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Holywell is noted for its well, the "sacred spring." The legend connected with this spring is about as follows: There lived here in the seventh century a virgin by the name of Winifred. Her father Thewith was a rich nobleman, and second man in the kingdom of North Wales, next to the king. At a very early age Winifred was placed under the care of her maternal uncle Beuno, a holy man, and a priest. She lived with other pious maidens in a small nunnery erected for her by her father. Caradoc, Prince of Wales, struck with her great beauty. finding it impossible to gain her in marriage, attempted to carry her off by force. She fled towards the church, the Prince pursued her, and in his rage cut off her head with his sword, which severed head bounded down the hill, entered the church door, rolled to the foot of the altar where St. Beuno was serving. Where the head rested a spring of uncommon size burst forth, fragrant moss adorned its sides, where her blood spotted the stones. St. Beuno took up the head, and through his prayers it was united to the body. the virgin was restored to life, and lived in the odor of sanctity for fifteen years afterward. She took the veil, became abbess of a nunnery at Gwyrtherin in Denbighshire, died and was buried. During the reign of Stephen, her bones were carried to Shrewsbury and buried near the high altar of the abbey. Whatever truth there may be in the above legend, it is certain a wonderful well is found at "Treffynnon"-one of

the seven wonders of Wales. Its flow is said to be about one hundred tons per minute, and it is quite certain that it has some healing virtues. Lord Denbigh writing of it said, "It would be scarcely figurative here. to say, 'the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed.'" The well has been vis ited by William the Conqueror. Henry II., Edward I., James II., and more recently by Daniel O'Connell, Cardinal Wiseman, and the king of the Belgians. The structure connected with the well, together with the chapel above, was built by Margaret, the mother of Henry VII., in the latter part of the fifteenth century. The interior work. is beautifully executed. The water passes under an arch into a large basin.

Mostyn Hall is three miles northwest of Holywell. It is a veritable museum of Welsh relics, and it is interesting as the scene of the remarkable escape of Henry, Earl of Richmond, afterward Henry VII., from the troops of Richard III. The party was on the point of sitting down to dinner when Richard's troops disturbed the banquet, and Henry had to make his escape through a window. We are told that on every occasion when a feast of unusual importance is had at Mostyn Hall, the knife and fork that Henry used, are placed on the banqueting table. Mostyn station near Mostyn Hall is a rising port on the Dee, with a population of about 3,000. Downing, about two miles from Mostyn Hall, the residence of Pennant, is noted for its antiquities. In the lat

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But hark! 'bove all, both loud and clear,
Caradoc's voice above the slain-
Turn we their battle's wild career,
Or sink on Morfa Rhuddlan's plain!"
Each Briton's heart with courage swells,
Each British cheek with fury red;
Each nervous arm a foeman fells,

Each blade a fiercer death hath sped;
Lo! frightful gaps-and dead on dead!
Whilst Cambria prays that Heaven
would shield

Her hearths and homes-her warriors aid
In fight on Rhuddlan's bloody field!
By solemn dread my soul's assailed,
The victor's shouts now louder grow!
Boast not: 'twas numbers that prevail'd,
And not thy might, exulting foe!
But Oh! of those the grief and woe,
And wailing as they fly to gain
The mountain heights and leave below
Their dead on Rhuddlan's bloody plain.

On Snowdon's crag, each stream and dell,
Loud echoes hear to British wail!
And rocks to rocks responsive tell

Of Cambria's loss the fearful tale;
And now upon the rising gale

Is borne Caradoc's fate alone,
And weeping bards his fall bewail
In Morfa Rhuddlan's mournful song!

I seek the warrior's lowly bed

On Rhuddlan's marsh; but cannot trace A vestige of the noble dead,

Or aught to mark their resting place; Green rush and reeds are all that grace The graves of those in fight who fell For freedom-for their land and race. Oh! fatal field! farewell, farewell!

This dreadful battle did much to confine the borders of Wales to Offa's Dike; but this was not the only battle fought at Rhuddlan, for five hundred years after this Rhuddlan was the scene of conflict.

In 1015 Llewelyn ab Seisyllt, Prince of North Wales, erected a fortress and palace at Rhuddlan. which he made his principal residence, and continued to be that of

his son and successor, Gruffydd ab Llywellyn, till routed by Harold, who was sent against him by Edward the Confessor. Harold occupied the fortress for some time, then burnt the palace, and destroyed the ships of war in the harbor, when he returned to England. After this the castle was occupied by the Welsh. who rebuilt and fortified the town. In 1098 Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, took the place and held it as a military station. In 1167 the castle. was taken and dismantled by Owen Gwynedd, Prince of North Wales, and later it was taken and held alternately by Welsh and English until 1277, when it was taken by Edward I., who having strongly fortified the palace, made it his residence for some years, until Wales was subdued. Here he assembled his parliament; here having conquered Wales he gave his new subjects laws, the "Statute of Rhuddlan." Here also he promised the Welsh chieftains a prince, a native of their own country, who could not speak a word of English, and whose conduct was irreproachable, and amid their acclamations of joy, and promises of obedience, he presented them his infant son, born in Carnarvon Castle, afterward known as Edward of Carnarvon. From that day to this the first born son of the sovereign of Great Britain has been called the "Prince of Wales." Edward the First's second child, Princess Eleanor, was born at Rhuddlan. The castle was held for the crown till 1646, when it was taken by General Mytton for the Parliament, and soon

afterward dismantled. In the beginning of this century a remarkable. sermon was preached at Rhuddlan by John Elias, a great leader in the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Church. It was harvest time; the reapers assembled on the streets on Sunday to be hired, buying and selling, revelry and mirth went on; the great preacher was in danger of violence if he preached against their sins, but he was fearless. His text was, "Six days shalt thou work, but on the seventh thou shalt rest, in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest." He had not spoken long before the people were seized with awe, then became panic stricken. After this such deeds of Sabbath breaking were never seen in Rhuddlan.

St. Asaph is three miles south of Rhuddlan, on the Elwy, and near the Clwyd, and is a Cathedral city. It will be remembered that no place is called a city in England without a cathedral. St. Asaph is the smallest cathedral building in England or Wales. It is claimed that a church was established here by Cyndeyrn, Kintigern, the exiled bishop of the Northern Britons (who inhabited Strath Clyde) about the close of the sixth century. Kintigern was succeeded by Asaph, one of his disciples, a native of North Wales Ki ntigern established a monastery here similar to that of Bangor-Iscoed, during whose time it increased to 965 monks. The monastery was elevated into a cathedral during the days of its founder, and richly endowed by Maelgwyn, king of North

Wales. Many changes have occurred since the first establishment

the cathedral. The building was burnt to the ground by Owen Glyndwr in 1402; the stalls of the existing building were occupied by horses in the days of Cromwell. Some noted men have been connected with St. Asaph Cathedral, Bishop Galfrid ab ab Arthur, known as Geoffrey of Monmouth, Dafydd ab Owen, Isaac Barrow, Wililam Morgan, a noted linguist, Dr. William Beverige, Dr. Horseley, Dr. Lloyd, one of the seven bishops imprisoned in the tower by James II., who we are told was a learned, honest, and pious man.

The interior of the present edifice contains some interesting monuments. An altar tomb, with a recumbent figure in episcopal robe, is said to commemorate Dafydd ab Owen, interred here in 1512. Near the west door is a painted tomb, with an inscription to the memory of Bishop Isaac Barrow, who died in 1689. There is a white marble monument to the memory of Dean Shipley; an altar tomb monument to the memory of Bishop Luxmore, who died in 1830; and a mural tablet erected to the memory of Mrs. Felicia Hemans, who lived in the vicinity for some years.

The city of St. Asaph is a small place, the civil parish containing about 2,000 inhabitants; the surrounding scenery being beautiful, with groves of trees. Bodelwyddan mansion and church are two miles west of St. Asaph on the borders of Denbighshire. The church is the

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