YORK: WITH A FEW NOTES ON BEVERLEY. 81 
a town of considerable importance that existed long before Julius 
Agricola lived in the North of England, a.p. 78. Its earliest 
name was probably Eoforwic, and Eurewic or Euerwic, signifying 
a street or town on the Ure or Yore, as the Ouse at this place 
was anciently denominated. It is mentioned in the writings 
of Ptolemy, and Richard of Cirencester says that it was called 
Sexta from its being the station of the victorious sixth legion 
(Legio Sexta Victrix). The Emperor Hadrian lived here about 
the year 120, and for three hundred years the Roman legions 
made it their head quarters. The Emperor Severus died here, 
and to this day there are three sand hills called Severus’ hills, at 
a place on the west side of the city. 
It is believed that Constantine the Great was born here, at any 
rate he certainly lived a portion of his life at this place, and was 
here when his father, the Emperor Constantius Chloris died. 
The Emperor Hadrian bestowed the dignity of a civitas upon the 
town, and a temple to Bellona was erected. 
The first Christian churches were erected during the age of 
Constantine, and the first bishop of York is mentioned in 314. 
The Romans left Britain to her fate in 450, and then the 
Saxons besieged York and turned out the Picts and Scots, but in 
524 Arthur defeated the Saxons, turned ¢Zem out, and celebrated 
the first Christmas ever held in Britain. 
It would take up too much time, I am afraid, if 1 were to enter 
more fully into details of the fierce struggles that afterwards took 
place. It will be sufficient for our present purposes if I just note 
that Saxons and Danes fought for possession of the city, and the 
Normans in 1068 cleared them both out, not for any certainty of 
possession however, for the next year the Saxons and Danes 
together retook the city and massacred the Norman garrison. The 
Normans, who held the Castle, set fire to the suburbs so that the 
enemy should not hold them. ‘This unfortunately spread to the 
city, and the Minster suffered in the general devastation. 
Among the other items of history for which York is celebrated, 
there is the fact that the first Parliament was held here in 1160, 
and it was there that five hundred years afterwards the Scottish 
