were taken to Hornby Castle, and there being found to be Scotchmen were allowed their liberty. John de Nevill died in 1335, and Sir Robert de Nevill followed him in the ownership of the estate. In 1351 Sir Robert leased to Henry, Duke of Lancaster, for the term of his life, the manors and castle of Hornby 'by the service of a rose.' This was in reality a mortgage transaction, and on the Duke's decease the obligation had been discharged. Another Sir Robert de Nevill, probably the son of the former Sir Robert, was in possession of Hornby early in the fourteenth century; and in 1413 the Escheator of the County Palatine of Lancaster declared that Margaret, daughter of Sir Thomas Nevill (son of the second Sir Robert) and wife of Thomas Beaufort, Earl of Dorset (afterwards Duke of Exeter), was entitled to the property.

The

next in succession was Margaret, wife of Sir William Harrington, the Duchess of Exeter's aunt. On the death of the Duke, who outlived his wife, the Honour of Hornby became vested in Sir William Harrington, in right of his wife, and Sir John Langton, cousin of Lady Harrington, and a deed of partition was executed between the parties in 1433, whereby Hornby fell to the Harringtons.

During the Wars of the Roses, the Harringtons of Hornby allied themselves with the Yorkists, and suffered severely in the long internecine struggle. Dr. Whitaker says, that Sir William Harrington was killed at Agincourt; but this is obviously an error. Margaret, Lady Harrington, died in 1450. Her son and successor, Sir Thomas Harrington, together with his eldest son, Sir John Harrington, received their deathblow while fighting side by side under the

Sir

banner of the White Rose at the battle of Wakefield, in 1460. Sir John left two daughters, Anne and Elizabeth, aged respectively nine and eight, his heiresses. James Harrington, however, the paternal uncle of these young ladies, took forcible possession of Hornby, and claimed to be its lawful owner; but, on an appeal for protection to the Court of Chancery, Sir James, and a tool of his who had assisted him in his designs, were committed to the Fleet Prison. The wardship of the heiresses and the custody of their inheritance were granted to Thomas, Lord Stanley, who married the eldest daughter, Anne, to his third son, Sir Edward Stanley, and the youngest, Elizabeth, to his nephew, John Stanley.

In 1470 (49 Henry VI.) Hornby Castle underwent a siege. The King ordered a cannon called Mile End to be sent from Bristol to the assistance of Sir Thomas Stanley, who had orders to reduce the castle. What force held possession of the castle at that time is not recorded, but Sir Thomas Stanley's own interest in the place was probably sufficient to preserve it from destruction. It might be during one of the periods when Sir James Harrington held the castle that the siege took place. Sir James, who was greatly disliked by the Lancastrians for having been the means of discovering the hiding-place of Henry VI., proved a very thorn in the flesh to his two nieces; he was for ever harassing them by forcible entries and vexatious litigation. He alleged that Sir Thomas Harrington had before his death executed a deed which conveyed his estates to trustees for the benefit of his next heirs male; and that the eldest son, Sir John, having died without male issue, he, Sir James,

was the next heir male. This deed, it was said, had been intrusted to the custody of a trustworthy servant, who subsequently produced it. Sir James's claim was unsuccessful, but was renewed at a later date by his son John, which John, it was popularly supposed, was put to death by poison, by Sir Edward Stanley's promptings, for fear of his succeeding to the Hornby estates. There is a

large amount of documentary evidence, however, existing that goes against this suspicion, although Dr. Whitaker favours the popular idea.

There was much litigation and diplomatising for the next year or two; but ultimately Sir Edward Stanley, in right of his wife, Anne, and otherwise, became possessed of the entire Honour of Hornby, as well as of other lands adjacent thereto.

We have now arrived at a period when history left its special mark upon the records of Hornby. Up to this time, despite the frequent change of owners and the worry of family disputes, the old fortress had kept up its state and dignity, and the lords of Hornby and their retainers had indulged in the excitement of the chase in the woods and forests around. Many a gay cavalcade would in those days set out from the gray old castle, and, to the sound of the horn and the baying of the hounds, would sally forth in pursuit of the deer, the roe, or other favourite animals of the chase. But the day had now come for the inhabitants of this luxuriant valley to have their hearts stirred by sounds of more ominous meaning. Many a time had the men of Lunesdale been called upon to repel the Scots in their plundering raids across the border; but now, in face of the threatened incursion by James IV. of Scotland, they were summoned by their lords to go out to do

battle with the Scots in their own country. It was then, as the old ballad tells, that

'From Lancashire and Cheshire fast, They to the lusty Stanley drew; From Hornby whereas he in hast

Set forward with a comely crew.

What banners brave before him blazed! The people mused where he did pass; Poor husbandmen were much amazed, And women wond'ring cried, "Alas!" Young wives did weep in woful cheer, To see their friends in harness drest; Some rent their cloaths, some tore their hair,

Some held their babes unto their brest.'

Sir Edward Stanley had been well schooled in arms, and had early gained the favour of the King, whose greeting when they met was, 'Ho, my soldier! It is said of him that 'the camp was his school, and his learning the pike and sword.' His greatest enemies would not deny his valour. Stanley marched gallantly forward with his brave men; and when they came to Flodden's fatal field,' and all the Earl of Surrey's army were ranged in order of battle, Stanley was directed to the command of the rear portion of the English forces, and to him, more perhaps than any other single commander, that day's memorable victory was due. Scott has enshrined Stanley's deeds at Flodden in imperishable verse. Few couplets are better known than that which tells us that

From Bowland billmen bold were boun,
With such as Botton-Banks did hide;
From Wharemore up to Whitington,
And all to Wenning water-side.

From Silverdale to Kent Sand side,
Whose soil is sown with cockle-shells;
From Cartmel eke and Conny-side,
With fellows fierce from Furnace fells.

All Lancashire for the most part,

The lusty Stanley stout did lead; A stock of striplings, strong of heart, Brought up from babes with beef and bread.'

Stanley's neighbour of Thurland Castle, Brian Tunstall, a sort of Lancastrian Bayard, whom Scott calls the 'stainless knight,' fell in the battle.

One can well imagine the fervour of the welcome which would be given to the braw Lancashire lads as they came back, flushed with victory, to their homes in and around Hornby, and what festive doings there would be at the castle when stout Stanley' took his place again within its ancient walls as Lord Monteagle, the title with which his sovereign readily rewarded him on his return from Flodden. The title was suggested by the fact that his ancestors had borne an eagle on their crest; and the eagle's claw and the motto,

GLAV ET GANT E. STANLEY

appear on the north-east side of the old keep.

Tradition has busied itself considerably with Lord Monteagle's name. The generally received. opinion is that the beautiful octagonal tower of Hornby Church was built by him in obedience to a vow made at Flodden; but there exists a legend which points to another cause for its erection. He filled a large space in the history of his time. Twice,' it is recorded, 'did he and Sir John Wallop penetrate, with only 800 men, into the very heart of France; and four times did he and Sir VOL. XXXVII. NO. CCXVIII.

Thomas Lovell save Calais-the first time by intelligence, the second by stratagem, the third by their valour and undaunted courage, and the fourth by their unwearied patience and assiduity.' We also learn that 'in the dangerous insurrection by Aske and Captain Cobler, his zeal for the prince's service and the welfare of his country caused him to outstrip his sovereign's commands by putting himself at the head of his troops without the King's commission, for which dangerous piece of loyalty he asked pardon, and received thanks.' Still, in spite of all this distinction and prosperity, the common people repeated dark insinuations against his name; for not only was he suspected of having resorted to foul means to get rid of the heir of the Harringtons, but he was supposed to hold secret and unholy communings with things of evil.* He was said to be a materialist and a free-thinker; and one night, as the legend goes, by the still light of a cloudless harvest moon,' two men ascended the steep path A light leading to the castle. was visible from the high watchtower, where Lord Monteagle was accustomed to keep his nightly vigils. The men advanced over the drawbridge; and while some half-dozen hoarse-throated dogs met them with their loud bayings, they passed forward and ascended the winding staircase to the turretchamber. There, surrounded by furnaces, alembics, crucibles, and other instruments of mystery, they saw, by the light of a dim lamp, the figure of the lord of Hornby seated before a table. One of the two men was a popular divine, known as the parson of Slaidburn; the other was Maudsley, Lord Monteagle's faithful servitor. The

Roby's Legends and Traditions of Lancashire.

N

latter was bidden to retire; and then the baron entered into a long argument with the parson about the mysteries of existence and the far reaching speculations concerning immortality. Lord Monteagle declared the Bible to be a forgery, and religion a mere system of priestcraft and superstition; and the parson retorted by telling the baron that he only held those views because they flattered his wishes and his fears. 'Fears! What fears?' demanded Lord Monteagle. The fear of facing the spirit of thy lady's cousin,' said the priest; 'his blood yet crieth from the ground!' The hero of Flodden, the legend says, turned pale, trembled, and drew his sword; but the undaunted minister heeded not the action. Put up thy sword,' he said; 'thou hast enow of sins to repent thee of without an old man's blood added to the number.' Lord Monteagle, chafing under the parson's words, said, after a pause,

My cousin, John Harrington, died in his own chamber. In this house, God wot. Thou didst shrive him at his last shift, and how sayest thou he was poisoned? The priest answered, 'I said not aught so plainly; then, with a sudden movement, he cried, 'Behold him there! The baron glared wildly around, and his brow became suffused with a clammy perspiration. Whether any object was actually to be seen, or whether the priest had merely resorted to a trick in order to frighten Lord Monteagle, tradition does not say; but from that time forth it was known that the baron was an altered man, and immediately afterwards arose the noble church of Hornby, with its beautiful octagon tower, which still bears upon its front the following inscription:

'Edwardus Stanley miles, Dns.
Monteagle me fieri fecit.'

There is little doubt, whatever may have been Sir Edward Stanley's views concerning religion at the time alluded to, he died in the full recognition of the Christian faith. This is sufficiently evidenced by his will, dated the 5th April 1523, the opening sentences of which are worth quoting on this head. It is necessarie,' it runs, and requisite for every good true Christian man to provide, foresee, and to ordain for ye life ev❜lasting in heaven. I, therefore, Edward Stanley, Knt., Lord Monteagle, Knt. of the Order of the Garter, being hale and of good deliberation, and of perfect minde and memorie-laude, therefore, and praise be to Almighty God, my maker and redeemer, the good and sweet intelligence of these sentences: Memento homo, quod cinis es, et, in cineris reverteris, and of this, Domine tuæ. . . . quia morieres; willing while reson ruleth in my minde, and quietness in the members of my bodie, of my temporal goods somewhat to ordain for ye good of my sowle, do ordaine this my last will,' &c. He bequeathed his soul to Almightie God, the glorious and eternal Trinitie, to our Ladie St. Marie, moder of M'cie, St. Margarete, and to all ye saintes in heaven;' ordered his body to be buried in Hornby Chapel, which he directed his executors to complete -a trust which, unfortunately, they did not fulfil, from some cause or other; gave 'black gowns to his servants, children, and friends;' and ordered that xxiv white gownes be geven to xxiv poor honest men to bear torches.'

Alsoe to ye most excellent prince and my sovereign good lord Kynge Henrie VIII., a small gold ring, with a table of a dyamond viii square sett in ye same, and cl in gold, beseeching his grace to pray for my sowle, and to bee good and

gracious, good lorde, unto my sonne and heeir.'

Lord Monteagle died at Hornby in the same year, 1523, and his son Thomas, who was only fifteen years of age at this time, succeeded him. Whitaker's statement that this second Lord Monteagle was rumoured to be the person who struck the fatal blow which killed King James IV. at Flodden must therefore be incorrect. Thomas, Lord Monteagle, held the Honour of Hornby from 1523 to 1559 (2nd Elizabeth), when he died, and his son William came into the inheritance. William, Lord Monteagle, held the Hornby estates until his death, about 1580. His daughter and only child, Elizabeth, married to Edward Parker, Lord Morley, succeeded him. The next Lord of Hornby was their son William, who acquired the estate on his father's death in 1618. William, Lord Monteagle and Morley, like his grandfather, Sir Edward Stanley, was destined to become historically famous. Camden says, 'We and our posterity must acknowledge [him] to have been born for the good of the whole kingdom. For, from an obscure letter privately sent to him, and by him most opportunely produced, the wickedest plot which the most accomplished villany could contrive was detected when the kingdom was on the eve of destruction, when certain wretches, under the cursed mask of religion, lodged a great quantity of gunpowder under the parliamenthouse, and waited to fire it and blow up their king and country in a moment.' It was in consequence, doubtless, of his service to the nation in discovering the Gunpowder Plot that William, Lord Monteagle, and his family were exempted from the operation of the severe laws against Roman

eagle and Morley, died, and was succeeded in his estates by his son Henry. On the breaking

out of the Civil War, Henry, Lord Monteagle and Morley, allied himself with the Royalists, and Hornby Castle was on several occasions the scene of tumult and conflict. In 1625 a search for arms was made at the castle; and in 1643 Colonel Ashton and a force of Roundheads attacked and took the castle, and shortly afterwards the Commons passed an order for its being dismantled. The order was not carried out, however; and a few months later Roger Kirkby and Rigby of Burgh got a number of Furness and Cartmel men together and attempted to rescue both Hornby Castle and the neighbouring castle of Thurland. Colonel Alexander