Gascoigne’s widow, which occasioned continual fighting and scuffles between the Earl’s men and Sir Richard’s, when they met, whether in London streets or elsewhere, which might be done with less danger of life and bloodshed than in these succeeding ages; because they then fought only with buckler and short sword, and it was counted unmannerly to make a thrust....  This Sir Richard was possessed of a very great estate worth at this day to the value of about L10,000 a year; ...  He died in the sixty third year of his age, at Roxby, ... and lies buried in the chancel of Thornton church [the monument there to-day bears the effigy of a lady and is nameless], of which he was patron, May 17th, 1599.  He was tall of stature and withal big and strong-made, having in his youth a very active, able body, bold and stout; his hair and eyes black, and his complexion brown, insomuch as he was called the great black Knight of the North; though the word great attributed to him not so much for his stature, as power, and estate, and fortune.  He was a wise man, and a great improver of his estate, which might have prospered better with his posterity, had he not been extra-ordinarily given to the love of women.”  There is unfortunately nothing left above the ground of the manor house of Roxby, the grass-covered site merely showing ridges and mounds where the buildings stood.  It is therefore impossible to obtain any idea of the appearance of what must have been a very fine Tudor house.  That a gallery was built there by Sir Richard Cholmley, the Great Black Knight of the North, in the reign of Elizabeth, appears from the record which says “that the saide S^r Rychard Cholmley did send Gyles Raunde and George Raude two masons to the Quenes Castell of Pyckeringe whenn he builded his gallerye at Roxbye to polle [pulle] downe the chefe stones of Masonn work owt of one howse in the same castell called the King’s Haull, and took owte of the pryncypall and cheffest Towre of the same castle the stones of the stayres which they did and the said S^r Rychard caused xiiii wayne lodes of the same stones to be caryed by his Tenantes to his owne house at Roxbye.”

[Footnote 1:  “Memoirs of Sir Hugh Cholmley,” p. 7.]

Leland,[1] who wrote in the reign of Henry VIII., tells us that at Wilton there was “a Manor Place with a Tower longging to Chomeley.”  He also says “This Chomeley hath a Howse also at Rollesley (Rottesby):  and Chomeley’s Father that now is was as an Hedde officer at Pykeringe, and setter up of his name yn that Quarters.”  “Thens to Pykering:  and moste of the Ground from Scardeburg to Pykering was by Hille and Dale meate (metely) plentifull of Corn and Grasse but litle Wood in sight.

[Footnote 1:  “The Itinerary of John Leland the Antiquary,” Thomas Hearne, 1745.  Vol. i. pp. 64 and 65.]

“The Toune of Pykering is large but not welle compact togither.  The greatest Part of it with the Paroch Chirch and the Castel is on the South Est Part of the Broke renning thorough the Toune, and standith on a great Slaty Hille.  The other Part of the Toun is not so bigge as this:  the Brook rennith bytwixt them that Sumtyme ragith, but it suagith shortely agayn:  and a Mile beneth the Toun goith into Costey [the Costa].