Son Harold and his upon â—â—gar Earl of Chester To this time is referred the Original of the Steâ—â—rds in Scotland which being a remarkable passage 〈◊〉 in a great measure dependant upon the Affairs 〈◊〉 the Welch is requisite to be here recorded Macâ—â—â—h King of Scotland having caused Bancho a Noble-â—â—n of that Kingdom to be inhumanly murdered â—ence Bancho's Son to avoid the like Cruelty to â—â—â—self fled to Gruffydh ap Lhewelyn Prince of Wales â—o taking a very great liking to his Person and â—â—thal commiserating his Condition shewed him all â—â—e Respect and Kindness possible But Fleance had 〈◊〉 continued long with Gruffydh when he fell enaâ—â—red upon the Prince's Daughter and having obâ—â—â—ed her Good-Will without any regard had to â—â—r Father's Civility towards him abused her so far 〈◊〉 to beget her with Child Gruffydh being acâ—â—ainted with the Matter of Fact so hainously reâ—â—â—ted the Affront that he occasioned Fleance to be â—â—â—in and treated his Daughter most servilely for prostrating her Chastity especially to a Strangâ—â— However she was in a short time delivered of a Sâ—â— whose Name was Christened Walter a Child wâ—â— in his Youth expressed very great hopes and in 〈◊〉 probability like to make a very considerable Mâ—â— which happened according to expectation But 〈◊〉 first Original of his future Greatness happened upâ—â— a very accidental occasion being reproached of 〈◊〉 stardism by one of his Fellow Companions he 〈◊〉 it in so unpardonable a dudgeon that nothing 〈◊〉 satisfy his Revenge but the Life of the Aggreâ—â—â—â— Being upon this Mischance affraid to undergo the â—â—nishment of the Law he thought it safe to fly 〈◊〉 Scotland where falling in Company with ceâ—â—â—â—â— English Men who were come thither with Quâ—â—â— Margaret Sister to Edgar Edeling he behaved himâ—â—â—â— so soberly and discreetly that he won the Favour 〈◊〉 good Character of all that knew him But his 〈◊〉 daily increasing he grew at length to that height 〈◊〉 Reputation as to be employed in the most inwâ—â—â— Affairs of the Commonwealth and at last was maâ—â— Lord Steward of Scotland from which Office 〈◊〉 Posterity retained the Surname of Steward the Kiâ—â— of Scotland of that Name with several other Fâ—â—lies of Quality in that Kingdom being descended 〈◊〉 him But to return to England Siward the worthy 〈◊〉 of Northumberland died about this time of the Blooâ— Flux a Man of a rough Demeanour and a mâ—â—â— Soldierly Temper as he plainly manifested at 〈◊〉 point of Death For bewailing his Misfortune 〈◊〉 had escaped so many dangerous Engagements 〈◊〉 withal disdaining to die so effeminately in Bed 〈◊〉 caused himself to be compleatly Armed and aâ—â—◠〈◊〉 were in Defiance of Death presently expired in Martial Bravery But his Son being too young 〈◊〉 King bestowed his Earldom upon Tosty the Son 〈◊〉 Earl Godwyn A.D. 1054 Wales had been now a long time quiet and 〈◊〉 of all troubles both abroad and at home but it coâ—â—â— not be expected that such a Life should prove duâ—â—bâ—◠〈◊〉 but something or other would create New Comâ—â—tions and Disturbances Gruffydh Son to Rytherch ap â—â—yn having recruited and recovered himself after the 〈◊〉 Blow he received from Prince Gruffydh must needs â—â—â—ture another trial for the Principality of South-Wales 〈◊〉 Prince protracting no time speedily marched aâ—â—â— him and both Armies being joined Gruffydh 〈◊〉 Ryâ—herch was easily vanquished and in fine slain 〈◊〉 the troubles of the Welch did not end with him 〈◊〉 Algâ—â— Earl of Chester being convicted of Treason 〈◊〉 thereupon banished the Kingdom fled to Gruffydh 〈◊〉 of Wales requesting his Aid against King â—â—â—ard who repeating the frequent Wrongs he had 〈◊〉 at the hands of the English by upholding 〈◊〉 Enemies against him gladly embraced the Opâ—â—â—tunity and promised him all imaginable Support â—â—d thereupon assembling his Forces he entred with 〈◊〉 into Hereford shire and advancing into the â—â—â—â—try within two Miles of the City of Hereford 〈◊〉 were opposed by Randulph Earl of that Counâ—â—◠〈◊〉 boldly gave them Battel The Fight conâ—â—â—â—â—â— very dreadful and dubious for some hours till 〈◊〉 Gruffydh so encouraged his Soldiers with the â—â—â—â—mbrance of their former Victories over the 〈◊〉 that they fell on a main and easily disâ—â—â—â—red Randulph and slew the best part of his Army â—â—terwards they pursued their Chase to the Town 〈◊〉 having made all the waste and havock they were â—â—â—e they laid the Town it self in ashes and so reâ—â—â—ned home triumphantly laden with rich Booty 〈◊〉 Plunder King Edward receiving notice of this 〈◊〉 presently gathered a great Army at Glocester â—â—der the Conduct of Harold Earl Godwyn's Son â—o couragiously pursuing the Enemies entred into â—ales and encamped beyond Stradelwyd But Gruâ—â—dh and Algar dreading to oppose him retired furâ—â—â—r into South Wales of which Harold being certified 〈◊〉 one part of his Army behind with Orders to â—â—ght if occasion offered and with the other passed 〈◊〉 Hereford which he fortified with a strong Wall â—â—â—â—nd the Town Gruffydh perceiving his undaunted Industry after many Messages concluded a Peâ—â—â— with Harold at a place called Biligelhag by wâ—â—â—â— Articles Algar was pardoned by the King and â—â—stored to his Earldom of Chester But he did 〈◊〉 continue long in the King's Favour for about 〈◊〉 years after upon Conviction of Treason he was â—gain banished the Land so that he was forced to 〈◊〉 take himself to his old Friend Gruffydh Prince 〈◊〉 Wales by whose Aid and a Fleet from Norway 〈◊〉 spight of the King he was restored to his Earldâ—â— But King Edward was sore offended with the Priâ—â—â— of Wales for harbouring Traytors and therefore 〈◊〉 be Revenged upon him he dispatched Harold 〈◊〉 with an Army to North-Wales who coming 〈◊〉 Ruthlan burnt the Prince's Palace there and his 〈◊〉 that lay in the Harbor and then returned to 〈◊〉 King at Glocester This year Edward the Son of Edmund Ironside 〈◊〉 was sent for out of Hungary being designed Succession the Crown came to England but in a short time 〈◊〉 his coming died at London leaving behind him 〈◊〉 Son called Edgar Edeling and a Daughter naâ—â—â— Margaret who was afterwards Queen of the 〈◊〉 and Mother to Maud the Wife of Henry the fâ—â—â—â— A.D. 1056 About two Years after Roderic Son to Harold King of Denmark came with a considerable Army 〈◊〉 Wales and being kindly received by Prince Gruffâ—â—â— united his Power with the Welch and so entred 〈◊〉 England which they cruelly harassed and destroyâ—â— But before they could advance any considerable â—â—stance Roderic was compelled to Sail for Denmark and so Gruffydh returned laden with Spoils 〈◊〉 Wales The same time Harold Earl Godwyn's 〈◊〉 sailing to Flanders was driven by force of Weaâ—â—â— to Land at Poytiers where being seized upon 〈◊〉 was brought before William Bastard Duke of Nâ—â—mandy to whom he declared the reason of his Vâ—â—age that it was purposely to tender him his Serâ—â—â—â— in the Affairs of England and so taking an Oath 〈◊〉 to Marry the Duke's Daughter and after the
Sixty Eight and in her Right created him Lord Powys This John Charleton Lord Powys being aided and supported by the King of England quickly broke all their Measures and having taken Lhewelyn John and David his Wives Uncles he put them in safe custody in the Kings Castle of Harlech and then obtained a Writ from the King to the Sheriff of Shropshire and to Sir Roger Mortimer Lord of Chirkland and Justice of North-Wales for the Apprehension of Gruffydh Fychan with his Sons in Law Sir Roger Chamber and Hugh Montgomery who were then in actual Hostility against him and his Wife Hawys But Gruffydh Fychan and his Accomplices suspecting their own Strength and having lost Thomas Earl of Lancaster their main support thought it most advisable to submit themselves to the King's Pleasure touching the Difference betwixt them and Hawys who finding upon record how that Gruffydh ap Meredith Ancestor to the said Hawys upon his Submission to King Henry the First became Subject to the King of England and thereupon was created Baron of Powys which Barony he and his Posterity had ever since held in capite from the King was of opinion that Hawys had more Right to her Fathers Possessions now in their hands than any pretence they could lay to her Estate But to make a final determination of this matter and to compose the Difference more amicably betwixt them it was agreed that Hawys should enjoy her Inheritance in Fee-Simple to her and her Heirs for ever after the Tenure of England and that her Uncles Lhewelyn John David and Gruffydh should quietly enjoy their Portion and the same to descend to their Heir Males perpetually but in default of such Heir Males the same was to descend to Hawys and her Heirs But William Lord of Mowdhwy the Fourth Brother called otherwise Wilcock Mowdhwy because he did not joyn with the rest against Hawys had all his Lands confirmed to him and to all his Heirs both Male and Female for ever He married Elianor the Sister of Elen Owen Glyndwr's Mother who was lineally descended from Rhys ap Theodore Prince of South-Wales by whom he had Issue John de Mowdhwy whose Daughter Elizabeth being Heir to his whole Estate was married to one Sir Hugh Burgh Knight His Son Sir John Burgh Lord of Mowdhwy married Jane the Daughter of Sir William Clapton of Glocestershire by whom he had four Daughters Elizabeth Ancreda Isabel and Elianor the first of whom was married to Thomas Newport the second to John Leighton of Stretton the third to John Lingen and the younger to Tho. Mytton who by equal Distribution had the Lordship of Mowdhwy divided betwixt them But John Charleton Lord of Powys had Issue by his Wife Hawys a Son named John who enjoyed the same Lordship for about Seven Years and then left it to his Son of the same Name who was Lord of Powys Fourteen Years and then it descended to his Son called also John Charleton who enjoyed his Fathers Estate Twenty Seven Years but dying without Issue the Lordship of Powys fell to his Brother Edward Charleton This Edward had Issue by his Wife Elianor the Daughter and one of the Heirs of Thomas Earl of Kent and the Widow of Roger Mortimer Earl of March two Daughters Jane and Joyce the first of which was married to Sir John Gray Knight and the second to John Lord Tipâ—oft whose Son was by King Henry VI. created Earl of Worcester But after the death of Elianor this Edward Lord Powys marryed Elizabeth the Daughter of Sir John Barkley Knight and so after his death which happened in the Year 1420. the Lordship of Powys was divided into three parts whereof his Widow Elizabeth had for her Joynture Lhannorch Hudol Ystrad Marchelâ— Deudhwr and Teirtref and was afterwards married to Lord Dudley Jane his eldest Daughter had Caereneon Mechain Mochnant and Flasdinas and Joyce had Cyfeilioc and Arustly But the Lordship of Powys continued in the Family of Sir John Gray for five Descents in right of his Wife Jane the last of whom Edward Gray Lord Powys married Anne one of the Daughters and Co-Heirs of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk and dyed without any lawful Issue Dugdale Bar. Engl. Tom. II. p. 284. This Edward Lord Powys in 15 Henry VIII accompanied the Duke of Suffolk in the Expedition then made into France and was at the taking of Bray and other places then won from the French And in 36 Henry VIII being again ready to march in the King's Service he made his last Testament whereby he setled the Succession of his whole Barony and Lordship of Powys his Castle and Mannor of Pool with divers other Lordships in the County of Montgomery and all the rest of his Estate in the County of Salop upon the Heirs of his own Body lawfully begotten or to be begotten and in default of such Issue his Castle and Mannor of Charlton and Pontisbury in Shropshire upon Jane Orwell Daughter of Sir Lewis Orwell Knight and her Assigns during her natural Life And in case he should dye without any Issue of his own Body lawfully begotten that then Edward Grey his illegitimate Son by the same Jane Orwell should have and enjoy his said Barony and Mannor of Powys his Castle and Mannor of Pool and all other his Lordships in the County of Montgomery with the Reversion of the Castle and Mannor of Charlton and Pontysbury to him and his Heirs lawfully begotten and for lack of such Issue to remain to that Child in case it should be a Son wherewith the same Jane Orwell was then great by him and to the Heirs of his Body lawfully begotten But if it should not prove a Son or if the Son dye without Issue then that the whole Barony of Powys and all the Premises before-mentioned should come to Jane Grey his Daughter and to the Heirs of her Body lawfully begotten and for lack of such Issue to Anne Grey his other Daughter and the Heirs of her Body lawfully begotten and lastly for default of such Issue to such Woman-Child as should be born of the Body of the said Jane Orwell But after Edward Grey the Title of Lord of Powys lay extinct to the Fifth Year of K. Charles I. when Sir William Herbert Son of Sir Edward Herbert of Redcastle antiently call'd Pool-Castle now Powys-Castle in the County of Montgomery second Son to William Earl of Pembrock was advanced to the Dignity of a Baron of the Realm by the Title of Lord Powys of Powys in the Marches of Wales in whose Family it still continues though the Title has been changed from a Baron to an Earl and since to a Marquess About the same time that the Prince of Powys dyed Cadwalhon ap Madawc ap Ednerth who had been for some considerable time at variance with his Brother Eineon Clyd was taken Prisoner by him who deliver'd him up to Owen Prince of North-Wales But the Prince being willing to gratifie the King of England whose Interest Cadwalhon has
in Northumberland and was with much rejoycing received by the Inhabitants But before he could secure himself in the Government he was shamefully banished the Country and so the Northumbrians elected one Hircius the Son of Harold for their King But to shew the Inconstancy of an unsettled Multitude they soon grew weary of Hircius and after Three Years space expelled him and voluntarily submitted themselves to Edred who after he had reigned eight Years dyed and was buried at Winchester To him succeeded Edwin the Son of Edmund a Man so immoderately given to Venety that he forcibly married another Man's Wife for which and other Irregularities his Subjects after four Years reign set up his Brother Edgar who was crowned in his stead with A.D. 958 grief of which he soon ended his days The Summer that same Year proved so immoderately hot that it caused a very dismal Plague in the following Spring which swept away a great number of People before which Gwgan the Son of Gwyriad the Son of Roderie dyed At this time Ievaf and Iago forcibly managed the Government of all Wales and acted according to their own good Pleasures no one daring to confront or resist them But for all their Power the Sons of Abloio King of Ireland ventured to land in Anglesey and having burnt Holyhead wasted the Country of Lhyn Also the Son of Edwyn the Son of Colhoyn destroyed and ravaged all the Country to A.D. 961 Towyn where they were intercepted and slain About the same time dyed Meyric the Son of Cadfan Rytherch Bishop of S. Davids and Cadwalhon ap Owen Not long after the Country of North-Wales was cruelly A.D. 965 wasted by the Army of Edgar King of England the occasion of which Invasion was the non-payment of the Tribute that the King of Aberffraw by the Laws of Howel Dha was obliged to pay to the King of London But at length a Peace was concluded upon these Conditions that the Prince of North-Wales instead of Money should pay to the King of England the Tribute of 300 Wolves yearly which Creature was then very pernicious and destructive to England and Wales This Tribure being duly performed for two Years the third Year there were none to be found in any part of the Island so that afterwards the Prince of North-Wales became exempt from paying any Acknowledgment to the King of England A.D. 966 The Terror apprehended from the English being by these means vanished there threatned another Cloud from Ireland for the Irish being animated by their late Expedition landed again in Anglesey and having slain Roderic the Son of Edwal Foel they destroyed Aboffraw And this danger being over Ievaf and A.D. 967 â—ago who had jointly and agreeably till now managed the Government of Wales from the death of Howel â—ha began to quarrel and disagree among themselves and Iago having forcibly laid hands upon his Brother 〈◊〉 confined him to perpetual Imprisonment These Heats and Animosities between the two Brothers A.D. 968 gave occasion and opportunity to Owen Prince of South-Wales to carve for himself who presently â—eized to his hands the Country of Gwyr And to A.D. 969 â—ugment the Miseries of the Welch at this time Mactus the Son of Harold with an Army of Danes â—ntered the Isle of Anglescy and spoiled Penmon King Edgar was so indulgent to these Danes that he permitted them to inhabit through all England insoâ—uch that at length they became to be as numerous â—nd as strong as the English themselves and fell into â—uch lewd courses of Debauchery and such horrid Drinking that very great Mischief ensued thereupon The King to reform this immoderate Sottishness enacted a Law that very one should drink by measure and so stamped a Mark upon every Vessel how â—â—at it should be filled But Harold having taken Pennon A.D. 970 made subject to himself the whole Isle of Anglesey which however he did not keep long being forced to quit the same and to return home as did the Fleet of King Alfred which he had sent to subâ—ue Caâ—rlheon upon Vsc And now being rid of the A.D. 971 English and Danes the Welch begin to raise Commotions among themselves Ievaf continued still in Prison A.D. 972 to rescue whom his Son Howel raised his Power and marched against his Uncle Iago who being vanquished in sight was forced to quit the Country to â—ave himself Howel having won the day took his eldest Uncle Meyric the Son of Edwal Prisoner and pulled out both his Eyes clapt him in Prison where in a woful condition he shortly dyed leaving behind him two Sons Edwal and Ionafal the first of which lived to be afterwards Prince of Wales and to revenge upon the Posterity of Howel that unnatural Barbarity shewed to his Father But though Howel delivered his Father from his long and tedious Imprisonment yet he did not think fit to restore him to his Principality for whether by Age or Infirmity he was incapable Howel took upon him the sole Government of Wales which he kept and maintained for his life-time but afterwards it descended to his Brethren For Ievaf had Issue besides this Howel Meyric Iâ—vaf and Cadwalhan all three Men of great Repuâ—â— and Esteem About this time dyed Morgan Hên in his younger days called Morgan Mawr being an Hundred Yearâ— old having lived Fifty Years after the death of hâ—â— Wife Elen Daughter of Roderic the Great by whoâ— he had one Son called Owen Morgan was a valiant anâ— a victorious Prince and well beloved of his Subjects 〈◊〉 but sometime before his death Owen the Son oâ— Prince Howel Dha laid claim to Ystradwy and Eâ—y called the two Sleeves of Gwent Vwchcoed being thâ— Right of Morgan and seized upon them to his owâ— use But the matter through the mediation of the Clergy and Nobility being by both Parties referred to the decision of Edgar King of England it was by him adjudged that the said Lands did of right belong to Morgan and to the Diocess of Lhandaff and that Owen ap Howel Dha had wrongfully possessed himself of them The Charter of the said Award waâ— made before the Archbishops Bishops Earls and Barons of England and Wales at may be seen at Lhandaff in an old Manuscript called y Cwtta Cyfarwydd 〈◊〉 Forgannwg And there is somewhat to the same purpose in the old Book of Lhandaff only the mistake in both is that they make Howel Dha the Intruder into the said Lands who had been dead at least Twenty Years before King Edgar began his Reign Howel ap Ievaf HOwel after that he had expelled his Uncle Iago and forced him to quit his own Dominions â—â—ok upon himself the Government of Wales in â—â—ght of his Father who tho alive yet by reason of â—â—s Years was willing to decline it About the same 〈◊〉 Dwnwalhon Prince of Stradclwyd took his Jourâ—â—y for Rome and Edwalhon Son of Owen Prince â—f South-Wales died But the English received a â—â—eater Blow by the Death of King Edgar who was Prince of
drew together a great Army consisting partly of Strangers and partly of such as they could raise in Gwentland and Glamorgan and marched to fight with Gruffydh The Prince according to his usual manner detracted no time but animating and solacing his Soldiers with the remembrance of their former Victories and Conquests bid the Enemies battel which proved so very bloody and terrible that nothing could part them beside the darkness of the Night This Battel so tired and tamed both Armies that neither was very desirous of another Engagement and so one being unwilling to set upon the other they both agreed to return to their own Habitations The same time Joseph Bishop of Teilo or Llandaf died at Rome But both Armies being separated Prince Gruffydh enjoyed a quiet and unmolested Possession of all Wales for about Two Years after which the Gentry of Ystrad Towy treacherously slew 140 of the choice of his Army which he took in so high an indignation that to revenge their death he destroyed all Dyfed and Ystrad Towy About the same time Lothen and Hyrling two Danish Pyrats with a great number of Danes landed at Sandwich and having plundered the Town returned again to their Ships and sailed for Holland where they sold the Booty they had taken and then returned to their own Country Shortly afterwards Earl Swayn came out of Denmark with Eight Ships and returned to England and coming to his Fathers House at Pevenese humbly requested of him and his Brothers Harold and Tostie to endeavour his reconciliation with the King Earl Beorned too promised to intercede for him and going to Swayn's Fleet to sail to Sandwich where the King then lay he was by the way most treacherously and ungratefully murthered and his Body cast upon the shoar which lay there exposed till his Friends heating of the Fact came and carried it to Winchester and buried it by the Body of King Cnute â—eorned 's Uncle Swayn having committed this most testable Murder put himself again under the Proâ—â—ction of the Earl of Flanders not daring to shew 〈◊〉 Face in England till his Father by earnest Mediâ—â—on wrought his Peace with the King This Year Conan the Son of Iago raised again an â—â—my of his Friends in Ireland and sailed towards â—ales purposing to recover his Inheritance in 〈◊〉 Country But when he was come near the â—â—lch Coast there suddenly arose such a violent â—â—â—rm that his Fleet was presently scattered and â—â—st of his Ships drowned which rendered this Expeâ—â—â—ion ineffectual About the same time Robert Archâ—â—â—hop of Canterbury impeached Earl Godwyn and his 〈◊〉 Swayn and Harold of Treason and the Queen 〈◊〉 Adultery and upon the account of their non-â—â—â—earance when cited before the Peers at Glocester 〈◊〉 Queen was divorced and Godwyn and his Sons â—â—nished who with his Son Swayn fled to Flanders 〈◊〉 Harold to Ireland But these unlucky Clashings â—â—d the many Troubles that ensued thereupon hapâ—â—â—ed upon this occasion Eustace Earl of Bologne beâ—â—â— Married to Goda the King's Sister came over this â—aâ— to England to pay King Edward a Visit and in 〈◊〉 return to Canterbury one of his Retinue forcibly â—â—manding a Lodging provoked the Master of the â—â—use so far as by Chance or Anger to kill him Euâ—â—â—e upon this Affront returns back to the King and 〈◊〉 the insinuâ—tions of the Archbishop makes a loud â—â—mplaint against the Kentish-men to repress whose â—â—olencies Earl Godwyn is commanded to raise Forâ—â—â— which he refusing to do for the Kindness he bore 〈◊〉 his Country-men of Kent the King summons a â—â—rliament at Glocester and commands Godwyn to â—â—pear there But he mistrusting either his own â—use or the Malice of his Adversaries gathered a â—â—werful Army out of his own and his Sons Earlâ—â—ms and marched towards Glocester giving out â—â—â—t their Forces were to go against the Welch who â—â—â—ended to invade the Marshes But King Edward â—â—â—ng satisfied by the Welch that they had no such Design in hand commanded Godwyn to dismiss his Aâ—my and to appear himself to answer to the Articles exhibited against him Godwyn refusing to obey the Kiâ—â— by the Advice of Earl Leofrick summoned an Asseâ—bly at London whither a great Number of Forces aâ—rived from Mercia which Godwyn perceiving and wiâ—â—al finding himself unable to withstand the King â— proceedings privately retired with his Sons out 〈◊〉 the Kingdom and fled into Flanders Whereupon the King issued out an Edict proclaiming Godwâ—â— and his Sons Out-Laws and then confiscating thâ—â—â— Estates bestowed them upon others of his Nobiliâ—â— And to pursue his Displeasure the farther he Divâ—â—ced his Queen Edith Earl Godwyn's Daughter aâ—â— committed her to a Cloyster where in a mean Coâ—dition she spent some part of her Life In the distâ—â—bution of the forfeited Estates Adonan obtained 〈◊〉 Earldoms of Devon and Dorset and Algar the Sâ—â— of Leofrick that of Harold But Godwyn could 〈◊〉 patiently behold his Estate bestowed upon anotheâ— and therefore having hired some Men and Ships 〈◊〉 Flanders he sailed to the Isle of Wight where aâ—â—â—â— that he had made a sufficient havock he put in 〈◊〉 Portland which he treated after the same manâ—â—â— The same time Harold having sailed from Ireland 〈◊〉 length met with his Father and then with their unâ—â—â—â— Navy they burnt Preveneseny Romney Heath Fâ—â—â—ston Dover and Sandwich and entering the Thâ—â—â—â— they destroyed Cheppey and burnt the King's Hoâ—â— at Middletown Then they sailed up the River â—â—wards London where the King's Army being reaâ—â— to oppose them a Treaty of Peace was by the meâ— of Bishop Stigand agreed upon which proved so â—â—fectual of Godwyn's side that the King received 〈◊〉 again to his Favour restored him and Sons to all thâ— Estates re-called the Queen and banished the Arâ—â—bishop with all the French-men who had been pâ—â—moters of that unhappy Suspicion the King had enâ—â—â—tained of them About this time Rhys Brother to Gruffydh Prâ—â—â—â— of Wales who by several Irruptions upon the Bordeâ—◠〈◊〉 considerably gauled and damaged the English â—â—s taken and put to Death at Bulendun whose â—â—â—d being cut off was presented to the King then Glocester But he received better News some time 〈◊〉 from the North for Siward Earl of Northumberâ—â—â—d having sent his Son against Macbeth King of â—â—gland vanquished the Scots tho not without the 〈◊〉 of his Son and many others both English and â—â—nes But Siward was not cast down at his Son 's â—â—â—th but enquiring whether he received his Death's â—â—nd before or behind and being assured that it 〈◊〉 before replied He was very glad of it for he â—â—d not wish his Son to die otherwise After this â—tory King Edward marched in Person to Scotland and having again overcome Macbeth in Battel made the whole Kingdom of Scotland Tributary the Crown of England The next year Earl â—â—â—â—yn sitting with the King at Table sunk down â—â—d of a sudden being choak'd as 't is thought in â—â—llowing a morsel of Bread whose Earldom the â—â—ng bestowed upon his
wrongful and deceitful Dealings of King Henry but knowing himself to be unable to redress these Grievances he thought it more advisible for a time to live quietly with a little than rashly to hazard all But in a short time he had opportunity either to demand redress from the King or else to endeavour it himself by Force of Arms. For as soon as Roger Earl of Clare was informed of the distribution which the King of England had granted to Prince Rhys he came to King Henry requesting of his Majesty that he would grant him such Lands in Wales as he could win by force of Arm◠The King readily complied with his Request being always very forward to grant any thing which seemed to curb and discommode the Welch and therefore the Earl of Clare marched with a great Army into Cardigan and having fortified the Castles of Ystrat-Meyric Humphrey Dyfi Dynerth and Lhanrhystyd he made several Incursions into the Country In the same manner Walter Clyfford who was Governour of Lhanymdhyfri Castle made in-roads into the Territories of Prince Rhys and after he had slain several of the Welch and made great waste in the Country returned with considerable Booty Prince Rhys as he was unable to bear these outrages so he was resolved either to have immediate redress or else to proclaim open War against the English and therefore he sent an Express to King Henry complaining of the Hostilities which his Subjects the Earl of Clare and Walter Clifford had committed in in his Country But finding the King to put him still off with only smooth Words and fair Promises and that he always winked at the Faults of the English and Normans without any farther Consultation about the Matter he laid Siege to the Castle of Lhanymdhyfri and in short time made himself Matter of it Also Eineon the Son of Anarawd Rhy's Brother's Son and a Person of great Valor being desirous to free his Country from that miserable servitude they now groaned under and judging withal that his Uncle was now discharged from the Oath he had lately sworn to the King of England sat before the Castle of Humphrey and having forcibly made his entrance into it he put all the Garrison to the Sword where he found a great number of Horses and Armour enough to arm a considerable Body of Men And whilst Eineon was thus engaged at Humphrey's Castle Prince Rhys perceiving that he could not enjoy any part of his Inheritance but what he afterwards got by the Sword drew all his Power together and entred Cardigan where like a most violent Torrent he over-run the Country that he left not one Castle standing of those which his Enemies had fortified and so brought all the Country to his subjection King Henry being sore offended at the progress which Prince Rhys so suddenly made against him returned with a great Army into South-Wales but finding it to no purpose to attempt any thing against the Prince he thought it more advisable to permit him to enjoy all that he had gotten and only to take Hostages for his observing of Peace during his absence out of the Kingdom which Prince Rhys promising to do he forthwith returned to England and soon after went for Normandy where he concluded a Peace with the French King A.D. 1158 But the Year following Prince Rhys of South-Wales without any respect to his promise to King Henry last Year led his Forces to Dyfed and destroyed all the Castles that the Normans had fortified in that Country and then laid Siege to Caermardhyn But Reynold Earl of Bristol the King 's base Son being informed of it called together the Earl of Clare his Brother-in-Law Cadwalader Prince Owen of North-Wales's Brother Howel and Conan Owen's Sons with two Earls more who with their joynt Forces marched to raise the Siege But Prince Rhys was wiser than to abide their coming and therefore upon the first intimation of such great Opposition he retired to the Mountains called Cefn Rester and there encamped being sufficiently secure from any Enemy by the natural Fortification of the place The Confederate Army lay at Dynwylhîr and there built a Castle but finding no news or tidings of Prince Rhys they returned home without effecting any thing of Note King Henry was still in Normandy and there made War against the Earl of St. Giles for the City and Earldom of Tholouse Towards the beginning of this Year Madoc ap Meredith ap Blethyn Prince of Powis died at Winchester whence his Body was honourably conveyed to Powis and buried at Myfod He was a Prince very much affected to Piety and Religion very charitable to the necessitous and good to the distressed but his great Fault was that he stickled too hard for the Interest of the English and was always in Confederacy with King Henry against the good Success of his Native Country He had Issue by his Wife Susanna the Daughter of Gruffydh ap Conan Prince of North-Wales three Sons Gruffydh Maylor Owen and Elis and a Daughter named Marred He had also three natural Sons Owen Brogynton Cynwric Efelh and Eineon Efelh who tho' base born yet according to the Custom of Wales co-inherited with their Brethren who were legitimate And here it will not be amiss once for all to give a particular account of the Principality afterwards the Lordships of Powis how it came to be divided into many shares and portions and by that means became so irrecoverably broken and weakened that it was made subject to the Normans before the rest of Wales For Powis before King Offa's time reached Eastward to the Rivers of Severn and Dee in a right Line from the end of Broxen Hills to Salop and comprehended all the Country between the Wye and Severn which was antiently the Estate of Brochwel Yscithroc of whom mention is made before But after the making of Offa's dike Powis was contracted into a narrower compass the plain Country toward Salop being inhabited by Saxons and Normans so that the length of it reached North-East from Pulford-Bridge to Lhangiric-Parish on the Confines of Cardigan-shire to the South-West and the breadth from the farthest part of Cyfeilioc Westward to Elsmere on the East-side This Principality Roderic the Great gave to his youngest Son Merfyn in whose Posterity it remained intire till the death of Blethyn ap Confyn who tho' he had divided it betwixt his Sons Meredith and Cadwgan yet it came again whole and intire to the possession of Meredith ap Blethyn But he again broke the Union and left it between his two Sons Madawe and Gruffydh the first of which was Married to Susanna the Daughter of Gruffydh ap Conan Prince of North-Wales and had with her that part afterward called by his Name Powis Fadoc After his death this Lordship was divided also betwixt his Sons Gruffydh Maelor Owen ap Madawc and Owen Brogynton which last tho' basely born had however for his incomparable Valour and Courage a share of his Father's Estate namely
Wales King Edward by a Statute made at Ruthlan incorporated and annexed it to the Crown of England Anno 12. Edw. I. constituting several new and wholsom Laws as concerning the Division of Wales into several Counties the Form and Manner of Writs and Proceedings in Tryals with many others not very unlike the Laws and Constitutions of the English Nation But all this could never win the Affection of the Welch toward him who by no means would own him as their Sovereign unless he would condescend and agree to live and reign among them They had not forgot the cruel Oppressions and intolerable Insolencies oâ— English Officers and therefore they flatly told him they would never yield Obedience to any other than a Prince of their own Nation of their own Language and whose Life and Conversation was spotless and unblameable King Edward perceiving the Welch to be resolute and inflexible and absolutely bent against any other Prince than one of their own Country happily thought of this politick though dangerous Expedient Queen Eleanor was now quick with Child and ready to be delivered and though the Season was very severe it being the depth of Winter the King sent for her from England and remov'd her to Caernarvon Castle the place design'd for her to â—â—ve in When the time of her Delivery was come â—â—ng Edward called to him all the Barons and chief â—ersons throughout all Wales to Ruthlan there to â—onsult about the publick Good and Safety of their â—ountry And being informed that his Queen was â—elivered of a Son he told the Welch Nobility that â—hereas they had oftentimes intreated him to appoint â—â—em a Prince he having at this time occasion to deâ—art out of the Country would comply with their â—equest upon condition they would allow of and â—â—ey him whom he should name The Welch readiâ—â— agreed to the motion only with the same Reserve â—hat he should appoint them a Prince of their own Nation King Edward assured them he would name â—â—ch an one as was born in Wales could speak no â—nglish and whose Life and Conversation no body â—ould stain whom the Welch agreeing to own and â—bey he named his own Son Edward but little before â—â—om in Caernarvon Castle King Edward having by these means deluded the Welch and reduced the whole Country of Wales to â—is own Devotion began to reward his Followers with other Mens Proprieties and bestowed whole Lordships and Towns in the midst of the Country â—pon English Lords among whom Henry Lacy Earl of Lineoln obtained the Lordship of Denbigh Reginald Grey second Son to John Lord Grey of Wilton the Lordship of Ruthyn This Henry Lacy was Son to Edmund Lacy the Son of John Lacy Lord of Halton Pomfret and Constable of Chester who married Margaret the eldest Daughter and one of the Heirs of Robert Quincy Earl of Lincoln This Henry Lacy Lord of Denbigh married the Daughter and sole Heir of William Longspear Earl of Salusbury by whom he had Issue two Sons Edmund and John who both dyed young one by a Fall into a very deep Well within the Castle of Denbigh and a Daughter named Alicia who was married to Thomas Plantagenet Earl of Lancaster who in right of his Wife was Earl of Lincoln and Sarum Lord of Denbigh Halton Pomfret and Constable of Chester After his Death King Edward II. bestowed the said Lordship of Denbigh upon Hugâ— Lord Spencer Earl of Winchester upon whose deceasâ—â— King Edward III. gave it together with many otheâ— Lordships in the Marches to Roger Mortimer Earlâ— March in performance of a Promise he had made whilst he remained with his Mother in France thaâ— as soon as he should come to the possession of thâ— Crown of England he would bestow upon the saiâ— Earl of March to the value of a Thousand Pounâ—â— yearly in Lands But within few Years after Mâ—â—timer being attainted of High Treason King Edwaâ—â— bestowed the said Lordship of Denbigh upon Montague Earl of Salusbury but it was quickly restoreâ— again to the Mortimers in which House it continued till the whole Estate of the Earls of March caâ—â— with a Daughter to the House of York and so to the Crown Richard Duke of York Grand-Father to Edward the Fourth having married the sole Daughter and Heir of the House of the Mortimers And so 〈◊〉 continued in the Crown to Queen Elizabeths time who in the Sixth Year of her Reign bestowed the said Lordship upon her great Favourite Robert Earâ— of Leicester who was then created Baron of Denbigh After him it returned again to the Crown where 〈◊〉 has continued to this present Year 1696. when his present Majesty granted a Patent under the great Seaâ— to William Earl of Portland for the Lordships of Denbigh Bromfield and Yale Some of the Welch Representatives perceiving how far such a Grant encroached upon the Properties and Priviledges of the Subject disclosed their Grievances to the Honourable House of Commons who after some consideration resolved nemine contradicente that a Petition should be presented to his Majesty by the Body of the whole House to request him to recall his Grant to the said Earl of Portland which was accordingly done in the manner following May it please Your Most Excellent Majesty WE Your Majesty's most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects the Knights Citizens and Burgesses in Parliament Assembled Humbly lay before Your Majesty That whereas there is a Grant passing to William Earl of Portland and his Heirs of the Manners of Denbigh Bromfield and Yale and divers other Lands in the Principality of Wales together with several Estates of Inheritance enjoyed by many of Your Majesty's Subjects by Virtue of Antient Grants from the Crown That the said Mannors with the large and extensive Royalties Powers and Jurisdictions to the same belonging are of great Concern to Your Majesty and the Crown of this Realm And that the same have been usually Annex'd to the Principality of Wales and Settled on the Princes of Wales for their Support And that a great number of Your Majesty's Subjects in those Parts hold their Estates by Royal Tenure under great and valuable Compositions Rents Royal-Payments and Services to the Crown and Princes of Wales and have by such Tenure great Dependance on Your Majesty and the Crown of England and have enjoyed great Privileges and Advantages with their Estates under such Tenure We therefore most humbly beseech Your Majesty to put a stop to the Passing this Grant to the Earl of Portland of the said Mannors and Lands and that the same may not be disposed from the Crown but by Consent of Parliament For that such Grant is in Diminution of the Honour and Interest of the Crown by placing in a Subject such large and extensive Royalties Powers and Jurisdictions which ought only to be in the Crown and will Sever that Dependance which so great a Number of Your Majesty's Subjects in those Parts have on Your Majesty and the Crown by reason of their Tenure
ei Diaboâ—s delegavit Praeterea in regem impungitis dicenâ— quod regales Ecclesias personas Ecclesiasticas â—udeli vastavit tyrannide consumunt Ad quod tater respondemus quod Dominus Rex praedicta mala â—ec fieri mandavit nec rata habuit quin potius nobis â—btulit ultronei quod quam citò aderit oportunitas â—cclesiarum proponit dispendia resarcire quod differt â—sque ad sedatam guerrae tempestatem ne si prius fieâ—t destruerentur iterum per latrones Praeterea timetis 〈◊〉 Anglia honorem suscipere ne consequenter vobis ocâ—asionata malitia auferatur cum tamen fateamini quod Dominus Rex nullum suum exhaeredaverit inimicum â—uod frustra vos timere credimus si legaliter vivere â—os vestri didiceritis non a pari cum domino â—estro contendere vel certare Mores vobis popuâ—o vestro causamini incognitos nos è contrario opiâ—amur quod expediret vobis omnibus in modum alium mores penitus transformari Cum enim sitis sicut â—aeteri homines donis Dei gratuitis adornati sed in veâ—tro Anglo devoramini ut nec Ecclesiam juvetis conâ—ra hostes fidei militando Nec Clerum studio sapientiae exceptis paucissimis decoretis quin potius maâ—or pars vestrûm torpet otio lasciviis ut pene neâ—ciat mundus vos esse populum nisi per paucos ex vobis qui videntur ut plurimum in mendicare Deinde â—cribitis quod creditis altissimum vos juvare pro justitia decertantes utinam inquam altissimus juvet vos salubriter dirigat ad salutem Sed ne ruinas aliquas Anglorum ex inconsideratione sua provenientes vestris velitis meritis arrogare curetis ad vertere qualiter qui iâ— coelis habitat fatuos sublimat elevat ad modicum ut perpetuo allidat sic certe olim populus Dei electuâ— ante harum repertam civitatem pro unius Anathemate Consortis versus in fugam quosdam suorum perdidiâ— bellatorum Sic certe quater centena millia bellatorum duodecim tribuum Israel in suo numero fortitudine confidentes ab unius tribus modico populo occisis ex 40 millibus bellatorum per vices varias sunt confusi Cum tamen purgato unius Anathemate praedicta Civitas finaliter deleta fuerit per illos qui prius confusi fuerant per lacrymas placato Domino cum jejuniis oblatis Sacrificiis tribus illa quae praevaluerat prius per prius confusos quasi totaliter sit deleta sic certe aliter flagellat Dominus filios quos recipit aliter quos decernit ut arbores steriles extirpare Ista vobis scribimus in cordis amaritudine ab his partibus recedentes nec prenidicare intendimus salubriori consilio si vobis coelitus destinetur nec latere vos volumus quod nullum per vos invenimus excusationis sufficiens remedium quo obstante minime debeatis in excors Irnam incidisse pernuntiari Dudum latet in Oxon consilio contra pacis regiae turbatores viam autem pacis aliam invenire non possumus nec adhuc in spe sumus aliud obtinendi Sed si nobis aliquid consultius videatur agendum vobis numquam claudemus gremium nec auxilium denegabimus opportunum Dat. apud Ruthelan 18 Calend Decemb. Ann. Dom. 1282. Lewelinus autem princeps Walliae praedictus spretis omnibus oblationibus pacis formis post scriptis invasit hostiliter terram Domini Regis Angliae destruendo eam incendio rapina nec non homines terrae illius ad se trahendo à bonitate pacis regiae separando Qui tamen princeps infra mensem illum ignominosa morte primus de exercitu suo occisus est per familiam Domini Cadmundi de mortuo mari filii Domini Rogeri de mortuo mari totus exercitus suus vel occisus vel in fugam conversus in partibus Montis Gomerici die Veneris proximo ante Festum S. Lucae videlicet 3. Id. Decemb. sub Anno Dom. 1282. In decima litera dominicali D. currente A TABLE OF THE Most Remarkable Things in this BOOK A. ABerffraw destroyed by the Irish page 57. Adelred King of the West-Saxons vanquished by the Britains 15. Adelred married Emma Daughter of the Duke of Normandy and the reasons of it 70. The consequence of the Marriage 71. Flies with his Wife and Children into Normandy 75. Returns ibid. His Death 78. Aedan ap Blegorad having slain his Competitor Conan is proclaimed Prince of North-Wales 69. Is slain with his four Sons in Battel 79. Alan the 2d King of Little Britain assisted Cadwalader 9. Advised him to obey the Vision 11. Alfred King an Encourager of Learning and Founder of the Vniversiity of Oxford 32. Routs the Danes ibid. Makes them forswear the sight of English Ground 33. He caused the Laws of Dyfnwal Moelmut and Queen Marsia to be translated into English c. 43. Alfred proposed to be sent for to be King over the English 85. Opposed by Earl Goodwyn 68. Had his Eyes put out ibid. Anarawd Prince of North-Wales succeeds his Father Rodri 37. Dyes his Issue 45. Anglesey destroyed by the Men of Dublin 46. Ravaged by Madoc ap Meredith Prince of Powys but all his Men were cut off 175. Arthur King of Britain his Sepulchre found in the Isle of Afalon 206. The Inscription upon it 207. Arthur eldest Son to King Henry the Seventh created Prince of Wales and Dies at Ludlow 324. Athelstane tho' a Bastard the worthiest Prince of the Saxon Blood 48. His Victory over the Danes Scots and Normans ibid. Removes the Britains to Cornwal Dies 49. Aulase and all his Danes received Baptism 49. Swears never to molest England 66. B. BAldwin Archbishop of Canterbury the first that made his Visitation in Wales 208. Bede his Education and Writings 16. Bible how when and by whom translated into Welch 326. Blethyn and Rhywalhon Princes of North-Wales asist Edric against the King of England 101. A Rebellion formed against them by Meredith and Ithel ap Gruffydh ibid. Battel wherein Rhywalhon and Ithel were slain Blethyn murdered Rich. 104. Britain how and when forsaken by the Roman Forces 1. Invaded by the Scots and Picts ibid. Britains their sad Complaints to Aetius thrice Consul 2. The Reasons of their weakness 3 and 4. Their Message to the Saxons 5. The Britains of Stratclwyd and Cumberland settle in North-Wales 38. Brochwel once Prince of Powys a great Defender of the Monks of Bangor 23. Bruce de William Lord of Brecknock under pretence of Friendship barbarously murders Sitsylht ap Dyfnwal his Son and followers 204. Bruce Sir Edward his Letter to Sir Griffydh Llwyd 312 and 313. C. CAdelh Prince of South-Wales dyes his Issue 44. Cadelh takes Caermardhyn and beats the Normans and Flemings 165. Like to be murdered 170. Gone upon Pilgrimage 171. Cadwgan murdered by Madawc 138. Cadwalader the last King of Britain of
canonized 160. John K. of England in his way to Ireland through Wales discharged a Criminal that murther'd a Priest 226. Famished Will de Bruce and Maud his Aunt at Windsor after his return 227. The reason of his Cruelty and Disaffection to Priests ib. Marches with a great Army into VVales and returns without Success 229 230. Makes a second Expedition ib. Orders Foulk Viscount Cardyff to subdue those that oppose in South-VVales and they at last do him Homage but quickly revolt 231 232. makes an Expedition into VVales 229. Makes a second and third and hangs the Welch Pledges reconciles himself to Rome and engages in a Civil War with his Barons 237. Dies and is succeeded by his Son Henry 242. Iorwerth ap Blethyn revolts from the Earl of Salop 124. Basely used by K. Henry for it the reason of it 125. delivered out of Prison 133. Forbids Owen and Madawc to retire to his Estate 134. Beset and slain by Madawc and Llywarch ap Trahern 137. Joseph Bishop of Llandaff dies at Rome 88. Ireland molested with Locusts 42. Ithel King of Gwent slain 28. L. LHewelyn ap Sytsylht makes himself Prince of all VVales 79. His good Government ib. Slays Meuric that rebelled against him with his own hand 80. suppresses another Rebellion 81. Basely slain ibid. Lhewelyn P. of North-VVales takes David ap Owen Prisoner 217. Receives Homage of most of the Welch Lords 222. Conquers Gwenwynwyn's Country 225. Makes an Expedition into South-VV and Maelgon flees 225 226. Marries Joan King John's Daughter 224. Sues and obtains Peace of the King by the means of his Wife 231. Animates the Lords of North-Wales to joyn with him in a Revolt against the King 233. Dispossesses the English of all their Holds in his Country 237. Takes Shrewsbury though excommunicated by the Pope 238. Subdues Cardigan and Carmarthen 240. Reconciles the â—onds in South-Wales 241. Subdues Powis 242. Refuses Assistance to King John against the Dauphine ibid. Makes Rynald Bruce who had revolted submit to him â—43 Receives the Submission and Allegiance of the Flemings in Dyfed ibid. Subdues the revolted Flemings again 246. Makes his Son Gruffydh submit ibid. Complained of to the King of England by young Rhys adjusts Matters with him 247. Seizes the Castle of William Marshal Earl of Pembroke in Wales and occasions a War between them 247 248. Worsts the English Army pays Homage to Henry III. 249. Destroys the Marches 252. Makes a Descent upon England 253. Being joyned by the Earl of Pembroke against King Henry routs his Army 254. Makes an Incursion into the King's Territories 255. Makes peace with the King 256. Sets his Son Gruffydh at liberty ibid. Buries his Princess Joan 257. Forced to quit the Siege of Ruthlan 258. Makes the Welch do Homage to his Son David ibid. Dies his Character and Issue â—59 Llewelyn ap Gruffydh and Owen Gôch his Brother declared Princes of North-Wales 269. Quarrel and Owen with his Brother David made close Prisoners 271. Recovers the In-land Country of North-Wales from the English 272. Wastes Cheshire ibid. Beats the Irish by Sea 273. Desires peace with the King but fails 277. Kind to Sir Roger Mortimer 278. Makes a Peace by the Popes Mediation with the King 279. Refuses to attend upon King Edward's Coronation 280. The Reasons for his refusal 281. An Accident made him pliable 283. Severe Conditions of Peace imposed upon him 284. Married to Elianor Earl Montfords Daughter at Worcester 285. Reconciled with his Brother David and joyn against the English 286. Offers to submit to the King conditionally 292. Sends a Letter to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and the general Answer of the Welch to his Proposals 293 294 295. Betrayed in Buellt and killed 297. London besieged by the Danes 65. M. MAhael dispossest of his Inheritance by his unnatural Mother Nests means and how 115. Madoc ap Meredith Prince of Powis sticks to the English Interest 173. Madawc reconciled to King Henry 138. Taken Prisoner by Meredith ap Blethin 139. Has his Eyes pulled out by Owen ibid. Madawc ab Owen Gwynedh sails into America 196. Plants a Colony there ib. Maelgon disturbs South-VVales 228. Beaten by his Nephews Rhys and Owen 229. March Earl of marries Owen Glyndwr's Daughter 318. Consented by indenture to divide England between Owen Piercy and himself 318. Maud the Empress lands in England and is received at Arundel 162. Meredith ap Owen possest of all Wales 64. Dispossest of North-Wales 67. And routed by Edwal ap Meuric their new Prince 68. Died without Issue Male 69. Meredith ap Owen made Prince of South-Wales 96. Slain in Battel against Caradoc ap Gruffydh 102. Meredith and Rhys ap Gruffydh prevail in South-Wales 171. Meredith's Death and Character 172. Merfyn frych is made King of Wales 24. is slain 27. Merlyn Ambrose and Sylvester their Time Country and Prophesies 10 11. Morgan Hên dies an Hundred Years old his Marriage Estate and Issue 58. Morgan ap Owen kills Robert Fitz-Gilbert and his Son 157. slain 175. Morgan ap Cadogan repents of his Murder committed 156. Murders committed 156. Item 163. N. NEwmarch a Norman obtains the Lordship of Brecknock and marries Nest Daughter to Llewelyn ap Gruffydh 115. Normans twice decimated and put to death in England 86. They waste and plunder Dyfed 103. They seize upon the Lordship of Glamorgan 113. The Names of the Adventurers ibid. They possess themselves of several Lordships in Wales 117. Divers of them slain in Cardigan ibid. Routed again by Cadwgan ap Blethyn Prince of South-Wales and their Castles destroyed 118. Slaughter'd divers times by the Welch and forced to quit the Country 119 120. Northumberland invaded by the Scots 109. O. OFfa King of Mercia makes a Ditch from Sea to Sea 20. his death 21. Owen ap Edwyn a Traytor to his Country 121. Made Prince of Wales by the English but soon lost it 122. his Death and Pedigree 126. Owen the Son of Cadwgan enamoured of Nest the Wife of Gerald King Henry's Lieutenant in Wales 129. steals her away ibid. flies into Ireland 135. returns and wasts the Country in conjunction with Maradoc ap Riryd 133. his Men slay an English Bishop the cause of Cadwgan his Fathers being dispossessed of his Estate 135. forced to flee into Ireland with Madawc ibid. returns and is reconciled to the King 138. divides Madawc's Estate between himself and Meredith ap Blethyn 139. flees for fear of King Henry into North-VVales 140. reconciled to the King 141. Owen is brave and Knighted in Normandy 142. imployed by King Henry against Gruffydh ap Rhys 148. slain by Gerald 149. Owen Gwynedh succeeds Prince of North-Wales 160. mightily concerned at the Death of his Son Run 165. takes and rases the Castle of Mould 166. pulls out his Nephew Cunedah's Eyes and castrates him 170. being provoked invades Llandhinam 193. dies his Character and Issue 194. Owen Cyfeilioc and Owen Fychan dispossess Iorwerth Gôch of his Estate in Powis 192. Cyfeilioc dies
he was â—â—le to draw together not doubting the Conquest of â—â—me part of Britain in case the whole should prove â—ecoverable He was the more encouraged to this â—xpedition by reason that the Advantage was like to 〈◊〉 his own and no one could challenge the Governâ—ent of Britain in case Fortune should deliver it to â—â—s Hands Cadwalader was gone to Rome and in all â—â—obability never to return his Son Edwal Ywrch or â—â—e Roe was young and under the Tuition of Alan 〈◊〉 that the event of this Expedition must of necessity â—ll to himself or by his Concession to his Son Ivor â—ho was to be chief in the Undertaking Having â—ised a considerable Army consisting chiefly of his â—wn Subjects with what remain'd of the Britains â—â—at came over with King Cadwaladar he dispatch'd 〈◊〉 for Britain under the Command of his Son Ivor â—â—d his Nephew Ynyr They safely landed in the Western Parts of Britain which put the Saxons inâ—â— so great a Fright that immediately they drew up â—â—l their Power to oppose them and to hinder their â—rogress into the Country The Britains tho someâ—hat fatigued with their Voyage however gave â—hem Battel and after a very great slaughter of the â—axons possessed themselves of the Countries of â—ornwal Devon and Somersetshires This proved a â—ortunate beginning for the Britains and gave them â—reat hopes of farther Success in the recovery of their Country but that could not be expected withoâ—â— great Opposition and several hot Engagements wâ—â—â— the Saxons This they were immediately made seâ—sible of for they had scarce time to breath and to â—â—cover their Spirits after the last Battel but Kentwiâ—â— King of the West-Saxons marched against them wiâ—â— a powerful Army consisting of Saxons and Anglâ—â— The Britains resolved to fight them but whilst boâ—â— Armies were in view of each other they thoughâ— more adviseable to cease from any Hostility and 〈◊〉 enter into Articles of Composition Ivor seem already satisfied with his Conquest and willinâ—â—â— agreed to marry Ethelberga Kentwyn's Cousin aâ—â— peaceably to enjoy for his life so much as he was aâ—ready in possession of This he faithfully observed â—â—ring the Reign of Kentwyn and his Nephew Cadâ—â— who after two Years resign'd the Kingdom of 〈◊〉 West-Saxons to his Cousin Ivor And now Ivor wâ—â—â— become unexpectedly powerful being King as wâ—â—â— of the Saxons as Britains that inhabited the Wâ—stern parts of the Island He was now able to â—â—dertake somewhat considerable and therefore begâ—â— to fall foul upon his Neighbours the Kings of Kâ—â—â— the West-Saxons and Mercia whom he vanquishâ—â— in several Battels But being at length tir'd with tâ—â— Weight of Government he went to Rome after tâ—â— Example of Cadwalader and resign'd the Rule of 〈◊〉 Saxons to his Cosin Adelred leaving the Britains 〈◊〉 the care of Roderick Molwynoc the Son of Edwal Ywâ—â— This Ivor founded the Abby of Glastenbury callâ—â— in the British Tongue Ynys Avalon where there 〈◊〉 been a Christian Church for several Years before aâ—â— the first that was ever erected in Britain For Josâ—â—â— of Arimathea being sent by Philip the Apostle in tâ—â— days of Arviragus An. Chr. 53. to preach the Gosâ—â—â— in Britain seated himself here and built a Chuâ—â—â— for the British Christians This Church afterwaâ—â—â— Ivor converted into an Abby which he endowâ—â— with very large Possessions being famous for tâ—â— Burying-place of Joseph of Arimathea and Kiâ—â— Arthur He bestowed also some Lands upon tâ—â— Church of Winchester But there happen'd several Casualties in his time Brythâ— a Subject to Egfride King of Northumberland â—assed over to Ireland and wasted and destroyed a great part of that Kingdom In the Fourth Year of â—is Reign their happen'd a remarkable Earthquake â—n the Isle of Man which much disturbed and anâ—oyed the Inhabitants and the year following it rain'd Blood both in Britain and in Ireland This occasion'd the Butter and Milk to resemble the colour of Blood â—nd two Years after the Moon also appear'd all bloody These Accidents of Nature might probably presage â—ome Tumults and Disturbances in the Kingdom which were very great in his time For he was almost in perpetual Hostility with the Kings of Kent West-Sex and Mercia which occasion'd great Blood-â—hed and Slaughter in Britain His Journey to Rome â—ut an end to all these Commotions from whence he â—ever did return but ended his Days there in the practice of Piety and Religion Roderick Molwynoc THE Government of the Britains Ivor resign'd A.D. 720 to Roderick Molwinoc the Son of Edwal Ywrch who began his Reign An. 720. But Adelred King of the West-Saxons was displeased that Ivor had not bestowed upon him his whole Kingdom and upon that account he is resolved to trouble and plague Roderick and his Britains He rais'd immediately a powerfull Army and with all his Forces marched to Devonshire which he destroyed with Fire and Sword From whence he proceeds to Cornwal intending to make that Country sensible of the same Misery but he came far short of his Expectation for upon his entrance into the Country the Britains opposed him and gave him Battel where he was vanquished and forced to retire with all speed to his own Dominions This Victory the Britains called Gwaeth Heilyn from thâ— A.D. 721 place where this Battel was fought The Year following the Britains again obtained two notable Victories over the Saxons the one at a place called Gaâ—â— Maclawch in North-Wales the other at Pencoct in South-Wales But the Joy and Satisfaction which the Brâ—tains entertained of these Successes was somewhâ—â— abated by the Death of Belin the Son of Elphin 〈◊〉 Man of noble Birth and great Worth among theâ— About the same time Celredus King of Mercia dieâ— and was succeeded by Ethelbaldus who being veâ—â—desirous to annex that fertile and pleasant Countrâ— lying between the Rivers Severn and Wye to hâ—â— Kingdom of Mercia entred Wales with a puissaâ—â— Army He destroyed and ravaged the Country bâ—fore him to Carno a Mountain lying not far froâ— Abergavenny where he was met with by the Britainâ— between whom a bloody and sore Battel was fougâ—â— in the Year 728. but the Victory proved very dubâ—table A.D. 733 Not long after dyed Venerable Bede who was â—ducated and brought up in the Abby of Wyrnetham 〈◊〉 Iarewe a Man of great Learning and extensiâ—â— Knowledg who wrote several Books one of whicâ— entitled The Ecclesiastical History of the English Nâ—tion he dedicated to Cleolwolfe King of Northumbeâ—land The same time Adeired King of the West-Sâ—xons and Ethelbald King of Mercia united their Foâ—ces and joyntly marched to fight against the Britaâ—â—â— The Welch were now put to very hard Streights anâ— forced to oppose the numerous Armies of two poweâ—ful Kings However fight they must or suffer thâ—â— Country to be miserably over-run by their inveterâ—â— Enemies Both Armies being engaged a very diâ—mal Battel ensued thereupon and a very great slaughter happen'd on both sides but the Saxons prevailing by the number of their
Cadelh King of Powis his Father's Mother These three Dominions Roderic divided between hâ—â— three Sons appointing North-Wales for his eldest Soâ— Anarawd South-Wales to Cadelh who shortly after 〈◊〉 Father's Death forcibly seised upon his Brother Mâ—â—fyn's Portion upon whom Roderic had bestoweâ— Powis-Land Wales being thus divided between the three Princes they were called Y Tri Tywysoc Taâ—â—thioc or the three crowned Princes by reason thâ—â— each of them did wear on his Helmet a Coronet 〈◊〉 Gold being a broad Head-band indented upwarâ— set and wrought with Precious Stones which in 〈◊〉 British Tongue is called Talaeth To each of the Princes Roderic built a Royal Seat for the Prinâ—â— of Gwyneth or North-Wales at Aberffraw of Souâ—â—Wales at Dinefawr for the Prince of Powis at Mâ—thrafel Roderic had Issue also besides these threâ— Roderic Meyric Edwal or Tadwal Gwyriad aâ—â— Gathelic But Roderic having divided his Principality betwixt his eldest Sons namely Aberffraw with the fifteen Cantreds thereunto belonging to Anarawd Dinefawr with its fifteen Cantreds extending from the mouth of the River Dofi to the mouth of Severn to Cadelh and Powis with fifteen Cantreds from the mouth of the River Dee to the Bridge over Severn at Glocester to Merfyn ordained that his eldest Son Anarawd and his Successors should continue the payment of the antient Tribute to the Crown of England and the other two their Heirs and Successors should acknowledge his Sovereignty and that upon any Foreign Invasion they should mutually Aid and Protect one another And he farther appointed that when any Difference should arise betwixt the Princes of Aberffraw and Cardigan or Dynefawr the three Princes should meet at Bwlch y Pawl and the Prince of Powys should be Umpire But if the Prince of Aberffraw and Powys fell at Variance they should meet at Dôl Rhianedd probably Morva Rhianedd on the Bank of the River Dee where the King of Cardigan was to adjust the Controversy and if the Quarrel happened betwixt the Princes of Powys and Cardigan the meeting was appointed at Llys Wen upon the River Wye and to be decided by the Prince of Aberffraw And the better to frustrate any attempt of the English he ordained moreover that all Strong-holds Castles and Citradels should be fortified and kept in repair that all Churches and Religious Houses should be re-edified and adorned and that in all ages the History of Britain being faithfully registred and transcribed should be kept therein Anarawd THE Welch had often sorrowfully felt the unnatural Effects of inward Seditions and of being governed by several Princes which were now unavoidably to be renewed by reason of Roderic's imprudent Division of his Dominions between his three Sons For the several Principalities being united in him it was certainly the most politick means for the preservation of the Countrey from the inveterate Fury of the English to compose the inward Differences which would otherwise happen by perpetuating the whole Government of Wales in one Prince For it was impossible effectually to oppose the Common Enemy by separate Armies and where a different Interest interfered as if the Safety of the same Countrey and the Honor of the same Prince were unanimously regarded This was the unhappiness of the antient Britains when the Romans invaded their Countrey domestick Broils and inward Dissentions being sownâ— among themselves they could not agree to unite their Powers and jointly to oppose the Common Enemy so that Tacitus wisely concludes dum singuâ—â— pugnant universi vincuntur There are few Nationâ— but have experienced the folly of being rent into several Portions and the downfal of that greaâ— Body the Roman Empire may not be absurdly attributed to Constantine's dividing of it between hiâ— Sons But the Welch at this time presently felt the unhappiness of it Cadelh Prince of South-Wales being dissatisfied with his Portion and desirous to feed his Ambition with larger Territories could not spare his Brother Merfyn's Countrey but must needs forcibly dispossess him of his lawful Inheritance and so involve the Welch in a Civil War But the Succession of the Princes of Wales proceeds in Anarawd the eldest Son of Roderic who began his Reign over North-Wales in the Year 877. A.D. 877 At that time Rollo with a numerous Army of Normans descended into France and possessed themselves of the Countrey of Neustria which from them has since received the Name of Normandy But the treacherous Danes in England who had retired to the City of Exeter quickly violated the Capitulation which they had lately sworn to observe and upon that account were so warmly pursued by King Alfred that they gladly delivered up Hostages for the performance of the Articles formerly agreed upon between them But it was not their Intention to keep them long for the next Year they again broke lose possessed themselves of all the Countrey upon the North-side of Thames and passing the River put the English to flight and made themselves Masters of Chippenham in West-Sax But their whole Army did not succeed so well for Alfred meeting with a Party of them slew their Captain and took their Standard which the Danes called Raven After this he vanquished them again at Edendown where after that the Danes had given Hostages for their peaceable behaviour Godrun their Commander received the Christian Faith and so reigned in East-Angle But this opportunity seemed to threaten a great Storm upon Wales for besides the Death of Aedan the Son of A.D. 878 Melht a Noble-man of the Countrey the Articles of Composition between the English and the Danes occasioned these last to join their Power with the People of Mercia to Fight against the Welch between whom a severe Battel was fought at Conwey wherein the Welch obtained a very signal Victory which was called Dial Rodri or the Revenge of the Death of Prince Roderic The Reason why the Mercians were so irreconcilably enraged against the Welch at this time was this After the Death of Roderic the Great the Northern Britains of Stratelwyd and Cumberland were mightily infested and weakened thro' the daily Incursions of the Danes Saxons and Scots insomuch that as many of them as would not submit their Necks to the Yoke were forced to quit their Countrey and to seek for more quiet Habitations Therefore towards the beginning of Anarawd's Reign several of them came to Gwyneth under the Conduct of one Hoberet whose distressed Condition the Prince commiserating granted them all the Countrey betwixt Chester and Conwey to seat themselves in in case they could drive out the Saxons who had lately possessed themselves of it The Britains having returned their thanks to Anarawd presently fell to work and Necessity giving edge to their Valour they easily dispossessed the Saxons who were not as yet warm in their Seats For some time they continued peaceably in this part of Wales but Eadred Duke of Mercia called by the Welch Edryd Wallthîr not being able any longer to bear such an ignominious ejection made great Preparations
for the re-gaining of the said Countrey But the Northern Britains who had settled themselves there having intelligence of his Design for the better security of their Cattel and other Effects removed them beyond the River Conwey Prince Anarawd in the mean time was not idle but drawing together all the Strength he could raise encamped his Army near the Town of Conwey at a place called Cymryt where himself and his Men having made gallant Resistance against the pressing Efforts of the Saxons obtained a very compleat Victory This Battel was by some called Gwaeth Cymryt Conwey by reason that it was fought in the Township of Cymryt near Conwey But Prince Anarawd would have it called Dial Rodri because he had there revenged the Death of his Father Rodri. In this Battel Tadwal Rodri's Son received a wound in the Knee which made him be denominated Tudwal Glôff ever after but for his signal Service in this Action his Brethren bestowed upon him Vchelogoed Gwynedd But the Britains pursuing their Victory chased the Saxons quite out of Wales into Mercia where having burnt and destroyed the Borders they returned home laden with rich Spoils and so took possession of the Country betwixt Chester and Conwey which for a long time after they peaceably enjoyed But Anarawd to express his thankfulness to God for this great Victory gave very considerable Lands and Possessions to the Collegiate Churches of Bangor and Clynnoc Vawr in Arfon After this those Danes that lay at Fulhenham near London crossed the Sea to France and passing to Paris along the River Seyn spoiled the Country thereabouts and vanquished the French that came against them but in their return towards the Sea-Coast they were met with by the Britains of Armorica who slew the greatest part of them and the rest confusedly endeavouring to escape to their Ships were all drowned One should think that the several Misfortunes the Danes sustained first at Sandwich then by King Alfred and now in France would have quite drained their Number and utterly have rid Britain from so troublesome an Enemy But like ill Weeds the more you root them the faster they will grow the Danes were still supplied from abroad and if an Army was vanquished here another was sure to come in their room This the Welch found too true for not long after this famous Defeat by the Armorican Britains the Danes not able to venture upon these were resolved to revenge themselves upon their Friends of Wales and therefore landing in North-Wales they cruelly harassed and destroyed the Country Nor is it strange to consider from whence such a wonderful Number of Danes and Normans could come For the Kingdom of Denmark had under it not only Denmark which is a small Country divided by the Sea into Insulas and Peninsulas as that which joins upon Saxony and Holsatia called Cymbrica Chersonesus with the Islands of Zealand and Finnen but also Normay and the large Country of Sweden reaching to Muscovy and almost to the North-Pole This Country being then scarce known to the World did of a sudden pour out such a multitude of People which like a sudden Storm unexpectedly over-ran all Europe with a great part of the Country of Africa From hence proceeded these Danes who annoyed England And the Normans who conquer'd France both Nations being originally derived from the same Stock A.D. 890 The Danes had not appeared in England for some time and therefore are now resolved to take so sure a footing as they cannot easily be repulsed Two Hundred and Fifty Sail being landed at Lymene in Kent hard by the great Forest of Andreslege they built the Castle of Auldre or Apledore The same time Hasting with a Fleet of Eighty Sail ventured to the Thames mouth and built the Castle of Mydlton having first made an Oath to King Alfred not to molest him or any of his Subjects But having built the Castle of Beamfleet he thought himself to have obtain'd so great a Strength that there was no necessity of observing the Oath lately sworn to King Alfred and therefore invaded the Country round about him But he soon found his Mistake and was forced to betake himself back to his Castle which was quickly pulled down upon his Head and his Wife and two Sons taken Prisoners who being christened were again restored to their Father Upon this Hasting and his Danes departed from England and made their way for France where laying siege to the City of Limogis and despairing of a speedy surrender of it betook himself to his usual way of dealing sinistrously and devised this Trick to win the Town He feigned himself to be dangerously sick and sent to the Bishop and the Consul of the City desiring of them most earnestly that he might be admitted to the Christian Faith and be baptized before his departure out of this World The Bishop and Consul suspecting no Deceit were very glad not only to be delivered from the present danger of being besieged but also to win so great a Person to the Congregation of Christ Whereupon a firm Peace being concluded betwixt both Nations Hasting is baptized the Bishop and Consul being his Godfathers which being ended he was carried back by his Soldiers to his Ships in a very infirm condition as he outwardly pretended About midnight he caused himself with his Arms about him to be laid on a Bier and commanded his â—oldiers to carry their Weapons with them under â—â—eir Coats and so to be ready when he should give â—â—em the word The next day all things being in readiness he was solemnly brought by his Soldiers â—ith great Clamour and counterfeit Mourning to be â—terr'd in the chief Church of the City where the shop and Consul accompanied with all the most â—â—nourable Members of the Town came to honour â—â—e Funeral But when the Bishop had made himself â—â—ady to bury the Body and all the Citizens being 〈◊〉 the Church up starts Hasting with his Sword â—â—awn and killing first the Bishop and the Consul afâ—â—rwards fell in with his armed Soldiers upon the naâ—ed People putting all to the Sword and sparing â—either Age Sex nor Infirmity Having ransack'd â—â—e Town he sent Messengers to Charles the French â—ing to mediate for Peace which he easily obtain'd â—â—gether with the Town of Chartres towards the deâ—aying of his Charges At this time Hennith ap Bledric a Baron of Wales A.D. 891 â—â—ed and Two Years after Anarawd Prince of North A.D. 893 Wales with a considerable number of English marâ—ed against his Brother Cadelh and spoiled the â—ountries of Cardigan and Ystradgwy At the same â—â—me the Danes laid siege to the City of Excester â—nd when Alfred had marched to oppose them they â—â—at continued in the Castle of Auldre passed over to â—ssex and built another Castle at Scobrith and from â—ence marched to Budington seated upon the Severn When Alfred came near to Excester the Danes preâ—ently rais'd the Siege and betaking themselves to â—heir Ships sailed towards Wales
and spoiled the â—ea-Coast thereof and advanced as far as Buellt But the Danes at Budington being informed that King Alfred marched against them fled back to their Castle in Essex So that the King was fain to alâ—er his march and to convert his Forces against Leyâ—ester where a Party of Danes was so warmly beâ—â—eged that at length they were reduced to that Exâ—â—remity as to feed upon their Horses But the Season â—f the Year for Action being ended and the Extremity of the Weather being advanced Alfred 〈◊〉 forced to raise the Siege and to wait the next Oppoâ—tunity A.D. 895 for the recovery of the Town But before 〈◊〉 could appear before it again the Danes fairly quittâ—â— it and together with those in Northumberland passâ—â— by the North-Sea to Meresige an Isle in Essex Thâ— A.D. 896 next Year they entred the Thames and built a Caâ—â—â—â— twenty Miles distant from London upon the strengâ—â— of which they ventur'd to spoil and wast the Coâ—â—trey thereabouts but paid very dear for their Coâ—rage being accidentally met with they received 〈◊〉 bloody Overthrow having four of their Princes slâ—â— upon the Spot and the rest very glad to make their â—scape to the Castle Upon this Alfred divided the Riâ—â—â— into three Streams by which Stratagem the Waâ— became so diminished in the Thames that the Danâ—â—â— Ships could not return back into the Sea When tâ—â— Danes perceived this and found it impracticable 〈◊〉 them to escape in their Ships they left their Wiâ—â—â— and Children and all their Effects in Essex and 〈◊〉 passed by Land to Enadbryge upon the Severn aâ—â— then passing the River spoiled the Countries 〈◊〉 Brecknock Gwentland and Gwentlhwg Some of the at the same time passed over to France and anothâ—â— Company coasting about Devonshire destroyed tâ—â— maritime Countries but being met with by the Eâ—glish A.D. 897 lost Six of their Ships in the Dispute Tâ—â— following Summer the Kingdom of Ireland suffered eâ—tremely by Locusts who consumed all the Corn aâ—â— the Grass through the whole Country but were 〈◊〉 length by continued Prayers and Fasting quite destroâ—ed These are common in Africke and other hot Râ—gions but seldom seen in colder Climates and whâ—â— they happen to travel so far they are always veâ—â— pestilentious and destructive to that Country thâ—â— come to A.D. 900 This Year Igmond with a great number of Danâ—â— landed in Anglesey and was met with by the Welâ—â— at a place call'd Molerain where Merfyn was slaiâ— Though others call it Meilon and from the Batâ—â—â— fought there Maes Rhôs Meilon The same Yeâ—â— Kiâ—g Alfred dyed who translated the antient Laws 〈◊〉 â—yfnwall Moelmut King of Britain and the Laws 〈◊〉 Queen Marsia out of Brittish into English and â—â—â—â—d it Marsian Law which was afterwards called â—â—â—st Saxon Law and observed in part of Mercia â—â—â—h all the Countries on the South of Thames The â—â—â—er part of the Country having another Law call'd â—â—â—e Lex both which remained to the time of â—â—â—ard the Confessor who of these two made one 〈◊〉 It is very observable what is related of King â—â—â—â—ed concerning his division of the Natural Day inâ—â—â—hree parts the one he set apart for Devotion and â—â—â—â—dy the next for the Affairs of the Commonâ—â—alth and the third for his own Rest and Refreshâ—â—â—t â—lfred being dead Edward his eldest Son took upâ—â—â—im the Crown which so displeased the ambitious â—â—â—it of his Brother Adelwulph that presently he raisâ—â— a cruel War against him and flying to Northumâ—â—â—â—and stirred up the Danes against his Brother â—â—â—ard The Danes were glad of the opportunity â—â—â—ing now a fair pretence to render themselves â—â—sters of the whole Island and therefore Adelâ—â—ph is made King as well of the Angles as of the â—â—â—es who by this time were grown to be one Peoâ—â—â— Marching then proudly with a very considerable â—â—â—y at his heels he subdued the East Saxons spoilâ—â— the Country of Mercia and passing over the Thames â—rickland destroyed Brythend and returned home â—â—â—h very great Booty At the same time Euneth 〈◊〉 slain in Arwystly But Edward being informed of Brothers retreat pursued him very eagerly but â—â—â—sing of him over-ran and destroyed all the Counâ—â—â— betwixt Ouse and the Dike of S. Edmund and a returned home with his whole Army saving the â—â—â—tish Men who being too greedy of Plunder rashâ—â—â—arried behind For the Danes perceiving the Boâ—â— of the Army to be returned and that a small â—â—â—y still continued to ravage the Country presentâ—â—â—â—t upon them slue a great Number of them and 〈◊〉 the rest to a shameful Flight Nor were the Danes only powerful in England but molested anâ— A.D. 905 grew prevalent in Ireland For this Year they entâ—â—â—â— that Kingdom slew Carmot King and Bishop of 〈◊〉 Ireland a religious and a vertuous Person the Son 〈◊〉 Cukeman and Kyrnalt Son of Murgan King of Lâ—gines A.D. 906 The Year after dyed Asser Archbishop of S. Dâ—vids Uncle to the famous and learned Asser surnaâ—ed Menevensis who being Chancellour to his Uncâ—â— the Archbishop was sent for by King Alfred to iâ—struct his Children whose Life he afterwards wroâ—â— and was made Bishop of Shireburn Edward to force his Brother from his Countrâ— and to revenge the death of the Kentishmen dâ—â—patch'd an Army to Northumberland which havinâ— spoiled the Country returned home Upon whiâ—â— the Danes to return their Kindness destroyed a greâ—â— part of Mercia But within a while after Edwâ—â—â— having raised a very considerable Army gave tâ—â— Danes battel overthrew them and slue their Kinâ—â— Alden and Edelwulph with a great number of the Nobles This added very much to his Dominionâ— which were the more increased and strengthned 〈◊〉 the Addition of the Cities of London and Oxford which upon the death of Edelred Duke of Merâ—â—â— Edward seized into his own hands permitting 〈◊〉 Wife Elfleda to enjoy the rest of his Dukedoâ— A.D. 907 Shortly after Cadelh Prince of South Wales diâ—â— leaving behind him three Sons Howel Dha or tâ—â— Good who succeeded his Father in the Kingdom 〈◊〉 South Wales Meyric and Clydawe King Edward â—â—ving obtained so signal a Victory over the Danes aâ—â— rendered his Kingdom for some time quiet began 〈◊〉 build places of strength which might be serviceabâ—â— against a future Storm He built a Castle at Hartforâ— betwixt the Rivers Benefic Minier and Lige anâ— also erected the Burrough of Wytham in Essex anâ— continued sometime in Wealdyne to keep those Couâ—tries in awe But in spite of all this precaution thâ— Danes of Leycester and Hampton began the followinâ— Year to be very troublesom slew a great number 〈◊〉 English at Hotchnorton and in their return homâ— â—ard destroyed the Country of Oxford About the â—â—me time a considerable Fleet from Tydwike under â—â—e command of Vther and Rahald sailed by the Weâ—â—ern Sea to Wales and destroyed S. Davids where â—as fought the Battel of Dinarth and Mayloc the â—on of Peredur Gam was slain After this they enâ—â—â—ed A.D. 911 into Herefordshire where they were
fought withâ—â— and Rahald was slain and the rest compell'd to â—â—swear the King's Land and never to return any â—ore to England King Edward to prevent any fuâ—â—re Disturbance from such open Invaders caused a â—â—rong Army to be quartered upon the South side of â—â—vern but the Danes for all he could do enter'd â—â—vice into his Country once at Werd and then at â—ortogan but were both times overthrown by the â—nglish From thence they departed to the Isle of â—â—epen whence they were forced by Hunger to sail to â—outh Wales intending to make a considerable Prey of â—hat Country but failing of their aim they were â—onstrained to make the best of their way for Ireland But the next Year a Party of Danes fought a very â—evere Battel with the Kentish-men at Holm but which of them obtain'd the Victory is not certainly â—eported About the same time Anarawd Prince of A.D. 913 North Wales died leaving behind him two Sons Edwal Foel and Elis and some say a third named Meyric Edwal Foel AFter the death of Anarawd his eldest Son Edwal Foel took upon him the Government of Northwales Howel Dha holding the Principality of Southwales and Powis At what time a terrible Comet appeared in the Heavens The same Year the City of Chester which had been destroyed by the Danes was by the procurement of Elfleda new built and repaired as the antient Records of that City do â—â—stifie This in the antient Copy is called Leycestâ—â— by an easie mistake for Legecestria or Chester callâ—â— by the Romans Legionum Cestria The next Suâ—mer the Men of Dublin cruelly destroyed the Isle 〈◊〉 Anglesey and soon after Clydawe the Son of Caâ—â—â— was unnaturally slain by his Brother Meyric about tâ—â— same time that the Danes received a cruel overthroâ—â— by the English at Tottenhale But Elfleda did 〈◊〉 long survive the rebuilding of the City of Chester a Woman of singular Virtues and one that greaâ—â—â— strengthned the Kingdom of Mercia by buildinâ— of Towns and Castles against the Incursions of tâ—â— Danes as Strengat and Bruge by the Forrest 〈◊〉 Morph Tamworth Stafford Edelburgh Cherenburgâ— Wadeburgh and Runcofe After this she entered wâ—â— her whole Army into Wales wan Brecknock 〈◊〉 took the Queen with 33 of her Men Prisonerâ— which in Welch is called Gwaith y Ddinas Newydh 〈◊〉 the Battel of the new City From hence she marched for Derby which she took from the Danes losâ— only four of her chief Commanders in the Actioâ— The occasion of these two Expeditions according 〈◊〉 some was this Huganus Lord of West Wales peâ—ceiving King Edward to be unavoidably busie in thâ— Danish War gathered an Army of Britains and â—â—tring into England destroyed the Kings Countâ—â— Upon the News of this Elfleda came to Wales witâ— a great Army fought with the Welch at Breekâ—â— and putting Huganus to flight took his Wife anâ— some of his Men Prisoners whom she carried wiâ—â— her to Mercia Huganus being thus defeated fled 〈◊〉 Derby and being there kindly received joined hiâ—self with the Kings Enemies the Danes Elfleda being certified of that followed him with her Army but in storming the Gates of the Town had Four 〈◊〉 her best Officers kill'd by Huganus But Gwyane Loâ— of the Isle of Ely her Steward setting fire to thâ— Gates furiously ran upon the Britains and entereâ— the Town upon which Haganus perceiving himseâ—â— to be over-match'd chose rather to fall by the Sword â—â—an cowardly to yield himself to a Woman The â—ext Year Elfleda laid siege to the City of Leicester which was quickly surrender'd and the Danes thereâ—â— perfectly subdued The Fame of these several Aâ—tions being noised abroad her Neighbours became somewhat fearful and timorous and the Yorkshireâ—â—n voluntarily did her Homage and proffer'd their Service She died at Tamworth after Eight Years â—ule over Mercia and lies buried at Glocester by S. Peters After the death of Elfleda King Edward most ungratefully disinherited her Daughter Alfwyen and â—ntering into Mercia seized all the Land into his own hands upon pretence that she without his knowledg whom her Mother had appointed her Guardian had privily promised and contracted Marâ—iage with Reynald King of the Danes But this unâ—ust and unnatural Action of King Edwards might possibly bring upon him those vehement Troubles which presently ensued upon it For Leofred a Dane â—nd Gruffydh ap Madoc Brother in Law to the Prince of West Wales came from Ireland with a great Army to Snowdon and minding to bring all Wales and the Marches thereof to their subjection over-ran and subdued all the Country to Chester before King Edward was certified of their arrival Whereat being sore offended and loth to trouble his Subjects for help vowed that himself and his Sons with their single Forces would be revenged upon Leofred and Gruffydh and thereupon marching to Chester forced the City from them Then he divided his Army into â—wo Battels whereof he and his Son Ethelstan lead the first Edmund and Edred the second and followed them so close that he overtook them at the Forest of Walewode now Sherwode where Leofred and Gruffydh set upon them so fiercely that the King at first was in some danger until Athelstane stepped in and wounded the Dane in the Arm in that manner that being no longer able to hold his Spear the was taken Prisoner and committed to the custody of Atholstâ—ne In the mean time Edmund and Edred encountring with Gruffydh slew him and brought his Head to their Father and Leofreds Head being likewise cut off they were both set up upon the Town of Chester and then Edward together with his Sons victoriously returned home But King Edward having A.D. 924 built Glademutham soon after this dyed at Farandon and his Son Alfred the same time at Oxford and were both buried at Winchester Edward being dead his base Son Athelstane for many excellent Virtues appearing in him was preferred to the Crown the worthiest Prince of the Saxon Blood that ever reigned He overcame Cudfryd the Father of Raynald King of the Danes at York and being invaded by Hawlaf King of Ireland who with all the Power of the Scots and Danes marched against him gave him battel at Brimestbury and obtained a very notorious Victory King Hawlaf together with the King of the Scots five Kings of the Danes and Normans being slain upon the spot so that the whole Country of England and Scotland became subject to him which none of his Predecessoâ—â— A.D. 933 ever attempted Sometime after Owen the Son of Gruffydh was slain by the Men of Cardigan And then Athelstane entring with his Army into Wales forced the Princes thereof to pay a yearly Tribute of 20 l. in Gold 300 l. in Silver and 200 Head of Cattel which notwithstanding was not observed as appears by the Laws of Howel Dha wherein it is appointed that the Prince of Aberffraw should pay no more to the King of London than 66 l. Tribute and that the Princes of Dinefawr and Powis should
pay the like Sum to the Prince of Aberffraw But King Ethelstane was not less terrible abroad than he was awed and feared at home the Kings of France and Norwâ—â— sending him very great and costly Presents to obtain his Favour and to gain his good Will A.D. 936 This Year Euneth the Son of Clydawe and Meyriâ— the Son of Cadelh died The same time King Athelstane removed the Britains who lived at Excester and the neighbouring Country to Cornwal bounding theâ— with the River Cambria now Tamar as the Britains of Wâ—les with the Wey Not long after the A.D. 939 noble Prince Athelstane dyed to the great and inexpressible sorrow of all his Subjects and was buried at Malmesbury and succeeded by his Brother Edmund not inferiour to him in Courage but preferable by right of Nativity being born in Wedlock In the first Year of his reign he gave a very considerable blow to the Danes took from them the Cities of Leycester Darby Scafford Lincoln and Nottinham Then Aulafe King of the Danes finding it impracticable to withstand the force of King Edmund desired peace and withal to be initiated in the Christian Faith which being granted him he and all his Danes received Baptism King Edmund standing Godfather at the Font after which both Parties concluding a firm and a lasting Peace Edmund honourably returned to West-Sex The same Year dyed Abloic chief King of Ireland And the Year following Cadelh the Son of Arthuael a Nobleman of Wales was for what reason not discovered imprisoned by the English To revenge which Indignity Edwal Foel and his Brother Elis gathered their Forces together and fought against the English and Danes but were both unhappily slain This Edwal â—oel had six Sons Meyric Ievaf Iago Conan Edwal Fychan and Roderic And his Brother Elis had Issue Conan and a Daughter named Trawst the Mother of Conan ap Sitsylht Gruffydh ap Sitsylht and Blethyn ap Confyn which two last were afterwards Princes of Wales Howel Dha HOwel Dha had been for a considerable time Prince of South-Wales and Powis in which Government A.D. 940 he had so justly and discreetly behaved himself that upon the death of Edwal Foel he was worthily preferred to the Principality of Wales Notwithstanding that Edwal had left behind him several Sons who at first seem'd to murmure at and resent the Election of Howel Dha The first thing he took care of was to enact good and wholsom Laws for the benefit of his Country which held in force in Wales till the time of Edward the First when the Welch received the Laws of England yet not so generally but that in some places they continued long after and are still to be seen in the Welch and Latin Tongue For Howel Dha perceiving the Laws and Customs of his Country to have grown to great abuse sent for the Archbishop of Menevia with the rest of the Bishops and chief Clergy to the number of 140. and all the Barons and Nobles of Wales and ordered that Six of the wisest and best esteemed Persons in every Commote should be cited before him at his Palace called y Ty Gwyn ar Taf or the white House upon the River Taf. Thither coming himself he remained with his Nobles Prelates and Subjects for all the Lent in Prayers and Fasting imploring the assistance and direction of Gods Holy Spirit that he might reform the Laws and Customs of the Country of Wales to the Honour of God and the peaceable Government of his Subjects Towards the end of Lent he chose out of that Assembly Twelve of the wisest and gravest and Persons of the greatest Experience to whom he added Blegored a Man of singular Learning and one exquisitely versed in the Laws To these he gave commission to examine the antient Laws and Customs of Wales and to collect out of them what was requisite towards the Government of the Country according to which Charge they retained those that were wholsom and profitable expounded those that were doubtful and ambiguous and abrogated them that were superfluous and hurtful And so these Laws were distinguished into three sorts The first concerned the Order and Regulation of the King's Houshold and Court The second the Affairs of the Country and Common-wealth and the last had regard to special Customs belonging to particular Persons and Places All which being publickly proclaimed and generally allow'd of Prince Howel ordered three Copies to be written one for his own use another to be laid up at his Palace of Aberffraw and the third at Dinefawr so that the three Provinces of Wales might have easie recourse to either of them when need required And for the better observation of these Laws he caused the Archbishop of S. Davids to denounce Sentence of Excommunication against all such of his Subjects as would not obey the same Within a while after Howel to omit nothing that might procure any Countenance or Authority to these his Laws accompanied with Lambert Archbishop of S. Davids Mordaf Bishop of Bangor and Chebur of S. Asaph and Thirteen of the most prudent and learnedst Persons in Wales took a Journey to Rome where the said Laws being recited before the Pope were by his Holiness ratified and confirmed After which Howel with all â—his Retinue returned home to his Country The particulars of these Laws are too numerous to be here â—nserted only it is observable that all matters of Inheritance of Land were determined and adjudged by the Prince in Person or if sick by his special Deputy And that upon view of the same Land citing together the Freeholders of that place two Elders of his Council the chief Justice always attending in the Court the ordinary Judge of the Country where the Land lay and the Priest The Method of their proceeding was in this manner the Prince sate in his â—udicial-Seat above the rest of the Court with an â—â—lder on each hand next to whom the Freeholders on both sides who upon that account were probably called Vchelwyr Below the Prince at a certain distance sate the chief Justice having the Priest on his â—ight hand and the ordinary Judg of the Country concerned upon the left The Court being thus sate â—he Plaintiff with his Advocate Champion and Rhingylh or Sergeant stood on the left side of the Court as did the Defendant in like manner on the â—ight And lastly the Witnesses on both sides appearâ—d and stood at the lower end of the Hall directly opposite to the chief Justice to testifie the best of their knowledg in the matter in debate After the taking the Depositions of the Witnesses and a full pleading of the Cause in open Court upon notice given by the Sergeant the chief Justice the Priest and the ordinary Judg withdrew themselves for a while to consult of the matter and then secundum allegata probata brought in their Verdict Whereupon the Prince after Consultation had with the Elders that sate next him gave definitive Sentence excepting the Cause was so obscure and
intricate that the Justice of it could not appear and then the two Champions put an end to the Controversie by Combate Whilst Howel Dha is thus regulating the Customs and meliorating the Laws and Constitutions of Wales Aulafe and Regnald Kings of the Danes forcibly entered the Country of King Edmund who being vexed with their incessant Hostility gathered his Forces together and as some say by the help of Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht who was afterwards Prince of Wales followed them to Northumberland and having overcome them in a pitch'd Battel utterly chased them out of his Kingdom and remained a whole Year in those Parts to regulate and bring that Country to some quiet order But finding it impracticable to reduce the Inhabitants of Cumberland to any peaceable Constitution having spoiled and wasted the Country he gave it up to Malcolme King of Scotland upon condition that he should send him Succours in A.D. 942 his Wars whenever demanded of him In the mean time the Welch had but little occasion to rejoyce Hubert Bishop of S. Davids Marclois Bishop of Bangor A.D. 944 and Vssa the Son of Lhafyr being dead And shortly after the English entering into Wales with a very strong Army put the Country into a great consternation but being satisfied with the Destruction and Spoil of Strat Clwyd they returned home without doing any more Mischief The same time Conan the Son of Elis was like to be treacherously put to death by Poyson and Everus Bishop of S. Davids dyed The next Year Edmund King of England was unluckily slain upon S. Augustines day but the manner of his Death is variously delivered some say that discovering a noted Thief who was out-law'd sitting among his Guests being transported with Indignation against so confident a Villain ran upon him very furiously who expecting nothing less than Death thought to dye not unrevenged and therefore with a short Dagger gave the King a mortal Wound in the Breast Others report that as the King would have rescued a Servant of his from an Officer who had arrested him he was unwittingly and unhappily slain by the same But however his Death happened he lies buried at Glastenbury in whose place his Brother Edred was crowned King of England who no sooner had entered upon his Government but he made an Expedition against Scotland and Northumberland which being subdued he received Fealty and Homage by Oath of the Scots and Northumbrians which they did not long observe Shortly after Howel Dha after a A.D. 948 long and peaceable Reign over Wales dyed much lamented and bewailed of all his Subjects being a Prince of a religious and a virtuous inclination and one that ever regarded the Welfare and Prosperity of his People He left Issue behind him Owen Run Roderic and Edwyn betwixt whom and the Sons of Edwal Foel late Prince of North Wales great Wars and Commotions arose afterwards about the chief Rule and Government of Wales But the Sons of Howel Dha as some Writers record were these viz. Owen who did not long survive his Father Eineon Meredyth Dyfnwal and Rodri the two last whereof as is conceived were slain in the Battel fought near Lhanrwst in the Year 952. by the Sons of Edwal Foel Run Lord of Cardigan who was slain before the death of his Father Conan y Cwn who possessed Anglesey Edwin who was also slain as is supposed in the forementioned Battel There was also another Battel fought betwixt Howel and Conan ap Edwal Foel for the Isle of Anglesey wherein Conan fell and Gruffydh his Son renewing the War was likewise overcome and so Cyngar a powerful Person being driven out of the Island Howel enjoyed quiet possession thereof and of the rest of Gwynedh It is supposed that this Howel Dha was chosen Governour of Wales during the minority of his Uncle Anarawd's Sons who at the death of their Father were too young to manage the Principality which he kept till his return from Rome at which time Edwal Foel being come of age he resigned to him the Kingdom of Gwynedh or North-Wales together with the Sovereignty of all Wales Before which time Howel is styled Brenhin Cymry oll that is King of all Wales as is seen in the Preface to that Body of Laws compiled by him Ievaf and Iago the Sons of Edwal Foel AFter the death of Howel Dha his Sons divided betwixt them the Principalities of South-Wales and Powis laying no claim to North-Wales though their Father had been a general Prince of all Wales But Ievaf and Iago the Sons of Edwal Foel having put by their elder Brother Meyric as a Person uncapable of Government and being dissatisfied with the Rule of North Wales only imagined that the Principality of all Wales was their Right as descending from the elder House which the Sons of Howel Dha denyed them Indeed they had been wrongfully kept out of the Government of North Wales during the Reign of Howel in whose time the recovery of their own was impracticable by reason that for his Moderation and other good Qualities he had attracted to himself the universal Love of all the Welch But now he being gone they are resolved to revenge the Injury received by him upon his Sons and upon a small pretence endeavour to reduce the whole Country of Wales to their own subjection Ievaf and Iago were indeed descended from the elder branch but since Roderic the great conferred the Principality of South Wales upon his yonger Son Cadelh the Father of Howel Dha it was but just his Sons should enjoy what was legally descended to them by their Father But Ambition seldom gives place to Equity and therefore right or wrong Ievaf and Iago must have a touch for South-Wales which they enter with a great Army and being opposed they obtained a very opportune Victory over Owen and his Brethren the Sons of Howel at the Hills of Carno The next Year the A.D. 950 two Brothers entred twice into South-Wales destroyed and wasted Dyfet and slew Dwnwalhon Lord of the Countrey Shortly after which Roderic the third A.D. 951 Son of Howel Dha dyed But his Brethren perceiving the Folly of standing only upon the defensive muster'd A.D. 952 all their Forces together and entering North-Wales marched as far as Lhanrwst upon the River Conwy where Ievaf and Iago met them A very cruel Battel ensued upon this and a very great number were slain on both sides among whom were Anarawd the Son of Gwyriad the Son of Roderic the Great and Edwyn the Son of Howel Dha But the Victory plainly favoured the Brothers Ievaf and Iago so that the Princes of South-Wales were obliged to retire to Cardiganshire whither they were warmly pursued and that Country cruelly harrass'd with Fire and Sword The next Year Merfyn was unhappily A.D. 953 drowned and shortly after Congelach King of Ireland was slain The Scots and Northumbrians having lately sworn Allegiance to King Edred he was scarce returned to his own Country but Aulafe with a great Army landed
in among them but in the Action was slain leaving no Issuâ— behind him to succeed in his Principality tho' 〈◊〉 some antient Genealogies he is reputed to have a Soâ— called Conan y Cwn Cadwalhon ap Ievaf HOwel the Son of Ievaf had for a long time enjoyed the Principality of North-Wales more by â—ain Force and Usurpation than any right of Sucâ—ssion he could pretend to it For Ionafal and Edwal â—â—e Sons of Meyric the eldest Son of Edwal Foel â—ere living and tho' their Father had been rejected 〈◊〉 unfit for Government yet that was no reason to â—eprive them of their Right Indeed Howel could â—â—etend to no other Right or Title than that his Faâ—â—er Ievaf had been Prince of North-Wales before 〈◊〉 and this he thought sufficient to maintain his â—ossession against the rightful Heir who was far unâ—â—le to oppose or molest his wrongful Usurpation â—â—â—t he being slain in this rash Expedition against the English and leaving no Issue to succeed him in the â—rown his Brother Cadwalhon thought he might rightâ—â—lly take upon him the Government of North-Wales â—eing his Father and his Brother had without any â—olestation enjoyed the same However to make his â—itle secure he thought fit to remove all manner of â—â—bs which might create any Dispute concerning his â—â—ght of Succession and to that end concluded it â—ecessary to make away his Cosins Ionafal and â—dwal the lawful Heirs the first of which he â—xecuted accordingly but Edwal being aware of his â—ntention privately made his escape and so prevented â—is wicked Design This unnatural Dealing with his Cousins Ionafal and Edwal cost Cadwalhon not only â—is Life but the loss of his Principality and the utter â—uin of his Father's House For he had scarce enjoyâ—d A.D. 985 his Government one Year but Meredith the Son â—f Owen Prince of South-Wales entred into North-Wales slew Cadwalhon and his Brother Meyric the â—nly remains of the House of Ievaf and under the pretence of Conquest possessed himself of the whole Country Here we may observe and admire the Wisdom of Providence in permitting Wrong and Oppression for some time to flourish and wax great and afterwards by secret and hidden Methods in restoring the Posterity of the right and lawful Heir 〈◊〉 the just and pristine Estate of his Ancestors Foâ— after the Death of Edwal Foel Meyric who by righâ— of Birth was legally to succeed was not only deprived of his just and righful Inheritance but had 〈◊〉 Eyes most inhumanly put out and being condemneâ— to perpetual Imprisonment for grief of being so barbarously treated quickly ended his Days But thâ—â— his Brothers Ievaf and Iago and Howel and Caâ—walhon the Sons of the former successively enjoyâ—â— the Principality of North-Wales yet not one diâ— naturally or free from the Revenge of Meyric's ejâ—ction For Ievaf was imprison'd by his Brother Iagâ— and he with his Son Constantine by Howel the Sâ—â— of Ievaf and afterwards Howel fell by the hands oâ— the English and his Brethren Cadwalhon and Meyâ—â— were both slain by Meredith ap Owen On the otheâ— side Edwal ab Meyric who was right Heir of North Wales after the Death of his Brother Ionafal escapâ—â— the snare intended by Cadwalhon and Meredith 〈◊〉 Owen after some time leaving North Wales exposeâ— to the Enemies by reason he had enough to do to preserve South-Wales Edwal was received of the North-Wales Men as their true Prince Meredith ap Owen A.D. 986 MEredith having won the Field and slain Cadwalhâ—â— and his Brother Meyric the only seeming Pretenders to the Principality of North-Wales took upoâ— himself the Rule and Government of it But before â—e could be well confirmed in his Dominions Godfryâ— â—he Son of Harold the third time entred into the â—sle of Anglesey and having taken Lhyarch the Son of Owen with 2000 Men Prisoners most cruelly put out â—is Eyes which so startled and struck such a Terror â—nto Prince Meredith that with the rest of his Army â—e forthwith made his escape and fled to Cardigan This loss to the Welch was the same Year seconded â—y another but of another sort for there happened â—uch a dismal and unusual Murren that the best part â—f the Cattle of Wales perished Neither were the â—nglish at this time free from Adversities and Trouâ—les for the Danes landed again in England with seâ—eral Armies and at Westport and Wâ—test gave two â—nglish Lords Godan and Britchwould such a blow â—hat the King was forced to buy his Peace with the â—ayment of 10000 Pound which was termed Dane â—elt But within a while after King Edelred violated â—nd brake the Peace himself and prepared a great â—eet thinking to vanquish the Danes at Sea But 〈◊〉 proved far otherwise and much contrary to his exâ—â—ctation all his Ships being either destroyed or â—aken together with the Admiral Alfric Earl of Mercin The Danes being animated with this Victoâ—y failed up to the Mouth of the Hâ—mber and landâ—â—g in York shire spoiled and destroyed the City of â—â—rk and Lindsey but in their march through Norâ—humberland were routed and put to flight by Godwyn â—nd Fridgist two English Generals who were sent to â—ppose them The same time Anâ—â—f King of Norway â—nd Swane of Denmark with 94 Gallies sailed up the Thames and besieged London which the Citizens to â—ravely defended that at length the Danes thought â—est to raise and quit the Siege But though they â—ould effect nothing upon the City yet the Country â—as at their mercy and therefore leaving their Ships â—hey landed and wasted with Fire and Sword all Kent Essex Sussex Surry and Hampshire Wherefore King Edelred instead of manly opposition in the Field â—ends Ambassadors to treat about another payment â—nd so the Danes being satisfied with a great Sum of Money and Victuals lay quiet that Winter at Southampton Upon this Composition Anlaf was invited by Adelred and Royally entertained and being dismissed with very many rich Presents he promised upon Oath to depart the Kingdom and never to molest it any more which he faithfully performed A.D. 987 Whilst the English and the Danes were thus for aâ— time agreed Ievaf the Son of Edwal having speâ—â— for several Years a retired and a private Life died And was quickly followed by Owen the Son of Hoâ—â—â— Dha Prince of South-Wales This Owen had thrâ—â— Sons Eineon who in his Father's time was slain by thâ— Rebels of Gwentland and Lhywarch who had 〈◊〉 Eyes put out by Godfryd the Son of Harold the Dâ—â— and Prince Meredith who had already Conquereâ— North Wales and now upon his Father's Death takeâ— possession also of South-Wales without any regard had to Edwyn and Theodore the Sons of Eineon his eldeâ—â— Brother But upon his advancement to his new Principality he was like to meet with no very small troubles for the Danes at Hampton quickly broke tâ—â— League with King Adelred and sailing towards thâ— West mightily annoyed the Coasts of Cornwal and Dâ—vonshire and at last landed in South-Wales
Haviâ—â— destroyed St Davids Lhanbadarn Lhanrhystyd Lhaâ—dydoch and several other Religious places the Couâ—try was so cruelly harassed and weakened that Princâ— Meredith was forced to compound with them and 〈◊〉 A.D. 988 pay a Tribute of one Peny for every Person withâ—â— his Dominions which in Welch was called Glwmaâ— otherwise the Tribute of the Black Army Anâ— Ireland too at this time received no inconsiderablâ— blow from the Danes who slew Elwmaen the Son 〈◊〉 Abloic King of the Country and so spoiled and râ—vaged that Kingdom that a great Number of the Naâ—tives perished by Famine A.D. 989 The year following Owen the Son of Dyfnwal a Maâ— of a considerable Note and Reputation among the Welcâ— was slain besides which nothing remarkable happeâ—ed this year But the next year Edwyn ap Eineon whâ— was right Heir to the Principality of South-Waleâ— having drawn to his help a great Army of English A.D. 990 â—nd Danes hostibly entered into Meredith's Country â—poiled all the Land of Cardigan Dyfed Gwyr Kydâ—ely and St. Davids and received Hostages of the Chief Persons of those Countries to own him as their rightful Prince To return these Outrages upon Edwyn Meredith destroyed the Town of Radnor spoilâ—d A.D. 991 Glamorgan and carried the Chiefest Men therein Prisoners who paying their Ransom were set at Liberty But whilâ— Wales was in this tottering Conâ—ition and scarce any place free from Hostility it happily fell out that Meredith and Edwyn were made Friends and the Differences composed between them â—o that the English and Danes who came in with Edwyn â—nd who expected to fare best by these Civil Disturbances of the Welch were unexpectedly cashiered and sent home And soon after this agreement Cadwalhon the only Son of Meredith died which rendered the Composition between Meredith and Edwyn more firm by reason that this latter thought now without any Dispute to succeed Meredith in his Principality But this fell short of his aim for Meredith being very much disturbed in South-Wales had â—o much work upon his hands to defend that Counâ—ry that he left North-Wales open and exposed to the Common Enemy which the Danes were quickly acquainted with and so landing in Anglesâ—y they ravaged and laid waste the whole Island The North-Wales Men finding themselves thus forsaken by Meredith and their Country like to be over-run by the Danes if not timely prevented set up Edwal the Son A.D. 992 of Meyric the indisputable Heir of North-Wales though long kept from it and owned him for their Prince But those incessant Wars and Commotions in South-Wales occasioned a very dismal Famine and Scarcity in the Country of which a very considerable number of People perished And thus Meredith who had once conquered North-Wales and for a long time had got possession of South-Wales without any Right or Title to either was now obliged to relinquish the one and was scarce able to maintain the other Edwal ap Meyric A.D. 993 EDwal after a long and tedious expectation being now joyfully received by the North-Wales Men for their Prince endeavoured the first thing to defend his Subjects from the Injuries and Depredations they received from the Danes And having in a measure effected that he was accosted by another Enemy for Meredith being resolved to Revenge the Indignity and Disgrace put upon him by the North-Wales Men in depriving him of the Government of their Country gathered and mustered together all his Power intending to recover again that Principality Being advanced as far as Lhangwm Edwal met him and in plain Battel routed his Army in which Action Theodor or Tewdor Mawr Meredith's Nephew was slain leaving behind him two Sons Rhys and Rytherch and a Daughter named Elen. But 't is probable that it was not Tewdor Mawr but his Brother Edwyn that was slain in this Battel which also seems rather to have been fought at Hengwm in Ardudwy in Merioneth shire than at Lhangwm for in that place there are to this Day certain Monuments of Victory to be seen as heaps of Stones Tomb-Stones and Columns which they call Carneddi Hengwm Edwal returning home triumphantly after this Victory thought he had now secured himself in his Government and expected to enjoy his Dominions quietly and without any molestation But he had scarce recovered the Fatigue of the last Engagement when Swane the Son of Harold having lately pillaged and wasted the Isle of Man landed in North-Wales whom Edwal endeavouring to oppose was slain in the Encounter leaving one Son behind him called Iago Within a while after the Danes returned again against St. Davids and destroying all before them with Fire and Swords slew Morgency or Vrgeney Bishop of that Diocese Prince Meredith being highly concerned at the Mischiefs these Barbarous People continually did to his Country and the more because he was not able to â—epel their Insolencies out of Grief and Vexation died having Issue one Only Daughter named Angharad who was twice Married first to Lhewelyn ap Sitsylhe and after his Death to Confyn Hirdref or â—as others think to Confyn ap Gwerystan She had Children by both Husbands which occasioned afterwards great Disturbances and Civil Commotions in Wales the Issue of both Adventures pretending a Right of Succession to the Principality of South-Wales Aedan ap Blegorad EDwal Prince of North-Wales being killed in the Battel against Swane and having no other Issue â—han Iago who was a Minor and too young to take upon him the Government and Meredith Prince of South-Wales dying without any other Issue than a Daughter caused very heavy Quarrels and Contentions among the Welch several without any colour of Right putting in their Claims and Pretensions to the Government In North-Wales Conan the Son A.D. 1003 of Howel and Aedan the Son of Blegorad were the chief Aspirers to that Principality and because they could not agree who should be the Man they fairly consented to try the matter in open Field where Conan had the misfortune to be slain and so Aedan was Victoriously proclaimed Prince of Noâ—th Wales But who this Aedan was descended from or what Colour or Pretence he could lay to this Principality cannot be as much as guessed at there being none of that Name to be met with in any Welch Records excepting that Blegorad who is mentioned in the Lire of Howel Dha whose Estate and Quality was too mean that his Posterity should lay any Claim to the Principality of Wales But be that how it will Aedâ— after his Victory over Conan ap Howel was owned Prince by the North-Wales Men over whom he bore Rule for the space of twelve Years tho' besides his Conquest of Conan ap Howel there be nothing recorded of him excepting his being slain together with his four Sons by Lhewelyn ap Sitsylhe But whilst the Welch are in this inconstant and unsettled Condition the Scots in Ireland began to grow powerful and having destroyed the Town and Country of Develyn they took Gulfath and Vbiad two Irish Lord prisoners whose Eyes they most
â—anes Passing from thence to Cambridge they met â—ith Ethelstan King Edelred's Nephew by his Sister who with an Army was come to oppose them but the Danes proving too powerful he with many other Noblemen were slain among whom were Duke Oswyn and the Earls Edwyn and Wolfrike From hence they passed through Essex leaving no manner of Cruelty and Barbarity unpractised and returned laden with Booty to their Ships which lay in the A.D. 1010 Thames But they could not contain themselves long in their Vessels and therefore sallying out they passed by the River side to Oxford which they ransack'd over again adding to their Prey Buckingham Bedford Hartford and Northamptonshire and having accomplished that Years Cruelties at Christmas they returned to their Ships Yet the Prey of the Countrey from the Trent Southward would not satisfie these unmerciful Barbarians but as soon as the Season A.D. 1011 gave them leave to peep out of their Dens they laid siege to the City of Canterbury which being deliver'd up by the Treachery of Almarez the Archdeacon was condemned to Blood and Ashes and Alfegoâ— the Archbishop carried Prisoner to the Danish Fleet where he was at length most cruelly put to death A.D. 1012 The next Year Swane King of Denmark came up the Humber and landed at Gainesborow whitheâ— repaired to him Vthrâ—d Earl of Northumberland with his People the Inhabitants of Lindsey with all thâ— Countries Northward of Watling-street being a high-way crossing from the East to the West Sea and gave their Oath and Hostages to obey him Whereupon King Swane perceiving his Undertaking to prove 〈◊〉 fortunate beyond expectation committed the care oâ— his Fleet to his Son Cnute and marched himself 〈◊〉 to Oxford and then to Winchester which Citieâ— whether for fear of further Calamities readily acknowledged him for their King From thence hâ— marched for London where King Edelred then layâ— and which was so stoutly defended by the Citizens that he was like to effect nothing against that Town and therefore he directed his course to Wallingforâ— and Bath where the principal Men of West-Saxoâ— yielded him Subjection The Londoners too at last â—earing his Fury and Displeasure made their peace â—nd sent him Hostages which City being received to â—ercy Swane from that time was accounted King of â—ll England King Edelred perceiving all his Astairs â—n England to go against him and his Authority and Government reduced to so narrow a compass having sent his Queen with his two Sons Edward and Alfred â—o Normandy he thought convenient within a while â—fter to follow himself Being honourably received by his Brother in Law Richard he had not been there â—ong but News arrived of the death of Swane and that he was desired by the English to return to his Kingdom Being animated and comforted with this surprising News he set forward with a great Army â—or England and landing at Lyndsey he cruelly harâ—ssed that Province by reason that it had owned Subjection to Cnute the Son of Swane whom the Danes â—ad elected King in his Fathers stead King Cnute being at Ipswich and certified of the arrival of King Edelred and the Devastation of Lyndsey fearing that â—is Authority was going down the wind barbarously cut off the Hands and Noses of all the Hostages he received from the English and presently struck sail for Denmark And whilst England was in this general Confusion there fell out no less a storm in Ireland for Brian King of that Island and his Son Murâ—th with other Kings of the Countrey subject to â—â—rian joyned their Forces against Sutric the Son of Aâ—loic King of Dublin and Mailmorda King of Lagoâ—es Sutric being of himself too weak to encounter so numerous a Multitude hired all the Pyrates and Rovers who cruised upon the Seas and then gave Brian battel who with his Son Murcath was slain and on the other side Maihnorda and Broderic General of the Auxiliaries But Cnute though he was in a manner forced to A.D. 1013 forsake England upon the recalling of King Edelred yet he did not abandon all his pretence to the Kingdom and therefore the next year he came to renew his Claim and landed with a strong Fleet in West-â—ex where he exercised very great Hostility To prevent his Incursions Edric and Edmund Bastard-Son to Edelred raised their Forces separately bâ—â— when both Armies were united they durst not whâ—ther for fear or the Dissention of the two Generals fight with the Danes Edmund therefore passed to the North and joyned with Vthred Duke of Northumberland and both together descended and spoiled Stafford Leicester and Shropshire On the otheâ— side Cnute marched forcibly through Buckingham Bedford Huntingtonshire and so by Stafford passed toward York whither Vthred hastened and finding 〈◊〉 other remedy submitted himself with all the Northumbrians to Cnute giving Hostages for the performance of what they then agreed upon But nevertheless this Submission Vthred was treacherously slain not without the permission of Cnute and hiâ— Dukedom bestowed upon one Egrick a Dane whereupon Edmund left them and went to his Father whâ— lay sick at London Cnute returning to his Ships presently followed and sailed up the Thames towardâ— London but before he could draw nigh the City King Edelred was dead having prolonged a long and troublesom Reign for Thirty Seven Years After his decease the English Nobility chose his base Son Edmund for his eminent strength and hardiness in War surnamed Ironside for their King Upon this Cnuâ—â— brought his whole Fleet up the River to London and having cut a deep Trench round about the Town invested it on all sides but being valourously repulsed by the Defendants he detached the best part of his Army to fight with Edmund who was marching to raise the Siege and both Armies coming to battel at Proman by Gillingham Cnute with his Danes were put to flight But as soon as time and opportunity would give him leave to increase his Forces Cnute gave Edmund a second Battel at Caerstane but Edric Almar and Algar under-hand siding with the Danes Edmund was hard put to it to maintain the fight obstinately till Night and Weariness parted them Both Armies having sufficiently suffered in this action Edmund went to West-Sex to reinforce himself and the Danes returned to the siege of London where Edmund â—â—ickly followed raised the siege and forced Cnute â—â—d his Danes confusedly to betake themselves to their â—â—ips and then entered triumphantly into the City â—wo days after passing the Thames at Brentford he â—â—ll upon the Enemies backs by which lucky opporâ—â—nity obtaining a considerable Victory he returned â—gain to raise Recruits among the West-Saxons Cnute â—â—on Edmund's removal appeared again before Lonâ—â—n and invested it by Land and Water but all in â—â—in the besieged so manfully and resolutely defenâ—â—ng themselves that it was impracticable to master â—â—e Town before Edmund could come to the relief of 〈◊〉 And this they presently experienced for Edmund â—â—ter having augmented his Forces crossed again the â—hames
Name of Run and puâ— out that he was the Son of Meredith Prince of South-Wales to whom joyned a great Number of the Nobility who had no great Affection to Lhewelyn and proclaimed Run Prince of South-Wales Lhewelyn being then in North Wales and certified of this famous Impostor drawing his Army together marched to meet him who with the whole strength of South-Wales then lay at Abe gwili where he abode the arrival of Lhewelyn When both Armies were ready to joyn battel Run makes a vaunting Speech to his Soldiers assuring them of Victory and so persuading them couragiously to fall on privately himself retired out of harms way there one might have observed on the one side a valiant Army under a cowardly General and on the other part a valiant and a noble Commander engaging with a slow and a faint-hearted Army for Lhewelyn like a bold and couragious Prince ventur'd into the midst of his Enemies whilst Run priâ—â—tely sneaked off out all danger and the South-Wales Men were more fierce and eager in the Cause of a Preâ—ender than the North Wales Men to maintain the Qâ—â—rrel of a Prince of their own Blood But after great slaughter on both sides the North Wales Men calling to mind the several Victories they had obtained and withal being in a very great measure animated by the incomparable Valour of their Prince fell on so warmly that they put their Enemies to flight and pursu'd Râ—â— so close that notwithstanding his several shifts he was at last overtaken and slain Lhewelyn after this Victory returned laden with Spoil into North-Wales and for some time lived peaceably and without Disturbance But the next Year Howel and Meredith the Sons of Edâ—yn conspired against him and slew him â—aving behâ—nd him a Son called Gruffydh ap Lhewelyn who afterwards though not immediately ascended to the Principality of North-Wales Iago ap Edwal AFter the death of Lhewelyn Iago the Son of Edwal the true Heir to the Principality of North-Wales who had been all his time wrongfully kept from it thought this the best opportunity to enter upon his Right by reason of the minority of Gruffydh the Son of Lhewelyn upon which pretence likewise Rytherch the Son of Iestyn forcibly assumed the Principality of South-Wales About the same time Cnute King of England sailed over to Denmark and Sweden against Vlf and Alaf who had moved the Finlanders against him whom he subdued with the loss of a great part of his Army as well English as Danes Within a while after his return to England he made 〈◊〉 very pompous and magnificent Journey to Rome more to satisfie his ambitious Temper and to signifie to the World his Greatness and Might which he express'd by his costly Presents and princely Behaviour than any way to make atonement for the Oppression and Bloodshed by which he had established himself in his Kingdom For what Holiness and Mortification he had learnt at Rome presently appeared upon his return to England for upon no provocation he marched with an Army into Scotland and forced Malcolm the King thereof together with Molbeaâ—â— and Jermare the Kings of the Orkners and Ewist to do him Homage A.D. 1031 But the Affairs of Wales were at this time very turbulent and uneasie for Howel and Meredith after the Murther of Prince Lhewelyn expected to enjoy some part of his Principality themselves but finding Iago to have seized upon North-Wales and Rytherch upon South-Wales and withal perceiving their own Power too weak to oppose their Designs they invited over the Irish-Scots to their aid against Rytherch ap Iestâ—â— Prince of South-Wales By the help of these Howel and Meredith prevailed over Rytherch who being at length slain they joyntly took upon them the Rule and Government of South Wales But this was not a sufficient title to establish them so firmly in it that their Usurpation would not be called in question for A.D. 1032 the Sons of Râ—therch presently after their Fathers death gathered their Forces together to fight with the Brothers Howel and Meredith who met at Irathwy where a cruel Battel was fought called Gwaith Irathwy and at last the Sons of Rytherch were put to flight But though these Victories the one over Rytherch and the second over his Sons seemed in a great measure to favour Howel and Meredith's pretence to and establishment in the Principality yet so unpardonable a Crime as the murther of â—hewelyn a Prince of so A.D. 1033 extraordinary Qualities could not remain long unrevenged for the Sons of Conan the Son of Sitsylht Prince Lhewelyn's Brother were resolved to return their Uncles Murther upon the two Usurpers which in a short time they effected against Meredith who met with the same end from the Sons of Conan that he had formerly inflicted upon Lhewelyn But these civil A.D. 1034 Discords in Wales were quickly discovered by the English who taking advantage of so fair an opportunity entered with a great Army into the Land or Gwent where after they had committed considerable Wasts for some time Caradoc the Son of Rytherch ap Iestyn gave them battel but was in that Engagement unhappily slain And shortly afterwards dyed King Cnute A.D. 1035 the most famous and mightiest Prince then in the Western Parts of the World whose Dominions extended over all Sweden from Germany almost to the North-Pole together with the Kingdoms of Norway and Denmark and the noble Island of Britain To him succeeded his Son Harold for his Swiftness surnamed Harefoot begotten upon Alwyn the Daughter of Duke Alselyn though several stickled firmly for Harâ—â—enute his other Son by Emma who was then in Denmark But Harold being once advanced into the Throne took care to establish himself as firmly as he could in it and to that end thought it expedient to banish out of his Dominions his Mother in Law Emma who was restless to promote the Interest of her own Son Hardycnute and to bring him to the Crown of England A.D. 1037 And whilst Harold was by these measures settled in his Throne Iago ap Edwal was just upon the point of losing his Principality of North Wales For Gruffydh the Son of Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht sometime Prince of North-Wales having once hinted a Rebellion against Iago was so generally encouraged and universally follow'd by all People for the love they bore to his Father that in a short time his Army mounted to an invincible number However Iago was not so throughly affrighted that he would deliver up his Principality without drawing Sword for it but providing for himself as well as he could and drawing together what Forces he was able he gave Gruffydh battel But his number being far too weak to oppose so great an Army as sided with Gruffydh was presently over-power'd and put to the rout and himself slain leaving after him a Son called Conan by his Wife Afandred Daughter to Gweir the Son of Pylh. Gruffydh ap Lhewelyn IAgo ap Edwal being killed Gruffydh ap Lhewelyn was received
with loud Acclamations and joyfully saluted Prince of North-Wales who treading in his Father's steps behaved himself in his Government with that Prudence and Conduct that he manfully defended his Country from the frequent Invasions of the English and Danes For he was scarce settled in his Throne when these inveterate Enemies of the Welch entered in an hostile manner into Wales and advanced as far as Crosford upon the Severn where Gruffydh met them and forced them shamefully to fly and retire back to their own Country From thence Gruffydh passed to Lhanbadarn Vawr in Cardiganshire which he laid in Ashes and afterwards marched through all the Country of South Wales receiving of the People Oaths of Fidelity and Subjection to him In the mean time Howel ap Edwyn Prince of South-Wales fled to Edwyn Brother to Leofric Earl of Chester and prevailed with him to come with an Army consisting of English and Danes to his aid against Gruffydh who meeting his Enemies in the Field easily overcame them Edwyn being slain upon the spot and Howel forced to preserve his Life by flight After which Victory Gruffydh having reduced all the Country of Wales to subjection returned again to North Wales But Howel as soon as he could recover himself and A.D. 1039 recruit his Army entred again into South-Wales intending the recovery of that Principality which he was now so well assur'd of that he brought his Wife with him to the Field to let her see how easily he could conquer and overcome Prince Gruffydh 〈◊〉 too great an assurance of Victory seldom proves prosperous which Howel presently experienced for Gruffydh meeting with him at Pencadair gave him so warm an Entertainment that he was forced presently to take his Heels which however could not so well secure him but that he was narrowly pursued and his Wife who was to be entertained with the Conquest of Gruffydh on the contrary saw her self taken Prisoner by him and forced to comply so far to his humour as to be his Concubine The same time Harold King of England died and was succeeded by his Brother Hardycnute a Prince very famous for Hospitality and a great lover of good Chear having his Table covered four times a day with great plenty and variety of Dishes with other Superfluities for all Comers But he likewise dying at Lambeth after two Years reign the English agreed to send for Alfred the eldest Son of Edelred from Normandy and to make him King This Message by no means pleased Earl Godwyn a Man of great sway now in England who knowing Alfred to be a person of greater spirit than to permit him to domineer as he pleased endeavoured all he could to dissuade the English from sending for Alfred He shewed them how dangerous it was to permit a warlike Nation to take root in their Country and how well Alfred was accompanied with Normans to whom he had promised the chief Places and Rule of the Kingdom by which and other like Insinuations he so disgusted the English Nobility against the Normans that to diminish their number they put every tenth Man to death But seeing this was not sufficient they acted the same part over again and tythed them the second time and being highly enraged against the Normans they lead Alfred who had brought them over from Gilford where this Execution was committed to Gillingham where having put out his Eyes they removed him to Ely and there at length pitifully murthered him Then they sent for Edward out of Normandy and made him King who according to his promise to Earl Godwyn married â—is Daughter Edith a Lady much commended not only for Beauty Modesty and other feminine Qualifications but also beyond what is requisite for a Woman Learning But King Edward did not deal so favourably with her Brother Swane Son to Earl Godwyn who upon some Distaste was banished England and thereupon forced to betake himself to Baldwyn Earl of Flanders by whom he was very honourably received A.D. 1041 These Troubles and Revolutions in England were succeeded by others of no less consequence in Wales For Howel not brooking to be kept so shamefully out of his Kingdom returns again the third time into South-Wales where he had not continued long but a great number of Strangers landed in the West of Wales and advancing farther into the Country pillaged and destroyed all places they came to Howel tho desirous to reserve his Army to fight with Prince Gruffydh yet could not behold his Country so miserably wasted and over-run by Strangers and thinking moreover that by so charitable an Action he should win the universal Love of the South-Wales Men drew up his Forces against them and overtaking them at Pwll Fynach forced them with much loss to retire to their Ships which Action was call'd in Welch Gwaith Pwll Fynach At the same time Conan the Son of Iago ap Edwal who was forced for fear of Prince Gruffydh to flee to Ireland with the Forces of Alfred King of Dublin whose Daugher named Ranulph he had married landed in North-Wales and having by some treacherous Stratagem taken Gruffydh triumphantly carried him Prisoner towards his Ships This unhappy accident being discovered and publickly known the North Wales Men did rise on a sudden and so unexpectedly overtook the Irish that they easily recover'd their Prince and drove his Enemies with great slaughter to their Ships who without any farther consultation were glad to strike sail with Conan for Ireland And now Wales both North and South is free from all foreign Invasion and Howel as yet too weak to dispute his Title with Gruffydh so that A.D. 1042 the next Year could be subject to no great Action in which nothing happen'd remarkable saving the death of Howel the Son of Owen Lord of Glamorgan a Man of great Quality and Esteem in Wales But as A.D. 1043 soon as Howel could call in his Danes to whom he added all the Forces he could raise in South-Wales he intended presently to march against Prince Gruffydh But he being aware aforehand to what end those Levies were designed prepared against the ensuing storm and to avert the War from his own Country marched courageously to South Wales not fearing to face an Enemy whom he had shamefully vanquished twice already Both Armies being joyned Gruffydh easily overcame and pursued Howel as far as the Spring-Head of the River Towy where after a long and a bloody Fight Howel was at last slain and his Army so universally routed that few escaped with their Lives But though Howel was dead yet there remained still more Pretenders to the Principality of South-Wales so that Gruffydh was in no great prospect to enjoy the same peaceably For as soon as it was published that Howel's Army was defeated and himself slain Rytherch and Rhys the Sons of Rytherch ap Iestyn put in their claim to South-Wales in right of their Father who had once enjoyed the Sovereignty of that Country And in order to the recovery of the same they
Death 〈◊〉 Edward to secure the Kingdom of England for h◠〈◊〉 was honourably dismissed Upon his return to England by the persuasions of Caradoc the Son of â—ruffydh ap Rytherch himself with his Brother Tosty â—iled a great Army and entred into South-Wales â—hich they destroyed after that manner that the Welch were glad to deliver up Hostages for the â—ayment of the antient Tribute which afore-time â—hey were used to pay Gruffydh hearing of the Inâ—lencies of the English in South Wales made all posâ—â—ble haste and preparation to oppose them but all 〈◊〉 no purpose Harold having already treacherously â—â—ed some of Gruffydh's nearest Friends to Murder 〈◊〉 who watching their opportunity executed their â—icked Design and brought his Head to Harold Gruffydh being dead Harold by King Edward's Orders â—â—pointed Meredith Son of Owen ap Edwyn Prince 〈◊〉 South Wales and the Government of North-Wales 〈◊〉 Blethyn and Rywaâ—hon the Sons of Coâ—fyn Brothers 〈◊〉 the Mother side to Prince Gruffydh and who proâ—ably for the desire of Rule were accessary to the Murder of that Noble Prince This Gruffydh ap Lheâ—â—â—yn enjoyed the Principality of Wales for the space of thirty four years a Prince of incomparable Verâ—â—â— both Wise and Valiant Beloved of his Subjects â—nd Formidable to his Enemies in all his Actions he â—ehaved himself Great and Princely and having Demanded his Country so bravely against all Foreign Opposition he was far unworthy of that treacherous â—nd cruel Death which his unkind Subjects and unâ—atural Friends bestowed upon him He left Issue â—ut â—â—e Daughter called Nest abused first by Fleaâ—ce â—on of Bâ—ncho and afterwards married to Trahaern â—p Caradoc Prince of North-Wales Blethyn and Rywalhon AFter the deplorable Murder of Prince Gruffyâ—â— Meredith the Son of Owen ap Edwyn who aâ—cording to some was Son to Howel Dha did take 〈◊〉 on him as 't is said the Government of South-Waâ—â—â— and Blethyn and Rywalhon the Sons of Confyn hâ—â— Brothers to Gruffydh as descended from Augboâ— Daughter to Meredith sometime Prince of Walâ—â— entered upon the Principality of North-Wales Câ—â—â—â— the Son Iago ap Edwal the right Heir to that Croâ—â— being then with his Father-in-Law in Ireland Tâ—â— partition of Wales fell much short of the expectation of Caradoc ap Gruffydh ap Rytherch who bâ—ing the chief promoter of Harold's making an â—â—pedition against Gruffydh ap Lhewolyn made no qâ—stion to attain to the Government of South-Wales â—â—case Gruffydh got the worse But it happened otheâ—wise Harold being sensible of Caradoc's Subtilty aâ—â— Knavery and doubting whether if he was maâ—â— Prince of South-Wales he could obtain a certain Loâ—â—â—ship nigh Hereford which he had a longing mindâ— made a Composition with Meredith ap Owen for 〈◊〉 said Lordship and created him Prince of South-Walâ—â— and on the contrary banished Caradoc out of 〈◊〉 Country Harold having obtained his Request buâ— a very magnificent House at a place called Portasâ—â— in Monmouth-shire and storing it with great quaâ—tity of Provision splendidly entertained the King who honoured him with a Visit This was by a means pleasing to Tofty to see his younger Brother in greater Esteem and Favour with the King thâ—â— himself and having concealed his displeasure for 〈◊〉 time could not forbear at length but discover 〈◊〉 grievance For one day at Windsor while Harâ—â— reached the Cup to King Edward Tosty ready to burâ— for Envy that his Brother was so much respected beyond himself could not refrain to run furiously upon him and pulling him by the Hair dragged him to the Ground for which unmannerly Action the King forbad him the Court But he with continued Rancour and Malice rides to Hereford where Harold had many Servants preparing an Entertainment for the King and setting upon them with his Followers â—â—opped off the Hands and Legs of some the Arms and Heads of others and threw them into the Buts of Wine and other Liquors which were put in for the King 's drinking and at his departure charged the Servants to acquaint him That of other fresh Meats he might carry with him what he pleased but for â—ince he should find plenty provided ready for him for which barbarous Offence the King pronounced a Sentence of perpetual Banishment upon him But Saradoc ap Gruffydh gave a finishing stroak to Harold's House and the King's Entertainment at Portascyth for coming thither shortly after Tosty's departure to be revenged upon Harold he killed all the Work-men and Labourers with all the Servants he could find and utterly defacing the Building carried away all the Costly Materials which with great Charges and Exâ—ence had been brought thither to beautify and adorn the Structure Soon after which the Northumbrians who could not endure the Insolencies of the two Brothers Harold and Tosty who bearing an uncontroulâ—ble sway in the Kingdom were used to practise most hellish Villanies to encompass any Man's Estate that displeased them in a Tumult at York beset the Palace of Tosty and having pillaged his Treasure â—â—ew all his Family as well English-men as Danes Then adjoining to themselves the People of Lincoln Nottingham and Derby shire they elected Marcher the Son of Earl Algar their General to whom came his Brother Edwyn with a considerable number of Forces â—nd a great party of Welch men Then they marched in an hostile manner to Northampton where Harold met them being sent by the King to know their Demands to whom they laid open their Grievances and the Cruelty of Tosty's Government and at last with an absolute refusal of admitting him again desired that Marcher should be appointed Earl over them which the King upon the reasonable Complaints of Injuries done by Tosty easily granted and willingly confirmed Marcher's Title Whereupon they peaceably returned back to the North and the Welch with several Prisoners and other Booties got in this Expedition returned to Wales A.D. 1066 The year following King Edward died and was buried at Westminster being the last King of the Saxon Blood before the Conquest that Governed the Kingdom of England which from Cerdic King of the West-Saxons had continued 544 and from Egbert the first Monarch 171 Years Edward being dead the next debate was about an Election of a Successor Edgar Edeling being set up by some as lawful Heir to the Crown which Harold as being a Person of greater Power and Authority in the Kingdom much wealthier and better befriended presently thwarted and brought Matters so cunningly about that himself was chosen King without any regard observed to the Oath and Promise he had formerly made to William Duke of Normandy Duke William upon notice of Harold's advancement how that he had accepted of the Crown of England contrary to the Articles between them convened together his Nobles and laid before them the several Wrongs and Affronts be had received at the Hands of Harold as the Death of his Cosin Alfred the Banishment of Archbishop Robert Earl Odan and all the Normans and lastly the Breach of his Oath and
and Rytherch 〈◊〉 Caradoc the joynt Rulers of South-Wales And the marching confidently to find them both Armies meâ— together and fought at a place called Camdhwr wheâ— after a sore Engagement the Sons of Cadwgan at length obtained a glorious Victory In North Wales the same time Gruffydh ap Conan having established his Possession of the Isle of Anglesey intended to proceed farther in the Continent of Wales to which end having transported his Forces over the River incampâ—â—â— in the neighbouring Countrey of Carnarvonshire prâ—posing to reduce North-Wales by degrees Trahaâ—â— ap Caradoc being informed of this Descent of Grâ—fydh's made all possible speed to prevent his farther progress and having made all necessary Preparation that the shortness of the Opportunity would permit he drew up his Forces to Bronyr Erw where he gave Gruffydh battel and in fine put him to a shamefuâ— flight so that he was glad to retire back safe tâ— Anglesey A.D. 1074 The next Year Rytherch ap Caradoc Prince of South-Wales dyed being murthered through the unnaturaâ— Villainy of his Cosin-German Meyrchaon ap Rhys ap Rytherch after whom Rhys ap Owen obtained the soâ—â— Government of South-Wales But his enjoyment oâ— the whole Principality was not very lasting and scarcâ— A.D. 1075 at all void of Trouble and Vexation of War Foâ— shortly after the death of Caradoc the Sons of Cadwgan thinking they might easily now foil and vanquish one seeing they had sometime ago victoriously overcome both Princes together with all the Forces they could raise set upon Rhys again at a place called Gwanyffyd who not being able to endure their Number was rouâ—ed and forced to flee however the Blow was not so mortal but that Rhys gathered together new Levies by the help of which he was embolden'd still to maintain himself in his Principality But Fortune which had advanced him to the Crown seemed now to frown at and cross all his Endeavours and Undertakeings and being reduced to a very weak condition in the 〈◊〉 Battel he was set upon by a fresh Enemy before 〈◊〉 could have sufficient time to recover and recruit â—â—self For Trahaern ap Caradoc Prince of North-â—ales perceiving the Weakness and Inability of Rhys make opposition against any foreign Enemy that â—â—â—aded his Territories thought it now very feasible 〈◊〉 obtain the Conquest of South-Wales and then 〈◊〉 annex it to his own Principality of North-Wales â—â—ing egg'd on by these pleasant Imaginations he disâ—â—â—ched his Army to South-Wales to fight with Rhys 〈◊〉 so with all the Forces he could possibly levie as layâ—â—g his whole Fortune upon the event of this Battel â—â—dly met him at Pwlhgwttic where after a tedious â—â—ght on both sides Rhys having lost the best part of his â—â—my was put to flight and so warmly pursu'd that â—â—er long shifting from place to place himself with his â—â—other Howel fell at length into the hands of Caradoc 〈◊〉 Gruffydh who put them both to death in revenge 〈◊〉 the base Murther of Blethyn ap Confyn by them â—â—merly transacted The Principality of South-Wales â—â—ing thus vacant by the death of Rhys ap Owen Rhys â—â—n to Theodor ap Eineon ap Owen ap Howel Dha â—â—lawful Heir to that Government put in his Claim â—hich being very plain and evident so prevailed with â—â—e People of the Country that they unanimously â—â—ected him for their Prince much against the expeâ—â—tion of Trahaern ap Caradoc Prince of North-Wales â—he next Year S. Davids suffer'd greatly by Strangers A.D. 1077 â—ho landing there in a considerable number spoiled â—â—d destroyed the whole Town shortly after which â—â—rbarous Action Abraham Bishop of that Sea â—â—ed and then Sulien who the Year before had â—â—linquished and resigned up that Bishoprick was â—ompelled to resume it The Government of all Wales both North and A.D. 1079 â—â—uth had been now for a long time supply'd by Usurâ—ers and forcibly detained from the right and legal â—nheritors but Providence would suffer Injustice to â—eign no longer and therefore restored the rightful Heirs to their Principalities Rhys ap Theodor had actual possession of South-Wales and there wanteâ— no more at this time but to bring in Gruffydh ap Câ—nan to the Principality of North-Wales both the Princes being indisputably right and lawful Heirs 〈◊〉 their respective Governments as lineally descendeâ— from Roderic the Great who was legal Proprietor 〈◊〉 all Wales Gruffydh ap Conan had already reduced thâ— Isle of Anglesey but not being able to levy a sufficieâ— Army from thence to oppose Trahaern he invited oâ— a great Party of Irish and Scots and then with 〈◊〉 whole Army joyned with Rhys ap Theodor Prince 〈◊〉 South-Wales Trahaern in like manner associating himself Caradoc ap Gruffydh and Mailyr the Sons 〈◊〉 Rywalhon ap Gwyn his Cosin-Germans the greatest aâ—â— most powerful Men then in Wales drew up his Fâ—â—ces together with resolution to fight them Boâ—â— Armies meeting upon the Mountains of Carno a teâ—rible and a cruel Battel ensued presently thereupon which proved the more fierce and bloody by reasâ—â— that both Parties resolutely referred their whole Foâ—tune to the success of their Arms and Life woâ—â—â— prove vain if the Day was lost But after a disâ—â—â— Fight on both sides the Victory fell at last to Gruffyâ—â— and Rhys Trahaern with his Cosins being all slain 〈◊〉 the Field after whose death Gruffydh took possessâ—â—â— of North Wales and so the Rule of all Wales afâ—â—â— a tedious interval was again restored to the rigâ—â— Line About the same time Vrgency ap Sitsyâ—â—â—â— Person of noble Quality in Wales was treacherouâ— murthered by the Sons of Rhys Sais or the Englisâ—man by which Name the Welch were accustomâ—â— to denominate all Persons as either had lived any coâ—siderable time in England or could fluently and hanâ—somly speak the English Tongue Gruffydh ap Conan GRuffydh ap Conan being confirmed in the Principality of North-Wales and Rhys ap Theodor in â—â—â—t of South-Wales there was no body that could â—â—â—ate them any Molestation or Disturbance upon the â—â—count of Right which was unquestionably just that they quietly enjoyed for some time their reâ—â—â—ctive Dominions without apprehension of any other â—â—â—â—etender Indeed it had seldom been known before â—â—â—t that one of the Princes was an Usurper and parâ—â—â—ularly in North-Wales where from the time of Edâ—â—â— Foel none had legally ascended to the Crown â—â—â—cepting Edwal the Son of Meyric eldest Son to â—â—wal Foel in whose Line the undoubted Title of â—â—rth-Wales lawfully descended And the right Line â—â—â—ng now restored in Gruffydh ap Conan the same leâ—â—lly continued to Lhewelyn ap Gruffydh the last â—â—ince of the British Blood But during these Revoâ—â—tions in Wales some things memorable were transaâ—â—ed in England Malcolm King of the Scots descenâ—â—ng into Northumberland ravaged and destroyed the â—ountry without Mercy carrying away a great numâ—â—r of Prisoners after which the Northumbrians fell â—â—on Walter Bishop of Durham whom they slew toâ—â—ther with a hundred Men whilst he sate keeping
of â—â—ourt not dreaming of any such treacherous Villainy â—â—he same time Robert Curthoys the Bastards eldest Son â—â—eing for some reason disgusted against his Father and â—â—t on by the instigation of the King of France enâ—â—red Normandy with an Army and claimed it as his â—â—ight which King William being acquainted with â—â—ssed over to Normandy and meeting with his Son â—and to hand in Battel was by him overthrown â—ut being returned from Normandy he entered with 〈◊〉 great Army into Wales and marching after the manner of a Pilgrimage as far as S. Davids he offered aâ—â— paid his Devotion to that Saint and afterwards â—â—ceived Homage of the Kings and Princes of the Coâ—â—try About the same time the Tomb of Walwey Kiâ—â— Arthurs Sister Son a most valiant Person in his tiâ—â— and Governour of that Country from him calâ—â—â— Walwethey was discovered in the Country of 〈◊〉 nigh the Sea-shoar whose Body proved monstrouâ—â—â— prodigious being in length about fourteen foot A.D. 1086 This year Madawc Cadwgan and Riryd the Son 〈◊〉 Blethyn ap Confyn sometime Prince of Wales raise◠〈◊〉 Rebellion against Rhys ap Tewdor and having draâ—â— together a great number of licentious and maleconteâ—ted People thought to eject him out of the Principâ—lity of South-Wales Rhys had not Power and fâ—â—ces enough to oppose them the Rebels Army increâ—sing daily by the addition of the discontented Muâ—â—â—tude who always rejoyce at any new Commotion 〈◊〉 Disturbance and therefore he was compell'd to 〈◊〉 to Ireland where he obtained a very considerable pâ—â—â— of Irish and Scots upon promise of a sufficient Râ—ward in case he was restored again to his Principaliâ—â— Having by this measure got a very sensible increase his former strength he landed in South-Wales tâ—â— News of whose arrived being blazed abroad 〈◊〉 Friends from all quarters presently retired to him that in a short time his Army became numerous aâ—â— able to confront the Enemy The Rebels were seâ—sible how the Princes Forces daily multiplyed aâ—â— therefore to prevent any farther addition they maâ— all possible haste to force him to a Battel which iâ— a short time after happened at Lhech y Creu where thâ— Rebels were vanquished Madawc and Riryd being slaiâ— and Cadwgan glad to save his Life by flight Rhys having won so signal a Victory and fearing no farther Disturbance dismissed the Irish and Scots with greaâ— Rewards who honourably returned to their owâ— A.D. 1087 Country Within a while after an unaccountablâ— Sacriledg was committed at S. Davids the Shriâ—â— belonging to the Cathedral being feloniously convey'd out of the Church all the Plate and other Utensiâ—â— were stoln and only the Shrine left empty behind â—he same Year a Civil-War broke out in England â—â—d several Armies in several parts of the Kingdom â—ere up in Arms at the same time and among the â—â—st the Welch who entering into Glocester and Worâ—â—ster Shires burnt and destroyed all before them to â—â—e Gate of Worcester The King having drawn his â—rmy together proceeded against his Enemies by deâ—â—ees and falling upon their seperate Parties without â—â—y great difficulty reduced all to Obedience Withâ—â— A.D. 1089 two Years after Archbishop Sulien the most pious â—â—d learned Person in Wales dyed in the Eightieth â—ear of his Age and in the Sixteenth Year of his Biâ—oprick presently after whose death the Town of 〈◊〉 Davids suffered a more sensible Calamity being first â—undered and afterwards burnt by a company of Pyâ—â—ts who sorely infested the British Coasts About â—â—e same time also dyed Cadifor the Son of Calhoyn â—ord of Dyfed whole Sons Lhewelyn and Eineon moâ—â—d Gruffydh ap Meredith to take up Arms against his â—overeign Prince Rhys ap Tâ—wdor with whom they â—yned all the Forces they couly levy among their â—enants and Dependants then passing with their Arâ—y to Lhandydoch boldly challenged Rhys to fight â—ho thereupon gave them battel and after a resolute â—ngagement of both sides the Rebels were at length â—orsted and put flight and then so narrowly pursued â—hat Gruffydh ap Meredith was taken Prisoner and in â—ne executed as a Traitor But Eineon made his â—scape and not daring to trust himself with any of â—is own Kindred he fled to Iestyn ap Gurgant Lord â—f Morganwc who was then in actual Rebellion â—gainst Prince Rhys And to ingratiate himself the â—hore in Iestyn's favour he promised upon condition â—f the performance of certain Articles one of which more especially was That he should receive his Daughter in Matrimony That he would bring over â—o his aid a considerable Body of Normans with whom he was singularly acquainted as having served a long time in England These Articles being agreed to and recorded Eineon posted to England and in a little time brought matters so about that he prevailed with Robert Fitzhamon and Twelve more Knights to levâ— A.D. 1090 a strong Army of Normans and to come to Wales tâ— the protection and aid of Iestyn The beginning of the following Year they landed in Glamorganshire and were honourably received by Iestyn who joyning his Power to theirs marched to Prince Rhys his Domininions where without the least shew of Mercy to his own Countrymen he encouraged the Normans by his own Example to spoil and destroy all that came before them Prince Rhys was mightily grieved to finâ— his Country so unmercifully harassed and though aâ— this time very antient being above 98 Years of age he could not refrain but meet his Enemies and having with all possible speed raised a convenient Army hâ— met with them near Brecnock where after a terrible Fight and a great slaughter on both sides he was unhappily slain With him fell the Glory and Grandeâ—â— of the Principality of South-Wales being afterwards rent in pieces and divided into several parts and piece-meals among these Norman Captains as shall be by and by more particularly related Prince Rhys less Issue behind him by the Daughter of Rywalhon ap Coâ—fyn two Sons Gruffydh and Grono the latter of which was detained Prisoner by the King of England thâ—â— the Author of the winning of the Lordship of Glamagan affirms that he was slain together with his Father in this Battel against the Normans The Normans having received a sufficient Reward from Iestyn upon the account of their Service against Prince Rhys returned to their Ships in order to their Voyage homeward But before they could loose Anchor to sail off Eineon recalled them being ungratefully affronted by Iestyn who absolutely refused to make good to him the Conditions which they had agreed upon before the Normans were invited to Wales Upon this account Eineon was so irreconcilably incensed against Iestyn that to be revenged upon him he was willing to sacrifice his native Country into the hands of strangers and therefore endeavoured to persuade the Normans concerning the Fatness and Fertility of the Country and how easily they might conquer and make themselves Masters of it But he needed not many Arguments to persuade a People that were willing of themselves
great Penalty to receive him but that they should account him an open Enemy to their Country and endeavour all they could to secure him and to bring him Prisoner before him When Madawc understood this how that his Person was in continual danger whilâ—t he remained there having drawn to him all the Out-laws and Villains in the Country he kept in the Rocks and Mountains devising all the ways and means he could to be revenged upon Iorwerth and so made a private League and Agreement with Lhywarch ap Trahaern who for a long time had been a mortal Enemy of Iorwerths These two Associates having intelligence that Iorwerth lay one night at Caereineon gathered all their strength and came and encompassed the House at Midnight which when Iorwerth's Servants perceived they arose and defended the House with all the Might they could but the Assailants at last putting the House on fire they were glad as many as could to escape through the Flames the greatest part being forced to yield either to the Enemies Sword or the more conquering Fire Iorwerth seeing no remedy but that he must undergo the same Fate as his Men had done chose rather to dye in the presence of his Enemies with his Sword in his Hand than to commit his Life to the cowardly Flames and therefore rushing out with great Violence he was received upon the points of the Enemies Spears and so being tossed into the Fire he miserably perished by a double death As soon as King Henry heard of his Death he sent for Cadwgan to him and gave him all his Brother's Estate being Powys-land and promising his Son Owen his Pardon upon condition he would demean himself quietly and loyally hereafter willed him to send for him back from Ireland King Henry also about this time married his natural Son Robert to Mabil Daughter and sole Heir to Robert Fiz-hamon Lord of Glamorgan in whose Right this Robert became Lord of Glamorgan being before by the King created E. of Glocester by whom the Castle of Cardaf was built But Madawc finding the matter nothing mended and that his other Uncle Cadwgan who lay under the same Obligation to the King of England ruled the Country hid himself in the most private and inaccessible places watching only an opportunity to commit the like Fact upon Cadwgan and to murder him by one treacherous way or another And this he effected in a little time for Cadwgan having reduced the Country to some sort of Settlement and Quietness and restored the Courts of Judicature where he sate in person to administer Justice came with the rest of the Elders of the Country to Trallwng now Pool and having begun to build a Castle he thought to make that the constant Seat of his Habitation Madawc understanding his Design laid in ambush for him in his way to Trallwng and as Cadwgan unconcernedly passed by without the least suscicion of Treachery he suddenly set upon him and slew him without allowing him any time either to fight or escape Then he sent presently a message to Shrewsbury to the Bishop of London the King's Lieutenant in the Marches to put him in mind of his former Promises to him when he chased Owen out of the Country because that the Bishop bearing an inveterate Enmity to Cadwgan and his Son Owen granted Madawc such Lands as his Brother Ithel was possessed of But Meredith ap Blethyn being informed of the death of both his Brothers went in all hast to the King desiring of him the Lands of Iorwerth in Powys which he had lately granted to Cadwgan which the King granted him till such time as Owen should return from Ireland Owen did not stay long before he came over and then going to King Henry he was honourably received and had all his Fathers Estate restored to him whereupon in gratitude of this signal Favour he voluntarily promised to pay the King a considerable Fine for the due payment of which he gave very responsible Pledges Madawc finding himself alone to be left in the lurch and that he had no seeming Power to bear Head against the King thought it also his wisest way to make what Reconciliation he could and therefore he offered the King a very great Fine if he should peaceably enjoy his former Estate promising withal never to molest or disturb any one that was subject to the Crown of England King Henry willing to bring all matters to a settled condition readily granted his Request and conferred upon him all he could reasonably ask for only with this Proviso that upon his peril he should provide for the Relations of them whom he had so basely murthered A.D. 1109 And thus all matters being brought to a peaceable conclusion in Wales the next Year Robert de Belesmo who had been one of the chief Instruments of these Welch Disturbances in that great Rebellion which himself with Roger de Montgomery Earl of Salop and his Brother Arnulph Earl of Pembroke had raised against the King was taken Prisoner by King Henry in Normandy and committed to perpetual Imprisonment in Warham-Castle The Year following Meredith A.D. 1110 ap Blethyn detached a considerable Party of his Men to make Incursions into the Country of Lhywarch ap Trahaern ap Gwyn who was an inveterate Enemy of himself and Owen by reason that by his Aid and Instigation Madawc was encouraged to kill his Uncles Iorwerth and Cadwgan These Men as they passed through Madawc's Country met a Person in the night-time who belonged to Madawc who being asked where his Master was after some pretence of ignorance at last through fear confessed that he was not far from that place Therefore lying quietly there all Night by break of day they arose to look out their Game and unexpectedly surpizing Madawc they flew a great number of his Men and took himself Prisoner and so carrying him to their Lord they deliver'd him up as the greatest Honour of their Expedition Meredith was not a little proud of his Prisoner and therefore to ingratiate himself the more with his Nephew Owen he committed him to safe Custody till he was sent for who coming thither streight Meredith delivered Madawc up to him Owen though he had the greatest reason for the most cruel Revenge by reason that both his Father and Uncle were basely murthered by this Madawc would not put him to death remembring the intimate Friendship and Oaths that had passed betwixt them but however to secure him from any future Mischief he might practise he pulled out his Eyes and then set him at liberty But least he should be capable of any Revenge by reason of his Estate and Strength in the Country Meredith and Owen thought fit to divide his Lands betwixt them which were Caernarvon Aberhiw with the third part of Deuthwfyr These home-bread Disturbances being pretty well abated a greater storm arose from abroad for the A.D. 1111 next Year King Henry prepared a mighty Army to enter into Wales being provoked thereto by the request
first On-let struck with an Arrow into the Heart of which Wound he presently dyed which when his Men saw they all fled and brought word to Lhywarch and the rest of their Fellows of what had happen'd and so suspecting the King's Army seeing they could not be trusted in their Service they all returned to their respective Countries Owen being in this manner unhappily slain his Brethren divided his Lands betwixt them excepting Caereneon which properly belonged to Madawc ap Ryryd ap Blethyn and which he had forcibly taken away from his Uncle Meredith His Father Cadwgan had several Children by different Women and besides himself he had Issue Madawc by Gwenlhian the Daughter of Gruffydh ap Conan Eineon by Sanna the Daughter of Dyfnwal Morgan by Efelhiw or Elhiw the Daughter of Cadifor ap Colhoyn Lord of Dyfed Henry and Gruffydh were by the Daughter of the Lord Pigot his wedded Wife Meredith by Eururon Hoedliw and himself by Inerth the Daughter of Edwyn But a while afterwards Eineon ap Cadwgan and Gruffydh ap Meredith ap Blethyn besieged the Castle of Cymmer in Merionythshire which was lately built by Vchtryd ap Edwyn for Cadwgan had bestowed upon Vchtryd his Cofin-German Merionyth and Cyfeilioc upon condition that in all Cases he should appear his Friend and his Sons after him contrary to which Promise he bore no manner of regard to Cadwgan's Children after Owen's death but to strengthen himself the better he erected this Castle of Cymmer which very much displeased many of Cadwgan's Sons And therefore Eineon and Gruffydh to make Vchtryd sensible of his Error in despising of them furiously set upon Cymmer Castle and having slain divers of the Garrison the rest surrender'd themselves and so taking possession of it they divided the Country betwixt them Mowdhwy Cyfyeilioc and half Penlhyn to Gruffydh ap Meredith and the other half of Penthyn with all Merionyth to Eineon The next Year King Henry failed with a great Army into Normandy against the French King who with the Earl of Flanders and others went about to make William the Son of Robert Curthoise Duke of Normandy but at the appearance of the King of England they all scatter'd and laid aside their intended Design About the same time Gilbert Strongbow Earl of Strigill to whom King Henry had given all Cardigan departed this Life after a long Fit of a Consumption much to the Joy and Satisfaction of the Welch who were in great measure displeased that they should be deprived of their own natural Lord Cadwgan from whom this Country was taken away and be forced to serve and be subject to a Stranger whose Kindness they had no great reason to expect But the Year following A.D. 1115 an irreconcilable Quarrel happen'd betwixt Howel ap Ithel Lord of Ros and Ryfonioc now Denbigh-land and Riryd and Lhywarch the Sons of Owen ap Edwyn And when they could not otherwise agree they broke out into open War and thereupon Howel sent to Meredith ap Blethyn and to Eineon and Madawc Cadwgan's Sons who came down from Merionyth with a Party of Four Hundred well-disciplin'd Men and encamped in Dyffryn Clwyd Riryd and Lhywarch on the other hand deâ—â—red the Assistance of their Cosins the Sons of Vchtryd and so both Armies meeting in the Vale of Clwyd they fell to Blows with a great deal of Spirit and Alacrity and after a tedious and a bloody Fight Lhywarch Owen ap Edwyn's Son was at last slain and with him Iorwerth the Son of Nudh a noble and a valorous Person and Riryd was forced to make his Escape by flight But though Howel obtained the Victory yet he did not long survive his slain Enemies for having received a desperate Wound in the Action dyed of it within Fourty Days and then Meredith ap Blethyn and the Sons of Cadwgan finding it dangerous to stay longer there for fear of some French who lay garrisoned in Chester returned home with all speed King Henry was still in Normandy and about this A.D. 1116 time a very great Battel was fought betwixt him and the French King who was shamefully vanquished and overthrown and had a great number of his Nobles taken Prisoners But as King Henry returned the following A.D. 11 7. Year for England one of the Ships happened by the negligence of the Pilot to be cast away wherein perished the King's two Sons William who was legitimate and Heir apparent to the Crown and Richard his base Son together with his Daughter and Neece and several others of his Nobility to the number in all of 150 Persons This unparallel'd Loss of so many Kindred and Friends did not perplex his Mind so long but that within a short time he began to solace and raise his drooping Spirits with the thoughts of a new Wife and having married Adelice A.D. 1118 the Daughter of the Duke of Lovain he purposed to go against Wales and having prepared his Forces he led them in person to Powys-land When Meredith ap Blethyn and Eineon Madawc and Morgan the Sons of Cadwgan and Lords of the Country heard of it they sent to Gruffydh ap Conan Prince of North Wales desiring some help at his hands who flatly refused assuring them that because he was at peace with the King of England he could neither with Honour nor Safety send them any Succour nor permit them to come within his Dominions The Lords of Powys receiving this unwelcom Answer and having now no manner of hopes of any Aid were resolved however to defend themselves as well as they could and therefore they thought it the most effectual means to annoy the Enemy and to keep them from entering into the Country was to observe and defend the Streights by which the Enemy must of necessity pass Neither were they out in their Policy for it happened that the King himself with a small number advanced to one of these narrow Passages the rest of the Army by reason of their Carriages having taken some compass about which the Welch perceiving presently poured a Shower of Arrows upon them and the advantage of the ground giving help to their Execution they slew and wounded a great many of the English The King himself was struck in the Breast but for all that the Arrow could not hurt him by reason of his Armour yet he was so terrified with this unexpected Conflict and considering with himself that he must receive several such Brushes before he could advance to the plain Country and what was above all being sensible that by such rash Misfortune he might lose all the Honour and Fame which he had before obtained sent a Message to parly with them who kept the Passage and with all assurance of Safety to desire them to come to the King The Welch being come and question'd how they had such Confidence to oppose the King and to put his Life in so much danger made Answer that they belonged to Meredith ap Blethyn and according to their Master's Orders they were
interdicted and forbidden to enter any Man's House or to compose any Song of any one without the special leave and warrant of the Party concerned with many other Ordinances relating to the like purpose Owen Gwynedh AFter the death of Gruffydh ap Conan his eldest Son Owen surnamed Gwynedh succeeded in the Principality of North Wales who no sooner had entered upon the Government but together with the rest of his Brethren he made an Expedition into South-Wales and having demolished and overthrown the Castles of Stradmeyric Stephan and Humffreys and laid in Ashes the Town of Caermardhyn he returned home with no less Honor than Booty and Plunder About the same time John Arch-Deacon of Lhanbaran departed this Life a Man of singular Piety and strictness of Life who for his rigid Zeal in Religion and Virtue was thought worthy to be canonized and to be counted among the number of the Saints This Year likewise King Stephen passed over to Normandy and having concluded a Peace with the French King and the Duke of Anjou returned back to England without any further delay But the following Spring gave opportunity for greater Undertakings David King of Scots upon the King of England's going to France last Summer had entered the Borders of England and continued to make considerable Wast and Havock in that part of the Country Whereupon King Stephen to rid his Country and his Subjects from so dangerous an Enemy marched with an Army towards the North whose coming the King of Scots hearing of he relinquished the Borders of England and retired to his own Country But that would not satisfie King Stephen who desired to be further revenged for the unpardonable Hostilities committed by the Scots in his Country and therefore pursuing the Scots to their own Country he harassed and laid wast all the South part of the Kingdom of Scotland But the King's absence animated several of the English Nobility to rebel to which purpose they fortified every one their Castles and strong Holds William Earl of Glocester those of Leeds and Bristol Ralph Lunel Cari William Fitz-Allen Shrewsbury Paganellus Ludlow William de Moyun Dunester Robert de Nichol Warham Eustace Fitz-John Merton and Walklyn Dover But for all these mighty Preparations the King in a short time became Master of them all some he won by assault others upon fair Promises and advantageous Conditions were surrendred up and some he got by treacherous and under-hand Contrivances The Scots thought to make good advantage of these Commotions in England and thereupon as soon as they heard that some of the English Nobility were in actual Rebellion against the King they entered into the Borders and began as they thought without any apprehension of Opposition to ravage and lay waste the Country before ' em But William Earl of Albemarle William Pyppell Earl of Nottingham Walter Espec and Gilbert Lacy gathered together all the Forces they could raise in the North and being animated and encouraged by the eloquent and pressing Oration of Ralph Bishop of Orkneys which he delivered in the audience of the whole Army they set upon the Scots at Almerton with such unanimous Courage that after a very great slaughter of his Men King David was glad to escape with his Life by flight After this King Stephen seized to his own use the Castles of Ludlow and Leeds and pressed the Bishops of Salisbury and Lincoln so hard that to prevent their perishing by Famine they were constrained to surrender the former the Castles of Vises and Shirburn the latter those of Newark upon Trent and Sleeford This did not a little augment the King's strength against the ensuing Storm for in the Summer this Year Maud the Empress Daughter and Heir to King Henry to whom King Stephen with all the Nobility of England had sworn Allegiance landed at Arundel with her Brother Robert Earl of Glocester and was there honourably received by William de Albineto who was lately married to Queen Adeliz King Henry's Widow with whom he received the Earldom of Arundel in Dowry But as soon as King Stephen heard of her landing he marched with all possible speed to Arundel and laid siege to the Castle but finding it upon tryal impregnable he raised the siege and by that means suffered the Empress and her Brother to escape to Bristol A.D. 1138 The next Year an unlucky Accident fell out in Wales Cynric one of Prince Owen's Sons having by some means or other disgusted Madawc ap Meredith ap Blethyn ap Confyn a Person of considerable Esteem and Estate in the Country was with his connivance set upon and slain by his Men. But the Affairs of England this Year afforded greater rarity of action King Stephen with a formidable Army laid siege to the City of Lincoln to the relief of which Ranulph Earl of Chester and Robert Earl of Glocester marched with their Forces But before they could arrive the Town was taken whereupon they drew up their Forces in order to give the King battel who on the other side was as ready to receive them King Stephen drew up his Forces in three Battels the first being led by the Earls of Britain Mellent Norfolk Hampton and Warren the second by the Earl of Albemarle and William of Ypres and the third by the King himself assisted by Baldwyn Fitz-Gilbert with several others of his Nobility Of the Enemies side the disinherited Barons had the first place the Earl of Chester with a considerable Party of Welchmen far better couraged than armed led the second and the Earl of Glocester the third Battel After a hot and bloody Dispute of both sides the Victory at length favoured the Barons King Stephen being first taken Prisoner and a little after the Queen together with William of Ypres and Bryan Fitz-Count But within a while after William Martell and Geffrey de Mandeville gathered together some fresh Forces and fought the Empress and her Brother at Winchester and having put the Empress to flight took Earl Robert Prisoner for exchange of whom the King was set at liberty The next Year King Stephen would A.D. 1139 try the other Adventure and received a second Overthrow at Wilton which however did not so much discourage him but that he laid so close a siege to the Empress at Oxford that she was glad to make her escape to Wallingford The same Year dyed Madawc ap Ednerth a Person of great Quality and Note in Wales and Meredith ap Howel a Man of no mean Esteem was slain by the Sons of Blethyn ap Gwyn For the two succeeding Years nothing remarkable A.D. 1140 passed in Wales excepting that this Year Howel ap Meredith ap Rhytherch of Cantref Rychan and Rhys ap Howel were cowardly slain by the Treachery and perfidious Practices of the Flemings and the next A.D. 1141 Year Howel ap Meredith ap Blethyn was basely murthered by his own Men at which time Howel and Cadwgan the Sons of Madawc ap Ednerth upon some unhappy Quarrel did kill
they placed themselves in an ambuscade and when the Game came that way they unexpectedly set upon the unarmed Sports-men and having easily made all the rest fly away they wounded Cadelh so cruelly that he narrowly escaped their hands alive who making shift to get home lay for a long time dangerously ill and with great difficulty at length recovered his Life Upon this his Brothers Meredith and Rhys passed with an Army into Gwyr and having burnt and destroyed the Country thereabouts they besieged and took the Castle of Aberlhychwr but finding they could not keep it they rased it to the Ground and after that returned home with great Booty to Dynefawr and repaired the Fortifications of the Castle there About the same time also Howel Prince Owen Gwynedh's Son fortified Humphry's Castle in the Valley of Caletwr A.D. 1151 But the following Year Prince Owen did a very barbarous Action to Cunetha his Brother Cadwalhon's Son for fearing lest that this young Man should lay claim to any part of his Estate as his Father 's right he first pulled out his Eyes and afterwards castrated him for fear he should beget any Children who might some time or other renew their claim and right to Cadwalhon's Estate This inhuman severity was succeeded by another of no small remark Lhewelyn Son to Madoc ap Meredith having watched a convenient Opportunity set upon and slew Stephen the Son of Baldwin But Cadwalader Prince Owen's Brother after a tedious Imprisonment which he had sustained thro' the Malice and Rancour of his Nephew Howel at length made his escape and flying to the Isle of Anglesey brought a considerable part of that Island under his subjection But Prince Owen hearing how that his Brother had got loose from custody and that he was in actual possession of a great part of Anglesey he presently dispatched an Army over which proving too formidable to Cadwalader's Party he was constrained to escape to England and to desire Succor from his Wife's Relations who was the Daughter of Gilbert Earl of Clare This Year Galfrede Arthur commonly called Geffrey of Monmouth was made Bishop of St. Asaph and at the same time Simon Archdeacon of Cyfeilioc a Man of great Worth and Esteem in his Country died But the Year following Meredith and Rhys the Sons A.D. 1152 of Gruffydh ap Rhys Prince of South-Wales laid Siege to Penwedic Castle which belonged to Howel Prince Owen's Son and after great pains and considerable loss of Men of their side at last made themselves Masters of it From thence they marched by Night to Tenby and unexpectedly falling upon the Castle of which one William Fitzgerald was Governor they scaled the Walls before the Garrison were aware of any Danger and so possessing themselves of the Castle they fell foul upon the Garrison in Revenge of the Mischief they had done and further designed to their Brother Cadelh For Cadelh at this time was gone upon a Pilgrimage and during his absence had committed his whole Inheritance and all other concerns in Wales to the Care of his Brethren Meredith and Rhys But after the taking Tenby-Castle they divided their Army into two Parties with one of which Rhys marched to Ystratcongen and after great havock and waste committed there he passed to Cyfeilioc which fared in like manner with Ystratcongen Meredith with the other Party sat before Aberavan-Castle and after a short Siege won and got possession of it and then returned home with very considerable Booty and many rich Spoils About the same time Rondel Earl of Chester who had lived in continual Enmity and frequent Hostility with Prince Owen of North-Wales departed this Life leaving his Son Hugh to enjoy both his Titles and Estate in England and to prosecute the Feuds and Hostilities against the Welch A.D. 1153 And shortly after died Meredith Son to Gruffydh ap Rhys Prince of South-Wales who was Lord of Cardigan Ystratywy and Dyfed being not passed the Twenty Fifth Year of his Age a Person of incomparable Valor and Audacity and in all his Warlike Attempts and Atchievements very Fortunate He was presently followed by Geoffrey Bishop of Llandaf a Man as Famous for Learning and a good Life as the other was for Masculine Bravery and Martial Prowess In England the face of things looked very lowring Henry Surnamed Shortmantel the Empress Son landed in England and in his progress thro' the Country took several Castles among which were Malmesbury Wallingford and Shrewsbury But his Fury was quickly appeased by the Death of Eustace King Stephen's Son so that the sole obstacle for his succeeding to the Crown being now removed he willingly concluded a Peace with King Stephen permitting him to enjoy the Crown peaceably for his life upon Condition A. D 1154 that himself was declared his Successor But King Stephen did not long survive this Treaty and then Henry Plantagenet the Empress Son was Crowned in A.D. 1155 his stead Towards the beginning of King Henry's reign Rhys Gruffydh ap Rhys King of South Wales upon apprehension that Owen Gwynedh had raised an Army for the Conquest of South-Wales drew together all his Strength and marched to Aberdyfi to face the Enemy upon their own Borders But finding the Rumor to be false and that the Prince of North-Wales had no such Design in hand having built a Castle at Aberdyfi which might defend the Frontiers from any future Design of his Country he returned back without attempting any thing farther At the same time Madoc ap Meredith built a Castle at Caereneon near Cymer and then Eglwys Fair in Myfot was founded About this time also Meyric Nephew to Prince Madoc ap Meredith made his escape out of Prison wherein he had been detained by his Uncle for a considerable time The same Year King Henry being displeased with the Flemings whom his Predecessor King Stephen had brought over into England issued out a Proclamation charging the greatest part of them to depart his Dominions and to retire to their Country-men in West-Wales where his Grandfather Henry the First the Bastard's Son had planted them And thus that part of Wales called Pembroke-shire was over-run with these Strangers who being better befriended by the Kings of England than the Welch could well expect to be made sure footing in that Country where they have ever since continued firm It was the English Policy of those times to accept of any opportunity to curb and keep under the Welch whom they experienced to be none of the safest Neighbours and therefore the Kings of England did grant any Lands and Privileges in Wales to any that would accept of them which honestly they had no Power to bestow But this was not enough in detriment to the Welch A.D. 1156 for the Year following King Henry raised a very great Army which he gathered from all parts of England with purpose to subdue all North-Wales being principally moved hereto by the instigation of Cadwalader the Prince's Brother whom Owen Gwynedh for what Reasons not
Edeyrneon and Dinmael which he left to his Sons Gruffydh Blethyn and Iorwerth Owen Madawc had to his Portion Mechain-Is-Coed and had Issue Lhewelyn and Owen Fychan But Gruffydh Maelor the eldest Son Lord of Bromfield had to his part both the Maelors with Mochnant-is-Raydar and married Angharad the Daughter of Owen Gwynedh Prince of North-Wales by whom he had Issue one Son named Madawc who held his Father's Inheritance intirely and left it so to his only Son Gruffydh who was called Lord of Dînas Brân because he lived in that Castle He married Emma the Daughter James Lord Audley by whom he had Issue Madawc Lhewelyn Gruffydh and Owen This Gruffydh ap Madawc took part with King Henry the Third and Edward the First against the Prince of North-Wales and therefore for fear of the said Prince he was forced to keep himself secure within his Castle of Dinas Brân which being situated upon the summity of a very steep Hill seemed impregnable to all the daring Efforts that could be used against it After his death Edward the first dealt very unkindly with his Children who were of Age to manage their own Concerns and making two of them privately away bestowed the Wardship of Madoc his eldest Son who had by his Father's Will the Lordships of Bromfield and Yale with the reversion of Maelor Saesnec Hopesdale and Mouldsdale his Mother's Joynture on John Earl Warren and the Wardship of Lhewelyn to whose share fell the Lordships of Chirke and Nanheudwy to Roger Mortimer third Son to Roger Mortimer the Son of Ralph Mortimer Lord Mortimer of Wigmor But Emma Gruffydh's Wife having in her possession for her Dowry Maelor Saesnec Hopesdale and Moulsdale with the presentation of Bangor Rectory and seeing two of her Sons disinherited and done away and the fourth dead without Issue and doubting lest Gruffydh her only surviving Child could not long continue she conveyed her Estate to the Audley's her own Kin who getting possession of it took the same from the King from whom it came to the House of Derby where it continued for a long time till at length it was sold to Sir John Glynne Serjeant at Law in whose Family it still remaineth But Earl Warren and Roger Mortimer forgetting what signal Service Gruffydh ap Madoc had performed for the King guarded their new Possessions with such caution and strictness that they took especial care they should never return to any of the Posterity of the legal Proprietor and therefore having obtained the King's Patent they began to secure themselves in the said Lordships John Earl Warren began to build Holt-Castle which was finished by his Son William and so the Lordships of Bromfield and Yale continued in the name of the Earls of Warren for three Descents viz. John William and John who dying without Issue the said Lordships together with the Earldom of Warren descended to Alice Sister and Heir to the last John Earl Warren who was married to Edmond Fitz Alan Earl of Arundel in which House they remained for three Descents namely Edmund Richard Richard his Son and Thomas Earl of Arundel But for want of Issue to this last Thomas Earl of Arundel and Warren the said Lordships fell to two of his Sisters whereof one named Elizabeth was married to Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk and the other called Joan to William Beauchamp Lord of Abergavenny But since they came to the Hands of Sir William Stanley Knight who being attainted of High Treason they devolved by forfeiture to the Crown and now are annexed to the Principality of Wales But Roger Mortimer the other sharer in the Lands of Gruffydh ap Madoc was made Justice of North-Wales built the Castle of Chirke and married Lucia the Daughter and Heir of Sir Robert de Wafre Knight by whom he had Issue Roger Mortimer who was married to Joan Turbervill by whom he had John Mortimer Lord of Chirke This John sold the Lordship of Chirke to Richard Fitzalan Earl of Arundel Edmund's Son and so it was again annexed to Bromfield and Yale The third Son of Gruffydh Lord of Dinas Brân named also Gruffydh had for his part Glyn Dwrdwy which Gruffydh ap Gruffydh had Issue Madoc Crupl who was the Father of Madoc Fychan the Father of Gruffydh the Father of Gruffydh Fychan who was the Father of Owen Glyndwr who rebelling in the days of Henry the Fourth Glyndwrdwy by confiscation came to the King of whom it was afterwards purchased by Robert Salisbury of Rug in whose Family it still remaineth Owen the Fourth Son of Gruffydh Lord of Dinas Brân had for his share Cynlhaeth with the Rights and Priviledges thereunto belonging The other part of Powys comprehending the Countries of Arustly Cyfeilioc Lhannerch-hudol Caereneon Mochnach uwch Rayadr Mechan uwch Coed Moudhwy Deudhwr Ystrad Marchelh and Teir Tref or the three Towns rightfully descended to Gruffydh ap Meredith ap Blethyn by Henry the first created Lord Powys Who married Gweyryl or Weyryl the Daughter of Vrgene ap Howel ap Iefaf ap Cadogan ap Athlestan Glodryth by whom he had Issue Owen Surnamed Cyfeilioc This Owen enjoyed his Father's Estate intire and married Gwenlhiam the Daughter of Owen Gwynedh Prince of North-Wales who bore him one Son named Gwenwynwyn or Wenwynwyn from whom that part of Powys was afterwards called Powys Wenwynwyn He had moreover a base Brother called Caswalhon upon whom he bestowed the Countries of Swydh Lhannerch Hudol and Braniarth Gwenwynwyn succeeded his Father in all his Estate saying what Caswalhon enjoyed and married Margaret the Daughter of Rhys ap Theodor Prince of South Wales by whom he had Gruffydh ap Gwenâ—ynwyn who succeeding his Father in all his Possessions had Issue six Sons by Margaret the Daughter of Robert Corbet Brother to Thomas Lord Corbet of Cous and so the intire Estate of Gruffydh ap Meredith ap Blethyn Lord of Powys became shattered and torn into divers Pieces Owen Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn's eldest Son had for his part Arustly Cyfeilioc Lhannerch Hudol and a part of Caereneon Lhewelyn had Mochnant uwch Rayadr and Mechain uwch Coed John the third Son had the fourth part of Caerenion William had Moudhwy Gruffydh Fychan had Deudh rr Ystrat-Marchelh and Teir Tref and David the sixth and youngest Son had the other fourth part of Caereneon Owen ap Gruffydh had Issue one only Daughter named Hawys Gadarn or the Hardy whom he left his Heir but her Uncles Lhewolyn John Gruffydh Fychan and David thinking it an easy matter to dispossess an Orphan challenged the Lands of their Brother Owen alledging for a Cloak to their Usurpation that a Woman was not capable of holding any Lands in that Country But Hawys made such Friends in England that her Case was made known to King Edward the Second who bestowed her in Marriage upon a Servant of his named John Charleton termed Valectus Domini Regis who was born at Appley near Wellington in the County of Salop Anno One Thousand Two Hundred
any Ambushment lurking therein and for a more clear prospect of the Enemy But some of the Welch took advantage of this opportunity who being well acquainted with the Passage without the knowledg of their Officers fell upon the King's Guard where all the Pike-men were posted and after a hot Skirmish several were slain on both sides But in fine the King wan the passage and so marched on to the Mountain of Berwyn where he lay sometime without any Hostility on either side both Armies standing in fear of each other The English kept the open Plains and were afraid to be entrapp'd in the Streights and narrow Passages and the Welch on the other hand watched the Advantage of the place and observed the English so narrowly that neither Forage or Victuals could pass to the King's Camp And what augmented the misery of the English Army there happened to fall such a Rain that mightily disturbed their Encampment in so much that the Soldiers could scarcely stand for the disadvantage of those slippery Hills But in the end King Henry was forced to decamp and after a very considerable loss of Men and Ammunition besides the great Charges of this Expedition was compell'd to return back to England But to express the great dissatisfaction he entertained of this Enterprize in a great fury he plucked out the Eyes of the Hostages which he had some time afore received from the Welch which were Rhys and Cadwalhon the Sons of Owen Prince of North-Wales and Cynric and Meredith the Sons of Rhys of South-Wales Some write that in assailing of a Bridg the King was in no small danger of his Life one of the Welch having aimed directly at him was like to pierce him through the Body had not Hubert de Clare Constable of Colchester who perceived the Arrow a coming thrust himself betwixt the King and it though to the loss of his own Life But though King Henry was shamefully forced to return to England yet he did not give over the thoughts of subduing the Welch and therefore after a long Consultation he made a third Expedition into Wales conveying his Army by Sea as far as Chester There he staid for some time till all his Fleet as well those Ships that he had hired out of Ireland as his own were all arrived But when they were all come together and got safely to Chester his mind was altered and instead of a design against Wales he unexpectedly dismissed his whole Army Prince Rhys was glad of this opportunity and therefore withdrawing his Forces from the Confederate Army he marched to the Siege of Aberteifi Castle which being surrendred to him he rased to the ground From thence he got before Cilgerran which he used after the same manner and therein took Prisoner Robert the Son of Stephen his Cosin-German who was the Son of Nest his Aunt who after the death of Gerald had married Stephen Constable The joy of these happy Successes on the part of the Welch was somewhat clouded by the death of Lhewelyn Son of Owen Prince of North-Wales a Person of great Worth and exceedingly well beloved of all his Country A.D. 1165 And now the Welch being something secure from any Invasion from the English there rose up another Enemy to create them Disturbance the Flemings and Normans finding the English to fail in their Attempt against the Welch thought they might with better success quell and subdue them And therefore they came to West-Wales with a great Army and laid siege to the Castle of Cilgerran which Rhys had lately fortified but after two different Assaults they were manfully beat back and forced to depart home again But what the Flemings could not effect against the Welch in South-Wales the Welch easily brought about against the English in North-Wales for Prince Owen having besieged Basingwerk Castle then in the possession of the King of England without much time spent made himself Master of it But it was always the misfortune of the Welch that when they found themselves secure from any Enemy abroad they were sure to quarrel and fall out at home though indeed it could not be well otherwise expected where so many petty States endeavoured still to surmount and out-vie one another And now when all things went very successfully of their sides in opposition to the English two ambitious Persons began to kindle a Flame in their own bosoms Owen Cyfeilioc the Son of Gruffydh ap Maredith Lord of Powys and Owen Fychan second Son to Madawc ap Meredith forcibly dispossessed Iorwerth Goch of his Estate in Powys which they divided betwixt themselves Mochnant Vwch Rayadr to Owen Cyfeilioc and Mochnant is Rayadr to Owen Fychan But the rest of the Princes of Wales could not brook this Injury done to Iorwerth Goch and therefore A.D. 1166 Owen Prince of North-Wales with his Brother Cadwalader and Rhys Prince of South-Wales went with an Army into Powys against Owen Cyfeilioc and having chased him out of the Country they bestowed Caereneon upon Owen Fychan to hold it of Prince Owen and Rhys had Walwern by reason that it lay near his own Territories But within a while after Owen Cyfeilioc returned with a numerous band of Normans and English along with him and laid siege to the Castle of Caereneon which he burnt to the ground But the loss of this place was made up by the taking of Ruthlan Castle which Owen Rhys and Cadwalader joyntly besieged and which was so strongly fortified and so manfully defended that it cost them three Months before they could make themselves Masters of the place Afterwards they won the Castle of Prestatyn and reduced the whole Country of Tegengl subject to Prince Owen and then returned home to their respective Dominions And from henceforward nothing of moment was transacted during the remainder of Prince Owen's Reign A.D. 1167 only his Son Conan most unmercifully slew Vrgeney Abbot of Lhwythlawr together with his Nephew Lhawthen But a little after Prince Rhys of South-Wales A.D. 1168 released out of Prison his Nephew Robert Son to Stephen Constable whom as is said before he had taken at the Siege of Calgarran Castle and sent him to Ireland to the aid of Dermot the Son of Murchart King of Linster who was then in actual war with the King of Leimster With him and his Brother Morris Fitz-Gerald and their Nephews Robert Meyler and Raymond went over a strong Detachment of Welchmen under the command of Richard Strongbow Earl of Strigule who were the chief motive of the Conquest of Ireland when it was first brought in subjection to the Crown of England A.D. 1169 But the next Year Owen Gwynedh Son of Gruffydh ap Conan Prince of North-Wales departed this Life in the Two and Thirtieth Year of his Reign He was a wise and a valourous Prince ever fortunate and victorious in all his Undertakings insomuch as he never undertook any Design but what he accomplished He had by different Women several Issues who gat themselves greater Esteem
to the Kings hands the City of Dublyn the Town of Waterford with all such Towns and Castles as he got in right of his Wife whereupon the King restored to him all his Lands both in England and Normandy and created him Lord Steward of Ireland For this Earl of Strigule had lately without the King's Permission gone over to Ireland and had married the Daughter of Dermott King of Dublyn which King Henry took in such an indignation that he presently seized upon all his Lands in England and Normandy Therefore the King having now some footing in Ireland the Expedition was unanimously concluded upon and so the King set upon his Journey and coming towards Wales he was received by Prince Rhys whose Submission the King liked so well that he presently confirmed to him all his Lands in South-Wales To return the King's Favour Rhys promised his Majesty 300 Horses and 4000 Oxen toward the Conquest of Ireland for the sure payment of which he delivered Fourteen Pledges Then King Henry marching forward came to Caeriheon upon Vske and entering the Town he dispossessed the right Owner Iorwerth ap Owen ap Caradoc and kept it for his own proper use placing a Garrison of his own Men therein But Iorwerth was not so easie-mouth'd as to be so unreasonably curb'd by the King and therefore departing in a great fury from the King's presence he called to him his two Sons Owen and Howel whom he had by Angharad the Daughter of Vchtryd Bishop of Llandaf and his Sisters Son Morgan ap Sitsylht ap Dyfnwal and bringing together all the Forces they were able upon the King's departure they entered the Country and committing all the Waste and Destruction as they came along they at last came before Caerlheon which when they took they used in the like manner spoiling and destroying whatever they could meet with so that nothing escaped their Fury excepting the Castle which they could not win The King was in the mean time upon his Journey to Pembroke where being accompanied by Prince Rhys he gave him a grant of all Cardigan Ystratywy Arustly and Eluel in Recompence of all the Civilities and Honour he paid him And so Rhys returned to Aberteifi a Town he had lately won from the Earl of Glocester and there having prepared his Present about the beginning of October he returned again to Pembrock having ordered Eighty Six Horses to follow him which being presented to the King he accepted of Thirty Six of the choicest and returned the rest with great Thanks The same day King Henry went to S. Davids and after he had offered to the Memory of that Saint he dined with the Bishop who was the Son of Gerald Cosin-German to Rhys whither Richard Strongbow Earl of Strygile came from Ireland to confer with the King Within a while after King Henry being entertained by Rhys at the White-House restored to him his Son Howel who had been for a considerable time detained as a Pledg and appointed him a certain day for payment of his Tribute at which time all the rest of the Pledges should be set at liberty The day following being the next after the Feast of S. Luke the King went on board and the Wind blowing very favourably set sail for Ireland and being safely arrived upon those Coasts he landed at Dublyn where he rested for that whole Winter in order to make greater Preparations against the following Campaign But the change of the Air and Climate occasion'd such a raging Distemper and Infection among the Soldiers that to prevent the perishing of his whole Army A.D. 1172 the King was forced to return with what speed he could back for England and so having shipp'd off all his Army and Effects he loosed Anchor and landed in Wales in the Passion Week next Year and coming to Pembrock he stayed there on Easter-day and then proceeded upon his Journey towards England Rhys hearing of the King's return was very officious to pay him his Devotion and would gladly feign to be one of the first who should welcome him over and so meeting with him at Talacharn he expressed all the Ceremonies of Duty and Allegiance Then the King passed on and as he came from Caerdyf by the new Castle upon Vsk meaning to leave Wales in a peaceable condition he sent for Iorwerth ap Owen ap Caradoc who was the only Person in open Enmity against him and that upon very just ground willing him to come and treat about a Peace and assuring him of a safe Conduct for himself his Sons and all the rest of his Associates Iorwerth was willing to accept of the Proposal and thereupon set forward to meet the King having sent an Express to his Son Owen a valourous young Gentleman to meet him by the way Owen according to his Fathers Orders set forward on his Journey with a small retinue without any thing of Arms or Weapons of War as thinking it Folly to clog himself with such needless Carriage when the King had promised a safe Conduct But he did not find it so safe for as he passed the new Castle upon Vske the Earl of Bristol's Men who were garrison'd therein laid in wait for him as he came along and setting cowardly upon him slew him with most of his Company But some few escaped to acquaint his Father Iorwerth of such a treacherous Action who hearing that his Son was so basely murthered contrary to the King 's absolute promise of a safe Passage without any farther consultation about the matter presently returned home with Howel his Son and all his Friends and would no longer put any trust or confidence in any thing that the King of England or any of his Subjects promised to do But on the other side to avenge the Death of his Son who was so cowardly cut off he presently raised all the Forces that himself and the rest of his Friends were able to do and so entering into England he destroyed with Fire and Sword all the Country to the Gates of Hereford and Glocester But the King was so intent upon his return that he seemed to take no great notice of what Iorwerth was doing and therefore having by Commission constituted Lord Rhys Chief Justice of all South-Wales he forthwith took his Journey to Normandy About this time dyed Cadwalader ap Gruffydh the Son of Gruffydh ap Conan sometime Prince of North-Wales who by his Wife Alice the Daughter of Richard Clare Earl of Glocester had Issue Cunetha Radulph and Richard and by other Women Cadfan Cadwalader Eineon Meredith Goch and Cadwalhon Towards the end of this Year Sitsylht ap Dyfnwal and Iefan ap Sitsylht ap Riryd surprized the Castle of Abergavenny which belonged to the King of England and having made themselves Masters of it they took the whole Garrison Prisoners A.D. 1173 But the following Year there happened a very great difference and a falling out betwixt King Henry and his Son of the same Name this latter being upholded by
ensuing Year Prince Rhys levies a great Army whose first Attempt was upon the Town and Castle of Caermadthyn both which he took in a short time and destroyed and then returned with considerable Booty Not long after he led the said Army to the Marches and invested the Castle of Clun which was not so easily taken as the former for this cost him a long Siege and many a fierce Assault and therefore to be revenged of it when he took it he laid it in Ashes thence he proceeded to the Castle of Radnor which he likewise wan but immediately after it cost him a bloody Battel for he was no sooner Master of the Castle but Roger Mortimer and Hugh de Say came with a numerous and well-disciplin'd Army consisting of Normans and English to the relief of it Whereupon Prince Rhys thinking it not his best course to confine his Men within the Walls led 'em up into a Champion Ground hard by and there like a valiant Prince resolved to give his Enemies Battel though they had much the advantage of him for his Men were neither so well armed nor so much accustomed to Battel as the others were however their Courage made amends for their Arms and their Leaders Prudence and Conduct supply'd the Defects of their Discipline for they chose rather to die honourably in the Defence of their Country than shamefully to survive the Loss of it and therefore they attack'd their Enemies so valiantly that they were not long able to withstand their Force but quitted the Field in great Disorder leaving a great number of their Men behind them slain upon the spot and Prince Rhys pursued them so warmly that they were glad of the shelter of the Night to protect them from his Fury After this Victory he besieged the Castle of Payne in Elfel which he easily took and kept in his own hands till William de Bruce the Owner thereof came to him and humbly desired Peace of him which he granted him and withal deliver'd him up his Castle again Not long after the Archbishop of Canterbury whom King Richard had substituted his Lieutenant in England marches with a powerful Army towards Wales and besieges the Castle of Gwenwynwyn at the Pool but the Garrison made such a vigorous Defence that he lost a great many of his Men and all his Aâ—â—empts proved ineffectual therefore he sent for some Pyoneers whom he ordered to undermine the Walls which when the besieged understood they bethought of securing themselves on the most honourable Terms they could they were not willing to put themselves to the hazard of a Battel for their Enemies were thrice their Number therefore they proposed to surrender up the Castle on condition they should carry off all their Arms along with them Which Offer the Archbishop accepted of and so permitted the Garrison to march out quietly Then fortifying the Castle for the King's use and putting a strong Garrison in it for its defence he returned again to England But Gwenwynwyn was not so willing to part from his Castle as never to attempt the Recovery of it therefore as soon as he understood that the Archbishop was gone back he immediately besieged it and shortly after received it on the same Terms that his Men had deliver'd it up and afterwards kept it for his own use A.D. 1197 The following Year there broke out a terrible Plague which spread over all Britain and France and carried off a great number of the Nobility besides common People This Year likewise dyed the valiant Rhys Prince of South-Wales the only Stay and Defence of that part of Wales for he it was that got them their Liberty and secured it to them He often very readily exposed his own Life for the defence of theirs and their Country generally he got the better of his Enemies and at last either brought them entirely under his Subjection or forced them to quit their Country He was no less illustrious for his virtuous Endowments than for his Valour and Extraction so that it was with good reason that the British Bards and others wrote so honourably of him and so mightily deplored his Death To this Prince were born many Sons and Daughters whereof his elder Son Gruffydh succeeded him the others were Cadwalhon Maelgon Meredith and Rhys Of his Daughters one called Gwenthtan was married to Ednyfed Fychaâ— Ancestor to Owen Tudor that married Kitharine Queen-Dowager to King Henry the Fifth And the rest were very well match'd with some of the Nobility of the Country Prince Gruffydh being settled in the Government of his Country did not long enjoy it peaceably for his troublesom Brother Maelgon thought it now a fit time to endeavour the recovery of the Inheritance his Father had deprived him of To this purpose he makes a League with Gwenwynwyn the Son of Owen Cyfeilioc Lord of Powys and by their joynt Interest got together a considerable Body of Men wherewith they surprized Prince Gruffydh at Aberystwyth whom after they had slain a great many of his Men they took Prisoner Thus Maelgon effectually accomplished his Design in the recovery of the Castle and the whole Country of Cardigan His unfortunate Brother he committed to the custody of his spiteful Confederate Gwenwynwyn who immediately out of Malice deliver'd him up to the Mercy of his inveterate Enemies the English After this Gwenwynâ—yn having got together an Army entered Arustly and brought it to his subjection David ap Owen whom Prince Lhewelyn had forâ—ed to quit his Usurpation of the Principality of North-Wales had hitherto lived quietly and peaceably not so much out of kindness to his Nephew as because he knew not how to redress himself but now having got a great Army of English and Welch he used his utmost Efforts to recover his Principality Whereupon Prince Lhewelyn who was the right Heir and in possession of it came on boldly to meet him and gave him battel wherein he shamefully routed his Army and took his Uncle David Prisoner whom he delivered into safe custody whereby he secured to himself and his Country Peace and Quietness Towards the close of this Year Owen Cyfeilioc Lord of the higher Powys departed this Life and left his Estate to Gwenwynwyn his Son after whom that part of Powys was called Powys-Wenwynwyn to distinguish it from the other called Powys Fadoc the Inheritance of the Lords of Bromfield Much about this time Trahaern Fychan a Man of great Power and Authority in the County of Brecknock was suddenly seized upon as he was going to Llancors to confer about some business with William de Bruce Lord thereof and by an Order of the Lords tyed to an Horse Tail and dragged through the Streets of Brecknock to the Gallows where he was beheaded and his Body hung up by the Feet for three Days Which Barbarity inflicted upon him for no known just Cause so frightned his Brothers Wife and Children that they fled their Country for fear of the same Usage The A.D. 1198 Year
News was brought him that Gwenwynwyn Lord of Powys was revolted and was become again the King of England's Subject This unwelcome News struck very deep in the Prince's Mind by reason that Gwenwynwyn was a Man of great Power and Strength in the Country and went a great way to repel the Incursions of the English upon the Marches which now he being gone off could not he feared be so well effected But however to make the best of a bad Market he endeavoured to take him off from the English and to restore him to his former Allegiance due to himself as his Natural Prince and to that end he sent to him some Bishops and Abbots to put him in mind of his Oath and Promise how that he with the rest of the Lords of Wales had obliged himself to oppose the English to the utmost of his Power and had delivered Pledges for the sure performance of what he had then by Oath engaged in and lest he should have forgot what he had then promised he was desired to read his own hand Writing whereby it was apparent that he had very unjustly violated both his Oath and Promise But all the Rhetorick the Bishops could make use of was not of force enough to work Gwenwynwyn to reconciliation with the Prince and an aversion to the King of England and therefore seeing nothing would do Prince Lhewelyn was resolved to make him incapable of serving the English and so entring Powys with a strong Army he subdued the whole Country to himself Gwenwynwyn being forced to fly for Succor to the Earl of Chester Whilst these things passed in Wales Lewis the Dauphin of France being invited by the English Barons against King John landed in the Island of Thanet and marching forward to London he there received Homage of all the Barons that were in actual War against the King And then setting forward to Winchester where King John then lay he took in his way the Castles of Rygat Guildford and Farnham and coming to Winchester had the Town presently surrendred to him King John did not think fit to abide his coming but removing to Hereford in the Marches of Wales he sent to Prince Lhewelyn and Reynold Bruce desiring their Friendship and imploring their Aid aad Assistance against the French But they refusing to hearken to his Proposals he destroyed Radnor and Hay Castles and marching forward to Oswestry which belonged to John Fitzalan he burnt it to the ground and then departed towards the North. But after that he had settled his Affairs there and appointed Governours in all the Towns and Places of Strength whilst he was making all necessary Preparations at Newark to confront the Barons he fell sick and in a short time died and was buried at Worcester After his Death his Son Henry was by several of the English Nobility proclaimed King and in a little while most of the Barons who upon their hatred to King John had maintained an open War against him came in and owned their Allegiance to his Son Henry tho contrary to their Oath to Lewis the Dauphine A.D. 1217 But what was most pernicious to the Welch Reynald de Bruce who had all this while maintained a Confederacy with Prince Lhewelyn his Father-in-Law against King John underhand made his Peace with King Henry But he suffered severely for his Treachery for young Rhys and Owen his Nephew by his Sister seeing that he in whom they put their greatest Confidence had deceitfully forsaken them came upon him with all their Power and took from him all Buelht excepting only the Castle Prince Lhewelyn was presently made acquainted with Bruce's revolt but as soon as he was informed that his Son-in-Law was gone over to the King of England he went in great fury to Brecknoc and laying Siege to the Town of Aberhondhy he was with much ado prevailed upon by young Rhys to raise the Siege for the summ of a Hundred Marks and then crossing the Mountanous part of Glamorgan called the Black Mountains where his Carriages suffered very much he came to Gwyr and encamping at Lhangruc Reynald Bruce with six Knights in his Company came to meet him desiring his Pardon for his passed Offence assuring him that for the future he would be true and faithful to him and would to his endeavour assist him against the King of England Prince Lhewelyn was too good natured to reject his submission and so did not only receive him to his Favour but bestowed upon him also the Castle of Senghennyth which Reynald committed to the Custody of Rhys Fychan Prince Lhewelyn having settled all things in good Order in Gwyr marched to Dyfed and being at Cefn Cynwarchan the Flemings sent their Agents to him to desire Peace which the Prince by reason that they always adhered to the English Interest would not grant them And so young Rhys having the first Man passed the River Cledeu to Storm the Town Iorwerth Bishop of St. Davids with the rest of his Clergy came to the Prince to intreat for a Peace for the Flemings which after a long debate was granted and concluded upon these Terms First That all the â—nhabitants of Rhôs and the Country of Pembroke should from thence forward swear Allegiance to Prince Lhewelyn and ever after acknowledge his Sovereignty Secondly That towards the defraying of his Charges in this Expedition they should pay one Thousand Marks to be delivered to him before the ensuing Feast of St. Michael Thirdly That for the sure performance of these Articles they should deliver up Twenty Hostages who were to be some of the most Principal Persons in their Country Then Prince Lhewelyn having now brought all Wales subject to himself and put Matters in a settled posture in South Wales returned to North-Wales having purchased very considerable Honour and Esteem for his Martial Achievements in this Expedition And now all Matters of Differences being adjusted and the Welch in good hopes of a durable Freedom from all Troubles and Hostilities another Accident unhappily fell out to cross their Expectation Lewis the Dauphin perceiving the English Barons to slight and forsake him concluded a Peace with King Henry and returned to France and then the Barons the King promising to answer all their Request and to redress their Grievances made their submission without including the Welch in their Articles They had all this while gladly embraced the Friendship and Aid of the Prince of Wales but now upon their Reconciliation to the King thinking they had no farther need of him they very basely forsook him who had been the principal Support and Succour of their Cause And not only so but they conspired together to convert their Arms against Wales thinking they could without any breach of Equity or Conscience take away the Lands of the Welch to make addition to what some of them had already unjustly possessed themselves of William Marshall Earl of Pembroke opened the Scene and coming unexpectedly upon the Welch took the Town of Caerlheon But he
Noblemen offered to be Securities and bound themselves by their several Writings But as if all things had conspired together against Prince David See Appendix several Persons that had been at continual variance and enmity among themselves to this time were now by reason that they equally favoured Gruffydh's Cause made Friends among one another Morgan ap Howel Lord of Cery made his Reconciliation to Sir Ralph Mortimer See Appendix and his Submission to King Henry in a very solemn manner In the same form several others of the Nobility submitted to the King as Owen ap Howel Maelgon ap Maelgon Meredith ap Meredith Howel ap Cadwalhon and Cadwalhon ap Howel David finding himself thus relinquished by the greatest part of his Nobility and particularly by Gruffydh ap Madawc Lord of Bromfield whom he chiefly feared by reason of his great Wisdom and Power and that he was much esteemed by the King of England could not easily conclude how to carry himself in this perplexity of Affairs But in fine considering with himself what a puissant Army King Henry brought against him and how himself was considerably weakened by the defection of his Subjects he thought it most adviseable to truckle to the King and therefore with all speed sent him his Submission See Appendix Prince David having given a plenary Submission to the King desired that being his Nephew and the lawful Heir and Successor of his Father Prince Lhewelyn he should enjoy the Principality of Wales rather than Gruffydh who was illegitimate and in no wise related to the King assuring him further that the War would never be at an end if he was set at liberty King Henry knowing well the truth of all this and withal being assured that Gruffydh was not only valiant himself but had likewise very powerful Abettors and Promoters of his Cause was very inclinable to assent to David's Request and to prevent any farther Troubles willingly granted it Therefore David in a while after sent his Brother Gruffydh to the King together with the Pledges promised for the performance of the Articles lately agreed upon who were all sent to the Tower of London to be kept in safe custody Gruffydh being allowed a Noble a day to provide himself with Necessaries Shortly after David came himself to London and after he had done his Homage and sworn Fealty to the King of England returned to Wales being honourably and peaceably dismissed But as soon as Gruffydh found out King Henry's mind and that it was the least part of his design to set him at liberty having flatly denyed the Bishop of Bangor his request therein he began to set his Brains a working and to devise a means whereby he might make his escape out of the Tower Whereupon having one night deceived his Keepers he let himself down from the top of the Building by a Line which he had composed out of the Sheets and Hangings of the Room which being too weak to bear his weight being a heavy corpulent Person let him down headlong to the ground by the greatness of which Fall he was crushed to pieces and so presently expired King Henry being informed of this unhappy Accident severely punished the Officers for their inexcusable Carelesness and ordered that his Son who was kept Prisoner with him in the Tower should be more narrowly observed After this King Henry fortified the Castle of Dyserth in Flintshire and for their passed Service or rather to oblige them to the like after granted to Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn all his Estate in Powys and to the Sons of Conan ap Owen Gwynedh their Lands in Merionyth And the next Year Maelgon Fychan fortifyed A.D. 1242 the Castle of Garthgrugyn John de Mynoc the Castle of Buelht and Roger Mortimer that of Melyenyth But all these Preparations were not to no purpose for the following Year early King Henry came with A.D. 1243 an Army into Wales and began very unreasonably to molest the Welch and without any just pretence forcibly to seize upon their Lands and Estates Indeed after the death of Gruffydh he had a mind no longer to keep his Promise to David and therefore entitled his eldest Son Edward to the Principality of Wales whom he thought to oblige the Welch to obey But Prince David understanding his design levyed all his Power for the defence of his just Right yet finding himself unable to withstand the Army of the English purposed to effect that by Policy which he could not attain by Force He sent therefore to the Pope complaining how that King Henry of England compelled him unjustly to hold his Lands of him and that upon no legal pretence he seized the Estates of the Welch at his pleasure telling him moreover that Prince Lhewelyn his Father had left him and the Principality of Wales to the Protection of the See of Rome to which he was willing to pay the yearly Sum of Five Hundred Marks obliging himself and his Successors by Oath for the due performance of this Payment The Pope you may be sure gladly accepted of the Offer and thereupon gave commission to the two Abbots of Aberconwey and Cymer to absolve David from his Oath of Allegiance to the King of England and having enquired into the whole Estate of the Quarrel to transmit an account of it to him The Abbots See Appendâ—x according to their Commission directed a very positive Mandat to the King of England King Henry admiring the strange Presumption and Confidence of these Abbots or more the unsatiable Avarice and Greediness of the Pope sent also to Rome and with a greater Sum of Money easily adjusted all matters his Holyness being very desirous to make the best advantage of both Parties But Prince David finding that the Pope minded his own Gain more than to justifie his Complaints against the King of England thought it to no purpose to rely upon his Faith but judged it more advisable to vindicate himself by force of Arms. Having therefore gathered his Forces together being now reconciled to and followed by all the Nobility of Wales excepting Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn and Morgan ap Howel who also shortly after submitted to him he drew up his Army to the Marches intending to be revenged upon the Earls of Clare and Hereford John de Monmouth Roger de Monte Alto and others who injured and oppressed his People with whom he fought divers times and with various success A.D. 1245 But in the Lent-time next Year the Marchers and the Welch met near Montgomery between whom was fought a very severe Battel the Governour of that Castle being General of the English and having â—unningly placed an Ambuscade of Men pretended â—fter some short Engagement to flee whom the Welch daringly pursued not thinking of any Treaâ—hery Bat as soon as they were past the Ambushment â—p rises an unexpected Party of Men who falling upâ—n the backs of the Welch put them to a very great â—isorder and killed about Three Hundred
and had a great Number of their Men slain After this nothing remarkable fell out for a considerable time unless it were that David being released out of Prison by Prince Lhewelyn his Brother most ungratefully forsook him and with all his might sided with his Enemies the English also Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn having taken the Castle of Mold demolished it to the ground During this quiet and unactive interval in Wales Meredith ap Owen the main Support and Defender of South-Wales died to the great disadvantage of the Affairs of that Country And now indeed the Welch were like to be A.D. 1268 made sensible of the Loss of so considerable a Person for King Henry was resolved once more to lead an Army into Wales and to see if he could have better Success than he had hitherto against the Welch But when he was prepared to undertake this Expedition Ottobonus Pope Clement's Legate in England interposed and mediated a Peace which was concluded upon at the Castle of Montgomery wherein it was articled that Prince Lhewelyn should give the King 30000 Marks and the King was to grant the Prince a Charter from thenceforth to receive Homage and Fealty of all the Nobility and Barons of Wales besides one so that they could hold their Lands of no other but himself and from thence forward he was to be lawfully stiled Prince of Wales This Charter being ratified and confirmed as well by the Authority of the Pope as the King's Seal Prince Lhewelyn desisted from any farther Acts of Hostility and punctually observed all the Articles of Agreement betwixt him and King Henry so that nothing more was outragiously transacted between the English and Welch during the remainder of this King's reign Within that space died Grono ap Ednyfed Fychan one of the Chief Lords of the Prince's Council and shortly after him Gruffydh Lord of Bromfield who lies buried at Vale-Crucis A.D. 1272 But the Death of King Henry put an end to the observations of the Peace betwixt the English and Welch who dying on the 16th day of November this year left this Kingdom to his Son Edward Prince Edward was then in the Holy-Land and very active against those Enemies of Christianity the Turks where he had already continued above a year but understanding of his Father's Death and that in his absence he was proclaimed King of England he made all haste to return to receive the Solemnity of Coronation But what by the tediousness of the Journey and what by being honourably detained at Princes Courts in his way it was two years before he could get into England then upon the 15th of August and in the year 1274. he was Crowned at Westminster Prince Lhewelyn was summoned to attend at his Coronation but he flatly refused to appear unless upon sure Terms of safe Conduct for having offended several of the English Nobility he could not in safety pass thro' their Country without the danger of exposing his Person to the inveterate Malice and acceptable Revenge of some of them And thâ—refore without the King's Brother the Earl of Glocester and Robert Burnell Lord Chief Justice of England were delivered up as Pledges for his safe Conduct he would not come up to do his Homage and Fealty at his Coronation according to the Writ directed to him And indeed seeing King Edward had broke the Peace lately concluded upon before the Pope's Legate and did receive and honourably entertain such Noblemen of Wales as for their disloyalty were banished by Prince Lhewelyn by whom he feared some treachery there was no reason that the Prince should pay him any subjection but by the breach of Peace was exempted from all Homage However Prince Lhewelyn to shew that it was not out of any stubborness or disrespect to the King of England that he refused to come sent up his Reasons by the Abbots of Ystratflur and Conwey to Robert Kilwarby Archbishop of Canterbury and the rest of the Bishops then sitting â—n Convocation in the New-Temple at London which were to this effect To the most Reverend Fathers in God Robert Archbishop of Canterbury and Metropolitan of all England the Archbishop of York and the rest of the Bishops in Convocation Lhewelyn Prince of Wales and Lord of Snowden sendeth Greeting WE would have your Lordships to understand that whereas formerly most terrible and incessant Wars were continually managed betwixt Henry King of England and our self the same were at last composed and all matters of Differences were adjusted by the means of his Excellency Cardinal Ottobonus the Pope's Legate who having drawn the Articles and Conditions of the Peace agreâ—d upon they were signed and swore to not only by the Kâ—ng but also the Prince his Son now King of England Among these Articles were comprehended that we and our Successors should hold of the King and his Successor the Principality of Wales so that all the Welch Lords one Baron excepted should hold their Baronies and Estates in Capite of us and should pay their Homage and Fealty for the same to us we in like manner doing Homage to the King of England and his Successors And besides that the King and his Successors should never offer to receive and entertain any of our Enemies nor any such of our own Subjects as were lawfully banished and excluded our Dominions of Wales nor by any means defend and uphold such against us Contrary to which Articles King Edward has forcibly seized upon the Estates of certain Barons of Wales of which they and their Ancestors have been immemorably possessed of and detains a Barony which by the form of Peace should have been delivered to us and moreover has hitherto entertained David ap Gruffydh our Brother and Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn with several others of our Enemies who are Out-laws and Fugitives of our Country And tho' we have often exhibited our Grievances and Complaints against them for destroying and pillaging our Country yet we could never obtain of the King any relief or redress for the several Wrongs and Injuries we received at their hands but on the contrary they still persist to commit wastes and other outrages in our Dominions And for all this he summons us to do him Homage at a place which is altogether dangerous to our Person where our inveterate Enemies and which is worse our own unnatural Subjects bear the greatest sway and respect w th the King And tho' we have alledged several Reasons to the King and his Council why the place by him assigned is nâ—t safe and indifferent for us to come and desire him to appoint another whereto we might with more safety resort or else that he would send Commissioners to receive our Oath and Homage till he could more opportunely receive them in Person yet he would not assent to our just and reasonable Request nor be satisfied with the Reasons we exhibited for our non-appearance Therefore we desire your Lordships earnestly to weigh the dismal effects that will happen to the Subjects
his Death more lamented by the English Nation who had he lived to sit upon the Helm no one doubted but that he would have exceeded as to all Qualifications the most glorious Renown of the greatest of his Ancestors In the time of Edward the Third lived Sir Tudor Vaughan ap Grono descended lineally from Ednyfed Vaughan a Person as to Estate Power and Interest one of the Chiefest in North Wales Upon some motive either of Ambition or Fancy he assumed to himself the Honor of Knighthood requiring all People to call and stile him Sir Tudor ap Grono as if he did prognosticate and fore-see that out of his Loyns should arise those that should have Power to confer that Honor. King Edward being informed of such unparallell'd Presumption sent for Sir Tudor and asked him With what Confidence he durst invade his Prerogative by assuming the degree of Knighthood without his Authority Sir Tudor replied That by the Laws and Constitution of King Arthur he had the Liberty of taking upon himself that Title in regard he had those three Qualifications which whosoever was endued with could by those Laws claim the Honor of a Knight 1. He was a Gentleman 2. He had a sufficient Estate And 3. He was Valiant and Adventurous adding this withal If my Valour and Hardiness be doubted of loe here I throw down my Glove and for due proof of my Courage I am ready to Fight with any Man whatever he be The King appproving and liking well the Man's forwardness and resolution was easily persuaded to confirm the Honor of Knighthood upon him From this Sir Tudor lineally descended Henry the Seventh King of England who was the Son of Edmund Earl of Richmond the Son of Sir Owen Tudor Son to Meredith the Son of this Sir Tudor ap Gono After the Death of the Black Prince his Son Richard born at Bourdeaux in France being but Ten Years of age was created Prince of Wales at Havering at Bowre on the 20th day of November and in the A.D. 1377 50th Year of Edward the Third his Grandfather's reign whom he succeeded in the Crown of England Henry born at Monmouth Son and Heir to Henry the Fourth King of England upon the 15th of October in the 1st Year of his Father's reign was created Prince of Wales at Westminster who succeeded his Father in the English Crown by the Name of Henry the Fifth Whilst Richard the Second reigned one Owen ap Gruffydh Fychan descended of a younger Son of Gruffydh ap Madoc Lord of Bromfield was not a little Famous This Owen had his Education in one of the Inns-of-Court where he became Barister at Law and afterwards in very great Favour and Credit served King Richard and continued with him at Flint Castle till at length the King was taken by Henry Duke of Lancaster Betwixt this Owen and Reginald Lord Gray of Rhuthyn there happened no small Difference touching a Common lying between the Lordship of Rhuthyn whereof Reginald was Owner and the Lordship of Glyndowrdwy in the possession of Owen whence he borrowed the Name of Glyndwr During the reign of Richard the Second Owen as being a Courtier and in no mean esteem with the King did over-power Reginald who was neither so well befriended at Court nor beloved in the Country as Owen was But after King Richard's deposal the Scene was altered and Reginald as then better befriended than Owen entred upon the Common which occasioned Owen in the first Year of Henry the Fourth to make his Complaint in Parliament against him for thus divesting him of his Right No redress being found the Bishop of St. Asaph wished the Lords to take care that by thus slighting his Complaint they did not irritate and provoke the Welch to an Insurrection to which some of the Lords replied That they did not fear those rascally bare-foâ—ted People Glyndwr therefore perceiving how his Petition was slighted in Parliament and finding no other method to redress himself having several Friends and Followers put himself in Arms against Reginald and meeting him in the Field overcame and took him prisoner and spoiled his Lordship of Rhuthyn Upon this many resorted to him from all parts of Wales some thinking him to be in as great Favour now as in King Richard's days others putting in his head that now the time was come when the Britains by his means might again recover the Honor and Liberties of their Ancestors But Reginald being thus kept prisoner and very severely handled by Owen to terrify him into compliance with him in his rebellious Actings and not permitted to have his Liberty under Ten Thousand Marks for his Ransom whereof Six Thousand to be paid upon the Feast of St. Martyn in the 4th Year of Henry the Fourth and to deliver up his eldest Son with some other Persons of Quality as Hostages for the remainder the King at the humble sute of Reginald seeing no other way for his enlargement gave way thereto authorizing Sir William de Roos Sir Richard de Grey Sir William de Willughby Sir William le Zouche Sir Hugh Huls as also John Harvey William Vaus John Lee John Langford Thomas Payne and John Elnestow to treat with Owen and his Council and to conclude in what they should conceive most expedient and necessary to be done for his redemption Whereupon they consenting to give the sum demanded by Glyndwr for his deliverance the King gave License to Robert Braybroke Bishop of London as also to Sir Gerard Braybroke the Father and Sir Gerard the Son then Feoffees of divers Lordships for this Reginald to sell the Mannor of Hertelegh in the County of Kent towards the raising of that Money And for the better enabling him to pay so great a Fine the King was pleased to grant that whereas it was enacted that such Persons who were owners of Lands in Ireland and did not there reside should for such their neglect forfeit two parts of the Profits of them to the King that notwithstanding this Act he should forfeit nothing for non-residence there during the term of six years next ensuing This good Success over the Lord Gray together with the numerous resort of the Welch to him and the favourable interpretations of the Prophecies of Merdhyn which some construed very advantagioussy made the swelling mind of Glyndwr overflow its Banks and gave him some hopes of restoring this Island back to the Britains Wherefore he set upon the Earl of March who met him with a numerous party of Hereford-shire Men but when they came to close the Welch-men proved too powerful and having killed above a Thousand Men of the English they took the Earl of March Prisoner King Henry upon this was frequently requested to Ransom the Earl but to no purpose for whether by reason that Mortimer had a juster Title to the Crown than himself he being the next Heir in Blood after King Richard who was as yet living or because of some other private odium the King would
the British Race 8. Retires to Alan King of Little Britain ibid. Learned in a Vision to go to Rome and there shorn a Monk 10. Cadwalader with his Brother Owen Gwynedh from North-Wales in conjunction with several South Wales Lords made an horrible slaughter of the Normans and Flemings and drove them out of South-Wales 157 158. Cadwalader forced to flee from his Brother Owen to Ireland 163. Returns with Irish Forces concludes a Peace with his Brother made Prisoner by the Irish rescued by his Brother 164. Escapes out of Prison 171. Flies to England ibid. His Death and Issue 200. Canterbury redeemed by the Citizens from being burnt by the Danes for 3000 l. 73. Betrayed afterward to them and burnt 74. Caradoc King of North-Wales fights and is slain by the Saxons 21. His Pedigree ibid. Celibacy enjoyned to the Clergy in a Synod held at London 127. Christian Faith pure in the British Church 221. Charles Duke of York created Prince of Wales 328. Charles eldest Son of King Charles the First created Prince of Wales 328. Civil War in Wales and Edwal Son of Meyric the indisputable Heir set up in North-Wales 67. Clare Earl of possessed himself of divers Strong-holds in Cardigan 177. Clynnoc fawr an Abby in Arfon 11. When and by whom built 12. Endowed by Prince Anarawd 39. Cnute the Dane chosen King and his Cruelty to the English Hostages 75. Returns to England ibid. The Northumbers submit to him 76. Besieges London is Routed by Edmund ibid. Combats Edmund agree and divide England between them 78. Generously punishes Edmund Ironside's Murder ibid. Marries Emma Edelred's Widdow 80. Requires a Subsidy of the English ibid. Made a pompous Journey to Rome 82. Makes the Scots do him Homage ibid. Dies and is succeeded by his Son Harold Harefoot 83. Conel prognosticating the Norman Invasion and Success 100. Commotions in England 158. Conâ—n War between him and his Brother Howel 22. Dies 23. His Pedigree ibid. Conspiracy against William the Conqueror by the English and the Welch detected and the Conspirators executed 104. Constable Walter marries Nest's Daughter and has the Lordship of Brecknock 116. A strange Passage related by him to Henry the First concerning Gruffydh ap Rhys ibid. Crogens used as a Term of reproach by the English to the Welch 223. No reason for it 224. Cynric Prince Owen's Son slain 162. D. DAnes begin to disturb England 20 21. They prevail and Winter in England 28. They take and destroy Winchester 30. Kill Osbright and Elba Kings of Northumberland 31. Slew Edmund King of the Angles ibid. Fought five Battles with Ethelred ibid. They won London and Redding 33. Routed by the West-Saxons 34. Are defeated by Alfred and received the Christian Faith 37. They harrass North-Wales 39. Defeated by the Armorican Britains ibid. Forced to rise from before Exeter and spoil the Sea-Coast of Wales 41. Receive a great overthrown 42. They grow powerful not only in England but also in Ireland 44. Thrice overthrown by the English 45. Cruelly overthrown by Tottenhale 46. Routed by King Edward 48. Driven out of the Kingdom by King Edmund 52. Force the English to pay the Dane-Gelt 65. Make a terrible Havock in Wales and had Tribute paid them 66. Make fresh devastations in Wales and England 70. They are massacred by the English 71. Force the English Nobility to buy their Peace for 30000 l. 72. They beat Wolfkettel 73. Slew Ethelstan and ransack'd the Country 74 Dafydh ab Owen kiâ—l'd his Brother Howel in Battel and gâ—ts to be Prince of North-Wales 195. Secures â—is Brother Maelgon reduces Anglesey and banishes his Brethren 202. Sends a Band of Welch to accompany King Henry into Normandy ibid. Is dispossest by his eldest Brother's Son Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth 213. Vngrateful to Prince Lhewelyn for his Liberty 224. Dafydh ap Lhewelyn Prince of Wales did Homage at Glocester to the King of England 259. Is excommunicated by the Bishop of Bangor for detaining his Brother Gruffydh in Prison whom he refused to deliver at the King's Request 260. Submits to the King of England 262. Caâ—ols the King to detain his Brother Gruffydh Prisoner ibid. Engages the Pope on his side against the King but he proves false 264. Fights the English often with various Success ibid. Dies without Issue 268. Davids St. burnt by the West-Saxons 21. Destroyed by the Danes 45. Again by the Danes 69. Destroyed by Strangers 107. The Cathedral sacrilegiously robbed 111. Made subject to the See of Canterbury 125. Dunstan St. Bishop of Canterbury his Prediction and Death 61. E. EAster the Britains and Saxons quarrel about the Observation of it 18 19. Edgar advanced to the Kingdom in his Brother Edwin's room 56. He wasts North-Wales and agrees for a yearly Tribute of 300 Wolves ibid. Regulates drinking Vessels because of the Danes excess 57. Rowed in his Barge by six Kings on the River Dee 59. Edgar Edeling proclaimed King forced into Scotland 101. Received to King William's Mercy 103. Edmund King of England's Death and the uncertain manner of it 53. Edmund Ironside slain by Edric's Son 78. Edwal Foel and his Brother Elis fight the English and are slain 49. Their Issue ibid. Edward sent for from Normandy and made King 86 The Confessor's death 98. Edward I. King of England invades Wales and prevails 283. Insists upon Prince Lhewelyn's submission without reserve 292. Sets Prince Lhewelyn's Head upon the Tower of London and puts his Brother David to death 299. Subdues all Wales ibid. Kept his Christmas at Aber-Conwey 307. In necessity would taste no Wine for the satisfaction of his Soldiers 308. Cuts down all the Woods in Wales and builds Beumaris-Castle 309. Edward of Caernarvon first Prince of Wales of the English Blood 301. Received Homage at Chester of all the Free-holders of Wales 310. Goes farther into the Country to the same purpose ibid. Edward eldest Son to King Edward II. created Prince of Wales 313. Edward eldest Son to King Edward III. created Prince of Wales 313 His Character and Death 314. Edward Son to Henry VI. created Prince of Wales 323. Murdered ibid. Edward eldest Son to King Edward VI. created Prince of Walts murdered 223. Edward VI. inclined to favour the Welch 323. Edward Son to Richard III. created Prince of Wales 324. Edward Son to Henry VIII created Prince of Wales 325. Edwyn King of England vitious dispossess'd and dies 56. Egbert sole Mâ—narch in Britain 25. Calls the Country England ibid. He fights the Danes 26. Eincon invites the Normans into Wales and persuades them to stay 112 Elfleda Mercian Queen her Valiant Acts both against the Danes and Welch 46. Her death 47. Left a Daughter Alfwyden disinherited by King Edward ibid. Ethelwulph King of the West-Saxons paid Peter-pence to Rome 29. Learned and devout ibid. Eyes of several pluck'd out a barbarous Custom 155. Ethelbald King of Mercia invades Wales 16. In conjunction with Adelred overthrow the Britains ibid. F. FLanders a part of it drowned prejudicial to
leaving his Estate to Gwenwynwyn his Son 217. Owen Glendwr his Family Education and Employment 315. opposed by the Lord Ruthyn without Redress takes up Arms and makes him Prisoner 316. prevails takes the Earl of March Prisoner 317. retakes Aberystwyth Castle 319. Summons a Parliament at Machynlleth 320. Secures David Gam upon a suspicion of a design he had to murder him 321. burnt his House and his Verse upon it ibid. P. PAtent of Lands granted in Wales to the Earl of Portland 302. Commons address upon it 303. King's Answer 304. Peckham John Archbishop of Canterbury endeavours a Reconciliation of Prince Llewelyn and his Brother with the King 286. his Remonstrance to the Prince and People 287 288 289 290. Solicites the King on behalf of the Welch 291. Sends Articles to the Welch 292. Excommunicates the Prince of Wales and his Adherents 297. Peace in general between England and Wales except with Prince Rhys who was forced to comply with the King 176. Vnjustly dealt with 177. Powis Prince of removes his Seat from Pengwern to Mathraval 20. An account of it while a Principality and a Lordship with the several Divisions and Possessors thereof whether of British or English Blood 175 to 185. R. REbellion in the North caused by Earl Tosty's Insolence 97. Appeased 98. Rhydderch seizes upon South-Wales 82. Rhydderch and Rhys the Sons of Rhydderch ap Iestyn put in their Claim to South-Wales 88. Rhys Brother to Prince Gruffydh taken by the English and put to death at Bulendun 91. Rhys ap Owen and Rhydderch ap Caradoc joyntly govern South-Wales 105. The latter dies 106. A Rebellion against the other ibid. Invaded also from North-Wales flies pursued and slain 187. Rhys ap Theodor allowed Prince of South-Wales as lawful Heir 107. A Rebellion formed against him flies into Ireland returns and defeats his Enemy 110. Suppresses another Rebellion 111. Slain near Brecknock in a Fight against the invading Normans and his own rebellious Subjects 112. Rhys ap Gruffydh Prince of South-Wales takes Llanymddyfri Castle 177. Subdues Cardigan 178. Gives Henry II. Hostages to observe the Peace made between them ib. Besieges Carmarthen then forced to quit it 179. Possessed himself of divers Lands belonging to Foreigners in Wales as did others according to his Example 189. Takes Aberteifi Castle and razes it 191. Subdues Owen Cyfeilioc 197. Brings the Lords of South-Wales at Enmity with K. Henry to do him Homage 203. Makes a great Feast at Christmas at Aberteifi where the Bards of North-Wales and South-Wales strive for the Mastery 205 206. Takes advantage upon King Henry's death to enlarge his Country 209. His Family diminishes 210. Made Prisoner by his own Sons 211. Escapes 212. Takes two of his Sons Prisoners 214. Enlarges his Conquest and defeats the English and Normans 214 215. Dies his Character and Issue 216. Rhys Fychan takes Lhanymdhysri Castle 227. Rhys ap Gruffydh ap Rhys prevails in South-Wales 239. Does Homage to Henry III. 145. Dies 147. Rhys ap Meredith unfaithful to his Country 304. Knighted by King Edward revolts â—05 Defeated taken Prisoner and executed 306. Rhythmarch Archbishop of S. David dies 122. Richard King of England's feasts in the Holy Land 210. Taken Prisoner in Austria ibid. Died of his Wounds received at Chalons in France 219. Richard of Bourdeaux created Prince of Wales 315. Robert Cyrthois rebels against his Father in Normandy 110. Robert Earl of Salop rebels against Henry I. 122. Engages the Welch in the Quarrel 123. Seeks Aid of Magnus Harold's Son and fails banished with his Brother Arnulph into Normandy 124. Robert de Belissimo a great Disturber of the Welch committed to perpetual imprisonment by King Henry 139. Roderic Molwynoc succeeded Ifor Anno 720.15 Driven by the Saxons out of the Western Countries to his Inheritance in North-Wales 17. dyed soon after 18. Roderic the Great Prince of VVales 27. Beats the Danes out of his Country â—3 Fightâ— the English anâ— with his Brother Gwyriad it slain 34. His Pedigreâ— and Division of Wales between iâ—â—â— three Sons ibid his Imprudence herein 36. S. SAxons their Answer to the British Message 5. They first repel the Scots and Picts 6. Enter into League with the Scots ib. They incroacâ— upon the Britains 19â— Scots and Picts invade Britain 1. Sâ—ward Earl his Saying upon his Sons being slain in Battel 19. His soldierly Temper at his â—earâ— 92. South Wales invaded twice in one Year by Ieâ—af and 〈◊〉 Princes of North-Wales â—5 They quarres and 〈◊〉 Consequence of it 57. Embroyled 〈◊〉 between Rhyâ— ap Gruffydh and Rhys Fychan and the former supported by the English 235 236. Stephen King of England agrees with the King of Scotâ— 157. Ravages Scotland 160. Suppresses Injurie â—â—ons at home and â—ouâ—s the Scots by his Lieutenants 161. Besieges Arundel Castle in vain 162. Takes Lincoln is defeated and taken Prisoner ibid. Exchanged for Earl Robert and overthrown a second time at Wilton 163. Wins the Battel of Farendon agrees with Henry the Empress's Son and dies 172. Stewards the Family and their Original 91 92. Sulien Archb shop of S. Davids dies 111. Sulien a learned Man of Llanbadarn dies 165. Swane the Dane wasts the Isle of Man Lands in North-Wales 68. Kills Edwal Prince of the Country ib. His Success in England and esteemed King hereof 74 75. Swane King of Denmark invades England and takes York 102. forced to fly ibid. T. TRahern Fychan strangely hanged 217. Trahern ap Caradoc made Prince of North-Wales 105. His Country invaded from Ireland by Gruffydh ap Conan the right Heir ibid. They fight and Trahern with his Cosins worsted and all slain 108. Tâ—â—bute paid by the Prince of Wales to the Kings of England 48. Tudor Vaughan ap Grono his Family would be sâ—◠〈◊〉 Knight and his Reasons for it to King Edward III. who confirmed the Honour of it 314. V. VOrtigern invites the Saxons into Britain 5. Vortimer repels the Saxons 7. W. WAles wasted by the Merciâ—â—s 24. by King Egbert ibid. Divided into three Provinces 27. Invaded by the English 52. Forcibly managed by Ievaf and Iago Princes of North-Wales only 56. Afflicted by the Danes and a Murrain 65. Gives Hostages to pay the antient Tribute 95. Seldom governed by the right Heir 109. Wasted by the English as far as Anglesey 121. Embroiled with Civil Divisions 151. Item 153 154. In great scarcity 276. annnext to the Crown of England 300. Walwey King Arthur's Nephew his Tomb found whose Body was of a prodigious length 110. Welch quarrel amongst themselves 22. Ibid. 23. They defeat the Mercians at Conwey and call it Dial Rhodri 38. Disable the Danes and English that invaded them then fall out among themselves 61. Too late see the folly of foreign Aid 114. Miserably slaughter'd 130 131. Being at peace from abroad they fall to their wonted Method of destroying one another 208. Complain to their Prince of their Oppression from the English 272. Beaten by the English 279. Worst the English 297 298. Beaten in Buelht ibid. Revolt because of an heavy Tax from Edward I. every where 306. Beat the English 307. Take the King's Carriages ibid. Routed by the Earl of Warwick 308. Beat the Marchers but are at last overcome and their Leader Madoc made Prisoner 309. Welch Minstrels reformed whereof were three sorts 159. William Duke of Normandy claims the Crown of England 98. Lands at Hastings and defeats the English 100. William I. goes with an Army on Pilgrimage to S. Davids 100. William Rufus invades the Welch without Success 118. Item 120. Killed 122. FINIS BOOKS Printed for and sold by ROBERT CLAVâ—â—â— THE plausible Arguments of a Roman Catholick answered by an English Protestant in the Welch Tongue Price 4 d. The Church-History clear'd from the Roman Forgeries and Corruptions found in the Councils and Baronius in Four Parts from the beginning of Christianity to the end of the Fifth General Council By Thomas Comber D. D. Dean of Durham 40. An Historical Vindication of the Diviâ—◠〈◊〉 of Tythes from Scripture Reaso◠〈◊〉 Opinion and Practice of Jews Goâ—◠〈◊〉 Christians in all Ages to which is added a Discourse concerning Excommunication By Tho. Comber D. D. Dean of Durham 40.