtons, Rules, Statutes and Ordinances ; to be kept, maintained and ob- served, by the master and scholars of the Free Grammar School of the town of Pontefract, ot the foundation of his most excellent Majesty King Geo'ge the Third, duly made, and signed by John Ofd, Esq. his Majesty's attorney geneiat of the Dutchy of Lancaster, pursuant to powders lor that purpose to him given, in and by, hi« said Majesty's letters patent, under the seal of the same dutchy, bearnig date the 13tli day of Febiuary, in the thirty-second y'ear of hi»- reign, and in the year of our Lord 1792, (That is to say) Jfiysl. X Hat the boys educated at the Free Grammar School In the town of Pontefract, under and by virtue of, his Majesty's said letters patent, shall be assembled and instructed, in the school-room erected for that purpose, and not elsewhere ; at Such' hburs of the day as the master shall think fit, in the Latin and Greek Grarrimais; and' at suitable periods, in the Latin and Greek Classics. The master of the skid' school shall have the appointment and regulation of the periods, at' w'-hich such books and authors shall be taught and explained to the boys upon the said' foundation ; and of the several hours of the day when such boys shall be assembled together and taught; and of the distribution, and order of reading' or teaCliing such books, arid of every regulation touching the leaching and instruction of such boys, subject to the controul herein.afier mentioned, (that is to say.) That the master shall put down in writing, the scheme and plan of iiistructtbil" vi>Weh Ke rtltans and ihtehds to pursue, and lay the same before the XX APPENDIX. curators, who sliall be summoned to take the same into conslder.ition; and the said curatois, or the major part of them, of whom the vicar or recorder of Ponte- frac I shall be one, sli.ill have full power and authority to alter, vary or new model, such plan of instruction and leaching, and every thing relating thereunto; and when such plan of instruction shall be approved by the said curators, or the jnajor pan of them (of whom the vicar or recorder of Ponlelract shall be one) the same shall be fairly transcribed, aiiJ signed by ihe curatois, allowing and ap- proving the same ; and such plan of instruction shall from thence-fotward be continually used at the said Free Grammar School, by e\ery succeeding master of such school, tubject only to such alterations as may be made therein at any lime, by the curators or guardians of such foundation, or the major part of them. Secondly, That the discipli-'e of the school, so far as relates to the censure, punishment or rewaid of the scholars, shall be lelt wholly to the discretion ol the master; but in case of any cruelty, or immoderate punishment ot any kind, upon the complaint of the parents or parent, guardians or guardian, or any other person "Who may have the management and superintendance, oi' the education of any boy upon the said fiuindation, not having any parent or guardian, to the mayor; or, in his absence, to the senior alderman of Pontefract, then resident in the said to^Kn : which said mayor, or in Ijis absence, the said senior alderman, shall, vithm two days from the time of siich complaint, summon a meeting of the curators, or so many of them as shall be within a reasonable distance, to meet within twenty-four hours, from the time of such summons, and shall hear the complaint in the presence of the said master, and of the parent, guardian, or persop standing as aforesaid in the place of parent and guardian ; yho shall have notice in wiitingof the time and place of such meeting, and examine into the circumstances thereof, and shall determine and resolve, whether such grievance or complaint is well or ill founded generally, without stating any special circum- stances whatsoever ; and shall put down, or cause to be put down in writing, and signed by the curators present, or the major part thereof, such their resolution, and preserve, or cause the same to be preserved, until a general meeting of the curators shall be called, or had ; and such resolution shall be laid before such general meeting ; and at such general meeting, if the complaint shall be resolved to be well founded, the said master may be admonished and reproved by the mayor, in the name of the curators, and an entry shall be made in a book, and preserved of such admonition and reproof; and the curators, if they shall think fit, shall lepresent the same to the visitor of the said school, for his discietiun and judgment therein. Thirdly, That tlie master of the said Free Grammar School, shall have no power whatsoever, to expel any offending buy of the said foundation, from the said school, for any offence whatsoever ; but that upon any offence committed by any of the said boys, which sliall in his discretion be worthy of punishment, or notice to that extent, the master shall with all convenient spted, apply to the mayor for the time being ; or in his absence to the senior alderman, then resident ill the said town, and request in writing, that he would summon a meeting of the curators, or so many of them as may live within a reasonable distance, within two days from the time of such rsquest, to consider of the offence of such boy ; during which interval,_ and until such meeting shall be had, the said master shall be at liberty to suspend the education of such boy, and to prohibit his coming to be tau^'ht at the said school : And at such meeting of the curators, so to be had, the said boy so offending and the parent, guardian or person having the direction of the education of such boy, if he hath no parent or guardian, shall have notice in writing, signed by the mayor, or in his absence by the senior aldermaji of tlie APPENDIX. XXI town, then resident, to be present ; and such order sliall be then and there made, for tlie admonition, punishment, suspension or expulsion of such boy, as to tiie curators present, or ihe maiur part of ihem, (the vicar or recorder being gne joining in the making of such order) shall seem just, and such admonition or punishment shall be can ied into effect with all convenient dispatch, publicly in the school -room, in the presence of the oiher boys upon the same foundation, as fer as the same may be consistent wiih ihe right ot the visitor therein. Fourthly, There shall be paid by the parent, guardian or person taking upon him the expence of the education of the said foundation boys, (except the boy chosen out of the charity school in Pontefract, by the ti usiees of the said charity) tp the master of the Siiid Free Grammar School, one guinea a year, by equal quarterly payments ; and tor such cf the said boys who shall learn writing and arithmetic, (except such one chaiity boy) one guinea more a year, by such quarterly payments, and it shall be at the option of the parent, guardian or other person taking upon him the evpence of the education of such boy, to chuse whether be shall, or not, be instructed in writing and aiithraetic. But the boy elected, nominated or appointed to the said foundation, from the charity school at Ponte- fract, shall he taught writing and arithmetic, and nothing shali be paid for such hil instruction, nor for any other instruction he shall receive upon the said foundition. Fijtkiy, That the master of the said Free Grammar School, shall be obliged tp receive the sons of any of the inhabitants of the towns of Ponletract and Tan- shelf, and instruct and educate them in the same manner, and in the same authors, and with the like discipline, and subject to the same rules, orders and restrictions, with those herein-before specified relating to the said seventeen boys, upon the said foundjiion, (except that of expulsion, whic!) shall be at the discre- tion of the master, as to such boys as are not of the said foundation) upon being paid lor the education of each boy, two guineas a year by equal quaiier^v pay- ments ; and in case any of such boys shall be taught writing and ari hmetic, which shall be at the option oi" the paient, guardian or person taking upon h;m the expenee of the education of such boy, there shall he paid hy quaiierly pay- ments, for such instruction in writing and arithmetic, oiie guinea a year and no moie : Over and above the fees of salary paid to the master (or the education of the said boys, he shall be paid for the la;in and greek books necessaiy for their instruction, and for the paper, pens and ink u?ed by them, a fair and rea- sonable price, to be ascertained and settled by the cuiaiors, or any three oi them, the mayor and vicar being two, in case of any difference or dispute about the price or charge for such aiticles made by the said master. Sixthly, No boy, whether of the said foundation, or not, and whether he be the son of an inhabitant ot the town of Pontefract and Tanshell, or not; shall be taught by, or under the direction or permission of the master of such school writing a d arithmetic, or either of them, unless he is also instructed in the latin and greek languages, or one of them, in the same manner with the boys upon the said foundation. Sevenl/uii, That the master of the said Free Grammar School, be oermitied to take into his house boarders and lodgers, and inst)urt any other boys, although they may not be the sons el' inhabitants of the towns of Pontefract and fan helf. upon such terms as he shall think fit, so that such boys be educated at the same titjies, and in the same authors, and in the same school-room as the boys of the said foundaiion, and be mixed and intermingled with them, according to their ages af proficiency in learning; btit the said master shall, on no account, be per- mitted to take any boys to educate privately, and separate from the oihei boys pi .any of ihem, nor shall any distinction be made between the said boys upon th t^ APPENDIX. said foundation, or any ofihem, and the other boys educated by the said master, or any of ibem ; either by any bsdgeormark, or by the place of theii- silting in such schojl-rooTx, or by any other mode of treatment, whatever, except so far as relates to the expulsion, which, as to such boy < who are not upon the said fcunddtioii, hhA\ be ielt to the discieiion of the said master. Eiiik/ly, That an annual meeting shall be held by the said curators upon Tuesday next alter Easier d<