A HISTORY OF YORKSHIRE 



At the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086 Yorkshire and its appendant provinces stretched 

 across England from the North Sea to the Atlantic, including the western districts of Amoundcrness, 

 Furness, and Cartmel, which afterwards were joined to the land between Ribbleand Mersey to form 

 Lancashire. In Yorkshire proper, besides Count Alan, the greatest landowners were William Percy, 

 who held a hundred manors ; Robert, son of William Malet, the unlucky sheriff who had been captured 

 at York in 1068 and had fallen in an expedition against Hereward shortly afterwards ; Gilbert of 

 Gant, Malet's companion in captivity ; Ilbert de Lacy of Pontefract ; Roger de Builly of Tickhill ; 

 Dru de Bevrere of Holderness ; and William de Warenne of Conisbrough.*' On the death of the 

 Conqueror the Yorkshire magnates did Rufus good service ; but in 1095 Odo of Champagne joined 

 in the rebellion of Robert Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland, and when Mowbray, escaping from 

 Hamburgh, was captured in 'the minster of St. Oswin ' — probably at Gilling near Richmond — ** 

 Odo was committed to prison." At the accession of Henry I, Robert Malet and Robert son of 

 Ilbert de Lacy of Pontefract took the part of Robert of Normandy and lost their Yorkshire 

 estates.*' The chief leader of Duke Robert's faction in England was Robert of Bellfime, who had 

 obtained from Rufiis the honour of Tickhill, formerly held by Roger de Builly,*' and had there 

 built a castle, which he put in a state of defence early in 1 102. King Henry proceeded in person 

 against the more important stronghold of Bridgenorth, and entrusted the reduction of Tickhill to 

 Robert Bloett, Bishop of Lincoln.** 



With the exception of a royal visit in 1 1 22, when Henry I kept Christmas at York," there 

 is little to be recorded regarding Yorkshire until Stephen seized the throne in 1 135. Early in the 

 following year King David of Scotland took up arms on behalf of the Empress Maud and crossed 

 the border. Stephen at once advanced to Durham and made a treaty by which David's son Henry 

 was recognized as Earl of Huntingdon and also received Carlisle and Doncaster, for all of which he 

 did homage to Stephen at York.*" The peace was of short duration, for early in 1 1 38 the Scots 

 began a series of raids, and at last, in the summer of that year. King David collected a large army 

 and advanced in the direction of York, intending to secure his lines of communication by holding 

 the castles of Malton and Knaresborough," belonging to Eustace Fitz John, who was acting with 

 him in revenge for having been deprived of Bamburgh by Stephen." Archbishop Thurstan at 

 once took measures to meet the invasion. Not only did he summon all the great barons of the 

 county, but he also ordered the parish clergy to come in person at the head of their parish 

 contingents. A strong force quickly assembled for the defence of York, The leadership was 

 entrusted to William, Count of Aumile, lord of Holderness ; with him were Walter of Ghent, 

 an old man of wise counsel, at the head of a body of Flemish and Norman troops ; Walter Espec, 

 burly and black-bearded, past the prime of life, but possessing wit and courage commensurate with 

 his stature ; Robert de Brus and his son Adam ; William Percy ; William Fossard ; Ilbert de Lacy ; 

 and Robert de Stuteville. Young Roger Mowbray, still quite a boy, was brought into the field 

 at the head of his many tenants, William Peverel and Robert de Ferrers came from Nottingham- 

 shire and Derbyshire, and King Stephen sent Bernard de Balliol with such soldiers as he could 

 spare. In addition to these great barons with their mail-clad men-at-arms were the local levies, 

 led by their clergy carrying relics. The whole force moved northwards as far as Thirsk, bearing 

 with them their standard, a great mast, set in a low car, its top crowned with a silver pyx and 

 floating from it the banners of St. Peter of York, St. John of Beverley, and St. Wilfrid of Ripon." 

 From Thirsk Brus and Balliol were sent to the Scottish king to try to arrange for peace. As he 

 refused to accept the terms offered, the envoys renounced the allegiance which they owed him 

 for lands in his dominions and returned to their army. An advance was at once made to North- 

 allerton, a little to the north-west of which town, on Cowton Moor, the standard was planted and 

 the troops drawn up round it early in the morning on Tuesday, 22 August. The aged archbishop, 

 unable to bear the journey, had sent as his substitute the Bishop of Orkney, who made a short 

 speech of encouragement to the troops and with uplifted hands gave them absolution and bene- 

 diction ; Walter Espec and William of Aumile clasping hands swore to conquer or die, and the 

 whole host took up their positions with the same determination. Being smaller in numbers than 



" See article on ' The Domesday Survey.' 



" Ramsay, Foundations of England, ii, 201. " Hoveden, Chron. (Rolls Ser.), i, 151. 



" Orderic Vitalis, Hist. Eccl. bk. xi, ch. i. " Ibid. bk. x, ch. 7. 



" Ibid. bk. xi, ch. 3 ; Florence of Wore. Chron. (Engl. Hist. Soc.), ii, 50. 



'^ Orderic, op. cit. bk. xii, ch. 32. *" Symeon of Durham, Op. Hist. (Rolls Ser.), ii, i%j. 



" Ramsay, Foundations of Engl, ii, 367. 



" Symeon of Durham, Of. Hist. (RoUs Ser.), ii, 292. 



" During the mediaeval period there is frequent mention of these banners, and of that of St. Cuthbert of 

 Durham, accompanying the king's army against the Scots and on other expeditions. The abbot of St. Mary's, 

 York, was also bound to find one man to carry the banner of the abbey in the same way ; Cal. Pal. 1258-66, 

 p. 636. 



