Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 3.djvu/343

Rh these virtues perished with the first possessors of the earldom of Northampton, since a higher amount of architectural knowledge, a clearer insight into its principles, and a better appreciation of its beauties, attended by more disinterested benevolence, by a self-devotion to the cause of humanity and the progress of social refinement, seem to have descended as the indefeasible attributes of the title.

In returning to the immediate consideration of Northampton castle, I shall not so much restrict myself to an architectural investigation into what it actually was, as I shall endeavour to follow those notices occurring on the rolls relative to its history as the temporary abode of the English monarchs, and the seat of our early legislative assemblies. Architectural notices would indeed be of little comparative value, as the object to which they refer is laid nearly level with the ground. Nor again does it seem easy to settle how the building first came into the hands of the crown, since we find it enumerated as one of the royal possessions in 1174, though the grandson of the founder was still alive. What became of the possessions of this last Earl Simon de St. Liz in Northampton or elsewhere, it is now perhaps quite impossible to ascertain; none of his family succeeded him in his dignity, and the title became extinct after his death. This happened in the year 1184, yet ten years previously the castle was in the hands of Henry II. From this period downwards it is often mentioned on the Pipe Rolls, as the "turris de Northampton." In the Pipe roll of Richard I. it is spoken of thus, "Adam de Sanford renders an account of five marks of Winchester money which had been deposited in the tower of Northampton and lost through bad custody." The date of this extract is in the year 1189. Passing over a few notices of minor importance we reach the reign of King John. Both he and his predecessors on the throne occasionally visited this district for the sake of the hunting if not for weightier reasons of state, and there can be little doubt that at such times they made the castle their residence. In the Chancellor's roll of the third of this king's reign (1201) we meet with an entry conclusive of the assertion, and it is so illustrative of the nature of this description of document, and presents by its ample details so vivid a picture of the business habits, the easy spirit and recreations of the time, that little excuse will be necessary for quoting it.

"In repairing the king's houses in the castle of Northampton