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start of Cumberland |
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Page 175:-
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roman inscription
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[ap]pears plainly from the various evidences of antiquity
frequently dug up, and its great renown at that time. Even
after the ravages of the Picts and Scots it preserved some
of its antient splendour and was accounted a city. For A.D.
619 Egfrid king of Northumberland, gave it to S. Cuthbert in
the following words [l]: "I have given also the city called
Luguballia with 15 miles around it." At which time it was
also walled in. "The townspeople," says Bede [m], "brought
Cuthbert to see the walls of the city, and a fountain in it
built in an extraordinary manner by the Romans." That saint,
according to the register of Durham, "settled there a
congregation of nuns, and appointed an abbess, and founded
schools there." It was afterwards greatly ruined by the
Danes, and lay buried in its ashes near 200 years, till it
began to recover itself under the favour of king William
Rufus, who erected new buildings in it, built the castle,
and settled a colony first of Flemings (whom he afterwards
prudently removed into Wales) and then of the Southern
English. "Then," as Malmesbury [n] writes, "was discovered a
Roman Salon or Triclinium of stone, arched over, unhurt by
time or fire, having in front this inscription: MARII
VICTORIAE." Some have supposed this Marius to be Arviragus
the Britan: others contend for his being that Marius who was
elected emperor in opposition to Gallienus, and is reported
by historians to have been so strong, that instead of veins
in his fingers he had sinews [o]. I am told, however, that
some copies instead of MARII VICTORIAE have MARTI VICTORI,
which perhaps may be more approved by other critics and come
nearer the truth. Luguballia being now grown populous, had,
as we learn from our writers, its own earl or more properly
lord, Radulphus Meschines or de Micenis, from
whom descended the earls of Chester, and being at the same
time advanced by Henry I. to an episcopal see had for its
first bishop Athulpus. This the monks of Durham say was
prejudicial to their church. "When Ranulphus, say they,
bishop of Durham, was banished, and the church had no
defender, certain bishops united Carleil and Tividale to
their dioceses." How the Scots made themselves masters of
this city in the reign of Stephen, and Henry II. recovered
it, how Henry III. committed the castle of Carlisle,
and the earldom to Robert de Vipont, how A.D. 1292,
it was destroyed by fire, together with the cathedral and
suburbs, how Robert Brus of Scotland A.D. 1315,
beseiged it in vain, and many other particulars are related
at large in our histories [p]. It may not, however, be amiss
to add two inscriptions which I saw here; the first in the
house of Thomas Aglionby near the citadel, but of the more
barbarous age:
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#x002A; Tumulum.
#x002A; Carrisima
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DIIS MANIBV
S MARCI TROIANI
AVGVSTINIANI TVM[*] FA
CIENDVM CVRAVIT
A FEL. AMILLVSIMA
CONIVX* KARISS
Near which is also the figure of a horseman in armour with a
spear. The other in a larger and fairer character is in the
garden of Thomas Middleton:
LEG. VI.
VIC. P. F.
G. P. R. F.
which I read Legio Sexta, Victrix, Pia, Felix. The
rest I leave to others to explain.
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Andrew Harcla, earl of
Carlisle. Tho. Avensbury.
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The only earl of Carlisle was Andrew de Harcla, whom
king Edward II. to borrow the words of the original record,
"for his good and faithful service against Thomas earl of
Lancaster and his adherents in subduing the king's enemies
and subjects, and bringing them prisonors to the king,
invested with the rank and title of earl of Carlisle by
girding on his sword." He afterwards traiterously and basely
broke his engagements to his country and sovereign, and,
being taken, suffered the ignominy due to his treason,
"being degraded by having his spurs chopt off with a
hatchet, his belt ungirt, his boots and gloves pulled off,
and being then drawn, hanged, beheaded and quartered."
I shall now take my leave of Luguballia (which stands in
20° 31′ of longitude and 54° 55′
north latitude), with these lines of J. Johnston in praise
of it.
CARLEOLUM
Romanis quondam statio tutissima signis,
Ultimaque Ausonidum meta labosque ducum,
E specula late vicinos prospicit agros,
Hinc ciet & pugnas, arcet & inde metus.
Gens acri ingenio, studiis asperrima belli,
Doctaque bellaci figere tela manu.
Scotorum reges quondam tenuere beati;
Nunc iterum priscis additur imperiis.
Quid, Romane putas extrema hic limina mundi?
Mundum retro alium surgere nonne vides?
Sit vidisse satis: docuit nam Scotica virtus
Immensis animis hic posuisse modum.
CARLISLE
Of yore the Roman army's safe retreat,
Bound of their conquests and their chieftain's toils,
She views the extensive country from her height,
Alarms, defends, and seizes on the spoils.
Her active sons enur'd to martial feat,
And skill'd to hurl the javelin at the foe,
She once the Scottish happy monarchs' seat,
Now to her former sov'reigns back must go.
In vain the Roman boasts that erst he found
Earth's limit here. See other worlds arise
To mock his distant view. Ambition's bound
By Scottish valour fixt unalter'd lies.
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Rowcliffe.
Netherby.
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Rockcliffe
Esk, River
Kershope Burn
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Crossing the Eden now one sees Rowcliff near the
bank, a little castle, built by the lords Dacres not
long since for the defence of their property. Above this the
two rivers Esk and Leven fall with united
streams with one common mouth as it were into Eden frith.
The Esk comes from Scotland, but for some miles owns itself
a subject of England, and receives the river Kirsop,
where the English and Scots lately separated not so much by
the river as their mutual fears gave ample proof of the
great qualities of both nations. On this river where the
little village of Netherby presents to view a few
poor cottages are such extraordinary and considerable re-
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[l]
See in Sim. Dunelm. p.5. inter x Script. the donation at
large.
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[m]
Vit. Cuthb. c.27.
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[n]
De gest. pont III. Ptol.
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[o]
Treb. Pollio in vit. ejus
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[p]
John de Eversden. He was a monk of St. Edmund's Bury, and
sent as proxy for the abbot to the parliament at Carlisle
1307, and died 1336. His Chronicle remains in MS. among the
Norfolk MSS. in the Heralds college. Tanner, Bib. Brit. 271.
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mains
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gazetteer links
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-- Carlisle Cathedral
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-- "Carlisle" -- Carlisle
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-- "Batable Ground" -- Debatable Land
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-- "Esk, River" -- Esk, River
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-- "Rowcliff Castle" -- Rockcliffe Castle
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-- "Aesica" -- (roman fort, Netherby)
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