His Birthplace and its Influences. 21 



by the Lord for the chase, and, if need were, 

 for the pursuit with hot -trod of the red hand 

 moss-troopers from over the Border. The 

 pursuit of ' hot trod ' was a power given by 

 the Border laws to the Wardens of either 

 kingdom in following malefactors or cattle 

 lifters, which made it lawful to pursue the 

 chase with hound and horn, with hue and 

 cry, across the marches into the opposite 

 realm, where the fugitive might be appre- 

 hended or slain. Over the chimney piece in 

 Yanwath Hall were blasoned the armorial 

 bearino-s of the Threlkelds. On the wall 

 behind the dais there was a hanging of arras 

 tapestry representing some famous incident 

 of chivalry, the work of the fair ladies of the 

 house — an art but lately introduced into Eng- 

 land. The period was at the end of the 

 long reign of Edward III., or the close of 

 the fourteenth century, the most brilliant for 

 prowess in the whole history of England. 

 The great North of England Barons, Roger 

 de Clifford of Appleby, and Rainulph de 

 Dacre, of Dacre Castle, near Penrith, Com- 

 missioners of the Border Marches, were or- 

 dered by Royal mandate to repair to their 



