Powys in the heires of Cadelh plead for him that he came justly and lawfully to it for the Lordship of Mowthwy being a part of Powys is enjoyed to this day by descent from Cadelh And a great part thereof was held untill of late time by Grey Lo Powys by like descent and the rest of the possessions continued long in his posterity and line untill by partition they were branched into diverse families whereof a great pâ—rt is now in the Crown by severall meanes howbeit the soveraignty remained still in the heires of Cadelh as Prince of Southwales which appeareth by their chastising the defections and taking pledges for the obedience of the Lords of Powys and such testimonies of Soveraignty related by the writers of Northwales It is alledged also by some of them that the possession of Powys was witheld by the heires of Brochwel Ysgythroc who was Prince thereof about An Dom. 617. If that were true theâ— Cadâ—lh did not take Powys by force from his brethren But for the truth hereof Roderic was lineall heir to Brochwel Ysgyâ—hroc viz. son of Mâ—rvyn Vrych son of Nest sister and heir of Cyngen son to Cadelh son to Brochwel Ysgythroc And thereby Roderic had both the Right and Possession of Powys And therefore untill another Heir be found or other descâ—nts appear from Brochwel Ysgythroc to Bledhyn ap Convyn then by the line of Roderic the great and all the persons be mentioned that held Powys in all that time other then the line of Roderic the beliefe of this allegation may be well suspended And thus the way is cleared to conclude upon this first point that Cadelh was the Eldest and soveraigne Prince of Wales by the descending of Powys unto him Anarawd maintained to be the Eldest son of Roderic the great and to have the right of Soveraignty over all Wales and so likewise his successors the Princes of Northwales The Answer to the first Argument THE later Prince of Powys held that by inheritance from the third son of Rodâ—ric the great as Mr. Camden in these words declareth Powissiae principes à tertio filio Roderici magni prognati hunc agrum viz Mountgomerieshire cum aliis perpetuâ serie ad Ed 2. temporatâ—nuerunt Therefore Cadelh prince of Southwales out of whose loines the later princes of Powys were descended must of necessity be the third son oâ— Roderic the great which degree of Birth the white book of Hergest Thoâ— Maylor Jo Leland Hum Llwyd Myles and many more both modern and ancient Authors do attribute to Cadell by name And if to avoid that you will say that Camden by tertio filio did not mean Cadelh theâ— must Mervyn be the man and consequently he must have issue else the later princes of Powys could not derive themselves from Roderic and iâ— he had issue then Cadell could not have Powys by inheritance as being the Eldest of the 3 Brethren what was got otherwise is not the thing in question And truly to deny Mervyn's issue were injury in the highest degree offered to diverse Gentlemen of Wales descending from him and in particular to the reverend and learned Judge Sr. William Jones of Carnarvan shire Kt. and lately one of the Justices of the Kings bench who derives his pedegree lineally from Triffin the son of Mervyn and if you doubt whether Mervyn had such a son a very ancient parchment MS. written above 400 yeares agoe will resolve you O Driffin mab Mervyn mab Rodri mawr ydd benyw gwehelyeith Riw o Leyn that is the inheritors of Rhiw in Llyn are descended of Triffin the son of Mervyn the son of Roderic the great Likewise in a Genealogy of the princes of Northwales Southwales and Powys descending from Roderic the great annexed to a Latine copy of the Lawes of Howel Dha we find that Idwal voel son to Anarawd King of Northwales did marry Avandreg the daughter of Mervyn King of Powis upon whom he begat Meuric the Ancestor of Lhewelin the great prince of Northwales But the ancient and learned Giraldus Cambrensis in the relation of the Genealogy of the said Llewelyn the great hath not only himself fallen into an error but hath drawn many learned and grave Antiquaries that followed his tract into the same snare for speaking of this Avandreg he saith she was the Son and not the Daughter of Mervyn the which Mervyn against all Antiquity and truth he calleth prince of Northwales and so ascendeth to Roderic the great by the feminine line making no mention at all of Idwal voel the son of Anarawd prince of Northwales indeed whom ancient writers term and stile by the name of Ludwallus rex omnium Wallâ—nsium who also as is said before upon this Avandreg the daughter and not the son of Mervyn king of Powis begat the forenamed Meurig the Ancestor of Leoline the great But for your better satisfaction of the ground whence Giraldus did conceive this error behold these Rundlets following Rodric the great Anarawd K. of North. wales Idwal Voel K. of N.W. Mervin K. of Powis Avandrec daughter Meiric Farther more Caradoc Lancarvanensis a Southwales man who lived about 500 yeares agoe saith that a son of Mervyn named Haeardur was drowned An 953. My last witnesse for Mervyn's issue will be George Owen Harry another Southwales man who saith that Angharad daughter and heir of Llewelin the son of Mervyn king of Powis was married to Owen ap Howel dha not to Mredyth the said Owen's son as you say his testimony seeing he was an Antiquary of Southwales and a strong maintainer of Cadelh's Supremacy ought to move you to believe this point especially seeing that this marriage is the only title that the said Author ascribeth to the posterity of Cadelh over Powis which whether it were lawfull as he is of opinion or unlawfull as may be inferred out of the words of the English History of the princes of Cambria I leave others to judge it shall suffice me to prove that the Prince of Northwales not of Southwales had the Soveraignty of Powis as doth appear when Owen surnamed the great prince of Northwales having in his company Cadwalader ap Gr ap Conan his brother and the Lord Rees prince of Southwales entred Powis and chasing Owen Cyveiliog Prince thereof out of the Country seized upon all his inheritance and gave Caerenion to Owen Vachan to hold of the prince of Northwales the rest he reserved to himselfe saving Dywalwern a little piece of Cyueiliog which he gave the Lord Rees because according to the book of Conwey the report went that it stood within the confines of the said Rees his dominions Hereby it is manifest that the soveraignty of Powis did not belong to the prince of Southwales for if it had questionlesse the Lord Rees then present would have chalenged the same as his right by inheritance and that it did of right appertain to the prince of Northwales may farther appear by an ancient Inquisition taken at Bala before Humphrey Duke
Angharad Prince Llewelyn ap Sitsyllt's widow who was slaine A. D. 1021. to marry Convyn Blethyn's father 1022. Now Gwaethvoed of Cardigan could not be ancienter then Blethyn if so ancient will appear if we examine the 2d book and 4th ch of Giraldus Cambrâ—nsis his Itinerarium Cambriae there we may find that in the year 1188 when Baldwin Arch-Bishop of Canterbury visited Wales with Giraldus in his company to perswade the Welsh to list themselves for the holy war against the Saracens that there was a son of this Gwaethvoed's an aged man then living called Ednowen a Lay Abbot of Lanbadern vawr in Cardiganshire being a 115 years just after the death of Blethyn ap Cynvyn therefore we must needs conclude this Gwaethvoed could not live long before Blethyn and if he did live before him any time he could not so long before him as to be his Grandfather Besides that Gwaethvoed the Earl of Carbery's Ancestor was a distinct person from Gwaethvoed of Cardigan and far ancienter may from hence further be gathered viz. that the generations from him to our time are more in number then the generations from Gwaethvoed of Cardigan as appears by this instance to wit my Lord Vaughan the Earlâ—s son is the 21th generation from Gwaethvoed his Ancestour whereas Sr. Richard Price of Gogerddan Baronet descended from Gwaethvoâ—d of Cardigan my Lord 's equall in age is but the 17th in descent from that Gwaâ—thvoed Also we read in our books of one Morvydh daughter to Yayr ddu King of Gwent now Monmouthshire who lived in King Athâ—lstan's time A. D. 921. as Rog Hovenden hath it recorded that married one Gwaethvoed which could not be that of Cardigan who as is said having a son living 1188. cannot rationally be supposed to be born before the year 1000 or thereabouts but may very well be that Gwaethvoed of Powis the Ancestour of Blethyn this Gwaethvoed might very well be Blethyn's great grandfather there being a 100 years difference of time and above between them The Pedegree of the right honourable Sr. RICHARD VAUGHAN Earl of Carbery Lord Viscount Molingar Baron of Emlyn and Lord President of the Marches of WALES Gwaithvoed vawr Lord of Powis Morvydd da coheir of Yayr ddu king of Gwent Gwerystan Lord of Powis Nest danghter of Cadell ap Brochw l. Convyn Lord of Powis Aagharad Queen of Wales da heir of Mredith ap Owen king of Wales the relict of Llywelyn ap Bledhyn ap Cyâ—vyn King of Wales Haer da coheir of Cilliâ—â— Blaidd rudd of Seissylt Gest Meredith ap Bleddyn Prince of Powis Hunyth da of Eynydd Madoc ap Meredith Prince of Powis Eva da of Madoc ap Urien ap Egmir ap Lles ap Idaerth Benvras of Maesbroke ER. Gh. Enion Evell Arddyn da. of Madoc Van ap Madoc ap Enion hael ap Urien of Main Gwinedd R. C. Run ap Enion Elizabeth da to Jo. Lord Strange of Cnoâ—kin Gh. ER. Cyhelyâ— ap Rhâ—â— Eva da. and heir of Grono ap Cadwgan Saethydd Lord of Henvache Gh. ER. Ivaf ap Cyhelyn Eva da to Adda ap Awr of Trevor Gh. ER. Madoc Coch. Lleuki da of Howel goch ap Mared Van c. to Bleddyn ap Cynvyn Gh. ER. Madoc Kyffin the da of Griffith ap Rees ap Madoc ap Ririd Ulaidd Gh. David ap Mad. Kyffin Catharin da of Morgan ap Davydd ap Madoc ap David Van ap David up Griff. ap Jorwerth ap Howel ap Moriddig ap Sandde Gh. RC. David Va. of Gartheryr Gwervyl da to Griffith ap Rees ap Griffith ap Madoc ap Jorwerth ap Madoc ap Ririd ulaidd Gh. Griffith Vaugh. Tibod da to Meredith ap Tudur ap Gronw ap Howel y gadair Gh. Hugh Vaughan Esq Jane da of Moris ap Owen ap Griff. ap Nicôlas Gh. John Vaugh. Esq Catherin da. of Harry ap Trahayarn of Bodlysgwm Gh Walter Vaugh. of Golden Grove Mary da. of Griffith Rees of Tresnewyth in Carmartbin shire John Earl of Carbury c. Margaret da. of Sr. Gely Meuric Kt. Richard Earl of Carbury c. Alice da. of John Earl of Bridgewater He beareth Or. a lyoa rampant G. the coat of Blethyn ap Kynvyn not the Coat of Prince Madoc ap Meredith being A. a lyon rampant S. armed and langued G. The 5. Royall Tribes of Cambria 1. GRiffith ap Conan King of Northwales is the first registred in our books he was the Grandchild of Prince Jago ap Edwal whose son Conan was forced to fly into Ireland for safety where he married Ranullt daughter of Auloedd King of Dublin Man and the Isles and the reliâ—â— of Mathganyn King of Vlster and had issue by her this Griffith He beareth G. 3 lioncels passant in pale barry A. armed Az. 2. Rees ap Tewdwr mawr the second Royall Tribe who took upon him the government of Southwales A. D. 1077. G. a Lyon rampant Or. within a bordure indented 3. Blethyn ap Cynvyn the third royall Tribe was King of Northwales and Prince of Powis and after the death of his grandfather Meredith ap Owen Prince of Southwales he became King of all Wales Or a Lyon rampant G. armed and langued Or. 4. The fourth Royall tribe Elystan Glodrydd Prince of the country between Wy and Severne He was the son of Cyhelyn ap Jvâ—r by Rhiâ—ingar the daughter and heir of Grâ—nw ap Tuder Trevor from whom he had derived to him the title of the Earldome of Hereford Athelstan King of England was his Godfather Elystan's two Coates quartered A. 3 boars heads cobazed S. langued G. tusked Or. His Mothers Coaâ— Parted per Bend sinister Ermine and ermines over all a lyon rampant Or. 5. Jestyn ap Gurgant the fifth Royall Tribe was Prince or Lord of Glamorgan he descended from Iewdric King of Gwent in King Arthur's time He lost his Country to Robert Fitz hamon the Norman and his 12 knights whom by the procurement of Eneon ap Cadivor ap Colwyâ— he had hired to come with an army to assist him against Rees ap Tewdwr Prince of Southwales Blethyn ap Maenyrch Lord of Breeknock a just judgment upon him for his disloyalty to the said Rees his Lord Prince God being pleased suddenly to permit treachery to be punishedwith treachery Rees and Blethyn after a very bloudy fight not far from Brecknock were both slaine in the field G. 3 cheâ—onels in pale A. Prince Griffith ap Conan Rees ap Tewawr and Blethyn ap Cynvyn made diligent search after the Armes Ensignes and Pedegrees of their Ancestours the Nobility and Kings of the Britains what they discovered by their pains in any papers and records was afterwards by the Bards digested and put into books And they ordained 5. royall Tribes there being only 3 before to whom their pollerity to this day can derive themselves and also 15 speciall Tribes of whom the Gentry especially of Northwales are for the most part descended And in our books we have mention of the Tribe of the Marcâ—â— c. besides other Tribes called Gweâ—â—lyth and Gwehelaethan THE END
BRITISH Antiquities revived OR A friendly Contest touching the soveraignty of the three Princes of VVales in ancient times managed with certain arguments whereunto answers are applyed By ROBERT VAUGHAN Esq To which is added the Pedegree of the right Honourable the Earl of CARBERY Lord President of WALES with A Short account of the five Royall Tribes of CAMBRIA by the same Author Sunt duo tresve qui revelvant Nostrarum tineas ineptiarum Martial l. 11. OXFORD Printed by HEN HALL Printer to the University for THOMAS ROBINSON 1662. To the right worshipfull Sr. RICHARD WYNNE of GWEDIR Baronet and Knight for the County of CARNARVAN in this present Parlament SIR I Had designed this small Treatise being the first fruits of my study in Antiquities for your honoured Father but failing of my purpose by reason of his death which was untimely to his friends though not to himself I thought I might not without being highly injurious present a thing once devoted to him to any else besides your self who as his heir might lay a just claime to it and also to my most humble services I promise my self you will vouchsafe it a kind entertainment since I know both your goodnesse and your interest in the subject as lineally descended from the Princes of Northwales whose rights are therein maintained are more then sufficient to oblige you thereto The writing of it was upon this occasion some Gentlemen of Southwales being dissatisfied with Caradoc of Lancarvan's History of Wales published by Dr. Powel in regard that therein the Prince of Northwales is held forth to be Soveraigne over the other two Princes of Southwales and Powis as being of the elder house thought fit in order to the compiling of a more exact history to draw up certain arguments for the soveraignty of all Wales to be in the Prince of Southwales and to send them also into Northwales to see what could be said in answer to them before any further use should be made of them They were delivered by Sr. Thomas Canon late of Pembrokeshire Kt. to Sr. John Lloyd of the Inner Temple Kt. and Sergeant at Law who delivered them to me above 40 years ago desiring I would take the pains to peruse and answer them as well as I was able At his intreaty I undertook it and as you will find done somewhat in it though in a rude manner which I hope will be excused in a person whose only designe is plainly to set forth the truth which shews alwaies best in its own proper colours without the elaborate dresse and varnish of Rhetorick But some men possibly may object against this undertaking of mine that it was needlesse and that if it had been to any end it was no discretion to revive and publish an old Contest long since God be praised happily decided I confesse we have reason to blesse God for his mercy to us in our happy establishment under one Monarch we may well say we were conquered to our gain and undone to our advantage periissemus nisi periissemus But yet it must be granted that it is no small delight that redounds from the revolving and perusall of old records though Troy hath for severall ages layn buried in its ashes both its glory and government being quite dissolved though the Athenian Spartan Theban and other petit Grecian Estates have long since had their periods yet we still take a great deale of satisfaction in reading their stories how they began grew up flourished strove decayed Besides there may be this good use made of it viz that by reflecting upon our former miseries and divisions while we contended for soveraignty we may be induced to put the greater value upon our present happinesse Thus having given you an account of the worke and what I had to say in its defence I commend it to your protection and with my prayers to God for you and your noble family remain Sir Your faithfull Servant at command ROB VAUGHAN Hengwrt May the 9th 1662. The state of the Question RODERIC the great King of Wales about Aâ— Dom 876. did dispose the three Principalities thereof to three of his sons viz. Southwales to Caedelh who is maintained in this Treatise to be the Eldest Northwales to Anarawd who is held by some late writers of Northwales to be the Eldest and Powis to Mervyn who is held by some other writers of Northwales to be the Eldest which being least probable as touching Mervyn the Question here is Whether Cadell or Anarawd were the Eldest son of Roderic the great and which of them had the soveraigne power and rule over all Wales Arguments proving Cadelh Prince of Southwales to be the Eldest Son of Roderic the great King of Wales and that he and his issue after him had a superiority over the rest of the Princes over his two Brethren and the Descendants from them The first Argument THE principalitie of Powys after the death of Mervyn the youngest Brother who died without issue according to the most credible writers of the Antiquities of VVales descended to Cadelh as the Eldest brother and Heir and from him to Howel Dha his Son and so to Bledhyn ap Convyn by due course of inheritance from Cadelh And for the opinion that Mervyn had a Son named Lhewelyn whose Daughter and Heir was married to Mredith ap Owen third son of Owen ap Howel Dha and great Grandchild to Cadelh and that thereby Powys came to the line of Cadelh it is fit the authority thereof do appear before it receive credit Likewise whereas some Writers for Northwales do alledge that Cadâ—lh took Powys by force from his brethren after the death of his brother Mervyn it is therefore impliedly confessed that Mervyn had no children and it is not unlike that he actually entred into and seized Powys as his inheritance and that his brethren might pretend to have portions there by Gavel-kind upon the death of their brother Mervyn But could he carry a principality from all the race of Roderic who had diverse sons besides those three princes by strong hand and without right or opposition whereas it doth not appear throughout the whole course of the histories of Wales that either there was any stirre or claime made by the prince of Northwales or any of the descent of Roderic for Powys or any entries made by them into that country untill after the soveraignty thereof came to the King of England by the conquering of Rees ap Theodor that they made head in those parts as in other parts of Wales against the invasion of the Lords Marchers whereas they might have done it most easily seeing it wholly bordereth on Northwales and is farthest from Southwales and especially being incited and warranted thereunto for recovery of their right And if a judgment may be made that that which is ill gotten cannot long endure Et de male partis tertius haeres non gaudebit then let the long continued descent of diverse parts of
prince of Southwales and attributing the same wholly to the power of a third son whereas it is evident that he had neither force nor authority to perform it but as his fathers minister and subject whom his father thought good to honour with the fruit of his valour and victory being atchieved propriâ manu not proprio marte more then the conquests of the famous prince Edward called the black prince whose everlasting honours they are but the possessory right of them was to his fathers crown And it is to be observed that as the division of Wales by Roderic the great did give the ground of the subduing thereof to the crown of England so it bred these preparatives thereunto first the continuall usurpation of the Descendants of Anarawd upon his lawfull heirs Insomuch as for 200 yeares after the division five of that line did intermissively usurp the government of Northwales and only two lawfull princes ruled there and those not past 12 yeares if they be allowed to be the issue of Anarawd which some writers of Northwales do gainsay in which licentious times one Aedan ap Blegored a meer private man neither of the bloud of the Prince nor of the Nobility that any antiquity doth record intruded into the government and held it 12. yeares untill he was expelled by the prince of Southwales Secondly it gave the Danes and English opportunity to invade and weaken all the parts of Wales who were often called in by the usurpers of Northwales to joyn with them against the prince of Southwales By those occasions the princes of Southwales as supreme lords of Wales for the generall quiet preservation thereof did seize assume into their hands the government of Northasales wherein six of them ruled the said 200. yeares which had not they done the government in all likelihood had been in that time translated from the race of Roderic the great But in the end of those 200 yeares Rees ap Theodor prince of Southwales with great valour and wisdome did overcome all these long grown evills and being the most powerfull prince that was since Roderic the great and lineal heir to Cadelh expelled Trahern ap Caradoc the last usurper of Northwales and placed Griffith ap Conan who was held to be the lawfull prince of the house of Anarawd in the quiet and settled possession thereof which honourable dealing was very ill requited by Griffith ap Conan towards the son of Rees ap Theodor in his distresse as shall be after declared By all which may appear the generall care of the princes of Southwales over the whole dominion of Wales derived from their supreme power authority and jurisdiction For confirmation hereof it is further to be observed that sithence the said division no prince of Northwales did ever rule in Southwales or by any occasion did make claime to the principality thereof and therefore upon this disposing of the principality of Northwales by the princes of Southwales it is further concluded that the princes of Southwales were the soveraign princes of Wales The Answer IT is recorded by Caradocus that Anarawd King of Northwales made a road into the country of Cardigan Ystradtywi the possession of his brother Cadelh but being that the Author alleageth not the cause thereof as whether it were lawfull or unlawfull it might with better reason be said that it was made for the defect of Payment of the Tribute due to the crown of Abersraw from Southwales then such a Rebellion as thereby forfeiture of Royalty should ensue and considering also that no chastisement was executed by Cadelh or Howel Dha his son upō Anarawd who lived long after it may seem great rigor and tyranny in him and much to derogate from his title of Dha that is the good if he did deprive Idwal's son of his inheritance for the offence of Anarawd his grandfather committed many yeares before his birth not upon the countries of Howel as you say but of Cadelh his father Therefore if you hold his coming to Northwales to be upon good and lawfull grounds it will be your best course rejecting offences and forfeitures wholly to stick to the incapacity of the heir of Northwales by reason whereof Howel's coming to Northwales whether it were as being next of blood able and worthy to undertake such a charge or by the appointment of his cousen Idwal foreseeing perhaps the weaknesse of his son or else by the election of the people was good just and lawfull And in regard of his said regency over the house of Northwales and the right thereunto belonging I do confesse that he was the soveraign prince of all Wales But considering that after his death the other sons of Idwal Voel and their successors the princes of Northwales recovered and held as I said before as well the soveraignty of all Wales as the rule of Northwales it plainly appears that the right of soveraignty belonged not to Southwales Moreover Owen the son of Howel Dha was never ruler of Northwales nor had any action against Cadwalhon ap Jeuaf whereby to deprive him of his Crown and Kingdome as you say neither is it likely if he had so conquered him that he would preferre his yonngest son to the Government of that Kingdome lest by exalting the younger brother to honours and dignities above the elder discord and sedition might breed between them and in a word your own countryman Caradocus that lived about 250 years after this time attributeth the overthrow of Cadwalhon ap Jevaf and conquest of Northwales to the only power of Mredith ap Owen who then in his Mothers right did rule all Powis land whereby his power to undertake that voyage may plainly appear in these words Mredyth ap Owein a lathawdh Cadwallawn ap Jevaf drwy fuddugoliaeth a chaffael meddiant oi gyuoeth sef gwyneth a Mon a ddarystngawdh iddaw that is Mredith ap Owen slew Cad ap Jeuaf in battell and seised on his dominions for Northwales and the isle of Anglesey submitted to him Here is no mention had of Owen or his power and therefore our writers of Northwales being only Interpreters of your Caradocus are free from that scandalous imputation that you charge them with And Lhewelyn ap Seissyllt prince of Southwales who overcame Aedan ap Blegowryd did not challenge the regency of Northwales for Jago the son of Idwal the lawfull heir as is thought was not as yet in full age as appertaining any way to the crown of Southwales as you could wish it but as he was next heir of blood unto the said Jago for as Caradocus saith he was descended from the kings of Wales by the mother side whose name was Trawst the daughter and heir of Elissau the second son of Anarawd the eldest son of Roderic the great and by that meanes according to the same Author he claimed and enjoyed the right of Northwales therefore his coming to the rule of that Kindome doth not at all favour or confirme
conquisita fuit per dominum Edwardum nuper regem Angliae proavum demini principis nunc per quem conquestum tota terra tam de dominio quam in servitiis injuncta fuit annexa coronae Angliae The seventh Argument AFter this conquest of Wales by the overthrow of Rees ap Theodor and the expulsion of his son Griff ap Rees who was forced to fly to Ireland Griff ap Conan being then prince of Northwales and of greatest power of any prince there sithence the said division never stirred for the principality of Southwales which if he had been the supreme Prince of Wales by this occasion he should most properly and justly have done neither did any of the Princes of Northwales succeeding him to the last prince Lhewelyn ap Griffith make claime thereunto Albeit they were all of them one after the other the most powerfull worthy fortunate Princes that had ruled in Northwales since the division as OweÌ„ Gwynâ—th David ap Owen Lhewelyn ap Jorwerth David ap Lhewelyn and that they had the advantage in their times of the alteration of seven Kings of England a troubled state there to have attempted it But Griff ap Rees returning from Ireland to recover his patrimony in the weaknesse of his fortunes retired to Griff. ap Conan then prince of North wales whose daughter he had married had by her worthy sons Of whose return purpose Henry the first King then of England understanding knowing him to be the undoubted heir of Wales and that he would be received by the people sent for the prince of Northwales and drew him in to yield to the delivery of Griff ap Rees into his hands which the Prince attempted and had effected accordingly but that Griff ap Rees upon some notice thereof hardly escaped into the Sanctuary of Aberdaron whence the prince would have forced him but that he was rescued by the whole clergy of the countrey and thence conveyed to Southwales whereupon it is evident that if Griff. ap Conan had been soveraign prince of Wales de jure first no necessity compelling him he would not have been so undiscreet as to have put himselfe into the King of England's hands who claimed the soveraignty thereof neither would the king have suffered him to depart seeing by detaining him he might more easily have compassed his end Secondly the Prince of Northwales would not have been so injurious to himself as to have delivered Griffith ap Rees if he had been his homager of Southwales whereby to divest himself of his right thereunto by his own act But it is plaine that the prince of Northwales in respect of the conquering of Rees ap Theodor having submitted himself to the King of England as his homager and to his peace came to the king at his sending for him knowing well that the King was carelesse of him as touching the right of Soveraignty of Wales And so he yeilded to make his peace the firmer with the King to the betraying of his Superior of his guest and son in law and the son of him who got him the possession of the principality of Northwales Hereupon Griff ap Rees put himselfe in armes and so held himself during King Henries time and a part of King Stephens recovering a great part of Southwales and died leaving his troubles and possessions to his son called the Lord Rees who in the end made peace with king Henry the second and surrendred to him his title to the principality of Wales bringing the chiesest of the Nobility and Gentry of Southwales to Glocester where they submitted themselves to the King and received their lands and possessions by the Kings grant to hold of him And the Lord Rees accepted of the King to be his Justice of Southwales which office continued untill 27. of King Henry the 8. and ended in the Lord Ferrers of Chartley The Answer FOr Answer hereunto you must first conceive that Griffith ap Conan at the time of Rees ap Theodor's death was not so powerfull as you make him to be for as we read in the Author of his life he was then but newly escaped out of the Earl of Chester's prison where he had remained 12. years Secondly that notwithstanding his unsettled state in Northwales by reason of his said imprisonment and the King of Englands displeasure conceived against him he joyned forces with Cadwgan ap Bledhyn his son in law and entring Southwales after they had slaine in battell a great number of Normans a great part thereof though not all became subject to Cadwgan as the British history of the Princes relateth wherein also we find that afterwards Griff ap Conan sent his sons Owen and Cadwalladr twice to Southwales being one time accompanied with 6000 Footmen and 2000 Horsemen they took the Castles of Walter Espec and Richard de la Mare and also the Castles of Aberystwyth Dinerth and Caerwedros subduing the whole countrey to the town of Cardigan and after the slaughter of 3000 Normans in the field they chased the rest out of the Country restoring Griffith ap Rees to his father's inheritance and the ancient inhabitants to their former dwellings Which is sufficient evidence that they made claime to Southwales as soveraign Princes And Griffith ap Conan cannot be imagined to interest himselfe in the cause especially in his weaknesse by sending his subjects to the field but that he challenged the soveraignty thereof as due by inheritance and his son Owen Gwynedd prince of Northwales would not have entred Southwales in the first year of his reign as the Chronicle witnesseth overthrowing the Castles of Ystratmeuric Stephens and Hwmphreys and burning the town of Carmarthen and compelling part of Dyved to pay tribute unto him as Gwalchmai ap Meilir that lived in that age hath recorded retaining most of Cardigan in his own hands without claime or pretence of title Likewise when Henry 2. King of England made his third Expedition against Wales the Lord Rees and the power of Southwales and all the other Lords of Wales with their forces marched against the King under the conduct of the Prince of Northwales which directly proveth his soveraignty over all Wales After these tumults and turmoils Lhewelyn ap Jorwerth Prince of Northwales to prevent all doubt that might arise concerning his right made all Southwales and Powis swear fealty unto him as the book of Conwey makes good wherein we read that they acknowledged the like fealty to David his son and Lhewelyn the last Prince But as concerning the unkind dealing of Griff ap Conan with Gr ap Rees and Gr ap Conan's going to the King of England I cannot see how that deserves an answer as an Argument for the soveraignty in the Princes of Southwales Lastly you affirme that the Lord Rees surrendred his title to the principality of Wales to the King of England which seems unto me most improbable considering he would not voluntarily depose himself of such royall preheminence and
lost the crown and scepter of London as we find in Prawf Ynad being an ancient MS containing the old laws of the Britains Then by a generall assembly of the men of Gwynedh Powys Deheubarth Evas Morganwâ— and Sersyllwe it was ordained that Aberfraw in Northwales should be the chiefest seat and the king thereof the soveraign King of all the British Princes And King Howel Dha in his Laws mentioneth a tribute due to the king of Northwales from the kings of Southwales and Powis whereby and by the inquisition before specified it is apparent that the title of Aberffraw or Northwales in effect is as large ample and honourable as the title of all Wales The ninth Argument IF King Edward the first of England had not accounted Wales to be his by the conquest of Rees ap Theodor he might have assumed against Lhewelyn ap Griff. the title of Mâ—rtimer his subject in the right of Gwladice his wife sole sister and heir of David ap Lhewelyn the last lawfull prince of Northwales for Griffith ap Lhewelyn his eldest Brother father to Lhewelyn the â—â—st Prince was base born But neither did the King think good to borrow that title nor did the Mortimers albeit they were raised to be Earâ—s of March and becoming the strongest subjects in alliances and kindreds augmented the same by marrying the sole daughter and heir of the Duke of Clarâ—nce whereby they had after the crown of England ever claime the principality of Wales yea though they were in disgrace with the state of England and were in action against Henry the fourth which such mighty persons would hardly have omitted if the house of Northwales had had good right to the principality of Wales Neither would the policy of the State of England have suffered the rising of that house which by an undoubted right to Wales might have bereaved them thereof yet such right as they had is now lawfully vested in the crown by king Edward the fourth as heir to Mortimer The Answer IT appeareth in the statute of Ruthlan that Edward 1. did not claime or account the principality of Wales to be his by the overthrow of Rees ap Theodor for the assumes the glory of the conquest of Wales to himself as is manifest before in my answer to the 6. Argument whereunto for your better satisfaction in this point I remit you And the reason that he borrowed not the title of Mortimer his subject although it be a thing seldome or never heard of that the titles of Kingdomes should be borrowed or lent and that his said subject himself did not seize upon the said principality from Leoline the last as his right by inheritance was because that Mortimer had no right thereunto for Gwlades his wife was the sole sister of Griffith the eldest son of Lhewelyn the great who left behind him diverse children and not of David according to your allegation as by most strong arguments and ancient authority shall appear I doubt not but to your full satisfaction And first of all Ralph Lord Mortimer of Wigmâ—re the husband of Gwlades dhu did procure with all his might the deliverance of Griffith out of his Brother Davia's prison and also labour for his installment in the principality of Wales as is apparent in Mathew Paris which he would never have done it his wiâ—e had been the sole sister and heir of David for by the raising of Griffith to the throne of Wales he should not only depose David but also most indiscreetly exclude himselfe from being heir apparent to the principality of Wales and next to rule after David who had no issue Secondly the Lord Mortimer after the death of prince David made no claime to the principality which in no wâ—se he would have omitted if he had been his heir apparent and the king of Englands nephew as you pretend who for the recovery of his right would minister unto him sufficient aid both in men and money But this neglect infallibly denoteth that Gwlades with her posterity was not the heir of David seeing that Leoline held that peaceably with the consent of the King And in an old book written above 200 years ago I found the pedegree of Richard Duke of York father of king Edward the 4. wherein the Dukes descent is first brought to the Mortimers by Anne his Mother and from the Mortimers to the Princes of Wales by the said Gwlades as being sister and heir of Griffith and not of David even thus Leolinus fuit princeps Walliae pater Gladys ddu haeres suus fuit Griffinus princeps Walliae qui habuit quatuor filios Lewâ—linum ille fuit ultimus princeps Walliae Owinnm David Rodri qui decesserunt sine haered bus ideo revertamur ad Gladys Dhu quam Radulphus Mortimer duxit in uxorem Lewelyn was Prince of Wales and the father of Glaays ddû his heir was Griffith Prince of Wales who had 4. sons viz. Lewelyn the last Prince of Wales Owen David and Rodri who dyed without heirs therefore let us come back again to Gladys ddu whom Ralph Mortimer married Hereby it appeareth that Griffith was Lâ—welyn ap Jorwerth's son heir therefore born in Wedlock that his four sons leaving no Heirs as that Author saith the right of the principality descended to the posterity of Gwladus which directly proveth she was sister of the whole bloud to Griffith and not to David of whom the Author maketh no mention at all accounting him and his sisters some of whose posterity live at this day no better then Bastards Thirdly our ancient books of pedegrees do with one consent affirme that the children of Leoline ap Jor were Griffith and Gwlades dhu whose mother was Tanglwyst the daughter of Lhowarch goch of Ros David Prince of Wales Gwenlliant Angharad and Marvred whose Mother was Joan the Daughter of King John The white book of Hergest a very fair and ancient parchment Manuscript saith that prince Lhewelyn wedded one Tanglwyst the daughter of Llowarch Lord of Anglesey and begat by her Griff. and Gwladys dee Gwilym Tew that flourished in the daies of Henry 6. hath written that Leolin ap Jorwerth begat Gwladus ddu upon the daughter of Llowarch goch which was the mother of Griffith And last of all I find it noted in an old manuscript thus Lewelinus Gervasii filius princeps Walliae primo desponsavit Tanglwyst filiam Lhowarch Vychan de qua genuit Griffith Gwlades ddu quondam uxorem Radulphi de Mortuomari post mortem dictae Tanglwyst idem Lâ—welynus desponsavit Joannam filiam Johannis regis Angliae de qua genuit David principem Gwenlliant uxorem Jo Lacie comitis Lincolnia Angharad primo desponsata Johanni de Brewys domino de Brechon post cujus decessum desponsata fuit Malgoni Vachan ap Maelgon ap Rees ex eadem uxore genuit filiam quae maritata est Johanni Scotico comiti Cestriae qui fuit nepos Ranulphi comitis Cestriae ex parte
beat out the truth of the point in question I cannot conceive so in regard you have not been pleased to be so particular in your quotation of Authors as could be desired And whereas you think it not fit to register the acts of Wales under Usurpers it seems you would deprive your reader of a perfect history and conceale such passages which are a requisite to be known as the lawfullest proceedings in that a history how rugged soever the passages thereof may be ought to testify the truth by the consent of times and immediate succession of Princes otherwise that will appear like a broken chaine wanting some necessary lincks to unite the whole neither will man's desire be satâ—sfied untill it receive instruction who were and who were not Usurpers and how their government differed or whether Usurpers being really possessed of the Crown did not use the same jurisdiction which belonged unto the right heir and withall t is far more fit decent that the acts of Wales should be registred under the name of those Vsurpers of Northwales in regard that all Wales was subject to the crown thereof then under the princes of Southwales who were as I said their subjects tributaries though the lawfull heirs of Cadelh And in my judgment you cannot so confidently excuse your Southwales government from usurpation for that time seeing Rotherchap Jestin and others are acknowledged to be Vsurpers within the compasse of the time limited You may be further convinced touching the truth of our allegation if you do but indifferently weigh the evident proofs that follow upon these grounds First how the soveraignty continued in Northwales before the daies of Roderic the great Secondly how Anarawd Prince of Northwales was Roderic's eldest son And lastly how the Princes of Southwales and Powis paid tribute to the Prince of Northwales To the first if you look back into the times before Roderic's raigne you must confesse Cadwalhon lhawhir King of Northwales was chiefest of the four that bare swords before Arthur at the triumphant feast of Caerlheon of which number as Galfridus Monemutensis affirmes the King of Southwales was one or you must deny the testimony of your George Owen Harry pag. 26. Then afterwards when the Britains wanted a supreme governour there was a generall meeting had for the election of a King and a continuall supply was had from the Princes of Northwales as first it may appear when after the death of Vortiporius whom we call Gwerthevyr the Britains met at Traeth Maelgwn as may be seen in those ancient British laws intituled Prawf ynad Lhe y caffas Maelgwn vot yn pennaf brenhin ac Aberffraw yn pen lhyssoedh a Jarlh Mathyraval a jarlh Dinevwr a iarlh Caerlh on y danaw ynteu whicâ— may be thus Englished Where it was ordained that Malgwn Prince of Northwales should be the chiefest or soveraign King and Aberffraw in Northwales the soveraign seat of the Britains and that the Earls of Powis Southwales and Caerlheon should be under him and obey him And after that when the Princes of Southwales Powis and Cornwall after the battell of Bangor met at Chester where with the consent of all those Princes Cadvan Prince of Northwales was made King of Britaine after him succeeded in their own right Cadwalhon his son and Cadwalader his grandchild at which time the Britains lost the soveraignty of the whole Isle as Galfridus saith And yet Râ—deris Molwynoc Prince of Northwales the Grandchild of Cadwalader was obeyed by all the British Princes as their supreme and soveraignâ— Prince and called also King of the Britains according to all Authors and so was his son Conan Tindaethwy and after him Mervyn Vrych King of Man who in the right of his wife Essyllt Conan's daughter was sole Prince of all Wales as your own George Oweu Harry and all other writers testify and after them succeeded Roderic the great their son who as Giraldus saith toti Walliae praesidebat So then hitherto that is 300 years before Anarawd's raign it was not controverted who had the soveraignty for it being most manifest that the soveraignty of Wales remained in Northwales it may perswade an indifferent Reader that Roderic would not alter the course of the Soveraignty being a matter of that ancient continuance especially when it must be confessed that the Prince of Northwales was eldest son and heir apparent to his father Rod ric as both old and late writers do with one consent confesse of which for brevities sake I will make choice but of few but such as are reputed to be of best credit and insight in Antiquity to assist me with their testimonies And first of all Dr. Powel in his notes upon Giraldus and additions to Caradocus proveth that Anarawd was the eldest son of Roderic the great and sayth farther that he was the right heir of Cadwalader as is evident by all histories Sr. John Prise a Scuthwales Gentleman in his description of Cambria saith that Rodericus magnus King of Wales gave Northwales as the chiefest part to his eldest son Humphry Llwyd in his Breviary of Britain and Jo. Leyland in his notes upon his book intituled Genethliacon Edvardi principis and the book of Hergest written in the dayes of Ed. 4. averre that Roderic gave Northwales to his eldest son adding withall that Cadelh who had Southwales was the third son Cyndhelw brydydd mawr that is Cyndhelw the great pâ—et who flourished in the daies of Henry the second King of England writeth thus I Rodri mawr vawr vilwriaeth Gymro I rai Gymru hâ—laeth A Gwynedh nwn gynnydh aâ—th I vab hynaf y pennaeth Caradocus Lancarvanensis forementioned who wrot in the dayes of Henry the first testifies in some copies of his Annals that Roderic had by his wife Angharad diverse sons as Anarawd his eldest son to whom he gave Aberffraw with Northwales Our old books of pedigrees written on parchment above 400 years ago do attribute the seniority of birth to Anarawd the son of Roderic the great and not to Cadelh To conclude Asser Menevensis Bishop of St. Davids who flourished even in the dayes of the sons of Roderic saith in the acts of King Alfred that Anaraut filius Rotri cum suis fratribus ad postremum amicitiam Northanhymbrorum dâ—serens de qua nullum bonum nisi damnum habuerat amicitiam Alfredi regis studiose requirens ad praesentiam illius aavenit cumque à rege houorificè receptus esset ad manum Episcopi in filium consirmatiâ—nis acceptus maximisque donis ditatus regis dominio cum omnibus suis cadem conditione subdidit ut in omnibus regiae voluntati sic obediens esset sicut Ethered cum Mercis Here your countryman gives our Anarawd a superiority over his brethren esteeming them no otherwise then his inferiors and subjects as plainly it appears when he saith that King Alfred of all the brethren honoured enriched with great gifts and entred into league with Anarawd only This testimony