[5] Wall-paper, which still bears the influence of the hangings that it replaced, came into general use early in the nineteenth century.

[6] The view to-day from Petergate towards Bootham Bar gives a good impression of a narrow main street, with gabled houses, leading to the single fortified opening provided by the Bar.

[7] The winch and portcullis are still in existence in Monk Bar, and in working order.

[8] The Leschman Chantry Chapel in Hexham Abbey is a typical example in excellent preservation.  A small erection of stone and wood, it stands between two of the piers of the north Choir arcade.  In small compass there are a stone altar with five crosses, an aumbry beneath the altar, and the tomb with recumbent effigy of the founder.  A priest would have just sufficient room to move about in the performance of his service.  Part of Archbishop Bowet’s tomb in York Minster was a chantry chapel.

[9] Besides the exceptional display of fifteenth-century glass in the Minster, notable examples occur in St. Martin’s, Coney Street, All Saints’, North Street, and Holy Trinity, Goodramgate.

CHAPTER IV

LIFE

A. CIVIC LIFE

“Parish government formed the unit in the government of the city.  Each parish was a self-governing community, electing its own officers with the exception of its rector, making its own bye-laws, and, to meet expenses, levying and collecting its own rates.  Its constables served as policemen, attended the Sessions, and acted as the fire brigade.  They looked after the parish-trained soldiers, acted as recruiters, and had the care of the parish armour, which was kept in a chest in the church.  They distributed money among lame soldiers, gathered trophy money, relieved cripples and passengers, but unfeelingly conveyed beggars and vagabonds to prison.  The parish soldiers kept watch and ward over the parish defences.  The parish stocks, in which offenders were placed, stood near the churchyard stile.  The constables were also responsible for such lighting as the parish required, and kept the parish lanthorn.

“The officials looked after the parish poor, dispensing charity by gifts of bread and money.  The parish boundaries were perambulated every Ascension Day.  Parish dinners were held on the choosing of the churchwardens, the visitation of the Archdeacon, etc.  The parish officials invoked the aid of the law when parochial rights were infringed, especially by neighbours.  The church was the centre of parochial life and in it the business of the parish was transacted.

“Parishes were grouped as wards.  The wards chose city Councillors, and these elected their Aldermen.  The six wards formed the municipality over which presided the Mayor.  The Corporation exercised a general supervision over the whole of the parishes of which there were forty-five.