The large domains of the Mowbrays, which lay near the scene of Henry's successes, had been exposed to all his fury; from which it was impossible to guard them any length of time. But Mowbray was always well provided with stores for a siege and the most orderly discipline was observed among his troops, which generally amounted to 500 effective men, who were willing at any time to lay down their lives for their valiant leader, and would have thought them richly bestowed. The castle itself was a noble pile of building, uniting the magnificence of a royal palace, with the strength and security of an impregnable fortress. The soldiers were sprung from the different clans of the Mowbrays, and with their warlike leader had often fought valiantly and successfully, and had defended with fidelity incor. ruptible, the rights of their beloved commander. This castle of Thirsk, from its enormous size, was a guide to the North, from all the abbeys and small castles which surrounded it. To the Eastward, from its lofty turrets, a romantic and diversified prospect was seen of the rugged steeps of Hambleton. those rocks, was a hermitage on Hood Hill; connected with Whitby Abbey, and founded by the family of Mowbray. Beyond Felixkirk, on Mount St John, stood a Preceptory of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, founded by William Percy, in the preceeding reign, and which was afterwards granted in exchange by Henry VIII, to the Archbishop of York, Northwards was the castle of Up

B

Near

sall, now also in ruins; reported to have been first built on the spot where had been discovered a treasure hidden in the ground, and from whose ruins the more modern mansion, New-building, seems to have arisen Six miles East of Upsall Castie, was the noble abbey of Rievalle, now Rivalx, near Helmsley. This abbey was founded in the year 1131, in the reign of King Henry 1., by Walter de Espec, a Baron of high rank and ample possessions: who introduced the Cistercians into the North of England, by founding this abbey of Rievalle, which he peopled with monks from Clarevalle. This was the head of the surrounding abbeys of Byland, Fountains, Hood Hill, St. Mary's, and Jervis; and was also the burial place of Walter de Espec. To the West from the turrets of Thirsk Castle, was seen a wide view of the Western Hilis, in a state of higher cultivation than those to the Eastward. Amongst these hills was situated the town of Ripon farther onwards, the celebrated abbey of Fountains, which owed its origin to the separation of some monks from the Benedictine Monastery of St. Mary's at York, who embraced the rue of Cistercians, and established then selves in this abbey, whose patron Saint was St. Bernard the Abbot of Clarevalle. It is observable, that in the year 1526, William Thirske,* B. D. was the Abbot

:

*As it was not unusual for ecclesiastics to take their names from the places of their motivity. it is highly

of Fountains Abbey. To the South were seen the towers of the castle of Topcliffe, the seat of

probable that this celebrated character, was a native of our borough of Thirsk. Truth obliges us to make rather an unfavourable report respecting him, but we copy the words of Henry Percy, the Sixth Earl of Northumberland: "The Abbot of Fountains do'th not indeavour himself lyke, a discrete father towards the said convent and the profet of the hous; but haith, against the same, as well solde and wastyd the great parte or all theyre store in cataill, as alsoo theyre wooddis in dyverse contries, &c., &e.

This xxvj day of June.

Your's, assury'd,

H NORTHUMBERLAND.”

66 To my bed-fellow Arondell." One of the visitors repo ts of him thus:

"Please your worship to understand that the Abbot of Fountaus hath so greatly dilapidate his house, wasted ye woods, notoriously keeping six whores; and six days before our coming, he committed theft and sacrilege, confessing the same; for at midnight he caused his chaplain to stele the keys of the sexton, and took out a jewel, a cross of gold with stones; one Warren, a goldsmyth of the Chepe, was with him in his chamber at the hour; and there they stole out a great emerode with a rubye. The said Warren made the Abbot believe the rubye was a garnet, and so for that he paid nothing, for the emerode but £2). He sold him also plate without weight or ounces. (Subscribed) Your's, &c.

"From Richmont,

(in Com' Ebor') the 20th Jan."

R. LAYTON.

This Abbot, as well as some others, was executed at Tyburn on an accusation of being concerned in the insurrection in Yorkshire. Some have been supposed to suffer on false charges, but Burnet says, believed that most of the great Abbots cherished it.".. Vide Hist. of Ripon, part 2, p. 184.

66 it was

Different grants to the monks of Fountains Abbey,

*

Earl Percy, a strong fortress, and noted for its beautiful pleasure grounds. To the let was the castle of Winders ill, near Sheriff Hutton, which wes built by the Earons de Greystock, at the time Fountains Abbey was built, and called by some from the number of springs surrounding it, Hun dred Shellt Farther still was the castle of Craikes and still more distant, the stupendous cathedral of York closed the view from the turrets of Thirsk, sublimed by the grand outline of the Hambleton Hills; wild in its holder features, but yet aboundTM ing with the sylvan scenery of the vale of Mowbray, beautifully variegated, and widely extended.

The castle, with its outworks, occupied four acres of ground; but now scarce a stone remains upon another, to mark the scene of all this bustle and confusion. The view, on passing the grand en trance, was calculated to strike terror into the beholder. The pencerous iron gates turned Ledvily on their hinges, "grating harsh thunder." The courts were filled with the warriors of the Mowbrays, who nightly traversed the ramparts, to keep diligent watch over the inmates of the castle, and to prevent a surprisal by lurking violence.

by the family of Mowbray, are recorded in Hargrove's Hist. of Knaresborough.

"Built by Bertrand de Bulmer."---Camden.

+ Camden.

The great hall was of spacious dimensions; and its decorations were of exquisite workmanship; hung with waving banners, the fruits of hard earned victory; it was the glory and delight of the assembled chieftains, at the sumptuous banquet, to recount the days that were past, the battles where those bloody trophies had been won, and the valiant achievements of their departed ancestors. The scene is finely described by the poet of antiquity, "The night passed away in song: morning returned in joy. A thousand chiefs leaned forward from their seats, to hear the voice of the bard." The grand stair-case was likewise of curious workmanship; its carved work displayed the hand of an ingenious artist; and all the other principal rooms were proportionally superb; particularly those of the South Wing; as became the owner of such large domains.

In Roger de Mowbray, the unfortunate always found a friend; one that not only pitied their misfortunes, but also used his endeavours to relieve. them: in battle he was valiant, and like a genuine hero, spread slaughter and destruction around him. He was of lofty stature; and his noble mien and condescending manners won him many friends : amongst them unfortunately was the son of his

Ossian.