James, bilhop of Durham, a relation of the houfe, in order to g|
his majefty an idea of the importance of the family, wearied liii
with a long detail of their anceftry, to a period even beyond belli
0 man, fays the king, gang na farther, let me digeft the hmvildk
1 ha gained; for, by my faul I did na ken that A dam’s name
L u m l e y .
C o k en . A little to the left, midway between Chefler le Street and DurhM
lies Coken, the feat o f Mr. Carr, a moft romantic fituation, layed out
with great judgment; in former times the fcene of the favage auffil
rities of St. Godric. Before his arrival, here had been an antient h|
mitage, given before the year 1128, by Ralph Flambard, b ilh o p of
Durham *, to the monks of Durham, who permitted that hply man to
make it his refidence; which he did, firft with his filler f , and afl
her death entirely in folitude. '
P r i o r y o f F i n - Attracted by the fame of the deceafed, who died in 1170, foil
monks of Durham retired here. Hugh Pudfey, bilhop of DurhM
made them an allowance, and granted them by charter manyprivi*
leges t ; fome call him the founder of Finchale, the religious houi
whofe ruins are Hill confiderable; but Fanner % gives that honor |ol
his fon Henry, who, about the year 1196, fettled here a prior aiid]
monks of the Benediftine order, fubordinate to Durham. It maiS
tained, at the dilfolution, a prior and eight monks ; when it was regranted
to the dean and chapter, its value, according to Dugdalt, w|s
122/. 1 ¡s. 3d.
* Dugdale's Monalt. I . 512, where is Flambard’s charter. Fie died in 1128*!
•f- Gulielm. Neubrigienjis, II. c . 20.
| Dug dale, I. 5 13 .
§ H4- I
Proceed^
Proceed towards Durham. Near the city, on the right, Hood
W’s-crofs, erefted in memory of the fignal vidtory over David
L of Scotland, in 1346. The army of the Englijh was com-
taded by the two archbilhops and' three fuffragans, in conjune-
L with fome noble lay-officers. The a ¿lion was attended with
L ]ofs to the Scots; whofe king, after ihewing the utmoft
iilour, was taken prifoner by an Englifhman, of the name of
¡land.
¡After admiring the beautiful fituation of the city, from an adja-
at hill, enter
D u r h a m ;
¡place of Saxon foundation : the original name was D.un-holme, from
1# a hill, and holme an ilk, formed by a river*. But it is only a
¡fly narrow peninfula, walhed on each fide by the Were, the Viurus
■the venerable Bede §. The city is difpofed on the fide of the hill,
d along part of the neighboring flat; and the buildings in general
every antient. The approaches to it are extremely pifturefque,
Specially that from the fouth,. through a deep hollow, finely
loathed with trees. The banks of the river are covered with
poods, through which are cut numbers Of walks, contrived with
Pgment, and happy in the moft beautiful and folemn fcenery.-
liey impend over the water,, and receive a moft venerable im-
lovement from the caftle and antient cathedral, which tower far
bove.
This hill, till about the year 995, was an errant defert, over-run.
* QarnimU. 946* § Eccl. Hill. lib. IV. c. 18 .-
with