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learnt from the Saga that there was a thing appointed for 
Monday morning early , and that Harold Sigurdson did 
disembark from his ships to go to this thin g— “ there, from all 
the shire, hostages would be brought to meet them.” “ Early 
in the morning,” the battle did begin : Henry of Hunting- 
don and Peter Langtoft tell us this. Brut-y-Twysogion — 
“ Harold, unarmed and unawares, surprised by Her alt Jarl, 
son of Gfotwin Jarl, and by sudden attack, aided by national 
treachery, slew.” (Saxon Chronicle — “ unawares beyond the 
bridge”) It must, then, have been some place near “ Tada,” 
and within reach of the Ouse , “ South liicall” But where 
was Tada?* Why, we know from Domesday it was this 
very place where we now are met. Kirkebi, Danish, and 
Tateshalle, Saxon, names for Pontefract. (A recent writer adds 
“ ceastre ” to the Tada of the Saxon Chronicle, and manipu- 
lates it to suit his purposes into Tadcaster !) Strange, that 
since this was written “ the Surtees Society ” has edited the 
works of Simeon of Durham, and there it is stated that when 
the chief men of Northumbria swore allegiance to Edred, 
a.d. 949, they came to Taddenesclyf (Florence of Worcester, 
and Saxon Chronicle); and, most satisfactory to me, I find 
this singular note. There is in the margin of the MS. : 
“ Taddenesclyf erat tunc villa regia quoe nunc vocatur Punt- 
frait Bomane, Anglice vero, Kirkebi.” Ness is, as you are 
all aware, a promontory, it may be of any sort, either on the 
human face, or a headland in shore or at sea. There are 
“ nesses ” near here, and everywhere in the north: at Cawood 
Cawood ness, at Drax New Haagness, the nesses at Bicall, &c. 
Saga — “ Guthron, in answer to king Olaf : I would have the 
whole ness that goes out into the lake sown with corn ; on 
that ness there are ten farms.” Here, then, is Tada-ness- cliff. 
* Tada, or Tate, was another name of Ethelburga, wife to Edwin ; and it was 
near a villa regia, in Northumbria, where a Witenagemot was being held, that the 
events occurred which made him a convert to Christianity. 
