Baring-Gould’s sources: Anciently venerated at Tryberg in Yorkshire. Authority: — “The Memoirs of Sir John Reresby of Thrybergh, Bart, M.P. for York, A.D. Sir John Reresby writes: “A deed dated 1349 is the first that mentions the altar of S. Leonard, the tutelar saint of Thrybergh, according to the custom of Roman rites. Tradition will have him to have been one of the family of Reresby, and conveys to us a long story concerning him, the substance of which is this: — That one Leonard de Reresby, serving his prince in the Holy War, was taken prisoner by the Saracens, and there detained captive nearly seven years; that his wife, according to the law of the land, was towards being married to another; that being apprehensive of this accident, by the power of prayer he was miraculously delivered, and insensibly conveyed with shackles and gyves and fetters upon his limbs, and laid upon the East Hill in Thrybeig Field as the bells tolled for his wife's second marriage, which her first husband's return prevented; though he presently died as soon as brought into the church, where he desired to pay his first visit. “ I shall not undertake either to comment or extenuate upon the story, either to make it more or less probable. Only this I must say, superstition gave such credit either to this or like story, that an ancient cross remains to this day upon the same East Hill, though defaced in late times, called S. Leonard's cross; the church of Thryberg and the great bell are dedicated to S. Leonard, his picture in chains and fetters was in the church window till late broken down; and as some will have it, his festival observed in the family on S. Leonard of Reresby.

Whit-Sunday, and his fetters preserved in the house, till my great-grandfather, Sir Thomas Reresby’s time, when in his absence they were converted into ploughshares by his wife’s orders.”

There are several churches in the neighbourhood dedicated to S. Leonard, as Wortley and Horbury, and it is remarkable that in the latter, and probably in the former also, the village feast, which is the old dedication festival, is observed on the same day as Tryberg — viz., Whit-Sunday. A somewhat similar story is told of the Lord of Eppe near Laon. He and his two brothers were taken prisoners by the Saracens [medieval Christian name for Arab and Muslim peoples]. In his prison he converted a beautiful Mahometan maiden, and for her carved an image of the Blessed Virgin. They agreed to escape together to Europe. She and the three brothers having got away with the image, hid in a wood. Heavy sleep came over them. When they awoke they were at Eppe again. The girl was baptized by the Bishop of Laon, Bartholomew de Vir (1113-1151), and the image became famous as Notre Dame de Liesse.