Apart from specific references cited below the principal sources from which information has been derived ares:- Victoria County History (Yorkshire, North Riding I); The Visitation of Yorkshire made in the Years 1584/5, ed. by Joseph Poster (1875); A List of the Roman Catholics in the County of York in 1604, ed. by Edward Peacock (1872) from a manuscript in the Bodleian Library; and Pedigrees of the County Families of Yorkshire (North and East Ridings), by Joseph Foster (1874). The relevant volumes of the C.R.S. publications have also been consulted.

(1) The survey would embrace the principal parishes of Birkby, Hutton, Conyers, Kirkby Sigston, Leake, Northallerton, Osmotherley, North Otterington, West Rounton, Sessay, Sockburn and Thornton-le-Street.

(2) i.e. with my neighbours.

(3) i.e. to turn from the general to the particular.

(4) So far I have been unable to ascertain who was Vicar of Eilvington at this time.

(5) Roger Meynell, a noted Yorkshire recusant, inherited the manor of North Kilvington in the parish of Thornton-le-Street in 1572. He had joined the northern rebellion of 1569, but had later received the royal pardon. According to Foster (Pedigrees) he married Margery, daughter of Antony Oatterick by Elizabeth, daughter of Rowland Tempest, and by her had two sons and three daughters. The notice in C.R.S. Vol.XI, at page 57, states incorrectly that his wife's name was Margaret and that she was “daughter ana ooheir of Rowland Tempest of Holmside, co. Durham”. His elder son Thomas (b.1564 or 5, d.1653) inherited on his father's death in 1591.

(6) Presumably Richard Mennell or Meynell of Dalton-cum-Gailes, a half-brother of Roger (Anthony, the father, having been twice married). He died in 1612. He is referred to as “the blackmore Dic”, as Mr.Croft Andrew pointed out to me, because the crest of the Meynell family of Kilvington Hall was a negro”s head in profile with a silver and blue wreath round the temples and knotted behind (see Foster, Pedigrees). There was another Richard Meynell of Eslington, whose daughter Isabel married James Danby of Soruton.

(7) The reference is to the stubbornness of the Pharaoh of the Exodus.

(8) A gibing: reference to St.Hugh, patron saint of the hunt.

(9) Roger Talbot succeeded to the manor of Thornton-le-Street in 1573, except for one-third which Roger Meynell seems to have held. For a full account of the Talbot a aee the article by Dom Hugh Bowler in Biographical Studies, Vol.II, No.1, pp.4–22. Fr. Bowler tella me that the unnamed brother is probably Richard, who was an ardent reouaant and who appear a to have been living at South Ottferlngton in 1598.

(10) Untraced up to date.

(11) The name of thia Vicar of Leake ia, as yet, unknown to me.

(12) Thomaa Danby of Leake, waa the aon of James Danby of Brawarth, (Brawith). He is deaoribed as “little” probably because he was of a Junior branch of the house of Danby. He succeeded to the manors of Brawith and Leake in 1581, which at his death descended to his aon Thomas (b.1589).

(13) Who Tomlin was, or what is the alluaion, I know not.

(14) Mary Danby ia described by Peacock as a recusant of Leake in 1604. She waa the daughter of James (see note (12) above) and ia described as unmarried in 1612 (Poater, Viaitation). Mylea of Brawith waa James's second son. The only Isabel I have been able to trace ia the daughter of Richard Meynell who waa married to James Danby of Sera ton in Richmondshire and ia described in Poater'a Visitation as alive in 1585 (see note (6) above).

(15) There ia a return of the wife of Prancia Newsome of Willowby Hall, Selby, for 1604 in Peacock. I have no record to date of the wife of Mr. Green.

(16) A facetioua reference to child-birth.

(17) Recusant Metcalfe a abounded in Richmondshire and Allertonshire. This may be Mary, wife of Valentine Metcalf of Otterington.

(18) Anthony Ware was incumbent of Cowesby from 1587/8 to 1623. John Lyndsell waa incumbent of Kirkby Sigston from 1571 to 1603. For this information I am indebted to the Rev. J.C. Dupuia and W.F. Parrington Esq.

(19) The Rev. John Bateman, the present vicar, tell a me the date a of Darbishire's incumbency are 1589 to 1609.

(20) Vincent Metcalfe of North Otterington was the fourth son of Michael Metcalfe of Hennege. He married a relative, Mary, and by her had Michael, his son and heir. He was related to Mark Metcalfe (next note) through their common ancestor Bryan Metcalfe of Beare Park in Wensleydale (one of the champions of The Felon Sew), their great-great-grandfather.

(21) For the following note I am indebted to Mr. C.K. Croft Andrew. “The Rev. Mark Metcalf was vicar of Northallerton for 32 years from 1561 and was buried in our Parish Church 24 May, 1593, aged 54. in C.J.D. Ingledew’s History … of North Allerton …, 1858, his sepulchral slab at the east end of the north aisle is noticed at page 174, with transcript of its latin inscription, which set forth that he was a son of Luke Metcalf of Bedale and brother and heir of Nicholas Metcalf esq., one of the Six Clerks in Chancery (d.1581)”.

(22) A Thomas Masterman is recorded as a recusant of Bransbie in the North Riding after 25 March 1603.

(23) “Stoan” is apparently a shortening for “Grymstone”.

(24) The Rev. W. Horn informs me that Francis Grene was rector of Birkby (also Birkley vel Brettley) from 1565 to 1611.

(25) The Conyers like the Metcalfes were a mighty Yorkshire clan. This is probably Christopher Conyers of Button Bonville, a recusant at least from 1584. Peacock's list also records Robert and Roger Conyers, gentlemen recusants (probably sons of Christopher) about 1590, also of Hutton.

(26) In 1544 Marmaduke Thwaites of Little Smeaton came into possession of a moiety of the manor of Birkby. Marmaduke’s daughter and heiresa, Dorothy, married Thomas Grimaton of Grimston Garth and Goodmanham. She bought the other moiety of the manor from the Foljambea in 1562. Thomas thus became lord of Little Smeaton and Birkby, not to speak of the manors of South Mores, Little Danby etc. Dorothy Grimston, who survived her husband, died in 1590 leaving at least three sons. Marmaduke, the eldest, succeeded to the estates and is probably he to whom the poem refers.

(27) For reasons of health Cardinal Allen returned from abroad to this country towards the end of 1562 and remained for about two years teaching the faithful and reconciling the lapsed. This, as far as I know, is the only record of his having visited during that period that part of the North Riding of Yorkshire “where wyske doth overflowe”. The river Wiske waters the countryside of Great and Little Smeaton, Birkby (of which it is the Western boundary), Hutton Bonville, Danby Wiske and Little Danby, and, further South, North and South Otterington.

(28) William Bowes of Ellerbeck married Mary, daughter and co-heiress of Anthony Gatenbv of Gatenby. He is stated by Foster (Visitation) to have been alive in 1612. According to Peacock's List there is a recusant return for 1604, given under Osmotherley, of “Margaret Gatehbie, wedow in house with William Bowes of Ellerbeck since 25 March 1603.” Possibly Mary's mother?

(29) i.e. his position should lead him to take neceasary precautions to stamp out the popery in his diocese.