He was one of the petty princes who
joined the murderers of King Ethelred. After this overthrow he fled to
his castle, on a hill near Whitby, and dying, was interred not far from
the place. Two great pillars, about twelve feet asunder, mark the spot,
and still bear the name of "Wada's Grave."
It was on a bright and glorious summer evening, in the year 1464, while
the red glare of sunset was still in the west, and a wide blush of
purple passed rapidly over the distant fell and the blue and heath-clad
mountain, that a group of labourers were returning from their daily toil
through the forest glades that skirt the broad and beautiful Ribble
below Waddow. Some of them were of that class called hinds, paying the
rents of their little homesteads by stated periods of service allotted
to each; in this respect differing but little from the serfs and
villains of a more remote era, their toil not a whit less irksome,
though their liberty, in name at least, was less under the control and
caprice of their lord.
Two of the peasants loitered considerably behind the rest, seemingly
engrossed by a conversation too interesting or too important for the
ears of their companions.
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