PREFACE. THE Collector of the following fragments of the history of a parish much less known than many other parts of Yorkshire, has only the merit of some degree of industry, and of as much accuracy as he could attain, in the researches which he has made. The rapid decay of the antiquities of the country by all-devouring time, and the barbarous spoliations of ignorant men, call for the interposition of the annalist and antiquary, to preserve the knowledge of those remnants of curiosity and antiquity which are still to be found in the kingdom. The author has entered into no contro versy with any other writer on the subjects which have come under his consideration, as he had no preconceived system to support, and his chief purpose has been to record matters of fact as he could discover them; nor has he introduced into his narration any doubtful disputations of a religious nature, although he has no wish to disguise his own sentiments as a protestant, whose principal desire is to promote in the world the Christian religion in its power and purity. The struggles for religious liberty in former centuries, too frequently issued in the dereliction or demolition of many of our ecclesiastical buildings; and in various instances, the conduct of the provoked opponents of the hierarchy had more the appearance of sacrilegious revenge, than of pious zeal for the advancement of re ligion. But better times have succeeded, and at present, the want of places of public worship is as generally felt, as the destruction of our churches of ancient architecture is regretted; and every Christian man will be desirous not only of preserving the temples of God which we now possess, but of promoting every prudent plan for increasing the number of them. To afford some relief from the tædium of local history, such miscellaneous matter from various sources has been occasionally introduced into this collection, as may probably obtain the approbation rather than excite the censure of general readers: It is certain however, that publications of this sort can acquire only a very limited circulation; and the precaution which is frequently adopted, to ensure the sale of a certain number of copies of expensive local histories, is seldom unreasonable, and often indispensably necessary. The compiler does not say that the remembrance of the circumstances of former years, when a vicar of Swine was also the schoolmaster of Swine has given no zest to his inquiries,* or has had no influence in the production of these papers; and if his performance be deemed too limited in its extent, or insignificant in its object, in giving the early history of one parish only, he might easily reply, that he wishes his defects may bring into activity, the talents of some other person who may be able to execute the comprehensive plan of the late Rev. William Dade, and give the ancient and modern history of every parish in HOLDERNESS. * Nescio quâ natale solum dulcedine captos COTTINGHAM CASTLE, NEAR HULL, June, 1824. |