world to all its riches and grandeur, hearing, from the history of the Northumbers, that their country was inhabited by vast numbers of monks and religious men, defired greatly to visit the monafteries of those places, (though he knew that, by the ravages of the pagan Danes and Saxons, they were forsaken and left desolate) and there, in imitation of those pious men, to lead a life of poverty and retirement. Coming with this design, as far as the monastery of Evesham, he made known his purpose to certain of the brethren; upon which, two of them afsociated with him, one named Elfwie, a deacon, the other Renifrid; but he was quite unacquainted with any part of literature. Having obtained leave from their abbot to accompany Aldwin in his pious expedition, the care of the other two being committed to him, they set out on foot, having an ass to carry their books, facerdotal vestments, and all other necessaries. At length they came to York, requesting of Hugh, fon of Baldrick, then sheriff, that he would procure them a guide to Monkchester, that is, the city of monks; whither being brought by their guides, they staid a while, but found no remains of its former fanctity, no footsteps of the religious people, who had formerly dwelt there. Walcher, bishop of Durham, hearing of this, fent for them, and gave them the monastery of Jarray, or Jarrow, which at that time was unroofed, and had fcarce any thing remaining of its ancient grandeur."

Hollingshead tells us, that "the Danes, having totally laid waste the northern provinces with fire and fword, burned down almost all the churches and monasteries, and exterminated the priests and devotees for the space of two hundred years; fo that the people, who survived these frightful ravages, became fo ignorant of religion, that they did not know what the name of monk meant; and if they saw any, they wondered at the strangeness of the fight." He goes on: "One place there was in this country, famous for the habitation of monks, from whence it was called Monkchester, but that also was fo ruinated and destroyed, that when the monks of Mercia (the monks before mentioned) came to it, they found no token or remnant of any religious perfons, who had had an habitation there; all was defaced, and gone." - Mag. Brit. Nov. & Antiq. ex Holl.

Mr. Bourne adds, that, "with respect to Monkchester, this feems to be punctually true. It was two hundred years from the ruin of the monafteries, to this time, after the conquest; and in the fourth year of the reign of king Alfred, the Danes, after invading the country, divided their hordes of deftroyers. King Haldon, in the year 875, with a large division, went to Northumberland, and lay in the winter feafon near the Tyne, where he divided the country among his followers, making not only the whole a defolation, but by frequent incurfions into the countries of the Scots and Picts, obtained from them alfo abundance of plunder."

Thus it appears from this ancient record, that the monafteries of Monkchester had been in ruins about two hundred years, viz. from the year 875 to the year 1074, the time of the coming of the Mercian monk.

This may affitt our enquiries in forming a conjecture when Newcastle first got the name of Monkchefter. The above mentioned hiftorian thinks that it was first so named towards the latter end of the seventh century. It was at this period that the monaftic life was introduced among the Northumbers by Aidan, who was that year made bishop of Northumberland, and had his feat at Lindisfern. The bishop of Hexham, Eata, mightily promoted this pious work, and the country seemed filled with monafteries, particularly the kingdom of Northumberland.

Bourne adds, that when the work of religion went on so brifkly throughout the whole country, it is natural to suppose that this place (Newcastle), as it was convenient for the monaftic life, on account of its retirement, so it was no less eligible on account of its strength and fortifications. Cotemporary historians speak with enthusiasm of the numbers, sanctity, and devotion of the monks who inhabited Newcastle and Gateshead; and on these accounts, it became fo famous as to change its name to Monkchester. Indeed, the prodigious number of the remains of monafteries, and other religious edifices, to be found at this day in the town, seems to justify the conjecture of Bourne, that it was from this it had, for several centuries, the name of Monkchester. Very trivial and accidental circumstances have given rise to great events, and, not seldom, to the names of countries and cities.

History, however, informs us, that this place retained the name of Monkchester till the building of the castle, when it again got another appellation, viz. Newcastle, which it retains to this day.

The

The occafion of building this once strong castle, and the circumjacent fortifications, is variously accounted for. All, who have treated of the hiftory of this celebrated town, agree, that the castle was built in the reign, and by one of the family, of William the Conqueror. As that fierce and intrepid prince had obtained the crown of England by invading the country, and overthrowing Harold in the terrible battle of Hastings, where that unfortunate prince was killed by an arrow, which transfixed his brain, it was also his cruel policy to retain his conquests by violence and oppression. For this purpose, he not only kept a standing force, confifting of fixty thousand men at arms, and other numerous bodies of infantry, but filled the whole kingdom with forts and castles, which he kept strongly garrifoned. Frequent were the revolts of the oppreffed and degraded Angles, or English; but always unsuccessful. In one of these insurrections, of which the duke of Northumberland was the chief, the standard of rebellion waved upon the walls of the castle of Prudhoe, about ten miles above Monkchester. William fent his fon Rufus, with an army, to crush the rebellion; but the rainy season setting in, he found himself obliged to defer besieging that fortress, which was very strong, till the ensuing spring; and, wintering his troops in Monkchester, in order to keep them employed, set about building the castle, faying, " if we cannot take the old, we will, at least, build a new castle;" from whence the town is faid to have got its name.

Others, with more probability, account for the erecting of this vast fortress in a different manner, They They tell us, that Malcolm (furnamed Can-more,* from his large head) king of Scotland, having invaded Northumberland with a powerful army, laid waste the whole country to the banks of the river Tyne. At this time William was in Normandy, along with his fon Robert, quelling some rebellion in that part of his paternal dominions. Upon his arrival in England, being apprised of Malcolm's invafion, he immediately fent that prince with a powerful army against the Scottish chief. Unable, or unwilling to cope with Robert, who led a well-appointed army, Malcolm retreated towards his own country. Robert's inftructions limiting his duty only to drive back the invaders, and not to retaliate, he fet about building this mighty place of strength, with the defign, not only to be a powerful barrier against the incurfions of the warlike Scots, but alfo a place of arms for fecurity against any infurrection that might happen among the inhabitants in the north.

The ancient Chronicle of Mailross says, " that the Conqueror sent his fon Robert into Scotland against Malcolm, in the year 1080, who having done nothing worth notice, upon his return, built New-caftle." Hence we may conclude, that the caftle was founded the same season, towards the latter end of the year. Dugdale's Monafticon likewife informs us, that king William (the Conqueror) in the latter end of the year 1080, fent his fon Robert into Scotland againft Malcolm; but, having marched as far as Egglefbreth, he returned, (having done no exploit) and built the new cafile upon the river Tyne. Such is the fubflance of these respectable authorities, as to the occafion of building the castle, and, in confe