Minstrelsy of the Scottish border - National Library of Scotland

20 :mixstrei.sy of
an antique sword, or faulchion. The origin of this pe-
culiar service is thus stated in Beckwith's edition of
Blount's Ancient Tenures, p. 200.
" Sir Edward Blackett (the proprietor of the manor)
" now represents the person of Sir John Conyers, who,
" as tradition says, in the fields of Sockbui-ne, slew,
" with this faulchion, a monstrous creature, a dragon,
" a worm, or flying serpent, that devoured men, wo-
" men, and children. The then owner of Sockbume,
*' as a reward for his bravery, gave him the manor, with
" its appurtenances, to hold for ever, on condition
" that he meets the Lord Bishop of Durham, with this
" faulchion, on his first entrance into his diocese, after
" his election to that see.
" And, in confirmation of this tradition, there is paint-
" ed, in a window of Sockbume church, the faulchion
" we just now spoke of: and it is also cut in marble,
" upon the tomb of the great ancestor of the Conyers',
" together with a dog, and the monstrous worm, or ser-
" pent, lying at his feet, of his own killing, of which the
" history of the family gives the above account.
" When the Bishop first comes into his diocese, he
" crosses the river Tees, either at the ford of Nesham, or
" Croft-bridge, where the counties of York and Durham
" divide ; at one of which places Sir Edward Blackett,
" either in person, or by his representative, if the Bishop
" comes by Nesham, rides into the middle of the river
" Tees, with the ancient faulchion drawn in his hand,
" or upon the middle of Croft-bridge ; and then presents