the King, and by being
able to command the passage of the Severn to communicate with his ally
Glendower; but Henry, who came from Lichfield, arrived there first, on the
19th July, 1403. The battle was fought the next day at Hateley Field, about
three miles from the town.

In the Wars of the Roses Shrewsbury was Yorkist. In the great Civil War
Charles I. came to Shrewsbury, there received liberal contributions, in money
and plate, from the neighbouring gentry, and largely recruited his forces;
and in the course of the war the town was taken and retaken more than once.
Thus it will be seen that Shrewsbury is connected with many important events
in English history.

The first Charter of incorporation extant is of Richard I.

Two members are returned to Parliament of opposite politics at present; but a
few years ago it was the boast of the Salopians, that the twelve members
returned by the different constituencies of the county were all of that class
of politics which, for want of a better name, may be called "Sibthorpian."

Shrewsbury is a good starting point for an expedition into Wales, and we can
strongly recommend the walk from Chirk, one of the stations on the line to
Chester, over the hills by footpaths to Llangollen: from one point a view may
be caught of the three great civilizers of the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries. A splendid viaduct, carrying the Shropshire Canal over a deep
valley, in its day considered a triumph of engineering art--the Holyhead mail
road, perhaps the best piece of work of the kind in the world, and the
railway, which has partly superseded both. There is more than one pleasant
spot on the bye-path we have suggested where a thoughtful pedestrian may sit
down, and, smoking a cigar in the presence of a sweetly calm landscape of
grassy valleys and round-topped hills, ponder over these things, not without
advantage, to the sound of bells borne by lively Welsh sheep, whose mutton
has been raised 2d. a pound in value by Stephenson's steam-engines.

But our road lies by the English rail this time, therefore we must return to
Stafford.

* * * * *

STAFFORD TO CREWE.--On leaving Stafford for Crewe we pass on the right
Ingestrie Park, the seat of the Earl of Talbot; the ruins of Chartley Castle,
the property of Earl Ferrers, the defendant in the action brought by Miss
Smith for breach of promise of marriage; and Sandon Park, the seat of the
Earl of Harrowby, who for many years, before suc