Historic%20Yorkshire

THE TRAGIC STORY OF THE ELLANDS. 71
great awebymost of those who came in contact withhim.
He was revengeful and tyrannical. It is said that from
the death of Wilfrid of Elland,every one of the descendants
of Hugo was born marked in the forehead with
three blood-red spots, and that Sir John had these distinguishing
signs. It may be mentioned here that Elland,
at the timeof which we now write (about the fourteenth
year of Edward III. — 1339), was a place of considerable
importance, and had already,under the precedingking,
had a charter by which it held a weeklymarket, and other
privilegesof an advancedmediæval town.
Sir John thrice entered the bonds of marriage. He
espoused first Alice, the daughterof Sir Robert Lathom,
and by whom he had severalchildren; byhis second wife,
Ann,he had no issue; and byhis third wife, Olive,hehad
one son, Robert. Surrounded on every side by the
evidences of his wealth and power, he looked with the
watchfulness of jealousy upon the fortunes of his neighbours,
especially upon the wealth and influence of Sir
RobertBeaumont, of Crossland Hall, whom he regarded
with feelingsof the utmosthatred,partly for these reasons
and partly, it is thought, because Sir Robert and certain
of his friends had come into some estateswhich Sir John
had expected to inherit. Doubtless he would in his
capacity of sheriff strainhis authority tobe revengedupon
his enemies. The ballad we have referred to hints at
somethingof the sort, for
Some say that Eland Sheriff was
By Beaumont disobey'd,
Which might him make for that trespass
With him the worse appaid.
Amongst Sir RobertBeaumont's friends who shared with
him the hatredof the Elland were Hughcf Quarmby, and
Lockwoodof Lockwood, holders of manorsinthe vicinity.
So high did the furious passions of Sir John run against
these three gentlemen that he organised a murderous
scheme for removing them from his path. He called a
large number of his friends and followers together one