In the wall of an old porch before the Re&or of Winwick's
houfe, is fafely lodged a bible, placed there by a zealous incumbent,
who lived in the days of Oliver Cromwel, in order that at left
one authentic book might be found, fhould the fanatics corrupt the
text, and deftroy all the orthodox copies.
On the outfide o f the Church is this infcription, cut in old
letters :
Hie locus, Ofiwalde, quondam tibi placuit -valde ;
Nortbanujnbrorum fueras Rex, nuncque polorum
Regna tenes, Prato paflus Marcelde * vocato.
Anno milleno quingentenoque triceno,
Sclator poft Chriftum murum renovaverat iftum:
■Henricus Jobnflon curatus erat iimul hie tunc.
Ofwald was king of Northumberland; the moft pious prince of his
time; and the reftorer of the chriftian religion in his dominions:
at length, A. D. 640, receiving a defeat near OJweJlry, by Penda,
pagan king o f Mercia, was there flain, his body cut in pieces,
and ftuck on poles by way o f trophies.
A t Redbank between this place and Newton the Scots in Augufi
1648, after their retreat from Prejlon, made a refolute ftand for
many hours againft the viilorious Cromwd, who, with great lofs on
both fides, beat them from their ground ; and the next day made
himfelf mafter o f all their remaining infantry, which, with their
commander Lieutenant-general Bayly, furrendered on the bare condition
of quarter +.
* Mufer-field near Ofiuieftry.
4 Whitelock, 332. Clartndoti, V . 162.
Pafs
Pafs through Newton, a fmall burough town: the country flat
and fertile. On approaching Wiggan, obferve feveral fields quite
white with thread, bleaching for the manufaaure of ftrong checks
and coarfe linen, carried on in.that town and.neighborhood.
Wiggan is a pretty large town and a burough. ^ It has long been
noted for manufaaures in brafs and pewter, which no.w give way
to that of checks: an ingenious fellow here turns canal coal into
vafes, obeliiks, and fnuff-boxes,. and forms excellent blackmoors
heads• out of the fame material.
The beft crofs-bows are all'o made- in this town By a perfon,.
Who fucceeded his- father in the. bufinefs ; the laft. coming there
from Ripponabout a century ago.
In the church is- an infcription. in - memory o f Sir Roger Brad-
Jbaigh of Haigh, an eminent loyalift in the time of the civil wars :
and a tomb much defaced of a Sir William Bradjhaigh, and his
lady Mabel, who lived in the reigns of Edward the II. and III.
a remarkable hiftory attends this pair.: in the time of thefirft monarch,
he fet out for the holy land in queft of adventures, and
left his fair fpoufe at home to pray, for his fuccefs : but after fome
years abfence, the lady thinking he made rather too long a ftay,
gave her hand to . Sir Qfmund Nevil, a Welch knight. A t length
Sir William returns in the garb of a pilgrim ; makes himfelf known
to his Mabel, is acknowleged by her, and ihe returns to her
allegiance -, Sir William purfues the. innocent invader of his bed,
overtakes him etc Newton park, where my unfortunate countryman
is flain. The. poor lady being confidered as an accefiary to his
death,, is condemned to a weekly penance of walking barefoot
from.
W lG S A K , .