Lordship IN primis the said Lordship in length from Rymny bridge on the east side to Pwlh Conan on the west side is 27. miles The breadth thereof from the hauen of Aburthaw alias Aberdaon on the southside to the confines of Brechnock shire aboue Morleys castell is 22. miles Item the same Lordship being a Lordship Marcher or a Lordship roiall and holden of no other Lordship the Lords euer sithence the winning of the same owing their obedience onelie to the crowne haue vsed therein Iura regalia that is the triall of all actions as well reall as personall with plées of the crowne and authoritie to pardon all offenses treason onelie excepted Item there were xj Lordships to wit Senghennyth Myskyn Ruthin Lhanblethian Tir Iarlh Glyn Rothney Auan Neth Coyty Talauan and Lhantuit alias Bouiarton that were members of the said Lordship of Glamorgan In euerie of the members were the like Iura regalia vsed in all things sauing that if anie wrong iudgement were giuen in anie of the courts of the said members it should be reuersed by a writ of false iudgement in the countie court of Glamorgan as superiour court to the same members Also all matters of conscience happening in debate in anie of the said members should be heard and determined in the chancerie of Glamorgan before the Chancellor thereof Item the bodie of the said Lordship of Glamorgan was before the alteration of the lawes in Wales a countie of it selfe wherein the Lord had two castels and thrée market townes to wit the castell and towne of Kynfigs alias Kefnffigen in the west part thereof and Cowbridge towne alias Pont vaen in the middest And the towne and castell of Cardyff or Caer-Dhydh in the east part in which castell of Cardyff the Lord did most inhabit and therein he had his Chancerie and Exchequer and a faire court house wherein the Countie court was monthlie kept on the mondaie for all the suters of the Sherffée that is of the bodie of the said Lordship it selfe without the said members Item within the said Sherffée or bodie of the said Lordship were 18. castels and 36. knights fées and an halfe that held of the said Lordship of Glamorgan by knights seruice besides a great number of fréeholders Item in eight of the said members were ten castels and foure borough townes Item the annuall reuenewes of the said Lordship with the members was one thousand markes whereof was allowed in fées 400. markes of the which members aforesaid maister Iohn Gamage Esquier occupieth one at this daie descended vnto him from the Turberuiles his ancestors that is to wit the Lordship of Coytie and the heire of Iohn Basset enioieth an other to wit the Lordship of Talauan by purchase from king Edward the sixt The other nine members with foure of the foresaid knights fées all the castels market townes and borough townes with the demeanes of the same and all the lands that were in the Lords hands parcell of the said Lordship and members the Earle of Penbroke hath purchased So that there remaineth now to the segniorie of the said Lordship of Glamorgan being in the Quéenes Maiesties hands but the moitie onelie of the manour of Dynaspowys of the value of xxvj pounds by the yeare The maner of the winning of the said Lordship IN the yeare of our Lord 1091. and in the fourth yeare of the reigne of King William Rufus one Iestyn the sonne of Gungant being Lord of the said Lordship of Glamorgan Rees ap Theodoc Prince of Southwales that is of Caermarthyne shire and Caerdigan shire made warre vpon him Wherevpon the said Iestyn vnderstanding himselfe vnable to withstand the said Rees without some aid otherwise sent one Eneon a Gentleman of his to England to one Robertus Fitzhamon a worthie man and knight of the priuie chamber with the said King to retaine him for his succor The which Robert being desirous to exercise himselfe in the feates of warre agréed soone with him thereto for a salarie to him granted for the same Wherevpon the said Robert Fitzhamon retained to his seruice for the said iorney twelue knights and a competent number of soldiours and went into Wales and ioining there with the power of the said Iestyn fought with the said Rees ap Tewdor and killed him and one Conan his sonne After which victorie the said Robert Fitzhamon minding to returne home againe with his companie demanded his salarie to him due of the said Iestyn according to the couenants and promises agréed vpon betwéene him and the aforesaid Eneon on the behalfe of the said Iestyn his maister The which to performe in all points the said Iestyn denied and therevpon they fell out so that it came to be tried by battell And forsomuch as the said Eneon sawe his maister go from diuers articles and promises that he had willed him to conclude with the said Robert Fitzhamon on his behalfe he forsooke his maister and tooke part he his fréends with the said Robert Fitzhamon In the which conflict the said Iestyn with a great number of his men were slaine whereby the said Robert Fitzhamon wan the peaceable possession of the whole Lordship of Glamorgan with the members of the which he gaue certaine castels and manours in reward of seruice to the said twelue knights and to other his Gentlemen ¶ The Names and Sirnames of the said twelue Knights were these 1 WIlliam de Londres alias London 2 Richardus de Grana villa alias Greenfeeld 3 Paganus de Turberuile 4 Robertus de S. Quintino alias S. Quintine 5 Richardus de Syward 6 Gilbertus de Humfreuile 7 Rogerus de Berkrolles 8 Reginaldus de Sully 9 Peter le Soore 10 Iohannes le Fleming 11 Oliuerus de S. Iohn a yoonger brother of the Lord S. Iohn of Basing 12 William le Esterling whose ancestors came out of Danske to England with the Danes and is now by shortnesse of spèech called Stradling ¶ The parcels giuen by the said Robert Fitzhamon to the said twelue Knights and others in reward of seruice IN primis to the said William de Londres the said Robert Fitzhamon gaue the castell and manour of Ogmor being foure knights fées now parcell of the possessions of the dutchie of Lancaster Item to the forenamed sir Richard Greenfeeld he gaue the castell and lordship of Neth being one of the members aforesaid and now parcell of the possessions of the Kight honorable the Earle of Penbroke Item to sir Paine Turberuile he gaue the castell and lordship of Coyty being another of the said members and now parcell of the possessions of M. Iohn Gamage esquire Item to sir Robert S. Quintine he gaue the castell and lordship of Lhan Blethyan being another of the said members and now parcell of the possessions of S. William Herbert of Swansey knight Item to sir Richard Syward he gaue the castell and lordship of Talauan being another of the said members and now parcell
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
part of his armie with guides of the countrie to burne Bangor who did so taking Rotpert the bishop prisoner who was afterward ransomed for 200. hawkes Then the prince seeing all England and Wales against him a great part of his land won from him thought it best to entreat with the king And thervpon he sent Ione his wife the kings daughter to hir father to make a peace who being a discreet woman found the meanes that vpon pledges giuen for safe conduct the prince came to the king and made peace with him and did him homage Then giuing him pledges he promised vnto him towards his charges 20000. heads of cattell and fortie horsses Moreouer he granted to the king the Inland for euer wherevpon the king returned to England with great triumph after that he had brought all Wales vnder his subiection sauing Rees Owen the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Rees Therfore at his departure he gaue straite commandement to Foulke Vicount of Caerdyff called Warden of the Marches a cruell tyrant but yet wel loued of the king to take an armie with him that he ioining with Maelgon and Rees Vachan might compell the aforesaid sonnes of Gruffyth to obeie him This Foulke or Falcasius de Breant a Norman borne and a bastard being a cruell and a wicked man was called by king Iohn to his aid against the Barons who vsed himselfe cruellie towards them for which cause she said king gaue him in mariage Margaret de Riparijs an inheritrice of great possessions This Foulke calling vnto him Maelgon and Rees came to the Cantref of Penwedic then the yoong lords seing no remedie sent to him for peace and safeconduct to passe to the court which he granted them When they came to the court vpon their submission to the king with the gift of all their lands betwixt Aeron and Dyui they were receiued of him very gentlie and curteouslie intreated and after they had doone him homage they returned home againe Then Foulke before his departure out of the countrie fortified the castell of Aberystwyth and manned it to the kings behoofe But within a while Maelgon as he was verie vnconstant and Rees Vachan repented them of the peace they had made with the king and therevpon laid siege to the castell of Aberystwyth getting the same destroied it When their nephues Rees and Owen sawe that their vncles had broken the kings peace they made a roade vnto Maelgons countrie and slew a great number of his men and returned with a rich bootie The next yeare prince Lhewelyn being not able to abide the displeasures which the garrisons that the king left in his nephues castels in Northwales did to his people called to him Gwenwynwyn from Powys Maelgon ap Rees from Southwales Madoc ap Gruffyth Maylor from Bromfield Meredyth ap Rotpert from Cydewen and opened to them this miserable case how they which were woont to haue a prince of their owne nation now by their owne wilfulnesse were brought in subiection to a stranger and declared also vnto them how that if they would agree among themselues they might defend their ancient estate still which thing they all promised to do swore fealtie to prince Lhewelyn forthwith gathered an armie wan all the castels sauing Ruthlan Dyganwy then comming to Powys they laid siege to the castell which Robert Vepont had made at Mathraual But when the king was informed of all this he leuied an armie and came thither to raise the siege and after caused the castell to be rased then returned home hauing greater matters in hand betweene him his nobles Then being at Notingham hering how the prince of Wales destroied all the Marches he caused the pledges which he had receiued the last yere to be hanged as Howel the son of Cadwalhon Madoc the sonne of Maelgon and others to the number of 28. striplings Also Robert Vepont did hang at Shrewesburie Rees the sonne of Maelgon not being yet seuen yeares of age and so cruellie murthered the innocent to reuenge the offenses of others In the meane while that the king remained at Notingham he receiued letters from the princesse of Northwales his daughter declaring that his nobles had conspired with the French king against him and for proofe thereof she alledged that Robert Fitzwater Eustace de Vescy and Stephan Ridell were secretelie fled into France and that the French king prepared an armie to come to England vnder the colour that the king was a rebell from the church for that he would not condescend to the bishop of Romes requests The yeare 1213. Innocentius Pope of Rome did release prince Lhewelyn Gwenwynwyn and Maelgon of those oths that they had made to king Iohn and willed them vnder the paines of cursing to annoie and trouble him all that they could as the enimie of the church Wherevpon forthwith Lhewelyn receiued all the Inland countrie which to this time was in the kings hands But within a little after the king by the persuasion of Pandulph the legat granted the Pope his request and obteined absolution at his hands and releasement of the interdiction vpon performance of his promises Then king Iohn hearing how the French king was in Flanders and had a great nauie at Dam purposing to bring the Earldome into his subiection sent William de Longaspata Earle of Salisburie Reginald Earle of Boleyn and Hugh de Noua villa or Neuill thither with a great nauie who ouerthrew the Frenchmen and returned home with great spoile Shortlie after king Iohn sailed to Rochell where the Earle of those marches and Geffrey de Landanamo were reconciled to him The yeare folowing king Iohn made peace with the French king for fiue yeares Then Rees son to Gruffyth ap Rees which was heire to prince Rees seeing he could haue no part of his fathers lands but that his vncles did keepe all from him by force made his complaint to the king And the king pittieng his estate sent to Foulke Vicount of Caerdyff warden of the marches and to the steward of Hereford commanding them to take all Stratywy from Rees Vachan whom other call Rees Gryc vnlesse he would let his nephues enioie the castell of Lhauymdhyfry with the territorie belonging thereto And they sent to Rees to know his mind who answered them stoutlie that they should not haue one foote of land of him Therefore Foulke gathered a great armie and met with yoong Rees at Talhwynelgain where he looked for him with a number of men that he had gotten in Brechnock and thence they marched in three battelles towardes Dyneuowr of which yoong Rees lead the first Foulke the second and Owen brother to Rees the third Then Rees Vachan came boldlie and gaue them battell where in the end he was put to flight with the losse of a great number of his men Then he went straight and manned the castell of Dineuowr and burned the towne of
a great armie and shortlie after laid siege to Aberteiui and got it and from thence marched to Caermardhin and likewise got the same Lhewelyn prince of Wales at what time William Marshall Earle of Penbrooke prosecuted the warres in Ireland against the kings enimies there tooke by force two castels in Wales belonging to the said Earle putting all his men which kept the same to the sword and fortifieng the same with a garrison of his owne men in either of them departed home againe whereof when the said Earle was aduertised he returned from Ireland with all spéed and recouering his castels againe vsed the same courtesie towards Lhewelyns men that he had shewed to his and then entring further into the Princes countrie destroied all before him as he went These newes comming to Lhewelyns eares did sore offend him wherevpon he sent Gruffyth his sonne with a power of men to staie the Earle for passing further Then Gruffyth went to Cydweli and vnderstanding that the Burgesses of the towne meant to betraie him burned the towne churches and all to the earth Then William Marshall passed the riuer Tywy at Caermardhin where Gruffyth met with him gaue him battell which was verie doubtfull and endured vntill night and then either partie withdrew themselues and the riuer betwixt And after they had laien so certen daies Gruffyth for lacke of victuals for his men which were about 9000. persons returned back and the Earle went to Cilgerran and began to build there a verie strong castell Then receiuing letters from the king to come and speake with him he went to the court by sea and left his armie to continue the worke he had begon Then the king and the archbishop of Canturburie being at Ludlowe sent for the Prince and would faine haue agreed him and the Earle but it would not be and so they departed And when the Earle would haue passed to Penbrooke by lande with the strength of the Earle of Derby and Henrie Pygot lord of Ewyas the Prince sent his son to keepe the passage at Carnwylhion he himselfe came as far as Mabedryd Which when the Erle vnderstood he returned backe to England the Prince went to Northwales Certeine of the barons also misliking the rule of Hubert de Burgh conspired against the king and him as Randulph Earle of Chester VVilliam de Fortibus Earle of Albemarle Iohn constable of Chester Foulke de Breant Hugh de Veteri ponte Bryan Lysle Patrike de Malo lacu Philip Marke and VVilliam lord de Cantilupo But the matter was appeased and the king got the castell of Bedford by long siege wherein was William de Breant brother to Foulke About this time died William de longa Spata Earle of Salisburie The yeare folowing Sarancus de malo Leone deliuered Rochell to the French king Also Foulke de Breant was at this time banished England and came to such pouertie that he begged from dore to dore The yeare 1226. Rees Vachan sonne to Rees Gryc did take his father prisoner and would not set him at libertie till he had deliuered him the castell of Lhanymdhyfri At this time died Meredyth archdecon of Caerdigan sonne to prince Rees and was buried by his father at S. Dauids The yeere folowing king Henrie came with a great armie to Wales as farre as Ceri and incamped there vpon the other side prince Lhewelyn called to him all the power of Wales and incamped not farre off and there were diuerse great skirmishes and chieflie vpon one daie the most part of both armies was in the field and a great number slaine of the kings men At which time William de Bruse sonne to Reynald was taken prisoner who offered for his ransome the countrie of Buelht and a great summe of monie beside then there was a peace concluded betweene the king and the Prince wherevpon the Prince came to the king and did honor him but not as his king and lord and euerie partie returned home This historie is somewhat otherwise laid downe by Matthew Paris which I haue thus translated out of the same author About the same time those souldiers which laie in garrison in the castell of Mountgomery went out with some of their neighbours to amend a certeine passage in the high waie leading through a great wood thereby where the Welshmen were woont to rob and slaie such as trauelled that waie and comming to the place with their axes and other weapons began to fell the trées and to cut downe the bushes whereby the waie might be inlarged Which thing when the Welshmen vnderstood they came with a great power and setting vpon their enimies compelled them to take the castell for their defense certeine being slaine on both sides and then casting a trench about the same laid siege vnto it This being quickelie certified vnto Hubert de Burgh chiefe Iustice of England to whom a little before the same castell and honor was giuen the king himselfe with conuenient spéed comming raised the siege and when his whole armie came to him for few soldiours came with him thither he went to the said wood which was verie large being fiue miles in length and by reason of the thicke growth of the same verie hard to be stocked howbeit the king caused the same with great diligence and trauell to be asserted and consumed with fire Then leading his armie further into the countrie he came to an abbeie of white moonks called Cridia being a refuge for the Welshmen to flie vnto which he caused to be burnt to ashes where Hubert de Burgh to whome the place seemed verie fit for fortification hauing the assent of the king caused a castell to be builded But or euer the worke was finished manie were slaine on both sides and William de Bruse a noble warriour who went out to make prouision for the armie was taken by the Welshmen and cast in prison and diuerse other went out for the like purpose whereof one being knighted a few daies before seing some of his felowes in danger and like to be distressed rushed boldlie into the middest of his enimies killing manie about him who in the end with manie other of the kings men was there slaine Manie also of the kings 〈◊〉 soldiours being confederate with prince Lhewelyn did verie faintlie defend his cause with whom they came thither Wherevpon the king wanting necessarie prouision and perceiuing the double dealing of some of his owne men was constrained to conclude a dishonorable peace with the Welshmen giuing his assent that the castell which with so great expenses of men and monie was now almost finished should be rased at his owne charges taking of prince Lhewelyn thrée thousand pounds towards the same The peace being thus confirmed both parties departed homeward So the king of England after that he had bestowed thrée moneths in the building of the said castell and disbursed an infinite summe of monie in vaine leauing William
in this present vsage laid out Item I shall make satisfaction for all damages and iniuries doone by me or anie of my subiects vnto the king or his according to the consideration of the kings court and shall deliuer such as shalbe malefactors in that behalfe Item I shall restore vnto the said lord the king all the homages which the late king Iohn his father had which the said lord the king of right ought to haue especiallie of all the noble men of Wales and if the king shall set at libertie anie of his captiues the possessions of that man shall remaine to the king Item the land of Elsiner with the appurtenances shall remaine to the lord the king and his heires for euer Item I shall not receiue or suffer to be receiued within my countrie of Wales anie of the subiects of England outlawed or banished by the said lord the king or his barons of Mercia Item for confirmation and performance of all and singular the premisses on my behalfe I shall prouide by bonds and pledges and by all other waies and meanes as the said lord the king shall award and will accomplish the commandement of the said king and will obeie his lawes In witnesse whereof to this present writing I haue put my seale Dated at Alnet by the riuer of Elwey in the feast of the decollation of S. Iohn Baptist in the 25. yeare of the reigne of the said king For the obseruations of these articles the said prince Dauid and Ednyuet Vachan were sworne Also the said prince Dauid submitted himselfe to the iurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canturburie and of the bishops of London Hereford and Couentrie for the time being That all or one of them whome the king shall appoint may excommunicate him and interdict his land vpon breach of anie the said articles And therevpon he procured the bishops of S. Bangor and S. Asaph to make their charters to the lord the king whereby they granted to execute and denounce all sentences aswell of excommunication as of interdiction sent from the foresaid Archbishop bishops or anie of them The said Dauid also sent priuilie to the king to desire him that he would suffer him being his nephue and the lawfull heire of Lhewelyn his father to enioy the principalitie of Wales rather than Gruffyth which was but a bastard and no kinne vnto the king Giuing him withall to vnderstand that in case he did set Gruffyth at libertie he should be sure to haue the warre renewed Wherevpon the king knowing these things to be true and vnderstanding also that Gruffyth was a valiant stout man and had manie fréends and fauorers of his cause inclined rather to assent vnto Dauids request than otherwise to be in danger of further troubles and therefore willinglie granted the same Shortlie after Dauid sendeth his brother Gruffyth vnto the king and other pledges for himselfe for performance of the said articles which the king sent forthwith to the towre of London there to be safelie kept allowing to Gruffyth a noble a daie for his finding And within few daies after Michaelmas prince Dauid came to the kings court and did his homage and swore fealtie who for so dooing in that he was the kings nephue was sent home againe in peace When Gruffyth saw how althings went that he was not like to be set at libertie he began to deuise waies and meanes to escape out of prison Wherefore deceiuing the watch one night he made a long line of hangings couerings and shéetes and hauing gotten out at a window let downe himselfe by the same from the toppe of the towre but by reason that he was a mightie personage and full of flesh the line brake with the weight of his bodie and so falling downe headlong of a great height his necke and head was driuen into his bodie with the fall whose miserable carcase being found the morowe after was a pitifull sight to the beholders The king being certified thereof commanded Gruffyths sonne to be better looked vnto and punished the officers for their negligence Then the king fortified the castell of Dyserth in Flyntshire Also the king gaue to Gruffyth sonne to Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys his inheritance and to the sonnes of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth their lands in Merionyth Then shortlie after Gilbert Marshall Earle of Penbrooke was slaine by misfortune fighting at the Turnay at Hereford The bishop of Bangor came to the court to sue for the deliuerance of Gruffyth sonne to prince Lhewelyn but the king knowing him to be a man of great courage would in no wise grant him libertie The yeare after king Henrie went to France with an armie to succour Hugh de Brune his father in lawe meaning also to recouer some of that which his father had lost but all in vaine for the people fauoured the French king therfore hauing lost a great number of his men amongst whom was Gilbert de Clare he returned home againe Maelgon Vachan about this time fortified the castel of Garthgrugyn Iohn de Mynoc also fortified the castell of Buelht Roger Mortimer the castell of Melyenyth The summer folowing the king began to trouble the Welshmen verie sore and to take their lands by force without iust title or rightfull cause This yeare died Hugh de Albineto Earle of Arundell whose inheritance was diuided betwixt his foure sisters Whereof Isabel the eldest had maried Iohn Fitzalan lord of Oswalstree and Clun whose sonne named also Iohn Fitzalan was in the right of the said Isabel his mother created Earle of the Earledome of Arundell in the which house it remained to our time Within a while after Rees Mechylh sonne to Rees Gryc of Southwales died This yeare prince Dauid sent to Rome to complaine to the Pope how the king of England compelled him vniustlie to hold his lands of him Therefore the Pope sent to the abbots of Aberconwy and Cymer a commission to enquire of this matter After the death of Gruffyth king Henrie in the 29. yeare of his reigne as appeareth by the records in the towre intituled his eldest sonne Edward to the principalitie of Wales which thing when Dauid vnderstood he put himselfe in armour to defend his inheritance and right and knowing himselfe not able to withstand the kings force he sent to Rome with great gifts to the Pope complaining as is here mentioned and declaring withall that Lhewelyn his father had least him and the principalitie of Wales vnder the protection of the church of Rome His sute therefore to the Pope was that he would accept of the same and that Dauid and his heires might hold it of the church of Rome yéelding and paieng yearelie out of the same the summe of fiue hundreth markes for paiment of which summe he bound himselfe and his successours by solemne oth and writing executed accordinglie Which offer Pope Innocentius ex super abundanti gratia accepted Quia ecclesia Romana nunquam claudit gremium talia
offerentibus and therevpon granted his letters of commission to the abbots aforesaid to release Dauid from his oth of allegiance to the king of England and to inquire of the whole estate of the matter and to certifie him of the same These commissioners taking vpon them the authoritie directed their Mandat to the king of England commanding him to appeare before them at Creythyn in the church of Lhangustenyn in the vigil of S. Agnes next comming to answer in the premisses Wherevpon the king laughing at the presumption of these abbots being greatlie offended with the Pope for his vnsatiable gréedines sent to Rome and with greater summes of monie quieted all things againe so that the Pope made his gaine at both hands Sée Matthew Paris page 840. Then prince Dauid gathered all his strength to be reuenged of the wrongs which the Erles of Clare and Hereford with Iohn de Monmouth and Roger de Monte Alto and other Marchers did to his people Whom all the lords in Wales obeied and tooke for their souereigne sauing Gruffyth son to Gwenwynwyn and Morgan ap Howel which two shortlie were compelled to obey also Wherefore the prince entred the land of March spoiling and destroieng a great part thereof with whome the said Earles fought diuerse times and sometimes the one and sometimes the other had the uictorie The yeare ensuing the Marchers and the Welshmen met not far from Mountgomery where was a cruell fight and 300. of the Welshmen slaine and a great number of Englishmen among whome there was slaine a noble knight called Hubert Fitzmatthew Wherevpon the king being wearie of these domesticall troubles gathered a huge armie of Englishmen and Gascoynes and entred Northwales intending to destroie the countrie but the Prince met with his people in a straict fought with them and put them to flight There the king lost a great number of his most worthie soldiours and nobilitie the most part of all his Gascoynes therefore seeing he cold doo no good he sent for the Irishmen which landed at the Ile of Môn or Anglesey and spoiled a great part thereof till the inhabitants of the Ile gathered themselues together and met with them being loden with spoile whom they chased to their ships then the king manned and victualed his castels and returned to England Of this viage a certeine noble man being then in the kings campe wrote thus to his fréends about the end of September 1245. The king with his armie lieth at Gannock fortifieng of that strong castell we lie in our tents thereby watching fasting praieng fréezing with cold we watch for feare of the Welshmen who are woont to inuade and come vpon vs in the night time We fast for want of meat for the halfpenie loafe is woorth fiue pence We praie to God to send vs home againe spéedilie wée starue for cold wanting our winter garments and hauing no more but a thin linnen cloath betwixt vs and the wind There is an arme of the sea vnder the castell where we lie whereto the tide commeth and manie ships come vp the hauen thither which bring victuals to the campe from Ireland and Chester This arme of the sea lieth betwixt vs and Snowdon where the Welshmen abide now and is about a slight shoote ouer when the tide is in There came to the mouth of that hauen a certeine ship from Ireland with victuals to be sold vpon mondaie before Michaelinas daie which being negligentlie looked vnto was set on drie ground at the low ebbe on the further side of the water ouer against the castell which thing when the Welshmen saw they came downe from the hilles and laid siege to the ship being now vpon drie ground wherevpon we on the other side beholding the same sent ouer by boates thrée hundreth Welshmen of the borders of Cheshire and Shropshire with certeine archers and armed men to the rescue of the said ship Then the Welshmen withdrew themselues to their accustomed places in the rockes and woods whom our men followed as far as two miles being a foote bicause they brought no horsses ouer with them and slew manie of them But our men in their returne being ouergréedie and couetous spoiled the abbey of Aberconwey and burned all the houses of offices belonging to the same Which doings caused the Welshmen to come togither who like desperate men set vpon our soldiours being loden with spoiles and slew a great number of them following the rest to the waterside of whom some gat to the boates and so escaped and some cast themselues into the water and were drowned and such as they tooke they hanged or headed euerie one In this conflict we lost manie of our men speciallie of those that were vnder the conduct of Richard Earle of Cornewal as Sir Alan Buscell Sir Adam de Maio Sir Geffrey Estuemy and one Ramond a Gascoine whom the king greatlie fansied and diuers other beside a hundreth of common soldiours In the meane time Sir Walter Bisset worthilie defended the said ship vntill the tide came and then came awaie with the same manfullie wherein there were thréescore tunnes of wine beside other prouision c. Many other things are conteined in the said writing of the hard shifts that were made in the kings campe for victuals and the great dearth of all things that were to be eaten This yeare died Walter Marshall Earle of Penbrooke and Anselme his brother without issue whose inheritance descended to their fiue sisters To the intent the reader may vnderstand to whom the lands and lordships in Wales of the Earle Marshall and Penbrooke came I thought it conuenient here so laie downe how these fiue sisters were bestowed 1 Ione the eldest maried Warren Mountchensey whose daughter and heire named also Ione was maried to William de Valence halfe brother to king Henrie the third who in hir right was Earle of Penbrooke whose two daughters after the death of Aymēr de Valence were his heires to wit Isabel maried vnto Iohn lord Hastings and Abergeuenny whose daughter named Elizabeth maried Reynold lord Gray of Ruthyn to the which familie afterwards the inheritance fell and Ione married to Iohn lord Comyn who had issue Elizabeth maried to Richard lord Talbot and Ione maried to Dauid Earle of Athell 2 Mawd the second daughter of the Earle Marshall and Penbrooke was maried to Hugh Bygod Earle of Northfolke father of Ralph Bygod whose daughter and heire Isabel was maried to Sir Gilbert Lacy who had issue Margerie and Mawd his daughters and heires Margerie maried to Iohn L. Verdon of whom the Earle of Shrewesburie and the Earle of Essex are descended Mawd maried Geffrey Geniuill father to Peter Geniuill whose daughter and heire was maried to Roger Mortimer lord of Wigmor and the first Earle of March 3 Isabel the third daughter of the Earle Marshall Penbrooke was maried to Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester of whose issue mention is made before pag. 129.
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
which hapned vpon S. Leonards daie Thomas Walsingham writeth that the king lost in this viage a little before this fouretéene ensignes at which time the lord William de Audeley and the lord Roger Clifford the yoonger and manie other were slaine and the king himselfe was driuen to take the castell of Hope for his safegard In the meane time was the Earle of Glocester Sir Edmund Mortimer with an armie in Southwales where were manie that serued the king and there fought with the princes freends at Lhandeilo Vawr and gave them an overthrow wherein on the kings side yoong William de Valence his coosen germane and foure knightes more were slaine And all this while the Prince destroied the countrie of Caerdigan and all the lands of Rees ap Meredyth who serued the king in all these warres But afterward the prince separated himselfe from his armie with a few and came to Buelht thinking to remaine there quietlie for a while and by chance as he came by the water Wy there were Edmund Mortimer and Iohn Gifford with a great number of soldiours and either partie were abashed of other Edmund Mortimers men were of that country for his father was lord therof Then the prince departed from his men and went to the vallie with his esquire alone to talke with certeine lords of the countrie who had promised to meete him there Then some of his men seeing their enimies come downe from the hill kept the bridge called Pont Orewyn defended the passage manfullie till one declared to the Englishmen where a foord was a little beneath through the which they sent a number of their men with Helias Walwyn who suddenlie fell vpon them that defended the bridge in their backs and put them to flight The princes esquire told the Prince as he stood secretlie abiding the comming of such as promised to meete him in a little groue that he heard a great noise and crie at the bridge and the prince asked whether his men had taken the bridge and he said Yes Then said the Prince I passe not if all the power of England were vpon the other side But suddenlie behold the horssemen about the groue and as he would haue escaped to his men they pursued him so hard that one Adam Francton ranne him thorough with a staffe being vnarmed and knew him not and his men being but a few stood and fought boldlie euer looking for their Prince till the Englishmen by force of archers mixt with the horssemen wanne the hill and put them to flight And as they returned Francton went to spoile him whome he had slaine and when he saw his face he knew him verie well and stroke off his head and sent it to the king at the Abbie of Conwey who receiued it with great ioy and caused it to be set vpon one of the highest turrets of the Towre of London This was the end of Lhewelyn beetraied by the men of Buelht who was the last Prince of Brytaines blood who bare dominion and rule in Wales So that the rule and gouernment of the Brytaines euer continued in some place of Brytaine from the first comming of Brutus which was in the yeare before Christes incarnation 1136. to the yeare after Christ 1282. by the space of 2418. yeares Shortlie after that the King had brought all the countrie to his subiection the countrie men themselues brought to him Dauid the Princes brother whome he kept in Ruthlan castell and after put him to death at Shrewesburie Then the king builded two strong holdes in Northwales the one at Conwey and the other at Caernaruan When Rees Vachan hard how all things went he yeelded himselfe to the Earle of Hereford who at the kings commandement sent him to the Towre of London to be imprisoned there And so the king passed through all Wales and brought all the countrie in subiection to the crowne of England to this daie Thus endeth the Historie of the Brytish Princes The Princes of Wales of the blood royall of England collected for the most part out of the Records in the Towre Edward of Caernaruon Then the king hauing the countrie at his will gaue whole lordships and townes in the middest of Wales vnto English lords as the lordship of Denbigh to Henrie Lacy Earle of Lincolne the lordship of Ruthyn to the lord Reginald Gray second sonne to Iohn lord Gray of Wilton and other lands to manie of his nobilitie This Henrie Lacy lord of Denbigh was the sonne of Edmund Lacy the sonne of Iohn Lacy lord of Halton Pomfret and Constable of Chester who maried Margaret the eldest daughter and one of the heires of Robert Quincy Erle of Lincolne the said Henrie married Margaret the daughter and sole heire of William Longspee Earle of Sarum and had issue Edmund and Iohn which both died yoong of whom the one perished by a fall into a verie déepe well within the castell of Denbigh and a daughter named Alicia maried vnto Thomas Plantagenet Earle of Lancaster who was in the right of his said wife Earle of Lincolne and Sarum lord of Denbigh Halton Pomfret and constable of Chester After the death of the said Thomas king Edward the second gaue the lordship of Denbigh to Hugh lord Spencer Earle of Winchester after whose death the same lordship was giuen by king Edward the third Anno Regni sui primo as appeareth of Record to Roger Mortimer Earle of March with diuerse other lordships in the Marches in performance of the kings promise while he remained in France with his mother for the prouision of a thousand pound lands of a reasonable extent for the said Roger assoone as by Gods grace he should come to the possession of the crowne and kingdome of England Within few yeares after the Earle of March being attainted the said lordship of Denbigh was giuen by the same king to the lord Montagu Earle of Sarum but shortlie after An. 29. Ed. 3. it was restored againe with the Earldome of March to the Mortimers in the which house the same remained vntill the whole inheritance of the Mortimers came with a daughter to the house of Yorke and so to the crowne as appeareth before pag. 317. And now of late it was giuen by the Quéenes Maiestie that now is An. Regni sui 6. to the right honorable Robert Earle of Leycester who was then created Baron of Denbigh it is counted now one of the greatest and best lordships in England The lordship of Ruthyn continued in the possession of the Grayes vntill in the time of king Henrie the seuenth George Gray Earle of Kent and lord of Ruthyn passed the same vpon some bargaine to the king and now it is of the possession of the right honorable the Earle of Warwicke There came the same time with king Edward to Northwales diuerse Gentlemen who grew afterward to be men of great possessions in the countrie whose posteritie doo enioy the same to this daie Rees ap
learned and wise and in great fauour with the king who sent him sundrie times in embassages to forreine Princes and now he had the gouernement of the kings onelie daughter ladie Marie Princesse of Wales Of all the Bishops in the land he was counted the courtlikest and the best Courtier and although he was well reported of for his learning yet was he better liked for his courtlike behauiour which in the end turned not so much to his credit as to the vtter ruine and spoile of his church for of xxij lordships and manours which his predecessors had and least vnto him of a goodlie yearelie reuenue he leaft but thrée and them also leased out And where he found fouretéene houses well furnished he leaft onlie one house bare and without furniture and yet charged with sundrie fées and annuities by meanes whereof that bishopricke which sometimes was counted one of the best is now become in temporall lands one of the meanest and a place scarse leaft for the Bishop to laie and rest his head in yet neuerthelesse he was a great fauorer of learned men and speciallie of diuines whom he preferred in his church aboue all others He was verie bounteous and liberall vnto all men but speciallie vnto courtiers vnto his owne kindred and countrimen Upon many he bestowed vnto the confusion of some of them and vpon other he spent much by building of a towne named Sutton Colshull where he was borne which he procured to be incorporated and made a market towne and set vp therein making of kersies but all in the end came to small effect ELIZABETH Rowland Lee bishop of Couentrie and Lichfield was in the 26. yéere of king Henrie the eight sent to be Lord President of the kings maiesties Counsell in the marches of Wales in whose time the principalitie and countrie of Wales was by Parlement incorporated and vnited vnto the kingdome of England and all the inhabitants thereof made equall in fréedomes liberties rights priuileges lawes and in all other respects to the naturall subiects of England and all inheritances were made of English tenure to descend without diuision or partition after the maner of England Also the lawes statutes and ordinances of the realme of England were commanded to be executed and put in practise within the contrie and principalitie of Wales and none other And to the end the said lawes should be dulie put in execution the whole dominion of Wales togither with the lordships marchers bordering vpon the same was diuided into xiij shires or counties wherefore xij made foure circuits to the which circuits there were seuerall Iudges appointed who should administer iustice to the inhabitants of euerie of the said shires twise in the yéere The first circuit was the thrée shires of Eastwales Denbygh Flynt and Mountgomrie wherin the Iustice of Chester kéepeth sessions twise in the yéere hearing and deciding all titles trespasses variance and misdemeanours within the countrie The Iustice of Northwales doth the like in the thrée shires of Northwales Anglesey Caernaruon and Meryonyth which doo make the second circuit The third circuit are the thrée shires of Westwales Caerdigan Caermardhyn and Penbrooke where the Iustice of that countrie kéepeth his sessions euerie yéere twise The thrée shires of Southwales Radnor Brechnocke and Glamorgan doo make the fourth circuit in the which the Iustice of Southwales dooth kéepe sises twise euerie yéere And bicause all matters as well of lawe as of equitie are heard and determined in these circuits the same doo continue sixe daies in euerie of the shires aforenamed Monmouthshire dooth followe the common order of the shires of England suing all originall writs out of the high court of chancerie In all these shires there were appointed Shirifes Iustices of peace Crowners and all other officers accordinglie as they are in England Further for the kéeping of the countrie in continuall obedience and the controlling of the outrage of wilfull and vnrulie persons there was ordeined a President and counsell to remaine within the dominion and Principalitie of Wales with all officers appertaining to the same Which President and councell haue power and authoritie to heare and determine by their wisdomes and discretions such causes and matters as are assigned to them by the Kings or Quéens of England for the time being And certeinlie let men imagine what they will this house was it that after great hatred and persecution whereof disobedience and rudenes folowed reduced the countrie of Wales to quietnesse obedience and ciuilitie by authoritie whereof not onelie great outrages are appeased the offendors punished and the wilfull brideled but also the quiet and obedient subiect is protected and defended from iniurie so that he may possesse his owne in quietnesse Wherein this Bishop Rowland Lee and his associats did notable good seruice And surelie there haue béene of the same house verie wise gouernors and men of great credit namelie Nicholas Heath Archbishop of Yorke and Lord Chancelor of England Thomas Yoong Archbishop also of Yorke Iohn Whitgift now Archbishop of Canturburie and diuers other of whom I am to speake héereafter In the 29. yéere of king Henrie the eight prince Edward his sonne was borne at Hampton court on S. Edwards euen being the 12. of October who bicause the principalitie of Wales was now by statute as I said before incorporated to the crowne and kingdome of England being vnder the same lawes and iurisdiction was none otherwise Prince of Wales than vnder the generall title of England as the king his father was king of England and vnder that name K. of Wales as a member of England neither doo I read of anie other creation or inuestiture that he had to that principalitie therefore I thought it not conuenient to make any speciall title of him after the said statute He afterward succéeded his father in the crowne of this realme by the name of king Edward the sixt The said Rowland Lee died L. President in the xxxiiij yéere of King Henrie the eight and lieth buried at Shrewesburie After him Richard Sampson bishop of Chichester was remooued to Couentrie and Lichfield and appointed Lord President of Wales in the xxxv yéere of king Henrie the eight and so continued L. President vntill the end of the 2. yéere of the reigne of king Edward the sixt Iohn Sutton alias Dudley Earle of Warwike and knight of the noble order of the garter was in the third yéere of King Edward the sixt appointed Lord President of Wales in the which office he continued vntill the fourth yéere of the same king He descended out of Wales by a daughter of the Lord Powys for he was the sonne of Edmund the sonne of Iohn a yoonger sonne of Iohn Lord Dudley the sonne of Iohn Lord Dudley the sonne of Iohn Lord Dudley the son of Iohn Lord Dudley the sonne of Iohn Sutton Baron Dudley who maried Isabell the daughter of sir Iohn Charlton
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
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
his iournie to meete with Haroald he was cruellie and traitorouslie slaine by his owne men and his head brought to Haroald who appointed and placed Meredyth the sonne of Owen ap Edwyn prince and ruler in Southwales and he with his brother Tosty returned home Some doo report that Haroald about the rogation wéeke by the kings commandement went against the Welshmen and taking the sea sailed by Bristowe round about the coast compassing in maner all Wales His brother Tosty that was Earle of Northumberland met him by appointment with an host of horsemen and so ioining together they destroied the countrie of Southwales in such sort that the Welshmen were compelled to submit themselues to deliuer hostages and conditioned to paie the ancient tribute which before time they had paied The people of that countrie bicause Gruffyth their prince fled at the comming of Haroald and left them to be a prey for the enimie hated him fore whome as soone as he returned to them againe they slue and sent his head to Haroald which he sent to the king After whose death king Edward granted the principalitie of Northwales to Blethyn and Rywalhon the sonnes of Convyn brethren to Gruffyth by the mothers side who did homage vnto him for the same This Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn gouerned Wales 34. yeares valiantlie and woorthilie he neuer fought but he bare awaie the victorie he was gentle to his subiects and cruell to his foes looued of the one and feared of the other liberall to strangers costlie in apparell and princelie in all his dooings and vnwoorthie of that cruell death that the ambitious desire of rule did prouoke his vnkind subiects and vnnaturall coosens to prepare for so noble a prince and so gentle a maister as hee was Blethyn and Rywalhon Blethyn and Rywalhon the sonnes fo Convyn AFter the decease of king or prince Gruffyth Meredyth the sonne of Owen ap Edwyn which Edwyn as some writers saie was the sonne of Howel Dha did take vpon him the gouernment of Southwales and Blethyn and Rywalhon the sonnes of Convyn and halfe brethren to king Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn as they which were borne of Angharat daughter to Meredyth king of Wales did gouerne Northwales Conan the sonne of Iago being all this time with his father in lawe in Ireland About this time it fortuned that as Haroald serued the king with drinke at Windsor his brother Tofty mooued with enuie that his yonger brother should be preferred before him pulled him by the haire of the head and ouerthrewe him Then departing thence full of rancor and malice to Hereford where Haroald had prepared great cheere for the king he slue all Haroalds seruants and cut off their heads armes legs noses feet and hands and filled all the vessels of wine meath beere and ale therwith and sent the King word that he should want no powdred and sowsed meats when he came thither as for other things let him make prouision himselfe For which heinous offense the king banished him the land for euer Caradoc ap Gruffyth ap Rytherch was the first that procured Haroald for to come to Wales against Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn hoping by him to atteine vnto the gouernement of Southwales But it fell out otherwise for when Haroald vnderstood that he should not get that at the hands of Caradoc which he looked for which was a certaine lordship within Wales nigh vnto Hereford and knowing also Caradoc to be subtile and deceiptfull man compounding with Meredyth ap Owen for that lordship he made him king or prince of Southwales and banished Caradoc out of the countrie Afterward Haroald hauing obteined that lordship builded there a princelie and sumptuous house at a place called Portaslyth and diuers times earnestlie inuited the king to come to sée the same at the length the king being then at Glocester not far off granted him his request wherevpon Haroald made such preparation as is before mentioned for him which was thus most horribly abused by Tosty Soone after this wicked act the said Caradoc ap Gruffyth came to the same house and to be reuenged vpon Haroald killed all the workemen and laborers that were there at worke and all the seruants and people of Haroald that he could find and defacing the worke carried awaie those things that with great labour and expenses had béene brought thither to set out and beautifie the building Haroald and his brother were cheefe Iusticers of the land and they vsed when they saw any manor house or farme that pleased them to cause the owner to be murthered by night with all his children and houshold and then to seise the land into their owne hands Now when the people of Northumberland heard the exile of Tosty which was their Earle they reioised much for they hated him to the death Wherfore cōming to Yorke they slue all his familie aswell Englishmen as Danes Then ioining to them the men of Lincolneshire Notingham and Derbyshire they made Marcher sonne of Earle Algar their captaine and to them came his brother Edwyn with his people and a great number of Welshmen and they went burning spoiling to Hampton where Haroald met with them sent from the king to know their willes and they said they would haue Marcher Earle ouer them which the king granted confirmed Whervpon they returned the one to the North the other to Wales spoiling and burning all the countrie and lead with them manie thousand prisoners The yeare following being 1066. king Edward died and was buried at Westminster This was the last King of Saxon or English bloud that reigned in this land which from Cerdicke king of Westsaxons had continued 544. and from Egbert the first Monarch 171. yeares After the death of Edward some would haue preferred Edgar Edeling as right heire to the crowne but Haroald being of great power more rich and better freended obtained it nothing weieng his oth and promise to William Duke of Normandie which Duke calling all his nobles together declared them the wrongs he had receiued at Haroalds hands First the death of his coosen Alfred then the banishment of the Archbishop Robert and Earle Odan with all the Normanes and thirdlie his oth and promise broken declaring also the titles he had to England aswell by the former promise of Edward made to him in Normandie that if euer he enioied the crowne of England William should be his heire as also by cosinage and by the oth and promise of Haroald Which matter considered by the nobilitie of Normandie with all the dangers and difficulties of this expedition brought them to such perplexitie that the more part feared the end Then William Fitzosbert the Dukes sewer seing how they were bent dissuaded them from that viage wherfore they agreed all that he should declare their minds to the duke Then he came to him and said I with all my men and power am readie to liue and die with thee in this iournie which
when the other heard vpon their promise they were readie to follow so made readie a great nauie In the meane while Tosty entred Humber with 40. saile but Earle Edwyn met with him and put him to flight who as he failed toward Scotland met with Haroald king of Norwaie with 300. saile comming towards England and ioining with him they both entred Humber and hauing landed their armie they came to Yorke where both Earles Edwyn Marcher gaue them battell vpon the south part of the towne but Haroald and Tosty bare awaie the victorie and spoiled the citie then marched forwards toward Stamfordbridge where Haroald king of England and all his power did meete with them And after a long fight manie valiant acts atchieued on both sides euen from morning till noone at what time the Norwaies began to retire backe ouer the water one of them worthie not to be forgotten kept the passage vpon the bridge with his axe against all the armie of England till three of the clock and slew 40. men but at the last one got vnder the bridge and with his speare gaue him his deaths wound through the bridge Then the armie passed ouer the bridge and put the Norwaies to flight and slew Haroald their king and Tosty where not one man escaped of all the number that was not either killed or burned Then Haroald entred Yorke with great ioie and triumph as he sate at dinner there came a post who told him how Duke William was landed at Suwerhide and had fortified himself with a trench at Hastings With which tidings Haroald being nothing dismaied made expedition thitherward Where William diuiding his armie into fiue battels made a long oration vnto his soldiours wherein he declared the worthinesse of their forefathers the Danes and Norwaies aswell against the Englishmen which were neuer able to abide their force as against the Frenchmen and other nations and how they were accustomed to ouercome at all times being well horssed well armed and good archers had now to doo with a nation onelie taught to trust to their feete euill horssed vnarmed and such as knew not how to occupie their bowes Then he brought his people to the field but Haroald couched all his armie in one battell as nigh togither as they could well stand and so set vpon his enimies And after long fight William caused his men to retire as if they fled then the Englishmen folowed apase and brake their araie which when William perceiued he brought in a battell of fresh Normanes who entred Haroalds battell and fought so sore that Haroald was hurt with an arrow and afterward slaine and so the Englishmen left the Normanes both the field and the victorie The yeare folowing VVilliam passed the sea to Normandie then Edgar Edeling came out of Scotland to Yorke for the people of the countrie had slaine Robert to whome VVilliam had giuen that Earldome and 900. men with him and had receiued Edgar for their king But VVilliam returning from Normandie destroied all the North countrie and chased Edgar to Scotland againe Also Edrike Syluaticus the sonne of Alfrike Earle of Mercia refusing to submit himselfe as other had done when he saw that the king was departed to Normandie rose against such as were left in his absence to kéepe the land in obedience wherevpon those that laie in the castell of Hereford Richard fitz Scrope and others oftentimes inuaded his lands and wasted the goods of his tenants but as often as they came against him they alwaies lost some of their owne men at length he calling to his aid the kings of Wales Blethyn and Rywalhon wasted the countrie of Hereford euen to Wye bridge and then returned with a maruelous great spoile This yeare also being 1068. Meredyth and Ithel the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn raised a great power against Blethyn and Rywalhon kings of Northwales and met with them at a place called Mechain where after long fight there were slaine vpon the one part Ithel and vpon the other part Rywalhon and Meredyth put to flight whome Blethyn pursued so straightlie that he starued for cold and hunger vpon the mountaines and so Blethyn the sonne of Convyn remained the onlie king of Powys and Northwales About this time Swayne king of Denmarke and Osburne his brother came to Humber with 300. sailes and to them came Edgar Edeling and Earle VValtelfe who all together came to Yorke and wan the castell and laie that winter betwixt Ouse and Trent till the king came thither and chased the Danes to their ships and destroied the inhabitants of the countrie but Earle VValtheof he receiued to mercie At this time Caradoc sonne to Gruffyth ap Rytherch ap Iestyn caused a great number of Frenchmen for so the Brytish booke calleth the Normanes to enter Southwales to whom he ioined his power of Gwentland and gaue Meredyth the king of that countrie an ouerthrow and slue him vpon the riuer of Rympyn At the same time also Dermot Maken Anel the worthiest and noblest prince that euer ruled in Ireland was murthered The two Earles Edwyn and Marcher with Hereward gathered an armie against the king but Edwyn was slaine of his owne people and the other tooke the Ile of Elie which the king so sore besieged that he shortlie tooke Marcher and his complices but Hereward escaped his hands manfully whom the king folowed to Scotland made Malcolme king of the land his subiect and vassall Then after the king passed to Normandie and receiued Edgar Edeling to his mercie And about this time the Normanes did lead a great power to VVestwales by sea and destroied Dyuet and the countrie of Caerdigan and caried awaie much spoile and did so likewise the yeare folowing Bleythyd Bishop of Meneuia or S. Dauids died at this time and Sulien was Bishop in his place Not long after this time Radulph Earle of Eastangles conspired against the king with Roger Earle of Hereford Earle VValtheof at the mariage of the said Radulph with Rogers sister in Essex the matter was opened but it pleased not the rest Therefore Radulph tooke shipping in Norwich fled to Denmarke and the king suddenlie comming ouertooke VValtheof and Roger of whom VValtheof was beheaded Roger committed to prison the people all slaine among whom there were a great number of VVelshmen This Radulphs mother came out of VVales which was the cause of the Welshmens being there for Radulph sent for manie of his mothers friends and kinsmen to come to this marriage meaning through their aid and procurement to get the princes and people of VVales to ioine with him in this enterprise He also and his complices sent to Cnute king of Denmarke promising him the kingdome of England to aid him against VVilliam the bastard But William being aduertised of all these things ouerthrew all their deuises for by his sudden comming vppon them out of Normandie he
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
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
Mountgomery to whom the Conqueror had giuen the Earldome of Arundell and Salopsburie or Shrewsburie entred into Powys land and wan the castell and towne of Baldwyn which he fortified and called it Mountgomery after his owne name Also this yeare William Rufus went to Normandie against his brother Robert and sent to England for 30000. footemen of whome when they came to the sea shore the king tooke ten shillings a peece and sent them home But shortlie after hee made a voiage into Northumberland against the Earle which rebelled and after he had taken Newcastell and Bamborough hee tooke the Earle at Tinmouth and returned homeward The same yeare Gruffyth ap Conan king of Northwales with Cadogan ap Blethyn who then ruled Southwales entred the land of Cardigan killed a great number of Normanes being not able anie longer to suffer their great pride and crueltie But after their returne the English captaines sent for more men to England and thought priuilie to make a roade to Northwales Which iournie was discouered to Cadogan who gathered his power and met with them in the wood or forrest of Yspys and set vpon them with great hew and crie and they defended themselues manfullie but in the end they were compelled to flee with great losse and Cadogan followed them hard and spoiled the countrie of Cardigan and Dyuet and destroied all the castels sauing two which were Penbrooke and Rydcors which he could not get and so returned to Powys with much ioy In this yeare 1093. the Normanes that inhabited the countrie of Glamorgan spoiled the countries of Kydwely and Ystrad Tywy and left them without anie inhabitors Then VVilliam Rufus being informed of the great slaughter of his subiects aswell in Chesshire Shropshire VVorcestershire and Herefordshire as within VVales which Gruffyth ap Conan and the sonnes of Blethyn ap Convyn had doone gathered his power together and entred VVales at Mountgomery which castell being latelie ouerthrowne by the VVelshmen he reedified againe but the VVelshmen kept so the straites of the mountaines with the woods and the riuers that the king did no good but lost his labour and his men therfore he returned backe to his great dishonor In the yeare 1094. died VVilliam the sonne of Baldwyn who at the kings commandement had built the castell of Rydcors after whose death the castell was forsaken by his men and the inhabitants of Gwyr Brechnock Gwent Gwentlhwc cast from their necks the burthen of the Normanes that had wonne their countries and held them in subiection and chased them out of their countries but they returned againe with great strength of Englishmen and Normanes Then the countrie men which abhorred their pride and cruell rule met with them at a place called Celly Tarvawc and fought with them manfullie so that they put them to flight with great slaughter and chased them backe againe out of the land Neuertheles the greedie Normanes would not giue ouer but doubling their strength returned againe to Brechnockshire making a vow to leaue no liuing thing within that countrie But it hapned otherwise for the people fled before them and staid at a straite and killed a great number of them About this time Roger Mountgomery Earle of Salop and Arundell William Fitzeustace Earle of Glocester Arnold de Harecourt and Neale le Vicount were slaine betwéene Cardyf and Brechnock by the Welshmen Also Walter Eureux Earle of Sarum and Hugh Earle Gourney were there hurt and died after in Normandie Therefore when the Normanes saw that they had all the losse they manned and victailed the castels which they had before time builded there and returned backe but in their returne Gruffyth and Ivor the sonnes of Ednerth ap Cadogan met them vpon the sudden at Aberlhech and falling vpon them slew the most part of them and the rest escaped to England But the Normane captaines defended the castels manfullie and kept them vntill they were driuen by force for safegard of their liues to forsake them then the ancient dwellers enioied their countries againe quietlie Moreouer certeine lords of Northwals namelie Vchthed the sonne of Edwyn ap Grono and Howel ap Grono with the children of Cadogan ap Blethyn of Powys land gathered a number of men passed through Cardiganshire to Dyuet which countrie the king a little before had giuen to Arnulph sonne to Roger Mountgomery who had builded there the castell of Penbrooke and appointed keeper and steward of the same one Gerald de Windsore and there burned spoiled and destroied all the countrie sauing the said castell of Penbrooke which they could not winne and so returned home with great bootie After the returne of these lords Gerald issued out of the castell and spoiled the lands of S. Dauids and tooke manie prisoners and returned to the castell The yeare following William Rufus returning from Normandie to England and hearing of the great slaughter of his men doone by the Welshmen gathered all his power with great pompe and pride entred Wales But the Brytaines fearing the great strength of the king put their hope onlie in the almightie Lord turning to him in fasting praier and repentance of their sinnes and he that neuer forsaketh the penitent and contrite hart heard their praiers so that the Normanes and Englishmen durst neuer enter the land but such as entred were all slaine and the king returned with small honor after he had built certaine castels in the marches The yeare following being 1096. Hugh de Mountgomerie Earle of Arundell and Salopsburie whom the Welshmen call Hugh Goch that is to saie Hugh the read headed and Hugh Vras that is Hugh the fat Earle of Chester and a great number of Nobles more did gather a huge armie and entred into Northwales being thereto mooued by certeine Lords of the countrie But Gruffyth ap Conan the Prince and Cadogan ap Blethyn tooke the hilles and mountaines for their defense bicause they were not able to meete with the Erles neither durst they well trust their owne men And so the Erles came ouer against the Ile of Môn or Anglesey where they did build a castell of Aberlhiennawc Then Gruffyth and Cadogan did go to Anglesey thinking to defend the Ile and sent for succour to Ireland but they receiued verie small Then the treason appeared for Owen ap Edwyn who was the Princes cheefe counseller and his father in lawe whose daughter Gruffyth had married hauing himselfe also married Everyth the daughter of Convyn aunt to Cadogan was the cheefe caller of those strangers into Wales who openlie went with all his power to them and did lead them to the Ile of Anglesey which thing when Gruffyth and Cadogan perceiued they sailed to Ireland mistrusting the treason of their owne people Then the Earles spoiled the Ile and slew all that they found there And at the verie same time Magnus the sonne of Haroald came with a great nauie of ships towards England minding
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
the king put such confidence in him encouraged his men to doo their indeuour at this time to pleasure the King as they had doone heretofore to offend him and so ioining with Lhywarch they went towards Stratywy to meete with the kings sonne And when they came to the confines of the countrie they made a vowe that neither man woman nor child should escape their hands aliue When the people vnderstood of this cruell band they fled out of the countrie some to woods some to rocks and caues and some to the kings castels to saue their liues Then they diuided their people to enter the woods and straits which be verie manie in that countrie And Owen himselfe tooke with him about 100. men and entred the wood and perceiued that men and cattell had passed that waie whom he followed and ouertooke slaieng some of them put the rest to flight then taking their cattell returned backe towards his companie But at that instant behold Gerald steward of Penbroke with all his power of Flemings was comming to meete the kings sonne and met with them that fled who cried out vnto him for helpe and declared that Owen ap Cadogan had spoiled them of all their goods Now when Gerald and the Flemings vnderstood that Owen was there with so litle companie they thought it a meete time to be reuenged of their old wrongs and so pursued him to the woods Owen being warned by his men that a great number pursued him and counselled to make hast awaie would not so doo bicause he vnderstood them that followed to be the kings freends and nothing doubted of them But when they came nigh they began to shoot at his men who would haue had Owen to flee but he turned manfullie to his enimies and encouraged his men to fight affirming that although their enimies were seauen to one yet they were but Flemings and such as feared their names and were good for nothing but to emptie cuppes and with that set vpon them couragiouslie And it chanced that at the first meeting Owen was stricken with an arrowe to the heart and slaine which thing when his men sawe they fled and brought word to Lhywarch ap Trahaern and their fellowes who suspecting the kings armie seeing they could not trust them in the kings seruice returned to their countrie About this time the order and court of Parliament began first in England The kings of elder time did neuer lightlie call togither all the states of the realme vnlesse it were in the begining of their gouernment to settle things in quietnesse at their Coronations or when some great warre was in hand otherwise in the ordering of the common wealth the kings did all things by their officers with directions and edicts or by such of the nobilitie as were chifee rulers in their seuerall counties After the death of Owen his brethren diuided his landes betweene them sauing that which he had taken by force from his vncle Meredyth being the lands of Madoc ap Riryd ap Blethyn The names of his brethren were these Madoc whose mother was Gwenlhian the daughter of Gruffyth ap Conan Eneon whose mother was Sanna the daughter of Dyfnwal Morgan whose mother was Evelhiw or Elhiw the daughter of Cadivor ap Colhoyn lord of Dyuet Henrie and Gruffyth whose mother was the daughter of the lord Pigot Cadogans wedded wife Meredyth by Evrvron Hoedliw Owen was the sonne of Inerth the daughter of Edwyn After this Eneon ap Cadogan and Gruffyth ap Meredyth ap Blethyn did lead their power against a castell that Vchtryd ap Edwyn had built at Cymmer in Merionyth for Cadogan had giuen to his coosen germane Vchtryd Merionyth and Ceuilioc vpon condition that he and his should be freends to his freends and foes to his foes in all causes but contrarie to that condition he and his sonnes were euer against Cadogans children in euerie enterprise that they went about Therfore after they had set vpon the castell and slaine diuerse of the garrison the rest yeelded to them and so when they had wonne all the countrie they diuided it betwixt them Thus Gruffyth ap Meredyth had Mowthwy Cyuelioc and halfe Penlhyn and the other halfe of Penlhyn Merionyth came to Eneon An. 1116. king Henrie sailed into Normandie with a great armie against the French king who with the Erle of Flanders and others went about to make William sonne to Robert Curthoise duke of Normandie but at king Henries arriuall they returned home without honor This yeere died William Strangbow of a consumption The next yeare after fell a great variance betweene Howel ap Ithel Lord of Ros and Ryuonioc now Denbighland and Riryd and Lhywarch the sonnes of Owen ap Edwyn Then Howel sent to Meredyth ap Blethyn and to Eneon and Madoc Cadogans sonnes for succour who came downe from Merionyth with 400. men well appointed and met with the sonnes of Owen in the vallie of Clwyd their owne land which sonnes of Owen sent for their coosines the sonnes of Vchtryd to come with their powers to succour them all these met togither with cruell harts and fought manfully but in the end after great slaughter Lhywarch the sonne of Owen ap Edwyn was slaine and with him Iorwerth the sonne of Nudh which was a noble man and a worthie soldiour and Riryd fled and so Howel ap Ithel had the victorie but he was so sore wounded that he died within fourtie daies after Then Meredyth ap Blethyn and the sonnes of Cadogan made speed home for feare of the Frenchmen which laie in garrisons about Chester In the yeare 1120. died Murcart the worthiest and greatest prince in all Ireland And the same time there was a great battell fought betweene king Henrie and the French king who was ouerthrowne and a great number of his nobles taken And shortlie after as king Henrie returned towards England by misgouernment of the shipmaster there was a ship drowned wherein perished the kings two sonnes William and Richard with his daughter and niece and manie other to the number of 150. The next yeare after the king did marrie Adelyce daughter to the duke of Louaine forthwith prepared a great armie against Wales and came to Powys land which when the lords of the land Meredyth ap Blethyn and the three sons of Cadogan Eneon Madoc and Morgan saw they sent to Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales to desire succours at his hands and he answered that they should not receiue anie of him nor enter within his lands for he had made peace with the king Thus hauing no hope of aid from him they purposed to defend themselues within their owne land after the best maner they could and set men to keepe and defend the straits wherby their enimies must needes passe And as it chanced the king himselfe with a small number came vnto one of those defended places for his whole armie had goone a further waie
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
Reynald Bruse came to him with sixe knights in his companie and desired his father in law of pardon for his offense who receiuing him gentlie did not onlie forgiue him but also gaue him the castell of Senghennyth and Reynald committed the same to the custodie of Rees Vachan Lhewelyn after he had set all things in good order in that countrie marched to Dyuet and being at Cefn Cynwarchan the Flemings sent to him to desire peace but the Prince would not grant them their request Then yoong Rees was the first that passed the riuer Cledheu to fight with them of the towne Wherevpon Iorwerth bishop of S. Dauids with all his clergie came to the Prince to desire peace to the Flemings which after long debating was thus concluded First that all the inhabitants of Ros and the land of Penbrooke should become the princes subiects and euer from thencefoorth take him for their liege Lord. Secondarilie that they should paie him a 1000. markes towards his charges before Michaelmas next cōming Thirdlie that for the performance of these they should deliuer forthwith to the Prince twentie pledges of the best in all the countrie which things they did Then the prince after he had brought all VVales to his subiection returned to Northwales with much honour Shortlie after there was a peace concluded betwixt the king and Lewys the French kings sonne Wherevpon the king promising the barons all their requests Lewys returned toward France Then shortlie after VVilliam Marshall Earle of Penbrooke got the towne of Caerlhêon and made warre against the VVelshmen whom contrarie to their promise the barons leaft out of the conclusion of peace The barons were verie glad of the fréendship and aid of the prince of Wales to serue their turne But now in the generall conclusion of the peace contrarie to their oth and promise they reserue out Wales to kéepe them plaie withall hoping to get some more land thereby Therefore let men take héed how they build vpon Turne-seruing Freendship Wherevpon Rees Vachan rased the castell of Senghennyth all the castels he had in his custodie in that countrie and banished all the Englishmen that dwelled there with their wiues and children for euer and diuided the countrie to the Welshmen who haue kept it vnto this daie The yeare ensuing prince Lhewelyn put his garrisons in the castels of Caermardhin and Aberteiui Then yoong Rees by the princes consent went to the king did him homage for his lands At this time William Earle of Arundell Rondell Earle of Chester William Ferrers Earle of Derbie and Bryan Lisle tooke their voiage toward the holie land In the yeare folowing Rees Gryc sonne to prince Rees married the daughter of the Earle of Clare and Iohn de Bruse married Marret the daughter of prince Lhewelyn At that time William Marshall the elder died leauing after him fiue sonnes and fiue daughters which daughters were thus married Mawd to Hugh Bygod Ioane to Warren de Mount Chensey Isabell to Gilbert de Clare Sibill to William Earle of Derbie and Eua to William de Bruse betwixt which fiue all his great inheritance was after diuided for all his sonnes died without issue and were euerie one after another Erles of Penbrooke The yeare 1220. Lhewelyn prince of VVales lead an armie to Penbrooke against the Flemings who contrarie to their oth and league had taken the castell of Aberteiui which castell the Prince wanne and destroied putting the garrison to the sword rased the castell went thence to the land of Gwys where he rased that castell and burned the towne Also he caused all Hauerford to be burned to the castell gates and destroied all Ros and Daugledhau and they which kept the castell sent to him for truse till Maie which was concluded vpon conditions and so he returned home Also this yeare certeine lords of Wales besieged the castell of Buelht which was Reynalds de Bruse Therefore the king came with an armie to the marches and raised the siege and came as far as Mountgomerie and built a new castell there As William de Albineto Earle of Arundell Henrie de Bohune Earle of Hereford and Sayer de Quincie Earle of Winchester were comming home from the holie land they died by the waie The yeare following there fell a great dissention betwixt prince Lhewelyn and Gruffyth his sonne for this Gruffyth enioied the Cantref of Merionyth without his fathers consent and therefore his father sent for him to come vnto him but he would not come therefore the Prince sware that he would be reuenged vpon him and his complices for that dishonor and then came with a great armie to Merionyth but his sonne fearing not the father got his people in the field readie to abide the battell but as they were in fight there was a peace concluded and Gruffyth yeelded to his father and cried him mercie Then Lhewelyn although he forgaue his sonne his offense yet he tooke Merionyth and Ardydwy from him building a castell there returned home againe At this time yoong Rees forsooke prince Lhewelyn bicause Aberteiui was not deliuered him as the promise was at the diuiding of Southwales and went to William Marshall Earle of Penbrooke therefore Lhewelyn came to Aberystwyth and seased the castell and all that territorie to his owne vse Then yoong Rees hearing this went vnto the king to complaine vpon the Prince and the king sent for the prince to Shrewesburie and made him and Rees freends the prince promising to deale with Rees for Aberteiui as he had done with Maelgon for Caermardhin This winter Iohn de Bruse by the consent of prince Lhewelyn fortified the castell of Senghennyth at that time also Isabell the kings mother maried the son of Hugh de Brune Earle of March without making the king priuie thereto William de Fortibus Earle of Albemarle about this time made an insurrection in Lincolneshire which was soone appeased then the king seased into his hands certaine honors and castels that diuerse men kept in their possessions without iust cause as Foulke de Breant kept the Earldoms of Northampton Oxford Bedford and Buckingham with the castels and holdes Peter de Malo lacu the castels of Corff and Shirburne with Somersetshire and Dorcestershire and the liberties and forrests Philip de Marke the castels of Peke and Notingham Notinghamshire and Derbyshire Gigelard de Siconia kept Windsore and Odhiam which for the most part the king receiued to his hands Also Hubert de Burgh was created Earle of Kent and chiefe Iustice of England who tooke to wife the king of Scots sister The yeare after yoong Rees sonne to Gruffyth ap Rees departed out of this world being a lustie gentleman and endued with manie notable vertues and was buried at Stratflur whose inheritance Lhewelyn diuided betweene his brother Owen and his vncle Maelgon The yeare after Christes incarnation 1223. William Marshall came from Ireland and landed at S. Dauids with
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
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 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
soldiers and such as the king loued well Therefore the king called his strength to him and sent to Gascoine and Ireland for succours and then comming to VVales in haruest time destroied all the corne that was in his waie yet he went not farre beyond Chester but returned backe without dooing any notable act for God as Matthew Paris saith defended the poore people that put their whole confidence in him The lord Iames Audeley whose daughter Gruffyth lord of Bromfield had married brought a great number of horssemen frō Almaine to serue against the VVelshmen who with their great horsses and vnaccustomed kind of fight ouerthrew the VVelshmen at the first encounter Wherefore the VVelshmen shortlie after minding to reuenge that displeasure made road into the said lord Audleys lands where the Almaines set vpon them pursuing hard such as fled to the straits who vsing that flight for a policie returned againe so suddenlie and so fearslie vpon the Almaines that they being not able to retire vpon the sudden were almost all slaine At this time there was great scarsitie in England of beefes and horsses whereof they were woont to haue manie thousands yeerelie out of VVales and all the marches were made as a desolate and desart place The next spring all the nobles of VVales came togither and sware to defend their countrie to the death and neuer to forsake one another and that vpon paine of cursing but shortlie after Meredyth ap Rees of Southwales not regarding his oth serued the king Then the king called a Parliament for a subsidie to conquere Wales when he had so manie losses and of late all the countrie of Penbrooke burnt and spoiled wher the Welshmen had found salt plentifullie which they lacked In the which Parliament William de Valentia accused the Earles of Leycester and Glocester as the workers of all this mischiefe wherevpon the Parliament broke without the grant of anie subsidie Againe shortlie after the same Parliament by prorogation was holden at Oxford where the king and Edward his sonne were sworne solemnlie to obeie the lawes and statutes of the realme but the kings brethren Gwy and William with Henrie son to the king of Almaine and Iohn Earle Warren forsooke the oth and departed awaie And there the lords of Wales offered to be tried by the lawe for any offense they had committed against the king vniustlie but Edward would not heare of it but sent one Patrike de Canton as Lieutenant for the king to Caermardhin and with him Meredyth ap Rees and this Patrike desired to speake vpon peace with the princes councell Wherevpon the prince meaning good faith sent his brother Dauid whom he had set at libertie with Meredyth ap Owen and Rees ap Rees to Emlyn to intreat with them of peace but Patrike meaning to intrap them laid an ambushment of armed men by the waie and as they should haue met these men fell vpon the Welshmen and slew a great number of them but the lords which escaped raised the countrie forthwith and folowed Patrike and slue him and the most part of all his men And after this the Prince desirous of peace and quietnesse to redeeme the same and to end all troubles and to purchase the kings good will offered the king 4000. markes and to his sonne 300. and to the Queene 200. to haue peace but the king answered What is this to our losses and refused it It appeareth by the Records in the Towre that about this time to wit An. 43. H. 3. There was a commission to William bishop of Worcester Iohn Mansel treasurer of Yorke the kings Chaplaine and Peter de Montfort to conclude a peace with the Welshmen but it is like that there was nothing doone to anie effect in that behalfe for the warre continued still Notwithstanding I find by Matthew Westminster that there was a certeine truce agréed vpon betwéene the king and the Welshmen for a yeare I read also in the same author that the bishop of Bangor was this yeare about Michaelmas sent from Lhewelyn the prince and all the Barons of Wales to the king to desire peace at his hands to offer vnto him the summe of 16000. pound for the same so that he would grant the Welshmen to haue all their matters heard and determined at Chester as they were woont to haue and to suffer them to enioy the lawes and customes of their owne countrie but what answere the bishop brought againe the said author maketh no mention The yeare 1260. prince Lhewelyn destroied the lands of Sir Roger Mortimer bicause he contrarie to his oth mainteined the kings quarell and tooke from him all Buelht sauing the castell which the Princes men gatte by night without bloodshed and therein much munition and so after the Prince had passed through all Southwales he returned to his house at Aber betwixt Conwey and Bangor The yeare folowing died Owen ap Meredyth lord of Cydewen And this summer certeine of the Princes men tooke vpon a sudden the castell of Sir Roger Mortimer in Melienyth and slew the garrison taking Howel ap Meyric the captaine thereof with his wife and children and the princes Lieutenant came and destroied it then Sir Roger Mortimer hearing this came with a great strength of lords and knights to Melienyth where the Prince came also and Sir Roger kept himselfe within the wals of the broken castell sent to the prince for licence to depart without hurt Then the prince hauing his enimie within his danger tooke compassion vpon him bicause he was his coosen and suffered him to depart with his people without hurt From thence the prince went to Brechnocke at the request of the people of that countrie which swore fidelitie vnto him and so returned to Northwales Prince Lhewelyn being confederate with the Barons against the king destroied the Earldome of Chester and rased two of Edwards castels Tygannwy and Diserth and thither came Edward and did nothing to speake of This yeare Iohn Strange the yoonger being Constable of Montgomery came with a great number of Marchers by night through Ceri to Cydewen which thing when the countrie men vnderstood they gathered themselues togither and slew 200. of his men but he escaped with the rest backe againe Shortlie after the Marchers and the Welshmen met besides Clun where the Englishmen had the victorie and slew a great number of Welshmen At this time Dauid the princes brother whom he had set at libertie forsooke him and succoured his foes with all his power Then Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn got the castell of Molde and rased it At this time died Meredyth ap Owen the defender of Southwales The yeare ensuing king Henrie lead a great armie towards Wales and by meanes of Orobonus the Popes legate there was a peace concluded betwixt the king and the Prince at the castell of Montgomery vpon Calixtus daie for which peace the prince gaue the king
constable or kéeper of the gates or of the gaole or to be of the counsell of anie citie borough or towne or to beare anie maner armour within anie citie borough or market towne And if anie sute happened betwéene a VVelshman and anie Englishman it was by law ordeined that the Englishman should not be conuict vnlesse it were by the iudgment of English Iustices and by the verdict of whole English burgesses or by inquests of English boroughs and townes of the Seigniories where the said sute laie also that all English burgesses that maried VVelshwomen should be disfranchised of their liberties No congregations or méetings in counsell was permitted to the VVelshmen but by licence of the chiefe officers of the same Seigniorie and in the presence of the same officers That no victuals or armour should be brought into VVales without the speciall licence of the king or his counsell That no VVelshman should haue any castell fortresse or house defensiue of his owne or of anie other man to kéepe No VVelshman to be made Iustice Chamberlaine Chancellor Treasuror Sheriffe Steward Constable of castell receiuer eschetor coroner nor chiefe forester nor other officer nor kéeper of the records nor lieutenant in anie of the said offices in no part of VVales nor of the counsell of anie English lord notwithstanding anie patent or licence made to the contrarie That no Englishman which in time to come shall marie anie VVelshwoman be put in anie office in Wales or in the Marches of the same These with other lawes both vnreasonable and vnconcionable such as no prince among the heathen euer offered to his subiects were ordeined and seuerelie executed against them Neither was it anie reason that for the offense of one man and his complices all the whole nation should be so persecuted whereby not onelie they that liued in that time but also their children and posteritie should be brought to perpetuall thraldome and miserie for these lawes were not ordeined for their reformation but of méere purpose to worke their vtter ruine and destruction Which doth euidentlie appeare in that they were forbidden to kéepe their children at learning or to put them to be apprentises to anie occupation in anie towne or borough of this realme Let anie indifferent man therefore iudge and consider whether this extremitie of law where iustice it selfe is méere iniurie and crueltie be not a cause and matter sufficient to withdraw anie people from ciuilitie to barbarisme Edward of VVestminster EDward the onelie sonne and heire of king Henrie the sixt borne at Westminster the thirtith daie of October in the 31. yeare of the reigne of his father was created prince of Wales and Earle of Chester by authoritie of parlement at Westminster the 15. daie of March in the 32. yeare of the said king his father This prince was afterwards of such towardnesse that he became skilfull in the knowledge aswell of martiall affaires as of matters of gouernment and lawes of the realme he was murthered at Teukesburie Edward of Westminster Iohn bishop of Worcester as appeareth by records of the towne Hall of Salop bearing date the tenth daie of Aprill in the 18. yeare of king Edward the fourth was president of the L. Princes counsell of the Marches of Wales who togither with the lord Anthonie Earle Riuers vncle and gouernor to the said Prince sate in the towne hall aforesaid and made certeine ordinances for the weale and tranquillitie of the said towne King Edward the fourth vsing much the faithfull seruice of the Welshmen meant the reformation of the estate of Wales and the establishing of a court within that Principalitie and therefore he sent the bishop of Worcester and the Earle Riuers with the prince of Wales to the countrie to the end he might vnderstand how to procéed in his purposed reformation But the troubles and disquietnesse of his owne subiects and the shortnes of his time suffered him to doo little or nothing in that behalfe Edward EDward the onlie sonne of king Richard the third being a child of tenne yeares of age was the foure and twentith daie of August in the first yeare of the reigne of the same king created prince of Wales Arthur Besides all this there was a commission at this time directed from king Henrie the seauenth to the Abbot of Lhan Egwest Doctor Owen Poole chanon of Hereford and Iohn King harold to make inquisition concerning the parentage of the said Owen who comming to Wales trauelled in that matter and vsed the helps of Sir Iohn Leyaf Guttyn Owen Bardh Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn ap Euan Vachan and others in the search of the Brytish or Welsh bookes of petigrées out of the which they drew his perfect genelogie from the ancient kings of Brytaine and the Princes of Wales and so returned their commission which returne is extant at this daie to be séene After that about the seuentéenth yeare of king Henries reigne Prince Arthur went againe to Wales being newlie married with whom the king sent Doctor William Smith which was afterward bishop of Lincolne to be president of his counsell appointing him other wise expert counsellors as Sir Richard Poole his kinseman which was his chéefe chamberlaine also Sir Henrie Vernon Sir Richard Crofts Sir Dauid Philip Sir William Vdall Sir Thomas Englefield Sir Peter Newton c. But before the yeare ended this noble Prince after that he had béene married to the ladie Catharine his wife the space of fiue moneths departed out of this transitorie life at Ludlowe castell the second daie of Aprill in the said yeare of his fathers reigne and with great funerall solemnitie was buried at Worcester Henrie duke of Yorke HEnrie duke of Yorke brother vnto Prince Arthur was after the death of the Prince the 18. daie of Februarie in the 19. yeare of the reigne of king Henrie the seuenth his father created Prince of Wales and was afterward king of England by the name of king Henrie the eight The said William Smith Bishop of Lincolne was L. President of his councell who continued in that office vntill the fourth yeare of this kings reigne and was the first L. President that is named in the records of that court he was founder of Brasenose college in Oxenford In the fourth yeare of this noble king Henrie the eight Geffrey Blyth Bishop of Couentrie and Lychfield was sent into Wales to be L. President of the princes councell where he continued vntill the 16. yeare of the same king Marie THe ladie Marie daughter to the same king Henrie the eight by the Princesse Catharine Dowager the widowe of Prince Arthur was Princesse of Wales And in the seuentéenth yeare of king Henries reigne Iohn Voiseie Bishop of Excester was sent by the king to be L. President of the councell of the said Princes in the marches of Wales where he continued vntill the 25. yeare of the same king This Bishop was Doctor of the lawes and verie well
Lord Powys who descended of Hawys the daughter and heire of Owen ap Gruffyth Lord Powys who was linealie descended of Blethyn ap Convyn Prince of Wales mentioned before pag 103. This noble man was made knight being verie yoong by Charls Brandon Duke of Suffolke for his good seruice doon at Montededier in France Anno 15. Hen. 8. He was sent Embassadour to the Emperour Anno 26. Hen. 8. After the death of the Uicount Lisle his father in lawe he was created Uicount Lisle warden of the frontiers marches of Scotland Anno 33. Hen. 8. He was chosen to be fellowe and companion of the order of the Garter the fift of Maie An. 35. Hen. 8. In the first yéere of K. Edward the sixt he was created Earle of Warwike and in the fift yeere of the same king Duke of Northumberland He was also Earle Marshall high admirall of England L. great maister and President of the priuie councell and further intituled lord Basset and Tyesse The next yéere after that is in the fourth yéere of Edward the sixt William Herbert knight of the noble order of the garter was appointed L. President of Wales and continued vntill Michaelmas in the first yéere of Quéene Marie After whom Nicholas Heath Bishop of Worcester was sent to be L. President of Wales continued there vntill the third yéere of the same Quéene and then was remooued to be Lord Chaunceler of England being then elected Archbishop of Yorke At which time the said William Herbert was againe made L. President of Wales and so continued vntill the sixt yeare of the same Quéene He descended of William Herbert created Earle of Penbrooke by king Edward the fourth who was the sonne of Sir William Herbert who married Gladys the daughter of Sir Dauid Gam which Sir William was the sonne of Thomas Herbert the sonne of Gwilim ap Ienkyn lineallie descended of a noble man called Herbert Fitzhenrie chamberlaine to king Henrie the first This noble man liued in great credit and estimation with king Henrie the eight king Edward the sixt Quéene Marie and Quéene Elizabeth and was by euerie of the said Princes emploied in matters of great importance and for his good and faithfull seruice greatlie honoured as appeareth in an Epitaph fixed vpon his toombe in the Cathedrall church of S. Paule in London which I thought good héere to laie downe Perpetuae pietati Sacrum GVliel Herberto Penbrochiae comiti equiti aurato praenobilis ordinis Anglici Henr. viij R. Acubiculis Edoard vi R. equitum magistro Walliae praesidi Tumultu occidentali cum Russello Graio Baronibus paribus auspicijs summae rerum praeposito Mariae R ae contra perduelles ac expeditione ad Augustam Veromanduorum bis totius exercitus duci bis summo in agro Caletum Limitum praefecto Elizab R ae officiorum seu Magno Regiae Magistro Pariter Dominae Annae ex vetiista Parrorum gente oriundae Sorori Catharinae R ae Henr. viij R. vi matrimonio coniunctae ac Marchionis Northamptonij Prudentiss ae foeminae pietatis religionis probitatis omnisque auitae virtutis retinentiss ae fidiss Comitis coniugi Henr. F. ac comes Pp. chariss sibi ac suis moerens P. Obijt aetatis An 63. Obijt salutis An 1569. Liberis relictis ex prima Henrico Pemb. Comite Edoardo Equite Aurato Domina Anna Baroni Talbot nupta Secunda coniuge superstite Georgio Salopiae comite genita inisigni praeter antiquum probitatis decus virtute foemina In the sixt yeare of Quéene Marie Gilbert Bourne Bishop of Bath and Wels was sent to be lord President of Wales and so continued vntill the death of the same Quéene In the first yeare of Quéene Elizabeth Sir Iohn Williams L. Williams of Thame was sent L. President into Wales and died L. President the same yeare in the castell of Ludlowe and lieth buried at Thame in the countie of Oxenford where he of his good and vertuous disposition towards the good and godlie education of the youth of his countrie and maintenance of the poore founded by his last will and testament a Grammar schoole and an Almeshouse to haue continuance for euer and leaft certaine yearelie reuenues in lands and monie for the maintenance of the same And for the ordering conueieng and assuring of the premisses to the vses aforesaid he constituted and ordeined executors of his said last will and testament among other Robert Doylie of Merton in the same countie Esquier and William Place of Lurgyshall in the countie of Buckingham Gentleman who purchasing other lands for that purpose to the yearelie value of 57. pounds two shillings fiue pence sued out the mortmaine and enfe offed the Warden and Scholers of new College in Oxenford and their successors of the premisses to the vse aboue mentioned The foundation of the Schoole is of one head Schoolemaister to be appointed by the said Robert Doylie and William Place or the longer liuer of them for their life time and afterward by the said Warden and Scholers of new College and their successors for euer who hath yéerelie for his stipend the sum of xxvj pounds xiij shillings iiij pence And one vsher to be likewise appointed as the maister is who shall haue for his stipend yéerelie the sum of xiij pounds vj. shillings viij pence both which stipends are to be paid quarterly by euen portions The almeshouse is founded to haue fiue almsmen and one almeswoman who haue yéerelie towards their maintenance the summe of 7. pounds 4. shillings and a new gowne euerie fourth yeere There is also allowed for the kéeping of the toombe of the said lord Williams 8. shillings yéerelie and for kéeping cleane of the water-course 4. shillings Henrie Sidney knight after the death of the L. Williams of Thame in the second yéere of the Quéenes Maiestie that now is was sent to be L. President of Wales This knight is descended by the heires make lineallie of Sir William Sidney who came out of Aniowe into England with Henrie Fitzempresse and was afterward chamberlaine to the said Henrie when he was king of England and descended out of Wales by his mother Anne the daughter of Anne the daughter of William Clement the sonne of Iohn the sonne of William the sonne of William the sonne of Ienkyn Clement who married the daughter of Conan the sonne of Meredyth the sonne of Gruffyth the sonne of the lord Rees Prince of Southwales of whom mention is before pag. 249. which Rees was the sonne of Wenlhian the daughter of Gruffyth ap Conan Prince of Northwales The mother likewise of the same Iohn or Ienkyn Clement was Cicilie the daughter of Sir Gruffyth Lhoyd knight the son of Rees the son of Gruffyth the sonne of Ednyuet Vachan chéefe counseller and steward to Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth Prince of Wales of whom Matthew Paris maketh mention page 843. who also was the auncestor of Owen Tuder the Grandfather of king Henrie the seuenth of
whom I haue written before In the third yeare of king Edward the sixt he was made knight by the king and was sent Ambassadour to the French king when he was but xxij yeares of age In the time of Quéene Marie he was treasurer of Ireland and lord Iustice there where he so vsed himselfe that hée gat great commendation of all the inhabitants of that countrie Anno. 1564. he was chosen Knight of the noble order of the Garter He hath now continued L. President of Wales about xxiiij yeares of the which he serued in Ireland eight yeares and sixe moneths being there thrée seuerall times lord deputie generall of that countrie He repaired the castell of Ludlowe which is the chéefest house within the marches being in great decaie as the Chappell the court house and a faire fountaine from the which by seuerall cocks the offices of the house are serued with water Also he erected diuers new buildings within the same castell as a faire new porters lodge large chambers for the kéeping of the records of that court and other conuenient lodgings for such commissioners to lie in as are called thither for to giue attendance in that seruice Tervyn An admonition for the reading of the Brytish words IT is to be noted that the letter c in all Brytish words hath alwaies the sound of the English k except it be ioined with h for ch is counted but one consonant which hath the sound of the Gréeke χ and neuer of the English ch I haue also vsed dh for the Brytish dd and lh for the ll The single f hath the sound of v consonant R in the beginning of a word is to be pronounced with an aspiration The rest of the letters agrée with the English pronountiation Certaine words passed in this impression are thus to be amended PAge 26. Line 7. put out and Cornwal page 88. line 26. read Caradoc the sonne of Rytherch ap Iestyn pag 96. line 21. Peuensey ibidem line 23. Sheppey page 104. line 31. Portascyth pag 122. line 10. Aberthaw pag 131. line 5. and 25. Cydwely pag 155. line 25. for of read and. page 166. line 30. for Riryd read Madoc pag 168. line 29. for thy read his page 188. line 30. Richard of Clare and. pag 197. line 16. Hugh sonne to the Erle page 211. line 31. for Anarawd read Meruyn page 254. line 17. for theidw read cheidw ibidem line 18. for Rhae read Rhac pag 329. line 15. primat of all pag 357. line 6. ap Gwystyl pag 395. line 7. whereof A Table conteining the principall matters places and persons in this booke This letter D signifieth the description The figures note the page A. ABercynfric 150. Aberstraw D 6. destroied by the Irishmen 62. Abergeuenny D 20.289 Aberheidol 220. Aberlhech 154. Aberlhiennawc 155. Aberlhychwr Castell 203. Aberystwyth castell built 169.336 taken 337. Adelarde 8.12 ouercome by the Brytaines 14. ioineth his power with Ethelbald 15. Adelstane K. of England 50. Aedan ap Blegored 74. he is slaine 83. Aedan the sonne of Melht 38. Alan K. of little Brytaine 1. Alans whence they came 39. Alclyd destroid by y e Danes 34. Alfred K. of England 33. loueth and getteth about him learned men ibidem translateth the Brytish lawes into the Saxon toong 42. his Epitaph 43. Alfwyen disinherited 49. Algar Earle of Chester 99. Almarus Earle of Deuon 76. Anarawd the sonne of Roderike 37. he dieth 45. Anarawd ap Gruffyth ap Rées slaine 196. Armorica 2. Arnulph the sonne of Roger Mountgomery 151. Lord of Dyuet 154. rebelled against K. Henrie the first 157. he departeth the land 159. Arthurs bones found 238. Arthur Prince of Wales 390. Aruon D 8. Asser archbishop of Wales 44. Avanc D 21. Augustine moonke the Apostle of England D 15.254 B. BAldwin archbishop of Canturburie visiteth Wales 241. Bardh Beirdh D 15.191 Beda 15. Belin ap Elphin 14. Bernard Newmarch 148.151 Beumarish built 381. Blethyn ap Conuyn 103. he is slaine 111 Brecheinoc Brechnock D 20. spoiled by the Danes 42.148.277.288 Brochwel Scithroc D 15. his dwelling place 22. Bryth destroied Ireland 13. Brytaine diuided betweén the sonnes of Brutus D 1. Brytaines are spoiled of their countrie by the Saxons 5. they abhorred the Romish religion 255. threé remnants of them yet remaining D 4. Brytish language now spoken in Wales D 4. Brytaine Armorike and the kings thereof 2. Buelht D 20.277.280 Burgundians whence they came 39. C. CAdelh prince of Southwales 35. he dieth 44. Cadelh the sonne of Gruffyth ap Rées 201.202 sore wounded by the Flemings 203. Cadiuor ap Colhoyn 119. Cadogan ap Blethyn 152.155 157. he maketh a great feast 163. charged with his sonnes lewdnes 168. he is slain 171. his children 182. Cadwalader goeth to Brytain Armorike 1. admonished by an angel 3. goeth to Rome and dieth 5. Cadwalader ap Gruffyth ap Conan he dieth 232. Cadwalhon ap Ievaf 67. Cadwalhon ap Meredyth 71. Cardyffbuilt 116. taken 289. Caereneon D 12. and 14. the castell built 205. Caer Gay D 9. Caerlheon ar Dhowrdwy or Chester 27. a catalog of the Earles 294. Caermardhyn D 18. taken 178. destroied 193. the castell builded againe 198. taken againe ibidem 247. Caernarvon castell built 374. Cambria Cambry Camberaec D 2.3.4 the country diuided into shires and circuits 395. the good seruice of the people to the K of Englland 175.235 they are left out of the conclusion of peace 278. they offer to be tried by the lawe 324. punished extreamlie but when they cōplaine they haue no redresse 161.320 abused by y e Kings officers 350. Camdhwr 113. Caradocus lancaruan 206 Caradoc king of Northwales slaine 20. Caradoc the sonne of Rytherch ap Iestyn 88. Caradoc ap Gruffyth ap Rytherch 104.113 Caredigion D 17. Carrec Cynnen castell 319. Carrec Houa castell 219.241 Castor ¶ See Avanc Celhy Tervawc 153. Celynnoc vawr destroied 65. Conan Meriadoc 2. Conan Tindaethwy 17. Conan Nant Niuer 32. Conan ap Howel slaine 74. Conan ap Sitsilht 88. Conan the sonne of Iago 89. Conan Earle of Richmond receiued to be Duke of Brytaine 205. Congen king of Powys 29. Conwey 38. the castell built 374. Costenin Dhu slaine 65. Crogen castell 257. Crogens a nickname whence it commeth 258. Cudred king of wests ouercommeth the Brytaines 15. Cnuedha Wledic D 14. his sonnes giue names to diuers countries in Wales which remaine to this daie D 14. Cydwely D 18. spoiled 152 the castell built 242.272 Cymer 287. Cynvael castell 200. Cynwric ap Rywalhon 112. D. DAniel Archdeacon of Powys 187. Danes came to England 20. they bend their force against Wales 34. whence they came 39. they destroie saint Dauids 45. they are murthered 76. Dauid ap Owen Gwyneth 221.227 taketh his brother Maelgon 234. he marrieth Emme the kings sister 235. put out of the gouernment of Wales 245. taken prisoner by his nephew 250. commeth againe against Lhewelyn being vanquished dieth for sorrowe 259. Dauid ap Lhewelyn 298. taketh his brother prisoner
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
134. Richard Belmersh bishop of London sent to be warden of the Marches of wales 160.164 Richard 1. K. of England 241. goeth to the holie land 242. winneth Cyprus 243. he is taken prisoner 243. returneth to England 244. he dieth 253. Richard Marshal Earle of Penbrooke 286 288. in leage with Lhewelyn Prince of wales 290. he goeth to Ireland and is slaine 291. Richard of Burdeux 385. Richard Sampson bishop of Couen and Lich. 396. Robert Fitzhamon 119. his Conquest in wales 124. his twelue knights 125. his own portion of Glamorgan 127. his Petegrée and heires 128. Robert S. Quintine 125. his heires 134. Robert Sitsylt 141. his issue and descents 142. Robert de Belesmo Earle of Salop rebelleth against K. H. 1.157 he forsaketh y e land 159. he is taken and imprisoned 171. his crueltie ibid. Robert Fitzstephen a chiefe capteine in the conquest of Ireland 225. Roderike Molwynoc 14. driuen from the west countrie to Northwales 16. Roderike the great 28. he is slaine 35. Roderike ap Owen Gwyneth 237.243 Roger Montgomerie Earle of Salop 151. he fortified Montgomerie castell 152. he is slaine 153. Roger de Berkrolles 125. his heires 135. Roger Earle of Clare obtaineth of the king such lands in wales as he could winne 208. Roger Mortimer right heire to the principalitie of wales 314.315.316 Rollo came to France 37. Rowland Lée Bishop of Couentrie and Lichfield 394. Run the sonne of Meredyth counterfeited by a Scot 85. Ruthlan D 10. the castell the palace of Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn prince of wales 100. fortified by king Henrie the second 207. belonging to the Earle of Chester 267. Ruthyn D 10. the lordship 378. Rydcors castell built 153. Rytherch ap Iestyn ruleth Southwales 87. he is slaine 88. Rythmarch Archbishop of S. Dauids 156. Rywalhon ap Convyn 103. he is slaine 109. S. SAyson Saysonaec D 4. Saxons whence they came 25. they spoile the Brytaines of their countrie 6. their seauen kingdomes 26. Sibertus K. of Essex 11. Sigebert K. of Westsex 16. Simon de Thurnay 258. Strat Alyn 356. Strat Clwyd spoiled 58. Strat Marchelh 214 217. Strat Tywy 152. Stephen Constable of Aberteiui 189. Sulien bishop of S. Dauids 110. he forsaketh his bishoprike 113. he is compelled to take his bishoprike againe 114. he forsaketh his bishoprike againe 116. he dieth 118. Switzers whence they came 39. T. TAlaeth 35. Taliefyn D 15 254. Tegyd D 9. Theodor the sonne of Belin 16 Theodor Mawr 66. he is slain 72. Trahaern ap Caradoc 112. he is slaine 114. Thurstan abbot of Glastenburie 116. V. VAndals whence they came 39. Uchdred ap Edwyn ap Grono 154. Urgeney ap Sitsylht 114. W. WAllia wales D 2.3.4 ¶ See Cambria Walter Steward 97. Walter bishop of Hereford 165. Walwern castell 219. Walweys sepulchre found 116. Westwales destroied 65. Woolues destroied in Wales 61. William Conquerour commeth to England 107. he ouercoÌ„meth Haroald and is crowned K. of England 108. he entreth Wales with an armie 115. he dieth 116. William Rufus 117. he coÌ„meth with an armie into Wales 153.155 he builded Westminster hall 156. he is slaine 157. William de Londres 125. his heires 131. William Stradling 137. his heires ibid. William Brusus traitorous fact 236.260 hanged 286. William Marshall Earle of Penbrooke 279. to whom his great liuing in England Wales and Ireland descended 312. William Smith bishop of Lincolne 391. William Herbert Erle of Penbrooke 398. Y. YAl D 11. the castel built 201. the castell taken and burnt 208. Yarthyr the son of Mervyn 60. Ynyr the cosen of Iuor 7. Ysbys 152. FINIS 1584 Imprinted at London by Rafe Newberie and Henrie Denham Cum Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis Clêra is their ordinarie visitation which they vse euerie third yeare Rob. Caenal li. 2. Par. 2. Vim vi repellere licet Cambria Wales A Locrino A Saxonib Rob. Caenal li. 2. Per. 2. The meares and bounds of Wales Aberfraw Dinevowr Mathraval Northwales Môn Aruon Merionyth Tegyd Y Bervedhwlad Dyffryn Clwyd An. 12. Ed. 1. See this hist. pag. 377. Mathraval or Powys Maelor the sonne of Gwran sonne to Cunedha had Maeloron that is the two Maelors Maelor Gymbraeg called Br. and Maelor Saesneg See after in the hist. pa. 6. See in the hist. pag. 22. See the historie folowing pag. 24. Dinevowr Caredigion Dyuet Caermardhyn Morganwc See the historie folowing pag. 119. Brecheinoc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greeke Fiber Lat. Beauer En. Auanc Bryt Giraldus in Itiner Little Brytaine or Brytaine Armorike Galfr. Mon. I. Cast. Math. West Fabian Caxton R. Caen. lib. 2. Per. 2. Galfride I. Castor A fable confirmed with blind prophesies Hol. pa. 183. Galf ride Cast. 450 Galfrid Cast. H. Lhoyd H. Lhoyd ¶ Rob. Caenal Beda H. Hunt Cast. W. Lamb. I. Cast. The request of the Brytaines The oration of Sibertus to the other Saxon Kings Gildas Polydore Bale Math. West 733 Or Iatewe 735 Hol. pa. 193. H. Hunt Hol. pag. 189. 193. Math. West 749 Sigebert King of Westsex Kenulph 750 Leland I. Bale Cen. 1. pag. 81. 763 Io. Caest. Io. Caestor Matth. West Clawdh Offa. 795 Matt. West pag. 289. 808 Io. Bale 810 Galfride I. Cast. Matth. West Galfrid Cast. Matth West Sim. Dunel H. Hunt 819 828 829 The Kingdome of England began The seauen Saxon kingdomes 833 Raunlph Cest. Matth. West Chron. Wig. Io. Castor 841 846 Matt. West I. Castor 854 856 Matt. West * De quo Sedulius in Paschali carminâ— Matth. West pag. 275. I. Castor Matt. Paris pag. 126. Beirdh H. Lhoyd Io. Castor 857 Iohn Cast. Sim. Dunel Matt. Park A Kings sonne and heire Bishop 10. Cast. Fabian 865 H. Hunt 867 H. Hunt Fabian Ran. Cest. 871 Bale Cent. 2. Cap. 24. 1. Castor Polydor litâ— Hol. pa 218. 873 Matt. West Sâ— Dunelm Matt. West 876 Girald Cam. Matth. West li. 1. pa. 342. 893 Matth. West 895 H. Hunt Matt. West 900 Io. Cast. Asser Menâ—ven H. Hunt Matt. West Io. Cast. 905 Bale Cent. 2. pag. 125. Giral Camb. Matt. West pag. 354. 907 Matth. West 913 Matt. West pag. 354. 917 Io. Castor Io. Cast. H. Hunt Matth. West Io. Cast. 924 Io. Castor 933 Wil. Malms Hol. pa. 225. Io. Cast. Matth. West Ran. Cest. 936 Matt. West Hol. pag. 226. 939 Io. Castor Matt. West Hol. pag. 228. Buchan li. 6. fol. 53. 942 944 Matt. West Hol. pag. 222. Matt. West Io. Cast. 948 952 958 961 Io. Cast. Hol. pag. 232. Wolues destroid by the prince of Wales 966 969 A law against immoderate drinking 972 Ran. Cest. Fabiaâ— Sim. Dunel Hol. pa. 238. Io. Vowel in Catal. epist. Exon. 981 984 987 989 Matth. West pag. 383. Io. Castor 992 Matth. West 998 1004 Matt. West The Danes murthered Matt. West pag. 391. Matt. West pag. 393. H. Hunt Sim. Dunel Io. Cast. Si. Dunelm Hol. pag. 243. Io. Vowel 1004 Hol. pag. 243. Hol. pag. 244. Io. Cast. H. Hunt Io. Cast. Matt. West 1008 Io. Castor 1010 Hol. pag. 245. Io. Cast. 1011 Io. Cast. Hol. pag. 246. Matt. Park page