A TOUR ROUND NORTH WALES. 213 



Holinfhed relates a circumftance refpecl:- 

 ing Holyhead, which I have been able to 

 find in no other author. His words are : 

 " Herein I marvel not a little, wherein 

 " women had offended that they might not 

 " come thither, or at leaft wife return 

 " from thence, without fome notable re- 

 " proach or fhame unto their bodies."* 

 This was in the reign of William Rufus, 

 when the Irifh and Welfh had joined their 

 forces againft the Englifh ; but from whence 

 Holinmed had his authority, or what could 

 be the reafon why the women were fo 

 abufed> I am equally ignorant. 



Though Holyhead is much reforted to 

 by company to and from Ireland, it pof- 

 fefles very few attractions for the traveller 

 on pleafure. The ifland on which it ftands, 

 is feven or eight miles long, and in it's 

 fides ftrangely indented. It is in general 



* Holinfhed's Chronicle, I. 36. 



VOL. i, T moun- 



