Nor had we time to see half
that we would gladly have seen and studied here and elsewhere about
Shrewsbury. It would have been very interesting to have visited
Hotspur's and Falstaff's battle-field, which is four miles from the town;
too distant, certainly, for Falstaff to have measured the length of the
fight by Shrewsbury clock. There is now a church, built there by Henry
IV., and said to cover the bones of those slain in the battle.
Returning into the town, we penetrated some narrow lanes, where, as the
old story goes, people might almost shake hands across from the top
windows of the opposite houses, impending towards each other. Emerging
into a wider street, at a spot somewhat more elevated than other parts of
the town, we went into a shop to buy some Royal Shrewsbury cakes, which
we had seen advertised at several shop windows. They are a very rich
cake, with plenty of eggs, sugar, and butter, and very little flour.
A small public building of stone, of modern date, was close by; and
asking the shopwoman what it was, she said it was the Butter Cross, or
market for butter, eggs, and poultry. It is a remarkable site, for here,
in ancient times, stood a stone cross, where heralds used to make
proclamation, and where criminals of state used to be executed. David,
the last of the Welsh princes, was here cruelly put to death by Edward
I., and many noblemen were beheaded on this spot, after being taken
prisoners in the battle of Shrewsbury.
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