WELSH POOL TO OSWESTRY. 99 



Free fchool founded by a lawyer of the name of 

 Holbech, fteward of the town and lordlliip. — Not 

 far from the church there was a fine fpring of water, 

 furrounded by a ftone wall, (having a chapel over 

 it,) called Ofwald's Well. Of the origin of this well, 

 the inhabitants had a tradition^ that when Ofwald 

 was llain, an eagle tore one of the arms from the 

 body, and making off with it, fell and perifhed on 

 this fpot, whence a fpring of water immediately 

 gufhed up, which has remained ever fmce a memo- 

 rial of the event.— The tdwn was defended by walls, 

 and was moated round, but in the walls there were 

 tio towers except thofe of the four gates.^-This 

 ^lace, he fays, was alfo principally fupported by its 

 trade in woollen cloth *. 



Of the town of Ofweflry, and of the Welfh people, 

 we have a curious encomium by Churchyard : 



— " Cfwtilry's a pretie tovvne full fine, 

 Which may be lov'd, be likte, and prayfed both. 

 It ftands fo trim, and is niainbytid fo cleane, 

 And peopled is, with folke that well doe meant: 

 That it deferves to be enrould and (hrynd 

 In each good bread, and every manly mynd. 



■«« The market there, fo farre exceedes withall, 

 As no one towne comes neare it in fome fort : 

 For looke what may be wifht or had at call. 

 It is there found, as market men report. 

 For poultrie, fowle, of every kind fomewhat, 

 No place can fliew fo much more cheape than that : 

 All kind of cates that countrie can afford, 

 For money there is bought with one bare word. 



♦ Leland's Itin. v. 37. 3S. 



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