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〃Won't you sit down？〃 said the man； handing me a chair。
I sat down； and the man and woman resumed their seats。
〃I suppose you come on business connected with the factory？〃 said
the man。
〃No；〃 said I； 〃my business is connected with Owen Glendower。〃
〃With Owen Glendower？〃 said the man； staring。
〃Yes；〃 said I； 〃I came to see his place。〃
〃You will not see much of his house now；〃 said the man … 〃it is
down； only a few bricks remain。〃
〃But I shall see the place where his house stood；〃 said I； 〃which
is all I expected to see。〃
〃Yes； you can see that。〃
〃What does the dyn dieithr say？〃 said the woman in Welsh with an
inquiring look。
〃That he is come to see the place of Owen Glendower。〃
〃Ah！〃 said the woman with a smile。
〃Is that good lady your wife？〃 said I。
〃She is。〃
〃She looks much older than yourself。〃
〃And no wonder。 She is twenty…one years older。〃
〃How old are you？〃
〃Fifty…three。〃
〃Dear me；〃 said I； 〃what a difference in your ages。 How came you
to marry？〃
〃She was a widow and I had lost my wife。 We were lone in the
world； so we thought we would marry。〃
〃Do you live happily together？〃
〃Very。〃
〃Then you did quite right to marry。 What is your name？〃
〃David Robert。〃
〃And that of your wife？〃
〃Gwen Robert。〃
〃Does she speak English？〃
〃She speaks some； but not much。〃
〃Is the place where Owen lived far from here？〃
〃It is not。 It is the round hill a little way above the factory。〃
〃Is the path to it easy to find？〃
〃I will go with you；〃 said the man。 〃I work at the factory； but I
need not go there for an hour at least。〃
He put on his hat and bidding me follow him went out。 He led me
over a gush of water which passing under the factory turns the
wheel； thence over a field or two towards a house at the foot of
the mountain where he said the steward of Sir Watkin lived； of whom
it would be as well to apply for permission to ascend the hill； as
it was Sir Watkin's ground。 The steward was not at home； his wife
was； however； and she； when we told her we wished to go to the top
of Owain Glendower's Hill； gave us permission with a smile。 We
thanked her and proceeded to mount the hill or monticle once the
residence of the great Welsh chieftain； whom his own deeds and the
pen of Shakespear have rendered immortal。
Owen Glendower's hill or mount at Sycharth； unlike the one bearing
his name on the banks of the Dee； is not an artificial hill； but
the work of nature； save and except that to a certain extent it has
been modified by the hand of man。 It is somewhat conical and
consists of two steps or gradations； where two fosses scooped out
of the hill go round it； one above the other； the lower one
embracing considerably the most space。 Both these fosses are about
six feet deep； and at one time doubtless were bricked； as stout
large； red bricks are yet to be seen； here and there； in their
sides。 The top of the mount is just twenty…five feet across。 When
I visited it it was covered with grass； but had once been subjected
to the plough as various furrows indicated。 The monticle stands
not far from the western extremity of the valley； nearly midway
between two hills which confront each other north and south； the
one to the south being the hill which I had descended； and the
other a beautiful wooded height which is called in the parlance of
the country Llwyn Sycharth or the grove of Sycharth； from which
comes the little gush of water which I had crossed； and which now
turns the wheel of the factory and once turned that of Owen
Glendower's mill； and filled his two moats； part of the water by
some mechanical means having been forced up the eminence。 On the
top of this hill or monticle in a timber house dwelt the great
Welshman Owen Glendower； with his wife； a comely； kindly woman； and
his progeny； consisting of stout boys and blooming girls； and
there； though wonderfully cramped for want of room； he feasted
bards who requited his hospitality with alliterative odes very
difficult to compose； and which at the present day only a few book…
worms understand。 There he dwelt for many years； the virtual if
not the nominal king of North Wales； occasionally no doubt looking
down with self…complaisance from the top of his fastness on the
parks and fish…ponds of which he had several； his mill； his pigeon
tower； his ploughed lands； and the cottages of a thousand
retainers； huddled round the lower part of the hill； or strewn
about the valley； and there he might have lived and died had not
events caused him to draw the sword and engage in a war； at the
termination of which Sycharth was a fire…scathed ruin； and himself
a broken…hearted old man in anchorite's weeds； living in a cave on
the estate of Sir John Scudamore； the great Herefordshire
proprietor； who married his daughter Elen； his only surviving
child。
After I had been a considerable time on the hill looking about me
and asking questions of my guide； I took out a piece of silver and
offered it to him； thanking him at the same time for the trouble he
had taken in showing me the place。 He refused it； saying that I
was quite welcome。
I tried to force it upon him。
〃I will not take it；〃 said he； 〃but if you come to my house and
have a cup of coffee； you may give sixpence to my old woman。〃
〃I will come；〃 said I； 〃in a short time。 In the meanwhile do you
go； I wish to be alone。〃
〃What do you want to do？〃
〃To sit down and endeavour to recall Glendower； and the times that
are past。〃
The fine fellow looked puzzled； at last he said； 〃Very well；〃
shrugged his shoulders； and descended the hill。
When he was gone I sat down on the brow of the hill； and with my
face turned to the east began slowly to chant a translation made by
myself in the days of my boyhood of an ode to Sycharth composed by
Iolo Goch when upwards of a hundred years old； shortly after his
arrival at that place； to which he had been invited by Owen
Glendower：…
Twice have I pledg'd my word to thee
To come thy noble face to see；
His promises let every man
Perform as far as e'er he can！
Full easy is the thing that's sweet；
And sweet this journey is and meet；
I've vowed to Owain's court to go；
And I'm resolved to keep my vow；
So thither straight I'll take my way
With blithesome heart； and there I'll stay；
Respect and honour； whilst I breathe；
To find his honour'd roof beneath。
My chief of long lin'd ancestry
Can harbour sons of poesy；
I've heard； for so the muse has told；
He's kind and gentle to the old；
Yes； to his castle I will hie；
There's none to match it 'neath the sky：
It is a baron's stately court；
Where bards for sumptuous fare resort；
There dwells the lord of Powis land；
Who granteth every just demand。
Its likeness now I'll limn you out：
'Tis water girdled wide about；
It shows a wide and stately door
Reached by a bridge the water o'er；
'Tis formed of buildings coupled fair；
Coupled is every couple there；
Within a quadrate structure tall
Muster the merry pleasures all。
Conjointly are the angles bound …
No flaw in all the place is found。
Structures in contact m