178 HISTORY OF BISHOP AUCKLAND. There is another droll story tradition has handed down to us, which illustrates another point in Neddy's character, and also shows that he was a wit as well as a fighter. He once fought a battle (tins time with a man) in a field adjoining the town, and it appears his opponent was too many for him. Neddy in the course of the encounter was knocked down, and neither the entreaties of his friends nor the taunts of his enemies could induce him to rise again — ^there he lay with his face buried in the grass. At length, when nearly all the crowd had left the place, a mischievous lad gave him a kick in the ribs and said, "Oh I Neddy, thou's lost the fight'* Neddy immediately turned up his face and cried out, in broad Auckland lingo, "Thou's a leer! the man that keeps the field the langest wins the fight" Some old people used to say that Neddy repeated his feat of leaping from the bridge three times, and, on the last occasion, dashed his brains out This statement, however, is unauthenticated, and the most probable story is that he died a natural death, and was buried like another good Christian, but, it would seem, without a stone to mark the spot The only record that can now be found of him is the half obliterated inscription on Newton Cap Bridge, and the following lines in the Parish Registers of St Andrew's Auckland : — 1755. — March 15. — Elk., wife of Edward Palfrey, of Newton Bridge [buried], 1770.— July 7.— Edward Palfrey [buried]. Newton Cap, or " Newtonne," as it is called in the early parish registers of St Andrew's, seems to have been a place of some consideration in olden times, as the number of burials recorded in them from that place are very numerous. The " Bolden Buke" states : " In Newtonne there are thirteen villeins, whose services are similar to those of North Auckland." This number is only nine less than were in the latter place. We have no information, however, as to where the village stood in which the villeins resided, and had their "toft and croft" and "oxgangs of land" It seems probable, if we may judge from its name (Newtoime), to have been an offshoot of the old town of North Auckland In Bishop Hatfield's survey there are two free tenants named. The bond tenants "held a common forge, furnace, and kiln, and they rendered for one milch co^ at liiiartinmas 6s., for aver-pennies 8s. 8d, for comage 208. 7d, and for each oxgang of land a hen at the Nativity and ten eggs at Easter — ^in all, thirteen hens and six score and ten eggs." The exchequer lands, let at a certain rent, were very considerable, consisting of forty tenements and seventy-two parcels of land As to who was the first builder of the old and picturesque ruin which now crowns the hill, called Newton Cap HaJl, we have no record ; the earliest accounts, however, seem to point to the Wren family. In the year 1570, May 24th, we find the following entry in the parish registers: — Old Mrs. Wren, of Newtonne, buried. The old document* alluded to on page 35, and of which we give a transcript below, shows
- To all ObrUtiftn people to whom the preaent writing thallootDe, Lindley Wren, of Newton Cap, in the Qonnty of Dnrham, Eeqaire^
■endetb fleeting in onr Ix)rd God everlaeting. Know ye, we the said Lindley Wren, oat of the nataral love and affection which 1 bear to my eldest eon, Charlea Wren, of Bincheeter, in the said county, gentleman, and for divers good oaases and considerations, me iheteonto specially moving to have ^ven, granted, and by this present writing to give, grant, luien, enfeoff, and confirm onto the ■aid Charles Wren, his heirs and assigns, all that my burgage or tenement, situate, Iving, and being within the borough of North Auckland, in the said county, in a certain street there called Fenkell Stre^ with a backside adjoining upon the same, containing by estimation three yards in breadth and fourteen yards in length, between a burmge belonging to the said Lindley Wren on the south, and the High Street on the north and east, and now in the occupation of Ann Wren, widow, with all and singular the appurtenancea to the said burgage or tenements belonging, and the reversion and reversions whatsoever of the said premises, and of every part thereof, to have and to hold the said burgage and tenement and premises aforesaid, with the appurtenances and every part and pared thereof, unto the said Charles Wren, his heirs and assigns for ever, to be held of the chief Lord or Lords of the fee or feet of the same premises by the services therefore and of right accustomed, and I the said Lindley Wren and my heirs, the said burgage or tenement and all other the premises aforesaid, with the appurtenances and every part and parcel thereof, unto the said Charles Wrsn, Ms heirs and assigns, to the odly and proper use and behoof of the said Charles wren, his heirs and assigns, against me and my hein^ ■hall and will warrant and for ever deifend by these presents. In witness whereof I the said Lindley Wren unto this my present writing have set to my band and seal, the four and twentieth day of February, in the year of our Lord God, according to th« oomputation of the Church of England, one thoosand six hundred fifty and two. LniDLsr Whw. The above curious old document (now in the author's possession) is attested by John Oalverley, John Sdator,. and Henry Fery, tiie latter with a mark. Calverley was steward of the Manor Court at the above penod. Digitized by Google
