Page:History and characteristics of Bishop Auckland.djvu/95

 72 HISTOKY OF BISHOP AUCKLAND* fourteenth year of Bishop Skirlaw, when Dionesia Pollard died seized of a parcel of land called ' Westfield/ held of the Bishop in socage, and another parcel called ' Hekes/ near to Auckland Park, in socage, by rendering a falchion." He further says, " it may be presumed an ancestor of the family had rendered essential service to the See in arms, in defence, perhaps, of those territories where lands were granted as his reward," but states " he could find nothing further to confirm the old tradition," We have, however, sufficient evidence, even at the present day, to prove, in some degree, its truth ; inasmuch as, though the lands have long passed from the possession of the Pollards, and been much divided, they still form a separate township, having its own overseer of the poor, and its own representative at the Board of Guardians. On the first entry of the Bishop into the diocese, the principal owner of Pollard's Lands presented the falchion, and delivered the following speech : — My Lord, — ^I, on behalf of myself as well as several others, possessors of the Pollard's Lands, do hereby present yonr Lordship with this falchion, at your first coming here, wherewith, as the tradition goeth, he slew of old a yenomons serpent,* which did much harm to man and beast ; and by this service we hold our lands. Dr. Longley was the last bishop to whom the falchion was presented. The ceremony took place at the Porch at the entrance to Auckland Castle, and the presentation was made by Richard Bowser, Esq., of Bishop Auckland. Mr. Bowser has still in his possession the falchion used on those occasions, but it is the general opinion of county antiquarians that it is not the original one. The same gentleman has, also, another important relic connected with this curious legend, viz., a rib, which has been handed down with the falchion, and is said to be a portion of the remains of the veritable animal slain by Pollard. It seems probable that the Lennardo Pollardt mentioned in the extract from the registers of St. Andrew's, was the last representative of his race, as the family is said to have become extinct during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The Pollards also held lands on Goundou Moor, Birtley, Thomflatt, Gaunsflatt, Hymflatt, Etherley, and also at Newfield, otherwise PoUarden, supposed to be the den of the animal slain by the above-named Pollard. There is a similar legend connected with the Manor of Sockbum, and the estates have been held by the same service, viz., by the presentation of a falchion, which usually took place on Croft Bridge, or in the middle of the river Tees, where the Lord of the Manor, after hailing the Bishop as Count Palatine, presented him with the sword, and delivered a similar speech to the above. The Bishop, after taking the falchion into his hand and returning it, wished the Lord of Sockbum health and a long enjoyment of the Manor. In a letter of Bishop Cosin's, dated August 22nd, 1661, written to Sancroft (afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury), he thus describes this ceremony : — The confluence and alacrity of the gentry, clergy, and other people was very great, and at my first entrance through the river of Tease there was scarce any water to be scene for the multitude of horse and men that filled it, when the sword that killed the dragone was delivered to me with all the formality of trumpets and gunshots, and acclamations that might be made. I am not much affected with such shews ; but, however, the cheerfulness of the county in the reception of their Bishop, is a good earnest given for better matters, which, by the grace and blessing of Qod, may in good time foUow them. Henderson, in his " Folk-Lore," says — " Amongst the rich varied folk-lore of the North of England, and the Scottish Lowlands, it is impossible not to remark how numerous and charac- teristic are the legends respecting dragons, or, as we locally call them, worms. These tales are sometimes enshrined in ballads, sometimes bound up with the tenure of property, sometimes as a wild boar, or brawn. t Lenard Pollard was also of Brnnton, in Yorkshire^ and in at least one of the copies of the Yorkshire Tisitation of 1584 there is this note subjoined, with a drawing of the falchion : '*The Pollards hold their lands in Uie Bishoprick of Durham by showing of » falchion." They, also, then had a nlver seal engraved " Johanis Pollard," with their arms, ermine^ a oroas engrailed, sable, and above the shield the fidchion. Digitized by Google
 * Tradition is not very oonaistent with regard to the PolUurd legend : sometimeB it is piotnred as a Tenomoiia seipent^ and BometimeB