"That there is a public office known and much talked of, for the receipts of small sums, where the labourer can deposit them without apprehension, is of itself a circumstance of the highest importance. The mind of the poor man has something to work on, an image before it, a point to which his thoughts are directed. Heretofore the labourer has had little inducement to lay by his money; he was at a loss what to do with it; nobody he durst trust would take the two or three pounds he had saved; or if any person would, he knew not how to set about finding him; he had no guide-post; the way was not open before him. "So difficult a point has the safe loan of his money been, that the cottager has very commonly hid his savings: and an old stocking foot, or the tester of a bed, has comprised the hoard of a whole life's economy. A hundred and ten pounds passed through my hands some time ago, which had been accumulating for above twenty years; and had laid in a cottage without any other protection than the apparent poverty of its owner: amongst this, was more gold than I had before seen together for a very long time. " In every new disciple of the Saving Bank, I see at least two apostates from the poor-rate; and in fifteen or twenty years, there is no reason to doubt that the inherent and progressive principle of the Saving Bank, will have not only stopped the progress, but will have entirely routed the influence, of its antagonist, the parish-rate." A History of Whitby and Streonshalh Abbey; with a Statistical Survey of the Vicinity to the distance of twenty-five miles. By the Rev. George Young, with the assistance of some papers left by the late Mr. R. Winter, and some materials furnished by Mr. J. Bird. 2 vols. 8vo. 21s. pp.954. Longman and Co. London; Clark and Medd, Whitby. 1817. THE publication which we now announce to our readers is one which, we think, will be perused with an almost equal satisfaction by the student of general literature and the lovers of antiquity. We cannot present a better introduction than the following extract from the author's preface: "The advantages of local history are generally acknowledged. Correct views of a country are not to be gained from the hasty remarks of the tourist, who skims over its surface in a few days; but from the patient researches and mature observations of local writers, each of whom, devoting his attention to objects within his reach, and collecting what is interesting in his own vicinity, furnishes his quota to the common fund of statistical knowledge. In general, topographical works will be more or less correct, in proportion as the field of view is contracted or enlarged: and he who attempts to take in too much, endangers the whole. What is gained in extent, is lost in accuracy. The fore-ground of the landscape is distinctly perceived, while the distant objects are involved in shades. "To serve the interests of science, the subject of a local history should be judiciously chosen, as well as patiently investigated: the place, or district, must afford an adequate proportion of interesting materials; and the central point, on which they are made to bear, must possess sufficient respectability to entitle it to that distinction. In these respects, few places present a more legitimate subject for the pen of the topographer, than WHITBY AND THE VICINITY. The vestiges of ancient British towns and sepulchres, forts and entrenchments, found in this district; the remains of Roman camps, roads, and stations, which it exhibits; its connection with the affairs of the Roman provinces and Saxon kingdoms, a connection which may be found in this work to be more intimate than has hitherto been supposed; its singular natural productions; the early fame of the abbey of STREONSHALH, as a seat of religion and learning; the splendour of WHITBY Abbey that succeeded it, after the Conquest; the number and respectability of the other religious houses in the district; the antiquity of Whitby as a town and port ; the rapid progress of its commerce and manufactures, and vast increase of its wealth and population, in modern times; with its importance as the chief town of Whitby-Strand; -all concur in pointing out this town and neighbourhood as a fit object for historical research." The first part of the work contains a general history of the district, divided into three distinct periods; -the first commencing with an account of the original inhabitants of Britain, and leading us through the period of its government by the Romans to their final departure; -the second is the history of the Saxon period to the landing of William the Norman with his victorious army; and the third and last contains the history of the district from the Anglo-Norman or English period to the present time. The character of the Saxons, given us in the commencement of their period of history, is not an unfair specimen of the style in this department of the work. "The Saxons are described as one of the bravest nations presented to us in the whole compass of ancient history. Strength of body, patience in warlike labours, a ferocious courage, and a formidable activity, are the qualities by which they have been commemorated. Such is the character given of that people who were ultimately doomed to have the dominion of Britain, who were to give laws and manners to a degenerate race, a people depressed into pusillanimity under the slavish government of the Romans, whose imbecility was such, from continued oppression, that they could not defend themselves without the intervention of a foreign aid. Accustomed to a predatory and piratical life, the Saxons braved every element; neither the stormy ocean of the Germans, nor the dangerous shores of Britain, could depress their ardour for plunder and conquest. The frowning clouds of winter darting the lightning's flash amid the howling of the midnight storm, sheltered their designs from the view of an unsuspecting foe. But while we display a gleam of the brightest part of their character, let us not overlook one of the most horrible traits that can degrade the reputation of a people, a crime that casts the most odious shade over every minor virtue, that of sacrificing the whole or a part of the unfortunate captives who fell a prey to their vindictive rage. Had their objects been merely confined to the acquisition of territory or amassing plunder from their fellow-creatures, we might have passed them with the same negative disgust which we entertain for conquerors in general; but when we are informed that they dragged off the inoffensive part of the inhabitants into bondage, and decimated their captives to be sacrificed as victims to an abominable deity of disgusting attributes, our admiration must sink into abhorrence." 1 In the chapter containing the English period, the author gives us an account of the survey called Doomsday, and concludes it with the followings remarks : "It may be remarked, that the richest manor in this quarter in the time of Edward the Confessor, was that of Whitby, which, with its dependencies, was valued at £112. The next in value was Pickering, which was estimated at £38. Walsgrave was valued at £56; and Loftus at £48. Most of the other manors are entered at a very low rate. Lyth, Mulgrave, Hutton-Mulgrave, Egton, Mickleby, and Brotton, were valued at only ten shillings each! It must be observed, however, that the value assigned them is not what they might be supposed to sell at, but what they produced to the revenue. "But however low the valuation of the lands in the days of King Edward may appear, their value was vastly reduced at the time of the survey. Domesday is a lasting monument of the sad effects of William's desolating fury. Fifteen years had elapsed since he laid waste the whole coast with fire and sword; yet even at that distance of time the greater part of the country was little better than a desert. Multitudes of manors are given in as waste and of no value: and the reduction in the value of the rest is almost incredible. Whitby is esimated at only 60 shillings, Walesgrif at 30 shillings, Pickering at 20 sh. 4d.: but the depreciation of Loftus was still greater, for it was valued at nothing! All the lands of the earl of Morton are given in as waste, except Lyth, which is valued at 5 sh. 6d.; Seaton, which is rated at its old valuation, viz. 10 sh.; and Brot ton, Skelton, Guisborough, and other places in the plain of Cleveland, which, though of some worth, were all greatly depreciated." The second book commences with an account of the introduction of Christianity and of monastic institutions, preparatory to giving us the history of Streoneshalh Abbey. The characters of some of the first preachers of the Christian religion are pourtrayed, and amongst others that of Aidan, the Missionary from Iona, which we cannot refrain from extracting: "Aidan is represented by Bede as a man of extraordinary piety and goodness, whose worth far exceeded any thing that could be found in the historian's own times. With the greatest meekness, piety, and prudence, he displayed unremitting zeal and indefatigable diligence. Eager in the exalted pursuits of his office, he disregarded the things of the world: what he received from the rich, he gave to the poor. The amiable king Oswin made him a present of one of his best horses, richly harnessed; but, meeting with a poor man asking alms not long after, he dismounted, and gave him his horse; and when Oswin blamed him for this seemingly indiscreet generosity, he replied, “What, my king, is the offspring of a mare dearer to you than that son of God?" An answer with which that worthy young prince was much affected. Aidan was indeed the friend of the poor, the father of the wretched: several slaves were redeemed by him, some of whom he received as disciples, and educated for the ministry. While he was condescending to the poor, he was bold in reproving the vices of the great. Greatness and luxury had no charms for him: even when he was at the royal table, he took but moderate refreshment, and then hastened away to his studies or his prayers: and though he was deemed a fit companion for princes, he was so far from affecting external pomp, that almost all his numerous and fatiguing journeys were performed on foot." The Abbey, (the history of which, under the names of Streoneshalh and Whitby, takes up the remainder of the first volume,) was founded by Lady Hilda, the grand-niece of Edwin, King of Northumbria, who is supposed to have erected it about the year 658. After giving us the life and character of Hilda, together with those of several of her successors, we are brought to the destruction of the abbey by the Danes, which happened at the close of the ninth century. After lying desolate for upwards of 200 years, it was restored under the name of Whitby Abbey. The revival of it is thus described :"In the year 1074, a presbyter named Aldwin, prior of the monastery of Winchelcumb in Mercia, having learned from the history of England, that the province of Northumbria once abounded with monasteries, all of which were now desolate, conceived an ar P dent desire to travel into that province, in order to revive the monastic life. For this pur- "According to a memorial in the records of Whitby abbey, Reinfrid had formerly been a soldier in the Conqueror's army, and being with him in his northern expedition, had turned aside to visit the ancient Streoneshalc, when his heart was greatly affected at beholding its ruins; and under this impression he had entered the monastery of Evesham, that he might be qualified to take a part in its restoration. This statement does not seem to correspond with the account of Hoveden and Simeon of Durham, whose authority I have followed. Yet we may believe, that, according to the memorial, Reinfrid was favourably received by William de Percy, an eminent Norman baron, who then held the manor of Whitby and Sneaton under Hugh, earl of Chester; and who was himself the proprietor of large estates in other parts of Yorkshire. This illustrious baron, from whom the noble family of Percy is descended, gave to Reinfrid and his companions the site of the ancient monastery, with two carucates of land in Presteby for their support. The ruins of the abbey still bore the marks of its former greatness; for, says the memorial, 'there were then in that town, as some old inhabitants have told us, about forty cells or oratories, of which hothing was left but bare walls and empty altars.' Among these ruins, Reinfrid and his companions took up their abode; and while they formed habitations for themselves, they probably, as at Jarrow, repaired some part of the church, or some one of its oratories, for public worship. Here this prior lived with his brethren, in humility, patience, and charity; affording an example of virtue and piety to all around: so that in a short time he collected a number of respectable men, who assumed the monastic habit as a part of his fraternity. " The lives of several of the abbots, together with a list of the whole of them, to the dissolution of the reign of Henry VIII., concludes the chapter. The remaining part of this volume contains the account of the possessions, revenues, and services of the Abbey, together with a description of the buildings belonging to this once extensive religious establishment: an account also of the neighbouring monasteries, and their offices, &c. is added, concluding with the State of the Ecclesiastical Affairs of the district since the Dissolution. The following is taken from the close of the chapter, containing an account of the revenues of the Abbey : "In closing this review of the extensive possessions of our abbey, it may be proper to glance at the causes of those vast accumulations of monastic property, which took place between the conquest and the middle of the 13th century. Respect for the monastic character may be named as one of the primary causes. The life of the early monks was, agreeably to their profession, a life of poverty, retirement, and devotion; and to confribute to the support of persons so heavenly was therefore regarded as a meritorious service. Long after they had begun to degenerate, this favourable view of their character continued to prevail; every person who had property, and wished to be thought pious, was ready to bestow his benefaction for the encouragement of a religious life; not considering, that this profusion of wealth would eventually smother that devotion which it was intended to cherish. The notions entertained of the efficacy of their prayers, especially their prayers for the dead, operated powerfully in their behalf. No doctrine of the Romish church has been more lucrative than that of purgatory. Most of the property granted to the monks was designed to secure their prayers for the souls of the donors, or of their kindred; and, in those ages of rapine and bloodshed, it was no wonder that sinners, laden with guilt, should adopt this method of appeasing their conscience, and escaping from future woe, while their spiritual guides were at pains to encourage the gainful delusion. And when the guilty father died in his iniquities, the son who inherited the fruits of his crimes, would deem it a most laudahle act to contribute to the eternal salvation of his parent. Hence the multiplication of monasteries, cells, and churches; hence that abundance of wealth which was poured into the funds of the religious. "The spirit of crusading was peculiarly favourable to monastic establishments. When the romantic idea of wresting the holy land from the grasp of pagans, caught the fancy of a chivalrous age, when the fiat of the sovereign pontiff made the path of blood the road to heaven, when thousands flocked to the East to display their piety by gratifying their ruling passions, and to gain a passport to eternal bliss by rapine and slaughter, - it was natural to expect, that such as were seized with this mania would devote to religious uses a portion of those lands which they left behind them. To this origin may be traced the grant of the first William de Percy; for it was not till he was setting out for the holy land, that his liberality became conspicuous. The cause was aided, in that instance, by the ties of consanguinity, which, as well as the bonds of friendship, contributed at other periods to the advancement of our abbey. Serlo was William's brother; the abbot William was Alan's cousin ; and in performing an act of piety provision was made for a branch of the family. The example of the chiefs was followed by their relations and dependants: even Fulco the sewer of Alan de Percy cast in his mite into the sacred fund; and indeed this species of bounty became so fashionable that a stigma was fixed on such as neglected it. "Various other causes concurred to swell the spiritual estates. Some of the lands of our abbey were purchased with money; and as the monks, when they husbanded their resources, were seldom at a loss for money, they were able to take advantage of the distresses of those who were in want of it. Hence a number of grants of lands were made to them, in consideration of money given to the donor in his great necessity.' Some gave their property to the monastery in the view of entering it themselves; thus securing a comfortable retreat in their old age: some bequeathed their lands to the monks for want of heirs, reserving the possession of it during their life-time: and others bargaining for an annuity to be paid them. |