按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
years。
{173} The travellers pursuing their journey along the sea coast; crossed the aestuary of the river Conway under Deganwy; a fortress of very remote antiquity。
{174} At this period the Cistercian monastery of Conway was in its infancy; for its foundation has been attributed to Llewelyn ap Iorwerth; in the year 1185; (only three years previous to Baldwin's visitation;) who endowed it with very extensive possessions and singular privileges。 Like Stratflur; this abbey was the repository of the national records; and the mausoleum of many of its princes。
{175} 'David was the illegitimate son of Owen Gwynedd; and had dispossessed his brother; Iorwerth Drwyndwn。'
{176} This ebbing spring in the province of Tegeingl; or Flintshire; has been placed by the old annotator on Giraldus at Kilken; which Humphrey Llwyd; in his Breviary; also mentions。
{177} See before; the Topography of Ireland; Distinc。 ii。 c。 7。
{178} Saint Asaph; in size; though not in revenues; may deserve the epithet of 〃paupercula〃 attached to it by Giraldus。 From its situation near the banks of the river Elwy; it derived the name of Llanelwy; or the church upon the Elwy。
{179} Leaving Llanelwy; or St。 Asaph; the archbishop proceeded to the little cell of Basinwerk; where he and his attendants passed the night。 It is situated at a short distance from Holywell; on a gentle eminence above a valley; watered by the copious springs that issue from St。 Winefred's well; and on the borders of a marsh; which extends towards the coast of Cheshire。
{180} Coleshill is a township in Holywell parish; Flintshire; which gives name to a hundred; and was so called from its abundance of fossil fuel。 Pennant; vol。 i。 p。 42。
{181} The three military expeditions of king Henry into Wales; here mentioned; were A。D。 1157; the first expedition into North Wales; A。D。 1162; the second expedition into South Wales; A。D。 1165; the third expedition into North Wales。 In the first; the king was obliged to retreat with considerable loss; and the king's standard… bearer; Henry de Essex; was accused of having in a cowardly manner abandoned the royal standard and led to a serious disaster。
{182} The lake of Penmelesmere; or Pymplwy meer; or the meer of the five parishes adjoining the lake; is; in modern days; better known by the name of Bala Pool。 The assertion made by Giraldus; of salmon never being found in the lake of Bala; is not founded on truth。
{183} Giraldus seems to have been mistaken respecting the burial… place of the emperor Henry V。; for he died May 23; A。D。 1125; at Utrecht; and his body was conveyed to Spire for interment。
{184} This legend; which represents king Harold as having escaped from the battle of Hastings; and as having lived years after as a hermit on the borders of Wales; is mentioned by other old writers; and has been adopted as true by some modern writers。
{185} Some difficulty occurs in fixing the situation of the Album Monasterium; mentioned in the text; as three churches in the county of Shropshire bore that appellation; the first at Whitchurch; the second at Oswestry; the third at Alberbury。 The narrative of our author is so simple; and corresponds so well with the topography of the country through which they passed; that I think no doubt ought to be entertained about the course of their route。 From Chester they directed their way to the White Monastery; or Whitchurch; and from thence towards Oswestry; where they slept; and were entertained by William Fitz…Alan; after the English mode of hospitality。
{186} By the Latin context it would appear that Reiner was bishop of Oswestree: 〃Ab episcopo namque loci illius Reinerio multitudo fuerat ante signata。〃 Reiner succeeded Adam in the bishopric of St。 Asaph in the year 1186; and died in 1220。 He had a residence near Oswestry; at which place; previous to the arrival of Baldwin; he had signed many of the people with the cross。
{187} In the time of William the Conqueror; Alan; the son of Flathald; or Flaald; obtained; by the gift of that king; the castle of Oswaldestre; with the territory adjoining; which belonged to Meredith ap Blethyn; a Briton。 This Alan; having married the daughter and heir to Warine; sheriff of Shropshire; had in her right the barony of the same Warine。 To him succeeded William; his son and heir。 He married Isabel de Say; daughter and heir to Helias de Say; niece to Robert earl of Gloucester; lady of Clun; and left issue by her; William; his son and successor; who; in the 19th Henry II。; or before; departed this life; leaving William Fitz…Alan his son and heir; who is mentioned in the text。
{188} Robert de Belesme; earl of Shrewsbury; was son of Roger de Montgomery; who led the centre division of the army in that memorable battle which secured to William the conquest of England; and for his services was advanced to the earldoms of Arundel and Shrewsbury。
{189} This expedition into Wales took place A。D。 1165; and has been already spoken of。
{190} The princes mentioned by Giraldus as most distinguished in North and South Wales; and most celebrated in his time; were; 1。 Owen; son of Gruffydd; in North Wales; 2。 Meredyth; son of Gruffydd; in South Wales; 3。 Owen de Cyfeilioc; in Powys; 4。 Cadwalader; son of Gruffydd; in North Wales; 5。 Gruffydd of Maelor in Powys; 6。 Rhys; son of Gruffydd; in South Wales; 7。 David; son of Owen; in North Wales; 8。 Howel; son of Iorwerth; in South Wales。
1。 Owen Gwynedd; son of Gruffydd ap Conan; died in 1169; having governed his country well and worthily for the space of thirty…two years。 He was fortunate and victorious in all his affairs; and never took any enterprise in hand but he achieved it。 2。 Meredyth ap Gruffydd ap Rhys; lord of Caerdigan and Stratywy; died in 1153; at the early age of twenty…five; a worthy knight; fortunate in battle; just and liberal to all men。 3。 Owen Cyfeilioc was the son of Gruffydd Meredyth ap Meredyth ap Blethyn; who was created lord of Powys by Henry I。; and died about the year 1197; leaving his principality to his son Gwenwynwyn; from whom that part of Powys was called Powys Gwenwynwyn; to distinguish it from Powys Vadoc; the possession of the lords of Bromfield。 The poems ascribed to him possess great spirit; and prove that he was; as Giraldus terms him; 〃linguae dicacis;〃 in its best sense。 4。 Cadwalader; son of Gruffydd ap Conan; prince of North Wales; died in 1175。 Gruffydd of Maelor was son of Madoc ap Meredyth ap Blethyn; prince of Powys; who died at Winchester in 1160。 〃This man was ever the king of England's friend; and was one that feared God; and relieved the poor: his body was conveyed honourably to Powys; and buried at Myvod。〃 His son Gruffydd succeeded him in the lordship of Bromfield; and died about the year 1190。 6。 Rhys ap Gruffydd; or the lord Rhys; was son of Gruffydd ap Rhys ap Tewdwr; who died in 1137。 The ancient writers have been very profuse in their praises of this celebrated Prince。 7。 David; son of Owen Gwynedd; who; on the death if his father; forcibly seized the principality of North Wales; slaying his brother Howel in battle; and setting aside the claims of the lawful inheritor of the throne; Iorwerth Trwyndwn; whose so