YORK, Duke of, a title formerly conferred on the second sons of the kings of England. It was first borne, however, by EDMUND DE LANG LEY, fifth son of Edward III, who was created Duke of York in 1385, and died in 1402. He was the founder of the house of York, in Eng lish history that of the ewhite rose?' while his elder brother John, fourth son of Edward III, created Duke of Lancaster in 1362, was the founder of the rival house of Lancaster, or the °red rose° • and their claims.were contested for nearly half'a century in the so-called Wars of the Roses. The first Duke of York was suc ceeded by his son Edward, who fell at Agin court in 1415, and was succeeded by his nephew Richard, son of Anne Mortimer, who was granddaughter of Lionel, Duke of Clarence, third son of Edward III. It was by virtue of this descent from the Duke of Clarence that the house alleged its superior right over that of Lancaster, which was descended from the fourth son of Edward III. The title was sub sequently borne by Edward Plantagenet, after ward Edward IV; by Richard Plantagenet, supposed to have been murdered in 1483 by his uncle, Richard III; by Henry Tudor, afterward Henry VIII; by Charles Stuart, afterward Charles I; by James Stuart, afterward James II; and was conferred by the pretender, James III, on his second son, Henry Benedict, known in history as Cardinal York, the last of the royal family of the Stuarts. After the acces sion of the house of Hanover to the British throne, George I created his brother ERNEST AUGUSTUS Duke of York and Albany (1716). He died in 1728, and the title was held by En wAan AUGUSTUS, the second son of Frederic, Prince of Wales, and FREDERIC, second son of George III, who was made commander-in-chief of the British army, but showed little ability. The title was in abeyance until 1892, when it was conferred on Prince George Frederick Er nest Albert, the second son of Edward VII, who in 1910 ascended the throne as George V.
YORK (British, Carr, Ebroc ; Latin, Ebora cum), England, an archiepiscopal city, county, municipal and Parliamentary borough, capital of Yorkshire, 196 miles north-northwest from Lon don by rail, at the confluence of the Foss with the Ouse. h consists of the city proper, and of suburbs, some portions of which are situated across the Foss, and communicate with the rest by several bridges. The city, with a circuit of nearly three miles, is enclosed by ancient double walls, originally Roman, but restored by Edward I, and partly repaired at subsequent periods; the portions which still remain have been convened into promenades, commanding a beautiful pros pect of the surrounding country. York is en tered by four imposing gates; and is built for the most part in narrow irregular streets, many lined with houses of antique appearance. Im provements have modernized many of the older parts of the city, and many handsome ranges of new buildings have been erected. The moister or cathedral dates from the 7th century, but did not begin to assume its present form till 1171, and was not completed till 1472. A square mas sive tower rises from the intersection to the height of 235 feet, and two other lofty towers of graceful proportion, 196 feet, flank a richly decorated western front, divided by paneled buttresses into three compartments, of which that in the centre is chiefly occupied by a beau tiful window and a splendid portal. Measured without the walls, the whole length, from east to west, is 524 feet, and the with across the transepts, north to south, 222 feet; length, from west door to choir, 264 feet; length of choir, 162 feet; breadth of body and side aisles, 109 feet. The interior consists chiefly of a lofty
nave, separated from its aisles by long ranges of finely clustered columns, a still loftier choir, lighted by a magnificent and beautifully blazoned window, and a lady-chapel continuing the choir, and containing some beautiful monuments. The cathedral has twice sustained serious damage and narrowly escaped total destruction from fire, caused in 1829 by an incendiary lunatic, and in 1840 by the negligence of a workman engaged on its repair. The chapter-house, entered from the north transept of the cathedral, is a richly decorated octagon, and near it is a fine old chapel, originally forming part of the old archi episcopal palace, and now appropriated to the library. York possesses many other places of worship, including a beautiful Roman Catholic pro-cathedral; and collegiate, grammar, blue coat, gray-coat and board schools. Other not able buildings and establishments are an ancient Gothic guildhall (1446), and spacious mansion house adjoining; the fine old ruins of Saint Mary's Abbey; Clifford's Tower, part of the city castle founded by the Con queror; the fine old merchants' hall; county assize courts; city courts of justice in the late Gothic style (1892) •, the museum of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society, assembly room, Masonic hall, baths, art-gallery, free library, the Yorkshire Club-house, concert rooms, two theatres, cemetery, lunatic and blind asylums, dispensary, county hospital, cattle mar ket, almshouses and numerous other charities. The railway station is one of the finest in Eng land. The manufactures include iron castings, bottles, leather, flour, cocoa, gloves glass, flax spinning, linen and confectionery. 'York ranks second among English citics, its archbishop having the title of Primate of England (see ARetinistioe); its chief magistrate takes the title of lord-mayor. It is the headquarters of the North-Eastern Railway Company and con tains their carriage and wagon shops. There is communication by water with Selby. Gook. Hull, etc. York was the early British Caer Ebroc of the Brigantes and under the Romans as Eboracum became their principal seat of power in the north, if not in the whole country Here died the Roman emperors Severn' and Constantius Chlorus, and here it is popularly (but incorrectly) supposed Constantine the Great was born. After their departure it so far retained its importance as to become the mite of Northumbna, whose king, Edwin, in 624 made it an archiepiscopal see. In the 8th cen tury its diocesan school attracted students sot only from all parts of the kingdom, but from France and Germany, and sent out scholars who afterward acquired European celebrity. Here the first English Parliament was held by Henry II in 1160. In after-times it makes a distin guished figure in almost all the great epochs and events of English history, during the Civil War surrendering to the Parliamentarians after a siege of several weeks, subsequent to their victory at Marston Moor m the vicinity. Among its distinguished natives are Alcuin the tutor to the family of Charlemagne; Flaxman the sculptor; and William Euy the painter. Pop 82,M. Consult Drake, F., 'Eboracum: or the History and Antiquities of the City of York' (1843) ; Raine, J., 'York' (1893); A. P., 'York Minster' (1897) ' - Rowntree. B. S. 'Poverty: A Study of Town Life' (1901).