FLint-shire, stretching out in length, broad at one end, and *narrow at another, is not much vnlike in fashion to a wedge, a peece of which is cut off by the meeting of Cheshire and Denbigh-shire, South▪east in distance some foure miles. Jt borders East∣ward with part of Cheshire, from whence it is garded in length with the Riuer Dee vnto the North, which parteth Worrall and Flint-shire, till you come to a little Iland called Hell-bree: Northward it is bounded with the Virgiuian Sea: on the West a little Riuer called Cluyd parteth her and Denbigh-shire asunder: and on the South altogether by Shropshire.

* (2) This Country is nothing mountainous, as other parts of Wales are, but rising gently all along the Riuer of Dee, makes a faire shew and prospect of her selfe to euery eie that beholds her, as well vpon the Riuer, being in most places thereabouts foure or fiue miles broad, as vpon the other side thereof, being a part of Cheshire.

* (3) The Aire is healthfull and temperate, without any foggie clouds or fenny vapors, sauing that sometimes there ariseth from the Sea and the Riuer Dee, certaine thicke and smoky-seeming mists, which neuerthelesse are not found hurtfull to the Inhabitants, who in this part liue long and healthfully.

* (4) The Clime is somwhat colder there then in Cheshire, by reason of the Sea & the Riuer that engirts the better part of her; by which, the Northerne windes being long carried vpon the waters, blow the more cold; and that side of the Country vpward, that lieth shoaring vnto the top, hauing neither shelter nor defence, receiueth them in their full power, and is naturally a Bulwarke from their violence vn∣to her bordering neighbours, that maketh the snow to lie much longer there then on the other side of the Riuer.

* (5) The Soile bringeth forth plenty both of Corne and grasse, as also great store of Cattell, but they be little. To sup∣ply which defect, they haue more by much in their num∣bers *then in other places where they be bigger. Great store of fish they take in the Riuer of Dee, but little from the Sea, by reason they haue no Hauens or Creekes for boates. No great store of woods either there or in any other part of Wales are found, it hauing been a generall plague vnto all the Country euer since the headstrong rebellions of their Princes and great men against the Kings of England, that (in time) tooke away the principall helps of their Innouati∣ons, by cutting downe their woods, whereof in this Shire there hath heretofore been great plentie. Fruits are scarce, but milke, butter, and cheese plentie, as also store of honie, *of the which they make a pleasant wine, in colour like (in taste not much vnlike) vnto Muskadine, which they call Matheglin. Yea, and in the daies of Giraldus Cambrensis, neer the place now called Holy-well, was a rich Mine of Siluer, in seeking after which, men pierced and pried into the very bowels of the earth.

* (6) The ancient Inhabitants of this Country were the Ordouices, a sturdy people against the Romans, but now most kinde and gentle towards the English, and indeede make much of all strangers, except they bee crossed, and then they are the contrarie.

* (7) Places of defense are the Castles of Flint, Hawarden, vulgarly Harden, Treer, Rudland, Mold, Yowley, and Hope:*of which, Flint and Harden are the two principall. The Ca∣stle of Flint, famous for the benefit it receiued from two Kings, and for the refuge and releefe it gaue vnto the third. *It was founded by Henry the Second, finished by Edward the First, and long after gaue harbour and entertainment to that *noble, but vnfortunate Prince, Richard the Second, com∣ming out of Ireland, being within her walles a free and ab∣solute King, but no sooner without, but taken prisoner by Henry Bullingbroke, Duke of Lancaster, losing at that time his libertie, and not long after his life. This standeth in the graduation of Latitude 53. 55. minutes, in Longitude 17.

* For the Castle of Hawarden, no record remaines of the first Founder, but that it was held a long time by the Stew∣ards of the Earles of Chester▪ Howbeit, their resistance• did not so generally consist in the strength of their Castles and Fortifications, as in their Mountaines and Hilles, which in times of danger serued as naturall Bulwarkes and Defenses vnto them against the force of enemies. As was that which *standeth in a certaine strait set about with Woods, heere vnto the Riuer Alen, called Coles-hull, that is, Coles-hill, where the English, by reason of their disordered multitude, not ranged close in good array, lost the Field, and were de∣feated, when King Henry the Second had made as great pre∣paration as might be to giue Battle vnto the Welsh, and the very Kings Standard was forsaken by Henry of Essex, who was Standard-bearer to the Kings of England in right of in∣heritance.

(8) This Country hath many shallow Riuers in it, but none of fame and note, but Dee and Cluyae. Howbeit, there is a Spring not farre from Ruthland Castle, of great report and antiquity, which is termed Fons Sacer, in English, Holy*Well, and is also commonly called S. Winefrids Well; of whom antiquity thus reporteth: That Winefrid a Christian Virgin very faire and vertuous, was doted vpon by a young lustfull Prince or Lord of the Country, who not being able to rule his head-strong affections, hauing many times in vaine at∣tempted and tried her chastitie, both by rich gifts and large promises, could not by any meanes obtaine his desires; hee therefore (in a place of aduantage) suddenly surprized and rauished her weake (yet resisting) body. After the deede done, the cruell Tyrant, to stoppe her cries and acclamati∣ons, slew her, and cut off her head: out of which place did *suddenly arise a Spring that continueth to this day, carry∣ing from the Fountaine such a forcible streame & current, as the like is not found in Christendome. Ouer the head of the Spring there is built a Chapell of free stone, with Pil∣lars *curiously wrought and ingraued, in the Chancell wher∣of, and glasse window, the picture of the Virgin is drawne, together with the memoriall of her life and death. To this Fountaine Pilgrims are accustomed to repaire in their zea∣lous, but blinde deuotion, and diuers others resort to bathe in, holding firmely that the water is of much vertue.

* There bee many red stones in the bottome of this Well, and much greene mosse growing vpon the sides: the super∣stition of the people holding that those red spots in the stones were drops of the Ladies bloud, which all the water in the Spring can neuer wash away; and that the mosse about the wall was her haire, which though some of it be giuen to euery stranger that comes, yet it neuer wasteth. But how∣soeuer this be carried for truth by the tradition of time, the mosse it selfe smelles exceeding sweet.

* There is also hard by Kilken (a small village) within this County, a little Well of no great note, that at certaine times riseth and falleth, after the manner of Sea-tides.

(9) In the South part of this Country, diuided from the rest, is a place (in some written Copies of Antonine called B•nium) which we now terme Banchor, first a City, and af∣terwards *a Monastery of famous memorie, and the first that is read of in the world: wherein (as Beda saith) were a great *number of Monkes, and them diuided into seuen Compa∣nies, euery one hauing his seuerall Ruler assigned. None of these Companies had lesse then three hundred persons deuoted to praier, and to get liuing by their owne labour, for themselues and the poore: although it hath long since beene vtterly ruinate, so as now there is scarce seene the face and outward shew of a dead City •r Monasterie. It hath on∣lie *the names of two Gates remaining, one standing a mile distant from another, and betwixt which the Riuer Dee now runneth, where are often times found many peeces of Roman Coine, and other tokens of antiquitie. But of these shall be more mention made in the following Historie.

Another like Monasterie, but of lesser account, stood in the Vale beneath Varis (a little Citie placed by the Romans*in the confines of this Shire and Denbigh-shire) and vpon the Banke of Elwy and Cluyd: This the Britaines call Llan-Elwy,*of the Riuer; the Englishmen, Asaph, of the Founder, and the Historiographers, Asaphensis. It is more famoused for antiquity, then for building or brauery: for about the yeere 560▪ Kentigern Bishop of Glasc•, being fled hither out *of Scotland, placed heere a Bishops See, and erected a Mo∣nasterie, gathering together 663. in a religious brother∣hood, whereof 300. that were vnlearned, gaue themselues to husbandrie, and to worke within the Monasterie, the *rest to praier and meditations. When he returned into Scot∣land, he ordained Asaph, a godly and vpright man, to bee *Gouernour ouer this Monasterie, of whom it tooke the name, and is called Saint Asaphs.

* Another Monasterie of great account was at Basingwarke in this County, neere vnto which beganne that admirable Ditch drawne thence vnto the mouth of Seuerne by King Offa, the tract whereof I haue expressed thorow this *Shire, and will further speake thereof in the following Hi∣storie. *

(10) This Shire is diuided into fiue Hundreds, fortified with seuen Castles, hath onely one Market Towne, and twenty eight Parishes, in which there is continuall celebra∣tion of diuine Seruice.

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