will not be thought amiss by our countrymen of Yorkshire at least, that I have lived on to this time; if for nothing else, yet for this, that when the memorable action at Cremona [Prince Eugene's surprise of Marshal Villeroy in his quarters] shall hereafter be spoken of with the honour it deserves, this attempt [to surprise Col. Rainsborough] at Doncaster may not be altogether forgotten by Posterity.-THOMAS PAulden. London, March 31, 1702,"

The governor in the third siege was the gallant Colonel John Morris, concerning whom our readers will find some interesting particulars, extracted from a former Surtees volume, in the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE for May, 1860.

Two or three brief extracts shewing the light-heartedness of the one party, and the sour fanaticism and barbarity of the other, will give a fair idea of the narrative of Nathan Drake, and we must thank Mr. Longstaffe for having made it accessible to us.

The town of Pontefract was captured and siege laid to the Castle on Christmas-day, 1644. The strength of the regular garrison does not appear, but we have the names of 183 "gentlemen volunteers," including three knights, twelve preachers, and eleven aldermen out of thirteen, who retired into the Castle, and manfully assisted in its defence. The Parliamentarians made but small progress in the course of a two months' siege, and at last, on the 1st of March, 1645, the garrison was relieved by Sir Marmaduke Langdale. On his withdrawal the siege was resumed, and this time to more purpose, as the place was obliged to surrender on the 21st of July.

[April 16.] "The enemy basely stayed all wine from coming to the castle for serving of the Communion upon Easter day, allthough Forbus (their Governor) had graunted protecktion for the same, and one Browne of Wakefeild said if it were for our damnation we should have it, but not for our solvation. But that day, being Easter day, (the 6th Aprill,) which was prepared for the health of our soules, was prepared for the liberties of our bodyes, for, after sarmond done [att 11 of the] clock the Governor gave strait command that all men should presently be in armes, which was as willingly done both with horse and foot. (Sally.) Then, after a little delibration, orders being agreed upon, Captin Washington and Captin Beale commanded the horse. Capt. Munro with 50 musquetears did sally out of Swillinton tower up into Northgate. Captin Flood with 50 musqutears sallyed forth of the Lower gate & so up by the Haulpeny howse & fell upon their trenches. Then there was 50 gentlemen volunteres whereof one haulph did second Munroe's musquetears and the other haulph Capt. Flood's. The gentlemen weare chosen out from the 4 collonells within the Castle, viz. : -Sr. Richard Hutton, 12 gentlemen commanded by Capt. Croft: Sr. George Wintworth 10, commanded by Lieut. Warde: Sr. John Romsden 10, commanded by Capt. Benson; and Sr. Jarvis Cuttler 10, commanded by Capt. Oglebie. These resolu[t] spirittes, (having received orders) cherefully passed upon their service, entred their trenches, gave a long and strong allarum, and returned with honour. Our cannonears allso plaid their parte bravelie and did good execution in the Markit place and other places in the towne. We killd in that sally 26 men or more, tooke one prisoner, and divers muskittes and swordes and drummes, and we had [2] men killd & 2 men wounded, and we shott 26 cannon wherewith is supposed could be no lesse than 100 men killd."-(pp. 21, 22.)

Poor Sir Gervis Cuttler, though he escaped from this hot skirmish, died of sickness on the 25th of June. The enemy, we see, were grievously wanting in common humanity to his widow, Margaret, daughter of John, Earl of Bridgewater:

"This day morning, that worthy knight Sir Gervis Cuttler departed this life, the enemy not suffring any fresh meate ever to be brought to him since he fell sick, onely one chickin and one poore joynt of meate his lady brought with hur 2 daies before he departed, neither will the enemy suffer him either to be buryed in the Church, or conveyed to his owne habitation to take place with his auncestors. . . .

[June 26.] “This day we allso buryed that worthy knight, Sr. Jarvis Cuttler, who was first cophined and then the cophin and all wrapped up in lead, and after a funerall sarmond he was buryed in the Chapeell within the castle, with 3 gallont vollyes of shott according to the honnor of such a brave souldyer as he was: from whence his corpes may be conveyed to the place of his auncesstors (after the seege) when his freindes please. The enemy yett keepes the Lady within the castle and will not suffer hur to goe to hur children, though often sent to about it....

[June 28.] "This evning the Lady went forth of the castle, being sent for by a drumme from Ourton (theire governor) to goe home if she pleased. But when she came to the enemyes first gaurd, they stript both hur and hur wayting maid to hur very smock, and likewise hur chaplin, and a tenant of hurs which came downe with the chaplin to the sally poart, to search for letters, but they had none. They cept the Lady and hur mayd at theire gaurd all night till the next day at noone, and would not suffer hur to goe up towne, (for it seemes the Genrall came in after, and denied hur coming from the castle)."-(pp. 65-67.)

The poor lady next suffered almost as much from a point of honour of the Governor-a melancholy exemplification of the horrors of civil war :“29. Sunday. A little after noone, the enemyes Genrall (Poyntes) sent downe the Lady Cuttler with hur wayting maid to the Barbican gates againe, she having not had any meate of 24 howers. Our Governor of the castle would not suffer hur to come into the castle againe, because they had sent for hur out and given her free liberty to go home to hur children, therefore he thought it stood not with his honor to be so fooled by them, and by that meanes the poore Lady with hur maid and hur chaplin staid starving in the streetes till about 10 a clock in the night, at which time the enemy sent for hur up into the towne, and for any thing we heare, she sent for 2 horseyes that night, and so went away the next day."-(pp. 67, 68.).

We learn that the garrison were light-hearted and enjoyed their jokes. "One William Wether," a daring soldier who seems to have been foremost in every sally, is duly entered alias Belwether, and is more often mentioned by that name than by his own. They delighted in hoaxing the enemy, as in the following instance, which occurs under date of the 12th of May:

“This night, about 9 a clock, our gentlemen and souldyers being merily disposed, did drinke whole heallthes (of the New well water) to the King and all his good freindes, pledging one another with such hallowes and shoutes, as the enemy, wondring what should be the cause of such sudden joy, took an allarum, drew out all theire horse into the feild and dobled all their gaurdes (which pleased us well), and then, our taptoo being beat, every man to his gaurdes or to his bed."—(p. 37.)

Our diarist also relates with great glee a hoax of a very practical de

scription, which the governor of the neighbouring royal post of Sandal played on his opponents :

"This day there came newes from Bonevant (the governor of Sandoll Castle) that at 3 severall sallyes they had killd 42 men, and taken about 50 prisoners, whereof one was a captin. The passage of this busines was after this manner. Sir John Saivell with his hipocriticall and trecherous rebells beat their drummes to praiers, and being singing of psalmes before sermond, Captin Bonevant caused his drummes to beat to praiers, so that they thought they was secure, but our men after they had dedicated themselves unto God, with upright hartes and religious praiers, in breefe manner: To Armes, and fell upon them."-(pp. 25, 26.)

The soldiers also readily risked their lives, not only in going out to get in grass for the cattle, but to rob the orchards, and they brought in such store of apples that "they sold them amongst the women for four, five, or six a penny, or sometimes more if they be little ones."

These forays, however, soon came to an end, and the Parliamentarians possessed the ancient stronghold; but, warned by the daring enterprise of Morris, they in a very few years after beat it to the ground.

of

THE

ANCIENT SWORD.

sword of which a representation is annexed was found on the 5th June last, at Holme-hill, near Market Weighton, in the east riding of Yorkshire, on the property of Henry Stourton, Esq. It was discovered about sixteen inches beneath the surface, at a spot near the church, under a sycamore tree, where the earth exhibited traces of having been formerly disturbed. The blade is much corroded, but its form has been well preserved, and it looks as if it had done good service in its day. The length, hilt and blade, is three feet three inches, and the weight is three pounds

nine ounces.

with confidence ascribed to the

The weapon may be time of Henry V. or VI. The form of the hilt is an unfailing criterion, as may be readily seen by a comparison of the plates in Hewitt's Arms and Armour with our engraving; for the drawing from which the latter has been accurately copied, we are indebted to the pencil of the Hon. Mrs. Stourton. We particularly refer to Plate 77 of the above-named work, where may be seen a brass of a Knight of the Cuttes family, circa 1440, from Arkesdon Church, Essex, which exhibits the warrior armed with a Holme-hill, Yorkshire. Weapon as nearly like this as possible.

Sword, found at

FROM THE TYNE TO THE TWEED.

A QUARTER of a millennium has elapsed since Sir Robert Carey, in defiance of an order from the Privy Council, hastily left London, and galJoped with all speed to Edinburgh, to bear to King James the news of the death of Queen Elizabeth. He proclaimed the King on his road at Morpeth and at Alnwick; and, notwithstanding a delay of some hours, occasioned by a perilous fall from his horse, reached Holyrood three days after the death of the Queen. "I was quickly let in," says he, "and carried up to the King's chamber. I kneeled by him, and saluted him by his title of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland."

In no part of the kingdom was this accession more fruitful in its consequences than in that which we are about to survey the country lying between the two great northern streams, the Tyne and the Tweed. Until the union of the two kingdoms by this event, this large tract had been the constant scene of invasion, reprisal, battle, fire and plunder. To ride three miles, or more, on English ground, was the choicest feat a Scottish knight could perform in honour of his lady-love. Thus, when the French queen, Anne of Brittany, sent her glove as a token to King James's great-grandfather, she accompanied the gift with no other condition than that he should ride so many miles upon English land for her sake. On the other hand, the English entertained similar convictions with regard to hunting and trespassing on Scottish ground:-a three days' hunt of Scottish deer led to other tragedies as woeful as that depicted in the immortal ballad of "Chevy Chase." Castles were fired, monasteries plundered, villages razed, and crops destroyed, with a vigour that generation transmitted to generation unimpaired. This state of general insecurity called for corresponding precautions in the construction of strongholds: hence the medieval architecture of this district presents a certain strongly-marked expression of resistThe castles of the nobles were built either on the most impregnable sites, or actually across the very path of the invader. The knights or minor nobles resided in pele-towers-massive edifices that consisted, for the most part, of three chambers one above the other; the lower floor, vaulted crypt-wise, for the reception and safe keeping of cattle, those above forming the living and sleeping accommodation of the owners. clergy in out-lying villages, remote from protection, frequently occupied towers of a similar character, and in times of danger literally, as well as figuratively, sheltered their flocks. In other instances the church-towers were embattled, and arranged to accommodate the neighbouring inhabitants in seasons of apprehension or attack. Of these the churches of Ancroft and Long Houghton still afford noticeable examples. Another class of dwelling for small proprietors was that furnished by bastel-houses.

ance.

The

Partaking of a more domestic character than the towers, they shared in common with them great thickness of walls, and, in some instances, crenellated parapets. In addition, they possessed barnekins, or enclosed spaces for cattle. In the Elizabethan survey made for the Queen's Majesty by Anthony Roone, esq., and Thomas Baytes, gent., mention is made of "a towre or pile" existing at most of the thirty-four townships described on the eastern coast of Northumberland. At Pelkington "is noe towre, or pile, but one bastall house of small strength." At other places the towers had been cast down by the Scots before the battle of Flodden, and “neuer syne repaired, so that there remayneth no buildings save ye vauts of ye same."

The many-gabled, picturesque timber-houses of the south found no place here all building operations being carried out with a view to the rough usage they would have to encounter from enemies as well as elements. Fortunately, the requisite class of materials was at hand: the moors, the crags, and the sea-shore yielded a superfluous abundance of sandstone, freestone, and limestone. Of these materials we find castles, towers, and ecclesiastical edifices erected; and the towns were environed with walls of the same substances. Add to this that the masonry was always of great thickness, and became toned down, in colour, to a storm-tint-a sombre grey; that the doors and windows were of the smallest convenient di ́mensions; that the towers were crenellated,-sometimes surmounted by stone figures representing warriors repressing an assault, and always finished with flat leads, whence guard could be kept, and a commanding position afforded for defence; and that even the domestic buildings of religious communities, in, at least, one instance, were protected by a moat; and a general impression may be formed of the stern, severe, semi-military aspect rendered by the local architecture.

Nor were the Scots the only enemies that made these precautions necessary. The nobles, when not engaged in a common cause against their Scottish neighbours, had their private feuds to avenge between themselves. Their fierce and fiery retainers, in the pursuit of a fugitive, would not scruple to dash into a church on horseback, or to hang up a glove as a challenge within its sacred precincts, or otherwise violate the sanctity of a religious edifice, despite the certainty of the enforcement of subsequent penance. The most contradictory influences were at work: whilst men ́were unpityingly hanged for such slight offences as the theft of a "velvet clok," or for the mere fact of "being Egyptians," (gipsies,) murderers found immunity and shelter in the numerous sanctuaries. With the terrible uncertainty of human life engendered by this ill-regulated state of the law, we can easily understand that a sense of security was of more importance than any other consideration in matters architectural.

On the accession of James the grounds for national strife ceased; and, with the exception of an incursion of Scotch covenanters under Lesley,