the beginning was in some distresse vntill Athelstane stepped in betwéene his father and Leofred and wounded the Dane in the arme in such sort that he being not able to hold his speare was soone taken and committed to the custodie of Athelstane In the meane time Edmund and Edred incountring with Gruffyth slew him and brought his head to their father Then Athelstane caused Leofred to be headed and so both their heads were set vp together on the top of the towre of Chester and Edward and his sonnes returned home with great triumph Then Edward after he had builded Glademutham died at Ferandyne whose sonne named Alfred died also the same time at Oxford and were buried both at Winchester Anno 924. After whose death Adelstane his base son reigned King of England which was the woorthiest prince of Saxon bloud that euer reigned He did ouercome Cudfryd the father of Reynald King of the Danes at Yorke He gathered also the second yeare of his reigne a great armie against Hawlaf King of Ireland who came with the whole power of the Scots and Danes against him and gaue him battell at Brimestburie where Adelstan gate the victorie and slue the said king Hawlaf and the king of Scots and fiue kings of the Danes and Normanes and twelue Earles so that he brought all the land of England and Scotland in subiection to him which none of his predecessors had euer attempted The yeare 933. Owen the sonne of Gruffyth was slaine by the men of Caerdigan Then Adelstan did enter Wales with a great armie and brought the kings of the countrie to subiection and receiued yearelie of tribute 20. pound in gold and 300. pound in siluer and 200. head of cattell yet the lawes of Howel Dha appointed to the king of Aberfraw to paie yearelie to the king of London no more but 66. pound for a tribute and that the prince of Dinevwre and the prince of Powys should paie a like summe 66. pound yearelie to the king of Aberfraw To this Adelstan the kings of Norwaie and France did send great and rich gifts to winne his friendship and good will In the yeare 936. died Evneth the sonne of Clydawc and Meyric the sonne of Cadelh At this time also Adelstan did remooue the Brytaines that dwelt in Excester and thereaboutes to Cornewale and appointed the riuer Cambia to be the vtter mere towards England as he had before appointed the riuer Wy to be the mere of England and Wales In the yeare of Christ 939. the noble prince Adelstan died and was buried at Malmesburie and his brother Edmund borne in wedlocke reigned in his place who in the first yeare of his reigne wan fiue cities from the Danes Leycester Darby Stafford Lincolne and Notingham Then Aulafe King of the Danes sent to Edmund to desire peace and baptisme which Edmund granted vnto him and so the Danes which then were called Normanes tooke first the christian faith Edmund being their godfather who making peace with them returned to Westsex with much honor This yeare died Abloic chiefe King of Ireland The yeare following Cadelh the sonne of Arthvael a noble Brytaine was imprisoned and Edwal Voel the sonne of Anarawd and Elise his brother were slaine in a battell which they fought against the Danes and Englishmen This Edwal had sixe sonnes Meyric Ieuaf or Ieuan Iago which is Iames Conan Edwal Vachan and Roderike After whose death Howel Dha his coosen germane ruled all Wales for his life time Elise also had issue Conan and a daughter named Trawst which was mother to Conan ap Sitsylht Gruffyth ap Sitsylht and Blethyn ap Convyn which two last were afterward princes of Wales Howel Dha Howel Dha cousen germane to Edwal Voel Howel Dha king or prince of all Wales perceiuing the lawes and customes of his countrie to haue growne vnto great abuse sent for the Archbishop of Meneuia and all the other Bishops and chiefe of the cleargie to the number of 140. prelates and all the Barons and nobles of Wales and caused sixe men of the wisest and best estéemed in euerie Comote to be called before him whome he commanded to méete all together at his house called Y Tuy gwyn ar Taf that is The white house vpon the riuer Taf. Thither he came himselfe and there remained with those his nobles prelates and subiects all the Lent in praier and fasting crauing the assistance and direction of Gods holy spirit that he might reforme the lawes and customes of the countrie of Wales to the honor of God and the quiet gouernement of the people About the end of Lent he chose out of that companie twelue men of the wisest grauest and of the greatest experience to whome he added one clearke or doctor of the lawes named Blegored a singular learned and perfect wise man These had in charge to examine the old lawes and customes of Wales and to gather out of those such as were méete for the gouernement of the countrie which they did reteining those that were wholesome and profitable expounding those that were doubtfull and ambiguous and abrogating those that were superfluous and hurtfull and so ordeined thrée sorts of lawes The first of the ordering of the kings or princes houshold and his court The second of the affaires of the countrie and common wealth The third of the speciall customes belonging to particular places and persons Of all the which being read allowed and proclamed he caused thrée seuerall bookes to be written one for his dailie vse to follow his court another to lie in his palace at Aberffraw and the third at Dinevowr that all the thrée prouinces of Wales might haue the vse of the same when néede required And for the better obseruation of these lawes he caused the Archbishop of S. Dauids to denounce sentence of excommunication against all such of his subiects as refused to obeie the same Within a while after Howel because he would omit nothing that could procure countenance and authoritie to his said lawes went to Rome taking with him the Archbishop of S. Dauids the Bishops of Bangor and S. Asaph and thirtéene other of the learnedst and wisest men in Wales where the said lawes being recited before the Pope were by his authoritie confirmed then hauing finished his deuout pilgrimage and emptied his purse he returned home againe with his companie 1 By these lawes they might not morgage their lands but to one of the same familie or kindred which were De eadem parentela 2 Euerie tenant holding of anie other than of the prince or lord of the fée paid a fine Pro defensione regia which was called Arian ardhel in Latine Aduocarij 3 No legacie of goods by will was good otherwise than those which were giuen to the church to the lord of the fée or for paiment of debts 4 Euerie man might distraine as well for debts as for rent of lands anie goods or cattell sauing horsses which were counted to
The historie of Cambria now called Wales A part of the most famous Yland of Brytaine written in the Brytish language aboue two hundreth yeares past translated into English by H. Lhoyd Gentleman Corrected augmented and continued out of Records and best approoued Authors by Dauid Powel Doctor in diuinitie CVM PRIVILEGIO To the Right worshipfull Sir Philip Sydney knight IT is the maner of most writers Right worshipfull in dedicating of their bookes to praise and extoll the vertues and noble qualities of such men as they choose to be the patrons of their works whereby to winne some credit and countenance to themselues the which thing I see to be doone by a great number of writers as well strangers as countreymen who haue set out the praise and commendation of your noble gifts I am therefore at this time to direct my stile the rather to admonish you how to emploie and vse the same to that end that they are bestowed vpon you than otherwise vainelie with suspicion of flatterie to speake of them And first I would haue you to consider with your selfe that you haue receiued all the good gifts you haue at the hands of almightie God who is the giuer of all goodnesse for the which your dutie is to render most humble and hartie thanks vnto his diuine maiestie The end also for the which they are giuen vnto you is at no time to be forgotten that is the setting foorth of the glorie of God the benefit of your countrie Call also to remembrance that they be talents deliuered vnto you of credit to vse for a time for the which you must render an account whensoeuer it pleaseth the owner to call you to it the more you haue the greater your account will be for he that hath receiued fiue talents is further to be charged than he which hath receiued but one and he that hath receiued ten deeper than he that hath receiued but fiue Vse them therefore and hide them not in a napkin for they are the better for the wearing the more you vse them the more they will increase the more you laie out the richer you shalbe Haue alwaies before your eies the glorie of God neuer forget the same in anie thing you doo seeke the weale publike of your countrie labour to doo it good in anie thing you may while you haue time so to doo for you haue but a while to remaine heere awaie you must go after the common course of nature Let the remembrance of your account when your stewardships is ended be neuer out of your mind These be the cheefe points leading the right path to true nobilitie these you shall find set out at large in that booke wherewithall you are most delighted For the putting of these things in practise I am to laie downe two examples for you to imitate the which because they are domesticall ought to mooue you to be the more willing to follow them The one in your own noble father who alwaies hath beene and yet is more inclined and bent to doo good to his countrie than to benefit or inrich himselfe as Wales and Ireland beside his owne can beare him witnesse The other in your honorable father in lawe Sir Francis Walsingham hir Maiesties cheefe Secretarie a man for his zeale of Gods glorie and loue towards them that feare God vnfainedlie well knowne to the world Follow their steps with the remembrance of that noble house out of the which you are descended by your honourable mother and then you cannot doo amisse Labour by the example of your father to discouer and bring to light the acts of the famous men of elder times who with conference of the estate and gouernment of all ages will bring you to the perfect experience of those things that you haue learned out of Aristotle Plato and Cicero by your trauell in philosophie Your father with his great expenses and labour hauing procured gotten to his hands the histories of Wales and Ireland which countries for manie yeeres with great loue and commendation he gouerned committed vnto me this of Wales to be set foorth in print with direction to proceed therein and necessarie bookes for the dooing thereof And although I was vnsufficient for dooing of it yet I haue doone mine indeuour and now doo present the same vnto your worship as by good reason due to the sonne and heire of him that was the procurer and bringer of it to light desiring you to accept it with as good will as the same is offered vnto you and so following the godlie zeale loue of the common wealth and care to doo it good of so noble and worthie parents to beare countenance and fauour to the countrie of Wales which hartilie wisheth you honourable preferment in the feare of God The Lord increase his gifts in you to his glorie the benefit of the commonwealth and your endlesse comfort From my lodging in London the 25. of March 1584. Your worships readie at commandement Dauid Powel CAradoc of Lancaruan gentle Reader collected the successions actes of the Brytish Princes after Cadwalader to the yeare of Christ 1156. Of the which collections there were seuerall copies afterward kept in either of the Abbeis of Conwey and Stratflur which were yearelie augmented as things fell out and conferred together ordinarilie euerie third yeare when the Beirdh which did belong to those two Abbeis went from the one to the other in the time of their Clêra wherein were contained besides such notable occurrences hapning within this Ile of Brytaine as they then thought worthie the writing which order of registring and noting continued in those Abbeis vntill the yeare 1270. which was a little before the death of the last Lhewelyn who was slaine at Buelht These collections were copied by diuers so that there are at this daie of the same in Wales a hundred copies at the least whereof the most part were written two hundred yeares ago This booke Humffrey Lhoyd gentleman a paineful and a worthie searcher of Brytish antiquities translated into English and partlie augmented chieflie out of Matthew Paris and Nicholas Triuet but before the booke was polished hauing yet manie imperfections not onelie in the phrase but also in the matter and substance of the historie it pleased God to take him awaie in the floure of his time who if God had spared him life would not onelie haue set out this historie absolute and perfect but also haue opened vnto the world other antiquities of this land which now lie hidden and vnknowen The copie of his translation the Right honorable Sir Henry Sidney Lord President of Wales whose disposition is rather to seeke after the antiquities and the weale publike of those countries which he gouerneth than to obtaine lands and reuenewes within the same for I know not one foote of land that hee hath either in VVales or Ireland had lieng by him a great while and being desirous to haue the same set out in print sent
serue for a mans necessarie defense and were not distrainable without the prince his licence 5 Causes of inheritance were not heard or determined but from the ninth of Nouember till the ninth of Februarie or from the ninth of Maie vntill the ninth of August The rest of the yeare was counted a time of vacation for sowing in the spring and reaping in the haruest 6 This also is to be obserued that all matters of inheritance of land were determined and adiudged by the King or Prince in person or his speciall deputie if he were sicke or impotent and that vpon view of the same land calling vnto him the fréeholders of that place two elders of his counsell the Chiefe iustice attending alwaies in the court the ordinarie iudge of the countrie where the land laie and the priest The maner of their procéeding was thus The king or prince sate in his Iudiciall seate higher than the rest with an elder on his right hand and another on his left and the fréeholders on both sides next vnto them which for this cause as I thinke were called Vchelwyr Before him directlie a certaine distance off and a little lower sate his Chiefe iustice hauing the priest on his right hand and the ordinarie iudge of that countrie on the left The court being set the plaintife came in with his aduocate champion and Ringylh or sergeant and stood on the left side then came in the defendant in like maner with his aduocate champion and Ringylh and stood on the right side and last of all the witnesses of both parties came which stood directlie before the Chiefe iustice at the lower end of the hall vntill they were called vp to testifie the truth of their knowledge in the matter in variance The figure of the which I thought good héere to laie downe as you sée in the page next following After the hearing of the books read the depositions of the witnesses and full pleading of the cause in open court vpon warning giuen by the Rhinghylh the Chiefe Iustice the priest and the ordinarie iudge withdrew themselues for a while to consult of the matter and then Secundum allegata probata brought their verdict the court sitting Whervppon the king or prince after consultation had with the elders or seniors which sate by him gaue definitiue sentence except the matter was so obscure and intricate that right and truth appeared not in the which case it was tried by the two champions and so the cause ended This shall be sufficient for this time Now therefore let vs go forward in the historie At this time the foresaid kings Aulafe and Regnald entered the land of Edmund who gathering his strength together folowed them into Northumberland and ouercame them in plaine battell and chased them out of the land and so remained a whole yeare in those parts setting things in order and quieting of that countrie And bicause he could not by anie meanes bring the inhabitants of Cumberland to liue in anie honest order he spoiled that countrie and committed it to the rule of Malcolme king of Scotland vpon condition that he should send him succours in all his warres both by sea and land Some other write that king Edmund being accompanied with Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht which was after prince of Wales entred Cumberland and taking the two sonnes of Dummaile king of that prouince put out their eies and then gaue that countrie to Malcolme to be holden of him with condition to kéepe the North part of the realme from incursion of enimies the which condition was afterward but slenderlie perfourmed This Malcolme was the sonne of Donald King of Scotland and was the next king after Constantine the third being in number the 76. In the yeare 942. died Hubert Bishop of S. Dauids the yeare also following Marclois Bishop of Bangor and Vssa the sonne of Lhavyr died The yeare 944. the Englishmen did enter Wales with a strong armie and spoiled Strad Clwyd and returned home At which time Conan the sonne of Elise was put in danger of death by poison and Everus Bishop of S. Dauids died The yeare after Edmund King of England was slaine by treason as some writers saie vpon S. Augustines daie as he was at dinner Other saie that he espied an outlawe sitting in the hall and as he drew him from the table the outlaw slew the King with a knife And some be of opinion that as the King would haue rescued a man of his from an officer who had arrested him the same officer slue him not knowing that he was the King he lieth buried at Glastenburie After whose death Edred or Edfred his brother was crowned in his place who made an expedition to Scotland and Northumberland and subdued them both and receiued fealtie and homage of the Northumbers and Scots by oth which was not long kept In the yeare 948. died Howel Dha the noble and worthie King or Prince of Wales whose death was sore bewailed of all men for he was a prince that loued peace and good order that feared God He left behind him foure sonnes Owen Run Roderike and Edwyn betwixt whom and the sonnes of Edwal there was great warres for the chiefe rule of Wales as shall appeare in the historie following Ievaf and Iago Ievaf and Iago the sonnes of Edwal Voel AFter the death of Howel Dha his sonnes did diuide Southwales and Powys betwixt them and Ievaf and Iago the second and third sonnes of Edwal Voel ruled Northwales bicause their elder brother Meyric was not a man worthie to rule who comming of the elder house would haue had the chiefe rule of all Wales which the sonnes of Howel Dha denied them And therevpon Iago or Iames and Ievaf entred Southwales with a great power against whome came Owen the sonne of Howel and his brethren and fought together at the hils of Carno where Iago and Ievaf had the victorie and the yeare folowing the same brethren did twise enter into Southwales and spoiled Dyuet and slue Dwnwalhon the Lord thereof And within a while after died Roderike one of the sonnes of Howel Dha In the yeare 952. the sonnes of Howel gathered their strength together against Ievaf and Iago and entered their land to the riuer of Conwy where they fought a cruell battell at a place called Gwrgustu or Lhanrwst as some thinke where a great number were slaine vpon either side as Anarawd the sonne of Gwyriad or Vriet the sonne of Roderike the Great and Edwyn the sonne of Howel Dha in the which battell were ouerthrowne the sonnes of Howel whome Ievaf and Iago pursued to Caerdigan and destroied their countrie with fire and sword About this time Yarthyr the sonne of Mervyn was drowned and the yeare following Congelach King of Ireland was slaine But to returne to Edred King of England As soone as he was returned to his owne land Aulaf with a great armie landed in Northumberland and was receiued of
the yeare following he was slaine by Howel and Meredyth the sonnes of Edwyn leauing behind him a sonne named Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn Iago ap Edwal Iago the sonne of Edwal ap Meyric ap Edwal Voel About the yeare 1031. the Irish-scots entred Southwales by the meanes of Howel and Meredyth the sonnes of Edwyn ap Eneon ap Owen ap Howel Dha who hired them against Rytherch ap Iestyn whom they discomfited and slew by that means attained vnto the gouernement of Southwales which they two ruled iointly but yet with small quietnesse for the sonnes of Rytherch gathered a number of such as were their fathers friends to reuenge his death with whom Howel and Meredyth met at Hyarthwy after long fight put them to flight But in the yeare folowing Meredyth was slaine by the sons of Conan the sonne of Sitsylht brother to the worthie prince Lhewelyn to reuenge their fathers death whome Meredyth and his brother had slaine The yeare next ensuing certaine Englishmen entred the land of Gwent with whom Rytherch ap Iestyn fought and was by them slaine Not long after died Cnute the most famous and mightiest prince in the West parts of the world as he that had vnder his dominion the great countrie of Swethen from Germanie to the Northpole with Norway and Denmarke and all the noble Ile of Brytaine After whom Haroald Harfote his son begotten vpon Alwyn the daughter of Duke Alfelyn was created king For Hardie Cnute his other sonne by Emma was then in Denmarke This Haroald in the first yeare of his reigne banished Emma his stepmother out of the realme In the yeare 1037. Gruffyth the son of Lhewelyn ap Sitsylth sometimes king of Wales raised a great number of people against Iago then enioieng the principalitie or kingdome of Northwales whome Iago likewise prouided for as well as he could but the more part and the better souldiours were of Gruffyths side for the loue they bare to his father which afterward well appeared for after the armies once met Iago was soone ouerthrowne and slaine This Iago left behind him a sonne called Conan by his wife Auandred daughter to Gweir the sonne of Pylh. Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn Gruffyth the sonne of Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht and Angharat This Howel procured Edwyn the brother of Leofrike Earle of Chester or Mercia to come with an armie of Englishmen and Danes to his aide against prince Gruffyth who met his enimies in the field and ouercame them and slue the said Edwyn but Howel escaped by flight After the which victorie Gruffyth made sundrie inuasions vpon the marches towards Hereford and alwaies returned with great spoiles When Gruffyth had brought all Wales vnder his dominion he returned to Northwales againe The yeare insuing 1038. Hernun Archbishop of Meneuia or S. Dauids died a man both learned and godlie The yeare next following Howel king of Southwales gathered a great power of his friends and strangers and entred the land intending to recouer it againe Wherefore Gruffyth like a worthie prince came with all speed to succour his people and meeting with Howel at Pencadair after he had incouraged his souldiours gaue him battell and ouerthrew him and pursued him so narrowlie that hee tooke Howels wife whome hee had brought to the field to see the ouerthrow of Gruffyth which chanced otherwise whome Gruffyth liked so well that he kept hir for his concubine About this time Haroald king of England died and his brother Hardycnute reigned in his stead a noble and a liberall prince who as it is reported caused his tables to be couered and furnished four times euerie daie for strangers and all commers and after he had reigned two yeares he died at Lambeth in the floure of his age After whose death the Englishmen sent for Alfred the eldest son of Edelred from Normandy but that message pleased not Earle Godwyn which was the mightiest man in the land because he knew the yoong prince to be couragious and stout and therefore one that would not suffer him to rule the land as he intended to doo Therefore he persuaded the people that Alfred who had come well accompanied with Normanes had promised them the whole rule of the land and therevpon they tooke all the Normanes and bound them and afterward tithed them putting euerie tenth man to death And yet they thought there were too manie wherefore they tithed them the second time and lead Alfred from Gilford where this crueltie was committed to Gillingham and there put out his eies and remoued him thence to Ely where he was pitifullie murthered Afterward they sent for Edward the yonger sonne whome they receiued as king the yeare folowing after that he had maried Godwynes daughter who in the first yeere of his reigne banished Earle Swayne sonne to the said Earle Godwyn who was receiued of the Earle of Flanders In the yeare 1041. Howel came againe to Southwales and remained there awhile and shortlie after a number of strangers landed in Westwales spoiled the countrie against whom Howel gathered a number of people and fought with them and droue them to their ships with much losse At this time Conan the sonne of Iago who had fled to Ireland to saue his life with the power of Alfred king of Deuelyn whose daughter Ranulph he had maried entred Northwales and by treason had taken Gruffyth the king and caried him towards the ships but when it was knowen the countrie vpon the sudden folowed the Irishmen and ouertaking them rescued their prince requiting their foes with much slaughter to their ships who returned streight with Conan to Ireland The yeare folowing Howel the sonne of Owen Lord of Glamorgan died being a man full of yeares Then Howel ap Edwyn called to his succour Danes and Englishmen with all the power he could make in Southwales Whereof Gruffyth being certified gathered his power togither in Northwales came couragiouslie to meete his enimies whom he had twise before discomfited and ouercame them and chased them as farre as the spring of the riuer Towy where after a long and dangerous battell Howel was slaine and his armie discomfited and so narrowlie pursued that few escaped aliue After whose death Rytherch and Rees the sonnes of Rytherch ap Iestyn aspiring againe to the rule and gouernment of Southwales which their father had once obtained gathered a great armie aswell of strangers as out of Gwentland and Glamorgan and met with Gruffyth king of Wales who after his accustomed maner detracting no time but couragiouslie animating his men with the remembrance of their former fortune and diuerse victories vnder his standard ioined battell with his enimies whom he found disposed to abide to win againt the honor which before they had lost wherfore when they met the fight was cruell bloudie continued till night which easilie departed both armies being werie with fighting and either fearing other returned to their countries to gather more strength This
when the other heard vpon their promise they were readie to follow so made readie a great nauie In the meane while Tosty entred Humber with 40. saile but Earle Edwyn met with him and put him to flight who as he failed toward Scotland met with Haroald king of Norwaie with 300. saile comming towards England and ioining with him they both entred Humber and hauing landed their armie they came to Yorke where both Earles Edwyn Marcher gaue them battell vpon the south part of the towne but Haroald and Tosty bare awaie the victorie and spoiled the citie then marched forwards toward Stamfordbridge where Haroald king of England and all his power did meete with them And after a long fight manie valiant acts atchieued on both sides euen from morning till noone at what time the Norwaies began to retire backe ouer the water one of them worthie not to be forgotten kept the passage vpon the bridge with his axe against all the armie of England till three of the clock and slew 40. men but at the last one got vnder the bridge and with his speare gaue him his deaths wound through the bridge Then the armie passed ouer the bridge and put the Norwaies to flight and slew Haroald their king and Tosty where not one man escaped of all the number that was not either killed or burned Then Haroald entred Yorke with great ioie and triumph as he sate at dinner there came a post who told him how Duke William was landed at Suwerhide and had fortified himself with a trench at Hastings With which tidings Haroald being nothing dismaied made expedition thitherward Where William diuiding his armie into fiue battels made a long oration vnto his soldiours wherein he declared the worthinesse of their forefathers the Danes and Norwaies aswell against the Englishmen which were neuer able to abide their force as against the Frenchmen and other nations and how they were accustomed to ouercome at all times being well horssed well armed and good archers had now to doo with a nation onelie taught to trust to their feete euill horssed vnarmed and such as knew not how to occupie their bowes Then he brought his people to the field but Haroald couched all his armie in one battell as nigh togither as they could well stand and so set vpon his enimies And after long fight William caused his men to retire as if they fled then the Englishmen folowed apase and brake their araie which when William perceiued he brought in a battell of fresh Normanes who entred Haroalds battell and fought so sore that Haroald was hurt with an arrow and afterward slaine and so the Englishmen left the Normanes both the field and the victorie The yeare folowing VVilliam passed the sea to Normandie then Edgar Edeling came out of Scotland to Yorke for the people of the countrie had slaine Robert to whome VVilliam had giuen that Earldome and 900. men with him and had receiued Edgar for their king But VVilliam returning from Normandie destroied all the North countrie and chased Edgar to Scotland againe Also Edrike Syluaticus the sonne of Alfrike Earle of Mercia refusing to submit himselfe as other had done when he saw that the king was departed to Normandie rose against such as were left in his absence to kéepe the land in obedience wherevpon those that laie in the castell of Hereford Richard fitz Scrope and others oftentimes inuaded his lands and wasted the goods of his tenants but as often as they came against him they alwaies lost some of their owne men at length he calling to his aid the kings of Wales Blethyn and Rywalhon wasted the countrie of Hereford euen to Wye bridge and then returned with a maruelous great spoile This yeare also being 1068. Meredyth and Ithel the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn raised a great power against Blethyn and Rywalhon kings of Northwales and met with them at a place called Mechain where after long fight there were slaine vpon the one part Ithel and vpon the other part Rywalhon and Meredyth put to flight whome Blethyn pursued so straightlie that he starued for cold and hunger vpon the mountaines and so Blethyn the sonne of Convyn remained the onlie king of Powys and Northwales About this time Swayne king of Denmarke and Osburne his brother came to Humber with 300. sailes and to them came Edgar Edeling and Earle VValtelfe who all together came to Yorke and wan the castell and laie that winter betwixt Ouse and Trent till the king came thither and chased the Danes to their ships and destroied the inhabitants of the countrie but Earle VValtheof he receiued to mercie At this time Caradoc sonne to Gruffyth ap Rytherch ap Iestyn caused a great number of Frenchmen for so the Brytish booke calleth the Normanes to enter Southwales to whom he ioined his power of Gwentland and gaue Meredyth the king of that countrie an ouerthrow and slue him vpon the riuer of Rympyn At the same time also Dermot Maken Anel the worthiest and noblest prince that euer ruled in Ireland was murthered The two Earles Edwyn and Marcher with Hereward gathered an armie against the king but Edwyn was slaine of his owne people and the other tooke the Ile of Elie which the king so sore besieged that he shortlie tooke Marcher and his complices but Hereward escaped his hands manfully whom the king folowed to Scotland made Malcolme king of the land his subiect and vassall Then after the king passed to Normandie and receiued Edgar Edeling to his mercie And about this time the Normanes did lead a great power to VVestwales by sea and destroied Dyuet and the countrie of Caerdigan and caried awaie much spoile and did so likewise the yeare folowing Bleythyd Bishop of Meneuia or S. Dauids died at this time and Sulien was Bishop in his place Not long after this time Radulph Earle of Eastangles conspired against the king with Roger Earle of Hereford Earle VValtheof at the mariage of the said Radulph with Rogers sister in Essex the matter was opened but it pleased not the rest Therefore Radulph tooke shipping in Norwich fled to Denmarke and the king suddenlie comming ouertooke VValtheof and Roger of whom VValtheof was beheaded Roger committed to prison the people all slaine among whom there were a great number of VVelshmen This Radulphs mother came out of VVales which was the cause of the Welshmens being there for Radulph sent for manie of his mothers friends and kinsmen to come to this marriage meaning through their aid and procurement to get the princes and people of VVales to ioine with him in this enterprise He also and his complices sent to Cnute king of Denmarke promising him the kingdome of England to aid him against VVilliam the bastard But William being aduertised of all these things ouerthrew all their deuises for by his sudden comming vppon them out of Normandie he
companions who in that heat of contention obiected vnto him that he was but a bastard begotten in vnlawfull bed Which reproch so gréeued VValter that he fell vpon the other and slew him wherevpon fearing the punishment of the law he fled into Scotland where he fell into the companie of those Englishmen which were come thither with Quéene Margaret the sister of Edgar Edeling amongst whom he shewed himself so discréet and sober in all his demcanor that he was highlie estéemed of all men and so attaining to higher reputation and credit was afterward emploied in the affaires of the common wealth and at length made Lord Steward of Scotland receiuing the kings reuenewes of the whole realme Of the which office he and his posteritie reteined that sirname of Steward euer after from whom descended the most noble kings of Scotland of the familie of Stewards besides manie other Dukes Marquesses Earles and Barones of great fame and renowme Also at this time Siward that worthie Earle of Northumberland being brought to the point of death with the bloudie fluxe bewailed his mischance that he had escaped in manie a dangerous battell and now should die such a filthie and cowardlie death and calling his friends and his men about him commanded them to set him in his chaire and to arme him at all points and put his shield in the left hand and so made an end of his worthie life Whose Earldome because his sonne was within yeares was giuen to Tosty Godwyns sonne In the yeare 1054. Gruffyth the son of Rytherch ap Iestyn did gather a great number aswell strangers as others against Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn king or prince of Wales but commonlie called king of Northwales who detracting no time meeting him fought with him slew him Shortlie after Algar Earle of Chester being conuicted of treason against the king fled to Gruffyth king or prince of Wales who gathered his power to reuenge the often wrongs which he had receiued at the Englishmens hands who euer succoured his enimies against him Therefore he together with Algar entred Herefordshire and spoiled all the waie with fire and sword to the citie whither all the people had fled and they boldlie issued forth Earle Randulph being their leader and gaue him battell which Gruffyth wished for aboue anie other thing as he that had wonne fiue set fields and couragiouslie receiuing his enimies fought with them Which fight was long doubtfull till such time as Gruffyth incouraged his people with the remembrance of the prowesse worthie actes of the ancient Brytaines their forfathers saieng that they were the same enimies whose backes they had so oftentimes seene before which doubled their strength and force and so they pressed forwards that their foes were compelled to forsake the field and trust to their feete where their hands preuailed not and thought to haue taken the towne for their defense But Gruffyth and his men pursued them so hard that they entred with them and after a great slaughter returned home with manie worthie prisoners great triumph rich spoiles leauing nothing in the towne but bloud ashes and the walles rased to the ground There be some which affirme that king Edward by euill counsell as it is thought banished Algar the sonne of Earle Leofrike wherevpon he gat him into Ireland and there prouiding xviij ships of rouers returned and ioined himself with Gruffyth king or prince of Wales who both together inuaded the countrie of Mercia about Hereford where Ranulph Earle of that countrie who was sonne to king Edwards sister named Goda by hir first husband VValter de Maunt came against them with a great armie and met them about two miles from Hereford where after a sore fight by the space of thrée houres Ranulph and his armie were discomfited and about 500. of them slaine and the rest put to flight whome Gruffyth Algar pursued to Hereford and entring the towne set the cathedrall church on fire and slue the Bishop named Leogar with seauen of the canons spoiled and burnt the towne miserablie Wherevpon king Edward being aduertised héereof gathered an armie and sent Haroald the sonne of Earle Godwyn against them who pursuing the enimies to Northwales passed through Stradclwyd to Snowdon but Gruffyth and Algar being afraid to méete Haroald gote them againe to Southwales whereof Haroald being aduertised left one part of his armie in Northwales to resist the enimies there and returning with the residue to Hereford caused a great trench to be cast round about the towne with a high rampire stronglie fortifieng the gates of the same After this by meanes of a parle had with Gruffyth Algar at a place called Biligelhag a peace was concluded wherevpon Algar being pardoned by the king and restored againe to his Earledome returned home to Chester About two yeares after Algar was accused againe of treason so that he was the second time exiled the land and repaired to his old friend Gruffyth prince of Northwales by whome he was receiued ioifullie and restored againe to his Earledome by the aid of certaine strangers which came by chance frō Norwaie Whervpon king Edward being sore offended with Gruffyth sent Haroald againe with power to Northwales to be reuenged vpon him who comming to Ruthlan burned the palace of Gruffyth and his ships and then returned backe to the king at Glocester About this time Edward the sonne of Edmund Ironside came to England with his wife and children Edgar Edeling which signifieth in the Brytish toong a yong Lord or a Prince and Margaret which was afterwards Queene of Scots and mother to Mawd wife to Henrie the first king of England About two yeares after came Roderike sonne to Haroald king of Denmarke with a great armie to Wales and there being freendlie receiued of king Gruffyth ioining his power to Gruffyths entred England and cruellie spoiled and burned a great part of the land But shortlie after Roderike was compelled to returne to his ships and to saile to Denmarke and Gruffyth returned with spoiles This yeare as Haroald Godwyns sonne would haue sailed to Flanders he was driuen by force of a tempest to land in Poytiers where he was taken and conueied to William Bastard duke of Normandie to whom Haroald declared his iournie thither to be onelie to offer him his seruice in the affaires of England and tooke a solemne oth first to marrie the Dukes daughter and after the death of Edward to reserue the crowne to the dukes vse Then shortlie after receiuing rich gifts with much honor he returned to England This yeare died Owen the sonne of Gruffyth ap Rytherch Also Haroald and his brother Tosty by the procurement of Caradoc ap Gruffyth ap Rytherch and others gathered a great power and entred Southwales and subdued a great part thereof and wrought so with those that were about Gruffyth the king that assoone as he had gathered his people in Northwales tooke
his iournie to meete with Haroald he was cruellie and traitorouslie slaine by his owne men and his head brought to Haroald who appointed and placed Meredyth the sonne of Owen ap Edwyn prince and ruler in Southwales and he with his brother Tosty returned home Some doo report that Haroald about the rogation wéeke by the kings commandement went against the Welshmen and taking the sea sailed by Bristowe round about the coast compassing in maner all Wales His brother Tosty that was Earle of Northumberland met him by appointment with an host of horsemen and so ioining together they destroied the countrie of Southwales in such sort that the Welshmen were compelled to submit themselues to deliuer hostages and conditioned to paie the ancient tribute which before time they had paied The people of that countrie bicause Gruffyth their prince fled at the comming of Haroald and left them to be a prey for the enimie hated him fore whome as soone as he returned to them againe they slue and sent his head to Haroald which he sent to the king After whose death king Edward granted the principalitie of Northwales to Blethyn and Rywalhon the sonnes of Convyn brethren to Gruffyth by the mothers side who did homage vnto him for the same This Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn gouerned Wales 34. yeares valiantlie and woorthilie he neuer fought but he bare awaie the victorie he was gentle to his subiects and cruell to his foes looued of the one and feared of the other liberall to strangers costlie in apparell and princelie in all his dooings and vnwoorthie of that cruell death that the ambitious desire of rule did prouoke his vnkind subiects and vnnaturall coosens to prepare for so noble a prince and so gentle a maister as hee was Blethyn and Rywalhon Blethyn and Rywalhon the sonnes fo Convyn AFter the decease of king or prince Gruffyth Meredyth the sonne of Owen ap Edwyn which Edwyn as some writers saie was the sonne of Howel Dha did take vpon him the gouernment of Southwales and Blethyn and Rywalhon the sonnes of Convyn and halfe brethren to king Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn as they which were borne of Angharat daughter to Meredyth king of Wales did gouerne Northwales Conan the sonne of Iago being all this time with his father in lawe in Ireland About this time it fortuned that as Haroald serued the king with drinke at Windsor his brother Tofty mooued with enuie that his yonger brother should be preferred before him pulled him by the haire of the head and ouerthrewe him Then departing thence full of rancor and malice to Hereford where Haroald had prepared great cheere for the king he slue all Haroalds seruants and cut off their heads armes legs noses feet and hands and filled all the vessels of wine meath beere and ale therwith and sent the King word that he should want no powdred and sowsed meats when he came thither as for other things let him make prouision himselfe For which heinous offense the king banished him the land for euer Caradoc ap Gruffyth ap Rytherch was the first that procured Haroald for to come to Wales against Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn hoping by him to atteine vnto the gouernement of Southwales But it fell out otherwise for when Haroald vnderstood that he should not get that at the hands of Caradoc which he looked for which was a certaine lordship within Wales nigh vnto Hereford and knowing also Caradoc to be subtile and deceiptfull man compounding with Meredyth ap Owen for that lordship he made him king or prince of Southwales and banished Caradoc out of the countrie Afterward Haroald hauing obteined that lordship builded there a princelie and sumptuous house at a place called Portaslyth and diuers times earnestlie inuited the king to come to sée the same at the length the king being then at Glocester not far off granted him his request wherevpon Haroald made such preparation as is before mentioned for him which was thus most horribly abused by Tosty Soone after this wicked act the said Caradoc ap Gruffyth came to the same house and to be reuenged vpon Haroald killed all the workemen and laborers that were there at worke and all the seruants and people of Haroald that he could find and defacing the worke carried awaie those things that with great labour and expenses had béene brought thither to set out and beautifie the building Haroald and his brother were cheefe Iusticers of the land and they vsed when they saw any manor house or farme that pleased them to cause the owner to be murthered by night with all his children and houshold and then to seise the land into their owne hands Now when the people of Northumberland heard the exile of Tosty which was their Earle they reioised much for they hated him to the death Wherfore cōming to Yorke they slue all his familie aswell Englishmen as Danes Then ioining to them the men of Lincolneshire Notingham and Derbyshire they made Marcher sonne of Earle Algar their captaine and to them came his brother Edwyn with his people and a great number of Welshmen and they went burning spoiling to Hampton where Haroald met with them sent from the king to know their willes and they said they would haue Marcher Earle ouer them which the king granted confirmed Whervpon they returned the one to the North the other to Wales spoiling and burning all the countrie and lead with them manie thousand prisoners The yeare following being 1066. king Edward died and was buried at Westminster This was the last King of Saxon or English bloud that reigned in this land which from Cerdicke king of Westsaxons had continued 544. and from Egbert the first Monarch 171. yeares After the death of Edward some would haue preferred Edgar Edeling as right heire to the crowne but Haroald being of great power more rich and better freended obtained it nothing weieng his oth and promise to William Duke of Normandie which Duke calling all his nobles together declared them the wrongs he had receiued at Haroalds hands First the death of his coosen Alfred then the banishment of the Archbishop Robert and Earle Odan with all the Normanes and thirdlie his oth and promise broken declaring also the titles he had to England aswell by the former promise of Edward made to him in Normandie that if euer he enioied the crowne of England William should be his heire as also by cosinage and by the oth and promise of Haroald Which matter considered by the nobilitie of Normandie with all the dangers and difficulties of this expedition brought them to such perplexitie that the more part feared the end Then William Fitzosbert the Dukes sewer seing how they were bent dissuaded them from that viage wherfore they agreed all that he should declare their minds to the duke Then he came to him and said I with all my men and power am readie to liue and die with thee in this iournie which
Meredyth serued the king in all these warres who did the Prince most hurt of all men and was in great hope of goodlie preferments at the kings hands whom after the ouerthrowe of the Prince the king made knight and fed with manie faire and good woords After that he and all other his countriemen and neighbours had submitted themselues to the gouernement of the king of England it happened that the lord Payne Tiptoft warden of the kings castels nigh vnto Reeses countrie and the Lord Alan Plucknet the kings steward in Wales called the said Rees as they did all other of the countrie to the kings court whither he refused to come alledging his ancient priuileges and liberties with the kings promises but the said officers procéeded according to the law against him wherevpon a great variance arose betwéene the said Payne Tiptoft and the said Sir Rees ap Meredyth so that sundrie skirmishes were foughten betwixt them and men slaine on both sides to the great disturbance of the countrie The king hearing of these things being then beyond the seas wrote vnto Rees ap Meredyth requiring him to kéepe the peace till his returne at what time he promised to reforme all things in due and reasonable order but Rees would not giue ouer the enterprise which he had begun Wherevpon the king sent to the Earle of Cornewall whom he had leaft his lieutenant in the realme during his absence to send an armie of men into Wales to withstand the disordered attempts of the said Rees Who went into Wales himselfe and ouerthrew Reeses castell of Drofolan but by vndermining and reuersing the walles of the said castell with the fall thereof the Baron of Stafford the lord William de Monchency with manie other knights and Esquires were oppressed and brused to death Afterward Robert Tiptoft lord deputie of Wales gathered an armie and méeting the said Rees after the slaughter of 4000. of his people discomfited and tooke him Who about Michaelmas folowing at the kings going into Scotland was had to Yorke and there condemned and executed Not long after the king wanting monie there was a great subsidie granted towards the maintenance of the warres in France about leuieng of the which there was much adoo in diuerse places but especiallie the Welshmen which were neuer woont to be acquainted with such contribution stormed against it so that they tooke one of their owne captaines named Roger de Puelesdon who at the kings commandement gathered the said subsidie and hanged him with diuers other and afterward headed the said Roger. Wherevpon the king being sore offended for the death of the said Roger whom he greatlie fauoured and hearing that the Welshmen began to stirre against him in diuers places for the Westwales men had chosen Maelgon Vachan for their captaine and destroied all Caerdigan and Penbrooke and returned with rich spoiles they of Glamorgan and the South parts tooke one named Morgan for their leader and driuing the Earle of Glocester out of the countrie they restored to the said Morgan againe those possessions which the ancestors of the said Earle by force and great wrong had taken from the said Morgans predecessors The Northwales men had set vp one Madoc being of the kindred of the last Lhewelyn slaine at Buelht who gathering a great power came to Caernaruon and slew a great number of Englishmen which were come thither to the Faire and spoiled the whole towne then I saie the king called backe his brother Edmond Earle of Lancaster and Henrie Lacy Earle of Lincolne and lord of Denbigh who had an armie readie to passe into Gascoyn These Earles came towards Northwales and as they approched néere vnto the castell of Denbigh vpon S. Martyns daie the Welshmen with great force encountred them and giuing them battell droue them backe and discomfited their people Then the king himselfe came to Wales and kept his Christmas at Aberconwey where Robert Wynchelsey archbishop of Canturburie came vnto him and did his homage and then returned home The king as he passed further into the countrie lost much of his carriages which the Welshmen tooke being loden with vittell and prouision for the armie so that the king and his people indured great penurie and was constrained to drinke water mixt with honie and eate verie grosse and course meate where he was verie like to haue béene distressed had not the other part of his armie come vnto him in time While the king remained in Snowdon the Earle of Warwicke hearing that a great number of Welshmen were assembled togither and lodged in a vallie betwixt two woods chose out a companie of horssemen with certeine crossebowes and archers and comming vpon the Welshmen in the night compassed them round about who pitching the ends of their speares and turning the points against their enimies stood at defense so to kéepe off the horssemen But the Earle hauing placed his battell so that euer betwixt two horssemen there stood a crossebow a great part of the Welshmen who stood at defense in maner aforesaid with their speares were ouerthrowne and broken with the shot of the quarels and then the Earle charged the residue with a troupe of horssemen and bare them downe with such slaughter as they had not susteined the like losse of people as was thought at anie time before After this the king builded a strong castell within the Ile of Anglesey and called the same Buemarish and so putting all things in quietnesse and punishing such as had put to death Roger de Puelesdon he returned home with his armie But Madoc within a while after leauieng an armie of men came to Oswestrie where the people yéelded vnto him and méeting with the lord Strange with a companie of Marchers not farre from Knookine ouerthrew him and spoiled his countrie miserablie and shortlie after he gaue the Marchers another ouerthrow But for all that the lord Marchers nothing dismaied at this mischance gathered a great power anew met Madoc as he was comming towards Shrewesburie vpon the hils of Cefn Digolh not farre from Caurs castell where after a long fight the said Madoc was taken and his men discomfited and put to flight Then he was sent to the Towre of London there to remaine in perpetuall prison There be some which affirme that Madoc was not taken but rather after manie aduentures and sundrie conflicts when the Welshmen were brought into an issue of great extremitie the said Madoc came in and submitted himselfe to the kings peace and was receiued vpon condition that he should pursue Morgan till he had taken him and brought him to the kings prison which was done and so all things in those parties were set in rest and peace and manie hostages of the chiefest of the nobilitie of Wales were deliuered to the king who sent them to diuerse castels in England where they were safelie kept almost to the end of the warres that followed with Scotland In the