the King "for judgment to be done," which usually consisted of the gibbet, but a provision was in force for the offender's servants being free.

The foregoing is merely a bare summary of this ancient and interesting document, which has not hitherto been accurately transcribed and published in full; but a transcript will, it is hoped, be subsequently included in the Society's proceedings. It would, perhaps, be interesting in a future paper to trace the history of the Preston Guild, from the period of the "Costumal" up to the present time. For the present, we may confine ourselves to a few general remarks, bearing directly on the subject of Town Guilds.

The earliest written record of the Guild in the possession of the Corporation, is of that held in the year 1379. It would appear, however, that they were before that date held for the express purpose of receiving and recording the granting of royal charters; at least, that was the evident intention of the Guild of 1328, one of the orders of which Guild (extracted from the 4th vol. of Dr. Kuerden's MSS. in Herald's College), runs as follows:"Alsoe the same Maire baliffs and Burges with "all the Comonalte be hole assent and consent "have ordered that it shalbe lewful to the sayd "Maire Balifes and burges, there heyres and "successors to sett a Gyld Merchand at every "xx. yere ende for ever if they nede to conferme Chayrters or other distres that longis to our "francis." 3

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Beyond Dr. Kuerden's MSS., no record exists of this Guild of 1328, which was held in the year of the granting of a charter by Edward III; and although there is no record, it is highly probable that another Guild was held on the receipt of a

3 I.e., "that belongs to our franchise."

charter from Richard II in 1379. The decision, however, to hold the celebration of the Guild when there was need to confirm and receive charters, was really never observed; but, with few exceptions, the Guild has been celebrated every 20 years, and its records shew clearly and fully the gradual development of its powers to suit the times, and its ever-increasing authority exercised, supported, when occasion demanded, by royal charters, until an almost perfect form of municipal government was attained.

One cannot study the history of English Guilds, especially those that have survived to the present time, without coming to the conclusion that what are generally thought modern notions, viz., the principles of liberty of the subject, the universal condemnation of wrong-doing, and the protection of the individual, were due in a large measure to the wisdom of our ancestors, who, even before the laws of the realm controlled local affairs, voluntarily formed themselves into associations having these laudable ends in view.

LANCASTER CASTLE.

By Edward W. Cox.

(Read 5th November, 1895.)

THE

THE SITE.

HE steep, isolated hill on which stands Lancaster must have presented, at a very early age, one of those natural sites for a fortress, of which, in the rude and disturbed times of tribal warfare that prevailed in primeval Britain, the local tribes would not be slow to avail themselves. Standing as it does where the fells terminate in the plain that extends to the sea-once of much wider extent, for here, at Aldingham, on the neighbouring coast at Seascales, and at Urswick and its tarn we have traditions of submerged lands and towns-it commands the plain country and the not distant coast lines; while its outlying and detached position from the rearward fells on the east gives it control of the rich and fertile Lune valley, the entrance to the hill pastures and ploughlands of North Lancashire.

Rising from the banks of the Lune, which passes it to the east and north in many curves and links, it also holds the lowest fords and bridge of the river, which here curves round two sides of the hill, forming one of those naturally secured sites