28 A MEDIEVAL CITY

characteristic of the age that this very human
device should have existed, and, secondly, that
these ledges were carved and ornamented. These
misericords, as they are called, were usually
curiously, even grotesquely carved. Some of these
camngs were founded on natural objects, some were
grotesque heads, others represented subjects with
men and animals. There were pews for the nobility,
but, apart from the few old and weak people who
used the rough bench or two in the body of the
church, or the stone bench that ran along the walls,
the general public stood during the services.

Wealthy parishioners left money to the parochial
clergy and for the fabric of the church: they
generally wished to be buried at some particular
place within their parish church. Such distinguished
men as Nicholas Blackburn, merchant of York,
were commemorated at times in their parish churches
by means of stained-glass windows. The portraits
of Nicholas and his son and their wives appear
In the east window of All Saints', North Street;
his arms also are to be seen in this window.

D. YORK AS A PORT

The Ouse was tidal and navigable right up to
York. Trade, especialty in woollen goods, was
carried on in the fifteenth century by river and sea
directly between York and ports on the west coasts
of the continent and, especially, Baltic ports. On
arriving at York the boats stopped at the quays,
adjacent to which were warehouses, just below Ouse
Bridge.

The sea-going boats were not large. They were
usually one-masted sailing ships, built of wood;