powers, to solicit his advice and protection. He was at length overtaken by old age, which deprived him of his sight. Thinking he had secured by his victories the esteem and admiration of posterity, he devoted himself to works of charity, and once thought of monastic retirement, that he might lead a life of prayer, and manifest his contempt of temporal grandeur. Perceiving his dissolution to approach, he called for his sons, put his affairs in order, and prepared for death after the example of King Hezekias. His goods he divided, and his justice will endure for ever. He left a legacy of twenty shillings to Christ-church in Dublin, where he was born and educated, and the same sum to all the principal churches in Ireland. He bequeathed twenty shillings to the church of St. David, and to the Monastery at Chester, but more to the Monastery of Bangor; ten shillings to Holyhead, the lynnog, to Enlli, to Meifod, many other principal churches. Bishop, Archdeacon, and the Bangor, and bound them by Holy Spirit, the searcher and knower of all things. Then David the Bishop, Simeon the Archdeacon, a man of mature age and experience, the Prior of Chester, with many other religious and learned men, came to anoint his body with oil, in conformity to the injunctions

same to Penmon, to CeLlanarmon, Dinerth and He did not forget the rest of the Priests of legacies to defend the

A. D.

of the Apostle James.
James.

he blessed them and

His sons were among them, and foretold their fortune, and what

sons in

peculiar character each would support, as the Patriarch
Jacob did on taking his dying leave of his
Egypt. And he solemnly enjoined them to combat their
enemies with vigor and constancy, after the examples
he had set them.

Angharad his Queen was present, to whom he bequeathed one half of his personal half of his personal estate, with two Rhandir or portions in land, and the customs at Abermenai. His daughters and nephews were also present, and he left to each a legacy sufficient to their

maintenance.

The Welsh, the Irish, and the men of Denmark, lamented Gruffudd, as the Jews mourned for Joshua the son of Nun. He was eighty-two years old, and was 1136. buried on the left side of the great altar at Bangor. And let us pray that his soul may enjoy rest in the bosom of God, with the souls of other pious and good Kings, for ever. Amen.

Gruffudd in his

person, was of moderate stature, having yellow hair, a round face, and a fair and agreeable complexion, eyes rather large, light eyebrows, a comely beard, a round neck, white skin, strong limbs,

long fingers, straight legs, and handsome feet, He was moreover skilful in divers languages, courteous and civil to his friends, fierce to his enemies, and resolute in battle; of a passionate temper, and fertile imagination.

He married Angharad, the daughter of Edwyn ab Grono, the founder of the tribe of that name; and by her had three sons and five daughters. Our Friar in his singular and digressive manner, thus describes her. She was an accomplished person; her hair was long and of a flaxen colour, her eyes large and rolling, and her features brilliant and beautiful. She was tall and well proportioned, her leg and foot handsome, her fingers long, and her nails thin and transparent. She was good tempered, cheerful, discreet and witty, gave advice as well as alms to her needy dependants, and never transgressed the laws of duty.

H

RHYS AB TEWDWR.

t

THE Founder of our second royal tribe was tribe was Rhŷs ab Tewdwr, distinguished by the name of Mawr, or the Great. In him the legal succession of South Wales was restored. He was moreover the choice of the people, on the murder of the usurper Rhŷs ab Owain. With Gruffudd ab Cynan he shared the victory at Carno; and the fortunes of that field, set them both on their hereditary thrones. His first adversities had a slight beginning, which in the end led to his destruction. Einion and Llywelyn, sons of the Lord of Dyfed and chiefs of some eminence in South Wales revolted,

• Major.

Rhys was the son of Tewdwr, the son of Einion, the son of Owain, the eldest son of Hywel Dda, the legal Prince of South Wales; but elected to the North, in preference to the sons of Idwal foel, the right heirs.

'Gruffudd ab Cynan had landed from Ireland at Port clŷs,* near St. David's. Rhŷs, defeated by Trahaern, had taken sanctuary at that place; and hearing of Gruffudd's arrival, he went with all the clergy to meet him; and, falling on his knees, implored his help against his adversaries, promising to do him homage, and to reward him with a moiety of his revenues. Gruffudd, pitying his condition, yielded to his request; and having together overthrown their common enemy, Rhŷs was put into the quiet possession of South Wales.-Panton Papers.

*Port Clŷs near St. David's meant only some fortified spot in that neighbourhood, quasi pars pro toto. It is a name borrowed from the English Portcullis, and that from the Latin Porta clausa.

but were defeated, and fled; Einion to Iestyn ab Gwrgant," Lord of Glamorgan, whom Rhŷs had raised to a royal tribe. Him Einion associated in rebellion,

W

"In the year 1091, Iestyn, Lord of Glamorgan, rebelling against Rhys ab Tewdwr, Prince of South Wales, invited many Barons and Knights out of England to his aid, when, joining his power to them, he led them to Brecknock. Then Bleddyn ab Maenyrch, Lord of Brecknock, whose wife was sister to Rhŷs, sent instantly to him for succour; when making the best levy he could on the sudden, he came forthwith to Brecknock, and joined himself with Bleddyn and his men; and being far less in number than their adversaries, they very unadvisedly fought a most dismal battle to all South Wales; for they both falling by the sword, left it a prey to strangers, and the welfare of their children at the mercy of their enemies. Then Bernard Newmarch, or Newmarket, a Norman, seized upon the Lordship of Brecknock, the possession of which remained in his blood, until the time of Henry the Eighth, when, by the attainder of the last Edward Stafford it came to the Crown.-Panton Papers.

"Einion a discontented Welsh nobleman, persuades Iestyn, Lord of Morgannwg (or Glamorgan) to implore aid from England against Rhŷs, Prince of South Wales. Led by Robert Fitzhamon, twelve Knights (namely, de Londres, Grenville, Turburville, St. Quintin, Seward, Umphreville, Berkerolles, Sully, Le Soer, Le Fleming, St. John and Sterling) with their followers, willingly attended the call; defeat Prince Rhŷs, and are nobly rewarded by Iestyn. They were on the point of departing and on shipboard, when Einion, (whom Iestyn had treated ungratefully) persuades them to return, and to revenge his cause, by driving the thankless Welsh Lord from his dominions. This they accomplished, and allotted to Einion the craggy and mountainous districts, and kept possession of the rest, settling their families in the country. This Colony with the Flemings settled by Henry the First in Pembrokeshire, proved fatal to the indepen, dence of South Wales.