Though customs have greatly changed since those days of unsafe
travelling, the quaint streets, the great gateways of bold architecture,
and the magnificent church all lend the city of York the wonderful
fascination of age, heightened by the situation of the river Ouse at its
junction with the Foss.
In what county of England the famous city and glorious minster of York
are, requires little mental effort. It is the most ancient metropolitan
see in England. At one time great controversy arose between York and
Canterbury as to precedence. It was thought that whichever one of them
could successfully prove that the one first confirmed was meant by Pope
Gregory to be the senior, should be the superior. As, however, no
satisfactory understanding could be arrived at, the question was left to
the Papal Court at Rome. By its decision it was determined in favour of
Canterbury, so the Archbishop of Canterbury styles himself Primate of
All England, whilst the Archbishop of York rests content with Primate
of England; the reduction of one word, but it means a great deal. In
the history of England we see what part these two metropolitans have
taken, how they have occasionally fallen out over what now appears to us
the most trifling matters, but which no doubt were considered of most
vital importance at the time. In this account they need no
recapitulation, for they can be turned up in any history book on
England.
In the very early years of Anno Domini, when Christianity in England was
quite in its infancy,--or to be more exact about the year 180,--it is
said that King Lucius established the Metropolitan See at York. In those
days, however, it could hardly have been called by that name. Prior to
this monarch's time it was the town of the Brigantes, and was known as
Evrauc. They appear to have been a very hardy race. Through them it was
that Caractacus, one of two sons of Cymbeline, after the Silures were
defeated by Ostorius, made the last important stand against the Romans.
That is to say, with the submission of the Brigantes and the capture of
Caractacus, all unity among the British tribes came to an end, so that
it became comparatively an easy task for the Romans to complete the
conquest of England.
[Illustration: YORK