Lord Powys who descended of Hawys the daughter and heire of Owen ap Gruffyth Lord Powys who was linealie descended of Blethyn ap Convyn Prince of Wales mentioned before pag 103. This noble man was made knight being verie yoong by Charls Brandon Duke of Suffolke for his good seruice doon at Montededier in France Anno 15. Hen. 8. He was sent Embassadour to the Emperour Anno 26. Hen. 8. After the death of the Uicount Lisle his father in lawe he was created Uicount Lisle warden of the frontiers marches of Scotland Anno 33. Hen. 8. He was chosen to be fellowe and companion of the order of the Garter the fift of Maie An. 35. Hen. 8. In the first yéere of K. Edward the sixt he was created Earle of Warwike and in the fift yeere of the same king Duke of Northumberland He was also Earle Marshall high admirall of England L. great maister and President of the priuie councell and further intituled lord Basset and Tyesse The next yéere after that is in the fourth yéere of Edward the sixt William Herbert knight of the noble order of the garter was appointed L. President of Wales and continued vntill Michaelmas in the first yéere of Quéene Marie After whom Nicholas Heath Bishop of Worcester was sent to be L. President of Wales continued there vntill the third yéere of the same Quéene and then was remooued to be Lord Chaunceler of England being then elected Archbishop of Yorke At which time the said William Herbert was againe made L. President of Wales and so continued vntill the sixt yeare of the same Quéene He descended of William Herbert created Earle of Penbrooke by king Edward the fourth who was the sonne of Sir William Herbert who married Gladys the daughter of Sir Dauid Gam which Sir William was the sonne of Thomas Herbert the sonne of Gwilim ap Ienkyn lineallie descended of a noble man called Herbert Fitzhenrie chamberlaine to king Henrie the first This noble man liued in great credit and estimation with king Henrie the eight king Edward the sixt Quéene Marie and Quéene Elizabeth and was by euerie of the said Princes emploied in matters of great importance and for his good and faithfull seruice greatlie honoured as appeareth in an Epitaph fixed vpon his toombe in the Cathedrall church of S. Paule in London which I thought good héere to laie downe Perpetuae pietati Sacrum GVliel Herberto Penbrochiae comiti equiti aurato praenobilis ordinis Anglici Henr. viij R. Acubiculis Edoard vi R. equitum magistro Walliae praesidi Tumultu occidentali cum Russello Graio Baronibus paribus auspicijs summae rerum praeposito Mariae R ae contra perduelles ac expeditione ad Augustam Veromanduorum bis totius exercitus duci bis summo in agro Caletum Limitum praefecto Elizab R ae officiorum seu Magno Regiae Magistro Pariter Dominae Annae ex vetiista Parrorum gente oriundae Sorori Catharinae R ae Henr. viij R. vi matrimonio coniunctae ac Marchionis Northamptonij Prudentiss ae foeminae pietatis religionis probitatis omnisque auitae virtutis retinentiss ae fidiss Comitis coniugi Henr. F. ac comes Pp. chariss sibi ac suis moerens P. Obijt aetatis An 63. Obijt salutis An 1569. Liberis relictis ex prima Henrico Pemb. Comite Edoardo Equite Aurato Domina Anna Baroni Talbot nupta Secunda coniuge superstite Georgio Salopiae comite genita inisigni praeter antiquum probitatis decus virtute foemina In the sixt yeare of Quéene Marie Gilbert Bourne Bishop of Bath and Wels was sent to be lord President of Wales and so continued vntill the death of the same Quéene In the first yeare of Quéene Elizabeth Sir Iohn Williams L. Williams of Thame was sent L. President into Wales and died L. President the same yeare in the castell of Ludlowe and lieth buried at Thame in the countie of Oxenford where he of his good and vertuous disposition towards the good and godlie education of the youth of his countrie and maintenance of the poore founded by his last will and testament a Grammar schoole and an Almeshouse to haue continuance for euer and leaft certaine yearelie reuenues in lands and monie for the maintenance of the same And for the ordering conueieng and assuring of the premisses to the vses aforesaid he constituted and ordeined executors of his said last will and testament among other Robert Doylie of Merton in the same countie Esquier and William Place of Lurgyshall in the countie of Buckingham Gentleman who purchasing other lands for that purpose to the yearelie value of 57. pounds two shillings fiue pence sued out the mortmaine and enfe offed the Warden and Scholers of new College in Oxenford and their successors of the premisses to the vse aboue mentioned The foundation of the Schoole is of one head Schoolemaister to be appointed by the said Robert Doylie and William Place or the longer liuer of them for their life time and afterward by the said Warden and Scholers of new College and their successors for euer who hath yéerelie for his stipend the sum of xxvj pounds xiij shillings iiij pence And one vsher to be likewise appointed as the maister is who shall haue for his stipend yéerelie the sum of xiij pounds vj. shillings viij pence both which stipends are to be paid quarterly by euen portions The almeshouse is founded to haue fiue almsmen and one almeswoman who haue yéerelie towards their maintenance the summe of 7. pounds 4. shillings and a new gowne euerie fourth yeere There is also allowed for the kéeping of the toombe of the said lord Williams 8. shillings yéerelie and for kéeping cleane of the water-course 4. shillings Henrie Sidney knight after the death of the L. Williams of Thame in the second yéere of the Quéenes Maiestie that now is was sent to be L. President of Wales This knight is descended by the heires make lineallie of Sir William Sidney who came out of Aniowe into England with Henrie Fitzempresse and was afterward chamberlaine to the said Henrie when he was king of England and descended out of Wales by his mother Anne the daughter of Anne the daughter of William Clement the sonne of Iohn the sonne of William the sonne of William the sonne of Ienkyn Clement who married the daughter of Conan the sonne of Meredyth the sonne of Gruffyth the sonne of the lord Rees Prince of Southwales of whom mention is before pag. 249. which Rees was the sonne of Wenlhian the daughter of Gruffyth ap Conan Prince of Northwales The mother likewise of the same Iohn or Ienkyn Clement was Cicilie the daughter of Sir Gruffyth Lhoyd knight the son of Rees the son of Gruffyth the sonne of Ednyuet Vachan chéefe counseller and steward to Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth Prince of Wales of whom Matthew Paris maketh mention page 843. who also was the auncestor of Owen Tuder the Grandfather of king Henrie the seuenth of
daughter to Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn Prince of VVales by whom he had issue Mahael and a daughter This Mahael being a worthie knight was disinherited by the malice of his owne mother who contrarie to matrimoniall dutie kept vnlawfull companie with a knight whom she set more by than hir husband Wherevpon Mahael being offended with the dissolute life of his mother warned hir to auoid infamie and on a time méeting the said knight comming from hir fought with him and hurt him sore Wherefore Nest to be auenged of hir sonne for that fact went to king Henrie the first and solemnelie rather of malice and reuengement as Giraldus noteth than of anie truth sware vpon the Euangelists that the said Mahael hir sonne was not begotten by Barnard Newmarch hir husband but by another louer of hirs By reason of the which oth or periurie rather as mine author thinketh Mahael was disinherited and his sister whom hir mother affirmed to be the verie daughter of the said Barnard was by the said king with the whole inheritance bestowed vpon Milo the sonne of Walter Constable who was after created Earle of Hereford Lord of Glocester Brechnocke and the forrest of Deane This Milo Earle of Hereford and Lord of Brechnocke as the same Giraldus writeth told king Henrie the first of the singing triumphing of birds by the poole called Lhyn Sauathan at the passing by of Gruffyth ap Rees ap Theodor the said Milo and Paine Fitz Iohn Lord of Ewyas land being present Wherevnto the King answered that It was not a thing to be woondered at so much for in truth saith he although we by our great force and strength doo offer iniurie and violence to that nation yet are they well knowne to be the lawfull inheritours of that countrie the words of Giraldus be these Quibus auditis Rex respondisse memoratur Illud non-adeo esse admirandum quia licèt gentibus illis per vires nostras magnas iniuriam violentiam irrogemus nihilominus tamen in terris ijsdemius haereditarium habere noscuntur Milo had by his said wife fiue sonnes to wit Roger Walter Henrie William and Mahael which were all successiuelie except William Earles of Hereford and Lords of Brechnocke and died all without issue He had also thrée daughters Margaret the eldest married to Humfrey de Bohune the sonne of Humfrey Bohune Steward in house to William Rufus which was the sonne of Humfrey le Bohune that came into Enlgand with William Conqueror This Humfrey was in hir right Earle of Hereford Constable of England Bertha the second daughter was married vnto Philip Bruse created by King Stephan Lord Bruse of Gower Bould and Brimber and in his wiues right lord of Brechnock Lucia the third daughter was married to Herebert the sonne of Herebert a base sonne to King Henrie the first who was in hir right Lord of all the forrest of Deane of whom descended the Fitz Herebert of Derbishire The castell of Brechnock being first built by the said Barnard Newmarch was greatlie augmented and beautified by the last Humfrey Bohune Earle of Hereford Essex Northampton and Constable of England who had issue two daughters his heires Elianor the elder was married vnto Thomas Plantagenet alias Thomas of Woodstock the sixt sonne of Edward the third who was by King Richard the second created Earle of Buckingham and after duke of Glocester and in hir right Earle of Essex Northampton and Constable of England Marie the second daughter was married to Henrie Plantagenet alias Bolingbrooke Earle of Derbie who was afterward King of England by the name of Henrie the fourth The said Thomas Plantagenet Duke of Glocester and Lord of Brechnock had issue Humfrie Plantagenet Earle of Buckingham Lord of Brechnock c who died without issue and 4. daughters which were heirs after their brother Anne the eldest was married to Edmund Stafford Earle of Stafford who by hir had issue Humfrie Earle of Stafford Hereford Northampton Lord of Brechnock c. And afterwards the said Anne was maried to William Viscount Burgcher created Earle of Ewe in France by King Henrie the fift father of Henrie created Earle of Essex by King Edward the fourth This Humfrie Earle Stafford was by King Henrie the sixt created Duke of Buckingham and so this Lordship of Brechnock came to the Dukes of Buckingham and by the attaindour of Edward the last Duke of Buckingham is come to the crowne There came manie Gentlemen with the said Barnard Newmarch at that time to Brechnock vpon whom he bestowed diuers manours which their heires doo possesse and enioy euen to our time as to the Awbreyes the manour of Abercynuric and Slowch to the Walbiefes the manour of Lhanhamlach and Taly Lhyn to the Gunters the manour of Gilston to the Havards the manour of Pontwilym c. But now hauing long digressed let vs returne againe to our author About this time William Rufus and Robert his brother being made freends came both together into England and lead an armie into Scotland against Malcolme the king who had entred Northumberland spoiled it in the kings absence and he yeelded himselfe to William and by oth became his vassall and subiect Then William reedified Carlile and brought people from the South part of England to inhabite it But shortlie after Malcolme came againe into England spoiling the land who being fought withall was slaine and his sonne Edward also then Edgar his sonne which was pledge with king William was crowned in his steed At this time Cadogan ap Blethyn ap Convyn destroied all Dyuet in the end of Aprill and shortlie after the same summer the Normanes in great companies landed in Dyuet or Westwales Cardigan and builded castels there and so began to inhabite the countrie vpon the sea shoare The Normans hauing gotten into their hands all the lands and liuings of the nobilitie of England began to spie out the commodities of Wales and séeing that Robert Fitzhamon and the other knights that went with him had sped so well they made sure to the king to grant them the lands of the Welshmen Whervpon the king thinking that to be the best waie for him aswell to incourage them to be the more willing to serue him as also to prouide for them at other mens cost granted to diuers of his nobles sundrie countries in Wales to hold of him by knight seruice for the which they did homage and sweare fealtie vnto him as foloweth 1 Roger Mountgomery Earle of Arundel and Salope did his homage for the lordships of Powys and Caerdigan 2 Hugh Lupus Earle of Chester did his homage for Tegengl and Ryuonioc with all the land by the sea shoare vnto the riuer of Conwey 3 Arnulph a yoonger sonne of Roger Mountgomery for Dyuet 4 Barnard Newmarch for Brechnock 5 Ralph Mortimer for Eluel 6 Hugh de Lacie for the land of Ewyas 7 Eustace Cruer for Molde and Hopedale and manie other for other lands Then Roger de
Owen Cyuelioc the son of Gruffyth ap Meredyth lord of Powys by Owen Vachan second sonne to Madoc ap Meredyth which lands they diuided betwixt them so that Owen Cyuelioc had Mochnant aboue Rayader and Owen Vachan Mochnant beneath Rayader This yeare there was an earthquake in Northfolke and Suffolke At this time king Henrie maried Geffrey his sonne to Constance the onelie daughter heire of Conan Earle of Richmond and duke of Brytaine In the yeare 1167. Owen prince of Nothwales Cadwalader his brother and Rees prince of Southwales brought an armie to Powys against Owen Cyuelioc and wan all his lands chased him out of the countrie and gaue Caereneon to Owen Vachan the sonne of Madoc ap Meredyth to hold of prince Owen and the lord Rees had Walwern bicause it stoode within his countrie But within a while after Owen Cyuelioc returned with a number of Normanes and Englishmen to recouer his countrie againe and laid siege to the castell of Caereneon and winning the same burned it to the ground Also the same yeare the aforesaid princes Owen Rees and Cadwalader laid siege to the castell of Ruthlan which the king had latelie built and fortified which the garrison defended manfullie and worthilie yet the princes would not depart vntill they had won it which they did at two moneths end and then rased it Afterward they gat the castell of Prestaryn and destroied it and then brought all Tegengl to Owens subiection and returned home with much honor In the yeare folowing Conan the sonne of prince Owen slew Vrgeney Abbot of Lhwythlawr and Lhawthen his nephue At this time Henrie duke of Saxonie maried Mawd king Henries daughter Then also the nobles of Poitiew rebelled against king Henrie vpon hope of the French kings aid and slew VVilliam Fitzpatrike Earle of Salisburie then the king created VVilliam his sonne Earle in his steed Also the Brytaines of Armorica rebelled against king Henrie wherefore he destroied a great part of the countrie The next yeare Henrie the kings eldest sonne did homage to the French king for the Earledome of Aniow and the stewardship of France which belonged thereto and Geffrey did his brother homage for the dukedome of Brytaine Then the king made a great ditch or trench betwixt France and Normandie to defend the countrie from sudden incursions and theeues And this yeare Robert the sonne of Stephen constable was released out of his coosins the lord Rees his prison and was sent to Ireland with a great power to succour Dermot son to Murchart who landed at Lochgarmon and wan it and so went forward This Robert Fitzstephen Moris Fitzgerald his brother and their nephues Robert Meyler and Raymond with an armie of Welshmen vnder the conduct of Richard Strangbow Earle of Strigule were the chiefe captains and dooers in the conquest of Ireland when it was first reduced vnder the subiection of the crowne of England of whom the Fitzgeralds Fitzstephens and Fitzmoris are descended of whom Giraldus writeth at large in his historie of Ireland In the yeare 1169. Meyric ap Adam of Buelht was murthered in his bed by Meredyth Bengoch his coosen germane Also this yeare there were found the bones of a giant cast vp by the sea of such length that his body seemed to containe fiftie foote in height At this time the king caused his sonne Henrie to be crowned king of England by the Archbishop of Yorke Also this yeare Owen Gwyneth the son of Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales passed out of this world after he had gouerned his countrie well and worthilie 32. yeares This prince was fortunate and victorious in all his affaires he neuer tooke any enterprise in hand but he atchieued it He left behind him manie children gotten by diuerse women which were not esteemed by their mothers and birth but by their prowes and valiantnesse First he had by Gladus the daughter of Lhywarch ap Trahaern ap Caradoc Iorweth drwyndwn that is Edward with the broken nose Conan Maelgon and Gwenlhian by Christian the daughter of Grono ap Owen ap Edwyn he had Dauid Roderike Cadwalhon Abbot of Bardsey and Angharat wife to Gruffyth Maylor he had besides these Conan Lhewelyn Meredyth Edwal Run Howel Cadelh Madoc Eneon Cynwric Philip and Riryd lord of Clochran in Ireland by diuerse women of whom Run Lhewelyn and Cynwric died before their father of the rest you shall heare hereafter Dauid ap Owen Dauid the sonne of Owen Gwyneth This Madoc arriuing in that Westerne countrie vnto the which he came in the yeare 1170. left most of his people there and returning backe for more of his owne nation acquaintance and fréends to inhabite that faire and large countrie went thither againe with ten sailes as I find noted by Gutyn Owen I am of opinion that the land wherevnto he came was some part of Mexico the causes which make me to thinke so be these 1 The common report of the inhabitants of that countrie which affirme that their rulers descended from a strange nation that came thither from a farre countrie which thing is confessed by Mutezuma king of that countrie in his oration made for quieting of his people at his submission to the king of Castile Hernando Curteis being then present which is laid downe in the Spanish Chronicles of the conquest of the West Indies 2 The Brytish words and names of places vsed in that countrie euen to this daie doo argue the same as when they talke togither they vse this word Gwrando which is Hearken or listen Also they haue a certeine bird with a white head which they call Pengwin that is white head But the Iland of Corroeso the cape of Bryton the riuer of Gwyndor and the white rocke of Pengwyn which be all Brytish or Welsh words doo manifestlie shew that it was that countrie which Madoc and his people inhabited The same time Elianor the kings daughter was married to Alfonsus king of Castil Also Richard Strangbowe Earle of Strigul went to Ireland without the kings leaue and married the daughter of Dermot king of Dublyn wherefore the king seased all his lands in England to his owne hands and Dermot died shortlie after and was buried at Ferna About the end of this yeare Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canturburie was slaine The yeare ensuing Rees prince of Southwales came with great power to Powys and subdued Owen Cyuelioc the Lord thereof and tooke pledges of him and so returned home with much honour Then the king called his nobles to consult about the enterprise of Ireland which had beene before determined to be taken in hand To this consultation came messengers from Richard Strangbowe Earle of Strigule Marshall of England to deliuer to the kings hands the citie of Dublyne and the towne of Waterford with such other townes as he had by the right of his wife wherevpon the king restored to him againe his lands in England and Normandie and made him
steward of Ireland and so it was concluded for the kings going to Ireland When the king was in his iournie towards Ireland the Lord Rees came to the king who receiued him to his peace confirmed vnto him all that he had Then Rees promised the king towards his conquest of Ireland 300. horsses and 400. Oxen and gaue him 14. pledges Then the king came to Southwales entring Caerlhêon vpō Vske tooke the towne from the Lord thereof Iorwerth ap Owen ap Caradoc keeping the same to his owne vse Wherefore Iorwerth departed from the king and calling to him his two sonnes Owen and Howel whom he had begotten by Angharat the daughter of Vchtryd bishop of Landaff and his sister sonne Morgan ap Sitsylt ap Dyfnwal gathered a number of men and vpon the kings departure entred the countrie spoiling and burning as they went and tooke the towne of Caerlhêon and destroied it saue the castell which they could not get But the king kept on his iornie to Penbrooke and there he gaue Rees all Caerdigan Stratywy Arustly Eluel Then Rees being at Aberteiui which he had wonne from the Earle of Glocester and fortified of late came from thence to Penbrooke in the calends of October and spake with the king and returned againe the daie after and then chose out of the horsses which he caused to be brought thither for the king 86. and made them to be brought to Penbrooke and presented them to the king who chose out of the same 36. of the best and sent the rest backe againe with great thankes The same daie the king went to Saint Dauid and offering there dined with the bishop Dauid the sonne of Gerald coosen germaine to Rees whither Richard Strangbowe Earle of Strigule came from Ireland to speake with the king and after dinner the king returned to Penbrooke Within a while after the king being at the white house rendered to Rees Howel his sonne who had beene long for pledge with him and then also he gaue him day for the other pledges and for his tribute till his returne from Ireland The next daie being the morrowe after the feast of S. Luke the Euangelist the king tooke shipping there and had faire passage to Ireland and so landed at Dublyne where he laie quietlie that winter The Christmasse folowing Henrie the yong king kept a solemne feast where William S. Iohn procurator of Normandie and William Fitzhamon Seneshall of Brytaine and 110. besides were made knights In the yeare 1172. there fell a great plague among the kings soldiours in Ireland by reason of the change of the aire and victuals and therefore the king returned and landed in Wales in the passion weeke and remained in Penbrooke on Easter daie and the daie folowing and on tuesdaie tooke his iournie towards England Then the lord Rees met with him at Talacharn to doo his dutie The king as he passed from Cardyf by the new castell vpon Vske sent for Iorwerth ap Owen ap Caradoc to come speake with him vnder safe conduct to him his sons and freends meaning to conclude peace with him and so to quiet all VVales Wherevpon Iorwerth tooke his iournie towards the king and sent word to Owen his sonne being a lustie yoong gentleman to meete with him by the waie but as he came at his fathers commandement the Earle of Brystowes men hearing of it came forth of the new castell vpon Vske and laid wait for him by the way being vnder the kings safe conduct trusting to his promise and suddenlie set vpon him and murthered him traitorouslie and cowardlie being vnarmed and hauing but a few in his companie Which thing when his father heard by some of his men that had escaped he was verie sorie and returned home with all his freends and his sonne Howel and would neuer afterwards trust neither the kings promise nor anie Englishmans but forthwith gathered all the power freends that he could make and without mercie destroied all the countrie with fire and sword to the gates of Hereford and Glocester to auenge the death of his son Then the king made the lord Rees chiefe Iustice of all Southwales by commission and tooke his iournie to Normandie In the same yeere died Cadwalader ap Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales who had by his wife Alice the daughter of Richard Clare Earle of Glocester Cunetha Radulph and Richard and by other women he had Caduan Cadwalader Eneon Meredyth goch and Cadwalhon Towards the end of this yeare Sitsylt ap Dyfnwal and Ieuan ap Sitsylt ap Riryd got the castell of Abergevenny vpon the sudden and tooke the kings garrison prisoners and the yeare ensuing was the fairest winter that euer was seene At this time there fell a variance betwixt the two kings of England the father and the sonne and there cleaued to the sonne the Queene his mother and both his brethren Geffrey and Richard and the Earle of Chester and William Patrick with the three sonnes of the Earle of Mellent Camerarius de Tancquervilla Valeran de Hibera Gilbert de Regularijs Simon de Montfort Radulph de la Haie Hugh de S. Maura and the French king with the Earle of Flanders gaue the yoong king aid who tooke Hugh Lacie and Hugh Beauchamp in the castell of Vernoyle yet the elder king was not discouraged who had Almanes and Brabanters to his soldiours Also Rees prince of Southwales sent to him Howel his sonne with a goodlie companie of men to serue him and the king was verie glad sent the lord Rees great thanks King Henrie ouerthrew his enimies diuerse times and tooke Radulph de Fulgerijs and the Earle of Chester prisoners but William Patricke and Haftulph de Hilario escaped Also the Earle of Leycester Hugh de nouo Castello as they began a stirre in England were taken at Burie by the elder kings soldiours and committed to prison In this meane time Iorwerth ap Owen brought his power against Caerlhêon and they of the towne fought with him whome he ouerthrew and tooke manie prisoners of them and wan the towne and laid siege to the castell which was yeelded him forthwith in exchange for his prisoners Then also his sonne Howel brought all Gwentîs Coet the castell onelie excepted to his subiection and tooke pledges of the inhabitants of the countrie Also at this time Dauid ap Owen Gwyneth prince of Northwales made warre against his brother Maelgon which kept the Ile of Môn or Anglesey brought his people ouer Mênai for so that arme of the sea is called which separateth that Ile from the maine land and chasing his brother out of the Ile to Ireland brought all the Ile to his subiection Also he expelled all his brethren and coosens out of Northwales and tooke all their lands to himselfe and taking his brother Maelgon as he came from Ireland kept him in close prison then Conan his brother died In the yeare 1175.
Howel the sonne of Iorwerth ap Owen of Caerlhêon tooke his vncle Owen Pencarn prisoner putting out his eies gelded him least he should beget children which should inherit Caerlhêon and Gwent But God prouided a punishment for him for vpon the saturdaie folowing there came a great armie of Normanes and Englishmen before the towne and wan it with the castell manger Howel and his father who was not priuie to his sonnes lewd deed Also this yeare the elder king came to England then William king of Scots and Roger de Mobbray were taken prisoners at Alnewike by the Barons of the North as they came to destroie England in the quarell of the yoong king therefore the elder king put them in safe keeping with the Earle of Leycester receiuing Hugh Bygod Erle of Northfolke to his peace and so returned to Normandie with a great armie of Welshmen which were sent him from Dauid prince of Northwales to whome the king gaue his sister Emme in mariage then the king sent the Welshmen ouer the riuer of Sene to cut away the victuall which came to his enimies campe wherfore the French king came to a parlee and shortlie they concluded a peace so that all the brethren desired the father forgiuenes Also at this time Dauid prince of Northwales being bold of the kings affinitie did imprison his owne brother Roderike in boltes bicause he desired part of his fathers lands In the yeare folowing both the kings came to England and the Scottish king was set at libertie who became liegeman vnto king Henrie and sware fealtie to him with all the lords of Scotland spirituall and temporall and deliuered the king the towns of Rocksburgh and Berwicke and the castell of Maydens Shortlie after died Reginald Earle of Cornwall base sonne to king Henrie the first and the king seased his lands in England Wales and Normandie to himselfe for Iohn his yoongest sonne saue a small portion which he left to his daughter Also about the same time died Ralph Earle of Kyme and Philip his sonne was created in his steed Shortlie after there died also William Erle of Arundell at Wauerley and was buried at Wyndham whereof he was patrone This yeare also Rees prince of Southwales came to the kings court at Glocester and brought with him such lords of Southwales as had offended the king to doo him homage which pleased the king wōderfullie whose names were these Cadwalhon ap Madoc of Melyenyth Reeses coosen germane Eneon Clyt of Eluel Eneon ap Rees of Werthrynion which two had married two of his daughters Morgan ap Caradoc ap Iestyn of Glamorgan Gruffyth ap Iuor ap Meyric of Senghennyth Sitsylt ap Dyfnwal of higher Gwent which three had maried his sisters and Iorwerth ap Owen of Caerlhêon whom the king receiued all to his peace and restored to Iorwerth ap Owen Caerlhéon againe and so they returned home with great ioy But shortlie after William de Bruse lord of Brechnock desired Sitsylt ap Dyfnwal Geffrey his sonne and a great number of the worshipfullest men of Gwent land to a feast at the castell of Abergeuenny which he had receiued of them by composition and they mistrusting no harme came thither but he like a traitor and murtherer had a great number of armed men within the castell which fell vpon this lord and the rest and without mercie slew them all and forthwith went to Sitsylts house being not farre thence and tooke his wife and slew Cadwalader his sonne before his mothers face and destroied the house and this was a lamentable daie to all the land of Gwent and a lesson for all men to take heed of their enimies This William lord Bruse hauing the Welshmen within his castell of Abergeuenny to séeke a quarell propounded vnto them certaine articles to be by them kept and performed and among other things that none of them should at anie time carie about them in their iournies either bow or sword for the obseruing of the which he would haue had them to be sworne which they refused to doo wherevpon he falling out with them called his men which were readie for that purpose and caused them all thus to be murthered and when that déed was doone to cloake his treason with some reasonable excuse he caused it to be reported abroad that this he did in reuenge of the death of his vncle Henrie de Hereford whom they on Easter euen before had slaine In Northwales Roderike brake his brothers prison and escaping came to Anglesey where all the countrie receiued him for their lord bicause they abhorred the ingratitude of the prince who vnnaturallie disinherited all his brethren coosens vpō boldnes of his brother in law the king This Roderike also was receiued as lord and prince in all the countrie aboue the riuer of Conwey Then prince Dauid fled ouer Conwey and there remained for a time This yere died Cadelh the son of Gruffyth ap Rees and brother to the lord Rees after long sicknesse and was buried honorablie at Stratflur The next yeare died Dauid Fitzgerald bishop of Meneuia and Piers was installed bishop in his place This yeare the lord Rees prince of Southwales made a great feast at Christmas in the castell of Aberteiui which feast he caused to be proclaimed through all Brytaine long before and thither came manie strangers which were honorablie receiued and worthilie intertained so that no man departed discontented And among deeds of armes and other shewes Rees caused all the poetes of Wales which are makers of songs recorders of gentlemens petegrees armes of whome euerie one is intituled by the name of Bardh in Latine Bardus to come thither prouided chaires for them to be set in his hall where they should dispute togither to trie their cunning and gift in their faculties where great rewards rich gifts were appointed for the ouercomers amongst whome they of Northwales wan the price and among the Musicians Reeses owne houshold men were counted best Shortlie after Eneon Clyt and Morgan ap Meredyth were both slaine by treason of the Normanes which inhabited the marshes At this time the lord Rees did build the castell of Rayder Gwy that is to saie The fall of Wye for the riuer Wye falleth there ouer a great and a high rocke At that time the sonnes of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth made warre against him Then also Cadwalhon brother vnto Owen Gwyneth and vncle to Dauid and Roderike who had fled to the king for succour as he was conueied home by the kings men to enioy his patrimonie was cruellie murthered by the waie and found those whom he hoped to be his helpe and freends to be in deed traitors and butchers And about this time Ione the daughter of king Henrie the elder was married to William king of Sicile This yeare the bones of noble king Arthur and Gwenhouar his wife were found in the Ile of Aualon
a great armie and shortlie after laid siege to Aberteiui and got it and from thence marched to Caermardhin and likewise got the same Lhewelyn prince of Wales at what time William Marshall Earle of Penbrooke prosecuted the warres in Ireland against the kings enimies there tooke by force two castels in Wales belonging to the said Earle putting all his men which kept the same to the sword and fortifieng the same with a garrison of his owne men in either of them departed home againe whereof when the said Earle was aduertised he returned from Ireland with all spéed and recouering his castels againe vsed the same courtesie towards Lhewelyns men that he had shewed to his and then entring further into the Princes countrie destroied all before him as he went These newes comming to Lhewelyns eares did sore offend him wherevpon he sent Gruffyth his sonne with a power of men to staie the Earle for passing further Then Gruffyth went to Cydweli and vnderstanding that the Burgesses of the towne meant to betraie him burned the towne churches and all to the earth Then William Marshall passed the riuer Tywy at Caermardhin where Gruffyth met with him gaue him battell which was verie doubtfull and endured vntill night and then either partie withdrew themselues and the riuer betwixt And after they had laien so certen daies Gruffyth for lacke of victuals for his men which were about 9000. persons returned back and the Earle went to Cilgerran and began to build there a verie strong castell Then receiuing letters from the king to come and speake with him he went to the court by sea and left his armie to continue the worke he had begon Then the king and the archbishop of Canturburie being at Ludlowe sent for the Prince and would faine haue agreed him and the Earle but it would not be and so they departed And when the Earle would haue passed to Penbrooke by lande with the strength of the Earle of Derby and Henrie Pygot lord of Ewyas the Prince sent his son to keepe the passage at Carnwylhion he himselfe came as far as Mabedryd Which when the Erle vnderstood he returned backe to England the Prince went to Northwales Certeine of the barons also misliking the rule of Hubert de Burgh conspired against the king and him as Randulph Earle of Chester VVilliam de Fortibus Earle of Albemarle Iohn constable of Chester Foulke de Breant Hugh de Veteri ponte Bryan Lysle Patrike de Malo lacu Philip Marke and VVilliam lord de Cantilupo But the matter was appeased and the king got the castell of Bedford by long siege wherein was William de Breant brother to Foulke About this time died William de longa Spata Earle of Salisburie The yeare folowing Sarancus de malo Leone deliuered Rochell to the French king Also Foulke de Breant was at this time banished England and came to such pouertie that he begged from dore to dore The yeare 1226. Rees Vachan sonne to Rees Gryc did take his father prisoner and would not set him at libertie till he had deliuered him the castell of Lhanymdhyfri At this time died Meredyth archdecon of Caerdigan sonne to prince Rees and was buried by his father at S. Dauids The yeere folowing king Henrie came with a great armie to Wales as farre as Ceri and incamped there vpon the other side prince Lhewelyn called to him all the power of Wales and incamped not farre off and there were diuerse great skirmishes and chieflie vpon one daie the most part of both armies was in the field and a great number slaine of the kings men At which time William de Bruse sonne to Reynald was taken prisoner who offered for his ransome the countrie of Buelht and a great summe of monie beside then there was a peace concluded betweene the king and the Prince wherevpon the Prince came to the king and did honor him but not as his king and lord and euerie partie returned home This historie is somewhat otherwise laid downe by Matthew Paris which I haue thus translated out of the same author About the same time those souldiers which laie in garrison in the castell of Mountgomery went out with some of their neighbours to amend a certeine passage in the high waie leading through a great wood thereby where the Welshmen were woont to rob and slaie such as trauelled that waie and comming to the place with their axes and other weapons began to fell the trées and to cut downe the bushes whereby the waie might be inlarged Which thing when the Welshmen vnderstood they came with a great power and setting vpon their enimies compelled them to take the castell for their defense certeine being slaine on both sides and then casting a trench about the same laid siege vnto it This being quickelie certified vnto Hubert de Burgh chiefe Iustice of England to whom a little before the same castell and honor was giuen the king himselfe with conuenient spéed comming raised the siege and when his whole armie came to him for few soldiours came with him thither he went to the said wood which was verie large being fiue miles in length and by reason of the thicke growth of the same verie hard to be stocked howbeit the king caused the same with great diligence and trauell to be asserted and consumed with fire Then leading his armie further into the countrie he came to an abbeie of white moonks called Cridia being a refuge for the Welshmen to flie vnto which he caused to be burnt to ashes where Hubert de Burgh to whome the place seemed verie fit for fortification hauing the assent of the king caused a castell to be builded But or euer the worke was finished manie were slaine on both sides and William de Bruse a noble warriour who went out to make prouision for the armie was taken by the Welshmen and cast in prison and diuerse other went out for the like purpose whereof one being knighted a few daies before seing some of his felowes in danger and like to be distressed rushed boldlie into the middest of his enimies killing manie about him who in the end with manie other of the kings men was there slaine Manie also of the kings 〈◊〉 soldiours being confederate with prince Lhewelyn did verie faintlie defend his cause with whom they came thither Wherevpon the king wanting necessarie prouision and perceiuing the double dealing of some of his owne men was constrained to conclude a dishonorable peace with the Welshmen giuing his assent that the castell which with so great expenses of men and monie was now almost finished should be rased at his owne charges taking of prince Lhewelyn thrée thousand pounds towards the same The peace being thus confirmed both parties departed homeward So the king of England after that he had bestowed thrée moneths in the building of the said castell and disbursed an infinite summe of monie in vaine leauing William
much warre with the princes of Northwales I thinke it conuenient for the better vnderstanding of this historie to laie downe a briefe Catalog of the descents of the same Earles in order from the conquest to this Iohn Scot which was the last of them HVgh Lupus the sonne of Richard Earle of Auranges Uicount of Abonica and of Margaret the daughter of Harlowine a noble man in Normandie who maried Arlet the daughter of a burgesse in Falois which was also mother to William Conquerour came to England with the said Conquerour and was by him created Erle of Chester and sword-bearer of England with these words Habendum tenendum dictum comitatum Caestriae sibi haeredibus suis ita liberè ad gladium sicut ipse rex totam tenebat Angliam ad coronam that is To haue and to hold the said countie of Chester to him and his heires by right of the sword so fréelie as the king held the realme of England in the right of the crowne Hugh being established in the possession of the Earldome with most large priuiledges and fréedoms ordained vnder him for the better gouernment of the said countie foure Barons to wit The first Nigell or Neal his coosen Baron of Halton Constable and Marshall of Chester by condition of seruice to lead the Uauntgard of the Earles armie when he should make anie iournie into Wales so as the said Baron should be the formost in marching into the enimies countrie and the last in comming backe of him the Lacyes Earles of Lincolne descended The second Piers Malebanke Baron of Nantwich The Third Eustace Baron of Malpas The fourth Warren Vernoun Baron of Shipbrooke This Hugh Lupus conuerted the church of S. Werburgh to an Abbeie and died An 1102. after he had ruled that Earldome fourtie years leauing issue behind him Richard Robert Abbot of Burie and Otuell tutor to the children of king Henrie the first Richard Lupus the sonne of Hugh Lupus being the second Earle of Chester after the Conquest was but seuen yeare old when he was Earle he maried Mawd the daughter of Stephen Earle of Bloys Charters and Champaigne being the sister of king Stephen he with his brother Otuell after he had béen Earle of Chester xvij yeares was drowned at Godwin-sands comming from Normandie with the children of king Henrie the first in the yeare of Christ. 1120. Randulph Meschines alias de Bohun the sonne of Iohn de Bohun and of Margaret the sister of Hugh Lupus succéeded Richard in the Earledome of Chester as coosen next heire of blood to him being the third erle of Chester after the conquest he maried Mawd the daughter of Aubrey de Vere Earle of Gisnes by whom he had issue Randulph surnamed Vernounes bicause he was borne at Vernoune castell and died An. 1130. after that he had béene Earle about eight yeares Randulph Bohun his sonne succéeded his father being the fourth Earle of Chester after the Conquest who maried Alicia the daughter of Robert Earle of Glocester base sonne to king Henrie the first by whom he had issue Hugh Cyuelioc so called of that countrie of Powys wherein he was borne and died An. 1158. When he had béene Earle nine and twentie yeares Hugh Bohun alias Keuelock or rather Cyuelioc being the fift Earle of Chester after the Conquest maried Beatrice the daughter of Richard Lucie lord chiefe Iustice of England by whom he had issue Randulph and foure daughters Mawd maried to Dauid Earle of Anguis and Huntington lord of Galloway Mabill maried to William Daubney Earle of Arundell Agnes maried to William Ferrers Erle of Derby and Hawys maried to Robert Quincy a Baron of great honor who was in hir right after hir brothers death Earle of Lincolne and after him she was maried to sir Warren Bostock This Hugh was Earle of Chester 28. yeares died about the yeare 1182. Randulph Bohun alias Blandeuill so called bicause he was borne in Powys in a towne named Album monasterium succéded his father being the sixt Earle of Chester after the Conquest who was also Earle of Lincolne as coosen and next heire vnto William Romare Earle of Lincolne the second brother of Randulph Meschines the third Earle of Chester after the Conquest He was thrice maried first to Constance the daughter and heire of Conan Erle of Brytaine and Richmond being the widow of Geffrey the third son of king Henrie the second and the mother of Arthur Erle of Brytaine from whom afterward he was diuorsed and then maried a ladie named Clemence daughter to the Earle Ferrers after whose decease he tooke to his third wife Margaret daughter to Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford Essex and Constable of England Nuerthelesse he neuer had issue by anie of those his wiues and therefore the Earledome of Chester and his lands in Northwales after his death descended to Iohn surnamed Scot his sister Mawdes sonne by Dauid Earle of Anguis and Huntington The manour of Barrow with 500. pound lands came to Mabill the Earldome of Lincolne to Hawyse the castell and manour of Chartley and as I thinke his possessions in Powys to Agnes This Randulph atchieued manie enterprises against Lhewelyn prince of Wales but one time méeting with the said Prince and being too weake to encounter with him he was driuen to retire backe to the castell of Ruthlan wherein the said Prince besieged him wherevpon he was faine to send to Roger Lacie Constable of Chester to come to his succors in that extremitie Lacie calling his fréends vnto him requested them to make as manie men as they could and to go with him to deliuer the Earle out of the danger of his enimies at whose request Ralph Dutton his son in law being a lustie youth assembled togither all the plaiers musicians and merie companions within the citie being then the Faire time and came to the Constable who forthwith went to Ruthlan raised the siege and deliuered the Earle from danger In recompense of which seruice the Earle gaue vnto his Constable diuerse fréedoms and priuiledges and granted vnto the said Dutton the ruling and ordering of all the plaiers and musicians within that countie which his heire enioieth euen to this daie This Earle builded the castels of Charteley and Beeston the abbie of Dalacrosse He died about the yeare of Christ 1232. when he had béene Earle 51. yeares Iohn Scot was in the right of Mawd his mother the eldest sister and one of the heires of Randulph Blandeuile the seuenth Earle of Chester he had great warres with Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth prince of Wales but in the end peace being made betwixt them the Earle for further confirmation of the same maried Iane the Princes daughter neuerthelesse he died without issue leauing foure sisters his heires Margaret maried to Alan de Galawey by whom she had a daughter named Derngold the mother of Iohn Baliol king of Scotland Isabel maried to Robert Breux Mawd who died without issue and
of Northwales by his father but of a yoonger brother of the house of Powys whose portion by inheritance is laid downe by me in the description of the lordship of Powys before page 213. which was but a verie small thing There be diuerse gentlemen euen at this date in Wales which are come of the house of Northwales lineallie but I know none which are lawfullie descended of Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth called by Matthew Paris Leolinus Magnus but such are come out of the house of Mortimer in the which house by order of descent the right of the inheritance lieth About this time Harold king of Man came to the court and did homage to king Henrie and he dubbed him knight The summer folowing Rees Vachan son to Rees Mechyl got the castell of Carrec Cynnen which his mother of meere hatred conceiued against him had deliuered to the Englishmen The Abbots of Conwey and Stratflur made sute to the king for the bodie of Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn which he granted vnto them and they conueied it to Conwey where he was honorablie buried Then also VVilliam Ferrers Earle of Derbie and his wife died being either of them a hundreth yeares of age Not long after William de longa Spata Earle of Salisburie was slaine in the holie land leauing one daughter behind him maried to Henrie Lacy Earle of Lyncolne The same time likewise died Gladys daughter to prince Lhewelyn and wife to Sir Ralph Mortimer in the castell of VVyndsore The yeare next folowing was so drie that there fell no raine from the eleuenth daie of March to the Assumption of our ladie In the yeare 1254. there arose a great debate betweene the princes of VVales for Owen could not be content with halfe the principalitie but got his yoonger brother Dauid to him and they two leuied a great power to disinherite Lhewelyn who with his men met with them in the field and after a long fight gaue them an ouerthrowe where he tooke them both prisoners then seased all their lands into his owne hands enioieng alone the whole principalitie of Wales The yeare ensuing all the lords of Wales came to prince Lhewelyn and made their complaints to him with weeping eies how cruellie they were handled by prince Edward and others of the nobles of England their lands being taken from them by force and if at anie time they did offend they were punished with extremitie but where they were wronged they found no remedie Therfore they protested before God and him that they would rather die in the field in defense of their right than to be made slaues to strangers whervpon the Prince pitieng his estate and theirs determined togither with them vtterlie to refuse the rule of the Englishmen and rather to die in libertie than to liue in thraldome shame and opprobrie And gathering all his power first recouered againe all the Inland countrie of Northwales and afterward all Merionyth and such lands as Edward had vsurped in Caerdigan which he gaue to Meredyth the sonne of Owen ap Gruffyth and Buelht he gaue to Meredyth ap Rees chasing awaie Rees Vachan out of the same and so honorablie diuided all that he wan amongst his Barons that he kept nothing to himselfe but the perpetuall fame of his liberalitie Then also he recouered Gwerthryneon from Sir Roger Mortimer The summer folowing prince Lhewelyn made warre against Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn who serued the king and wan all Powys from him saue the castell of Pole and a little of Caereneon and the land by Seauerne side Rees Vachan ap Rees Mechylh meaning to recouer his lands againe obtained of the king a great armie where of one Stephen Bacon was captaine and came to Caermardhyn by sea and marching from thence towards Dyneuowr laid siege to the castell but the princes power came with his coosins to raise the siege where there was fought a bloudie battell as euer was fought in VVales of so manie men and in the end the Englishmen were put to flight and lost of their men aboue 2000. soldiours from thence the princes armie went to Dyuet and burned all the countrie and destroied the castels of Abercorran Lhanstephan Maenclochoc Arberth and then returned home with much spoile And forthwith not being able to abide the wrongs that Geffrey Langley Lieutenant to the Earle of Chester did to them the Prince entred the Earles lands and destroied all to the gates of Chester on either side the water Wherevpon Edward the Earle fled to his vncle who was then chosen king of Romanes for succour and returning backe with an armie durst not fight with the Prince who had 10000. armed men euerie one sworne to die in the field if need required in the defense of their countrie yet Gruffyth ap Madoc Maelor commonlie surnamed lord of Dinas Brân which is a castell standing vpon a verie high mountaine of situation impregnable in the lordship of Chirke forsooke the Prince and serued the Earle with all his power which Earle was counted a cruell and vniust man hauing no regard to right promise or oth The next yeare prince Lhewelyn seasing to his hands Cemeys and making peace betwixt Rees Gryc and Rees Vachan his brothers sonne got the castel of Trefdraeth or Newport with all Ros sauing Hauerford Then destroieng the countrie in his waie towards Glamorgan he rased the castell of Lhangymwch and returning to Northwales met with Edward Earle of Chester by the waie whom he caused to retire backe and then destroied the lands of the said Gruffyth lord of Bromfield Therefore the kings of England Almaine wrote to him gentlie to depart home which he refused to doo but diuiding his armie into two battels in euerie of the which as Matthew Paris saith there were 1500. footemen and 500 horsmen well appointed Wherevpon Edward sent to the Irishmen to come to his succours whereof the Prince being certified made readie his ships and sending them to the sea with sufficient power to resist the comming of his enimies that waie preuented him so that the Irishmen were ouercome and sent home with great losse Wherefore the king with his sonne being in a great rage gathered all the strength of England from S. Michaëls Mount to Twede came to Northwales as far as Teganwy but the Prince caused all the victuals to be remooued ouer the riuer of Conwey and kept all the straictes and passages so narrowlie that the king was compelled to retire to England with great losse Then prince Lhewelyn calling to him all the power of Southwales came to the marches where Gruffyth Lord of Bromfield yeelded himselfe to him bicause the king could not defend his lands seasing to his owne hands all the lands in Powys he banished the lord Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn and wanne the castels of Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester where also he gaue the Englishmen an ouerthrowe and slew a great number of the worthiest
of Salope 155. he is slaine 156. Hugh Earle of Chester winneth Mehenyth 197. Hugh Lacy 151. I. IAgo ap Edwal 59.62 Iago ap Edwal 87. Iestyn ap Gurgant lord of Glamorgan 119. Ieuaf ap Edwal 59.60.70 Igmond commeth to Anglisey 41. Iohn king of England made Knight goeth to Ireland returneth againe 240. lost Normandie Aniow Mayne and Poytiers 258. goeth to Ireland 261. goeth to Wales 264. and againe 265. maketh his kingdome tributarie to the Pope 270. he destroieth the Marches of Wales 275. he dieth 276. Iohn le Fleming 125. his heires 136. Iohn de Cremona a Cardinal 186. Iohn Scot Earle of Chester 288.293 Iohn of Monmouth 290.310 Iohn Peckam Archbishop of Canturburie 338. Iohn Uoisye bishop of Excester 393. Iohn Sutton alias Dudley Earle of Warwike 397. Iohn Williams L. Williams of Thame 399. Ionaual the son of Meyric 67. Iorwerth Drwyndwn 227. Iorwerth ap Blethyn 157.158 condemned and cast into prison 160. set at libertie 167. slaine cruellie 170. Iorwerth ap Owen ap Caradoc lord of Caerlheon vpon Usc 230. wan Caerlheon again 234. obtained the kings fauour 236. Ioseph of Aremathia 12. Ithel K. of Gwent 29. Iuor the sonne of Alan 7. Iuor the sonne of Ednerth ap Cadogoan 154. K. KEntwine K. of Westsex 8. Kenulph K. of Wests 16. he destroieth Wales 25. L. LHanbadarn destroied by the Danes 71. Lhanvaes 293. Loegria Lhoeger 1. Lhechryd 117. Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht 83.84 Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth 245. taketh his vncle Dauid prisoner 250. calleth a parlement 257. marieth Ione the daughter of King Iohn 259. maketh peace with K. Iohn 265. released by the Pope of his oth of allegeance to the K. of England commanded to war against him 267. he winneth Ruthlan and Dyganwy 270. excommunicated by the Pope 271. he winneth Shrewesburie ibidem goeth with an armie to Southwales 273. also to Brechnocke 277. leadeth an armie to Penbrooke 279. cōmeth to the K. at Shrewesburie 281. destroieth all the marches to Southwales 287. entreth into England 288. commeth with an armie to Brechnocke ibid. taketh the towne of Salop againe 291. concludeth peace with K. Henrie the third 292. calleth all the Lords and Barons of Wales togither 297. he dieth 298. Lhewelyn ap Gruffyth chosen Prince of Wales 314. diuided the principalitie betwene him and his brother Owen ibidem entred the Earle of Chestersland 321. causeth the Earle to retire ibid. destroieth the Erldom of Chester 326. maketh peace with the K. 326. refuseth to come to K. Edwards coronation 328. excuseth himselfe to the Archbishops 329. maketh peace with K. Edward 334. he is maried 336. his answer to the Archbishop of Canturburie 340. his answer to the kings offer 366. he is slaine 374. Lhywarch ap Owen 69. Lhywarch ap Trahaern 164.169.171 Lhyyn destroied 65. Locusts destroie Ireland 42. Lumbards whence they came 39. M. MAdoc ap Riryd 164.166.172 Madoc ap Meredyth ap Blethyn 210. Madoc ap Owen Gwyneth 227. Madoc ap Gruffyth Maylor 255.293 Madoc coosen to Prince Lhewelyn 380. discomfiteth Edmund the kings brother and H. Lacie Earle of Lincolne ibid. taken and sent to prison 381. Maelgon Gwyneth 2. Maelgon ap Rées 242. escapeth out of prison 243. winneth the castel of Strat meyric ibid. his vnconstancie 266. dieth 286. Maelgon the son of Maelgon 287.289.290.308.315.380 Magedawc 16. Manaw D 14.5 Marie princesse of walles 393. Mathraual D 6. 11.267 Mawd the empresse cōmeth to England 195. she dieth 240. Meneuia D 18. destroied 114. spoiled 154. the see made subiect to the see of Canturburie 160. spoiled 289. Merdhin or Merlin 4. Meredyth ap Owen 69.71 he dieth 73. Meredyth ap Owen ap Edwyn prince of Southwales 103. he is slaine 110. Meredyth ap Blethyn 157.158 taken by his brother Iorwerth and sent to the kings prison 159. he escapeth out of prison 162. Meredyth ap Gruffyth ap Rees lord of Caerdigan and Stratywy 204. Meriadoc 2. Merionyth D 9. Meruyn Urych 22.24 he is slaine 28. Meyric the son of Arthpoel 85. Miles Fitzwater Earle of Hereford 148. Moon D 6.7 destroied 29.65.69.71 Monkes and Freers lately receiued in Wales 253. Mooren of cattell in Wales 69. Morgan of Glamorgan 380.382 Morganwc D 19. ¶ See Glamorgan Mont Paladour 5. Montgomerie 152.280 Murcasteth 173. N. NIcholas Heath bishop of worcester 397. Normans whence they came 39. Tithed and put to death 92. they destroie Dyuet 110. Northwales described D 6. descended thrée times to a woman D 13. O. OFfa K. of Mercia 18. his ditch 19 D 5. he draue the welshmen beyond the ditch ibid. Oswestrie castell built 201. the towne burnt 288. Owen ap Iorwerth traitorouslie slaine 232 Owen ap Meredyth lord of Cydewen 325. Owen Tuver 390.391 Owen the son of Howel Dha 58. Owen the sonne of Dyfnwal 71. Oliuer De S. Iohn 125. his heires 136. Owen ap Edwyn 155. he dieth 160. Owen ap Cadogan taketh awaie Geralds wife 163. flieth to Ireland 165. pardoned and called home againe 170. submitteth himself to K. H. 1.174 he goeth with the King to Normandie and is made knight 175. he is slaine 182. Owen Gwyneth 188.193 he burneth Caermardhyn 193. taketh the castell of Moulde 199. builded a castell at yal 201. wanne the castell of Basingwerke 223. maketh war vpon Owen Cyuelioc 224. wanne the castell of Ruthlan and all Tegengl ibid. he dieth 225. Owen ap Gruffyth 314.334 P. PAganus de Turberuile 125 his issue and heires 132. Parlement when it first began 182. Penant Bachwy 173. Penbrooke D 18. the castell built 154. the same castell built againe 163. Peter le Soore 125. his heires 135. Polydor Uirgil reprehended D 23. Poole taken by the Archbishop of Canturburie 248. the castell ouerthrowen 288. Powys D 11.35 the partition of it 211. Priests forbidden to marrie 162. Prophesies causes of much hurt 5. Pwlhgwitie 113. Q. Quo Warránto 336. R. RAdnor destroied 71. Rees ap Owen ap Edwyn 111. he obtaineth the rule of Southwales 112. he is slaine 113. Rees ap Theodor Prince of Southwales 113. he ioyneth with Gruffyth ap Conan 114. ouerthrew and put to flight the children of Blethyn ap Convyn 117. ouercōmeth his enimies at Lhandydoch 119. he is slaine ibid. Rees ap Gruffyth called the lord Rees 204. maketh peace with the King 208. laieth siege to Caermardhin 210. did his homage to the King 220. maketh warre vpon the Earle of Clare ibid. wanne the castell of Aberteiui and Cilgerran 223. came with a power to Powys 230. came to the K. at Penbrooke 231. commeth to the court 235. his feast 237. he wanne the castels of S. Clere Abercorran and Lhanstephan 242. likewise the castell of Dineuowr Lhanhayaden 243. taken prisoner by his sons 244. he taketh Caermarthin Ciun Radnor the castell of Payne in Eluel 247. he dieth 249. Rees ap Meredyth knight 378 Reginald de Sully 125. his heires 135. Reginald Graylord of Ruthyn 377. Richard de Granuile or greenféeld 125. his issue 131. Richard de Syward 125. his heires
most commonlie as in Gwynedh which some old writers call Venedotia for Gwynethia Aberffraw in the Ile of Môn or Anglesey In Deheubarth called in Latine Demetia Caermardhyn from whence it was afterward remooued to Dineuowr eight miles thence In Powys Pengwern called Y Mwythic and in English Sherewsburie from whence it was remooued to Mathraual in Powys land And bicause this historie dooth as well intreate of warres betwixt these three prouinces as betwixt them and the Saxons Normanes and Flemings I thinke it good to set foorth the particular description of euerie part by it selfe And first of Northwales as the cheefest part which he gaue his eldest sonne ordeining that either of the other two should paie him yearelie 200. pound of tribute as it appeareth in the lawes of Howel Dha which are to be had in Welsh and also in Latine Therefore Gwyneth called Northwales had vpon the Northside the sea from the riuer Dee at Basingwerke to Aberdyui and vpon the West and South west the riuer Dyui which diuideth it from Southwales and in some places from Powys land And on the South and East it is diuided from Powys sometimes with mountaines and sometimes with riuers till it come to the riuer Dee againe This land was of old time diuided to foure parts of which the cheefest was Môn in English called Anglesey where the Princes cheefe house was at Aberfraw which is an Iland separated from the maine land with an arme of the sea called Maenai had in it selfe three Cantreds or hundreds which were subdiuided to sixe comots as Cantref Aberfraw to comot Lhion and comot Malhtraeth Cantref Cemais to the comots Talebolion and Twr Celyn Cantref Rossyr to the comots Tindaethwy and Maenai And at this daie there is a trimme towne in that Ile called Beumarish and a common passage to Ireland at Caergybi called in English Holyhead But here I cannot winke at that notable error of Polydor which after his accustomed fashion denieth this Ile to be called Môna but Anglesia or Anglorum insula bicause it is called in English Anglesey and giueth this name Môna to Man and so hath lost the names of both Iles which ignorance and forgetfulnes might be forgiuen him if he had not drawne a great number to this error with him which in their charters doo dailie wrong name these Iles which may be easilie prooued First bicause the inhabitants of the Ile doo know none other name but Môn and it is called through all Wales Tîr Môn that is to saie the land of Môn vnto this day So that neither by memorie of man neither by anie monument in writing in the Brytish â—â—ong can it appeare that euer it had anie other name but Môn yet there be manifest monuments for these 1000. yeares It is also growne to a prouerbe through Wales for the fertilitie of the ground Môn mam Gymry that is to saie Môn mother of Wales The ancient historie of Cornelius Tacitus which belike age had beaten out of Polydors head saith that the soldiours of Paulinus Suetonius and afterward of Iulius Agricola after they had passed through Northwales then came ouer against Môna where they did swim ouer an arme of the sea of 200. pases and so by force wanne the Ile Now whether is it more reasonable thus to swimme ouer 200. pases or 20. miles I know there is no man that beleeueth Polydor in this point let all men therefore by this iudge the rest As for that which he saieth of the great woods it is nothing for both the Romanes and after when the Christian faith tooke place in this realme the Christians did fall and roote them out for the idolatrie and absurd religion which was vsed there that the king of Man sent for timber to Môn read the life of Hugh Earle of Chester which also is euident by the great beeches and other trees found in the earth at these daies His other reason is bicause it is called Anglesey in the English toong so is Lhoyger England and Cambry Wales are those therefore the old names No surelie And what if the inhabitants called it so as they did not had it not a name before the Angles wanne it Yes I warrant you but he had forgotten that Now to the name of Man it was euer or at the least these 1000. yeares named in Brytish Manaw of which commeth the English name Man The inhabitants thereof call it so and no nation about it did euer call it Môn no nor any writer but Polydor which was too yong a godfather to name so old a child For Gildas who wrote aboue 900. yeares passed whose writings Polydor neuer sawe but vntrulie fathers vpon him his owne deuise Giraldus in his description of Ireland to Henrie the second Henrie Huntington doo plainlie call Man in Latine Eubonia adding thereto either Manaw or Man for the better vnderstanding of the name will you beleeue them or Polydor Other arguments there are which I will passe ouer till I haue more leasure and occasion to write of this matter The second part of Northwales was called Aruon which is as much to saie as ouer against Môn and had in it foure Cantreds and ten comots Cantref Aber had in it three comots Y Lhechwedh vchaf Y Lechwedhisaf and Nanconwy Cantref Aruon had two comots Ywch Gwyruai Isgwyruai Cantref Dunodic had two comots Ardudwy and Euionyth Cantref Lhyyn containeth three comots Cymytmayn Tinlhayn and Canologion This is now called Carnaruonshire as Môn is called Anglesey shire and haue the same diuision at this daie In this shire are Snowdon hils called Eryri neither in height fertilitie of the ground wood cattell fish and foule giuing place to the famous Alpes and without controuersie the strongest countrie within Brytaine Here is the towne of Caernarnon called in the old time Caer segonce and there also is Conwey called Caergyffyn And the see of Bangor with diuers other ancient castels and places of memorie and was the last part of Wales that came vnder the dominion of the kings of England It hath on the North the sea and Maenai vpon the East and Southeast the riuer Conwey which diuideth it from Denbighshire although it now passe the riuer in one place by the sea shore And on the Southwest and West it is separated from Merionyth by high mountaines and riuers and other meares The third part of Gwyneth was Merionyth containing three Cantreds and euerie Cantred three comots As Cantref Meyreon hath three comots Talybont Pennal and Ystumaner Cantref Arustly had these Vwchcoed Iscoed and Gwarthrenion Cantref Penlhyn had these Vwchmeloch Ismeloch and Micnaint and this keepeth the said name till this daie but not within the same meres and is full of hils and rocks and hath vpon the North the sea notable at this daie for the great resort and number of people that repaire thither to take herrings It hath vpon the East Aruon and Denbighland vpon the
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
ships with rich spoiles and great triumphes Some are of another opinion which affirme that the said Hugh the Norman entised and procured the Danes to come and beséege the citie of Excester which they did burne and vsed the people with great crueltie vntill in the end the said Almarus Earle of Deuon and the Gentlemen of the countrie submitted themselues and so obteined peace And the yeare folowing being 1004. Swayne a mightie prince of Denmarke to whom God predestinated the crowne of England came with a great number of sailes and laid siege to Norwich and spoiled it with whom Wolfkettel duke of the land made peace yet the Danes after they had rested a while went to Thetford which they also spoiled and returned to their ships with their praie and ouerthrewe duke Wolfkettel who had gathered and prepared an armie to fight with them and so failed to their countrie and two yeares after returned againe with their companions fire sword and spoile and landed at Sandwich and burned it and made England quake as a reed in the wind and thence sailed to Wight where they wintered till Christmas and then entred Hampshire and passed in diuerse bands alongst the land to Reding Wallingford and Colsey deuouring such victuales as they found in the houses paieng therefore with sword and fire at their departing And at their returne they met neere Essington the armie of the Westsaxons which did nothing but trouble them with killing laded them with spoile and so passed the gates of Winchester with much triumph to Wight and all this while was king Edelred at his manour in Shropshire full of cares and troubles And then the nobilitie of England bought peace of the Danes for 30000. pound In the which time of peace Edelred tooke an order that of euerie 300. hides of land through the realme there should be a ship made and furnished and of euery 8. hides a corselet and a helmet An hide containeth as much ground as a plough maie eare by the yeare Besides these the king had a nauie from Normandie which being all togither at Sandwich was one of the greatest that euer was seene in Brytaine But it hapned so that where the king had banished one Wilnot a noble man of Sussex he fell a rouing vpon the sea and troubled all passages and victualers Then Brightrych brother to the traitor Edric Erle of Mercia promised the king to bring before him Wilnot either aliue or dead but it hapned otherwise for there fell such a tempest that he was driuen of force to the shore where manie of his ships were lost and the reast Wilnot and his companie did set on fire and burned them Then Brightrych being abashed of this infortunate beginning returned againe alongst the Thames to London Shortlie after there landed a nauie of Danes at Sandwich and so passed by the land to Canturburie minding to destroie the citie but the citizens bought peace for 30000. pound And the Danes passed first through Kent Sussex Hampshire and Barkshire where king Edelred with all the power of England met them notwithstanding being persuaded by the traitor Edric he would not fight with them so that they returning backe by London which citie defended it selfe manfullie went to their ships But in the yeare folowing they landed againe at Ipswich vpon the Ascension daie there ouercame and put to flight Duke Wolfkettel who fought with them Then passsing from thence to Cambridge they met the kings sisters sonne with his armie whom they slew and with him Duke Oswyn with Edwyn Wolfrike Earles and after tooke their waie by Essex towards Thames leauing no part of crueltie vnpractised by the waie And alongst the riuer-side they went to Oxford which they had burned the yeere before and so to the three castels vpon Ouze Buckingham Bedford and Huntingdon and destroied Godmanchester which was then a faire towne and burned Northampton and at Christmas returned to their ships The next yeare folowing when they had spoiled all the land from Trent southward they laid siege to the citie of Canterburie and wan it by treason of one Almarike whom Alfege the Archbishop had deliuered from death and left nothing behind them but bloud and ashes carieng the Archbishop with other to their ships whom they cruellie slew afterward Within a while after Swayne king of Denmarke came alongst Humber to Gainesbourgh to whom Vitred Duke of Northumberland with all his people and all Lynsey with the countries North of Watlingstreete became subiects and gaue him hostages Whervpon Swayne finding his enterprises fortunate and luckie committed his nauie to Cnute his sonne and went him selfe to Oxford and Winchester which cities with all the countries about aknowledged him for their king Then he came to London where king Edelred was but the citizens defended the citie so manfullie and valiantlie that Swayne returned to Walingford and so to Bath and receiued homage of all Westsaxon and afterward comming to London receiued the citie to mercie and was called king throughtout the land Then Edelred perceiuing all things to fall against him fled to Normandie to his wife and his two sonnes Edward and Alfred whom he had sent thither before And Swayne as soone as he had brought the whole land to his obeisance died suddenlie after whose death the Danes chose Cnute his sonne for their king but the Englishmen sent for Edelred home againe who comming with a great armie destroied Lynsey bicause that prouince was become subiect to Cnute Which thing when Cnute vnderstood being at Ipswich he cut off the hands and noses of all the pledges that he had and returned to Denmarke About this time Brian king of Ireland and Murcath his sonne and other kings of that land to him subiect did gather a great power against Sutric the sonne of Abloic king of Dyuelyn and Mailmorda king of Lagenes which Sutric hired a number of strangers all armed men and rouers vpon the seas to his succour and gaue Brian battell where the said Brian and his sonne weer slaine and on the other side Mailmorda and Broderike captaine of the strangers In the yeare 1013. Cnute came againe from Denmarke and landed in Westsex and spoiled all the countrie Then Edric with Edmund king Edelreds bastard sonne gathered an armie but yet they durst not giue him battell Then went Edmund to Vitred duke of Northumberland together they spoiled Staffordshire Leycestershire and Shropshire Cnute likewise vpon the other side came downe through Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire Hutingdonshire and so by Stafford passed toward Yorke to whome Vitred came and yeelded himselfe yet he lost his life whose possessions Cnute gaue to one Egricke and made him duke in his stead wherevpon Edmund went to his father which laie sicke at London Then Cnute returned to his ships and sailed to Thames mouth and vp the riuer towards London but before he came thither Edelred was departed
yeare Ioseph bishop of Teilo or Landaf died at Rome The land being thus quieted Gruffyth ruled al Wales without any trouble till about two yeares after the Gentlemen of Ystrad Towy did by treason kill 140. of the Prince his best soldiors to reuenge whose death the king Gruffyth destroied all Dyuet and Ystrad Towy Heere is also to be noted that such snow fell this yeare that it laie vpon the earth from the kalends of Ianuarie to the 14. of March About this time Lothen and Hyrling landed at Sandwich with a great number of Danes and after they had spoiled the towne they returned to their ships and sailed to Flanders and sold their booties and so sailed to their countrie At this time also Earle Swayne returned to England and came to his fathers house at Pevenese and humblie besought his father and his brethren Haroald Tostie to procure him the kings fauour So Earle Beorned promised to intreate the king for him and went with Swayne to his ships where he was traitorouslie murthered and his bodie left vpon the shore vntill his friends being certified of the same fetched him awaie and buried him at Winchester where his vncle king Cnute had beene buried before Swayne hauing committed this wicked fact sailed againe to Flanders and continued there till his father made peace with the king and brought him in fauour againe about a yeare after In the yeare 1050. Conan the sonne of Iago did gather an armie of his friends in Ireland minding to recouer his inheritance againe and as he sailed towards Wales there arose such a tempest that it scattered his nauie abroade and drowned the most part of his ships so that he was disappointed of his purpose lost his labour Shortlie after Robert Archbishop of Canturburie accused Earle Godwyn and his sonnes Swayne and Haroald of treason and the Queene of adulterie who bicause they refused to appeare being called before the king were banished the land and the Queene put awaie from the king wherevpon Godwyn with Swayne fled to Flanders and Haroald to Ireland Eustace Earle of Bologne the father of Godfrey hauing married Goda king Edwards sister the widow of Walter de Maunt came to England to his brother in lawe and as he was returning home againe one of his seruants kild a man at Canturburie or at Douer as Matt. Westm. hath whereof grew a great inconuenience and slaughter on both sides wherevpon Eustace returning againe made a gréeuous complaint to king Edward vpon the Kentishmen whose part Earle Godwyn tooke bicause they were of his countie But Eustace by the suggestion of Robert Archbishop of Canturburie who hated Godwyn and his sonnes so incensed king Edward against him and the Kentishmen that Godwyn and his sonnes were sent for to answer the matter before the king at Glocester Wherevpon Godwyn fearing the kings displeasure who could neuer brooke him sithence the death of his brother Alfred gathered an armie out of Kent and other countries where his sonnes ruled and so came towards Glocester reporting abroade that all this preparation was made to resist Gruffyth prince of Wales who as they affirmed was readie with an armie to inuade the marches But king Edward being certified by the Welshmen that there was no such things in hand commanded Godwyn to send backe his armie and to come himselfe to answer according to the order of law Which when he refused to doo the king by the aduise of Earle Leofrike appointed a Parliament and meeting at London to take order in these matters where the king came with a great armie out of Mercia and other westerne countries Then Godwyn remaining with his armie in Southwerke and perceiuing how that diuers of his friends disappointed him and other dailie forsooke him and went to the kings part despairing to be able to withstand the kings procéedings against him conueied himselfe awaie priuilie with his sonnes and fled out of the land Wherevpon king Edward proclamed him and his sonnes outlawes confiscated their goods and gaue their lands to other of his nobilitie Then the king gaue to Adonan the earldome of Deuonshire and Dorsetshire and to Algar sonne of Earle Leofrick the earldome of Haroald Neuerthelesse Godwyn and Swayne got men and ships in Flanders and sailed to the ile of Wight which they spoiled and so they did Portland At the same time Haroald coÌ„ming from Ireland and wafting alongst the shoare spoiling the countrie as he went at length met with his father brother who being together burned Pâ—eueneseâ—y Romney Heath Folkston Douer and Sandwich entring the Thames destroied Sheppey and burned the kings houses at Mydltowne and afterward sailed vp towards London where by the way they met with the king and so sailed with him when they were readie to fight an accord was made by meanes of Bishop Stigand in such sort that the king restored them their lands and goodes tooke home the Queene and banished the Archbishop with all the Frenchmen which had put that suspicion in the kings head Mat. Westm. writeth that about this time to wit An. 1053. Rees the brother of Gruffyth king of Wales was slaine in a place called Bulendune whose head was presented to king Edward the daie before the Epiphanie the king being then at Glocester A litle after that Oswald Earle of Northumberland when he heard that his sonne was slaine in Scotland whither his father had sent him to conquere it asked whether his deaths wound was in his brest or in his backe and they said in his brest and he answered I am right glad thereof for I would not wish me nor my sonne to die otherwise Then king Edward entred Scotland and ouercame the king in battell subdued the whole land to him selfe The yeare folowing Earle Godwyn died at the kings table choked with a peece of bread whose Earldome Haroald his sonne had and Algar Earle of Chester had the Earldome of Haroald About this time Makbeth king of Scotland caused a noble man of his named Bancho to be cruellie murthered wherevpon Fleance the sonne of the said Bancho escaping the hands of Makbeth fled to Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn prince of Wales where being ioifullie receiued and entertained courteouslie he grew into such fauor with the said Prince that he thought nothing too good for him But in processe of time Fleance forgetting the curtesie to him shewed fell in loue with the princes daughter and gat hir with child Which thing the prince tooke in so ill part that he in a rage caused Fleance to be kild holding his daughter in most vile estate of seruitude for so suffering hir selfe to be defloured by a stranger At length she was deliuered of a sonne which was named Walter who in few yeares prooued a man of great courage and valiancie in whome from his childhood appeared a certeine noblenes of mind readie to attempt anie great enterprise This VValter on a time fell out with one of his
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
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
right Earle of VVarwick and had issue two daughters Marie married to the Duke of Clarence and Anne married first to Prince Edward slaine at Teuxburie and after his death with Richard Duke of Glocester who was afterward king of England The said Anne and king Richard being then Duke of Glocester had the said lordship giuen vnto them by the said Anne Countesse of VVarwick hir mother King Henrie the seuenth enioied the same after the death of king Richard Iasper Duke of Bedford enioied the same by the gift of king Henrie the seuenth and died without issue and by reason thereof it remained to the king againe King Henrie the eight enioied the same after his Father King Edward the sixt succéeded him therein and sold almost all the lands thereof Quéene Marie succéeded him in the Segniorie Queene Elizabeth our most dread souereigne Ladie that now is doth succéed hir in the same Segniorie and hath sold the Lordship of Neth from it so that now there remaine no more lands appertaining to the Segniorie but the moitie of the manour of Deinaspowys onelie ¶ The Petegree of Londres Lord of Ogmore one of the said twelue WIlliam Londres Lord of the castell and manour of Ogmore as is before said wan afterwards the lordships of Kydwelhey and Carnewilhion in Caermarthen shire from the Welshmen and gaue to sir Arnold Butler his seruant the castell and manour of Dunreeven in the lordship of Ogmore aforesaid The which euer sithence hath continued in the heirs male of the said Arnold Butler vntill within these few yeares that it fell to Walter Vaghan sisters sonne to Arnold Butler the last of the Butlers that was owner thereof Simon de Londres his sonne succéeded him William de Londres succéeded his father Simon and had issue one sonne Moris de Londres his sonne succéeded him and had issue one onelie daughter The said daughter married with one Seward a man of great possessions They had issue a daughter onelie married to Henrie Earle of Lancaster brother to Thomas Earle of Lancaster Henrie their sonne made afterwards Duke of Lancaster did succéed them and so the said thrée Lordships Ogmore Kydwelhey and Carnewilhion became parcels of the duchie of Lancaster euer after ¶ The Petegree of Greenefeeld SIr Richard Greenefeeld before said to whom the lordship of Neth was giuen in reward was lord of the castell and manour of Bydyford in Deuonshire at the time he came into Wales with the said Robert Fitzhamon and founded an abbaie of white moonkes in Neth and gaue the whole lordship to the maintenance of the same and then returned backe againe to Bydyford whereas the issue male of his bodie doth yet remaine and enioieth the same The Petegree of Turberuile Lord of Coyty SIr Paine Turberuile Lord of Coyty as is before said Sir Symon Turberuile succéeded him and died without issue Sir Gilbart Turberuile succéeded his brother Sir Paine Turberuile his sonne succéeded him and married Mawd daughter and sole heire to Morgan Gam one of the nephewes of the aforesaid Iestyn Sir Gilbart their sonne quartered Iestyn his armes with Turberuiles Sir Gilbart his sonne succéeded him Sir Richard his sonne succéeded him Sir Paine his sonne succéeded him who married with VVenlhian daughter to Sir Richard Talbot knight and had issue by hir two sonnes that is to wit Gilbart and Richard and foure daughters namelie Catharine Margaret Agnes and Sara Sir Gilbart succéeded Sir Paine his father Sir Gilbart his sonne succéeded him and died without issue Sir Richard his fathers brother succéeded him and hauing no issue entailed the Lordship of Coity to the heires male of Sir Roger Berkerolles knight Sir Roger Berkerolles knight sonne to Sir VVilliam Berkerolles knight and Phelice his wife one of the daughters of Veere Earle of Oxenford which said Sir Roger had married Catharine the eldest sister of the said Sir Richard And for default of such issue the remainder to the heires male of Sir Richard Stakpoole knight who married with Margaret second sister of the said Richard And for default of such issue the remainder to the heires of Sir Iohn de la Beare knight and Agnes his wife the third sister to the said Richard And for lacke of such issue male the remainder to the heires male of William Gamage and of Sara his wife the fourth sister to the said Sir Richard Turberuile The said Berkrolles Stakepoole and De la Beare died without issue male by reason whereof after the death of sir Laurence Berkerolles knight sonne to the said sir Roger and Catharine his wife the said Lordship fell to sir William Gamage sonne to Gilbert sonne to the foresaid William Gamage and Sara The said William was sonne to sir Robert Gamage knight sonne to Paine Gamage Lord of the manour of Rogiade in the countie of Monmowth The foresaid sir William had issue Thomas Thomas had issue Iohn Iohn had issue Morgan Morgan had issue sir Thomas Gamage knight and Margaret wife to Ienkin Thomas and Anne wife to Robert Raglan and Catharine wife to Reginald ap Howel and Wenlhian wife to Thomas ap Meyric The said sir Thomas Gamage had issue Robert Gamage that late was Catharine his eldest daughter wife to sir Thomas Stradling knight Marie the second daughter wife to Matthew Herebert Margaret the third daughter wife to the Lord William Howard and Elizabeth the fourth daughter wife to Richard Hogan of Penbrooke shire esquier The said Robert Gamage had issue Iohn Gamage that now is Sole heire generall to the said sir Roger Berkrolles knight and Catharine one of the foure sisters and heires generall to the aforesaid sir Richard Turberuile knight is sir Edward Stradling knight that now is Sole heire generall to the said sir Richard Stakepoole of Penbrooke shire and Margaret his wife another of the foure sisters and heires generall to the said sir Richard Turberuile knight is sir George Vernon knight Heires generall to the said sir Iohn de la Beare knight and Agnes his wife an other of the foure sisters and heirs generall of the said sir Richard Turberuile knight are Oliuer S. Iohn Lord S. Iohn of Bledso and William Basset of Glamorgan esquier that now is Iohn Gamage esquier that now is is as well heire generall lineallie descended from Sara the fourth sister and heire to the said sir Richard Turberuile knight as also heire by the entaile aforesaid to the whole Lordship of Coyty ¶ Robert de S. Quintine his Petegree SIr Robert de S. Quintine to whom the lordship of Lhanblethian was giuen and his issue male enioied the same vntill king Henrie the third his time And then or in short time after his issue male failed of whome is descended sir William Parr late Marques of Northampton ¶ Richard de Syward his Petegree SIr Richard Syward to whom the lordship of Talauan was giuen and his issue male enioied the same vntill king Edward the thirds time at which time the heires thereof hauing other lands in Somersetshire sold the said
of them are descended and of the said Edmond commeth Carnysoyes of Cornewal The said Edward had an other brother called William of whome Stradling of Ruthyn and others are descended the same William had a daughter named VVenlhian who by the Earle of Ryuers had a daughter married to sir Robert Poynes of whome commeth all the Poynes the Newtons Perots and others Sir Harrie Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him and married with Elizabeth sister of whole bloud to sir VVilliam Herebert knight Earle of Penbroke and had issue by hir one sonne and two daughters one of them was married to Myles ap Harry of whome Mistresse Blanch ap Harrie and hir bretheren and vncles are descended the other daughter was married to Fleming of Monton in VVales This sir Harrie in the sixtéenth yéere of King Edward the fourth went in like maner on pilgrimage to Ierusalem and receiued the order of the sepulchre there as his father and grandfather did and died in the Isle of Cypres in his comming home whose booke is to be séene as yet with a letter that his man brought from him to his Ladie wife The saieng is that diuers of his said ancestours made the like pilgrimage but there remaineth no memorie in writing but of these thrée This sir Harrie sailing from his house in Somersetshire to his house in Wales was taken prisoner by a Brytaine pirate named Colyn Dolphyn whose redemption and charges stood him in 2000. markes for the paiment whereof he was driuen to sell the castell and manour of Basselek and Sutton in Monmouthshire and two manours in Oxfordshire Thomas Stradling esquier his sonne succéeded him and married Ienet daughter to Thomas Matthew of Rayder Esquier and had issue by hir two sonnes Edward and Harrie and one daughter named Iane and died before he was xxvi yeares of age After whose death his wife married with sir Rice ap Thomas knight of the garter Harrie married with the daughter and heire of Thomas Iubb learned in the lawe and had issue by hir Francis Stradling of S. George by Bristow yet liuing Iane was married to sir William Gruffyth of Northwales knight and had issue by hir thrée sonnes Edward sir Rice Gruffyth knight and Iohn and seauen daughters The eldest married to Stanley of Houghton the second to sir Richard Buckley knight the third to Lewys the fourth to Moston the fift to Conwey the sixt to Williams the seauenth to Pers Motton and after to Simon Theloal esquier whose wife at this time she is the eight to Philips Of which daughters there be a wonderfull number descended Edward married Iane daughter to sir Iohn Puleston knight and had issue by hir thrée daughters Iane married to VVilliam Herebert of S. Iulian Catharine married to VVilliam Herebert of Swansey and an other daughter married to sir Nicholas Bagnoll knight Sir Edward Sradling knight succéeded his father and married with Elizabeth one of the thrée daughters of sir Thomas Arundell of Lanheyron in Cornewall knight The other two were married to Speke and S. Lowe and had issue foure sonnes Thomas Robert Edward and Iohn Robert married VVatkyn Locher his daughter and hath by hir manie children Edward married with the daughter and heire of Robert Baglan of Lantwit and hath also diuers children and Iohn is a priest Also the said sir Edward had two daughters Iane married to Alexander Popham of Somersetshire of whom is a great number descended and Catharine married to sir Thomas Palmer knight of Sussex who hath a sonne named VVilliam Sir Thomas Sradling knight his sonne succéeded him and married Catharine the eldest daughter to sir Thomas Gamage of Coyty knight and to dame Margaret his wife daughter to sir Iohn S. Iohn of Bledso knight by whom he hath liuing yet two sonnes Edward and Dauid and fiue daughters Elizabeth Damasyn Iane Ioice and Wenlhian Sir Edward Stradling knight that now is married Agnes second daughter to sir Edward Gage of Sussex knight and as yet in the yeare 1572. hath no issue Memorandum that of the heires male of the aforesaid twelue knights that came with sir Robert Fitzhamon to the winning of Glamorgan the Lordship aforesaid there is at this daie but the Stradling a liue that dwelleth in VVales and enioieth the portion giuen in reward to his ancestors There be yet of the yoonger brothers of the Turberuiles and Flemings Greenefeeld and Syward doo yet remaine but they dwell in England and haue doone awaie their lands in VVales The Lord S. Iohn of Bledso although he kéepeth his ancient inheritance in Wales yet he dwelleth in England ¶ Thus farre the copie of the winning of Glamorgan as I receiued the same at the hands of mistris Blanch Parrie collected by Sir Edward Stradling knight There were besides with the said Robert Fitzhamon in this voiage diuers other noble men and gentlemen some out of England some out of Dyuet and other places in Wales which came thither with the said Eneon against Rees ap Theodor of whome Robert Sitsylt was one who albeit he had no part of the said Lordship of Glamorgan that I can read of yet neuerthelesse he was in respect of his good seruice there doone preferred to the marriage of an inheritrice of great possessions in the land of Ewyas and the countrie néere adioining Of which Robert Sitsylt I find this that followeth recorded in a verie ancient writing conteining his whole genelogie of 16. descents of heires male lineallie which writing for the more credit of the historie I thought good here to insert as followeth IN the yeare of Christ 1091. Robert Sitsylt came with Robert Fitzhamon to the conquest of the countrie of Glamorgan and after wedded a Ladie by whome he had Halterennes and other lands in Hereford and Glocestershires he had a sonne called Iames Sitsylt Iames Sitsylt tooke part with Mawd the empresse against king Stephen and was slaine at the siege of the castell of Wallingford An. 4. Stephan hauing then vpon him a vesture whereon was wrought in needle worke his armes or ensignes as they be made on the toombe of Gerald Sitsylt in the Abbeie of Dore which are afterward trulie blazed in a iudgement giuen by commission of king Edward the third for the ancient right of the same armes This Iames had a sonne called Iames Sitsylt and foure daughters Iohn Sitsylt the sonne of Iames was after the death of his father in the same warres with Roger Earle of Hereford and constable of England and being taken prisoner at the siege of Lincolne Anno. 6. Stephani he paid for his ransome 400. marks and therefore sold his lordship of Beauport and all his lands in the countie of Glocester he tooke to wife a Ladie called Mawd de Frenes and had issue Eustace Eustace Sitsylt the sonne of Iohn was wedded to Elianor the daughter of Sir Walter Pembridge Knight and had by hir Baldwin and Iohn and foure daughters whereof one of them was the wife of Sir Thomas Fitzneale knight Baldwin
Mountgomery to whom the Conqueror had giuen the Earldome of Arundell and Salopsburie or Shrewsburie entred into Powys land and wan the castell and towne of Baldwyn which he fortified and called it Mountgomery after his owne name Also this yeare William Rufus went to Normandie against his brother Robert and sent to England for 30000. footemen of whome when they came to the sea shore the king tooke ten shillings a peece and sent them home But shortlie after hee made a voiage into Northumberland against the Earle which rebelled and after he had taken Newcastell and Bamborough hee tooke the Earle at Tinmouth and returned homeward The same yeare Gruffyth ap Conan king of Northwales with Cadogan ap Blethyn who then ruled Southwales entred the land of Cardigan killed a great number of Normanes being not able anie longer to suffer their great pride and crueltie But after their returne the English captaines sent for more men to England and thought priuilie to make a roade to Northwales Which iournie was discouered to Cadogan who gathered his power and met with them in the wood or forrest of Yspys and set vpon them with great hew and crie and they defended themselues manfullie but in the end they were compelled to flee with great losse and Cadogan followed them hard and spoiled the countrie of Cardigan and Dyuet and destroied all the castels sauing two which were Penbrooke and Rydcors which he could not get and so returned to Powys with much ioy In this yeare 1093. the Normanes that inhabited the countrie of Glamorgan spoiled the countries of Kydwely and Ystrad Tywy and left them without anie inhabitors Then VVilliam Rufus being informed of the great slaughter of his subiects aswell in Chesshire Shropshire VVorcestershire and Herefordshire as within VVales which Gruffyth ap Conan and the sonnes of Blethyn ap Convyn had doone gathered his power together and entred VVales at Mountgomery which castell being latelie ouerthrowne by the VVelshmen he reedified againe but the VVelshmen kept so the straites of the mountaines with the woods and the riuers that the king did no good but lost his labour and his men therfore he returned backe to his great dishonor In the yeare 1094. died VVilliam the sonne of Baldwyn who at the kings commandement had built the castell of Rydcors after whose death the castell was forsaken by his men and the inhabitants of Gwyr Brechnock Gwent Gwentlhwc cast from their necks the burthen of the Normanes that had wonne their countries and held them in subiection and chased them out of their countries but they returned againe with great strength of Englishmen and Normanes Then the countrie men which abhorred their pride and cruell rule met with them at a place called Celly Tarvawc and fought with them manfullie so that they put them to flight with great slaughter and chased them backe againe out of the land Neuertheles the greedie Normanes would not giue ouer but doubling their strength returned againe to Brechnockshire making a vow to leaue no liuing thing within that countrie But it hapned otherwise for the people fled before them and staid at a straite and killed a great number of them About this time Roger Mountgomery Earle of Salop and Arundell William Fitzeustace Earle of Glocester Arnold de Harecourt and Neale le Vicount were slaine betwéene Cardyf and Brechnock by the Welshmen Also Walter Eureux Earle of Sarum and Hugh Earle Gourney were there hurt and died after in Normandie Therefore when the Normanes saw that they had all the losse they manned and victailed the castels which they had before time builded there and returned backe but in their returne Gruffyth and Ivor the sonnes of Ednerth ap Cadogan met them vpon the sudden at Aberlhech and falling vpon them slew the most part of them and the rest escaped to England But the Normane captaines defended the castels manfullie and kept them vntill they were driuen by force for safegard of their liues to forsake them then the ancient dwellers enioied their countries againe quietlie Moreouer certeine lords of Northwals namelie Vchthed the sonne of Edwyn ap Grono and Howel ap Grono with the children of Cadogan ap Blethyn of Powys land gathered a number of men passed through Cardiganshire to Dyuet which countrie the king a little before had giuen to Arnulph sonne to Roger Mountgomery who had builded there the castell of Penbrooke and appointed keeper and steward of the same one Gerald de Windsore and there burned spoiled and destroied all the countrie sauing the said castell of Penbrooke which they could not winne and so returned home with great bootie After the returne of these lords Gerald issued out of the castell and spoiled the lands of S. Dauids and tooke manie prisoners and returned to the castell The yeare following William Rufus returning from Normandie to England and hearing of the great slaughter of his men doone by the Welshmen gathered all his power with great pompe and pride entred Wales But the Brytaines fearing the great strength of the king put their hope onlie in the almightie Lord turning to him in fasting praier and repentance of their sinnes and he that neuer forsaketh the penitent and contrite hart heard their praiers so that the Normanes and Englishmen durst neuer enter the land but such as entred were all slaine and the king returned with small honor after he had built certaine castels in the marches The yeare following being 1096. Hugh de Mountgomerie Earle of Arundell and Salopsburie whom the Welshmen call Hugh Goch that is to saie Hugh the read headed and Hugh Vras that is Hugh the fat Earle of Chester and a great number of Nobles more did gather a huge armie and entred into Northwales being thereto mooued by certeine Lords of the countrie But Gruffyth ap Conan the Prince and Cadogan ap Blethyn tooke the hilles and mountaines for their defense bicause they were not able to meete with the Erles neither durst they well trust their owne men And so the Erles came ouer against the Ile of Môn or Anglesey where they did build a castell of Aberlhiennawc Then Gruffyth and Cadogan did go to Anglesey thinking to defend the Ile and sent for succour to Ireland but they receiued verie small Then the treason appeared for Owen ap Edwyn who was the Princes cheefe counseller and his father in lawe whose daughter Gruffyth had married hauing himselfe also married Everyth the daughter of Convyn aunt to Cadogan was the cheefe caller of those strangers into Wales who openlie went with all his power to them and did lead them to the Ile of Anglesey which thing when Gruffyth and Cadogan perceiued they sailed to Ireland mistrusting the treason of their owne people Then the Earles spoiled the Ile and slew all that they found there And at the verie same time Magnus the sonne of Haroald came with a great nauie of ships towards England minding
to laie faster hold vpon that kingdome than his father had doone and being driuen by chaunce to Anglesey would haue landed there but the Earles kept him from the land And there Magnus with an arrowe stroke Hugh Earle of Salop in the face that he died thereof and suddenlie either part forsooke the Ile and the Englishmen returned to England and left Owen ap Edwyn Prince in the land who had allured them thither In the yeare 1098. returned Gruffyth ap Conan and Cadogan ap Blethyn from Ireland and made peace with the Normanes and gaue them part of their inheritance for Gruffyth remained in Môn and Cadogan had Cardigan and a peece of Powys land About this time the men of Brechnock slew Lhewelyn the sonne of Cadogan Then Howel ap Ithel of Tegengel went to Ireland Also Rythmarch Archbishop of S. Dauids sonne to Sulien bishop died the godliest wisest greatest clerke that had beene in Wales manie yeares before sauing his father who had brought him vp and a great number of learned disciples King William Rufus after he had walled the citie of London and builded Westminster hall went to Normandie and after he had brought all the countrie to his subiection returned home and was slaine with an arrow by Walter Tyrell as he shot at a stagge in the new forrest Then Henrie his brother was crowned in his steede for Robert the elder brother was all this while in the holie land who shortlie returned and landed at Portsmouth against whom Henrie came with a great power but in the end they were agreed that Henrie should paie yearelie to Robert 3000. marks and the longer liuer should be the others heire This Henrie maried Mawd the daughter of Malcolme king of Scots by Margaret the daughter of Edward sonne to Edmund Ironside Also this yeare died Hugh Earle of Chester and Richard his sonne was made Earle in his place at this time also died Grono ap Cadogan and Gwyn ap Gruffyth In the yeare 1101. Robert de Belesmo sonne to Roger de Mountgomery Earle of Salope and Arnulph his brother Earle of Penbrooke did rebell against the king which when the king heard he sent for them to come to him but they made blind excuses and gathered their strength and fortified their castels and then gaue great gifts and made large promises to the sonnes of Blethyn ap Convyn Iorwerth Cadogan and Meredyth and intised them to ioine their powers to theirs Robert had fortified foure castels Arundell Tekinhill Shrewsburie and Brugge which castell was the cause of the warre for Robert had builded it without the kings leaue and Arnulph fortified his castell of Penbroke Then they entred the kings land burned spoiled it carieng awaie rich booties And Arnulph to haue more strength sent Gerald his steward to Murkart king of Ireland to desire his daughter in marriage which he obtained with promises of great succours which did incourage him the more against the king Then the king gathered a great armie and first beseeged the castell of Arundell and wan it and likewise he did with Tekinhill and afterward lead his power before Brugge which for the situation and depth of the diches being also well manned and victailed the king doubted the speedie winning thereof Wherefore he was counseled to send priuilie to Iorwerth ap Blethyn promising him great gifts if hee would forsake the Earle and serue him remembring what wrongs the Earles father Roger and his brother Hugh had doone to the Welshmen Also the king to make him more willing to sticke vnto him gaue him all such lands as the Earle his brother had in Wales without tribute or oth which was a peece of Powys Cardigan halfe Dyuer the other halfe had the sonne of Baldwyn with Stradtywy and Gwyr Iorwerth being glad of these offers receiued them willinglie and then cōming himselfe to the king he sent his power to the Earles land which doing their maisters cōmandement destroied spoiled all the countrie for the Earle had caused his people to conueie all their cattell and goods to Wales litle remembring the mischiefes that the Welshmen had receiued at his fathers and brothers hands But when these newes came to the Earle to Cadogan Meredyth Iorwerths brethren they were all dismaid despaired to be able to withstand the king for Iorwerth was the greatest man of power in Wales And at this time Arnulph was gone to Ireland for his wife and succour Also a litle before Magnus againe had landed in Môn receiued of Gruffyth ap Conan hewed downe asmuch timber wood as was needefull for him and so returning to the Ile of Man which he had woon he builded three castels there and sent to Ireland to haue the daughter of Murcart in mariage for his sonne which he obtained and made his sonne king of Man Then Earle Robert hearing this sent to him for helpe but receiued none therefore seeing no remedie he sent to the king desiring him that he might forsake the realme which thing the king granted and he sailed to Normandie And likewise the king sent word to his brother Arnulph that either he should folow his brother and depart the land or yeeld himselfe to the kings mercie and pleasure but he chose to depart the land and so he did After this when the king was returned home Iorwerth tooke his brother Meredyth and sent him to the kings prison for his brother Cadogan agreed with him to whome Iorwerth gaue Caerdhydh a peece of Powys Then Iorwerth himselfe went to the kings court to put the king in remembrance of his promise but the king when he saw all quiet forgate the seruice of Iorwerth and his owne promise and contrarie to the same tooke Dyuet from Iorwerth and gaue it to a knight called Saer and Stradtywy Cydewen and Gwyr he gaue to Howel ap Grono and so Iorwerth was sent home emptie At this time King Henrie gaue diuers castels and lordships in Wales to Normanes and Englishmen of whom there is mention oftentimes hereafter in this historie This yeare died Grono sonne of Rees ap Theodor in prison Also at this time Magnus the sonne of Heroald entred the countrie of Lenoux in Scotland after he had gotten a great prey returned to his shippes but the inhabitants pursued him so hard that they put his people to flight slew him and rescued their goods and cattell In the end of this yeare the king did send diuerse of his councell to Shrewesburie and willed Iorwerth ap Blethyn to come to meete them there to consult about the kings busines and affaires Now when he came thither all the consultation was against him whō contrarie to all right and equitie they condemned of treason bicause the king feared his strength and that he would reuenge the wrongs that he had receiued at the kings hands and so they committed him to prison Those Noble men that were sent by the King to
Shrewesburie were Richard de Belmersh or de Beleasmo as some doo call him who being chéefe dooer about Roger Mountgomery Earle of Salop was preferred to the Bishopricke of London and afterwards appointed by this King Henrie to be warden of the Marches and gouernour of the countie of Salop Walter Constable the father of Milo Earle of Hereford and Rayner the kings lieutenant in the countie of Salop. About this time as Bale noteth the church of Meneuia or S. Dauids began to be subiect to the sea of Canturburie being alwaies before the Metrapolitane church of all Wales In the yeare 1103. Owen ap Edwyn died after great miserie and long sicknesse Then also Richard the sonne of Baldwyn did fortifie the castell of Ridcors and chased Howel ap Grono out of the countrie to whom the King had giuen the custodie of that castell who neuerthelesse returned shortlie after and burned all the countrie houses corne and haie and slew a great number of the Normanes as they returned homeward and kept all the countrie in his subiection except the castels and these garrisons At this time the King did take the rule of Dyuet from Saer to whom he had committed the same and gaue it to Gerald who had beene sometimes Steward there under Arnulph Then the Normanes who were in the castell of Rydcors and other castels there abouts seeing they could not haue the vpper hand of Howel ap Grono in open fight fell to their accustomed practise of treason and so obtained their purpose in this manner There was one Gwgan ap Meyric who had nursed a sonne to Howel ap Grono and therefore verie well trusted and loued of him as the manner of Wales is This traitour being corrupted by the Normanes procured his maisters death bidding him one night to his house to make merrie whither he came gentlie Then Gwgan gaue notise thereof to the garrisons of the castels who in the dawning of the daie entred the towne comming about the house gaue a great showte wherewith Howel awooke and coragiouslie leapt out of his bed and sought his weapons but the traitor Gwgan had conueied them awaie when he was asleepe Then he called for his men but they were all fled to saue their liues and as he would haue gotten awaie he was taken by Gwgan and his companie and strangled whose bodie he deliuered to the Normanes which cut off his head and brought it to the castell of Rydcors And this traitorous murther of the kings lieutenant was left vnpunished For whatsoeuer fault the Normanes committed was alwaies winked at and if the Welshmen did neuer so little offend the lawes of the king it was thought an heinous fault which was the cause that afterwards they rebelled against the king who sought nothing but their vtter destruction About this time Anselme Archbishop of Canturburie called a synod at London where among other things it was ordeined and decreed that priests should not marrie which was not before that time forbidden in Brytaine This ordinance or decree seemed to some verie cleanlie and honest but of other it was thought perilous and dangerous least they seeking to be cleane and honest as they termed it should fall into horrible uncleanlinesse and dishonestie abhominable to a christian man and this was a thousand one hundered and odde yeares after the incarnation of Christ. King Henrie in the fift yeare of his reigne sailed with a great power to Normandie where his brother Robert with Robert de Belesmo Arnulph and William Earle of Mauritania gaue him battell but the King got the victorie and tooke the Duke his brother and William de Mauritania prisoners and carried them to England whom he committed to perpetuall prison and caused his brothers eies to be put out Then shortlie after died Edgar king of Scots and Alexander his brother was crowned in his place by consent of king Henrie At this time Meyric and Gruffyth the sonnes of Trahaern ap Caradoc were both slaine by Owen ap Cadogan ap Blethyn Also Meredyth ap Blethyn brake the prison where he had been a long time and came home and gat his owne inheritance againe and enioied it quietlie The yeare 1108. the rage of the sea did ouerflow and drowne a great part of the lowe countrie of Flanders in such sort that the inhabitants were driuen to seeke themselues other dwelling places who came to King Henrie and desired him to giue them some void place to remaine in who being verie liberall of that which was not his owne gaue them the land of Ros in Dyuet or Westwales where Penbrooke Tenby and Hauerford are now built there they remaine to this daie as may well be perceiued by their speach and conditions farre differing from the rest of the countrie At that time Gerald steward did build againe the castell of Penbrooke in a place called Congarth Vechan and brought thither all his houshold stuffe and other goods with his wife and children Then also Cadogan ap Blethyn made a great feast in Christmas and bad all the Lords of the countrie to his house in Dyuet among whom came Owen his sonne who being at his fathers house and hearing the beautie of Nest wife to Gerald steward of Penbrooke praised aboue all the women in the land was meruelous desirous to see hir And for so much as Gladys wife to Rees ap Theodor or Tewdor and mother to Nest was the daughter of Rywalhon ap Convyn and coosen germane to Cadogan his father he with a few vnder the colour of freendship and coosenage went to see hir finding the truth to surmount the fame he came home all inflamed with hir loue and in that doting moode the same night returning thither againe with a sort of wild companions entred the castell priuilie and compassed the chamber about and set the house on fire wherewith Gerald and his wife awoke and he would haue issued out to know what that noise meant but his wife fearing some treason staied him and counselled him to go to the priuie and so pulling vp the boord she helped him out that waie and then she came to the chamber dore and said that there was none but she and hir children yet they entred in and sought al about but when they could not find him they tooke hir and hir two sons and a sonne and a daughter borne by a concubine to Gerald and caried them awaie to Powys and so burning the castell they spoiled all the countrie Now when Cadogan hard this he was verie sorie and feared the kings displeasure and forthwith went to Powys and willed his sonne to send home to Gerald his wife and children with his goods but Owen in no wise would depart with the woman yet at hir request he sent to Gerald his children againe And when Richard bishop of London whom the king had appointed Warden of the Marches being at Shrewsburie hard of this hee was verie sore offended and
lesse by Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales how that his men and the men of Grono ap Owen ap Edwyn Lord of Tegengl spoiled and burned the countrie of Cheshire adding to aggrauate the matter that Gruffyth did neither owe seruice nor paied anie tribute to the king wherefore the king swore that he would not leaue one liuing creature in Northwales and Powys land but destroie the land vtterlie put in new inhabitants Then parting his armie into three bands the leading of the first he committed to Gilbert Earle of Strigill wherein was the whole power of all the fourth part of England Cornwall against Southwales the leading of the second had Alexander king of Scotland Hugh Earle of Chester wherein the power of Scotland and the North was who went against Northwales and the king lead the third himselfe wherin was the strength of middle England Then Meredyth ap Blethyn hearing this came and yeelded himselfe to the king But Owen fearing to commit himselfe to them which were so greedie of his lands fled to Gruffyth ap Conan to Northwales whervpon the king turned all his strength that waie and came himselfe as far as Murcastelh and the king of Scots as far as Pennant Bachwy but the people fled to the mountaines and woods and caried all their victuals and cattell with them so that the king could not folow them and such of his men as entred the land were either slaine or galled in the straites Then the Scottish king did send to the prince to come and yeeld him to the king and promised him the kings peace but he was acquainted with such promises and would not Then the king because hee would not returne without owing of some thing sent to Owen to come to him and to forsake the prince who was not able to defend himselfe but was readie to make peace with the Scottish king and the Erle of Chester Yet for all this Owen would not trust the king vntill such time as his vncle Meredyth came from the king to him and counselled him not to forsake the king of Englands offer but to trust his promise and to make hast before the prince agreed with the king who offered him all his lands without tribute Then Owen hearing this came to the king who receiued him thankfullie and told him that because he had trusted the kings word and promise he would not onlie performe that but also exalt him aboue all his kinne and giue him his lands without tribute The Prince also hearing of this sent to the king to haue his peace which because the king could not come by him he obtained for a great summe of monie Some Brytish copies affirme that the submission both of Gruffyth ap Conan also of Owen ap Cadogan was procured by the subtile policie of Meredyth ap Blethyn and the Earle of Chester the one working with Gruffyth and bearing him in hand that Owen had submitted himselfe to the king made his peace with him before it was so in déede so that the prince somewhat yéelding to the Earles request if Owen had so done contrarie to his oth for they were sworne either to other the one not to agrée without the assent of the other séemed to incline to peace On the other side Meredyth going himselfe in person to his Nephew Owen affirmed for a truth that the Prince and the Earle of Chester were throughlie agréed concerning peace and that the Prince was on his iournie towards the king to make his submission and in the meane time all messengers betwéene Owen and the Prince were by the procurement of Meredyth intercepted wherevpon Owen willinglie yéelded himselfe to the King Then the king hauing finished his busines in Wales called Owen vnto him and told him that if he would go with him to Normandie and be faithfull vnto him he would performe all his promises with him Wherevpon Owen went with the king to Normandie where he was made knight had all promises performed at the kings hand at his returne from Normandie the yeare following At this time died Griffri bishop of Meneuia and the king made one Barnard a Norman bishop in his place contrarie to the minds of all the Clergie of Wales who were alwaies accustomed to choose their bishop At the same time there was a talke through Southwales of Gruffyth the sonne of Rees ap Theodor who for feare of the king had beene of a child brought vp in Ireland and had come ouer two yeares passed which time he had spent priuilie with his freends kinsfolks and affines as with Gerald steward of Penbrooke his brother in law and others But at the last he was accused to the king that he intended the kingdome of Southwales as his father had enioied it which was now in the kings hands and that all the countrie hoped of libertie through him therefore the king sent to take him But Gruffyth ap Rees hering this sent to Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales desiring him of his aid and that he might remaine safelie within his countrie which he granted and receiued him ioiouslie for his fathers sake At this time also Howel the brother of this Gruffyth being committed to prison by Arnulph Earle of Penbrooke in the castell of Mountgomery where he remained prisoner a great while made an escape and being sore hurt and maimed fled to Gruffyth ap Conan where his brother was Which things when the king heard he sent gentle letters to the Prince desiring him to come and speake with him which Gruffyth ap Conan did whom the king receiued honorablie and gaue him rich gifts and pretious iewels after the vsage of the Normanes who make much of men for to serue their turne Then afterward he talked with him of Gruffyth ap Rees promising him mountaines of gold to send the said Gruffyth or his head vnto him the which thing the Prince being deceiued with the faire words of the king promised to doo and so returned home ioifullie But Gruffyth ap Rees and Howel his brother had counsell giuen them to withdraw themselues out of the waie awhile vntill they vnderstood what the Prince would doo for their freends suspected the kings message The Prince assoone as euer he came to his palace at Arberffraw inquired for Gruffyth ap Rees and learning where he was sent certaine horsemen for him to come to his court and as they came towards the house where he was he had warning of their comming and with much adoo escaped to the Church of Aberdaron and tooke Sanctuarie there Then the messengers returned againe and declared to the Prince how all things fell out and the Prince being sore offended commanded him to be pulled out by force but the Clergie of the whole countrie withstood that and defended the liberties of the Church That night some that pitied to see that yoong innocent to be sought as a lambe to the slaughter conueied him away out of Northwales to
about because of their carrages at whose comming the men which kept the straits skirmished with the kings men and with their arrowes hauing the aduantage of the ground slew some and hurt manie Among these one drew his bowe and shooting towards his foes by fortune stroke the king a great blow vpon the breast but by meane of his maze the arow hurt him not neuerthelesse he was wonderfullie dismaied withall considering how rashlie by misfortune he might lose in that wild countrie the honour and fame which he had wonne before did send to parle with them that kept the passage and to will them vnder assurance to come and speake with him which they did Then he asked them whose men they were and how they durst be so bold as to put the king in such danger and they said that they were Meredyth ap Blethyns men and did nothing but their maisters commandement in keeping the passage Then the king willed them to go to their maister and counsell him to go to the kings peace and he should receiue no hurt which he and his coosins did and fined to the king for their offenses 1000. heads of cattell and the king returned to England King Henrie hauing thus quieted Wales leauing the lord Fitzwaren warden or lieutenant of the Marches returned to England where he held thrée Parliaments this yeare the first about Christmasse at Norwych the second about Easter at Northampton and the third after Whitsuntide at London The yeare ensuing Gruffyth ap Rees ap Theodor did kill Gruffyth ap Sulhaern and Eneon the son of Cadogan died and gaue his part of Powys and Merionyth which he had wonne to his brother Meredyth but Meredyth ap Blethyn his vncle put him backe by force tooke it to himselfe At this time the king did set at libertie Ithel ap Riryd ap Blethyn whom he kept in prison manie yeares who came home thinking to haue enioied his owne lands Now when Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales heard how that Meredyth ap Blethyn had taken by force the lands of his Nephew Meredyth ap Cadogan he sent his sonnes Cadwalhon and Owen with a power to Merionyth who brought all the countrie to their subiection and caried the cheefe men and the cattell to Lhyyn and afterward the sonnes of Cadogan destroied the land of Lhywarch ap Trahaern because he ioined with the sonnes of the prince About this time there came one Iohannes Cremensis a cardinall from the Pope who after he had gotten many rich gifts and rewards of Bishops and Abbots held a synod at London at the natiuitie of our Ladie where he inueied bitterlie against the mariage of priests declaring how vnseemelie a thing it was to come from his woman to the altar and the same night he was found with a whore in bed with him The yeare 1125. Meredyth ap Blethyn did kill his brothers sonne Ithel ap Riryd And shortlie after Cadwalhon ap Gruffyth ap Conan slew his three vncles Grono Riryd and Meilyr the sonnes Owen ap Edwyn and also Morgan ap Cadogan slew his brother Meredyth with his owne hands About this time died Henrie the Emperour who had maried Mawd king Henries daughter and heire In the yeare 1127. the king sent his daughter to Normandie to be married to Geffrey Plantagenet sonne to the Earle of Aniow and folowed himselfe shortlie after Gruffyth ap Rees was put beside the lands which the king had suffered him quietlie to possesse by the false accusations of the Normanes which dwelled in the countrie with him And then also Daniel Archdeacon of Powys died a man both learned and godlie who trauelled all his time to set peace and concord betwixt his countriemen An. 1128. died Gruffyth ap Meredyth ap Blethyn and the same yeare Lhewelyn the sonne of Owen ap Cadogan tooke Meredyth ap Lhywarch and deliuered him to Paine fitziohn to be kept safe in the castell of Brugenorth This Meredyth had slaine Meyric his coosen germane and had put out the eies of his two coosen germanes the sonnes of Griffri The yeare ensuing Ieuaf the sonne of Owen put out the eies of two of his brethren and banished them the countrie also Lhewelyn ap Owen slew Iorwerth ap Lhywarch And Meredyth ap Blethyn tooke the same Lhewelyn his nephew puting out his eies gelded him to the end he should get no children that he might haue his lands and slew Ieuaf ap Owen his brother Also Meyric slew Lhywarch and Madoc his sonne his owne coosens who himselfe was so serued shortlie after Then Morgan the sonne of Cadogan repented him greatlie for the murther of his brother Meredyth wherefore he tooke his iournie to Ierusalem and died in his returne at Cyprus In the yeare 1132. Robert Curthoise the kings brother died in the castell of Cardiffe The yeare folowing Cadwalhon sonne to Gruffyth ap Conan was slaine at Nanhewdwy by Eneon the sonne of Owen ap Edwyn his vncle whose three brethren he had slain with Cadogan ap Grono ap Edwyn That yeare also died Meredyth ap Blethyn ap Convyn the greatest lord and cheefest man in Powys as he that had gotten his brethren and nephewes lands by hooke and by crooke into his owne hands In the yeare 1135. died Henrie king of England one of the worthiest and victoriousest princes that euer reigned in the Ile of Brytaine After whome Stephen Earle of Boloigne sonne to the Earle of Bloys his sisters sonne a stout and a hardie knight reigned king of England for by the meanes of Hugh Bygod steward to king Henrie the Archbishop of Canturburie and all the nobilitie of England contrarie to their former oth made to Mawd the Empresse created and crowned him king Then shortlie after Dauid king of Scots wan by treason Carlile and Newcastell against whō Stephen lead an armie to whom Dauid yeelded himself restored Newcastell and kept Carlile by composition but he would not sweare to him for he had sworne alredie to Mawd his nice Yet Henrie his sonne sware to Stephen and had the Earledome of Huntingdon giuen him This yeare Richard and Gilbert his sonne were slaine by Morgan ap Owen And shortlie after Cadwalader and Owen Gwyneth the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Conan in whome remained the hope of all Wales for they were gentle liberall to all men terrible and cruell to their enimies meeke and humble to their freends the succour and defense of widowes fatherlesse and all that were in necessitie and as they passed all other in good and laudable vertues so they were paragons of strength beautie and well proportionat bodies gathered a great power against the Normans and Flemings who entring Cardigan wan destroied and burned the whole countrie with the castell of Walter Espec the castell of Aberystwyth which was verie strong and well manned And thither came Howel ap Meredyth and Rees ap Madoc ap Ednerth who went forward and rased
caused engines to be made to batter the walles with force of men and other to cast great stones to their enimies to disquiet the garison Which preparations when they within beheld their stomachs failed and forthwith they yeelded the fort then Howel returned home with great honour Shortlie after there fell a great dissention betwixt Howel and Conan prince Owens sonnes and Cadwalader their vncle wherevpon they called their strength vnto them and entred the countrie of Merionyth where the people fled to the sanctuaries to saue their liues These two yoong Lords made proclamation that no man should hurt those that would yeeld to them whervpon the people which had fled returned to their houses without hurt Thus they brought all the countrie in subiection to them lead their armie before the castell of Cynvael which Cadwalader had built and fortified wherein was the Abbot of Tuygwyn or Whitehouse to whome the Lord had committed the defense of his castell Then Howel and Conan summoned the fort with great threatnings but they within defied them wherevpon Howel Conan promised the Abbot Meruyn great rewards to let them haue the house But he like a faithfull seruant whom neither terrible manaces nor pleasant proffers could mooue to vntruth but as his lord trusted him so would he continue still and not deceiue his expectation denied them of the same choosing rather to die with honour than to liue with shame With which answere the yoong Lords were greatlie offended that a priest should staie their prosperous proceedings and thervpon assaulted the castell so sore that after they had beaten downe the walles they entred by force and slew and wounded all the garrison sauing the Abbot who escaped awaie priuilie by meanes of freends whom he had in Howels armie The yeare 1147. died Robert Earle of Glocester Gilbert Earle of Clare Vchthred bishop of Landaff after whome Nicholas ap Gurgant was made bishop And the yere 1148. died Barnard bishop of S. Dauids or Meneuia after him came Dauid Fitzgerald to be bishop there who was before Archdeacon of Caerdigan The yeare ensuing Owen prince of Northwales did build a castell in Yale and his brother Cadwalader built another at Lhanrystyd and gaue Cadogan his son his part of Caerdigan Towards the end of this yeare Madoc the sonne of Meredyth ap Blethyn did build the castell of Oswestrie and gaue his nephewes Owen and Meyric the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Meredyth his part of Cyuelioc The yeare after prince Owen did imprison Conan his sonne for certaine faults committed against his father also prince Owens sonne tooke his vncle Cadwalader prisoner and brought his countrie and castell to his subiection At this time also Cadeth the sonne of Gruffyth ap Rees fortified the castell of Carmarthyn from thence lead his armie to Cydwely where he destroied and spoiled all the countrie and after his returne he ioined his power with Meredyth and Rees his brethren and entring Caerdigan wan the part called Is Aeron Not long after there fell a variance betwixt Rondel Earle of Chester and Owen prince of Northwales Then Rondel gathered a great power of his freends and hired soldiours from all parts of England to whom Madoc ap Meredyth prince of Powys disdaining to hold his lands of Owen ioined all his power and they both togither entred prince Owens land who like a worthie prince not suffering the spoile of his subiects met them at Counsylht and boldlie bad them battell which they refused not but being more in number and better armed and weaponed were glad of the occasion yet before the end they threw awaie weapon and armour and trusted their feet whome the Northwales men did so pursue that few escaped but were either slaine or taken sauing the cheefe captaines whose horses caried them awaie cleere In the yeare 1150. Cadelh Meredyth and Rees the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Rees Prince of Southwales wanne all Caerdigan from Howel the sonne of prince Owen sauing the castell of Lhanvihangel in Pengwern and at the castell of Lhanrystyd they lost manie of their men therefore they slew all the garrison when they wan it and thence they went to the castell of Stratmeyric which they fortified and manned and then returned home This Cadelh had a great pleasure in hunting and vsed much that pastime which thing when the inhabitants of Tenby or Denbigh y pyscot in Penbrooke shire knew they laid in ambushment for him and so when this lord had vncoupled his hounds and pursued the stag with a few companions they fierslie set on him his companie and seeing they were but few and vnarmed they easilie put them to flight and wounded Cadelh verie sore yet he escaped their hands came to his house where he laie a long time like to die Then his brethren Meredyth Rees entered Gwyr where burning and destroing all the countrie they wan the castell of Aberlhychwr rased it to the ground and then returning home with great bootie reedified the castell of Dynevowr The same yeare also Howel the sonne of Owen prince of Northwales fortified Humfreys castell in the vallie of Caletwr In the yeare 1151. Owen Gwyneth tooke Cunetha his brother Cadwalhon his sonne and put out his eies and gelded him least he should haue children to inherit part of the land Lhewelyn also the sonne of Madoc ap Meredyth slew Stephen the sonne of Baldwin About the same time Cadwalader the brother of Prince Owen escaped out of his nephew Howels prison and subdued part of the Ile of Môn or Anglesey to himselfe but his brother Owen sent an armie against him and chased him thence who fled to England for succour to his wiues freends for she was the daughter of Gilbert Earle of Clare The same yeare Galfride Arthur was made bishop of Lhanelwy now called in English Saint Asaph Also Simon Archdeacon of Cyuelioc an man of great worthines and fame dyed at the same time And the yeare ensuing Meredyth and Rees the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Rees did lead their powers to Penwedic before the castell which did belong to Howel the sonne of Prince Owen and with great paines got it Shortlie after priuilie by night they came to the castell of Tennbie which was in the keeping of Fitzgerald and scaled it vpon the sudden and got it and did so reuenge their brothers hurt Then returning thence they diuided their armie and Rees went to Stratcongen which he destroied and spoiled and went thence to Cyuelioc which he destroied in like manner But Meredyth laid siege to the castell of Aberavan and wan it and came home with rich spoiles At this time died Rondle Earle of Chester and Hugh his sonne was created Earle in his place In the yeare 1153. died Meredyth ap Gruffyth ap Rees Lord of Caerdigan and Stratywy in the 25. yeare of his age a worthie knight and fortunate in battell iust and liberall to all men Also the
same yeare died Geffrey bishop of Landaff The yeare ensuing Henrie Shortmantel the Empresse sonne entred England and wan diuerse castels as Maluesburie Walingford and Shrewsburie About the same time Eustace the sonne of king Stephen was drowned wherevpon the king and Henrie concluded a peace In the yeare 1154. died Stephen king of England and Henrie Plantagenet the Empresse son was crowned in his steed This Henrie was wise and learned and besides a worthie knight he neuer ware gloue except he bare a hawke on his fist and neuer sate but at his meate and delited in hawking hunting riding and in all honest exercises In the beginning of his reigne and in the yeare 1155. Rees ap Gruffyth ap Rees whome the Welsh booke surnameth Lord Rees and all the Latine and English writers of that time name King of Southwales did gather all his strength togither to defend his countrie from Owen Gwyneth whom he heard to be leuieng of men to conquer Southwales So Rees came as far as Aberdyvi ouer against Northwales and perceiuing the rumour to be false built a castell there and so returned backe At the same time Madoc ap Meredyth prince of Powys did build a castell at Caereneon besides Cymer At that time Meyric his nephew escaped out of prison where he had beene long kept then also Eglwys vair in Myvot was built also Terdelach king of Conacht in Ireland died At this time king Henrie banished the Flemings whom king Stephen had brought in and sent some of them to their coosins in Westwales likewise the king bannished Wiliam Peuerell of Notingham And Hugh Mortimer fortified the castell of Cleberie against the king which the king tooke and rased and Hugh yeelded to the king and deliuered to his hands the castels of Wygmor and Brugge Likewise Roger the sonne of Myles of Glocester Earle of Hereford deliuered to the king the tower of Glocester and died shortlie after and his brother Walter enioied his land but the king kept the Earledome of Hereford and the towne of Glocester in his owne hands The yeare folowing Conan Earle of Richmond sailed to Brytaine where he was receiued of the most part for their duke Shortlie after king Henrie his brother Geffrey were agreed in Normandie and the king being returned into England receiued of the Scottish king Carlile Newcastell and Banburgh with the countrie about and gaue him the Earldome of Huntingdon Also William Earle of Egle and Northfolke base sonne to king Stephen deliuered Henrie the castels of Peuensey and Norwich and the king confirmed to him his other lands At this time Caradocus Lhancaruan who is reputed and taken of all learned men to be the author of this present historie endeth his collections of the successions of the Brytaines from Cadwalader vntill this time of whome some studious antiquarie wrote these verses following Historiam Brytonum doctus scripsit Caradocus Post Cadwalladrum regia sceptra notans The successions and actes of the princes of Wales after this time vntill the yeare 1270. were kept and recorded from time to time in the Abbeis of Conwey in Northwales and Stratflur in Southwales as witnesseth Gutryn Owen who being in the daies of Edward the fourth wrote the best and most perfect copie of the same About this time the king gathered all his power togither from all parts of England intending to subdue all Northwales being therevnto procured and mooued by Cadwalader whom the Prince his brother had banished out of the land and bereaued of his liuing and by Madoc ap Meredyth prince of Powys who enuied at the libertie of Northwales which knewe no lord but one And so the king led his armie to Westchester and camped vpon the marsh called Saltney Likewise Owen like a valiant prince gathered all his strength and came to the vtter meares of his land purposing to giue the king battell encamped himselfe at Basingwerk Which thing when the king vnderstood he chose out of his armie diuerse of the cheefest bands and sent certeine Earles and Lords with them towards the princes campe and as they passed the wood called Coed Eulo Dauid Conan the princes sons met with them set vpon them fearslie what for the aduantage of the ground for the suddennes of the deed the Englishmen were put to flight and a great number slaine and the rest were pursued to the kings campe The king being fore displeased with that foile remooued his campe alongst the sea coast thinking to passe betwixt Owen and his countrie but Owen foreseeing that retired backe to a place which is called to this daie Cîl Owen that is the retire of Owen and the king came to Ruthlan In this first viage of king Henrie against the Welshmen he was put in great danger of his life in a strait at Counsylth not far from Flynt where Henrie of Essex whose office by inheritance was to beare the standard of England cast downe the same and fled which thing incouraged the Welshmen in such sort that the king being sore distressed had much a doo to saue himselfe and as the French Chronicle saith was faine to flée of whose part Eustace Fitz-Iohn and Robert Curcie two worthie knights with diuerse other noble men and gentlemen were slaine After that Owen incamped and intrenched himselfe at Bryn y pin and skirmished with the kings men dailie and in the meane while that the King was fortifieng the castell of Ruthlan his nauie which was guided by Madoc ap Meredyth Prince of Powys anchored in Môn or Anglesey and put on land the soldiours which spoiled two churches and a little of the countrie thereabouts But as they returned vnto their ships all the strength of the Ile set vpon them and killed them all so that none of those which robbed within the Ile brought tidings how they sped Then the shipmen seeing that liked not their lodging there but waid vp anchors and went awaie to Chester In the meane time there was a peace concluded betwixt the king and the Prince vpon condition that Cadwalader should haue his lands againe and his brother should be his friend Then the King leauing the castels of Ruthlan and Basywerke well fortified and manned after he had built a house thereby for the templers returned to England At that time also Iorwerth Goch ap Meredyth got the castell of Yale and burned it The yeare folowing Morgan ap Owen was traitorously slaine by the men of Ivor ap Meyric with whom died the best poet in the Brytish toong of his time called Gurgan ap Rees and his brother Iorwerth got the towne of Caerlheon and the lands of Owen Then the king made peace with all the princes lords of Wales except Rees ap Gruffyth ap Rees prince of Southwales which Rees fearing the kings power caused his people to remooue their cattell goods to the wildernesse of Tywy and he still made war against the
king Therefore the king sent for him to come to his court to conclude a peace before the power of England Wales were sent for him wherevpon Rees after consultation came to the king and an order was taken that Rees should enioy the Cantref Mawr as it should please the king so that his land should be whole togither and not in diuerse places and shires but the king did contrarie to his promise appointing Rees lands in diuerse places and lordships intermingled with other mens lands Which deceit although Rees perceiued well inough yet he receiued it peece-meale as it was and liued quietlie vntill Roger Earle of Clare hearing this came to the king and desired his highnesse to giue him such lands in Wales as he could win which the king granted Then he came with a great armie to Caerdigan first he fortified the castell of Stratmeyric and afterwards the castell of Humfrey of Dyuy of Dynerth Lhanristyd When these castels were well manned and fortified Walter Clyfford who had the keeping of the castell of Lhanymdhyfri made a road to the land of Rees and returned with a bootie after he had slaine diuerse of Reeses men Then Rees sent to the king to complaine and to haue a redresse who had onelie faire words and nothing else for the king winked at the faults of the Englishmen and Normanes and punished the Welshmen cruellie Rees seeing this laid siege to Lhanymdhyfri and in short space wan the castell Also Eneon the sonne of Anarawd Reeses brothers sonne being a lustie gentleman and desirous to make his countrie free from seruitude and perceiuing his vncle to be discharged of his oth to the king laid siege to the castell of Humfrey by force wan it slaieng all the garrison wherein he found horses and armour to furnish a great number of men Likewise Rees seeing he could enioy no part of his inheritance but that he wan by the sword gathered his power entring Caerdigan left not a castell standing in the countrie of those which his enimies had fortified and so brought all to his subiection Wherewith the king being sore offended returned to Southwales and when he saw he could doo no good he suffered Rees to enioy all that he had gotten and tooke pledges of him to keepe the peace in his absence Then returning to England he tooke his iournie to Normandie and made peace with the French king But the next yeare Rees prince of Southwales did lead his power to Dyuet and destroied all the castels that the Normanes had fortified there and afterward laid siege to Caermarthin Which thing when Reynold Erle of Brystow the kings base sonne heard he called to him the Earle of Clare and his brother in law Cadwalader the brother of prince Owen with Howel and Conan prince Owens sonnes and two other Earles and came to raise the siege with a great armie whose comming Rees abode not but got him to the mountains called Kefn Rester and there kept himselfe and they camped at Dynwyl hîr and builded a castell there who after they could not heare of Rees returned home without doing of anie notable act King Henrie remained in Normandie all this yeare where he made warre against the Earle of S. Giles for the citie and Earledome of Tholouse In the yeare 1160. died Madoc ap Meredyth ap Blethyn prince of Powys at Winchester This man was euer the king of Englands freend and was one that feared God and releeued the poore his bodie was conueied honorablie to Powys and buried in Myuot This man had by his wife Susanna the daughter of Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales three sonnes Gruffyth Maylor Owen and Elise and a daughter called Marred he had base sons Owen Brogynton Kynwric Euelh and Eneon Euelh which base sonnes were not baselie esteemed who with the other had part of their fathers inheritance and so had other through Wales especiallie if they were stout and of noble courage And here I thinke it conuenient to declare how Powys land came to be diuided in many parts and thereby weakened and so brought vnder the Normanes before the rest of Wales Meredyth sonne to Blethyn ap Convyn prince of Powys had two sons Madoc of whom we speake and Gruffyth betweene whom Powys was diuided Madoc had that part which was called Powys Vadoc which part again was diuided betwixt his three sons Gruffyth Maylor Owen Vachan and Owen Brogynton after this maner Gruffyth Maylor had Bromfield Yale Hope Dale Nanhewdwy Mochnant îs Rhayard Chirke Cynlhayth and Glyndouerdwy Owen Vachan had Mechain Iscoyd And Owen Brogynton had Dynmael and Edeyrneon The other part of Powys called afterward Powys Wenwynwyn was the part of Gruffyth ap Meredyth after whose death his sonne called Owen Cyuelioc enioied it as it shall be at large hereafter declared Powys before king Offas time reached Estward to the riuers of Dee and Seauerne with a right line from the end of Broxen hilles to Salop with all the countrie betwéene VVye and Seauerne whereof Brochwel yscithroc of whom mention is made before pag. 22. was possessed but after the making of Offas ditch as it is said before pag. 19. the plaine countrie toward Salop being inhabited by Saxons and Normans Powys was in length from Pulford bridge Northeast to the confines of Caerdigan shire in the parish of Lhanguric in the Southwest and in bredth from the furthest part of Cyuelioc Westward to Elsmere on the Eastside This countrie or principalitie of Powys was appointed by Roderike the Great for the portion of his third sonne Anarawd and so continued intierlie vntill the death of Blethyn ap Convyn After whom although the dominion was diminished by limiting parts in seueraltie amongst his sonnes Meredyth and Cadogan yet at length it came wholie to the possession of Meredyth ap Blethyn who had issue two sonnes Madoc and Gruffyth betwéene whom the said dominion was diuided Madoc maried Susanna the daughter of Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales and had that part which was after called after his name Powys Vadoc which dominion and Seigniorie was diuided betwixt the thrée sonnes of the said Madoc to wit Gruffyth Maelor Owen ap Madoc and Owen Brogynton which Owen Brogynton although he was baselie begotten yet for his valiancie and noble courage he had part of his fathers inheritance to wit Edeyrneon and Dinmael and had issue Gruffyth Blethin and Iorwerth Owen ap Madoc had to his portion of inheritance limited the territorie of Mechain Is coed and had issue Lhewelyn and Owen Vachan Gruffyth Maelor the eldest sonne lord of Bromfield had to his part the two Maelors and Mochnant is Rayadr he maried Angharat the daughter of Owen Gwyneth prince of Northwales by whome he had issue one sonne named Madoc who held his fathers inheritance wholie and had issue Gruffyth called lord of Dînas brân because he dwelled in that castell who maried Emma the daughter of Iames lord Audley and had issue Madoc Lhewelyn
Gruffyth and Owen This Gruffyth ap Madoc tooke part with king Henrie the third and Edward the first against the prince of Northwales and therefore for feare of the prince he was faine to lie for his owne safegard in his said castell of Dînas brân which standeth on the toppe of a verie stéepe hill to the which there is no waie but one to come He died his children being within age wherevpon shortlie after ensued the destruction of two of them for the said king Ed. 1. gaue the wardship of Madoc who had for his part the lordships of Bromfield and Yale and the said castell of Dînas brân which the reuersion of Maelor Saesnec after his mothers decease who had the same to hir iointer to Iohn Earle Warren and granted the wardship of Lhewelyn to whose part the lordships of Chirke and Nanhevdwy came to Roger Mortimer third sonne to Roger Mortimer the sonne of Ralph Mortimer Lord Mortimer of Wigmor These guardians forgetting the seruice doone by the father of the wardes to the king so garded their wardes with so small regard that they neuer returned to their possessions And shortlie after the said guardians did obtaine the same lands to themselues by charters of the king This Iohn Earle Warren began to build the Holt castell and William his son finished the same The lordship of Bromfield and Yale continued in the name of the Earle Warren thrée descents Iohn William and Iohn that died without issue and then the said lordship togither with the said Erldome of Warren descended to Alice daughter of the said William Erle Warren and sister and heire of the said last Iohn Earle Warren which Alice maried Edmond Fitzalan Erle of Arundell in the which house of Fitzalanes it remained thrée descents after the said Edmond and Alice to wit to Richard Earle of Arundell and to Richard Earle of Arundell his sonne and to Thomas Earle of Arundell sonne of the said last Richard And then for want of issue of the said Thomas Earle of Arundell and Warren the said lordship fell to two of his sisters whereof one named Elizabeth was maried to Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke the other named Ioane was maried to William Beauchamp lord of Abergauenny whose part afterwards came by a daughter to the Neuil lord of Abergauenny and sithence it came to the hands of Sir William Stanley knight by whose attaindor it escheated to the crowne and so remaineth parcell of hir maiesties possessions at this daie Roger Mortimer Iustice of Northwales builded the castell of Chirke and maried Lucia the daughter and heire of Sir Robert de Wafre knight by whom he had issue Roger Mortimer who maried Ioane Turberuile and had issue Iohn Mortimer lord of Chirke This Iohn sold the lordship of Chirke to Richard Fitzalan Earle of Arundell sonne to the said Edmond and so it was annexed againe to Bromfield and Yale The third sonne of Gruffyth lord of Dînas brân named also Gruffyth had for his part Glyndowrdwy which Gruffyth ap Gruffyth was father of Madoc Crupl father of Madoc Vachan father of Gruffyth father of Gruffyth Vachan father of Owen Glyndowr who rebelled in the time of king Henrie the fourth by whose attaindor that part also came to the kings hands which was purchased of the king by Robert Salisburie of Rug of whome Salisburie the lord of Glyndowrdwy that now is descended Owen the fourth sonne of Gruffyth lord of Dînas brân had for his part Cynlhaeth which at this daie togither with the lordship of Chirke land is parcell of the possessions of the right honorable the Earle of Leycester The other part of Powys containing the countries of Arustly Cyuelioc Lhannerch hudol Caereneon Mochnant vwch Rayader Mechain vwch Coed Mouthwy Deuthwr Strat Marchelh and Teirtref or the thrée townes rightfullie descended to Gruffyth ap Meredyth ap Blethyn before mentioned who was by King Henrie the first created Lord Powys he married Gweyryl or Weyryl the daughter of Vrgene ap Howel ap Ieuaf ap Cadogan ap Athlestan Glodryth and by hir had issue Owen surnamed Cyuelioc Owen Cyuelioc enioied his whole inheritance as his father did and married Wenlhian the daughter of Owen Gwyneth Prince of Northwales by whom he had issue Gwenwynwyn or Wenwynwyn after whose name that part of Powys was afterward called Powys Wenwynwyn He had also a bastard brother called Caswalhon to whom he gaue the territories called Swydh Lhannerch Hudol and Braniarth Gwenwynwyn succéeded his father in the whole segniorie sauing Lhannerch Hudol and Braniarth which were giuen to his base brother Caswalhon Maelrhy during his life time onelie Which Gwenwynwyn married Margaret daughter to Rees ap Theodor Prince of Southwales and by hir had issue Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn succéeded his father in all his possessions and had issue sixe sonnes among whom his inheritance was diuided as foloweth Owen the eldest sonne had for his part Arustly Cyuelioc Lhannerch hudol and the moitie of Caereneon Lhewelyn the second sonne had Mochnant vwch Rayader and Mechain vwch Coed Iohn the third sonne had the fourth part of Caereneon William the fourth sonne had Mouthwy Gruffyth Vachan the fift sonne had Deuthwr Strat marchelh and Teirtref Dauid the sixt sonne had the other fourth part of Caereneon Owen ap Gruffyth had issue one onelie daughter his heire named Hawys Gadarn that is Hawys the hardie against whom hir vncles Lhewelyn Iohn Gruffyth Vachan and Dauid arose challenging the lands of their brother Owen and affirming that a woman was not capable of lands in that countrie Wherevpon Hawys made such fréends in England that the matter being opened vnto King Edward the second the said King bestowed hir in marriage vpon a seruant of his named Iohn Charleton termed Valectus Domini Regis borne in Appley a little off from Welinton 1268. in the countie of Salop whom he made Lord Powys in hir right This Iohn Charleton Lord Powys being aided by the king tooke thrée of his wiues vncles to wit Lhewelyn Dauid and Iohn whom he laid vp fast in the kings castell of Hardlech and obteined a writ from the King of the Shirife of the countie of Salop and Sir Roger Mortimer Lord of Chirkland and iustice of Northwales for the apprehension of Gruffyth Vachan with Sir Roger Chamber and Hugh Mountgomerie his two sonnes in lawe which then were in armour against the said Charleton and Hawys Wherevpon the said Gruffyth Vachan and his brethren hauing then lost their greatest staie which was Thomas Earle of Lancaster submitted themselues to the kings order touching all matters in variance betwéene them and their néece who finding by records that Gruffyth ap Meredyth auncestor to the said Hawys vpon his submission to King Henrie the first became subiect to the King of England and therevpon was by the said King created Baron of Powys which Baronie he and his heires held afterward of the king in Capite as other Barons of England did And therefore the
had by his wife Angharat the daughter of Owen Gwyneth prince of Northwales a sonne called Madoc who succeeded his father in that part of Powys called Powys Vadoc About the same time diuerse noble men of England died at Acon as Henrie Earle of Leycester the Earle Ferrers Ranulph de Fulgerijs Ranulph de Alta ripa In those daies VVilliam Marshall Geffrey Fitzpeter Hugh Bardulf and VVilliam Briwer were the nobles that bare most rule in England in the kings absence Then also Rees prince of Southwales wan the castell of Dynevowr and Owen his sonne died at Strata florida or Stratflur About this time king Richard wan the kingdome of Cypres and gaue it to Gwido king of Ierusalem vpon condition that he should release to Richard his claime of Ierusalem which he did Then the king being at Cyprus maried Berengaria the daughter of the king of Nauarra Shortlie after Maelgon the sonne of the lord Rees escaped out of prison where his father had kept him a long time But the lord Rees gat the castell of Lhanhayaden and the countrie about At that time Gruffyth ap Cadogan died Then king Richard after he had atchieued with his nobles the Earle of Leycester Bartholomew Mortimer Randulph de Malo leone N. de Furnevale Roger de Lacy William de Stagno Hugh de Neuella William de Porcell and Henrie Duch his standardbearer manie worthie deeds of arms against the infidels in his returne homeward through Austrich was taken prisoner by Lupold the duke thereof who presented him to Henrie the Emperour he kept him vntill he had paid him 200000. markes for his ransome laieng to his charge that he had spoiled the Ile of Sicilie in his viage towards the holie land The same yeare Roderike the sonne of Owen Gwyneth by the help of Gothrike king of Man entred the Ile of Môn and brought it to his subiection but before the end of the yeare the sonnes of his brother Conan chased him out of the Ile and got it themselues At this time Maelgon the sonne of Rees prince of Southwales laid siege to the castell of Stratmeyric and wanne it Also Howel surnamed Says that is to saie Saxon or English because he had serued in England sonne to the said prince Rees gat the castell of Gwys vpō the sudden tooke Philip de Gwys his wife his two sonnes prisoners therein Then because he had more castels than he could well defend he determined to rase the castell of Lhanhayaden but the Flemings hauing vnderstanding thereof gathered all their strength and came thither the daie appointed to rase the castell and set fierslie vpon the men of Howel and Maelgon and slewe manie of them putting the rest to flight Neuerthelesse they gathered a great power shortlie after and came thither againe and rased the castell to the ground without anie let or staie Upon this Anarawd the sonne also of prince Rees moued with filthie ambition and couetousnesse of lands tooke his two brethren Howel and Madoc prisoners vnder the color of freendship and put out both their eies In the yeare 1194. king Richard came into England and being at dinner in his litle hall of Westminster hearing that the French king besieged Vernoyle he sware that he would neuer turne his face till he had fought with him if he did abide caused the wall to be broken before him and so passed to Normandie and receiuing his brother Iohn to mercie raised the siege for the French king fled as soone as he heard of king Richards comming This yeare Maelgon sonne to prince Rees gaue his brother Anarawd the castell of Stratmeyric for his prisoners whom he set at libertie Then Rees himselfe did reedifie againe the castell of Rayader Gwy and his owne sonnes laid wait for him and tooke their father prisoner fearing least he would reuenge their cruell and vnnaturall deeds but by the meanes of Howel his sonne which was blind he escaped out of his sonne Maelgons prison and tooke the castell of Dineuwor which Maelgon kept and destroied it Also the sonnes of Cadwalhon ap Madoc of Melyenyth wan the castell of Rayder Gwy and fortified it for themselues At this time Lhewelyn the son of Iorwerth Drwyndwn who was the eldest sonne of Owen Gwyneth prince of Northwales remembring his right title to his inheritance of Northwales although his father had beene disinherited by his brother Dauid called togither his freends by his mother which was Marred the daughter of Madoc ap Meredyth prince of Powys and also drew to his side his coosins the sons of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth and so challenged the rule of Northwales and entred the countrie to whom the people willinglie yeelded and tooke him for their lord and so without bloodshed he receiued all Northwales to his subiection except three castels which his vncle Dauid kept by force of Englishmen in whom was all his trust because of his wife Emme aunt to the king of England And thus Dauid lost his land and Lhewelyn began to rule in the yeare of our Lord 1194. Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth Lhewelyn the sonne of Iorwerth the sonne of Owen Gwyneth called Leolinus Magnus The yeare ensuing there was a combat appointed betwixt the French king with fiue knights with him and king Richard with fiue other which should end all controuersies of which fight king Richard was glad but the French king like a snaile drew in his hornes and forsooke the battell And in Wales prince Rees gathered a great armie and laid siege to the towne and castell of Caermarthin and in short time wanne them both spoiling and destroieng the same and then returned with great bootie Then he lead his said armie to the marches before the castell of Clun which after a long siege and manie a fierse assault he got and burned it and from thence he went to the castell of Radnor and likewise wanne it to the defense whereof came Roger Mortimer and Hugh de Saye with a great armie of Normanes and Englishmen well armed and tried soldiours Then Rees which had wonne the castell determined not to keepe his men within the walles but boldlie like a worthie prince came into the plaine besides the towne and gaue them battell where his men although for the most part vnarmed and not accustomed to the battell declared that they came of Brytaines bloud whose title the noble Romane Emperours did so much desire as a token of manhood and worthines choosing rather to die with honour in the defense of their countrie than to liue with shame did so worthilie behaue themselues that their enimies forsooke the field with great losse of their men whom Rees pursued till the benefit of the night shadowed them with hir darknes and forthwith he laid siege to the castell of Payne in Eluel gat it Thither came William de Bruse the owner thereof and made peace with Rees of whom he receiued the same castell againe Not long after
which kept the castell of Aberteiui deliuered the same vnto him vpon S. Stephens daie and the daie after he had the castell of Cilgerran from whence he returned to Northwales with great honor and triumph In the which viage these lords accompanied him to wit Howel ap Gruffyth ap Conan Lhewelyn ap Meredyth Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys Meredyth ap Rotpert Maelgon and Rees Vachan the sonnes of prince Rees Rees and Owen the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Rees and the power of Madoc ap Gruffyth Maylor lord of Bromfield The winter after was the fairest winter that euer was seene The yeare folowing the prince went to Aberteiui to make an agreement betwixt Maelgon and Rees Vachan sonnes to prince Rees on the one side and their nephues yoong Rees and his brother Owen the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Rees on the other side where he diuided Southwales betwixt them after this maner to Maelgon he gaue three Cantrefs in Dyuet Gwarthaf Penlhwynoc Cemaes and Emlyn with the castell of Cilgerran two in Stratywy Hiruryn and Malhaen and Maenor Bydvey with the castell of Lhanymdhyfry and two in Caerdigan Gwynionyth and Mabwyneon to yoong Rees and Owen his brother he gaue the castell of Aberteiui and the castell of Nant yr arian or siluer dale and three Cantrefs in Caerdigan withall And to Rees Vachan otherwise called Rees Gryc the castell of Dyneuowr the Cantref Mawr and the Cantref Bachan except Hiruryn and Mydhuey the Comotes of Cydwely and Carnwylhion This diuision being accomplished the prince returned homeward to whom by the way it was signified that Gwenwynwyn contrarie to his oth and bonds in writing had forsaken him and became againe the kings subiect which greeued the prince verie much and therefore he sent vnto him bishops and Abbots to moue him to remember his oth and promise and his pledges giuen to the prince and to shew him his owne hand and therevpon to see if he would come againe and to promise him the princes fauour but he would in no case heare of reconciliation wherefore the prince entred into Powys with fire and sword and subdued the countrie to himselfe wherevpon Gwenwynwyn fled to the Earle of Chester for succours and there remained for a while At this time Lewys sonne to the French king being called by the Barons of England landed at Tenet who receiuing to his hands all the holdes by the waie came to London and there receiued homage of the Barons and from thence went towards Winchester where king Iohn was and by the waie got the castels of Rygat Guilford and Fernam then comming to Winchester receiued the same with the castell Wherevpon king Iohn fled to Hereford in the Marches of Wales and sent to Reynold Bruse and to prince Lhewelyn desiring freendship but they would not heare him Therefore he destroied the castell of Radnor and Haye and came a long to Oswestree which towne being of the possessions of Iohn Fitzalans he burned to the earth and departed from thence northward leauing power as he went in whose companie were William de Albemarle the Earle of Glocester Philip de Albineto Iohn Marshall Foulke de Breant a noble good soldiour to whom the king gaue in mariage the daughter of the Earle Riuers with the castell of Bedford William Earle of Salisburie the kings brother William Briwer VValter Espec Also he appointed gouernors of the North Hugh Baliol and Philip Halcots He made gouernors of the citie of Yorke Robert de Veipont Geffrey Lucy and Bryan de Lysle Upon the other part Lewys coming from VVinchester tooke the castell of Odyham and came to London with great triumph where Geffrey Maundeuile Earle of Essex was slaine by misfortune running at the tilte And the Lords that mainteined the quarell were these VVilliam Erle VVaren VVilliam Earle of Arundell VVilliam Erle of Salisburie who forsooke the king at the end VVilliam Marshall the yoonger VVilliam de Maundeuile Robert Fitzwater VVilliam Huntingfield all southern men and Robert de Rose Peter de Bruse and Richard Percie northern men And all this while Hubert de Burgh kept the castell of Douer worthilie to the behoofe of the king But as king Iohn was making preparation at Newerke he fell sicke and died and lieth buried at VVorcester After the death of king Iohn Rondle Earle of Chester VVilliam Marshall Erle of Penbrooke William Earle Ferrers Philip de Albineto and Iohn Marshall crowned Henrie his sonne king of England at Glocester In the meane while Lewys besieged the castell of Douer but all in vaine Then returning to London where the citie was deliuered him he proceeded and wan the castels of Hartford and Berkamstede Wherevpon there was a truse concluded betwixt both princes for a while then Lewys returned to France This yeare Howel ap Gruffyth ap Conan died and lieth buried at Conwey The yeare 1217. manie of the nobles of England forsooke Lewys whom they had called in before and contrarie to their oth came to king Henrie as William de Albineto lord of Bealwere besides Notingham who was imprisoned in Corff William Earle Warren VVilliam de Albineto Earle of Arundell William longa Spata Earle of Salisburie William Marshall the yonger and William de Cantilupo Then Lewys shortlie after landed at Douer with a great armie and laid siege to the castell but he could doo no good from thence he went and incamped before the castell of Windsore and when he cold not get it he tooke his iournie to Lincolne whither the armie of king Henrie came against him where a cruell battell was fought wherein Lewys was put to flight a great number of his nobles taken as Saere Quincy Earle of Winchester Henrie de Bohune Earle of Hereford Gilbert de Gaunt Earle of Lincoln Robert Fitzwater Richard Montfytchet Gilbert de Clare William Mowbraye William Beuchamp VVilliam Mandit Aemer Harcourt Roger de Crescy William de Coluile William de Rosse Robert Rippeley and there were slaine Symon de Vescy Hugh de Roch Reynald Crescy constable of Chester Gerald de Furneuale and manie other Also Hubert de Burgh captaine of Douer Henrie de Turberuile and Richard Sward gaue the French nauie whereof Eustace a moonke was captaine an ouerthrow In this meane time Reynald de Bruse did agree with the king vnknowing to prince Lhewelyn and contrarie to his promise Wherefore yoong Rees and Owen his sisters sons seeing that he in whom they trusted most deceiued them rose against him and wanne all Buelht from him sauing the castell But when the Prince heard of this agreement he was sore offended withall and comming with an armie to Brechnock he laid siege to the town of Aberhodny where the burgesses of the towne came to him and by meanes of yoong Rees the Prince taking 100. markes and fiue pledges of them raised his siege and tooke his iournie ouer the blacke mountaines towards Gwyr where he lost much of his cariages And as he camped at Lhangruc
Reynald Bruse came to him with sixe knights in his companie and desired his father in law of pardon for his offense who receiuing him gentlie did not onlie forgiue him but also gaue him the castell of Senghennyth and Reynald committed the same to the custodie of Rees Vachan Lhewelyn after he had set all things in good order in that countrie marched to Dyuet and being at Cefn Cynwarchan the Flemings sent to him to desire peace but the Prince would not grant them their request Then yoong Rees was the first that passed the riuer Cledheu to fight with them of the towne Wherevpon Iorwerth bishop of S. Dauids with all his clergie came to the Prince to desire peace to the Flemings which after long debating was thus concluded First that all the inhabitants of Ros and the land of Penbrooke should become the princes subiects and euer from thencefoorth take him for their liege Lord. Secondarilie that they should paie him a 1000. markes towards his charges before Michaelmas next cōming Thirdlie that for the performance of these they should deliuer forthwith to the Prince twentie pledges of the best in all the countrie which things they did Then the prince after he had brought all VVales to his subiection returned to Northwales with much honour Shortlie after there was a peace concluded betwixt the king and Lewys the French kings sonne Wherevpon the king promising the barons all their requests Lewys returned toward France Then shortlie after VVilliam Marshall Earle of Penbrooke got the towne of Caerlhêon and made warre against the VVelshmen whom contrarie to their promise the barons leaft out of the conclusion of peace The barons were verie glad of the fréendship and aid of the prince of Wales to serue their turne But now in the generall conclusion of the peace contrarie to their oth and promise they reserue out Wales to kéepe them plaie withall hoping to get some more land thereby Therefore let men take héed how they build vpon Turne-seruing Freendship Wherevpon Rees Vachan rased the castell of Senghennyth all the castels he had in his custodie in that countrie and banished all the Englishmen that dwelled there with their wiues and children for euer and diuided the countrie to the Welshmen who haue kept it vnto this daie The yeare ensuing prince Lhewelyn put his garrisons in the castels of Caermardhin and Aberteiui Then yoong Rees by the princes consent went to the king did him homage for his lands At this time William Earle of Arundell Rondell Earle of Chester William Ferrers Earle of Derbie and Bryan Lisle tooke their voiage toward the holie land In the yeare folowing Rees Gryc sonne to prince Rees married the daughter of the Earle of Clare and Iohn de Bruse married Marret the daughter of prince Lhewelyn At that time William Marshall the elder died leauing after him fiue sonnes and fiue daughters which daughters were thus married Mawd to Hugh Bygod Ioane to Warren de Mount Chensey Isabell to Gilbert de Clare Sibill to William Earle of Derbie and Eua to William de Bruse betwixt which fiue all his great inheritance was after diuided for all his sonnes died without issue and were euerie one after another Erles of Penbrooke The yeare 1220. Lhewelyn prince of VVales lead an armie to Penbrooke against the Flemings who contrarie to their oth and league had taken the castell of Aberteiui which castell the Prince wanne and destroied putting the garrison to the sword rased the castell went thence to the land of Gwys where he rased that castell and burned the towne Also he caused all Hauerford to be burned to the castell gates and destroied all Ros and Daugledhau and they which kept the castell sent to him for truse till Maie which was concluded vpon conditions and so he returned home Also this yeare certeine lords of Wales besieged the castell of Buelht which was Reynalds de Bruse Therefore the king came with an armie to the marches and raised the siege and came as far as Mountgomerie and built a new castell there As William de Albineto Earle of Arundell Henrie de Bohune Earle of Hereford and Sayer de Quincie Earle of Winchester were comming home from the holie land they died by the waie The yeare following there fell a great dissention betwixt prince Lhewelyn and Gruffyth his sonne for this Gruffyth enioied the Cantref of Merionyth without his fathers consent and therefore his father sent for him to come vnto him but he would not come therefore the Prince sware that he would be reuenged vpon him and his complices for that dishonor and then came with a great armie to Merionyth but his sonne fearing not the father got his people in the field readie to abide the battell but as they were in fight there was a peace concluded and Gruffyth yeelded to his father and cried him mercie Then Lhewelyn although he forgaue his sonne his offense yet he tooke Merionyth and Ardydwy from him building a castell there returned home againe At this time yoong Rees forsooke prince Lhewelyn bicause Aberteiui was not deliuered him as the promise was at the diuiding of Southwales and went to William Marshall Earle of Penbrooke therefore Lhewelyn came to Aberystwyth and seased the castell and all that territorie to his owne vse Then yoong Rees hearing this went vnto the king to complaine vpon the Prince and the king sent for the prince to Shrewesburie and made him and Rees freends the prince promising to deale with Rees for Aberteiui as he had done with Maelgon for Caermardhin This winter Iohn de Bruse by the consent of prince Lhewelyn fortified the castell of Senghennyth at that time also Isabell the kings mother maried the son of Hugh de Brune Earle of March without making the king priuie thereto William de Fortibus Earle of Albemarle about this time made an insurrection in Lincolneshire which was soone appeased then the king seased into his hands certaine honors and castels that diuerse men kept in their possessions without iust cause as Foulke de Breant kept the Earldoms of Northampton Oxford Bedford and Buckingham with the castels and holdes Peter de Malo lacu the castels of Corff and Shirburne with Somersetshire and Dorcestershire and the liberties and forrests Philip de Marke the castels of Peke and Notingham Notinghamshire and Derbyshire Gigelard de Siconia kept Windsore and Odhiam which for the most part the king receiued to his hands Also Hubert de Burgh was created Earle of Kent and chiefe Iustice of England who tooke to wife the king of Scots sister The yeare after yoong Rees sonne to Gruffyth ap Rees departed out of this world being a lustie gentleman and endued with manie notable vertues and was buried at Stratflur whose inheritance Lhewelyn diuided betweene his brother Owen and his vncle Maelgon The yeare after Christes incarnation 1223. William Marshall came from Ireland and landed at S. Dauids with
de Bruse one of his nobles in the Princes prison returned home with great slaine of his honor The name also which Hubert the chiefe Iustice had giuen to the castell at the beginning of the building calling it Huberts folie did now mooue manie to laugh at the thing who séeing that costlie and sumptuous building to be made equall with the ground said that Hubert was a prophet and more than a prophet Thus farre out of Matthew Paris Shortlie after this there fell a great variance betweene the king and Richard Earle of Cornwale his brother where great partaking was on either side These lords held with Richard Randulph Earle of Chester William Marshall Earle of Penbrooke Gilbert Earle of Glocester William Earle Warren Henrie Earle of Hereford William Earle Ferrers and VVilliam Earle of Warwick But this debate was soone taken vp and finished the king and his brother being made freends In the yeere 1230. Henrie made a iournie to France to recouer againe that which his father had lost from whence he returned backe againe without dooing any good At this time Lhewelyn the sonne of Maelgon died in Northwales and was buried at Conwey Prince Lhewhelyn caused William Bruse to be hanged being as it was reported taken in adulterie with his wife who was the sister of king Henrie Also Gilbert of Clare Earle of Glocester died whose wife afterward married Richard Earle of Cornwale and the king gaue the wardship of his sonne to the Earle of Kent Likewise Maelgon sonne to prince Rees died at this time and was buried at Stratflur whose patrimonie yoong Maelgon his sonne inherited after his father The yeare ensuing William Marshall Earle of Penbrooke died and Richard his brother enioied his inheritance This yeare the king lead a great armie to Wales after he had remained in the Marches a while he returned to England and left Hubert de Burgh Earle of Kent with his armie to defend the Marches he by spies vnderstood where certeine VVelshmen entred the Marches to spoile and set vpon them by Mountgomery slew a great number of them Then the Prince being therwith sore offended gathered an armie and to reuenge his men entring the Marches with fire sword slew all that withstood him and burned the castels with the garrisons without mercie and first the castell of Mountgomery for the Earle withdrew himselfe for feare Then the castell of Radnor Aberhodni Rayader Gwy so he went through Gwentland to Caerlhêon and after long fight and losse of manie of his men got the towne and left nothing therein but ashes The like he did with the castels of Neth and Cydwely Therefore the king caused the Prince to be denounced accursed and came to Hereford with a mightie armie and sent a great number of his nobles with the most part of his armie to VVales who using the direction of a frier of Cymer met with a number of Welshmen which at the first encounter fled whome the Englishmen folowed to the straits where the ambushments laie which fell vpon them and slew a great number of the best soldiours and the rest escaped with fleeing Therefore the king would haue burned the house of Cymer but the Prior paid 300. markes and the king returned to England after he had built the castell of Mawd. In the meane time of this Maelgon the sonne of Maelgon ap Rees laid siege do Aberteiui and got the towne and destroied it to the castell gates slaieng all the inhabitants And shortlie after he returned with his coosen Owen sonne to Gruffyth ap Rees with certaine of the Princes captaines and brake downe the bridge vpon the riuer Teiui and laid siege to the castell and with engines and mines threw downe the same and then returned home with much honor The next yeare to this prince Lhewelyn entred into England and returned with a rich spoile of goods cattell and men Therfore the king feased a subsidie to subdue the Welshmen Hubert de Burgh was at this time accused vpon certeine articles and committed to prison Randulph Earle of Chester and Lincolne died the same yeare and Iohn his sister sonne by the brother of the Scottish king was Earle of Chester after him who tooke to wife the daughter of prince Lhewelyn and an other of his nephues had the Earldome of Lincolne Also Ephraim bishop of Lhanelwy died About the same time Iohn de Bruse falling off his horsse his foote sticking fast in the sturope and the horsse taile was drawen by his owne horsse till he died miserablie The summer following Richard Earle of Cornwall fortified the castell of Radnor which the Prince had latelie destroied Shortlie after that Prince Lhewelyn came with an armie to Brechnock and destroied all the townes and castels in the countrie and laie a moneth at the siege of the castell of Brechnock but yet went without it and burning the towne returned homeward with a great bootie In his iournie by the waie he burned the towne of Clunn and recouered all the countrie called Dyffryn Teueidiat which was of the possession of Iohn Fitzalan but he cold not get the castell After that he ouerthrew the Reddecastell in Powys and burned the towne of Oswestree and so came home About this time Richard Marshall Earle of Penbrooke fell at debate with the king who with Hubert de Burgh that brake out of the castell of Deuises came to VVales and ioined with the Prince against the king Matthew of VVestminster doth write that Hubert de Burgh then prisoner in the castell of Deuises being admonished that Peter bishop of Winchester purposed to famish him in the said castell escaped ouer the wall and tooke sanctuarie out of the which he was violentlie taken by the kéepers of the castell but by the meanes of the bishop of Sarum within whose diocese the same was he was restored againe to the sanctuarie and within a while after fetched awaie by a power of armed men being the fréends of the Earle Marshall and brought into Wales where he ioined himselfe to the kings enimies Then the Earle with Owen ap Gruffyth ap Rees came to Meneuia or S. Dauids and killed and spoiled all the kings seruants and freends within the towne Also Maelgon Rees Gryc with the power of the prince ioined with them who in that viage wanne all these castels Caerdyff Abergeuennie Pencelhy Blaynlhefyni and Bwlch y Dinas which they rased all sauing Caerdyff Then the king gathered a wonderfull great armie aswell Flemings Normanes and Gascoines as Englishmen and entred Wales thinking to destroie the whole countrie and encamped at Grosmont where the Earle with the power of Wales encamped hard by him And as the kings men would haue entred further they were met withall and lost 500. horsse whervpon the king had aduise to returne home and so he did After whose departure the Earle with the power aforesaid lay before Caermardhyn three
moneths but it was so manfullie defended that they could not come by it And at last there came in the kings ships and manned and victualed the towne afresh wherefore they raised the siege and departed Within a while after Rees Gryc sonne to the lord or prince Rees died at Lhandeilo vawr and was buried honorablie besides his father at S. Dauids Then Maelgon Vachan sonne to Maelgon ap Rees finished the castell of Trefilan which his father had begon The Earle Marshall vnderstanding that the bishop of Winchester had with a thousand markes of monie wonne from him to the kings part the Earles of Chester and Lincolne made a firme league with Lhewelyn prince of Wales and other nobles of that countrie swearing among themselues that none of them should grow to anie agreement with the king without his confederats Wherevpon the king sent to Flanders and other countries beyond the sea for aid to whom Baldwyn Earle of Gysnes came with a great armie to Glocester Also manie Poictouins came to him by the procurement of the said bishop who was that countrieman himselfe In the yeare of Christ 1234. Iohn lord Monumetensis a noble warrior captaine of the kings armie being made Warden of the Marches of Wales leuied a power and came against the Earle Marshall and the Welshmen but when he had once entred Wales he came backe in post leauing his men for the most part slaine and taken behind him This historie is laid downe by Matthew Paris after this manner About the feast of S. Iohn Baptist Iohn of Monmouth a noble and expert warrior who was with the king in his warres in Wales gathered a great armie meaning to inuade the Earle Marshall at vnawares but he being certified of the same hid himselfe in a certaine wood by the which laie the waie of his enimies intending to deceiue them who went about to serue him after the same sort When the enimies therfore came to the place where the ambush was the Earle Marshals armie gaue a great shout and so set vpon their enimies being vnprouided and suddenlie put them all to flight slaieng an infinite number of them aswell Poictouins as other Iohn of Monmouth himselfe escaped by flight whose countrie with the villages buildings and all that he had therein the Earle Marshall did spoile and destroie with fire and sword and left him nothing at all and then returned with rich spoiles Afterward in the wéeke after the Epiphanie Lhewelyn prince of Wales togither with the Earle Marshall ioining their powers and entring the kings land destroied all with fire and sword from the confines of Wales vnto the towne of Salop which they also tooke and burnt a great part thereof and then returned with great spoiles The king of England being all this while with the bishop of Winchester at Glocester little regarding warre who for want of sufficient strength for the warre durst not méete his enimies in the field but being ashamed of the matter departed towards Winchester leauing the Marches to be destroied by the enimies as anie man might sée The same yeare Richard Earle of Penbrooke by the counsell of Geffrey de Marisco went with an armie to Ireland where he was slaine in fight by treason of his owne men after whom his brother Gilbert inherited his lands In that time the king sent the Archbishop of Canturburie with the bishops of Rochester and Chester to intreate with prince Lhewelyn for to make peace with the king but they returned without doing of anie good Matthew Paris saith this The king at this time going to méet Edmond Archbishop of Canturburie and the other Bishops which he had sent to conclude a peace with Lhewelyn prince of Wales came to Woodstocke where being certified of the death of the Earle Marshall by certeine messengers which came from Ireland he fell into great wéeping and sorrowe for the death of so valiant a knight affirming withall that he had not least his péere behind him in the realme From thence he went to Glocester where the said Archbishop and bishops comming to him declared the treatie and forme of peace taken betwéene him and the said Lhewelyn yet neuerthelesse vpon this condition that the noble men of England which were confederates with the said Lhewelyn and by euill counsell were exiled should first be reconciled to the king whereby the said peace might be more firme and stable Moreouer the Archbishop said that with much a doo they had brought the matter to that passe adding sometimes threatnings on the kings behalfe with his clergie to the which threatnings the said Lhewelyn is reported to haue answered that he more regarded the kings almes-déeds and his godlie behauiour than he did feare his warre with all his clergie Then the king who wished peace with all his heart caused by his letters all the nobles that were outlawed to be called againe vnto him to Glocester the sundaie before the Ascension daie next following to haue their pardons and to receiue their inheritance which the king had seased into his owne hands Then Hubert de Burgh Earle of Kent came to the king and obteined his fauour whom the king reuerentlie imbrased and kissed Prince Lhewelyn also this yeare set Gruffyth his sonne at libertie whom he had kept in prison sixe yeares for his disobedience At the same time died Robert Fitzwater who as Matthew Paris saith had a stone about his necke of such vertue that he could not die as long as it was there Also Roger de Somerie died and Cadwalhon ap Maelgon of Melienyth The yeare after died Owen sonne to Gruffyth ap Rees being a noble Gentleman and verie well beloued and was buried by his brother Rees at Stratflur King Henrie about this time tooke to wife the second daughter of the Earle of Prouince called Elianor And Frederike the Emperour maried Isabel sister to king Henrie The yeare after Madoc the sonne of Gruffyth Maylor lord of the lower Powys or Bromfield Chirke and Yale a man verie iust and mercifull died and was buried honourablie at the abbie of Lhan Egwest or Vale Crucis which he had built and leaft behind him a sonne named Gruffyth to inherit his lands Also Owen ap Meredyth ap Rotpert of Cydewen departed out of this world The same yeare Gilbert Erle of Penbrooke by treason got the castell of Morgan ap Howel called Marchen and fortified it verie strong for feare of the Prince Then the Earles of Cornewall and Penbrooke tooke the crosse The next spring died Ione daughter to king Iohn princesse of Wales and was buried vpon the sea shoare within the Ile of Anglesey at Lhanuaes as hir pleasure was where the Prince did build a house of barefoote Friers ouer hir graue Then also died Iohn Scot Erle of Chester without issue therefore the king seased that Earldome to his owne hands Because the Earles of Chester were men of great possessions in Wales and had
Alicia maried to Henrie Hastings to the which sisters the king gaue other lands and tooke the said Earldome into his owne hands Quia noluit tam praeclaram dominationem diuidi inter colos In the yeare 1237. Lhewelyn prince of Wales called all the Lords and Barons of Wales before him to Stratflur and there euerie one of them swore to be faithfull subiects and did homage to Dauid Lhewelyns sonne At this time Lhewelyn prince of Wales being impotent by reason of a palsie which had taken him and sore vexed and disquieted by his sonne Gruffyth sent Ambassadors to the king to signifie vnto him that for as much as his yeares were now welnigh spent he was desirous to lead the rest of his daies in peace and quietnes and therefore purposed now to submit himselfe to the gouernment and protection of the king of England and that he would hold his lands of him promising withall that when soeuer the king should stand in néed of his aid he would be readie to helpe him with men and monie to the vttermost of his power There were sent as mediators in this behalfe the bishops of Hereford Chester who trauelled about the same with the good liking of many of the nobles of Wales although some openlie gainsaid them in no case would accept anie such peace Then the said Dauid tooke from his brother Gruffyth Arustly Ceri Cyuelioc Mowthwy Mochnant and Caereneon and let him onelie enioy the Cantref of Lhyyn This Gruffyth was the elder brother and a lustie gentleman but yet base borne The summer folowing the Earle of Cornwale and William de longa Spata the yoonger tooke their viage towards the holie land Simon de Monteforti fled from France to England to whom the king gaue the Stewardship of England with the Erledome of Leicester This time Dauid sonne to prince Lhewelyn did contrarie to his oth take his brother Gruffyth being in safeconduct with the bishop of Bangor vpon whose promise he was content to speake with his brother and imprisoned him in the castell of Crickieth The yeare after Christs incarnation 1240. Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth the most valiant and noble prince which brought all Wales to his subiection and had so often put his enimies to flight and defended his countrie enlarging the meares thereof further than they had beene manie yeares before passed out of this transitorie life and was honorablie buried at the Abbeie of Conwey after he had gouerned Wales well and worthilie fiftie and sixe yeares This prince left behind him one sonne called Dauid begotten vpon his wife Ione daughter to king Iohn of England by whom also he had a daughter called Gladys maried to six Ralph Mortimer Also he had another sonne called Gruffyth whom his brother wrongfullie kept in close prison as long as he liued as shalbe hereafter declared Dauid ap Lhewelyn Dauid the sonne of Lhewelyn When Richard bishop of Bangor sawe that Dauid dealt so hardlie with his brother Gruffyth contrarie to his faithfull promise made vnto the said bishop he excommunicated him and then withdrawing himselfe out of Wales made a gréeuous complaint to the king vpon Dauid most instantlie requesting the king to deliuer Gruffyth out of prison least the rumor of that fact being notified in the court of Rome and other countries out of the realme should be some staine of the kings honor if he should not withstand such outragious and wilfull dealings The king therefore greatlie blaming Dauid his nephue for the abusing of his brother in such sort as he did requested him with most pithie persuasions to set his brother at libertie as well for the sauing of his owne credit and fame as also for the auoiding of the said excommunication and other imminent dangers which might ensue of that matter To the which request of the king Dauid answered plainelie that he would not deliuer his brother out of prison affirming constantlie that if his brother were inlarged the countrie of Wales would be in great disquietnes Whereof when Gruffyth was certified he sendeth priuilie to the king promising that if he would forceablie deliuer him out of his brothers prison he would hold his lands of him and paie him two hundereth markes yearelie offering not onelie to be sworne vpon this and to deliuer pledges for performance thereof but also to aid the king to bring the rest of the Welshmen to his subiection Further Gruffyth Lord of Bromfield did assure the king of aid if he would come to Wales with an armie to chastise Dauid for his falsehood and iniurie vsed towards his brother Moreouer the bishop of Bangor being more desirous to be reuenged vpon Dauid in an other mans matter than carefull to feed his flocke in discharge of his owne dutie sent to Rome and there followed the matter so hard that the Pope excommunicated Dauid which excommunication was denounced accordinglie and his land interdicted Now king Henrie being allured with these promises on Gruffyths behalfe leauied a puisant armie to go into Wales straightlie commanding by his writs all such as ought him seruice in time of warre to giue their attendance vpon him readie with horse and armor at Glocester the first daie of August folowing to set forward against his enimies Whither the king came at the daie appointed and from thence went to Salop and remained there fiftéene daies During the kings abode at Salop diuers noble men were great suters vnto him in the behalfe of Gruffyth as Ralph lord Mortimer of Wigmore Walter Clifford Roger de Monte Alto steward of Chester Maelgon the sonne of Maelgon Meredyth ap Rotpert lord of Cydewen Gruffyth ap Madoc lord of Bromfield Howel and Meredyth the sonnes of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth and Gruffyth the sonne of Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys These wrought so with the king that there was a league concluded betwéene him and Senena the wife of the said Gruffyth in the behalfe of hir husband lieng then in his brothers prison according to the articles comprised in this charter folowing Conuenit inter dominum Henricum tertium regem Anglorum illustrem ex vna parte Senenam vxorem Gryffini filij Leolini quondà m principis Northwalliae quem Dauid frater eius tenet carceri mancipatum cum Owino filio suo nomine eiusdem Gryffini ex altera c. Articles of agreement betweene Henrie the third of that name king of England of the one partie and Senena the wife of Gruffyth the sonne of Lhewelyn sometimes Prince of Northwales whom Dauid his brother deteineth in prison with Owen his sonne in the name of the said Gruffyth of the other partie IN primis the said Senena vndertaketh that the said Gruffyth hir husband will giue vnto the king sixe hundreth markes vpon condition that the king doo cause the said Gruffyth and Owen his sonne to be deliuered from the prison wherein they are kept and will stand to the iudgement of the kings court whether
in this present vsage laid out Item I shall make satisfaction for all damages and iniuries doone by me or anie of my subiects vnto the king or his according to the consideration of the kings court and shall deliuer such as shalbe malefactors in that behalfe Item I shall restore vnto the said lord the king all the homages which the late king Iohn his father had which the said lord the king of right ought to haue especiallie of all the noble men of Wales and if the king shall set at libertie anie of his captiues the possessions of that man shall remaine to the king Item the land of Elsiner with the appurtenances shall remaine to the lord the king and his heires for euer Item I shall not receiue or suffer to be receiued within my countrie of Wales anie of the subiects of England outlawed or banished by the said lord the king or his barons of Mercia Item for confirmation and performance of all and singular the premisses on my behalfe I shall prouide by bonds and pledges and by all other waies and meanes as the said lord the king shall award and will accomplish the commandement of the said king and will obeie his lawes In witnesse whereof to this present writing I haue put my seale Dated at Alnet by the riuer of Elwey in the feast of the decollation of S. Iohn Baptist in the 25. yeare of the reigne of the said king For the obseruations of these articles the said prince Dauid and Ednyuet Vachan were sworne Also the said prince Dauid submitted himselfe to the iurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canturburie and of the bishops of London Hereford and Couentrie for the time being That all or one of them whome the king shall appoint may excommunicate him and interdict his land vpon breach of anie the said articles And therevpon he procured the bishops of S. Bangor and S. Asaph to make their charters to the lord the king whereby they granted to execute and denounce all sentences aswell of excommunication as of interdiction sent from the foresaid Archbishop bishops or anie of them The said Dauid also sent priuilie to the king to desire him that he would suffer him being his nephue and the lawfull heire of Lhewelyn his father to enioy the principalitie of Wales rather than Gruffyth which was but a bastard and no kinne vnto the king Giuing him withall to vnderstand that in case he did set Gruffyth at libertie he should be sure to haue the warre renewed Wherevpon the king knowing these things to be true and vnderstanding also that Gruffyth was a valiant stout man and had manie fréends and fauorers of his cause inclined rather to assent vnto Dauids request than otherwise to be in danger of further troubles and therefore willinglie granted the same Shortlie after Dauid sendeth his brother Gruffyth vnto the king and other pledges for himselfe for performance of the said articles which the king sent forthwith to the towre of London there to be safelie kept allowing to Gruffyth a noble a daie for his finding And within few daies after Michaelmas prince Dauid came to the kings court and did his homage and swore fealtie who for so dooing in that he was the kings nephue was sent home againe in peace When Gruffyth saw how althings went that he was not like to be set at libertie he began to deuise waies and meanes to escape out of prison Wherefore deceiuing the watch one night he made a long line of hangings couerings and shéetes and hauing gotten out at a window let downe himselfe by the same from the toppe of the towre but by reason that he was a mightie personage and full of flesh the line brake with the weight of his bodie and so falling downe headlong of a great height his necke and head was driuen into his bodie with the fall whose miserable carcase being found the morowe after was a pitifull sight to the beholders The king being certified thereof commanded Gruffyths sonne to be better looked vnto and punished the officers for their negligence Then the king fortified the castell of Dyserth in Flyntshire Also the king gaue to Gruffyth sonne to Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys his inheritance and to the sonnes of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth their lands in Merionyth Then shortlie after Gilbert Marshall Earle of Penbrooke was slaine by misfortune fighting at the Turnay at Hereford The bishop of Bangor came to the court to sue for the deliuerance of Gruffyth sonne to prince Lhewelyn but the king knowing him to be a man of great courage would in no wise grant him libertie The yeare after king Henrie went to France with an armie to succour Hugh de Brune his father in lawe meaning also to recouer some of that which his father had lost but all in vaine for the people fauoured the French king therfore hauing lost a great number of his men amongst whom was Gilbert de Clare he returned home againe Maelgon Vachan about this time fortified the castel of Garthgrugyn Iohn de Mynoc also fortified the castell of Buelht Roger Mortimer the castell of Melyenyth The summer folowing the king began to trouble the Welshmen verie sore and to take their lands by force without iust title or rightfull cause This yeare died Hugh de Albineto Earle of Arundell whose inheritance was diuided betwixt his foure sisters Whereof Isabel the eldest had maried Iohn Fitzalan lord of Oswalstree and Clun whose sonne named also Iohn Fitzalan was in the right of the said Isabel his mother created Earle of the Earledome of Arundell in the which house it remained to our time Within a while after Rees Mechylh sonne to Rees Gryc of Southwales died This yeare prince Dauid sent to Rome to complaine to the Pope how the king of England compelled him vniustlie to hold his lands of him Therefore the Pope sent to the abbots of Aberconwy and Cymer a commission to enquire of this matter After the death of Gruffyth king Henrie in the 29. yeare of his reigne as appeareth by the records in the towre intituled his eldest sonne Edward to the principalitie of Wales which thing when Dauid vnderstood he put himselfe in armour to defend his inheritance and right and knowing himselfe not able to withstand the kings force he sent to Rome with great gifts to the Pope complaining as is here mentioned and declaring withall that Lhewelyn his father had least him and the principalitie of Wales vnder the protection of the church of Rome His sute therefore to the Pope was that he would accept of the same and that Dauid and his heires might hold it of the church of Rome yéelding and paieng yearelie out of the same the summe of fiue hundreth markes for paiment of which summe he bound himselfe and his successours by solemne oth and writing executed accordinglie Which offer Pope Innocentius ex super abundanti gratia accepted Quia ecclesia Romana nunquam claudit gremium talia
and after his death she was maried to Richard Earle of Cornwal and king of the Romanes 4 Sibylla the fourth daughter was maried to VVilliam Ferrers Earle of Ferrers and Derby 5 Eua the fift daughter was maried to VVilliam Bruse lord Bruse of Gower Likewise manie nobles died without issue male at this time as the Earle of Arundell the Earle of Chester the Earle of Essex the Earle of Huntington and diuerse others In the beginning of the yeare 1246. Dauid prince of VVales after he had gotten the loue of his subiects and atchieued manie notable victories passed out of this life and was buried at Conwey by his father after he had ruled Wales fiue yeares leauing no issue of his bodie to the great discomfort of the land Lhewelyn ap Gruffyth Lhewelyn and Owen the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn The Prince of Northwales was the superiour Prince of all Wales to whom the other princes of Southwales and Powys did paie a certeine tribute yearelie as appeareth by the lawes of Howel Dha and in diuers places of this historie and was the right heire of Cadwalader as is euident by all writers whose line of the heire male from Roderi Mawr endeth in this Dauid the sonne of Lhewelyn the sonne of Iorwerth the sonne of Owen Gwyneth the sonne of Gruffyth the sonne of Conan the sonne of Iago the sonne of Edwal the sonne of Meyric the sonne of Edwal Voel the sonne of Anarawd the sonne of Roderi Mawr the sonne of Esylht the daughter and sole heire of Conan Tindaythwy the sonne of Roderike Molwynoc the sonne of Edwal Ywrch the son of Cadwalader the last king of the Brytaines Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth Prince of Northwales father to Dauid married two wiues whereof the first was Ione the daughter of king Iohn by whom he had issue Dauid and Gladys His second wife was Eua the daughter of Foulke de Breant by whom he had no issue Dauid succeeded his father in the principalitie of Wales and died without issue after whose decease the right of the inheritance descended and fell to his sister of the whole blood Gladys the wife of Ralph lord Mortimer of Wigmor who had issue Roger Mortimer of whom mention is made in this place Peter Iohn a Frier preacher and Hugh lord of Chilmersh Roger Mortimer lord of Wigmor and by right of inheritance Prince of Wales married Mawd de Bruse daughter of William de Bruse lord of Brechnocke by whom he had issue Edmond Roger lord of Chirkeland VVilliam and Geffrey and two daughters Margaret maried to the son of the Earle of Oxenford and Isabel maried to Iohn Fitzalen Earle of Arundell This Roger died An. 1282. and was buried in the abbie of VVigmor Edmond Mortimer lord of VVigmor maried Margaret Fendles and had issue Roger Iohn slaine in a Turnie at VVorcester Edmond Hugh and VValter and two daughters Mawd married to Theobald lord Verdon of whom the Earle of Sherewsburie and the Earle of Essex are descended and Ione who died without issue He lieth buried in the said abbie at VVigmor Roger Mortimer lord of Wigmor married Ione the daughter and heire of Sir Peter Geniuill and had issue Edmond Mortimer lord of Wigmor Sir Roger Mortimer and Geffrey lord of Cowich called in stories Comes Iubinensis and seauen daughters Catharine married to Thomas Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke Ione married to Iames lord Audely Agnes countesse of Penbrooke Margaret married to Thomas lord Berkeley Mawd married to Iohn Charleton lord Powys Blanch married to Sir Peter Graunson knight and Beatrice married to Edward sonne heire of Thomas Brotherton Earle Marshall and after his death to Thomas de Bruse This Roger Mortimer escaped out of the Towre and fled into France and afterward returned againe with Quéene Isabel the wife of king Edward the second and Edward the prince hir sonne by whom after the putting downe of the said king he was created Earle of March and was afterward attainted Edmond Mortimer lord of Wigmor married Elianor late widow of William de Bohune Earle of Northampton one of the daughters and heires of Bartholomew Badelsmer lord of Leedes in Kent and by hir had issue Roger and Iohn who died without issue He died in the castell of Ludlowe and lieth buried in the said abbie of Wigmor Roger Mortimer lord of Wigmor was by king Edward the third An. Regni sui 29. restored to the Earledome of March and all his grandfathers inheritance honors and possessions the said attaindour being repealed and made void He had issue by Philippa his wife the daughter of VVilliam Mountague Earle of Sarum Edmond Earle of March and died at Roueraie in Burgundie the 26. of Februarie Anno. 1359. whose bones were afterward translated to the abbie of VVigmor Edmond Mortimer Earle of March and lord of Wigmor maried Philippa the daughter sole heire of Leonell duke of Clarence in whose right he was Earle of Vlster he had issue Roger and Edmond that was taken by Owen Glyndoure and two daughters Elizabeth married to Sir Henrie Percy knight sonne and heire to Henrie Percy Earle of Northumberland Philippa maried first to Iohn Hastings Erle of Penbrooke and after his death to Richard Earle of Arundel and last to Iohn lord S. Iohn He died in the citie of Corke in Ireland An. 1381. and lieth buried in the said abbie of Wigmor Roger Mortimer Earle of March and Vlster lord of Wigmor Trym Clare and Conaght maried Elianor the eldest daughter and one of the heires of Thomas Holand Earle of Kent by whom he had issue Roger and Edmond who both died without issue and two daughters Anne maried to Richard Plantagenet Earle of Cambridge and Elianor Countesse of Deuon who died without issue The said Richard and Anne had issue Richard duke of Yorke and Isabel maried to Henrie Bourchier Earle of Essex of whom the Earle of Essex now liuing is descended Richard Plantagenet duke of Yorke maried Cicilie the daughter of Ralph Neuill Earle of Westmerland and had issue Edward the fourth king of England Edmond Erle of Rutland George duke of Clarence Richard duke of Glocester afterward king of England by the name of Richard the third and thrée daughters Margaret maried to Charles duke of Burgundie Elizabeth maried to Iohn de lapoole duke of Suffolke and Anne maried to Henrie Holand duke of Excester and after to Sir Thomas Saintleger knight Edward the fourth king of England maried Elizabeth the daughter and one of the heires of Richard Wooduile Earle Riuers and had issue king Edward the fift who died without issue and Elizabeth maried to king Henrie the seuenth and mother to king Henrie the eight of famous memorie father to the QVEENES Maiestie that now is who by lineall descent is the right inheritrice of the Principalitie of Wales By these Petegrées it is euident that the title which Owen Glyndoure pretended to the principalitie of Wales was altogither friuolous for he was not descended of the house
30000. markes and the king granted the prince a Charter to receiue from thenceforth homage and fealtie of all the nobilitie and Barons of Wales sauing one so that all the foresaid Barons should euer after hold of the prince as their liege lord and he to be called and written from thenceforth prince of Wales And in witnesse of this the king put his seale and hand to the said Charter which was likewise confirmed by the authoritie of the Pope The yeare after this died Grono ap Ednyuet Vachan a noble man and chiefe of the princes councell In the yeare 1270. died Gruffyth lord of Bromfield and was buried at Vale Crucis Here endeth the Brytish copie That which foloweth vnto the death of this Prince was collected by Humfrey Lhoyd Gentleman AT this place leaueth the Brytish booke and writeth no further of the end of this prince but leaueth him at the highest and most honorable staie that anie prince of Wales was in of manie yeares before the writer peraduenture being abashed or rather ashamed to declare the vtter fall and ruine of his countrie men wherevnto their owne pride and discord did bring them as it doth euidentlie appeare to him that searcheth out their histories But I intending to finish the historie during the gouernment of the Brytaines haue sought out in other Chronicles written in the Latine toong speciallie in the Chronicle of Nicholas Triuet who wrote from the beginning of the reigne of king Stephen to the coronation of Edward the second and such other asmuch as I could find touching this matter The yeare 1270. Iohn Earle Waren slew Alan Le Souch lord chiefe Iustice in Westminster hall The yeare folowing Edward with his brother Edmund went to the holie land where at Acon he was in danger to be slaine by a villaine vnder the colour of deliuering of a letter who gaue him fiue wounds with a knife And the yeare 1272. died Henrie king of England and Edward his sonne comming from the holie land two yeares after was crowned at Westminster king of England to which coronation the prince of Wales refused to come although he was sent for laieng for his excuse that he had offended manie noble men of England and therefore would not come in their daunger without he had for pledges the kings brother with the Earle of Glocester and Robert Burnell cheefe Iustice of England wherewith the king was sore offended but he dissembled his displeasure for that time King Edward could neuer brooke prince Lhewelyn sithence the time that he was driuen to slight by him at their méeting in the marches whereof mention is made before page 321. On the other side Lhewelyn liked no better of the king than the king did of him Againe those noble men which for their disobedience were disinherited by Lhewelyn were receiued and intertained of king Edward which things caused the Prince to feare some euill practice by those and other such as hated him if he should haue béen at the kings coronation to doo his homage and fealtie according to the writ directed vnto him in that behalfe as appeareth by an instrument sent by the said Prince to Robert Kilwarby Archbishop of Canturburie the Archibishop of Yorke and other bishops sitting then at their conuocation in the new Temple at London Anno. 1275. Wherein the causes of this warre are contained which instrument it selfe as it was then sent is extant at this daie written in parchment with the Princes great seale therevnto appendant which I haue séene and copied out of the originall verbatim being then in the custodie of Thomas Yale doctor of lawe of late Deane of the arches a great searcher and preseruer of the antiquities of Wales which I thought conuenient here to laie downe for the fuller vnderstanding of this historie Reuerendissimis in Christo patribus ac D.D. Roberto Dei gratia Archiepiscopo Cantuar. totius Angliae Primati Archiepiscopo Eborum ac eorum Suffraganeis c. TO the most reuerend fathers in Christ and Lords Robert by the grace of God Archbishop of Canturburie primate of England and the Archbishop of Yorke and their Suffraganes being now togither at London in councell their deuout sonne Lhewelyn Prince of Wales and lord of Snoudon greeting with due obedience reuerence and honor in all things Be it knowen to your reuerend Fatherhoods that where heretofore contention and discord wherof warre followed and long continued arose betwixt the king of noble memorie Henrie king of England of the one partie and vs of the other partie the same contentions and strife were at the last appeased by authoritie of the sea Apostolike and means of the reuerend father lord Otobonus Deacon and Cardinall of S. Adrian Legate into England as it appeareth in the forme of treatie and peace betwixt the said king and Edward his first begotten son lord Edward now king of England and their successors on the one partie and vs and our successors on the other partie by the corporall othes of both parties assured Which forme of peace was committed to writing by the said Legate with the seale of the said king and the seale of the said lord Edward now king and with our seale also In the which peace it is conteined amongst other things which you doo well know as we beleeue that we and our successors should hold of the king and his successors the principalitie of Wales So that all Welsh Barons should hold their Baronies and lands of vs and our successors in Capite and should doo homage and fealtie to vs and to our heires one Baron excepted for the which we and our successors should doo homage and fealtie to the lord the king and his successors It is further conteined in the same peace that neither the said king nor his successors should receiue anie of our enimies nor anie running awaie from vs or our successors nor should helpe or maintaine anie such against vs or our successors The which all are conteined in the forme of peace the tenor whereof the reuerend Fathers of Strata Florida and Aberconwey bearers hereof can shew you But see reuerend Fathers the lord Edward now noble king of England after the said peace taketh into his hands certeine Barons lands of Wales of which they and their ancestors haue beene long possessed and keepeth a Baronie in his hands which should be ours by the forme of peace other Barons of our land being from vs fugitiues running to him he keepeth helpeth and mainteineth as Dauid ap Gruffyth and Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn who purposed our death and destruction Notwithstanding that since their departure they haue robbed within our land committed slaughter and burning of houses and doo still dailie commit the like against the peace aforesaid although we haue often sent our greefes complaints by our solemne messengers to the said noble lord Edward as well before he was king as since yet vnto this daie he neuer did anie redresse therein
Also that which is more perilous he called vs vnto a place not to vs safe amongst our deadlie enimies our fugitiues and felons and their spies and murderers to doo him homage and fealtie to the which place we can no waies come without danger of our bodie especiallie seeing our enimies aboue said be in that place at the kings table and sometime in counsell and openlie brag themselues And though lawfull and reasonable excuses were alledged by our messengers before the king and his councell why the place was not safe nor indifferent yet he refused to allow or appoint anie other place indifferent for vs to doo our homage and fealtie which we were and are readie to doo vnto him in anie safe place by him to be appointed if he will appoint anie and to performe the other articles of the peace concluded and sworne And for that it pleased him not to come to anie place where we could with safetie do him homage we were suiters to him to send anie from him to receiue our oth and homage vntill it pleased him to appoint a place where we shall doo our homage to him personallie the which thing he vtterlie denied to doo We therfore beseech your Fatherhoods earnestlie that it please you to consider what danger should happen to the people both of England and of Wales by reason of the breach of the couenants of peace aboue said if now warres and discord should follow which God forbid attending and calling to remembrance the prohibition of the holie father the Pope latelie in the councell at Lions that no warre should be mooued amongst Christians least thereby the affaires of the holie land should be neglected that it would please you also to helpe with your counsell with the lord and king that he would vse vs and order vs according to the peace agreed vpon the which we will no waie infringe And if he will not harken to your counsell therein which God forbid that you will hold vs excused for we will no waies as much as in vs lieth procure the trouble or disquietnes of the Realme And if it may please you to giue credit to our messengers which we doo send to the king at the daie by him vnto vs appointed to alledge our lawfull excuses in those things which they by mouth shall on our part shew vnto you resting to doo your will and pleasure if it please you to write againe Dated at Talybont the 6. daie of October An. 1275. Shortlie after the king came to Chester willing the Prince to come thither and doo him homage which when the Prince detracted to doo the king gathered an armie to compell him thereto The yeare folowing the countesse of Leycester wife to Symon Montfort which remained at a Nunrie in Montargis in France sent hir daughter to Wales to marie the Prince as it was agreed betwixt them in hir fathers time and with hir came hir brother Aemerike and a goodlie companie who fearing the coast of England kept their course to the Iles of Sylle where by chance they met with foure ships of Bristowe which set vpon them and tooke them and brought them to the king who intertained the ladie honourablie sending hir brother to be kept prisoner in the castell of Corff from whence he was remooued to the castell of Shirburne Then the king prepared two armies whereof he lead one himselfe to Northwales as farre as Ruthlan and fortified that castell And the other he sent with Paganus de Camurtijs a worthie soldiour to Westwales who burned and destroied a great part of the countrie And this yere it rained blood in diuers places in Wales The yeare ensuing the lords of Southwales came to the kings peace and did him homage and deliuered the castell in Stratywy vnto the kings lieutenant Paganus de Camurtijs Then the prince vnderstanding this and seeing that his owne people had forsaken him sent to the king for peace which was agreed vpon these conditions First that all those which the Prince kept prisoners of the kings freends and for his cause should be set at libertie Item that the Prince should paie to the king for his fauour and good will 50000. markes to be paid at the kings pleasure Item that foure Cantreds should remaine to the king and his heires for euer which Cantreds I thinke were these Cantref Ros where the kings castell of Teganwy stood Cantref Ryuonioc where Denbigh is Cantref Tegengl where Ruthlan standeth and Cantref Dyffryn Clwyd where Ruthyn is Item that the lords Marchers should quietlie enioy all the lands that they had conquered within Wales Item that the prince should paie yearelie for the Ile of Môn or Anglesey 1000. marks which paiement should begin at Michaelmas then next ensuing that also he should paie 5000. marks out of hand and if the Prince died without issue the Ile should remaine to the king and his heires Item that the Prince should come to England euerie Christmas to doo the king homage for his lands Item that all the Barons in Wales should hold their lands of the king sauing fiue in Snowdon who should acknowledge the Prince to be their lord Item that he should for his life enioy the name of Prince and none of his heires after him so that after his death the foresaid fiue Barons should hold of the king and of none other Item that for the performance of these articles the Prince should deliuer for hostages ten of the best in VVales without imprisoning disinheriting or time of deliuerance determined also the king to choose twentie within Northwales which should take their othes with the Prince to performe all these articles and if the Prince should swarue from anie of them and being thereof admonished would not amend and redresse the same they should forsake him and become his enimies The Prince was also bound to let his brethren enioy their lands in VVales of whom Dauid had long serued the king whom the king had made knight contrarie to the maner of VVales and had giuen him in mariage the daughter of the Earle of Derby whose first husband was latelie deceased to whom the king gaue Denbigh in Northwales and a 1000. pound lands therewith His other brother Roderike was latelie fled to England out of prison and Owen the third was deliuered at this composition This peace was concluded in the kings absence who appointed one of his Commissioners to wit the lord Robert Tiptoft to take an oth for him and authorized the said Robert Anthonie Beke and William de Southampton Prior prouinciall of the Friers preachers Commissioners nominated on his behalfe to receiue the like oth of the said Lhewelyn for whose part Theodor or Tuder ap Ednyuet and Grono ap Heilyn were Commissioners At this time the king builded a castell at Aberystwyth and returned to England with much honor vnto whom the people granted a subsidie of the twentie part of their goods towards his
which hapned vpon S. Leonards daie Thomas Walsingham writeth that the king lost in this viage a little before this fouretéene ensignes at which time the lord William de Audeley and the lord Roger Clifford the yoonger and manie other were slaine and the king himselfe was driuen to take the castell of Hope for his safegard In the meane time was the Earle of Glocester Sir Edmund Mortimer with an armie in Southwales where were manie that serued the king and there fought with the princes freends at Lhandeilo Vawr and gave them an overthrow wherein on the kings side yoong William de Valence his coosen germane and foure knightes more were slaine And all this while the Prince destroied the countrie of Caerdigan and all the lands of Rees ap Meredyth who serued the king in all these warres But afterward the prince separated himselfe from his armie with a few and came to Buelht thinking to remaine there quietlie for a while and by chance as he came by the water Wy there were Edmund Mortimer and Iohn Gifford with a great number of soldiours and either partie were abashed of other Edmund Mortimers men were of that country for his father was lord therof Then the prince departed from his men and went to the vallie with his esquire alone to talke with certeine lords of the countrie who had promised to meete him there Then some of his men seeing their enimies come downe from the hill kept the bridge called Pont Orewyn defended the passage manfullie till one declared to the Englishmen where a foord was a little beneath through the which they sent a number of their men with Helias Walwyn who suddenlie fell vpon them that defended the bridge in their backs and put them to flight The princes esquire told the Prince as he stood secretlie abiding the comming of such as promised to meete him in a little groue that he heard a great noise and crie at the bridge and the prince asked whether his men had taken the bridge and he said Yes Then said the Prince I passe not if all the power of England were vpon the other side But suddenlie behold the horssemen about the groue and as he would haue escaped to his men they pursued him so hard that one Adam Francton ranne him thorough with a staffe being vnarmed and knew him not and his men being but a few stood and fought boldlie euer looking for their Prince till the Englishmen by force of archers mixt with the horssemen wanne the hill and put them to flight And as they returned Francton went to spoile him whome he had slaine and when he saw his face he knew him verie well and stroke off his head and sent it to the king at the Abbie of Conwey who receiued it with great ioy and caused it to be set vpon one of the highest turrets of the Towre of London This was the end of Lhewelyn beetraied by the men of Buelht who was the last Prince of Brytaines blood who bare dominion and rule in Wales So that the rule and gouernment of the Brytaines euer continued in some place of Brytaine from the first comming of Brutus which was in the yeare before Christes incarnation 1136. to the yeare after Christ 1282. by the space of 2418. yeares Shortlie after that the King had brought all the countrie to his subiection the countrie men themselues brought to him Dauid the Princes brother whome he kept in Ruthlan castell and after put him to death at Shrewesburie Then the king builded two strong holdes in Northwales the one at Conwey and the other at Caernaruan When Rees Vachan hard how all things went he yeelded himselfe to the Earle of Hereford who at the kings commandement sent him to the Towre of London to be imprisoned there And so the king passed through all Wales and brought all the countrie in subiection to the crowne of England to this daie Thus endeth the Historie of the Brytish Princes The Princes of Wales of the blood royall of England collected for the most part out of the Records in the Towre Edward of Caernaruon Then the king hauing the countrie at his will gaue whole lordships and townes in the middest of Wales vnto English lords as the lordship of Denbigh to Henrie Lacy Earle of Lincolne the lordship of Ruthyn to the lord Reginald Gray second sonne to Iohn lord Gray of Wilton and other lands to manie of his nobilitie This Henrie Lacy lord of Denbigh was the sonne of Edmund Lacy the sonne of Iohn Lacy lord of Halton Pomfret and Constable of Chester who maried Margaret the eldest daughter and one of the heires of Robert Quincy Erle of Lincolne the said Henrie married Margaret the daughter and sole heire of William Longspee Earle of Sarum and had issue Edmund and Iohn which both died yoong of whom the one perished by a fall into a verie déepe well within the castell of Denbigh and a daughter named Alicia maried vnto Thomas Plantagenet Earle of Lancaster who was in the right of his said wife Earle of Lincolne and Sarum lord of Denbigh Halton Pomfret and constable of Chester After the death of the said Thomas king Edward the second gaue the lordship of Denbigh to Hugh lord Spencer Earle of Winchester after whose death the same lordship was giuen by king Edward the third Anno Regni sui primo as appeareth of Record to Roger Mortimer Earle of March with diuerse other lordships in the Marches in performance of the kings promise while he remained in France with his mother for the prouision of a thousand pound lands of a reasonable extent for the said Roger assoone as by Gods grace he should come to the possession of the crowne and kingdome of England Within few yeares after the Earle of March being attainted the said lordship of Denbigh was giuen by the same king to the lord Montagu Earle of Sarum but shortlie after An. 29. Ed. 3. it was restored againe with the Earldome of March to the Mortimers in the which house the same remained vntill the whole inheritance of the Mortimers came with a daughter to the house of Yorke and so to the crowne as appeareth before pag. 317. And now of late it was giuen by the Quéenes Maiestie that now is An. Regni sui 6. to the right honorable Robert Earle of Leycester who was then created Baron of Denbigh it is counted now one of the greatest and best lordships in England The lordship of Ruthyn continued in the possession of the Grayes vntill in the time of king Henrie the seuenth George Gray Earle of Kent and lord of Ruthyn passed the same vpon some bargaine to the king and now it is of the possession of the right honorable the Earle of Warwicke There came the same time with king Edward to Northwales diuerse Gentlemen who grew afterward to be men of great possessions in the countrie whose posteritie doo enioy the same to this daie Rees ap
29. yeare of king Edward the first Edward prince of Wales came to Chester where he receiued the homage of the fréeholders of Wales as Henrie Earle of Lancaster did homage and fealtie for Monmouth Reginald Gray for Ruthyn Fulke Fitzwarren for his lands in VVales The lord William Martin for his lands in Cemaes Roger Mortimer for his lands in VVales Henrie Lacy Earle of Lincolne for the land of Ros and Ryuoneoc in VVales Robert lord Mount alt for his land in VVales Gruffyth lord of Poole for the lordship of Powys Sir Gruffyth Lhoyd knight Tuder ap Grono of Anglesey Madoc ap Tuder Archdeacon of Anglesey Encon ap Howel of Caernaruon Tuder ap Gruffyth Lhewelyn ap Ednyuet Gruffyth Vachan the sonne of Gruffyth ap Iorwerth Madoc Vachan Denglfield Lhewelyn bishop of S. Asaph Maister Richard de Puelesdon This man as appeareth by the Records in the Towre was made Sheriffe of Caernaruon shire during his life with the stipend of fourtie pound starling yearelie An. 12. Ed. 1. Gruffyth ap Tuder Ithel Vachan Ithel ap Blethyn c. The lord Richard de Sutton Baron of Malpas did homage and fealtie to Edward Prince of Wales and Earle of Chester for the said Baronie of Malpas Apud Ruthlan 27. Die Aprilis An. supra dicto Anianus or Eneon bishop of Bangor and Dauid Abbot of Maynan did homage and fealtie to the said Edward Prince of Wales Apud Conwey 28. Aprilis An. supra dicto Lewys de Felton the sonne of Richard de Felton did homage and fealtie to Edward Prince of Wales for the lands which the said Richard held of the prince in Maelor Saesneg Iohn Erle Warren did homage fealtie to Edward prince of VVales in the chappell of the lord Iohn de Kirkbie sometime bishop of Elie at London 25. die Iulij An. 30. E. 1. for the lordships of Bromfield and Yal The same Iohn Earle Warren swore fealtie vnto the said Prince for the lands in Hopdale The lord Edmund Mortimer the first daie of Nouember An. 30. Ed. 1. in the house of the bishop of Elie at London did homage and fealtie to Edward prince of VVales before his councell for his lands of Cery and Cydewen About the yeare 1322. one Sir Gruffyth Lhoyd knight gathered a great number of Welshmen and tooke diuers castles in Wales which were kept by the people of the lord Mortimer the elder He tooke also the castels of Mould Chirk c. The kéepers whereof comming to Prince Edward at Shrewesburie who then was king of England submitted themselues to him and were shortlie after sent to the Towre of London Edward of VVindsore THe same yeare béeing the fiftéenth of the reigne of king Edward the second Edward de Windsore the kings eldest sonne was in a parliament holden at Yorke created prince of VVales and Duke of Aquitane Edward of VVoodstoke surnamed the blacke Prince EDward borne at Woodstoke sonne and heire to king Edward the third was created Prince of Wales the twelfe daie of Maie in the xvij yeare of his fathers reigne when he was fouretéene yeares of age who in time grue to be the flowre of chiualrie of all Europe He tooke Iohn the French king prisoner at the battell of Poytiers and died his father yet liuing the eight of Iulie in the xlvj yeare of his age and the fiftie of his fathers reigne a prince of such excellent demeanor so valiant wife and politike in his dooings that the verie and perfect representation of knighthood appeared most liuely in his person for such was his towardnesse or rather perfection in princelie gouernement that if he had liued and atteined the crowne euerie man iudged that he would surelie haue excéeded the glorious renowme of all his ancestors Richard of Burdeuxe RIchard the sonne of Edward Prince of Wales was after the death of his father created Prince of Wales at Hauering at Bowre the 20. daie of Nouember in the 50. yeare of king Edward the third his Grandfather he was after the death of his said Grandfather king of England by the name of king Richard the second Henrie of Monmouth In the time of king Richard the second there was one Owen ap Gruffyth Vachan descended of a yoonger sonne of Gruffyth ap Madoc lord of Bromfield This Owen was first a student at the lawes of the Realme and became an vtter barrester or an apprentise of the law as they terme him and serued king Richard in great credit and fauour betwéene whom and the lord Gray of Ruthyn happened some discord about a péece of commons lieng betwéene the lordship of Ruthyn and the lordship of Glyndourdwy wherof Owen was owner and thereof tooke his surname of Glyndour During the reigne of king Richard Owen was too hard for the lord Gray being then a seruitour in court with king Richard with whom he was at the time of his taking by the duke of Lancaster in the castell of Flynt but after that king Richard was put downe the lord Gray being now better fréended than Owen entred vpon the said commons wherevpon Owen hauing manie fréends and folowers in his countrie as those that be great with Princes commonlie haue put himselfe in armour against the lord Gray whom he méeting in the field ouercame and tooke prisoner This was the verie begining and the cause of Owens rising and attempts Upon the taking of the lord Gray and spoiling of his lordship of Ruthyn manie resorted to Owen from all partes of VVales some thinking that he was aswell in fauour now as he was in king Richards daies some other putting in his head that now the time was come wherein the Brytaines through his meanes might recouer againe the honour and liberties of their ancestors These things being laid before Owen by such as were verie cunning in Merlins prophesies and the interpretations of the same for there were in those daies as I feare there be now some singular men which are déepelie ouerséene in those mysteries and hope one daie to méete veluet vpon London bridge with their bowes brought him into such a fooles paradise that he neuer waieng what title he might pretend nor what right he had procéeded and made warre vpon the Earle of March who was the right inheritour aswell to the Principalitie of VVales as appeareth before pag. 315. as to the kingdome of England after the death of king Richard being descended of the elder brother next to Edward prince of Wales father to king Richard Of which stirre and rebellion there insued much mischiefe to the VVelshmen For the king conceiuing great hatred against them shewed himselfe a manifest oppressor of all that nation making rigorous lawes against them whereby he tooke in a maner all the liberties of subiects from them prohibiting all VVelshmen to purchase lands or to be chosen or receiued to be citizens or burgesses in anie citie borough or market towne or be receiued or accepted to anie office of Maior Bailiffe Chamberlaine
ibidem taketh the gouernment vpon him 299. excommunicated 300. refuseth to deliuer his brother out of prison ibidem he submitteth himselfe to the king 304. he complaineth to the pope vpon king Henrie 308. maketh the principalitie of Wales tributarie to the church of Rome 309. putteth king Henries armie to flight 310. he dieth 313. Dauid ap Gruffyth 319. forsaketh his brother 326.335.350 his answere to the kings offer 370. he is taken and put to death 374. Dauid Fitz Gerald bishop of Meneuia 201.237 Denbigh D 10. the owners of it sithence the Dauid ap Gruffyth 377. giuen to Henrie Lacy Earle of Lincolne 377. Dial Rodri 38. Dinerth 45. Dinevowr D 6. and 17. the castell wonne 269. Donwalhon Prince of Stratclwyd 64. Dyffryn Clwyd D 10. Dyganwy D 10.262.267.326 parcell of the possession of y e Erle of Chester D 10. Dyuet D 17. destroied by the Danes 65.71 giuen to Arnulph 154. then to Iorwerth ap Blethyn 158. thirdlie to Saer 159. fourthlie to Gerald 161.272 E. EGbert King of England being the firste of the Saxons 25. he entred into Wales 24. he chaungeth the name of Brytaine into England 25. his warres against the Danes 27. he dieth ibidem his wife hated the Brytaines and caused the king to vse them hardly ibidem Elife ap Madoc 257. his lands taken from him sauing Crogen and 7. towneships ibidem Edelfled 44.47.48 Edgar king of England spoileth Northwales 61. dieth 64. Edmund K. of England 51. he is slaine 58. Ednyuet Uachan 249.306 Edwal Yoorch 7.9 Edwal Uoel 46. he is slain 51. Edwal ap Meyric 72. slain 73. Edwal Uachan the sonne of Edwal Uoel slaine 65. Edward the elder 43. he taketh London and Oxford from his sister 44. he disinheriteth his sisters daughter 49. dieth 50. Edward the Martyr 64. Edward the Confessor 92. Edward Earle of Chester 319 retireth 321. commeth to Wales 326. goeth to the holy land 328. crowned king of England ibidem he commeth to Chester 333. his offer to the Prince 364.365 his offer to Dauid ibidem he brought al Wales to his subiection 374. he giueth the lands of the Welshmen to the noble men of England 377. Edward Caernarvon 376. taketh homage of the freeholders of Wales 382. Edward of Woodstoke 384 Edward of Westminster 388. Edward of Westminster 389. Edward sonne to K. Richard the third 390. Edward the sixt 396. Elizabeth Princesse 394. Eneon ap Owen ap Howel Dha 65 he is slaine 66. Eneon ap Cadiuor 119. England and Englishmen 25. driuen out of the countrie of Senghennyth 279. they doo oppresse the Welshmen 337. Easter not kept by y e Brytains at the time appointed by the church of Rome 17.18 Esylht the daughter and heire of Conan D 16.22.24 Ethelwulphs genelogie 29. he was bishop of Winchester 32 Ethelbald maried his mother in law 32. Evneth y e sonne of Bledred 41. F. FAmine in Southwales 71. Fermael the sonne of Edwal 18. Flemings came to Dyuet 163. they desire peace 277.279 G. GAlfrid Arthur bishop of Lhanelwy 203. Gauelford 25. Geffrey Blyth bishop of Couentrie and Lichfield 392. Geffrey Langley 321. Genelogies estéemed among all nations 31. Gerald de Windsore steward of Penbrooke 154. Gilbert Strangbow Earle of Strigule 169.172 Gladys daughter to Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth 298. Gwaith y dinas newydh 47. Gwaynyttyd 113. Gwent D 19. spoiled by the Danes 42. Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys 250. getteth againe the castell of Poole 248. laieth siege to the castel of Payne in Eluel 251. discomfited 252. detained prisoner by the Counsell 260. released of his oth of obedience to the king by the pope 267. Gweythen 32. Gwyneth ¶ See Northwales Gilbert De Humfreuile 125. his heires 134. Glamorgan D 19. spoiled 71. won from the Welshmen 122 Goths whence they came 39. Grono ap Owen ap Edwyn lord of Tegengl 172. Grono ap Ednyuet vachā 327. Gruffyth ap Madoc slaine 49. Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht 90. he is slaine 101. Gruffyth ap Conan commeth to Anglesey 112. he warreth against Trahaern ap Caradoc 113. ioineth with Rées ap Theodor 114. obteineth the principalitie of Northwales 115. he maketh peace with king Henrie the first 174. dieth 190. his statute to reforme the abuses of minstrels 191. Gruffyth ap Rées ap Theodor 175. putteth himselfe in armour against the king 176. he taketh the towne of Caermardhyn 178. he dieth 190. Gruffyth ap Trahaerne ap Caradoc 162. Gruffyth Maylor L. of Bromfield 242. Gruffyth ap Rées taken by his brother Maelgon and sent to prison 250. set at libertie 252. he dieth 256. Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth 280 goeth with an army against William Marshall 282.292 disquieteth his father 297. valiant and couragious 298.307 imprisoned by his brother ibidem great sute to the K. for his inlargment 301. deliuered to the K. and sent to the towre where séeking to scape he brake his necke 307. Gruffyth lord of Dinas Bran 293.300.304.321.327 Gurmond D 15.6 Gwgan ap Meyric 34. H. HAsting the Dane 39. Henrie the first K. of England 157. he commeth into Wales 173. againe 184. he is in danger to be slaine 185. he dieth 188. Henry the second king of England 204. he commeth to Wales 206. put in danger of his life 207. he maketh peace with the lords of Wales 208. commeth to Southwales 209. againe 219. he commeth to Northwales 221. lieth incamped at Berwyn 222. in danger to be slaine ibidem he goeth the Ireland 230. returneth from Ireland againe 232. forsaketh his wife 239. he dieth 241. Henrie the third king of England 276. commeth to wales and buildeth a castell at Mountgomerie 280. commeth againe with an armie to Wales 283. againe 289. marieth 293. commeth againe to Wales 299. called to appéere before the Abbots of Aberconwy Cymer 309. he commeth again to Wales 310. he and the Earle of Chester come to Wales 322. commeth to Montgomerie and maketh peace with the prince 326. he dieth 328. Henrie Lacy lord of Denbigh and Earle of Lincolne 377. Henrie prince of Wales 392. Henrie Sidney knight of the order 400. Howel the brother of Conan Tindaethwy 22. King of man 25. Howel Dha prince of Southwales 45. prince of al Wales 52. his lawes 53. he went to Rome 54 he dieth 58. Howel ap Ieuaf 62. vseth his brother Meyric cruellie 63. ruleth Northwales 64. he is slaine 66. Howel ap Edwyn 88. he is slaine 93. Howel ap Grono lord of Stratywy Cydewen and Gwyr 159. he is traiterouslie slaine 161. Howel ap Ithel lord of Ros Ryuonioc 183. Howel ap Owen Gwyneth a valiant captaine 199. Howel ap Ieuaflord of Arustly 240. Hubert de Burgh kéepeth the castell of Douer 275. gaue the French nauie an ouerthrow 277. some of the Barons conspire against him 283. owner of Montgomerie 284. his folie 285. committed to prison 288. escapeth out of prison 289. reconciled to the King 292. Huganus lord of Westwales 47. Hugh Lupus Earle of Chester 151.155 he dieth 157. Hugh de Montgomerie Earle
134. Richard Belmersh bishop of London sent to be warden of the Marches of wales 160.164 Richard 1. K. of England 241. goeth to the holie land 242. winneth Cyprus 243. he is taken prisoner 243. returneth to England 244. he dieth 253. Richard Marshal Earle of Penbrooke 286 288. in leage with Lhewelyn Prince of wales 290. he goeth to Ireland and is slaine 291. Richard of Burdeux 385. Richard Sampson bishop of Couen and Lich. 396. Robert Fitzhamon 119. his Conquest in wales 124. his twelue knights 125. his own portion of Glamorgan 127. his Petegrée and heires 128. Robert S. Quintine 125. his heires 134. Robert Sitsylt 141. his issue and descents 142. Robert de Belesmo Earle of Salop rebelleth against K. H. 1.157 he forsaketh y e land 159. he is taken and imprisoned 171. his crueltie ibid. Robert Fitzstephen a chiefe capteine in the conquest of Ireland 225. Roderike Molwynoc 14. driuen from the west countrie to Northwales 16. Roderike the great 28. he is slaine 35. Roderike ap Owen Gwyneth 237.243 Roger Montgomerie Earle of Salop 151. he fortified Montgomerie castell 152. he is slaine 153. Roger de Berkrolles 125. his heires 135. Roger Earle of Clare obtaineth of the king such lands in wales as he could winne 208. Roger Mortimer right heire to the principalitie of wales 314.315.316 Rollo came to France 37. Rowland Lée Bishop of Couentrie and Lichfield 394. Run the sonne of Meredyth counterfeited by a Scot 85. Ruthlan D 10. the castell the palace of Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn prince of wales 100. fortified by king Henrie the second 207. belonging to the Earle of Chester 267. Ruthyn D 10. the lordship 378. Rydcors castell built 153. Rytherch ap Iestyn ruleth Southwales 87. he is slaine 88. Rythmarch Archbishop of S. Dauids 156. Rywalhon ap Convyn 103. he is slaine 109. S. SAyson Saysonaec D 4. Saxons whence they came 25. they spoile the Brytaines of their countrie 6. their seauen kingdomes 26. Sibertus K. of Essex 11. Sigebert K. of Westsex 16. Simon de Thurnay 258. Strat Alyn 356. Strat Clwyd spoiled 58. Strat Marchelh 214 217. Strat Tywy 152. Stephen Constable of Aberteiui 189. Sulien bishop of S. Dauids 110. he forsaketh his bishoprike 113. he is compelled to take his bishoprike againe 114. he forsaketh his bishoprike againe 116. he dieth 118. Switzers whence they came 39. T. TAlaeth 35. Taliefyn D 15 254. Tegyd D 9. Theodor the sonne of Belin 16 Theodor Mawr 66. he is slain 72. Trahaern ap Caradoc 112. he is slaine 114. Thurstan abbot of Glastenburie 116. V. VAndals whence they came 39. Uchdred ap Edwyn ap Grono 154. Urgeney ap Sitsylht 114. W. WAllia wales D 2.3.4 ¶ See Cambria Walter Steward 97. Walter bishop of Hereford 165. Walwern castell 219. Walweys sepulchre found 116. Westwales destroied 65. Woolues destroied in Wales 61. William Conquerour commeth to England 107. he ouercoÌ„meth Haroald and is crowned K. of England 108. he entreth Wales with an armie 115. he dieth 116. William Rufus 117. he coÌ„meth with an armie into Wales 153.155 he builded Westminster hall 156. he is slaine 157. William de Londres 125. his heires 131. William Stradling 137. his heires ibid. William Brusus traitorous fact 236.260 hanged 286. William Marshall Earle of Penbrooke 279. to whom his great liuing in England Wales and Ireland descended 312. William Smith bishop of Lincolne 391. William Herbert Erle of Penbrooke 398. Y. YAl D 11. the castel built 201. the castell taken and burnt 208. Yarthyr the son of Mervyn 60. Ynyr the cosen of Iuor 7. Ysbys 152. FINIS 1584 Imprinted at London by Rafe Newberie and Henrie Denham Cum Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis Clêra is their ordinarie visitation which they vse euerie third yeare Rob. Caenal li. 2. Par. 2. Vim vi repellere licet Cambria Wales A Locrino A Saxonib Rob. Caenal li. 2. Per. 2. The meares and bounds of Wales Aberfraw Dinevowr Mathraval Northwales Môn Aruon Merionyth Tegyd Y Bervedhwlad Dyffryn Clwyd An. 12. Ed. 1. See this hist. pag. 377. Mathraval or Powys Maelor the sonne of Gwran sonne to Cunedha had Maeloron that is the two Maelors Maelor Gymbraeg called Br. and Maelor Saesneg See after in the hist. pa. 6. See in the hist. pag. 22. See the historie folowing pag. 24. Dinevowr Caredigion Dyuet Caermardhyn Morganwc See the historie folowing pag. 119. Brecheinoc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greeke Fiber Lat. Beauer En. Auanc Bryt Giraldus in Itiner Little Brytaine or Brytaine Armorike Galfr. Mon. I. Cast. Math. West Fabian Caxton R. Caen. lib. 2. Per. 2. Galfride I. Castor A fable confirmed with blind prophesies Hol. pa. 183. Galf ride Cast. 450 Galfrid Cast. H. Lhoyd H. Lhoyd ¶ Rob. Caenal Beda H. Hunt Cast. W. Lamb. I. Cast. The request of the Brytaines The oration of Sibertus to the other Saxon Kings Gildas Polydore Bale Math. West 733 Or Iatewe 735 Hol. pa. 193. H. Hunt Hol. pag. 189. 193. Math. West 749 Sigebert King of Westsex Kenulph 750 Leland I. Bale Cen. 1. pag. 81. 763 Io. Caest. Io. Caestor Matth. West Clawdh Offa. 795 Matt. West pag. 289. 808 Io. Bale 810 Galfride I. Cast. Matth. West Galfrid Cast. Matth West Sim. Dunel H. Hunt 819 828 829 The Kingdome of England began The seauen Saxon kingdomes 833 Raunlph Cest. Matth. West Chron. Wig. Io. Castor 841 846 Matt. West I. Castor 854 856 Matt. West * De quo Sedulius in Paschali carminâ— Matth. West pag. 275. I. Castor Matt. Paris pag. 126. Beirdh H. Lhoyd Io. Castor 857 Iohn Cast. Sim. Dunel Matt. Park A Kings sonne and heire Bishop 10. Cast. Fabian 865 H. Hunt 867 H. Hunt Fabian Ran. Cest. 871 Bale Cent. 2. Cap. 24. 1. Castor Polydor litâ— Hol. pa 218. 873 Matt. West Sâ— Dunelm Matt. West 876 Girald Cam. Matth. West li. 1. pa. 342. 893 Matth. West 895 H. Hunt Matt. West 900 Io. Cast. Asser Menâ—ven H. Hunt Matt. West Io. Cast. 905 Bale Cent. 2. pag. 125. Giral Camb. Matt. West pag. 354. 907 Matth. West 913 Matt. West pag. 354. 917 Io. Castor Io. Cast. H. Hunt Matth. West Io. Cast. 924 Io. Castor 933 Wil. Malms Hol. pa. 225. Io. Cast. Matth. West Ran. Cest. 936 Matt. West Hol. pag. 226. 939 Io. Castor Matt. West Hol. pag. 228. Buchan li. 6. fol. 53. 942 944 Matt. West Hol. pag. 222. Matt. West Io. Cast. 948 952 958 961 Io. Cast. Hol. pag. 232. Wolues destroid by the prince of Wales 966 969 A law against immoderate drinking 972 Ran. Cest. Fabiaâ— Sim. Dunel Hol. pa. 238. Io. Vowel in Catal. epist. Exon. 981 984 987 989 Matth. West pag. 383. Io. Castor 992 Matth. West 998 1004 Matt. West The Danes murthered Matt. West pag. 391. Matt. West pag. 393. H. Hunt Sim. Dunel Io. Cast. Si. Dunelm Hol. pag. 243. Io. Vowel 1004 Hol. pag. 243. Hol. pag. 244. Io. Cast. H. Hunt Io. Cast. Matt. West 1008 Io. Castor 1010 Hol. pag. 245. Io. Cast. 1011 Io. Cast. Hol. pag. 246. Matt. Park page
of the possessions of Anthonie Maunsell esquire Item to sir Gilbert Humfreuile he gaue the castell and manour of Penmarke being thrée knights fées now parcell of the possessions of the Right honorable Lord saint Iohn of Bledso Item to sir Reginald de Sully he gaue the castell and manor of Sully so since called after his name being two knights fées now diuided betwixt the Earle of Penbroke and the lord S. Iohn of Bledso Item to sir Roger Berkrolles he gaue the manour of East Orchard being one knights fée now parcell of the possessions of S. William Herbert of Swansey Item to sir Peter le Soore he gaue the castell and manour of Peterton so now called after his name being one knights fée now parcell of the possessions of the Earle of Penbroke Item to sir Iohn Fleming he gaue the castell and manour of S. George being one knights fée and holden of his posteritie the Flemings to this daie Item to sir Iohn S. Iohn he gaue the castell and manour of Fonmon or Fenuon being one knights fée and now parcell of the possessions of the Lord S. Iohn of Bledso Item to sir William le Esterling alias Stradling he gaue the castell and manour of S. Donats or S. Denwit being one knights fée now parcell of the possessions of sir Edward Stradling knight that now is Sum. Foure Lordships Members and xiiij Knights fees ITem he gaue to the aforesaid Eneon that tooke his part the Lordship of Senghennyth being an other of the said members Item he gaue the castell and Lordship of Auan an other of the said members to Caradoc Fitz Iestyn the eldest sonne of the said Iestyn Item he gaue the Lordship of Ruthyn an other of the said members to another sonne of the said Iestyn Item the rest of the foresaid Knights fées being 22. and an halfe he distributed part to Gentlemen that serued him and part to the Welshmen right owners of the same ¶ The Portion that the Lord kept for himselfe and his Heires THe castell of Cardyff and Kenfigg with the foresaid thrée market townes of Cardyff Kenfigg and Cowbrige and the Sherfée being the bodie of the said Lordship of Glamorgan and all the demeanes of the same with the rest of the said members to wit Miskyn Glynrothney Tyr Iarl and Boviarton alias Lentwit and the chéefe seigniorie of the whole the said Robert Fitzhamon kept to himselfe And in the said Lordship of Boviarton he had a large graunge or house of husbandrie with lands to the same belonging that serued him for the prouision of corne to his house He dwelt himselfe most in the said castell or towne of Cardyff being a faire hauen towne And bicause he would haue the aforesaid twelue Knights and their heires giue attendance vpon him euerie Countie daie which was alwaies kept by the Sherife in the vtter ward of the said castell on the Mondaie monethlie as is before said he gaue euerie one of them a lodging within the said vtter ward the which their heires or those that purchased the same of their heires doo enioie at this daie Also the morow after the Countie daie being the tuesdaie the Lord his Chancellor sate alwaies in the Chancerie there for the determining of matters of conscience in strife happening as well in the said Sherfée as in the members the which daie also the said Knights vsed to giue attendance vpon the Lord and the wednesdaie euerie man drew homeward and then began the courts of the members to be kept in order one after another ¶ The Petegree of Robert Fitzhamon and of his heires Lords of Glamorgan THe said Robert Fitzhamon was sonne to Hamon a great Lord and kinseman of William the Conquerour who came into the realme with him This Robert as is before said was knight of the priuie chamber with king William Rufus who as it appeareth in the Chronicles dreamed the night before the king was killed that he saw the king torne in péeces by Woolues and therefore by his persuasion he willed the king to forbeare to go abroade that forenoone But the king when he had dined there was no man able to staie him but that he would ride foorth a hunting into the new Forrest where he was slaine by Walter Tyrrell by the glansing of his arrow shooting at a red déere Mawd the onelie daughter and heire of the said Robert was married to Robert Earle of Glocester base son to king Henrie the first William Earle of Glocester sonne to the said Robert and Mawd died without issue male leauing behind him thrée daughters of the which Isabel the eldest was married to king Iohn then Earle of Oxenford and Lancaster as some Chronicles doo declare who so soone as he was made king was diuorced from hir And then she was maried to Geffrey Mandeuile Earle of Essex and died without issue as far as I can find The second daughter named Amicia was married to Sir Gilbart de Clare then Earle of Clare by whome he had the Earledome of Glocester And Mabil the third daughter was maried to the Earle of Eureux Sir Gilbart de Clare sonne to the said Gilbart was the fourth Earle of Glocester Sir Richard de Clare his sonne was the fift Earle Sir Gilbart his sonne was the sixt Earle Sir Gilbart his sonne who married Iane de Acres daughter to king Edward the first was the seuenth Earle Sir Gilbart de Clare their sonne was the eight Earle and he was slaine by the Scots in king Edward the seconds time and then the Earldome fell betwéene his thrée sisters Of the which Elianor the eldest was married to Hugh Spencer the sonne in hir right Earle of Glocester Margaret the second was married to Peires Gaueston and after to the Lord Awdeley Elizabeth the third was married first to William Lord Burgh Earle of Vlster and after to Ralph Roch Baron of Armoy in Ireland she was married the third time to Theobald L. Verdoun and lastlie to Sir Roger Damory and had issue by euerie one of them Sir Hugh Spencer had to his wiues purpartée the said Lordship of Glamorgan Sir Hugh Lord Spencer their sonne enioied the same and died without issue Edward Lord Spencer sonne to Edward brother to the said Hugh succéeded the said Hugh therein Thomas Lord Spencer his sonne succéeded him Richard Lord Spencer his sonne succéeded him and died inward Isabell sister to Richard succéeded him and married with Richard Beauchamp Earle of Worcester and Lord Burgauenny who had issue by hir a daughter onelie and died The which daughter was married to Edward the sonne of Dawraby Ralph Neuel Earle of Westmereland And after the death of the said Earle of VVorcester she said Isabell married with Richard Beauchamp Earle of VVarwick Henrie Beauchamp Earle of VVarwick after Duke of VVarwick their sonne died without issue Anne his sister of whole bloud succéeded him and married with Richard Neuel after Earle of Salisburie and in hir
charges in this warre The yeare folowing the mariage was celebrated at VVorcester betwixt Elianor daughter to Symon Montfort and prince Lhewelyn where the King the Queene and the most part of the nobilitie of England were present Also the yeare after Roger Mortimer set vp at Killingworth a round table for a hundreth knights to be exercised in the feats of armes and thither resorted manie knights from diuerse countries At this time the king of Scots did his homage to king Edward and obtained the kings letters that his succors in the last warres of VVales were not done by the name of seruice but of good will And at this time a generall inquisition was made how and by what title euerie man held his lands and liberties and the first that was called was the Earle VVaren who drawing out an old sword said By this warrant mine ancestours wanne their lands and by this I doo and will hold mine And all the Barons applied to this answere and the Quo warranto was no more talked of The peace concluded betwéene the prince of Wales and the king of England did not long continue by reason of the seuere and stricte dealing of such officers as the king appointed rulers in the Marches and the Inland countrie of Wales who hunting after their owne gaines oppressed the inhabitants burthening them with new exactions contrarie to the customes of the countrie and also shewing themselues too much affectionate in matters of controuersie betwéene partie and partie especiallie when anie Englishman had to doo in the matter which poling and parcialitie did altogither alienate the harts of the people from the king of England so that they had rather die than liue in such thraldome Wherevpon assembling themselues togither they so moued Dauid lord of Denbigh to be at vnitie with prince Lhewelyn and to take pitie vpon their affliction and miserie that he being agréed with his brother became their captaine Not long after Dauid lord of Denbigh being reconciled to his brother the Prince vpon condition he should neuer after serue the king of England as he had done before but become his vtter enimie laid siege to the castell of Hawarden and tooke Roger Clifford a noble knight slaieng all that resisted and after spoiling all the countrie he with his brother the Prince laid siege to the castell of Ruthlan the king hearing of this hasted thither with a great armie to raise the siege then the Prince retired backe with his armie Also the same time Rees the sonne of Maelgon and Gruffyth ap Meredyth ap Owen with other noble men of Southwales tooke the castell of Aberystwyth and diuerse other castels in that countrie spoiling all the kings people that inhabited there abouts Therefore the king sent the Archbishop of Canturburie to talke with the Prince and his brethren which returned without doing anie good and by the kings commandement denounced them and all their complices accursed This Archibishop here mentioned was Iohn Peckham who was sent from king Edward to prince Lhewelyn as this author thinketh but he himselfe affirmeth that he tooke that enterprise in hand of his owne motion contrarie or beside the kings mind to the which assertion of his Nicholas Triuet and Thomas Walsingham séeme to agrée His whole dooings in this matter are to be found in the records of Canturburie the copie of the which records being collected and for the most part translated out of Latine into English by Doctor Thomas Yale chanceller to that worthie prelate of reuerend memorie Matthew Parker Archbishop of Canturburie whose carefull search painfull trauell and chargeable setting out of the antiquities of this land euerie man that loueth his countrie cannot choose but commend and thankefullie accept and take in good part I thought necessarie here to set downe for the laieng open of the truth to the view of all men which heretofore was either maliciouslie concealed or negligentlie omitted by all the writers of this historie Articles sent from the Archbishop of Canturburie to be intimated to Lhewelyn Prince of VVales and the people of the same countrie BIcause we came to those parts for the spirituall and temporall health of them whom we haue euer loued well as diuers of them haue knowne 2. That we come contrarie to the will of our Lord the king whom our said comming as it is said dooth much offend 3 That we desire and beséech them for the bloud of our lord Iesus Christ that they would come to an vnitie with the English people and to the peace of our lord the king which we intend to procure them so well as we can 4 We will them to vnderstand that we cannot long tarrie in these quarters 5 We would they considered that after our parting out of the countrie they shall not perhaps find anie that will so tender the preferring of their cause as we would doo if it pleased God with our mortall life we might procure them an honest stable and firme peace 6 That if they doo contemne our petition labour we intend foorthwith to signifie their stubbernes to the high bishop and the court of Rome for the enormitie that manie waies hapneth by occasion of this discord this daie 7 Let them know that vnlesse they doo quickelie agrée to a peace that warre shall be aggrauated against them which they shall not be able to sustaine for the kings power increaseth dailie 8 Let them vnderstand that the realme of England is vnder the speciall protection of the sea of Rome that the sea of Rome loueth it better than anie other kingdome 9 That the said sea of Rome will not in anie wise sée the state of the realme of England quaile being vnder speciall protection 10 That we much lament to heare that the Welshmen be more cruell then Saracens for Saracens when they take christians they kéepe them to be redéemed for monie But they saie that the Welshmen by and by doo kill all that they take and are onelie delighted with blood and sometime cause to be killed them whose ransome they haue receiued 11 That whereas they were euer woont to be estéemed and to reuerence God Ecclesiasticall persons they séeme much to reuolt from that deuotion moouing sedition and warre and committing slaughter and burning in the holie time Which is great iniurie to God wherein no man can excuse them 12 We desire that as true christians they would repent for they cannot long continue their begun discord if they had sworne it 13 We will that they signifie vnto vs how they will or can amend the trouble of the kings peace and the hurt of the common wealth 14 That they signifie vnto vs how peace and concord may be established for in vaine were it to forme peace to be dailie violated 15 If they saie that their lawes or couenants be not obserued that they doo signifie vnto vs which those be 16 That granting it that they were iniured as they saie