being not able to retreat Great scarcity in England for want of commerce with Wales upon the suddain were almost all slain At this time there was great scarcity of Beeves and horses in England whereof they were wont to have many thousands yearly out of Wales and all the marches were made as a desolate and desert place The next spring all the Nobles of Wales came together and sware to defend their Country to death and never to forsake one another and that upon pain of cursing but shortly after Meredyth ap Rees of Southwales A subsidy demanded to conquer Wales not regarding his oath served the King Then the King called a Parliament for a subsidy to Wales when he had so many losses and of late all the Country of Pembrock burnt and spoiled where the Welshmen had found salt plentifully which they lacked in the which Parliament no Subsidy was granted Mat. Paâ—is fol. 1807. Shortly after the same Parliament by propagation was called at Oxford where the Lords of Wales offered to be tryed by the law for any offence they had committed against the King iâ—iustly To this patrick the Lordship of Cydwely was given if he could win it Easie to give l â—ge thongs out of another mans hide Trea hery revenged by the Welsh but Edward would not hear of it but sent one Patrick de Canton as Lieutenant for the King to Caermarthyn and with him Meredyth ap Rees and this Patrick desired to speak upon peace with the Princes Councel whereupon the Prince meaning good faith sent his brother whom he had set at liberty with Meredyeh ap Owen and Rees ap Rees to Emlyn to treat with them of peace but Patrick meaning to entrap them laid an ambushment of Men armed by the way and as they should have met these miscreants fell upon the Welsh and slew a great number of them but the Lords which escaped raised the Country forthwith and followed Patrick and slew him and the most part of all his men And after this the Prince desirous of peace and quietness to redeem the same and to end all troubles and to purchase the Kings good will offered the King 4000 marks and to his son 300. and to the Queen 200. to have peace but the King answered What is this to our losses and refused it It appeareth by the records in the Tower that about this time to wit An. 43. Hen. 3. there was a commission to William Bishop of Worcester John Mansel Treasurer of York the Kings Chaplain and Peter de Montfort to conclude a peace with the Welshmen but it is like there was nothing done to any effect in that behalfe for the war continued still Notwithstanding I find by Mathew Westminster that there was a certain truce agreed upon between the King and the Welshmen for a year I read also in the same Author that the Bishop of Bangor was this year about Michaelmas sent from Lhewelyn the Prince and all the Barons of Wales to the King to desire peace at his hands and to offer unto him the summe of 16000. pound for the same so that he would grant the Welsh to have all their matters heard and determined at Chester as they were wont to have and to suffer them to enjoy the lawes and customes of their own Country but what answer the Bishop brought again the said Author maketh no mention The year 1260. Prince Lhewelyn destroyed the lands of Sr. Roger Mortimer because he contrary to his oath maintained the Kings quarrel and took from him all Buelht saving the Castle which the Princes men got by night without bloodshed Aber. P. Lhewelyns Court or Palace and therein much ammunition and so after the Prince had passed through all Southwales he returned to his house at Aber betwixt Conwey and Bangor The year following died Owen ap Meredyth Lord of Cydewen and this summer certain of the Princes men surprised the Castle of Sr. Roger Mortimer in Melienyth and slew the garrison taking Howel ap Meyric the Captain thereof with his wife and children and the Princes Lieutenant came and destroyed it Then Sr. Roger Mortimer hearing this came with a great strength of Lords and Knights to Melienyth whether the Prince came also and Sr. Roger kept himself within the walls of the broken Castle and sent to the Prince for licence to depart without hurt the Prince having his Enemie within his power A most Christian and heroick act of Lhewelyn took compassion upon him because he was his cozen and suffered him to depart with his people without hurt from thence the Prince went to Brecknock at the request of the people of that Country which swore fidelity unto him and so returned to Northwales Prince Lhewelyn being confederate with the Barons against the King destroyed the Earldom of Chester and raised two of Edwards Castles Tygannwy and Deserth and thither came Edward but did nothing to speak of This year John Strange the younger being Constable of Montgomery came with a great number of Merchers by night through Ceril to Cydewen which when the Countrymen understood they gathered themselves together and slew 200. of his Men but he escaped with his men back again Shortly after the Merchers and the Welshmen met neer Clun Rara est concordia franum where the English had the victory and slew many of the Welsh At this time David the Princes brother whom he had set at liberty forsook him and succoured his foes with all his power Then Gruffith ap Gwenwynwyn got the Castle of Molde and raised it At this time died Meredyth ap Owen the defender of Southwales The Year ensuing King Henry led a great army towards Wales and by the means of Olobonus the Popes Legate there was a peace concluded betwixt the King and the Prince at Montgomery Castle for the which the Prince gave unto the King 30000. marks and the King granted the Prince a Charter to receive from thenceforth homage fealty of all the Nobility and Barons of Wales saving one so that all the aforesaid Barons should ever after hold of the Prince as their Leige Lord and he to be called and written from thenceforth Prince of Wales and in witness of this the King put his seal and hand to the said Charter which was likewise confirmed by the authority of the Pope The year after this dyed Grono ap Ednyvet Vachan a Noble man and chief of the Princes Councel In the year 1270. dyed Gruffith Lord of Bromfield and was buried at Vale Crucis and here endeth the Brittish copy At this place leaveth the Brittish Copy Mr. Lhoyd and writeth no further of the end of this Prince but leaveth him at the highest and most honourable stay that any Prince of Wales was in of many years before The writer peradventure being ashamed to declare the utter fall and ruine of his Countrymen whereunto their own pride and discord did bring them as it doth evidently appear
to him that searcheth out their Histories but I intending to finish the History during the Government of the Brittains have sought out in other Chronicles written in the Latine tongue especially in the Chronicle of Nicholas Trivet King Hen 3. dyeth who wrote from the begining of the raign of King Stephen to the Coronation of Edward the second and such other as much as I could find concerning this matter In the year 1272. dyed King Henry the third and Edward his Son coming from the holy Land two years after was crowned at Westminster King of England to which Coronation the Prince of Wales refused to come although he was sent for alledging for his excuse that he had offended many Noblemen of England and therefore would not come in danger without he had for pledges the Kings brother with the Earl of Glocester and Robert Burnell Chief Justice of England wherewith the King was highly displeased year 1274 King Edward could never brook P. Lhewelyn since the time that he was compelled to flight by him at their meeting in the Marches as before Thom. Walsh on the other side Lhewelyn liked no better of the King then the King did of him again those Noblemen who for their disobedience were dis-inherited by Lhewelyn were received and entertained by King Edward which things caused the Prince to fear some evil practice by those and other such as hated him if he should have been at the Kings Coronation to do his homage and fealty according to the writ directed unto him in that behalfe as appeareth by an instrument sent by the said Prince to Robert Kilwarby Archbishop of Canterbury the Archbishop of Yorke and other Bishops sitting then at their Convocation in the new Temple at London Anno. 1275. wherein the causes of this war are contained which instrument it self as it was then sent is extant to this day written in parchment with the Princes great seal thereunto appendant which I have seen saith this Author and copied out of the Original verbatim Mr. Lhoyd being then in the custody of Thomas Yale Doctor of Law of late Dean of the Arches a great searcher and preserver of the antiquities of Wales which I thought convenient here to lay down for the fuller understanding of this History Reverendissimis in Christo Patribus Dominis Roberto Dei gratia Archiepiscopo Cant. totius Angliae Primati Archiepis Eborum ac eorum suffraganis c. To the most Reverend Fathers in Christ and Lords Robert Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of England and the Archbishop of Yorke and their Suffragans being now together at London in Councel Their devote Son Lhewelyn Prince of Wales and Lord of Snowdon greeting with due Obedience Reverence and Honour in all things Be it known unto your reverend Father-hoods that where heretofore contention and discord whereof war followed and long continued arose betwixt the King of Noble memory Henry King of England of the one party and us of the other party the same contentions and strife were at the last appeased by authority of the See Apostolick and means of the reverend Father Lord Otobanus Deacon and Cardinal of St. Adrian Legate into England as it appeareth in the form of Treaty and Peace betwixt the said King and Edward his first begotten Son Lord Edward now King of England and their Successors on the one party and us and our Successors on the other party by the corporal Oath of both parties assured Which form of peace was committed to writing with the said Legate with the seal of the said King and the seal of the said Lord Edward now King and with our seal also in the which peace it is contained amongst other things as you do well know as we believe that we and our Successors should hold of the King and his Successors the Principality of Wales So that all Welsh Barons should hold their Baronies and Lands of us and our Successors in Capite and should do homage and fealty to us and to our heirs one Baron excepted for the which we and our Successors should do homage and fealty to the Lord the King and his Successors It is further contained in the same peace that neither the said King nor his Successors should receive any of our Enemies or any running from us or our Successors nor should help or maintain any such against us or our Successors The which all are contained in the form of peace the Tenor whereof the Reverend Fathers of Strata Florida and Aberconwey bearers hereof can shew you But see Reverend Fathers the Lord Edward now King of England after the said peace taketh into his hands certain Barons Lands in Wales of which they and their Ancestors have been long possessed and keepeth a Barony in his hands which should be ours by the form of peace other Barons of our Land being from us fugitives runing to him he keepeth helpeth and maintaineth David ap Gruffith and Gruffith ap Gwenwynwyn who purposed our death and destruction Notwithstanding that since their departure they have robbed within our Land committed slaughter and burning of houses do daily the like against the peace aforesaid and although we have often sent our griefs and complaints by solemn messengers to the said Noble Lord Edward as well before he was King as since yet unto this day he never did any redress therein also that which is more perilous he called us unto a place not to us safe amongst our deadly Enemies our fugitives and fellons and their spies and murderers to do him homage and fealty to which place we can no wayes come without danger of our body especially seeing our Enemies above said to be in that place at the Kings table and sometimes in Councel and openly brag themselves And though lawfull and reasonable excuses were alledged by our messengres before the King and his Councel why the place was not safe nor indifferent yet he refused to allow or appoint any other place indifferent for us to do homage and fealty which we were and are ready to do unto him in any safe place by him to be appointed if he will appoint any and to perform the other articles of the peace concluded and sworn And for that it pleaseth him not to come to any place where we could with safety do him homage we were suiters to him to send any from him to receive our oath and homage untill it pleased him to appoint a place where we shall do our homage to him personally the which thing he utterly denyed to do We therefore beseech your Father-hoods earnestly that it may please you to consider what danger should happen to the people both of England and of Wales by reason of the breach of Covenants of peace abovesaid if now wars and discord should follow which God forbid attending and calling to remembrance the prohibition of the Holy Father the Pope lately in the Councel at Lyons that no war should be moved amongst Christians least thereby the
the Altars We hope that your Fatherhood and the said Court of Rome will rather with pity lament our case than with rigor of punishment augment our sorrow Neither shall the Kingdom of England be in any wise disquieted or troubled by our means as is affirmed so that we may have the peace duely kept and observed towards us and our people Who they be that are delighted with blood-shed and war is manifestly apparent by their deeds and behaviour for we would live quietly upon our own if we might be suffered but the Englishmen coming to our Countrey did put all to the sword neither sparing sex age or sickness or any thing regarding Churches or sacred Places the like whereof the Welshmen never committed That one having paid his ransom was afterwards slain we are right sorry to hear of it neither do we maintain the offender who escaping our hands keepeth himself as an Out-law in the Woods and unknown places That some began the war in a time not meet or convenient that understood not we of till now and yet they who did the same do affirm that in case they had not done as they did at that time they had been slain or taken prisoners being not in safety in their own houses and forced continually for safeguard of their lives to keep themselves in Armour and therefore to deliver themselves from that fear they took that enterprise in hand Concerning those things which we commit against God with the assistance of his grace A true Christian resolution in Lhewelyn we will as it becometh Christians repent and turn unto him neither shall the war on our part be continued so that we be saved harmless and may live as we ought but before we be disinherited or slain we must defend our selves as well as we may Of all injuries and wrongs done by us we are most willing and ready upon the due examination and trial of the trespasses and wrong committed on both sides to make satisfaction to the utmost of our power so that the like on the Kings side be performed in like manner towards us and our people and to conclude and establish a peace we are most ready But what peace can be established when as the Kings Charter so solemnly confirmed is not kept and performed Our people are daily oppressed with new exactions We send unto you also a note in writing of the wrongs injuries which are done unto us contrary to that Form of the peace before made we have put our selves in Armour being driven thereunto by necessity for we and our people were so oppressed trodden under foot spoiled and brought to slavery by the Kings Officers contrary to the Form of peace concluded against justice none otherwise then if we were Saracens or Jewes whereof we have oftentimes complained unto the King and never could get any Redress but alwayes those Officers were afterwards more fierce and cruel against us and when those Officers through their ravine and extortion were enriched other more hungry than they were sent afresh to flea those whom the other had shorn before so that the people wished rather to dye than to live in such oppression And now it shall not be needful to leavy any Army to war upon us or move the Prelates of the Church against us so that the peace may be observed duely and truly as before is expressed Neither ought your holy fatherhood to give credit to all that our adversaries do alleadge against us for even as in their deeds they have and do oppress us so in their words they will not stick to slaunder us laying to our charge what liketh them best Therefore forasmuch as they are alwayes present with you and we absent from you they oppressing we oppressed we are to desire you even for his sake from whom nothing is hid not to credit mens words but to examine their deeds Thus we bid your Holiness farewell Dated at Garth Celyn in the Feast of Saint Martin Certain Griefs sent from Lhewelyn to the Archbishop translated word by word out of the Records of the said Archbishop Where that it is contained in the Form of Peace concluded as followeth 1. If the said Lhewelyn will claim any right in any lands occupied by any other then by the Lord the King without the said 4 Cantress the said Lord the King shall do him full justice according to the Laws and Customs of those quarters or parts where the said lands do lye Which Article was not observed in the lands of Frustly and betwixt the waters of Dyni and Dulas for that when the said Lhewelyn claimed the said lands before the Lord the King at Ruthlan and the King granted him the cause to be examined according to the Laws and Customs of Wales and the Advocates of the parties were brought in and the Judges which vulgarly they called Ynnayd before the King to judge of the said lands according to the Lawes of Wales and the Defendant appeared and answered so that the same day the cause ought to have been fully determined according to the appointment of our Lord the King who at his being at Glocester had assigned the parties the said day and though the same cause was in divers places often heard and examined before the Justice and the lands were in North Wales and never judged but by the Laws of Wales neither was it lawful for the King but according to the Laws of Wales to prorogue the cause All that notwithstanding he prorogued the day of his own motion contrary to the said Laws and at the last the said Lhewelyn was called to divers places whither he ought not to have been called neither could he obtain justice nor any judgement unless it were according to the Laws of England contrary to the said Article of peace and the same was done at Montgomery when the parties were present in judgement and a day appointed to hear the Sentence they prorogued the said day contrary to the aforesaid Laws and at the last the King himself at London denied him justice unless he would be judged according to the English Laws in the said matter 2. All Injuries Trespasses and Faults on either part done be clearly remitted unto this present day This Article was not kept for that as soon as the Lord Reginald Grey was made Justice he moved divers and innumerable accusations against the men of Tegengl and Ros for trespasses done in the time of King Henry when they bare rule in those parts whereby the said men dare not for fear keep their own houses 3. Whereas it was agreed That Rees Vachan ap Rees ap Maelgon shall enjoy his possessions with all the land which he now holdeth c. After the peace concluded he was spoiled of his lands in Geneurglyn which he then held with the men and cattel of the same 4. Also our Lord the King granteth That all Tenants holding lands in the 4 Cantrefs or in other places which the King holdeth in
his own hands shall hold and enjoy the same as freely as they did before the time of the wars and shall use the same liberties and customs which they used before contrary to this Article the Lord Reginald Grey hath brought many new customs against the Form of peace aforesaid 5. All Controversies moved or to be moved betwixt the Prince and any other shall be decided after the Law of the Marches if they have their beginning in the Marches and after the Laws of Wales such as in Wales have their beginning contrary to this Article the King doth and sendeth Justices to Anglesey who presume to judge there the men and subjects of the Prince setting fines upon them contrary to the Lawes of Wales seeing neither this nor any like was ever heard of in times past imprisoning some out-lawing others when the Prince is at all times ready to do justice to all men that complain upon any of his men 6. Where it is in the peace That Gruffith Vachan should do homage for the land in Yale and to the Prince for the land in Ederneon The Kings Justices brought the Lady of Maylor into the said land of Ederneon The knowledge of which cause onely pertained to the Prince and not to the said Justices and yet for peace sake the said Prince tollerated all this being at all times ready to minister justice to the said Lady 7. And though the said Prince submitted himself unto us and our will yet we nevertheless will and grant that our will in no case go further than is contained in those Articles Contrary to this Article Gold was exacted for the Queens works at every payment made to the King which Gold was never demanded in the time of King Henry or any other King of England which Gold yet for quietness sake the Prince paid though it were not spoken of or mentioned in the peace And now further it is exacted for the old Queen the Kings mother that now is for the peace concluded with King Henry 2000 Marks and a half and unless it be paid the King threatneth to occupy the goods and lands of Lhewelyn and his people which he could find in his Realm and sell men and beasts till the sum were paid 8. When the King invited the Prince at his Feast at Worcester promising with very fair words that he would give his kinswoman to him for wife and enrich him with much honour nevertheless when he came thither the self same day they should be married before Mass the King required a Bill to be sealed by the Prince containing amongst other things That he would never keep man against the Kings will nor never maintain any whereby it might come to pass That all the Princes forces should be called from him the which Letter sealed he delivered the King by just fear which might move any constant man yet was not this contained in the peace whereas the conclusion of peace was That the King should require nothing that was not contained in the same 9. Where in the peace all Customs be confirmed to the said Prince as his ancestors of long and daily observed Custom have received to their own use all Wrecks hapning upon his own lands The Justice of Chester took a distress of the Prince for goods of Shipwrack received by him before the wars contrary to the Form of the said peace by the which all trespasses on either side were remitted and contrary to the Customs aforesaid and if in case it were forfeited yet he took such a distress 15 pounds of honey and many horses and imprisoned his men and this he took of the Princes own proper goods And further took booties of Bagiers which came to Lyrpool with Marchandize and never delivered the same until he had taken so much money for the same as it pleased him 10. When certain men of Geneurglyn had taken certain goods of some of their Neighbours of Geneurglyn when they were in the Dominion of the Prince in Meyreon the Kings men of Lhanbadarn did take away the said goods out of the said Dominion of the Prince and when the Princes men came thither and asked the cause why they took the said prey the Kings men killed one of them and wounded others and the rest they did imprison neither could the Prince get any justice for the said goods to this day 11. And where it is contained in the peace That all things committed in the Marches shall be redressed in the Marches yet the Kings men would no where hear the Princes men but put them in the Castle of Lhanbadarn which is against the peace aforesaid In these Articles and divers others the King standeth sworn to the Prince and his people And although the Prince as well by himself as by his people have often requested the King to cause the said peace to be kept yet was it in no point kept but daily the Kings Justices did more and more heap injuries and griefs upon the people of those parts So that it cannot be blamed if the Prince did assent to them that first began the wars seeing the Oath which the Lord Robert Typtoft sware unto the King was kept in no point and chiefly seeing the Prince was forewarned that he should be taken as soon as the King came to Ruthlan as he had been indeed if the King had come thither after Christmas as he purposed These Griefs following were done by the King and his Officers to the Lord David ap Gruffith 1. When the said David came to the Lord Edward then Earl of Chester and did him homage the said Lord Edw. did give by his Letters Patents to the said David two Cantrefs Dyffryn Cluyd and Crinmeyrch with all the appurtenances afterwards when he was made King he confirmed the said gift to the said David and gave him possession of them After when Gwenlhian Lacy died who held some Towns in the said Cantrefs for term of life which after her decease appertained to David by force of the aforesaid grant which Towns yet the King took from him contrary to his Letters Patents 2. Item When the said David did hold of the Lord the King the Villages of Hope and Eston in Wales of the which he ought to answer no man but according to the Laws of Wales yet the Justice of Chester caused the said David to be called to Chester at the suite of one William Venable an Englishman to answer for the Title of the said Villages and although the said David did often and instantly desire him the said justice not to proceed against him injuriously in the County of Chester where he was not bound to answer by the form of the peace yet he plainly denied him to be judged either in Wales or after the Laws of Wales 3. Item The said Justice of Chester to the injury of the said David did cut down his Wood of Lhyweny and his Woods at Hope as well by the Dwellers of Ruthlan as others and yet the
a Parish Church bearing the name of Saint Dervian as a Church either by him Founded or to him Dedicated so likewise is there another in Glamorganshire called Saint Fagans where every year is a very great Fair continuing many dayes where also my honoured Patron the Right Noble William Lewes of the Van Esq Son to Sir Edward Lewes and the Right Honourable Lady Beauchamp Daughter of the Earl of Dorset hath a stately Habitation and if I mistake not is Lord of the Mannor Betwixt this Elutherius and King Lucius many Letters passed and the said Bishop granted many priviledges to Universities and places of learning in Brittain as to Cambridge Stanford Cricklade or Greeklade and in Glamorganshire I suppose this place was either Caerwent or Caerleon for all which is now called Monmouthshire was then called Glamorgan where they say learning flourished as well as at Cambridge before the coming of Julius Caesar Mr. Bro. f. 270. and the Schoole of Glamorgan being so near Caerleon upon Vsk in that Countrey where one of the three great Idolatrous Temples of Brittain and seat of the Archflamen of those Western provinces was and thereby a Nursery of Paganisme which those holy men laboured by all means to root out and for that cause where Archflamens were Archbishops were placed and where Flamens Bishops The Brittish Histories Ponticus Virunnius and others say of these Prelates that they delivered the Brittains from Idolatry and converted them to Christ Radulphus de Diceto in his manuscript History proveth as much that they converted all the Cities of Brittain as well as their Flamens and Archflamens by whom they were directed in their Idolatrous worship as others And the principal states and members of this Kingdome King Lucius his Nobles Universities Philosophers Flamens and chiefe Priests and Teachers of the Pagan Subjects and their chief places of commorancy and command being thus converted the conquest over the Vulgar sort was easie and soon effected The Author of the Brittish History testifyeth Mr. Br. f. 271. that so soon as the people of Brittain knew that their King was a Christian they gathered themselves together to be Catechised and received Baptisme and that those holy Legates did blot out Paganisme almost through all the Island and Ponticus Virunnius saith that they baptized all the people of Brittany all this may easily be confirmed by divers Authors but I will conclude with Harding Eluthery the first at supplication Of Lucius sent him two holy Men That called were Fagan and Dungen That Baptized him and all his Realm throughout With hearts glad and labour devout There were then twenty eight Flamens and three Arch-flamens to whose power other Judges were subject and these by the command of the Pope his Legates delivered from Idolatry and where there were Flamens they placed Bishops where Arch-flamens Arch-bishops The Seats of the Arch-flamens were in the three most noble Cities London York and the City of Legions which the old Walls and Buildings do witnesse to have been upon the River of Vsk in Glamorgan King Lucius sent to Elutherius not only for his assistance in spiritual matters but also in his temporal Mr. Br. f. 301. 6. Bridges defence l. 16. p. 1355. Galf. Mon. l. 2. c. 17. Bro. Virunnius Stow Hollinshed as the governing his people and making wholsome Lawes The Lawes which were established here were the old Brittains Lawes ascribed for their greatest part to Mulmutius Dunwallo corrected and made conformable to holy Christian Religion We have all kind of Antiquities Brittish Saxon French Italians Ancient and Modern for Witnesses These Lawes were translated out of Brittish into Latine long before this time by the ancient Gildas that lived about the time of the Birth of CHRIST as many both ancient and late Writers agree and continued here till late time and in divers respects at this present King Lucius being thus informed and secured in conscience by Saint Elutherius his Letters and by his Declaration that the whole Kingdome of Brittain with the Ilands belonged to his temporal charge and government and that so much as he could he was to win his Subjects to the Faith and Law of Christ and his holy Church and provide for the peace and quiet of the same and the Members thereof he did first in receiving and admitting these new corrected Lawes by the advice of the Clergy and Nobles of his Kingdome see them so qualified that they were for the defence and propagation of Christian Religion and further Founded many godly costly and memorable Monuments as Churches Universities or Schools Monasteries and other such comforts helps and furtherances of that holy end So that as he was the first King that publickly with his Kingdome professed Christ so he won the honour to be the first Nursing Father among Kings of his holy Church as the Prophet had foretold Kings shall be thy Nursing Fathers He was also first among Kings called properly the Vicegerent of God being the first King which so religiously performed his will And that Title which the Pope gave to King Henry the 8. when he was better then he proved after Defender of the Faith was among Kings the first due and right of King Lucius for his so heroical and Religious fortitude and magnanimity in defending the Faith and Church of Christ Being now come to celebrate the day of the death of our glorious King Lucius for the joy that he enjoyed thereby Mr. Br. f. 346. 1. and bewail it for the unspeakable losse this Nation received thereby we are to fall into some difficulties both of the time and place thereof William of Malmesbury in his Manuscript-History of Glasten and other old Antiquities do prove that St. Damianus and Faganus after they had converted this Kingdome continued nine years at Glastenbury at the least King Lucius still living and reigning here Polidor Lilly Hollinshed Stow and others cleave to this Opinion A great Controversie ariseth where this King died many Forreign Authors say That he forsook his Crown and Kingdome and became a Clergyman went into Germany to convert that Nation was Bishop of Curre and there was Martyred the day of his death is agreed upon by all to have been on the third day of December but if those Authors who transport this our blessed King into Germany look but upon what hath been said before they shall find that it was not Lucius who was actually King of Brittain and converted by the means of St. Elutherius but another Lucius who was indeed Son of a King of Brittain and might have been King himself had he not been banished for the reason before related and this was that St. Lucius who with his sister St. Emerita were both Crowned with the glorious Crown of Martyrdome in Germany That our first Christian K. Lucius could not be Bishop of Curre is evident for having been so long King here he was so disabled for Age that he was nor capable of such a journey Further they which
Or Kemeys vert on a cheueron Arg 3 pheons Sable Gunter Sable a cheueron inter 3 gantlels clutchc Or Havert Arg a bulls head cabosed inter 3 mulets Gules Walbeise Arg 3 bulle pale wayes Gules armed vnguled Or Gamage Arg a bend losengy Gules on a chiefe Azure 3 escallops Or Wiston Gules a cherÌ„on Ermine Maunsell Arg a cherÌ„on betweene 3 Maunches Sable About this time or shortly after Bernard Newmarsh a noble man also of Normandy obtained by conquest the Lordship of Brecknock containing three cantreds and married Nest the daughter of Nest daughter to Gruffith ap Lhewelin Prince of Waleâ— by whom he had issue Mahael and a daughter This Mahael being a worthy Knight was dis-inherited by the malice of his own mother who contrary to the matrimonial duty kept unlawful company with a Knight whom she set more by then her husband whereupon Mahael being offended with the dissolute life of his mother warned her to avoid infamy and on a time meeting with the said Knight coming from her fought with him and hurt him wherefore Nest to be revenged of her son for that fact went to K. Henry the first and solemnly Gerald Itin. Camb. rather of malice and revengement as Giraldus noteth then of any Truth sware upon the Evangelists that the said Mahael her son was not begotten by Bernard Newmarsh her Husband but by another Lover of hers by reason of which Oath or perjury rather as Giraldus thinketh Mahael was disinherited and his Sister whom the Mother affirmed to be the very Daughter of Bernard was by the said King with the whole Inheritance King Henry the First confesseth the VVelshmen to be the lawfull inheritours of the Country bestowed upon Milo the son of Walter the Constable who was after created Earl of Hereford Lord of Glocester Brecknock and the Forrest of Dean This Milo Earl of Hereford told King Henry the First of the singing and triumphing of Birds by the pool called Lhyn Sanathan at the passing of Gruffith ap Rees ap Theodor the said Milo a Pini-Fitz-John Lord of Ewyas Land being present whereunto the King answered that it was not a thing to be wondred at so much for in truth said he we by our great force and strength do offer injury and violence to that Nation yet are they well known to be the lawfull inheritours of hat Countrey The sons of this Milo dyed all without issue yet he left three daughters First Margaret married to Humphery de Bohune in her right Earl of Hereford Many if not most of the English Nobility by this match desceâ—dâ—d of the Welsh blood Henry the 4th descended from Lhewelin Prince of Wales and Constable of England from which match and so consequently from Bernard Newmarsh his Wife daughter of Nest who was daughter of another Nest daughter from Gruffith ap Lhewelyn Prince of all Wales most of the ancient Nobility descend from Lhewelyn the great Prince for the last Humphry de Bohune Earl of Hereford Essex and Northampton and Constable of England had issue two daughters and heirs Elianor the elder was married unto Thomas Plantagenet alias Thomas of Woodstock the sixth son of Edward the Third who was by King Richard the Second created Earl of Buckingham and after Duke of Glocester and in her right Earl of Essex Northampton and Constable of England Mary the second Daughter was married to Henry Plantagenet alias Bullingbrook Earl of Derby after King of England by the name of Henry the Fourth Plantagâ—nets Staffords and Bouochier from Lhewelin Prince of Wales The said Thomas Plantagenet Duke of Glocester c. had Humphry Lord of Brecknock who dyed without Issue and four daughters heirs after their Brother Ann the elde stmarried to Edmund Stafford Earl of Stafford who by her had Issue Humphry Earl of Stafford Hereford and Northampton Lord of Brecknock c. and afterwards the said Ann was married to William Viscount Bourchier created Earl of Ewe in France by King Henry the Fifth Father of Henry created Earl of Essex by King Edward the Fourth This Humphry Earl of Stafford was created Duke of Buckingham by King Henry the Sixt and so the Lordship of Brecknock came to the Dukes of Buckingham and by the Attainder of Edward the last Duke of that family came to the Crown But let us return again to the daughters of Milo you see what gallant Issue proceeded from the first Secondly Bersa the second Daughter was married unto Philip Bruse created by King Stephan Lord Bruse of Gower Bould and Brimber and in his Wives Right Lord of Brecknock Thirdy Lucia the third daughter was married to Herbert the son of Herbert a base son to King Henry the First who was in her Right Lord of all the Forrest of Dean of whom descended the Fitz-Herberts of Derbyshire Awbery Walbeif Gunter and Hanara no Welshmen properly With Bernard Newmarsh before spoken of there came many Gentlemen at that time to Brecknock upon whom he bestowed divers Mannors as to the Awberies the Mannor of Abercynrick and Slowch to the Walbeifes the Mannor of Lhanhamlack and Taly Lhyn and to the Gunters the Mannor of Gilston to the Hanards the Mannor of Pont Willym an easie matter to cut large thongs out of another mans Hide About this time Cadogan ap Blethyn ap Convyn destroyed all Dynet in the end of April and shortly after the same summer the Normans in great companies landed in Dynet or Westwales and Caerdigan and builded Castles there and so began to inhabit the Countrey upon the Sea-shore The Normans having gotten into their hands all the lands and livings of the Nobility of England began to pry and peep into the commodities of Wales and seeing that Robert Fitz-Hamon and other Knights that went with him had sped so well they made suit to the King to grant them the lands of the Welshmen whereupon the King thinking that to be the best way for him as well to encourage them to be more willing to serve him as also to provide for them at other mens cost granted to divers of his Nobles sundry Countries in Wales to hold of him by Knights Service for the which they did Homage and sware fealty unto him as followeth First Roger Montgomery Earl of Arundel and Salop did his homage for the Lordship of Powis and Caerdigan Secondly Hugh Lupus Earl of Chester did homage for Tegengel and Rynonioc with all the Land by the Sea-shore unto the River of Conwey Thirdly Arnulph a younger son of Roger Montgomery for Dinet Fourthly Bernard Newmarch for Brecknock Fifthly Ralph Mortimer for Eluel Sixthly Hugh de Lacie for the land of Ewyes Seventhly Eustace Cruer for Molde and Hopedale and many others for other Lands Montgomery why so called Then Roger de Montgomery to whom the Conquerour had given Powis entred the land and wan the Town and Castle of Baldwyn which he fortified and called it Montgomery after his own name About this time also Gruffith ap Conon
was Lord at this time the King passing the river of Conwey encamped there by the river side and sent part of his Army with guides of the countrey to burn Bangor who did so taking Rotpert the Bishop prisoner A strange ransome for a Bishop who was afterwards ransomed for 200 Hawks The distressed yet couragious Prince seeing all England and Wales against him and a great part of his land won from him thought it best to capitulate with the King and thereupon he sent Joan his wife the Kings daughter to her father The Inland of NorthWales granted to K. John for ever to make a peace who being a discreet woman found the means that upon pledges given for safe conduct the prince came to the King and made peace with him and did him homage And giving pledges promised towards his charges 20000 heads of Cattel and forty Horses Moreover he granted to the King the Inland for ever whereupon the King returned to England with great triumph after he had brought all Wales under his subjection saving Rees and Owen the sons of Gruffith ap Rees Therefore at his departure he gave strict command to Fulk Visconnt of Caerdâ—ff called Warden of the Marshes a cruel Tyrant Caerdif honoured with a Viscount yet well beloved by the King to take an army with him that he joyning with Maelgon and Rees Vachan might compell the aforesaid sons of Gruffith to obey him This Foulk calling to him Maelgon and Rees came to the Cantref of Penwedic when the young Lords seeing no remedy sent to him for peace and safe conduct to passe to the Court upon their submission to the King with the gift of all their Lands betwixt Aeron and Dynâ— All Wales in homage to K. John they were received by him very gently and courteously entertained and after they had done him homage they returned home again Fulk before his departure out of the Country fortified the Castle of Aberystwith and manned it to the Kings use But within a while after Maelgon as he was very unconstant and Rees Vachan repented them of the peace they had made with the King and thereupon sat down before Aberistwyth and getting the same destroyed it When the Nephews Rees and Owen perceived that their Uncle had broken the Kings peace they made a road into Maelgons country and slew a great number of his men and returned home with great booty The next year prince Lhewelin being not able to endure the displeasures which the garrisons left in his Nephews castles in Northwales did to his people called to him Gwenwinwyn from Powis Maelgon ap Rees from Southwales Madoc ap Gruffith Maylor from Bromfield Meredyth ap Rotpert from Cydewen and opened to them this miserable case how they which were wont to have a prince of their own Nation now by their own willfulness were brought under subjection to a stranger and declared also unto them how that if they would agree among themselves they might defend their antient Estate still which they all promised to do and swore fealty to prince Lhewelyn and forthwith gathered an army and wan all the Castles except Ruthlan and Dyganwy then coming to Powis they laid siege to the Castle which Robert Vepont had made at Mathraval Mathraval Castle razed by K. Johns command The King no sooner had notice of these transactions but he leavied an army and came thither to raise the siege and after caused the Castle to be razed and then returned home having greater matters in hand between him and his Nobles and being at Notingham he caused all the pledges out of Wales to be hanged A tyrannous execution as Howel the son of Cadwalhon Madoc the son of Maelgon and others to the number of 28. striplings also Robert Vepont did hang at Shrewsbury Rees the son of Maelgon not being yet 7 years of age and so cruelly murdred the innocent to revenge the the offences of others Rees the son of Gruffith ap Rees who was heir to prince Rees seeing he could have no part of his Fathers Lands but that his Uncles did keep all from him by force made his complaint to the King and the King pittying his Estate sent to Foulk Viscount of Caerdyf and to the Steward of Hereford commanding them to take all Stratywy from Rees Vachan whom others call Rees Gryc unlesse he would let his nephews enjoy the castle of Lanymdhfry with the territory belonging thereunto and they sent to Rees to know his resolution who answered them stoutly that they should not have one foot of Land of him Therefore Foulk gathered a great army together and met with young Rees at Talhwynelgain where he looked for him with a number of men that he had gotten in Brecon and thence they marched in three battails towards Dynevowr of which young Rees had the leading of the first Foulk the second and Owen brother to Rees the third Rees Vachan notwithstanding came boldly to give them battail where in the end he was put to flight with great losse of his men whereupon he went immediately and manned the castle of Dynevowr and set fire to the town of Lhandeilo vawr keeping himself in the wild and rough places his enemies seeing this besieged the castle of Dynevour and at the first assault they wan the first ward so that they of the garrison were compelled to take the Koxe for their defence which they manfully defended but the assailiants made engines to cast stones of great bigness and began to undermine the walls in such sort that the Captain fell to that composition that if he were not succoured by the next day at noon he would deliver up the castle upon condition that all his men might depart with their armour and weapons and so they did for they had no relief Afterward they brought the Cantref Maur under subjection which caused Rees Vachan to remove his wife and children to his brothers country and left the castle of Lhanymdhfry well fortified and manned After the departure of Fulke young Rees came with an army of Welshmen and Normans to Lhanymdhfri but before they were encamped the Captain delivered up the castle and the garrison departed their lives granted And shortly after Rees Vachan was taken at Caermarthyn and committed to the Kings prison At this time prince Lhewelyn laid siege to the castle of Dyganwy and Ruthlan won them both so that he left the King neither hold nor castle within his land After this fortunate success and happy attempts Lhewelyn in the head of a gallant Army marched to Shrewsbury which Town and Castle were delivered unto him without any resistance and there he remained a while In the mean time Giles de Bruse the son of William de Bruse a man of great power and nobility was consecrated Bishop of Hereford Godwin in Hereford Sept. the 24 1200. In the Barons Wars he took part with them against the King and at last was fain to flye the land afterwards being
did now move many to laugh at those things who seeing that costly and sumptuous building to be laid even with the earth said that Hubert was a prophet and much more then a prophet so much out of Paris About the year 1230 Lhewelyn the son of Maelgon deceased and was entombed at Conwey Adultery punished by death Abergaveny businesse revenged Prince Lhewelin caused William Bruse to be hanged being as t is reported taken in adultery with his wife who was the Sister of K. Henry About this time Maelgon was buried at Stratflur whose patrimony young Maelgen his son inherited after his father This year the King led a great army to Wales and after he had remained in the Marshes a while he returned into England and left Hubert de Burge Earle of Kent with his army to defend the Marshes and hereby his spies understood where certain Welshmen had entred the Marshes to plunder and set upon them by Montgomery killing many of them The Prince herewith being much troubled gathered his forces and to revenge his men A gallant revenge entering the Marshes he destroyed all with fire and sword who withstood him and burnt the Castles and Garrisons without mercy year 1231 and first the Castle of Montgomery for the Earle withdrew himself for fear then the castle of Radnor Aberhodny Rayader Gwy and so he went to Caerlheon and after long fight and loss of many of his men got the Town and left nothing therein but Ashes the like he did with the Castles of Neth and Cydwely The utter destruction of Caerlheon Therefore the King came to Hereford with a mighty army and sent a great number of his nobles with the most part of his army to VVales who using the direction of a Fryer of Cymer met with a company of VVelshmen which at the first encounter sled whom the Englishmen followed to the Straits where the ambushments lay which fell upon them A Fryer ventureth his life in behalf of his country Maud Castle built by K. Henry the III. The Welsh well enough required for deâ—erring their own Countrymen and slew a great number of the best Souldiers the rest escaped by flight Therefore the King would have burnt the house of Cymer yet the Prior redeemed it by paying 300 marks and so the King returned into England after he had built the Castle of Maud whilst these things were in agitation Maelgon the son of Maelgon ap Rees laidsiege to Aberteini and got the Town and destroyed it to the Castle gates putting all the inhabitants to the sword And shortly after he returned with his cozen Owen son to Gruffith ap Rees with certain of the Princes Captains and brake down the bridge upon the River Teini and laid siege to the Castle and with engines and mines threw down the same and so with much honour returned home The next year this gallant and heroick Brittain Lhewelyn entered England and brought back a rich spoyle both of goods cattel and men which forced the King to impose a subsidy to subdue the Brittains About this time John Earle of Chester surnamed Le Scot from the place of his birth Mr Brook York Herald fol. â—5 The murder at Abergaveny punished in the Family of de Bruse Earl of Huntington and Cambridge c. son of David brother to the King of Scots who bore for his armes Or three garbs Gules married Helin daughter to Lhewelin P. of Northwales also Ephraim Bishop of Lhanelwy died and John de Bruse falling off his horse his foot sticking fast in the stirrup was drag'd till he dyed most miserably The year following Richard E. of Cornwal fortified the Castle of Radnor which the Prince had lately destroyed Shortly after Prince Lhewelin came with an army to Brecknock and destroyed all the towns and castles of the Country and lay a moneth at the siege of the Castle of Brecknock P. Lhewelin a scourge to the English adherents but yet went without it and burning the town retreated home with great plunder In his journey by the way he burned the Town of Clun and recovered all the Country called Diffrin Teneidiat which was the possession of John Fitz Allen but he could not get the Castle After that he overthrew the Red Castle in Powis now the house of the Right Honourable Sir Percy Herbert Lord Powis a right worthy Gentleman Red castle in Montgomery shire a Garrison formerly for the Parliament and at this present and burned the town of Oswestre and so came home And about this time Richard Marshal fell at variance with the King who with Huber de Burge that escaped out of the castle of Devises where the Bishop of Winchester intended to have starved him came to Wales and joyned with the prince against the King Then the Earle with Owen ap Gruffith ap Rees came to Menevia or St. Davids The English with the Welsh against their King Abergavenny with other Castles taken K. Henry by Grismont lost 500. Horse and killed and spoiled all the Kings Friends within the Town Also Maelgon and Rees Gryc with the power of the prince joyned with them who in that voyage wan all these Castles Caerdiff Abergaveny Pencelhy Blaynlhefyini and Bwlchy Dynet which they razed all except Caerdif This so incensed the King that he raised a mighty army as well Flemmings Normans and Gascoines and Englishmen and entred VVales thinking to destroy the whole Country and encamped at Grismont where the Earle with the power of Wales encamped hard by him and as the Kings men would have entred further they were met withall and lost 500 horse and so upon better consideration returned home after whose departure the Earl with the power aforesaid lay before Caermarthyn three moneths but it was so manfully defended that they went without it and at last there came in the Kings ships and manned and victualed the town which caused the besiegers to rayse their siege and depart About this time Rees Gryc Son to the Lord or prince Rees dyed at Lhandeilo vawr and was buried honourably by his Father at St. Davids and then also Maelgon the son of Maelgon finished the Castle of Tresilan which his father had begun John of Mermeth forced to â—y In the year 1234. John Lord Monumetensis a noble warriour Captain or General of the Kings Army being made Ward of the marches of Wales levied a power and came against Earl Marshall and the Welshmen but when he had once entred Wales he came back in post leaving his Men for the most part slain and taken behind Maâ— Paris p. 520. This History is reported by Mathew Paris after this manner About the feast of St. John Baptist John of Monmoth a noble and expert warriour who was with the King in his wars in Wales gathered a great army meaning to invade the Earl Marshal at unawares but he being certifi'd thereof hid himself in a certain wood by the which lay the way of his Enemies
Convenit inter Dominum Hen. 3. regem Anglorum illustrem ex una parte Senenam uxorem Griffini filii Leolini quondam Principis North-walliae quem David frater ejus tenet carceri mancipation cum Owino silio sao nomine ejusdem Gruffini ex altera c. Articles of Agreement between Hen. 3. King of Eng. on the one party and Senena the wife of Gruffith the son of Lhewelyn sometimes Prince of North-wales whom David his brother detaineth in Prison with Owen his son in the name of the said Gruffith on the other party I. Inprimis The said Senena undertaketh that the said Gruffith her huâ—band will give unto the King six hundred Marks upon condition that the King do cause the said Griffith and Owen his son to be delivered from prison wherein they are kept and will stand at the Judgement of the Kings Court whether by Law he ought to be imprisoned or no. II. Item The said Gruffith and his heirs will stand to the Judgement of the Kings Court for and concerning that portion of the Inheritance of the said Lhewelyn his father which of right ought to pertain unto him III. Item The said Senena undertaketh for the said Gruffith and his heirs that the said Gruffith and his heirs shall yield and pay yearly to the King for the same lands the sum of 300 hundred Marks whereof the first third part to be paid in money the second in kine and the third in horses by the estimation of indifferent men and the same to be paid yearly at Michael-Mass and Easter by even portions by the hands of the Sheriff of the County of Salop for the time being IV. Item The said Senena undertaketh further for the said Gruffith and his heirs that they and every of them shall observe the peace against the said David and suffer him quietly to enjoy such portion of his fathers inheritance as to him shall be found to be due V. Item The said Senena doth further undertake for the said Gruffith her husband his heirs that in case any Welshmen hereafter shall happen to rebel against the King that they at their own costs and charges shall compel the said Offender to make satisfaction to the King for his disobedience VI. Item For the performance of the Premises the said Senena will deliver unto the Lord the King David and Roderike her sons for Pledges who promise that if the said Gruffith and Owen or either of them shall happen to dye before their delivery out of prison it shall be lawful for the said Senena to have one of her sons released the other remaining with the King for Pledge VII Item The said Senena hath sworn upon the holy Evangelists that the said Gruffith her husband and his heirs and every of them shall accomplish and perform all the Premises on their behalf and further undertaketh that the said Gruffith her husband upon his delivery out of prison shall take the same Oath VIII Item The said Senena in the name of the said Gruffith her husband submitteth her self concerning the observation of the Premises unto the jurisdiction of the reverend fathers the Bishops of Hereford and Liechfield so that the said Bishops or either of them at the Kings request shall compel the said Gruffith and his heirs to observe all and singular the Premises on their behalf by sentence of excommunication upon their persons and interdiction upon their lands IX and lastly The said Senena doth undertake promise bona fide to see procure the full performance of all the Premises and that the said Gruffith her husband and his heirs shall allow and perform the same and thereof shall deliver his instrument in writing to the King in form aforesaid to this Charter both parties put their Seal Gruffith and Senena to that part which remained with the King and the King to that part which remained with Senena Moreover for the sure performance of these Arricles the said Senena for and in the name of her husband put in for Pledges the aforesaid noble men to wit Ralph Mortimer Walter Clifford Roger de Monte Alto c. who bound themselves by their several writings obligatory to the King in manner and form as followeth Omnibus hoc scriptum visaris Rogerus de Monte Alto Senescallus Cestriae salutem c. To all and singular to whom this writing shall come Roger de Monte Alto Steward of Chester sendeth greeting Know ye that I have constituted myself pledge for Senena the wife of Gruffith the son of Lhewelin sometimes Prince of Northwales and have undertaken for her to our Soveraign Lord King Henry of England that the said Senena shall accomplish and perform all and singular those Covenants and Articles agreed upon between our said Soveraign Lord and the said Senena for and concerning the Deliverance of the said Gruffith her huâ—band and Owen his son out of the prison of David his brother and the portion of Inheritance due unto the said Gruffith which the said David keepeth from him by force In Witnesse whereof to this present writing I have put to my seal Dated at Salop the Munday before the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the 25 year of the Reigne of the said King The like Charters were made by every one of the other Noble men Pledges who bound themselves with the like words further such of the said Lords as favoured Gruffiths cause were out among themselves and were now made Friends as Morgan ap Howel Lord of Kery and Sr. Ralph Mortimer who before were at variance whereupon David being driven to extremities having most of the Nobility against him especially Gruffith ap Madoc Lord of Bromfield favoured him not who being a man of great wisdom and power was entirely beloved of the King again the sentence of excommunication and the interdiction of his Land did not a little vex him But the Kings presence with so puissant an army did so move his spirits that he could not be quiet till he had sent to the King to desire peace with this submission following The Charter of the Articles of Davids submission to the King Omnibus Christi fidelibus ad quos praesentes literae pervenerint David filius Leolini salutem c. To all Christian People to whom these present Letters shall come David the Son of Lhewelin sendeth greeting Know ye that I have granted and promised to deliver unto Lord Henry the Noble King of England Gruffith my Brother with his Son and Heir whom I keep in in prison and all other Prisoners who by occasion of the said Gruffith lie in durance Item I shall stand to the judgment of the Kings Court as well in that case whether the said Gruffith ought to be detained prisoner or No as also for and concerning the part of the Inheritance of the said Lhewelin my father claimed by the said Gruffith according to the custome of Wales so that the peace be maintained between me and the
said Gruffith Item I and the said Gruffith and either of us shall hold our portions of Land of our said Soveraign Lord the King in Capite acknowleging him Chief Lord thereof Item I shall restore unto Roger de Monte Alto Steward of Chester his land of Montalt or Mould with the appurtenances Item I shall also restore to all other Barons all such Lands Lordships and Castles as were taken from them since the beginning of the wars between the Lord John King of England and the said Lhewelin Prince of VVales my father saving the right of all covenants and Grants by writing to be reserved unto the judgment and determination of the Kings Court. Item I shall give and restore unto our Soveraign Lord the King all his charges in this present voyage laid out Item I shall make satisfaction for all dammages and injuries done by me or any of my Subjects unto the King or his according to the consideration of the Kings Court and shall deliver such as shall be malefactors in that behalf Item I shall restore unto the said Lord the King all the said homages which the late King John his father had and which the said Lord the King of right ought to have especially of all the noblemen of Wales and if the King shall set at liberty any of his captives the possessions of that man shall remain to the King Item the Land of Elsmere with the appurtenances shall remain to the Lord the King and his heirs for ever Item I shall not receive or suffer to be received within any Countrey of Wales any of the Subjects of England outlawed or banished by the said Lord the King or his Barons of Mercia Item For confirmation and performance of all and singular the premises on my behalf I shall provide by bonds and pledges and all other waies and means as the said Lord the King shall award and will accomplish the commandement of the said King and will obey his laws In witnesse whereof to this present writing I have put to my Seal Dated at Alnet by the River of Elwey in the feast of the dedication of St. John Baptist in the 25 year of the reign of the said King Mr. Powel fol. 306. For the Observation of these Articles the said Prince David and Ednivet Vachan were sworn Upon these atonements David sent privately unto the King Justice done not for Justice sake but for self ends to desire him that he would suffer him being his Nephew and the lawful heir of Lhewelin his father to enjoy the principality of Wales rather then Gruffith who was but a Bastard though some account him legitimate and nothing of kin unto the King giving him withal to understand that in case he did set Gruffith at liberty he should be sure to have the war renewed whereupon the King knowing those things to be true and understanding also that Gruffith was a valiant stout man and had many friends and favourers of his cause inclined rather to assent unto Davids request then otherwise to be in danger of further troubles and therefore willingly granted the same Shortly after David sent his brother Gruffith unto the King and other pledges for himself for the performance of the said Articles M. Paris p. 765 From prison to prison like a fish out of the frying pan into the fire which the King sent forthwith to the Tower of London there to be safely kept allowing to Gruffith a Noble dayly for his maintenance And within few dayes after Michaelmas P. David came to the K. Court and did him homage and swore fealty who for so doing and because he was the Kings Nephew was sent home again in peace When Gruffith saw how all things went and that he was not like to be set at liberty he began to devise means how to escape out of prison Wherefore deceiving the Watch one night he made a long line of hangings An unfortunate end of a desperate attempt coverings and sheets and having got out of a window let down himself by the same from the top of the Tower but by reason that he was a mighty personage and full of flesh the line brake with the weight of his body and so falling down headlong from a great height his neck and head was driven into his body with the fall whose miserable Carkass being found the morrow after was a pittiful spectacle to the beholders The King being certified hereof commanded his son to be better looked unto and punished the Officers for their negligence About this time the King fortified the Castle of Dyserth in Flintshire and gave to Gruffith son to Gwenwynwyn Lord of Powis his inheritance and to the sons of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth their Lands in Merionith The Bishop of Bangor a constant friend to that party came to the Court to sue for the deliverance of Gruffith son to Lhewelin the Prince but the King knowing him to be a man of great courage would in no wise grant his liberty About this time Maelgon Vachan fortified the Castle of Garthgrugin John de Mynoc also fortified the Castle of Buelht and Roger Mortimer the Castle of Melienyth The summer following the King began to vex the Welsh extremely and take their Lands by force without just title or rightful cause and now died Rees Mechylh son to Rees Gryc of South Wales During these transactions Varium mutabile semper David gathered all his strength to be revenged of all the wrongs which the Earls of Clare and Hereford which John d◠Monurch and Roger de Alto Monte and other Merebers did to his people whom all the Lords of VVales obeyed and took for their Soveraign saving Gruffith son to Gwenwynwyn and Morgan ap Howel which two also were shortly compelled to obey and then the Prince entered the March Lands spoyling and destroying a great part thereof with whom the said Earles fought divers battails and sometimes the one and sometimes the other had the victory 300 Welshmen slain neer Montgomery M. Par. p. 884. English put to flight K. Hen. 3. nothing fortunate against the Welsh The year ensuing the Marchers and the VVelshmen met not far from Montgomery where was a cruel fight and 300 of the VVelshmen slain and a great number of the English among whom was a noble Knight called Hubert Fitz Matthew whereupon the King being weary of his domestical troubles gathered a vast army of English and Gascoynes and entred Northwales intending to destroy the Country but the prince met with his people in a straight and fought with them and put them to flight There the King lost a great number of his most worthy Soldiers and Nobility and most part of the Gascoines and now seeing he could do no good he sent for the Irishmen who landed in the Isle of Môn or Anglesey and spoyled a great part thereof till the Inhabitants of the Isle gathered themselves together and met with them being loaden with plunder whom they
themselves together they so moved David the Lord of Denbigh to be at unity with prince Lhewelin and to take pitty upon their affliction and misery that he being agreed with his brother became their Captain year 1281 This reconciliation consisted chiefly in this that David should never after serve the King of England as he had done before but become his utter enemy who laid siege to the castle of Hawarden and took Roger Clifford a noble Knight slaying all that resisted The Welsh impatient of servitude and after spoyling all the country he with his brother the prince laid siege to the Castle of Ruthlan the King hearing of this hasted thither with a great army to raise the siege whereupon the prince retreated with his army Seek to recover their liberty Aberystwyth castle built by the King taken Godwin in Canterbury fol. 77. Also the same time Rees the son of Maelgon and Gruffith ap Meredith ap Owen which other noble men of Southwales tooâ— the castle of Aberystwyth and divers other castles in the Country spoyling and plundering all the Kings people that inhabited thereabouts Therefore the King sent the Archbishop of Canterbury to confer with the prince and his brethren but he returned without doing any good so that he denounced an excommunication this Archbishops name was Jehn Beckham who as B. Godwin saith took great pains in labouring a peace between K. Edw. l. and prince Lhewelin of Wales unto whom he went in person and travailed long with him but all in vain Articles sent from the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to be intimated to Lhewelin Prince of Wales and to the People of the same Country 1 Because we came to those parts for the spiritual and temporal health of them whom we have ever loved well as divers of them have known 2. That we came contrary to the will of the Lord our King whom our said coming as is said doth much offend 3 That we desire beseech them for the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ that they would come to an unity with the English people and to the peace of our Lord the King which we intend to procure them as well as we can 4. We will them to understand that we cannot long tarry in those quarters 5. We would that they considered that after our parting out of the Country they shall not perhaps find any that will so tender the preferring of their cause as we would do if it pleased God with our mortal life we might procure them an honest stable and firm peace 6. That if they do contemn our petition and labour we do intend forthwith to signifie their stubbournesse to the high Bishop and the Court of Rome for the enormity that many wayes happeneth by occasion of this discord this day 7. Let them know that unlesse they do quickly agree to a peace that war shall be aggravated against them which they shall not be able to sustain for the Kings power encreaseth daily 8. Let them understand that the realm of England is under the special protection of the See Apostolick and the See of Rome loveth it better then any other kingdom 9. That the said See of Rome will not in any wise see the state of the Realm of England quaile being under a special protection 10. That we much lament to hear that the Welshmen be more cruel then Saracens for the Saracens when they take christians they keep them to be redeemed for money but they say that the Welshmen by and by do kill all they take and are only delighted with blood and some time cause to be killed them whose ransom they have received 11. That whereas they were ever wont to be esteemed and to reverence God and Ecclesiastical persons they seem much to revolt from that devotion moving sedition and war and committing slaughter and burning in the holy time which is a great injury to God wherein no man can excuse them 12. We desire That as true Christians they would repent for they cannot long continue their begun discord if they had sworn it 13. We will That they signifie unto us how they will or can amend the trouble of the Kings peace and the hurt of the Common-wealth 14. That they signifie unto us How peace and concord may be established for in vain were it to form peace to be daily violated 15. If they say That their Laws or Covenants be not observed that they do signifie unto us what those be 16. That granting it That they were injured as they say which we in no wayes do know they which were Judges in the cause might so have signified to the Kings Majesty 17. That unless they will now come to peace they shall be resisted by decree and censure of the Church The Answer of Prince Lhewelyn to the above-written Articles To the most Reverend Father in Christ the Lord John by Gods grace Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England his humble and devote son Lhewelyn Prince of Wales and Lord of Snowdon sendeth Greeting With all Reverend Submission and Honour we yield our most humble and hearty thanks unto your Fatherhood for the great and grievous pains which at this present for the love of us and our Nation you have sustained and so much the more we are beholden unto you for that besides the Kings pleasure you would venture to come to us In that you request us to come to the Kings peace we would have your Holiness to know That we are most ready and willing to the same so that our Lord the King will duely and truely observe and keep towards us and ours Moreover although we would be glad of your continuance in Wales yet we hope there shall not be any delay in us but that peace which of all things we most desire and wish for may be forthwith established and rather by your travel and procurement than by any other mens so that it shall not be needful to complain unto the Pope of our wilfulness neither do we despise your Fatherhoods requests and painful travel but with all hearty reverence according to our duty do accept the the same neither yet shall it be needful for the Lord the King to use any force against us seeing we are ready to obey him in all things our Rights and Laws as aforesaid reserved And although the Kingdom of England be under the special protection of the See of Rome and with special love regarded by the same yet when the Lord the Pope with the Court of Rome shall understand of the great dammages which are done unto us by the Englishmen to wit The Articles of the peace concluded and sworn unto violated and broken the robbing and burning of Churches the murthering of Ecclesiastical persons as well religious as secular the slaughter of women great with child the children sucking at their mothers breasts the destroying of Hospitals and Houses of Religion killing the men and women professed in the Holy Places and even before
said Justice had no jurisdiction in those patts and not being contented to get Timber there for building as well of Ruthlan as of other places but also destroyed the same Woods sold it and carried it into Ireland 4. Item Where the said David took certain Out-lawes and Rovers in the Woods and caused them to be hanged yet the said Justice accused David to the King for succouring and maintaining the Thieves aforesaid which was not like to be true seeing he caused them to be hanged 5. Item It is provided in the peace that all the Welshmen and their causes should be judged after the Lawes of Wales This was in no point observed with the said David and his people Of these aforesaid griefs the said David required often amends either according to the Laws and Customs of Wales or of special favour but he could never obtain any of them both at his hands Further the said David was warned in the Kings Court that as soon as Reginald Grey should come from the Court Good service ill requited the said David should be taken and spoiled of his Castle of Hope his Wood should be cut down and his Children taken for Pledges who seeing he had taken great pains and peril for the King in all his wars as well himself as his people both in England and Wales and had lost thereby the most part of the Nobility of his Countrey and yet nevertheless could obtain neither Justice Amends nor favour at his hands having such great wrongs offered unto him and fearing his own life and his Childrens or else perpetual prison being enforced as it were against his will began to defend himself and his people Griefs and Injuries offered by the King and his Officers to the men of Ros. 1. This is the Form of peace which the King of England did promise the men of Ros before they did him homage which he promised them to observe inviolably That is to say That the King should grant to every of them their Right and Jurisdiction as they had in time of King Henry according as the said men do report that they had in the time of King Henry 2. Item The Lord the King did promise the same men that they should have Justice in their Suites after granting of the which Articles the said men did homage unto the King And then the King promised them with his own mouth faithfully to observe the said Articles This notwithstanding a certain Nobleman passing by the Kings high way with his wife in the Kings peace met certain English Labourers and Masons going to Ruthlan where they did then work A notorious ouragious murther and iniustice committed against the Welsh who attempted by force to take away his wife from him and while he defended her as well as he could one of them killed his wife and he who killed her with his followers were taken and when the kindred of her who was slain required Law at the Justice of Chesters hands for their kinswoman they were put in prison and the murtherers delivered 3. Item A certain man killed a Gentleman who had killed the son of Grono ap Heilyn and was taken but when certain of the kindred required justice before the Justice of Chester certain of them were imprisoned and the Offender set at liberty and justice denied to the kindred A profitable Judge to himself but unjust to the oppressed 4. Item Certain Gentlemen claimed some lands and offered the King a great sum of money to have justice by the Verdict of good and lawful men of the Countrey then the lands being adjudged to the Claimers Reginald Grey took the same lands corn goods and all upon the ground so that they lost their lands money corn and cattel 5. Item It is our right That no stranger should cut our Woods without our leave yet this notwithstanding A hard case there was a Proclamation at Ruthlan That it should be lawful for all other men to cut down our Woods but to us it was forbidden 6. Item Where divers honest men had lands of the gift of the said David the Justice taketh the said mens lands away A slavery worse than Jewish 7. Item When any cometh to Ruthlan with Merchandize if he refuse whatsoever any Englishman offereth he is forthwith sent to the Castle to prison and the Buyer hath the things and the King hath the price then the Souldiers of the Castle first spoil and beat the party and then cause him to pay the Porter and let him go 8. Item If any Welshman buy any thing in Ruthland and any Englishman do meet him he will take it from him and give him less than he paid for it 9. Item The King contrary to his promise made to the men of Ros hath given the Territory of Maynan Penmayn and Lhysuayn 10. Item Certain Gentlemen of the Cantref of Ros bought certain Offices and paid their money for the same yet the Justice of Chester took the said Offices from them without cause 11. Item Grono ap Heilyn took to Farm of Godfrey Marliney the Territory of Maynan and Lhysuayn for the term of four years yet Robert de Cruquer with Horses and Armes and 24 Horsemen came to vex the said Grono so that he had no safe going neither to Ruthlan nor Chester without a great guard of his kindred and friends 12. Item Certain Gentlemen were arrested for trespasses done before the wars and imprisoned and could not be delivered until they had paid 16 Mark which was contrary to the peace concluded 13. Item Our causes ought to be decided after the custome of our Lawes but our men be compelled to swear against their Consciences else they be not suffered to swear Furthermore we spent 300 Marks in going to the King for justice in the aforesaid Articles Sr. Reginald Gâ—ey a cruel Tyrant over the Welsh And when we believed to recover full justice the King sent to our parties the Lord Reginald Grey to whom the King hath set all the land to farm to handle the men of the said Cantref as it pleaseth him who compelled us to * To swear by his hand whereas we should swear by the hand of the King swear in his name whereas we should swear in the Kings name and where the Kings Cross ought to be erected he caused his Cross to be erected in token that he is the very true Lord and the said Reginald at his first coming to those parts of Wales sold to certain servants of the King Offices for 60 Marks which the said servants bought before of the King for 24 Mark which Offices ought not to be sold at the choice of the Lord. 14. Item The King gave Meredyth ap Madoc a Captainship for his service Reginald Grey took it from him neither could he get any remedy at the Kings hand for the same 15. Item One of the Councel of the said Reginald Cynwric Vachan told us by mouth that as soon as the
for the said Oxe 3 s. 4 d. 6. Item Two servants of one named YBongan were spoiled of 2 l. for that they took a Thief that robbed them by night and yet the Thief was delivered 7. Item Eneon ap Ithel was taken beaten and spoiled of two Oxen price 24 s. and 2 d. for this cause onely That the said Oxen went from one street to another in the Town 8. Item Guyan Maystran was spoiled of his money because a certain Merchant of Ardudwy owed them certain things and yet the said Merchant was not of their Baliwicke The Griefs of Grono ap Heilyn 1. A Tenant of Grono ap Heilyn was called to the Kings Court without any cause Then Grono came at the day appointed to defend his Tenant and demanded justice for him or the Law which the men of his Countrey did use All this being denied the said Tenant was condemned in 27 l. 1 d. ob which caused the said Grono to go to London for justice which was promised him but he could never have any where he spent in his journy 15 marks 2. A certain Gentleman was slain who had fostered the son of Grono ap Heilyn and he that killed him was taken and brought to Ruthlan Castle then the said Grono and the kindred of him that was slain asked justice but some of them were imprisoned and the Killer discharged Then Grono went again to London for justice which the King did promise him but he never had any but spent 20 Marks 3. The third time Grono was fain to go to London for justice in the premises where he spent 18 Marks 6 s. 6 d. And then likewise the King promised him that he should have justice but when he certainly believed to have justice Reginald Grey came into the Countrey and said openly that he had all doings in that Countrey by the Kings Charters and took away all the Baliwikes which the King had given to the said Grono and sold them at his pleasure Then the said Grono asked justice of the said Reginald but he could not be heard 4. The said Grono took to Farm for 4 years of Godfrey Marliney Maynan and Lhyffayn then Robert Cruquer came with his Horses and Armes to get the said land by force and for that Grono would not suffer him to have the said lands before his years were out he was called to the Law and then the said Reginald Grey came with 24 Horses to take the said Grono And for that that day they could not have their purpose they called Grono the next day to Ruthlan and then Grono had councel not to go to Ruthlan Then they called him again to answer at Caerwys but the said Grono durst not go thither but by the conduct of the Bishop of St. Asaph for that Reginald Grey was there and his men in Harness 5. For these griefs for the which he could get no justice but labour and expences of 54 Marks and more and for that he durst not in his own person go to the Court he sent Letters one to the King another to his brother Lhewelyn to signifie to the King that he should lose all the favour of the Countrey if he kept no promise with them and so it came to pass because the men of Ros and Englefield could get no justice the King neglecting the correction of these things lost the whole Countrey Humbly sheweth to your Holiness Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of England the Noblemen of Tegengl That when the said Noblemen did their Homage to the Lord Edward King of England the said King promised them to defend them and their Goods and that they should use all kind of Right Priviledge and Jurisdiction which they did use in the time of King Henry by the Grant of the said King whereof they were after spoiled First they were spoiled of their Right and Priviledges and Customs of the Countrey and were compelled to be judged by the Lawes of England whereas the Tenure of that their priviledge was to be judged according to the Laws of Wales at Tref Edwyn at Ruthlan and at Caerwys and the best men of the Countrey were taken because they desired to be judged at Tref Edwyn according to the Tenure of their priviledges by the Laws of Wales 2. Whatsoever one Justice doth his successor doth reverse the same for in Davids case Reginald Grey revoked that which his predecessor confirmed and allowed 3. If he do take any Gentleman of that Countrey he will not let him go upon security which he ought to do 4. If any Gentleman be brought to the Castle of Flint upon a small accusation and his cattel withal they can neither be delivered or have delay until they give the Constable an Oxe and until they pay 3 l. fees to Cynwrick for having of the delay 5. Reginald Grey gave the lands of the men of Merton to the Abbot and Covent of Basingwerk against the Laws of Wales and Custom of the Countrey and contrary to the Form of peace betwixt Lhewelyn and the King that is to say 16 Caratatas terrae 6. The Noble and Best of the Countrey be injured for that the King builded the Castle of Flint upon their ground and the King commanded the Justices to give the men as much good ground or the price but they are spoiled of their lands and have neither other lands nor their money 7. Reginald Grey will not suffer men to cut their own Wood until he have both money and reward and until they pay for it also but permitteth others to cut it down freely which they ought not to do by the Laws and Customs of Wales 8. When the men of Cyrchynan Covenant with the King to give the King half a Meadow upon condition the King should not suffer the Woods to be cut down Howel ap Gruffith being present yet Reginald Grey hath broken the same permitting every man to cut their Woods and spoil them also of their Meadow 9. The same Cynwric ap Grono was taken at Ruthlan and put in prison without any cause at all neither would the Kings Officers deliver him unless he would redeem the gage of a certain woman for the which he was constrained to pay much more than the pawn lay for 10. When the Bailiff of Ruthlan was at a Feast Hicken Lemaile wounded a Gentleman cruelly in the presence of the said Bailiff by occasion of which wound Hicken was condemned in 8 l. and when he which was hurt would have demanded the 8 l. he was put in prison by Hicken 11. The messengers of Reginald Grey attempted an absurdity not heard of and requiring the people of the Countrey to plough his ground and sowe the same and the messengers were Cynwric Says and Hicken Lemayl and the said Cynwric swore openly before the whole company that unless all men should plough Reginald Greys ground they should shortly repent it then the people feared much as in that case any constant man would fear 12. The heirs of
Tegengl bought their Offices for 30 Marks of the King but afterward Reginald Grey spoiled them of their Offices and money contrary to the Laws and Customs of England 13. Seven Gentlemen were wrongfully killed by the Englishmen but as yet the Parents of the Gentlemen can have no amends and though the offenders were taken yet the said Constable let them go without punishment 14. The Constable of Ruthlan kept two of the Kings souldiers in prison for that they took an Englishman who had wounded a man All these things contained in these Articles are contrary to the priviledge liberty and right of the said men and contrary to the Laws and Customs of Wales neither dare the Inhabitants send their Complaints to the King for fear of Reginald Grey which fear any constant man might have because the said Reginald said openly that if he could come by any such their messengers he would cut off their heads as it is certainly told us by one of his Councel further neither tongue can tell nor pen write how cruelly the men of Tegengl have been ordered Humbly complaineth to your Lordship my Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England Lhewelyn ap Gruffith ap Madoc of the Constable of Oswalds Cross the King and of the men of that Town who have spoiled the said Lhewelyn of the third part of a Town called Lhedrot and his fathers house without any Law or Right or Custom of the Countrey Further the said Constable and his Complices have against the Laws and Customs of the Countrey spoiled the said Lhewelyn of his Common and Pasture which he and his predecessors have used time out of mind and further condemned the said Lhewelyn for the said Pasture in 70 Marks And further the King of England granted certain Letters to a Bastard called Gruffith Vachan of Cynlhaeth to law with the said Lhewelyn for his whole Lordship and possessions by the occasion of the which Letters the said Lhewelyn hath spent 200 l. of good money Also the said Constable compelled the said Lhewelyn to send two Gentlemen to him whom when they came to him he caused to be hanged which Gentlemen ought not by right to have been hanged whose parents had rather have given him 300l Afterward the said Constable imprisoned 60. of the Men of the said Lhewelyn no cause alledged but that a certain Page spake a word who could not be delivered out of prison untill every one of them paid 10 s. When the Men of the said Lhewelyn came to the said Town to sell their Oxen the said Constable would cause the beast to be driven to the Castle neither would he restore the beasts nor mony for them Further the said Constable and his men took away the Cattle of the said Lhewelyn from his own ground and did their will with them Further the Kings Justices compelled the said Lhewelyn contrary to the law and custome of Wales to deliver to the Sons of Eneon ap Gruffith a certain Town which both he and his Ancestors ever had held The said Constable took the horse of Lhewelyns Baliffe when the said Baliffe owed him nothing who could never get his horse again nor any satisfaction for it Furthermore when the said Lhewelyn should have gone to a Town called Caerlheon to appear there as he was appointed the Sons of Gruffith ap Gwenwynwyn and the Soldiers of Robert Strange by the Councel of the said Roger took the said Lhewelyn and his Men and imprisoned them to their great damage which the said Lhewelyn would not for 300 l. starling who could by no means be delivered untill they had found sufficient sureties The Archbishop receiving these and other Articles came to the King and requested him to consider these wrongs and to cause amends to be made or at the least excuse the Welshmen having so just cause of grief who answered that the Welshmen were to be excused yet he said he was ever ready to do Justice to all them that complained Whereupon the Archbishop besought the King again that the Welshmen might have free access to his Grace to declare their griefs and to seek remedy the King answered they should freely come and depart if it should seem that by Justice they deserved to depart The Archbishop hearing this went and came to the Prince of Wales in Snowdon that he might move him and his Brother David and the other company to submit themselves whereby he might incline the King to admit them to which after much talke and conference with the Archbishop the Prince answered that he was ready to submit to the King reserving two things that is to say his conscience which he ought to have for the rule and safe-guard of his people and also the decency of his State and calling which answer the Archbishop brought and reported to the King At the which the King said that he would not any other treaty of peace then that the Prince and his people should simply submit themselves But the Archbishop knowing well that the Welshmen would not submit themselves but in form aforesaid or in other form to them tolerable and of them liked requested the King that he might have conference in this matter with all the Noble Englishmen then present who after much conference agreed to all these Articles following The which Articles the Archbishop did send in writing to the Prince by John Wallensis These are to be said to the Prince before his Councel 1. First that the four Cantreds and the Lands by the King given to his Nobles and the Isle of Anglesey we will have no treaty of 2 Item Of the Tenants of the four Cantreds if they will submit themselves he purposeth to do as becometh a Kings Majesty and we verily believe he will deal with them mercifully and to that end we will labour and trust to obtain 3. As touching the Lord Lhewelyn we can have none other answer but that he shall submit himself simply to the King and we believe certainly he will deal mercifully with him and to that end we travail all we can and verily believe to be heard The following are to be said to the Prince in secret 1. First that the Nobility of England have conceived this form of a favourable peace That the Lord Lhewelyn should submit himself to the King and the King should honourably provide for him 1000l starling and some honourable County in England so that the said Lhewelyn would put the King in quiet possession of Snowdon Durum telum necessitas and the King will provide honourably for the daughter of Lhewelyn according to the State and condition of his own blood and to these they hope to perswade the King 2. Item if it happen that Lhewelyn marry a wife and so have by her any heir Male they trust to intreat the King that the same heir Male and his heirs for ever shall have the same 1000l and County 3. Item to the people subject to the said Lhewelyn the
Howell Sais Lord of St. Clere y moch Esq Llewellin ap Ivor Lord of S. Clere Esq Lleykye d to Griffith ap Eli Lord of Gilfeild in Powis Ivor ap Llewellin Lord of S. Clere Esq Nest daughter to Cadwgan and Great Grandchilde to Elistan Pr of Ferlix Llewellin ap Ivor Lord of S. Clere and Tredegar Esq Augharand daughter and heir to Sir Morgan Meredith Knight Lord of Tredegar Morgan ap Llewellin Lord of Tredegar Esq Maud daughter to Rhun ap Grono ap Llwarch Lord of Kybor Esq Llewellin Morgan of Tredegar Esq Jonet daughter to Dd. Ychan of Rydodyn Esq Evan Morgan of Tredegar Esq Denis daughter to Tho ap Howell Ychan Esq Sir John Morgan of Tredegar Kt. Jonet daughter and heir of John Matthewes of Landaff Esq Thomas Morgan of Machen Esq his Brother Sir John dying Sans Issue Rowland Morgan of Manghan Esq Thomas Morgan of Maughan and Tredegar Esq Sir William Morgan of Tredegar Knight Daughter to Wintour Kt. Com. Glonc. Thomas Morgan of Maughan and Tredegar Esq now living 1661. Daughter and Heir to Windham Com Somer William Morgan Esq Heir apparent I Have seen a Pedegree of this noble Family deduced even from Brute but because I affect brevity I have only selected what serves for my purpose giving you to understand that all Morgans or of what Name else soever who either bear for their Armes Argent a Lion Rampant gardant sable or else Or a Griffon Sergreant sable for their Paternal Coat must acknowledge themselves to descend from this ancient Family THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE Antient and Modern Brittish and Welsh HISTORY The Princes of VVales of the blood Royal of England collected for the most part out of the Records of the Tower Edward of Caernarvon KIng Edward albeit he had brought all Wales under his subjection and by a statute made at Ruthland An. 12. Edw. I. incorporated and united the same to England in the which Statute there be many good lawes concerning the division of Wales into Counties and concerning divers Offices and Officers and concerning Trial and the divisions of actions and the the formes of many writs and the proceeding therein much like to the lawes of England yet he could never win the good will of the common people of the Country to accept him for their prince except he were of their own nation for the Welshmen having experience of the government of the English Officers and knowing that the King would rule the Country by his Deputies could not abide to have any English man to be their Rulers who often times upon the Kings motion answered that they were content to take for their prince any man whom his Majesty would name so that he were a Welshman and no other answer could he ever get from them by any means whereupon the King sent for Q. Elianor out of England in the deep of Winter being then great with child to the Castle of Caernarvon and when she was nigh to be brought to bed the King went to Ruthlan and sent for all the Barons and best men in Wales to come unto him to consult concerning the Weale publick of the Country And when they were come he deferred the consultation till he was certified that the Queen was delivered of a son then sending certain Lords to the Christening of his child and informing them how he would have him named he called the Welshmen together declaring unto them that whereas they were oftentimes suiters unto him to appoint them a Prince he now having occasion to depart out of the Country would name them a prince if they would allow and obey him whom he should name To the which motion they answered that they would so do if he would appoint one of their own Nation to be their prince whereunto the King replyed that he would name one that was born in Wales and could speak never a word of English whose life and conversation no man was able to stain and when they all had granted that such an one they would obey he named his own son Edward born at Caernarvon Castle a few dayes before Then the King having the whole country at his will gave whole Towns and Lordships in the midst of Wales unto English Lords as the Lordship of Denbigh to Henry Lacy Earle of Lincolne the Lordship of Ruthin to the Lord Reginald Grey second son to J. Grey of Wilton and other lands to many of his Nobility This Hen. Lacy Lord of Denbigh was the son of Edmund Lacy the son of John Lacy Lord of Halton Pomfret and Constable of Chester who married Margaret the Eldest Daughter and one of the heirs of Robert Guincy Earl of Lincolne the said Henry married Margaret the daughter and sole heir of William Longesped Earl of Sarum and had Issue Edmund and John which both dyed young of whom the one perished by a fall into a very deep well within the castle of Denbigh and a daughter named Alicia married unto Thomas Plantagenet Earl of Lancaster who was in the right of his said wise Earl of Lincolne and Sarum Earl of Denbigh Halton Pomfret and constable of Chester After the death of the said Thomas King Edward the second gave the Lordship of Denbigh to Hugh Lord Spencer Earl of Winchester After whose death the said Lordship was given by King Edward the third Anno regni sui primo as it appeareth on record to Roger Mortimer Earl of March with divers other Lordships in the Marches in performance of the Kings promise while he remained in France with his mother for the provision of 1000 l. lands of a reasonable extent for the said Roger as soon as by Gods grace he should come to the possession of the crown and Kingdom of England which in few years after the Earl of March being attainted the said Lordship of Denbigh was given by the said King to the Lord Mortague Earl of Sarum but shortly after Anno 29. Edward 3. it was restored again with the Earldom of March to the Mortimers in the which family the same remained untill the whole inheritance of the Mortimers came with a Daughter to the house of York and so to the crown A help to English History fol. 263. and it was given by Queen Elizabeth Anno regni 610. to Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester who was created Baron of Denbigh it is accounted one of the greatest and best Lordships of England This Town is well seated on the banks of the River Istrad which from thence runneth into the Cluyd the fairest River of this Country a Town well peopled and inhabited especially since it became the head of the Country which was not till the 27. of Hen. 8. what time the 5. new shires were added to the rest of Wales of which this was one but before that it was the head Town of the Barony of Denbigh being conceived to be one of the goodliest Territories of all England as having more Gentlemen holding thereof in Fee and by service then any other
Lords it hath had good store and of several families but none of them a Parliamentary Peer in reverence hereunto till these later times of late it hath given title both to Lord and Earl of two several families Viz. to these year 1564 1. Robert Dudley created Baron of Denbigh and Earl of Leicester Eliz. 6. Sept. 29. 1622. Or a lyon rampant quene fourche vert incensed Cules a cressent for difference William Viscount Fielding created Earl of Denbigh 20. Jac. Sept. 14. Master of the Wardrobe c. Arg. Or a Fess B. 3. Fusils or Lozenges Or. The Lordship of Ruthin continued in the possession of the Greyes untill the Reign of Hen. 7. George Grey Earl of Kent and Lord of Ruthin passed the same upon some bargain to the King There came at the same time with King Edward divers Gentlemen who grew afterwards to be men of great possessions in the County many of whose posterity continue to this day Rees ap Meredyth served the King in all these wars who did most hurt of all men and was in good hope of great preferment at the Kings hand whom after the overthrow of the Prince the King made Knight and fed with many fair and good words After that he and all other his Countrymen and Neighbours had submitted themselves to the Government of the King of England it hapned that the Lord Pain Tiptoft Warden of the Kings castles nigh unto Rees his Country and the Lord Allen Plucknet the Kings Steward in Wales called the said Rees as they did all other of the Country to the Kings Court whether he refused to come alledging his ancient priviledges and liberties with the Kings promises but the said Officers proceeded according to the law against him whereupon a great variance arose between the said Pain Tiptoft and the said Sir Rees ap Meredyth so that sundry Skermishes were fought betwixt them and men slain on both sides to the great disturbance of the Country The King hearing of these things being then beyond Sea wrote unto Rees Meredyth requiring him to keep the peace till his return At what time he promised to reform all things in due and reasonable order but Rees would not give over the enterprise which he had begun Whereupon the King sent to the Earl of Cornwall whom he had left his Lieutenant in the Realm during his absence to send an army of Men into Wales to withstand the disordered attempts of the said Rees who went into Wales himself and overthrew Rees his Castle at Drofolan but by undermining the walls of that Castle with the fall thereof the Baron Stafford and the Lord William de Monchency with many other Knights and Esquires were oppressed and brused to death Afterwards Robert Typtoft Lord Deputy of Wales gathered an army and meeting the said Rees after the slaughter of 4000. of his people discomfited and took him who about Michaelmas following at the Kings going into Scotland was had to York and there condemned and executed Not long after the King wanting money there was a great subsidy granted towards the maintainance of the war in France about levying of which there was much a do in several places but especially the Welshmen who were never wont to be acquainted with such contribution stormed against it so that they took one of their own Captains named Roger de Puelesdon who at the Kings command gathered the said subsidy and hanged him with divers others and afterwards beheaded the said Roger. Whereupon the King being sore offended for the death of the said Roger whom he greatly favoured and hearing that the VVelshmen began to stir against him in divers places for the VVestwales Men had chosen Maelgon Vachan for their Captain and destroyed all Caerdigan and Pembrock and returned with spoiles They of Glamorgan and the Southparts took one named Morgan for their leader and driving the Earl of Glocester out of the Country they restored to the said Morgan again the possessions which the Ancestors of the said Earl by force and great wrong had taken from the said Morgans Predecessours The Northwales men had set upon Madoc being of the kindred of the last Lhewelyn who gathering a great power came to Caernarvon and slew a great number of Englishmen which were come thither to the Fair and spoiled the whole Town then I say the King called back his brother Edmund Earl of Lancaster and Henry Lacy Earl of Lincolne and John Lord Denbigh who had an army ready to pass into Gascoyne The remnant of the Welsh foyle the English These Earls came towards Northwales and as they approached neer unto the castle of Denbigh upon St. Martins day the VVelshmen with great force encountered them and giving them battail drove them back and discomfited their people Upon this ungratefull newes the King himself came into VVales and there kept his Christmas at Aberconwey where Robert VVinchesey Archbishop of Canterbury came unto him and did him homage and then returned home the King as he passed further into the country lost much of his carriages which the Welshmen took being loaden with victualls and provision for the army so that the King and his people endured great penury and were constrained to drink water mixt with hony and eat very gross and course meat where he was very like to have been distressed had not the other part of his army come to him in time While the King remained in Snowdon the Earl of Warwick hearing that a great number of Welshmen were assembled together and lodged in a vally betwixt two woods chose out a company of horsemen with certain cross-bowes and archers and coming upon the Welshmen in the night compassed them round about who pitching the ends of their spears and turning the points against their Enemies stood at defence so to keep off the horsemen But the Earl having placed his battail so that betwixt every two horsemen there stood a crossbow a great part of the Welshmen who stood at defence in manner aforesaid with their spears were overthrown and broken with the shot of the quarrells and then the Earl charged the residue with a troop of horsemen and bare them down with such slaughter as they had not sustained the like losse of people as was thought at any time before After this the King builded a strong Castle within the Isle of Anglesey and called the same Beaumarish and so setting all in quietness and punishing such as had put to death Roger de Puelesdon he returned home with his army Madoc victorious against the Lord Strange of Knooking and the Marchers but Madoc within a while after levying an army came to Oswestred where the people yielded unto him and meeting with the Lord Strange with a company of Marchers not far from Knooking overthrew him and spoiled his Country miserably and shortly after he gave the Marchers another overthrow But for all that the Lords Marchers nothing dismayd at this mischance gathered new forces and met Madoc as he
franchises being possessed or claimed by any person or persons and which were to be seized into the Kings hands and of all escapes and Fellons and those inquisitions so from time to time to be taken to certifie into the Chancery And by the same Charter gave him power to substitute and appoint others under him for the better execution of the same which afterwards by Commission was executed accordingly And the said King also by his Charter bearing date 14 Junii 8º regni made and constituted the said Arthur Prince of Wales and Governour and Warden of the Marches towards Scotland and substituted as his Lieutenant and Vice-Warden under him Thomas Earle of Surrey for the due execution thereof Likewise the said King by his letters Patents dated 5. Novemb. 9. regni in augmention of the Revenue of the Prince did grant unto the said Prince the Honour Castle and Lordship of Wigmore and divers other Castles Mannours and Lands which some time had been belonging to the Earldom of March which came to the Crown by King Edward the IV. who was himself Earle of March before he assumed the regal estate To have and to hold during the pleasure of the King yielding yearly the Rent of 200 l. A Councel assigned the P. The Prince was sent unto the Marches of Wales for government of that Country and in the 17 regni Henry VII had a Counsell of wise and very worthy men assigned unto him as namely Sr. Richard Pool chief Chamberlain of the said Prince Sir Henry Vernon Sir Richard Crofts Sir David Philips Sir William Vdal Sir Thomas Inglefield and Sir Peter Newton Knights John Wilson Henry Marian Doctor William Smith after Bishop of Lincolne where he was buryed President of the Councel and Doctour Charles where not long afterwards the said Prince died in the Castle of Ludlow without issue I may not let passe what Mr. Lhoyd writeth concerning Sir Owen Tuder he saith that Sir William Stanley then Lord of Cromfield Mr. Lhoyd fol. 391. Yale and Chirkland aided Henry VII being followed by the Welshmen and that the said Henry knowing and pittying the thraldom and iniuries of that Nation from whom he descended took order to reform the same and granted vnto them a Charter of liberties The bondage of Hen. IV. taken from the Welsh by Hen. VII whereby they were released of that oppression wherewith they were afflicted by lawes I have set down before more heathenish then christian and here I cannot omit but some thing answer the reproachful and slanderous assertions of Joannes Bernardus Pontus Henlerus and others I my self have seen a manuscript where he is called a Shereman but rather ignorantly I hope then maliciously who go about to abase the noble parentage of Owen Tuder the Kings Grandfather following more their own affections then any good proof or authority for if they would read that noble work of Matthew Paris they shall find in page 843. of the printed book that Ednivet Vachan one of his Ancestours was the chiefest of Councel to Lhewelin ap Jorwerth otherwise called Leolenus Magnus and to David ap Lhewelin Princes of Wales as formerly They may also find in the Records of the Tower of London in an 29. Edward I. in the general homage done to Prince Edward of Caernavon first prince of Wales of the English bloud that Tuder ap Grono another of the Ancestours of Owen did his homage among the Nobles of Wales Owen Tuder descended from the K. of England as appeareth in the said Records Further the said Owens Grandmother the wife of Tuder ap Grono was Margaret the daughter of Thomas the son of Elianor which was the daughter of the County of Barr by Elianor his wife daughter to Edward I. King of England Besides all this there was a Commission at this time directed by King Edward VII to the Abbot of Lhan Egwest Doctor Owen Pool Canon of Hereford and John King Herald to make inquisition concerning the parentage of the said Owen who coming to VVales travelled in that matter and used the helps of Sir John Levof Guttin Owen Bardh Gruffith ap Lhewelin ap Evan Vachan and others in the search of the Brittish or Welsh books of Pedigrees out of the which they drew his perfect Genealogy from the Antient Kings of Brittain and the Princes of VVales and so returned their Commission which return is extant to be seen at this day And I God willing will set forth what I have in a compendium which I intend to annex to this present treatise of many things which cannot be well digested in method of History yet much conduce to the Glory of the Welsh the several princely stems from whence Owen Tuder and consequently the succeeding Kings of England descended Henry Duke of York After the death of Prince Arthur King Henry VII Charta creationis P. Wal. by his letters patents dated the 18 of February 19 regni in a parliament created Henry then his only son who after was King Henry VIII and whom before that in the 11. he had made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland by an other Charter of the same year Constable of the Castle of Dover to be Prince of Wales Earle of Chester being then about the age of twelve years To have and to hold to him and his heirs Kings of England for ever being the like limitation of Estate and with the like investure as in former times had been acustomed But whether the King did grant the lands and revenues belonging to the said principality unto the said Henry or no as he had done unto Prince Arthur his brother doth not appear by any Charter therof that as yet can be found After the death of King Henry VII the said Prince Henry was King of England by the name of King Henry VIII he had a issue son called Henry who dyed very young he likewise had issue the Lady Mary afterwards Queen and the Lady Elizabeth and lastly prince Edward the youngest in years who first reigned after the death of his said father by the name of Edward the Sixt. Mary The Lady Mary daughter to the same King Henry the VIII Mr. Lhoyd fol. 393. by the Queen Catherine his first wife was Princesse of Wales and in the 17. year of King Henries reign he sent John Voiseie Bishop of Exeter to be Lord President of the Councel of the said Princesse in the Marches of Wales Elizabeth Elizabeth daughter to King Henry the VIII Mr. Lhoyd fol. 394. was in a Parliament begun the 15 day of January in the 25 regni declared Princesse and Inheritrix of the Crown of England with all the Dominions to the same belonging in default of issue male of the body of the said King Henry Sr. John Dodridge doth not approve of King Edward VI. Queen Mary or Queen Elizabeth to have been Prince or Princesse formally for he saith there cannot be found any Charter among the records whereby it may appear that any of
Kings bench And if the said erroneous judgment shall be in any Action personal the same shall be reversed by bill before the Lord president of the Marches and councel there Officers Ministers Clerks and Writers for the expediting of the said great Sessions First there are the Chamberlains of every the said circuits as hath been said who are properly and Originally the Treasurers of the Revenue within their charge and by the said Statutes are also Keepers of the seals as aforesaid therein they do undertake in part the Office of a Chancellour And in every of the said circuits there is the Atturney or Regius Advocatia and Sollicitor There is a Protonotary or chief Register who draweth all the pleadings Protonotary Clâ—rk of the Crown entereth and engrosseth the Records and Judgments in civil causes and ingrossing Fines And there is also a Clerk of the Crown which draweth and ingrosseth all inditements and proceedings arraignments and judgments in criminal causes and these two Officers are at the King or States appointment There is a Marshal to attend the persons of the Judges at their common sitting and going from the Sessions or Court There is a Marshal There is a Cryer Tanquam publicus preco to call forth such persons whose apparences are necessary and to impose silence to the people And these two Officers last remembred are deposed by the Justices And thus much touching the Justices of the great Sessions There are also other ordinary Officers appointed for every Shire in Wales by the said Statute 34. Henry 8. such and in like manner as in other the Shires in England There is a commission under the great Seal of England to certain Gentlemen What a Justice of peace giving them power to preserve the peace and resist and punish all turbulent persons whose misdemeanour may tend to the disquiet of the people and these are called Justices of peace and every of them may well be termed Eirnarcha the chief of them is called Custos Rotulorum in whose custody all the Records of their proceedings are resident Others there are of that number called Justices of the peace and Quorum because of their Commissions whereby they have power to sit and determine causes concerning breach of peace and misbehaviour the words of the Commission are conceived thus Quorum such and such Vnum vel duos c. Esse volumus and without some one or more of them of the Quorum no Sessions can be holden and for the avoiding of the superfluous number of such Justices 8. Justices onely allowed in every County of Wales for through the ambition of many it is accounted a credit to be burthened with that Authority The Satute of 34 Hen. 8. hath expresly prohibited that there shall be above eight Justices of Peace within every of the Counties and Shires of Wales which if the number were not indefinite for the Shires in England it were the better These Justices do hold their Sessions quarterly And it is further ordained by the Statute of 34 Hen 8. that two Justices of peace whereof one to be of the Quorum may hold their Sessions without any greater number In every of the said Shires where the said Commission of peace is established There is also a Clerk of the peace for the entring and engrossing of all proceedings before the said Justices and this Officer is appointed by the Custos Rotulorum Sr. John Dod fol. 49. Every of the said Shires hath a Sheriff which word being of the Saxon English is as much as to say a Shire-Reeve or Minister or Bailiff of the County his Function or Office is twofold Ministerial and Judicial As touching his Ministerial Office he is the Minister and Executioner of all the Process and Precepts of the Courts of Law and thereof ought to make return and certificate Why the Tourne Court so called and as touching the Judicial Office he hath Authority to hold two several Courts of distinct natures the one called the Tourne because he keepeth a Tourne or Circuit about the Shire holding the same in several places wherein he doth enquire of all offences perpetrated against the common Law and not forbidden by any Statute or Act of Parliament The County Court derived from Justice Communicative And the Jurisdiction of this Court is derived from justice distributive and is for criminal offences The other is called the County Court where he doth determine all petty and small causes civil under the value of 40 s. arising within the said County and thereof it is called the County Court And the Jurisdiction of this Court is drawn from Justice Communicative and is held every Moneth The Office of the Sheriff is annual by the Statute of 34 Hen. 8. it is ordained that the Lord President Councel and Justices of Wales or three of them at the least whereof the President to be one shall yearly nominate three fit persons for that Office of whom the King or State may elect one who thereupon shall have his Patent and be Sheriff of the said Shire Escheator why so called Every of the said Shires hath an Officer called an Escheator which is an Officer to attend the Kings Revenue and to seize into his hands all lands either Escheated goods or lands forfeited therefore he is called Escheator and he is to enquire by good enquest of the death of the Kings Tenants and to whom the lands are descended and to seize the bodies and lands for Ward if they be within age and is accountable for the same And this Officer in Wales is nominated Escheator 34 Hen. 8. cap. 16. by the Lord Treasurer of England by the advice of the Lord President Councel and Justices or three of them at least whereof the Lord President to be one There are also in every of the said Shires two Officers called Coroners they are to enquire by enquest in what manner and by whom every person dying a violent death came to his death and to enter the same of Record which is matter criminal and a plea of the Crown Coroners why so called and thereof they are called Coroners or Crowners as one hath written because their enquiries ought to be publick Et in Corona Populi These Officers are are chosen by the Free-holders of the Shire by vertue of a Writ out of the Chancery De Coronatore Eligendo And of them I need not speak more because these Officers are elsewhere The Goal Forasmuch as every Shire hath one Goal or Prison appointed for the restraint of liberty of such persons as for their offences are thereunto committed until they shall be delivered by course of Law Finally in every hundred of every of the said Shires the Sheriffs thereof shall nominate sufficient persons to be Bailiffs of that hundred and under Ministers of the Sheriff and they are to attend upon the Justices in every of their Courts and Sessions The Government of the Marches of Wales
after the Statute of An. 27. 34. H. 8. By the said Statute of 34. Hen. 8. cap. 26. It is furthered ordained that the President and the Councel in the said Dominion and Principality of VVales and the Marches of the same with all Officers Clerks and Incidents thereunto should continue and remain in manner and form as was then formerly used and accustomed And therefore Rowland Lee being Lord President of the Councel of the Marches of Wales at the time of making of the said Statute so continued after the making thereof until his death being in the 34 year of the said King Hen. 8. after whom succeeded in the Office of the said President Richard Samson Bishop of Chichester and after removed to Coventry and Liechfield who continued Lord President until the second year of K. Edw. 6. At what time John Dudley then Earl of VVarwick and after Duke of Northumberland was President of the said Councel who so continued until the 4th year of the said King and after him succeeded Sr. William Herbert Knight of the Noble Order of the Garter and after Earl of Pembrock who continued president until the first year of Queen Mary next succeeded Nicholas Heath Bishop then of Worcester and after Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellour of England and upon removing of the said Archbishop the said William Herbert succeeded again as President of the said Councel until the 6th year of the said Queen Mary at what time followed him Gilbert Brown Bishop of Bath and Wells who continued until the death of the same Queen In the beginning of the late Queen Elizabeth Sr. John Williams Lord Williams of Tame of whom the Lord Norris was descended was appointed President of the said Councel and died the same year and after him succeeded Sr. Henry Sydney Knight of the Noble Order of the Garter whose love to learning and favour to learned men need not here to be spoken he continued Lord President of Wales about 24 years and 6 Moneths he served in Ireland 8 years and 6 moneths being there 3 several times Lord Deputy General in that Countrey During some part of the time of tho abode in Ireland of the said Sr. Hen. Sydney there served as President or Vice-president John Bish of Worcester after Archbishop of Canterbury after this succeeded Hâ—n Earl of Pembrock son in law to Sr. Henry Sydney and father to the honourable Earl of Pembrock and after him Edward Lord Zouch Quare who succeeded The President and Councel of the Marches of Wales The Jurisdiction of the Councel of the Marches of Wales Statutum 34. H. 8. cap. 26. had power and authority to hear and determine by their wisdom and discretions such causes and matters as be or shall be assigned to them by the Kings Majesty and in such manner as shall be so prescribed unto them by Instruction signed by his hand The Councel assisting the Lord Prince consisted of these the chief Justice of Chester together with the three other of the said Justices of VVales who after their Sessions ended are for the most part resident at the Councel and these are ordinary there are divers extraordinaries both Lords and Knights and such others as are learned in the Laws and are to be called to Councel when the Lord President shall think requisite and every such of the Councel extraordinary learned in the Laws when they are called and do serve there they are allowed their diet for them and their men and 6 s. and 8 d. per diem during the time of their attendance The Officers there serving to the administration of Justice as I am informed are these Sr. John Dodridge fol. 54. The Clerks of the Councel The Clerk of the Signet The Register All which were granted to one man by the late Queen Elizabeth And are Executed by his Deputy The Examiner The Remembrancer The Receiver of the Fines The Atturney The Solicitor The Porter To whose custody such Delinquents as deserve to suffer restraint of liberty are committed c. Two Messengers and a Sergeant at Armes And thus much briefly touching the Antient and Modern Estate and Government of the Principality of VVales and of the Marches of the same Next followeth to be considered according to the former Order proposed the Antient and Modern Officers of the said Principality serving the Lord Prince and what Fees Sallary were allowed unto them The Antient Officers their Names and Fees Collected out of divers Ancient Accounts were these following in North Wales The Justice of North VVales whose antient fee was uncertain but yet for the most part yearly his fee was 50 l. Howbeit I find that Sr. VVilliam Standley Knight to whom K. Hen. 7th gave the Office of Justice of North VVales for his life had the yearly fee of 133 l 8 s. 8 d. d. a. 1. Hen. 7. But this seemeth to have been of favour Chamberlain Auditor The Chamberlain of North Wales whose antient fee was yearly 20 l. The Auditor of North Wales viz. Chester and Flint the antient fee was 10 l. yearly with allowance of 10 s. per diem while he was in executing this Office and finishing the account 10 l. Countrouller Atturney The Countrouller of all Pleas Fines Amercements and Redemptions or Ransoms his yearly fee was 12 l. 3 s. 4 d. b. The Atturney of North Wales viz. of the Counties of Carnarvon Merioneth and Anglesey his yearly fee was 56 s. 8 d. Surveyor The Supervisor or Surveyor of the Castles Mannors Lands Tenements and Hereditaments of the Prince of North Wales his yearly fee was 10 l. Constable The Constable of the Castle of Carnarvon his fee was uncertain sometimes 60 l. and sometimes but 40 l. Captain The Captain of the Town of Carnarvon his fee was yearly 12 l. 3 s. 4 d. d. and sometimes one man had both the Offices of Constable of the Castle and Captain of the Town having 60 l. yearly for both the Offices 12 l. 3 s. 4 d. Souldiers There were allowed sometime unto the said Constable and Captain 24 Souldiers for the safe custody of the Castle and Town and every of them was allowed 4 d. per diem amounting in the whole unto 146 l. by the year 146 l. Porter Constable The Porter of the Gates of the said Town of Carnarvon whose fee was yearly 3 l. 10 s. The Constable of the Castle of Conwey his fee was yearly sometimes 40 l. and sometimes 50 l. Captain The Captain of the Town of Conwey had for his yearly fee 12 l. 3 s. 4 d. and most commonly he that was Constable of the Castle was also Captain of the Town 12 l. 3 s. 4 d Souldiers There were also allowed to the said Constable and Captain 24 Souldiers for the safe custody of the said Town and Castle and every of them was allowed 4 d. per diem amounting yearly to 146 l. Porter Constable The Keeper and Porter of
delcent from the Princes thereof to a Woman named Hawys the daughter of Owen ap Gruffith as appeareth in the history following Arustly and Cyneloc came to the Baron of Dudley and afterwards was sold to the King The third part belonging to Mathrual was the land between Wye and Severn containing four Cantreds and 13. comots Cantref Melienith hath these Comots Cery Swithygre Lewalalht and Glin Seithon Cantref Elnel hath these Vwch Minydh and Lhochdhiffnog Cantref Yclawdh these Dyffryn Teyveydat Swydhygnogen and Pennwelht Cantref Bulcht hath these Swidhi Vam Drenlies and Isyrwon Of this part there is at this day some in Montgomery shire some in Radnorshire and some in Brechnockshire in this part and in the Lordship marching to it which although at the time of the division which was in the time of the last prince were not in his subjection yet to this day speak Welsh and are called Wales and in those comots are these Towns and Castles Montgomery in these late wars utterly destroyed and levelled with the ground though the Lord thereof Edward Lord Herbert took armes with the Parliament called in Welsh Trevaldwin a small Town but a most beautiful Castle a little before its desolation much and magnificently enlarged and adorned by the said Lord and for situation almost impregnable The Castle of Clun called Colunwy which is the Earles of Arundel who amongst his other honourable titles is Baron of Clun and Oswestrie The Town of Knighton in Welsh Trefilcawd The Castle of Cymaron Presthyn in Welsh Lhanandras The Town and Castle of Radnor in Welsh Maesynet at this day the Shire-Town The Town of Knighton and the Castle of Huntington called in Welsh Y Castelh Mayn which were the Bohunes Earles of Hereford and after the D. of Buckingham Castle Haye Payne Lhanvair in Buecht These Lordships with Brechvoc and Aberganeny were belonging to the Bruses Lords of Brechnoch and after came divers times and by sundry means to the Bohunes Nevils and Mortimers and so in this Kingdom or Territory were found 14 Cantreds and 40 comots Two of these parts which are Powis and Gwineth are at this day called Northwales and divided into six shires Môn called Anglesey Carnarvon Merioneth Denbigh Flint and Montgomeryshire are of all on the Northside Severn saving a piece of Montgomeryshire And here I think it good to let the Reader understand what the Brittish Chronicle saith of Northwales which affirmeth that three times by inheritance it came to Women first to Stradwen Daughter to Cadvan ap Conan ap Endaf and wife to Coel Godeboc Mother to Genaw Dyvor and Gwawl The second time to the same Gwawl wife to Edeyrn ap Padern and mother to Cunetha Wledic which Cunetha inhabiting in the North parts of England about the year 540. after the incarnation of Christ and hearing how the mingled Nations of the Irish Scots and Picts had overrun the sea shore of Cardigan which was part of his inheritance sent his sons thither to enjoy their inheritance of the which Tibiaon his eldest son died in Man which land the said Irish Scots had wan for Gildas saith that of the Children of Clam Hector which peopled a great part of Ireland Yscroeth with his people inhabited Dalrienda which is a part of Scotland Builke with his people came to Man but I think it good to put in Gildas words which saith Builke cum filiis suis inhabitavit Euboniam Insulam vulgo Manaw quae est in meditullio maris inter Hiberniam Brittanniam that is to say Builke with his Children inhabited the Isle Eubonia commonly called Manaw for so it is and was named in Brittish which lyeth in the middle of the sea between Ireland and Brittain This was not called Mona as Polidore saith The children of Bethoun inhabited Demetia which is Southwales with Gwyr and Cydweli till they were chased thence by the children of Cunetha thus far Gildas Therefore the Sons of Cunetha being arived in Northwales as well I think being driven by the Saxons as for their inheritance divided the Country betwixt them And first Micreaon the son of Tibiaon the son of Cunetha had Cantref Meireaon to his part Arustel ap Gwenetha had cantref Arust Caradoc ap Cunetha had Caerdegion now Cardiganshire Dunod had cantref Dunodic Edeyrn had Edeyhnion Mael had Dynmmael Coel had Coleyon Dogvael had Dogvelyn Ryvaon had Rivomoc now Denbighland Eneore Yrch had Caerneon in Powis Vssa had Maesuswlht now Oswestre For surely that which they say commonly of Oswald King of Northumherland to be slain there and of the Well which sprung where his arm was carried is nothing so For Beda and all writers testify that Penda slew Oswald at Maserfelt in the Kingdom of Northumberland and his body was buryed in the Abbey of Bardney in the province of Lindsey on the third part of Lincolnshire which Province gave title of Earl to Robert Bertu Lord Willoughbie of Eresbie who was created being Lord great Chamberlain of England by inheritance Earl of Lindsey 2. Car. Novemb. 29 and was General for the King at Edgehill where he valiantly lost his life in his Masters right and quarrel bearing for his arms Argent 3 battering rams barwise proper headed and hooped Azure The ruines of Bardney Abbey are yet to be seen But to my former matter these names given by the sons of Cunetha remain to this day After this the Irish-Picts and Scots which the Brittains called Y Gwidhyl Phichiaid which is to say the Irish Picts did overrun the Isle of Môn and were driven thence by Caswalhon Lhawhir that is Caswalhon with the long hand the Son of Eneon Yrch ap Cunedha who slew Seoigi their King with his own hands at Lhany Gwydhyl which is the Irish church at Holyhead This Caswalhon was father to Maelgon Gwyneth whom the Latines call Maglocunus Prince and King of Brittain In this time was the famous Clerk and great wise man Talissyn Ben Beirdh that is to say the chiefest of the Beirdh or wise men for this word Bardh in Caesars time signified as Lucan beareth witnesse such as had knowledg of things to come and so it signifieth at this day This Maelgon had a son called Run in whose time the Saxons united Gurmund unto Brittain from Ireland who had come hither from Affrick who with the Saxons was the utter destruction of the Brittains and slew all that professed Christ Gurmund an Affrican King of Ireland was the first that drove the Brittans over Severne and was the first that drove them over Severne This Run was father to Beli who was father to Jago for so the Brittains call James who was father to Cadvan and not Brochwell called Brecyval as the English Chronicle saith for this Brochwell Ysgithroc that is long-toothed was chosen leader of such as met with Adelred alias Ethelbertus Rex Cantiae and other Angles and Saxons who put Brochel twice to flight not far from Chester and cruelly slew 1000 Priests and Monks of Bangor with a great
affairs of the holy Land should be neglected that it would please you also to help with your Councel with the Lord and King that he would use us and order us according to the peace agreed upon the which we will no way infringe And if he will not hearken to your Counsel therein which God forbid that you will hold us excused for we will no waies as much as lieth in us procure the trouble and disquietness of the Realm And if it may please you to give credit to our messengers which we do send to the King at the day by him to us appointed to alledge our lawful excuses in those things which they by mouth shall on our part shew unto You resting to do Your will and pleasure if it please You to write again Dated at Talybont the eight Day of October Anno 1275. year 1277 Shortly after the King came to Chester Thom. Walsh fol. 6. Mar. West p. 364. willing the Prince to come thither and do him homage which when the prince detracted to do the King gathered an army to compel him thereto The year following the Countesse of Leicester wife to Simon Montfort which remained at a Nunnery in France sent her daughter to Wales to marry the prince as it was ' agreed betwixt them in her Fathers time and with her came her brother Admerike and a courtly company who fearing the coast of England bent their voyage to the Isle of Sylly whereby chance they met with four ships of Bristol which set upon and took them and brought them to the King who entertains the Lady houourably sending her brother to be kept prisoner in the castle of Corff from whence he was removed to the castle of Sherburne Then the King prepared two armies A prodigious Omen to Wales whereof the one he conducted himself to Northwales as far as Ruthlan and fortified the castle and the other he sent with Paganis de Camurtiis a worthy Souldier to Westwales they burned and destroyed a great part of the Country and this year itrained blood in divers places of Wales The year ensuing the Lords of Southwales came to the Kings peace The jangling of the Welsh among themselves their utter overthrow and did him homage and delivered the Castle of Stratywy unto the K. Lieutenant Paganus de Camurtli if his sirname be not mistaken for de Cadurcis it is the family of Chaworth in Notinghamshire This Prince understanding this and seeing that his own people had forsaken him sent to the King for peace which was agreed upon these conditions 1. First that all such as the Prince kept prisoners of the Kings and for his cause should be set at liberty 2. Item That the Prince should pay to the King for his favour and good will 50000 marks to be paid at the Kings pleasure 3 Item That four Cantreds should reman to the King and his heirs for ever which Cantreds I think were these cantref Ros where the Kings Castle of Teganny stood cantref Rynivioc where Denbigh cantref Tegengl where Ruthlan standeth and cantref Dyffryn Clwd where Ruthin is 4 Item That the Lords Merchers should quietly enjoy all the Lands that they had conquered within Wales 5. Item That the Prince should pay yearly for the Isle of Môn or Anglesey 1000 marks which payment should begin at Michaelmas then next ensuing and that also he should pay 5000 marks out of hand and if the prince dyed without issue the Isle should remain to the King and his heirs 6 Item That the Prince should come to England every Christmas to do the King homage for his lands 7. Item That all the Barons in Wales should hold their lands of the King except 5. in Snowden who should ackowledg the Prince to be their Lord. 8. Items that he should for his lifetime enjoy the name of Prime and none of his heirs after him so that after his death the foresaid five Barons should hold of the King and none other 9. Item that for the performance of the Articles the prince should deliver for hostages ten of the best in Wales without imprisonining disinheriting or time of deliverance determined and also the King to choose twenty within Northwales that should take their oathes with the prince for performance of these Articles and if the Prince should swerve from any of them and being thereof admonished would not amend and redresse the same Th. Walsh p. 7 they should forsake him and become his enemies The prince was also bound to let his brethren enjoy their lands in Wales of whom David had long served the King whom the King had made Knight contrary to the manner of Wales and had given him in marriage the daughter of the Earle of Derby whose first husband was lately deceased to whom the King gave Denbigh in Northwales and 1000l lands therewith And his other brother Roderike was lately fled to England out of prison and Owen the third was delivered at this composition This peace was concluded in the Kings absence who appointed one his Commissioners Mr. Trinet Sol p. 787. to wit the Lord Ripiost to take an oath of him and authorised the said Robert Antonio Becke and William de Southampton Prior Provincial of the Friers predicant Commissioners appointed on his behalf to receive the like oath of the said Lhewelyn for whose part Theodor or Tudor ap Ednivet and Grono ap Heilin were Commissioners At this time the King builded a Castle at Aberystwyth returned into Eng. with much honour unto whom the people granted a subsidy of the twentieth part of their goods towards his charges in this war The year following the marriage was celebrated at Worcester betwixt Elianor daughter to Simon Montfort and prince Lhewelin where the King Queen and the most part of the Nobility of England were present Also the year after Roger Mortimer set up at Killingworth a round table for a hundred Knights to be exercised in the feats of arms The Kof Scots sucâ—ouâ—eth against the Welsh and thither resorted many Knights from divers Countries At this time the King of Scots did homage to K. Edward and obtained the Kings letters that his succours in the last wars of Wales were not done by the name of service but good will The peace concluded betwixt the prince of Wales and the King of England did not long continue by reason of the severe and strict dealing of such Officers as the King appointed rulers in the Marshes and the Inland country of Wales who hunting after their own gains oppressed the Inhabitants burdening them with new exactions contrary to the custom of the country and also shewing themselves too much affectionate and partial in matters of controversy betwixt party party especially when any Englishman had to do in the matter which poling and partiality did altogether alienate the hearts of the people from the King of England so that they had rather die then live in such thraldom whereupon assembling
said Reginald Grey returned into Wales he would take 24 men of every Cantref and either behead them or imprison them perpetually 16. Item Whereas we paid our Taxes and Rents in old money half year before the coming of new money they enforced us to pay new money for the old These griefs and the like the said Reginald offered us and threatned that if we would send any to the King to complain he would behead them and when we sent any to the King they could never speak with the King but spent us much money in vain for which griefs we believe our selves free before God from the Oath we have made to the King These Griefs following the King and his Justices offered to Rees Vachan of Stratywy 1. After that the said Rees gave the King his Castle of Dynevowr since the last peace the said Rees then being in the Tent of the Lord Payne de Gadersey at the same time there were slain six Gentlemen of the said Rees his men for whom they never had amends which was to him great grief and loss 2. Item John Gifford claimed the said Rees his Inheritance at Hiruryn and the said Rees requested the Law of his Countrey of the King or the Law of the Countrey of Caermarthen in the which Countrey the Ancestors of the said Rees were wont to have Law when they were of the peace of the Englishmen and under their regiment but the said Rees could have no Law but lost all his lands They would have had him to answer in the County of Hereford where none of his Ancestors ever answered Further in the lands of the said Rees were such enormities committed which do most appertain to the State Ecclesiastical that is to say in the Church of St David which they call Lhangadoc Grievous sacriledge committed by the English they made Stables and plaid the Harlots and took away all the goods of the said Church and burning all the houses wounded the Priest of the said Church before the high Altar and left him there as dead 3. Item In the said Countrey they spoiled and burnt the Churches of Dyngad Lhantredaff and other Churches in other parts they spoiled their Chalices Books and all other Ornaments These be the Griefs which the King and his Justice gave to Lhewelyn ap Rees and Howell ap Rees After that a Form of peace was concluded betwixt Henry then King of England and the Prince of Wales the said King granted and confirmed by his Charter to the said Prince the homage of the said Noblemen so long as they stood friends with the Prince according to the said gift and confirmation But Edward now King disinherited the said Gentlemen of their lands so that they could not have their own lands neither by law nor by favour These be the Griefs done by the Englishmen to the sons of Meredyth ap Owen 1. After that the King had granted the Gentlemen their own inheritance of Geneurglyn and Creuthyn he contrary to the peace disinherited the said Gentlemen denying them all lawes and customs of Wales and of the County of Caermarthyn 2. The said King in his County of Caerdigan by his Justices compelled the said Gentlemen to give judgement upon themselves where their predecessors never suffered the like of Englishmen 3. The said Justices of the King having taken away the Courts of the Noblemen in Wales and compelled the people to satisfie before them for trespasses when as they ought to have satisfied by the said Nobles 4. When a Wrack happeneth upon any of the grounds of the Noblemen whose ancestors had the Wrack they should have the same yet the King forbiddeth them and the said King by colour of that Ship-wrack contrary to their custom and law did condemn them in eight Marks and took away all the goods of the Ship-wrack The Complaints of the Noblemen of Strattalyn of the Wrongs and Griefs done to them by Roger Clifford and Roger Scrochill Deputy to the said Roger Clifford contrary to the Priviledge Justice and Custom of the said Noblemen as they say and prove 1. When the said Roger compelled the said men of Strattalyn to give them to have their customs and priviledges 20 Marks starling and after the payment of the money they brake by and by after this sort to put upon 12 men according to the laws of England which was never the manner or custom of the said Countrey 2. Item Madoc ap Blethyn was condemned in 4 Marks unjustly contrary to the laws and use of the Countrey 3. Item Grono Goch was likewise condemned 5 Marks and 12 Beasts contrary to the customs of his Countrey Dear Venison 4. Item The said Roger took the lands of the men of the Countrey as forfeit and for one foot of a Stagg found in a Dogs mouth three men were spoiled of all they had 5. Item Itlhel ap Gwysty was condemned in a great sum of money for the fact of his father done 40 years before 6. Item The said Rogers laid upon us the finding of all the English Souldiers where as before there was but one half 7. Item We were given to Mr. Maurice de Cruny and were sold to Roger Clifford which was never seen in our parents time 8. Item The widow of Robert of the Mowld asked of the King the third part of the land in the Mowld in Ward whereas it was judged before the King that the said lands were never given in Ward These be the Articles of Grief done to the men of Penlhyn by the Constable of Henry Chambers of the White Abbey and his men 1. Cynwric ap Madoc was spoiled by them in the time of peace of 8 pound 4 Oxen Corn the work of one plough for two years and to the value of 3 pound of 3 of his men and they had the worth of 16 pound for the said 8 pound and did beat him besides which was more wrong for then he was the Princes Constable at Penlhyn and all the cause that they pretended to make this spoyl was only that they said they had found 24 sheafes of Tythe in the house of a servant of the said Cynwric 2. Item Adam Criwr was condemned in 8 s. 8 d. and a Mare price 20 s. and was taken and beaten for that he had taken the Stealer of that Mare and brought him bound with him the which Thief was forthwith delivered 3. Item Jorwerth ap Gurgenen was condemned in 4 l. for that he had scaped out of their prison in time of the wars and was found in the same Town in time of peace and this is directly against the peace concluded betwixt the King and the Prince 4. Item Cadua Dhu servant to the Constable of Penlhyn was condemned because he would not receive the old money for new 5. Item Gruffith ap Grono the Princes man was spoiled of an Oxe price 11 s. 8 d. and after that the Constable had ploughed with the said Oxe 7 moneths he paid to the said Gruffith
was coming towards Shrewsbury upon the hills of Cefn Digolh not far from Caurus Castle where after a long fight Madoc was taken and his men discomfited and put to flight Then he was sent to the Tower of London there to remain in perpetuall prison Some there be who affirm that Madoc was not taken but rather after many adventures and sundry conflicts when the VVelshmen were brought into great extremity the said Madoc came in and submitted himself to the Kings peace and was received upon condition that he should pursue Morgan till he had taken him and brought him to the Kings prison which was done and so all things were quieted and many hostages of the chiefest Nobility of Wales were delivered to the King who sent them to divers Castles of England where they were safely kept almost to the end of the wars which followed in Scotland In the 29th year of K. Edw. 1. Edw. Prince of Wales came to Chester where he received the homage of the Free-holders of Wales as Henry Earl of Lancaster did homage and fealty for Monmoth Regynald Grey for Ruthyn Fulk Fitz Waren for his lands in Wales The Lord William Martin for his lands in Cemais Roger Mortimer for his lands in Wales Henry Lacy Earl of Lincolne for the land of Ros and Ryveneoc in Wales Robert Lord Montalt for his land in Wales Gruffith Lord of Poole for the Lordship of Powis Sr. Gruffith Lhoyd Knight Tuder ap Grono of Anglesey Madoc ap Tuder Archdeacon of Angelsey Eneon ap Howel of Caernarvon Tuder ap Gruffith Lhewelyn ap Edninet Gruffith Vachan the Son of Gruffith ap Jorwerth Madoc Vachan d'Englefield Lhewelyn Bishop of St. Asaph Mr. Richard de Pnelesdon this man as appeareth by the Records in the Tower was made Sheriff of Caernarvonshire during his life with the stipend of 40 l. staring yearly Anno. 12. Ed. 1. Gruffith ap Tuder Ithel Vachan Ithel ah Blethyn c. The Lord Richard Sutton Baron of Malpas did homage and fealty to Edward Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester for the said Barony of Malpas apud Ruthlan 27. die Aprilis Anno supradicto Aniamis or Eneon Bishop of Bangor and David Abbot of Maynan did homage and fealty to the said Edward Prince of Wales apud Conwey 28. April An. sup dict Lewis de Felton the son of Richard de Felton did homage and fealty to Prince Edward for the Lands which the said Richard held of the Prince in Maelor Saesneg John Earl Warren did homage and fealty to Edward Prince of Wales in the Chappel of the Lord John de Kerby sometime Bishop of Ely at London 25. die Julii Anno. 30. Ed. 1. for the Lordships of Bromfield and Yale The same John Earl Warren swore fealty unto the said Ed. P. of Wales for the lands in Hopedale The Lord Edmund Mortimer the 6th day of November an 30. Ed. 1. in the house of the Bishop of Ely at London did homage and fealty to Edward P. of Wales before his Councel for his lands in Cery and Cydewen About the year 1322. one Sr. Gruffith Lhoyd Knight gathered a great number of Welshmen and took divers Castles in Wales which were kept by the people of the Lord Mortimer the Elder he took also the Castles of Mould Chirk c. The keepers whereof coming to P. Edward at Shrewsbury who then was King of England submitted themselves to him and were shortly after sent to the Tower of London year 1822 This Edward of Carnarvon was known by the name of Edward the second King of England living in a turbulent time between him and his Barons was after deposed for his ill Government and came to a violent death in the Castle of Berkeley nevertheless in his life time he created his son P. of Wales Hol. p. 863. Edward of Windsor The same year being the 15. of K. Ed. the second Edward de Windesore the Kings Eldest Son was in a Parliament holden at York created Prince of Wales and Duke of Aquitane Edward of Woodstock surnamed the Black Prince Mr. Mills ut ante Edward born at Woodstock Son and Heir to King Edward was created Prince of Wales 12. of May anno 17. Ed. patris when he was fourteen years of age who in time grew to be the flower of Chivalry of all Europe he took John the French King prisoner at the battail of Poyteirs and dyed his Father yet living the eighth of July in the 46. year of his age and the 50. of his Fathers Reign a Prince of such excellent demeanour so valiant wise and politick in his actions that the very and perfect representation of Knighthood appeared most lively in his person for such was his towardness or rather perfection in Princely Government that if he had lived and attained the crown every man Judged that he would surely have exceeded all his predecessors Sr. John Dodridge fol. 6. Edward the third saith Judge Dodrige at a Parliament holden at Westminster 15. regni created Edward his eldest Son Ex. harta creationis in Parliamento a. 15. Ed. 3. surnamed the black Prince Prince of Wales being then of tender years and invested him in the said principality with these ensignes of honour as in the Charter is contained Per sertum in Capite anulum in digito aureum virgam argenteam juxta morem by a Chaplet of gold made in manner of a garland for so the word sertum importeth by a gold ring set on his finger and by a Verge rod and Scepter of silver howbeit in the investure of succeeding Princes this Rod or Scepter as appeareth by the Charters of their several Creations was changed into a Verge of gold The said King for the better maintainance of the said Prince his Son in honourable support according to such his State and dignity gave unto him by his Charter Dated 12. of May in the 17. year of his Reign of England and in the 4. year of his reign of France and inrolled in the Exchequer in the Term of St. Hillary in the 18. year of the said King Edward the Third the said principality and the mannors Lordships Castles and land ensuing to appertain to the said principality Viz. All his lands and Lordships in Northwales Westwales and Southwales 1. The Lordship Castle Town and County of Caernarvon 2. The Lordship Castle and Town of Convey 3. The Lordship Castle and Town of Crucketh 4. The Lordship Castle and Town of Beaumarish 5. The Lordship Castle and Town of Hardlagh 6. The Lordship Castle and Townes and Counties of Anglesey and Merioneth 7. The Lordship Castle and Town and County of Caermaden 8. The Lordship Castle and Town of Lampader vawr 9. The Lordship and Stewardship of Canter mawr 10. The Lordship Castle Town and County of Cardigan 11. The Lordship Castle and Town of Emelyn 12. The Lordship Castle and Town of Buelht 13. The Lordship Castle and Town of Hâ—verford 14. The Lordship Castle and Town of Montgomery
great credit and favour between whom and the Lord Grey of Ruthin happen some discord about a piece of Commons lying between the Lordship of Ruthin and the Lordship of Glyndourdwy whereof Owen was owner and thereof took the sirname of Glindour during the reign of K. Richard Owen was too hard for the Lord Grey being then a servitour in court with K. Rich. with whom he was at the time of his taking in the castle of Flint by the Duke of Lancaster but after that K. Richard was put down the Lord Grey being now better friended then Owen entred upon the said Commons whereupon Owen having many friends and followers in his country as those that be great with princes commonly have put himself in armour against the Lord Grey whom he meeting in the field overcame and took prisoner The Welsh ever addicted to believe prophesies This was the very beginning and cause Owens rising and attempts upon the taking of the Lord Grey and spoyling of his Lordship of Ruthin many resorted to Owen from all parts of Wales some thinking that he was now as well in favour as in K. Richards time some other putting in his head that now the time was come wherein the Brittains through his means might recover again the honour and liberty of their ancestours A caveat for Mr. Pugh and such as are over credulous in prophesies These things being laid before Owen by such as were very cunning in Merlins prophesies and the interpretations of the same for there were in those dayes as I fear there be now some singular men which are deeply overseen in those mysteries and hope one day to mete velvet upon London bridge with their bowes brought him into such a fools paradice that he never considering what title he might pretend or what right he had proceeded and made war upon the Earle of March who was the the right Inheritor as well to the principality of Wales as appeareth formerly as to the Crown of England after the death of K. Rich. being descended from the elder brother next to Edw. Prince of Wales father of K. Rich. of which insurrection rebellion there ensued much mischief unto the Welshmen for the King conceiving great hatred against them shewed himself a manifest opressour of all that nation making rigorous lawes against them whereby he took in a manner all the liberties of subjects from them Cruel Lawes against the Welsh probibiting all Welshmen from purchasing lands or to be chosen or received Citizens or Burgesses in any City Burrough or market towns or to be receied or accepted to any office of Maior Bailiffe Chamberlain Constable or Keeper of the gates or of the goale or to be of the Councel of any City Burrough or Town or to bear any manner of armour within any City c. And if any suit happened between a Welshman an Englishman it was by law ordained that the Englishman should not be convict unlesse it were by the judgment of English Judges and by the verdict of the whole English Burgesses or by Inquests of English Burroughs and Towns of the signiories where the suit lay also that all Englishmen that married Welshwomen should be disfranchized of their liberty no congregation or meetings in councel was permitted to Welshmen but by licence of the chief Officers of the said signiory and in the presence of the same Officers That no victualls nor armour should be brought into Wales without the special licence of the King or his Councel That no Welshman should have any Castle Fortresse or house defensive of his own or of any other mans to keep no Welshman to be made Justice Chamberlain Chancellour Treasurer Sheriff Steward Constable of Castle Receiver Eschetor Coronor nor chief Forrester nor other Officer nor Keeper of Records nor Lieutenant in any of the said Offices in no part of Wales nor of the councel of any English Lord notwithstanding any patent or licence made to the contrary That no Englishman which in the time to come shall marry any Welshwoman be put in any Office in VVales or in the Marches of the same These with other lawes both unreasonable and unconcionable such as no prince among the Heathen ever offered to his subjects were ordained and severely executed against them Neither was it any reason that for the offence of one man his complices all the whole nation should be so persecuted whereby not only they that lived in that time but also their children and posterity should be brought to perpetual thraldom and misery A law more cruel then that Julian the Apostate for these lawes were not ordained for their Reformation but of meer purpose to work their utter ruine and destruction which doth evidently appear in that they were forbidden to keep their children at learning or to put them to be apprentises to any occupation in any Town or Burrough in this realme Let any indifferent man therefore judge and consider whether this extremity of law where Justice it self is meer injury and cruelty be not a cause and matter sufficient to withdraw any people from civility to barbarisme 〈…〉 This Hen. dyed in the 10th year of his reign leaving a son behind him being an infant of ten moneths who by reason of his tender age was not as by any word extent can be proved ever created prince but was proclaimed King immediately after the death of his father by the name of Henry the Sixt. Edward of Westminster Henry the sixt by the advice of his Lords Spiritual and Temporal given to him in his Parliament holden in the 31 year of his reign did afterwards by his charter bearing date 15 day of March 32. Regni created Edward his son born at Westminster by one and the self same patent to be both prince of Wales and Earle of Chester and invested him therein His Creation with the usual Ensignes of that dignity as had been in former time accustomed TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said dignities to him and his heirs Kings of England Sr. J. Dodridge which Charter is recited in the Act of Parliament holden at Westminster 9. Julii anno 33. regni In the which Act of Parliament is also recited another Charter likewise confirmed by the said Parliament whereby the said King did give unto the said Prince the said principality of Wales together with all the Lordships and lands Castles and Tenements by speciall names above mentioned and all in the former Charters granted and conveied to the former Princes and the said Fee Farms and Rents of 113 l. 13 s. ob out of the Lordship and Town of Buelht and the said 56l 13s 4d out of the Lordship Castle and Town of Montgomery likewise mentioned in the Charters of the former Prince To have and to hold to him and his heirs Kings of England By the same Act of Parliament also it was enacted because the said prince was then of tender years and there was assigned unto him a certain
number of Servants to attend him according to his estate and dignity which should be at diet in the Kings house untill the said prince should accomplish the age of 14 years and that the King should have all such summes of money as should clearly remain unto the prince due of all manner of Issues and Revenues which the Prince then had in respect of his said Principality Dutchy and Earledom untill the said age of 14. years The said Revenues to be accounted for to the King in his exchequer reserving unto the said Prince untill he should come to be of the age of eight years 1000 l. yearly and from that age till he came at fourteen The K. to have the revenues till the P. accomplish the age of 14 2000 marks yearly for his Wardrobes Wages of Servants and other necessary expences But saving alwaies unto the King the Advousons of Bishopricks and spiritual livings and the gifts of all Offices Wards Reliefs and Escheats belonging to the said Prince untill he should accomplish the said age of fourteen years saving such estate in certain of the said lands as the Queen had to her before the said time assured untill the Prince should be of the said age of fourteen years and saving certain particular summes of money in the said Act of Parliament mentioned as were formerly appointed out of the said lands as well for expence of the Kings of England for their houshould as otherwise during such particular times as are therein declared provided that all Offices formerly granted by the King and needing actual exercise and the Fees to the same should not be prejudiced by the same Act. Afterwards by another Charter Ex Charta Regia dat In Scaccaria penes Rememor Thesaur remoâ—te the said King doth release unto the said Prince all the said Grant of the said yearly summes of money issuing out of the revenues aforesaid and all things by the said Act granted and appointed unto the said King yearly 527 marks 4 s. 7 d. ob and out of the said Dutchy untill the said prince should be of eight years of age then reserving out of the said Principality and Earldom yearly unto the King 277 marks 4 s. 7 d. ob and out of the said Dutchy yearly 517 marks 11 s. 7. ob untill the said age of 14. years of the Prince for the said Dutchy and to be employed towards the charges of the Kings houshould and not otherwise And the said King by his letters Patents dated 18 of January anno regni 35. during the minority of the said Prince ordained the then Archbishop of York In Chartes l. 35. H. 6 part 2. a Privy Councellors appointed to the Prince the bishops of Winchester Hereford Lichfield and Coventry and the Lord Keeper of the privy Seal the Earles of Shrewsbury Stafford and Wilts the then Viscount Beamont and also John Sutton and Thomas Stanley Knights to be of the privy Counsel to the said Prince enjoyning all Officers and Ministers of the Prince that they and every of them should be obedient to the execution of all commandements and warrants of the said Councellours or at least four of them together with the assent and consent of the Queen in all causes and matters concerning the titles rights possessions and Interests of the said Prince and that the said commandements and warrants should be as available in that behalf as if the said had been made or done by the said Prince himself being of full age which commandement in all leases of the said Princes inheritance was pursued accordingly In the 39. year of the said K. Henry VI. reign he being of the house of Lancaster such is the mutability and so unstable are all humane things that the said King being a man devout and religious the founder of Schooles and Colledges vertuous and a lover of peace was by the violence of the heirs of the house of York put from his Kingdom and secured in prison and Edward Earle of March son and heir to Richard Duke of York reigned in his stead by the name of Edw. IV. But yet behold the hand of God for in the tenth year of the said King Edward IV. upon a discontentment conceived against him by Richard Earle of Warwick a man more popular and potent then was fit for a Subject the said Richard with a collected power so pressed the King that he was driven to fly the realme and to seek forraign aid seeing his homebred subjects proved so unfaithful In Chartes pat 35. H. 6. pars 2. Then King Henry VI. after 10 years imprisonment readepted the Kingdom and in the said tenth year of King Edward IV. wrote the 49 year of his reign having endured 10 years intermission in the computation of his time as appeareth in the books of law of that age but being thus seated he was unsetled after much effusion of blood for in a civil war there is no true victory in as much as he that prevaileth is a loser K. H. 6 was compelled again to give place to his adversary after to make that part sure was deprived of life having lost also Edw. his son P. before spoken of the hope of all his posterity in the battail at Tukesbury Edward of Westminster Edward IV. having gotten the Crown which had been thus shaken from his head did by his Charter dated the 26 of June 11 regni created Edward of Westminster his son and heir apparant P. of Wales and E. of Chester 11 Ed. 4 pars 1. memb 1. and by another like Charter of the same year gave unto him the lands and revenues of the said principality to have and to hold to him and his heirs Kings of Engl. This Ed. the P. being of tender years was born in the Sanctuary whether the Queen his mother was fled for security and during the time that the King her husband had avoided the realm Afterwards the said King by his letters patents dated the 8. of July in the said 11 year of his reign ordained his Queen the then Archbishop of Canterbury George Duke of Clarence Richard Duke of Glocester brothers to the said King the then Bishop of Bath and Wells and Durham Sr. J. Dodridge fol. 25. Anthony Earle Rivers the then Abbot of Westmonastery Chancelour to the Prince Will. Hastings Knight Lord Chamberlain to the King Rich. Fines Lord Dacres Steward of the said Prince John Fogg John Scot Knight Thomas Vaughan Chamberlain to the Prince J. Alcock and Rich. Farler to be of Councel to the said Prince giving unto them and every 4 of them thereby with the advice and expresse consent of the Queen large power to advise and councel the said Prince and to order and dispose the lands revenues and possessions of the said Prince and the nomination of officers to him belonging when they should happen to become void or that the parties were insufficient The said authority thus given unto the said councelours to continue untill
the said Prince should accomplish the age of 14. years which was performed by them accordingly in all leases dispositions and grants of the revenues of the said prince The said K. Edw. by another Charter composed in English and bearing date 10 of Novem. 13o. regni appointed the said E. Rivers being brother unto the Queen to be governour of the person of the said prince and to have the education and institution of him in all vertues worthy his birth and to have the government and direction of his servants King Edward the fourth having reigned full 22. years left this mortal life 24. regni at VVestminster and was enterred at VVindsor Edward his Son and Heir then being at Ludlow neer the Marches of Wales for the better ordering of the Welsh under the Government of the Lord Rivers his Unkle on the Mothers side and upon the death of his Father drawing towards London to prepare for his Coronation fell into the hands of his Unkle by the Fathers side Richard D. of Glocester and the said Lord Rivers being upon his way to London Dulce vennum regnum was intercepted and lost his head at Pomfret for what cause I know not other then this that he was thought to be too great an obstacle between a thirsty Tyrannous desire and the thing that was so thirstily and Tyrannously desired Edward the 5. King of England for so he was although he enjoyed it not long being thus surprised under the power of his natural or rather most unnatural Unkle and mortal enemy was brought to London with great solemnity and pompe and with great applause of the People flocking about to behold his person as the manner of the English Nation is to do whose new joyes cannot endure to be fettered with any bonds His said Unkle calling himself Protector of the King and his realm but indeed was a wolfe to whom the lamb was committed for having thus surprised the Kings person he laboured by all means to get into his possession also the younger brother being D. of Yorke knowing that they both being sundered Vindex nocentes sequitur a tergo Deus the safety of the younger would be a means to preserve the elder and therefore by all sinister perswasions and fair pretences having obtained the younger D. from his mother the King and the D. both for a time remained in the Tower of London Ed. v. upon his return to England and there shortly after both in one bed were in the night smothered to death and buried in an obscure and secret place unknown how or where untill one of the Executioners thereof after many years being condemned to dye for many other his manifold crimes confessed also his guilty fact in this tragical business and the circumstance thereof of which by reason of the secresie and incertainty divers had before diversly conjectured And by this means all for the Coronation of Innocent Edward served the turn to set the Crown upon the head of Tyrannous Richard Out of which by the way I cannot but observe how hatefull a bloody hand is to Almighty God the King of Kings who revenged the bloodshed of those civil broyles whereof Edward the Father had been the occasion and the breach of his oath upon these his two Innocent Infants Edward Son of Richard III. This Tyrant and stain of the English story Inter warr ad magnum sigillum in Cancellaria Henricus rosas Richard D. of Glocester usurped the Kingdom by the name of Richard the third and became King yet as our Records of Law witness de facto non de jure and in the first year of his reign created Edward his son being a child of ten years of age Prince of Wales Lieutenant of the Realm of Ireland But for that the prosperity of the wicked is but as the florishing of a green tree which whiles man passes by is blasted dead at the roots and his place knoweth it no more so shortly afterwards God raised up Hen. Earl of Richmond the next heir of the house of Lancaster to execute justice upon that unnatural and bloody Usurper and cast him that had been the rod of Gods Judgment upon others into the fire also for in the third year of his reign at the battail of Bosworth whereunto the said Richard entered in the morning crowned with all Kingly pomp he was slain and his naked carkass with as much despight as could be devised was carried out thereof at night and the said Henry Earle of Richmond the Solomon of England Reigned in his stead by the name of King Henry the Seventh Arthur Son of K. Henry VII Henry the VII took to wife Elizabeth the eldest daughter and after the death of her brothers the Relict heir of King Edward IV. by which marriage all occasions of contention between those two noble Families of York and Lancaster were taken away and utterly quenched and the red Rose joyned with the white The said K. Henry the seventh by his letters patents dated the first day of December 5. regni created Arthur his Eldest son heir apparent being then about the age of three years Prince of Wales But before we proceed any further treating of the Princes of Wales let us consider from whence this Arthur descended and admire the goodnesse and providence of the highest and great God towards the VVelsh nation to bring the honour and principality to one descended of the Ancient Welsh or British blood I will bring the pedegree ascendent the noble Prince Arthur was son to Henry the VII Arthur The King of England from the Welsh blood first thus Henry VII Elizabeth Eldest Daughter to K. Edward IV. Edmund Earle of Richmond Margaret Daughter and Heir to John Duke of Somerset Sr. Owen Tudor Katherine Queen Dowager to K. Henry the V. Meredyth son to Tudor Tudor son to Grono Grono son to Tudyr Tudyr son to Grono Grono son to Ednivet Ednivet Vachan married Gwenlhian daughter to Rees Prince of Southwales Gruffith King of Southwales Rees ap Tudyr King of Southwales Whose Armes were Gules a Lyon Ramp within a border indented Or. I could deduce this family from several English matches as Holland Tuckets Norris but I should be too prolix and seem to exspaciate beyond my bounds and therefore I will return to our Prince of whom we now speak Dodridge fol. 28. Also there was a Charter of the Grant of the Lands of the said principality Earledom of Chester and Flint dated the 20 of February in the said fift year of the said King made unto the said Prince The said King Henry the VII by his Charter bearing date the 20. day of March in the eight year of his reign did constitute and appoint the said Prince Arthur to be his Justice in the County of Salop Inter war ad magnum sigillvm in Cancellaria Hereford Glocester and the Marches of Wales adjoyning to the said Shires to enquire of all liberties priviledges and
Stratherne Stewards which ware the crown of Scotland married Eufamia daughter to the Earle of Ross and had by her two sons Walter E. of Athol and David E. of Stratherne This Walter solicited Robert D. of Albanie to slay David Steward D. of Rothsay After that James the first was returned out of England Nec lex est justior ulla Quam necis artifices arte perire sua he did what he could to move him to put to death all the lineage of the said Duke still being in hope after the dispatch of his Kinsmen to come to the crown himself which hope moved him to procure his Nephew Robert Steward and Robert Graham his daughters son to murder K. James the I. also for the which crime the said Walter was convicted and destroyed with all his sons His brother David Earle of Buchquane died without issue and so the lands of both those brethren returned again to the crown without any memory of their blood Sir Robert Steward Duke of Albanie married the E. of Lenox daughter and had by her 3 sons Walter Alexander and James Duke Murdo himself with his first two sons were slain at Striveling by K. James I. and the third brother James in revenge thereof burnt Durbertane and was after chased into Ireland where he deceased without issue Robert the third of that name married Annabel Drommound daughter of Sir John Drommound of Stobhal Knight and had by her David and James the first dyed in Faulkland and the other attained the Crown and was called James the first and married the Lady Jane daughter to John Beauford Earle of Somerset in England he had by her two sons born at one birth Alexander and James the first died young the second reigned by the name James the second James the first had also 6 daughters James the 1. his issue the eldest whereof was given in marriage to the Dolphin in France the second to the Duke of Brittain the third to the Lord Feir the fourth to the Lord of Dalkeith the fifth to the Earle of Hantley and the sixt had no succession James the II. married Margaret daughter to the Duke of Gelderland and begot on her three sons and two daughters The first succeeded him in the Kingdom and was called James the III. the second named Alexander was Duke of Albanie and married the Earle of Orkneys daughter and had by her Alexander that was after Bishop of Murray and then parting with her went into France where he married the Countesse of Bullogne and begot on her John Steward D. of Albany who was Governour of Scotland many years in the minority of James V. The 3 son John Steward was E. of Marr whose chance was to be slain in the Cannogat in a Bath-fat The first daughter of James the second was married to the Lord Boyd who had by her a son that was slain by the Lord Montgomery and a daughter that was married to the Earle of Cassels After the death of the Lord Boyd she was married to the Lord Hamilton and by that means was the house of Hamilton decorate with the Kings blood which they have well requited in the late transactions The other sister was married to the Lord Creichton James III. married Margaret daughter to the K. of Denmark of which marriage was born James IV Alexander Bishop of St. Andrews and D. of Albanie and John Steward E. of Marr which two died without issue James the IV. married Margaret daughter to K. Henry VII of England and by her had James the fifth who marrying first the Lady Magdaline daughter of Frances the French King had no issue by her for that she dyed in the year next after her coming into Scotland and then shortly after the said James the fifth married the Lady Mary de Lorayne Dutchesse of Longuile a widdow and by her had he issue Mary Queen of Scotland that took to husband Henry Darnely alias Steward by whom she had issue Charles James after King of England only son as I said before of Henry King of Scotland and of Queen Mary his wife Dowager of France and heir of Scotland who married Anne daughter of Frederike the second King of Denmark by whom he had Issue Henry Frederike created Prince of Wales at whose creation Charles Duke of York Sir Rab. Bartu Lord Willoughby of Earesby after Earle of Lindsey and General for K. Charles at Edgehil and there slain Sir William Compton Lord Compton after Earle of Northampton Sir Grey Bridges Lord Shandos Sir Francis Norris Lord Norris of Ricot after E. of Berks. Sir Will. Cecil after Earle of Salisbury Sir Allan Percy brother to Henry Earle of Northumberland Sir Francis Mannors after Earle of Rutland Sir Thomas Somerset brother to the Earle of Worcester and Viscount Cassel after in Ireland Sir Thom. Howard second son to the E. of Suffolk after E. of Berks. Sir John Harrington son to John Lord Harrington of Exton Prince Charles Charles Duke of Albanie Marquesse of Ormond Earle of Roth and Lord of Ardmanoch the third son of James King of great Brittain was created Duke of York at Whitehal on Tueseday the sixt of January 1604. and after on the 4 of November 1616. he was likewise at Whitehal created Prince of Wales Earle of Chester c. at whose Creation these Knights of the Bath were made James Lord Matravers eldest son to Thomas Earle of Arundel Algernon Lord Percy after Earle of Northumberland James Lord Writchesly eldest son to the Earle of Southampton Kt. Theophilus Lord Clinton after Earle of Lincolne Edward Seymore L. Beauchamp grandchild to the Earle of Hertford George Lord Berckley after Lord Berckley Henry Lord Mordant after Earle of Peterborough The Earle of Mar his eldest son after Lord Fenton Sir Henry Howard after Lord Matravers c. Sir Robert Howard fift son to the Earle of Suffolk Sir Edward Sackvile after Earle of Dorset Sir William Howard sixt son to the Earle of Suffolk Sir Edward Howard seventh son to the said Earle after Lord Escricke in Yorkshire Sir VVilliam Seymor second son to the Lord Beauchampe after Earle of Hertford Sir Montague Bartu son to Robert Earle of Lindsey and after Lord VVilloughby and Earle c. Sir VVilliam Sturton son to the Lord Sturton Sir William Parker after Lord Morley and Monteagle Sir Dudley North after Lord Morth Sir Spencer Compton after Earle of Northampton Sir William Spencer after Lord Spencer Sir Rowland St. John brother to Oliver Earle of Bullingbrook Sir John Cavendish second son to William Earle of Devon Sir Thomas Nevel son to Henry Lord of Abergavenny Sir John Roper after Lord Tenham Sir John North brother to the Lord North. Sir Henry Cary Viscount Faulkland Prince Charles This Prince had the title of Prince of Wales but not the Investure and Creation as had his father and Uncle a thing formerly practised as before is shewed and is also of the Welsh blood though born in England by the line of King James from