A full and authentic report of the trial of Jonathan Martin at the Castle of York, on Tuesday, March 31, 1829, for setting fire to York Minister; with an account of the life of the lunatic. The destruction of the choir of York Cathedral, on the second of February, 1829; the flight and apprehension of the incendiary; his examination and commitment to York city gaol; the proceedings at public meetings held at York, in consequence of the fire; embellished with a striking likeness of Martin and a ground plan of the minister.

Date:: 1829

Credit: A full and authentic report of the trial of Jonathan Martin at the Castle of York, on Tuesday, March 31, 1829, for setting fire to York Minister; with an account of the life of the lunatic. The destruction of the choir of York Cathedral, on the second of February, 1829; the flight and apprehension of the incendiary; his examination and commitment to York city gaol; the proceedings at public meetings held at York, in consequence of the fire; embellished with a striking likeness of Martin and a ground plan of the minister. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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2 s ever, continue the object of interest. Hundreds of visitors have arrived to view the Minster's desolated state:—a state presenting so strong a contrast to that which it offered to the eye of the spectator, when the noble and the great—the beautiful and the voung—crowded its vaulted aisles/' to listen to the strains of heavenly harmony. But the glory is not departed for ever from its walls : and it is beautiful even in desolation. It is impossible to close this part of our subject, without al- luding to the remarkable circumstance, that one of the lessons appointed to be read on the Sunday after this calamity, at the evening church service, vas the 64th chapter of Isaiah, being the church's prayer to God. It was wonderfully applicable to the calamitous tire, which so fatally destroyed the House of Prayer in our noble Cathedral. One verse we cannot help extracting: Our holy and our beautiful House, where our Fathers praised Thee, is burned with Jire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste. The Minster has been several times destroyed by fire. The last time was during the episcopacy of Archbishop Thornton, on the 4th of June, in the year 1137- On that day, a casual fire be°an in the city, which burnt down the Cathedral again, and along with it, St. Mary's Abbey and 39 Parish Churches. We find an indulgence granted soon after by Joceline Bishop of Sartm, setting forth, that i( Whereas the Metropolitical Church of York was consumed by a new fire, and almost subverted, destroyed, and miserably spoiled of its ornaments, therefore to such as bountifully contribute towards the re-edification of it, he released to them forty days of penance enjoined. In ] 171 Archbishop Rogers began to rebuild the choir : but this erection was pulled down after the completion of the other portions of the Cathedral: and the present structure was commenced in 136l, by Archbishop Thoresby; and was finished about 1406. The Minster was preserved from fire nearly sixty years ago, by the Rev. Wm. Cayley, canon residentiary, and rector of Agnes Burton, in the East Riding. He was returning home from an evening party on foot, and observing a flame issuing from the roof of the Cathedral, he lost no time in giving the necessary alarm; it was found that the fire which had made its way to a consider- able extent under the roof, had originated from the plumber's carelessness, in having allowed a large portion of boiling lead to flow amongst the scantlings under the roof, which must have fallen in, had it not been for this timely discovery. EXAMINATION INTO THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE. We have already noticed the various reports relative to the origin of the fire; some ascribing it to the gas, others to candles left in the organ loft, or the Clergymen's robing-room, and others to an incendiary : the latter being confirmed in their belief, by the knotted rope which had

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