John Bellasis, esquire, his second son, who, in the garrison of Newark and elsewhere, hath given ample testimony of his valour, and all noble qualities accomplishing a person of honour, is since advanced to the dignity of a Baron. KING JAMES. 9. HENRY SLINGSBY, Mil.-The arms of this ancient and numerous family (too large to be inserted in our list) are as followeth: "Quarterly, the first and fourth Gules, a chevron between two leopards' heads, and a hutchet or bugle Argent; the second and third Argent, a griffon surgeant Sable, supprest by a fess Gules." 11. GEORGE SAVILL, Mil. et Bar.-This is the last mention of this numerous, wealthy, and ancient family, which I find in this catalogue. And here, reader, to confess myself unto thee, my expectation is defeated, hoping to find that vigorous knight Sir John Savill in this catalogue of Sheriffs. But it seems that his constant court attendance (being privy councillor to king Charles) privileged him from that employment, until by the same king he was created Baron Savill of Pontefract, as his son since was made Earl of Sussex. I hear so high commendation of his house at Howley, that it disdaineth to yield precedency to any in this shire. KING CHARLES. 12. JOHN RAMSDEN, Mil.-The reader will pardon my un-. timely and abrupt breaking off this catalogue, for a reason formerly rendered. Only let me add, that the renowned knight Sir Marmaduke Langdale was sheriff 1641. He, without the least self-attribution, may say, as to the king's side of Northern actions, "Pars ego magna fui." But, as for his raising the siege of Pontefract (felt before seen by the enemy), it will sound Romanza-like to posterity, with whom it will find "plus famæ quam fidei." No wonder, therefore, if king Charles the Second created him a Baron, the temple of Honour being of due open to him who had passed through the temple of Virtue. BATTLES. Many engagements (as much above skirmishes as beneath battles) happened in this shire. But that at Marston-Moor, July 2, 1644, was our English Pharsalian fight, or rather the fatal battle of Cannæ to the loyal cavaliers. Indeed, it is difficult and dangerous to present the ра ticulars thereof. For one may easier do right to the memories of the dead, than save the credits of some living. However, things past may better be found fault with than amended; and when God will have an army defeated, mistakes tending thereto will be multiplied in despite of the greatest care and diligence. Know then that prince Rupert, having fortunately raised the siege at York, drew out his men into the Moor, with full intention to fight the enemy. Discreet persons, beholding the countenance of the present affairs with an impartial eye, found out many dissuasives for the prince to hazard a battle. 1. He had done his work by relieving York; let him digest the honour thereof, and grasp at no more. 2. His wearied souldiers wanted refreshing. 3. Considerable recruits were daily expected out of the north, under colonel Clavering. Add to all these, that such were the present animosities in the Parliament army, and so great their mutual dissatisfactions when they drew off from York, that (as a prime person since freely confessed), if let alone they would have fallen foul amongst themselves, had not the prince, preparing to fight them, cemented their differences, to agree against a general enemy. But a blot is no blot, if not hit; and an advantage, no advantage, if unknown: though this was true, the prince was not informed of the differences aforesaid. However, he did not so much run out of his own ambition of honour, as answer the spur of the king's command, from whom he had lately received a letter (still safe in his custody) speedily to fight the enemy if he had any advantage, that so he might spare and send back some supplies to his majesty's perplexed occasions at Oxford. Besides, the prince had received certain intelligence, that the enemy had, the day before, sent away seven thousand men, now so far distanced, that they were past possibility of returning that day. The former part hereof was true, the latter false, confuted by the great shout given this day in the Parliament's army, at the return of such forces unto them. But now it was too late to draw off the Parliament forces, necessitating them to fight. A summer's evening is a winter's day, and about four o'clock the battle began. Some causelessly complain of the marquis of Newcastle, that he drew not his men soon enough (according to his orders) out of York, to the prince's seasonable succour. Such consider not that soldiers newly relieved from a nine weeks' siege will a little indulge themselves. Nor is it in the power of a general to make them at such times to march at a minute's warning, but that such a minute will be more than an hour in the length thereof. The lord general Goring so valiantly charged the left wing of the enemy, that they fairly forsook the field. General Leslie, with his Scottish, ran away more than a Yorkshire mile and a wee bit. Fame, with her trumpet, sounded their flight as far as Oxford, the royalists rejoicing with bonfires for the victory. But, within few days, their bays, by a mournful metamorphosis, were turned into willow; and they sunk the lower in true sorrow, for being mounted so high in causeless gladness. For Cromwell, with his cuirassiers, did the work of that day. Some suspected colonel Hurry (lately converted to the king's party) for foul play herein; for he divided the king's Old Horse (so valiant and victorious in former fights) into small bodies, alleging this was the best way to break the Scottish lancers. But those horse, always used to charge together in whole regiments or greater bodies, were much discomposed with this new mode, so that they could not find themselves in themselves. Besides, a right valiant lord, severed (and in some sort secured) with a ditch from the enemy, did not attend till the foe forced their way unto him, but gave his men the trouble to pass over that ditch; the occasion of much disorder. The van of the king's foot being led up by the truly honourable colonel John Russell, impressed with unequal numbers, and distanced from seasonable succour, became a prey to their enemy. The marquis of Newcastle's Whitecoats (who were said to bring their winding sheet about them into the field), after thrice firing, fell to it with the but ends of their muskets, and were invincible; till mowed down by Cromwell's cuirassiers, with Job's servants, they were all almost slain, few escaping to bring the tidings of their overthrow. Great was the execution on that day, Cromwell commanding his men to give no quarter. Various the numbering of the slain on both sides; yet I meet with none mounting them above six or sinking them beneath three thousand. I remember no person of honour slain on the king's side, save the hopeful lord Cary, eldest son to the earl of Monmouth. But on the Parliament's side, the lord Didup (a lately created baron) was slain, on the same token, that when king Charles said "that he hardly remembered that he had such a lord in Scotland;" one returned, "that the lord had wholly forgotten that he had such a king in England." Soon after, more than sixty royalists of prime quality removed themselves beyond the seas; so that henceforward the king's affairs in the north were in a languishing condition. THE FAREWELL. As I am glad to hear the plenty of a coarser kind of cloth is made in this county, at Halifax, Leeds, and elsewhere, whereby the meaner sort are much employed, and the middle sort enriched; so I am sorry for the general complaints made thereof: insomuch that it is become a general by-word, "to shrink as northern cloths," (a giant to the eye, and dwarf in the use thereof,) to signify such who fail their friends in deepest distress, depending on their assistance. Sad that the sheep, the emblem of innocence, should unwillingly cover so much craft under the wool thereof; and sadder, that Fullers, commended in Scripture for making cloth white,* should justly be condemn Mark ix. 3. ed for making their own consciences black, by such fraudulent practices. I hope this fault, for the future, will be amended in this county and elsewhere: for sure it is, that the transporting of wool and fullers-earth (both against law) beyond the seas, are not more prejudicial to our English clothing abroad, than the deceit in making cloth at home, debasing the foreign estimation of our cloth, to the unvaluable damage of our nation. YORK. YORK is an ancient city, built on both sides of the river Ouse, conjoined with a bridge, wherein there is one arch, the highest and largest in England. Here the Roman emperors had their residence (Severus and Valerius Constantius their death), preferring this place before London, as more approaching the centre of this island: and he who will hold the ox-hide from rising up on either side, must fix his foot in the middle thereof. What it lacketh of London in bigness and beauty of buildings, it hath in cheapness and plenty of provisions. The ordinary in York will make a feast in London; and such persons who in their eating consult both their purse and palate, would choose this city as the staple place of good cheer. MANUFACTURES. It challengeth none peculiar to itself; and the foreign trade is like their river (compared with the Thames) low and little. Yet send they coarse cloth to Hamburgh; and have iron, flax, and other Dutch commodities in return. But the trade which indeed is but driven on at York, runneth of itself at Hull; which, of a fisher's town, is become a city's fellow within three hundred years, being the key of the north. I presume this key (though not new made) is well mended, and the wards of the lock much altered, since it shut out our sovereign from entering therein. THE BUILDINGS. The cathedral in this city answereth the character which a foreign author* giveth it, "Templum opere et magnitudine toto orbe memorandum;" the work of John Romaine, William Melton, and John Thoresbury, successive archbishops thereof; the family of the Percys contributing timber; of the Valvasors, stone thereunto. • The writer of the life of Æneas Sylvius, or Pope Pius Secundus. - Appending to this cathedral is the chapter-house; such a master-piece of art, that this golden verse (understand it written in golden letters) is engraved therein : Ut rosa flos florum, sic est domus ista domorum. "Of flowers that grow the flower's the rose; Now as it follows not that the usurping tulip is better than the rose, because preferred by some foreign fancies before it; so is it as inconsequent that modish Italian churches are better than this reverend magnificent structure, because some humorous travellers are so pleased to esteem them. One may justly wonder, how this church, whose edifice woods (designed by the devotion of former ages, for the repair thereof) were lately sold, should consist in so good a condition. But, as we read that "God made all those to pity his children, who carried them captive;"* so I am informed, that some who had this cathedral in their command favourably reflected hereon, and not only permitted but procured the repair thereof; and no doubt he doth sleep the more comfortably, and will die the more quietly for the same. PROVERBS. "Lincoln was, London is, and York shall be."] Though this be rather a prophecy than a proverb; yet, because something proverbial therein, it must not be omitted. It might as well be placed in Lincolnshire or Middlesex; yet (if there be any truth therein) because men generally worship the rising sun, blame me not if here I only take notice thereof. That Lincoln was,† namely a fairer, greater, richer city, than now it is, doth plainly appear by the ruins thereof, being without controversy the greatest city in the kingdom of Mercia. That London is, we know; that York shall be, God knows. If no more be meant but that York hereafter shall be in a better condition than now it is, some may believe, and more do desire it. Indeed this place was in a fair way of preferment (because of the convenient situation thereof) when England and Scotland were first united into Great Britan. But as for those who hope it shall be the English metropolis, they must wait until the river of Thames run under the great arch of Ouse-bridge. However, York shall be, that is, shall be York still, as it was before. SAINTS. FLACCUS ALBINUS, more commonly called ALCUINUS, was born, say some, nigh London; say others, in York; the latter being more probable, because befriended with his northern education under venerable Bede, and his advancement in York. * Psalm cvi. 46. See the Life of Archbishop Mountain, in the BENEFACTORS of this county. |