-peciit immunitatem pro eo quod idem Radulfus, ex insultu super eum facto, et in defensione sui corporis, quendam Jacobum Alderson, apud Moram vulgariter nuncupatam Smalegill in Swadellside, ultimo die Junii, Anno Domini supradicto, felonicé super caput cum uno gladio percussit, imponendo-plagam mortalem ; de quâ infra duos dies obiit. Pro qua immunitatem peciit. Præsentibus Roberto Smethers, Henrico Paynter, et Willielmo Dutton, testibus.

CLXXIII. CHRISTOFORUS THISTILWHAIT.

vij Decembris MDXIV, venit ad Eccles. Cath. Dunelm quidem Cristoferus Thystilwhait, parochia de Dentt, in Ebor Dioc, et peciit immunitatem pro eo quod idem Cristoferus, persuasione aliorum, ut asseruit, una cum aliis, quandam domam cujusdam Johannis Metkalf, apud quendam locum in Wensladale vocatum Byrkridge, circa festum S. Martini in yeme ultimo præteritum, sub silencio noctis fregit, intravit, et felonice de bovis et catallis ejusdem Johannis Metkalf ad summam et valenciam x marcarum cepit et asportavit. Pro quâ-peciit immunitatem-Præsentibus Nicholao Swynburn, et Johanne Jakson, literatis Dunelm Dioc CLXXVI. FRANCISCUS WARDE.

ij Junii, MDXV, venit ad Ecclesiam Cath. Dunelm. quidam Franciscus Warde, et peciit immunitatem-pro eo quod idem Franciscus, xxvj Maii ultimo præterito, apud West Rayns, infra territorium de Nappey in Coin. Richemund, Ebor. Dioc, et casu et insultu super cum facto, quendam Willielmum Walker de Nappey cum uno bacculo, vocato a pyket staff, leltaliter percussit in diversis sui corporis partibus; de qua inpa x dies obiit. Pro quâ-peciit immunitatem. Præsentibus Johanne Alenson de Dunelm., Thomâ Milner de Brompton juxta Northalverton. et Johanne Staynforth de Alverton, testibus.

CCI. THOMAS BRAYTHWAYTT.

vij Junii, MDXVII, venit ad Ecclesiam Cath. Dunelm, quidam Thomas Braythwayt, de Preston in parochiâ de Wensley, Ebor. Dioc., et peciit immunitatem pro eo quod, j mensis Junii antedicti, prope parcum de Midleham in Com. Ebor., ex insultu super ipsum facto, ut asseruit, quendam Robertum Hillery de Preston prædictâ eum uno baculo, vocato le pyktstaff, super caput felonicé percussit; de quâ-obiit. Pro quâ peciit immunitatem-Præsentibus Willielmo Meryngton, Willielmo Langton, et Thomâ Morton.

CCXX. MATHEUS SADLER.

Penultimo die mensis Maii, MDXIX., venit ad Ecclesiam Cath Dunelm, quidam Matheus Sadler, de parochiâ de Askarth in Byshopdale, Ebor. Dioc. et peciit immunitatem pro eo quod præsens fuit personaliter infra territorium de Burton, de parochia de Askarth prædicta, tempore quadragesimali ad quatuor annos elapso, quando quidam Michael Sadler percussit quendam Henricum Sadler super caput cum uno lapidæ; de qua infra duos dies obiit. Pro qua quidem presentia et ope-idem Matheus immunitatem peciit. Præsentibus Johanne Clerk, notario publico, et Roberto Burges, literato.

REGISTRUM SANCTI JOHANNIS BEVERLACENSIS.

CCLXVI. JOHANNES TOPPAM, LABORER.

Decimo septimo die Marcii, anno regni Regis predicti1 vij. Johannes Toppam, nuper de Carleton in Coverdale in Comitatu Ebor. laborer venit ad pacem Sancti Johannis Beverlacencis pro homicidio facto super Thomam Geldard; et admissus est ad libertatem, et juratus, etc.

The Yore, rising within five miles of the source of the Swale, after passing Wensleydale, becomes a boundary between the North and West Ridings, till it reaches the vicinity of Ripon, three miles below Masham; and having received the Swale at Myton, six miles below Boroughbridge, changes its name to Ouse, in consequence of the contemptible rivulet so named, joining the river. At Nun Monkton, the Nid, which rising in the north-west extremity of Netherdale passes Pately-Bridge, Ripley, and Knaresborough, falls into the Ouse, which at York is augmented by the Foss, a small stream rising near Craike Castle. From York, the Ouse taking an almost direct southerly course, becomes the boundary between the East and West ridings. At Nun Appleton, about eight miles below York, the Wharfe, which rises at the foot of the Craven hills, and has passed Otley, Wetherby, and Tadcaster, is received. The course of the Ouse is now southeast, by Selby, and thence nearly east till it receives the Derwent. This fresh accession rises in the east moorlands of the North Riding, within about four miles of the sea, and nine from Scarborough; it flows southerly, almost parallel to the coast, till it comes to the foot of the wolds. It then takes a west, and afterwards a south-west direction; and, having received the Rye from Helmsley, passes Malton, to which town it is navigable from the Ouse for vessels of 25 tons. The Derwent is the boundary between the north and east ridings, from its junction with the small river Hertford, till it approaches Stamford bridge, where it enters the east riding, within which it runs till it falls into the Ouse, near the village of Barnsley, about three miles and a half above Howden. After receiving the Derwent, the Ouse continues nearly southeast, and within less than a quarter of a mile from Boothferry, is joined by the Aire. This river, rising in the Craven mountains, flows along Airedale in a south-east line, passing Leeds, and at Castleford receiving the Calder, from this point the Aire holds an easterly course,

till within a little distance of Snaith it runs north-east, to meet the Ouse at Armin. About three miles below this junction, at Goole, the Ouse receives the Don, a river rising in the western moors. The OUSE having now received nearly all its Yorkshire waters, is as wide as the Thames at London; and flowing in a north-easterly direction, is still further augmented by the Trent from Lincolnshire, after which confluence it receives the name of HUMBER, the Abers of Ptolemy. At Bromfleet it receives the Foulness, and rolling eastwards, now a volume of water two or three miles in width, at Hull receives the river of that name. A few miles below Hull, and opposite to Hedon and Paul, the Humber takes a direction southeast, and widening into a vast estuary of about six or seven miles in breadth, disembogues itself into the German ocean.

Longstaffe, in his "Richmondshire," notes that the Yore "near Middleham, is much infested with a horrid Kelpie or water-horse, who riseth from the stream at eventide, and rampeth along the meadows eager for prey" (p. 96). Certain is it that most marvellous tales of water spirits on and about the stream are not only by

-grey-haired eld

in superstitious credence held,"

but also by many others; and it is imagined that the Kelpie claims at least one human victim annually. Those who are acquainted with the river cannot be at all surprised that the tribute is, by means of accidents, pretty punctually rendered. A legend of the Ouse is given by a spirited writer in the "St. James's Magazine." "Some hundred years ago, the waters of the Ouse possessed, or were possessed by, a peculiar magic influence which they certainly retain no longer. If any one went to a certain part of the river and cast therein five white pebbles precisely as the cathedral clock struck the first hour of May-morning, he would see displayed on its surface as on a glass whatever of the past, present, or future he desired to have presented to him. Many had tried the experiment, and with success so far as the immediate object was concerned, but the remoter consequences were always most unaccountably fatal to the adventurer." The author then proceeds to exemplify this by a legend, the hero of which, a knight returning homeward from the wars, and desirous of ascertaining the fidelity of his

ladye-love, consults the oracle. He beholds her father's mansion near Scarborough, sees a masked and cloaked youth descend from Julia's window, assisted by a serving man, who conceals the ladder. A dark cloud instantly renders the figures indistinguishable. Maddened with jealousy the knight mounts, flies to the mansion-his horse, overtasked, drops dead, but he arrives in time to see the identical youth re-ascending the ladder, and to stab him to the heart. Alas, for unhallowed prying! The masked cavalier was indeed no other than his own faithful Julia, who had adopted this disguise in order to attend a masque in the neighbourhood, unobserved, and was returned at the moment of her jealous and exasperated lover's arrival. And when the story had got abroad, the terrified and superstitious hearers cried with general consent, This comes of consulting the magic mirror of the Ouse upon a May-morning!'"-St. James's Magazine; vol. ii. p. 244.

The Wensleydale men worshipped Woden and

Thor. p. 10.

The following account of Woden, or Odin, the great and deified leader of the Scandinavian tribes, from whom all the Royal Houses derived their descent, is taken from "The Heimskringla; or Chronicle of the Kings of Norway," written in Icelandic by Snorro Sturleson, who was born in 1179, and died in 1241. Snorro himself was of the privileged class, claiming descent from Odin and consequently entitled to hold the hereditary office of Godar, which, although no longer including the functions of priest, still allowed its possessor to act as judge in the district where he resided. Of his Chronicle he says, "In this book I have had old stories written down, as I have heard them told by intelligent people, concerning chiefs who have held dominion in the northern countries, and who spoke the Danish tongue; and also concerning some of their family branches, according to what has been told me. Some of this is found in ancient family registers, in which the pedigrees of kings and other personages of high birth are reckoned up, and part is written down after old songs and ballads which our forefathers had for their amusement. Now, although we cannot just say what truth there may be in these, yet we have the certainty that old and wise men held them to be true."