Ancient_and_modern_York_a_guide

MODERN YOEK. 17
besides the ward fscyram) of the archbishop, there were
six wards : one of these was destroyed when the castles
were built. In five wards there were 1418 inhabited
mansions. The archbishop has yet a third part of one of
these wards. In these, no one but a burgess was entitled
to any customary payments, except Merlesuain, in one
house, below the castle ; except the canons wherever they
reside, and except four magistrates, to whom the king
granted this privilege by his writ, and that for their lives ;
but the archbishop was entitled to all the customary
payments in his ward." Now, as Mr. Hume thought
proper to adopt the numbers here given, why did he omit
the archbishop's ward ? These numbers refer to the time
of Edward the Confessor, and exclude the archbishop's
ward, as well as the ward destroyed when the castles were
built, together with the suburbs burnt by the Normans.
The writers of Domesday-Book continue, " Of all the
above-mentioned mansions (viz. 1418 in the five wards),
there are now in the king's possession :—
391 inhabited, great and small, paying custom ;
400 uninhabited, which do yield customary services,
but some only one penny rent, and some less ; and
540 mansions so uninhabitable, that they pay nothing
at all ; and
145 houses are held by foreigners (Francigene)."
At the time, therefore, that Domesday-Book was com
piled, in those five wards only 1076 houses " in the king's
possession" were inhabited. Domesday next enumerates
several other houses ; which do not appear to be included
in the above return.
" St. Cuthbert has one mansion, which he always had,
as many say, quit of all custom : but the bugessess say,
that it had not been quit in the time of King Edward,
unless as one of the burgessess, for this reason, that he
had his own toll and that of the canons. Besides this,
the Bishop of Durham has, of the king's gift, the church
of All Saints, and what belonged to ; and all the land of
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