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W a r k
C o l d s t r e a m .
in Torkjhire. It was burnt in 129.6, by the Scots, under
who gives name to this day to an adjacent field. See a fraom
o f Wark caftle, once the property of the Rofs’s, originally' oraii
by Henry III. * to Robert, fon of the baron of Heltnjly. It
afterwards into the family of the Greys, who took their title f r l
the place. After the union of the two kingdoms, by the acceil
of James I. Lord Gref s eftate rofe from a thoufand to fevenjoii
eight thoufand pounds a year f . So inftantly did thefe parts I
rience the benefit.
It was often attacked by the Scots, and in 1296 was taken auj
burnt by them. The love of a Robert de Rofs for a fair- Scot, oil
fioned this misfortune. He betrayed it to his northern neighbojJ
and then joined the, famous Wallace X. In 1383, it was agaif
burnt by the Scots ^ ; but after the battle of Floddon, the gaj
fon revenged its former difgrace by cutting off numbers of tH
fugitives.
Leave behind us, on the northern fide of the STweed!
the head-quarters of General Monk ; from whence he marched»!
reftore monarchy to his diftreffed country. On the fouthern
Cornhill, noted for its fine Roman camp |), which we palled unwittingly]
on the left. This town lies in a large detached part of Ditiim
furrounded by Northumberland.
All this country is open, deftitute of trees, and almoft even of
V s Baron. I. 554.
f Life o f Lord Keeper Guildford, 139.
r Dugdale’s Baron. I, 554.
§ Holinjhed, 444.
H W allis’s Northumberland, II. 461.
Hges; for hedges are in. their infancy in thefe parts, as it is
it above feven or eight years fince they have been introduced,
tie land is fertile, fwells into gentle rifings, and is rich in corn.
Itjis miferably depopulated ; a few great farm-houfes, and hamlets,,
jpear rarely fcattered over the vaft traits. There are few farms
lefs value than a hundred and fifty pounds a year; .they are ge-
[rally three, four, or five hundred ; and I heard of one, poffelfed
iv a fingle family, that even reached twenty-five hundred : in this
is a fingle field of three thoufand acres, and which took fix hun-
fed bolls of feed-wheat, of fix Winchefter bufhels each. A humour
ital to the commonwealth prevails over many parts of the north, of
inging numbers of fmall tenements into a large one, in order to fave
expence of building ; or perhaps to avoid the multiplicity of re-
tipts, lay a whole country into a Iheep-walk. Thefe devour poor
p’s houfes, and expel the antient inhabitants from their fire-fides,
ffeek their bread in a ftrange land. I have heard of a character (I
tve forgot the fpot it curfes) that is too barbarous and infamous
I be overlooked ; which has lb little feeling as to depopulate a vil-
ke of two hundred fouls, and to level their houfes to the ground ;
C deftroy eight or ten farm-houfes on an eftate of a thoufand a.
p ; for the fake of turning almoft the whole into a iheep-walk.
Ilere he lives, and there may he long live his own tormentor 1
piling, detefted by, all mankind! Wark and Learmouth, once
piderable places, are now fcarcely inhabited. The laft, formerly
__fertat market-town, is now reduced to a fingle farm-houfe. The
p.Bitants have long fince been difperfed, forced to exchange the
Mefome, the s, the innocent lives o f the rural ceconomifts,
lied«! | flckly Ihort-lived employs of manufafturers in Birmingham,,
and.