conquisita fuit per dominum Edwardum nuper regem Angliae proavum demini principis nunc per quem conquestum tota terra tam de dominio quam in servitiis injuncta fuit annexa coronae Angliae The seventh Argument AFter this conquest of Wales by the overthrow of Rees ap Theodor and the expulsion of his son Griff ap Rees who was forced to fly to Ireland Griff ap Conan being then prince of Northwales and of greatest power of any prince there sithence the said division never stirred for the principality of Southwales which if he had been the supreme Prince of Wales by this occasion he should most properly and justly have done neither did any of the Princes of Northwales succeeding him to the last prince Lhewelyn ap Griffith make claime thereunto Albeit they were all of them one after the other the most powerfull worthy fortunate Princes that had ruled in Northwales since the division as OweÌ„ Gwynâ—th David ap Owen Lhewelyn ap Jorwerth David ap Lhewelyn and that they had the advantage in their times of the alteration of seven Kings of England a troubled state there to have attempted it But Griff ap Rees returning from Ireland to recover his patrimony in the weaknesse of his fortunes retired to Griff. ap Conan then prince of North wales whose daughter he had married had by her worthy sons Of whose return purpose Henry the first King then of England understanding knowing him to be the undoubted heir of Wales and that he would be received by the people sent for the prince of Northwales and drew him in to yield to the delivery of Griff ap Rees into his hands which the Prince attempted and had effected accordingly but that Griff ap Rees upon some notice thereof hardly escaped into the Sanctuary of Aberdaron whence the prince would have forced him but that he was rescued by the whole clergy of the countrey and thence conveyed to Southwales whereupon it is evident that if Griff. ap Conan had been soveraign prince of Wales de jure first no necessity compelling him he would not have been so undiscreet as to have put himselfe into the King of England's hands who claimed the soveraignty thereof neither would the king have suffered him to depart seeing by detaining him he might more easily have compassed his end Secondly the Prince of Northwales would not have been so injurious to himself as to have delivered Griffith ap Rees if he had been his homager of Southwales whereby to divest himself of his right thereunto by his own act But it is plaine that the prince of Northwales in respect of the conquering of Rees ap Theodor having submitted himself to the King of England as his homager and to his peace came to the king at his sending for him knowing well that the King was carelesse of him as touching the right of Soveraignty of Wales And so he yeilded to make his peace the firmer with the King to the betraying of his Superior of his guest and son in law and the son of him who got him the possession of the principality of Northwales Hereupon Griff ap Rees put himselfe in armes and so held himself during King Henries time and a part of King Stephens recovering a great part of Southwales and died leaving his troubles and possessions to his son called the Lord Rees who in the end made peace with king Henry the second and surrendred to him his title to the principality of Wales bringing the chiesest of the Nobility and Gentry of Southwales to Glocester where they submitted themselves to the King and received their lands and possessions by the Kings grant to hold of him And the Lord Rees accepted of the King to be his Justice of Southwales which office continued untill 27. of King Henry the 8. and ended in the Lord Ferrers of Chartley The Answer FOr Answer hereunto you must first conceive that Griffith ap Conan at the time of Rees ap Theodor's death was not so powerfull as you make him to be for as we read in the Author of his life he was then but newly escaped out of the Earl of Chester's prison where he had remained 12. years Secondly that notwithstanding his unsettled state in Northwales by reason of his said imprisonment and the King of Englands displeasure conceived against him he joyned forces with Cadwgan ap Bledhyn his son in law and entring Southwales after they had slaine in battell a great number of Normans a great part thereof though not all became subject to Cadwgan as the British history of the Princes relateth wherein also we find that afterwards Griff ap Conan sent his sons Owen and Cadwalladr twice to Southwales being one time accompanied with 6000 Footmen and 2000 Horsemen they took the Castles of Walter Espec and Richard de la Mare and also the Castles of Aberystwyth Dinerth and Caerwedros subduing the whole countrey to the town of Cardigan and after the slaughter of 3000 Normans in the field they chased the rest out of the Country restoring Griffith ap Rees to his father's inheritance and the ancient inhabitants to their former dwellings Which is sufficient evidence that they made claime to Southwales as soveraign Princes And Griffith ap Conan cannot be imagined to interest himselfe in the cause especially in his weaknesse by sending his subjects to the field but that he challenged the soveraignty thereof as due by inheritance and his son Owen Gwynedd prince of Northwales would not have entred Southwales in the first year of his reign as the Chronicle witnesseth overthrowing the Castles of Ystratmeuric Stephens and Hwmphreys and burning the town of Carmarthen and compelling part of Dyved to pay tribute unto him as Gwalchmai ap Meilir that lived in that age hath recorded retaining most of Cardigan in his own hands without claime or pretence of title Likewise when Henry 2. King of England made his third Expedition against Wales the Lord Rees and the power of Southwales and all the other Lords of Wales with their forces marched against the King under the conduct of the Prince of Northwales which directly proveth his soveraignty over all Wales After these tumults and turmoils Lhewelyn ap Jorwerth Prince of Northwales to prevent all doubt that might arise concerning his right made all Southwales and Powis swear fealty unto him as the book of Conwey makes good wherein we read that they acknowledged the like fealty to David his son and Lhewelyn the last Prince But as concerning the unkind dealing of Griff ap Conan with Gr ap Rees and Gr ap Conan's going to the King of England I cannot see how that deserves an answer as an Argument for the soveraignty in the Princes of Southwales Lastly you affirme that the Lord Rees surrendred his title to the principality of Wales to the King of England which seems unto me most improbable considering he would not voluntarily depose himself of such royall preheminence and
soveraignty without he were brought to such extremity that there were no other remedy whereas it is evident that the Lord Rees was in great favour with King Henry the second at the time you mention and had been for many years before witnesse the Office of being Justice of Southwales which the King had given him three years before that peace at Glocester as the book of Conwey mentioneth then also that he brought to the King's peace at Glecester no lords of Northwales or Powis but few of Southwales such as had formerly offended the King whereby it appears that his said resignation if there were any such extended no farther then his title of Southwales only and yet in regard that all the English writers do terme and stile the said Lord Rees King of Southwales even to the last period of his life I cannot readily believe that there was any such surrender made untill the same do appear by some Authentick record The eighth Argument THat the Princes of Northwales though some late writers of those parts call them Princes and Kings of Wales did not write themselues so nor were taken to be so in their time when there was fit occasion to set forth their title But ever since the conquering of Rees ap Theodor they did acknowledge this title from the Kings of England as may appear by the said submissions and transactions between the kings of England and the Princes of Northwales from the death of Rees ap Theodor to the death of Lhewelyn the last prince even as they are related by the writers of Northwales And which maketh it more evident when the Pope did absolve Lhewelyn ap Jorwerth from his oath of obedience made to King John and David ap Lhewelyn from his oath of obedience made to King Henry the third he gave them the title of Princes of Northwales only whereas both the Princes would have sought and the Pope would have yeilded them the title of Princes of Wales in that case especially for the larger extent of their absolutions if there had been ground for it Likewise it appeareth by the excommunication of Lhewelyn ap Iorweth when as he persisted in action against King Iohn after the Pope had made his end with the King that the Pope stiled him Prince of Northwales only and the colour that those writers do take to terme them of Northwales Princes of Wales was for that after the subduing of Rees ap Theodor the people of Wales had no other in their distresses to resort unto for protection but the Princes of Northwales And in that respect and not otherwise there being then no Princes of Southwales Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth Prince of Northwales being incited by the Pope and Barons against King Iohn did assume a command in most parts of Wales but it ceased in short time and he submitted himselfe and his country to King Henry the third The Answer IT it is certain that the Princes of Northwales howsoever they did lay down their titles were alwaies reputed and taken to be the soveraign Kings of Britaine Princes of Wales for Caradoc Lancarvan in Glamorganshire speaking of Anarawd prince of Northwales gives him the title and honour of King of the Britaines and chief King of Wales as is manifest in the ancient copies of his History Idwall oel his son is called by William Malmesbury and others Rex omnium Wallensium The same stile or the like in effect Caradocus attributeth unto the sons of Idwal Howel ap Jevaf Meredith ap Owen and Bleddyn ap Cynvyn Princes of Northwales Trhayarn ap Caradoc is called King of Wales by George Owen Harry a Gentleman of Southwales Griff ap Conan whom Mr. Camden calleth princeps Walliae was acknowledged by Rees ap Theodor himself to be Brenhin Brenhincedh Cymru that is King of the Kings of Wales as the Author of Griffiths life averreth whereby it clearly appears that the said Rees prince of Southwales pretended no right to the Soveraignty of Wales And Caradocus also saith that Griff ap Conan prince of Northwales was pâ—nna brenhin ac amdhiffynnwr a thangnefedhwr Crmruoll that is the chiefest King defender and peace-maker of all Wales Leoline the great also is by Mathew Paris Mat Westminster Polidor and all our British Antiquities termed prince of Wales and sometimes king of Wales as in an old British Ode dedicated to Lhewelyn by one Encon wan a Bard of that age is extant wherein he is called Gwir frenhin Cymru that is the true or naturall king of Wales And David Benvras a Bard of great estimation in his time in the funerall Elegy of David Lhewelyn's son calleth him mab brenhin Cymru that is the son of the king of Wales In like manner Prince David and Leotine the last are termed most commonly Princes of Wales by all Authors And here I may not passe how that our great Antiquary Mr. Selden in his notes upon Mi Draiton his Polilbion gives our Princes from Anarawd to the last prince the name and title of princes of Wales adding withall that after the division among Roderic Mawr's sons the principality was chiefly in Northwales and the rest as tributaries to the Prince of that part Seeing therefore that the princes of Northwales even from Roderic's time to Lhewelyn ap Griffith were reputed and taken to be the undoubted Princes and Kings of Wales I cannot be induced to change my opinion upon bare pretences be they never so specious Furthermore it is confessed that the Princes of Northwales did acknowledg as well the principality of Wales as the title thereof to the kings of England yet not only after the death of Rees ap Theodor but many hundred years before as it appears by tribute paid by our Princes unto the kings of England in acknowledgment thereof for in the dayes of the old Britains Tair talaith as we find in an old British Manuscript and in the British Triades a dheleid y dala wrth goron Lundain un ym-Henrhyn Rhionydhyny Gogledh ar ail daleith yn Aberfraw ar drydedh yn Gerniw that is three Coronets ought to be held of the Crown of London the one was the Crown or Coronet of Penrhynrhionydd in the North the second was of Aberfraw and the third that of Corawall And touching the Pope's absolution of Lhewelyn ap Jorwerth from an oath of obedience to the king of England by stiling him Prince of Northwales whence you infer that he was not Soveraign of any other part else the Pope would have given it him in his stile it concerns you before you make good your conceit herein to propose unto us the Pope's own words in the Originall and then to shew your self to be of his Counsell that when he named Northwales the chiefest seat you might be sure he did thereby intend to take away the Soveraignty over the rest of Wales And that Northwales exceeded Southwales in respect of supremacy you may be easily convinced if you look back into those times when the Britains
BRITISH Antiquities revived OR A friendly Contest touching the soveraignty of the three Princes of VVales in ancient times managed with certain arguments whereunto answers are applyed By ROBERT VAUGHAN Esq To which is added the Pedegree of the right Honourable the Earl of CARBERY Lord President of WALES with A Short account of the five Royall Tribes of CAMBRIA by the same Author Sunt duo tresve qui revelvant Nostrarum tineas ineptiarum Martial l. 11. OXFORD Printed by HEN HALL Printer to the University for THOMAS ROBINSON 1662. To the right worshipfull Sr. RICHARD WYNNE of GWEDIR Baronet and Knight for the County of CARNARVAN in this present Parlament SIR I Had designed this small Treatise being the first fruits of my study in Antiquities for your honoured Father but failing of my purpose by reason of his death which was untimely to his friends though not to himself I thought I might not without being highly injurious present a thing once devoted to him to any else besides your self who as his heir might lay a just claime to it and also to my most humble services I promise my self you will vouchsafe it a kind entertainment since I know both your goodnesse and your interest in the subject as lineally descended from the Princes of Northwales whose rights are therein maintained are more then sufficient to oblige you thereto The writing of it was upon this occasion some Gentlemen of Southwales being dissatisfied with Caradoc of Lancarvan's History of Wales published by Dr. Powel in regard that therein the Prince of Northwales is held forth to be Soveraigne over the other two Princes of Southwales and Powis as being of the elder house thought fit in order to the compiling of a more exact history to draw up certain arguments for the soveraignty of all Wales to be in the Prince of Southwales and to send them also into Northwales to see what could be said in answer to them before any further use should be made of them They were delivered by Sr. Thomas Canon late of Pembrokeshire Kt. to Sr. John Lloyd of the Inner Temple Kt. and Sergeant at Law who delivered them to me above 40 years ago desiring I would take the pains to peruse and answer them as well as I was able At his intreaty I undertook it and as you will find done somewhat in it though in a rude manner which I hope will be excused in a person whose only designe is plainly to set forth the truth which shews alwaies best in its own proper colours without the elaborate dresse and varnish of Rhetorick But some men possibly may object against this undertaking of mine that it was needlesse and that if it had been to any end it was no discretion to revive and publish an old Contest long since God be praised happily decided I confesse we have reason to blesse God for his mercy to us in our happy establishment under one Monarch we may well say we were conquered to our gain and undone to our advantage periissemus nisi periissemus But yet it must be granted that it is no small delight that redounds from the revolving and perusall of old records though Troy hath for severall ages layn buried in its ashes both its glory and government being quite dissolved though the Athenian Spartan Theban and other petit Grecian Estates have long since had their periods yet we still take a great deale of satisfaction in reading their stories how they began grew up flourished strove decayed Besides there may be this good use made of it viz that by reflecting upon our former miseries and divisions while we contended for soveraignty we may be induced to put the greater value upon our present happinesse Thus having given you an account of the worke and what I had to say in its defence I commend it to your protection and with my prayers to God for you and your noble family remain Sir Your faithfull Servant at command ROB VAUGHAN Hengwrt May the 9th 1662. The state of the Question RODERIC the great King of Wales about Aâ— Dom 876. did dispose the three Principalities thereof to three of his sons viz. Southwales to Caedelh who is maintained in this Treatise to be the Eldest Northwales to Anarawd who is held by some late writers of Northwales to be the Eldest and Powis to Mervyn who is held by some other writers of Northwales to be the Eldest which being least probable as touching Mervyn the Question here is Whether Cadell or Anarawd were the Eldest son of Roderic the great and which of them had the soveraigne power and rule over all Wales Arguments proving Cadelh Prince of Southwales to be the Eldest Son of Roderic the great King of Wales and that he and his issue after him had a superiority over the rest of the Princes over his two Brethren and the Descendants from them The first Argument THE principalitie of Powys after the death of Mervyn the youngest Brother who died without issue according to the most credible writers of the Antiquities of VVales descended to Cadelh as the Eldest brother and Heir and from him to Howel Dha his Son and so to Bledhyn ap Convyn by due course of inheritance from Cadelh And for the opinion that Mervyn had a Son named Lhewelyn whose Daughter and Heir was married to Mredith ap Owen third son of Owen ap Howel Dha and great Grandchild to Cadelh and that thereby Powys came to the line of Cadelh it is fit the authority thereof do appear before it receive credit Likewise whereas some Writers for Northwales do alledge that Cadâ—lh took Powys by force from his brethren after the death of his brother Mervyn it is therefore impliedly confessed that Mervyn had no children and it is not unlike that he actually entred into and seized Powys as his inheritance and that his brethren might pretend to have portions there by Gavel-kind upon the death of their brother Mervyn But could he carry a principality from all the race of Roderic who had diverse sons besides those three princes by strong hand and without right or opposition whereas it doth not appear throughout the whole course of the histories of Wales that either there was any stirre or claime made by the prince of Northwales or any of the descent of Roderic for Powys or any entries made by them into that country untill after the soveraignty thereof came to the King of England by the conquering of Rees ap Theodor that they made head in those parts as in other parts of Wales against the invasion of the Lords Marchers whereas they might have done it most easily seeing it wholly bordereth on Northwales and is farthest from Southwales and especially being incited and warranted thereunto for recovery of their right And if a judgment may be made that that which is ill gotten cannot long endure Et de male partis tertius haeres non gaudebit then let the long continued descent of diverse parts of
Powys in the heires of Cadelh plead for him that he came justly and lawfully to it for the Lordship of Mowthwy being a part of Powys is enjoyed to this day by descent from Cadelh And a great part thereof was held untill of late time by Grey Lo Powys by like descent and the rest of the possessions continued long in his posterity and line untill by partition they were branched into diverse families whereof a great pâ—rt is now in the Crown by severall meanes howbeit the soveraignty remained still in the heires of Cadelh as Prince of Southwales which appeareth by their chastising the defections and taking pledges for the obedience of the Lords of Powys and such testimonies of Soveraignty related by the writers of Northwales It is alledged also by some of them that the possession of Powys was witheld by the heires of Brochwel Ysgythroc who was Prince thereof about An Dom. 617. If that were true theâ— Cadâ—lh did not take Powys by force from his brethren But for the truth hereof Roderic was lineall heir to Brochwel Ysgyâ—hroc viz. son of Mâ—rvyn Vrych son of Nest sister and heir of Cyngen son to Cadelh son to Brochwel Ysgythroc And thereby Roderic had both the Right and Possession of Powys And therefore untill another Heir be found or other descâ—nts appear from Brochwel Ysgythroc to Bledhyn ap Convyn then by the line of Roderic the great and all the persons be mentioned that held Powys in all that time other then the line of Roderic the beliefe of this allegation may be well suspended And thus the way is cleared to conclude upon this first point that Cadelh was the Eldest and soveraigne Prince of Wales by the descending of Powys unto him Anarawd maintained to be the Eldest son of Roderic the great and to have the right of Soveraignty over all Wales and so likewise his successors the Princes of Northwales The Answer to the first Argument THE later Prince of Powys held that by inheritance from the third son of Rodâ—ric the great as Mr. Camden in these words declareth Powissiae principes à tertio filio Roderici magni prognati hunc agrum viz Mountgomerieshire cum aliis perpetuâ serie ad Ed 2. temporatâ—nuerunt Therefore Cadelh prince of Southwales out of whose loines the later princes of Powys were descended must of necessity be the third son oâ— Roderic the great which degree of Birth the white book of Hergest Thoâ— Maylor Jo Leland Hum Llwyd Myles and many more both modern and ancient Authors do attribute to Cadell by name And if to avoid that you will say that Camden by tertio filio did not mean Cadelh theâ— must Mervyn be the man and consequently he must have issue else the later princes of Powys could not derive themselves from Roderic and iâ— he had issue then Cadell could not have Powys by inheritance as being the Eldest of the 3 Brethren what was got otherwise is not the thing in question And truly to deny Mervyn's issue were injury in the highest degree offered to diverse Gentlemen of Wales descending from him and in particular to the reverend and learned Judge Sr. William Jones of Carnarvan shire Kt. and lately one of the Justices of the Kings bench who derives his pedegree lineally from Triffin the son of Mervyn and if you doubt whether Mervyn had such a son a very ancient parchment MS. written above 400 yeares agoe will resolve you O Driffin mab Mervyn mab Rodri mawr ydd benyw gwehelyeith Riw o Leyn that is the inheritors of Rhiw in Llyn are descended of Triffin the son of Mervyn the son of Roderic the great Likewise in a Genealogy of the princes of Northwales Southwales and Powys descending from Roderic the great annexed to a Latine copy of the Lawes of Howel Dha we find that Idwal voel son to Anarawd King of Northwales did marry Avandreg the daughter of Mervyn King of Powis upon whom he begat Meuric the Ancestor of Lhewelin the great prince of Northwales But the ancient and learned Giraldus Cambrensis in the relation of the Genealogy of the said Llewelyn the great hath not only himself fallen into an error but hath drawn many learned and grave Antiquaries that followed his tract into the same snare for speaking of this Avandreg he saith she was the Son and not the Daughter of Mervyn the which Mervyn against all Antiquity and truth he calleth prince of Northwales and so ascendeth to Roderic the great by the feminine line making no mention at all of Idwal voel the son of Anarawd prince of Northwales indeed whom ancient writers term and stile by the name of Ludwallus rex omnium Wallâ—nsium who also as is said before upon this Avandreg the daughter and not the son of Mervyn king of Powis begat the forenamed Meurig the Ancestor of Leoline the great But for your better satisfaction of the ground whence Giraldus did conceive this error behold these Rundlets following Rodric the great Anarawd K. of North. wales Idwal Voel K. of N.W. Mervin K. of Powis Avandrec daughter Meiric Farther more Caradoc Lancarvanensis a Southwales man who lived about 500 yeares agoe saith that a son of Mervyn named Haeardur was drowned An 953. My last witnesse for Mervyn's issue will be George Owen Harry another Southwales man who saith that Angharad daughter and heir of Llewelin the son of Mervyn king of Powis was married to Owen ap Howel dha not to Mredyth the said Owen's son as you say his testimony seeing he was an Antiquary of Southwales and a strong maintainer of Cadelh's Supremacy ought to move you to believe this point especially seeing that this marriage is the only title that the said Author ascribeth to the posterity of Cadelh over Powis which whether it were lawfull as he is of opinion or unlawfull as may be inferred out of the words of the English History of the princes of Cambria I leave others to judge it shall suffice me to prove that the Prince of Northwales not of Southwales had the Soveraignty of Powis as doth appear when Owen surnamed the great prince of Northwales having in his company Cadwalader ap Gr ap Conan his brother and the Lord Rees prince of Southwales entred Powis and chasing Owen Cyveiliog Prince thereof out of the Country seized upon all his inheritance and gave Caerenion to Owen Vachan to hold of the prince of Northwales the rest he reserved to himselfe saving Dywalwern a little piece of Cyueiliog which he gave the Lord Rees because according to the book of Conwey the report went that it stood within the confines of the said Rees his dominions Hereby it is manifest that the soveraignty of Powis did not belong to the prince of Southwales for if it had questionlesse the Lord Rees then present would have chalenged the same as his right by inheritance and that it did of right appertain to the prince of Northwales may farther appear by an ancient Inquisition taken at Bala before Humphrey Duke
countrey absolutely within the Is◠of Britaine contrarily Southwales is very weak in situation and therefore open for the invasion of all Strangers but more especially of the Saxons that bordered even on the neck thereof And yet it had another inconvenience worse then all the rest by reason whereof it was reputed even in those dayes to be far worse then Northwales though it were greater in quantity and that is this Southwallia saith Giraldus quanquam quantitate longè major propter nobiles tamen qui vchelwyr quasi superiores viri vocantur quibus abundabat qui dominis rebelles esse solebant d minumque ferro detrectabant deterior esse videbatur Is it likely then that Roderic the great would prefer his Eldest son and soveraigne prince of the Britaine 's to a Kingdome that did not only want naturall fortification but had also the unhappinesse of having inhabitants whose condition and priviledges disposed them to Rebellion But if our opinions in this case be conceived not authentick as proceeding from prejudice Mr. Camden an indifferent person may be thought fit to decide the controversie And to say no more to this Argument let your own Countryman Giraldus his forementioned Incomparabiliter prevaile upon you to be of another judgment The third Argument THat Howel Dha the eldest son of Cadelh and succeeding him prince of Southwales did command the Archbishop of St. Davids and all the Bishops of Wales and chiefest of the Clergy to the number of 140. and all the Barons and Nobility of Wales and six of the most wise and best esteemed in every Commot of Wales for the Commonalty to assemble at his pallace called Y tu gwyn ar Tas in Dyved in Southwales where with great solemnity he did ordain the Lawes whereby Northwales and Powis and all the people throughout the whole dominion of Wales were governed and ordered untill after the conquering of Rees ap Theodor that King Henry the first did plant the common law of England first in the counties of Glamorgan and Pembrock which were conquered and made Counties from that time and that the Lords Marchers as they won into Wales did settle a forme of Justice mixt of the common law and of the lawes of Howel Dha yet so distempered as justly may be said with regal jurisdiction permitted for the time by the King of England that in the end it became as intolerable to the Crown as to the people which lawes of Howel Dha were neverthelesse entirely executed within so much of the principality of Northwales as continued in the four ancient counties there viz. Anglesey Carnarvan Merioneth and Flint and in the counties of Carmarthen and Cardigan in Southwales untill the subduing of Llewelyn ap Griffith the last prince of Northwales that King Edward the first ordained the statute of Ruthlan for justice to be done in these six last recited counties wherein all the principality of Wales then remained howbeit many of the lawes of Howel Dha continued in force as well in those counties as in the Lordships march rs untill the Statute of Wales in 27. H. 8. even as some few do continue to this day under the title of Customes Upon all which it is also concluded that to give or ordain lawes and with these muniments of Authority proveth without question a Soveraignty The Answer HOwel Dha prince of Southwales by reason of the incapacity as you say in your 5th Argument of the Heir apparent of Northwales took upon him the rule and government of all Wales Which being true it is not to be marvelled at if he commanded the clergy and nobility of all Wales to assemble before him that by their counsell and advice he might reforme the ancient lawes of the Brittaines nor yet if the succeeding princes of Northwales finding those lawes good wholsome and confirmed by the Sea Apostolick and also such as did not abrogate but confirme their Soveraignty over all Wales embraced them and commanded their subjects to obey them duly considering that his said Authority was grounded upon his regency over Northwales and the Heir thereof as manifestly appeares when Howel Dha in his said lawes saith that verbum regis Aberfraw est verbum super omnes reges Walliae nullius verbum est super ipsum So that whereas you would derive a soveraignty to Howel Dha from his power in making lawes you should first have suppressed or burnt all the Copies of the lawes of How Dha which give to the King of Northwales an absolute soveraignty over all Wales The fourth Argument THat the Bishops of Northwales were created and consecrated in Southwales by the Archbishop of St. Davids that they were his Suffragans and subject to his Sea And therefore Roderic in the division did aptly dispose the soveraign jurisdiction temporall in the territory where the soveraign jurisdiction spirituall was seated which otherwise had been absurd and would undoubtedly have bred great troubles The Answer IN regard the Soveraignty of the Eldest son of Roderic extended over all Wales it is not materiall in what part thereof the Ecclesiasticall supremacy be seated for be it in the territory of the third or second brother it cannot prejudice the Eldest that is Soveraign over all Your Argument did I hold it firme would perswade with me to make Edlstan the youngest son of Eghert to have a soveraignty over his eldest brother Ethelwolph as being King of Kent wherein is seated Canterbury the chiefest Sea for spirituall jurisdiction or well might I gather that the king of Dyved in whose Kingdome St. Davids lay was superior to Cadelh and his successors by reason of his good neighbourhood with the Archbishop The fifth Argument THat the prince of Southwales did seize the principality of Northwales and removed the princes thereof upon occasiou or offence committed as the said Howel Dha did seize the same partly by the incapacity of Meuric son of Edwal voel to govern and to stay the usurpation of others upon that pretence whereby to preserve the general peace of Wales and partly by forseiture for spoile that had been done by the prince of Northwales upon his countries of Cardigan and Ystradgwy This prince Howel as the writers of Northwales do record was of a goodly behaviour just and discreet in his government and beloved of men wherefore he obtained the attribute of Dha which is in English the good whereby it is to be concluded probably that his coming to the principality of Wales was upon just and lawfull grounds Likewise Owen ap Howel Dha his son prince of Southwales did seize Northwales out of the hands of Cadwalhon ap Jeuaf for usurpation and tyranny and made Mredith his third son Prince there which if it had been the soveraign seat he would not have permitted his younger son to enjoy it and to become thereby his superiour And in this point the writers of Northwales do obscure the truth with some art by concealing this to be done by the power of the father
with the rest is sufficient to prove that Anarawd Prince of Northwales was the eldest son of Roderic the great and therefore soveraign King of the Britains which Merdhin Silvester 300 years before Anarawds birth foretold to wit that he should be supreme prince of the Britains after his father Roderic Now time calleth me to come to my last argument which is that the Princes of Southwales and Powis payed a tribute to the Prince of Northwales Wherein to deale briefly I will not trouble you here with the testimony of our great Antiquary Mr. Selden before mentioned in my Answer to your 8. Argument nor with the authorities of our other late writers but will content my selfe with the ancient laws of our British Princes where thus we read Try mychdeyrn dyledoc a dhylu gwladychu Cymruoll danei thervyneu brenin Aberffraw arglwydh Dinefwr a hwn Mathraval Tri phrif lys arbenic sydh ir tri theyrn hyn yn essyddyneu breiniawl ydhynt Vn yw Aberffraw yngwynedh Dynevwr yny Deheu a Mathraval wynva ym Powys a llyma mal y dosparthwyd eu teyrnasau hwynt yn dair rhan vn bie vchafiaeth ar y dhwy nit amgen noc Aberffraw pie y bendevigaeth Teir mychdeyrn dhylyet adhylyir o Gymru olh Aberffraw gan y dhwylys hynny adhylu vn o Dhinefwr sef yw honno melget pedeir tunelh o vel a gassei pedeir mu ymhob tunelh dwy grenneit ymhob mu lhwyth deuwr ar drossol ym hob gren Peillget o Wynva a ymodh hunw hefyd Thus Englished Three lawfull Kings ought to rule all Wales under its bounds the King of Aberffraw in Northwales the Lord of Dinefwr and this of Mathraval these three Princes have three principall courts for their Princely dwellings Aberffraw in Northwales Dinefwr in Southwales and Mathraval wynfa in Powis Thus their Dominions were divided into three parts one hath a soveraignty over the other two viz. Aberffraw hath the Primacy Three princely Tributs are due out of all Wales whereof Aberffraw ought to have from those two seats one from Dinefwr which is a tribute of honey viz. 4. tuns of Honey every tun containing 4. mu every mu 4. grens every gren as much as two men could carry between them on a leaver the other is the like quantity of flower of Mathraval wynva This I hold sufficient proof that that Southwales and Powis were tributaries to Northwales and this should suffice me for this time had not Howel Dha a prince of Southwales and the son of Cadelh decreed in his Laws that as the King of Northwales was to pay a tribute to the King of London so should all the Kings of Wales pay tribute to the King of Northwales LXIII libras est mychdeyrn dyled quod rex Aberfrau reddere debet regi Londoniae semel cùm acceperit terram suam ab eo pâ—stea verò omnes reges Walliae debent terram suam ab eoaccipere i. e. à rege Aberffraw illi reddere meicheerd deleet abediw pâ—st eorum mortem verbum illius verbum est super omnes reges nullius verbum est super ipsum that is to say sixty three pounds is the Monarchicall tribute which the King of Aberfraw ought to the King of London when once he hath received his lands of him afterwards all the Kings of Wales ought to take their lands of him that is of the King of Aberfraw and to pay him a reliefe after their death And his law is a law over the Kings and no mans law is over him So saith Howel Dha The weight of these reasons makes me omit diverse others and many conjectures together with the vulgar opinion for seeing before Roderic's time the case is made out by good proofs and that in Roderic and his sons times and their posterity it is still strengthned with the authorities of both Southwales and Northwales new and old writers I see no reason why you should not conclude with me That the Princes of Northwales had the soveraignty over all Wales THE END A Mistake touching the Pedegree of the Earl of CARBERY corrected FInding a mistake in a book lately printed called Cambria triumphans touching the Pedegree of the right honourable the Earl of Carbery the Author making him to be descended from Gwaethvoed of Cardigan whereas indeed Gwaethvoed of Powis was his Ancestor I thought I should be wanting to my duty to that Noble person and the truth if I did not when I had an opportunity endeavour what lay in me the rectifying of it The Gentleman the Author I do very much respect and honour for his love expressed to our Country in his worthy pains to maintain the honour of it and do not so much impute the mistake to him being a stranger as to our late unskilfull Recorders of Genealogies who by reason of their not examining things throughly and not studying Chronology better have been the occasion of his Error In their writings they deliver to posterity that Gwaethvoed of Cardigan was the Father of Gweristan the Grandfather of Blethyn ap Cynvyn King of Wales the Earl's Ancestor but without any grounds for it as I shall make it to appear by shewing 1. That there were two Gwaethvoeds 2ly that Gwaethvoed of Cardigan could not be the great Grandfather of Blethyn ap Cynvyn and so not the Earl of Carbery's Ancestor That there were two Gwaethvoeds our boâ—ks of Pedâ—grees assure us which make often mention both of Gwaethvoed vawr of Powis and of Gwaethveed of Cardigan They are recorded as distinct persons the one being stiled of Powis the other of Cardigan for distinction's sake And they appear further to be distinct by their distinct Coates of Arms and distinct Pedegrees he of Powis beareth vert a Lyon rampant A. imbrued head feet and tayle the other Or a Lyon rampant regardant S. langued and armed G. And for their Pedegrees books written about 400 years ago say that Gwaethvoed of Powis was the son of Gwrhydr ap Caradawc ap Lles Llawddeawc c. to Beli Mawr Belinus magnus Monarch of Britaine the father of King Lud and of Cassibâ—lan who was King when Julius Caesar first entred Britaine And there are other books that derive the Pedegree of Gwaethvoed of Cardigan to Gwythno Garanir Lord of Cantre Gwaelod to wit that large Plaine extending it self between the Countyes of Carnarvan Cardigan and Pembroke long since swallowed up by the Sea thus Gwaethvoed ap Eunydd as Lewis Morgannwc saith but others leaving out Eunydd say he was the son of Cadivor ap Peredur peiswydh ap Eneon ap Eunydd and so to the said Gwythno Garanir and in a direct line from him to Cunedha wledig King of the North and Cambria That Gwaethvoed of Cardigan could not be the great Grandfather of Blethyn ap Cynvyn c. for Blethyn was neer of this Gwaethvoed's age Caradoc of Lancarvan in his history of Wales tells us that Blethyn was slaine A. D. 1073. being born as may be conjectured about 1023. supposing