29S PICKERING. 



enquiring where they dwelt, they said at a poor 

 priory of St. Peter's, and had been to get some food 

 for their fellow friars against Christmas. The one 

 of them had a great cake on his breast, and another 

 on his back, and a shoulder of mutton in his hand. 

 The other had a bottle of ale, and a wallet full of beef 

 and mutton : and the king and Sir George Fothergill 

 did confer with these two friars ; and did promise 

 them large monies and gifts if they would let them 

 into their priory or monastery, and gave them also 

 money in hand. So they did condescend to let them 

 in at a postern gate, the Conqueror promising he 

 would make their priory anew, and give them also 

 great revenues, which he did perform. So in con- 

 clusion, the king that night sent for all his army to 

 come to meet him at York- So the king and Sir 

 George Fo'hergill, his general of the field, took the 

 city that night by treason. It was then guarded 

 by a worthy stout captain, called Robert de Clifford, 

 who kept the tower yet called by the name of Clif- 

 ford tower ; whom king William did afterwards 

 make a lord, and gave him Skipton castle ; and the 

 king knighted the 4 magistrates that then governed 

 the city ; whose names were Howgate, Ta!but,(who 

 was afterwards made lord Talbut,) Lascells, and 

 Everingham. The arms of the city at that day 

 were a kid, cross gules, in a field argent ; but the 

 king charged the cross with five lions passant, in 

 regard of those five worthy captains and magistrates 

 who governed the city so well ; and he made also 

 Robert de Clifford chief captain of the city, (so are 

 ^11 his posterity to this day,) and the other four to 



