his learning or talents, or both. A few extracts from his will* will show his station in society, as well as his connection with this place and parish.

"Testamentum Magistri Johannis Parker, Doctoris in Medicina." It is dated the 26th of November, 1406. He describes himself as John Parker, of York, clerk, who, intending to visit remote parts, made his will before setting out. He gives his soul to God Almighty, the Holy Virgin, and All Saints, and his body to be buried where God shall dispose it. He gives three pounds in gold for the expenses of entertaining his friends. at his funeral, from the day of his death until eight days afterwards. He gives twenty marks in gold unto an honest priest, to be selected by his executors, to celebrate mass for his soul, the souls of his parents, and the souls of all the faithful dead, for the space of three years next following his death. He gives ten marks to be distributed among the poor in the city of York. After several bequests to churches and chapels in York, he gives to Evota, daughter of John Dickinson, of Clint, 20s. in gold, on her marriage. He gives to Robert Fellescliff, chaplain, 26s. 8d. He gives to John, his clerk, one bay horse, with a new saddle, and a bow and arrows. To John Killyngall, vicar of Kirkby Stephen, a girdle with a gilded "baslardo." To Agnes Parker, his mother, a gown of russet, furred with "fuyns." To Thomas del Dam, spicer, his long sword and a harp (citherâ), then in the keeping of Robert, clerk of St. Martin's Church, in Coney Street. To Robert Bird, one helmet (wyrehatt), with one Carlisle axe. To the vicar of Hampsthwaite, one book, called "Circumstans." To Robert Fellescliff, chaplain, a gown of a red colour, in the care of the vicar of Hampsthwaite. To "domino Hugo de Hampsthwaite," one little psalter, and a bow and arrows, then in care of his mother, in Rawdon, To his

"Testamenta Eboracensia," p. 342-3. "Surtees' Soc.," 1836.

sister, Katherine, one vase and tablecloth, which he had of the gift of his father. He then orders William Rishton, vicar of Hampsthwaite, Agnes Parker, his mother, and William Schutt, after his decease, to sell all the lands and tenements which he had in Rawdon, with all belonging thereto, for money; and afterwards dispose of the same in masses, orations, alms, and other charitable works, for the salvation of his soul and the souls above mentioned. He also orders that his lands in Clint, of which Mr. John de Scotton was seized, should remain in his possession during his lifetime; and all his lands, tenements, rents, and services, with all pertaining thereto, in the villages and territories of Colton, Steton, and Acome, shall be sold by his executors. He appoints Robert de Otley, rector of the church of St. Martin, in Coney Street, in York, Robert Clifford, and Robert Fellescliff, chaplain, his executors, to whom he leaves the residue of his estate.

In a codicil he directs that the three pounds in gold, given in his will for the expenses of his funeral, may be given to defray the cost of recasting one of the bells of Hampsthwaite Church, the same being broken, should the vicar think proper to receive the same.

Probate was granted January 6th, 1406; so that the testator did not visit the remote places mentioned in the beginning of his will, or perhaps he meant the unknown world beyond the grave.

The brook Cock, or Ock-beck flows past this place; one of its tributaries, entering from the east, has worn a great gully in the hill side, which has received the name of Hell-hole. In this gully is a bed of ironstone, in large nodules, enclosed by masses of shale. We believe that iron has been extensively mined along the edge of this brook in very early times, and removed to other places to be smelted.

Saltergate Hill is a small hamlet on the Knaresborough and Skipton road, occupying the highest land in the township. One respectable house on the top of the hill is of considerable age. This estate, comprising nearly sixty acres, belongs to the poor of the parish of Adel, being purchased for that purpose with part of a legacy of £800, left by the will of Thomas Kirk, Esq., in 1701. The soil here is of superior quality to much of that around, owing to the presence of a bed of transition limestone full of fossils, the decomposition of which forms a good soil,

The population in 1801 was 439; in 1811, 418; in 1821, 490; in 1831, 445; in 1841, 455; in 1851, 445; and in 1861, 513.

In 1782, the estimated rental of the township was £723 10s., and the number of landowners 55. In 1857, the annual value, as returned by the overseers, was £1,046. Amount assessed to income tax in 1858, £1,790. Value assessed to the county rate in 1849, £1,088; in 1859, £1,627; and in 1869, £1,822.

In 1801, the following return was made of the agricultural produce in the parish of Hampsthwaite :-Wheat, 163 acres; barley, 112; oats, 909; pease, 83; beans, 18; potatoes, 56; turnips, 93; rye, 12.

The whole parish contains 11,903a. 2r. 6p., of which 41a. 1r. 8p. are water.

This is probably derived from Saltus terra, forest land; which, if written contractedly, according to ancient custom, would make the word Sal. ter. Gate simply means road.

FELLISCLIFFE.

THIS township is bounded on the east by Hampsthwaite; on the north by Tang-beck, which separates it from Birstwith; on the south and west it abuts on the parish of Fewston. It is a picturesque, undulating, upland district, occupying the centre of the old forest, and comprising the hamlets of Swincliff, West Syke Green, and Kettlesing.

The Roman road from Isurium to Olicana passed right through this township from east to west, and, with trifling exceptions, along none of the present carriage roads. After ascending the hill from Hampsthwaite to Swincliff Top, on nearly the present line of road, it passed along the high ground, on what is now known as Long Lane, which Long Lane is merely a bridle road to Whitwall Nook, where a piece of the genuine lane yet remains. Further westward the ancient right of road is merely preserved by a footpath, which appears to keep upon the Roman stratum, or very close to it, as far as the Kettlesing Head toll-bar, when the old road runs parallel with the Knaresborough and Skipton turnpike road.

This township yields but very little matter to the local historian; it is, however mentioned in the Domesday survey, among the lands of the king, as Felgesclif, and containing three carucates of land pertaining to the soke of the manor of Burc.*

"Bawdwen's Dom. Boc.," p. 16.

Swincliffe occupies the most easterly portion of the township, and evidently derives its name from the Swine's-cliff,—the cliff' yet remains, but the swine have departed or become domesticated. This consists of a mass of millstone grit in a plantation of firs, facing the west, and commanding a fine view of the valley of the Tang Beck. On the top of this cliff a few years ago was a large rocking stone, which has been cut to pieces and removed, and the place is occasionally used as a stone quarry. On the north of this cliff, sloping down to Tang Beck, is a piece of land yet in a state of nature-a remnant of the old forest day a matted thicket of underwood, gorse, heath, and ferns; while a part of it, called Gormire Wood, is a thick growth of native forest trees, amongst which the holly predominates.

At Swincliffe Top (the small cluster of houses on the hill) there exists a tradition of an archer named Smith,* who having bent his bow, by means of his hands and feet, against a large stone, shot an arrow over the village of Hampsthwaite, nestled in the valley below, over the river Nidd, into the township of Clint. A most extraordinary shot, which well entitled him to rank among those who

"Well could hit a fallow deer

Five hundred feet him fro."

The stone near which the archer stood is a natural rock, four or five feet square, level with the surface of the ground, quite flat and smooth, with a number of circular holes cut in it; these holes were cut for the purpose of playing the game of skittles or nine holes this being the place where the youths of the neighbourhood met to play that game.

Over the door of a farm-house called Cote Syke, is the

The following entry from the parish register of Hampsthwaite, is said by tradition to belong to this famous archer-" Burials. April 7th, 1780. Thomas Smith, Heckler, aged 57;—weighed 19 stones;-Papist."