Historic%20Yorkshire
Historic%20Yorkshire
Historic%20Yorkshire
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THE STORY OF YORK CASTLE.<br />
clear the ground he set fire to some of the adjoining<br />
buildings,but the fire quickly getting out of all control,<br />
destroyed much that was far beyond Malet's original<br />
intention. A great part ofthe city, includingthe Minster<br />
of St. Peter, and with it a valuablelibrary, presented by<br />
Archbishop Egbert in a.d. 300, was destroyed. Under the<br />
cover of the conflagration the hostile forces, which had<br />
come ashore nearFulford,crept up to the walls. Dividing<br />
into two parties, they climbed the walls of the two<br />
fortresses, and carried the whole place by storm, cutting<br />
to pieces not less than 3,000 Normans; Malet, his wife,<br />
and two children, together with Gilbert, and a few others<br />
alone escaping. William, as might be supposed, did not<br />
tarrylongbefore he stood before the walls threateningthe<br />
direst vengeance against the possessorsof the castlesand<br />
city if they did not surrender. Waltheof, who was the<br />
governor,refused, and had it not been for the pangs of<br />
starvation all attacks would have failed, even though<br />
William, by bribery, had induced the Danes to retire,<br />
leaving the Saxons to bear the brunt of the siege. But<br />
famine compelled submission, though the sword failed,<br />
and the garrison capitulatedupon the most honourable<br />
terms, which, however, were totally disregarded by<br />
William, whoput everyoneof the soldiers to death. The<br />
city was razed to the ground, and the whole country for<br />
many thousand acres was laid waste. Peter Langstaff's<br />
Chronicle, as quoted by Twyford,has the following: —<br />
William turned again, andheld whathe hadsworn;<br />
All mad he wasteynpasture, medow, korne,<br />
Andslough both fader and sonne,womenlete their gon,<br />
Hors and houndes their ete uncithis skaped non.<br />
The castles wererepaired and strengthened,and one —<br />
the principal one, that on the left bank — was given in<br />
charge to a trustworthy commander, probably oneofthe<br />
Cliffords. York Castle comes next under our notice in<br />
the reign of William II.,who increased the strength of<br />
the place. In the reign of Stephen its capture was<br />
87<br />
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