Transcribed from the 1810? E. Edwards edition ,
THE
HISTORY
OF
WHITTINGTON,
“Oh, Whittington, among thy tow’rs
Pleas’d did my early Childhood stray,
Bask’d on thy walls in sunny hours
And pull’d thy moss, and pluck’d thyflow’rs,
Full many atruant day.”Poem of “Fitz-Gwarine.”
BY WILLIAM DAVIES, L.M.W.S.
And Head-master of Carnarvon School.
OSWESTRY:
PRINTED AND SOLD BY E.EDWARDS,
and all Booksellers in the United Kingdom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
R.POOLE,
Master of Malden School,Essex,
THIS HISTORY IS INSCRIBED,
By his sincere,
faithful,
and affectionate Friend,
THE AUTHOR.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
p. 3THE
History of Whittington, &c.
Though local descriptions andcircumstances are seldom productive of any high degree ofinterest, yet when they become connected with the adventurous,active, and surprising career of any remarkable individual, eventhe most trivial assumes a degree of importance, excites a livelycuriosity, and seldom tails to gratify the expectation it hasawakened. As the ruins of the castle at this place are inan eminent degree picturesque and beautiful, and its being thebirthplace and residence of one of the Barons to whom we owe theblessing of the Magna Charta, as wellas the scene of many of his surprising adventures; even the shortaccount I propose to offer, cannot be wholly devoid ofentertainment and instruction.
p. 4It is theopinion of learned antiquarians, that this was the place so famedby the name of Drev-Wen, or the White Town, by the illustriousWelsh poet Lowarch Hen, who lived in the year 590. He saysthat a prince of his country named Cynddylan was defeated andfell here, in opposing the progress of the Irish who had invadedthe country. This ancient bard expresses the rage of thebattle in such an energetic manner, that if I attempt to describeit, I shall fall far short of the original; therefore I contentmyself with quoting his own words.