the people with much gladnes but anon after like fickle and vnconstant men they banished him the land againe and tooke to their king one Hircius the sonne of Haroald whome likewise after three yeares they expelled and willinglie submitted themselues to Edred who after he had ruled the whole land eight yeares died and was buried at Winchester After him reigned Edwyn sonne of Edmund in whose time chanced nothing woorthie to be put in writing but that he married another mans wife hir husband being aliue This man after he had gouerned the realme foure yeares died leauing his kingdome to his brother Edgar who was crowned king of England in his stead In the yeare 958. was a woonderfull hot summer when Gwgan the sonne of Gwyriad the sonne of Roderike died After the which heate there followed a great plague in March following In those daies Iago and Ievaf by force and strength ruled all Wales as they thought good and yet for all their power Abloic king of Ireland landed in Môn and hauing burnt Holyhed spoiled the countrie of Lhyyn In the yeare 961. the sonnes of Edwyn the son of Colhoyn were slaine after they had destroied all the countrie to Towyn About this time Meyric the sonne of Cadvan Rytherch Bishop of S. Dauids and Cadwalhon ap Owen departed out of this transitorie world Not long after the countrie of Northwales was sore spoiled by the armie of Edgar king of England The cause of this warre was the non paiment of the tribute that the King of Aberffraw by the lawes of Howel Dha was to paie to the king of London In the end there was a peace concluded for king Edgar vnderstanding what hurt the countries of England and Wales receiued dailie by reason of the great multitude of Woolues that then abounded especiallie in Wales which destroied much shéepe and otherwise did great harme released the tribute in monie appointed by the said lawes of Howel Dha and bound the prince of Northwales to paie him yearelie certaine Woolues for his tribute and so to be released of that other tribute in monie which the said prince performed vntill he had left neuer a Woolfe in Wales or England In the yeare 966. Roderike the sonne of Edwal Voel was slaine by the Irishmen by whome Aberfraw was destroied The next yeare there fell a great debate betwixt the two sonnes of Edwal Iago and Ievaf which had ruled iointlie together from the death of Howel Dha to that time and shortlie after Iago hauing taken his brother Ievaf by force verie cruellie kept him in prison a long time about the which time Eneon the sonne of Owen prince of Southwales wan and seazed to himselfe the land of Gwyr And in the yeare 969. Mactus the sonne of Haroald with an armie of Danes did enter the Ile of Anglesey and spoiled Penmon These Danes were suffered by Edgar to inhabite quietlie through all England till they were as strong as the Englishmen and then they fell to such riotousnes and drinking that much mischiefe insued thereof wherevpon Edgar made a law that euerie man should drinke by measure and caused a certaine marke to be set in euerie pot how deepe they should drinke and so by these meanes he somewhat staied that immoderate ingurgitation Not long after that Godfryd the sonne of Haroald did subdue to himselfe the whole Ile of Anglesey which he inioied not long King Edgar likewise in the yeare 972. did send a great nauie to Caerlheon vpon Vsc which shortlie turned backe without dooing anie notable act The next yeare following Howel the sonne of Ievaf raised a great power against his vncle Iago for the deliuerance of his father out of prison and ouercame his vncle in fight whome he chased out of the land and tooke his eldest vncle Meyric the sonne of Edwal and put out both his eies and kept him in prison where he died shortlie after leauing behind him two sonnes Edwal and Ionaval of the which Edwal came afterward the most woorthie princes of Wales Howel notwithstanding he had set his father at libertie yet tooke vppon himselfe the whole rule of the land for his life time He had three brethren all men of great estimation Meyric Ievaf and Cadwalhon whose liues shall insue heereafter Howel ap Ievaf Howel the sonne of Ievaf They ouerranne also and spoiled the whole countrie of Deuon and Cornewale burned the towne of Bodman and the cathedrall church of S. Petrokes with the Bishops house Wherevpon the Bishops sea was remooued from thence to S. Germans where the same continued vntill the remoouing and vniting thereof vnto Crediton About this time died S. Dunstane who prophesied of much mischiefe and great destruction of the land by the Danes The yeare 981. Godfryd the sonne of Haroald did gather a great armie and landed in Westwales where spoiling all the land of Dyuet with the church of S. Dauids he fought the battell of Lhanwanoc Likewise in the yeare next ensuing Duke Alfred with a great power of Englishmen spoiled and destroied Brechnock and a great part of the lands of Owen prince of Southwales against whome Eneon the sonne of the said Owen and Howel king of Northwales did raise all their power and ouerthrew them in battell where the greatest part of Alfreds armie was slaine and the rest put to flight The yeare following the Gentlemen of Gwentsland rebelled against their prince and cruellie slue Eneon the son of Owen which came thither to appease them This Eneon was a woorthie and noble Gentleman who did manie notable actes in his fathers time and left behind him two sonnes Edwyn and Theodor or Tewdor Mawr of whome came afterward the kings or princes of Southwales In the yeare 984. Howel the sonne of Ievaf king of Wales entred England with an armie where he was fought withall and slaine valiantlie fighting This Howel had no sonne but his brethren reigned in his place Cadwalhon ap Ievaf Cadwalhon the sonne of Ievaf AFTER the death of Howel his brother Cadwalhon the second sonne of Ievaf tooke in hand the gouernance of Northwales and first made war with Ionaval his coosen the sonne of Meyric and right heire to the land and slue him but Edwal the yongest brother escaped awaie priuilie The yeare following Meredyth the sonne of Owen king or prince of Southwales with all his power entred into Northwales and in fight slue Cadwalhon the sonne of Ievaf and Meyric his brother and conquered the land to himselfe Wherein a man may see how God punished the wrong which Iago and Ievaf the sonnes of Edwal Voel did to their eldest brother Meyric who was first disherited and afterward his eies put out and one of his sonnes slaine For first Ievaf was imprisoned by Iago then Iago with his sonne Constantine by Howel the sonne of Ievaf and afterward the said Howel with his bretherne Cadwalhon and Meyric were slaine and spoiled of all their lands Meredyth ap
serue for a mans necessarie defense and were not distrainable without the prince his licence 5 Causes of inheritance were not heard or determined but from the ninth of Nouember till the ninth of Februarie or from the ninth of Maie vntill the ninth of August The rest of the yeare was counted a time of vacation for sowing in the spring and reaping in the haruest 6 This also is to be obserued that all matters of inheritance of land were determined and adiudged by the King or Prince in person or his speciall deputie if he were sicke or impotent and that vpon view of the same land calling vnto him the fréeholders of that place two elders of his counsell the Chiefe iustice attending alwaies in the court the ordinarie iudge of the countrie where the land laie and the priest The maner of their procéeding was thus The king or prince sate in his Iudiciall seate higher than the rest with an elder on his right hand and another on his left and the fréeholders on both sides next vnto them which for this cause as I thinke were called Vchelwyr Before him directlie a certaine distance off and a little lower sate his Chiefe iustice hauing the priest on his right hand and the ordinarie iudge of that countrie on the left The court being set the plaintife came in with his aduocate champion and Ringylh or sergeant and stood on the left side then came in the defendant in like maner with his aduocate champion and Ringylh and stood on the right side and last of all the witnesses of both parties came which stood directlie before the Chiefe iustice at the lower end of the hall vntill they were called vp to testifie the truth of their knowledge in the matter in variance The figure of the which I thought good héere to laie downe as you sée in the page next following After the hearing of the books read the depositions of the witnesses and full pleading of the cause in open court vpon warning giuen by the Rhinghylh the Chiefe Iustice the priest and the ordinarie iudge withdrew themselues for a while to consult of the matter and then Secundum allegata probata brought their verdict the court sitting Whervppon the king or prince after consultation had with the elders or seniors which sate by him gaue definitiue sentence except the matter was so obscure and intricate that right and truth appeared not in the which case it was tried by the two champions and so the cause ended This shall be sufficient for this time Now therefore let vs go forward in the historie At this time the foresaid kings Aulafe and Regnald entered the land of Edmund who gathering his strength together folowed them into Northumberland and ouercame them in plaine battell and chased them out of the land and so remained a whole yeare in those parts setting things in order and quieting of that countrie And bicause he could not by anie meanes bring the inhabitants of Cumberland to liue in anie honest order he spoiled that countrie and committed it to the rule of Malcolme king of Scotland vpon condition that he should send him succours in all his warres both by sea and land Some other write that king Edmund being accompanied with Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht which was after prince of Wales entred Cumberland and taking the two sonnes of Dummaile king of that prouince put out their eies and then gaue that countrie to Malcolme to be holden of him with condition to kéepe the North part of the realme from incursion of enimies the which condition was afterward but slenderlie perfourmed This Malcolme was the sonne of Donald King of Scotland and was the next king after Constantine the third being in number the 76. In the yeare 942. died Hubert Bishop of S. Dauids the yeare also following Marclois Bishop of Bangor and Vssa the sonne of Lhavyr died The yeare 944. the Englishmen did enter Wales with a strong armie and spoiled Strad Clwyd and returned home At which time Conan the sonne of Elise was put in danger of death by poison and Everus Bishop of S. Dauids died The yeare after Edmund King of England was slaine by treason as some writers saie vpon S. Augustines daie as he was at dinner Other saie that he espied an outlawe sitting in the hall and as he drew him from the table the outlaw slew the King with a knife And some be of opinion that as the King would haue rescued a man of his from an officer who had arrested him the same officer slue him not knowing that he was the King he lieth buried at Glastenburie After whose death Edred or Edfred his brother was crowned in his place who made an expedition to Scotland and Northumberland and subdued them both and receiued fealtie and homage of the Northumbers and Scots by oth which was not long kept In the yeare 948. died Howel Dha the noble and worthie King or Prince of Wales whose death was sore bewailed of all men for he was a prince that loued peace and good order that feared God He left behind him foure sonnes Owen Run Roderike and Edwyn betwixt whom and the sonnes of Edwal there was great warres for the chiefe rule of Wales as shall appeare in the historie following Ievaf and Iago Ievaf and Iago the sonnes of Edwal Voel AFter the death of Howel Dha his sonnes did diuide Southwales and Powys betwixt them and Ievaf and Iago the second and third sonnes of Edwal Voel ruled Northwales bicause their elder brother Meyric was not a man worthie to rule who comming of the elder house would haue had the chiefe rule of all Wales which the sonnes of Howel Dha denied them And therevpon Iago or Iames and Ievaf entred Southwales with a great power against whome came Owen the sonne of Howel and his brethren and fought together at the hils of Carno where Iago and Ievaf had the victorie and the yeare folowing the same brethren did twise enter into Southwales and spoiled Dyuet and slue Dwnwalhon the Lord thereof And within a while after died Roderike one of the sonnes of Howel Dha In the yeare 952. the sonnes of Howel gathered their strength together against Ievaf and Iago and entered their land to the riuer of Conwy where they fought a cruell battell at a place called Gwrgustu or Lhanrwst as some thinke where a great number were slaine vpon either side as Anarawd the sonne of Gwyriad or Vriet the sonne of Roderike the Great and Edwyn the sonne of Howel Dha in the which battell were ouerthrowne the sonnes of Howel whome Ievaf and Iago pursued to Caerdigan and destroied their countrie with fire and sword About this time Yarthyr the sonne of Mervyn was drowned and the yeare following Congelach King of Ireland was slaine But to returne to Edred King of England As soone as he was returned to his owne land Aulaf with a great armie landed in Northumberland and was receiued of
whole land by colour of iustice yet he brought the land in such awe of him that a child might haue caried gold openlie through all England without danger of theeues for all such oftenders lost their hands and if anie man forced anie woman he should lose his stones This William left England to William Rufus his sonne and Normandie to his eldest sonne Robert and his treasure he gaue to Henrie his third sonne The same yeare all the sons of Blethyn ap Convyn sometimes king of VVales gathered their strength together against Rees ap Tewdor who not being able to meete with them fled to Ireland and there he purchased himselfe great freends and got an armie of Irishmen and Scots to whom he promised great towards when he should obtaine his kingdome and so landed in Southwales with these strangers Which when his freends hard of they drew to him the other came in all hast thinking to fight with him before his power should increase and at Lhechryd they gaue him battell where they were discomfited and two of the brethren slaine to wit Madoc and Riryd and the other fled and forsooke the countrie As soone as Rees was in quiet possession of his kingdome he sent home his strangers with great rewards About this time the shrine of S. Dauid was stolne out of the church and when all the iewels and treasures were taken away the shrine was left where it might be found againe The Normanes rebelled against the king in diuers places at one time for Odo Bishop of Bayon chiefe gouernour of England began the rebellion in Kent and burned the kings townes so did Roger lord Mortimer at Peuenest Bishop Galfride destroied Bath and Berklay Roger did his indeuour in Northfolke and Southfolke Hugh in Leycester and Northamptonshires and the Bishop of Durham was not behind in his quarter Likewise the Earles of Hereford and Shrewesburie with the Welshmen burned all VVorcestershire and Glocestershire to the gates of VVorcester Then the king gathered his strength together and promising the people their ancient liberties proceeded towards his enimies and first wanne the castell of Tynbridge and after besieged Odo and Roger Mortimer in the castell of Peuenest vj. weekes at which time his brother Robert came with an armie from Normandie and would haue landed but he was driuen backe by such as kept the sea coastes Then Odo yeelded Peuenest to the king promised to depart the land so did Afterwards the king wan the castell of Rochester and lead his armie to Durham tooke it and banished all his enimies the land In the yeare 1088 there was a terrible earthquake through all the land the yeare folowing died Sulien the godliest wisest man and the greatest clerke in all VVales being 80. yeares old About this time certeine strangers which were rouers vpon the seas landed at S. Dauids and robbed it and burned the towne At which time also Cadiuor the sonne of Calhoyn lord of Dyuet died whose sonnes Lhewelyn and Eneon mooued Gruffyth the sonne of Meredyth to make warre against their lord prince Rees ap Theodor and so ioining all their strength togither came against him to Lhandydoch where Rees was who gaue them battell and putting them to flight pursued them so sore that he tooke Gruffyth ap Meredyth and put him to death But Eneon sonne to Cadiuor ap Colhoyn fled to Iestyn lord of Morgannwc who likewise rebelled against Rees ap Theodor and promised vpon condition to haue Iestyns daughter in mariage and certaine other couenants then agreed vpon betweene them to bring to their succours an armie of Normanes for he had serued in England before and was well knowen acquainted with all the English nobilitie which things being thus concluded they were fully minded to be reuenged vpon Rees And so Eneon went to England wrought such means that he procured Robert Fitzhamon with twelue other knights to gather a great armie of Frenchmen or Normanes to come to their aid who shortlie after landed in Glamorganshire where Iestyn ap Gurgant lord of the land receiued them with much honor and ioining his power to theirs burned spoiled prince Rees his land destroied his people Which thing being declared to Rees grieued him sore wherevpon he suddenlie gathered his power and met them not far from Brechnock where after a terrible fight he was slaine with whome fell and decaied the kingdome of Southwales This Rees had by his wife the daughter of Rywalhon ap Convyn a sonne called Gruffyth who at his fathers death was but a verie child and one Grono that was in the kings prison These Normanes after they had receiued their promised salarie and great rewards of Iestyn returned to their ships When Eneon burthened Iestyn with the promise of his daughter in mariage Iestyn laughed him to scorne and told him that he would bestow his daughter otherwise wherevpon Eneon full of anger and despite folowed the Normanes And when he came to the shoare they were all a shipboard then he shouted to them and made a signe with his cloake to call them backe and they turned againe to know his meaning Then he went to the chiefest of them and shewed of his abuse at Iestyns hands declaring withall how easie it was for them to winne that faire and pleasant countrie from Iestyn whome for his treason to Rees none other prince of Wales would succour wherevnto they were easilie persuaded and so vngratefullie turned all their power against him for whose defense they had come thither and at whose hands they had beene well intertained and recompensed with rich gifts and great rewards And first they spoiled him of his countrie who mistrusted them not and tooke all the fertile and valey ground to themselues and left the barren and rough mountaines to Eneon for his part The names of those twelue knights that came and accompanied Robert Fitzhamon were these Londres or London as the Brytish booke nameth him Stradlyng S. Iohn Turberuile Grenuile Humffreuile S. Quintine Soore Sully Berkeroll Syward and Fleming These men and their heires haue enioied that countrie to this daie who were the first strangers that euer inhabited Wales since the time of Camber The historie of the winning of Glamorgan in maner agréeing with this author is particularlie set in writing by some skilfull and studious Gentleman of that countrie wherein he continueth not onelie the vse and possession of the same Lordship in the heires of those noble men which wan it but also sheweth their progenie and issues euen to our time The copie whereof being deliuered vnto me by the right worshipfull Mistres Blanch Parry one of the Gentlewomen of the Quéenes Maiesties priuie chamber a singular well willer and furtherer of the weale publike of that countrie I thought good héere to insert as followeth The winning of the Lordship of Glamorgan or Morgannwc out of the VVelshmens hands and first of the description of the same
Shrewesburie were Richard de Belmersh or de Beleasmo as some doo call him who being chéefe dooer about Roger Mountgomery Earle of Salop was preferred to the Bishopricke of London and afterwards appointed by this King Henrie to be warden of the Marches and gouernour of the countie of Salop Walter Constable the father of Milo Earle of Hereford and Rayner the kings lieutenant in the countie of Salop. About this time as Bale noteth the church of Meneuia or S. Dauids began to be subiect to the sea of Canturburie being alwaies before the Metrapolitane church of all Wales In the yeare 1103. Owen ap Edwyn died after great miserie and long sicknesse Then also Richard the sonne of Baldwyn did fortifie the castell of Ridcors and chased Howel ap Grono out of the countrie to whom the King had giuen the custodie of that castell who neuerthelesse returned shortlie after and burned all the countrie houses corne and haie and slew a great number of the Normanes as they returned homeward and kept all the countrie in his subiection except the castels and these garrisons At this time the King did take the rule of Dyuet from Saer to whom he had committed the same and gaue it to Gerald who had beene sometimes Steward there under Arnulph Then the Normanes who were in the castell of Rydcors and other castels there abouts seeing they could not haue the vpper hand of Howel ap Grono in open fight fell to their accustomed practise of treason and so obtained their purpose in this manner There was one Gwgan ap Meyric who had nursed a sonne to Howel ap Grono and therefore verie well trusted and loued of him as the manner of Wales is This traitour being corrupted by the Normanes procured his maisters death bidding him one night to his house to make merrie whither he came gentlie Then Gwgan gaue notise thereof to the garrisons of the castels who in the dawning of the daie entred the towne comming about the house gaue a great showte wherewith Howel awooke and coragiouslie leapt out of his bed and sought his weapons but the traitor Gwgan had conueied them awaie when he was asleepe Then he called for his men but they were all fled to saue their liues and as he would haue gotten awaie he was taken by Gwgan and his companie and strangled whose bodie he deliuered to the Normanes which cut off his head and brought it to the castell of Rydcors And this traitorous murther of the kings lieutenant was left vnpunished For whatsoeuer fault the Normanes committed was alwaies winked at and if the Welshmen did neuer so little offend the lawes of the king it was thought an heinous fault which was the cause that afterwards they rebelled against the king who sought nothing but their vtter destruction About this time Anselme Archbishop of Canturburie called a synod at London where among other things it was ordeined and decreed that priests should not marrie which was not before that time forbidden in Brytaine This ordinance or decree seemed to some verie cleanlie and honest but of other it was thought perilous and dangerous least they seeking to be cleane and honest as they termed it should fall into horrible uncleanlinesse and dishonestie abhominable to a christian man and this was a thousand one hundered and odde yeares after the incarnation of Christ. King Henrie in the fift yeare of his reigne sailed with a great power to Normandie where his brother Robert with Robert de Belesmo Arnulph and William Earle of Mauritania gaue him battell but the King got the victorie and tooke the Duke his brother and William de Mauritania prisoners and carried them to England whom he committed to perpetuall prison and caused his brothers eies to be put out Then shortlie after died Edgar king of Scots and Alexander his brother was crowned in his place by consent of king Henrie At this time Meyric and Gruffyth the sonnes of Trahaern ap Caradoc were both slaine by Owen ap Cadogan ap Blethyn Also Meredyth ap Blethyn brake the prison where he had been a long time and came home and gat his owne inheritance againe and enioied it quietlie The yeare 1108. the rage of the sea did ouerflow and drowne a great part of the lowe countrie of Flanders in such sort that the inhabitants were driuen to seeke themselues other dwelling places who came to King Henrie and desired him to giue them some void place to remaine in who being verie liberall of that which was not his owne gaue them the land of Ros in Dyuet or Westwales where Penbrooke Tenby and Hauerford are now built there they remaine to this daie as may well be perceiued by their speach and conditions farre differing from the rest of the countrie At that time Gerald steward did build againe the castell of Penbrooke in a place called Congarth Vechan and brought thither all his houshold stuffe and other goods with his wife and children Then also Cadogan ap Blethyn made a great feast in Christmas and bad all the Lords of the countrie to his house in Dyuet among whom came Owen his sonne who being at his fathers house and hearing the beautie of Nest wife to Gerald steward of Penbrooke praised aboue all the women in the land was meruelous desirous to see hir And for so much as Gladys wife to Rees ap Theodor or Tewdor and mother to Nest was the daughter of Rywalhon ap Convyn and coosen germane to Cadogan his father he with a few vnder the colour of freendship and coosenage went to see hir finding the truth to surmount the fame he came home all inflamed with hir loue and in that doting moode the same night returning thither againe with a sort of wild companions entred the castell priuilie and compassed the chamber about and set the house on fire wherewith Gerald and his wife awoke and he would haue issued out to know what that noise meant but his wife fearing some treason staied him and counselled him to go to the priuie and so pulling vp the boord she helped him out that waie and then she came to the chamber dore and said that there was none but she and hir children yet they entred in and sought al about but when they could not find him they tooke hir and hir two sons and a sonne and a daughter borne by a concubine to Gerald and caried them awaie to Powys and so burning the castell they spoiled all the countrie Now when Cadogan hard this he was verie sorie and feared the kings displeasure and forthwith went to Powys and willed his sonne to send home to Gerald his wife and children with his goods but Owen in no wise would depart with the woman yet at hir request he sent to Gerald his children againe And when Richard bishop of London whom the king had appointed Warden of the Marches being at Shrewsburie hard of this hee was verie sore offended and
sent for Ithel and Madoc the sonnes of Riryd ap Blethyn to whom he promised rich gifts and great rewards besides the rule of the whole countrie if they could take or kill Owen to reuenge the dishonor that he had doone to the king and to them he added Lhywarch the sonne of Trahaern ap Caradoc whose two brethren Owen had slaine and Vchtryd the sonne of Edwyn which foure promised the bishop to bring him Owen and his father either aliue or dead and therevpon foorthwith gathered their power to destroie the whole countrie but Vchtryd sent priuie word before that all such of the people as would haue their liues saued should come to him And when the countrie heard this some fled to Arustly some to Melienyth some to Stradtywy and some to Dyuet where Gerald was destroieng the countrie And at that time Walter bishop of Hereford did gather an armie to defend Carmarthyn and met with such as fled to Arustly and Melienyth and destroied a great number of them Those that went to Stradtywy were gentlie receiued by Meredyth ap Rytherch and Vchtryd saued all such as came to him and so these foure came with their powers to the castell of Rydcors and thought best to haue entred the countrie by night and to take Cadogan and Owen his sonne vnawares But Vchtryd dissuaded them from that and thought it dangerous to enter the countrie by night for feare of ambushment but counselled them to enter in by day with their men in good order In the meane while Cadogan and Owen gat a ship at Aberystwyth which was latelie come from Ireland and escaped awaie and the daie after when they entred into the land they found none of them that they sought Therefore putting all the fault vpon Vchtryd they burned and spoiled all the countrie sauing the Sanctuaries of Padarn and Lhandhewi Breui yet they tooke diuerse men out of those places and caried them prisoners to their countries and then returned to their owne castels againe Then Owen with such as had beene with him at the burning of the castell fled to Ireland to king Murcart who receiued him ioiouslie for he had beene there before in the time of the warre of the two Earles in Anglesey or Môn and had brought the king rich gifts from Wales But Cadogan kept himselfe priuilie in Powys sent to the king to declare his innocencie Tehn the king was content he should remaine in the countrie and enioy the towne and lands that he had by his wife for she was daughter to a Lord of Normandie called Pygot de Say Then Madoc and Ithel his two nephewes diuided such lands as he and his sonne Owen had in Powys betwixt them and ruled it verie euill for they could neuer agree among themselues within a while Cadogan made such freends to the king that paieng a 100. pound fine he should enioy againe his landes in Caerdigan and that the inhabitants should returne againe to their houses and till the ground for the king had giuen commandement that no Welshman nor Normane should dwell within Caerdigan When they that were in Ireland vnderstood this they returned home priuilie and hid themselues in their coosens houses and shortlie after Owen returned againe to Wales but not to Caerdigan for his father had receiued that land vpon such condition that he should not suffer Owen to come therein nor succour him either with counsell monie or men Nowbeit Owen came to Powys and would faine haue sent messengers to the king but he could get no man that durst venture to speake for him Also at that time there happened some variance betwixt Madoc ap Riryd and the bishop of London lieutenant of the Marches about certeine felons of England that had fled to him for succor whom the bishop sent for but could not get wherfore he was sore offended with him Then Riryd vnderstanding of that sent to Owen desired his freendship whose greatest enimie he was before and by this meanes they were made freends and swore either to other that none of them should betraie the other nor agree by himselfe with the king or with his officers without the other and therevpon they burned and spoiled the lands of such as they loued not destroied all things that they met withall At this time also the Emperour Henrie did send his ambassadors to entreate of a mariage with Mawd the daughter of king Henrie and had hir to his wife And shortlie after the king banished and disinherited Peter de Bruse William Mallet and William Baynard and put to death the Earle of Mayne That yeare appeared a terrible Comete Then also the king remembred Iorwerth ap Blethyn whom he had kept long in prison and sent to know of him what time he would paie to haue his libertie and he promised the king 300. pound or the worth thereof in cattell or horses then the king set him at libertie and gaue him his land againe and gaue ten pound of that monie to Henrie sonne to Cadogan by the daughter of Pygot All this while Owen and Madoc were burning and spoiling the Englishmen and Normanes and euer withdrew themselues to the land of Iorwerth which thing greeued him greatly wherevpon he sent word of his danger desiring them to spare his land Cadogans for if it were knowne that they came in anie of theirs the land was forfeited to the king When Owen and Riryd heard this they vsed his countrie more often than they were woont then Iorwerth seeing that chased them out of his countrie Then they went to the countrie of Vchtryd in Merionyth shire and the sons of Vchtryd sent word to their people to keepe them out of their countrie and so they did for meeting them by the waie they set vpon them and Owen and Madoc defended themselues manfullie but at the last they and their men were driuen backe and so they fled Owen to Caerdigan to his fathers countrie and Madoc to Powys Then Owen with his companions made diuerse roades to Dyuet and spoiled the countrie carieng awaie the men and the cattell to the ships that they came in from Ireland and after ransomed them and gathered a great number to him set vpon a towne of Flemings and burned it and returned to Caerdigan nothing esteeming his fathers danger nor the kings displeasure At this time it chansed that Owens men among other mischeefes laid wait for a bishop that was towards the king whose name was William de Brabant and slew him and all his men Then Iorwerth Cadogan were at the court to speake with the king concerning certaine businesse of their owne and as the king talked with them behold there came in a Fleming brother to the dead bishop who made an exclamation declaring how Owen ap Cadogans men had slaine his brother and a great number moe and how they were succoured in Cadogans land Then the king being therewith sore displeased asked Cadogan what he could saie to the
king Therefore the king sent for him to come to his court to conclude a peace before the power of England Wales were sent for him wherevpon Rees after consultation came to the king and an order was taken that Rees should enioy the Cantref Mawr as it should please the king so that his land should be whole togither and not in diuerse places and shires but the king did contrarie to his promise appointing Rees lands in diuerse places and lordships intermingled with other mens lands Which deceit although Rees perceiued well inough yet he receiued it peece-meale as it was and liued quietlie vntill Roger Earle of Clare hearing this came to the king and desired his highnesse to giue him such lands in Wales as he could win which the king granted Then he came with a great armie to Caerdigan first he fortified the castell of Stratmeyric and afterwards the castell of Humfrey of Dyuy of Dynerth Lhanristyd When these castels were well manned and fortified Walter Clyfford who had the keeping of the castell of Lhanymdhyfri made a road to the land of Rees and returned with a bootie after he had slaine diuerse of Reeses men Then Rees sent to the king to complaine and to haue a redresse who had onelie faire words and nothing else for the king winked at the faults of the Englishmen and Normanes and punished the Welshmen cruellie Rees seeing this laid siege to Lhanymdhyfri and in short space wan the castell Also Eneon the sonne of Anarawd Reeses brothers sonne being a lustie gentleman and desirous to make his countrie free from seruitude and perceiuing his vncle to be discharged of his oth to the king laid siege to the castell of Humfrey by force wan it slaieng all the garrison wherein he found horses and armour to furnish a great number of men Likewise Rees seeing he could enioy no part of his inheritance but that he wan by the sword gathered his power entring Caerdigan left not a castell standing in the countrie of those which his enimies had fortified and so brought all to his subiection Wherewith the king being sore offended returned to Southwales and when he saw he could doo no good he suffered Rees to enioy all that he had gotten and tooke pledges of him to keepe the peace in his absence Then returning to England he tooke his iournie to Normandie and made peace with the French king But the next yeare Rees prince of Southwales did lead his power to Dyuet and destroied all the castels that the Normanes had fortified there and afterward laid siege to Caermarthin Which thing when Reynold Erle of Brystow the kings base sonne heard he called to him the Earle of Clare and his brother in law Cadwalader the brother of prince Owen with Howel and Conan prince Owens sonnes and two other Earles and came to raise the siege with a great armie whose comming Rees abode not but got him to the mountains called Kefn Rester and there kept himselfe and they camped at Dynwyl hîr and builded a castell there who after they could not heare of Rees returned home without doing of anie notable act King Henrie remained in Normandie all this yeare where he made warre against the Earle of S. Giles for the citie and Earledome of Tholouse In the yeare 1160. died Madoc ap Meredyth ap Blethyn prince of Powys at Winchester This man was euer the king of Englands freend and was one that feared God and releeued the poore his bodie was conueied honorablie to Powys and buried in Myuot This man had by his wife Susanna the daughter of Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales three sonnes Gruffyth Maylor Owen and Elise and a daughter called Marred he had base sons Owen Brogynton Kynwric Euelh and Eneon Euelh which base sonnes were not baselie esteemed who with the other had part of their fathers inheritance and so had other through Wales especiallie if they were stout and of noble courage And here I thinke it conuenient to declare how Powys land came to be diuided in many parts and thereby weakened and so brought vnder the Normanes before the rest of Wales Meredyth sonne to Blethyn ap Convyn prince of Powys had two sons Madoc of whom we speake and Gruffyth betweene whom Powys was diuided Madoc had that part which was called Powys Vadoc which part again was diuided betwixt his three sons Gruffyth Maylor Owen Vachan and Owen Brogynton after this maner Gruffyth Maylor had Bromfield Yale Hope Dale Nanhewdwy Mochnant îs Rhayard Chirke Cynlhayth and Glyndouerdwy Owen Vachan had Mechain Iscoyd And Owen Brogynton had Dynmael and Edeyrneon The other part of Powys called afterward Powys Wenwynwyn was the part of Gruffyth ap Meredyth after whose death his sonne called Owen Cyuelioc enioied it as it shall be at large hereafter declared Powys before king Offas time reached Estward to the riuers of Dee and Seauerne with a right line from the end of Broxen hilles to Salop with all the countrie betwéene VVye and Seauerne whereof Brochwel yscithroc of whom mention is made before pag. 22. was possessed but after the making of Offas ditch as it is said before pag. 19. the plaine countrie toward Salop being inhabited by Saxons and Normans Powys was in length from Pulford bridge Northeast to the confines of Caerdigan shire in the parish of Lhanguric in the Southwest and in bredth from the furthest part of Cyuelioc Westward to Elsmere on the Eastside This countrie or principalitie of Powys was appointed by Roderike the Great for the portion of his third sonne Anarawd and so continued intierlie vntill the death of Blethyn ap Convyn After whom although the dominion was diminished by limiting parts in seueraltie amongst his sonnes Meredyth and Cadogan yet at length it came wholie to the possession of Meredyth ap Blethyn who had issue two sonnes Madoc and Gruffyth betwéene whom the said dominion was diuided Madoc maried Susanna the daughter of Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales and had that part which was after called after his name Powys Vadoc which dominion and Seigniorie was diuided betwixt the thrée sonnes of the said Madoc to wit Gruffyth Maelor Owen ap Madoc and Owen Brogynton which Owen Brogynton although he was baselie begotten yet for his valiancie and noble courage he had part of his fathers inheritance to wit Edeyrneon and Dinmael and had issue Gruffyth Blethin and Iorwerth Owen ap Madoc had to his portion of inheritance limited the territorie of Mechain Is coed and had issue Lhewelyn and Owen Vachan Gruffyth Maelor the eldest sonne lord of Bromfield had to his part the two Maelors and Mochnant is Rayadr he maried Angharat the daughter of Owen Gwyneth prince of Northwales by whome he had issue one sonne named Madoc who held his fathers inheritance wholie and had issue Gruffyth called lord of Dînas brân because he dwelled in that castell who maried Emma the daughter of Iames lord Audley and had issue Madoc Lhewelyn
said Hawys as it séemed vnto him had more right to hir fathers possessions being in hir vncles hands than they to hirs But to make a finall end betwéene them order and composition was taken that Hawys should enioie hir inheritance in fée simple to hir and to hir heires for euer after the tenure of England And that hir vncles Lhewelyn Iohn Dauid and Gruffyth should hould their portions to them and to their heires male for euer And in default of such issue male the same to descend and remaine to the said Hawys and to hir heires for euer William Lord of Mowthwy otherwise called Wilcocke Mowthwy being the fourth sonne bicause he did not trouble his said néece Hawy about hir inheritance had his lands confirmed and assured in fée simple to him and to his heires generall male or female foreuer He maried Alianor the sister of Elen Owen Glyndowres mother the daughter of Thomas sonne of Lhewelyn sonne of Owen sonne of Meredyth sonne of Owen sonne of Gruffyth sonne of Rees sonne of Gruffyth sonne of Rees ap Theodor prince of Southwales by whome he had issue Iohn de Mowthwy Iohn the sonne of William Lord of Mowthwy had issue Elizabeth his daughter and sole heire which was maried to Sir Hugh Burgh knight Sir Hugh Burgh knight in the right of his wife lord of Mowthwy had issue Sir Iohn Burgh Sir Iohn Burgh lord of Mowthwy maried Iane the daughter of Sir William Clopton knight lord of the manours of Clopton and Radbrooke in the countie of Glocester and by hir had issue foure daughters Elizabeth Ancreda Isabell and Alianor Elizabeth maried to Thomas Newport father of Iohn father of Thomas father of sir Richard Newport knight late deceased father of Francis and Andrew now liuing Ancreda maried to Iohn Leighton of Stretton father of Sir Thomas Leighton of Watelsborough knight father of Iohn Leighton father of Edward Leighton Esquire eldest sonne and of Sir Thomas Leighton knight second sonne now liuing Isabell maried to Iohn Lingen father of Sir Iohn Lingen knight And Alianor maried to Thomas Mytton father of William Mytton father of Richard Mytton who by partition had amongst the said coheires enioied the said Seigniorie and Lordship of Mowthwy The said Iohn Charleton first of that sirname had issue by the said Hawys Iohn and died An. 1353. Iohn Charleton the second lord Powys held that Seigniorie seuen yeares and then died An. 1360. leauing behind him a sonne and heire called also Iohn Iohn Charleton the third lord Powys succéeded his father and enioied that lordship fouretéene yeares and then died An. 1374. leauing behind him two sons Iohn and Edward Iohn Charleton the fourth lord Powys possessed his fathers inheritance after him 27. yeares and then died without issue An. 1401. Edward Charleton brother and heire to the said Iohn succéeded him in the lordship of Powys and held the same 19. yeares he maried Alianor daughter and one of the heires of of Thomas Earle of Kent being the widow of Roger Mortimer Earle of March and mother to Anne countesse of Cambridge the mother of Richard duke of Yorke and had issue by hir two daughters his heires Iane eldest daughter maried to Sir Iohn Gray knight and Ioyce second daughter maried to Iohn lord Tiptoft by whome she had issue Iohn lord Tiptoft created by king Henrie the sixt Earle of Worcester who died without issue and foure daughters Philip Ioyce Ioane and Margaret the first Philip maried to Thomas lord Ros. The second Ioyce maried to Edmond Dudley sonne and heire to Iohn baron Dudley The third Ioane maried to Sir Edward Inglethorp knight who had issue Isabell maried to Iohn Neuill Marques Montague After the death of the said Alianor this Edward lord Powys maried Elizabeth the daughter of Sir Iohn Barkley knight and died An. 1420. After whose death the lordship of Powys was diuided into thrée parts first the said Elizabeth had for hir dowrie Lhannerch hudol Strat marchelh Deuthwr and Teirtref and maried to hir second husband the Baron of Dudley The said Iane the eldest daughter had for hir part Caereneon Mecham Mochnant and Plâsdinas The third Ioyce the yoonger daughter had Cyuelioc and Arustly Henrie Gray the sonne of Sir Iohn Gray knight and Iane daughter and one of the heires of Edward Chareleton lord Powys was in the right of the said Iane his mother lord Powys he was also by king Henrie the fift created Earle of Tanqueruile and maried Antigone base daughter to Humfrey duke of Glocester fourth sonne to king Henrie the fourth and had issue Richard Humfrey and Elizabeth the wife of Sir Roger Kinaston Richard Gray lord Powys maried Margaret the daughter of Iames lord Audley and by hir had issue Iohn and Elizabeth the wife of Iohn Ludlow sonne of sir Richard Ludlow knight which Iohn and Elizabeth had issue two daughters Anne and Alice Anne the elder maried Thomas Vernon second sonne of Sir Henrie Vernon of Haddon in the Peke of whom Henrie Vernon of Stokesay now liuing is descended Alice the second daughter maried Humfrey Vernon third sonne of the said sir Henrie and brother to the said Thomas of whom Iohn Vernon of Hodnet now liuing is descended Iohn Gray lord Powys had issue Iohn Iohn Gray lord Powys had issue Edward Edward Gray lord Powys maried Anne the daughter of Charles Brandon duke of Suffolke and died without lawfull issue The same yeare Cadwalhon ap Madoc ap Ednerth was taken by his brother Eneon Clyd and deliuered to Owen prince of Northwales who sent him to the kings officers to be imprisoned at Winchester from whence he escaped shortlie after and came to his countrie Henrie king of England remained in Normandie all this yeare whose sonne named also Henrie maried Margaret the daughter of Lewys king of France The yeare next folowing died Meyric bishop of Bangor Then king Henrie and the French King fell at variance wherevpon shortlie after King Henrie went to Gascoyne to chastise certeine rebels there But in the yeare 1162. there was a peace concluded betweene the kings of England and France At that time Howel the son of Ieuaf ap Cadogan ap Athlestan Glodrydh got the castell of Walwern in Cyuelioc and rased it which thing when it was told Owen Prince of Northwales it displeased him wonderfullie at the which he was so greeued that nothing could make him merrie vntill such time as he had gathered his power came to Lhanthinam in Arustly and thence fet great spoiles Then the people of the countrie came all to their Lord Howel ap Ieuaf who folowed the spoile to Seauerne side where the Princes campe was whereof the Prince séeing such an occasion of reuenge offered him was right glad and set vpon his enimies and slew the most part of them and the rest with their Lord escaped to the woods and rocks Then the Prince being ioifull of this reuenge built vp his castell againe and fortified it stronglie The
to the castell of Lhangadoc and wan it not regarding his promise and league with the sonnes of his brother Gruffyth ap Rees forgetting how worthilie they had serued him in his necessitie Therefore assoone as they heard of this both Rees and Owen came before the said castell wan it by assault slew or tooke prisoners all the garrison and then burned the castell to the earth The yeare 1210. king Iohn made a voiage to Ireland with an armie of great power and wanne the countrie of Conacht and tooke Cathol their prince prisoner In this voiage of King Iohn towards Ireland as he was in his iournie in the borders of Wales there was one taken and brought before him who had killed a préest The officer desired to vnderstand the kings pleasure what he would haue doone to him Let him go saith the king for he hath slaine mine enimie The churchmen of those daies persecuted king Iohn with booke bell and candell and therefore he little regarded the losse of some of them Also he spoiled Hugh de Lacie Lord of Meth of his castels and lands and tooke William de Bruse the yoonger and Mawd de Saint Valerike his mother and brought them both to England with him and caused them cruellie to be famished in the castell of Wyndsor The cause of the kings displeasure taken against this William de Bruse Lord of Brecknock as Matthew Paris reporteth the same was this When the Pope had excommunicated the realme of England The king fearing a further inconuenience tooke pledges of such of his nobles as he suspected would make anie stirre against him sending his messengers to the said William de Bruse demanded his sons for pledges Then Mawd the wife of the said William more malipart than manerlie taking the word out of hir husbands mouth answered roundlie that the king who had shamefullie slaine Arthur his nephue whom he ought rather to haue kept and preserued should haue none of hir children These words being by the messengers signified vnto the king put him in such a heat against the said Lord that he sent certeine souldiours to take him wherevpon he his wife and children were faine to flie into Ireland to saue their liues where the said Mawd and hir sonne were now taken but the father escaped and fled into France where he died afterward as the same author saith This yeare the Earle of Chester reedified the castell of Dyganwy which stood vpon the sea shore East of the riuer Conwy which prince Lhewelyn had before destroied Also he fortified the castell of Treffynnon or S. Wenefride Then prince Lhewelyn entered the Earles land and destroied a great part thereof and returned home with a great spoile Also Rees Vachan sonne to prince Rees fearing prince Lhewelyn who defended his nephues the sonnes of Gruffyth in their right went to the king for succours which he receiued with good will and by their aid he laid siege to the castell of Lhanymdhyfry Now when the garrison sawe no hope of succours they desired that they might depart bag baggage horsses all and so they did Likewise Gwenwynwyn whom the king held in prison was set at libertie and the king fearing the princes power sent an armie with him by whose means he receiued all his countrie againe in short space Maelgon also when he heard the same came to the kings court became the kings man who returning home with a great number of Normanes and Englishmen ioined to them all the power he could make in Wales and contrarie to the oth that he had made to his nephues Rees and Owen began to spoile their countrie and comming to Cantref Penwedic encamped at Cilkennyn and laie there all night consulting vpon his voiage In the meane time his nephues hearing this hauing but a small power not aboue 300. of chosen men came and lodged hard by vnknowing to their enimies And when they vnderstood by their spies that all was in quiet in Maelgons campe and how that his men mistrusting nothing behaued themselues careleslie these two lords prosecuted boldlie the enterprise which they had taken in hand and peaceablie entring the campe did come where they thought Maelgon laie or euer they were espied they gaue alarum and slew a great number before they awoke and the rest hearing the noise halfe amazed by means of the darkenesse escaped awaie thinking some great power had beene there But Maelgons men defended them manfullie vntill such time as their lord had gotten vpon his feete and escaped awaie by benefite of the night Then his nephue Conan ap Howel and his chiefe counseller Gruffyth ap Cadogan were both taken and Eneon ap Caradoc with a great number more slaine About this time Gilbert Earle of Glocester fortified the castell of Buelht where a litle before he had lost manie of his men This yeare also Mawd de Bruse wife to Gruffyth ap Rees died and was buried in a moonks coule in Stratflur by hir husband The next yeare ensuing king Iohn had manie complaints made vnto him by the Marchers vpon prince Lhewelyn how he entring their countrie burned and spoiled all as he went and slew their men Wherfore the king gathered a great armie through all England and called to him such lords and princes of Wales as held of him as Howel ap Gruffyth ap Conan ap Owen Gwyneth whom Lhewelyn had banished Madoc ap Gruffyth Maylor lord of Bromfield Chirke and Yale Meredyth ap Rotpert lord of Cydewen Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys Maelgon and Rees Vachan the sonnes of prince Rees rulers of Southwales With this great armie he entred into Northwales by Chester minding to destroie all that had life within that countrie Then the prince hearing of all this preparation against him aswell of his owne countriemen as others commanded all such as inhabited the Inland or Midle countrie which is now part of Denbigh and Flynt shires to remooue all their goods and cattels to Snowden hils for a time And so the king came along the sea coast to Ruthlan and so passed ouer the riuer Clwyd and came to the castell of Teganwy and there remained a while but Lhewelyn cut off his victuals behind him so that he could haue none from England and there cold not a man scatter from the skirmishes vnfought withall where the Northwales men alwaies both for the aduantage of the straits and knowledge of the places had the vpper hand At the last the English souldiours were glad to taste horsse flesh for pure neede Then when the king saw no remedie he returned home in great rage leauing the countrie full of dead bodies In August next ensuing he returned againe with a great armie and the lords before named with him entred into Wales at Blanch-monasterie now Oswestree whereof Iohn the sonne of William Fitzalan was lord At this time the king passing the riuer of Conwey encamped there by the riuer side and sent
maner 4 Item where the great men of England would procure a prouision of a thousand pounds a yeare in England let it be answered that such prouision is not to be accepted for that it is procured by them who go about to disinherit the Prince to haue his lands in Wales 5 Item the Prince ought not to dismisse his inheritance and his predecessors in Wales since the time of Brutus and confirmed by the sea apostolike as is aforesaid and to take lands in England where he knoweth neither toong maners lawes nor customs wherein he shall be soone trapped by his neighbours the Englishmen his old malicious enimies wherby he should lose the land too 6 Item séeing the king goeth about to depriue him of his ancient inheritance it is not like that he would suffer him to possesse lands in England where he claimeth no right séeing that the Princes lands in Wales of his owne inheritance is but barren and vntilled it is lesse like the king would suffer him to enioie good fertile ground in England 7 Item the Prince should giue the king possession of Snowdon for euer Let it be answered that séeing that Snowdon is of the appurtenances of the principalitie of Wales which the Prince and his predecessors held since the time of Brute as it is before said his councell will not suffer him to renounce that place and to take in England a place lesse due vnto him 8 Item the people of Snowdon doo saie that although the Prince would giue the king possession of it yet they would neuer doo homage to strangers of whose toong maners and lawes they should be ignorant For so they should be for euer captiued and cruellie handled as the Cantreds haue béene by the kings bailiffes and other the kings men handled more cruellie than Sarracens as it dooth well appeare by the notes of their gréefes which the men of the Cantreds sent to you holie father These are to be answered for Dauid the Princes brother WHen he is disposed to see the holie land he will doo it for Gods sake uoluntarilie not by such inforcement against his will for he intendeth not to go on pilgrimage after that sort Bicause he knoweth enforced seruice not to please God and if he hereafter shall for deuotion sée the holie land that is no cause for euer to disinherit his offspring but rather to reward them And for that neither the Prince nor his people for countrie nor for gaines did mooue warre inuading no mans lands but defending their owne lands lawes and liberties and that the king and his people of inueterate hatred and for couetousnes to get our lands inuading the same mooued warre wée therefore sée our defense is iust and lawfull and herein we trust God will helpe vs and will turne his reuenge vpon destroiers of churches who haue rooted vp and burned churches and taken out both all sacraments and sacred things from them killing préests clarkes religious lame dombe deaffe yonglings sucking their mothers paps weake impotent both man and woman and committing all other enormities as partlie it appeareth to your holinesse Wherefore God forbid that your holinesse should fulminate sentence against anie but such as hath doone such things We who haue suffered all these things at the kings officers hands doo hope at your hands remedie and comfort and that you will punish such church robbers and killers who can defend themselues no waies least their impunitie because and example for others to do the like Uerie manie in our countrie doo much maruell that you counselled vs to leaue our owne land and to go to an other mans lands among our enimies to liue for séeing we cannot haue peace in our owne land which is our owne right much lesse should we be quiet in an other mans amongst our enimies And though it be hard to liue in warre and perill harder it is to be vtterlie destroied and brought to nothing especiallie for christians séeking else nothing but to defend our owne being by necessitie driuen therevnto the gréedie ambition of our enimies And your holinesse told vs that you had fulminated sentence against all that for hatred or gaines doo hinder the peace And it appeareth euidentlie who doo war for these causes the feare of death the feare of imprisonment the feare of perpetuall prison the feare of disinheriting no kéeping of promise couenant grant nor charter tyrannicall dominion and manie more like compell vs to be in warre and this we shew to God and to your lordship desiring your godlie and charitable helpe Furthermore if anie in England haue offended the king as manie doo offend him yet none of them be disinherited so if anie of vs haue offended the king let him be punished and make satisfaction as he maie without exhereditating As we trust in you we praie you holie Father to labour to this end If they laie to vs that we breake the peace it appeareth euidentlie that they and not we breake the same who neuer kept promise nor couenant nor order made anie amends for trespasses nor remedie for our complaints Thus farre out of the records of Iohn Peckam Archbishop of Cant. written about three hundreth yeares past which are extant this daie to be seene When the Archbishop could not conclude a peace he denounced the prince his complices accursed then the king sent his armie by sea to the Ile of Môn or Anglesey which they manne slew such as resisted them for the chiefest men serued the king as their oth was so they came ouer against Bangor where the arme of the sea called Mênay which diuideth the Ile from the maine land is narowest and the place called Moel y donn and there made a bridge of boates and plankes ouer the water where before Iulius Agricola did the like when he subdued the Ile to the Romanes and not betwixt Man and Brytaine as Polydor Virgil ignorantlie affirmeth This bridge accomplished so that threescore men might well passe ouer in a front William Latimer with a great number of the best soldiours and Lucas Thany steward of Gascoyn with his Gascoynes and Spaniards whereof a great number were to come to serve the king passed ouer the bridge and there saw no stirre of enimies but assoone as the sea beganne to flow downe came the Welshmen from the hils and set vpon them fiercely and either slew or chased them to the sea to drowne themselues for the water was to hie that they could not attaine the bridge sauing William Latimer alone whose horsse caried him to the bridge and so he escaped There were slaine and drowned at this time manie worthie soldiours and amongst other this famous knight Sir Lucas de Thany here named Robert Clifford Sir William Lindsey and two Gentlemen of good accompt that were brethren to Robert Burnell then bishop of Bath There perished in all thirtéene knights seuentéene yoong Gentlemen and to the number of two hundreth footmen
learned and wise and in great fauour with the king who sent him sundrie times in embassages to forreine Princes and now he had the gouernement of the kings onelie daughter ladie Marie Princesse of Wales Of all the Bishops in the land he was counted the courtlikest and the best Courtier and although he was well reported of for his learning yet was he better liked for his courtlike behauiour which in the end turned not so much to his credit as to the vtter ruine and spoile of his church for of xxij lordships and manours which his predecessors had and least vnto him of a goodlie yearelie reuenue he leaft but thrée and them also leased out And where he found fouretéene houses well furnished he leaft onlie one house bare and without furniture and yet charged with sundrie fées and annuities by meanes whereof that bishopricke which sometimes was counted one of the best is now become in temporall lands one of the meanest and a place scarse leaft for the Bishop to laie and rest his head in yet neuerthelesse he was a great fauorer of learned men and speciallie of diuines whom he preferred in his church aboue all others He was verie bounteous and liberall vnto all men but speciallie vnto courtiers vnto his owne kindred and countrimen Upon many he bestowed vnto the confusion of some of them and vpon other he spent much by building of a towne named Sutton Colshull where he was borne which he procured to be incorporated and made a market towne and set vp therein making of kersies but all in the end came to small effect ELIZABETH Rowland Lee bishop of Couentrie and Lichfield was in the 26. yéere of king Henrie the eight sent to be Lord President of the kings maiesties Counsell in the marches of Wales in whose time the principalitie and countrie of Wales was by Parlement incorporated and vnited vnto the kingdome of England and all the inhabitants thereof made equall in fréedomes liberties rights priuileges lawes and in all other respects to the naturall subiects of England and all inheritances were made of English tenure to descend without diuision or partition after the maner of England Also the lawes statutes and ordinances of the realme of England were commanded to be executed and put in practise within the contrie and principalitie of Wales and none other And to the end the said lawes should be dulie put in execution the whole dominion of Wales togither with the lordships marchers bordering vpon the same was diuided into xiij shires or counties wherefore xij made foure circuits to the which circuits there were seuerall Iudges appointed who should administer iustice to the inhabitants of euerie of the said shires twise in the yéere The first circuit was the thrée shires of Eastwales Denbygh Flynt and Mountgomrie wherin the Iustice of Chester kéepeth sessions twise in the yéere hearing and deciding all titles trespasses variance and misdemeanours within the countrie The Iustice of Northwales doth the like in the thrée shires of Northwales Anglesey Caernaruon and Meryonyth which doo make the second circuit The third circuit are the thrée shires of Westwales Caerdigan Caermardhyn and Penbrooke where the Iustice of that countrie kéepeth his sessions euerie yéere twise The thrée shires of Southwales Radnor Brechnocke and Glamorgan doo make the fourth circuit in the which the Iustice of Southwales dooth kéepe sises twise euerie yéere And bicause all matters as well of lawe as of equitie are heard and determined in these circuits the same doo continue sixe daies in euerie of the shires aforenamed Monmouthshire dooth followe the common order of the shires of England suing all originall writs out of the high court of chancerie In all these shires there were appointed Shirifes Iustices of peace Crowners and all other officers accordinglie as they are in England Further for the kéeping of the countrie in continuall obedience and the controlling of the outrage of wilfull and vnrulie persons there was ordeined a President and counsell to remaine within the dominion and Principalitie of Wales with all officers appertaining to the same Which President and councell haue power and authoritie to heare and determine by their wisdomes and discretions such causes and matters as are assigned to them by the Kings or Quéens of England for the time being And certeinlie let men imagine what they will this house was it that after great hatred and persecution whereof disobedience and rudenes folowed reduced the countrie of Wales to quietnesse obedience and ciuilitie by authoritie whereof not onelie great outrages are appeased the offendors punished and the wilfull brideled but also the quiet and obedient subiect is protected and defended from iniurie so that he may possesse his owne in quietnesse Wherein this Bishop Rowland Lee and his associats did notable good seruice And surelie there haue béene of the same house verie wise gouernors and men of great credit namelie Nicholas Heath Archbishop of Yorke and Lord Chancelor of England Thomas Yoong Archbishop also of Yorke Iohn Whitgift now Archbishop of Canturburie and diuers other of whom I am to speake héereafter In the 29. yéere of king Henrie the eight prince Edward his sonne was borne at Hampton court on S. Edwards euen being the 12. of October who bicause the principalitie of Wales was now by statute as I said before incorporated to the crowne and kingdome of England being vnder the same lawes and iurisdiction was none otherwise Prince of Wales than vnder the generall title of England as the king his father was king of England and vnder that name K. of Wales as a member of England neither doo I read of anie other creation or inuestiture that he had to that principalitie therefore I thought it not conuenient to make any speciall title of him after the said statute He afterward succéeded his father in the crowne of this realme by the name of king Edward the sixt The said Rowland Lee died L. President in the xxxiiij yéere of King Henrie the eight and lieth buried at Shrewesburie After him Richard Sampson bishop of Chichester was remooued to Couentrie and Lichfield and appointed Lord President of Wales in the xxxv yéere of king Henrie the eight and so continued L. President vntill the end of the 2. yéere of the reigne of king Edward the sixt Iohn Sutton alias Dudley Earle of Warwike and knight of the noble order of the garter was in the third yéere of King Edward the sixt appointed Lord President of Wales in the which office he continued vntill the fourth yéere of the same king He descended out of Wales by a daughter of the Lord Powys for he was the sonne of Edmund the sonne of Iohn a yoonger sonne of Iohn Lord Dudley the sonne of Iohn Lord Dudley the sonne of Iohn Lord Dudley the son of Iohn Lord Dudley the sonne of Iohn Sutton Baron Dudley who maried Isabell the daughter of sir Iohn Charlton
of this realme or dissembleth the same to the aduancement and praise of himselfe and his countrie which to the learned and indifferent reader shall appeare to be the onelie occasion he tooke that worke in hand for all his booke redoundeth onlie to the praise and honour of the Romans as well spirituall as temporall and to blase forth their acts and deeds within this realme and vpon the other part dooth either openlie slaunder or els priuilie extenuate or shamefullie denie the martiall prowesse and noble acts as well of Saxons Danes and Normans as of the Brytains all inhahiters of this Ile Which thing he that list to prooue let him read and conferre Caesars Commentaries Cornelius Tacitus Herodianus and other ancient writers as well in Latine as in Greeke with his worke As for the ancient writers of the Brytish historie as the Brytish chronicle the historie of Gildas Ponticus Verunnius yea the golden worke of Matthew Paris moonke of Saint Albon which wrote from VVilliam Bastard to the last yeares of Henrie the third I dare well saie he neuer sawe them they be in diuers places to be had so that the truth may be easilie prooued To make an end I saie that he being first a straunger borne and also ignorant as well in the histories of this realme as of those toongs and languages wherin the same were written could neuer set foorth the true and perfect Chronicle of the same But he hauing a good grace and a pleasant stile in the Latine toong and finding himselfe in a countrie where euerie man either lacked knowledge or spirit to set forth the historie of their owne countrie tooke this enterprise in hand to their great shame and no lesse dispraise bicause he a blind leader shall drawe a great number of vndiscreet and rash folowers as well Geographers and Cosmographers as Chroniclers and Historiographers to the darke pit of ignorance where I leaue them at this time remitting the reader to the apologie of Sir Iohn Pryse knight and his Brytish historie written by him of purpose against the enuious reports and slaunderous taunts of the said Polydor where he shall see a great number of his errors confuted at large And to returne to my former matter of the name of Wales which name to be giuen of late by a straunge nation may be otherwise prooued for the Welshmen themselues doo not vnderstand what these words VVales and Welsh doo signifie nor know anie other name of their countrie or themselues but Cambry nor of their language but Cambraec which is as much to saie as Cambers language or speech So likewise they know not what England or English meaneth but commonlie they call the countrie Lhoyger the Englishmen Sayson and the English toong Saysonaec Which is an euident token that this is the same language which the Brytaines spake at the beginning for the works of Merdhyn and of Taliessin who wrote aboue 1000. yeares past are almost the same words which they vse at this daie or at the least easie to be vnderstanded of euerie one which knoweth perfectlie the Welsh toong especiallie in Northwales Beside this where at this daie there doo remaine three remnants of the Brytaines diuided euerie one from other with the seas which are in Wales Cornewall called in Brytish Cerniw and little Brytaine yet almost all the particular words of these three people are all one although in pronunciation and writing of the sentences they differ somewhat which is no maruell seeing that the pronunciation in one realme is often so diuers that the one can scant vnderstand the other But it is rather a wonder that the Welshmen being separated from the Cornish well nigh these 900. yeares and the Brytaines from either of them 290. yeares before that and hauing small traffike or concourse togither sithence that time haue still kept their owne Brytish toong They are not therefore to be credited which denie the Welsh to be the old Brytish toong And here I cannot passe ouer what one of these fine Chroniclers wrote of late of the name of Brytaine affirming that it should be so called of Brytaine in France as the elder of that name But surelie he had either neuer seene Ptolomie nor Caesar nor anie other ancient writer or read them with small iudgement and memorie For there he might haue learned that when this land was called Brytaine the other was called Armorica how in Maximus time Conan Meriadoc was the first that gaue it that name inhabited it with Brytaines out of this Ile Other deriuations of these words Brytania and Albion out of Greeke Latine I am ashamed to rehearse for vnto such errors doo they commonlie fall that either puffed vp with vaine glorie of their owne wits or pinched with despite and enuie at other mens works or blinded with ignorance do go about to write set foorth anie historie or chronicle But passing ouer this matter vntill an other time I will returne to the description of Wales which as I said was of old time compassed almost about with the Irish seas the riuers Dee and Seauerne although afterwards the Saxons wan by force from the Brytaines all the plaine and champion countrie ouer the riuers and speciallie Offa king of Mercia who made a ditch of a great breadth and depth to be a meare betwixt his kingdome and Wales which ditch began at the riuer Dee by Bassing werke betweene Chester and Ruthlan and ran along the hils sides to the south sea a little from Bristowe reaching aboue a hundreth miles in length and is in manie places to be seene at this daie bearing the name of Clawdh Offa that is to saie Offas ditch and the countrie betweene it and England is commonlie called in Welsh Y Mars although the greatest part of it be now inhabited by Welshmen namlie in Northwales which yet keepeth the ancient limits to the riuer Dee and in some places ouer it Other as Syluester Giraldus make the riuer VVy called in Welsh Gwy to be the meare betweene England and Wales on the South part called Southwales who measureth the breadth of Wales from Salowe or Willoweford called Rhydyrhelig vpon VVy to Saint Dauids in Meneuia 100. miles and the length from Caerlheon vpon Vsce in Gwentland to Holihead called Caergybi in Anglisey in Welsh called Môn aboue 100. miles and these be the common meares at this daie although the Welsh toong is commonlie vsed and spoken Englandward beyond these old meeres a great waie as in Herefordshire Glocestershire and a great part of Shropshire And thus for the generall description of Wales which afterward about the yeare of Christ 870. Rodericus Magnus king of Wales diuided it into three territories which they called kingdomes which remained vntill of late daies These three were Gwynedh in English Northwales Deheubarth in English Southwales and Powys land in euerie of the which he ordeined a princelie seat or court for the Prince to remaine at
most commonlie as in Gwynedh which some old writers call Venedotia for Gwynethia Aberffraw in the Ile of Môn or Anglesey In Deheubarth called in Latine Demetia Caermardhyn from whence it was afterward remooued to Dineuowr eight miles thence In Powys Pengwern called Y Mwythic and in English Sherewsburie from whence it was remooued to Mathraual in Powys land And bicause this historie dooth as well intreate of warres betwixt these three prouinces as betwixt them and the Saxons Normanes and Flemings I thinke it good to set foorth the particular description of euerie part by it selfe And first of Northwales as the cheefest part which he gaue his eldest sonne ordeining that either of the other two should paie him yearelie 200. pound of tribute as it appeareth in the lawes of Howel Dha which are to be had in Welsh and also in Latine Therefore Gwyneth called Northwales had vpon the Northside the sea from the riuer Dee at Basingwerke to Aberdyui and vpon the West and South west the riuer Dyui which diuideth it from Southwales and in some places from Powys land And on the South and East it is diuided from Powys sometimes with mountaines and sometimes with riuers till it come to the riuer Dee againe This land was of old time diuided to foure parts of which the cheefest was Môn in English called Anglesey where the Princes cheefe house was at Aberfraw which is an Iland separated from the maine land with an arme of the sea called Maenai had in it selfe three Cantreds or hundreds which were subdiuided to sixe comots as Cantref Aberfraw to comot Lhion and comot Malhtraeth Cantref Cemais to the comots Talebolion and Twr Celyn Cantref Rossyr to the comots Tindaethwy and Maenai And at this daie there is a trimme towne in that Ile called Beumarish and a common passage to Ireland at Caergybi called in English Holyhead But here I cannot winke at that notable error of Polydor which after his accustomed fashion denieth this Ile to be called Môna but Anglesia or Anglorum insula bicause it is called in English Anglesey and giueth this name Môna to Man and so hath lost the names of both Iles which ignorance and forgetfulnes might be forgiuen him if he had not drawne a great number to this error with him which in their charters doo dailie wrong name these Iles which may be easilie prooued First bicause the inhabitants of the Ile doo know none other name but Môn and it is called through all Wales Tîr Môn that is to saie the land of Môn vnto this day So that neither by memorie of man neither by anie monument in writing in the Brytish â—â—ong can it appeare that euer it had anie other name but Môn yet there be manifest monuments for these 1000. yeares It is also growne to a prouerbe through Wales for the fertilitie of the ground Môn mam Gymry that is to saie Môn mother of Wales The ancient historie of Cornelius Tacitus which belike age had beaten out of Polydors head saith that the soldiours of Paulinus Suetonius and afterward of Iulius Agricola after they had passed through Northwales then came ouer against Môna where they did swim ouer an arme of the sea of 200. pases and so by force wanne the Ile Now whether is it more reasonable thus to swimme ouer 200. pases or 20. miles I know there is no man that beleeueth Polydor in this point let all men therefore by this iudge the rest As for that which he saieth of the great woods it is nothing for both the Romanes and after when the Christian faith tooke place in this realme the Christians did fall and roote them out for the idolatrie and absurd religion which was vsed there that the king of Man sent for timber to Môn read the life of Hugh Earle of Chester which also is euident by the great beeches and other trees found in the earth at these daies His other reason is bicause it is called Anglesey in the English toong so is Lhoyger England and Cambry Wales are those therefore the old names No surelie And what if the inhabitants called it so as they did not had it not a name before the Angles wanne it Yes I warrant you but he had forgotten that Now to the name of Man it was euer or at the least these 1000. yeares named in Brytish Manaw of which commeth the English name Man The inhabitants thereof call it so and no nation about it did euer call it Môn no nor any writer but Polydor which was too yong a godfather to name so old a child For Gildas who wrote aboue 900. yeares passed whose writings Polydor neuer sawe but vntrulie fathers vpon him his owne deuise Giraldus in his description of Ireland to Henrie the second Henrie Huntington doo plainlie call Man in Latine Eubonia adding thereto either Manaw or Man for the better vnderstanding of the name will you beleeue them or Polydor Other arguments there are which I will passe ouer till I haue more leasure and occasion to write of this matter The second part of Northwales was called Aruon which is as much to saie as ouer against Môn and had in it foure Cantreds and ten comots Cantref Aber had in it three comots Y Lhechwedh vchaf Y Lechwedhisaf and Nanconwy Cantref Aruon had two comots Ywch Gwyruai Isgwyruai Cantref Dunodic had two comots Ardudwy and Euionyth Cantref Lhyyn containeth three comots Cymytmayn Tinlhayn and Canologion This is now called Carnaruonshire as Môn is called Anglesey shire and haue the same diuision at this daie In this shire are Snowdon hils called Eryri neither in height fertilitie of the ground wood cattell fish and foule giuing place to the famous Alpes and without controuersie the strongest countrie within Brytaine Here is the towne of Caernarnon called in the old time Caer segonce and there also is Conwey called Caergyffyn And the see of Bangor with diuers other ancient castels and places of memorie and was the last part of Wales that came vnder the dominion of the kings of England It hath on the North the sea and Maenai vpon the East and Southeast the riuer Conwey which diuideth it from Denbighshire although it now passe the riuer in one place by the sea shore And on the Southwest and West it is separated from Merionyth by high mountaines and riuers and other meares The third part of Gwyneth was Merionyth containing three Cantreds and euerie Cantred three comots As Cantref Meyreon hath three comots Talybont Pennal and Ystumaner Cantref Arustly had these Vwchcoed Iscoed and Gwarthrenion Cantref Penlhyn had these Vwchmeloch Ismeloch and Micnaint and this keepeth the said name till this daie but not within the same meres and is full of hils and rocks and hath vpon the North the sea notable at this daie for the great resort and number of people that repaire thither to take herrings It hath vpon the East Aruon and Denbighland vpon the
Swydhynogen and Pennwelht Cantref Buelht hath these Swydhyvam Dreulys and Isyrwon Of this part there is at this daie some in Mountgomerie shire some in Radnorshire and some in Brechnockeshire In this part and in the lordships marching to it which although at the time of this diuision which was in the time of the last prince were not in his subiection yet to this daie speake Welsh and are called Wales and in these comots are these townes and castels Mountgomerie called in Welsh Treualdwyn a pretie towne and a faire castell The castell of Clunn called Colunwy which is the Earles of Arundell The towne of Knighton in Welsh Trefyclawd The castell of Cymaron Presteyn in Welsh Lhanandras The towne and castell of Radnor in Welsh Maesyuet at this daie the shire towne The towne of Kyngton and the castell of Huntingdon called in Welsh Y castelh Mayn which were the Bohunes Earles of Hereford and after the dukes of Buckingham Castell Payne Haye Lhanuair in Buelht These lordships with Brechnock and Abergeuennie were belonging to the Bruses lords of Brechnock and after came diuers times and by sundrie meanes to the Bohunes Neuels and Mortimers And so as I haue rehearsed in this territorie or kingdome were found 14. Cantreds and 40. comots Two of these parts which are Powys and Gwyneth are at this daie called Northwales and diuided into sixe shires Môn called Anglesey Caernaruon Merionyth Denbigh Flynt and Mountgomerie shire and are all on the Northside Seauerne sauing a peece of Mountgomerie shire And here I thinke it good to let the reader vnderstand what the Brytish chronicle saith of Northwales which affirmeth that three times it came by inheritance to women First to Stradwen daughter to Caduan ap Conan ap Endaf and wife to Coel Godeboc mother to Cenaw Dyvyr and Gwawl The second time to the same Gwawl wife to Edeyrn ap Padarn and mother to Cunetha Wledic which Cunetha inhabiting in the North parts of England about the yeare 540. after the incarnation of Christ and hearing how the mingled nations of Irish Scots and Pictes had ouer runne the sea shore of Caerdigan which was part of his inheritance sent his sonnes thither to enioie their inheritance of the which Tibiaon his eldest sonne died in Man which land the said Irish Scots had wonne For Gildas saith that of the children of Glam Hector which peopled a great part of Ireland Yscroeth with his people inhabited Dalrienda which is a part of Scotland Builke with his people came to Man But I thinke it good to put in Gildas words which saith Builke cum filijs suis inhabitauit Euboniam insulam vulgò Manaw quae est in meditullio maris inter Hyberniam Brytaniam that is to saie Builke with his children inhabited the Ile Eubonia commonlie Manaw for so it was and is named in Brytish which lieth in the middle of the sea betweene Ireland and Brytaine This was not called Môna as Polydor faineth The children of Bethoun inhabited Demetia which is Southwales with Gwyr and Cydweli till they were chased thence by the children of Cunetha Thus farre Gildas Therefore the sonnes of Cunetha being arriued in Northwales as well I thinke being driuen by the Saxons as for their inheritance diuided the countrie betwixt them And first Meireaon the sonne of Tibiaon the sonne of Cunetha had Cantref Meireaon to his part Arustel ap Cunetha had Cantref Arustly Caredic ap Cunetha had Caerdigion now Caerdigan shire Dunod had Cantref Dunodic Edeyrn had Edeyrnion Mael had Dynmael Coel had Coleyon Doguael had Dogueilyn Ryvaon had Ryuonioc now Denbighland Eneon Yrch had Caereneon in Powys Vssa had Maesvswalht now Oswestree For surelie that they saie commonlie of Oswald king of Northumberland to be slaine there and of the Well that sproong where his arme was caried is nothing so For Beda and all other writers testifie that Peanda slew Oswald at Maserfelt in the kingdome of Northumberland and his bodie was buried in the abbey of Bardney in the prouince of Lhyndesey But to my former matter These names giuen by the sonnes of Cunetha remaine to this daie After this the Irish Picts or Scots which the Brytains called YGwydhyl Phictiaid which is to saie The Irish Pictes did ouerrunne the Ile of Môn and were driuen thence by Caswalhon Lhawhîr that is Caswalhon with the long hand the sonne of Eneon Yrch ap Cunedha who slew Serigi their king with his owne hands at Lhany Gwydhyl which is the Irish church at Holihead This Caswalhon was father to Maelgon Gwyneth whom the Latines call Maglocunus Prince and king of Brytaine In his time was the famous clerke and great wiseman Taliessyn Ben Beirdh that is to saie the cheefest of the Beirdh or wisemen for this word Bardh in Caesars time signified as Lucan beareth witnes such as had knowledge of things to come and so it signifieth at this daie This Maelgon had a sonne called Run in whose time the Saxons inuited Gurmond into Brytaine from Ireland who had come thither from Affrike who with the Saxons was the vtter destruction of the Brytaines and slew all that professed Christ and was the first that droue them ouer Seauerne This Run was father to Beli who was father to Iago for so the Brytaines call Iames who was father to Caduan and not Brochwel called Brecyual as the English chronicle saith for this Brochwel Ysgithroc that is long toothed was chosen leader of such as met with Adelred alias Ethelbertus Rex Cantiae and other Angles and Saxons whom Augustine had mooued to make warre against the christian Brytaines and these put Brochwel twise to flight not farre from Chester and cruellie slew a 1000. preests and monkes of Bangor with a great number of laie bretheren of the same house which liued by the labour of their hands and were come barefooted and woolward to craue mercie and peace at the Saxons hands And heere you shall vnderstand that this was not Augustine bishop of Hippona the great clarke but Augustine the moonke called the apostle of England Then this Brochwel retired ouer Dee hard by Bangor and defended the Saxons the passage till Caduan king of Northwales Meredyth king of Southwales and Bledrus or Bletius Prince of Cornewall came to succour him and gaue the Saxons a sore battell and slew of them the number of a 1066. and put the rest to flight After the which battell Caduan was chosen king of Brytaine was cheefe ruler within the Ile after whom his son Cadwalhon who was father to Cadwalader the last of the Brytish blood that bare the name of king of Brytaine was king The third time that Northwales came to a woman was to Esylht the daughter of Conan Tindaythwy the sonne of Edwal Ywrch the sonne of Cadwalader She was wife to Meruyn Vrych and mother to Roderike the great as shalbe hereafter declared By this you may vnderstand that Northwales hath beene a great while the cheefest seate of the last
diuers places manie houses burnt to the earth The same yeare died Gruffyth the sonne of Run and Griffri the sonne of Kyngen was slaine by the treason of Elice his brother Howel gaue his brother Conan another battell and slew a great number of his people wherevppon Conan leauied an armie in the yeare 817. chased his brother Howel out of the Ile of Môn or Anglesey compelling him to flie into Man And a little after died Conan chiefe King of the Brytaines or Welshmen leauing behind him a daughter called Esylht which was married to a noble man called Mervyn Vrych the sonne of Gwyriad or Vriet the son of Elidur so forth in the right line to Belinus the brother of Brennus King of the Brytaines and his mother was Nest the daughter of Cadelh King of Powys the sonne of Brochwel Yscithroc that fought with the Saxons at Bangor who was prince of Powys This Brochwel is called of the Latine writers Breciuallus and Brochmaelus of whom I find thus written in Historia diuae Monacellae Fuit olim in Powysia quidam princeps illustrissimus nomine Brochwel Yscithroc Consul Legecestriae qui in vrbe tunc temporis Pengwern Powys nunc verò Salopia dicta est habitabat cuius domicilium seu habitaculum ibi steterat vbi collegiū diui Ceddae nunc situm est That is There was sometimes in Powys a noble Prince named Brochwel Yscithroc Consul or Earle of Chester who dwelt in a towne then called Pengwerne Powys and now Salope whose dwelling house was in the verie same place where the College of Saint Chad now standeth This man with Caduan king of Brytaine Morgan king of Demetia and Bledericus king of Cornewal gaue an ouerthrow to Ethelfred king of Northumberland vpon the riuer of Dee Anno gratiae 617. of whome the ancestors of diuers in VVales liuing at this daie are knowne by ancient bookes and records to haue descended Mervyn Vrych and Esylht Mervyn Vrych Esylht the daughter of Conan THE first yeare of the reigne of Mervyn Vrych and Esylht his wife Egbert King of Westsex entred into VVales with a great armie and destroied the whole countrie vnto Snowden hilles and seised to his hands the countrie of Rhyvonioc in Denbighland About this time there was a sore battell fought in Anglesey called the battell of Lhanuaes In the yeare of Christ 819. Kenulph King of Mertia destroied West Wales and the summer following he ouerranne Powys land and did much hurt and soone after died and Kenelme reigned in his place About the same time also Howel King of Man died The yeare 825. Ceolwulph was made King of Mertia and reigned two yeares After whome Bernulph was created king who was ouerthrowne at Elledowne by Egbert king of the West Saxons who also brought to his subiection the countries of Kent and West Angles Not long after about the yeare 828. Bernulph was slaine by the East Angles After that there was a great battell fought at a place called Gauelford betwixt the Brytaines and the West Saxons of Deuonshire and manie thousands cruellie slaine vpon either side and the victorie vncertaine The yeare 829. Egbert ouerthrew Wyhtlafe King of Mertia and made him subiect to his Kingdome He also passed Humber and wan the land and so was the first Monarch of the Saxons and brought the seauen kingdomes into one and changed the name of Brytaine into England and called the people Englishmen and the language English for the people that came into this Ile from Germanie were Saxons Angles and Iuthes And of the Saxons came the people of Eastsex Southsex Middlesex and West Saxons Of the Angles came the East Angles middle Angles or Mertians and all on the North side of Humber And of the Iuthes came the inhabitants of Kent and the Ile of Wight And the seauen Kingdomes were these 1 The first Kent 2 The second Southsex containing Sussex and Southerie 3 The third East Angles containing Northfolke Southfolke and Cambridgeshire 4 The fourth Westsex containing Barkeshire Deuonshire Somersetshire and Cornewall 5 The fift Mertia containing Glocestershire Herefordshire Worcestershire Shropshire Staffordshire Chesshire Warwikeshire Leycestershire Darbishire Notinghamshire Lincolneshire Northamptonshire Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire and halfe Hertfordshire 6 The sixt was East Saxon containing Essex Middlesex and the other halfe of Hertfordshire 7 The seauenth Kingdome was all the lands vpon the North side of Humber which was also diuided into two kingdomes Deyra and Bernicia Deyra was the land betwixt Humber and Tine Bernicia from Tine to the Scottish sea All these were brought vnder subiection by Egbert king of West Saxons and this realme called England the yeare after the comming of Brutus to this Ile 1968. after the comming of Hengist 383. and after the departure of Cadwalader 149. yeares Which name although it hath continued to this daie for the space of 755. yeares yet was it not verie luckie or fortunate to the Saxons inhabitours of this realme For euen vpon this change of their name and vnition of the kingdome followed the terrible and cruell inuasion of the Danes and after that the conquest of the Normanes of whome the Kings of this time haue descended But to returne to my matter againe The yeare 833. the Danes in great companies landed in diuers places of this realme and fought diuers battels with Egbert wherin sometimes they and sometimes he had the victorie Afterward in the yeare 836. they landed in West Wales and so passed through Wales to England with manie of the Brytaines which ioined with them against Egbert but they were all ouerthrowne by Egbert at Hengestdowne who died the yeare following This Egbert king of England wan the citie of Caer lhêon ar Dhowrdwy or Chester which was the chiefe citie of Venedotia out of the hands of the Brytaines in whose possession it remained vntill that time He caused also as some writers doo affirme the brasen image of Cadwalhon king of Brytaine to be throwne downe defaced commanding that no man vpon paine of death should set vp anie such againe forbidding this land to be called Brytain anie more but England and the people Englishmen He also made proclamation by the setting on of Redburga his wife who bearing malice towards the Brytaines could not abide any of that nation that no Brytaine should remaine within the confines of England commanding that al singular which were of the Brytish bloud should within sixe moneths auoide with their wiues and children out of his kingdome vpon paine of losing their heads After the death of Egbert his sonne Ethelwulph reigned in his place who gaue his daughter in mariage to Berthred his tributarie king of Mertia He had great warres and much adoo with the Danes which destroied with fire and sword the sea coast of England The yeare 841. died Idwalhon a noble man of Wales And two yeares after was the battell of Kettell betwixt Burchred king of Mertia and the
The sixt yeare of Ethelred came another host of Danes through VVestsex and to Reding with Basrecke and Alding and fought fiue battels with Ethelred and Alfred his brother in two of the which the Danes were ouercome at Henglefild Estondowne and in the three other the Englishmen were ouerthrowne at Reding Basing Mereton The yeare 871. King Ethelred died Alfred his brother reigned in his stead Alfred assoone as he had taken the kingdome vpon him considering with himselfe what a heauie burthen he did sustaine inquired after the wisest and the best learned men that he could heare of that he might be directed by them whome he worthilie intertained vsing their aduise as well in the publike gouernment of the common welth as in his priuate studies and conference of learning He sent for two famous learned men out of Wales the one named Iohn De Erigena sirnamed also Scotus borne at Meneuia or S. Dauids brought vp in that colledge who hauing for learning sake trauelled to Athens and bestowed there manie yéeres in the studie of the Gréeke Hebrue and Chaldie toongs and the secret mysteries of Philosophie came from thence to France where he was well accepted with Carolus Calnus and Ludouicus Balbus and there translated the works of Dionysius Areopagita De coelesti hierarchia out of the Gréeke into the Latine toong and at the last being returned home to Wales was sent for by this King Alfred who then founded and erected the vniuersitie of Oxford was the first that professed learning and read publikelie in the said Uniuersitie The other was Asserius or Asser of whom I shall haue occasion to speake hereafter He would not suffer anie to beare office in his court but such as were learned exhorting all men generallie to embrace and honour learning and learned men Alfred in the first yeare of his reigne fought two battels with the Danes vpon the south side of Thames and slue of them one King and nine Earles About this yeare died Gwgan King of Caerdigan This was that noble Gwgan ap Mevric ap Dunwal ap Arthen ap Sitsylht King or prince of Caerdigan who as some Brytish bookes haue was at this time drowned by misfortune At this time the Danes destroied the towne of Alclyde and wan London and Reding and all the inland and kingdome of Mercia And one King or leader of them tooke the countrie of Northumberland and he and his people did much trouble the Pictes Likewise the yeare following three Kings of the Danes went from Cambridge to VVarham in Dorcetshire and Alfred would haue giuen them battell but the Danes desired peace and foresware England which they neuer did before and the same night their horsemen tooke their iournie toward Excester and their footemen which went to the sea were all drowned at Sandwitch When the Danes had thus abiured England they bent their force against VVales and entred the Ile of môn with a great armie in the yeare of Christ 873. where Roderike gaue them two battels one at a place called Bangole and another at a place called Menegid in Anglesey I find also that about this time Halden and Hungare two Captaines of the Danes arriued in Southwales and ouerran the whole countrie destroieng all before them with fire and sword neither sparing churches nor religious houses but within a while after they receiued their deserued reward at the hands of the West Saxons who méeting with them on the coast of Deuonshire slew both Halden and Hungare with 1200. of their people At this time Eneon Bishop of Meneuia or S. Dauids died and Hubert was installed in his place And within two yeares after Dungarth king of Cornewall was drowned by a mischance In the yeare 876. the Englishmen entred into Anglesey and fought with the VVelshmen a sore battell who in the yeare following slue Roderike king or prince of VVales and Gwyriad his brother or as some saie his son This Roderike had by his wife Enghârad the daughter of Meyric the son of Dyfnwal or Dunwal the son of Arthen ap Sitsylht diuers sonnes as Anarawd his eldest sonne to whome he gaue Aberfraw with Northwales Cadelh the second son who had Dinevwr with Southwales and also tooke Mathraual and Powys land by force from his brethren after the death of Mervyn the third sonne to whome his father had giuen the same Roderike the Great is counted of all writers to be the vndoubted owner and possessor of all Wales Venedotia or Northwales descended vnto him from his mother Esylht the daughter and sole heire of Conan Tindaethwy as is euident by this historie Demetia or Southwales as some doo affirme came to him by his wife the daughter heire of Meyricap Dyfnwal ap Arthen ap Sitsylht king of Caerdigan hir brethren who are thought to be illegitimate holding of hir husband Powys he had by Nest the sister and heire of Congen ap Cadelh King of Powys which was his fathers mother These thrée dominions he appointed vnder their meares and bounds with a princelie house in euerie of them which he named Y tair Talaeth and left the same vnto thrée of his sonnes Anarawd Cadelh and Mervyn which were called Y tri twysoc Talaethioc that is The thrée crowned princes because euerie of them did weare vpon his bonet or helmet a coronet of gold being a broade lace or headband indented vpward set and wrought with pretious stones which in the Brytish or Welsh speach is called Talaeth and so to this daie nurses doo name that broade headband wherewith a childs head is bound vppermost vpon some other linen cloathes Talaeth Aberffraw was the chiefe house of the prince of Gwyneth whose dominion was therfore called Talaeth Aberffraw Dinevowr the princelie house of Dehevbarth whereof that part is named Talaeth Dinevowr and in like maner Talaeth Mathraval is so called of the princelie seate of Powys called Mathraval Giraldus Cambrensis in his booke intituled Descriptio Cambriae is of opinion that Mervyn was the eldest sonne of Roderike to whome Venedotia was giuen and was the father of Anandhrec which was the father of Meyric which was the father of Edwal which was the father of Iago c and that Anarawd had Powys and died without issue But the common opinion of all other writers is to the contrarie agréeable to that which this Author affirmeth Roderike had also Roderike Meyric Edwal or Tudwal Gwyriad and Gathelic of whome you shall heare in the historie following ANARAWD Anarawd the sonne of Roderike Other kingdomes and countries of Europe were disquieted with this persecution of the Danes as well as England For of this Hasting it is written that laieng séege to the citie of Limogis in France and despairing of the spéedie winning of the same hée deuised this traine to get it He fained himselfe to be dangerouslie sicke and sent to the Bishop and the Consul of the same citie desiring them most instantlie
the beginning was in some distresse vntill Athelstane stepped in betwéene his father and Leofred and wounded the Dane in the arme in such sort that he being not able to hold his speare was soone taken and committed to the custodie of Athelstane In the meane time Edmund and Edred incountring with Gruffyth slew him and brought his head to their father Then Athelstane caused Leofred to be headed and so both their heads were set vp together on the top of the towre of Chester and Edward and his sonnes returned home with great triumph Then Edward after he had builded Glademutham died at Ferandyne whose sonne named Alfred died also the same time at Oxford and were buried both at Winchester Anno 924. After whose death Adelstane his base son reigned King of England which was the woorthiest prince of Saxon bloud that euer reigned He did ouercome Cudfryd the father of Reynald King of the Danes at Yorke He gathered also the second yeare of his reigne a great armie against Hawlaf King of Ireland who came with the whole power of the Scots and Danes against him and gaue him battell at Brimestburie where Adelstan gate the victorie and slue the said king Hawlaf and the king of Scots and fiue kings of the Danes and Normanes and twelue Earles so that he brought all the land of England and Scotland in subiection to him which none of his predecessors had euer attempted The yeare 933. Owen the sonne of Gruffyth was slaine by the men of Caerdigan Then Adelstan did enter Wales with a great armie and brought the kings of the countrie to subiection and receiued yearelie of tribute 20. pound in gold and 300. pound in siluer and 200. head of cattell yet the lawes of Howel Dha appointed to the king of Aberfraw to paie yearelie to the king of London no more but 66. pound for a tribute and that the prince of Dinevwre and the prince of Powys should paie a like summe 66. pound yearelie to the king of Aberfraw To this Adelstan the kings of Norwaie and France did send great and rich gifts to winne his friendship and good will In the yeare 936. died Evneth the sonne of Clydawc and Meyric the sonne of Cadelh At this time also Adelstan did remooue the Brytaines that dwelt in Excester and thereaboutes to Cornewale and appointed the riuer Cambia to be the vtter mere towards England as he had before appointed the riuer Wy to be the mere of England and Wales In the yeare of Christ 939. the noble prince Adelstan died and was buried at Malmesburie and his brother Edmund borne in wedlocke reigned in his place who in the first yeare of his reigne wan fiue cities from the Danes Leycester Darby Stafford Lincolne and Notingham Then Aulafe King of the Danes sent to Edmund to desire peace and baptisme which Edmund granted vnto him and so the Danes which then were called Normanes tooke first the christian faith Edmund being their godfather who making peace with them returned to Westsex with much honor This yeare died Abloic chiefe King of Ireland The yeare following Cadelh the sonne of Arthvael a noble Brytaine was imprisoned and Edwal Voel the sonne of Anarawd and Elise his brother were slaine in a battell which they fought against the Danes and Englishmen This Edwal had sixe sonnes Meyric Ieuaf or Ieuan Iago which is Iames Conan Edwal Vachan and Roderike After whose death Howel Dha his coosen germane ruled all Wales for his life time Elise also had issue Conan and a daughter named Trawst which was mother to Conan ap Sitsylht Gruffyth ap Sitsylht and Blethyn ap Convyn which two last were afterward princes of Wales Howel Dha Howel Dha cousen germane to Edwal Voel Howel Dha king or prince of all Wales perceiuing the lawes and customes of his countrie to haue growne vnto great abuse sent for the Archbishop of Meneuia and all the other Bishops and chiefe of the cleargie to the number of 140. prelates and all the Barons and nobles of Wales and caused sixe men of the wisest and best estéemed in euerie Comote to be called before him whome he commanded to méete all together at his house called Y Tuy gwyn ar Taf that is The white house vpon the riuer Taf. Thither he came himselfe and there remained with those his nobles prelates and subiects all the Lent in praier and fasting crauing the assistance and direction of Gods holy spirit that he might reforme the lawes and customes of the countrie of Wales to the honor of God and the quiet gouernement of the people About the end of Lent he chose out of that companie twelue men of the wisest grauest and of the greatest experience to whome he added one clearke or doctor of the lawes named Blegored a singular learned and perfect wise man These had in charge to examine the old lawes and customes of Wales and to gather out of those such as were méete for the gouernement of the countrie which they did reteining those that were wholesome and profitable expounding those that were doubtfull and ambiguous and abrogating those that were superfluous and hurtfull and so ordeined thrée sorts of lawes The first of the ordering of the kings or princes houshold and his court The second of the affaires of the countrie and common wealth The third of the speciall customes belonging to particular places and persons Of all the which being read allowed and proclamed he caused thrée seuerall bookes to be written one for his dailie vse to follow his court another to lie in his palace at Aberffraw and the third at Dinevowr that all the thrée prouinces of Wales might haue the vse of the same when néede required And for the better obseruation of these lawes he caused the Archbishop of S. Dauids to denounce sentence of excommunication against all such of his subiects as refused to obeie the same Within a while after Howel because he would omit nothing that could procure countenance and authoritie to his said lawes went to Rome taking with him the Archbishop of S. Dauids the Bishops of Bangor and S. Asaph and thirtéene other of the learnedst and wisest men in Wales where the said lawes being recited before the Pope were by his authoritie confirmed then hauing finished his deuout pilgrimage and emptied his purse he returned home againe with his companie 1 By these lawes they might not morgage their lands but to one of the same familie or kindred which were De eadem parentela 2 Euerie tenant holding of anie other than of the prince or lord of the fée paid a fine Pro defensione regia which was called Arian ardhel in Latine Aduocarij 3 No legacie of goods by will was good otherwise than those which were giuen to the church to the lord of the fée or for paiment of debts 4 Euerie man might distraine as well for debts as for rent of lands anie goods or cattell sauing horsses which were counted to
Owen Meredyth the sonne of Owen ap Howel Dha The yeare 987. died Ievaf the sonne of Edwal which had liued manie yeares a priuate life The same yeare also died Owen the son of Howel Dha Prince of Southwales This Owen had three sons Eneon which died in his fathers time Lhywarch which lost both his eies and Meredyth which as before is declared had wonne Northwales and after his fathers death tooke also to his possession all Southwales hauing no respect to his brother Eneon his sonnes Edwyn and Theodor or Tewdor About the same time the Danes sailed from Hampton alongst the coast spoiling Deuonshire Cornewale and so at the last landed in Southwales and destroied S. Dauids Lhanbadarn Lhanrystyd and Lhandydoch which were all places of religion and did so much hurt in the countrie besides that to be rid of them Meredyth was faine to agree with them to giue them a penie for euerie man within his land which was called The tribute of the blacke armie At this time Elwmaen the son of Abloic king of Ireland was slain a great number of people died for hunger The yeare 989. Owen the son of Dyfnwal was slaine Within a yeare after Meredyth king of Wales destroied the towne of Radnor at what time his nephew Edwyn the sonne of Eneon hauing to his aid duke Adelf and a great armie of Englishmen and Danes spoiled all the land of Meredyth in Southwales as Caerdigan Dyuet Gwyr Kydweli and S. Dauids where Edwyn tooke pledges of the chiefe men of those countries In the meane time this Meredyth with his people did spoile Glamorgan so that no place was free from sword and fire but at the last Meredyth and Edwyn fell at an agreement were made freends Soone after Cadwalhon the onelie sonne of Meredyth died Meredyth being thus occupied had so much to do in Southwales that Northwales laie open for the enimie which thing when the Danes perceiued they arriued in Anglesey and destroied the whole Ile Wherevpon the inhabitants of that countrie receiued Edwal the sonne of Meyric the right heire of Northwales for their prince in the yeare 992. After these great troubles there followed within a yeare after such famine scarsitie in Southwales that manie perished for want of food Edwal ap Meyric Edwal ap Meyric the sonne of Meredyth THis Edwal being in possession of the principalitie of Northwales studied to keepe and defend his people from iniuries and wrongs But Meredyth gathered togither all his power intending to recouer againe Northwales with whome Edwal met at Lhangwm and ouerthrew him in plaine battell where Theodor of Tewdor Mawr Meredyth his nephew was slaine who left behind him two sonnes Rees Rytherch a daughter called Elen. A litle after this Swayn the sonne of Haroald destroied the Ile of Man and entring to Northwales slew Edwal the prince therof who left behind him a sonne called Iago In the yeare of Christ 998. the Danes came againe to S. Dauids destroieng all before them and there they slew Morgeney or rather Vrgeney Bishop of that sea The same yeare also died Meredyth the sonne of Owen king or prince of Wales leauing behind him one onlie daughter called Angharad which was maried to Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht and after his death to Conuyn Hirdref or as other do thinke to Conuyn ap Gwerystan who had children by either of them which was the cause of much warre mischief in Wales as shall appeare hereafter Aedan ap Blegored Aedan the sonne of Blegored I doo not know neither could I euer find what colour or pretense of title this Aedan ap Blegored had to the principalitie of Northwales nor yet of whom he descended or who came of him whereas all the other princes are notoriouslie knowen of what families they descended and who came of them Neither yet doo I read of anie Blegored whose sonne he might be except it be that doctor of Law of whom mention is made in the lawes of Howel Dha whose estate was too meane to challenge the principalitie He is reported to haue gouerned about xij yeares Of this acts by him atchieued there is verie litle written sauing of those two battels the one wherin he ouercame Conan ap Howel and the other wherin he was ouercome himselfe and slaine with his foure sonnes by Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht In the yeare 1004. Gulfath and Vbiad Irish Lords were taken by the Scots and their eies put out which Scots did also destroie the countrie and towne of Deuelyn Likewise the Danes which had destroied againe Westwales went to England and there spoiled and burned the land all before them especiallie Somersetshire Dorsetshire and so through Hampshire and Sussex they came towards the riuer of Thames without anie let or staie and so sailed alongst the riuer to the place where the riuer Mydwey entreth to the Thames alongst which water they came to Rochester where they ouerthrew the Kentishmen that bade them battell Edelred king of England was at this time in Cumberland the chiefe denne of the Danes which land he brought to his subiection but in the meane while another armie of Danes fought againe with the men of Somersetshire and got the victorie and ruled the countrie at their pleasure Then Edelred hearing of the great worthines of Richard Duke of Normandie sent to him for his daughter Emma in mariage thinking thereby to haue succour but God intending to punish the great sinnes and enormities of the Saxons did moue the king thereto that like as they being instruments of Gods wrath vnder the colour of friends and hired soldiours had traiterouslie and cruellie slaine the Brytaines and driuen them out of their land so should the Normanes by colour of this affinitie first enter the land as friends and bring succour against the Danes and afterward come as foes and be the vtter destruction of the Saxons and Angles which was then foreseene and told the king by an Anachoret who inspired with the spirit of God sawe the plagues which he had certainelie appointed to fall vpon the Saxons But the king puffed vp with pride and hope of his affinitie did priuilie write to all the english rulers through the realme to kill the Danes in one night which then liued peaceablie which murther was cruellie executed vpon S. Brices daie at night But yet the Danes would not giue ouer so with losse Therefore the yeare following there came an armie of them to Deuonshire and ouerran the land with fire and sword sparing nothing that had life that they might reuenge the murther of their coosens They rased the citie of Excester and slue Hugh the Normane whome the Queene had appointed gouernour there Then Almarus Earle of Deuon gathered a great armie of Hampshire Wilshire and all the countrie about and met the Danes but he and his were put to flight and the Danes pursued them to Wilton and destroied it and Salisburie and returned to their
of them are descended and of the said Edmond commeth Carnysoyes of Cornewal The said Edward had an other brother called William of whome Stradling of Ruthyn and others are descended the same William had a daughter named VVenlhian who by the Earle of Ryuers had a daughter married to sir Robert Poynes of whome commeth all the Poynes the Newtons Perots and others Sir Harrie Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him and married with Elizabeth sister of whole bloud to sir VVilliam Herebert knight Earle of Penbroke and had issue by hir one sonne and two daughters one of them was married to Myles ap Harry of whome Mistresse Blanch ap Harrie and hir bretheren and vncles are descended the other daughter was married to Fleming of Monton in VVales This sir Harrie in the sixtéenth yéere of King Edward the fourth went in like maner on pilgrimage to Ierusalem and receiued the order of the sepulchre there as his father and grandfather did and died in the Isle of Cypres in his comming home whose booke is to be séene as yet with a letter that his man brought from him to his Ladie wife The saieng is that diuers of his said ancestours made the like pilgrimage but there remaineth no memorie in writing but of these thrée This sir Harrie sailing from his house in Somersetshire to his house in Wales was taken prisoner by a Brytaine pirate named Colyn Dolphyn whose redemption and charges stood him in 2000. markes for the paiment whereof he was driuen to sell the castell and manour of Basselek and Sutton in Monmouthshire and two manours in Oxfordshire Thomas Stradling esquier his sonne succéeded him and married Ienet daughter to Thomas Matthew of Rayder Esquier and had issue by hir two sonnes Edward and Harrie and one daughter named Iane and died before he was xxvi yeares of age After whose death his wife married with sir Rice ap Thomas knight of the garter Harrie married with the daughter and heire of Thomas Iubb learned in the lawe and had issue by hir Francis Stradling of S. George by Bristow yet liuing Iane was married to sir William Gruffyth of Northwales knight and had issue by hir thrée sonnes Edward sir Rice Gruffyth knight and Iohn and seauen daughters The eldest married to Stanley of Houghton the second to sir Richard Buckley knight the third to Lewys the fourth to Moston the fift to Conwey the sixt to Williams the seauenth to Pers Motton and after to Simon Theloal esquier whose wife at this time she is the eight to Philips Of which daughters there be a wonderfull number descended Edward married Iane daughter to sir Iohn Puleston knight and had issue by hir thrée daughters Iane married to VVilliam Herebert of S. Iulian Catharine married to VVilliam Herebert of Swansey and an other daughter married to sir Nicholas Bagnoll knight Sir Edward Sradling knight succéeded his father and married with Elizabeth one of the thrée daughters of sir Thomas Arundell of Lanheyron in Cornewall knight The other two were married to Speke and S. Lowe and had issue foure sonnes Thomas Robert Edward and Iohn Robert married VVatkyn Locher his daughter and hath by hir manie children Edward married with the daughter and heire of Robert Baglan of Lantwit and hath also diuers children and Iohn is a priest Also the said sir Edward had two daughters Iane married to Alexander Popham of Somersetshire of whom is a great number descended and Catharine married to sir Thomas Palmer knight of Sussex who hath a sonne named VVilliam Sir Thomas Sradling knight his sonne succéeded him and married Catharine the eldest daughter to sir Thomas Gamage of Coyty knight and to dame Margaret his wife daughter to sir Iohn S. Iohn of Bledso knight by whom he hath liuing yet two sonnes Edward and Dauid and fiue daughters Elizabeth Damasyn Iane Ioice and Wenlhian Sir Edward Stradling knight that now is married Agnes second daughter to sir Edward Gage of Sussex knight and as yet in the yeare 1572. hath no issue Memorandum that of the heires male of the aforesaid twelue knights that came with sir Robert Fitzhamon to the winning of Glamorgan the Lordship aforesaid there is at this daie but the Stradling a liue that dwelleth in VVales and enioieth the portion giuen in reward to his ancestors There be yet of the yoonger brothers of the Turberuiles and Flemings Greenefeeld and Syward doo yet remaine but they dwell in England and haue doone awaie their lands in VVales The Lord S. Iohn of Bledso although he kéepeth his ancient inheritance in Wales yet he dwelleth in England ¶ Thus farre the copie of the winning of Glamorgan as I receiued the same at the hands of mistris Blanch Parrie collected by Sir Edward Stradling knight There were besides with the said Robert Fitzhamon in this voiage diuers other noble men and gentlemen some out of England some out of Dyuet and other places in Wales which came thither with the said Eneon against Rees ap Theodor of whome Robert Sitsylt was one who albeit he had no part of the said Lordship of Glamorgan that I can read of yet neuerthelesse he was in respect of his good seruice there doone preferred to the marriage of an inheritrice of great possessions in the land of Ewyas and the countrie néere adioining Of which Robert Sitsylt I find this that followeth recorded in a verie ancient writing conteining his whole genelogie of 16. descents of heires male lineallie which writing for the more credit of the historie I thought good here to insert as followeth IN the yeare of Christ 1091. Robert Sitsylt came with Robert Fitzhamon to the conquest of the countrie of Glamorgan and after wedded a Ladie by whome he had Halterennes and other lands in Hereford and Glocestershires he had a sonne called Iames Sitsylt Iames Sitsylt tooke part with Mawd the empresse against king Stephen and was slaine at the siege of the castell of Wallingford An. 4. Stephan hauing then vpon him a vesture whereon was wrought in needle worke his armes or ensignes as they be made on the toombe of Gerald Sitsylt in the Abbeie of Dore which are afterward trulie blazed in a iudgement giuen by commission of king Edward the third for the ancient right of the same armes This Iames had a sonne called Iames Sitsylt and foure daughters Iohn Sitsylt the sonne of Iames was after the death of his father in the same warres with Roger Earle of Hereford and constable of England and being taken prisoner at the siege of Lincolne Anno. 6. Stephani he paid for his ransome 400. marks and therefore sold his lordship of Beauport and all his lands in the countie of Glocester he tooke to wife a Ladie called Mawd de Frenes and had issue Eustace Eustace Sitsylt the sonne of Iohn was wedded to Elianor the daughter of Sir Walter Pembridge Knight and had by hir Baldwin and Iohn and foure daughters whereof one of them was the wife of Sir Thomas Fitzneale knight Baldwin
same yeare died Geffrey bishop of Landaff The yeare ensuing Henrie Shortmantel the Empresse sonne entred England and wan diuerse castels as Maluesburie Walingford and Shrewsburie About the same time Eustace the sonne of king Stephen was drowned wherevpon the king and Henrie concluded a peace In the yeare 1154. died Stephen king of England and Henrie Plantagenet the Empresse son was crowned in his steed This Henrie was wise and learned and besides a worthie knight he neuer ware gloue except he bare a hawke on his fist and neuer sate but at his meate and delited in hawking hunting riding and in all honest exercises In the beginning of his reigne and in the yeare 1155. Rees ap Gruffyth ap Rees whome the Welsh booke surnameth Lord Rees and all the Latine and English writers of that time name King of Southwales did gather all his strength togither to defend his countrie from Owen Gwyneth whom he heard to be leuieng of men to conquer Southwales So Rees came as far as Aberdyvi ouer against Northwales and perceiuing the rumour to be false built a castell there and so returned backe At the same time Madoc ap Meredyth prince of Powys did build a castell at Caereneon besides Cymer At that time Meyric his nephew escaped out of prison where he had beene long kept then also Eglwys vair in Myvot was built also Terdelach king of Conacht in Ireland died At this time king Henrie banished the Flemings whom king Stephen had brought in and sent some of them to their coosins in Westwales likewise the king bannished Wiliam Peuerell of Notingham And Hugh Mortimer fortified the castell of Cleberie against the king which the king tooke and rased and Hugh yeelded to the king and deliuered to his hands the castels of Wygmor and Brugge Likewise Roger the sonne of Myles of Glocester Earle of Hereford deliuered to the king the tower of Glocester and died shortlie after and his brother Walter enioied his land but the king kept the Earledome of Hereford and the towne of Glocester in his owne hands The yeare folowing Conan Earle of Richmond sailed to Brytaine where he was receiued of the most part for their duke Shortlie after king Henrie his brother Geffrey were agreed in Normandie and the king being returned into England receiued of the Scottish king Carlile Newcastell and Banburgh with the countrie about and gaue him the Earldome of Huntingdon Also William Earle of Egle and Northfolke base sonne to king Stephen deliuered Henrie the castels of Peuensey and Norwich and the king confirmed to him his other lands At this time Caradocus Lhancaruan who is reputed and taken of all learned men to be the author of this present historie endeth his collections of the successions of the Brytaines from Cadwalader vntill this time of whome some studious antiquarie wrote these verses following Historiam Brytonum doctus scripsit Caradocus Post Cadwalladrum regia sceptra notans The successions and actes of the princes of Wales after this time vntill the yeare 1270. were kept and recorded from time to time in the Abbeis of Conwey in Northwales and Stratflur in Southwales as witnesseth Gutryn Owen who being in the daies of Edward the fourth wrote the best and most perfect copie of the same About this time the king gathered all his power togither from all parts of England intending to subdue all Northwales being therevnto procured and mooued by Cadwalader whom the Prince his brother had banished out of the land and bereaued of his liuing and by Madoc ap Meredyth prince of Powys who enuied at the libertie of Northwales which knewe no lord but one And so the king led his armie to Westchester and camped vpon the marsh called Saltney Likewise Owen like a valiant prince gathered all his strength and came to the vtter meares of his land purposing to giue the king battell encamped himselfe at Basingwerk Which thing when the king vnderstood he chose out of his armie diuerse of the cheefest bands and sent certeine Earles and Lords with them towards the princes campe and as they passed the wood called Coed Eulo Dauid Conan the princes sons met with them set vpon them fearslie what for the aduantage of the ground for the suddennes of the deed the Englishmen were put to flight and a great number slaine and the rest were pursued to the kings campe The king being fore displeased with that foile remooued his campe alongst the sea coast thinking to passe betwixt Owen and his countrie but Owen foreseeing that retired backe to a place which is called to this daie Cîl Owen that is the retire of Owen and the king came to Ruthlan In this first viage of king Henrie against the Welshmen he was put in great danger of his life in a strait at Counsylth not far from Flynt where Henrie of Essex whose office by inheritance was to beare the standard of England cast downe the same and fled which thing incouraged the Welshmen in such sort that the king being sore distressed had much a doo to saue himselfe and as the French Chronicle saith was faine to flée of whose part Eustace Fitz-Iohn and Robert Curcie two worthie knights with diuerse other noble men and gentlemen were slaine After that Owen incamped and intrenched himselfe at Bryn y pin and skirmished with the kings men dailie and in the meane while that the King was fortifieng the castell of Ruthlan his nauie which was guided by Madoc ap Meredyth Prince of Powys anchored in Môn or Anglesey and put on land the soldiours which spoiled two churches and a little of the countrie thereabouts But as they returned vnto their ships all the strength of the Ile set vpon them and killed them all so that none of those which robbed within the Ile brought tidings how they sped Then the shipmen seeing that liked not their lodging there but waid vp anchors and went awaie to Chester In the meane time there was a peace concluded betwixt the king and the Prince vpon condition that Cadwalader should haue his lands againe and his brother should be his friend Then the King leauing the castels of Ruthlan and Basywerke well fortified and manned after he had built a house thereby for the templers returned to England At that time also Iorwerth Goch ap Meredyth got the castell of Yale and burned it The yeare folowing Morgan ap Owen was traitorously slaine by the men of Ivor ap Meyric with whom died the best poet in the Brytish toong of his time called Gurgan ap Rees and his brother Iorwerth got the towne of Caerlheon and the lands of Owen Then the king made peace with all the princes lords of Wales except Rees ap Gruffyth ap Rees prince of Southwales which Rees fearing the kings power caused his people to remooue their cattell goods to the wildernesse of Tywy and he still made war against the
part of his armie with guides of the countrie to burne Bangor who did so taking Rotpert the bishop prisoner who was afterward ransomed for 200. hawkes Then the prince seeing all England and Wales against him a great part of his land won from him thought it best to entreat with the king And thervpon he sent Ione his wife the kings daughter to hir father to make a peace who being a discreet woman found the meanes that vpon pledges giuen for safe conduct the prince came to the king and made peace with him and did him homage Then giuing him pledges he promised vnto him towards his charges 20000. heads of cattell and fortie horsses Moreouer he granted to the king the Inland for euer wherevpon the king returned to England with great triumph after that he had brought all Wales vnder his subiection sauing Rees Owen the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Rees Therfore at his departure he gaue straite commandement to Foulke Vicount of Caerdyff called Warden of the Marches a cruell tyrant but yet wel loued of the king to take an armie with him that he ioining with Maelgon and Rees Vachan might compell the aforesaid sonnes of Gruffyth to obeie him This Foulke or Falcasius de Breant a Norman borne and a bastard being a cruell and a wicked man was called by king Iohn to his aid against the Barons who vsed himselfe cruellie towards them for which cause she said king gaue him in mariage Margaret de Riparijs an inheritrice of great possessions This Foulke calling vnto him Maelgon and Rees came to the Cantref of Penwedic then the yoong lords seing no remedie sent to him for peace and safeconduct to passe to the court which he granted them When they came to the court vpon their submission to the king with the gift of all their lands betwixt Aeron and Dyui they were receiued of him very gentlie and curteouslie intreated and after they had doone him homage they returned home againe Then Foulke before his departure out of the countrie fortified the castell of Aberystwyth and manned it to the kings behoofe But within a while Maelgon as he was verie vnconstant and Rees Vachan repented them of the peace they had made with the king and therevpon laid siege to the castell of Aberystwyth getting the same destroied it When their nephues Rees and Owen sawe that their vncles had broken the kings peace they made a roade vnto Maelgons countrie and slew a great number of his men and returned with a rich bootie The next yeare prince Lhewelyn being not able to abide the displeasures which the garrisons that the king left in his nephues castels in Northwales did to his people called to him Gwenwynwyn from Powys Maelgon ap Rees from Southwales Madoc ap Gruffyth Maylor from Bromfield Meredyth ap Rotpert from Cydewen and opened to them this miserable case how they which were woont to haue a prince of their owne nation now by their owne wilfulnesse were brought in subiection to a stranger and declared also vnto them how that if they would agree among themselues they might defend their ancient estate still which thing they all promised to do swore fealtie to prince Lhewelyn forthwith gathered an armie wan all the castels sauing Ruthlan Dyganwy then comming to Powys they laid siege to the castell which Robert Vepont had made at Mathraual But when the king was informed of all this he leuied an armie and came thither to raise the siege and after caused the castell to be rased then returned home hauing greater matters in hand betweene him his nobles Then being at Notingham hering how the prince of Wales destroied all the Marches he caused the pledges which he had receiued the last yere to be hanged as Howel the son of Cadwalhon Madoc the sonne of Maelgon and others to the number of 28. striplings Also Robert Vepont did hang at Shrewesburie Rees the sonne of Maelgon not being yet seuen yeares of age and so cruellie murthered the innocent to reuenge the offenses of others In the meane while that the king remained at Notingham he receiued letters from the princesse of Northwales his daughter declaring that his nobles had conspired with the French king against him and for proofe thereof she alledged that Robert Fitzwater Eustace de Vescy and Stephan Ridell were secretelie fled into France and that the French king prepared an armie to come to England vnder the colour that the king was a rebell from the church for that he would not condescend to the bishop of Romes requests The yeare 1213. Innocentius Pope of Rome did release prince Lhewelyn Gwenwynwyn and Maelgon of those oths that they had made to king Iohn and willed them vnder the paines of cursing to annoie and trouble him all that they could as the enimie of the church Wherevpon forthwith Lhewelyn receiued all the Inland countrie which to this time was in the kings hands But within a little after the king by the persuasion of Pandulph the legat granted the Pope his request and obteined absolution at his hands and releasement of the interdiction vpon performance of his promises Then king Iohn hearing how the French king was in Flanders and had a great nauie at Dam purposing to bring the Earldome into his subiection sent William de Longaspata Earle of Salisburie Reginald Earle of Boleyn and Hugh de Noua villa or Neuill thither with a great nauie who ouerthrew the Frenchmen and returned home with great spoile Shortlie after king Iohn sailed to Rochell where the Earle of those marches and Geffrey de Landanamo were reconciled to him The yeare folowing king Iohn made peace with the French king for fiue yeares Then Rees son to Gruffyth ap Rees which was heire to prince Rees seeing he could haue no part of his fathers lands but that his vncles did keepe all from him by force made his complaint to the king And the king pittieng his estate sent to Foulke Vicount of Caerdyff warden of the marches and to the steward of Hereford commanding them to take all Stratywy from Rees Vachan whom other call Rees Gryc vnlesse he would let his nephues enioie the castell of Lhauymdhyfry with the territorie belonging thereto And they sent to Rees to know his mind who answered them stoutlie that they should not haue one foote of land of him Therefore Foulke gathered a great armie and met with yoong Rees at Talhwynelgain where he looked for him with a number of men that he had gotten in Brechnock and thence they marched in three battelles towardes Dyneuowr of which yoong Rees lead the first Foulke the second and Owen brother to Rees the third Then Rees Vachan came boldlie and gaue them battell where in the end he was put to flight with the losse of a great number of his men Then he went straight and manned the castell of Dineuowr and burned the towne of
moneths but it was so manfullie defended that they could not come by it And at last there came in the kings ships and manned and victualed the towne afresh wherefore they raised the siege and departed Within a while after Rees Gryc sonne to the lord or prince Rees died at Lhandeilo vawr and was buried honorablie besides his father at S. Dauids Then Maelgon Vachan sonne to Maelgon ap Rees finished the castell of Trefilan which his father had begon The Earle Marshall vnderstanding that the bishop of Winchester had with a thousand markes of monie wonne from him to the kings part the Earles of Chester and Lincolne made a firme league with Lhewelyn prince of Wales and other nobles of that countrie swearing among themselues that none of them should grow to anie agreement with the king without his confederats Wherevpon the king sent to Flanders and other countries beyond the sea for aid to whom Baldwyn Earle of Gysnes came with a great armie to Glocester Also manie Poictouins came to him by the procurement of the said bishop who was that countrieman himselfe In the yeare of Christ 1234. Iohn lord Monumetensis a noble warrior captaine of the kings armie being made Warden of the Marches of Wales leuied a power and came against the Earle Marshall and the Welshmen but when he had once entred Wales he came backe in post leauing his men for the most part slaine and taken behind him This historie is laid downe by Matthew Paris after this manner About the feast of S. Iohn Baptist Iohn of Monmouth a noble and expert warrior who was with the king in his warres in Wales gathered a great armie meaning to inuade the Earle Marshall at vnawares but he being certified of the same hid himselfe in a certaine wood by the which laie the waie of his enimies intending to deceiue them who went about to serue him after the same sort When the enimies therfore came to the place where the ambush was the Earle Marshals armie gaue a great shout and so set vpon their enimies being vnprouided and suddenlie put them all to flight slaieng an infinite number of them aswell Poictouins as other Iohn of Monmouth himselfe escaped by flight whose countrie with the villages buildings and all that he had therein the Earle Marshall did spoile and destroie with fire and sword and left him nothing at all and then returned with rich spoiles Afterward in the wéeke after the Epiphanie Lhewelyn prince of Wales togither with the Earle Marshall ioining their powers and entring the kings land destroied all with fire and sword from the confines of Wales vnto the towne of Salop which they also tooke and burnt a great part thereof and then returned with great spoiles The king of England being all this while with the bishop of Winchester at Glocester little regarding warre who for want of sufficient strength for the warre durst not méete his enimies in the field but being ashamed of the matter departed towards Winchester leauing the Marches to be destroied by the enimies as anie man might sée The same yeare Richard Earle of Penbrooke by the counsell of Geffrey de Marisco went with an armie to Ireland where he was slaine in fight by treason of his owne men after whom his brother Gilbert inherited his lands In that time the king sent the Archbishop of Canturburie with the bishops of Rochester and Chester to intreate with prince Lhewelyn for to make peace with the king but they returned without doing of anie good Matthew Paris saith this The king at this time going to méet Edmond Archbishop of Canturburie and the other Bishops which he had sent to conclude a peace with Lhewelyn prince of Wales came to Woodstocke where being certified of the death of the Earle Marshall by certeine messengers which came from Ireland he fell into great wéeping and sorrowe for the death of so valiant a knight affirming withall that he had not least his péere behind him in the realme From thence he went to Glocester where the said Archbishop and bishops comming to him declared the treatie and forme of peace taken betwéene him and the said Lhewelyn yet neuerthelesse vpon this condition that the noble men of England which were confederates with the said Lhewelyn and by euill counsell were exiled should first be reconciled to the king whereby the said peace might be more firme and stable Moreouer the Archbishop said that with much a doo they had brought the matter to that passe adding sometimes threatnings on the kings behalfe with his clergie to the which threatnings the said Lhewelyn is reported to haue answered that he more regarded the kings almes-déeds and his godlie behauiour than he did feare his warre with all his clergie Then the king who wished peace with all his heart caused by his letters all the nobles that were outlawed to be called againe vnto him to Glocester the sundaie before the Ascension daie next following to haue their pardons and to receiue their inheritance which the king had seased into his owne hands Then Hubert de Burgh Earle of Kent came to the king and obteined his fauour whom the king reuerentlie imbrased and kissed Prince Lhewelyn also this yeare set Gruffyth his sonne at libertie whom he had kept in prison sixe yeares for his disobedience At the same time died Robert Fitzwater who as Matthew Paris saith had a stone about his necke of such vertue that he could not die as long as it was there Also Roger de Somerie died and Cadwalhon ap Maelgon of Melienyth The yeare after died Owen sonne to Gruffyth ap Rees being a noble Gentleman and verie well beloued and was buried by his brother Rees at Stratflur King Henrie about this time tooke to wife the second daughter of the Earle of Prouince called Elianor And Frederike the Emperour maried Isabel sister to king Henrie The yeare after Madoc the sonne of Gruffyth Maylor lord of the lower Powys or Bromfield Chirke and Yale a man verie iust and mercifull died and was buried honourablie at the abbie of Lhan Egwest or Vale Crucis which he had built and leaft behind him a sonne named Gruffyth to inherit his lands Also Owen ap Meredyth ap Rotpert of Cydewen departed out of this world The same yeare Gilbert Erle of Penbrooke by treason got the castell of Morgan ap Howel called Marchen and fortified it verie strong for feare of the Prince Then the Earles of Cornewall and Penbrooke tooke the crosse The next spring died Ione daughter to king Iohn princesse of Wales and was buried vpon the sea shoare within the Ile of Anglesey at Lhanuaes as hir pleasure was where the Prince did build a house of barefoote Friers ouer hir graue Then also died Iohn Scot Erle of Chester without issue therefore the king seased that Earldome to his owne hands Because the Earles of Chester were men of great possessions in Wales and had
soldiers and such as the king loued well Therefore the king called his strength to him and sent to Gascoine and Ireland for succours and then comming to VVales in haruest time destroied all the corne that was in his waie yet he went not farre beyond Chester but returned backe without dooing any notable act for God as Matthew Paris saith defended the poore people that put their whole confidence in him The lord Iames Audeley whose daughter Gruffyth lord of Bromfield had married brought a great number of horssemen frō Almaine to serue against the VVelshmen who with their great horsses and vnaccustomed kind of fight ouerthrew the VVelshmen at the first encounter Wherefore the VVelshmen shortlie after minding to reuenge that displeasure made road into the said lord Audleys lands where the Almaines set vpon them pursuing hard such as fled to the straits who vsing that flight for a policie returned againe so suddenlie and so fearslie vpon the Almaines that they being not able to retire vpon the sudden were almost all slaine At this time there was great scarsitie in England of beefes and horsses whereof they were woont to haue manie thousands yeerelie out of VVales and all the marches were made as a desolate and desart place The next spring all the nobles of VVales came togither and sware to defend their countrie to the death and neuer to forsake one another and that vpon paine of cursing but shortlie after Meredyth ap Rees of Southwales not regarding his oth serued the king Then the king called a Parliament for a subsidie to conquere Wales when he had so manie losses and of late all the countrie of Penbrooke burnt and spoiled wher the Welshmen had found salt plentifullie which they lacked In the which Parliament William de Valentia accused the Earles of Leycester and Glocester as the workers of all this mischiefe wherevpon the Parliament broke without the grant of anie subsidie Againe shortlie after the same Parliament by prorogation was holden at Oxford where the king and Edward his sonne were sworne solemnlie to obeie the lawes and statutes of the realme but the kings brethren Gwy and William with Henrie son to the king of Almaine and Iohn Earle Warren forsooke the oth and departed awaie And there the lords of Wales offered to be tried by the lawe for any offense they had committed against the king vniustlie but Edward would not heare of it but sent one Patrike de Canton as Lieutenant for the king to Caermardhin and with him Meredyth ap Rees and this Patrike desired to speake vpon peace with the princes councell Wherevpon the prince meaning good faith sent his brother Dauid whom he had set at libertie with Meredyth ap Owen and Rees ap Rees to Emlyn to intreat with them of peace but Patrike meaning to intrap them laid an ambushment of armed men by the waie and as they should haue met these men fell vpon the Welshmen and slew a great number of them but the lords which escaped raised the countrie forthwith and folowed Patrike and slue him and the most part of all his men And after this the Prince desirous of peace and quietnesse to redeeme the same and to end all troubles and to purchase the kings good will offered the king 4000. markes and to his sonne 300. and to the Queene 200. to haue peace but the king answered What is this to our losses and refused it It appeareth by the Records in the Towre that about this time to wit An. 43. H. 3. There was a commission to William bishop of Worcester Iohn Mansel treasurer of Yorke the kings Chaplaine and Peter de Montfort to conclude a peace with the Welshmen but it is like that there was nothing doone to anie effect in that behalfe for the warre continued still Notwithstanding I find by Matthew Westminster that there was a certeine truce agréed vpon betwéene the king and the Welshmen for a yeare I read also in the same author that the bishop of Bangor was this yeare about Michaelmas sent from Lhewelyn the prince and all the Barons of Wales to the king to desire peace at his hands to offer vnto him the summe of 16000. pound for the same so that he would grant the Welshmen to haue all their matters heard and determined at Chester as they were woont to haue and to suffer them to enioy the lawes and customes of their owne countrie but what answere the bishop brought againe the said author maketh no mention The yeare 1260. prince Lhewelyn destroied the lands of Sir Roger Mortimer bicause he contrarie to his oth mainteined the kings quarell and tooke from him all Buelht sauing the castell which the Princes men gatte by night without bloodshed and therein much munition and so after the Prince had passed through all Southwales he returned to his house at Aber betwixt Conwey and Bangor The yeare folowing died Owen ap Meredyth lord of Cydewen And this summer certeine of the Princes men tooke vpon a sudden the castell of Sir Roger Mortimer in Melienyth and slew the garrison taking Howel ap Meyric the captaine thereof with his wife and children and the princes Lieutenant came and destroied it then Sir Roger Mortimer hearing this came with a great strength of lords and knights to Melienyth where the Prince came also and Sir Roger kept himselfe within the wals of the broken castell sent to the prince for licence to depart without hurt Then the prince hauing his enimie within his danger tooke compassion vpon him bicause he was his coosen and suffered him to depart with his people without hurt From thence the prince went to Brechnocke at the request of the people of that countrie which swore fidelitie vnto him and so returned to Northwales Prince Lhewelyn being confederate with the Barons against the king destroied the Earldome of Chester and rased two of Edwards castels Tygannwy and Diserth and thither came Edward and did nothing to speake of This yeare Iohn Strange the yoonger being Constable of Montgomery came with a great number of Marchers by night through Ceri to Cydewen which thing when the countrie men vnderstood they gathered themselues togither and slew 200. of his men but he escaped with the rest backe againe Shortlie after the Marchers and the Welshmen met besides Clun where the Englishmen had the victorie and slew a great number of Welshmen At this time Dauid the princes brother whom he had set at libertie forsooke him and succoured his foes with all his power Then Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn got the castell of Molde and rased it At this time died Meredyth ap Owen the defender of Southwales The yeare ensuing king Henrie lead a great armie towards Wales and by meanes of Orobonus the Popes legate there was a peace concluded betwixt the king and the Prince at the castell of Montgomery vpon Calixtus daie for which peace the prince gaue the king
Lord Powys who descended of Hawys the daughter and heire of Owen ap Gruffyth Lord Powys who was linealie descended of Blethyn ap Convyn Prince of Wales mentioned before pag 103. This noble man was made knight being verie yoong by Charls Brandon Duke of Suffolke for his good seruice doon at Montededier in France Anno 15. Hen. 8. He was sent Embassadour to the Emperour Anno 26. Hen. 8. After the death of the Uicount Lisle his father in lawe he was created Uicount Lisle warden of the frontiers marches of Scotland Anno 33. Hen. 8. He was chosen to be fellowe and companion of the order of the Garter the fift of Maie An. 35. Hen. 8. In the first yéere of K. Edward the sixt he was created Earle of Warwike and in the fift yeere of the same king Duke of Northumberland He was also Earle Marshall high admirall of England L. great maister and President of the priuie councell and further intituled lord Basset and Tyesse The next yéere after that is in the fourth yéere of Edward the sixt William Herbert knight of the noble order of the garter was appointed L. President of Wales and continued vntill Michaelmas in the first yéere of Quéene Marie After whom Nicholas Heath Bishop of Worcester was sent to be L. President of Wales continued there vntill the third yéere of the same Quéene and then was remooued to be Lord Chaunceler of England being then elected Archbishop of Yorke At which time the said William Herbert was againe made L. President of Wales and so continued vntill the sixt yeare of the same Quéene He descended of William Herbert created Earle of Penbrooke by king Edward the fourth who was the sonne of Sir William Herbert who married Gladys the daughter of Sir Dauid Gam which Sir William was the sonne of Thomas Herbert the sonne of Gwilim ap Ienkyn lineallie descended of a noble man called Herbert Fitzhenrie chamberlaine to king Henrie the first This noble man liued in great credit and estimation with king Henrie the eight king Edward the sixt Quéene Marie and Quéene Elizabeth and was by euerie of the said Princes emploied in matters of great importance and for his good and faithfull seruice greatlie honoured as appeareth in an Epitaph fixed vpon his toombe in the Cathedrall church of S. Paule in London which I thought good héere to laie downe Perpetuae pietati Sacrum GVliel Herberto Penbrochiae comiti equiti aurato praenobilis ordinis Anglici Henr. viij R. Acubiculis Edoard vi R. equitum magistro Walliae praesidi Tumultu occidentali cum Russello Graio Baronibus paribus auspicijs summae rerum praeposito Mariae R ae contra perduelles ac expeditione ad Augustam Veromanduorum bis totius exercitus duci bis summo in agro Caletum Limitum praefecto Elizab R ae officiorum seu Magno Regiae Magistro Pariter Dominae Annae ex vetiista Parrorum gente oriundae Sorori Catharinae R ae Henr. viij R. vi matrimonio coniunctae ac Marchionis Northamptonij Prudentiss ae foeminae pietatis religionis probitatis omnisque auitae virtutis retinentiss ae fidiss Comitis coniugi Henr. F. ac comes Pp. chariss sibi ac suis moerens P. Obijt aetatis An 63. Obijt salutis An 1569. Liberis relictis ex prima Henrico Pemb. Comite Edoardo Equite Aurato Domina Anna Baroni Talbot nupta Secunda coniuge superstite Georgio Salopiae comite genita inisigni praeter antiquum probitatis decus virtute foemina In the sixt yeare of Quéene Marie Gilbert Bourne Bishop of Bath and Wels was sent to be lord President of Wales and so continued vntill the death of the same Quéene In the first yeare of Quéene Elizabeth Sir Iohn Williams L. Williams of Thame was sent L. President into Wales and died L. President the same yeare in the castell of Ludlowe and lieth buried at Thame in the countie of Oxenford where he of his good and vertuous disposition towards the good and godlie education of the youth of his countrie and maintenance of the poore founded by his last will and testament a Grammar schoole and an Almeshouse to haue continuance for euer and leaft certaine yearelie reuenues in lands and monie for the maintenance of the same And for the ordering conueieng and assuring of the premisses to the vses aforesaid he constituted and ordeined executors of his said last will and testament among other Robert Doylie of Merton in the same countie Esquier and William Place of Lurgyshall in the countie of Buckingham Gentleman who purchasing other lands for that purpose to the yearelie value of 57. pounds two shillings fiue pence sued out the mortmaine and enfe offed the Warden and Scholers of new College in Oxenford and their successors of the premisses to the vse aboue mentioned The foundation of the Schoole is of one head Schoolemaister to be appointed by the said Robert Doylie and William Place or the longer liuer of them for their life time and afterward by the said Warden and Scholers of new College and their successors for euer who hath yéerelie for his stipend the sum of xxvj pounds xiij shillings iiij pence And one vsher to be likewise appointed as the maister is who shall haue for his stipend yéerelie the sum of xiij pounds vj. shillings viij pence both which stipends are to be paid quarterly by euen portions The almeshouse is founded to haue fiue almsmen and one almeswoman who haue yéerelie towards their maintenance the summe of 7. pounds 4. shillings and a new gowne euerie fourth yeere There is also allowed for the kéeping of the toombe of the said lord Williams 8. shillings yéerelie and for kéeping cleane of the water-course 4. shillings Henrie Sidney knight after the death of the L. Williams of Thame in the second yéere of the Quéenes Maiestie that now is was sent to be L. President of Wales This knight is descended by the heires make lineallie of Sir William Sidney who came out of Aniowe into England with Henrie Fitzempresse and was afterward chamberlaine to the said Henrie when he was king of England and descended out of Wales by his mother Anne the daughter of Anne the daughter of William Clement the sonne of Iohn the sonne of William the sonne of William the sonne of Ienkyn Clement who married the daughter of Conan the sonne of Meredyth the sonne of Gruffyth the sonne of the lord Rees Prince of Southwales of whom mention is before pag. 249. which Rees was the sonne of Wenlhian the daughter of Gruffyth ap Conan Prince of Northwales The mother likewise of the same Iohn or Ienkyn Clement was Cicilie the daughter of Sir Gruffyth Lhoyd knight the son of Rees the son of Gruffyth the sonne of Ednyuet Vachan chéefe counseller and steward to Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth Prince of Wales of whom Matthew Paris maketh mention page 843. who also was the auncestor of Owen Tuder the Grandfather of king Henrie the seuenth of
134. Richard Belmersh bishop of London sent to be warden of the Marches of wales 160.164 Richard 1. K. of England 241. goeth to the holie land 242. winneth Cyprus 243. he is taken prisoner 243. returneth to England 244. he dieth 253. Richard Marshal Earle of Penbrooke 286 288. in leage with Lhewelyn Prince of wales 290. he goeth to Ireland and is slaine 291. Richard of Burdeux 385. Richard Sampson bishop of Couen and Lich. 396. Robert Fitzhamon 119. his Conquest in wales 124. his twelue knights 125. his own portion of Glamorgan 127. his Petegrée and heires 128. Robert S. Quintine 125. his heires 134. Robert Sitsylt 141. his issue and descents 142. Robert de Belesmo Earle of Salop rebelleth against K. H. 1.157 he forsaketh y e land 159. he is taken and imprisoned 171. his crueltie ibid. Robert Fitzstephen a chiefe capteine in the conquest of Ireland 225. Roderike Molwynoc 14. driuen from the west countrie to Northwales 16. Roderike the great 28. he is slaine 35. Roderike ap Owen Gwyneth 237.243 Roger Montgomerie Earle of Salop 151. he fortified Montgomerie castell 152. he is slaine 153. Roger de Berkrolles 125. his heires 135. Roger Earle of Clare obtaineth of the king such lands in wales as he could winne 208. Roger Mortimer right heire to the principalitie of wales 314.315.316 Rollo came to France 37. Rowland Lée Bishop of Couentrie and Lichfield 394. Run the sonne of Meredyth counterfeited by a Scot 85. Ruthlan D 10. the castell the palace of Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn prince of wales 100. fortified by king Henrie the second 207. belonging to the Earle of Chester 267. Ruthyn D 10. the lordship 378. Rydcors castell built 153. Rytherch ap Iestyn ruleth Southwales 87. he is slaine 88. Rythmarch Archbishop of S. Dauids 156. Rywalhon ap Convyn 103. he is slaine 109. S. SAyson Saysonaec D 4. Saxons whence they came 25. they spoile the Brytaines of their countrie 6. their seauen kingdomes 26. Sibertus K. of Essex 11. Sigebert K. of Westsex 16. Simon de Thurnay 258. Strat Alyn 356. Strat Clwyd spoiled 58. Strat Marchelh 214 217. Strat Tywy 152. Stephen Constable of Aberteiui 189. Sulien bishop of S. Dauids 110. he forsaketh his bishoprike 113. he is compelled to take his bishoprike againe 114. he forsaketh his bishoprike againe 116. he dieth 118. Switzers whence they came 39. T. TAlaeth 35. Taliefyn D 15 254. Tegyd D 9. Theodor the sonne of Belin 16 Theodor Mawr 66. he is slain 72. Trahaern ap Caradoc 112. he is slaine 114. Thurstan abbot of Glastenburie 116. V. VAndals whence they came 39. Uchdred ap Edwyn ap Grono 154. Urgeney ap Sitsylht 114. W. WAllia wales D 2.3.4 ¶ See Cambria Walter Steward 97. Walter bishop of Hereford 165. Walwern castell 219. Walweys sepulchre found 116. Westwales destroied 65. Woolues destroied in Wales 61. William Conquerour commeth to England 107. he ouercoÌ„meth Haroald and is crowned K. of England 108. he entreth Wales with an armie 115. he dieth 116. William Rufus 117. he coÌ„meth with an armie into Wales 153.155 he builded Westminster hall 156. he is slaine 157. William de Londres 125. his heires 131. William Stradling 137. his heires ibid. William Brusus traitorous fact 236.260 hanged 286. William Marshall Earle of Penbrooke 279. to whom his great liuing in England Wales and Ireland descended 312. William Smith bishop of Lincolne 391. William Herbert Erle of Penbrooke 398. Y. YAl D 11. the castel built 201. the castell taken and burnt 208. Yarthyr the son of Mervyn 60. Ynyr the cosen of Iuor 7. Ysbys 152. FINIS 1584 Imprinted at London by Rafe Newberie and Henrie Denham Cum Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis Clêra is their ordinarie visitation which they vse euerie third yeare Rob. Caenal li. 2. Par. 2. Vim vi repellere licet Cambria Wales A Locrino A Saxonib Rob. Caenal li. 2. Per. 2. The meares and bounds of Wales Aberfraw Dinevowr Mathraval Northwales Môn Aruon Merionyth Tegyd Y Bervedhwlad Dyffryn Clwyd An. 12. Ed. 1. See this hist. pag. 377. Mathraval or Powys Maelor the sonne of Gwran sonne to Cunedha had Maeloron that is the two Maelors Maelor Gymbraeg called Br. and Maelor Saesneg See after in the hist. pa. 6. See in the hist. pag. 22. See the historie folowing pag. 24. Dinevowr Caredigion Dyuet Caermardhyn Morganwc See the historie folowing pag. 119. Brecheinoc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greeke Fiber Lat. Beauer En. Auanc Bryt Giraldus in Itiner Little Brytaine or Brytaine Armorike Galfr. Mon. I. Cast. Math. West Fabian Caxton R. Caen. lib. 2. Per. 2. Galfride I. Castor A fable confirmed with blind prophesies Hol. pa. 183. Galf ride Cast. 450 Galfrid Cast. H. Lhoyd H. Lhoyd ¶ Rob. Caenal Beda H. Hunt Cast. W. Lamb. I. Cast. The request of the Brytaines The oration of Sibertus to the other Saxon Kings Gildas Polydore Bale Math. West 733 Or Iatewe 735 Hol. pa. 193. H. Hunt Hol. pag. 189. 193. Math. West 749 Sigebert King of Westsex Kenulph 750 Leland I. Bale Cen. 1. pag. 81. 763 Io. Caest. Io. Caestor Matth. West Clawdh Offa. 795 Matt. West pag. 289. 808 Io. Bale 810 Galfride I. Cast. Matth. West Galfrid Cast. Matth West Sim. Dunel H. Hunt 819 828 829 The Kingdome of England began The seauen Saxon kingdomes 833 Raunlph Cest. Matth. West Chron. Wig. Io. Castor 841 846 Matt. West I. Castor 854 856 Matt. West * De quo Sedulius in Paschali carminâ— Matth. West pag. 275. I. Castor Matt. Paris pag. 126. Beirdh H. Lhoyd Io. Castor 857 Iohn Cast. Sim. Dunel Matt. Park A Kings sonne and heire Bishop 10. Cast. Fabian 865 H. Hunt 867 H. Hunt Fabian Ran. Cest. 871 Bale Cent. 2. Cap. 24. 1. Castor Polydor litâ— Hol. pa 218. 873 Matt. West Sâ— Dunelm Matt. West 876 Girald Cam. Matth. West li. 1. pa. 342. 893 Matth. West 895 H. Hunt Matt. West 900 Io. Cast. Asser Menâ—ven H. Hunt Matt. West Io. Cast. 905 Bale Cent. 2. pag. 125. Giral Camb. Matt. West pag. 354. 907 Matth. West 913 Matt. West pag. 354. 917 Io. Castor Io. Cast. H. Hunt Matth. West Io. Cast. 924 Io. Castor 933 Wil. Malms Hol. pa. 225. Io. Cast. Matth. West Ran. Cest. 936 Matt. West Hol. pag. 226. 939 Io. Castor Matt. West Hol. pag. 228. Buchan li. 6. fol. 53. 942 944 Matt. West Hol. pag. 222. Matt. West Io. Cast. 948 952 958 961 Io. Cast. Hol. pag. 232. Wolues destroid by the prince of Wales 966 969 A law against immoderate drinking 972 Ran. Cest. Fabiaâ— Sim. Dunel Hol. pa. 238. Io. Vowel in Catal. epist. Exon. 981 984 987 989 Matth. West pag. 383. Io. Castor 992 Matth. West 998 1004 Matt. West The Danes murthered Matt. West pag. 391. Matt. West pag. 393. H. Hunt Sim. Dunel Io. Cast. Si. Dunelm Hol. pag. 243. Io. Vowel 1004 Hol. pag. 243. Hol. pag. 244. Io. Cast. H. Hunt Io. Cast. Matt. West 1008 Io. Castor 1010 Hol. pag. 245. Io. Cast. 1011 Io. Cast. Hol. pag. 246. Matt. Park page