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
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
the king put such confidence in him encouraged his men to doo their indeuour at this time to pleasure the King as they had doone heretofore to offend him and so ioining with Lhywarch they went towards Stratywy to meete with the kings sonne And when they came to the confines of the countrie they made a vowe that neither man woman nor child should escape their hands aliue When the people vnderstood of this cruell band they fled out of the countrie some to woods some to rocks and caues and some to the kings castels to saue their liues Then they diuided their people to enter the woods and straits which be verie manie in that countrie And Owen himselfe tooke with him about 100. men and entred the wood and perceiued that men and cattell had passed that waie whom he followed and ouertooke slaieng some of them put the rest to flight then taking their cattell returned backe towards his companie But at that instant behold Gerald steward of Penbroke with all his power of Flemings was comming to meete the kings sonne and met with them that fled who cried out vnto him for helpe and declared that Owen ap Cadogan had spoiled them of all their goods Now when Gerald and the Flemings vnderstood that Owen was there with so litle companie they thought it a meete time to be reuenged of their old wrongs and so pursued him to the woods Owen being warned by his men that a great number pursued him and counselled to make hast awaie would not so doo bicause he vnderstood them that followed to be the kings freends and nothing doubted of them But when they came nigh they began to shoot at his men who would haue had Owen to flee but he turned manfullie to his enimies and encouraged his men to fight affirming that although their enimies were seauen to one yet they were but Flemings and such as feared their names and were good for nothing but to emptie cuppes and with that set vpon them couragiouslie And it chanced that at the first meeting Owen was stricken with an arrowe to the heart and slaine which thing when his men sawe they fled and brought word to Lhywarch ap Trahaern and their fellowes who suspecting the kings armie seeing they could not trust them in the kings seruice returned to their countrie About this time the order and court of Parliament began first in England The kings of elder time did neuer lightlie call togither all the states of the realme vnlesse it were in the begining of their gouernment to settle things in quietnesse at their Coronations or when some great warre was in hand otherwise in the ordering of the common wealth the kings did all things by their officers with directions and edicts or by such of the nobilitie as were chifee rulers in their seuerall counties After the death of Owen his brethren diuided his landes betweene them sauing that which he had taken by force from his vncle Meredyth being the lands of Madoc ap Riryd ap Blethyn The names of his brethren were these Madoc whose mother was Gwenlhian the daughter of Gruffyth ap Conan Eneon whose mother was Sanna the daughter of Dyfnwal Morgan whose mother was Evelhiw or Elhiw the daughter of Cadivor ap Colhoyn lord of Dyuet Henrie and Gruffyth whose mother was the daughter of the lord Pigot Cadogans wedded wife Meredyth by Evrvron Hoedliw Owen was the sonne of Inerth the daughter of Edwyn After this Eneon ap Cadogan and Gruffyth ap Meredyth ap Blethyn did lead their power against a castell that Vchtryd ap Edwyn had built at Cymmer in Merionyth for Cadogan had giuen to his coosen germane Vchtryd Merionyth and Ceuilioc vpon condition that he and his should be freends to his freends and foes to his foes in all causes but contrarie to that condition he and his sonnes were euer against Cadogans children in euerie enterprise that they went about Therfore after they had set vpon the castell and slaine diuerse of the garrison the rest yeelded to them and so when they had wonne all the countrie they diuided it betwixt them Thus Gruffyth ap Meredyth had Mowthwy Cyuelioc and halfe Penlhyn and the other halfe of Penlhyn Merionyth came to Eneon An. 1116. king Henrie sailed into Normandie with a great armie against the French king who with the Erle of Flanders and others went about to make William sonne to Robert Curthoise duke of Normandie but at king Henries arriuall they returned home without honor This yeere died William Strangbow of a consumption The next yeare after fell a great variance betweene Howel ap Ithel Lord of Ros and Ryuonioc now Denbighland and Riryd and Lhywarch the sonnes of Owen ap Edwyn Then Howel sent to Meredyth ap Blethyn and to Eneon and Madoc Cadogans sonnes for succour who came downe from Merionyth with 400. men well appointed and met with the sonnes of Owen in the vallie of Clwyd their owne land which sonnes of Owen sent for their coosines the sonnes of Vchtryd to come with their powers to succour them all these met togither with cruell harts and fought manfully but in the end after great slaughter Lhywarch the sonne of Owen ap Edwyn was slaine and with him Iorwerth the sonne of Nudh which was a noble man and a worthie soldiour and Riryd fled and so Howel ap Ithel had the victorie but he was so sore wounded that he died within fourtie daies after Then Meredyth ap Blethyn and the sonnes of Cadogan made speed home for feare of the Frenchmen which laie in garrisons about Chester In the yeare 1120. died Murcart the worthiest and greatest prince in all Ireland And the same time there was a great battell fought betweene king Henrie and the French king who was ouerthrowne and a great number of his nobles taken And shortlie after as king Henrie returned towards England by misgouernment of the shipmaster there was a ship drowned wherein perished the kings two sonnes William and Richard with his daughter and niece and manie other to the number of 150. The next yeare after the king did marrie Adelyce daughter to the duke of Louaine forthwith prepared a great armie against Wales and came to Powys land which when the lords of the land Meredyth ap Blethyn and the three sons of Cadogan Eneon Madoc and Morgan saw they sent to Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales to desire succours at his hands and he answered that they should not receiue anie of him nor enter within his lands for he had made peace with the king Thus hauing no hope of aid from him they purposed to defend themselues within their owne land after the best maner they could and set men to keepe and defend the straits wherby their enimies must needes passe And as it chanced the king himselfe with a small number came vnto one of those defended places for his whole armie had goone a further waie
said Hawys as it séemed vnto him had more right to hir fathers possessions being in hir vncles hands than they to hirs But to make a finall end betwéene them order and composition was taken that Hawys should enioie hir inheritance in fée simple to hir and to hir heires for euer after the tenure of England And that hir vncles Lhewelyn Iohn Dauid and Gruffyth should hould their portions to them and to their heires male for euer And in default of such issue male the same to descend and remaine to the said Hawys and to hir heires for euer William Lord of Mowthwy otherwise called Wilcocke Mowthwy being the fourth sonne bicause he did not trouble his said néece Hawy about hir inheritance had his lands confirmed and assured in fée simple to him and to his heires generall male or female foreuer He maried Alianor the sister of Elen Owen Glyndowres mother the daughter of Thomas sonne of Lhewelyn sonne of Owen sonne of Meredyth sonne of Owen sonne of Gruffyth sonne of Rees sonne of Gruffyth sonne of Rees ap Theodor prince of Southwales by whome he had issue Iohn de Mowthwy Iohn the sonne of William Lord of Mowthwy had issue Elizabeth his daughter and sole heire which was maried to Sir Hugh Burgh knight Sir Hugh Burgh knight in the right of his wife lord of Mowthwy had issue Sir Iohn Burgh Sir Iohn Burgh lord of Mowthwy maried Iane the daughter of Sir William Clopton knight lord of the manours of Clopton and Radbrooke in the countie of Glocester and by hir had issue foure daughters Elizabeth Ancreda Isabell and Alianor Elizabeth maried to Thomas Newport father of Iohn father of Thomas father of sir Richard Newport knight late deceased father of Francis and Andrew now liuing Ancreda maried to Iohn Leighton of Stretton father of Sir Thomas Leighton of Watelsborough knight father of Iohn Leighton father of Edward Leighton Esquire eldest sonne and of Sir Thomas Leighton knight second sonne now liuing Isabell maried to Iohn Lingen father of Sir Iohn Lingen knight And Alianor maried to Thomas Mytton father of William Mytton father of Richard Mytton who by partition had amongst the said coheires enioied the said Seigniorie and Lordship of Mowthwy The said Iohn Charleton first of that sirname had issue by the said Hawys Iohn and died An. 1353. Iohn Charleton the second lord Powys held that Seigniorie seuen yeares and then died An. 1360. leauing behind him a sonne and heire called also Iohn Iohn Charleton the third lord Powys succéeded his father and enioied that lordship fouretéene yeares and then died An. 1374. leauing behind him two sons Iohn and Edward Iohn Charleton the fourth lord Powys possessed his fathers inheritance after him 27. yeares and then died without issue An. 1401. Edward Charleton brother and heire to the said Iohn succéeded him in the lordship of Powys and held the same 19. yeares he maried Alianor daughter and one of the heires of of Thomas Earle of Kent being the widow of Roger Mortimer Earle of March and mother to Anne countesse of Cambridge the mother of Richard duke of Yorke and had issue by hir two daughters his heires Iane eldest daughter maried to Sir Iohn Gray knight and Ioyce second daughter maried to Iohn lord Tiptoft by whome she had issue Iohn lord Tiptoft created by king Henrie the sixt Earle of Worcester who died without issue and foure daughters Philip Ioyce Ioane and Margaret the first Philip maried to Thomas lord Ros. The second Ioyce maried to Edmond Dudley sonne and heire to Iohn baron Dudley The third Ioane maried to Sir Edward Inglethorp knight who had issue Isabell maried to Iohn Neuill Marques Montague After the death of the said Alianor this Edward lord Powys maried Elizabeth the daughter of Sir Iohn Barkley knight and died An. 1420. After whose death the lordship of Powys was diuided into thrée parts first the said Elizabeth had for hir dowrie Lhannerch hudol Strat marchelh Deuthwr and Teirtref and maried to hir second husband the Baron of Dudley The said Iane the eldest daughter had for hir part Caereneon Mecham Mochnant and Plâsdinas The third Ioyce the yoonger daughter had Cyuelioc and Arustly Henrie Gray the sonne of Sir Iohn Gray knight and Iane daughter and one of the heires of Edward Chareleton lord Powys was in the right of the said Iane his mother lord Powys he was also by king Henrie the fift created Earle of Tanqueruile and maried Antigone base daughter to Humfrey duke of Glocester fourth sonne to king Henrie the fourth and had issue Richard Humfrey and Elizabeth the wife of Sir Roger Kinaston Richard Gray lord Powys maried Margaret the daughter of Iames lord Audley and by hir had issue Iohn and Elizabeth the wife of Iohn Ludlow sonne of sir Richard Ludlow knight which Iohn and Elizabeth had issue two daughters Anne and Alice Anne the elder maried Thomas Vernon second sonne of Sir Henrie Vernon of Haddon in the Peke of whom Henrie Vernon of Stokesay now liuing is descended Alice the second daughter maried Humfrey Vernon third sonne of the said sir Henrie and brother to the said Thomas of whom Iohn Vernon of Hodnet now liuing is descended Iohn Gray lord Powys had issue Iohn Iohn Gray lord Powys had issue Edward Edward Gray lord Powys maried Anne the daughter of Charles Brandon duke of Suffolke and died without lawfull issue The same yeare Cadwalhon ap Madoc ap Ednerth was taken by his brother Eneon Clyd and deliuered to Owen prince of Northwales who sent him to the kings officers to be imprisoned at Winchester from whence he escaped shortlie after and came to his countrie Henrie king of England remained in Normandie all this yeare whose sonne named also Henrie maried Margaret the daughter of Lewys king of France The yeare next folowing died Meyric bishop of Bangor Then king Henrie and the French King fell at variance wherevpon shortlie after King Henrie went to Gascoyne to chastise certeine rebels there But in the yeare 1162. there was a peace concluded betweene the kings of England and France At that time Howel the son of Ieuaf ap Cadogan ap Athlestan Glodrydh got the castell of Walwern in Cyuelioc and rased it which thing when it was told Owen Prince of Northwales it displeased him wonderfullie at the which he was so greeued that nothing could make him merrie vntill such time as he had gathered his power came to Lhanthinam in Arustly and thence fet great spoiles Then the people of the countrie came all to their Lord Howel ap Ieuaf who folowed the spoile to Seauerne side where the Princes campe was whereof the Prince séeing such an occasion of reuenge offered him was right glad and set vpon his enimies and slew the most part of them and the rest with their Lord escaped to the woods and rocks Then the Prince being ioifull of this reuenge built vp his castell againe and fortified it stronglie The
will of the people all his land sauing two castels Aberteiui and Stratmeyric which his brother Maelgon by the aid of Gwenwynwyn had wrongfullie taken from him Then his brother Maelgon fearing his displeasure tooke a solemne oth before noble and religious men which were about to make peace betwixt them that if his brother Gruffyth would giue him pledges for the assurance of his owne person he would deliuer him by a day the castell of Aberteiui whervpon Gruffyth did so But assoone as Maelgon got the pledges he fortified the castell manned it to his owne vse and sent the pledges to Gwenwynwyn who hated Gruffyth to the death there to be kept in prison But shortlie after by Gods helpe they brake the prison escaped home In the yeare 1199. Maelgon sonne to prince Rees laid siege to the castell of Dynerth and getting it slew all the garrison which his brother Gruffyth had left to defend it But at the same time Gruffyth wan the castell of Cilgerran and fortified it This yeare as king Richard did vew the castell of Chaleus in the countrie of Lenuoyle he was striken with a quarell and sore wounded whereof he died the ninth of April and left by his testament Iohn his brother inheritor of all his lands hauing no respect to his brother Geffreys son Arthur duke of Brytaine who being the sonne of the elder brother was his right heire Then this Iohn surnamed Without land was crowned king of England with great triumph wherfore the French king forth with made warre against him to whom Arthur duke of Brytaine cleaued thinking thereby to obtaine the crowne of England Also the king of Scots by meanes of Hugh Bygod came to Yorke and openlie sware fidelitie to the king of England The yeare after Gruffyth sonne to Conan ap Owen Gwyneth a noble man died and was buried in a moonks cowle at the Abbey of Conwy and so were all the nobles for the most part of that time buried for they were made to beleeue by the moonks and friers that that strange weed was a sure defense betwixt their soules and hell how so euer they died And all this baggage and superstition receiued they with moonks and friers a few yeres before that out of England For the first Abbey or frier house that we read of in Wales sith the destruction of the noble house of Bangor which sauored not of Romish dregges was the Tuy Gwyn built the yeare 1146. and after they swarmed like bees through all the countrie for then the Cleargie had forgotten the lesson that they had receiued of the noble Clerke Ambrosius Telesinus who writing in the yeare 540. when the right Christian faith which Ioseph of Aremathia taught at the Ile of Aualon reigned in this land before the proud and bloodthirstie moonke Augustine infected it with his Romish doctrine in a certaine Ode hath these verses Gwae'r offeiriad byd Nys angreifftia gwyd Ac ny phregetha Gwae ny cheidw ey gail Ac ef yn vigail Ac nys areilia Gwae ny theidw ey dheuaid Rhae bleidhie Rhufeniaid A'i ffon gnwppa Which may thus be Englished almost word for word Wo be to that priest yborne That will not cleanlie weed his corne And preach his charge among Wo be to that shepherd I saie That will not watch his fold alwaie As to his office doth belong Wo be to him that doth not keepe From Romish woolues his sheepe With staffe and weapon strong And because no man should doubt of them I haue set them here as they were written by him that made them Whereby it may be proued that the Brytaines the first inhabiters of this realme did abhorre the Romish doctrine taught in that time which doctrine I am sure is litle amended now in the church of Rome and that may be to vs a mirrour to see our owne follie if we doo degenerate from our forefathers the ancient Brytaines in the sinceritie of true religion as we doo in other things This yeare Maelgon ap Rees seeing he could not well keepe Aberteiui of verie spite to his brother and hatred to his countrie sold it to the Englishmen for a small summe of monie being the keie and locke of all Wales The same yeare Madoc the sonne of Gruffyth Maylor lord of Bromfild did build the abbie of Lhanegwest called in English commonlie Vale crucis This yeare also king Iohn made peace with the French king and Arthur duke of Brytaine his nephue and married Isabel daughter and heire vnto the Earle of Angolisme which was before assured vnto Hugh de Brune Uicount of Carce wherefore the said Hugh forsooke king Iohn and became his enimie This Hugh Brune Earle of March and Turyn had this Isabel to wife after the death of king Iohn by whome he had issue William de Valence who in the right of Ione his wife daughter and heire of Warren Montchensey and of Ione the eldest daughter and one of the heires of William Earle Marshall and Penbrooke was Earle of Penbrooke as in this historie hereafter doth appeare The yeare 1201. Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth prince of Northwales being a lustie yoong man banished out of the land his coosen Meredyth the sonne of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth suspected of treason and seased the Cantref of Lhyyn and Euyonyth to his owne hands which were Conans land Then shortlie after Meredyth the sonne of prince Rees was slaine at Carnwilhion by treason whose elder brother Gruffyth seased vpon his castell in Lhanymdhyfri and all his lands This Gruffyth was a wise and discreet gentleman and one that was like to bring all Southwales to good order and obedience who in all things folowed his fathers steppes whom as he succeeded in gouernment so he did in all martiall prowes and nobilitie of mind but cruell fortune which frowned vpon that countrie suffered him not long to enioy his land This prince died vpon S. Iames daie ensuing and was buried at Stratflur with great solemnitie he left behind him a son called Rees as right inheritor of Southwales whose mother was Mawd the daughter of William de Bruse Also this yeare died Arthur duke of Brytaine at Roane not without suspicion of poison ministred by his vncles meanes who caused his sister Elianor to be conueied to England and to be kept in prison miserablie in the castell of Brystow as long as she liued Then the French king got all Normandie sauing Roane and two castels by treason of the Normanes who hated Iohn to the death The next yeare after that certeine lords of Wales got the castell of Gwerthrynion which was Roger Mortimers and made it plaine with the ground Then Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth prince of Northwales calling to memorie his estate and title and how all the other princes by the ordinance of Roderike the Great and after by the lawes of Howel Dha ought of right to acknowledge the king or prince of Northwales as their liege lord and hold
their lands of him and of none other notwithstanding that of late yeares by negligence of his predecessors they had not vsed their accustomed dutie but some held of the king of England other ruled as supreme powers within their owne countries Therefore he called a Parliament of all the lords in Wales which for the most part appeared before him swore to be his liegemen but Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys would not come thither nor take the oth of allegiance Which disobedience the prince declared to all his lords they all thought that it was meete that Gwenwynwyn should be constrained by force to doo his dutie or else to leese his lands Yet one of his lords named Elise ap Madoc would not agree to hurt Gwenwynwyn in anie case but departed awaie suddenlie then Lhewelyn came with an armie to Powys but by the meanes of certaine learned men Gwenwynwyn and the prince were made freends Gwenwynwyn became the prince his liegeman and confirmed that both by oth and writing Then Lhewelyn remembring how Elise ap Madoc had serued him seased vpon all his lands and Elise fled the countrie but afterward yeelded himselfe to the princes mercie who gaue him the castell of Crogen and seuen towneships withall And here I thinke it not vnmeete to declare the cause why the Englishmen vse to call the Welshmen Crogens as a word of reproch and despite but if they knew the beginning they should find it contrarie For in the viage that king Henrie the second made against the Welshmen to the mountaines of Berwin as he laie at Oswestree a number of his men that were sent to trie the passages as they would haue passed Offas ditch at the castell of Crogen at which place there was is at this daie a narrow waie through the same ditch for that ditch appeereth yet to this daie verie deepe through all that countrie beareth his old name These men I saie as they would haue passed this straite were met withall a great number of them slaine as appeareth by their graues there yet to be seene whereof the strait beareth the name Therefore the Englishmen afterward not forgetting this slaughter vsed to cast the Welshmen in the teeth in all their troubles with the name of Crogen as if they would signifie vnto them thereby that they should looke for no fauour but rather reuengment at their hands which word in processe of time grew to be taken in another signification Now when Lhewelyn had set all these parties in good order he returned to Northwales by the waie fortified the castell of Bala in Penlhyn About the same time Rees sonne to Gruffyth ap Rees by right prince of Southwales got the castell of Lhanymdhyfri vpon Michaelmas day This yeare king Iohn lost all Normandie with Aniow Mayne and Poytiers and Hugh Gurnaie Robert Fitzwater and Sayer de Quincie who had a great part of these countries vnder their rule deliuered all vp to the French king at the first summon yet Roger Lacie kept his castels as long as he had any hope of succors About this time there was in England one called Simon de Thurnay a great diuine and philosopher who diuerse times made his aduaunt that he knew all that was to be knowen and suddenlie he fell to such ignorance that he cold nether read nor vnderstand one letter in the booke About this time Lhewelyn prince of Wales tooke to wife Ione the daughter of king Iohn by Agatha the daughter of Robert Ferrers Earle of Derby with whom the said king gaue him the lordship of Elsmere in the Marches of Wales The yeare next ensuing the foresaid Rees ap Gruffyth ap Rees got the castell of Lhangadoc and fortified it to his owne vse but shortlie after Maelgon his vncle with his freend Gwenwynwyn came with a strong power before the castell of Lhanymdhyfri wan it and from thence they remoued to Lhangadoc got the same likewise suffering the garrison to depart From thence Maelgon went to Dinerth and finished the castell which he had begun there About this time Dauid sonne to Owen Gwyneth after that prince Lhewelyn his nephue had set him at libertie fled to England and got an armie to restore him to his ancient estate in Northwales but all in vaine for his nephue met him and ouerthrew him in the waie then he returning to England for verie sorow died shortlie after The next yeare to this Howel the sonne of prince Rees being blind was slaine at Cemaes by his brother Maelgons men and buried by his brother Gruffyth at Stratflur Although this Maelgon in those daies bare all the rule in Southwales yet his brother Gruffyths sonnes Rees and his brethren wan from him the chiefe defense of all his countrie to wit the castels of Dyneuowr and Lhanymdhyfri Then William Marshall Earle of Penbrooke laid siege to the castell of Cilgerran wan it Not long after Maelgon ap Rees hired an Irishman to kill Gadiuor ap Griffri whose foure sons Maelgon tooke and put them to death These were toward gentlemen and came of a noble stocke for their mother Susanna was daughter to the said Howel ap Rees by a daughter of Madoc ap Meredyth prince of Powys The yeare 1205. Maelgon did build a castell at Abereneon At that time there came such abundance of fish to Aberystwyth as the like was neuer seene before Within the next three yeares after the French king got manie townes in Gwyen In those daies there fell a great debate in England between the king the clergie about the election of the Archbishop of Canturburie in so much that the yeare 1208. the Pope denounced all England accursed no seruice was vsed in anie church within England This yere the king did banish out of the land William de Bruse with his wife for displeasure that he bare to his son and seased their lands to his owne hands which William with his said wife and son fled to Ireland there remained for a while This man was of great power in the Marches of Wales but extreeme cruell and vniust The same yeare Gwenwynwyn came to Shrewesburie to speake with the kings councell and was there detained prisoner wherevpon prince Lhewelyn conquered all his countrie with all the towns and castels therein and kept the same to his owne vse Which when Maelgon ap Rees vnderstood and that Lhewelyn would make his voiage to Southwales he ouerthrew his castels of Aberystwyth Stratmeyric and Dynerth which he before had fortified despairing to be able to withstand the prince but the prince kept on his iournie to Aberystwyth and built the castell againe fortified it and seased to his owne hands the Cantref of Penwedic the land betwixt Dyui and Aeron which he gaue to Maelgons nephues the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Rees and so returned home with great ioy Within a litle after Rees Vachan sonne to prince Rees laid siege
part of his armie with guides of the countrie to burne Bangor who did so taking Rotpert the bishop prisoner who was afterward ransomed for 200. hawkes Then the prince seeing all England and Wales against him a great part of his land won from him thought it best to entreat with the king And thervpon he sent Ione his wife the kings daughter to hir father to make a peace who being a discreet woman found the meanes that vpon pledges giuen for safe conduct the prince came to the king and made peace with him and did him homage Then giuing him pledges he promised vnto him towards his charges 20000. heads of cattell and fortie horsses Moreouer he granted to the king the Inland for euer wherevpon the king returned to England with great triumph after that he had brought all Wales vnder his subiection sauing Rees Owen the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Rees Therfore at his departure he gaue straite commandement to Foulke Vicount of Caerdyff called Warden of the Marches a cruell tyrant but yet wel loued of the king to take an armie with him that he ioining with Maelgon and Rees Vachan might compell the aforesaid sonnes of Gruffyth to obeie him This Foulke or Falcasius de Breant a Norman borne and a bastard being a cruell and a wicked man was called by king Iohn to his aid against the Barons who vsed himselfe cruellie towards them for which cause she said king gaue him in mariage Margaret de Riparijs an inheritrice of great possessions This Foulke calling vnto him Maelgon and Rees came to the Cantref of Penwedic then the yoong lords seing no remedie sent to him for peace and safeconduct to passe to the court which he granted them When they came to the court vpon their submission to the king with the gift of all their lands betwixt Aeron and Dyui they were receiued of him very gentlie and curteouslie intreated and after they had doone him homage they returned home againe Then Foulke before his departure out of the countrie fortified the castell of Aberystwyth and manned it to the kings behoofe But within a while Maelgon as he was verie vnconstant and Rees Vachan repented them of the peace they had made with the king and therevpon laid siege to the castell of Aberystwyth getting the same destroied it When their nephues Rees and Owen sawe that their vncles had broken the kings peace they made a roade vnto Maelgons countrie and slew a great number of his men and returned with a rich bootie The next yeare prince Lhewelyn being not able to abide the displeasures which the garrisons that the king left in his nephues castels in Northwales did to his people called to him Gwenwynwyn from Powys Maelgon ap Rees from Southwales Madoc ap Gruffyth Maylor from Bromfield Meredyth ap Rotpert from Cydewen and opened to them this miserable case how they which were woont to haue a prince of their owne nation now by their owne wilfulnesse were brought in subiection to a stranger and declared also vnto them how that if they would agree among themselues they might defend their ancient estate still which thing they all promised to do swore fealtie to prince Lhewelyn forthwith gathered an armie wan all the castels sauing Ruthlan Dyganwy then comming to Powys they laid siege to the castell which Robert Vepont had made at Mathraual But when the king was informed of all this he leuied an armie and came thither to raise the siege and after caused the castell to be rased then returned home hauing greater matters in hand betweene him his nobles Then being at Notingham hering how the prince of Wales destroied all the Marches he caused the pledges which he had receiued the last yere to be hanged as Howel the son of Cadwalhon Madoc the sonne of Maelgon and others to the number of 28. striplings Also Robert Vepont did hang at Shrewesburie Rees the sonne of Maelgon not being yet seuen yeares of age and so cruellie murthered the innocent to reuenge the offenses of others In the meane while that the king remained at Notingham he receiued letters from the princesse of Northwales his daughter declaring that his nobles had conspired with the French king against him and for proofe thereof she alledged that Robert Fitzwater Eustace de Vescy and Stephan Ridell were secretelie fled into France and that the French king prepared an armie to come to England vnder the colour that the king was a rebell from the church for that he would not condescend to the bishop of Romes requests The yeare 1213. Innocentius Pope of Rome did release prince Lhewelyn Gwenwynwyn and Maelgon of those oths that they had made to king Iohn and willed them vnder the paines of cursing to annoie and trouble him all that they could as the enimie of the church Wherevpon forthwith Lhewelyn receiued all the Inland countrie which to this time was in the kings hands But within a little after the king by the persuasion of Pandulph the legat granted the Pope his request and obteined absolution at his hands and releasement of the interdiction vpon performance of his promises Then king Iohn hearing how the French king was in Flanders and had a great nauie at Dam purposing to bring the Earldome into his subiection sent William de Longaspata Earle of Salisburie Reginald Earle of Boleyn and Hugh de Noua villa or Neuill thither with a great nauie who ouerthrew the Frenchmen and returned home with great spoile Shortlie after king Iohn sailed to Rochell where the Earle of those marches and Geffrey de Landanamo were reconciled to him The yeare folowing king Iohn made peace with the French king for fiue yeares Then Rees son to Gruffyth ap Rees which was heire to prince Rees seeing he could haue no part of his fathers lands but that his vncles did keepe all from him by force made his complaint to the king And the king pittieng his estate sent to Foulke Vicount of Caerdyff warden of the marches and to the steward of Hereford commanding them to take all Stratywy from Rees Vachan whom other call Rees Gryc vnlesse he would let his nephues enioie the castell of Lhauymdhyfry with the territorie belonging thereto And they sent to Rees to know his mind who answered them stoutlie that they should not haue one foote of land of him Therefore Foulke gathered a great armie and met with yoong Rees at Talhwynelgain where he looked for him with a number of men that he had gotten in Brechnock and thence they marched in three battelles towardes Dyneuowr of which yoong Rees lead the first Foulke the second and Owen brother to Rees the third Then Rees Vachan came boldlie and gaue them battell where in the end he was put to flight with the losse of a great number of his men Then he went straight and manned the castell of Dineuowr and burned the towne of
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
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
Brytish books of petegrees I. Castoreus Syluester Giral Cambrensis which with diuers other rare monuments of antiquitie I receiued at the hands of the Right Honorable the Lord Burghley high treasurer of England who also directed me by his letters to all the offices where the Records of this realme are kept out of the which I haue gathered a great part of this historie and more would haue done if the time had permitted The copie I haue conferred with the aforenamed authors and where I found them to intreat of the matters therein contained I haue noted them in the margine and in such authors as are printed I haue most commonlie directed thee gentle Reader to the page or chapter of the booke where thou shalt find the same historie treated of Againe where I found anie thing of Wales worthie the noting in the said authors being not conteined in the copie I haue inserted the same in a smaller letter with this marke * before it whereby it may be discerned from the copie it selfe Further such things as were breefly set downe in the copie without signification of cause or declaration of circumstances if I found the same in anie of mine authors treated of and further opened I haue likewise inserted it in his due place In the possession and succession of families I haue sought what I could for the time and haue laid downe most of the noble families of England which had lands in Wales or descended out of that countrie I was greatlie furthered in this worke by the painefull and studious trauell of the right worshipfull Sir Edward Stradling Knight Thomas Powel of Whittington parke and Richard Broughton Esquires In the description I haue taken the lesse paines looking dailie for the comming foorth of the painefull and studious trauell of some other who hath labored in that behalfe and studied all the Romane and Brytish histories concerning the ancient names of nations and places within this Iland so that my labour were superfluous in that behalfe Herein if happilie I haue swarued or omitted anie thing which should haue beene laid downe in this historie I neither did it wittinglie nor willinglie and therefore being readie vpon better information to amend that which shalbe found to be amisse if any so shalbe I am the rather to be born withall because I am the first setter out in print of this historie for things can neuer be so well doone at the first when there is but few that doo trauell therein as they maie in processe of time when euerie man putteth to his helping hand which curtesie I am to desire of thee gentle Reader for the perfecting of this worke Concerning the alteration of the estate there was neuer anie thing so beneficiall to the common people of Wales as the vniting of that countrie to the crowne and kingdome of England whereby not onelie the maladie and hurt of the dissention that often hapned betweene the Princes of the countrie while they ruled is now taken awaie but also an vniformitie of gouernment established whereby all controuersies are examined heard decided within the countrie so that now the countrie of Wales I dare boldlie affirme it is in as good order for quietnes and obedience as anie countrie in Europe for if the rulers and teachers be good and doo their duties the people are willing to learne readie to obeie and loath to offend or displease And if it please God once to send them the Bible in their owne language according to the godlie lawes alreadie established the countrie of Wales I doubt not will be comparable to anie countrie in England A description of Cambria now called Wales Drawne first by Sir Iohn Prise knight and afterward augmented and made perfect by Humfrey Lhoyd Gentleman FOr as much as it is necessarie for the vnderstanding of this historie to knowe the perfect description of the countrie of Wales to the end the acts atchiued and doone in the same may be the better knowne I thought good somewhat to trauell therein and so to laie downe the same as it was in those daies and as it is now that the reader by conference of both times may the better vnderstand this worke Therefore after the three sonnes of Brutus had diuided the whole Ile of Brytaine into three parts that part conteined within the French seas with the riuers of Seauerne called in Brytish Hafren Dee and Humber fell to the eldest sonne Locrinus which was after his name called Lhoyger which name it hath in the Brytish toong to this daie and in English now it is called England and is augmented Northward to the riuer Tweed The second sonne Albanactus had all the land Northward from Humber to the sea Orkney called in the Brytish toong Mor Werydh and in Latine Mare Caledonicum The third sonne Camber had to his part all that which remained vndiuided lieng within the Spanish and Irish seas and separated from England with the riuers Seauerne and Dee and this part was after his name called Cambria and the inhabitants thereof Cambry and their language Camberaec and so are at this daie So that they haue kept the same countrie and language this 2690. and odde yeares without commixtion with anie other nation especiallie in Northwales as it shall hereafter appeare And bicause the name of this countrie is changed or rather mistaken by the inhabitants of England and not by them called Cambry but Wales I thinke it necessarie to declare the occasion thereof which is that where the Saxons a people of Germanie were the first that after the Brytaines inhabited and ruled the greatest part of this Ile droue the Brytains to that corner which according to the maner of their countrie they called Wales and the people Welshmen and the toong Welsh that is to saie Strange or not of them vnderstanded For at this daie the inhabitants of the lowe countries call their next neighbours language of Henegaw or other that speake French Walsh as a language to them vnknowne Likewise the dwellers of Tyroll other the higher countries of Germanie doo name the Italian their next neighbour a Welshman and his language Walsh And this is an euident proofe that they which harped vpon a Queene Gwalaes and of a Prince Wala of whom neither Brytish Latine nor English historie maketh mention were fowlie deceiued and so likewise was a great historiographer of late daies which saith that it was called Walia quasi Italia bicause the rest of the Romans which remained in the Ile were driuen thither Neither is this anie new inuention although Polydore Virgil with an Italian brag dooth glorie himselfe to be the first that espied it out for diuers ancient writers doo alledge the same cause of the name of Wales of whom Syluester Giraldus is one who wrote in the time of Henrie the second after the conquest before 380. yeares passed which is an euident token that the said Polydore did either neuer see nor read the ancient histories
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
tooke Roger his coosen and VValtheof whome he committed to prison and caused to be executed afterward but Radulph escaped and departed the realme Of the VVelshmen which were at this marriage VVilliam hanged some put out the eies of others and banished the rest After that in the yeare 1073. Blethyn ap Convyn king of VVales was traitorouslie and cowardlie murthered by Rees ap Owen ap Edwyn and the gentlemen of Ystrad Tywy after he had worthilie gouerned VVales 13. yeares This man was verie liberall and mercifull and loued iustice and equitie in all his reigne This Blethyn had by diuerse women manie children first Meredyth by Haer daughter to Gylhyn Lhywarch and Cadogan by another woman Madoc and Riryd by the third and Iorwerth by the fourth Trahaern ap Caradoc Trahaern the sonne of Caradoc AFter the death of Blethyn Trahaern ap Caradoc his coosen germane tooke vpon him the rule of Northwales Rees ap Owen with Rytherch ap Caradoc did iointlie rule Southwales Then Gruffyth sonne to Conan sonne to Iago or Iames right inheritour of Northwales came from Ireland with succor which his brethren Encumalhon king of Vltonia and Ranalht and Mathawn had deliuered him and he landed in the Ile of Môn or Anglesey and brought it to his subiection At this time Kynwric ap Rywalhon a noble man of Maelor or Bromefield was slaine in Northwales This yeare also Gronow and Lhewelyn the sons of Cadogan ap Blethyn did ioine their powers with Caradoc ap Gruffyth ap Rytherch against Rees ap Owen and Rytherch ap Caradoc to reuenge their grandfathers death and then fought at a place called Camdhwr where the sonnes of Cadogan obteined the victorie Shortlie after Gruffyth ap Conan passed ouer the water from Môn to the maine land and Trahaern ap Caradoc met with him at Bronyrerw where Gruffyth was put to flight and retired backe to the Ile In the yeare 1074. Rytherch ap Caradoc was slaine by treason of his coosen germane Meyrchaon ap Rees ap Rytherch and Rees ap Owen ruled Southwales alone Neuerthelesse the sonnes of Cadogan gathered their powers and came against him and fought with him the second time at Gwaynyttyd where he was put to flight but yet he gathered a new power kept the land still Then Trahaern ap Caradoc king of Northwales mooued his power against Rees who boldlie met him with all the power of Southwales at a place called Pwlhgwttic where after long fighting Rees was put to flight and after great slaughter of his men he fled from place to place fearing all things like a stag that had beene latelie chased which mistrusteth euerie noise but at the last he with his brother Howel fell into the hands of Caradoc ap Gruffyth who slue them both in reuenge of the death of the wise and noble prince Blethyn ap Convyn At this time Sulien Archbishop of S. Dauids did forsake his Bishopricke and Abraham was chosen Bishop in his place In the yeare 1077. Rees the soone of Theodor the sonne of Eneon the sonne of Owen the sonne of Howel Dha as right inheritour to the kingdome of Southwales claimed the same and the people receiued him with much ioie made him their prince The next yeare after Meneuia was all spoiled and destroied by strangers and Abraham the Bishop died after whose death Sulien was compelled to take the Bishopricke againe In the yeare folowing Gruffyth the sonne of Conan did bring a great armie of Irishmen and Scots into Wales and ioined with Rees ap Theodor as two right heires of the whole countrie Gruffyth of Northwales and Rees of Southwales descending both linealie fró Roderike the great against whom came Trahaern ap Caradoc and Caradoc Gruffyth and Mailyr the sons of Rywalhon ap Gwyn his coosen germanes for Gwyn ap Blethyn was their grandfather who in those daies were the chiefe rulers of all Wales And after they had met at the mountains of Carno they fought a cruell battell and were the more eger bicause vpon that daies worke laie the liues honor of either partie But at the length the victorie fell to Gruffyth and Rees and Trahaern with his coosens were all slaine and the most part of their people then the kingdomes of Wales came vnder the rule of the right heires againe At this time also a noble man of Wales called Vrgeney ap Sitsylht was slaine by the sons of Rees Sais which is to saie Rees the Englishman for so they vsed to name all such as had serued in England could speake the English toong Gruffyth ap Conan Gruffyth the sonne of Conan This Thrustan comming from Rome brought with him a new kind of note for the ordinarie seruice of the church which he would haue had his moonks to vse in their dailie seruice but they not willing to change their old Mumpsimus for his new Sumpsimus as the priest said to the Bishop of his masse did stoutlie withstand their Abbot and thereof came this moonkish brall wherein these thrée moonks were slaine and eightéene more hurt About this time or not long after the sepulchre of Walwey king Arthurs sisters sonne was found vpon the sea shore in the countrie of Ros the bodie by estimation vpon viewing of the bones was thought to be xiiij foote in length Walwey in his life time was a right noble and valiant warriour of verie good reputation who ruled that countrie which to this daie of him is called Walwethay And this yeare Sulien forsooke his Bishoprike the second time and Wylfred was stalled in his place At this time also the towne of Caerdyff was built In the yeare 1087. William Bastard king of all Brytaine and Duke of Normandie died when he had left neuer a noble man of English bloud within England but had robbed spoiled and slaine or banished them all and giuen their lands to his owne men for God had brought in the Normanes to reuenge his anger vpon the Angles and Saxons which Normanes were counted the cruellest people in the world for euer when they had brought their enimies to subiection that they were not able to rebell against them they commonlie destroied one another and so euer exercised their crueltie vpon themselues as it appeared in England Normandie Apulia Calabria Sicilia Antiochia which countries they brought to their subiection It is noted also by Iohn Rous and Castoreus that no Englishman bare office of anie credit or countenance in the Conquerours daies and that it was counted a great reproch and shame for a noble man or gentleman to be called an Englishman or to ioine in affinitie by mariage with the English nation they hated them so sore whereby it appéereth that all the ancient noble men and gentlemen within this land are descended either from the Normans and French or from the Brytaines When William had obtained full possession of the realme he appointed ordeined such officers as spoiled the
whole land by colour of iustice yet he brought the land in such awe of him that a child might haue caried gold openlie through all England without danger of theeues for all such oftenders lost their hands and if anie man forced anie woman he should lose his stones This William left England to William Rufus his sonne and Normandie to his eldest sonne Robert and his treasure he gaue to Henrie his third sonne The same yeare all the sons of Blethyn ap Convyn sometimes king of VVales gathered their strength together against Rees ap Tewdor who not being able to meete with them fled to Ireland and there he purchased himselfe great freends and got an armie of Irishmen and Scots to whom he promised great towards when he should obtaine his kingdome and so landed in Southwales with these strangers Which when his freends hard of they drew to him the other came in all hast thinking to fight with him before his power should increase and at Lhechryd they gaue him battell where they were discomfited and two of the brethren slaine to wit Madoc and Riryd and the other fled and forsooke the countrie As soone as Rees was in quiet possession of his kingdome he sent home his strangers with great rewards About this time the shrine of S. Dauid was stolne out of the church and when all the iewels and treasures were taken away the shrine was left where it might be found againe The Normanes rebelled against the king in diuers places at one time for Odo Bishop of Bayon chiefe gouernour of England began the rebellion in Kent and burned the kings townes so did Roger lord Mortimer at Peuenest Bishop Galfride destroied Bath and Berklay Roger did his indeuour in Northfolke and Southfolke Hugh in Leycester and Northamptonshires and the Bishop of Durham was not behind in his quarter Likewise the Earles of Hereford and Shrewesburie with the Welshmen burned all VVorcestershire and Glocestershire to the gates of VVorcester Then the king gathered his strength together and promising the people their ancient liberties proceeded towards his enimies and first wanne the castell of Tynbridge and after besieged Odo and Roger Mortimer in the castell of Peuenest vj. weekes at which time his brother Robert came with an armie from Normandie and would haue landed but he was driuen backe by such as kept the sea coastes Then Odo yeelded Peuenest to the king promised to depart the land so did Afterwards the king wan the castell of Rochester and lead his armie to Durham tooke it and banished all his enimies the land In the yeare 1088 there was a terrible earthquake through all the land the yeare folowing died Sulien the godliest wisest man and the greatest clerke in all VVales being 80. yeares old About this time certeine strangers which were rouers vpon the seas landed at S. Dauids and robbed it and burned the towne At which time also Cadiuor the sonne of Calhoyn lord of Dyuet died whose sonnes Lhewelyn and Eneon mooued Gruffyth the sonne of Meredyth to make warre against their lord prince Rees ap Theodor and so ioining all their strength togither came against him to Lhandydoch where Rees was who gaue them battell and putting them to flight pursued them so sore that he tooke Gruffyth ap Meredyth and put him to death But Eneon sonne to Cadiuor ap Colhoyn fled to Iestyn lord of Morgannwc who likewise rebelled against Rees ap Theodor and promised vpon condition to haue Iestyns daughter in mariage and certaine other couenants then agreed vpon betweene them to bring to their succours an armie of Normanes for he had serued in England before and was well knowen acquainted with all the English nobilitie which things being thus concluded they were fully minded to be reuenged vpon Rees And so Eneon went to England wrought such means that he procured Robert Fitzhamon with twelue other knights to gather a great armie of Frenchmen or Normanes to come to their aid who shortlie after landed in Glamorganshire where Iestyn ap Gurgant lord of the land receiued them with much honor and ioining his power to theirs burned spoiled prince Rees his land destroied his people Which thing being declared to Rees grieued him sore wherevpon he suddenlie gathered his power and met them not far from Brechnock where after a terrible fight he was slaine with whome fell and decaied the kingdome of Southwales This Rees had by his wife the daughter of Rywalhon ap Convyn a sonne called Gruffyth who at his fathers death was but a verie child and one Grono that was in the kings prison These Normanes after they had receiued their promised salarie and great rewards of Iestyn returned to their ships When Eneon burthened Iestyn with the promise of his daughter in mariage Iestyn laughed him to scorne and told him that he would bestow his daughter otherwise wherevpon Eneon full of anger and despite folowed the Normanes And when he came to the shoare they were all a shipboard then he shouted to them and made a signe with his cloake to call them backe and they turned againe to know his meaning Then he went to the chiefest of them and shewed of his abuse at Iestyns hands declaring withall how easie it was for them to winne that faire and pleasant countrie from Iestyn whome for his treason to Rees none other prince of Wales would succour wherevnto they were easilie persuaded and so vngratefullie turned all their power against him for whose defense they had come thither and at whose hands they had beene well intertained and recompensed with rich gifts and great rewards And first they spoiled him of his countrie who mistrusted them not and tooke all the fertile and valey ground to themselues and left the barren and rough mountaines to Eneon for his part The names of those twelue knights that came and accompanied Robert Fitzhamon were these Londres or London as the Brytish booke nameth him Stradlyng S. Iohn Turberuile Grenuile Humffreuile S. Quintine Soore Sully Berkeroll Syward and Fleming These men and their heires haue enioied that countrie to this daie who were the first strangers that euer inhabited Wales since the time of Camber The historie of the winning of Glamorgan in maner agréeing with this author is particularlie set in writing by some skilfull and studious Gentleman of that countrie wherein he continueth not onelie the vse and possession of the same Lordship in the heires of those noble men which wan it but also sheweth their progenie and issues euen to our time The copie whereof being deliuered vnto me by the right worshipfull Mistres Blanch Parry one of the Gentlewomen of the Quéenes Maiesties priuie chamber a singular well willer and furtherer of the weale publike of that countrie I thought good héere to insert as followeth The winning of the Lordship of Glamorgan or Morgannwc out of the VVelshmens hands and first of the description of the same