A weane loade of salt is here worth about 37. 10s. Od., and a chaldron of coales which is worth 7s. is 3 weane loade: Here att New-castle is the fairest key in Engl: I have mett withall: from Tine-bridge all along towne-wall and allmost to the glass-workes where is made window glass: Divers havens of stone-wall erected: to cast out there ballast uppon: and they pay for every tun cast out: 6d. This is a spatious haven now naked of shipps: butt sometimes thronged: The fairest built inne in Engl: that I have seen, is Mr. Carres16 in this towne: Wee lodged att the Swan att Mr. Swans the post-maisters17: and paid 8d. ordin: and noe great provision: Hee is a verye forward man to have a coy1s here erected: This towne, unto this countrye, serves in steade of London: by meanes whereof the countrye is supplyed with money: whereas otherwise: soe much money is carried out of the countrie to the lords: and land-lords: as there would bee neither suffitient money to pay the tenaunts rents: nor would the countrye bee supplyed with money. This towne is allsoe famous for the walls which compass round the towne, about which you may walke: and which is strengthened with strong towres placed uppon the wall noe great distance. Hence to Carlile was there erected the Picts Wall, which was the auntientest monument I have heard of in England: Itt was the worke of the Romanes: in some places itt is said to bee above 20 yeardes broade towardes Carlile: the people goe to markett uppon itt: and itt may well bee owned by the Romanes: as beeing the bravest and best deserving worke of greatest industrie and chardge: and the strongest fortification that I have ever mett in England: reaching, as here itt was reported, from this towne to the cittie of Carlile, which is said to bee 60 miles: Itt was made against the incursions of the Picts Many inscriptions uppon divers of these stones: which perpetuate the fame and memorie of the Romans: Junii 24. Wee left Newcastle, and came to Marpeth which is 12 miles and is the post towne: and by the way, about 7 miles from Newcastle, wee tooke notice of a convenient seate of a coy in Pointe Island which belongs unto Mr. Marke Arington 19: Wee found att 16 Leonard Carr's inn, the Nag's Head, facing the Sandhill, is figured' in Welford, Newcastle and Gateshead, vol. I, p. 34. Carr, who was also a prosperous wine merchant, was an alderman and served as sheriff in 1635-6. George Swan was postmaster down to 1637 and probably later. Welford, Newcastle and Gateshead, vol. III, p. 347. 17 18 Several passages indicate the Diarist to have been greatly interested in decoys. 19 Mark Errington, mentioned in the text, sprang from the family of Errington of Woolsington and Denton, acquired property in Ponteland on his marriage with Margaret, daughter and sole heir of Jasper Mitford of Ponteland, and died in 1637. His great-grandson, also named Mark, married Anne, daughter of Gilbert Stapleton of Carlton in Yorkshire, and their son, or grandson, assumed the name of Stapleton in lieu of that of Errington. 1 Marpeth a fine little castle in good repaire: which belongs unto my Lord Will: Howard: a markett towne, butt poore houses: Wee dined att postmaisters, and paid 12d. ord: and 6d. ord: Thence to Anewicke is 14 miles: where wee lodged att the post-maisters house20: 6d. ord; and good victualls and lodging: Here wee saw a mightye great castle belonging to the Earle of Northumberland: wherein were all houses of office: many of them now in decay: butt my Lord is repaireing the same by degrees: Great revenewes paid unto him out of this countrie: att least 8 horse-loade of money: Hee hath 4 castles in this countie: viz.: This castle: Warpurth castle1: Tinmouth castle and [Prudhowe castle.]la : Great lands hee hath in Yorkeshire: att and about Topliffe where hee sometimes lived: whence hee rose in the Rebellion in the North2: and uppon a moare neere Burrough-bridges, which belongs unto Mr. Mallorye of Studdley, there assembled the forces, and there mett him the Earle of Westmerland: Two horrible and most cruell detestable murthers have of late beene committed in Bishoppricke and Northumb: Mr. Lampton3 of Whittle neere Chester-Streete, which is 3 miles from Newcastle, an auntient gentlem: of 3 or 4007. per annum is now prisoner in Durham gaole for poisoning two wives: His first wife was Mr. Heath of Kepeirs daughter: by whom hee had 5 sons and daughters. Hee sent one of hir maydes to Newcastle to buy mer 20 Alexander Armorer was postmaster of Alnwick in 1637. See Tate, Alnwick, vol. I, p. 410. 1 Warkworth Castle. la The square bracket and the words within it are added in a more modern hand. 2 The history of the rising may be found in Memorials of the Rebellion of 1569, London, Nichols, 1840, published anonymously, but compiled with great care by Sir Cuthbert Sharp from original correspondence, etc., preserved at Streatlam Castle. 3 The individual accused of the wife murder seems to have been Ralph Lambton, lessee or proprietor of Tribley in the parish of Chester-le-Street, eldest son of William Lambton-a scion of the ancient family of Lambton of Lambton-who was described as of Lambton Woodhouse in 1609, of Tribley in 1628 and again of Whitehill, of which latter place he was certainly not the owner. Ralph Lambton was baptised at Chester-leStreet 14 January, 1592-3, and therefore when the Diarist speaks of him as an ancient gentleman' he probably means a gentleman of ancient family. According to the pedigree in Surtees, Durham, vol. II, p. 201, his first wife was Susan, daughter of John Groves, an alderman of York (married at Chester-le-Street, 16 June, 1618), by her he had issue five sons and two daughters. He subsequently married at Pittington, 19 May, 1633, Elizabeth, widow of Ralph Simpson of Pittington Hall Garth; she was buried at Chester-le-Street 4 May, 1635. The date of Ralph Lambton's death has not been ascertained, but he was alive in 1657. The gaol at Durham to which he was confined in 1635 was the great gateway of the castle which stood across the road leading into the Bailey. It was taken down about 1820. It is probably that the Diarist was misinformed as to the name of Lambton's first wife, unless indeed he was married three times. : was curie: arsenick: and stybium: which itt should seem by some meanes he procured his wife to receave (a day or two after shee churched), who as she died suddenly and unexpectedly, soe was shee as suddenly and secrettly buried: Hee hath since given to this maideservaunt and assured unto hir dureing hir life: a pension of 21. per annum: This trustie servaunt hee hath since made use of an engine to effect and accomplish the like designe: and as is now proved by the apothecarie in Newcastle of whom the poyson was bought (all whom my Lord Bish: commaunded before him by warrant) itt appeares by his testimonye uppon oathe: that this maide came divers times unto him in hir maisters name for mercurie, arsenick and stybium which hee refused to furnish hir withall. Hereuppon Mr. Lampton himself came to the apothecarye, and expostulated with him: The apothecarie answered: Except hee sent a note under his hand, that hee might bee assured itt was for him: hee would send none: Hereuppon hee sent a note under his hand (which was produced) and mercurie, arsenicke and stybium were by the same maide sent him the day before his wifes death: Who was a rich widow (Raph Simpson a grasier (sic) wife) who brought him 3,000l. and 300 or 4007. untill hir son came to age: this 3,000l. was left unto the younger children: which hir eldest son comeing to age and sueing Mr. Lampton: Hereuppon some dislikes were conceaved, by him against his wife: who nott beeing well, and haveing taken physick: and sending for a capt: who was left in trust by hir former husband: and sending for ale for him: whereof one bowle full was left undrunke, when shee went to bring him downe staire: in the meane time, hir husband staies in the chamber and putts this poyson into the cuppe and invites hir drink itt att hir returne: which (after shee had putt sugar into) shee druncke: and presently fell into great extremitie: accused hir husband to have poysoned hir: sent for the capt: who immediately returneing found hir att point of death whose last words were: that shee tooke itt uppon hir death, hir husband had poysoned, and withall shee related the manner, and soe died, desiring that hir children and this capt: would see hir death revenged: After hir death, hir bodye was viewed by the phisitians, and all of them unanimously affirme, that shee was certainely poysoned. Hee is committed to Durham gaole, but pleades himself innocente. Junii 25. Wee lodged att the post-masters att Anewick last night where wee were well used: 6d. ordin: supper and 4d. breakefast: good lodging and meate : Hence to Bellford4 which is next post-towne: 12 miles: Here looseing our way, wee wandred: thence to Fennam5 4 or 5 miles: whence over the sands to the Holly Island is two miles: In this island there was formerly a faire abbey dedicated to St. Cuttbert, to the abbott whereof belonged great revenewes: In this Holly Island inhabited (sic) (as they here report) St. Cuttbert inhabited in winter, * Belford. 5 Fenham in Islandshire. and in the summer season in the Islands of Ferne: which you may hence discern: which are reported to breed abundance of fowle: this whole isle which is 7 miles about though now itt is nott worth more than 1007. a yeare besides the warren, which is 401. per annum: all belongs to my Lord Suffolke: This church and abbey ruinated: only the walls, and pillars of it remaine: and they are very faire pillars, and resemble Durham: There is another little church now used and in repaire, which stands neere to the abbey-church: whereunto resort the inhabitants of Fennam, a village placed on the other side the island: Here, touching the sea intermitting hir course of flowing on the Sabbaoth day twixt 9 and 12, and soe in the after-noone: I have heard much and often: and applyed myself to enquire the certaintie hereof I spoake with Capt: Rugg7: capt: of the fort, and with Mr. Joanes an inhabitant here, an intelligent gentl: an Oxford: as 6 George Hume, Earl of Dunbar, in 1604 purchased the royalties of Norhamshire and Islandshire from Sir Robert Carey (Raine, North Durham, pp. 32, 157). He died in 1611 leaving two daughters and co-heiresses, Anne, wife of Sir James Hume of Cowden-knowes, and Elizabeth, wife of Theophilus, second Earl of Suffolk. 7 The Rev. James Raine, in his History of North Durham, p. 164, prints a jocular letter in verse purporting to be written by Robert Rugg, dated May, 1643. The lines begin: 'The greate Commander of the Gormorants, 'The Geese and Ganders of these Hallowed Lands, "These worthless lines sends to yor worthie hands'; He married Katherine, daughter of Henry Jones, and succeeded his fatherin-law, as Deputy Captain of the Island. He died at Berwick 6 September, 1647, the day after making a nuncupative will, whereby he gave the sum of £100, given to him by Parliament but then in arrear, to his grandchild Philadelphia Shaffield, the interest of which was to be paid to his wife Katherine. Robert Rugg's daughter Jane, wife of Thomas Sheiffield, died in her father's lifetime and was buried at Holy Island 14 March, 1640-1. Katherine (widow of Robert) Rugg married, 20 June, 1648, George Allison, and was buried at Holy Island 14 April, 1667. 86 For other notices of Captain Rugg see Six North Country Diaries, p. 18. Mr. Joanes' may be identified with Peter Jones of Holy Island, son of Henry Jones, who served as Deputy Captain under Sir William Reed and Sir James Ouchterlong (knighted in 1603), successively governors of Holy Island. Henry Jones served as churchwarden in 1608, 1609 and 1616, and died 14 September, 1629. 1629, Aug. 13.-Will of Henry Jones of Holy Island, esq., deputy captain of Norham and Island shires. To be buried in Holy Island church. I give all my lands, houess, etc., in Holy Island to my son, Peter Jones, and his heirs: remainder to my grandchild, Jane Rugg, daughter of Robert Rugg, and her heirs: remainder to my right heirs. My wife, Elizabeth, before my marriage with me and before the marriage of my son Peter with Jane, one of the daughters of the said Elizabeth, gave my said son £20 per annum out of Murton, co. Palatine. I have caused my said son to give up the said annuity. Sir James Awtherlong is in arrear to me £54 15s. for a year and a half's pay at 2s. per diem and also £18 5s. which I have laid out in repairing the allsoe I did enquire of our hoast: and our guide, and divers other inhabitants of the isle: who all una voce concurred (noe man dissenting) in the assertion: that there was nothing super-naturall therein to be observed: for all-though they acknowledged itt to bee most true that itt is allwaies passable over those sands att 9 a clocke soe as those that live and reside uppon the maine land may every Lord's day come over those sands to church about that houre: This is, by those that are Popishly affected, superstitiously applyed, and imputed to the meritt and effect of St. Cuttbers preiers: whereas indeed there is nothing extraordinarie therein: They give this naturall reason: itt allwaies soe falls out that att the change and full of the moone: the floode is att the height att or about 3 a clocke: and then per consequence, itt is low water, and the sands are drie att or about 9: clocke: soe as then itt is most easie to pass: when itt is full sea att 3 clocke: itt must needes bee low water att 9 clocke: And when itt is noe springe tyde you may ride over the sands (if you bee well acquainted with them, as those are that inhabitt nere, and resort to church there) att full water, and this is nott onely ordinarie uppon the Lord's day, butt uppon all other dayes of the weeke: thus did our guide affirme: that itt had been ordinarie in his practise: if therefore itt should soe fall out as to bee full water uppon the Lord's day att or about 9 clocke: (which cannott often happen) yett may itt then bee passed because itt is low, and ebbe floodes, as well, and noe otherwise then uppon other dayes of the weeke: In this island, in a daintie little fort, there lives Capt: Rugg, Governor of this fort: who is as famous for his generous and free entertainment of strangers, as for his great bottle nose, which is the largest I have seen: This is a daintie little fort built towre-wise uppon the toppe of a little round hill, which is a rocke: This planted with ordinance: Below on verye top of the hill: a neate flagged, and walled court before the doore where are 2 brass ordinaunce: the one brought from Cales: and 3 iron ordinaunce: one of them came allsoe thence: : There are neate, warme and convenient roomes in this little fort: here in this island was brought unto us a young seale: or (as some Forth of Holy Island. I give the said sum to my son Peter. He sole executor. My friend Roger Witherington, esq., supervisor. Proved at Durham 1630. Raine, Test. Dunelm. The testators first wife, Ann Jones, died 19 February, 1625, and an inscription in Latin was set up to her memory in Holy Island church by her son Peter. The testator married, secondly, the mother of his son's wife, Elizabeth, widow of George Morton of Berwick, who possessed some property at Murton, near Tweedmouth. She survived her second husband less than two months and was buried 3 November, 1629. Peter Jones, son and heir of Henry Jones, was educated at Queen's College, Oxford, where he matriculated 10 March, 1619-20, aged 17; B.A., 1623. He was churchwarden for Holy Island in 1628, 1634, 1635 and 1636; and as appears, by his father's will, married Jane, daughter of George and Elizabeth Morton of Berwick and of Murton. He probably left the Island after the Diarist's visit, for the Register contains no entries of the burial of him or his wife. |