SS WELSH POOL TO OSlVESTRf. 



and ends near Treyddin chapel in FHntfiiire. From 

 the time of its formation, till neai'ly the conqueft, 

 OfFa's dyke was confidered as the dividing line 

 betwixt England and Wales: in 1064 a law was 

 made by Harold, directing that if any Welfhman, 

 coming into England without licence, was taken on 

 the Englifh fide of OfFa*s dyke, he fhould be puniihed 

 "With the lofs of his right hand *. It has been con- 

 jectured by fome of our hiftorians that this rampart 

 was intended to proted the kingdom of Mercia from 

 the inroads of the Wellh. " But," fays Mr. Lewis 

 Morris, " how came the king of Mercia to build 

 this wall acrofs the ifland ? There mud have been 

 other kings to join him ; and it feems the Wellh 

 were plaguy troublefome when there mufl: have been 

 a wall to feparate them. But I cannot be of the 

 common opinion, that this was a defence againfl the 

 Wellh, for how foon would they have demolifhed 

 a mud wall if they were fuch terrible creatures ? If 

 they were a parcel of poltroons, as fome modern 

 wits will infer from this filly fortification, what oc- 

 cafion was there for any wall againft fuch worthlefs 

 animals ? Doth it not feem more likely, that upon a 

 peace betwixt the Englifti and Britifh princes^ this 

 was an everlafting boundary line between the two 

 nations, and that they all concurred in forming it f?'* 



* Speed's Chronicle. Gibfoa's Camde:), 5S5. 

 •|- Letter of Mr, Lewis Morris to Dr. Robert Vaughan of 

 Nannau, near Dolgelle. Cam. Reg. ii. 498. 



Oswis- 



