a thoroughfare town in Northumberland, on the road to Scotland. Here Malcolm, king of Scotland, making an incursion into Northumberland, was killed, with Edward his son, and his army defeated, by Robert Mowbray, earl of this county, anno 1092. Likewise William, king of Scotland, in 1174, invading England with an army of 80,000 men, was here encountered, his army routed, and himself made prisoner. The town is populous, and in general well built; it has a large town-house, where the quarter-sessions and county-courts are held, and members of parliament elected. It has a spacious square, in which a market is held every Saturday. Alnwick appears to have been formerly fortified, by the vestiges of a wall still visible in many parts, and three gates which remain almost entire. It is governed by four chamberlains, who are chosen once in two years out of a common council, consisting of 24 members. It is ornamented by a stately old Gothic castle, which has been the seat of the noble family of Percy, earls of Northumberland. As the audits for receipt of rents have ever been in the castle, it has always been kept in tolerable repair; and not many years ago it was repaired and beautified by the duke of Northumberland, who made very considerable alterations, upon a most elegant plan, with a view to reside in it some part of the summer season. The manner of making freemen is peculiar to this place, and indeed is as ridiculous as singular. The persons who are to be made free, or, as the phrase is, leap the well, assemble in the market-place, very early in the morning, on the 25th of April, being St Mark's day. They appear on horseback, with every man his sword by his side, dressed in white, and with white nightcaps, attended by the four chamberlains and the castle bailiff, mounted and armed in the same manner; from hence they proceed, with music playing before them, to a large dirty pool, called *Freeman's-well*, where they dismount, and draw up in a body, at some distance from the water; and then rush into it all at once, and scramble through the mud as fast as they can. As the water is generally very foul, they come out in a dirty condition; but taking a dram, they put on dry clothes, remount their horses, and ride full gallop round the confines of the district; then re-enter the town, sword in hand, and are met by women dressed in ribbons with bells and garlands, dancing and singing. These are called *timber-waggs*. The houses of the new freemen are on this day distinguished by a great holly bush, as a signal for their friends to assemble and make merry with them after their return. This ceremony is owing to King John, who was mired in this well, and who, as a punishment for not mending the road, made this a part of their charter. Alnwick is 310 miles north-west from London, 33 north of Newcastle, and 29 south of Berwick. Long. 1° 10'. Lat. 55° 24'.

**ALOIA**, in Grecian antiquity, a festival kept in honour of Ceres by the husbandmen, and supposed to resemble our harvest-home.