Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

392

English Navy, temp. Edw. III.

yond which it is not in my power to proceed; but as some authentic particulars of an old date respecting the Navy came to my knowledge subsequent to the publication of iny volume in 1806, which renders it proper that the history of the Royal Navy should commence with the reign of Edward III. rather than with that of Henry VII. and further, as the former was the only British sovereign who, as such, ever personally commanded a fleet in an engagement, I will now, with your approbation, furnish you with a short series of papers on the subject, beginning as above to end with the reign of Henry VI.

The ships belonging to the Crown at this early period of our naval his tory*, whatever their numbers were, were too few to be employed in any expedition of importance unassisted by other fighting ships furnished by the ports, as well as by ships hired of the small maritime states; it is therefore impracticable, on some occasions, to separate the king's ships from the others, or even to distinguish the ships of war from those employed in the transportation of troops, provisions, and warlike stores; for it is to be observed, that in these times all the grand expeditions were set on foot for the purpose of invading our neighbours, or of recovering or securing such of the French provinces as were, or had before been, in the possession of the English. The ships employed on these occasions were therefore numerous; and if any ships of war preceded the transports in which the troops were to embark, it was in order to scour the seas of the enemy, that the expedition might proceed with safety to its destination. We must therefore sometimes be satisfied with general statements with regard to the ships, until the early part of the 16th century, when the Royal Navy assumed a somewhat different, and much more pro

* The king appears to have had 25 ships of his own at the siege of Calais, at least that number was provided by him; and it will be seen that Henry V. built ships of war at Southampton.

The Cinque Ports, with their members, were bound by their tenure, at any time to supply 57 ships, containing 21 men and a boy in each ship, for 15 days, once in the year, at their own expence, if their service was required; and they were frequently obliged to furnish a greater number. After 15 days they were paid by the king.

[May,

minent character, and its history becomes more perspicuous.

1327. Edward, who was a minor at the demise of his father, Edward II. assumed the government in 1330, being then 18 years of age; and being determined to assert his title to the crown of France at a proper opportunity, he applied himself diligently to restoring the navy, in order to maintain the dominion of the sea. This opportunity did not occur until

1337, when, on the death of Philip, Edward demanded the crown in right of his mother, Queen Isabella, daughter of Philip. His demand being refused, the king resolved to have recourse to arms for the recovery of his right.

1338. All things being ready, the king set sail from Orwell in Suffolk, in July 1338, with a fleet of about 500 ships of war and transports, and landed at Antwerp on the 22d; but by reason of the backwardness of his allies, the king, who had entered the enemy's country, was compelled to decline an engagement with a very superior army, and in 1339 retired into Flanders, and disbanded his forces. In the course of the aforesaid period, the enemy annoyed the English coasts exceedingly, burning great part of the towns of Hastings, Plymouth, and Southampton, doing mischief at other places, and taking or destroying several trading vessels. Thirteen sail of the French fleet also met with five English ships, and after an obstinate resistance of nine hours, captured the two largest, called the Edward and the Great Christopher, but the smaller ones escaped. In retaliation for the injuries done by the French on the English coast, the Cinque Ports manned their small craft, and availing themselves of a thick fog, ran over to Boulogne, set fire to the lower town, and destroyed four large ships*, nineteen galleys, and twenty smaller vessels, which lay in the harbour, together with the dock and C. D. arsenal.

(To be continued.)

[blocks in formation]
[graphic][merged small]

1829.]

Mr. URBAN,

The Abbot's Bridge, Bury St. Edmund's.

May 6. HE accompanying view (see Plate L.) presents an ancient Bridge, or Arches over a water-course, formerly existing at Bury St. Edmund's, generally known by the name of the Abbot's Bridge, and called by some writers the Saxon Bridge, or East Gate Bridge. The remains of this very antique Bridge are situate at the north-east corner of the Abbey, and consist of three arches, which are on one side Saxon, and on the other Gothic. The formation of the inner part also of these arches attracts the attention of the cu

rious, as they are made in an unusual manner, and still retain the appearance of having had iron grates by way of defence. In the inside of the wall of this Bridge is a passage that leads to the east gate of the town, of which the Lord Abbot had the charge.

"These arches (says Grose, who gave a view of it as it appeared in 1777,) are in the wall forming the eastern boundary of the Abbey precinct, and were constructed either during the time of Abbot Anselm, who died 1148, by Radulphus and Harveus the sacrists, who built the lofty wall that surrounds the court of the Abbey, of which the chief part is still entire; and joining to the north end of the arches, seem a continuation thereof; or else by Robert de Gravel, sacrist during the abbacy of Samp son, who died 1221; he having purchased the vineyard and surrounded it with a wall: these arches serving to connect the two walls, or rather being part of one of them, must have been built at the same time, and in all likelihood with the first mentioned.

"They seem not only calculated to give passage to the water, but also to form an occasional foot bridge, by means of joists and planks laid from buttress to buttress, through which there are passages, the greatest distance being scarcely more than 24 feet. Contiguous to the northernmost buttress was the east gate, since pulled down. This gate was always in the custody of the abbot; near it was a chapel of St.Nicholas, so that it seems very probable a bridge would be wanting here for the use of the monks and servants of the Abbey. On the west side, within the walls, another set of arches appear, evidently formed for a foot bridge, about five feet broad. These arches, which appear beneath those on the east side, have a very singular effect, and are by some thought of the more ancient construction." Another view of this ancient Bridge, from a drawing by the Rev. W. Yates, has been some time engraved for the Second Part of the Rev. Dr. Yates's GENT. MAG. May, 1829.

393

"History of Bury;" a valuable topographical work, which has been many years delayed by more urgent professional engagements, and for the last four or five years, I regret to hear, by a continued indisposition and precarious state of health; but I still hope that the worthy author will ere long be enabled to complete his original intentions.

I

Mr. URBAN,

H.

April 23.

CANNOT better recommend for insertion in your valuable Miscellany a curious document, which lately fell into my hands, than by applying to it the just observations of that acute and learned antiquary, the late historian of Richmondshire: "Instruments of this nature," says Dr. Whitaker,

66

are so very rare, that, when they occur, it would be unjust to refuse to them a very minute and respectful attention. The English language, which is also very uncommon in transactions of this period, was obviously adopted in this instance in favour of one of the parties, who understood no other than his mother tongue."

In this contract, many technical words occur, which, though very well understood by the masons of that day, only, as they are too obsolete, or permust now be explained by conjecture haps too provincial, to be expounded by any of our glossaries,

[ocr errors]

The original contract is in the possession of Sir Henry Lawson, Bart. of Brough Hall, whose polite attention to those who are desirous of consulting any of the numerous documents in his possession, deserves the warmest thanks of every investigator of the antiquities of his country.

large estate adjoining the bridge, which Sir Henry at this time enjoys the has been in the possession of the family since the marriage of his ancestor, Sir Ralph Lawson of Northumberland, Knt. (about the year 1580,) to Eliza beth, the heiress of the De Burghs, one of the parties to the contract.

At the south end of the bridge, on the east side, was formerly a chapel, dedicated to St. Ann, built at the time of the erection of the bridge. On widening it about forty years ago, the chapel was almost demolished, and the only remains of it are now converted to a coal-house belonging to the adjoining inn.

William de Burgh of Burgh (Brough

394

Indenture for building Catterick Bridge.

Hall) gave in 1509 to the Friar Minors in Richmond a rent charge of 26s. 8d. on condition that they caused one of their brethren to say mass every Tuesday and Saturday in this chapel, for the accommodation of travellers passing that way.

I shall not trouble your readers with a description of the village of Catterick, as some of your pages have already been occupied with an account of it, and an ingenious dissertation whether it was the Cataractonium of the Romans. See Gent. Mag. vol. LXXV. pp. 211, 705. The following is in all respects as exact a transcript as the worn folds and faded ink of the original would permit RICHMONDIENSIS.

me to make.

Endenture de Cat'k Brigg.

This Endenture made betwene Nicholas de Blakburne, C'rist. Conyers, William de Burgh, John de Barton, and Roger de Aske, William Franke, and Thomas Foxhole, of ye ta partie, and Thomas Ampilforde, John Garett, and Robert Manfelt, Masons, of ye t'othir pt. bere witnes-Yatt ye forsaides Thomas, John, and Robert schall mak a Brigg of stane owre ye watir of Swalle, atte Catrik, betwixt ye olde stane brigg and ye new brigg of trees, quilke forsaide brigg, with ye grace of Gode, shall be made sufficiant of workemanship in mason craft accordand in substance to Barnacastell brigg, aftir ye grund and ye watir acordes, of twa pilers, twa land stathes, and thre arches, and also with five corses of egeoves, lik and accordand to ye same thiknes of egeoves as Barnacastell Brigg is of. And also ye forsaid Brigg schall have a tabill of hewyn stane under the alluryng owre ye watir, more yan Barnacastell brigg has. And ye saides Thomas, John, and Robert, schall gette lymstane and birne itt, and care itt, and mak yaire lymkilns at yaire owne cost, atte yaire owne moste ease, als mykle will suffis yam to ye werke abowne saide. And also ye saides Thomas, John, and Robert, schall fynde and mak caryage of sande, als mykle as yam nedes to ye werke abowne saide. And ye saides Thomas, John, and Robert, schall have for yam and yair men free entres and issue to care, fetche, and have a wey to yair most ease and profette, ye forsaide lymstane and sande. And saides Nicholas, William, John, C'rist. and Roger, schall find caryage of alle manere of freestane and of fillingestane, to ye forsaide brigg, to be broght and laide upone yaire coste, atte both endes of ye brigg, to ye most profette of ye forsaide Thomas, John, and Robert. And same Nicholas and hys felowes schall fynd upon yaire owne coste als mykell wode and colles broght one ye grunde as will suffys and serryf yaim to ye

[May,

birnynge of alle ye lymkilnes yat schall be made to ye forsaide werke. And ye forsaide Nicholas and his felowes schall gatte lefe and free entre and issue to ye saides masons and yaire men to come to ye wherell of Sedbery, and to ye wherell of Rysedalle beck, for to brek ye stane yat schall go to ye saide brigg, or to any other wherell yat is wythin ye boundes quilk is most profitable to ye forsaide werke. And as ye wherreours breke ye saide stanes, and schapile yaim in ye saide wherells, yat yen ye forsaides Nicholas and his felowes gave of yair cost, void ye stanes fra ye wherells, yat yay be not taride nor indirde in yair werke becaus of voidyng of the forsaide stanes. And ye saide Nicholas and his felowes schall fynde, mak, or case mak upon yair owen coste, alle manere of tymbir werkes quilke schall go, or yat is necessary or nedful to ye saide Brigg, yat is to say, ye brander arches of ye pilers, and of ye landstathers, and the centres, with all manner of schaffaldyng and othere warke yat is nedful to ye said brigg, to lay and raise yam of yair owen coste, with ye help of ye masons and yeir servants, and yai to have yam wene ye warke is perfurnist and done. And ye forsaide Nicholas and his felowes schall mak ridde ye grundes in ye watir warke ye brigg schall be of, at sydes and in ye midwarde ware att is most nedefull, and mak ye brandereth of ye ta landstather to he layde befor ye feste of ye Invencion of ye Haly Crosse next comand. And ye tothir brandereth of ye tothir landstather to be layde be ye feste of ye Nativite of Seint John Baptist yen next aftyr followand. And ye forsaide Nicholas and his felowes schall of yaire coste keepe ye watir were, and defende itt fre ye saides Thomas, John, and Robert, to ye tyme ye brandereth be laide till ye warke of masoncrafte be passed ye danger and ye newsance of ye same saide watir. And all sa yai same Nicholas and his felowes schall gar or mak be layde ye brandereth of a pilere be ye feste of ye Invencion of ye Haly Crosse yen next after followand, in ye t'othir yere, and ye tothir brandereth be ye fest of Seint John Baptist yen next after followand in ye same yere. And ye saides Nicholas and his felowes schall gar be raised in ye thyrdde yere, ye scentrees of ye ton parte be ye same feste of ye Invencion of ye Haly Crosse, and ye tothir be ye feste of Seint John Baptist, next aftyr followande. And ye saides John, Thomas, and Robert, schall thys forsaide brigg sufficiantly in masoncraft mak and fully per formid on yeir parte, and holy ended, be ye fest of Seint Michill ye Archangel, quilk yat schall fall in ye yere of oure Lord Gode MCCCCXXV. fore ye quilk saide werke ye forsaides Nicholas and hys felowes schall pay or mak to be payde to ye forsaides Thomas, John, and Robert, CCLX marcs of sterlynges, and ilkan of yaim ilk yere a gowne ac cordande to yare degree, atte ye festes and

« AnteriorContinuar »