Owen Meredyth the sonne of Owen ap Howel Dha The yeare 987. died Ievaf the sonne of Edwal which had liued manie yeares a priuate life The same yeare also died Owen the son of Howel Dha Prince of Southwales This Owen had three sons Eneon which died in his fathers time Lhywarch which lost both his eies and Meredyth which as before is declared had wonne Northwales and after his fathers death tooke also to his possession all Southwales hauing no respect to his brother Eneon his sonnes Edwyn and Theodor or Tewdor About the same time the Danes sailed from Hampton alongst the coast spoiling Deuonshire Cornewale and so at the last landed in Southwales and destroied S. Dauids Lhanbadarn Lhanrystyd and Lhandydoch which were all places of religion and did so much hurt in the countrie besides that to be rid of them Meredyth was faine to agree with them to giue them a penie for euerie man within his land which was called The tribute of the blacke armie At this time Elwmaen the son of Abloic king of Ireland was slain a great number of people died for hunger The yeare 989. Owen the son of Dyfnwal was slaine Within a yeare after Meredyth king of Wales destroied the towne of Radnor at what time his nephew Edwyn the sonne of Eneon hauing to his aid duke Adelf and a great armie of Englishmen and Danes spoiled all the land of Meredyth in Southwales as Caerdigan Dyuet Gwyr Kydweli and S. Dauids where Edwyn tooke pledges of the chiefe men of those countries In the meane time this Meredyth with his people did spoile Glamorgan so that no place was free from sword and fire but at the last Meredyth and Edwyn fell at an agreement were made freends Soone after Cadwalhon the onelie sonne of Meredyth died Meredyth being thus occupied had so much to do in Southwales that Northwales laie open for the enimie which thing when the Danes perceiued they arriued in Anglesey and destroied the whole Ile Wherevpon the inhabitants of that countrie receiued Edwal the sonne of Meyric the right heire of Northwales for their prince in the yeare 992. After these great troubles there followed within a yeare after such famine scarsitie in Southwales that manie perished for want of food Edwal ap Meyric Edwal ap Meyric the sonne of Meredyth THis Edwal being in possession of the principalitie of Northwales studied to keepe and defend his people from iniuries and wrongs But Meredyth gathered togither all his power intending to recouer againe Northwales with whome Edwal met at Lhangwm and ouerthrew him in plaine battell where Theodor of Tewdor Mawr Meredyth his nephew was slaine who left behind him two sonnes Rees Rytherch a daughter called Elen. A litle after this Swayn the sonne of Haroald destroied the Ile of Man and entring to Northwales slew Edwal the prince therof who left behind him a sonne called Iago In the yeare of Christ 998. the Danes came againe to S. Dauids destroieng all before them and there they slew Morgeney or rather Vrgeney Bishop of that sea The same yeare also died Meredyth the sonne of Owen king or prince of Wales leauing behind him one onlie daughter called Angharad which was maried to Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht and after his death to Conuyn Hirdref or as other do thinke to Conuyn ap Gwerystan who had children by either of them which was the cause of much warre mischief in Wales as shall appeare hereafter Aedan ap Blegored Aedan the sonne of Blegored I doo not know neither could I euer find what colour or pretense of title this Aedan ap Blegored had to the principalitie of Northwales nor yet of whom he descended or who came of him whereas all the other princes are notoriouslie knowen of what families they descended and who came of them Neither yet doo I read of anie Blegored whose sonne he might be except it be that doctor of Law of whom mention is made in the lawes of Howel Dha whose estate was too meane to challenge the principalitie He is reported to haue gouerned about xij yeares Of this acts by him atchieued there is verie litle written sauing of those two battels the one wherin he ouercame Conan ap Howel and the other wherin he was ouercome himselfe and slaine with his foure sonnes by Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht In the yeare 1004. Gulfath and Vbiad Irish Lords were taken by the Scots and their eies put out which Scots did also destroie the countrie and towne of Deuelyn Likewise the Danes which had destroied againe Westwales went to England and there spoiled and burned the land all before them especiallie Somersetshire Dorsetshire and so through Hampshire and Sussex they came towards the riuer of Thames without anie let or staie and so sailed alongst the riuer to the place where the riuer Mydwey entreth to the Thames alongst which water they came to Rochester where they ouerthrew the Kentishmen that bade them battell Edelred king of England was at this time in Cumberland the chiefe denne of the Danes which land he brought to his subiection but in the meane while another armie of Danes fought againe with the men of Somersetshire and got the victorie and ruled the countrie at their pleasure Then Edelred hearing of the great worthines of Richard Duke of Normandie sent to him for his daughter Emma in mariage thinking thereby to haue succour but God intending to punish the great sinnes and enormities of the Saxons did moue the king thereto that like as they being instruments of Gods wrath vnder the colour of friends and hired soldiours had traiterouslie and cruellie slaine the Brytaines and driuen them out of their land so should the Normanes by colour of this affinitie first enter the land as friends and bring succour against the Danes and afterward come as foes and be the vtter destruction of the Saxons and Angles which was then foreseene and told the king by an Anachoret who inspired with the spirit of God sawe the plagues which he had certainelie appointed to fall vpon the Saxons But the king puffed vp with pride and hope of his affinitie did priuilie write to all the english rulers through the realme to kill the Danes in one night which then liued peaceablie which murther was cruellie executed vpon S. Brices daie at night But yet the Danes would not giue ouer so with losse Therefore the yeare following there came an armie of them to Deuonshire and ouerran the land with fire and sword sparing nothing that had life that they might reuenge the murther of their coosens They rased the citie of Excester and slue Hugh the Normane whome the Queene had appointed gouernour there Then Almarus Earle of Deuon gathered a great armie of Hampshire Wilshire and all the countrie about and met the Danes but he and his were put to flight and the Danes pursued them to Wilton and destroied it and Salisburie and returned to their
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
the yeare following he was slaine by Howel and Meredyth the sonnes of Edwyn leauing behind him a sonne named Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn Iago ap Edwal Iago the sonne of Edwal ap Meyric ap Edwal Voel About the yeare 1031. the Irish-scots entred Southwales by the meanes of Howel and Meredyth the sonnes of Edwyn ap Eneon ap Owen ap Howel Dha who hired them against Rytherch ap Iestyn whom they discomfited and slew by that means attained vnto the gouernement of Southwales which they two ruled iointly but yet with small quietnesse for the sonnes of Rytherch gathered a number of such as were their fathers friends to reuenge his death with whom Howel and Meredyth met at Hyarthwy after long fight put them to flight But in the yeare folowing Meredyth was slaine by the sons of Conan the sonne of Sitsylht brother to the worthie prince Lhewelyn to reuenge their fathers death whome Meredyth and his brother had slaine The yeare next ensuing certaine Englishmen entred the land of Gwent with whom Rytherch ap Iestyn fought and was by them slaine Not long after died Cnute the most famous and mightiest prince in the West parts of the world as he that had vnder his dominion the great countrie of Swethen from Germanie to the Northpole with Norway and Denmarke and all the noble Ile of Brytaine After whom Haroald Harfote his son begotten vpon Alwyn the daughter of Duke Alfelyn was created king For Hardie Cnute his other sonne by Emma was then in Denmarke This Haroald in the first yeare of his reigne banished Emma his stepmother out of the realme In the yeare 1037. Gruffyth the son of Lhewelyn ap Sitsylth sometimes king of Wales raised a great number of people against Iago then enioieng the principalitie or kingdome of Northwales whome Iago likewise prouided for as well as he could but the more part and the better souldiours were of Gruffyths side for the loue they bare to his father which afterward well appeared for after the armies once met Iago was soone ouerthrowne and slaine This Iago left behind him a sonne called Conan by his wife Auandred daughter to Gweir the sonne of Pylh. Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn Gruffyth the sonne of Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht and Angharat This Howel procured Edwyn the brother of Leofrike Earle of Chester or Mercia to come with an armie of Englishmen and Danes to his aide against prince Gruffyth who met his enimies in the field and ouercame them and slue the said Edwyn but Howel escaped by flight After the which victorie Gruffyth made sundrie inuasions vpon the marches towards Hereford and alwaies returned with great spoiles When Gruffyth had brought all Wales vnder his dominion he returned to Northwales againe The yeare insuing 1038. Hernun Archbishop of Meneuia or S. Dauids died a man both learned and godlie The yeare next following Howel king of Southwales gathered a great power of his friends and strangers and entred the land intending to recouer it againe Wherefore Gruffyth like a worthie prince came with all speed to succour his people and meeting with Howel at Pencadair after he had incouraged his souldiours gaue him battell and ouerthrew him and pursued him so narrowlie that hee tooke Howels wife whome hee had brought to the field to see the ouerthrow of Gruffyth which chanced otherwise whome Gruffyth liked so well that he kept hir for his concubine About this time Haroald king of England died and his brother Hardycnute reigned in his stead a noble and a liberall prince who as it is reported caused his tables to be couered and furnished four times euerie daie for strangers and all commers and after he had reigned two yeares he died at Lambeth in the floure of his age After whose death the Englishmen sent for Alfred the eldest son of Edelred from Normandy but that message pleased not Earle Godwyn which was the mightiest man in the land because he knew the yoong prince to be couragious and stout and therefore one that would not suffer him to rule the land as he intended to doo Therefore he persuaded the people that Alfred who had come well accompanied with Normanes had promised them the whole rule of the land and therevpon they tooke all the Normanes and bound them and afterward tithed them putting euerie tenth man to death And yet they thought there were too manie wherefore they tithed them the second time and lead Alfred from Gilford where this crueltie was committed to Gillingham and there put out his eies and remoued him thence to Ely where he was pitifullie murthered Afterward they sent for Edward the yonger sonne whome they receiued as king the yeare folowing after that he had maried Godwynes daughter who in the first yeere of his reigne banished Earle Swayne sonne to the said Earle Godwyn who was receiued of the Earle of Flanders In the yeare 1041. Howel came againe to Southwales and remained there awhile and shortlie after a number of strangers landed in Westwales spoiled the countrie against whom Howel gathered a number of people and fought with them and droue them to their ships with much losse At this time Conan the sonne of Iago who had fled to Ireland to saue his life with the power of Alfred king of Deuelyn whose daughter Ranulph he had maried entred Northwales and by treason had taken Gruffyth the king and caried him towards the ships but when it was knowen the countrie vpon the sudden folowed the Irishmen and ouertaking them rescued their prince requiting their foes with much slaughter to their ships who returned streight with Conan to Ireland The yeare folowing Howel the sonne of Owen Lord of Glamorgan died being a man full of yeares Then Howel ap Edwyn called to his succour Danes and Englishmen with all the power he could make in Southwales Whereof Gruffyth being certified gathered his power togither in Northwales came couragiouslie to meete his enimies whom he had twise before discomfited and ouercame them and chased them as farre as the spring of the riuer Towy where after a long and dangerous battell Howel was slaine and his armie discomfited and so narrowlie pursued that few escaped aliue After whose death Rytherch and Rees the sonnes of Rytherch ap Iestyn aspiring againe to the rule and gouernment of Southwales which their father had once obtained gathered a great armie aswell of strangers as out of Gwentland and Glamorgan and met with Gruffyth king of Wales who after his accustomed maner detracting no time but couragiouslie animating his men with the remembrance of their former fortune and diuerse victories vnder his standard ioined battell with his enimies whom he found disposed to abide to win againt the honor which before they had lost wherfore when they met the fight was cruell bloudie continued till night which easilie departed both armies being werie with fighting and either fearing other returned to their countries to gather more strength This
companions who in that heat of contention obiected vnto him that he was but a bastard begotten in vnlawfull bed Which reproch so gréeued VValter that he fell vpon the other and slew him wherevpon fearing the punishment of the law he fled into Scotland where he fell into the companie of those Englishmen which were come thither with Quéene Margaret the sister of Edgar Edeling amongst whom he shewed himself so discréet and sober in all his demcanor that he was highlie estéemed of all men and so attaining to higher reputation and credit was afterward emploied in the affaires of the common wealth and at length made Lord Steward of Scotland receiuing the kings reuenewes of the whole realme Of the which office he and his posteritie reteined that sirname of Steward euer after from whom descended the most noble kings of Scotland of the familie of Stewards besides manie other Dukes Marquesses Earles and Barones of great fame and renowme Also at this time Siward that worthie Earle of Northumberland being brought to the point of death with the bloudie fluxe bewailed his mischance that he had escaped in manie a dangerous battell and now should die such a filthie and cowardlie death and calling his friends and his men about him commanded them to set him in his chaire and to arme him at all points and put his shield in the left hand and so made an end of his worthie life Whose Earldome because his sonne was within yeares was giuen to Tosty Godwyns sonne In the yeare 1054. Gruffyth the son of Rytherch ap Iestyn did gather a great number aswell strangers as others against Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn king or prince of Wales but commonlie called king of Northwales who detracting no time meeting him fought with him slew him Shortlie after Algar Earle of Chester being conuicted of treason against the king fled to Gruffyth king or prince of Wales who gathered his power to reuenge the often wrongs which he had receiued at the Englishmens hands who euer succoured his enimies against him Therefore he together with Algar entred Herefordshire and spoiled all the waie with fire and sword to the citie whither all the people had fled and they boldlie issued forth Earle Randulph being their leader and gaue him battell which Gruffyth wished for aboue anie other thing as he that had wonne fiue set fields and couragiouslie receiuing his enimies fought with them Which fight was long doubtfull till such time as Gruffyth incouraged his people with the remembrance of the prowesse worthie actes of the ancient Brytaines their forfathers saieng that they were the same enimies whose backes they had so oftentimes seene before which doubled their strength and force and so they pressed forwards that their foes were compelled to forsake the field and trust to their feete where their hands preuailed not and thought to haue taken the towne for their defense But Gruffyth and his men pursued them so hard that they entred with them and after a great slaughter returned home with manie worthie prisoners great triumph rich spoiles leauing nothing in the towne but bloud ashes and the walles rased to the ground There be some which affirme that king Edward by euill counsell as it is thought banished Algar the sonne of Earle Leofrike wherevpon he gat him into Ireland and there prouiding xviij ships of rouers returned and ioined himself with Gruffyth king or prince of Wales who both together inuaded the countrie of Mercia about Hereford where Ranulph Earle of that countrie who was sonne to king Edwards sister named Goda by hir first husband VValter de Maunt came against them with a great armie and met them about two miles from Hereford where after a sore fight by the space of thrée houres Ranulph and his armie were discomfited and about 500. of them slaine and the rest put to flight whome Gruffyth Algar pursued to Hereford and entring the towne set the cathedrall church on fire and slue the Bishop named Leogar with seauen of the canons spoiled and burnt the towne miserablie Wherevpon king Edward being aduertised héereof gathered an armie and sent Haroald the sonne of Earle Godwyn against them who pursuing the enimies to Northwales passed through Stradclwyd to Snowdon but Gruffyth and Algar being afraid to méete Haroald gote them againe to Southwales whereof Haroald being aduertised left one part of his armie in Northwales to resist the enimies there and returning with the residue to Hereford caused a great trench to be cast round about the towne with a high rampire stronglie fortifieng the gates of the same After this by meanes of a parle had with Gruffyth Algar at a place called Biligelhag a peace was concluded wherevpon Algar being pardoned by the king and restored againe to his Earledome returned home to Chester About two yeares after Algar was accused againe of treason so that he was the second time exiled the land and repaired to his old friend Gruffyth prince of Northwales by whome he was receiued ioifullie and restored againe to his Earledome by the aid of certaine strangers which came by chance frō Norwaie Whervpon king Edward being sore offended with Gruffyth sent Haroald againe with power to Northwales to be reuenged vpon him who comming to Ruthlan burned the palace of Gruffyth and his ships and then returned backe to the king at Glocester About this time Edward the sonne of Edmund Ironside came to England with his wife and children Edgar Edeling which signifieth in the Brytish toong a yong Lord or a Prince and Margaret which was afterwards Queene of Scots and mother to Mawd wife to Henrie the first king of England About two yeares after came Roderike sonne to Haroald king of Denmarke with a great armie to Wales and there being freendlie receiued of king Gruffyth ioining his power to Gruffyths entred England and cruellie spoiled and burned a great part of the land But shortlie after Roderike was compelled to returne to his ships and to saile to Denmarke and Gruffyth returned with spoiles This yeare as Haroald Godwyns sonne would haue sailed to Flanders he was driuen by force of a tempest to land in Poytiers where he was taken and conueied to William Bastard duke of Normandie to whom Haroald declared his iournie thither to be onelie to offer him his seruice in the affaires of England and tooke a solemne oth first to marrie the Dukes daughter and after the death of Edward to reserue the crowne to the dukes vse Then shortlie after receiuing rich gifts with much honor he returned to England This yeare died Owen the sonne of Gruffyth ap Rytherch Also Haroald and his brother Tosty by the procurement of Caradoc ap Gruffyth ap Rytherch and others gathered a great power and entred Southwales and subdued a great part thereof and wrought so with those that were about Gruffyth the king that assoone as he had gathered his people in Northwales tooke
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
yeare folowing Owen the sonne of Gruffyth ap Meredyth named Owen Cyuelioc and Owen ap Madoc ap Meredyth got the castell of Carrechoua by Oswestrie and wasted it About the same time there was a combate fought betweene Robert Mountfort and Henrie de Essex to trie which of them had begun the flight in the voiage against the Welshmen in the marches Either of them accused the other but in the triall Henrie was ouercome and afterward disinherited shauen a moonke at Redding Then the king gathered a great power against Southwales and came himselfe as farre as Pencadayr beside Brechnock where Rees came to him and did him homage and gaue him pledges and then the king went to Ireland againe About this time Eneon the sonne of Anarawd ap Gruffyth nephue to prince Rees was murthered in his bed by a man of his owne named Lhywarch Also Cadogan ap Meredyth was slaine after the like maner by one Walter ap Riccart Then the lord Rees as he is called in Welsh or king Rees as the Latine authors name him tooke the Cantref Mawr which is a great countrie and the land of Dynevowr and enioied it And this yeare died Cadiuor ap Daniel Archdeacon of Caerdigan and Henrie ap Arthen which was the worthiest clerke that had beene manie yeares in Wales The yeare ensuing the lord Rees seeing he was not able to maintaine his estate with such lands as the king had appointed him entred the lands of Roger de Clare Earle of Glocester for by the Earles means was his nephue murthered and wanne the castels of Aberheidol and of the sonnes of Wynyaon rased them And so in short time he brought all Caerdigan to his subiection from thence he made manie roades against the Flemings and got great spoiles in their countrie Then all VVales agreed to forsake the rule of the Normanes whose treason and crueltie they could not abide and to serue princes of their owne nation This yeare Hamelyn base brother to king Henrie maried the Countesse of VVarren which was wife to VVilliam Earle of Egle base sonne to king Stephen and daughter and heire to VVilliam Earle VVarren Also this yeare died VValter Gifford Earle of Buckingham without heire therefore the Earledome fell to the kings hands In the yeare 1165. Dauid the sonne of Owen prince of Northwales did destroie all Flynt shire which was the kings and caried all the people and cattell with him to the Dyffryn Cloyd now called Ruthyn land Which thing when the king vnderstood he leuied an armie in hast and came to succour his castels and people as far as Ruthlan and after he had laine there three daies and could do no good he returned to England where he gathered another armie of chosen men through all his dominions as England Normandie Aniow Gascoine Gwyen sending for succours from Flanders and Brytaine then returned towards Northwales minding vtterlie to destroie all that had life in the land and comming to Croes Oswalt called Oswaldstree incamped there On the contrarie side prince Owen and his brother Cadwalader with all the power of Northwales and the lord Rees with the power of Southwales Owen Cynelioc and the sonnes of Madoc ap Meredyth with the power of Powys and the two sonnes of Madoc ap Ednerth with the people betwixt Wye and Seauerne gathered themselues togither and came to Corwen in Edeyrneon purposing to defend their countrie But the king vnderstanding that they were so nigh being wonderfull desirous of battel came to the riuer Ceireoc and caused the woods to be hewen downe Wherevpon a number of the VVelshmen vnderstanding the passage vnknowing to their captaines met with the kings ward where were placed the piked men of all the armie and there began a hote skirmish where diuerse worthie men were slaine on either side but in the end the king wanne the passage and came to the mountaine of Berwyn where he laie in campe certaine daies and so both the armies stood in awe each of other for the king kept the open plaines and was affraid to be intrapped in straits but the VVelshmen watched for the aduantage of the place kept the king so straitlie that neither forrage nor victuall might come to his camp neither durst anie soldiour stirre abroad And to augment these miseries there fell such raine that the kings men could scant stand vpon their feete vpon those slipperie hilles In the end the king was compelled to returne home without his purpose that with great losse of men and munition besides his charges Therefore in a great choler he caused the pledges eies whom he had receiued long before that to be put out which were Rees and Cadwalhon the sonnes of Owen and Cynwric and Meredyth the sonnes of Rees and other I find also written by diuers that in the assieging of a bridge the king was in no small danger of his life for one of the Weshmen shooting directlie at him had persed him through the bodie if Hubert de S. Clere constable of Colchester perceiuing the arrow comming had not thrust him selfe betwixt the King and the same arrow whereby he saued his maister and died himselfe for him presentlie Although Polydor writing the historie out of the same authors doo conceale the same Then after long consultation the king came the third time towards Northwales intending to haue his armie conueied by sea to land in some conuenient place of the countrie and so he came to Chester and there laie a certeine time till all his nauie was gathered togither aswell hired ships of Ireland as his owne and vpon the sudden he brake vp his campe and gaue both ships and men leaue to depart The same yeare Rees prince of Southwales laid siege to the castell of Aberteiui and wan it and made it flat with the ground and likewise wan Cilgerran rased it At which time he tooke prisoner Robert the sonne of Stephen his coosen germane sonne to Nest his aunt who after the death of Gerald had maried Stephen constable and so returned home with great honor and rich spoile About the same time died Lhewelyn sonne to prince Owen a worthie gentleman and of great towardnesse In the yeare ensuing the Flemings and Normanes came to Westwales with a great power against the castell of Cilgerran which Rees had fortified and laid siege to it assaulting it diuerse times but it was so manfullie defended that they returned home as they came and shortlie after they came before it againe where they lost manie of their best men and then departed againe The same yeare Owen prince of Northwales laid siege to the castell of Basygwerke which the king had fortified and in short time wan the same and rased it About the same time Dermot the son of Murchart was chased out of his dominion in Ireland and went to Normandie to king Henrie for succour Also Iorwerth Goch was spoiled of his lands in Powys by
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
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
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
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
diuers places manie houses burnt to the earth The same yeare died Gruffyth the sonne of Run and Griffri the sonne of Kyngen was slaine by the treason of Elice his brother Howel gaue his brother Conan another battell and slew a great number of his people wherevppon Conan leauied an armie in the yeare 817. chased his brother Howel out of the Ile of Môn or Anglesey compelling him to flie into Man And a little after died Conan chiefe King of the Brytaines or Welshmen leauing behind him a daughter called Esylht which was married to a noble man called Mervyn Vrych the sonne of Gwyriad or Vriet the son of Elidur so forth in the right line to Belinus the brother of Brennus King of the Brytaines and his mother was Nest the daughter of Cadelh King of Powys the sonne of Brochwel Yscithroc that fought with the Saxons at Bangor who was prince of Powys This Brochwel is called of the Latine writers Breciuallus and Brochmaelus of whom I find thus written in Historia diuae Monacellae Fuit olim in Powysia quidam princeps illustrissimus nomine Brochwel Yscithroc Consul Legecestriae qui in vrbe tunc temporis Pengwern Powys nunc verò Salopia dicta est habitabat cuius domicilium seu habitaculum ibi steterat vbi collegiū diui Ceddae nunc situm est That is There was sometimes in Powys a noble Prince named Brochwel Yscithroc Consul or Earle of Chester who dwelt in a towne then called Pengwerne Powys and now Salope whose dwelling house was in the verie same place where the College of Saint Chad now standeth This man with Caduan king of Brytaine Morgan king of Demetia and Bledericus king of Cornewal gaue an ouerthrow to Ethelfred king of Northumberland vpon the riuer of Dee Anno gratiae 617. of whome the ancestors of diuers in VVales liuing at this daie are knowne by ancient bookes and records to haue descended Mervyn Vrych and Esylht Mervyn Vrych Esylht the daughter of Conan THE first yeare of the reigne of Mervyn Vrych and Esylht his wife Egbert King of Westsex entred into VVales with a great armie and destroied the whole countrie vnto Snowden hilles and seised to his hands the countrie of Rhyvonioc in Denbighland About this time there was a sore battell fought in Anglesey called the battell of Lhanuaes In the yeare of Christ 819. Kenulph King of Mertia destroied West Wales and the summer following he ouerranne Powys land and did much hurt and soone after died and Kenelme reigned in his place About the same time also Howel King of Man died The yeare 825. Ceolwulph was made King of Mertia and reigned two yeares After whome Bernulph was created king who was ouerthrowne at Elledowne by Egbert king of the West Saxons who also brought to his subiection the countries of Kent and West Angles Not long after about the yeare 828. Bernulph was slaine by the East Angles After that there was a great battell fought at a place called Gauelford betwixt the Brytaines and the West Saxons of Deuonshire and manie thousands cruellie slaine vpon either side and the victorie vncertaine The yeare 829. Egbert ouerthrew Wyhtlafe King of Mertia and made him subiect to his Kingdome He also passed Humber and wan the land and so was the first Monarch of the Saxons and brought the seauen kingdomes into one and changed the name of Brytaine into England and called the people Englishmen and the language English for the people that came into this Ile from Germanie were Saxons Angles and Iuthes And of the Saxons came the people of Eastsex Southsex Middlesex and West Saxons Of the Angles came the East Angles middle Angles or Mertians and all on the North side of Humber And of the Iuthes came the inhabitants of Kent and the Ile of Wight And the seauen Kingdomes were these 1 The first Kent 2 The second Southsex containing Sussex and Southerie 3 The third East Angles containing Northfolke Southfolke and Cambridgeshire 4 The fourth Westsex containing Barkeshire Deuonshire Somersetshire and Cornewall 5 The fift Mertia containing Glocestershire Herefordshire Worcestershire Shropshire Staffordshire Chesshire Warwikeshire Leycestershire Darbishire Notinghamshire Lincolneshire Northamptonshire Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire and halfe Hertfordshire 6 The sixt was East Saxon containing Essex Middlesex and the other halfe of Hertfordshire 7 The seauenth Kingdome was all the lands vpon the North side of Humber which was also diuided into two kingdomes Deyra and Bernicia Deyra was the land betwixt Humber and Tine Bernicia from Tine to the Scottish sea All these were brought vnder subiection by Egbert king of West Saxons and this realme called England the yeare after the comming of Brutus to this Ile 1968. after the comming of Hengist 383. and after the departure of Cadwalader 149. yeares Which name although it hath continued to this daie for the space of 755. yeares yet was it not verie luckie or fortunate to the Saxons inhabitours of this realme For euen vpon this change of their name and vnition of the kingdome followed the terrible and cruell inuasion of the Danes and after that the conquest of the Normanes of whome the Kings of this time haue descended But to returne to my matter againe The yeare 833. the Danes in great companies landed in diuers places of this realme and fought diuers battels with Egbert wherin sometimes they and sometimes he had the victorie Afterward in the yeare 836. they landed in West Wales and so passed through Wales to England with manie of the Brytaines which ioined with them against Egbert but they were all ouerthrowne by Egbert at Hengestdowne who died the yeare following This Egbert king of England wan the citie of Caer lhêon ar Dhowrdwy or Chester which was the chiefe citie of Venedotia out of the hands of the Brytaines in whose possession it remained vntill that time He caused also as some writers doo affirme the brasen image of Cadwalhon king of Brytaine to be throwne downe defaced commanding that no man vpon paine of death should set vp anie such againe forbidding this land to be called Brytain anie more but England and the people Englishmen He also made proclamation by the setting on of Redburga his wife who bearing malice towards the Brytaines could not abide any of that nation that no Brytaine should remaine within the confines of England commanding that al singular which were of the Brytish bloud should within sixe moneths auoide with their wiues and children out of his kingdome vpon paine of losing their heads After the death of Egbert his sonne Ethelwulph reigned in his place who gaue his daughter in mariage to Berthred his tributarie king of Mertia He had great warres and much adoo with the Danes which destroied with fire and sword the sea coast of England The yeare 841. died Idwalhon a noble man of Wales And two yeares after was the battell of Kettell betwixt Burchred king of Mertia and 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
by law he ought to be imprisoned or no. Item the said Gruffyth and his heires will stand to the iudgement of the kings court for and concerning that portion of the inheritance of the said Lhewelyn his father which of right ought to appertaine vnto him Item the said Senena vndertaketh for the said Gruffyth and his heires that the said Gruffyth and his heirs shall yéeld and paie yearelie to the king for the same lands the summe of thrée hundreth markes Whereof the first third part to be paid in monie the second in kine and the third in horses by the estimation of indifferent men and the same to be paid yearelie at Michaelmas and Easter by euen portions by the hands of the Shirife of the countie of Salop for the time being Item the said Senena vndertaketh further for the said Gruffyth and his heires that they and euerie of them shall obserue the peace against the said Dauid and suffer him quietlie to enioy such portion of his fathers inheritance as to him shall be found to be due Item the said Senena doth further vndertake for the said Gruffyth hir husband and his heires that in case anie Welshman hereafter shall happen to rebell against the king they at their owne costes and charges shall compell the said offender to make satisfaction to the king for his disobedience Item for the performance of the premisses the said Senena will deliuer vnto the lord the king Dauid and Roderike hir sonnes for pledges with prouiso that if the said Gruffyth and Owen or either of them shall happen to die before their deliuerie out of the said prison it shall be lawfull for the said Senena to haue one of hir sonnes released the other remaining with the king for pledge Item the said Senena hath sworne vpon the holie Euangelist that the said Gruffyth hir husband and his heires and euerie of them shall accomplish and performe all the premisses on their behalfe further vndertaketh that the said Gruffyth hir husband vpon his deliuerie out of prison shall take the same oth Item the said Senena in the name of the said Gruffyth hir husband submitteth hir selfe concerning the obseruation of the premisses vnto the iurisdiction of the reuerend fathers the bishops of Hereford and Lichfield so that the said bishops or either of them at the kings request shall compell the said Gruffyth and his heires to obserue all and singular the premisses on their behalfe by sentence of excommunication vpon their persons and interdiction vpon their lands Lastlie the said Senena both vndertake and promise bona fide to sée and procure the full performance of all the premisses and that the said Gruffyth hir husband and his heires shall allow and performe the same and thereof shall deliuer his instrument in writing to the king in forme aforesaid To this charter both parties put their seales Gruffyth and Senena to that part which remained with the king and the king to that part which remained with Senena Moreouer for the sure performance of these articles the said Senena for and in the name of hir husband put in for pledges the aforenamed noble men to wit Ralph Mortimer Walter Clifford Roger de monte alto c. Who bound themselues by their seuerall writings obligatorie to the king in maner and forme following Omnibus hoc scriptum visuris Rogerus de monte alto Senescallus Cestriae Salutem Sciatis quòd ego me constitui plegium c. TO all and singular to whome this writing shall come Roger de monte alto Steward of Chester sendeth greeting Know yee that I haue constituted my selfe pledge for Senena the wife of Gruffyth the sonne of Lhewelyn sometimes prince of Northwales and haue vndertaken for hir to our souereigne lord Henrie king of England that the said Senena shall accomplish and performe all and singular those couenants and articles agreed vpon betweene our said souereigne Lord and the said Senena for and concerning the deliuerance of the said Gruffyth hir husband and Owen his son out of the prison of Dauid his brother the portion of inheritance due vnto the said Gruffyth which the said Dauid keepeth from him by force In witnesse whereof to this present writing I haue put my seale Dated at Salop the mundaie before the feast of the Assumption of the blessed virgin Marie in the 25. yeare of the reigne of the said King The like charters were made by euerie one of the other noble men pledges who bound themselues with the like words Further such of the said lords which fauored Gruffyths cause as were out among themselues were now made fréends as Morgan ap Howel lord of Kery Sir Ralph Mortimer which before were at variance Wherevpon Dauid being driuen to extremities hauing most of the nobilities of Wales against him especiallie Gruffyth ap Madoc lord of Bromfield fauored him not who being a man of great wisedome and power was entirelie loued of the king Againe the sentence of excommunication the interdiction of his land did not a little vexe him But the kings presence with so puisant an armie did so moue his spirits that he could not be quiet till he had sent to the king to desire peace with this submissiō folowing The Charter of the Articles of Dauids submission to the King Omnibus Christi fidelibus ad quos praesentes literae peruenerint Dauid filius Leolini salutem Sciatis quòd concessi domino meo Henrico regi Angliae illustri c. TO all Christian people to whome these present letters shall come Dauid the sonne of Lhewelyn sendeth gréeting Know yée that I haue granted and promised to deliuer vnto the lord Henrie the noble king of England Gruffyth my brother with his sonne and heire whom I kéepe in prison and all other prisoners who by occasion of the said Gruffyth lie in durance Item I shall stand to the iudgement of the kings court aswell in that case whether the said Gruffyth ought to be detained prisoner or no as also for and concerning the part of the inheritance of the said Lhewelyn my father claimed by the said Gruffyth according to the custome of Wales so that the peace be maintained betwéene me and the said Gruffyth Item I and the said Gruffyth and either of vs shall hold our portions of land of our said soueraigne Lord the king in Capite acknowledging him chiefe lord thereof Item I shall restore vnto Roger de monte alto Steward of Chester his land of Montalt or Mould with the appurtenances Item I shall likewise restore to all other Barons all such lands lordships and castels as were taken from them sithence the beginning of the wars betwéene the lord Iohn king of England and the said Lhewelyn prince of Wales my father sauing the right of all couenants and grants by writing to be reserued vnto the iudgement and determination of the kings court Item I shall giue and restore vnto our souereigne lord the king all his charges
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
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
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
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
maner 4 Item where the great men of England would procure a prouision of a thousand pounds a yeare in England let it be answered that such prouision is not to be accepted for that it is procured by them who go about to disinherit the Prince to haue his lands in Wales 5 Item the Prince ought not to dismisse his inheritance and his predecessors in Wales since the time of Brutus and confirmed by the sea apostolike as is aforesaid and to take lands in England where he knoweth neither toong maners lawes nor customs wherein he shall be soone trapped by his neighbours the Englishmen his old malicious enimies wherby he should lose the land too 6 Item séeing the king goeth about to depriue him of his ancient inheritance it is not like that he would suffer him to possesse lands in England where he claimeth no right séeing that the Princes lands in Wales of his owne inheritance is but barren and vntilled it is lesse like the king would suffer him to enioie good fertile ground in England 7 Item the Prince should giue the king possession of Snowdon for euer Let it be answered that séeing that Snowdon is of the appurtenances of the principalitie of Wales which the Prince and his predecessors held since the time of Brute as it is before said his councell will not suffer him to renounce that place and to take in England a place lesse due vnto him 8 Item the people of Snowdon doo saie that although the Prince would giue the king possession of it yet they would neuer doo homage to strangers of whose toong maners and lawes they should be ignorant For so they should be for euer captiued and cruellie handled as the Cantreds haue béene by the kings bailiffes and other the kings men handled more cruellie than Sarracens as it dooth well appeare by the notes of their gréefes which the men of the Cantreds sent to you holie father These are to be answered for Dauid the Princes brother WHen he is disposed to see the holie land he will doo it for Gods sake uoluntarilie not by such inforcement against his will for he intendeth not to go on pilgrimage after that sort Bicause he knoweth enforced seruice not to please God and if he hereafter shall for deuotion sée the holie land that is no cause for euer to disinherit his offspring but rather to reward them And for that neither the Prince nor his people for countrie nor for gaines did mooue warre inuading no mans lands but defending their owne lands lawes and liberties and that the king and his people of inueterate hatred and for couetousnes to get our lands inuading the same mooued warre wée therefore sée our defense is iust and lawfull and herein we trust God will helpe vs and will turne his reuenge vpon destroiers of churches who haue rooted vp and burned churches and taken out both all sacraments and sacred things from them killing préests clarkes religious lame dombe deaffe yonglings sucking their mothers paps weake impotent both man and woman and committing all other enormities as partlie it appeareth to your holinesse Wherefore God forbid that your holinesse should fulminate sentence against anie but such as hath doone such things We who haue suffered all these things at the kings officers hands doo hope at your hands remedie and comfort and that you will punish such church robbers and killers who can defend themselues no waies least their impunitie because and example for others to do the like Uerie manie in our countrie doo much maruell that you counselled vs to leaue our owne land and to go to an other mans lands among our enimies to liue for séeing we cannot haue peace in our owne land which is our owne right much lesse should we be quiet in an other mans amongst our enimies And though it be hard to liue in warre and perill harder it is to be vtterlie destroied and brought to nothing especiallie for christians séeking else nothing but to defend our owne being by necessitie driuen therevnto the gréedie ambition of our enimies And your holinesse told vs that you had fulminated sentence against all that for hatred or gaines doo hinder the peace And it appeareth euidentlie who doo war for these causes the feare of death the feare of imprisonment the feare of perpetuall prison the feare of disinheriting no kéeping of promise couenant grant nor charter tyrannicall dominion and manie more like compell vs to be in warre and this we shew to God and to your lordship desiring your godlie and charitable helpe Furthermore if anie in England haue offended the king as manie doo offend him yet none of them be disinherited so if anie of vs haue offended the king let him be punished and make satisfaction as he maie without exhereditating As we trust in you we praie you holie Father to labour to this end If they laie to vs that we breake the peace it appeareth euidentlie that they and not we breake the same who neuer kept promise nor couenant nor order made anie amends for trespasses nor remedie for our complaints Thus farre out of the records of Iohn Peckam Archbishop of Cant. written about three hundreth yeares past which are extant this daie to be seene When the Archbishop could not conclude a peace he denounced the prince his complices accursed then the king sent his armie by sea to the Ile of Môn or Anglesey which they manne slew such as resisted them for the chiefest men serued the king as their oth was so they came ouer against Bangor where the arme of the sea called Mênay which diuideth the Ile from the maine land is narowest and the place called Moel y donn and there made a bridge of boates and plankes ouer the water where before Iulius Agricola did the like when he subdued the Ile to the Romanes and not betwixt Man and Brytaine as Polydor Virgil ignorantlie affirmeth This bridge accomplished so that threescore men might well passe ouer in a front William Latimer with a great number of the best soldiours and Lucas Thany steward of Gascoyn with his Gascoynes and Spaniards whereof a great number were to come to serve the king passed ouer the bridge and there saw no stirre of enimies but assoone as the sea beganne to flow downe came the Welshmen from the hils and set vpon them fiercely and either slew or chased them to the sea to drowne themselues for the water was to hie that they could not attaine the bridge sauing William Latimer alone whose horsse caried him to the bridge and so he escaped There were slaine and drowned at this time manie worthie soldiours and amongst other this famous knight Sir Lucas de Thany here named Robert Clifford Sir William Lindsey and two Gentlemen of good accompt that were brethren to Robert Burnell then bishop of Bath There perished in all thirtéene knights seuentéene yoong Gentlemen and to the number of two hundreth footmen
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
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
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
for me in September last requesting me to peruse and correct it in such sort as it might be committed to the presse But I knowing my selfe to be far vnable to performe and accomplish those things which are requisite to the publishing of such an historie and being otherwise called and imploied was verie loath anie thing to medle therein and so excused my selfe yet he conceiuing a better opinion of me than there was cause would needs haue me to doo mine indeuour in that behalfe VVhose request I was not of dutie to gainesaie or withstand and therevpon I promised to doo my best which trauell two things haue caused me to be the more willing to take it in hand First because I see the politike and martiall actes of all other inhabitants of this Iland in the time of their gouernment to be set out to the vttermost and that by diuers and sundrie writers and the whole doings and gouernment of the Brytaines the first inhabitants of the land who continued their rule longer than anie other nation to be nothing spoken of nor regarded of anie especialie sithence the reigne of Cadwalader hauing so manie monuments of antiquitie to declare and testifie the same if anie would take the paines to open and discouer them to the vew of the world The second thing that mooued me therevnto is the slanderous report of such writers as in their bookes do inforce euerie thing that is done by the Welshmen to their discredit leauing out all the causes and circumstances of the same which doo most commonlie not onelie eleuate or dissemble all the iniuries and wrongs offered and done to the Welshmen but also conceale or deface all the actes worthie of commendation atchieued by them Search the common Chronicles touching the Welshmen and commonlie thou shalt find that the King sendeth some noble man or other with an armie to Wales to withstand the rebellious attempts the proud stomachs the presumptuous pride stirre trouble and rebellion of the fierce vnquiet craking fickle and vnconstant Welshmen and no open fact laid downe to charge them withall why warre should be leuied against them nor yet they swaruing abrod out of their owne countrie to trouble other men Now this historie dooth shew the cause and circumstances of most of those warres whereby the qualitie of the action may be iudged And certeinlie no man is an indifferent witnesse against him whom he counteth his enimie or aduersarie for euill will neuer speaketh well The Welshmen were by the Saxons and Normans counted enimies before the twelfth yeare of Edward the first while they had a gouernour among themselues and afterward when king Edward had brought the countrie to his subiection he placed English officers to keepe them vnder to whome most commonlie he gaue the forfaits and possessions of such Welshmen as disobeied his lawes and refused to be ruled by the said officers the like did the other Kings that came after him The said officers were thought oftentimes to be ouer-seuere and rigorous for their owne profit commoditie which things caused the people often to disobeie manie times like desperate men to seeke reuengement hauing those for their iudges which were made by their ouerthrow and also wanting indifferencie in their causes and matters of griefes for the Kings alwaies countenanced and beleeued their owne officers by them preferred and put in trust before their accusers whom they liked not of Wherevpon the inhabitants of England fauoring their countriemen and freends reported not the best of the Welshmen This hatred and disliking was so increased by the stirre and rebellion of Owen Glyndoure that it brought foorth such greeuous lawes as few Christian kings euer gaue or published the like to their subiects These things being so anie man may easilie perceiue the verie occasion of those parentheseis and briefe notes of rebellion and troubles obiected to the Welshmen without opening of cause or declaration of circumstances The Normans hauing conquered England and gotten all the lands of the Saxon nobilitie would faine haue had the lands of the Welshmen also wherevpon diuers of them entred VVales with an armie so that the VVelshmen were driuen for their owne defense to put themselues in armour for the which fact they are by some writers accused of rebellion wheras by the law of Nature it is lawfull for all men to withstand force by force They were in their owne countrie the land was theirs by inheritance and lawfull possession might they not therefore defend themselues from violence and wrong if they could What right or lawfull title had the Earle of Chester to Ryuonioc Tegengl or the Earle of Salope to Dyuet Caerdigan Powys or Rob. Fitzhamon to Glamorgan or Barnard Newmarch to Brechnoke or Ralph Mortimer to Eluel or Hugh Lacy to the land of Ewyas or anie other of them to anie countrie in VVales By what reason was it more lawfull for those men to dispossesse them of these countries with violence and wrong than for them to defend and keepe their owne Shall a man be charged with disobedience because he seeketh to keepe his purse from him that would robbe him I meane not by this to charge those Noble men which wan these countries by the sword but I speake it to note the parcial dealing of the writers setters foorth of those histories that should haue reported things indifferentlie as they were done and laid downe the causes and circumstances of euerie action truelie who being altogither parciall fauoring the one side hating the other do pronounce of the fact according to their priuate affections condemning oftentimes the innocent and iustifieng the wrong doers These considerations I saie besides my bounden duty caused me to venture to take this thing in hand The translation of H. Lhoyd I haue conferred with the Brytish booke whereof I had two ancient copies and corrected the same when there was cause so to doo And after that the most part of the booke was printed I receiued another larger copie of the same translation being better corrected at the hands of Robert Glouer Somerset Herald a learned and studious Gentleman in his profession the which if I had had at the beginning manie things had come foorth in better plight than they now be Againe I got all the authors that I could come by which haue anie thing written of the affaires of VVales as Gildas Asser Meneuensis Galfride William of Newborow Matthew Paris Matthew Westminster Thomas Walsingham Ponticus Virunnius Polydor Virgil Io. Leyland Io. Bale I. Prise Matthew Parker Io. Caius VVilliam Lambert and all the English Chronicles printed In written hand I had Gildas Sapiens alias Nennius Henrie Huntington VVilliam Malmsbury Marianus Scotus Ralph Cogshall Io. Euersden Nicholas Triuet Florentius Vigorniensis Simon of Durham Roger Houedon and other which remaine in the custodie of I. Stowe citizen of London who deserueth cōmendation for getting togither the ancient writers of the histories of this land I had also the
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
South Powys and vpon the West Dyui and Caerdiganshire In this countrie standeth the towne of Harlech and a great lake called â—hyn Tegyd through which the riuer Dee runneth and mingleth not with the water of the lake which is three miles long and also the salmons which are commonlie taken in the riuer hard by the lake are neuer seene to enter the lake Likewise a kind of fish called Gwyniaid which are like to whitings and are full in the lake are neuer taken in the riuer Not farre from this lake is a place called Caergay which was the house of Gay Arthurs foster brother This shire as well as Aruon is full of cattell foule and fish with great number of read deere and roes but there is great scarsitie of corne The fourth part of Gwyneth was called Y Beruedhwlad which may be Englished the inland or middle countrie which conteined fiue Cantreds and 13. comots as Cantref Ryuonioc had in it these comots Vwchalet and Isalet Cantref Ystrat had Hiraethoc and Cynmeirch Cantref Ros these Vwchdulas Isdulas and Creuthyn which all are in the lordship of Denbigh sauing the Creuthyn which is in Carnaruonshire wherin the castell of Dyganwy did stand which was the Earles of Chester and is commonlie called in the Latine and English chronicle Gannoc The fourth Cantref was Dyffryn Clwyd which may be Englished the vallie of Clwyd and now is called the lordship of Ruthyn and hath these comots Coleigion Lhannerch and Dogueilyn The fift Cantref is Tegengl and is now a part of Flyntshire hauing these comots Counsylht Prestatyn and Ruthlan And in this part is one of the fairest vallies within this Ile containing 18. miles in length and 4.5.6 or 7. in breadth as the hils either drawe inward togither or backward asunder which high hils doo inclose it on the East West and South parts and Northward the sea It is plentifull of cattell fish and foule corne hey grasse and wood and diuided along in the middest with the riuer Clwyd to whom runneth Clywedoc Ystrat VVhilar Elwy and a great number of other riuers from the hils In this vallie two miles from the sea is the towne and castell of Ruthlan where sometimes a parliament hath beene kept And two miles aboue it is the see of Saint Asaph betweene the riuers Clwyd and Elwy called in the old time the bishops see of Lhan Elwy Foure miles thence and two miles from the riuer is situate vpon a rocke the towne and castell of Denbigh where is one of the greatest markets in the marches of Wales and one of the fairest and strongest castels within this realme which being the house of Dauid brother to Lhewelyn the last Prince of the Welsh blood was enlarged and strengthned by Henrie Lacy Earle of Lincolne to whom king Edward gaue the same lordship it is also the shire towne of that Shire Fiue miles aboue this is the towne of Ruthyn with a faire castell which sometimes belonged to the Lords Gray Earles of Kent This part of Northwales hath vpon the North the riuer Dee and the sea Vpon the West Aruon and the riuer Conwey South and East Merionyth and the countrie then called Powys And these be the meeres and bounds of Gwyneth or Venedotia for the name of Northwales conteineth beside this all Powys at these daies So there was vnder the territorie of Aberfraw 15. Cantreds and in them 38. comots The second kingdome was Mathraual which in right order was the third as that which came to the third brother yet for the better vnderstanding of the historie folowing I haue placed it here To this kingdome belonged the countrie of Powys and the land betwixt Wy and Seauerne Which part had vpon the South and West Southwales with the riuers Wy and Tywy and other meeres Vpon the North Gwyneth and vpon the East the marches of England from Chester to Wy a little aboue Hereford and therefore it was most troubled with wars as well of the Saxons as afterwards of the Normanes Lords marchers who dailie wanne some part thereof and by that meanes it was the first part that serued the kings of England and therefore lesse esteemed of all the rest This part called Powys was diuided againe into Powys Vadoc and Powys Wenwynwyn Powys Vadoc contained in it selfe fiue Cantreds and 15. comots Cantref Y Barwn which hath three comots Dynmael Edeyrneon and Glyndourdwy which be now in Merionithshire sauing Dinmael which is in Denbighshire Cantref Y Rhiw whose comots were these Yal now in Denbighshire Stratalyn and Hop now in Flyntshire Cantref Vwchnant hath these comots Merfforth in Flyntshire Maelor Gymraeg in English Bromfield now in Denbighshire and Maelor Saesneg in Flyntshire Cantref Trefred containeth these comots Croesvain Tref Y VVayn in English Chirke and in Denbighshire Croes of Wallt English Oswestree and in Shropshire Cantref Rayder with his comots Mochnant Israider Cynlhaeth Nanheudwy all in Chirke land in Denbighshire Also the lordship of Whytington now in Shropshire was in this part of Powys which part at this daie hath lost the name of Powys and is situate in diuerse shires as it appeereth by the discourse before passed In this part is the castell of Holt in Bromefield and the castell of Chirke in Chirkeland Likewise the lordship and castell of Whytington which came by mariage to Fulke Fitzwarren There is beside these the lordship of Oswesire of the which the Fitzalans haue been lords these 300. and odde years and of diuers other lordships in those marches as Shrarden the eleuen townes Clun and manie others which be all now in Shropshire The second part called Powys Wenwynwyn had likewise fiue Cantreds and twelue comots Cantref Y Vyrnwy had these comots Mochnant vwch Rayader Mechain Iscoed and Lhannerch Hudol Cantref Ystlyc had these Devthwr Gorthwr Isaf and Strat Marchelh Cantref Lhyswynaf had these Caereneon and Mechain Vwchcoed Cantref Cydewen had comot Conan and comot Hauren Cantref Conan had Cyueilioc and Mouthwy which is now in Merionyth shire Of all these the three first Cantreds doo onlie at this daie beare the name of Powys which are vpon the Northside of Seauerne and are all fiue sauing the comot of Mowthwy in Mongomry shire This is a countrie full of woods hils and riuers and hath in it these townes the Poole Newtowne and Machynlhaeth Arustly was in old time in this part but afterwards it came to the Princes of Gwyneth These lordships came by iust descent from the Princes thereof to a woman named Hawys the daughter of Owen ap Gruffyth as appeareth in the historie following page 215. Arustly and Cyuelioc came to the Baron of Dudley and afterwards it was sold to the king The third part belonging to Mathraual was the land betweene Wy and Seauerne containing foure Cantreds and 13. comots Cantref Melienyth hath these comots Ceri Swythygre Riwalalht and Glyn Ieithon Cantref Eluel hath these Vwchmynydh Ismynydh and Lhechdhyfnog Cantref Yclawdh these Dyffryn Teyueydiat
to Brytaine Armorike where they remaine to this daie and gaue Lhoegria now England to the Saxons And albeit that Caduan Cadwalhon Cadwalader were sithence intituled Kings of all Brytaine yet they could neuer recouer againe the quiet possession of the whole Iland afterwards After the departure of Cadwalader out of the land the Brytaines were gouerned within the countrie of Wales or Cambria by those men whereof this historie following doth intreate which were commonlie called Kings of such prouinces and countries as they possessed vntill the time of Owen Gwyneth who being in the daies of King Stephen and Henrie the second was the first that named himselfe Prince of Wales and so the rest after him kept that title and stile and yet neuertheles they are sometimes called Princes before him and Kings after him as I haue obserued by diuers charters and old records which I haue séene in the Tower of London and else-where Howbeit this author calleth the chiefest of them Kings till the time of the said Owen and sithence Princes IVOR IVOR the sonne of Alan Wherevpon Kentwinus King of Westsex gathered a great number of Saxons and Angles together and came against the Brytaines which were readie to abide the battell and as the armies were both in sight they were not verie desirous to fight but fell to a composition and agreement that Iuor should take Ethelburga to wife which was cousen to Kentwyn and quietlie enioie all that he had during the reigne of Iuor This Iuor is he whom the English Chronicles do call Iue or Iew King of West Saxons that reigned after Cedwall and they saie that he was a Saxon for Kentwyn reigned but fiue yeares after Iuors comming to England and after him his nephew Cedwall who after he had reigned ouer the West Saxons two yeares went to Rome and left his kingdome to Iue his cousen This Iue or Iuor whome the Brytaines call the sonne of Alan and the Saxons the sonne of Kenred being King of the Saxons and Brytaines which inhabited the west partes of England after manie victories atchieued against the Kings of Kent Southsex and Mertia left his kingdome to Adelred or as some call him Adelerdus his cousen and tooke his iournie to Rome where he made a godly end about the yeare of our Lord 720. Of Cadwalader Cedwall and Iuor there be diuers opinions Some hold that Cadwalader and Cedwall are the selfesame man and that the Saxon writers call him Cedwall whome the Brytaines do name Cadwalader who as the Brytish Chronicles do affirme after his foresaid vision did resigne all his right title and interest in great Brytaine to the said Alan king of Brytaine Armorike and so despairing that either he or his should euer haue anie thing to doo there leauing his sonne Edwal Ywrch and his people to the ordering of his cousen Alan went to Rome But this opinion séemeth to varie from the assertion of Bernardus Guidonius But certainelie in mine opinion it is more probable that this Cedwall was Edwal the sonne of Cadwalader for the name Edoal which in the ancient Brytish copie is written Etoal may well agrée with that which Guidonius writeth and an easie matter it were especiallie in proper names for the C. capitall to créepe in which is almost all one with that character which the Lawyers do call a paraph and is vsed commonlie in all old text hands at the beginning of periods or sections Of this matter thus writeth Guidonius In suo pontificali Catalogo sub Sergio primo Per idem tempus Ethoal rex Brytonum cùm per decem annos multis regulis obuiasset plura mala illis irrogasset tandem ipsis in pacem deuenientibus super occidentales Saxones regnauit annis duobus Videns autem Brytanniam multis miserijs contritam regnum spreuit terrenum propter aeternum Romam veniens paucis diebus transactis migrauit ad Christum Et paulo post Hic ex toto illud regnum antiquissimum Brytonum corruit quod omnibus ferè regnis diuturnius fuit A tempore Heli Sacerdotis vsque ad hoc tempus per annos 1825. Rob. Caenalis lib. 2. per. 2. That is At the same time Ethoal King of the Brytaines when he had by the space of ten yeares warred with diuers Kings and often put them to the woorse at length growing to an agréement with them he reigned ouer the West Saxons two yeares and then perceiuing Brytaine to be ouerworne with miseries preferring the heauenlie kingdome before the earthlie came to Rome and within few daies died and in him ended wholie that ancient kingdome of the Brytaines which continued in a maner longer than anie other from Helie the priest to this time by the space of 1825. yeares Further it is not like that Iuor comming to the aid of Edwal his cousen would euer séeke the kingdome to himselfe and defeate the right heire but verie well it may be if this Iuor be that man whome the Saxon writers call Inas or Iue after these Brytaines had arriued in the south part of this realme and fought diuers times with the Saxon kings and continued in Cornewall Deuonshire and Somersetshire by the space of two yeares that they should afterwards méet Centwyn in the field and so fall to an agréement that Iuor taking Ethelburga the cousen of Centwyn to wife should enioie the kingdome of the West Saxons after Centwyn and that therevpon Edwal resigning his title and interest to Iuor departed to Rome and so died as Guidonius saith All this notwithstanding it séemeth by the report of other writers of verie good account that Inas or Iue king of the West Saxons whose lawes are extant in print set out by maister William Lamberd Esquier a woorthie searcher and preseruer of the antiquities of this land was not a Brytaine but a Saxon who had warre against the Brytaines diuers times and vanquished them Matth. West reporteth that Inas or Iue fought with Gerent King of the Brytaines I haue an ancient booke written as Iohn Leland thinketh by Iohn Castoreus or Beuer sometimes Monke of Westminster who liued in the time of Edward the third which reporteth the historie of Inas in this sort About the yeare of grace 689. Iuor and Henyr sonnes of the daughter of Cadwalader sometime King of Brytaine came ouer from Ireland and taking to their aid the two Kings of Wales destroied the prouince of Chester and sent messengers to the Saxon Kings commanding them to restore againe to the Brytaines the countrie of Lhoyger out of the which they had wrongfullie expelled their parents and ancesters adding that if they would not so doo within fiftéene daies they should not enioie it anie longer The which message Inas the noble King of Westsex signified vnto all the other Saxon Kings who soone met together in Mount Campeden to whom Sibertus King of Essex spake thus Deare frends and companions let vs
wey and consider not onlie what we are our selues but also what our enimies are which come against vs they are the verie Brytaines whose fathers and ancesters our fathers haue béereft of their inheritance and expelled out of their owne land and now they iustlie come against vs to claime that which our ancesters by violence haue taken from theirs Let vs therefore like other nations choose vnto vs a head to leade direct and gouerne vs whome as chiefe lord in time of peace and warre we as members may obeie and sticke to sith without a head there is no victorie to be looked for Haue not the Brytaines after two yeares of their dispersion set vpon the ancient Saxons a more valiant people than we are fiftéene times within seauen yeares Did they not spoile their kingdomes killed their people and left such as remained aliue sore wounded and maimed at their departure The rest of the Saxon kings agréed vnto his mind and with one assent chose that worthie Knight Inas King of Westsex to be their souereigne who hauing taken their homage aduanced his standard and marched forward against Iuor and Henyr and set vpon them so that they were faine to forsake their tents and flie into Wales Thus Inas hauing obteined the victorie with the other Saxon Kings sauing Sibertus who by reason of his age and impotencie had departed home before returned to South hampton where his cousen Adelard informed him that Iuor and Henyr had gathered and leauied a puissant armie afresh to set vpon the Saxons where vpon Inas foreslowed not the matter but went against them and laid séege to the Castell of Snowdon compelling the Brytaines to flie to their ships and while he was at Bangor with the other Saxon Kings and the nobles of Wales he kept the feast of S. Dauid and then dismissed the other Kings home to their countrie vntill they should be called for againe and departed himselfe with Adelard his cousen to Quéene Ethelburga being then at Manchester and continued there almost thrée moneths In the meane while Adelard minding to trauell about all Wales met thrée spies of whome being by him taken and examined he learned that Iuor and Henyr were returning againe with a huge armie of such strength and force as all the Saxon Kings were not able to resist Then went he and shewed Inas what he had heard wherefore Inas foorthwith certified the other Saxon Kings of the same commanding them without delaie to be readie at Chester with horse and armour to go against their enimies and to defend their countrie from violence Who accordinglie met at Chester and following the Kings standard gaue the Brytaines battell and put them to flight Howbeit the Brytaines eftsoones inuaded England and made seauen roades in two yeares destroieng townes and villages wheresoeuer they came and neuer returning without great and rich booties Inas after this victorie returned home and reigned ouer the West Saxons 36. yeares and then bequeathed his kingdome to his cousen Adelard Thus much out of Castoreus This Iuor made the fratrie of Glastenburie called in the Brytish toong Ynys Aualon Ioseph of Aremathia being sent by Philip the Apostle as Gildas reporteth came into this Iland in the daies of Aruiragus King of Brytaine about the yeare of Christ 53. and instructed the Brytaines in the doctrine of saluation in the Ile of Aualon where he builded a Church for the Christians which Church this Iuor if it be he that gouerned the West Saxons conuerted to an Abbey and endowed the same with large possessions which was the more famous because the bodies of the said Ioseph of Aremathia and king Arthur were there buried He gaue also great lands to the Church of Winchester In the second yeare of Iuors reigne Brythe a subiect to Egfride King of Northumberland did ouerrun and destroie a great part of the countrie of Ireland In the fourth yeare of his reigne there was a great earthquake in the Ile of Man and the yeare following it reigned bloud in Brytaine and in Ireland The milke likewise and the butter turned to the colour of bloud The second yeare after that the Moone appeared all bloudie After the departure of Iuor to Rome Adelard or Adelred tooke the rule of the Saxons And Rodericus or Roderi Molwynoc the sonne of Edwal Ywrch did take the rule of the Brytaines in the west part of England Roderike Molwynoc Roderike or Rodri the sonne of Edwal Ywrch The yeare 733. died Beda priest brought vp in the Abbey of Wyrnetham a great clearke that wrote manie works among which there is one intituled The Ecclesiasticall historie of the English nation dedicated vnto Cleolwolfe King of Northumberland This yeare Adelard King of Westsex and Ethelbald King of Mertia ioined their powers against the Brytaines and gaue them battell and after a long fight and great slaughter vpon either part obteined a bloudie victorie The yeare 735. Adelard King of Westsex died and Cudred reigned in his place And the yeare following died Edwyn King of the Pictes And in the yeare 746. there was a great battell fought at Hereford betwixt Cudred and Ethelbaldus where after a long fight Cudred had the victorie Also the next yeare ensuing he gaue the Brytaines and ouerthrow and died shortlie after The Brytaines seeing they could little preuaile against the Saxons ioined in league with Cuthred King of the West Saxons who then was out with Ethelbald King of Mertia wherevpon the said Ethelbald entred into Wales with a strong armie and the Brytaines met him and were there discomfited After that Cuthred and Ethelbald met in the field where Ethelbald was put to flight but anon after they two were made friends and ioined together their powers against the Brytaines and ouercame them After Cuthred in the yeare 749. was Sigebert created King who for his euill behauiour was expelled by his nobles out of his Kingdome and was miserablie slaine by a swineheard after whome Kenulph was made King of West Saxons the yeare 750. About the same time died Theodor the sonne of Belin a man of great estimation among the Brytaines Not long after there was a great battell fought betwixt the Brytaines and the Pictes at a place called Magedawc where Dalargan King of the Pictes was slaine Within a little after Roderi or Roderike Molwynoc was driuen by the Saxons to forsake the west countrie to come to seeke his own inheritance in Northwales where ruled at that time the children of Bletius or Bledericus prince of Cornewal Deuonshire who was one of them that gaue Adelred and Ethelbert the ouerthrow at Bangor vpon the riuer Dee who enioied the gouernance of Northwales euer sithence Caduan was chosen King of Brytaine vntill this time By this historie it should séeme that the Brytaines continued their gouernement in the west part of Lhoegria vntill this time But surelie the consent in a maner of all
writers is that the Brytish kingdome ended in Cadwalader after whom the Brytaines had nothing to doo beyond Seuerne being constrained to kéepe themselues within the countries of Cambria and Cornubia It is also written by diuers that Iuor and Ynyr at their first arriuing in Brytaine were repelled by the Saxons and driuen to Wales where Iuor ruled as Prince manie yeares whome this Roderi or Roderike the sonne of Edwal the sonne of Cadwalader succéeded When Roderike king of the Brytains had reigned about 30. yeares he died the yeare 750. leauing two sons after him Conan Tindaythwy Howel Conan Tindaethwy Conan Tindaethwy the sonne of Roderike I reade that this Hylda which was the néece of Edwine King of Northumberland brought vp by Pauline and Aedan in a publike synode did withstand Wilfride and other superstitious moonks in these toies and trifles all edging for hir out of Polycrates the fact of Irenaeus who withstood Victor Bishop of Rome in that behalfe and the custome of the church of Asia obserued by S. Iohn the Euangelist Philip the Apostle Polycarpus and Melito and taught in this Iland of Brytaine by Ioseph of Arimathea who first preached the Gospell in the same In the yeare 763. was Offa made King of Mercia and Brichtrich King of West Saxons In the which yeare died Fermael the sonne of Edwal and the yeare following Cemoyd the King of the Pictes The yeare 776. the men of Southwales destroied a great part of Mercia with fire and sword And the summer following all the Welshmen gathered themselues togither and entred the Kingdome of Mercia and did much hurt there The Saxons which bordered vpon the countrie of Cambria or Wales did dailie incroch so vpon the lands of the Welshmen beyond Seauerne that they had gotten much of the same into their hands especiallie toward the south part of the countrie Wherefore the VVelshmen put themselues in armour and set vpon the Saxons and chased them ouer Seauerne againe and then returned home with a great prey and thus they did oftentimes killing and destroieng all before them and alwaies bringing home with them much cattell which thing caused Offa to conclude a peace with the other Saxon Kings and to bend his whole force against the Welshmen Wherevpon Offa King of Mercia caused a great ditch to be made large and deepe from sea to sea betwixt his kingdome and Wales whereby hee might the better defend his countrie from the incursions of the Welshmen And this ditch is to be seene in manie places as yet and is called Clawdh Offa which is Offas ditch at this daie King Offa calling to his aid the other Saxon Kings gathered a huge armie and came ouer Seauerne into Wales vpon whose comming the VVelshmen being not able to encounter with such a multitude of armed souldiers left the plaine and euen countrie by Seauerne side and the land betwéene it and the riuer VVye and withdrew themselues to the mountaines and rockes where they might be most in safetie vntill the enimies were auoided out of the countrie yet neuerthelesse continuallie they made diuers inuasions by stealth into the land of Mercia alwaies returned with aduantage so that the Saxons by keeping themselues encamped could doo no good for they durst not pursue the VVelshmen to the mountaines and woods for feare of intrapping by such as kept the streights and passages When Offa perceiued that by open warre he could do no good he expelled all the Welshmen out of the plaine and euen countrie betwéene Seauerne and Wye and planted Saxons in the same and annexing it to his owne kingdome of Mercia caused this great famous ditch whereof mention is in this place to be made to saue his people from the inuasions of the Welshmen Whervpon the seate of the Kings of Powys was translated from Pengwern now called Salop to Mathrual where it continued long after In the yeare 795. the Danes came first into England and sixe yeares after they came againe destroied a great part of Lindsey and Northumberland and ouerran the most part of Ireland and destroied Rechreyn Also about the same time there was a battell fought at Ruthlan betweene the Saxons and the Welshmen where Caradoc King of Northwales was slaine This Caradoc was the son of Gwyn the sonne of Colhoyn the sonne of Ednowen the sonne of Blethyn the sonne of Blecius or Bledricus prince of Cornewall and Deuonshire Also this yeare died Offa King of Mercia and Egfert his sonne reigned in his stead In the yeare of our Lord 800. Egbertus was made King of Westsex and Kenulphus the yeare following treated King of Mercia Arthen also the sonne of Sitsylht the sonne of Clydawc King of Caerdigan died the same yeare Likewise Run King of Dyuet and Cadelh King of Powys died in the yeare 808. This was a troublesome time and as yet no staied gouernement established in Wales and therefore such as were cheefe lords in anie countrie are heere called kings The next yeare after died Elbodius Archbishop of Northwales before whose death the sunne was sore eclipsed In the yeare 810. was the moone eclipsed vpon Christmas daie The same yeare S. Dauids was burnt by the West Saxons There was also a generall morreine and death of cattell throughout all Wales The next yeare insuing Owen the sonne of Meredyth the sonne of Terudos died and the Castell of Degaunwy was destroied with thunder Conan prince of Wales and his brother Howel could not agree insomuch that they tried the matter by battell wherein Howel had the victorie This Howel the brother of Conan King or Prince of Northwales did claime the Ile of Môn or Anglesey for part of his fathers inheritance which Conan refused to giue him and therevpon they fell at variance and consequentlie to make warre the one against the other which is vnnaturall amongst brethren Héere I thinke it fit to saie somewhat of the custome and tenure of Wales whereof this mischiefe grew that is the diuision of the fathers inheritance amongst all the sonnes commonlie called Gauel kinde Gauel is a Brytishe tearme signifieng a hold because euerie one of the sonnes did hold some portion of his fathers lands as his lawfull sonne and successour This was the cause not onlie of the ouerthrow of all the ancient nobilitie of VVales for by that meanes the inheritance being continuallie diuided and subdiuided amongst the children and the childrens children c. was at length brought to nothing but also of much bloudshead and vnnaturall strife and contention amongst brethren as we haue héere an example and manie other in this historie This kind of partition is verie good to plant and settle anie nation in a large countrie not inhabited but in a populous countrie alreadie furnished with inhabitants it is the verie decaie of great families and as I said before the cause of strife and debate And the next yeare there was much hurt done by thunder and in
Brytaines wherein as some doo write Mervyn Vrych king of the Brytaines was slaine leauing behind him a sonne called Rodri Mawr that is to saie Roderike the Great Roderike the Great Roderike the Great sonne to Mervyn and Esylht The yeare 846. the Danes did ouerrunne a great part of England and fought with Athelstan king of Kent brother to Ethelwulph and remained that winter and wintered in England This yeare also was Ithel king of Gwent or Wentland slaine in fight by the men of Brechnock This yeare 854. Kongen king of Powys died at Rome being slaine of choaked as some saie by his owne men And two yeares after died Cemoyth king of the Picts Ionathan Lord of Abergeley About the yeare 856. Ethelwulph tooke his iourneie to Rome and made his kingdome tributarie to the Pope and paid the Peter pence to the church of Rome The Old Saxons doo bring the genelogie of this Ethelwulph to Adam after this maner Ethelwulph the sonne of Egbert the sonne of Alcmund the sonne of Eaffa the sonne of Eoppa the sonne of Ingils the brother of Inas the sonne of Kenred the sonne of Coelwalde the sonne of Cudwine the sonne of Ceawlin the sonne of Kenrick the sonne of Cerdicke which was the first king of the West Saxons the sonne of Esly the sonne of Gewise of whom the people were called Gwysses the daughter of Gewyn the sonne of Wingy the sonne of Freawyn the sonne of Fridagare the sonne of Brendy the sonne of Beldegy the sonne of VVoden of whose issue came the kings of manie nations the sonne of Frethewold the sonne of Freolaffe the sonne of Frethewolfe the sonne of Finny the sonne of Godulph the sonne of Geta the sonne of Teathwy the sonne of Beane the sonne of Sceldy the sonne of Seafe which reigned in a countrie called Anglia lieng betwixt the Gothes and the Saxons from whence the Angles came first to Brytaine he was the sonne of Heremod the sonne of Itermod the sonne of Hadey the sonne of VVale the sonne of Bedwy the sonne of Sem the sonne of Noe and so foorth to Adam There is another petigrée laid downe by the same author of Offa king of Mercia ascending euen to Adam not in all points agréeing with this so that the author writing the latter séemeth oftentimes to forget what he had written in the former The like also I find in Iohn Castoreus at the end of the historie of Edward the confessor And an other in Matth. Paris in the historie of King Henry .2 Anno. 1155. And these foure genelogies séeme to ascend by the same men although the names doo sometimes varie This genelogie haue I set here that the reader may vnderstand thereby that not onelie the Brytaines or VVelshmen but all other nations haue beene euer desirous to set foorth their antiquitie and progenie which was not verie hard to such nations as were not mingled with other and that had euer among them such as did onlie from time to time professe that art and customablie did write the progenie wiues and children of all such as were of any estimation in the countrie In the which two things VVales had euer passed all other countries as they which haue not mingled with anie other nations vntill of late years with Englishmen and also haue euer had such as did professe the art of genelogie who although they haue sometimes erred or rather haue willinglie flattered in learuing false genelogies yet surelie are able by their bookes to bring anie Gentlemans genelogie of that countrie to such as haue liued nine hundred yeares passed and but few further except such as descended of the kings of Brytaine The Italians before they mingled with the Vandales Gothes and Lumbards brought their genelogies to Aeneas The Spaniards to Hesperus before the Gothes and Mores ouerranne the land The Saxons to VVoden before they mingled with the Danes and Normans Yea the Frenchmen Turkes reioise at this daie to bring themselues to the Thracians and the Germanes to the children of Gwyston and it is possible they may so doo bicause they haue not mingled with anie other and haue not beene ouerrun with anie other nation Therfore let such disdainefull heads as scant knowe their owne Grandfathers leaue their scoffing and tawnting of VVelshmen for that thing that all other nations in the world doo glorie in and let them read the ancient writer Berosus to whome the wise Graecians for the knowledge they learned at his hands made an image of copper and set it vp in Athens in memorie of him and there they shall find the beginning of the most part of all the nations in the world and if they beleeue him let them not denie ours and if they credit him not let them beleeue no more but what they see with their eies or that pleaseth their fond fantasies But to the matter This yeare the Danes chased Burchred out of his kingdome who also went to Rome and there died The yeare 857. died Ethelwulph and left behind him his sonnes Athelbald King of Westsex and Athelbright king of Kent and of the East Saxons Of this Ethelwulph it is written that he was so well learned and so deuout that the clarkes of the church of Winchester did choose him in his youth to be their Bishop which function he tooke vpon him was Bishop of Winchester for seauen yeares before he was king It is reported also that he conquered the kingdom of Demetia or Southwales and gaue the same with the kingdome of Southsex to Alfred his sonne and that the said Alfred should bring a thousand soldiers out of Wales to the aid of his brother Ethelbert to Winchester and there put the Danes to flight and destroie a great number of them Athelbald the sonne of Ethelwulph after the death of his father kept his mother in lawe for his concubine and afterward married hir in the citie of Chester After Athelbald had reigned eight yeares he died and Athelbright his brother tooke the rule of his kingdome And that yeare the Danes spoiled Winchester and after a great fight were driuen out of the land but returning to Tenet they remained there for that winter and spoiled by incursions all the sea shore This yeare also was the battell of Gweythen betwixt the Brytaines and the Englishmen and a great number slaine on either side The yeare 865. died Conan Nant Niuer a worthy captaine and a noble warrior And the yeare following came Hungare and Hubba with a great armie of Danes into England In the yeare 867. died Athelbright and Ethelred his brother reigned in his stead The Danes the next yeare insuing spoiled Yorke and slew the two Kings of Northumberland Osbright and Elba and afterward they ouerran all the countrie vnto Notingham spoiling and destroieng all before them and then returned to Yorke and from thence to East Angle where they slue Edmund the King
The sixt yeare of Ethelred came another host of Danes through VVestsex and to Reding with Basrecke and Alding and fought fiue battels with Ethelred and Alfred his brother in two of the which the Danes were ouercome at Henglefild Estondowne and in the three other the Englishmen were ouerthrowne at Reding Basing Mereton The yeare 871. King Ethelred died Alfred his brother reigned in his stead Alfred assoone as he had taken the kingdome vpon him considering with himselfe what a heauie burthen he did sustaine inquired after the wisest and the best learned men that he could heare of that he might be directed by them whome he worthilie intertained vsing their aduise as well in the publike gouernment of the common welth as in his priuate studies and conference of learning He sent for two famous learned men out of Wales the one named Iohn De Erigena sirnamed also Scotus borne at Meneuia or S. Dauids brought vp in that colledge who hauing for learning sake trauelled to Athens and bestowed there manie yéeres in the studie of the Gréeke Hebrue and Chaldie toongs and the secret mysteries of Philosophie came from thence to France where he was well accepted with Carolus Calnus and Ludouicus Balbus and there translated the works of Dionysius Areopagita De coelesti hierarchia out of the Gréeke into the Latine toong and at the last being returned home to Wales was sent for by this King Alfred who then founded and erected the vniuersitie of Oxford was the first that professed learning and read publikelie in the said Uniuersitie The other was Asserius or Asser of whom I shall haue occasion to speake hereafter He would not suffer anie to beare office in his court but such as were learned exhorting all men generallie to embrace and honour learning and learned men Alfred in the first yeare of his reigne fought two battels with the Danes vpon the south side of Thames and slue of them one King and nine Earles About this yeare died Gwgan King of Caerdigan This was that noble Gwgan ap Mevric ap Dunwal ap Arthen ap Sitsylht King or prince of Caerdigan who as some Brytish bookes haue was at this time drowned by misfortune At this time the Danes destroied the towne of Alclyde and wan London and Reding and all the inland and kingdome of Mercia And one King or leader of them tooke the countrie of Northumberland and he and his people did much trouble the Pictes Likewise the yeare following three Kings of the Danes went from Cambridge to VVarham in Dorcetshire and Alfred would haue giuen them battell but the Danes desired peace and foresware England which they neuer did before and the same night their horsemen tooke their iournie toward Excester and their footemen which went to the sea were all drowned at Sandwitch When the Danes had thus abiured England they bent their force against VVales and entred the Ile of môn with a great armie in the yeare of Christ 873. where Roderike gaue them two battels one at a place called Bangole and another at a place called Menegid in Anglesey I find also that about this time Halden and Hungare two Captaines of the Danes arriued in Southwales and ouerran the whole countrie destroieng all before them with fire and sword neither sparing churches nor religious houses but within a while after they receiued their deserued reward at the hands of the West Saxons who méeting with them on the coast of Deuonshire slew both Halden and Hungare with 1200. of their people At this time Eneon Bishop of Meneuia or S. Dauids died and Hubert was installed in his place And within two yeares after Dungarth king of Cornewall was drowned by a mischance In the yeare 876. the Englishmen entred into Anglesey and fought with the VVelshmen a sore battell who in the yeare following slue Roderike king or prince of VVales and Gwyriad his brother or as some saie his son This Roderike had by his wife Enghârad the daughter of Meyric the son of Dyfnwal or Dunwal the son of Arthen ap Sitsylht diuers sonnes as Anarawd his eldest sonne to whome he gaue Aberfraw with Northwales Cadelh the second son who had Dinevwr with Southwales and also tooke Mathraual and Powys land by force from his brethren after the death of Mervyn the third sonne to whome his father had giuen the same Roderike the Great is counted of all writers to be the vndoubted owner and possessor of all Wales Venedotia or Northwales descended vnto him from his mother Esylht the daughter and sole heire of Conan Tindaethwy as is euident by this historie Demetia or Southwales as some doo affirme came to him by his wife the daughter heire of Meyricap Dyfnwal ap Arthen ap Sitsylht king of Caerdigan hir brethren who are thought to be illegitimate holding of hir husband Powys he had by Nest the sister and heire of Congen ap Cadelh King of Powys which was his fathers mother These thrée dominions he appointed vnder their meares and bounds with a princelie house in euerie of them which he named Y tair Talaeth and left the same vnto thrée of his sonnes Anarawd Cadelh and Mervyn which were called Y tri twysoc Talaethioc that is The thrée crowned princes because euerie of them did weare vpon his bonet or helmet a coronet of gold being a broade lace or headband indented vpward set and wrought with pretious stones which in the Brytish or Welsh speach is called Talaeth and so to this daie nurses doo name that broade headband wherewith a childs head is bound vppermost vpon some other linen cloathes Talaeth Aberffraw was the chiefe house of the prince of Gwyneth whose dominion was therfore called Talaeth Aberffraw Dinevowr the princelie house of Dehevbarth whereof that part is named Talaeth Dinevowr and in like maner Talaeth Mathraval is so called of the princelie seate of Powys called Mathraval Giraldus Cambrensis in his booke intituled Descriptio Cambriae is of opinion that Mervyn was the eldest sonne of Roderike to whome Venedotia was giuen and was the father of Anandhrec which was the father of Meyric which was the father of Edwal which was the father of Iago c and that Anarawd had Powys and died without issue But the common opinion of all other writers is to the contrarie agréeable to that which this Author affirmeth Roderike had also Roderike Meyric Edwal or Tudwal Gwyriad and Gathelic of whome you shall heare in the historie following ANARAWD Anarawd the sonne of Roderike Other kingdomes and countries of Europe were disquieted with this persecution of the Danes as well as England For of this Hasting it is written that laieng séege to the citie of Limogis in France and despairing of the spéedie winning of the same hée deuised this traine to get it He fained himselfe to be dangerouslie sicke and sent to the Bishop and the Consul of the same citie desiring them most instantlie
serue for a mans necessarie defense and were not distrainable without the prince his licence 5 Causes of inheritance were not heard or determined but from the ninth of Nouember till the ninth of Februarie or from the ninth of Maie vntill the ninth of August The rest of the yeare was counted a time of vacation for sowing in the spring and reaping in the haruest 6 This also is to be obserued that all matters of inheritance of land were determined and adiudged by the King or Prince in person or his speciall deputie if he were sicke or impotent and that vpon view of the same land calling vnto him the fréeholders of that place two elders of his counsell the Chiefe iustice attending alwaies in the court the ordinarie iudge of the countrie where the land laie and the priest The maner of their procéeding was thus The king or prince sate in his Iudiciall seate higher than the rest with an elder on his right hand and another on his left and the fréeholders on both sides next vnto them which for this cause as I thinke were called Vchelwyr Before him directlie a certaine distance off and a little lower sate his Chiefe iustice hauing the priest on his right hand and the ordinarie iudge of that countrie on the left The court being set the plaintife came in with his aduocate champion and Ringylh or sergeant and stood on the left side then came in the defendant in like maner with his aduocate champion and Ringylh and stood on the right side and last of all the witnesses of both parties came which stood directlie before the Chiefe iustice at the lower end of the hall vntill they were called vp to testifie the truth of their knowledge in the matter in variance The figure of the which I thought good héere to laie downe as you sée in the page next following After the hearing of the books read the depositions of the witnesses and full pleading of the cause in open court vpon warning giuen by the Rhinghylh the Chiefe Iustice the priest and the ordinarie iudge withdrew themselues for a while to consult of the matter and then Secundum allegata probata brought their verdict the court sitting Whervppon the king or prince after consultation had with the elders or seniors which sate by him gaue definitiue sentence except the matter was so obscure and intricate that right and truth appeared not in the which case it was tried by the two champions and so the cause ended This shall be sufficient for this time Now therefore let vs go forward in the historie At this time the foresaid kings Aulafe and Regnald entered the land of Edmund who gathering his strength together folowed them into Northumberland and ouercame them in plaine battell and chased them out of the land and so remained a whole yeare in those parts setting things in order and quieting of that countrie And bicause he could not by anie meanes bring the inhabitants of Cumberland to liue in anie honest order he spoiled that countrie and committed it to the rule of Malcolme king of Scotland vpon condition that he should send him succours in all his warres both by sea and land Some other write that king Edmund being accompanied with Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht which was after prince of Wales entred Cumberland and taking the two sonnes of Dummaile king of that prouince put out their eies and then gaue that countrie to Malcolme to be holden of him with condition to kéepe the North part of the realme from incursion of enimies the which condition was afterward but slenderlie perfourmed This Malcolme was the sonne of Donald King of Scotland and was the next king after Constantine the third being in number the 76. In the yeare 942. died Hubert Bishop of S. Dauids the yeare also following Marclois Bishop of Bangor and Vssa the sonne of Lhavyr died The yeare 944. the Englishmen did enter Wales with a strong armie and spoiled Strad Clwyd and returned home At which time Conan the sonne of Elise was put in danger of death by poison and Everus Bishop of S. Dauids died The yeare after Edmund King of England was slaine by treason as some writers saie vpon S. Augustines daie as he was at dinner Other saie that he espied an outlawe sitting in the hall and as he drew him from the table the outlaw slew the King with a knife And some be of opinion that as the King would haue rescued a man of his from an officer who had arrested him the same officer slue him not knowing that he was the King he lieth buried at Glastenburie After whose death Edred or Edfred his brother was crowned in his place who made an expedition to Scotland and Northumberland and subdued them both and receiued fealtie and homage of the Northumbers and Scots by oth which was not long kept In the yeare 948. died Howel Dha the noble and worthie King or Prince of Wales whose death was sore bewailed of all men for he was a prince that loued peace and good order that feared God He left behind him foure sonnes Owen Run Roderike and Edwyn betwixt whom and the sonnes of Edwal there was great warres for the chiefe rule of Wales as shall appeare in the historie following Ievaf and Iago Ievaf and Iago the sonnes of Edwal Voel AFter the death of Howel Dha his sonnes did diuide Southwales and Powys betwixt them and Ievaf and Iago the second and third sonnes of Edwal Voel ruled Northwales bicause their elder brother Meyric was not a man worthie to rule who comming of the elder house would haue had the chiefe rule of all Wales which the sonnes of Howel Dha denied them And therevpon Iago or Iames and Ievaf entred Southwales with a great power against whome came Owen the sonne of Howel and his brethren and fought together at the hils of Carno where Iago and Ievaf had the victorie and the yeare folowing the same brethren did twise enter into Southwales and spoiled Dyuet and slue Dwnwalhon the Lord thereof And within a while after died Roderike one of the sonnes of Howel Dha In the yeare 952. the sonnes of Howel gathered their strength together against Ievaf and Iago and entered their land to the riuer of Conwy where they fought a cruell battell at a place called Gwrgustu or Lhanrwst as some thinke where a great number were slaine vpon either side as Anarawd the sonne of Gwyriad or Vriet the sonne of Roderike the Great and Edwyn the sonne of Howel Dha in the which battell were ouerthrowne the sonnes of Howel whome Ievaf and Iago pursued to Caerdigan and destroied their countrie with fire and sword About this time Yarthyr the sonne of Mervyn was drowned and the yeare following Congelach King of Ireland was slaine But to returne to Edred King of England As soone as he was returned to his owne land Aulaf with a great armie landed in Northumberland and was receiued of
the people with much gladnes but anon after like fickle and vnconstant men they banished him the land againe and tooke to their king one Hircius the sonne of Haroald whome likewise after three yeares they expelled and willinglie submitted themselues to Edred who after he had ruled the whole land eight yeares died and was buried at Winchester After him reigned Edwyn sonne of Edmund in whose time chanced nothing woorthie to be put in writing but that he married another mans wife hir husband being aliue This man after he had gouerned the realme foure yeares died leauing his kingdome to his brother Edgar who was crowned king of England in his stead In the yeare 958. was a woonderfull hot summer when Gwgan the sonne of Gwyriad the sonne of Roderike died After the which heate there followed a great plague in March following In those daies Iago and Ievaf by force and strength ruled all Wales as they thought good and yet for all their power Abloic king of Ireland landed in Môn and hauing burnt Holyhed spoiled the countrie of Lhyyn In the yeare 961. the sonnes of Edwyn the son of Colhoyn were slaine after they had destroied all the countrie to Towyn About this time Meyric the sonne of Cadvan Rytherch Bishop of S. Dauids and Cadwalhon ap Owen departed out of this transitorie world Not long after the countrie of Northwales was sore spoiled by the armie of Edgar king of England The cause of this warre was the non paiment of the tribute that the King of Aberffraw by the lawes of Howel Dha was to paie to the king of London In the end there was a peace concluded for king Edgar vnderstanding what hurt the countries of England and Wales receiued dailie by reason of the great multitude of Woolues that then abounded especiallie in Wales which destroied much shéepe and otherwise did great harme released the tribute in monie appointed by the said lawes of Howel Dha and bound the prince of Northwales to paie him yearelie certaine Woolues for his tribute and so to be released of that other tribute in monie which the said prince performed vntill he had left neuer a Woolfe in Wales or England In the yeare 966. Roderike the sonne of Edwal Voel was slaine by the Irishmen by whome Aberfraw was destroied The next yeare there fell a great debate betwixt the two sonnes of Edwal Iago and Ievaf which had ruled iointlie together from the death of Howel Dha to that time and shortlie after Iago hauing taken his brother Ievaf by force verie cruellie kept him in prison a long time about the which time Eneon the sonne of Owen prince of Southwales wan and seazed to himselfe the land of Gwyr And in the yeare 969. Mactus the sonne of Haroald with an armie of Danes did enter the Ile of Anglesey and spoiled Penmon These Danes were suffered by Edgar to inhabite quietlie through all England till they were as strong as the Englishmen and then they fell to such riotousnes and drinking that much mischiefe insued thereof wherevpon Edgar made a law that euerie man should drinke by measure and caused a certaine marke to be set in euerie pot how deepe they should drinke and so by these meanes he somewhat staied that immoderate ingurgitation Not long after that Godfryd the sonne of Haroald did subdue to himselfe the whole Ile of Anglesey which he inioied not long King Edgar likewise in the yeare 972. did send a great nauie to Caerlheon vpon Vsc which shortlie turned backe without dooing anie notable act The next yeare following Howel the sonne of Ievaf raised a great power against his vncle Iago for the deliuerance of his father out of prison and ouercame his vncle in fight whome he chased out of the land and tooke his eldest vncle Meyric the sonne of Edwal and put out both his eies and kept him in prison where he died shortlie after leauing behind him two sonnes Edwal and Ionaval of the which Edwal came afterward the most woorthie princes of Wales Howel notwithstanding he had set his father at libertie yet tooke vppon himselfe the whole rule of the land for his life time He had three brethren all men of great estimation Meyric Ievaf and Cadwalhon whose liues shall insue heereafter Howel ap Ievaf Howel the sonne of Ievaf They ouerranne also and spoiled the whole countrie of Deuon and Cornewale burned the towne of Bodman and the cathedrall church of S. Petrokes with the Bishops house Wherevpon the Bishops sea was remooued from thence to S. Germans where the same continued vntill the remoouing and vniting thereof vnto Crediton About this time died S. Dunstane who prophesied of much mischiefe and great destruction of the land by the Danes The yeare 981. Godfryd the sonne of Haroald did gather a great armie and landed in Westwales where spoiling all the land of Dyuet with the church of S. Dauids he fought the battell of Lhanwanoc Likewise in the yeare next ensuing Duke Alfred with a great power of Englishmen spoiled and destroied Brechnock and a great part of the lands of Owen prince of Southwales against whome Eneon the sonne of the said Owen and Howel king of Northwales did raise all their power and ouerthrew them in battell where the greatest part of Alfreds armie was slaine and the rest put to flight The yeare following the Gentlemen of Gwentsland rebelled against their prince and cruellie slue Eneon the son of Owen which came thither to appease them This Eneon was a woorthie and noble Gentleman who did manie notable actes in his fathers time and left behind him two sonnes Edwyn and Theodor or Tewdor Mawr of whome came afterward the kings or princes of Southwales In the yeare 984. Howel the sonne of Ievaf king of Wales entred England with an armie where he was fought withall and slaine valiantlie fighting This Howel had no sonne but his brethren reigned in his place Cadwalhon ap Ievaf Cadwalhon the sonne of Ievaf AFTER the death of Howel his brother Cadwalhon the second sonne of Ievaf tooke in hand the gouernance of Northwales and first made war with Ionaval his coosen the sonne of Meyric and right heire to the land and slue him but Edwal the yongest brother escaped awaie priuilie The yeare following Meredyth the sonne of Owen king or prince of Southwales with all his power entred into Northwales and in fight slue Cadwalhon the sonne of Ievaf and Meyric his brother and conquered the land to himselfe Wherein a man may see how God punished the wrong which Iago and Ievaf the sonnes of Edwal Voel did to their eldest brother Meyric who was first disherited and afterward his eies put out and one of his sonnes slaine For first Ievaf was imprisoned by Iago then Iago with his sonne Constantine by Howel the sonne of Ievaf and afterward the said Howel with his bretherne Cadwalhon and Meyric were slaine and spoiled of all their lands Meredyth ap
after he had reigned with much trouble miserie 37. yeares After whose death the Englishmen chose his base sonne Edmund surnamed Ironside for strength and tolerance in war to be their king This Edmund went to Westsex and brought all that countrie to his subiection Then the Danes laid siege to London made a great trench about it that no man could escape out and gaue Edmund battell who came to raise the siege at Proman by Gillingham where Edmund had the vpper hand The second battell they fought at Caerstane in the which Edric Almar and Algar vsed themselues traitorously against Edmund where after long fight the night departed both the armies The third battell was at London where Edmund pursued the Danes to their ships and entered the citie triumphantlie two daies after they fought the fourth battell at Brenford from whence Edmund bare the honor awaie and went to gather a new armie whiles Cnute did besiege London by water and land but it was manfullie defended Then Edmund with his armie passed the Thames at Brenford and entred into Kent and fought the fift battell where the Danes fled as sheepe before him but he staied the pursute by the wicked read of the traitor Edric whome he had receiued to mercie and made steward of the land the which battell was fought at Essedowne in Essex with all the whole power of the Danes and Englishmen where Edmund shewed his prowes and forsaking his place which was betwixt the Dragon the Standard he entred the armie of his enimies and brake the thickest rankes of them and compelled the prowdest of them to turne their backes Which when Edric saw fearing the ouerthrow of the Danes cried alowd Fledd Engle Fledd Engle Dead is Edmund therevpon fled with his people whome all the armie folowed to the great murther of Englishmen and there were slaine Edmund Alfric Godwyn and Vlfkettel all Dukes all the cheualrie of England After which victorie Cnute entred London was crowned king of the land And Edmund gathered his armie togither and they met in Glocestershire but either armie fearing other were loth to fight but moued the kings to make an end of this cruell bloudshed by combat wherevnto either prince agreed and the place being appointed fought togither manfullie and either of them were found so valiant and worthie men as few the like But Cnute fearing the incomparable strength of Edmund mooued him to accord wherevnto he agreed Therevpon peace was concluded with much ioie that Edmund should reigne in Westsex and Cnute in Mercia and so they departed Cnute to London and Edmund to Oxford where he was traitorously murthered by a sonne of Edric with a sharp knife as he was at the priuie Edric being quicklie certified of the deed came to Cnute with much ioie and greeted him as onelie king of England declaring how Edmund was slaine at Oxford To whom Cnute replied that for his good seruice he would reward him as his deserts required and set him aboue all the nobles of England Therevppon forthwith he caused his head to be cut off and to be set vpon a pole on the highest towre in London and then he caused execution to be done vpon all the other that were consenting to the murther In the yeare 1015. Lhewelyn the son of Sitsylht did raise a great power against Aedan who by force had taken vpon him the rule of Northwales and slue him with his foure sonnes in battell and hauing no respect to Iago or Iames the sonne of Edwal the right heire tooke vpon him the name and authoritie of king of Wales This Lhewelyn was descended from the kings of Wales by his mother side whose name was Trawst daughter to Elise second sonne to Anarawd which was the eldest sonne of Roderike the great who also had to wife Angharat the onlie daughter of Meredyth prince of Southwales and so by these meanes he claimed and enioied the right of either countrie as hereafter shalbe declared Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht Lhewelyn the sonne of Sitsylht and Angharad the daughter of Meredyth AFTER that Lhewelyn son of Sitsylht had taken into his hands the gouernance of Wales all things did prosper in the land for the earth brought foorth double to the time before passed the people prospered in all their affaires and multiplied woonderfullie the cattell increased in great number so that there was neither begger nor poore man from the South to the North sea but euerie man had plentie euerie house a dweller and euerie towne inhabitants Now in this time Cnute married Emme sometimes wife to Edelred and mother to Alfred and Edward and sent Edmund and Edward the sonnes of Edmund Ironside to Hungarie to be slaine howheit the king of Hungarie cherished them as his owne children King Cnute also seazed vpon the land a great subsidie of 72000. pounds besides 11000. li. which the citizens of London paid In the yeare 1019. Meyric the sonne of Arthpoel did raise a great armie against Lhewelyn king or prince of Wales which met with him in the field and manfullie slue him and discomsited his people Also this yeare Cnute with a great nauie sailed to Denmarke and made war against the Vandales which had a great armie in the field whome Cnute ouerthrew by the prowes of Earle Godwyn and the Englishmen wherefore he loved them the better euer after In the yeare 1020. a certaine Scot of lowe birth came to Southwales and named himselfe Run the sonne of Meredyth their late king whome the nobilitie which loued not Lhewelyn exalted to the regall throne and tooke him for their king which thing when Lhewelyn heard he gathered his power in Northwales and came towards Run who had gotten all the strength of Southwales together at Abergwili where with great pride he abode the comming of Lhewelyn But when both armies were readie to ioine Run full of brags and crakes incouraged his people to fight promising them the victorie yet he himselfe following the prouerbe which biddeth a man to set on his dog and not to run after him set on his people to fight it to the vttermost and withdrew himselfe priuilie out of the waie wheras vpon the contrarie part Lhewelyn like a bold and couragious prince came before his people calling for the vile Scot Run that durst so beelie a princes bloud and so both the armies ioined together with much malice and hatred for the one partie were not so couragious to defend the quarell of so woorthie a prince of their owne bloud as the other were obstinate in the cause of a stranger in the end after great slaughter vpon either part the Northwales men remembring their old victories and incouraged by the prowes of their prince put their enimies to flight and pursued Run so narrowlie that all his Scottish shifts could not saue his life and so returned home with great spoile and prey Then Lhewelyn ruled all the land quietlie but
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
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
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
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
sent for Ithel and Madoc the sonnes of Riryd ap Blethyn to whom he promised rich gifts and great rewards besides the rule of the whole countrie if they could take or kill Owen to reuenge the dishonor that he had doone to the king and to them he added Lhywarch the sonne of Trahaern ap Caradoc whose two brethren Owen had slaine and Vchtryd the sonne of Edwyn which foure promised the bishop to bring him Owen and his father either aliue or dead and therevpon foorthwith gathered their power to destroie the whole countrie but Vchtryd sent priuie word before that all such of the people as would haue their liues saued should come to him And when the countrie heard this some fled to Arustly some to Melienyth some to Stradtywy and some to Dyuet where Gerald was destroieng the countrie And at that time Walter bishop of Hereford did gather an armie to defend Carmarthyn and met with such as fled to Arustly and Melienyth and destroied a great number of them Those that went to Stradtywy were gentlie receiued by Meredyth ap Rytherch and Vchtryd saued all such as came to him and so these foure came with their powers to the castell of Rydcors and thought best to haue entred the countrie by night and to take Cadogan and Owen his sonne vnawares But Vchtryd dissuaded them from that and thought it dangerous to enter the countrie by night for feare of ambushment but counselled them to enter in by day with their men in good order In the meane while Cadogan and Owen gat a ship at Aberystwyth which was latelie come from Ireland and escaped awaie and the daie after when they entred into the land they found none of them that they sought Therefore putting all the fault vpon Vchtryd they burned and spoiled all the countrie sauing the Sanctuaries of Padarn and Lhandhewi Breui yet they tooke diuerse men out of those places and caried them prisoners to their countries and then returned to their owne castels againe Then Owen with such as had beene with him at the burning of the castell fled to Ireland to king Murcart who receiued him ioiouslie for he had beene there before in the time of the warre of the two Earles in Anglesey or Môn and had brought the king rich gifts from Wales But Cadogan kept himselfe priuilie in Powys sent to the king to declare his innocencie Tehn the king was content he should remaine in the countrie and enioy the towne and lands that he had by his wife for she was daughter to a Lord of Normandie called Pygot de Say Then Madoc and Ithel his two nephewes diuided such lands as he and his sonne Owen had in Powys betwixt them and ruled it verie euill for they could neuer agree among themselues within a while Cadogan made such freends to the king that paieng a 100. pound fine he should enioy againe his landes in Caerdigan and that the inhabitants should returne againe to their houses and till the ground for the king had giuen commandement that no Welshman nor Normane should dwell within Caerdigan When they that were in Ireland vnderstood this they returned home priuilie and hid themselues in their coosens houses and shortlie after Owen returned againe to Wales but not to Caerdigan for his father had receiued that land vpon such condition that he should not suffer Owen to come therein nor succour him either with counsell monie or men Nowbeit Owen came to Powys and would faine haue sent messengers to the king but he could get no man that durst venture to speake for him Also at that time there happened some variance betwixt Madoc ap Riryd and the bishop of London lieutenant of the Marches about certeine felons of England that had fled to him for succor whom the bishop sent for but could not get wherfore he was sore offended with him Then Riryd vnderstanding of that sent to Owen desired his freendship whose greatest enimie he was before and by this meanes they were made freends and swore either to other that none of them should betraie the other nor agree by himselfe with the king or with his officers without the other and therevpon they burned and spoiled the lands of such as they loued not destroied all things that they met withall At this time also the Emperour Henrie did send his ambassadors to entreate of a mariage with Mawd the daughter of king Henrie and had hir to his wife And shortlie after the king banished and disinherited Peter de Bruse William Mallet and William Baynard and put to death the Earle of Mayne That yeare appeared a terrible Comete Then also the king remembred Iorwerth ap Blethyn whom he had kept long in prison and sent to know of him what time he would paie to haue his libertie and he promised the king 300. pound or the worth thereof in cattell or horses then the king set him at libertie and gaue him his land againe and gaue ten pound of that monie to Henrie sonne to Cadogan by the daughter of Pygot All this while Owen and Madoc were burning and spoiling the Englishmen and Normanes and euer withdrew themselues to the land of Iorwerth which thing greeued him greatly wherevpon he sent word of his danger desiring them to spare his land Cadogans for if it were knowne that they came in anie of theirs the land was forfeited to the king When Owen and Riryd heard this they vsed his countrie more often than they were woont then Iorwerth seeing that chased them out of his countrie Then they went to the countrie of Vchtryd in Merionyth shire and the sons of Vchtryd sent word to their people to keepe them out of their countrie and so they did for meeting them by the waie they set vpon them and Owen and Madoc defended themselues manfullie but at the last they and their men were driuen backe and so they fled Owen to Caerdigan to his fathers countrie and Madoc to Powys Then Owen with his companions made diuerse roades to Dyuet and spoiled the countrie carieng awaie the men and the cattell to the ships that they came in from Ireland and after ransomed them and gathered a great number to him set vpon a towne of Flemings and burned it and returned to Caerdigan nothing esteeming his fathers danger nor the kings displeasure At this time it chansed that Owens men among other mischeefes laid wait for a bishop that was towards the king whose name was William de Brabant and slew him and all his men Then Iorwerth Cadogan were at the court to speake with the king concerning certaine businesse of their owne and as the king talked with them behold there came in a Fleming brother to the dead bishop who made an exclamation declaring how Owen ap Cadogans men had slaine his brother and a great number moe and how they were succoured in Cadogans land Then the king being therewith sore displeased asked Cadogan what he could saie to the
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
Stratywy in Southwales where he was compelled for safegard of his owne life to rebell against the king and so gathering all the power he could to him made warre against the Flemings and Normanes The next yeare after to wit 1116. Gruffyth ap Rees did gather his power togither and laid siege to a castell that was ouer against Arberth and wan the same made it plaine with the ground then he came before the castell of Richard de Pwns at Lhanymdhyfry to whom the king had giuen the Cautref Bychan and would haue burnt it but Meredyth ap Rytherch ap Caradoc lieutenant of the same and the garrison defended it manfullie yet Gruffyth burnt the vtterward and slew manie of the garrison and likewise lost manie of his owne men and so returned without profit From thence he went to Abertawy and laid siege to the castell which Henrie Beumount Earle of Warwicke had built and likewise burned the vtterward and the court house destroied the countrie to Stratywy Then a great number of wild yoong men drew to the said Gruffyth from euerie place so that he began to waxe strong and made roads into Ros and Dyuet spoiling and robbing all the countrie Wherefore the Normanes and Flemings consulted how to remedie that mischiefe and called to them all such as were the kings freends and lords in the countrie as Owen ap Rytherch and Rytherch ap Theodor and his sonnes Meredyth Owen whose mother was Heynyth the daughter of Blethyn ap Convyn and Owen ap Caradoc whose mother was Gwenlhian another daughter of Blethyn ap Convyn and Meredyth ap Rytherch and asked whether they were true and faithfull to the king of England and they said they were If you be said they you must keepe and defend the kings castel of Carmarthyn and that after this maner first Owen ap Caradoc shall keepe it a fortnight and Rytherch ap Theodor and his sonnes another fortnight and so by course which they were content to doo Then Owen tooke vpon him the keeping of the castell and the castell of Robert Courtmaine in Abercomyn or Abercorran was committed to Blethyn ap Gadivor Shortlie after Gruffyth ap Rees sent spies to vnderstand the estate of Caermarthyn and the castell who vewed it brought him good tidings therefore he came with his power suddenlie vpon the towne and gaue a great shout and Owen ap Caradoc which kept it ranne to the place where the shout was giuen thinking that his men would haue followed him but the most part of them fled and so Owen was staine fighting manfullie and the towne wonne and destroied all saue the castell which was sore defaced So Gruffyth returned to his accustomed place with great spoile and bootie wherevpon a great number of lustie yoong men drew vnto him and serued him thinking that all was his After that he went to Gwyr and wan a castell and burnt it Then William de Londres forsooke his castell and fled with his men but Gruffyth destroied the castell and caried awaie all the cattell and spoile of the countrie and when the men of Caerdigan heard this they sent for Gruffyth choosing him rather to be their head and ruler being their coosen and countrie man than anie other Wherfore he went thither vnto them and was well receiued of Cadiuor ap Grono and Howel ap Dinerth and Trahaern ap Ithel who had forsaken Dyuet left it full of Normans Flemings and Englishmen There were also manie strangers in Caerdigan which ruled that countrie but yet the people hated them not forgetting the wrongs that they had receiued at their hands Notwithstanding Henrie king of England had brought all that countrie to his subiection some by force some by vanishment and some by gifts rewards Whereat Gruffyth was nothing dismaid but boldlie came to Caerdigan Iscoed and laid siege to a strong hold which Earle Gilbert the Flemings builded at Blaen Porth Gwithan Where after long fight diuerse assaults with the slaughter of diuerse within and but one of his men they burned the towne and brought the countrie to subiection Then all the strangers fled awaie and left their houses which the Welshmen burned and destroied all to Penwedic Then they assaulted the castell in Stradpythylh which belonged to Raphe Erle Gilberts steward and got it and slew the men that were within And from thence they camped at Glasgryg a mile from Lhanbadarn where they did wrong to the church for they tooke out some of the cattell to vittaile themselues that were within the compas of the Sanctuarie then they purposed to laie siege to the castell of Aberystwyth the daie folowing Which being declared to Raphe steward he sent priuilie to the castell of Stratmeyric which Gilbert had built for succour which he conueied frō thence by night The daie folowing Gruffyth came towards the castell out of order fearing nothing and did not vnderstand what number of men was within the castell and so stood vpon a hill the riuer being betwixt him and the castell with a bridge to passe ouer where he and his men staied and consulted concerning the making of engines to assault it vntill it was the euening at which time the Normanes seeing their disorder sent archers to the riuer side to skirmish with them to intice the Welshmen to the bridge that the armed horsemen might suddenlie issue out and set vpon the naked footmen Then the Welshmen approched neare to the bridge and skirmished with them suddenlie issue foorth one horseman and would haue passed the bridge but his horse was wounded with a pike and began to faile as he returned to the footemen he fell of his horse and the Welshmen pursued him ouer the bridge When the Englishmen sawe that they fled towards the castell and the Welshmen folowed to the hill top and suddenlie the ambush of horsemen that laie vnder the hill thrust betwixt them that had passed ouer the bridge and they that fled turned backe with more strength and so the Welshmen were compassed on either side and the bridge so kept that no rescue could come to them where they were slaine for the most part all being all naked men Then the rest seeing the great number of the men armed which they looked not for turned backe and departed the countrie Now when the king heard of all these slaughters and spoiles he sent for Owen ap Cadogan to him to whom when he came the king said Owen I haue found thee true and faithfull vnto me therefore I desire thee to take or kill that murtherer Gruffyth ap Rees that doth so trouble my louing subiects I assure thee my cheefe trust is in thee and in Lhywarch ap Trahaern who shall go with thee and you two shall waite vpon my sonne Robert whom I will send shortlie against that traitour with an armie And looke how thou seruest me at this time so will I recompense thee without faile Then Owen being wonderfull glad that
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
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
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.
that is to saie the Ile of Aples without the Abbie of Glastenburie fifteene foote within the earth in a holow elder tree and ouer the bones was a stone and a crosse of lead with a writing turned towards the stone wherein were ingrauen these words HÃc iacet sepultus inclytus rex Artburus in insula Aualonia The bones were of maruelous bignes and in the scull were ten wounds of which one was great and seemed to be his deaths wound the Queenes haire was to the sight faire and yellowe but assoone as it was touched it fell to ashes This graue was found by meanes of a Bardh or Poet whom the king heard at Penbrooke declare in a song the worthie actes of that noble prince and the place of his buriall Therefore let William Paruus and Polydore Virgil with their complices stoppe their lieng mouthes and desist to obscure and darken the glistering fame noble renowme of so inuincible and victorious a prince with the enuious detraction and malicious slaunder of their reprochfull and venomous toongs thinking that they may couer with the cloud of obliuion and burie in the pit of darkenesse those noble acts and princelie deeds by their wilfull ignorance and dogged enuie whereof the trumpet of fame hath sounded not onelie in Brytaine but also through out all Europe But remitting the discouering and blazing of their cankered minds towards the honour and fame of the Brytaines to such as can better paint them in their colours I will returne to my matter King Henrie the elder forsooke his wife for certeine considerations and kept hir in prison manie yeres And about this time Ranulph de Poer with a great number of Gentlemen was slaine by certeine yoong men of Gwent land in reuenge of their lords death This Ranulph de Poer was Shirife of Glocestershire or as Giraldus noteth of Herefordshire whose death the same author séemeth to impute vnto himselfe for his cruell and vnreasonable dealing against the Welshmen But the king tooke the same verie gréeuouslie who being sore incensed against them assembled a mightie armie and came with the same vnto Worcester meaning to inuade the enimies countries But the Lord Rees ap Gruffyth fearing the kings puissance thus bent against him and his countrimen came by safe conduct vnto Worcester where submitting himselfe he sware fealtie to the king and became his liegeman promising to bring his sonne and nephues vnto him for pledges But when according to his promise he would haue brought them they remembring how the other pledges before were vsed refused to go with him and so the matter rested for that time And the yeare 1183. Henrie duke of Saxonie being banished his countrie came to king Henrie his father in law to Normandie Also this yeare Henrie the yoong king died and was buried at Roane The yeare ensuing the duke of Saxonie came into England and his wife was brought to bed of a sonne which was named William About this time William de Mandeuile Earle of Essex went to Flanders with an armie to succour the Earle against the Earle of Henald or Henagow Shortlie after Iohn the kings yoongest sonne was dubbed knight and tooke his iournie to Ireland At which time Hugh de Lacie lord of Meth was slaine by a sickman Then Iohn returned home from Ireland at Christmas next folowing Also Howel ap Ieuaf lord of Arustly died was buried at Stratflur And the yeare 1186. died Geffrey duke of Brytaine the kings third son leauing behind him a daughter and his wife great with child of a sonne which afterward was named Arthur At this time Mawd the Empresse died which was daughter to king Henrie the first wife to Henrie the fourth Emperour of Almaine then to Geffrey Plantagenet Earle of Aniow and mother to the most noble king Henrie the second vpon whose toombe this Epitaph was written Ortu magna viro maior sed maxima partu Hîc iacet Henricifilia sponsa parens Also this time Cadwalader sonne to the Lord Rees was slaine priuilie in Westwales and buried in the Tuy Gwynn The next yeare Owen Vachan the sonne of Madoc ap Meredyth was slaine in the castell of Carrecgona hard by Oswaldstree in the night time by Gwenwynwyn and Cadwalhon the sonnes of Owen Cyuelioc and shortlie after Lhewelyn sonne to Cadwalhon ap Gruffyth ap Conan who was murthered by the Englishmen was taken by his owne brethren and had his eies put out About the yeare 1187. Baldwine Archbishop of Canturburie hauing in his companie Giraldus Cambrensis Archdeacon of Brechnock visited Wales being the first Archbishop of Canturburie that euer visited that countrie whom the Clergie of VVales began to resist alledging the liberties and priuileges of their Metropoliticall Church of S. Dauids but they preuailed not In this visitation which is described in writing by the said Giraldus in his booke which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Itinerarium Cambriae he procured and exhorted as manie as euer he could to take the crosse and to vow the viage against the Saracens wherevnto he persuaded manie of the nobles of VVales as appeareth by the said Giraldus Also this yeare Maelgon sonne to the lord Rees brought his power against Tenbye and by plaine force wan the towne and spoiling the same burned it to ashes This lord was faire and comelie of person honest and iust of conditions beloued of his freends and feared of his foes against whom especiallie the Flemings he atchieued diuerse victories In the yeare 1189. Henrie the second surnamed Curtmantel king of all Brytaine duke of Gascoine Gwyen and Normandie passed out of this transitorie life and was buried at Fonteuerard after him Richard his sonne was crowned in his place who receiued homage of William king of Scots and deliuered him againe the castell of Maydens or Edenburgh Roksburgh and Berwicke which king Henrie had long kept Also this yeare the lord Rees gathered all his strength and wan the castels of Seynclere Abercorran and Lhanstephan and brought all the whole countrie to his subiection taking Maelgon his sonne in whom remained all the hope of Southwales whome he kept in prison In the yeare folowing Rees did build the castell of Cydwely and Gwenlhian his daughter died the fairest and goodliest woman in all Wales About this time king Richard made the bishop of Durham Earle of Northumberland for a 1000. pound and afterward he said in iest that he had made a yoong Erle of an old bishop Shortlie after king Richard tooke his iournie to the holie land to make against the enimies of Christes faith Then the bishop of Elie the kings Chanceler and Uicegerent made a great ditch about the towne of London At this time Gruffyth Maylor lord of Bromfield a noble man and a wise and one that in liberalitie passed all the lords and noble men of his time died and was buried at Myuot he
the Archbishop of Canturburie whom king Richard had substituted his lieutenant in England came with an huge power towardes Wales and laied siege to the castell of Gwenwynwyn at the poole but the garrison defended the hold so manfullie that he lost manie of his men and could doo no good Therefore he sent for miners and set them on worke to vndermine the wals which thing when the garrison vnderstood and knowing that their enimes were three to one they were content to yeeld vp the castell vpon condition that they might depart with their armour freelie which offer the Archbishop tooke suffering them to passe quietlie and fortifieng the castell againe stronglie to the kings vse and placing therein a garrison for the defense thereof returned to England But immediatlie Wenwynwyn or Gwenwynwyn laid siege to it againe and shortlie after receiued it vpon the same conditions that his men had giuen it vp and kept the same to his owne vse The next yeare after there was a great and a terrible plague through all the Ile of Brytaine and France of the which died a great number of nobles beside the common people And the same yeare the fourth daie of Maie Rees the sonne of Gruffyth ap Rees ap Theodor prince of Southwales died the onelie anchor hope and staie of all that part of Wales as he that brought them out of thraldome and bondage of strangers set them at libertie and had defended them diuerse times in the field manfullie daunting the pride and courage of their cruell enimies whom he did either chase out of the land or compelled by force to liue quietlie at home Wo to that cruell destinie that spoiled the miserable land of hir defense and shield who as he descended of noble and princelie blood so he passed all other in commendable qualities and laudable vertues of the mind he was the ouerthrower of the mightie and setter vp of the weake the ouerturner of the holdes the separator of troopes the scatterer of his foes among whome he appeared as a wild boare among whelps or a lion that for anger beateth his taile to the ground In praise of this prince there is a long discourse in the Brytish booke after the maner of the VVelsh poets whose worthie commendation is laid downe at large by Ranulph Monke of Chester in the seuenth booke of his Historie intituled Polychronicon the 31. chap. and Grafton in the life of Richard the first pag. 92. This prince had manie sonnes and daughters as Gruffyth who succeeded his father Cadwalhon Maelgon Meredyth and Rees and of the daughters one called Gwenlhian was married to Ednyuet Vachan who was ancester to Owen Theodor or Tuder that maried Queene Catharine the widow of king Henrie the fift and the rest were maried to other lords in the countrie After the death of Rees Gruffyth his sonne subdued all the countrie to himselfe and enioied it in peace vntill Maelgon his brother whom his father had disinherited made a league with Gwenwynwyn the sonne of Owen Cyuelioc lord of Powys who both togither leuied a number of men came suddenlie vpon Gruffyth at Aberystwyth and slaieng a great number of his men tooke him prisoner and so recouered all the countrie of Caerdigan with the castell Thus Maelgon hauing taken his brother sent him to be imprisoned with Gwenwynwyn who in despite deliuered him to the Englishmen Then Gwenwynwyn gathering a power entred Arustly and subdued the same to himselfe Also about that time there was great warre in Northwales for Dauid ap Owen of late prince came with a great armie aswell Englishmen as Welshmen purposing to recouer the land againe but Lhewelyn his nephue who was the right inheritor of the same and then in possession thereof came boldlie and met him and gaue him battell and putting his people to flight tooke him prisoner and kept him in safetie and afterward enioied the countrie quietlie Toward the end of this yeare Owen Cyuelioc lord of the higher Powys died and left his land to Gwenwynwyn his sonne after whom that part of Powys was called Powys Wenwynwyn for a difference from the other called Powys Vadoc being the possession of the lords of Bromefield At this time also died Owen the son of Gruffyth Maylor lord of Bromfield and Brychtyr the sonne of Howel ap Ieuaf likewise Maelgon the sonne of Cadwalhon ap Madoc lord of Melienyth About the same time Trahaem Vachan a man of great power in the countrie of Brechnock as he came to Lancors to speake with William Bruse lord thereof was suddenlie taken and by the lords commandement tied to a horse taile and drawen through the towne of Aberhodny or Brechnock to the galowes and there beheaded and his bodie hanged vp by the feete three daies This crueltie shewed vpon no iust cause made his brother his wife and his children to flee the land The yeare ensuing Maelgon the sonne of prince Rees after he had imprisoned his elder brother got his castels of Aberteiui and Stratmeyric also the youngest son of prince Rees wan the castell of Dyneuowr from the Normanes The summer folowing Gwenwynwyn intending to extend the limits of Wales to their old meers gathered a great armie laid siege first to the castell of Payn in Eluel which was of the possessions of William de Bruse making a proclamation that assoone as he had won the castell he would burne all the whole countrie to Seauerne without mercie in reuenge of the murther of Trahaern Vachan his coosen But because he lacked engines and miners he laie three weekes at that castell and the murtherers sent for succours to England wherevpon Geffrey Fitzpeter lord chiefe Iustice of England gathered a great power ioining with him all the lords Marchers came to raise the siege And because the fortune of the battell is variable and vncertaine he sent first to Gwenwynwyn to haue a treatie of peace concluded but he and such as were with him would in no wise condescend to peace whose answere was that they would at that iournie reuenge their old wrongs Wherevpon the English lords did first enlarge Gruffyth the sonne of prince Rees of Southwales whom they knew to be an enimie to Gwenwynwyn which Gruffyth gathered a great power and ioined with the English lords and so they came towards the castell against whome Gwenwynwyn cam verie stoutlie there began a cruell battell with much slaughter on either part but at the last the Englishmen gat the victorie and Gwenwynwyn lost a great number of his men among whom were Anarawd sonne to Eneon Owen ap Cadwalhon Richard ap Iestyn and Robert ap Howel also Meredyth ap Conan was then taken prisoner with manie moe Matthew Paris saith that this battell was fought before Mawdes castell that of the Welshmen there were slaine 3700. and after this victorie the English lords returned home with much honor And forthwith Gruffyth sonne to prince Rees recouered by force and good
to the castell of Lhangadoc and wan it not regarding his promise and league with the sonnes of his brother Gruffyth ap Rees forgetting how worthilie they had serued him in his necessitie Therefore assoone as they heard of this both Rees and Owen came before the said castell wan it by assault slew or tooke prisoners all the garrison and then burned the castell to the earth The yeare 1210. king Iohn made a voiage to Ireland with an armie of great power and wanne the countrie of Conacht and tooke Cathol their prince prisoner In this voiage of King Iohn towards Ireland as he was in his iournie in the borders of Wales there was one taken and brought before him who had killed a préest The officer desired to vnderstand the kings pleasure what he would haue doone to him Let him go saith the king for he hath slaine mine enimie The churchmen of those daies persecuted king Iohn with booke bell and candell and therefore he little regarded the losse of some of them Also he spoiled Hugh de Lacie Lord of Meth of his castels and lands and tooke William de Bruse the yoonger and Mawd de Saint Valerike his mother and brought them both to England with him and caused them cruellie to be famished in the castell of Wyndsor The cause of the kings displeasure taken against this William de Bruse Lord of Brecknock as Matthew Paris reporteth the same was this When the Pope had excommunicated the realme of England The king fearing a further inconuenience tooke pledges of such of his nobles as he suspected would make anie stirre against him sending his messengers to the said William de Bruse demanded his sons for pledges Then Mawd the wife of the said William more malipart than manerlie taking the word out of hir husbands mouth answered roundlie that the king who had shamefullie slaine Arthur his nephue whom he ought rather to haue kept and preserued should haue none of hir children These words being by the messengers signified vnto the king put him in such a heat against the said Lord that he sent certeine souldiours to take him wherevpon he his wife and children were faine to flie into Ireland to saue their liues where the said Mawd and hir sonne were now taken but the father escaped and fled into France where he died afterward as the same author saith This yeare the Earle of Chester reedified the castell of Dyganwy which stood vpon the sea shore East of the riuer Conwy which prince Lhewelyn had before destroied Also he fortified the castell of Treffynnon or S. Wenefride Then prince Lhewelyn entered the Earles land and destroied a great part thereof and returned home with a great spoile Also Rees Vachan sonne to prince Rees fearing prince Lhewelyn who defended his nephues the sonnes of Gruffyth in their right went to the king for succours which he receiued with good will and by their aid he laid siege to the castell of Lhanymdhyfry Now when the garrison sawe no hope of succours they desired that they might depart bag baggage horsses all and so they did Likewise Gwenwynwyn whom the king held in prison was set at libertie and the king fearing the princes power sent an armie with him by whose means he receiued all his countrie againe in short space Maelgon also when he heard the same came to the kings court became the kings man who returning home with a great number of Normanes and Englishmen ioined to them all the power he could make in Wales and contrarie to the oth that he had made to his nephues Rees and Owen began to spoile their countrie and comming to Cantref Penwedic encamped at Cilkennyn and laie there all night consulting vpon his voiage In the meane time his nephues hearing this hauing but a small power not aboue 300. of chosen men came and lodged hard by vnknowing to their enimies And when they vnderstood by their spies that all was in quiet in Maelgons campe and how that his men mistrusting nothing behaued themselues careleslie these two lords prosecuted boldlie the enterprise which they had taken in hand and peaceablie entring the campe did come where they thought Maelgon laie or euer they were espied they gaue alarum and slew a great number before they awoke and the rest hearing the noise halfe amazed by means of the darkenesse escaped awaie thinking some great power had beene there But Maelgons men defended them manfullie vntill such time as their lord had gotten vpon his feete and escaped awaie by benefite of the night Then his nephue Conan ap Howel and his chiefe counseller Gruffyth ap Cadogan were both taken and Eneon ap Caradoc with a great number more slaine About this time Gilbert Earle of Glocester fortified the castell of Buelht where a litle before he had lost manie of his men This yeare also Mawd de Bruse wife to Gruffyth ap Rees died and was buried in a moonks coule in Stratflur by hir husband The next yeare ensuing king Iohn had manie complaints made vnto him by the Marchers vpon prince Lhewelyn how he entring their countrie burned and spoiled all as he went and slew their men Wherfore the king gathered a great armie through all England and called to him such lords and princes of Wales as held of him as Howel ap Gruffyth ap Conan ap Owen Gwyneth whom Lhewelyn had banished Madoc ap Gruffyth Maylor lord of Bromfield Chirke and Yale Meredyth ap Rotpert lord of Cydewen Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys Maelgon and Rees Vachan the sonnes of prince Rees rulers of Southwales With this great armie he entred into Northwales by Chester minding to destroie all that had life within that countrie Then the prince hearing of all this preparation against him aswell of his owne countriemen as others commanded all such as inhabited the Inland or Midle countrie which is now part of Denbigh and Flynt shires to remooue all their goods and cattels to Snowden hils for a time And so the king came along the sea coast to Ruthlan and so passed ouer the riuer Clwyd and came to the castell of Teganwy and there remained a while but Lhewelyn cut off his victuals behind him so that he could haue none from England and there cold not a man scatter from the skirmishes vnfought withall where the Northwales men alwaies both for the aduantage of the straits and knowledge of the places had the vpper hand At the last the English souldiours were glad to taste horsse flesh for pure neede Then when the king saw no remedie he returned home in great rage leauing the countrie full of dead bodies In August next ensuing he returned againe with a great armie and the lords before named with him entred into Wales at Blanch-monasterie now Oswestree whereof Iohn the sonne of William Fitzalan was lord At this time the king passing the riuer of Conwey encamped there by the riuer side and sent
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
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
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
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
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
offerentibus and therevpon granted his letters of commission to the abbots aforesaid to release Dauid from his oth of allegiance to the king of England and to inquire of the whole estate of the matter and to certifie him of the same These commissioners taking vpon them the authoritie directed their Mandat to the king of England commanding him to appeare before them at Creythyn in the church of Lhangustenyn in the vigil of S. Agnes next comming to answer in the premisses Wherevpon the king laughing at the presumption of these abbots being greatlie offended with the Pope for his vnsatiable gréedines sent to Rome and with greater summes of monie quieted all things againe so that the Pope made his gaine at both hands Sée Matthew Paris page 840. Then prince Dauid gathered all his strength to be reuenged of the wrongs which the Erles of Clare and Hereford with Iohn de Monmouth and Roger de Monte Alto and other Marchers did to his people Whom all the lords in Wales obeied and tooke for their souereigne sauing Gruffyth son to Gwenwynwyn and Morgan ap Howel which two shortlie were compelled to obey also Wherefore the prince entred the land of March spoiling and destroieng a great part thereof with whome the said Earles fought diuerse times and sometimes the one and sometimes the other had the uictorie The yeare ensuing the Marchers and the Welshmen met not far from Mountgomery where was a cruell fight and 300. of the Welshmen slaine and a great number of Englishmen among whome there was slaine a noble knight called Hubert Fitzmatthew Wherevpon the king being wearie of these domesticall troubles gathered a huge armie of Englishmen and Gascoynes and entred Northwales intending to destroie the countrie but the Prince met with his people in a straict fought with them and put them to flight There the king lost a great number of his most worthie soldiours and nobilitie the most part of all his Gascoynes therefore seeing he cold doo no good he sent for the Irishmen which landed at the Ile of Môn or Anglesey and spoiled a great part thereof till the inhabitants of the Ile gathered themselues together and met with them being loden with spoile whom they chased to their ships then the king manned and victualed his castels and returned to England Of this viage a certeine noble man being then in the kings campe wrote thus to his fréends about the end of September 1245. The king with his armie lieth at Gannock fortifieng of that strong castell we lie in our tents thereby watching fasting praieng fréezing with cold we watch for feare of the Welshmen who are woont to inuade and come vpon vs in the night time We fast for want of meat for the halfpenie loafe is woorth fiue pence We praie to God to send vs home againe spéedilie wée starue for cold wanting our winter garments and hauing no more but a thin linnen cloath betwixt vs and the wind There is an arme of the sea vnder the castell where we lie whereto the tide commeth and manie ships come vp the hauen thither which bring victuals to the campe from Ireland and Chester This arme of the sea lieth betwixt vs and Snowdon where the Welshmen abide now and is about a slight shoote ouer when the tide is in There came to the mouth of that hauen a certeine ship from Ireland with victuals to be sold vpon mondaie before Michaelinas daie which being negligentlie looked vnto was set on drie ground at the low ebbe on the further side of the water ouer against the castell which thing when the Welshmen saw they came downe from the hilles and laid siege to the ship being now vpon drie ground wherevpon we on the other side beholding the same sent ouer by boates thrée hundreth Welshmen of the borders of Cheshire and Shropshire with certeine archers and armed men to the rescue of the said ship Then the Welshmen withdrew themselues to their accustomed places in the rockes and woods whom our men followed as far as two miles being a foote bicause they brought no horsses ouer with them and slew manie of them But our men in their returne being ouergréedie and couetous spoiled the abbey of Aberconwey and burned all the houses of offices belonging to the same Which doings caused the Welshmen to come togither who like desperate men set vpon our soldiours being loden with spoiles and slew a great number of them following the rest to the waterside of whom some gat to the boates and so escaped and some cast themselues into the water and were drowned and such as they tooke they hanged or headed euerie one In this conflict we lost manie of our men speciallie of those that were vnder the conduct of Richard Earle of Cornewal as Sir Alan Buscell Sir Adam de Maio Sir Geffrey Estuemy and one Ramond a Gascoine whom the king greatlie fansied and diuers other beside a hundreth of common soldiours In the meane time Sir Walter Bisset worthilie defended the said ship vntill the tide came and then came awaie with the same manfullie wherein there were thréescore tunnes of wine beside other prouision c. Many other things are conteined in the said writing of the hard shifts that were made in the kings campe for victuals and the great dearth of all things that were to be eaten This yeare died Walter Marshall Earle of Penbrooke and Anselme his brother without issue whose inheritance descended to their fiue sisters To the intent the reader may vnderstand to whom the lands and lordships in Wales of the Earle Marshall and Penbrooke came I thought it conuenient here so laie downe how these fiue sisters were bestowed 1 Ione the eldest maried Warren Mountchensey whose daughter and heire named also Ione was maried to William de Valence halfe brother to king Henrie the third who in hir right was Earle of Penbrooke whose two daughters after the death of Aymēr de Valence were his heires to wit Isabel maried vnto Iohn lord Hastings and Abergeuenny whose daughter named Elizabeth maried Reynold lord Gray of Ruthyn to the which familie afterwards the inheritance fell and Ione married to Iohn lord Comyn who had issue Elizabeth maried to Richard lord Talbot and Ione maried to Dauid Earle of Athell 2 Mawd the second daughter of the Earle Marshall and Penbrooke was maried to Hugh Bygod Earle of Northfolke father of Ralph Bygod whose daughter and heire Isabel was maried to Sir Gilbert Lacy who had issue Margerie and Mawd his daughters and heires Margerie maried to Iohn L. Verdon of whom the Earle of Shrewesburie and the Earle of Essex are descended Mawd maried Geffrey Geniuill father to Peter Geniuill whose daughter and heire was maried to Roger Mortimer lord of Wigmor and the first Earle of March 3 Isabel the third daughter of the Earle Marshall Penbrooke was maried to Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester of whose issue mention is made before pag. 129.
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
we despise your fatherhoods requests and painefull trauell but with all hartie reuerence according to our dutie do accept the same Neither yet shall it be needefull for the lord the king to vse anie force against vs seeing we are redie to obeie him in all things our rights and lawes as aforesaid reserued And although the kingdome of England be vnder the speciall protection of the sea of Rome and with speciall loue regarded of the same yet when the lord the Pope and the court of Rome shall vnderstand of the great damages which are done vnto vs by the Englishmen to wit the articles of the peace concluded and sworne vnto violated and broken the robbing and burning of churches the murthering of ecclesiasticall persons aswell religious as secular the slaughter of women great with child and children sucking their mothers brests the destroieng of hospitals and houses of religion killing the men and women professed in the holie places and euen before the altars we hope that your fatherhood and the said court of Rome will rather with pittie lament our case than with rigour of punishment augment our sorow Neither shall the kingdome of England be in anie wise disquieted or molested by our meanes as is affirmed so that we may haue the peace dulie kept and obserued towards vs and our people Who they be which are delited with bloodshed and warre is manifestlie apparant by their deedes and behauiour for we would liue quietlie vpon our owne if we might be suffered but the Englishmen comming to our countrie did put all to the sword neither sparing sex age or sicknesse nor any thing regarding churches or sacred places the like whereof the VVelshmen neuer committed That one hauing paid his ransome was afterward slaine wee are right sorie to heare of it neither do we maintaine the offender who escaping our hands keepeth himselfe as an outlaw in the woods and vnknowne places That some began the warre in a time not meete and conuenient that vnderstood not we of vntill now and yet they which did the same do affirme that in case they had not done as they did at that time they had beene slaine or taken themselues being not in safetie in their owne houses and forced continuallie for safegard of their liues to keepe themselues in armour and therefore to deliuer themselues from that feare they tooke that enterprise in hand Concerning those things which we commit against God with the assistance of his grace we will as it becommeth Christians repent and turne vnto him Neither shall the war on our part be continued so that we be saued harmlesse and may liue as we ought but before we be disinherited or slaine we must defend our selues as well as we may Of all iniuries and wrongs done by vs we are most willing and readie vpon due examination and triall of all trespasses and wrongs committed on both sides to make amends to the vttermost of our power so that the like on the kings side be performed in like maner towards vs and our people and to conclude and stablish a peace we are most readie but what peace can be established when as the kings charter so solemnlie cōfirmed is not kept and performed Our people are dailie oppressed with new exactions we send vnto you also a note in writing of the wrongs and iniuries which are done vnto vs contrarie to the forme of the peace before made VVe haue put our selues in armour being driuen therevnto by necessitie for we and our people were so oppressed troden vnderfoote spoiled and brought to slauerie by the kings officers contrarie to the forme of the peace concluded against iustice none otherwise than if we were Saracens or Iewes whereof we haue often times complained vnto the king and neuer could get any redresse but alwaies those officers were afterwards more fierce and cruell against vs. And when those officers through their rauine and extortion were enriched other more hungrie than they were sent afresh to flea those whom the other had shorne before so that the people wished rather to die than liue in such oppression And now it shall not be needefull to leuie anie armie to war vpon vs or to moue the prelats of the church against vs so that the peace may be obserued duelie and trulie as before is expressed Neither ought your holie fatherhood to giue credit to all that our aduersaries do allege against vs for euen as in their deeds they haue and do oppresse vs so in their words they will not sticke to slander vs laieng to our charge what liketh them best Therefore for asmuch as they are alwaies present with you and we absent from you they oppressing and we oppressed we are to desire you euen for his sake from whom nothing is hid not to credit mens words but to examine their deeds Thus we bid your holines farewell Dated at Garth Celyn in the feast of S. Martine Certeine greefes sent from Lhewelyn to the Archbishop translated word by word out of the records of the said Archbishop WHere that it is conteined in the forme of the peace concluded as foloweth 1 If the said Lhewelyn will claime anie right in anie lands occupied by anie other than by the lord the king without the said foure Cantreds the said lord the king shall doo him full iustice according to the lawes and customes of those quarters or parts where the said lands doo lie Which article was not obserued in the lands in Arustly and betwixt the waters of Dyui and Dulas for that when the said Lhewelyn claimed the said lands before the lord the king at Ruthlan and the king granted him the cause to be examined according to the lawes and customes of Wales and the aduocates of the parties were brought in and the Iudges which vulgarlie they call Ynnayd before the king to iudge of the said lands according to the lawes of Wales And the defendant appeared and answered so that the same daie the cause ought to haue béene fullie determined according to the appointment of our lord the king Who at his being at Glocester had assigned the parties the said daie and though the same cause was in diuers places often heard and examined before the Iustice and that the lands were in Northwales and neuer iudged but by the laws of Wales neither was it lawfull for the king but according to the lawes of Wales to proroge the cause all that notwithstanding he proroged the daie of his owne motion contrarie to the said lawes And at the last the said Lhewelyn was called to diuers places whither he ought not to haue béene called neither could he obteine iustice nor anie iudgement vnlesse it were according to the lawes of England contrarie to the said article of the peace And the same was doone at Montgomery when the parties were present in iudgement and a daie appointed to heare sentence they proroged the said daie contrarie to the foresaid lawes and at the last the king himselfe at
London denied him iustice vnlesse he would be iudged according to the English lawes in the said matter 2 All iniuries trespasses and faults on either part doone be clearelie remitted vnto this present daie This article was not kept for that as soone as the lord Reginald Gray was made Iustice he mooued diuers and innumerable accusations against the men of Tegengl Ros for trespasses doone in the time of king Henrie when they bare rule in those parties wherby the said men dare not for feare kéepe their own houses 3 Where as it was agréed that Rees Vachan ap Rees ap Maelgon shall enioie his possessions with all the land which he now holdeth c. After the peace concluded he was spoiled of his lands of Geneu'rglyn which he then held with the men and cattell of the same 4 Also our lord the king granteth that all tenants holding lands in the foure Cantreds and in other places which the king holdeth in his owne hands shall hold and enioie the same as fréelie as they did before the time of the warres and shall vse the same liberties customes which they vsed before Contrarie to this article the lord Reginald Gray hath brought manie new customes against the forme of peace aforesaid 5 All controuersies mooued or to be mooued betwixt the Prince and anie other shall be decided after the lawe of the marches if they haue their beginning in the marches and after the lawes of Wales such as in Wales haue their beginning Contrarie to this article the king dooth and sendeth Iustices to Anglesey who presume to iudge there the men and subiects of the Prince setting fines vpon them contrarie to the lawes of Wales séeing neither this nor anie like was euer heard in times past imprisoning some outlawing others when the Prince is at all times readie to doo iustice to all men that complaine vpon anie of his men 6 Where it is in the peace that Gruffyth Vachan should doo homage to the king for the land in Yale to the Prince for the land in Ederneon the kings iustices brought the ladie of Maylor into all the said lands of Edeyrneon The knowledge of which cause onelie pertained to the Prince and not to the said Iustices and yet for peace sake the Prince did tollerate all this being at all times readie to minister iustice to the said Ladie 7 And though the said Prince submitted himselfe vnto vs and our will yet we neuerthelesse will and grant that our will in no case goo furder than is conteined in those articles Contrarie to this article gold was exacted for the Quéenes workes at euerie paiment made to the King which gold was neuer demanded in time of king Henrie or anie other king of England Which gold yet for quietnes sake the Prince paid though it were not spoken of or mentioned in the peace And now further it is exacted for the old Quéene the kings mother that now is for the peace concluded with king Henrie 2000. marks and a halfe and vnlesse it be paid the king threatneth to occupie the goods and lands of Lhewelyn and his people which he could find in his realme and sell men and beasts vntill the said summe were paid 8 Item when the king inuited the Prince to his feast at Worcester promising with verie faire words that he would giue his kinsewoman to him to wife and enrich him with much honor neuerthelesse when he came thither the selfe same daie they should be maried before Masse the king required a bill to be sealed by the Prince conteining amongst other things that he would neuer kéepe man against the kings will nor neuer mainteine anie whereby it might come to passe that all the Princes force should be called from him The which letter sealed he deliuered the king by iust feare which might mooue anie constant man yet was not this conteined in the peace whereas the conclusion of the peace was that the king should require nothing that was not conteined in the same 9 Item where in the said peace all customes be confirmed to the said Prince as his ancestors of long and dailie obserued custome haue receiued to their owne vse all wrecks hapning vpon his owne lands the Iustice of Chester tooke a distresse of the Prince for goods of shipwrecke receiued by him before the warres contrarie to the forme of the said peace By the which all trespasses of either side were remitted and contrarie to the customes before said and if in case it were forfeited yet he tooke such a distresse fiftéene pounds of honie and manie horsses and imprisoned his men And this he tooke of the Princes owne proper goods and further tooke booties of Bagiers which came to Lyrpoole with merchandize and neuer redeliuered the same vntill he had taken so much monie for the same as it pleased him 10 Item when certeine men of Geneurglyn had taken certeine goods of some of their neighbors of Geneurglyn when they were in the dominion of the prince in Meyreon the kings men of Lhanbadarn did take awaie the said goods out of the said dominion of the Prince and when the Prince his men came thither and asked the cause why they tooke the said preie the kings men killed one of them and wounded other and the rest they did imprison neither could the prince get anie iustice for the said goods to this daie 11 And where it is conteined in the peace that all things committed in the Marches should be redressed in the Marches yet the kings men would no where heare the princes men but put them in the castell of Lhanbadarn which is against the peace afore said In these articles and diuers others the king standeth sworne to the prince and to his people And although the prince as well by himselfe as by his people haue often requested the king to cause the said peace to be kept yet was it in no point kept but dailie the kings Iustices doo more and more heape iniuries and griefs vpon the people of those parts So that it cannot be blamed if the Prince did assent to them that first began the wars séeing the oth which the lord Robert Typtost sware for the king was kept in no point and chéeflie séeing the Prince was forewarned that he should be taken so soone as the king came to Ruthlan as he had béene in déede if the king had come thither after Christmasse as he purposed These greefes folowing were done by the king and his officers to the lord Dauid ap Gruffyth WHen the said Dauid came to the lord Edward then Earle of Chester and did him homage the said lord Edward did giue by his letters patents to the said Dauid two Cantreds Dyffryncluyd and Ceinmeyrch with all the appurtenances afterward when he was made king he confirmed the said gift to the said Dauid and gaue him possession of them Then afterward Guenlhian Lacy died who held some townes in the said Cantreds for terme of life which after
hir decease apperteined to Dauid by force of the foresaid grant which townes yet the king tooke from him contrarie to his letters patents 2 Item when the said Dauid did hold of the lord the king the villages of Hope and Eston in Wales of the which he ought to answere no man but according to the lawes of Wales yet the Iustice of Chester caused the said Dauid to be called to Chester at the sute of one William Vanable an English man to answere for the title of the said villages And although the said Dauid did often instantlie desire him the said Iustice not to procéed against him iniuriouslie in the countie of Chester where he was not bound to answere by the forme of the peace yet he plainlie denied him to be iudged either in Wales or after the lawes of Wales 3 Item the said Iustice of Chester to the iniurie of the said Dauid did cut downe his wood of Lhyweny and his woods at Hope as well by the dwellers of Ruthlan as others and yet the said Iustice had no iurisdiction in those parts And not being contented to get timber there for building as well for Ruthlan as other places in the countrie but also destroied the said woods sold it and carried it into Ireland 4 Item where the said Dauid tooke certeine outlawes and rouers in the woods and caused them to be hanged yet the said Iustice accused Dauid to the king for succoring and mainteining the théeues aforesaid which was not like to be true séeing he caused them to be hanged 5 Item it is prouided in the peace that all Welshmen in their causes should be iudged after the lawes of Wales This was in no point obserued with the said Dauid and his people Of these foresaid gréefs the said Dauid required often amends either according to the lawes and customes of Wales or of speciall fauour but he could neuer obteine anie of them both at his hands Further the said Dauid was warned in the kings court that assoone as Reginald Gray should come from the court the said Dauid should be taken and spoiled of his castell of Hope his woods should be cut downe and his children taken for pledges who séeing he had taken much paines and perill for the king in all his warres as well himselfe as his people both in England and in Wales and had lost therebie the most part of the nobilitie of his countrie and yet neuerthelesse could obteine neither iustice amends nor fauour at his hands hauing such great wrongs offred vnto him and fearing his owne life and his childrens or else perpetuall prison being enforced as it were against his will began to defend himselfe and his people Greefs and iniuries offered by the king and his officers to the men of Ros. THis is the forme of peace which the king of England did promise the men of Ros before they did him homage which he promised them to obserue inuiolablie That is to saie the king should grant to euerie of them their right and iurisdiction as they had in time of king Henrie according as the said men doo report that they had in the time of king Henrie 2 Item the lord the king did promise the said men that they should haue iustice in their sutes after granting of the which articles the said men did homage to the king And then the king promised them with his owne mouth faithfullie to obserue the said articles This notwithstanding a certeine noble man passing by the kings hie waie with his wife in the kings peace met certeine English laborers and Masons going to Ruthlan where they did then worke who attempted by force to take awaie his wife from him and while he defended hir as well as he could one of them killed the wife and he who killed hir with his fellowes were taken and when the kinred of hir which was slaine required law at the Iustice of Chesters hands for their kinswoman they were put in prison and the murtherers were deliuered 3 Item a certeine man killed a Gentleman who had killed the sonne of Grono ap Heilyn and was taken but when certeine of the kinred required iustice before the Iustice of Chester certeine of them were imprisoned the offender set at libertie and iustice denied to the kinred 4 Item certeine Gentlemen claimed some lands and offered the king a great péece of monie to haue iustice by the verdict of good lawfull men of the countrie then the lands being adiudged to the claimers Reginald Gray tooke the same lands corne goods and all vpon the ground so that they lost their lands monie corne and cattell 5 Item it is our right that no stranger should cut our woods without our leaue yet this notwithstanding there was a proclamation at Ruthlan that it should be lawfull for all other men to cut downe our woods but to vs it was forbidden 6 Item where diuerse honest men had lands of the gift of the said Dauid the Iustice taketh the said mens lands awaie 7 Item when anie commeth to Ruthlan with merchandize if he refuse whatsoeuer anie English man offereth he is forthwith sent to the castell to prison and the buier hath the thing and the king hath the price then the soldiours of the castell first spoile and beate the partie and then cause him to pay the porter and let him go 8 Item if anie Welshmen buie anie thing in Ruthlan and anie English man doo méet him he will take it from him and giue him lesse than he paid for it 9 Item the king contrarie to his promise made to the men of Ros hath giuen the territorie of Maynan Penmayn and Lhysuayn 10 Item certeine Gentlemen of the Cantred of Ros bought certeine offices and paid their monie for the same yet the Iustice of Chester tooke the said offices from them without cause 11 Item Grono ap Heilyn tooke to farme of Godfrey Marliney the territorie of Maynan and Lhysuayn for the terme of foure yeares yet Robert de Cruquer with horses and armes and foure and twentie horssemen came to vexe the said Grono so that he had no safe going neither to Ruthlan nor Chester without a great garrison of his kindred and fréends 12 Item certeine Gentlemen were arrested for trespasses doone before the warres and imprisoned and could not be deliuered vntill they had paied xvj markes which was contrarie to the peace concluded 13 Item our causes ought to be decided after the custome of our lawes but our men be compelled to sweare against their consciences else they be not suffered to sweare furthermore we spent thrée hundreth markes in going to the king for iustice in the foresaid articles And when we beléeued to recouer full iustice the king sent to our parties the lord Reginald Gray to whom the king hath set all the lands to farme to handle the men of the said Cantreds as it pleaseth him who compelled vs to sweare in his name whereas we should sweare in the kings
name And where the kings crosse ought to be erected he caused his crosse to be erected in token that he is the verie true lord and the said lord Reginald at his first comming to those parts of Wales sold to certeine seruants of the king offices for lx markes which the said seruants bought before of the king for xxiiij markes which offices ought not to be sold at the choise of the lord 14 Item the king gaue Meredyth ap Madoc a captaineship for his seruice Reginald Gray tooke it from him neither could he get anie remedie at the kings hands for the same 15 Item one of the councell of the said Reginald Cynwrie Vachan told vs by mouth that as soone as the said Reginald Gray returned to Wales he would take xxiiij men of euerie Cantered and either behead them or imprison them perpetuallie 16 Item whereas we paid our taxes and rents in old monie halfe a yeare before the comming of new monie they inforced vs to paie new monie for the old These gréefes and the like the said Reginald offered vs and threatned that if we would send anie to the king to complaine he would behead them and when we sent anie to the king he could neuer speake with the king but spent vs much monie in vaine For which gréefes we beléeue our selues frée before God from the oth which we haue made to the king These greefes folowing the king and his Iustices offered to Rees Vachan of Stratywy AFter that the said Rees gaue the king his castell of Dyneuowr sithence the last peace the said Rees then being in the tent of the lord Payne de Gadersey at the same time there were slaine sixe Gentlemen of the said Reeses men for whom they neuer had amends which was to him great gréefe and losse 2 Item Iohn Gifford claimed the said Reeses inheritance at Hiruryn and the said Rees requested the lawe of his countrie of the king or the lawe of the countie of Caermardhen in the which countie the ancestors of the said Rees were woont to haue lawe when they were of the peace of the Englishmen and vnder their regiment but the said Rees could haue no lawe but lost all his lands They would haue had him to answer in the countie of Hereford where none of his ancestors euer answered Further in the lands of the said Rees were such enormities committed which doo most apperteine to the state ecclesiasticall that is to saie in the church of S. Dauid which they call Lhangadoc they made stables and plaid the harlots and tooke awaie all the goods of the said church and burning all the houses wounded the préest of the said church before the high altar and left him there as dead 3 Item in the same countrie they spoiled and burnt the churches of Dyngad Lhantredaff and other churches in other parts they spoiled their chalices bookes and all other ornaments and goods These be the greefes which the king and his Iustice gaue to Lhewelyn ap Rees and Howelap Rees AFter that a forme of peace was concluded betwixt Henrie then king of England and the prince of Wales the said king granted confirmed by his charter to the said Prince the homage of the said noble men so long as they stood fréends with the prince according to the said gift confirmation but Edward now king disherited the said Gentelmen of their lands so that they could not haue their owne lands neither by law nor by fauour These be the greefes doone by the Englishmen to the sonnes of Meredyth ap Owen AFter that the King had granted the Gentelmen their owne inheritance of Geneurglyn and Creuthyn he contrarie to the peace disherited the said Gentelmen denieng them all lawes and customes of Wales and of the countie of Caermardhyn 2 The said king in his countie of Caerdigan by his said Iustices compelled the said Gentelmen to giue iudgement vpon themselues where their predecessors neuer suffered the like of Englishmen 3 The said Iustices of the king haue taken awaie the courtes of the noblemen in Wales and compelled the people to satisfie before them for trespasses when as they ought to haue satisfied by the said nobles 4 When a wrecke hapneth vpon anie of the grounds of the noble men whose ancestors had wrecke they should haue the same yet the king forbiddeth them and the said king by color of that shipwrecke contrarie to their custome and law did condemne them in eight markes and tooke away all the goods of the shipwrecke 5 That none of our men of the countie of Caerdigan dare come amongst the Englishmen for feare of imprisonment and if it had not béene for feare of hurt the nobles would neuer haue stirred The complaints of the noble men of Stratalyn of the wrongs and greefes doone to them by Roger Clifford and Roger Scrochill deputie to the said Roger Clifford contrarie to the priuilege iustice and custome of the said noble men as they saie and prooue WHen the said Rogers compelled the said men of Stratalyn to giue them to haue their customes and priuileges twentie marks starling and after the paiement of the monie they brake by and by after this sort to put vpon twelue men according to the lawes of England which was neuer the manner nor custome of the said countrie 2 Item Madoc ap Blethyn was condemned in foure markes vniustlie contrarie to the lawes and vse of the countrie 3 Item Grono Goch was likewise condemned in fiue marks and twelue beasts contrarie to the custome of the countrie 4 Item the said Rogers tooke the lands of the men of the countrie as forfeit and for one foote of a stag found in a dogs mouth thrée men were spoiled of all that they had 5 Item Ithel ap Gwysty was condemned in a great sum of monie for the fact of his father done fourtie yeares before 6 Item the said Rogers laid vpon vs the finding of all the English soldiours whereof before there was but one halfe 7 Item we were giuen to maister Maurice de Cruny and were sold to Roger Clifford which was neuer séene in our parents time 8 Item the widow of Robert of the Mowld asked of the king the third part of the land in the Mowld in ward whereas it was iudged before the king that the said lands were neuer giuen in ward These be the Articles of greefes doone to the men of Penlhyn by the constable of Henrie Chambers of the white Abbie and his men CYnwric ap Madoc was spoiled by them in time of peace of eight pound foure oxen corne the worke of one plough for two yeares and to the value of thrée pound of thrée of his men and they had the worth of xvj pound for the said eight pound and did beate him besides which was more wrong for then he was the princes constable at Penlhyn And all the cause that they pretended to make this spoile was onelie that they said they had found foure and twentie sheafes
of tyth in the house of a seruant of the said Cynwric 2 Item Adam Criwr was condemned in eight shillings eight pence and a mare price twentie shillings and was taken and beaten for that he had taken the stealer of that mare and brought him bound with him the which théefe was forthwith deliuered 3 Item Iorwerth ap Gurgeneu was condemned in foure pound for that he had scaped out of their prison in time of the warres and was found in the said towne in the time of peace and this is directlie against the peace concluded betwixt the king and the Prince 4 Item Caduan Dhu seruant to the constable of Penlhyn was condemned bicause he would not receiue the old monie for new 5 Item Gruffyth ap Grono the Princes man was spoiled of an oxe price eleuen shillings eight pence and after that the constable had plowed with the said oxe seuen moneths he paid to the said Gruffyth for the said oxe thrée shillings foure pence 6 Item two seruants of one named Y Bongam were spoiled of two pounds for that they tooke a théefe that robbed them by night and yet the théefe was deliuered 7 Item Eneon ap Ithel was taken beaten and spoiled of two oxen price foure twentie shillings two pence for this cause onelie that the said oxen went from one stréete to an other in the towne 8 Item Guyan Maystran was spoiled of his monie because a certeine merchant of Ardudwy owed them certeine things and yet the said merchant was not of their bailiwicke The greefes of Grono ap Heilyn A Tenant of Grono ap Heilyn was called to the kings court without anie cause then Grono came at the daie appointed to defend his tenant demanded iustice for him or the law which the men of his countrie did vse all this being denied the said tenant was condemned in seuen and twentie pound j.d. ob Then the said Grono went to London for iustice which was promised him but he could neuer haue anie where he spent in his iournie fiftéene markes 2 A certeine Gentelman was slaine who had fostered the sonne of Grono ap Heilyn and he that killed him was taken and brought to Ruthlan castell then the said Grono and the kindred of him that was slaine asked iustice but some of them were imprisoned and the killer discharged Then Grono went againe to London for iustice which the king did promise him but he neuer had anie but spent twentie markes 3 The third time Grono was faine to go to London for iustice in the premisses where he spent xviij marks vj.s. viij d And then likewise the king promised him that he should haue iustice but when he certeinelie beléeued to haue iustice then Reginald Gray came to the countrie and said openlie that he had all doings in that countrie by the kings charters and tooke away all Bailiwicks which the king had giuen the said Grono and sold them at his pleasure then the said Grono asked iustice of the said Reginald but he could not be heard 4 The said Grono tooke to farme for foure yeares of Godfrey Marliney Maynan and Lhysfayn then Robert Cruquer came with his horsses and armes to get the said lands by force and for that Grono would not suffer him to haue the said lands before his yeares came out he was called to the law and then the said Reginald Gray came with xxiiij horssemen to take the said Grono And for that they could not that daie haue their purpose they called Grono the next daie to Ruthlan and then Grono had counsell not to go to Ruthlan Then they called him againe to answere at Caerwys but the said Grono durst not go thither but by the conduct of the bishop of S. Asaph for that Reginald Gray was there and his men in harnesse 5 For these gréefes for the which he could get no iustice but labour and expenses of liiij markes and more and for that he durst not in his owne person go to the court he sent letters one to the king an other to his brother Lhewelyn to signifie to the king that he should loose all the fauour of the countrie if he kept no promise with them and so it came to passe because the men of Ros and Englefild could get no iustice the king neglecting the correction of these things lost the whole countrie Humblie sheweth to your holines lord Archbishop of Canturburie primate of all England the noble men of Tegengl that when the said noble men did their homage to the lord Edward king of England the said king promised them to defend them and their goods and that they should vse all kind of right priuilege and iurisdiction which they did vse in time of king Henrie of the graunt of the said king whereof they were after spoiled FIrst they were spoiled of their right and priuileges and customes of the countrie and were compelled to be iudged by the lawes of England wheras the tenor of that their priuilege was to be iudged according to the lawes of Wales at Tref Edwyn at Ruthlan and at Caerwys and the best men of the countrie were taken bicause they desired to be iudged at Tref Edwyn according to the tenor of their priuileges by the lawes of Wales 2 Whatsoeuer one Iustice dooth his successor dooth reuerse the same for in Dauids cause Reginald Gray reuoked that which his predecessor confirmed and allowed 3 If he doo take anie Gentleman of the countrie he will not let him go vpon suertie which he ought to doo 4 If anie Gentleman be brought to the castell of the Flynt vpon small accusation and his cattell withall they can neither be deliuered nor haue delaie vntill they giue the constable an oxe and vntill they paie thrée pound fées to Cynwric for the hauing of the delaie 5 Reginald Gray gaue the lands of the men of Merton to the Abbot and couent of Basingwerke against the lawes of Wales and the custome of the countrie and contrarie to the forme of the peace betwixt prince Lhewelyn and the king that is to saie xvj Caratatasterrae 6 The noble and best of the countrie be iniured for that the king builded the castell of Flynt vpon their ground and the king commanded the Iustices to giue the men as much and as good ground or the price But they are spoiled of their lands and haue neither other lands nor monie 7 Reginald Gray will not suffer men to cut their owne wood vntill he haue both monie and reward and vntill they paie for it also but permitteth others to cut it downe fréelie which they ought not to doo by the lawes and customes of Wales 8 Where the men of Cyrchynan couenant with the king to giue the king halfe a medow of condition the king should not suffer the woods to be cut downe Howel ap Gruffyth being present yet Reginald Gray hath broken the same permitting euerie man to cut their woods and spoile them also of their medowe 9 The sonne of
Cynwric ap Grono was taken at Ruthlan and put in prison without anie cause at all neither would the kings officers deliuer him vnlesse he would redéeme the gage of a certeine woman for the which he was constrained to paie much more than the pawne laie for 10 When the bailiffe of Ruthlan was at a feast Hicken le Maile wounded a Gentleman cruellie in the presence of the said bailiffe by the occasion of which wound Hicken was condemned in eight pound and when he which was hurt would haue demanded the said eight pound he was put in prison with Hicken 11 The messengers of Reginald Gray attempted an absurditie not heard of requiring the people of the countrie to plow his ground and sowe the same and the messengers were Cynwric Says and Hicken Lemayl and the said Cynwric sware openlie before the whole companie that vnlesse all men should plow Reginald Grayes ground they should shortlie repent it then the people feared much as in that case anie constant man would feare 12 The heires of Tegengl bought their offices for xxx markes of the king But afterward Reginald Gray spoiled them of their offices and monie against the lawes and customes of England 13 Seauen Gentlemen were wrongfullie killed by the Englishmen but as yet the parents of the Gentlemen can haue no amends and though the offenders were taken yet the said constable let them go without punishment 14 The constable of Ruthlan kept two of the kings soldiours in prison for that they tooke an Englishman who had wounded a man All these things conteined in these articles are contrarie to the priuilege libertie and right of the said men and contrarie to the lawes and customes of Wales neither dare the inhabitants send their complaints to the king for feare of Reginald Gray which feare anie constant man might haue because the said Reginald Gray said openlie that if he could come by anie such their messengers he would cut off their heads as it is certeinelie told vs by one of his counsell further neither toong can expresse nor penne can write how euill the men of Tegengl haue béene ordered Humblie complaineth vnto your lordship my lord Archbishop of Canturburie Primate of all England Lhewelyn ap Gruffyth ap Madoc of the constable of Oswaldes Crosse the king and of the men of that towne who haue spoiled the said Lhewelyn of the third part of a towne called Lhedrot and his fathers house without any law or right or custome of the countrie Further the said Constable and his complices haue against the lawes and the custome of the countrie spoiled the said Lhewelyn of the common and pasturage which he and his predecessors haue had and vsed time out of mind and further condemned the said Lhewelyn for the said pasture in lxx markes And further the king of England granted certeine letters to a bastard called Gruffyth Vachan of Cynlhaeth to law with the said Lhewelyn for his whole lordship and possessions by the occasion of the which letters the said Lhewelyn hath spent two hundreth pound of good monie Also the said Constable compelled the said Lhewelyn to send two of his Gentlemen to him whom when they came to him he caused to be hanged which Gentlemen ought not by right to haue béene hanged whose parents had rather haue giuen him thrée hundreth pound Afterward the said Constable imprisoned thréescore of the men of the said Lhewelyn no cause alledged but that a certeine Page spake a word who could not be deliuered out of prison vntill euerie of them paid ten shillings When the men of the said Lhewelyn came to the said towne to sell their oxen the said Constable would cause the beasts to be driuen to the castell neither would he restore the beastes nor monie for them Further the said Constable and his men tooke awaie the cattell of the said Lhewelyn from his owne ground and did their will with them Further the kings Iustices compelled the said Lhewelyn contrarie to the law and custome of Wales to deliuer to the sonnes of Encon ap Gruffyth a certeine towne which both he and his ancestors euer had held The said Constable tooke the horsse of Lhewelyns Bailiff when the said Bailiff owed him nothing who could neuer get his horsse againe nor anie satisfaction for it Furthermore when the said Lhewelyn should haue gone to a towne called Caerlhêon to appeare there as he was appointed the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn and the soldiours of Roger Strainge by the counsell of the said Roger tooke the said Lhewelyn and his men and imprisoned them to their great damage which the said Lhewelyn would not for 300. pound starling who could by no meanes be deliuered vntill they had found sufficient suerties The Archbishop receiuing these and other articles came to the king and requested him to consider these wrongs and to cause amends to be made or at the least excuse the Welshmen hauing so iust cause of gréefe Who answered that the Welshmen were to be excused yet he said he was euer readie to doo iustice to all them that complained Wherevpon the Archbishop besought the king againe that the Welshmen might haue frée accesse to his Grace to declare their gréefes and to séeke remedie the king answered they should fréelie come and depart if it should séeme that by iustice they deserued to depart The Archbishop hearing this went and came to the Prince of Wales in Snowdon that he might mooue him and his brother Dauid and the other companie to submit themselues whereby he might incline the king to admit them Which after much talke and conference with the Archbishop the Prince answered that he was readie to submit himselfe to the king reseruing two things that is to say his conscience which he ought to haue for the rule and safegard of his people and also the decencie of his state and calling Which answere the Archbishop brought and reported to the king At the which the king said that he would not anie other treatie of peace than that the Prince and his people should simplie submit themselues But the Archbishop knowing well that the Welshmen would not submit themselues but in the forme aforesaid or in other forme to them tollerable and of them liked requested the king that he might haue conference in this matter with all the noble Englishmen then present who after such conference agréed all to these articles following The which articles the Archbishop did send in writing to the Prince by Iohn Wallensis These are to be said to the Prince before his councell FIrst that of the foure Cantreds and the lands by the king giuen to his nobles and the Isle of Anglesey he will haue no treatie of 2 Item of the tenants of the foure Cantreds if they will submit themselues he purposeth to doo as becommeth a kings maiestie and we verelie beléeue he will deale with them mercifullie and to that end we will labour and trust to obtaine 3 As
touching the lord Lhewelyn we can haue none other answer but that he shall submit himselfe simplie to the king and we beléeue certeinlie he will deale mercifullie with him and to that end we trauell all we can and verelie beléeue to be heard These following are to be said to the Prince in secret FIrst that the nobilitie of England haue conceiued this forme of fauorable peace that the lord Lhewelyn should submit himselfe to the king and the king should honorablie prouide for him a thousand pound starling and some honorable countie in England So that the said Lhewelyn would put the king in quiet possession of Snowdon and the king will prouide honorablie for the daughter of Lhewelyn according to the state and condecencie of his owne bloud and to these they hope to persuade the king 2 Item if it happen that Lhewelyn marrie a wife and to haue by hir anie heire male they trust to intreate the king that the same heire male and his heires for euer shall haue the same thousand pound and countie 3 Item to the people subiect to the said Lhewelyn the king will prouide as becommeth their estates and condition and to that the king is well inclined These are to be said to Dauid brother to Lhewelyn in secret FIrst that if for the honor of God Iuxta debitum crucis assumptae he will go to the holie land he shall be prouided for according to his degrée so that he doo not returne vnlesse he be called by the king and we trust to entreat the king to prouide for his child 2 And these things we tell our selues to the Welshmen that a great deale greater perill dooth hang ouer them than we told them by mouth when we were with them these things which we write séeme gréeuous but it is a great deale more gréeuous to be oppressed with armes and finallie to be rooted out bicause euerie daie more and more their danger dooth increase 3 Item it is more hard to be alwaies in warre in anguish of mind and danger of bodie alwaies sought besieged and so to die in deadlie sinne and continuall rancor and malice 4 Item we feare whereof we be sorie vnlesse you doo agrée to peace we most certeinlie will aggrauate the sentence Ecclesiasticall against you for your faults of the which you can not excuse your selues whereas yée shall find both grace and mercie if you will come to peace And send vs your answer of these in writing Reuerendissimo in CHRISTO Patri ac Domino Iohanni dei gratia Archiepiscopo Cantuar. ac totius Angliae Primati suus in Christo debitus filius Lhewelinus Princeps VValliae Dominus Snowdon salutem CVm desiderijs beneuolentiae filialis ac reuerentijs multimodis honoribus Sancte Pater sicut vosmet consuluistis ad gratiam Regiam parati sumus venire sub forma tamen nobis secura honesta Sed quia forma consenta in articulis and nos missis nec secura est nec honesta prout nobis concilio nostro videtur de quamultùm admirantur omnes quòd plùs tendit ad ruinam destructionem nostram populi nostri quà m ad nostram securitatem honestatem nùllo modo possumus consensum nostrum in eam praebere sivellemus alúque nobiles populus nobis subiectus nullo modo consentirent ob indubitatam destructionem dissipationem quae inde eis possit euenire Tamen supplicamus vestram sanctam paternitatem quatenus ad reformationem pacis debitae honestae securae ob quam tot labores assumpsistis prouidè laboretis collationem habentes ad articulos quos vobis mittimus in scriptis Honorabilius est magis rationi consentaneum vt de domino Rege teneamus terras in quibus nos habitamus quà m nos exhaeredari eas tradere alijs Datae apud Garth Celyn To the most reuerend Father in Christ the lord Iohn by gods grace Archbishop of Canturburie and Primate of all England his obedient sonne Lhewelyn prince of VVales and lord of Snowdon sendeth greeting MOst hartily with all reuerence and honor we are content and readie holie father as you haue counselled vs to submit our selues vnto the kings Grace so it be in that forme that shall be safe and honest for vs but because that forme of submission conteined in the articles which were sent vnto vs is neither safe nor honest as we and our councell do thinke at the which articles all men do maruell tending rather to the destruction of vs and our people than anie securitie and honest dealing we may in no wise yeeld our assent vnto it and if we should so doo our nobles and people would not agree to the same knowing the mischiefe and inconuenience that is like to ensue thereof Neuerthelesse we beseech your holie fatherhood that for the reformation of a decent honest and firme peace for the which you haue taken so great paines you doo circumspectlie prouide hauing respect vnto the articles which we send vnto you in writing It is more honorable for the king more agreable to reason that we should hold our lands in the countrie where wee dwell than that wee should be disinherited and our lands giuen to other men Dated at Garth Celyn The Answers of the VVelshmen FIrst though the lord the king will haue no treatie of the foure Cantreds the lands that he gaue his nobles nor the Isle of Anglesey yet the Princes councell will no peace to be made vnlesse treatie be had of them For that the foure Cantreds be of the more tenure of the Prince where alwaies the Princes of Wales had more right since the time of Camber the sonne of Brutus so that they be of the principalitie of Wales The confirmation of the which the Prince obtained by Octobonus the Popes legate in England by the consent of the king and his father as it doth appeare by the letters patents And more iust and equall it is that our heires doo hold the said Cantreds of the king for monie and vsed seruice than the same to be giuen to strangers which abuse the people by force and power 2 All the tenants of all the Cantreds of Wales altogither doo saie that they dare not submit themselues to the king to doo his pleasure First for that the king kept neither couenant nor oth nor grant by charter from the begining to the Prince or his people Secondlie for that the kings men doo cruellie exercise tyrannie towards the Church and Church-men Thirdlie that they be not bound to anie such matter séeing they be the Princes tenants who is readie to doo vsed and accustomed seruice and to obey the king with and by the said seruice 3 To that which is said that the Prince should simplie commit himselfe to the kings will it is answered that none of vs all dare come to the king for the causes aforesaid we altogither will not suffer our Prince to come in that
Meredyth serued the king in all these warres who did the Prince most hurt of all men and was in great hope of goodlie preferments at the kings hands whom after the ouerthrowe of the Prince the king made knight and fed with manie faire and good woords After that he and all other his countriemen and neighbours had submitted themselues to the gouernement of the king of England it happened that the lord Payne Tiptoft warden of the kings castels nigh vnto Reeses countrie and the Lord Alan Plucknet the kings steward in Wales called the said Rees as they did all other of the countrie to the kings court whither he refused to come alledging his ancient priuileges and liberties with the kings promises but the said officers procéeded according to the law against him wherevpon a great variance arose betwéene the said Payne Tiptoft and the said Sir Rees ap Meredyth so that sundrie skirmishes were foughten betwixt them and men slaine on both sides to the great disturbance of the countrie The king hearing of these things being then beyond the seas wrote vnto Rees ap Meredyth requiring him to kéepe the peace till his returne at what time he promised to reforme all things in due and reasonable order but Rees would not giue ouer the enterprise which he had begun Wherevpon the king sent to the Earle of Cornewall whom he had leaft his lieutenant in the realme during his absence to send an armie of men into Wales to withstand the disordered attempts of the said Rees Who went into Wales himselfe and ouerthrew Reeses castell of Drofolan but by vndermining and reuersing the walles of the said castell with the fall thereof the Baron of Stafford the lord William de Monchency with manie other knights and Esquires were oppressed and brused to death Afterward Robert Tiptoft lord deputie of Wales gathered an armie and méeting the said Rees after the slaughter of 4000. of his people discomfited and tooke him Who about Michaelmas folowing at the kings going into Scotland was had to Yorke and there condemned and executed Not long after the king wanting monie there was a great subsidie granted towards the maintenance of the warres in France about leuieng of the which there was much adoo in diuerse places but especiallie the Welshmen which were neuer woont to be acquainted with such contribution stormed against it so that they tooke one of their owne captaines named Roger de Puelesdon who at the kings commandement gathered the said subsidie and hanged him with diuers other and afterward headed the said Roger. Wherevpon the king being sore offended for the death of the said Roger whom he greatlie fauoured and hearing that the Welshmen began to stirre against him in diuers places for the Westwales men had chosen Maelgon Vachan for their captaine and destroied all Caerdigan and Penbrooke and returned with rich spoiles they of Glamorgan and the South parts tooke one named Morgan for their leader and driuing the Earle of Glocester out of the countrie they restored to the said Morgan againe those possessions which the ancestors of the said Earle by force and great wrong had taken from the said Morgans predecessors The Northwales men had set vp one Madoc being of the kindred of the last Lhewelyn slaine at Buelht who gathering a great power came to Caernaruon and slew a great number of Englishmen which were come thither to the Faire and spoiled the whole towne then I saie the king called backe his brother Edmond Earle of Lancaster and Henrie Lacy Earle of Lincolne and lord of Denbigh who had an armie readie to passe into Gascoyn These Earles came towards Northwales and as they approched néere vnto the castell of Denbigh vpon S. Martyns daie the Welshmen with great force encountred them and giuing them battell droue them backe and discomfited their people Then the king himselfe came to Wales and kept his Christmas at Aberconwey where Robert Wynchelsey archbishop of Canturburie came vnto him and did his homage and then returned home The king as he passed further into the countrie lost much of his carriages which the Welshmen tooke being loden with vittell and prouision for the armie so that the king and his people indured great penurie and was constrained to drinke water mixt with honie and eate verie grosse and course meate where he was verie like to haue béene distressed had not the other part of his armie come vnto him in time While the king remained in Snowdon the Earle of Warwicke hearing that a great number of Welshmen were assembled togither and lodged in a vallie betwixt two woods chose out a companie of horssemen with certeine crossebowes and archers and comming vpon the Welshmen in the night compassed them round about who pitching the ends of their speares and turning the points against their enimies stood at defense so to kéepe off the horssemen But the Earle hauing placed his battell so that euer betwixt two horssemen there stood a crossebow a great part of the Welshmen who stood at defense in maner aforesaid with their speares were ouerthrowne and broken with the shot of the quarels and then the Earle charged the residue with a troupe of horssemen and bare them downe with such slaughter as they had not susteined the like losse of people as was thought at anie time before After this the king builded a strong castell within the Ile of Anglesey and called the same Buemarish and so putting all things in quietnesse and punishing such as had put to death Roger de Puelesdon he returned home with his armie But Madoc within a while after leauieng an armie of men came to Oswestrie where the people yéelded vnto him and méeting with the lord Strange with a companie of Marchers not farre from Knookine ouerthrew him and spoiled his countrie miserablie and shortlie after he gaue the Marchers another ouerthrow But for all that the lord Marchers nothing dismaied at this mischance gathered a great power anew met Madoc as he was comming towards Shrewesburie vpon the hils of Cefn Digolh not farre from Caurs castell where after a long fight the said Madoc was taken and his men discomfited and put to flight Then he was sent to the Towre of London there to remaine in perpetuall prison There be some which affirme that Madoc was not taken but rather after manie aduentures and sundrie conflicts when the Welshmen were brought into an issue of great extremitie the said Madoc came in and submitted himselfe to the kings peace and was receiued vpon condition that he should pursue Morgan till he had taken him and brought him to the kings prison which was done and so all things in those parties were set in rest and peace and manie hostages of the chiefest of the nobilitie of Wales were deliuered to the king who sent them to diuerse castels in England where they were safelie kept almost to the end of the warres that followed with Scotland In the
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
constable or kéeper of the gates or of the gaole or to be of the counsell of anie citie borough or towne or to beare anie maner armour within anie citie borough or market towne And if anie sute happened betwéene a VVelshman and anie Englishman it was by law ordeined that the Englishman should not be conuict vnlesse it were by the iudgment of English Iustices and by the verdict of whole English burgesses or by inquests of English boroughs and townes of the Seigniories where the said sute laie also that all English burgesses that maried VVelshwomen should be disfranchised of their liberties No congregations or méetings in counsell was permitted to the VVelshmen but by licence of the chiefe officers of the same Seigniorie and in the presence of the same officers That no victuals or armour should be brought into VVales without the speciall licence of the king or his counsell That no VVelshman should haue any castell fortresse or house defensiue of his owne or of anie other man to kéepe No VVelshman to be made Iustice Chamberlaine Chancellor Treasuror Sheriffe Steward Constable of castell receiuer eschetor coroner nor chiefe forester nor other officer nor kéeper of the records nor lieutenant in anie of the said offices in no part of VVales nor of the counsell of anie English lord notwithstanding anie patent or licence made to the contrarie That no Englishman which in time to come shall marie anie VVelshwoman be put in anie office in Wales or in the Marches of the same These with other lawes both vnreasonable and vnconcionable such as no prince among the heathen euer offered to his subiects were ordeined and seuerelie executed against them Neither was it anie reason that for the offense of one man and his complices all the whole nation should be so persecuted whereby not onelie they that liued in that time but also their children and posteritie should be brought to perpetuall thraldome and miserie for these lawes were not ordeined for their reformation but of méere purpose to worke their vtter ruine and destruction Which doth euidentlie appeare in that they were forbidden to kéepe their children at learning or to put them to be apprentises to anie occupation in anie towne or borough of this realme Let anie indifferent man therefore iudge and consider whether this extremitie of law where iustice it selfe is méere iniurie and crueltie be not a cause and matter sufficient to withdraw anie people from ciuilitie to barbarisme Edward of VVestminster EDward the onelie sonne and heire of king Henrie the sixt borne at Westminster the thirtith daie of October in the 31. yeare of the reigne of his father was created prince of Wales and Earle of Chester by authoritie of parlement at Westminster the 15. daie of March in the 32. yeare of the said king his father This prince was afterwards of such towardnesse that he became skilfull in the knowledge aswell of martiall affaires as of matters of gouernment and lawes of the realme he was murthered at Teukesburie Edward of Westminster Iohn bishop of Worcester as appeareth by records of the towne Hall of Salop bearing date the tenth daie of Aprill in the 18. yeare of king Edward the fourth was president of the L. Princes counsell of the Marches of Wales who togither with the lord Anthonie Earle Riuers vncle and gouernor to the said Prince sate in the towne hall aforesaid and made certeine ordinances for the weale and tranquillitie of the said towne King Edward the fourth vsing much the faithfull seruice of the Welshmen meant the reformation of the estate of Wales and the establishing of a court within that Principalitie and therefore he sent the bishop of Worcester and the Earle Riuers with the prince of Wales to the countrie to the end he might vnderstand how to procéed in his purposed reformation But the troubles and disquietnesse of his owne subiects and the shortnes of his time suffered him to doo little or nothing in that behalfe Edward EDward the onlie sonne of king Richard the third being a child of tenne yeares of age was the foure and twentith daie of August in the first yeare of the reigne of the same king created prince of Wales Arthur Besides all this there was a commission at this time directed from king Henrie the seauenth to the Abbot of Lhan Egwest Doctor Owen Poole chanon of Hereford and Iohn King harold to make inquisition concerning the parentage of the said Owen who comming to Wales trauelled in that matter and vsed the helps of Sir Iohn Leyaf Guttyn Owen Bardh Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn ap Euan Vachan and others in the search of the Brytish or Welsh bookes of petigrées out of the which they drew his perfect genelogie from the ancient kings of Brytaine and the Princes of Wales and so returned their commission which returne is extant at this daie to be séene After that about the seuentéenth yeare of king Henries reigne Prince Arthur went againe to Wales being newlie married with whom the king sent Doctor William Smith which was afterward bishop of Lincolne to be president of his counsell appointing him other wise expert counsellors as Sir Richard Poole his kinseman which was his chéefe chamberlaine also Sir Henrie Vernon Sir Richard Crofts Sir Dauid Philip Sir William Vdall Sir Thomas Englefield Sir Peter Newton c. But before the yeare ended this noble Prince after that he had béene married to the ladie Catharine his wife the space of fiue moneths departed out of this transitorie life at Ludlowe castell the second daie of Aprill in the said yeare of his fathers reigne and with great funerall solemnitie was buried at Worcester Henrie duke of Yorke HEnrie duke of Yorke brother vnto Prince Arthur was after the death of the Prince the 18. daie of Februarie in the 19. yeare of the reigne of king Henrie the seuenth his father created Prince of Wales and was afterward king of England by the name of king Henrie the eight The said William Smith Bishop of Lincolne was L. President of his councell who continued in that office vntill the fourth yeare of this kings reigne and was the first L. President that is named in the records of that court he was founder of Brasenose college in Oxenford In the fourth yeare of this noble king Henrie the eight Geffrey Blyth Bishop of Couentrie and Lychfield was sent into Wales to be L. President of the princes councell where he continued vntill the 16. yeare of the same king Marie THe ladie Marie daughter to the same king Henrie the eight by the Princesse Catharine Dowager the widowe of Prince Arthur was Princesse of Wales And in the seuentéenth yeare of king Henries reigne Iohn Voiseie Bishop of Excester was sent by the king to be L. President of the councell of the said Princes in the marches of Wales where he continued vntill the 25. yeare of the same king This Bishop was Doctor of the lawes and verie well
learned and wise and in great fauour with the king who sent him sundrie times in embassages to forreine Princes and now he had the gouernement of the kings onelie daughter ladie Marie Princesse of Wales Of all the Bishops in the land he was counted the courtlikest and the best Courtier and although he was well reported of for his learning yet was he better liked for his courtlike behauiour which in the end turned not so much to his credit as to the vtter ruine and spoile of his church for of xxij lordships and manours which his predecessors had and least vnto him of a goodlie yearelie reuenue he leaft but thrée and them also leased out And where he found fouretéene houses well furnished he leaft onlie one house bare and without furniture and yet charged with sundrie fées and annuities by meanes whereof that bishopricke which sometimes was counted one of the best is now become in temporall lands one of the meanest and a place scarse leaft for the Bishop to laie and rest his head in yet neuerthelesse he was a great fauorer of learned men and speciallie of diuines whom he preferred in his church aboue all others He was verie bounteous and liberall vnto all men but speciallie vnto courtiers vnto his owne kindred and countrimen Upon many he bestowed vnto the confusion of some of them and vpon other he spent much by building of a towne named Sutton Colshull where he was borne which he procured to be incorporated and made a market towne and set vp therein making of kersies but all in the end came to small effect ELIZABETH Rowland Lee bishop of Couentrie and Lichfield was in the 26. yéere of king Henrie the eight sent to be Lord President of the kings maiesties Counsell in the marches of Wales in whose time the principalitie and countrie of Wales was by Parlement incorporated and vnited vnto the kingdome of England and all the inhabitants thereof made equall in fréedomes liberties rights priuileges lawes and in all other respects to the naturall subiects of England and all inheritances were made of English tenure to descend without diuision or partition after the maner of England Also the lawes statutes and ordinances of the realme of England were commanded to be executed and put in practise within the contrie and principalitie of Wales and none other And to the end the said lawes should be dulie put in execution the whole dominion of Wales togither with the lordships marchers bordering vpon the same was diuided into xiij shires or counties wherefore xij made foure circuits to the which circuits there were seuerall Iudges appointed who should administer iustice to the inhabitants of euerie of the said shires twise in the yéere The first circuit was the thrée shires of Eastwales Denbygh Flynt and Mountgomrie wherin the Iustice of Chester kéepeth sessions twise in the yéere hearing and deciding all titles trespasses variance and misdemeanours within the countrie The Iustice of Northwales doth the like in the thrée shires of Northwales Anglesey Caernaruon and Meryonyth which doo make the second circuit The third circuit are the thrée shires of Westwales Caerdigan Caermardhyn and Penbrooke where the Iustice of that countrie kéepeth his sessions euerie yéere twise The thrée shires of Southwales Radnor Brechnocke and Glamorgan doo make the fourth circuit in the which the Iustice of Southwales dooth kéepe sises twise euerie yéere And bicause all matters as well of lawe as of equitie are heard and determined in these circuits the same doo continue sixe daies in euerie of the shires aforenamed Monmouthshire dooth followe the common order of the shires of England suing all originall writs out of the high court of chancerie In all these shires there were appointed Shirifes Iustices of peace Crowners and all other officers accordinglie as they are in England Further for the kéeping of the countrie in continuall obedience and the controlling of the outrage of wilfull and vnrulie persons there was ordeined a President and counsell to remaine within the dominion and Principalitie of Wales with all officers appertaining to the same Which President and councell haue power and authoritie to heare and determine by their wisdomes and discretions such causes and matters as are assigned to them by the Kings or Quéens of England for the time being And certeinlie let men imagine what they will this house was it that after great hatred and persecution whereof disobedience and rudenes folowed reduced the countrie of Wales to quietnesse obedience and ciuilitie by authoritie whereof not onelie great outrages are appeased the offendors punished and the wilfull brideled but also the quiet and obedient subiect is protected and defended from iniurie so that he may possesse his owne in quietnesse Wherein this Bishop Rowland Lee and his associats did notable good seruice And surelie there haue béene of the same house verie wise gouernors and men of great credit namelie Nicholas Heath Archbishop of Yorke and Lord Chancelor of England Thomas Yoong Archbishop also of Yorke Iohn Whitgift now Archbishop of Canturburie and diuers other of whom I am to speake héereafter In the 29. yéere of king Henrie the eight prince Edward his sonne was borne at Hampton court on S. Edwards euen being the 12. of October who bicause the principalitie of Wales was now by statute as I said before incorporated to the crowne and kingdome of England being vnder the same lawes and iurisdiction was none otherwise Prince of Wales than vnder the generall title of England as the king his father was king of England and vnder that name K. of Wales as a member of England neither doo I read of anie other creation or inuestiture that he had to that principalitie therefore I thought it not conuenient to make any speciall title of him after the said statute He afterward succéeded his father in the crowne of this realme by the name of king Edward the sixt The said Rowland Lee died L. President in the xxxiiij yéere of King Henrie the eight and lieth buried at Shrewesburie After him Richard Sampson bishop of Chichester was remooued to Couentrie and Lichfield and appointed Lord President of Wales in the xxxv yéere of king Henrie the eight and so continued L. President vntill the end of the 2. yéere of the reigne of king Edward the sixt Iohn Sutton alias Dudley Earle of Warwike and knight of the noble order of the garter was in the third yéere of King Edward the sixt appointed Lord President of Wales in the which office he continued vntill the fourth yéere of the same king He descended out of Wales by a daughter of the Lord Powys for he was the sonne of Edmund the sonne of Iohn a yoonger sonne of Iohn Lord Dudley the sonne of Iohn Lord Dudley the sonne of Iohn Lord Dudley the son of Iohn Lord Dudley the sonne of Iohn Sutton Baron Dudley who maried Isabell the daughter of sir Iohn Charlton
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
68. Hol. pag. 249. Io. Castor Sim. Dunel Hol. pag. 248. 1013 Io. Cast. Io. Castor Matth. West pag. 498. Matth. West pag. 399. Hol. pag. 255. Matth. West page 399. Hol. pag. 256. Matt. West page 400. Io. Castor Sâ—m Dunel Fabian Matth. West pag. 401. Matt. West page 402. 1015 Râ—n Cest. lib. 6. cap. 18. 1019 Ran. Cest. ibi 1020 1031 H. Hunt Io. Castor Matth. West Ran. Cest. li. 6 Alâ— Crantz 1037 Hol. pag. 272. Matt. West 1038 H. Hunt Matt. West Sim. Dunel 1041 Hol. pag. 270. Matt. West 1050 Wil. Malms Hol. pag. 270. and 271. Matt. West page 419. Matt. Park Matt. West page 420. Hector Boet. lib. 12. cap. 5. Buchan li. 7. page 62. Hol. pag. 247. 1054 Matt. West page 421. Hol. pag. 272 276. 277. Matt. West page 422. Io. Castor This Randulphe was K. Edwards nephew by his sister Goda the wife of walter De Maunt. Hol. pag. 276. Io. Castor Matt. West page 423. Si. Dunelm Io. Cast. Hol. pa. 277. Matt. West Matt. Park Matt. West Matt. West page 427. Hol. pag. 277. Matt. West page 427. Matth. West Matt. West page 429. Mar. Scotus Matt. West page 430. Matt. West 1066 Verie weak titles of themselues Wil. Malms H. Hunt Matt. West page 434. The exhortation of W. Conqueror to his Soldiours Matt. Paris page 7. Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 1. Hol. pag. 297. 1068 Matt. Paris page 8. Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 3. Matt. Paris Matth. West lib. 2. pag. 4. Matt. West li. 2. pag. 6. Matt. Park page 11. Matt. Paris page 11. Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 6. 1073 1074 1077 Io. Castor Matt. Paris page 17. Io. Castor 1087 Io. Castor Iohn Rous. Io. Cast. Iohn Rous. Matt. Paris H. Hunt Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 9. Matt. Paris pag. 18. Matt. Paris page 19. 1090 Robert Fitzhamon Ran. Cest. lib. 7. cap. 7. Marianuâ— Scotus The value of the Segniorie before the purchase thereof The value of the Segniorie now 1091 Ogmor Neth Coyty Lhan Blethyan Talauan Penmarke Sully East Orchard Peterton S. George Fonmon S. Donats Some doo affirme that he was lord of Astreuile in Normandie Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 21. I. Castor Matt. Paris page 72. Chron. de Dôr Giral Camb. in Itinerario Cambrie W. Paston Ch. Lanthon Earle Constable Matt. Paris page 20. Matt. West page 16. Ran. Cest. lib. 7. cap. 7. Buchan li. 7. pag. 64. Matt. Paris page 23. 15000 pound easilie gotten H. Hunt Matth. West lib. 2. pag. 16. 1093 Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 17. Matt. Paris pag. 24. Matt. Paris Hol. pag. 326. 1094 Ran. Cest. li. 7. cap. 8. Sup. Mar. Scot. Io. Castor Mar. Scotus 1096 Matt. Paris page 59. Fabian par 7 cap. 225. Mar. Scotus 1098 Matt. Paris pag. 71. 1101 Matt. Paris Ran. Cest. 1102 Matt. Paris page 78. Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 26. Io. Castor Ran. Cest. li. 7. cap. 13. Brwnt yw'r gwr ni sai yn ei air Io. Bal. Cent. cap. 58. in append 1103 Ran. Cest. li. 7. cap. 13. Si. Dunelm 1100 Matt. Paris pag. 83. Matth. West lib. 2. pag. 25. Matt. Paris page 84. 1108 Ran. Cest. lib. 7. cap. 13. Polydor. Iac. Mayer Hol. pag. 347. 1109 Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 26. Ran. Cest. lib. 2. cap. 14. Matt. Paris page 85. Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 27. Cilgarran as some thinke 1111 1112 1113 Matt. Paris page Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 27. Ran. Cest. li. 7. Io. Castor Polydor. lib. 11. Hol. pag. 352. The Prerogatiue of the Kings of England in appointing of Bishops brought to Wales 1116 Polydor. lib. 11. Hol. pag. 353. Mar. Scotus Priuilege of sanctuarie claimed for cattell This reproch and defacing of anie nation doth neuer come to good end Ric. 3. at Bosworth field Polydor. lib 11. Hol. pag. 354. The children of Cadogan ap Blethyn 1116 Hol. pag. 355. Matt. Paris pag. 89. 1120 Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 29. Matt. Paris pag. 89. 91 Matt. Paris page 92. Hol. pag. 357 Matth. West lib. 2. pag. 30. Matt. Paris pag. 92. Hol. pag. 358. 1122 Io. 〈◊〉 Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 31. Ran. Cest. lib. 7. cap. 16. Hol. pag. 359 Ro. Houeden H. Hunt lib. 8. 1125 Matt. Paris page 94. 1127 Hol. pag. 361 1132 Matt. Paris pag. 97. Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 34. 1135 Tho. Walsh Hol. pag. 365 Matt. Paris page 100. Fabian Io. Cast. Hector Boet. Iohn Stowe page 188. Florentius Wigorn. Sup. Mar. Scot. Matt. Paris page 100. W. Pamus lib. 1. cap. 15. Matt. Paris ibidem Tho. Walsh 1137 Sup. Mar. Scotus A verie good lawe against abuses in Musicians 1140 W. Parnus lib. 1. cap. 8. Matt. Paris pag. 104. Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 36. Matt. Paris ibidem W. Parnus lib. 1. cap. 9. Matth. West lib. 2. pag. 37. Matt. Paris pag. 105. W. Parnus lib. 1. cap. 10. Matt. West page 38. Matt. Paris ibidem 1142 W. Parnus lib. 1. cap. 11. Matt. Paris page 105. Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 38. 1143 Matt. Paris pag. 107. Matth. West lib. 2. pag. 38 Matt. Paris page 107. 1145 1147 1148 Girald Cam. Castellâ— y Rodwyth The castell of Oswestrie 1150 1151 Matt. Paris pag. 113. Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 41. Ran. Cest. lib. 7. cap. 20. 1153 Matt. West page 41. Matt. Paris page 114. 1154 Matt. West lib. 2. pag. 52. Matt. Paris page 115. 1155 Castelh Caereneon Io. Cast. Matt. West page 43. Matt. Paris page 126. Matt. West page 44. In those two Abbeis the Princes and Noblemen of Wales were buried 1157 W. Parnus lib. 2. cap. 5. Matt. West ibidem Matt. Paris pag. 129. Io. Castor W. Parnus lib. 2. cap. 5. Hol. pag. 397. W. Parnus lib. 2. cap. 5. 1160 The lordship of Powys See the records in the Towre Chirke Glyndowrdwy Mowthwy Matt. Paris pag. 130. Matt. West pag. 46. 1162 Matt. Paris pag. 131. Castelh Caerec Hòua 1163 Matth. West page 46. Matt. West page 47. Matt. Paris page 134. 1165 Roger Houeden Ger. Dor. Rad. Cogeshall Hol. pag. 408. Girald Cam. 1167 Giral Camb. Expug Hib. Girald Cam. Vat Hist. Hol. in his historie of Ireland 1169 It is like that the bones were laid a good way a sunder in the measuring Gutyn Owen Da. Ingram Sir Hu. Gilb. discouerie Girald Cam. in Hist. Hibera Girald Cam. Vat. Historie Matt. Paris pag. 168. 1172 Matt. Paris pag. 169. This Ralph was vncle to the Queene Matt. Paris pag. 169. Hol. pag. 437 1175 Matt. Paris pag. 174. Fabian par 7. cap. 238. Hâ—l pag. 437. Hol. pag. 440. The Herolds books saie that he died without issue Gâ—rul Camb. 1176 Hol. pag. 439. Matt. Paris pag. 176. A feast Casteth Rayder Gwy 1179 Matt. Paris page 186. Hol. pag. 453. Matt. Paris page 222. Matt. West page 66. Io. Cast. Ran. Cest. lib. 7. cap. 27. All the writers here alledged doo affirme this to haue beene about ten yeares after this time H. Lhoyd Girald Cam. Hol. pag. 456 Girald Cam. Hol. pa. 460. 1183 Matt. Paris pag. 189. 1184 Matt. Paris page 192. Matt. West page 58.
Hol. pag. 462. 1186 Matt. Paris pag. 192. Matt. Paris page 192. 1187 Ran. Cest. lib. 7. cap. 24. Giral Camb. in Itin. Cam. 1188 1189 Matt. Paris pag. 208. Matt. West page 63. Matt. Paris page 208. Matt. Paris page 210. Matt. West pag. 65. Matt. Paris pag. 217. Matt. Paris pag. 231. Matt. West page 66. Or sold him rather 1194 Matt. Paris page 236. Matt. West page 69. 1194 Matt. Paris pag. 237. Matth. West page 69. Ger. â—or Matt. Park page 138. Hol. pag. 534. Marwnad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poetica Ran Cest. lib. 7. cap. 31. Ri. Grafton in his chronicles of England 1198 Hol. pag. 537. Matt. Paris pag. 259. H. Lhoyd Matt. Paris pag. 259. 1199 Matt. Paris pag. 261. Matt. West page 75. Matt. West page 92. H. Lhoyd Taliefin In those daies the Brytaines refused the doctrine of Augustine as erronius and corrupt Matt. West pag. 78. 1201 1202 Matt. West pag. 78. He had need to vse a caution in this oth for he was sworne before to the king of England H. Lhoyd Adwy'r bedhev Matt. Paris page 279. Matt. West pag. 79. Matt. Paris pag. 276. Polydor virg lib. 15. Ran. Cest. lib. 7. cap. 33. Fabian 1204 1205 1208 Hol. pag. 566. 570. 1210 Matt. Paris pag. 307. Matt. Paris page 303. Matt. Paris pag. 303. Idem pa. 308 1211 Matt. Paris pag. 307. Matt. West page 89. 1212 Matt. Paris page 309. Matth. West page 91. Matt. 〈◊〉 pag. 311. Matt. West page 99. Casteth Mathraual Matt. Paris page 309. Hol. pag. 573. Hol. pag. 574. Matt. Paris page 309. 1213 This is not Euangelium pacis Ex fructibus eorum cognosceuseos Matt. Paris page 318. Annal. Fland Iac. Meyri lib. 8. Hol. pag. 578. Hol. pag. 586. 1215 Matt. Paris pag. 339. Matt. Paris pag. 340. Matt. Paris page 377. Matt. Paris page 383. Matt. Paris page 386. Matth. West page 104. 1217 Matt. Paris pag. 395. Matt. West page 104. Matt. Paris page 398. Brecheinoc was the whole couÌ„trie or lordship of Brechnock Aberhodny the cheefe towne Articles of peace betweene prince Lhewelyn and the Flemings The barons pacifieng France and England do conspire against Wales 1220 1221 Hol. pag. 619. Matt. Paris pag. 416. Matt. West pag. 110. 111. Casteâ—h Trefaldwyn Matt. West page 111. Hol. pag. 619. 1223 Hol. pag. 622. Matt. Paris pag. 423. Matt. West page 114. Matt. Paris pag. 423. Matt. Paris saith that the Earle had the victorie and that there were slaine and taken of the Welshmen 9000. persons Matt. Paris page 425. 427. Matth. West page 115. Matt. Paris page 428. Matt. Paris page 439. 1226 1228 Matt. Paris pag. 468. Matt. Paris page 468. Matt. West page 124. Stultitia Huberti 1230 Matt. Paris pag. 485. Matt. Paris pag. 488. Matt. West pag. 128. 1231 Hol. pag. 638. Matt. Paris pag. 492. Matt. West page 131. Matt. Paris pag. 492. Matt. Paris pag 493. Matt. Paris pag. 502. Hol. pag. 640 Matt. Paris pag. 507. Hol. pag. 622. 1233 Matt. West page 134. Matt. Paris page 517. Matt. Paris pag. 518. Matt. West page 137. Matt. Paris page 518. 1231 Matt. Paris pag. 526. Polydorus virg lib. 16. Fallere fallentem non est fraus Matt. Paris pag. 527. Matt. Paris pag. 533. Matt. Paris page 540. Matt. Paris A peace concluded betwixt Lhewelyn and king Henrie The barons called home and pardoned H. Lhoyd Matt. Paris 1237 Foure barons 1 Halton 2 Nantwich 3 Malpas 4 Shipbroke 1237 Matt. Paris page 584. Matt. West page 154. Matt. Paris page 584. H. Lhoyd Matth. West page 154. Matt. Paris pag 703. Matt. West page 154. 1240 Matt. Paris pag. 764. Matt. Paris page 841. Articles agreed vpon betweene the king the wife of Gruffyth Matt. Paris page 842. Dauid in great perplexitie being ouermatched Man Paris page 765. Matt. Paris page 830. Records An. 29. Henrie 3. Matt. Paris pag. 880. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. Curiae Matt. Paris page 884. Matt. Paris page 891. Matt. Paris pag. 927. Matt. Paris pag. 924. The lords of Bromfield and Powys held with the king in all these wars Matt. Paris page 930. 1246. Matt. Paris pag. 933. This Elianor had issue by the Earle Bohune who inherited hir part afterward This Earle of Rutland was slaine in the battell of Wakefield by the lord Clyfford See before page 213. Matt. Paris pag. 938. 1254 1256 Matt. Paris page 1251. Ibid. 1252. Tho. Walsh Hypodigma pag. 61. Matt. Paris page 1253. Matth. West page 277. Matt. Paris pag. 1260. Matt. Paris page 1268. Matt. Paris page 1271. Matt. Paris pag. 1272. Matt. Paris page 1275. 1276. Matt. Paris page 1274. Matt. Paris page 1279. Matt. Paris page 1287. 1258 Matt. Paris page 1288. Ibidem page 1294 1297. Matt. West page 277. Matt. Paris pag. 1301. To this Patrike the lordship of Cydweli was giuen if he could winne the same and keepe it Matt. Paris pag. 1307. Matt. West pag. 278. Matt. West pag 284. pag. 287. 1260 Matt. Paris pag. 1333. Tho. Wals. Hypodig page 63. 1268 Matt. Paris pag. 1341. Matt. West page 347. 1270 H. Lhoyd 1270 1272 1274 Tho. Walsh 1277 Tho. Walsh page 6. Matt. West pag. 364. Tho. Wals. page 6. Matt. West page 365. Tho. VVals page 7. N. Triuet N. Triuet Tho. VVals page 7. N. Triuet Hol. pag. 787. N. Triuet Tho. Walsh page 8. 1278 Matt. West page 367. Tho. Walsh pag. 8. N. Triuet N. Triuet Polydo li. 17. 1281 1281 The greater cause the more loue See this article again pag. 359. * To sweare by his hand whereas we should sweare by the hand of the king Lhewelyn ap Gruffyth ap Madoc Conscientia de salute populi 2. Decorum N. Triuet Hol. pag. 791. Cor. Tacitus in vita Agricolae Hol. pag. 791. Tho. Wals. page 11. Chro. Dunst. Tho. VVals ibidem Matt. West page 370. N. Triuet Tho. VVals page 10. Prince Lhewelyn slaine Thom. Wals. pag. 12. The lordship of Denbigh H. Lhoyd Hol. pag. 796. 1289 Tho. Wals. page 15. Tho. Wals. pag. 20. 1293 Matt. West page 395. Hol. pag. 810. N. Triuet Tho. Wals. page 27. Beumarish built The Homage doon to Edward Prince of Wales out of the Records Flint Engl. 1322 Hol. pag. 863. Hol. pag. 869. The vnreasonable lawes of K. Henrie 4. against the inhabitants of Wales See the books of statutes Ioh. Bishop of Worcester William Smith bishop of Lincolne Prince Arthurs councelers Geffrey Blyth Iohn Voiseie I. Hoker in Catalogo Episc. Exon. A courtlie Bishop Row Lee bishop of Couentrie and Lichfield Eastwales Northwales Westwales Southwales Monmouth shire The Court in the marches of Wales The necessitie of the court in the Marches Prince Edward borne R. Sampson Iohn Earle of Warwike William Herbert knight of the noble order Nicholas Heath Bishop of Worcester W. Herbert Earle of Penbrook Gilb. Bourne I. Williams L. Williams of Thame Henrie Sidney knight of the noble order
toong being the third remnant of the ancient Brytaines The names of the kings of little Brytaine 1 Conan Meriadoc 2 Gradlonus 3 Salomon 1. 4 Auldranus 5 Budicus 1. 6 Howelus Magnus This Howel was with King Arthure in his warres 7 Howelus 2. 8 Alanus 1. 9 Howelus 3. 10 Gilquellus 11 Salomon 2. 12 Alanus 2. Of whome mention is made in this place who descended of a daughter of Rune the sonne of Mailgon Gwyneth king of great Brytaine which was married to the forenamed Howel the second King of little Brytaine 13 Conobertus 14 Budicus 2. 15 Theodoricus 16 Rualhonus 17 Daniel Dremrost id est Ruhicunda facie 18 Aregstanus 19 Maconus 20 Neomenius 21 Haruspogius 22 Salomon 3. Who was slaine by his owne men and then was that Kingdome turned to an Earledom wherof Alan was the first Earle who valiantlie resisted the Normans and vanquished them oftentimes Cadwalader being in Brytaine was certified that a great number of strangers as Saxons Angles and Iuthes had arriued in Brytaine and finding it desolate and without inhabitants sauing a few Saxons which had called them in certaine poore Brytaines that liued by rootes in rocks and woods had ouerrunne a great part thereof and diuiding it into diuers territories and kingdomes inhabited that part which was then and now at this daie is called Lhoyger in the Brytish or Welsh toong and in English England with all the cities townes castels and villages which the Brytaines had builded ruled and inhabited by the space of 1827. yeares vnder diuers Kings and Princes of great renowme wherevpon he purposed to returne and by strength of Brytish Knights to recouer his owne land againe After he had prepared and made readie his nauie for the transporting of his owne men with such succours as he had found at Alans hand an Angell appeared vnto him in a vision and declared that it was the will of God that he should not take his voyage towards Brytaine but to Rome to Pope Sergius where he should make an end of his life and be afterwards numbred among the blessed for GOD had appointed that the Brytaines should haue no more the rule and gouernance of the whole Ile vntill the prophesie of Merlin Ambrose should be fulfilled Which vision after that Cadwalader had declared to his friend Alan he sent for all his bookes of prophesies as the works of both Merdhines or Merlines to wit Ambrose and Syluester surnamed Merdhin Wylht and the words which the Eagle spake at the building of Caer Septon now called Shaftsburie and after long studie found the time to be now come whereof they had prophesied Of this admonition giuen to Cadwalader there be diuers opinions Some hold that this was signified to him in a dreame of the which mind is Polydore Virgil and diuers other Some other doo thinke that if anie such vision were it was some illusion of a wicked spirit or a phantasticall conceite of Cadwalader himselfe being a man of a milde and quiet nature and wearied with troubles and miseries Other reiect it altogether as a fable not woorthie to be recorded in bookes but howsoeuer it was certeine it is that after his going ouer to Alan he neuer returned againe to Brytaine Of these two Merlines thus writeth Girald Camb. in suo Itinerario Erant Merlini duo vnus qui Ambrosius dictus est quia binomius fuerat sub rege Vortigerno prophetauit ab incubo genitus in vrbe ab ipso denominata Caervyrdhin 1. vrbs Merlini inuentus Alter de Albania oriūdus qui Calidonius dictus est à Calidonia sylua in qua prophetauit Syluester quia cùm inter acies bellicas constitutus horribile monstrum nimis in aera suspiciendo prospiceret dementire caepit ad syluam transfugiendo syluestrem vsque ad obitum vitam perduxit Hic autem Merlinus tempore Arthuri fuit longè pleniùs apertiùs quà m alter prophetasse perhibetur Haec Cambrensis In English thus There were two Merlines the one named also Ambrose for he had two names begotten of a spirit and found in the towne of Caermarthen which tooke the name of him and is therefore so called who prophesied vnder King Vortigerne The other borne in Albaine or Scotland surnamed Calidonius of the forrest Calidon wherein he prophesied and was called also Syluestris or of the wood for that he beholding some monstrous shape in the aire being in the battell fell mad and flieng to the wood liued there the rest of his life This Merline was in the time of king Arthure and prophesied fuller and plainer than the other Concerning the words of the Eagle at the building of Caer Septon in Mount Paladour in the time of Rudhudibras in the yeare after the creation of the world 3048. some thinke that an Eagle did then speake prophesie Other are of opinion that it was a Brytaine named Aquila that prophesied of these things of the recouerie of the whole Ile againe by the Brytaines bringing with them the bones of Cadwalader from Rome as in the said prophesies is to be séene By these toies and fables men may learne what follie and vanitie the wit of man being not staied and directed by the word of God is prone and subiect vnto And certaine it is that the simple and ignorant haue bin in all ages deluded and brought to great errors and blindnes by the practise of sathan with these fained reuelations false prophesies and superstitious dreames of hypocrites and lewd persons whereof as it is manifest in histories much bloudshead mischiefe hath ensued and manie relieng vpon the same haue bene vtterlie ouerthrowne and perished Wise men therefore will neuer regard or estéeme such things Alan therefore counselled Cadwalader to fulfill the will of God who did so and taking his iournie to Rome liued there eight yeares in the seruice of God and died in the yeare of Christ 688. So that the Brytaines ruled this Ile with the out Iles of Wight Môn in English called Anglesey Manaw in English Man Orkney and Ewyst 1137. yeares before Christ vntill the yeare of his incarnation 688. And thus ended the rule of the Brytaines ouer the whole Ile The Brytaines being sore troubled with the Scots and Picts and denied of aid at the hands of the Romanes sent for the Saxons to come to defend them against their enimies who comming at the first as fréends to the Brytaines liked the countrie so well that they became their mortall enimies and droue them out of the same About the yeare of Christ 590. Gurmundus an archpirate and capteine of the Norwegians after that he had conquered Ireland being called by the Saxons to their aid against Careticus King of the Brytaines ouercame the same Careticus in battell and compelled him and his Brytaines to flée beyond the riuers of Seauerne and Dee to Cambria now called Wales and to Cornewale and some