[Illustration:  YORK MINSTER.]

[Illustration:  MICKLEGATE BAR, YORK.]

[Illustration:  STONE GATE, YORK.]

York was the “Caer Ebranc” of the Brigantes, where Septimus Severus, the Roman Emperor, died in A.D. 211, and another Emperor, Constantius, in 306.  The latter’s son, who was born at York, was there proclaimed Emperor on the death of his father, to become better known afterwards as Constantine the Great.  In A.D. 521 King Arthur was said to have spent Christmas at York in company with his courtiers and the famous Knights of the Round Table; but Geoffrey of Monmouth, who recorded this, was said to have a lively imagination in the way of dates and perhaps of persons as well.  It is, however, certain that William the Conqueror built a castle there in 1068, and Robert de Clifford a large tower.

(Distance walked sixteen miles.)

Wednesday, October 25th.

The boots awoke us early in the morning, only to say that he had sent a messenger unsuccessfully into the town for our shoes; all the consolation he got was that as soon as they were finished, his friend the shoemaker would send them down to the hotel.  It was quite an hour after the time specified when they arrived, but still early enough to admit of our walking before breakfast round the city walls, which we found did not encircle the town as completely as those of our county town of Chester.  Where practicable we explored them, and saw many ancient buildings, including Clifford’s Tower and the beautiful ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey.  We also paid a second visit to the ancient market-place, with its quaint and picturesque surroundings, before returning to our inn, where we did ample justice to the good breakfast awaiting our arrival.

[Illustration:  MONK BAR, YORK.]

We left the City of York by the same arched gateway through which we had entered on the previous day, and, after walking for about a mile on the Roman road leading to Tadcaster, the CALCARIA of the Romans and our next stage, we arrived at the racecourse, which now appeared on our left.  Here we entered into conversation with one of the officials, who happened to be standing there, and he pointed out the place where in former years culprits were hanged.  From what he told us we gathered that the people of York had a quick and simple way of disposing of their criminals, for when a man was sentenced to be hanged, he was taken to the prison, and after a short interval was placed in a cart, to which a horse was attached, and taken straightway to the gallows.  Here a rope was suspended, with a noose, or running knot, at the end, which was placed round the culprit’s neck, and after other preliminaries the hangman saw to it that the man’s hands were securely handcuffed and the noose carefully adjusted.  At a given signal from him the cart was drawn from under the man’s feet, leaving him swinging and struggling for breath in the air, where he remained till life was extinct.  The judge