Welsh Journals

Oct., 1875. BYE-GONES. 310 October 6, 1875. ROUND THE WREKIN (May 12, 1875).—J. T. in Eddowes's Journal, Apr. 28, says that " the music of this old song found its way in 1846 into a choice collection of secular melodies, by E. L. White, teacher of the pianoforte and organ, published at Boston, U.S. in that year, and is thus given back to us by our transatlantic brethren." AOTES. THE SHROPSHIKE RIFLEMAN.-As Mr Reginald Brooks has not included his late father's spirited lines on the success of a Salopian at Wimbledon in 1863, in his selection from Mr Shirley Brooks's poetical contributions to Punch, it will be well to revive it in Bye-gones. The lines appeared simultaneously in Punch and in the Oswestry Advertiser :— " THE MAN FROM SHROPSHIRE." Dedicated by Mr Punch to all friends round the Wrekin, and on both sides the Severn. Shout, jolly Shropshire, and light on the Wrekin A bonfire that like a volcano shall rise, And when people ask what you mean by that beacon, Say " Roberts of Shropshire has won the Queen's Prize." Bring out your music, bring drum, trumpet, cymbal down, Crash for an hour by old Shrewsbury's Clock, Sing how he stood on the green bank at Wimbledon, Rifle to shoulder as firm as a rock. Cheer him, Church Stretton, and bawl for him Broseley, Dance about, Drayton, and clap your hands, Clun, Well for the County the Sergeant shot closely, Had he once swerved, gallant Graham had won. Shout for him, Shiffnall, and boast, Bishop's Castle ; Old-fasbioned Oswestry, merry and wise, Scale Castle-hill, and with voice universal Cry " Roberts of Shropshire has won the Queen's Prize." Darling Sabrina, who came up when Comus Had fixed the young lady so tight in her chair, Borrow a smile from thy relative Momus, And come to the Quarry and show thyself there. Bid thy swift waters break into a gallop, Thy salmon leap joyfully up at the flies. For prouder than ever henceforth is Proud Salop Now Roberts of Shropshire has won the Queen's Prize. Sergeant Roberts was a member of the 12fch Shropshire (Wem) corps, and he made a grand total of 65, against 64 by Lieut. Graham of the 2nd Wilts. The London papers said it "was considered most superior shooting." --------- Ex-Volunteer. QUERIES. DUDLESTON RIOTS.—I have been told that early in this century there were some alarming riots at Dudleston, near Ellesmere, on the occasion of enclosing the Common, whereby the fathers of Aldermen Longueville and Minshall, of Oswestry, were rendered very unpopular— the former as the solicitor engaged, and the latter as his articled pupil carrying out the work. Can any one give us some account of the proceedings, and how the people were quieted ? Fitzaxan. JOHN HOWELL OF OSWESTRY.—Sheltering one day from the rain in the village church of Desborough, between Market Harbro' and Kettering, almost the first thing that attracted my attention was a monument bearing the following inscription :— In memory of Johnson of rWUliam and Ann Iliffe, late of this Parish, who died Jan; 29,1805, aged 79 years. Also of Jane Ms wife, daughter of John Howell of Oswestry, who died July 11, 1796, aged 77 years. Also of Mary Howell, sister of Jane Iliffe, who died Dec. 26,1779, aged 66 years. To what branch of the Howell family did the aforesaid John belong ? In 1785 Thomas Howell was Mayor of Oswestry, ^J1*?18 monument in the 01d Churchyard records his death, an he Lly8, in 1824, as Senior Alderman of the Corpora- xx ^ tion. His nephew, Edward Howell, contracted with the newly-formed Street Commissioners in 1810 for the lighting of Oswestry with Seal Oil. Then there was another, old Oswestry family of the name, one of whom lived ?at the Bell Inn, and I believe James Howell, hairdresser, who was a Town Councilman from the passing of the Municipal Reform Act to his death in 1839, was a member of this branch of the family. Jabco. REPLIES. OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE, DOLGELLBY (Sep. 1,1875).—In one of the recent numbers of Bye-gonn —unfortunately I have it not with me where I now am— are some remarks by a correspondent upon my observations as to the so-called "Parliament House" at Dolgelley. If your correspondent has discovered Saxon arches of wood, he has discovered what I will venture to say does not exist in any other part of these kingdoms. But how does he account for Saxon Architecture being found in this remote part of Wales ? However, I can safely say that neither in the centre, nor at either end of this building, have I ever seen any work of earlier date than the reign of Philip and Mary, if so early. There is a window on the north side of the centre, which may be of their time, but I am more dis¬ posed to attribute it to the reign of Elizabeth. W. WINEFRED WHITE, (Sept. 8, 1875). —The following passage, promised in my last communication, is taken from pp. 118—120 of the Life of the Right Rev. John Milner, D.D., by F. C. Husenbeth, D.D., V.G., Provost of Northampton. (Dublin: Duffy, 1862) .— " While he (the bishop) was in Suffolk, he heard fsom Wolverhampton that an evident miracle had been wrought on a young woman named Winefred White, a resident in Wolverhampton, by bathing in St. Winefred's Well, at Holywell in Flintshire. He considered it his duty, in con¬ formity with the decrees of the Council of Trent, to inves¬ tigate this matter, and publish the result. Accordingly oh his return to Wolverhampton, he proceeded to examine into it thoroughly. Winefred White, twenty-six years of age, had suffered for more than three years from a severe affec¬ tion of the left hip, and the back bone, apparently a paralysis from a curvature of the spine, which had reduced her to a state so helpless, that she was only able to walk at all by the help of a crutch under her right arm, and used to drag on her whole left side as if it had been dead. The writer of these lines well recollects seeing her in this distressing state ; for she used to crawl up to the chapel at Sedgley Park on a Sunday morning with great pain, and receive the Holy Communion at the early Mass. She went to the famous Well, called St. Winefred's, and on bathing in it received an instantaneous and perfect cure. She was able to walk, run, or work as well as ever. Dr. Milner interrogated this young woman, and took down her deposition; he also obtained the testimony of Mr Stubbs the surgeon and Dr Underhill the physician, who had at¬ tended her. The surgeon declared himself unable to account for a change so extraordinary and performed in so short a time, upon any principle of medicine with which he was acquainted; and the physician after detailing the young woman's case declared that all his medicines had been in¬ effectual, and that he had deemed her case totally incurable. Dr Milner went to Holywell and receivedthe depositions of three persons who were with her at the time of her cure, of the landlady of the inn where she lodged, and of several other witnesses, including the priest at Holywell, Rev. Edward Wright. All these, on his return home, Dr Milner published in a very interesting pamphlet, in which he ex¬ patiates on the proofs of an evident miracle having been wrought, and carefully answers all objections made, or likely 78