236 8LINGSBY. 



Dodsworth says was explained in his day by the 

 tradition of the .snake. " The tradition is that be- 

 " tween Malton and this town, there was some time 

 " a serpent that lived upon prey of passengers which 

 " this Wyvili and his dog (vide the account of his 

 " monument in the description of the church,) did 

 " kill, when he received his death wound. There 

 " is a great hole half a mile from the town, round) 

 ** within three yards broad and more, where this 

 " serpent lay. In which time the street was turn- 

 " ed a mile on the south side ; which does still shew 

 " itself, if any takes pains to survey it."* This tra- 

 dition is still current amongst the villagers, having 

 gained, rather than lost, anything of its force, during 

 the lapse of two centuries ; for the Snake is now 

 stated, no doubt on good authority, to have been a 

 mile in length ! A slight variation this from Dods- 

 worth's account, who thought a hole three yards 

 broad sufficient to contain him ; and the turning of 

 the road a mile further south, sufficient to elude his 

 grasp ; whereas, according to the modern account, 

 a mile was no protection to the traveller ; as the 

 snake by leisurely unfolding himself, and stretching 

 out his whole length, could just, seize upon his vic- 

 tim at that distance, without any extra-exertion. 



" Slingsby is watered with a sweet rivulet called 

 Wath Beck, which hath springs up at Granthorpe, 

 cometh by Areh Holme, where it receiveth many 



* For this and other extracts from the MSS. of Roger 

 Dodsworth, in the Bodleian Library at Oxford, I am in- 

 debted to the kindness of the Rev. William Kaj, fellow 

 pf Lincoln College* 



