24 HISTORY OP BISHOP AUCKLAND. late as the year 1780. At that time it was still kept by a member of the Dobson family, who was known as *' Dickey Dobson/' the sign of the house being that of " Charles in the Royal Oak," adopted, no doubt, in memory of that event There is a tradition, that whilst the King was at Auckland, a lady of the name of Wren, of Binchester, found him in the inn, in a sort of guard-room, surrounded by soldiers, who were smoking tobacco, the smell of which he held in abomination ; and she being a great royalist, and an admirer of the King, spiritedly broke every pipe she could reach in her approach to her fallen Sovereign, the King thanking her, and saying she had done more than he durst have dona From the travels of Sir William Brereton, Bart., in 1634, we extract the following description of the castle, and its surroundings at that period : — The castle, as it is a stately, pleasant seat, of great receipt, so is it of great strength, compassed with a thick stone wall, seated upon the side of an hill, upon a rock, a river ronning below, and good store of wood (though little timber) encompassing above. Here is a very fair, neat hall, as I have found in any Bishop's palace in England. Two chapels belonging hereunto, the one over the other ; the higher a most dainty, neat, light, pleasant place, but the voice is so drowned and swallowed by the echo, as few words can be understood. Hie lower is made use of upon Sabbath days, where, 21 Junii, Dr. Dod, now Dean of Ripon, made an excellent sermon ; great resort here on Sundays by the neighbourhood ; one sermon in the morning, and prayers in the afternoon. Here are three dining-'rooms, a fair matted gallery, wherein was placed on both sides these pictures : — Jo. Huss, Hierom of Prague, Luther, Zuinglius, Cranmer, Latymer, Whittakers, Wickliffe, Calvin, Beza, Perkins, Bullinger, Jewell, Pagius, Elidley, Bradford, Zanchius, Bucer, &c. And none but of this strain. A dainty stately park, wherein I saw wild bulls and kine, which had two calves runners. There are about twenty wild beasts, all white ; will not endure your approach ; but if they be enraged or distressed, veiy violent and furious ; their calves will be wondrous fat. ^ Here we rested the Lord's-day, and were very generously and nobly entertained. Here dined with him this day Mr. linsley Wren of Binchester and his wife, a mighty gallant, a fine dainty gentlewoman, if she knew but how to value and prize the perfections Qod hath given her. In Bishop Morton's time we find again a still further modification of the feudal system which existed in the Borough of Auckland in former dajrs, as specified in the Boldon Buke and Hatfield's Survey. On an information filed by the Bishop's Attorney-General, in the Chancery at Durham, touchhig the customary service of certain copyhold lands in Auckland, called " Moor Close and
- Wigton Walls," it was decreed, " that all persons having right therein for ever thereafter, shall
yearly, and every year from thenceforth, upon any warrant from the steward of the household, or clerk of the kitchen, for the time being, of the Bishop, and his successors, keep and provide, and have in readiness for the use and service of the Bishop and his successors, fourscore and ten good and able horses, well and sufl&ciently furnished, in a year, to be taken up ten horses at a time, as occasion should require, so that he might once in every year have the service of ninety horses, paying 6d. per day for each one of the ninety horses aforesaid, on pain of forfeiting their copyright, and being subject to attachment" Tlie land above mentioned, which is situated on Etherley Moor, was in the occupation of the late Thomas Peacock, Esq., and appears to have been set apart for the especial use of the inhabitants of North Auckland In the roUs of the Halmot Court (which will be noticed hereafter), held in Bishop Auckland in the year 1552, we find a grant, of which the following is a translation : — Bondgate in Auckland. To this court came William Belte, Anthony Bobion, Bobert Alarson, and John Cragg, and together took one dose called Moore Close," otherwise Wjghton Walls," in Bishop Auckland, with hedges and ditches enclosed, and which Ralph Sherwood, of Evenwood, had right. The 1st of March, 2nd year of Cardinal Wolsey before ihe Bishop in his chancery, he (Sherwood) surrendered the above premises to the four persons named, for the common use of the viU of Auckland, as fully appears by the writing of the said Lord Bishop under seal in the custody of the chief Steward." We also append a copy of the origiaal Latin document : — From the Copyhold Rolls in thb Possession of Me. J. Booth, Juniob, Deputy-Steward. Ad hunc Curiam venerunt Willma^ Belte, AntoniuB Bobson, Bobtus Alanson, et Johis Ciagg, et simul ceperunt un Digitized by Google
