right Earle of VVarwick and had issue two daughters Marie married to the Duke of Clarence and Anne married first to Prince Edward slaine at Teuxburie and after his death with Richard Duke of Glocester who was afterward king of England The said Anne and king Richard being then Duke of Glocester had the said lordship giuen vnto them by the said Anne Countesse of VVarwick hir mother King Henrie the seuenth enioied the same after the death of king Richard Iasper Duke of Bedford enioied the same by the gift of king Henrie the seuenth and died without issue and by reason thereof it remained to the king againe King Henrie the eight enioied the same after his Father King Edward the sixt succéeded him therein and sold almost all the lands thereof Quéene Marie succéeded him in the Segniorie Queene Elizabeth our most dread souereigne Ladie that now is doth succéed hir in the same Segniorie and hath sold the Lordship of Neth from it so that now there remaine no more lands appertaining to the Segniorie but the moitie of the manour of Deinaspowys onelie ¶ The Petegree of Londres Lord of Ogmore one of the said twelue WIlliam Londres Lord of the castell and manour of Ogmore as is before said wan afterwards the lordships of Kydwelhey and Carnewilhion in Caermarthen shire from the Welshmen and gaue to sir Arnold Butler his seruant the castell and manour of Dunreeven in the lordship of Ogmore aforesaid The which euer sithence hath continued in the heirs male of the said Arnold Butler vntill within these few yeares that it fell to Walter Vaghan sisters sonne to Arnold Butler the last of the Butlers that was owner thereof Simon de Londres his sonne succéeded him William de Londres succéeded his father Simon and had issue one sonne Moris de Londres his sonne succéeded him and had issue one onelie daughter The said daughter married with one Seward a man of great possessions They had issue a daughter onelie married to Henrie Earle of Lancaster brother to Thomas Earle of Lancaster Henrie their sonne made afterwards Duke of Lancaster did succéed them and so the said thrée Lordships Ogmore Kydwelhey and Carnewilhion became parcels of the duchie of Lancaster euer after ¶ The Petegree of Greenefeeld SIr Richard Greenefeeld before said to whom the lordship of Neth was giuen in reward was lord of the castell and manour of Bydyford in Deuonshire at the time he came into Wales with the said Robert Fitzhamon and founded an abbaie of white moonkes in Neth and gaue the whole lordship to the maintenance of the same and then returned backe againe to Bydyford whereas the issue male of his bodie doth yet remaine and enioieth the same The Petegree of Turberuile Lord of Coyty SIr Paine Turberuile Lord of Coyty as is before said Sir Symon Turberuile succéeded him and died without issue Sir Gilbart Turberuile succéeded his brother Sir Paine Turberuile his sonne succéeded him and married Mawd daughter and sole heire to Morgan Gam one of the nephewes of the aforesaid Iestyn Sir Gilbart their sonne quartered Iestyn his armes with Turberuiles Sir Gilbart his sonne succéeded him Sir Richard his sonne succéeded him Sir Paine his sonne succéeded him who married with VVenlhian daughter to Sir Richard Talbot knight and had issue by hir two sonnes that is to wit Gilbart and Richard and foure daughters namelie Catharine Margaret Agnes and Sara Sir Gilbart succéeded Sir Paine his father Sir Gilbart his sonne succéeded him and died without issue Sir Richard his fathers brother succéeded him and hauing no issue entailed the Lordship of Coity to the heires male of Sir Roger Berkerolles knight Sir Roger Berkerolles knight sonne to Sir VVilliam Berkerolles knight and Phelice his wife one of the daughters of Veere Earle of Oxenford which said Sir Roger had married Catharine the eldest sister of the said Sir Richard And for default of such issue the remainder to the heires male of Sir Richard Stakpoole knight who married with Margaret second sister of the said Richard And for default of such issue the remainder to the heires of Sir Iohn de la Beare knight and Agnes his wife the third sister to the said Richard And for lacke of such issue male the remainder to the heires male of William Gamage and of Sara his wife the fourth sister to the said Sir Richard Turberuile The said Berkrolles Stakepoole and De la Beare died without issue male by reason whereof after the death of sir Laurence Berkerolles knight sonne to the said sir Roger and Catharine his wife the said Lordship fell to sir William Gamage sonne to Gilbert sonne to the foresaid William Gamage and Sara The said William was sonne to sir Robert Gamage knight sonne to Paine Gamage Lord of the manour of Rogiade in the countie of Monmowth The foresaid sir William had issue Thomas Thomas had issue Iohn Iohn had issue Morgan Morgan had issue sir Thomas Gamage knight and Margaret wife to Ienkin Thomas and Anne wife to Robert Raglan and Catharine wife to Reginald ap Howel and Wenlhian wife to Thomas ap Meyric The said sir Thomas Gamage had issue Robert Gamage that late was Catharine his eldest daughter wife to sir Thomas Stradling knight Marie the second daughter wife to Matthew Herebert Margaret the third daughter wife to the Lord William Howard and Elizabeth the fourth daughter wife to Richard Hogan of Penbrooke shire esquier The said Robert Gamage had issue Iohn Gamage that now is Sole heire generall to the said sir Roger Berkrolles knight and Catharine one of the foure sisters and heires generall to the aforesaid sir Richard Turberuile knight is sir Edward Stradling knight that now is Sole heire generall to the said sir Richard Stakepoole of Penbrooke shire and Margaret his wife another of the foure sisters and heires generall to the said sir Richard Turberuile knight is sir George Vernon knight Heires generall to the said sir Iohn de la Beare knight and Agnes his wife an other of the foure sisters and heirs generall of the said sir Richard Turberuile knight are Oliuer S. Iohn Lord S. Iohn of Bledso and William Basset of Glamorgan esquier that now is Iohn Gamage esquier that now is is as well heire generall lineallie descended from Sara the fourth sister and heire to the said sir Richard Turberuile knight as also heire by the entaile aforesaid to the whole Lordship of Coyty ¶ Robert de S. Quintine his Petegree SIr Robert de S. Quintine to whom the lordship of Lhanblethian was giuen and his issue male enioied the same vntill king Henrie the third his time And then or in short time after his issue male failed of whome is descended sir William Parr late Marques of Northampton ¶ Richard de Syward his Petegree SIr Richard Syward to whom the lordship of Talauan was giuen and his issue male enioied the same vntill king Edward the thirds time at which time the heires thereof hauing other lands in Somersetshire sold the said
caused engines to be made to batter the walles with force of men and other to cast great stones to their enimies to disquiet the garison Which preparations when they within beheld their stomachs failed and forthwith they yeelded the fort then Howel returned home with great honour Shortlie after there fell a great dissention betwixt Howel and Conan prince Owens sonnes and Cadwalader their vncle wherevpon they called their strength vnto them and entred the countrie of Merionyth where the people fled to the sanctuaries to saue their liues These two yoong Lords made proclamation that no man should hurt those that would yeeld to them whervpon the people which had fled returned to their houses without hurt Thus they brought all the countrie in subiection to them lead their armie before the castell of Cynvael which Cadwalader had built and fortified wherein was the Abbot of Tuygwyn or Whitehouse to whome the Lord had committed the defense of his castell Then Howel and Conan summoned the fort with great threatnings but they within defied them wherevpon Howel Conan promised the Abbot Meruyn great rewards to let them haue the house But he like a faithfull seruant whom neither terrible manaces nor pleasant proffers could mooue to vntruth but as his lord trusted him so would he continue still and not deceiue his expectation denied them of the same choosing rather to die with honour than to liue with shame With which answere the yoong Lords were greatlie offended that a priest should staie their prosperous proceedings and thervpon assaulted the castell so sore that after they had beaten downe the walles they entred by force and slew and wounded all the garrison sauing the Abbot who escaped awaie priuilie by meanes of freends whom he had in Howels armie The yeare 1147. died Robert Earle of Glocester Gilbert Earle of Clare Vchthred bishop of Landaff after whome Nicholas ap Gurgant was made bishop And the yere 1148. died Barnard bishop of S. Dauids or Meneuia after him came Dauid Fitzgerald to be bishop there who was before Archdeacon of Caerdigan The yeare ensuing Owen prince of Northwales did build a castell in Yale and his brother Cadwalader built another at Lhanrystyd and gaue Cadogan his son his part of Caerdigan Towards the end of this yeare Madoc the sonne of Meredyth ap Blethyn did build the castell of Oswestrie and gaue his nephewes Owen and Meyric the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Meredyth his part of Cyuelioc The yeare after prince Owen did imprison Conan his sonne for certaine faults committed against his father also prince Owens sonne tooke his vncle Cadwalader prisoner and brought his countrie and castell to his subiection At this time also Cadeth the sonne of Gruffyth ap Rees fortified the castell of Carmarthyn from thence lead his armie to Cydwely where he destroied and spoiled all the countrie and after his returne he ioined his power with Meredyth and Rees his brethren and entring Caerdigan wan the part called Is Aeron Not long after there fell a variance betwixt Rondel Earle of Chester and Owen prince of Northwales Then Rondel gathered a great power of his freends and hired soldiours from all parts of England to whom Madoc ap Meredyth prince of Powys disdaining to hold his lands of Owen ioined all his power and they both togither entred prince Owens land who like a worthie prince not suffering the spoile of his subiects met them at Counsylht and boldlie bad them battell which they refused not but being more in number and better armed and weaponed were glad of the occasion yet before the end they threw awaie weapon and armour and trusted their feet whome the Northwales men did so pursue that few escaped but were either slaine or taken sauing the cheefe captaines whose horses caried them awaie cleere In the yeare 1150. Cadelh Meredyth and Rees the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Rees Prince of Southwales wanne all Caerdigan from Howel the sonne of prince Owen sauing the castell of Lhanvihangel in Pengwern and at the castell of Lhanrystyd they lost manie of their men therefore they slew all the garrison when they wan it and thence they went to the castell of Stratmeyric which they fortified and manned and then returned home This Cadelh had a great pleasure in hunting and vsed much that pastime which thing when the inhabitants of Tenby or Denbigh y pyscot in Penbrooke shire knew they laid in ambushment for him and so when this lord had vncoupled his hounds and pursued the stag with a few companions they fierslie set on him his companie and seeing they were but few and vnarmed they easilie put them to flight and wounded Cadelh verie sore yet he escaped their hands came to his house where he laie a long time like to die Then his brethren Meredyth Rees entered Gwyr where burning and destroing all the countrie they wan the castell of Aberlhychwr rased it to the ground and then returning home with great bootie reedified the castell of Dynevowr The same yeare also Howel the sonne of Owen prince of Northwales fortified Humfreys castell in the vallie of Caletwr In the yeare 1151. Owen Gwyneth tooke Cunetha his brother Cadwalhon his sonne and put out his eies and gelded him least he should haue children to inherit part of the land Lhewelyn also the sonne of Madoc ap Meredyth slew Stephen the sonne of Baldwin About the same time Cadwalader the brother of Prince Owen escaped out of his nephew Howels prison and subdued part of the Ile of Môn or Anglesey to himselfe but his brother Owen sent an armie against him and chased him thence who fled to England for succour to his wiues freends for she was the daughter of Gilbert Earle of Clare The same yeare Galfride Arthur was made bishop of Lhanelwy now called in English Saint Asaph Also Simon Archdeacon of Cyuelioc an man of great worthines and fame dyed at the same time And the yeare ensuing Meredyth and Rees the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Rees did lead their powers to Penwedic before the castell which did belong to Howel the sonne of Prince Owen and with great paines got it Shortlie after priuilie by night they came to the castell of Tennbie which was in the keeping of Fitzgerald and scaled it vpon the sudden and got it and did so reuenge their brothers hurt Then returning thence they diuided their armie and Rees went to Stratcongen which he destroied and spoiled and went thence to Cyuelioc which he destroied in like manner But Meredyth laid siege to the castell of Aberavan and wan it and came home with rich spoiles At this time died Rondle Earle of Chester and Hugh his sonne was created Earle in his place In the yeare 1153. died Meredyth ap Gruffyth ap Rees Lord of Caerdigan and Stratywy in the 25. yeare of his age a worthie knight and fortunate in battell iust and liberall to all men Also the
de Bruse one of his nobles in the Princes prison returned home with great slaine of his honor The name also which Hubert the chiefe Iustice had giuen to the castell at the beginning of the building calling it Huberts folie did now mooue manie to laugh at the thing who séeing that costlie and sumptuous building to be made equall with the ground said that Hubert was a prophet and more than a prophet Thus farre out of Matthew Paris Shortlie after this there fell a great variance betweene the king and Richard Earle of Cornwale his brother where great partaking was on either side These lords held with Richard Randulph Earle of Chester William Marshall Earle of Penbrooke Gilbert Earle of Glocester William Earle Warren Henrie Earle of Hereford William Earle Ferrers and VVilliam Earle of Warwick But this debate was soone taken vp and finished the king and his brother being made freends In the yeere 1230. Henrie made a iournie to France to recouer againe that which his father had lost from whence he returned backe againe without dooing any good At this time Lhewelyn the sonne of Maelgon died in Northwales and was buried at Conwey Prince Lhewhelyn caused William Bruse to be hanged being as it was reported taken in adulterie with his wife who was the sister of king Henrie Also Gilbert of Clare Earle of Glocester died whose wife afterward married Richard Earle of Cornwale and the king gaue the wardship of his sonne to the Earle of Kent Likewise Maelgon sonne to prince Rees died at this time and was buried at Stratflur whose patrimonie yoong Maelgon his sonne inherited after his father The yeare ensuing William Marshall Earle of Penbrooke died and Richard his brother enioied his inheritance This yeare the king lead a great armie to Wales after he had remained in the Marches a while he returned to England and left Hubert de Burgh Earle of Kent with his armie to defend the Marches he by spies vnderstood where certeine VVelshmen entred the Marches to spoile and set vpon them by Mountgomery slew a great number of them Then the Prince being therwith sore offended gathered an armie and to reuenge his men entring the Marches with fire sword slew all that withstood him and burned the castels with the garrisons without mercie and first the castell of Mountgomery for the Earle withdrew himselfe for feare Then the castell of Radnor Aberhodni Rayader Gwy so he went through Gwentland to Caerlhêon and after long fight and losse of manie of his men got the towne and left nothing therein but ashes The like he did with the castels of Neth and Cydwely Therefore the king caused the Prince to be denounced accursed and came to Hereford with a mightie armie and sent a great number of his nobles with the most part of his armie to VVales who using the direction of a frier of Cymer met with a number of Welshmen which at the first encounter fled whome the Englishmen folowed to the straits where the ambushments laie which fell vpon them and slew a great number of the best soldiours and the rest escaped with fleeing Therefore the king would haue burned the house of Cymer but the Prior paid 300. markes and the king returned to England after he had built the castell of Mawd. In the meane time of this Maelgon the sonne of Maelgon ap Rees laid siege do Aberteiui and got the towne and destroied it to the castell gates slaieng all the inhabitants And shortlie after he returned with his coosen Owen sonne to Gruffyth ap Rees with certaine of the Princes captaines and brake downe the bridge vpon the riuer Teiui and laid siege to the castell and with engines and mines threw downe the same and then returned home with much honor The next yeare to this prince Lhewelyn entred into England and returned with a rich spoile of goods cattell and men Therfore the king feased a subsidie to subdue the Welshmen Hubert de Burgh was at this time accused vpon certeine articles and committed to prison Randulph Earle of Chester and Lincolne died the same yeare and Iohn his sister sonne by the brother of the Scottish king was Earle of Chester after him who tooke to wife the daughter of prince Lhewelyn and an other of his nephues had the Earldome of Lincolne Also Ephraim bishop of Lhanelwy died About the same time Iohn de Bruse falling off his horsse his foote sticking fast in the sturope and the horsse taile was drawen by his owne horsse till he died miserablie The summer following Richard Earle of Cornwall fortified the castell of Radnor which the Prince had latelie destroied Shortlie after that Prince Lhewelyn came with an armie to Brechnock and destroied all the townes and castels in the countrie and laie a moneth at the siege of the castell of Brechnock but yet went without it and burning the towne returned homeward with a great bootie In his iournie by the waie he burned the towne of Clunn and recouered all the countrie called Dyffryn Teueidiat which was of the possession of Iohn Fitzalan but he cold not get the castell After that he ouerthrew the Reddecastell in Powys and burned the towne of Oswestree and so came home About this time Richard Marshall Earle of Penbrooke fell at debate with the king who with Hubert de Burgh that brake out of the castell of Deuises came to VVales and ioined with the Prince against the king Matthew of VVestminster doth write that Hubert de Burgh then prisoner in the castell of Deuises being admonished that Peter bishop of Winchester purposed to famish him in the said castell escaped ouer the wall and tooke sanctuarie out of the which he was violentlie taken by the kéepers of the castell but by the meanes of the bishop of Sarum within whose diocese the same was he was restored againe to the sanctuarie and within a while after fetched awaie by a power of armed men being the fréends of the Earle Marshall and brought into Wales where he ioined himselfe to the kings enimies Then the Earle with Owen ap Gruffyth ap Rees came to Meneuia or S. Dauids and killed and spoiled all the kings seruants and freends within the towne Also Maelgon Rees Gryc with the power of the prince ioined with them who in that viage wanne all these castels Caerdyff Abergeuennie Pencelhy Blaynlhefyni and Bwlch y Dinas which they rased all sauing Caerdyff Then the king gathered a wonderfull great armie aswell Flemings Normanes and Gascoines as Englishmen and entred Wales thinking to destroie the whole countrie and encamped at Grosmont where the Earle with the power of Wales encamped hard by him And as the kings men would haue entred further they were met withall and lost 500. horsse whervpon the king had aduise to returne home and so he did After whose departure the Earle with the power aforesaid lay before Caermardhyn three
The sixt yeare of Ethelred came another host of Danes through VVestsex and to Reding with Basrecke and Alding and fought fiue battels with Ethelred and Alfred his brother in two of the which the Danes were ouercome at Henglefild Estondowne and in the three other the Englishmen were ouerthrowne at Reding Basing Mereton The yeare 871. King Ethelred died Alfred his brother reigned in his stead Alfred assoone as he had taken the kingdome vpon him considering with himselfe what a heauie burthen he did sustaine inquired after the wisest and the best learned men that he could heare of that he might be directed by them whome he worthilie intertained vsing their aduise as well in the publike gouernment of the common welth as in his priuate studies and conference of learning He sent for two famous learned men out of Wales the one named Iohn De Erigena sirnamed also Scotus borne at Meneuia or S. Dauids brought vp in that colledge who hauing for learning sake trauelled to Athens and bestowed there manie yéeres in the studie of the Gréeke Hebrue and Chaldie toongs and the secret mysteries of Philosophie came from thence to France where he was well accepted with Carolus Calnus and Ludouicus Balbus and there translated the works of Dionysius Areopagita De coelesti hierarchia out of the Gréeke into the Latine toong and at the last being returned home to Wales was sent for by this King Alfred who then founded and erected the vniuersitie of Oxford was the first that professed learning and read publikelie in the said Uniuersitie The other was Asserius or Asser of whom I shall haue occasion to speake hereafter He would not suffer anie to beare office in his court but such as were learned exhorting all men generallie to embrace and honour learning and learned men Alfred in the first yeare of his reigne fought two battels with the Danes vpon the south side of Thames and slue of them one King and nine Earles About this yeare died Gwgan King of Caerdigan This was that noble Gwgan ap Mevric ap Dunwal ap Arthen ap Sitsylht King or prince of Caerdigan who as some Brytish bookes haue was at this time drowned by misfortune At this time the Danes destroied the towne of Alclyde and wan London and Reding and all the inland and kingdome of Mercia And one King or leader of them tooke the countrie of Northumberland and he and his people did much trouble the Pictes Likewise the yeare following three Kings of the Danes went from Cambridge to VVarham in Dorcetshire and Alfred would haue giuen them battell but the Danes desired peace and foresware England which they neuer did before and the same night their horsemen tooke their iournie toward Excester and their footemen which went to the sea were all drowned at Sandwitch When the Danes had thus abiured England they bent their force against VVales and entred the Ile of môn with a great armie in the yeare of Christ 873. where Roderike gaue them two battels one at a place called Bangole and another at a place called Menegid in Anglesey I find also that about this time Halden and Hungare two Captaines of the Danes arriued in Southwales and ouerran the whole countrie destroieng all before them with fire and sword neither sparing churches nor religious houses but within a while after they receiued their deserued reward at the hands of the West Saxons who méeting with them on the coast of Deuonshire slew both Halden and Hungare with 1200. of their people At this time Eneon Bishop of Meneuia or S. Dauids died and Hubert was installed in his place And within two yeares after Dungarth king of Cornewall was drowned by a mischance In the yeare 876. the Englishmen entred into Anglesey and fought with the VVelshmen a sore battell who in the yeare following slue Roderike king or prince of VVales and Gwyriad his brother or as some saie his son This Roderike had by his wife Enghârad the daughter of Meyric the son of Dyfnwal or Dunwal the son of Arthen ap Sitsylht diuers sonnes as Anarawd his eldest sonne to whome he gaue Aberfraw with Northwales Cadelh the second son who had Dinevwr with Southwales and also tooke Mathraual and Powys land by force from his brethren after the death of Mervyn the third sonne to whome his father had giuen the same Roderike the Great is counted of all writers to be the vndoubted owner and possessor of all Wales Venedotia or Northwales descended vnto him from his mother Esylht the daughter and sole heire of Conan Tindaethwy as is euident by this historie Demetia or Southwales as some doo affirme came to him by his wife the daughter heire of Meyricap Dyfnwal ap Arthen ap Sitsylht king of Caerdigan hir brethren who are thought to be illegitimate holding of hir husband Powys he had by Nest the sister and heire of Congen ap Cadelh King of Powys which was his fathers mother These thrée dominions he appointed vnder their meares and bounds with a princelie house in euerie of them which he named Y tair Talaeth and left the same vnto thrée of his sonnes Anarawd Cadelh and Mervyn which were called Y tri twysoc Talaethioc that is The thrée crowned princes because euerie of them did weare vpon his bonet or helmet a coronet of gold being a broade lace or headband indented vpward set and wrought with pretious stones which in the Brytish or Welsh speach is called Talaeth and so to this daie nurses doo name that broade headband wherewith a childs head is bound vppermost vpon some other linen cloathes Talaeth Aberffraw was the chiefe house of the prince of Gwyneth whose dominion was therfore called Talaeth Aberffraw Dinevowr the princelie house of Dehevbarth whereof that part is named Talaeth Dinevowr and in like maner Talaeth Mathraval is so called of the princelie seate of Powys called Mathraval Giraldus Cambrensis in his booke intituled Descriptio Cambriae is of opinion that Mervyn was the eldest sonne of Roderike to whome Venedotia was giuen and was the father of Anandhrec which was the father of Meyric which was the father of Edwal which was the father of Iago c and that Anarawd had Powys and died without issue But the common opinion of all other writers is to the contrarie agréeable to that which this Author affirmeth Roderike had also Roderike Meyric Edwal or Tudwal Gwyriad and Gathelic of whome you shall heare in the historie following ANARAWD Anarawd the sonne of Roderike Other kingdomes and countries of Europe were disquieted with this persecution of the Danes as well as England For of this Hasting it is written that laieng séege to the citie of Limogis in France and despairing of the spéedie winning of the same hée deuised this traine to get it He fained himselfe to be dangerouslie sicke and sent to the Bishop and the Consul of the same citie desiring them most instantlie
the people with much gladnes but anon after like fickle and vnconstant men they banished him the land againe and tooke to their king one Hircius the sonne of Haroald whome likewise after three yeares they expelled and willinglie submitted themselues to Edred who after he had ruled the whole land eight yeares died and was buried at Winchester After him reigned Edwyn sonne of Edmund in whose time chanced nothing woorthie to be put in writing but that he married another mans wife hir husband being aliue This man after he had gouerned the realme foure yeares died leauing his kingdome to his brother Edgar who was crowned king of England in his stead In the yeare 958. was a woonderfull hot summer when Gwgan the sonne of Gwyriad the sonne of Roderike died After the which heate there followed a great plague in March following In those daies Iago and Ievaf by force and strength ruled all Wales as they thought good and yet for all their power Abloic king of Ireland landed in Môn and hauing burnt Holyhed spoiled the countrie of Lhyyn In the yeare 961. the sonnes of Edwyn the son of Colhoyn were slaine after they had destroied all the countrie to Towyn About this time Meyric the sonne of Cadvan Rytherch Bishop of S. Dauids and Cadwalhon ap Owen departed out of this transitorie world Not long after the countrie of Northwales was sore spoiled by the armie of Edgar king of England The cause of this warre was the non paiment of the tribute that the King of Aberffraw by the lawes of Howel Dha was to paie to the king of London In the end there was a peace concluded for king Edgar vnderstanding what hurt the countries of England and Wales receiued dailie by reason of the great multitude of Woolues that then abounded especiallie in Wales which destroied much shéepe and otherwise did great harme released the tribute in monie appointed by the said lawes of Howel Dha and bound the prince of Northwales to paie him yearelie certaine Woolues for his tribute and so to be released of that other tribute in monie which the said prince performed vntill he had left neuer a Woolfe in Wales or England In the yeare 966. Roderike the sonne of Edwal Voel was slaine by the Irishmen by whome Aberfraw was destroied The next yeare there fell a great debate betwixt the two sonnes of Edwal Iago and Ievaf which had ruled iointlie together from the death of Howel Dha to that time and shortlie after Iago hauing taken his brother Ievaf by force verie cruellie kept him in prison a long time about the which time Eneon the sonne of Owen prince of Southwales wan and seazed to himselfe the land of Gwyr And in the yeare 969. Mactus the sonne of Haroald with an armie of Danes did enter the Ile of Anglesey and spoiled Penmon These Danes were suffered by Edgar to inhabite quietlie through all England till they were as strong as the Englishmen and then they fell to such riotousnes and drinking that much mischiefe insued thereof wherevpon Edgar made a law that euerie man should drinke by measure and caused a certaine marke to be set in euerie pot how deepe they should drinke and so by these meanes he somewhat staied that immoderate ingurgitation Not long after that Godfryd the sonne of Haroald did subdue to himselfe the whole Ile of Anglesey which he inioied not long King Edgar likewise in the yeare 972. did send a great nauie to Caerlheon vpon Vsc which shortlie turned backe without dooing anie notable act The next yeare following Howel the sonne of Ievaf raised a great power against his vncle Iago for the deliuerance of his father out of prison and ouercame his vncle in fight whome he chased out of the land and tooke his eldest vncle Meyric the sonne of Edwal and put out both his eies and kept him in prison where he died shortlie after leauing behind him two sonnes Edwal and Ionaval of the which Edwal came afterward the most woorthie princes of Wales Howel notwithstanding he had set his father at libertie yet tooke vppon himselfe the whole rule of the land for his life time He had three brethren all men of great estimation Meyric Ievaf and Cadwalhon whose liues shall insue heereafter Howel ap Ievaf Howel the sonne of Ievaf They ouerranne also and spoiled the whole countrie of Deuon and Cornewale burned the towne of Bodman and the cathedrall church of S. Petrokes with the Bishops house Wherevpon the Bishops sea was remooued from thence to S. Germans where the same continued vntill the remoouing and vniting thereof vnto Crediton About this time died S. Dunstane who prophesied of much mischiefe and great destruction of the land by the Danes The yeare 981. Godfryd the sonne of Haroald did gather a great armie and landed in Westwales where spoiling all the land of Dyuet with the church of S. Dauids he fought the battell of Lhanwanoc Likewise in the yeare next ensuing Duke Alfred with a great power of Englishmen spoiled and destroied Brechnock and a great part of the lands of Owen prince of Southwales against whome Eneon the sonne of the said Owen and Howel king of Northwales did raise all their power and ouerthrew them in battell where the greatest part of Alfreds armie was slaine and the rest put to flight The yeare following the Gentlemen of Gwentsland rebelled against their prince and cruellie slue Eneon the son of Owen which came thither to appease them This Eneon was a woorthie and noble Gentleman who did manie notable actes in his fathers time and left behind him two sonnes Edwyn and Theodor or Tewdor Mawr of whome came afterward the kings or princes of Southwales In the yeare 984. Howel the sonne of Ievaf king of Wales entred England with an armie where he was fought withall and slaine valiantlie fighting This Howel had no sonne but his brethren reigned in his place Cadwalhon ap Ievaf Cadwalhon the sonne of Ievaf AFTER the death of Howel his brother Cadwalhon the second sonne of Ievaf tooke in hand the gouernance of Northwales and first made war with Ionaval his coosen the sonne of Meyric and right heire to the land and slue him but Edwal the yongest brother escaped awaie priuilie The yeare following Meredyth the sonne of Owen king or prince of Southwales with all his power entred into Northwales and in fight slue Cadwalhon the sonne of Ievaf and Meyric his brother and conquered the land to himselfe Wherein a man may see how God punished the wrong which Iago and Ievaf the sonnes of Edwal Voel did to their eldest brother Meyric who was first disherited and afterward his eies put out and one of his sonnes slaine For first Ievaf was imprisoned by Iago then Iago with his sonne Constantine by Howel the sonne of Ievaf and afterward the said Howel with his bretherne Cadwalhon and Meyric were slaine and spoiled of all their lands Meredyth ap
lordship to the Lord Spencer then Lord of Glamorgan and went into Somersetshire to dwell there where his issue male continueth yet ¶ Gilbert de Humfreuile his Petegree SIr Gilbert Humfreuile aforesaid to whome the castell and manour of Penmarke was giuen and his issue male enioied the same till the said king Edward the thirds time and then the inheritance of the said castell and manour descended to sir Iohn S. Iohn of Fonmon knight to whome the forenamed lord S. Iohn of Bledso is sole heire ¶ Roger de Berkerolles knight his Petegree SIr Roger Berkerolles afore said knight to whom the manour of East Orchard was giuen and his issue male enioied the same till the 13. yeare of Henrie the fourth That sir Laurence Berkerolles knight died whom sir Edward Stradling knight as sole heire did succéed being sonne to sir William Stradling knight sonne to sir Edward Stradling knight and Wenlhian sole sister and heire to the said sir Laurence of whom Edward Stradling knight that now is is lineallie descended ¶ Reginald de Sully knight his Petegree SIr Reginald de Sully to whome the castell and manour of Sully was giuen and his issue male enioied the same vntill about king Edward the first his time And then it fell to a daughter married to sir Morgan de Avan Lord of the lordship of Avan aboue named whose sonne sir Iohn de Avan had but one daughter of whome sir George Blunt of Shropshire is lineallie descended as sole heire whose ancestor gaue the said lordship of Avan and the castell and manour of Sully to the Lord Spencer in exchange for other lands in England ¶ Peter le Soore knight his Petegree SIr Peter le Soore knight to whome was giuen the castell and manour of Peters towne and his issue male enioied the same vntill king Henrie the fourth his time and then died without issue and his inheritance fell betwéene diuers ¶ Iohn le Fleming knight his Petegree SIr Iohn le Fleming knight to whome the castell and manour of S. George was giuen and his issue male enioied the same vntill king Henrie the fourth his time and then it fell to Edmond Malefant who had married a daughter to the last Fleming And in king Henrie the seuenth his time the Malefants issue by Flemings daughter failed and then it fell to Iohn Butler of Dunreeven aboue named Esquier and after the death of him and of Arnold his sonne both the inheritances of Fleming Butler fell to Walter Vaghan of Brodeward in the Countie of Hereford Esquier now liuing sisters sonne to the said Arnold Butler ¶ Oliuer de S. Iohn knight his Petegree SIr Oliuer S. Iohn knight to whome the castell and manour of Fonmon was giuen and his heires male haue euer since enioied the same to whom the aboue named lord S. Iohn of Bledso that now is is sole heire whose ancestors from the winning of the said lordship of Glamorgan out of the Welshmens hands haue continuallie dwelt at Fonmon aforsaid vntill the latter time of king Edward the fourth That Iohn S. Iohn esquier had the said lordship of Bledso and manie other possessions besides by the death of dame Margaret Beauchampe his mother who was also mother to Margaret Duchesse of Somerset mother to king Henrie the seuenth Sithence which time the said Iohn S. Iohn and sir Iohn S. Iohn knight father to my Lord that now is haue alwaies dwelt in Bledso but they doo kéepe their lands in Wales still in their hands ¶ VVilliam le Esterling alias Stradling his Petegree SIr William Esterling knight to whome the castell and manour of S. Donats was giuen Sir Iohn le Esterling knight his sonne succéeded him Sir Moris le Esterling knight his sonne succéeded him Sir Robert le Esterling knight most commonlie called Stradling by shortnesse of speach and change of some letters succéeded him Sir Gilbert Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him Sir William Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him Sir Iohn Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him It doth not appeare in what stocke or sirname anie of these seuen knights aboue named did marrie but the christian names of the wiues of William the first Robert and Iohn the second were Hawisia Mathilda and Cicilia Sir Peter Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him who in the begining of king Edward the first his time and reigne married Iulian sole daughter and heire of Thomas Hawey By whom he had thrée manours Hawey Comhawey in Somersetshire yet remaining to his heires and Compton Hawey in Dorcetshire sold of late yeares Sir Edward Stradling knight their son succéeded them and he quartered the Hawey his armes with his and married with Elianor daughter heire to Gilbert Strangbow a yoonger brother whose wife was daughter and heire to Richard Garnon and had by hir two manours in Oxefordshire Sir Edward Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him married with Wenlhian daughter to Roger Berkrolles knight and sole sister and heire to sir Laurence Berkrolles knight as it happened afterward Sir William Stradling knight his sonne married with Isabel daughter and heire to Iohn S. Barbe of Somersetshire but he had no lands by hir for it was entailed to the heires male This sir William in king Richard the seconds time went a pilgrimage to Ierusalem and receiued there also the orders of knighthood of the sepulchre of Christ. Sir Edward Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him who bicause he was sole heire generall to the said S. Barbe did quarter S. Barbes armes with his To whome also in the 13. yeare of king Henrie the fourth fell the whole inheritance of the Berkerolles and the right of the fourth part of Turberuiles inheritance Lord of Coyty aforesaid the which for lacke of issue male of the said Berkerolles remained to Gamage and to his heires male by the especiall entaile aforesaid The which sir Edward did quarter not onelie the said Berkerolles armes with his but also the Turberuiles and Iestynes armes of whome the Turberuiles had in marriage one of the inheritours as is before said bicause the said sir Edward was one of the foure heires generall to sir Richard Turberuile to wit sonne to sir William Stradling sonne to Wenlhian sister and heire to the said Laurence Berkerolles and daughter to Catharine eldest sister and one of the foure heires generall to the aforesaid sir Richard Turberuile The said sir Edward maried with Iane daughter to Henry Beauford afterwards Cardinall begotten before he was Priest vpon Alice one of the daughters of Richard Earle of Arundell and in the beginning of king Henrie the seuenth his reigne he went likewise on pilgrimage vnto Ierusalem as his father did and receiued the order of the sepulchre there This sir Edward had to his brother sir Iohn Stradling knight who married with the heire of Dauncy in Wiltshire and had issue sir Edmond who had issue Iohn and Edmond Iohn had issue Anne ladie Davers of whome the Davers Hungerfordes Fynes and Leuet and a great progenie
of them are descended and of the said Edmond commeth Carnysoyes of Cornewal The said Edward had an other brother called William of whome Stradling of Ruthyn and others are descended the same William had a daughter named VVenlhian who by the Earle of Ryuers had a daughter married to sir Robert Poynes of whome commeth all the Poynes the Newtons Perots and others Sir Harrie Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him and married with Elizabeth sister of whole bloud to sir VVilliam Herebert knight Earle of Penbroke and had issue by hir one sonne and two daughters one of them was married to Myles ap Harry of whome Mistresse Blanch ap Harrie and hir bretheren and vncles are descended the other daughter was married to Fleming of Monton in VVales This sir Harrie in the sixtéenth yéere of King Edward the fourth went in like maner on pilgrimage to Ierusalem and receiued the order of the sepulchre there as his father and grandfather did and died in the Isle of Cypres in his comming home whose booke is to be séene as yet with a letter that his man brought from him to his Ladie wife The saieng is that diuers of his said ancestours made the like pilgrimage but there remaineth no memorie in writing but of these thrée This sir Harrie sailing from his house in Somersetshire to his house in Wales was taken prisoner by a Brytaine pirate named Colyn Dolphyn whose redemption and charges stood him in 2000. markes for the paiment whereof he was driuen to sell the castell and manour of Basselek and Sutton in Monmouthshire and two manours in Oxfordshire Thomas Stradling esquier his sonne succéeded him and married Ienet daughter to Thomas Matthew of Rayder Esquier and had issue by hir two sonnes Edward and Harrie and one daughter named Iane and died before he was xxvi yeares of age After whose death his wife married with sir Rice ap Thomas knight of the garter Harrie married with the daughter and heire of Thomas Iubb learned in the lawe and had issue by hir Francis Stradling of S. George by Bristow yet liuing Iane was married to sir William Gruffyth of Northwales knight and had issue by hir thrée sonnes Edward sir Rice Gruffyth knight and Iohn and seauen daughters The eldest married to Stanley of Houghton the second to sir Richard Buckley knight the third to Lewys the fourth to Moston the fift to Conwey the sixt to Williams the seauenth to Pers Motton and after to Simon Theloal esquier whose wife at this time she is the eight to Philips Of which daughters there be a wonderfull number descended Edward married Iane daughter to sir Iohn Puleston knight and had issue by hir thrée daughters Iane married to VVilliam Herebert of S. Iulian Catharine married to VVilliam Herebert of Swansey and an other daughter married to sir Nicholas Bagnoll knight Sir Edward Sradling knight succéeded his father and married with Elizabeth one of the thrée daughters of sir Thomas Arundell of Lanheyron in Cornewall knight The other two were married to Speke and S. Lowe and had issue foure sonnes Thomas Robert Edward and Iohn Robert married VVatkyn Locher his daughter and hath by hir manie children Edward married with the daughter and heire of Robert Baglan of Lantwit and hath also diuers children and Iohn is a priest Also the said sir Edward had two daughters Iane married to Alexander Popham of Somersetshire of whom is a great number descended and Catharine married to sir Thomas Palmer knight of Sussex who hath a sonne named VVilliam Sir Thomas Sradling knight his sonne succéeded him and married Catharine the eldest daughter to sir Thomas Gamage of Coyty knight and to dame Margaret his wife daughter to sir Iohn S. Iohn of Bledso knight by whom he hath liuing yet two sonnes Edward and Dauid and fiue daughters Elizabeth Damasyn Iane Ioice and Wenlhian Sir Edward Stradling knight that now is married Agnes second daughter to sir Edward Gage of Sussex knight and as yet in the yeare 1572. hath no issue Memorandum that of the heires male of the aforesaid twelue knights that came with sir Robert Fitzhamon to the winning of Glamorgan the Lordship aforesaid there is at this daie but the Stradling a liue that dwelleth in VVales and enioieth the portion giuen in reward to his ancestors There be yet of the yoonger brothers of the Turberuiles and Flemings Greenefeeld and Syward doo yet remaine but they dwell in England and haue doone awaie their lands in VVales The Lord S. Iohn of Bledso although he kéepeth his ancient inheritance in Wales yet he dwelleth in England ¶ Thus farre the copie of the winning of Glamorgan as I receiued the same at the hands of mistris Blanch Parrie collected by Sir Edward Stradling knight There were besides with the said Robert Fitzhamon in this voiage diuers other noble men and gentlemen some out of England some out of Dyuet and other places in Wales which came thither with the said Eneon against Rees ap Theodor of whome Robert Sitsylt was one who albeit he had no part of the said Lordship of Glamorgan that I can read of yet neuerthelesse he was in respect of his good seruice there doone preferred to the marriage of an inheritrice of great possessions in the land of Ewyas and the countrie néere adioining Of which Robert Sitsylt I find this that followeth recorded in a verie ancient writing conteining his whole genelogie of 16. descents of heires male lineallie which writing for the more credit of the historie I thought good here to insert as followeth IN the yeare of Christ 1091. Robert Sitsylt came with Robert Fitzhamon to the conquest of the countrie of Glamorgan and after wedded a Ladie by whome he had Halterennes and other lands in Hereford and Glocestershires he had a sonne called Iames Sitsylt Iames Sitsylt tooke part with Mawd the empresse against king Stephen and was slaine at the siege of the castell of Wallingford An. 4. Stephan hauing then vpon him a vesture whereon was wrought in needle worke his armes or ensignes as they be made on the toombe of Gerald Sitsylt in the Abbeie of Dore which are afterward trulie blazed in a iudgement giuen by commission of king Edward the third for the ancient right of the same armes This Iames had a sonne called Iames Sitsylt and foure daughters Iohn Sitsylt the sonne of Iames was after the death of his father in the same warres with Roger Earle of Hereford and constable of England and being taken prisoner at the siege of Lincolne Anno. 6. Stephani he paid for his ransome 400. marks and therefore sold his lordship of Beauport and all his lands in the countie of Glocester he tooke to wife a Ladie called Mawd de Frenes and had issue Eustace Eustace Sitsylt the sonne of Iohn was wedded to Elianor the daughter of Sir Walter Pembridge Knight and had by hir Baldwin and Iohn and foure daughters whereof one of them was the wife of Sir Thomas Fitzneale knight Baldwin
Shrewesburie were Richard de Belmersh or de Beleasmo as some doo call him who being chéefe dooer about Roger Mountgomery Earle of Salop was preferred to the Bishopricke of London and afterwards appointed by this King Henrie to be warden of the Marches and gouernour of the countie of Salop Walter Constable the father of Milo Earle of Hereford and Rayner the kings lieutenant in the countie of Salop. About this time as Bale noteth the church of Meneuia or S. Dauids began to be subiect to the sea of Canturburie being alwaies before the Metrapolitane church of all Wales In the yeare 1103. Owen ap Edwyn died after great miserie and long sicknesse Then also Richard the sonne of Baldwyn did fortifie the castell of Ridcors and chased Howel ap Grono out of the countrie to whom the King had giuen the custodie of that castell who neuerthelesse returned shortlie after and burned all the countrie houses corne and haie and slew a great number of the Normanes as they returned homeward and kept all the countrie in his subiection except the castels and these garrisons At this time the King did take the rule of Dyuet from Saer to whom he had committed the same and gaue it to Gerald who had beene sometimes Steward there under Arnulph Then the Normanes who were in the castell of Rydcors and other castels there abouts seeing they could not haue the vpper hand of Howel ap Grono in open fight fell to their accustomed practise of treason and so obtained their purpose in this manner There was one Gwgan ap Meyric who had nursed a sonne to Howel ap Grono and therefore verie well trusted and loued of him as the manner of Wales is This traitour being corrupted by the Normanes procured his maisters death bidding him one night to his house to make merrie whither he came gentlie Then Gwgan gaue notise thereof to the garrisons of the castels who in the dawning of the daie entred the towne comming about the house gaue a great showte wherewith Howel awooke and coragiouslie leapt out of his bed and sought his weapons but the traitor Gwgan had conueied them awaie when he was asleepe Then he called for his men but they were all fled to saue their liues and as he would haue gotten awaie he was taken by Gwgan and his companie and strangled whose bodie he deliuered to the Normanes which cut off his head and brought it to the castell of Rydcors And this traitorous murther of the kings lieutenant was left vnpunished For whatsoeuer fault the Normanes committed was alwaies winked at and if the Welshmen did neuer so little offend the lawes of the king it was thought an heinous fault which was the cause that afterwards they rebelled against the king who sought nothing but their vtter destruction About this time Anselme Archbishop of Canturburie called a synod at London where among other things it was ordeined and decreed that priests should not marrie which was not before that time forbidden in Brytaine This ordinance or decree seemed to some verie cleanlie and honest but of other it was thought perilous and dangerous least they seeking to be cleane and honest as they termed it should fall into horrible uncleanlinesse and dishonestie abhominable to a christian man and this was a thousand one hundered and odde yeares after the incarnation of Christ. King Henrie in the fift yeare of his reigne sailed with a great power to Normandie where his brother Robert with Robert de Belesmo Arnulph and William Earle of Mauritania gaue him battell but the King got the victorie and tooke the Duke his brother and William de Mauritania prisoners and carried them to England whom he committed to perpetuall prison and caused his brothers eies to be put out Then shortlie after died Edgar king of Scots and Alexander his brother was crowned in his place by consent of king Henrie At this time Meyric and Gruffyth the sonnes of Trahaern ap Caradoc were both slaine by Owen ap Cadogan ap Blethyn Also Meredyth ap Blethyn brake the prison where he had been a long time and came home and gat his owne inheritance againe and enioied it quietlie The yeare 1108. the rage of the sea did ouerflow and drowne a great part of the lowe countrie of Flanders in such sort that the inhabitants were driuen to seeke themselues other dwelling places who came to King Henrie and desired him to giue them some void place to remaine in who being verie liberall of that which was not his owne gaue them the land of Ros in Dyuet or Westwales where Penbrooke Tenby and Hauerford are now built there they remaine to this daie as may well be perceiued by their speach and conditions farre differing from the rest of the countrie At that time Gerald steward did build againe the castell of Penbrooke in a place called Congarth Vechan and brought thither all his houshold stuffe and other goods with his wife and children Then also Cadogan ap Blethyn made a great feast in Christmas and bad all the Lords of the countrie to his house in Dyuet among whom came Owen his sonne who being at his fathers house and hearing the beautie of Nest wife to Gerald steward of Penbrooke praised aboue all the women in the land was meruelous desirous to see hir And for so much as Gladys wife to Rees ap Theodor or Tewdor and mother to Nest was the daughter of Rywalhon ap Convyn and coosen germane to Cadogan his father he with a few vnder the colour of freendship and coosenage went to see hir finding the truth to surmount the fame he came home all inflamed with hir loue and in that doting moode the same night returning thither againe with a sort of wild companions entred the castell priuilie and compassed the chamber about and set the house on fire wherewith Gerald and his wife awoke and he would haue issued out to know what that noise meant but his wife fearing some treason staied him and counselled him to go to the priuie and so pulling vp the boord she helped him out that waie and then she came to the chamber dore and said that there was none but she and hir children yet they entred in and sought al about but when they could not find him they tooke hir and hir two sons and a sonne and a daughter borne by a concubine to Gerald and caried them awaie to Powys and so burning the castell they spoiled all the countrie Now when Cadogan hard this he was verie sorie and feared the kings displeasure and forthwith went to Powys and willed his sonne to send home to Gerald his wife and children with his goods but Owen in no wise would depart with the woman yet at hir request he sent to Gerald his children againe And when Richard bishop of London whom the king had appointed Warden of the Marches being at Shrewsburie hard of this hee was verie sore offended and
about because of their carrages at whose comming the men which kept the straits skirmished with the kings men and with their arrowes hauing the aduantage of the ground slew some and hurt manie Among these one drew his bowe and shooting towards his foes by fortune stroke the king a great blow vpon the breast but by meane of his maze the arow hurt him not neuerthelesse he was wonderfullie dismaied withall considering how rashlie by misfortune he might lose in that wild countrie the honour and fame which he had wonne before did send to parle with them that kept the passage and to will them vnder assurance to come and speake with him which they did Then he asked them whose men they were and how they durst be so bold as to put the king in such danger and they said that they were Meredyth ap Blethyns men and did nothing but their maisters commandement in keeping the passage Then the king willed them to go to their maister and counsell him to go to the kings peace and he should receiue no hurt which he and his coosins did and fined to the king for their offenses 1000. heads of cattell and the king returned to England King Henrie hauing thus quieted Wales leauing the lord Fitzwaren warden or lieutenant of the Marches returned to England where he held thrée Parliaments this yeare the first about Christmasse at Norwych the second about Easter at Northampton and the third after Whitsuntide at London The yeare ensuing Gruffyth ap Rees ap Theodor did kill Gruffyth ap Sulhaern and Eneon the son of Cadogan died and gaue his part of Powys and Merionyth which he had wonne to his brother Meredyth but Meredyth ap Blethyn his vncle put him backe by force tooke it to himselfe At this time the king did set at libertie Ithel ap Riryd ap Blethyn whom he kept in prison manie yeares who came home thinking to haue enioied his owne lands Now when Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales heard how that Meredyth ap Blethyn had taken by force the lands of his Nephew Meredyth ap Cadogan he sent his sonnes Cadwalhon and Owen with a power to Merionyth who brought all the countrie to their subiection and caried the cheefe men and the cattell to Lhyyn and afterward the sonnes of Cadogan destroied the land of Lhywarch ap Trahaern because he ioined with the sonnes of the prince About this time there came one Iohannes Cremensis a cardinall from the Pope who after he had gotten many rich gifts and rewards of Bishops and Abbots held a synod at London at the natiuitie of our Ladie where he inueied bitterlie against the mariage of priests declaring how vnseemelie a thing it was to come from his woman to the altar and the same night he was found with a whore in bed with him The yeare 1125. Meredyth ap Blethyn did kill his brothers sonne Ithel ap Riryd And shortlie after Cadwalhon ap Gruffyth ap Conan slew his three vncles Grono Riryd and Meilyr the sonnes Owen ap Edwyn and also Morgan ap Cadogan slew his brother Meredyth with his owne hands About this time died Henrie the Emperour who had maried Mawd king Henries daughter and heire In the yeare 1127. the king sent his daughter to Normandie to be married to Geffrey Plantagenet sonne to the Earle of Aniow and folowed himselfe shortlie after Gruffyth ap Rees was put beside the lands which the king had suffered him quietlie to possesse by the false accusations of the Normanes which dwelled in the countrie with him And then also Daniel Archdeacon of Powys died a man both learned and godlie who trauelled all his time to set peace and concord betwixt his countriemen An. 1128. died Gruffyth ap Meredyth ap Blethyn and the same yeare Lhewelyn the sonne of Owen ap Cadogan tooke Meredyth ap Lhywarch and deliuered him to Paine fitziohn to be kept safe in the castell of Brugenorth This Meredyth had slaine Meyric his coosen germane and had put out the eies of his two coosen germanes the sonnes of Griffri The yeare ensuing Ieuaf the sonne of Owen put out the eies of two of his brethren and banished them the countrie also Lhewelyn ap Owen slew Iorwerth ap Lhywarch And Meredyth ap Blethyn tooke the same Lhewelyn his nephew puting out his eies gelded him to the end he should get no children that he might haue his lands and slew Ieuaf ap Owen his brother Also Meyric slew Lhywarch and Madoc his sonne his owne coosens who himselfe was so serued shortlie after Then Morgan the sonne of Cadogan repented him greatlie for the murther of his brother Meredyth wherefore he tooke his iournie to Ierusalem and died in his returne at Cyprus In the yeare 1132. Robert Curthoise the kings brother died in the castell of Cardiffe The yeare folowing Cadwalhon sonne to Gruffyth ap Conan was slaine at Nanhewdwy by Eneon the sonne of Owen ap Edwyn his vncle whose three brethren he had slain with Cadogan ap Grono ap Edwyn That yeare also died Meredyth ap Blethyn ap Convyn the greatest lord and cheefest man in Powys as he that had gotten his brethren and nephewes lands by hooke and by crooke into his owne hands In the yeare 1135. died Henrie king of England one of the worthiest and victoriousest princes that euer reigned in the Ile of Brytaine After whome Stephen Earle of Boloigne sonne to the Earle of Bloys his sisters sonne a stout and a hardie knight reigned king of England for by the meanes of Hugh Bygod steward to king Henrie the Archbishop of Canturburie and all the nobilitie of England contrarie to their former oth made to Mawd the Empresse created and crowned him king Then shortlie after Dauid king of Scots wan by treason Carlile and Newcastell against whō Stephen lead an armie to whom Dauid yeelded himself restored Newcastell and kept Carlile by composition but he would not sweare to him for he had sworne alredie to Mawd his nice Yet Henrie his sonne sware to Stephen and had the Earledome of Huntingdon giuen him This yeare Richard and Gilbert his sonne were slaine by Morgan ap Owen And shortlie after Cadwalader and Owen Gwyneth the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Conan in whome remained the hope of all Wales for they were gentle liberall to all men terrible and cruell to their enimies meeke and humble to their freends the succour and defense of widowes fatherlesse and all that were in necessitie and as they passed all other in good and laudable vertues so they were paragons of strength beautie and well proportionat bodies gathered a great power against the Normans and Flemings who entring Cardigan wan destroied and burned the whole countrie with the castell of Walter Espec the castell of Aberystwyth which was verie strong and well manned And thither came Howel ap Meredyth and Rees ap Madoc ap Ednerth who went forward and rased
said Hawys as it séemed vnto him had more right to hir fathers possessions being in hir vncles hands than they to hirs But to make a finall end betwéene them order and composition was taken that Hawys should enioie hir inheritance in fée simple to hir and to hir heires for euer after the tenure of England And that hir vncles Lhewelyn Iohn Dauid and Gruffyth should hould their portions to them and to their heires male for euer And in default of such issue male the same to descend and remaine to the said Hawys and to hir heires for euer William Lord of Mowthwy otherwise called Wilcocke Mowthwy being the fourth sonne bicause he did not trouble his said néece Hawy about hir inheritance had his lands confirmed and assured in fée simple to him and to his heires generall male or female foreuer He maried Alianor the sister of Elen Owen Glyndowres mother the daughter of Thomas sonne of Lhewelyn sonne of Owen sonne of Meredyth sonne of Owen sonne of Gruffyth sonne of Rees sonne of Gruffyth sonne of Rees ap Theodor prince of Southwales by whome he had issue Iohn de Mowthwy Iohn the sonne of William Lord of Mowthwy had issue Elizabeth his daughter and sole heire which was maried to Sir Hugh Burgh knight Sir Hugh Burgh knight in the right of his wife lord of Mowthwy had issue Sir Iohn Burgh Sir Iohn Burgh lord of Mowthwy maried Iane the daughter of Sir William Clopton knight lord of the manours of Clopton and Radbrooke in the countie of Glocester and by hir had issue foure daughters Elizabeth Ancreda Isabell and Alianor Elizabeth maried to Thomas Newport father of Iohn father of Thomas father of sir Richard Newport knight late deceased father of Francis and Andrew now liuing Ancreda maried to Iohn Leighton of Stretton father of Sir Thomas Leighton of Watelsborough knight father of Iohn Leighton father of Edward Leighton Esquire eldest sonne and of Sir Thomas Leighton knight second sonne now liuing Isabell maried to Iohn Lingen father of Sir Iohn Lingen knight And Alianor maried to Thomas Mytton father of William Mytton father of Richard Mytton who by partition had amongst the said coheires enioied the said Seigniorie and Lordship of Mowthwy The said Iohn Charleton first of that sirname had issue by the said Hawys Iohn and died An. 1353. Iohn Charleton the second lord Powys held that Seigniorie seuen yeares and then died An. 1360. leauing behind him a sonne and heire called also Iohn Iohn Charleton the third lord Powys succéeded his father and enioied that lordship fouretéene yeares and then died An. 1374. leauing behind him two sons Iohn and Edward Iohn Charleton the fourth lord Powys possessed his fathers inheritance after him 27. yeares and then died without issue An. 1401. Edward Charleton brother and heire to the said Iohn succéeded him in the lordship of Powys and held the same 19. yeares he maried Alianor daughter and one of the heires of of Thomas Earle of Kent being the widow of Roger Mortimer Earle of March and mother to Anne countesse of Cambridge the mother of Richard duke of Yorke and had issue by hir two daughters his heires Iane eldest daughter maried to Sir Iohn Gray knight and Ioyce second daughter maried to Iohn lord Tiptoft by whome she had issue Iohn lord Tiptoft created by king Henrie the sixt Earle of Worcester who died without issue and foure daughters Philip Ioyce Ioane and Margaret the first Philip maried to Thomas lord Ros. The second Ioyce maried to Edmond Dudley sonne and heire to Iohn baron Dudley The third Ioane maried to Sir Edward Inglethorp knight who had issue Isabell maried to Iohn Neuill Marques Montague After the death of the said Alianor this Edward lord Powys maried Elizabeth the daughter of Sir Iohn Barkley knight and died An. 1420. After whose death the lordship of Powys was diuided into thrée parts first the said Elizabeth had for hir dowrie Lhannerch hudol Strat marchelh Deuthwr and Teirtref and maried to hir second husband the Baron of Dudley The said Iane the eldest daughter had for hir part Caereneon Mecham Mochnant and Plâsdinas The third Ioyce the yoonger daughter had Cyuelioc and Arustly Henrie Gray the sonne of Sir Iohn Gray knight and Iane daughter and one of the heires of Edward Chareleton lord Powys was in the right of the said Iane his mother lord Powys he was also by king Henrie the fift created Earle of Tanqueruile and maried Antigone base daughter to Humfrey duke of Glocester fourth sonne to king Henrie the fourth and had issue Richard Humfrey and Elizabeth the wife of Sir Roger Kinaston Richard Gray lord Powys maried Margaret the daughter of Iames lord Audley and by hir had issue Iohn and Elizabeth the wife of Iohn Ludlow sonne of sir Richard Ludlow knight which Iohn and Elizabeth had issue two daughters Anne and Alice Anne the elder maried Thomas Vernon second sonne of Sir Henrie Vernon of Haddon in the Peke of whom Henrie Vernon of Stokesay now liuing is descended Alice the second daughter maried Humfrey Vernon third sonne of the said sir Henrie and brother to the said Thomas of whom Iohn Vernon of Hodnet now liuing is descended Iohn Gray lord Powys had issue Iohn Iohn Gray lord Powys had issue Edward Edward Gray lord Powys maried Anne the daughter of Charles Brandon duke of Suffolke and died without lawfull issue The same yeare Cadwalhon ap Madoc ap Ednerth was taken by his brother Eneon Clyd and deliuered to Owen prince of Northwales who sent him to the kings officers to be imprisoned at Winchester from whence he escaped shortlie after and came to his countrie Henrie king of England remained in Normandie all this yeare whose sonne named also Henrie maried Margaret the daughter of Lewys king of France The yeare next folowing died Meyric bishop of Bangor Then king Henrie and the French King fell at variance wherevpon shortlie after King Henrie went to Gascoyne to chastise certeine rebels there But in the yeare 1162. there was a peace concluded betweene the kings of England and France At that time Howel the son of Ieuaf ap Cadogan ap Athlestan Glodrydh got the castell of Walwern in Cyuelioc and rased it which thing when it was told Owen Prince of Northwales it displeased him wonderfullie at the which he was so greeued that nothing could make him merrie vntill such time as he had gathered his power came to Lhanthinam in Arustly and thence fet great spoiles Then the people of the countrie came all to their Lord Howel ap Ieuaf who folowed the spoile to Seauerne side where the Princes campe was whereof the Prince séeing such an occasion of reuenge offered him was right glad and set vpon his enimies and slew the most part of them and the rest with their Lord escaped to the woods and rocks Then the Prince being ioifull of this reuenge built vp his castell againe and fortified it stronglie The
steward of Ireland and so it was concluded for the kings going to Ireland When the king was in his iournie towards Ireland the Lord Rees came to the king who receiued him to his peace confirmed vnto him all that he had Then Rees promised the king towards his conquest of Ireland 300. horsses and 400. Oxen and gaue him 14. pledges Then the king came to Southwales entring Caerlhêon vpō Vske tooke the towne from the Lord thereof Iorwerth ap Owen ap Caradoc keeping the same to his owne vse Wherefore Iorwerth departed from the king and calling to him his two sonnes Owen and Howel whom he had begotten by Angharat the daughter of Vchtryd bishop of Landaff and his sister sonne Morgan ap Sitsylt ap Dyfnwal gathered a number of men and vpon the kings departure entred the countrie spoiling and burning as they went and tooke the towne of Caerlhêon and destroied it saue the castell which they could not get But the king kept on his iornie to Penbrooke and there he gaue Rees all Caerdigan Stratywy Arustly Eluel Then Rees being at Aberteiui which he had wonne from the Earle of Glocester and fortified of late came from thence to Penbrooke in the calends of October and spake with the king and returned againe the daie after and then chose out of the horsses which he caused to be brought thither for the king 86. and made them to be brought to Penbrooke and presented them to the king who chose out of the same 36. of the best and sent the rest backe againe with great thankes The same daie the king went to Saint Dauid and offering there dined with the bishop Dauid the sonne of Gerald coosen germaine to Rees whither Richard Strangbowe Earle of Strigule came from Ireland to speake with the king and after dinner the king returned to Penbrooke Within a while after the king being at the white house rendered to Rees Howel his sonne who had beene long for pledge with him and then also he gaue him day for the other pledges and for his tribute till his returne from Ireland The next daie being the morrowe after the feast of S. Luke the Euangelist the king tooke shipping there and had faire passage to Ireland and so landed at Dublyne where he laie quietlie that winter The Christmasse folowing Henrie the yong king kept a solemne feast where William S. Iohn procurator of Normandie and William Fitzhamon Seneshall of Brytaine and 110. besides were made knights In the yeare 1172. there fell a great plague among the kings soldiours in Ireland by reason of the change of the aire and victuals and therefore the king returned and landed in Wales in the passion weeke and remained in Penbrooke on Easter daie and the daie folowing and on tuesdaie tooke his iournie towards England Then the lord Rees met with him at Talacharn to doo his dutie The king as he passed from Cardyf by the new castell vpon Vske sent for Iorwerth ap Owen ap Caradoc to come speake with him vnder safe conduct to him his sons and freends meaning to conclude peace with him and so to quiet all VVales Wherevpon Iorwerth tooke his iournie towards the king and sent word to Owen his sonne being a lustie yoong gentleman to meete with him by the waie but as he came at his fathers commandement the Earle of Brystowes men hearing of it came forth of the new castell vpon Vske and laid wait for him by the way being vnder the kings safe conduct trusting to his promise and suddenlie set vpon him and murthered him traitorouslie and cowardlie being vnarmed and hauing but a few in his companie Which thing when his father heard by some of his men that had escaped he was verie sorie and returned home with all his freends and his sonne Howel and would neuer afterwards trust neither the kings promise nor anie Englishmans but forthwith gathered all the power freends that he could make and without mercie destroied all the countrie with fire and sword to the gates of Hereford and Glocester to auenge the death of his son Then the king made the lord Rees chiefe Iustice of all Southwales by commission and tooke his iournie to Normandie In the same yeere died Cadwalader ap Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales who had by his wife Alice the daughter of Richard Clare Earle of Glocester Cunetha Radulph and Richard and by other women he had Caduan Cadwalader Eneon Meredyth goch and Cadwalhon Towards the end of this yeare Sitsylt ap Dyfnwal and Ieuan ap Sitsylt ap Riryd got the castell of Abergevenny vpon the sudden and tooke the kings garrison prisoners and the yeare ensuing was the fairest winter that euer was seene At this time there fell a variance betwixt the two kings of England the father and the sonne and there cleaued to the sonne the Queene his mother and both his brethren Geffrey and Richard and the Earle of Chester and William Patrick with the three sonnes of the Earle of Mellent Camerarius de Tancquervilla Valeran de Hibera Gilbert de Regularijs Simon de Montfort Radulph de la Haie Hugh de S. Maura and the French king with the Earle of Flanders gaue the yoong king aid who tooke Hugh Lacie and Hugh Beauchamp in the castell of Vernoyle yet the elder king was not discouraged who had Almanes and Brabanters to his soldiours Also Rees prince of Southwales sent to him Howel his sonne with a goodlie companie of men to serue him and the king was verie glad sent the lord Rees great thanks King Henrie ouerthrew his enimies diuerse times and tooke Radulph de Fulgerijs and the Earle of Chester prisoners but William Patricke and Haftulph de Hilario escaped Also the Earle of Leycester Hugh de nouo Castello as they began a stirre in England were taken at Burie by the elder kings soldiours and committed to prison In this meane time Iorwerth ap Owen brought his power against Caerlhêon and they of the towne fought with him whome he ouerthrew and tooke manie prisoners of them and wan the towne and laid siege to the castell which was yeelded him forthwith in exchange for his prisoners Then also his sonne Howel brought all Gwentîs Coet the castell onelie excepted to his subiection and tooke pledges of the inhabitants of the countrie Also at this time Dauid ap Owen Gwyneth prince of Northwales made warre against his brother Maelgon which kept the Ile of Môn or Anglesey brought his people ouer Mênai for so that arme of the sea is called which separateth that Ile from the maine land and chasing his brother out of the Ile to Ireland brought all the Ile to his subiection Also he expelled all his brethren and coosens out of Northwales and tooke all their lands to himselfe and taking his brother Maelgon as he came from Ireland kept him in close prison then Conan his brother died In the yeare 1175.
had by his wife Angharat the daughter of Owen Gwyneth prince of Northwales a sonne called Madoc who succeeded his father in that part of Powys called Powys Vadoc About the same time diuerse noble men of England died at Acon as Henrie Earle of Leycester the Earle Ferrers Ranulph de Fulgerijs Ranulph de Alta ripa In those daies VVilliam Marshall Geffrey Fitzpeter Hugh Bardulf and VVilliam Briwer were the nobles that bare most rule in England in the kings absence Then also Rees prince of Southwales wan the castell of Dynevowr and Owen his sonne died at Strata florida or Stratflur About this time king Richard wan the kingdome of Cypres and gaue it to Gwido king of Ierusalem vpon condition that he should release to Richard his claime of Ierusalem which he did Then the king being at Cyprus maried Berengaria the daughter of the king of Nauarra Shortlie after Maelgon the sonne of the lord Rees escaped out of prison where his father had kept him a long time But the lord Rees gat the castell of Lhanhayaden and the countrie about At that time Gruffyth ap Cadogan died Then king Richard after he had atchieued with his nobles the Earle of Leycester Bartholomew Mortimer Randulph de Malo leone N. de Furnevale Roger de Lacy William de Stagno Hugh de Neuella William de Porcell and Henrie Duch his standardbearer manie worthie deeds of arms against the infidels in his returne homeward through Austrich was taken prisoner by Lupold the duke thereof who presented him to Henrie the Emperour he kept him vntill he had paid him 200000. markes for his ransome laieng to his charge that he had spoiled the Ile of Sicilie in his viage towards the holie land The same yeare Roderike the sonne of Owen Gwyneth by the help of Gothrike king of Man entred the Ile of Môn and brought it to his subiection but before the end of the yeare the sonnes of his brother Conan chased him out of the Ile and got it themselues At this time Maelgon the sonne of Rees prince of Southwales laid siege to the castell of Stratmeyric and wanne it Also Howel surnamed Says that is to saie Saxon or English because he had serued in England sonne to the said prince Rees gat the castell of Gwys vpō the sudden tooke Philip de Gwys his wife his two sonnes prisoners therein Then because he had more castels than he could well defend he determined to rase the castell of Lhanhayaden but the Flemings hauing vnderstanding thereof gathered all their strength and came thither the daie appointed to rase the castell and set fierslie vpon the men of Howel and Maelgon and slewe manie of them putting the rest to flight Neuerthelesse they gathered a great power shortlie after and came thither againe and rased the castell to the ground without anie let or staie Upon this Anarawd the sonne also of prince Rees moued with filthie ambition and couetousnesse of lands tooke his two brethren Howel and Madoc prisoners vnder the color of freendship and put out both their eies In the yeare 1194. king Richard came into England and being at dinner in his litle hall of Westminster hearing that the French king besieged Vernoyle he sware that he would neuer turne his face till he had fought with him if he did abide caused the wall to be broken before him and so passed to Normandie and receiuing his brother Iohn to mercie raised the siege for the French king fled as soone as he heard of king Richards comming This yeare Maelgon sonne to prince Rees gaue his brother Anarawd the castell of Stratmeyric for his prisoners whom he set at libertie Then Rees himselfe did reedifie againe the castell of Rayader Gwy and his owne sonnes laid wait for him and tooke their father prisoner fearing least he would reuenge their cruell and vnnaturall deeds but by the meanes of Howel his sonne which was blind he escaped out of his sonne Maelgons prison and tooke the castell of Dineuwor which Maelgon kept and destroied it Also the sonnes of Cadwalhon ap Madoc of Melyenyth wan the castell of Rayder Gwy and fortified it for themselues At this time Lhewelyn the son of Iorwerth Drwyndwn who was the eldest sonne of Owen Gwyneth prince of Northwales remembring his right title to his inheritance of Northwales although his father had beene disinherited by his brother Dauid called togither his freends by his mother which was Marred the daughter of Madoc ap Meredyth prince of Powys and also drew to his side his coosins the sons of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth and so challenged the rule of Northwales and entred the countrie to whom the people willinglie yeelded and tooke him for their lord and so without bloodshed he receiued all Northwales to his subiection except three castels which his vncle Dauid kept by force of Englishmen in whom was all his trust because of his wife Emme aunt to the king of England And thus Dauid lost his land and Lhewelyn began to rule in the yeare of our Lord 1194. Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth Lhewelyn the sonne of Iorwerth the sonne of Owen Gwyneth called Leolinus Magnus The yeare ensuing there was a combat appointed betwixt the French king with fiue knights with him and king Richard with fiue other which should end all controuersies of which fight king Richard was glad but the French king like a snaile drew in his hornes and forsooke the battell And in Wales prince Rees gathered a great armie and laid siege to the towne and castell of Caermarthin and in short time wanne them both spoiling and destroieng the same and then returned with great bootie Then he lead his said armie to the marches before the castell of Clun which after a long siege and manie a fierse assault he got and burned it and from thence he went to the castell of Radnor and likewise wanne it to the defense whereof came Roger Mortimer and Hugh de Saye with a great armie of Normanes and Englishmen well armed and tried soldiours Then Rees which had wonne the castell determined not to keepe his men within the walles but boldlie like a worthie prince came into the plaine besides the towne and gaue them battell where his men although for the most part vnarmed and not accustomed to the battell declared that they came of Brytaines bloud whose title the noble Romane Emperours did so much desire as a token of manhood and worthines choosing rather to die with honour in the defense of their countrie than to liue with shame did so worthilie behaue themselues that their enimies forsooke the field with great losse of their men whom Rees pursued till the benefit of the night shadowed them with hir darknes and forthwith he laid siege to the castell of Payne in Eluel gat it Thither came William de Bruse the owner thereof and made peace with Rees of whom he receiued the same castell againe Not long after
their lands of him and of none other notwithstanding that of late yeares by negligence of his predecessors they had not vsed their accustomed dutie but some held of the king of England other ruled as supreme powers within their owne countries Therefore he called a Parliament of all the lords in Wales which for the most part appeared before him swore to be his liegemen but Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys would not come thither nor take the oth of allegiance Which disobedience the prince declared to all his lords they all thought that it was meete that Gwenwynwyn should be constrained by force to doo his dutie or else to leese his lands Yet one of his lords named Elise ap Madoc would not agree to hurt Gwenwynwyn in anie case but departed awaie suddenlie then Lhewelyn came with an armie to Powys but by the meanes of certaine learned men Gwenwynwyn and the prince were made freends Gwenwynwyn became the prince his liegeman and confirmed that both by oth and writing Then Lhewelyn remembring how Elise ap Madoc had serued him seased vpon all his lands and Elise fled the countrie but afterward yeelded himselfe to the princes mercie who gaue him the castell of Crogen and seuen towneships withall And here I thinke it not vnmeete to declare the cause why the Englishmen vse to call the Welshmen Crogens as a word of reproch and despite but if they knew the beginning they should find it contrarie For in the viage that king Henrie the second made against the Welshmen to the mountaines of Berwin as he laie at Oswestree a number of his men that were sent to trie the passages as they would haue passed Offas ditch at the castell of Crogen at which place there was is at this daie a narrow waie through the same ditch for that ditch appeereth yet to this daie verie deepe through all that countrie beareth his old name These men I saie as they would haue passed this straite were met withall a great number of them slaine as appeareth by their graues there yet to be seene whereof the strait beareth the name Therefore the Englishmen afterward not forgetting this slaughter vsed to cast the Welshmen in the teeth in all their troubles with the name of Crogen as if they would signifie vnto them thereby that they should looke for no fauour but rather reuengment at their hands which word in processe of time grew to be taken in another signification Now when Lhewelyn had set all these parties in good order he returned to Northwales by the waie fortified the castell of Bala in Penlhyn About the same time Rees sonne to Gruffyth ap Rees by right prince of Southwales got the castell of Lhanymdhyfri vpon Michaelmas day This yeare king Iohn lost all Normandie with Aniow Mayne and Poytiers and Hugh Gurnaie Robert Fitzwater and Sayer de Quincie who had a great part of these countries vnder their rule deliuered all vp to the French king at the first summon yet Roger Lacie kept his castels as long as he had any hope of succors About this time there was in England one called Simon de Thurnay a great diuine and philosopher who diuerse times made his aduaunt that he knew all that was to be knowen and suddenlie he fell to such ignorance that he cold nether read nor vnderstand one letter in the booke About this time Lhewelyn prince of Wales tooke to wife Ione the daughter of king Iohn by Agatha the daughter of Robert Ferrers Earle of Derby with whom the said king gaue him the lordship of Elsmere in the Marches of Wales The yeare next ensuing the foresaid Rees ap Gruffyth ap Rees got the castell of Lhangadoc and fortified it to his owne vse but shortlie after Maelgon his vncle with his freend Gwenwynwyn came with a strong power before the castell of Lhanymdhyfri wan it and from thence they remoued to Lhangadoc got the same likewise suffering the garrison to depart From thence Maelgon went to Dinerth and finished the castell which he had begun there About this time Dauid sonne to Owen Gwyneth after that prince Lhewelyn his nephue had set him at libertie fled to England and got an armie to restore him to his ancient estate in Northwales but all in vaine for his nephue met him and ouerthrew him in the waie then he returning to England for verie sorow died shortlie after The next yeare to this Howel the sonne of prince Rees being blind was slaine at Cemaes by his brother Maelgons men and buried by his brother Gruffyth at Stratflur Although this Maelgon in those daies bare all the rule in Southwales yet his brother Gruffyths sonnes Rees and his brethren wan from him the chiefe defense of all his countrie to wit the castels of Dyneuowr and Lhanymdhyfri Then William Marshall Earle of Penbrooke laid siege to the castell of Cilgerran wan it Not long after Maelgon ap Rees hired an Irishman to kill Gadiuor ap Griffri whose foure sons Maelgon tooke and put them to death These were toward gentlemen and came of a noble stocke for their mother Susanna was daughter to the said Howel ap Rees by a daughter of Madoc ap Meredyth prince of Powys The yeare 1205. Maelgon did build a castell at Abereneon At that time there came such abundance of fish to Aberystwyth as the like was neuer seene before Within the next three yeares after the French king got manie townes in Gwyen In those daies there fell a great debate in England between the king the clergie about the election of the Archbishop of Canturburie in so much that the yeare 1208. the Pope denounced all England accursed no seruice was vsed in anie church within England This yere the king did banish out of the land William de Bruse with his wife for displeasure that he bare to his son and seased their lands to his owne hands which William with his said wife and son fled to Ireland there remained for a while This man was of great power in the Marches of Wales but extreeme cruell and vniust The same yeare Gwenwynwyn came to Shrewesburie to speake with the kings councell and was there detained prisoner wherevpon prince Lhewelyn conquered all his countrie with all the towns and castels therein and kept the same to his owne vse Which when Maelgon ap Rees vnderstood and that Lhewelyn would make his voiage to Southwales he ouerthrew his castels of Aberystwyth Stratmeyric and Dynerth which he before had fortified despairing to be able to withstand the prince but the prince kept on his iournie to Aberystwyth and built the castell againe fortified it and seased to his owne hands the Cantref of Penwedic the land betwixt Dyui and Aeron which he gaue to Maelgons nephues the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Rees and so returned home with great ioy Within a litle after Rees Vachan sonne to prince Rees laid siege
to the castell of Lhangadoc and wan it not regarding his promise and league with the sonnes of his brother Gruffyth ap Rees forgetting how worthilie they had serued him in his necessitie Therefore assoone as they heard of this both Rees and Owen came before the said castell wan it by assault slew or tooke prisoners all the garrison and then burned the castell to the earth The yeare 1210. king Iohn made a voiage to Ireland with an armie of great power and wanne the countrie of Conacht and tooke Cathol their prince prisoner In this voiage of King Iohn towards Ireland as he was in his iournie in the borders of Wales there was one taken and brought before him who had killed a préest The officer desired to vnderstand the kings pleasure what he would haue doone to him Let him go saith the king for he hath slaine mine enimie The churchmen of those daies persecuted king Iohn with booke bell and candell and therefore he little regarded the losse of some of them Also he spoiled Hugh de Lacie Lord of Meth of his castels and lands and tooke William de Bruse the yoonger and Mawd de Saint Valerike his mother and brought them both to England with him and caused them cruellie to be famished in the castell of Wyndsor The cause of the kings displeasure taken against this William de Bruse Lord of Brecknock as Matthew Paris reporteth the same was this When the Pope had excommunicated the realme of England The king fearing a further inconuenience tooke pledges of such of his nobles as he suspected would make anie stirre against him sending his messengers to the said William de Bruse demanded his sons for pledges Then Mawd the wife of the said William more malipart than manerlie taking the word out of hir husbands mouth answered roundlie that the king who had shamefullie slaine Arthur his nephue whom he ought rather to haue kept and preserued should haue none of hir children These words being by the messengers signified vnto the king put him in such a heat against the said Lord that he sent certeine souldiours to take him wherevpon he his wife and children were faine to flie into Ireland to saue their liues where the said Mawd and hir sonne were now taken but the father escaped and fled into France where he died afterward as the same author saith This yeare the Earle of Chester reedified the castell of Dyganwy which stood vpon the sea shore East of the riuer Conwy which prince Lhewelyn had before destroied Also he fortified the castell of Treffynnon or S. Wenefride Then prince Lhewelyn entered the Earles land and destroied a great part thereof and returned home with a great spoile Also Rees Vachan sonne to prince Rees fearing prince Lhewelyn who defended his nephues the sonnes of Gruffyth in their right went to the king for succours which he receiued with good will and by their aid he laid siege to the castell of Lhanymdhyfry Now when the garrison sawe no hope of succours they desired that they might depart bag baggage horsses all and so they did Likewise Gwenwynwyn whom the king held in prison was set at libertie and the king fearing the princes power sent an armie with him by whose means he receiued all his countrie againe in short space Maelgon also when he heard the same came to the kings court became the kings man who returning home with a great number of Normanes and Englishmen ioined to them all the power he could make in Wales and contrarie to the oth that he had made to his nephues Rees and Owen began to spoile their countrie and comming to Cantref Penwedic encamped at Cilkennyn and laie there all night consulting vpon his voiage In the meane time his nephues hearing this hauing but a small power not aboue 300. of chosen men came and lodged hard by vnknowing to their enimies And when they vnderstood by their spies that all was in quiet in Maelgons campe and how that his men mistrusting nothing behaued themselues careleslie these two lords prosecuted boldlie the enterprise which they had taken in hand and peaceablie entring the campe did come where they thought Maelgon laie or euer they were espied they gaue alarum and slew a great number before they awoke and the rest hearing the noise halfe amazed by means of the darkenesse escaped awaie thinking some great power had beene there But Maelgons men defended them manfullie vntill such time as their lord had gotten vpon his feete and escaped awaie by benefite of the night Then his nephue Conan ap Howel and his chiefe counseller Gruffyth ap Cadogan were both taken and Eneon ap Caradoc with a great number more slaine About this time Gilbert Earle of Glocester fortified the castell of Buelht where a litle before he had lost manie of his men This yeare also Mawd de Bruse wife to Gruffyth ap Rees died and was buried in a moonks coule in Stratflur by hir husband The next yeare ensuing king Iohn had manie complaints made vnto him by the Marchers vpon prince Lhewelyn how he entring their countrie burned and spoiled all as he went and slew their men Wherfore the king gathered a great armie through all England and called to him such lords and princes of Wales as held of him as Howel ap Gruffyth ap Conan ap Owen Gwyneth whom Lhewelyn had banished Madoc ap Gruffyth Maylor lord of Bromfield Chirke and Yale Meredyth ap Rotpert lord of Cydewen Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys Maelgon and Rees Vachan the sonnes of prince Rees rulers of Southwales With this great armie he entred into Northwales by Chester minding to destroie all that had life within that countrie Then the prince hearing of all this preparation against him aswell of his owne countriemen as others commanded all such as inhabited the Inland or Midle countrie which is now part of Denbigh and Flynt shires to remooue all their goods and cattels to Snowden hils for a time And so the king came along the sea coast to Ruthlan and so passed ouer the riuer Clwyd and came to the castell of Teganwy and there remained a while but Lhewelyn cut off his victuals behind him so that he could haue none from England and there cold not a man scatter from the skirmishes vnfought withall where the Northwales men alwaies both for the aduantage of the straits and knowledge of the places had the vpper hand At the last the English souldiours were glad to taste horsse flesh for pure neede Then when the king saw no remedie he returned home in great rage leauing the countrie full of dead bodies In August next ensuing he returned againe with a great armie and the lords before named with him entred into Wales at Blanch-monasterie now Oswestree whereof Iohn the sonne of William Fitzalan was lord At this time the king passing the riuer of Conwey encamped there by the riuer side and sent
which kept the castell of Aberteiui deliuered the same vnto him vpon S. Stephens daie and the daie after he had the castell of Cilgerran from whence he returned to Northwales with great honor and triumph In the which viage these lords accompanied him to wit Howel ap Gruffyth ap Conan Lhewelyn ap Meredyth Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys Meredyth ap Rotpert Maelgon and Rees Vachan the sonnes of prince Rees Rees and Owen the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Rees and the power of Madoc ap Gruffyth Maylor lord of Bromfield The winter after was the fairest winter that euer was seene The yeare folowing the prince went to Aberteiui to make an agreement betwixt Maelgon and Rees Vachan sonnes to prince Rees on the one side and their nephues yoong Rees and his brother Owen the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Rees on the other side where he diuided Southwales betwixt them after this maner to Maelgon he gaue three Cantrefs in Dyuet Gwarthaf Penlhwynoc Cemaes and Emlyn with the castell of Cilgerran two in Stratywy Hiruryn and Malhaen and Maenor Bydvey with the castell of Lhanymdhyfry and two in Caerdigan Gwynionyth and Mabwyneon to yoong Rees and Owen his brother he gaue the castell of Aberteiui and the castell of Nant yr arian or siluer dale and three Cantrefs in Caerdigan withall And to Rees Vachan otherwise called Rees Gryc the castell of Dyneuowr the Cantref Mawr and the Cantref Bachan except Hiruryn and Mydhuey the Comotes of Cydwely and Carnwylhion This diuision being accomplished the prince returned homeward to whom by the way it was signified that Gwenwynwyn contrarie to his oth and bonds in writing had forsaken him and became againe the kings subiect which greeued the prince verie much and therefore he sent vnto him bishops and Abbots to moue him to remember his oth and promise and his pledges giuen to the prince and to shew him his owne hand and therevpon to see if he would come againe and to promise him the princes fauour but he would in no case heare of reconciliation wherefore the prince entred into Powys with fire and sword and subdued the countrie to himselfe wherevpon Gwenwynwyn fled to the Earle of Chester for succours and there remained for a while At this time Lewys sonne to the French king being called by the Barons of England landed at Tenet who receiuing to his hands all the holdes by the waie came to London and there receiued homage of the Barons and from thence went towards Winchester where king Iohn was and by the waie got the castels of Rygat Guilford and Fernam then comming to Winchester receiued the same with the castell Wherevpon king Iohn fled to Hereford in the Marches of Wales and sent to Reynold Bruse and to prince Lhewelyn desiring freendship but they would not heare him Therefore he destroied the castell of Radnor and Haye and came a long to Oswestree which towne being of the possessions of Iohn Fitzalans he burned to the earth and departed from thence northward leauing power as he went in whose companie were William de Albemarle the Earle of Glocester Philip de Albineto Iohn Marshall Foulke de Breant a noble good soldiour to whom the king gaue in mariage the daughter of the Earle Riuers with the castell of Bedford William Earle of Salisburie the kings brother William Briwer VValter Espec Also he appointed gouernors of the North Hugh Baliol and Philip Halcots He made gouernors of the citie of Yorke Robert de Veipont Geffrey Lucy and Bryan de Lysle Upon the other part Lewys coming from VVinchester tooke the castell of Odyham and came to London with great triumph where Geffrey Maundeuile Earle of Essex was slaine by misfortune running at the tilte And the Lords that mainteined the quarell were these VVilliam Erle VVaren VVilliam Earle of Arundell VVilliam Erle of Salisburie who forsooke the king at the end VVilliam Marshall the yoonger VVilliam de Maundeuile Robert Fitzwater VVilliam Huntingfield all southern men and Robert de Rose Peter de Bruse and Richard Percie northern men And all this while Hubert de Burgh kept the castell of Douer worthilie to the behoofe of the king But as king Iohn was making preparation at Newerke he fell sicke and died and lieth buried at VVorcester After the death of king Iohn Rondle Earle of Chester VVilliam Marshall Erle of Penbrooke William Earle Ferrers Philip de Albineto and Iohn Marshall crowned Henrie his sonne king of England at Glocester In the meane while Lewys besieged the castell of Douer but all in vaine Then returning to London where the citie was deliuered him he proceeded and wan the castels of Hartford and Berkamstede Wherevpon there was a truse concluded betwixt both princes for a while then Lewys returned to France This yeare Howel ap Gruffyth ap Conan died and lieth buried at Conwey The yeare 1217. manie of the nobles of England forsooke Lewys whom they had called in before and contrarie to their oth came to king Henrie as William de Albineto lord of Bealwere besides Notingham who was imprisoned in Corff William Earle Warren VVilliam de Albineto Earle of Arundell William longa Spata Earle of Salisburie William Marshall the yonger and William de Cantilupo Then Lewys shortlie after landed at Douer with a great armie and laid siege to the castell but he could doo no good from thence he went and incamped before the castell of Windsore and when he cold not get it he tooke his iournie to Lincolne whither the armie of king Henrie came against him where a cruell battell was fought wherein Lewys was put to flight a great number of his nobles taken as Saere Quincy Earle of Winchester Henrie de Bohune Earle of Hereford Gilbert de Gaunt Earle of Lincoln Robert Fitzwater Richard Montfytchet Gilbert de Clare William Mowbraye William Beuchamp VVilliam Mandit Aemer Harcourt Roger de Crescy William de Coluile William de Rosse Robert Rippeley and there were slaine Symon de Vescy Hugh de Roch Reynald Crescy constable of Chester Gerald de Furneuale and manie other Also Hubert de Burgh captaine of Douer Henrie de Turberuile and Richard Sward gaue the French nauie whereof Eustace a moonke was captaine an ouerthrow In this meane time Reynald de Bruse did agree with the king vnknowing to prince Lhewelyn and contrarie to his promise Wherefore yoong Rees and Owen his sisters sons seeing that he in whom they trusted most deceiued them rose against him and wanne all Buelht from him sauing the castell But when the Prince heard of this agreement he was sore offended withall and comming with an armie to Brechnock he laid siege to the town of Aberhodny where the burgesses of the towne came to him and by meanes of yoong Rees the Prince taking 100. markes and fiue pledges of them raised his siege and tooke his iournie ouer the blacke mountaines towards Gwyr where he lost much of his cariages And as he camped at Lhangruc
moneths but it was so manfullie defended that they could not come by it And at last there came in the kings ships and manned and victualed the towne afresh wherefore they raised the siege and departed Within a while after Rees Gryc sonne to the lord or prince Rees died at Lhandeilo vawr and was buried honorablie besides his father at S. Dauids Then Maelgon Vachan sonne to Maelgon ap Rees finished the castell of Trefilan which his father had begon The Earle Marshall vnderstanding that the bishop of Winchester had with a thousand markes of monie wonne from him to the kings part the Earles of Chester and Lincolne made a firme league with Lhewelyn prince of Wales and other nobles of that countrie swearing among themselues that none of them should grow to anie agreement with the king without his confederats Wherevpon the king sent to Flanders and other countries beyond the sea for aid to whom Baldwyn Earle of Gysnes came with a great armie to Glocester Also manie Poictouins came to him by the procurement of the said bishop who was that countrieman himselfe In the yeare of Christ 1234. Iohn lord Monumetensis a noble warrior captaine of the kings armie being made Warden of the Marches of Wales leuied a power and came against the Earle Marshall and the Welshmen but when he had once entred Wales he came backe in post leauing his men for the most part slaine and taken behind him This historie is laid downe by Matthew Paris after this manner About the feast of S. Iohn Baptist Iohn of Monmouth a noble and expert warrior who was with the king in his warres in Wales gathered a great armie meaning to inuade the Earle Marshall at vnawares but he being certified of the same hid himselfe in a certaine wood by the which laie the waie of his enimies intending to deceiue them who went about to serue him after the same sort When the enimies therfore came to the place where the ambush was the Earle Marshals armie gaue a great shout and so set vpon their enimies being vnprouided and suddenlie put them all to flight slaieng an infinite number of them aswell Poictouins as other Iohn of Monmouth himselfe escaped by flight whose countrie with the villages buildings and all that he had therein the Earle Marshall did spoile and destroie with fire and sword and left him nothing at all and then returned with rich spoiles Afterward in the wéeke after the Epiphanie Lhewelyn prince of Wales togither with the Earle Marshall ioining their powers and entring the kings land destroied all with fire and sword from the confines of Wales vnto the towne of Salop which they also tooke and burnt a great part thereof and then returned with great spoiles The king of England being all this while with the bishop of Winchester at Glocester little regarding warre who for want of sufficient strength for the warre durst not méete his enimies in the field but being ashamed of the matter departed towards Winchester leauing the Marches to be destroied by the enimies as anie man might sée The same yeare Richard Earle of Penbrooke by the counsell of Geffrey de Marisco went with an armie to Ireland where he was slaine in fight by treason of his owne men after whom his brother Gilbert inherited his lands In that time the king sent the Archbishop of Canturburie with the bishops of Rochester and Chester to intreate with prince Lhewelyn for to make peace with the king but they returned without doing of anie good Matthew Paris saith this The king at this time going to méet Edmond Archbishop of Canturburie and the other Bishops which he had sent to conclude a peace with Lhewelyn prince of Wales came to Woodstocke where being certified of the death of the Earle Marshall by certeine messengers which came from Ireland he fell into great wéeping and sorrowe for the death of so valiant a knight affirming withall that he had not least his péere behind him in the realme From thence he went to Glocester where the said Archbishop and bishops comming to him declared the treatie and forme of peace taken betwéene him and the said Lhewelyn yet neuerthelesse vpon this condition that the noble men of England which were confederates with the said Lhewelyn and by euill counsell were exiled should first be reconciled to the king whereby the said peace might be more firme and stable Moreouer the Archbishop said that with much a doo they had brought the matter to that passe adding sometimes threatnings on the kings behalfe with his clergie to the which threatnings the said Lhewelyn is reported to haue answered that he more regarded the kings almes-déeds and his godlie behauiour than he did feare his warre with all his clergie Then the king who wished peace with all his heart caused by his letters all the nobles that were outlawed to be called againe vnto him to Glocester the sundaie before the Ascension daie next following to haue their pardons and to receiue their inheritance which the king had seased into his owne hands Then Hubert de Burgh Earle of Kent came to the king and obteined his fauour whom the king reuerentlie imbrased and kissed Prince Lhewelyn also this yeare set Gruffyth his sonne at libertie whom he had kept in prison sixe yeares for his disobedience At the same time died Robert Fitzwater who as Matthew Paris saith had a stone about his necke of such vertue that he could not die as long as it was there Also Roger de Somerie died and Cadwalhon ap Maelgon of Melienyth The yeare after died Owen sonne to Gruffyth ap Rees being a noble Gentleman and verie well beloued and was buried by his brother Rees at Stratflur King Henrie about this time tooke to wife the second daughter of the Earle of Prouince called Elianor And Frederike the Emperour maried Isabel sister to king Henrie The yeare after Madoc the sonne of Gruffyth Maylor lord of the lower Powys or Bromfield Chirke and Yale a man verie iust and mercifull died and was buried honourablie at the abbie of Lhan Egwest or Vale Crucis which he had built and leaft behind him a sonne named Gruffyth to inherit his lands Also Owen ap Meredyth ap Rotpert of Cydewen departed out of this world The same yeare Gilbert Erle of Penbrooke by treason got the castell of Morgan ap Howel called Marchen and fortified it verie strong for feare of the Prince Then the Earles of Cornewall and Penbrooke tooke the crosse The next spring died Ione daughter to king Iohn princesse of Wales and was buried vpon the sea shoare within the Ile of Anglesey at Lhanuaes as hir pleasure was where the Prince did build a house of barefoote Friers ouer hir graue Then also died Iohn Scot Erle of Chester without issue therefore the king seased that Earldome to his owne hands Because the Earles of Chester were men of great possessions in Wales and had
much warre with the princes of Northwales I thinke it conuenient for the better vnderstanding of this historie to laie downe a briefe Catalog of the descents of the same Earles in order from the conquest to this Iohn Scot which was the last of them HVgh Lupus the sonne of Richard Earle of Auranges Uicount of Abonica and of Margaret the daughter of Harlowine a noble man in Normandie who maried Arlet the daughter of a burgesse in Falois which was also mother to William Conquerour came to England with the said Conquerour and was by him created Erle of Chester and sword-bearer of England with these words Habendum tenendum dictum comitatum Caestriae sibi haeredibus suis ita liberè ad gladium sicut ipse rex totam tenebat Angliam ad coronam that is To haue and to hold the said countie of Chester to him and his heires by right of the sword so fréelie as the king held the realme of England in the right of the crowne Hugh being established in the possession of the Earldome with most large priuiledges and fréedoms ordained vnder him for the better gouernment of the said countie foure Barons to wit The first Nigell or Neal his coosen Baron of Halton Constable and Marshall of Chester by condition of seruice to lead the Uauntgard of the Earles armie when he should make anie iournie into Wales so as the said Baron should be the formost in marching into the enimies countrie and the last in comming backe of him the Lacyes Earles of Lincolne descended The second Piers Malebanke Baron of Nantwich The Third Eustace Baron of Malpas The fourth Warren Vernoun Baron of Shipbrooke This Hugh Lupus conuerted the church of S. Werburgh to an Abbeie and died An 1102. after he had ruled that Earldome fourtie years leauing issue behind him Richard Robert Abbot of Burie and Otuell tutor to the children of king Henrie the first Richard Lupus the sonne of Hugh Lupus being the second Earle of Chester after the Conquest was but seuen yeare old when he was Earle he maried Mawd the daughter of Stephen Earle of Bloys Charters and Champaigne being the sister of king Stephen he with his brother Otuell after he had béen Earle of Chester xvij yeares was drowned at Godwin-sands comming from Normandie with the children of king Henrie the first in the yeare of Christ. 1120. Randulph Meschines alias de Bohun the sonne of Iohn de Bohun and of Margaret the sister of Hugh Lupus succéeded Richard in the Earledome of Chester as coosen next heire of blood to him being the third erle of Chester after the conquest he maried Mawd the daughter of Aubrey de Vere Earle of Gisnes by whom he had issue Randulph surnamed Vernounes bicause he was borne at Vernoune castell and died An. 1130. after that he had béene Earle about eight yeares Randulph Bohun his sonne succéeded his father being the fourth Earle of Chester after the Conquest who maried Alicia the daughter of Robert Earle of Glocester base sonne to king Henrie the first by whom he had issue Hugh Cyuelioc so called of that countrie of Powys wherein he was borne and died An. 1158. When he had béene Earle nine and twentie yeares Hugh Bohun alias Keuelock or rather Cyuelioc being the fift Earle of Chester after the Conquest maried Beatrice the daughter of Richard Lucie lord chiefe Iustice of England by whom he had issue Randulph and foure daughters Mawd maried to Dauid Earle of Anguis and Huntington lord of Galloway Mabill maried to William Daubney Earle of Arundell Agnes maried to William Ferrers Erle of Derby and Hawys maried to Robert Quincy a Baron of great honor who was in hir right after hir brothers death Earle of Lincolne and after him she was maried to sir Warren Bostock This Hugh was Earle of Chester 28. yeares died about the yeare 1182. Randulph Bohun alias Blandeuill so called bicause he was borne in Powys in a towne named Album monasterium succéded his father being the sixt Earle of Chester after the Conquest who was also Earle of Lincolne as coosen and next heire vnto William Romare Earle of Lincolne the second brother of Randulph Meschines the third Earle of Chester after the Conquest He was thrice maried first to Constance the daughter and heire of Conan Erle of Brytaine and Richmond being the widow of Geffrey the third son of king Henrie the second and the mother of Arthur Erle of Brytaine from whom afterward he was diuorsed and then maried a ladie named Clemence daughter to the Earle Ferrers after whose decease he tooke to his third wife Margaret daughter to Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford Essex and Constable of England Nuerthelesse he neuer had issue by anie of those his wiues and therefore the Earledome of Chester and his lands in Northwales after his death descended to Iohn surnamed Scot his sister Mawdes sonne by Dauid Earle of Anguis and Huntington The manour of Barrow with 500. pound lands came to Mabill the Earldome of Lincolne to Hawyse the castell and manour of Chartley and as I thinke his possessions in Powys to Agnes This Randulph atchieued manie enterprises against Lhewelyn prince of Wales but one time méeting with the said Prince and being too weake to encounter with him he was driuen to retire backe to the castell of Ruthlan wherein the said Prince besieged him wherevpon he was faine to send to Roger Lacie Constable of Chester to come to his succors in that extremitie Lacie calling his fréends vnto him requested them to make as manie men as they could and to go with him to deliuer the Earle out of the danger of his enimies at whose request Ralph Dutton his son in law being a lustie youth assembled togither all the plaiers musicians and merie companions within the citie being then the Faire time and came to the Constable who forthwith went to Ruthlan raised the siege and deliuered the Earle from danger In recompense of which seruice the Earle gaue vnto his Constable diuerse fréedoms and priuiledges and granted vnto the said Dutton the ruling and ordering of all the plaiers and musicians within that countie which his heire enioieth euen to this daie This Earle builded the castels of Charteley and Beeston the abbie of Dalacrosse He died about the yeare of Christ 1232. when he had béene Earle 51. yeares Iohn Scot was in the right of Mawd his mother the eldest sister and one of the heires of Randulph Blandeuile the seuenth Earle of Chester he had great warres with Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth prince of Wales but in the end peace being made betwixt them the Earle for further confirmation of the same maried Iane the Princes daughter neuerthelesse he died without issue leauing foure sisters his heires Margaret maried to Alan de Galawey by whom she had a daughter named Derngold the mother of Iohn Baliol king of Scotland Isabel maried to Robert Breux Mawd who died without issue and
Alicia maried to Henrie Hastings to the which sisters the king gaue other lands and tooke the said Earldome into his owne hands Quia noluit tam praeclaram dominationem diuidi inter colos In the yeare 1237. Lhewelyn prince of Wales called all the Lords and Barons of Wales before him to Stratflur and there euerie one of them swore to be faithfull subiects and did homage to Dauid Lhewelyns sonne At this time Lhewelyn prince of Wales being impotent by reason of a palsie which had taken him and sore vexed and disquieted by his sonne Gruffyth sent Ambassadors to the king to signifie vnto him that for as much as his yeares were now welnigh spent he was desirous to lead the rest of his daies in peace and quietnes and therefore purposed now to submit himselfe to the gouernment and protection of the king of England and that he would hold his lands of him promising withall that when soeuer the king should stand in néed of his aid he would be readie to helpe him with men and monie to the vttermost of his power There were sent as mediators in this behalfe the bishops of Hereford Chester who trauelled about the same with the good liking of many of the nobles of Wales although some openlie gainsaid them in no case would accept anie such peace Then the said Dauid tooke from his brother Gruffyth Arustly Ceri Cyuelioc Mowthwy Mochnant and Caereneon and let him onelie enioy the Cantref of Lhyyn This Gruffyth was the elder brother and a lustie gentleman but yet base borne The summer folowing the Earle of Cornwale and William de longa Spata the yoonger tooke their viage towards the holie land Simon de Monteforti fled from France to England to whom the king gaue the Stewardship of England with the Erledome of Leicester This time Dauid sonne to prince Lhewelyn did contrarie to his oth take his brother Gruffyth being in safeconduct with the bishop of Bangor vpon whose promise he was content to speake with his brother and imprisoned him in the castell of Crickieth The yeare after Christs incarnation 1240. Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth the most valiant and noble prince which brought all Wales to his subiection and had so often put his enimies to flight and defended his countrie enlarging the meares thereof further than they had beene manie yeares before passed out of this transitorie life and was honorablie buried at the Abbeie of Conwey after he had gouerned Wales well and worthilie fiftie and sixe yeares This prince left behind him one sonne called Dauid begotten vpon his wife Ione daughter to king Iohn of England by whom also he had a daughter called Gladys maried to six Ralph Mortimer Also he had another sonne called Gruffyth whom his brother wrongfullie kept in close prison as long as he liued as shalbe hereafter declared Dauid ap Lhewelyn Dauid the sonne of Lhewelyn When Richard bishop of Bangor sawe that Dauid dealt so hardlie with his brother Gruffyth contrarie to his faithfull promise made vnto the said bishop he excommunicated him and then withdrawing himselfe out of Wales made a gréeuous complaint to the king vpon Dauid most instantlie requesting the king to deliuer Gruffyth out of prison least the rumor of that fact being notified in the court of Rome and other countries out of the realme should be some staine of the kings honor if he should not withstand such outragious and wilfull dealings The king therefore greatlie blaming Dauid his nephue for the abusing of his brother in such sort as he did requested him with most pithie persuasions to set his brother at libertie as well for the sauing of his owne credit and fame as also for the auoiding of the said excommunication and other imminent dangers which might ensue of that matter To the which request of the king Dauid answered plainelie that he would not deliuer his brother out of prison affirming constantlie that if his brother were inlarged the countrie of Wales would be in great disquietnes Whereof when Gruffyth was certified he sendeth priuilie to the king promising that if he would forceablie deliuer him out of his brothers prison he would hold his lands of him and paie him two hundereth markes yearelie offering not onelie to be sworne vpon this and to deliuer pledges for performance thereof but also to aid the king to bring the rest of the Welshmen to his subiection Further Gruffyth Lord of Bromfield did assure the king of aid if he would come to Wales with an armie to chastise Dauid for his falsehood and iniurie vsed towards his brother Moreouer the bishop of Bangor being more desirous to be reuenged vpon Dauid in an other mans matter than carefull to feed his flocke in discharge of his owne dutie sent to Rome and there followed the matter so hard that the Pope excommunicated Dauid which excommunication was denounced accordinglie and his land interdicted Now king Henrie being allured with these promises on Gruffyths behalfe leauied a puisant armie to go into Wales straightlie commanding by his writs all such as ought him seruice in time of warre to giue their attendance vpon him readie with horse and armor at Glocester the first daie of August folowing to set forward against his enimies Whither the king came at the daie appointed and from thence went to Salop and remained there fiftéene daies During the kings abode at Salop diuers noble men were great suters vnto him in the behalfe of Gruffyth as Ralph lord Mortimer of Wigmore Walter Clifford Roger de Monte Alto steward of Chester Maelgon the sonne of Maelgon Meredyth ap Rotpert lord of Cydewen Gruffyth ap Madoc lord of Bromfield Howel and Meredyth the sonnes of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth and Gruffyth the sonne of Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys These wrought so with the king that there was a league concluded betwéene him and Senena the wife of the said Gruffyth in the behalfe of hir husband lieng then in his brothers prison according to the articles comprised in this charter folowing Conuenit inter dominum Henricum tertium regem Anglorum illustrem ex vna parte Senenam vxorem Gryffini filij Leolini quondà m principis Northwalliae quem Dauid frater eius tenet carceri mancipatum cum Owino filio suo nomine eiusdem Gryffini ex altera c. Articles of agreement betweene Henrie the third of that name king of England of the one partie and Senena the wife of Gruffyth the sonne of Lhewelyn sometimes Prince of Northwales whom Dauid his brother deteineth in prison with Owen his sonne in the name of the said Gruffyth of the other partie IN primis the said Senena vndertaketh that the said Gruffyth hir husband will giue vnto the king sixe hundreth markes vpon condition that the king doo cause the said Gruffyth and Owen his sonne to be deliuered from the prison wherein they are kept and will stand to the iudgement of the kings court whether
of Salope 155. he is slaine 156. Hugh Earle of Chester winneth Mehenyth 197. Hugh Lacy 151. I. IAgo ap Edwal 59.62 Iago ap Edwal 87. Iestyn ap Gurgant lord of Glamorgan 119. Ieuaf ap Edwal 59.60.70 Igmond commeth to Anglisey 41. Iohn king of England made Knight goeth to Ireland returneth againe 240. lost Normandie Aniow Mayne and Poytiers 258. goeth to Ireland 261. goeth to Wales 264. and againe 265. maketh his kingdome tributarie to the Pope 270. he destroieth the Marches of Wales 275. he dieth 276. Iohn le Fleming 125. his heires 136. Iohn de Cremona a Cardinal 186. Iohn Scot Earle of Chester 288.293 Iohn of Monmouth 290.310 Iohn Peckam Archbishop of Canturburie 338. Iohn Uoisye bishop of Excester 393. Iohn Sutton alias Dudley Earle of Warwike 397. Iohn Williams L. Williams of Thame 399. Ionaual the son of Meyric 67. Iorwerth Drwyndwn 227. Iorwerth ap Blethyn 157.158 condemned and cast into prison 160. set at libertie 167. slaine cruellie 170. Iorwerth ap Owen ap Caradoc lord of Caerlheon vpon Usc 230. wan Caerlheon again 234. obtained the kings fauour 236. Ioseph of Aremathia 12. Ithel K. of Gwent 29. Iuor the sonne of Alan 7. Iuor the sonne of Ednerth ap Cadogoan 154. K. KEntwine K. of Westsex 8. Kenulph K. of Wests 16. he destroieth Wales 25. L. LHanbadarn destroied by the Danes 71. Lhanvaes 293. Loegria Lhoeger 1. Lhechryd 117. Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht 83.84 Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth 245. taketh his vncle Dauid prisoner 250. calleth a parlement 257. marieth Ione the daughter of King Iohn 259. maketh peace with K. Iohn 265. released by the Pope of his oth of allegeance to the K. of England commanded to war against him 267. he winneth Ruthlan and Dyganwy 270. excommunicated by the Pope 271. he winneth Shrewesburie ibidem goeth with an armie to Southwales 273. also to Brechnocke 277. leadeth an armie to Penbrooke 279. cōmeth to the K. at Shrewesburie 281. destroieth all the marches to Southwales 287. entreth into England 288. commeth with an armie to Brechnocke ibid. taketh the towne of Salop againe 291. concludeth peace with K. Henrie the third 292. calleth all the Lords and Barons of Wales togither 297. he dieth 298. Lhewelyn ap Gruffyth chosen Prince of Wales 314. diuided the principalitie betwene him and his brother Owen ibidem entred the Earle of Chestersland 321. causeth the Earle to retire ibid. destroieth the Erldom of Chester 326. maketh peace with the K. 326. refuseth to come to K. Edwards coronation 328. excuseth himselfe to the Archbishops 329. maketh peace with K. Edward 334. he is maried 336. his answer to the Archbishop of Canturburie 340. his answer to the kings offer 366. he is slaine 374. Lhywarch ap Owen 69. Lhywarch ap Trahaern 164.169.171 Lhyyn destroied 65. Locusts destroie Ireland 42. Lumbards whence they came 39. M. MAdoc ap Riryd 164.166.172 Madoc ap Meredyth ap Blethyn 210. Madoc ap Owen Gwyneth 227. Madoc ap Gruffyth Maylor 255.293 Madoc coosen to Prince Lhewelyn 380. discomfiteth Edmund the kings brother and H. Lacie Earle of Lincolne ibid. taken and sent to prison 381. Maelgon Gwyneth 2. Maelgon ap Rées 242. escapeth out of prison 243. winneth the castel of Strat meyric ibid. his vnconstancie 266. dieth 286. Maelgon the son of Maelgon 287.289.290.308.315.380 Magedawc 16. Manaw D 14.5 Marie princesse of walles 393. Mathraual D 6. 11.267 Mawd the empresse cōmeth to England 195. she dieth 240. Meneuia D 18. destroied 114. spoiled 154. the see made subiect to the see of Canturburie 160. spoiled 289. Merdhin or Merlin 4. Meredyth ap Owen 69.71 he dieth 73. Meredyth ap Owen ap Edwyn prince of Southwales 103. he is slaine 110. Meredyth ap Blethyn 157.158 taken by his brother Iorwerth and sent to the kings prison 159. he escapeth out of prison 162. Meredyth ap Gruffyth ap Rees lord of Caerdigan and Stratywy 204. Meriadoc 2. Merionyth D 9. Meruyn Urych 22.24 he is slaine 28. Meyric the son of Arthpoel 85. Miles Fitzwater Earle of Hereford 148. Moon D 6.7 destroied 29.65.69.71 Monkes and Freers lately receiued in Wales 253. Mooren of cattell in Wales 69. Morgan of Glamorgan 380.382 Morganwc D 19. ¶ See Glamorgan Mont Paladour 5. Montgomerie 152.280 Murcasteth 173. N. NIcholas Heath bishop of worcester 397. Normans whence they came 39. Tithed and put to death 92. they destroie Dyuet 110. Northwales described D 6. descended thrée times to a woman D 13. O. OFfa K. of Mercia 18. his ditch 19 D 5. he draue the welshmen beyond the ditch ibid. Oswestrie castell built 201. the towne burnt 288. Owen ap Iorwerth traitorouslie slaine 232 Owen ap Meredyth lord of Cydewen 325. Owen Tuver 390.391 Owen the son of Howel Dha 58. Owen the sonne of Dyfnwal 71. Oliuer De S. Iohn 125. his heires 136. Owen ap Edwyn 155. he dieth 160. Owen ap Cadogan taketh awaie Geralds wife 163. flieth to Ireland 165. pardoned and called home againe 170. submitteth himself to K. H. 1.174 he goeth with the King to Normandie and is made knight 175. he is slaine 182. Owen Gwyneth 188.193 he burneth Caermardhyn 193. taketh the castell of Moulde 199. builded a castell at yal 201. wanne the castell of Basingwerke 223. maketh war vpon Owen Cyuelioc 224. wanne the castell of Ruthlan and all Tegengl ibid. he dieth 225. Owen ap Gruffyth 314.334 P. PAganus de Turberuile 125 his issue and heires 132. Parlement when it first began 182. Penant Bachwy 173. Penbrooke D 18. the castell built 154. the same castell built againe 163. Peter le Soore 125. his heires 135. Polydor Uirgil reprehended D 23. Poole taken by the Archbishop of Canturburie 248. the castell ouerthrowen 288. Powys D 11.35 the partition of it 211. Priests forbidden to marrie 162. Prophesies causes of much hurt 5. Pwlhgwitie 113. Q. Quo Warránto 336. R. RAdnor destroied 71. Rees ap Owen ap Edwyn 111. he obtaineth the rule of Southwales 112. he is slaine 113. Rees ap Theodor Prince of Southwales 113. he ioyneth with Gruffyth ap Conan 114. ouerthrew and put to flight the children of Blethyn ap Convyn 117. ouercōmeth his enimies at Lhandydoch 119. he is slaine ibid. Rees ap Gruffyth called the lord Rees 204. maketh peace with the King 208. laieth siege to Caermardhin 210. did his homage to the King 220. maketh warre vpon the Earle of Clare ibid. wanne the castell of Aberteiui and Cilgerran 223. came with a power to Powys 230. came to the K. at Penbrooke 231. commeth to the court 235. his feast 237. he wanne the castels of S. Clere Abercorran and Lhanstephan 242. likewise the castell of Dineuowr Lhanhayaden 243. taken prisoner by his sons 244. he taketh Caermarthin Ciun Radnor the castell of Payne in Eluel 247. he dieth 249. Rees ap Meredyth knight 378 Reginald de Sully 125. his heires 135. Reginald Graylord of Ruthyn 377. Richard de Granuile or greenféeld 125. his issue 131. Richard de Syward 125. his heires
Swydhynogen and Pennwelht Cantref Buelht hath these Swydhyvam Dreulys and Isyrwon Of this part there is at this daie some in Mountgomerie shire some in Radnorshire and some in Brechnockeshire In this part and in the lordships marching to it which although at the time of this diuision which was in the time of the last prince were not in his subiection yet to this daie speake Welsh and are called Wales and in these comots are these townes and castels Mountgomerie called in Welsh Treualdwyn a pretie towne and a faire castell The castell of Clunn called Colunwy which is the Earles of Arundell The towne of Knighton in Welsh Trefyclawd The castell of Cymaron Presteyn in Welsh Lhanandras The towne and castell of Radnor in Welsh Maesyuet at this daie the shire towne The towne of Kyngton and the castell of Huntingdon called in Welsh Y castelh Mayn which were the Bohunes Earles of Hereford and after the dukes of Buckingham Castell Payne Haye Lhanuair in Buelht These lordships with Brechnock and Abergeuennie were belonging to the Bruses lords of Brechnock and after came diuers times and by sundrie meanes to the Bohunes Neuels and Mortimers And so as I haue rehearsed in this territorie or kingdome were found 14. Cantreds and 40. comots Two of these parts which are Powys and Gwyneth are at this daie called Northwales and diuided into sixe shires Môn called Anglesey Caernaruon Merionyth Denbigh Flynt and Mountgomerie shire and are all on the Northside Seauerne sauing a peece of Mountgomerie shire And here I thinke it good to let the reader vnderstand what the Brytish chronicle saith of Northwales which affirmeth that three times it came by inheritance to women First to Stradwen daughter to Caduan ap Conan ap Endaf and wife to Coel Godeboc mother to Cenaw Dyvyr and Gwawl The second time to the same Gwawl wife to Edeyrn ap Padarn and mother to Cunetha Wledic which Cunetha inhabiting in the North parts of England about the yeare 540. after the incarnation of Christ and hearing how the mingled nations of Irish Scots and Pictes had ouer runne the sea shore of Caerdigan which was part of his inheritance sent his sonnes thither to enioie their inheritance of the which Tibiaon his eldest sonne died in Man which land the said Irish Scots had wonne For Gildas saith that of the children of Glam Hector which peopled a great part of Ireland Yscroeth with his people inhabited Dalrienda which is a part of Scotland Builke with his people came to Man But I thinke it good to put in Gildas words which saith Builke cum filijs suis inhabitauit Euboniam insulam vulgò Manaw quae est in meditullio maris inter Hyberniam Brytaniam that is to saie Builke with his children inhabited the Ile Eubonia commonlie Manaw for so it was and is named in Brytish which lieth in the middle of the sea betweene Ireland and Brytaine This was not called Môna as Polydor faineth The children of Bethoun inhabited Demetia which is Southwales with Gwyr and Cydweli till they were chased thence by the children of Cunetha Thus farre Gildas Therefore the sonnes of Cunetha being arriued in Northwales as well I thinke being driuen by the Saxons as for their inheritance diuided the countrie betwixt them And first Meireaon the sonne of Tibiaon the sonne of Cunetha had Cantref Meireaon to his part Arustel ap Cunetha had Cantref Arustly Caredic ap Cunetha had Caerdigion now Caerdigan shire Dunod had Cantref Dunodic Edeyrn had Edeyrnion Mael had Dynmael Coel had Coleyon Doguael had Dogueilyn Ryvaon had Ryuonioc now Denbighland Eneon Yrch had Caereneon in Powys Vssa had Maesvswalht now Oswestree For surelie that they saie commonlie of Oswald king of Northumberland to be slaine there and of the Well that sproong where his arme was caried is nothing so For Beda and all other writers testifie that Peanda slew Oswald at Maserfelt in the kingdome of Northumberland and his bodie was buried in the abbey of Bardney in the prouince of Lhyndesey But to my former matter These names giuen by the sonnes of Cunetha remaine to this daie After this the Irish Picts or Scots which the Brytains called YGwydhyl Phictiaid which is to saie The Irish Pictes did ouerrunne the Ile of Môn and were driuen thence by Caswalhon Lhawhîr that is Caswalhon with the long hand the sonne of Eneon Yrch ap Cunedha who slew Serigi their king with his owne hands at Lhany Gwydhyl which is the Irish church at Holihead This Caswalhon was father to Maelgon Gwyneth whom the Latines call Maglocunus Prince and king of Brytaine In his time was the famous clerke and great wiseman Taliessyn Ben Beirdh that is to saie the cheefest of the Beirdh or wisemen for this word Bardh in Caesars time signified as Lucan beareth witnes such as had knowledge of things to come and so it signifieth at this daie This Maelgon had a sonne called Run in whose time the Saxons inuited Gurmond into Brytaine from Ireland who had come thither from Affrike who with the Saxons was the vtter destruction of the Brytaines and slew all that professed Christ and was the first that droue them ouer Seauerne This Run was father to Beli who was father to Iago for so the Brytaines call Iames who was father to Caduan and not Brochwel called Brecyual as the English chronicle saith for this Brochwel Ysgithroc that is long toothed was chosen leader of such as met with Adelred alias Ethelbertus Rex Cantiae and other Angles and Saxons whom Augustine had mooued to make warre against the christian Brytaines and these put Brochwel twise to flight not farre from Chester and cruellie slew a 1000. preests and monkes of Bangor with a great number of laie bretheren of the same house which liued by the labour of their hands and were come barefooted and woolward to craue mercie and peace at the Saxons hands And heere you shall vnderstand that this was not Augustine bishop of Hippona the great clarke but Augustine the moonke called the apostle of England Then this Brochwel retired ouer Dee hard by Bangor and defended the Saxons the passage till Caduan king of Northwales Meredyth king of Southwales and Bledrus or Bletius Prince of Cornewall came to succour him and gaue the Saxons a sore battell and slew of them the number of a 1066. and put the rest to flight After the which battell Caduan was chosen king of Brytaine was cheefe ruler within the Ile after whom his son Cadwalhon who was father to Cadwalader the last of the Brytish blood that bare the name of king of Brytaine was king The third time that Northwales came to a woman was to Esylht the daughter of Conan Tindaythwy the sonne of Edwal Ywrch the sonne of Cadwalader She was wife to Meruyn Vrych and mother to Roderike the great as shalbe hereafter declared By this you may vnderstand that Northwales hath beene a great while the cheefest seate of the last
diuers places manie houses burnt to the earth The same yeare died Gruffyth the sonne of Run and Griffri the sonne of Kyngen was slaine by the treason of Elice his brother Howel gaue his brother Conan another battell and slew a great number of his people wherevppon Conan leauied an armie in the yeare 817. chased his brother Howel out of the Ile of Môn or Anglesey compelling him to flie into Man And a little after died Conan chiefe King of the Brytaines or Welshmen leauing behind him a daughter called Esylht which was married to a noble man called Mervyn Vrych the sonne of Gwyriad or Vriet the son of Elidur so forth in the right line to Belinus the brother of Brennus King of the Brytaines and his mother was Nest the daughter of Cadelh King of Powys the sonne of Brochwel Yscithroc that fought with the Saxons at Bangor who was prince of Powys This Brochwel is called of the Latine writers Breciuallus and Brochmaelus of whom I find thus written in Historia diuae Monacellae Fuit olim in Powysia quidam princeps illustrissimus nomine Brochwel Yscithroc Consul Legecestriae qui in vrbe tunc temporis Pengwern Powys nunc verò Salopia dicta est habitabat cuius domicilium seu habitaculum ibi steterat vbi collegiū diui Ceddae nunc situm est That is There was sometimes in Powys a noble Prince named Brochwel Yscithroc Consul or Earle of Chester who dwelt in a towne then called Pengwerne Powys and now Salope whose dwelling house was in the verie same place where the College of Saint Chad now standeth This man with Caduan king of Brytaine Morgan king of Demetia and Bledericus king of Cornewal gaue an ouerthrow to Ethelfred king of Northumberland vpon the riuer of Dee Anno gratiae 617. of whome the ancestors of diuers in VVales liuing at this daie are knowne by ancient bookes and records to haue descended Mervyn Vrych and Esylht Mervyn Vrych Esylht the daughter of Conan THE first yeare of the reigne of Mervyn Vrych and Esylht his wife Egbert King of Westsex entred into VVales with a great armie and destroied the whole countrie vnto Snowden hilles and seised to his hands the countrie of Rhyvonioc in Denbighland About this time there was a sore battell fought in Anglesey called the battell of Lhanuaes In the yeare of Christ 819. Kenulph King of Mertia destroied West Wales and the summer following he ouerranne Powys land and did much hurt and soone after died and Kenelme reigned in his place About the same time also Howel King of Man died The yeare 825. Ceolwulph was made King of Mertia and reigned two yeares After whome Bernulph was created king who was ouerthrowne at Elledowne by Egbert king of the West Saxons who also brought to his subiection the countries of Kent and West Angles Not long after about the yeare 828. Bernulph was slaine by the East Angles After that there was a great battell fought at a place called Gauelford betwixt the Brytaines and the West Saxons of Deuonshire and manie thousands cruellie slaine vpon either side and the victorie vncertaine The yeare 829. Egbert ouerthrew Wyhtlafe King of Mertia and made him subiect to his Kingdome He also passed Humber and wan the land and so was the first Monarch of the Saxons and brought the seauen kingdomes into one and changed the name of Brytaine into England and called the people Englishmen and the language English for the people that came into this Ile from Germanie were Saxons Angles and Iuthes And of the Saxons came the people of Eastsex Southsex Middlesex and West Saxons Of the Angles came the East Angles middle Angles or Mertians and all on the North side of Humber And of the Iuthes came the inhabitants of Kent and the Ile of Wight And the seauen Kingdomes were these 1 The first Kent 2 The second Southsex containing Sussex and Southerie 3 The third East Angles containing Northfolke Southfolke and Cambridgeshire 4 The fourth Westsex containing Barkeshire Deuonshire Somersetshire and Cornewall 5 The fift Mertia containing Glocestershire Herefordshire Worcestershire Shropshire Staffordshire Chesshire Warwikeshire Leycestershire Darbishire Notinghamshire Lincolneshire Northamptonshire Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire and halfe Hertfordshire 6 The sixt was East Saxon containing Essex Middlesex and the other halfe of Hertfordshire 7 The seauenth Kingdome was all the lands vpon the North side of Humber which was also diuided into two kingdomes Deyra and Bernicia Deyra was the land betwixt Humber and Tine Bernicia from Tine to the Scottish sea All these were brought vnder subiection by Egbert king of West Saxons and this realme called England the yeare after the comming of Brutus to this Ile 1968. after the comming of Hengist 383. and after the departure of Cadwalader 149. yeares Which name although it hath continued to this daie for the space of 755. yeares yet was it not verie luckie or fortunate to the Saxons inhabitours of this realme For euen vpon this change of their name and vnition of the kingdome followed the terrible and cruell inuasion of the Danes and after that the conquest of the Normanes of whome the Kings of this time haue descended But to returne to my matter againe The yeare 833. the Danes in great companies landed in diuers places of this realme and fought diuers battels with Egbert wherin sometimes they and sometimes he had the victorie Afterward in the yeare 836. they landed in West Wales and so passed through Wales to England with manie of the Brytaines which ioined with them against Egbert but they were all ouerthrowne by Egbert at Hengestdowne who died the yeare following This Egbert king of England wan the citie of Caer lhêon ar Dhowrdwy or Chester which was the chiefe citie of Venedotia out of the hands of the Brytaines in whose possession it remained vntill that time He caused also as some writers doo affirme the brasen image of Cadwalhon king of Brytaine to be throwne downe defaced commanding that no man vpon paine of death should set vp anie such againe forbidding this land to be called Brytain anie more but England and the people Englishmen He also made proclamation by the setting on of Redburga his wife who bearing malice towards the Brytaines could not abide any of that nation that no Brytaine should remaine within the confines of England commanding that al singular which were of the Brytish bloud should within sixe moneths auoide with their wiues and children out of his kingdome vpon paine of losing their heads After the death of Egbert his sonne Ethelwulph reigned in his place who gaue his daughter in mariage to Berthred his tributarie king of Mertia He had great warres and much adoo with the Danes which destroied with fire and sword the sea coast of England The yeare 841. died Idwalhon a noble man of Wales And two yeares after was the battell of Kettell betwixt Burchred king of Mertia and the
Brytaines wherein as some doo write Mervyn Vrych king of the Brytaines was slaine leauing behind him a sonne called Rodri Mawr that is to saie Roderike the Great Roderike the Great Roderike the Great sonne to Mervyn and Esylht The yeare 846. the Danes did ouerrunne a great part of England and fought with Athelstan king of Kent brother to Ethelwulph and remained that winter and wintered in England This yeare also was Ithel king of Gwent or Wentland slaine in fight by the men of Brechnock This yeare 854. Kongen king of Powys died at Rome being slaine of choaked as some saie by his owne men And two yeares after died Cemoyth king of the Picts Ionathan Lord of Abergeley About the yeare 856. Ethelwulph tooke his iourneie to Rome and made his kingdome tributarie to the Pope and paid the Peter pence to the church of Rome The Old Saxons doo bring the genelogie of this Ethelwulph to Adam after this maner Ethelwulph the sonne of Egbert the sonne of Alcmund the sonne of Eaffa the sonne of Eoppa the sonne of Ingils the brother of Inas the sonne of Kenred the sonne of Coelwalde the sonne of Cudwine the sonne of Ceawlin the sonne of Kenrick the sonne of Cerdicke which was the first king of the West Saxons the sonne of Esly the sonne of Gewise of whom the people were called Gwysses the daughter of Gewyn the sonne of Wingy the sonne of Freawyn the sonne of Fridagare the sonne of Brendy the sonne of Beldegy the sonne of VVoden of whose issue came the kings of manie nations the sonne of Frethewold the sonne of Freolaffe the sonne of Frethewolfe the sonne of Finny the sonne of Godulph the sonne of Geta the sonne of Teathwy the sonne of Beane the sonne of Sceldy the sonne of Seafe which reigned in a countrie called Anglia lieng betwixt the Gothes and the Saxons from whence the Angles came first to Brytaine he was the sonne of Heremod the sonne of Itermod the sonne of Hadey the sonne of VVale the sonne of Bedwy the sonne of Sem the sonne of Noe and so foorth to Adam There is another petigrée laid downe by the same author of Offa king of Mercia ascending euen to Adam not in all points agréeing with this so that the author writing the latter séemeth oftentimes to forget what he had written in the former The like also I find in Iohn Castoreus at the end of the historie of Edward the confessor And an other in Matth. Paris in the historie of King Henry .2 Anno. 1155. And these foure genelogies séeme to ascend by the same men although the names doo sometimes varie This genelogie haue I set here that the reader may vnderstand thereby that not onelie the Brytaines or VVelshmen but all other nations haue beene euer desirous to set foorth their antiquitie and progenie which was not verie hard to such nations as were not mingled with other and that had euer among them such as did onlie from time to time professe that art and customablie did write the progenie wiues and children of all such as were of any estimation in the countrie In the which two things VVales had euer passed all other countries as they which haue not mingled with anie other nations vntill of late years with Englishmen and also haue euer had such as did professe the art of genelogie who although they haue sometimes erred or rather haue willinglie flattered in learuing false genelogies yet surelie are able by their bookes to bring anie Gentlemans genelogie of that countrie to such as haue liued nine hundred yeares passed and but few further except such as descended of the kings of Brytaine The Italians before they mingled with the Vandales Gothes and Lumbards brought their genelogies to Aeneas The Spaniards to Hesperus before the Gothes and Mores ouerranne the land The Saxons to VVoden before they mingled with the Danes and Normans Yea the Frenchmen Turkes reioise at this daie to bring themselues to the Thracians and the Germanes to the children of Gwyston and it is possible they may so doo bicause they haue not mingled with anie other and haue not beene ouerrun with anie other nation Therfore let such disdainefull heads as scant knowe their owne Grandfathers leaue their scoffing and tawnting of VVelshmen for that thing that all other nations in the world doo glorie in and let them read the ancient writer Berosus to whome the wise Graecians for the knowledge they learned at his hands made an image of copper and set it vp in Athens in memorie of him and there they shall find the beginning of the most part of all the nations in the world and if they beleeue him let them not denie ours and if they credit him not let them beleeue no more but what they see with their eies or that pleaseth their fond fantasies But to the matter This yeare the Danes chased Burchred out of his kingdome who also went to Rome and there died The yeare 857. died Ethelwulph and left behind him his sonnes Athelbald King of Westsex and Athelbright king of Kent and of the East Saxons Of this Ethelwulph it is written that he was so well learned and so deuout that the clarkes of the church of Winchester did choose him in his youth to be their Bishop which function he tooke vpon him was Bishop of Winchester for seauen yeares before he was king It is reported also that he conquered the kingdom of Demetia or Southwales and gaue the same with the kingdome of Southsex to Alfred his sonne and that the said Alfred should bring a thousand soldiers out of Wales to the aid of his brother Ethelbert to Winchester and there put the Danes to flight and destroie a great number of them Athelbald the sonne of Ethelwulph after the death of his father kept his mother in lawe for his concubine and afterward married hir in the citie of Chester After Athelbald had reigned eight yeares he died and Athelbright his brother tooke the rule of his kingdome And that yeare the Danes spoiled Winchester and after a great fight were driuen out of the land but returning to Tenet they remained there for that winter and spoiled by incursions all the sea shore This yeare also was the battell of Gweythen betwixt the Brytaines and the Englishmen and a great number slaine on either side The yeare 865. died Conan Nant Niuer a worthy captaine and a noble warrior And the yeare following came Hungare and Hubba with a great armie of Danes into England In the yeare 867. died Athelbright and Ethelred his brother reigned in his stead The Danes the next yeare insuing spoiled Yorke and slew the two Kings of Northumberland Osbright and Elba and afterward they ouerran all the countrie vnto Notingham spoiling and destroieng all before them and then returned to Yorke and from thence to East Angle where they slue Edmund the King
countriemen and kinsmen the one being the vncle was Archbishop of S. Dauids of whome mention is made in this place The other Asser the nephew was a man of excellent learning and wisedome and for that cause being Chancellour to his vncle was sent for by King Alfred to teach his children who wrote the actes of the same Alfred and was afterward Bishop of Shireburne of whom mention is made in the English Chronicles About this time Edward sent a great armie to Northumberland which spoiled the countrie and then returned home neuerthelesse the Danes folowed them and destroied a great part of Mercia But within a while after Edward gathered an armie and giuing them battell ouerthrew them and slue their kings Alden and Edelwulph and a great number of their nobles This yeare died Edelred Duke of Mercia which had long been sicke after whome Elfleda his wife enioied the countrie of Mercia sauing the cities of London and Oxford which king Edward seised into his owne hands The yeare 907. died Cadelh King or Prince of Southwales second sonne of Roderike the great leauing behind him three sonnes Howel Dha that is to saie Howel the good who succeeded his father in the kingdome of Southwales Meyric and Clydawc About two yeares after King Edward did build the Castell of Hartford betwixt the riuers Benefic Minier and Lige and also the borough of Wytham in Essex and laie at Wealdyne where he subdued those countries The yeare following the Danes of Leycester and Hampton slew a great number of Englishmen at Hochnorton and in their returne homeward spoiled all Oxfordshire The next yeare after that there came a great nauie from Tydwike with Vther and Rahald and past by the westerne sea to VVales and destroied S. Dauids and there fought the battel of Dinerth where Mayloc the sonne of Peredur Gam was slaine And afterward they entred Herefordshire where they were fought withall and Rahald slaine and the rest compelled to forsweare the Kings land Then the King caused the southside of Seauerne to be kept with a great armie yet did the Danes twise enter his land once by the East at VVerd and another time at Portogan but they were at either time ouerthrowne by the Englishmen And from thence they departed to the Ile of Stepen frō whence they were driuen by hunger to Southwales where they were beaten and constrained to depart into Ireland The yeare insuing there was a great battell fought betwixt the Kentishmen and the Danes at Holme but who had the victorie is not certainelie reported In the yeare 913. Anarawd chiefe King of VVales died and left behind him two sonnes Edwal Voel which reigned after him and Elise Edwal Voel Edwal Voel sonne of Anarawd I thinke that the name of Leycester is héere mistaken for Legecestria that is Chester called of the Romanes Legionum Cestria which being destroied by the Danes was about this time by the procurement of a Adelred Duke of Mercia and Elflede his wife repaired and reedified as Matth. Westm. writeth and as the ancient records of the citie of Chester doo testifie Besides that I find no mention of the reedifieng of Leycester at this time neither in the Brytish Chronicle nor yet in anie ancient English writer The next summer after the men of Deuelyne did destroie the Ile of Môn or Anglesey And the yeare 917. Clydawc the sonne of Cadelh was slaine by the hands of his brother Meyric and about the same time the Englishmen did ouerthrowe the Danes after a great fight at Tottenhale Io. Castoreus reporteth this storie in this maner Huganus Lord of Westwales perceiuing King Edward to be occupied in the Danish warre farre enough from him gathered an armie of Brytaines and entered the Kings land Wherevpon Elfled Ladie of Mercia the sister of King Edward came to VVales with a strong armie and fought with the Welshmen at Brechnocke and putting Huganus to flight tooke his wife and 34. men captiues and lead them with hir to Mercia Huganus thus discomfited fled to Derbie there being peaceablie receiued of the countriemen with fiftéene men of war and two hundred souldiors well appointed ioined himselfe with the Kings aduersaries the Danes of which thing when Elfled was certified by the men of Derby shée folowed him with a great armie and entred the gates of that towne where Huganus resisted hir and slue foure of hir chiefe officers But Gwyane Lord of the Ile of Elie hir Steward set the gates on fire and furiouslie running vpon the Brytaines entred the towne Then Huganus being ouermatched and choosing rather to die by the sword than to yéeld himselfe vnto a woman was there slaine Thus out of Castoreus The yeare insuing Elfled wan Leycester and subdued to hir all the Danes that laie there The Yorkeshiremen also did hir homage and seruice she died at Tamworth after that she had worthilie ruled Mercia eight yeares and lieth buried at Glocester by S. Peters porch vpon whose toombe this Epitaph was written O Elfleda potens ô terror virgo virorum O Elfleda potens nomine digna viri Te quoque splendidior fecit natura puellam Te probitas fecit nomen habere viri Te mutare decet sed solùm nomina sexus Tu regina potens réxque trophea parans I am nec Caesareos tantùm mirere triumphos Caesare splendidior virgo virago vale After the death of Elfled Edward disinherited hir daughter Alfwyen and seazed the land of Mercia to his owne hands The cause why Edward disinherited this yoong Ladie his néece whose mother Elfled being his owne sister had done so much for him was as Castoreus writeth for that Alfwyen not making the king hir vncle whome hir mother had appointed gardian and ouerséer of hir priuie to hir doings had promised and contracted mariage with Raynald king of the Danes wherevpon king Edward to preuent his enimie entred the land of Mercia and seazed the same to his owne hands and caried also the said Ladie with him into Westsex The same Author also reporteth that about this time Leofred a Dane and Gruffyth ap Madoc brother in law to the prince of Westwales came from Ireland with a great armie to Snowdon and minding to bring all Wales and the marches thereof to their subiection ouerran and subdued all the countrie to Chester before King Edward was certified of their arriuall Whereat he was verie sore offended and being loath to trouble his subiects in that behalfe made a vowe that he and his sonnes with their owne people would be reuenged vpon Leofred and Gruffyth and therevpon came to Chester and wan the citie from them Then he diuided his armie into two batels whereof he and his sonne Athelstan lead the first and Edmund and Edred the second and so folowed them with as much celeritie as he could and ouertooke them at the forest of Walewode now Sherwode where Leofred and Gruffyth set vpon him fierselie so that the king in
the beginning was in some distresse vntill Athelstane stepped in betwéene his father and Leofred and wounded the Dane in the arme in such sort that he being not able to hold his speare was soone taken and committed to the custodie of Athelstane In the meane time Edmund and Edred incountring with Gruffyth slew him and brought his head to their father Then Athelstane caused Leofred to be headed and so both their heads were set vp together on the top of the towre of Chester and Edward and his sonnes returned home with great triumph Then Edward after he had builded Glademutham died at Ferandyne whose sonne named Alfred died also the same time at Oxford and were buried both at Winchester Anno 924. After whose death Adelstane his base son reigned King of England which was the woorthiest prince of Saxon bloud that euer reigned He did ouercome Cudfryd the father of Reynald King of the Danes at Yorke He gathered also the second yeare of his reigne a great armie against Hawlaf King of Ireland who came with the whole power of the Scots and Danes against him and gaue him battell at Brimestburie where Adelstan gate the victorie and slue the said king Hawlaf and the king of Scots and fiue kings of the Danes and Normanes and twelue Earles so that he brought all the land of England and Scotland in subiection to him which none of his predecessors had euer attempted The yeare 933. Owen the sonne of Gruffyth was slaine by the men of Caerdigan Then Adelstan did enter Wales with a great armie and brought the kings of the countrie to subiection and receiued yearelie of tribute 20. pound in gold and 300. pound in siluer and 200. head of cattell yet the lawes of Howel Dha appointed to the king of Aberfraw to paie yearelie to the king of London no more but 66. pound for a tribute and that the prince of Dinevwre and the prince of Powys should paie a like summe 66. pound yearelie to the king of Aberfraw To this Adelstan the kings of Norwaie and France did send great and rich gifts to winne his friendship and good will In the yeare 936. died Evneth the sonne of Clydawc and Meyric the sonne of Cadelh At this time also Adelstan did remooue the Brytaines that dwelt in Excester and thereaboutes to Cornewale and appointed the riuer Cambia to be the vtter mere towards England as he had before appointed the riuer Wy to be the mere of England and Wales In the yeare of Christ 939. the noble prince Adelstan died and was buried at Malmesburie and his brother Edmund borne in wedlocke reigned in his place who in the first yeare of his reigne wan fiue cities from the Danes Leycester Darby Stafford Lincolne and Notingham Then Aulafe King of the Danes sent to Edmund to desire peace and baptisme which Edmund granted vnto him and so the Danes which then were called Normanes tooke first the christian faith Edmund being their godfather who making peace with them returned to Westsex with much honor This yeare died Abloic chiefe King of Ireland The yeare following Cadelh the sonne of Arthvael a noble Brytaine was imprisoned and Edwal Voel the sonne of Anarawd and Elise his brother were slaine in a battell which they fought against the Danes and Englishmen This Edwal had sixe sonnes Meyric Ieuaf or Ieuan Iago which is Iames Conan Edwal Vachan and Roderike After whose death Howel Dha his coosen germane ruled all Wales for his life time Elise also had issue Conan and a daughter named Trawst which was mother to Conan ap Sitsylht Gruffyth ap Sitsylht and Blethyn ap Convyn which two last were afterward princes of Wales Howel Dha Howel Dha cousen germane to Edwal Voel Howel Dha king or prince of all Wales perceiuing the lawes and customes of his countrie to haue growne vnto great abuse sent for the Archbishop of Meneuia and all the other Bishops and chiefe of the cleargie to the number of 140. prelates and all the Barons and nobles of Wales and caused sixe men of the wisest and best estéemed in euerie Comote to be called before him whome he commanded to méete all together at his house called Y Tuy gwyn ar Taf that is The white house vpon the riuer Taf. Thither he came himselfe and there remained with those his nobles prelates and subiects all the Lent in praier and fasting crauing the assistance and direction of Gods holy spirit that he might reforme the lawes and customes of the countrie of Wales to the honor of God and the quiet gouernement of the people About the end of Lent he chose out of that companie twelue men of the wisest grauest and of the greatest experience to whome he added one clearke or doctor of the lawes named Blegored a singular learned and perfect wise man These had in charge to examine the old lawes and customes of Wales and to gather out of those such as were méete for the gouernement of the countrie which they did reteining those that were wholesome and profitable expounding those that were doubtfull and ambiguous and abrogating those that were superfluous and hurtfull and so ordeined thrée sorts of lawes The first of the ordering of the kings or princes houshold and his court The second of the affaires of the countrie and common wealth The third of the speciall customes belonging to particular places and persons Of all the which being read allowed and proclamed he caused thrée seuerall bookes to be written one for his dailie vse to follow his court another to lie in his palace at Aberffraw and the third at Dinevowr that all the thrée prouinces of Wales might haue the vse of the same when néede required And for the better obseruation of these lawes he caused the Archbishop of S. Dauids to denounce sentence of excommunication against all such of his subiects as refused to obeie the same Within a while after Howel because he would omit nothing that could procure countenance and authoritie to his said lawes went to Rome taking with him the Archbishop of S. Dauids the Bishops of Bangor and S. Asaph and thirtéene other of the learnedst and wisest men in Wales where the said lawes being recited before the Pope were by his authoritie confirmed then hauing finished his deuout pilgrimage and emptied his purse he returned home againe with his companie 1 By these lawes they might not morgage their lands but to one of the same familie or kindred which were De eadem parentela 2 Euerie tenant holding of anie other than of the prince or lord of the fée paid a fine Pro defensione regia which was called Arian ardhel in Latine Aduocarij 3 No legacie of goods by will was good otherwise than those which were giuen to the church to the lord of the fée or for paiment of debts 4 Euerie man might distraine as well for debts as for rent of lands anie goods or cattell sauing horsses which were counted to
serue for a mans necessarie defense and were not distrainable without the prince his licence 5 Causes of inheritance were not heard or determined but from the ninth of Nouember till the ninth of Februarie or from the ninth of Maie vntill the ninth of August The rest of the yeare was counted a time of vacation for sowing in the spring and reaping in the haruest 6 This also is to be obserued that all matters of inheritance of land were determined and adiudged by the King or Prince in person or his speciall deputie if he were sicke or impotent and that vpon view of the same land calling vnto him the fréeholders of that place two elders of his counsell the Chiefe iustice attending alwaies in the court the ordinarie iudge of the countrie where the land laie and the priest The maner of their procéeding was thus The king or prince sate in his Iudiciall seate higher than the rest with an elder on his right hand and another on his left and the fréeholders on both sides next vnto them which for this cause as I thinke were called Vchelwyr Before him directlie a certaine distance off and a little lower sate his Chiefe iustice hauing the priest on his right hand and the ordinarie iudge of that countrie on the left The court being set the plaintife came in with his aduocate champion and Ringylh or sergeant and stood on the left side then came in the defendant in like maner with his aduocate champion and Ringylh and stood on the right side and last of all the witnesses of both parties came which stood directlie before the Chiefe iustice at the lower end of the hall vntill they were called vp to testifie the truth of their knowledge in the matter in variance The figure of the which I thought good héere to laie downe as you sée in the page next following After the hearing of the books read the depositions of the witnesses and full pleading of the cause in open court vpon warning giuen by the Rhinghylh the Chiefe Iustice the priest and the ordinarie iudge withdrew themselues for a while to consult of the matter and then Secundum allegata probata brought their verdict the court sitting Whervppon the king or prince after consultation had with the elders or seniors which sate by him gaue definitiue sentence except the matter was so obscure and intricate that right and truth appeared not in the which case it was tried by the two champions and so the cause ended This shall be sufficient for this time Now therefore let vs go forward in the historie At this time the foresaid kings Aulafe and Regnald entered the land of Edmund who gathering his strength together folowed them into Northumberland and ouercame them in plaine battell and chased them out of the land and so remained a whole yeare in those parts setting things in order and quieting of that countrie And bicause he could not by anie meanes bring the inhabitants of Cumberland to liue in anie honest order he spoiled that countrie and committed it to the rule of Malcolme king of Scotland vpon condition that he should send him succours in all his warres both by sea and land Some other write that king Edmund being accompanied with Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht which was after prince of Wales entred Cumberland and taking the two sonnes of Dummaile king of that prouince put out their eies and then gaue that countrie to Malcolme to be holden of him with condition to kéepe the North part of the realme from incursion of enimies the which condition was afterward but slenderlie perfourmed This Malcolme was the sonne of Donald King of Scotland and was the next king after Constantine the third being in number the 76. In the yeare 942. died Hubert Bishop of S. Dauids the yeare also following Marclois Bishop of Bangor and Vssa the sonne of Lhavyr died The yeare 944. the Englishmen did enter Wales with a strong armie and spoiled Strad Clwyd and returned home At which time Conan the sonne of Elise was put in danger of death by poison and Everus Bishop of S. Dauids died The yeare after Edmund King of England was slaine by treason as some writers saie vpon S. Augustines daie as he was at dinner Other saie that he espied an outlawe sitting in the hall and as he drew him from the table the outlaw slew the King with a knife And some be of opinion that as the King would haue rescued a man of his from an officer who had arrested him the same officer slue him not knowing that he was the King he lieth buried at Glastenburie After whose death Edred or Edfred his brother was crowned in his place who made an expedition to Scotland and Northumberland and subdued them both and receiued fealtie and homage of the Northumbers and Scots by oth which was not long kept In the yeare 948. died Howel Dha the noble and worthie King or Prince of Wales whose death was sore bewailed of all men for he was a prince that loued peace and good order that feared God He left behind him foure sonnes Owen Run Roderike and Edwyn betwixt whom and the sonnes of Edwal there was great warres for the chiefe rule of Wales as shall appeare in the historie following Ievaf and Iago Ievaf and Iago the sonnes of Edwal Voel AFter the death of Howel Dha his sonnes did diuide Southwales and Powys betwixt them and Ievaf and Iago the second and third sonnes of Edwal Voel ruled Northwales bicause their elder brother Meyric was not a man worthie to rule who comming of the elder house would haue had the chiefe rule of all Wales which the sonnes of Howel Dha denied them And therevpon Iago or Iames and Ievaf entred Southwales with a great power against whome came Owen the sonne of Howel and his brethren and fought together at the hils of Carno where Iago and Ievaf had the victorie and the yeare folowing the same brethren did twise enter into Southwales and spoiled Dyuet and slue Dwnwalhon the Lord thereof And within a while after died Roderike one of the sonnes of Howel Dha In the yeare 952. the sonnes of Howel gathered their strength together against Ievaf and Iago and entered their land to the riuer of Conwy where they fought a cruell battell at a place called Gwrgustu or Lhanrwst as some thinke where a great number were slaine vpon either side as Anarawd the sonne of Gwyriad or Vriet the sonne of Roderike the Great and Edwyn the sonne of Howel Dha in the which battell were ouerthrowne the sonnes of Howel whome Ievaf and Iago pursued to Caerdigan and destroied their countrie with fire and sword About this time Yarthyr the sonne of Mervyn was drowned and the yeare following Congelach King of Ireland was slaine But to returne to Edred King of England As soone as he was returned to his owne land Aulaf with a great armie landed in Northumberland and was receiued of
Owen Meredyth the sonne of Owen ap Howel Dha The yeare 987. died Ievaf the sonne of Edwal which had liued manie yeares a priuate life The same yeare also died Owen the son of Howel Dha Prince of Southwales This Owen had three sons Eneon which died in his fathers time Lhywarch which lost both his eies and Meredyth which as before is declared had wonne Northwales and after his fathers death tooke also to his possession all Southwales hauing no respect to his brother Eneon his sonnes Edwyn and Theodor or Tewdor About the same time the Danes sailed from Hampton alongst the coast spoiling Deuonshire Cornewale and so at the last landed in Southwales and destroied S. Dauids Lhanbadarn Lhanrystyd and Lhandydoch which were all places of religion and did so much hurt in the countrie besides that to be rid of them Meredyth was faine to agree with them to giue them a penie for euerie man within his land which was called The tribute of the blacke armie At this time Elwmaen the son of Abloic king of Ireland was slain a great number of people died for hunger The yeare 989. Owen the son of Dyfnwal was slaine Within a yeare after Meredyth king of Wales destroied the towne of Radnor at what time his nephew Edwyn the sonne of Eneon hauing to his aid duke Adelf and a great armie of Englishmen and Danes spoiled all the land of Meredyth in Southwales as Caerdigan Dyuet Gwyr Kydweli and S. Dauids where Edwyn tooke pledges of the chiefe men of those countries In the meane time this Meredyth with his people did spoile Glamorgan so that no place was free from sword and fire but at the last Meredyth and Edwyn fell at an agreement were made freends Soone after Cadwalhon the onelie sonne of Meredyth died Meredyth being thus occupied had so much to do in Southwales that Northwales laie open for the enimie which thing when the Danes perceiued they arriued in Anglesey and destroied the whole Ile Wherevpon the inhabitants of that countrie receiued Edwal the sonne of Meyric the right heire of Northwales for their prince in the yeare 992. After these great troubles there followed within a yeare after such famine scarsitie in Southwales that manie perished for want of food Edwal ap Meyric Edwal ap Meyric the sonne of Meredyth THis Edwal being in possession of the principalitie of Northwales studied to keepe and defend his people from iniuries and wrongs But Meredyth gathered togither all his power intending to recouer againe Northwales with whome Edwal met at Lhangwm and ouerthrew him in plaine battell where Theodor of Tewdor Mawr Meredyth his nephew was slaine who left behind him two sonnes Rees Rytherch a daughter called Elen. A litle after this Swayn the sonne of Haroald destroied the Ile of Man and entring to Northwales slew Edwal the prince therof who left behind him a sonne called Iago In the yeare of Christ 998. the Danes came againe to S. Dauids destroieng all before them and there they slew Morgeney or rather Vrgeney Bishop of that sea The same yeare also died Meredyth the sonne of Owen king or prince of Wales leauing behind him one onlie daughter called Angharad which was maried to Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht and after his death to Conuyn Hirdref or as other do thinke to Conuyn ap Gwerystan who had children by either of them which was the cause of much warre mischief in Wales as shall appeare hereafter Aedan ap Blegored Aedan the sonne of Blegored I doo not know neither could I euer find what colour or pretense of title this Aedan ap Blegored had to the principalitie of Northwales nor yet of whom he descended or who came of him whereas all the other princes are notoriouslie knowen of what families they descended and who came of them Neither yet doo I read of anie Blegored whose sonne he might be except it be that doctor of Law of whom mention is made in the lawes of Howel Dha whose estate was too meane to challenge the principalitie He is reported to haue gouerned about xij yeares Of this acts by him atchieued there is verie litle written sauing of those two battels the one wherin he ouercame Conan ap Howel and the other wherin he was ouercome himselfe and slaine with his foure sonnes by Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht In the yeare 1004. Gulfath and Vbiad Irish Lords were taken by the Scots and their eies put out which Scots did also destroie the countrie and towne of Deuelyn Likewise the Danes which had destroied againe Westwales went to England and there spoiled and burned the land all before them especiallie Somersetshire Dorsetshire and so through Hampshire and Sussex they came towards the riuer of Thames without anie let or staie and so sailed alongst the riuer to the place where the riuer Mydwey entreth to the Thames alongst which water they came to Rochester where they ouerthrew the Kentishmen that bade them battell Edelred king of England was at this time in Cumberland the chiefe denne of the Danes which land he brought to his subiection but in the meane while another armie of Danes fought againe with the men of Somersetshire and got the victorie and ruled the countrie at their pleasure Then Edelred hearing of the great worthines of Richard Duke of Normandie sent to him for his daughter Emma in mariage thinking thereby to haue succour but God intending to punish the great sinnes and enormities of the Saxons did moue the king thereto that like as they being instruments of Gods wrath vnder the colour of friends and hired soldiours had traiterouslie and cruellie slaine the Brytaines and driuen them out of their land so should the Normanes by colour of this affinitie first enter the land as friends and bring succour against the Danes and afterward come as foes and be the vtter destruction of the Saxons and Angles which was then foreseene and told the king by an Anachoret who inspired with the spirit of God sawe the plagues which he had certainelie appointed to fall vpon the Saxons But the king puffed vp with pride and hope of his affinitie did priuilie write to all the english rulers through the realme to kill the Danes in one night which then liued peaceablie which murther was cruellie executed vpon S. Brices daie at night But yet the Danes would not giue ouer so with losse Therefore the yeare following there came an armie of them to Deuonshire and ouerran the land with fire and sword sparing nothing that had life that they might reuenge the murther of their coosens They rased the citie of Excester and slue Hugh the Normane whome the Queene had appointed gouernour there Then Almarus Earle of Deuon gathered a great armie of Hampshire Wilshire and all the countrie about and met the Danes but he and his were put to flight and the Danes pursued them to Wilton and destroied it and Salisburie and returned to their
after he had reigned with much trouble miserie 37. yeares After whose death the Englishmen chose his base sonne Edmund surnamed Ironside for strength and tolerance in war to be their king This Edmund went to Westsex and brought all that countrie to his subiection Then the Danes laid siege to London made a great trench about it that no man could escape out and gaue Edmund battell who came to raise the siege at Proman by Gillingham where Edmund had the vpper hand The second battell they fought at Caerstane in the which Edric Almar and Algar vsed themselues traitorously against Edmund where after long fight the night departed both the armies The third battell was at London where Edmund pursued the Danes to their ships and entered the citie triumphantlie two daies after they fought the fourth battell at Brenford from whence Edmund bare the honor awaie and went to gather a new armie whiles Cnute did besiege London by water and land but it was manfullie defended Then Edmund with his armie passed the Thames at Brenford and entred into Kent and fought the fift battell where the Danes fled as sheepe before him but he staied the pursute by the wicked read of the traitor Edric whome he had receiued to mercie and made steward of the land the which battell was fought at Essedowne in Essex with all the whole power of the Danes and Englishmen where Edmund shewed his prowes and forsaking his place which was betwixt the Dragon the Standard he entred the armie of his enimies and brake the thickest rankes of them and compelled the prowdest of them to turne their backes Which when Edric saw fearing the ouerthrow of the Danes cried alowd Fledd Engle Fledd Engle Dead is Edmund therevpon fled with his people whome all the armie folowed to the great murther of Englishmen and there were slaine Edmund Alfric Godwyn and Vlfkettel all Dukes all the cheualrie of England After which victorie Cnute entred London was crowned king of the land And Edmund gathered his armie togither and they met in Glocestershire but either armie fearing other were loth to fight but moued the kings to make an end of this cruell bloudshed by combat wherevnto either prince agreed and the place being appointed fought togither manfullie and either of them were found so valiant and worthie men as few the like But Cnute fearing the incomparable strength of Edmund mooued him to accord wherevnto he agreed Therevpon peace was concluded with much ioie that Edmund should reigne in Westsex and Cnute in Mercia and so they departed Cnute to London and Edmund to Oxford where he was traitorously murthered by a sonne of Edric with a sharp knife as he was at the priuie Edric being quicklie certified of the deed came to Cnute with much ioie and greeted him as onelie king of England declaring how Edmund was slaine at Oxford To whom Cnute replied that for his good seruice he would reward him as his deserts required and set him aboue all the nobles of England Therevppon forthwith he caused his head to be cut off and to be set vpon a pole on the highest towre in London and then he caused execution to be done vpon all the other that were consenting to the murther In the yeare 1015. Lhewelyn the son of Sitsylht did raise a great power against Aedan who by force had taken vpon him the rule of Northwales and slue him with his foure sonnes in battell and hauing no respect to Iago or Iames the sonne of Edwal the right heire tooke vpon him the name and authoritie of king of Wales This Lhewelyn was descended from the kings of Wales by his mother side whose name was Trawst daughter to Elise second sonne to Anarawd which was the eldest sonne of Roderike the great who also had to wife Angharat the onlie daughter of Meredyth prince of Southwales and so by these meanes he claimed and enioied the right of either countrie as hereafter shalbe declared Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht Lhewelyn the sonne of Sitsylht and Angharad the daughter of Meredyth AFTER that Lhewelyn son of Sitsylht had taken into his hands the gouernance of Wales all things did prosper in the land for the earth brought foorth double to the time before passed the people prospered in all their affaires and multiplied woonderfullie the cattell increased in great number so that there was neither begger nor poore man from the South to the North sea but euerie man had plentie euerie house a dweller and euerie towne inhabitants Now in this time Cnute married Emme sometimes wife to Edelred and mother to Alfred and Edward and sent Edmund and Edward the sonnes of Edmund Ironside to Hungarie to be slaine howheit the king of Hungarie cherished them as his owne children King Cnute also seazed vpon the land a great subsidie of 72000. pounds besides 11000. li. which the citizens of London paid In the yeare 1019. Meyric the sonne of Arthpoel did raise a great armie against Lhewelyn king or prince of Wales which met with him in the field and manfullie slue him and discomsited his people Also this yeare Cnute with a great nauie sailed to Denmarke and made war against the Vandales which had a great armie in the field whome Cnute ouerthrew by the prowes of Earle Godwyn and the Englishmen wherefore he loved them the better euer after In the yeare 1020. a certaine Scot of lowe birth came to Southwales and named himselfe Run the sonne of Meredyth their late king whome the nobilitie which loued not Lhewelyn exalted to the regall throne and tooke him for their king which thing when Lhewelyn heard he gathered his power in Northwales and came towards Run who had gotten all the strength of Southwales together at Abergwili where with great pride he abode the comming of Lhewelyn But when both armies were readie to ioine Run full of brags and crakes incouraged his people to fight promising them the victorie yet he himselfe following the prouerbe which biddeth a man to set on his dog and not to run after him set on his people to fight it to the vttermost and withdrew himselfe priuilie out of the waie wheras vpon the contrarie part Lhewelyn like a bold and couragious prince came before his people calling for the vile Scot Run that durst so beelie a princes bloud and so both the armies ioined together with much malice and hatred for the one partie were not so couragious to defend the quarell of so woorthie a prince of their owne bloud as the other were obstinate in the cause of a stranger in the end after great slaughter vpon either part the Northwales men remembring their old victories and incouraged by the prowes of their prince put their enimies to flight and pursued Run so narrowlie that all his Scottish shifts could not saue his life and so returned home with great spoile and prey Then Lhewelyn ruled all the land quietlie but
the yeare following he was slaine by Howel and Meredyth the sonnes of Edwyn leauing behind him a sonne named Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn Iago ap Edwal Iago the sonne of Edwal ap Meyric ap Edwal Voel About the yeare 1031. the Irish-scots entred Southwales by the meanes of Howel and Meredyth the sonnes of Edwyn ap Eneon ap Owen ap Howel Dha who hired them against Rytherch ap Iestyn whom they discomfited and slew by that means attained vnto the gouernement of Southwales which they two ruled iointly but yet with small quietnesse for the sonnes of Rytherch gathered a number of such as were their fathers friends to reuenge his death with whom Howel and Meredyth met at Hyarthwy after long fight put them to flight But in the yeare folowing Meredyth was slaine by the sons of Conan the sonne of Sitsylht brother to the worthie prince Lhewelyn to reuenge their fathers death whome Meredyth and his brother had slaine The yeare next ensuing certaine Englishmen entred the land of Gwent with whom Rytherch ap Iestyn fought and was by them slaine Not long after died Cnute the most famous and mightiest prince in the West parts of the world as he that had vnder his dominion the great countrie of Swethen from Germanie to the Northpole with Norway and Denmarke and all the noble Ile of Brytaine After whom Haroald Harfote his son begotten vpon Alwyn the daughter of Duke Alfelyn was created king For Hardie Cnute his other sonne by Emma was then in Denmarke This Haroald in the first yeare of his reigne banished Emma his stepmother out of the realme In the yeare 1037. Gruffyth the son of Lhewelyn ap Sitsylth sometimes king of Wales raised a great number of people against Iago then enioieng the principalitie or kingdome of Northwales whome Iago likewise prouided for as well as he could but the more part and the better souldiours were of Gruffyths side for the loue they bare to his father which afterward well appeared for after the armies once met Iago was soone ouerthrowne and slaine This Iago left behind him a sonne called Conan by his wife Auandred daughter to Gweir the sonne of Pylh. Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn Gruffyth the sonne of Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht and Angharat This Howel procured Edwyn the brother of Leofrike Earle of Chester or Mercia to come with an armie of Englishmen and Danes to his aide against prince Gruffyth who met his enimies in the field and ouercame them and slue the said Edwyn but Howel escaped by flight After the which victorie Gruffyth made sundrie inuasions vpon the marches towards Hereford and alwaies returned with great spoiles When Gruffyth had brought all Wales vnder his dominion he returned to Northwales againe The yeare insuing 1038. Hernun Archbishop of Meneuia or S. Dauids died a man both learned and godlie The yeare next following Howel king of Southwales gathered a great power of his friends and strangers and entred the land intending to recouer it againe Wherefore Gruffyth like a worthie prince came with all speed to succour his people and meeting with Howel at Pencadair after he had incouraged his souldiours gaue him battell and ouerthrew him and pursued him so narrowlie that hee tooke Howels wife whome hee had brought to the field to see the ouerthrow of Gruffyth which chanced otherwise whome Gruffyth liked so well that he kept hir for his concubine About this time Haroald king of England died and his brother Hardycnute reigned in his stead a noble and a liberall prince who as it is reported caused his tables to be couered and furnished four times euerie daie for strangers and all commers and after he had reigned two yeares he died at Lambeth in the floure of his age After whose death the Englishmen sent for Alfred the eldest son of Edelred from Normandy but that message pleased not Earle Godwyn which was the mightiest man in the land because he knew the yoong prince to be couragious and stout and therefore one that would not suffer him to rule the land as he intended to doo Therefore he persuaded the people that Alfred who had come well accompanied with Normanes had promised them the whole rule of the land and therevpon they tooke all the Normanes and bound them and afterward tithed them putting euerie tenth man to death And yet they thought there were too manie wherefore they tithed them the second time and lead Alfred from Gilford where this crueltie was committed to Gillingham and there put out his eies and remoued him thence to Ely where he was pitifullie murthered Afterward they sent for Edward the yonger sonne whome they receiued as king the yeare folowing after that he had maried Godwynes daughter who in the first yeere of his reigne banished Earle Swayne sonne to the said Earle Godwyn who was receiued of the Earle of Flanders In the yeare 1041. Howel came againe to Southwales and remained there awhile and shortlie after a number of strangers landed in Westwales spoiled the countrie against whom Howel gathered a number of people and fought with them and droue them to their ships with much losse At this time Conan the sonne of Iago who had fled to Ireland to saue his life with the power of Alfred king of Deuelyn whose daughter Ranulph he had maried entred Northwales and by treason had taken Gruffyth the king and caried him towards the ships but when it was knowen the countrie vpon the sudden folowed the Irishmen and ouertaking them rescued their prince requiting their foes with much slaughter to their ships who returned streight with Conan to Ireland The yeare folowing Howel the sonne of Owen Lord of Glamorgan died being a man full of yeares Then Howel ap Edwyn called to his succour Danes and Englishmen with all the power he could make in Southwales Whereof Gruffyth being certified gathered his power togither in Northwales came couragiouslie to meete his enimies whom he had twise before discomfited and ouercame them and chased them as farre as the spring of the riuer Towy where after a long and dangerous battell Howel was slaine and his armie discomfited and so narrowlie pursued that few escaped aliue After whose death Rytherch and Rees the sonnes of Rytherch ap Iestyn aspiring againe to the rule and gouernment of Southwales which their father had once obtained gathered a great armie aswell of strangers as out of Gwentland and Glamorgan and met with Gruffyth king of Wales who after his accustomed maner detracting no time but couragiouslie animating his men with the remembrance of their former fortune and diuerse victories vnder his standard ioined battell with his enimies whom he found disposed to abide to win againt the honor which before they had lost wherfore when they met the fight was cruell bloudie continued till night which easilie departed both armies being werie with fighting and either fearing other returned to their countries to gather more strength This
yeare Ioseph bishop of Teilo or Landaf died at Rome The land being thus quieted Gruffyth ruled al Wales without any trouble till about two yeares after the Gentlemen of Ystrad Towy did by treason kill 140. of the Prince his best soldiors to reuenge whose death the king Gruffyth destroied all Dyuet and Ystrad Towy Heere is also to be noted that such snow fell this yeare that it laie vpon the earth from the kalends of Ianuarie to the 14. of March About this time Lothen and Hyrling landed at Sandwich with a great number of Danes and after they had spoiled the towne they returned to their ships and sailed to Flanders and sold their booties and so sailed to their countrie At this time also Earle Swayne returned to England and came to his fathers house at Pevenese and humblie besought his father and his brethren Haroald Tostie to procure him the kings fauour So Earle Beorned promised to intreate the king for him and went with Swayne to his ships where he was traitorouslie murthered and his bodie left vpon the shore vntill his friends being certified of the same fetched him awaie and buried him at Winchester where his vncle king Cnute had beene buried before Swayne hauing committed this wicked fact sailed againe to Flanders and continued there till his father made peace with the king and brought him in fauour againe about a yeare after In the yeare 1050. Conan the sonne of Iago did gather an armie of his friends in Ireland minding to recouer his inheritance againe and as he sailed towards Wales there arose such a tempest that it scattered his nauie abroade and drowned the most part of his ships so that he was disappointed of his purpose lost his labour Shortlie after Robert Archbishop of Canturburie accused Earle Godwyn and his sonnes Swayne and Haroald of treason and the Queene of adulterie who bicause they refused to appeare being called before the king were banished the land and the Queene put awaie from the king wherevpon Godwyn with Swayne fled to Flanders and Haroald to Ireland Eustace Earle of Bologne the father of Godfrey hauing married Goda king Edwards sister the widow of Walter de Maunt came to England to his brother in lawe and as he was returning home againe one of his seruants kild a man at Canturburie or at Douer as Matt. Westm. hath whereof grew a great inconuenience and slaughter on both sides wherevpon Eustace returning againe made a gréeuous complaint to king Edward vpon the Kentishmen whose part Earle Godwyn tooke bicause they were of his countie But Eustace by the suggestion of Robert Archbishop of Canturburie who hated Godwyn and his sonnes so incensed king Edward against him and the Kentishmen that Godwyn and his sonnes were sent for to answer the matter before the king at Glocester Wherevpon Godwyn fearing the kings displeasure who could neuer brooke him sithence the death of his brother Alfred gathered an armie out of Kent and other countries where his sonnes ruled and so came towards Glocester reporting abroade that all this preparation was made to resist Gruffyth prince of Wales who as they affirmed was readie with an armie to inuade the marches But king Edward being certified by the Welshmen that there was no such things in hand commanded Godwyn to send backe his armie and to come himselfe to answer according to the order of law Which when he refused to doo the king by the aduise of Earle Leofrike appointed a Parliament and meeting at London to take order in these matters where the king came with a great armie out of Mercia and other westerne countries Then Godwyn remaining with his armie in Southwerke and perceiuing how that diuers of his friends disappointed him and other dailie forsooke him and went to the kings part despairing to be able to withstand the kings procéedings against him conueied himselfe awaie priuilie with his sonnes and fled out of the land Wherevpon king Edward proclamed him and his sonnes outlawes confiscated their goods and gaue their lands to other of his nobilitie Then the king gaue to Adonan the earldome of Deuonshire and Dorsetshire and to Algar sonne of Earle Leofrick the earldome of Haroald Neuerthelesse Godwyn and Swayne got men and ships in Flanders and sailed to the ile of Wight which they spoiled and so they did Portland At the same time Haroald coÌ„ming from Ireland and wafting alongst the shoare spoiling the countrie as he went at length met with his father brother who being together burned Pâ—eueneseâ—y Romney Heath Folkston Douer and Sandwich entring the Thames destroied Sheppey and burned the kings houses at Mydltowne and afterward sailed vp towards London where by the way they met with the king and so sailed with him when they were readie to fight an accord was made by meanes of Bishop Stigand in such sort that the king restored them their lands and goodes tooke home the Queene and banished the Archbishop with all the Frenchmen which had put that suspicion in the kings head Mat. Westm. writeth that about this time to wit An. 1053. Rees the brother of Gruffyth king of Wales was slaine in a place called Bulendune whose head was presented to king Edward the daie before the Epiphanie the king being then at Glocester A litle after that Oswald Earle of Northumberland when he heard that his sonne was slaine in Scotland whither his father had sent him to conquere it asked whether his deaths wound was in his brest or in his backe and they said in his brest and he answered I am right glad thereof for I would not wish me nor my sonne to die otherwise Then king Edward entred Scotland and ouercame the king in battell subdued the whole land to him selfe The yeare folowing Earle Godwyn died at the kings table choked with a peece of bread whose Earldome Haroald his sonne had and Algar Earle of Chester had the Earldome of Haroald About this time Makbeth king of Scotland caused a noble man of his named Bancho to be cruellie murthered wherevpon Fleance the sonne of the said Bancho escaping the hands of Makbeth fled to Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn prince of Wales where being ioifullie receiued and entertained courteouslie he grew into such fauor with the said Prince that he thought nothing too good for him But in processe of time Fleance forgetting the curtesie to him shewed fell in loue with the princes daughter and gat hir with child Which thing the prince tooke in so ill part that he in a rage caused Fleance to be kild holding his daughter in most vile estate of seruitude for so suffering hir selfe to be defloured by a stranger At length she was deliuered of a sonne which was named Walter who in few yeares prooued a man of great courage and valiancie in whome from his childhood appeared a certeine noblenes of mind readie to attempt anie great enterprise This VValter on a time fell out with one of his
companions who in that heat of contention obiected vnto him that he was but a bastard begotten in vnlawfull bed Which reproch so gréeued VValter that he fell vpon the other and slew him wherevpon fearing the punishment of the law he fled into Scotland where he fell into the companie of those Englishmen which were come thither with Quéene Margaret the sister of Edgar Edeling amongst whom he shewed himself so discréet and sober in all his demcanor that he was highlie estéemed of all men and so attaining to higher reputation and credit was afterward emploied in the affaires of the common wealth and at length made Lord Steward of Scotland receiuing the kings reuenewes of the whole realme Of the which office he and his posteritie reteined that sirname of Steward euer after from whom descended the most noble kings of Scotland of the familie of Stewards besides manie other Dukes Marquesses Earles and Barones of great fame and renowme Also at this time Siward that worthie Earle of Northumberland being brought to the point of death with the bloudie fluxe bewailed his mischance that he had escaped in manie a dangerous battell and now should die such a filthie and cowardlie death and calling his friends and his men about him commanded them to set him in his chaire and to arme him at all points and put his shield in the left hand and so made an end of his worthie life Whose Earldome because his sonne was within yeares was giuen to Tosty Godwyns sonne In the yeare 1054. Gruffyth the son of Rytherch ap Iestyn did gather a great number aswell strangers as others against Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn king or prince of Wales but commonlie called king of Northwales who detracting no time meeting him fought with him slew him Shortlie after Algar Earle of Chester being conuicted of treason against the king fled to Gruffyth king or prince of Wales who gathered his power to reuenge the often wrongs which he had receiued at the Englishmens hands who euer succoured his enimies against him Therefore he together with Algar entred Herefordshire and spoiled all the waie with fire and sword to the citie whither all the people had fled and they boldlie issued forth Earle Randulph being their leader and gaue him battell which Gruffyth wished for aboue anie other thing as he that had wonne fiue set fields and couragiouslie receiuing his enimies fought with them Which fight was long doubtfull till such time as Gruffyth incouraged his people with the remembrance of the prowesse worthie actes of the ancient Brytaines their forfathers saieng that they were the same enimies whose backes they had so oftentimes seene before which doubled their strength and force and so they pressed forwards that their foes were compelled to forsake the field and trust to their feete where their hands preuailed not and thought to haue taken the towne for their defense But Gruffyth and his men pursued them so hard that they entred with them and after a great slaughter returned home with manie worthie prisoners great triumph rich spoiles leauing nothing in the towne but bloud ashes and the walles rased to the ground There be some which affirme that king Edward by euill counsell as it is thought banished Algar the sonne of Earle Leofrike wherevpon he gat him into Ireland and there prouiding xviij ships of rouers returned and ioined himself with Gruffyth king or prince of Wales who both together inuaded the countrie of Mercia about Hereford where Ranulph Earle of that countrie who was sonne to king Edwards sister named Goda by hir first husband VValter de Maunt came against them with a great armie and met them about two miles from Hereford where after a sore fight by the space of thrée houres Ranulph and his armie were discomfited and about 500. of them slaine and the rest put to flight whome Gruffyth Algar pursued to Hereford and entring the towne set the cathedrall church on fire and slue the Bishop named Leogar with seauen of the canons spoiled and burnt the towne miserablie Wherevpon king Edward being aduertised héereof gathered an armie and sent Haroald the sonne of Earle Godwyn against them who pursuing the enimies to Northwales passed through Stradclwyd to Snowdon but Gruffyth and Algar being afraid to méete Haroald gote them againe to Southwales whereof Haroald being aduertised left one part of his armie in Northwales to resist the enimies there and returning with the residue to Hereford caused a great trench to be cast round about the towne with a high rampire stronglie fortifieng the gates of the same After this by meanes of a parle had with Gruffyth Algar at a place called Biligelhag a peace was concluded wherevpon Algar being pardoned by the king and restored againe to his Earledome returned home to Chester About two yeares after Algar was accused againe of treason so that he was the second time exiled the land and repaired to his old friend Gruffyth prince of Northwales by whome he was receiued ioifullie and restored againe to his Earledome by the aid of certaine strangers which came by chance frō Norwaie Whervpon king Edward being sore offended with Gruffyth sent Haroald againe with power to Northwales to be reuenged vpon him who comming to Ruthlan burned the palace of Gruffyth and his ships and then returned backe to the king at Glocester About this time Edward the sonne of Edmund Ironside came to England with his wife and children Edgar Edeling which signifieth in the Brytish toong a yong Lord or a Prince and Margaret which was afterwards Queene of Scots and mother to Mawd wife to Henrie the first king of England About two yeares after came Roderike sonne to Haroald king of Denmarke with a great armie to Wales and there being freendlie receiued of king Gruffyth ioining his power to Gruffyths entred England and cruellie spoiled and burned a great part of the land But shortlie after Roderike was compelled to returne to his ships and to saile to Denmarke and Gruffyth returned with spoiles This yeare as Haroald Godwyns sonne would haue sailed to Flanders he was driuen by force of a tempest to land in Poytiers where he was taken and conueied to William Bastard duke of Normandie to whom Haroald declared his iournie thither to be onelie to offer him his seruice in the affaires of England and tooke a solemne oth first to marrie the Dukes daughter and after the death of Edward to reserue the crowne to the dukes vse Then shortlie after receiuing rich gifts with much honor he returned to England This yeare died Owen the sonne of Gruffyth ap Rytherch Also Haroald and his brother Tosty by the procurement of Caradoc ap Gruffyth ap Rytherch and others gathered a great power and entred Southwales and subdued a great part thereof and wrought so with those that were about Gruffyth the king that assoone as he had gathered his people in Northwales tooke
of the possessions of Anthonie Maunsell esquire Item to sir Gilbert Humfreuile he gaue the castell and manour of Penmarke being thrée knights fées now parcell of the possessions of the Right honorable Lord saint Iohn of Bledso Item to sir Reginald de Sully he gaue the castell and manor of Sully so since called after his name being two knights fées now diuided betwixt the Earle of Penbroke and the lord S. Iohn of Bledso Item to sir Roger Berkrolles he gaue the manour of East Orchard being one knights fée now parcell of the possessions of S. William Herbert of Swansey Item to sir Peter le Soore he gaue the castell and manour of Peterton so now called after his name being one knights fée now parcell of the possessions of the Earle of Penbroke Item to sir Iohn Fleming he gaue the castell and manour of S. George being one knights fée and holden of his posteritie the Flemings to this daie Item to sir Iohn S. Iohn he gaue the castell and manour of Fonmon or Fenuon being one knights fée and now parcell of the possessions of the Lord S. Iohn of Bledso Item to sir William le Esterling alias Stradling he gaue the castell and manour of S. Donats or S. Denwit being one knights fée now parcell of the possessions of sir Edward Stradling knight that now is Sum. Foure Lordships Members and xiiij Knights fees ITem he gaue to the aforesaid Eneon that tooke his part the Lordship of Senghennyth being an other of the said members Item he gaue the castell and Lordship of Auan an other of the said members to Caradoc Fitz Iestyn the eldest sonne of the said Iestyn Item he gaue the Lordship of Ruthyn an other of the said members to another sonne of the said Iestyn Item the rest of the foresaid Knights fées being 22. and an halfe he distributed part to Gentlemen that serued him and part to the Welshmen right owners of the same ¶ The Portion that the Lord kept for himselfe and his Heires THe castell of Cardyff and Kenfigg with the foresaid thrée market townes of Cardyff Kenfigg and Cowbrige and the Sherfée being the bodie of the said Lordship of Glamorgan and all the demeanes of the same with the rest of the said members to wit Miskyn Glynrothney Tyr Iarl and Boviarton alias Lentwit and the chéefe seigniorie of the whole the said Robert Fitzhamon kept to himselfe And in the said Lordship of Boviarton he had a large graunge or house of husbandrie with lands to the same belonging that serued him for the prouision of corne to his house He dwelt himselfe most in the said castell or towne of Cardyff being a faire hauen towne And bicause he would haue the aforesaid twelue Knights and their heires giue attendance vpon him euerie Countie daie which was alwaies kept by the Sherife in the vtter ward of the said castell on the Mondaie monethlie as is before said he gaue euerie one of them a lodging within the said vtter ward the which their heires or those that purchased the same of their heires doo enioie at this daie Also the morow after the Countie daie being the tuesdaie the Lord his Chancellor sate alwaies in the Chancerie there for the determining of matters of conscience in strife happening as well in the said Sherfée as in the members the which daie also the said Knights vsed to giue attendance vpon the Lord and the wednesdaie euerie man drew homeward and then began the courts of the members to be kept in order one after another ¶ The Petegree of Robert Fitzhamon and of his heires Lords of Glamorgan THe said Robert Fitzhamon was sonne to Hamon a great Lord and kinseman of William the Conquerour who came into the realme with him This Robert as is before said was knight of the priuie chamber with king William Rufus who as it appeareth in the Chronicles dreamed the night before the king was killed that he saw the king torne in péeces by Woolues and therefore by his persuasion he willed the king to forbeare to go abroade that forenoone But the king when he had dined there was no man able to staie him but that he would ride foorth a hunting into the new Forrest where he was slaine by Walter Tyrrell by the glansing of his arrow shooting at a red déere Mawd the onelie daughter and heire of the said Robert was married to Robert Earle of Glocester base son to king Henrie the first William Earle of Glocester sonne to the said Robert and Mawd died without issue male leauing behind him thrée daughters of the which Isabel the eldest was married to king Iohn then Earle of Oxenford and Lancaster as some Chronicles doo declare who so soone as he was made king was diuorced from hir And then she was maried to Geffrey Mandeuile Earle of Essex and died without issue as far as I can find The second daughter named Amicia was married to Sir Gilbart de Clare then Earle of Clare by whome he had the Earledome of Glocester And Mabil the third daughter was maried to the Earle of Eureux Sir Gilbart de Clare sonne to the said Gilbart was the fourth Earle of Glocester Sir Richard de Clare his sonne was the fift Earle Sir Gilbart his sonne was the sixt Earle Sir Gilbart his sonne who married Iane de Acres daughter to king Edward the first was the seuenth Earle Sir Gilbart de Clare their sonne was the eight Earle and he was slaine by the Scots in king Edward the seconds time and then the Earldome fell betwéene his thrée sisters Of the which Elianor the eldest was married to Hugh Spencer the sonne in hir right Earle of Glocester Margaret the second was married to Peires Gaueston and after to the Lord Awdeley Elizabeth the third was married first to William Lord Burgh Earle of Vlster and after to Ralph Roch Baron of Armoy in Ireland she was married the third time to Theobald L. Verdoun and lastlie to Sir Roger Damory and had issue by euerie one of them Sir Hugh Spencer had to his wiues purpartée the said Lordship of Glamorgan Sir Hugh Lord Spencer their sonne enioied the same and died without issue Edward Lord Spencer sonne to Edward brother to the said Hugh succéeded the said Hugh therein Thomas Lord Spencer his sonne succéeded him Richard Lord Spencer his sonne succéeded him and died inward Isabell sister to Richard succéeded him and married with Richard Beauchamp Earle of Worcester and Lord Burgauenny who had issue by hir a daughter onelie and died The which daughter was married to Edward the sonne of Dawraby Ralph Neuel Earle of Westmereland And after the death of the said Earle of VVorcester she said Isabell married with Richard Beauchamp Earle of VVarwick Henrie Beauchamp Earle of VVarwick after Duke of VVarwick their sonne died without issue Anne his sister of whole bloud succéeded him and married with Richard Neuel after Earle of Salisburie and in hir
Sitsylt the sonne of Eustace was made knight by King Henrie the second in the warres that the king had against the Welshmen he was also killed in the same warres at the siege of the castell of Cardif his father being aliue he tooke to wife the daughter of Maurice de Brompton and had by hir Gerald Sitsylt Eustace Sitsylt Henrie Sitsylt Iohn Sitsylt and Walter Sitsylt and two daughters Catharine and Elianor Catharine was the wife of Hugh Muredake and Elianor was the wife of Walter Wallis This Baldwin Sitsylt knight tooke to his second wife Margerie the daughter of Stephen Radnor knight and had by hir Stephen Sitsylt Roger Sitsylt Hugh Sitsylt and Dauid Sitsylt and three daughters the first was Mawd and she was a Nun the second was Ione and she was the wife of Iohn de Solers the third daughter Anne was the wife of Owen ap Meredyth This man gaue certeine lands in the towneship of Kigestone vnto the moonkes of Dore and granted vnto the same moonks freedome of common and pasture and other liberties in his woods Gerald Sitsylt the first sonne of Baldwin Sitsylt knight tooke to wife Mabil the daughter of Sir William Moigne knight and had by hir three sonnes Gerald Sitsylt that died a child Robert Sitsylt that married and had children and Owen Sitsylt a moonke of the Abbeie of Dore. He had also three daughters Catharine that was wedded to Sir Griffin ap Yoreford and after to Dauid ap Euan and the third time to Geffreie de Bret sonne of sir Walter Bret knight Anne the second daughter of Gerald Sitsylt was wedded to Robert the sonne of Richard Bromewich And Ellen the third daughter of Gerald Sitsylt was the wife of Iohn Abrahal father of Sir Iohn Abrahal knight Robert Sitsylt the sonne of Gerald tooke to wife Alicia daughter of Sir Robert Tregois knight and had by hir Iames Sitsylt his first son Gerald the second sonne Thomas the third sonne and Baldwin the fourth sonne and Margaret the first daughter and Elizabeth the second daughter Iames Sitsylt the sonne of Robert tooke to wife Isabel the daughter of Sir Iohn Knel knight and had by hir Iames and Gerald twins Iames died yoong he had also Robert Sitsylt and Iohn Sitsylt and fiue daughters that is to saie Alicia wedded to Walter Monington Grace wedded to Roger sonne of William Blunt Elianor wedded to Thomas Paine Margerie wedded to Morgan ap Meredyth and Sislie married to Howel ap Blethin and after to sir Hugh Bruge Gerald Sitsylt sonne of Iames tooke to wife Margaret daughter of Stephen Dalaber and by hir had Iohn Sitsylt and after he wedded Bridget the widow of Sir Simon Ward knight and had by hir Iames Sitsylt and the third time married the daughter of Martin Hopton and had by hir Martin Sitsylt Henrie Sitsylt and Dauid Sitsylt and Ione a daughter And the fourth time the same Gerald Sitsylt tooke to wife Iane the daughter of Robert Emerton and had by hir one sonne named Stig and Sitsylt that was slaine in the warres of Striuelyn in the time of King Edward the second and had no issue as the register of the Abbeie of Dore maketh mention Iohn Sitsylt the sonne of Gerald tooke to wife Sibyl the daughter of Robert of Ewyas and had by hir sir Iohn Sitsylt knight George Sitsylt and a daughter named Margaret that was the wife of sir Robert Baskeruile knight who had by hir Sir Iohn Baskeruile knight and by his second wife he had sir Richard Baskeruile knight that tooke to wife Iane the daughter and heire of George Sitsylt second sonne of this Iohn Sitsylt and had by hir sir Iohn Baskeruile knight Sir Iohn Sitsylt knight tooke to wife Alicia the sister of the said sir Roger Baskeruile and sir Roger married his sister as is afore said This sir Iohn Sitsylt had Iohn Sitsylt and Roger Sitsylt In the time of the warres that King Edward the 3. made against Scotland at a place called Halydon hill néere Barwick anno 6. Edward 3. there arose a great variance and contention betwéene Sir William de Facknaham knight on the one side approouant and this Sir Iohn Sitsylt knight on the other side defendant for an ensigne of armes that is to say The field often barrets siluer and azure supported of 5. scocheons sable charged with so manie lions of the first rampants incensed geuls which ensigne both the parties did claime as their right But as both the parties put themselues to their force to maintaine their quarell and vaunted to maintaine the same by their bodies it pleased the king that iustice should be yéelded for triall of the quarell without shedding of bloud and so the bearing of the ensigne was solemnlie adiudged to be the right of the said Sir Iohn Sitsylt as heire of bloud lineallie descended of the body of Iames Sitsylt Lord of Beauport slaine at the siege of Walingford as before is declared The finall order and determination of which controuersie is laid downe by Iohn Boswel gentleman in his booke intituled The concords of Armorie fol. 80. This Sir Iohn Sitsylt had a charge of men at armes for the custodie of the marches of Scotland in the 11. yéere of King Edward the third Iohn Sitsylt the son of sir Iohn Sitsylt knight tooke to wife Ione daughter of sir Richard Monington knight and had by hir Iohn Sitsylt that died his father being liuing and Thomas Sitsylt Thomas Sitsylt married Margaret the daughter and heire of Gilbert de Winston and had by hir Philip Sitsylt and Dauid Sitsylt This man was a great benefactour to the moonks of Dore and forgaue them great summes of monie which they ought him Philip Sitsylt married Margaret the daughter of Iohn Philips and had by hir Richard Iohn and Margaret Richard Sitsylt or Cecill married Margaret the daughter of Philip Vaughan and had by hir Philip Cecill Margaret Cecill Iohn Cecill Dauid Cecill and Iames or Ienkin Cecill These petegrées and descents I gathered faithfullie out of sundrie ancient records and euidences whereof the most part are confirmed with seales autentike therevnto appendant manifestlie declaring the antiquitie and truth thereof which remaine at this present in the custodie of the right Honorable Sir William Cecill Knight of the noble order of the Garter Lord Burghley and Lord high Treasurer of England who is lineallie descended from the last recited Richard Sitsylt father to Dauid Cecill grandfather to the said Sir William Cecill now Lord Burghley and at this date William Sitsylt or Cecill Esquire coosen germane to the said Lord Burghley remooued by one degrée onelie is possessed of the foresaid house of Halterennes in Ewyas land as the heire male of the house of Sitsylts and is descended of Philip Cecill elder brother to the said Dauid About the same time or shortlie after Barnard Newmarch a noble man also of Normandie obtained by conquest the Lordship of Brechnock containing thrée cantreds and married Nest the daughter of Nest
daughter to Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn Prince of VVales by whom he had issue Mahael and a daughter This Mahael being a worthie knight was disinherited by the malice of his owne mother who contrarie to matrimoniall dutie kept vnlawfull companie with a knight whom she set more by than hir husband Wherevpon Mahael being offended with the dissolute life of his mother warned hir to auoid infamie and on a time méeting the said knight comming from hir fought with him and hurt him sore Wherefore Nest to be auenged of hir sonne for that fact went to king Henrie the first and solemnelie rather of malice and reuengement as Giraldus noteth than of anie truth sware vpon the Euangelists that the said Mahael hir sonne was not begotten by Barnard Newmarch hir husband but by another louer of hirs By reason of the which oth or periurie rather as mine author thinketh Mahael was disinherited and his sister whom hir mother affirmed to be the verie daughter of the said Barnard was by the said king with the whole inheritance bestowed vpon Milo the sonne of Walter Constable who was after created Earle of Hereford Lord of Glocester Brechnocke and the forrest of Deane This Milo Earle of Hereford and Lord of Brechnocke as the same Giraldus writeth told king Henrie the first of the singing triumphing of birds by the poole called Lhyn Sauathan at the passing by of Gruffyth ap Rees ap Theodor the said Milo and Paine Fitz Iohn Lord of Ewyas land being present Wherevnto the King answered that It was not a thing to be woondered at so much for in truth saith he although we by our great force and strength doo offer iniurie and violence to that nation yet are they well knowne to be the lawfull inheritours of that countrie the words of Giraldus be these Quibus auditis Rex respondisse memoratur Illud non-adeo esse admirandum quia licèt gentibus illis per vires nostras magnas iniuriam violentiam irrogemus nihilominus tamen in terris ijsdemius haereditarium habere noscuntur Milo had by his said wife fiue sonnes to wit Roger Walter Henrie William and Mahael which were all successiuelie except William Earles of Hereford and Lords of Brechnocke and died all without issue He had also thrée daughters Margaret the eldest married to Humfrey de Bohune the sonne of Humfrey Bohune Steward in house to William Rufus which was the sonne of Humfrey le Bohune that came into Enlgand with William Conqueror This Humfrey was in hir right Earle of Hereford Constable of England Bertha the second daughter was married vnto Philip Bruse created by King Stephan Lord Bruse of Gower Bould and Brimber and in his wiues right lord of Brechnock Lucia the third daughter was married to Herebert the sonne of Herebert a base sonne to King Henrie the first who was in hir right Lord of all the forrest of Deane of whom descended the Fitz Herebert of Derbishire The castell of Brechnock being first built by the said Barnard Newmarch was greatlie augmented and beautified by the last Humfrey Bohune Earle of Hereford Essex Northampton and Constable of England who had issue two daughters his heires Elianor the elder was married vnto Thomas Plantagenet alias Thomas of Woodstock the sixt sonne of Edward the third who was by King Richard the second created Earle of Buckingham and after duke of Glocester and in hir right Earle of Essex Northampton and Constable of England Marie the second daughter was married to Henrie Plantagenet alias Bolingbrooke Earle of Derbie who was afterward King of England by the name of Henrie the fourth The said Thomas Plantagenet Duke of Glocester and Lord of Brechnock had issue Humfrie Plantagenet Earle of Buckingham Lord of Brechnock c who died without issue and 4. daughters which were heirs after their brother Anne the eldest was married to Edmund Stafford Earle of Stafford who by hir had issue Humfrie Earle of Stafford Hereford Northampton Lord of Brechnock c. And afterwards the said Anne was maried to William Viscount Burgcher created Earle of Ewe in France by King Henrie the fift father of Henrie created Earle of Essex by King Edward the fourth This Humfrie Earle Stafford was by King Henrie the sixt created Duke of Buckingham and so this Lordship of Brechnock came to the Dukes of Buckingham and by the attaindour of Edward the last Duke of Buckingham is come to the crowne There came manie Gentlemen with the said Barnard Newmarch at that time to Brechnock vpon whom he bestowed diuers manours which their heires doo possesse and enioy euen to our time as to the Awbreyes the manour of Abercynuric and Slowch to the Walbiefes the manour of Lhanhamlach and Taly Lhyn to the Gunters the manour of Gilston to the Havards the manour of Pontwilym c. But now hauing long digressed let vs returne againe to our author About this time William Rufus and Robert his brother being made freends came both together into England and lead an armie into Scotland against Malcolme the king who had entred Northumberland spoiled it in the kings absence and he yeelded himselfe to William and by oth became his vassall and subiect Then William reedified Carlile and brought people from the South part of England to inhabite it But shortlie after Malcolme came againe into England spoiling the land who being fought withall was slaine and his sonne Edward also then Edgar his sonne which was pledge with king William was crowned in his steed At this time Cadogan ap Blethyn ap Convyn destroied all Dyuet in the end of Aprill and shortlie after the same summer the Normanes in great companies landed in Dyuet or Westwales Cardigan and builded castels there and so began to inhabite the countrie vpon the sea shoare The Normans hauing gotten into their hands all the lands and liuings of the nobilitie of England began to spie out the commodities of Wales and séeing that Robert Fitzhamon and the other knights that went with him had sped so well they made sure to the king to grant them the lands of the Welshmen Whervpon the king thinking that to be the best waie for him aswell to incourage them to be the more willing to serue him as also to prouide for them at other mens cost granted to diuers of his nobles sundrie countries in Wales to hold of him by knight seruice for the which they did homage and sweare fealtie vnto him as foloweth 1 Roger Mountgomery Earle of Arundel and Salope did his homage for the lordships of Powys and Caerdigan 2 Hugh Lupus Earle of Chester did his homage for Tegengl and Ryuonioc with all the land by the sea shoare vnto the riuer of Conwey 3 Arnulph a yoonger sonne of Roger Mountgomery for Dyuet 4 Barnard Newmarch for Brechnock 5 Ralph Mortimer for Eluel 6 Hugh de Lacie for the land of Ewyas 7 Eustace Cruer for Molde and Hopedale and manie other for other lands Then Roger de
to laie faster hold vpon that kingdome than his father had doone and being driuen by chaunce to Anglesey would haue landed there but the Earles kept him from the land And there Magnus with an arrowe stroke Hugh Earle of Salop in the face that he died thereof and suddenlie either part forsooke the Ile and the Englishmen returned to England and left Owen ap Edwyn Prince in the land who had allured them thither In the yeare 1098. returned Gruffyth ap Conan and Cadogan ap Blethyn from Ireland and made peace with the Normanes and gaue them part of their inheritance for Gruffyth remained in Môn and Cadogan had Cardigan and a peece of Powys land About this time the men of Brechnock slew Lhewelyn the sonne of Cadogan Then Howel ap Ithel of Tegengel went to Ireland Also Rythmarch Archbishop of S. Dauids sonne to Sulien bishop died the godliest wisest greatest clerke that had beene in Wales manie yeares before sauing his father who had brought him vp and a great number of learned disciples King William Rufus after he had walled the citie of London and builded Westminster hall went to Normandie and after he had brought all the countrie to his subiection returned home and was slaine with an arrow by Walter Tyrell as he shot at a stagge in the new forrest Then Henrie his brother was crowned in his steede for Robert the elder brother was all this while in the holie land who shortlie returned and landed at Portsmouth against whom Henrie came with a great power but in the end they were agreed that Henrie should paie yearelie to Robert 3000. marks and the longer liuer should be the others heire This Henrie maried Mawd the daughter of Malcolme king of Scots by Margaret the daughter of Edward sonne to Edmund Ironside Also this yeare died Hugh Earle of Chester and Richard his sonne was made Earle in his place at this time also died Grono ap Cadogan and Gwyn ap Gruffyth In the yeare 1101. Robert de Belesmo sonne to Roger de Mountgomery Earle of Salope and Arnulph his brother Earle of Penbrooke did rebell against the king which when the king heard he sent for them to come to him but they made blind excuses and gathered their strength and fortified their castels and then gaue great gifts and made large promises to the sonnes of Blethyn ap Convyn Iorwerth Cadogan and Meredyth and intised them to ioine their powers to theirs Robert had fortified foure castels Arundell Tekinhill Shrewsburie and Brugge which castell was the cause of the warre for Robert had builded it without the kings leaue and Arnulph fortified his castell of Penbroke Then they entred the kings land burned spoiled it carieng awaie rich booties And Arnulph to haue more strength sent Gerald his steward to Murkart king of Ireland to desire his daughter in marriage which he obtained with promises of great succours which did incourage him the more against the king Then the king gathered a great armie and first beseeged the castell of Arundell and wan it and likewise he did with Tekinhill and afterward lead his power before Brugge which for the situation and depth of the diches being also well manned and victailed the king doubted the speedie winning thereof Wherefore he was counseled to send priuilie to Iorwerth ap Blethyn promising him great gifts if hee would forsake the Earle and serue him remembring what wrongs the Earles father Roger and his brother Hugh had doone to the Welshmen Also the king to make him more willing to sticke vnto him gaue him all such lands as the Earle his brother had in Wales without tribute or oth which was a peece of Powys Cardigan halfe Dyuer the other halfe had the sonne of Baldwyn with Stradtywy and Gwyr Iorwerth being glad of these offers receiued them willinglie and then cōming himselfe to the king he sent his power to the Earles land which doing their maisters cōmandement destroied spoiled all the countrie for the Earle had caused his people to conueie all their cattell and goods to Wales litle remembring the mischiefes that the Welshmen had receiued at his fathers and brothers hands But when these newes came to the Earle to Cadogan Meredyth Iorwerths brethren they were all dismaid despaired to be able to withstand the king for Iorwerth was the greatest man of power in Wales And at this time Arnulph was gone to Ireland for his wife and succour Also a litle before Magnus againe had landed in Môn receiued of Gruffyth ap Conan hewed downe asmuch timber wood as was needefull for him and so returning to the Ile of Man which he had woon he builded three castels there and sent to Ireland to haue the daughter of Murcart in mariage for his sonne which he obtained and made his sonne king of Man Then Earle Robert hearing this sent to him for helpe but receiued none therefore seeing no remedie he sent to the king desiring him that he might forsake the realme which thing the king granted and he sailed to Normandie And likewise the king sent word to his brother Arnulph that either he should folow his brother and depart the land or yeeld himselfe to the kings mercie and pleasure but he chose to depart the land and so he did After this when the king was returned home Iorwerth tooke his brother Meredyth and sent him to the kings prison for his brother Cadogan agreed with him to whome Iorwerth gaue Caerdhydh a peece of Powys Then Iorwerth himselfe went to the kings court to put the king in remembrance of his promise but the king when he saw all quiet forgate the seruice of Iorwerth and his owne promise and contrarie to the same tooke Dyuet from Iorwerth and gaue it to a knight called Saer and Stradtywy Cydewen and Gwyr he gaue to Howel ap Grono and so Iorwerth was sent home emptie At this time King Henrie gaue diuers castels and lordships in Wales to Normanes and Englishmen of whom there is mention oftentimes hereafter in this historie This yeare died Grono sonne of Rees ap Theodor in prison Also at this time Magnus the sonne of Heroald entred the countrie of Lenoux in Scotland after he had gotten a great prey returned to his shippes but the inhabitants pursued him so hard that they put his people to flight slew him and rescued their goods and cattell In the end of this yeare the king did send diuerse of his councell to Shrewesburie and willed Iorwerth ap Blethyn to come to meete them there to consult about the kings busines and affaires Now when he came thither all the consultation was against him whō contrarie to all right and equitie they condemned of treason bicause the king feared his strength and that he would reuenge the wrongs that he had receiued at the kings hands and so they committed him to prison Those Noble men that were sent by the King to
matter and he putting all the fault in his son excused himselfe as well as he could Then said the king to Cadogan Seeing thou canst not keepe thine owne but that thy son and thy companions shalbe receiued and succored therein in disorder I will giue it one that will keepe them out I will keepe thee at my charges all thy life charging thee vpon thine allegeance that thou enter not within Wales vntill such time as I haue taken further order And so the king gaue him twentie daies and set him at libertie to go whither he would sauing to Wales When Owen and Madoc heard this they departed to Ireland Then the king foorthwith sent for Gilbert sirnamed Strangbow Earle of Strygill which was a noble valiant and a woorthie knight to whom he said thus Thou hast beene diuerse times a suter to me to haue some lands in Wales and now I giue thee all the lands and inheritance of Cadogan ap Blethyn win it and take it Gilbert receiued it ioifullie and thanked the king and gathered all the power he might landed in Caerdigan shire and brought the countrie to his subiection without anie contradiction Then he builded two faire castels there one towards Northwales vppon the riuer Ystwyth at the sea shore a mile from Lhanbadarn another towards Dyuet vpon the riuer Teiui at a place called Dyngerant where Roger Mountgomery had begonne a castell before time And shortlie after Madoc ap Riryd returned from Ireland because he could not well awaie with the maners and conditions of the Irishmen and being arriued came to the countrie of his vncle Iorwerth who hearing that and fearing to lose his lands as his brother Cadogan had doone made proclamation that no man should dee for him but take him for his enimie Which when Madoc vnderstood he gathered to him a number of vnthrifts and outlawes and kept himselfe in the rockes and woods deuising all the meanes he could to be reuenged vpon Iorwerth for that vnkindnes and discourtesie as he tooke it and so entred freendship priuily with Lhywarch ap Trahaern who hated Iorwerth to the death Then hauing knowledge that Iorwerth laie one night at Caereneon they two gathered all their strength came about the house at midnight then Iorwerth his men awoke and defended the house manfullie vntill their foes set the same on fire which when Iorwerths men saw euerie one shifted for himselfe so that some scaped through the fire and the rest were either burnt or slaine or both Then Iorwerth himselfe seeing no remedie aduentured rather to be slaine than burned and came out but his enimies receiued him vpon sharpe speares and ouerthrew him in the fire and so he died a cruell death As soone as the king vnderstood this he called Cadogan before him gaue him his brothers land which was Powys and promised Owen his pardon willing his father to send for him to Ireland About this time king Henrie preferred his base sonne Robert to the marriage of Mabil daughter and sole heire of Robert Fitzhamon Lord of Glamorgan in whose right the said Robert was Lord of Glamorgan and was also at the same time by his said father created Earle of Glocester he builded the castell of Cardyff Now when Madoc saw his other vncle Cadogan rule the countrie he hid himselfe in rough and desert places and adding one mischiefe vpon another determined also to murther him by one waie or other Therefore after that Cadogan had brought the countrie to some staie of quietnesse and saw right and iustice ministred therein hauing euer an eie respect to the king he came to the Trallwng now called the Poole and the elders of the countrie with him and minding to dwell there began to build a castell Then Madoc pretending nothing but mischiefe hearing this came suddenlie vpon him Cadogan thinking no hurt was slaine before he could either fight or flee After this Madoc sent streight to the bishop of London the kings lieutenant at Shrewesburie praied him to remember what he had promised him before time when he chased Owen out of the land for the bishop hated Owen and Cadogan and gaue Madoc all such lands as his brother Ithel was possessed of Now Meredyth the sonne of Blethyn hearing of the death of both his brethren sped himself to the king desiring of him the lands of Iorwerth which Cadogan had latelie obteined and the king gaue him the rule thereof till such time as Owen sonne to Cadogan was come from Ireland who came shortlie after and went to the king who receiued him to his peace and gaue him his lands Wherevpon Owen promised to the king a great fine and gaue pledges for paiement of the same Likewise Madoc did fine to the king for his peace and lands neuerthelesse the king bad him take heede of the kinsfolkes of such as he had murthered vpon his owne perill In the yeare 1111. Robert de Belesmo was taken by the king in Normandie and committed to perpetuall prison in Warham too gentle a punishment for so cruell and bloodthirstie a man as hee was for all his delite was therin in so much that he put out both the eies of his owne child with his thumbes for a pastime as the boy plaied vnder his gowne The yeare after Meredyth ap Blethyn sent a number of his men to make a road into the countrie of Lhywarch ap Trahaern ap Gwyn who was Meredythes and Owens enimie as he that succoured Madoc to kill his vncles Iorwerth and Cadogan Meredyths brethren These men as they passed through the countrie of Madoc in the night they met with a man which belonged to the said Madoc whome they tooke and examined him where his maister was and he first said that he could not tell but being put in feare of death he confessed that he was not far from thence Therefore they laie quietlie there all the night and in the dawning they came suddenlie upon Madoc and his men where they slew a great number of them and taking Madoc prisoner they brought him to their Lord who was right glad thereof and put him in safe prison till he had sent word to his Nephew Owen who came thither streight then Meredyth deliuered Madoc vnto him And albeit he had slaine Owens father being his owne vncle yet Owen remembring the freendship and oth that had beene betwixt them two in times past would not put him to death but putting out his eies let him go Then Meredyth Owen diuided his lands betwixt them which was Caereneon Aberhiw and the third part of Devthwr The yeare following king Henrie prepared an armie against Wales being thereto prouoked by such as would haue the Welshmens lands that was Gilbert Strangbow Earle of Strygill to whom the king had giuen Caerdigan who made sore complaints vpon Owen ap Cadogan declaring that he receiued and maintained such as robbed and spoiled in his countrie Also Hugh Earle of Chester said no
the castell of Richard de la Mare and the castell of Dinerth and Caerwedros returned home with much honor Afterward towards the end of the same yeare they returned againe with 6000. footemen and 2000. horsemen well armed and to them came Gruffyth ap Rees Howel ap Meredyth of Brechnoke and his sonnes Madoc ap Ednerth who subdued the whole countrie to Aberteivi placing againe the old inhabitants and chasing awaie the strangers Against them came Stephen constable of Aberteivi Robert Fitzmartyn the sons of Gerald and William Fitziohn with all the power of the Normanes Flemings and Englishmen that were in Wales or the marches Now after a cruell and bloodie fight the strangers after their accustomed vse put all their hope in their forts and forsooke the field and the Welshmen folowed hard that besides 3000. that were slaine a great number were drowned and taken and caried awaie captiues After this victorie Owen and Cadwalader ouerran the whole countrie and returned home with rich spoiles as well in armour and horse as in other things with great triumph And at this time the pride of the nobles of England began to appeare for first Hugh Bigod kept the castell of Norwich but forthwith sore against his will he restored it to the king himselfe The cause of this tumult of the nobles was rumor which went abroad of the death of the king who was then sicke of a lethargie Those which bare him no good will verified the rumor as much as in them laie and stirred the people in the behalfe of the Empresse Such as were his fréends tooke strong castels to saue themselues as this Hugh Bigod for feare of the fréends of the Empresse tooke the castell of Norwich and afterward being certified that the king was well againe he was loth to deliuer the same out of his posession vnlesse it were into the kings owne hands After that the king did besiege Excester which Baldwyn de Reduerijs kept against him and wan it and so he did the Ile of Wight which was the said Baldwynes and banished him out of the land The yeare 1137. died Gruffyth ap Rees ap Theodor the light honor and staie of Southwales who had by his wife Gwenlhian the daughter of Gruffyth ap Conan Rees commonlie called the lord Rees and others Florentius moonke of Worcester in his supplie to Marianus Scotus saith that This Gruffyth ap Rees Prince of Southwales died by the deceitfull practise of his wife He writeth also of a noble knight named Paine a man of great valiancie who being verie earnest in pursuing of the Welshmen was at this time hurt with a speare and so died and was caried to Glocester and there buried Also towards the end of the same yeare died Gruffyth ap Conan king or prince of Northwales the onelie defense and sheeld of all Wales after he had escaped manie great dangers by sea and land in Ireland and Wales and after manie worthie victories and after he had brought Northwales which he found full of strangers to peace and quietnesse hauing ruled the same worthilie 50. yeares This prince had manie children by diuerse women first by Angharat the daughter of Owen ap Edwyn he had sonnes Owen Cadwalader and Cadwalhon who was slaine before his father died and daughters Marret Susanna Ranulht Agnes and Gwenlhian And by another woman he had Iago Ascain Edwal Abbot of Penmon Dolhing who was also a priest and well learned and Elen the wife of Hova ap Ithel Velyn of Yal He reformed the disordered behauior of the Welsh minstrels by a verie good Statute which is extant to this daie There are thrée sorts of minstrels in Wales 1 The first sort named Beirdh which are makers of songs and odes of sundrie measures wherein not onelie great skill and cunning is required but also a certeine naturall inclination and gift which in Latine is termed Furor poëticus These doo also kéepe records of Gentlemens armes and petegrées and are best esteemed and accounted of among them 2 The second sort of them are plaiers vpon instruments théefelie the Harpe and the Crowth whose musike for the most part came to Wales with the said Gruffyth ap Conan who being on the one side an Irishman by his mother and grandmother and also borne in Ireland brought ouer with him out of that countrie diuers cunning musicians into Wales who deuised in a manner all the instrumentall musike that is now there vsed as appéereth as well by the bookes written of the same as also by the names of the tunes and measures vsed amongst them to this daie 3 The third sort called Atcaneaid are those which doo sing to the instrument plaied by another and these be in vse in the countrie of Wales to this daie This statute or decrée here mentioned dooth not onelie prescribe and appoint what reward euerie of the said minstrels ought to haue and at whose hands but also of what honest behauiour and conuersation they ought to be to wit no make bates no vagabounds no ale-househanters no drunkards no brallers no whoorehunters no théeues nor companions of such In which things if they offend euerie man by the said statute is made an officer and authorized to arrest and punish them yea and take from them all that they haue then about them They are also in the same statute forbidden to enter into anie mans house or to make anie song of anie man without speciall licence of the partie himselfe And this statute or decrée hath béene oftentimes allowed by publike authoritie of the chéefe magistrats of that countrie as appeareth by sundrie commissions directed to diuers Gentlemen in that behalfe Owen Gwyneth Owen Gwyneth the sonne of Gruffyth ap Conan In the yeere 1140. Cynwric the sonne of Owen was slaine by the men of Madoc ap Meredyth ap Blethyn ap Convyn and the next yeare after king Stephen with a great armie did besiege Lincolne against whome came Ranulph Earle of Chester Robert Earle of Glocester with his father in law and the Barons which were disinherited to raise the siege But before they came the towne was won then passing a dangerous marrish they camped hard by the king readie to giue him battell who likewise brought foorth his men in three battels In the first were these Alan Earle of Brytaine the Earle of Mellent Hugh Bygod Earle of Norfolke Simon Earle of Hampton and Earle Warren In the second the Earle of Albemarle and William of Ypres a noble man a worthie souldiour And in the third the king with Baldwyn Fitzgilbert and a great number of nobles more And of the other part the disinherited Barons had the first place the Erle of Chester with his succours of Wales better couraged than armed had the second place and the Earle of Glocester lead the last battell These after a cruell fight tooke the king prisoner and afterward the Queene and
William of Ypres Bryan Fitzcount But within a while after that William Martell and Geffrey de Mandeuile gathered a new armie fought with the Empresse and hir brother at VVinchester put hir to flight taking Earle Robert prisoner for exchange of whom the king was set at libertie The yeare folowing the king had an ouerthrow at VVilton after the which he besieged the Empresse the same yeare at Oxford who escaping thence fled to VValingford The same yeare also Madoc ap Ednerth a man of great estimation in VVales died and the sons of Blethyn ap Gwyn slew Meredyth ap Howel Also the yeare 1142. Howel ap Meredyth ap Rytherch of the Cantref Bychan Rees ap Howel were slaine by treason of the Flemings Likewise Howel ap Meredyth ap Blethyn was murthred by his own men Then also Howel Cadogan the sons of Madoc ap Ednerth did either kill other And shortlie after there fell a variance betwixt Anarawd sonne to Gruffyth ap Rees prince of Southwales and his father in law Cadwalader the sonne of Gruffyth ap Conan and brother to prince Owen Gwyneth who from words grew to fight where Anarawd was slaine the hope and staie of Southwales For the which thing prince Owen tooke such displeasure at his brother that he and his sonne Howel gathered an armie against him and destroied all his countrie and burned his castell at Aberystwyth for Cadwalader himselfe had fled to Ireland and had hired Octer sonne to Octer and the sonne of Turkel and the sonne of Cherulf with a great number of Irishmen and Scots for 2000. markes to his succour and landed at Aberinenay in Carnaruonshire against whome the prince came with a great power but before the armies met there was a peace concluded betwixt the brethren Which when the Irishmen vnderstood then withheld Cadwalader as prisoner for their wages and he deliuered them 2000. heads of cattell besides manie prisoners and spoiles that were taken in the countrie But as soone as the prince knew his brother set at libertie he fell vpon the Irishmen and slew a great number of them and recouered all the cattell with the prisoners and other spoiles then as manie as escaped aliue returned home with great shame and losse About the same time Hugh Earle of Chester fortified his castell of Cymaron and wan Melienyth to himselfe likewise the castell of Clun was fortified by a lord Normane and all Eluel brought to their subiection At that time king Stephen tooke Geffrey Mandeuile prisoner at S. Albon where the Earle of Arundell was like to be drowned by default of his horse The Earle Mandeuile gaue to the king for his libertie the towre of London with the castels of Walden and Plassey who afterward liued by spoile of abbers and was slaine in a slurmish against the king whom he had sore anoied and his sonne Arnulph was banished the realme This yeare Hugh de Mortimer tooke Rees ap Howel in a skirmish and diuerse other with him imprisoned them At the same time Howel and Conan the sonnes of prince Owen gathered an armie against the Flemings and Normanes gaue them an ouerthrow at Aberteiui and keeping the towne returned home with great honor Also this yeare died Sulien ap Rythmarch a man of great knowledge one of the Colledge of Lhanpardarn About this time Gilbert Earle of Clare came with a great power to Dyuet and built the castell of Carmarthyn and the castell of the sonnes of Vchtryd Then also Hugh Mortimer slew Meyric ap Madoc ap Riryd and Meredyth ap Madoc ap Ednerth Cadelh the son of Gruffyth ap Rees prince of Southwales gat the castell of Dyneuowr which Erle Gilbert had built and after he and his brethren Meredyth and Rees gathered their powers and laid siege to the castell of Carmarthyn which was yeelded vnto them reseruing only the liues to those of the garrison and from thence they brought their armie before the castell of Lhanstephan where the Normanes and Flemings meeting with them had a great ouerthrow so they wan the castell Whervpon all the Flemings and Normanes inhabiting that countrie all about gathered their powers togither and their captaines were the sonnes of Gerald and William de Hay who laid siege to the same castell vpon the sudden But Meredyth ap Gruffyth to whose custodie the castell was committed encouraged his men to fight and to defend the place and that which lacked in him of strength for he was of great yeares he supplied in courage and discretion He suffred his enimies to scale the wals and when the ladders were full he gaue the watchword and his souldiours did manfullie with engines ouerturne all the ladders and maimed a great number of armed men and tried soldiours and put the rest to flight Shortlie after died Run the sonne of prince Owen of Northwales a faire and a goodlie yoong man whose death when it came to his fathers eares did so trouble him that no kind of plesure could comfort his heauie hart so that he led the night in teares and the day in heauinesse till God who tooke compassion vpon the poore leauings and remnants of the Brytaines euen as he had discomforted the prince with the death of his sonne so he did glad his sorowfull hart with the ouerthrow of his enimies for there was a castell at the Mould verie strong and well manned which did trouble the whole countrie about and had been oftentimes besieged but neuer won Prince Owen leuied a power and laid siege to it but the garrison defended it manfullie and aboad diuerse assaults but at the last mauger their heads the sight of the prince did so incourage his men that they entred by force and slew a great number and tooke the rest of the defendants and rased the fort to the earth which victorie atchieued did so please the prince that he left his solitarie plaints and fell to his accustomed pastimes At the same time king Stephen ouerthrew his enimies at Farendon But in the yeare ensuing Rondel Earle of Chester and king Stephen were made freends neuerthelesse the king tooke him prisoner and kept him so contrarie to his promise vntill such time as the Earle had deliuered to the king the castell of Lincolne with all other fortes of the kings that he had in his custodie At this time Cadelh Meredyth and Rees the sons of Gruffyth ap Rees ap Theodor did lead their powers against the castell of Gwys which after they saw they could not win they sent for Howel the sonne of Owen prince of Northwales to their succor who for his prowesse in the field and his discretion in consultation was counted the floure of chiualrie whose presence also was thought onlie sufficient to ouerthrowe anie hold who being desirous to win honor gathered his men and came to these lords before the castell of Gwys whō they receiued ioifullie Now when he had vewed the place hee
same yeare died Geffrey bishop of Landaff The yeare ensuing Henrie Shortmantel the Empresse sonne entred England and wan diuerse castels as Maluesburie Walingford and Shrewsburie About the same time Eustace the sonne of king Stephen was drowned wherevpon the king and Henrie concluded a peace In the yeare 1154. died Stephen king of England and Henrie Plantagenet the Empresse son was crowned in his steed This Henrie was wise and learned and besides a worthie knight he neuer ware gloue except he bare a hawke on his fist and neuer sate but at his meate and delited in hawking hunting riding and in all honest exercises In the beginning of his reigne and in the yeare 1155. Rees ap Gruffyth ap Rees whome the Welsh booke surnameth Lord Rees and all the Latine and English writers of that time name King of Southwales did gather all his strength togither to defend his countrie from Owen Gwyneth whom he heard to be leuieng of men to conquer Southwales So Rees came as far as Aberdyvi ouer against Northwales and perceiuing the rumour to be false built a castell there and so returned backe At the same time Madoc ap Meredyth prince of Powys did build a castell at Caereneon besides Cymer At that time Meyric his nephew escaped out of prison where he had beene long kept then also Eglwys vair in Myvot was built also Terdelach king of Conacht in Ireland died At this time king Henrie banished the Flemings whom king Stephen had brought in and sent some of them to their coosins in Westwales likewise the king bannished Wiliam Peuerell of Notingham And Hugh Mortimer fortified the castell of Cleberie against the king which the king tooke and rased and Hugh yeelded to the king and deliuered to his hands the castels of Wygmor and Brugge Likewise Roger the sonne of Myles of Glocester Earle of Hereford deliuered to the king the tower of Glocester and died shortlie after and his brother Walter enioied his land but the king kept the Earledome of Hereford and the towne of Glocester in his owne hands The yeare folowing Conan Earle of Richmond sailed to Brytaine where he was receiued of the most part for their duke Shortlie after king Henrie his brother Geffrey were agreed in Normandie and the king being returned into England receiued of the Scottish king Carlile Newcastell and Banburgh with the countrie about and gaue him the Earldome of Huntingdon Also William Earle of Egle and Northfolke base sonne to king Stephen deliuered Henrie the castels of Peuensey and Norwich and the king confirmed to him his other lands At this time Caradocus Lhancaruan who is reputed and taken of all learned men to be the author of this present historie endeth his collections of the successions of the Brytaines from Cadwalader vntill this time of whome some studious antiquarie wrote these verses following Historiam Brytonum doctus scripsit Caradocus Post Cadwalladrum regia sceptra notans The successions and actes of the princes of Wales after this time vntill the yeare 1270. were kept and recorded from time to time in the Abbeis of Conwey in Northwales and Stratflur in Southwales as witnesseth Gutryn Owen who being in the daies of Edward the fourth wrote the best and most perfect copie of the same About this time the king gathered all his power togither from all parts of England intending to subdue all Northwales being therevnto procured and mooued by Cadwalader whom the Prince his brother had banished out of the land and bereaued of his liuing and by Madoc ap Meredyth prince of Powys who enuied at the libertie of Northwales which knewe no lord but one And so the king led his armie to Westchester and camped vpon the marsh called Saltney Likewise Owen like a valiant prince gathered all his strength and came to the vtter meares of his land purposing to giue the king battell encamped himselfe at Basingwerk Which thing when the king vnderstood he chose out of his armie diuerse of the cheefest bands and sent certeine Earles and Lords with them towards the princes campe and as they passed the wood called Coed Eulo Dauid Conan the princes sons met with them set vpon them fearslie what for the aduantage of the ground for the suddennes of the deed the Englishmen were put to flight and a great number slaine and the rest were pursued to the kings campe The king being fore displeased with that foile remooued his campe alongst the sea coast thinking to passe betwixt Owen and his countrie but Owen foreseeing that retired backe to a place which is called to this daie Cîl Owen that is the retire of Owen and the king came to Ruthlan In this first viage of king Henrie against the Welshmen he was put in great danger of his life in a strait at Counsylth not far from Flynt where Henrie of Essex whose office by inheritance was to beare the standard of England cast downe the same and fled which thing incouraged the Welshmen in such sort that the king being sore distressed had much a doo to saue himselfe and as the French Chronicle saith was faine to flée of whose part Eustace Fitz-Iohn and Robert Curcie two worthie knights with diuerse other noble men and gentlemen were slaine After that Owen incamped and intrenched himselfe at Bryn y pin and skirmished with the kings men dailie and in the meane while that the King was fortifieng the castell of Ruthlan his nauie which was guided by Madoc ap Meredyth Prince of Powys anchored in Môn or Anglesey and put on land the soldiours which spoiled two churches and a little of the countrie thereabouts But as they returned vnto their ships all the strength of the Ile set vpon them and killed them all so that none of those which robbed within the Ile brought tidings how they sped Then the shipmen seeing that liked not their lodging there but waid vp anchors and went awaie to Chester In the meane time there was a peace concluded betwixt the king and the Prince vpon condition that Cadwalader should haue his lands againe and his brother should be his friend Then the King leauing the castels of Ruthlan and Basywerke well fortified and manned after he had built a house thereby for the templers returned to England At that time also Iorwerth Goch ap Meredyth got the castell of Yale and burned it The yeare folowing Morgan ap Owen was traitorously slaine by the men of Ivor ap Meyric with whom died the best poet in the Brytish toong of his time called Gurgan ap Rees and his brother Iorwerth got the towne of Caerlheon and the lands of Owen Then the king made peace with all the princes lords of Wales except Rees ap Gruffyth ap Rees prince of Southwales which Rees fearing the kings power caused his people to remooue their cattell goods to the wildernesse of Tywy and he still made war against the
king Therefore the king sent for him to come to his court to conclude a peace before the power of England Wales were sent for him wherevpon Rees after consultation came to the king and an order was taken that Rees should enioy the Cantref Mawr as it should please the king so that his land should be whole togither and not in diuerse places and shires but the king did contrarie to his promise appointing Rees lands in diuerse places and lordships intermingled with other mens lands Which deceit although Rees perceiued well inough yet he receiued it peece-meale as it was and liued quietlie vntill Roger Earle of Clare hearing this came to the king and desired his highnesse to giue him such lands in Wales as he could win which the king granted Then he came with a great armie to Caerdigan first he fortified the castell of Stratmeyric and afterwards the castell of Humfrey of Dyuy of Dynerth Lhanristyd When these castels were well manned and fortified Walter Clyfford who had the keeping of the castell of Lhanymdhyfri made a road to the land of Rees and returned with a bootie after he had slaine diuerse of Reeses men Then Rees sent to the king to complaine and to haue a redresse who had onelie faire words and nothing else for the king winked at the faults of the Englishmen and Normanes and punished the Welshmen cruellie Rees seeing this laid siege to Lhanymdhyfri and in short space wan the castell Also Eneon the sonne of Anarawd Reeses brothers sonne being a lustie gentleman and desirous to make his countrie free from seruitude and perceiuing his vncle to be discharged of his oth to the king laid siege to the castell of Humfrey by force wan it slaieng all the garrison wherein he found horses and armour to furnish a great number of men Likewise Rees seeing he could enioy no part of his inheritance but that he wan by the sword gathered his power entring Caerdigan left not a castell standing in the countrie of those which his enimies had fortified and so brought all to his subiection Wherewith the king being sore offended returned to Southwales and when he saw he could doo no good he suffered Rees to enioy all that he had gotten and tooke pledges of him to keepe the peace in his absence Then returning to England he tooke his iournie to Normandie and made peace with the French king But the next yeare Rees prince of Southwales did lead his power to Dyuet and destroied all the castels that the Normanes had fortified there and afterward laid siege to Caermarthin Which thing when Reynold Erle of Brystow the kings base sonne heard he called to him the Earle of Clare and his brother in law Cadwalader the brother of prince Owen with Howel and Conan prince Owens sonnes and two other Earles and came to raise the siege with a great armie whose comming Rees abode not but got him to the mountains called Kefn Rester and there kept himselfe and they camped at Dynwyl hîr and builded a castell there who after they could not heare of Rees returned home without doing of anie notable act King Henrie remained in Normandie all this yeare where he made warre against the Earle of S. Giles for the citie and Earledome of Tholouse In the yeare 1160. died Madoc ap Meredyth ap Blethyn prince of Powys at Winchester This man was euer the king of Englands freend and was one that feared God and releeued the poore his bodie was conueied honorablie to Powys and buried in Myuot This man had by his wife Susanna the daughter of Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales three sonnes Gruffyth Maylor Owen and Elise and a daughter called Marred he had base sons Owen Brogynton Kynwric Euelh and Eneon Euelh which base sonnes were not baselie esteemed who with the other had part of their fathers inheritance and so had other through Wales especiallie if they were stout and of noble courage And here I thinke it conuenient to declare how Powys land came to be diuided in many parts and thereby weakened and so brought vnder the Normanes before the rest of Wales Meredyth sonne to Blethyn ap Convyn prince of Powys had two sons Madoc of whom we speake and Gruffyth betweene whom Powys was diuided Madoc had that part which was called Powys Vadoc which part again was diuided betwixt his three sons Gruffyth Maylor Owen Vachan and Owen Brogynton after this maner Gruffyth Maylor had Bromfield Yale Hope Dale Nanhewdwy Mochnant îs Rhayard Chirke Cynlhayth and Glyndouerdwy Owen Vachan had Mechain Iscoyd And Owen Brogynton had Dynmael and Edeyrneon The other part of Powys called afterward Powys Wenwynwyn was the part of Gruffyth ap Meredyth after whose death his sonne called Owen Cyuelioc enioied it as it shall be at large hereafter declared Powys before king Offas time reached Estward to the riuers of Dee and Seauerne with a right line from the end of Broxen hilles to Salop with all the countrie betwéene VVye and Seauerne whereof Brochwel yscithroc of whom mention is made before pag. 22. was possessed but after the making of Offas ditch as it is said before pag. 19. the plaine countrie toward Salop being inhabited by Saxons and Normans Powys was in length from Pulford bridge Northeast to the confines of Caerdigan shire in the parish of Lhanguric in the Southwest and in bredth from the furthest part of Cyuelioc Westward to Elsmere on the Eastside This countrie or principalitie of Powys was appointed by Roderike the Great for the portion of his third sonne Anarawd and so continued intierlie vntill the death of Blethyn ap Convyn After whom although the dominion was diminished by limiting parts in seueraltie amongst his sonnes Meredyth and Cadogan yet at length it came wholie to the possession of Meredyth ap Blethyn who had issue two sonnes Madoc and Gruffyth betwéene whom the said dominion was diuided Madoc maried Susanna the daughter of Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales and had that part which was after called after his name Powys Vadoc which dominion and Seigniorie was diuided betwixt the thrée sonnes of the said Madoc to wit Gruffyth Maelor Owen ap Madoc and Owen Brogynton which Owen Brogynton although he was baselie begotten yet for his valiancie and noble courage he had part of his fathers inheritance to wit Edeyrneon and Dinmael and had issue Gruffyth Blethin and Iorwerth Owen ap Madoc had to his portion of inheritance limited the territorie of Mechain Is coed and had issue Lhewelyn and Owen Vachan Gruffyth Maelor the eldest sonne lord of Bromfield had to his part the two Maelors and Mochnant is Rayadr he maried Angharat the daughter of Owen Gwyneth prince of Northwales by whome he had issue one sonne named Madoc who held his fathers inheritance wholie and had issue Gruffyth called lord of Dînas brân because he dwelled in that castell who maried Emma the daughter of Iames lord Audley and had issue Madoc Lhewelyn
Gruffyth and Owen This Gruffyth ap Madoc tooke part with king Henrie the third and Edward the first against the prince of Northwales and therefore for feare of the prince he was faine to lie for his owne safegard in his said castell of Dînas brân which standeth on the toppe of a verie stéepe hill to the which there is no waie but one to come He died his children being within age wherevpon shortlie after ensued the destruction of two of them for the said king Ed. 1. gaue the wardship of Madoc who had for his part the lordships of Bromfield and Yale and the said castell of Dînas brân which the reuersion of Maelor Saesnec after his mothers decease who had the same to hir iointer to Iohn Earle Warren and granted the wardship of Lhewelyn to whose part the lordships of Chirke and Nanhevdwy came to Roger Mortimer third sonne to Roger Mortimer the sonne of Ralph Mortimer Lord Mortimer of Wigmor These guardians forgetting the seruice doone by the father of the wardes to the king so garded their wardes with so small regard that they neuer returned to their possessions And shortlie after the said guardians did obtaine the same lands to themselues by charters of the king This Iohn Earle Warren began to build the Holt castell and William his son finished the same The lordship of Bromfield and Yale continued in the name of the Earle Warren thrée descents Iohn William and Iohn that died without issue and then the said lordship togither with the said Erldome of Warren descended to Alice daughter of the said William Erle Warren and sister and heire of the said last Iohn Earle Warren which Alice maried Edmond Fitzalan Erle of Arundell in the which house of Fitzalanes it remained thrée descents after the said Edmond and Alice to wit to Richard Earle of Arundell and to Richard Earle of Arundell his sonne and to Thomas Earle of Arundell sonne of the said last Richard And then for want of issue of the said Thomas Earle of Arundell and Warren the said lordship fell to two of his sisters whereof one named Elizabeth was maried to Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke the other named Ioane was maried to William Beauchamp lord of Abergauenny whose part afterwards came by a daughter to the Neuil lord of Abergauenny and sithence it came to the hands of Sir William Stanley knight by whose attaindor it escheated to the crowne and so remaineth parcell of hir maiesties possessions at this daie Roger Mortimer Iustice of Northwales builded the castell of Chirke and maried Lucia the daughter and heire of Sir Robert de Wafre knight by whom he had issue Roger Mortimer who maried Ioane Turberuile and had issue Iohn Mortimer lord of Chirke This Iohn sold the lordship of Chirke to Richard Fitzalan Earle of Arundell sonne to the said Edmond and so it was annexed againe to Bromfield and Yale The third sonne of Gruffyth lord of Dînas brân named also Gruffyth had for his part Glyndowrdwy which Gruffyth ap Gruffyth was father of Madoc Crupl father of Madoc Vachan father of Gruffyth father of Gruffyth Vachan father of Owen Glyndowr who rebelled in the time of king Henrie the fourth by whose attaindor that part also came to the kings hands which was purchased of the king by Robert Salisburie of Rug of whome Salisburie the lord of Glyndowrdwy that now is descended Owen the fourth sonne of Gruffyth lord of Dînas brân had for his part Cynlhaeth which at this daie togither with the lordship of Chirke land is parcell of the possessions of the right honorable the Earle of Leycester The other part of Powys containing the countries of Arustly Cyuelioc Lhannerch hudol Caereneon Mochnant vwch Rayader Mechain vwch Coed Mouthwy Deuthwr Strat Marchelh and Teirtref or the thrée townes rightfullie descended to Gruffyth ap Meredyth ap Blethyn before mentioned who was by King Henrie the first created Lord Powys he married Gweyryl or Weyryl the daughter of Vrgene ap Howel ap Ieuaf ap Cadogan ap Athlestan Glodryth and by hir had issue Owen surnamed Cyuelioc Owen Cyuelioc enioied his whole inheritance as his father did and married Wenlhian the daughter of Owen Gwyneth Prince of Northwales by whom he had issue Gwenwynwyn or Wenwynwyn after whose name that part of Powys was afterward called Powys Wenwynwyn He had also a bastard brother called Caswalhon to whom he gaue the territories called Swydh Lhannerch Hudol and Braniarth Gwenwynwyn succéeded his father in the whole segniorie sauing Lhannerch Hudol and Braniarth which were giuen to his base brother Caswalhon Maelrhy during his life time onelie Which Gwenwynwyn married Margaret daughter to Rees ap Theodor Prince of Southwales and by hir had issue Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn succéeded his father in all his possessions and had issue sixe sonnes among whom his inheritance was diuided as foloweth Owen the eldest sonne had for his part Arustly Cyuelioc Lhannerch hudol and the moitie of Caereneon Lhewelyn the second sonne had Mochnant vwch Rayader and Mechain vwch Coed Iohn the third sonne had the fourth part of Caereneon William the fourth sonne had Mouthwy Gruffyth Vachan the fift sonne had Deuthwr Strat marchelh and Teirtref Dauid the sixt sonne had the other fourth part of Caereneon Owen ap Gruffyth had issue one onelie daughter his heire named Hawys Gadarn that is Hawys the hardie against whom hir vncles Lhewelyn Iohn Gruffyth Vachan and Dauid arose challenging the lands of their brother Owen and affirming that a woman was not capable of lands in that countrie Wherevpon Hawys made such fréends in England that the matter being opened vnto King Edward the second the said King bestowed hir in marriage vpon a seruant of his named Iohn Charleton termed Valectus Domini Regis borne in Appley a little off from Welinton 1268. in the countie of Salop whom he made Lord Powys in hir right This Iohn Charleton Lord Powys being aided by the king tooke thrée of his wiues vncles to wit Lhewelyn Dauid and Iohn whom he laid vp fast in the kings castell of Hardlech and obteined a writ from the King of the Shirife of the countie of Salop and Sir Roger Mortimer Lord of Chirkland and iustice of Northwales for the apprehension of Gruffyth Vachan with Sir Roger Chamber and Hugh Mountgomerie his two sonnes in lawe which then were in armour against the said Charleton and Hawys Wherevpon the said Gruffyth Vachan and his brethren hauing then lost their greatest staie which was Thomas Earle of Lancaster submitted themselues to the kings order touching all matters in variance betwéene them and their néece who finding by records that Gruffyth ap Meredyth auncestor to the said Hawys vpon his submission to King Henrie the first became subiect to the King of England and therevpon was by the said King created Baron of Powys which Baronie he and his heires held afterward of the king in Capite as other Barons of England did And therefore the
yeare folowing Owen the sonne of Gruffyth ap Meredyth named Owen Cyuelioc and Owen ap Madoc ap Meredyth got the castell of Carrechoua by Oswestrie and wasted it About the same time there was a combate fought betweene Robert Mountfort and Henrie de Essex to trie which of them had begun the flight in the voiage against the Welshmen in the marches Either of them accused the other but in the triall Henrie was ouercome and afterward disinherited shauen a moonke at Redding Then the king gathered a great power against Southwales and came himselfe as farre as Pencadayr beside Brechnock where Rees came to him and did him homage and gaue him pledges and then the king went to Ireland againe About this time Eneon the sonne of Anarawd ap Gruffyth nephue to prince Rees was murthered in his bed by a man of his owne named Lhywarch Also Cadogan ap Meredyth was slaine after the like maner by one Walter ap Riccart Then the lord Rees as he is called in Welsh or king Rees as the Latine authors name him tooke the Cantref Mawr which is a great countrie and the land of Dynevowr and enioied it And this yeare died Cadiuor ap Daniel Archdeacon of Caerdigan and Henrie ap Arthen which was the worthiest clerke that had beene manie yeares in Wales The yeare ensuing the lord Rees seeing he was not able to maintaine his estate with such lands as the king had appointed him entred the lands of Roger de Clare Earle of Glocester for by the Earles means was his nephue murthered and wanne the castels of Aberheidol and of the sonnes of Wynyaon rased them And so in short time he brought all Caerdigan to his subiection from thence he made manie roades against the Flemings and got great spoiles in their countrie Then all VVales agreed to forsake the rule of the Normanes whose treason and crueltie they could not abide and to serue princes of their owne nation This yeare Hamelyn base brother to king Henrie maried the Countesse of VVarren which was wife to VVilliam Earle of Egle base sonne to king Stephen and daughter and heire to VVilliam Earle VVarren Also this yeare died VValter Gifford Earle of Buckingham without heire therefore the Earledome fell to the kings hands In the yeare 1165. Dauid the sonne of Owen prince of Northwales did destroie all Flynt shire which was the kings and caried all the people and cattell with him to the Dyffryn Cloyd now called Ruthyn land Which thing when the king vnderstood he leuied an armie in hast and came to succour his castels and people as far as Ruthlan and after he had laine there three daies and could do no good he returned to England where he gathered another armie of chosen men through all his dominions as England Normandie Aniow Gascoine Gwyen sending for succours from Flanders and Brytaine then returned towards Northwales minding vtterlie to destroie all that had life in the land and comming to Croes Oswalt called Oswaldstree incamped there On the contrarie side prince Owen and his brother Cadwalader with all the power of Northwales and the lord Rees with the power of Southwales Owen Cynelioc and the sonnes of Madoc ap Meredyth with the power of Powys and the two sonnes of Madoc ap Ednerth with the people betwixt Wye and Seauerne gathered themselues togither and came to Corwen in Edeyrneon purposing to defend their countrie But the king vnderstanding that they were so nigh being wonderfull desirous of battel came to the riuer Ceireoc and caused the woods to be hewen downe Wherevpon a number of the VVelshmen vnderstanding the passage vnknowing to their captaines met with the kings ward where were placed the piked men of all the armie and there began a hote skirmish where diuerse worthie men were slaine on either side but in the end the king wanne the passage and came to the mountaine of Berwyn where he laie in campe certaine daies and so both the armies stood in awe each of other for the king kept the open plaines and was affraid to be intrapped in straits but the VVelshmen watched for the aduantage of the place kept the king so straitlie that neither forrage nor victuall might come to his camp neither durst anie soldiour stirre abroad And to augment these miseries there fell such raine that the kings men could scant stand vpon their feete vpon those slipperie hilles In the end the king was compelled to returne home without his purpose that with great losse of men and munition besides his charges Therefore in a great choler he caused the pledges eies whom he had receiued long before that to be put out which were Rees and Cadwalhon the sonnes of Owen and Cynwric and Meredyth the sonnes of Rees and other I find also written by diuers that in the assieging of a bridge the king was in no small danger of his life for one of the Weshmen shooting directlie at him had persed him through the bodie if Hubert de S. Clere constable of Colchester perceiuing the arrow comming had not thrust him selfe betwixt the King and the same arrow whereby he saued his maister and died himselfe for him presentlie Although Polydor writing the historie out of the same authors doo conceale the same Then after long consultation the king came the third time towards Northwales intending to haue his armie conueied by sea to land in some conuenient place of the countrie and so he came to Chester and there laie a certeine time till all his nauie was gathered togither aswell hired ships of Ireland as his owne and vpon the sudden he brake vp his campe and gaue both ships and men leaue to depart The same yeare Rees prince of Southwales laid siege to the castell of Aberteiui and wan it and made it flat with the ground and likewise wan Cilgerran rased it At which time he tooke prisoner Robert the sonne of Stephen his coosen germane sonne to Nest his aunt who after the death of Gerald had maried Stephen constable and so returned home with great honor and rich spoile About the same time died Lhewelyn sonne to prince Owen a worthie gentleman and of great towardnesse In the yeare ensuing the Flemings and Normanes came to Westwales with a great power against the castell of Cilgerran which Rees had fortified and laid siege to it assaulting it diuerse times but it was so manfullie defended that they returned home as they came and shortlie after they came before it againe where they lost manie of their best men and then departed againe The same yeare Owen prince of Northwales laid siege to the castell of Basygwerke which the king had fortified and in short time wan the same and rased it About the same time Dermot the son of Murchart was chased out of his dominion in Ireland and went to Normandie to king Henrie for succour Also Iorwerth Goch was spoiled of his lands in Powys by
Owen Cyuelioc the son of Gruffyth ap Meredyth lord of Powys by Owen Vachan second sonne to Madoc ap Meredyth which lands they diuided betwixt them so that Owen Cyuelioc had Mochnant aboue Rayader and Owen Vachan Mochnant beneath Rayader This yeare there was an earthquake in Northfolke and Suffolke At this time king Henrie maried Geffrey his sonne to Constance the onelie daughter heire of Conan Earle of Richmond and duke of Brytaine In the yeare 1167. Owen prince of Nothwales Cadwalader his brother and Rees prince of Southwales brought an armie to Powys against Owen Cyuelioc and wan all his lands chased him out of the countrie and gaue Caereneon to Owen Vachan the sonne of Madoc ap Meredyth to hold of prince Owen and the lord Rees had Walwern bicause it stoode within his countrie But within a while after Owen Cyuelioc returned with a number of Normanes and Englishmen to recouer his countrie againe and laid siege to the castell of Caereneon and winning the same burned it to the ground Also the same yeare the aforesaid princes Owen Rees and Cadwalader laid siege to the castell of Ruthlan which the king had latelie built and fortified which the garrison defended manfullie and worthilie yet the princes would not depart vntill they had won it which they did at two moneths end and then rased it Afterward they gat the castell of Prestaryn and destroied it and then brought all Tegengl to Owens subiection and returned home with much honor In the yeare folowing Conan the sonne of prince Owen slew Vrgeney Abbot of Lhwythlawr and Lhawthen his nephue At this time Henrie duke of Saxonie maried Mawd king Henries daughter Then also the nobles of Poitiew rebelled against king Henrie vpon hope of the French kings aid and slew VVilliam Fitzpatrike Earle of Salisburie then the king created VVilliam his sonne Earle in his steed Also the Brytaines of Armorica rebelled against king Henrie wherefore he destroied a great part of the countrie The next yeare Henrie the kings eldest sonne did homage to the French king for the Earledome of Aniow and the stewardship of France which belonged thereto and Geffrey did his brother homage for the dukedome of Brytaine Then the king made a great ditch or trench betwixt France and Normandie to defend the countrie from sudden incursions and theeues And this yeare Robert the sonne of Stephen constable was released out of his coosins the lord Rees his prison and was sent to Ireland with a great power to succour Dermot son to Murchart who landed at Lochgarmon and wan it and so went forward This Robert Fitzstephen Moris Fitzgerald his brother and their nephues Robert Meyler and Raymond with an armie of Welshmen vnder the conduct of Richard Strangbow Earle of Strigule were the chiefe captains and dooers in the conquest of Ireland when it was first reduced vnder the subiection of the crowne of England of whom the Fitzgeralds Fitzstephens and Fitzmoris are descended of whom Giraldus writeth at large in his historie of Ireland In the yeare 1169. Meyric ap Adam of Buelht was murthered in his bed by Meredyth Bengoch his coosen germane Also this yeare there were found the bones of a giant cast vp by the sea of such length that his body seemed to containe fiftie foote in height At this time the king caused his sonne Henrie to be crowned king of England by the Archbishop of Yorke Also this yeare Owen Gwyneth the son of Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales passed out of this world after he had gouerned his countrie well and worthilie 32. yeares This prince was fortunate and victorious in all his affaires he neuer tooke any enterprise in hand but he atchieued it He left behind him manie children gotten by diuerse women which were not esteemed by their mothers and birth but by their prowes and valiantnesse First he had by Gladus the daughter of Lhywarch ap Trahaern ap Caradoc Iorweth drwyndwn that is Edward with the broken nose Conan Maelgon and Gwenlhian by Christian the daughter of Grono ap Owen ap Edwyn he had Dauid Roderike Cadwalhon Abbot of Bardsey and Angharat wife to Gruffyth Maylor he had besides these Conan Lhewelyn Meredyth Edwal Run Howel Cadelh Madoc Eneon Cynwric Philip and Riryd lord of Clochran in Ireland by diuerse women of whom Run Lhewelyn and Cynwric died before their father of the rest you shall heare hereafter Dauid ap Owen Dauid the sonne of Owen Gwyneth This Madoc arriuing in that Westerne countrie vnto the which he came in the yeare 1170. left most of his people there and returning backe for more of his owne nation acquaintance and fréends to inhabite that faire and large countrie went thither againe with ten sailes as I find noted by Gutyn Owen I am of opinion that the land wherevnto he came was some part of Mexico the causes which make me to thinke so be these 1 The common report of the inhabitants of that countrie which affirme that their rulers descended from a strange nation that came thither from a farre countrie which thing is confessed by Mutezuma king of that countrie in his oration made for quieting of his people at his submission to the king of Castile Hernando Curteis being then present which is laid downe in the Spanish Chronicles of the conquest of the West Indies 2 The Brytish words and names of places vsed in that countrie euen to this daie doo argue the same as when they talke togither they vse this word Gwrando which is Hearken or listen Also they haue a certeine bird with a white head which they call Pengwin that is white head But the Iland of Corroeso the cape of Bryton the riuer of Gwyndor and the white rocke of Pengwyn which be all Brytish or Welsh words doo manifestlie shew that it was that countrie which Madoc and his people inhabited The same time Elianor the kings daughter was married to Alfonsus king of Castil Also Richard Strangbowe Earle of Strigul went to Ireland without the kings leaue and married the daughter of Dermot king of Dublyn wherefore the king seased all his lands in England to his owne hands and Dermot died shortlie after and was buried at Ferna About the end of this yeare Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canturburie was slaine The yeare ensuing Rees prince of Southwales came with great power to Powys and subdued Owen Cyuelioc the Lord thereof and tooke pledges of him and so returned home with much honour Then the king called his nobles to consult about the enterprise of Ireland which had beene before determined to be taken in hand To this consultation came messengers from Richard Strangbowe Earle of Strigule Marshall of England to deliuer to the kings hands the citie of Dublyne and the towne of Waterford with such other townes as he had by the right of his wife wherevpon the king restored to him againe his lands in England and Normandie and made him
Howel the sonne of Iorwerth ap Owen of Caerlhêon tooke his vncle Owen Pencarn prisoner putting out his eies gelded him least he should beget children which should inherit Caerlhêon and Gwent But God prouided a punishment for him for vpon the saturdaie folowing there came a great armie of Normanes and Englishmen before the towne and wan it with the castell manger Howel and his father who was not priuie to his sonnes lewd deed Also this yeare the elder king came to England then William king of Scots and Roger de Mobbray were taken prisoners at Alnewike by the Barons of the North as they came to destroie England in the quarell of the yoong king therefore the elder king put them in safe keeping with the Earle of Leycester receiuing Hugh Bygod Erle of Northfolke to his peace and so returned to Normandie with a great armie of Welshmen which were sent him from Dauid prince of Northwales to whome the king gaue his sister Emme in mariage then the king sent the Welshmen ouer the riuer of Sene to cut away the victuall which came to his enimies campe wherfore the French king came to a parlee and shortlie they concluded a peace so that all the brethren desired the father forgiuenes Also at this time Dauid prince of Northwales being bold of the kings affinitie did imprison his owne brother Roderike in boltes bicause he desired part of his fathers lands In the yeare folowing both the kings came to England and the Scottish king was set at libertie who became liegeman vnto king Henrie and sware fealtie to him with all the lords of Scotland spirituall and temporall and deliuered the king the towns of Rocksburgh and Berwicke and the castell of Maydens Shortlie after died Reginald Earle of Cornwall base sonne to king Henrie the first and the king seased his lands in England Wales and Normandie to himselfe for Iohn his yoongest sonne saue a small portion which he left to his daughter Also about the same time died Ralph Earle of Kyme and Philip his sonne was created in his steed Shortlie after there died also William Erle of Arundell at Wauerley and was buried at Wyndham whereof he was patrone This yeare also Rees prince of Southwales came to the kings court at Glocester and brought with him such lords of Southwales as had offended the king to doo him homage which pleased the king wōderfullie whose names were these Cadwalhon ap Madoc of Melyenyth Reeses coosen germane Eneon Clyt of Eluel Eneon ap Rees of Werthrynion which two had married two of his daughters Morgan ap Caradoc ap Iestyn of Glamorgan Gruffyth ap Iuor ap Meyric of Senghennyth Sitsylt ap Dyfnwal of higher Gwent which three had maried his sisters and Iorwerth ap Owen of Caerlhêon whom the king receiued all to his peace and restored to Iorwerth ap Owen Caerlhéon againe and so they returned home with great ioy But shortlie after William de Bruse lord of Brechnock desired Sitsylt ap Dyfnwal Geffrey his sonne and a great number of the worshipfullest men of Gwent land to a feast at the castell of Abergeuenny which he had receiued of them by composition and they mistrusting no harme came thither but he like a traitor and murtherer had a great number of armed men within the castell which fell vpon this lord and the rest and without mercie slew them all and forthwith went to Sitsylts house being not farre thence and tooke his wife and slew Cadwalader his sonne before his mothers face and destroied the house and this was a lamentable daie to all the land of Gwent and a lesson for all men to take heed of their enimies This William lord Bruse hauing the Welshmen within his castell of Abergeuenny to séeke a quarell propounded vnto them certaine articles to be by them kept and performed and among other things that none of them should at anie time carie about them in their iournies either bow or sword for the obseruing of the which he would haue had them to be sworne which they refused to doo wherevpon he falling out with them called his men which were readie for that purpose and caused them all thus to be murthered and when that déed was doone to cloake his treason with some reasonable excuse he caused it to be reported abroad that this he did in reuenge of the death of his vncle Henrie de Hereford whom they on Easter euen before had slaine In Northwales Roderike brake his brothers prison and escaping came to Anglesey where all the countrie receiued him for their lord bicause they abhorred the ingratitude of the prince who vnnaturallie disinherited all his brethren coosens vpō boldnes of his brother in law the king This Roderike also was receiued as lord and prince in all the countrie aboue the riuer of Conwey Then prince Dauid fled ouer Conwey and there remained for a time This yere died Cadelh the son of Gruffyth ap Rees and brother to the lord Rees after long sicknesse and was buried honorablie at Stratflur The next yeare died Dauid Fitzgerald bishop of Meneuia and Piers was installed bishop in his place This yeare the lord Rees prince of Southwales made a great feast at Christmas in the castell of Aberteiui which feast he caused to be proclaimed through all Brytaine long before and thither came manie strangers which were honorablie receiued and worthilie intertained so that no man departed discontented And among deeds of armes and other shewes Rees caused all the poetes of Wales which are makers of songs recorders of gentlemens petegrees armes of whome euerie one is intituled by the name of Bardh in Latine Bardus to come thither prouided chaires for them to be set in his hall where they should dispute togither to trie their cunning and gift in their faculties where great rewards rich gifts were appointed for the ouercomers amongst whome they of Northwales wan the price and among the Musicians Reeses owne houshold men were counted best Shortlie after Eneon Clyt and Morgan ap Meredyth were both slaine by treason of the Normanes which inhabited the marshes At this time the lord Rees did build the castell of Rayder Gwy that is to saie The fall of Wye for the riuer Wye falleth there ouer a great and a high rocke At that time the sonnes of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth made warre against him Then also Cadwalhon brother vnto Owen Gwyneth and vncle to Dauid and Roderike who had fled to the king for succour as he was conueied home by the kings men to enioy his patrimonie was cruellie murthered by the waie and found those whom he hoped to be his helpe and freends to be in deed traitors and butchers And about this time Ione the daughter of king Henrie the elder was married to William king of Sicile This yeare the bones of noble king Arthur and Gwenhouar his wife were found in the Ile of Aualon
that is to saie the Ile of Aples without the Abbie of Glastenburie fifteene foote within the earth in a holow elder tree and ouer the bones was a stone and a crosse of lead with a writing turned towards the stone wherein were ingrauen these words HÃc iacet sepultus inclytus rex Artburus in insula Aualonia The bones were of maruelous bignes and in the scull were ten wounds of which one was great and seemed to be his deaths wound the Queenes haire was to the sight faire and yellowe but assoone as it was touched it fell to ashes This graue was found by meanes of a Bardh or Poet whom the king heard at Penbrooke declare in a song the worthie actes of that noble prince and the place of his buriall Therefore let William Paruus and Polydore Virgil with their complices stoppe their lieng mouthes and desist to obscure and darken the glistering fame noble renowme of so inuincible and victorious a prince with the enuious detraction and malicious slaunder of their reprochfull and venomous toongs thinking that they may couer with the cloud of obliuion and burie in the pit of darkenesse those noble acts and princelie deeds by their wilfull ignorance and dogged enuie whereof the trumpet of fame hath sounded not onelie in Brytaine but also through out all Europe But remitting the discouering and blazing of their cankered minds towards the honour and fame of the Brytaines to such as can better paint them in their colours I will returne to my matter King Henrie the elder forsooke his wife for certeine considerations and kept hir in prison manie yeres And about this time Ranulph de Poer with a great number of Gentlemen was slaine by certeine yoong men of Gwent land in reuenge of their lords death This Ranulph de Poer was Shirife of Glocestershire or as Giraldus noteth of Herefordshire whose death the same author séemeth to impute vnto himselfe for his cruell and vnreasonable dealing against the Welshmen But the king tooke the same verie gréeuouslie who being sore incensed against them assembled a mightie armie and came with the same vnto Worcester meaning to inuade the enimies countries But the Lord Rees ap Gruffyth fearing the kings puissance thus bent against him and his countrimen came by safe conduct vnto Worcester where submitting himselfe he sware fealtie to the king and became his liegeman promising to bring his sonne and nephues vnto him for pledges But when according to his promise he would haue brought them they remembring how the other pledges before were vsed refused to go with him and so the matter rested for that time And the yeare 1183. Henrie duke of Saxonie being banished his countrie came to king Henrie his father in law to Normandie Also this yeare Henrie the yoong king died and was buried at Roane The yeare ensuing the duke of Saxonie came into England and his wife was brought to bed of a sonne which was named William About this time William de Mandeuile Earle of Essex went to Flanders with an armie to succour the Earle against the Earle of Henald or Henagow Shortlie after Iohn the kings yoongest sonne was dubbed knight and tooke his iournie to Ireland At which time Hugh de Lacie lord of Meth was slaine by a sickman Then Iohn returned home from Ireland at Christmas next folowing Also Howel ap Ieuaf lord of Arustly died was buried at Stratflur And the yeare 1186. died Geffrey duke of Brytaine the kings third son leauing behind him a daughter and his wife great with child of a sonne which afterward was named Arthur At this time Mawd the Empresse died which was daughter to king Henrie the first wife to Henrie the fourth Emperour of Almaine then to Geffrey Plantagenet Earle of Aniow and mother to the most noble king Henrie the second vpon whose toombe this Epitaph was written Ortu magna viro maior sed maxima partu Hîc iacet Henricifilia sponsa parens Also this time Cadwalader sonne to the Lord Rees was slaine priuilie in Westwales and buried in the Tuy Gwynn The next yeare Owen Vachan the sonne of Madoc ap Meredyth was slaine in the castell of Carrecgona hard by Oswaldstree in the night time by Gwenwynwyn and Cadwalhon the sonnes of Owen Cyuelioc and shortlie after Lhewelyn sonne to Cadwalhon ap Gruffyth ap Conan who was murthered by the Englishmen was taken by his owne brethren and had his eies put out About the yeare 1187. Baldwine Archbishop of Canturburie hauing in his companie Giraldus Cambrensis Archdeacon of Brechnock visited Wales being the first Archbishop of Canturburie that euer visited that countrie whom the Clergie of VVales began to resist alledging the liberties and priuileges of their Metropoliticall Church of S. Dauids but they preuailed not In this visitation which is described in writing by the said Giraldus in his booke which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Itinerarium Cambriae he procured and exhorted as manie as euer he could to take the crosse and to vow the viage against the Saracens wherevnto he persuaded manie of the nobles of VVales as appeareth by the said Giraldus Also this yeare Maelgon sonne to the lord Rees brought his power against Tenbye and by plaine force wan the towne and spoiling the same burned it to ashes This lord was faire and comelie of person honest and iust of conditions beloued of his freends and feared of his foes against whom especiallie the Flemings he atchieued diuerse victories In the yeare 1189. Henrie the second surnamed Curtmantel king of all Brytaine duke of Gascoine Gwyen and Normandie passed out of this transitorie life and was buried at Fonteuerard after him Richard his sonne was crowned in his place who receiued homage of William king of Scots and deliuered him againe the castell of Maydens or Edenburgh Roksburgh and Berwicke which king Henrie had long kept Also this yeare the lord Rees gathered all his strength and wan the castels of Seynclere Abercorran and Lhanstephan and brought all the whole countrie to his subiection taking Maelgon his sonne in whom remained all the hope of Southwales whome he kept in prison In the yeare folowing Rees did build the castell of Cydwely and Gwenlhian his daughter died the fairest and goodliest woman in all Wales About this time king Richard made the bishop of Durham Earle of Northumberland for a 1000. pound and afterward he said in iest that he had made a yoong Erle of an old bishop Shortlie after king Richard tooke his iournie to the holie land to make against the enimies of Christes faith Then the bishop of Elie the kings Chanceler and Uicegerent made a great ditch about the towne of London At this time Gruffyth Maylor lord of Bromfield a noble man and a wise and one that in liberalitie passed all the lords and noble men of his time died and was buried at Myuot he
the Archbishop of Canturburie whom king Richard had substituted his lieutenant in England came with an huge power towardes Wales and laied siege to the castell of Gwenwynwyn at the poole but the garrison defended the hold so manfullie that he lost manie of his men and could doo no good Therefore he sent for miners and set them on worke to vndermine the wals which thing when the garrison vnderstood and knowing that their enimes were three to one they were content to yeeld vp the castell vpon condition that they might depart with their armour freelie which offer the Archbishop tooke suffering them to passe quietlie and fortifieng the castell againe stronglie to the kings vse and placing therein a garrison for the defense thereof returned to England But immediatlie Wenwynwyn or Gwenwynwyn laid siege to it againe and shortlie after receiued it vpon the same conditions that his men had giuen it vp and kept the same to his owne vse The next yeare after there was a great and a terrible plague through all the Ile of Brytaine and France of the which died a great number of nobles beside the common people And the same yeare the fourth daie of Maie Rees the sonne of Gruffyth ap Rees ap Theodor prince of Southwales died the onelie anchor hope and staie of all that part of Wales as he that brought them out of thraldome and bondage of strangers set them at libertie and had defended them diuerse times in the field manfullie daunting the pride and courage of their cruell enimies whom he did either chase out of the land or compelled by force to liue quietlie at home Wo to that cruell destinie that spoiled the miserable land of hir defense and shield who as he descended of noble and princelie blood so he passed all other in commendable qualities and laudable vertues of the mind he was the ouerthrower of the mightie and setter vp of the weake the ouerturner of the holdes the separator of troopes the scatterer of his foes among whome he appeared as a wild boare among whelps or a lion that for anger beateth his taile to the ground In praise of this prince there is a long discourse in the Brytish booke after the maner of the VVelsh poets whose worthie commendation is laid downe at large by Ranulph Monke of Chester in the seuenth booke of his Historie intituled Polychronicon the 31. chap. and Grafton in the life of Richard the first pag. 92. This prince had manie sonnes and daughters as Gruffyth who succeeded his father Cadwalhon Maelgon Meredyth and Rees and of the daughters one called Gwenlhian was married to Ednyuet Vachan who was ancester to Owen Theodor or Tuder that maried Queene Catharine the widow of king Henrie the fift and the rest were maried to other lords in the countrie After the death of Rees Gruffyth his sonne subdued all the countrie to himselfe and enioied it in peace vntill Maelgon his brother whom his father had disinherited made a league with Gwenwynwyn the sonne of Owen Cyuelioc lord of Powys who both togither leuied a number of men came suddenlie vpon Gruffyth at Aberystwyth and slaieng a great number of his men tooke him prisoner and so recouered all the countrie of Caerdigan with the castell Thus Maelgon hauing taken his brother sent him to be imprisoned with Gwenwynwyn who in despite deliuered him to the Englishmen Then Gwenwynwyn gathering a power entred Arustly and subdued the same to himselfe Also about that time there was great warre in Northwales for Dauid ap Owen of late prince came with a great armie aswell Englishmen as Welshmen purposing to recouer the land againe but Lhewelyn his nephue who was the right inheritor of the same and then in possession thereof came boldlie and met him and gaue him battell and putting his people to flight tooke him prisoner and kept him in safetie and afterward enioied the countrie quietlie Toward the end of this yeare Owen Cyuelioc lord of the higher Powys died and left his land to Gwenwynwyn his sonne after whom that part of Powys was called Powys Wenwynwyn for a difference from the other called Powys Vadoc being the possession of the lords of Bromefield At this time also died Owen the son of Gruffyth Maylor lord of Bromfield and Brychtyr the sonne of Howel ap Ieuaf likewise Maelgon the sonne of Cadwalhon ap Madoc lord of Melienyth About the same time Trahaem Vachan a man of great power in the countrie of Brechnock as he came to Lancors to speake with William Bruse lord thereof was suddenlie taken and by the lords commandement tied to a horse taile and drawen through the towne of Aberhodny or Brechnock to the galowes and there beheaded and his bodie hanged vp by the feete three daies This crueltie shewed vpon no iust cause made his brother his wife and his children to flee the land The yeare ensuing Maelgon the sonne of prince Rees after he had imprisoned his elder brother got his castels of Aberteiui and Stratmeyric also the youngest son of prince Rees wan the castell of Dyneuowr from the Normanes The summer folowing Gwenwynwyn intending to extend the limits of Wales to their old meers gathered a great armie laid siege first to the castell of Payn in Eluel which was of the possessions of William de Bruse making a proclamation that assoone as he had won the castell he would burne all the whole countrie to Seauerne without mercie in reuenge of the murther of Trahaern Vachan his coosen But because he lacked engines and miners he laie three weekes at that castell and the murtherers sent for succours to England wherevpon Geffrey Fitzpeter lord chiefe Iustice of England gathered a great power ioining with him all the lords Marchers came to raise the siege And because the fortune of the battell is variable and vncertaine he sent first to Gwenwynwyn to haue a treatie of peace concluded but he and such as were with him would in no wise condescend to peace whose answere was that they would at that iournie reuenge their old wrongs Wherevpon the English lords did first enlarge Gruffyth the sonne of prince Rees of Southwales whom they knew to be an enimie to Gwenwynwyn which Gruffyth gathered a great power and ioined with the English lords and so they came towards the castell against whome Gwenwynwyn cam verie stoutlie there began a cruell battell with much slaughter on either part but at the last the Englishmen gat the victorie and Gwenwynwyn lost a great number of his men among whom were Anarawd sonne to Eneon Owen ap Cadwalhon Richard ap Iestyn and Robert ap Howel also Meredyth ap Conan was then taken prisoner with manie moe Matthew Paris saith that this battell was fought before Mawdes castell that of the Welshmen there were slaine 3700. and after this victorie the English lords returned home with much honor And forthwith Gruffyth sonne to prince Rees recouered by force and good
will of the people all his land sauing two castels Aberteiui and Stratmeyric which his brother Maelgon by the aid of Gwenwynwyn had wrongfullie taken from him Then his brother Maelgon fearing his displeasure tooke a solemne oth before noble and religious men which were about to make peace betwixt them that if his brother Gruffyth would giue him pledges for the assurance of his owne person he would deliuer him by a day the castell of Aberteiui whervpon Gruffyth did so But assoone as Maelgon got the pledges he fortified the castell manned it to his owne vse and sent the pledges to Gwenwynwyn who hated Gruffyth to the death there to be kept in prison But shortlie after by Gods helpe they brake the prison escaped home In the yeare 1199. Maelgon sonne to prince Rees laid siege to the castell of Dynerth and getting it slew all the garrison which his brother Gruffyth had left to defend it But at the same time Gruffyth wan the castell of Cilgerran and fortified it This yeare as king Richard did vew the castell of Chaleus in the countrie of Lenuoyle he was striken with a quarell and sore wounded whereof he died the ninth of April and left by his testament Iohn his brother inheritor of all his lands hauing no respect to his brother Geffreys son Arthur duke of Brytaine who being the sonne of the elder brother was his right heire Then this Iohn surnamed Without land was crowned king of England with great triumph wherfore the French king forth with made warre against him to whom Arthur duke of Brytaine cleaued thinking thereby to obtaine the crowne of England Also the king of Scots by meanes of Hugh Bygod came to Yorke and openlie sware fidelitie to the king of England The yeare after Gruffyth sonne to Conan ap Owen Gwyneth a noble man died and was buried in a moonks cowle at the Abbey of Conwy and so were all the nobles for the most part of that time buried for they were made to beleeue by the moonks and friers that that strange weed was a sure defense betwixt their soules and hell how so euer they died And all this baggage and superstition receiued they with moonks and friers a few yeres before that out of England For the first Abbey or frier house that we read of in Wales sith the destruction of the noble house of Bangor which sauored not of Romish dregges was the Tuy Gwyn built the yeare 1146. and after they swarmed like bees through all the countrie for then the Cleargie had forgotten the lesson that they had receiued of the noble Clerke Ambrosius Telesinus who writing in the yeare 540. when the right Christian faith which Ioseph of Aremathia taught at the Ile of Aualon reigned in this land before the proud and bloodthirstie moonke Augustine infected it with his Romish doctrine in a certaine Ode hath these verses Gwae'r offeiriad byd Nys angreifftia gwyd Ac ny phregetha Gwae ny cheidw ey gail Ac ef yn vigail Ac nys areilia Gwae ny theidw ey dheuaid Rhae bleidhie Rhufeniaid A'i ffon gnwppa Which may thus be Englished almost word for word Wo be to that priest yborne That will not cleanlie weed his corne And preach his charge among Wo be to that shepherd I saie That will not watch his fold alwaie As to his office doth belong Wo be to him that doth not keepe From Romish woolues his sheepe With staffe and weapon strong And because no man should doubt of them I haue set them here as they were written by him that made them Whereby it may be proued that the Brytaines the first inhabiters of this realme did abhorre the Romish doctrine taught in that time which doctrine I am sure is litle amended now in the church of Rome and that may be to vs a mirrour to see our owne follie if we doo degenerate from our forefathers the ancient Brytaines in the sinceritie of true religion as we doo in other things This yeare Maelgon ap Rees seeing he could not well keepe Aberteiui of verie spite to his brother and hatred to his countrie sold it to the Englishmen for a small summe of monie being the keie and locke of all Wales The same yeare Madoc the sonne of Gruffyth Maylor lord of Bromfild did build the abbie of Lhanegwest called in English commonlie Vale crucis This yeare also king Iohn made peace with the French king and Arthur duke of Brytaine his nephue and married Isabel daughter and heire vnto the Earle of Angolisme which was before assured vnto Hugh de Brune Uicount of Carce wherefore the said Hugh forsooke king Iohn and became his enimie This Hugh Brune Earle of March and Turyn had this Isabel to wife after the death of king Iohn by whome he had issue William de Valence who in the right of Ione his wife daughter and heire of Warren Montchensey and of Ione the eldest daughter and one of the heires of William Earle Marshall and Penbrooke was Earle of Penbrooke as in this historie hereafter doth appeare The yeare 1201. Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth prince of Northwales being a lustie yoong man banished out of the land his coosen Meredyth the sonne of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth suspected of treason and seased the Cantref of Lhyyn and Euyonyth to his owne hands which were Conans land Then shortlie after Meredyth the sonne of prince Rees was slaine at Carnwilhion by treason whose elder brother Gruffyth seased vpon his castell in Lhanymdhyfri and all his lands This Gruffyth was a wise and discreet gentleman and one that was like to bring all Southwales to good order and obedience who in all things folowed his fathers steppes whom as he succeeded in gouernment so he did in all martiall prowes and nobilitie of mind but cruell fortune which frowned vpon that countrie suffered him not long to enioy his land This prince died vpon S. Iames daie ensuing and was buried at Stratflur with great solemnitie he left behind him a son called Rees as right inheritor of Southwales whose mother was Mawd the daughter of William de Bruse Also this yeare died Arthur duke of Brytaine at Roane not without suspicion of poison ministred by his vncles meanes who caused his sister Elianor to be conueied to England and to be kept in prison miserablie in the castell of Brystow as long as she liued Then the French king got all Normandie sauing Roane and two castels by treason of the Normanes who hated Iohn to the death The next yeare after that certeine lords of Wales got the castell of Gwerthrynion which was Roger Mortimers and made it plaine with the ground Then Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth prince of Northwales calling to memorie his estate and title and how all the other princes by the ordinance of Roderike the Great and after by the lawes of Howel Dha ought of right to acknowledge the king or prince of Northwales as their liege lord and hold
by law he ought to be imprisoned or no. Item the said Gruffyth and his heires will stand to the iudgement of the kings court for and concerning that portion of the inheritance of the said Lhewelyn his father which of right ought to appertaine vnto him Item the said Senena vndertaketh for the said Gruffyth and his heires that the said Gruffyth and his heirs shall yéeld and paie yearelie to the king for the same lands the summe of thrée hundreth markes Whereof the first third part to be paid in monie the second in kine and the third in horses by the estimation of indifferent men and the same to be paid yearelie at Michaelmas and Easter by euen portions by the hands of the Shirife of the countie of Salop for the time being Item the said Senena vndertaketh further for the said Gruffyth and his heires that they and euerie of them shall obserue the peace against the said Dauid and suffer him quietlie to enioy such portion of his fathers inheritance as to him shall be found to be due Item the said Senena doth further vndertake for the said Gruffyth hir husband and his heires that in case anie Welshman hereafter shall happen to rebell against the king they at their owne costes and charges shall compell the said offender to make satisfaction to the king for his disobedience Item for the performance of the premisses the said Senena will deliuer vnto the lord the king Dauid and Roderike hir sonnes for pledges with prouiso that if the said Gruffyth and Owen or either of them shall happen to die before their deliuerie out of the said prison it shall be lawfull for the said Senena to haue one of hir sonnes released the other remaining with the king for pledge Item the said Senena hath sworne vpon the holie Euangelist that the said Gruffyth hir husband and his heires and euerie of them shall accomplish and performe all the premisses on their behalfe further vndertaketh that the said Gruffyth hir husband vpon his deliuerie out of prison shall take the same oth Item the said Senena in the name of the said Gruffyth hir husband submitteth hir selfe concerning the obseruation of the premisses vnto the iurisdiction of the reuerend fathers the bishops of Hereford and Lichfield so that the said bishops or either of them at the kings request shall compell the said Gruffyth and his heires to obserue all and singular the premisses on their behalfe by sentence of excommunication vpon their persons and interdiction vpon their lands Lastlie the said Senena both vndertake and promise bona fide to sée and procure the full performance of all the premisses and that the said Gruffyth hir husband and his heires shall allow and performe the same and thereof shall deliuer his instrument in writing to the king in forme aforesaid To this charter both parties put their seales Gruffyth and Senena to that part which remained with the king and the king to that part which remained with Senena Moreouer for the sure performance of these articles the said Senena for and in the name of hir husband put in for pledges the aforenamed noble men to wit Ralph Mortimer Walter Clifford Roger de monte alto c. Who bound themselues by their seuerall writings obligatorie to the king in maner and forme following Omnibus hoc scriptum visuris Rogerus de monte alto Senescallus Cestriae Salutem Sciatis quòd ego me constitui plegium c. TO all and singular to whome this writing shall come Roger de monte alto Steward of Chester sendeth greeting Know yee that I haue constituted my selfe pledge for Senena the wife of Gruffyth the sonne of Lhewelyn sometimes prince of Northwales and haue vndertaken for hir to our souereigne lord Henrie king of England that the said Senena shall accomplish and performe all and singular those couenants and articles agreed vpon betweene our said souereigne Lord and the said Senena for and concerning the deliuerance of the said Gruffyth hir husband and Owen his son out of the prison of Dauid his brother the portion of inheritance due vnto the said Gruffyth which the said Dauid keepeth from him by force In witnesse whereof to this present writing I haue put my seale Dated at Salop the mundaie before the feast of the Assumption of the blessed virgin Marie in the 25. yeare of the reigne of the said King The like charters were made by euerie one of the other noble men pledges who bound themselues with the like words Further such of the said lords which fauored Gruffyths cause as were out among themselues were now made fréends as Morgan ap Howel lord of Kery Sir Ralph Mortimer which before were at variance Wherevpon Dauid being driuen to extremities hauing most of the nobilities of Wales against him especiallie Gruffyth ap Madoc lord of Bromfield fauored him not who being a man of great wisedome and power was entirelie loued of the king Againe the sentence of excommunication the interdiction of his land did not a little vexe him But the kings presence with so puisant an armie did so moue his spirits that he could not be quiet till he had sent to the king to desire peace with this submissiō folowing The Charter of the Articles of Dauids submission to the King Omnibus Christi fidelibus ad quos praesentes literae peruenerint Dauid filius Leolini salutem Sciatis quòd concessi domino meo Henrico regi Angliae illustri c. TO all Christian people to whome these present letters shall come Dauid the sonne of Lhewelyn sendeth gréeting Know yée that I haue granted and promised to deliuer vnto the lord Henrie the noble king of England Gruffyth my brother with his sonne and heire whom I kéepe in prison and all other prisoners who by occasion of the said Gruffyth lie in durance Item I shall stand to the iudgement of the kings court aswell in that case whether the said Gruffyth ought to be detained prisoner or no as also for and concerning the part of the inheritance of the said Lhewelyn my father claimed by the said Gruffyth according to the custome of Wales so that the peace be maintained betwéene me and the said Gruffyth Item I and the said Gruffyth and either of vs shall hold our portions of land of our said soueraigne Lord the king in Capite acknowledging him chiefe lord thereof Item I shall restore vnto Roger de monte alto Steward of Chester his land of Montalt or Mould with the appurtenances Item I shall likewise restore to all other Barons all such lands lordships and castels as were taken from them sithence the beginning of the wars betwéene the lord Iohn king of England and the said Lhewelyn prince of Wales my father sauing the right of all couenants and grants by writing to be reserued vnto the iudgement and determination of the kings court Item I shall giue and restore vnto our souereigne lord the king all his charges
and after his death she was maried to Richard Earle of Cornwal and king of the Romanes 4 Sibylla the fourth daughter was maried to VVilliam Ferrers Earle of Ferrers and Derby 5 Eua the fift daughter was maried to VVilliam Bruse lord Bruse of Gower Likewise manie nobles died without issue male at this time as the Earle of Arundell the Earle of Chester the Earle of Essex the Earle of Huntington and diuerse others In the beginning of the yeare 1246. Dauid prince of VVales after he had gotten the loue of his subiects and atchieued manie notable victories passed out of this life and was buried at Conwey by his father after he had ruled Wales fiue yeares leauing no issue of his bodie to the great discomfort of the land Lhewelyn ap Gruffyth Lhewelyn and Owen the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn The Prince of Northwales was the superiour Prince of all Wales to whom the other princes of Southwales and Powys did paie a certeine tribute yearelie as appeareth by the lawes of Howel Dha and in diuers places of this historie and was the right heire of Cadwalader as is euident by all writers whose line of the heire male from Roderi Mawr endeth in this Dauid the sonne of Lhewelyn the sonne of Iorwerth the sonne of Owen Gwyneth the sonne of Gruffyth the sonne of Conan the sonne of Iago the sonne of Edwal the sonne of Meyric the sonne of Edwal Voel the sonne of Anarawd the sonne of Roderi Mawr the sonne of Esylht the daughter and sole heire of Conan Tindaythwy the sonne of Roderike Molwynoc the sonne of Edwal Ywrch the son of Cadwalader the last king of the Brytaines Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth Prince of Northwales father to Dauid married two wiues whereof the first was Ione the daughter of king Iohn by whom he had issue Dauid and Gladys His second wife was Eua the daughter of Foulke de Breant by whom he had no issue Dauid succeeded his father in the principalitie of Wales and died without issue after whose decease the right of the inheritance descended and fell to his sister of the whole blood Gladys the wife of Ralph lord Mortimer of Wigmor who had issue Roger Mortimer of whom mention is made in this place Peter Iohn a Frier preacher and Hugh lord of Chilmersh Roger Mortimer lord of Wigmor and by right of inheritance Prince of Wales married Mawd de Bruse daughter of William de Bruse lord of Brechnocke by whom he had issue Edmond Roger lord of Chirkeland VVilliam and Geffrey and two daughters Margaret maried to the son of the Earle of Oxenford and Isabel maried to Iohn Fitzalen Earle of Arundell This Roger died An. 1282. and was buried in the abbie of VVigmor Edmond Mortimer lord of VVigmor maried Margaret Fendles and had issue Roger Iohn slaine in a Turnie at VVorcester Edmond Hugh and VValter and two daughters Mawd married to Theobald lord Verdon of whom the Earle of Sherewsburie and the Earle of Essex are descended and Ione who died without issue He lieth buried in the said abbie at VVigmor Roger Mortimer lord of Wigmor married Ione the daughter and heire of Sir Peter Geniuill and had issue Edmond Mortimer lord of Wigmor Sir Roger Mortimer and Geffrey lord of Cowich called in stories Comes Iubinensis and seauen daughters Catharine married to Thomas Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke Ione married to Iames lord Audely Agnes countesse of Penbrooke Margaret married to Thomas lord Berkeley Mawd married to Iohn Charleton lord Powys Blanch married to Sir Peter Graunson knight and Beatrice married to Edward sonne heire of Thomas Brotherton Earle Marshall and after his death to Thomas de Bruse This Roger Mortimer escaped out of the Towre and fled into France and afterward returned againe with Quéene Isabel the wife of king Edward the second and Edward the prince hir sonne by whom after the putting downe of the said king he was created Earle of March and was afterward attainted Edmond Mortimer lord of Wigmor married Elianor late widow of William de Bohune Earle of Northampton one of the daughters and heires of Bartholomew Badelsmer lord of Leedes in Kent and by hir had issue Roger and Iohn who died without issue He died in the castell of Ludlowe and lieth buried in the said abbie of Wigmor Roger Mortimer lord of Wigmor was by king Edward the third An. Regni sui 29. restored to the Earledome of March and all his grandfathers inheritance honors and possessions the said attaindour being repealed and made void He had issue by Philippa his wife the daughter of VVilliam Mountague Earle of Sarum Edmond Earle of March and died at Roueraie in Burgundie the 26. of Februarie Anno. 1359. whose bones were afterward translated to the abbie of VVigmor Edmond Mortimer Earle of March and lord of Wigmor maried Philippa the daughter sole heire of Leonell duke of Clarence in whose right he was Earle of Vlster he had issue Roger and Edmond that was taken by Owen Glyndoure and two daughters Elizabeth married to Sir Henrie Percy knight sonne and heire to Henrie Percy Earle of Northumberland Philippa maried first to Iohn Hastings Erle of Penbrooke and after his death to Richard Earle of Arundel and last to Iohn lord S. Iohn He died in the citie of Corke in Ireland An. 1381. and lieth buried in the said abbie of Wigmor Roger Mortimer Earle of March and Vlster lord of Wigmor Trym Clare and Conaght maried Elianor the eldest daughter and one of the heires of Thomas Holand Earle of Kent by whom he had issue Roger and Edmond who both died without issue and two daughters Anne maried to Richard Plantagenet Earle of Cambridge and Elianor Countesse of Deuon who died without issue The said Richard and Anne had issue Richard duke of Yorke and Isabel maried to Henrie Bourchier Earle of Essex of whom the Earle of Essex now liuing is descended Richard Plantagenet duke of Yorke maried Cicilie the daughter of Ralph Neuill Earle of Westmerland and had issue Edward the fourth king of England Edmond Erle of Rutland George duke of Clarence Richard duke of Glocester afterward king of England by the name of Richard the third and thrée daughters Margaret maried to Charles duke of Burgundie Elizabeth maried to Iohn de lapoole duke of Suffolke and Anne maried to Henrie Holand duke of Excester and after to Sir Thomas Saintleger knight Edward the fourth king of England maried Elizabeth the daughter and one of the heires of Richard Wooduile Earle Riuers and had issue king Edward the fift who died without issue and Elizabeth maried to king Henrie the seuenth and mother to king Henrie the eight of famous memorie father to the QVEENES Maiestie that now is who by lineall descent is the right inheritrice of the Principalitie of Wales By these Petegrées it is euident that the title which Owen Glyndoure pretended to the principalitie of Wales was altogither friuolous for he was not descended of the house
of Northwales by his father but of a yoonger brother of the house of Powys whose portion by inheritance is laid downe by me in the description of the lordship of Powys before page 213. which was but a verie small thing There be diuerse gentlemen euen at this date in Wales which are come of the house of Northwales lineallie but I know none which are lawfullie descended of Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth called by Matthew Paris Leolinus Magnus but such are come out of the house of Mortimer in the which house by order of descent the right of the inheritance lieth About this time Harold king of Man came to the court and did homage to king Henrie and he dubbed him knight The summer folowing Rees Vachan son to Rees Mechyl got the castell of Carrec Cynnen which his mother of meere hatred conceiued against him had deliuered to the Englishmen The Abbots of Conwey and Stratflur made sute to the king for the bodie of Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn which he granted vnto them and they conueied it to Conwey where he was honorablie buried Then also VVilliam Ferrers Earle of Derbie and his wife died being either of them a hundreth yeares of age Not long after William de longa Spata Earle of Salisburie was slaine in the holie land leauing one daughter behind him maried to Henrie Lacy Earle of Lyncolne The same time likewise died Gladys daughter to prince Lhewelyn and wife to Sir Ralph Mortimer in the castell of VVyndsore The yeare next folowing was so drie that there fell no raine from the eleuenth daie of March to the Assumption of our ladie In the yeare 1254. there arose a great debate betweene the princes of VVales for Owen could not be content with halfe the principalitie but got his yoonger brother Dauid to him and they two leuied a great power to disinherite Lhewelyn who with his men met with them in the field and after a long fight gaue them an ouerthrowe where he tooke them both prisoners then seased all their lands into his owne hands enioieng alone the whole principalitie of Wales The yeare ensuing all the lords of Wales came to prince Lhewelyn and made their complaints to him with weeping eies how cruellie they were handled by prince Edward and others of the nobles of England their lands being taken from them by force and if at anie time they did offend they were punished with extremitie but where they were wronged they found no remedie Therfore they protested before God and him that they would rather die in the field in defense of their right than to be made slaues to strangers whervpon the Prince pitieng his estate and theirs determined togither with them vtterlie to refuse the rule of the Englishmen and rather to die in libertie than to liue in thraldome shame and opprobrie And gathering all his power first recouered againe all the Inland countrie of Northwales and afterward all Merionyth and such lands as Edward had vsurped in Caerdigan which he gaue to Meredyth the sonne of Owen ap Gruffyth and Buelht he gaue to Meredyth ap Rees chasing awaie Rees Vachan out of the same and so honorablie diuided all that he wan amongst his Barons that he kept nothing to himselfe but the perpetuall fame of his liberalitie Then also he recouered Gwerthryneon from Sir Roger Mortimer The summer folowing prince Lhewelyn made warre against Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn who serued the king and wan all Powys from him saue the castell of Pole and a little of Caereneon and the land by Seauerne side Rees Vachan ap Rees Mechylh meaning to recouer his lands againe obtained of the king a great armie where of one Stephen Bacon was captaine and came to Caermardhyn by sea and marching from thence towards Dyneuowr laid siege to the castell but the princes power came with his coosins to raise the siege where there was fought a bloudie battell as euer was fought in VVales of so manie men and in the end the Englishmen were put to flight and lost of their men aboue 2000. soldiours from thence the princes armie went to Dyuet and burned all the countrie and destroied the castels of Abercorran Lhanstephan Maenclochoc Arberth and then returned home with much spoile And forthwith not being able to abide the wrongs that Geffrey Langley Lieutenant to the Earle of Chester did to them the Prince entred the Earles lands and destroied all to the gates of Chester on either side the water Wherevpon Edward the Earle fled to his vncle who was then chosen king of Romanes for succour and returning backe with an armie durst not fight with the Prince who had 10000. armed men euerie one sworne to die in the field if need required in the defense of their countrie yet Gruffyth ap Madoc Maelor commonlie surnamed lord of Dinas Brân which is a castell standing vpon a verie high mountaine of situation impregnable in the lordship of Chirke forsooke the Prince and serued the Earle with all his power which Earle was counted a cruell and vniust man hauing no regard to right promise or oth The next yeare prince Lhewelyn seasing to his hands Cemeys and making peace betwixt Rees Gryc and Rees Vachan his brothers sonne got the castel of Trefdraeth or Newport with all Ros sauing Hauerford Then destroieng the countrie in his waie towards Glamorgan he rased the castell of Lhangymwch and returning to Northwales met with Edward Earle of Chester by the waie whom he caused to retire backe and then destroied the lands of the said Gruffyth lord of Bromfield Therefore the kings of England Almaine wrote to him gentlie to depart home which he refused to doo but diuiding his armie into two battels in euerie of the which as Matthew Paris saith there were 1500. footemen and 500 horsmen well appointed Wherevpon Edward sent to the Irishmen to come to his succours whereof the Prince being certified made readie his ships and sending them to the sea with sufficient power to resist the comming of his enimies that waie preuented him so that the Irishmen were ouercome and sent home with great losse Wherefore the king with his sonne being in a great rage gathered all the strength of England from S. Michaëls Mount to Twede came to Northwales as far as Teganwy but the Prince caused all the victuals to be remooued ouer the riuer of Conwey and kept all the straictes and passages so narrowlie that the king was compelled to retire to England with great losse Then prince Lhewelyn calling to him all the power of Southwales came to the marches where Gruffyth Lord of Bromfield yeelded himselfe to him bicause the king could not defend his lands seasing to his owne hands all the lands in Powys he banished the lord Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn and wanne the castels of Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester where also he gaue the Englishmen an ouerthrowe and slew a great number of the worthiest
30000. markes and the king granted the prince a Charter to receiue from thenceforth homage and fealtie of all the nobilitie and Barons of Wales sauing one so that all the foresaid Barons should euer after hold of the prince as their liege lord and he to be called and written from thenceforth prince of Wales And in witnesse of this the king put his seale and hand to the said Charter which was likewise confirmed by the authoritie of the Pope The yeare after this died Grono ap Ednyuet Vachan a noble man and chiefe of the princes councell In the yeare 1270. died Gruffyth lord of Bromfield and was buried at Vale Crucis Here endeth the Brytish copie That which foloweth vnto the death of this Prince was collected by Humfrey Lhoyd Gentleman AT this place leaueth the Brytish booke and writeth no further of the end of this prince but leaueth him at the highest and most honorable staie that anie prince of Wales was in of manie yeares before the writer peraduenture being abashed or rather ashamed to declare the vtter fall and ruine of his countrie men wherevnto their owne pride and discord did bring them as it doth euidentlie appeare to him that searcheth out their histories But I intending to finish the historie during the gouernment of the Brytaines haue sought out in other Chronicles written in the Latine toong speciallie in the Chronicle of Nicholas Triuet who wrote from the beginning of the reigne of king Stephen to the coronation of Edward the second and such other asmuch as I could find touching this matter The yeare 1270. Iohn Earle Waren slew Alan Le Souch lord chiefe Iustice in Westminster hall The yeare folowing Edward with his brother Edmund went to the holie land where at Acon he was in danger to be slaine by a villaine vnder the colour of deliuering of a letter who gaue him fiue wounds with a knife And the yeare 1272. died Henrie king of England and Edward his sonne comming from the holie land two yeares after was crowned at Westminster king of England to which coronation the prince of Wales refused to come although he was sent for laieng for his excuse that he had offended manie noble men of England and therefore would not come in their daunger without he had for pledges the kings brother with the Earle of Glocester and Robert Burnell cheefe Iustice of England wherewith the king was sore offended but he dissembled his displeasure for that time King Edward could neuer brooke prince Lhewelyn sithence the time that he was driuen to slight by him at their méeting in the marches whereof mention is made before page 321. On the other side Lhewelyn liked no better of the king than the king did of him Againe those noble men which for their disobedience were disinherited by Lhewelyn were receiued and intertained of king Edward which things caused the Prince to feare some euill practice by those and other such as hated him if he should haue béen at the kings coronation to doo his homage and fealtie according to the writ directed vnto him in that behalfe as appeareth by an instrument sent by the said Prince to Robert Kilwarby Archbishop of Canturburie the Archibishop of Yorke and other bishops sitting then at their conuocation in the new Temple at London Anno. 1275. Wherein the causes of this warre are contained which instrument it selfe as it was then sent is extant at this daie written in parchment with the Princes great seale therevnto appendant which I haue séene and copied out of the originall verbatim being then in the custodie of Thomas Yale doctor of lawe of late Deane of the arches a great searcher and preseruer of the antiquities of Wales which I thought conuenient here to laie downe for the fuller vnderstanding of this historie Reuerendissimis in Christo patribus ac D.D. Roberto Dei gratia Archiepiscopo Cantuar. totius Angliae Primati Archiepiscopo Eborum ac eorum Suffraganeis c. TO the most reuerend fathers in Christ and Lords Robert by the grace of God Archbishop of Canturburie primate of England and the Archbishop of Yorke and their Suffraganes being now togither at London in councell their deuout sonne Lhewelyn Prince of Wales and lord of Snoudon greeting with due obedience reuerence and honor in all things Be it knowen to your reuerend Fatherhoods that where heretofore contention and discord wherof warre followed and long continued arose betwixt the king of noble memorie Henrie king of England of the one partie and vs of the other partie the same contentions and strife were at the last appeased by authoritie of the sea Apostolike and means of the reuerend father lord Otobonus Deacon and Cardinall of S. Adrian Legate into England as it appeareth in the forme of treatie and peace betwixt the said king and Edward his first begotten son lord Edward now king of England and their successors on the one partie and vs and our successors on the other partie by the corporall othes of both parties assured Which forme of peace was committed to writing by the said Legate with the seale of the said king and the seale of the said lord Edward now king and with our seale also In the which peace it is conteined amongst other things which you doo well know as we beleeue that we and our successors should hold of the king and his successors the principalitie of Wales So that all Welsh Barons should hold their Baronies and lands of vs and our successors in Capite and should doo homage and fealtie to vs and to our heires one Baron excepted for the which we and our successors should doo homage and fealtie to the lord the king and his successors It is further conteined in the same peace that neither the said king nor his successors should receiue anie of our enimies nor anie running awaie from vs or our successors nor should helpe or maintaine anie such against vs or our successors The which all are conteined in the forme of peace the tenor whereof the reuerend Fathers of Strata Florida and Aberconwey bearers hereof can shew you But see reuerend Fathers the lord Edward now noble king of England after the said peace taketh into his hands certeine Barons lands of Wales of which they and their ancestors haue beene long possessed and keepeth a Baronie in his hands which should be ours by the forme of peace other Barons of our land being from vs fugitiues running to him he keepeth helpeth and mainteineth as Dauid ap Gruffyth and Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn who purposed our death and destruction Notwithstanding that since their departure they haue robbed within our land committed slaughter and burning of houses and doo still dailie commit the like against the peace aforesaid although we haue often sent our greefes complaints by our solemne messengers to the said noble lord Edward as well before he was king as since yet vnto this daie he neuer did anie redresse therein
charges in this warre The yeare folowing the mariage was celebrated at VVorcester betwixt Elianor daughter to Symon Montfort and prince Lhewelyn where the King the Queene and the most part of the nobilitie of England were present Also the yeare after Roger Mortimer set vp at Killingworth a round table for a hundreth knights to be exercised in the feats of armes and thither resorted manie knights from diuerse countries At this time the king of Scots did his homage to king Edward and obtained the kings letters that his succors in the last warres of VVales were not done by the name of seruice but of good will And at this time a generall inquisition was made how and by what title euerie man held his lands and liberties and the first that was called was the Earle VVaren who drawing out an old sword said By this warrant mine ancestours wanne their lands and by this I doo and will hold mine And all the Barons applied to this answere and the Quo warranto was no more talked of The peace concluded betwéene the prince of Wales and the king of England did not long continue by reason of the seuere and stricte dealing of such officers as the king appointed rulers in the Marches and the Inland countrie of Wales who hunting after their owne gaines oppressed the inhabitants burthening them with new exactions contrarie to the customes of the countrie and also shewing themselues too much affectionate in matters of controuersie betwéene partie and partie especiallie when anie Englishman had to doo in the matter which poling and parcialitie did altogither alienate the harts of the people from the king of England so that they had rather die than liue in such thraldome Wherevpon assembling themselues togither they so moued Dauid lord of Denbigh to be at vnitie with prince Lhewelyn and to take pitie vpon their affliction and miserie that he being agréed with his brother became their captaine Not long after Dauid lord of Denbigh being reconciled to his brother the Prince vpon condition he should neuer after serue the king of England as he had done before but become his vtter enimie laid siege to the castell of Hawarden and tooke Roger Clifford a noble knight slaieng all that resisted and after spoiling all the countrie he with his brother the Prince laid siege to the castell of Ruthlan the king hearing of this hasted thither with a great armie to raise the siege then the Prince retired backe with his armie Also the same time Rees the sonne of Maelgon and Gruffyth ap Meredyth ap Owen with other noble men of Southwales tooke the castell of Aberystwyth and diuerse other castels in that countrie spoiling all the kings people that inhabited there abouts Therefore the king sent the Archbishop of Canturburie to talke with the Prince and his brethren which returned without doing anie good and by the kings commandement denounced them and all their complices accursed This Archibishop here mentioned was Iohn Peckham who was sent from king Edward to prince Lhewelyn as this author thinketh but he himselfe affirmeth that he tooke that enterprise in hand of his owne motion contrarie or beside the kings mind to the which assertion of his Nicholas Triuet and Thomas Walsingham séeme to agrée His whole dooings in this matter are to be found in the records of Canturburie the copie of the which records being collected and for the most part translated out of Latine into English by Doctor Thomas Yale chanceller to that worthie prelate of reuerend memorie Matthew Parker Archbishop of Canturburie whose carefull search painfull trauell and chargeable setting out of the antiquities of this land euerie man that loueth his countrie cannot choose but commend and thankefullie accept and take in good part I thought necessarie here to set downe for the laieng open of the truth to the view of all men which heretofore was either maliciouslie concealed or negligentlie omitted by all the writers of this historie Articles sent from the Archbishop of Canturburie to be intimated to Lhewelyn Prince of VVales and the people of the same countrie BIcause we came to those parts for the spirituall and temporall health of them whom we haue euer loued well as diuers of them haue knowne 2. That we come contrarie to the will of our Lord the king whom our said comming as it is said dooth much offend 3 That we desire and beséech them for the bloud of our lord Iesus Christ that they would come to an vnitie with the English people and to the peace of our lord the king which we intend to procure them so well as we can 4 We will them to vnderstand that we cannot long tarrie in these quarters 5 We would they considered that after our parting out of the countrie they shall not perhaps find anie that will so tender the preferring of their cause as we would doo if it pleased God with our mortall life we might procure them an honest stable and firme peace 6 That if they doo contemne our petition labour we intend foorthwith to signifie their stubbernes to the high bishop and the court of Rome for the enormitie that manie waies hapneth by occasion of this discord this daie 7 Let them know that vnlesse they doo quickelie agrée to a peace that warre shall be aggrauated against them which they shall not be able to sustaine for the kings power increaseth dailie 8 Let them vnderstand that the realme of England is vnder the speciall protection of the sea of Rome that the sea of Rome loueth it better than anie other kingdome 9 That the said sea of Rome will not in anie wise sée the state of the realme of England quaile being vnder speciall protection 10 That we much lament to heare that the Welshmen be more cruell then Saracens for Saracens when they take christians they kéepe them to be redéemed for monie But they saie that the Welshmen by and by doo kill all that they take and are onelie delighted with blood and sometime cause to be killed them whose ransome they haue receiued 11 That whereas they were euer woont to be estéemed and to reuerence God Ecclesiasticall persons they séeme much to reuolt from that deuotion moouing sedition and warre and committing slaughter and burning in the holie time Which is great iniurie to God wherein no man can excuse them 12 We desire that as true christians they would repent for they cannot long continue their begun discord if they had sworne it 13 We will that they signifie vnto vs how they will or can amend the trouble of the kings peace and the hurt of the common wealth 14 That they signifie vnto vs how peace and concord may be established for in vaine were it to forme peace to be dailie violated 15 If they saie that their lawes or couenants be not obserued that they doo signifie vnto vs which those be 16 That granting it that they were iniured as they saie
sent for Ithel and Madoc the sonnes of Riryd ap Blethyn to whom he promised rich gifts and great rewards besides the rule of the whole countrie if they could take or kill Owen to reuenge the dishonor that he had doone to the king and to them he added Lhywarch the sonne of Trahaern ap Caradoc whose two brethren Owen had slaine and Vchtryd the sonne of Edwyn which foure promised the bishop to bring him Owen and his father either aliue or dead and therevpon foorthwith gathered their power to destroie the whole countrie but Vchtryd sent priuie word before that all such of the people as would haue their liues saued should come to him And when the countrie heard this some fled to Arustly some to Melienyth some to Stradtywy and some to Dyuet where Gerald was destroieng the countrie And at that time Walter bishop of Hereford did gather an armie to defend Carmarthyn and met with such as fled to Arustly and Melienyth and destroied a great number of them Those that went to Stradtywy were gentlie receiued by Meredyth ap Rytherch and Vchtryd saued all such as came to him and so these foure came with their powers to the castell of Rydcors and thought best to haue entred the countrie by night and to take Cadogan and Owen his sonne vnawares But Vchtryd dissuaded them from that and thought it dangerous to enter the countrie by night for feare of ambushment but counselled them to enter in by day with their men in good order In the meane while Cadogan and Owen gat a ship at Aberystwyth which was latelie come from Ireland and escaped awaie and the daie after when they entred into the land they found none of them that they sought Therefore putting all the fault vpon Vchtryd they burned and spoiled all the countrie sauing the Sanctuaries of Padarn and Lhandhewi Breui yet they tooke diuerse men out of those places and caried them prisoners to their countries and then returned to their owne castels againe Then Owen with such as had beene with him at the burning of the castell fled to Ireland to king Murcart who receiued him ioiouslie for he had beene there before in the time of the warre of the two Earles in Anglesey or Môn and had brought the king rich gifts from Wales But Cadogan kept himselfe priuilie in Powys sent to the king to declare his innocencie Tehn the king was content he should remaine in the countrie and enioy the towne and lands that he had by his wife for she was daughter to a Lord of Normandie called Pygot de Say Then Madoc and Ithel his two nephewes diuided such lands as he and his sonne Owen had in Powys betwixt them and ruled it verie euill for they could neuer agree among themselues within a while Cadogan made such freends to the king that paieng a 100. pound fine he should enioy againe his landes in Caerdigan and that the inhabitants should returne againe to their houses and till the ground for the king had giuen commandement that no Welshman nor Normane should dwell within Caerdigan When they that were in Ireland vnderstood this they returned home priuilie and hid themselues in their coosens houses and shortlie after Owen returned againe to Wales but not to Caerdigan for his father had receiued that land vpon such condition that he should not suffer Owen to come therein nor succour him either with counsell monie or men Nowbeit Owen came to Powys and would faine haue sent messengers to the king but he could get no man that durst venture to speake for him Also at that time there happened some variance betwixt Madoc ap Riryd and the bishop of London lieutenant of the Marches about certeine felons of England that had fled to him for succor whom the bishop sent for but could not get wherfore he was sore offended with him Then Riryd vnderstanding of that sent to Owen desired his freendship whose greatest enimie he was before and by this meanes they were made freends and swore either to other that none of them should betraie the other nor agree by himselfe with the king or with his officers without the other and therevpon they burned and spoiled the lands of such as they loued not destroied all things that they met withall At this time also the Emperour Henrie did send his ambassadors to entreate of a mariage with Mawd the daughter of king Henrie and had hir to his wife And shortlie after the king banished and disinherited Peter de Bruse William Mallet and William Baynard and put to death the Earle of Mayne That yeare appeared a terrible Comete Then also the king remembred Iorwerth ap Blethyn whom he had kept long in prison and sent to know of him what time he would paie to haue his libertie and he promised the king 300. pound or the worth thereof in cattell or horses then the king set him at libertie and gaue him his land againe and gaue ten pound of that monie to Henrie sonne to Cadogan by the daughter of Pygot All this while Owen and Madoc were burning and spoiling the Englishmen and Normanes and euer withdrew themselues to the land of Iorwerth which thing greeued him greatly wherevpon he sent word of his danger desiring them to spare his land Cadogans for if it were knowne that they came in anie of theirs the land was forfeited to the king When Owen and Riryd heard this they vsed his countrie more often than they were woont then Iorwerth seeing that chased them out of his countrie Then they went to the countrie of Vchtryd in Merionyth shire and the sons of Vchtryd sent word to their people to keepe them out of their countrie and so they did for meeting them by the waie they set vpon them and Owen and Madoc defended themselues manfullie but at the last they and their men were driuen backe and so they fled Owen to Caerdigan to his fathers countrie and Madoc to Powys Then Owen with his companions made diuerse roades to Dyuet and spoiled the countrie carieng awaie the men and the cattell to the ships that they came in from Ireland and after ransomed them and gathered a great number to him set vpon a towne of Flemings and burned it and returned to Caerdigan nothing esteeming his fathers danger nor the kings displeasure At this time it chansed that Owens men among other mischeefes laid wait for a bishop that was towards the king whose name was William de Brabant and slew him and all his men Then Iorwerth Cadogan were at the court to speake with the king concerning certaine businesse of their owne and as the king talked with them behold there came in a Fleming brother to the dead bishop who made an exclamation declaring how Owen ap Cadogans men had slaine his brother and a great number moe and how they were succoured in Cadogans land Then the king being therewith sore displeased asked Cadogan what he could saie to the