JKXCUUSION FROM WREXHAM TO HOLT. I43 



menced this fortrefs, but dying foon afterwards, it 

 was finillied by his fon *. 



In the ninth year of Edward II., John earl War- 

 ren, the grandfon of the founder, having no iflue, 

 gave this caftle, with that of Dinas Bran, and the 

 lordihip of Bromfield, to the king. He was foon 

 after divorced from his wife, and he obtained a 

 regrant of them to himfelf, and Matilda de Hereford, 

 his millrefs, for life, with remainders to his ille- 

 gitimate children, and their heirs, Matilda was th^ 

 laft furvivor, and therefore at her death, in the fol- 

 lowing reign, the property reverted to the crown. 

 It was, not long afterwards, given to Edward Fits 

 Alan, earl of Arundel, who had married the iifler 

 of the late owner. In this family it remained for 

 three generations ; but on the execution of Richard 

 it appears to have been forfeited to the crov/n. 

 When, in 1399, after this event, Holt caftle was 

 delivered to the duke of Hertford, there were found 

 in it jewels to the value of two hundred thoufand 

 marks, and a hundred thoufand marks in money, 

 Thefe had been depofited there, as a place of fafe 

 cuflody, by the unfortunate Richard II. previoufly 

 to his expedition into Ireland f. 



The eftates and title were reftored in the fuc- 

 ceeding reign, and they once again efcheated to the 

 crown. Henry VII» granted them to fir William 



* Gibfon's Camden, 683. Ayloff's Rotuli V/allis, 8r. 

 J*o\vel, 213. Carte, ii. 193. Pennant, i. 217. Yorke, 63. 

 j- Holiiifte^, il. 500. 



Stanley J 



