Pontefract: Its Name, its Lords, A CONCISE HISTORY, BY RICHARD HOLMES. "Whatever withdraws us from the power of our senses, THE ARMES OF THE TOWNE OF PONTFRACT,-1585. Pontefract: 1878. $100 PREFACE. WHILE IT IS VERY NATURAL to desire to learn somewhat of the previous history of any place in which one's lot is cast, such a desire is largely increased when dwelling in a town like Pontefract, which has been the world-renowned theatre of the most important events. As one result of the study and research employed in the preparation of the following pages, we are emboldened to say that the domestic history of the whole Kingdom, religiously and politically, may be written with Pontefract as a centre. How much its history and that of its Lords are interwoven with the history of the country the following pages will PREFACE. That the labour of others may be lessened by the light we have been enabled to throw upon some obscure passages, we have in every case referred to the authority; and the present work which has occupied our leisure for the past eight years, will, we hope, act as an incentive to others to take up some different branch of the subject. With these few words of introduction, the writer begs to solicit for his little volume a kind reception from the increasingly large body of educated readers interested in antiquarian pursuits. Pontefract, March 4th, 1878. |