“It was the manner of those days, that the murtherer only, and he that gave the death’s wound, should fly, which was called in Welsh Llaewrudd, which is a red hand, because he had blouded his hlands. The accessories and abettors to the murtherers were never hearkened after.” — Gwydir History.
David! King Owen’s son... my father’s son,...
He wed the Saxon... the Plantagenet! — I. p. 8.
This marriage was, in fact, one of the means whereby Henry succeeded for a time in breaking the independent spirit of the Welsh. David immediately sent a thousand men to serve under his brother-in-law and liege lord in Normandy, and shortly after attended the parliament at Oxford upon his summons.
He is the headstrong slave
Of passions unsubdued. — I. p. 11.
Caradoc represents Davydd as a prince greatly disliked on account of his cruelty and untractable spirit, killing and putting out the eyes of those who were not subservient to his will, after the manner of the English! Cambrian Biography.
The guests were seated at the festal board. — II. p. 12.
The order of the royal hall was established by law. “The men to whom the right of a seat in the hall belongs are fourteen; of whom four shall sit in the lower, and ten in the upper, part of the hall. The king is the first; he shall sit at the pillar, and next him the chancellor; and after him the gliest, and then the heir apparent, and then the master of the hawks. The foot-bearer shall sit by the dish opposite the king, and the mead-maker at the pillar behind him. The priest of the household shall be at another pillar, who shall bless the meat, and chant the Pater Noster. The crier shall strike the pillar above the king’s head. Next him shall be the judge of the palace; and next to him the musician, to whom the right of the seat belongs. The smith of the palace shall be at the bottom, before the knees of the priest. The master of the palace shall sit in the lower hall, with his left hand towards the door, with the serving-men whom he shall choose; and the rest shall be at the other side of the door; and, at his other hand, the musician of the household. The master of the horse shall sit at the pillar opposite the king, and the master of the hounds at the pillar opposite the priest of the household.” — Laws of Hoel Dha’.
Keilriog;... and Berwzyn’s after-strife. - II. p. 14.
1165. The king gathered another armie of chosen men, through all his dominions, as England, Normandy, Anjow, Gascoine, and Gwyen, sending for succours from Flanders and Brytain, and then returned towards North Wales, minding utterlie to destroy all that had life in the land; and coming to Croes Oswalt, called Oswald’s Tree, incamped there. On the contrarie side, Prince Owen and his brother Cadwallader, with all the power of North Wales; and the Lord Rees, with the power of South Wales; and Owen Cyveilioc and the sonnes of Madoc ap Meredyth, with the power of Powyss, and the two sonnes of Madoc ap Ednerth, with the people betwixt Wye and Seavern, gathered themselves togither, and came to Corwen in Edeyrneon, proposing to defend their country. But the king understanding that they were nigh, being wonderfull desirous of battell, came to the river Ceireoc, and caused the woods to be hewn down. Whereupon a number of the Welshmen understanding the passage, unknown to their captains, met with the king’s ward, where were placed the picked men of all the armie, and there began a hote skirmish, where diverse worthie men were slaine on either side: but in the end the king wanne the passage, and came to the mountain of Berwyn, where he laid in campe certaine days, and so both the armies stood in awe of each other; for the king kept-the open plains, and was afraid to be intrapped in straits; but the Welshmen watched for the advantage of the place, and kept the king So straitlie, that neither forage nor victuall might come to his camp, neither durst anie soldiour stir abroad. And, to augment their miseries, there fell such raine, that the king’s men could scant stand upon their feete upon those slipperlie hilles. In the end, the king was compelled to retura home without his purpose, and that with great loss of men and munition, besides his charges. Therefore in a great choler he caused the pledges eies, whom he had received long before that, to be put out; which were Rees and Cawdwalhon the sonnes of Owen, and Cynwric and Meredith the sonnes of Rees, and other.” — Powell.
The fool that day, who in his masque attire
Sported before King Henry. - II. p. 14.
“Brienstone in Dorsetshire was held in grand sergeantry by a pretty odd jocular tenure; viz., by finding a man to go before the king’s army for forty days, when he should make war in Scotland (some records say in Wales), bareheaded and barefooted, in his shirt and linen drawers, holding in one hand a bow without a string, in another an arrow without feathers.” — Gibson’s Camden.
Though I knew
The rebel’s worth. - II. p. 15.
There is a good testimony to Hoel’s military talents in the old history of Cambria, by Powell. “At this time Cadel, Meredyth, and Rees, the sons of Gruffyth ap Rees, ap Theodor, did lead their powers against the Castle of Gwys; which, after they saw they could not win, they sent for Howel the sonne of Owen, Prince of North Wales, to their succour, who, for his prowesse in the field and his discretion in consultation, was counted the flowre of chivalrie; whose presence also was thought only sufficient to overthrow anie hold.”
Seest thou never
Those eyeless spectres by thy bridal bed. — II. p. 15.
Henry in his attempt upon Wales, 1165, “did justice on the sons of Rhys and also on the sons and daughters of other noblemen that were his accomplices very rigorously; causing the eyes of the young striplings to be pecked out of their heads, and their noses to be cut off or slit; and the eares of the young gentlewomen to be stuffed. But yet I find in other authors that in this journey King Henry did not greatly prevail against his enemies, but rather lost many of his men of war, both horsemen and footmen; for by his severe proceeding against them, he rather made them more eager to seek revenge, then quieted them in ant tumult” — Holinshed. Among these unhappy hostages were some sons of Owen Gwynedh.
I hate the Saxon. — II. p. 16.
Of this name Saxon, which the Welsh still use, Higden gives an odd etymology. “Men of that cowntree ben more lyghter and stronger on the see than other scommers or theeves of the see, and pursue theyr enemyes full harde, both by water and by londe, and ben called Saxones, - of Saxum, that is, a stone; for they ben as hard as stones. and uneasy to fare with.” — Polycronycon, 1. 26.
The page who chafed his feet. - II. p. 16.
“The foot-bearer shall hold the feet of the king in his lap fiom the time when he reclines at the board till he goes to rest, and he shall chafe them with a towel; and, during all that time, he shall watch that no hurt happen to the king. He shall eat of the same dish from which the king takes his meat, having his back turned toward the fire. He shall light the first candle before the king at his meal.” — Laws of Hoel Dha.
The officer proclaimed the sovereign will. - II. p. 18.
The crier to command silence was one of the royal household: first he performed this service by his voice, then by
Accubuerit is the word in Wotton’s version. It is evident that the king must have lain at his meal, after the Roman fashion, or this pedifer could not have chafed his feet. striking with the rod of his office the pillars above the king’s head. A fine was due to him for every disturbance in the court.
The Chief of Bards
Then raised the ancient lay. — II. p. 18.
The lines which follow represent the Bardic system, as laid down in the following Triads of Bardism.
“12. There are three Circles of Existence: the Circle of Infinity, where there is nothing but God, of living or dead, and none but God can traverse it; the Circle of Inchoation, where all things are by Nature derived from Death, — this Circle hath been traversed by man; and the Circle of Happiness, where all things spring from Life,.. this man shall traverse in Heaven.
“13. Aninated Beings have three States of Existence: that of Inchoation in the Great Deep, or Lowest point of Existence; that of Liberty in the state
of Humanity; and that of Love, which is Happiness in Heaven.
“14. All animated Beings are subject to three Necessities: beginning in the Great Deep; Progression in the Circle of Inchoation; and Plenitude in the Circle of Happiness. Without these things, nothing can possibly exist but God.
“15. Three things are necessary in the Circle of Inchoation: the least of all animation, and thence Beginning; the materials of all things, and thence Increase, which cannot take place in any other state; the formation of all things out of the dead mass, and thence Discriminate Individuality.
“16. Three things cannot but exist towards all animated Beings, from the nature of Divine Justice: Co-sufferance in the Circle of Inchoation, because without that none could attain to the perfect knowledge of any thing; Co-participation in the Divine Love; and Co-ultimity, fiom the nature of God’s Power, and its attributes of Justice and Mercy.
“17. There are three necessary occasions of Inchoation: to collect the materials and properties of every nature; to collect the knowledge of every thing; and to collect power towards subduing the Adverse and the Devastative, and for the dives tation of Evil. Without this traversing every mode of animated existence, no state of animation, or of any thing in nature, can attain to Plenitude.”
Till Evil shall be known,
And; being known as Evil, cease to be. - II. p. 18.
“By the knowledge of three things will, all Evil and Death be diminished and subdued; their nature, their cause, and their operation. This knowledge will be obtained in the Circle of Happiness.” — Triads of Bardism, Tr. 35.
Death The Enlarger. - II. p. 18.
Angau, the Welsh word for Death, signifies Enlargement.
The eternal newness of eternal joy. — II. p. 18.
Nefoedd, the Welsh word for Heaven, signifies Renovation. “The three Excellences of changing the mode of Existence in the Circle of Happiness: Acquisition of Knowledge; beautiful Variety; and Repose, from not being able to endure uniform Infinity and uninterrupted Eternity.
“Three things none but God canl do: endure the Eternities of the Circle of Infinity; participate of every state of Existence without changing; and reform and renovate every thing without the loss of it. “ The three Plenitudes of Happiness: Participation of every nature, with a plenitude of One predominant; conformity to every cast of genius and character, possessing superior excellence in One; the Love of all Beings and Existences, but chiefly concentred in one object, which is God; and in the predominant One of each of these will the Plenitude of Happiness consist.” - Triads of Bardism, 40, 38, 45.
- - - he struck the harp
To Owen’s praise. - II. p. 19.
“I will extol the generous Hero, descended from the race of Roderic, the bulwark of his country, a prince eminent for his good qualities, the glory of Britain: Owen, the brave and expert in arms, that neither hoardeth nor coveteth riches.
“Three fleets arrived, vessels of the main, three powerful fleets of the first-rate, furiously to attack him on the sudden: one from Iwerddon, * the other, full of well-armed Lochlynians, making a grand appearance on the floods; the third from the transmarine Normans, which was attended with an immense though successless toil.
“The dragons of Mona’s sons were so brave in action, that there was a great tumult on their furious attack; and before the prince himself there was vast confusion, havoc, conflict, honorable death, bloody battle, horrible consternation; and, upon Tal Malvra, a thousand banners. There was an outrageous carnage, and the rage of spears, and hasty signs of violent
* Ireland indignation. Blood raised the tide of the Menai, and the crimson of human gore stained the brine. There were glittering cuirasses, and the agony of gashing wouncds, and the manngled warriors prostrate before the chief, distinguished by his crimson lance. Loegria was put into confusion; the contest and confusion was great; and the glory of our Prince’s wide-wasting sword shall be celebrated in an hundred languages to give him his merited praise.” — Panegyric upon Owen Gwynedd, Prince of North Wales, by Gwalchmai the son of Melir, in the year 1157. — Evan’s Specimens of Welsh Poetry
Dinevaeor. — III. p. 21.
Dins Vawr, the Great Palace, the residence of the Princes of Deheubarth, or South Wales. This also was erected by Rhodri Mawr.
Hoel seiz’d the throne. - III. p. 21.
I have taken some liberties here with the history. Hoel kept possession of the throne nearly two years. He then went to Ireland to claim the property of his mother Pyvog, the daughter of an Irish chieftain. In the mean time, David seized the government. Hoel raised all the force he could to recover the crown, but, after a severe conflict, was wounded and defeated. He returned to Ireland with the remains of his army, which probably consisted chiefly of Irishmen, and there died of his wounds. — Cambrian Biography.
- - - hast thou known the consummated crime,
And heard Cynetha’s fate? - III. p. 26. The history of Cynetha and his brothers is very honestly related in the Pentarchia.
Cadwallonis erat primoevus jure Cynetha;
Proh pudor! hunc oculis patruus privavit Oenus
Testiculisque simul, fundum dum raptat avitum;
Honel ab irato suspensus rege Johanne,
Et Leolinus, cum privarunt lumine fratres.
This curious summary of Welsh history still remains unprinted.
As thy fair uplands lessen’d on the view. — IV. p. 34.
“Two of the names of Britain were derived from its hills, — Clas Merddlin, the high lands in the sea; and Clas Meiddlin, the hilly lands or fields.” — E. Williams’s Poems.
Seen, low lying, through the haze of morn. — IV. p. 35.
What sailors call Cape Fly-away.
St. Cyric.- IV. p. 41.
The saint to whom sailors addressed themselves; the St. Elmo of the Welsh.
It was usual for all, even females, who went from North Wales in pilgrimage to St. David’s, to pass the dangerous strands and sail over the rough bays in slight coracles, without any one to guide or assist them; so firmly were they convinced that that saint, and St. Cyric, the ruler of the waves, would protect them.” — E. Williams’s Poems. Gwenhidwy. — IV. p. 41.
“A Mermaid. The white foamy waves are called her sheep; the ninth wave, her ram. The Welsh have two proverbs concerning her: Take the Mermaid’s advice, and save thyself; Take shelter when you see the Mermaid driving her flocks ashore. — E. Williams.
Where at their source the floods, for ever thus,
Beneath the nearer influence qf the Moon,
Labor’d in these mad woorkings. — IV. p. 42.
Everyche flood aryseth more in Oecean than in the grete see, that is for the hole togyder is myglhtyer and stronger than ony partye by hymself. Or for the hole Oecean is grete and large, and receyved more workynge of the mone than ony partye by hymselfe that is smaller and lasse.” — Polycronycon, L. 1. c. 9.
Did the Waters
Here on their utmost circle meet the Void. — IV. p. 42.
“The see of Oecean beclyppeth all the erthe abowte as a garlonde, and by times cometh and goth, ebbying and flowynge, and flodeth in sees, and casteth them up, and wyndes blowen therein.” — Polycronycon, 1. i. c. 9.
Or this Earth,
Was it indeed a living thing. I — IV. p. 42.
“Physici autumant mundum animal esse, eumque ex variis elementorum corporibus conglobatum, moveri spiritu, regi mente; qume utraque diffusa per membra omnia, mternm molis vigorem exerceant. Sicut ergo in corporibus nostris colnmercia sunt spiritalia, ita in profundis Oceani nares quasdam mundi constitutes, per quas emissi anhelitus, vel reducti, modo;effilent maria modb revocent.” — Solinus, cap. 36.
“I suppose the waters,” says Pietro Martire, “to be driven about the globe of the earth by the incessant moving and impulsion of the heavens, and not to be swallowed up and cast out again by the breathing of Demogorgon, as some have imagined, because they see the seas, by increase and decrease, to flow and reflow.” — Dec. 3. c. 6
.
- - - gentle airs which breath’d,
or seem’d to breathe, fresh fraegrance from the shore. — IV. p. 43.
“Our first notice of the approach of land was the fragrant and aromatic smell of the continent of South America, or of the islands in its vicinity, which we sensibly perceived as a squall came from that quarter.” — M’Kinnin’s Tour through the British West Indies. Dogs always are sensible when land is near, before it can be seen.
Low nets of interwoven reeds. — V. p. 47.
“And for as much as I have made mention of their houses, it shall not be greatly from my purpose to describe in what manner they are builded. They are made round, like bells or.round pavilions. Their frame is raysed of exceeding high trees, set close together, and fast rampaired in the ground, so standing aslope, and bending inward, that the toppes of the trees joyne together, and bear one against another, having also within the house certain strong and short proppes or posts, which susteyne the trees from falling. They cover them with the leaves of date trees and other trees strongly compact and hardened, wherewith they make them close from winde and weather. At the short posts, or proppes, within the house, they tie ropes of the cotton of gossampine-trees, or other ropes made of certain long and rough roots, much like unto the shrubbe called Spaertunz, whereof in old time they used to make bands for vines, and gables and ropes for shippes. These they tie overthwart the house from post to post; on these they lay, as it were, certain mattresses made of the cotton of’ gossampine-trees, which grow plentifully in these islandes. This cotton the Spanyards call Alyodon, and the Italians Boinbasine; and thus they sleepe in hanging beddes.” — Pietro Martire.
Will ye believe
The wonders of the Ocean, how its shoals
Sprang from the wave. — V. p. 48.
I have somewhere seen an anecdote of a sailor’s mother, who believed all the strange lies which he told her for his amusement, but never could be persuaded to believe there could be in existence such a thing as a flying fish. A Spanish author, who wrote before the voyage of Columbus, describes these fish as having been seen on the coast of Flanders. “Hay alli unos pescados que vuelan sobre el agua; algunos dellos atravesaban volando por encima de las galeras, e ann algunos dellos calan dentro.” — Coronica de D. Pero Nino.
Complete Poetical Works of Robert Southey Page 69