Ancient_and_modern_York_a_guide

ANCIENT AND
the manor, to an officer in his army, as a reward for his
vigilance in discovering an ambuscade formed by the
Saxons to intercept him. It is the horn of an ox ; of a
dark-brown tortoise-shell colour, mounted at each end and
about the middle with silver rings ; the stopper being
shaped like a dog's head. The middle ring bears the
following inscription :—" I, Kyng Knoude, geve William
Pewse thys home to holde by thy lande."* There appears
therefore to be no doubt as to the validity of this simple
method of conveyance in the time of our Saxon ancestors.
A curious bowl is also shown, which was presented to
the Cordwainers' Company of York by Archbishop Scroope
in the year 1398. It is ornamented with the arms of the
craft; and on the rim the following inscription appears :—
" Richarde, arche-bescope Scroope, grant unto all tho that
drinkis of this cope XLti dayes to pardon ;"—and " Robert
Gobson bescope mesm grant in same form aforesaid XLti
dayes to pardon Robert Strensall." Mr. Sheriff Hornby pre
sented the bowl to the church in 1808 on the dissolution of
the Cordwainers' Company. In the vestry there are also
several archepiscopal rings, antique silver chalices, a silver
crosier brought from Portugal, some old armour, and the
cloth that formed the canopy under which King James I.
sat in the Minster when on his way from Edinburgh to
London after the death of his predecessor.
On the altar of the choir an ancient chair is preserved, in
which we are informed several of the Saxon kings were
crowned, and which was used as the chair of state for the
various monarchs visiting York in the olden time.
The chapter house now remains to be described. We
are informed that in the time of Cromwell, a certain person
presented a petition to the parliament desiring to have a
grant, empowering him to demolish the chapter-house of
York as a useless part of the church, and employ the timber
and stone thereof in the erection of a stable ! The petition
* There is an accurate engraving of this horn in the Journey-Book, of Berk
shire, published by Charles Knight and Co., London.