NORTHAMPTON, 
tins time a kind of univerfity was eftablifhed here, con- 
lilting of ftudents, who at different times, and from va¬ 
rious caufes, had deferted Oxford. The new feminary at 
firft was countenanced by the king; but, the fcholars 
having taken a decided part in favour of the barons, they 
were commanded to return to Oxford. A iimilar emigra¬ 
tion took place from the univerfity of Cambridge; but 
wasfoon fuperfeded by a royal mandate, which compelled 
the ftudents to return to their old feminaries ; and further 
provided that no univerfity fhould ever be eftablifhed here. 
It is, however, a manifeft indication of the importance 
attached to Northampton, that both the univerfities 
fhould make choice of this place as their afylutn and abode. 
On Good Friday, in the 7th year of Edward I. the 
Jews refiding in this town attempted to crucify a Chriftian 
boy, who fortunately furvived their cruelty ; for this atro¬ 
cious a£I, fifty of them were drawn at horfes’tails, and 
publicly hanged. In the preceding year fifty had been 
banged for clipping the coin. Thefe and other enormi¬ 
ties rendered the Jews fo odious, that in the 18th year 
of this reign a ftatute was pafied for their total expulfion 
front the kingdom, and for the confifcation of their pro¬ 
perty. Edward I. frequently refided at Northampton in 
great fplendour ; and on his death a parliament was held 
here to fettle the ceremonial of his burial, and the mar¬ 
riage and coronation of his fuccelfor. Another parlia¬ 
ment met here in 1317, in which an impoftor, John Poy- 
dras, fon of a tanner at Exeter, was brought to trial for 
affirming that he was the real fon of Edward I. and that 
the king was a carter’s fon, andfubftituted at nurfe in his 
Head ; producing no evidence, however* in fuppovt of his 
aiTertions, he was condemned and executed. In the nth 
year of Edward III. the mayor, bailiff’s, and burgefles, 
of Northampton, obtained the royal licenl'e to hold an 
annual fair for twenty-eight days ; which fair is now dif- 
continued. In this reign feveral parliaments were held 
here. The laft parliament that affembled at Northampton 
was 4 Richard II. when the poll-tax was levied, which 
caufed a rebellion, wherein Walter Tyler was the chief. 
Northampton has fuftained fome very fevere Ioffes by fire ; 
but thefe have ultimately proved beneficial to the place, 
for the uniformity and fubftantial charadfer of the houfes, 
width of the ftreets, and general arrangements of the 
town, are all to be attributed to thofe calamitous events. 
According to Leland’s ftatement, mod of the houfes. were 
made of wood in his time. On Midfummer-day, 1566, a 
firedeftroyed feveral houfes ; but the moft memorable oc¬ 
currence of this nature was in the year 1675, when the 
greater part of the town was confirmed, and many of the 
poorer inhabitants reduced to great diftrefs. The general 
lofs of property was eftimated at 150,000k Above 600 
dwelling-houfes were then burnt, and more than 700 fa¬ 
milies thereby deprived of their habitations and property. 
A fubfcription was foon inftituted, and it appears, by a 
lift of benefactions, that about 25,000k was raifed in aid 
of the fufferers, by briefs and private charity; a fum ex¬ 
ceeding by 7000k the amount of the general fubfcription 
after the great fire of London in 1666. 
The town of Northampton was formerly furrounded 
by embattled walls, and was defended by a large fortrefs, 
or caftle, and by baftion-towers. In the walls were four 
gate-houfes, named, from their relative fituations, Eaft 
Gate, Weft Gate, North Gate, and South Gate. Thofe 
towards the fouth, north, and weft, had rooms or dwell¬ 
ings over them ; and that to the eaft, according to Bridges, 
“ was the faireft of all,” being lofty, and embellifhed with 
fhields, arms, and other ornaments. Southward of this 
was a fmallergate or poftern, called the Durn Gate. By 
an inquifition taken in the time of Edward I. it appears 
that the walls were embattled, and at different places 
had fteps to afcend them. Like the walls round the city 
of Chefter, thefe ferved fora public walk, where the in¬ 
firm and indifpofed inhabitants were accuftomed to take 
the air. They alfo conftituted the beft foot-path, in the 
yinter, from one extremity of the town to another. This 
215 
walk is reported to have been wide enough for fix perfons 
to go abreaft. Leland mentions the walls and gates as 
Handing when he vifited Northampton. The fame topo¬ 
grapher fays, “ The caftel ftandeth hard by the Weft 
Gate, and hath a large kepe. The area of the reiideu is 
very large, and bullwarkes of yerth be made afore the 
caftelle-gate.” That fome fortrefs was erefted at North¬ 
ampton before the Norman conqueft, may be inferred 
from the events that occurred here during the Saxon and 
Danifh dynafties ; but of that building no accounts have 
defcended to the prefent times. It is however recorded, 
that Simon de Senliz, or St. Liz, the firft earl of North¬ 
ampton of that name, ereCted a caftle here in the reign 
of William the Conqueror; but, as no mention is made of 
it in the Domefday Book, it appears not to have been 
completed till after that furvey was taken. It was fituated 
on an eminence without the Weft Gate of the town ; and 
was defended on three fides by a deep trench or fofs, 
vvhilft a branch of the river Nen ferved as the natural 
barrier on the weftern fide. In Henry II’s reign it was 
poffefl'ed by the crown ; and was afterwards entrufted to 
fome conftable or caftellan appointed by the fovereign. 
Butin the civil war of 1264, between Henry III. and his 
nobles, we find it in the occupation of the confederate 
barons, under the banners of the earl of Leicefter, whole 
fon, Simon de Montford, was then its governor. The 
king having received confiderable reinforcements from 
the northern barons, his adherents befieged the caftle 
with great vigour; but its admirable fituation and ftrength, 
with the undaunted courage of the garrifon, compofed of 
the finell troops in the fervice of the earl, and under the 
direction of officers of diftinguifhed fkill and valour, baf¬ 
fled all the efforts of the royal troops, and convinced them 
that force was totally inadequate to their arduous enter- 
prife. At length they had recourfe to a ftratagem, not 
altogether juft or manly in principle, but which effec¬ 
tually ferved their purpofe. While the barons were en¬ 
gaged in a parley, under pretence of negociation, achofen 
body of the royal forces was difpatched to make a breach 
in the oppofite walk The plan fucceeded : the garrifon, 
thus taken by furprife, were, notwithftanding a brilliant 
difplay of courage, completely difcomfited, and furren- 
dered prifoners of war: in this capitulation were included 
fourteen of the moft potent barons and knights bannerets, 
and forty inferior knights. The caftle thus reverted to 
the crown, till, in the 3d year of Edward III. Thomas 
Wake, then fheriff, claimed the cuftody of it as annexed 
to the county, and belonging to his jurifdiftion ; audit 
being found by inquifition, then taken, to have been im- 
memorially attached to that office, it was ordered to be 
given up to be held by the faid fheriff and his fiiccefl’ors. 
Within the caftle was a royal free chapel, dedicated to 
St. George. Previous to the year 1675, this fortrefs was 
ufed as the county gaol; and the two courts of juftice 
were held here. In 1662, purfuant to an order of the 
king and council, the walls and gates, and part of the 
caftle, were demolifhed; and the fcite of the latter fold 
foon after to Robert Hafelrig, efq. in whofe family it ft ill 
remains. It appears, indeed, from the account of Norden, 
that even in the year 1593 the caftle was much decayed, 
and the walls defencelefs. “This towne,” fays he, “ is a 
faire towne, with many faire old buildings, large ftreets, 
and a very ample and faire market-place ; it is walled 
about with a wall of ftone, but meane too of ftrength ; 
neare unto the town there ftandeth an eminent caftle, 
ruynous.” Since Norden’s time, moft of thefe ruins have, 
been fwept away or levelled; and now only a few frag¬ 
ments of foundation-walls, and parts of the foffes, remain. 
Northampton is both a corporate and borough town. 
Its firft charter of corporation appears to have been ob¬ 
tained from king Henry II. but fince that reign feveral 
other charters, to alter or enlarge the privileges of the 
corporate body, have been granted. For the firft of thefe,. 
the burgefles gave a fine of 200 marks, to hold the town, 
of the king in capite. By a fubfequent charter from 
king 
