Now! Then! 2024! - Yorkshire On This Day

Excerpt

The 13th day of the said month, she departed from the said place accompanied as before. And half a mile thence came before her Sir William Conyers, Sheriff of Yorkshire, very well dressed, compayned of Sir William Scargill, also well arrayed, his horse harness full of campanes [bells] of silver, and gilt. And there was in their company many gentlemen and others, to the number of 60 horses, well horsed, and honestly arrayed, each one in the liveries of their said masters. A mile from the said place, the Sheriff of Nottinghamshire took his leave, and others of his fellowship, and returned again. From thence she drew to Doncaster, and halfway came Sir Edward Savage, and with him Sir Rauf Ryder, well appointed, and the folks of their liveries, to the number of 60 horses, well mounted. Without the said Doncaster was the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses on foot, the which received the said queen. This done, in fair array she entered within the said town, according to the precedent custom, and was lodged in the Freres Carmes.

Comment

Comment

No-one knows for sure where Sirowsby was – Thoresby is possible but perhaps improbable.

Via The History of Signboards, although I haven’t found an image of any such sign:

The Bell and Horse is an old and still frequent sign; it occurs on trades tokens; as John Harcourt at the Bell and Black Horse in Finsbury, 1668, and on various others; whilst at the present day it may be seen at many a roadside alehouse. Bells were a favourite addition to the trappings of horses in the middle ages. Chaucer’s abbot is described:—

“When he rode men his bridle hear,
Gingling in a whistling wind as clere,
And eke as loud as doth a chapel bell.”

In a MS. in the Cottonian Library[238] relating the journey of Margaret of England to Scotland, there to be married to King James, we find constant mention of these bells. The horse of Sir William Ikarguil, companion of Sir William Conyars, sheriff of Yorkshire, is described as “his Hors Harnays full of campanes [bells] of silver and gylt.” Whilst the master of the horse of the Duke of Northumberland was “monted apon a gentyll horse, and campanes[175] of silver and gylt.” And a company of knights is introduced, “some of their hors harnes was full of campanes, sum of gold and sylver, and others of gold.” This led to the custom of giving a golden bell as the reward of a race. In Chester, such a bell was run for yearly on St George’s day; it was “dedicated to the kinge, being double gilt with the Kynges Armes upon it,” and was carried in the procession by a man on horseback “upon a septer in pompe, and before him a noise of trumpets in pompe.”[239] This custom of racing for a bell led to the adoption of the still common phrase, bearing off the BELL.

(Larwood 1908)

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Original

The XIIIth Day of the said Monneth, she departed from the sayd Place acompayned as befor: And half a Myll thens cam befor hyr, Sir William Conyars, Scheryff of Yorkshire, very well drest, compayned of Sir William Skarguill, also well arayd. His Hors Harnays full of Campanes of Silver, and gylt. And ther was in ther Company many Gentylmen and oders, to the Nombre of 60 Horsys, well horsed, and honestly arayd, Ichon in the Liverays of their sayd Masters.

A Mylle from the sayd Place, the Sheryff of Nothynhamshyre toke hys Leve, and others of hys Felowschyp, and retorned ageyn.

From thens she drew to Doncastre. And halfe Way came Sir Edward Savage, and with hym Sir Rauf Ryder, well appoynted, and the Folks of ther Liverays, to the Nomber of 60 Horsys, well mounted.

Without the said Doncastre was the Mayor, Aldermen, and Bowrgesses on Foot, the wich resayved the sayd Quene. Thys doon, in fayr Aray she entred within the said Towne, according to the precedent Custome, and was lodged in the Freres Carmes.

183 words.

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• Bell (6) ·
• Carmelites (1) ·
• 📌Doncaster (34) ·
• Great North Road (Great Britain) (7) ·
• James IV of Scotland (2) ·
• John Leland (antiquary) (1) ·
• Margaret Tudor (1) ·
• Nottinghamshire (10) ·
• West Riding of Yorkshire (147) ·
• William Conyers, 1st Baron Conyers (1) ·

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