Edeyrneon and Dinmael which he left to his Sons Gruffydh Blethyn and Iorwerth Owen Madawc had to his Portion Mechain-Is-Coed and had Issue Lhewelyn and Owen Fychan But Gruffydh Maelor the eldest Son Lord of Bromfield had to his part both the Maelors with Mochnant-is-Raydar and married Angharad the Daughter of Owen Gwynedh Prince of North-Wales by whom he had Issue one Son named Madawc who held his Father's Inheritance intirely and left it so to his only Son Gruffydh who was called Lord of Dînas Brân because he lived in that Castle He married Emma the Daughter James Lord Audley by whom he had Issue Madawc Lhewelyn Gruffydh and Owen This Gruffydh ap Madawc took part with King Henry the Third and Edward the First against the Prince of North-Wales and therefore for fear of the said Prince he was forced to keep himself secure within his Castle of Dinas Brân which being situated upon the summity of a very steep Hill seemed impregnable to all the daring Efforts that could be used against it After his death Edward the first dealt very unkindly with his Children who were of Age to manage their own Concerns and making two of them privately away bestowed the Wardship of Madoc his eldest Son who had by his Father's Will the Lordships of Bromfield and Yale with the reversion of Maelor Saesnec Hopesdale and Mouldsdale his Mother's Joynture on John Earl Warren and the Wardship of Lhewelyn to whose share fell the Lordships of Chirke and Nanheudwy to Roger Mortimer third Son to Roger Mortimer the Son of Ralph Mortimer Lord Mortimer of Wigmor But Emma Gruffydh's Wife having in her possession for her Dowry Maelor Saesnec Hopesdale and Moulsdale with the presentation of Bangor Rectory and seeing two of her Sons disinherited and done away and the fourth dead without Issue and doubting lest Gruffydh her only surviving Child could not long continue she conveyed her Estate to the Audley's her own Kin who getting possession of it took the same from the King from whom it came to the House of Derby where it continued for a long time till at length it was sold to Sir John Glynne Serjeant at Law in whose Family it still remaineth But Earl Warren and Roger Mortimer forgetting what signal Service Gruffydh ap Madoc had performed for the King guarded their new Possessions with such caution and strictness that they took especial care they should never return to any of the Posterity of the legal Proprietor and therefore having obtained the King's Patent they began to secure themselves in the said Lordships John Earl Warren began to build Holt-Castle which was finished by his Son William and so the Lordships of Bromfield and Yale continued in the name of the Earls of Warren for three Descents viz. John William and John who dying without Issue the said Lordships together with the Earldom of Warren descended to Alice Sister and Heir to the last John Earl Warren who was married to Edmond Fitz Alan Earl of Arundel in which House they remained for three Descents namely Edmund Richard Richard his Son and Thomas Earl of Arundel But for want of Issue to this last Thomas Earl of Arundel and Warren the said Lordships fell to two of his Sisters whereof one named Elizabeth was married to Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk and the other called Joan to William Beauchamp Lord of Abergavenny But since they came to the Hands of Sir William Stanley Knight who being attainted of High Treason they devolved by forfeiture to the Crown and now are annexed to the Principality of Wales But Roger Mortimer the other sharer in the Lands of Gruffydh ap Madoc was made Justice of North-Wales built the Castle of Chirke and married Lucia the Daughter and Heir of Sir Robert de Wafre Knight by whom he had Issue Roger Mortimer who was married to Joan Turbervill by whom he had John Mortimer Lord of Chirke This John sold the Lordship of Chirke to Richard Fitzalan Earl of Arundel Edmund's Son and so it was again annexed to Bromfield and Yale The third Son of Gruffydh Lord of Dinas Brân named also Gruffydh had for his part Glyn Dwrdwy which Gruffydh ap Gruffydh had Issue Madoc Crupl who was the Father of Madoc Fychan the Father of Gruffydh the Father of Gruffydh Fychan who was the Father of Owen Glyndwr who rebelling in the days of Henry the Fourth Glyndwrdwy by confiscation came to the King of whom it was afterwards purchased by Robert Salisbury of Rug in whose Family it still remaineth Owen the Fourth Son of Gruffydh Lord of Dinas Brân had for his share Cynlhaeth with the Rights and Priviledges thereunto belonging The other part of Powys comprehending the Countries of Arustly Cyfeilioc Lhannerch-hudol Caereneon Mochnach uwch Rayadr Mechan uwch Coed Moudhwy Deudhwr Ystrad Marchelh and Teir Tref or the three Towns rightfully descended to Gruffydh ap Meredith ap Blethyn by Henry the first created Lord Powys Who married Gweyryl or Weyryl the Daughter of Vrgene ap Howel ap Iefaf ap Cadogan ap Athlestan Glodryth by whom he had Issue Owen Surnamed Cyfeilioc This Owen enjoyed his Father's Estate intire and married Gwenlhiam the Daughter of Owen Gwynedh Prince of North-Wales who bore him one Son named Gwenwynwyn or Wenwynwyn from whom that part of Powys was afterwards called Powys Wenwynwyn He had moreover a base Brother called Caswalhon upon whom he bestowed the Countries of Swydh Lhannerch Hudol and Braniarth Gwenwynwyn succeeded his Father in all his Estate saying what Caswalhon enjoyed and married Margaret the Daughter of Rhys ap Theodor Prince of South Wales by whom he had Gruffydh ap Gwenâ—ynwyn who succeeding his Father in all his Possessions had Issue six Sons by Margaret the Daughter of Robert Corbet Brother to Thomas Lord Corbet of Cous and so the intire Estate of Gruffydh ap Meredith ap Blethyn Lord of Powys became shattered and torn into divers Pieces Owen Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn's eldest Son had for his part Arustly Cyfeilioc Lhannerch Hudol and a part of Caereneon Lhewelyn had Mochnant uwch Rayadr and Mechain uwch Coed John the third Son had the fourth part of Caerenion William had Moudhwy Gruffydh Fychan had Deudh rr Ystrat-Marchelh and Teir Tref and David the sixth and youngest Son had the other fourth part of Caereneon Owen ap Gruffydh had Issue one only Daughter named Hawys Gadarn or the Hardy whom he left his Heir but her Uncles Lhewolyn John Gruffydh Fychan and David thinking it an easy matter to dispossess an Orphan challenged the Lands of their Brother Owen alledging for a Cloak to their Usurpation that a Woman was not capable of holding any Lands in that Country But Hawys made such Friends in England that her Case was made known to King Edward the Second who bestowed her in Marriage upon a Servant of his named John Charleton termed Valectus Domini Regis who was born at Appley near Wellington in the County of Salop Anno One Thousand Two Hundred
time and so returned to England But Lord James Audley whose Daughter was married to Gruffydh Lord of Bromfield did more mischief and hurt to the Welch who having brought over a great Number of Horsemen from Germany to serve against the Welch so terrified them with the unusual largeness of the Horses and the unaccustomed manner of sighting that in the first Encounter the Welch were easily overcome Buâ— minding to revenge this Disgrace and withal being better acquainted with their method of Arms the Welch in a little after made in-roads into the Lord Audley's Lands where the Germans presently set upon them and pursued them to certain straits which the Welch discovered for a politick retreat The Germans thinking they had entirely drove the Welch away returned carelesly back but being set upon of the sudden without any thought of an Enemy behind they were all in a manner slain by the rallying Welch This year a very great scarcity of Beefs and Horses happened in England whereof several Thousands yearly were supplied out of Wales by reason of which the Marches were perfectly robbed of all their Breed and not so much as a Beast to be seen in all the Borders A.D. 1259 The next Spring all the Nobility of Wales convened together and took their mutual Oaths to defend their Country to Death against the oppressing Invasions of the English and not to relinquish and forsake one another upon pain of Perjury tho' notwithstanding Meredith ap Rhys of South-Wales violated this Agreement and put himself in the Service of the King of England King Henry was ready to fall upon the Welch to which purpose he summoned a Parliament wherein he proposed to raise a Subsidy towards the Conquest of Wales being not able of himself to bear the Expences of this War by reason of several Losses he had already received the Country of Pembroke being lately destroyed and taken by the Welch where they found plenty of Salt which before they were in great necessity of But William de Valentia accusing the Earls of Leicester and Glocester as the Authors of all this Mischief quite broke all their measures so the King was forced to prorogue the Parliament for a time without any grant of a Subsidy But within a while after it sat at Oxford where King Henry and Edward his Son took a Solemn Oath to observe the Laws and Statutes of the Realm and the same being tendred to Guy and William the King's Brothers and to Henry Son to the King of Almain and to Earl Warren they refused to take it and so departed In this Parliament the Lords of Wales fairly proffered to be tryed by the Laws for any Offence they had unjustly commirted against the King which was mainly opposed by Edward who caused one Patrick de Canton to whom the Lordship of Cydwely was given in case he could win and keep the same to be sent to Caermardhyn as Lieutenant for the King with whom Meredith ap Rhys was joyned in Commission Being arrived at Caermardhyn Patrick sent to the Prince to desire him to appoint Commissioners to treat with him concerning a Peace which he consented to and without any suspicion of treachery sent Meredith ap Owen and Rhys ap Rhys to Emlyn if possible to conclude the same But Patrick meaning no such thing laid an ambuscade for the Welch who coming honestly forward were by the way villanously set upon by the English and a great many slain but those that happily escaped calling up the Country presently gave chase to Patrick and his Accomplices who being at length overtaken were almost all put to the Sword But Prince Lhewelyn was now altogether bent upon a Peace and did not only desire it but was willing to purchase it for a summ of Money to which purpose he offered to give the King 4000 Marks to his Son 300 and 200 to the Queen which the King utterly refused replying That it was not a sufficient recompence for all the Damages he had suffered by the Welch Matthew of Westminster reporteth that about Michaelmas this year the Bishop of Bangor was commissioned by the Prince and Nobility of Wales to treat with the King of England about a Peace and to offer him 16000 Pound for the same upon these Conditions that according to their antient Custom the Welch should have all Causes tryed and determined at Chester and that they should freely enjoy the Laws and Customs of their own Country but what was the result of this Treaty my Author does not mention There being no hopes of a Peace Prince Lhewelyn A.D. 1260 early next year appeared in the Field and passed to South-Wales and first fell foul upon Sir Râ—ger Mortimer who contrary to his Oath maintained the King of England's Quarrel Having forcibly dispossessed him of all Buelht and without any opposition taken the Castle where was found a plentiful Magazine he marched thro' all South-Wales confirming his Conquest and afterwards returned to his Palace at Aber A.D. 1261 betwixt Bangor and Conwey The year following A.D. 1262 Owen ap Meredith Lord of Cydewen died But the next Summer was somewhat more noted for Action a party of Prince Lhewelyn's Men took by surprise the Castle of Melienyth belonging to Sir Roger Mortimer and having put the rest of the Garrison to the Sword they took Howel ap Meyric the Governour with his Wife and Children Prisoners and after that the Castle was demolished by the Prince's Order Sir Roger Mortimer hearing of this with a great Body of Lords and Knights came to Melienyth where Prince Lhewelyn met him bur Sir Roger not daring to hazard a Battel planted himself within the Ruins and finding he could do no good desired leave of the Prince to retire peaceably The Prince upon the account of Relation and near Consanguinity betwixt them and withal because he would not be so mean spirited as to fall upon an Enemy who had no power to resist him let him safely depart with his Forces and then passing on himself to Brecknock at the request of the People of that Country who swore Fidelity unto him so passed on and returned to Noâ—th-Wales And now being Confederate with the Barons against King Henry he was resolved to practise something in the prejudice of the English and so set upon the Earldom of Chester destroyed the Castles of Tygannâ—y and Diserth belonging to Edward who coming thither was yet not able to prevent the Mischief done A.D. 1263 to him by the Welch The next year John Strange Junior Constable of Montgomery with a great Number of Marchers came a little before Easter by night thro' Ceri to Cydewen intending to surprise the Castle which when the People of the Country understood they gathered together and setting upon them slew 200 of his Men but Strange with a few got safely back Within a while after the Marchers and the Welch met again near a place called Clun where a hot Engagement happened between them in which the Welch were worsted
Sixty Eight and in her Right created him Lord Powys This John Charleton Lord Powys being aided and supported by the King of England quickly broke all their Measures and having taken Lhewelyn John and David his Wives Uncles he put them in safe custody in the Kings Castle of Harlech and then obtained a Writ from the King to the Sheriff of Shropshire and to Sir Roger Mortimer Lord of Chirkland and Justice of North-Wales for the Apprehension of Gruffydh Fychan with his Sons in Law Sir Roger Chamber and Hugh Montgomery who were then in actual Hostility against him and his Wife Hawys But Gruffydh Fychan and his Accomplices suspecting their own Strength and having lost Thomas Earl of Lancaster their main support thought it most advisable to submit themselves to the King's Pleasure touching the Difference betwixt them and Hawys who finding upon record how that Gruffydh ap Meredith Ancestor to the said Hawys upon his Submission to King Henry the First became Subject to the King of England and thereupon was created Baron of Powys which Barony he and his Posterity had ever since held in capite from the King was of opinion that Hawys had more Right to her Fathers Possessions now in their hands than any pretence they could lay to her Estate But to make a final determination of this matter and to compose the Difference more amicably betwixt them it was agreed that Hawys should enjoy her Inheritance in Fee-Simple to her and her Heirs for ever after the Tenure of England and that her Uncles Lhewelyn John David and Gruffydh should quietly enjoy their Portion and the same to descend to their Heir Males perpetually but in default of such Heir Males the same was to descend to Hawys and her Heirs But William Lord of Mowdhwy the Fourth Brother called otherwise Wilcock Mowdhwy because he did not joyn with the rest against Hawys had all his Lands confirmed to him and to all his Heirs both Male and Female for ever He married Elianor the Sister of Elen Owen Glyndwr's Mother who was lineally descended from Rhys ap Theodore Prince of South-Wales by whom he had Issue John de Mowdhwy whose Daughter Elizabeth being Heir to his whole Estate was married to one Sir Hugh Burgh Knight His Son Sir John Burgh Lord of Mowdhwy married Jane the Daughter of Sir William Clapton of Glocestershire by whom he had four Daughters Elizabeth Ancreda Isabel and Elianor the first of whom was married to Thomas Newport the second to John Leighton of Stretton the third to John Lingen and the younger to Tho. Mytton who by equal Distribution had the Lordship of Mowdhwy divided betwixt them But John Charleton Lord of Powys had Issue by his Wife Hawys a Son named John who enjoyed the same Lordship for about Seven Years and then left it to his Son of the same Name who was Lord of Powys Fourteen Years and then it descended to his Son called also John Charleton who enjoyed his Fathers Estate Twenty Seven Years but dying without Issue the Lordship of Powys fell to his Brother Edward Charleton This Edward had Issue by his Wife Elianor the Daughter and one of the Heirs of Thomas Earl of Kent and the Widow of Roger Mortimer Earl of March two Daughters Jane and Joyce the first of which was married to Sir John Gray Knight and the second to John Lord Tipâ—oft whose Son was by King Henry VI. created Earl of Worcester But after the death of Elianor this Edward Lord Powys marryed Elizabeth the Daughter of Sir John Barkley Knight and so after his death which happened in the Year 1420. the Lordship of Powys was divided into three parts whereof his Widow Elizabeth had for her Joynture Lhannorch Hudol Ystrad Marchelâ— Deudhwr and Teirtref and was afterwards married to Lord Dudley Jane his eldest Daughter had Caereneon Mechain Mochnant and Flasdinas and Joyce had Cyfeilioc and Arustly But the Lordship of Powys continued in the Family of Sir John Gray for five Descents in right of his Wife Jane the last of whom Edward Gray Lord Powys married Anne one of the Daughters and Co-Heirs of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk and dyed without any lawful Issue Dugdale Bar. Engl. Tom. II. p. 284. This Edward Lord Powys in 15 Henry VIII accompanied the Duke of Suffolk in the Expedition then made into France and was at the taking of Bray and other places then won from the French And in 36 Henry VIII being again ready to march in the King's Service he made his last Testament whereby he setled the Succession of his whole Barony and Lordship of Powys his Castle and Mannor of Pool with divers other Lordships in the County of Montgomery and all the rest of his Estate in the County of Salop upon the Heirs of his own Body lawfully begotten or to be begotten and in default of such Issue his Castle and Mannor of Charlton and Pontisbury in Shropshire upon Jane Orwell Daughter of Sir Lewis Orwell Knight and her Assigns during her natural Life And in case he should dye without any Issue of his own Body lawfully begotten that then Edward Grey his illegitimate Son by the same Jane Orwell should have and enjoy his said Barony and Mannor of Powys his Castle and Mannor of Pool and all other his Lordships in the County of Montgomery with the Reversion of the Castle and Mannor of Charlton and Pontysbury to him and his Heirs lawfully begotten and for lack of such Issue to remain to that Child in case it should be a Son wherewith the same Jane Orwell was then great by him and to the Heirs of his Body lawfully begotten But if it should not prove a Son or if the Son dye without Issue then that the whole Barony of Powys and all the Premises before-mentioned should come to Jane Grey his Daughter and to the Heirs of her Body lawfully begotten and for lack of such Issue to Anne Grey his other Daughter and the Heirs of her Body lawfully begotten and lastly for default of such Issue to such Woman-Child as should be born of the Body of the said Jane Orwell But after Edward Grey the Title of Lord of Powys lay extinct to the Fifth Year of K. Charles I. when Sir William Herbert Son of Sir Edward Herbert of Redcastle antiently call'd Pool-Castle now Powys-Castle in the County of Montgomery second Son to William Earl of Pembrock was advanced to the Dignity of a Baron of the Realm by the Title of Lord Powys of Powys in the Marches of Wales in whose Family it still continues though the Title has been changed from a Baron to an Earl and since to a Marquess About the same time that the Prince of Powys dyed Cadwalhon ap Madawc ap Ednerth who had been for some considerable time at variance with his Brother Eineon Clyd was taken Prisoner by him who deliver'd him up to Owen Prince of North-Wales But the Prince being willing to gratifie the King of England whose Interest Cadwalhon has
Wales King Edward by a Statute made at Ruthlan incorporated and annexed it to the Crown of England Anno 12. Edw. I. constituting several new and wholsom Laws as concerning the Division of Wales into several Counties the Form and Manner of Writs and Proceedings in Tryals with many others not very unlike the Laws and Constitutions of the English Nation But all this could never win the Affection of the Welch toward him who by no means would own him as their Sovereign unless he would condescend and agree to live and reign among them They had not forgot the cruel Oppressions and intolerable Insolencies oâ— English Officers and therefore they flatly told him they would never yield Obedience to any other than a Prince of their own Nation of their own Language and whose Life and Conversation was spotless and unblameable King Edward perceiving the Welch to be resolute and inflexible and absolutely bent against any other Prince than one of their own Country happily thought of this politick though dangerous Expedient Queen Eleanor was now quick with Child and ready to be delivered and though the Season was very severe it being the depth of Winter the King sent for her from England and remov'd her to Caernarvon Castle the place design'd for her to â—â—ve in When the time of her Delivery was come â—â—ng Edward called to him all the Barons and chief â—ersons throughout all Wales to Ruthlan there to â—onsult about the publick Good and Safety of their â—ountry And being informed that his Queen was â—elivered of a Son he told the Welch Nobility that â—hereas they had oftentimes intreated him to appoint â—â—em a Prince he having at this time occasion to deâ—art out of the Country would comply with their â—equest upon condition they would allow of and â—â—ey him whom he should name The Welch readiâ—â— agreed to the motion only with the same Reserve â—hat he should appoint them a Prince of their own Nation King Edward assured them he would name â—â—ch an one as was born in Wales could speak no â—nglish and whose Life and Conversation no body â—ould stain whom the Welch agreeing to own and â—bey he named his own Son Edward but little before â—â—om in Caernarvon Castle King Edward having by these means deluded the Welch and reduced the whole Country of Wales to â—is own Devotion began to reward his Followers with other Mens Proprieties and bestowed whole Lordships and Towns in the midst of the Country â—pon English Lords among whom Henry Lacy Earl of Lineoln obtained the Lordship of Denbigh Reginald Grey second Son to John Lord Grey of Wilton the Lordship of Ruthyn This Henry Lacy was Son to 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 Quincy Earl of Lincoln This Henry Lacy Lord of Denbigh married the Daughter and sole Heir of William Longspear Earl of Salusbury by whom he had Issue two Sons Edmund and John who both dyed young one by a Fall into a very deep Well within the Castle of Denbigh and a Daughter named Alicia who was married to Thomas Plantagenet Earl of Lancaster who in right of his Wife was Earl of Lincoln and Sarum Lord of Denbigh Halton Pomfret and Constable of Chester After his Death King Edward II. bestowed the said Lordship of Denbigh upon Hugâ— Lord Spencer Earl of Winchester upon whose deceasâ—â— King Edward III. gave it together with many otheâ— Lordships in the Marches to Roger Mortimer Earlâ— March in performance of a Promise he had made whilst he remained with his Mother in France thaâ— as soon as he should come to the possession of thâ— Crown of England he would bestow upon the saiâ— Earl of March to the value of a Thousand Pounâ—â— yearly in Lands But within few Years after Mâ—â—timer being attainted of High Treason King Edwaâ—â— bestowed the said Lordship of Denbigh upon Montague Earl of Salusbury but it was quickly restoreâ— again to the Mortimers in which House it continued till the whole Estate of the Earls of March caâ—â— with a Daughter to the House of York and so to the Crown Richard Duke of York Grand-Father to Edward the Fourth having married the sole Daughter and Heir of the House of the Mortimers And so 〈◊〉 continued in the Crown to Queen Elizabeths time who in the Sixth Year of her Reign bestowed the said Lordship upon her great Favourite Robert Earâ— of Leicester who was then created Baron of Denbigh After him it returned again to the Crown where 〈◊〉 has continued to this present Year 1696. when his present Majesty granted a Patent under the great Seaâ— to William Earl of Portland for the Lordships of Denbigh Bromfield and Yale Some of the Welch Representatives perceiving how far such a Grant encroached upon the Properties and Priviledges of the Subject disclosed their Grievances to the Honourable House of Commons who after some consideration resolved nemine contradicente that a Petition should be presented to his Majesty by the Body of the whole House to request him to recall his Grant to the said Earl of Portland which was accordingly done in the manner following May it please Your Most Excellent Majesty WE Your Majesty's most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects the Knights Citizens and Burgesses in Parliament Assembled Humbly lay before Your Majesty That whereas there is a Grant passing to William Earl of Portland and his Heirs of the Manners of Denbigh Bromfield and Yale and divers other Lands in the Principality of Wales together with several Estates of Inheritance enjoyed by many of Your Majesty's Subjects by Virtue of Antient Grants from the Crown That the said Mannors with the large and extensive Royalties Powers and Jurisdictions to the same belonging are of great Concern to Your Majesty and the Crown of this Realm And that the same have been usually Annex'd to the Principality of Wales and Settled on the Princes of Wales for their Support And that a great number of Your Majesty's Subjects in those Parts hold their Estates by Royal Tenure under great and valuable Compositions Rents Royal-Payments and Services to the Crown and Princes of Wales and have by such Tenure great Dependance on Your Majesty and the Crown of England and have enjoyed great Privileges and Advantages with their Estates under such Tenure We therefore most humbly beseech Your Majesty to put a stop to the Passing this Grant to the Earl of Portland of the said Mannors and Lands and that the same may not be disposed from the Crown but by Consent of Parliament For that such Grant is in Diminution of the Honour and Interest of the Crown by placing in a Subject such large and extensive Royalties Powers and Jurisdictions which ought only to be in the Crown and will Sever that Dependance which so great a Number of Your Majesty's Subjects in those Parts have on Your Majesty and the Crown by reason of their Tenure
and hath these Comots Coleigion Lhannerch and Dogueilyn The fifth Cantref is Tegengl and now is a part of Flint-shire having these Comots Câ—nâ—syshe Prestatyn and Ruthlan And in this part is one of the fairest Vallies within this Isle containing 18 miles in length and 4 5 6 or 7 in breadth as the Hills either draw inward together or backward asunder which high Hills do inclose it on the East West and South parts and Northward the Sea It is plentiful of Cattel Fish and Fowl Corn Hey Grass and Wood and divided along in the midst with the River Clwyd to whom runneth Clywedoe Ystrat Whilar Elwy and a great number of other Rivers from the Hills In this Valley two miles from the Sea is the Town and Castle of Ruthlan Ann. 12. Edw. 1. where sometimes a Parliament hath been kept And two miles above it is the Seâ— of Sr. Asaph between the Rivers Clwyd and Elwy called in the old time the Bishop's See of Dhan-Elwy Four miles thence and two miles from the River is situate upon a Rock the Town and Castle of Denbigh where is one of the greatest Markets in the Marches of Wales and one of the fairest and strongest Castles within this Realm which being the House of David Brother to Lhewelyn the last Prince of the Welch-Blood was enlarged and strengthned by Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln to whom King Edward gave the same Lordship it is also the Shire-Town of that Shire Five miles above this is the Town of Ruthyn with a fair Castle which sometimes belonged to the Lords Gray Earls of Kent This part of North-Wales hath upon the North the River Dee and the Sea Upon the West Arfon and the River Conwey South and East Merionyth and the Country then called Powys And these be the Mears and Bounds of Gwynedh or Venedotia for the Name of North Wales containeth besides this all Powys at these days So there was und r the Territory of Aberffraw fifteen Cantreds and in them thirty eight Comots The second Kingdom was Mathrafal Mathrafal or Powys which in right order was the third as that which came to the third Brother yet for the better understanding of the History following I have placed it here To this Kingdom belonged the Country of Powys and the Land betwixt Wy and Severn Which part had upon the South and West South-Wales with the Rivers Wy and Tywy and other Mears Upon the North Gwynedh and upon the East the Marches of England from Chester to Wy a little above Hereford and therefore it was most troubled with Wars as well of the Saxons as afterwards of the Normans Lords Marchers who daily wan some part thereof and by â—hat means it was the first part that served the Kings of England and therefore less esteemed of all the â—est This part called Powys was divided again into Powys Fadoc and Powys Wenwynwyn Powys Fadoc â—ontained in it self five Cantreds and fifteen Coâ—ots Cantref Y Barwn which had three Comots Dynâ—ael Edeyrneon and Glyndourdwy which are now in Merionyth shire saving Dinmael which is in Denbigh-â—ire Cantref Y Rhiw whose Comots were these Yal â—ow in Denbigh-shire Ystratalyn and Hop now in Flint-â—â—ire Cantref Vwchnant hath these Comots Merfforth in Flint-shire Maelor Gymraeg in English Bromfield now in Denbigh-shire and Maelor Saesneg in Flint-shire Cantref Trefred containeth these Comots Croesfain Tref y Wayn in English Chirke and in Denbigh-shire Croesoswallt in English Oswestrey and in Shrop-shire Cantref Rhaiyder with his Comots Mochnant Israiyder Cynlhaeth and Nanheudwy all in Chirke-Land and in Denbigh-shire Also the Lordship of Whytington now in Shrop-shire was in this part of Powys which part at this day hath lost the Name of Powys and is situated in divers Shires as it appeareth by the Discourse before passed In this part is the Castle of Holt in Bromfield and the Castle of Chirke in Chirke-Land Likewise the Lordship and Castle of Whytington which came by marriage to Foulk Fitzwarren There is beside these the Lordship of Oswestry of the which the Fitzalans have been Lords these 300 and odd years and of divers other Lordships in those Marches as Shrarden the eleven Towns Clun and many others which are all now in Shrop-shire The second part called Powys Wenwynwyn had likewise five Cantreds and twelve Comots Cantref Y Fyrnwy had these Comots Mochnant â—wch Rayader Mechain Iscoed and Lbannerch Hudol Cantref Ystlyc had these Deuthwr Gorthwr Isaf and Ystrat Marchelh Cantref Lhyswynaf had these Caerneon and Mechain Vwchcoed Cantref Cydewen had Comot Conan and Comot Hauren Cantref Conan had Cyfeilioc and Mouthwy which is now in Merionyth-shire Of all these the three first Cantreds do only at this day bear the Name of Powys which are upon the North-side of Severn and are all five saving the Comot of Mowthwy in Mongomery-shire This is a Country full of Woods Hills and Rivers and hath in it these Towns the Poole New-Town and Machynlhaeth Arustly was in old time in this part but afterwards it came to the Princes of Gwynedh These Lordships came by just descent from the Princes thereof to a Woman named Hawys the Daughter of Owen ap Gruffydh Arustly and Cyfeilioc came to the Baron of Dudley and afterwards it was sold to the King The third part belonging to Mathrafal was the Land between Wy and Severn containing four Cantreds and thirteen Comots Cantref Melienyth hath these Comots Ceri Swydhygre Rhiwalalht and Glyn Ieithon Cantref Elfel hath these Vwchmynydh Ismynydh and Lhechdhyfnog Cantref y Clawdh these Dyffryn Teyfediat Swydhynogen and Pennwelht Cantref Buelht hath these Swydh y Fam Dreulys and Isyrwon Of this part there is at this day some in Montgomery-shire some in Radnor-shire and some in Brecknock-shire In this part and in the Lordships marching to it which altho' at the time of this division which was in the time of the last Prince were not in his subjection yet to this day speak Welch and are called Wales and in these Comots are these Towns and Castles Montgomery called in Welch Trefaldwyn a pretty Town and a fair Castle The Castle of Clun called Colunwy which is the Earls of Arundel The Town of Knighton in Welch Trefyclawd The Castle of Cymaron Presteyn in Welch Lhanandras The Town and Castle of Radnor in Welch Maesyfed at this day the Shire Town The Town of Kington and the Castle of Huntingdon called in Welch Y Castelh Mayn which were the Bohuns Earls of Hereford and after the Dukes of Buckingham Castle Payne Haye Lhanfair in Buelht These Lordships with Brecknock and Abergefenny were belonging to the Bruces Lords of Brecknock and after came divers times and by sundry means to the Bohuns Nevils and Mortimers And so as I have rehearsed in this Territory or Kingdom were found fourteen Cantreds and forty Comots Two of these parts which are Powys and Gwynedh are at this day called North-Wales and divided into six Shiâ—es Mòn called Anglesey Caernarvon Merionyth Denbigh Flint and
especially being encouraged thereto by a Person of some esteem in the Country whereupon without any more Questions they presently fell to their business and from Friends became unexpectedly Foes Iestyn was much surprised to find the Normans whom he had but lately honourably dismissed from his service and as he thought with Satisfaction so soon become his Enemies but â—erceiving a Serpent in the Hedg and Eineon so amiâ—ably great among them he quickly guessed at the â—eason of which there was no other remedy left but â—o bewail the unnecessary Folly of his own Knavery The Normans easily dispossessed Iestyn of the whole Lordship of Glamorgan the most pleasant and fertile â—art of which they divided among themselves leaâ—ing the more mountainous and craggy ground to the â—hare of Eineon The Knights who accompanied Fitzhamon in this Expedition were William de Lonâ—res or London Richard de Grena villa oâ— Greenfield Paganus de Turberville Robert de S. Quintino or Quinâ—n Richard de Sywarde Gilbert de Humfrevile Roâ—er de Berkrolles Reginald de Sully Peter le Soore Iohn le Fleming Oliver de S. John William de Esterâ—ing or Strading These Persons having distributed â—hat fair and pleasant Lordship among themselves and â—onsidering that they were much better provided for â—ere than they could be at home settled in Glamorgan where their Posterity have continued to this time And â—ere we may observe what a Train of Circumstances â—oncurr'd together in favour of the Normans having â—ossession of this Lordship For had not Eineon beâ—ng vanquished by Prince Rhys fled to Iestyn rather â—han to another or had not Iestyn been so vain as to â—ttempt the Conquest of South-Wales and to that end â—onsented to the Advice of Eineon there had been â—o necessity of inviting the Normans at all to Wales And then the Normans being arrived had not Iestyn â—â—ngenteely violated his Promise and refused to perform the Articles agreed upon between him and Eineon or had not Eineon pursued so desperate a Revenge but satisfied his Passion upon Iestyn without prejudice to his Country the Normans would have returned home with satisfaction and consequently could never have been Proprietors of that noble Country they then forcibly possessed And now again the Welch experienced the dangerous Consequence of calling in a foreign Nation to their aid the Saxons had already dispossessed them of the best part of the Island of Britain and now the Normanâ— seized upon a great part of that small Country which had escaped the Sovereignty and Conquest of the Enâ—lish But here it will be necessary to lay down the state and condition of this Lordship of Morgannwe oâ— Glamorgan and what share each particular Knight obtained in the distribution of it The Lordship of Glamorgan reaches in length 2â— Miles even from Rymny-Bridge to the East to Pâ—â—â— Conan Westward and in breadth from Aberthâ—â— otherwise Aberdaon on the South-part to the Confines of Brecnockshire above Morleys Castle 22 Miles This being a Royal Lordship the Lords thereof owing no other Subjection than Obedience only to the Crown assumed to themselves all the Priviledges of 〈◊〉 regal Court excepting only the pardoning of Criminals in case of Treason And not only Glamorgan but the several petty Lordships of which it consisted namely Sengennyth Myscyn Ruthin Lhanblethâ—â— Tir Iarlh Glyn Rothney Avan Neth Coyty Talava and Lantuit or Boviarton exercised the same Privelege of Jura Regalia with this difference only that in case of wrong Judgment in these Courts appeâ—â— might be made in the County-Court of Glamorgan which being superiour to the rest had power to reverse any Judgment given in them Within thâ— Lordship were 18 Castles and 36 Knights Fees besides the Town and Castle of Kynfig the Town of Cowbridge or Pont Vaen and the Town and Castle of Caerdà f in the latter of which the Lord of Glamorgan chiefly resided wherein the County-Couâ—â— was monthly kept The annual Revenue of this Lordship amounted to a Thousand Marks whereof Four Hundred was allowed for the Fees and Sallary of the several Officers belonging to the same This Lordship of Glamorgan Robert Fitzhamon kept to himself and the others he distributed between his several Followers namely to William de Londres he gave the Castle and Mannor of Ogmore to Richard Greenfield the Lordship of Neth to Paine Turberville that of Coyty to Robert S Quintine Lhan Blechyan to Richard Syward Talavan to Gilbert Humfrevile the Castle and Mannor of Penmarc to Reginald Sully the Castle and Mannor of Sully to Roger Berkrolles that of East Orchard to Peter le Scor that of Peâ—erton to John Fleming that of S. George to John S. John that of Fonmon or Fenvon and lastly to William le Esterling or Stradling that of S. Donats But that these Knights should have dependence upon and might seem to hold their several Lordships and Estate from him Robert Fitzhamon appointed them their several Apartments in his Castle of Caerdà f where they were obliged to give their attendance at every Court-day which was monthly kept upon Monday But about the same time that Robert Fitzhamon took the Lordship of Glamorgan Barnard Newmarch a Nobleman likewise of Normandy obtained by Conquest the Lordship of Brecknock and Henry de Newburgh Son to Roger de Bellemont by the Conquerour made Earl of Warwick the Country of Gower But Barnard Newmarch gave the People of Wales some small Satisfaction and Content by marrying Nest the Daughter also of Nest Daughter to Lhewelyn ap Gruffydh Prince of Wales by whom he had Issue a Son called Mahael This worthy Gentleman being legally to succeed his Father in the Lordship of Brecknock was afterwards disinherited by the Malice and Baseness of his own unnatural Mother The occasion was thus Nest happening to fall in admiration of a certain Knight with whom she had more than ordinary Familiarity even beyond what she exprest to her own Husband Mahael perceiving her dissolute and loose Behaviour counselled her to take care of her Fame and Reputation and to leave off that scandalous Liberty which she took and afterwards meeting casually her Gallant coming from her fought and grievously wounded him Upon this Nest to be revenged upon her Son went to Henry the First King of England and in his presence took her corporal Oath that her Son Mahael was illegitimate and not begot by Barnard Newmarch her Husband but another Person by virtue of which Oath or rather Perjury Mahael was disinherited and his Sister whom her Mother attested to be legitimate was bestowed by the King upon Milo the Son of Walter Constable afterward Earl of Hereford who in right of his Wife enjoyed the whole estate of Barnard Newmarch Lord of Brecnock Of this Milo it is reported that telling King Henry of a strange Accident which had occurred to him by Lhyn Savathan in Wales where the Birds upon the Pond at the passing by of Gruffydh the Son of Rhys ap Theodor seemed by their chirping to be in a manner overjoy'd The King
of those who enjoyed a great part of the Welchmens Lands but would not be satisfied till they got all For Gilbert Strongbow Earl of Strygill upon whom the King had bestowed Cardigan made great Complaints of Owen ap Cadwgan declaring how that he received and entertained such Persons as spoiled and robbed in his Country and Hugh Earl of Chester made the like of Gruffydh ap Conan Prince of North-Wales how that his Subjects and the Men of Grono ap Owen ap Edwyn Lord of Tegengl unreproved wasted and burnt the Country of Cheshire and to aggravate the matter the more he added farther that Gruffydh neither owed any Service nor paid any Tribute to the King Upon these Complaints King Henry was so cruelly enraged that he swore he would not leave one living Creature remaining in North-Wales and Powys-land but having extirpated utterly the present Race of People he would plant a Colony of new Inhabitants And then dividing his Army into three parts he deliver'd one to the conduct of the Earl of Strygill to go against South-Wales which comprehended the whole Power of the fourth part of England and Cornwal The next Battel was designed against North-Wales in which was all the strength of Scotland and the North and was commanded by Alexander King of the Scots and Hugh Earl of Chester the Third the King led himself against Powys wherein was contained the whole strength of the middle part of England Meredith ap Blethyn hearing of these mighty Preparations and being informed that this vast Army was design'd against Wales was quickly apprehensive that the Welch were not able to make any great Defence and therefore thought it his safest way to provide for himself before-hand and so coming to the King yielded himself up to his Mercy But Owen fearing to commit himself to those whom he knew so greedily to covet his Estate and whom he was assured were far more desirous to dispossess the Welch of their Lands than any other way to punish them for former Crimes and Miscarriages fled to Gruffydh ap Conan to North-Wales Upon that King Henry converted his whole Force that way and came himself as far as Murcastelh and the Scotch King to Pennant Bachwy but the People flying to the Mountains carried with them all the Cattel and Provision they had so that the English could not follow them and as many as attempted to come at them were either slain or wounded in the streights But Alexander King of the Scots finding that nothing could possibly be effected against the Welch as long as they kept the Rocks and Mountains sent to Prince Gruffydh advising him to submit himself to the King promising him all his Interest to obtain an honourable Peace But the Prince was too well acquainted with English Promises and therefore refused his Proposals and so King Henry being very unwilling to return without doing something in this Expedition sent to Owen to forsake the Prince who was not able to defend himself but was ready to strike a Peace with the Scottish King and the Earl of Chester But this cunning Insinuation would not take effect for Owen was for his life as distrustful of King Henry as Prince Gruffydh and therefore he would hearken to no Intreaties for revolting from him who had all this while afforded him Refuge till at length his Uncle Meredith an old insinuating Politician persuaded him with much a do not to forsake the King of England's Proposals who offered him all his Lands without Tribute in case he would come to his side and therefore Meredith advised him instantly to accept of his offer before Prince Gruffydh made a Peace with the King which if it was once done he would be glad upon any score to purchase the King's Mercy Owen being prevailed upon by such Arguments came to the King who received him very gratiously and told him that because he believed his Promise he would not only perform that but likewise exalt him above any of his Kindred and grant him his Lands free from any payment of Tribute Prince Gruffydh perceiving how that Owen had submitted to the King thought it also his wisest way to sue for Peace and so promising the King a great Sum of Money a Peace was then actually agreed upon and confirmed which the King of England was the more ready to consent to because he found it impossible to do him any hurt whilst he continued encamped in that place Some affirm that the submission as well of Prince Gruffydh as Owen was procured by the Policy of Meredith ap Blethyn and the Earl of Chester this last working with Gruffydh and assuring him that Owen had made his Peace with the King before any such thing was in agitation so that the Prince yielding somewhat to the Earl's Request if Owen had gone contrary to his Oath which they had mutually taken not to make any Peace with the English without one anothers Knowledge seemed to incline to a Peace On the other hand Meredith going in Person to his Nephew Owen affirmed for Truth that the Prince and the Earl of Chester were actually agreed and that the Prince was on his Journey to the King to make his Submission And in the mean while Meredith took especial care that all Messengers betwixt the Prince and Owen should be intercepted and by that means Owen wilfully submitted himself to the King King Henry having thus finished and brought to an end all his Business in Wales calling Owen to him told him that in case he would go over with him to Normandy and there be faithful to him he would upon his return confirm all his Promises upon him and so Owen accepting of the King's Offer went with him to Normandy where he behaved himself so gallantly that he was made a Knight and after his return A.D. 1112 the Year following he had all his Lands and Estate confirmed unto him About the same time Griffri Bishop of St. Davids died and King Henry appointed to succeed him one Barnard a Norman much against the Good-will and Inclination of the Welch who before this time were ever used to Elect their own Bishop And this Year the rumour of Gruffydh Son to Rhys ap Theodore was spread throughout South-Wales who as the report went for fear of the King had been from a Child brought up in Ireland and having come over about two Years afore past his time privately among his Relations particularly with Gerald Steward of Pembroke his Brother-in-Law And now the noise of a new Prince being spread abroad it came at last to the Ears of the King of England that a certain Person appeared in Wales who pretended to be the Son of Rhys ap Theodore late Prince of South Wales and laid Claim to that Principality which was now in the King's Hands King Henry being somewhat concerned with such a Report and fearing lest that this new Starter should create him some greater trouble he thought to nip him in the bud and sent down Orders
first On-let struck with an Arrow into the Heart of which Wound he presently dyed which when his Men saw they all fled and brought word to Lhywarch and the rest of their Fellows of what had happen'd and so suspecting the King's Army seeing they could not be trusted in their Service they all returned to their respective Countries Owen being in this manner unhappily slain his Brethren divided his Lands betwixt them excepting Caereneon which properly belonged to Madawc ap Ryryd ap Blethyn and which he had forcibly taken away from his Uncle Meredith His Father Cadwgan had several Children by different Women and besides himself he had Issue Madawc by Gwenlhian the Daughter of Gruffydh ap Conan Eineon by Sanna the Daughter of Dyfnwal Morgan by Efelhiw or Elhiw the Daughter of Cadifor ap Colhoyn Lord of Dyfed Henry and Gruffydh were by the Daughter of the Lord Pigot his wedded Wife Meredith by Eururon Hoedliw and himself by Inerth the Daughter of Edwyn But a while afterwards Eineon ap Cadwgan and Gruffydh ap Meredith ap Blethyn besieged the Castle of Cymmer in Merionythshire which was lately built by Vchtryd ap Edwyn for Cadwgan had bestowed upon Vchtryd his Cofin-German Merionyth and Cyfeilioc upon condition that in all Cases he should appear his Friend and his Sons after him contrary to which Promise he bore no manner of regard to Cadwgan's Children after Owen's death but to strengthen himself the better he erected this Castle of Cymmer which very much displeased many of Cadwgan's Sons And therefore Eineon and Gruffydh to make Vchtryd sensible of his Error in despising of them furiously set upon Cymmer Castle and having slain divers of the Garrison the rest surrender'd themselves and so taking possession of it they divided the Country betwixt them Mowdhwy Cyfyeilioc and half Penlhyn to Gruffydh ap Meredith and the other half of Penthyn with all Merionyth to Eineon The next Year King Henry failed with a great Army into Normandy against the French King who with the Earl of Flanders and others went about to make William the Son of Robert Curthoise Duke of Normandy but at the appearance of the King of England they all scatter'd and laid aside their intended Design About the same time Gilbert Strongbow Earl of Strigill to whom King Henry had given all Cardigan departed this Life after a long Fit of a Consumption much to the Joy and Satisfaction of the Welch who were in great measure displeased that they should be deprived of their own natural Lord Cadwgan from whom this Country was taken away and be forced to serve and be subject to a Stranger whose Kindness they had no great reason to expect But the Year following A.D. 1115 an irreconcilable Quarrel happen'd betwixt Howel ap Ithel Lord of Ros and Ryfonioc now Denbigh-land and Riryd and Lhywarch the Sons of Owen ap Edwyn And when they could not otherwise agree they broke out into open War and thereupon Howel sent to Meredith ap Blethyn and to Eineon and Madawc Cadwgan's Sons who came down from Merionyth with a Party of Four Hundred well-disciplin'd Men and encamped in Dyffryn Clwyd Riryd and Lhywarch on the other hand deâ—â—red the Assistance of their Cosins the Sons of Vchtryd and so both Armies meeting in the Vale of Clwyd they fell to Blows with a great deal of Spirit and Alacrity and after a tedious and a bloody Fight Lhywarch Owen ap Edwyn's Son was at last slain and with him Iorwerth the Son of Nudh a noble and a valorous Person and Riryd was forced to make his Escape by flight But though Howel obtained the Victory yet he did not long survive his slain Enemies for having received a desperate Wound in the Action dyed of it within Fourty Days and then Meredith ap Blethyn and the Sons of Cadwgan finding it dangerous to stay longer there for fear of some French who lay garrisoned in Chester returned home with all speed King Henry was still in Normandy and about this A.D. 1116 time a very great Battel was fought betwixt him and the French King who was shamefully vanquished and overthrown and had a great number of his Nobles taken Prisoners But as King Henry returned the following A.D. 11 7. Year for England one of the Ships happened by the negligence of the Pilot to be cast away wherein perished the King's two Sons William who was legitimate and Heir apparent to the Crown and Richard his base Son together with his Daughter and Neece and several others of his Nobility to the number in all of 150 Persons This unparallel'd Loss of so many Kindred and Friends did not perplex his Mind so long but that within a short time he began to solace and raise his drooping Spirits with the thoughts of a new Wife and having married Adelice A.D. 1118 the Daughter of the Duke of Lovain he purposed to go against Wales and having prepared his Forces he led them in person to Powys-land When Meredith ap Blethyn and Eineon Madawc and Morgan the Sons of Cadwgan and Lords of the Country heard of it they sent to Gruffydh ap Conan Prince of North Wales desiring some help at his hands who flatly refused assuring them that because he was at peace with the King of England he could neither with Honour nor Safety send them any Succour nor permit them to come within his Dominions The Lords of Powys receiving this unwelcom Answer and having now no manner of hopes of any Aid were resolved however to defend themselves as well as they could and therefore they thought it the most effectual means to annoy the Enemy and to keep them from entering into the Country was to observe and defend the Streights by which the Enemy must of necessity pass Neither were they out in their Policy for it happened that the King himself with a small number advanced to one of these narrow Passages the rest of the Army by reason of their Carriages having taken some compass about which the Welch perceiving presently poured a Shower of Arrows upon them and the advantage of the ground giving help to their Execution they slew and wounded a great many of the English The King himself was struck in the Breast but for all that the Arrow could not hurt him by reason of his Armour yet he was so terrified with this unexpected Conflict and considering with himself that he must receive several such Brushes before he could advance to the plain Country and what was above all being sensible that by such rash Misfortune he might lose all the Honour and Fame which he had before obtained sent a Message to parly with them who kept the Passage and with all assurance of Safety to desire them to come to the King The Welch being come and question'd how they had such Confidence to oppose the King and to put his Life in so much danger made Answer that they belonged to Meredith ap Blethyn and according to their Master's Orders they were
each other But A.D. 1142 shortly after this an irreconcilable Difference fell out betwixt Anarawd Son to Gruffydh ap Rhys Prince of South-Wales and his Father in Law Cadwalader the Son of Gruffydh ap Conan and Brother to Prince Owen Gwynedh which from Words quickly proceeded to Blows In this Scuffle Anarawd was unhappily slain which so exasperated Prince Owen against his Brother Cadwalader that together with his Son Howel he marched with an army into his Brothers Country and after a considerable Waste and Destruction burnt to the ground the Castle of Aberystwyth Cadwalader upon the News of Prince Owen's approach withdrew himself and fled to Ireland where having hired a great number of Irish and Scots for Two Thousand Marks under the Command of Octer and the Sons of Turkel and Cherulf he struck sail for Wales and landed at Abermenay in Carnarvonshire The Prince to protract no time marched with all speed to prevent their farther progress into the Country and both Armies being come in view of each other a Peace was happily concluded betwixt the two Brothers The Irish understanding this and how that their coming over was like to prove but a Fool 's Errant to them they surprized and secured Cadwalader till their Wages and Arrears were paid who to obtain his Liberty deliver'd to them two thousand Heads of Cattel besides many Prisoners and other Booty which they had taken in the Country But as soon as the Prince was informed that his Brother Cadwalader was set loose without any farther demur upon the case he fell in upon the Irish and having slain a very considerable number of them recovered all the Booty they purposed to ship off and forced as many as could escape to return with great loss and a greater shame back to Ireland But the Normans sped far better in Wales Hugh Son to Radulph Earl of Chester having fortified his Castle of Cymaron set upon and won the Country of Melienyth a second time and the Castle of Clun being fortified by another Lord all Eluel became subject to the Normans The same time King Stephen took Geffry Mandeville Prisoner at S. Albans where the Earl of Arundel by the slip of his Horse was like to be drowned in the River But the Earl of Mandeville to obtain his liberty delivered up to the King the Tower of London with the Castles of Walden and Plassey which reduced him to that condition that he was forced to live upon the Plunder and Spoil of Abbies and other religious Houses till at length he was slain in a Skirmish against the King and his Son banished the Kingdom The next Year a Skirmish happened betwixt Hugh A.D. 1144 de Mortimer and Rhys ap Howel wherein the latter was taken Prisoner with many others of his Accomplices who were all committed to Prison by the English But it fared much better with Howel and Conan the Sons of Prince Owen who having raised an Army against the Flemings and Normans gain'd a considerable Victory at Aberteifi and having placed a Garrison in the Town returned home with great Honour and much Booty About the same time Sulien ap Rhythmarch one of the Colledg of Lhanbadarn and a Person of great Reading and extensive Learning departed this Life Shortly after Gilbert Earl of Clare came with a great number of Forces to Dyfed and built the Castle of Caermardhyn and the Castle of the Sons of Vchtryd Hugh Mortimer A.D. 1145 likewise slew Meyric ap Madawc ap Riryd ap Bleddu and Meredic ap Madawc ap Ednerth And so far it went of the side of the English but now the Welch begin to gain ground Cadelh the Son of Gruffydh ap Rhys Prince of South Wales laid siege to the Castle of Dynefowr belonging to Earl Gilbert which being surrender'd up Cadelh assisted by his Brethren Meredith and Rhys brought his Army before the Castle of Caermardhyn which after a short siege yielded in like manner reserving only this one Condition that the Garison should not be put to the Sword From thence he marched to Lhanstephan and set before the Castle to the Relief of which the Normans and Flemings coming with their Forces were shamefully vanquished and overcome and so the Castle was easily deliver'd up to the Welch But the Normans were so cruelly nettled at this that they muster'd up all the Forces they could possibly draw together out of the neighbouring Countries and unexpectedly surrounded the Castle intending by all possible means to recover the same But the Governour Meredith ap Gruffydh a Man of great Years and no less Experience so animated and encouraged the besieged that when the Normans and Flemings ventured to scale the Walls they were bear back with such Vigour and Loss of their side that at length they were compell'd to raise the Siege and leave the Welch in possession of the Castle Shortly after this Run the Son of Prince Owen of North-Wales a Youth of excellent hopes and incomparable Qualifications dyed whose Death his Father took so much to heart that for some time he seemed to be past all Comfort being faln into such a melancholy Disposition that he was diverted with nothing but Retirement But an Accident fell out which rouz'd him out of this lethargical Fit of Sorrow and Discontent the Castle of Mould was so very strong and well garrison'd by the English that it mightily annoyed the Country thereabouts and had been frequently besieged but could never be taken Prince Owen at this time levied an Army and laid close siege to it and the Garison for several assaults behaved it self so manfully that the place seemed impregnable and invincible But the Presence and Example of Prince Owen so encouraged his Men that they fell on with all possible Vigour and Might and at last forced their entrance into the Castle Having put a great number of the Garrison to the Sword and taken the rest Prisoners the Castle was rased to the ground and this fortunate Attempt so pleased the Prince that he forgot all Sorrow for his Son and returned to his usual Temper and accustomed Merriments At the same time King Stephen of England obtained a remarkable Victory over his Enemies at Farendon and although the ensuing Year Rondel Earl of Chester and he were reconciled yet he thought it more adviseable to detain him Prisoner though contrary to his promise until such time as the Earl would deliver up the Castle of Lincoln with all the Forts and places of strength in his custody A.D. 1146 The next Year Cadelh Meredith and Rhys the Sons of Gruffydh ap Rhys ap Theodor brought an Army before the Castle of Gwys but finding themselves too weak to master it they desired Howel Son to Prince Owen Gwynedh a Person famously remarkable for martial Endowments to come to their assistance Howel who was ever very desirous to signalize himself and to evidence his Valour to the World readily consented to their Request and having drawn his Forces together marched directly towards
known deprived of his Estate and banished the Country Also Madoc ap Meredith Prince of Powis who maligned the Liberty and Priviledge of the Princes of North-Wales who owned subjection to no other than the King of England whereas those of Powis were obliged to do homage to the Prince of North-Wales did joyntly consent to this Invitation The King of England accepting of their Proposals led his Army to West-Chester and encamped upon the Marsh called Saltney in Welch Morfa-Caer-Lleon Prince Owen all this while was not ignorant of this intended Invasion and therefore having made all possible Preparations to confront the Enemy he marched his Army to the Frontiers of England and encamping at Basingwerk resolved to give the English Battel King Henry understanding of the Prince's Resolution detached some of the chiefest Troops out of the Main-body under the command of several Earls and other Lords and sent them towards the Prince's Camp But after they had advanced some little way and were passing thro' a Wood called Coed-Eulo David and Conan Prince Owen's Sons unexpectedly set upon them and what by the advantage of the Ground and the suddeness of the Action the English were born down with a great Slaughter and those who survived narrowly escaped to the King's Camp This was a very unwelcome beginning to King Henry but however in order to prosper better hereafter he thought it advisable to decamp from Saltney and to rank his Troops along the Sea-Coast thinking thereby to get betwixt Prince Owen and his Country which if he could effect he was sure to reduce the Welch to a very great inconveniency But the Prince foreseeing the Danger of this retired with his Army to a place called Cîl Owen that is Owen's Retreat which when King Henry perceived he let fall his Design Lib. 2. Cap. 5. and came to Ruthlan W. Parnus writes that in this Expedition against the Welch King Henry was in great danger of his Life in passing thro' a strait at Counsylth near Flint where Henry Earl of Essex who by inheritance enjoyed the Office of bearing the Standard of England being over-charged by the Enemy cast down the same and fled This accident so incouraged the Welch that they bore on so violently that the King himself narrowly escaped having of his Party Eustace Fitz-John and Rob. Curcie two valiant Knights together with several others of his Nobility and Gentry slain in the Action After this Prince Owen decamped from Cîl Owen and intrenched himself upon Bryn y Pin where little of moment passed betwixt the two Armies only some slight Skirmishes happened frequently King Henry in the mean time fortified the Castle of Ruthlan and during his stay there Madoc ap Meredith Prince of Powis sailed with the English Fleet to Anglesey and having put some Men on shoar they burnt two Churches and ravaged part of the Country about But they paid very dear for it for all the Strength of the Island being met together they set upon them in their return to their Ships and cut them off in such a manner that not one remained to bring Tidings to the Fleet of what had befel them But they on Board quickly perceived what had happened and therefore thought it not very safe harbouring upon that Coast but judging it more advisable to weigh Anchor they presently set Sail for Chester when they were arrived thither they found that a Peace was actually concluded betwixt King Henry and Prince Owen upon these Articles That Cadwalader should have all his Lands restored to him and he received to the Favour and Friendship of his Brother Then King Henry leaving the Castles of Ruthlan and Basingwerk well manned and fortified and having near the latter founded a Publick Structure for the Order of Knights Templars returned to England But the troubles of Wales did not end with him for Iorwerdh Goch ap Meredith who had taken part with the King of England during this War laid Siege to the Castle of Yale which was built by Prince Owen and making himself Master of it rased it to the ground The next Year commenced with a very unfortunate A.D. 1157 Action Ifor ap Meyric having long before cast a very wishful Eye upon the Land and Estate of Morgan ab Owen was now resolved to put in execution what he had before contrived and as Covetousness seldom bears any regard to Vertue or Honor he treacherously set upon him and slew him and with him fell Gurgan ap Rhys the most Famous British Poet of his time Morgan's Estate Ifor bestowed upon his Brother Iorwerth who about the same time got also possession of the Town of Caer-Lheon But these inward and home-bread Disturbances were quickly mitigated by a general Peace which was presently after this concluded betwixt the King of England and all the Princes and Lords of Wales Rhys ab Gruffydh ap Rhys Prince of South-Wales only excepted For this Prince Rhys who probably would not rely too far upon the King of England's Fidelity refused to consent to a Peace but however to secure himself the best he could from the English whom he had no small reason to be afraid of he thought it his best Prudence to issue out his Orders commanding his Subjects to remove their Cattel and other Effects to the Wilderness of Tywy where they were like to remain securest from the Eyes and reach of the Enemies But he had not continued there long when he received a more positive Express from King Henry commanding him to appear forthwith at his Court and to accept of the Proposals of Peace before the joynt Forces of England and Wales were sent to fetch him up Prince Rhys having received such a threatning Message thought it now high time to repent of what he had afore so rashly resolved upon and therefore after long Consultation he judged it his wisest way to accept of the King's Proposals and to appear at Court There it was agreed upon that Rhys whose Lands heretofore lay scattered about and were intermixed with other Person 's Estate should enjoy Cantref Mawr and any other Cantref which the King should be pleased to bestow upon him But contrary to this Article the King assigned him several Lordships and other Lands far remote from each other and particularly intermixed them with the Estates of English-men whom he was sure would be a watch and a curb to all the motions of Prince Rhys This was indeed a very politick Contrivance or King Henry to keep under the high and restless Spirit of Rhys but the Justice of the Action does not so evidently appear in breaking one of the chiefest Articles of the Peace and chopping and bestowing that which was not justly in his Power to give But 't is manifestly apparent that the English of these times were mainly concerned right or wrong to oppress and keep under the Welch of whose mortal hatred to subjection they had so frequently and so cruelly felt Prince Rhys was not at all ignorant of these
to the Kings hands the City of Dublyn the Town of Waterford with all such Towns and Castles as he got in right of his Wife whereupon the King restored to him all his Lands both in England and Normandy and created him Lord Steward of Ireland For this Earl of Strigule had lately without the King's Permission gone over to Ireland and had married the Daughter of Dermott King of Dublyn which King Henry took in such an indignation that he presently seized upon all his Lands in England and Normandy Therefore the King having now some footing in Ireland the Expedition was unanimously concluded upon and so the King set upon his Journey and coming towards Wales he was received by Prince Rhys whose Submission the King liked so well that he presently confirmed to him all his Lands in South-Wales To return the King's Favour Rhys promised his Majesty 300 Horses and 4000 Oxen toward the Conquest of Ireland for the sure payment of which he delivered Fourteen Pledges Then King Henry marching forward came to Caeriheon upon Vske and entering the Town he dispossessed the right Owner Iorwerth ap Owen ap Caradoc and kept it for his own proper use placing a Garrison of his own Men therein But Iorwerth was not so easie-mouth'd as to be so unreasonably curb'd by the King and therefore departing in a great fury from the King's presence he called to him his two Sons Owen and Howel whom he had by Angharad the Daughter of Vchtryd Bishop of Llandaf and his Sisters Son Morgan ap Sitsylht ap Dyfnwal and bringing together all the Forces they were able upon the King's departure they entered the Country and committing all the Waste and Destruction as they came along they at last came before Caerlheon which when they took they used in the like manner spoiling and destroying whatever they could meet with so that nothing escaped their Fury excepting the Castle which they could not win The King was in the mean time upon his Journey to Pembroke where being accompanied by Prince Rhys he gave him a grant of all Cardigan Ystratywy Arustly and Eluel in Recompence of all the Civilities and Honour he paid him And so Rhys returned to Aberteifi a Town he had lately won from the Earl of Glocester and there having prepared his Present about the beginning of October he returned again to Pembrock having ordered Eighty Six Horses to follow him which being presented to the King he accepted of Thirty Six of the choicest and returned the rest with great Thanks The same day King Henry went to S. Davids and after he had offered to the Memory of that Saint he dined with the Bishop who was the Son of Gerald Cosin-German to Rhys whither Richard Strongbow Earl of Strygile came from Ireland to confer with the King Within a while after King Henry being entertained by Rhys at the White-House restored to him his Son Howel who had been for a considerable time detained as a Pledg and appointed him a certain day for payment of his Tribute at which time all the rest of the Pledges should be set at liberty The day following being the next after the Feast of S. Luke the King went on board and the Wind blowing very favourably set sail for Ireland and being safely arrived upon those Coasts he landed at Dublyn where he rested for that whole Winter in order to make greater Preparations against the following Campaign But the change of the Air and Climate occasion'd such a raging Distemper and Infection among the Soldiers that to prevent the perishing of his whole Army A.D. 1172 the King was forced to return with what speed he could back for England and so having shipp'd off all his Army and Effects he loosed Anchor and landed in Wales in the Passion Week next Year and coming to Pembrock he stayed there on Easter-day and then proceeded upon his Journey towards England Rhys hearing of the King's return was very officious to pay him his Devotion and would gladly feign to be one of the first who should welcome him over and so meeting with him at Talacharn he expressed all the Ceremonies of Duty and Allegiance Then the King passed on and as he came from Caerdyf by the new Castle upon Vsk meaning to leave Wales in a peaceable condition he sent for Iorwerth ap Owen ap Caradoc who was the only Person in open Enmity against him and that upon very just ground willing him to come and treat about a Peace and assuring him of a safe Conduct for himself his Sons and all the rest of his Associates Iorwerth was willing to accept of the Proposal and thereupon set forward to meet the King having sent an Express to his Son Owen a valourous young Gentleman to meet him by the way Owen according to his Fathers Orders set forward on his Journey with a small retinue without any thing of Arms or Weapons of War as thinking it Folly to clog himself with such needless Carriage when the King had promised a safe Conduct But he did not find it so safe for as he passed the new Castle upon Vske the Earl of Bristol's Men who were garrison'd therein laid in wait for him as he came along and setting cowardly upon him slew him with most of his Company But some few escaped to acquaint his Father Iorwerth of such a treacherous Action who hearing that his Son was so basely murthered contrary to the King 's absolute promise of a safe Passage without any farther consultation about the matter presently returned home with Howel his Son and all his Friends and would no longer put any trust or confidence in any thing that the King of England or any of his Subjects promised to do But on the other side to avenge the Death of his Son who was so cowardly cut off he presently raised all the Forces that himself and the rest of his Friends were able to do and so entering into England he destroyed with Fire and Sword all the Country to the Gates of Hereford and Glocester But the King was so intent upon his return that he seemed to take no great notice of what Iorwerth was doing and therefore having by Commission constituted Lord Rhys Chief Justice of all South-Wales he forthwith took his Journey to Normandy About this time dyed Cadwalader ap Gruffydh the Son of Gruffydh ap Conan sometime Prince of North-Wales who by his Wife Alice the Daughter of Richard Clare Earl of Glocester had Issue Cunetha Radulph and Richard and by other Women Cadfan Cadwalader Eineon Meredith Goch and Cadwalhon Towards the end of this Year Sitsylht ap Dyfnwal and Iefan ap Sitsylht ap Riryd surprized the Castle of Abergavenny which belonged to the King of England and having made themselves Masters of it they took the whole Garrison Prisoners A.D. 1173 But the following Year there happened a very great difference and a falling out betwixt King Henry and his Son of the same Name this latter being upholded by
so the English retired over the River Matthew Paris writes that the Earl obtained a very signal Victory and that of the Welch there were Nine Thousand slain and taken though the Welch Account which in this case is in all likelihood the best makes the whole Army of the Welch to consist but of that number But both Armies having layn for certain Days in that posture and the River Tywy being betwixt them Gruffydh by reason that Provision began to grow scarce in his Camp returned back and then the Earl decamped and marched to Cilgerran where he began to build a very strong Castle But before he could have time to finish it he received an Express from the King with orders to come to him and so he went by Sea to London leaving his Army at Cilgerran to continue the Work which he had begun Shortly after the King together with the Archbishop of Canterbury came to Ludlow and sending for Prince Lhewelyn thither they had good hopes to adjust all Differences and to make an amicable Composition betwixt him and the Earl But when this could not be effected both Parties sticking close to their private Interest the Earl being assisted by the Earl of Derby and Henry Pyggot Lord of Ewyas designed to pass by Land to Pembrock but his purpose being discovered to the Prince he detached his Son to secure the Passage of Carnwylhion and came in person to Mabedryd which when the Earl understood finding it dangerous to prosecute his Design any further he returned to England and then the Prince marched to North-Wales The next Action that passed in Wales A.D. 1227 was somewhat rare and not redounding much to the Credit and Esteem of the Welch for Rhys Fychan having by some sinistrous means or other taken his Father Rhys Gryc contrary to all filial Affection and Duty detained him Prisoner and would not set him at liberty till he had delivered up Lhanymdhyfri Castle to him About the same time Meredith Archdeacon of Cardigan Prince Rhys's Son departed this Life and was honourably interred at S. Davids by his Father But a while after a great Storm threatned the A.D. 1228 Welch King Henry having raised a great Army was resolved to make a violent Prosecution of the Earl of Pembrock's Quarrel against the Prince of Wales and if possible to make all that Country for ever subject to the Crown of England and so being advanced into the Marches he encamped at Ceri Prince Lhewelyn on the other hand being informed of these mighty Preparations in England and understanding that they were intended against him did use all the Endeavours possible to make a vigorous Resistance and having drawn together all the Forces he was able to levy thought it his wisest way to meet the English upon the Marches and not to permit the Enemy to enter his Country Both Armies being come in sight of each other frequent Skirmishes happened betwixt 'em but one day almost the whole Armies engaged and after a vigorous Attack of both sides the English at last got the worst and were forced to retire having a great many Men slain and taken Prisoners Among the latter was William Bruce Reynald's Son who offered for his Ransom all Buelht together with a considerable Sum of Money which the Prince would not accept of But King Henry finding that his Army was worsted in this Rencounter thought it best to make Peace with the Prince of Wales which being concluded Lhewelyn came to the King and having paid him all other Respects besides that of Submission and Allegiance he returned in great Honour to North-Wales But this Action is somewhat otherwise laid down by Matthew Paris who writes that this Skirmish betwixt the English and Welch happened upon an other account for the Garrison of Montgomery issuing out of the Castle to enlarge a certain Passage leading through a Wood where the Welch were wont to rob and kill all Passengers began to fell the Timber and cut down all the Bushes which lessened the Road thereby to make the Passage more clear and secure The Welch receiving intelligence of this came presently upon him in great Numbers and surprizing the Enemies being busie at their Labour forced as many as could escape to betake themselves for refuge into the Castle which afterwards having first cast a deep Trench about it they smartly invested Hâ—bert de Burgh Lord Chief Justice of England and Owner of the Castle having notice of this sent presently to King Henry desiring his speedy help against the Welch who thereupon came in Person with part of his Army and raised the Siege Then the rest of his Forces being arrived he marched into the Wood which was Five Miles in length and by reason of the thickness of the growth impassable and for an easie passage through it caused it to be burnt down After that he led his Army farther into the Country and coming to an Abby called Cridia which the Welch were wont to take for refuge he caused it to be burnt down but finding it a very convenient place for a Fortress he granted leave to Hubert de Burgh to build a Castle there But whilst the Work was going on the Welch-men gauled the English and skirmished with them frequently so that many were slain on both sides but at last William Bruce with many others that went abroad to fetch Provision was intercepted by the Welch and taken Prisoner and most of his Company were slain among whom one who was knighted a few days before seeing some of his Fellows in great danger rushed boldly into the midst of his Enemies and after a manful defence bravely lost his Life Several of King Henry's Men were corrupted by Prince Lhewelyn and upon that account took no great pains to repulse the Enemy which when the King perceived and finding withal the Provision was grown very scarce in his Camp he was forced to conclude a dishonourable Peace with the Welch consenting to demolish that Castle which with so great an Expence both of Men and Mony was now almost finished upon his own Charges Prince Lhewelyn paying only Three Thousand Pounds towards it Then both Armies separated Prince Lhewelyn marching to North-Wales and the King leaving William Bruce Prisoner with the Welch returned to England having purchased no small Discredit in this Expedition William Bruce was brought to Wales and there had A.D. 1230 an honourable Confinement in the Prince his Palace but he had not continued there very long when he began to be suspected of being too familiar with the Princess King Henry's Sister and as the report went was takeâ— in the very act of Adultery for which the Prince caused him to be hanged forthwith About the same time Lhewelyn Maelgon's Son dyed in North-Wales and was buried at Conwey and Maelgon Prince Rhys his Son in South-Wales and was buried in Ystratflur whose Estate descended to his Son Maelgon And a little after William Marshall Earl of Pembrock A.D. 1231 dyed one that ever entertained an
and had a great Number of their Men slain After this nothing remarkable fell out for a considerable time unless it were that David being released out of Prison by Prince Lhewelyn his Brother most ungratefully forsook him and with all his might sided with his Enemies the English also Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn having taken the Castle of Mold demolished it to the ground During this quiet and unactive interval in Wales Meredith ap Owen the main Support and Defender of South-Wales died to the great disadvantage of the Affairs of that Country And now indeed the Welch were like to be A.D. 1268 made sensible of the Loss of so considerable a Person for King Henry was resolved once more to lead an Army into Wales and to see if he could have better Success than he had hitherto against the Welch But when he was prepared to undertake this Expedition Ottobonus Pope Clement's Legate in England interposed and mediated a Peace which was concluded upon at the Castle of Montgomery wherein it was articled that Prince Lhewelyn should give the King 30000 Marks and the King was to grant the Prince a Charter from thenceforth to receive Homage and Fealty of all the Nobility and Barons of Wales besides one so that they could hold their Lands of no other but himself and from thence forward he was to be lawfully stiled Prince of Wales This Charter being ratified and confirmed as well by the Authority of the Pope as the King's Seal Prince Lhewelyn desisted from any farther Acts of Hostility and punctually observed all the Articles of Agreement betwixt him and King Henry so that nothing more was outragiously transacted between the English and Welch during the remainder of this King's reign Within that space died Grono ap Ednyfed Fychan one of the Chief Lords of the Prince's Council and shortly after him Gruffydh Lord of Bromfield who lies buried at Vale-Crucis A.D. 1272 But the Death of King Henry put an end to the observations of the Peace betwixt the English and Welch who dying on the 16th day of November this year left this Kingdom to his Son Edward Prince Edward was then in the Holy-Land and very active against those Enemies of Christianity the Turks where he had already continued above a year but understanding of his Father's Death and that in his absence he was proclaimed King of England he made all haste to return to receive the Solemnity of Coronation But what by the tediousness of the Journey and what by being honourably detained at Princes Courts in his way it was two years before he could get into England then upon the 15th of August and in the year 1274. he was Crowned at Westminster Prince Lhewelyn was summoned to attend at his Coronation but he flatly refused to appear unless upon sure Terms of safe Conduct for having offended several of the English Nobility he could not in safety pass thro' their Country without the danger of exposing his Person to the inveterate Malice and acceptable Revenge of some of them And thâ—refore without the King's Brother the Earl of Glocester and Robert Burnell Lord Chief Justice of England were delivered up as Pledges for his safe Conduct he would not come up to do his Homage and Fealty at his Coronation according to the Writ directed to him And indeed seeing King Edward had broke the Peace lately concluded upon before the Pope's Legate and did receive and honourably entertain such Noblemen of Wales as for their disloyalty were banished by Prince Lhewelyn by whom he feared some treachery there was no reason that the Prince should pay him any subjection but by the breach of Peace was exempted from all Homage However Prince Lhewelyn to shew that it was not out of any stubborness or disrespect to the King of England that he refused to come sent up his Reasons by the Abbots of Ystratflur and Conwey to Robert Kilwarby Archbishop of Canterbury and the rest of the Bishops then sitting â—n Convocation in the New-Temple at London which were to this effect To the most Reverend Fathers in God Robert Archbishop of Canterbury and Metropolitan of all England the Archbishop of York and the rest of the Bishops in Convocation Lhewelyn Prince of Wales and Lord of Snowden sendeth Greeting WE would have your Lordships to understand that whereas formerly most terrible and incessant Wars were continually managed betwixt Henry King of England and our self the same were at last composed and all matters of Differences were adjusted by the means of his Excellency Cardinal Ottobonus the Pope's Legate who having drawn the Articles and Conditions of the Peace agreâ—d upon they were signed and swore to not only by the Kâ—ng but also the Prince his Son now King of England Among these Articles were comprehended that we and our Successors should hold of the King and his Successor the Principality of Wales so that all the Welch Lords one Baron excepted should hold their Baronies and Estates in Capite of us and should pay their Homage and Fealty for the same to us we in like manner doing Homage to the King of England and his Successors And besides that the King and his Successors should never offer to receive and entertain any of our Enemies nor any such of our own Subjects as were lawfully banished and excluded our Dominions of Wales nor by any means defend and uphold such against us Contrary to which Articles King Edward has forcibly seized upon the Estates of certain Barons of Wales of which they and their Ancestors have been immemorably possessed of and detains a Barony which by the form of Peace should have been delivered to us and moreover has hitherto entertained David ap Gruffydh our Brother and Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn with several others of our Enemies who are Out-laws and Fugitives of our Country And tho' we have often exhibited our Grievances and Complaints against them for destroying and pillaging our Country yet we could never obtain of the King any relief or redress for the several Wrongs and Injuries we received at their hands but on the contrary they still persist to commit wastes and other outrages in our Dominions And for all this he summons us to do him Homage at a place which is altogether dangerous to our Person where our inveterate Enemies and which is worse our own unnatural Subjects bear the greatest sway and respect w th the King And tho' we have alledged several Reasons to the King and his Council why the place by him assigned is nâ—t safe and indifferent for us to come and desire him to appoint another whereto we might with more safety resort or else that he would send Commissioners to receive our Oath and Homage till he could more opportunely receive them in Person yet he would not assent to our just and reasonable Request nor be satisfied with the Reasons we exhibited for our non-appearance Therefore we desire your Lordships earnestly to weigh the dismal effects that will happen to the Subjects
and may be to their great Oppression in those Rights which they have purchased and hitherto enjoyed with their Estates And also on Occasion of great Vexation to many of Your Majesty's Subjects who have long had the absolute Inheritance of several Lands comprehended in the said Grant to the Earl of Portland by Antient Grants from the Crown His MAJESTY'S Answer Gentlemen I Have Kindness for my Lord Portland which he has deserved of Me by long and faithful Services but I should not have given him these Lands if I had imagined the House of Commons could have been concern'd I will therefore Recal the Grant and find some other way of shewing My Favour to him The Lordship of Ruthyn continued in the possession of the Grays till the Reign of Henry VII when George Grey Earl of Kent and Lord of Ruthyn upon some Bargain passed the same over to the King since which it has been in the possession of some of the Earls of Warwick and afterwards came to the Middletons of Chirk Castle in the County of Denbigh where it still continues being now enjoyed by the Right Worshipful Sir Richard Middleton Baronet But besides Henry Lacy and Reginald Grey several other Gentlemen of Quality came at this time with King Edward to North-Wales who in some time became to be Men of great Possessions and Sway in the Country whose Posterity enjoy the same to this time But he that expected to fare best in the distribution of these Lordships and Estates in Wales was one Rhys ap Meredith a Welch Man and one that contrary to the Allegiance sworn to his Prince and his Duty to his Native Country had served the King of England in all these Wars and done the greatest hurt of any Man to the Interest of Prince Lhewelyn For these great Services done to King Edward Rhys expected no less than to be promoted to the highest Preferments whom the King after the Prince of Wales's Overthrow first dubbed Knight and afterwards fed him with fair Words and great Promises But when he and all his Neighbours and Countrymen had submitted themselves to the Government of the King of England it happened that the Lord Pain Tiptost Warden of the King's Castles which joyned to Rhys's Country and the Lord Alan Plucknet the King's Steward in Wales cited Sir Rhys ap Meredith with all the rest of the Country to the King's Court which he refusing to do alledging his antient Priviledges and Liberties together with the King's Promises to him the foresaid Officers proceeded against him according to Law Whereupon A.D. 1289 Sir Rhys being greatly vexed to be thus served by those whole Interest he had all this while so warmly espoused thought to be revenged of Pain Tiptost and the rest of the English And to that end having drawn together some of his Tenants and Countrymen he fell upon the said Pain Tiptost between whom several Skirmishes afterwards happened and several Men were slain on both sides King Edward was now at Arragon to compose the Difference betwixt the Kings of Arragon and Naples but being informed of the Disturbances which had happened in Wales betwixt his Ministers there and Sir Rhys ap Meredith he writ to this latter requiring him to keep the Peace till his return at what time he would redress all Grievances and reduce Matters to a good and reasonable Order But Sir Rhys haveing already waited sufficiently upon the King's Promises and being now in a good condition to offend his Enemies by force of Arms would not give over the Enterprize he saw so promising but marching with his Forces to his Enemies Lands burnt and spoiled several Towns belonging to the English Upon this the King sent to the Earl of Cornwal whom he had appointed his Deputy during his absence to march with an Army into Wales to repress the Insolencies and to prevent any farther disorderly Attempts of the Welch The Earl accordingly prepared an Army and went against Sir Rhys's whose Army he quickly dispersed and overthrew his Castle of Drefolan but not without the loss of some of his Chief Men. For as they besieged and undermined the said Castle the Walls unexpectedly fell down by which unlucky Accident several of the English were oppressed and bruised to Death among whom were the Lord Strafford and the Lord William de Monchency But within a while after Robert Tiptost Lord Deputy of Wales raised a very powerful Army against Sir Rhys and after a slaughter of 4000 of the Welch took him Prisoner who the Michaelmas following at the King 's going to Scotland was condemned and executed at York A.D. 1293 But the Death of Sir Rhys did not put a final period to all the Quarrels betwixt the English and Welch for in a short time after there happened a new occasion for the Welch to murmur against and upbraid the Government of the English over them King Edward was now in actual Enmity and War with the King of France for the carrying on of which he wanted a liberal Subsidy and Supply from his Subjects This Tax was with a great deal of passion and reluctancy levied in divers places of the Kingdom but more especially in Wales the Welch being never acquainted with such large Contributions before A.D. 1294 violently stormed and exclaimed against it But not being satisfied with villifying the King's Command they took their own Captain Roger de Puelesdon who was appointed Collector of the said Subsidy and hanged him up together with divers others who abetted the collecting of the Tax Then West-Wales Men chose Maelgon Fychan for their Captain and so entring into Caermardhyn and Pembroke-shires they cruelly harassed all the Lands that belonged to the English and then returned laden with considerable Booty The Glamorgan-shire Men and they towards the South Parts chose one Morgan for their Leader and set upon the Earl of Glocester whom they forced to make his escape out of the Country and so Morgan was put in possession of those Lands which the Ancestors of the Earl of Glocester had forcibly taken away from Morgan's fore-Fathers On the other side the North-Wales Men set up one Madoc related to the last Lhewelyn slain at Buelht who having drawn together a great Number of Men came to Caernarvon and setting upon the English who in great multitudes had then resorted thither to a Fair slew a great many and afterwards spoiled and ransacked the whole Town King Edward being acquainted with these different Insurrections and Rebellions in Wales and desirous to quell the Pride and Stubborness of the Welch but most of all to revenge the Death of his great favourite Roger de Pulesdon recalled his Brother Edmund Earl of Lancaster and Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln and Lord of Denbigh who with a considerable Army were ready to embark for Gascoign and countermanded them into Wales Being arrived there they passed quietly forward till they came to Denbigh and as soon as they drew near unto the Castle upon St. Martin's day the Welch
with great Fury and Courage faced them and joyning Battels forced them back with a very considerable loss Polydore Virgil says but upon what Authority is not known that the Welch obtained this Victory rather upon the account that the English Army was hired with such Money as had been wrongfully taken out of the Abbies and other Religious places so that it was a Judgment from above more than the Force of the Welch that overcame the English Army But be the cause of it what it will 't is certain the English were vanquished upon which account King Edward came in Person to Wales and kept his Christmas at Aberconwey where Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury being returned from Rome came to him and having done Homage returned honourably again to England But as the King advanced farther into the Country having but one part of his Army with him the Welch set upon and took most of his Carriages which contained a great quantity of Victuals and Provision so that the King with all his followers were constrained to endure a great deal of hardships in so much that at last Water mixed with Honey and very course and ordinary Bread with the saltest Meat were accounted the greatest Delicacies for his Majesty 's own Table But their misery was like to be greater had not the other part of the Army come in time because the Welch had encompassed the King round in hopes to reduce him to the utmost distress by reason that the Water was so risen that the rest of the Army could not get to him But the Water within some time after abating the remainder of the Army came in whereupon the Welch presently retired and made their escape One thing is very remarkable of King Edward during his distress at Snowden that when the Army was reduced to very great extremity a small quantity of Wine was found which they thought to reserve for the King 's own use But he to prevent any discontent which might thereupon be raised in his Souldiers absolutely refused to taste thereof telling them That in time of Necessity all things should be common and as he was the Cause and Author of thâ—ir Distress he would not be preferred before them in his Diet. But whilst the King remained in Snowden the Earl of Warwick being informed that a great Number of Welch were assembled and had lodged themselves â—n a certain Valley betwixt two Woods chose out a Troop of Horse together with some Cross-Bows and Archers and set upon them in the Night time The Welch being thus surprised and unexpectedly encompassed about by their Enemies made the best they could to oppose them and so pitching their Spears in the ground and directing the points towards their Enemies endeavoured by such means to keep off the Horse But the Earl of Warwick having ordered his Battel so as that between every two Horse there stood a Cross-Bow so gauled the Welch with the shot of the quarrels that the Spear-men fell apace and then the Horse breaking easily in upon the rest bare them down with so great a slaughter as the Welch had never received before After this King Edward to prevent any more rebellious attempts of the Welch cut down all the Woods in Wales wherein in any time of Danger they were wont to hide and save themselves And for a farther security he repaired and fortified all the Castles and places of Strength in Wales and built the Castle of Bewmoris in the Isle of Anglesey and so having put all things in a settled posture and punished those that had been the occasion of the Death of Roger de Pulesdon he returned with his Army into England But as soon as the King had left the Welch Madoc who as it is said before was chosen Captain by the North-Wales Men gathered some Forces together and came to Oswestry which presently yielded to him And then meeting with the Lord Strange near Knookine who with a Detachment of the Marchers came to oppose him gave him Battel vanquished his Forces and miserably ravaged his Country The like Success he obtained a second time against the Marchers but at last they brought together a very great Number of Men and met Madoc marching towards Shâ—ewsbury upon the Hills of Cefn Digolh not far from Camrs Castle where after a bloody Fight on both sides Madoc was taken Prisoner and his Army vanquished and put to flight Then he was sent to London and there sentenced to remain in perpetual Imprisonment in the Tower tho' others affirm that Madoc was never taken but that after several Adventures and severe Conflicts whereby the Welch were reduced to great extremities he came in and submitted himself to the King who received him upon Condition he would not desist to pursue Morgan Captain of the Glamorgan-shire Men till he brought him Prisoner before him Madoc having performed this and the whole Country being peaceable and undisturbed several Hostages from the Chiefest Nobility of Wales for their orderly and quiet behaviour were delivered to the King who disposed of them into divers Castles in England where they continued in safe Custody till the end of the War which was presently-commencâ—d with Scotland A.D. 1301 In the 29th year of King Edward's reign the Prince of Wales came down to Chester and received Homage of all the Free-holders in Wales as follows Henry Earl of Lancaster for Monmouth Reginald Gray for Ruthyn Foulke Fitzwarren for his Lands the Lord William Martyn for his Lands in Cemaes Roger Mortimer for his Lands in Wales Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln for Rhos and Rhyfoneioc Robert Lord Montalt for his Lands and Gruffydh Lord of Poole for the Lordship of Powys at the same time paid their Homage Tudor ap Grono of Anglesey Madoc ap Tudor Archdeacon of Anglesey Eineon ap Howel of Caernarvon Tudor ap Gruffydh Lhewelyn ap Ednyfed Gruffydh â—ychan Son of Gruffydh ap Iorwerth Madoc Fychan Denglfield Lhewelyn Bishop of St. Asaph and Richard de Pulesdon This last in the Twelfth Year of King Edward was constituted Sheriff of Caernarvon for life with the stipend of Forty Pounds sterling yearly At the same place Gruffydh ap Tudor Ithel Fychan Ithel ap Blethyn with many more did their Homage Then the Prince came to Ruthlan where the Lord Richard de Sutton Baron of Malpas paid Homage and Fealty for the said Barony of Malpas Thence the Prince removed to Conwey where Eineon Bishop of Bangor and David Abbot of Maynan did their Homage as did Lewis de Felton Son of Richard Felton for the Lands which his Father held of the Prince in Maelor Saesneg or English Maelor John Earl Warren swore Homage for the Lordships of Bromfield and Yale and his Lands in Hope-Dale at London in the Chappel of the Lord John de Kirkby sometime Bishop of Ely as also a while after Edmund Mortimer for his Lands of Cery and Cydewen But besides all these there paid Homage to the Prince of Wales at Chester Sir
never hearken to his Redemption alledging that he wilfully threw himself into the hands of Glyndwr But about the midst of August to correct the presumptuous Attempts of the Welch the King went in Person with a great Army into Wales but by reason of extraordinary excess of weather which some attributed to the Magic of Glyndwr he was glad to return safe But the Earl of March perceiving that he was not like to obtain his Liberty by King Henry's means whether out of compliance by reason of his tedious Captivity or Affection to the young Lady he agreed to take part with Owen against the King of England and to marry his Daughter with them joyned the Earl of Worcester and his Brother the Earl of Northumberland with his Son the valiant Lord Percy who conspiring to depose the King of England in the House of the Archdeacon of Bangor by their Deputies divided the Realm amongst them causing a tripartite Indenture to be made and to be sealed with every one's Seal by which Covenant all that Country lying betwixt the Severn and the Trent Southward was assigned to the Earl of March all Wales and the Lands beyond the Severn Westward were appointed Glyndwr and all from the Trent Northward to the Lord Percy This was done as some said thro' a foolish Credit they gave to a vain Prophecy as tho' King Henry was the execrable Moldwarp and they three the Dragon the Lion and the Wolf which should pull him down and distribute his Kingdom among themselves After that they exhibited Articles of their Grievances to King Henry and divulged their Reasons for taking up Arms at length they marched with all their Power towards Shrewsbury to fight the King depending mainly upon the arrival of Glyndwr and his Welch-men But the matter was gone so far that whether he came in or no they must fight and so both Armies being joyned the King's Party prevailed young Percy being slain upon the spot and Douglas besides most of the English of Quality who with a Party of Scotch had come to the Aid of the Confederates was taken Prisoner but afterwards honourably set at Liberty by the Intercession of the Prince of Wales In the mean time the Earl of Northumberland was a marching forward with a great Party from the North but the King having settled Matters about Shrewsbury coming to York and sending to him to lay down his Arms he voluntarily submitted and dismissed his Forces Then the King returning from York-shire determined to pass over to North-Wales to chastise the presumptuous Practices of the immorigerous Welch who after his departure from Shrewsbury had made in-Roads into the Marches and done much hurt to his English Subjects But other Business of greater Consequence intervening he detached his Son the Prince of Wales who took the Castle of Aberystwyth which was quickly again retaken by Owen Glyndwr who thrust into it a strong Garrison of Welch But â—n the Battel of Huske sought upon the fifteenth of March the Welch received a very considerable Blow from the Prince's Men Glyndwr's Son being taken Prisoner besides Fifteen Hundred more taken and slain After this we hear little of Glyndwr excepting that he continued and persisted to vex and plague the English upon the Marches to the tenth year of King Henry's reign when he miserably ended his life being as Holingshed reporteth Holins towards his â—atter days driven to that extremity that despairing of all comfort he fled and lurked in Caves and other the most solitary places fearing to shew his face to any Creature till at length being starved for hunger and lack of sustenance he miserably ended his life But these rebellious Practices of Glyndwr highly exasperated King Henry against the Welch insomuch that several rigorous and unmerciful Laws were enacted relating to Wales which in effect destroyed all the Liberties of the Welch Subject They were made incapable of purchasing any Lands or to be elected Members of any County or Burrough and to undertake any Office whether Civil or Military in any Town incorporated If any Suit at Law happened betwixt an English Man and a Welch Man the former could not be convicted but by the Sentence of an English Judge and the Verdict of an English Jury besides that any English Man who married a Welch Woman was thereby forthwith disfranchised from all the Liberties of an English Subject It was farther enacted that no Welch Man should be in possession of any Castle or other place of Strength and that no Victuals or Armour should be brought into Wales without a special Warrant from the King or his Council and farther that no Welch Man was capable of undertaking the Office of Justice Chamberlain Sheriff or any other place of Trust in any part of Wales notwithstanding any Patent or License heretofore given to the contrary These with many others most rigorous and unjust Laws particularly that forbidding any Welch Man to bring up his Children to Learning or to bind them Apprentices to any Trade or Occupation were enacted by the King against the Welch so that nothing could cool his displeasure but that a whole Nation should be wrongfully oppressed for the fault and miscarriage of one Person But one might think that this was no politick method to secure a Nation in its Allegiance which upon lighter Affronts was used to defend its Priviledges and therefore we may well attribute the quiet disposition of the Welch towards this time to the moderation of Henry the Fifth who within a little time succeeded his Father in the Crown of England Co-temporary with Glyndwr was Sir David Gam so called by reason he had but one Eye the Son of Lhewelyn ap Howel Vaughan of Brecknock by Mawd the Daughter of Iefan ap Rhys ap Ifor of Eluel He was a great stickler for the Duke of Lancaster and for that reason became mortal Enemy to Glyndwr who having his Education as is said before at one of the Inns of Court got to be preferred to the service of King Richard the Second who as Walsingham says made him his Scutifer or Shield-bearer But being informed that his Master Richard was deposed and murdered and withal being provoked by several Wrongs and Affronts done him by his Neighbour the Lord Gray of Rhuthyn whom King Henry greatly countenanced and looking upon Henry as an Usurper he caused himself to be proclaimed Prince of Wales And for a better grace of the matter he feigned himself to be descended by a Daughter from Lhewelyn ap Gruffydh the last Prince whereas in truth he came Paternally but from a younger Brother of the House of Powys But as Ambition has no moderation so Glyndwr for a time acted the part of a Prince and summoned a Parliament to meet at Machynlleth whither the Nobility and Gentry of Wales appeared and among the rest Sir David Gam but not upon the same design with the rest having an intention in this meeting to murder Glyndyfwr But the Plot being discovered and
England both as to the Substance and Form of Worship But what may more truly be attributed to Mr. Gouge is that since his Travels into Wales and the propagating of his Doctrine among the ignorant of that Country Presbytery which before had scarce taken root has daily increased and grown to a Head Henry eldest Son of King James the First being arrived to the Age of Seventeen Years was created Prince of Wales on the 30th of May Anno 1610 but he dying of a malignant Feaver about Two Years after his Brother Charles being Fifteen Years of Age was created Prince of Wales in his room Anno 1615. For joy of this new Creation the Town of Ludlow and City of London performed very great Triumphs and the more to honour this Solemnity the King made Twenty Five Knights of the Bath all Lords or Barons Sons and the Inns of Court to express their Joy elected out of their Body Forty choice Gentlemen to perform solemn Justs and Barryers Charles eldest Son of King Charles the First by Henrietta Maria Daughter to King Henry the Fourth of France was born May 29. 1630. and afterwards created Prince of Wales Since the happy Incorporation of the Welch with the English the History of both Nations as well as the People is united and therefore I shall not repeat that which is so copiously and frequenty delivered by the English Historians but shall conclude with Dr. Heylyn That since the Welch have been incorporated with the English they have shewed themselves most loyal hearty and affectionate Subjects of the State â—ordially devoted to their King and zealous in Defence â—f their Laws Liberties and Religion as well as any â—f the best of their Fellow-Subjects APPENDIX The return of a Commission sent into Wales by King Henry the Seventh to search out the Pedigrees of Owen Tudor HENRY the Seventh King of England c. Son of Edmund Earl of Richmond Son of Owen ap Meredith and of Queen Catherine his Wife Daughter â—o Charles the Sixth King of France This Owen was Son of Meredith ap Tudor ap Gronw ap Tudor ap Gronw ap Ednyfed Fychan Baron of Brinfeingle in Denbigh Land Lord of Kricâ—th Chief Justice and Chief of Council to Llewelyn ap Iorwerth Drwyndwn Prince of all Wales And in the time of Prince Llewelyn grew a Variance between King John of England and the said Prince whereupon Ednyfed came with the Prince's Host and Men of War and also a number of his own People and met these English Lords in a Morning at what time these English Lords were hostied and slain and immediately brought their Heads being yet bloody to the said Prince Llewelyn The Prince seeing the same caused Ednyfed Fychan from thenceforth to bear in his Arms or Shield three bloody Heads in token of his Victory where he had born in his Arms before a Saracen's Head and so ever after this Ednyfed bore the said Arms his Son and his Son's Son unto the time of Tuder ap Gronw ap Tudor ap Gronw ap Ednyfed Fychan And after this Ednyfed wedded one Gwenllian Daughter to Rhys Prince of South Wales and had Issue by her Gronw which Ednyfed Fychan had in Wales divers goodly Houses Royally adorn'd with Turrets and Garrets some in Anglesey some other in Caernarvon-shire and and some in Denbigh-Land but his chiefest Mannor-House was in the Commot of Crythin in Caernarvon-shire which was a Royal Palace now decay'd for want of Reparations Also he builded there a Chappel in the Worship of our Lady and had License of the Pope for evermore to sing Divine Service therein for his Soul and his Ancestors and Progenitors Souls always and had Authority to give his Tythes and Offerings to his Chaplain there Vid. an serving starving which Ednyfed Fychan was Son to Kyner ap lers ap Gwgan ap Marchudd which was one of the fifteen Tribes of North-Wales and Son to Kynan ap Elfyn ap Mor ap Mynan ap Isbwis Newintyrche ap Isbwis ap Cadrod Calch Efynydd Earl of Dunstable and Lord of Northampton ap Cywyd Cindion ap Cynfelyn ap Arthuys ap Morydd ap Cynnaw ap Coel Godeboc King of Britain of whom King Henry the Seventh descended lineally by Issue-Male and is Son to the said Coel in the thirty first Degree as it is approved by old Chronicles in Wales Which Coel was Son of Tegfan ap Deheufraint ap Tudâ—wyl ap Urban ap Gradd ap Rhyfedel ap Rhydeirne ap Endigant ap Endeyrn ap Enid ap Endos ap Enddolaw ap Afalach ap Afflech ap Beli mawr King of Britain of whom King Henry the Seventh descendeth by Issue-Male â—nd is Son to him in forty one Degree Which Beli was Son to Monnogon King ap King â—axor ap King Pyr ap King Sawl Benissel ap Rhytherech King ap Rydion King ap Eidol King ap Arthafel King ap Seissilt King ap Owen King ap Caxho King ap Bleuddyd King â—p Meirion King ap Gwrgust King ap Elydno King ap Clydawc King ap Ithel King ap Urien King ap Andrew King ap Kereni King ap Porrex King ap Coel King ap Cadell King ap Geraint King ap Elidr King ap Morydd King ap Dan King ap Seissilt King ap Cyâ—elyn King ap Gwrgan King alias Farfâ—rwch ap Beli King ap Dyfnwal King ap Dodion King ap Enyd ap Kwrwyd ap Cyrdon ap Dyfufarth Prydain ap Aedd mawr ap Antonius ap Seisillt King ap Rhegaw Daughter and Heir of King Lyr and Wife of Henwin Prince of Cornwall This Lyr was Son of Bleuddyd ab Rhunbaladr brâs ap Lleon ap Brutus darian lâs ap Effroc Cadarn ap Mymbyr ap Madoc ap Locrine ap Brutus which inherited first this Land and after his Name was called Britain and had three Sons Locrine Kamber and Albanactus Locrine the eldest parted the Isle with his Brethren and kept half the Land for himself and called it Loegria Kamber second Son had the Land beyond Severn and named it Kambria in English Wales Albanactus had Scotland which he then called Albania after his own Name Of which Brute King Henry the Seventh is lineally descended by Issue-Male saving one Woman and is Son to Brute in five score Degrees How Owen Grandsire to King Henry the Seventh cometh of Beli mawr by Angharad Mother to Ednyfed by Issue-Female by Gittin Owen and Sir John Leiaf's Books THE Mother of Ednyfed was Angharad Daughter of Hwfa ap Cyner ap Rhywallon ap Dinged ap Tudor Trefor ap Mymbyr ap Cadfarch ap Gwrgenaw ap Gwaethiawe ap Bywyn ap Biordderch ap Gwriawn ap Gwnnan ap Gwnfiw frych ap Cadell Dehurnlluc ap Pasgan ap Rhydwf ap Rhudd Fedel frych ap Cyndeirn ap Gwrtheirn Gwrthenau called in English Vertiger by whom King Henry the Seventh by the foresaid Angharad Mother to Ednyfed Fychan and Wife to Cyner ab Iers ap Gwgon is Son to the said Vortiger in thirty Degrees Which Vortiger was Son to Rhydeyrn ap
the Welch 128. Flemings settled in part of VVales 128. G. GAllio routs the Scots and Picts 2. Builds a Wall cross the Land ibid. Gam Sir David imprisoned by Owen Glyndyfwr and released 321. Revolts from Owen ibid. His answer in France to Henry V. concerning the French Army mortally wounded at Agincourt Knighted and died 322. Gavelkind that Custom in Wales 22. Geoffrey of Monmouth made Bishop of St. Davids 171. Glamorgan Lordship described 314. The best of it Fitzhamon the Chief of the Normans kept to himself 115. Godwyn Earl rebels against King Edward 89. Invades the Land and is reconciled to the King 90. Dies suddenly sitting at the King's Table 91. Gray Reginald Lord of Ruthyn taken Prisoner by Owen Glyndyfwr and ransomed 316 317. Gruffydh ap Lhewelyn declared Prince of North-Wales 84. His Country invaded by the English and Danes and routed by him 85. Reduced all Wales under his subjection ibid. Routs Howel Prince of South-Wales at Pencader ibid. Taken Prisoner by the Irish under the command of Iago ap Edwal and recovered by his own Men 87. Overcomes and slays Gruffydh ap Rhyderch and his Army c. ibid. Concludes a Peace with Harold King Edward's General 94. His Palace at Ruthlan burnt by the English ibid. Prince Gruffydh murdered by Harold's Contrivance after he had reigned 30 years 95. Gruffydh ap Conan confirmed in the Principality of Wales 109. Refused at first an accommodation with King Henry at last sues and obtains Peace 141. Caressed by the King and promised to deliver up Gruffydh ap Rhys 143. Dies 158. His Issue 159. Gruffydh the Son of Rhys ap Tudor laid claim to South-VVales 143. Flies to North-VVales 143. Wished with his Brother Howel to withdraw into South-VVales 144. Forced to bid open defyance to the King of England ibid. The Flemings and VVelch Lords joyn together to oppose him 145. He takes Caermardhyn 146. Invited to the Government of Cardigan-shire ibid. Succeeds 147. War at Aberystwyth 148. Invidiously dispossess'd of his Estate 154. Dies 158. Gruffydh Son to the Lord Rhys succeeded his Father 116. Plagued with his Brother Maelgon 219. A hopeful Prince dies 222. Gruffydh ap Conan ap Owen ap Gwynedh buried in a Monk's Cowl the Superstition of it 221. Gruffydh Prince David's Brother endeavouring to make his escape out of the Tower of London breaks his Neck 263. His Body recovered and conveyed to Conwey and honourably buried 270. Gruffydh Llwyd Knighted by King Edward I. rebels 311. Treats with Sir Robert Bruce for Succours against the English with his Letter to him ibid. Over-runs North-Wales and the Marches and is taken Prisoner 313. Gurmundus a Norwegian from Ireland invades Britain 7. Gwenwynwyn worsted by the English 218. Refuses Homage to Prince Lhewelyn 222. At last consents to it 223. Detained Prisoner at Shrewsbury 225. Set at Liberty re-gains his Country 228. Revolts from Prince Lhewelyn and is dispossest 242. H. HArold succeeds Canute his Brother in England 83. Dies and is succeeded by Hardi Canute his Brother 85. Harold's favour with the King envied by his Brother Tosty who barbarously murder'd his Men at his House in Hereford and his Saying 7. Made King 98. Slain 100. Hasting a Dane invades France 40. His Policy to obtain Limogis 41. His Cruelty ibid. Henry I. his partiality in favour of the Normans 127. Makes his Brother Robert Prisoner and puts out his Eyes 128. Kind to Cadwgan the Father of Owen 132 Invades Wales with three Armies 140. Overcomes the French King 151. Lost his Children at Sea and marries 152. Invades Wales in danger ibid. Agrees with Meredith ap Blethyn and returns 153. his Death and Successor 156. Henry II. sends the Flemings into West-Wales 173. Invited to the Conquest of Wales ibid. Repulsed and in danger of his Life 174. Concludes a Peace with Prince Owen 175. Quarrels and concludes a Peace with France 187. Invades VVales and brings Prince Rhys to do him Homage 188. Invades VVales again with a most potent Army 190. Returns without any thing memorable and for Revenge puts out the Eyes of the Hostages 191. Makes a third Expedition into VVales to as little purpose ibid. Passes thro' VVales receiving Homage of Prince Rhys in his way to the Conquest of Ireland 198 199. Returns thro' VVales and inclined to leave it in a peaceable Condition 199 200. Engaged in a Civil War against his Son Henry 201. Makes a Peace with France and his Children forced to submit 202. Dies 209. Henry III. King of England invades Wales and is worsted 251. Inâ—ades Wales again 254. Makes Henry of Mâ—nmouth his General against the Welch but with in Suâ—â—ess 255 Laments the death of the Earl of Pembrock 256. Inâ—ades Wales and makes Prince David to submit 261 2 2 Invades Wales 263. Fights the Welch with no success and invites the Irish into Anglesey 265. Oppresses Wales and returns dissatisfied 269 270. Item 274. Wasts the Borders 275. Requires a Subsidy to subdue Wales 276. Dies 280. Henry eldest Son to Henry IV. created Prince of W. 318. Henry IV. makes unmerciful Laws against the Welch 319. Henry Duke of York created Prince of VVales 324. Henry VII grants the VVelch a Charter of Liberty and directed a Commission to enquire into the Birth and Quality of his Grandfather Owen Tudor 325. Henry VIII incorporates the VVelch with the English 326. Henry eldest Son to King James created Prince of VVales 328. Howel Dha preferred to be Prince of all VVales 50. His Laws ibid. Goes to Rome to have them confirmed 51. His Death and Issue 53. Howel ap Ievan expelled his Vncle Iago and took the Government of VVales upon him â—9 At last agree 60. Kills Edwal Fychan and the Reasons of it ibid. Overthrows the Danes 61. Invades England and is slain 62. He is succeeded by his Brother Cadwalhan who was quickly slain 63. Howel and Meredith Prince Lhewelyn's Murderers invite the Irish Scots into South-VVales 82. Slew Rhydderch and take the Government 83. Meredith slain by the Sons of Conan ap Sitsylht ibid. Howel attempts the recovery of South-VVales is overcome and slain by Prince Gruffydh near Tywy-Head 87. Howel ap Grono driven out of Rydcors Castle by the Normans 126. Basely betrayed to them and murthered 127. Howel ap Owen Gwynedh won the Castle of Ewyas 167. with his Brother Conan quarrel with their Vncle Cadwalader besiege and take the Castle of Cynfael from him 168. makes Cadwalader his Prisoner and possesses his Land ib. he lost all his Country to Cadelh Meredith and Rhys ap Gruffydh who put the Garison of Llanâ—hystyd to the Sword 169. I. IAgo ap Edwal recovers his Right to North-Wales 82. Slain in Battle against Gruffydh ap Lhewelyn 84. Ifor sent into Britain with an Army by his Father Alan 13. Routs the Saxons ibid. Marries Ethelburga â—entwyn's Cosin and succeeded him in the West-Saxon Kingdom 14. Founded Glastenbury-Abby ib. Dyed at Rome 15. John Arch-Deacon of Llanbadarn dies and is
canonized 160. John K. of England in his way to Ireland through Wales discharged a Criminal that murther'd a Priest 226. Famished Will de Bruce and Maud his Aunt at Windsor after his return 227. The reason of his Cruelty and Disaffection to Priests ib. Marches with a great Army into VVales and returns without Success 229 230. Makes a second Expedition ib. Orders Foulk Viscount Cardyff to subdue those that oppose in South-VVales and they at last do him Homage but quickly revolt 231 232. makes an Expedition into VVales 229. Makes a second and third and hangs the Welch Pledges reconciles himself to Rome and engages in a Civil War with his Barons 237. Dies and is succeeded by his Son Henry 242. Iorwerth ap Blethyn revolts from the Earl of Salop 124. Basely used by K. Henry for it the reason of it 125. delivered out of Prison 133. Forbids Owen and Madawc to retire to his Estate 134. Beset and slain by Madawc and Llywarch ap Trahern 137. Joseph Bishop of Llandaff dies at Rome 88. Ireland molested with Locusts 42. Ithel King of Gwent slain 28. L. LHewelyn ap Sytsylht makes himself Prince of all VVales 79. His good Government ib. Slays Meuric that rebelled against him with his own hand 80. suppresses another Rebellion 81. Basely slain ibid. Lhewelyn P. of North-VVales takes David ap Owen Prisoner 217. Receives Homage of most of the Welch Lords 222. Conquers Gwenwynwyn's Country 225. Makes an Expedition into South-VV and Maelgon flees 225 226. Marries Joan King John's Daughter 224. Sues and obtains Peace of the King by the means of his Wife 231. Animates the Lords of North-Wales to joyn with him in a Revolt against the King 233. Dispossesses the English of all their Holds in his Country 237. Takes Shrewsbury though excommunicated by the Pope 238. Subdues Cardigan and Carmarthen 240. Reconciles the â—onds in South-Wales 241. Subdues Powis 242. Refuses Assistance to King John against the Dauphine ibid. Makes Rynald Bruce who had revolted submit to him â—43 Receives the Submission and Allegiance of the Flemings in Dyfed ibid. Subdues the revolted Flemings again 246. Makes his Son Gruffydh submit ibid. Complained of to the King of England by young Rhys adjusts Matters with him 247. Seizes the Castle of William Marshal Earl of Pembroke in Wales and occasions a War between them 247 248. Worsts the English Army pays Homage to Henry III. 249. Destroys the Marches 252. Makes a Descent upon England 253. Being joyned by the Earl of Pembroke against King Henry routs his Army 254. Makes an Incursion into the King's Territories 255. Makes peace with the King 256. Sets his Son Gruffydh at liberty ibid. Buries his Princess Joan 257. Forced to quit the Siege of Ruthlan 258. Makes the Welch do Homage to his Son David ibid. Dies his Character and Issue â—59 Llewelyn ap Gruffydh and Owen Gôch his Brother declared Princes of North-Wales 269. Quarrel and Owen with his Brother David made close Prisoners 271. Recovers the In-land Country of North-Wales from the English 272. Wastes Cheshire ibid. Beats the Irish by Sea 273. Desires peace with the King but fails 277. Kind to Sir Roger Mortimer 278. Makes a Peace by the Popes Mediation with the King 279. Refuses to attend upon King Edward's Coronation 280. The Reasons for his refusal 281. An Accident made him pliable 283. Severe Conditions of Peace imposed upon him 284. Married to Elianor Earl Montfords Daughter at Worcester 285. Reconciled with his Brother David and joyn against the English 286. Offers to submit to the King conditionally 292. Sends a Letter to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and the general Answer of the Welch to his Proposals 293 294 295. Betrayed in Buellt and killed 297. London besieged by the Danes 65. M. MAhael dispossest of his Inheritance by his unnatural Mother Nests means and how 115. Madoc ap Meredith Prince of Powis sticks to the English Interest 173. Madawc reconciled to King Henry 138. Taken Prisoner by Meredith ap Blethin 139. Has his Eyes pulled out by Owen ibid. Madawc ab Owen Gwynedh sails into America 196. Plants a Colony there ib. Maelgon disturbs South-VVales 228. Beaten by his Nephews Rhys and Owen 229. March Earl of marries Owen Glyndwr's Daughter 318. Consented by indenture to divide England between Owen Piercy and himself 318. Maud the Empress lands in England and is received at Arundel 162. Meredith ap Owen possest of all Wales 64. Dispossest of North-Wales 67. And routed by Edwal ap Meuric their new Prince 68. Died without Issue Male 69. Meredith ap Owen made Prince of South-Wales 96. Slain in Battel against Caradoc ap Gruffydh 102. Meredith and Rhys ap Gruffydh prevail in South-Wales 171. Meredith's Death and Character 172. Merfyn frych is made King of Wales 24. is slain 27. Merlyn Ambrose and Sylvester their Time Country and Prophesies 10 11. Morgan Hên dies an Hundred Years old his Marriage Estate and Issue 58. Morgan ap Owen kills Robert Fitz-Gilbert and his Son 157. slain 175. Morgan ap Cadogan repents of his Murder committed 156. Murders committed 156. Item 163. N. NEwmarch a Norman obtains the Lordship of Brecknock and marries Nest Daughter to Llewelyn ap Gruffydh 115. Normans twice decimated and put to death in England 86. They waste and plunder Dyfed 103. They seize upon the Lordship of Glamorgan 113. The Names of the Adventurers ibid. They possess themselves of several Lordships in Wales 117. Divers of them slain in Cardigan ibid. Routed again by Cadwgan ap Blethyn Prince of South-Wales and their Castles destroyed 118. Slaughter'd divers times by the Welch and forced to quit the Country 119 120. Northumberland invaded by the Scots 109. O. OFfa King of Mercia makes a Ditch from Sea to Sea 20. his death 21. Owen ap Edwyn a Traytor to his Country 121. Made Prince of Wales by the English but soon lost it 122. his Death and Pedigree 126. Owen the Son of Cadwgan enamoured of Nest the Wife of Gerald King Henry's Lieutenant in Wales 129. steals her away ibid. flies into Ireland 135. returns and wasts the Country in conjunction with Maradoc ap Riryd 133. his Men slay an English Bishop the cause of Cadwgan his Fathers being dispossessed of his Estate 135. forced to flee into Ireland with Madawc ibid. returns and is reconciled to the King 138. divides Madawc's Estate between himself and Meredith ap Blethyn 139. flees for fear of King Henry into North-VVales 140. reconciled to the King 141. Owen is brave and Knighted in Normandy 142. imployed by King Henry against Gruffydh ap Rhys 148. slain by Gerald 149. Owen Gwynedh succeeds Prince of North-Wales 160. mightily concerned at the Death of his Son Run 165. takes and rases the Castle of Mould 166. pulls out his Nephew Cunedah's Eyes and castrates him 170. being provoked invades Llandhinam 193. dies his Character and Issue 194. Owen Cyfeilioc and Owen Fychan dispossess Iorwerth Gôch of his Estate in Powis 192. Cyfeilioc dies
by their Valour than by their Birth and Parentage He had by Gwladus the Daughter of Lhywarch ap Trahaern ap Caradoc Iorwerth Drwyndwn or the broken Nose Conan Maelgon and Gwenlhian by Christian the Daughter of Grono ap Owen ap Edwyn he had David Roderic Cadwalhon Abbot of Bardsey and Angharad afterwards married to Gruffydh Maylor He had by other Women several other Children as Conan Lhewelyn Meredith Edwal Rhun Howel Cadelh Madawc Eineon Cynwric Philip and Ryrid Lord of Clochran in Ireland Of these Run Lhewelyn and Cynwric died before their Father and the rest will be mentioned in the Sequel of this History David ap Owen PRince Owen Gwynedh being dead the Succession was of right to descend to his eldest legitimate Son Iorwerth Drwyndwn otherwise called Edward with the broken Nose but by reason of that Blemish upon his Face he was laid aside as unfit to take upon him the Government of North-Wales Therefore his younger Brothers began every one to aspire in hopes of succeeding their Father but A.D. 1170 Howel who was of all the eldest but base born begotten of an Irish Woman finding they could not agree stept in himself and took upon him the Government But David who was legitimately born could not brook that a Bastard should ascend his Fathers Throne and therefore he made all the Preparations possible to pull him down Howel on the other hand was as resolute to maintain his ground and was not willing so quickly to deliver up what he had not very long got possession of and so both Brothers meeting together in the Field were resolved to try their Title by the point of the Sword The Battel had not lasted long but Howel was slain and then David was unanimously proclaimed and saluted Prince of North-Wales which Principality he enjoyed without any Molestation till Lhewelyn Iorwerth Druryndwn's Son came of age as will hereafter appear But Madawc another of Owen Gwynedh's Sons finding how his Brothers contended for the Principality and that his native Country was like to be turmoil'd in a Civil War did think it his better Prudence to try his Fortune abroad and therefore leaving North-Wales in a very unsettled condition sailed with a small Fleet of Ships which he had rigg'd and man'd for that purpose to the Westward and leaving Ireland upon the North he came at length to an unknown Country where most things appeared to him new and uncustomary and the manner of the Natives far different from what he had seen in Europe This Country says the learned H. Lhoyd must of necessity be some part of that vast tract of ground of which the Spaniards since Hanno's time boast themselves to be the first Discoverers and which by order of Cosmography seems to be some part of Nova Hispania or Florida whereby it is manifest that this Country was discovered by the Britains long before either Columbus or Americus Vesputius sailed thither But concerning Madawc's Voyage to this Country and afterwards his return from thence there be many fabulous Stories and idle Tales invented by the Vulgar who are sure never to diminish from what they hear but will add to and increase any Fable as far as their Invention will prompt them However says the same Author it is certain that Madawc arrived in this Country and after he had viewed the Fertility and Pleasantness of it he thought it expedient to invite more of his Countrymen out of Britain and therefore leaving most of those he had brought with him already behind he returned for Wales Being arrived there he began to acquaint his Friends with what a fair and extensive Land he had met with void of any Inhabitants whilst they employed all their Skill to supplant one another only for a ragged Portion of Rocks and Mountains and therefore he would persuade them to change their present state of Danger and continual Clashings for a more quiet Being of Ease and Enjoyment And so having got a considerable Number of Welch together he bid his final adieu to his Native Country and sailed with Ten Ships back to them he had left behind It is therefore to be supposed says our Authour that Madawc and his People inhabited part of that Country since called Florida by reason that it appears from Francis Loves an Author of no small Reputation that in Acusanus and other places the People honoured and worshipped the Cross whence it may be naturally concluded that Christians had been there before the coming of the Spaniards and who these Christians might be unless it were this Colony of Madawcs cannot be easily imagined But by reason that the Welch who came over were not many they intermixt in a few Years with the Natives of the Country and so following their Manners and using their Language they became at length undistinguishable from the Barbarians But the Country which Madawc landed in is by the learned Dr. Powel supposed to be part Mexico for which Conjecture he lays down these following Reasons First as it is recorded in the Spanish Chronicles of the Conquest of the West-Indies the Inhabitants and Natives of that Country affirm by Tradition that their Rulers descended from a strange Nation which came thither from a strange Country as it was confessed by King Montezeuma in a Speech at his Submission to the King of Castile before Hernando Cortez the Spanish General And then the British Words and Names of Places used in that Country even at this day do undoubtedly argue the same as when they speak and confabulate together they use this British Word Gwrando which signifies to hearken or listen and a certain Bird with a white Head they call Fengwyn which signifies the same in Welch But for a more complete confirmation of this the Island of Corroeso the Cape of Bryton the River of Gwyndor and the white Rock of Pengwyn which are all British Words do manifestly shew that it was that Country which Madawe and his People inhabited As soon as the Troubles of North-Wales were over and Prince David securely settled in his Throne A.D. 1171 the Storm fell presently upon Powys For Owen Cyfeilioc the Lord of that Country had always as much as in him lay opposed the Interest and Advantage of Rhys Prince of South Wales upon which account Prince Rhys came with a great Army against Powys and having subdued Owen Cyfeilioc his Enemy he was for all that so favourable to him that upon his delivering him Pledges for his future Behaviour he presently departed out of Powys and returned with much Honour to South Wales And now all the States of Britain being at perfect Rest and Amity with one another the whole Tide and Scene of Action returned to Ireland for Henry King of England having called together all his Nobility began to consult about the Irish Expedition which had already been determined to be taken in hand To this Consultation there came some Messengers from Richard Strongbow Earl of Strigule Marshal of England to deliver up
Warden of the Marches of Wales who thinking to get to himself an eternal Name in conquering the Welch raised all the Power he could and imagining that the Welch could not be privy to his purpose he apprehended he could fall upon the Earl-Marshal unexpected But in this he was to his sorâ—ow most widely mistaken for the Earl having received private intimation of his Design hid himself â—n a certain Wood by which the English were to march and when they were come so far the Welch of a sudden gave a great shout and leaping out of the place they had absconded themselves in they fell â—pon the English being unprovided and putting their whole Army to flight they slew an infinite number both of the English and their Auxiliaries John of Monmouth himself made his escape by flight but the Earl-Marshal entering his Country destroyed it with Fire and Sword And what added to the Misery of the English Prince Lhewelyn in the Week after Epiphany joyning the Earl-Marshal made an Incursion into the King's Territories destroying all before them from the Confines of Wales to Shrewsbury a great part of which they laid in Ashes King Henry was all this while with the Bishop of Winchester at Glocester and for want of sufficient Power or Courage to confront the Enemy durst not take the Field of which being at length perfectly ashamed he removed to Winchester leaving the Marches naked to the mercy of the Enemy And now there being no apprehension of fear from the English the Earl of Pembrock by the Counsel of Geoffrey de Marisco transported his Army into Ireland thinking to obtain a Conquest in that Kingdom but in the first Encounter with the Irish he was unfortunately slain through the Treachery of his own Men And so his Estate and Title descended to his Brother Gilbert But King Henry finding it impracticable to force the Welch to a Submission and being in a great measure weary of continual Wars and incessant Hostilities thought it his best Prudence to make some honourable Agreement with the Prince of Wales and therefore he deputed Edmund Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishops of Rochester Coventry and Lichfield and Chester to treat with Prince Lhewelyn about a Peace When the King came to meet with them in their return from this Negotiation being at Woodstock he was certified of the death of the Earl of Pembrock which he took so much to heart that he presently melted into Tears being afflicted for the death of so great a Person whom he openly declared had not left his Second in all his Kingdom Going from thence to Glocester he met with the Archbishop and Bishops who delivered to him the * See the Appendix Form of the Treaty of Peace with Prince Lhewelyn which he would not conclude unless upon this condition That all the English Nobility who were confederated with him and by evil Counsel were exil'd should be recalled and restored to the King's Favour The Archbishop further acquainted his Majesty with what Difficulty he had brought the matter to this conclusion being sometimes forced to add Threatnings on the King's behalf with his Clergy to which Menaces the Prince is said to have answered That he bore more regard to the King's Charity and Piety than he did fear his Arms or dread his Clergy But the King who was very desirous of a Peace readily consented to what the Prince required and therefore he issued out his Letters recalling all the Nobles who were out-law'd or otherwise exil'd requiring them to appear at Glocester upon Sunday next before Ascension day where they should receive their Pardons and be restored to their Estates which the King had taken into his own hands The Peace being thus concluded betwixt the English and Welch Prince Lhewelyn set his Son Gruffydh at liberty whom for his disobedient and restless Humour he had detained in close Prison for the space of Six Years About the same time Cadwalhon ap Maelgon of Melienydh departed this Life who was quickly follow'd by Owen Gruffydh ap Rhys's Son a Person of great Worth and exceedingly beloved and A.D. 1235 was buried at Ystratflur by his Brother Rhys And the Year following dyed Owen ap Meredith ap Rotpert of Cydewen and not long after him Madawc A. D. 1236. the Son of Gruffydh Mayelor Lord of Bromfield Chirk and Yale who was buried at the Abby of Lhan Egwest or Vale Crucis which he had built leaving Issue behind him one Son called Gruffydh who succeeded into the Possession of all these Lordships A little after Gilbert Earl of Pembrock got by Treachery Marchen Castle which belonged to Morgan ap Howel and fortified the same very strongly for fear of Prince Lhewelyn The next Spring Joan King John's Daughter and Princess of Wales departed this Life and was A.D. 1237 buried according to her own desire upon the Sea-shore at a place called Lhanfaes in the Isle of Anglesey where the Prince in memory of her afterwards founded a religious House for the Order of Mendicant-Friars About the same time also dyed John Scot Earl of Chester without any Issue upon which account the King seized that Earldom into his own hands Hugh Lupus was the first that enjoyed this Honour who coming over to England with the Conquerour was by him created Earl of Chester and Sword-bearer of England Habendum tenendum dictum comitatum Cestriae sibi haeredibus suis ita liberè ad gladium sicut ipse Rex totam tenebat Angliam ad coronam To have and to hold the said County of Chester to him and his Heirs by right of the Sword so freely and securely as the King held the Realm of England in the right of the Crown After Five Descents Randulph Bohun came to be Earl of Chester who was Uncle to this John the last Earl This Randulph had several Encounters with Prince Lhewelyn and was in continual agitation against him but once more particularly meeting with the Prince and being sensible of his Inability to withstand him he was obliged to retire for Refuge to the Castle of Ruthlan which the Prince presently besieged Randulph perceiving himself to be in danger sent to Roger Lacy Constable of Chester requesting him to raise what strength he could possible and come to succour him in this Extremity Wherefore Lacy having received this Express called to him presently all his Friends desiring them to make all the Endeavours imaginable to rescue the Earl from that imminent Danger which so severely threatned him At whose request Ralph Dutton his Son in Law a valorous Youth assembled together all the Players and Musicians and such as then being Fair-time had met to make merry and presenting them to the Constable he forthwith marched to Ruthlan raised the Siege and delivered the Earl from all his fear In recompence of this Service the Earl granted the Constable several Freedoms and Priviledges and to Dutton the ruling and ordering all Players and Musicians within the said Country to be
enjoyed by his Heirs for ever A.D. 1238 In the Year 1238. Prince Lhewelyn being discomposed in Body called unto him all the Lords and Barons of Wales to Ystratflur where each of them swore to remain true and faithful Subjects and did Homage to David Lhewelyn's Son whom he had named to succeed him Matthew Paris writes that Prince Lhewelyn being impotent by reason of a Palsie and sore disquieted by his Son Gruffydh sent Embassadours to the King of England signifying to him that for as much as he could not expect to live long by reason of his Age he was desirous to lead the remainder of his days in Peace and Tranquility and therefore now purposed to submit himself to the Government and Protection of the King and would hold his Lands of him promising withal that whenever the King should stand in need of his help he would serve him both with Men and Money to the utmost of his power The Bishops of Hereford and Chester were sent Mediators in this behalf though some of the Nobility of Wales openly and peremptorily withstood it and upon no condition whatsoever would accept of such a Peace But David being declared Successor to the Principality began to plague his Brother Gruffydh who though elder was yet base-born and took from him Arustly Ceri Cyfeilioc Mowdhwy Mochnant and Careneon and let him only enjoy the Cantref of Lhyn But a little afterwards he dispossessed him of all and contrary to his Oath to the Bishop of Bangor in whose protection Gruffydh then remained took him Prisoner having upon promise of no Violence obtained to speak with him and sent him to Cricieth Castle But whilst these two Brothers continued to entertain an irreconcilable Odium one to another their Father Prince Lewelyn ap Iorwerth A.D. 1240 to the great Grief and Dissatisfaction of all the Welch departed this Life and was very honourably interred in the Abby of Conwey after he had reigned Six and Fifty Years He was a Prince of great Courage and Audacity and had no less Prudence in contriving than Boldness in executing any martial Adventure he was a great Support to the Welch and no less a Plague to the English he made very considerable Conquests upon the Borders and extended the Frontiers of Wales much beyond their former Limits He had Issue by his only Wife Joan Daughter to King John of England one Son called David who afterwards succeeded in the Principality of Wales and a Daughter named Gladys who was married to Sir Ralph Mortimer He had also a base Son named Gruffydh whom his Brother David kept a close Prisoner to his dying day David ap Lhewelyn PRince Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth being deceased his only legitimate Son David whom all the Barons of Wales had as is said in his Fathers Life-time sworn to obey legally succeeded in the Goverment wherein being actually confirmed he went to the King of England to Glocester and there did him Homage See Appendix for his Principality Then all the Barons both English and Welch who held any Lands in Wales in like manner did Homage and Fealty for the same But the English could not long refrain from their wonted Hostilities towards the Welch and thereupon Gilbert Marshal taking advantage of this Revolution before Matters were throughly settled brought an Army before the Castle of Aberteifi which being delivered up to him he fortified with a strong Garrison Prince David was as yet too weak to appear in the Field and indeed the more by reason that several of his Nobility and others could not affectionately love him for that unnatural Spleen he shew'd to his Brother Gruffydh whom for no visible reason he detained in close custody But above the rest Richard Bishop of Bangor stormed at the Prince and finding that he violated his Promise in setting his Brother at liberty whom under pretence of an amicable Consultation he had fraudulently seized upon in the Bishop's presence without more ado excommunicated him and then retiring to England made a very querimonious relation of the whole matter to the King desiring him to release Gruffydh out of Prison before the Rumour of so heinous a Fact should reach the Court of Rome and so reflect upon his Majesty's Reputation King Henry thereupon sent to his Nephew Prince David blaming him highly for such a treacherous Action and dealing so severely with his Brother and then earnestly requested him to deliver Gruffydh out of custody both to save himself from perpetual Defamation and to deserve an Absolution from the severe Sentence pronounced against him But David absolutely refused to comply to the King's desire assuring him that Wales could never enjoy a peaceable time as long as his Brother Gruffydh had his liberty Gruffydh being acquainted with his Brothers Resolution and thinking that thereby he had unavoidably displeased the King of England privately sent to King Henry assuring him that if by Force he would deliver him out of Prison he would not only hold his Lands for ever from him but also pay him the yearly Acknowledgment of Three Hundred Marks offering both to give his corporal Oath and to deliver up sufficient Pledges for the performance of it and withall to assist the King with all his Power in bringing in the rest of the Welch to his subjection Moreover Gruffydh ap Madawc Lord of Bromfield positively assured the King that in case he would lead an Army into Wales to revenge the Falsity and injurious Practices of David he would give him all possible Aid and Assistance Indeed King Henry besides this solemn Invitation had no weak Pretence to come to Wales for Richard Bishop of Bangor a fiery Man had prosecuted the matter so warmly at Rome that he obtained of the Pope also to excommunicate David which Excommunication being denounced against him his Lands were pretendedly forfeited But the King being chiefly allured with the Promises of the Welch in the behalf of Gruffydh levied a very formidable Army to lead to Wales strictly commanding by Proclamation all the English who owed him any Martial-Service to repair armed to Glocester by the beginning of Autumn This Rendezvouz being accordingly performed the King came thither in person at the time appointed and having regulated his Troops and put all Matters in convenient order he marched to Shrewsbury where he remained Fifteen Days to refresh his Army During his stay there several of the Nobility became Suitors unto him on behalf of Gruffydh whose Condition they desired he would commiserate among whom were Ralph Lord Mortimer of Wigmore Walter Clifford Roger de Monte Alto Steward of Chester Maelgon ap Maelgon Meredith ap Rotpert Lord of Cydewen Gruffydh ap Madawc of Bromfield Howel and Meredith the Sons of Conan ap Owen Gwynedh and Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn Lord of Powys These Noblemen prevailed so far with King Henry that a League was concluded between him and Senena the Wife of Gruffydh See Appendix For the performance of these Articles the aforesaid
the English and to be revenged upon them for their most cruel and almost inhuman Practices towards the Welch Having therefore drawn all his Power together being accompany'd by Meredith ap Rhys Gryc in the space of one Week he recovered out of the hands of the English all the inland Country of North-Wales and then all Merionyth with such Lands as Prince Edward had usurped in Cardigan which he bestowed upon Meredith the Son of Owen ap Gruffydh Having also forced Rhys Fychan out of Buelht he conferr'd it upon Meredith ap Rhys and in like manner bestowed all the Lands which he recovered between his Nobles reserving nothing to his own use besides Gwerthryneon the A.D. 1257 Estate of Sir Roger Mortimer The next Summer he entered into Powys and made War against Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn who always had taken part with and owned Subjection to the King of England which he totally overcame excepting the Castle of Poole some small part of Caerneon and the Country lying upon the bank of the Severn But Rhys Fychan was not satisfied with the loss of Buelht and therefore was resolved to try ro recover it to which end he went to the King of England of whom he obtained a very strong Army commanded by one Stephen Bacon which being sent by Sea landed at Caermardhyn in the Whitsun-Week From thence the English marched to Dynefawr and laid Siege to the Castle which valiantly held out until Lhewelyn's Army came to its Relief Upon the arrival of the Welch the English decamped from before the Castle and put themselves in posture of Battel which the Welch perceiving they made all haste to answer and oppose them Whereupon there ensued a very terrible Engagement which lasted a very long while this being for number of Men the greatest Battel that had been fought between the English and the Welch But the Victory favoured the Welch the English-men being at length forced to fly having lost above Two Thousand Men besides several Barons and Knights who were taken Prisoners After this the Prince's Army passed to Dyfed where having burnt all the Country and destroyed the Castles of Abercorran Lhanstephan Maenclochoc and Arberth with all the Towns thereunto belonging returned to North-Wales with much Spoil But as soon as he was arrived great Complaints were exhibited to Prince Lhewelyn against Jeffrey Langley Lieutenant to Edward Earl of Chester who without any regard to Equity and Conscience most wrongfully oppressed the Inhabitants of Wales under his Jurisdiction Whereupon the Prince to punish the Master for the Servant's Fault entred with some part of his Army into the Earl's Estate burnt and destroyed all his Country on both sides the River Dee to the Gates of Chester Edward had no power at present to oppose him but being resolved to be revenged upon the Welch with the first opportunity he desired Aid of his Uncle then chose King of the Romans who sent him a strong Detachment with which he purposed to give Prince Lhewelyn Battel But finding him too strong he thought it more advisable to desist from Hostility the Prince's Army consisting of Ten Thousand experienced Men who were obliged by Oath rather all to die in the Field than suffer the English to gain any Advantage over the Welch But Gruffydh ap Madoc Maelor Lord of Dinas Brân a Person of notorious Reputation for Injustice and Oppression basely forsook the Welch his Country-men and with all his Forces went over to the Earl of Chester A.D. 1258 The next Year Prince Lhewelyn passed to South-Wales and seized into his Hands the Land of Cemaes and having reconciled the Difference betwixt Rhys Gryg and Rhys Fychan he won the Castle of Trefdraeth with the whole Country of Rhos excepting Haverford Thence he marched in an hostile manner toward Glamorgan and rased to the ground the Castle of Lhangymwch and then returning to North-Wales he met by the way with Edward Earl of Chester whom he forced precipitously to return back But before he would put an end to this Expedition he must needs be revenged upon that ungrateful fugitive Gruffydh ap Madoc Maelor and thereupon passing thro' Bromfield he miserably laid waste the whole Country Upon this the Kings of England and Scotland sent to Lhewelyn requiring him to cease from Hostility and after that unmerciful manner to devour and forcibly to take away other Mens Estates The Prince was not over sollicitous to hearken to their Request but finding the time of the year very seasonable for Action against the English he divided his Army into two Battles each of these consisting of 1500 Foot and 500 Horse with which he purposed to enlarge his Conquest Edward Earl of Chester to prevent the Blow which so desperately hung over his Head sent over for Succors from Ireland of whose coming Prince Lhewelyn being certified manned out a Fleet to intercept them which meeting with the Irish at Sea after a sharp Dispute forced them to return back with loss King Henry being acquainted with the miscarriage of the Irish resolved to come in Person against the Welch and having drawn together the whole Strength of England even from St. Michael's Mount in Cornwal to the River Tweed marched with his Son Edward in a great Rage to North-Wales and without any opposition advanced as far as Teganwy But the Prince had stopped his farther Progress and prevented any long stay he could make in Wales having before hand caused all manner of Provision and Forrage to be carried over the River and then securing the strait and narrow Passages whereby the English might get on farther into the Country the Army was in a short time so mortally fatigued that the King for want of necessary Subsistance was forced to retire in haste to England with considerable loss The Prince after that sending for all the Forces in South-Wales came to the Marches where Gruffydh Lord of Bromfield finding that the King of England was not able to defend his Estate yielded himself up and then passing to Powys he banished Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn and took all the Lands in the Country into his Hands Proceeding farther he was encountred with by Gilbert de Clare Earl of Glocester who with a choice Party of English gave him Battel But Lhewelyn's Army exceeding both in Number and Courage easily vanquished and overcame the English and so the Victory being quickly obtained the Prince presently reduced to his Power all the Castles belonging to the Earl of Glocester King Henry hearing of the Earl's overthrow was much concerned at the loss of so many brave Souldiers in whose Valor and Experience he always put a very great Confidence and therefore to revenge their Deaths he was again resolved to march against the Welch Having called his Forces together and received Supply from Gascoign and Ireland he came to Wales but not daring to venture far into the Country for fear of being forced to make another shameful retreat he only destroyed the Corn near the Borders it being Harvest