given rise to a good deal of discussion. But if it be true, as it appears to be,* that the river Ouse, which passes through it, was anciently called Ure and Your, it is easy to conceive the formation of the word Yourke, by the addition of the termination wick from the Saxon name of the place, Evor-wic or Efer-wic. The disuse of the Saxon language after the Norman conquest, sufficiently accounts for a change having taken place. 66 The statements of history and tradition are amply confirmed by the discovery, in and about this city, of Roman temples, altars, baths, tablets, urns, coffins, coins, weapons, tiles, bricks, and sculptures. It is generally supposed that the extent of the walls of Roman York was little, if at all, less than the present walls, and that they occupied both sides of the river.† More remains of Roman workmanship of various kinds have been found in the neighbourhood of Micklegate bar than in any other part of the city, and, remarks the estimable antiquarian from whom we quote, on passing on the road to the next Roman station, Calcarea (Tadcaster), might be formed, more than a mile in length, consisting of Roman relics, which might not inappropriately be called the street of tombs." Drake was of opinion that Micklegate bar had been built by the Romans, and in the plate of the bar which illustrates his Eboracum, the arch is expressly described as a Roman arch. He also thought that the Mount, outside the bar, was a Roman vallum, thrown up at brow-shot to defend that entrance to the town. wall, on the north side of the river, is supposed to extend from the south or south-west side of the multangular tower, (now in the Museum gardens,) near to that part where Coney-street adjoins Jubbergate, and from this point the wall appears to have passed at right angles in a line from Jubbergate, crossing Feasegate, then crossing the new Fish Market, proceeding probably on the west of St. * See Camden's Britannia, A.d. 1590. + Rev. C. Welbeloved. The Andrewgate, and crossing Aldwark. It is probable that the other side of the ancient wall was at right angles with the one described, and parallel with the present city wall which runs along the Lord Mayor's Walk, and perhaps a portion might be found in the present ramparts. This, however, is a subject for conjecture. * The portion of the city that ranks next to Micklegate, in the amount of Roman antiquities that had been discovered, is that part extending from Bootham bar to Clifton. Mr. Welbeloved thinks that the Pætorian palace stood near to Bootham-perhaps on the site of the Manor House; but Drake, on the other hand, supposed that it occupied the whole space of ground extending from Christ church, Colliergate, through all the houses and gardens on the east side of Goodramgate and St. Andrewgate, through Beddern to Aldwark. In the year A.D. 134, the emperor Hadrian arrived in Britain, and fixed his court at York; with him, as we learn from Ptolemy, came the Sixth Legion-Legio Sexta Victrix-which continued in this city upwards of 300 years. The siege of York by the Britons, was the occasion of bringing to this country the illustrious emperor Severus, in the year A.D. 208. He brought with him his sons Geta and Caracalla, and, after his expedition to Caledonia, resided in York about three years. Severus died in this city in the year A.D. 211. The Roman historian, Eutropius, expressly says, "decessit Eboraci ;" and Spartian also says, "periit Eboraci in Britannia." It is worthy of remark, that this fact is confirmed by the Saxon Chronicle, which says, "He reigned 17 years, and then ended his days at York." (Efer-wick.) Nothing but truth could have produced such a coincidence; which appears to have been unnoticed by Drake. Dion Cassius, who omits to mention the place of Severus's death, tells The distance between York and London, by the Roman road, is computed at 228 miles. us "his body was borne by the soldiers to the funeral pile, about which the army and the two sons of the deceased emperor made several processions in honour of his memory. Abundance of presents were cast upon it, and at last the fire was put to it by Caracalla and Geta.*” Dion adds, the ashes were collected and received into an urn of pophyry, carried to Rome, and deposited in the tomb of Antonines. This ceremony, no doubt, took place on the Mount, now known as Severus's Hill, near Holdgate. Caracalla, the son of Severus, envying his brother, murdered him in York, in the year 212, and butchered an immense number of the soldiers who adhered to Geta. It is supposed, that about the year A.D. 272, Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, was born in York. His father, Constantius, who had married Helena, the daughter of a British prince, was at that time residing in this city as legate under the emperor Aurelius. Constantius, after the resignation of Diocletian, was proclaimed emperor of the west; Italy, Africa, Spain, Gaul, and Britain being assigned to him. He returned to Britain, and in the year 305 took up his residence in York, where, during his absence, Carausius, commander of the Roman fleet, had reigned as emperor for some years. In the year 307, Constantius died at the imperial palace at York; and Constantine the Great, who was with his father at his death, was immediately proclaimed emperor. The ceremony of deification (ATBEWσ15) was performed with the usual splendour,† at York; and local tradition assures us, that the urn which contained the ashes of Constantius was preserved in the church of St. Helen's-on-the-Walls. In the year 326, the Britons revolted, and the Scots having come to their assistance, the Romans were defeated, York was captured by the Scots, and Octavius was crowned king of all Britain, at * Life of Severus, by Dion Cassius. this city. He was soon, however, obliged to fly to Norway. We now draw to the conclusion of the first and most remarkable era in the history of this city. In the year 450, the Romans evacuated Britain; when the victorious Sixth Legion bade a final farewell to Eboracum!—The loss of public spirit and virtue in the people of once great and free Rome, having produced their inevitable results, the decay and demoralization of the empire. No sooner had the Romans withdrawn from Britain, than the Scots and Picts burst through the northern wall, dévastated all the country north of the Humber, and entered York, some of whose proudest edifices were reduced to ruin by the rapacious and vindictive barbarians; the fate of Altera Roma thus presaging the destiny of mighty Rome herself. The Britons craved the aid of the Saxons. The Saxons came; and under Hengist soon wrested York from the invaders. During the struggles between the Britons and the Saxons, who, from allies, became masters, York was frequently taken and retaken, and suffered severely in various sieges. Indeed, Hume, in describing this age of violence and revolution says, that the fierce conquerors threw every thing back into ancient barbarism; although, of course, these expressions must be understood in a limited sense. In the records of the events which occurred in this city at that time, we find the first direct evidence of the existence of structures dedicated to Christian worship in York. Ambrosius, the British king, who held a council of the Britlsh princes and nobles in York, ordered, we are told, the churches destroyed or injured by the pagans, to be rebuilt. King Arthur, by whom the first Christmas ever kept in this country, was celebrated in York, A.D. 524, gave similar directions. But it is probable that the Chrisitan religion had existed here long anterior to this date. It is difficult to suppose, that Christian zeal neglected a country which ranked so high in the times of the emperors as Britain. The apostles were commanded to preach to all the known nations of the earth; and we have it on the authority of Tertullian, that multitudes of the Roman soldiers, in the reign of Severus, were converts to Christianity; from which fact we presume it may be safely inferred, that Christianity had found its way to this city in the time of the Romans. The Saxon chronicle says, that "when Elutherius undertook the bishoprick (Sax. bisceopdom) of Rome, Lucius, king of the Britons, sent letters to him, and prayed that he might be made a Christian." Lucius was the son of Coilus; whose residence, we are informed, was in York. Further; according to the accounts of the council, called by Constantine the Great, at Arles, against the Donatists, A.D. 314, which were published by Simon, at Paris, Eborius-one of the three British bishops who attended-signs himself bishop of York ;* there appears, therefore, to be little doubt that Christianity did exist in Britain and this city, anterior to the time of the Saxons. After a dreadful conflict, which lasted nearly 150 years, the Heptarchy, comprising the seven Saxon kingdoms, was founded; and, A.D. 547, Ida became king of Northumberland (i.e. the land north of the Humber), of which York was created the capital. At the departure of the Romans, and till about this time, Kaer Ebranc (York) was the FIRST of Britain's twenty-eight cities; KaerLundune (London) being accounted the fourth.† It is somewhat to our purpose to observe, that the kingdom of Northumberland was almost immediately sub-divided; Ælla, another Saxon prince, ruling Yorkshire and Lancashire, with the title of king of the Deïri; York was the chief city of this kingdom. We note this fact, because it connects this county with the most important event in the English annals-the conversion of the whole island to * Gough's edition of Camden's Britannia. + Nennius. |