142 EXCURSION FROM WREXHAM TO HOLT, 



The lands of Holt and Chirk, in the reign of 

 Henry III., and the commencement of the reign of 

 Edward I. were the property of Madoc ap Griffith, 

 a native of Wales who had efpoufed the EngHfh 

 caufe. On the death of Madoc, two fons were left, 

 both of them under age ; and Edward gave one of 

 them to the guardianfhip of John, earl of Warren *, 

 and the other to the care of Roger Mortimer, the 

 fon of lord Mortimer of Wigmore. To the former 

 boy belonged the lordiliip of Bromfield and Yale, 

 in which ?Iolt (lands, and the caftle of Dinas Bran ; 

 and to the other the property of Chirk and Nan- 

 heudwy. — The villainous guardians, to difburthen 

 themfelvGs of their charge, and get poffeflion of the 

 eflates of the children, caufed them both to be mur- 

 dered. Their inhumanity, fo far from meeting its 

 jufl: reward, was freely pardoned by Edward, who 

 came in for a fliare of the fpoil. He confirmed to 

 Warren the caflle of Dinas Bran, and the lordfliip 

 of Bromfield and Yale ; to Mortimer he gave the 

 property of Chirk ; and the caflle and demefnes of 

 Caergwrle, or Hope, he referved to himfelf. War- 

 ren and Mortimer immediately began to fecure their 

 pofTeiTions by ereding on them places of defence. 

 The latter built Chirk caflle, and Warren com- 



• Camden is wrong in (lating that JoVm earl of Warren 

 •was guardian to " Madoc, a Briti.Ti prince ;" as it w^s the for. 

 of Madoc that had been entruited to his protection. 



menced 



