A TOUR ROUND NORTH WALES. 59 



It healed the difeafes of all who plunged 

 into its water; and Drayton fays, that no 

 animal whatever could be drowned in it. 

 The following is one of the numerous mi- 

 racles recorded of its powerful influence. 

 Some thieves one night ftole a cow from a 

 pafture not far from the well ; and that 

 no perfon might trace them by their foot- 

 fteps, dragged her along fome neighbour- 

 ing rocks. But mark what followed to the 

 impious wretches; not one flep was fet 

 without leaving a deep imprefiion in the 

 ftones, as if they had been patting over foft 

 clay ; nay, even the learned Editor of the life 

 of St. Wenefrede fays, that the original de- 

 fcribes them as at every ftep Jinking up to 

 the knees, which, conlidering how hard 

 rocks in general are, muft have been truly 

 miraculous ! The owner, by this means, 

 was enabled to retake his beaft; and the 

 terrified robbers, coming penitently to the 

 altar, confeiTed their crime, and were, no 



doubt, 



