ANTIQUITIES OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 381 



Eujtace de Vefcy, 14 King John, 12 ra, being under fufpicion at 

 court of difaffection, orders were ifTued for clemolifhing his callle 

 of 'Atwwick, bur on his fubmiffion it fuffered no harm. 



After the battle of ffexham-Held, 3 K. Ed-ward IV, 1463, the 

 Earl of Warwick, the Lord Montacute, the Lords Faitconbridge and 

 Scrape, prefented themfelves before it, and fummoned Sir Peter 

 Brejly, and his Norman auxiliaries, in the fcrvice of K. Henry VI, 

 to furrender. Sir Peter not yielding, they rcfolved to beliege it. 

 Sir George Douglas, Earl of Angus, came on the firil notice to his re- 

 lief with 13,000 Scotchmen. He then marched out with his friends, 

 his enemies not daring to oppofc, who were glad to take poilcf- 

 fion of the caflle without a flrokc (p). 



It was fortified and put into a good (late of defence, i$6y fa). 



It is now the feat of the Duke and Dutchefs of Northumberland, 

 who have repaired the caflle in a very fplendid and magnificent 

 manner, in the antient Saxon-gothic fdle ; its lituadon elevated ; 

 the river Aln gliding under it to the eafl ; from which point, and 

 from the hill on the wcftcrn road by the entrance into the town, 

 it is a moil linking and beautiful objccl:. 



Almuick is the county-town, and a difufed borough, of which 

 the principal officers are the Duke's bailiff, and four chamber- 

 lains, annually chofen, who are freemen of the town. Thofe 

 that are made free of it meet on St. Mark's day on the town-moor, 

 formerly called the forefl of Aidon, on horfeback, in white 

 cloathing, attended by the caflle-bailiff, the four chamberlains, 

 and moft of the freemen, when, by antient cuflom, they pafs 



(p) Hal. Chron. vol. ii. p.- 666. (q) Id. vol. i. p. 397. 



through 



