128 



MEMORIALS OF RAY : 



without. There is Hkewise a castle held by a small gar- 

 rison, wherein the assizes are kept. 



August the 25th, from Chester I rode over the sands 

 as far as Flint Castle, which stands upon the sea, but is 

 now almost quite fallen down ; thence to Haliwell, where 

 I saw and drank of the so much famed water of St. Wini- 

 fred's well, which I knew not how to distinguish from 

 common water. It is a most copious spring ; I have not 

 anywhere seen so much water rise out of the earth in so 

 small a compass. Over it is a handsome stone building, 

 and by it a chapel, where lie continually a great number 

 of poor, lame, impotent people, more I believe to beg and 

 receive the alms of strangers, that either out of curiosity 

 or devotion come to visit and see the well, than out of 

 hope to receive much benefit by the use of this water, 

 though the inhabitants of this place will tell you stories 

 enough, very confidently and circumstantially, of lately 

 done miraculous cures by the use thereof ; but I have 

 learned, that to distrust is nervus sapientice. Leaving 

 Haliwell that night, I reached St. Asaph, a bishop's see, 

 where there is a very poor cathedral church, covered with 

 shingles or tiles, excepting one of the isles, where also 

 the lead is fallen off, which yet is esteemed here a stately 

 fabric. 



August the 26th, I went to Aberconwey, a pretty little 

 tovm in Carnarvonshire, inclosed with a high and strong 

 wall. Here is a castle standing on a rock, vdthin the 

 water, of great strength, and which, as they told me, held 

 out the last for the king. Here the assizes were now 

 holden. The place is but poor, as is generally all the 

 country ; though about St. Asaph there is a very pleasant, 

 and, I believe, fruitful vale. 



August the 27th, I made for the Isle of Anglesey, and 

 riding over the sands, under a high rock, called Penman 

 Daughan and over another, called Penman Mawr, in a 

 narrow and somewhat dangerous way, there being a very 

 steep precipice into the sea on one hand ; I yet missed 

 the opportunity of the sands to go over to Beaumaris, 



