Taprobana or to Madagascar the Island of St. Laurence both which are neer or under the Equinoctiall line in which we will not contend as pleasing our selves with her other praises far exceeding her Greatnesse yet with this Honour also that it was without Question the greatest Island of the Roman world and for any thing yet certainly known of all the rest concerning whose positure in respect of Heaven Lucretius the first of the Latine Writers that names Brittain seemeth to place it in the same parallel with Pontus where he saith Nam quid Brittannum coelum differre putamus c. What differs Prittains Heaven from that of Nile Or Pontus welking from Gades warmer Isle It is by experience found to lie included from the Degree Fifty and thirty scruples of latitude and for longitude extended from the 13 degree and 20 minutes unto the 22 and 50 minutes according to the observation of Mercator It hath little Brittain Normandy and other parts of France upon the South Germany Denmarke and Norway upon the East the Iles of Orkney and the Deucalidonian sea upon the North Hebrides upon the West and from it all other Ilands and Ilets which doe scatteredly environ it and shelter themselves as it were under the shaddow of great Albion another name of this famous Iland are also accounted Brittish Brittaine thus seated in the Ocean hath her prayses not onely in this present sense and use of her commodities but also in those honourable Eulogies which the learnedest of Antiquaries have collected out of the noblest Authors that he scarce doth seem to have left any gleanings neither will we transplant them out of his flourishing gardens but as necessity compels since nothing can be further or otherwise better said Robert of Amesbury Caesar in his Comentaries Cornelius Tacitus Some praises of great Brittaine That Brittaine therefore is the Seas High-admiral is most Famously known and the fortunate Island supposed by some as Robert of Amesbury doth shew whose Aire is more temperate saith Caesar then France whose foyle bringeth forth all graine in abundance saith Tacitus whose Seas produce Orient Pearle saith Suetonius whose fields are the Seat of a Summer Queen saith Orpheus her wildest parts free from Wild Beasts saith the ancient Panegyrick and her chiefe City worthily called Augusta saith Amianus So as we may truly say with the Royall Psalmist Our lives are fallen in pleasant places yea we have a pleasant Inheritance which whatsoever by the goodness of God and industry of man it is now yet our English Poet hath truly described unto us the first face thereof thus The Land which warlike Brittaines now possesse And therein have their mighty Empires rais'd Brittain and France formerly one continent by some In ancient time was savage VVilderness Vnpeopl'd unmanur'd unprov'd unprais'd And albeit the Ocean doth at this present thrust it selfe between Dover and Calice dividing them with a deep and vast entrenchment so that Brittaine is thereby of a supposed Penisle made an Island yet divers have stifly held that once it was joyned by an arm of Land to the Continent of Gallia to which opinion Mr. Spencer further alluding thus closeth his Stanza Spencer in his Fairy Queen Ne was it Iland then ne was it prais'd Amid the Ocean waves ne was it sought Of Merchants farr for profits therein prais'd But was all desolate and of some thought By Sea t' have been from the Celtick mainland-brought Which was a matter meerly conjecturall because it is not plain that there were no Ilands nor hills before Noahs stood I leave at large Virgil sure of all the Poets the most learned when describing the Shield which Vulcan forged in Virgils brain for Æneas he calls the Morini people about Calice the outmost men doth onely mean that they were Westward the furthest inhabitants upon the Continent signifying withal that Britaine as being an Iland lay out of the world but yet not out of the knowledge of men for the commodities thereof invited the Famous Greek Colonies of Merchants which dwelt at Marsilia in France to venture hither as hath been well observed out of Strabo And as Julius Caesar was the first Roman which ever gave an attempt to Conquer it so will we close its prayses with a late Epigram concerning the outward Face of the Isle and the motive of Caesars coming thither Albions high Tops her woody locks fore-shew With quires of chaunting birds those woods resounding Her downes and meadowes clad in verdant hue Meadowes and Downs with flocks and heards abounding Brutus his three sonnes Latium had greater wealth yet Caesar thought To Brittish glory Latiums wealth was naught Wales preferred before Scotland Our most ancient Historians begin with Brute and so continue the succession of Kings till CHARLES the First which Brutus divided the Kingdome into three parts To Locrinus he gave Loegria now England to Camber his second sonne he gave Cambria now VVales and to Albanist or Albanact Albania now Scotland Ireland called Brittaine the less Ptolomy naming Britaine the great and the less hath been by some mistaken as so dividing the Island into two parts but his proportion and distance from the Equator compared with his Geographical description will evince that he calleth this our Island Great Britaine and Ireland Brittaine the lesse Howbeit some later writers indeed do make the South and more Champion to be called Great Britaine and the North and more Mountanous Britaine the lesse whose Inhabitants were Anciently distinguished into Majatae Why the Romans were not greedy to conquer Scotland and Caledonii and now by the Scots are into High-land-men and Low-land-men but the Northern Clime being more piercing for the Romans constitutions and lesse profitable and fruitful they set their bounds not farre from Edenburgh and altogether neglected the other parts of Scotland more North-wards The division of Brittaine by the Romans The nearer part of Brittaine they sub-divided into two parts for the more Southern tract together with VVales Dio termeth the higher and that more North-ward the lower as by the seats of their Legions may appeare For the second Legion call'd Augusta which kept at Caerleon in South-wales and the twentieth called Victrix which remained as some say at Chester he placeth in the higher Brittaine Caerleon in Monmouthshire but the sixth Legion named also Victrix resident at York served as he writeth in lower Brittaine which division as seemeth was made by Severus the Emperor who having vanquished Albinus General of the Brittaines and reduced their state under his Obedience divided the Government thereof into two Provinces and placed two Prefects over them Another division of Brittaine After this again the Romans did proportion Brittaine into three parts whose limits our great Antiquary assigneth by the Archiopiscopal seats grounding his conjecture on the saying of Pope Lucius who affirmeth that the Ecclesiasticall Jurisdictions of the Christians accorded with the precincts of the Roman Magistrates and that
noted that whilst Rivallus governed Brittanny for the space of three dayes it continually rained Blood out of the corruption whereof were ingendred a multitude of those which we call animalia insecta which are Vermine divided as it were between the head and belly having no flesh blood or sinews as flies gnats pismires caterpillars and such like which â—id so swarm and grew infectious that by the contagion many people died and that again caused a great and strange mortality insomuch that the Island seemed in a manner unpeopled Thus after Rivallus had Reigned 46 years he departed this life and was buried at York In the Reign of this King Rome was builded by the two brothers Romulus and Remus 356 years after Brute came into England Et ejus speaking of this King saith Vitus Tempore Romam in Italia per Remum Romulum fratres esse conditam post adventum Bruti Prisci ad Britanniam anno plus trecentis quinquagesimo sexto Sane quidem Alexander ab Alexandris l. 2. c. 22. In Palilibus sacris inquit hoc custoditur ne qua mactetur hostia quia eum diem qui patriae natalis est à caede sanguine deceret esse parum fuit enim is dies 12. Calendas Maii quo fausto faelici omine jacta sunt primum fundamenta urbis Romae quo die mos erat ovilia purgare flammas transilire sapa milio sacrum facere geniales Dies agere caenas apparare à litibus abstinere quae singula prosperos rerum successus decernebant Sed quia Gaufridus per consequentiam literarum scribit undecimo Calendas Maii qui est 21. Aprilis conditam esse Romam fortasse mendosus est Codex Alexandri per literas numerales Scriptas ad 12. Calendas qui esset Dies 20. Aprilis Nam Plutarchus in vita Romuli scribit Romam fuisse conditam 21. die Aprilis Palilia esse celebrata prius quam urbs Roma conderetur circiter annum tertium Olympladis 6. est autem Olympias spatium 4. Annorum sic appellatum quod inter duos ludos Olympiacos haberetur eorum fiebat initium ut in Theatro suo Lycosthenes scribit anno 19. Amulii Silvii Regis Latinorum qui erat ab orbe condito super ter mille ac contum annus â—8 cui si addantur Olympiades quinque cum annis tribus Olympiadis 6. atque sic 23. anni videbitur Roma condita fuisse anno undecimo supra ter mille ducentos atque sic 26. Rivallonis In his time viz. Rivallus Rome in Italy was built by Remus and Romulus after the coming of old Brute into Britany 356. Alexander ab Alexandris lib. 2. c. 22. saith that in the Palilibus or Festival days of the Shepherds in honor of Pales their Goddess order is taken that no Hostia or Sacrifice where in blood was shed should be offered because being the Birth day of the Country as it were it ought to be pure and clean and not polluted with any slaughter or bloodshed this day hapned on the 12. of the Kalends of May in which with happy and auspicious Omens the foundation of Rome was laid in which day the Custom was to purifie and purge their Flocks skip over fires to Sacrifice in boyld or burnt wine millets or hyrse to keep Wakes or Gaudy days and to make bunquetting and delicious Suppers and to abstain from all debates all which they imagined betokened prosperous success in the succeeding affairs but because Gaufridus writes Rome to have been built it may be the book of Alexander may be faulty or mistaken in the numeral Letters concerning the xii of the Calends which is the 20. day of April for Plutarch in the life of Romulus saith that Rome was built the 21. day of April and that the Palilia or Shepherds Festivals was celebrated before the building of Rome about the 3. year of the 6. Olympiade containeth 4. years which was the space between two Olympick Games which Games as Lycosthenes in his Theater writes had their beginning in the 19. year of Amulius Sylvius King of the Latines which was in the three thousand one hundred and 88. year since the worlds Creation to which if you add five Olympiads and three years of the 6. and so 23. years it will appear that Rome was built the 26. of Rivallus others as Fabian say that Rome was built 470. years after London and in the 32. year of Rivallus GVRGVSTIVS GVrgustius the son of Rivallus whom some call Gorbodian and his father Reignald began his Reign over the Kingdom of Great Brittain 4483. the flower of Histories saith that he reigned thirty and eight years otherwise little mention is made of him in History onely Mr. Howe 's in his continuation of Stow saith that he was a common drunkard whereof followed all other vices he died after a Reign of 38. years and was buried at York leaving no issue behinde him to succeed SISILLIVS SIsillius or according to Sylvius the brother of Gurgustius as affirmeth the old Author saith Fabian was elected King of Brittain in the year of the worlds Creation 4521. he is called by the English Chronicle Seizil little is recorded of this King only some Authors say that he reigned only two years but the most common opinion is that he was King 49. years and after died and was buried at Caer Badon or Bath leaving no issue of his own body JAGO or LAGO JAgo or Lago the cozen of Gurgustius and his next heir took upon him the Government of this Iland in the year of the worlds Creation 4540. whether this Kings life as the two precedent was so foul that Learned and modest Writers were ashamed to let them come to light or that they lived in such sloth and ease that nothing was done worth recounting I cannot affirm all that is recorded of him is that he ruled 25. years and through ill and disordinate living he fell into a Lethargy whereof he died and was buried at York without issue Kymmacus or Kynimacus KYmmacus or Kynimacus the Son of Silvius or more likely as saith the old Chronicle the brother of Jago was invested in the royal dignity of this Island in the year of the worlds Creation 4595. as little is said of this King as of his three immediate predecessors only that he ruled 54. years and was buried at York leaving after him a son who as testifieth Flos Historiarum was called Gorbodug GORBODVG GOrbodug the Son of Kynimacus was made King of great Brittain in the year of the worlds Creation 4650. this King crod in the footsteps of those whom he followed leaving nothing to be recorded only that he ruled to compleat the account of Histories 63. years so that these five last Kings Rivallus Gurgustius Jago Kynimacus and Gordobug died ingloriously leaving nothing to perpetuate their memory saving that they were Kings the last whereof was buried at Troynovant and left two sons to succeed Ferrex and Porrex FERREX and
Stumpuis partly by petitioning and supplications but without doubt not without emptying his bags obtained that the Church might stand which is now the Parish-Church This Town saith a new Author Anonymus was by Antoninus in his Itinerarium called Cunetio from the River Kennet and Marleburgh as being seated in a Chalkie soyle which in some places still well called by the name of Marle Here Hen. 3. held a Parliament in which were many statutes and as the preamble saith right necessary for the peace and tranquility of the people now a title of honour and hath given stile of EARLE to 1. James L. Ley L. Tr. Created Earle of Marlborough 1. Car. Feb. 7. 2. Henry Ley. 3. James Ley E. of Mal. Argent a cheveron between 3 Bears Heads Couped Sable The next place which Mulmutius Dunwallo built was The-Vies which Florentius Wigorniensis calls Divisio another De vies and Nubrigensis Divisae Here was a Castle built by Roger the rich Bishop of Salisbury for scituation and workmanship giving place to none but Fortune is a Goddesse both blind and fickle for he who even now was the second Head in the Kingdom by the frowns or rather avarice of K. Stephen is not only plunder'd of his vast and almost inexhaustible Treasure but also cast into a loathsome Gaol where the poor old Man with Hunger and what with Afflictions and Miseries betwixt the fear of death and torments of his life would feign have died yet knew not how to die Mulmutius Dunwallo having with great honour rul'd the Brittains by the space of forty years yielded to death what was mortal and was buried in the Temple of Troynovant which he had built leaving his two Sons Bellinus and Brennus joyntly to succeed in the Kingdome BELLINVS and BRENNVS BEllinus and Brennus the two Sons of Mulmutius began to Reign joyntly as Kings of great Brittain in the year of the World four thousand eight hundred and eight To Bellinus according to the agreement of Partition fell Loegria Cambria and Cornwall that is to say England Wales and Cornwall and to Brennus by the same accord all the Land beyond the River of Humber This Partition according to Policron and others pleased and gave full content to both the Brothers for the space of five years The reason why Bellinus had the bigger and better share was Quia erat primogenitus Vitus fol. 209. Trojana consuetudo requirebat ut dignitas Haereditatis perveniret ad eum Hanc vero fuisse consuetudinem Trojanorum scribens Herodotus ad Alexandrum ait non erat perventurum Regnum cum Hector major natu Herodotus virtute praestantior quam ille Regnum defuncto Priamo suscepturus esset Idem scribit Messala Corvinus in libello de Augusti Progenie Troem à quo dicta Troja est Regem Trojanorum habuisse duos filios Ilum Assaracum atque Ilum defuncto patre quod ipse major natu esset obtinuisse Regnum Messala Corvinus Denique is qui dicitur Dares Phrygius in libro de excidio Trojae narrat Priamum commone fecisse filios quos habebat multos ut majores natu minoribus Imperarent ex quo sequitur ut minores majoribus subderentur Adeoque Legem hanc latam in Anglia esse propter ius istud Trojanae consuetudinis atque servatam esse scribit Andreas Taraquellus in praesatione primogenitorum Andreas Taraquellus Bartolus Bartolus ad l. 1. Codicis de summa Trinitate Consuetudinis est in Anglia inquit ut primogenitus succedat in omnibus bonis Because he was eldest and the Trojan custome was that the Inheritance should fall to the Eldest and this to have been the Trojan custome sheweth Herodotus saying that the Kingdom of Troy after the death of Priamus was not to fall to Alexander but to Hector who was both the more Valiant and also the Eldest by birth and Messala Corvinus in his Book of the Progeny of Augustus confirms as much saying that King Tros from whom Troy took its Name had two Sons Ilus and Assaracus and that Ilus his Father being dead for that he was the Eldest enjoyed the Kingdom and he also who is called Dares Phrygius in his Book of the Destruction of Troy tells us That Priamus who had many Sons admonished them that the Elder should have Power over the Younger c. and this Law to have taken root in England as being derived from the old Trojan Custome affirmeth Andreas Tarquellus After five years thus in brotherly love and amity expired Brennus supposing himself injured and intending to enlarge his Territories raised Forces and in hostile manner sets upon his brother Bellinus but as his quarrel was unjust so the sequel proved Fatal for he was totally Routed and to save his life compelled to fly into Armorica now called Little Brittain or as Gaufride will have it into the Country of the Allobroges others affirm that without the knowledge or consent of his Brother he sailed into Norway and there married the Daughter of Elfunge or Elfinge Duke of that place which tydings when they were brought to Bellinus he seized into his hands all the Lands of Brennus and fortified his Cities Castles and other strong Holds with his own Garrisons Fame quickly brought these Rumours to Brennus who neglected no time but gathering a strong Army of Norwegians ships himself for his own Principality where by the way he was met by Guilthdacus or Guiclidacus King of Denmark who being inflamed with the Love of the Lady whom Brennus had espoused awaited his coming and being now met the two Fleets strongly encounter each other and in short time come to grappling a most bitter and bloudy Conflict ensueth But the Danish King having surprized the Vessel in which the Object both of his love and anger was imbarked though he had totally dispersed his Enemies Navy pursued no further thinking himself highly rewarded with the beautiful prize which he had already taken and there withal resolves as a most victorious Conqueror to return to Denmark yet whether Fortune to shew her accustomed fickleness and cross the Designs of such as think themselves most fortunate and her darlings or rather Neptune incensed to see so violent a Rape committed within his watery Kingdom with his revenging trident turned up and undermined the calm waves and ploughed them into hideous ridges such a tempest arose that the Heavens were darkned the winds blustered the billows roared and made such a hideous noise that Guilthdacus each minute expected to be swallowed up in the mercilesse surges of the angry Ocean this death-threatning storm continued for the space of five dayes at the end whereof the skies began to clear the winds and waves to leave their Violence and the Danish King to understand he was driven upon the coasts of his Enemies Country for his tattered Fleet so much as was left of it was now arrived in Northumberland Belâ—inus to make good that he had already begun and
5 Henry Beauford 6 John Beauford D. of Somersetsh 7 Edmund Beauford E. and D. 8 Henry Beauford D. 9 Edmund Beauford D. 10 Edmund 3. Son of Henry 7. 11 Henry Fitz Roy base Son of Henry 8. D. of Somerset and Richmond 12 Edw. Seymor Lord Prot. of Ed. 6. D. of Somerset 13 Robert Carr E. of Somerset 14 William Seymor D. of Somerset 15 Seymor now D. of Somersetshire 1660 The Duke of Buckingham GEorge Duke of Buckingham married _____ sole daughter and heir of Thomas Lord Fairfax and _____ his wife sole daughter and heir of the Lord Vere by which affinity this illustrious Family is derived from the Brittish blood as shall more at large appear in the pedigree of the Earls of Oxford George Villers Duke Marquiss and Earl of Buckingham c. married Katharine the sole daughter and heir of Francis Mannors Earl of Rutland by which match this honourable Family apparently is derived from Brittish Noble Progenitors as is copiously declared in the Genealogy of the Earls of Rutland Buckingham as it is supposed takes it name from Bucken that is Beech Trees with which the Country is well stored It is generally a rich and plentifull soyl equally good for Corn and grazing and lyeth all along on the bank of Thames confronting Berkshire it contains in it 185. Parish Churches eleven of which are Market Towns and amongst them the chief in name is Buckingham a Town of no great note when it was at best but more considerable heretofore then at present being once fortified with a Castle now hardly to be found in the very ruins as also with a Rampire and certain Sconces built for the defence thereof against the Danes now more invisible then the Castle the greatest honour it can challenge that it hath given titles of highest honour to many a brave and worthy personage as well of the Blood-Royal as other Families who by the Kings of England have been hence denominated Dukes Marquesses and Earles of Buckingham 1 Walter Giffard Earl 2 Walter Giffard E. 3 Richard Strongbow E. 4 Thomas of Woodstock E. 5 Humphrey Plantagenet E. 6 Humphrey Stafford Duke 7 Henry Stafford D. 8 Edw. Stafford D. 9 George Villiers D. Marq. and E. of Buck. 10 George Villiers D. Marq. and E. of Buck. The Duke of Richmond GHARLES STEWART Duke of Richmond Earle of March and Lichfield c. 1660. by that Royal Progeny is descended from Cadelm King of Southwales Meruin K. of Powis Anarand King of Northwales and Gwaith voyd K. of Cardigan and by the genealogy of the Martiners from Gladiis Daughter and H. to Prince Llewelin and by the Daughter of Henry the 7. from Owen Tudor as is manifest in the Royal Descents of his Majesty King Charles the second and James Duke of York Richmondshire is no County of it self but a part of Yorkshire lying towards the Northwest the chief Town is Richmond first built by Alane E. of Bretagne the first Earl thereof after the Norman Conquest who fenced it with a Wall and a strong Castle and gave it the Name of Richmont as a place equally participating of strength and beauty The Earls of Bretagne for a long time together continued in the Titles and Possession of this Country since it hath been bestowed upon other Families who in their several Times have been adorned with the Stile of Dukes and Earles of Richmond 1 Alan the Red E. 2 Alan the black E. 3 Stephan E. 4 Alan E. 5 Conan E. 6 Jeof. Plantagenet who married Const D. to Conan E. 7 Arthur the Son of Jeof. E. 8 Guido Viscount Towers 2. Husband of Const E. 9 Randolph of Chester by his wife E. 10 Peter de Dreux D. of Bret. 11 Peter de Savoy Uncle to Queen Elinor 12 John de Dreux D. of Bret E. 13 John de Dreux D. of Bret. 14 John de Dreux D. of Bret. 15 John de Dreux D. of Bret. 16 John to Montfort D. of Rich. 17 John of Gaunt D. of Lan. E. 18 John de Montfort sirnamed the Valiant E. 19. Ralph Nevill E. of Richmond durante vita 20 John D. of Bedford 21 Edm. of Hadham half brother to K. Hen. 6. 22 Henry E. of Rich. after K. of England 23 Henry Fitz Roy D. of Rich. 24 Lodowick Stewart D. of Lennox E. of Rich. 25 Esme Stewart D. of Rich. Stewart D. of Rich. 26 Charles Stewart now living 1660. D. of Rich. The Duke of Albemarle George Monck Duke of ALBEMARLE Sir Thomas Monck of Powdrich or Potheridge Com. Devon Knight Eliz Daughter of George Smith of Madeworthy juxta Exceter Kt. Anthony Monck de eodem Armig. one of the Deputy Lieutenants Com. Devon Mary Daug. of Rich Arscot of Ashwater Esq Com. Devon Thomas Monck Esq de eodem Frances 2. D. and Coh to Arthur Plantagenet Viscount Lisle who as being an Inheritrix brought unto the Family of her Husband these Coats quarterly in the first France and England quartered in the 2. and 3. Vlster and in the 4. Mortimer a batune Argent Arthur Plantagenet Kt. of the Garter natural Son to Edw. 4. by the Lady Eliz. Lucy as is supposed was created Viscount Lisle at Bridewel in London the 26 of April 1533 This Arthur was Lieutenant of Calis which Town some of his Followers intended to betray to the French for which with their Fact he was sent unto the Tower but the truth appearing after much search K. Hen. the 8. sent him a Ring from his Finger with such comfortable words that at the hearing thereof he was so overjoyed that in the same night he died Eliz. Daughter of Edward Grey Viscount Lisle Sister and Coh to the Lord John Grey her brother in whose Right her Husband after the Surrender of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk he was Viscount Lisle King EDWARD the Fourth Richard Plantagenet Duke of York Cecely D. to Ralph Nevil first E. of Westmerland Richard Plantagenet E. of Cambridge Anne D. and Heir to Edmund Mortimer E. of March and Vlster her Brother Roger Mortimer E. of March Elinor D. of Thomas Holland E. of Kent Edmund Martimer E. of March Philip only D. and Heir of Lyonel Plantagenet D. of Clarence and E. of Vlster Roger Martimer E. of March Joan D. and Heir of Peter Tenivil or Genevil Lord of Mede Vancolour and Trim in Ireland This Roger lineally in the Male Line descended from Sir Ralph Mortimer Lord of Wigmore who married Gladis Daughter to Prince Llewelin and Sister and Heir to David by the whole blood who had Issue Roger Mortimer Lord VVigmore and by right of Inheritance Prince of VVales ALBEMARLE AVmerle or Albemerle is the Name of a small Town and Territory in the Dukedome of Normandy it belonged heretofore to Stephen Son of Odo descended from the Earls of Champagne who William the Conqueror made Earls of Albemarle as being the Son of his half sister by the Mothers side and gave unto him for the further Maintenance of his Estate the Territory of Holderness in
Tiranidis jugo liberavi civitatem S. P. Q. R. libertatem vindicans pristinae amplitudini splendori restitui You have here viewed Illustrious Prince our first Christian Emperor and his Father fit patterns for imitation Cast your Gracious eyes upon our first Catholick King Lucius and you shall find him Christianity being now established thus Charactered Interea gloriosus ille Britonum Rex Lucius cum intra regnum suum cultum vere fidei magnificatum esse vidisset maximo gaudio fluctuans possessiones territoria quae prius templa Idolorum possidebant in meliorem usum vertens Ecclesiis fidelium permancre concessit quia majorem honorem ipsis impendere debuerat augmentavit illas amplioribus agris mansis omnique libertate sublimavit And a little after Lucius the first Christian King of this Land then called Brittain founded the first Church in London that is to say St. Peters Church upon Cornhill where he setled an Archbishops See making that Church the Metropolis of his Kingdom neither was his zeal and piety confined to that City for you shall find him erecting a goodly Cathedral at Caerlegion in that part of England abusively called Wales which now is known by the name of Monmothshire as also the famous Vniversity of Bangor in the remotest parts thereof This holy King saith my Author granted made and signed many writings Charters and donations for defence maintenance and preservation of Religion as to the Vniversity of Cambridge the School of Shaftsbury with others and when he had done all this Anno 201. Inclitus Britannorum Rex Lucius in bonis actibus assumptus ab hac vita Claudiocesbriae migravit ad Christum in Ecclesia primae sedis sepultus honorifice King Arthur sealed many grants for the advancement of Religion and Learning and by reason of his great victories thrice changed his armorial ensignes at last advancing the cross for my Author saith King Arthur that mighty conquerour and worthy had so great affection and love to this sign that he left his armes which he used before wherein were figured three Dragons another of three crownes or as some say of thirteen and depicted in his shield a cross silver in a field vert and on the first quarter thereof he figured an Image of our B. Lady with her Son in her armes and with this sign he did wonders in Arms. And to this hour we see the Knights of the Noble order of the Garter of which number your Grace the flower of chevaldry is one to bear Argent a plain cross Gules the field signifying pureness of life the cross the blood that Christ shed for this our people whom Trevisa calleth the people of God and the Realm of Gods Land the same ensign did Joseph of Aramathia give unto Arviragus King of Brittain not many years after our Saviours passion Cadwalader the last Brittish Monarch for his armes bore Azure a cross for my fitched Or whole volumes may be compiled of this Subject and the worthy and most Christian acts of your sanctly progenitors But least I should convert an Epistle Dedicatory into History or Chronology I will proceed no further humbly offering up these my weak endeavours before the shrine of your goodness with all integrity beseeching Almighty God that you may if not excel at least equal the most valiant and vertuous of your Royal Progenitors which shall be the daily prayers of Your Royal Highness Most faithful and humble servant PERCY ENDERBY The Duke of York Anarawd King of Northwales Eidwal King of the same Meurick or Meirick Eidwal II. Jago Conan Griffith King of Northwales Owen King of Northwales Jorwerth Son and Heir to Owen married Marret D. to Madoc Prince of Powis Lhewelyn Prince of Northwales Gladis sole Daughter and Heir married to Ralph Lord Mortimer who in her right should have been Prince of Northwales Roger Lord Mortimer Edmund Lord Mortimer Roger Lord Mortimer Earl of March Edmund Lord Mortimer c. Roger Lord Mortimer Edmund Earl of March married Philip D. and H. to Lyonel D. of Clarence Roger Mortimer Earl of March left one only Daughter and Heir married to Richard Earl of Cambridge Richard Duke of York King Edward the Fourth Elizabeth sole daughter and heir married to King Henry the seventh descended from Owen Tudor Margaret eldest daughter to Henry the seventh and in her Issue his Inheretrix was Grandmother to Mary Queen of Scotland France and England Mother to King James King of great Brittain France and Ireland c. Grand-Father to James Duke of York who married Anne daughter to Sir Edward Hyde Baron of Henden and Lord Chancellor of England and hath Issue Charles Duke of Cambridge YORK The City of York anciently called Eboracum is seated upon the river Vre which we call Ouse in the VVest-riding of this County and is the second City of England both for fame and greatness a pleasant large and Stately place all well fortified and beautifully adorned as well with private as publick edifices and rich and populous with all seated on the river Ouse which cutteth it as it were in twain both parts being joyned together with a fair stone-bridge consisting of high and mighty arches a City of great fame in the Roman times and of as eminent reputation in all ages since and in the several turnes and changes which have befallen this Kingdom under the Saxons Danes and Normans hath still preserved its ancient lustre adorned it was with an Archiepiscopal See in the time of the Brittains nor stooped it lower when the Saxons received the Faith Richard the second laying unto it a little Territory on the VVest side thereof made it a county of it self in which the Archbishops of York enjoyed the rights of Palatines and for a further lustre to it Henry the eighth appointed here a councel for the Government of the Northern parts consisting of a Lord President certain Councellors a Secretary and other Officers and yet in none of these hath York been more fortunate then that it adorned so many Princes of the Imperial line of Germany and blood Royal of England with stile and attribute of Dukes and Earls of YORK 1. Otho of Bavaria Earl of York 2. Edmund of Langley fift Son to Edward the third Duke of York 3. Edward Plantagenet Son of Edward of Langley Duke of York 4. Rich. Plantagenet Nephew of Ed. of Langley Duke of York 5. Rich. of Shrewsbury Son of King Edw. Duke of York 6. Henry second Son to King Henry seventh Duke of York after King of England 7. Charles second Son of James King of England 8. James second Son to King CHARLES now Duke of York The Duke of CUMBERLAND It is needless to set down at large the Brittish line of this Heroick and VVarlike Prince Rupertus being sufficient to tell you that he is Son to that Peerless and unparallel'd Princess Elizabeth Queen of Bohemia daughter to James King of great Brittain sister to Charles King of great Brittain
of immortal fame and memory and Aunt to Charles now King of great Brittain whom we may justly call the miraculous God of his infinite goodness having so miraculously preserved and restored and doubtless will still protect him CUMBERLAND Cumberland is the farthest County of England on the North-VVest side anciently part of the Brigants It is called Cumbria as being inhabited by the true and natural Brittains who in our language are called Kymry when as the residue of those Northern parts had yielded to the conquering Saxon a country for the Scituation of it neither unpleasant nor unprofitabe the valleys yielding corn sufficiently the Mountains breeding great flocks of sheep the Meeres replenished with all kind of wild fowle and the adjoyning Sea affording variety of fish It containeth in it not above 58. parish Churches but very many Chappels of ease as big and large as are the Churches of these there are nine market Townes whereof the chief next Carlile for dispatch of business is that of Parith wherein they hold their Sessions and Assises Late was it ere this County became an Earldom being now become a Dukedom when Henry the eighth bestowed the stile and dignity of Earl of Cumberland upon Henry Lord Clifford and Charles the first the dignity of Dukedom upon his Nephew Prince Rupert Earls and Dukes of CUMBERLAND Henry Lord Clifford created Earl of Cumberland by K. Henry the 8. Henry Clifford Earl George Clifford Earl Francis Clifford Earl Henry Clifford Earl Prince Rupert Duke of Cumberland Tomus Secundus THE ANCIENT and MODERN BRITTISH and WELSH HISTORY AFter the Romans had given over the Government and protection of the Brittains the inhabitants of the South part of the Isle being altogether Brit. Hist part 2. l. 1. fol. 176 by their own strength unable any longer to withstand the furious assaults of the Scottish men and Picts who were already come with their power as far as Stanford upon the River of Welland assembled themselves together in several companies A Town in Lincolnshire and the most ancient and best respected among them entred into consultation what means might then be used for defence in a case of such necessity But first of all for that they had found by their late experience what dangerous effects proceed from civil jars they resolved with common consent to run all joyntly one and the same course and for the better strengthening of this their purpose they elected a King whose name was Vortiger a man much esteemed both for the Nobility of his birth as being extract from the line of the Brittish Princes and also for the General good opinion conceived of his sufficiency to undergo so weighty a charge though the eminency of his degree did soon after lay open those vices and infirmities which his private life had concealed To him did all the petty Princes in the Isle submit themselves They then entered into Consultation together and called to minde the Conditions of such Nations as were most known unto them considering well with themselves that from the Romans there was no more relief to be expected Italy it self the seat of the Empire being invaded by strangers and France was assailed as well as Brittain That Germanie though a mighty and ample Region was not altogether free from incumbrance For this Countrey had formerly been the common â—eceptacle of those Northren people that dwelling beyond the Rhene and Panon and being very fruitful in generation came usually thither to disburden themselves and to seek new habitations by reason whereof the Germains themselves were much distressed and now and then forced to abandon their Native Soyl being sometimes also by consent among themselves chosen out by lots for that purpose howbeit those strangers which had there planted themselves were for the most part better able to annoy other Countreys then to maintain in peace what by intrusion and violence they had gotten Saxons renowned both by sea land Among all the Germains there was at that time no one Nation which for great adventures both by Sea and Land was more renowned then the Saxons For touching qualities of the minde they were bold hardy and vain glorious patiently enduring labour hunger and cold whereunto by the constitution of their bodies and temperance of the Climate they seemed to be framed as being very strong and yet not unwieldy tall of stature but not uncomely or out of due proportion For the North Region by reason of the coldnesse of the air which driveth the natural heat inward bringeth forth men commonly of greater courage and ability of body then those countreys that lye nearer the sun Their dyet was simple and homely neither knew they any other a long time till by attaching some of the Roman ships stragling about the coasts of France and the Lower Germany they became first acquainted with their manner of Victualling Their habit was neither costly nor cumbersome but serving indeed rather for decency and ornament then for defence against the sharpnesse of the air or such like annoyances For their garments were commonly of linnen or yarne woven with divers colours and hanging loose about them the locks of their hair which in former time they had been accustomed to shave being then curled and spread abroad in compasse so that they covered their shoulders and upper parts of their cassocks The weapons which they ordinarily used in fights were long spears round targets and betle axes having also trussed up at their backs certain short swords which they did wear continually for readinesse upon all occasions In the art of Navigation they were very expert and lived at the first by pilfery and afterwards by open robbery being trained up therein even from their childhood under a kind of discipline stormes at sea unseasonable weather perils of Rocks and Sands loss of goods and shipwracks which terrifie other men they carelessely contemned while they seemed to have not only a certain knowledge of them The customes and manners of the Saxons but also a certain familiarity with them The Offices of Souldiers and Marriners they executed with like skill and often times with equall advantage There was no kind of Cruelty in a manner new or strange unto them Neither were they altogether void of policie in watching opportunity of time and place to further their designs albeit they were for the most part more suddain in attempting and procuring other mens harmes then wary or well advised in avoiding their own Superiority in degrees they hardly admitted but each man commanded and obeyed as the cause required being as ready to learn of his fellowes what he knew not as to instruct others in those things wherein he happened to be skillfuller then the rest Of their blood they were nothing at all sparing but they exercised cruelty sometimes even upon themselves as making no account to cast away their own lives rather then to endure any publick shame scorn or disgrace The wicked Sacrifices of the Saxons When
envying his prosperitie made war against him but he valiantly vanquished them with their Picts and Scots and at his pleasure appointed them a Governour named Anguisel whom the French Author of the book of the Knights of the round table printed at Lyons 1590. Le Roy Aquisant d' Escosse and sail H. portoit d' argent a un lyon de guenles The armes of Anguisel arme de sable un cordelire a l' entour he fought 12. battails against the Saxons and alwayes bare away the victory These battails saith Nennius were fought in these places following The first battail was fought in the mouth of the Well Gleyne or Gledy The Second Third Fourth and Fifth nigh unto the River Douglasie in the county of Lineux The sixt on the River Bassus The seventh in the wood Calidon or Coile Calidon The eighth beside the castle called Guinien The ninth at Caerleon in Wales The tenth by the Sea-side in a place called Trachenrith or Rithorwood The elventh upon a hill named Agule Cathegonien The twelfth at the hill or tower of Bath then named Bathenhill where many were slain by the force of Arthur for he alone saith Will. Malmes having the Image of our Lady sowed upon his armour set upon 900. of his Enemies and with an incredible slaughter put them to flight But now concerning this Bath before mentioned it is to be noted that Bath in Somerset-Shire standeth low compassed about with hills whereby it is evident that either it is removed from that place where it stood in Nennius his time or else the place which he called Mons Badonicus was not the town it self as Reyland and others conjecture but some other high place near which is not unlikely for at this day within a mile of it is a town called Bannardowne which is so called either corruptly for Bathendowne or else in memory of the banners displayed there Bannardowne as seemes to me both upon the sight of the place and report of such as have gathered caps full of mens teeth in following the plough there to be the same that Nennius or Bede meaneth though Polydore mistakes it for Blanchmere Thus much of Badon Hill now King Arthur having abated the rage of the Saxons Howe 's fol. 55. Arthurs round table he constituted the Order of the round table into which order he only entertained such of his Nobility as were most renowned for vertue and chevalry This round table he kept in severall places especially at Caerleon in Monmoth-Shire Winchester and Camilet in Somersetshire Camilet Castle one of the places of the round table This Camilet sometimes a famous Town or Castle standeth at the South end of the Church of South Gadburie The same is situate on a very high hill wonderfully strengthened by nature to the which be two enterings up by very steep wayes by North one and the other by South-VVest The very root of the hill whereon this fortress stood is more then a mile in compass In the upper part of the top of the hill above all the trenches The discription of Camilet as now is Magna Arca or Campus of twenty acres or more where in divers places men may see foundations or Rudera of walls there was much duskie blue stone that people of the village there by have carried away This Camilet within the upper wall being more then twenty Acres hath often been ploughed and born very good corn much gold silver and Copper of Roman coyne hath been found there in ploughing and likewise in the fields about the roots of the hill with many other Antick things especially by East Such another place is at Caerleon triple-trenched now called the lodge in the Park There was found in memory of Men a horse-shoe of silver at Camilet The coat of Lord of Earl Hungerford the people can tell nothing there but that they have heard say that Arthur much resorted to Camilet The old Lord Hungerford was owner of this Camilet who bore for his Coat of armes G. and V. indented per pale a cheveron Or since the right honourable the Lord Hastings Earl of Huntington from which family my wife is descended by her Grandmother Daughter to the Earl of Huntington and wife to the Earle of Worcester Elizabeth married to Edward Somerset Father and Mother to Henry Earl of Wigorne whose fourth Daughter Frances was married to William Morgan of Lantarna Esquire who left issue Sir Edward Morgan Baronet Henry Morgan and Winefred wife to Percy Enderby Gentleman Author of this book There is to be seen in Denbighshire in the parish of Lansanan in the side of a stone hill a place encompassed wherein be twenty four seats for men to sit in some less and some larger cut out of the main Rock by mans hands where children and young men coming to seek their cattel use to fit and play They commonly call it Arthurs round table The Order and Institution of the round table About the year of Christ 490. there reigned in England then called Brittain Sir William Segar King at armes a King named Arthur whose valour was so great and admirable that many men now living do hold the same rather fabulous then credible yet who so shall consider enterprises of later times atchieved by private persons may be easily induced to think that a great part of the praise written of that mighty Monarch may seasonably receive belief but omitting to speak of his prowess perhaps by others already over largely discoursed I say that this most famous King having expulsed out of England the Saxons conquered Norwey King Arthur crowned in Paris Scotland and the most part of France and was crowned in the City of Paris from whence returnd he erected a certain association a brotherhood of Knights who vowed to observe these articles following The Articles of the round table 1. First that every Knight should be well armed and furnished to undertake any enterprise wherein he was employed by Sea or Land on horse-back or a foot 2. That he should be ever prest to assail all tyrants or oppressours of the people 3. That he should protect widdowes and maids restore Children to their right repossess such persons as were without just cause exiled and with all his force maintain the Christian faith 4. That he should be a Champion for the weal publick and as a Lyon repulse the Enemies of his Country 5. That he should advance the reputation of honour and suppress all vice releive people afflicted by adverse fortune give aid to the holy Church and protect Pilgrims 6. That he should bury Souldiers that wanted Sepulture deliver prisoners ransome Captives and cure men hurt in service of their Country 7. That he should in all honourable actions adventure his person yet with respect to justice and truth and in all enterprises proceed sincerely never failing to use his uttermost force of body and labour of mind 8. That after the attaining of any enterprise he should cause
shall find James King of England to have descended from the Welsh blood year 1054 In the year 1054 Gruffith the son of Rythrick ap Iestyn did gather a great army as well of strangers as of others against Gruffith ap Lhewelyn King or Prince of VVales but commonly called King of Northwales who detracting no time meeting him fought with him and slew him Shortly after Algar Earl of Chester being convicted of Treason against the King fled to Gruffith into VVales who gathered his power to revenge the Wrongs which he had received at the Englishmens hands who ever succoured his enemies against him Therefore he together vvith Algar entred Herefordshire and spoiled all the vvay vvith fire and svvord to the City whether all the people had fled and they boldly issued forth Earl Randulf being their leader and gave him battel which Gruffith wished for above any other things as he that had won five set battels and couragiously receiving his Enemies fought with them which fight was long and doubtfull till such time as Gruffith encouraged his people with the remembrance of the prowess and worthy Acts of the ancient Brittains their forefathers saying that they were the same enemies whose backs they had so often seen formerly which doubled their strength and force and so they pressed forwards that their foes were compelled to forsake the field and trust to their feet and thought to have taken the Town for their defence but Gruffith and his men pursued them so hard that they entred with them and after a great slaughter returned home with many worthy prisoners great triumph and rich spoiles leaving nothing in the Town but blood and ashes and the Walls razed to the ground There be some that think that King Edward by evil counsel as it is thought banished Algar the son of Earl Leofrike whereupon he got him into Ireland and there providing eighteen ships of Rovers returned and joyned himself with Gruffith King or Prince of Wales who both together invaded the Country of Mercia about Hereford where Earl Ranulph Earl of that Country who was Son to King Edwards Sister named Ioda by her first husband Walter de Maunt came against them with a great army and met them above two miles from Hereford where after a sore fight for the space of three houres Ranulph and his army were overcome and five hundred of them slain the rest being totally routed whom Gruffith and Algar pursued to Hereford and entring the Town set the Cathedral Church on fire and slew the Bishop named Leoger A barbarous act amongst Christians an Act fitter for Pagans then Christians with seven of the Canons spoyled and burnt the Town miserably whereupon King Edward being advertised hereof gathered an Army and sent Haroald the Son of Earl Godwin against them who pursuing the enemies to Northwales passed through Stradelwyd to Snowdon but Gruffith and Algor being afraid to meet Harâ—ald got them again into Southwales whereof Haroald having notice left one part of his army in Northwales to resist the enemies there and returning with the residue to Hereford caused a great Trench to be cast round about the Town with a high Rampire strongly fortifying the Gates of the same After this by means of a Parly had with Gruffith and Algar at a place called Beligelhag a peace was concluded whereupon Algar being pardoned by the King and restored again to his Earldome returned home to Chester About two years after Algar was accused again of Treason so that he was the second time exiled the land and repaired to his old friend Gruffith Prince of Northwales by whom he was joyfully received and restored again to his Earldome by the aid of certain strangers which came by chance from Norway whereupon King Edward being highly offended with Gruffith sent Haroald again with an army into Northwales to do revenge upon him who coming to Ruthlen burned the Pallace of Gruffith and his Ships and then returned to the King at Glocester Not long after these Transactions Roderick Son to Haroald King of Denmark came with a great army to Wales and there being friendly received by Gruffith joyning his power to King Gruffiths entred England and cruelly spoiled and burned great part of the Land but shortly after Roderick was compelled to return to his Ships and to sail to Denmark and Gruffith came to Wales loaden with spoiles Mr. Powel fol. 101. This year saith Mr. Powel died Owen the son of Gruffith ap Rytherick Also Haroald and his Brother Tosty by the procurement of Caradoc ap Gruffith ap Rytherick and others gathered a great Power and entred Southwales and subdued a great part thereof and wrought so with those that were about Gruffith the King that as soon as he had gathered his people in Northwales and began his journey to meet with Haroald he was cruelly and traterously slain by his own men and his head brought to Haroald who appointed and placed Meredith the son of Owen ap Edwin Prince and Ruler of Southwales and he with his brother Tosty returned home Some do report that Haroald about Rogation week by the Kings commandement went against the Welshmen and taking the sea sailed by Bristol round about the Coast compassing in a manner all Wales His brother Tosty that was Earl of Northumberland met him by appointment with an host of horsemen and so joyning together they destroyed the Countrey of Southwales in such sort that the Welshmen were compelled to submit themselves to deliver hostages and conditioned to pay the ancient Tribute which before time they had payd Southwales submits to the English The people of that Countrey because Gruffith their Prince fled at the coming of Haroald and left them to be a prey to the enemies hated him so that as soon as he returned again unto them they slew him and sent his head to Haroald which he sent to the King After whose death King Edward granted the Principality of Northwales to Blethyn and Rywalhon the sons of Convyn brethren to Gruffith by the Mothers side who did homage unto him for the same This Gruffiuh ap Lhewelyn governed Wales thirty four years valiantly and worthily he never fough but that he departed out of the field victorious he was gentle and affable to his Subjects and cruel to his foes beloved of the one and feared of the other liberal to strangers costly in apparrel and princely in all his doings and unworthy of that cruel death that the ambitious desire of Rule did provoke his unkinde Subjects and unnatural â—osins to prepare for so noble a Prince and so gentle a Master as he was Blethin and Riwalhon the Sons of Convyn After the decease of King or Prince Gruffith Meredith the son of Owen ap Edwin which Edwin was son as some Writers say to Howel Dha did take upon him the government of Southwales and Blethin and Riwalbon the sons of Convyn and half Brothers to King Gruffith ap Lhewelyn as they which were born of
Angharat daughter to Meredith King of Wales did govern Northwales Conan the son of Jago being all this time with his Father in law in Ireland Caradock ap Gruffith ap Rytheryc was the first that procured Haroald to come into Wales against Gruffith ap Lhewelyn hoping by him to attain unto the Government of Southwales but it fell ontotherwise for when Haroald understood that he should not get that which he looked for at the hands of Caradock which was a certain Lordship within Wales nigh unto Hereford and knowing also Caradoc to be a subtile and deceitfull man compounding with Meredith ap Owen for that Lordship he made him King or Prince of Southwales and banished Caradoc out of the Countrey Afterward Haroald having obtained that Lordship builded there a stately and princely house at a place called Portashlyth and divers times earnestly invited the King to come and see the same and at length the King being then at Glocester not far of granted him his request whereupon Haroald made such preparation as was most wonderfull and as much abused Soon after this the said Caradoc ap Gruffith came to the same house and to be revenged upon Haroald killed all the workmen and labourers that vvere at vvork and all the servants and people of Haroald that he could finde and defacing the vvork carried avvay those things that with great labour and expences had been brought thither and set out and beautified the building William commonly called the Conquerour was now King of England and Edrik Sylvaticus the son of Alfrike Earl of Mercia refusing to submit himself as ohers had done when he saw that the King was departed to Normandy rose against such as were left in his absence to keep the Land in obedience whereupon those that lay in the Castle of Hereford Richard Fitz Scroop and others oftentimes invaded his Lands and wasted the goods of his Tenants but as often as they came against him they alwaies lost some of their own men at length he calling to his aid the Kings of VVales Blethyn and Rywalhon wasted the Country of Hereford even to VVye bridge and then returned with great booty This year also 1068. Meredith and Ithel the sons of Gruffith ap Lhewelyn raised a strong army against Blethyn and Rywalhon Kings of Northwales and met with them at a place called Mechain where after a long fight there were slain upon the one part Ithel and upon the other Rywalhon and Meredith put to flight whom Blethyn pursued so straitly that he starved for cold and hunger upon the mountains and so Blethyn son of Convyn remained the only King of Powis and Northwales Carodoc the son of Gruffith ap Rytherck ap Jestyn caused a great number of Frenchmen for so the Brittish book calleth the Normans to enter Southwales to whom he joyned his power of Gwentland and gave Meredith the King of that countrey an overthrow and slew him upon the River Rympyn About this time the Normans brought great forces into Westwales by sea and destroyed Dynet and the Country of Caerdigan and carried away much spoil and did so likewise the year following Bleythyd Bishop of Menevia or Saint Davids died about this time and Sulien was Bishop in his place Radulf Earl of East Angles his Mother came out of Wales which was the cause of the Welshmens assisting him against William the Conquerour Matth. West lib. 2. fol. 6 Math. Parker p. 11. for Ranulf sent for many of his Mothers friends and kinsmen to come unto him meaning through their aid and procurement to get the Princes and people of VVales to joyn with him in his enterprise but VVilliam having notice of this plot and coming before he was sent for he hanged some of the VVelshmen among others put our the eyes of many and banished the rest In the year 1073. Blethyn ap Convin King of VVales was traiterously and cowardly murthered by Rees ap Owen and the Gentlemen of Ystrad Tywy after he had governed VVales thirteen years This man was very liberal and mercifull doing Justice and Equity all his Reign he had divers weomen and many children First Meredith by Haer daughter to Gythyn Lywarck and Cadogan by another woman Madâ—e and Ryrid by the third Jorwerth by the fourth Trahern the Son of Caradoc After the death of Blethyn Trahern ap Caradoc his cosin German took upon him the rule of Northwales and Rees ap Owen with Rytherck ap Caradoc did jontly rule Southwales Then Gruffith son to Conan son to Jago or James right Inheritour of Northwales came from Ireland with succour with his brethren Encumalhon King of Vltonia and Ranalht and Mathawn had delivered him and landed in the Isle of Môn or Anglesey and brought it to his Subjection At this time Kynwric ap Rynalbon a noble man of Maelor or Bromfield was slain in Northwales This year also Gronow and Lhewelin the sons of Cadogan ap Blethyn did joyn their powers with Caradoc ap Gruffith ap Rytherck to revenge their Grandfathers death and then fought at a place called Camdhwc where the Sons of Cadogan obtained the Victory shortly after Gruffith ap Conan passed over the water from Môn to the main land and Trabern ap Caradoc met with him at Bronyrew where Gruffith was put to flight and retired back to the Isle year 1074 In the year 1074. Rytherc ap Caradoc was slain by Treason of his own cosin German Meyrchaon ap Rees ap Rytherc and Rees ap Owen ruled Southwales alone Nevertheless the sons of Cadogan gathered their powers and came against him and fought with him the second time at Gwaynyttyd where he was put to flight but yet he gathered new forces and kept the land still Then Trahern ap Caradoc King of Northwales moves his forces against Rees who boldly met him with all the power of Southwales at a place called Pwlhgwttic where after long fighting Rees was put to slight and after great slaughter of his men he fled from place to place fearing all things like a stagg that had been lately chased which mistrusteth every noise but at the last he with his Brother Howel fell into the hands of Caradoc aâ— Gruffith who slew them both in revenge of the wise and noble Prince Blethyn ap Convyn At this time Sulien Arch-Bishop of Saint Davids did forsake his Bishoprick and Abraham was chosen Bishop in his place year 1077 In the year 1077. Rees the son of Theodore the son of Eneon the son of Owen the son of Howel Dha as right Inheritor to the Kingdome of Southwales claimed the same and the people received him with much joy and made him their Prince The next year Menevia was all spoiled and destroyed by strangers and Abraham the Bishop died after whose death Sulien was compelled to take the Bishoprick again In the year following Gruffith the son of Conan did bring a great Army of Irishmen and Scots into Wales and joyned with Rees ap Theodore as two right heirs of the
Or Kemeys vert on a cheueron Arg 3 pheons Sable Gunter Sable a cheueron inter 3 gantlels clutchc Or Havert Arg a bulls head cabosed inter 3 mulets Gules Walbeise Arg 3 bulle pale wayes Gules armed vnguled Or Gamage Arg a bend losengy Gules on a chiefe Azure 3 escallops Or Wiston Gules a cherÌ„on Ermine Maunsell Arg a cherÌ„on betweene 3 Maunches Sable About this time or shortly after Bernard Newmarsh a noble man also of Normandy obtained by conquest the Lordship of Brecknock containing three cantreds and married Nest the daughter of Nest daughter to Gruffith ap Lhewelin Prince of Waleâ— by whom he had issue Mahael and a daughter This Mahael being a worthy Knight was dis-inherited by the malice of his own mother who contrary to the matrimonial duty kept unlawful company with a Knight whom she set more by then her husband whereupon Mahael being offended with the dissolute life of his mother warned her to avoid infamy and on a time meeting with the said Knight coming from her fought with him and hurt him wherefore Nest to be revenged of her son for that fact went to K. Henry the first and solemnly Gerald Itin. Camb. rather of malice and revengement as Giraldus noteth then of any Truth sware upon the Evangelists that the said Mahael her son was not begotten by Bernard Newmarsh her Husband but by another Lover of hers by reason of which Oath or perjury rather as Giraldus thinketh Mahael was disinherited and his Sister whom the Mother affirmed to be the very Daughter of Bernard was by the said King with the whole Inheritance King Henry the First confesseth the VVelshmen to be the lawfull inheritours of the Country bestowed upon Milo the son of Walter the Constable who was after created Earl of Hereford Lord of Glocester Brecknock and the Forrest of Dean This Milo Earl of Hereford told King Henry the First of the singing and triumphing of Birds by the pool called Lhyn Sanathan at the passing of Gruffith ap Rees ap Theodor the said Milo a Pini-Fitz-John Lord of Ewyas Land being present whereunto the King answered that it was not a thing to be wondred at so much for in truth said he we by our great force and strength do offer injury and violence to that Nation yet are they well known to be the lawfull inheritours of hat Countrey The sons of this Milo dyed all without issue yet he left three daughters First Margaret married to Humphery de Bohune in her right Earl of Hereford Many if not most of the English Nobility by this match desceâ—dâ—d of the Welsh blood Henry the 4th descended from Lhewelin Prince of Wales and Constable of England from which match and so consequently from Bernard Newmarsh his Wife daughter of Nest who was daughter of another Nest daughter from Gruffith ap Lhewelyn Prince of all Wales most of the ancient Nobility descend from Lhewelyn the great Prince for the last Humphry de Bohune Earl of Hereford Essex and Northampton and Constable of England had issue two daughters and heirs Elianor the elder was married unto Thomas Plantagenet alias Thomas of Woodstock the sixth son of Edward the Third who was by King Richard the Second created Earl of Buckingham and after Duke of Glocester and in her right Earl of Essex Northampton and Constable of England Mary the second Daughter was married to Henry Plantagenet alias Bullingbrook Earl of Derby after King of England by the name of Henry the Fourth Plantagâ—nets Staffords and Bouochier from Lhewelin Prince of Wales The said Thomas Plantagenet Duke of Glocester c. had Humphry Lord of Brecknock who dyed without Issue and four daughters heirs after their Brother Ann the elde stmarried to Edmund Stafford Earl of Stafford who by her had Issue Humphry Earl of Stafford Hereford and Northampton Lord of Brecknock c. and afterwards the said Ann was married to William Viscount Bourchier created Earl of Ewe in France by King Henry the Fifth Father of Henry created Earl of Essex by King Edward the Fourth This Humphry Earl of Stafford was created Duke of Buckingham by King Henry the Sixt and so the Lordship of Brecknock came to the Dukes of Buckingham and by the Attainder of Edward the last Duke of that family came to the Crown But let us return again to the daughters of Milo you see what gallant Issue proceeded from the first Secondly Bersa the second Daughter was married unto Philip Bruse created by King Stephan Lord Bruse of Gower Bould and Brimber and in his Wives Right Lord of Brecknock Thirdy Lucia the third daughter was married to Herbert the son of Herbert a base son to King Henry the First who was in her Right Lord of all the Forrest of Dean of whom descended the Fitz-Herberts of Derbyshire Awbery Walbeif Gunter and Hanara no Welshmen properly With Bernard Newmarsh before spoken of there came many Gentlemen at that time to Brecknock upon whom he bestowed divers Mannors as to the Awberies the Mannor of Abercynrick and Slowch to the Walbeifes the Mannor of Lhanhamlack and Taly Lhyn and to the Gunters the Mannor of Gilston to the Hanards the Mannor of Pont Willym an easie matter to cut large thongs out of another mans Hide About this time Cadogan ap Blethyn ap Convyn destroyed all Dynet in the end of April and shortly after the same summer the Normans in great companies landed in Dynet or Westwales and Caerdigan and builded Castles there and so began to inhabit the Countrey upon the Sea-shore The Normans having gotten into their hands all the lands and livings of the Nobility of England began to pry and peep into the commodities of Wales and seeing that Robert Fitz-Hamon and other Knights that went with him had sped so well they made suit to the King to grant them the lands of the Welshmen whereupon the King thinking that to be the best way for him as well to encourage them to be more willing to serve him as also to provide for them at other mens cost granted to divers of his Nobles sundry Countries in Wales to hold of him by Knights Service for the which they did Homage and sware fealty unto him as followeth First Roger Montgomery Earl of Arundel and Salop did his homage for the Lordship of Powis and Caerdigan Secondly Hugh Lupus Earl of Chester did homage for Tegengel and Rynonioc with all the Land by the Sea-shore unto the River of Conwey Thirdly Arnulph a younger son of Roger Montgomery for Dinet Fourthly Bernard Newmarch for Brecknock Fifthly Ralph Mortimer for Eluel Sixthly Hugh de Lacie for the land of Ewyes Seventhly Eustace Cruer for Molde and Hopedale and many others for other Lands Montgomery why so called Then Roger de Montgomery to whom the Conquerour had given Powis entred the land and wan the Town and Castle of Baldwyn which he fortified and called it Montgomery after his own name About this time also Gruffith ap Conon
King of Northwales with Cadogan ap Blethyn who then ruled Southwales entred the Land of Caerdigan and killed a great number of Normans being not able any longer to suffer their great Pride and Cruelty but after their Return the English Captains sent to England for more men and thought privately to make a Road into Northwales which journey was discovered unto Cadogan who gathered his Power and met with them in the Wood or Forrest of Yspys and set upon them with great Hue and Cry and they defended themselves manfully but in the end they were put to flight with great loss and Cadogan followed them hard and spoiled the Countrey of Cadogan and Dinet and destroyed all the Castles saving two which were Pembroke and Rydeors which he could not get and so returned to Powis with much Joy King Rufus not able to prevail against the Welsh to his dishonour returneth home year 1093 In the year 1093. the Normans that inhabited the Countrey of Glamorgan spoiled the Territories of Kydwely and Yâ—rad Tywy and left them without any Inhabitants When VVilliam Rufus had been informed of the great slaughter of his Subjects as well in Cheshire Shropshire VVorcestershire and Herefordshire as in VVales which Gruffith ap Conan and the sons of Blethyn Convyn had done he gathered his power together and entred VVales at Mountgomery which Castle being lately overthrown by the VVelshmen he re-edified again but the VVelshmen kept so the straits of the mountains with the Woods and Rivers that the King did no good but lost his labour and his men therefore he returned back to his great Dishonour year 1094 In the year 1094. dyed VVilliam the son of Baldwyn who at the Kings commandement had built the Castle of Rydcors after whose death the Castle was forsaken by his men and the Inhabitants of Gwyr Brecknock Gwent and Gwent Ihwc Welshmen hardly overcome unless by Treason among themselves cast from their Necks the burthen of the Normans that had won their Countries and held them in subjection and chased them out of their Territories but shortly after they returned again with greater Power Then the countrymen detesting their insolency met with them at a place called Celly Tarvawc and couragiously encountred them so that they put them to flight with great Slaughter and chased them back again out of the Land nevertheless the greedy Normans would not give over but recruiting returned again to Brecknockshire making a vow to leave no living thing within that Countrey it is not good to reckon before mine Host nor count our Chickins before they be hatch'd for the country people flying before them staied at a strait passage and killed many of them About this time Roger Montgomery Earl of Salop and Arundel Powel fol. 153. and VVilliam Fitz Eustace Earl of Glocester though I read of no such man for Master Mills fol. 358. as also other Authors set Robert base Son to King Henry the First the first Earl of that place Arnold de Harecourt and Neale le Vicount were slain between Cardiff and Brecknock by the VVelshmen and VValter Evereux Earl of Sarum who dyed in Normandy and Hugh Earl Gurney were there hurt Patrick de Evereux was first Earl of Sarum or Salisbury created so by King Stephen and therefore could not be in this time but it is he that was son to Walter Evereux Mr. Mills fol. 1034. who built the Abby of Bradenstock 1139. the fift of King Stephen and being an old man did take upon him the habit of a Monk there others say this Walter was Earl of Rosemer When the Normans saw that they had all the loss they manned and victualed the Castles which formerly they had builded and returned home but in their retreat Gruffith and Ivor the sons of Edverth ap Cadogan met them unexpectedly at Aberlhech and encountring them slew most part of them the rest escaping into England Notwithstanding the Norman Captains defended the Castles valiantly and kept them till they were driven by force for safeguard of their lives to forsake them then the ancient Inhabitants possessed their own quietly Moreover certain Lords of Northwales namely Vokthed the son of Edwin ap Grono and Howel ap Grono with the Children of Cadogan ap Blethyn of Powis land Pembroke Castle built by a Norman gathered a competent Army and passed through Caerdiganshire to Dynet which Country a little before the King had given to Arnulph son to Roger Montgomery who had builded the Castle of Pembroke and appointed Keeper and Governour thereof one Giraldo de Windsore and there burned spoiled and destroyed all the countrey except Pembroke Castle which they could not win and so returned home with great booty After the return of these Lords Girald issued out of the Castle and spoiled the lands of Saint Davids and took many Prisoners The year following William Rufus returning from Normandy to England Fasting and Prayer used by the Welsh in their greatest danger and hearing of the great slaughter of his men committed by the Welshmen gathered all his forces and with great pomp and pride entred VVales But the Brittains fearing the great strength of the King put all their hope onely in Almighty God returning to him in Fasting Prayer and Repentance of their sins and he that never forsaketh the penitent and contrite heart heard their prayers so that the Normans and Englishmen durst not enter the land but such as presumed were slain and the King returned with small Honour after he had built certain Castles in the Marches In the year following viz. 1096. The Arms of Hugh Montgomery Hugh de Montgomery who as his Father before him had for his Arms Azure a Lyon rampant Or within a border his Father before spoken of builded the Abbey of Shrewsbury wherein he was buried the Earl of Arundel and Salop whom the Welshmen call Hugh Goch that is Hugh with the red head and Hugh Vral that is Hugh the fat Earl of Chester who bore for his Arms Azure six Garbs 3 2. and 1. Or. and many Nobles more did gather a strong and powerfull army and entred into Northwales The Welsh ever their own destroyers being thereto moved by certain Lords of the Country But Gruffith ap Conan the Prince and Cadogan ap Blethyn fled to the Hills and Mountains for their defence as not being of force sufficient to fight the Earls neither durst they well trust their own men and so the Earls approached the Isle of Môn or Anglesey where they built the Castle of Aberthiennawc Then Gruffith and Cadogan went to Anglesey thinking to defend the Isle Aberthiennawe Castle built by the Normans and sent for succour to Ireland but found there little comfort and now the Treason began to break forth for Owen ap Edwin who was the Princes chief Councellour and his Father in Law whose Daughter Gruffith had married having himself also married Everyth the Daughter of Convyn Aunt to Cadogan was the chief Caller of
Montgomery had begun a Castle before And shortly after Madoc ap Riryd returned from Ireland because he could not well brook the Manners and conditions of the Irishmen and being arrived came to the Country of his Unkle Jorwerth who hearing that and fearing the loss of his Lands as his Brother Cadogan had done made a Proclamation that no Man should aid him but take him as an Enemy which when Madoc understood he enticed many unthrifts and outlaws and kept himself in the Rocks and Woods contriving how he might be revenged on Jorwerth for so great a discourtesie as he imagined and thereupon concluded a friendship privately with Lhywarch ap Trahearn who hated Jorwerth to death and having intelligence that Jorwerth lay one night at Caerneon they two gathered all their strength and environ'd the house about midnight which Jorwerth and his Men perceiving armed themselves and defended the place till their foes set it on fire which when Jorwerth's Men perceived every one shifted for himself so that some were slain others burnt few escaping Jorwerth having the true heart of a noble Prince chose rather to adventure and manfully to dye with sword in hand then to be burnt without a glorious action came out but his merciless Enemies received him with the point of their spears and violently cast him into the flames of the raging fire where that gallant man payed what was due to nature death yet by which his name is eternized As soon as the King understood this he called Cadogan before him and gave him his brothers Land which was Powis and promised Owen his pardon willing his Father to send him to Ireland When Madoc saw his other Unkle Cadogan rule the Country he hid himself in rough and desert places and adding one mischief upon an other determined also to murder him by one way or an other Therefore after Cadogan had brought the Country to some stay of quietness and administred Justice therein having ever an eye and respect to the King he came to Trallwug now called Pool and the elders of the Country with him and determining to dwell there began to build a Castle But Madoc hatching nothing but mischief hearing this came suddainly upon him and Cadogan thinking no hurt was slain before he could either fight or fly After this Madoc sent incontinently to the Bishop of London the Kings Lieutenant at Shrewsbury and entreated him to remember what he had promised when he chased Owen out of his Land for the Bishop hated Owen and Cadogan and gave Madoc all such Lands as his brother Ithel was possessed of Meredyth the Son of Blethyn hearing of the death of both his brethren posted to the King desiring of him the Lands of Jorwerth which Cadogan had lately obtained and the King gave him the rule thereof till such time as Owen Son to Cadogan should come from Ireland who came shortly after and went to the King who received him to his peace and gave him his Lands whereupon Owen promised to the King a great Fine and gave pledges for payment of the same likewise Madoc did fine to the King for his peace and lands nevertheless the King wisht him to take heed of the Kinsfolks of such as he had murdered upon his own peril year 1112 In the year 1112. Meredyth ap Blethyn sent a party to make an Inroad into the Country of Lhywarch ap Trahearn ap Gwyn who was Meredyths and Owens Enemy as he that succoured Madoc to kill his Unkles Jorwerth and Cadogan Meredyths brethren These Men as they passed through the Country of Madoc in the night met with a Man which belonged to Madoc The welsh despairing one of another make way for their enemy to subvert them all whom they took and examined where his Master was he at first said that he could not tell but being threatned with death he confessed that he was not far from thence Therefore they lay quietly all that night and in twy-light next morning they came suddainly upon Madoc and his men where they slew many of them and taking Madoc prisoner they brought him to their Lord who was right glad thereof and secured his person till he had sent word to his Nephew Owen who immediately upon the news repaired thither A great curtesie no question to put out a mans eyes and save his life then Meredyth delivered Madoc unto him And albeit he had slain Owens Father his own Unkle yet Owen remembering the friendship and Oath that had been betwixt them in times past would not put him to death but putting out his eyes let him go Then Meredyth and Owen divided the Lands betwixt them which was Caerneon Aberhiw and the third part of Devthwr year 1113 The year following King Henry prepared an Army against Wales being thereunto provoked by such as would have the Welshmens Lands to wit Gilbert Strongbow Earl of Strigyl to whom the King had given Caerdigan who made grievous complaints against Owen ap Cadogan declaring that he received and maintained such as robbed and plundered the Country Also Hugh Earl of Chester said no less by Gruffith ap Conan Prince of Northwales A rash and unchristian oath how that his men and the Men of Grono ap Owen ap Edwyn Lord of Tegengl wasted the Country of Cheshire adding to aggravate the matter that Gruffith did neither acknowledg to owe service nor pay tribute to the King whereupon the King swore that he would not leave one living Creature in Northwales and Powis Land but new colonize them Then dividing his army into three parts the leading of the first he committed to Gilbert Earl of Strygull Two great Kings against two petty princes a great conquest no doubt wherein was the whole power of all the fourth part of England and Cornwall against Southwales Alexander King of Scotland had the leading of the second division with Hugh Earl of Chester wherein the power of Scotland and the North was which went against Northwales and the King led the third himself wherein was the strength of midle England Then Meredith ap Blethyn fearing this came and yielded himself to the King But Owen fearing to commit himself to them who were so greedy of his Lands fled to Gruffith ap Conan to Northwales whereupon the King turning all his strength that way came himself as far as Murcastelh and the King of Scots as far as Pennant Bachwy but the people fled to the mountains and woods and carried all their victualls and cattel with them so that the King could not follow them and such of his Men as entered the Land were either slain or galled in the Straits Then the Scottish King sent to the Prince to come and yield himself to the King and promised him the Kings peace but he was acquainted with such promises and would not The King therefore because he would not return without doing something sent to Owen to come to him and to forsake the Prince who was not able to defend
must keep and defend the Castle of Carmarthin and that after this manner first Owen ap Caradoc shall keep it a fortnight and Rytherck ap Theodor and his sons an other fortnight and so by course which they were content to do Then Owen took upon him the keeping of the Castle and the Castle of Robert Courtmain in Abercomin or Abercorran was committed to Blethyn ap Cadovor Shortly after Gruffith ap Rees sent his scouts to discover the condition of Caermarthyn and the Castle who surveying it returned with welcome news whereupon he came unexpected and beleaguered the Town ecchoing great shouts and outcries which caused Owen ap Caradoc to repair speedily to the place where the noise was thinking that his men would have followed him but the most part of them fled and so Owen dyed in the bed of honour making his valour sufficiently appear in which conflict the Town was won and the Castle defaced This done Gruffith returned to his place of Residence and strength full fraught with spoyl and plunder This fortunate attempt allured fresh supplies of young and gallant spirits who came Volunteers to serve under his banner thinking all to be their own puft up with this good successe Gruffith attempteth Gwyr and surpriseth a strong fort committing it to the mercilesse Element of fire which William de Londres perceiving forsakes his own Castle and with his men betakes himself to his heels which gave an easie entrance to Gruffith who sets fire to the Castle and carries away all the cattle and spoyle of the Country Fortune seemeth now a propitious deity to Gruffith which animates the men of Cardigan to invite him to be their Protector and defender as being both their kinsman and Countryman the hitherto fortunate Gruffith embraceth their election and proffer friendly visits them and is joyfully received by Cadavor ap Grono and Howel ap Diverth and Traberne ap Ithel who had forsaken Dynet leaving it full of Normans Flemings and Englishmen There were also many strangers in Caerdigan which ruled that Country whom the people hated not forgeting the wrongs which they had formerly received from them Notwithstanding Henry King of England had brought all that Country into subjection partly banishing the Natives partly by force but especially by gifts fair promises and rewards but all this could not dismay or impeach heroick Gruffith from coming to Caerdigan Iscoed where he fiercely begin a strong fortresse which Earl Gilbert and the Flemings had erected at Blaen Porth Gwithan were after long fight and divers assaults with great destruction of the besieged and the onely losse of one of his men the place was committed to fire and flames and the Country brought into subjection This so affrighted the strangers that they fled confusedly relinquishing the houses and habitations to the mercy of the Natives who burnt all before them to Penwedic The next enterprise taken in hand was the assailing of a fort in Stradpythilk which belonged to Ralph Earle Gilberts Stewart which was won and the souldiers therein put to the sword From thence they encamped at Glasgryg a mile from Lhanbadarn where they offered violence to the Church took away cattle to Victual themselves which were within compasse of Sanctuary purposing the day following to besiege the Castle of Aberystwith which being declared to Ralph the Steward he sent secretly to the Castle of Stratmeyric which Gilbert had built for succour which from thence came to him by night The day following Gruffith came to the Castle out of order and discipline as fearing nothing nor knowing what strength was within and so stood upon a hill the river being betwixt him and the Castle with a bridge to passe over where he and his Chieftains called a Counsel of War concerning the fabricating of Engins to give the assault this consultation continued till night at which time the Normans seeing their disorder sent archers to the Riverside to skirmish with them hoping thereby to allure and draw the Welshmen to the Bridge that the armed horsemen might suddenly issue out and fall upon them The Welshmen ignorant of this design and stratagem approach the bridge with manful resolution fight 〈◊〉 enemy when suddainly issued forth one single horseman who would have passed the bridge but his horse was wounded by a pike and began to fail and as he endevoured to retreat he fell from his horse and the Natives pursued him over the bridge When the Englishmen saw that they fled towards the Castle and the Welshmen followed to the hill top when suddainly the Ambuscado of horsemen that lay under the hill interposed betwixt them and their fellow souldiers and those who seemed to fly returned with haughty spirits having fresh recruits so that the Welshmen were surrounded and the bridge so maintained that no rescue could come to them where they were for the most part slain as being naked and unprovided for such an entertainment The rest seing the great number of men armed which they look't not for turn'd faces about and departed the Countrie But when the King of England heard all these transactions and passages he sent for Owen ap Cadogan to whom when he came the King said Owen I have found thee true and faithful unto me Therefore I desire thee to take or kill that murderer Gruffith ap Rees who doth so molest my loving Subjects I assure thee my chief trust is in the and in Lhywarch ap Traberne who shall go with thee and you two shall wait upon my son Robert whom I will send shortly against that Traitour with an army and look how thou servest me at this time so will I recompence thee without fail Owen herewith being overjoyed that the King put such confidence in him encouraged his men to do their endeavour at this time to work the Kings ends as they had done heretofore to offend him and so joyning with Lywarck they went toward Stratywy to meet with the Kings son And when they came to the confines of the Country they made a vow that neither man woman or child should escape their hands alive A cruel vow VVhen the people understood of this cruel and bloodthirsty army they fled out of the Country some to woods other to rocks and caves and some to the Kings Castles to save their lives thus they divided their forces to enter the Woods and Straits which vvere very many in that Country and Owen himself took with him about 100 men and entered the wood and perceived that men and cattle had passed that way whom he followed and overtook and slaying some of them put the rest to flight then taking their cattle returned back towards his company But at the instant behold Girald the Steward of Pembroke with all his power of Flemings was coming to meet the Kings son and met with them that fled who cryed out to him for help and declared to him that Owen ap Cadogan had spoyled them of all their goods now when Girald and the Flemmings
to this See July the 20 1595. and translated to St. Asaph September the 16 1601. 1601. 68 Francis Godwin translated to Hereford this Francis Godwin being then Subdean of Exceter was he who compiled the Catalogue of Bishops here cited year 1618 1618. 69 George Carleton translated to Chichester year 1619 1619. 70 Theophilus Field translated to St. Davids year 1628 1628. 71 John Murrey Bishop first in Ireland a Scot by Nation had his Majesty had Bishopricks sufficient to have stoptd all their mouths Episcopacy had not so been bandied against 1639. 72 Morgan Owen Bishop 1641. This Bishoprick was valued in the Exchequer at 154 l. 14 s. 1 d. and paid for first fruits 700 Ducats year 1155 In the beginning of King Henry the 2d. his reign and in the year of our Lord God 1155 Rees ap Gruffith ap Rees whom the Welsh book surnameth Lord Rees and all the Latine and English Writers of that times name King of South Wales did leavy all his Forces to defend his Countrey from Owen Gwineth whom he understood to be raising of men to conquer South Wales So that Rees came as far as Aberdyni over against North Wales and perceiving the rumour to be false built a Castle there and so returned back Caerneon Castle built At the same time Madoc ap Meredyth Prince of Powis did build a Castle at Caerneon besides Pymer at that time Meyric his nephew escaped out of prison where he had been long kept Eglwys Vair built then also Eglwys Vair in Myvot was built At this time King Henry banished the Flemmings whom King Stephen had brought in and sent some of them to their cozens into West VVales About this time Caradocus Lhanoarvan who is reputed and taken of all learned men to be the Authour of the Welsh History ended his Collections of the Brittish Transactions from Cadwalader to this present time of whom some studious Antiquary composed this following Distichon Historiam Britonum doctus scripsit Caradocus Post Cadwalladrum Regia scripta notans In these two Abbies the Princes of Wales were usually buried The Successions and Acts of the Princes of VVales after this time until the year 1270 were kept and recorded from time to time in the Abbeys of Conwey in North VVales and Stratflur in South VVales as witnesseth Gutryn Owen who living in the dayes of Edward the 4th wrote the best and most perfect copy of the same year 1157 The King gathered his Forces from all parts of England intending to subdue North VVales being thereunto procured and moved by Cadwalader whom the Prince his brother had banished out of the land and bereaved of his living and by Madoc ap Meredyth Prince of Powis who envied at the liberty of North VVales which knew no Lord but one and hereupon the King conducted his Army to VVestchester and encamped on the march called Saltney So also Owen like a valiant Prince listed all his people fit for service and came to the utter Mears of his land purposing to give the King battel and encamped himself at Basingwerk which thing when the King understood he selected out of his Army divers of the chiefest bands and sent certains Earls and Lords with them towards the Princes Camp and as they passed the Wood called Coed Zulo David and Conan the Princes sons met with them and fiercely assaulted them and what by reason of the advantage of the ground and suddenness of the action the Englishmen were put to flight and many slain the rest being pursued to the Kings Camp They being exceedingly vexed with this disaster removed alongst the Sea coast thinking to get betwixt Owen and his Countrey but Owen fore-seeing the intent retreated back to a place which is called to this day Cil Owen that is Owens retreat and the King came to Ruthlan In the first voyage of King Henry against the VVelsh he was put in great danger of his life in a strait at Counsylth not far from Flint where Henry of Essex whose office was by inheritance to bear the Standard of England cast down the same and fled which thing so encouraged the VVelsh that the King being sore distressed had much ado to save himself and as the French Chronicle saith was glad to fly on whose part Eustare Fitz John and Robert Curcie two worthy Knights with divers other Noblemen and Gentlemen were slain After this Owen encamped and entrenched himself at Brynypin and daily skermished with the Kings men whilst in the mean time the King fortified the Castle of Ruthlan his Navy which guided by Madoc ap Meredyth Prince of Powis anchored at Môn or Anglesey and landed the Souldiers who spoiled two Churches and some of the countrey thereabout but as they returned unto their ships all the strength of the Isle set upon them Sacriledge punished and slew them all so that none of those who plundered the Churches brought tidings of their fortune The Marriners beholding this liked not the harbor but weighed up anchors made for Chester in the mean time there was a peace concluded between the King and the Prince K. Hen. buildeth a house for the Templers in Wales upon condition that Cadwalader should have his lands again his brother should be friendly unto him Then the King having the Castles of Ruthlan and Basywerk well fortified and manned after he had built a house thereby for the Templers returned into England At that time also Jorwerth Goch ap Meredyth got the Castle of Yale and burnt it Yale Castle burnt The year following Morgan ap Owen was traiterously slain by the men of Jorwerth ap Meyrick with whom died the best Poet in the Brittish Tongue of his time called Gurgan ap Rees and his brother Jorwerth got the Town or City of Caerleon upon Vsk Caerlheon upon Vsk City taken and the lands of Owen Now it was that the King made peace with all the Lords and Princes of VVales except Rees ap Gruffith ap Rees Prince of South VVales which Rees fearing the Kings power caused his people to remove their cattel and goods to the Wilderness of Tywy he still making War against the King Therefore the King sent for him to come to his Court to conclude a peace before the Forces both of England and VVales should be sent for him Rees after consultation came to the King and an order was taken that Rees should enjoy the Cantref Mawr as it should please the King so that his land should be whole together and not in divers Places and Shires but the King did contrary to his promise appointing Rees divers lands in several Places and Lordships intermingled with other mens lands which deceit although he perceived well enough yet he received it piece-meal as it was and lived quietly until Roger Earl of Clare hearing this came to the King and desired his Highness to give him such lands in VVales as he could win which the King granted Then he came with a
all the rule in South Wales yet his brother Gruffiths sons Rees and his brethren wan from him the chief defence of all his country to wit the Castle of Dyncvowr and Lhanymdhyfri Then William Marshall Earl of Pembrock laid siege to the Castle of Cilgarran and wan it not long after Maelgon ap Rees hired an Irishman to kill Gadiver ap Griffri whose 4 sons Maelgon took and put to death These were hopeful Gentlemen and nobly descended for their mother Susanna was daughter to the said Howel ap Rees by a daughter of Madoc ap Meredyth Prince of Powis The Castle of Abereneon built The year 1205 Maelgon did build a Castle at Abereneon at which there came such abundance of fish to Aberystwyth as the like was never seen before The same year Gwenwynwyn came to Shrewsbury to speak with the Kings Councel and was there detained prisoner whereupon P. Lhewelyn conquered all his countrey with all the Towns and Castles therein and kept the same to his own use which when Maelgon ap Rees understood that and Lhewelyn would visit also South Wales he overthrew his Castles of Aberystwyth Sratmeyric and Dynerth which he before had fortified dispairing to be able to withstand the Prince but the Prince held on his journey to Aberystwyth and reedified the Castle and fortified it and seized to his own hands the Cantref of Penwedic and the land betwixt Dyni and Aeron which he gave to Maelgons nephews the sons of Gruffith ap Rees and so returned home with great joy Within a little after Rees Vachan son to Prince Rees besieged the Castle of Lhangadoc and wanâ—t not regarding his promise and league with the sons of his brother Gruffith ap Rees forgetting how worthily they had served him in his necessity Therefore as soon as they heard of this both Rees and Owen came before the said Castle and wan it by assault and slew and took prisoners all the garrisons and then demolished quite the Castle year 1210 In the year 1210 the Earl of Chester re-edified the Castle of Dyganwy which stood upon the Sea-shore East of the River Conwey which Prince Lhewelyn had formerly ruined also he fortified the Castle Treffynnon or St. Winfride Then Prince Lhewelyn entred the Earls land and destroyed a great part thereof and returned home with the plunder Also Rees Vachan fearing Prince Lhewelyn who defended his nephews the sons of Gruffith in their right went to the King for succour which he received with good will and by their aid he laid siege to the Castle of Lanymdhyfri now when the garison perceived no hope of relief they desired that they might depart with bag and baggage horses and all and so they did Likewise Gwenwynwyn whom the King detained in prison was set at liberty and the King fearing the Prince his power sent an Army with him by whose means he received all his countrey again in short space Maelhon violating his Oath Maelgon also when he heard the same came to the Kings Court and became his man who returning home with a great company of Normans and Englishmen joined to them all the power he could make in Wales and contrary to the Oath that he had made to his nephews Rees and Owen began to spoil their countrey and coming to Cantref Cenwedic encamped at Cilkennyn and lay there all night consulting upon his voyage In the mean time his nephews hearing this having but a small power not above 300 of chosen men came and lodged hard by undiscovered by their enemies and having notice by their Scouts that all was quiet in Maelgons camp and how that his men mistrusting nothing behaved themselves carelesly these two Lords prosecuted boldly the enterprise which they had taken in hand and peaceably entring the camp came where they thought Maelgon lay and before they were discovered they gave an Alarum and slew a great number before they could awake and the rest hearing the noise half amazed by reason of the darkness escaped away A valiant exploit of the Welsh thinking some great power had been there but Maelgons men defended themselves manfully until such time as their Lord had gotten upon his feet and escaped away by the benefit of the night Then his nephew Conan ap Howell and his chief Councellour Gruffith ap Cadogan were both taken and Eneon ap Caradoc with a great number more slain About this time Gilbert Earl of Glocester fortified Bueltht Cruelty against the Welsh revenged by God where a little before he had lost many men This year also Maud de Bruse wife to Gruffith ap Rees died and was buried in a religious habit at Stratflur You have heard before of the great and treacherous usage which William de Bruse used towards the Welsh at Abergavenni and Breconi but King John Gods just judgement so ordaining banished him and his wife into Ireland and seized all his lands yet his wife and son were taken and William himself forced to flye into France The next year ensuing King John had many complaints made unto him by the Marchers against Lhewelyn how he entring their countrey burned and spoiled all as he went and slew their men Wherefore the King gathered a great Army through all England and called to him such Lords and Princes of Wales as held of him as Howell ap Gruffith ap Conan ap Owen Gwyneth whom Lhewelyn had banished Madoc ap Gruffith Maylor Lord of Bromfield Chirk and Yale Meredyth ap Rolpert Lord of Cydewen Gwenwynwyn Lord of Powis Maelgon and Rees Vachan the sons of P. Rees Rulers of South Wales The Welsh still enemies to themselves with this great Army he entred into North Wales by Chester resolving to destroy all that had life in that countrey The Prince hearing of all this preparation against him as well of his own countrey as others commanded all such as inhabited the inland or middle countrey which is now part of Denbigh and Flint Shires to remove all their goods and cattel to Snowdon Hills for a time and so the King came along the Sea coast to Ruthlan The English distressed by the Welsh and there passed over the River Clwyd and came to the Castle of Teganwy and there remained a while but Lhewelyn cut off his victuals behind him so that he could have none from England and there could no man scatter from the Skirmishes unfought withal where the North-Walesmen alwayes both for the advantage of the straits King John with dishonour forced to return home and knowledge of the places had the upper hand at the last the English Souldiers were glad to taste horse-flesh for pure need When the King saw no remedy he returned home in great rage leaving the countrey full of dead bodies In August next ensuing he returned again with a great Army and the Lords before named with him and entred into Wales at Blanchmonasterie now Oswastred King John an enemy to Clergy men whereof John the son of William Fitz Allen
Semy 17 VVilliam Herbert 18 VVilliam Herbert Party per pale B. and G. 3 Lyons Ramp Arg. 19. Edward Prince of VVales son of K. Edw. IV. Quarterly France and England a Label Arg. 20 Anne Bullen Marchioness of Pemb. wife to Hen. 8. Arg. a Cheveren G. between 3 Bulls heads coupe Sable 21 VVilliam Herber created Earle by Edw. 6. 22 Henry Herbert 23 VVilliam Herbert Lord Steward and Chancellour of Oxford 24 Philip Herbert Earle of Pembroke and Montgomery 25 Philip Herbert now living Quarterly Band G 3 Lions Ramp Arg. a border Gotone of the second and Or besants this border is now laid aside Lex Talionis This Earle hearing that Lhewelin had taken his Castles and put his men to the sword returned from Ireland with all speed and recovering his forts used the same courtesy towards Lhewelins men as he had shewed to his and then entring further into the Princes Country destroyed all before him as he went Mat. Paâ—is 423 who saith that the Earl had the victory and â—hat there were slain â—000 persons These tidings coming to Lhewelins ear did much vex him whereupon he sent Gruffith his son with a power of men to impeach the Earl from passing further Griffith went to Cyeweli and understanding that the Burgesses of the town meant to betray him burned the town churches and all to the ground Then VVilliam Marshal passed the River Tywy at Caermardhyn where Gruffith met with him and gave him battail which was long time doubtful and endured until night and then either party withdrew themselves and the River betwixt and after they had abode so for certain dayes Gruffith for lack of victuals for his men were about 9000 persons returned back Cilgerran Castle built and the Earle went to Cilgerran and began to build there a very strong castle but receiving letters from the King to come speak with him he went to the Court by sea and left his army to continue the work which he had begun The King and the Archbishop being at Ludlow sent for the Prince and would gladly have composed matters between him and the Earl but it would not be and so they departed And when the Earle would have passed to Pembrock by land with the strength of the Earle of Derby and Henry Pigot Lord of Ewyas the prince sent his son to keep the passage at Carnwylhion and he himself came as farr as Mabedryd which when the Earle understood He retreated back to England and the prince bent his course for North VVales year 1226 The year 1226. Rees Vachan son of Rees Gryc took his father prisoner and would not set him at liberty till he had delivered him the Castle of Lhanymdhfry At this time Meredyth Archdeacon of Caerdigan son to prince Rees was interred by his father at St. Davids The year following K. Henry the III. now King of England came with a great army into Wales as far as Ceri and encamped there K. Henry 3. of England Mat. Paris p. 463. and on the other side Lhewelyn called to him all the power of VVales encamped not far off and there passed divers great skirmishes and chiefly upon one day the most part of both armies was in the field and many of the Kings men at which time William de Bruse son to Reynalt was taken prisoner who offered for his ransom the Country of Buelht P. Lhewelin a worthy prince and a great summe of money beside Then was a peace concluded between the King and the prince whereupon the Prince came and did honour unto the King but not as his King and Lord and every party returned home Mr Powel fol. 282. This History saith Mr. Powel is somewhat otherwaies set down by Matt. Paris which I have thus translated out of the same Author About the same time those Souldies which lay in Garrison in the Castle of Montgomery went out with some of their Neighbours to amend a certain passage in the highway leading through a great wood thereby where the Welshmen were wont to rob and slay such as traveled that way and coming to the place with their axes and other weapons began to fell trees and to cut down the bushes whereby the way might be enlarged which thing when the Welshmen understood they came with a great power and setting upon their enemies compelled them to take the Castle for their defence certain being slain on both sides and then casting a trench about the same laid siege to it The Castle honour of Mâ—ntgâ—mery given to Hubert de Bâ—â—g This being speedily carried to Hubert de Burge Chief Justice of England to whom a little before the same castle and honour was given The King himself with convenient speed coming raised the siege and when his whole army came unto him for few Souldiers came with him thither he went to the said wood which was very large being five miles in length and by reason of the thick growth of the same very hard to be mooted howbeit the King caused the same with great diligence and travail to be asserted and consumed with fire King Henry causeth â—â—â—d a Abbey to be burnt Then leading his army further into the Country he came to an Abbey of white Monks called Cridia being a refuge for the Welsh to fly unto which he caused to be burnt to Ashes where Hubert de Burg to whom the place seemed very fit for fortification having the assent of the King caused a castle to be built but eâ—e the work could be finished many were slain on both sides and Will de Bruse a valiant Souldier and Chieftain who went out to make provision for the army was taken by the Welshmen and secured and divers others went out for the like purpose whereof one being Knighted a few dayes before seeing some of his fellows in danger like to be distressed rushed boldly into the midst of his enemies killing many about him yet in the end with many others of the Kings men was slain several also of the Kings men being confederates with P. Lhewelyn did very remisly defend themselves his cause with whome they came thither whereupon the King wanting necessary provision and perceiving the double dealing of some of his own men was constrained to conclude a dishonourable peace with the Welshmen giving his assent that the Castle which with so great expences of men and money was almost finished should be razed at his own charges An ignoble peace to the English taking of P. Lhewelin 3000 pound toward the same the peace being thus confirmed both parties went homewards Thus the King of England after he had bestowed three moneths in the building of the said Castle and disbursed an incredible some of mony in vain leaving William de Bruse one of his nobles in the Prince his prison returned home with great stain of honour The name also which Hubert the Chief Justice had given to the Castle viz. Huberts folly Stulitia Huberti
did now move many to laugh at those things who seeing that costly and sumptuous building to be laid even with the earth said that Hubert was a prophet and much more then a prophet so much out of Paris About the year 1230 Lhewelyn the son of Maelgon deceased and was entombed at Conwey Adultery punished by death Abergaveny businesse revenged Prince Lhewelin caused William Bruse to be hanged being as t is reported taken in adultery with his wife who was the Sister of K. Henry About this time Maelgon was buried at Stratflur whose patrimony young Maelgen his son inherited after his father This year the King led a great army to Wales and after he had remained in the Marshes a while he returned into England and left Hubert de Burge Earle of Kent with his army to defend the Marshes and hereby his spies understood where certain Welshmen had entred the Marshes to plunder and set upon them by Montgomery killing many of them The Prince herewith being much troubled gathered his forces and to revenge his men A gallant revenge entering the Marshes he destroyed all with fire and sword who withstood him and burnt the Castles and Garrisons without mercy year 1231 and first the Castle of Montgomery for the Earle withdrew himself for fear then the castle of Radnor Aberhodny Rayader Gwy and so he went to Caerlheon and after long fight and loss of many of his men got the Town and left nothing therein but Ashes the like he did with the Castles of Neth and Cydwely The utter destruction of Caerlheon Therefore the King came to Hereford with a mighty army and sent a great number of his nobles with the most part of his army to VVales who using the direction of a Fryer of Cymer met with a company of VVelshmen which at the first encounter sled whom the Englishmen followed to the Straits where the ambushments lay which fell upon them A Fryer ventureth his life in behalf of his country Maud Castle built by K. Henry the III. The Welsh well enough required for deâ—erring their own Countrymen and slew a great number of the best Souldiers the rest escaped by flight Therefore the King would have burnt the house of Cymer yet the Prior redeemed it by paying 300 marks and so the King returned into England after he had built the Castle of Maud whilst these things were in agitation Maelgon the son of Maelgon ap Rees laidsiege to Aberteini and got the Town and destroyed it to the Castle gates putting all the inhabitants to the sword And shortly after he returned with his cozen Owen son to Gruffith ap Rees with certain of the Princes Captains and brake down the bridge upon the River Teini and laid siege to the Castle and with engines and mines threw down the same and so with much honour returned home The next year this gallant and heroick Brittain Lhewelyn entered England and brought back a rich spoyle both of goods cattel and men which forced the King to impose a subsidy to subdue the Brittains About this time John Earle of Chester surnamed Le Scot from the place of his birth Mr Brook York Herald fol. â—5 The murder at Abergaveny punished in the Family of de Bruse Earl of Huntington and Cambridge c. son of David brother to the King of Scots who bore for his armes Or three garbs Gules married Helin daughter to Lhewelin P. of Northwales also Ephraim Bishop of Lhanelwy died and John de Bruse falling off his horse his foot sticking fast in the stirrup was drag'd till he dyed most miserably The year following Richard E. of Cornwal fortified the Castle of Radnor which the Prince had lately destroyed Shortly after Prince Lhewelin came with an army to Brecknock and destroyed all the towns and castles of the Country and lay a moneth at the siege of the Castle of Brecknock P. Lhewelin a scourge to the English adherents but yet went without it and burning the town retreated home with great plunder In his journey by the way he burned the Town of Clun and recovered all the Country called Diffrin Teneidiat which was the possession of John Fitz Allen but he could not get the Castle After that he overthrew the Red Castle in Powis now the house of the Right Honourable Sir Percy Herbert Lord Powis a right worthy Gentleman Red castle in Montgomery shire a Garrison formerly for the Parliament and at this present and burned the town of Oswestre and so came home And about this time Richard Marshal fell at variance with the King who with Huber de Burge that escaped out of the castle of Devises where the Bishop of Winchester intended to have starved him came to Wales and joyned with the prince against the King Then the Earle with Owen ap Gruffith ap Rees came to Menevia or St. Davids The English with the Welsh against their King Abergavenny with other Castles taken K. Henry by Grismont lost 500. Horse and killed and spoiled all the Kings Friends within the Town Also Maelgon and Rees Gryc with the power of the prince joyned with them who in that voyage wan all these Castles Caerdiff Abergaveny Pencelhy Blaynlhefyini and Bwlchy Dynet which they razed all except Caerdif This so incensed the King that he raised a mighty army as well Flemmings Normans and Gascoines and Englishmen and entred VVales thinking to destroy the whole Country and encamped at Grismont where the Earle with the power of Wales encamped hard by him and as the Kings men would have entred further they were met withall and lost 500 horse and so upon better consideration returned home after whose departure the Earl with the power aforesaid lay before Caermarthyn three moneths but it was so manfully defended that they went without it and at last there came in the Kings ships and manned and victualed the town which caused the besiegers to rayse their siege and depart About this time Rees Gryc Son to the Lord or prince Rees dyed at Lhandeilo vawr and was buried honourably by his Father at St. Davids and then also Maelgon the son of Maelgon finished the Castle of Tresilan which his father had begun John of Mermeth forced to â—y In the year 1234. John Lord Monumetensis a noble warriour Captain or General of the Kings Army being made Ward of the marches of Wales levied a power and came against Earl Marshall and the Welshmen but when he had once entred Wales he came back in post leaving his Men for the most part slain and taken behind Maâ— Paris p. 520. This History is reported by Mathew Paris after this manner About the feast of St. John Baptist John of Monmoth a noble and expert warriour who was with the King in his wars in Wales gathered a great army meaning to invade the Earl Marshal at unawares but he being certifi'd thereof hid himself in a certain wood by the which lay the way of his Enemies
intending to deceive them who went about to do the like by him when the Enemies therefore came to the place where the Ambuscado was Haâ—m watch haâ—m catch the Earl Marshals army gave a great shout and so set upon their Enemies being unprovided and suddainly put them all to flight putting to the sword an infinite number of them as well Poictavians as others John of Monmoth himself escaped by flight whose Country with the villages buildings and all that he had therein the Earl Marshall did spoil and plunder leaving nothing but what fire and sword could not destroy and so full fraught with spoil returned home Salop taken by P. Lhewelyn Afterward in the week of Epiphanie Lhewelyn P. of VVales together with the Earl Marshall joyning their forces and entering the Kings land destroyed all with fire and sword from the confines of Wales unto the town of Salop which they also took and burnt a great part thereof enriching themselves with the plunder of the Country The King of England being all this while with the Bishop of Winchester â—t Glocester The K. careless of his honour little regarding war who for want of sufficient strength durst not meet his enemies in the field but being ashamed of the matter departed towards Winchester leaving the marches to be destroyed by the Enemies as any man might imagine The same year Richard Marshall Earl of Pembrock by councel of Geffrey de Marisco went with an army to Ireland where he was slain in fight by treason of his own Men after whom his brother Gilbert succeeded in the Inheritance Mr. Brook reporteth the story thus that whilst he with Lhewelyn was thus busied against the King word was brought him that Morice Fitz Girald and other Irish had sacked his Countries and Lands in Ireland Mr. Brook Alias Yorke fol. 270. upon the hearing whereof he hasted thither with fifteen Knights to encounter with his Enemies and joyned battail with them upon Saturday the first of April 1234. and fought eleven hours untill his horse was slain under him And then he falling to the ground one of the Irish perceiving his back part ill-armed lifted up his Habergeon and thrust a knife into his back up to the halft giving him his deadly wound and then brought him to a Castle of his own named Kilkenny which the said Morice had taken a little before from him where he died fifteen dayes after without issue What K. Hen. cannot do by the sword he thinks to do by the word In that year the King sent the Archbishop of Canterbury with the Bishops of Rochester and Chester to intreat with Lhewelyn to make peace with the King but they returned without doing any good Mathew Paris saith that the King going at this time to meet Edmond Archbishop of Canterbury and other Bishops which he had sent to conclude a peace with Lhewelyn Prince of Wales came to VVoodstock where being certifi'd of the death of the E. Marshall by certain messengers which came from Ireland he fell into great weeping and sorrow for the death of so valiant a Knight affirming withall that he had not left his Peer behind him in the Realm From thence he went to Glocester where the said Archbishop and Bishops coming unto him declared the treatice and form of peace taken between him and the said Lhewelyn The Welsh constant to their confederates in concluding of peace yet nevertheless upon this condition that the Noblemen of England which were confederates with the said Lhewelyn and by evill councel were exiled should first be reconciled to the King whereby the said peace might be more firm and stable Moreover the Archbishop said that with much ado they had brought the matter to that pass adding sometimes threatnings on the Kings behalfe with his Clergy To the which threatnings the said Lhewelyn is reported to have answered that he more regarded the Kings almes-deeds and his holy behaviour then he did fear the war of all his Clergy Then the King who wished peace with all his heart caused by his letters all the Nobles that were outlawes to be called again unto him to Glocester and Sunday before Ascension day next following to have their pardons and to receive their Inheritance Osculum paâ—â—â— which the King had seised into his own hands then Hubert de Burgh Earl of Kent came to the King and obtained his favour whom the King reverently embraced and kissed Prince Lhewelyn also this year set Gruffith his Son at liberty whom he had kept in prison six years for his disobedience and this year Cadwalhon ap Maelgon dyed and the next year Owen the Son of Gruffith ap Rees being a Noble Gentleman and very well beloved was buried by his brother Rees at Stratflur The year after Madoc the son of Gruffith Maylor Lord of the lower Powis or Bromfield Chirk and Pale a Man very just and mercifull dyed and was buried very honourably at the Abbey Lhan Egwest or Vale Crucis which he had built and left behind him a son named Gruffith to inherit his Lands also Owen ap Meredyth ap Rotpert ap Cydewen departed out of this World Marchan Castle The same year Gilbert Earl of Pembrock by treason got the Castle of Morgan ap Howel called Marchan and fortified it very strong for fear of the Prince The next spring Joan the daughter of King John Princess of VVales was buried upon the Sea-shore within the Isle of Anglesey at Lhanvaes as her pleasure was Lhewelyn builds a Fryery at Lhanvaes over his Wives Sepulchre where the Prince did build a house of barefooted Fryers over her grave In the year 1237. Lhewelyn Prince of VVales called all the Lords and Barons of VVales if any such title as Baron was amongst them it being altogether Norman as I conceive before him to Stratflur and there every one of them swore to be faithfull subjects and did homage to David P. Lhewelyns son An Act of a discreet Prince At this time Lhewelyn being impotent by reason of a palsey which had taken him and sore urged and disquieted by his son Gruffith sent Embassadours to the King to signifie unto him that forasmuch as his years were now well near spent The Prince of Wales whom power could not compel voluntarily submits himself he was desirous to lead the rest of his dayes in peace and quietness and therefore purposed now to submit himself to the government and protection of the King of England and that he would hold his lands of him promising withal that whensoever the King should stand in need of his aid he would be ready to help him with men and money to the utmost of his power There were sent as Mediators in this behalf the Bishops of Hereford and Chester who travelled about the same with the good liking of many of the Nobles of Wales although some openly opposed it and in no case would except of any such peace Then the said David
there arose a great debate between the princes of Wales for Owen could not be content with halfe the principality but got his young brother David unto him All cover all lose or Harme watch harme catch and they two levied an army to dis-inherit Lhewelin who with his men met with them in the field and after a long fight gave them an overthrow where he took them both prisoners and then seized all their lands into his own hands enjoying alone the whole principality of Wales The year ensuing all the Lords came to prince Lhewelin and made their complaints to him with weeping eyes how cruelly they were handled by prince Edward and others of the Nobility of England their lands being taken from them by force and if at any time they did offend they were punished with extremity but where they were wronged they found no remedy Therefore they protested before God and him A gallant re-sold on of the Welsh that they would rather die in the field in defence of their right then to be made slaves by strangers whereupon the prince pittying both his own estate and theirs determined together utterly with them to refuse the rule of the Englishmen rather to dye in liberty then to live in thraldom shame and opprobry And gathering all his power first recovered again all the Inland Country of Northwales and afterward all Merionith and such lands as Edward had usurped in Caerdigan which he gave to Meredith the son of Owen ap Gruffith An heroick Prince and Buelht he gave to Meredyth ap Rees chasing away Rees Vachan out or the same and so honourably divided all that he wan among his Barons that he kept nothing to himself but a perpetual fame of his liberality Then also he recovered Gwerthryneon from Sr. Roger Mortimer The Summer following prince Lhewelin made war against Gruffith ap Gwenwinwin who served the King and wan all Powis from him saving the Castle of Pole and a little of Caerneon and landed by Severne side Rees Vachan ap Rees Mechylh meaning to recover his lands again A bloody battail obtained of the King a great army whereof one Stephen Bacon was Captain and came to Caermarthin by sea and marching from thence towards Dynevowr laid siege to the Castle The English overthrown but the princes power came with his cosens to raise the siege where there was fought a bloody battail as ever had been in Wales of so many men and in the end the Englishmen were put to flight and lost of their men above 2000 Soldiers from thence the Princes army went to Dynet and burned all the Country and destroyed the the castles of Abercorran Lhanstephan Maenclochoc The Welsh victorious and Aberth and then returned home with much spoyle and forthwith not being able to abide the wrongs which Greffry Lanley Lieutenant to the Earle of Chester did to them M. Par. p 1251 Tho. Walsh Hypodigma p. 61. Brave-spirited men the Prince entred the Earles lands and destroyed all to the gates of Chester on either side the water Whereupon Edward the Earle fled to his Uncle who was then chosen King of the Romans for succour and returning back with an army durst not fight with the prince who had 10000 armed men every one sworn to dye in the field if need requred in the defence of their country A Judas amongst his countrymen M. Par. p. 1253 yet Griffith ap Madoc Maelor commonly sirnamed Lord of Dynas Bran which is a castle standing upon a very high Mountain of scituation impregnable in the Lordship of Chirk forsook the Prince and served the Earl with all his power which Earle was counted a cruell and unjust man having no regard to right promise or oath Mat. West p. 277. The next year Prince Lhewelyn seising into his hands Cymeys and making peace between Rees Gâ—yc and Rees Vachan his brothers son got the Castle of Trefdraeth or Newport with all Ros A â—ust punishment for a traytor o his Country Oâ— thirds not caught with chief saving Hanerford Then destroying the Country in his way towards Glamorgan he raised the Castle of Lhangymwch and returning to Northwales met with Edward Earl of Chester by the way whom he caused to retire back and then destroyed the Lands of the said Gruffith Lord of Bromfield Therefore the Kings of England and Almain wrote to him gently to depart home which he refused to do but deviding his army into two battails in every of which as Mathew Paris said there were 1500. Mat. Par. fol. 12â—8 The Welsh beat the Irish at Sea Mat. Par. fol. 1271. A prudent and politick Prince King Hen. unfortunate in his undertakings against Wales Mat. Paris fol. 12â—5 English Almains Gascoâ—nes and Irish against Wales Mat. Paris fol. 1274 1279. footmen and 500. horsemen well appointed Whereupon Edward sent to the Irishmen to come to him to his succour whereof the Prince being certified made ready his Bishops and sending them to Sea with sufficient power to resist the coming of his Enemies that way prevented him so that the Irish were overcome and sent home with great loss wherefore the King with his Son being in a great rage gathered all the strength of England from St. Michaels mount to Twede and came to Northwales as far as Tegenwy but the Prince caused all the victualls to be removed over the River Conwey and kept all the Straits and passages so narrowly that the King was compelled to tetire to England with great loss Then Prince Lhewelyn calling unto him all the power of Southwales came to the marches where Gruffith Lord of Bromfield yielded himself unto him because the King could not defend his lands and seising into his own hands all the lands in Powis he banished the Lord Gruffith ap Gwenwynwyn and wan the Castle of Gilbert de Clare Earl of Glocester where also he gave the English men an overthrow and slew a great number of the worthiest Soldiers and such as the King loved well which caused the King to call his strength unto him and sent to Gascoyne and Ireland for succoâ—â—s and then coming into Wales in harvest time destroyed all the corn that was in his way yet he went not far beyond Chester but returned back without doing any notable act for God as Matthew Paris saith defended the poor people that put their whole confidence in him The Lord James Audly whose daughter Gruffith Lord of Bromfield had married brought a great number of horsemen from Almain to serve against the Welshmen God the Protectour of the Welsh who with their great horses and unaccustomed kind of fight overthrew the Welshmen at the encounter wherefore the Welshmen minding shortly after to revenge the displeasure made roads into the said Lord Audleyes Lands where the Almains set upon them pursuing hard such as fled to the Straits who using that flight for a policy returned again so suddainly and so fi rcely upon the Almains that they
said Justice had no jurisdiction in those patts and not being contented to get Timber there for building as well of Ruthlan as of other places but also destroyed the same Woods sold it and carried it into Ireland 4. Item Where the said David took certain Out-lawes and Rovers in the Woods and caused them to be hanged yet the said Justice accused David to the King for succouring and maintaining the Thieves aforesaid which was not like to be true seeing he caused them to be hanged 5. Item It is provided in the peace that all the Welshmen and their causes should be judged after the Lawes of Wales This was in no point observed with the said David and his people Of these aforesaid griefs the said David required often amends either according to the Laws and Customs of Wales or of special favour but he could never obtain any of them both at his hands Further the said David was warned in the Kings Court that as soon as Reginald Grey should come from the Court Good service ill requited the said David should be taken and spoiled of his Castle of Hope his Wood should be cut down and his Children taken for Pledges who seeing he had taken great pains and peril for the King in all his wars as well himself as his people both in England and Wales and had lost thereby the most part of the Nobility of his Countrey and yet nevertheless could obtain neither Justice Amends nor favour at his hands having such great wrongs offered unto him and fearing his own life and his Childrens or else perpetual prison being enforced as it were against his will began to defend himself and his people Griefs and Injuries offered by the King and his Officers to the men of Ros. 1. This is the Form of peace which the King of England did promise the men of Ros before they did him homage which he promised them to observe inviolably That is to say That the King should grant to every of them their Right and Jurisdiction as they had in time of King Henry according as the said men do report that they had in the time of King Henry 2. Item The Lord the King did promise the same men that they should have Justice in their Suites after granting of the which Articles the said men did homage unto the King And then the King promised them with his own mouth faithfully to observe the said Articles This notwithstanding a certain Nobleman passing by the Kings high way with his wife in the Kings peace met certain English Labourers and Masons going to Ruthlan where they did then work A notorious ouragious murther and iniustice committed against the Welsh who attempted by force to take away his wife from him and while he defended her as well as he could one of them killed his wife and he who killed her with his followers were taken and when the kindred of her who was slain required Law at the Justice of Chesters hands for their kinswoman they were put in prison and the murtherers delivered 3. Item A certain man killed a Gentleman who had killed the son of Grono ap Heilyn and was taken but when certain of the kindred required justice before the Justice of Chester certain of them were imprisoned and the Offender set at liberty and justice denied to the kindred A profitable Judge to himself but unjust to the oppressed 4. Item Certain Gentlemen claimed some lands and offered the King a great sum of money to have justice by the Verdict of good and lawful men of the Countrey then the lands being adjudged to the Claimers Reginald Grey took the same lands corn goods and all upon the ground so that they lost their lands money corn and cattel 5. Item It is our right That no stranger should cut our Woods without our leave yet this notwithstanding A hard case there was a Proclamation at Ruthlan That it should be lawful for all other men to cut down our Woods but to us it was forbidden 6. Item Where divers honest men had lands of the gift of the said David the Justice taketh the said mens lands away A slavery worse than Jewish 7. Item When any cometh to Ruthlan with Merchandize if he refuse whatsoever any Englishman offereth he is forthwith sent to the Castle to prison and the Buyer hath the things and the King hath the price then the Souldiers of the Castle first spoil and beat the party and then cause him to pay the Porter and let him go 8. Item If any Welshman buy any thing in Ruthland and any Englishman do meet him he will take it from him and give him less than he paid for it 9. Item The King contrary to his promise made to the men of Ros hath given the Territory of Maynan Penmayn and Lhysuayn 10. Item Certain Gentlemen of the Cantref of Ros bought certain Offices and paid their money for the same yet the Justice of Chester took the said Offices from them without cause 11. Item Grono ap Heilyn took to Farm of Godfrey Marliney the Territory of Maynan and Lhysuayn for the term of four years yet Robert de Cruquer with Horses and Armes and 24 Horsemen came to vex the said Grono so that he had no safe going neither to Ruthlan nor Chester without a great guard of his kindred and friends 12. Item Certain Gentlemen were arrested for trespasses done before the wars and imprisoned and could not be delivered until they had paid 16 Mark which was contrary to the peace concluded 13. Item Our causes ought to be decided after the custome of our Lawes but our men be compelled to swear against their Consciences else they be not suffered to swear Furthermore we spent 300 Marks in going to the King for justice in the aforesaid Articles Sr. Reginald Gâ—ey a cruel Tyrant over the Welsh And when we believed to recover full justice the King sent to our parties the Lord Reginald Grey to whom the King hath set all the land to farm to handle the men of the said Cantref as it pleaseth him who compelled us to * To swear by his hand whereas we should swear by the hand of the King swear in his name whereas we should swear in the Kings name and where the Kings Cross ought to be erected he caused his Cross to be erected in token that he is the very true Lord and the said Reginald at his first coming to those parts of Wales sold to certain servants of the King Offices for 60 Marks which the said servants bought before of the King for 24 Mark which Offices ought not to be sold at the choice of the Lord. 14. Item The King gave Meredyth ap Madoc a Captainship for his service Reginald Grey took it from him neither could he get any remedy at the Kings hand for the same 15. Item One of the Councel of the said Reginald Cynwric Vachan told us by mouth that as soon as the
King will provide as becometh their Estates and condition and to that the King is well enclined These are to be said to David Brother to Lhewelyn in secret A specious banishment First That if for the honour of God Juxta debitum crucis assumptae he will go to the holy land he shall be provided for according to his degree so that he do not return unless he be called by the King and we trust to intreat the King to provide for his child 2. And these things we tell our selves to the Welshmen that a great deal greater peril do hang over them then we told them by mouth when we were with them These things which we write seem grievous but it is a great deal more grievous to be oppressed with armes and finally to be rooted out because every day more and more their danger doth increase One of Jobs comforters 3. Item It is more hard to be alwayes in war in anguish of mind and danger of body alwayes sought and beseiged and so to dye in deadly sin and continual rancor and malice 4. Item We fear whereof we be sorry unless you do agree to peace we must certainly aggravate the sentence Ecclesiastical against you for your faults of the which you cannot excuse your selves whereas you shall find both grace and mercy if you will come to peace And send us your answer of these in writings To the most Reverend Father in Christ the Lord John by Gods grace Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of all England his Obedient Son Lhewelyn Prince of Wales and Lord of Snowdon sendeth greeting Most heartily with all Reverence and Honour we are content and ready holy Father as you have committed us to submit our selves unto the Kings grace so it be in that form that shall be safe and honest for us But because the form of submission contained in the Articles which were sent unto us is neither safe nor honest as we and our Councel do think at the which Articles all men do marvail tending rather to the destruction of us and our people then any security or honest dealing we may in no wise yield our assent unto it and if we should so do our Nobles and People would not agree to the same knowing the mischiefs and inconvenience that is like to ensue thereof Nevertheless we beseech your holy Father-hood that for the reformation of a decent honest and firm peace for the which you have taken so great pains you do circumspectly provide having respect unto the Articles which we send unto you in writing It is more honourable for the King more agreable to reason that we should hold our Lands in the County where we do dwell then that we should be dis-inherited and our Land given to other Men. Dated at Carth Celyn The Answer of the Welshmen First though the Lord the King will have no treaty of the four Cantreds the Lands that he gave to his Nobles The right of lands derived from Camber nor the Isle of Anglesey yet the Princes Councel will no peace be made unless treaty be had of them For that the four Cantreds be of the mere Tenure of the Prince whereas the Princes of Wales had more right since the time of Camber Son of Brute so that they be of the principality of VVales The confirmation of the which the Prince obtained by Otobanus the Popes Legate in England by the consent of the King and his Father As it doth appear by the Letters Patentes And more just and equal it is that our heirs do hold the said Cantreds of the King for mony The P. of Wales justly taxeth the K. of England and used service then the same to be given to strangers which abuse the people by force and power 2. All the Tenents of all the Cantreds of VVales altogether do say that they dare not submit themselves to the King to do his pleasure first for that the King kept neither covenant nor oath nor grant by charter from the beginning to the Prince or his people Secondly that the Kings men do cruelly exercise Tyranny towards the Church and Churchmen Thirdly that they be not bound to any such matter seeing they be the Princes Tenants who is ready to do used and accustomed service and to obey the King with and by the said service 3. To that which is said that the Prince should simply commit himself to the Kings will it is answered that none of us will dare come to the King for the cause aforesaid we altogether will not suffer our Prince to come in that manner 4. Item where the great Men of England would procure a provision of a 1000l per annum in England let it be answered that such provision is not to be accepted for it that is procured by them who go about to disinherit the Prince to have his Lands in VVales 5. Item The Prince ought not to dismiss his inheritance which his predecessours held in VVales since the time of Brutus and confirmed by the See Apostolick and to take lands in England where he knoweth neither tongue manners lawes nor customes wherein he shall be soon entrapped by his neighbours the Englishmen his old malicious enemies whereby he should lose land also 6. Item Seeing the King goeth about to deprive him of his ancient inheritance it is not like that he would suffer him to possesse Lands in England where he claimeth no right seeing that the Princes Lands in VVales of his own inheritance is but barren and untilled it is lesse like the King would suffer him to enjoy good fertile land in England 7. Item The Prince should give the King possession of Snowdon for ever Let it be answered that seeing that Snowdon is of the appurtenances of the principality of VVales which the Prince and his predecessours hold since the time of Brute His Councell will not suffer him to renounce that place and to take a place in England lesse due unto him 8. Item The people of Snowdon do say that although the prince would give the King possession of it yet they would never do homage to strangers of whose tongue Manners Lawes they should be ignorant for so they should be for ever Captives and as cruelly handled as the Cantreds have been by the Kings Bayliffs and other the Kings men handled more cruelly then Saracens as it doth well appear by the notes of their griefs which the men of the Cantreds sent to you holy Father These are to be Answered For David the Kings Brother When he is disposed to see the Holy Land will do it for Gods sake voluntarily not by such inforcement against his will for he intendeth not to go on pilgrimage in that sort because he knoweth enforced service not to please God and if he hereafter shall for devotion see the holy land that it is no cause for ever to disinherit his Ofspring but rather to reward them And for that neither the Prince nor his
Lords it hath had good store and of several families but none of them a Parliamentary Peer in reverence hereunto till these later times of late it hath given title both to Lord and Earl of two several families Viz. to these year 1564 1. Robert Dudley created Baron of Denbigh and Earl of Leicester Eliz. 6. Sept. 29. 1622. Or a lyon rampant quene fourche vert incensed Cules a cressent for difference William Viscount Fielding created Earl of Denbigh 20. Jac. Sept. 14. Master of the Wardrobe c. Arg. Or a Fess B. 3. Fusils or Lozenges Or. The Lordship of Ruthin continued in the possession of the Greyes untill the Reign of Hen. 7. George Grey Earl of Kent and Lord of Ruthin passed the same upon some bargain to the King There came at the same time with King Edward divers Gentlemen who grew afterwards to be men of great possessions in the County many of whose posterity continue to this day Rees ap Meredyth served the King in all these wars who did most hurt of all men and was in good hope of great preferment at the Kings hand whom after the overthrow of the Prince the King made Knight and fed with many fair and good words After that he and all other his Countrymen and Neighbours had submitted themselves to the Government of the King of England it hapned that the Lord Pain Tiptoft Warden of the Kings castles nigh unto Rees his Country and the Lord Allen Plucknet the Kings Steward in Wales called the said Rees as they did all other of the Country to the Kings Court whether he refused to come alledging his ancient priviledges and liberties with the Kings promises but the said Officers proceeded according to the law against him whereupon a great variance arose between the said Pain Tiptoft and the said Sir Rees ap Meredyth so that sundry Skermishes were fought betwixt them and men slain on both sides to the great disturbance of the Country The King hearing of these things being then beyond Sea wrote unto Rees Meredyth requiring him to keep the peace till his return At what time he promised to reform all things in due and reasonable order but Rees would not give over the enterprise which he had begun Whereupon the King sent to the Earl of Cornwall whom he had left his Lieutenant in the Realm during his absence to send an army of Men into Wales to withstand the disordered attempts of the said Rees who went into Wales himself and overthrew Rees his Castle at Drofolan but by undermining the walls of that Castle with the fall thereof the Baron Stafford and the Lord William de Monchency with many other Knights and Esquires were oppressed and brused to death Afterwards Robert Typtoft Lord Deputy of Wales gathered an army and meeting the said Rees after the slaughter of 4000. of his people discomfited and took him who about Michaelmas following at the Kings going into Scotland was had to York and there condemned and executed Not long after the King wanting money there was a great subsidy granted towards the maintainance of the war in France about levying of which there was much a do in several places but especially the Welshmen who were never wont to be acquainted with such contribution stormed against it so that they took one of their own Captains named Roger de Puelesdon who at the Kings command gathered the said subsidy and hanged him with divers others and afterwards beheaded the said Roger. Whereupon the King being sore offended for the death of the said Roger whom he greatly favoured and hearing that the VVelshmen began to stir against him in divers places for the VVestwales Men had chosen Maelgon Vachan for their Captain and destroyed all Caerdigan and Pembrock and returned with spoiles They of Glamorgan and the Southparts took one named Morgan for their leader and driving the Earl of Glocester out of the Country they restored to the said Morgan again the possessions which the Ancestors of the said Earl by force and great wrong had taken from the said Morgans Predecessours The Northwales men had set upon Madoc being of the kindred of the last Lhewelyn who gathering a great power came to Caernarvon and slew a great number of Englishmen which were come thither to the Fair and spoiled the whole Town then I say the King called back his brother Edmund Earl of Lancaster and Henry Lacy Earl of Lincolne and John Lord Denbigh who had an army ready to pass into Gascoyne The remnant of the Welsh foyle the English These Earls came towards Northwales and as they approached neer unto the castle of Denbigh upon St. Martins day the VVelshmen with great force encountered them and giving them battail drove them back and discomfited their people Upon this ungratefull newes the King himself came into VVales and there kept his Christmas at Aberconwey where Robert VVinchesey Archbishop of Canterbury came unto him and did him homage and then returned home the King as he passed further into the country lost much of his carriages which the Welshmen took being loaden with victualls and provision for the army so that the King and his people endured great penury and were constrained to drink water mixt with hony and eat very gross and course meat where he was very like to have been distressed had not the other part of his army come to him in time While the King remained in Snowdon the Earl of Warwick hearing that a great number of Welshmen were assembled together and lodged in a vally betwixt two woods chose out a company of horsemen with certain cross-bowes and archers and coming upon the Welshmen in the night compassed them round about who pitching the ends of their spears and turning the points against their Enemies stood at defence so to keep off the horsemen But the Earl having placed his battail so that betwixt every two horsemen there stood a crossbow a great part of the Welshmen who stood at defence in manner aforesaid with their spears were overthrown and broken with the shot of the quarrells and then the Earl charged the residue with a troop of horsemen and bare them down with such slaughter as they had not sustained the like losse of people as was thought at any time before After this the King builded a strong Castle within the Isle of Anglesey and called the same Beaumarish and so setting all in quietness and punishing such as had put to death Roger de Puelesdon he returned home with his army Madoc victorious against the Lord Strange of Knooking and the Marchers but Madoc within a while after levying an army came to Oswestred where the people yielded unto him and meeting with the Lord Strange with a company of Marchers not far from Knooking overthrew him and spoiled his Country miserably and shortly after he gave the Marchers another overthrow But for all that the Lords Marchers nothing dismayd at this mischance gathered new forces and met Madoc as he
was coming towards Shrewsbury upon the hills of Cefn Digolh not far from Caurus Castle where after a long fight Madoc was taken and his men discomfited and put to flight Then he was sent to the Tower of London there to remain in perpetuall prison Some there be who affirm that Madoc was not taken but rather after many adventures and sundry conflicts when the VVelshmen were brought into great extremity the said Madoc came in and submitted himself to the Kings peace and was received upon condition that he should pursue Morgan till he had taken him and brought him to the Kings prison which was done and so all things were quieted and many hostages of the chiefest Nobility of Wales were delivered to the King who sent them to divers Castles of England where they were safely kept almost to the end of the wars which followed in Scotland In the 29th year of K. Edw. 1. Edw. Prince of Wales came to Chester where he received the homage of the Free-holders of Wales as Henry Earl of Lancaster did homage and fealty for Monmoth Regynald Grey for Ruthyn Fulk Fitz Waren for his lands in Wales The Lord William Martin for his lands in Cemais Roger Mortimer for his lands in Wales Henry Lacy Earl of Lincolne for the land of Ros and Ryveneoc in Wales Robert Lord Montalt for his land in Wales Gruffith Lord of Poole for the Lordship of Powis Sr. Gruffith Lhoyd Knight Tuder ap Grono of Anglesey Madoc ap Tuder Archdeacon of Angelsey Eneon ap Howel of Caernarvon Tuder ap Gruffith Lhewelyn ap Edninet Gruffith Vachan the Son of Gruffith ap Jorwerth Madoc Vachan d'Englefield Lhewelyn Bishop of St. Asaph Mr. Richard de Pnelesdon this man as appeareth by the Records in the Tower was made Sheriff of Caernarvonshire during his life with the stipend of 40 l. staring yearly Anno. 12. Ed. 1. Gruffith ap Tuder Ithel Vachan Ithel ah Blethyn c. The Lord Richard Sutton Baron of Malpas did homage and fealty to Edward Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester for the said Barony of Malpas apud Ruthlan 27. die Aprilis Anno supradicto Aniamis or Eneon Bishop of Bangor and David Abbot of Maynan did homage and fealty to the said Edward Prince of Wales apud Conwey 28. April An. sup dict Lewis de Felton the son of Richard de Felton did homage and fealty to Prince Edward for the Lands which the said Richard held of the Prince in Maelor Saesneg John Earl Warren did homage and fealty to Edward Prince of Wales in the Chappel of the Lord John de Kerby sometime Bishop of Ely at London 25. die Julii Anno. 30. Ed. 1. for the Lordships of Bromfield and Yale The same John Earl Warren swore fealty unto the said Ed. P. of Wales for the lands in Hopedale The Lord Edmund Mortimer the 6th day of November an 30. Ed. 1. in the house of the Bishop of Ely at London did homage and fealty to Edward P. of Wales before his Councel for his lands in Cery and Cydewen About the year 1322. one Sr. Gruffith Lhoyd Knight gathered a great number of Welshmen and took divers Castles in Wales which were kept by the people of the Lord Mortimer the Elder he took also the Castles of Mould Chirk c. The keepers whereof coming to P. Edward at Shrewsbury who then was King of England submitted themselves to him and were shortly after sent to the Tower of London year 1822 This Edward of Carnarvon was known by the name of Edward the second King of England living in a turbulent time between him and his Barons was after deposed for his ill Government and came to a violent death in the Castle of Berkeley nevertheless in his life time he created his son P. of Wales Hol. p. 863. Edward of Windsor The same year being the 15. of K. Ed. the second Edward de Windesore the Kings Eldest Son was in a Parliament holden at York created Prince of Wales and Duke of Aquitane Edward of Woodstock surnamed the Black Prince Mr. Mills ut ante Edward born at Woodstock Son and Heir to King Edward was created Prince of Wales 12. of May anno 17. Ed. patris when he was fourteen years of age who in time grew to be the flower of Chivalry of all Europe he took John the French King prisoner at the battail of Poyteirs and dyed his Father yet living the eighth of July in the 46. year of his age and the 50. of his Fathers Reign a Prince of such excellent demeanour so valiant wise and politick in his actions that the very and perfect representation of Knighthood appeared most lively in his person for such was his towardness or rather perfection in Princely Government that if he had lived and attained the crown every man Judged that he would surely have exceeded all his predecessors Sr. John Dodridge fol. 6. Edward the third saith Judge Dodrige at a Parliament holden at Westminster 15. regni created Edward his eldest Son Ex. harta creationis in Parliamento a. 15. Ed. 3. surnamed the black Prince Prince of Wales being then of tender years and invested him in the said principality with these ensignes of honour as in the Charter is contained Per sertum in Capite anulum in digito aureum virgam argenteam juxta morem by a Chaplet of gold made in manner of a garland for so the word sertum importeth by a gold ring set on his finger and by a Verge rod and Scepter of silver howbeit in the investure of succeeding Princes this Rod or Scepter as appeareth by the Charters of their several Creations was changed into a Verge of gold The said King for the better maintainance of the said Prince his Son in honourable support according to such his State and dignity gave unto him by his Charter Dated 12. of May in the 17. year of his Reign of England and in the 4. year of his reign of France and inrolled in the Exchequer in the Term of St. Hillary in the 18. year of the said King Edward the Third the said principality and the mannors Lordships Castles and land ensuing to appertain to the said principality Viz. All his lands and Lordships in Northwales Westwales and Southwales 1. The Lordship Castle Town and County of Caernarvon 2. The Lordship Castle and Town of Convey 3. The Lordship Castle and Town of Crucketh 4. The Lordship Castle and Town of Beaumarish 5. The Lordship Castle and Town of Hardlagh 6. The Lordship Castle and Townes and Counties of Anglesey and Merioneth 7. The Lordship Castle and Town and County of Caermaden 8. The Lordship Castle and Town of Lampader vawr 9. The Lordship and Stewardship of Canter mawr 10. The Lordship Castle Town and County of Cardigan 11. The Lordship Castle and Town of Emelyn 12. The Lordship Castle and Town of Buelht 13. The Lordship Castle and Town of Hâ—verford 14. The Lordship Castle and Town of Montgomery
the said Prince should accomplish the age of 14. years which was performed by them accordingly in all leases dispositions and grants of the revenues of the said prince The said K. Edw. by another Charter composed in English and bearing date 10 of Novem. 13o. regni appointed the said E. Rivers being brother unto the Queen to be governour of the person of the said prince and to have the education and institution of him in all vertues worthy his birth and to have the government and direction of his servants King Edward the fourth having reigned full 22. years left this mortal life 24. regni at VVestminster and was enterred at VVindsor Edward his Son and Heir then being at Ludlow neer the Marches of Wales for the better ordering of the Welsh under the Government of the Lord Rivers his Unkle on the Mothers side and upon the death of his Father drawing towards London to prepare for his Coronation fell into the hands of his Unkle by the Fathers side Richard D. of Glocester and the said Lord Rivers being upon his way to London Dulce vennum regnum was intercepted and lost his head at Pomfret for what cause I know not other then this that he was thought to be too great an obstacle between a thirsty Tyrannous desire and the thing that was so thirstily and Tyrannously desired Edward the 5. King of England for so he was although he enjoyed it not long being thus surprised under the power of his natural or rather most unnatural Unkle and mortal enemy was brought to London with great solemnity and pompe and with great applause of the People flocking about to behold his person as the manner of the English Nation is to do whose new joyes cannot endure to be fettered with any bonds His said Unkle calling himself Protector of the King and his realm but indeed was a wolfe to whom the lamb was committed for having thus surprised the Kings person he laboured by all means to get into his possession also the younger brother being D. of Yorke knowing that they both being sundered Vindex nocentes sequitur a tergo Deus the safety of the younger would be a means to preserve the elder and therefore by all sinister perswasions and fair pretences having obtained the younger D. from his mother the King and the D. both for a time remained in the Tower of London Ed. v. upon his return to England and there shortly after both in one bed were in the night smothered to death and buried in an obscure and secret place unknown how or where untill one of the Executioners thereof after many years being condemned to dye for many other his manifold crimes confessed also his guilty fact in this tragical business and the circumstance thereof of which by reason of the secresie and incertainty divers had before diversly conjectured And by this means all for the Coronation of Innocent Edward served the turn to set the Crown upon the head of Tyrannous Richard Out of which by the way I cannot but observe how hatefull a bloody hand is to Almighty God the King of Kings who revenged the bloodshed of those civil broyles whereof Edward the Father had been the occasion and the breach of his oath upon these his two Innocent Infants Edward Son of Richard III. This Tyrant and stain of the English story Inter warr ad magnum sigillum in Cancellaria Henricus rosas Richard D. of Glocester usurped the Kingdom by the name of Richard the third and became King yet as our Records of Law witness de facto non de jure and in the first year of his reign created Edward his son being a child of ten years of age Prince of Wales Lieutenant of the Realm of Ireland But for that the prosperity of the wicked is but as the florishing of a green tree which whiles man passes by is blasted dead at the roots and his place knoweth it no more so shortly afterwards God raised up Hen. Earl of Richmond the next heir of the house of Lancaster to execute justice upon that unnatural and bloody Usurper and cast him that had been the rod of Gods Judgment upon others into the fire also for in the third year of his reign at the battail of Bosworth whereunto the said Richard entered in the morning crowned with all Kingly pomp he was slain and his naked carkass with as much despight as could be devised was carried out thereof at night and the said Henry Earle of Richmond the Solomon of England Reigned in his stead by the name of King Henry the Seventh Arthur Son of K. Henry VII Henry the VII took to wife Elizabeth the eldest daughter and after the death of her brothers the Relict heir of King Edward IV. by which marriage all occasions of contention between those two noble Families of York and Lancaster were taken away and utterly quenched and the red Rose joyned with the white The said K. Henry the seventh by his letters patents dated the first day of December 5. regni created Arthur his Eldest son heir apparent being then about the age of three years Prince of Wales But before we proceed any further treating of the Princes of Wales let us consider from whence this Arthur descended and admire the goodnesse and providence of the highest and great God towards the VVelsh nation to bring the honour and principality to one descended of the Ancient Welsh or British blood I will bring the pedegree ascendent the noble Prince Arthur was son to Henry the VII Arthur The King of England from the Welsh blood first thus Henry VII Elizabeth Eldest Daughter to K. Edward IV. Edmund Earle of Richmond Margaret Daughter and Heir to John Duke of Somerset Sr. Owen Tudor Katherine Queen Dowager to K. Henry the V. Meredyth son to Tudor Tudor son to Grono Grono son to Tudyr Tudyr son to Grono Grono son to Ednivet Ednivet Vachan married Gwenlhian daughter to Rees Prince of Southwales Gruffith King of Southwales Rees ap Tudyr King of Southwales Whose Armes were Gules a Lyon Ramp within a border indented Or. I could deduce this family from several English matches as Holland Tuckets Norris but I should be too prolix and seem to exspaciate beyond my bounds and therefore I will return to our Prince of whom we now speak Dodridge fol. 28. Also there was a Charter of the Grant of the Lands of the said principality Earledom of Chester and Flint dated the 20 of February in the said fift year of the said King made unto the said Prince The said King Henry the VII by his Charter bearing date the 20. day of March in the eight year of his reign did constitute and appoint the said Prince Arthur to be his Justice in the County of Salop Inter war ad magnum sigillvm in Cancellaria Hereford Glocester and the Marches of Wales adjoyning to the said Shires to enquire of all liberties priviledges and
contracted and intermingled by the daily commerce of the English some out of Caesar will infer a consequence that the Gallic and Brittish language were the same when he saith Gallis in more positum ut qui Druidum disciplinam diligentius cognoscere vellent in adversam Britanniam ad Druides proficiscerentur quod eis nihil profuisset nisi idem his cum illis fuisset sermo cum Druides libris non uterentur sed omnia viva voce explicarent but this signifies little to perswade that the language of these two Nations was the same for the language in which the Druides taught their mysteries was that of Greece Carmina multa millia interdum viginti annorum studio cogebantur ediscere qui eorum disciplinae se tradidissent quae Graeca fuisse non temere quis conjecerit so that the inference is that those of Gallia learned from the Brittish Druides the use and speech of the Greek tongue only It is no sufficient proofe to alledge that the continent was first inhabited and that from thence the Islands took their language for it is very probable that some Islands as being the most safe and securest places were even with the first inhabited VVhich Theophilus seems to intimate concerning Brittain and sacred writ tells us that the Islands towards the North were allotted to the off-spring of Japhet amongst which some learned Authors place Brittain Those who endeavour to make good that the Brittains borrowed their language from the Latines let them stop their mouths with this Prisca Italiae lingua sub priscis Italiae regibus quicunque fuerint usurpata Doricae similis fuisse dicitur ejusque initio magna fuit stirilitas quae a poetis Eunio Plauto Pacuvio aliis ab Histiorographis maxime ab Oratoribus detersa est facta a vicinis mutuatione vel novis excogitatis vocibus And again sed veteres Latini summa linguae inopia laborantes tum ob aliorum populorum in jus civitatis admissorum linguis infinita sumpsisse dicuntur tum maxime a Graecis Etruscis quos Aramaea vel Syriaca olim usos credunt voces Latinas quae hodie habentur non errarit si quis censeat esse Tuscae originis So that we see the Latines more fit to borrow then to lend some may say that many Brittish words sound Latin like t is true Est natura hominum novitatis avida The Brittains call that Rhoud which the Latines call Rota in English a wheel not that they wanted a significant word in their own language for they have two Troel and Olwyn they call that Porth which the Romans call Portam yet can they if they please call it as properly Moreb As for their borrowing words from the Greeks the like reason may be given Moreover Bladud when he went to Athens to apply himself to the study of Philosophy at his return brought with him many learned Graecian Philosophers who being conversant with the Druides communicating with them in points of doctrinalls many greek words might become familiar with the Brittains The most constant opinion is that before the confusion of Babel the Hebrew was the sole and only language and in that grand confusion the Brittish questionless was one probably used in Phrigia where Troy stood and from thence conveyed unto this our Island There was a People in Italy in those places which we now call Calabria and Naples called Brutii from the name of Brutus whose nomenclation and language differed very little from that of the Ancient Brittains this people after the destruction of Troy was brought into Italy by Nestor where the Pylians built a City called Metapontus the Brutii built another naming it Nova Troja after by the Tarentines call'd Heraclea So our Brittains in this our Island built Troy Novant now London both taking their name from Brutus and both having the like affection to the memory of old Troy As concerning Brutus his coming hither having more at large spoken of it in the ensuing History I will only here insert this out of our own records In the time of King Edward I. at Lincolne where held a Parliament after much diligent search of Antiquities and due examination as the greatest matter of right of a Kingdom required Apologitical letters were sent to the Pope of Rome sealed with an hundred seals and witnesses thus Rex Angliae ex deliberato concilio apud Lincolniam convocato pro jure suo declarando literam hujus tenoris rescripsit centum sigillis signatam wherein is declared and justified that in the time of Hely and Samuel the Prophet Brutus a Trojan landed here and by his own name called the Country Britannia before named Albion De nomine suo Britanniam sociosque suos Britones appellavit and having three Sons Locrinus Albanactus and Camber at his death devided the Island into three parts or provinces Loegria now England though VVelsh keep the old name was given to Locrinus the eldest Son Albania Scotland to Albanact the second Son Cambria now miscalled Wales to Camber his third Son Locrino primogenito dedit illam partem quae quondam Loegria nunc vero Anglia nominatur Albanacto filio Secundo dedit Albaniam quae nunc Scotia Vocitatur Cambrio vero tertio filio dedit Cambriam quae wallia appellatur reservata Locrino regia dignitate this conjecture may suffice for this business it being testified by so many Domesticall and forrain private and publick witnesses that this his tripartite division was here from the begining and the first name of Brittain given by Brutus Other remarkable things might have been added to this History as that of St. Winefreds well and many more note worthy which I leave to other pens who happily may write the descriptions of each County in particular as God willing I do speedily intend to publish that of Monmothshire had I been near the press to have perused every sheet as it past I would have affixed an Alphabetical index at the end of this work of all memorable passages but I intreat the courteous Reader to accept in good part my weak endeavours and what Errata's he shall find not mended by the Printer to dash them lightly with his quill and not impute them to me who desire to be esteemed by all From my Chamber at Lantarnam in Monmothshire 16. of May 1661. Their faithful friend and Servant PERCY ENDERBIE THE ANCIENT AND MODERN BRITTISH and WELSH HISTORY Beginning with BRVTE and continued untill KING CHARLES the First The First Part. THe state of every Kingdom well managed by prudent government seems to represent a humane body guided by the soveraignty of a reasonable soul the Country and the Land representing the one the Actions and State-affairs the other The Island of Great Brittaine containeth the Kingdoms of England and Scotland and is of many counted the greatest Island in the world though Justus Lipsius gives that praise to Cuba in America as the Oriental Navigators unto Sumatra taken from Ptolomey's
Co-heir to Randolph Blundevill her Brother John Fitz Alan Lord of Clun and Owalstre two Lordships in Wales Isabell D. and Coh after the death of her brothers William and Hugh to William de Albeneio or Albany Richard Fitz Alan Grandchild to John 1. E. of Arundel of that Name Alizan D. to the Marquesse of Sluce in Italy Edmund Fitz Alan E. of Arundell Alice D. of William and Sister and Co-h. of John E. Warren and Surrey Richard Fitz Alan E. of Arundel c. Lord of Yale Bromfield Chirkland and Dinas Bran in Northwales Elinor D. to Henry Plantagenet E. of Lancaster Richard E. of Arundell c. Eliza. D. to William de Bohun E. of Northampton Thomas E. of Arundell c. Beatrix base D. to John King of Portugall Thomus E. of Arundell c. sans Issue so the Lands of the Earldome of Surrey were divided betwixt the Sisters and the Earldome of Arundell fell to John Fitz Alan being entailed John Fitz Alan E. of Arundell Knight of the Garter great Grand-child to John Maud. D. and H. of Robert Lovell and Eliz. his wife D. and Co-h. to Sir Guy Bryan To John Fitz Alan and Elinor his wife sister and Coh of Henry Lord Maltravers Humphrey Earle of Arundell sans Issue William Fitz Alan Uncle and Heir to Humphrey Margaret D. of Richard Woodvile E. Rivers Sister and Co-h. to E. Rich. her Brother William Fitz Alan Earl of Arundell Ame D. of Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland by which Match this Honourable Family also descends from the Welsh Line as in that Pedegree shall appear Henry Lord Maltravers sans Issue Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke Mary D. and Co-h. of Henry Fitz Alan Earl of Arundell Philip Howard eldest Son of D. Thomas did assume the Name and Title of Earl of Arundell Anne D. of Thomas Lord Dacres of Gilestand and Sister and H. of George Lord Dacres Thomas Howard Earl of Arundell Alathen D. and Co-h. and at last sole H. to Gilbert Talbot E. of Shrewsbury by which Match the Honourable Family descends from the Welsh Line as in its proper place shall appear Henry Earl of Arundell c. Eliz. D. to Elsme Stewart D. of Lennox by which Match this House again springs from the Welsh blood as the Princely Line of the Stewarts do shew Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke Henry Howard second Son Heir apparent Anne Daughter to Edward Marquesse and Earl of Worcester c. by which Conjunction the Welsh Alliance is strengthned NORFOLK is the greatest County of England next to Yorkshire but far more populous then that as comprehending in the whole 660 Parish Churches of which 27 are Market Townes The soyl according to the variety of places is of different nature some fat rank and full of moisture in others very light and sandy yet so that one contributing to the other and the Sea giving help to both it is a very plentifull County for Corn Sheep and Fish It is observed by a great Antiquary of this Kingdome that in this County are 100 Families of ancient Gentry were never attainted of High Treason The Dukes and Earls of Norfolke have been as followeth year 1070 1070. 1 Ralph de Ware Earl of Norfolk 2 Hugh Bigot 3 Roger Bigot 4 Hugh Bigot 5 Roger Bigot 6 Roger Bigot 7 Thomas de Brotherton Son of K. Edw. 1. E. of Norfolk 8 Margaret Daughter of Thomas de Brotherton Duch. of Norfolk 9 Thomas Lord Mowbrey Son of Marg. D. of Norfolke Duke of Norfolk 10 John Mowbrey D. 11 John Mowbrey D. 12 John Mowbrey D. 13 Richard D. of York and Norfolk 14 John Lord Howard Descended from the Lady Marg. Daughter to Thomas Duke of Norfolk 15 Thomas Howard D. Lord Treasurer and Admirall 16 Thomas Howard D. L. Treas 17 Thomas Howard D. of Norfolk 18. Thomas Howard D. of Norfolk 1660. The Duke of Somerset THis Honourable Family hath been Seated formerly in Wales whose Habitation was Penhow in Monmouthshire where I find their Arms cut in stone and depicted in glasse in the Church Windows which Church was Dedicated to St. Maurus from which Name questionlesse that illustrious Family took the Name De S to Mauro and yet to this day there is a Piece of Ground called Park Seymour and to confirm this I judge it not amisse to shew you parcel of an ancient Record The Saturday after the Feast of St. Michael in the full Court of Strigull in the 55. year of Hen. the Son of K. John before William de Walste then Steward of Strigull who ought to have House Bote and Hey-bote in Wentwood The JVRY The Abbot of Tynterne the Prior of Strigull Lord Robertson of Pagan William Bloet William Denford of Creeke Richard de More Robert de St. Maure Bartholomew of More Knights Matthew Denbane Robert de More and John Morbell who say in their Faith that William Lord Bloet ought to have to his House at Langston House Bote by complaint or request Lord William de St. Maure to his House or Castle of Penhow by the same means c. Henry Gray Marquess Dorset and Duke of Suffolk Descended from Sir John Gray Kt. Lord Powis who married Jane Daughter and one of the Heirs of Edward Charleton Lord Powis Son of John of another John Charleton who married Hawis Daugh. and sole Heir of Howel ap Griffith lineally descended from the Princes of Powis Frances D. and Co-h. to Charles Brandon D. of Suffolk and Queen Mary D. to Hen. 7. who by Owen Tudor descended lineally from the Princes of Southwales and from Rees ap Tewdor King of Demetia who died 1090. and was buried at St. Davids Edward de S to Manro Earl of Hertford Joan D. to L. Hen. Piercy E. of Northumberland by which Match this Family is the 3. time descended from Wales Edward Seymour E. of Hertford and Duke of Somerset Katharine D. to Henry Grey and Frances D. and Co-h. to Charles Brandon D. of Suffolk and Mary Queen of France William Seymor Duke of Somerset who married Sister and Co-heir to Robert Earle of Essex Seymor Lord Beauchampe Daughter to the Lord Capell that Loyall and Heroick Spirit who lost his life on the Kings behalf SEYMOR now DUKE of SOMERSET 1660. Somersetshire is a Country of a fertile Soyl both for Corn and Pasture exceeding populous as comprehending in the whole 385 Parish-Churches whereof 33 are Market Towns and furnished also with commodious Havens for Trade and Traffick in the parts towards Wilts it is hilly and stony which places about Mendip especially afford rich veins of Lead the rest of the Country is very fertile abounding with rich Meadows and Pastures it hath formerly been known by the name of Somertonshire but now it is ordinarily called Somersetshire by which name it hath given the Honorary Title of Dukes and Earles of Somerset 1 William de Mohun E. 2 William Longespe E. of Salisbury and Somerset 3 Reynald de Mohun 4 John Beauford eldest Son of John of Gaunt by his 3. wife
this place by the Brittains we have already spoken Conon of Meriadoc now Denbighland in the year of Grace 384. was the first Prince of the Brittish blood in Armorica or Little Brittain the second was 2. Graldonus 3. Solomon I. The names of the Kings of little Brittain 4. Auldranus 5. Budicus I. 6. Howellus Magnus This Howel was with King Arthur in his wars 7. Howellus II. 8. Alanus I. 9. Howellus III. 10. Gilquellus 11. Solomon II. 12. Alanus II. Of whom mentions is made in this place who descended of a daughter of Rune the son of Mailgon Gwyneth King of Great Brittain who was married to the forenamed Howel II King of Little Brittain 13. Conobertus 14. Budicus II. 15. Theodoricus 16. Rualhonus 17. Daniel Dremrost i. e. with the red face 18. Aregstanus 19. Maconus 20. Neomenius 21. Haruspagius 22. Solomon III Who was slain by his own men and then was that Kingdom turned into an Earldom whereof Alen was the first Earl who valiantly resisted the Normans and vanquished them oft at last it was a Dukedom Cadwallader bein in Brittain was certified that a great number of strangers as Saxons Angles and Juthes had arrived in great Brittain and finding it desolate and without inhabitants saving a few Saxons who had called them in and certain poor Brittains who lived by roots in Rocks and Woods had overrun a great part thereof and dividing it into Territories and Kingdomes inhabited that part which was then and yet at this day by the Welsh who are the ancient Brittains called Lhoyger and in English England with all the Cities Townes Castles and Villages which the Brittains had builded ruled and inhabited by the space of 1827. years under divers Kings and Princes of great renown whereupon he purposed to return and by strength of Brittish Knights to recover his own Land again After he had prepared and made ready his Navy for the transporting of his own men with such succours as he had found at Alan's hand an Angel appeared to him in a Vision and declared that it was the will of God that he should not take his voyage towards Brittain but to Rome to Pope Sergius where he should end his life and be afterwards numbred among the blessed Which vision after that Cadwallader had declared to his friend Alan he sent for all his books of prophesies as the works of both Merdhines or Merlins to wit Ambrose and Sylvester surnamed Merdhin Wylht and the words which the Eagle spoke at the building of Caer Septon to be now come whereof they had prophesied To this very day the Welsh the very real ofspring of the Brittains are much addicted unto prophesies and so confident that out of their old books I know some my self and those of good quality they doubt not to tell you things to come but those prophesies are never discerned to have come to pass till it be too late as in Ragland Castle in Monmothshire and others which it concerns me not to speak of Alan upon the relation of Cadwallader his vision or dream counselled him to fullfil the will of God who did so and taking his journey to Rome lived there eight years in the service of God and dyed in the year of Christ 688. So that the Brittains ruled this Isle with the out-Isles of Wight Mon in English called Anglesey Manaw in English Man Orkney and Ewyst 1137. years before Christ until the year of his Incarnation 688. and thus ended the rule of the Brittains over the whole Isle This glorious King bore for his armes Azure a crosse firmie fitched Or. He slew Lothayre King of Kent and Aethelwald King of the South Saxons Ivor the son of Alan After Cadwallader had taken his journey towards Rome Gerard Leigh in his accidence of armory fol. 33. leaving his son named Edwal the Roo and his people with his Cousin Alan which Alan taking courage to him and not despairing of the conquest of Brittain manned his ships as well with a great number of his own people as with those which Cadwallader had brought with him and appointed Ivor his son and Inyr his Nephew to be leaders and chieftains of the same who sailing over the narrow seas landed in the West parts of Brittain of whose arrival when the Saxons were certified they gathered a great Army and gave Ivor battail where they were put to flight and lost a great number of their people and Ivor wan the Countries of Cornwall Devonshire and Somersetshire and peopled them with Brittains Whereupon Kentwinus King of West-Sex gathered a great number of Saxons and Angles together and came against the Brittains which were ready to abide the battail and as the armies were both in sight they were not very desirous to fight but fell to a composition and agreement that Ivor should take Ethelburga to wife who was Cofin to Kentwin and quietly enjoy all that he had during the reign of Ivor This Ivor is he whom our English Chronicles call Ive or Jew King of West Saxons H. Lhoyd that reigned after Cedwel and they say that he was a Saxon for Kentwin reigned full five years after Ivors coming into England and after him his Nephew Cedwel who after he had reigned over the west Saxons two years went to Rome and left his Kingdom to Ive his Cousin This Ive or Ivor whom the Brittains call the son of Alan and the Saxons the son of Kenred being King of the Saxons and Brittains which inhabited the West parts of Brittain after many victories atchived against the Kings of Kent Southsex and Mercia left his Kingdome to Adelred or as some call him Adelerdus his Cousin and took his journey to Rome where he made a godly end about the year of our Lord seven hundred and twenty Roderike or Rodri the Son of Edwal Yworch Roderike over the Brittains began his reign Anno. 720. against whom Adelred King of the West Saxons raised a great Army and destroying the Country of Devonshire The Brittains victorious against the Saxons in three battails entered Cornwall where Roderike with the Brittains gave him battail in with the Brittains had the victory over the Saxons the year after the Brittains obtained two other victories over the Saxons one in Northwales at a place called Garth Maelawc and an other in Southwales at Pencoed At this time Belin the Son of Elphin a noble Man among the Brittains died Ethelbaldus King of Mercia desirous to annex the fertile soil of the Country lying between Severn and Wye to his own Kingdom gathered an Army and entered into Wales A battail near Abergevenny and destroying all before him he came to the Mountain Carno not far from Abergevenny where a sore battail was fought between him and the Brittains Anno seven hundred twenty eight This Mercian King called to his aid Adelard King of the West Saxons and gave battail to the Brittains where after a long and terrible conflict he obtained a bloody victory
Snowden hills and seised into his hands the Country of Rhyvonioc in Denbighshire About this time there was a great battail fought in Anglesey called the battail of Lhanvaes In this year being the 819. ab incarnatione 819. Kenulph King of Mercia destroyed West VVales and the Summer following he overcame Powis land and did much hurt and after died and Kenelme reigned in his place About the same year also Howel King of Man died much about this time 828. a great battail was fought at a place called Gavelford betwixt the Brittains and the VVest Saxons of Devonshire and many thousands cruelly slain upon either side the victory being uncertain In or about the year 836. the Danes landed in VVest VVales and so passing through VVales into England with many of the Brittains which joyned with them against Egbert but they were all overthrown by Egbert at Hengistdown who died the year following In the year 841. died Edwalhan a noble man of Wales And two years after was the battail of Kettel betwixt Burchard King of Mercia and the Brittans where in as some do write 841. Mervin Vrich King of the Brittains was slain leaving behind him a son called Rodri Maur that is to say Roderick the great from Rodri by his son Anarawd who bore for his arms Or three Lyons passant Gules Mervin whose coate was Or a Lyon rampant Gules and Cadel who took for his armes Gules a Lyon Ramp within a border engraled Or the worshipful and flourishing families of the Morgans in Monmothshire who to this day quarter the two last coats by matches and coheirs are rightly descended of which line William Morgan of Lantarnam Esq who marryed Lady Frances daughter to the Earl of VVorcester derived his pedegree leaving issue Sr Edward Morgan first Baronet of that linage father to Sr. Edward Morgan Baronet now living Henry Morgan and Winefred Wife to Percy Enderbid Compiler of this book Roderike the Great Roderike the great began his reign over VVales the year after Christ his incarnation 843. This Prince divided all VVales into the three territories of Aberstraw Dinivour The description of Wales by Sr. John Price Kt and Hump. Lhoyd Gent. and Mathraval But before we proceed any further be pleased to read over the description of Cambria now called VVales drawn first by Sir John Price Knight and afterwards augmented and made perfect by Humphrey Lhoyd Gent. Forasmuch as it is necessary for the understanding of the VVelsh history to know the perfect description of the Country of VVales to the end the acts atchieved and done may the better be known I thought good somewhat to travail therein and so to lay down the same as it was in those daies and as it is now that the Reader may by conference of both times the better understand both what hath passed from the time of Cadwalader and what hereafter is to ensue Therefore after the three Sons of Brutus had divided the whole Isle of Brittain into three parts that part contained within the French Seas with the Rivers of Severn called in Brittish Hafern Dee and Humber fell to the eldest Son Locrinus which was after his name called Lhoyger which name it hath in the Brittish Tongue to this day but in English called England and is augmented Northward to the River Tweed The second Son or as some say the third Albanactus had all the Land Northward from Humber to the Sea Orkney called in the Brittish Tongue Norweryth and in Latine Mare Calidonium The third Son Camber or rather the second had for his part that remained undivided lying within the Spanish and Irish Seas and separated from England by the Rivers Severn Dee part was after his name called Cambria and the Inhabitants thereof Cambri and their Language Camberaec and so are at this day so that they have kept the same Countrey and Language this 2690. years and above saith this Authour when that Chronicle was printed which bears no date without commixtion with any other Nation especially in North Wales And because the name of the Country is changed or rather mistaken by the inhabitants of England and not by them called Cambry but Wales I think it necessary to declare the occasion thereof which is That whereas the Saxons a people of Germany were the first that after the Brittains inhabited and ruled the greatest part of this Island and drove the Brittains into that corner a which according to the manner of their countrey they called VVales Wales why so called and the countreymen VVelshmen and the Tongue VVelsh that is to say strange or not of them understood for at this day the Inhabitants of the Low-countreys call all their next Neighbours Language Henegaw or others that speak French VValsh as a Language to them unknown Likewise the Inhabitants of Tyroll and other the higher countryes of Germany do name the Italian their next Neighbour a VValshman and his language VValsh And this is an evident proof that they which harped upon a Queen Gwallaes Not from Queen Gwalaes Nor from Prince Wala and of a Prince VValla of whom neither Brittish Latine or English History makes mention were fouly deceived and so likewise was a great Historiographer of late daies who saith that it was called VValia quasi Italia because the rest of the Romanes which remained in the Isle were driven thither Neither is this any new invention although Polidore Virgil with an Italian brag doth glory his self to be the first that found it out Polidore Virgil his brag for divers antient Writers do alledge the same cause of the name of VVales of whom Sylvester Giraldus is one who writ in the time of Henry the Second after the Conquest before 380 passed which is an evident token that the said Polidore Virgil did either never see it or at least not read the ancient Histories of this Kingdome or else dissembleth the same to the advancement and praise of himself and his countrey which to the learned and indifferent Reader shall appear to be the only occasion he took that work in hand Polidores jugling in his History for all his book redoundeth only to the praise and honour of the Romanes as well Spiritual as Temporal and to blaze forth their Acts and Deeds within this Realm and upon the other part he doth either openly slander or else privately extenuate or shamefully deny the Martial prowess and Noble Acts as well of Saxons Danes and Normans as of the Brittains all inhabiters of this Isle which thing he that lists to prove let him read and confer Caesars Commentaries Cornelius Tacitus Herodianus and other ancient Writers as well in Latine as in Greek with his works As for the Ancient Writers of the Brittish History as the Brittish Chronicle the History of Gildas Ponticus Virunnius yea the golden work of Matthew Paris Monk of Saint Alban who writ from William the Conquerour to the last year of Henry the Third I dare say he
never saw them they be in divers places to be had so that the Truth may be eastly proved To make an end I say that he being a stranger born as also ignorant in our Histories and in the Tongues and Languages wherein they were written Polidores ignorance the cause of many mens errours in History could never set forth a true and perfect Chronicle of the same but he having a good Grace and fluent Phrase in the Latine Tongue and finding himself in a countrey where every man either lacked Knowledge or a Spirit to set forth the History of their own country took this enterprize in hand to their great shame and no less dispraise because he a blinde leader should draw a great number of undiscreet and rash followers as well Geographers Cosmographers as Chroniclers Historiographers to the dark pit of Ignorance where I leave them at this time remitting the Reader to the Apology of Sir John Price Kt. and his Brittish History written by him on purpose against the envious Reports slandrous taunts of the said Polidore where he shall see a great number of his Errours confuted at large And to return to my former matter concerning the name of Wales which name to be given of late by a stranger Nation may be otherwise proved That which is now abusively called Welsh was the ancient Language of the first Brittains for the Welshmen themselves do not understand what these words Wales and Welsh do signifie nor know any other Name of their countrey or themselves but Cambry nor of their Language but Cambrae which is as much as to say as Cambers Language or Speec so likewise they know not what England or English meaneth but commonly they call the Countrey Lhogier the Englishmen Sayson and the English Tongue Saysonaec which is an evident token that this is the same Language which the Brittains spake at the beginning for the works of Merdhin and of Taliessin who wrote above 1000. years since are almost the same words which they use at this day or at the least easie to be understood by every one which knoweth perfectly the Welsh Tongue especially in North-Wales Besides this whereas at this day there do remain three Remnants of the Brittains divided every one from the other with the seas which are in Wales Cornwal called in British Cerniw little Brittain yet almost all the particular words of these three people are all one although in pronunciation writing of the sentences they differ somewhat which is no marvell seeing that the pronunciation in one realm is often so different that the one can scant understand the other But it is rather a wonder that the Welshmen being separated from the Cornish well nigh these 900 years and the Brittains from either of them * In this Authors time 290 before that and having small traffick or concourse together since that time have still kept their own Brittish tongue They are not therefore to be credited which deny the Welsh to be the old Brittish tongue And here I cannot passe over what one of the five Chroniclers writ of late of the name of Brittain affirming that it should be so called of Brittain in France as the elder of that name but sure he had either never seen Ptolomy nor Caesar nor any other ancient writer or read them with small judgment and memory for there he might have learned that when this land was called Brittain the other was called Armorica and how in Maximus time Conan Meriadoc was the first that gave it that name and inhabited it with Brittains out of this Isle other derivations of these words out of Greek and Latine I am ashamed to relate of which I have spoken formerly I will therefore returne to the description of Wales which was almost in old time compassed about with the Irish seas and the Rivers Dee and Severne although afterwards the Saxons wan by force from the Brittains all the plain as is already said and champion Countries over the rivers and specially Offa King of Mercia who made a ditch of great breadth and depth to be a Meare betwixt his Kingdom and Wales which ditch began at the river Dee by Basingwerk between Chester and Ruthlan and ran along the hills sides to the South sea a little from Britstol reaching above an hundred miles in length and is in many places to be seen at this day bearing the name of Clawdh Offa viz. Offa's ditch and the Country between it and England is commonly called in Welsh Y Mars although the greatest part of it be now inhabited by Welshmen namely in Northwales which yet keepeth the ancient limits to the River Dee and in some places over it Other as Sylvester Giraldus make the river Wy called in Welsh Guy to be a mear between England and Wales on the South part called South-VVales who measureth the breadth of VVales from Sallowe or VVillowford called Rhydyrhelig upon VVy to St. Davids in Menevia a 100 miles and the length from Caertheon upon Vsk in Gwentland to Holy head called Caergibi in Anglesey in Welsh called Môn above a 100 miles And these be the common mears at this day although the Welsh tongue is commonly used and spoken England-ward beyond these old mears a great way as in Herefordshire Glocestershire and a great part of Shropshire and thus for the general description of Wales which afterward about the year of Christ 870. Rodericus Magnus King of Wales divided it into three territories which he called Kingdoms which remained till of late dayes These three were Gwyneth Northwales Dehenbarth Southwales and Powis land in every of which he ordained a princely seat or Court for a Prince to remain at most commonly as in Gwyneth which some old writers call Venedocia Abersfraw for Gwinethia Abersfraw in the Isle of Môn or Anglesey In Deheuberth called in Latine Demetia ' Caermardhyn from whence it was afterwards removed to Dinevowr eight miles thence Dinevowr In Powis Penguerne called Y Mwythic and in English Shrewsbury Methraval from whence it was removed to Mtheraval in Powis land And because this history doth as well intreat of wars betwixt these three Provinces as betwixt them and the Saxons Normans and Flemmings I think good to set forth the particular description of every part by it self and first of Northwales as the chiefest part which he gave his Eldest Son Northwales ordering that either of the other two should pay him yearly 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 upon the Northside the Sea from the River Dee at Basingwerck to Aberdyni and upon the West and Southwest the river Dini which divideth it from Southwales and in some place from Powis land And on the South and East it is divided from Powis land sometimes by the mountains and sometimes with rivers till it come
to the River Dee again This land was of old time divided into four parts of which the chifest was Môn in English Anglesey Môn where the Princes chief house was at Abersfraw which is an Island separated from the mainland with an arme of the sea called Maenai and had in it self three Cantreds or hundreds which were subdivided into six Comots as Cantreff Abersfraw to comot Lhion and comot Malhtraeth Cantreff Cemais to the comots Talebolion and Tur Celyn An other absurd errour in Polidore Cantref Rossir to the comots Tindaethwy and Menai And at this day there is a trim town in that Island called Buemarish and a common passage to Ireland at Caergibi called in English Holy-head but here I cannot wink at that notable error of Polidore which after his accustomed fashion deemeth this Isle to be called not Môna but Anglesia or Anglorum Insula because it is called in English Anglesey and giveth this name Mona to Man and so hath lost the names of both Isles which ignorance and forgetfulness might be forgiven him if he had not drawn a great number to this errour with him which in their Charters do daily wrong-name these Isles which may be easily proved First because the Inhabitants of the Isle do know no other name but Môn and it is called through all VVales Tîr Môn that is to say the land of Môn unto this day so that neither by memory of Man neither by any Monument in writing in the British tongue can it appear that ever it had any other name but Môn yet there be manifest monuments for these 1000. years It is also grown to a proverb through VVales for the fertility of the ground Môn mam Gymry that is to say Môn mother of VVales The ancient history of Cornelius Tacitus which it seems age had beaten out of Polidors head saith that the Souldiers of Paulinus Suetonius and after of Julius Agricola after they had passed through Northwales then came over against Mona where they did swim over an arme of the sea 200. paces and so by force wan the Isle Now whether is it more reasonable thus to swim over 200 paces or 20 miles I know there are many believe Polidor in this point let all men therefore by this judge the rest As for that which he saith of the great woods Môn the seat of the superstitious Druids it is nothing for both the Romans and after when the Christian faith took place in the Realm the Christians did fall and root them out of the abominable Idolatry and superstition practised by the Druids in them as is touched before that the King of Man sent for timber to Mon Great trees found in the Earth read the life of Hugh E. of Chester which also is evident by the great beeches and other trees found in the earth in those dayes His other reason is because it is called Anglesey in the English tongue So is Lhoyger called England and Cambry Wales are those therefore the old names no surely and what if the inhabitants called it so as they did not had it not a name before the Angles wan it yes I warrant you but he had forgotten that Now the name of Man was ever or at the least these 1000 years named in Brittish Manaw of which cometh the English name Man The Inhabitants there call it so and no nation about it did ever call it Môn nor any writer but Polidor which was too young a Godfather to name so old a child For Gildas writ above 900. years since whose writings Polidor never saw but untruly fathers upon his own device Geraldus in his description of Ireland to Henry II and Henry Huntington do plainly call Man in Latine Eubonia adding thereto either Manaw or Man for the better understanding of the name will you believe them or Polydor other arguments there are which I passe over till I have more leisure and occasion to write of this matter Arvon The seccond part of Northwales was called Arvon which is as much as to say over against Mon and had in it four â—cantrefs and ten comots Cantref Abeer had in it three comots Y Lhechwedh Vchaf Y Lechwedhisat and Nanconwy Cantref Arvon had two comots Ywch Owyrnai and Isgwyrnai Cantref Dunodic had two comots Ardudwy and Enionyth Cantref Lhyyn containeth three comots Cymitmain Tinlhain and Canclogion This is now called Carnarvonshire the chief Town whereof is Carnarvon heretofore it was strongly walled and had a very fair Castle Edward the II. King of England was here borne and hence according to the custome of those times entituled Edward of Carnarvon The Princes of Wales had in this place their Chancery and Exchequer for all Northwales which was no small improvement to it Earl it had never any till this present age in which the late K. Charles conferred that title 1628. on Robert Lord Dormer of Wing created Earl of Carnarvon 4o. Carol. Aug. 2. and lost his life in the said Kings service Lord Dormer his son Earl of Carnarvon now living Azure 10 billets 4 3 2 and 1. Or in a chief of the second a Lyon Issuant sable incensed Gules And as Carnarvon hath given title to an Earl so hath Anglesey also though not by her ancient name Môn for anno 1624. Christopher Villiers brother to the D. of Buckingham was created E. of Anglesey September 24. Charles Villiers second Earl Argent on a crosse Gules five escolops Or a mullet for difference This Môn is also called Anglesey shire and hath both it and Carnarvonshire the same divisions at this day In this shire are Snowden hills called Eryri neither in height fertility of ground wood cattel fish and foul giving place to the famous Alps and without controversie the strongest country in Brittain Here is the Town of Carnarvon called in old time Caersegonce and there is also Conwey called Caer Giffin and See of Bangor with divers other ancient Castles and places of memory and vvas the last part of Wales that came under the Dominions of the Kings of England It hath on the North the Sea and Maenai upon the East and South East the River Conwey vvhich divideth it from Denbighshire vvhose principal Tovvn is Denbigh vvhich hath had Lords good store and of several families but none of them Parliamentary Peers in reverence to it till these latter times Of late it hath given title both of Lord and Earl to tvvo several families viz. to these 1 Robert Lord Dudley created Baron of Denbigh and Earl of Leicester Eliz. 6. Sep. 29 Or a Lyon Rampant his tail double forked vert 2 William Viscount Fielding created Earl of Dinbigh 20. Jac. Sept. 14. Master of the Ward robe c. Argent on fess Azure 3. fusils Or. This Shire is parted on the South West and West from Mirioneth with high mountains and Rivers and other Mears Merionith The third part of Gwineth was Merioneth containing three Cantrefs and every Cantref three comots
delcent from the Princes thereof to a Woman named Hawys the daughter of Owen ap Gruffith as appeareth in the history following Arustly and Cyneloc came to the Baron of Dudley and afterwards was sold to the King The third part belonging to Mathrual was the land between Wye and Severn containing four Cantreds and 13. comots Cantref Melienith hath these Comots Cery Swithygre Lewalalht and Glin Seithon Cantref Elnel hath these Vwch Minydh and Lhochdhiffnog Cantref Yclawdh these Dyffryn Teyveydat Swydhygnogen and Pennwelht Cantref Bulcht hath these Swidhi Vam Drenlies and Isyrwon Of this part there is at this day some in Montgomery shire some in Radnorshire and some in Brechnockshire in this part and in the Lordship marching to it which although at the time of the division which was in the time of the last prince were not in his subjection yet to this day speak Welsh and are called Wales and in those comots are these Towns and Castles Montgomery in these late wars utterly destroyed and levelled with the ground though the Lord thereof Edward Lord Herbert took armes with the Parliament called in Welsh Trevaldwin a small Town but a most beautiful Castle a little before its desolation much and magnificently enlarged and adorned by the said Lord and for situation almost impregnable The Castle of Clun called Colunwy which is the Earles of Arundel who amongst his other honourable titles is Baron of Clun and Oswestrie The Town of Knighton in Welsh Trefilcawd The Castle of Cymaron Presthyn in Welsh Lhanandras The Town and Castle of Radnor in Welsh Maesynet at this day the Shire-Town The Town of Knighton and the Castle of Huntington called in Welsh Y Castelh Mayn which were the Bohunes Earles of Hereford and after the D. of Buckingham Castle Haye Payne Lhanvair in Buecht These Lordships with Brechvoc and Aberganeny were belonging to the Bruses Lords of Brechnoch and after came divers times and by sundry means to the Bohunes Nevils and Mortimers and so in this Kingdom or Territory were found 14 Cantreds and 40 comots Two of these parts which are Powis and Gwineth are at this day called Northwales and divided into six shires Môn called Anglesey Carnarvon Merioneth Denbigh Flint and Montgomeryshire are of all on the Northside Severn saving a piece of Montgomeryshire And here I think it good to let the Reader understand what the Brittish Chronicle saith of Northwales which affirmeth that three times by inheritance it came to Women first to Stradwen Daughter to Cadvan ap Conan ap Endaf and wife to Coel Godeboc Mother to Genaw Dyvor and Gwawl The second time to the same Gwawl wife to Edeyrn ap Padern and mother to Cunetha Wledic which Cunetha inhabiting in the North parts of England about the year 540. after the incarnation of Christ and hearing how the mingled Nations of the Irish Scots and Picts had overrun the sea shore of Cardigan which was part of his inheritance sent his sons thither to enjoy their inheritance of the which Tibiaon his eldest son died in Man which land the said Irish Scots had wan for Gildas saith that of the Children of Clam 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 think it good to put in Gildas words which saith Builke cum filiis suis inhabitavit Euboniam Insulam vulgo Manaw quae est in meditullio maris inter Hiberniam Brittanniam that is to say Builke with his Children inhabited the Isle Eubonia commonly called Manaw for so it is and was named in Brittish which lyeth in the middle of the sea between Ireland and Brittain This was not called Mona as Polidore saith The children of Bethoun inhabited Demetia which is Southwales with Gwyr and Cydweli till they were chased thence by the children of Cunetha thus far Gildas Therefore the Sons of Cunetha being arived in Northwales as well I think being driven by the Saxons as for their inheritance divided the Country betwixt them And first Micreaon the son of Tibiaon the son of Cunetha had Cantref Meireaon to his part Arustel ap Gwenetha had cantref Arust Caradoc ap Cunetha had Caerdegion now Cardiganshire Dunod had cantref Dunodic Edeyrn had Edeyhnion Mael had Dynmmael Coel had Coleyon Dogvael had Dogvelyn Ryvaon had Rivomoc now Denbighland Eneore Yrch had Caerneon in Powis Vssa had Maesuswlht now Oswestre For surely that which they say commonly of Oswald King of Northumherland to be slain there and of the Well which sprung where his arm was carried is nothing so For Beda and all writers testify that Penda slew Oswald at Maserfelt in the Kingdom of Northumberland and his body was buryed in the Abbey of Bardney in the province of Lindsey on the third part of Lincolnshire which Province gave title of Earl to Robert Bertu Lord Willoughbie of Eresbie who was created being Lord great Chamberlain of England by inheritance Earl of Lindsey 2. Car. Novemb. 29 and was General for the King at Edgehill where he valiantly lost his life in his Masters right and quarrel bearing for his arms Argent 3 battering rams barwise proper headed and hooped Azure The ruines of Bardney Abbey are yet to be seen But to my former matter these names given by the sons of Cunetha remain to this day After this the Irish-Picts and Scots which the Brittains called Y Gwidhyl Phichiaid which is to say the Irish Picts did overrun the Isle of Môn and were driven thence by Caswalhon Lhawhir that is Caswalhon with the long hand the Son of Eneon Yrch ap Cunedha who slew Seoigi their King with his own hands at Lhany Gwydhyl which is the Irish church at Holyhead This Caswalhon was father to Maelgon Gwyneth whom the Latines call Maglocunus Prince and King of Brittain In this time was the famous Clerk and great wise man Talissyn Ben Beirdh that is to say the chiefest of the Beirdh or wise men for this word Bardh in Caesars time signified as Lucan beareth witnesse such as had knowledg of things to come and so it signifieth at this day This Maelgon had a son called Run in whose time the Saxons united Gurmund unto Brittain from Ireland who had come hither from Affrick who with the Saxons was the utter destruction of the Brittains and slew all that professed Christ Gurmund an Affrican King of Ireland was the first that drove the Brittans over Severne and was the first that drove them over Severne This Run was father to Beli who was father to Jago for so the Brittains call James who was father to Cadvan and not Brochwell called Brecyval as the English Chronicle saith for this Brochwell Ysgithroc that is long-toothed was chosen leader of such as met with Adelred alias Ethelbertus Rex Cantiae and other Angles and Saxons who put Brochel twice to flight not far from Chester and cruelly slew 1000 Priests and Monks of Bangor with a great
1038. Hernon Archbishop of Menevia or St. Davids died a man both learned and godly the next year following Howel King of Southwales gathered a great power of his friends and strangers and entered the land intending to overcome it again wherefore Gruffith like a worthy Prince came with all speed to succour his people and meeting with Howel at Pencadair after he had incouraged his Soldiers gave him battail and overthrew him and pursued him so narrowly that he took Howels wife whom he had brought to the field to see the overthrow of Gruffith which chanced otherwise whom Gruffith liked so well that he kept her for his Concubine year 1041 In the year 1041. Howel came again to Southwales and remained there a while and shortly after a number of strangers landed in Westwales and spoyled the Country against whom Howel gathered his forces and fought with them and drove them to their ships with much loss At this time Conan the son of Jago who had fled to Ireland to save his life with the power of Alfred King of Develin whose daughter Ranulph he had married entered Northwales and by treason had taken Gruffith the King and carried him towards the ships but when it was known the Country upon a suddain followed the Irishmen and overtaking them rescued their Prince requiting their foes with much slaughter forcing them to their ships who returned with Conan to Ireland The year following Howel the son of Owen Lord of Glamorgan dyed being a man full of years Then Howel ap Edwin called to his succour Danes and Englishmen with all the power he could make in Southwales whereof Gruffith being certified gathered his power together in Northwales and came couragiously to meet his enemies whom he had twice before discomfited and overcame them and chased them as far as the spring of the River Towy where after a long and dangerous battail Howel was slain and his army routed and so narrowly pursued that few escaped alive After whose death Ritherck and Rees the sons of Ritherck ap Iestyn aspiring again to the rule and government of Southwales which their father had once obtained gathered a great army as well of Strangers as out of Gwentland and Glamorgan and met with Gruffith King of Wales who after his accustomed manner detracting no time but couragiously animating his men with the remembrance of their former fortune and divers victories under his standard joyned battail with his enemies whom he found disposed to abide and to win again the honour they had lost wherefore when they met the fight was cruell and bloody and continued till night which easily departed both armies being weary with fighting and either fearing other returned to their Countreys to gather more strength This year Ioseph Bishop of Teilo or Lhandaf died at Rome The Bishop of Landaff dyeth at Rome The land being thus quieted Gruffith ruled all Wales without any trouble till about two years after the Gentlemen of Ystrad Towy did by treason kill 140 of the Prince his best Soldiers to revenge whose death the King Gruffith destroyed all Dinet and Ystrad Towy Here is also to be noted that such snow fell this year that it lay upon the earth from the Kalends of Ianuary to the fourteenth of March. In the year 1050 Conan the son of Iago did gather an army of his friends in Ireland minding to recover his inheritance again as he sailed towards Wales there arose such a tempest that it scattered his navy abroad and drowned the most part of his ships so that he was disappointed of his purpose and lost his labour This Earl Godwin that wicked Earl of Kent whose lands were swallowed up by the Sea and as this day called Godwins sands pernicious and terrible to Navigators as late experience hath taught us About this time Godwin being summoned to appear and answer before King Edward Conf. at Glocester the guilty Earl Godwin fearing the Kings displeasure who could never brook him since the death of his brother Alfred gathered an army out of Kent and other Countries where his sons ruled or had power and so came tovvards Glocester reporting abroad that all his preparation was made to resist Gruffith Prince of Wales who as they affirmed was ready with an army to invade the Marches but King Edward being certified by the Welshmen that there was no such thing in hand commanded Godwin to send back his army Matth. West writeth that about this time to wit anno 1053. Rees the brother of Gruffith King of Wales was slain in a place called Balendane which place since was called Pen Rees and lately belonged to Sir Ed. Morgan Baronet but sold from the house as he did much more to the ruin of his family though the fault be laid upon upon his son I say no more but God knows how 〈◊〉 whose head was presented to the King at Glocester the day before the Epiphany According to the computation of Authours neer these times Machbeth King of Scotland caused a noble man named Bancho to be cruelly murthered whereupon Fleance the son of the sad Bancho escaping the hands of Macebeth fled to Gruffith ap Lhewelyn Prince of Wales where being joyfully received and entertained courteously he grew into such favour with the said Prince that he thought nothing too good for him But in processe of time Fleance forgetting the courtesy to him shewed fell in love with the Princes daughter and got her with child which thing the Prince took in ill part that he in rage caused Fleance to be killed holding his daughter in most vile estate of servitude for so suffering her self to be de flowered by a stranger At length she was delivered of a son which was named Walter who in few years proved a man of great courage and valour in whom from his childhod appeared a certain noblenesse of mind and ready to attempt any great enterprise This Walter on a time fell out with one of his companions who in that great heat of contention objected unto him that he was but a bastard begotten in an unlawful bed which reproach so grieved Walter that he fell upon the other and slew him whereupon fearing the punishment of the law he fled into Scotland and there fell into the company of those Englishmen which were come thither with Queen Margaret the sister of Edgar Edeling amongst whom he shewed himself so discreet and sober in all his demeanour that he was highly esteemed of all men and so attaining to higher reputation and credit was afterwards imployed in the affairs of the Commonwealth at length made Lord Steward of Scotland receiving the King revenues of the whole realme Of the which Office he and his posterity retained that Sirname of Steward ever after from whom descended the most noble Kings of Scotland besides many other Dukes Marquesses Earls and Barons of great fame and honour Whosoever desireth to be more fully satisfyed in this matter let him read and peruse E. Holenshed and he
those Strangers into Wales who openly went with his power to them and did lead them to the Isle of Anglesey which thing when Gruffith and Cadogan perceived they sailed to Ireland mistrusting the Treason of their own people Then the Earls spoiled the land and slew all that they found in the Isle and at the very same time Magnus the son of Haroald came with a great Navy of Ships towards England minding to lay faster hold upon that Kingdome then his Father had done and being driven by chance to Anglesey would have landed there but the Earl impeached his landing there and there Magnus with an arrow stroke Hugh Earl of Salop in the face that he dyed thereof and suddenly either part forsook the Isle and the Englishmen returned home and left Owen ap Edwyn Prince thereof who had allured them thither year 1098 In the year 1098. returned Gruffith ap Conan and Cadogan ap Blethyn from Ireland and made peace with the Normans and gave them part of their Inheritance for Gruffith remained in Môn and Cadogan had Caerdigan and a parcel of Powis Land About this time the men of Brercnock slew Lhewelyn the son of Cadogan then Howel ap Ithel of Tegengel went to Ireland Also Rythmarck the Arch-Bishop of Saint Davids dyed the godliest wisest and greatest Clerk Sulien except that had been in VVales many years before About this time also dyed Crono ap Cadogan and Gwyn ap Gruffith year 1101 In the year 1101. Robert de Blesmo son to Roger de Montgomery Earl of Salop and Anulph his Brother Earl of Pembroke did rebel against the King which when the King heard he sent for them to come unto him but they made blinde excuses and gathered their strength and fortified their Castles and then gave great gifts and made large promises to the sons of Blethyn ap Cadogan and Jorwerth Cadogan and Meredyth and inticed them to joyn their powers with them Robert fortified four Castles Arundel Tekinhill Shrewsbury and Brugg which Castle was the cause of the War For Robert had erected it without the Kings leave and Arnulph fortified his Castle of Pembroke Then they entred the Kings Land and burned and spoiled it carrying away rich booties And Arnulph to have more strength sent Gerald his Steward to Murchard King of Ireland to desire his Daughter in marriage which he obtained with promises of great succours which did encourage him the more against the King but Henry the First gathered a great Army and first besieged the Castle of Arundel and took it as also he did Tekinhil and then led his power before Brugg which for the scituation and depth of the ditches being also well mann'd and victualed the King doubted the speedy winning thereof There he was counselled to send privately to Jorwerth ap Blethyn promising him great gifts if he would forsake the Earl and serve him recounting what wrongs the Earls Father Roger and his Brother Hugh had done to the VVelshmen Also the King to make him more willing to stick unto him gave him all such Lands as the Earl and his brother had in VVales without Tribute or Oath which was a Moity of Powis Caerdigan and Dynet and the other half had the son of Baldwyn with Stradtywy and Gwyr Jorwerth being glad of these offers received them willingly and then coming himself to the King he sent his powers to the Earls Land which doing their Masters command destroyed and spoiled all the Countrey for the Earl had caused his people to convey all their cattel and goods to VVales little remembring the mischiefs that the VVelshmen had received at his and his Brothers hands When these tydings came to the Earl to Cadogan and Meredyth Jorwerths Brethren they were all amazed and despaired to be able to withstand the King for Jorwerth was the greatest man of power in VVales And at this time Arnulph was gone to Ireland for his wife and succour also a little before Magnus again had landed in Anglesey and received of Gruffith ap Conan and hewed down as much Timber trees as was needfull for him and so returning to the Isle of Môn which he had won he builded three Castles there and sent to Ireland to have the Daughter of Murchard in marriage for his son which he obtained and made his son King of Môn The Earle Robert hearing this sent to him for aid but obtained none therefore seeing no remedy he sent to the King desiring him that he might forsake the realm which the King granted and he sailed to Normandy And likewise the King sent word to his brother Arnulph that either follow his brother and depart the land or yield himself to the Kings mercy and pleasure but he chose the former proposition he should and so went away Things thus transacted the King returned home and Jorwerth took his brother Meredyth and sent him to the Kings prison for his brother Cadogan agreed with him to whom Jorwerth gave Caerdhyth and a piece of Powis Then Jorwerth himself went to the Kings Court to put the King in remembrance of his promise but Henry when he saw all quiet forgot the service of Jorwerth and his own promise and contrary to the same took Dynet from Jorwerth and gave it to a Knight called Saer and Stradtiwy and Gwyr he gave to Howel ap Grono and Jorwerth was sent home empty At this time K. Henry gave divers Castles and Lordships in Wales to Normans and Englishmen of whom there is mention oftentimes in this history This year died Grono the son of Rees ap Theodore in prison And in the end of this year the King sent divers of his Councel to Shrewsbury and willed Jorwerth ap Blethin to come to meet them there to consult about the Kings business and affairs but when he came thither all the consultation was against him whom contrary to all right and equity they condemned of treason because the King feared his strength and that he would revenge the wrongs which he had received at the Kings hands and so he was committed to prison About this time as Bale noteth the Church of St. Davids began to be subject to the See of Canterbury being alwaies before the Metropolitan Church of Wales since the Pall was carried from Caerleon upon Vsk year 1103 In the Year 1103 Owen ap Edwyn died after great Misery and long sickness Then also Richard the son of Caldwin did fortifie the Castle of Ridcors and chased Howel ap Grono out of that Country to whom the King had given the custody of that Castle who nevertheless returned shortly after and burned all the country houses corn and hay and slew a great number of the Normans as they returned homeward and kept all the Country in his subjection except the Castles and Garrisons At this time the King took the rule of Dynet from Saer to whom he committed the same and gave it to Gerald who had been sometimes Steward there under Arnulph Then the Normans who were in the
noblemen of his time died and was buryed at Mynot Mynot he had by his wife Angharat the daughter of Owen Gwyneth Prince of Northwales a son called Madoc who succeeded his father in that part of Powis called Powis Vadoc And prince Rees wone the Castle of Dinevowr and Owen his son died a Stratta florida or Stratflar and shortly after Maelgon his other son escaped out of prison where his Father had kept him long time Lhanhayaden castle won But the Lord Rees got the Castle of Lhanhayaden and the Country about At which time Gruffith ap Cadogan died In this year Roderike the son of Owen Gwyneth by the help of Gothrick King of Man entred the Isle of Môn and reduced it under his subjection bâ—â— before the End of the Year the sons of his brother Conan chased him out of the Isle and got it to themselves And at this time Maelgon laid sieg to the Castle of Strat-Meiric and wan it Stratmeiâ—c castle takeâ— Also Howell surnamed Saer that is to say the Saxon or English because he had served in England son to the said Prince Rees got the Castle of Gwys by surprise and took Philip de Gwys his wife and his two sons Prisoners therein Gwys castle surprised but because he had more Castles then he could well defend he determined to dismantle the Castle of Lhanhayaden whereof the Flemmings having notice gathered all their power and came thither the day appointed to raise the Castle and fiercely assaulted the men of Howel and Maelgon and put many of them to the sword the rest escaping by flight neverthelesse shortly after they gathered new forces and came thither again and demolished the Castle without any impeachment Lhanhayaden castle destroyed Upon this Anarawd another son of Prince Rees moved with filthy ambition and covetousness of lands took his two brethren Howel and Madoc prisoners under pretext of friendship and put out both their eyes year 1194 In the year 1194 Maelgon the son of Prince Rees gave his brother Anarâwd the Castle of Stratmeiric for his prisoners whom he set at liberty then Rees himself did re-edifie the Castle of Rayader Gwy and his own sons laid wait for him and took their father prisoner fearing least he would revenge their cruel and unnatural deeds The sons imprison the father but by means of Howel who was blind he escaped out of prison and took the Castle of Dynevowr which Maelgon kept and destroyed it also the sons of Cadwalhon wan the castle of Rayader Gwy and fortified it for themselves At this time Lhewelin the son of Jorwerth Drwyndwn who was the eldest son of Owen Gwineth prince of Northwales remembring his right and title to his inheritance in Northwales although his father had been dis-inherited by his brother David called together his friends by his mother which was Marred daughter of Madoc ap Meredyth P. of Powis also drew to his side his cosens the sons of Conan ap Owen Gwineth then challenged the rule of Northwales and entered the country to whom the people willingly yielded and took him for their Lord and so without bloodshed he received all Northwales into his protection and tuition except three castles which his Uncle David kept by force of Englishmen in whom was all his trust having married Emma daughter of Jeffrie Plantagenet Earle of Ancow and Cevoman or Maine and Maud the Empresse and sister to King Henrie the second and thus David lost his land and Lewelin got his birthright 1194. Quarterly G. and Or 4. Lions passâ—guar counterchang Lhewelin or Leoline magnus After that Lhewelin or Leoline the great as Mr. Mills call him the son of Jorwerth Mr. Mill f. 306 had gotten the principality of Northwales Roger Mortimer came against him with great forces to Melyenith and built the castle of Cimaron and so brought that country under his command Cimaron castle built and chased away the two sons of Cadwalhon ap Madoc Lords of that place About the same time Rees and Meredith the sons of Prince Rees being two valiant Gentlemen gathered together a company of Madcaps or Hectors as we now call such hair-baind fellows and came to Dinevowr and got the Castle from their Fathers Garrison and after that exployt they went to Cantred Bachan where the whole Country received them gently and delivered the castle to their hands which much displeased their father who laid privy wait for them and by treason of their own men who were afraid any further to incense their Lord and Prince they were taken and brought to their father who presently secured them Caermarthyn destroyed The year ensuing Prince Rees listed a gallant army and laid seige to the town and castle of Caermarthyn and in short time wan them both spoyling and destroying the same and then returned with great plunder Clun Castle fired by P. Rees After which conquest he conducted the same forces to the Marshes before the Castle of Clun which after a long siege and many a fierc assault he got and burned it and from thence he marched to the Castle of Radnor and likewise wan it to the defence wherof caâ—â— Roger Mortimer and Hugh de Says with a strong army of Normans and English but Reâ—â— who had won the Castle determined not immure his men within the walls but boldly like a worthy Prince came into the plain besides before the town and gave them battail where his men although for the most part unarmed and not accustomed to field discipline declared that they descended of Brittish blood A brave resolution of the Welsh and a famous victory against the English whose title the Noble Roman Emperours did so much desire as a token of manhood and worthinesse chosing rather to dye with honour in the defence of their Country then to live with shame and did so worthily behave themselves that their enemies forsook the field with great losse of their men whom Rees pursued till the benefit of the night shadowed them with her darknesse and forthwith he laid siege to the Castle of Paine in Elvel and got it Thither came William de Bruse the owner thereof Payne Castle taken The Archb. of Cant. led an army against the Welsh Matth. Park pag. 138. and made peace with Rees from whom he received the same Castle again Not long after the Archbishop of Canterbury whom Richard who was then King of England had substituted his Lieutenant in England came with a huge power towards VVales and laid siege to the Castle of Gwenwinwin at the pool but the garrison defended the hold so manfully that he lost many of his men but could do no good for the Welshmen made him know that it was better and more secure to be in a pulpit then a pavilion and that the miter and helmet fitted not the same head yet the Martial Prelate would not so be bafled but sent for Miners and set them on work to
being not able to retreat Great scarcity in England for want of commerce with Wales upon the suddain were almost all slain At this time there was great scarcity of Beeves and horses in England whereof they were wont to have many thousands yearly out of Wales and all the marches were made as a desolate and desert place The next spring all the Nobles of Wales came together and sware to defend their Country to death and never to forsake one another and that upon pain of cursing but shortly after Meredyth ap Rees of Southwales A subsidy demanded to conquer Wales not regarding his oath served the King Then the King called a Parliament for a subsidy to Wales when he had so many losses and of late all the Country of Pembrock burnt and spoiled where the Welshmen had found salt plentifully which they lacked in the which Parliament no Subsidy was granted Mat. Paâ—is fol. 1807. Shortly after the same Parliament by propagation was called at Oxford where the Lords of Wales offered to be tryed by the law for any offence they had committed against the King iâ—iustly To this patrick the Lordship of Cydwely was given if he could win it Easie to give l â—ge thongs out of another mans hide Trea hery revenged by the Welsh but Edward would not hear of it but sent one Patrick de Canton as Lieutenant for the King to Caermarthyn and with him Meredyth ap Rees and this Patrick desired to speak upon peace with the Princes Councel whereupon the Prince meaning good faith sent his brother whom he had set at liberty with Meredyeh ap Owen and Rees ap Rees to Emlyn to treat with them of peace but Patrick meaning to entrap them laid an ambushment of Men armed by the way and as they should have met these miscreants fell upon the Welsh and slew a great number of them but the Lords which escaped raised the Country forthwith and followed Patrick and slew him and the most part of all his men And after this the Prince desirous of peace and quietness to redeem the same and to end all troubles and to purchase the Kings good will offered the King 4000 marks and to his son 300. and to the Queen 200. to have peace but the King answered What is this to our losses and refused it It appeareth by the records in the Tower that about this time to wit An. 43. Hen. 3. there was a commission to William Bishop of Worcester John Mansel Treasurer of York the Kings Chaplain and Peter de Montfort to conclude a peace with the Welshmen but it is like there was nothing done to any effect in that behalfe for the war continued still Notwithstanding I find by Mathew Westminster that there was a certain truce agreed upon between the King and the Welshmen for a year I read also in the same Author that the Bishop of Bangor was this year about Michaelmas sent from Lhewelyn the Prince and all the Barons of Wales to the King to desire peace at his hands and to offer unto him the summe of 16000. pound for the same so that he would grant the Welsh to have all their matters heard and determined at Chester as they were wont to have and to suffer them to enjoy the lawes and customes of their own Country but what answer the Bishop brought again the said Author maketh no mention The year 1260. Prince Lhewelyn destroyed the lands of Sr. Roger Mortimer because he contrary to his oath maintained the Kings quarrel and took from him all Buelht saving the Castle which the Princes men got by night without bloodshed Aber. P. Lhewelyns Court or Palace and therein much ammunition and so after the Prince had passed through all Southwales he returned to his house at Aber betwixt Conwey and Bangor The year following died Owen ap Meredyth Lord of Cydewen and this summer certain of the Princes men surprised the Castle of Sr. Roger Mortimer in Melienyth and slew the garrison taking Howel ap Meyric the Captain thereof with his wife and children and the Princes Lieutenant came and destroyed it Then Sr. Roger Mortimer hearing this came with a great strength of Lords and Knights to Melienyth whether the Prince came also and Sr. Roger kept himself within the walls of the broken Castle and sent to the Prince for licence to depart without hurt the Prince having his Enemie within his power A most Christian and heroick act of Lhewelyn took compassion upon him because he was his cozen and suffered him to depart with his people without hurt from thence the Prince went to Brecknock at the request of the people of that Country which swore fidelity unto him and so returned to Northwales Prince Lhewelyn being confederate with the Barons against the King destroyed the Earldom of Chester and raised two of Edwards Castles Tygannwy and Deserth and thither came Edward but did nothing to speak of This year John Strange the younger being Constable of Montgomery came with a great number of Merchers by night through Ceril to Cydewen which when the Countrymen understood they gathered themselves together and slew 200. of his Men but he escaped with his men back again Shortly after the Merchers and the Welshmen met neer Clun Rara est concordia franum where the English had the victory and slew many of the Welsh At this time David the Princes brother whom he had set at liberty forsook him and succoured his foes with all his power Then Gruffith ap Gwenwynwyn got the Castle of Molde and raised it At this time died Meredyth ap Owen the defender of Southwales The Year ensuing King Henry led a great army towards Wales and by the means of Olobonus the Popes Legate there was a peace concluded betwixt the King and the Prince at Montgomery Castle for the which the Prince gave unto the King 30000. marks and the King granted the Prince a Charter to receive from thenceforth homage fealty of all the Nobility and Barons of Wales saving one so that all the aforesaid Barons should ever after hold of the Prince as their Leige Lord and he to be called and written from thenceforth Prince of Wales and in witness of this the King put his seal and hand to the said Charter which was likewise confirmed by the authority of the Pope The year after this dyed Grono ap Ednyvet Vachan a Noble man and chief of the Princes Councel In the year 1270. dyed Gruffith Lord of Bromfield and was buried at Vale Crucis and here endeth the Brittish copy At this place leaveth the Brittish Copy Mr. Lhoyd and writeth no further of the end of this Prince but leaveth him at the highest and most honourable stay that any Prince of Wales was in of many years before The writer peradventure being ashamed to declare the utter fall and ruine of his Countrymen whereunto their own pride and discord did bring them as it doth evidently appear
people for County nor for gains do move war invading no mans lands but defending their own Lands Lawes and Liberties and that the King and his people of inveterated hatred and for covetuousnesse to get our Lands invading the same moved war We therefore see our defence is just and lawful and herein we trust God will help us and will turne his revenge upon destroyers of Churches who have rooted up and burned Churches and taken out both all sacraments and sacred things from them killing Priests Clerks Religious Lame Dumb Deaf Younglings Sucklings at their mothers paps Weak and Impotent both man and woman and committing all other enormities as partly it appeareth to your Holinesse Wherefore God forbid that your Holinesse should fulminate sentence against any but such as have done such things we who have suffered all those things at the Kings Officers hands do hope at your hands remedy and comfort and that you will punish such Church Robbers and killers who can defend themselves no wayes least their impunity be cause and example for others to do the like Very many in our Country do much marvel that you councelled us to leave our own land and to go to another mans Lands to live among our Enemies for seeing we cannot have peace in our own Land which is our own right much lesse should we be quiet in an other mans amongst our enemies and though it be hard to live in warr and peril harder it is to be utterly destroyed and brought to nothing especially for Christians seeking nothing else but to defend our own being by necessity driven thereunto and the greedy ambition of our enemies And your Holinesse told us that you had fulminated sentence against all that for hatred or gaines do hinder the peace and it appeareth evidently who do war for those causes the fear of death the fear of imprisonment the fear of perpetual prison the fear of disinheriting no keeping of promise Covenant Grant or Charter tyrannical Dominion and many more like compell us to be in war and this we shew to God and to your Lordship desiring your godly and charitable help Furthermore if any in England have offended the King as many do offend him yet none of them be dis-inherited so if any of us have offended the King let him be punished and make satisfaction as he may without exhereditating As we trust in you we pray you holy father to labour to this end if they lay to us that we break the peace it appeareth evidently that they and not we brake the same who never kept promise nor Covenant nor Order made any amends for Trespasses nor Remedy for our Complaints When the Archbishop could not conclude a peace he denounced the Prince and his Complices accursed then the King sent his army by sea to the Isle of Môn or Anglesey which they wan and slew such as resisted them for the chiefest men served the King as their oath was so they came over against Bangor where the arm of the sea called Mênath Spaniards Scots and Gescoynes Germans Normans and English all concurr against the Welsh Quantae molis erat Britannam perdere gentem Gramercy horse The Welsh rout their enemies which divideth the Isle from the main land is narrowest and the place called Moely Donn and there made a bridge of boats and planks over the water where before Julius Agricola did the like when he subdued the Isle to the Romans and not betwixt Man and Brittain as Polidore Virgil ignorantly affirmeth This bridge was accomplished so that threescore men might well passe over in a front VVilliam Latimer with a great number of the best Souldies and Lucas Thany Steward of Gascoine with his Gascoynes and Spaniards whereof a great number were come to serve the King passed over the bridge and there saw no appearance of enemies but as soon as the sea began to flow down came the VVelshmen from the hills and set upon them fiercely and either slew or chased them to the sea to drown themselves for the water was so high that they could not attain the bridge saving VVilliam Latimer alone whose horse carried him to the bridge and so he escaped There were slain and drowned at this time many worthy Souldiers and amongst others that famous Knight Sr. Lucas Thany Robert Clifford Sr. VVilliam Lindsey and two Gentlemen of good accompt that were brethren to Robert Burnel then Bishop of Bath There perished in all thirteen Knights Hol p. 791. Tho. Walsh p. 11. Chro. Dunst The K. of Eng. hard put to it by the valiant Welsh 17. young Gentlemen and to the number of 200 footmen which happened upon St. Leonards day Thomas Walsingham writeth that the King lost in this voyage a little before this 14 ensignes at which time the Lord William de Audley and the Lord Roger Clifford the younger and many other were slain and the King himself was driven to take the castle of Hope for his safeguard In the mean time was the E. of Glocester and Sr. Edmund Mortimer with an army in Southwales where were many that served the King and there sought with the Princes friends at Lhandeilo Vawr and gave them an overthrow wherein on the Kings side young William de Valence his cosen germane four Knights more were slain All this while the Prince destroyed the country of Caerdigan and all the lands of Rees ap Meredyth who served the King in all those wars But afterward the Prince separated himself from his army with a few and came to Buelht thinking to remain their quietly for a while and by chance as he came by the water Wy there were Edmund Mortimer and John Gifford with a great number of Soldiers and either party were abashed of other Edmund Mortimers men were of that Country for his father was Lord thereof Then the Prince departed from his men and went to the valley with his Esquire alone to talk with certain Lords of the Country who had promised to meet him there Then some of his men seeing the enemy come down from the hill kept the bridge called Pont Orewyn and defended the passage manfully till one declared to the Englishmen where a ford was a little below through the which they sent a number of their men with Helias VValwyn who suddainly fell upon them that defended the bridge in their backs and put them to flight The Princes Esquire told the Prince as he stood secretly expecting the comming of such as promised to meet him in a little grove that he heard a great noise cry at the bridge P. Lhewelyn slain with him the glory of Wales And the prince asked whether his men had taken the bridge and he said Yes then said the prince I passe not if all the power of England were upon the other side But suddainly behold the horsemen about the Grove and as he would have escaped unto his men they pursued him so hard that one Adam Francton ran him through with
Howell Sais Lord of St. Clere y moch Esq Llewellin ap Ivor Lord of S. Clere Esq Lleykye d to Griffith ap Eli Lord of Gilfeild in Powis Ivor ap Llewellin Lord of S. Clere Esq Nest daughter to Cadwgan and Great Grandchilde to Elistan Pr of Ferlix Llewellin ap Ivor Lord of S. Clere and Tredegar Esq Augharand daughter and heir to Sir Morgan Meredith Knight Lord of Tredegar Morgan ap Llewellin Lord of Tredegar Esq Maud daughter to Rhun ap Grono ap Llwarch Lord of Kybor Esq Llewellin Morgan of Tredegar Esq Jonet daughter to Dd. Ychan of Rydodyn Esq Evan Morgan of Tredegar Esq Denis daughter to Tho ap Howell Ychan Esq Sir John Morgan of Tredegar Kt. Jonet daughter and heir of John Matthewes of Landaff Esq Thomas Morgan of Machen Esq his Brother Sir John dying Sans Issue Rowland Morgan of Manghan Esq Thomas Morgan of Maughan and Tredegar Esq Sir William Morgan of Tredegar Knight Daughter to Wintour Kt. Com. Glonc. Thomas Morgan of Maughan and Tredegar Esq now living 1661. Daughter and Heir to Windham Com Somer William Morgan Esq Heir apparent I Have seen a Pedegree of this noble Family deduced even from Brute but because I affect brevity I have only selected what serves for my purpose giving you to understand that all Morgans or of what Name else soever who either bear for their Armes Argent a Lion Rampant gardant sable or else Or a Griffon Sergreant sable for their Paternal Coat must acknowledge themselves to descend from this ancient Family THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE Antient and Modern Brittish and Welsh HISTORY The Princes of VVales of the blood Royal of England collected for the most part out of the Records of the Tower Edward of Caernarvon KIng Edward albeit he had brought all Wales under his subjection and by a statute made at Ruthland An. 12. Edw. I. incorporated and united the same to England in the which Statute there be many good lawes concerning the division of Wales into Counties and concerning divers Offices and Officers and concerning Trial and the divisions of actions and the the formes of many writs and the proceeding therein much like to the lawes of England yet he could never win the good will of the common people of the Country to accept him for their prince except he were of their own nation for the Welshmen having experience of the government of the English Officers and knowing that the King would rule the Country by his Deputies could not abide to have any English man to be their Rulers who often times upon the Kings motion answered that they were content to take for their prince any man whom his Majesty would name so that he were a Welshman and no other answer could he ever get from them by any means whereupon the King sent for Q. Elianor out of England in the deep of Winter being then great with child to the Castle of Caernarvon and when she was nigh to be brought to bed the King went to Ruthlan and sent for all the Barons and best men in Wales to come unto him to consult concerning the Weale publick of the Country And when they were come he deferred the consultation till he was certified that the Queen was delivered of a son then sending certain Lords to the Christening of his child and informing them how he would have him named he called the Welshmen together declaring unto them that whereas they were oftentimes suiters unto him to appoint them a Prince he now having occasion to depart out of the Country would name them a prince if they would allow and obey him whom he should name To the which motion they answered that they would so do if he would appoint one of their own Nation to be their prince whereunto the King replyed that he would name one that was born in Wales and could speak never a word of English whose life and conversation no man was able to stain and when they all had granted that such an one they would obey he named his own son Edward born at Caernarvon Castle a few dayes before Then the King having the whole country at his will gave whole Towns and Lordships in the midst of Wales unto English Lords as the Lordship of Denbigh to Henry Lacy Earle of Lincolne the Lordship of Ruthin to the Lord Reginald Grey second son to J. Grey of Wilton and other lands to many of his Nobility This Hen. Lacy Lord of Denbigh was the son of Edmund Lacy the son of John Lacy Lord of Halton Pomfret and Constable of Chester who married Margaret the Eldest Daughter and one of the heirs of Robert Guincy Earl of Lincolne the said Henry married Margaret the daughter and sole heir of William Longesped Earl of Sarum and had Issue Edmund and John which both dyed young of whom the one perished by a fall into a very deep well within the castle of Denbigh and a daughter named Alicia married unto Thomas Plantagenet Earl of Lancaster who was in the right of his said wise Earl of Lincolne and Sarum Earl of Denbigh Halton Pomfret and constable of Chester After the death of the said Thomas King Edward the second gave the Lordship of Denbigh to Hugh Lord Spencer Earl of Winchester After whose death the said Lordship was given by King Edward the third Anno regni sui primo as it appeareth on record to Roger Mortimer Earl of March with divers other Lordships in the Marches in performance of the Kings promise while he remained in France with his mother for the provision of 1000 l. lands of a reasonable extent for the said Roger as soon as by Gods grace he should come to the possession of the crown and Kingdom of England which in few years after the Earl of March being attainted the said Lordship of Denbigh was given by the said King to the Lord Mortague Earl of Sarum but shortly after Anno 29. Edward 3. it was restored again with the Earldom of March to the Mortimers in the which family the same remained untill the whole inheritance of the Mortimers came with a Daughter to the house of York and so to the crown A help to English History fol. 263. and it was given by Queen Elizabeth Anno regni 610. to Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester who was created Baron of Denbigh it is accounted one of the greatest and best Lordships of England This Town is well seated on the banks of the River Istrad which from thence runneth into the Cluyd the fairest River of this Country a Town well peopled and inhabited especially since it became the head of the Country which was not till the 27. of Hen. 8. what time the 5. new shires were added to the rest of Wales of which this was one but before that it was the head Town of the Barony of Denbigh being conceived to be one of the goodliest Territories of all England as having more Gentlemen holding thereof in Fee and by service then any other
Kings bench And if the said erroneous judgment shall be in any Action personal the same shall be reversed by bill before the Lord president of the Marches and councel there Officers Ministers Clerks and Writers for the expediting of the said great Sessions First there are the Chamberlains of every the said circuits as hath been said who are properly and Originally the Treasurers of the Revenue within their charge and by the said Statutes are also Keepers of the seals as aforesaid therein they do undertake in part the Office of a Chancellour And in every of the said circuits there is the Atturney or Regius Advocatia and Sollicitor There is a Protonotary or chief Register who draweth all the pleadings Protonotary Clâ—rk of the Crown entereth and engrosseth the Records and Judgments in civil causes and ingrossing Fines And there is also a Clerk of the Crown which draweth and ingrosseth all inditements and proceedings arraignments and judgments in criminal causes and these two Officers are at the King or States appointment There is a Marshal to attend the persons of the Judges at their common sitting and going from the Sessions or Court There is a Marshal There is a Cryer Tanquam publicus preco to call forth such persons whose apparences are necessary and to impose silence to the people And these two Officers last remembred are deposed by the Justices And thus much touching the Justices of the great Sessions There are also other ordinary Officers appointed for every Shire in Wales by the said Statute 34. Henry 8. such and in like manner as in other the Shires in England There is a commission under the great Seal of England to certain Gentlemen What a Justice of peace giving them power to preserve the peace and resist and punish all turbulent persons whose misdemeanour may tend to the disquiet of the people and these are called Justices of peace and every of them may well be termed Eirnarcha the chief of them is called Custos Rotulorum in whose custody all the Records of their proceedings are resident Others there are of that number called Justices of the peace and Quorum because of their Commissions whereby they have power to sit and determine causes concerning breach of peace and misbehaviour the words of the Commission are conceived thus Quorum such and such Vnum vel duos c. Esse volumus and without some one or more of them of the Quorum no Sessions can be holden and for the avoiding of the superfluous number of such Justices 8. Justices onely allowed in every County of Wales for through the ambition of many it is accounted a credit to be burthened with that Authority The Satute of 34 Hen. 8. hath expresly prohibited that there shall be above eight Justices of Peace within every of the Counties and Shires of Wales which if the number were not indefinite for the Shires in England it were the better These Justices do hold their Sessions quarterly And it is further ordained by the Statute of 34 Hen 8. that two Justices of peace whereof one to be of the Quorum may hold their Sessions without any greater number In every of the said Shires where the said Commission of peace is established There is also a Clerk of the peace for the entring and engrossing of all proceedings before the said Justices and this Officer is appointed by the Custos Rotulorum Sr. John Dod fol. 49. Every of the said Shires hath a Sheriff which word being of the Saxon English is as much as to say a Shire-Reeve or Minister or Bailiff of the County his Function or Office is twofold Ministerial and Judicial As touching his Ministerial Office he is the Minister and Executioner of all the Process and Precepts of the Courts of Law and thereof ought to make return and certificate Why the Tourne Court so called and as touching the Judicial Office he hath Authority to hold two several Courts of distinct natures the one called the Tourne because he keepeth a Tourne or Circuit about the Shire holding the same in several places wherein he doth enquire of all offences perpetrated against the common Law and not forbidden by any Statute or Act of Parliament The County Court derived from Justice Communicative And the Jurisdiction of this Court is derived from justice distributive and is for criminal offences The other is called the County Court where he doth determine all petty and small causes civil under the value of 40 s. arising within the said County and thereof it is called the County Court And the Jurisdiction of this Court is drawn from Justice Communicative and is held every Moneth The Office of the Sheriff is annual by the Statute of 34 Hen. 8. it is ordained that the Lord President Councel and Justices of Wales or three of them at the least whereof the President to be one shall yearly nominate three fit persons for that Office of whom the King or State may elect one who thereupon shall have his Patent and be Sheriff of the said Shire Escheator why so called Every of the said Shires hath an Officer called an Escheator which is an Officer to attend the Kings Revenue and to seize into his hands all lands either Escheated goods or lands forfeited therefore he is called Escheator and he is to enquire by good enquest of the death of the Kings Tenants and to whom the lands are descended and to seize the bodies and lands for Ward if they be within age and is accountable for the same And this Officer in Wales is nominated Escheator 34 Hen. 8. cap. 16. by the Lord Treasurer of England by the advice of the Lord President Councel and Justices or three of them at least whereof the Lord President to be one There are also in every of the said Shires two Officers called Coroners they are to enquire by enquest in what manner and by whom every person dying a violent death came to his death and to enter the same of Record which is matter criminal and a plea of the Crown Coroners why so called and thereof they are called Coroners or Crowners as one hath written because their enquiries ought to be publick Et in Corona Populi These Officers are are chosen by the Free-holders of the Shire by vertue of a Writ out of the Chancery De Coronatore Eligendo And of them I need not speak more because these Officers are elsewhere The Goal Forasmuch as every Shire hath one Goal or Prison appointed for the restraint of liberty of such persons as for their offences are thereunto committed until they shall be delivered by course of Law Finally in every hundred of every of the said Shires the Sheriffs thereof shall nominate sufficient persons to be Bailiffs of that hundred and under Ministers of the Sheriff and they are to attend upon the Justices in every of their Courts and Sessions The Government of the Marches of Wales
his See from Caerlegion to Menevia which ever since of him is called St. Davids a place neither pleasant fertile or safe for as Girald Cam. reporteth of it it is neither furnished with Wood watered with Rivers beautified with Meadows nor inriched with any kind of fruitful soil affording plentifully nothing but Rocks and barren Hills vehement Windes and Tempests and lastly dangers and injuries whereunto solitary places near unto the Sea are subject by Pirates and otherwise It seemeth he misliked the frequency of people at Caerlegion as a means to withdraw him from contemplation whereunto that he might be the more free he made choice of this place for his See rather than for any fitness otherwise St. David liv'd 146 years built 12 Monasteries He sate long viz. 65. years and died at the last Anno 642. having first built 12. Monasteries in the Countrey thereabout being now 146 year of age as Bale out of the Brittish Histories reporteth he was buried in his own Cathedral Church and many hundred years after Canonized a Saint by Pope Calixtus the second many things are reported of him which I leave unspoken of referring those that are desirous of further satisfaction to Mr. Porter who writeth his life at large and Laurentius Surius although I doubt not but God afforded many Miracles in the infancy of his Church yea and daily yet doth neither therefore would I be so peremptory in derogating too much from such reports as we see no reason why they may not be true Of him they say that his Birth was foretold 30 years before hand That he was alwayes attended by an Angel that kept him company That he bestowed upon the waters at Bath that extraordinary heat they have and to report no more That upon a time preaching to a great multitude of people at Brevy the plain ground grew up so high in their sight and encreased under feet to a pretty hillock After St. David sate successively these as Giraldus setteth them down 2 Cenauc 3 Eliud or Teilau 4 Ceven 5 Morwal 6 Haerunen or Haernurier 7 Edward 8 Gurnuen 9 Leudiuord 10 Gorwyst 11 Gorgan 12 Cledauc 13 Anian 14 Elvoed 15 Ethelmen 16 Elanc 17 Malsced 18 Sadermen 19 Catellus 20 Sulhiathnay 21 Noais 22 Etwoll 23 Asser 24 Arthuael A certain antiquity belonging to the Church of St. David reporteth a Catalogue somewhat differing from this of Giraldus to wit this that followeth 1. St. David 2 Eliud 3 Kenea 4 Mornael 5 Haenurier 6 Elnaeth 7 Gurnel 8 Leudywyth 9 Gorwist 10 Gorgan 11 Cledaucke 12 Eynaen 13 Eludgeth 14 Eldunen 15 Elnaeth 16 Maelsdhwyth 17 Madenew 18 Catulus 19 Sylnay 20 Namys 21 Sathveney 22 Doythwall 23 Asser 24 Alhuael 25 Sampson Of these forenamed Bishops until Sampson there remaineth no memorial but their names only 7 Suffragans under St. Davids In this time the See of St. David had 7 Bishops Suffragans subject unto it as the afore Antiquity declareth viz. Exceter Bathe Hereford Landaff Banger St. Asaph and Fernes in Ireland while he was Bishop it happened the people of all that Countrey were wonderfully vexed with the Jaundice so that great numbers of them died daily of that disease By the importtnity of his Clergy and Disciples he was induced to fly the Countrey and sailed into Brittain where the Bishoprick of Dola being void he was straight way elected unto the same He brought thither with him the Archiepiscopal Pall of St. David and used it during his life as did also his Successors for many years until they were compelled by the Pope at the sute of the Archbishop of Turon to leave it and make profession of obedience unto him as in former times By this occasion it fell out that the Successors of Sampson in St. Davids what for want of their Pall or for poverty or negligence or some other occasion lost their title of Archbishop and to this day never recovered the same Howbeit they used all Authority belonging to an Archbishop by consecrating of other Bishops c. neither ever did they make profession of subjection unto Canterbury until the time of K. Hen. I. of England whereof formerly and more hereafter After Sampson succeeded these 26 Rucline 27 Rodherch 28 Elguni 29 Lunuerd or Lywarch 30 Nergu or Vergu 31 Sulhidir or Sulhidu 32 Eneuris 33 Morgeneu This man saith Giraldus of all the Bishops of St. Davids presumed first to eat flesh which none of them had ever done before for punishment of which hainous offence he supposeth it fell out that afterwards he was murdered by Pirates reporting withal how that after his death he appeared to a Bishop in Ireland using these words Quia carnes comedi caro factus sum For eating of flesh I am become nothing but flesh 34 Nathan 35 Jevan he continued Bishop but onely one night 36 Argustel 37 Morgenueth 38 Ervyn or Hernnu a godly and learned man died anno 1038. 39 Tramerin or Carmerin 40 Joseph 41 Bleithud he died the year 1070. 42 Sulghein he forsook his Bishoprick the year 1070. 43 Abraham the year 1078. or thereabouts St. Davids was spoiled and destroyed by strangers and Abraham the Bishop what through grief or sickness died whereupon Sulghein was constrained to re-assume his Bishoprick which notwithstanding he resigned again about the year 1085 and 1088 died being 80 years of age the godliest and wisest man and the greatest Clerk in all Wales so saith the Chronicle of him 44 After him a son of his called Rythmarch succeded as the Chronicle delivereth and died about the year 1100. 45 Wylfrid he died 1115 this is he whom the Chronicle stileth Griffri 46 Bernard a Norman of whom before 47 David Fitz Girald Archdeacon of Cardigan succeeded he died the year 1176. 48 Peter or Peirs a Benedictine Monk Prior of Wenloch was consecrated the same year this Cathedral Church dedicated to St. Andrew and St. David had been oftentimes formerly destroyed by Danes other Pirates and in his time was almost quite ruinated he bestowed much in re-edifying the same and may in some sort be said to have built the church which now standeth 48. Geffry Prior of Lanthony a Religious house in Monmothshire very ancient of which I will take occasion in the end of this work to speak when I shall God willing give an account by way of supplement of all the Monasteries throughout VVales a Regular Canon was prefered to this See by the means of Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury 49. Silvester Giraldus was born in Pembrockshire neer Tinby of very noble parentage being neer of kin to the Princes of Wales a very comely and personable man of body and for his mind witty discreet studious vertuous and well given In his youth he travelled over most part of Christendom At Paris he read publickly in the English Colledge with great commendation returning home he grew in great esteem with K. Henry the II. and became Secretary unto his son John with whom he went into Ireland and
being there writ a description of the Country as he did also of England and Wales Some affirm he was Archdeacon of Landaff Of Brecknock and St. Davids he was for certain being elect unto this See An. 1199 he made challenge unto the title of an Archbishop at Rome which controversy how it was debated and ended ye may read at large in R. Hoveden his report of the year aforesaid He was once accused of treason but happily acquitted lived till he was 70. years of age and upward and dying was buryed in his own Church He writ many books the Catalogue whereof ye may find in Bale 50. Jorwerth or Edward was consecrated 1215. 51. Alselmus or Anselmus 52. Thomas Archdeacon of Lincolne a Welshman and a great Clerk forsaking other great preferments accepted of this Bishoprick being a miserable poor thing at that time the year 1247. 53. Richard Carren 54. Thomas Beck he founded two Colledges one at Abergwily and another at Lhan-dewybreny 55. David Martin 56. Henry Gower he built the Bishops Pallace at Saint Davids and dyed in the year 1347. 57. John Teresbie or Thorsby Translated to Worcester 1349 and thence to York 1352. 58. Riginald Brian translated to Worcester 1352. 59. Thomas Fastock died the year 1361. 60. Adam Houghton founded a colledg neer to the Cathedral Church of St. David he was Chancellour of England for a time about the year 1376. 61. John Gilbert Bishop of Bangor was translated to Hereford 1376. and thence hither 1389. 62. Guido de Mona died in the year 1407 who while he lived saith Walsingham was a cause of much mischief 63. Henry Chichley was consecrated at Sienna by the Popes own hand June the 12. 1409. sat five years and was translated to Canterbury 64. John Keterich or Catarich sometime Archdeacon of Surry was translated hence to Coventry and Lichfield the year 1415. and after to Exceter 65. Stephen Patrington a Jacobine Fryer as one saith or rather a Carmelite as another saith being at the Councel of Constance was by the Pope translated to Chichester in December 1417. as the records of St. Davids do affirm others say and I take it to be true that he refused to accept of the Popes gift 66. Benit Nicols Bishop of Bangor suceeded him 67. Thomas Rodborn a man of great learning was brought up in Oxford and became first Archdeacon of Sudbury then Bishop of St. Davids he writ divers works amongst the rest a History or Chronicle The year 1434 the King endeavoured to translate him to Ely but could not 68. William Lynwood Doctour of Law first Chancellour to the Archbishop of Canterbury then keeper of the privy seal having first been employed in Embassages to the Kings of Spain Portugal and other Princes He writ much amongst other his works he is famous for putting in order such provincial constitutions as had been made by the Archbishops of Canterbury from the time of Stephen Langton unto Henry Chichley he florished about the year 1440 but just what time he became Bishop or when he died I cannot tell He lyeth buryed at St. Stephens in Westminster 69. John Langton dyed within 15. dayes after his consecration 70. John de le Beer 71. Robert Tully a Monk of Glocester This man I take to be him that by the name of Robert Sherborne is said to have been translated to Chichester the year 1508. 72. Richard Martin 73. Thomas Langton 74. Hugh Pany he impropried to the Vicars Choral of St. Davids the Church of Lan-saint-Fred 75. John Morgan dyed in the Priory of Caermarthyn and was buried in his own Church 76. Edward Vaughan built a new chappel in his church of St. David 77. Richard Rawlin 78. William Barlow translated to VVells having sat here 10 years about the year 1548 and after to Chichester 79. Robert Ferrar of whom read Fox if ye please 80. Henry Morgan died Decemb. 23. 1559. 81. Thomas Young staying here but a very short time was translated to York February 25. 1561. 82. Richard Davis Bishop of Asaph 83. Marmaduke Midleton Bishop of Waterford in Ireland 84. Anthony Rud Doctor of Divinity born in Yorkshire brought up in Cambridge after he had been the space of nine years Dean of Glocester was consecrated June the 9. 1594. 85. Richard Milbourne translated to Carlile 86. VVilliam Laud 1621. translated to VVells 1626. from thence to London being Chancellor of Oxford lastly translated to Canterbury 1633. and lastly beheaded on Tower-hill 87. Theoph. Field 1627. translated to Hereford 1635. 88. Roger Mainwaring Bishop of St. Davids 1641. at the beginning of that Parliament so fatall to Bishops The Bishoprick of St. Davids was valued in the Exchequer at 426 l 22d ob and in the Popes books at 1500 Ducates Let us now return to our former matter in hand About the year 1149. Owen Prince of Northwales did build a castle at Yale Yale Castle Lhanrystyd castle built and his brother Cadwalader built another at Lhanrystyd and gave Cadogan his son part of Caerdigan Toward the end of this year Madoc the son of Meredyth ap Blethyn did build the castle of Oswestrie which now gives the title of a Barony to the honourable family of the Howards and gave his Nephews Owen and Meiric the sons of Gruffith ap Meredyth his part of Cynelioc Oswestrie Castle built The year after Prince Owen did imprison Conan his son for certain faults committed against his father Also Prince Owens son took his Uncle Cadwalader prisoner and brought his country and castle to his subjection At this time also Cadelh the son of Gruffith ap Rees fortified the castle of Caermarthyn and from thence conducted his army to Cydwely where he destroyed and spoyled all the country and after his return he joyned his forces with Meredyth and Rees his brothers and entering Caerdigan wan that part called Is-Aeron Not long after there fell a variance betwixt Randol Earl of Chester and Owen Prince of Northwales The Welsh still joyn with their enemies to cut their own throats which caused Randal to gather supplies and Auxilaries from all his friends in England to whom Madoc ap Meredyth Prince of Powis disdaining to hold his lands of Owen joyned all his power and they both together entred Prince Owens land who like a worthy Prince not suffering the spoyle of his Subjects met them at Counsylht and boldly bade them battail which they refused not but being more in number The Welsh obtained an admirable victory against the Normans and better armed and weaponed were glad of the occasion yet before the end they threw away both weapons and armour and trusted to their feet whom the Northwales men did so pursue that few escaped but were either slain or taken the chief Chieftains excepted whose nimble horses carryed them swiftly away In the year 1150. Cadelh Meredyth and Rees the sons of Gruffith ap Rees Prince of Southwales conquered all Caerdigan from Howel the son of Prince Owen except the Castle of Lhanvihengel