Promise Then he declared to them the Pretence he had to Claim the Crown of England that Edward had given him formerly an absolute Promise in Normandy that if ever he enjoyed the English Crown William should be his Heir which Title tho' in it self weak and insignificant served William's purpose well enough to make an Expedition against an Intruder Duke William's Pretence seemed plausible enough to the Norman Nobility but the Difficulty of the Undertaking and the Danger of this Expedition was something perplexive and made them less inclinable to encourage so precipitous an Undertaking which they the more disliked upon the persuasion of William Fitzosbert the Duke's Sewer whom they pitched upon to deliver their thoughts as to the Expedition unto the Duke But he instead of disswading him from this Voyage politickly declared that himself with all his Power were ready to live and die with him in this Expedition which the rest hearing could not but offer the Duke their Service in the same manner and so all things were prepared for an Invasion of England In the mean while Tosty full of Indignation at his Brother's advancement to the Crown entered the River Humber with forty Sail but meeting with Earl Edwyn who came to oppose him he was forced after a considerable Encounter to bear off and secure himself by flight But meeting with Harold King of Norway upon the Coast of Scotland coming for England with 300 Sail he joined his Forces with Harold and so both together entring the Humber they landed their Army and marched to York where the Earls Edwyn and Marcher unsuccessfully gave them Battel Having pillaged and destroyed that City they passed on to Stamford-Bridge and there met with King Harold who with a well disciplined Army was come to stop their farther carreer After a long and a terrible Fight and much blood-shed on both sides the Norwegians began at last to give back which the English perceiving sell on so manfully that few or none escaped with their Lives Harold and Tosty being also slain upon the spot One of the Norwegians is deservedly recorded for his incomparable Exploits performed in this Battel who with incredible Valour maintaining the Bridge against the whole Strength of the English Army for above an hour with his single Resistance delayed their Victory and having slain a great number of his Enemies he seemed invincible till in the end no one daring to grapple with him fairly he was run through with a Spear from under the Bridge and so by his fall a Passage was opened for pursuit to compleat the Victory King Harold over-joyed with this Success triumphantly entered into York and whilst he was making merry with his Nobles at a sumptuous Feast News came that Duke William of Normandy was safely landed at and began to Fortify himself in Hastings with which Tidings being no way dashed as fearing nothing after his late Victory he forthwith marched towards him and as soon as he was arrived in Sussex without any consideration of the Fatigue his Army had underwent in their March bid William Battel The Duke dividing his Army into five Battalions made a long harangue to his Soldiers wherein he repeated and commended the Noble Acts of their Ancestors the Danes and Norwegians who had perpetually vanquished the English and French and other Nations as many as they had to do with how that themselves being well Horsed and Armed were now to engage with a People void of both who had no other Defence to trust to than the nimbleness and swiftness of their Heels Both Armies being joyned upon the 14th of October Duke William after some hours Engaging ordered his Army so to retire as if they seemed to fly which the English perceiving broke their Ranks in haste of pursuing the supposed Chase which falling out according to the Duke's expectation he sent in a fresh supply of Normans who falling upon the confused Battalions of the English easily overcame them and Harold receiving first a Wound by an Arrow was at length slain and then both the Field and the Victory was left to the Normans The day being thus won William from this time called the Conqueror went strait to London where he was received with all possible Formality and upon Christmas-Day solemnly Crowned King of England This change and Alteration in England was afore prognosticated by a Comet which appeared in the Spring of this Year upon which a certain Poet made the following Verses Anno milleno sexageno quoque seno Anglorum metae stammas censere Cometae King William having established himself in the A.D. 1067 Crown of England passed over the next Year to Normandy so to settle Affairs there as afterwards they might have no need of his presence In the mean while Edgar Edeling taking Avantage of his absence returned from Scotland to York being declared King by the Inhabitants of that Country who had already slain Robert upon whom William had bestowed that Earldom with 900 of his Men. But the King upon his return from Normandy presently marched to the North and having sufficiently revenged himself upon the Inhabitants by wasting and destroying their Country chased Edgar to Scotland again The like Advantage Edric Sylvaticus the Son of Alfric Earl of Mercia embraced who refusing to own any Submission to the Conqueror took the opportunity of his departure to Normandy to fall foul upon such as were appointed Vicegerents and Governours of the Kingdom in his absence Whereupon Richard Fitzscrope Governor of the Castle of Hereford with the Forces under his Command so bitterly gauled him by wasting and consuming his Lands and carrying off the Goods of his Tenants that he was compelled to desire Aid of Blethyn and Rywalhon Princes of Wales by whose help to recompence the Loss he had received he passed into Hereford and after that he had over-run and pillaged the Country to Wyebridge returned back with exceeding great Booty But no sooner were Blethyn and Rywalhon arrived in North-Wales but they received News of a Rebellion raised against them by Meredith and Ithel the Sons of Gruffydh ap Lhewelyn who had drawn together a considerable number of Men upon pretence of recovering the Principality of North-Wales which they said was fraudulently detained from them Blethyn and Rywalhon did not delay to march to find the Enemies and meeting with them at a place called Mechain without any farther Ceremonies set upon the Rebels who behaved themselves so gallantly that after a Fight of several hours they wanted nothing but Number to compleat the Victory There fell in this Battel on the one side Prince Rywalhon and on the other Ithel who being slain Meredith was forced to give Ground and endeavour to save himself by flight which could not secure him he being narrowly pursued by Blethyn that in fine he was glad to escape to the Mountains where for want of Victuals and other Necessaries he quickly perished leaving Blethyn ap Confyn sole Prince of North-Wales and Powis During these Welch
following Maelgon who had before routed his Brother Prince Gruffydh's Army and taken him Prisoner begins now to enlarge his Territories and takes in his Brothers Castles of Aberteifi and Ystratmeyric Also the youngest Son of Prince Rhys about this time recovered the Castle of Dynefowr from the Normans The same Summer Gwenwynwyn took up a resolution of attempting to extend Wales to its antient Limits and for this purpose he raises a powerful Army with which he first designs to be avenged of William de Bruce for the inhuman Death of his Cosin Trahaern Fychan and therefore he besiegeth his Castle of Payn in Elfel where he makes a Protestation that as soon as he had taken it for a farther satisfaction to his Revenge he would unmercifully ravage the whole Country as far as Severn But these mighty Menaces were soon blown over for he had neither Battering Engins nor Pioneers so that he was forced to lay before the Castle for three Weeks without effecting any thing whereby the Murtherers had time enough to apply themselves to England for Succours which they obtained For upon this Geoffrey Fitz-Peter Lord Chief Justice of England levies a considerable Army to which he joyns all the Lords Marchers and comes in all hast to the Relief of the place where he meets Gwenwynwyn with whom before he would hazard a Battel he was desirous to have a Treaty of Peace to which Gwenwynwyn and his Adherents would in no wise hearken or condescend but returned in answer that their business there was to be revenged of old Injuries done them Hereupon the English Lords resolved to enlarge Prince Gruffydh of South-Wales whom they knew to be an inveterate Enemy of Gwenwynwyn as he that delivered him up to their hands and likewise to be a Man of great Authority in his Country therefore they rightly concluded he might be more serviceable to them when at liberty than under confinement wherein they were not disappointed for he immediately got together a strong Body of his Countrymen and joyning with the English advanced towards the Castle where they furiously attack'd Gwenwynwyn who made no less vigorous defence hereupon there ensued a bloody Battel with a great slaughter on both sides but at length the English got the Victory and Gwenwynwyn lost a great number of common Soldiers if we believe Matthew Paris 3700 Men besides a great many of his best Commanders among whom were Anarawd Son of Eineon Owen ap Cadwalhon Richard ap Iestyn and Robert ap Howel Meredith ap Conan was likewise taken Prisoner with many more After this the English returned home triumphantly and requited Prince Gruffydh's Service with a perfect Liberty who immediately partly by his own Force partly by the Affection of his People repossessed himself of all his Dominions save the Castles of Aberteifi and Ystratmeyrie which his usurping Brother Maelgon by the Assistance of Gwenwynwyn had during his Confinement by the English taken from him and still unjustly detained Hereupon some of Prince Gruffydh's prime Nobility and Clergy came to him and offered him their Endeavours of reconciling him to his Brother and made him so apprehensive of his just Displeasure at him that he took a solemn Oath before them that in case his Brother would give him Hostages for the security of his own Person he would deliver him up his Castle of Aberteifi by a day appointed which Proposals Prince Gruffydh accepted of and accordingly sent him his Demands But it was the least of Maelgon's intention to make good his part or else he was very unconstant in his resolution for he had no sooner received the Hostages but instead of delivering up the Castle he fortifies it and puts in a Garrison for his own use and commits the Hostages to the custody of Gwenwynwyn Prince Gruffydh's mortal Enemy but not long after their Innocency procured them an opportunity of an Escape In the Year 1199 Maelgon still pursuing his Hatred A.D. 1199 of his Brother Prince Gruffydh gets an Army wherewith he besiegeth his Castle of Dynerth which he was Master of in a short time and then put all the Garrison to the Sword But about the same time Prince Gruffydh in lieu of this wan the Castle of Cilgerran and strongly fortified it This Year Richard the First of England as he was besieging the Castle of Chalons in France was shot from the Walls with an Arrow whereof he not long after dyed and left his Kingdom to his Brother John who thereupon was with great Solemnity crown'd at Westminster But he could not expect to enjoy this Kingdom peaceably for his elder Brother Geoffry Plantagenet had left a Son behind him named Arthur whose Right the Crown of England was by lineal descent which now therefore he justly lays claim to and by the assistance of King Philip of France who espoused his Quarrel endeavours to recover But before Prince Arthur had made sufficient Preparations to carry on his Design he was unexpectedly set upon by his Uncle his Army routed and he himself taken Prisoner and committed to safe custody not long after which he dyed and so King John was rid of his Competitor A.D. 1200 The following Year Gruffydh ap Conan ap Owen Gwynedh dyed and was buried in a Monk's Cawl in the Abby of Conway which way of burying was very much practised especially by the better sort in those days for the Monks and Friers had deluded the People into a strong Conceit of the Merits of it and had firmly persuaded them it was highly conducing to their future Happiness to be thus interr'd But this Superstition together with the Propagators of it they had lately received from England For the first Abby or Monastery we read of in Wales since the Destruction of that famous House of Bangor which favour'd of Romish Dregs was the Ty-Gwyn built in the Year 1146. after which they mightily increased and spread over all the Country and now the Fountain Head began to be corrupted for the Clergy maintained a Doctrin which their Ancestors abhorr'd as may easily be gathered from the Writings of that worthy Divine Ambrosius Telesinus who flourished in the Year 540. when the Christian Faith which we suppose to be deliver'd at the Isle of Afalon by Joseph of Arimathea flowed in this Land in a pure and uncorrupted Stream before it was infected and polluted by that proud and blood-thirsty Monk Augustine I say he then wrote and left behind him as his own Opinion and the Opinion of those days these following Verses Gwae'r offeiriad byd Nys angreifftia gwyd Ac ny phregetha Gwae ny cheidw ei gail Ac ef yn figail Ac nys areilia Gwae ni cheidw ei dhefaid Rhae bleidhie Rhufeniaid A'i ffon gnwppa From whence it is apparent that the Church of Rome was then corrupt and that the British Churches persevered in the primitive and truly Apostolical Profession of Christianity as it was at first planted in the Island and that no Roman Innovations had crept in
and hath these Comots Coleigion Lhannerch and Dogueilyn The fifth Cantref is Tegengl and now is a part of Flint-shire having these Comots Câ—nâ—syshe Prestatyn and Ruthlan And in this part is one of the fairest Vallies within this Isle containing 18 miles in length and 4 5 6 or 7 in breadth as the Hills either draw inward together or backward asunder which high Hills do inclose it on the East West and South parts and Northward the Sea It is plentiful of Cattel Fish and Fowl Corn Hey Grass and Wood and divided along in the midst with the River Clwyd to whom runneth Clywedoe Ystrat Whilar Elwy and a great number of other Rivers from the Hills In this Valley two miles from the Sea is the Town and Castle of Ruthlan Ann. 12. Edw. 1. where sometimes a Parliament hath been kept And two miles above it is the Seâ— of Sr. Asaph between the Rivers Clwyd and Elwy called in the old time the Bishop's See of Dhan-Elwy Four miles thence and two miles from the River is situate upon a Rock the Town and Castle of Denbigh where is one of the greatest Markets in the Marches of Wales and one of the fairest and strongest Castles within this Realm which being the House of David Brother to Lhewelyn the last Prince of the Welch-Blood was enlarged and strengthned by Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln to whom King Edward gave the same Lordship it is also the Shire-Town of that Shire Five miles above this is the Town of Ruthyn with a fair Castle which sometimes belonged to the Lords Gray Earls of Kent This part of North-Wales hath upon the North the River Dee and the Sea Upon the West Arfon and the River Conwey South and East Merionyth and the Country then called Powys And these be the Mears and Bounds of Gwynedh or Venedotia for the Name of North Wales containeth besides this all Powys at these days So there was und r the Territory of Aberffraw fifteen Cantreds and in them thirty eight Comots The second Kingdom was Mathrafal Mathrafal or Powys which in right order was the third as that which came to the third Brother yet for the better understanding of the History following I have placed it here To this Kingdom belonged the Country of Powys and the Land betwixt Wy and Severn Which part had upon the South and West South-Wales with the Rivers Wy and Tywy and other Mears Upon the North Gwynedh and upon the East the Marches of England from Chester to Wy a little above Hereford and therefore it was most troubled with Wars as well of the Saxons as afterwards of the Normans Lords Marchers who daily wan some part thereof and by â—hat means it was the first part that served the Kings of England and therefore less esteemed of all the â—est This part called Powys was divided again into Powys Fadoc and Powys Wenwynwyn Powys Fadoc â—ontained in it self five Cantreds and fifteen Coâ—ots Cantref Y Barwn which had three Comots Dynâ—ael Edeyrneon and Glyndourdwy which are now in Merionyth shire saving Dinmael which is in Denbigh-â—ire Cantref Y Rhiw whose Comots were these Yal â—ow in Denbigh-shire Ystratalyn and Hop now in Flint-â—â—ire Cantref Vwchnant hath these Comots Merfforth in Flint-shire Maelor Gymraeg in English Bromfield now in Denbigh-shire and Maelor Saesneg in Flint-shire Cantref Trefred containeth these Comots Croesfain Tref y Wayn in English Chirke and in Denbigh-shire Croesoswallt in English Oswestrey and in Shrop-shire Cantref Rhaiyder with his Comots Mochnant Israiyder Cynlhaeth and Nanheudwy all in Chirke-Land and in Denbigh-shire Also the Lordship of Whytington now in Shrop-shire was in this part of Powys which part at this day hath lost the Name of Powys and is situated in divers Shires as it appeareth by the Discourse before passed In this part is the Castle of Holt in Bromfield and the Castle of Chirke in Chirke-Land Likewise the Lordship and Castle of Whytington which came by marriage to Foulk Fitzwarren There is beside these the Lordship of Oswestry of the which the Fitzalans have been Lords these 300 and odd years and of divers other Lordships in those Marches as Shrarden the eleven Towns Clun and many others which are all now in Shrop-shire The second part called Powys Wenwynwyn had likewise five Cantreds and twelve Comots Cantref Y Fyrnwy had these Comots Mochnant â—wch Rayader Mechain Iscoed and Lbannerch Hudol Cantref Ystlyc had these Deuthwr Gorthwr Isaf and Ystrat Marchelh Cantref Lhyswynaf had these Caerneon and Mechain Vwchcoed Cantref Cydewen had Comot Conan and Comot Hauren Cantref Conan had Cyfeilioc and Mouthwy which is now in Merionyth-shire Of all these the three first Cantreds do only at this day bear the Name of Powys which are upon the North-side of Severn and are all five saving the Comot of Mowthwy in Mongomery-shire This is a Country full of Woods Hills and Rivers and hath in it these Towns the Poole New-Town and Machynlhaeth Arustly was in old time in this part but afterwards it came to the Princes of Gwynedh These Lordships came by just descent from the Princes thereof to a Woman named Hawys the Daughter of Owen ap Gruffydh Arustly and Cyfeilioc came to the Baron of Dudley and afterwards it was sold to the King The third part belonging to Mathrafal was the Land between Wy and Severn containing four Cantreds and thirteen Comots Cantref Melienyth hath these Comots Ceri Swydhygre Rhiwalalht and Glyn Ieithon Cantref Elfel hath these Vwchmynydh Ismynydh and Lhechdhyfnog Cantref y Clawdh these Dyffryn Teyfediat Swydhynogen and Pennwelht Cantref Buelht hath these Swydh y Fam Dreulys and Isyrwon Of this part there is at this day some in Montgomery-shire some in Radnor-shire and some in Brecknock-shire In this part and in the Lordships marching to it which altho' at the time of this division which was in the time of the last Prince were not in his subjection yet to this day speak Welch and are called Wales and in these Comots are these Towns and Castles Montgomery called in Welch Trefaldwyn a pretty Town and a fair Castle The Castle of Clun called Colunwy which is the Earls of Arundel The Town of Knighton in Welch Trefyclawd The Castle of Cymaron Presteyn in Welch Lhanandras The Town and Castle of Radnor in Welch Maesyfed at this day the Shire Town The Town of Kington and the Castle of Huntingdon called in Welch Y Castelh Mayn which were the Bohuns Earls of Hereford and after the Dukes of Buckingham Castle Payne Haye Lhanfair in Buelht These Lordships with Brecknock and Abergefenny were belonging to the Bruces Lords of Brecknock and after came divers times and by sundry means to the Bohuns Nevils and Mortimers And so as I have rehearsed in this Territory or Kingdom were found fourteen Cantreds and forty Comots Two of these parts which are Powys and Gwynedh are at this day called North-Wales and divided into six Shiâ—es Mòn called Anglesey Caernarvon Merionyth Denbigh Flint and
the Battel of Kettell his Son Roderic surnamed the Great without any Opposiâ—ion or Contest succeeded in the Principality of Wales The first thing he effected after his Advancement to â—he Crown was the dividing of Wales into several Provinces which he distinguished into these three Aberffraw Dinevowr and Mathraval Berthred King â—f Mercia being animated by his late Success against Merfyn Frych purposed to perform the like Exploits â—gainst his Son Roderic And having gained the Aid â—nd Assistance of King Ethelwulph he entred North Wales with a strong Army and advanced as far as Anglesey which he cruelly and miserably destroyed Roderic met him several times and the Welch did at length so gaul and torment him that in fine he had little or nothing to boast of only Meyric one of the chiefest Princes among the Britains was slain But he was soon forced to quit his Expedition against the Welch and to convert his Forces another way his own Dominions requiring their constant Residence being severely threatned by a foreign Invasion A.D. 846 For the Danes were by this time grown so very powerful that they over-ran a great part of England fought with Athelstan King of Kent Brother to Ethelwulph and obtained so much Conquest that whereas before they returned to their own Country when the Weather grew too cold for Action they now took up their Winter-quarters in England The Welch in the mean time being secure from any Violence which might otherwise be expected from the English began to quarrel and fall out amongst themselves Ithel King of Gwent or Wâ—ntland for what occasion not known fell foul upon the Meâ— of Brecknock who were so resolute as to fight him and the Event proved very unfortunate to Ithel whâ— was slain upon the spot It is the Unhappiness of a Nation that is governed by several Petty States when it is apprehensive of no Danger from an outward Enemy that it will fall at variance and create Disturbances among it self Had the Britains instead of falling upon one another taken the Advantage of this opportunity wheâ— the Saxons were altogether imployed in opposing and repelling the Danes to increase and strengthen their Number and to fortify their Towns they might aâ— least securely have possessed their own Dominions 〈◊〉 not extended their Government to a great part of England But a sort of an Equality in Power begat aâ— Emulation between the several Princes and this Emulation for the most part ended in Blows and Contention so that instead of strengthning themselves whilst they had respite from the English they rather weakened their Power by inward Differences Kongen King of Powys was gone to Rome there to A.D. 854 â—end his Days peaceably and religiously but his Death did not prove so natural as he expected being barbarously slain or as some say choaked by his own Servants Shortly after died Cemoyth King of the Picts and Jonathan Lord of Abergeley It was now become Customary for Princes wearied with Government to go to Rome and the Pope willingly dispensed with the Resignation of their Crowns by reason that his Holiness seldom lost by it King Ethelwulph paid very dear for his Entertainment there made his Kingdom tributary to the Pope and paid the Peter-Pence to the Church of Rome The Saxon Genealogists bring the Pedegree of Ethelwulph for several Successions and Generations up to Adam as may be seen in Matthew of Westminster who in like manner derives the Pedigree of Offa King of Mercia This has been the Custom of most Nations both antient and modern and is always practised by them whose Families are any thing Antient and Honourable so that it is a very great mistake to scoff at and deride the Welch because they keep up this antient and laudable Custom Berthred King of Mercia became at length far â—oo weak to repel the daily increasing Power of the Danes who so numerously poured upon him that at last he was forced to relinquish his Kingdom and fly to Rome where in a short time he sorowfully ended his days Ethelwulph shortly followed and left his Sons Athelbald King of the West-Saxons and Athelbright King of Kent and the East-Saxons Ethelwulph is reported to be so Learned and Devout that the Church of Winchester elected him in his youth Bishop of that See which Function he took upon him about seven years before he was made King He is said also to have Conquered the Kingdom of Demetia or South-Wales which together with the Kingdom of the South-Saxons he bestowed upon his Son Alfred upon Condition he would bring a Thousand Men out of Wales to Winchester to the Aid of his Brother Ethelbert against the Danes Athelbald succeeding his Father in the Kingdom of the West-Saxons kept his Mother-in-Law the Wife of Ethelwulph for hiâ— Concubine and afterwards married her in the City of Chester But he did not live long to enjoy the unnatural Conjunction but dying without Issâ— after that he had reigned Eight Years left his Kingdom to his Brother Athelbright About the same time the Danes began again to be stir themselves and fell upon the City of Winchester and destroyed it which Athelbright perceiving after a long Fight forced them to quit the Land and tâ— betake themselves to Sea again But the Danes quickly returned to the Isle of Thanet where they remained for that Winter doing much Mischief upon the Sea-Coast and destroying all places near the shoaâ— of England The English were very glad that they durst venture no further and the more because the Welch began again to be troublesome against whoâ— an Army must be speedily dispatched otherwise they would certainly advance to the English Countrey Both Armies met at Greythen where a fierce Battel was fought and a great Number slain on either side but the Victory was not plainly discoverable Bâ—â— the Welch not long after received a considerable Loâ— by the Death of Conan Nâ—rit Nifer a Stout and Skilful Commander who oftentimes had Valiantly repulsed the English Forces and obtained many signâ—â— Victories over them The Danes had been for some time quiet being â—â—able to venture upon any considerable Action anâ— therefore they thought it advisable to secure only whâ— they had already won and to expect a re-inforcement from their own Countrey This was quickly sent them under the Command of Hungare and Hubâ—â—â— who landed in England with a very considerable Armâ— of Danes King Athelbright whether terrified with a dismal apprehension of these Invaders or otherwisâ— being indisposed quickly afterwards gave up the Ghost leaving the management of his Kingdom together with that of his Army against the Danes to his Brother Ethelred The Danes in the mean time â—ot sure footing and advanced as far as York which â—hey miserably destroyed killing Osbright and Elba â—wo Kings of Northumberland that opposed them â—rom hence they proceeded and over-run all the Countrey as far as Nottingham destroying and spoilâ—â—g all before them and then returned back to York â—ut having once tasted
replyed It was not so wonderful for although says he we have violently and injuriously oppressed that Nation yet it is manifestly known that they are the lawful and original Inheritors of that Country But whilst the Normans were thus carving for themselves in Glamorgan and Brecnock Cadogan ap Blethyn ap Confyn towards the end of April entered into Dyved and having ravaged and destroyed the Country returned back But within Eight Weeks after there succeeded him a more fatal Enemy for the Normans landing in Dyved and Cardigan began to fortifie themselves in Castles and other strong places and to inhabit the Country upon the Sea-shoar which before was not in their possession Indeed the Normans having by the connivance of the Conquerour already got into their hands all the best Estates in England began now to spy out the Commodities of Wales and perceiving moreover how bravely Robert Fitzhamon and Barnard Newmarch had sped there thought they might as well expect the like fortune Wherefore having obtained a Grant from King William who readily consented to their Request because by this means he killed two Birds with one Stone procured to himself their utmost Service upon occasion and withal provided for them without any Charge to himself they came to Wales and so entered upon the Estates appointed them by the King which they held of him by Knight-service having first done Homage and sworn Fealty for the same Roger Montgomery Earl of Arundel did Homage for the Lordships of Powis and Card gan Hugh Lupus Earl of Chester for Tegengl and Râ—fonioc together with all the Land lying upon the Sea shoar to the River Câ—nwey Arnulph a younger Son of Roger Montgomery for Dyved Barnard Newmarch for Brecnock Ralph Mortimer for Eluel Hugh de Lacy for the Land of Ewyas Eustace Omer for Mold and Hapredale and several others did the like Homage for other Lands But Roger Montgomery who by the Conquerour was created Earl of Arundel and Shrewsbury entered in an hostile manner into Powys-land and having won the Castle and Town of Baldwyn fortified it in his own right and called it Montgomery after his own Name King William of England was now in Normandy and busily engaged in a War against his Brother Robert by the advantage of whose absence Gruffydh ap Conan Prince of North-Wales and Cadogan ap Blethyn who now ruled in South Wales with joynt Forces entered into Cardigan and slew a great number of Normans whose Pride and excessive Cruelties towards the Welch were altogether intolerable But after sufficient execution there being returned home the Normans sent for more Aid from England which being arrived they thought to make a private in-road into North-Wales and so to be revenged upon the Welch But their Design being happily discovered to Cadogan he drew up his Forces to meet them and then unexpectedly setting upon them in the Forest of Yspys after a very warm Resistment of the Normans side forced them to retire by slight and then triumphantly marching through Cardigan and Dyved he destroyed all the Castles and Fortifications in the Country besides Pembrock and Rydcors which proved too strong and impregnable A.D. 1093 The next Year the Normans who inhabited the Country of Glamorgan fell upon and destroyed the Countries of Gwyr Kidwely and Ysâ—â—âd Tywy which they harrassed in such a cruel manner that they left them bare of any People to inhabit And to increase as it was thought the Miseries of the Welch King William Rufus being informed of the great slaughter which Gruffydh ap Conan and the Sons of Blethyn ap Confyn had lately committed upon the English as well within Cheshire Shropshire Worcestershire and Herefordshire as within Wales entered the Country at Montgomery which place the Welch having sometime since demolished King William lately rebuilt But the Welch kept all the Passages through the Woods and Rivers and all other Streights so close that the King could effect nothing considerable against them and therefore when he perceived that his labour was but lost in continuing in those Parts he forthwith decamped and returned with no great Honour back to England But this retreat of King William was not altogether so favourable to the Interest of the A.D. 1094 Welch as the death of William Fitz-Baldwyn who was Owner of the Castle of Rydcors and did the greatest mischief and hurt to the South-Wales Men of any other He being dead the Garrison of Rydcors which was wont to keep the Welch in continual a we forsook that place and by that means gave opportunity to the Inhabitants of Gwyr Brecnock Gwent and Gwentlhwe to shake off that intolerable Yoak the Normans forced upon them who after they had rob'd them of their Lands kept them in perpetual subjection But now William Fitz-Baldwyn being dead and the Garrison of Rydcors scatter'd they ventur'd to lay violent hands upon the Normans who thought themselves free from all fear and prevailed so successfully that they drove them all out of the Countrey and recover'd their own antient Estates But the Normans liked that Country so well that they were resolved not to be so easily befooled out of what they had with a great deal of Pains and Danger once possessed and therefore having drawn a great number of English and Normans to their aid they were desirous to venture another touch with the Welch and to return if possible to their once acâ—uir'd Habitations But the Welch so abhorr'd their Pride and tyrannical Dominion over them when they were Masters that they were resolved not to â—e subject to such Tyrants again and therefore they â—oldly met them at a place called Celly Iarfawc and â—et upon them so manfully the very apprehension of Servitude whetting their Spirits that they put them â—o flight with great slaughter and drove them out of â—he Country The Normans however were not so absolutely routed with this Overthrow but like a Fly in the night which destroys it self in the Candle they must needs covet their own Distruction their greediness egging them on to venture with few what was not practicable to be effected by many Therefore they came as far as Brecnock with this absolute â—ow and Resolution not to leave one living thing remaining in that Country But they fell short of their Policy the People of the Country being removed to a narrow Streight to expect their passing â—hrough whither the Normans being advanced they fell upon them and killed a great number of them About the same time Roger Montgomery Earl of Salop and Arundel William Fitzeustace Earl of Glocester Arnold de Harecourt and Neal le Vicount were slain by the Welch between Caerdà f and Brecnock and Walter Eureux Earl of Sarum Rosmer and Mantiâ—ake Hugh Earl of Gourney were wounded who afterwards dyed in Normandy The Normans finding that they continually lost ground thought it not advisable to stay any longer and therefore having placed sufficient Garrisons in those Castles which they had formerly built they returned with what speed they
interdicted and forbidden to enter any Man's House or to compose any Song of any one without the special leave and warrant of the Party concerned with many other Ordinances relating to the like purpose Owen Gwynedh AFter the death of Gruffydh ap Conan his eldest Son Owen surnamed Gwynedh succeeded in the Principality of North Wales who no sooner had entered upon the Government but together with the rest of his Brethren he made an Expedition into South-Wales and having demolished and overthrown the Castles of Stradmeyric Stephan and Humffreys and laid in Ashes the Town of Caermardhyn he returned home with no less Honor than Booty and Plunder About the same time John Arch-Deacon of Lhanbaran departed this Life a Man of singular Piety and strictness of Life who for his rigid Zeal in Religion and Virtue was thought worthy to be canonized and to be counted among the number of the Saints This Year likewise King Stephen passed over to Normandy and having concluded a Peace with the French King and the Duke of Anjou returned back to England without any further delay But the following Spring gave opportunity for greater Undertakings David King of Scots upon the King of England's going to France last Summer had entered the Borders of England and continued to make considerable Wast and Havock in that part of the Country Whereupon King Stephen to rid his Country and his Subjects from so dangerous an Enemy marched with an Army towards the North whose coming the King of Scots hearing of he relinquished the Borders of England and retired to his own Country But that would not satisfie King Stephen who desired to be further revenged for the unpardonable Hostilities committed by the Scots in his Country and therefore pursuing the Scots to their own Country he harassed and laid wast all the South part of the Kingdom of Scotland But the King's absence animated several of the English Nobility to rebel to which purpose they fortified every one their Castles and strong Holds William Earl of Glocester those of Leeds and Bristol Ralph Lunel Cari William Fitz-Allen Shrewsbury Paganellus Ludlow William de Moyun Dunester Robert de Nichol Warham Eustace Fitz-John Merton and Walklyn Dover But for all these mighty Preparations the King in a short time became Master of them all some he won by assault others upon fair Promises and advantageous Conditions were surrendred up and some he got by treacherous and under-hand Contrivances The Scots thought to make good advantage of these Commotions in England and thereupon as soon as they heard that some of the English Nobility were in actual Rebellion against the King they entered into the Borders and began as they thought without any apprehension of Opposition to ravage and lay waste the Country before ' em But William Earl of Albemarle William Pyppell Earl of Nottingham Walter Espec and Gilbert Lacy gathered together all the Forces they could raise in the North and being animated and encouraged by the eloquent and pressing Oration of Ralph Bishop of Orkneys which he delivered in the audience of the whole Army they set upon the Scots at Almerton with such unanimous Courage that after a very great slaughter of his Men King David was glad to escape with his Life by flight After this King Stephen seized to his own use the Castles of Ludlow and Leeds and pressed the Bishops of Salisbury and Lincoln so hard that to prevent their perishing by Famine they were constrained to surrender the former the Castles of Vises and Shirburn the latter those of Newark upon Trent and Sleeford This did not a little augment the King's strength against the ensuing Storm for in the Summer this Year Maud the Empress Daughter and Heir to King Henry to whom King Stephen with all the Nobility of England had sworn Allegiance landed at Arundel with her Brother Robert Earl of Glocester and was there honourably received by William de Albineto who was lately married to Queen Adeliz King Henry's Widow with whom he received the Earldom of Arundel in Dowry But as soon as King Stephen heard of her landing he marched with all possible speed to Arundel and laid siege to the Castle but finding it upon tryal impregnable he raised the siege and by that means suffered the Empress and her Brother to escape to Bristol A.D. 1138 The next Year an unlucky Accident fell out in Wales Cynric one of Prince Owen's Sons having by some means or other disgusted Madawc ap Meredith ap Blethyn ap Confyn a Person of considerable Esteem and Estate in the Country was with his connivance set upon and slain by his Men. But the Affairs of England this Year afforded greater rarity of action King Stephen with a formidable Army laid siege to the City of Lincoln to the relief of which Ranulph Earl of Chester and Robert Earl of Glocester marched with their Forces But before they could arrive the Town was taken whereupon they drew up their Forces in order to give the King battel who on the other side was as ready to receive them King Stephen drew up his Forces in three Battels the first being led by the Earls of Britain Mellent Norfolk Hampton and Warren the second by the Earl of Albemarle and William of Ypres and the third by the King himself assisted by Baldwyn Fitz-Gilbert with several others of his Nobility Of the Enemies side the disinherited Barons had the first place the Earl of Chester with a considerable Party of Welchmen far better couraged than armed led the second and the Earl of Glocester the third Battel After a hot and bloody Dispute of both sides the Victory at length favoured the Barons King Stephen being first taken Prisoner and a little after the Queen together with William of Ypres and Bryan Fitz-Count But within a while after William Martell and Geffrey de Mandeville gathered together some fresh Forces and fought the Empress and her Brother at Winchester and having put the Empress to flight took Earl Robert Prisoner for exchange of whom the King was set at liberty The next Year King Stephen would A.D. 1139 try the other Adventure and received a second Overthrow at Wilton which however did not so much discourage him but that he laid so close a siege to the Empress at Oxford that she was glad to make her escape to Wallingford The same Year dyed Madawc ap Ednerth a Person of great Quality and Note in Wales and Meredith ap Howel a Man of no mean Esteem was slain by the Sons of Blethyn ap Gwyn For the two succeeding Years nothing remarkable A.D. 1140 passed in Wales excepting that this Year Howel ap Meredith ap Rhytherch of Cantref Rychan and Rhys ap Howel were cowardly slain by the Treachery and perfidious Practices of the Flemings and the next A.D. 1141 Year Howel ap Meredith ap Blethyn was basely murthered by his own Men at which time Howel and Cadwgan the Sons of Madawc ap Ednerth upon some unhappy Quarrel did kill
among them which afterwards mightily increased when they were once introduced by Augustin the Monk This Year likewise we find the spiteful and turbulent Maelgon choosing rather to persist still in his Rebellion than to return to his Allegiance and to prefer a small Lucre to the Love and Safety of his Country For now finding that the Castle of Aberteifi was not tenable by his own Power and Force yet rather than deliver it up to his Brother Prince Gruffydh and thereby procure his Favour he chose to sell it to his bitter Enemies the English for an inconsiderable Sum of Money whereby he opened them a free passage into all Wales this being reckoned one of its chief Defences and Bulwarks About this time Madawc Son of Gruffydh Maylor Lord of Bromfield built the Abby of Lanegwest commonly known by the English by the Name of Vale Crucii In the Year 1201. the valiant Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth A.D. 1201 Prince of North-Wales banished out of his Territories his Cosin Meredith the Son of Conan ap Owen Gwynedh whom he suspected of treasonable Practices and therefore confiscated his Lands which were the Cantref of Lhyn and Efyonyth Much about the same time Meredith the Son of Prince Rhys was slain at Carâ—wilhion by Treason whereupon his elder Brother Gruffydh possessed himself of his Castle in Lhanymdhyfri and all his Lands This Gruffydh was a valiant and discreet Prince and one that was like to bring all South-Wales to good order and Obedience for in all things he trod in his Fathers steps and made it his business to succeed him as well in his Valour and vertuous Endowments as in his Government But the vast hopes conceived of him soon proved abortive for in the ensuing A.D. 1202 Year on S. James's day he dyed to the great Grief and Loss of his Country and shortly after was buried at Ystratflur with great Pomp and Solemnity He left behind him for a Successor a Son called Rhys which Maud the Daughter of William de Bruce had bore him The following Year some of the Welch Nobility marched with an Army towards the Castle of Gwerthrynion which belonged to Roger Mortimer and after a short Siege they took it and levell'd it with the ground This Year Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth calling to mind his Estate and Title and how all the Welch Princes were obliged both by the Laws of Roderic the Great and those of Howel Dha to acknowledg the King or Prince of North-Wales for their Sovereign Lord and to do Homage to him for their Dominions Yet notwithstanding that they knew this to be their duty and that they formerly had readily performed it yet because of late Years his Predecessors had neglected to call them to their Duty they now began to imagin themselves exempted from it and some thought themselves accountable to no superiour Prince others denyed Subjection to Prince Lhewelyn and held their Dominions of the King of England To put a stop therefore to the further growth of this Contempt and to assert his own Right Prince Lhewelyn summons all the Welch Lords who for the most part appeared and swore Allegiance to him But Gwenwynwyn Lord of Powys neither came to this meeting nor would own the Princes Supremacy Which Stubborness and Disobedience the Prince acquainted his Lords with whereupon they delivered their Opinion that it was but reasonable that Gwenwynwyn should be compell'd to his Duty or else forfeit his Estate This all the Lords consented to but Elis ap Madawc who was an intimate Friend of Gwenwynwyn and therefore would not consent to the enacting any thing that might be prejudicial to him but broke off from the Meeting much dissatisfied with their Proceedings Notwithstanding which Prince Lhewelyn pursuant to the Advice of the rest of his Lords raises an Army and marches towards Powys but before he made any use of it he was by the Mediation of some learned and able Men reconciled to Gwenwynwyn and so Gwenwynwyn became his dutiful Subject which he confirmed both by Oath and Writing and indeed it was not without good reason that Prince Lhewelyn used all the caution imaginable to bind this Man for he had sworn Allegiance before to the King of England Lhewelyn having thus subjected Gwenwynwyn he thought it now convenient to shew likewise some Marks of his Resentments against his Adherent Elis ap Madawc and therefore he strips him of all his Lands whereupon Elis fled the Country but not long after yielding himself to the Prince's Mercy he received of him the Castle of Crogen and Seven Townships besides And now having mentioned Crogen it will not be improper to step a little out of the way and here take notice of the reason why the English formerly when they had a mind to reproach the Welch called them Crogens The first occasion of it was this King Henry the Second in his Expedition against the Welch to the Mountains of Berwin lay a while at Oswestre during which time he detached a number of his Men to try the Passages into Wales who as they would have passed Offa's Ditch at the Castle of Crogen at which place there was a narrow way through the same Ditch which appears now very deep through all that Country and bears its old Name these Men I say as they would have passed this Streight were met by a Party of Welch and a great many of them strain and buried in that Ditch as appears by their Graves there to be seen and the Name of the Streight imports as much being called in Welch Adwy'r bedhaw The English therefore bearing in mind this Slaughter when ever they got any of the Welch into their Clutches upbraided them with the Name of Crogen intimating thereby that they should expect no more Favour or Mercy at their hands than they shew'd them in the Skirmish But this word which at first was rather a Badg of Reputation than Disgrace to the Welch came afterwards to be used in a bad Sense and only then applyed when they designed to reproach and abuse them But to return to Prince Lhewelyn whom we find returning home after he had successfully asserted his Sovereignty over all Wales and set all things in good order And by the way he fortifies the Castle of Bala in Penlhyn About this time Rhys the Son of Gruffydh ap Rhys the right Prince of South-Wales took the Castle of Lhanymdhyfry upon Michaelmas-day This Year Lhewelyn Prince of Wales took to Wife Joan the Daughter of King John which Agatha Daughter of Robert Ferrers Earl of Derby bore him with whom he gave the Prince for a Dowry the Lordship of Elsmere in the Marches of Wales A.D. 1203 Prince Rhys whom we mentioned the Year before to have taken the Castle of Lhanymdhyfri wins likewise the Castle of Llangadoc and puts a Garrison therein but he enjoyed neither of them long for shortly after his Unkle Maelgon with his Friend Gwenwynwyn levied a powerful Army and with it besieged and took the Castle
withstand so great a multitude thought it his best way to endeavour to find out some method or other to reconcile himself to the King And no better measures could possibly be thought of than to send Joan his Wife King John's Daughter to intreat with her Father about a Peace and a cessation of all Hostilities who being a prudent sly Woman so prevailed upon the King that he granted Prince Lhewelyn her Husband a safe Conduct to come to him and to renew the former Peace and Amity that was betwixt them And so Lhewelyn having done Homage promised the King towards his Expences in this Expedition 20000 Head of Cattel and forty Horses and what was more than all he granted all the in-land Countries of Wales with the Appurtenances to him and his Heirs for ever And then King John having received better Success in this than the former Expedition returned to England in great Triumph having subdued all Wales excepting that part which Rhys and Owen the Sons of Gruffydh ap Rhys still kept and maintained against the English But having no leisure to march against them himself at his departure out of the Country he gave strict charge to Foulke Vicount of Caerdyff Warden of the Marches a cruel Tyrant tho' well beloved and favoured by the King to take an Army with him and so joyning with Maelgon and Rhys Fychan to compel the Sons of Gruffydh ap Rhys to acknowledge him for their Sovereign and to do him Homage Foulke having received so positive a Command presently raised his Forces and calling Maelgon and Rhys came to the Cantref of Penwedic which when the young Lords Rhys and Owen heard of and being assured that this Blow was levelled against them which they knew they were not able to bear before the Stroak was struck they sent to Foulke to sue for Peace and a safe Conduct for them to pass to the Court of England This being granted they came to London and making their submission to the King and requesting his Pardon for all former Misdemeanors they gave up all pretence to their Lands betwixt Aeron and Dyfi and so paying their Homage they were dismissed very graciously But Foulke before his departure out of the Country fortified the Castle of Aberystwyth and placing a strong Garrison therein kept it to the King's use But Maelgon and Rhys Fychan a couple of head-strong inconstant People quickly repented them of the Peace they had made with the King of England and thereupon without the least reason or provocation they laid Siege to Aberystwyth Castle and with much ado having made themselves Masters of it they destroyed those Fortifications which Foulke had lately erected and defaced the Castle to the ground But they paid sawce for this another way for as soon as Rhys and Owen had heard that their Uncles had broken and violated the King's Peace they made in-roads into Isaeron which was Maelgon's Country and having slain a considerable number of his Men among whom was one brave and lusty Youth called Bachglâs they returned with very rich Booty A.D. 1211 Maelgon and Rhys Fychan were quickly followed by the North-Wales Men in their revolt from the King of England for Prince Lhewelyn being not able to endure any longer the tyranny and oppreission which the King's Garrisons exercised in his Country called together Gwenwynwyn from Powys Maelgon ap Rhys from South-Wales Madoc ap Gruffydh Maylor from Bromfield and Meredith ap Rotpert from Cydewen and plainly declared before them the Pride and insolency of the English and how that they who were always used to have a Prince of their own Nation were now by their own wilfulness and neglect become subject to Strangers However it was not too late to recover their antient Liberty and if they did but unanimously agree among themselves they might easily cast off that Yoke which was so intolerably burdersome to them Then the Lords being sensible of the truth and reasonableness of what Prince Lhewelyn delivered and being conscious to themselves that their present slavery and subjection to the English was wholly owing to their own fear and cowardise swore fealty to Prince Lhewelyn and swore to be true and faithful to him and to stick by each other to the utmost of their Lives and Fortunes And so joyning their Forces together they took all the Castles in North-Wales which were in the hands of the English excepting Ruthlan and Dyganwy and then going to Powys they laid Siege to the Castle which Robert Vspont had built at Mathrafal But King John being informed how the Welch had conspired against him and that they had taken and sezied upon almost all his Castles in North-Wales and how that they were now in actual besiegement of Mathrafal presently drew up his Army and coming to Mathrafal quickly raised the Siege and to prevent the Welch from coming any more against it he burnt it to the ground and so returned to England having no time to stay any longer in Wales by reason of the Differences that happened betwixt him and his Nobility But being afterwards at Nottingham and hearing how that Prince Lhewelyn cruelly harrassed and destroyed the Marches he caused all the Welch Pledges which he had received the last year to be hanged among whom were Howel the Son of Cadwalhon and Madoc the Son of Maelgon with many others of the Nobilities Sons to the number of Twenty Eight And about the same time Robert Vepont caused Rhys the Son of Maelgon to be hanged at Shrewsbury being a Youth of about seventeen years of age and so cruelly murdered the innocent Child to revenge the Crimes and Offences committed by his Father and others But tho' King John was so severe to the Welch yet the Princess of North-Wales was more dutiful and favourable to him for whilst he staid at Nottingham she sent him an Express declaring how that the Barons had entred into a Conspiracy with the French King against him and that this latter was a preparing and raising an Army to come over to England upon pretence that the King was a Rebel and bid open Defiance to the Holy Church in as much as he would not condescend nor yield to the Bishop of Rome's Request And in confirmation of all this she told him that Robert Fitzwalter Eustace de Vescy and Stephen Redell were secretly fled into France to promote and carry on this intrigue And that this design against King John was no feigned surmise the next A.D. 1212 year Pope Innocent the Third detached one of his Nuncio's to Wales who absolved Prince Lhewelyn Gwenwynwyn and Maelgon from their Oaths of Allegiance to King John and withal gave them a strict command under the penalty of Excommunication to molest and annoy him with all their Endeavours as an open Enemy to the Church of God Prince Lhewelyn you may be sure was not in the least troubled at this for now he gained the fittest opportunity imaginable to restore such Lands as he had formerly much against
the English and to be revenged upon them for their most cruel and almost inhuman Practices towards the Welch Having therefore drawn all his Power together being accompany'd by Meredith ap Rhys Gryc in the space of one Week he recovered out of the hands of the English all the inland Country of North-Wales and then all Merionyth with such Lands as Prince Edward had usurped in Cardigan which he bestowed upon Meredith the Son of Owen ap Gruffydh Having also forced Rhys Fychan out of Buelht he conferr'd it upon Meredith ap Rhys and in like manner bestowed all the Lands which he recovered between his Nobles reserving nothing to his own use besides Gwerthryneon the A.D. 1257 Estate of Sir Roger Mortimer The next Summer he entered into Powys and made War against Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn who always had taken part with and owned Subjection to the King of England which he totally overcame excepting the Castle of Poole some small part of Caerneon and the Country lying upon the bank of the Severn But Rhys Fychan was not satisfied with the loss of Buelht and therefore was resolved to try ro recover it to which end he went to the King of England of whom he obtained a very strong Army commanded by one Stephen Bacon which being sent by Sea landed at Caermardhyn in the Whitsun-Week From thence the English marched to Dynefawr and laid Siege to the Castle which valiantly held out until Lhewelyn's Army came to its Relief Upon the arrival of the Welch the English decamped from before the Castle and put themselves in posture of Battel which the Welch perceiving they made all haste to answer and oppose them Whereupon there ensued a very terrible Engagement which lasted a very long while this being for number of Men the greatest Battel that had been fought between the English and the Welch But the Victory favoured the Welch the English-men being at length forced to fly having lost above Two Thousand Men besides several Barons and Knights who were taken Prisoners After this the Prince's Army passed to Dyfed where having burnt all the Country and destroyed the Castles of Abercorran Lhanstephan Maenclochoc and Arberth with all the Towns thereunto belonging returned to North-Wales with much Spoil But as soon as he was arrived great Complaints were exhibited to Prince Lhewelyn against Jeffrey Langley Lieutenant to Edward Earl of Chester who without any regard to Equity and Conscience most wrongfully oppressed the Inhabitants of Wales under his Jurisdiction Whereupon the Prince to punish the Master for the Servant's Fault entred with some part of his Army into the Earl's Estate burnt and destroyed all his Country on both sides the River Dee to the Gates of Chester Edward had no power at present to oppose him but being resolved to be revenged upon the Welch with the first opportunity he desired Aid of his Uncle then chose King of the Romans who sent him a strong Detachment with which he purposed to give Prince Lhewelyn Battel But finding him too strong he thought it more advisable to desist from Hostility the Prince's Army consisting of Ten Thousand experienced Men who were obliged by Oath rather all to die in the Field than suffer the English to gain any Advantage over the Welch But Gruffydh ap Madoc Maelor Lord of Dinas Brân a Person of notorious Reputation for Injustice and Oppression basely forsook the Welch his Country-men and with all his Forces went over to the Earl of Chester A.D. 1258 The next Year Prince Lhewelyn passed to South-Wales and seized into his Hands the Land of Cemaes and having reconciled the Difference betwixt Rhys Gryg and Rhys Fychan he won the Castle of Trefdraeth with the whole Country of Rhos excepting Haverford Thence he marched in an hostile manner toward Glamorgan and rased to the ground the Castle of Lhangymwch and then returning to North-Wales he met by the way with Edward Earl of Chester whom he forced precipitously to return back But before he would put an end to this Expedition he must needs be revenged upon that ungrateful fugitive Gruffydh ap Madoc Maelor and thereupon passing thro' Bromfield he miserably laid waste the whole Country Upon this the Kings of England and Scotland sent to Lhewelyn requiring him to cease from Hostility and after that unmerciful manner to devour and forcibly to take away other Mens Estates The Prince was not over sollicitous to hearken to their Request but finding the time of the year very seasonable for Action against the English he divided his Army into two Battles each of these consisting of 1500 Foot and 500 Horse with which he purposed to enlarge his Conquest Edward Earl of Chester to prevent the Blow which so desperately hung over his Head sent over for Succors from Ireland of whose coming Prince Lhewelyn being certified manned out a Fleet to intercept them which meeting with the Irish at Sea after a sharp Dispute forced them to return back with loss King Henry being acquainted with the miscarriage of the Irish resolved to come in Person against the Welch and having drawn together the whole Strength of England even from St. Michael's Mount in Cornwal to the River Tweed marched with his Son Edward in a great Rage to North-Wales and without any opposition advanced as far as Teganwy But the Prince had stopped his farther Progress and prevented any long stay he could make in Wales having before hand caused all manner of Provision and Forrage to be carried over the River and then securing the strait and narrow Passages whereby the English might get on farther into the Country the Army was in a short time so mortally fatigued that the King for want of necessary Subsistance was forced to retire in haste to England with considerable loss The Prince after that sending for all the Forces in South-Wales came to the Marches where Gruffydh Lord of Bromfield finding that the King of England was not able to defend his Estate yielded himself up and then passing to Powys he banished Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn and took all the Lands in the Country into his Hands Proceeding farther he was encountred with by Gilbert de Clare Earl of Glocester who with a choice Party of English gave him Battel But Lhewelyn's Army exceeding both in Number and Courage easily vanquished and overcame the English and so the Victory being quickly obtained the Prince presently reduced to his Power all the Castles belonging to the Earl of Glocester King Henry hearing of the Earl's overthrow was much concerned at the loss of so many brave Souldiers in whose Valor and Experience he always put a very great Confidence and therefore to revenge their Deaths he was again resolved to march against the Welch Having called his Forces together and received Supply from Gascoign and Ireland he came to Wales but not daring to venture far into the Country for fear of being forced to make another shameful retreat he only destroyed the Corn near the Borders it being Harvest
with great Fury and Courage faced them and joyning Battels forced them back with a very considerable loss Polydore Virgil says but upon what Authority is not known that the Welch obtained this Victory rather upon the account that the English Army was hired with such Money as had been wrongfully taken out of the Abbies and other Religious places so that it was a Judgment from above more than the Force of the Welch that overcame the English Army But be the cause of it what it will 't is certain the English were vanquished upon which account King Edward came in Person to Wales and kept his Christmas at Aberconwey where Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury being returned from Rome came to him and having done Homage returned honourably again to England But as the King advanced farther into the Country having but one part of his Army with him the Welch set upon and took most of his Carriages which contained a great quantity of Victuals and Provision so that the King with all his followers were constrained to endure a great deal of hardships in so much that at last Water mixed with Honey and very course and ordinary Bread with the saltest Meat were accounted the greatest Delicacies for his Majesty 's own Table But their misery was like to be greater had not the other part of the Army come in time because the Welch had encompassed the King round in hopes to reduce him to the utmost distress by reason that the Water was so risen that the rest of the Army could not get to him But the Water within some time after abating the remainder of the Army came in whereupon the Welch presently retired and made their escape One thing is very remarkable of King Edward during his distress at Snowden that when the Army was reduced to very great extremity a small quantity of Wine was found which they thought to reserve for the King 's own use But he to prevent any discontent which might thereupon be raised in his Souldiers absolutely refused to taste thereof telling them That in time of Necessity all things should be common and as he was the Cause and Author of thâ—ir Distress he would not be preferred before them in his Diet. But whilst the King remained in Snowden the Earl of Warwick being informed that a great Number of Welch were assembled and had lodged themselves â—n a certain Valley betwixt two Woods chose out a Troop of Horse together with some Cross-Bows and Archers and set upon them in the Night time The Welch being thus surprised and unexpectedly encompassed about by their Enemies made the best they could to oppose them and so pitching their Spears in the ground and directing the points towards their Enemies endeavoured by such means to keep off the Horse But the Earl of Warwick having ordered his Battel so as that between every two Horse there stood a Cross-Bow so gauled the Welch with the shot of the quarrels that the Spear-men fell apace and then the Horse breaking easily in upon the rest bare them down with so great a slaughter as the Welch had never received before After this King Edward to prevent any more rebellious attempts of the Welch cut down all the Woods in Wales wherein in any time of Danger they were wont to hide and save themselves And for a farther security he repaired and fortified all the Castles and places of Strength in Wales and built the Castle of Bewmoris in the Isle of Anglesey and so having put all things in a settled posture and punished those that had been the occasion of the Death of Roger de Pulesdon he returned with his Army into England But as soon as the King had left the Welch Madoc who as it is said before was chosen Captain by the North-Wales Men gathered some Forces together and came to Oswestry which presently yielded to him And then meeting with the Lord Strange near Knookine who with a Detachment of the Marchers came to oppose him gave him Battel vanquished his Forces and miserably ravaged his Country The like Success he obtained a second time against the Marchers but at last they brought together a very great Number of Men and met Madoc marching towards Shâ—ewsbury upon the Hills of Cefn Digolh not far from Camrs Castle where after a bloody Fight on both sides Madoc was taken Prisoner and his Army vanquished and put to flight Then he was sent to London and there sentenced to remain in perpetual Imprisonment in the Tower tho' others affirm that Madoc was never taken but that after several Adventures and severe Conflicts whereby the Welch were reduced to great extremities he came in and submitted himself to the King who received him upon Condition he would not desist to pursue Morgan Captain of the Glamorgan-shire Men till he brought him Prisoner before him Madoc having performed this and the whole Country being peaceable and undisturbed several Hostages from the Chiefest Nobility of Wales for their orderly and quiet behaviour were delivered to the King who disposed of them into divers Castles in England where they continued in safe Custody till the end of the War which was presently-commencâ—d with Scotland A.D. 1301 In the 29th year of King Edward's reign the Prince of Wales came down to Chester and received Homage of all the Free-holders in Wales as follows Henry Earl of Lancaster for Monmouth Reginald Gray for Ruthyn Foulke Fitzwarren for his Lands the Lord William Martyn for his Lands in Cemaes Roger Mortimer for his Lands in Wales Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln for Rhos and Rhyfoneioc Robert Lord Montalt for his Lands and Gruffydh Lord of Poole for the Lordship of Powys at the same time paid their Homage Tudor ap Grono of Anglesey Madoc ap Tudor Archdeacon of Anglesey Eineon ap Howel of Caernarvon Tudor ap Gruffydh Lhewelyn ap Ednyfed Gruffydh â—ychan Son of Gruffydh ap Iorwerth Madoc Fychan Denglfield Lhewelyn Bishop of St. Asaph and Richard de Pulesdon This last in the Twelfth Year of King Edward was constituted Sheriff of Caernarvon for life with the stipend of Forty Pounds sterling yearly At the same place Gruffydh ap Tudor Ithel Fychan Ithel ap Blethyn with many more did their Homage Then the Prince came to Ruthlan where the Lord Richard de Sutton Baron of Malpas paid Homage and Fealty for the said Barony of Malpas Thence the Prince removed to Conwey where Eineon Bishop of Bangor and David Abbot of Maynan did their Homage as did Lewis de Felton Son of Richard Felton for the Lands which his Father held of the Prince in Maelor Saesneg or English Maelor John Earl Warren swore Homage for the Lordships of Bromfield and Yale and his Lands in Hope-Dale at London in the Chappel of the Lord John de Kirkby sometime Bishop of Ely as also a while after Edmund Mortimer for his Lands of Cery and Cydewen But besides all these there paid Homage to the Prince of Wales at Chester Sir