Lands belonging to them being alienated from the Church for ever Another Monastery of great account was at Basing-wark in this County near the famous Ditch made by Offa K. of the Mercians which begun in this place running through North-Wales nigh the mouth of the River Dee and from thence along the Mountains in the South and ended near Bristow at the fall of the Wye The Tract whereof is yet to be seen and called to this Day Clawd Offa or Offa's Ditch Congellus or Comgallus is challenged by the Welsh for their Countryman as being first Abbot of Banchor though Archbishop Vsher makes him the first Abbot of Bangor in the North of Ireland He was of a pious life wrote Learned Epistles and Died in 600. Elizabeth the seventh Daughter of King Edward I. and Queen Eleanor was born at Ruthland Castle where antiently a Parliament was kept This Princess at 14 years of age was Married to John Earl of Holland Zealand c. and after his death to Humfrey Bohun Earl of Hereford and Essex High Constable of England by whom he had a numerous Issue she died 1316. and was buried in the Abbey Church of Saffron Walden in Essex Owen Glendour Esquire was born in his antient Patrimony of Glendour Wye in this County was bred in London a Student of the Common Law till he became a Courtier and Servant to King Richard II. after whose death being on the wrong side of preferment he retired into Wales where there arose a difference between him and the Lord Grey of Ruthen about a Common upon which many spur'd on his posting ambition by telling him he was the true Heir of all North-Wales and he was likewise incouraged therein by those who pretended to interpret some Propheâ—s of the famous Merlin in his favour persuading him the time was come wherein he should recover the Welsh Principality All these allurements meeting with an aspiring mind and the English being at variance among themselves He in 1402. and the third year of K. Henry IV. endeavoured to draw the Welshmen to a general defection assuring them they had now a fair opportunity to shake off the English Yoke and to resume their own antient Laws and Customs To whose persuasions the Welshmen hearkning they constituted him their Prince and Captain General Having got some Forces together he falls first upon his old Adversary Reynold Lord Grey and takes him Prisoner yet with promise of releasment if this Lord would Marry his Daughter which offer though the Lord Grey at first not only refused but scorned yet was at last obliged to accept thereof though his treacherous Father in Law delayed his inlargement till he died The Welsh much animated with this first success break furiously into the Borders of Herefordshire plundring and destroying all before them being opposed only by the Lord Edmund Mortimer who had formerly withdrawn himself to the Castle of Wigmore He having assembled what Forces he was able gave them Battel and was taken Prisoner and then fettered cast into a deep and filthy Dungeon It was thought that if Glendour had as well known how to use his Victory as to get it he might at this time have much endangered the English Dominion over the Welsh But having killed 1000 English he thought he had done enough for that time and so giving over the pursuit retired The inhumanity of the Welsh Women was here memorable who stript the dead Carcasses of the English and then cut off their Privy Parts and Noses whereof the one they thrust into their Mouths the other they pressed between their Buttocks King Henry was compell'd to suffer these affronts at this time from the Welsh being ingaged in a dangerous War with Scotland that K. having Invaded England with a great Army but with very ill success his Forces being first defeated by the Earl of Northumberland And afterward by Henry Piercy his Kinsman called Hot-spur and George Earl of March who at a place called Hamilton kill'd 10000 Scots and took 500 Prisoners In the mean time Glendour had solicited the French King for aid who sent him 1200 men of quality but the Winds were so contrary that they lost 12 of their Ships and the rest returned home The English deriding this ill success of the French so exasperated the French K. that presently after he sent 12000 more who landed safely and joined with the Welsh but when they heard of the approach of the English Army whether mistrusting their own strength or suspecting the Welshmens faithfulness they ran to their Ships disgracefully went home Although King Henry IV. was advanced to the Crown by the Parliament of England who Deposed King Richard II. for his misgovernment yet many of those who were instrumental therein grew in a short time discontented upon one account or another as is usual in such cases insomuch that several Conspiracies were made against him Among others the Peircies Earls of Northumberland and Worcester with Henry Hot-spur began about this time to fall off from him one reason whereof was because the King at their request as well as of several other Noblemen refused to redeem their Kinsman Mortimer from Glendour's slavery for Henry was deaf of that Ear and could rather have wished both him and his two Sisters in Heaven for then he should be free from concealed Competitors And another cause was his denying them the benefit of such Prisoners as they had taken of the Scots whereupon they went of themselves and procured Mortimer's Delivery and then entred into a League Offensive and Defensive with Glendour and by their Proxies in the House of the Arch-Deacon of Bangor they agreed upon a Tripartite Indenture under their Hands and Seals to divide the Kingdom into three parts whereby all England from Severn and Trent South and Eastward was to be given to Edmund Mortimer Earl of March All Wales and the Land beyond the Severn West were assigned to Owen Glendour and all the remaining Land from Trent to the North to be the Partition of the Lord Piercy Wherein Glendour persuaded them they should accomplish an old Welsh Prophecy against the Mole or Mouldwarp of England That K. Henry was this Mouldwarp cursed of God's own Mouth and they were the Lion the Dragon and the Wolf which should divide the Land among them At this time King Henry utterly unacquainted with this Conspiracy published a Proclamation intimating that the Earl of March had voluntarily caused himself to be taken Prisoner to the end that the Welsh Rebels having him in their custody might have some pretence for their Insurrection and therefore he had little reason to be concerned for his Redemption Upon this the Piercy's assisted with some Scots and drawing to their Party the E. of Stafford Rich. Scroop Archbishop of York and many others they drew up certain Articles against King Henry and sent them to him in writing namely That he had falsified his Oath given at his landing That he came but only to recover his
after murdered as he was easing Nature by Edrick and his Head presented to Canutus who though he loved the Treason yet commanded the Traytor to be beheaded By the Death of Edmund the Saxon Monarchy came to a Period for Canutus after his Death seised upon the other half of England none being able to withstand whereby the Danes made themselves sole Masters of this Island after it had been in possession of the Saxons about 566 Years The English Nobles owning Canutus for their lawful King and swearing Fealty to him at his Coronation at London in the year of Christ 1017. Though Canutus had never the better Opinion of them considering that most of them had sworn Allegiance to Edmund their Natural Sovereign and likewise that they were English Natives He therefore judged them treacherous Persons and used them accordingly for some he banished others he beheaded and many by the Just Judgment of Heaven died sudden Deaths Canutus to establish his Government called a Parlaiment of Bishops Lords and Barons in London wherein many laws were ordained and among others this following We admonish diligently all Christian Men that they do always love God with an inward heart and be diligently obedient to Divine Teachers and do subtilly search God's Learning and Laws often and daily to the profit of themselves And we warn that all Christian men do learn to know at least-wise the right Belief and a right to understand the Lord's Prayer and the Creed for that with the one every Christian man should pray unto God and with the other shew forth right Belief He also ordained in another Parliament at Oxford That both English and Danes should observe the laws made by King Edgar as judging them to be above all others most just and reasonable He married Emma the Widow of King Etheldred and Sister to Richard Duke of Normandy with this Condition That the Issue of her Body by him should inherit the Kingdom of England He went to Rome to complain of the excessive Extortions of the Pope from the English Archbishops upon receiving their Palls And having reigned twenty Years over England he died Notwithstanding the former Agreement yet Harold the Son of Canutus by Elgina his first Wife in the absence of Hardiknute the Son of Queen Emma succeeded his Father and the better to secure himself he by the assistance of the treacherous Earl Goodwin who had married Canutus's Daughter endeavours to get into his Power Edward and Alfred the two Sons of Queen Emma by King Etheldred whom he knew had more Right than himself and to that purpose they counterfeit a Letter in Emma's name whom Harold had abused and robbed of her Jewels the Contents whereof were to this purpose EMMA in Name only Queen to Edward and Alfred her Sons sends Motherly Greetings Whilst we severally bewail the death of our Sovereign my Lord and your Father and your selves Dear Sons are still more and more dispossessed from the Kingdoms of your lawful Inheritance I much wonder what you intend to do since you know that delays in Attempts give the Usurper more leisure to lay his Foundation and more safely to fix thereon his intended Building never ceasing to post from Town to City to make the Lords and Rulers thereof his Friends by Threats Prayers or Rewards But notwithstanding his Policy yet they privately signifie that they had rather have one of you their Native Countrey-men to reign over them than this Danish Usurper Therefore my advice is That either of you do with all speed repair to me that we may advise together what is to be done in this so great an Enterprise Fail not therefore but send me word by this Messenger what you intend to do herein And so fare ye well Your Affectionate Mother Emma Messengers being sent to Normandy with this Letter they met only with Alfred Edward being gone into Hungaria to whom delivering their Message he was very joyful and made all possible hast to England accompanied with divers Norman Gentlemen and arriving at Southampton was received by the villanous Earl Goodwin with much pretended Kindness and Friendship who made as if he would bring him to London but being come to Gilford in Surrey Goodwin commanded his men to kill all Alfred's Company and then carrying him to the Isle of Ely ordered his Eyes to be put out Then opening his Body they took out his Bowels and fastning one end of his Guts to a Stake they drove him round it with Iron Darts and Needles till all his Bowels came clear away Thus died innocent Alured or Alfred the true Heir to the Crown by the Treachery of Godwin to the great disgust of the English Nobility who vowed Revenge This Harold called Harefoot for his great swiftness did not long enjoy his usurped Dominion for after four years he died After which Hardiknute the Son of Canutus and Queen Emma who was by his Father made King or Denmark is now by the States of the Land both Danes and English invited over hither to take upon him the Government He was a great Oppressor of the English by heavy Taxes which so enraged them that two of his Collectors were slain at Worcester for which their City was burnt and their Bishop Alfred expelled his Office till with Money he had purchased his peace Though this King was very vicious yet it is said he was more kind to Edward his Half-brother and made Earl Godwin purge himself for the death of Prince Alfred though it is thought his bountiful Gifts to the King prevailed much more for clearing him than his Innocence One present especially is very remarkable that is A Ship whose Stern was of Gold and fourscore Soldiers all richly habited within her on their Heads they all wore guilt Burgonets and on their Bodies a triple gilt Harbergeon about their Wasts Swords girt richly guilt a Danish Battle-ax on their left Shoulders a Target with gilt Bosses on their left Hand a Dart in their right and upon their Arms Bracelets of Gold of great Value After two years Reign Hardiknute died in the midst of his drunken Debaucheries and in him ended the Danish Race in England three Kings only of that Nation Reigning here This third Conquest was but of a short continuance yet were the Danes very insolent toward the English during that time for if an Englishman and a Dane met at a Bridge or at a Door the Englishman must stand still till the Dane past by and if he did not then bow down very low to the Dane he was certainly beaten and abused Yea it is related That while the English were drinking the Danes would stab them or cut their Throats to prevent which when the Englishman drank he desired his next Companion to be his Surety or Pledge from whence it is said the Custom of Pledging one another did first arise For these and abundant greater Insolencies after the Death of Hardiknute the Danes were utterly driven out of England and never again returned
Grandfather Griffith whom he intimated was murdered in the Tower of London and not kill'd by accident yet he sent a message to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York That if the King pleased to appoint Commissioners to receive his Oath and Homage he was very ready to give it or if he would name some indifferent place and give Prince Edward the Earl of Glocester and the Lord Chancellor as Hostages for his safe return he would wait upon him in Person The King dissembled his anger at these arrogant demands but a while after coming to the Castle of Chester on the Border of Wales he again sent for him and Leoline again denied to come At which the King resolved for preventing all future disturbances on that side to make an absolute Conquest of the Countrey And on the contrary the Welsh having always a custom at every change of Princes in England to try conclusions expecting one time or other to change their Yoke of Bondage into Liberty were in great hopes of doing it at this time having now a valiant Prince to command them But an accident happened which somewhat took off their edge for the Lady Eleanor Daughter of Simon Earl of Montfort whom Prince Leoline extreamly loved Sailing out of France into Wales was by the way taken by some English Ships and brought to King Edward and for the Love of her Prince Leoline was willing to submit to any conditions so that besides his Promise of submission to the Government he agreed to pay down Fifty thousand pounds Sterling and a thousand pound a year during life Upon these Terms he Married his beloved Lady and the Wedding was solemniz'd in England the King and Queen being present thereat Three years Leoline continued faithful and obedient in which time David one of his Brothers staying in England and being found by the King to be of a stirring Spirit was much honoured by him Knighted and Match to a Rich Widow Daughter of the Earl of Derby to which the King added the gift of the Castle of Denbigh with a thousand pound a year though it was at length discovered that he lived here only as a Spy For Prince Leoline's Lady dying soon after and he contrary to his engagements taking up Arms his Brother David notwithstanding these favours from the King went and joined with him and they together enter into England seizing the Castles of Flint and Ruthland with the Person of the Lord Chief Justice Clifford who was sent thither as a Judge and in a great Battel the Welsh overthrew the Earls of Northumberland and Surrey with the Slaughter of many English King Edward was at the Vizes in Wiltshire when news coming of this revolt and overthrow he raises an Army to revenge it In his way he goes to visit his Mother Queen Eleanor who lay at the Nunnery of Almesbury with whom while he was discoursing a Person was brought into the Chamber who pretended that being formerly blind he had received his Sight at the Tomb of King Henry III. When the King saw him he knew him and that he was a most notorious lying Villain and intreated his Mother not to give the least credit to him but the Queen who was glad to hear of this Miracle for the glory of her Husband finding her Son unwilling that his Father should be a Saint fell suddenly into such a rage that she commanded him out of her sight which the King obeys and going forth meets with a Clergyman to whom he tells the story of this Impostor adding merrily That he knew the Justice of his Father to be such that he would rather pluck out the Eyes being whole of such a wicked wretch than restore him to his sight In the mean time the Archbishop of Canterbury went of himself to Prince Leoline and his Brother David endeavouring to persuade them to submission but in vain for Leoline was so animated with an old British Prophecy of Merlin's That he should shortly be Crowned with the Diadem of Brute that he had no Ear for Peace and shortly after no head for the Earl of Pembroke first took Bere Castle which was his usual residence from him he then gave him Battel and his Party being defeated his Head was cut off by a Common Souldier and sent to King Edward who caused it to be Crowned with Ivy thereby in some part unluckily fulfilling his Welsh Prediction And this was the end of Leoline the last of the Welsh Princes betrayed as some write by the men of Buelth Soon after his Brother David flying into Wales and being destitute of help or relief he was at length taken with two of his Sons and seven Daughters as some Authors write all which were brought before the King David was committed to Chester Castle and afterward in a Parliament at Shrewsbury was convicted of Treason and sentenced to an ignominious death namely to be first drawn at a Horse Tail about the City of Shrewsbury then to be beheaded and quartered his Heart and Bowels burnt His Head to accompany his Brothers was put upon the Tower of London and his four Quarters were set up in four Cities Bristol Northampton York and Winchester A manifold Execution and the first shewed in this kind in this Kingdom in the Person of the Son of a Prince or any other Nobleman that we read of in our History Some have observed that upon King Edward's thus totally subjecting Wales he lost his Eldest Son Alphonsus a Prince of great hopes about twelve years of Age and had only left to succeed him his Son Edward lately born at Carnarvan and the first of the English Royal Families that was Intituled Prince of Wales but no Prince worthy either of Wales or England After this the rest of the Welshmen as well Nobles as others submitted themselves to King Edward and all the Countrey and Castles therein were surrendred to him who then annexed that Country to the Crown of England and built two strong Castles at Aberconway and Carnarvan to secure their obedience He also gave several Lands and Castels to Englishmen as the Lordship of Denhigh to Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln Of Ruthen to Reginald Lord Grey and divided Wales into Counties and Hundreds establishing the Government thereof agreeable to the Laws of England This happened in the twelfth year of his Reign 1284. Remarks upon the Lives of the Princes of Wales of the Royal Families of England PART II. THough King Edward I. had subjected the Principality of Wales and afterward annexed it to the Crown of England yet he could never induce that People freely to own him as their King but upon condition that he would come and reside among them or at least appoint them a Prince of their own Nation to Govern them for the Welchmen having experienced the rigorous and severe Treatment of the English Governours and being sensible that the King would rule them by an English Deputy they could not with patience bear the thoughts of it so that
Christian King in the World and Brittain the first Kingdom that imbraced the Gospel by publick Authority After this he sent two Persons to Eleutherius Bishop of Rome to desire the form of some Laws to Govern his People by To which the Bishop replied You desire us to send you the Roman and Imperial Laws for the Reformation of the People and Guidance of the King and Kingdom of Brittain The Roman Laws we altogether mislike but the Law of God by no means By the Divine Clemency you have of late received the Law and Faith of Christ into your Kingdom You have with you the Old and New Testament out of them in Gods name by the advice of your Counsellors take you a Law and therewith by Gods permission Govern your Kingdom for you are Gods Vicar therein c. By this we may see the vast difference between the humility and piety of the Roman Church in the Primitive times and the Pride Cruelty and Usurpation of the present Synagogue of Satan This Epistle with two Preachers Fagianus and Daniranus whom the Bishop sent to King Lucius prevailed so much upon him that being Baptized into the Christian Faith he converted the Heathenish Temples of the Arch Flamins and Flamines into so many Bishops Sees whereof London York and St. David's in Wales were made the Metropolitans A Table that remains in St. Peter's Church in Cornhill London Records that King Lucius founded that Church for a Cathedral and likewise St. Peter's Westminster now the Abbey and likewise Dover Castle He reigned 12 years and lies buried at Glocester and dying without Children left the Roman Emperors his Heirs of whom Commodus succeeded in whose Reign the Roman Legions in Brittain fell into divers mutinies because the Emperor instead of Senators and Consuls who used to Command them put inferiour Persons over them but Helvius Pertinax being sent hither quieted all dissentions with the severe punishment of the Offenders and at length by his policy he obtained the Imperial Dignity Severus Reigned after him whom Albinus Lieutenant of Brittain opposed and assisted by the Brittish Youth fought a Battel with him in France where Albinus was defeated and Severus confirmed in the Empire and then coming over into Brittain endeavoured to secure the Countrey to himself by erecting several Walls and Forts in the In-land Parts and repairing those with Stone which were formerly of Turf or Earth and finding the Northern Brittains or Scots very troublesome he built a Wall or Fortification for defending the more Civilized from the Savage and Barbarous Inhabitants this Wall crossed the whole Island from Sea to Sea beginning at the Frith of Solney in Scotland and ending at Timnouth in length 132 Miles it was built with Turfs and Timber with strong Bulwarks at a convenient distance near if not upon the Foundation of the former called Adrians Wall the ruins whereof are yet visible through the Counties of Northumberland and Cumberland for which act he Sirnamed himself Brittannicus and after 18 years Reign died at York in 212. not so much of Sickness say some Authors as of Discontent and Grief Others say of a Mortal wound given him by Fulgence Captain of the Picts Bassianus Garacalla his Son succeeded him and hastning to Rome offered very easie conditions of Peace to the yet resisting Brittains who being tyred with the long Wars accepted thereof and Hostages were given for conserving the same And now the Royal Title of Kings of Brittain being annexed to the Roman Emperors they by their continual divisions for gaining the Imperial Dignity gave a long breathing time of Peace to this harassed Island so that little of action happened here till the reigns of Dioclesian and Maximin in whose time Carausius being by the Romans made Admiral of the Brittish Seas to guard them against the Pyracies of the Saxons and Belgians he by conniving at their Robberies became rich and popular so that having notice the Emperor had ordered him to be secretly kill'd he by the aid of the Picts and Northern Brittains took upon him the Title of Emperor of Rome and valiantly defended his Dignity for seven years At length Maximin Marched to the Brittish Ocean with a powerful Army but hearing of the strength of Carausius and wanting Seamen he Encamped on the French Shoar and concluding a Peace with him returned back to Rome Carausius Governed the Brittains with Justice and Peace for seven years repairing the Roman Wall and defending them from their brutish Enemies but was at length Murdered by his treacherous friend Alectus who took upon him the Imperial Purple The Romans after the Death of Carausius resolved to attempt the recovery of this Island and Constantius with a Potent Army Landed here in a great Fog without observation or hindrance at which Alectus being surprized was slain with most of his Army the rest escaping toward London designed to Plunder and Burn it but the Romans made such speed that they prevented them killing Gallus their Leader and throwing his Body into a Brook that ran through the City which was after called Gallus his Brook now Walbrook After this these two Tyrants Dioclesian and Maximin raised a dismal Persecution in all the parts of the Roman Empire whereby 17000 Christians Men and Women were Crowned with Martyrdom within the space of one Month and in Brittain the Churches were demolished their Bibles and other Writings burnt and for 10 years together the poor People were continually tormented without intermission or any place being free from the Blood of Martyrs who were constant in the profession of the Faith Among others St. Alban was beheaded at the Town bearing his name whom Fortunatus Priscus mentions Albanum egregium faecunda Brittannia profert Brittain fruitful of all good Washt with glorious Alban's Blood His Instructor in the Christian Religion Amphiole or Brittain was afterward taken and being brought to the same place was whipped about a Stake whereto his Intrails were fastned and so wound out of his Body and was lastly stoned to death Several others suffered as Julius and Aaron at Leicester or rather Coverleon in Monmouthshire and so many at Lichfield that the place became a Golgotha or Field of Dead Corps and therefore the Seal of Arms of that City is charged with many Martyrs to this day But these two bloody Emperors enjoyed their honours a very short time for within a year after this bloody Persecution they were both of them by the hand of God saith Eusebius struck with such a mad humour that they renounced the Empire and laying aside the Imperial Robes Dioclesian retired into Dalmatia where he died raging of a terrible disease And Maximinus hanged himself at Marseilles in France Gallerius and Constantius succeeded them the last of whom was a Prince of singular Piety towards God and Clemency towards men being very kind to the Christians and rebuilding their Churches for which God so blessed him saith Eusebius that this virtuous Father left a more virtuous Son
are these that follow 1. Idwallo in the year of Christ 688. called Iror the Son of Alan 2. Roderick 3. Conan 4. Mervyn 5. Roderick Sirnamed the Great who left Wales between his three Sons allotting unto each his part the Country being divided into North-Wales South-Wales and Powys-Land which had their several Lords and Princes North-Wales fell to the share of Amarawd the eldest Son of Roderick Mawr or the Great the last King thereof with a superiority of Power over both the rest who were but Homagers to this It containeth the County of Merioneth part of Denbigh Flint Carnarvan and the Isle of Anglesey which being the more Mountainous Parts and of difficult access consequently preserved their Liberty longest and do still keep their Language from the Incursions of the English Aberfraw in the Isle of Anglesey was the Princes Palace who were thence sometimer called Kings of Aberfraw South-Wales in the division of the Country fell to Cadel the second Son comprehending the Counties of Glamorgan Pembroke Carmarthen Cardigan and part of Brecknock which though the richâ—â— and most fruitful part of Wales yet Pembrokâ— and Brecknock having their several Kings there remained only Cardigan and Carmarthen under the immediate subjection of the Princes of South-Wales whose principal Seat was at Dynefar or Dynevor Castle not far from Carmarthen who thence were called by their Subjects the Kings of Dynevor Powys-land was bestowed by Roderick upon his youngest Son Mervyn containing the Counties of Montgomery and Radnor with part of Denbigh Brecknock Merioneth and Shropshire His chief Palace was Matraval in Montgomeryshire from whence the Princes thereof were so called This Countrey continued in the Line of Mervyn a long time together but much afflicted and dismembred by the Princes of North-Wales who cast a greedy eye upon it The last that held it entire was Meredith who left it to his two Sons Madoc and Griffith of which Madock died at Winchester in 1160. and Griffith was by King Henry I. created Lord Powys the residue of Powys-land which pertained to Madock depending still upon the fortune of North-Wales In these several Divisions were different Kings and Princes who long strugled with the Saxons for their Liberties But because we find very little mention of their Actions in our Chronicles I shall proceed with the History of the Saxons and Danes and afterward give an account of the actions of some of the Welsh Kings and Princes till that Principality was wholly subdued to the Crown of England The Saxons according to the common fate of Conquerours after they had subdued their Enemies disagreed among themselves and several of their Princes incroached upon the Territories of each other and so became petty Monarchs of some part of Britain These were reckoned to be â—ourteen in number till at last Egbert the eighteenth King of the West Saxons got command over all the seven Kingdoms of the Saxons and so became sole Monarch of England which none of his Predecessors before ever obtained He had War fourteen years with the Cornish and Welch and took West-chester their chief hold from them making a strict Law against any Welcoman that should pass over Offa's Dike or set one Foot within his English Dominions He slew Bernulf King of Mercis in Battel and drove the King of Kent out of his Kingdom The East Angles and East Saxons submitted to him and likewise the South Saxons whereupon he caused himself to be crowned absolute Monarch at Winchester And this Monarchy continued in the Saxons till the Danes first got and then lost it again and the Saxons Issue failing upon their next entrance it then fell to the Normans as by the Sequel will appear In the fourteenth year of Egbert the Danes with thirty three Ships landed in England to whom he gave Battle but had the worst of the day losing two of his chief Captains and two Bishops but the Danes returning two years after into Wales and joyning with the Welch Egbert overcame both Danes and Welch together Ethelwolph his Son succeeded after whom reign'd Ethelbald Ethelbert Ethelred and then Alfred in whose time the Danes under Roll a Nobleman came over with a great Army but by the Valour of Alfred were beaten This virtuous Prince divided the twenty four hours of the Day and Night into three equal parts which he observed by the burning of a Taper set in his Chapel Clocks and Watches being not then in use Eight hours he spent in Contemplation Reading and Prayer other eight for his Repose and the Necessaries of Life and the other eight in Affairs of State He divided the Kingdom into Shires Hundreds and Tythings for the better Administration of Justice and suppressing of Robbers and Felons which had so good effect that the People might Travel with all manner of security yea saith my Author if Bracelets of Gold had been hung in the High-ways none durst have presumed to have taken them away He commanded all his Subjects who possessed two Hides of Land to bring up their Sons in Learning till they were at least fifteen years old asserting That he accounted a man Free born and yet Illiterate to be no better than a Beast a Sot and a Brainless Creature Neither would he admit any into Office that were not so He translated the Holy Gospel into the Saxon Tongue was devout in the Service of God and a great Protector of Widows and Orphans Edward his eldest Son succeeded him against whom his Nephew Ethelwald rebelled His Sister Elfleda had very hard Travel of her first Child whereupon she ever after forbore the Nuptial Embraces alledging it to be an over-foolish Pleasure which occasioned such bitter Pains and listing her self a Souldier under her Brother she performed many valiant exploits against the Danes against whom Edward obtained a great Victory near Wolverhampton wherein two of their Kings were slain with many of the Nobility and a multitude of Common Souldiers which procured him both Fear and Love from the People After his death Ethelstane reigned who is said to be the first Anointed King of this Island He enlarged his Dominions farther than he received them He overthrew Godfrey the Danish King of Northumberland Howell King of Wales and Constantine King of Scotland forcing them to submit to his pleasure after which he again restored them to their Dignities glorying That it was more Honour to make a King than to be a King These actions procured him much renown from his Neighbour Princes who courted his Friendship and sent him curious Presents Othy the Emperor who married his Sister sent him a curiosity richly set with Precious Stones very artificially contrived wherein were Land-skips with Vines Corn and men seeming so naturally to move as if they had been real The King of Norway sent him a sumptuous Ship richly guilt with Purple Sails The King of France sent him a Sword which was said to have been Constantine's the Great the Hilt whereof was all of Gold and therein as they
whereby many of the English were slain and one Arrow aimed at the King shot him on the Breast but by his Armour was hindred from doing farther mischief whereat he was little concerned only swore By our Lord's Death his usual Oath that he was sure that Arrow was shot by own of his Followers and not by a Welshman At length finding he should gain little and might lose much of the honour he had gained in this barren Country he concluded a Peace with the Welsh Princes giving them a thousand head of Cattel and so returned to London In 1138. Owen and Cadwallader the Sons of Griffith ap Conan Prince of Wales made an Irruption into the Pale and did much damage carrying away much spoil of Goods Horses Arms and other Habiliments of War which King Stephen was not able to revenge being sufficiently incumbered in defending his Crown which Maud the Empress upon pretence of a better Title endeavoured to deprive him of under the Conduct of her Brother in Law Robert Earl of Glocester King Stephen Besieged Ramilph Earl of Chester and Earl Robert in Lincoln who issued out of the City resolving to give the King Battel being assisted with a great number of Welsh as well as Englishmen Before the fight the Earl of Chester animated his Souldiers by telling them That he gave them unfeigned thanks for hazarding their lives in so just a cause against a faithless King and that he himself would lead them amidst the strongest Troups of the Enemy and seemed already in his own thoughts to be breaking through them and trampling on the necks of their Chief Captains yea piercing with his Sword the very Heart of King Stephen himself not doubting but they would follow their Leader and by his example quickly put their persidious adversaries to flight On the other side Baldwin King Stephen's General told his men That the Justice of their Cause obliged them to defend their valiant King to whom they had sworn Allegiance and whose Presence Courage and Conduct ought more to encourage them than thousands of men What is Robert the Bastard their General says he but a boasting Coward who can speak big but perform little hath a Lion's Voice but the Heart of an Hare and what is Chester's Earl but an hair-brain'd audacious man without Judgment or Courage and what are the Welshmen which he has with him are they not fitter for our contempt than fear who being naked unarmed and without any military Discipline run headlong like wild Beasts upon the Javelins and Spears of the Hunter and the rest are only straglers and runagates who will never endure the force of your puissant Arms. After this a bloody Battel was fought but at length King Stephen's Horse giving way and the Foot being thereby exposed they allfled together leaving the King almost alone in the Field A strange sight it was saith the Historian to see King Stephen left almost alone and yet none durst approach him who grinding his Teeth and foaming like a furious wild Boar with his Battel Ax drove whole Troops before him cutting down great numbers of them to the eternal Renown of his Courage so that if but an hundred like himself had stood by him a whole Army had not been able to surprize his Person yet he still defended himself till first his Battle-ax and then his Sword flew in peices by his irresistible blows so that being left Weaponless he was struck down with a great Stone and taken Prisoner Yet he afterward regained his Liberty and his Crown and Died a King after having Reigned near 19 years In 1170. The Welsh surprized the Town of Cardigan under Rice ap Griffith Prince of South-Wales and took therein the Governour Robert Fitz Stephens a valiant Norman who could not procure his Liberty upon any other terms than by forever renouncing all Right and Title to his Estate and Possessions in the Principality of Wales which hard condition he was obliged to accept and joining with Dermot one of the five Kings of Ireland who at that time came over to crave aid from King Henry II. was instrumental in conquering that Kingdom and annexing it to the Crown of England In 1199. King Richard I. resolving to make a Voyage for the recovery of the Holy Land or Jerusalem he resolved to leave all quiet at home and Rice ap Griffith Prince of South-Wales being then in amity came as far as Oxford to wait upon him but because the King who was there went not out of the City in Person to meet him as his Father Henry had done though Earl John the King's Brother had conducted him from the Marshes with all the marks of honour and esteem this haughty Welsh Prince took it in such great scorn and indignation that he presently returned back into his Countrey without once seeing or saluting King Richard who by this disrespect lost Rice's love and favour As upon the like omission and superorlousness the stately Monk Austin formerly lost the affections of the Monks of Bangor Rice's own Countrymen in another part of Wales In 1211. Leolin ap Jorwith Prince of Wales though he had a while before made his submission to King John plundred several English Towns in the Marshes which caused the King to raise a great Army to reduce him to obedience whereupon Leoline ordered all his People to convey their Cattel and Goods of Value to the almost inaccessible places upon Snowdon Hills however the English pursued them with so much speed vigor and revenge for their continual losses that their Prince and Chief Lords were compelled to accept of what terms the King would allow them whereby they were obliged both by Oath Homage and Hostages and likewise by granting all their Lands to the King to be held of him forever to buy their peace and save themselves from being utterly extirpated out of their Country In 1230. King Henry III. having given the Castle of Montgomery to his great Favorite Aubert de Burgh the English Garrison issued out with intent to root up all the Trees near a Wood about five Mile long where Travellers used to â—erobbed and murdered which the Welsh would by no means permit falling upon the Souldiers and driving them into the Castle Upon which the King Marches thither and not only suppresseth these Mutineers but sets the whole Forrest in a Flame From hence he pierceth farther into Wales and burns a place called Cridia and then begins to raise a new Fort for bridling the Natives which whilst he was doing David Prince of Wales marched toward him with his Forces being encouraged by many great men in King Henry's Army who were confederates with him and a great Battel was fought where many were slain on both sides and afterward by the treachery of these English Barons Provisions grew so very scare that the King was compelled to yield to a dishonourable Peace namely To raze to the ground the new Fort now almost finisht That William Bruce a valiant Commander
oftentimes when the King charged them with affronting his Lord Lieutenants they unanimously answered That they were very willing to be subject to any Prince he should nominate provided he were a Welshman born The King perceiving their inflexible temper resolved to gratifie them by a Politick Stratagem He thereupon sends secretly to the Queen who was then big with Child that she should come to him with all speed to Carnarvan and when she was nigh her time of Delivery He ordered all the Welsh Nobility and Gentry to appear before him at Ruthland Castle to consult about the Publick welfare of their Country When they were come he detained them till he had notice that the Queen was delivered of a Son at Carnarvan and then calling them together he told them That they having often Petitioned him to have a Prince to rule them he being now going out of their Countrey would nominate one to them provided they would promise to accept and obey him The Welshmen answered they would be willingly obedient to him provided he were their own Countryman Ay says the King I will assure you that he was born in Wales That he can speak never a word of English and that he never did any wrong to man Woman or Child The Welshmen were very joyful of their good fortune promising true subjection to him Whereupon he named his own new born Son Edward firnamed Carnarvan from the place of his Birth and from that time the Eldest Sons of the Kings of England have been Intituled Princes of Wales This Prince succeeded his Father by the name of King Edward II. He was a comely Person and of great strength but much given to Drink which made him often disclose his Secrets For his other conditions his greatest fault was his inordinate love to Garestone and the Spencers who being Persons of lewd Lives endeavoured to debauch him with Wine and Women and occasioned many mischiefs and grievances in the Kingdom of which the Nobility and People were so sensible that when they found him irreclaimable they resolved to depose him and set his young Son Edward on the Throne his Queen likewise joining with the Lords therein who going over to France she there Contracted a Marriage between her Son Edward and Philippa Daughter to the Earl of Heynault by whom being aided with Forces she landed at Orwell near Harwich in Suffolk The Lords immediately resorted to her and the Londoners inclining to take her part the King found his evil Counsellors the Spencers and others could do him little service Therefore Shiping themselves for the Isle of Lundy they were by Tempest cast upon the Coast of Wales and the King secured himself in a Monastery in Glamorganshire But soon after both he and his Favourites were taken from thence They were Hanged and Quartered and he himself was deposed by Parliament having been first persuaded to make a formal resignation of the Crown And at length he was committed a Prisoner to Berkley Castle near Bristol where he was miserably murdered by having a red hot Iron or Spit thrust up into his Body II. Edward of Windsor so called from the place of his Birth the Son of this unfortunate King was the second Prince of Wales of the English Royal Blood Upon the Deposing of his Father by the Parliament it was resolved that he should be advanced to the Throne which this young Prince refused unless his Father resigned the Government which he was obliged to do and so his Son was Proclaimed King by the name of Edward III. who afterward proved a Glorious and Renowned Prince His Minority being but four years old when he was Crowned though it may Palliate cannot so take off the scandal of not preventing his Death who gave him Life but that there remains a great blemish upon his memory For being a Master of so much reason as to pause upon it as he did upon the first motion of putting his Father to Death it may be thought he had power enough to have prevented the execution it being a violation of the Law of Nature and likewise of ill example since the People might use him in the same manner if he outlived their affections or his own discretion But his revenge upon Mortimer seems to declare him really innocent or that he abhor'd the World should think otherwise Whereby he so far reconciled himself to the opinion of the Vulgar that he seldom wanted Friends during his long Reign as he never wanted an occasion to make use of them He was a Prince of that admirable composure of Body and Mind that Fortune seemed to have fallen in love with him elevating him so far above the reach of Envy or Treachery that all the Neighbour Princes dazled with the splendor of his Glory gave place to him who from the very first Ascent to the Throne had a prospect of two Crowns more than he was born to The one placed within his reach which was Scotland The other that of France which was more remote To the attaining the first there was a fair opportunity offered by the irreconcileable contest of two Rival Kings David Bruce and Edward Baliol whose Right and Interest were so evenly poized that King Edward's power could easily turn the Scale To the recovery of France there was yet a fairer opportunity given him by the revolt of Philip of Artois a Prince of the Blood Royal and Brother in Law to Philip of Valois the present French King who upon discontent came over and discovered all the Secrets of the French Counsels to King Edward assuring him of the Affections of several of the French Nobility And now the two Kings set up their Titles to the Kingdom of France Edward was nearest by Blood but drew his Pedigree from a Female Philip was farther off but descended of all Males and because the Law Salique which excludes Women from Reigning in France was conceived as well to exclude all Descendants from Females therefore was Philip's Title accepted the French obstinately declaring That they would never tye the Succession of that Crown to a Distaff To which King Edward replied That he would then tye it to his Sword With the English took part the Emperor and the chief Princes of Germany With the French the King of Bohemia the two Dukes of Austria the Earl of Flanders the Duke of Savoy and divers Princes of Italy together with his inraged Neighbour David Bruce King of Scots a weak but restless Enemy against whom King Edward had set up Edward Baliol as Competitor and to whose assistance he sends an Army toward Scotland and at Hallydown Hill near Berwick the Scots are utterly defeated about Thirty Two Thousand Souldiers being slain with a great number of Nobility and Gentry After this King Edward gained a Glorious Victory over the French at the Battel of Cressy and another at Poictiers wherein John King of France was taken Prisoner And David King of Scots with an Army of Threescore Thousand men a second time
reluctancy in one so young as himself for he was scarce twelve years of age to be contracted to the Princess his Brother's Widow for which Marriage a Dispensation by advice of the most Learned men at that time in Christendom was by Pope Julius II. granted and so the Marriage was Solemnized soon after at the Bishop of Salisbury's House in Fleetstreet After the Death of his Father he succeeded to the Crown by the name of King Henry VIII His reign was long and full of action but the greatest was his renouncing the Pope's Supremacy and suppressing of many unnecessary Abbeys and Monasteries and thereby laying a Foundation for the happy Reformation that followed He was exceeding tall of Stature very Strong and fair of Complexion A Prince of so many good Parts that it may be wondred he had any ill reither indeed had he many till flattery and ill Counsel in his latter time prevailed upon him His cruelty to his Wives some endeavour to excuse by saying that if they were Incontinent he did but Justice If they were not so yet he thought it sufficient to satisfie his Conscience that he had cause to believe them so and if Marriage be honourable in all in Princes it is sacred In suppressing of Abbeys he shewed no little Piety but great Providence for though they were excellent things being rightly used the most pernicious being abused and then may the use be justly suppressed when the abuse can scarce possibly be restrained To think he supprest them from Covetousness is to make him extreamly deceived in his reckoning for by comparing the profit with the charge he must needs be a great loser by the bargain He was so far from Pride that he was rather too humble At least he conversed with his Subjects in a more familiar manner than is usual with Princes So Valiant that his whole Life almost was exercises of Valour and though performed among his Friends in Jest yet they prepared him against his Enemies in earnest and they that durst be his Enemies found it so It may be said the complexion of his Government for the first twenty years was Sanguine and Jovial for the rest cholerick and bloody so that it is a question whether in the former he were more prodigal of his own Treasure or in the latter part of his Subjects Blood For as he spent more in Masks Shews and Fictions than any other King did in reality so in any Distempes of his People he used no other Physick but to open a Vein But it will be injurious to his Memory to charge all the Blood spilt in his Reign to his account They were the Popish Bishops that made those Bloody Laws and the bloody Bishops that put them in execution the King oftentimes scarce knowing what was done Certain it is when Bishop Gardiner put a Gentlewoman I suppose Mrs. Ann Askew a second time on the Rack the King hearing of it extreamly condemned him for such Barbarous cruelty As for Religion though he brought it not to a full Reformation yet he gave a good beginning thereunto They that charge him with the Vice of Lust let them shew such another example of Continence as was seen in him to lye six months by a young Lady and not to touch her for so he did by the Lady Ann of Cleve It is recorded of him that in his latter time he grew so fat and slothful that Engines were made to lift and remove him up and down but however in the fifty sixth year of his age either by a Dropsie or an Ulcer in his Leg he fell into a languishing Feaver which brought him into such extremity that his Physicians utterly despaired of his Life and yet none durst acquaint him with it till Mr. Denny of his Privy Chamber ventured to tell him of his danger and put him in mind of preparing for Death To which he answered that he confessed his Sins to be exceeding great yet he had such confidence in the Mercy of God through Christ Jesus that he doubted not of forgiveness though they had been much greater And being asked whether he would have a Divine he answered he would willingly have Archbishop Cranmer but not till he had taken a little rest The Archbishop being then at Croyden was sent for but before he came the King was grown speechless only seemed somewhat sensible putting out his hand And the Archbishop desiring him to shew some sign of his Faith in Christ he then wrung him hard by the hand and immediately gave up the Ghost Jan. 28. 1547. in the fifty sixth year-of his age and of his reign the thirty eighth His body with great solemnity was Buried at Windsor under a very stately Tomb begun in Copper and Gilt but never finished XII Edward the only Son and Successor of King Henry VIII was the twelfth Prince of Wales of the English Race He was an excellent Prince in his tender years being committed to the Tuition of Dr. Cox he profited in Learning to admiration attaining in a short time to speak freely several Languages namely Greek Latin French Italian Spanish and Dutch and likewise had great knowledge in many other Sciences so that he seemed rather to be born than to be brought up to them for he was not ignorant of Logick natural Philosophy nor Musick and in the midst of his youthful Recreations be would be always sure to observe his hours for study So that the famous Cardanus coming into England and having often conference with him gives this Character of him That he had an extraordinary insight into the Politicks was well read in Philosophy and Divinity and in a word a Miracle of Art and Nature He would answer Ambassadors on the sudden either in French or Latin He knew the state of Foreign Princes perfectly and his own more He could call all the Gentlemen of Quality in his Kingdom by their Names and all when he had scarce yet attained to the age of fifteen years He was extraordinary zealous in the True Religion banishing Popery and perfecting that Reformation which was but just began in his Father's Reign He was very merciful and averse from taking away the Lives of his Subjects for proof whereof there is this instance One Joan Butcher being condemned to be burnt for notorious Blasphemy and Heresie his whole Council could not persuade him to sign the Warrant for her execution but were fain to get Archbishop Cranmer to prevail with him who using many arguments to persuade him What said he would you have me send her quick to the Devil in her Error But when the Bishop shewed him the necessity of it he signed it weeping and saying Well my Lord I will lay all the blame upon you at the Day of Judgment He was very Charitable and upon a Sermon preached by Bishop Ridley of the excellency of Charity he gave and endowed three Hospitals for the Poor in the City of London 1. Christ's Hospital for poor Children and Orphans 2.
with Ghosts and Apparitions but what his end was my Author does not mention However the former surprizing Accidents have sufficient confirmation from Mr. Jones and Mr. Bedwell two worthy Ministers in that Country from Mrs. Bâ—wen her self a Woman much praised for her true Piety and Courage From Colonel Wroth Rogers then Governour of Hereford from Mr. Samuel Foley Colonel John Bridges and many other Persons of honesty and reputation Sir Edward Carne descended from a good Family flourishing at Wenny in this County He was bred in Oxford Dr. of the Civil Law and Knighted by Charles V. Emperor of Germany He was dispatcht to Rome by K. Henry VIII to remonstrate to the Pope That if he cited his Master to appear at Rome as he had intelligence was intended that his Highness was not bound by Law to appear This he effectually performed pleading that the Emperor was so powerful at Rome that he could expect no Justice there in the matter of the Divorce Q. Katherine being of the House of Austria Declaring that if the Pope persisted in this arbitrary way the King must appeal from thence to some able men in some indifferent Universities and if this were refused he protested against all Proceedings in that Court as null and void A behaviour that discovered this Gentleman to have as much courage as ability Queen Mary highly prized him and no whit the less for his Cordial appearing for K. Henry in the matter of her Mothers divorce imputing it to the discharge of his Imployment in him who was otherwise a through paced Romanist and whom she afterward sent Ambassador to the Pope After her death he still resided at Rome and by command of Q. Elizabeth had audience of Paul IV. to acquaint him that his Mistriss was advanced to the Crown of England To whom the Pope returned answer That England was a Fee of the Church of Rome and that she could not succeed as being Illegitimate This Pope would allow no Prince to be his Equal but that all should be subject under his Foot Besides he commanded Sir Edward to lay down his Character of Ambassador and under pain of the greater Excommunication and Confiscation of his Goods not to go out of the City of Rome but take upon him the Government of the English Hospital there So that Queen Elizabeth cannot justly be taxed by the Papists for a Schistmatick being thrust from the Church of Rome by the Pope himself so unreasonably treating her Ambassador before she had made any alteration in Religion Though some think the crafty old Knight was well contented with his restraint wherein he died 1561. The County of Glamorgan is the furthest bounds of South-Wales and lying exposed to Foreign Invasions was antiently fortified with 25 strong Castles which Time and Storms have so intirely ruined that the very names of them are almost obliterated It had likewise three Monasteries besides Landass called Neath Margan and Cardiss which fell in the general Whirlwind upon Abbys in the Reign of King Henry VIII This Shire is divided into ten Hundreds wherein are six Market Towns and 118 Parish Churches It gives the Title of Earl to Henry Somerset Duke of Beufort MERIONETH-SHIRE hath Denhigh and Carnarvanshires on the North Montgomery on the East Cardig an shire on the South and the Irish Sea on the West whose raging Waves it is thought have swallowed up great quantities of Land in former Ages The form of the County is like a Welsh Harp though it yields but dull musick to the Inhabitants being the roughest and most barren Shire of all Wales as Giraldus the Welsh Historian acknowledges the Air giving little pleasure unless to those that admire the furious and blusting Winds that roar from the adjacent Hills and Mountains which are so high and yet so near together that it is reported men may discourse from the tops thereof one to another and yet hardly meet in a day's time so that if the Shepherds should fall out in the morning and challenge one another to fight before they can come together the day will be spent and the Heat of their fury abated after they have slept till Morning These Mountains did formerly abound with Wolves which much annoyed the People to prevent which King Edgar Sirnamed the Peaceable imposed a yearly Tribute of 300 Wolves heads upon Ludwall Prince of Wales where by in three years time they were utterly destroyed and now the Hills are covered with Flocks of Sheep which are the only Riches of this County for by reason of the unevenness and rockiness of the Soil the Plow cannot go nor the Corn thrive here though some have causlesly imputed the sacarcity of Grain to the sloth of the People The Inhabitants were formerly the Ordovices already mentioned who by the advantage of these Mountains long defended their Liberties against the Romans and were never wholly subdued till the time of King Edward I. There are only three Market Towns in this Shire Bala near which is a Pool called Pimble Mear or Lin Tegid in Welsh covering near an hundred and Sixty Acres of ground of which it is reported that the Land Floods though never so great do never cause it to rise or swell whilst a blast of Wind will quickly make it mount above its bounds and banks Into the South part of it runs the River Dee with a swift stream and glides through the same without any mixture of its Waters as the People imagine because the Salmon usually taken in Dee is never found in that Pool and on the contrary thâ— Fish called Guiniad bred in that Mear is never seen in the River Dee Delgethe is another Market Town in this Shire of which I know not whether it be worth relating what is known for a Truth 1. That the Walls thereof are three Miles high that is the Mountains which surround it 2. That men come into it over the Water but go out of it under the Water Because they go in over a fair Bridge but the Water falling from a Rock is couveyed in a wooden Trough under which Travellers make shift to pass 3. The Steeple thereof doth grow therein since the Bells if they have more than one hang in a Yew-Tree 4. There are more Ale-houses than Houses for Tenements are divided into two or three Tipling Houses and Barns without Chimneys are used to that purpose Harlech is the last Market Town standing on the Sea-shore cold and barren enough but only of Fowl and Fish having few houses and meanly built Here is a little decayed Chapel and out of use wherein Sir Richard Thimbleby an English Knight lyes buried who for the delight he took in Fishing and Fowling removed his dwelling from a far better Soil Here likewise was erected a strong and beautiful Castle upon an Hill with a double Bulwark walled about commanding the Sea to impede the entrance of all Invaders Near this are two great Inlets into the Sea which People pass over at low VVater