_The Forest and Vale in Tudor Times_
A.D. 1485 to 1603
The Wars of the Roses had allowed the royal possessions to fall into a
state of great disorder, so that the Duchy of Lancaster records belonging
to the early years of the reign of Henry VII. contain many references to
the necessity for vigorously checking infringements on the forest that had
been taking place. A patent dated 26th of October 1489,[1] says, "To our
t[rusty] and w[elbeloved] Brian Sandford Stuard of our honnor of Pykeryng
in our Countie of York and Constable of our Castle there and master
Forster of our game within the said honnor and to al forsters and kepers
within the same and in their absence to ther deputies ther and to every of
them gretyng. Forasmuch as it is common unto our knowledge that our game
of dere and warenne within our seid Honnor is gretly diminnisshed by
excessive huntyng within the same and likely to be destroied, without
restreynt in the same be had in that behalf, we desire the Replenisshyng
of our seid game, not only for our singler pleasure but also for the
disport of other our servantes and subgettes of Wirshipp in theis parties.
And therfor we wol and straitly charge you all & every of you that from
hensforth ye suffre no manner of personne or personnes of what estate
degree or condicion soever he or they be, to have shot sute ne course at
any of our game within our seid Honnor duryng the space of iij years next
ensuyng after the date herof, without special warraunt undre our seale of
oure seid Duchie and if any personne or personnes presume or attempt in
any wise the breche of this our special restreinte and commandment, we
eftsounes wol and straitly charge you al and every of you, that without
delai ye certifie us of theire name or names so offendyng, to thentent
that we maye provide for their lawful punycion in that behalf, which we
entend sharply to execute and punysshe in example of al othre like
offenders, not failyng herof as ye wol avoide our grevous displeasure and
answher unto us at their perell."
[Footnote 1: "North Riding Records," vol. i., New Series, p. 123.]
[Illustration: CATTLE MARKS OF THE PICKERING DISTRICT.
Copied from a MS. book dated at the close of the sixteenth century and in
the possession of the Rev. A. Hill of Thornton-le-dale. The names are
spelt as they are written, but are not given in facsimile. The book is a
copy of an earlier one that is still in existence.
]
There are many other commissions of this character made out to "Sir Rauf
Evers knight," "Sir Richard Cholmeley knight," "Sir John Huthem," "John
Pykeryng knyght," "Leon Percy [Lionel Percehay] squyer," and many other
influential men of the sixteenth century.
[Illustration: CATTLE MARKS IN THE PICKERING DISTRICT]
During the reign of Henry VII. there was a prolonged dispute between Sir
Roger Hastings of Roxby and Sir Richard Cholmley concerning the alleged
riotous and unlawful conduct with which each side accused the other. The
pleadings on either side are by no means easy to follow, but the beginning
of the trouble seems to date from Sir Roger Hastings' succession to the
estate of Roxby. Mr Turton, who has transcribed all the documents relating
to the quarrel, thinks that Sir Roger attempted to shift the death duties
from himself to one of his tenants named Ralph Joyner, who refused to pay.
"After an abortive attempt to recover the sum by distrain" says Mr Turton,
it "resulted in an appeal to the Earl of Surrey, and Sir Roger was
compelled to pay it himself." The records tell us that this Ralph Joyner
was often "in Jeopardy of his liff; And how he was at diverse tymez chased
by diverse of the menyall servantes of the said Sir Roger Hastynges,
wheruppon the said Roger Cholmley sent to the said Sir Roger Hastynges in
curteyse waise desyring hym to kepe the kynges peax, whiche he effectuelly
promysed to doo, uppon truste wherof upon Christmas day now Laste paste
the said Rauff Jenore cam to his parisshe chirche, called Elborne
[Ellerburne] chirche, as belonged to a christenman to doo, in peassible
maner, not fearing the said Sir Roger Hastynges, because of his said
promyse, Howbeit soon after that comme thedir the said Sir Roger
accompenyed with the numbre of xx [twenty] persons diffencible arrayed
with bowes, billes and other weponz, And then as sone as the said Roger
came nyghe unto the Chircheyerd of the foresaid Chirche, And had
undirstandyng that the said Rauff was within the said chirche, he manassed
[menaced] and threted the said Rauff and said that he wolde slee hym. And
in a great fury wolde have entred the said chirche to have complisshed the
same." This bloodthirsty desire was checked for a time by the vicar, who
"knellyng upon his knees before the said Sir Roger," and with other "well
dissposed personez," induced him to delay his purpose.
"Theruppon the wif of the said Sir Roger Hastynges cam into the said
chirche & said unto the said Rauff, 'Woo worthe man this day! the chirche
wolbe susspended and thou slayn, withoute thou flee awey and gette the
oute of his sighte' wheruppon the said Rauff Jenore flede oute of the said
chirche by a bakke doore and cam to Pykeryng, and petyously desired of the
said Roger Chalmley that in so muche as he was the Stewardes deputie there
and hadde rewle of the Countre, that he myght be in suertie of his liff."
The records then describe how Ralph Joyner induced Roger Cholmley, "beyng
there Bailly," with "Sir Rauff Evers & other jointly & severally" to bind
Sir Roger Hastings to "Maister Bray" for the sum of a hundred pounds to
keep the king's peace within the liberty of Pickering. The aggrieved side
did not dare to deliver the deed with only their usual personal servants,
but had to call upon a number of others owing to the fact that Sir Roger
was "a worshipfull man of the said libertie & of great myghte havyng many
Riottous personez aboute hym" When the little cavalcade of mounted men and
servants reached Roxby they found that Sir Roger Hastings had left for
Scarborough. He describes the procedure of the Cholmley party in a most
picturesque fashion, stating that within an hour after the delivery of the
Privy Seal they "came Ryottously with the nowmbre of xii persons, with
bowis arrowes longe sperys in maner and furme of warre." In another place
he details their armour and arms saying that they were arrayed with "Cures
(cuirass) Corsettes (armour for the body) Brygendyns, Jakkys, Salettis (a
light helmet), Speris, Bowes, Arrowes, Sourdis, byllys and Launcegays, (a
small lance) with other maner of wepyns defencive." As Sir Roger and his
wife rode towards Scarborough they met "Sir Rauf Ivers, which in Curtes
(courteous) maner then departed." When he was thought to be on the road
homewards to Roxby, however, Sir Ralph Evers was accused of having laid
"in a wayte to have murderyd" Sir Roger Hastings at Brompton, for at that
place Evers and eight of his servants came upon Sir Roger's men who were
being sent ahead to discover the ambush that they had reason to fear.
When Sir Ralph found that the men who reached Brompton were only servants
and messengers, he was accused of having said to them "ye false hurson
Kaytyffes, I shall lerne you curtesy and to knowe a gentilman." Thereupon
Sir Ralph "set his arowe in his bowe, seying these wordes, 'And your
Master were here I wolde stoppe hym the wey.'" When they reached Snainton
twenty persons issued from the house of "one Averey Shymney, servant to
the seid Sir Rauf ... arrayed with bowys bent, arrowis, billis and
Gleyvis."
There is also a complaint against some of the servants of Sir Ralph Evers
who were held responsible for "an assaute and Fraye made upon my lady
Hastynges." Thomas Thirlwall, on being examined, said that "my lady came
rydyng that ways with vi horses with hir, and oone of hir servantz thet
rode afore, had a male [a portmanteau] behynd hym, and with a bowe in his
hand bent, and that the said servant rode soo nygh hym th[at] the male
touched hym and he bade hym ryde forther and asked, why his bow was bent,
and he said that was mater to hym, and the sayd deponent with I^d knyff
[in another place it is called a dagger] which he had in his hand cut the
bow string, bicause he rode soo nygh hym with horse that he had almost
stroken hym downe; And forther he deposith that my lady light downe from
hir horse hirself and said that, 'and she liffed, she would be avenged';
and thereupon Ric: Brampton came to hir and said, 'Madame be not afferd,
for here shall noo man trouble you nee yours.'"
The accusations of attempts on the part of Sir Ralph Evers and the
Cholmleys to stir up trouble between their servants and those of Sir Roger
Hastings are very numerous and involved, but despite the elaborate details
given by the owner of Roxby the case went against him at the court of the
Duchy of Lancaster at Westminster Palace. Sir Roger seems to have been too
high handed in his dealings with his neighbours, even for the unsettled
times in which he lived. Some of the items against him throw a vivid light
on his proceedings. "Itm the said Ser Roger Hastynges with hys household
servants, daily goyng and rydyng trough the Countrey more like men of warr
then men of peas, in ill example to other, thrught the Kinges markettz and
townez of hys liberte of Pykeryng lith, with bowes bent and arrowes in
ther handes, feryng [frightening] the Kinges people and inhabitauntes of
the same, whereupon the Countrey diverse tymes hath compleyned thame to
Roger Cholmeley, there being hys brother's depute and baylly etc."
"Itm the wyeff of the said Sir Roger Hastynges with here awn company of
houshold servants as forcaid (?) come into Blandisby Park, and there found
a Fat Stott [a young ox] of Rauff Bukton, and with dooges toke the said
Stott and slowe hym and ete hym and no mends will make etc.
"Itm that the said Sir Roger Hastynges the xiii day of October last past
[circa 1496] with Force and armz of the nyghtertall [night time] sent his
houshold servantes to the Castell of Pykeryng, and abowt mydnyght with
lothus [qu: ladders] clame ore the walles, and then and there brake the
kinges prison, and toke owt with them oon John Harwod, the which was set
there for diverse Riottes by hym made agayns the kinges peas, wherefore he
was indited; and aftirward the same nyght when he for thought that he had
done, prively sent hym in agayn; howbeit the kings prison and hys Castell
was broken."
[Illustration: A Section of one of the Oldest Type of Cottage to be found
near Pickering.
Some of these ancient buildings are still inhabited; several of the
survivors are in ruins. The details given in this drawing are taken from a
cottage at Thornton-le-dale; one end has already been demolished (Oct.
1905). The low walls appear to have been built after the framework, and
the house may have been thatched to the ground at one time.
]
[Illustration: The usual Plan of the Fork-framed Cottages in existence
near Pickering. The exterior (viewed from C on the plan) is generally as
shown. The small window by the door (B) lights the ingle-nook, and is
never missing in the oldest type of cottage. It can be seen blocked up in
those that have been remodelled.]
Such incidents as these enliven the pages of the Duchy of Lancaster
Records, and if there were more space available it would be interesting to
give many more of these graphic incidents that took place four hundred
years ago. In many places one finds references to the illegal taking of
oaks from the forest for building houses. Big boughs or the stems of small
trees were placed together in the form of an A with the ends resting on
the ground. These beams, that formed the bays of a house, are locally
called "forks," the name by which they are known in the records of the
reign of Henry VII. In 1498 we find that "The abbot of Whitby had as many
oakes taken in Godlande [Goathland] as made aftre the maner of the Coutrey
iij pair of forkes, with other bemes and wall plaites as were mete for the
repairalling of an hows of his in Godlande."
The great legal case between Sir Roger Hastings and the Cholmleys seems to
have impoverished the turbulent owner of Roxby, for after the adverse
decision Hastings seems to have had difficulty in raising the moneys to
meet all the heavy expenses of the trial, and Mr Turton thinks that Roxby
was at first mortgaged and afterwards sold to Roger Cholmley, brother of
Sir Richard, who had received knighthood in 1509. Sir Richard Cholmley may
be considered the founder of the Yorkshire families of Cholmley, and he
was in his time a man of great power and influence, holding the four chief
offices in the Honor of Pickering, and at the commencement of the reign of
Henry VIII. he was appointed Lieutenant of the Tower of London. He had no
legal offspring, and his illegitimate son, a Sir Roger, who must not be
confused with his uncle, was successively Chief Baron and Lord Chief
Justice, died without issue. Sir Hugh Cholmley[1] tells us many facts
concerning his great-grandfather Sir Richard, who was a nephew of the
former Sir Richard. "His chief place of residence," he says, "was at
Roxby, lying between Pickering and Thornton (now almost demolished), where
he lived in great port, having a very great family, at least fifty or
sixty men-servants, about his house, and I have been told by some who knew
the truth, that when there had been twenty-four pieces of beef put in a
morning into the pot, sometimes not one of them would be left for his own
dinner: for in those times, the idle-serving men were accustomed to have
their breakfast, and with such liberty as they would go into the kitchen,
and striking their daggers into the pot, take out the beef without the
cook's leave or privacy; yet he would laugh at this rather than be
displeased, saying, 'Would not the knaves leave me one piece for my own
dinner?' He never took a journey to London that he was not attended with
less than thirty, sometimes forty men-servants, though he went without his
lady. There was a great difference between him and his brother-in-law, the
Earl of Westmoreland; and, as I have heard upon this cause: That, after
the death of his sister, the Lady Anne, the Earl married the second
sister, Gascoigne's widow, which occasioned continual fighting and
scuffles between the Earl's men and Sir Richard's, when they met, whether
in London streets or elsewhere, which might be done with less danger of
life and bloodshed than in these succeeding ages; because they then fought
only with buckler and short sword, and it was counted unmannerly to make a
thrust.... This Sir Richard was possessed of a very great estate worth at
this day to the value of about £10,000 a year; ... He died in the sixty
third year of his age, at Roxby, ... and lies buried in the chancel of
Thornton church [the monument there to-day bears the effigy of a lady and
is nameless], of which he was patron, May 17th, 1599. He was tall of
stature and withal big and strong-made, having in his youth a very active,
able body, bold and stout; his hair and eyes black, and his complexion
brown, insomuch as he was called the great black Knight of the North;
though the word _great_ attributed to him not so much for his stature, as
power, and estate, and fortune. He was a wise man, and a great improver of
his estate, which might have prospered better with his posterity, had he
not been extra-ordinarily given to the love of women." There is
unfortunately nothing left above the ground of the manor house of Roxby,
the grass-covered site merely showing ridges and mounds where the
buildings stood. It is therefore impossible to obtain any idea of the
appearance of what must have been a very fine Tudor house. That a gallery
was built there by Sir Richard Cholmley, the Great Black Knight of the
North, in the reign of Elizabeth, appears from the record which says "that
the saide S^r Rychard Cholmley did send Gyles Raunde and George Raude two
masons to the Quenes Castell of Pyckeringe whenn he builded his gallerye
at Roxbye to polle [pulle] downe the chefe stones of Masonn work owt of
one howse in the same castell called the King's Haull, and took owte of
the pryncypall and cheffest Towre of the same castle the stones of the
stayres which they did and the said S^r Rychard caused xiiii wayne lodes
of the same stones to be caryed by his Tenantes to his owne house at
Roxbye."
[Footnote 1: "Memoirs of Sir Hugh Cholmley," p. 7.]
Leland,[1] who wrote in the reign of Henry VIII., tells us that at Wilton
there was "a Manor Place with a Tower longging to _Chomeley_." He also
says "This _Chomeley_ hath a Howse also at _Rollesley_ (_Rottesby_): and
_Chomeley's_ Father that now is was as an Hedde officer at _Pykeringe_,
and setter up of his name yn that Quarters." "Thens to _Pykering_: and
moste of the Ground from _Scardeburg_ to _Pykering_ was by Hille and Dale
meate (metely) plentifull of Corn and Grasse but litle Wood in sight.
[Footnote 1: "The Itinerary of John Leland the Antiquary," Thomas Hearne,
1745. Vol. i. pp. 64 and 65.]
"The Toune of _Pykering_ is large but not welle compact togither. The
greatest Part of it with the Paroch Chirch and the Castel is on the South
Est Part of the Broke renning thorough the Toune, and standith on a great
Slaty Hille. The other Part of the Toun is not so bigge as this: the Brook
rennith bytwixt them that Sumtyme ragith, but it suagith shortely agayn:
and a Mile beneth the Toun goith into Costey [the Costa].
"In _Pykering_ Chirch I saw 2 or 3 Tumbes of the Bruses wherof one with
his Wife lay yn a Chapel on the South syde of the Quirr, and he had a
Garland about his Helmet. There was another of the Bruses biried in a
Chapel under an Arch of the North side of the Body of the Quier: and there
is a Cantuarie bering his Name.
[Illustration: Pickering Castle from the Keep, looking South-West.
The gate tower is just shown on the left. In the centre is the Mill or
Miln Tower, with the circular stone staircase projecting like a turret at
one corner, and in the foreground is one of the ruined towers that guarded
the inner gateway. In the distance is the broad Vale of Pickering. The
high ground is behind one's back to the north.
]
"The Deane of _York_ hath by Impropriation the Personage of _Pykering_, to
the which diverse Churches of Pykering Lith doith Homage.
"The Castelle Stondith in an End of the Town not far from the Paroch
Chirch on the Brow of the Hille, under the which the Broke rennith. In the
first Court of it be a 4 Toures, of the which one is Caullid Rosamunde's
Toure.
"In the inner Court be also a 4 Toures, wherof the Kepe is one. The
Castelle Waulles and the Toures be meatly welle. The Logginges yn the
ynner Court that be of Timbre be in ruine, in this inner Court is a
Chappelle and a cantuarie Prest.
"The Castelle hath of a good continuance with the Towne and Lordship
longgid to the _Lancaster_ Bloode: But who made the Castelle or who was
the Owner of afore the _Lancasters_ I could not lerne there. The Castelle
Waulles now remaining seme to be of no very old Building.
"As I remembre I hard say that _Richard_ the thirde lay sumtyme at this
Castelle, and sumtyme at _Scardeburgh_ Castelle.
"In the other Part of the Toune of _Pykering_ passing over Brook by a
Stone Bridg of v Arches I saw 2 thinges to be notid, the Ruines of a Manor
Place, caullid _Bruses-Haul_ and a Manor Place of the _Lascelles_ at _Keld
head_. The Circuite of the Paroch of _Pykering_ goith up to the very
Browes of Blackmore [Blackamoor was the old name for the moors north of
Pickering], and is xx miles in Cumpace.
"The Park by the Castelle side is more then vii Miles in [qu: circuit],
but it is not welle woodid."
The site of the Manor House of the Bruces appears to be in a field to the
west of Potter Hill where hollows and uneven places in the grass indicate
the positions of buildings. The fine old Tudor house of Wellburn near
Kirby Moorside until recently was in a ruinous state, and might possibly
have disappeared after the fashion of Roxby and this Hall of the Bruces,
but it has lately been completely restored and enlarged, and although its
picturesqueness has to some extent been impaired owing to the additions,
they are in the same style of architecture as the original building, and
in time will no doubt mellow down to a pleasanter companionship.
It was in the first year of the reign of Elizabeth that the registers of
Pickering were commenced. The yellowish brown parchment book is in fairly
good preservation, and commences in the usual manner with this carefully
written inscription.
"The Register Boke of these [_p]sons whiche Haithe bene Babticed Maryed
and Buried at Pickeringe sence the firste yere of O^r Sou'ange Ladye
Elizabeth by the grace of god Quene of England ffrance and Ireland
defender of the ffaithe etc. Anno dñi 1559.
There are no entries of any particular interest belonging to this period;
the unusual occurrences belong to the seventeenth century and are recorded
in the next chapter. Kept with the registers of Pickering parish there is,
however, a book containing the records of some Elizabethan visitations
made between 1568 and 1602. The entries, which have been transcribed by Mr
T.M. Fallow, are in a mixture of Latin and English and some of them are
exceedingly interesting. The following describes a curious scene in
Pickering Church.
"Item they saie that vpon Sondaie being the iij of November 1594 in tyme
off evynnyng praie [sic] Richarde Haie being parishe clerk of Pickring and
begynnyng to rede the first lesson of the saide evynnyng praier, Robert
Leymyng did close and shutt the byble to geither whereupon he was to red
at, and so disturbed him frome reding it, and therevpon John Harding redd
the first lesson. And so hindred and disturbed the saide Richard Haie
parishe clerke who was readye and abowteward to rede the same/ And the
saide John Harding did likewise disturbe and hinder the saide Richarde
Haie vpon All Saynts dais last when he was to haue helped the vicar to
saie devyne service and so hindred him being commanded to the conrye[1] by
the churche wardens, and having the admission of the saide Richard Haie
openly redd with a revocation of the former granted to the saide Hardyng.
wherebye he was commanded and enioyned to surcease frome execution of that
office."
[Footnote 1: This word is doubtful, but is perhaps "conrye," for
"contrary."]
[Illustration: The Pre-Reformation Chalice that formerly belonged to
Pickering Church.
It is now in use at Goathland Church, which was formerly included in
Pickering Parish.
(_Reproduced by permission of the Society of Antiquaries_.)
]
In 1602 when Edward Mylls was vicar of Pickering, complaints were made of
him "that he for the most parte, but not alwaies dothe weare a surplesse
in tyme of dyvyne service / they present there vicar for that they ar
vncerteyne whether his wif was commended vnto him by justices of peace nor
whether he was licenced to marrye hir according to hir Maiesties
iniunctions/" This vicar was deprived of the living in 1615, for omitting
to preach sermons and for not properly instructing the people and as will
be seen in the next chapter he appears to have been a most reprehensible
character.
At the same time as this "Richarde Nicoll, Widow Kitchin, Robert Skayles,
John Flaworthe, and widow Shorpshier are presented for deteyning the
clerkes wages/ Elizabeth Dodds ffor having a childe in adultery withe one
Anthonye Boyes, which Boyes is now fledd/ William Steavenson ffor a
slanderer. And also Frances Fetherston the wif of Robert Fetherston for a
scowlde/ Richard Hutchinson for harboring a woman which had a childe
begotten in fornicacion They saie that [_blank_] Lavrock and [_blank_]
Wilson did by the apoyntment of Richard Parkinson there master carrye
turffes in to the house vpon the Sabboth daie The rest is all well."
The rigid observance of the Sabbath as a day of rest is vividly shown by
this last complaint, and at Allerston we find that "Isabell Rea wiffe of
William Raie" was reprimanded--"ffor workyng on the Sabbothe daie viz't
for washing and dressing of hempe at the hemppe pitt vpon Sondaie was
seavenyght/"
In 1592 appears the following/ "The chancell of Pickering in decaie bothe
the windowes and the leades and to be repaired as we suppose by Mr Deane/
[The Dean of York] Mr Deane for want of the quarter sermons and for not
geving the xl^tie part of his lyving of the parsonage of Pickering to the
poore people of the said parishe Agnes Poskett wif of William Poskett of
Pickering for a scold."
In the following year we find presented at Pickering "Elizabeth Johnson
wif of Frances Johnson of Kinthorpe for an obstynate recusant in not
comyng to the churche to here dyvyne service by the space of ij^o yeares
last past and more/ Anne Browne wiffe of William Browne of Pickering for
an obstinate recusant in not commyng to the churche to here dyvyne service
and so haithe done by the space of ij^o yeares and more/ Rauffe Hodgeson
of Pickring for an obstinate recusant and haithe absented him self ffrome
the churche by the space of ij'o yeares and more. Anne Clerke being in
John Wright his house of Blansbye and haithe meate and drinke there, ffor
not commyng to the church to here dyvyne service by the space of half a
yeare/ Rychard Hutchinson sonne of William Hutchinson of Kinthorpp ffor
absenting him self from the churche by the space of halff a yeare and
more/. And he is excommunicate."
Elizabeth Dobson was presented in 1600 as "a slaunderer who saide to
Thomas Gibson that he was a Mainesworne ladd /"
To call anyone "mansworn" was evidently a very serious offence, for in
1527 the Newcastle-on-Tyne corporation of weavers decreed that any member
of the corporation who should call his brother "mansworn" should incur a
forfeit of 6s. 8d. "without forgiveness." To _manswear_ comes from the
Anglo-Saxon _mánswerian_ meaning to swear falsely or to perjure oneself.
Among the men of note of this period mention must be made of Ralph Dodmer
son of Henry Dodmer of Pickering who was a mercer and Lord Mayor of London
in 1521.[1]
[Footnote 1: Thomas Fuller's "Worthies."]
The visitation book shows that it was no uncommon thing to accuse a woman
of being a scold in these times and the following written in 1602[1]
throws a lurid light on the methods for removing the effects of a witch's
malice.
[Footnote 1: The original is stuck in Calvert's MS. Book of Folklore.]
"To cure an ill caste by any Witch putt upon any childe be y^t y^e evil
eye, an overglent, spreeking, an ill birth touche or of a spittle boult
but do as here given & alle shalle be overcome letting no evil rest upon
y^m Take a childe so ill held & strike y^t seven times on y^e face & like
upon y^e navel with y^e heart of a blacke cat then roast y^e heart & give
of y^t to eat seven nights at bed meale & y^t shalle be well butt y^e cat
must be seven years olde & y^e seventh dropped at birth otherwise y^t
shalle faile to overcome any Witch spell soever ill worked y^e blood from
such an heart laid to any witches dorepost or thrown over nighte upon her
dorestep will cause a sore & great paine in her belly."
In the period which includes the momentous defeat of the Spanish Armada
(1588) it is fitting to describe the beacons of Pickering and the
neighbourhood that must have helped to spread the news to the inhabitants
of Yorkshire of the coming of that "Invincible" fleet. A contemporary
manuscript book dated 1580 to 1590, and discovered by Mr J.G. Constable,
tells us how Pickering beacon, which was presumably situated on Beacon
Hill opposite the castle, gave light to the neighbouring heights.
[Sidenote: "Pickering Lythe 7 Beacons]
Pickering beacon giveth light to Setrington beacon, in the East Riding,
and to Ampleforth beacon, in Rydall. Seamer two beacons do give light to
Pickering, Susfeld, in Whitby Strand, and Setterington beacon. Waipnesse
beacon, within the liberties of Scarborough, do give light to Muston
Beacon, in the East Riding, and to the west of the beacons before named
"Charnell, three beacons, within the town of Scarborough adjoining to the
castle, do give light to Waipnesse and Muston beacon."
[Sidenote: "Rydal 1 Beacon]
There is a beacon in Rydall called Ampleforthe beacon well repaired. It
taketh light from Pickering beacon. It giveth light to the Sumclife
beacon, in the Wapentake of Birdforth, three miles distant from it
westward"
In 1598[1] the streets of Pickering are given as, Easte Gaite and
Hallgarthe, Ungate, Birdgate, Borrowgate and Weste Gate.
[Footnote 1: MS. book of Pickering Records in possession of the Rev.
Arthur Hill of Thornton-le-dale.]
Two interesting monuments of this period are to be found in Brompton and
Kirby-Moorside Churches. The first is carved on stone in the north wall of
the Church. It reads:--
"I.W. 1580. E.W. 1547. HEIR LIETH IAMES WESTROP WHO IN WARS TO HIS GREIT
CHARGES SARVED OIN KYNG AND TOW QVENES WITH DV_{O}BE_{O}IENS AND WITH OWT
RECVMPENS."
The brass at Kirby-Moorside is to the memory of Lady Brooke and bears this
verse as well as the inscription:--
"Prepare for death for if the fatall sheares
Covld have bene stayd by prayers, sighes or teares
They had bene stayd, and this tombe thov seest here
Had not erected beene yet many a yeare."
"Here lyeth the body of my Lady Brooke, who while she lyved was a good
woman, a very good mother, and an exceeding good wife. Her sovle is at
rest w^th God, for she was svre y^t her Redemer lyved, and that thovgh
wormes destroyed her body, yet shee shovld see God in her flesh. She died
the 12th of Jvly 1600."
From the different aspects of life at Pickering in the Tudor Period that
we have been able to give, something can be seen of the manner of living
at this time; but to have done justice to the materials that may be drawn
upon would have required a volume for what has of necessity been limited
to a chapter.