will of the people all his land sauing two castels Aberteiui and Stratmeyric which his brother Maelgon by the aid of Gwenwynwyn had wrongfullie taken from him Then his brother Maelgon fearing his displeasure tooke a solemne oth before noble and religious men which were about to make peace betwixt them that if his brother Gruffyth would giue him pledges for the assurance of his owne person he would deliuer him by a day the castell of Aberteiui whervpon Gruffyth did so But assoone as Maelgon got the pledges he fortified the castell manned it to his owne vse and sent the pledges to Gwenwynwyn who hated Gruffyth to the death there to be kept in prison But shortlie after by Gods helpe they brake the prison escaped home In the yeare 1199. Maelgon sonne to prince Rees laid siege to the castell of Dynerth and getting it slew all the garrison which his brother Gruffyth had left to defend it But at the same time Gruffyth wan the castell of Cilgerran and fortified it This yeare as king Richard did vew the castell of Chaleus in the countrie of Lenuoyle he was striken with a quarell and sore wounded whereof he died the ninth of April and left by his testament Iohn his brother inheritor of all his lands hauing no respect to his brother Geffreys son Arthur duke of Brytaine who being the sonne of the elder brother was his right heire Then this Iohn surnamed Without land was crowned king of England with great triumph wherfore the French king forth with made warre against him to whom Arthur duke of Brytaine cleaued thinking thereby to obtaine the crowne of England Also the king of Scots by meanes of Hugh Bygod came to Yorke and openlie sware fidelitie to the king of England The yeare after Gruffyth sonne to Conan ap Owen Gwyneth a noble man died and was buried in a moonks cowle at the Abbey of Conwy and so were all the nobles for the most part of that time buried for they were made to beleeue by the moonks and friers that that strange weed was a sure defense betwixt their soules and hell how so euer they died And all this baggage and superstition receiued they with moonks and friers a few yeres before that out of England For the first Abbey or frier house that we read of in Wales sith the destruction of the noble house of Bangor which sauored not of Romish dregges was the Tuy Gwyn built the yeare 1146. and after they swarmed like bees through all the countrie for then the Cleargie had forgotten the lesson that they had receiued of the noble Clerke Ambrosius Telesinus who writing in the yeare 540. when the right Christian faith which Ioseph of Aremathia taught at the Ile of Aualon reigned in this land before the proud and bloodthirstie moonke Augustine infected it with his Romish doctrine in a certaine Ode hath these verses Gwae'r offeiriad byd Nys angreifftia gwyd Ac ny phregetha Gwae ny cheidw ey gail Ac ef yn vigail Ac nys areilia Gwae ny theidw ey dheuaid Rhae bleidhie Rhufeniaid A'i ffon gnwppa Which may thus be Englished almost word for word Wo be to that priest yborne That will not cleanlie weed his corne And preach his charge among Wo be to that shepherd I saie That will not watch his fold alwaie As to his office doth belong Wo be to him that doth not keepe From Romish woolues his sheepe With staffe and weapon strong And because no man should doubt of them I haue set them here as they were written by him that made them Whereby it may be proued that the Brytaines the first inhabiters of this realme did abhorre the Romish doctrine taught in that time which doctrine I am sure is litle amended now in the church of Rome and that may be to vs a mirrour to see our owne follie if we doo degenerate from our forefathers the ancient Brytaines in the sinceritie of true religion as we doo in other things This yeare Maelgon ap Rees seeing he could not well keepe Aberteiui of verie spite to his brother and hatred to his countrie sold it to the Englishmen for a small summe of monie being the keie and locke of all Wales The same yeare Madoc the sonne of Gruffyth Maylor lord of Bromfild did build the abbie of Lhanegwest called in English commonlie Vale crucis This yeare also king Iohn made peace with the French king and Arthur duke of Brytaine his nephue and married Isabel daughter and heire vnto the Earle of Angolisme which was before assured vnto Hugh de Brune Uicount of Carce wherefore the said Hugh forsooke king Iohn and became his enimie This Hugh Brune Earle of March and Turyn had this Isabel to wife after the death of king Iohn by whome he had issue William de Valence who in the right of Ione his wife daughter and heire of Warren Montchensey and of Ione the eldest daughter and one of the heires of William Earle Marshall and Penbrooke was Earle of Penbrooke as in this historie hereafter doth appeare The yeare 1201. Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth prince of Northwales being a lustie yoong man banished out of the land his coosen Meredyth the sonne of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth suspected of treason and seased the Cantref of Lhyyn and Euyonyth to his owne hands which were Conans land Then shortlie after Meredyth the sonne of prince Rees was slaine at Carnwilhion by treason whose elder brother Gruffyth seased vpon his castell in Lhanymdhyfri and all his lands This Gruffyth was a wise and discreet gentleman and one that was like to bring all Southwales to good order and obedience who in all things folowed his fathers steppes whom as he succeeded in gouernment so he did in all martiall prowes and nobilitie of mind but cruell fortune which frowned vpon that countrie suffered him not long to enioy his land This prince died vpon S. Iames daie ensuing and was buried at Stratflur with great solemnitie he left behind him a son called Rees as right inheritor of Southwales whose mother was Mawd the daughter of William de Bruse Also this yeare died Arthur duke of Brytaine at Roane not without suspicion of poison ministred by his vncles meanes who caused his sister Elianor to be conueied to England and to be kept in prison miserablie in the castell of Brystow as long as she liued Then the French king got all Normandie sauing Roane and two castels by treason of the Normanes who hated Iohn to the death The next yeare after that certeine lords of Wales got the castell of Gwerthrynion which was Roger Mortimers and made it plaine with the ground Then Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth prince of Northwales calling to memorie his estate and title and how all the other princes by the ordinance of Roderike the Great and after by the lawes of Howel Dha ought of right to acknowledge the king or prince of Northwales as their liege lord and hold
The sixt yeare of Ethelred came another host of Danes through VVestsex and to Reding with Basrecke and Alding and fought fiue battels with Ethelred and Alfred his brother in two of the which the Danes were ouercome at Henglefild Estondowne and in the three other the Englishmen were ouerthrowne at Reding Basing Mereton The yeare 871. King Ethelred died Alfred his brother reigned in his stead Alfred assoone as he had taken the kingdome vpon him considering with himselfe what a heauie burthen he did sustaine inquired after the wisest and the best learned men that he could heare of that he might be directed by them whome he worthilie intertained vsing their aduise as well in the publike gouernment of the common welth as in his priuate studies and conference of learning He sent for two famous learned men out of Wales the one named Iohn De Erigena sirnamed also Scotus borne at Meneuia or S. Dauids brought vp in that colledge who hauing for learning sake trauelled to Athens and bestowed there manie yéeres in the studie of the Gréeke Hebrue and Chaldie toongs and the secret mysteries of Philosophie came from thence to France where he was well accepted with Carolus Calnus and Ludouicus Balbus and there translated the works of Dionysius Areopagita De coelesti hierarchia out of the Gréeke into the Latine toong and at the last being returned home to Wales was sent for by this King Alfred who then founded and erected the vniuersitie of Oxford was the first that professed learning and read publikelie in the said Uniuersitie The other was Asserius or Asser of whom I shall haue occasion to speake hereafter He would not suffer anie to beare office in his court but such as were learned exhorting all men generallie to embrace and honour learning and learned men Alfred in the first yeare of his reigne fought two battels with the Danes vpon the south side of Thames and slue of them one King and nine Earles About this yeare died Gwgan King of Caerdigan This was that noble Gwgan ap Mevric ap Dunwal ap Arthen ap Sitsylht King or prince of Caerdigan who as some Brytish bookes haue was at this time drowned by misfortune At this time the Danes destroied the towne of Alclyde and wan London and Reding and all the inland and kingdome of Mercia And one King or leader of them tooke the countrie of Northumberland and he and his people did much trouble the Pictes Likewise the yeare following three Kings of the Danes went from Cambridge to VVarham in Dorcetshire and Alfred would haue giuen them battell but the Danes desired peace and foresware England which they neuer did before and the same night their horsemen tooke their iournie toward Excester and their footemen which went to the sea were all drowned at Sandwitch When the Danes had thus abiured England they bent their force against VVales and entred the Ile of môn with a great armie in the yeare of Christ 873. where Roderike gaue them two battels one at a place called Bangole and another at a place called Menegid in Anglesey I find also that about this time Halden and Hungare two Captaines of the Danes arriued in Southwales and ouerran the whole countrie destroieng all before them with fire and sword neither sparing churches nor religious houses but within a while after they receiued their deserued reward at the hands of the West Saxons who méeting with them on the coast of Deuonshire slew both Halden and Hungare with 1200. of their people At this time Eneon Bishop of Meneuia or S. Dauids died and Hubert was installed in his place And within two yeares after Dungarth king of Cornewall was drowned by a mischance In the yeare 876. the Englishmen entred into Anglesey and fought with the VVelshmen a sore battell who in the yeare following slue Roderike king or prince of VVales and Gwyriad his brother or as some saie his son This Roderike had by his wife Enghârad the daughter of Meyric the son of Dyfnwal or Dunwal the son of Arthen ap Sitsylht diuers sonnes as Anarawd his eldest sonne to whome he gaue Aberfraw with Northwales Cadelh the second son who had Dinevwr with Southwales and also tooke Mathraual and Powys land by force from his brethren after the death of Mervyn the third sonne to whome his father had giuen the same Roderike the Great is counted of all writers to be the vndoubted owner and possessor of all Wales Venedotia or Northwales descended vnto him from his mother Esylht the daughter and sole heire of Conan Tindaethwy as is euident by this historie Demetia or Southwales as some doo affirme came to him by his wife the daughter heire of Meyricap Dyfnwal ap Arthen ap Sitsylht king of Caerdigan hir brethren who are thought to be illegitimate holding of hir husband Powys he had by Nest the sister and heire of Congen ap Cadelh King of Powys which was his fathers mother These thrée dominions he appointed vnder their meares and bounds with a princelie house in euerie of them which he named Y tair Talaeth and left the same vnto thrée of his sonnes Anarawd Cadelh and Mervyn which were called Y tri twysoc Talaethioc that is The thrée crowned princes because euerie of them did weare vpon his bonet or helmet a coronet of gold being a broade lace or headband indented vpward set and wrought with pretious stones which in the Brytish or Welsh speach is called Talaeth and so to this daie nurses doo name that broade headband wherewith a childs head is bound vppermost vpon some other linen cloathes Talaeth Aberffraw was the chiefe house of the prince of Gwyneth whose dominion was therfore called Talaeth Aberffraw Dinevowr the princelie house of Dehevbarth whereof that part is named Talaeth Dinevowr and in like maner Talaeth Mathraval is so called of the princelie seate of Powys called Mathraval Giraldus Cambrensis in his booke intituled Descriptio Cambriae is of opinion that Mervyn was the eldest sonne of Roderike to whome Venedotia was giuen and was the father of Anandhrec which was the father of Meyric which was the father of Edwal which was the father of Iago c and that Anarawd had Powys and died without issue But the common opinion of all other writers is to the contrarie agréeable to that which this Author affirmeth Roderike had also Roderike Meyric Edwal or Tudwal Gwyriad and Gathelic of whome you shall heare in the historie following ANARAWD Anarawd the sonne of Roderike Other kingdomes and countries of Europe were disquieted with this persecution of the Danes as well as England For of this Hasting it is written that laieng séege to the citie of Limogis in France and despairing of the spéedie winning of the same hée deuised this traine to get it He fained himselfe to be dangerouslie sicke and sent to the Bishop and the Consul of the same citie desiring them most instantlie
after he had reigned with much trouble miserie 37. yeares After whose death the Englishmen chose his base sonne Edmund surnamed Ironside for strength and tolerance in war to be their king This Edmund went to Westsex and brought all that countrie to his subiection Then the Danes laid siege to London made a great trench about it that no man could escape out and gaue Edmund battell who came to raise the siege at Proman by Gillingham where Edmund had the vpper hand The second battell they fought at Caerstane in the which Edric Almar and Algar vsed themselues traitorously against Edmund where after long fight the night departed both the armies The third battell was at London where Edmund pursued the Danes to their ships and entered the citie triumphantlie two daies after they fought the fourth battell at Brenford from whence Edmund bare the honor awaie and went to gather a new armie whiles Cnute did besiege London by water and land but it was manfullie defended Then Edmund with his armie passed the Thames at Brenford and entred into Kent and fought the fift battell where the Danes fled as sheepe before him but he staied the pursute by the wicked read of the traitor Edric whome he had receiued to mercie and made steward of the land the which battell was fought at Essedowne in Essex with all the whole power of the Danes and Englishmen where Edmund shewed his prowes and forsaking his place which was betwixt the Dragon the Standard he entred the armie of his enimies and brake the thickest rankes of them and compelled the prowdest of them to turne their backes Which when Edric saw fearing the ouerthrow of the Danes cried alowd Fledd Engle Fledd Engle Dead is Edmund therevpon fled with his people whome all the armie folowed to the great murther of Englishmen and there were slaine Edmund Alfric Godwyn and Vlfkettel all Dukes all the cheualrie of England After which victorie Cnute entred London was crowned king of the land And Edmund gathered his armie togither and they met in Glocestershire but either armie fearing other were loth to fight but moued the kings to make an end of this cruell bloudshed by combat wherevnto either prince agreed and the place being appointed fought togither manfullie and either of them were found so valiant and worthie men as few the like But Cnute fearing the incomparable strength of Edmund mooued him to accord wherevnto he agreed Therevpon peace was concluded with much ioie that Edmund should reigne in Westsex and Cnute in Mercia and so they departed Cnute to London and Edmund to Oxford where he was traitorously murthered by a sonne of Edric with a sharp knife as he was at the priuie Edric being quicklie certified of the deed came to Cnute with much ioie and greeted him as onelie king of England declaring how Edmund was slaine at Oxford To whom Cnute replied that for his good seruice he would reward him as his deserts required and set him aboue all the nobles of England Therevppon forthwith he caused his head to be cut off and to be set vpon a pole on the highest towre in London and then he caused execution to be done vpon all the other that were consenting to the murther In the yeare 1015. Lhewelyn the son of Sitsylht did raise a great power against Aedan who by force had taken vpon him the rule of Northwales and slue him with his foure sonnes in battell and hauing no respect to Iago or Iames the sonne of Edwal the right heire tooke vpon him the name and authoritie of king of Wales This Lhewelyn was descended from the kings of Wales by his mother side whose name was Trawst daughter to Elise second sonne to Anarawd which was the eldest sonne of Roderike the great who also had to wife Angharat the onlie daughter of Meredyth prince of Southwales and so by these meanes he claimed and enioied the right of either countrie as hereafter shalbe declared Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht Lhewelyn the sonne of Sitsylht and Angharad the daughter of Meredyth AFTER that Lhewelyn son of Sitsylht had taken into his hands the gouernance of Wales all things did prosper in the land for the earth brought foorth double to the time before passed the people prospered in all their affaires and multiplied woonderfullie the cattell increased in great number so that there was neither begger nor poore man from the South to the North sea but euerie man had plentie euerie house a dweller and euerie towne inhabitants Now in this time Cnute married Emme sometimes wife to Edelred and mother to Alfred and Edward and sent Edmund and Edward the sonnes of Edmund Ironside to Hungarie to be slaine howheit the king of Hungarie cherished them as his owne children King Cnute also seazed vpon the land a great subsidie of 72000. pounds besides 11000. li. which the citizens of London paid In the yeare 1019. Meyric the sonne of Arthpoel did raise a great armie against Lhewelyn king or prince of Wales which met with him in the field and manfullie slue him and discomsited his people Also this yeare Cnute with a great nauie sailed to Denmarke and made war against the Vandales which had a great armie in the field whome Cnute ouerthrew by the prowes of Earle Godwyn and the Englishmen wherefore he loved them the better euer after In the yeare 1020. a certaine Scot of lowe birth came to Southwales and named himselfe Run the sonne of Meredyth their late king whome the nobilitie which loued not Lhewelyn exalted to the regall throne and tooke him for their king which thing when Lhewelyn heard he gathered his power in Northwales and came towards Run who had gotten all the strength of Southwales together at Abergwili where with great pride he abode the comming of Lhewelyn But when both armies were readie to ioine Run full of brags and crakes incouraged his people to fight promising them the victorie yet he himselfe following the prouerbe which biddeth a man to set on his dog and not to run after him set on his people to fight it to the vttermost and withdrew himselfe priuilie out of the waie wheras vpon the contrarie part Lhewelyn like a bold and couragious prince came before his people calling for the vile Scot Run that durst so beelie a princes bloud and so both the armies ioined together with much malice and hatred for the one partie were not so couragious to defend the quarell of so woorthie a prince of their owne bloud as the other were obstinate in the cause of a stranger in the end after great slaughter vpon either part the Northwales men remembring their old victories and incouraged by the prowes of their prince put their enimies to flight and pursued Run so narrowlie that all his Scottish shifts could not saue his life and so returned home with great spoile and prey Then Lhewelyn ruled all the land quietlie but
lordship to the Lord Spencer then Lord of Glamorgan and went into Somersetshire to dwell there where his issue male continueth yet ¶ Gilbert de Humfreuile his Petegree SIr Gilbert Humfreuile aforesaid to whome the castell and manour of Penmarke was giuen and his issue male enioied the same till the said king Edward the thirds time and then the inheritance of the said castell and manour descended to sir Iohn S. Iohn of Fonmon knight to whome the forenamed lord S. Iohn of Bledso is sole heire ¶ Roger de Berkerolles knight his Petegree SIr Roger Berkerolles afore said knight to whom the manour of East Orchard was giuen and his issue male enioied the same till the 13. yeare of Henrie the fourth That sir Laurence Berkerolles knight died whom sir Edward Stradling knight as sole heire did succéed being sonne to sir William Stradling knight sonne to sir Edward Stradling knight and Wenlhian sole sister and heire to the said sir Laurence of whom Edward Stradling knight that now is is lineallie descended ¶ Reginald de Sully knight his Petegree SIr Reginald de Sully to whome the castell and manour of Sully was giuen and his issue male enioied the same vntill about king Edward the first his time And then it fell to a daughter married to sir Morgan de Avan Lord of the lordship of Avan aboue named whose sonne sir Iohn de Avan had but one daughter of whome sir George Blunt of Shropshire is lineallie descended as sole heire whose ancestor gaue the said lordship of Avan and the castell and manour of Sully to the Lord Spencer in exchange for other lands in England ¶ Peter le Soore knight his Petegree SIr Peter le Soore knight to whome was giuen the castell and manour of Peters towne and his issue male enioied the same vntill king Henrie the fourth his time and then died without issue and his inheritance fell betwéene diuers ¶ Iohn le Fleming knight his Petegree SIr Iohn le Fleming knight to whome the castell and manour of S. George was giuen and his issue male enioied the same vntill king Henrie the fourth his time and then it fell to Edmond Malefant who had married a daughter to the last Fleming And in king Henrie the seuenth his time the Malefants issue by Flemings daughter failed and then it fell to Iohn Butler of Dunreeven aboue named Esquier and after the death of him and of Arnold his sonne both the inheritances of Fleming Butler fell to Walter Vaghan of Brodeward in the Countie of Hereford Esquier now liuing sisters sonne to the said Arnold Butler ¶ Oliuer de S. Iohn knight his Petegree SIr Oliuer S. Iohn knight to whome the castell and manour of Fonmon was giuen and his heires male haue euer since enioied the same to whom the aboue named lord S. Iohn of Bledso that now is is sole heire whose ancestors from the winning of the said lordship of Glamorgan out of the Welshmens hands haue continuallie dwelt at Fonmon aforsaid vntill the latter time of king Edward the fourth That Iohn S. Iohn esquier had the said lordship of Bledso and manie other possessions besides by the death of dame Margaret Beauchampe his mother who was also mother to Margaret Duchesse of Somerset mother to king Henrie the seuenth Sithence which time the said Iohn S. Iohn and sir Iohn S. Iohn knight father to my Lord that now is haue alwaies dwelt in Bledso but they doo kéepe their lands in Wales still in their hands ¶ VVilliam le Esterling alias Stradling his Petegree SIr William Esterling knight to whome the castell and manour of S. Donats was giuen Sir Iohn le Esterling knight his sonne succéeded him Sir Moris le Esterling knight his sonne succéeded him Sir Robert le Esterling knight most commonlie called Stradling by shortnesse of speach and change of some letters succéeded him Sir Gilbert Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him Sir William Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him Sir Iohn Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him It doth not appeare in what stocke or sirname anie of these seuen knights aboue named did marrie but the christian names of the wiues of William the first Robert and Iohn the second were Hawisia Mathilda and Cicilia Sir Peter Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him who in the begining of king Edward the first his time and reigne married Iulian sole daughter and heire of Thomas Hawey By whom he had thrée manours Hawey Comhawey in Somersetshire yet remaining to his heires and Compton Hawey in Dorcetshire sold of late yeares Sir Edward Stradling knight their son succéeded them and he quartered the Hawey his armes with his and married with Elianor daughter heire to Gilbert Strangbow a yoonger brother whose wife was daughter and heire to Richard Garnon and had by hir two manours in Oxefordshire Sir Edward Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him married with Wenlhian daughter to Roger Berkrolles knight and sole sister and heire to sir Laurence Berkrolles knight as it happened afterward Sir William Stradling knight his sonne married with Isabel daughter and heire to Iohn S. Barbe of Somersetshire but he had no lands by hir for it was entailed to the heires male This sir William in king Richard the seconds time went a pilgrimage to Ierusalem and receiued there also the orders of knighthood of the sepulchre of Christ. Sir Edward Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him who bicause he was sole heire generall to the said S. Barbe did quarter S. Barbes armes with his To whome also in the 13. yeare of king Henrie the fourth fell the whole inheritance of the Berkerolles and the right of the fourth part of Turberuiles inheritance Lord of Coyty aforesaid the which for lacke of issue male of the said Berkerolles remained to Gamage and to his heires male by the especiall entaile aforesaid The which sir Edward did quarter not onelie the said Berkerolles armes with his but also the Turberuiles and Iestynes armes of whome the Turberuiles had in marriage one of the inheritours as is before said bicause the said sir Edward was one of the foure heires generall to sir Richard Turberuile to wit sonne to sir William Stradling sonne to Wenlhian sister and heire to the said Laurence Berkerolles and daughter to Catharine eldest sister and one of the foure heires generall to the aforesaid sir Richard Turberuile The said sir Edward maried with Iane daughter to Henry Beauford afterwards Cardinall begotten before he was Priest vpon Alice one of the daughters of Richard Earle of Arundell and in the beginning of king Henrie the seuenth his reigne he went likewise on pilgrimage vnto Ierusalem as his father did and receiued the order of the sepulchre there This sir Edward had to his brother sir Iohn Stradling knight who married with the heire of Dauncy in Wiltshire and had issue sir Edmond who had issue Iohn and Edmond Iohn had issue Anne ladie Davers of whome the Davers Hungerfordes Fynes and Leuet and a great progenie
of them are descended and of the said Edmond commeth Carnysoyes of Cornewal The said Edward had an other brother called William of whome Stradling of Ruthyn and others are descended the same William had a daughter named VVenlhian who by the Earle of Ryuers had a daughter married to sir Robert Poynes of whome commeth all the Poynes the Newtons Perots and others Sir Harrie Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him and married with Elizabeth sister of whole bloud to sir VVilliam Herebert knight Earle of Penbroke and had issue by hir one sonne and two daughters one of them was married to Myles ap Harry of whome Mistresse Blanch ap Harrie and hir bretheren and vncles are descended the other daughter was married to Fleming of Monton in VVales This sir Harrie in the sixtéenth yéere of King Edward the fourth went in like maner on pilgrimage to Ierusalem and receiued the order of the sepulchre there as his father and grandfather did and died in the Isle of Cypres in his comming home whose booke is to be séene as yet with a letter that his man brought from him to his Ladie wife The saieng is that diuers of his said ancestours made the like pilgrimage but there remaineth no memorie in writing but of these thrée This sir Harrie sailing from his house in Somersetshire to his house in Wales was taken prisoner by a Brytaine pirate named Colyn Dolphyn whose redemption and charges stood him in 2000. markes for the paiment whereof he was driuen to sell the castell and manour of Basselek and Sutton in Monmouthshire and two manours in Oxfordshire Thomas Stradling esquier his sonne succéeded him and married Ienet daughter to Thomas Matthew of Rayder Esquier and had issue by hir two sonnes Edward and Harrie and one daughter named Iane and died before he was xxvi yeares of age After whose death his wife married with sir Rice ap Thomas knight of the garter Harrie married with the daughter and heire of Thomas Iubb learned in the lawe and had issue by hir Francis Stradling of S. George by Bristow yet liuing Iane was married to sir William Gruffyth of Northwales knight and had issue by hir thrée sonnes Edward sir Rice Gruffyth knight and Iohn and seauen daughters The eldest married to Stanley of Houghton the second to sir Richard Buckley knight the third to Lewys the fourth to Moston the fift to Conwey the sixt to Williams the seauenth to Pers Motton and after to Simon Theloal esquier whose wife at this time she is the eight to Philips Of which daughters there be a wonderfull number descended Edward married Iane daughter to sir Iohn Puleston knight and had issue by hir thrée daughters Iane married to VVilliam Herebert of S. Iulian Catharine married to VVilliam Herebert of Swansey and an other daughter married to sir Nicholas Bagnoll knight Sir Edward Sradling knight succéeded his father and married with Elizabeth one of the thrée daughters of sir Thomas Arundell of Lanheyron in Cornewall knight The other two were married to Speke and S. Lowe and had issue foure sonnes Thomas Robert Edward and Iohn Robert married VVatkyn Locher his daughter and hath by hir manie children Edward married with the daughter and heire of Robert Baglan of Lantwit and hath also diuers children and Iohn is a priest Also the said sir Edward had two daughters Iane married to Alexander Popham of Somersetshire of whom is a great number descended and Catharine married to sir Thomas Palmer knight of Sussex who hath a sonne named VVilliam Sir Thomas Sradling knight his sonne succéeded him and married Catharine the eldest daughter to sir Thomas Gamage of Coyty knight and to dame Margaret his wife daughter to sir Iohn S. Iohn of Bledso knight by whom he hath liuing yet two sonnes Edward and Dauid and fiue daughters Elizabeth Damasyn Iane Ioice and Wenlhian Sir Edward Stradling knight that now is married Agnes second daughter to sir Edward Gage of Sussex knight and as yet in the yeare 1572. hath no issue Memorandum that of the heires male of the aforesaid twelue knights that came with sir Robert Fitzhamon to the winning of Glamorgan the Lordship aforesaid there is at this daie but the Stradling a liue that dwelleth in VVales and enioieth the portion giuen in reward to his ancestors There be yet of the yoonger brothers of the Turberuiles and Flemings Greenefeeld and Syward doo yet remaine but they dwell in England and haue doone awaie their lands in VVales The Lord S. Iohn of Bledso although he kéepeth his ancient inheritance in Wales yet he dwelleth in England ¶ Thus farre the copie of the winning of Glamorgan as I receiued the same at the hands of mistris Blanch Parrie collected by Sir Edward Stradling knight There were besides with the said Robert Fitzhamon in this voiage diuers other noble men and gentlemen some out of England some out of Dyuet and other places in Wales which came thither with the said Eneon against Rees ap Theodor of whome Robert Sitsylt was one who albeit he had no part of the said Lordship of Glamorgan that I can read of yet neuerthelesse he was in respect of his good seruice there doone preferred to the marriage of an inheritrice of great possessions in the land of Ewyas and the countrie néere adioining Of which Robert Sitsylt I find this that followeth recorded in a verie ancient writing conteining his whole genelogie of 16. descents of heires male lineallie which writing for the more credit of the historie I thought good here to insert as followeth IN the yeare of Christ 1091. Robert Sitsylt came with Robert Fitzhamon to the conquest of the countrie of Glamorgan and after wedded a Ladie by whome he had Halterennes and other lands in Hereford and Glocestershires he had a sonne called Iames Sitsylt Iames Sitsylt tooke part with Mawd the empresse against king Stephen and was slaine at the siege of the castell of Wallingford An. 4. Stephan hauing then vpon him a vesture whereon was wrought in needle worke his armes or ensignes as they be made on the toombe of Gerald Sitsylt in the Abbeie of Dore which are afterward trulie blazed in a iudgement giuen by commission of king Edward the third for the ancient right of the same armes This Iames had a sonne called Iames Sitsylt and foure daughters Iohn Sitsylt the sonne of Iames was after the death of his father in the same warres with Roger Earle of Hereford and constable of England and being taken prisoner at the siege of Lincolne Anno. 6. Stephani he paid for his ransome 400. marks and therefore sold his lordship of Beauport and all his lands in the countie of Glocester he tooke to wife a Ladie called Mawd de Frenes and had issue Eustace Eustace Sitsylt the sonne of Iohn was wedded to Elianor the daughter of Sir Walter Pembridge Knight and had by hir Baldwin and Iohn and foure daughters whereof one of them was the wife of Sir Thomas Fitzneale knight Baldwin
sent for Ithel and Madoc the sonnes of Riryd ap Blethyn to whom he promised rich gifts and great rewards besides the rule of the whole countrie if they could take or kill Owen to reuenge the dishonor that he had doone to the king and to them he added Lhywarch the sonne of Trahaern ap Caradoc whose two brethren Owen had slaine and Vchtryd the sonne of Edwyn which foure promised the bishop to bring him Owen and his father either aliue or dead and therevpon foorthwith gathered their power to destroie the whole countrie but Vchtryd sent priuie word before that all such of the people as would haue their liues saued should come to him And when the countrie heard this some fled to Arustly some to Melienyth some to Stradtywy and some to Dyuet where Gerald was destroieng the countrie And at that time Walter bishop of Hereford did gather an armie to defend Carmarthyn and met with such as fled to Arustly and Melienyth and destroied a great number of them Those that went to Stradtywy were gentlie receiued by Meredyth ap Rytherch and Vchtryd saued all such as came to him and so these foure came with their powers to the castell of Rydcors and thought best to haue entred the countrie by night and to take Cadogan and Owen his sonne vnawares But Vchtryd dissuaded them from that and thought it dangerous to enter the countrie by night for feare of ambushment but counselled them to enter in by day with their men in good order In the meane while Cadogan and Owen gat a ship at Aberystwyth which was latelie come from Ireland and escaped awaie and the daie after when they entred into the land they found none of them that they sought Therefore putting all the fault vpon Vchtryd they burned and spoiled all the countrie sauing the Sanctuaries of Padarn and Lhandhewi Breui yet they tooke diuerse men out of those places and caried them prisoners to their countries and then returned to their owne castels againe Then Owen with such as had beene with him at the burning of the castell fled to Ireland to king Murcart who receiued him ioiouslie for he had beene there before in the time of the warre of the two Earles in Anglesey or Môn and had brought the king rich gifts from Wales But Cadogan kept himselfe priuilie in Powys sent to the king to declare his innocencie Tehn the king was content he should remaine in the countrie and enioy the towne and lands that he had by his wife for she was daughter to a Lord of Normandie called Pygot de Say Then Madoc and Ithel his two nephewes diuided such lands as he and his sonne Owen had in Powys betwixt them and ruled it verie euill for they could neuer agree among themselues within a while Cadogan made such freends to the king that paieng a 100. pound fine he should enioy againe his landes in Caerdigan and that the inhabitants should returne againe to their houses and till the ground for the king had giuen commandement that no Welshman nor Normane should dwell within Caerdigan When they that were in Ireland vnderstood this they returned home priuilie and hid themselues in their coosens houses and shortlie after Owen returned againe to Wales but not to Caerdigan for his father had receiued that land vpon such condition that he should not suffer Owen to come therein nor succour him either with counsell monie or men Nowbeit Owen came to Powys and would faine haue sent messengers to the king but he could get no man that durst venture to speake for him Also at that time there happened some variance betwixt Madoc ap Riryd and the bishop of London lieutenant of the Marches about certeine felons of England that had fled to him for succor whom the bishop sent for but could not get wherfore he was sore offended with him Then Riryd vnderstanding of that sent to Owen desired his freendship whose greatest enimie he was before and by this meanes they were made freends and swore either to other that none of them should betraie the other nor agree by himselfe with the king or with his officers without the other and therevpon they burned and spoiled the lands of such as they loued not destroied all things that they met withall At this time also the Emperour Henrie did send his ambassadors to entreate of a mariage with Mawd the daughter of king Henrie and had hir to his wife And shortlie after the king banished and disinherited Peter de Bruse William Mallet and William Baynard and put to death the Earle of Mayne That yeare appeared a terrible Comete Then also the king remembred Iorwerth ap Blethyn whom he had kept long in prison and sent to know of him what time he would paie to haue his libertie and he promised the king 300. pound or the worth thereof in cattell or horses then the king set him at libertie and gaue him his land againe and gaue ten pound of that monie to Henrie sonne to Cadogan by the daughter of Pygot All this while Owen and Madoc were burning and spoiling the Englishmen and Normanes and euer withdrew themselues to the land of Iorwerth which thing greeued him greatly wherevpon he sent word of his danger desiring them to spare his land Cadogans for if it were knowne that they came in anie of theirs the land was forfeited to the king When Owen and Riryd heard this they vsed his countrie more often than they were woont then Iorwerth seeing that chased them out of his countrie Then they went to the countrie of Vchtryd in Merionyth shire and the sons of Vchtryd sent word to their people to keepe them out of their countrie and so they did for meeting them by the waie they set vpon them and Owen and Madoc defended themselues manfullie but at the last they and their men were driuen backe and so they fled Owen to Caerdigan to his fathers countrie and Madoc to Powys Then Owen with his companions made diuerse roades to Dyuet and spoiled the countrie carieng awaie the men and the cattell to the ships that they came in from Ireland and after ransomed them and gathered a great number to him set vpon a towne of Flemings and burned it and returned to Caerdigan nothing esteeming his fathers danger nor the kings displeasure At this time it chansed that Owens men among other mischeefes laid wait for a bishop that was towards the king whose name was William de Brabant and slew him and all his men Then Iorwerth Cadogan were at the court to speake with the king concerning certaine businesse of their owne and as the king talked with them behold there came in a Fleming brother to the dead bishop who made an exclamation declaring how Owen ap Cadogans men had slaine his brother and a great number moe and how they were succoured in Cadogans land Then the king being therewith sore displeased asked Cadogan what he could saie to the
the king put such confidence in him encouraged his men to doo their indeuour at this time to pleasure the King as they had doone heretofore to offend him and so ioining with Lhywarch they went towards Stratywy to meete with the kings sonne And when they came to the confines of the countrie they made a vowe that neither man woman nor child should escape their hands aliue When the people vnderstood of this cruell band they fled out of the countrie some to woods some to rocks and caues and some to the kings castels to saue their liues Then they diuided their people to enter the woods and straits which be verie manie in that countrie And Owen himselfe tooke with him about 100. men and entred the wood and perceiued that men and cattell had passed that waie whom he followed and ouertooke slaieng some of them put the rest to flight then taking their cattell returned backe towards his companie But at that instant behold Gerald steward of Penbroke with all his power of Flemings was comming to meete the kings sonne and met with them that fled who cried out vnto him for helpe and declared that Owen ap Cadogan had spoiled them of all their goods Now when Gerald and the Flemings vnderstood that Owen was there with so litle companie they thought it a meete time to be reuenged of their old wrongs and so pursued him to the woods Owen being warned by his men that a great number pursued him and counselled to make hast awaie would not so doo bicause he vnderstood them that followed to be the kings freends and nothing doubted of them But when they came nigh they began to shoot at his men who would haue had Owen to flee but he turned manfullie to his enimies and encouraged his men to fight affirming that although their enimies were seauen to one yet they were but Flemings and such as feared their names and were good for nothing but to emptie cuppes and with that set vpon them couragiouslie And it chanced that at the first meeting Owen was stricken with an arrowe to the heart and slaine which thing when his men sawe they fled and brought word to Lhywarch ap Trahaern and their fellowes who suspecting the kings armie seeing they could not trust them in the kings seruice returned to their countrie About this time the order and court of Parliament began first in England The kings of elder time did neuer lightlie call togither all the states of the realme vnlesse it were in the begining of their gouernment to settle things in quietnesse at their Coronations or when some great warre was in hand otherwise in the ordering of the common wealth the kings did all things by their officers with directions and edicts or by such of the nobilitie as were chifee rulers in their seuerall counties After the death of Owen his brethren diuided his landes betweene them sauing that which he had taken by force from his vncle Meredyth being the lands of Madoc ap Riryd ap Blethyn The names of his brethren were these Madoc whose mother was Gwenlhian the daughter of Gruffyth ap Conan Eneon whose mother was Sanna the daughter of Dyfnwal Morgan whose mother was Evelhiw or Elhiw the daughter of Cadivor ap Colhoyn lord of Dyuet Henrie and Gruffyth whose mother was the daughter of the lord Pigot Cadogans wedded wife Meredyth by Evrvron Hoedliw Owen was the sonne of Inerth the daughter of Edwyn After this Eneon ap Cadogan and Gruffyth ap Meredyth ap Blethyn did lead their power against a castell that Vchtryd ap Edwyn had built at Cymmer in Merionyth for Cadogan had giuen to his coosen germane Vchtryd Merionyth and Ceuilioc vpon condition that he and his should be freends to his freends and foes to his foes in all causes but contrarie to that condition he and his sonnes were euer against Cadogans children in euerie enterprise that they went about Therfore after they had set vpon the castell and slaine diuerse of the garrison the rest yeelded to them and so when they had wonne all the countrie they diuided it betwixt them Thus Gruffyth ap Meredyth had Mowthwy Cyuelioc and halfe Penlhyn and the other halfe of Penlhyn Merionyth came to Eneon An. 1116. king Henrie sailed into Normandie with a great armie against the French king who with the Erle of Flanders and others went about to make William sonne to Robert Curthoise duke of Normandie but at king Henries arriuall they returned home without honor This yeere died William Strangbow of a consumption The next yeare after fell a great variance betweene Howel ap Ithel Lord of Ros and Ryuonioc now Denbighland and Riryd and Lhywarch the sonnes of Owen ap Edwyn Then Howel sent to Meredyth ap Blethyn and to Eneon and Madoc Cadogans sonnes for succour who came downe from Merionyth with 400. men well appointed and met with the sonnes of Owen in the vallie of Clwyd their owne land which sonnes of Owen sent for their coosines the sonnes of Vchtryd to come with their powers to succour them all these met togither with cruell harts and fought manfully but in the end after great slaughter Lhywarch the sonne of Owen ap Edwyn was slaine and with him Iorwerth the sonne of Nudh which was a noble man and a worthie soldiour and Riryd fled and so Howel ap Ithel had the victorie but he was so sore wounded that he died within fourtie daies after Then Meredyth ap Blethyn and the sonnes of Cadogan made speed home for feare of the Frenchmen which laie in garrisons about Chester In the yeare 1120. died Murcart the worthiest and greatest prince in all Ireland And the same time there was a great battell fought betweene king Henrie and the French king who was ouerthrowne and a great number of his nobles taken And shortlie after as king Henrie returned towards England by misgouernment of the shipmaster there was a ship drowned wherein perished the kings two sonnes William and Richard with his daughter and niece and manie other to the number of 150. The next yeare after the king did marrie Adelyce daughter to the duke of Louaine forthwith prepared a great armie against Wales and came to Powys land which when the lords of the land Meredyth ap Blethyn and the three sons of Cadogan Eneon Madoc and Morgan saw they sent to Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales to desire succours at his hands and he answered that they should not receiue anie of him nor enter within his lands for he had made peace with the king Thus hauing no hope of aid from him they purposed to defend themselues within their owne land after the best maner they could and set men to keepe and defend the straits wherby their enimies must needes passe And as it chanced the king himselfe with a small number came vnto one of those defended places for his whole armie had goone a further waie
about because of their carrages at whose comming the men which kept the straits skirmished with the kings men and with their arrowes hauing the aduantage of the ground slew some and hurt manie Among these one drew his bowe and shooting towards his foes by fortune stroke the king a great blow vpon the breast but by meane of his maze the arow hurt him not neuerthelesse he was wonderfullie dismaied withall considering how rashlie by misfortune he might lose in that wild countrie the honour and fame which he had wonne before did send to parle with them that kept the passage and to will them vnder assurance to come and speake with him which they did Then he asked them whose men they were and how they durst be so bold as to put the king in such danger and they said that they were Meredyth ap Blethyns men and did nothing but their maisters commandement in keeping the passage Then the king willed them to go to their maister and counsell him to go to the kings peace and he should receiue no hurt which he and his coosins did and fined to the king for their offenses 1000. heads of cattell and the king returned to England King Henrie hauing thus quieted Wales leauing the lord Fitzwaren warden or lieutenant of the Marches returned to England where he held thrée Parliaments this yeare the first about Christmasse at Norwych the second about Easter at Northampton and the third after Whitsuntide at London The yeare ensuing Gruffyth ap Rees ap Theodor did kill Gruffyth ap Sulhaern and Eneon the son of Cadogan died and gaue his part of Powys and Merionyth which he had wonne to his brother Meredyth but Meredyth ap Blethyn his vncle put him backe by force tooke it to himselfe At this time the king did set at libertie Ithel ap Riryd ap Blethyn whom he kept in prison manie yeares who came home thinking to haue enioied his owne lands Now when Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales heard how that Meredyth ap Blethyn had taken by force the lands of his Nephew Meredyth ap Cadogan he sent his sonnes Cadwalhon and Owen with a power to Merionyth who brought all the countrie to their subiection and caried the cheefe men and the cattell to Lhyyn and afterward the sonnes of Cadogan destroied the land of Lhywarch ap Trahaern because he ioined with the sonnes of the prince About this time there came one Iohannes Cremensis a cardinall from the Pope who after he had gotten many rich gifts and rewards of Bishops and Abbots held a synod at London at the natiuitie of our Ladie where he inueied bitterlie against the mariage of priests declaring how vnseemelie a thing it was to come from his woman to the altar and the same night he was found with a whore in bed with him The yeare 1125. Meredyth ap Blethyn did kill his brothers sonne Ithel ap Riryd And shortlie after Cadwalhon ap Gruffyth ap Conan slew his three vncles Grono Riryd and Meilyr the sonnes Owen ap Edwyn and also Morgan ap Cadogan slew his brother Meredyth with his owne hands About this time died Henrie the Emperour who had maried Mawd king Henries daughter and heire In the yeare 1127. the king sent his daughter to Normandie to be married to Geffrey Plantagenet sonne to the Earle of Aniow and folowed himselfe shortlie after Gruffyth ap Rees was put beside the lands which the king had suffered him quietlie to possesse by the false accusations of the Normanes which dwelled in the countrie with him And then also Daniel Archdeacon of Powys died a man both learned and godlie who trauelled all his time to set peace and concord betwixt his countriemen An. 1128. died Gruffyth ap Meredyth ap Blethyn and the same yeare Lhewelyn the sonne of Owen ap Cadogan tooke Meredyth ap Lhywarch and deliuered him to Paine fitziohn to be kept safe in the castell of Brugenorth This Meredyth had slaine Meyric his coosen germane and had put out the eies of his two coosen germanes the sonnes of Griffri The yeare ensuing Ieuaf the sonne of Owen put out the eies of two of his brethren and banished them the countrie also Lhewelyn ap Owen slew Iorwerth ap Lhywarch And Meredyth ap Blethyn tooke the same Lhewelyn his nephew puting out his eies gelded him to the end he should get no children that he might haue his lands and slew Ieuaf ap Owen his brother Also Meyric slew Lhywarch and Madoc his sonne his owne coosens who himselfe was so serued shortlie after Then Morgan the sonne of Cadogan repented him greatlie for the murther of his brother Meredyth wherefore he tooke his iournie to Ierusalem and died in his returne at Cyprus In the yeare 1132. Robert Curthoise the kings brother died in the castell of Cardiffe The yeare folowing Cadwalhon sonne to Gruffyth ap Conan was slaine at Nanhewdwy by Eneon the sonne of Owen ap Edwyn his vncle whose three brethren he had slain with Cadogan ap Grono ap Edwyn That yeare also died Meredyth ap Blethyn ap Convyn the greatest lord and cheefest man in Powys as he that had gotten his brethren and nephewes lands by hooke and by crooke into his owne hands In the yeare 1135. died Henrie king of England one of the worthiest and victoriousest princes that euer reigned in the Ile of Brytaine After whome Stephen Earle of Boloigne sonne to the Earle of Bloys his sisters sonne a stout and a hardie knight reigned king of England for by the meanes of Hugh Bygod steward to king Henrie the Archbishop of Canturburie and all the nobilitie of England contrarie to their former oth made to Mawd the Empresse created and crowned him king Then shortlie after Dauid king of Scots wan by treason Carlile and Newcastell against whō Stephen lead an armie to whom Dauid yeelded himself restored Newcastell and kept Carlile by composition but he would not sweare to him for he had sworne alredie to Mawd his nice Yet Henrie his sonne sware to Stephen and had the Earledome of Huntingdon giuen him This yeare Richard and Gilbert his sonne were slaine by Morgan ap Owen And shortlie after Cadwalader and Owen Gwyneth the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Conan in whome remained the hope of all Wales for they were gentle liberall to all men terrible and cruell to their enimies meeke and humble to their freends the succour and defense of widowes fatherlesse and all that were in necessitie and as they passed all other in good and laudable vertues so they were paragons of strength beautie and well proportionat bodies gathered a great power against the Normans and Flemings who entring Cardigan wan destroied and burned the whole countrie with the castell of Walter Espec the castell of Aberystwyth which was verie strong and well manned And thither came Howel ap Meredyth and Rees ap Madoc ap Ednerth who went forward and rased
king Therefore the king sent for him to come to his court to conclude a peace before the power of England Wales were sent for him wherevpon Rees after consultation came to the king and an order was taken that Rees should enioy the Cantref Mawr as it should please the king so that his land should be whole togither and not in diuerse places and shires but the king did contrarie to his promise appointing Rees lands in diuerse places and lordships intermingled with other mens lands Which deceit although Rees perceiued well inough yet he receiued it peece-meale as it was and liued quietlie vntill Roger Earle of Clare hearing this came to the king and desired his highnesse to giue him such lands in Wales as he could win which the king granted Then he came with a great armie to Caerdigan first he fortified the castell of Stratmeyric and afterwards the castell of Humfrey of Dyuy of Dynerth Lhanristyd When these castels were well manned and fortified Walter Clyfford who had the keeping of the castell of Lhanymdhyfri made a road to the land of Rees and returned with a bootie after he had slaine diuerse of Reeses men Then Rees sent to the king to complaine and to haue a redresse who had onelie faire words and nothing else for the king winked at the faults of the Englishmen and Normanes and punished the Welshmen cruellie Rees seeing this laid siege to Lhanymdhyfri and in short space wan the castell Also Eneon the sonne of Anarawd Reeses brothers sonne being a lustie gentleman and desirous to make his countrie free from seruitude and perceiuing his vncle to be discharged of his oth to the king laid siege to the castell of Humfrey by force wan it slaieng all the garrison wherein he found horses and armour to furnish a great number of men Likewise Rees seeing he could enioy no part of his inheritance but that he wan by the sword gathered his power entring Caerdigan left not a castell standing in the countrie of those which his enimies had fortified and so brought all to his subiection Wherewith the king being sore offended returned to Southwales and when he saw he could doo no good he suffered Rees to enioy all that he had gotten and tooke pledges of him to keepe the peace in his absence Then returning to England he tooke his iournie to Normandie and made peace with the French king But the next yeare Rees prince of Southwales did lead his power to Dyuet and destroied all the castels that the Normanes had fortified there and afterward laid siege to Caermarthin Which thing when Reynold Erle of Brystow the kings base sonne heard he called to him the Earle of Clare and his brother in law Cadwalader the brother of prince Owen with Howel and Conan prince Owens sonnes and two other Earles and came to raise the siege with a great armie whose comming Rees abode not but got him to the mountains called Kefn Rester and there kept himselfe and they camped at Dynwyl hîr and builded a castell there who after they could not heare of Rees returned home without doing of anie notable act King Henrie remained in Normandie all this yeare where he made warre against the Earle of S. Giles for the citie and Earledome of Tholouse In the yeare 1160. died Madoc ap Meredyth ap Blethyn prince of Powys at Winchester This man was euer the king of Englands freend and was one that feared God and releeued the poore his bodie was conueied honorablie to Powys and buried in Myuot This man had by his wife Susanna the daughter of Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales three sonnes Gruffyth Maylor Owen and Elise and a daughter called Marred he had base sons Owen Brogynton Kynwric Euelh and Eneon Euelh which base sonnes were not baselie esteemed who with the other had part of their fathers inheritance and so had other through Wales especiallie if they were stout and of noble courage And here I thinke it conuenient to declare how Powys land came to be diuided in many parts and thereby weakened and so brought vnder the Normanes before the rest of Wales Meredyth sonne to Blethyn ap Convyn prince of Powys had two sons Madoc of whom we speake and Gruffyth betweene whom Powys was diuided Madoc had that part which was called Powys Vadoc which part again was diuided betwixt his three sons Gruffyth Maylor Owen Vachan and Owen Brogynton after this maner Gruffyth Maylor had Bromfield Yale Hope Dale Nanhewdwy Mochnant îs Rhayard Chirke Cynlhayth and Glyndouerdwy Owen Vachan had Mechain Iscoyd And Owen Brogynton had Dynmael and Edeyrneon The other part of Powys called afterward Powys Wenwynwyn was the part of Gruffyth ap Meredyth after whose death his sonne called Owen Cyuelioc enioied it as it shall be at large hereafter declared Powys before king Offas time reached Estward to the riuers of Dee and Seauerne with a right line from the end of Broxen hilles to Salop with all the countrie betwéene VVye and Seauerne whereof Brochwel yscithroc of whom mention is made before pag. 22. was possessed but after the making of Offas ditch as it is said before pag. 19. the plaine countrie toward Salop being inhabited by Saxons and Normans Powys was in length from Pulford bridge Northeast to the confines of Caerdigan shire in the parish of Lhanguric in the Southwest and in bredth from the furthest part of Cyuelioc Westward to Elsmere on the Eastside This countrie or principalitie of Powys was appointed by Roderike the Great for the portion of his third sonne Anarawd and so continued intierlie vntill the death of Blethyn ap Convyn After whom although the dominion was diminished by limiting parts in seueraltie amongst his sonnes Meredyth and Cadogan yet at length it came wholie to the possession of Meredyth ap Blethyn who had issue two sonnes Madoc and Gruffyth betwéene whom the said dominion was diuided Madoc maried Susanna the daughter of Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales and had that part which was after called after his name Powys Vadoc which dominion and Seigniorie was diuided betwixt the thrée sonnes of the said Madoc to wit Gruffyth Maelor Owen ap Madoc and Owen Brogynton which Owen Brogynton although he was baselie begotten yet for his valiancie and noble courage he had part of his fathers inheritance to wit Edeyrneon and Dinmael and had issue Gruffyth Blethin and Iorwerth Owen ap Madoc had to his portion of inheritance limited the territorie of Mechain Is coed and had issue Lhewelyn and Owen Vachan Gruffyth Maelor the eldest sonne lord of Bromfield had to his part the two Maelors and Mochnant is Rayadr he maried Angharat the daughter of Owen Gwyneth prince of Northwales by whome he had issue one sonne named Madoc who held his fathers inheritance wholie and had issue Gruffyth called lord of Dînas brân because he dwelled in that castell who maried Emma the daughter of Iames lord Audley and had issue Madoc Lhewelyn
Gruffyth and Owen This Gruffyth ap Madoc tooke part with king Henrie the third and Edward the first against the prince of Northwales and therefore for feare of the prince he was faine to lie for his owne safegard in his said castell of Dînas brân which standeth on the toppe of a verie stéepe hill to the which there is no waie but one to come He died his children being within age wherevpon shortlie after ensued the destruction of two of them for the said king Ed. 1. gaue the wardship of Madoc who had for his part the lordships of Bromfield and Yale and the said castell of Dînas brân which the reuersion of Maelor Saesnec after his mothers decease who had the same to hir iointer to Iohn Earle Warren and granted the wardship of Lhewelyn to whose part the lordships of Chirke and Nanhevdwy came to Roger Mortimer third sonne to Roger Mortimer the sonne of Ralph Mortimer Lord Mortimer of Wigmor These guardians forgetting the seruice doone by the father of the wardes to the king so garded their wardes with so small regard that they neuer returned to their possessions And shortlie after the said guardians did obtaine the same lands to themselues by charters of the king This Iohn Earle Warren began to build the Holt castell and William his son finished the same The lordship of Bromfield and Yale continued in the name of the Earle Warren thrée descents Iohn William and Iohn that died without issue and then the said lordship togither with the said Erldome of Warren descended to Alice daughter of the said William Erle Warren and sister and heire of the said last Iohn Earle Warren which Alice maried Edmond Fitzalan Erle of Arundell in the which house of Fitzalanes it remained thrée descents after the said Edmond and Alice to wit to Richard Earle of Arundell and to Richard Earle of Arundell his sonne and to Thomas Earle of Arundell sonne of the said last Richard And then for want of issue of the said Thomas Earle of Arundell and Warren the said lordship fell to two of his sisters whereof one named Elizabeth was maried to Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke the other named Ioane was maried to William Beauchamp lord of Abergauenny whose part afterwards came by a daughter to the Neuil lord of Abergauenny and sithence it came to the hands of Sir William Stanley knight by whose attaindor it escheated to the crowne and so remaineth parcell of hir maiesties possessions at this daie Roger Mortimer Iustice of Northwales builded the castell of Chirke and maried Lucia the daughter and heire of Sir Robert de Wafre knight by whom he had issue Roger Mortimer who maried Ioane Turberuile and had issue Iohn Mortimer lord of Chirke This Iohn sold the lordship of Chirke to Richard Fitzalan Earle of Arundell sonne to the said Edmond and so it was annexed againe to Bromfield and Yale The third sonne of Gruffyth lord of Dînas brân named also Gruffyth had for his part Glyndowrdwy which Gruffyth ap Gruffyth was father of Madoc Crupl father of Madoc Vachan father of Gruffyth father of Gruffyth Vachan father of Owen Glyndowr who rebelled in the time of king Henrie the fourth by whose attaindor that part also came to the kings hands which was purchased of the king by Robert Salisburie of Rug of whome Salisburie the lord of Glyndowrdwy that now is descended Owen the fourth sonne of Gruffyth lord of Dînas brân had for his part Cynlhaeth which at this daie togither with the lordship of Chirke land is parcell of the possessions of the right honorable the Earle of Leycester The other part of Powys containing the countries of Arustly Cyuelioc Lhannerch hudol Caereneon Mochnant vwch Rayader Mechain vwch Coed Mouthwy Deuthwr Strat Marchelh and Teirtref or the thrée townes rightfullie descended to Gruffyth ap Meredyth ap Blethyn before mentioned who was by King Henrie the first created Lord Powys he married Gweyryl or Weyryl the daughter of Vrgene ap Howel ap Ieuaf ap Cadogan ap Athlestan Glodryth and by hir had issue Owen surnamed Cyuelioc Owen Cyuelioc enioied his whole inheritance as his father did and married Wenlhian the daughter of Owen Gwyneth Prince of Northwales by whom he had issue Gwenwynwyn or Wenwynwyn after whose name that part of Powys was afterward called Powys Wenwynwyn He had also a bastard brother called Caswalhon to whom he gaue the territories called Swydh Lhannerch Hudol and Braniarth Gwenwynwyn succéeded his father in the whole segniorie sauing Lhannerch Hudol and Braniarth which were giuen to his base brother Caswalhon Maelrhy during his life time onelie Which Gwenwynwyn married Margaret daughter to Rees ap Theodor Prince of Southwales and by hir had issue Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn succéeded his father in all his possessions and had issue sixe sonnes among whom his inheritance was diuided as foloweth Owen the eldest sonne had for his part Arustly Cyuelioc Lhannerch hudol and the moitie of Caereneon Lhewelyn the second sonne had Mochnant vwch Rayader and Mechain vwch Coed Iohn the third sonne had the fourth part of Caereneon William the fourth sonne had Mouthwy Gruffyth Vachan the fift sonne had Deuthwr Strat marchelh and Teirtref Dauid the sixt sonne had the other fourth part of Caereneon Owen ap Gruffyth had issue one onelie daughter his heire named Hawys Gadarn that is Hawys the hardie against whom hir vncles Lhewelyn Iohn Gruffyth Vachan and Dauid arose challenging the lands of their brother Owen and affirming that a woman was not capable of lands in that countrie Wherevpon Hawys made such fréends in England that the matter being opened vnto King Edward the second the said King bestowed hir in marriage vpon a seruant of his named Iohn Charleton termed Valectus Domini Regis borne in Appley a little off from Welinton 1268. in the countie of Salop whom he made Lord Powys in hir right This Iohn Charleton Lord Powys being aided by the king tooke thrée of his wiues vncles to wit Lhewelyn Dauid and Iohn whom he laid vp fast in the kings castell of Hardlech and obteined a writ from the King of the Shirife of the countie of Salop and Sir Roger Mortimer Lord of Chirkland and iustice of Northwales for the apprehension of Gruffyth Vachan with Sir Roger Chamber and Hugh Mountgomerie his two sonnes in lawe which then were in armour against the said Charleton and Hawys Wherevpon the said Gruffyth Vachan and his brethren hauing then lost their greatest staie which was Thomas Earle of Lancaster submitted themselues to the kings order touching all matters in variance betwéene them and their néece who finding by records that Gruffyth ap Meredyth auncestor to the said Hawys vpon his submission to King Henrie the first became subiect to the King of England and therevpon was by the said King created Baron of Powys which Baronie he and his heires held afterward of the king in Capite as other Barons of England did And therefore the
Owen Cyuelioc the son of Gruffyth ap Meredyth lord of Powys by Owen Vachan second sonne to Madoc ap Meredyth which lands they diuided betwixt them so that Owen Cyuelioc had Mochnant aboue Rayader and Owen Vachan Mochnant beneath Rayader This yeare there was an earthquake in Northfolke and Suffolke At this time king Henrie maried Geffrey his sonne to Constance the onelie daughter heire of Conan Earle of Richmond and duke of Brytaine In the yeare 1167. Owen prince of Nothwales Cadwalader his brother and Rees prince of Southwales brought an armie to Powys against Owen Cyuelioc and wan all his lands chased him out of the countrie and gaue Caereneon to Owen Vachan the sonne of Madoc ap Meredyth to hold of prince Owen and the lord Rees had Walwern bicause it stoode within his countrie But within a while after Owen Cyuelioc returned with a number of Normanes and Englishmen to recouer his countrie againe and laid siege to the castell of Caereneon and winning the same burned it to the ground Also the same yeare the aforesaid princes Owen Rees and Cadwalader laid siege to the castell of Ruthlan which the king had latelie built and fortified which the garrison defended manfullie and worthilie yet the princes would not depart vntill they had won it which they did at two moneths end and then rased it Afterward they gat the castell of Prestaryn and destroied it and then brought all Tegengl to Owens subiection and returned home with much honor In the yeare folowing Conan the sonne of prince Owen slew Vrgeney Abbot of Lhwythlawr and Lhawthen his nephue At this time Henrie duke of Saxonie maried Mawd king Henries daughter Then also the nobles of Poitiew rebelled against king Henrie vpon hope of the French kings aid and slew VVilliam Fitzpatrike Earle of Salisburie then the king created VVilliam his sonne Earle in his steed Also the Brytaines of Armorica rebelled against king Henrie wherefore he destroied a great part of the countrie The next yeare Henrie the kings eldest sonne did homage to the French king for the Earledome of Aniow and the stewardship of France which belonged thereto and Geffrey did his brother homage for the dukedome of Brytaine Then the king made a great ditch or trench betwixt France and Normandie to defend the countrie from sudden incursions and theeues And this yeare Robert the sonne of Stephen constable was released out of his coosins the lord Rees his prison and was sent to Ireland with a great power to succour Dermot son to Murchart who landed at Lochgarmon and wan it and so went forward This Robert Fitzstephen Moris Fitzgerald his brother and their nephues Robert Meyler and Raymond with an armie of Welshmen vnder the conduct of Richard Strangbow Earle of Strigule were the chiefe captains and dooers in the conquest of Ireland when it was first reduced vnder the subiection of the crowne of England of whom the Fitzgeralds Fitzstephens and Fitzmoris are descended of whom Giraldus writeth at large in his historie of Ireland In the yeare 1169. Meyric ap Adam of Buelht was murthered in his bed by Meredyth Bengoch his coosen germane Also this yeare there were found the bones of a giant cast vp by the sea of such length that his body seemed to containe fiftie foote in height At this time the king caused his sonne Henrie to be crowned king of England by the Archbishop of Yorke Also this yeare Owen Gwyneth the son of Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales passed out of this world after he had gouerned his countrie well and worthilie 32. yeares This prince was fortunate and victorious in all his affaires he neuer tooke any enterprise in hand but he atchieued it He left behind him manie children gotten by diuerse women which were not esteemed by their mothers and birth but by their prowes and valiantnesse First he had by Gladus the daughter of Lhywarch ap Trahaern ap Caradoc Iorweth drwyndwn that is Edward with the broken nose Conan Maelgon and Gwenlhian by Christian the daughter of Grono ap Owen ap Edwyn he had Dauid Roderike Cadwalhon Abbot of Bardsey and Angharat wife to Gruffyth Maylor he had besides these Conan Lhewelyn Meredyth Edwal Run Howel Cadelh Madoc Eneon Cynwric Philip and Riryd lord of Clochran in Ireland by diuerse women of whom Run Lhewelyn and Cynwric died before their father of the rest you shall heare hereafter Dauid ap Owen Dauid the sonne of Owen Gwyneth This Madoc arriuing in that Westerne countrie vnto the which he came in the yeare 1170. left most of his people there and returning backe for more of his owne nation acquaintance and fréends to inhabite that faire and large countrie went thither againe with ten sailes as I find noted by Gutyn Owen I am of opinion that the land wherevnto he came was some part of Mexico the causes which make me to thinke so be these 1 The common report of the inhabitants of that countrie which affirme that their rulers descended from a strange nation that came thither from a farre countrie which thing is confessed by Mutezuma king of that countrie in his oration made for quieting of his people at his submission to the king of Castile Hernando Curteis being then present which is laid downe in the Spanish Chronicles of the conquest of the West Indies 2 The Brytish words and names of places vsed in that countrie euen to this daie doo argue the same as when they talke togither they vse this word Gwrando which is Hearken or listen Also they haue a certeine bird with a white head which they call Pengwin that is white head But the Iland of Corroeso the cape of Bryton the riuer of Gwyndor and the white rocke of Pengwyn which be all Brytish or Welsh words doo manifestlie shew that it was that countrie which Madoc and his people inhabited The same time Elianor the kings daughter was married to Alfonsus king of Castil Also Richard Strangbowe Earle of Strigul went to Ireland without the kings leaue and married the daughter of Dermot king of Dublyn wherefore the king seased all his lands in England to his owne hands and Dermot died shortlie after and was buried at Ferna About the end of this yeare Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canturburie was slaine The yeare ensuing Rees prince of Southwales came with great power to Powys and subdued Owen Cyuelioc the Lord thereof and tooke pledges of him and so returned home with much honour Then the king called his nobles to consult about the enterprise of Ireland which had beene before determined to be taken in hand To this consultation came messengers from Richard Strangbowe Earle of Strigule Marshall of England to deliuer to the kings hands the citie of Dublyne and the towne of Waterford with such other townes as he had by the right of his wife wherevpon the king restored to him againe his lands in England and Normandie and made him
South Powys and vpon the West Dyui and Caerdiganshire In this countrie standeth the towne of Harlech and a great lake called â—hyn Tegyd through which the riuer Dee runneth and mingleth not with the water of the lake which is three miles long and also the salmons which are commonlie taken in the riuer hard by the lake are neuer seene to enter the lake Likewise a kind of fish called Gwyniaid which are like to whitings and are full in the lake are neuer taken in the riuer Not farre from this lake is a place called Caergay which was the house of Gay Arthurs foster brother This shire as well as Aruon is full of cattell foule and fish with great number of read deere and roes but there is great scarsitie of corne The fourth part of Gwyneth was called Y Beruedhwlad which may be Englished the inland or middle countrie which conteined fiue Cantreds and 13. comots as Cantref Ryuonioc had in it these comots Vwchalet and Isalet Cantref Ystrat had Hiraethoc and Cynmeirch Cantref Ros these Vwchdulas Isdulas and Creuthyn which all are in the lordship of Denbigh sauing the Creuthyn which is in Carnaruonshire wherin the castell of Dyganwy did stand which was the Earles of Chester and is commonlie called in the Latine and English chronicle Gannoc The fourth Cantref was Dyffryn Clwyd which may be Englished the vallie of Clwyd and now is called the lordship of Ruthyn and hath these comots Coleigion Lhannerch and Dogueilyn The fift Cantref is Tegengl and is now a part of Flyntshire hauing these comots Counsylht Prestatyn and Ruthlan And in this part is one of the fairest vallies within this Ile containing 18. miles in length and 4.5.6 or 7. in breadth as the hils either drawe inward togither or backward asunder which high hils doo inclose it on the East West and South parts and Northward the sea It is plentifull of cattell fish and foule corne hey grasse and wood and diuided along in the middest with the riuer Clwyd to whom runneth Clywedoc Ystrat VVhilar Elwy and a great number of other riuers from the hils In this vallie two miles from the sea is the towne and castell of Ruthlan where sometimes a parliament hath beene kept And two miles aboue it is the see of Saint Asaph betweene the riuers Clwyd and Elwy called in the old time the bishops see of Lhan Elwy Foure miles thence and two miles from the riuer is situate vpon a rocke the towne and castell of Denbigh where is one of the greatest markets in the marches of Wales and one of the fairest and strongest castels within this realme which being the house of Dauid brother to Lhewelyn the last Prince of the Welsh blood was enlarged and strengthned by Henrie Lacy Earle of Lincolne to whom king Edward gaue the same lordship it is also the shire towne of that Shire Fiue miles aboue this is the towne of Ruthyn with a faire castell which sometimes belonged to the Lords Gray Earles of Kent This part of Northwales hath vpon the North the riuer Dee and the sea Vpon the West Aruon and the riuer Conwey South and East Merionyth and the countrie then called Powys And these be the meeres and bounds of Gwyneth or Venedotia for the name of Northwales conteineth beside this all Powys at these daies So there was vnder the territorie of Aberfraw 15. Cantreds and in them 38. comots The second kingdome was Mathraual which in right order was the third as that which came to the third brother yet for the better vnderstanding of the historie folowing I haue placed it here To this kingdome belonged the countrie of Powys and the land betwixt Wy and Seauerne Which part had vpon the South and West Southwales with the riuers Wy and Tywy and other meeres Vpon the North Gwyneth and vpon the East the marches of England from Chester to Wy a little aboue Hereford and therefore it was most troubled with wars as well of the Saxons as afterwards of the Normanes Lords marchers who dailie wanne some part thereof and by that meanes it was the first part that serued the kings of England and therefore lesse esteemed of all the rest This part called Powys was diuided againe into Powys Vadoc and Powys Wenwynwyn Powys Vadoc contained in it selfe fiue Cantreds and 15. comots Cantref Y Barwn which hath three comots Dynmael Edeyrneon and Glyndourdwy which be now in Merionithshire sauing Dinmael which is in Denbighshire Cantref Y Rhiw whose comots were these Yal now in Denbighshire Stratalyn and Hop now in Flyntshire Cantref Vwchnant hath these comots Merfforth in Flyntshire Maelor Gymraeg in English Bromfield now in Denbighshire and Maelor Saesneg in Flyntshire Cantref Trefred containeth these comots Croesvain Tref Y VVayn in English Chirke and in Denbighshire Croes of Wallt English Oswestree and in Shropshire Cantref Rayder with his comots Mochnant Israider Cynlhaeth Nanheudwy all in Chirke land in Denbighshire Also the lordship of Whytington now in Shropshire was in this part of Powys which part at this daie hath lost the name of Powys and is situate in diuerse shires as it appeereth by the discourse before passed In this part is the castell of Holt in Bromefield and the castell of Chirke in Chirkeland Likewise the lordship and castell of Whytington which came by mariage to Fulke Fitzwarren There is beside these the lordship of Oswesire of the which the Fitzalans haue been lords these 300. and odde years and of diuers other lordships in those marches as Shrarden the eleuen townes Clun and manie others which be all now in Shropshire The second part called Powys Wenwynwyn had likewise fiue Cantreds and twelue comots Cantref Y Vyrnwy had these comots Mochnant vwch Rayader Mechain Iscoed and Lhannerch Hudol Cantref Ystlyc had these Devthwr Gorthwr Isaf and Strat Marchelh Cantref Lhyswynaf had these Caereneon and Mechain Vwchcoed Cantref Cydewen had comot Conan and comot Hauren Cantref Conan had Cyueilioc and Mouthwy which is now in Merionyth shire Of all these the three first Cantreds doo onlie at this daie beare the name of Powys which are vpon the Northside of Seauerne and are all fiue sauing the comot of Mowthwy in Mongomry shire This is a countrie full of woods hils and riuers and hath in it these townes the Poole Newtowne and Machynlhaeth Arustly was in old time in this part but afterwards it came to the Princes of Gwyneth These lordships came by iust descent from the Princes thereof to a woman named Hawys the daughter of Owen ap Gruffyth as appeareth in the historie following page 215. Arustly and Cyuelioc came to the Baron of Dudley and afterwards it was sold to the king The third part belonging to Mathraual was the land betweene Wy and Seauerne containing foure Cantreds and 13. comots Cantref Melienyth hath these comots Ceri Swythygre Riwalalht and Glyn Ieithon Cantref Eluel hath these Vwchmynydh Ismynydh and Lhechdhyfnog Cantref Yclawdh these Dyffryn Teyueydiat
countriemen and kinsmen the one being the vncle was Archbishop of S. Dauids of whome mention is made in this place The other Asser the nephew was a man of excellent learning and wisedome and for that cause being Chancellour to his vncle was sent for by King Alfred to teach his children who wrote the actes of the same Alfred and was afterward Bishop of Shireburne of whom mention is made in the English Chronicles About this time Edward sent a great armie to Northumberland which spoiled the countrie and then returned home neuerthelesse the Danes folowed them and destroied a great part of Mercia But within a while after Edward gathered an armie and giuing them battell ouerthrew them and slue their kings Alden and Edelwulph and a great number of their nobles This yeare died Edelred Duke of Mercia which had long been sicke after whome Elfleda his wife enioied the countrie of Mercia sauing the cities of London and Oxford which king Edward seised into his owne hands The yeare 907. died Cadelh King or Prince of Southwales second sonne of Roderike the great leauing behind him three sonnes Howel Dha that is to saie Howel the good who succeeded his father in the kingdome of Southwales Meyric and Clydawc About two yeares after King Edward did build the Castell of Hartford betwixt the riuers Benefic Minier and Lige and also the borough of Wytham in Essex and laie at Wealdyne where he subdued those countries The yeare following the Danes of Leycester and Hampton slew a great number of Englishmen at Hochnorton and in their returne homeward spoiled all Oxfordshire The next yeare after that there came a great nauie from Tydwike with Vther and Rahald and past by the westerne sea to VVales and destroied S. Dauids and there fought the battel of Dinerth where Mayloc the sonne of Peredur Gam was slaine And afterward they entred Herefordshire where they were fought withall and Rahald slaine and the rest compelled to forsweare the Kings land Then the King caused the southside of Seauerne to be kept with a great armie yet did the Danes twise enter his land once by the East at VVerd and another time at Portogan but they were at either time ouerthrowne by the Englishmen And from thence they departed to the Ile of Stepen frō whence they were driuen by hunger to Southwales where they were beaten and constrained to depart into Ireland The yeare insuing there was a great battell fought betwixt the Kentishmen and the Danes at Holme but who had the victorie is not certainelie reported In the yeare 913. Anarawd chiefe King of VVales died and left behind him two sonnes Edwal Voel which reigned after him and Elise Edwal Voel Edwal Voel sonne of Anarawd I thinke that the name of Leycester is héere mistaken for Legecestria that is Chester called of the Romanes Legionum Cestria which being destroied by the Danes was about this time by the procurement of a Adelred Duke of Mercia and Elflede his wife repaired and reedified as Matth. Westm. writeth and as the ancient records of the citie of Chester doo testifie Besides that I find no mention of the reedifieng of Leycester at this time neither in the Brytish Chronicle nor yet in anie ancient English writer The next summer after the men of Deuelyne did destroie the Ile of Môn or Anglesey And the yeare 917. Clydawc the sonne of Cadelh was slaine by the hands of his brother Meyric and about the same time the Englishmen did ouerthrowe the Danes after a great fight at Tottenhale Io. Castoreus reporteth this storie in this maner Huganus Lord of Westwales perceiuing King Edward to be occupied in the Danish warre farre enough from him gathered an armie of Brytaines and entered the Kings land Wherevpon Elfled Ladie of Mercia the sister of King Edward came to VVales with a strong armie and fought with the Welshmen at Brechnocke and putting Huganus to flight tooke his wife and 34. men captiues and lead them with hir to Mercia Huganus thus discomfited fled to Derbie there being peaceablie receiued of the countriemen with fiftéene men of war and two hundred souldiors well appointed ioined himselfe with the Kings aduersaries the Danes of which thing when Elfled was certified by the men of Derby shée folowed him with a great armie and entred the gates of that towne where Huganus resisted hir and slue foure of hir chiefe officers But Gwyane Lord of the Ile of Elie hir Steward set the gates on fire and furiouslie running vpon the Brytaines entred the towne Then Huganus being ouermatched and choosing rather to die by the sword than to yéeld himselfe vnto a woman was there slaine Thus out of Castoreus The yeare insuing Elfled wan Leycester and subdued to hir all the Danes that laie there The Yorkeshiremen also did hir homage and seruice she died at Tamworth after that she had worthilie ruled Mercia eight yeares and lieth buried at Glocester by S. Peters porch vpon whose toombe this Epitaph was written O Elfleda potens ô terror virgo virorum O Elfleda potens nomine digna viri Te quoque splendidior fecit natura puellam Te probitas fecit nomen habere viri Te mutare decet sed solùm nomina sexus Tu regina potens réxque trophea parans I am nec Caesareos tantùm mirere triumphos Caesare splendidior virgo virago vale After the death of Elfled Edward disinherited hir daughter Alfwyen and seazed the land of Mercia to his owne hands The cause why Edward disinherited this yoong Ladie his néece whose mother Elfled being his owne sister had done so much for him was as Castoreus writeth for that Alfwyen not making the king hir vncle whome hir mother had appointed gardian and ouerséer of hir priuie to hir doings had promised and contracted mariage with Raynald king of the Danes wherevpon king Edward to preuent his enimie entred the land of Mercia and seazed the same to his owne hands and caried also the said Ladie with him into Westsex The same Author also reporteth that about this time Leofred a Dane and Gruffyth ap Madoc brother in law to the prince of Westwales came from Ireland with a great armie to Snowdon and minding to bring all Wales and the marches thereof to their subiection ouerran and subdued all the countrie to Chester before King Edward was certified of their arriuall Whereat he was verie sore offended and being loath to trouble his subiects in that behalfe made a vowe that he and his sonnes with their owne people would be reuenged vpon Leofred and Gruffyth and therevpon came to Chester and wan the citie from them Then he diuided his armie into two batels whereof he and his sonne Athelstan lead the first and Edmund and Edred the second and so folowed them with as much celeritie as he could and ouertooke them at the forest of Walewode now Sherwode where Leofred and Gruffyth set vpon him fierselie so that the king in
right Earle of VVarwick and had issue two daughters Marie married to the Duke of Clarence and Anne married first to Prince Edward slaine at Teuxburie and after his death with Richard Duke of Glocester who was afterward king of England The said Anne and king Richard being then Duke of Glocester had the said lordship giuen vnto them by the said Anne Countesse of VVarwick hir mother King Henrie the seuenth enioied the same after the death of king Richard Iasper Duke of Bedford enioied the same by the gift of king Henrie the seuenth and died without issue and by reason thereof it remained to the king againe King Henrie the eight enioied the same after his Father King Edward the sixt succéeded him therein and sold almost all the lands thereof Quéene Marie succéeded him in the Segniorie Queene Elizabeth our most dread souereigne Ladie that now is doth succéed hir in the same Segniorie and hath sold the Lordship of Neth from it so that now there remaine no more lands appertaining to the Segniorie but the moitie of the manour of Deinaspowys onelie ¶ The Petegree of Londres Lord of Ogmore one of the said twelue WIlliam Londres Lord of the castell and manour of Ogmore as is before said wan afterwards the lordships of Kydwelhey and Carnewilhion in Caermarthen shire from the Welshmen and gaue to sir Arnold Butler his seruant the castell and manour of Dunreeven in the lordship of Ogmore aforesaid The which euer sithence hath continued in the heirs male of the said Arnold Butler vntill within these few yeares that it fell to Walter Vaghan sisters sonne to Arnold Butler the last of the Butlers that was owner thereof Simon de Londres his sonne succéeded him William de Londres succéeded his father Simon and had issue one sonne Moris de Londres his sonne succéeded him and had issue one onelie daughter The said daughter married with one Seward a man of great possessions They had issue a daughter onelie married to Henrie Earle of Lancaster brother to Thomas Earle of Lancaster Henrie their sonne made afterwards Duke of Lancaster did succéed them and so the said thrée Lordships Ogmore Kydwelhey and Carnewilhion became parcels of the duchie of Lancaster euer after ¶ The Petegree of Greenefeeld SIr Richard Greenefeeld before said to whom the lordship of Neth was giuen in reward was lord of the castell and manour of Bydyford in Deuonshire at the time he came into Wales with the said Robert Fitzhamon and founded an abbaie of white moonkes in Neth and gaue the whole lordship to the maintenance of the same and then returned backe againe to Bydyford whereas the issue male of his bodie doth yet remaine and enioieth the same The Petegree of Turberuile Lord of Coyty SIr Paine Turberuile Lord of Coyty as is before said Sir Symon Turberuile succéeded him and died without issue Sir Gilbart Turberuile succéeded his brother Sir Paine Turberuile his sonne succéeded him and married Mawd daughter and sole heire to Morgan Gam one of the nephewes of the aforesaid Iestyn Sir Gilbart their sonne quartered Iestyn his armes with Turberuiles Sir Gilbart his sonne succéeded him Sir Richard his sonne succéeded him Sir Paine his sonne succéeded him who married with VVenlhian daughter to Sir Richard Talbot knight and had issue by hir two sonnes that is to wit Gilbart and Richard and foure daughters namelie Catharine Margaret Agnes and Sara Sir Gilbart succéeded Sir Paine his father Sir Gilbart his sonne succéeded him and died without issue Sir Richard his fathers brother succéeded him and hauing no issue entailed the Lordship of Coity to the heires male of Sir Roger Berkerolles knight Sir Roger Berkerolles knight sonne to Sir VVilliam Berkerolles knight and Phelice his wife one of the daughters of Veere Earle of Oxenford which said Sir Roger had married Catharine the eldest sister of the said Sir Richard And for default of such issue the remainder to the heires male of Sir Richard Stakpoole knight who married with Margaret second sister of the said Richard And for default of such issue the remainder to the heires of Sir Iohn de la Beare knight and Agnes his wife the third sister to the said Richard And for lacke of such issue male the remainder to the heires male of William Gamage and of Sara his wife the fourth sister to the said Sir Richard Turberuile The said Berkrolles Stakepoole and De la Beare died without issue male by reason whereof after the death of sir Laurence Berkerolles knight sonne to the said sir Roger and Catharine his wife the said Lordship fell to sir William Gamage sonne to Gilbert sonne to the foresaid William Gamage and Sara The said William was sonne to sir Robert Gamage knight sonne to Paine Gamage Lord of the manour of Rogiade in the countie of Monmowth The foresaid sir William had issue Thomas Thomas had issue Iohn Iohn had issue Morgan Morgan had issue sir Thomas Gamage knight and Margaret wife to Ienkin Thomas and Anne wife to Robert Raglan and Catharine wife to Reginald ap Howel and Wenlhian wife to Thomas ap Meyric The said sir Thomas Gamage had issue Robert Gamage that late was Catharine his eldest daughter wife to sir Thomas Stradling knight Marie the second daughter wife to Matthew Herebert Margaret the third daughter wife to the Lord William Howard and Elizabeth the fourth daughter wife to Richard Hogan of Penbrooke shire esquier The said Robert Gamage had issue Iohn Gamage that now is Sole heire generall to the said sir Roger Berkrolles knight and Catharine one of the foure sisters and heires generall to the aforesaid sir Richard Turberuile knight is sir Edward Stradling knight that now is Sole heire generall to the said sir Richard Stakepoole of Penbrooke shire and Margaret his wife another of the foure sisters and heires generall to the said sir Richard Turberuile knight is sir George Vernon knight Heires generall to the said sir Iohn de la Beare knight and Agnes his wife an other of the foure sisters and heirs generall of the said sir Richard Turberuile knight are Oliuer S. Iohn Lord S. Iohn of Bledso and William Basset of Glamorgan esquier that now is Iohn Gamage esquier that now is is as well heire generall lineallie descended from Sara the fourth sister and heire to the said sir Richard Turberuile knight as also heire by the entaile aforesaid to the whole Lordship of Coyty ¶ Robert de S. Quintine his Petegree SIr Robert de S. Quintine to whom the lordship of Lhanblethian was giuen and his issue male enioied the same vntill king Henrie the third his time And then or in short time after his issue male failed of whome is descended sir William Parr late Marques of Northampton ¶ Richard de Syward his Petegree SIr Richard Syward to whom the lordship of Talauan was giuen and his issue male enioied the same vntill king Edward the thirds time at which time the heires thereof hauing other lands in Somersetshire sold the said
Sitsylt the sonne of Eustace was made knight by King Henrie the second in the warres that the king had against the Welshmen he was also killed in the same warres at the siege of the castell of Cardif his father being aliue he tooke to wife the daughter of Maurice de Brompton and had by hir Gerald Sitsylt Eustace Sitsylt Henrie Sitsylt Iohn Sitsylt and Walter Sitsylt and two daughters Catharine and Elianor Catharine was the wife of Hugh Muredake and Elianor was the wife of Walter Wallis This Baldwin Sitsylt knight tooke to his second wife Margerie the daughter of Stephen Radnor knight and had by hir Stephen Sitsylt Roger Sitsylt Hugh Sitsylt and Dauid Sitsylt and three daughters the first was Mawd and she was a Nun the second was Ione and she was the wife of Iohn de Solers the third daughter Anne was the wife of Owen ap Meredyth This man gaue certeine lands in the towneship of Kigestone vnto the moonkes of Dore and granted vnto the same moonks freedome of common and pasture and other liberties in his woods Gerald Sitsylt the first sonne of Baldwin Sitsylt knight tooke to wife Mabil the daughter of Sir William Moigne knight and had by hir three sonnes Gerald Sitsylt that died a child Robert Sitsylt that married and had children and Owen Sitsylt a moonke of the Abbeie of Dore. He had also three daughters Catharine that was wedded to Sir Griffin ap Yoreford and after to Dauid ap Euan and the third time to Geffreie de Bret sonne of sir Walter Bret knight Anne the second daughter of Gerald Sitsylt was wedded to Robert the sonne of Richard Bromewich And Ellen the third daughter of Gerald Sitsylt was the wife of Iohn Abrahal father of Sir Iohn Abrahal knight Robert Sitsylt the sonne of Gerald tooke to wife Alicia daughter of Sir Robert Tregois knight and had by hir Iames Sitsylt his first son Gerald the second sonne Thomas the third sonne and Baldwin the fourth sonne and Margaret the first daughter and Elizabeth the second daughter Iames Sitsylt the sonne of Robert tooke to wife Isabel the daughter of Sir Iohn Knel knight and had by hir Iames and Gerald twins Iames died yoong he had also Robert Sitsylt and Iohn Sitsylt and fiue daughters that is to saie Alicia wedded to Walter Monington Grace wedded to Roger sonne of William Blunt Elianor wedded to Thomas Paine Margerie wedded to Morgan ap Meredyth and Sislie married to Howel ap Blethin and after to sir Hugh Bruge Gerald Sitsylt sonne of Iames tooke to wife Margaret daughter of Stephen Dalaber and by hir had Iohn Sitsylt and after he wedded Bridget the widow of Sir Simon Ward knight and had by hir Iames Sitsylt and the third time married the daughter of Martin Hopton and had by hir Martin Sitsylt Henrie Sitsylt and Dauid Sitsylt and Ione a daughter And the fourth time the same Gerald Sitsylt tooke to wife Iane the daughter of Robert Emerton and had by hir one sonne named Stig and Sitsylt that was slaine in the warres of Striuelyn in the time of King Edward the second and had no issue as the register of the Abbeie of Dore maketh mention Iohn Sitsylt the sonne of Gerald tooke to wife Sibyl the daughter of Robert of Ewyas and had by hir sir Iohn Sitsylt knight George Sitsylt and a daughter named Margaret that was the wife of sir Robert Baskeruile knight who had by hir Sir Iohn Baskeruile knight and by his second wife he had sir Richard Baskeruile knight that tooke to wife Iane the daughter and heire of George Sitsylt second sonne of this Iohn Sitsylt and had by hir sir Iohn Baskeruile knight Sir Iohn Sitsylt knight tooke to wife Alicia the sister of the said sir Roger Baskeruile and sir Roger married his sister as is afore said This sir Iohn Sitsylt had Iohn Sitsylt and Roger Sitsylt In the time of the warres that King Edward the 3. made against Scotland at a place called Halydon hill néere Barwick anno 6. Edward 3. there arose a great variance and contention betwéene Sir William de Facknaham knight on the one side approouant and this Sir Iohn Sitsylt knight on the other side defendant for an ensigne of armes that is to say The field often barrets siluer and azure supported of 5. scocheons sable charged with so manie lions of the first rampants incensed geuls which ensigne both the parties did claime as their right But as both the parties put themselues to their force to maintaine their quarell and vaunted to maintaine the same by their bodies it pleased the king that iustice should be yéelded for triall of the quarell without shedding of bloud and so the bearing of the ensigne was solemnlie adiudged to be the right of the said Sir Iohn Sitsylt as heire of bloud lineallie descended of the body of Iames Sitsylt Lord of Beauport slaine at the siege of Walingford as before is declared The finall order and determination of which controuersie is laid downe by Iohn Boswel gentleman in his booke intituled The concords of Armorie fol. 80. This Sir Iohn Sitsylt had a charge of men at armes for the custodie of the marches of Scotland in the 11. yéere of King Edward the third Iohn Sitsylt the son of sir Iohn Sitsylt knight tooke to wife Ione daughter of sir Richard Monington knight and had by hir Iohn Sitsylt that died his father being liuing and Thomas Sitsylt Thomas Sitsylt married Margaret the daughter and heire of Gilbert de Winston and had by hir Philip Sitsylt and Dauid Sitsylt This man was a great benefactour to the moonks of Dore and forgaue them great summes of monie which they ought him Philip Sitsylt married Margaret the daughter of Iohn Philips and had by hir Richard Iohn and Margaret Richard Sitsylt or Cecill married Margaret the daughter of Philip Vaughan and had by hir Philip Cecill Margaret Cecill Iohn Cecill Dauid Cecill and Iames or Ienkin Cecill These petegrées and descents I gathered faithfullie out of sundrie ancient records and euidences whereof the most part are confirmed with seales autentike therevnto appendant manifestlie declaring the antiquitie and truth thereof which remaine at this present in the custodie of the right Honorable Sir William Cecill Knight of the noble order of the Garter Lord Burghley and Lord high Treasurer of England who is lineallie descended from the last recited Richard Sitsylt father to Dauid Cecill grandfather to the said Sir William Cecill now Lord Burghley and at this date William Sitsylt or Cecill Esquire coosen germane to the said Lord Burghley remooued by one degrée onelie is possessed of the foresaid house of Halterennes in Ewyas land as the heire male of the house of Sitsylts and is descended of Philip Cecill elder brother to the said Dauid About the same time or shortlie after Barnard Newmarch a noble man also of Normandie obtained by conquest the Lordship of Brechnock containing thrée cantreds and married Nest the daughter of Nest
much warre with the princes of Northwales I thinke it conuenient for the better vnderstanding of this historie to laie downe a briefe Catalog of the descents of the same Earles in order from the conquest to this Iohn Scot which was the last of them HVgh Lupus the sonne of Richard Earle of Auranges Uicount of Abonica and of Margaret the daughter of Harlowine a noble man in Normandie who maried Arlet the daughter of a burgesse in Falois which was also mother to William Conquerour came to England with the said Conquerour and was by him created Erle of Chester and sword-bearer of England with these words Habendum tenendum dictum comitatum Caestriae sibi haeredibus suis ita liberè ad gladium sicut ipse rex totam tenebat Angliam ad coronam that is To haue and to hold the said countie of Chester to him and his heires by right of the sword so fréelie as the king held the realme of England in the right of the crowne Hugh being established in the possession of the Earldome with most large priuiledges and fréedoms ordained vnder him for the better gouernment of the said countie foure Barons to wit The first Nigell or Neal his coosen Baron of Halton Constable and Marshall of Chester by condition of seruice to lead the Uauntgard of the Earles armie when he should make anie iournie into Wales so as the said Baron should be the formost in marching into the enimies countrie and the last in comming backe of him the Lacyes Earles of Lincolne descended The second Piers Malebanke Baron of Nantwich The Third Eustace Baron of Malpas The fourth Warren Vernoun Baron of Shipbrooke This Hugh Lupus conuerted the church of S. Werburgh to an Abbeie and died An 1102. after he had ruled that Earldome fourtie years leauing issue behind him Richard Robert Abbot of Burie and Otuell tutor to the children of king Henrie the first Richard Lupus the sonne of Hugh Lupus being the second Earle of Chester after the Conquest was but seuen yeare old when he was Earle he maried Mawd the daughter of Stephen Earle of Bloys Charters and Champaigne being the sister of king Stephen he with his brother Otuell after he had béen Earle of Chester xvij yeares was drowned at Godwin-sands comming from Normandie with the children of king Henrie the first in the yeare of Christ. 1120. Randulph Meschines alias de Bohun the sonne of Iohn de Bohun and of Margaret the sister of Hugh Lupus succéeded Richard in the Earledome of Chester as coosen next heire of blood to him being the third erle of Chester after the conquest he maried Mawd the daughter of Aubrey de Vere Earle of Gisnes by whom he had issue Randulph surnamed Vernounes bicause he was borne at Vernoune castell and died An. 1130. after that he had béene Earle about eight yeares Randulph Bohun his sonne succéeded his father being the fourth Earle of Chester after the Conquest who maried Alicia the daughter of Robert Earle of Glocester base sonne to king Henrie the first by whom he had issue Hugh Cyuelioc so called of that countrie of Powys wherein he was borne and died An. 1158. When he had béene Earle nine and twentie yeares Hugh Bohun alias Keuelock or rather Cyuelioc being the fift Earle of Chester after the Conquest maried Beatrice the daughter of Richard Lucie lord chiefe Iustice of England by whom he had issue Randulph and foure daughters Mawd maried to Dauid Earle of Anguis and Huntington lord of Galloway Mabill maried to William Daubney Earle of Arundell Agnes maried to William Ferrers Erle of Derby and Hawys maried to Robert Quincy a Baron of great honor who was in hir right after hir brothers death Earle of Lincolne and after him she was maried to sir Warren Bostock This Hugh was Earle of Chester 28. yeares died about the yeare 1182. Randulph Bohun alias Blandeuill so called bicause he was borne in Powys in a towne named Album monasterium succéded his father being the sixt Earle of Chester after the Conquest who was also Earle of Lincolne as coosen and next heire vnto William Romare Earle of Lincolne the second brother of Randulph Meschines the third Earle of Chester after the Conquest He was thrice maried first to Constance the daughter and heire of Conan Erle of Brytaine and Richmond being the widow of Geffrey the third son of king Henrie the second and the mother of Arthur Erle of Brytaine from whom afterward he was diuorsed and then maried a ladie named Clemence daughter to the Earle Ferrers after whose decease he tooke to his third wife Margaret daughter to Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford Essex and Constable of England Nuerthelesse he neuer had issue by anie of those his wiues and therefore the Earledome of Chester and his lands in Northwales after his death descended to Iohn surnamed Scot his sister Mawdes sonne by Dauid Earle of Anguis and Huntington The manour of Barrow with 500. pound lands came to Mabill the Earldome of Lincolne to Hawyse the castell and manour of Chartley and as I thinke his possessions in Powys to Agnes This Randulph atchieued manie enterprises against Lhewelyn prince of Wales but one time méeting with the said Prince and being too weake to encounter with him he was driuen to retire backe to the castell of Ruthlan wherein the said Prince besieged him wherevpon he was faine to send to Roger Lacie Constable of Chester to come to his succors in that extremitie Lacie calling his fréends vnto him requested them to make as manie men as they could and to go with him to deliuer the Earle out of the danger of his enimies at whose request Ralph Dutton his son in law being a lustie youth assembled togither all the plaiers musicians and merie companions within the citie being then the Faire time and came to the Constable who forthwith went to Ruthlan raised the siege and deliuered the Earle from danger In recompense of which seruice the Earle gaue vnto his Constable diuerse fréedoms and priuiledges and granted vnto the said Dutton the ruling and ordering of all the plaiers and musicians within that countie which his heire enioieth euen to this daie This Earle builded the castels of Charteley and Beeston the abbie of Dalacrosse He died about the yeare of Christ 1232. when he had béene Earle 51. yeares Iohn Scot was in the right of Mawd his mother the eldest sister and one of the heires of Randulph Blandeuile the seuenth Earle of Chester he had great warres with Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth prince of Wales but in the end peace being made betwixt them the Earle for further confirmation of the same maried Iane the Princes daughter neuerthelesse he died without issue leauing foure sisters his heires Margaret maried to Alan de Galawey by whom she had a daughter named Derngold the mother of Iohn Baliol king of Scotland Isabel maried to Robert Breux Mawd who died without issue and
Also that which is more perilous he called vs vnto a place not to vs safe amongst our deadlie enimies our fugitiues and felons and their spies and murderers to doo him homage and fealtie to the which place we can no waies come without danger of our bodie especiallie seeing our enimies aboue said be in that place at the kings table and sometime in counsell and openlie brag themselues And though lawfull and reasonable excuses were alledged by our messengers before the king and his councell why the place was not safe nor indifferent yet he refused to allow or appoint anie other place indifferent for vs to doo our homage and fealtie which we were and are readie to doo vnto him in anie safe place by him to be appointed if he will appoint anie and to performe the other articles of the peace concluded and sworne And for that it pleased him not to come to anie place where we could with safetie do him homage we were suiters to him to send anie from him to receiue our oth and homage vntill it pleased him to appoint a place where we shall doo our homage to him personallie the which thing he vtterlie denied to doo We therfore beseech your Fatherhoods earnestlie that it please you to consider what danger should happen to the people both of England and of Wales by reason of the breach of the couenants of peace aboue said if now warres and discord should follow which God forbid attending and calling to remembrance the prohibition of the holie father the Pope latelie in the councell at Lions that no warre should be mooued amongst Christians least thereby the affaires of the holie land should be neglected that it would please you also to helpe with your counsell with the lord and king that he would vse vs and order vs according to the peace agreed vpon the which we will no waie infringe And if he will not harken to your counsell therein which God forbid that you will hold vs excused for we will no waies as much as in vs lieth procure the trouble or disquietnes of the Realme And if it may please you to giue credit to our messengers which we doo send to the king at the daie by him vnto vs appointed to alledge our lawfull excuses in those things which they by mouth shall on our part shew vnto you resting to doo your will and pleasure if it please you to write againe Dated at Talybont the 6. daie of October An. 1275. Shortlie after the king came to Chester willing the Prince to come thither and doo him homage which when the Prince detracted to doo the king gathered an armie to compell him thereto The yeare folowing the countesse of Leycester wife to Symon Montfort which remained at a Nunrie in Montargis in France sent hir daughter to Wales to marie the Prince as it was agreed betwixt them in hir fathers time and with hir came hir brother Aemerike and a goodlie companie who fearing the coast of England kept their course to the Iles of Sylle where by chance they met with foure ships of Bristowe which set vpon them and tooke them and brought them to the king who intertained the ladie honourablie sending hir brother to be kept prisoner in the castell of Corff from whence he was remooued to the castell of Shirburne Then the king prepared two armies whereof he lead one himselfe to Northwales as farre as Ruthlan and fortified that castell And the other he sent with Paganus de Camurtijs a worthie soldiour to Westwales who burned and destroied a great part of the countrie And this yere it rained blood in diuers places in Wales The yeare ensuing the lords of Southwales came to the kings peace and did him homage and deliuered the castell in Stratywy vnto the kings lieutenant Paganus de Camurtijs Then the prince vnderstanding this and seeing that his owne people had forsaken him sent to the king for peace which was agreed vpon these conditions First that all those which the Prince kept prisoners of the kings freends and for his cause should be set at libertie Item that the Prince should paie to the king for his fauour and good will 50000. markes to be paid at the kings pleasure Item that foure Cantreds should remaine to the king and his heires for euer which Cantreds I thinke were these Cantref Ros where the kings castell of Teganwy stood Cantref Ryuonioc where Denbigh is Cantref Tegengl where Ruthlan standeth and Cantref Dyffryn Clwyd where Ruthyn is Item that the lords Marchers should quietlie enioy all the lands that they had conquered within Wales Item that the prince should paie yearelie for the Ile of Môn or Anglesey 1000. marks which paiement should begin at Michaelmas then next ensuing that also he should paie 5000. marks out of hand and if the Prince died without issue the Ile should remaine to the king and his heires Item that the Prince should come to England euerie Christmas to doo the king homage for his lands Item that all the Barons in Wales should hold their lands of the king sauing fiue in Snowdon who should acknowledge the Prince to be their lord Item that he should for his life enioy the name of Prince and none of his heires after him so that after his death the foresaid fiue Barons should hold of the king and of none other Item that for the performance of these articles the Prince should deliuer for hostages ten of the best in VVales without imprisoning disinheriting or time of deliuerance determined also the king to choose twentie within Northwales which should take their othes with the Prince to performe all these articles and if the Prince should swarue from anie of them and being thereof admonished would not amend and redresse the same they should forsake him and become his enimies The Prince was also bound to let his brethren enioy their lands in VVales of whom Dauid had long serued the king whom the king had made knight contrarie to the maner of VVales and had giuen him in mariage the daughter of the Earle of Derby whose first husband was latelie deceased to whom the king gaue Denbigh in Northwales and a 1000. pound lands therewith His other brother Roderike was latelie fled to England out of prison and Owen the third was deliuered at this composition This peace was concluded in the kings absence who appointed one of his Commissioners to wit the lord Robert Tiptoft to take an oth for him and authorized the said Robert Anthonie Beke and William de Southampton Prior prouinciall of the Friers preachers Commissioners nominated on his behalfe to receiue the like oth of the said Lhewelyn for whose part Theodor or Tuder ap Ednyuet and Grono ap Heilyn were Commissioners At this time the king builded a castell at Aberystwyth and returned to England with much honor vnto whom the people granted a subsidie of the twentie part of their goods towards his
learned and wise and in great fauour with the king who sent him sundrie times in embassages to forreine Princes and now he had the gouernement of the kings onelie daughter ladie Marie Princesse of Wales Of all the Bishops in the land he was counted the courtlikest and the best Courtier and although he was well reported of for his learning yet was he better liked for his courtlike behauiour which in the end turned not so much to his credit as to the vtter ruine and spoile of his church for of xxij lordships and manours which his predecessors had and least vnto him of a goodlie yearelie reuenue he leaft but thrée and them also leased out And where he found fouretéene houses well furnished he leaft onlie one house bare and without furniture and yet charged with sundrie fées and annuities by meanes whereof that bishopricke which sometimes was counted one of the best is now become in temporall lands one of the meanest and a place scarse leaft for the Bishop to laie and rest his head in yet neuerthelesse he was a great fauorer of learned men and speciallie of diuines whom he preferred in his church aboue all others He was verie bounteous and liberall vnto all men but speciallie vnto courtiers vnto his owne kindred and countrimen Upon many he bestowed vnto the confusion of some of them and vpon other he spent much by building of a towne named Sutton Colshull where he was borne which he procured to be incorporated and made a market towne and set vp therein making of kersies but all in the end came to small effect ELIZABETH Rowland Lee bishop of Couentrie and Lichfield was in the 26. yéere of king Henrie the eight sent to be Lord President of the kings maiesties Counsell in the marches of Wales in whose time the principalitie and countrie of Wales was by Parlement incorporated and vnited vnto the kingdome of England and all the inhabitants thereof made equall in fréedomes liberties rights priuileges lawes and in all other respects to the naturall subiects of England and all inheritances were made of English tenure to descend without diuision or partition after the maner of England Also the lawes statutes and ordinances of the realme of England were commanded to be executed and put in practise within the contrie and principalitie of Wales and none other And to the end the said lawes should be dulie put in execution the whole dominion of Wales togither with the lordships marchers bordering vpon the same was diuided into xiij shires or counties wherefore xij made foure circuits to the which circuits there were seuerall Iudges appointed who should administer iustice to the inhabitants of euerie of the said shires twise in the yéere The first circuit was the thrée shires of Eastwales Denbygh Flynt and Mountgomrie wherin the Iustice of Chester kéepeth sessions twise in the yéere hearing and deciding all titles trespasses variance and misdemeanours within the countrie The Iustice of Northwales doth the like in the thrée shires of Northwales Anglesey Caernaruon and Meryonyth which doo make the second circuit The third circuit are the thrée shires of Westwales Caerdigan Caermardhyn and Penbrooke where the Iustice of that countrie kéepeth his sessions euerie yéere twise The thrée shires of Southwales Radnor Brechnocke and Glamorgan doo make the fourth circuit in the which the Iustice of Southwales dooth kéepe sises twise euerie yéere And bicause all matters as well of lawe as of equitie are heard and determined in these circuits the same doo continue sixe daies in euerie of the shires aforenamed Monmouthshire dooth followe the common order of the shires of England suing all originall writs out of the high court of chancerie In all these shires there were appointed Shirifes Iustices of peace Crowners and all other officers accordinglie as they are in England Further for the kéeping of the countrie in continuall obedience and the controlling of the outrage of wilfull and vnrulie persons there was ordeined a President and counsell to remaine within the dominion and Principalitie of Wales with all officers appertaining to the same Which President and councell haue power and authoritie to heare and determine by their wisdomes and discretions such causes and matters as are assigned to them by the Kings or Quéens of England for the time being And certeinlie let men imagine what they will this house was it that after great hatred and persecution whereof disobedience and rudenes folowed reduced the countrie of Wales to quietnesse obedience and ciuilitie by authoritie whereof not onelie great outrages are appeased the offendors punished and the wilfull brideled but also the quiet and obedient subiect is protected and defended from iniurie so that he may possesse his owne in quietnesse Wherein this Bishop Rowland Lee and his associats did notable good seruice And surelie there haue béene of the same house verie wise gouernors and men of great credit namelie Nicholas Heath Archbishop of Yorke and Lord Chancelor of England Thomas Yoong Archbishop also of Yorke Iohn Whitgift now Archbishop of Canturburie and diuers other of whom I am to speake héereafter In the 29. yéere of king Henrie the eight prince Edward his sonne was borne at Hampton court on S. Edwards euen being the 12. of October who bicause the principalitie of Wales was now by statute as I said before incorporated to the crowne and kingdome of England being vnder the same lawes and iurisdiction was none otherwise Prince of Wales than vnder the generall title of England as the king his father was king of England and vnder that name K. of Wales as a member of England neither doo I read of anie other creation or inuestiture that he had to that principalitie therefore I thought it not conuenient to make any speciall title of him after the said statute He afterward succéeded his father in the crowne of this realme by the name of king Edward the sixt The said Rowland Lee died L. President in the xxxiiij yéere of King Henrie the eight and lieth buried at Shrewesburie After him Richard Sampson bishop of Chichester was remooued to Couentrie and Lichfield and appointed Lord President of Wales in the xxxv yéere of king Henrie the eight and so continued L. President vntill the end of the 2. yéere of the reigne of king Edward the sixt Iohn Sutton alias Dudley Earle of Warwike and knight of the noble order of the garter was in the third yéere of King Edward the sixt appointed Lord President of Wales in the which office he continued vntill the fourth yéere of the same king He descended out of Wales by a daughter of the Lord Powys for he was the sonne of Edmund the sonne of Iohn a yoonger sonne of Iohn Lord Dudley the sonne of Iohn Lord Dudley the sonne of Iohn Lord Dudley the son of Iohn Lord Dudley the sonne of Iohn Sutton Baron Dudley who maried Isabell the daughter of sir Iohn Charlton
ibidem taketh the gouernment vpon him 299. excommunicated 300. refuseth to deliuer his brother out of prison ibidem he submitteth himselfe to the king 304. he complaineth to the pope vpon king Henrie 308. maketh the principalitie of Wales tributarie to the church of Rome 309. putteth king Henries armie to flight 310. he dieth 313. Dauid ap Gruffyth 319. forsaketh his brother 326.335.350 his answere to the kings offer 370. he is taken and put to death 374. Dauid Fitz Gerald bishop of Meneuia 201.237 Denbigh D 10. the owners of it sithence the Dauid ap Gruffyth 377. giuen to Henrie Lacy Earle of Lincolne 377. Dial Rodri 38. Dinerth 45. Dinevowr D 6. and 17. the castell wonne 269. Donwalhon Prince of Stratclwyd 64. Dyffryn Clwyd D 10. Dyganwy D 10.262.267.326 parcell of the possession of y e Erle of Chester D 10. Dyuet D 17. destroied by the Danes 65.71 giuen to Arnulph 154. then to Iorwerth ap Blethyn 158. thirdlie to Saer 159. fourthlie to Gerald 161.272 E. EGbert King of England being the firste of the Saxons 25. he entred into Wales 24. he chaungeth the name of Brytaine into England 25. his warres against the Danes 27. he dieth ibidem his wife hated the Brytaines and caused the king to vse them hardly ibidem Elife ap Madoc 257. his lands taken from him sauing Crogen and 7. towneships ibidem Edelfled 44.47.48 Edgar king of England spoileth Northwales 61. dieth 64. Edmund K. of England 51. he is slaine 58. Ednyuet Uachan 249.306 Edwal Yoorch 7.9 Edwal Uoel 46. he is slain 51. Edwal ap Meyric 72. slain 73. Edwal Uachan the sonne of Edwal Uoel slaine 65. Edward the elder 43. he taketh London and Oxford from his sister 44. he disinheriteth his sisters daughter 49. dieth 50. Edward the Martyr 64. Edward the Confessor 92. Edward Earle of Chester 319 retireth 321. commeth to Wales 326. goeth to the holy land 328. crowned king of England ibidem he commeth to Chester 333. his offer to the Prince 364.365 his offer to Dauid ibidem he brought al Wales to his subiection 374. he giueth the lands of the Welshmen to the noble men of England 377. Edward Caernarvon 376. taketh homage of the freeholders of Wales 382. Edward of Woodstoke 384 Edward of Westminster 388. Edward of Westminster 389. Edward sonne to K. Richard the third 390. Edward the sixt 396. Elizabeth Princesse 394. Eneon ap Owen ap Howel Dha 65 he is slaine 66. Eneon ap Cadiuor 119. England and Englishmen 25. driuen out of the countrie of Senghennyth 279. they doo oppresse the Welshmen 337. Easter not kept by y e Brytains at the time appointed by the church of Rome 17.18 Esylht the daughter and heire of Conan D 16.22.24 Ethelwulphs genelogie 29. he was bishop of Winchester 32 Ethelbald maried his mother in law 32. Evneth y e sonne of Bledred 41. F. FAmine in Southwales 71. Fermael the sonne of Edwal 18. Flemings came to Dyuet 163. they desire peace 277.279 G. GAlfrid Arthur bishop of Lhanelwy 203. Gauelford 25. Geffrey Blyth bishop of Couentrie and Lichfield 392. Geffrey Langley 321. Genelogies estéemed among all nations 31. Gerald de Windsore steward of Penbrooke 154. Gilbert Strangbow Earle of Strigule 169.172 Gladys daughter to Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth 298. Gwaith y dinas newydh 47. Gwaynyttyd 113. Gwent D 19. spoiled by the Danes 42. Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys 250. getteth againe the castell of Poole 248. laieth siege to the castel of Payne in Eluel 251. discomfited 252. detained prisoner by the Counsell 260. released of his oth of obedience to the king by the pope 267. Gweythen 32. Gwyneth ¶ See Northwales Gilbert De Humfreuile 125. his heires 134. Glamorgan D 19. spoiled 71. won from the Welshmen 122 Goths whence they came 39. Grono ap Owen ap Edwyn lord of Tegengl 172. Grono ap Ednyuet vachā 327. Gruffyth ap Madoc slaine 49. Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht 90. he is slaine 101. Gruffyth ap Conan commeth to Anglesey 112. he warreth against Trahaern ap Caradoc 113. ioineth with Rées ap Theodor 114. obteineth the principalitie of Northwales 115. he maketh peace with king Henrie the first 174. dieth 190. his statute to reforme the abuses of minstrels 191. Gruffyth ap Rées ap Theodor 175. putteth himselfe in armour against the king 176. he taketh the towne of Caermardhyn 178. he dieth 190. Gruffyth ap Trahaerne ap Caradoc 162. Gruffyth Maylor L. of Bromfield 242. Gruffyth ap Rées taken by his brother Maelgon and sent to prison 250. set at libertie 252. he dieth 256. Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth 280 goeth with an army against William Marshall 282.292 disquieteth his father 297. valiant and couragious 298.307 imprisoned by his brother ibidem great sute to the K. for his inlargment 301. deliuered to the K. and sent to the towre where séeking to scape he brake his necke 307. Gruffyth lord of Dinas Bran 293.300.304.321.327 Gurmond D 15.6 Gwgan ap Meyric 34. H. HAsting the Dane 39. Henrie the first K. of England 157. he commeth into Wales 173. againe 184. he is in danger to be slaine 185. he dieth 188. Henry the second king of England 204. he commeth to Wales 206. put in danger of his life 207. he maketh peace with the lords of Wales 208. commeth to Southwales 209. againe 219. he commeth to Northwales 221. lieth incamped at Berwyn 222. in danger to be slaine ibidem he goeth the Ireland 230. returneth from Ireland againe 232. forsaketh his wife 239. he dieth 241. Henrie the third king of England 276. commeth to wales and buildeth a castell at Mountgomerie 280. commeth againe with an armie to Wales 283. againe 289. marieth 293. commeth againe to Wales 299. called to appéere before the Abbots of Aberconwy Cymer 309. he commeth again to Wales 310. he and the Earle of Chester come to Wales 322. commeth to Montgomerie and maketh peace with the prince 326. he dieth 328. Henrie Lacy lord of Denbigh and Earle of Lincolne 377. Henrie prince of Wales 392. Henrie Sidney knight of the order 400. Howel the brother of Conan Tindaethwy 22. King of man 25. Howel Dha prince of Southwales 45. prince of al Wales 52. his lawes 53. he went to Rome 54 he dieth 58. Howel ap Ieuaf 62. vseth his brother Meyric cruellie 63. ruleth Northwales 64. he is slaine 66. Howel ap Edwyn 88. he is slaine 93. Howel ap Grono lord of Stratywy Cydewen and Gwyr 159. he is traiterouslie slaine 161. Howel ap Ithel lord of Ros Ryuonioc 183. Howel ap Owen Gwyneth a valiant captaine 199. Howel ap Ieuaflord of Arustly 240. Hubert de Burgh kéepeth the castell of Douer 275. gaue the French nauie an ouerthrow 277. some of the Barons conspire against him 283. owner of Montgomerie 284. his folie 285. committed to prison 288. escapeth out of prison 289. reconciled to the King 292. Huganus lord of Westwales 47. Hugh Lupus Earle of Chester 151.155 he dieth 157. Hugh de Montgomerie Earle
Alicia maried to Henrie Hastings to the which sisters the king gaue other lands and tooke the said Earldome into his owne hands Quia noluit tam praeclaram dominationem diuidi inter colos In the yeare 1237. Lhewelyn prince of Wales called all the Lords and Barons of Wales before him to Stratflur and there euerie one of them swore to be faithfull subiects and did homage to Dauid Lhewelyns sonne At this time Lhewelyn prince of Wales being impotent by reason of a palsie which had taken him and sore vexed and disquieted by his sonne Gruffyth sent Ambassadors to the king to signifie vnto him that for as much as his yeares were now welnigh spent he was desirous to lead the rest of his daies in peace and quietnes and therefore purposed now to submit himselfe to the gouernment and protection of the king of England and that he would hold his lands of him promising withall that when soeuer the king should stand in néed of his aid he would be readie to helpe him with men and monie to the vttermost of his power There were sent as mediators in this behalfe the bishops of Hereford Chester who trauelled about the same with the good liking of many of the nobles of Wales although some openlie gainsaid them in no case would accept anie such peace Then the said Dauid tooke from his brother Gruffyth Arustly Ceri Cyuelioc Mowthwy Mochnant and Caereneon and let him onelie enioy the Cantref of Lhyyn This Gruffyth was the elder brother and a lustie gentleman but yet base borne The summer folowing the Earle of Cornwale and William de longa Spata the yoonger tooke their viage towards the holie land Simon de Monteforti fled from France to England to whom the king gaue the Stewardship of England with the Erledome of Leicester This time Dauid sonne to prince Lhewelyn did contrarie to his oth take his brother Gruffyth being in safeconduct with the bishop of Bangor vpon whose promise he was content to speake with his brother and imprisoned him in the castell of Crickieth The yeare after Christs incarnation 1240. Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth the most valiant and noble prince which brought all Wales to his subiection and had so often put his enimies to flight and defended his countrie enlarging the meares thereof further than they had beene manie yeares before passed out of this transitorie life and was honorablie buried at the Abbeie of Conwey after he had gouerned Wales well and worthilie fiftie and sixe yeares This prince left behind him one sonne called Dauid begotten vpon his wife Ione daughter to king Iohn of England by whom also he had a daughter called Gladys maried to six Ralph Mortimer Also he had another sonne called Gruffyth whom his brother wrongfullie kept in close prison as long as he liued as shalbe hereafter declared Dauid ap Lhewelyn Dauid the sonne of Lhewelyn When Richard bishop of Bangor sawe that Dauid dealt so hardlie with his brother Gruffyth contrarie to his faithfull promise made vnto the said bishop he excommunicated him and then withdrawing himselfe out of Wales made a gréeuous complaint to the king vpon Dauid most instantlie requesting the king to deliuer Gruffyth out of prison least the rumor of that fact being notified in the court of Rome and other countries out of the realme should be some staine of the kings honor if he should not withstand such outragious and wilfull dealings The king therefore greatlie blaming Dauid his nephue for the abusing of his brother in such sort as he did requested him with most pithie persuasions to set his brother at libertie as well for the sauing of his owne credit and fame as also for the auoiding of the said excommunication and other imminent dangers which might ensue of that matter To the which request of the king Dauid answered plainelie that he would not deliuer his brother out of prison affirming constantlie that if his brother were inlarged the countrie of Wales would be in great disquietnes Whereof when Gruffyth was certified he sendeth priuilie to the king promising that if he would forceablie deliuer him out of his brothers prison he would hold his lands of him and paie him two hundereth markes yearelie offering not onelie to be sworne vpon this and to deliuer pledges for performance thereof but also to aid the king to bring the rest of the Welshmen to his subiection Further Gruffyth Lord of Bromfield did assure the king of aid if he would come to Wales with an armie to chastise Dauid for his falsehood and iniurie vsed towards his brother Moreouer the bishop of Bangor being more desirous to be reuenged vpon Dauid in an other mans matter than carefull to feed his flocke in discharge of his owne dutie sent to Rome and there followed the matter so hard that the Pope excommunicated Dauid which excommunication was denounced accordinglie and his land interdicted Now king Henrie being allured with these promises on Gruffyths behalfe leauied a puisant armie to go into Wales straightlie commanding by his writs all such as ought him seruice in time of warre to giue their attendance vpon him readie with horse and armor at Glocester the first daie of August folowing to set forward against his enimies Whither the king came at the daie appointed and from thence went to Salop and remained there fiftéene daies During the kings abode at Salop diuers noble men were great suters vnto him in the behalfe of Gruffyth as Ralph lord Mortimer of Wigmore Walter Clifford Roger de Monte Alto steward of Chester Maelgon the sonne of Maelgon Meredyth ap Rotpert lord of Cydewen Gruffyth ap Madoc lord of Bromfield Howel and Meredyth the sonnes of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth and Gruffyth the sonne of Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys These wrought so with the king that there was a league concluded betwéene him and Senena the wife of the said Gruffyth in the behalfe of hir husband lieng then in his brothers prison according to the articles comprised in this charter folowing Conuenit inter dominum Henricum tertium regem Anglorum illustrem ex vna parte Senenam vxorem Gryffini filij Leolini quondà m principis Northwalliae quem Dauid frater eius tenet carceri mancipatum cum Owino filio suo nomine eiusdem Gryffini ex altera c. Articles of agreement betweene Henrie the third of that name king of England of the one partie and Senena the wife of Gruffyth the sonne of Lhewelyn sometimes Prince of Northwales whom Dauid his brother deteineth in prison with Owen his sonne in the name of the said Gruffyth of the other partie IN primis the said Senena vndertaketh that the said Gruffyth hir husband will giue vnto the king sixe hundreth markes vpon condition that the king doo cause the said Gruffyth and Owen his sonne to be deliuered from the prison wherein they are kept and will stand to the iudgement of the kings court whether