amore beneuolentia liberalitate prosequi denique iuxta eximias probitates easdem magnificentiùs ornare decorare quatenus in personis huiuscemodi congestis clarissimis virtutum praemijs ceteri socordia ignauiaque sepositis ad peragenda pulcherrima quaeque facinora laude gloria concitentur Nos ne à maiorum nrō laudatissimis moribus discedere videamur nostri esse officij putamus probatissimū nobis virum qui ob res ab se clarissimè gestas quà m maxima de nobis promeruit condignis honorū fastigijs attollere verè regijs insignire muneribus Strenuum insignem loquimur militē Willūm Herbert Dominum Herbart iam defunctū cuius in regni nostri primordijs obsequia gratissima tum nobis multipliciter impensa cum nrō pro iure decertaretur satis ambiguè obliuisci non possumus accessere de post in hoc vsque temporis continuata seruicia que non parum nobis fuere complacita presertim nuperimis hijs diebus quibus optimum se gessit militem ac non mediocres sibi laudis fame titulos comparauit Hijs equidem iampridē cū Rebellis hostisque nostri Iasper Owini Tedur filliū nuper Pembrochiae se Comitem dicens Walliae partes peruaderet multaque arte ad contra nos statum nostrum vilem populo seditionem concitandum truculentiam moliretur societatis sibi ad eandem rem conficiendam electissimis viris fidelibus nostris arma cepit confligendi copiam hostibus exhibuit adeoque valida manu peruasus ab ipsis partes peruagatus est nusquam eis locum permiserit quo nō eos complicesque affligauerit vires eorūdem fregerit morteque affecerit seu desperantes in fugam propulerit demum Castrum nostrum de Hardelagh nobis ab initio regni nostri contrarium quo vnicum miseris patebat refugium obsidione vallabat quod capi impossible ferebatur cepit inclusos que ad deditionem compulit adiacentem quoque primam omnem nostram Regiae Maiestati rebellem hactenus ad summam obedientiam reduxit Haec itaque sua laudabilia obsequia promeritaque memoriter vt decet intimè recolentes volentesque proinde eundem Willūm condignis honoribus regalibúsque praemijs ornare amplicare sublimare octauo die Septembris anno regni nostri octauo per Chartam nostram de gratia nostra speciali ac ex certa scientia mero motu nostris ipsum Willūm in Comitem Pembrochiae ereximus praefecerimus creauerimus ei nomē statum stilum titulum dignitatem Comitis Pembrochie cum omnibus singulis preëminencijs honoribus ceteris quibuscunque huius statui Comitis pertinentibus siue congruis dederimus concesserimus ipsumque huiusmodi statu stilo titulo honore dignitate per cincturam gladij insigniuerimus realiter nobilitauerimus This was set downe for causes more then one The world beléeues no more than it hath seene When things lye dead and tyme is past and gone Blynd people say it is not so we weene It is a tale deuisde to please the eare More for delight of toyes then troth may beare But those that thinks this may a fable be To Authors good I send them here from me First let them search Records as I haue done Then shall they finde this is most certaine true And all the rest before I here begun Is taken out not of no writers nue The oldest sort and soundest men of skill Myne Authors are now reade their names who will Their workes their words and so their learning through Shall shewe you all what troth I write of now BEcause many that fauoured not Wales parsiall writers and historians haue written set downe their owne opinions as they pleased to publish of that Countrey I therefore a little degresse from the orderly matter of the booke and touch somewhat the workes and wordes of them that rashly haue written more then they knewe or well could proue As learned men hath wrote graue works of yore So great regard to natiue Soyle they had For such respect I blame now Pollydore Because of Wales his iudgement was but bad If Buckanan the Scottish Poet late Were here in sprite of Brittons to debate He should finde men that would with him dispute And many a pen which would his works confute But with the dead the quick may neuer striue Though sondrie works of theirs were little worth Yet better farre they had not bene aliue Than sowe such seedes as brings no goodnesse forth Their praise is small that plucks backe others fame Their loue not great that blots out neighbours name Their bookes but brawles their bable bauld and bare That in disdaine of fables writers are What fable more then say they knowe that thing They neuer sawe and so giue iudgement streight And by their bookes the world in error bring That thinks it reades a matter of great weight When that a tale of much vntroth is told Thus all that shines and glisters is not gold Nor all the bookes that auncient Fathers wrate Are not alo'wd for troth in euery state Though Caesar was a wise and worthie Prince And conquerd much of Wales and England both The writers than and other Authors since Did flatter tyme and still abuse the troth Same for a fee and some did humors feede When sore was healde to make a wound to bleede And some sought meanes their patient still to please When body throwe was full of foule disease The worldly wits that with each tyme would wagge Were caryed cleane away from wisedomes lore They rather watcht to fill an emptie bagge Than touch the tyme then present or before Nor car'd not much for future tyme to come They rould vp tyme like thréede about the thome And when their clue on trifles all was spent Much rotten stuffe vnto the garment went Which stuffe patcht vp a péece of homely ware In Printers shop set out to sale sometyme Which ill wrought worke at length became so bare It neither seru'd for prose nor pleasant ryme But past like that and old wiues tales full vayne That thunders long but neuer brings forth rayne A kynd of sound that makes a hurling noyse To feare young babes with brute of bugges and toyes But aged sires of riper wit and skill Disdaines to reade such rabble farst with lyes This is enough to shewe you my goodwill Of Authors true and writers graue and wise Whose pen shall proue each thing in printed booke Whose eyes withall on matter straunge did looke And whose great charge and labour witnesse beares Their words are iust they offer to your eares Each Nation had some writer in their daies For to aduaunce their Countrey to the Starres Homer was one who gaue the Greekes great praise And honord not the Troyans for their warres Liui among the Romaines wrate right mitch With rare renowne his Countrey to enritch And Pollidore did ply the pen a pace To blurre
attempt of man Can win the Fort if house be furnisht throw The troth whereof let world be witnesse now It is great payne from foote of Rocke to clyme To Castle wall and it is greater toyle On Rocke to goe yea any step sometyme Uprightly yet without a faule or foyle And as this Seate and Castle strongly stands Past winning sure with engin sword or hands So lookes it ore the Countrey farre or neere And shines like Torch and Lanterne of the Sheere Wherefore Denbigh thou bearst away the praise Denbigh hath got the garland of our daies Denbigh reapes fame and lawde a thousand waies Denbigh my pen vnto the Clowdes shall raise The Castle there could I in order drawe It should surmount now all that ere I sawe ¶ Of Valey Crucis Thlangothlan and the Castle Dynosebrane THE great desire to see Denbigh at full Did drawe my muse from other matter true But as that sight my mynd away did pull From former things I should present to you So duetie bids a writer to be playne And things left out to call to mynd agayne Thlangothlan then must yet come once in place For diuers notes that giues this booke some grace An Abbey nere that Mountayne towne there is Whose walles yet stand and steeple too likewise But who that rides to see the troth of this Shall thinke he mounts on hilles vnto the Skyes For when one hill behind your backe you see Another comes two tymes as hye as hee And in one place the Mountaynes stands so there In roundnesse such as it a Cockpit were Their height is great and full of narrowe waies And stéepe downe right of force ye must descend Some houses are buylt there but of late daies Full vnderneath the monstrous Mountaynes end Amid them all and those as man may gesse When rayne doth fall doth stand in sore distresse For mightie streames runnes ore both house and thatch When for their liues poore men on Hilles must watch Beyond the same and yet on Hill full hye A Castle stands an old and ruynous thing That haughtie house was buylt in weathers eye A pretie pyle and pleasure for a King A Fort a Strength a strong and stately Hold It was at first though now it is full old On Rocke alone full farre from other Mount It stands which shewes it was of great account Betwéene the Towne and Abbey built it was The Towne is néere the goodly Riuer Dée That vnderneath a Bridge of stone doth passe And still on Rocke the water runnes you see A wondrous way a thing full rare and straunge That Rocke cannot the course of water chaunge For in the streame huge stones and Rocks remayne That backward might the flood of force constrayne From thence to Chirke are Mountaynes all a rowe As though in ranke and battaile Mountaynes stood And ouer them the bitter winde doth blowe And whirles betwixt the valley and the wood Chirke is a place that parts another Sheere And as by Trench and Mount doth well appeere It kept those bounds from forrayne force and power That men might sléepe in suretie euery hower Here Denbighshiere departs from writers pen And Flintshiere now comes brauely marching in With Castles fine with proper Townes and men Whereof in verse my matter must begin Not for to fayne and please the tender eares But to be playne as worlds eye witnesse beares Not by heresay as fables are set out But by good proofe of vewe to voyd a dout WHen Sommer swéete hath blowne ore Winters blast And waies waxe hard that now are soft and foule When calmie Skyes sayth bitter stormes are past And Clowdes waxe cléere that now doth lowre and skoule My muse I hope shall be reuiu'de againe That now lyes dead or rockt a sleepe with paine For labour long hath wearied so the wit That studious head a while in rest must sit But when the Spring comes on with newe delite You shall from me heare what my muse doth write Here endeth my first booke of the worthines of Wales which being wel taken wil encourage me to set forth another in which work not only the rest of the Shieres that now are not written of shalbe orderly put in print but likewise all y e auncient Armes of Gentlemen there in general shalbe plainly described set out to the open vewe of the world if God permit me life and health towards the finishing of so great a labour FINIS Thomas Churchyard EN·DIEV·ET·MON·ROY· Churchiards Armes William Malmesburie de regibus anglorum Dauid Powell a late writer yet excellently learned made a sharp inuectiue against William Paruus and Pollidor Virgill all their complices accusing them of lying tongues enuyous detraction malicious slaunders reproachfull and venomous language wilfull ignoraÌ„ce dogged enuie and canckered mindes for that thei spake vnreuerently of Arthur and many other thrise noble Princes Jeffrey of Monmouth Matthewe of Westminster and others are here in like sort to be read looked on The Authors troublesome life briefely set downe A short note of the nature of many CouÌ„tries with the disposition of the people there A commendation of the loyaltie of Welshmen A rehearsall of great strife and dissention that ruinated Wales How Lawe and loue links men together like brethren The accustomed courtesie of Wales No such theft and robberie in Wales as in other Countries Victuals good cheape in most part of Wales A great rebuke to those that speakes not truely of Wales Good disposition neuer wants good maners Good true Authors that affirmes more goodnesse in Wales than I write of Two Riuers by MoÌ„mouth the one called Monnow and the other Wye King Henry the fifth Neere the Towne Sir Charles Harbert of Troy dwelt in a faire Seate called Troy At Wynestow now dwels Sir Thomas Harbert a little from the same Troy Maister Roger Ieames dwelt at Troy nere this Towne The Earle of Worcesters house and Castle The Earle of Penbroke that was created Earle by King Edward the 4. buylt the Castell of Raggland sumptuously at the first Earle of Worcester Lord hereof A faire bridge Maister Lewis of Saint Peere dwelles neere that Sir Charles Sommerset at the Grange doth dwell now Sir William Morgan that is dead dwelt at Pennycoyd Harbert of Colbroke buryed there Chepstow In the Castle there is an ancient tower called Longis tower wherby rests a tale to be considered of Of this Earle is a great and worthie tale to be heard A peece of a petigree Earle Strongbowe was maried to the King of Lynsters Daughter in Ireland and this Strongbowe wan by force of armes the Earledoms of Wolster Tyroll The Authors verses in the honor of noble mynds Good men are made of and bad men rebuked Sir William Harbert of â—â—â—nt Gillyans Polidorus Virgilius spake all of his owne nations praise and sawe but little of Brittaine nor loued the same Venerable bede a noble writer Gildas a passing Poet of Brittaine
of and yet deserueth most greatest lawdation And in deede the more honorable it is for that your Highnesse princely Auncestors sprong forth of the noble braunches of that Nation Thus duetifully praying for your Maiesties long preseruation by whose bountie and goodnesse I a long while haue liued I wish your Highnesse all the hap honour victorie and harts ease that can be desired or imagined Your Highnesse humble Seruant and Subiect Thomas Churchyard ⧠To euery louing and friendly Reader IT may seeme straunge good Reader that I haue chosen in the end of my daies to trauaile and make discription of Countries whereas the beginning of my youth and a long while after I haue hauÌ„ted the warres and written somewhat of Martiall Discipline but as euery season breedeth a seuerall humour and the humours of men are diuers drawing the mynd to sondrie dispositions so common occasion that commands the iudgement hath set me a worke and the warme good will affection borne in breast towards the worthie Countrey of Wales hath haled me often forward to take this labour in hand which many before haue learnedly handled But yet to shewe a difference in writing and a playnnesse in speech because playne people affects no florishing phrase I haue now in as ample a maner without borrowed termes as I could declared my opinion of that sweete Soyle and good Subiects therof euen at that very instant when Wales was almost forgotten or scarce remembred with any great lawdation when it hath merited to be written of for sondrie famous causes most meete to be honored and necessary to be touched in First the world will confesse or els it shall do wrong that some of our greatest Kings that haue conquered much were borne bred in that Countrey which Kings in their times to the glory of England haue wrought wonders brought great benefites to our weale publicke Among the same Princes I pray you giue me leaue to place our good Queene Elizabeth and pardoÌ„ me withall to commit you to the Chronicles for the seeking out of her Auncestors noble actions and suffer me to shewe a little of the goodnesse gathered by vs from her Maiesties well doing and possessed a long season from her princely and iust dealings An act so noble notorious that neither can escape immortall fame nor shall not passe my pen vnresited Now weigh in what plight was our state when she came first to the Crowne and see how soone Religion was reformed a matter of great moment peace planted and warres vtterly extinguished as the sequell yet falleth out Then behold how she succoured the afflicted in Fraunce let the going to Newhauen beare witnesse and chargeably without breaking of League mainteyned her friends and amazed her enemies Then looke into the seruice and preseruation of Scotland at the siege of Leeth and see how finely the French were al shipped away they being a great power and sent home in such sort that neuer since they had mynd to returne thether againe in that fashion and forme that they sayled towards Scotland at the first Then consider how bace our money was in what short tyme with little losse to our Countrey the bad coyne was conuerted to good siluer and so is like to continue to the end of the world Then in the aduancing of Gods word and good people regard how Rochell was relieued and Rone and other places fouÌ„d cause to pray for her life who sought to purchase their peace and see them in safetie Then thinke on the care she tooke for Flaunders during the first troubles and how that Countrey had bene vtterly destroyed if her Highnes helping hand had not propped vp that tottering State Then Christianly coÌ„ceiue how many mulâ—itudes of strangers she hath giuen gracious countenance vnto and hath freely licensed them to liue here in peace and rest Then paise in an equall ballance the daungerous estate of Scotland once againe when the Kings owne Subiects kept the Castle of Edenbrough against their owne naturall Lord Maister which presumptuous part of Subiects her Highnesse could not abide to behold wherevpon she sent a sufficient power to ayde the Kings Maiestie which power valiantly wonne the Castle and freely deliuered the same to the right owner thereof with all the treasure and prisoners therein Then regard how honourably she hath dealt with diuers Princes that came to see her or needed her magnificeÌ„t supportation and countenance Then looke throughly into the mightinesse managing of all matters gone about and put in exercise princely and yet peaceably since the day of her Highnesse Coronation and you shalbe forced to confesse that she surmounts a great number of her Predecessors and she is not at this day no whit inferiour to the greatest Monarke of the world Is not such a peereles Queene then a comfort to Wales a glorie to England and a great reioysing to all her good neighbours And doth not she daily deserue to haue bookes dedicated in the highest degree of honor to her Highnesse Yes vndoubtedly or els my sences and iudgement fayleth me So good Reader do iudge of my labours my pen is procured by a band of causes to write as farre as my knowledge may leade and my duetie hath no end of seruice nor no limits are set to a loyall Subiect but to wish and worke to the vttermost of power Within this worke are seuerall discourses some of the beautie blessednes of the Countrey some of the strength and statelynesse of their inpregnable Castles some of their trim Townes and fine situation some of their antiquitie shewing from what Kings and Princes they tooke their first name and prerogatiue So generally of all maner of matters belonging to that Soyle as Churches Monuments Mountaynes Valleys Waters Bridges fayre Gentlemens houses and the rest of things whatsoeuer may become a writers pen to touch or a readers iudgement to knowe I write not contenciously to find fault with any or confute the former writers and tyme but to aduaunce and winne credite to the present trueth agreeing and yeelding to all former tymes and ages that hath iustly giuen euery Nation their due and truely without affection hath set downe in plaine words the worthines of plaine people for I honor and loue as much a true Author as I hate and detest a reporter of trifeling fables A true Historie is called the Mistresse of life and yet all Historyographers in writing of one thing agree not well one with another because the writers were not present in the tymes in the places nor saw the persons they make meÌ„tion of but rather haue leaned and listned on the common report than stayed or trusted to their owne experience Strabo a most famous writer findes fault for the like occasion with Erstaotheus Metrodorus Septius Possidonius and Patrocles the Geographer And such discord did arise amoÌ„g writers in tyme past as Iosephus saith against Appio that they reprooued one another by bookes and all men in
straunge Soyles and yéeld the Romaines grace Admit they wrate their volumes all of troeth And did affect ne man nor matter then Yet writer sees not how all matters goeth In field when he at home is at his pen. This Pollidore sawe neuer much of Wales Though he haue told of Brittons many tales Caesar himself a Uictor many a way Went not so farre as Pollidore doth say Kings are obayd where they were neuer seene And men may write of things they heare by eare So Pollidore oft tymes might ouerwéene And speake of Soyles yet he came neuer there Some runne a ground that through each water sailes A Pylot good in his owne Compasse failes A writer that beléeues in worlds report May roue to farre or surely shoote to short The eye is iudge as Lanterne cléere of light That searcheth through the dim and darkest place The gladsome eye giues all the bodie sight It is the glasse and beautie of the face But where no face nor iudging eye doth come The sence is blynd the spirit is deaffe and dome For wit can not conceiue till sight send in Some skill to head whereby we knowledge win If straungers speake but straungely on our state Thinke nothing straunge though straungers write amis If straungers do our natiue people hate Our Countrey knowes how straunge their nature is Most straunge it were to trust a forayne foe Or fauour those that we for straungers knowe Then straungely reade the bookes that straungers make For feare ye shroude in bosome stinging Snake The straungers still in auncient tyme that wrate Exalt themselues and kéepes vs vnder foote As we of kynd and nature doe them hate So beare they rust and canker at the roote Of heart to vs when pen to paper goeth Their cunning can with craft so cloke a troeth That hardly we shall haue them in the winde To smell them forth or yet their finenesse finde Of force then must you credite our owne men Whose vertues works a glorious garland gaynes Who had the gift the grace and arte of pen And who did write with such sweete flowing vaynes That Honey seem'd to drop from Poets quill I say no more trust straungers and ye will Our Countrey breedes as faithfull men as those As famous too in stately verse or prose And trueth I trowe is likte among vs best For each man frounes when fabling toyes they heare And though we count but Robin Hood a Iest And old wiues tales as tatling toyes appeare Yet Arthurs raigne the world cannot denye Such proofe there is the troth thereof to trye That who so speakes against so graue a thing Shall blush to blot the fame of such a King Condemne the daies of elders great or small And then blurre out the course of present tyme Cast one age downe and so doe orethrow all And burne the bookes of printed prose or ryme Who shall beléeue he rules or she doth raigne In tyme to come if writers loose their paine The pen records tyme past and present both Skill brings foorth bookes and bookes is nurse to troth Now followes the Castles and Townes neere Oske and there aboutes A Pretie Towne calde Oske néere Raggland stands A Riuer there doth beare the selfesame name His Christall streames that runnes along the Sands Shewes that it is a Riuer of great fame Fresh water swéete this goodly Riuer yéelds And when it swels it spreads ore all the Féelds Great store of Fish is caught within this flood That doth in déede both Towne and Countrey good A thing to note when Sammon failes in Wye And season there goes out as order is Than still of course in Oske doth Sammons lye And of good Fish in Oske you shall not mis. And this seemes straunge as doth through Wales appeere In some one place are Sammons all the yeere So fresh so swéete so red so crimp withall As man might say loe Sammon here at call A Castle there in Oske doth yet remaine A Seate where Kings and Princes haue bene borne It stands full ore a goodly pleasant Plaine The walles whereof and towers are all to torne With wethers blast and tyme that weares all out And yet it hath a fayre prospect about Trim Meades and walkes along the Riuers side With Bridge well built the force of flood to bide Upon the side of wooddie hill full fayre This Castle stands full sore decayde and broke Yet builded once in fresh and wholesome ayre Full néere great Woods and many a mightie Oke But sith it weares and walles so wastes away In praise thereof I mynd not much to say Each thing decayd goes quickly out of minde A rotten house doth but fewe fauours finde Thrée Castles fayre are in a goodly ground Grosmont is one on Hill it builded was Skenfreth the next in Ualley is it found The Soyle about for pleasure there doth passe Whit Castle is the third of worthie fame The Countrey there doth beare Whit Castles name A stately Scate a loftie princely place Whose beautie giues the simple Soyles some grace Two myles from that vpon a mightie Hill Langibby stands a Castle once of state Where well you may the Countrey view at will And where there is some buildings newe of late A wholesome place a passing plat of ground As good an ayre as there abouts is found It seemes to sight the Seate was plast so well In elders daies some Duke therein did dwell Carleon now step in with stately style No feeble phrase may serue to set thee forth Thy famous Towne was spoke of many a myle Thou hast bene great though now but little worth Thy noble bounds hath reacht beyond them all In thée hath bene King Arthurs golden Hall In thée the wise and worthies did repose And through thy Towne the water ebs and flowes COme learned lore with loftie style and leade these lynes of myne Come gracious Gods and spare a whyle to me the Muses nyne Come Poets all whose passing phrase doth pearce the finest wits Come knowledge whereon world doth gase yet still in iudgement sits And helpe my pen to play his parte for pen is stept on stage To shewe by skill and cunning arte the state of former age For present tyme hath friends enowe to flatter faune and faine And elders daies I knowe not how doe dwell in deepe disdaine No friend for auncient yéeres we finde our age loues youth alone The former age weares out of minde as though such tyme were none King Arthurs raigne though true it weare Is now of small account The same of Troy is knowne each where And to the Skyes doth mount Both Athens Theabes and Carthage too We hold of great renowne What then I pray you shall we doe To poore Carleon Towne King Arthur sure was crowned there It was his royall Seate And in that Towne did Scepter beare With pompe and honor greate An
when God doth call Sith none of these good gifts on earth Haue powre to make vs liue And no good fortune from our birth No hower of breath can giue Thinke not on life and pleasure héere They passe like beames of Sunne For nought from hence we carrie cléere When man his race hath runne ⧠An Introduction for Breaknoke Shiere IS bodie tyerd with trauaile God forbid That wearie bones so soone should seeke for rest Shall sences sleepe when head in house is his As though some charme were crept in quiet brest And so bewitch the wits with too much ease That duls good spréete and blunts quicke sharpe deuice Which climes the Clowdes and wades through déepest Seas And goes before and breakes the frozen Ice To cléere the coast and make the passage free For trau'lers all that will great secrets see When quick conceyt by slouth is rocke asléepe And fresh deuice goes faynt for lacke of vse Along the limmes doth lazie humours créepe And daylie bréedes in bodie great abuse If mettall fine be not kept cleane from rust The brightest blade will sure some cancker take And when cléere things are staynd with drosse and dust They must be skour'd by skill for profites sake Wit is nought worth in ydle braine to rest Nor gold doth good that still lyes lockt in chest The soft Downe bed and Chamber warm'd with fire Or thicke furd gowne is all that sluggard seckes But men of spréete whose hearts do still aspire Do labour long with leane and lentten cheekes To trye the world and taste both sweete and sower Who much doth see may much both speake and write Who little knowes hath little wit or power To winne the wise or dwell in worlds delight Feare not to toyle for he that sowes in paine Shall reape with ioye for store good Corne againe In reachlesse youth whiles fancie flewe with winde Féete could not stay the bodie mou'd so fast For euery part thereof did answer minde Till aged yéeres sayd wanton daies were past If that be true sound iudgement should be fraught With grauer thoughts and greater things of weight Sith sober sence at lightnesse now hath laught Thy reason should set crooked matters streight And newly frame a forme of fine deuice That vertue may bring knowledge most in price To treate of tyme and make discourse of men And how the world doth chop and chaunge estate Doth well become an auncient writers pen If skill will serue such secretes to debate If no hold on the course thou hast begun To talke of Townes and Castles as they are And looke thou doe no toyle nor trauaile shun To set foorth things that be both straunge and rare If age doe droope and can abide no toyle When thou comest home yet set out some swéete Soyle Though ioynts waxe stiffe and bodie heauie growes And backe bends downe to earth where corps must lye And legges be lame and gowte créepes in the toes Cold crampe and cough makes groning goast to crye When fits are past if any rest be found Plye pen againe for that shall purchase praise Yea though thou canst not ride so great a ground As all ore Wales in thyne old aged daies Forget no place nor Soyle where thou hast bin With Breaknocke Shiere than now this booke begin Shewe what thyne eyes are witnesse of for troth And leaue the rest to them that after liues When man is cal'd away to graue he goeth Death steales the life that God and nature giues Thou hast no state nor pattent here on earth But borrowed breath the bodie beares about Death daylie wayts on life from hower of birth And when he lists he blowes thy candle out Then leaue some worke in world before thou passe That friends may say loe here a writer was My Muse thus sayd and so she shranke aside As though some Spréet a space had spoke to mée With that I had a friend of myne espyde That stood farre of behind a Lawrell trée For whom I cal'd and told him in his eare My Muses tale but therewithall his eyes Bedeaw'd his chéekes with many a bitter teare For sorrowe great that from his heart did rise Oh friend quoth he thy race I see so short Thou canst not liue to make of Wales report For first behold how age and thy mishap Agréed in one to tread thée vnder foote Thou wast long since flong out of Fortunes lap When youths gay blowmes forsooke both braunch and roote And left weake age as bare as barraine stocke That neither fruite nor leaues will growe vpon Can feeble bones abide the sturdie shocke Of Fortunes force when youthfull strength is gon And if good chaunce in youth hath fled from thée Be sure in age thou canst not happie bée Tis hap that must maintaine thy cost and charge By some such meane as great good turnes are gote Els walke or ride abroade the world at large And yet great mynd but makes old age to dote Thy trauaile past shewes what may after fall Long iourneys breedes disease and sicknesse oft Thou hast not health nor wished wealth at call That glads the heart and makes men looke aloft No sorer snib nor nothing nips so néere As feele much want yet shewe a merrie chéere My newfound friend no sooner this had sayd Which tryall knowes both true and words of weight But that my mynd from trauaile long was stayd Saue that I tooke in hand a iourney streight To Breakenoke Towne whose Seate once throughly pend With some such notes as season serues therefore There all the rest of toyle should make an end Sith aged limmes might trauaile Wales no more Right sorie sure I can no further go Content perforce sith hap will haue it so Some men begin to build a goodly Seate And frames a worke of Timber bigge and large Yet long before the workmanship be greate Another comes and takes that plot in charge Men may not doe no more then God permits The mynd it thinkes great things to bring to passe But common course so soone orecomes the wits In péeces lyes mans state like broken glasse We purpose much but little power we finde With good successe to answer mightie minde Well that discourse let goe as matter past To Breakenoke now my pen and muse are prest And sith that Soyle and towne shalbe the last That here I meane to touch of all the rest In briefest sort it shalbe written out Yet with such words as caries credit still As other works in world can bréede no dout So this small peece shall shewe my great good will That for farewell to worthie Wales I make That followes here before my leaue I take O Happie princely Soyle my pen is farre to bace My muse but serues in sted of foyle to giue a Iewell grace My bare inuention cold and barraine verses vaine When they thy glory should vnfold they do thy Coūtrie staine Thy worth some worthie may set out in golden lines And blaze y e same w t
whose Armes are in the same Chappell William Smith Bishop of Lincolne was the first Lord President of Wales in Prince Arthurs daies Ieffrey Blythe Bishoppe of Couentrie and Litchfield Lord President Rowland Lée Bishoppe of Couentrie and Litchfield Lord President Ihou Uessie Bishop of Exeter Lord President Richard Sampson Bishop of Couentrie and Litchfield Lord President Iohn Duldley Earle of Warwick after Duke of Northumberland Lord President Sir William Harbert after Earle of Penbroke Lord President Nicholas Heath Bishop of Worcester Lord President Sir William Harbert once againe Lord President Gilbert Browne Bishop of Bathe and Welles Lord President Lord Williams of Tame Lord President Sir Harry Sidney Lord President Sir Andrew Corbret Knight Uicepresident There are two blancks left without Armes Sir Thomas Dynam Knight is mentioned there to doe some great good act Iohn Scory Bishop of Hartford Nicholas Bullingham Bishop of Worcester Nicholas Robinson Bishop of Bangore Richard Dauies Bishop of Saint Dauies Thomas Dauies Bishop of Saint Assaph Sir Iames Crofts Knight Controller Sir Iohn Throgmorton Knight Iustice of Chester and the three Shieres of Eastwales Sir Hugh Cholmley Knight Sir Nicholas Arnold Knight Sir George Bromley Knight and Iustice of the three shieres in Wales William Gerrard Lord Chauncellor of Ireland and Iustice of the three Shieres in Southwales Charles Foxe Esquier and Secretorie Ellice Price Doctor of the Lawe Edward Leighton Esquier Richard Seborne Esquier Richard Pates Esquier Rafe Barton Esquier George Phetyplace Esquier William Leighton Esquier Myles Sands Esquier The Armes of al these afore spoken of are gallantly and cunningly set out in the Chappell Now is to be rehearsed that Sir Harry Sidney being Lord President buylt twelue roumes in the sayd Castle which goodly buildings doth shewe a great beautie to the same He made also a goodly Wardrope vnderneath the new Parlor and repayred an old Tower called Mortymers Tower to kéepe the auncient Records in the same and he repayred a fayre roume vnder the Court house to the same entent and purpose and made a great wall about the woodyard built a most braue Condit within the inner Court and all the newe buildings ouer the Gate Sir Harry Sidney in his daies and gouernement there made and set out to the honour of the Quéene and glorie of the Castle There are in a goodly or stately place set out my Lord Earle of Warwicks Armes the Earle of Darbie the Earle of Worcester the Earle of Penbroke and Sir Harry Sidneys Armes in like maner al these stand on the left hand of the Chamber On the other side are the Armes of Northwales and Southwales two red Lyons and two golden Lyons Prince Arthurs At the end of the dyning Chamber there is a pretie deuice how the Hedgehog brake the chayne and came from Ireland to Ludloe There is in the Hall a great grate of Iron of a huge height so much is written only of the Castle ⧠The Towne of Ludloe and many good gifts graunted to the same KIng Edward fourth for seruice truely done When Henry sixt and he had mortall warre No sooner he by force the victorie wone But with great things the Towne he did prefarre Gaue lands thereto and libertie full large Which royall gifts his bountie did declare And dayly doth mainteyne the Townes great charge Whose people now in as great freedome are As any men vnder this rule and Crowne That liues and dwels in Citie or in Towne Two Bayliefes rules one yéere the Towne throughout Twelue Aldermen they haue there in likewise Who doth beare sway as turne doth come about Who chosen are by oth and auncient guise Good lawes they haue and open place to pleade In ample sort for right and Iustice sake A Preacher too that dayly there doth reade A Schoolemaster that doth good schollers make And for the Queere are boyes brought vp to sing And so serue God and doe none other thing Thrée tymes a day in Church good Saruice is At sixe a clocke at nine and then at three In which due howers a straunger shall not mis But sondrie sorts of people there to see And thirtie thrée poore persons they maintaine Who wéekely haue both money almes and ayde Their lodging free and further to be plaine Still once a weeke the poore are truely payde Which shewes great grace and goodnesse in that Seate Where rich doth see the poore shall want no meate An Hospitall there hath bene long of old And many things pertayning to the same A goodly Guyld the Township did vphold By Edwards gift a King of worthie fame This Towne doth choose two Burgesses alwaies For Parliament the custome still is so Two Fayres a yéere they haue on seuerall daies Three Markets kept but monday chiefe I troe And two great Parkes there are full néere the Towne But those of right pertaine vnto the Crowne These things rehearst makes Ludloe honord mitch And world to thinke it is an auncient Seate Where many men both worthie wise and ritch Were borne and bred and came to credit great Our auncient Kings and Princes there did rest Where now full oft the Presdent dwels a space It stands for Wales most apt most fit and best And néerest to at hand of any place Wherefore I thought it good before I end Within this booke this matter should be pend The rest of Townes that in Shropshiere you haue I néede not touch they are so throughly knowne And further more I knowe they cannot craue To be of Wales how euer brute be blowne So wishing well as duetie doth me binde To one and all as farre as power may goe I knit vp here as one that doth not minde Of natiue Soyle no further now to showe So cease my muse let pen and paper pause Till thou art calde to write of other cause ⧠An Introduction to remember Shropshiere HOw hath thy muse so long bene luld a sléepe What deadly drinke hath sence in slumber brought Doth poyson cold through blood and bosome créepe Or is of spite some charme by witchcraft wrought That vitall spréetes hath lost their feeling quite Or is the hand so weake it cannot write Come ydle man and shewe some honest cause Why writers pen makes now so great a pause Can Wales be nam'de and Shropshiere be forgote The marshes must make muster with the rest Shall Sallop say their countreyman doth dote To treate of things and write what thinks him best No sure such fault were dubble error plaine If in thy pen be any Poets vayne Or gifts of grace from Skyes did drop on thée Than Shrewsebrie Towne thereof first cause must bée Both borne and bred in that same Seate thou wast Of race right good or els Records do lye From whence to schoole where euer Churchyard past To natiue Soyle he ought to haue an eye Speake well of all and write what world may proue Let nothing goe beyond thy Countries loue Wales once it
Sibilla a deuine Prophesiar writer Merilinus Ambrosius a man of hye knowledge spirit A description of Oske Two Riuers nere together of seuerall natures shewes a strange thing King Edward the fourth and his children as some affirme and King Richard the third were borne here Castle StrogeÌ„ doth yet remaine three myle from Oske but the Castle is almost cleane downe In the Duchie of Lancaster these three Castles are but not in good plight any way The Duke of Yorke once lay here and now the Castell is in Maister Roger Willyams hands A description of Carleon Maister Morgan of Lanternam in a fayre house dwelles two mile from Carleon A plaine and true rehearsall of matter of great antiquitie A fayre Fountaine now begun A free Schoole now erected by Maister Morgan of Lanternam A gird to the flatterers and fauners of present tyme. A house of reformatioÌ„ newly begun likewise The Bishop of Landaffe still lying in the Towne We praise and extoll strange Nations and forget or abase our owne Countries In Arons the Martyrs Church King Arthur was crowned Three Archbishops Yorke London and CarleoÌ„ crowning King Arthur Arthur was great that coÌ„manded such solemnitie The true Authors are in the beginning of this booke for profe of this Another notable solemnitie at a Coronation In Iulius Church the Martyr the Queene was crowned An honor rare and great yet seldome seene A deepe and large round peece of grouÌ„d shewes yet where Arthur sate A Church on a hil a mile of Saint Gillyans is a faire house where Sir William Harbert dwelles Wonderfull huge and long pauements The notablest seate to behold being on the top that may be seene The Castle almost downe The flowing water may easily be brought about both Towne and Castle A great beautie of grounds waters groues other pleasures for the eye to be seene from the old Castle of Carleon I haue seene Caues vnder ground at this day that goe I know not how farre all made of excellent work and goodly great stones both ouer head and vnder foote close and fine round about the whole Caue The name so mightie argues it was a mightie and noble towne Two hundred Philosophers were norished in Carleon Yeeld right as well to our elders daies as to our present age Allobroges Allobroges Sybilla her prophesies touching the Britaines An exhortatioÌ„ of Howell The sentence and resolution of the King of Albania Vaticinia Sibille de Britonibus Exhortatio Hoeli Sententia regis Albaniae Analles sue gentes A Hill most notable neere CarleoÌ„ a myle froÌ„ the towne A very high Hill of a marueilous streÌ„gth which was a strong Forâ—â—n Arthurs daies Bellinus MaÌ„gnus made this called Bellingstocke A wonderfull high mountaine with the like maner of defence The towne of Neawport On a round hill by the Church there is for Sea and Land the most princely sight that any man liuing at one instant may with perfect eye behold The Towne hath Marchants in it A Castle is at the end of this Towne and full by the Bridges and Riuer Greenefield Castle that was the Duke of Lancasters Eboyth is the Riuers name that runneth here For Riuer wood pasture ayre walke pleasure this place passeth A true iudgement of the commodities in Wales if the people there would be laborous Nychill The people of wales in many places thriues by labour daylie and gets great gayne through tillage I haue knowen many places so barraine that they haue sought for come farre of who now are able to liue without helpe of any other Countrey It stands ouer two little Riuers called Ceybbie and Ceyuennie of which Ceyuenie Aborgeuenie tooke the name The Bridge of stone a eleuen fayre arches and a great bridge of stone to come drylie to that bridge Of the bountie of tyme past and the hardnes of our age A fayre and noble Castle belonging to the auncient house and race of the honorable the Lord of Aborgaynie The bountie of the Castle and Countrie A goodly and stately peece of worke as like to fall as be repayred againe Any heart in the world would pittie the decay of Castles in MoÌ„mouth shiere In this church was a most famous worke in maner of a genealogie of Kings called the roote of Iesse which worke is defaced and pulled downe in peeces On the right hand in a faire Chappell Both the windowe and in other parts about him shewes that he was a stranger Blewe is The labell whereon are nyne Flowerdeluces On the left hand a Lord of Aborgany Sir William Thomas Knight alias Harbert Sir Dauie Gam Knight father to this Knights wife This Knight was slaine at Edgingcourt field His Tombe is of hard and good Allablaster Sir William Thomas was father to the next that followes called Sir Richard Harbert of Colbroke Knight In the Chronicle this is rehearsed On the left hand of the Chappell they lye She was daughter to Thomas ap Griffith father to Sir Rice ap Thomas Knight On the right hand of the Chappell The old Earle of Penbroke one of the priuie Councell In the windowe now he lyes Some say this great Lord was called Bruce and not Hastings but most doe hold opinion he was called Hastings A Ladie of Aborgaynie A Ladie of some noble house whose name I knowe not Doctor Lewis lately Iudge in the Amoraltie Maistre Gams dwelles here Doctor Awberie hath a house here The auncient house of Gams The Armes of the Gams The Armes of one Waters His name was Reynold Debreos Glasseberies Bridge is within two myle of Portthamwel Maister Robert Knowles that maried one of the heires of the Vaughhans hath a fayre house and a Parke at Portthamwell The names of streates there Castle streate Broad streate Old streate And the Mill streate A fayre house by the gate of the making of Iustice Walter Nere this is a fayre house of Maister Sackfords which he lid buyld and a fayre house that Master Secretarie Foxe did bestowe great charges on a house that Maister Berrie dwelles in M. Townesend hath a fayre house at Saint Austins once a Frierie The Lord President Sir Harrie Sidneys Daughter called Ambrosia is entombed here in most brauest maner and great chargeable workmanship on the right hand of the Aulter On the same is my Lord of Warwicks Armes excelleÌ„tly wrought and my Lord Presidents Armes and others are in like sort there richly set out Sir Robert Townes-end Knight lyes in a maruelos fayre Tombe in the Queere here and his wife by him at his feete is a red Rowbuck and a word tout en dieu On the left hand Hozier lyes in the bodie of the Church On the right hand Cookes lyes This man was my mothers father Beawpy was a great ritch and verteous man he made another Chantrie The Castle of Ludloe Sir Harry Sidney built many things here worthie praise and memorie Ouer a Chimney excellently wrought in the best chamber is S. Androwes Crosse ioyned to Prince Arthurs Armes