NEWARK.

ITS CASTLE, SIEGES, ANTIQUITIES &C.

NEWARK, a borough and market town in the county of Nottingham, is situated on the river Trent, near its junction with the Devon. It is a neat, well-built place: and the market is a spacious and very handsome square. Population about 8,000. It is 120 miles from London, seventy-six from York, and 20 from Nottingham.

Newark Castle, so distinguished for its sieges during the civil wars between king Charles I, and his parliament, was probably erected about the year 1140, by the Bishop of Lincoln. At the commencement of the civil wars in 1642, the town of Newark was considered as a most important pass from the south of England to the north. Its strong castle defended a bridge over the river Devon, which ran at its foot the river Trent, passing near the village of Kelham. It was then encompassed by a strong wall, three or four gates, a covered way, and bastions for the mounting of cannon. The inhabitants declared for Charles at the beginning of the contest, and by their adherence to the royal cause brought upon themselves many privations and sufferings.

Towards the close of the year 1643, Newark was besieged some time by the parliamentary forces, and the garrison and the inhabitants were reduced to great distress. Charles, alarmed for their safety, sent Prince Rupert from Chester, with what forces he could draw together and raise the siege. Having gained some advantages against the besiegers, they consented to retire from the place on honorable terms. The next siege was carried on with great vigor during the whole year. In the beginning of 1645, the blockade was so strict, that the miseries of famine made dreadful havoc among the garrison. Prince Rupert now sent Sir Marmaduke Langdale, an able and experienced officer, to their relief. By a skillful maneuver he succeeded in throwing provisions into the town, with an addition of 500 dragoons to the garrison.

The next siege of Newark commenced in October, 1645, by a numerous army of Scots and English. To their formidable array, the works surrounding the town exhibited a bold and surly defiance, while the castle, frowning in supereminence, hurled destruction on the daring opponents. On the defeat at Naseby, the broken forces of Charles threw themselves into Newark, as the strongest and best fortified hold the Royalists retained. By a circuitous route, Charles himself, with a body of 3,000 men, joined them. He continued here till November 6th, when he went to Oxford. From this place he escaped in disguise, and arrived at the Kings Arms, in Southwell, near Newark, May 6th, 1646. Sending for the Scotch

commissioners, who were then at the palace, before dinner, they dined in company at the Inn; and in the afternoon, he delivered

himself up to them. He was then conducted, under an escort of their army to Kelham, where he was induced to sign an order for the surrender of Newark.

XII

OBS NEWARK 1646

The annexed is a fac-simile of a coin called the "Newark shilling" or siege-piece of Charles I, now to be seen in the Trumbull gallery of Yale College, Conn. The shape shows that it must have

been made or struck

in troublesome times. Charles, while chased about by the Parliamentary forces, being in want of money to pay his soldiers, evidently cut up his silver plate and that of his followers, and having no means at hand to coin it in a proper shape, he was obliged to fashion it in the manner represented.

On the termination of the struggle between Charles and the Parliament, the castle was ordered to be dismantled. Since that time it has gradually fallen into its present state of dilapidation.*

When this place was visited, [October 12th, 1853,] it was on the market-day. We found the spacious square in the town filled with buyers and sellers. Proceeding to the river to see the castle, we saw the most extensive specimen of interesting ruins we had yet seen in England. The walls, which rose directly up from the river, were on the inside overgrown with ivy. We were quite struck with its venerable appear.

The following extracts are from Hilton's History of Newark. They throw considerable light on the subjects to which they refer. The first extracts are from the will of Thomas Magnus, Archdeacon of the East Riding, in the Metropolitan Church of York," &c., who died in 1550. They relate to the master and regulation of the free school which he endowed, the master is required as follows:

I. C. D. being appointed master of the Grammar School in the parish of Newark upon Trent, (and built by Master Thomas Magnus, late Archdeacon of the East Riding in the Metropolitan Church of York,) as Master and instructor of Scholars there, in honor of the name of Jesus, and of the Blessed Virgin Mary, his Mother, swear to these things, by the Holy Gospel of God; that, when I shall have been inducted into this School for the instruction and learning of scholars; from that time I will not receive or partake of any salary for my service, except the annual one limited and assigned to me by the direction of the said Master Thomas Magnus. The orders and rules of this foundation declared to me before, or to be declared hereafter and with all and every of which being content, I will keep as far as lies in my power as a mortal being; nor will I fraudulently or maliciously break them or any part thereof. So help me God and the Holy Gospel of God.

Possession shall then be given by placing him in his chair, and repeating to him as follows:"SYR.-Ye be chosyn to be Maister. Instructour. and Preceptour of this Scoole, and to teche Chylder repayryng to the same not onely good Literature, Gramer and other vertuous Doctrine, but also good Maners, accordyng to the Ordynances of Maister Thomas Magnus. Wherefore we doe ascertayne you, that this is a perpetual Roome of Contynuance upon your good Demeanour and Dutie to be done in this Scoole. And at all suche Tymes as the Vicare of Newark, and the Alderman of the Trynitie Gilde, with the other the Aldermen of Corpus Christi Gilde, Our Ladyes Gilde, and Mary Mawdeleynes Gilde, the Church Wardeyns and Maysters, and the moore parte of the Feoffees of the said Landys, Tenements and other Heredytaments, whereof ye shall have your Stypend, shall require you to come afore theyme, or three of theym, in the Vestrye within the Parysshe Church of this the Towne of Newark, or any other honest and secret place, ye shall not onely be redy thereunto, but also ye shall applye you to reforme yourself, and to amende suche thyngs whereof perchaunce ye shall submytte yourself to the Correction and Reformation of the Archedeacon of Notyngham, or of his official; and so doyng your duete, ye shall contynue Maister of this Scoole with Love and Favour, and otherwise ye beyng resonably warned and monysshed once, twyes, or thres of your evil Demeanours, and not amendyng, nor subinyttyng yourself, as ys aforsaid, shall content and dispose you to depart from this Roome. And if any Centraversy, Dyscorde or Debate shall fortune to be betweene the saide Scool-maister any of his Scoolers, or betweene the saide Scool-maister and any other Persone of the Towne or Paritie of Newarke aforesaid, that then the saide Scool-maister shall, for the peasing and Reformation thereof, aby de to the order and Dyrectyon of the saide Vicare of Newarke for the tyme beyng, yf he be there present, and of the Alderman of the Trinitie Gilde, and of the other three Aldermen aforesaid for the tyme beyng, or of three of them; and that the same Scool-maister in all other things shall conforme hymselfe to the Ordynance made by the said Maister Thomas Magnus; and fynally, the said Vicare, Aldermen and Feoffees, shall saye to the saide Scool-maister. That in his so doyng God gyv hym Grace long with muche Goodness to contynue, and many Scoolers to bryng forth in Virtue and good Lernyng. Amen." "The said School-maisters, and either of theym for the tyme beying, shall cause and compell their Scoolers, every Worke-day in the whiche the said Scoolers lerne or be taught, to be in the Scoole by syx of the cloke in the Mornyng, or soone after that Houre, and there to remayne til it shal be nyne of the Cloke, and then to goe to their Brekfast or Drynkyng; and to be in the Scool agayn at tenne of the Cloke, or nere unto that Houre, and then to goe to theyr Dyners, and to be in the Scoole ageyn at one of the Cloke, or within halfe an houre after, and there to remayne and tary tyll yt shall be six of the Cloke, except tymes lymyttyd for the said Scoolers to be present at Masses, and the Day in the whiche the saide Obit shal be kept. And also except the Afternoons of such days wherein they shall have licensed holidays. That there shall be Psalms and prayers every day at six in the morning and six at the evening.

And Whereas, of late, I have at my proper costs and charges made, erected, builded, finished and set up, one House, with a Chapel in the same, in Coddington-lane,

ance which spoke loudly of the "days of other years." On drawing nearer, and when we entered within the castle-yard, our enthusiasm was somewhat abated. On this interesting spot, where, in "by-gone days," the high-born chivalry often congregated, was now an assemblage of cattle, sheep, and hogs, exposed in pens for sale. This we felt to be a desecration. And instead of some Malvina, with heaving breast and arms of snow sweeping the harp of Ossian to its melting sounds, we saw a respectable English woman carrying a squealing pig in her arms, weighing some forty or fifty pounds. The step from the sublime to the ridiculous, was too much for our gravity, and we both burst into a fit of laughter.

within the town of Newark aforesaid, which House and Chapel I made to be an Alms-House, for the continual ease, finding and lodging of five poor men to be therein lodged, found and lodged from time to time, and from age to age forever: to the intent that such five poor men, for the time being, shall and may continually for ever pray for the good and prosperous state of the King and Queen's Majesties that now be, and of the heirs and successors of the same Queen, for the prosperity, tranquility and peace of this realm of England; and for the souls of our late Sovereign Lords, King Henry the Eighth, and King Edward the Sixth; and for our said Sovereign Lady the Queen, after her departure out of this transitory life; for my soul and my wife's soul, and all Christian souls; which my purpose, as I assuredly trust it doth stand with the pleasure of Almighty God, so minding to have the same established and provided to have continuance forever.

Also I will and ordain, that every of the said five poor men shall daily, within the Chapel of the said Alms-house, devoutly kneeling, say together with audible voices, three Paternosters, three Ave Marias, and one Creed in the honor of the most holy and blessed Trinity, three persons and one God. And after that forthwith shall also say with like audible voices, five Paternosters, five Ave Marias, and one Creed, in the worship and reverence of the five wounds of our Savior Jesus Christ, humbly praying and devoutly beseeching Almighty God, by the merits of the dear passion of His Son, our blessed Savior and Redeemer, to keep this Realm of England in prosperity and peace, to preserve the Kings' and Queen's Majesties, and the Successors of the said Queen, in his faith, fear and love, and to have mercy upon my soul, my wife's soul, and all Christian souls.

A SLIGHT VIEW OF FORMER TIMES.

The present poor and laboring classes of society, are, but too much, in the habit of fostering discontent, at what they style the hardness of their situation; the good old days of yore are frequently contrasted with those of the last and this century. It is an act of humanity to withdraw the veil of antiquity which shrouds those blessed days; and it is doubted whether their appetites would be remarkably keen for the possession of such signal benefits as might appear to court them.

By the statute five Elizabeth, all common laborers, being persons able in body, using loitering, and refusing to work for such reasonable wages as are commonly given in parts wherein such persons dwell, shall be adjudged Rogues and Vagabonds.

THE FIRST PUNISHMENT OF A VAGABOND.

On conviction to be grievously whipped and burnt through the gristle of the right ear with an hot iron, of the compass of an inch about, manifesting his roguish kind of life, and punishment received for the same. These were to be accounted rogues in the first degree.

ROGUES IN THE SECOND DEGREE.

On similar conviction within forty days, to be adjdged Felons.

ROGUES IN THE THIRD DEGREE.

If convicted again, to be accounted Felons, without benefit of the Clergy. Every person between the ages of twelve and sixty, not being an artificer, apprentice, fisher or mariner, and not being worth £10 in goods or chattels, compellable to serve in husbandry.

All artificers and laborers, being hired for wages by the day or week, shall, be tween the middle of the months of March and September, be, and continue at their work, at or before five of the clock in the morning, and remain at work and not depart until between seven and eight of the clock at night, except it be in the time of breakfast, dinner, or drinking, the which times shall not exceed, at the most two hours and a-half in the day, that is to say, at every drinking, one half hour, for his dinner one hour, and for his sleep, when he is allowed to sleep (the which is from the middle of May till the middle of August) half an hour at the most, and at every breakfast one half hour. All artificers compellable to work in harvest.

All unmarried women, between the ages of twelve and fifty, compellable to serve by the year, week, or day, for such wages as the Justices shall think fit.

No rogue to be brought out of Ireland or the Isle of Man; if brought, by any means whatever, such Maniske or Irish Rogue to be carried back again. So much for the good old days of yore.

YORK.

THE city of York, the capital of Yorkshire, is situated on an extensive plain on both sides of the River Ouse, a stream navigable to the sea, sixty miles distant, for vessels of seventy tons burthen. The city is 196 miles north from London, 202 south-southeast from Edinburgh, and 102 north-east from Liverpool. For a long period York was considered as the capital of the north of England, and in point of rank as the second city in the kingdom; but it is now surpassed in wealth and population by many of the more modern manufacturing towns. York contains thirty-four houses for public worship, eleven of which are for Dissenters. In the reign of Henry V, it had forty-four parish churches, seventeen chapels, and nine religious houses. The population in 1801, was 16,145; in 1821, 20,787; in 1841, 28,842; and in 1851, the population was 36,302.

Drake, the celebrated historian, thinks it probable, that the city was first planted and fortified by Agricola, a Roman commander, whose conquests extended beyond York, about A. D. 80, and that he here built a fortress to guard the frontiers after his return. There is no dispute that when the emperor Hadrian came into Britain, A. D. 124, for the purpose of subduing the Caledonians, he brought with him the Sixth Legion, styled Legio Sexta Victrix, which, on his departure, he left stationed at York, and which remained here for three hundred years. York increased in splendor and importance, and, A. D. 150, was one of the greatest Roman stations in this country.

The next principal occurrence in the history of the city, was the arrrival of the Emperor Severus, who, though above three score years of age, left Rome with his two sons, and marched against the Caledonians, whose irruptions it was his determination to suppress. He immediately passed the walls of Hadrian and Antoninus, and drove them into their own territory. He afterwards returned to York, and there died in the sixty-fifth year of his age, and in the eighteenth of his reign. All the writer who have described York, have dwelt with much exaltation