it to be recorded to the end the same of that fact might ever live to his eternal honour and renown of the noble order 9. That if any complaint were made at the Court of this mighty King of perjury or oppression then some Knight of the order whom the King should appoint ought to revenge the same 10. That if any Knight of forrain Nation did come unto the Court with desire to challenge or make shew of his prowess were he single or accompanied those Knights ought to be ready in armes to make answer 11. That if any Lady Gentlewoman or VVidow or Maid or other oppressed person did present a petition declaring that they were or had been in this or that Nation injured or offered dishonour they should be graciously heard and without delay one or more Knights should be sent to take revenge 12. That every Knight should be willing to inform young Princes Lords and Gentlemen in the orders and exercises of armes thereby not only to avoid Idleness but also to encrease the honour of Knighthood and Chevalrie Divers other Articles inciting to magnanimous actions of honour in armes those Knights were sworn to observe Sir William Segar ib. which for brevity I omit nevertheless being used to lose my labour I will adventure to say this little and the rather because this order of Knighthood is ancient I do not read of any Robe or habit prescribed unto these Knights nor with what ceremonie they were made The place of meeting and Convocation was the City of Winchester where King Arthur caused a great round table to be made and at the same the Knights at Pentecost or VVhitsunday did sit and eat the proportion thereof was such as no room could be thought of more dignity then the rest yet as some writers say one seat thereof was called the Sea Perilous reserved for that Knight that did excel the rest in vertue That place by thet consent of all the rest of the Knights was allotted to King Arthur who for his valour surpassed all other Knights and professors of armes Of Officers and Ministers belonging unto this order I do not read but of a Register whose duty was to enter and keep records of all and every action enterprised attempted or performed by any of all those Knights which records were read and sung publickly to the eternizing of their honour and fame Whether the number of these Knights was many or few I do not find but it seemeth imparted to a great many all persons of high dignitie and much prowess for unto King Arthur at Caerleon in Monmoth-Shire resorted at one time ten Kings Caerleon more honoured then any City of Brittain and thirteen Earls besides many Barons and other Knights of meaner qualitie As the conquests of the King were many so was his bounty notable for it is written that unto his chief Scheneshal or Steward called Kay he gave the province of Avion on his Butler Bedwere he bestowed Normandy and to his Cozen Berel he granted the Dutchy of Buriundy and unto many other Lords and valiant Knights he allotted other magnificent gifts according to their vertue Sir John Hayward fol. 4. in Will Conq. Some are of opinion the truth whereof I will not dispute that this most victorious King was not born in lawfull wedlock some make the like quere of Alexander others of Julius Caesar many such have been brought into the World to the great admiration and astonishment of Posterity and that bastards should inherit Kingdomes Principalities and other Seigniories it was no unusual thing Sir John Hayward writing the life of William the Conquerour who is commonly called William the bastard tells us it was a generall custome at that time in France that bastards did succeed even in dignities of highest degree and condition no otherwise then children lawfull begotten Thierry bastard of Clovis had for his partage with the dutifull Children of the said Clovis the Kingdom of Austrasie now called Lowain Sigisbert bastard to King Dagobert the first had his part in the Kingdom of France with Clovis the twelfth lawfull Son to Dagobert Loys and Carloman bastards to King Loyis le Begue succeeded after the death of their Father so likewise in England Alfride bastard Son to Oswine succeeded his Brother Egfride So Adelstane the bastard Son of Edward the Elder succeeded his Father before Edmund and Eldred his younger Brothers notwithstanding they were lawfully begotten So St. Edmund the Martyr bastard Son to King Edgar succeeded him in the state before Ethelbred his lawfull issue Afterward Harold surnamed Harefoot bastard to Canutus succeeded him in the Kingdom before Hardi Canutus his lawfull son The like custome hath been observed in Spain in Portugall and in divers other Countries And it is probable that this use was grounded upon often experience that bastards begotten in the highest heat and strength of affection have many times been men of excellent proof both in courage and understanding this was verified in Hercules Alexander the great Romulus Timotheus Brutus Themistocles Arthur in Homer Demosthenes Bion Bartholus Gracian Peter Lumbard Peter Comestor John Andreas and divers of most florishing name but this custome now concerning succession of bastards in Kingdomes Royalties and other inheritances is obsolete and quite abolished Concerning the Coronation of King Arthur some Authours have written thus the appointed time of the solemnity approaching The Coronation of King Arthur and all being ready assembled in the City of Caerleon the Archbishops of London and York and in the City of Caerleon the Archbishop Dubrick were conveyed to the place with royal solemnity to Crown King Arthur Dubritius therefore because the Court lay within his Diocesse He was crowned at Lanturnam an ancient Abbey but now the house of St. Edward Morgan Baronet furnished him accordingly to perform and solemnize this charge in his own person The King being crowned was with all pompe brought to the Cathedral Church of that Metropolitan See on either hand of him both right and left did the Archbishops support him and four Kings to wit Angusell King of Albania Cadvall King of Venedotia Cador Kings of Cornewall and Sater King of Demetia went before him carrying four golden swords The Companies also and concourse of sundry sorts of Officers played before him most melodious and heavenly harmony On the other part the Queen was brought to the Church of professed * St. Julians now the house of the Lord of Cherbery Nuns being conducted and accompanied by Archbishops and Bishops with her armes and titles royally garnished and the Queens consorts to the four Kings aforesaid carryed before her as the order and custome was four white Doves or Pigeons At a solemnity held by this renowned King upon the feast of Pentecost which was the usual day for the Knights of the Round-table to convene a challenge was brought to King Arthur from a King of Northwales the Copy whereof was given me by the right honorable Richard
with all those Meteors which are engendered in the middle Region of the Air From whence the name Thursday first derived consecrating to him the fifth day of the week which was afterwards called Thursday The name of Woden they attributed to Mercury or as some write to Mars whom they reverenced as a Protector in war and a giver of strength and courage against their Enemies To him they usually sacrificed with mans blood and dedicated the fourth day of the week naming it Wodensday as yet retaining the first denomination with very little difference Wednesday from whence Under the name of Freâ— they sacrificed to Venus as the giver of peace and pleasure whom they adored sometimes under the figure of Priapus committing to her the Patronage of the sixth day called Frea-day Of these three Thor was placed upon a three footed stool in the midst Friday from whence and Woden and Frea on each side To the Goddess Eoster they alwayes offered Sacrifice in the moneth of April which thereupon was called Eoster-moneth In their consultations of any weighty matter they observed south-saying and casting of lots Their custom of casting of lots was first to cut a branch from a fruit-bearing tree into many pieces which being distinguished with several marks they did cast upon a white garment at a venture then if the matter concerned the Common-Wealth in general the Priest The manner of casting lots among the Saxons if a private person only the Master of the house having prayed the Gods and looked towards heaven did take up every one of the said pieces three times and interpreted the future success according to the form and similitude of the marks if the lots fell out contrary to their minds they consulted no more that day if otherwayes yet they would make further tryal by observing the flying and singing of birds They had another practise also to search out the event of great and weighty battails with their Enemies For they would get some one of that Nation with which the war should be made and then take another choice man of their own arming them both after their Country guise Horses much honoured by the Saxons and so make trial of their valour conjecturing by the success of that fight on whose side the victory should afterwards fall but of all other passages the neying of horses was of greatest credit both with the Preists and People who fondly supposed that those beasts understood and were privy to their secrets Why a horse for the Saxons Armes And hereupon as some suppose the Dukes of Saxony in times past gave a horse for their Ensign The names also of Hengist and Horsa the first men of note of the Saxon Nation that arrived in Brittain do signifie in their own language a horse Brit. Hist part 2. fol. 195. Mr. Bro. fol. 199. Jo. Gosc Hist Eccle. Mat. Parker Antiq. Brit. p. 8. Antiq. Glast Capgrave in vita St. Patricii Gul. Malm. l. de Antiq. Caenob Glast which denominations whether they were given in respect of their strength and courage qualities by nature proper to that beast or whether they received them upon any other occasion or accident I cannot certainly affirm sayes my Authour In this age we had here in Brittain many Monasteries and Religious houses both of Men and Women Our old Religious house in Glastenbury continued in this age as in the former having twelve religious Eremites belonging unto it dwelling in the places and Cells of the first twelve in the time of St. Joseph of Aramathea This is testified by the old Manuscripts of that place and Will of Malms in his book of the antiquity thereof witnesseth that those holy men in the number of twelve thus successively lived and served God untill St. Patricks coming The names of the twelve then living were Brunbam Dyregaan The great sanctity of the Brittish Nobility Viwall Wentreth Bantonnewing Adeloobre Loyor Wellyas Breden Swellwis Hinloirmus and Alius all of them descended of noble families rather preferred this poor penitential eremitical life then worldly honour The antiquities of Glestenbury further witness that about this time there was new founded or renewed an other little Religious house in honour of St. Michael the Archangel and particularly to honour and pray to him And that Arnulphus and Ogmar two religious holy men were the first that supplyed that office and duty there Math. West an 543. That there were divers Monasteries in Brittain as well in London Winchester Kent and other places appeareth evidently by divers Authors For say they Hengist the Pagan Saxon at his coming into Kent Stow. Howes Brit. Sax. in Const Vortiger found many religious houses both of Men and Women and many of them were glorious Martyrs by the Saxon persecutors Hengist slew the good Archbishop Vodine and many other Priests and Religious Men. All the Churches in Kent were polluted with blood the Nunns with other Religious persons were by force put from their houses and goods These religious houses must needs be builded and so furnished with goods and consecrated persons before the Saxons entred and so in or before this age these men being then Pagans were no founders but destroyers of such monuments Bed 1. c. 6. not only in Kent but all places where they prevailed by all histories Among these these sumptuous and stately Church Math. West an 313. 586. and Monastery of St. Alban builded within ten years after his Martyrdome was one for the Monastery there was not as Math. West proveth founded first by King Offa Kaer Carodoc Salisbury Manuscript Gallic Antiq. c. 24. Galf. Mon. Hist Brit. l. 8. c. 9 but being destroyed by the Saxons was re-edified by him There was also a noble monastery at Amsbury in Wiltshire near Salisbury in which as an old French Manuscript and others say there were at this time three hundred This was founded long before the Saxons came by one Ambrius near Kaer Carodoc Salisbury Our old English Chronicle treating of the desolation which the Pagan Saxons wrought in this Kingdom in destroying religious Houses and Churches and how Aurelius Ambrosius restored and builded them again thus delivereth that in general and particularly of this Monastery King Aurelambros went throughout the Land Mr. Breugron fol. 610. and put away the name of Hengist Land that Hengist after his name had called it before Then he let call it again great Brittain and let make again Churches and Houses of Religion Castles and Cities and Boroughs Old English Chronicle part 5. fol. 43. and Townes that the Saxons had destroyed The Brittains led him to the Mount of Ambrian where sometime was an house of Religion which then was destroyed through the Paynims whereof a Knight that was called Ambross that sometime was founder of that house and therefore the hill was called the holy Mount of Ambrian and after it was called Ambesbury The King Aurclambros let amend and
of the Empire and Baron of VVardor Blanch Daughter of Edward Earl of VVorcester by which Match this Honourable Family severall wayes descends from the Brittish bloud Royol Henry Arundel Count of the Empire and Baron of VVardor now living 1661. Cicely Daughter to Sir Henry Compton Knight of the Bath Thomas Arundel Heir Apparent THE THIRD BOOK OF THE Antient and Modern Brittish and Welsh HISTORY THis Owyn with five of the chiefest of Wales did homage to Henry the second and likewise to his eldest son Henry at Woodstock in the eighth year of Henry the father Anno Dom. 1165. Quarterly Gules and Or 4 Lyons pass gard Counter-change David the son of Owen Gwyneth AFter the death of Owen his sons fell in debate who should inherit after him for the eldest son born in Matrimony Edward or Jorwerth Drwndwn was counted unmeet to Govern because of the maim upon his face Howell base son of Owen slain and Howell who took upon him all the Rule was a base son begotten upon an Irish woman Therefore David gathered all the power he could and came against Howell and fighting with him slew him and afterwards enjoyed quietly the whole land of North Wales until his brother Jorwerths son came to age as shall hereafter appear Madoc another of Owen Gwyneths sons Mahoc betakes himself to Navigation left the land in contention betwixt his brethren and prepared certain ships with men and ammunition and sought Adventures by Sea sailing West and leaving the cost of Ireland so far North that he came to a land unknown where he saw many strange things This land must needs be some part of that which the Spaniards affirm themselves to be the first Finders of H. Lhoyd since Hanno's time for by reason and order of Cosmography this land to which Madoc came must needs be some part of Nova Hispania or Florida whereupon it is manifest that the Countrey was long before by Brittains discovered India first discovered by the Brittains before either Columbus or Americus Vespasius conveyed any Spaniards or Portugues thither Of this Voyage and return of this Madoc there be many fictions as the common people do use in distance of place and length of time rather to augment than diminish but sure it is that there he was And after he had returned home and declared the pleasant and fruitful Countreys that he had seen without inhabitants and upon the contrary part for what barren and wild ground his brethren and nephews did murther one another he prepared a number of ships and got with him such men and women as were desirous to live in quietness and taking leave of his friends Madocs second voyage to the Indies took his journey thitherward again Therefore it is to be supposed that he and his people Colonized part of those Countreys for it appeareth by Francis Lones that in Ancusanus and other places the people honoured the Cross whereby it may be gathered that Christians had been there before the Spaniards but because this people were not many they followed the manners of the land unto which they arrived and used the Language they found there This Madoc arriving into that Western Countrey unto which he came in the year 1170. Mr. Powel left most of his people there and returning back for more of his own Nation Acquaintance and Friends to inhabit that fair and large Countrey went thither again with ten Sails as I find noted by Gutyn Owen I am of opinion that the land whereunto he came was some part of Mexico the causes which makes me think so are these 1. First The common report of the Inhabitants of that Countrey who affirmed that their Rulers descended from a strange Nation that came thither from a far Countrey which thing is confessed by Mutezuma King of that Province in an Oration made for quietting of his people at his submission to the King of Castile Hernando or Fernando Curtâ—â—â— being then present which is declared in the Spanish Chronicles of the conquest of these Indies Evident proofs that the Welsh first discovered the West Indies 2. Secondly The Brittish words and names of places used there even unto this day do argue the same as when they talk together they use this word Gwrando which is hearken or listen Also they have a certain Bird which they call Pengwin that is Whitehead but the Island of Corroeso the Cape of Bryton the River of Gwyndor and the white Rock of Pengwyn which be all Brittish or Welsh words do manifestly shew that it was that Countrey which Madoc and his people inhabited About this time Rees Prince of South Wales came with great power into Powis and subdued Owen Cyvelioc the Lord thereof and took Pledges of him and then returned home with honour K. Henry and P. Rees attoned Rees supplyeth the King in his journey towards Ireland When King Henry prepared for the Conquest of Ireland Prince Rees came and met him who received him courteously and confirmed all what formerly had been accorded insomuch that Rees promised the King towards his expedition into Ireland 300 Horses and 400 Oxen and gave him 14 Pledges Thus done the King came to South Wales and entring Caerlheon upon Vsk took the formerly sumptuous City from the Lord thereof Jorwerth ap Owen ap Caradoc keeping the same to his own use The Arms of of this Lord were Gules 3 Towers Arg. now quartered by the Morgans wherefore Jorwerth departed from the King and calling to him his two sons Owen and Howell who was called Howell of Caerlheon and bare for his Arms Gules 3 Towers Argent which Coat is now quarted by the Morgans of Mahan and Lantarnam c. and his sisters son Morgan ap Sylsit ap Dyfnwal gathered forces and upon the Kings departure entred the Countrey spoiling and burning as they went and took the Town of Caerlheon and destroyed it saving the Castle now ruined by time which they could not get The destruction of the once famous Caerlheon The King kept on his journey to Pembrock and there he gave Rees all Caerdigan Stratywy Aberustly and Eluel Rees coming to Aberteini which he had won from the Earl of Glocester and lately fortified removed from thence to Pembrock in the Kalends of October and spake with the King returning the day after and then culled out of his Horses the promised number or at least 86 and sent them to the King who chose out 36 and sent the rest back with many thanks K. Hen. 2. offereth at St. Davids The same day the King went to St. Davids and offering there dined with the Bishop the son of Girald cousin german to Rees Whether Rich. Strongbow Earl of Strigull an antient Castle formerly in Monmothshire part of whose ruines yet remain came from Ireland to confer with the King and after dinner the King returned to Pembrock within a while after the King being at the white house rendred to Rees
the Stewards whose original came out of Wales from Henry VII who descended from Owen Tewdor ut ante who descended from Blethin King of Powis Gruffith ap Conan King of Northwales Jestin Lord of Glamorgan Meyric King of Gwent Cadeth King of Southwales Anarawd King of Northwales and from Cadwalader last King of the Brittains thus Henry the seventh married Elizabeth eldest daughter to King Edward the IV. who was son of Richard Plantagenes Duke of York descended from Richard Plantagenet of Conesbourgh Earle of Cambridge by Anne his wife sister and co-heir of Edmund Mortimer the fift Earle of March who was son and heir of Rog. Mortimer fourth E. of March who succeeded Edmund Montimer the third Earle of March who was heir unto Roger Mortimer Grandchild to Roger Mortimer first Earle of March and son to Edmund Mortimer Lord of Wigmore who died in the Castle of Ludlow and was buried in the Abbey of Wigmore whose Father was Roger Mortimer Lord of Wigmore who was created the first Earl of the Marches of Wales in the second year of King Edward III. at a Parliament held at Salisbury c. he was son to Edmund Mortimer Lord of Wigmore who was son to Roger Mortimer Lord of Wigmore and by right of inheritance Prince of Wales for he was son to Ralph Lord Mortimer of Wigmore and Gladys his wife who was daughter and heir her brother David being dead to Lhewelin ap Iorwerth Prince of Northwales from this Gladys her brother being dead sans Issue as I said thus descendeth from Cadwalader Gladys daughter and heir to Lhewelyn who was the son of Iorwerth the son of Owen Gwineth the son to Gruffith the son to Conan the son to Iago the son to Edwal the son to Meyric the son of Edwal Voel the son of Anarawd the son of Rodery Mawr the son of Esylht the daughter and sole heir of Conan Tindaythwy the son of Roderick Molwynoc the son of Edwal Ywrich the son of Cadwalader the last King of the Brittains what transactions have happened while this prince had the stile of that Principality I will forbear to speak or relate in this place and only give you a copy of the Charter used at the Creation of the Princes of Wales Here should have been the Picture The Kings Charter for the Creating of the Princes of Wales HENRY by the grace of God King of England and of France Lord of Ireland c. To all Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Dukes Earles Barons Iustices Viscounts Governours Ministers and to all our Bayliffs and Faithful subjects Greeting out of the excellency of Royal preheminence like as beames from the Sun so do inferiour honours proceed neither doth the integrity of Royal lustre and brightnesse by the natural disposition of light affording light from light feel any losse or detriment by such borrowed light yea the royal scepter is also much the more extolled and regal throne exalted by how much the more Nobles Preheminencies and Honors are under the power and command thereof And this worthy consideration allureth and induceth us which desire the encrease of the name and honour of our first begotten and best beloved son Edward in whom we behold and see our selves to be honoured and our royal house also and our people subject to us hoping by the grace of God by conjecture taken of his gracious future proceedings to be the more honourably strengthened that we may with honour prevent and with abundant grace prosecute him who in reputation of us is deemed the same person with us wherefore by Councel and consent of the Prelates Dukes Earles Viscounts and Barons of our Kingdom being in our present Parliament we have made and created and by these presents make and create him the said Edward Prince of Wales and Earle of Chester and unto the said Edward we give and grant and by this Charter-have confirmed the Name Stile Title State Dignity and honour of the said Principality and County And him of the said Principality and County that be may therein in governing rule and in ruling direct and defend we by a Garland upon his head by a ring of gold upon his finger and a verge of Gold have according unto the manner invested him To have and to hold the same unto him and his heirs the Kings of England for ever wherefore we will and straitly command for us and our heirs that Edward our son aforesaid shall have the name stile title state dignity and honour of the principality of Wales and county of Chester aforesaid unto him and his heirs the Kings of England aforesaid for ever these being witnesses the reverend Fathers John Cardinal and Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England our Chancellour and William Archbishop of York Primate of England Thomas Bishop of London John Bishop of Lincolne William Bishop of Norwich our most well beloved Cosens Richard Duke of York Humphry Duke of Buckingham our well beloved Cosens Richard Earle of VVarwick Richard Earle of Salisbury John Earle of Wiltshire and our beloved and faithful Ralph Cromwel Chamberlain of our house VVilliam Faulconbridge and John Stourton Knights Dated at our Pallace at VVestminster the 15 day of March in the year of our reign 32. By the King himself and his Councel Things required unto the Creation of the Prince of Wales First an honourable habit viz. a Robe of purple Velvet having in it about 18 elles more or lesse garnished about with a fringe of gold and lined with Ermines A Surcote or Inner garment having in it about 14 elles of Velvet of like colour fringe and fur Laces Buttons and Tassells as they call them ornaments made of purple silk and gold A girdle of silk also to gird his inner gown A sword with a scabbord made of purple silk and gold garnished with the like girdle he is girt withal thereby shewing himself to be Duke of Cornwal by birth and not by Creation A cap of the same Velvet that his robe is of furred with Ermines with laces and a button the tassels on the crown thereof made of Venice gold A garland or a little coronet of gold to be put on his head together with his cap. A long golden verge or rod betokening his government a ring of gold also to be put on the third finger of his left hand whereby he declareth his marriage made with Equity and Justice All these things were almost with royal sumptuousness prepared for Edward son to King Henry VIII to have been created Prince of Wales but prevented by his fathers death he was crowned King sixt of that name yet the forme with the rights and ceremonies belonging to the investing of the Prince into the Principality of Wales you may perceive by what is above set down FINIS
they would send Letters and Ambassadors unto those barbarous people in their behalf They sent unto them three of the best and most honourable persons of the City all three of the house of the Fabians The Gauls received them very courteously because of the name of Rome and leaving to assault the City Brennus a Brittain King of the Gauls they gave them audience The Roman Ambassadors did ask them what injury the Clusians had done unto them that they came to make Wars with them Brennus King of the Gauls hearing this question smiled and answered them thus The Clusians do us wrong in this they being but few people together and not able to occupy much Land do notwithstanding possess much and will let us have no part with them that are strangers and out of our Country and stand in need of seat and habitation the like wrong was offered unto you Romans in old time by those of Alba by the Fidenates and Ardeates and the Volsci against whom ye have taken and do take Arms at all times and as oft as they will let you have no part of their goods ye imprison their persons rob and spoil their goods and destroy their Cities and in doing this you do them no wrong at all but follow the oldest Law that is in the world which ever leaveth unto the stronger that which the weaker cannot keep nor enjoy beginning with the gods and ending with beasts the which have this property in nature that the bigger and stronger have ever the advantage of the weaker and lesser therefore leave your pitty to see these Clusians besieged lest you teach us Gauls to take compassion also of those you have oppressed By this answer the Romans knew very well there was no way to make peace with King Brennus wherefore they entered into the City of Clusium and incouraged the Inhabitants to sally out with them upon these barbarous people either because they had a desire to prove the valiantness of the Gauls or else to shew their own manhood and valour so the Citizens went out and skirmished with them hard by the wals in which one of the Fabians called Quintus Fabius Ambustus being excellently well horsed and putting spurs to him did set upon a goodly big personage of the Gauls that had advanced himself far before all the Troop of his Companions he was not known at the first encounter as well for the sudden meeting and skirmishing together as for that his glistering armour dimmed the eyes of the enemies But after he had slain the Gaul and came to strip him Brennus then knew him and protested against him Brennus reproacheth Fabius for breaking the Law of Armes calling the Gods to witness how he had broken the Law of Arms that coming as an Ambassador he had taken upon him the form of an Enemy Hereupon Brennus forthwith left skirmishing and raising the Siege from Clusium marched with his Army to Rome gates And to the end that the Romans might know that the Gauls were not well pleased for the injury they had received to have an honest colour to begin war with the Romans he sent an Herald before to Rome to demand livery of the man that had offended him that he might punish him accordingly In the mean while he himself came marching after by small journeys to receive their answer The Senate hereupon assembled and many of the Senators blamed the rashness of the Fabians but most of all the Priests called the * Heralds very ancient Faeciales for they followed it very closely as a matter that concerned Religion and the honour of the Gods declaring how the Senate in discharge of all the residue of the City for the offence committed should lay the whole weight and burden of it upon him alone that only had done the Fact Numa Pompilius the wisest and most peaceable of all the Kings of Rome that had been was he that erected the Colledge of those * Heralds Faeciales and did ordain that they should be Keepers of Peace and Judges to hear and allow all the causes for the which they should justly begin any War Nevertheless the Senate in the end turned over the ordering of the whole matter to the Will and Judgement of the people before whom also the Faeciales or Heralds did accuse Fabius Ambustus The people made so little account of their propounded Religion and honour of the Gods in that case that instead of delivering this Fabius to the enemy they did choose him for one of the Tribunes of the Souldiers with his brothers The Gauls understanding this were so furious and angry thereat that they would no longer linger their journeys but marched with all speed to Rome The people that dwelt by the High-wayes where they should passe by were marvellously afraid to see the multitude of them and their brave and gallant Furniture beginning to doubt the fury of their rage they imagined that first of all they would destroy the Champion Countrey before them and afterwards would take the strong Cities They contrariwise did take nothing at all out of the Fields neither did any hurt or displeasure unto any body but passing by their Cities cryed out They went to Rome and would have no Wars but with the Romans and how otherwise they desired to be friends with all the world These barbarous people march on in this wise towards Rome the Tribunes of the Souldiers brought their Army to the Field to encounter them they were no lesse in number then the Gauls for they were 40000 Foot men howbeit most part of them were raw souldiers that had never served in the Wars before They were very carelesse of their Gods and dissolute in matters of Religion for they passed neither for good signes in their Sacrifices neither to ask councel of their Soothsayers which the Romans were religiously wont to doe before they gave any battel To make the matter worse the number of the Captains having Power and Authority alike did as much or more then the rest disorder and confound their doings for oft-times before in far lesse Matters and Dangers then these One Supreme better then Many they did use to choose special Officers that had sole and soveraign Authority which they called Dictators knowing very well of how great importance it is in dangerous times to have but one Head and General to command all to have supreme Authority of justice in his hands Monarchy and not to be bound to deliver account of his doings to any The injury also which they had too ungratefully done to Camillus brought great mischief then and inconvenience upon them for the Captains after him durst no more command the people roughly but ever after did flatter them much When their Armies were now brought into the Field they Encamped themselves by a little River called Allia about the eleventh stone from Rome and not far from the place where the same River falleth into Tiber thither came Brennus with his
Author that he both was a Christian and Converted by St. Joseph and plainly alledgeth Nennius Authority Thus he writeth Joseph converted this King Arviragus By his Preaching to know the Law divine And baptized him as written hath Nennius The Chronicler in Brittain Tongue full fine And to Christ's Law made him incline The Antiquity of the Crosse for England And gave him then a Shield of silver white A Cross end long overthwart full perfect Thus writeth this Author but without Warrant of any thing I can find for whereas as he citeth Nennius to have written thus in the Brittish Language it is evident by all Antiquities that Nennius which wrote in that Tongue was long before the Birth of Arviragus or St. Joseph and dead 50 years before the Nativity of Christ and was Brother to King Lud and Cassibelin and was named Nennius Helius and he could not write any such thing the other Nennius called Bancharensis as all Authors agree wrote onely in Latine and consequently could not write so in the Brittish Tongue as that Author thinketh or our best modern Authors affirm they find no such thing in any copy of Nennius Codices ii quos consuluisse me Nennii antiquos contigit hnjusce rei parum sunt memores Neither is King Arviragus or St. Joseph named by him The places which he allowed to St. Joseph and his companions were propter munitiones Arundineti fluminis paludis so compassed and invironed with Reeds River and Fens that they builded a poor Oratory themselves of such base Elderwands as that Fenny wildernesse afforded which giveth sufficient testimony how far Arviragus was from being a Christian that had nothing but such abject and outcast things to allow to Christ and his servants when for the maintenance of the Pagan Idolatry which he professed both as the Brittish History Matthew of Westminster Ponticus Virunnius and as well Modern as Ancient are witnesses he was Author of stately and sumptuos buildings and so far from diminishing any honour that was then given to the false gods of the Brittains that he added more unto them namely worshipped the wicked Emperor Claudius whose Bastard-daughter he had taken as wife as god dedicated a costly Temple unto him soon after his death yet after this his acquaintance with S. Joseph for as I find in an old Manuscript-history and others do not dissent the City of Gloucester then Caer Glou Anonymus his Maps in Glocestershire the City of Claudius was built by King Arviragus in the year of Christ 66. This City was first won from the Brittains by Chenlin the first King of the West Saxons about the year of Christ 570. and afterwards under the Mercians it flourished with great honour where Offirick King of Northumberland by the sustenance of Ethelred of Mercia founded a most stately Monastery of Nuns whereof Kinelburgh Eadburgh and Eve Queens of the Mercians were Prioresses successively each after other Edelfled a most renowned Lady Sister to King Edward the Elder in this City built a fair Church wherein her self was interr'd which being overthrown by the Danes was afterwards rebuilt and made the Cathedral of that See dedicated unto the honour of St. Peter in this Church the unfortunate Prince King Ed. 2. under a Monument of Alabaster doth lie who being murdered at Berkley Castle by the cruelty of the French Isabell his wife was there intombed And not far from him an other Prince as unfortunate namely Robert Curthose the eldest Son of William the Conqueror lyeth in a painted wooden Tomb in the midst of the Quire whose eyes were pluckt out in Cardiff Castle where he was kept Prisoner twenty years with all contumelious indignities until through extreme anguish he ended his life and before any of these saith our Brittish Historian the body of Lucius our first Christian King or rather at Caerleon in Monmouthshire was Interred and before his days the Brittain Arviragus This City hath given Honourable Titles to these Dukes and Earls 1 Robert Base Son to K. Hen. 1 Earle Gules three rests Or. 2 William 3 John Sansterre Son to K. Hen. 1 who Married Isabell Daughter and Coheir of Will E. of Gloucester England a bend Azure 4 Geofry de Mandevile E. of Essex 2d Husband of Isabell Quarterly Or and Gules over all an Escurbuncle Pomet and Flory Sable 5 Almerich de Evereux Son of Mabell another Coheir of E. William some put this Almerich before Geofry but erroneously as I conceive Partly perpale endented Arg. and Gules 6 Gilbert de Clare Son of Annice another of the Coheirs 7 Rich. de Clare 8 Gilbert de Clare who Married Joan of Acres Daughter to King Edw. 1. Or 3 Cheverons Gules 9 Ralph de mont Hermen 2 d. Husband of Joan of Acres Or an Eagle displayed Vert membred and leaked Gules 10 Gilbert de Clare Son of Gilbert and Joan. Or three Cheverous Or. 11 Hugh de Audley Married Isabell sister and Coheir of Gilbert Gules Alfret Or. border argent 12 Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Gloucester and Lord Constable Quarterly France and England a border arg 13 Thomas Lord Spencer Grand-son to Elinor Coheir of Gilbert Earl Quarterly the 1. and 4. or 2. and 3. Gules there on a fret Or a bend sable 14 Rich. Plantagenet Brother to K. Edw. 4. Lord Adm. and Constable D. Quarterly France and England a Label of 3 Ermine as many Cantons Gules 15 Humphrey Plantagenet son to King Hen. 4. This Hump. place immediately before Rich. Quarterly France and England a border argent 16 Henry 3d. Son of the late King Charles declared by his Royal Father Duke of Gloucester Anno 1641. but not create And to demonstrate that he both lived and died a Pagan this King Arviragus was and that by his own order buried in that Pagan Temple in the year of our Lord Christ 73. ten years after St. Josephs coming hither Arviragus ut dies suos explevit sepultus est Claudiocestriae in quodam templo quod in honore Claudii dedicaverat ut construxerat And Scut Virunnius further addeth that he did every month offer sacrifice in that Temple after the Pagans manner so much be loved him singulis mensibus sacrificabat tanto eum amore prosequibatur And it is further evident by many Antiquities that Arviragus did many publick acts besides this which Christian Religon could not permit as that after he had been long time Married to Voada sister to Cataracus King of the Scots and had divers Children by her he disinherited the Children put away and imprisoned the Mother and Married Genuisse the supposed Bastard Daughter of Claudius and kept her the other yet living and left the Kingdome to Marius her Son and was so far from repenting this barbarous act contrary to Christian Religion that being challenged for that impiety he wrote a book in defence of this his wickednesse Mr. Bron. fol. 132. affirming therein that it was lawful for him to have plurality of Wives because
the dissensions of the Brittains as other Historians do and maketh them of as long continuance only he saith that Severus the Emperor came hither four years after the death of King Lucius to seek to appease things so doth Matthew of Westminster Florentius and others as far as Harding doth This holy King graunted made and signed many writings Charters and Donations for the defence maintainance and preservation of Religion and the chief teachers and professors thereof as to the University of Cambridge the School of Bangor Monastery of Salisbury and such others and to every Archiepiscopal or Episcopal See in Brittain both for the assuring the old revenues and priviledges of the Archflamens and Flamens as others new and more ample which he conferred unto them and such as should sit and succeed them for ever And we find in Antiquities that in the very time of King Lucius besides the Cathedral Churches in Great Cities there were others also builded in them as namely Glocester Worcester Caerleon and others for we read of divers kinds of Churches in them all both Cathedral and others King Lucius was buried at Glocester in the Church of the Chief or first Order The same distinction is given for Winchester which necessarily inferreth other Churches or a Church in either of them of inferiour Order for the word first proveth a second for the Inferiour Churches besides the Cathedral in Caerleon they are remembred in Histories Viz. of St. Julius and St. Aaron so of other Cities not inferiour unto these Glocester being then but a new and no great City we find others as at Abington in Oxfordshire Amsbury in Wiltshire Cambridge Stanford and other places where to have been Christian Churches in that time there is still sufficient testimony left us Mr. Bro. 307. 5. Gal Mon Hist l. 5 c. 1. Math. West an 201. Bulla Honorii an 624. Chart. Regis Cadw an 685. Chart. Reg. Art An. 531. die 7. apud Caium l. 1. de Antiq. Cont. John Harding Chron c. 25. fol. 22. John Ross Hist Manus Jo Caius Apol A ca. Cantib de Antiq l. 1. Will. Harri Dis Bâ—iâ— c. 3. Tâ— of Universitie p. 146. 〈◊〉 H st Bladud Bal. pref in l de scrip Twin l. de Antiq Ox. Ha â—is sup a Ha â—s manu G aston Chron. Bal l. de ser Brit cent 1. in Congello Barnachoren Gal Mor Hist Brit l 1. c. 12. Math. West an 603. Harding Chron. c. 50. f. 42 p. 2. Ma. h. West an 124. Harding Chron. c. 51. f. 43. Hâ—llershed H st of Brit. fol. 57. And to provide as well for the continuall maintainance and repair of the house of God at the first founding and building thereof these ancient Schools or Universities of this Kingdom which all now had received the faith and Religion of Christ and so were to be as Seminaries and Mothers of Christian Divinity and holy learning for preservation and upholding of Gods Church King Lucius endowed with great priviledges and Immunities that they might more quietly and diligently employ themselves to their so profitable and holy studies This his Charter of priviledges to the University of Cambridge the Antiquaries thereof prove by divers Ancient Testimonies The Bull of Pope Honorius 1000. years ago the Charter of King Cadwalladrus and King Arthur long before wherein is contained that he granted to the University of Cambridge as King Lucius with other Kings had done before to be free from all publick Vectigalls and burdens that they might the more freely and quietly attend their studies The like I may affirm of Stanford which from the time of King Bladud untill it was interdicted by St. Gregory for the Pelagian heresie continued an University so of Glamorgan claiming but a little later original Greeklade and Liechlade of such Antiquity Bellisilum now Oxford as it pleadeth Therefore whereas a late writer confidently sayeth there were 600. Students in ancient times and others not so well remembred to all which now converted to the faith of Christ and training up spiritual Soldiers for the defence profession and maintainance thereof we have sufficiently grounds to affirm King Lucius gave the like priviledges as unto Cambridge one and the same reason being for all and yet besides these which he found founded before he himself was founder of others namely Bangor in Wales which long continued in that State untill it was after changed into so great a Monastery that above 2000. Moncks as our Histories testifie abode there A late Author tells us of another University for so he calleth it by the name of Accademia Legionensis the University of Caerlegion which he would to have to be Westchester others rather take it to be Caerlegion upon Vsk in Glamorgan making it a fourth distinct place from the Metropolitan Church and the several Churches of St. Julius wherein were sacred Nuns and St. Aaron of Canon Regulars In the time of Sixtus Bishop of Rome reigned here in Brittain either Coillus or Lucius his son according to the diversity of opinions of several Authors but seeing all Antiquities and Antiquaries confess so many great and renowned things and of such labour and difficulty to have been performed for receiving generally Christian Religion and abandoning the Pagan superstitions in this Kingdom in the time of K. Lucius we must not keep the crown of Brittain from him long after the death of Pope Sixtus Harding who saith his Father Coillus reigned but 13. years will make him King all this Popes time which Matthew of Westminster doth confirm with four years addition at least to the time of his reign in the time of Pope Alexander before And yet he maketh the years of his whole age but 87 from which if we deduct the whole terme between the year 124. when the Monck of Westminster saith Lucius began his reign untill the year 142. or 143. when St. Sixtus was Martyred to prove by all accounts King Lucius reigned in some part of the Papacy of Pope Sixtus we make the time of his reign being very younge at the death of his Father not so many years as some ascribe John Harding saith Lucius King of Brittain reigned 54 years others allow but 53 years Hollenshed in his History of England tells us that Lucius having brought his people to perfect light and understanding of the true God that they needed not to be deceived any longer with the crafty temptations and feigned miracles of wicked spirits he abolished all prophane worshippings of false Gods and converted such Temples as had been dedicated to their service unto the use of the Christian Religion and thus studying only how to advance the glory of almighty God and the knowledg of his word without seeking the vain glory of worldly triumph which is gotten with slaughter of many a guiltless person he left his Kingdom though not enlarged with broader Dominion then he found it yet greatly augmented and enriched with quiet rest good ordinances and that which is more to be esteemed
blood and water did flow out of the wound of his side they set a reed in his right hand and put a crown of thorne upon his head and having done all things which mans cruelty could work against him they began to work him with words saying unto him Hail King of the Jewes If thou art the son of God now come down from thy cross and we believe thee and then they used many revilings against him that younge man answered not one word unto them At last when they had said what they could against him crying out with a great voice he sayed O Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and having so said gave up the Ghost His dead body was taken down from the cross the blood still largely issuing out of his wounds they shut it in a tomb of stone and covered it with a stone sealed appointing watchmen to keep it And a wonder to see his body thus being dead came to life again and receiving strength did go forth of the Sepulchre it still remaining shut How he did arose from death I did behold with my own eyes Men cloathed with garments as white as snow did come from Heaven and taking that Man with them returned from whence they came and an infinite army of Men cloathed all in white doth follow him which ceased not in all that journey to sing prayses and continually blessed a Father and his only begotten son great and unspeakable joy was among them so that none might worthily be compared unto it These and many other things which I neither will nor is lawfull for any mortal Man to tell have been shewed to me in vision this night what they do signifie I beseech thee not to conceal from me be not afraid St. Amphibalus hearing these things perceiving that his heart was visited by God exceedingly rejoyced in our Lord and forthwith pulling out a cross of our Lord which he had about him said behold in this sign thou maiest manifestly see what this vision this night meaneth what it signifieth For this Man coming from Heaven is my Lord Jesus Christ who did not refuse to undergo the punishment of the Cross that he might deliver us by his blood from the guilt wherewith we were held bound by the prevarication of our first parent Adam And so prosecuting to the mystery of the holy Trinity which I need not particularly to relate writing to Christian Readers to speak in this old Brittish Authors words again Alban greatly marvailing upon the speeches of St. Amphibalus brake out into these words The things which thou relatest of Christ are true and cannot in any respect be reproved as false for I this night have evidently known how Christ overcame the Divel and thrust him down to the bottom of Hell I have seen with my eyes how that horrible one lyeth enwrapped in the knots of chains hereby knowing that all thou hast spoken is true I believe and from this time this is my faith that there is no God but my Lord Jesus Christ who for the salutation of Men vouchsaving to take humanity upon him sustained the passion of the cross the which the Father and the Holy Ghost is one God and there is no other and having thus said he falleth down prostrate before the cross as if he had seen our Lord Jesus hanging thereon the blessed penitent craveth pardon for his sin Tears mingled with blood run down about his face and in great quantity fell down upon the venerable wood of the cross I saith he renounce the Devil and detest all the Enemies of Christ believing in him and commending my self to him who as thou affirmeth rose the third day from death Amphibalus saith unto him be of courage our Lord is with thee and his grace will never be wanting to thâ—â— That faith which other mortal men have deserved to receive by the Tradition of Men thou hast not learned it either of Man or by Man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ Therefore being now secure of thee I determine to go further to preach unto the Gentiles but Alban entreating him to stay at the East one week longer that he might in that time be more perfectly instructed in the Faith of Christ he did so Thus writeth this old Brittish Author of St. Alban his conversion Gil lib. de Excid Brit. cap. 8 Bede Martyr 22. Julii Bede l. 1. Hist Eccle. c. 7. Matth. West an 303. which both St. Gildas and St. Bede and others do in effect and substance also deliver although not in so ample a manner during the time of their abode together afterward they spent their time as St. Amphibalus by Bedes relation did before St. Albans Conversion in continual watchings and prayers day and night a great motive to St. Alban to receive the Faith of Christ for every day towards evening they withdrew themselves from the City and Company of men going to an house which St. Alban had without the City where they spent the whole night in serving God and although they observed this camelous diligence to keep themselves secret from the persecutors yet it was by a wicked Pagan there revealed and told to the persecuting Judge which coming to the knowledge of St. Alban before the Pagan Prince and persecutor could execute his designment Gild. lib. 3. â—e exc l. 8. Bede l. 1. Hist c. 7. Galf. Mon. Hist Reg. Brit. l. 5. c. 3. Mat. West an 303. as at his first receiving o St. Amphibalus when he was as yet a Pagan as our antient Histories say he hid him in his house being pursued by his persecutors and presently had not St. Alban so prevented it to be apprehended so now being a Christian exposed himself unto danger of death for him imitating Christ that gave his own life for his sheep for when those enemies of Christ had raised their Troops even an Army as our Antiquaries name them to apprehend St. Amphibalus and St. Alban in the night he before conducteth him forth of his house and past danger and shifting garments with him to save him from all peril caused St. Amphibalus to wear his garment of dignity and priviledge in that time free from all trouble and molestation and the garment of St. Amphibalus where the danger was being a Caracalla a Priests vesture as they say having been discryed he put it it upon himself together with the danger and so returned to his own house alone having thus freed his holy Master and Tutor in Christ from that peril St. Amphibalus being thus at this time delivered by St. Alban the King Bed Hist li. c 7. Matth. West an 303. Jacob. Germen in vita St. Alba. Capgrave in vita St. Al. Prince or Judge for St. Bede Matth. Westm and other give all these Titles to that persecuting Magistrate sent his souldiers to come at these two holy Saints the old Brittish Writer of St. Albans life saith there were horse-men with an Army great multitude or
redress the house of Ambesbury and put therein Monks but now there be Nuns There was a Monastery of great renown at Abington in Berkshire before the coming of the Saxons into Brittain the old Chronicle of that house is witness testifying that then there were five hundred Monks and more belonging to that Monastery living in woods and desarts getting their living by their labour King Cissa a Saxon a cruel persecuter of the Monks at Abington and all Christian Brittains and upon the holy dayes and Sundayes coming together in their Abbey all excepting threescore which continually abode in the Abbey serving God there And that before King Cissa was a Christian he put those Monks either to death or forced them from their Monastery and cruelly persecuted all Christians In the mean time the Brittains coming together from the places of their retreat and combining their dispersed forces the better to defend themselves against the power of the Enemies were freshly assailed by the Scottishmen and Picts Brit. Hist part 2. fol. 196. a great number of the Saxons also being newly entred into association with them whereupon Germanus the Bishop who came over into Brittain a little before the Saxons arrival Picts Scots and Saxons enter into association against the Brittains and had remained there with Lupus to the end they might instruct and confirm the Brittains in the true faith against the Pelagians confident of the goodness of this cause and to give encouragement to his new converts offered himself to be the leader of the Brittish Army which consisted for the most part of such Christians as himself had lately baptized the place wherein they pitched was a fair valley enclosed on both sides with high Mountains over which their Enemies were to march the Bishop himself and certain Priests that attended him standing in the midst of the Army exhorted the Brittains to fight couragiously as the Soldiers of Christ under the banner of the Crosse which badge they had received in their baptisme and commanded them all upon the enemies approach to answer him aloud with one consent in such manner as himself began Thereupon the Saxons and Scottishmen ascending the further side of the hill supposed to have charged the Brittains on a suddain which when Germanus and his Priests who were about him perceived they cryed out three several times Alleluja all the Brittains seconding the cry and the Eccho rebounding from the hills redoubled the sound A miraculous victory obtained by the Brittains against the Picts Scots and Saxons the word being Alleluja by reason whereof the Pagans imagining the number of the Christians much greater then it was indeed cast away their weapons and fled the Britains killing many of them in pursuit and such as escaped the sword being drowned in the River which impeached them in their flying After this memorable victory Germanus perswading the Brittains to unity and constancy in profession of Christian Religion as a means to make their attempts against their enemies prosperous departed out of Brittain whether as some writers report he soon after returned and by the assistance of Severus the Bishop of Trevers suppressed the Palagian heresie Which after his departure sprung up again and increased among the Brittains In remembrance of whose zeal Brit. Hist part 2. fol. 197. and travail in that behalf sustained the Christians of Brittain afterwards dedicated unto him as a protecting Saint certain Churches and Houses of Religion in divers paces of the Land Aurelianus or Aurelius Ambrosius The Saxons presently after perceiving that the Brittains were scattered in several troops disarmed and unfurnished of all things necessary for support of the War prepared themselves to follow them and to empeach them from joyning their forces togeather any more to which end they divided themselves into several companies with a full resolution either utterly to destroy and expell them out of the Isle which they had almost brought to passe when Aurelianus Ambrosius coming out of France into Brittain brought hither some of the Brittains that had seated themselves there who pittying their distressed Country men in the Island determined either to relieve them or to perish in the enterprize This Ambrosius was a Roman by birth honourably descended and as hath been conjectured Brit. Hist sup of the race of that Constantine who for the hope of his name only which was reputed ominous had been elected Emperour by the Roman Army in Brittain And being now the chief leader of the Brittains he oft times encountered the Saxons and by the assistance of Arthur a valiant Captain gave them many overthrowes Howe 's Brit. Saxons fol. 52. Aurelius Ambrose saith Howes was ordained King of Brittain in whose time the Brittains by little and little began to take courage to them and coming out of their caves in which they lurked before and with one consent calling for heavenly help thet they might not for ever be utterly destroyed They having for their Captain and leader the foresaid Aurelius assemble themselves together and provoked the Victors to fight and through Gods assistance atchieved the victory and from that day forward were the men of the countrey The enemy had the victory till that year in which Bath was besieged where they gave their Enemies a great overthrow which was about the fourty fourth yeer of their comming into the Land Of this Aurelius William of Malms writeth thus Surely even then saith he the Brittains had gone to wrack if Ambrosius who only and alone of all the Romans remained in Brittain and was Monarch of the Realm after Vortiger had not kept under the proud Barbarians Stone-hedge built by Aureius Ambrosius with the notable travel of the warriour Arthur Geffry of Mon. tells us that this Ambrosius caused Churches to be repaired which had been spoyled by the Saxons He caused also the great stones to be set on the plain of Salisbury which is called Stone-hedge in remembrance of the Brittains that were slain and buryed there in the raign of Vortiger This ancient monument is yet to be seen and is a number of stones rough and of a grey colour twenty five foot in length and about ten foot in breadth they are conjoyned by two and two together Howes Vt sulpâ—a and every couple sustained a third stone lying overthwart gatewise which is fastened by the means of tenons that enter into mortases of those stones not closed by any cement It appeareth that there hath been three rancks going round as circles one within another whereof the utmost and largest containeth in compasse 300 foot but the other rancks are decayed and therefore hard to reckon how many stones there be Gâ—ffr Mon. Garal Cam. Gerva Doro. The Chronicles of the Brittains do testifie that whereas the Saxons about the year of our Lord 450. had slain 48. of the Brittains Nobility by treason and under colour of treaty Aurelius Ambrosius now King of the Brittains desirous to continue
wonderful largeness so that the space of his forehead between his two eyes was a span broad there appeared in his head the signs and prints of ten wounds or more all the which were grown into one wemm except onely that whereof it should seem he dyed which being greater then the residue appeared very plain Also in opening the Tomb of his wife Queen Guenhera that was buryed by him this Queen had taken upon her a Monastical habit Mr. Broug fol. 603. either after the death of her Husband or else to do pennance for some crime committed for some there are who affirm that she was too familiar with Mordred her husbands both kinsman and capital enemy the Monastery unto which she went to receive the habit of Religion was one of the two which were in Gaerleon dedicated to St. Julius our Martyr and is yet called St. Julians and is at present the Mansion House of the Right Honourable Edward Lord Herbert of Cherbery When the tombe of this Queen was opened they found the tresses of her hair whole and perfect and finely platted of colour like to the burnisht gold the which being touched immediately fell to dust The Abbot which then was governour of that house was called Stephan or Henry de Bloys otherwise de Sullie Nephew to King Henry the second by whose commandment he had searched for the grave of Arthur translated the bones as well of him as of his Queen into the great Church and there buryed them in a fair marble Tombe laying the bones of the King at the head of the Tombe and the body of the Queen at his feet towards the west part In Commendation of this Warlick Prince certain verses are made in Latine but because they are turned into English I set not down the Latine but give them unto my Reader as they are in Holinshed Who vanquisht Saxon troops with battails bloody broyles And purchast to himself a name with warlick wealthy spoyles Who hath with shivering shining sword the Picts so oft dismaid And eke unweildy servile yoak on neck of Scots hath laid Who Frenchmen Pufft with pride and who the Germains fierce in fight Discomfitted and daunted Danes with main and martial might Who of that murdering Mordred did the vital breath expell The Monster grisley loathsome huge that diresome Tyrant fell Here livelesse Arthur lies entomb'd within this stately hearse Of Chievaldry the bright renown and vertues nursling fierce Whose glory great now over all the world doth compass fly And of the airy thunder shales the lofty buildings high Therefore you Noble Progeny of Brittains line and race Arise unto the Emperour great of thrice renowned grace And cast upon his sacred Tombe the roseal garland gay That fragrant smell may witness well your duties you display The occasion that moved King Henry the second to cause his Nephew the Abbot to search for the grave of King Arthur was for that he understood by a Welsh * These Bards were as Heralds observing the true genealogies of the Country Bard that could sing many histories in the Welsh language of the Ancient Brittains that in the foresaid Church-yard of Glastenbury betwixt two pillers the body of Arthur was to be found buried six foot deep under the ground Giraldus Cambrensis affirmeth that the tree in which Arthurs body was found inclosed was an Oak but others suppose that it was an Alder tree because that in the same place a great number of those kind of trees do grow and also for that it is known that an Alder lying under the ground where moysture is will long continue without rotting But the finding thus of the body of Arthur thus buried such as believe that he was not dâ—â—d but conveyed away by Fairies deluded it may be by this fantastick verse Hic jacet Arthurus ReX quondam Rexque futurus into â—ome pleasant place where he should remain till a time and then to return again and reign in as great Authority as he did before might well perceive themselves deceived in crediting so vain a fable on the other side as quite contrary some seem to doubt whether any such man was ever In rerum Natura William of Malmsbury a writer of good credit and authority among the learned hath these words in his first book entituled De Regibus anglorum saying But he being dead meaning Vortimer the face of the Brittains waxed feeble their decayed hope went backward apace and even then suddenly had they gone to destruction if Ambrosius which alone of the Romans remained yet alive and was King after Vortigerne had not kept under and stayed the lofty barbarous people that is to say the Saxons by the notable aid and assistance of the valiant Arthur This is the same Arthur of whom the trifeling tales of the Brittains even to this day do fantastically descant and report wonders but worthy doubtless was he of whom feigned fables should not have so dreamed but rather that true Histories might have set forth his worthy prayses as he that did for a long time sustain and hold up his Country that was ready to go to utter ruine and decay encouraging the bold hearts of the Brittains in the war and finally in the siege of Badon hill he set upon 900 of the Enemies and with incredible slaughter did put them all to flight On the contrary part the English Saxons although they were tossed with several chances of Fortune yet still they recruited their forces with new supplies of their Country men that came out of Germany and so with bolder courage assailed their Enemies and by little and little causing them to give place spread themselves over the whole Island for although there were many battails in the which sometimes the Saxons sometimes the Brittains got the better yet the greater number of the Saxons that were slain the greater number still came over to the succour of their Country-men being called in and sent for over out of every quartâ—â— of their Territory Here is also to be noted that where the Brittish History declareth that Gawen or Gallowyn being slain in the battail fought betwixt Arthur and Mrodred in Kent was buried at Dover so that his bones remained there to be shewed long after This Gawain as saith a French Author did bear for his armes De Purpre a vu aigle d' Or a Deux testes membres d' Or Purpure an Eagle displayed with two heads Or yet by that which Will. Malm. in the third book of his volume entituled De Regibus Anglorum the contrary may seem true The armes of Gawain his words are these When in the Province of Wales which is called Ross the Sepulchre of Walwain was found who was Nephew to Arthur by his Sister not going out of kind from so worthy an Uncle he reigned in that part of Brittain which unto this day called Walwithia a Knight for his high prowess most highly renowned but expulsed out of his Kingdom by the Brother and Nephew of Hengist
And the next year after he gave the Brittains an other overthrow and then departed this life About this time died Theodor the Son of Belin a Man of great estimation among the Brittains Not long after there was a great battail fought betwixt the Brittains and the Picts at a place called Magedawc where the King of the Picts was slain About this time Rodri or Roderike Molwynoc was driven by the Saxons to forsake the West Country and to come to seek his own inheritance in Northwales where ruled at that time the Children of Bletius or Bledericus Prince of Cornwall and Devonshire who was one of them that gave Adelred and Ethelbert the overthrow at Bangor upon the River De and injoyed the Government of Northwales ever since Cadvan was chosen King of Brittain untill this time Powels Chronic fol. 16. By this history it should seem saith my Author that the Brittains continued their Government in the VVest part of Lhoegria untill this time But surely the consent in a manner of all writers is that the Brittish Kingdom ended in Cadwalader after whom the Brittains had nothing to do beyond Severne being constrained to keep themselves within the Countries of Cambria and Cornubia It is also written by divers that Ivor and Inir at their first arriving in Brittain were expelled by the Saxons and driven into Wales where Ivor ruled as Prince many years whom this Rodri the Son of Edwal the Son of Cadwalader succeeded VVhen Rodri or Roderike the King of the Brittains had reigned above 30. years he died leaving two Sons after him Conan Tindaythwy and Howel Conan Tindaythwy the Son of Roderike Conan Tindaythwy began his reign over the Brittains Anno Domini 755. About two years after there was a great battail fought at Hereford between the Brittains and the Saxons where Dyfnwal the Son of Theodor was slain Jo. Castorius In the year 776 the men of Southwales destroyed a great part of Mercia with fire sword and the summer following all the Welshmen gathered together and entered the Kingdom of Mercia and did much harm The Saxons which bordered upon the Country of Cambria or Wales did daily encroach upon the Lands of the Welshmen beyond Severn especially towards the South part of the Country Wherefore the natives put themselves in armour and set upon the Saxons and chased them over Severn again and then returned home with great prey and booty and thus they did oftentimes killing and destroying all before them and alwaies bringing home with them much Cattel which thing caused Offa to conclude a peace with other Saxon Kings and to bend his whole force against the Welshmen Whereupon Offa King of Mercia caused a great ditch to be made large and deep from Sea to Sea Powel John Castor Math. West betwixt his Kingdom and Wales whereby he might the better defend his Country from the incursions of the Welshmen And this ditch is to be seen in many places as yet and is called Clawdh Offa Viz. Offa's ditch at this day Offa's ditch Shrewsbury the ancient Court of the Welsh Princes of Powys After Offa had made this deep ditch and chased the Welshmen from the plain Countries unto the Woods and Mountains the seat of the Kings of Powys was translated from Pengweru now called Salop or Shrewsbury to Marthrual where it continued long after About the year 795 there was a battail fought at Ruthlan between the Saxons and the Welshmen where Caradoc King of Northwales was slain This Carodoc was the son of Gwin the son of Golhoyn the son of Ednowen the son of Blethin the son of Bletius or Cledericus Prince of Cornwal and Devonshire Nole In the year 800. died Arthen the son of Sitsylth the son of Clydawc King of Cardigan and Run King of Dinet and Kadelch King of Powis died in the year 808. This was a troublesome time and as yet no staid government in Wales and therefore such as were chief Lords in any country were called Kings In the year 810. the Moon was Ecclipsed on Christmas day and the same year St. Davids was burnt by the Saxons There was also a general murrain and death of Cattel throughout all Wales the next year ensuing Owen the son of Meredith the son o◠Terudos died the Castle of Degaunwy was destroyed with thunder Conan Prince of Wales and his brother Howel fell at variance in somuch that they tryed the matter by battail wherein Howel had the victory This Howel the brother of Conan King or Prince of Northwales did claim the Isle of Môn or Anglesey for part of his fathers inheritance which Conan refused to give him and thereupon they fell at variance and consequently to make war the one against the other The next year there was much hurt done by thunder in divers places many houses burnt to the earth The same year dyed Gruffith the son of Run and Griffri the son of Kyngen was slain by the treason of Elico his brother Howel gave his brother Conan another battail and slew a great number of his people whereupon Conan levied an army in the year 817 and chased his brother Howel out of Anglesey compelling him to fly into Man And a little after died Conan chief King of the Brittains or Welshmen leaving behind him a daughter called Esylht who was marryed to a Noble man called Mervin Vrich the son of Gwyriad or Vriet the son of Elidur and so forth in the right line to Belinus the brother of Brennus King of the Brittains and his mother was Nest the daughter of Cadelth King of Powis the son of Brochwel Yscithroc that fought with the Saxons at Bangor who was Prince of Powis This Brochwel is called by the Latine writers Brecinellus and Brochmaelus of whom Galfride J. Cast Math. West Mr. Powel fol. 22. saith Mr Powel I find thus written in Historia Divae Monacellae Fuit olim in Powisia quidam princeps illustrissimus nomine Brochwel Yscithroc Consul Legecestriae qui in Vrbe tunc temporis Pengwern Powis nunc vero Salopia dicta est habitabat cujus domicilium seu habitaculum ibi steterat ubi Collegium Divi Ceddae nunc situm est That is There was sometimes in Powis a Noble Prince named Brochwel Yscithroc Consul or Earl of Chester who dwelt in a town then called Pengwern Powis and now Salop whose dwelling house was in the very same place where the Colledge of St. Chad now standeth This man with Cadvan King of Brittain Morgan King of Demetia and Bledericus King of Cornwall gave an overthrow to Ethelfred King of Northumberland upon the river Dee an 617. of whom the Ancestours of divers in Wales living at this day are known by ancient books and records to have descended Mervin Vrich and Esylht the Daughter of Conan The first year of the reign of Mervin Vrich and Esylht his wife Egbert King of the Saxons entered into VVales with a great and puissant army and destroyed the whole Country unto
number of Lay brethren of that house which lived by the labour of their hands This Brochwel retired over Dee hard by Bangor and defended the Saxons passage till Cadvan King of Northwales Meredith King of Southwales 1066. Saxons slain by the Brittains and Bledrus or Bletius Prince of Cornwall came to succour him and gave the Saxons a sore battail and slew of them the number of 1066. and put the rest to flight After which battail Cadvan was chosen King of Brittain and was chief ruler within the Isle after whom his son Cadwallon who was father to Cadwallador the last of the Brittish blood that bare the name of King of Brittain This was writ by a Northwales man but Southwales far exceedeth it for beauty profit and pleasure was King The third time that Northwales came to a Woman was to Esylht daughter to Conan Tindaythwy the son of Edwal Ywrch the son of Cadwalador She was wife to Mervin Vrich and Mother to Roderike the great as hereafter shall be declared By this you may understand that Northwales hath been a great while the chiefest seat of the last Kings of Brittain it was and is the strongest countrey within this Isle full of high mountains craggy rocks great Woods and deep valleyes straight and dangerous places deep and swift Rivers as Dev which springeth in the hills of Merioneth and runneth Northwest through Mouthwy and by Machinlaeth and so to the sea at Aberdini dividing North and Southwales asunder d ee called in Welsh Dourdwy springeth also in an other side of the said hills runneth East through Penlhin and the lake Tisgyd down to Corwen and Lhangolhen between Chirkland and Bromfield where it boweth Northward toward Bangor to Holt and to Chester and thence Northwest to Flint Castle and so to the sea There is also Conwel rising likewise in Merionithshire and dividing Caernarvon from Denbighshire runneth under Suowdon North-east by the Town of Aberconwey to the sea Also Clwyd which rising in Denbighland runneth down to Kuthin and plain North not far from Denbigh to St. Asaph and so by Kuthlan and to the sea there be many other fair Rivers of which some run to the sea as Mawr at Traethmawr and Avon Y Saint at Caernarvon and others that run to Severn as Murnwy in Powis and to Murny Tanat some other to d ee as Ceirioc betwixt the Lordships of Chirk and Wittington Alin through Yal and Moldes dale and Hopedale and so to Dee a little above Chester And this shal suffice for the perfect description of that which in old time was called Gwineth and Powis and at these dayes the six Shires of Northwales Now remaineth the last Kingdom of Wales called Dinevowr which although it was the greatest Dinevour yet was it not the best as Giraldus writeth chiefly because it was most molested by Flemmings and Normans and also that in divers parts thereof the Lords would not obey their Prince as in Gwent and in Morganwc which wrought their own confusion as shall hereafter appear This was divided into six parts of which Caredigion was the first and contained four Cantrefs and ten comots Caerdigion as Cantref Penwedic had in it these comots Geneurglin Perueth and Crenthin Cantref Canawl had these Mevenith Anhunoc and Pennarch Cantref Castelh had these comots Mabwinion and Caerwedros Cantref Sirwen had these Gwenionith and Iscoed and this part is at this day called in English Caerdiganshire and in Welsh Swidh Aberleini This is a champion country without much wood and hath been divers times overcome by Flemmings and Normans who builded many Castles in it and at last were beaten out of them all It hath on the East Northwales with the River Dini and part of Powis upon the South Caermarthenshire upon the West Pembrockshire with the river Teini and upon the North the Irish sea In this part is the Town of Cardigan upon Teini not far from the sea The Town of Aberystwyth upon the river Ystwith by the sea and Lhanbadern Vawr which was a great Sanctuary and a place of religious and learned men in times past and in this Shire was a great number of Castles as the Castle of Strat Meyric of Walter of Lhanristed of Dynerth of the sons of Mineaon of Aber Reidol and many more with the Towns of Tregaron Lhandhewibreni as you shall understand hereafter The second part was call Dinot and at this day Pembrockshire and had in it eight cantrefs and 23. comots which where these cantref Emlin that had these comots Vwchluch Iscutch and Lenethir Cantref Arberth had these Penrhin or Elays Esterolet and Talacaarn Cantref Dangeld had these Amgoed Pennant and Eudfre Cantref Ycoed had these Lhanhayaden and Castelh Gwis Cantref Penvro had these Coedychaf Maenorbyir and Penvro Cantref Ros had these Hulfforth Castelh Gwalhmai and Ygarne Cantref Pubidioc had these Miniw Pencaer and Pebidioc Cantref Cemas hath these Vwchnener Isnener and Trefdracth In these parts are divers towns and havens at this day as Pembroch Tenby in Welsh Denbigh Y Pis Heref. in welsh Hulforth with the fair haven of Milford called in Welsh Aberdangeldhen S. Davids or Menevia called in Welsh Miniw the chiefest see in all Wales Then Friscare called Abergwain Newport named Trefdraeth these be along the sea coast and not very far of besides these there be divers Castles as Cilgarran Arberth Gwys Lanhayaden Walwin and divers others This part was wan first by the Montgomeries Earls of Shrewsbery and after given to the Marshalls and so to Valence and from thence to the Princes of Wales most troubled with the Normans and Flemmings who do remain and inhabit about Pembrock Tenbie and in Ros to this day which can neither speak Welsh nor good English as yet Dinet for so I will call it hereafter hath on the West and the North the Irish sea upon the South the Spanish sea and upon the East Caermarthenshire and on the North-East Caerdiganshire The third part of Caermardhinshire having 4 cantrefs and 15. comots as cantref Finioc with the comots of Harfryn Dervedh and Isgeneny Cantref Eginoc with these Gwir now in Glamorganshire Cidwel and Carnwillheon Cantref Baehan with these Melhaen Caeo and Maenor Deilo Cantref Mawr with these Cethineoc comot Mab Elvyw comot Mab Vchdrid and Widigada In this Shire are the Townes and Castles of Caermadhin Dinevowr which was the Princes seat of that Country Newton Lhandeilo Lhauymdhyfry Elmin Swansey now in Glamorganshire called in welsh Abertawy upon the sea the Castle of the sons of Vchtryd of Lhanstephan and others It hath upon the West Dinet or Pembrockshire on th North Caerdigâ—â—shire upon the Southwest the sea and upon the Southeast Glamorgan and upon the East Brechnockshire This is counted the strongest part of all Southwales as that which is full of high mountains great Woods and fair rivers specially Tywy In this and in the other two parts of Southwales were the notablest acts that their History treateth of atchived and done The fourth called
to the Government and sought the rule of the Land as Conan the son of Howel and Aedan the son of Blegored who tried the matter in open field where Conan was slain in the year 1003. I do not know saith my Author neither could I ever finde what colour or pretence of Title this Aedan ap Blegored had to the principality of Northwales nor yet of whom he de cended or who descended from him whereas all the other Princes are notoriosly known of what families they did descend and who from them neither yet do I read of any Blegored whose son he was except it be that Doctor of Law of whom mention is made in the Laws of Howel Dha whose estate was too mean to challenge a principality he is reported to have governed about twelve years Of his Acts by him atchieved there is very little written saving of those two battails the one wherein he overcame Conan ap Howel and the other wherein he was overcome himself and slain with his four sons by Lhewellin ap Sitsylht In the year 1015. Lhewelin the Son of Sitsylht raised a great power against Aedan who by force had taken upon him the rule of Northwales and slew him with his four sons in battel and having no respect to Jago or James the son of Edwal the right heir took upon him the name and authority of King of Wales This Lhewellin was descended from the Kings of Wales by his mothers side whose name was Trawst daughter to Elise second son to Anarawd which was eldest son to Roderik the great who also had to wife Angharac the only daughter of Meredith Prince of Southwales and so by these means he claimed and enjoyed the right of either country as hereafter shall be shewed Lhewellin the son of Sitsylht and Angharat the Daughter of Meredith After that Lhewellin son of Sitsylht had taken into his hands the government of Wales all things did prosper in the Land for the earth brought forth double to the time before passed the people prospered in all their affairs and multiplyed wonderfully the cattel encreased in great number so that there was neither begger nor poor man from the South to the North sea but every man had plenty every house a dweller and every Town inhabitants In the year 1019. Meyric the son of Arthpoel did raise a great army against Lhewelin King or Prince of VVales which met with him in the field and manfully slew him and discomfited his people In the year 1020. a certain Son of low birth came to Southwales and named himself Run the son of Meredith their late King whom the Nobility which loved not Lhewelin exalted to the regal Throne and took him for their King which thing when Lhewelin heard he gathered his power in Northwales and came towards the supposed Run who had gotten all the strength of Southwales together at Abergwili where with great pride he abode the coming of Lhewelin but when both the armies met and were ready to joyn Run full of brags and cracks encouraged his people to fight promising them the Victory yet he himself following the Proverb which biddeth a man to set on his dog and not to run after him set on his people to fight it to the uttermost and withdrew himself privately out of the way whereas upon the contrary part Lhewelin like a bold and couragious Prince came before his people calling for the vile Scot Run that durst so bely a Princes Blood and so both the Armyes joyned together with much malice and hatred for the one party was so couragious to defend the quarrel of so worthy a Prince of their own blood as the other was obstinate in the cause of a stranger in the end after great slaughter upon either part the Northwales men remembring their old Victories and encouraged by the prowess of their Prince put their enemies to flight and pursued Run so narrowly that all his Scottish shifts could not save his life and returned home with great spoil and prey Then Lhewelin ruled all the land quietly till the year following he was slain by Howel and Meredith the Sons of Edwin leaving behinde him a son named Griffith ap Lhewelin After the death of Lhewelin Jago or James the son of Edwal took upon him the rule of Northwales as right heir thereof and Rytherick the son of Jestin governed Southwales by strong hand year 1031 About the year 1031. the Irish Scots entred Southwales by the means of Howel and Meredith the sons of Edwin ap Eneon ap Owen ap Howel Dha who hired them against Rytherick ap Jestin whom they discomfited and slew and by that means attained unto the government of Southwales which they two ruled jointly but yet with small quietness for the sons of Rytherick gathered a number of such as were their fathers friends to avenge his death with whom Howel and Meredith met at Hyarthwy and after long fight put them to flight But in the year following Meredith was slain by the sons of Conan the Son of Sitsylt brother to the worthy Prince Lhewelin to revenge their fathers death whom Meredith and his Brother had slain The year next ensuing certain Englishmen entred the Land of Gwent with whom Rytherick ap Jestin fought and was by them slain In the year 1037. Gruffith the son of Lhewelin ap Sitsylt sometime King of Wales raised a great number of people against Jago then enjoying the Principality or Kingdom of Northwales whom Jago likewise provided for as well as he could but the more part better souldiers were of Gruffiths side for the love they bare to his Father which afterward well appeared for the Armies meeting Jago was soon overthrown and slain This Jago left behind him a son called Conan by his wife Avandred daughter to Gweir the son of Pilh Gruffith ap Lhewlyn ap Sitsylt and Angharat Gruffith ap Lhewlin after he had slain Jago governed Northwales worthily in all things following his fathers steps who overcame both the Danes and the Englishmen divers times and defended his Country and people manfully all his reign In the first year of his government he fought with the Englishmen and Danes at Crosford upon Severn and put them to flight and from thence he led his army to Lhanpadarn Vawr in Caerdiganshire and destroyed it utterly and from thence passed all Southwales throughout and received the people to his subjection for Howel ap Edwin their King fled before his face and forsook the land This Howel procured Edwin the brother of Leofrike Earl of Chester or Mercia to come with an army of Englishmen and Danes to his aid against Prince Gruffith who met his enemies in the field and overcame them and slew the said Edwin but Howel escaped by flight after the which victory Gruffith made sundry invasions upon the Marshes toward Hereford and alwayes returned with great spoyles year 1038 When Gruffith had brought all Wale under his dominion he returned to Northwales again The year ensuing
1038. Hernon Archbishop of Menevia or St. Davids died a man both learned and godly the next year following Howel King of Southwales gathered a great power of his friends and strangers and entered the land intending to overcome it again wherefore Gruffith like a worthy Prince came with all speed to succour his people and meeting with Howel at Pencadair after he had incouraged his Soldiers gave him battail and overthrew him and pursued him so narrowly that he took Howels wife whom he had brought to the field to see the overthrow of Gruffith which chanced otherwise whom Gruffith liked so well that he kept her for his Concubine year 1041 In the year 1041. Howel came again to Southwales and remained there a while and shortly after a number of strangers landed in Westwales and spoyled the Country against whom Howel gathered his forces and fought with them and drove them to their ships with much loss At this time Conan the son of Jago who had fled to Ireland to save his life with the power of Alfred King of Develin whose daughter Ranulph he had married entered Northwales and by treason had taken Gruffith the King and carried him towards the ships but when it was known the Country upon a suddain followed the Irishmen and overtaking them rescued their Prince requiting their foes with much slaughter forcing them to their ships who returned with Conan to Ireland The year following Howel the son of Owen Lord of Glamorgan dyed being a man full of years Then Howel ap Edwin called to his succour Danes and Englishmen with all the power he could make in Southwales whereof Gruffith being certified gathered his power together in Northwales and came couragiously to meet his enemies whom he had twice before discomfited and overcame them and chased them as far as the spring of the River Towy where after a long and dangerous battail Howel was slain and his army routed and so narrowly pursued that few escaped alive After whose death Ritherck and Rees the sons of Ritherck ap Iestyn aspiring again to the rule and government of Southwales which their father had once obtained gathered a great army as well of Strangers as out of Gwentland and Glamorgan and met with Gruffith King of Wales who after his accustomed manner detracting no time but couragiously animating his men with the remembrance of their former fortune and divers victories under his standard joyned battail with his enemies whom he found disposed to abide and to win again the honour they had lost wherefore when they met the fight was cruell and bloody and continued till night which easily departed both armies being weary with fighting and either fearing other returned to their Countreys to gather more strength This year Ioseph Bishop of Teilo or Lhandaf died at Rome The Bishop of Landaff dyeth at Rome The land being thus quieted Gruffith ruled all Wales without any trouble till about two years after the Gentlemen of Ystrad Towy did by treason kill 140 of the Prince his best Soldiers to revenge whose death the King Gruffith destroyed all Dinet and Ystrad Towy Here is also to be noted that such snow fell this year that it lay upon the earth from the Kalends of Ianuary to the fourteenth of March. In the year 1050 Conan the son of Iago did gather an army of his friends in Ireland minding to recover his inheritance again as he sailed towards Wales there arose such a tempest that it scattered his navy abroad and drowned the most part of his ships so that he was disappointed of his purpose and lost his labour This Earl Godwin that wicked Earl of Kent whose lands were swallowed up by the Sea and as this day called Godwins sands pernicious and terrible to Navigators as late experience hath taught us About this time Godwin being summoned to appear and answer before King Edward Conf. at Glocester the guilty Earl Godwin fearing the Kings displeasure who could never brook him since the death of his brother Alfred gathered an army out of Kent and other Countries where his sons ruled or had power and so came tovvards Glocester reporting abroad that all his preparation was made to resist Gruffith Prince of Wales who as they affirmed was ready with an army to invade the Marches but King Edward being certified by the Welshmen that there was no such thing in hand commanded Godwin to send back his army Matth. West writeth that about this time to wit anno 1053. Rees the brother of Gruffith King of Wales was slain in a place called Balendane which place since was called Pen Rees and lately belonged to Sir Ed. Morgan Baronet but sold from the house as he did much more to the ruin of his family though the fault be laid upon upon his son I say no more but God knows how 〈◊〉 whose head was presented to the King at Glocester the day before the Epiphany According to the computation of Authours neer these times Machbeth King of Scotland caused a noble man named Bancho to be cruelly murthered whereupon Fleance the son of the sad Bancho escaping the hands of Macebeth fled to Gruffith ap Lhewelyn Prince of Wales where being joyfully received and entertained courteously he grew into such favour with the said Prince that he thought nothing too good for him But in processe of time Fleance forgetting the courtesy to him shewed fell in love with the Princes daughter and got her with child which thing the Prince took in ill part that he in rage caused Fleance to be killed holding his daughter in most vile estate of servitude for so suffering her self to be de flowered by a stranger At length she was delivered of a son which was named Walter who in few years proved a man of great courage and valour in whom from his childhod appeared a certain noblenesse of mind and ready to attempt any great enterprise This Walter on a time fell out with one of his companions who in that great heat of contention objected unto him that he was but a bastard begotten in an unlawful bed which reproach so grieved Walter that he fell upon the other and slew him whereupon fearing the punishment of the law he fled into Scotland and there fell into the company of those Englishmen which were come thither with Queen Margaret the sister of Edgar Edeling amongst whom he shewed himself so discreet and sober in all his demeanour that he was highly esteemed of all men and so attaining to higher reputation and credit was afterwards imployed in the affairs of the Commonwealth at length made Lord Steward of Scotland receiving the King revenues of the whole realme Of the which Office he and his posterity retained that Sirname of Steward ever after from whom descended the most noble Kings of Scotland besides many other Dukes Marquesses Earls and Barons of great fame and honour Whosoever desireth to be more fully satisfyed in this matter let him read and peruse E. Holenshed and he
Angharat daughter to Meredith King of Wales did govern Northwales Conan the son of Jago being all this time with his Father in law in Ireland Caradock ap Gruffith ap Rytheryc was the first that procured Haroald to come into Wales against Gruffith ap Lhewelyn hoping by him to attain unto the Government of Southwales but it fell ontotherwise for when Haroald understood that he should not get that which he looked for at the hands of Caradock which was a certain Lordship within Wales nigh unto Hereford and knowing also Caradoc to be a subtile and deceitfull man compounding with Meredith ap Owen for that Lordship he made him King or Prince of Southwales and banished Caradoc out of the Countrey Afterward Haroald having obtained that Lordship builded there a stately and princely house at a place called Portashlyth and divers times earnestly invited the King to come and see the same and at length the King being then at Glocester not far of granted him his request whereupon Haroald made such preparation as was most wonderfull and as much abused Soon after this the said Caradoc ap Gruffith came to the same house and to be revenged upon Haroald killed all the workmen and labourers that vvere at vvork and all the servants and people of Haroald that he could finde and defacing the vvork carried avvay those things that with great labour and expences had been brought thither and set out and beautified the building William commonly called the Conquerour was now King of England and Edrik Sylvaticus the son of Alfrike Earl of Mercia refusing to submit himself as ohers had done when he saw that the King was departed to Normandy rose against such as were left in his absence to keep the Land in obedience whereupon those that lay in the Castle of Hereford Richard Fitz Scroop and others oftentimes invaded his Lands and wasted the goods of his Tenants but as often as they came against him they alwaies lost some of their own men at length he calling to his aid the Kings of VVales Blethyn and Rywalhon wasted the Country of Hereford even to VVye bridge and then returned with great booty This year also 1068. Meredith and Ithel the sons of Gruffith ap Lhewelyn raised a strong army against Blethyn and Rywalhon Kings of Northwales and met with them at a place called Mechain where after a long fight there were slain upon the one part Ithel and upon the other Rywalhon and Meredith put to flight whom Blethyn pursued so straitly that he starved for cold and hunger upon the mountains and so Blethyn son of Convyn remained the only King of Powis and Northwales Carodoc the son of Gruffith ap Rytherck ap Jestyn caused a great number of Frenchmen for so the Brittish book calleth the Normans to enter Southwales to whom he joyned his power of Gwentland and gave Meredith the King of that countrey an overthrow and slew him upon the River Rympyn About this time the Normans brought great forces into Westwales by sea and destroyed Dynet and the Country of Caerdigan and carried away much spoil and did so likewise the year following Bleythyd Bishop of Menevia or Saint Davids died about this time and Sulien was Bishop in his place Radulf Earl of East Angles his Mother came out of Wales which was the cause of the Welshmens assisting him against William the Conquerour Matth. West lib. 2. fol. 6 Math. Parker p. 11. for Ranulf sent for many of his Mothers friends and kinsmen to come unto him meaning through their aid and procurement to get the Princes and people of VVales to joyn with him in his enterprise but VVilliam having notice of this plot and coming before he was sent for he hanged some of the VVelshmen among others put our the eyes of many and banished the rest In the year 1073. Blethyn ap Convin King of VVales was traiterously and cowardly murthered by Rees ap Owen and the Gentlemen of Ystrad Tywy after he had governed VVales thirteen years This man was very liberal and mercifull doing Justice and Equity all his Reign he had divers weomen and many children First Meredith by Haer daughter to Gythyn Lywarck and Cadogan by another woman Madâ—e and Ryrid by the third Jorwerth by the fourth Trahern the Son of Caradoc After the death of Blethyn Trahern ap Caradoc his cosin German took upon him the rule of Northwales and Rees ap Owen with Rytherck ap Caradoc did jontly rule Southwales Then Gruffith son to Conan son to Jago or James right Inheritour of Northwales came from Ireland with succour with his brethren Encumalhon King of Vltonia and Ranalht and Mathawn had delivered him and landed in the Isle of Môn or Anglesey and brought it to his Subjection At this time Kynwric ap Rynalbon a noble man of Maelor or Bromfield was slain in Northwales This year also Gronow and Lhewelin the sons of Cadogan ap Blethyn did joyn their powers with Caradoc ap Gruffith ap Rytherck to revenge their Grandfathers death and then fought at a place called Camdhwc where the Sons of Cadogan obtained the Victory shortly after Gruffith ap Conan passed over the water from Môn to the main land and Trabern ap Caradoc met with him at Bronyrew where Gruffith was put to flight and retired back to the Isle year 1074 In the year 1074. Rytherc ap Caradoc was slain by Treason of his own cosin German Meyrchaon ap Rees ap Rytherc and Rees ap Owen ruled Southwales alone Nevertheless the sons 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 new forces and kept the land still Then Trahern ap Caradoc King of Northwales moves his forces against Rees who boldly met him with all the power of Southwales at a place called Pwlhgwttic where after long fighting Rees was put to slight and after great slaughter of his men he fled from place to place fearing all things like a stagg that had been lately chased which mistrusteth every noise but at the last he with his Brother Howel fell into the hands of Caradoc aâ— Gruffith who slew them both in revenge of the wise and noble Prince Blethyn ap Convyn At this time Sulien Arch-Bishop of Saint Davids did forsake his Bishoprick and Abraham was chosen Bishop in his place year 1077 In the year 1077. Rees the son of Theodore the son of Eneon the son of Owen the son of Howel Dha as right Inheritor to the Kingdome of Southwales claimed the same and the people received him with much joy and made him their Prince The next year Menevia was all spoiled and destroyed by strangers and Abraham the Bishop died after whose death Sulien was compelled to take the Bishoprick again In the year following Gruffith the son of Conan did bring a great Army of Irishmen and Scots into Wales and joyned with Rees ap Theodore as two right heirs of the
those Strangers into Wales who openly went with his power to them and did lead them to the Isle of Anglesey which thing when Gruffith and Cadogan perceived they sailed to Ireland mistrusting the Treason of their own people Then the Earls spoiled the land and slew all that they found in the Isle and at the very same time Magnus the son of Haroald came with a great Navy of Ships towards England minding to lay faster hold upon that Kingdome then his Father had done and being driven by chance to Anglesey would have landed there but the Earl impeached his landing there and there Magnus with an arrow stroke Hugh Earl of Salop in the face that he dyed thereof and suddenly either part forsook the Isle and the Englishmen returned home and left Owen ap Edwyn Prince thereof who had allured them thither year 1098 In the year 1098. returned Gruffith ap Conan and Cadogan ap Blethyn from Ireland and made peace with the Normans and gave them part of their Inheritance for Gruffith remained in Môn and Cadogan had Caerdigan and a parcel of Powis Land About this time the men of Brercnock slew Lhewelyn the son of Cadogan then Howel ap Ithel of Tegengel went to Ireland Also Rythmarck the Arch-Bishop of Saint Davids dyed the godliest wisest and greatest Clerk Sulien except that had been in VVales many years before About this time also dyed Crono ap Cadogan and Gwyn ap Gruffith year 1101 In the year 1101. Robert de Blesmo son to Roger de Montgomery Earl of Salop and Anulph his Brother Earl of Pembroke did rebel against the King which when the King heard he sent for them to come unto him but they made blinde excuses and gathered their strength and fortified their Castles and then gave great gifts and made large promises to the sons of Blethyn ap Cadogan and Jorwerth Cadogan and Meredyth and inticed them to joyn their powers with them Robert fortified four Castles Arundel Tekinhill Shrewsbury and Brugg which Castle was the cause of the War For Robert had erected it without the Kings leave and Arnulph fortified his Castle of Pembroke Then they entred the Kings Land and burned and spoiled it carrying away rich booties And Arnulph to have more strength sent Gerald his Steward to Murchard King of Ireland to desire his Daughter in marriage which he obtained with promises of great succours which did encourage him the more against the King but Henry the First gathered a great Army and first besieged the Castle of Arundel and took it as also he did Tekinhil and then led his power before Brugg which for the scituation and depth of the ditches being also well mann'd and victualed the King doubted the speedy winning thereof There he was counselled to send privately to Jorwerth ap Blethyn promising him great gifts if he would forsake the Earl and serve him recounting what wrongs the Earls Father Roger and his Brother Hugh had done to the VVelshmen Also the King to make him more willing to stick unto him gave him all such Lands as the Earl and his brother had in VVales without Tribute or Oath which was a Moity of Powis Caerdigan and Dynet and the other half had the son of Baldwyn with Stradtywy and Gwyr Jorwerth being glad of these offers received them willingly and then coming himself to the King he sent his powers to the Earls Land which doing their Masters command destroyed and spoiled all the Countrey for the Earl had caused his people to convey all their cattel and goods to VVales little remembring the mischiefs that the VVelshmen had received at his and his Brothers hands When these tydings came to the Earl to Cadogan and Meredyth Jorwerths Brethren they were all amazed and despaired to be able to withstand the King for Jorwerth was the greatest man of power in VVales And at this time Arnulph was gone to Ireland for his wife and succour also a little before Magnus again had landed in Anglesey and received of Gruffith ap Conan and hewed down as much Timber trees as was needfull for him and so returning to the Isle of Môn which he had won he builded three Castles there and sent to Ireland to have the Daughter of Murchard in marriage for his son which he obtained and made his son King of Môn The Earle Robert hearing this sent to him for aid but obtained none therefore seeing no remedy he sent to the King desiring him that he might forsake the realm which the King granted and he sailed to Normandy And likewise the King sent word to his brother Arnulph that either follow his brother and depart the land or yield himself to the Kings mercy and pleasure but he chose the former proposition he should and so went away Things thus transacted the King returned home and Jorwerth took his brother Meredyth and sent him to the Kings prison for his brother Cadogan agreed with him to whom Jorwerth gave Caerdhyth and a piece of Powis Then Jorwerth himself went to the Kings Court to put the King in remembrance of his promise but Henry when he saw all quiet forgot the service of Jorwerth and his own promise and contrary to the same took Dynet from Jorwerth and gave it to a Knight called Saer and Stradtiwy and Gwyr he gave to Howel ap Grono and Jorwerth was sent home empty At this time K. Henry gave divers Castles and Lordships in Wales to Normans and Englishmen of whom there is mention oftentimes in this history This year died Grono the son of Rees ap Theodore in prison And in the end of this year the King sent divers of his Councel to Shrewsbury and willed Jorwerth ap Blethin to come to meet them there to consult about the Kings business and affairs but when he came thither all the consultation was against him whom contrary to all right and equity they condemned of treason because the King feared his strength and that he would revenge the wrongs which he had received at the Kings hands and so he was committed to prison About this time as Bale noteth the Church of St. Davids began to be subject to the See of Canterbury being alwaies before the Metropolitan Church of Wales since the Pall was carried from Caerleon upon Vsk year 1103 In the Year 1103 Owen ap Edwyn died after great Misery and long sickness Then also Richard the son of Caldwin did fortifie the Castle of Ridcors and chased Howel ap Grono out of that Country to whom the King had given the custody of that Castle who nevertheless returned shortly after and burned all the country houses corn and hay and slew a great number of the Normans as they returned homeward and kept all the Country in his subjection except the Castles and Garrisons At this time the King took the rule of Dynet from Saer to whom he committed the same and gave it to Gerald who had been sometimes Steward there under Arnulph Then the Normans who were in the
Cadogan kept himself privately in Powis and sent to the King to declare and manifest his innocency The King allowed of his submission and allegations and granted that he should remain in the Country and enjoy the town and lands which he had by his Wife for she was daughter to a Lord of Normandy called Pigot de Say Then Madoc and Ithel his two Nephews divided such Lands as he and his son Owen had in Powis betwixt them and ruled it very evil for they could never agree amongst themselves Within a while after Cadogan made such friends to the King that paying 100 pound fine he should injoy his lands again in Caerdigan and that the inhabitants should return to their houses and manure and till their ground for the King had given commandement that no Welshmen nor Norman should dwell within Caerdigan when they that were in Ireland understood this they returned privately and hid themselves in the houses of their kindred and friends after whom Owen followed but not to Cadogan for his father had received that Land upon such condition that he should not suffer Owen to come therein nor aid him either by counsel money or men Howbeit Owen came to Powis and would gladly have sent Messengers unto the King but he could get no man that would venture to speak to him Much about this time there happened â—ome variance between Madoc ap Riryd and the Bishop of London Lieutenant of the Marshes about certain fellows of England that had fled to him for succour whom the Bishop sent for but could not get wherefore he was highly displeased with him Riryd understanding hereof sent to Owen and desired his friendship whose greatest enemy he was before and by this means they were made friends and swore each to other that neither of them should betray the other nor agree by himself with the King or his Officers without the other and thereupon they burned and spoyled the lands of such as they loved not and destroyed all things that they met withall This year appeared a terrible Comet and the King took into consideration Jorwerth ap Blethyn whom he had kept long in prison and sent to know of him what fine he would pay to have his liberty and he promised the King 300 pounds or the worth thereof in cattel or horses then the King set him at liberty and gave him his land again and gave ten pounds of that mony to Henry the son of Cadogan by the daughter of Pigot All this while Owen and Madoc were burning and plundering the Englishmen and Normans and ever withdrew themselves to the land of Jorwerth which thing grieved him greatly whereupon he sent word of his danger desiring them to spare his land and Cadogans For if it were known that they came in any of theirs the Land was forfeited to the King when Owen and Ryrid heard this they frequented his territories the more often then formerly which Jorwerth perceiving chased them quite away Then he went to the country of Vchtryd in Merionethshire and the sons of Vchtrid sent word to their people to withstand them and so they did for meeting them by the way they set upon them and Owen and Madoc defended themselves manfully but at the last they and their men were driven back so that they were forced to fly Owen to Caerdigan to his Fathers Country and Madoc to Powis Then Owen with his companions made divers roads to Dynet and spoyled it carrying away both men and cattel to the ships that came from Ireland and after ransomed them and then gathering fresh recrutes he set upon a town of the Flemmings and fired it returning from thence to Gaerdigan nothing valuing his Fathers danger or the Kings displeasure At this time it chanced that Owens men among other mischiefs Owen guilty first of a Rape and now murder and sacriledge laid wait for a Bishop belonging to the King whose name was William de Brabant and slew him and all his Men Whilst these things were in agitation Jorwerth and Cadogan were at the Court to treat with the King concerning certain business of their own and as the King talked with them behold there came in a Flemming brother to the murdered Bishop who made an exclamation how Owen ap Cadogans men had slain his brother and many more and how they were succoured in Cadogans land The King hereupon highly displeased asked Cadogan what he could say to the matter and he laying all the fault upon his Son excused himself as well as he could Then said the King to Cadogan Seeing thou canst not keep thine own but that thy Son and his adherents shall be succoured there in their disorder I will give it to one that shall keep them out here I will maintain thee all thy life at my proper charges charging thee upon thy Allegiance that thou enter not into Wales until such time as I have taken further order And so the King gave him twenty dayes and set him at liberty to go whether he would Wales excepted when Owen and Madoc heard this they departed to Ireland The King forthwith sent for Gilbert surnamed Strongbow this Gilbert was youngest Son of Gilbert de Clare Lord of the honours of Clare in Suffolk and Grand-child of Robert Fitz-Gilbert and Rohesia his wife daughter to Walter Gilford Earl of Longeville in Normandy Chepflow and Strigul once belonged to the Clares Tyntern Abbey founded by Walter Clare Lord of Caerwent and Unkle to Gilbert Strongbow Earl of Strigul 1131. this Gilbert was Lord of Chepstow and Strigul Castle in Monmothshire part of whose ruines yet remain who for his much keeping of that Castle was commonly called Earl of Strigul he gave Doglesdon to the Church of Worcester and in a certain deed where he gave Lands to an Abbey Gilbert de Gurney Richard Son of the Earl and Henry Maltravers being witnesses he is entitled Earl of Pembrock and Lord of the Rape of Penensel his Unkle Walter de Clare was Lord of Caerwent in Monthmoshire and the Marsh of Leigh by Tunbridge And founded Tyntern Abbey in Wales not far from Strigul 1131. This Gilbert the fourtenth of King Stephen 1149. had been Earl of Pembrock and Strigul ten years whose armes were Or three Cheverens Gules a labell of five B. But to return to our History the King therefore sent for Gilbert Earl of Strigul who was a Valiant and worthy Knight to whom he said thus Thou hast been divers times a suitor to me to have some Lands in Wales and now I give thee all the Lands and Inheritance of Cadogan ap Blethyn win it and take it Gilbert received it joyfully and thanked the King and gathered forces and landed in Caerdiganshire and brought the Country to his subjection without any opposall where he builded two fair Castles one towards Northwales upon the River Ystwyth at the Sea shoar a mile from Lhanbadarn an other towards Dynet upon the River Teini at a place called Dyngerant where Roger
Bishop of Hereford and moreover complained that they had usurped on the jurisdiction of these places Gwhyr Cedwely Cantref Bychan Ystrad Yw and Ergeng upon deposition of 6 witnesses that all these were of the Diocess of Landaff they were so adjudged by the Popes definitive sentence who also writ unto the King and Archbishop to restore that right unto the Bishop of Landaff and to the Inhabitants to yield obedience to him and his successors as their Diocesan Howbeit how it cometh to pass I know not those places are now and long have been esteemed part of the Diocess of St. Davids and part of Hereford and none of them of Landaff This Bishop died beyond Sea travelling betwixt this and Rome anno 1133. Vacat sedes annos 6. 31 Vchtred that succeeded had a daugter married before he had orders to Jorworth ap Owen ap Caradoc Lord of Caerlbeon upon Vsk a great and mighty man in those parts he died an 1141. 32 Geffry died 1153. 33 Nicolas ap Gurgant died 1183. 34 William de Salso Marisco 35 Henry Prior of Burgavenni was Founder of 12 Prebends in the Church of Landaff he died 1218. 36 William Prior of Goldeliff in Monmothshire died January 28 an 1229. 37 Elis de Radnor died May the 6 1240. 38 William de Burgo Chaplain to King Henry the 3d. was consecrated the year 1244. and died June 11 1253. having lived blind 7 years before his death 39 John de la Ware Abbot of Margan died about the end of June 1253. 40 William de Radnor died January the 9 1265. 41 William de Brews died in the end of March 1287. he lyeth buried under a Marble engraven in the East end of the Church of Landaff towards the North wall Vacat sedes annos 9. 42 John de Monmoth Doctor of Divinity was consecrated Feb. 10. 1296. at Canterbury and died April 8 1323. he lyeth in the midst of the East end of the Church Celceuliere commonly called our Ladies Chappel under a flat Marble having a French inscription now somewhat defaced 43 John de Egliscliff a Fryer Preacher was consecrated at Rome and came to his Diocess of Landaff upon the eve of Trinity sunday 1223. he died at Lankadwaladar Jan. 2. 1346. and was buried at Caediff 44 Iohn Paschall Doctor of Divinity a Carmelite of Ipswich was a Gentleman born in Suffolk of a Family yet remaining there and brought up in the University of Cambridge by William Bateman Bishop of Norwich was made a titulary Bishop and his Suffragan by the name of Episcopus Scutariensis from that Imaginary See he was translated by the Pope to Landaff an 1347. died 1361. and was buried at Landaff he was a man of great learning and left divers Monuments thereof in writing behind him 45 Roger Cradoc a Fryer Minor 46 Thomas Rushook a Fryer Preacher and Doctor of Divinity was translated to Chichester 47 William de Betlesham made Bishop of Bethelem by the Pope was translated first to Landaff and after to Rochester 48 Edmund de Bromfield was a Dr. of Divinity and Monk at Burie where being known for a a man of a very pragmatical and stirring humour that he might not trouble them at home the Covent thought good to maintain him at Rome for the dispatch of their ordinary business there taking first a corporal Oath of him never to seek any office or preferment of their house without their privity and direction This Oath notwithstanding when shortly after it fell out that the Abbot died he found means that the Pope should intitle him to the Abbotship whereunto the Covent with the Kings good liking had now already elected another man far more meet called Iohn Tymworth For this bad kind of dealing as also because as those provisory Bulls had been forbidden by Parliament he was committed to the Tower and there lay prisoner a long time but in the end the Bishop of Landaff ut ante being translated to Rochester he was preferred to that See 49 Tydemannus Abbot of Beaulieu succeeded Bromfield and if I mistake not was that Tydemannus de Winchcomb that anno 1395 became Bishop of Worcester 50 Andrew Barret Doctor of Law 51 Iohn Burghyll a Frier Preacher being Bishop of Landaff and Confessour unto the King was translated to Liechfield in Sept. 1398. 52 Thomas Peverel a Carmelite and Doctor of Divinity was first Bishop of Ossery in Ireland translated thence to Landaff 1399 and thence to Worcester 1407. 53 Iohn la Zouche a Fryer Minor and Doctor of Divinity It should seem that this man built either a great part or else happily all of the house at Mathern near Chepstow The Bishops house of Matherne built the only house that is now left the Bishop if there be any such to put his head in his armes fixed in divers places of the walls and windows to my judgement import so much viz. Gules ten besants 432. and 1 a Canton Ermine encircled with a girdle of St. Francis to show his Order 54 Iohn Wellys was likewise a Minorite and Doctor of Divinity 55 Nicholas Ashbie Prior of Westminster 56 Iohn Hunden a Minorite Doctor of Divinity and Prior of Kings Langley 57 John Marshall Doctor of Divinity sometime Fellow of Merton Colledge in Oxford was consecrated 1479 and was I take it translated to London the year 1489. 58 John Ingleby sometime Prior of Sheen a Carthusian 59 John Smith Doctor of Divinity died October 16 1511. and was buried at Christ-Church in London in the Chapel of All-Saints on the North side of the Altar 60 Miles Salley sometimes Almoner to the Abbey of Abington and afterwarde Abbot of Eynsham 61 George de Attigna a Spaniard a Fryer Preacher and Doctor of Divinity was consecrated March the 8 1516. 62 Robert Holgate Doctor of Divinity was consecrated March the 25 1537. and 1544 was translated to York 63 Anthony Kitchin alias Dunstan Doctor of Divinity and sometimes Abbot of Eynsham was consecrated May 3 1545. and enduring all the tempestuous changes that hapned in the mean time continued till the fifth year of Queen Elizabeth and then died and high time having first so impoverished the Bishoprick by unreasonable demises of whatsoever was demiseable that there was no great cause he should live any longer He is called Kitchin though he might have rather been called Schullian yet indeed he made his Church a Kitchin and like a Schullian swept all away leaving poor Daff without Lan or land Sedes vacabat annos 3. 64 Hugh Jones Batchelour of Law was made Bishop May the 5 1556. 65 William Blethyn Batchelour of Law was appointed Bishop April the 17 1575. I observe few Families sprung from Bishops to prosper or continue long yet such as do in my judgement should not be so averse as to eradicate all spiritual function 66 Gervage Babington Doctor of Divinity was placed in that See Aug. 29 1591. from thence translated to Exceter and after to Worcester 67 William Morgan Doctor in Divinity was appointed
to this See July the 20 1595. and translated to St. Asaph September the 16 1601. 1601. 68 Francis Godwin translated to Hereford this Francis Godwin being then Subdean of Exceter was he who compiled the Catalogue of Bishops here cited year 1618 1618. 69 George Carleton translated to Chichester year 1619 1619. 70 Theophilus Field translated to St. Davids year 1628 1628. 71 John Murrey Bishop first in Ireland a Scot by Nation had his Majesty had Bishopricks sufficient to have stoptd all their mouths Episcopacy had not so been bandied against 1639. 72 Morgan Owen Bishop 1641. This Bishoprick was valued in the Exchequer at 154 l. 14 s. 1 d. and paid for first fruits 700 Ducats year 1155 In the beginning of King Henry the 2d. his reign and in the year of our Lord God 1155 Rees ap Gruffith ap Rees whom the Welsh book surnameth Lord Rees and all the Latine and English Writers of that times name King of South Wales did leavy all his Forces to defend his Countrey from Owen Gwineth whom he understood to be raising of men to conquer South Wales So that Rees came as far as Aberdyni over against North Wales and perceiving the rumour to be false built a Castle there and so returned back Caerneon Castle built At the same time Madoc ap Meredyth Prince of Powis did build a Castle at Caerneon besides Pymer at that time Meyric his nephew escaped out of prison where he had been long kept Eglwys Vair built then also Eglwys Vair in Myvot was built At this time King Henry banished the Flemmings whom King Stephen had brought in and sent some of them to their cozens into West VVales About this time Caradocus Lhanoarvan who is reputed and taken of all learned men to be the Authour of the Welsh History ended his Collections of the Brittish Transactions from Cadwalader to this present time of whom some studious Antiquary composed this following Distichon Historiam Britonum doctus scripsit Caradocus Post Cadwalladrum Regia scripta notans In these two Abbies the Princes of Wales were usually buried The Successions and Acts of the Princes of VVales after this time until the year 1270 were kept and recorded from time to time in the Abbeys of Conwey in North VVales and Stratflur in South VVales as witnesseth Gutryn Owen who living in the dayes of Edward the 4th wrote the best and most perfect copy of the same year 1157 The King gathered his Forces from all parts of England intending to subdue North VVales being thereunto procured and moved by Cadwalader whom the Prince his brother had banished out of the land and bereaved of his living and by Madoc ap Meredyth Prince of Powis who envied at the liberty of North VVales which knew no Lord but one and hereupon the King conducted his Army to VVestchester and encamped on the march called Saltney So also Owen like a valiant Prince listed all his people fit for service and came to the utter Mears of his land purposing to give the King battel and encamped himself at Basingwerk which thing when the King understood he selected out of his Army divers of the chiefest bands and sent certains Earls and Lords with them towards the Princes Camp and as they passed the Wood called Coed Zulo David and Conan the Princes sons met with them and fiercely assaulted them and what by reason of the advantage of the ground and suddenness of the action the Englishmen were put to flight and many slain the rest being pursued to the Kings Camp They being exceedingly vexed with this disaster removed alongst the Sea coast thinking to get betwixt Owen and his Countrey but Owen fore-seeing the intent retreated back to a place which is called to this day Cil Owen that is Owens retreat and the King came to Ruthlan In the first voyage of King Henry against the VVelsh he was put in great danger of his life in a strait at Counsylth not far from Flint where Henry of Essex whose office was by inheritance to bear the Standard of England cast down the same and fled which thing so encouraged the VVelsh that the King being sore distressed had much ado to save himself and as the French Chronicle saith was glad to fly on whose part Eustare Fitz John and Robert Curcie two worthy Knights with divers other Noblemen and Gentlemen were slain After this Owen encamped and entrenched himself at Brynypin and daily skermished with the Kings men whilst in the mean time the King fortified the Castle of Ruthlan his Navy which guided by Madoc ap Meredyth Prince of Powis anchored at Môn or Anglesey and landed the Souldiers who spoiled two Churches and some of the countrey thereabout but as they returned unto their ships all the strength of the Isle set upon them Sacriledge punished and slew them all so that none of those who plundered the Churches brought tidings of their fortune The Marriners beholding this liked not the harbor but weighed up anchors made for Chester in the mean time there was a peace concluded between the King and the Prince K. Hen. buildeth a house for the Templers in Wales upon condition that Cadwalader should have his lands again his brother should be friendly unto him Then the King having the Castles of Ruthlan and Basywerk well fortified and manned after he had built a house thereby for the Templers returned into England At that time also Jorwerth Goch ap Meredyth got the Castle of Yale and burnt it Yale Castle burnt The year following Morgan ap Owen was traiterously slain by the men of Jorwerth ap Meyrick with whom died the best Poet in the Brittish Tongue of his time called Gurgan ap Rees and his brother Jorwerth got the Town or City of Caerleon upon Vsk Caerlheon upon Vsk City taken and the lands of Owen Now it was that the King made peace with all the Lords and Princes of VVales except Rees ap Gruffith ap Rees Prince of South VVales which Rees fearing the Kings power caused his people to remove their cattel and goods to the Wilderness of Tywy he still making War against the King Therefore the King sent for him to come to his Court to conclude a peace before the Forces both of England and VVales should be sent for him Rees after consultation came to the King and an order was taken that Rees should enjoy the Cantref Mawr as it should please the King so that his land should be whole together and not in divers Places and Shires but the King did contrary to his promise appointing Rees divers lands in several Places and Lordships intermingled with other mens lands which deceit although he perceived well enough yet he received it piece-meal as it was and lived quietly until Roger Earl of Clare hearing this came to the King and desired his Highness to give him such lands in VVales as he could win which the King granted Then he came with a
Semy 17 VVilliam Herbert 18 VVilliam Herbert Party per pale B. and G. 3 Lyons Ramp Arg. 19. Edward Prince of VVales son of K. Edw. IV. Quarterly France and England a Label Arg. 20 Anne Bullen Marchioness of Pemb. wife to Hen. 8. Arg. a Cheveren G. between 3 Bulls heads coupe Sable 21 VVilliam Herber created Earle by Edw. 6. 22 Henry Herbert 23 VVilliam Herbert Lord Steward and Chancellour of Oxford 24 Philip Herbert Earle of Pembroke and Montgomery 25 Philip Herbert now living Quarterly Band G 3 Lions Ramp Arg. a border Gotone of the second and Or besants this border is now laid aside Lex Talionis This Earle hearing that Lhewelin had taken his Castles and put his men to the sword returned from Ireland with all speed and recovering his forts used the same courtesy towards Lhewelins men as he had shewed to his and then entring further into the Princes Country destroyed all before him as he went Mat. Paâ—is 423 who saith that the Earl had the victory and â—hat there were slain â—000 persons These tidings coming to Lhewelins ear did much vex him whereupon he sent Gruffith his son with a power of men to impeach the Earl from passing further Griffith went to Cyeweli and understanding that the Burgesses of the town meant to betray him burned the town churches and all to the ground Then VVilliam Marshal passed the River Tywy at Caermardhyn where Gruffith met with him and gave him battail which was long time doubtful and endured until night and then either party withdrew themselves and the River betwixt and after they had abode so for certain dayes Gruffith for lack of victuals for his men were about 9000 persons returned back Cilgerran Castle built and the Earle went to Cilgerran and began to build there a very strong castle but receiving letters from the King to come speak with him he went to the Court by sea and left his army to continue the work which he had begun The King and the Archbishop being at Ludlow sent for the Prince and would gladly have composed matters between him and the Earl but it would not be and so they departed And when the Earle would have passed to Pembrock by land with the strength of the Earle of Derby and Henry Pigot Lord of Ewyas the prince sent his son to keep the passage at Carnwylhion and he himself came as farr as Mabedryd which when the Earle understood He retreated back to England and the prince bent his course for North VVales year 1226 The year 1226. Rees Vachan son of Rees Gryc took his father prisoner and would not set him at liberty till he had delivered him the Castle of Lhanymdhfry At this time Meredyth Archdeacon of Caerdigan son to prince Rees was interred by his father at St. Davids The year following K. Henry the III. now King of England came with a great army into Wales as far as Ceri and encamped there K. Henry 3. of England Mat. Paris p. 463. and on the other side Lhewelyn called to him all the power of VVales encamped not far off and there passed divers great skirmishes and chiefly upon one day the most part of both armies was in the field and many of the Kings men at which time William de Bruse son to Reynalt was taken prisoner who offered for his ransom the Country of Buelht P. Lhewelin a worthy prince and a great summe of money beside Then was a peace concluded between the King and the prince whereupon the Prince came and did honour unto the King but not as his King and Lord and every party returned home Mr Powel fol. 282. This History saith Mr. Powel is somewhat otherwaies set down by Matt. Paris which I have thus translated out of the same Author About the same time those Souldies which lay in Garrison in the Castle of Montgomery went out with some of their Neighbours to amend a certain passage in the highway leading through a great wood thereby where the Welshmen were wont to rob and slay such as traveled that way and coming to the place with their axes and other weapons began to fell trees and to cut down the bushes whereby the way might be enlarged which thing when the Welshmen understood they came with a great power and setting upon their enemies compelled them to take the Castle for their defence certain being slain on both sides and then casting a trench about the same laid siege to it The Castle honour of Mâ—ntgâ—mery given to Hubert de Bâ—â—g This being speedily carried to Hubert de Burge Chief Justice of England to whom a little before the same castle and honour was given The King himself with convenient speed coming raised the siege and when his whole army came unto him for few Souldiers came with him thither he went to the said wood which was very large being five miles in length and by reason of the thick growth of the same very hard to be mooted howbeit the King caused the same with great diligence and travail to be asserted and consumed with fire King Henry causeth â—â—â—d a Abbey to be burnt Then leading his army further into the Country he came to an Abbey of white Monks called Cridia being a refuge for the Welsh to fly unto which he caused to be burnt to Ashes where Hubert de Burg to whom the place seemed very fit for fortification having the assent of the King caused a castle to be built but eâ—e the work could be finished many were slain on both sides and Will de Bruse a valiant Souldier and Chieftain who went out to make provision for the army was taken by the Welshmen and secured and divers others went out for the like purpose whereof one being Knighted a few dayes before seeing some of his fellows in danger like to be distressed rushed boldly into the midst of his enemies killing many about him yet in the end with many others of the Kings men was slain several also of the Kings men being confederates with P. Lhewelyn did very remisly defend themselves his cause with whome they came thither whereupon the King wanting necessary provision and perceiving the double dealing of some of his own men was constrained to conclude a dishonourable peace with the Welshmen giving his assent that the Castle which with so great expences of men and money was almost finished should be razed at his own charges An ignoble peace to the English taking of P. Lhewelin 3000 pound toward the same the peace being thus confirmed both parties went homewards Thus the King of England after he had bestowed three moneths in the building of the said Castle and disbursed an incredible some of mony in vain leaving William de Bruse one of his nobles in the Prince his prison returned home with great stain of honour The name also which Hubert the Chief Justice had given to the Castle viz. Huberts folly Stulitia Huberti
did now move many to laugh at those things who seeing that costly and sumptuous building to be laid even with the earth said that Hubert was a prophet and much more then a prophet so much out of Paris About the year 1230 Lhewelyn the son of Maelgon deceased and was entombed at Conwey Adultery punished by death Abergaveny businesse revenged Prince Lhewelin caused William Bruse to be hanged being as t is reported taken in adultery with his wife who was the Sister of K. Henry About this time Maelgon was buried at Stratflur whose patrimony young Maelgen his son inherited after his father This year the King led a great army to Wales and after he had remained in the Marshes a while he returned into England and left Hubert de Burge Earle of Kent with his army to defend the Marshes and hereby his spies understood where certain Welshmen had entred the Marshes to plunder and set upon them by Montgomery killing many of them The Prince herewith being much troubled gathered his forces and to revenge his men A gallant revenge entering the Marshes he destroyed all with fire and sword who withstood him and burnt the Castles and Garrisons without mercy year 1231 and first the Castle of Montgomery for the Earle withdrew himself for fear then the castle of Radnor Aberhodny Rayader Gwy and so he went to Caerlheon and after long fight and loss of many of his men got the Town and left nothing therein but Ashes the like he did with the Castles of Neth and Cydwely The utter destruction of Caerlheon Therefore the King came to Hereford with a mighty army and sent a great number of his nobles with the most part of his army to VVales who using the direction of a Fryer of Cymer met with a company of VVelshmen which at the first encounter sled whom the Englishmen followed to the Straits where the ambushments lay which fell upon them A Fryer ventureth his life in behalf of his country Maud Castle built by K. Henry the III. The Welsh well enough required for deâ—erring their own Countrymen and slew a great number of the best Souldiers the rest escaped by flight Therefore the King would have burnt the house of Cymer yet the Prior redeemed it by paying 300 marks and so the King returned into England after he had built the Castle of Maud whilst these things were in agitation Maelgon the son of Maelgon ap Rees laidsiege to Aberteini and got the Town and destroyed it to the Castle gates putting all the inhabitants to the sword And shortly after he returned with his cozen Owen son to Gruffith ap Rees with certain of the Princes Captains and brake down the bridge upon the River Teini and laid siege to the Castle and with engines and mines threw down the same and so with much honour returned home The next year this gallant and heroick Brittain Lhewelyn entered England and brought back a rich spoyle both of goods cattel and men which forced the King to impose a subsidy to subdue the Brittains About this time John Earle of Chester surnamed Le Scot from the place of his birth Mr Brook York Herald fol. â—5 The murder at Abergaveny punished in the Family of de Bruse Earl of Huntington and Cambridge c. son of David brother to the King of Scots who bore for his armes Or three garbs Gules married Helin daughter to Lhewelin P. of Northwales also Ephraim Bishop of Lhanelwy died and John de Bruse falling off his horse his foot sticking fast in the stirrup was drag'd till he dyed most miserably The year following Richard E. of Cornwal fortified the Castle of Radnor which the Prince had lately destroyed Shortly after Prince Lhewelin came with an army to Brecknock and destroyed all the towns and castles of the Country and lay a moneth at the siege of the Castle of Brecknock P. Lhewelin a scourge to the English adherents but yet went without it and burning the town retreated home with great plunder In his journey by the way he burned the Town of Clun and recovered all the Country called Diffrin Teneidiat which was the possession of John Fitz Allen but he could not get the Castle After that he overthrew the Red Castle in Powis now the house of the Right Honourable Sir Percy Herbert Lord Powis a right worthy Gentleman Red castle in Montgomery shire a Garrison formerly for the Parliament and at this present and burned the town of Oswestre and so came home And about this time Richard Marshal fell at variance with the King who with Huber de Burge that escaped out of the castle of Devises where the Bishop of Winchester intended to have starved him came to Wales and joyned with the prince against the King Then the Earle with Owen ap Gruffith ap Rees came to Menevia or St. Davids The English with the Welsh against their King Abergavenny with other Castles taken K. Henry by Grismont lost 500. Horse and killed and spoiled all the Kings Friends within the Town Also Maelgon and Rees Gryc with the power of the prince joyned with them who in that voyage wan all these Castles Caerdiff Abergaveny Pencelhy Blaynlhefyini and Bwlchy Dynet which they razed all except Caerdif This so incensed the King that he raised a mighty army as well Flemmings Normans and Gascoines and Englishmen and entred VVales thinking to destroy the whole Country and encamped at Grismont where the Earle with the power of Wales encamped hard by him and as the Kings men would have entred further they were met withall and lost 500 horse and so upon better consideration returned home after whose departure the Earl with the power aforesaid lay before Caermarthyn three moneths but it was so manfully defended that they went without it and at last there came in the Kings ships and manned and victualed the town which caused the besiegers to rayse their siege and depart About this time Rees Gryc Son to the Lord or prince Rees dyed at Lhandeilo vawr and was buried honourably by his Father at St. Davids and then also Maelgon the son of Maelgon finished the Castle of Tresilan which his father had begun John of Mermeth forced to â—y In the year 1234. John Lord Monumetensis a noble warriour Captain or General of the Kings Army being made Ward of the marches of Wales levied a power and came against Earl Marshall and the Welshmen but when he had once entred Wales he came back in post leaving his Men for the most part slain and taken behind Maâ— Paris p. 520. This History is reported by Mathew Paris after this manner About the feast of St. John Baptist John of Monmoth a noble and expert warriour who was with the King in his wars in Wales gathered a great army meaning to invade the Earl Marshal at unawares but he being certifi'd thereof hid himself in a certain wood by the which lay the way of his Enemies
to him that searcheth out their Histories but I intending to finish the History during the Government of the Brittains have sought out in other Chronicles written in the Latine tongue especially in the Chronicle of Nicholas Trivet King Hen 3. dyeth who wrote from the begining of the raign of King Stephen to the Coronation of Edward the second and such other as much as I could find concerning this matter In the year 1272. dyed King Henry the third and Edward his Son coming from the holy Land two years after was crowned at Westminster King of England to which Coronation the Prince of Wales refused to come although he was sent for alledging for his excuse that he had offended many Noblemen of England and therefore would not come in danger without he had for pledges the Kings brother with the Earl of Glocester and Robert Burnell Chief Justice of England wherewith the King was highly displeased year 1274 King Edward could never brook P. Lhewelyn since the time that he was compelled to flight by him at their meeting in the Marches as before Thom. Walsh on the other side Lhewelyn liked no better of the King then the King did of him again those Noblemen who for their disobedience were dis-inherited by Lhewelyn were received and entertained by King Edward which things caused the Prince to fear some evil practice by those and other such as hated him if he should have been at the Kings Coronation to do his homage and fealty according to the writ directed unto him in that behalfe as appeareth by an instrument sent by the said Prince to Robert Kilwarby Archbishop of Canterbury the Archbishop of Yorke and other Bishops sitting then at their Convocation in the new Temple at London Anno. 1275. wherein the causes of this war are contained which instrument it self as it was then sent is extant to this day written in parchment with the Princes great seal thereunto appendant which I have seen saith this Author and copied out of the Original verbatim Mr. Lhoyd being then in the custody of Thomas Yale Doctor of Law of late Dean of the Arches a great searcher and preserver of the antiquities of Wales which I thought convenient here to lay down for the fuller understanding of this History Reverendissimis in Christo Patribus Dominis Roberto Dei gratia Archiepiscopo Cant. totius Angliae Primati Archiepis Eborum ac eorum suffraganis c. To the most Reverend Fathers in Christ and Lords Robert Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of England and the Archbishop of Yorke and their Suffragans being now together at London in Councel Their devote Son Lhewelyn Prince of Wales and Lord of Snowdon greeting with due Obedience Reverence and Honour in all things Be it known unto your reverend Father-hoods that where heretofore contention and discord whereof war followed and long continued arose betwixt the King of Noble memory Henry King of England of the one party and us of the other party the same contentions and strife were at the last appeased by authority of the See Apostolick and means of the reverend Father Lord Otobanus Deacon and Cardinal of St. Adrian Legate into England as it appeareth in the form of Treaty and Peace betwixt the said King and Edward his first begotten Son Lord Edward now King of England and their Successors on the one party and us and our Successors on the other party by the corporal Oath of both parties assured Which form of peace was committed to writing with the said Legate with the seal of the said King and the seal of the said Lord Edward now King and with our seal also in the which peace it is contained amongst other things as you do well know as we believe that we and our Successors should hold of the King and his Successors the Principality of Wales So that all Welsh Barons should hold their Baronies and Lands of us and our Successors in Capite and should do homage and fealty to us and to our heirs one Baron excepted for the which we and our Successors should do homage and fealty to the Lord the King and his Successors It is further contained in the same peace that neither the said King nor his Successors should receive any of our Enemies or any running from us or our Successors nor should help or maintain any such against us or our Successors The which all are contained in the form of peace the Tenor whereof the Reverend Fathers of Strata Florida and Aberconwey bearers hereof can shew you But see Reverend Fathers the Lord Edward now King of England after the said peace taketh into his hands certain Barons Lands in Wales of which they and their Ancestors have been long possessed and keepeth a Barony in his hands which should be ours by the form of peace other Barons of our Land being from us fugitives runing to him he keepeth helpeth and maintaineth David ap Gruffith and Gruffith ap Gwenwynwyn who purposed our death and destruction Notwithstanding that since their departure they have robbed within our Land committed slaughter and burning of houses do daily the like against the peace aforesaid and although we have often sent our griefs and complaints by solemn messengers to the said Noble Lord Edward as well before he was King as since yet unto this day he never did any redress therein also that which is more perilous he called us unto a place not to us safe amongst our deadly Enemies our fugitives and fellons and their spies and murderers to do him homage and fealty to which place we can no wayes come without danger of our body especially seeing our Enemies above said to be in that place at the Kings table and sometimes in Councel and openly brag themselves And though lawfull and reasonable excuses were alledged by our messengres before the King and his Councel why the place was not safe nor indifferent yet he refused to allow or appoint any other place indifferent for us to do homage and fealty which we were and are ready to do unto him in any safe place by him to be appointed if he will appoint any and to perform the other articles of the peace concluded and sworn And for that it pleaseth him not to come to any place where we could with safety do him homage we were suiters to him to send any from him to receive our oath and homage untill it pleased him to appoint a place where we shall do our homage to him personally the which thing he utterly denyed to do We therefore beseech your Father-hoods earnestly that it may please you to consider what danger should happen to the people both of England and of Wales by reason of the breach of Covenants of peace abovesaid if now wars and discord should follow which God forbid attending and calling to remembrance the prohibition of the Holy Father the Pope lately in the Councel at Lyons that no war should be moved amongst Christians least thereby the
said Reginald Grey returned into Wales he would take 24 men of every Cantref and either behead them or imprison them perpetually 16. Item Whereas we paid our Taxes and Rents in old money half year before the coming of new money they enforced us to pay new money for the old These griefs and the like the said Reginald offered us and threatned that if we would send any to the King to complain he would behead them and when we sent any to the King they could never speak with the King but spent us much money in vain for which griefs we believe our selves free before God from the Oath we have made to the King These Griefs following the King and his Justices offered to Rees Vachan of Stratywy 1. After that the said Rees gave the King his Castle of Dynevowr since the last peace the said Rees then being in the Tent of the Lord Payne de Gadersey at the same time there were slain six Gentlemen of the said Rees his men for whom they never had amends which was to him great grief and loss 2. Item John Gifford claimed the said Rees his Inheritance at Hiruryn and the said Rees requested the Law of his Countrey of the King or the Law of the Countrey of Caermarthen in the which Countrey the Ancestors of the said Rees were wont to have Law when they were of the peace of the Englishmen and under their regiment but the said Rees could have no Law but lost all his lands They would have had him to answer in the County of Hereford where none of his Ancestors ever answered Further in the lands of the said Rees were such enormities committed which do most appertain to the State Ecclesiastical that is to say in the Church of St David which they call Lhangadoc Grievous sacriledge committed by the English they made Stables and plaid the Harlots and took away all the goods of the said Church and burning all the houses wounded the Priest of the said Church before the high Altar and left him there as dead 3. Item In the said Countrey they spoiled and burnt the Churches of Dyngad Lhantredaff and other Churches in other parts they spoiled their Chalices Books and all other Ornaments These be the Griefs which the King and his Justice gave to Lhewelyn ap Rees and Howell ap Rees After that a Form of peace was concluded betwixt Henry then King of England and the Prince of Wales the said King granted and confirmed by his Charter to the said Prince the homage of the said Noblemen so long as they stood friends with the Prince according to the said gift and confirmation But Edward now King disinherited the said Gentlemen of their lands so that they could not have their own lands neither by law nor by favour These be the Griefs done by the Englishmen to the sons of Meredyth ap Owen 1. After that the King had granted the Gentlemen their own inheritance of Geneurglyn and Creuthyn he contrary to the peace disinherited the said Gentlemen denying them all lawes and customs of Wales and of the County of Caermarthyn 2. The said King in his County of Caerdigan by his Justices compelled the said Gentlemen to give judgement upon themselves where their predecessors never suffered the like of Englishmen 3. The said Justices of the King having taken away the Courts of the Noblemen in Wales and compelled the people to satisfie before them for trespasses when as they ought to have satisfied by the said Nobles 4. When a Wrack happeneth upon any of the grounds of the Noblemen whose ancestors had the Wrack they should have the same yet the King forbiddeth them and the said King by colour of that Ship-wrack contrary to their custom and law did condemn them in eight Marks and took away all the goods of the Ship-wrack The Complaints of the Noblemen of Strattalyn of the Wrongs and Griefs done to them by Roger Clifford and Roger Scrochill Deputy to the said Roger Clifford contrary to the Priviledge Justice and Custom of the said Noblemen as they say and prove 1. When the said Roger compelled the said men of Strattalyn to give them to have their customs and priviledges 20 Marks starling and after the payment of the money they brake by and by after this sort to put upon 12 men according to the laws of England which was never the manner or custom of the said Countrey 2. Item Madoc ap Blethyn was condemned in 4 Marks unjustly contrary to the laws and use of the Countrey 3. Item Grono Goch was likewise condemned 5 Marks and 12 Beasts contrary to the customs of his Countrey Dear Venison 4. Item The said Roger took the lands of the men of the Countrey as forfeit and for one foot of a Stagg found in a Dogs mouth three men were spoiled of all they had 5. Item Itlhel ap Gwysty was condemned in a great sum of money for the fact of his father done 40 years before 6. Item The said Rogers laid upon us the finding of all the English Souldiers where as before there was but one half 7. Item We were given to Mr. Maurice de Cruny and were sold to Roger Clifford which was never seen 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 judged before the King that the said lands were never given in Ward These be the Articles of Grief done to the men of Penlhyn by the Constable of Henry Chambers of the White Abbey and his men 1. Cynwric ap Madoc was spoiled by them in the time of peace of 8 pound 4 Oxen Corn the work of one plough for two years and to the value of 3 pound of 3 of his men and they had the worth of 16 pound for the said 8 pound and did beat 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 spoyl was only that they said they had found 24 sheafes of Tythe in the house of a servant of the said Cynwric 2. Item Adam Criwr was condemned in 8 s. 8 d. and a Mare price 20 s. and was taken and beaten for that he had taken the Stealer of that Mare and brought him bound with him the which Thief was forthwith delivered 3. Item Jorwerth ap Gurgenen was condemned in 4 l. for that he had scaped out of their prison in time of the wars and was found in the same Town in time of peace and this is directly against the peace concluded betwixt the King and the Prince 4. Item Cadua Dhu servant to the Constable of Penlhyn was condemned because he would not receive the old money for new 5. Item Gruffith ap Grono the Princes man was spoiled of an Oxe price 11 s. 8 d. and after that the Constable had ploughed with the said Oxe 7 moneths he paid to the said Gruffith
number of Servants to attend him according to his estate and dignity which should be at diet in the Kings house untill the said prince should accomplish the age of 14 years and that the King should have all such summes of money as should clearly remain unto the prince due of all manner of Issues and Revenues which the Prince then had in respect of his said Principality Dutchy and Earledom untill the said age of 14. years The said Revenues to be accounted for to the King in his exchequer reserving unto the said Prince untill he should come to be of the age of eight years 1000 l. yearly and from that age till he came at fourteen The K. to have the revenues till the P. accomplish the age of 14 2000 marks yearly for his Wardrobes Wages of Servants and other necessary expences But saving alwaies unto the King the Advousons of Bishopricks and spiritual livings and the gifts of all Offices Wards Reliefs and Escheats belonging to the said Prince untill he should accomplish the said age of fourteen years saving such estate in certain of the said lands as the Queen had to her before the said time assured untill the Prince should be of the said age of fourteen years and saving certain particular summes of money in the said Act of Parliament mentioned as were formerly appointed out of the said lands as well for expence of the Kings of England for their houshould as otherwise during such particular times as are therein declared provided that all Offices formerly granted by the King and needing actual exercise and the Fees to the same should not be prejudiced by the same Act. Afterwards by another Charter Ex Charta Regia dat In Scaccaria penes Rememor Thesaur remoâ—te the said King doth release unto the said Prince all the said Grant of the said yearly summes of money issuing out of the revenues aforesaid and all things by the said Act granted and appointed unto the said King yearly 527 marks 4 s. 7 d. ob and out of the said Dutchy untill the said prince should be of eight years of age then reserving out of the said Principality and Earldom yearly unto the King 277 marks 4 s. 7 d. ob and out of the said Dutchy yearly 517 marks 11 s. 7. ob untill the said age of 14. years of the Prince for the said Dutchy and to be employed towards the charges of the Kings houshould and not otherwise And the said King by his letters Patents dated 18 of January anno regni 35. during the minority of the said Prince ordained the then Archbishop of York In Chartes l. 35. H. 6 part 2. a Privy Councellors appointed to the Prince the bishops of Winchester Hereford Lichfield and Coventry and the Lord Keeper of the privy Seal the Earles of Shrewsbury Stafford and Wilts the then Viscount Beamont and also John Sutton and Thomas Stanley Knights to be of the privy Counsel to the said Prince enjoyning all Officers and Ministers of the Prince that they and every of them should be obedient to the execution of all commandements and warrants of the said Councellours or at least four of them together with the assent and consent of the Queen in all causes and matters concerning the titles rights possessions and Interests of the said Prince and that the said commandements and warrants should be as available in that behalf as if the said had been made or done by the said Prince himself being of full age which commandement in all leases of the said Princes inheritance was pursued accordingly In the 39. year of the said K. Henry VI. reign he being of the house of Lancaster such is the mutability and so unstable are all humane things that the said King being a man devout and religious the founder of Schooles and Colledges vertuous and a lover of peace was by the violence of the heirs of the house of York put from his Kingdom and secured in prison and Edward Earle of March son and heir to Richard Duke of York reigned in his stead by the name of Edw. IV. But yet behold the hand of God for in the tenth year of the said King Edward IV. upon a discontentment conceived against him by Richard Earle of Warwick a man more popular and potent then was fit for a Subject the said Richard with a collected power so pressed the King that he was driven to fly the realme and to seek forraign aid seeing his homebred subjects proved so unfaithful In Chartes pat 35. H. 6. pars 2. Then King Henry VI. after 10 years imprisonment readepted the Kingdom and in the said tenth year of King Edward IV. wrote the 49 year of his reign having endured 10 years intermission in the computation of his time as appeareth in the books of law of that age but being thus seated he was unsetled after much effusion of blood for in a civil war there is no true victory in as much as he that prevaileth is a loser K. H. 6 was compelled again to give place to his adversary after to make that part sure was deprived of life having lost also Edw. his son P. before spoken of the hope of all his posterity in the battail at Tukesbury Edward of Westminster Edward IV. having gotten the Crown which had been thus shaken from his head did by his Charter dated the 26 of June 11 regni created Edward of Westminster his son and heir apparant P. of Wales and E. of Chester 11 Ed. 4 pars 1. memb 1. and by another like Charter of the same year gave unto him the lands and revenues of the said principality to have and to hold to him and his heirs Kings of Engl. This Ed. the P. being of tender years was born in the Sanctuary whether the Queen his mother was fled for security and during the time that the King her husband had avoided the realm Afterwards the said King by his letters patents dated the 8. of July in the said 11 year of his reign ordained his Queen the then Archbishop of Canterbury George Duke of Clarence Richard Duke of Glocester brothers to the said King the then Bishop of Bath and Wells and Durham Sr. J. Dodridge fol. 25. Anthony Earle Rivers the then Abbot of Westmonastery Chancelour to the Prince Will. Hastings Knight Lord Chamberlain to the King Rich. Fines Lord Dacres Steward of the said Prince John Fogg John Scot Knight Thomas Vaughan Chamberlain to the Prince J. Alcock and Rich. Farler to be of Councel to the said Prince giving unto them and every 4 of them thereby with the advice and expresse consent of the Queen large power to advise and councel the said Prince and to order and dispose the lands revenues and possessions of the said Prince and the nomination of officers to him belonging when they should happen to become void or that the parties were insufficient The said authority thus given unto the said councelours to continue untill
the said Prince should accomplish the age of 14. years which was performed by them accordingly in all leases dispositions and grants of the revenues of the said prince The said K. Edw. by another Charter composed in English and bearing date 10 of Novem. 13o. regni appointed the said E. Rivers being brother unto the Queen to be governour of the person of the said prince and to have the education and institution of him in all vertues worthy his birth and to have the government and direction of his servants King Edward the fourth having reigned full 22. years left this mortal life 24. regni at VVestminster and was enterred at VVindsor Edward his Son and Heir then being at Ludlow neer the Marches of Wales for the better ordering of the Welsh under the Government of the Lord Rivers his Unkle on the Mothers side and upon the death of his Father drawing towards London to prepare for his Coronation fell into the hands of his Unkle by the Fathers side Richard D. of Glocester and the said Lord Rivers being upon his way to London Dulce vennum regnum was intercepted and lost his head at Pomfret for what cause I know not other then this that he was thought to be too great an obstacle between a thirsty Tyrannous desire and the thing that was so thirstily and Tyrannously desired Edward the 5. King of England for so he was although he enjoyed it not long being thus surprised under the power of his natural or rather most unnatural Unkle and mortal enemy was brought to London with great solemnity and pompe and with great applause of the People flocking about to behold his person as the manner of the English Nation is to do whose new joyes cannot endure to be fettered with any bonds His said Unkle calling himself Protector of the King and his realm but indeed was a wolfe to whom the lamb was committed for having thus surprised the Kings person he laboured by all means to get into his possession also the younger brother being D. of Yorke knowing that they both being sundered Vindex nocentes sequitur a tergo Deus the safety of the younger would be a means to preserve the elder and therefore by all sinister perswasions and fair pretences having obtained the younger D. from his mother the King and the D. both for a time remained in the Tower of London Ed. v. upon his return to England and there shortly after both in one bed were in the night smothered to death and buried in an obscure and secret place unknown how or where untill one of the Executioners thereof after many years being condemned to dye for many other his manifold crimes confessed also his guilty fact in this tragical business and the circumstance thereof of which by reason of the secresie and incertainty divers had before diversly conjectured And by this means all for the Coronation of Innocent Edward served the turn to set the Crown upon the head of Tyrannous Richard Out of which by the way I cannot but observe how hatefull a bloody hand is to Almighty God the King of Kings who revenged the bloodshed of those civil broyles whereof Edward the Father had been the occasion and the breach of his oath upon these his two Innocent Infants Edward Son of Richard III. This Tyrant and stain of the English story Inter warr ad magnum sigillum in Cancellaria Henricus rosas Richard D. of Glocester usurped the Kingdom by the name of Richard the third and became King yet as our Records of Law witness de facto non de jure and in the first year of his reign created Edward his son being a child of ten years of age Prince of Wales Lieutenant of the Realm of Ireland But for that the prosperity of the wicked is but as the florishing of a green tree which whiles man passes by is blasted dead at the roots and his place knoweth it no more so shortly afterwards God raised up Hen. Earl of Richmond the next heir of the house of Lancaster to execute justice upon that unnatural and bloody Usurper and cast him that had been the rod of Gods Judgment upon others into the fire also for in the third year of his reign at the battail of Bosworth whereunto the said Richard entered in the morning crowned with all Kingly pomp he was slain and his naked carkass with as much despight as could be devised was carried out thereof at night and the said Henry Earle of Richmond the Solomon of England Reigned in his stead by the name of King Henry the Seventh Arthur Son of K. Henry VII Henry the VII took to wife Elizabeth the eldest daughter and after the death of her brothers the Relict heir of King Edward IV. by which marriage all occasions of contention between those two noble Families of York and Lancaster were taken away and utterly quenched and the red Rose joyned with the white The said K. Henry the seventh by his letters patents dated the first day of December 5. regni created Arthur his Eldest son heir apparent being then about the age of three years Prince of Wales But before we proceed any further treating of the Princes of Wales let us consider from whence this Arthur descended and admire the goodnesse and providence of the highest and great God towards the VVelsh nation to bring the honour and principality to one descended of the Ancient Welsh or British blood I will bring the pedegree ascendent the noble Prince Arthur was son to Henry the VII Arthur The King of England from the Welsh blood first thus Henry VII Elizabeth Eldest Daughter to K. Edward IV. Edmund Earle of Richmond Margaret Daughter and Heir to John Duke of Somerset Sr. Owen Tudor Katherine Queen Dowager to K. Henry the V. Meredyth son to Tudor Tudor son to Grono Grono son to Tudyr Tudyr son to Grono Grono son to Ednivet Ednivet Vachan married Gwenlhian daughter to Rees Prince of Southwales Gruffith King of Southwales Rees ap Tudyr King of Southwales Whose Armes were Gules a Lyon Ramp within a border indented Or. I could deduce this family from several English matches as Holland Tuckets Norris but I should be too prolix and seem to exspaciate beyond my bounds and therefore I will return to our Prince of whom we now speak Dodridge fol. 28. Also there was a Charter of the Grant of the Lands of the said principality Earledom of Chester and Flint dated the 20 of February in the said fift year of the said King made unto the said Prince The said King Henry the VII by his Charter bearing date the 20. day of March in the eight year of his reign did constitute and appoint the said Prince Arthur to be his Justice in the County of Salop Inter war ad magnum sigillvm in Cancellaria Hereford Glocester and the Marches of Wales adjoyning to the said Shires to enquire of all liberties priviledges and
Stratherne Stewards which ware the crown of Scotland married Eufamia daughter to the Earle of Ross and had by her two sons Walter E. of Athol and David E. of Stratherne This Walter solicited Robert D. of Albanie to slay David Steward D. of Rothsay After that James the first was returned out of England Nec lex est justior ulla Quam necis artifices arte perire sua he did what he could to move him to put to death all the lineage of the said Duke still being in hope after the dispatch of his Kinsmen to come to the crown himself which hope moved him to procure his Nephew Robert Steward and Robert Graham his daughters son to murder K. James the I. also for the which crime the said Walter was convicted and destroyed with all his sons His brother David Earle of Buchquane died without issue and so the lands of both those brethren returned again to the crown without any memory of their blood Sir Robert Steward Duke of Albanie married the E. of Lenox daughter and had by her 3 sons Walter Alexander and James Duke Murdo himself with his first two sons were slain at Striveling by K. James I. and the third brother James in revenge thereof burnt Durbertane and was after chased into Ireland where he deceased without issue Robert the third of that name married Annabel Drommound daughter of Sir John Drommound of Stobhal Knight and had by her David and James the first dyed in Faulkland and the other attained the Crown and was called James the first and married the Lady Jane daughter to John Beauford Earle of Somerset in England he had by her two sons born at one birth Alexander and James the first died young the second reigned by the name James the second James the first had also 6 daughters James the 1. his issue the eldest whereof was given in marriage to the Dolphin in France the second to the Duke of Brittain the third to the Lord Feir the fourth to the Lord of Dalkeith the fifth to the Earle of Hantley and the sixt had no succession James the II. married Margaret daughter to the Duke of Gelderland and begot on her three sons and two daughters The first succeeded him in the Kingdom and was called James the III. the second named Alexander was Duke of Albanie and married the Earle of Orkneys daughter and had by her Alexander that was after Bishop of Murray and then parting with her went into France where he married the Countesse of Bullogne and begot on her John Steward D. of Albany who was Governour of Scotland many years in the minority of James V. The 3 son John Steward was E. of Marr whose chance was to be slain in the Cannogat in a Bath-fat The first daughter of James the second was married to the Lord Boyd who had by her a son that was slain by the Lord Montgomery and a daughter that was married to the Earle of Cassels After the death of the Lord Boyd she was married to the Lord Hamilton and by that means was the house of Hamilton decorate with the Kings blood which they have well requited in the late transactions The other sister was married to the Lord Creichton James III. married Margaret daughter to the K. of Denmark of which marriage was born James IV Alexander Bishop of St. Andrews and D. of Albanie and John Steward E. of Marr which two died without issue James the IV. married Margaret daughter to K. Henry VII of England and by her had James the fifth who marrying first the Lady Magdaline daughter of Frances the French King had no issue by her for that she dyed in the year next after her coming into Scotland and then shortly after the said James the fifth married the Lady Mary de Lorayne Dutchesse of Longuile a widdow and by her had he issue Mary Queen of Scotland that took to husband Henry Darnely alias Steward by whom she had issue Charles James after King of England only son as I said before of Henry King of Scotland and of Queen Mary his wife Dowager of France and heir of Scotland who married Anne daughter of Frederike the second King of Denmark by whom he had Issue Henry Frederike created Prince of Wales at whose creation Charles Duke of York Sir Rab. Bartu Lord Willoughby of Earesby after Earle of Lindsey and General for K. Charles at Edgehil and there slain Sir William Compton Lord Compton after Earle of Northampton Sir Grey Bridges Lord Shandos Sir Francis Norris Lord Norris of Ricot after E. of Berks. Sir Will. Cecil after Earle of Salisbury Sir Allan Percy brother to Henry Earle of Northumberland Sir Francis Mannors after Earle of Rutland Sir Thomas Somerset brother to the Earle of Worcester and Viscount Cassel after in Ireland Sir Thom. Howard second son to the E. of Suffolk after E. of Berks. Sir John Harrington son to John Lord Harrington of Exton Prince Charles Charles Duke of Albanie Marquesse of Ormond Earle of Roth and Lord of Ardmanoch the third son of James King of great Brittain was created Duke of York at Whitehal on Tueseday the sixt of January 1604. and after on the 4 of November 1616. he was likewise at Whitehal created Prince of Wales Earle of Chester c. at whose Creation these Knights of the Bath were made James Lord Matravers eldest son to Thomas Earle of Arundel Algernon Lord Percy after Earle of Northumberland James Lord Writchesly eldest son to the Earle of Southampton Kt. Theophilus Lord Clinton after Earle of Lincolne Edward Seymore L. Beauchamp grandchild to the Earle of Hertford George Lord Berckley after Lord Berckley Henry Lord Mordant after Earle of Peterborough The Earle of Mar his eldest son after Lord Fenton Sir Henry Howard after Lord Matravers c. Sir Robert Howard fift son to the Earle of Suffolk Sir Edward Sackvile after Earle of Dorset Sir William Howard sixt son to the Earle of Suffolk Sir Edward Howard seventh son to the said Earle after Lord Escricke in Yorkshire Sir VVilliam Seymor second son to the Lord Beauchampe after Earle of Hertford Sir Montague Bartu son to Robert Earle of Lindsey and after Lord VVilloughby and Earle c. Sir VVilliam Sturton son to the Lord Sturton Sir William Parker after Lord Morley and Monteagle Sir Dudley North after Lord Morth Sir Spencer Compton after Earle of Northampton Sir William Spencer after Lord Spencer Sir Rowland St. John brother to Oliver Earle of Bullingbrook Sir John Cavendish second son to William Earle of Devon Sir Thomas Nevel son to Henry Lord of Abergavenny Sir John Roper after Lord Tenham Sir John North brother to the Lord North. Sir Henry Cary Viscount Faulkland Prince Charles This Prince had the title of Prince of Wales but not the Investure and Creation as had his father and Uncle a thing formerly practised as before is shewed and is also of the Welsh blood though born in England by the line of King James from
Howell his son who had for a long time been pledge with him and then also he gave him day for the other Pledges and for his tribute till his return from Ireland The next day being the morrow after St. Lukes day the King took shipping there and had fair passage into Ireland where he landed at Dublin and there lay quiet that winter In the year 1172 there fell a great Plague among the Kings souldiers in Ireland by reason of the change of the air and victuals K. cometh to Pembrock and the solemnizeth the feast of the Resurction of our B. Saviour which caused the Kings return who landed in VVales in Passion week if such a week be now remembred and remained at Pembrock on Easter day which did it not constantly fall upon Sunday would be as well forgot or at least disesteemed as the Birth-day of our most Holy and Blessed Saviour and Reedeemer For he who honours not that blessed Nativity can we think that he reverenceth his glorious Resurrection and the day following and on Tuesday took his journey towards England the Lord Rees careful to comply with the King waits his coming at Talacharn and there presents his duty Caerlheon Castle anew repaired not built by King Hen. 2. The King as he passed from Caerdiff by the new Castle upon Vsk sent for Jorwerth ap Owen ap Cadogan to come and speak with him under safe conduct for him his sons and friends meaning to conclude a peace with him and so to quiet all Wales upon these summons or message Jorwerth took his journey towards the King and sent word to Owen his son being a lusty young Gentleman to meet him by the way but as he came at his fathers command the Earl of Bristolls men by this Earl of Bristoll I know not whom Mr. Powell means Reynold Earl of Cornwal and Bristoll as Mr. Mills calls him base son of Hen. 1. for in our usual accounts of Earls Mr. Mills fol. 69. John Lord Digby of Sherborne is accounted the first of that place being created Earl of Bristoll Sept. 15. Jac. 20. but in those dayes many were stiled Earls of places as Strongbow Earl of Strigull which are not numbred in the Catalogue of Earls hearing of it came out of the now Castle of Caerlheon upon Vsk and laid wait for him by the way being under the Kings safe conduct and trusting to his promise and suddenly set upon and murthered him traiterously and cowardly A most unworthy act being unarmed and having but a few in his Company Which hard and unchristianly act when his father understood by some of his followers that escaped he was much perplexed and returned home with all his friends and his son Howell A just revenge and would never afterwards trust neither the Kings promise nor any Normans but forthwith gathered all his power and friends that he could make and without mercy destroyed all the Countrey with fire and sword to the Gates of Hereford and Glocester to avenge the death of his son Howsoever K. Henry made Lord Rees chief Justice of all South Wales by Commission Usual then as now for the Welsh to have By-blows and look upon them as sons Abergavenny Castle suprised and took his journey into Normandy In the same year died Cadwalader ap Gruffith ap Conan Prince of North Wales who had by his wife Alice daughter of Richard Clare Earl of Glocester Cunetha Radulph and Richard and by other women he had Cadvan Cadwalader Eneon Meredyth Goch and Cadwalhon Towards the end of this year Sytsilt ap Dyfnwall and Jevan ap Syrsilt ap Riryd got the Castle of Abergavenny by surprise and took the Kings Garison prisoners and the year ensuing was the fairest winter that ever was seen About this time Rees Prince of South Wales sent unto King Henry his son Howell with a goodly Company of men to serve him which much pleased the King Hol. pag. 437. who returned cordial thanks to Prince Rees If I mistake not this Prince Rees as also other Princes of South Wales bore for his Ensignes of honour Mars The Arms of P. Rees a Lyon rampant and border endented Sol incensed Jupiter In the mean time Jorwerth ap Owen brought his Forces against Caerlheon and they of the Town fought with him whom he overthrew and took many prisoners of them and wan the Town and laid siege to the Castle Caerlheons Town and Castle taken which was yielded him forthwith in exchange for prisoners Then also Howell his son brought all Gwent ît Coed the Castle onely excepted the Castle here meant by Mr. Powell I conceive was Strigull which belonged to Earl Strongbow under his obedience and took Pledges of the Inhabitants Also at that time David ap Owen Gwyneth Prince of North Wales made war against his brother Maelgon who kept the Isle of Môn or Anglesey and brought his people over Mênai for so that arm of the Sea is called which separateth that Isle from the main land and chasing his brother out of the Isle to Ireland brought all the Isle under subjection also he expelled all his brothers and cousins out of North Wales A Turkish policy and took all their lands to himself and taking his brother Maelgon as he came from Ireland detained him close prisoner Then Conan his brother died In the year 1175. The Welsh much addicted to geld their kindred Howell the son of Jorwerth ap Owen of Caerlheon took his unkle Owen Pen Carne prisoner and putting out his eyes gelded him least he should beget children to inherit Caerlheon and Gwent but God provided a punishment for him for upon the Saturday following there came a great Army of Englishmen and Normans before the Town Caerlheon taken by the English and wan it with the Castle Maugre Howell and his father who was not privy to his sons lewd deed This year also David Prince of North Wales being bold of the King affinity did imprison his own brother Roderike in bolts because he desired part of his fathers lands This year also Rees Prince of South Wales came to the Kings Court at Glocester and brought with him such Lords of South Wales as had offended the King to do him homage which pleased his Majesty exceedingly whose names were these Cadwalhon ap Madoc of Melyenyth Reeses cousin german Eneon Clyt of Eluel Eneon ap Rees of VVerthrynion which two had married two of his daughters Morgan ap Caradoc ap Jestin of Glamorgan Gruffith ap Ivor ap Meyric of Senghennyth Silsyt of higher Gwent Caerlheon restored to Jorwerth by the K. of Engl. which three had married his sisters and Jorwerth ap Owen of Caerlheon whom the King received under his protection restoring to him Caerlheon again and so they returned home well satisfied But shortly after VVilliam de Bruse Lord of Brecknock desired Silsyt ap Dyfnwall Geffry his son and a great number of the Gentry and best men of