Tref-y-clawdd, and below the race course, at Oswestry. It then passes above Selattyn, whence it descends to the Ceriog, and goes by Chirk Castle, and crosses the Dee and Rhuabon road, near Plas Madoc, and being continued through Flintshire, ends a little below Holywell. Offa, after having carried his arms over most parts of Flintshire, and vainly imagined that his labours would restrain the Cambrian inroads, and prevent incursions beyond the limits which he had decreed to be the boundaries of his conquests. It is observable, says Pennant, that in all parts the ditch is on the Welsh side, and that there are numbers of small artificial mounds, the sites of small forts along its course. These were garrisoned, and seem intended for the same purpose as the towers in the famous Chinese wall, to watch the motions of their neighbours, and to repel hostile incursions. The folly of this great work appeared on the death of Offa, for the Welsh, with irresistible fury, carried their ravages far and wide in the English marshes. Harold made an ordinance that all Welshmen found beyond Offa’s Dyke, within the English pale, with a weapon about him, was to have his right hand cut off by the King’s officers. In the year 1013, Seneyn, King of Denmark, landed with an army in this country to revenge a cruel massacre of the Danes, which had taken place a short time before; having brought his fleet up the Trent to Gainsborough, and landed his forces, it created such a terror that the whole kingdom was soon brought under his yoke; he, however, did not long enjoy his success, for he died the following year, and was succeeded by his son Canute, between whom and Edmund, the Saxon, several sanguinary engagements took place, and the kingdom was for a short time divided. In 1041, Edward the Confessor was by the unanimous voice of the people raised to the throne; having reigned twenty-five years he died, and with him ended both the Saxon and Danish rule in this kingdom. Harold, the son of Godwin, was the next to take possession of the throne, but he was opposed by his brother Tosti, who formed a confederacy with Harfrager, King of Norway; he entered the Humber with a considerable force, and landed his troops in Yorkshire, where, in a deadly conflict, they were completely overthrown by Harold, who left his brother and Harfrager among the slain. Harold having retired to York to rejoice over his victory, received information that William Duke of Normandy had landed with a numerous and warlike army at Ravensey, in Sussex, to meet this unexpected foe. Harold immediately marched his forces to Hastings, where in an unsuccessful battle he lost his life. William the Conqueror had no sooner taken possession of the throne, than he set up various claims to his new possessions, but his principal right was that of conquest, and if his sword had not been stronger than his titles, so many English estates would not have been placed at his disposal. William brought in his train