Wales； which； however； he was obliged to leave at the end of two
years； owing to the annoyance which he experienced from ghosts and
goblins； and unearthly things； particularly phantom hearses； which
used to pass through his gate at midnight without paying； when the
gate was shut。〃
〃Ah；〃 said the dame； 〃you know more about Tom o'r Nant than I do；
and was he not a great poet？〃
〃I daresay he was；〃 said I； 〃for the pieces which he wrote； and
which he called Interludes； had a great run； and he got a great
deal of money by them； but I should say the lines beneath the
portrait are more applicable to the real Shakespeare than to him。〃
〃What do the lines mean？〃 said the old lady； 〃they are Welsh； I
know； but they are far beyond my understanding。〃
〃They may be thus translated；〃 said I：
〃God in his head the Muse instill'd；
And from his head the world he fill'd。〃
〃Thank you； sir；〃 said the old lady。 〃I never found any one before
who could translate them。〃 She then said she would show me some
English lines written on the daughter of a friend of hers who was
lately dead； and put some printed lines in a frame into my hand。
They were an Elegy to Mary； and were very beautiful； I read them
aloud； and when I had finished she thanked me and said she had no
doubt that if I pleased I could put them into Welsh … she then
sighed and wiped her eyes。
On our enquiring whether we could see the interior of the abbey she
said we could； and that if we rang a bell at the gate a woman would
come to us； who was in the habit of showing the place。 We then got
up and bade her farewell … but she begged that we would stay and
taste the dwr santaidd of the holy well。
〃What holy well is that？〃 said I。
〃A well；〃 said she； 〃by the road's side； which in the time of the
popes was said to perform wonderful cures。〃
〃Let us taste it by all means；〃 said I； whereupon she went out； and
presently returned with a tray on which were a jug and tumbler； the
jug filled with the water of the holy well； we drank some of the
dwr santaidd； which tasted like any other water； and then after
shaking her by the hand； we went to the gate； and rang at the bell。
Presently a woman made her appearance at the gate … she was
genteelly drest； about the middle age； rather tall； and bearing in
her countenance the traces of beauty。 When we told her the object
of our coming she admitted us； and after locking the gate conducted
us into the church。 It was roofless； and had nothing remarkable
about it； save the western window； which we had seen from without。
Our attendant pointed out to us some tombs； and told us the names
of certain great people whose dust they contained。 〃Can you tell
us where Iolo Goch lies interred？〃 said I。
〃No；〃 said she； 〃indeed I never heard of such a person。〃
〃He was the bard of Owen Glendower；〃 said I； 〃and assisted his
cause wonderfully by the fiery odes； in which he incited the Welsh
to rise against the English。〃
〃Indeed！〃 said she； 〃well； I am sorry to say that I never heard of
him。〃
〃Are you Welsh？〃 said I。
〃I am；〃 she replied。
〃Did you ever hear of Thomas Edwards？〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 said she； 〃I have frequently heard of him。〃
〃How odd；〃 said I； 〃that the name of a great poet should be unknown
in the very place where he is buried； whilst that of one certainly
not his superior； should be well known in that same place； though
he is not buried there。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 said she； 〃the reason is that the poet； whom you
mentioned； wrote in the old measures and language which few people
now understand； whilst Thomas Edwards wrote in common verse and in
the language of the present day。〃
〃I daresay it is so；〃 said I。
From the church she led us to other parts of the ruin … at first
she had spoken to us rather cross and loftily； but she now became
kind and communicative。 She said that she resided near the ruins；
which she was permitted to show； that she lived alone； and wished
to be alone； there was something singular about her； and I believe
that she had a history of her own。 After showing us the ruins she
conducted us to a cottage in which she lived； it stood behind the
ruins by a fish…pond； in a beautiful and romantic place enough； she
said that in the winter she went away； but to what place she did
not say。 She asked us whether we came walking； and on our telling
her that we did； she said that she would point out to us a near way
home。 She then pointed to a path up a hill； telling us we must
follow it。 After making her a present we bade her farewell； and
passing through a meadow crossed a brook by a rustic bridge； formed
of the stem of a tree； and ascending the hill by the path which she
had pointed out； we went through a cornfield or two on its top； and
at last found ourselves on the Llangollen road； after a most
beautiful walk。
CHAPTER XIV
Expedition to Ruthyn … The Column … Slate Quarries … The Gwyddelod
… Nocturnal Adventure。
NOTHING worthy of commemoration took place during the two following
days； save that myself and family took an evening walk on the
Wednesday up the side of the Berwyn； for the purpose of botanizing；
in which we were attended by John Jones。 There； amongst other
plants； we found a curious moss which our good friend said was
called in Welsh； Corn Carw； or deer's horn； and which he said the
deer were very fond of。 On the Thursday he and I started on an
expedition on foot to Ruthyn； distant about fourteen miles；
proposing to return in the evening。
The town and castle of Ruthyn possessed great interest for me from
being connected with the affairs of Owen Glendower。 It was at
Ruthyn that the first and not the least remarkable scene of the
Welsh insurrection took place by Owen making his appearance at the
fair held there in fourteen hundred； plundering the English who had
come with their goods； slaying many of them； sacking the town and
concluding his day's work by firing it； and it was at the castle of
Ruthyn that Lord Grey dwelt； a minion of Henry the Fourth and
Glendower's deadliest enemy； and who was the principal cause of the
chieftain's entering into rebellion； having； in the hope of
obtaining his estates in the vale of Clwyd； poisoned the mind of
Harry against him； who proclaimed him a traitor； before he had
committed any act of treason； and confiscated his estates；
bestowing that part of them upon his favourite； which the latter
was desirous of obtaining。
We started on our expedition at about seven o'clock of a brilliant
morning。 We passed by the abbey and presently came to a small
fountain with a little stone edifice； with a sharp top above it。
〃That is the holy well；〃 said my guide： 〃Llawer iawn o barch yn yr
amser yr Pabyddion yr oedd i'r fynnon hwn … much respect in the
times of the Papists there was to this fountain。〃
〃I heard of it；〃 said I； 〃and tasted of its water the other evening
at the abbey；〃 shortly after we saw a tall stone standing in a
field on our right hand at about a hundred yards' distance from the
road。 〃That is the pillar of Eliseg； sir；〃 said my guide。 〃Let us
go and see it；〃 said I。 We soon reached the stone。 It is a fine
upright column about seven feet high； and stands on a quadrate
base。 〃Sir；〃 said my guide； 〃a dead king lies buried beneath this
stone。 He was a mighty man of valour and founded the abbey。 He
was called Eliseg。〃 〃Perhaps Ellis；〃 said I； 〃and if his name was
Ellis the stone was very properly called Colofn Eliseg； in Saxon
the Ellisian column。〃 The view from the column is very beautiful；
below on the south…east is the venerable abbey； slumbering in its
green meadow。 Beyond it runs a stream； descending from the top of
a glen； at the bottom of which the old pile is situated； beyond the
stream is a lofty hill。 The glen on the north is bounded by a
noble mountain； covered with wood。 Struck with its beauty I
inquired its name。 〃Moel Eglwysig； sir；〃 said my guide。 〃The Moel
of the Church；〃 said I。 〃That is hardly a good name for it； for
the hill is not bald （moel）。〃 〃True； sir；〃 said John Jones。 〃At
present its name is good for nothing； but estalom （of old） before
the hill was planted with trees its name was good enough。 Our
fathers were not fools when they named their hills。〃 〃I daresay
not；〃 said I； 〃nor in many other things which they did； for which
we laugh at them； because we do not know the reasons they had for
doing them。〃 We regained the road； the road tended to the north up
a steep ascent。 I asked John Jones the name of a beautiful
village； which lay far away on our right； over the glen； and near
its top。 〃Pentref y dwr； sir〃 （the village of the water）。 It is
called the village of the water； because the river below comes down
through part of it。 I next asked the name of the hill up which we
were going； and he told me Allt Bwlch； that is； the high place of
the hollow road。
This bwlch； or hollow way； was a regular pass； which put me
wonderfully in mind of the passes of Spain。 It took us a long time
to get to the top。 After resting a minute on the summit we began
to descend。 My guide pointed out to me some slate…works； at some
distance on our left。 〃There is a great deal of work going on
there； sir；〃 said he： 〃all the slates that you see descending the
canal at Llangollen came from there。〃 The next moment we heard a
blast； and then a thundering sound： 〃Llais craig yn syrthiaw； the
voice of the rock in falling； sir；〃 said John Jones； 〃blasting is
dangerous and awful work。〃 We reached the bottom of the descent；
and proceeded for two or three miles up and down a rough and narrow
road； I then turned round and looked at the hills which we had
passed over。 They looked bulky and huge。
We continued our way； and presently saw marks of a fire in some
grass by the side of the road。 〃Have the Gipsiaid been there？〃
said I to my guide。
〃Hardly； sir； I should rather think that the Gwyddelaid （Irish）
have been camping there lately。〃
〃The Gwyddeliad？〃
〃Yes； sir； the vagabond Gwyddeliad； who at present infest these
parts much； and do much