History of Pontefract

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. As mankind was primarily created by the Supreme Being, for the reciprocal comfort and benefit of one another, an incumbent duty is imposed upon every member of society, to contribute, as much as lays in his power, towards the general good. In the beginning of the Cataline War, Sallust not only shews the difference existing between rational and irrational creatures, but thus elegantly writes: - 'Omnis homines, qui sese student praestare caeteris animalibus, summa ope niti decet, ne vitam silentio transeant, veluti pecora, quae natura prona atque ventri obedientia finxit.' And the inimitable bard of Avon, thus deciphers man: -

'What is man,
If his chief good, and market of his time,
Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more.
Sure, he, that made us with such large discourse
Looking before, and after, gave us not
That capability and godlike reason
To rust in us unused.'

Should, therefore, the following pages, which are submitted to the public, without much comment or introduction, escape the keen eye of criticism, and meet with the approbation of the gentle reader, the most sanguine expectations of the compiler are realized.