Ancient_and_modern_York_a_guide

MODEEN YORK. 25
on a splendid scale. Froissart tells us that " there was
nothing but jousts, triumphs, and tournaments in the day
time ; and maskings, revels, and interludes, with songs
and dances in the evening ; along with continual feasting
for three weeks." Edward ascended the throne in 1327 ;
being then only fourteen years old ; and, consequently, at
the time of his marriage, was in his seventeenth year.
His queen was about the same age. Edward kept the
Christmas of 1328 in York ; and, before the solemnities of
the occasion were ended, Lord John of Hainault arrived,
with his niece the bride, and a numerous retinue. On
Sunday, the 24th January, 1329, the eve of the feast of St.
Paul's conversion, the marriage was solemnized at the
Cathedral, by Dr. William Melton, archbishop of York,
assisted by Dr. John Hotham, bishop of Ely, who sang the
mass upon the occasion. The festivities, however, were
embittered by a quarrel, which took place at Watlingate,
outside Walmgate Bar, between the foreigners, who
escorted the bride, and the citizens, or rather, perhaps, the
troops of King Edward, in which no fewer than 527
foreigners and 242 Englishmen were killed. The first
issue of these nuptials was Edward, afterwards the illus
trious Black Prince.
David Bruce, king of Scotland, taking advantage of the
absence of Edward III. in France, in 1346, in which year
the battle of Cressy was fought, entered England with an
army of 50,000 men, and devastated the country up to the
gates of York. Queen Philippa, then in the city, offered
the Scots battle, and at Neville's Cross, in Durham, killed
15,000 of the enemy, and made Bruce prisoner, bringing
him back to the point from whence she had pursued him.
Richard II, son of Edward, the Black Prince, succeeded
King Henry III. In the reign of this monarch, the title of
Lord Mayor was first conferred upon the chief magistrate
of York. He granted a new charter to the citizens ; and,
during a visit, took his sword from his side, and gave it to
William de Selby, then mayor, to be borne before him, and
c