Die vyandigheid
tussen die magtige Wortleys en die kleiner grondeienaars is voortgesit deur die
16de en 17de eeue. Tot so ‘n mate dat
hierdie vyandigheid gekoppel is aan die sewentiende eeuse ballade, The Dragon of Wantley. Die
toneel speel in die Sheffield omgewing af. Wantley being merely a corruption of Wharncliffe. Hierdie
legendariese ballade het ontstaan uit ‘n 16de eeuse regsgeskil. Baie
geskiedkundiges koppel die Wortley familie aan hierdie regsgeskil, maar volgens
Steve Maxon in sy breedvuldige beskrywing van: The Dragon of Wantley: The
Mystery of England’s Most Famous Dragon Legend is Here Solved. May 2013, was dit ‘n geskil van ‘n sekere George More on behalf of the Sheffield
Burgery ('free men') teen die Lord of Sheffield Manor, George Talbot, the
sixth Earl of Shrewsbury. (http://stevemoxon.co.uk/dragon-of-wantley.php)
The tale of the Dragon of Wantley tells how a
dragon, living in a cave in the crags terrorised the locals by preying upon
their children and cattle. All sorts of
cattle this dragon would eat, some say he ate up trees. And that the forests sure he would devour up
by degrees. For houses and churches were
to him geese and turkeys. He ate all and
left none behind. But some stones, dear
Jack, that he could not crack. Which on
the hills you will find. The knight,
More of More Hall takes on the dragon in battle, wearing a suit of spiked
armour, waiting in a pond for the dragon to come and drink. More kills the
dragon either (depending on which version you read) with a blow or by allowing
the dragon to coil around him and squeeze, thus impaling itself of his
spikes. (Andy
Hemmingway. https://andyhemingway.wordpress.com/page/5/?app-download=windowsphone)
Deur alle eeue word die draak as een van die simbole van die duiwel gesien, en word dit gebruik om tirannie, onderdrukking, wreedheid en onregverdigheid uit te beeld. (Jewitt, Liewellynn: The art journal – Art among the ballad-mongers, F.S.A.)
This natural cleft in the crags near Wharncliffe Lodge. (Hey, David: A History of the Peak District Moors) I was there above forty years ago: and it being a woody rocky place, my friend made me clamber over rocks and stones, not telling me to what end, till I came to a sort of a cave; then asked my opinion of the place, and pointing to one end, says, 'Here lay the Dragon killed by Moor of Moor-hall: here lay his head; here lay his tail; and the stones we came over on the hill, are those he could not crack; and yon white house you see half a mile off, is Moor-hall. (http://www.masseiana.org/dragon_of_wantley.htm)
Doodmaak van die Wharncliffe Draak. Sheffield stadsaal.
