I am, in mind, and that's enough.
_Humph_. But if thou be a king, where is thy crown?"

--_King Henry VI_.

Waddington Hall, the site of the following legend, says Pennant, "is a
stone house, with some small ancient windows, and a narrow winding
staircase within, now inhabited by several poor families; yet it
formerly gave shelter to a royal guest. The meek usurper, Henry VI.,
after the battle of Hexham, in 1463, was conveyed into this county,
where he was concealed by his vassals for an entire twelvemonth,
notwithstanding the most diligent search was made after him. At length
he was surprised at dinner at Waddington Hall, and taken near Bungerley
Hippingstones in Clitherwood. The account which Leland gives from an
ancient chronicle concurs with the tradition of the country, that he was
deceived--_i.e._ betrayed--by Thomas Talbot, son and heir to Sir Edmund
Talbot, of Bashal, and John his cousin, of Colebry. The house was beset;
but the king found means to get out, ran across the fields below Waddow
Hall, and passed the Ribble, on the stepping-stones, into a wood on the
Lancashire side, called Christian Pightle, but being closely pursued,
was there taken. From hence he was carried to London, in the most
piteous manner, on horseback, with his legs tied to the stirrups. Rymer
has preserved the grant of a reward for this service, of the estates of
Sir Richard Tunstall, a Lancastrian, to Sir James Harrington, by Edward
IV., dated from Westminster, July 9th, 1465."

At that time Waddington belonged to the Tempests, who inherited it by
virtue of the marriage of their ancestor, Sir Roger, in the reign of
Edward I., with Alice, daughter and heiress of Walter de Waddington. An
alliance had just been made between the Tempests and the Talbots. It may
be presumed, that in order to save their estates (which they afterward
were suffered quietly to possess), they agreed with Sir James to give up
the saintly monarch, which was the reason that the latter had the reward
for what the grant calls "his great and laborious diligence in taking
our great traitor and rebel, Henry, lately called Henry VI."

Far different was the conduct of Sir Ralph Pudsey, of Bolton Hall, where
the king was concealed for some months prior to his appearance at
Waddington. Quitting Bolton, probably from some apprehension that his
retreat was in danger of being discovered, he left behind him the
well-known relics which are still shown to the curious. Thes