i^ 
 
B ERK ELEr 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF 
 CAlll^OKNIA 
 
 / 
 
THE 
 
 HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES 
 
 THE TOWN 
 
 ABERCONWY 
 
 NEIGHBOURHOOD. 
 
 WITH NOTICES OF THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE DISTRICT. 
 
 BY TH K 
 
 REV. ROBERT WILLIAMS, B.A. 
 
 Christ Chiirch, Oxford, Curate of Llangernyw. 
 
 IBenttgf), 
 
 PRINTED l-OR THE AUTHOR BY THOMAS GEE. 
 1835. 
 

 «»«• 
 ^ 
 
 TO 
 
 COLONEL LLOYD 
 
 Of Marl, 
 
 THIS VOLUME 
 
 IS INSCRIBED, 
 
 A TRIBUTE OF RESPECT AND GRATITUDE, 
 
 BT 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 wS'?A80G 
 
HI STORY 
 
 OF 
 
 ABERCONWY. 
 
 The obvious advantages derived by fixing their 
 residence on the banks of a river would naturally 
 occur to the early inhabitants of this country, and 
 the importance of the Conwy, in this respect, has 
 been duly appreciated from the most remote times, 
 of which we have any records. Its name Conwy, 
 or more properly Cynwy, is derived from Cyn 
 chief, and wy water, and it is allowed to be one 
 of the finest of its length in Europe. The earliest 
 author who makes mention of any place in this 
 neighbourhood is Tacitus, whose Cangorum Ci- 
 vitas is fixed by the learned antiquary Humfrey 
 Llwyd at Dyganwy. Every British nation had 
 its own Cano-i, whose office was to attend to the 
 herds, and they resided in different pastures at 
 various periods of the year. Benren is recorded 
 
 A 
 
2 HISTORY OF 
 
 as tlie chief of the lierdsmen, or Cangi, who looked 
 after tlie herds of Caradog and his followers about 
 (iorwennydd, in Siluria; the Triads assert the 
 niunher of milch cows in these national herds to 
 be twenty thousand. Some learned antiquaries 
 place the summer residence of the Cangi of the 
 Ordovices near theCanganorumPromontorium,or 
 Braich y Pw 11 in Llyn, or more probably extend- 
 ing along the coast from that point to Bangor; and 
 in that case Dyganwy was their winter (juarters: 
 but tluit it was a town of the Ordovices before the 
 invasion of the Romans, is corroborated by the 
 discovery of a number of brass celts, or battle-axe 
 Ik ads, weapons peculiar to the ancient Britons; 
 they were found here some years ago, placed 
 lieads and points, under a large stone. 
 
 When the Romans had subdued this country, 
 they also built a town on the Conway, but its site 
 was at tlie distance of five miles higher up the 
 river at Caer rliun.' Its name of Conovium was, 
 according to their general practice, the latinized 
 form of the Welsh term Cynwy. According to 
 Anlunine's Itinerary, Conovium was twenty-four 
 
 ' So called from llliuii, the son of Maelgwn Gwynodd. who snb- 
 (ieqiiently resided (liere. 
 
ABER(()NWY. 3 
 
 Roman milts diistaiit from Segontinm, or Caernar- 
 von, and nineteen from Varac, in the neighbour- 
 hood of tiie present Bodfari. The name is dif- 
 ferently given by Ptolemy, who calls the river 
 Toisobius : why he thus calls it cannot be satis- 
 factorily accounted for ; it is certain, however, that 
 this is the river meant, for, when describing this 
 side of the island, he proceeds from North to South 
 along the coast, and by naming Toisohii jimninis 
 ostia before Cancanorum promontorium, he shews 
 that the mouth of this river lies between that pro- 
 montory and Seleia eestuarimn, or the mouth of 
 the river Dee, below Chester; and this is the only 
 river of any considerable magnitude in the inter- 
 vening space of country. Richard of Cirencester 
 also, in his Itinerary, expressly calls the river by 
 the two names of Toisobius and Conovius. The 
 legion stationed here was the tenth, not the same 
 which Julius Caesar brought with him, but that 
 called Antoniana, which served under Ostorius 
 against the Silures and Ordovices, as appears by 
 a coin dug up in Caermarthenshire, having on 
 one side a triremis ANT. AUG. and on the 
 other three standards L E G.' Several bricks 
 
 * See Plate 19. fig 11. of Gibson's Camden, by Gmigh. 
 
 A 2 
 
4 HlhTOiM OF 
 
 liave bt^eii fomul litre inscribed L R(i. X. There 
 are still to be seen tVauiuents of Koiiiaii l)iicks, 
 and part ofa hypocanst; and on removing the soil 
 in 1801, the foundation of a Uonian \ ilia >\as also 
 discovered, consisting of live rooms in front, in- 
 cluding- a sudatorj . Some articles of Uoman pot- 
 tery, and a small round shield, ornamented witli 
 seveial circles of brass studs, have been tliscovered 
 here, and are preserved at Caer rhun. Among the 
 <;ollecfion of anticpiities at (iloddacth, was a hol- 
 low brick from the hypocanst, thirteeii inches in 
 length, live and a half square, and about three 
 cjuarters of an inch in thickness, liaving a round 
 hole in the middle about two inches in diameter. 
 Also a cake of copper smelted here from the ore of 
 the Snowdon mountains, which is thus described 
 by Mr. Pennant: " This mass is in the shape of a 
 cake of bees" wax; and on the upper part is a 
 deep concave impression with the words .Socio 
 UoMiE; across these is impressed obliquely, in 
 h'sser letters, Nalsol. 1 cannot explain it, unless 
 IS((/. stands for ]\(i/io, the people who paid this 
 species of tribute; and soi. for solvit, that being 
 the st;imp-master's mark, "^riiese cakes miglit be 
 bought ii|> by a merchant resi(h'ut in Britain and 
 consigned Soc lo KoMit, to liis partner at IJome. 
 
AiU.Rf ONWV. 5 
 
 The weight of tliis antiquity is forty-two pounds ; 
 the diameter of the upper part eleven inches ; the 
 thickness in the middle two and three quarters." 
 
 We now return to Dyganwy,^ which city, as the 
 towns of the Britons were not built in the substan- 
 tial and regular method of the Romans, must have 
 covered the flat between Dyganwy hill, Bryn 
 Maelgwn, and Bod Caswallon, the residence of 
 Caswallon Law-hir; it was principally built of 
 wood, with which this part of Wales abounded ; 
 and the Welsh always eager to decide the contest 
 with their enemies in the open field, paid no great 
 attention to the science of fortification ; but the 
 numbers and encroachments of the Saxons obliged 
 our kings to put their towns in a more proper state 
 of defence; accordingly, early in the sixth centu- 
 ry, Maelgwn Gwynedd, who had his Lli/sat Bryn 
 euryri, fortified Dyganwy, and built here a strong- 
 castle. After the death of his father Caswallon, 
 he held his court here, and in some records he is 
 called king of Dyganwy.'* Among the occurrences 
 of his reign we find that lillphin, the son of Gwydd 
 no Garanhir, who had been invited by his uncle 
 
 •* Dy gan wy, from the white waves breaking- on flic sliore. 
 •» Willis' St. Asapii, by Edwards, Vol. If. d. 
 
O H1.VK)K\ OF 
 
 Maelgwn to spend liis Christmas at liis court, was 
 imprisoned by liim in Dyi^anwy castle on account 
 of some dispute about religion and politics ; and 
 there are some poems extant, which were written 
 by Taliesin, who flourished at this period, in be- 
 half of his patron Elphin : by one of them it ap- 
 pears that he succeeded in procuring the release 
 of his friend from captivity, and he himself was 
 likewise admitted to the particular favour of the 
 king.' Maelgwn, wlio succeeded his father Cas- 
 wallon, A.D. 517, in the sovereignty of Gwynedd, 
 was elected king of the Britons, in A.D. 546, on 
 the death of king Arthur. Although the Saxons 
 were in possession of the greatest part of Britain, 
 and were encroaching on the retirement of the 
 Britons into Wales, we have no account of his 
 having fought with them ; but that he came into 
 contact with them mav be deduced from the no- 
 tice of the origin of the plague in the Triads. 
 In 552, he endowed the see of Bangor with lands 
 and franchises ; he likewise erected the town of 
 Bangor Vawr, and repaired Shrewsbury, and the 
 castle of Harlech. He is said, when at Bangor, 
 to liavr been struck with remorse for the crimes 
 
 * See the orij^iiials in tlio Myvyiian Arcluvologv. Vol. I. 22, .'14. 07. 
 
ABEKCONWY. 7 
 
 of" his past life, and to have come to a resolution 
 of retiring from the world, and devoting himself 
 to a cloister; a design which he did not persist in, 
 but returned to the affairs of government. He 
 died of the vad velen, or yellow plague, in the 
 church of Llanrhos, whither he had taken him- 
 self for shelter. The British poets personified 
 disease, and this, in the form of a woman, was to 
 slay Maelgwn, if he looked upon it, which he in- 
 cautiously did through the window. Taliesin's 
 prophetic words are these : 
 
 E ddaw pryv rhyvedd 
 
 O Vorva Rhianedd 
 I ddial anwiredd 
 
 Ar Vaelgwn Gvvynedd ; 
 Ai view ai ddannedd 
 
 Ai lygaid yn euredd, 
 A hyn a wna ddiwedd 
 
 Ar Vaelgwn Gwynedd. 
 
 " A strange creature will come from the Marsh 
 of Rhianedd, to punish the crimes of Maelgwn 
 Gwynedd : its hair, its teeth, and its eyes are 
 yellow, and this will destroy Maelgwn Gwyn- 
 edd." 
 
i\ HISTUUV OF 
 
 This pestilence vvhicli raged in the district be- 
 tween the Conwy and Dyffryn Clvvyd is recorded 
 in the following: Triad : — 
 
 '•Tair haint echrys Ynys Prydain : Cyntav, 
 haint o gelanedd y Gwyddyl a laddwyd ym 
 Manuba gwedi gorniesu o honynt again mlynedd 
 a naw a'r wlad Wynedd. Ail, haint y vad velen 
 o lios, ac achos celaneddau Uaddedigion y bu 
 honno, ac od elai neb o vewn en gwynt cwympo 
 'n varw yn ddioed a wnelai : a'r drydydd haint, y 
 chwys drewllyd, aclios Uygru yr yd gan wlyban- 
 iaeth yn amser Gormes y jNormeinwyr, y gan 
 Wiliani y Bastardd."" 
 
 "The three dreadful pestilences of the Isle of 
 Britain. First, the pestilence from the carcases 
 of the Gwyddelians, who were slain in Manuba, 
 after they had oppressed the country of Gw ynedd 
 for twenty-nine years. Second, the pestilence 
 of the yellow plague of lihos, and wliich was 
 cau&ed by the carcases of the slain, and whoever 
 went within reach oftlie effluvia fell dead imme- 
 diately : and the third was the i)estilence of the 
 
 '' .Myvyriaii Anha-ology, N ol. II. .■>y. 
 
ABKUCONWV. J) 
 
 fetid sweat, in consequence of tlu; corn liavinj; 
 been injured by wet in the time of the oppression 
 of the Nornums Ijy William the Bastard/' 
 
 In the year 880, a severe battle was fought near 
 Aberconwy between Anarawd, prince of North 
 Wales, and Eadred duke of Mercia; where tlie 
 Welsh gained a complete victory : it was called 
 " Gwaitli Cymryd Conwy,' because the engaoe- 
 nient took place in the township of Cymryd, near 
 Conwy; the prince, however, called it Dial 
 Hodri, because he had there avenged his father 
 Rodri, who had been slain by the Saxons in 
 Anglesey; the cause of the war between the 
 Welsh and Mercians was this : the northern Bri- 
 tons of Stratclwyd and Cumberland were greatly 
 haiassed and weakened by the continued incur- 
 sions of the Danes, Saxons, and Scots, insomuch 
 that those, who were unwilling to lose their inde- 
 pendence, were compelled to quit their native 
 country, and seek for more peaceful and secure 
 habitations. Under the conduct of one Robert, 
 several of them came to Gwynedd or North Wales 
 in the beginning of Anarawd's reign ; who, com- 
 miserating the suflerings of a kindled nation, 
 granted them all the country between Chester and 
 
10 HISTORY OF 
 
 the Conwy, if they coukl expel the Saxons, who 
 had lately taken possession of it : they accordingly 
 attacked them, and speedily drove them out. For 
 three years they had enjoyed peaceful possession, 
 when Eadred, duke of Mercia, called by tlie 
 Welsh, Edryd Wallt-hir, the long-haired, eager to 
 avenge his ignominious ejection, made a treaty 
 with the Danes, and in conjunction with them 
 made preparations to regain tiie country. The 
 northern Britons, who were settled there, in the 
 mean time removed their cattle and effects beyond 
 the Conwy ; and Anarawd, having collected his 
 forces, met them at Cymryd, and after a gallant 
 resistance on the part of the Saxons, and a bloody 
 fight, he gave them a complete overthrow. Those 
 who escaped were pursued by the Britons into 
 Mercia, and the victors, having laid waste their 
 borders, returned liome laden with booty. The 
 northern Britons were thus enabled to repass 
 the Conwy, and return to their former possessions, 
 which they enjoyed in peace for several years. Jn 
 this action Tudwal, son of Rodri Mawr, signally 
 distinguished himself, and he was rewarded by his 
 brother with a grant of Uchelogoed or Uchelgoed 
 (iwyncdd : from :i wound which he received in 
 his knee, h<' was evrr after caUed Tudwal (ih)f, 
 
ABEliCONWY. 
 
 11 
 
 or, the lame. Anarawd also gave very extensive 
 lands to the collegiate churches of liaui^or and 
 Clynnoc vawr in Arvon, out of gratitude to God 
 for this great victory. 
 
 Dyganvvy continued to be the residence of the 
 kings of North Wales until A. D. 810, in the 
 reign of Cynan Tindaethwy, when it was destroy- 
 ed by lightning, and the town of Aberconwy was 
 built out of the ruins/ We are told by Camden, 
 that Hugh Lupus, earl of Chester, fortified Con- 
 wy, Mr. Pennant supposes when on his march to 
 Anglesey, in 1098, but it may be doubted whetlier 
 his fortification was on the west side of the river, 
 I rather suppose it to have been at Dyganwy, 
 which was in a district accounted as part of the 
 possessions of the earl of Chester. The Welsh 
 did not erect a fortress there after the destruction 
 of the city in 810 ; and the ruins now remaining 
 are those of a castle originally built by Hugh 
 l^upus : Robert of Rhuddlan, who had obtained a 
 grant of several places in the neighbourhood of 
 Rhuddlan from the earl, was probably the con- 
 
 ^ " Nomen tamcn (Dyganwy) adluic loco permansit, ct ex ejus 
 luinis fedificata fiiit Conovia." Humfr. Lhwyd's Brit. Descript. 
 
 frag. 54. Edit. 1572. 
 
 ^' 
 
I -J insToin oi 
 
 stable of tliis rastlc lor liis [)atron, at the time of 
 l)is (kalli, which happened in the following man- 
 ner. On the third of Jul V, 1088, prince Grnffydd 
 ah ('yuan entered the ("onwy with three ships, 
 and landinji; under the castle at hiiih water, left 
 the ships on shore at the recess of tide. He ra- 
 vaged the neighbouring- country, and drove to- 
 wards his vessels a great bootv of men and cattle. 
 Robert, indignant at this, descended from his for- 
 tress, attended by a single soldier, Osbern do Or- 
 gar, and without any defensive armour except his 
 shield. The Welsh attacked him with missile 
 weapons, and filling his shield so full of darts that 
 it fell under their weight, the enemy rushed on 
 him, cut oft" his head, and fastening it to the mast, 
 sailed oft' in savage triumph.^ The castle was de- 
 molished about a century afterwards by Llywelyn 
 the Great. Jii 1 2 10, Handle Blondevil, earl of 
 Chester, rebuilt the castle of Dyganwy, upon 
 which Llewelvn entered the territories of the earl, 
 and, having laid them waste, returned home with 
 great booty. "^Ihe continued successes of Llyw- 
 cImi against his enen)ies, and the grievous com- 
 plaints made by the marchers, at last excited the 
 
 ^ INiiiiiiiil's 'I'uiii" III \\ iilcs, ;>. 1 17, 8vo. 
 
AKLRCONWV. ' •> 
 
 kiiiii- to endeavour lo ivilress his subjects ; he ac- 
 eordingly summoned liis lords and tliose traitors 
 of the Welsh who had sworn allegiance to him, 
 and with a large army he came to Chester, fully 
 <letermined to execute his vengeance on the inha- 
 bitants of this country, and not to leave one alive. 
 In the mean time, Llywelyn, aware of his inability 
 to meet the enemy in the field, had commanded 
 his subjects on the east side of the Conwy, in the 
 present counties of Flint and Denbigh, to remove 
 their cattle and other effects to the fastnesses of 
 the Snow don mountains; and king John meet- 
 ing with no opposition, advanced along the coast 
 to Rhuddlan, and thence to the castle of Dygan- 
 wy, where he encamped for some time to refresh 
 iiis wearied army. This event took place in 121 1 . 
 As he could only depend on having supplies from 
 England, his forces were soon reduced to the 
 greatest straits and misery by the policy of Llyw- 
 elyn, who had taken possession of the interven- 
 ing countrv, and thereby cut off all his resources. 
 All the defiles in the neighbourhood were also in 
 the possession of the Welsh, who slew^ all that 
 straggled beyond the precincts of the camp. The 
 English, having subsisted for some time upon 
 the flesh of their horses, and having no alternative, 
 
14 HISTOm OK 
 
 nmdt' a disgraceful rdnat to I'^niilaud, leaving 
 to Liywelyn the task of hurving- the great number 
 of their (lead, who had been starved in the expe- 
 dition. We find that in the following August, 
 king John, eager to wipe off the stain of his igno- 
 minious retreat, entered Wales a second time; and 
 in this expedition he crossed the Conwy, and en- 
 camped in Arvon; he sent part of his forces to 
 Bangor, which they burnt to the ground, and took 
 the bishop prisoner. A reconciliation however 
 took place through the instrumentality of the 
 princess Joan, who was king Johns daughter, 
 and was married to Liywelyn ; the English king- 
 then retired to England with honour, and greater 
 success than he had gained before. 
 
 In 1213, Owen, the son of David ab Owen 
 Gwynedd, had a grant from King John of the 
 three cantrevs of Rhos, Rheveiniog, and Dyffryn 
 C'lwyd, excepting the castle of Gannock, or l)y- 
 o-anwy, and the territory of Creiddyn, where the 
 castle stood. But Owen, together with his father 
 David, soon after met the reward of his ingratitude 
 and treason, being killed by prince Uywelyn at 
 Conwy." 
 
 » Sir .Idlm Wynne's Gvvydir History. 13. 
 
ABERCONWY. 15 
 
 In the following- year, king John having inhu- 
 manly murdered the Welsh hostages in his power, 
 who were the sons of our nobility, twenty -eight in 
 number, Llywelyn laid siege to the king's castles 
 between the Dee and Conwy, all of which he took, 
 and among the number was the castle of Dyganwy; 
 thereby freeing North Wales from the insupport- 
 able tyranny, and oppression of the English gar- 
 risons. 
 
 In 1245, when John de Grey of Wilton was 
 constable, Dyganwy was again visited by a royal 
 army. Henry III. having summoned princeDavid, 
 and all the barons of Wales, to do homage at 
 Westminster, and to answer for the depredations 
 laid to their charge, determined, on their refusal to 
 appear, to carry into effect his intentions of the 
 entire subjugation of Wales: the English parlia- 
 ment accordingly granted him the necessary sup- 
 plies, and on this occasion there was an extraordi- 
 nary assessment of forty shillings for every knight's 
 fee, called the scutage of Gannock. All his ba- 
 rons, and others who held of the king by knight's 
 service and serjeantry, were summoned to attend 
 him to Wales. Having completed all his formi- 
 dable preparations, the king advanced as far as 
 
Dviianwv witli a <;r(*at aniiy ol' I'^n^lisli and (ias- 
 rons, fully pnrposinii- to slay all the inhabitants, 
 and to destroy the country. Althou.^h he reached 
 this place unmolested, he dared not venture to 
 cross the Conwy, and follow the Welsh into the 
 mountains of Snowdon. He accordingly halted, 
 and during the ten weeks that he remained here, 
 his army by reason of their great numbers was en- 
 camped without the walls, and was exposed to 
 many inconveniences: tlu^ soldiers suffered great- 
 ly from being thinly clad, and having no other co- 
 verinu" than tents made of linen. Thev were also 
 greatly harassed, and their numbers reduced by 
 the incessant attacks of the Welsh, who cut off" all 
 stragglers, and endeavoured to storm their camp. 
 The intervening country being again in possession 
 of the Welsh, and all intercourse with England 
 prevented, the king and his army were reduced to 
 a most deplorable state of famine. Some of the 
 events which occurred here at this period, and 
 the miseries they suffered, are told in the follow- 
 ing letter, written by a courtier in the camp to a 
 friend in England. 
 
 " The king with the army is encamped at (lan- 
 nock, and is busy in fortifying that place (suffi- 
 
ABERCONWY. 17 
 
 ciently strong already) about which we lay in our 
 tents, in watching, fasting, praying, and freezing. 
 We watch for fear of the Welsh, who were used 
 to come suddenly upon us in the night time : we 
 fast for want of provision, the halfpenny loaf being 
 now risen and advanced to five-pence : we pray 
 that we may speedily return safe and scot-free 
 home: and we freeze for want of winter garments, 
 having but a thin linen shirt to keep us from the 
 wind. There is a small arm of the sea under the 
 castle where we lay, which the tide reached, by 
 the conveniency of which, many ships bring us 
 provision and victuals from Ireland and Chester: 
 this arm lies betwixt us and Snowden, where the 
 Welsh are encamped, and is in breadth, when the 
 tide is in, about a bow-shot. Now it happened, 
 that upon the Monday before Michaelmas-day, an 
 Irish vessel came up to the mouth of the haven, 
 with provision to be sold to our camp, which being 
 negligently looked to by the mariners, was upon 
 the low ebb stranded on the other side of the cas- 
 tle, near the Welsh. The enemy perceiving this, 
 descended from the mountains, and laid siege to 
 the ship, which was fast upon the dry sands; 
 whereupon we detached in boats three hundred 
 Welsh of the borders of Cheshire and Shropshire, 
 
 B 
 
18 HISTORY OF 
 
 with some archers and armed men, to rescue tlie 
 ship ; but the Welsh, upon the approach of our 
 men, withdrew themselves to their usual retire- 
 ments in the rocks and the w oods, and were pur- 
 sued for about two miles by our men on foot, w ho 
 slew a great number of them. But in their return 
 back, our soldiers being too covetous and greedy 
 of plunder, among other sacrilegious and profane 
 actions, spoiled the abbey of Aberconwy, and 
 burnt all the books and other choice utensils be- 
 longing to it. The Welsh being distracted at 
 these irreligious practices, got together in great 
 number, and in a desperate manner setting upon 
 the English, killed a great number of them, and 
 following the rest to the water-side, forced as many 
 as could not make their escape into the boats, to 
 commit themselves to the mercy of the waves. 
 Those they took prisoners they thought to reserve 
 for exchange ; but hearing how we put some of 
 their captive nobility to death, they altered their 
 minds, and in a revengeful manner scattered tlieir 
 di lacerated carcases along the surface of the w^a- 
 ter. In this conflict, we lost a considerable num- 
 ber of our men, and chiefly those under the com- 
 mand of Richard earl of Cornwal; as Sir Alan 
 Buscell,Sir Adam de Main, Sir Geoftry Estuemy, 
 
ABERCONWY. 19 
 
 and one Raimond a Gascoign, with about an 
 Imndred common soldiers. In the mean time, 
 Sir Walter Bisset stoutly defended the ship till 
 midnight, when the tide returned ; whereupon 
 the Welsh, who assailed us on all sides, were 
 forced to withdraw, being much concerned that 
 we had so happily escaped their hands. The car- 
 go of this ship was three hundred hogsheads of 
 wine, with plenty of other provision for the army, 
 which at that time it stood in very great need of. 
 But the next morning when the sea was returned, 
 the Welsh came merrily down again to the ship, 
 thinking to surprise our men, but as luck would 
 have it, they had at full sea the night before relin- 
 quished the ship, and returned safe to the camp. 
 The enemy missing our men, set upon the cargo 
 of the ship, carried away all the wine and other 
 provisions; and then, when the sea began to flow, 
 they set fire to the vessel, and returned to the rest 
 of the army. And thus we lay encamped in great 
 misery and distress for want of necessaries, ex- 
 posed to great and frequent dangers, and in great 
 fear of the private assaults and sudden incursions 
 of our enemies. Oftentimes we set upon and as- 
 sailed the Welsh, and in one conflict we carried 
 
 away a hundred head of cattle, w hich very tri- 
 
 b2 
 
20 HlSTOKV OF 
 
 iimphantly we conveyed to our camp. For tlie 
 scarcity of provision was then so great, that there 
 remained but one hogshead of wine in the whole 
 army, a bushel of corn being- sold for twenty shil- 
 lings, a fed ox for three or four marks, and a hen 
 for eight-pence; so that there liappened a very 
 lamentable mortality, both of man and horse, for 
 want of necessary sustenance of life."' 
 
 Having undergone such miseries as are here de- 
 scribed, king Henry found his position no longer 
 tenable, and he accordingly retreated with his ar- 
 my, without having performed any of his inten- 
 tions, or having gained the least advantage. 
 
 The succeeding prince of Wales, Llywelyn ab 
 Grufydd, in 1258, having successfully carried his 
 arms into Cheshire, caused king Henry a second 
 time to invade Wales with an immense army ; for 
 he had brought together the whole strength of 
 England: he advanced, without opposition, to 
 Dyganwy, but his further progress, and stay for 
 any length of time, was prevented by the skill of 
 Llywelyn, who had conveyed to the other side of 
 
 ' Mafli. Paris, quoted in W vnne's Histdiy of Wales, p. 266. 
 
ABKHCONWY. '21 
 
 the river all manner of provision and forage, and 
 had secured all the narrow passages, where the 
 English might have crossed the river. Henry 
 was again compelled to make an inglorious re- 
 treat, not without suffering a considerable loss. 
 
 In 1262, the castle of Dyganwy, which was of 
 so much importance to the English, and so dan- 
 gerous to the safety of Wales, was taken and to- 
 tally demolished by Llywelyn. 
 
 The English monarch, irritated by the loss of 
 Dyganwy, determined now to send his son Ed- 
 ward with an army against Llywelyn; for Dy- 
 ganwy, being situated on the coast, was open to 
 receive a continual supply of soldiers and provi- 
 sion; and commanding one of the principal passes 
 of Wales, its garrison was frequently enabled to 
 cut off the excursionary parties of the Welsh ; be- 
 ing likewise a place of great strength in point of 
 structure and situation, it afforded the English a 
 secure retreat upon any disaster. Llywelyn hav- 
 ing retired to the west side of the Conwy, Edward, 
 who found it too difficult an attempt to follow him 
 into Snowdon, withdrew his forces; and the pre- 
 text of his retreat was a recall by his father on an 
 
22 HISTORY OK 
 
 afliiir olimportaiice. In 1277, the king of Eng- 
 land, having subdned the intervening country, ad- 
 vanced at the head of a large army into Conwy, 
 where he remained quiet, fully determined to 
 starve Llywelyn into submission. The latter 
 having no resources, for Anglesey, the granary of 
 Wales, was in the hands of the English, was at 
 length compelled, for the sake of his suffering peo- 
 ple, to propose an accommodation with Edward ; 
 a peace was accordingly concluded on the most 
 mortifying terms, and afterwards ratified in the 
 king's absence, by the commissioners of the two 
 princes at Aberconwy.^ For some years Llyw- 
 elyn submitted to the ungenerous and atrocious 
 insults offered him by the English king; but in 
 1282, the patience of the Welsh being totally ex- 
 hausted, they rose in arms, and endeavoured to 
 obtain some alleviation of their miseries. Edward 
 eagerly seized the opportunity of destroying Llyw- 
 elyn, and joining Wales to England: about the 
 first of November he left Rhuddlan, and advanced 
 with his army to Aberconwy, where he stationed 
 it in advantageous positions in tlie neighbourhood; 
 and Edward was here when lie liad the satisfaction 
 of receiving the head of his bra\e but unfortunate 
 
 ■' K\ mcr. 
 
ABERCONWY. '-^3 
 
 antagonist, who had been slain at Buallt. Hav- 
 ing at length obtained the object of his ambition 
 by the entire conquest of Wales, he annexed this 
 country to the crown of England. He completed 
 the building of the castle in 1284, and surrounded 
 the town with walls: and fearing to trust within 
 them the members of the abbey which had been 
 founded here by Llywelyn ab lorwerth, he re- 
 moved them to his new foundation at Maenan, 
 near Llanrwst. 
 
 Although the present town of Aberconwy was 
 enlarged and fortified by Edward the First, we 
 know that it was a place of some importance pre- 
 viously; we have no record relating to the town 
 which arose after the destruction of Dyganwy, 
 except that there was a fortress here called Caer 
 GyflSn, from the rivulet adjoining, built by Mael- 
 gwn Gwynedd in the sixth century, and that the 
 town was also called Aberconwy; for we have 
 the charter granted by Llywelyn to the abbey 
 here, which is witnessed and dated from Aber- 
 conwy in 1198. 
 
 Edward left a strong garrison in the castle, and 
 made the town a free borough, ordering that the 
 
24 HISTORY OF 
 
 constable of" the castle for the time being sliould 
 be mayor, and assigning it considerable privileges. 
 William Sikun was first appointed to that office.^ 
 The following is a translation of the charter grant- 
 ed at the time, and the original is inserted in the 
 Appendix. 
 
 " THE KING — To archbishops, &c. greeting, 
 — Know ye. That we will and grant for us and 
 our heirs, that our town of Aberconwey become a 
 free borough, and our men of the same town free 
 burgesses; and that the constable of our castle of 
 Aberconwey for the time being be mayor of the 
 same borough, sworn as well to us as to the same 
 burgesses, who first having taken the oath to pre- 
 serve our rights shall swear to the said burgesses 
 upon the holy evangelists of God, that he will 
 preserve the same liberties to the said burgesses 
 by us granted, and faithfully perform that, which 
 to the office of mayor may belong in the same bo- 
 rough. Also we grant that the said burgesses 
 yearly choose from amongst themselves on the 
 feast of Saint Michael, two fit and sufficient bai- 
 liffs, and to such their constable as well as mayor 
 
 3 AyloHc's Rutnli \\ alliw, 02. 
 
ABERCONWY. 25 
 
 present, who, iii the presence of" tlie said mayor 
 and burgesses, shall swear, That the office of bai- 
 liff they will faithfully do, and execute. Also, we 
 will and grant that the said Burgesses have their 
 persons free in the borough aforesaid of all tres- 
 passes there, except in cases of life and limb, in 
 all which cases all men, as well burgesses as others, 
 shall be imprisoned in our castle there. Never- 
 theless if any of our said burgesses shall be sued, 
 accused, or indicted upon any trespass in any of 
 those cases, We will that on that account they be 
 imprisoned, until they shall find good and suffici- 
 ent bail to abide the right thereof before our chief 
 justice, or other our justices assigned in this behalf. 
 Moreover we grant to the same burgesses, that 
 all land, to the same borough now assigned, be al- 
 together diswarrened and deafforested. And that 
 Jews dwell not in the same borough at any time. 
 We grant also for us and our heirs to the said bur- 
 gesses the underwritten liberties, to wit, — That 
 no one of our sheriffs on any occasion intrudes 
 himself upon them in any plea or quarrel or cause 
 or any other matter to the said town belonging, 
 (saving always to us and our heirs pleas of our 
 crown as is before mentioned) and that they have 
 
26 HISTORY OF 
 
 a merchant's guild with a hanse,'' and other cus- 
 toms, and liberties, to that guild belonging. Also, 
 that no one, who be not of the guild, shall traflSc 
 in the same town, unless ftom the permission of 
 the aforesaid burgesses. We also grant to them, 
 if any native' of any one shall tarry in the afore- 
 said town and hold land in the same, and shall be 
 in the aforesaid guild and hanse and lot and scot 
 with our same men for a year and a day without 
 challenge, then he cannot be recovered by his 
 lord, but in the same town he shall remain free. 
 Moreover we grant to our same burgesses, that 
 they have sok," and salc,^ toP and team,^ and 
 infangene thof.'" And that they be quit through 
 all our land of toll, lestage, passage, menage, 
 pontage, and stallage. And of lene danegeld, 
 and gaywite, and all other customs and exactions 
 
 "• Hanse, An association fo insure the safe passage of goods, &c. 
 
 ' Native, A person born a servant. 
 
 • Sok, Suit of Court within a manor or borough. 
 
 ^ Sale, Liberty of holding pleas, and enjoying tlie forfeiture of 
 (ilTenders. 
 
 8 Tol, Liberty to buy and sell within a borough: also exemption 
 from custom. 
 
 ^Team, The riglit conferred of judging, restraining, and liaving 
 bondmen, natives, and villeins, with tlicir issue, goods, and cliattcls. 
 
 '" Infanyene llioj, Thr right of judging thieves taken in llio bo- 
 roiiiih. 
 
abi:rconwy. 
 
 27 
 
 tluougli all our dominions as well in England as 
 in all other our lands. And that they, or their 
 iioods be not arrested for any debt, of which they 
 be not the sureties, or principal debtors, unless it 
 happen that the said debtors be of their common- 
 alty and having in their power, whereof they can 
 satisfy their debts in whole or in part, and our 
 said burgesses being deficient in justice to the 
 creditors of the same debtors, and of this reason- 
 able proof shall be made. And that our same 
 burgesses for the trespass, or forfeiture of their 
 servants, do not lose their goods and chattels found 
 in the hands of them, or in any place deposited by 
 their said servants, so far forth as they can suffici- 
 ently prove them to be theirs. And also that if 
 the same burgesses or any of them die within our 
 kino-dom or dominion testate or intestate, We or 
 our heirs will not cause the goods of such persons 
 to be confiscated; but their heirs shall wholly en- 
 joy the same so far as they may consist of the said 
 chattels of the said deceased persons, provided 
 that nevertheless sufficient notice, or assurance be 
 had of the same heirs. And that our burgesses 
 aforesaid be not convicted by any persons residing 
 out of the said borough, upon any appeal, right, 
 injury, trespass, crimes, damages, demands, nn- 
 
28 HISTORY OF 
 
 posed, or to be imposed upon them from Kaer- 
 narvon unto the water of Cloyt, but only by our 
 aforesaid burgesses; unless concerning any thing 
 touching the commonalty of the aforesaid bo- 
 rough, and then in that case they be dealt with 
 according to the liberties approved, and thereto- 
 fore reasonably used in our city of Hereford. 
 Wherefore we will, and lirmly command for us, 
 and our heirs, that our town of Aberconwey hence- 
 forth be a free borough, and our men of the same 
 town be free burgesses, and the constable of our 
 castle of Aberconwey for the time being be mayor 
 of the same borough, sworn as well to us as to the 
 same burgesses, who, first taking the said oath to 
 preserve our rights, shall then swear upon the holy 
 evangelists of God, that he will preserve the liber- 
 ties granted by us to the same burgesses, and faith- 
 fully perform that, which to tlie oflice of mayor 
 belongs in the same borough. And that the said 
 burgesses every year on the feast of St. Michael, 
 choose from amongst themselves two fit and suffi- 
 cient bailiffs, and to the same constable as well as 
 their mayor sliall present, w lio in the presence of 
 the said mayor shall be sworn that they faith- 
 fully perform and execute their office of l)ailift'. 
 Also, we will and grant tliat the said burgesses 
 
ABERC:ONWY. 29 
 
 have tlieir persons free in the borough aforesaid, 
 from all trespasses there (except in cases of life 
 and limb) and in which cases all persons as well 
 burjresses as others shall be imprisoned in our 
 castle there. Nevertheless if any of our said 
 burgesses be sued, accused, or indicted upon any 
 trespasses, in those cases we will that on that 
 account they be imprisoned, until they find good, 
 and sufficient sureties to abide the right thereof 
 before our chief justice, or other justices assigned 
 in that behalf. Moreover we grant to the same 
 burgesses that all land to the same borough now 
 assigned shall be altogether diswarrened and 
 deafforested. And that the Jews dwell not at any 
 time in the same borough. Also we will and grant 
 for us and our heirs that the aforesaid burgesses 
 have all other liberties and free customs above 
 expressed well and peaceably, without let, or im- 
 pediment of us, our heirs, justices, sheriffs, and 
 others our bailiffs, and ministers whatsoever for 
 ever, as is above expressed. Witness the venerable 
 father R. bishop of Bath and Wells, our chancel- 
 lor, Richd. de Burg Com.Ulton, Thomas de Clare, 
 Richd. de Brus, Reginald de Grey, Nicholas de 
 Segraue, Peter de Champnent, John de Monte 
 Alto, and others. — Given under our hand at 
 
•JO HISTORY OF 
 
 Flyiit 8th day of Stpteinher, in the twelfth year 
 
 of" our reio-n. 
 
 "1 
 
 In the 18th year of his reign, he also granted 
 that the burgesses of Aberconwy should })e quit 
 of toll, throughout the kingdom. '^ 
 
 In 1 290, the Welsh again rose up in arms against 
 the authority of Edward, under Madog a son of 
 prince Llywelyn. The cause of this rising was 
 the following ; Edward was engaged in a dispute 
 with the king of France, and he was determined 
 to avenge himself by force of arms; to obtain sup- 
 plies for the war he made the experiment of 
 taxation on his new subjects the Welsh, which 
 they resenting, hanged Roger de Pulesdon, who 
 had been appointed to collect the tax, and defeated 
 the English forces who first opposed them. 
 "Alarmed at a revolt which was now rising into 
 importance, and which menaced the safety of his 
 new dominions, Edward came into north Wales 
 to conduct the war in person. Having proceeded 
 in his march to Conwy, he crossed that arm of the 
 
 > Editor's unpublished MS. spc original in the Appendix. 
 ••^ Avion.' 's Rofuli Wallia-. 
 
HISTORY OF :M 
 
 sea with a part of his forces; and retiring into 
 the castle waited for the remainder of his army to 
 follow. In his passage he lost many waggons and 
 other carriages loaded with victuals, which had 
 been intercepted by the Welsh ; who, in great 
 multitudes, came down from the mountains, and 
 invested the castle on the side of the land. A 
 sudden rise in the Conwy, preventing his troops 
 from passing the river, and affording him any 
 assistance, rendered Edward's situation exceeding- 
 ly alarming ; he was in great want of provisions, 
 was cut off from his army, and was surrounded on 
 every side by water and the enemy. The distress 
 of the garrison was so great with respect to pro- 
 visions, that Edward, in common with the soldiers, 
 was obliged to eat salted meat, and the coarse 
 bread which was found in the castle, and to use 
 water likewise for his drink mixed with honey. 
 In this perilous state, when any moment might 
 have been fatal, Edward's usual good fortune 
 attended him. The Conwy suddenly subsiding, 
 his forces were enabled to cross the water and 
 come to his relief. The Welsh then abandoned 
 the siege, and retired to the mountains of Snowdon. 
 The English king, on the enemy 's retreat, passed 
 
32 HISTORY O! 
 
 the Christmas holidays ^vitllOllt molestation in the 
 castle of Conwy. "^ 
 
 In 1301, the English prince of Wales, afterwards 
 Edward II. came down to Aberconwy, where he 
 received the homage of Eineon, bishop of Bangor, 
 and David, abbot of Maenan. 
 
 9. Edward II. That king granted to the 
 burgesses their town and hamlets. 
 
 5. Edward III. The burgesses j)aid 20 shil- 
 lings fine to the king, for the confirmation of their 
 charter. 
 
 Subsequently in the same reign, a quo warranto 
 was issued, calling upon the bailiffs and burgesses 
 of Conwy, to show by what authority they claim 
 to have the town of Aberconwy ; two mills, lands, 
 and a piece near the castle in free farm, and to 
 exercise the corporate privileges enumerated in 
 the charter of 2. Edward I. The bailiffs and 
 burgesses pleaded the charter of Edward I. the 
 charter of confirmation of .9. Edward II. and the 
 
 •' W;iriin;;l()ir.s IlistorN of Wales. 
 
ABKKCONWY. 33 
 
 further charter of coiitirmation of 5. Edward 111. 
 They then proceed to plead specifically each clause 
 and word. The question at issue seemed to be, 
 whether they had a right to take money on releas- 
 ing persons out of prison, and whether the sheriff 
 of the county had any right to execute writs within 
 the borough in certain cases ; but the result of these 
 proceedings is, that the complaint was dismissed. 
 
 2. Richard II. A fine was again paid by the 
 irgesses for 1 
 their liberties. ** 
 
 burffesses for the confirmation of the charter of 
 
 In 1399, the unfortunate king Richard, finding, 
 on his arrival at Caermarthen, that the Welsh 
 army under the earl of Salisbury had been dis- 
 banded before his arrival from Ireland, retired to 
 Aberconwy, and shut himself up in the castle, 
 which was deemed impregnable, but at that time 
 unprovided of all necessaries. Richard, finding 
 himself almost alone, and without any prospect of 
 being able to defend himself, had no other resource 
 than to throw himself upon the generosity of his 
 enemy. He sent him w ord by one of his attend- 
 
 4 Harleiau MSS. in tlie Britisli Museum. 690. No. 99. 
 
 C 
 
.34 HISTORY Gi- 
 
 ants that he was ready to suhniit to what terms he 
 himself should think reasonable, and desired him 
 to send some person to confer with him. The duke 
 of Lancaster immediately despatched the arch- 
 bishop of Canterbury, and Percy earl of Northum- 
 berland, both sworn enemies of the king, to know 
 his intentions. They solemnly assured him, tliat 
 the duke only wished to have his alienated pro- 
 perty restored, and the ancient privileges of parlia- 
 ment confirmed. The king appearing to distrust 
 the earl's professed good intentions, the latter to 
 remove all suspicion attended at high mass, vowed 
 fidelity, and swore allegiance at the altar. Caught 
 in this wily and iniquitous snare, the king accom- 
 panied Northumberland out of the gate, but about 
 Penman rhos, he perceived a band of soldiers, 
 bearing the banners of Percy. The king found 
 himself betrayed, and was taken prisoner to Flint 
 castle, where he was delivered into the hands of 
 his cruel enemy the duke of Lancaster. 
 
 At the time of Owain Glyndwr's insurrection, 
 in the beginning of the fifteenth century, John de 
 Mascy was constable of Conwy castle: he had 
 fifteen men at arms and sixty archers with liim: 
 39*. '2d. were allowed to maintain tiiis fortress 
 
HISTORY OK -i-") 
 
 per day,amoiintinii' in the year to £714. I6s. \0d.^ 
 
 The following letter, written probably in 1404, 
 gives us the name of Henry de Scharisbrec, as 
 lieutenant of Conwy castle ; and, with the other 
 two, is valuable, as furnishing us with some histo- 
 rical accounts of a period, of which our records 
 are extremely scanty. 
 
 ■ 3 From a MS. iii old French, preserved in the British Museum. 
 MS. Cotton. Cleop. F. Ill, fol. HI, which was written in Glyn- 
 dwr's time ; it sliews that the Welsh castles were not at this time 
 very extensively garrisoned, and it furnishes the actual state of 
 many of them. Caernarvon had John Bolde for its constable, with 
 twenty men at arms and eighty archers : the annual maintenance 
 amounted to £900. 6s. Sd. Crukkith castle liad Roger dc Accon 
 for constable, with six men at arms and fifty archers : annual 
 maintenance £416. 14*. 2d. Hardelagh had Dycon de Mascy for 
 constable, with ten men at arms and thirty archers : yearly main- 
 tenance £389. 6s. 8d. These were the castles in North Wales be- 
 longing to the Prince : the total of their charges amounting to 
 £2421. 3*. 4(/. Denbigh castle belonged to the earl of March, 
 and had been granted to Henry Percy : Beaumaris also belonged 
 to Henry Percy, with the Isle of Anglesea. Of these castles Mons' . 
 de Rutland, with thirty men at arms and a hundred and twenty 
 archers, kept Denbigh, at an annual expense ef £1672. 185. 4d. : 
 John de Pulle, with fifteen men at arms and a hundred and forty 
 archers, kept Beaumaris, at the yearly expense of £988. lOv. lOd. 
 The castles which belonged to the Prince, as Chamberlain of Ches- 
 ter, were Rudhlan and Flint. Of Rudhlan Henry dc Conewey 
 was constable, who kept it with nine men at arms and forty archers, 
 at an expense of £422. 15*. lOd. Of Flint, Nicholas Hauberk was 
 constable, with foTir men at arms and twelve archers : expense, 
 £146 per annum. Rllis' Original Letters, vol. 1. second series. 
 
 c 2 
 
•J(> HISTUHV OK 
 
 Henry of Sckarisbrec, Lieutenant of Conway Cas- 
 tle, to William Venahles of Kinderton, Con- 
 stable of Chester, and Roger Brescy. 
 
 " Ryght worschipful Sirs I comand me to 
 zow lawly, dissyryng euirmore to here of zoure 
 \vorschipe, the whyche I pray to God euyrmore 
 encrese. Worschepful Sirs if hit lyke zow to wete 
 the abot of Conway has send wort to some of the 
 i^odmen of the ton and to me, how that ther arne 
 comyn vi Schippis owte of Fraunce in to Llene 
 w'- wyn and specery ful ladyn. Wherfore, wors- 
 chepful Sirs, wold ze voche saue to send word to 
 my lord or to his consayl therof, if thai wil oght 
 ordayn for horn ; for worschepful Sirs, vs thynke 
 that and thay wer takyn hastyly hit wer grete pro- 
 fyt, in a gret abayschynge to oure enmyes. Wors- 
 chepful Sirs, the Holy Ghost kepe zow in hon's. 
 Wrytyn at Conwey the xxvj day of Feuyrzer. 
 
 Be Henr. of Scharisbrec 
 Leutenant to Sir John of Bolde at Conicay. 
 
 The successes of Owen put the constables of 
 the various castles on the alert, and some histori- 
 cal notices may be gleaned from the following 
 letters," of Reynald of Bayldon, wlio styles him- 
 
 " Ellis' Orif;inal Letters, vol. 1. second series. 
 
ABEKC()NW\ 
 
 37 
 
 self one of the keepers of Conway; and Henry of 
 Scharisbrec, acquainting the above Venables and 
 Brescy that Owen was likely to get possession of 
 Harlech castle, 
 
 Reynald of Bayldon, one of the Keepers of Conway 
 to William Venables, Constable of Chester, and 
 Roger Brescy. 
 
 " Worshipful Sirs I recomaunde me to zow 
 with al my herte ; doyng zow to wndirstonde 
 that al Caernaruan shire purposin hem in al the 
 haste that thae mae for to go into the yle of An- 
 glesey for to haue owte al the men and al the ca- 
 tel there, and for to bryng hit with hem into the 
 mowntens, lest Englishemen shulde be refreshitte 
 therwith. Also the Frenshemen makyn al the 
 ordenaunce that thae mae or can for to assaele the 
 towne of Caernaruan in al the haste that thae 
 mae, knowyng wel that the towne is more febil 
 no we then hit was the laste tyme that thae were 
 before hit ; forasmuche as a hepe of the beste that 
 were in Caernaruan that tyme bene god betaghte 
 sethin, and as hit semeth to me hit were nedeful 
 that thae hade helpe in haste tyme. Ferthirmore 
 hit was done me to witte this same dae be a mon 
 of Kryketh for certen, that William Hunte Con- 
 
■JJ' HISTORY OF 
 
 stahil of Hauit'lagii, open teisdae that laste was, 
 cam owte of the Castel for to trete with the lebell 
 withowte any ostage laede in for hyni. And that 
 the same tyme Robin of Holond, and othir with 
 hym, the wheche toke Jankyn Euor, laede honde 
 opon the same William and lad hym awae, and 
 two zemen with hym ; one, Jak Mercer, and that 
 othir Harry Baker. And whatthae did with hem, 
 1 cannot sae at this tyme. Also Fevian Colier is 
 full seke, gif he be on life ; and mony of the sow- 
 diors bene dede there of the pestelence, and sum 
 drevyn out amonge the rebell, and sum gone into 
 Englond, and sum slaene in the wae toward Eng- 
 lond. But Sir Lewes and the remenant of the 
 sowdiors kepyn the castel welynogh yet. Also 
 will ze witte, that the sowdiors there tokyn the 
 keisof the Castell from the same constabil for sum 
 thinges that thae fonde with hym, and tokyn him 
 to Fivean and to sir Lewes, for to have hem in 
 kepyng al this qwarter of a zere gone. Wherfore, 
 I beceche zow hertly that ze wil sende warnyng to 
 my lord, in al the haste that ze mae wel, towelling 
 the maters before saede, so that my lorde mae be 
 
 aviset whatte is best to do thereof. Also dure 
 sirs T dar sae to zow in councel that I durste lae 
 mv hede th;»t itiid Ihnr were two hundrel men in 
 
AF.ERCONVVY. 39 
 
 Coiiovvey, and two liiuidret in Caernariian, abid- 
 ing there from condilmesse in til the fest of saynt 
 Ph. and Jacob, that the commuyns of Caen'shire 
 woklyn cum to pees, and pae hor duitis to my 
 lord as wel as evir thae diddyn; and zif hit be ta- 
 riet til sumyr hit wil not be solightly, for then the 
 rebell mae lie vvithowte, and so thae mae not 
 nowe. Also 1 have herde my selfe mony of the 
 gentilmen and of the commyns of M'yonnythshire 
 and of Caern'shire swere that al men of the for- 
 saede shirs excepte fowre or five gentilmen and a 
 fewe vacaboundis, woldin faene cum to pees so 
 that Englishemen were lafte in the cuntre for to 
 help to kepe horn from mysdoers, and namely 
 for to cum into the cuntre whil the weddir were 
 colde. And hit semeth to mony men hit were 
 bettyr that suche a cumpany were in the cuntre 
 for to make leve of my lord is dette, and for to 
 take hor wagys of the same dette, then for to lette 
 the rebell haue al. More con J not write at this 
 tyme, but God that is heuen king have zow in his 
 holy kepyng. Writtyn in hast at the ton of Co- 
 nowey, the settirdae nexte aftyr the feste of the 
 Epiphanie. Zor poure servant, 
 
 Reynald of Bayldon, 
 One of the Keeper z of Conoivey. 
 
40 HISTORY OK 
 
 Henry of Scharishrec to William Venahles and 
 Roger Brescy, that Owen Glyndwr ivas likely 
 to get possession of Harlech Castle. 
 
 " WoRSCHEPFUL Siris if hit like zow to wete 
 there is a lytil mon w* Hawel Vaghan that was 
 takyn when the constabuU of Hardlagh wos 
 takyn, and is sworne to Awyn agaynis his will, 
 and he has sendys vs word priuyly how his maystyr 
 has word for soche that Awyn has byen at Hard- 
 lagh and is accordit with all the men that arne 
 theinne save vij, for to have dilyverance of the 
 Castell at a certayn day for a certayn some of 
 gold, and the day is in ryght hasty tyme but he 
 wot not when, and bot if hit be ryght sone ordaynt 
 fore hit is lost and so is all thecountre ther aboute. 
 Worschipful Sir, wil ze vouchesafe when ze hau 
 oversen this, to send hit to my maystir Sir John 
 of Bolde, and makis ordinance as zo thenke be to 
 do. Worschipful Sirs, the holy Trinitie kepe zow. 
 VVrytyn in grete hast at Conway, the xxvi day of 
 feuyrzer. From 
 
 Henr. of Scharisbrec." 
 
 Thc^sc three letters were w^ritten about the year 
 1404. 
 
ABERCONWY. 41 
 
 Dining- the civil wars between the liousew of 
 York and Lanraster, Conwy castle was the scene 
 of much contention. It is recorded, that the friends 
 of one party gained possession of it, while the 
 influential family of Gryffyth Goch, and many 
 equally powerful in the neighbourhood, were in 
 arms for the other : it happened that his son Rhys, 
 who had gone either out of curiosity, or more pro- 
 bably for the purpose of examining the strength of 
 the place, was standing at Tal y sarn, on the op- 
 posite side of the river, when he was slain by an 
 arrow discharged from the castle by Llywelyn of 
 Nannau. As the distance is considerably more 
 than half a mile, this is probably one of the long- 
 est shots on record. A few nights after, Robin ab 
 Gryffyth Goch or Graianllyn, and his brother 
 Hywel, with their followers, crossed the river, to 
 avenge the death of their brother Rhys ; they took 
 the castle by escalade, and beheaded the captain/ 
 Sir John Wynne, in his history of the Gwydir 
 family, observes, that the whole country around 
 was laid waste by the partisans of the two factions ; 
 and utterly desolated by Lord Herbert, earl of 
 
 7 O'r tu iichaf i Gonwy (medd yr hen hanes) y saethasai Llyw- 
 elyn o Nannau y bicell hon, a Has Rhys dros Gonwy : a Uyma un 
 o'r ergydion pellaf y lias dyn erioed. See Cylchgrawit. 1. 250. 
 
42 HISTORY OF 
 
 Pembroke. In 1466, Thomas ab Robin, of Coch- 
 \villan, was beheaded, near the castle, by his 
 lordship's order, on account of his staimcli adhe- 
 rence to the Lancastrians ; and his wife is reported 
 to have carried away his head in her apron." 
 
 Richard III. in the first or second year of his 
 reii^n, granted to " Thomas Tunstall, Esq. the 
 office of constable of the castel of Conway, with 
 the captainship of the towne of Conway, and to 
 have under him the number of twenty-four soldiers 
 for the time of his life, with the wages and fees to 
 the same office and captaynship due and accus- 
 tomed, and to have for every of the said soldiers 
 4rZ. by the day."" 
 
 4. Henry VII. a fine of twenty shillings was 
 paid into the hanaper office, for the confirmation 
 of divers liberties and franchises granted to the 
 burgesses by the king and his predecessors. The 
 charter was again confirmed by Henry VIII, 
 1 Edward VI, and 3 Elizabeth. 
 
 ■^flwydir History, 4(). 
 
 '■> MS. Harl. 4;3;J. i|im)1<(I in flroso's .Vn(i(|iiitics. ,\\\{\ liinp^loy's 
 Tdiir ill Nurdi Wnlcs. 
 
ABERCONWY. 4.*J 
 
 The town of Aberconvvy had obtained the great 
 privileges mentioned above from Edward I. in 
 order that he might have a body of Englishmen, 
 besides the garrisons of his castles, to maintain 
 his power in Wales ; all that held office in his towns 
 of Aberconwy, Caernarvon, and Beaumaris, were 
 exclusively English : in course of time, however, 
 some Welshmen crept into office, which the Eng- 
 lish burgesses looked upon as an infringement of 
 their rights, considering Wales as a foreign coun- 
 try subjected to the English, but the inhabitants 
 by no means entitled to have any share of the ad- 
 vantages of their own land. They accordingly 
 presented the following memorial to the king and 
 his parliament : it is a curious and interesting do- 
 cument, and shows the jealous feelings entertained 
 by the two nations towards each other. The date 
 of it is in the commencement of Henry VII.'s 
 reign, if not earlier. 
 
 " To THE KiNGEs HiGHNES mid to Jus koHorahh 
 Counsell of this jwesent Parliament. 
 
 " Greuouslie Complaininge sheweth unto 
 yo' moste Honorable good Lordshipps and dis- 
 creat Wisdome yo' poore Orators all the whole 
 Corporat body of the Cominaltie of The Burjies- 
 
44 HISTORY OF 
 
 ses of the Englishe Waled Towne of Conwey In 
 Northwalles, that whereas the kings noble j)ro- 
 genitor of Most famouse memorie kinge Edward 
 the first, whose soule Jesus pardone, constructed 
 and builded the Castell of Conwey, in the fore- 
 said Towne, after the Conquest and subduinge of 
 Wales, with other Castelles and townes ther and 
 replenished The same with Captains, Souldiors, 
 and Burgesses Englishe, for The surtie of Eng- 
 lishemen, and for the perpetuall peace and good 
 rule of Northwales to be for euermore; and for 
 the continual Edificacion in nourishinge of Eng- 
 lishemen by act of his parliament next after the 
 sametyme by his noble Chartor graunted Diverse 
 liberties to the Burgesses of the said Towne, ther 
 heirs and successors, the which nowe bene yo' said 
 Orators. By force wherof, and by force of Diverse 
 Confirmacions of the same, yo' said Orators and 
 ther auncestors and predecessors have peaceablie 
 enioyed and had diuerse grete libties and firanchez- 
 es Sithence the tyme of the said king Edward the 
 first, untill Nowe of late, that certaine inhabitants 
 within the said Towne of Conway, But also of 
 the Comots adiacent by Color and misinterpreta- 
 cion of a Chartor of liberties lat Craftelie oi)tained 
 by a certaine S|>anishe oml>assator to the welshire 
 
AHKKCONWY. 45 
 
 of the Cunteiy of IN ortli wales, usurped upon tlie 
 libties aforesaid of yo' said Orators, and occupied 
 the same as largelie as any Burgesse as in bruinge, 
 bakinge, buying, selling, as well in grosse and in 
 retail! all man' victuales and wynes and other 
 things vendible and changeable. And in forestal- 
 linge and regreatinge marketts contrary to the 
 effect of the said auncient Chartor of king Edward 
 with Diverse Confirmacions of the same, against 
 gode peace and the kinges, to the greate hurte, 
 breakinge, subieccion, impouerishment, oppres- 
 sion, and most extreame undoinge of yo' said 
 Orators ; and in short tyme to come to soe greate 
 and utter desolacion of the said Towne and yo' 
 honorable wisdome, and other Officers maye not 
 surelie be receved, lodged, and sued, nor shall 
 Dare bouldlye minister the Lawes accordinge to 
 Juistice. And that, in short, conclusion doubt- 
 les shalbe as well to the Kinge losse of all his pre- 
 rogatyves, rents and proffitts in Northwales, as to 
 the tinale Disberyson, destruccion, and Evan- 
 quishinge of yo^ poore Orators, and of the three 
 Englishe Townes in Northwales, onlie it may 
 pleace yo' honorable grace and wise discrecion for 
 the tender mercie of god with pittioues com- 
 passion, lovinglie advertisinge and consideringe 
 the premisses. 
 
4<; HISTORY OI 
 
 First to order and icdresse at tints present 
 parlianiente, that yo' said Orators tlier heirs and 
 successors may enioye and have theire said liber- 
 ties whole and Hrnie without interruj)cion or vio- 
 lacion of the said forins, as they and there annces- 
 tors have had heretofore ; and to order the said 
 foreins sythen they would have liberties within the 
 Englishe townes, to ]>e contented with the viij 
 townes, Rutland, Denbiland, Ilardlegh, and Bala, 
 in Merrionethshire ; Bangor, PuUhelye, Cruketh 
 and Nevyn in Carnarvonshire; and Newburch in 
 Anglesey ; of which viij Townes everie Towne is 
 of as greate libertie as any of the three Englishe 
 townes. And which viij townes were inhibited 
 with Englishe men and under English Captaines, 
 and sythen they were put out, and Captaines of 
 the Cuntery put in the said eight townes, be utterly 
 in decaie and desolate of wellthe or Englishe men ; 
 and in likewise the said three English townes 
 Conwey, Carnarvon, antl Bewmares, upon the 
 Comone weele of Northwales, Shall also be in de- 
 caye yf the rule and governance of the same shall 
 goe out of the Englishe mens hands. Also, that 
 the Captaines of the said Castells be meere Eng- 
 lishmen, and kepe Englishe shouldiours, and be of 
 grete livelod, and not borne in the Cuntery, and 
 
ABEKCONWY. 47 
 
 to be resident upon the same, accordinge tu the old 
 Ordinance and statute of Ruthmd. Also, that 
 no foriner shall occupie or use any manner crafTte 
 or merchandiz within the said townes and ffran- 
 chezes without licence and agreement of the said 
 Burgesses. Also, that frome henffourthe noe 
 man be admitted as Burgesse of the said townes 
 but mere Englishemen, and of good Demeanor. 
 Also, that frome henffourthe all and everie Bur- 
 gesse to be made of the said Townes shall occupie 
 the said liberties, with mere English women, for 
 Copula cions, and mariage with fForens of the 
 Cuntery of North wales was cause of seduccion of 
 the said Townes, as appeareth of Reeord Ao. R. 
 Henricij iiijo. Also, that the said Burgesses yo' 
 Orators, be not frome henffourthe Indited by any 
 fforins, and not Inquierment to be of them or 
 against them, or of any land or other thing to be 
 found for the king, within the said towne of Con- 
 wey, but only by themsealfes and other Englishe 
 Burgesses of the next towne, being mere Englishe 
 men, as hath bene used heretofore. Also, that 
 no shirife, or other officer or minister, returne any 
 Jurie or panels in any cause towchinge yo' said 
 Orators, but onlie of themsealves, or of the next 
 towne Englishe. Also, that everie and all forine 
 
4H HISTORY OF 
 
 iiiliibitants within tlic said lil)crties be sworne and 
 put under suertie of ther Hdelitie to the said Cas- 
 tell and Towne, and to be peaceablye and of good 
 a beringe against yo' said Orators, and that the 
 were no wepon within the said Towne. Also, 
 that according to the statude of Rutland, and or- 
 dinance of Northwales, Welshmen shall purchase 
 no land within the Englishe towne or ffrancheze 
 of the same. So that the tenants inhitants of the 
 Comotes of Crythyn, Issaphe, uchaph, and Nant- 
 conwey in Carnarvonshire, shall come everye fri- 
 daie with ther victailes and Corne to the markett 
 of Conw ey as was of old tyme ordeined for the sus- 
 tentacion of the said Castell and Town. Also that 
 the marketts and sale of catell of the said comots 
 be at the marketts and faires of Conwey : and that 
 no sale be made in the mountains, for thereby yo' 
 orators shalbe deffeated of the kings towle, parcell 
 of there fee ferme, and purloini nge, and sheltre of 
 true mens goods. Also, that noe ale nor wyne sould 
 byretaile within viij leuges at the said towne, ac- 
 cordinge to the old ordinance and proclamation. 
 Also, thattiie Clianiberlaine, Shirife, or other olli- 
 cers in Northwales, shall give there aide and assist- 
 ance for the liberties afore said to be keapt, and 
 for tiie peace to be jiad to yo' said Besechers, so 
 
ABERCONWY. 49 
 
 as tliey niaye ride and goe to the maiketts and 
 faires without feare or jopartie of their lyves, and 
 that upon pain of c. marks. Also, that all suche 
 as be bound of old ordinance to come and grinde to 
 the king's miles of conwey shall grinde there and 
 in no place els. Also, that the porter of Conwey, 
 which is nowe a Welsheman, may be put out, and 
 the office given to an englishe Burgesse inhitinge 
 in the said Towne, for by the Welshe officers the 
 towne hath ofte been Destroied, for it is no more 
 meete for a Welshman to beare any office in Wales, 
 or especiallie in any of the Three englishe Townes 
 then it is for a frinchman to be Officer in Calis, 
 or a skotte in Barwicke. Also, that yf any 
 Welshman beare any wepon, or make any stirment 
 or fray, within the towne of Conwey, upon any 
 markett or faire daye, that his fine be no less then 
 five pownds. Also, that english Burgesses maie 
 inquier, upon forfaitor of mainprisse, for the king's 
 proffitt, and for the good rule of the Cuntery. 
 Also, that it maye please the king's highness, of 
 his most aboundant grace by acte of this presente 
 parliament, in a mendinge the estate of his Com- 
 burgesses at Conwey, to geve and graunte to his 
 said beschers In ffee ffearme the passage of the 
 ferries of Conwey and Cavyn gronant, with there 
 
 D 
 
•50 HISTORY OF 
 
 appurtenances in dowhlinge the rent to he paid 
 yerly at his excheker of Carnarvon, hy equal por- 
 cions. Also, the said beschers maye have the 
 Sessions of Carnarvon and merioneth shires holden 
 yerely for ever one at yo' said towne of Conwey, 
 to bring the said Towne which is nowe in Decaye, 
 and doth paye yerely to the king's grace £x\. and 
 od money of ffee ffearme, into her former and 
 prosperous welth and estate, and they shall dailie 
 praie for the prosperous estate of the king's grace, 
 and of his Realme. Also, to provide that noe 
 Capitall officer to the king's grace, or to any other 
 lord or Lordes in Northweles shall brue alle to 
 sell,' or retaile anie wynes in any place of North- 
 weles, for by occasion thereof as well the kings 
 tenants of the cuntrey be pilled and oppressed as 
 yo' besechers greatly hindered. Also knowe that 
 iij barrlie cornes taken out of the mids of the eere 
 make an ynch, xij ynches make a foote, xvj foote 
 and a halfe make a perch of land, and xl" perches 
 in length & foure in breth make an acre of land 
 and iiij acres make a yeard of land and v yeards 
 
 ' The Englishmen did not brew good ale: Cwrw Aberconuy 
 gorau pel pellnf; Aberconwy ale the further off the better ; says 
 the old proverb. 
 
\ AHKUCONM'V. Oi 
 
 make a hide of land and viij hides make a kiiii>hls 
 ffee."^ 
 
 In the first year of the reign of queen Mary, 
 John Herle was appointed to the constableship of 
 Conwy castle and stewardship of the abbey of 
 Bardesey. A copy of his commission is inserted 
 in the Appendix.^ 
 
 In 1607, the town was almost depopulated by 
 the plague, and numbers of people were buried in 
 the streets, their bones are frequently found there, 
 when making sewers, and also without the town 
 walls. About forty years ago the lower half of 
 the high-street was repaved, and considerably 
 lowered, when a vast number of skeletons were 
 discovered lying side by side the whole way; 
 many of the bones were of very large dimensions, 
 and some of the jaw-bones are said to have ex- 
 ceeded a span in the distance of the extremities. 
 The pestilence was observed to break out heie 
 within three weeks of the time it appeared in Lon- 
 don ; and it must have reached this place so soon 
 owing to the connection of the inhabitants with 
 England. 
 
 2 Editor's unpublished MS. ^ id. 
 
 D 2 
 
52 HISTORY OF > 
 
 During the civil wars in tlie reign of Charles I. 
 the importance of Conwy was duly esteemed, and 
 it again l)ecame the scene of contention. The 
 most conspicuous character in the history of the 
 town at this period was a native of the place, 
 namely the archbishop of York. He was born in 
 Aberconwy, on the twenty -fifth day of March, 
 1582. His father, Edmond Williams, Esq. of 
 this town, was the son of William Williams, Esq. 
 of Cochwillan, by Dorothy, the daughter of Sir 
 William Griffith of Penrliyn *, and he married the 
 daughter of Owen Wynn, Esq. by whom he had 
 five sons and two daughters ; of the sons, John 
 was the youngest. He received the earlier part of 
 his classical education at Rhuthin school, where 
 he gave, at an early age, promises of future dis- 
 tinction. His kinsman. Dr. Vaughan, afterwards 
 bishop of London, aware of his abilities, removed 
 him to Cambridge, where he was entered at St. 
 Jolm's College in 1598; then being in his six- 
 teenth year. His natural j)arts were so much 
 above the common level, that lie soon became dis- 
 tinguished in the university. His memory was 
 wonderfully (piick and retentive, and his diligence 
 and application were unbounded ; it is recorded 
 of him that from his youtli upwards he never re- 
 
ABERCONWY. .).'] 
 
 quired more than three Iiours sleep in twenty-four 
 to keep him in perfect healtli. He was elected 
 into a foundation fellowship for the diocese of 
 Bangor in April, 1603. Being held in great esti- 
 mation by the fellows of his college, he was fre- 
 quently employed in transacting business on be- 
 half of the society, and this, subsequently, led to 
 his advancement; having been sent to court to pe- 
 tition the king for a mortmain to increase the 
 maintenance of the master and fellows, he suc- 
 ceeded by his address, and the king and his minis- 
 ters at this time took particular notice of him. In 
 the twenty-seventh year of his age he took orders, 
 and three years after, archbishop Bancroft confer- 
 red on him an arch-deaconry in Wales, probably 
 that of Cardigan, which gave him a seat in the 
 convocation held in 1613. He became so eminent 
 as a public preacher in Cambridge, that he was 
 selected to preach before king James and prince 
 Henry at Royston, to whom he gave the greatest 
 satisfaction. Soon after, he was appointed by lord 
 chancellor Egerton to be his chaplain, and he con- 
 tinued with his patron until his death in 1616, and 
 under his auspices he obtained various preferments. 
 He was then made chaplain in ordinary to the king, 
 who appointed him, of his own accord, dean of 
 
Hi HISTORY OK 
 
 Salisbury in 16H). Having previously taken his 
 floctor'ts degree, he was appointed dean of West- 
 minster, in 1620, by the marquis of Buckingham. 
 The latter, being in trouble on account of the dis- 
 putes between the king and his parliament, was 
 advised by the dean how to proceed ; his advice 
 was followed, and the marquis brought him to 
 James, who, pleased with his sound judgment, 
 made him one of his privy counsellors, into which 
 office he was sworn in June, 1621. In the follow- 
 ing month he was made Keeper of the Great Seal ; 
 and although his clerical character was objected 
 to as inconsistent with secular affairs, his charity 
 and exemplary life soon silenced his enemies, and 
 his decisions and abilities on the seat of justice ba- 
 nished the mistaken apprehensions of his ignorance 
 of the law. In the same month that he was made 
 lord keeper, he was appointed to tlie bishoprick 
 of Lincoln: he was now high in his royal master's 
 favour, and through his interest Dr. Laud was ad- 
 vanced to the bishoprick of St. David's, who after- 
 wards proved to be the most virulent of the keep- 
 er's enemies. His conduct in the court of chan- 
 cery, the star-chamber, and in parliament, made 
 him justly popular, and his advice to the king on 
 several imporlant occasions gave the greatest satis- 
 
ABKKCONWY. 55 
 
 faction. The keeper continued in favour with the 
 king- until his death in March, 1625, at which 
 time he was present, and closed his majesty's eyes 
 with his own hands. With the accession of 
 Charles, his fall and troubles commenced. His 
 former patron, the duke of Buckingham, had con- 
 ceived an implacable enmity against him, and by 
 constant intrigues he succeeded in persuading the 
 king to deprive him of the seals, which were ac- 
 cordingly given up in October, 1625. The duke 
 was also excited by bishop Laud, whose ambition 
 feared no rival except the lord keeper. The latter, 
 however, was highly popular among the people, 
 and had his advice been followed by the king's 
 ministers, the country would probably have es- 
 caped the miseries of civil war. After the death 
 of the duke of Buckingham in 1628, the enmity 
 of the court was kept up and fomented by bishop 
 Laud, whose aim was the total ruin of his rival. 
 The troubles of the latter increased, and, besides 
 other vexatious proceedings against him, he was 
 subjected to a trial in the star-chamber, which 
 ended in his being condemned to pay a fine often 
 thousand pounds to the king, to be imprisoned 
 during his majesty's pleasure, and to be suspended 
 from all his offices and dignities. After an impri- 
 
•56 HISTORY OF 
 
 sonment in the Tower for three years and a half, 
 the bishop was released, and his talents were em- 
 ployed by Charles in endeavouring to appease the 
 seditions and troubles that now began to wear a 
 serious aspect. Although Cliarles would not lis- 
 ten to the advice of the bishop, who remonstrated 
 against his going to Scotland, he soon after raised 
 him to the archbishopric of York. In the diffi- 
 culties to which the bishops were subjected by the 
 parliament, we find his grace, notwithstanding the 
 strong opposition, an able champion in defence of 
 episcopacy ; but, as the parliament was now taking 
 up arms against the king, the archbishop w as com- 
 pelled to leave his diocese, and he came to his na- 
 tive town of Aberconwy in 1642. As the castle 
 and the fortifications of the town required but a 
 little charge to be put in proper repair, he imme- 
 diately set about gathering forces, raising money, 
 and strengthening the king's interest in this coun- 
 try: although this was done without any order, 
 and at his own cost ; the king, upon hearing of his 
 loyalty, wrote to him several kind letters ; one of 
 which, as more immediately relating to the castle, 
 is here inserted. 
 
HISTORY OF 57 
 
 From Oxford, Aug. 1. 1643. 
 '' Clicirle« R. 
 
 " Most Reverend Father in God, &c. We are 
 informed by our servant Orlando Bridgman, not 
 only of the good encouragement and assistance 
 you have given him in our service, but also of your 
 own personal and earnest endeavours to promote it. 
 And tho' we have had long experience of your fide- 
 lity, readiness, and zeal in what concerns us, yet it 
 cannot but be most acceptable unto us that you 
 still give unto us fresh occasions to remember it. 
 And we pray you to continue to give all possible 
 assistance to our said servant. And whereas you 
 are now resident at our town of Aberconway, 
 where there is a castle, heretofore belonging to our 
 crown, and now to the Lord Conway, which with 
 some charge is easily made defensible : but the 
 Lord Conway being imprisoned by some of our 
 rebellious subjects, and not able to furnish it, as is 
 requisite for our service, and the defence of those 
 parts: you having begun at your own charge to 
 put the same into repair. We do heartily desire 
 you to go on in that work, assuring you that what- 
 soever moneys you shall lay out upon the fortifica- 
 tion of the said castle shall be repay 'd unto you, 
 before the custody thereof shall be put into any 
 
58 HISTOKV OF 
 
 other liaiid than your own, or such as you sluill 
 recommend." 
 
 On the back of tliis letter, in accordance with 
 the king's promise, the archbishop has written; — 
 
 " I Jo. archbishop of York, have assign'd my 
 Nephew Mr. Wil. Hooks, Esq. alderman of Con- 
 way, to have the custody of this castle, mentioned 
 in his Majesty's Letter under his Signet, until I 
 shall be repay'd the moneys, and money-worth 
 disbursed by me in the repair thereof, by virtue of 
 this Warrant. And in case of Mortality, I do as- 
 sign my Nephew Gryffith Williams to the same 
 effect. Jan. 2. 1643."' 
 
 His grace was summoned some time after to 
 attend the king's council at Oxford, where he ar- 
 rived in January, 1644. Although subsequent 
 events fully proved the sagacity of his advice, he 
 could not prevail upon the king to adopt his plans, 
 and finding that he could be of greater advantage 
 in Wales, he returned to A hereon wy in the begin- 
 ning of spring. The inhabitants of the neighbour- 
 ing country, anxious about their property, solicited 
 
 •> Life by Phillips, 288. 
 
ABKUCONWV. 69 
 
 and obtained leave from the arclibisliop to place 
 their plate and most valuable effects in the castle 
 for security ; and each person had an inventory 
 of what he brought there. About a year after, 
 Sir John Owen of Clenennau, who was a colonel 
 in the king's service, prevailed upon prince Ru- 
 pert to appoint him commander of the castle, not- 
 withstanding that his grace had the king's warrant 
 to hold possession, until the money expended on 
 the fortifications should be repaid : the prince him- 
 self had also agreed to this arrangement, and had 
 even commanded by his letters that all officers by 
 land and sea should assist the archbishop in mak- 
 ing the place as strong as possible. Sir John, 
 however, surprised it, and entered it by force ; 
 upon which captain James Martin was sent to the 
 king at Oxford with the following remonstrance 
 from the archbishop; 
 
 1. " Upon the ninth of May, 1645, Sir J. Owen 
 governour of Conway, about seven of the clock 
 in the evening, before the night-guard was sent 
 into the castle, the possession whereof was placed 
 by the king in the archbishop of York, and his 
 assigns, upon great and valuable considerations 
 l)y his gracious Letters, and under his Majesty's 
 
60 HISTORY OF 
 
 Hand and Signet, Ijearing date at Oxford, Au- 
 gust 1, 1643. did, with bars of iron and armed 
 men, break the Locks and Doors, and enter into 
 the said castle, and seize upon the Place, the 
 Victuals, Powder, Arms, and Ammunition, laid 
 in by the said archbishop at his own charge, with- 
 out the least contribution from the king or the 
 country, for the defence of the place, and the ser- 
 vice of the king and the said country. 
 
 2. " That being demanded by the said arch- 
 bishop to suffer two of the said archbishop's men 
 to be there with his rabble of grooms and beggerly 
 people, to see the goods of the country preserved 
 from filching, and the victuals and ammunition 
 from wasting and purloyning. Sir John in a furi- 
 ous manner utterly refused it, though all the com- 
 pany cried upon him to do so for his own dis- 
 charge, yet would he not listen to any reason, but 
 promised the next day to suffer all things to be 
 inventoried, and tlie Lord Archbishop to take 
 away what he would. Sir John acknowledging all 
 the goods and ammunition to be his. 
 
 3. " The next day he receded again from all 
 this, would not permit at the entreaty of the bi- 
 
AliERCONAVY. 61 
 
 shop of St. Asaph, his own Cousin-German, any 
 of the archbishop's men to go and look to the 
 goods, nor suffer his servants to fetch forth for 
 his grace's use (who hath lingered long under a 
 great sickness and weakness) either a little wine, 
 to make him some cawdles, or so much as a little 
 of his own stale beer, to make him possets, which 
 all the country conceive to be very barbarous. 
 
 4. '*The said Sir John continueth rambling 
 from place to place, and detaineth still all the 
 goods of the country, laid up in this castle, as con- 
 ceived to be owned by the Archbishop, who was 
 like to be responsal for them ; and had duly re- 
 turned them in other years : and threatens to seize 
 the plate, and all things else of value to his own 
 use. Than which no rebel or enemy could deal 
 more outrageously. 
 
 5. "The Archbishop desires his majesty would 
 repossess him of the right of this castle, according 
 to his majesty's grant made upon valuable consi- 
 deration. And that if his majesty's pleasure be, 
 that Sir Jo. Owen (or any other man of more mo- 
 deration and less precipitancy) should be there, he 
 come under the Archbishop his assignment, as 
 
62 HISTORY OF 
 
 right requires, and as Colonel Ellis and Mr. Clii- 
 chely were content to do, and did. To the which, 
 the Archbishop (as Colonel Ellis and Sir Will. 
 Legg can witness) was ever willing to give way. 
 
 6. "That howsoever, the Archbishop may have 
 all his goods and chattels, all his cannon, arms, 
 ammunition, powder, provision in beef, beer, wine, 
 cheese, butter, oatmeal and corn presently restored 
 to him. And what is wasted and made away may 
 be answer'd to him by Sir John : as also that all 
 the inhabitants of this and the neighbour coun- 
 tries may have their goods presently out of the 
 castle, before they be pilfered and imbezeled. 
 
 7. " Or otherwise, that his Majesty and Prince 
 Rupert his lieutenant, will graciously permit and 
 suffer, with their gracious favour, the said Arch- 
 bishop and inhabitants of the country, to repair 
 with their complaints to the assembly at Oxford, 
 and the committee there, against these, and many 
 other outrages and concussions of the said Sir Jo. 
 Owen, under colour of being Governour and She- 
 riff of this town, not warranted by any of his com- 
 
 missions."* 
 
 5 Hiuket's Memorial. 211). 
 
ABERCONWY. O.'J 
 
 This remonstrance proved of no eftect, and the 
 only answer given to captain Martin, after a delay 
 of several weeks, was, That it should he considered 
 at more leisure. 
 
 Fifteen months expired after this, and the arch- 
 bishop had no redress, when colonel Mitton with 
 a parliamentary army came from Chester to Con- 
 wy. As his forces were too strong to be opposed 
 by those in the king's interest, it was determined 
 by the archbishop and those whose property was 
 in the castle, to come to terms with him ; stating 
 how Sir John Owen had surprised the castle, and 
 detained their effects, they offered to join him in 
 obtaining possession of the place, on condition 
 that each person should have what belonged to 
 him, if he could prove his title by the archbishop's 
 inventory, and what remained unclaimed was to 
 be taken by himself. This being agreed to, Mit- 
 ton's army, assisted by the archbishop in person, 
 who was wounded in the neck, his kinsmen and 
 other Welshmen, forced open the gates and took 
 the town by storm on the fifteenth of August, 
 1646. All the Irish found here were seized by 
 Mitton 's command, and being tied back to back, 
 were thrown into the river. The castle surren- 
 
64 HISTORY OF 
 
 dered on the tenth of November, and Mitton faith- 
 fully restored to every individual whatever had 
 been entrusted to the archbishop. For these ser- 
 vices, the parliament granted the latter a general 
 pardon, and a release from all his sequestrations.' 
 
 The calumniators of the archbishop have taken 
 advantage of these transactions to blacken his cha- 
 racter, but they are far from proving that he had 
 the least intention of assisting the parliament 
 against the king. As he had been so unjustly 
 dealt with by prince Rupert, and the king's af- 
 fairs were now desperate, he had no alternative 
 but to make the best terms he coidd, in order to 
 secure the property entrusted to his care ; and 
 all the actions of his life prove his devotedness to 
 the royal cause. Upon hearing of the king's death, 
 he was so much grieved, that it is recorded of him, 
 that after this time he constantly rose out of bed at 
 midnight, and kneeling on his bare knees, prayed 
 earnestly for a quarter of an liour before he re- 
 turned to rest. His spirit, which had hitherto 
 been untouched by his frequent misfortunes, was 
 now entirely broken; and his constitution r;i|)idly 
 
 5 Pennaiil'.s Tour in Wales. III. 133. 
 
ABKRCONWY. 05 
 
 decayed: he expired at Gloddaeth on the anni- 
 versary of his birth-day, the twenty-fifth of March, 
 1650, in the sixty-eighth year of his age. His 
 body was conveyed to Penrhyn, and buried in the 
 church of Llandegai. His character is thus sum- 
 med up by his biographer. " So singular was the 
 strength of his constitution, so strict his education, 
 so unwearied his industry, and so vast his capa- 
 city, that it is a hard matter to determine to which 
 of all these he was most indebted, for all his more 
 than ordinary qualifications. His learning was 
 copious, his judgement stay'd, his apprehension 
 clear and searching, his expression lively and ef- 
 fectual, his elocution flowing and majestic. He 
 was subject to sudden passions, but never so as to 
 lose himself, for at such times he would reason 
 with all exactness of a calm temper.' 
 
 "C 
 
 There is little to be recorded in the history of 
 Conwy besides the dismantling of the castle by 
 the earl of Conway. A grant of the castle was 
 
 e Life by Phillips, 307. Racket's Memorial to Archbishop Wil- 
 liams, fol. 1693. furnishes the most authentic account of him ; and 
 from this Phillips compiled his Life. 8vo. Cambridge. 1700. and 
 Stephens his abridged Memoirs, 8vo. London, 1715. A Life of the 
 Arclibishop was also written by Da. Lloyd. 
 
 E 
 
66 HISTORY OF 
 
 made by Charles I. in Marcli, 1628, to lord Con- 
 way, by the title of viscount Kilultagh. Previ- 
 ously however to this, an indenture had been 
 made on the tenth of January, 14. James I. be- 
 tween his majesty of the one part, and Sir F. Ba- 
 con, attorney general, Sir John Duncombe, Tho- 
 mas Murray, James Fullerton, John Walter, and 
 Thomas Trevor of the other part, by which his 
 majesty demised to these persons and their execu- 
 tors, the castle of Conwy, with its rights, mem- 
 bers, and appointments, situate, lying, and being 
 within the town of Aberconwy. To hold tlie same 
 for ninety-nine years. 
 
 An indenture of assignment was subsequently 
 made between Walter, Trevor, and Fullerton, who 
 had survived the other three, of the one part, and 
 viscount Kilultagh by his name of lord Conway, 
 of the other part ; whereby in consideration of six 
 shillings and eight-pence a year to be paid his ma- 
 jesty, the castle with its rights, members, and ap- 
 pointments was assigned to viscount Kilultagh 
 and his heirs in as ample a manner as it came into 
 the hands of his majesty or any of his progenitors; 
 except all right of patronage of churches and cha- 
 
ABERCONWY. 07 
 
 pels; to liold the same, himself, his heirs and as- 
 signs for ever. " 
 
 In 1665, the earl of Conway, under pretence o^ 
 its being done for his majesty's service, stript the 
 castle of all the timber, iron, and lead, and ship- 
 ped it off to Ireland ; his vandal orders were so 
 rigorously carried into effect by his servants, that 
 the smallest particle of iron cannot be found re- 
 maining in any part of the castle. Thomas Bul- 
 keley Esq. Colonel Wynn, and several of the lead- 
 ing men of the country attempted to oppose the 
 design, but without success ; the following letter 
 was written in answer to their remonstrances,® 
 
 " Hono"'" friends, 
 " I HAUE had the honour to receive yo' letter of 
 the 20*" Sept. in which you are pleas 'd to enquire 
 of me, whether my servant Milward doth act by 
 my order for the taking down of the lead, timber, 
 and iron of Conway castle; in answer to which 
 question, I do by this acknowledg it to be my act 
 and deed ; and that the said Milward is employed 
 by me to dispose of the timber and iron, according 
 
 7 Editor's unpublished MS. 
 « Pennant's Tour in Wales, App. xxi. 
 
 E 2 
 
68 HISTORY OF 
 
 to such directions as I gaue him; and to trans- 
 pose the lead into Ireland, where I hope it will 
 be more serviceable to his ma*'* then it was in this 
 country. And having this opportunity of addres- 
 sing myselfe to you, I humbly beseech you to take 
 off the restraint which you haue put vpon his pro- 
 ceedings, and to affoord him yo"^ favour in it ; for 
 I am already prejudiced by the losse of shipping, 
 and an opportune season for transportation of the 
 lead : yet I shall esteeme this as a particular obli- 
 gation vpon mee, and be ready to expresse it by 
 all the service in my power to every one of you, 
 that you are pleased to grant this att my request ; 
 which otherwise may put me to some trouble and 
 delay. And I doubt not of meeting occasions to 
 testifie my being, 
 
 Hono*"*^ Sirs, 
 
 Yo' affectionate and obedient Serv* 
 
 Conway and Kilulta. 
 
 Ragley in Warwickshire^ 
 6'" October, 1GG5. 
 
 For the hono'J'e Thomas Bulkley, Esq ; 
 Coloiiell Wynn, Hugli Wyim, Esq ; 
 Thomas Vaiighaii, Esq ; his ma''«'s 
 UepufyLivetcniiaiits in North Wali>s. 
 
ABERCONWY. 
 
 69 
 
 The consequence of this barbarous proceeding 
 was, that this noble structure was reduced to the 
 bare ruin, such as it is now to be seen. It is at 
 present held from the crown by Sir David Er- 
 skine, Bart, the representative, by right of his wife, 
 of the Plasisav family, at an annual rent of six 
 shillings and eight-pence; and a dish of fish to 
 the marquis of Hertford, whenever he passes 
 through the town.** 
 
 Conwy gives the title of baron to the marquis 
 of Hertford. 3. Charles I. Edward lord Conway 
 of Ragley was created viscount Conway of Conway 
 castle, the same who reduced it to its present con- 
 dition; and in 1679, 31. Charles II. his grandson 
 Edward, who had succeeded his father Edward, 
 was created earl of Conway, and dying without 
 issue, his cousin and adopted heir Francis Sey- 
 mour Conway, second son of Sir Edward Sey- 
 mour, Baronet, by his second wife, was created 
 lord Conway, baron Conway of Ragley, 1702 — 3, 
 2. Anne; and he died 1731 — 2. His eldest son 
 Francis was created earl of Hertford in 1750. 
 
 » Grose's Autiquities, VII. 18. 
 
70 HISTORY OF 
 
 ABBEY OF ABERCONWY. 
 
 Llvwelyn ab loRvvERTH, piiiice of Noi'th Wales, 
 founded here a Cistercian abbey, and by his char- 
 ter he endowed it with a very great extent of ter- 
 ritory in Arvon, Denbighshire, and Anglesey ; he 
 also assigned the limits of the land where it stood, 
 and those in Creiddyn, which seem to agree with 
 the modern liberties of the corporation ; he also 
 gave it Friwlwyt,^ Kwin, Redenocuelen, Nankall, 
 Kellmeoc, Bodgedwyd, Voelas Keirnauc, and 
 Llanvair-Ryt-Castell, Llynkemer, Llethwedkryn- 
 llwyn; the boundaries of which are severally nam- 
 ed, and were granted for ever ; besides these, he 
 gave them great privileges and immunities. They 
 had a perpetual exemption from keeping men, 
 horses, dogs, or hawks for the prince's service, 
 and from giving entertainment to himself, or any 
 other lay person on pretence of custom ; they had 
 liberty to choose their own abbots without the in- 
 terference of himself, or any layman ; all wrecks 
 upon their lands belonged to them, and if any of 
 their vessels were wrecked on the prince's lands, 
 they recovered the same ; they were likewise to be 
 
 '■> In Evionvdd. Arvnu. 
 
ABERCONWY. 71 
 
 free from all tolls, themselves and servants, and 
 whatever was bought or sold ; and a free passage 
 for themselves and their effects provided them 
 over the ferries of Menai, Conwy, Abermaw, and 
 Dyvi ; they were not tried for any offence what- 
 ever in his courts, but according to their own 
 rules : they were not to be molested for receiving 
 any person into their monastery; and if any monk 
 borrowed money without the consent of the ab- 
 bot, the monastery was not answerable for it. 
 These, with several other valuable privileges were 
 secured to them by the charter, dated from Aber- 
 conwy, and witnessed by Yorwerth Gam, Gwyn 
 ab Ednewein-ydon, his chaplain ; and Madoc ab 
 Cadur, in 1198. The original is inserted in the 
 Appendix. 
 
 Enjoying such great advantages, we may infer 
 that it must have contained men eminent for their 
 learning; its library was famous, and it was also 
 one of the depositories of the public acts. All 
 things of importance which happened in Wales, 
 were regularly recorded in the abbeys of Abercon- 
 wy, and Ystradflur in South Wales; and every 
 third year the chief occurrences, as registered in 
 the two abbeys, were generally compared together 
 
72 HISTORY OF 
 
 by tlie beirdd, or bards belonging to the two 
 houses, when they went their ordinary visitations, 
 or clera. This continued until the year 1270, a 
 little before the death of the last sovereign prince 
 of Wales, Llywelyn ab GrufTydd, who was slain 
 at Buallt.' 
 
 The abbey was honoured by being the burial 
 place of several illustrious persons: of its founder, 
 Llywelyn the Great, whose coffin was removed 
 after the dissolution, and is preserved in the church 
 of Llanrwst; it is made of stone, and the sides 
 are curiously carved into quatre foils. This prince 
 died in 1240. Previously to him, in 1200, GrufTydd 
 ab Cynan ab Owen Gwynedd was buried here in 
 a monk's cowl, a mode of burying lately intro- 
 duced from England, and very much practised by 
 the higher ranks, as highly conducive to future 
 bliss ;^ it may be observed, that about this period, 
 several superstitious practices of the church of 
 Rome gained ground in Wales, and soon l)egan 
 to corrupt the purity of the ancient British church. 
 There were also buried here, Llywelyn son of Mael- 
 
 • Preface to Powell's Wales. 
 2 Powell's Wales. 
 
ABERCONWY. 73 
 
 gwn, who died in 1230;^ Davydd, sonof Llywelyn 
 the Great, who died at his palace of Aber in 1246;^ 
 Howel the son of Gruffydd ab Cynan ab Owen 
 Gwynedd ;"* and likewise Gruffydd,^ an illegimate 
 son of prince Llywelyn, who was kept a prisoner 
 in the tower of London by Henry IIL and in en- 
 deavouring to escape, he fell from a great height 
 and was killed ; his body was recovered from tiie 
 king of England by the earnest solicitations of the 
 abbots of Aberconwy and Ystradflur, who con- 
 veyed it here, and buried it with great pomp and 
 honour : this was in 1248. 
 
 In 1243, the abbots of Aberconwy and Cymer, 
 in a dispute between prince Davydd and king 
 Henry, had commission from the Pope to absolve 
 their prince from his allegiance to the king of 
 England. 
 
 Edward L after the conquest of Wales, not 
 wishing to have the abbey in his new English town 
 of Aberconwy, removed it, in 1289, to Maenan, 
 about ten miles higher up the river ; he acted very 
 honourably and kindly to the monks, leaving them 
 
 3 Powell's Wales 
 
 ■* Wynn's Gwydir History, 26. 
 
74 HISTORY OF 
 
 all their lands and privileges, and granting them 
 the township of Maenan with several other parcels 
 of land in lieu of what they had at Conwy ; they 
 enjoyed in addition several new immunities, and 
 they were exempted from all taxes, tolls, and 
 duties whatsoever, and the presentation of their 
 conventual church, which he now made parochial,* 
 was granted them on condition that they appointed 
 two Englishmen as chaplains, and the third a 
 Welshman, for the benefit of those who were un- 
 acquainted with English. One of the Englishmen 
 was to be perpetual vicar, to be named by the 
 convent on every vacancy, and to be presented by 
 the diocesan. These privileges were secured by 
 his first and second charters, dated from Caernar- 
 von ; and Pope Nicholas also by his bull autho- 
 rised the translation." At the dissolution, the re- 
 venues of this abbey were, according to Dugdale, 
 £162. 155.; and according to Speed, £179. 10*. 
 lOd. The last abbot was Richard Kyflin, who 
 had a pension of twenty pounds a year.^ In the 
 fifth year of Elizabeth, the abbey was granted to 
 Elizeus Wynne in the possession of whose de- 
 
 5 Ayloffc's Rotuli WallijT?, 91. 
 " Sec the (luce in the Appendix. 
 ^ [*rnnant's Tour in Wales. 
 
AHEliCONWY. 75 
 
 sceiulant, Lord Newborough, it still continues ; 
 but there are now no remains of the abbey build- 
 ings. The monks had conveyed the coffin of their 
 founder from the town of Aberconwy, when they 
 were first removed to Maefnan, and at the disso- 
 lution of the latter, it was placed in Llanrwst 
 church, where it still continues. The new foun- 
 dation at Maenan preserved to the last the original 
 name, and the abbey was always called Conwy 
 abbey.® Of the original abbey in Aberconwy 
 there are now no remains. A long vaulted room 
 of good masonry, and worked with clay, but plas- 
 tered with lime, and a Saxon door were seen by 
 Mr. Pennant ; they were taken down about forty 
 years ago. In the churchyard, on the north side, 
 there is an ancient tombstone, ornamented with a 
 cross fleuris, but it has no inscription. A similar 
 one was found with a plain cross cut in, when 
 making some improvements in the Castle inn yard 
 in 1832, which is a part of the site of the abbey, 
 and under it a skull, with no other bones what- 
 ever. The foundation walls of different parts of 
 the abbey were also exposed at the same time. 
 
 '^ Sec Tudyr Aled's Poems, and Leland. 
 
76 HISTORY OF 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE CASTLE AND TOWN. 
 
 The beauty and magnificence of Conwy castle is 
 probably unrivalled, and it makes a noble picture 
 from every point of view, backed as it is by varied 
 and the most picturesque scenery. It might just- 
 ly be deemed impregnable, by reason of its natu- 
 ral and artificial strength, during the mode of war- 
 fare prevalent at the time of its erection. It was 
 built by Edward I. in 1284, and Henry de Eire- 
 ton, the same who built the castle of Carnarvon, 
 was the architect employed. Its form is oblong, 
 ami it is erected on a high rock at one corner of 
 the triangle, which encloses the town. One side 
 is bounded by the river, another by a creek which 
 is full of water at every tide, and into which the 
 river Gyffin flows; the other two sides are within 
 the town walls. On the outside, eight massive 
 and enormous towers, forty-feet in diameter, pro- 
 ject ; four on each side; and there was a winding 
 staircase to the summit in a smaller tower con- 
 tained in each, which in the four nearest the ri\er 
 issue out to the height of several feet, and form an 
 exceedingly beautiful addition. The summit of 
 these commands an extensive view of the adjacent 
 
AliRRCONWY. 77 
 
 country. The walls and towers are embattled 
 and vary from twelve to fifteen feet in thickness. 
 The principal entrance was from the town at the 
 west-end by a drawbridge over a very deep moat; 
 this leads by the ascent of a few steps to a spacious 
 terrace, protected by five small towers, and inter- 
 vening walls ; thence through a gateway, defend- 
 ed by a portcullis, to the larger court. This con- 
 tains on the south side the noble hall, which is one 
 hundred and thirty feet long, thirty-two wide, and 
 of a proportionate height, about thirty feet ; out of 
 this was partitioned off, at the east end, a chapel 
 with a large window. The roof was supported 
 by eight fine gothic arches, four of which still re- 
 main ; one fell about thirty years ago; it was 
 warmed by a great fire-place at one end, and two 
 others, one on each side ; there are six windows 
 to the country, and three larger ones to the court ; 
 underneath were the spacious vaults which con- 
 tained the ammunition for the use of the garrison; 
 and also the cellars for provision. At the east 
 end of this court is the reservoir, fifteen feet in 
 diameter, and twenty deep ; the water which sup- 
 plied it is traditionally reported to have been con- 
 veyed in pipes from a well above Ty gwyn. I 
 have heard it said that portions of pipes have been 
 
78 HISTORY OF 
 
 met with, when ploughing fields in that neighhour- 
 hood, and tradition also records that the enemy, 
 by discovering these pipes, at one time forced the 
 garrison to surrender ; this reservoir has two 
 apertures on the south side by which the water 
 was admitted, and opposite, there is now to be 
 seen a stone pipe which conveyed the water into 
 the moat, when it rose too high. The entrance 
 into the inner court is by a passage through a 
 strong wall, ten feet and a half in thickness, which 
 on the out-side has a sentinel's lodge, who could 
 see through a loop hole every one coming from 
 the chief entrance. On the right in this court is 
 one of the state rooms, twenty nine feet by twenty 
 two ; a beautiful arch which supported the roof 
 remains perfect, a second has long ago been des- 
 troyed : the windows look into the court. Between 
 this room and twr y hreiiin, or the king's tower, 
 was the king's chamber, which communicated with 
 that of the queen on the opposite side ; the north 
 tower is called twry vrenines, the queen's tower; 
 and the room on the first story contains a recess 
 taken out of the wall, which is the only place with 
 any appearance of ornament in the castle ; it is 
 formed by seven pointed and groined arches unit- 
 ing with each other at the roof, and under them 
 
ABERCONWY. 79 
 
 are more arches, with a basement all round. This 
 recess, which with the adjoining room was the 
 queen's private chapel, contained the altar table, 
 and on both sides are small apertures commu- 
 nicating with two apartments, made also in the 
 wall, which were the confessionals. That such 
 was the use of this place is corroborated by the 
 circumstance, that this is the only room in any 
 of the towers above the ground floor, which does 
 not contain a fire-place. The diameter of the in- 
 side of the towers is about eighteen feet ; these 
 consist generally of two stories, with the ground 
 floor, which was chiefly used for keeping stores. 
 The king's tower hath a strong room below, which 
 was accessible only by a trap door ; but the keep, 
 or tivr y carcharorion is the second on the south 
 side, adjoining the hall, from which there is a pas- 
 sage through it to the top of the walls. On the 
 east side there is another terrace, protected by 
 three towers and walls, where there was a second 
 entrance to the castle ; this was from the river, by 
 ascending a steep rock, where once had been a 
 narrow flight of winding stairs, protected by a 
 wall, with a small covered hanging tower, which 
 went a considerable way into the river, and had 
 another round tower at its extremity to prevent 
 
80 HISTORY OF 
 
 the approach of an enemy at ebb tide ; the portion 
 in tlie river had been for a long period destroyed, 
 but the narrow wall with the hanging tower, as 
 far as the terrace, was taken down, when making 
 the approach to the bridge. The next tower to 
 the king's, tivr darn, or the broken tower, pre- 
 sents a very picturesque ruin ; the avarice of some 
 of the inhabitants led them to excavate the rock 
 at its base, which occasioned a vast fragment of 
 the tower to fall ; the upper half remains perfect, 
 suspended at a great height, and projecting nearly 
 thirty feet over the walls below .^ 
 
 The walls which surround the town were built 
 the same time as the castle, and are nearly trian- 
 gular ; a form evidently prescribed by the situa- 
 tion ; the walls which still remain entire are very 
 lofty and embattled : in the circuit of about a mile 
 and a quarter there are twenty-one strong towers, 
 
 9 It is to be regretted tliat there ?)re persons still in Conwy, equally 
 avaricious and culpable, who, to avoid the trifling expense of bring- 
 ing stones from an excellent quarry, scarcely two hundred yards 
 from the town, have lately dug them up under the very foundations 
 of the castle, and, by blasting the rock, have caused great injury to 
 the interior. We are greatly in want of murengers to take care of 
 the walls ; in many places, especially near Forth y velin, they arc 
 in a very damaged state at their base. I could wish to draw the 
 attention of the neighbouring landowners to the circumstance, as a 
 little expense now would secure tliem for ages. 
 
ABKRCONWV 
 
 81 
 
 rising considerably above tbe walls, besides three 
 enti-ances to the town, with two stronger towers 
 to each. The base of the triangle runs along the 
 river, and in it are seven towers with a gateway 
 called Forth isav, or the lower gate; between 
 this and the castle, there is also a portal in the 
 wall, called Forth hach, but without towers ; 
 from the northern extremity of the base a curtain 
 with battlements on each side, runs nearly seventy 
 yards into the river, which had at its extremity a 
 large tower, long since destroyed, but the ruins 
 are visible. This corresponded with a similar 
 tower under the castle : the gateway through the 
 curtain is called Forth yr aden. A second en- 
 trance to the town was from the country side, 
 nearly opposite to Forth isav ; it is called Forth 
 uchav, or the upper gate, and it was furnished 
 Avith a drawbridge ; the third is on the south side, 
 and led to thevelifi heli,or salt- water mill; it is called 
 Forth y velin, or the gate of the mill. Except 
 on the river side the whole town was surrounded 
 by a deep and wide moat. One of the towers on 
 the south has a wall built on the town side, and 
 contained some spacious apartments, it is called 
 l^wr Llywelyii ; the town wall immediately ad - 
 joining has also three windows ; there probably 
 
 F 
 
82 HISTOKV ()l 
 
 was a house liere, which being principally made 
 of wood has left no remains. The name of the 
 neighbouring street is most likely a corruption of 
 Bowyer-street ; and ( 'aernarvon had also its ystryd 
 y priciau saethau. 
 
 There are no buildings within the town whose 
 origin can be dated as high as the thirteenth cen- 
 tury: the two oldest are built of frame- work, with 
 the interstices of lath and plaster, which was the 
 prevalent mode some centuries ago ; one is situ- 
 ated in the high-street, and the other in the upper 
 part of the town ; this is called Plas uchav. A 
 large building of the same kind was taken down in 
 1823, when erecting the addition to the Castle inn. 
 Two others, also, in different parts of the town 
 have been removed within the last thirty years. 
 
 The oldest stone house is that known by the 
 name of the college, which has a singular window 
 fronting the castle-street, and the sculptured or- 
 naments beneath are unusual : among them an 
 eagle pouncing upon a child, and coats of arms, 
 relating to the great family of Stanley and others. 
 This was built in the reign of Elizabeth ; but there 
 are no documents respecting its history. Mr. 
 
ABKKCONWV. 83 
 
 Pennant's supposition that Edward I. established 
 a place of instruction here, for youth, when he 
 took the abbey into his hands, will only hold good 
 by supposing that the present building was built 
 on the site of a more ancient one, originally as- 
 signed for that purpose. In the high-street is a 
 large pile of building, called Plas mawr, or the 
 great mansion, it consists of two distinct parts ; 
 the one in the street contains two stories, in the 
 lowest of which is the court chamber ; above the 
 entrance the arms of England are carved, and over 
 the doorway, within the portico, are two Greek 
 words ANEXOY AHEXOY, with their interpreta- 
 tion in Latin, sustine, abstine, (bear, forbear,) 
 and on the house the letters I. H.S. X. P.S., and 
 the date, 1585. The second part faces at right 
 angles to the high-street, and consists of two 
 wings, in one of which is the fine old hall, with 
 benches along the walls, and wainscot at one end ; 
 beneath are very extensive cellars : the ascent to 
 the rooms above is by a winding staircase, which 
 is continued in a tower for several feet above the 
 house, and commands a very beautiful view of the 
 country. The walls and ceilings throughout are 
 ornamented in stucco, with swans, owls, cranes, 
 ostriches, bears, mermaids, ragged staves, and a 
 
 f2 
 
84 HISTOHV Ol 
 
 variety of fantastic figures. The ragged staves are 
 
 the badges of Robert Dudley, the earl of Leicester- 
 
 This house was built by Robert Wynne, son of 
 
 John Wynne ab Meredydh, of Gwydir, and uncle 
 
 to Sir John Wynne, Bart, the historian. He was 
 
 sheriff for the countv of Caernarvon in 1591, and 
 
 he died in 1598 ; he left a son Thomas, whose son 
 
 Robert was deputy-mayor of Conwy, and he lies 
 
 buried in the chancel under an arched monument: 
 he died in November, 1664. The marriage of his 
 
 daughter Elen with Robert Wynne, of Bodysgall- 
 
 en, Esq. conveyed Plas mawr to that family. 
 
 Exactly opposite to the college window, two 
 new houses are built in a garden, which has always 
 gone by the name of Plas porter, and there were in 
 it w ithin a few years, remains of an old house which 
 bore the same name; it probably was the residence 
 of the chief porter of the castle. Another old 
 house, opposite to which the new chapel of the 
 Wesleyan method ists is built, is to be noticed as 
 being the place of the birth of Archbishop Williams; 
 when he retired to Conwy in his declining years, 
 he probably enlarged it, as in one of the rooms 
 above the fire-place are his initials, I. Y. with the 
 cross keys, and tlie date 1642. 
 
ABliUCONWV. H') 
 
 The old hall was erected in the reign oi" king 
 James I. and on a beam over the north window, 
 removed when the road was widened, was the in- 
 scription GOD SAVE THE KING JAMES, 
 1613. and over the fire place at present is ano- 
 ther, N.HOOKES ALDER 1613. Beneath the 
 hall was the heinous or town prison. Aberconwy 
 is now greatly decayed, in regard to the opulence 
 and number of families who formerly lived here, 
 but whose names are now extinct. The exclusive 
 advantages enjoyed by Englishmen from the time 
 of the first Edward for several centuries, brought 
 here a great number of adventurers, and the names 
 of almost all the inhabitants were extraneous; 
 such were Hookes, Stodart, Acton, Peicke, Brick- 
 dall, Maderer, Browne, Aldersley, Acley, Totte, 
 Lee, Byrches, Scherman, Robinson, Salysbre, 
 Barker, Mellers, Holland, and many others. The 
 last who bore any of these names was Owen 
 Holland of Plas isav, Esq. who died in 1795. 
 Hugh Peak, of Conwy, Esq. was sheriff for 
 Caernarvonshire in 1546, and 1552. Richard 
 Peak, of Conwy, Esq. was sherifi" in 1576. 
 William Hookes, of Conwy, Esq. in 1640. and 
 Edward Holland, Esq. in 1701. The consequence 
 of their privileges was, that the town enjoyed 
 
86 msToin of 
 
 great prosperity and opulence ; and even witliin 
 the two last centuries Sir John Wynne of Gwydir 
 mentions, that they were called the lawyers of 
 Carnarvon, the merchands of Beaumaris, and the 
 gentlemen of Conwy. When we recollect that 
 this prosperity was obtained by the oppression of 
 our own countrymen, it is not likely that we 
 should indulge in much regret at its decay, which 
 became advantageous to the country around, and 
 indeed was owing to the natives obtaining their 
 just rights and liberties. There was also a con- 
 siderable trade carried on in Conwy; and some 
 tradesmen struck their own tokens; I have one 
 of them, a penny, which is about the size of a 
 modern sixpence, but much thinner, having on 
 one side a coat of arms, HENRY HUGHES, 
 1663. Rev. I. N. ABERCONWAY, 1" A 
 difficult entrance to the harbour and the greater 
 eligibility of other places have considerably reduced 
 the export trade. Until the opening of the new 
 line through Capel Curig, the road from Shrews- 
 bury to Holyhead passed through Conwy, and was 
 a source of advantage to the town ; the races were 
 annually held on the marsh, and a King's plate 
 was granted to be run for, which continued until 
 1794. The great sessions for the county, and 
 
AISKIJCUNWV. ^ 87 
 
 formerly for Merionethshire also, were held here 
 alternately with Caernarvon ; but, as Aberconwy 
 is at the extremity of the county, the more central 
 situation of Caernarvon has now obtained the pri- 
 vilege exclusively. The town however will again 
 obtain importance; since the opening the bridge in 
 1826, there is an evident improvement in the mar- 
 ket, and occasionally great quantities of corn are 
 sold. The opening of the slate quarries in the 
 Caernarvonshire hills is also of great advantage, 
 and this branch of commerce is gradually increas- 
 ing ; a few great capitalists are all that are want- 
 ing to ensure important benefits to the town. The 
 slates are brought to Trefriw in carts, and thence 
 to Aberconwy in sailing boats, where they are put 
 into large vessels, and exported to different parts 
 of the kingdom. The harbour is now made ex- 
 tremely commodious by a very fine quay of excel- 
 lent masonry and great extent, w^hich was under- 
 taken by the corporation, and completed, at an 
 expense to them of thirteen hundred pounds, in 
 1833. The entrance to the harbour is directed by 
 three black buoys and a red one, and a perch. 
 There is water over all the banks for small sloops 
 at four hours flood ; but vessels that draw ten feet 
 water, must keep the channel. 
 
88 . HISTORY OK 
 
 Several excellent houses have lately been built 
 in the town, and tlie general appearance witliin is 
 considerably changed, and materially improved, 
 within the last few vears. Before 1830, four fairs 
 were annually held, on April 6, Septeml)er 4, 
 October 10, and November 8. As trade is now 
 greatly increasing, it hath been thought requisite 
 to have them more frequently ; they are accord- 
 ingly held seven times in the year ; on March 26, 
 April 30, June 20, August 19, September Ui, Oc- 
 tober 20, and November 5. The weekly market 
 is held on Friday, when no one ought to sell be- 
 fore the bell is rung by one of the Serjeants at 
 mace. The fairs are opened by the members of 
 the corporation, who proceed with their wands to 
 the top of the street, and read the proclamation, 
 which agrees with the subjoined; but for the pe- 
 rusal of the curious reader, I have selected this 
 from a manuscript written in 1590. 
 
 " The p'lamacon of the faire of conwey. 
 
 " The maior, the Ald"man and the Bailiffs in 
 the Kings name doe charge & comond eu'ie man 
 that is comen here this day to the ffaire of Conwey 
 that they kepe the kings peace, and that no man 
 beare any man' weapons or harnesse upon him 
 
ABKRCONVVY. ^9 
 
 under paine of C ' to be forfeted to tlie kings grace, 
 and there bodies to p'sonne ther to remaine till the 
 Kings pleasure be therein further knowen, But 
 only Burgess' soldaries and other suche as are ap- 
 pointed to vvaite upon the kings Officers here for 
 that intent to order & inaintaine the good rule of 
 the kings towne of Conwey. And that eu'ie 
 p'sone and p'sones be at free libertie both to come 
 and goe to buy and sell for this twoe dayes with- 
 out any p'turbacon or greu^nce for any man' cause 
 or occacon that maye be obiected against them or 
 any of them for this tyme (except it be for the 
 kings causes) and eu'ie man & woman are well- 
 come to buy & sell freelie theis ij dayes without 
 any custome or stallage axinge of them. 
 
 God save the kinge." 
 
 The fair in September is called the honey fair, 
 when large quantities of very excellent honey are 
 sold ; the superiority of its flavour is probably 
 owing to its being extracted from the heath blos- 
 soms, and other wild flowers, on the neighbour- 
 ing mountains. Its average price for the last years 
 has been two shillings a quart, or about eight- 
 pence a pound. That Conwy has been famed for 
 its honey for several centuries will be seen by an 
 
})() HISTOKV OF 
 
 item among the follovvina; extracts, made from a 
 roll of the expences of Edward I. at Rhuddlan 
 castle, in the tenth and eleventh years of his reign 
 (1281 and 1282.) These are classed under the 
 head of necessaries. 
 
 " For six carts, each with three horses, hired to 
 carry the hay from the meadows to the castle of 
 Rothelan, for one day, (Ss. \0d. 
 
 For the carriage of turf, with w hich the house 
 was covered in which the hay was placed. \s. 5d. 
 
 For an iron fork bought to turn the hay, 3d. 
 
 For making a ditch about the house where the 
 said hay was put. Is. Sd. 
 
 For putting and piling up one rick of hay in the 
 house. Is. Sd. 
 
 Wages of two turf cutters, seven days, at 5d. 
 })er day, 5s. lOd. 
 
 For the carriage of turves to cover the king's 
 kitchen, 75. 6d, 
 
 For twenty-two empty casks, bought to make 
 paling for the queen's court yard, ISs. 4d. 
 
 To Wildbor, the fisherman, receiving lOd. per 
 day, and his six companions, tlie (pieens fisher- 
 men, at 3d. per day each, fishing in the sea forty- 
 two days, £4. 18a-. 
 
AKKiaONVVV. 91 
 
 Repairing a cart of the king's, conveying a pipe 
 of honey from Aberconway to Rothelan, I5. 4c?. 
 
 To six men carrying shingles to cover the hall 
 of the castle, at 2^d. each per day, seven days, 
 8s. 9d:' 
 
 Before the passing of the Reform Bill, Conwy 
 was a contributory borough in returning a mem- 
 ber to parliament with Caernarvon, Pwllheli, Ne- 
 vin, and Cricciaeth. This privilege it still retains, 
 but the franchise is extended to all the inhabitants 
 who are qualified according to the provision of that 
 act. The population in 1801, was 889; in 1811, 
 1053; in 1821, 1105; and in 1831, 1245. 
 
 Besides the archbishop of York, this town was 
 the birth-place of another prelate, Nicholas Ro- 
 binson, D. D. He was entered at Queen's Col- 
 lege, Cambridge, where he became a fellow, and 
 was appointed chaplain to Dr. Parker, archbishop 
 of Canterbury. He was made dean of Bangor in 
 1556, and afterwards archdeacon of Meirion, with 
 the sinecure rectory of Northop, in 1562. He was 
 raised to the bishoprick of Bangor in 1566. His 
 death took place in February 1 583-4, and he was 
 buried in the cathedral. He was a man of very 
 
.92 HISTOliV OF 
 
 great learning ; and besides his knowledge ol the- 
 ology and the classics, he was well skilled in his 
 own language : he translated into Latin from the 
 Welsh, " Hanes Gruffydd ab Cynan; " the Life of 
 Gruffydd ab Cynan; which was preserved in the 
 library of Gwydir. 
 
 When Edward L incorporated the town of 
 Aberconwy, he ordered in his charter that the 
 constable of the castle for the time being should 
 be the mayor of the town. But ever since the 
 year 1570, and even for some time previously, the 
 chief magistrate of the borough was called the 
 alderman, and was elected by his fellow buigesses 
 annually; it does not appear that the crown took 
 care to appoint a constable of the castle, for since 
 the above year 1570, the office has only been filled 
 five times. James I. granted by patent to Edward 
 Herbert and Richard Herbert, and tlie survivor 
 of them, the office of forester of Snow don, and 
 constable of the castle of Aberconwy. In 1649, 
 an order was made by the committee of state to 
 appoint colonel Carter constable or keeper of Con- 
 wy castle. In 1602, a grant was made of tlic 
 office of constable, or keeper of the castle, to Ed- 
 ward lord Herbert. None of these seem to have 
 
abi:r(:onwy. JK3 
 
 interfered with the government of the town in the 
 office of mayor. The legality however of the elec- 
 tion of an alderman has been several times dis- 
 puted. The following document relates to a cu- 
 rious case on that point, in the reign of Elizabeth, 
 where Sir Richard Bulkeley, Knt. and Thomas 
 Mostyn, Esq. were elected burgesses, contrary to 
 the common practise of the corporation at that 
 period. 
 
 " This is a lawdable Custome in the Town of 
 Conway (as in other Towns of liberties in Wales) 
 that in the election of burgesses upon michelmas 
 daye, that every burges hath a negative voice, so 
 that if any one burges desire any one that is to be 
 chosen burges of his voice, he cannot be chosen. 
 
 Now on michelmas daye last, thus it fell out in 
 that Towne of Conway at the election of burgeses. 
 After the election of officers as the manner is, it 
 was openly propownded in their counsel-house 
 where all the burgesses were assembled, that Syr 
 Rich*^ Bulkeley Knight & Thomas Mosten Esq'- 
 desired to be burgeses of that Towne, & therefore 
 we were to speak their minds. There stoode up 
 hereupon three of the better sort of burges & spake 
 one after an other, that they would not consent 
 
!>-! HISTORY OF 
 
 thereunto w*^" not withstanding some that lavouixl 
 Syr Rich'' & Mr. Mosten wold neades know how 
 many was againste them and how many with them. 
 Then a great number spake at onest tliat tliey 
 would not chose them nor any other at y' time. 
 Wherewith all the saide favorers beyng miscontent 
 wold neades speake of the more part upon whose 
 side they were (w'^'' thing was never used in any 
 such election) and so made much trouble in the 
 house. To pacific w*^'' the alderman & bailiffs did 
 breake up that assemblye seyng three of the 
 better sort were againste y' election ; notwith- 
 standing to show unto those favorers that they had 
 not the more part, they called out of the counsel- 
 house all such as did not assent to the chosing of 
 Syr Rich*'- & Mr. Mosten w''' were there numbred 
 to be 35, & thought y* the rest wold have followed 
 (by reason that the alderman & baylifis had dissol- 
 ved that assemblie & were come out) but they 
 remayned there, & beyng 22 made an election of 
 Syr Rich" & Mr. Mosten to be burgeses. Now 
 the question is whither tliis was a lawfull elec- 
 tion, seyng three had in speciall wordes spoken 
 against it : the ordinary officers had discharged 
 that assemblie: yea and y' the more part showed 
 tliemselves to be against the same. 
 
ABKHCONM'Y. }>•'> 
 
 To justifie this headles & headdy election, it is 
 sayed that one Rich'' Gwyn and named deputie 
 constable, was there officer, and so proceaded to y ' 
 election by reason that the constable is in y* char- 
 ter named Maiorofy' Town — But it may be an- 
 swered, y' the constable must be sworn by the 
 burgeses before he be Maior, w*='' thing was not as 
 yet done, secondly y' Syr Wm. Harbert Knight, 
 whose factour Mr. Rich*" Gwyn is, is not consta- 
 ble, but that he hath bought an other mans fee or 
 patent. Thirdly y' Mr. Gwyn hath no deputation 
 to be deputie Maior and last of all, that by cus- 
 tome of this Town the alderman and bayliffs only 
 intermeddle with all such elections, and nether 
 the constable nor his deputie. 
 
 An other lawdable custome hath continued in 
 the Towne of Conway tyme out of minde, that 
 when any assemblie is to be made for the swear- 
 ing of Burgeses, the Alderman and Bayliffs doe 
 send the sergeant to warne all the Burgeses of the 
 place and tyme. 
 
 Now contrary to this lawdable custome the ij 
 daye of Octob: Rich"' Gwyn, gent: assembling 
 to himself in secret wise, without the knoleage of 
 the Alderman and Bayliffs, 9 or 10 of the Burges- 
 ses did sweare Syr Rich'' Bulkeley knight, and 
 
JH) HI.ST<)W\ OF 
 
 Tho: Mosten Esq. (chosen as before is said) biir- 
 geses of the saied Towne. 
 
 The Question is whither this admission be law- 
 ful. Memorand : That all the 13 mimeses of y* 
 Towne are sworne to the observation of all the 
 lawdable customes of the saied Town at theyre 
 admission." 
 
 In December, 1769, John Parry, Esq. of Lin- 
 coln's-inn, having been appointed constable of the 
 castle, demanded to be sworn in to the office of 
 mayor, according to the charter, and upon the re- 
 fusal of the corporation to comply, until they had 
 procured satisfactory directions how to proceed, 
 pleading the long disuse of the office, he obtained 
 a mandamus from the court of King's-bench ; but 
 the proceedings were terminated by his death, 
 which took place soon after. In 1810, Griffith 
 ab Howel Vaughan, Esq. of Rug, was appointed 
 to the constableship of the castle, by writ of privy 
 seal, and with a salary of £23. An alderman con- 
 tinued to be chosen annually, until the contested 
 election of members of parliament in 1830, when 
 the office was decided to be illegal, and tlie may- 
 oralty revived ; it is consequently now held by the 
 constable of the castle. 
 
ABEKCONWY. 97 
 
 It will be seen, from the subjoined two docu- 
 ments, tlicit at one time there was an alderman as 
 well as mayor; and as they furnish some curious 
 information of the customs of the corporate body, 
 they arc here inserted. 
 
 " In festo S'ci mathei Ap'li Anno Uecimo octa- 
 vo, Henrici octavi. 
 
 " It is ordered by the Maiore, the Alderman, tlie 
 Bailiffs, And by all the Comburgesses of Conwey, 
 that whereas James ffena the same day was sworne 
 burgese of Conwey wh' gave to be made ffreeman 
 xiij' iiij" unto the hands of Hugh hookes AUder- 
 man : That the said James nor non other should 
 from hencefourth receve any malte or Corne that 
 shall come from Lancashire and wiroll or any other 
 place, nor keepe the same within his house : but 
 that it be at lib'tie for every man or woman to buy 
 as the market goeth ; and that the said James and 
 his wyfe shall not hinder the towne in bringe of 
 malte to have advantaige thereby or reere the 
 m'kett thereof uppon paine of x\'- as often tymes 
 so doinge or offending to be leuied by the Bay- 
 lyfes. It'm, whereas John Robins was admitted 
 burges there the same daye : wh' gave to Comyn 
 box to be ffree man r unto the hands of thesaide 
 
 G 
 
98 HISTORY OF 
 
 Aldemian. Also, it is ordered that the first 
 sacke of wheate y' cometh to the mille be first 
 urounden, and so furth evry sacke in order then 
 next rominge: and the miller to be sworne uppon 
 the same, and he that breaketh this order to for- 
 fett xij" evry tyme so doinge. Also it is ordered, 
 that noe p'son hencefourth send his wheate or 
 hard corne to grind to any other millne, but only 
 to the millens of Conwey uppon paine of iij' iiij** 
 to be forfeited as often tymes so offendinge to be 
 leuied by the Bailiffs to there owne use. Except 
 that such p'son can not have grinding ther by rea- 
 son of Drught, and for lacke of watter in the 
 Somer season by the space of foure or five dayes. 
 Also it is ordered, that neither bread nor alle to 
 the use of our lady St. Mary be henrfurth keapte. 
 but only to be laide downe. and evry Burgesses to 
 give his peny evry sonday, and evy fforin ob. evry 
 sonday: then the same p'son to be cited by M' 
 vicker to appeere affore M' Hugh holland and 
 there to be corrected by the church La we." 
 
 " In festo Sci Mich'ilis arch'i anno decimo oc- 
 tavo. Henrici Octavi. 
 
 Memorandu* that the newe freeth leinge ueare 
 Covtuior is <5ette ffeanne bv the \\\\o\e C'oniburges 
 
ABERCONWY. ^^^ 
 
 unto Thomas Brickdall weu' for the Terme of xx" 
 veres next ensuinae the Date hereof yeldinge ther- 
 fore yerely to the Coniein Cofer xx' at the feast 
 of thapp'les Philipp and Jacob, and S' Michaell 
 tharchangell by equeall porcions. 
 
 The names of the Burgesses then made. 
 
 Pirs Boyd ell, vj' viij'' thereof to be paid at 
 
 Christmas iij' iiij** and at Ester then next folow- 
 
 inge iij'" iiij**- 
 
 Harry Acton ") , 
 
 ' as much 
 
 } 
 
 Jankin Hookes 
 
 ]VP- Edward Peicke "J 
 
 M' humferey Brickdall ( 
 
 M' Nicholas S tod art 
 
 Robert S tod art 
 
 William maderer . . . iiij' 
 
 " Apud CoiNWEY tricesimo die Octobris An- 
 no regni Elizab. Decimo Septimo. 
 
 It is ordered by the maiore, Alderman & the 
 Bailiffes of this Towne of Conwey by full assent 
 of the Comoltie and the Comburgesses of this saide 
 towne that what soeu' p'son or person, what degree 
 soeu' he be, being either burgess or a towne 
 dweller or dwellinge within the lib'ties of this 
 
 g2 
 
100 HISTORY OF 
 
 towne, do and be readie at all tyme and Tymes 
 hereafter at the ringeinge of a Bell that shalbe 
 hanged in the m'kett place not only come furth 
 himsefle but allso carie w'h him a lawfull wepon 
 to maintain the yfficers of this towne of Conwey 
 for the maintenance of the Queenes mats peace 
 and the good order of this towne & there remaine 
 and abide as longe as the saide Officers shall abide 
 and remaine. Eu' p'son or p'sonns so offending 
 shall forfeit and paie x' of good and lawfull mon- 
 ey of England, the one half to the Bayliffes for the 
 tyme being, and thother half the Bailifties shall 
 answere the Alderman for his tyme beinge and the 
 saide Alderman tomacke a iust and a full accompte 
 of the receite of the said money as is afforesaid to 
 the Comburgeses to and for the use of the said 
 towne of Conwey. And to this order as well the 
 maior, Alderman and Bayliffs as allso all other 
 the Comburgeses have put to there handes the 
 daye and yere a})Ove written.'" 
 
 With the exception of the mayor, the other offi- 
 cers continue to be elected annually, as before. 
 They consist of the two bailiffs, a recorder, coro- 
 ner, water- bailifl, and two serjc^ants at mace. 
 The liberties of the corporation include tlie land 
 
ABERCONWY. 101 
 
 in the neighbourhood, which was foruieily in tlic* 
 possession of the abbey, and the boundaries at 
 present agree witli those named in Llywelyn ab 
 lorwerth's charter of 1 198. The corporation had 
 by the king's grant a large territory, which by 
 leases and other modes has dwindled to a very in- 
 considerable portion, and most of it totally alien- 
 ated from the town. The town mountain, tiie 
 morva, morva bach, twthil, one or two farms, a 
 few gardens, and some plots of ground about the 
 town, are still in their possession, but the leases 
 of some of them have not yet expired. The mill 
 at Gyffin is also their property ; they had formerly 
 two mills on this stream, which are now destroy- 
 ed ; the lower mill, called the velin hell, or salt 
 water mill, was built immediately under the castle, 
 where the Sarn bridge is at present, and portions 
 of the piles are still visible ; this had a malt mill 
 attached to it ; the upper mill was considerably 
 higher up, above the modern mill at Gyffin, at a 
 place called Pen y velin, below Hendre- Two 
 officers were duly appointed and sworn to keep 
 the accounts of the mills, who were called mill- 
 wardens, or the stewards of the mills.' 
 
 1 See in tlic Appendix the stewards' acroutifs for flie year 1531. 
 
102 HISTORY Ol 
 
 The Oalli oj Ike Stewards of the Mills. 
 " You shall well and triiely use yo' endev" to 
 oversee y* mill of this towne for one whole year 
 (to be ended at y^ feaste of St Edw. y* Confess' 
 next ensueing) and y' you shall make true ace' of 
 y* profits and issue of y*" same, and if need be, to 
 see that the sayd mills be sufficiently repaired. 
 
 So help you God." 
 
 The Oath of the Miller. 
 '* You shall truely and justly keep and serve 
 the salt and upper malt mill of this town of Con- 
 way, as a true miller ought to do, in grinding every 
 person as their corne comes according to the old 
 custom, and that you shall not be absent in time 
 of grinding, but that you be there then, or one for 
 you, and that you shall see that every sack and 
 bag be truely tolled, and immediately put into the 
 arcke, and that you grind truly to every person 
 without fraud or guile, and without let or tarring. 
 
 So help you God." 
 
 The seal of the corporation has upon it, the cas- 
 tle with the river beneath, and the inscription 
 
 E: l)E : CONEWEY x S> : IMIOVESTKI. 
 
ABKkCUNVVV. 103 
 
 THE CHURCH. 
 
 Altlioiigh the church has no pretensions 
 to architectural beauty, it is a very spacious 
 and venerable structure. It is rather irregular in 
 form, consisting of a nave and two side aisles, 
 supported by two rows of pillars, of which tlie 
 north aisle is a fourth shorter than the south; and 
 this latter only has a transept. The chancel is 
 divided from the body of the church by a very fine 
 old screen of ornamented wood, above which was 
 the organ loft, lately removed. The length of the 
 church to the extremity of the chancel is one hun- 
 dred and sixteen feet, and the breadth fiftv eiiiht 
 feet ; the chancel is thirty seven feet long by 
 twenty five. The pulpit and reading desk are 
 very handsome, being made of fine mahogany ; as 
 are also several of the pews. The font, placed in 
 the centre of the nave, is of great antiquity ; it is 
 made of stone and elaborately carved, with steps 
 encircling the base. As before mentioned, this 
 church was once conventual, and several illustrious 
 individuals were buried here; respecting whom see 
 before, p. 73. The monuments in the church at 
 present are comparatively modern ; the mostcuri- 
 
104 
 
 HISTORY OF 
 
 ous is that of JN'icholas Hookes who lies buried in 
 the chancel, and is an instance of extraordinary 
 fecundity. 
 
 HERE LYETH Y' BODY 
 
 OF NICH* HOOKES OF 
 
 CONM'AY GE°- WHO 
 
 WAS y* 4J'' chiLD 
 
 OF His FATHER W"' 
 HOOKES ESq^ By ALiCE 
 
 HIS wiFE, AnD y* father 
 
 OF 27 chiLDrEn, who 
 
 DyED y* 20''' DAy of MArch 
 
 16 3 7 
 
 N.B. THis STOne WAS Reu 
 
 ivED in y* ycAr 1720 
 
 Att y* charoE of John 
 
 HOOKES Esq'- 
 
 & SINCE By THO' 
 BRADNEY & W. ARCHER ESq* 
 
 Near this is a figure cut in stone, to preserve 
 the memory of Mary, mother of archbishop Wil- 
 liams, who died in child birth of twins, October 
 10, 1585. In the south-east corner of the chancel 
 
ABKRCONVVY. 10') 
 
 is ail arched monument witli the folioNvinj^ inscrip- 
 tions, " ROBERT WYNNE, ESQUIER WAS KURIEL) 
 THE XXX DAIE OF NOVEMBER ANO 1598/' "HEAR 
 LIETH THE BODY OF ROBERT WYNNE DEBYTIE 
 MAIOR OF CONWAY ESQ. THE SONE OF THOMAS 
 WYNNE WHO DIED THE 16"" OF 9^" 1(364/' On a 
 
 mural tablet above the altar, "John AVynn Esq. 
 was buried the 19 Daye of November Anno Do- 
 mini 1637/' He was sheriff of Caernarvonshire 
 in 1635. On a tombstone of black marble in the 
 north-east corner, " Here Lieth The Body of John 
 Williams of Brymor Esq' 4*'' son of S' Grift". 
 Williams of Penrhyn Baronet who departed this 
 life the 25*'' of July in the 63"^ year of his age, and 
 the year of our Lord, 1706." The chapel, which 
 forms the south transept, contains several monu- 
 mental inscriptions, from which the following- are 
 selected. On the south side, "Johannes Hookes, 
 Arm. hunc tumulum fieri fecit in memoriam cele- 
 berrimi viri Hugonis Hookes, Arm. patrissui, qui 
 obiit 27 die Julii, A. D. 1600." On the same 
 side are these Latin verses, 
 
 Iinpiger errantes ociilos converte viator, 
 Funera lamentis spargere nostra piis ; 
 
 Hie tua res agitur, mortalia fiinera cursii 
 Volvere precipiti pulvere disce mco. 
 
lOf) HISTORY OF 
 
 In tlie south west corner, on a raised tombstone 
 is the following inscription, " Edward' Holland 
 armiger posuit hoc niemoriale HoUandorum ad 
 requisicoem Hugonis Holland Ar. pris sui paulo 
 ante obitum, qui obiit 13 die Maii A" D' 1534. — 
 By the side of this stone lyeth buried A\ illiani 
 Williams, Esq, together with his wife Margaret, 
 eldest daughter and heir of William Holland of 
 Marl, Esq' she An. Dom. 1641 and 
 
 1673.— Beneath lyeth the body of Holland 
 son of William Margaret his wife, who de- 
 
 parted this life the first day of January 1680. An- 
 nos natus 40." 
 
 There were formerly four bells in the steeple, of 
 which the second and the great bell only remain; 
 the first has been destroyed many years ago, and 
 the third on the day that the late Sir Thomas 
 Mostyn, Bart, attained his majority; the smaller 
 bell has upon it this inscription, GLORIA IN 
 DEO. 1634. The large bell has a remarkably 
 fine tone, and its circumference at the outer edge 
 is twelve feet ; its height is three feet : on it are 
 
 the words, a^^ f(t>elt«5 tfta tu^ttiurga mn- 
 tt00i>ma Mix in rftoro birginum, Bt low 
 
 this inscription, Ota PVO ItOlJi^ ^OmttlUm, 
 
ABKKCONWY. 107 
 
 and uiidei this, to!)^!^ tJUVCt)|)nJ5f)aU) a\)M^ 
 
 tt^iVt. This bell was probably brought here 
 from tiie abbey of St. Werburgh in Chester at the 
 dissolution. John Burchenshaw was made Abbot 
 in 1493 ; about twelve years after, he was displaced 
 on account of some faction, but he was re- instated 
 in 1530, where he continued until his death in 
 1535. This bell is rung with a wheel of thirty 
 feet in circumference, and is generally used to toll 
 for church service and funerals. The steeple is 
 about sixty five feet high. The living is a vicarage in 
 the gift of the Plasisav family, now represented by 
 Sir David Erskine, Bart. A moiety of the tithes 
 is annually distributed among the poor of Aber- 
 conwy, and the three parishes of Creiddyn; this 
 impropriation is a bequest of Serjeant Owen, an 
 extract from whose will is inserted in theAppendix. 
 The parish of Aberconwy is of no great extent; on 
 the south it is bounded by the river Gyffin, which 
 separates it from the parish of the same name ; on 
 the south west the boundary leaves the river be- 
 tween Bryn y gunog and Hendre, and crossing 
 the town mountain it descends to the sea through 
 Savn Cristian, where it touches the parish of 
 
 Dygyvyichi. 
 
i08 HISTORY OF 
 
 Among the customs ol tlie town I may notice 
 one, which is at present kept up here only ; and 
 under the name of slocsio, it has been observed 
 from time immemorial. On Easter Sunday, 
 crowds of boys and men proceed with wands of 
 gorse to proclaim on Pen twthil the laws and re- 
 gulations, which are to be observed on the follow- 
 ing morning. The bride-groom who has been 
 last married is always sought for to perform the 
 office of crier; mounted on a heap of stones, he 
 calls the attention of his audience, who listen res- 
 pectfully with their hats off, and he proclaims 
 notices to the following import : that all men 
 under sixty years of age are to appear in the street 
 before six o'clock on the following morning, and 
 all under forty before four, and all under twenty 
 not to go to bed at all under penalty of being put 
 in the stocks. After proclaiming these and similar 
 notices, loud cheers are given, and the audience 
 separate, the younger part to form plans for their 
 amusement during the night, and those, who own 
 any carts or other vehicles, to secure them with 
 chains and locks, as they well know that they will 
 be in requisition on the following day. At an 
 early hour on the morrow, the stocks are placed at 
 the bottom of the street, and a party headed by a 
 
AURRfONWY. 109 
 
 fife and drum proceed with a cart to convey delin- 
 quents to the place of punishment : when they 
 come to a house where a proper object resides, the 
 storming party try by all the means in their power 
 to gain access into the house, and by climbing to 
 the windows with ladders, or by forcing back- 
 doors, they generally succeed. The culprit being 
 arrested, and having time allowed him to dress, if 
 caught in bed, is placed in the cart, and triumph- 
 antly hurried to the stocks : where one of the party, 
 having secured his feet, gives him a lecture upon 
 the heinousness of idleness and breaking an old 
 established custom ; then taking hold of his right 
 hand, he asks him a few questions such as these : 
 Whether he likes better the mistress or the maid, 
 ale or butter-milk ; whether he would go through 
 the gate of a field if open, or over the stile. Sac. 
 If in his answers he fixes upon what is obviously 
 preferable, his hand is the more thickly covered 
 with some dirty mud, and he is then released with 
 cheers. This sport which would be impracticable 
 in a larger and less intimate community is con- 
 tinued with the greatest good humour until eight ; 
 when the rest of the day is spent in playing at ball 
 in the castle. The same custom used not long 
 ago to be observed also on Whitmonday. It is 
 
I 10 HISTORY OF 
 
 also customarv on nos Calanmai, or tlie eve of tlie 
 first of May, for the young men to fix on the house 
 of their beloved, some rosemary tied with ribbons; 
 while the prude is greeted with a penglog, or part 
 of a horse's skeleton, or a gwr gwellt. 
 
 The river Conwy takes its rise from Llyn Con- 
 wy, situate among the mountains near Penmachno, 
 at the southern extremity of the county. It runs 
 by Ysbytty Ivan, and in the course of a few miles, 
 by the addition of numerous mountain streams, 
 and avon Llugwy, which joins it below Bettws y 
 coed, it becomes a considerable river. With 
 the exception of Trev vaenan and Creiddyn, it 
 forms the eastern boundary of Caernarvonshire; 
 the tide Hows about twelve miles up to Trevriw, 
 to which place it is navigable for small vessels. 
 Its course from its rise is about thirty miles, and 
 the picturesque scenery in its neighbourhood is un- 
 rivalled ; having gained its level after an impetuous 
 descent through varied glens and over rocks, it 
 seems to form by its windings a succession of ex- 
 tensive lakes down to Aberconwy. There is a ferry 
 over it at Tal y cavn, about four miles above the 
 castle ; the ferry at Aberconwy, was retained as 
 royal property, and an order was issued by 
 
Edward IT. for either the repairiiiji tlie l)oat, or 
 building a new one, for tlie use of which the in- 
 habitants were to pay eight marks.^ Both the 
 ferries were subsequently rented by the corpora- 
 tion. The ferry at A hereon wy laterly belonged to 
 the proprietor of the Marl estates, who was indem- 
 nified for the loss sustained by the erection of the 
 bridge. On Christmas day 1 806, owing to a heavy 
 swell in the river, the boat conveying the Irish 
 mail with eight passengers, the coach-man, guard, 
 and a boy, in all fifteen in number, including the 
 boat-men, was upset, and two only escaped with 
 their lives. 
 
 The elegant bridge, which with the embankment 
 connects the opposite shores, is of great advantage 
 as well as convenience to the town and the neigh- 
 bouring country. It was built by the same contract- 
 ors that erected the Menai bridge : the supporting 
 pillars are made to correspond with the castle 
 towers, and each pillar consists of two towers of 
 solid masonry, with a gateway between. The 
 roadway is made of layers of plank, affixed by 
 \ ertical bars to two sets of suspending chains, each 
 
 •^ Pennant's Tour in Wales, III. 12(>. 
 
1 12 HISTORY OF 
 
 of whicli contain four chains, and each chain five 
 bars ; the chains are extended from the pillars over 
 the roadway, and are fastened into the rock under 
 the castle on one side, and deep into the solid rock 
 of the island on the other. The distance between 
 the pillars is 327 feet. The vast embankment 
 which connects the island with the opposite shore 
 measures 2013 feet in length ; the materials being 
 clay, flanked with loose stones, have firmly with- 
 stood the most violent gales ; and it promises to 
 be a lasting monument of the enterprising genius 
 of the projector. 
 
 On the town mountain are Aery extensive re- 
 mains of a British castle, known by the name of 
 Castell Seion: it is situated on the hio-hest brow 
 of the hill, and commands a most extensive pros- 
 pect. Like the generality of the fortresses of the 
 ancient Welsh, this was not a town for general 
 residence, but merely a place of refuge in time of 
 war, where they placed their families and cattle ; 
 for this purpose they generally selected a sj)ot in 
 the centre of their woods, on the eminence of a 
 mountain, and besides the natural advantages of 
 these posts, they were also secured liy regular 
 niiiiparts and flosses. The remains of Ca^toll 
 
ARERCONWY. 113 
 
 Seion, which cover a considerable portion ofground, 
 but the citadel was of a triangular form, witli a 
 right angle, its sides are one hundred and thirty- 
 five and one hundred and eighty feet respectively, 
 and the hypothenuse from east to west two hun- 
 dred and fifty feet ; the walls were built of unce- 
 mented stones and the great quantity now lying 
 there prove that it must have been high and thick; 
 the rest of the summit is occupied l)y round cir- 
 cles of stones, above twenty of which remain, their 
 diameters averaging about thirty-three feet; the 
 ground is also intersected by numerous fosses, and 
 the whole defended by a rampart, which may be 
 traced for a great extent around. In the sixth 
 century it was the seat of Gwalch Gorsedd, when 
 MaelgwnGwynedd went fromDyganwy, to decide 
 the dispute for superiority between the poets and 
 musicians ; he caused both parties to swim over the 
 Conwy ; the harps and crwths were spoiled, con- 
 sequently the poets, whose tools could not be da- 
 maged, were victorious. There is a poem extant, 
 written by lorwerth Beli to the bishop of Bangor 
 about the year 1240, which gives an account of this 
 circumstance : it is preserved in the Myvyrian 
 Archaeology of Wales, vol. 1. p. 476. 
 
 H 
 
114 HISTORY OF 
 
 The land to the east ut Aberconwy, between the 
 river and the sea is called Creiddyn, a name derived 
 from its form ; it is a cwmvvd, or commot, in the 
 cantrev of Rhos, but in the county of Caernarvon; 
 it contains the three parishes of Llangystenin, 
 Eglwys Rhos, and Llandudno: audit is bounded 
 on every side by water, except the south, where 
 the parishes of Llansantffraid glan Conwy, and 
 Llandrillo yn Rhos adjoin. 
 
 LLANSANTFFRAID. 
 
 In this parish, not far from Hendrewaelod, 
 is a very large cromlech; known by the name 
 of Allor Moloch ; it consists of five upright 
 stones a]>out three feet and a half high, on which 
 rests an immense top stone ; the greatest length 
 of this is twelve feet, breadth eight feet, and the 
 greatest thickness four feet ; its probable weight 
 about twenty-two tons: behind are two upright 
 stones, each about nine feet high from the Hoor of 
 the cromlecli, and about six feet distant from each 
 other. The church is dedicated to Sant Ffraid, or 
 St. Bride; and her legend, as recorded by lor- 
 werth Vynglwyd, an eminent poet of the fifteenth 
 century, is inserted in the Appendix. There lies 
 buried liere a sister of arrl»bish(7p VVilbams, who 
 
ABKRCONWY. 1 1 • > 
 
 was married to Sir Peter Mutton, chief justice of 
 INorth Wales : he died in 1637, and was buried at 
 Henllan. The chief mansion houses in this parish 
 are Bryneisteddfod, a residence of the Rev. H. 
 Chambres Jones, archdeacon of Essex ; and Hen- 
 drewaelod, the seat of Robert Williams, Esq. the 
 representative of the respectable family of the 
 J Joyds of Llangystenin. 
 
 LLANDRILLO YN RHOS. 
 
 On the summit of Bryn euryn, in this pa- 
 rish, was Llys Maelgwn Gwynedd, where he re- 
 sided before he removed to Dyganwy: there 
 still remain evidences of an early fortification 
 here ; on the south side the rock is cut precipi- 
 tously, similarly to Dyganwy hill, and the re- 
 mains of a rampart on the other side are discern- 
 ible : within the area there is a circle of thirteen 
 yards in diameter, and three graves, fifteen yards 
 long by seven wide. The valley on the south is 
 cnWed NantSempp; a name supposed to be derived 
 from a Roman general, possibly Sempronius; that 
 the Romans have visited this neighbourhood is cor- 
 roborated by a silver coin of Hadrian, lately dug 
 up in a field here; Leg. HADRIANVS AVG- 
 VSTVS. Rev. TRANQVILLITAS AVG 
 
 h2 
 
1 IG HISTORY OF 
 
 COS III. P. P. Aearer the churcli on the same 
 hill are the ruins of a large house, Plas Bryneuryn ; 
 the residence of Ednyved Vychan, in the beginning: 
 of the thirteenth century, the able minister and ge- 
 neral of Llywelyn the Great; having attacked the 
 army of Ranulph, earl of Chester, and having de- 
 feated it with great slaughter, he slew three of the 
 chief commanders, and brought their heads to 
 prince Llywelyn, who thereupon honoured him 
 with a new achievement, viz. Gules, a chevron 
 ermine, between three Englishmen's heads, couped 
 proper; w hich coat his descendants bear ever since: 
 before this exploit he bore the arms of his ancestor 
 Marchudd, lord of Uwchdulas, Gules, a Saracen's 
 head, erased, proper ; environed about the temples 
 with a wreath, or, and gules. Ednyved Vychan 
 "built a chapel, and had licence of the Pope for 
 evermore to sing divine service therein for his soul, 
 and his ancestors' and progenitors' souls always : 
 and had authority to give his tithes and oblations 
 to his chaplain there serving." The chapel, built 
 by Ednyved, formed the west half of the north 
 aisle of the present church, with a small cupola at 
 the west end : this side or aisle was afterwards 
 lengthened by the parishioners, when their church 
 was destroyed by the sea ; and in the north wall of 
 
ABERCONWY. 117 
 
 the old chapel there are to be seen tvvoarclies, which 
 communicated with Ednyved's seat. The south 
 aisle was built by the ladies Conwy, the descend- 
 ants of Gruffydd Goch, lord of Rhos and Rhy\on- 
 iog, and collaterally also of Ednyved; they were 
 the last occupiers of the palace of Bryneuryn, and 
 they left a large sum towards building the present 
 handsome tower. In 1818, when lowering the 
 church yard on the south side of the church, an 
 immense quantity of bones were discovered heaped 
 together confusedly ; they were most probably 
 conveyed from the church-yard of the original 
 church, which was situated considerably lower 
 down, at the time it was destroyed by the sea. 
 At a very low ebb, and when a strong south west 
 wind prevails, the waves may be distinctly seen 
 breaking upon a sarn or causeway, which runs into 
 the sea from Great Orme's head, about four miles 
 below Llandrillo church ; and it is still called the 
 miiriau, or the walls. Morva Rhianedd, a great 
 extent of territory which the sea has now over- 
 whelmed, reached to an unknown distance below 
 Abergele and the present shore of the north of 
 Flintshire. Below the church is Rhos vynach, 
 the Marsh of the monks ; there is a very large 
 wear, which runs from this point, in which great 
 
IIH HISTORY OK 
 
 (jMcintities of'hsli are frequently captured ; the vicar 
 of Llandrillo and the bishop of St. Asaph have 
 every tenth tide between them. An exclusive 
 grant of all the fisheries along this coast, below the 
 commot of Isdulas, was made to Morgan ab John 
 ab David, of Maesegwig, an ancestor of the pre- 
 sent proprietor, Thomas Parry, Esq. of Rhosvyn- 
 ach, by the great earl of Leicester, who had the 
 lordship of Denbigh. This indenture is dated the 
 30th of June, 17th of Elizabeth. Near the wear on 
 the shore is a small structure called Capel Trillo, 
 or St. Trillo's chapel, the saint to whom the church 
 is dedicated ; its form is oblong, with a small 
 window, or rather loop hole, in each side, and at 
 the end, a very small doorway, and a stone roof; 
 Avithin is a well of excellent water : this building is 
 generally supposed to have been a chapel, where 
 prayers were offered for success in fishing. I am 
 more inclined however to agree with another sug- 
 gestion, that it was built merely to preserve the 
 well, which is the only one in the neighbourhood ; 
 it is too small for a chapel, being only eleven feet 
 long, by eight wide. In the church, near the altar 
 is a tomb stone with the following inscription in 
 Saxon letters, HIC lACET DNS: EDNEVED: 
 QVODAM VICARIVS: DEDYNEYHT: C* 
 
AliEIU'ONWV. J J J) 
 
 AN. PROPITIETVR DEVS AMEN. Din- 
 erth is another name for Llandrillo. The gwyl 
 mah sant, or saint's day, is the 16th of June. The 
 rectory is a sinecure held since 1759 by the bishops 
 of St. Asapli in commendam, and the vicarage is 
 in the gift of the bishop ; the rector and vicar have 
 also a share of the tithes of Llanelian, Llansant- 
 ffraid, and Llysvaen. 
 
 LLANGYSTENIN. 
 
 This church is dedicated to Cystennyn, tlie son 
 of Cynvor, who was elected to the royal dignity by 
 the Britons about A. D. 390. In Pope Nicholas's 
 taxation in A.D. 1291, it is called a chapel to 
 Abergele; it is now a rectory attached to the 
 bishoprick. In the church there aresome fragments 
 of finely painted glass ; the first figure in the east 
 window represents the resurrection of our Saviour, 
 and the other St. George vanquishing the dragon, 
 in complete armour on a horse richly caparisoned ; 
 the human figure is tolerably perfect, but a portion 
 only of the horse remains. In the adjoining win- 
 dow are four figures in good preservation ; the first 
 is Justice holding her balance, at one end of which 
 is represented a sinner, and at the other his sins, 
 with the devil jmlling underneath to make it pre- 
 
1'20 HISTORY OF 
 
 ponderate ; the second is a bisliop in bis pontifi- 
 cals, witli mitre and crosier, and rings on his fingers, 
 with the imperfect inscription ntrOlaU J the next 
 figure is St. Peter, with ^anCtUr petrU0 l)e- 
 neath ; the fourtli is a female with the inscription 
 
 ^antU Katt)tvma. 
 
 EGLWYS RHOS. 
 
 Tlie parish church is prettily situated in a flat, 
 not far from Bryn Maelgwn, a precipitous rock 
 clothed with wood; it is in a very neat condition, 
 being adorned with a painted window, and a 
 handsomely carved font by the liberality of the 
 late Miss Frances Mostyn of Bodysgallen ; there 
 had been a painted window here at a much earlier 
 period, the gift of Hywel ab Tudor of Mostyn, 
 according to what Mr. Pennant could collect from 
 the imperfect inscription ; the fragments have been 
 carefully preserved, and placed in the new window; 
 one consists of the figure of a man kneeling at a 
 table, and dressed in a herald's mantle with the 
 arms of Englefield ; argent, a cross engrailed sable 
 between four Cornish choughs : beneath are the 
 words fill ^(i ie^xi mi^^er^r^ mi, and in the 
 next conjpartment t)00lt atlUigrri CJUl f)tC— 
 and in tlie adjoining window is the figure of a 
 
ABERCONVVY. 121 
 
 saint, \vhich is a part of the original window. The 
 south transept belongs to Gloddaith, below which 
 is the burial place of the family, and the north to 
 Marl. The parish is divided into the townships 
 of Penrhyn, Gloddaith, Ferm,Cwm,Bryniau,Pen- 
 clas, Trev hir,andTrev ferry. Gloddaith andBodys- 
 gallen are tithe free, the rest are impropriated, and 
 now possessed by the Mostyn family, by purchase 
 from the Owens of Bodsilin; the perpetual curacy 
 is in the gift of the Bishop. On a raised tombstone 
 in the north of the chancel is the following inscrip- 
 tion; "Here lyeth the Body of Margaret Wynne 
 third daughter of Colonel Hugh Wynne of Bod- 
 YSGALLEN (who at his own expense raised a Regi- 
 ment of Foot for the service of King Charles the 
 first & was a great sufferer for the Royal Cause) 
 by Ellen his Wife only Daughter of Richard 
 Vaughan, Esq. of Corsygedol. Margaret was 
 born on the Q'*" of NoV^" 1657, Dy'd on the 2V' & 
 was buried on the 25^^ of January 1736-7. Here 
 also do lie the Bodies of Hugh Wynne, born May 
 23'" & Bury'd May 24'" 1686, of Griffith 
 Wynne born May 2°'' 1687, & Buried January 
 1687-8, and of John Wynne born August 18*'' and 
 Buried Sep' 2"" 1688. the three eldest sons of 
 Robert Wynne of Bodysgallen Esq'" (son and heir 
 
122 HISTORY OF 
 
 of the said Coll. Hlgh Wynne) by Ellen his wife, 
 Daughter and heiress to Robert Wynne of Plas 
 Mawr in the Town of Conway." In the church- 
 yard, near the east wall of the south transept, are 
 three tombstones, in memory of some of the Pughs 
 of Penrhyn ; the middle ston^ has the following 
 inscription ; 
 
 " Nostra sub hoc sculpto pars est vilissima saxo. 
 " Mens sua fert coelum iure cadaver humum." 
 
 Robertus Pue de Penrhyn obiit XXIII Augusti 
 Anno Domini 1659, Anno JEtatis suae 60; or thus 
 in English; 
 
 " Our basest part is under this carv'd stone, 
 
 " its soul hath Iieaven by right earth fleash and bone." 
 
 The late Miss Frances Mostyn of Bodysgallen, 
 whose memory will be long and deservedly rever- 
 ed for her extensive benevolence, and christian 
 charity, hath founded a school here for boys and 
 girls, which in addition to a house, has an endow- 
 ment of forty pounds a year for the master; it was 
 opened on the fourth of June, 1822. There are 
 in tliis parish four mansion liouses, which Ir.ive 
 belonged to families of influence, and long stantl- 
 ing; Penrhyn, Gloddaith, Bodysgallen, and Marl. 
 I^enrhvn was for several centuries the seat of tiie 
 
ABERCONWY. 123 
 
 fhmily of Piigh, the last of whom married the 
 heiress of Coytmor, and having issue two daugh- 
 ters only, the name is now extinct. Robert Pugh 
 of Penrhyn Creiddyn was sheriff of Caernarvon- 
 shire in 1501. This family was descended from 
 Edny ved Vychan, and his arms are carved in stone 
 on the house. The more recent part of the house 
 was built in 1590, according to the date above 
 the fire-place, but the chief part at a much earlier 
 period; for Leland observes in his Itinerary, "Place 
 Penrine an auncient stone house by Est North 
 Est on the shore belonging to Mr. Poel of Flint- 
 shire." At a short distance from the house is the 
 family chapel, now desecrated into a stable ; it is 
 about twenty-five feet long, by fifteen wide ; the 
 altar table of stone is recollected by several now 
 living; by a grant of pope Nicholas, three fourths 
 of the tithe of Penrhyn were attached to this 
 chapel, and the same is now vested in the estate. 
 The family for a long period after the reforma- 
 tion professed the Roman catholic religion, and 
 they kept a priest, who officiated in this chapel 
 for themselves, and a few catholic neighbours ; in 
 connection with this circumstance is the following 
 anecdote, which is current in the neighbourhood : 
 it is said that a plot was formed here to put to death 
 
124 HISTORY OF 
 
 all the protestants in Creiddyn, and for the accom- 
 plishment of this deed a body of men Mas to ar- 
 rive at a certain time of the night ; previously to 
 their coming, great preparations were made in pre- 
 paring provisions, and a servant of Gloddaith, wlio 
 paid his addresses to a woman in the service of the 
 family, finding her engaged at an unseasonable 
 hour, obtained by his urgent enquiries a know- 
 ledge of the conspiracy: he immediately hastened 
 home, and disclosed what he had heard to his 
 master, who with the greatest despatch procured 
 a troop of horse, and invested Penrhyn. This 
 speedy intervention frustrated their designs, and 
 some of the inmates escaped, while others were 
 taken; but the priest, who was supposed to be 
 the contriver of the plot, for some time eluded the 
 strict search made for him : it happened however 
 that some persons, being in a boat out at sea, ob- 
 served smoke ascending from Rhiwleden rock, 
 which circumstance exciting their curiosity, they 
 hastened there, and in a small cave called Ty yn 
 y graig, which is about ninety feet from the sum- 
 mit, and the approach to which is extremely diffi- 
 cult, the priest was discovered ; he was drawn and 
 fpiartered in a field below the liouse, and his name, 
 Sir William Guy, is even preserved; there was h 
 
ABERCONWY. I'l') 
 
 hole beliind tlie house called 7\vll arvau cant o 
 tvyr, where it was supposed that the arms were 
 concealed ; and after the departure of the Pughs 
 to Coytmor, among* other things left behind, was 
 an old trunk, which the tenants and some of their 
 neighbours opened, and found therein a withered 
 hand, which is supposed to have been one of the 
 members of this same priest. 
 
 As these traditionary accounts are generally 
 interesting, I shall make no apology for inserting 
 another, still more curious, relating to Penrhyn, 
 the truth of which seems never to have been doubt- 
 ed by the neighbourhood. At the time of the 
 following occurrence, the family at Penrhyn con- 
 sisted of a son and two daughters ; the former, 
 according to the practice of the age, went on his 
 travels abroad ; but before he set out, he took the 
 precaution of putting a needle between one of the 
 joists and the ceiling in the little kitchen, and he 
 also drove the tooth of a harrow into a pear tree in 
 the orchard. After a lapse of many years, and all 
 hopes of his return being given over, he arrived 
 a beggar, and coming home he found his parents 
 dead, and his sisters in possession of his property. 
 He stated who he was ; but the sisters insisted 
 
12CI HISTOHV <)l 
 
 that he was an impostor, asserting that they were 
 certified of their brother's death : to prove his 
 identity, he said that the needle would be found in 
 a certain place, and as a further proof he named a 
 particular tree into which he had driven the harrow 
 tooth. The needle was found, and when they 
 followed him to the orchard, he removed the bark 
 which had grown over the iron, and showed it to 
 the sisters: notwithstanding he was forcibly ejected 
 from the premises, and it is said that he was flog- 
 ged with a whip, in which large pins were fixed, 
 as an additional punishment of his supposed im- 
 l)Osture. He was received into a neighbouring 
 cottage by the inhabitants, who had known him 
 before he went abroad, and were satisfied of his 
 identity ; he remained here for some time ; but 
 having gone out one day, he was missed, and 
 never returned. Although his fate was surmised, 
 no clue could be obtained to what had become of 
 him ; and this mysterious event was constantly 
 talked of by the country, and successively handed 
 down from father to son ; to this cause also the 
 common people, fond of the marvellous, have 
 assigned the decay of the family, as being under a 
 curse, which had once beenof tliehigliest respect- 
 ability; the estates liave long been sold, and the 
 
ABERCONWV. 1'27 
 
 family is now extinct. It is always difficult to 
 arrive at the exact date of this sort of traditionary 
 tales ; but as the great grandson of the person, 
 who received the outcast into his house, is now 
 living, this and some other circumstances will 
 enable us to place this occurrence about a hundred 
 and fifty years ago. To make the above account 
 complete, I should observe that Mr. Hughes, the 
 tenant at Penrhyn, not many years since, had oc- 
 casion to build a lime-kiln, and in a fissure of the 
 rock, filled with soil, he discovered a perfect ske- 
 leton, immediately behind the house. 
 
 The greater part of the present house of Glodd- 
 aith was built by Thomas Mostyn, in the reign of 
 queen Elizabeth ; but there was a residence here 
 of the ancient family of Gloddaith for several 
 centuries before. In 1448, Gruffydd ab Rhys ab 
 Gruftydd ab Madoc Gloddaith ab Madoc ab 
 lerwerth Goch of Creiddyn lost seven children in 
 the same week, who died of the plague ; on which 
 occasion the following elegy was written by Robin 
 Ddu ab Siencin, an eminent bard, who flourished 
 from 1440, to 1470. As the original has never 
 been printed, it is here inserted. 
 
l'2H HISTORY OF 
 
 COWYDD MAKWNAD PUMAB A DWY FERCH O 
 
 LODDAITH. 
 
 " Sorri ddiiw peiin saer idd wyd, 
 Saith o Gloddaith a gladdwyd. 
 Aethost, bu dost y byd ynn, 
 Er ys wythnos ar seithiiyn : 
 Un blaid facwyaid cowir, 
 Yn blant i un sant o'n sir. 
 Yn frig oedd bendefigaidd, 
 
 bren diliareb i wraidd. 
 
 Y prenn oedd Ruifydd ap Rys; 
 Mwy na gwinllan mewn gwenllys: 
 A'r plant dyhiiddiant haeddwawd, 
 Ydoedd y brig hyd dydd brawd. 
 Gwae finau i gyfiownwr, 
 Gwympio gwydd ag imp y gwr : 
 Darfu o'r benadurfainc, 
 
 1 dwyn i gyd, ond un gainc. 
 Da yw'r un, niab Duw a ro 
 Cynnydd ar y gainc honno. 
 Bwriwyd gweilch, briwyd y gwj'dd, 
 Bro gonwy fal bwrw gwinwydd. 
 Band oer o boen a dirwy, 
 Barwniaid teg i bwrw'n' twy : 
 
 Bu ar i gwlad berigl waitli, 
 Bravv o'i claddu brig Gloddaith. 
 Crio oedd yn y Creuddyn, 
 Ag wylo tost, gweled hynn, 
 Gwaeddodd y bobl, bann gnddiwyd 
 Gwydd gwin, a llin Robin llwyd. 
 Gwan yw'r Creuddyn, ag unig, 
 Grufliidd «y brndd, eisian brig; 
 
ABKRCONMV. 129 
 
 Gresyn, myn y gwir Oswallt, 
 Oedd gri hwnn, a'i ddagrau hallt. 
 Gresyn dyras gryiin dros gred, 
 Gresynach oedd gri Sioiied; 
 Am ddwyn gemau o ddynioii, 
 A clieirw, a brig yn ochr bronn. 
 
 Y mae'n noeth lieb un mann iach, 
 Coed tewion i gyd haeach. 
 
 Duw a rami blodau ar w^dd, 
 
 Ag a wna brig o nevvydd. 
 
 Pan aeth Crist un pennaeth cred, 
 
 A thylwyth a etholed ; 
 
 Wyth oedd unwaith o eiddun, 
 
 Am y saith mae oes i un. 
 
 Y mab hynaf oedd Ddafydd, 
 
 I nef idd aeth, pan fu i ddydd. 
 
 Och heno mae achvvyn mawr, 
 
 O roi Wilim ar elawr ; 
 
 A Rhys deg nid arhoes dim, 
 
 Ar i ol orwyr Wilim. 
 
 Pell i rhoed mewn pwU a rhaw, 
 
 Llywelyn nid Uai wylaw. 
 
 Pumaib ydoedd o feibion ; 
 
 Pumed aur seined syrr Sion. 
 
 Am ddwyn, pwy ni chwyn y chwedl, 
 
 Y merclied y mae oerchwedl. 
 Catrin liw'r bin, ne loer haf ; 
 Nid oedd hen ydoedd hynaf: 
 Nid enwaf onid unwaith, 
 Annes wenn, hynny yw saith. 
 Un dad ag un gar id gynt, 
 Fymuddiaid un fam oeddynt. 
 
 I 
 
l.'iO HISTORY OF 
 
 Un Uiw i'n gwlad, un llun glwys, 
 Un bryd, ag un baradwys. 
 Un foddau blodau o blant: 
 Un feddwl yn nef fyddant. 
 Un luniaeth, un oleuni, 
 Un blaid nef, a'n blodau ni. 
 
 TRANSLATION. 
 
 Offended art thou, O Lord almighty! Seven from Gloddaith 
 have been laid in the grave. Grievous has the world been to seven 
 persons in a week : a family of ingenuous youths, children of a 
 revered countryman. Of high rank were the branches, from a 
 tree proverbial for its root. The tree was Gruffydd ab Rhys, who 
 surpassed the luxuriance of a vineyard: and the children, a con- 
 solation deserving of all panegyric, were the branches, even to the 
 day of judgment. Woe is me, their justifier, that these scions 
 have fallen. They are all removed from their exalted seat, except 
 one branch : this one is good, may the Son of God give increase to 
 it! Heroes have been thrown, the trees have been broken, in the 
 district of Conwy. A company of fair lords, cold from pain and 
 grief, bore them. The country had a work of danger, and fright, 
 in burying them, the branches of Gloddaith. There was weeping 
 in Creuddyn, and bitter lamentation on seeing this. The people 
 cried out loudly, when the vine branches were covered up, the 
 descendants of Robin Llwyd. Creuddyn is faint and solitary; 
 Gruffydd is downcast, wanting his branches. Piteous, by the holy 
 Oswald, was his cry, and salt tears. Still more piteous was the cry 
 of Sioned ; being bereaved of distinguished men, deerlike, branches 
 which flourished on the side of a hill. Thick trees are almost all 
 bare now, with no place unhurt. O may God distribute blossoms 
 on the trees, and produce branches anew ! There were once eight 
 of them, one only now exists. The eldest was Davydd, he went 
 to heaven, when liis diiy came. Alas! to-night there is great 
 
AKKHCONW "S . 131 
 
 lamentation in putting- William upon the bier. And fair Kliys 
 tarried not behind after the worthy William. Deep in the grave 
 was placed Llywelyn, not less lamented. Five in number were 
 the sons; the fifth waS'the beloved Sion. For the daughters there 
 is great grief; The youthful Catrin was the eldest, whose complex- 
 ion equalled the serene sky, or the summer moon; the seventh 
 was the fiiir Annes. They were the beloved of one father, the 
 offspring of one mother ; one ornament of our country, one fair 
 form, one thought, and one paradise. One series of blossoms, one 
 mind they will be in heaven. One form, one light, one heavenly 
 company, and our ornaments. 
 
 By this calamity Margaret became sole heiress, 
 and her marriage in 1400, with Hywel ab levan 
 Vychan of Mostyn brought the Gloddaith estate 
 to that family, with whom it still continues. The 
 tenure of this place was perfectly free, and the 
 tenants owed only suit and service to the county 
 and hundred courts ; and when they went to 
 attend the prince in war, they went at his ex- 
 pense.^ There was preserved here an excellent 
 collection of books and Welsh manuscripts, which 
 have been lately removed to Mostyn, and they 
 greatly enrich the valuable library previously 
 existing there. 
 
 Bodysgallen is a name evidently derived from 
 
 3 Pennanl's Tour in Wales, ITI. 145. 
 
 I 2 
 
J*J2 mSTOUY OF ABKRCONWY. 
 
 Bod Caswallon. Near this site was a residence of 
 Casvvallon Law Hir, who succeeded to the sov- 
 ereignty of North Wales in 443, and died in 517, 
 after enjoying- it for the long period of seventy- 
 four years. There are some remains still to be 
 seen of an ancient structure, on the top of a small 
 hill in the adjoining wood, now overgrown with 
 thorns. The present house has been built, and 
 had additions made to it at several different pe- 
 riods : the original building was the square tower, 
 which is of great antiquity ; similar to this is 
 Tower, near Mold, and there was one of the same 
 kind at Mostyn. Richard Mostyn, second son of 
 Thomas ab Richard ab Hywel of Mostyn, had 
 possession of Bodysgallen in the time of Henry 
 VIII. He was sheriff for Caernarvonshire in 
 1572. He had an only daughter Margaret, who 
 was married to Hugh, the son of Gruffydd Wynne 
 of Berthdu, second son of John Wynne ab Mer- 
 edydd of Gwydir, Their heir Robert was father 
 to colonel Hugh Wynne, who so greatly distin- 
 guished himself by his loyalty in the reign of 
 Charles I. The following pedigree is from an 
 old manuscript. 
 
BOD\S(.ALI.EN AND BERTHDDU. 
 
 Hngli Wyiiri. 
 ap . . . . 
 
 { John Wyii' a 
 up . .\ 
 
 
 Mcrtdlli. ;ip Uvaii ap Ro 
 l)ert, lineally descending 
 from Owen Ciwynedd, 
 Piinte of North Wales, 
 lis vch. Gr. ap Robin of 
 Cocliwillan. of the tribe 
 of Marcliudd. 
 
 Ulen Lid. vcli, 
 
 '\ Anghar-j 
 C_ up tin 
 
 redth. of Klynnenne. 
 
 ad veil. Lisey Gr. 
 ion. 
 
 Gwen vch.. 
 
 Robert J 
 
 Wynne ap 
 
 ^ 
 
 /' Rol)t. 
 V .Merch 
 
 Salesbury 
 ap . . . . 
 
 ) 
 
 iMargaret S Richard 
 ^ Moston vch. ^ Moston ap 
 
 s 
 
 Tho: Moston ap 
 
 Sian vch. . 
 
 Vim. Gr. ap. 
 
 Sr. Win. Gr. ap 
 
 Ffonike Salisbury ap Ru 
 bert Salesbury, ap Tho : 
 lien SiTlesbury o Leweni. 
 
 Merch Oweu, ap John 
 Wyn' of Llanfair. 
 
 .MercliRees ip Eiuioii Vn. 
 
 ap Evan ap Re<'s Wyn' 
 
 "^ ap dd.Lld.ap y Peiiwyn. 
 
 r" Robert ap Recs ap Me- 
 . y redtl). of Marcliweilliian. 
 i Marred vch. Rees I. Id. 
 i- of Gydros. 
 
 Richard ap Iloivel ap 
 Evan Vaii;;haii o Fostyn 
 ap Evan ap Adda o Ben 
 gwern. 
 
 Katherin vch. Tho : hen 
 Salesbury o Leweni from 
 Adam Salesbury duke of 
 l!a\ari,i. 
 
 Sr. Win. Gr. ap Sr. Wm. 
 
 Gr. ap Wm. Vaughan, 
 
 Cbainbcilalue. 
 Sian Str;:dling vch. Tho : 
 
 Strauiiii!;, tsq. ap Sr. 
 
 Harry Stradling, knight. 
 
 /'Sr. Wui.-Penrliyn ap Wm. 
 I Vn. Chaniberiaine ap 
 / Gwilym ap Gr. ap Gwi- 
 J lym ap Heilyn, ap Sr. 
 ^^ Tuder ap Ednyved Vn. 
 
 s 
 
 Katriu . 
 Robt.Wyn' 
 
 John Gr. 
 ap . . 
 
 John Wyu', ap 
 
 5 
 
 Meredtli. o Wedir, &c. 
 
 Marged. vcb. 
 
 I 
 
 • ) Alis vch. Wm. Gr. ap 
 (. Robin, &c. 
 
 Elen Lloyd, vch 
 
 Morris ap John ap Me- 
 redth. &c. 
 
 Marged 
 vch. 
 
 s 
 
 /■ Sr. Wm. I'lui: ap 
 
 Mr. Rees T o 
 an 
 
 L 
 
 1 Angharad vch. Flissey 
 C Gr. ap Einion. 
 
 /"Thomas ap Rhydderch, 
 % ah R. ap Gr. ap Llyive- 
 } lyn focthas, p;iterually 
 
 I 
 
 from Elustan Glodiudd, 
 Ld. between Dee and 
 Severn. 
 
 errh 
 
 Sian, vch. 
 
 Sr John Pnlston, 
 ap . . . . 
 
 Gaenor vch. 
 
 3'Sr. Wm. Herbart of Col- 
 I brok. 
 
 ( ap John Pulsion beo, &c. 
 
 ) Alis vch. Hugh ap Llywe- 
 (. lyn, ap Hwlkyn o Fon. 
 
 r Robt. ap M redth. ap Hwl- 
 J kin LJ. of Glynllifon. 
 
 ") Elin Bulckley, vch. Wm. 
 C B>ilrkley,&c. 
 
134 HISTORY ()| 
 
 Robert, tlic s(»ii and heir of Colonel liugli 
 Wynne, in 1683 married Ellen, only daughter and 
 heiress to Robert Wynne of Plas mawr in Al>er- 
 conwy. The male line ended in their son Robert 
 Wynne, who died a bachelor in 1762, and the es- 
 tates fell to Margaret, the daughter of his l^rother, 
 Dr. Hugh Wynne ; and in right of her mother 
 the heiress of Plas hen, Corsygedol, and Bodid- 
 ris : her marriage with Sir Roger Mostyn, Bart, 
 of Gloddaith brought the estates to that family. 
 Tlie last Mr. Wynne represented the boroughs of 
 Caernarvonshire in parliament, and will ])e re- 
 membered in the annals of hospitality for his plen- 
 tiful long tables and substantialChristmas dinners.^ 
 
 The mansion-house of Marl was built in 1661, 
 according to the date on the beam in the liall ; 
 it is beautifully situated under a lofty lime 
 rock, and surrounded by large trees, immediately 
 opposite the town of A hereon wy. The greater 
 portion consists only of the outward walls, having 
 been reduced to this condition bv a fire about 
 ninety years ago, which arose from negligence in 
 airing the books. Tlie iron gates in front were 
 formerly gilt, and upon them are the initials G. W. 
 
 ^ Yorkc's Roynl Tribes. Src ;ils<i flic Hill (.( Fare in tlip Ap- 
 pendix to I'piiiiaiif's Tniir. 
 
ABKR{ ONWY. 
 
 135 
 
 with the crest of the Peiirhyn family, j»m Sais, 
 an Englishman's head. It was originally the pro- 
 perty of the Hollands, and afterwards of the 
 Williams' of Penrhyn. Sir Griffith Williams, who 
 had been created a baronet in 1661, had nineteen 
 children ; twelve of whom lived to be men and 
 women : among his six sons, he divided, by will 
 in 1663, his vast estates, which comprised nearly a 
 third of the county of Caernarvon ; leaving Marl 
 with Conwy ferry and other property to his second 
 son Hugh. The latter, upon the death of his ne- 
 phew Sir Griffith Williams of Penrhyn, Bart, 
 without issue, succeeded to the title, and was fol- 
 lowed by his son Sir Griffith Williams of Marl, 
 who was sheriff of Caernarvonshire in 1708. He 
 married Catherine, eldest daughter and heiress to 
 Owen Anwyl of Penrhyn Dewdraeth in Meirion, 
 Esq. by whom he had several children who died 
 young ; one son only, Robert, arrived at man's es- 
 tate, and he left also a daughter, Anne. Sir Ro- 
 bert Williams of Marl, Pantglas, Park and Llwyn, 
 was the last of this branch who enjoyed the title 
 of baronet ; for, dying without issue, the baronetcy 
 devolved on Sir Hugh Williams, who was the 
 ffrandson of Edmund Williams of Arianws, Esq. 
 (the third son of Sir Griffith Williams of Penrhyn) 
 
136 HISTORY OI 
 
 and it is now enjoyed by his grandson, Sir Rich- 
 ard Bulkeley Williams Bulkeley of Baronhill. 
 The estates went to the sister Anne, who was mar- 
 ried to Sir Thomas Prendergast, a baronet of 
 Ireland, and postmaster general of that kingdom ; 
 he sold Lhvyn to Lewis Nanney, Esq. and Park 
 to William Wynn of Wern, Esq. After his death, 
 his widow m as married to Captain Tearence Pren- 
 dergast, from whose heirs, the estate of Marl pas- 
 sed, by purchase, to Thomas Williams of Llan- 
 idan, Esq. late member of parliament for Marlow. 
 It is now possessed by his grandson, Thomas 
 Pyers Williams, Esq. the present member for the 
 same borough. 
 
 The remains of Dyganwy castle are on two 
 small hills, and the intervening ground. Its form 
 was oblong, but the walls were very irregular, 
 owing to the peculiarity of its site : the larger hill 
 has its sides cut, so as to form a high precipice, 
 and the wall was built on the edge of the summit; 
 tlie top of this hill has also been levelled, and the 
 excavation in the centre formed the keep ; the wall 
 ran down the south side across the intervening 
 space to the summit of the second iiill, about half 
 of which il takes in; it then returned, from east 
 
ABERCONWY. 137 
 
 to west, to the north side of the precipice. Tliere 
 were two entrances, facing the north and south, 
 which are easily to be observed ; they were evi- 
 dently strengthened by towers and advanced 
 works, which the remains of their foundations 
 still indicate. The moat, now dry, is visible; and 
 on the summit of the first hill are portions of the 
 walls ; but the masses on the south are from the 
 upper part of the original wall, which being un- 
 dermined, was thrown down, and these lie out of 
 the line of the foundations: the angles were 
 strengthened by towers of solid masonry.^ The 
 name given at present to this castle is Castell y 
 Vaerdrev. At no great distance, on the summit 
 of a hill near Bryniau, is a tower which was pro- 
 bably an outpost of this castle. Its form is cir- 
 cular, being about twelve feet in diameter, and 
 twenty in height. There are marks of two floors 
 within, and there are three rows of square holes 
 
 5 Not long ago, a head carved in stone was found here, and is 
 preserved at Bodysgallen. In the road of Tyddyn Holland, be- 
 tween Bodavon and Rhiw, was a grit stone, about a yard long, from 
 which the following inscription was copied in 1731. 
 
 S A N C T 
 
 A N V S 
 
 S A C R I 
 
 I S t S 
 
138 HISTORY Ol 
 
 round the inside, none of which pass through the 
 wall ; as about a third of the circle is open from 
 top to bottom, and this opening being in the 
 direction of the castle, it might be supposed that 
 there were originally lines of walls, which, form- 
 ing an angle, were strengthened by this tower ; 
 but there are no remains whatever to corroborate 
 this conjecture. The wall is very thick, and the 
 masonry is altogether different from wliat remains 
 of the castle; it may therefore have been built at 
 the time of the first fortification of Dyganwy by 
 Maelgwn Gwynedd. On the shore of the river 
 is the modern Dyganwy, formerly the residence 
 of the Stodarts, a name which frequently occurs 
 among the English inhabitants of the borough of 
 Aberconwy. William Stodart was sheriff of Caer- 
 narvonshire in 1754, and Hugh Stodurt in 1774. 
 
 LLANDUDNO. 
 
 The northernmost of the three parislies of 
 Creiddyn is Llandudno, which includes the pro- 
 montory of Gogarth, the intervening flat, and Rhiw- 
 leden, or Little Orme's head. It lies in the manor 
 of Gogartii, which belongs to the see of Bangor ; 
 and on the south-west side of Llandudno moun- 
 tain an' the ruins of Gogarth, a large jKdace at one 
 
ABERCONWY. 1-5J* 
 
 time of the bishops of Bangor; but it has been in 
 ruins even before Lelancl's time, who notices the 
 circumstance in his Itinerary : " Ther is by Con- 
 way, on the hither side of Conway water, an arme 
 like a peninsula called Gogarth, lying against 
 Prestholme, and ther be the Ruines of a Place of 
 the Bishops of Bangor." The church is dedi- 
 cated to St. Tudno, who lived in the beginning of 
 the sixth century : he was one of the sons of 
 Seithenyn, king of the plain of Gwyddno, whose 
 land was inundated, and he was a saint of the 
 Bangor Dunod, or the college at Bangor, in Flint- 
 shire. There is a curious old screen in the church 
 which is of great antiquity ; it is made of wood, 
 and supposed to have been brought from the cha- 
 pel at Gogarth. Being situated on the north side, 
 the church is exposed from the bleakness of its si- 
 tuation, to violent gales in winter, and it is far re- 
 moved from any dwelling. The gwyl mahsant, or 
 festival day of the patron saint is the fifth of June. 
 The tithes are appropriated to the archdeaconry ol 
 Merioneth. On an eminence above the village is 
 Dinas, which, as its name implies, was a fortified 
 post of the ancient Britons. A wall of great 
 thickness encircles the summit of the hill, and 
 within the area are great numbers of hollow cir- 
 
140 HISTORY OI 
 
 cles, edged \vith stones, about twelve feet in dia- 
 meter. This fortification is exactly similar to that 
 on Conwy town mountain, on Penman mawr, and 
 in many other places ; and it answered the same 
 purpose, not for a constant residence, but only as 
 a place of refuge on the approach of an enemy. 
 Near this place is a maen sigl, or rocking stone, 
 called Ori/d Tudno, St. Tudno's cradle. It is an 
 immense stone, which is so equally poised, that a 
 very slight degree of pressure will enable a person 
 to put it in motion. Not far from the mine works 
 at Maes y Vacrell is a rude structure, consisting 
 of upright stones surmounted by another trans- 
 versely : the name of this cell is Lletty y vilast, 
 the stone of the greyhound bitch ; this appellation 
 was in allusion to the British Ceres, who was svm- 
 bolized by the female greyhound. There is a large 
 cromlech called LJechy vilast, in Glamorganshire, 
 and another in Cardiganshire ; and Gwal y vihist 
 also in Caermarthenshire. The greater part of 
 the population of Llandudno derive their liveli- 
 hood from the copper mines, which have been car- 
 ried on in every direction. The discovery of rude 
 implements in old closed up shafts, such as ham- 
 mers of stone, and chisels of bone thoroughly im- 
 pregnated with copper, is an evidence of iheir 
 
ABERCONWV. 141 
 
 having been worked at a very remote period. The 
 ore, which is found between the lime stone strata, 
 is a green carbonate of copper, and it is generally 
 very rich, but exceedingly variable in quantity. 
 A new mine on the Gloddaith property has lately 
 been opened, wliich produces a great quantity of 
 ore, and that of a very rich kind ; being sold for 
 thirty-seven pounds a ton. All the ore is taken 
 to South Wales to be smelted. There is a singu- 
 larity in the formation of the rock of Llandudno 
 to be observed ; for the dip, instead of being simi- 
 lar to that of Penman rhos, is exactly the reverse ; 
 which I have not seen noticed by any geologist. 
 
 Sea level 
 
 The extremity of the promontory Pen Gogarth, 
 terminates in abrupt and rugged precipices of five 
 hundred feet in perpendicular height; the hollows 
 of which furnish breeding places for an infinite 
 number of sea fowl. On the night of the first of 
 January, 1824, it was the scene of a most lament- 
 able shipwreck ; the brig Hornby, bound from 
 Liverpool with a valuable cargo for Brazil, struck 
 
14 2 HiSTom oi 
 
 so nearly as to throw a man unhurt upon the rock 
 who liappened to be on the bowsprit, and he was 
 the only one who was thus miraculously saved out 
 of a crew of sixteen ; the vessel was immediately 
 after dashed to pieces. The most elevated part of 
 the mountain is about seven hundred and fifty feet 
 above the sea, and there was a signal station here 
 in time of war : at present it is one of the telegraph 
 stations in the line from Liverpool to Holyhead, 
 the invention of Lieutenant Watson. 
 
 Although Gogarth has its sides now washed by 
 the sea, it was formerly an inland mountain. Can- 
 trev Gwaelod, which is celebrated as a " most de- 
 licate vale, abounding in fruitfulness, and excel- 
 ling all other vales in fertility and plentifulness," 
 extended from Bangor Vawr to Gogarth, and in 
 breadth from Dygyvylchi to the point of Flint- 
 shire, which came up from Rhuddlan to Priest- 
 holme; in the upper end it reached from Llan- 
 vair fechan and Aber to the river Ell, which di- 
 vided Arvon from Anglesey, and Anglesey from 
 Flintshire. This river or strait flowed between 
 Priestholme and Penmon, and discharged itself 
 into the sea a great distance beyond Priestholme. 
 The district belonged to Helig ab Cilauawg, M'liose 
 
ABKKCONWV. 143 
 
 palace stood about midway between Penman mawr 
 and Gogarth, over against Trwyn yr wylva; which 
 place is supposed to have had its name, " the point 
 of the place of wailing," at this period ; for it was 
 to this place that the inhabitants with difficulty 
 escaped, so sudden and overwhelming was the in- 
 undation; the Lavan Sands also derive their 
 name, Traeth Wylovain, from the same event, 
 which occurred in the beginning of the sixth 
 century. 
 
 This inundation is still recorded in the traditi- 
 onal tales of the neighbourhood, with the follow- 
 ing additions : it had been prophesied four gene- 
 rations previously, that vengeance would overtake 
 the family of Helig ab Glanawg for the crimes of 
 his ancestors. Dial a ddaw, dial a ddaw, was 
 continually heard, although uttered by an invisi- 
 ble being : yn amser dy ivy r ion, neu dy orwyrion, 
 was the appointed time, and the inundation was so 
 sudden, that the servant, who, in going to the cel- 
 lar to draw liquor, first observed the water, had 
 only an opportunity of warning the harper of his 
 danger, when all the others were overwhelmed by 
 the flood in the midst of their festivities. 
 
144 uisTom oi 
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 As the neighbourhood of Aberconwy, especially 
 Creiddyn, in addition to its picturesque scenery, 
 affords a rich treat to the naturalist, I shall sub- 
 join the following- notices of some of the more un- 
 common objects that are here met with. The 
 most important under this head is the pearl fish- 
 ery, which has been carried on for many years, 
 and is peculiar to this river and the neighbouring 
 Menai. Theie are two kinds of muscles found 
 in the Conwy, from which pearls are obtained ; 
 mya margaritifera, cragen y diluw, and the mytilus 
 edulis, cragen las. Those of the former species 
 are procured higli up the river, above Trevriw, 
 and pearls scarcely inferior to the oriental ones are 
 occasionally found in them. The pearl which Sir 
 Richard Wynne of Gwydir, chamberlain to Ca- 
 therine, queen of Charles II, presented to lier ma- 
 jesty, was of this kind, and it is said that it adorn- 
 ed the regal crown. These fine pearls are but 
 seldom met with, although the shells are common, 
 and the search of them does not afford regular 
 
ABKRrONWV. 145 
 
 employment. This shell is live inches and a half 
 long, and two and a half broad. Tlie other vari- 
 ety, the crageu las, is found in abundance on the 
 bar at the moutli of the river, and great quantities 
 of the muscles are daily gathered by numbers of 
 industrious persons. At ebb tide, the fishers, 
 men, women, and children, may be observed bu- 
 sily collecting the muscles, until they are driven 
 away by the flood. They then carry the contents 
 of their sacks and baskets to Cevtivro, the north- 
 ern extremity of the marsh, where the muscles are 
 boiled; for this operation there are large crochan- 
 au, or iron pots, placed in slight huts ; or rather 
 pits, as they are almost liuried in a vast heap of 
 shells. The fish are picked out, and put into a 
 tub, and stamped with the feet until they are re- 
 duced to a pulp ; when, water being poured in, 
 the animal matter floats, which is called solach, 
 and is used as food for ducks, while the sand, 
 particles of stone, and the pearls, settle in the bot- 
 tom. After numerous washings, tlie sediment is 
 carefully collected and dried ; and the pearls, 
 even tlie most minute, are separated with a feather 
 on a large wooden platter. The pearls are tlien 
 taken to the agent, who pays for them so much 
 an ounce; the price varies from one shilling and 
 
 K 
 
140 HISTOHV Ol 
 
 sixpence to three shillings, according to the sup- 
 ply. xVlthough the muscles are not so abundant 
 as formerly, it is surprising that the great quanti- 
 ties collected have not exhausted the beds. The 
 final destination of these pearls is comi)letely hid 
 in mystery, and is only known to the gentleman 
 who buys them up, the fortunate possessor of what 
 is a valuable secret. 
 
 The salmon caught in the Conwy is generally 
 esteemed for its fine flavour, in which respect it 
 has been pronounced not inferior to the produce 
 of the Dee and Severn. This river is also famous 
 for its brwyniaid, or sparlings, which pay their 
 visit in January and February ; they spawn in 
 March and April, after which they depart: their 
 stay seldom exceeding four weeks. They vary in 
 size, but rarely do they exceed a foot in length, or 
 more than half a pound in weight. It is a fish of 
 a beautiful form and colour, the head being trans- 
 parent, and the skin so thin, that with a micros- 
 cope the blood may be observed to circulate. They 
 have a very peculiar scent, which is compared by 
 some to cucumber or violet, but more properly to 
 rushes: ;ind their Welsh name hrwyniaid is de- 
 rived from hnvyn, rushes, owing t<» this circum- 
 stance. 
 
ABERCONWY. 147 
 
 In the spring, great quantities of sand eels are 
 dug- out below Twthill : they are of the size of 
 sprats, and are found in the small gravel, about a 
 foot from the surface of the sand. As the other 
 lish whicli are taken in this river are of the usual 
 kinds, they do not require to be particularly no- 
 ticed. 
 
 BIRDS. 
 
 Falco haliaetus. Osprey. Gwalch y weilgi. 
 
 A fine specimen of this bird was shot by the gamekeeper in 
 Gloddaith wood, in 1828. 
 
 Falco peregrinus. Falcon. Hebog dramor. 
 
 This beautiful and noble bird annually breeds in the rocks 
 of Llandudno and Rhiwleden. Their eggs are generally four in 
 number, of a reddish colour. They are so jealous of one another, 
 that only one pair will be found to nestle in the same rock. Fal- 
 conry was held in very great esteem by our ancestors, and accord- 
 ing to the laws of Hywel Dda, the Penhehoyydd, or chief falconer, 
 was the fourth in rank among the twenty-four officers of the king's 
 court; taking precedence ofthejudgeof the palace, the head groom, 
 and the chief huntsman. The following extract enumerates his 
 privileges: " The fourth is the chief falconer. He is entitled to 
 have a horse kept in readiness for him, and his land free. His seat 
 in the palace is the fourth next to the king at mess. His lodging 
 is the king's barn, that the smoke may not injure his birds. He 
 ought to bring his vessel to the palace to have liquor in it, for he 
 should only quench his thirst, lest any accident befall his birds. 
 He is entitled to receive from the steward of the household a hand- 
 breadth of wax candle, that he may feed his birds, and make his bed. 
 He is not obliged to pay a fee to the head groom ; for the king him- 
 
 K 2 
 
148 HISTORY OK 
 
 self renders him service on tliree occasions : wben }ie hatli let ofl' 
 his hawk, the king shall hold his horse ; and when he alights, and 
 when he mounts, he shall hold his stirrup ; and he shall also hold 
 his horse, if none of the assistants are near. He is entitled to the 
 hearts, and the lights of the animals, that are killed in the kitchen, 
 to feed his hawks. He is entitled to a barren sheep, or four-pence 
 from the king's villains ; and once a year he is entitled to a custom 
 of provisions from the villains. He claims a third of any fine im- 
 posed on the falconers, and the commutation fee of their daughters. 
 He is to have the skin of a stag in October, and in the spring, the 
 skin of a hind, to make gloves for carrying his hawks, and to make 
 jesses. He ought to be honoiired with three presents the day his 
 hawk kills one of these three birds, a bittern, a crane, or a heron. 
 He claims the king's mantle in which he rides on the three principal 
 festivals. His protection is to the queen. Others say, that it ex- 
 tends to the furthest place he set his hawk upon a quarry. He is 
 entitled to the nestlings, and also to the nests of the falcons, and 
 sparrow-hawks in the king's demesnes. From the time that he 
 puts his hawk in a mew, until he takes it out, he is not obliged to 
 answer any one in a suit at law, except one of his brother officers. 
 The satisfaction for insulting him, is six cows, and one hundred and 
 twenty-pence, with augmentation ; his price, is one hundred and 
 twenty six cows, with augmentation." s There was also the cylch 
 hebogyddion, tlie entertaining and providing for the king's falconers. 
 Cylch signifies a yearly tribute of provisions, or other things, paid 
 to the king's officers, or servants, by those who held land under 
 him, for particular objects ; such was this cylch hebogyddion. There 
 were also the cylch dyvrgwn, and the cylch ystalon. Mr. Pennant 
 observes that lord Burleigh, in the reign of Elizabeth, sent a letter 
 of thanks to an ancestor of the Mostyns, for a present of a cast of 
 hawks from this place. 
 
 5 See the original Welsb In thr Myi^rian Archwology, 111. 3C(i. unU Wootton's Cyv- 
 reithiau Hywel Dda. 21. 
 
ABERCONWY. 14i) 
 
 Lanius colliirio. Red backed shrike. Cigydd. 
 
 cevngoch. 
 
 Corvus Corax. Raven. Cigvran. 
 
 This bird breeds in tlie rocks of Llandudno, Rhiwleden, and 
 Conwy town mountain. 
 
 Corvus graculus. Chough. Bran big coch. 
 
 These birds are rather numerous in this neighbourhood, and 
 they breed in all the rocks. 
 
 Turdus torquatus. Ring ouzel. Mwyalchen 
 y gi'aig. 
 
 There were six last spring observed near Bwlch mawr, and they 
 breed in the neighbouring mountains. 
 
 Cuculus canorus. Cuckoo. Cog. 
 
 The following dates have been kept, of its first being heard on the 
 banks of the Conwy. In 1824, April 21. 1825, April 22. 1826, 
 April 21. 1827, April 26. 1828, April 29. 1831, April 21. 
 
 Loscia curvirostra. Cross-bill. Gylvingroes. 
 
 A few years ago, there were great numbers, which paid a short 
 visit to this neighbourhood. 
 
 Motacilla luscinia. Nightingale. Eos. 
 
 Last summer, 1834, a strange bird, supposed to have been a 
 nightingale, drew the attention of the town's people to Forth y 
 velin, where its melodious notes were heard for several nights: as 
 many, who heard it, feel convinced that they mistook not the song 
 of the wood-lark for the nightingale ; their surmise may be correct. 
 In that case, this is the first instance ol its having penetrated so far 
 into the west of Wales. 
 
 Motacilla atricapilla. Black cap. Penddu. 
 
 This sweet little songster frequently makes its nest in the gardens 
 within the town walls. 
 
 Motacilla sylvia. White throat. Barvawg. 
 
150 HISTORY OF 
 
 This bird, whicli arrives with the black cap, is not uncommon in 
 Benartli wood. 
 
 Sylvia sylvicola. Wood wren. Dryw y coed. 
 
 These wrens are numerous in Benartli wood. Both sexes are 
 similar in plumage, and they may easily be known from the yellow 
 wren by the greater brightness of their colours, and the greater 
 distinctness of the line over the eye. The eggs are generally six 
 in number, white with numerous rusty brown spots. 
 
 Sylvia tiochilus. Yellow wren. Dryw yr helyj^. 
 
 This bird is equally common in Benarth wood. The eggs are 
 commonly six in number, and may be distinguished from those of 
 the wood wren by the much lighter shade of the spots, and their not 
 being so numerous. 
 
 Motacilla oenanthe. Wheat ear. Cynfonwen. 
 Motacilla rubetra. Whinchat. Clochdar yr eithin. 
 
 This bird comes within a mile of the town. I believe that it con- 
 tinues in tlie neighbourhood the whole year without migrating. 
 
 Motacilla riibicola. Stonechat. Tinwyn y garn. 
 
 The stonechat frequents the same places as the whinchat, it builds 
 its nest about the end of March, which is difficult to be discovered, 
 owing to the extreme wariness of the bird ; for it always aliglils at 
 a distance, and makes its approaches, by creeping cautiously along 
 the ground. Its note is exactly similar to the clicking of two stones 
 together, followed by a whistle: its other Welsh name, cloc/idar y 
 ceryg, is very expressive. 
 
 Hirundorustica. Swallow. Gwennol. 
 
 The following are dates of its first appearance in this neighbour- 
 hood. In 1825, April 21. 1828, April 13. 1830, April 18. 1831. 
 April 14. 1832, April 21. 1833, April 13. 
 
 llirnndoapus. Swift. Gwennol y dwvr. 
 
 The castle and town walls /uniisli commodious nestling places for 
 great numbers ol tiicsc birds. 
 
AHERCONWY. 
 
 151 
 
 Caprimulgus Europseus. Night-jar. Troellwr. 
 
 It arrives in this neighbourhood about the end of May, and con- 
 tinues generally until the beginning of September. It is distin- 
 guished by a sort of continued buzzing, which has been aptly com- 
 pared to the noise caused by a spinning wheel ; hence its Welsh name 
 from iroell, a spinning wheel : it is also called nyddtvr, the spinner, 
 for the same reason. 
 
 Chaiaclrius hiaticula. Ring- dotterel. Hutaii. 
 
 These birds come over in the spring, and they breed on the shore 
 of Llandudno bay, and Conwy marsh ; they make no nest, and the 
 eggs, of a pale ash colour with black spots, are laid on the bare ground. 
 
 Ardea major. Heron. Creyr glas. 
 
 A pair occasionally build in Benarth wood ; but there is a heronry 
 at Pennant, in the parish of Eglwys vach, where they are numerous. 
 
 Ardea comata. Squacco Heron. Creyr melyn. 
 
 A specimen of this extremely rare bird was shot by Mr. Robert 
 Williams of Furnace in July, 1828, near his house ; he gave it to 
 .lohn Price, Esq. then of Bodnod, who liberally presented it to the 
 British Museum, where it is now preserved. It measured one foot 
 and ten inches in length ; and two feet eleven inches in breadth. 
 Length of the bill two and a half inches. Mandibles fine blue, with 
 the fore part black. Lore greenish ; irides yellow. Crown dusky 
 and buff, in stripes. The long crest feathers white in the middle, 
 with black edges; the two middle feathers reaching the back. 
 The rest of the plumage rusty buff and white ; back vinous ; legs 
 and toes yellow ; tail short, cream-coloured. Middle claw pectin- 
 ated on the inner edge, as in the night-jar. ^ 
 
 Scolopax arquata. Curlew. Gylvinhir. 
 
 These birds are very numerous in this neighbourhood, and thoy 
 breed in the mountains above. 
 
 6 lM)i tins, -.iiiil Mveral Dllid iiolkfs .,ri.ii,!> aii.l plants, I am iiidcl.tcd to the ^ilIdllcss 
 of inv friend, .Inlui I'licr.Esq. M.A. SI. .|(.lin's College, Callil.lidge. 
 
\-'y2 HISTORY OF 
 
 Scolopax phu'opus. VVliimbrel. Coegylviiiliir. 
 
 This is not so common ;is tlie Curlew; it also breeds in the 
 neighbouring mountains. 
 
 Scolopax gallinago. Snipe. Vsniten. 
 
 They breed in the high moors above Ro ; the nest is generally 
 placed in the long grass, or heather, near water. 
 
 Scolopax galliiiula. Jacksnipe. Myniar loiav. 
 Scolopax Calidris. Redshank. Coesgoch. 
 Tringa vanellus. Lapwing. Cornchwiglen. 
 Tringa hypoleucos. Sandpiper. Pibydd. 
 ■^riinga al})ina. Dunlin. Pibydd rhuddgocli. 
 Tringa morinella. Turnstone. Hutan y mor. 
 Haematopusostralegus. Oyster catcher. Pioden 
 V mor. 
 
 This birds breeds on Conwy marsh, laying its eggs on the shore 
 among the small shingle, without any appearance of a nest; the 
 eggs, generally three or four in number, are of a greenish grey 
 colour, spotted with black ; and rather larger than those of a hen. 
 
 Alcedo ispida. Kingfisher. Glas y dorian. 
 
 Sometimes seen on the Gyffin river. 
 
 liallus aquaticus. AVater rail. Rliegen y gors. 
 Gallinula Crex. Land rail. Uhegen yr yd. 
 
 This bird is first heard in this neighbourhood generally the first 
 week in May. 
 
 Gallinula chloropus. Water Ikmi. Iard\v>r. 
 
 It breeds in tlu- marshes of Creiddyn ; and is not uncommon ; 
 although the common number of the eggs is six or seven, eight are 
 f'i('([iif'ntly Icjund in llic nests. The eggs are nearly two inches 
 long, yellowish \\ hilc, lliinly marked witli rust-coloured s|)ots. 
 
 Fulira atra. Bald cool. C'wtiar. 
 
ABERCONWY. 153 
 
 Alca Torda. Razor bill.' Llurs. 
 
 This bird breeds in Llandudno and Rhivvleden rocks ; where, 
 without any nest whatever, it deposits its single egg upon the bare 
 rock. Their eggs are generally of a dirty white, with blotches of a 
 pale rust colour, and both ends nearly of the same size ; in some, 
 the blotches are rather darker than in others. 
 
 Uria Troile. Guillemot. Gwylawg. 
 
 They are very numerous in the rocks of Llandudno and Rhiw- 
 leden ; they deposit their single egg, like the razor bills, on the 
 bare projecting ledges of the rock over the sea. The eggs do not 
 vary much in size and shape, but there are seldom any two alike in 
 colour ; some being of a whitish ground, others pale blue, or pale sea 
 green, and all irregularly blotched and streaked with black. The 
 rock eggs, which are chiefly those of the guillemots and razor bills, 
 are a delicious food, and great quantities are annually gathered. 
 The bold adventurer is let down by a rope, which is fastened about 
 his middle, and planting his feet against the sides, and carefully 
 shifting his hands, he gradually arrives at the haunts of the birds ; 
 having filled the basket, which is slung on his shoulder, he ascends 
 to the summit of the cliff with the assistance of his partner, who is 
 stationed above. This is a dangerous employment, and there are 
 several instances on record, where from the rope slipping, or other 
 casualties, lives have been lost, and the mangled bodies buried in 
 the sea. The eggs are generally sold at about half a crown a dozen. 
 The birds return to the same haunts, but they are not nearly so 
 numerous now, as they were formerly, owing to the incessant 
 removal of their eggs. About thirty years ago, two men were 
 killed, by being precipitated down the rock, which deterred the 
 gatherers from their usual employment, for several seasons, and 
 the birds increased in a short time to an immense number. 
 
 U. Grylle. Black guillemot. Gwylawg ddu. 
 
 This bird breeds on the west-side of Rhiwleden rock. 
 
Io4 HISTOKV Ol 
 
 Alca arctica. Pufiin. Pal. 
 
 This beautiful bird frequents the ueiglibouring island of Priest- 
 holm in great numbers, which is generally called Puffin island ; 
 they make their annual appearance in the beginning of April; the 
 female makes no nest, but lays her single egg in the burrows, from 
 which the rabbits have been ejected. Tlie egg is white, about the 
 size of that of a hen, but a little rounder. The males and females 
 sit alternately, and are remarkable for the courage with which they 
 defend their young. About the middle of August, they leave the 
 island. A great number of the young birds are annually taken, and 
 being enclosed in small casks, are pickled without the bones, and 
 are esteemed a great delicacy. 
 
 Sterna hirundo. Tern. Mor wennol. 
 
 Not uncommon, in the summer months, along the river. 
 
 Larus canus. Common gull. Gwylan. 
 
 They breed in great numbers in the rocks of Llandudno and 
 llliiwleden. They make nests of sea weed and tang, and generally 
 lay two eggs of a dark olive brown colour, with black and brown 
 blotches. 
 
 L. fuscus. Herring- gull. Gwylan y penweig. 
 
 This bird is similar in its habits to the last, and it breeds in the 
 same places. It also makes its nest of sea weed and dry grass. 
 While the common gull always lays two eggs, three are invariably 
 found in the nest of the herring gull ; they are very similar in co- 
 lour, but the eggs of the common gull are much smaller in size, 
 but longer in proportion, than those of this gull. 
 
 L. tridactylus. Kittiwakc. Gwylan benwen. 
 
 The lower shelves of the rocks are occupied by the kittiwakes, 
 where they make their nests of sea weed and tang, generally by 
 the side of each other, without mingling with the other birds. The 
 eggs are of a reddish white colour, with faint rusty spots; in shape 
 they arc nuidi rounder (lian the eggs of tlie otlier gulls. 
 
ABKUCONWY. 155 
 
 L. marinns. Black backed Gull. Gwylaii ddu 
 a gwyn. 
 
 They breed in the same rocks. The eggs are of a round shape, 
 dark olive colour, thinly marked witli dusky spots, and quite black 
 at the thicker end. 
 
 L. ridibundus. Black headed Gull. Gwylaii 
 
 benddu. 
 
 Anascygnus. Wdd swan. Alarch gwyllt. 
 
 They visit this neighbourhood in a hard winter ; and they have 
 often been seen on the Avon ganol, below Llandrillo, before tlie late 
 drainage. Their last visit there was in 1818, but they have been 
 seen subsequently on the river Conwy. 
 
 A. Anser ferus. Wild goose. Gwydd wyllt. 
 
 They frequently visit the river Conwy, and its neighbourhood. 
 
 A. Erythropus. Bernacle. Gwyran. 
 
 The last well authenticated visit of these birds was to the Avon 
 ganol in 1812; where they came in great numbers: several were 
 caught from the effect of famine. 
 
 A. Nigra. Scoter. Morhwyad ddu. 
 
 These may always be seen between Penmaen mawr and Gogarth. 
 They seldom appear to leave the sea. 
 
 A. Boschas. Mallard. Adiad. 
 
 They breed in convenient places on the banks of the river ; and 
 before the building of Conwy bridge, every year in the island. 
 
 A. Tadorna. Sheldrake. Hwyad yr eithin. 
 
 Not uncommon up the river, where they breed. 
 
 A. Penelope. Wigeon. Chwiwell. 
 A. Ferina. Pochard. Hwyad bengoch. 
 A. Glaucion. Morillon. Hwyad dorchawg. 
 A. Crecca. Teal. Corhwyad. 
 
|.'>f) HISTORY OF 
 
 Teal used to breed on the Avon ganol before the drainage, and 
 that river was the resort of many hundreds of these, and other 
 kinds of the duck tribe. 
 
 Pelecanus Carbo. Cormorant. Mulvran. 
 
 They breed in the rocks of Llandudno and Khiwleden ; their 
 nests consisting of sticks and sea weed, are commonly placed on the 
 higher ledges, above the guillemots and gulls; the eggs generally 
 three or four in number are white with a very slight tint of blue, 
 coated with a chalky substance ; they are longer than those of the 
 domestic hen, but considerably less in circumference ; they also 
 have a strong fishy smell. 
 
 PLANTS. 
 
 As several botanists visit this neighbourhood in 
 the summer months, the following list of the more 
 uncommon plants, with some of their habitats, it 
 is hoped, will be an useful guide: — 
 
 Ligustrum vulgare. Common privet. 
 
 Grows above the mines on Llandudno mountain. 
 
 Veronica hybrida. Welsh speedwell. 
 
 On the limestone rocks above Llandudno village, and near 
 Gloddaith. 
 
 Fedia dentata. Corn-sallad. 
 
 Ou the rocks above Llandudno. 
 
 Arundo avenaria. Sea reed. 
 
 On the sandy coast near Llandudno. 
 
 Elymus arenarius. Sea lyme-grass. 
 
 In the same situations. 
 
 Uuhia pere<»riir.i. Wild nuuhhM". 
 
ABKUCONWV. 157 
 
 Near Glodduilh ; on the sea coast near Llandudno, and at Gogarth ; 
 in great luxnriante by Perth urhav in Abcrconwy: and in the lane 
 between Marl and Llanrhos. 
 
 Scabiosa succisa. Devil's hit scahious. 
 
 Common at Llandudno. 
 
 Sagina inaritima. Sea pearl-wort. 
 
 On the sandy sea coast in Tilandudno bay. 
 
 S. apetala. Small flowered pearl-wort. 
 
 Near Llandudno common. 
 
 Lithospennum officinale. Grey millet. 
 
 On the rocks of Llandudno, and in thickets above the mines. 
 
 L. maritimum. Sea gromwell. 
 
 On the shore of Llandudno bay. 
 
 Borago officinalis. Common borage. 
 
 On the top of Llandudno rocks, and on Dyganwy warren. 
 
 Asperugo procumbens. German madwort. 
 
 On Llandudno rocks ; at Llech, turning to the left. 
 
 Convolvulus soldanella. Sea bindweed. 
 
 On Dyganwy warren, and the sea coast near Llandudno; and 
 abundantly on Conwy marsh. 
 
 Viola hirta. Hairy violet. 
 
 On the rocks of Llandudno. 
 
 Erithraea littoralis. D warf centaury. 
 
 On the coast near Llandudno. 
 
 Samolus valerandi. Water pimpernel. 
 
 At Llech in Llandudno, on the moist clay beds. 
 
 Glaux maritima. Sea milk-wort. 
 
 Common on the salt marshes by the river. 
 
 Chenopodium bon. Hen. Mercury goose-foot. 
 
 Among the ruins of Gogarth palace. 
 
1-58 HisToin (»i 
 
 Torilis anthriscus. Upright iiedge parsley. 
 
 Common in the hedges of this neighbourhood, 
 
 Sison amomuni. Hedge hone-wort. 
 
 Near Eglwys Rhos. 
 
 Meum fainiculum. Common fennel. 
 
 On the rock under Conwy castle, and all about Dyganwy. 
 
 Statice reticulata. Sea lavender. 
 
 On the sea beach of Llandudno, below Ty draw, near the place 
 where the ore is deposited for the purpose of being weighed. 
 
 S. armeria. Sea gilliHower. 
 
 On Llandudno rocks, 
 
 Allimii vineale. Crow garlick. 
 
 On the rocks of Llandudno. 
 
 Scilla verna. Vernal squill. 
 
 On the rocks above Llandudno village, and. on Rhiwleden ; and 
 in the meadows near Gloddaith.- 
 
 Alisma plantago. Greater water plantain. 
 
 In the ditches at Llandudno. 
 
 Saxifraga csespitosa. Tufted saxifrage. 
 
 On Rhiwleden. 
 
 S. tridactylites. Rue-leaved saxifrage. 
 
 On Conwy churchyard walls. 
 
 Dianthes caryophyllus- Clove pink. 
 
 Plentiful on the town walls of Aberconwy. 
 
 Dianthes deltoides- Maiden pink. 
 
 On Dyganwy rocks. 
 
 Silene nutans. Nottingham catclifly. 
 
 At Gloddaith, on the rocks above Llandudno, and on Rhiwlodon. 
 
 Arenaria verna- Vernal sandwort. 
 
 On the .same rocks. 
 
Cotyledon unihiliciis. Common navelwort. 
 
 On the rocks, and on stone walls, at Llandudno. 
 
 Seclnm anglicum. English stone crop. 
 
 On the rocks at Llandndno. 
 
 S. dasyphyllum. Thickleaved stonecrop. 
 
 On the walls near llir chuiTli, and on the castle, of Conwy. 
 
 S. forsteriamim. Welsh rock stonecrop. 
 
 On the rocks of Rhiwleden. 
 
 Cerastium semidec. Mouse-ear chickweed. 
 
 On the coast near Llandudno. 
 
 Cerastium tetrandrum. Four cleft ditto. 
 
 On the same coast. 
 
 Cotoneaster vulgaris. Downy-leaved medlar. 
 
 Abundantly on the limestone rocks of Llandudno, above the 
 mines: which is the only habitat of this plant in these kingdoms. 
 It was first observed by the late J. W. Griffith, Esq. of Garn, who 
 found it in the year 1783 ; but although he gathered some speci- 
 mens, he did not communicate his discovery. The merit of rediscov- 
 ering, and adding it to the British Flora belongs to a very indefatiga- 
 ble and accurate botanist, W. Wilson, Esq. of Warrington, who 
 found it within these few years. This same gentleman also first 
 discovered the Chara aspera in Wales, and Kohresia caricina in 
 Scotland. 
 
 Pyrus aria. White beam tree. 
 
 On the limestone rocks above Llandudno. 
 
 Spiraea filipendula. Dropwort. 
 
 Above the mines, and near the church of Llandudno. 
 
 Rosa spinosissima. Burnet rose. 
 
 Tn a very dwarf state on the coast of Llandudno bay, and it covers 
 a great portion of the warren. 
 
160 HISTORV UK 
 
 Rosa forsteri. Downy-ribbed dog-jose. 
 
 Near Llandudno. 
 
 Potentilla verna. Spring cinque-foil. 
 
 Near Gloddaith, and on the rocks of Rhiwleden, and Llandudno. 
 
 Glaucinm luteum. Yellow horned poppy. 
 
 On the coast near Llandudno: and plentifully near Dyganwy. 
 
 Papaver hy])riduni. Rough-headed poppy. 
 
 Near Llandudno. 
 
 Cistus marifolius. Hoary dwarf cistus. 
 
 On Llandudno rocks ; abundant above Ty draw, and at Gloddaitli. 
 
 C helianthemum. Common dwarf cistus. 
 
 Common on the rocks of Llandudno. 
 
 Thalictrum minus. Lesser meadow-rue. 
 
 On the coast near Llandudno ; and also at Llech especially. 
 
 Teucrium scorodania. Wood sage. 
 
 Near Bodavon. 
 
 Origanum vulgare. Wild marjoram. 
 
 Among the ruins of Conwy castle. 
 
 Thymus acinos, Basil thyme. 
 
 On the rocks above Llandudno. 
 
 T. calamintha. Common calamint. 
 
 In the same situations. 
 
 Scrophularia vernalis. Yellow ligwort. 
 
 In the lane near Gloddaith, and in Bodysgallen wood; also in 
 Llanrhos lanes, aiid in Dinerth yard. 
 
 Orobanche minor- Lesser broomrape. 
 
 On the ruins of the castles of Conwy and Dyganwy, and on the 
 ruins of Marl. 
 
 Hnlchinsia petra^a. Rock llutcliinsia- 
 
 Conmion on Llandudno mountain, above the mines. 
 
ABERCONWY. 
 
 161 
 
 Cochlearia Diinica. Danish scurvy-grass. 
 
 Abundantly on the salt marshes by the river side. 
 
 Cakile maritima. Sea Rocket. 
 
 On Conwy marsh, in abundance. 
 
 Crambe maritima. Sea Kale. 
 
 On the sea shore, and on the rocks of Llandudno and Rhiwleden, 
 and on the cliff by Gogarth. 
 
 Cheiranthus Cheiri. Wild wall-flower. 
 
 Abundant on the castle and town walls of Conwy, and on the 
 rocks beneath. 
 
 Arabis hispida. Welsh rock-cress. 
 
 On Llandudno rocks. 
 
 Brassica oleracea. Sea cabbage. 
 
 Abundant on Rhiwleden, and at Llech ; also, inland by Pen. 
 rhyn isav. 
 
 Geranium lucidum. Shining crane's bill. 
 
 On walls near Rhiwleden. 
 
 G. Sanguineum. Bloody crane's bill. 
 
 On the coast between Llandudno and Aberconwy ; at Gloddaith 
 and Marl, and on Conwy marsh . 
 
 Fumaria capreolata. Ramping fumitory. 
 
 An uncommon variety, with white flowers, in the hedges near 
 Rhiwleden. 
 
 Lathyrus sylvestris. Wild lathyrus. 
 
 In the hedges near Aberconwy. 
 
 Hippocrepis comosa. Horse-shoe vetch. 
 
 On Llandudno rocks. 
 
 Clchorium Tntybus. Wild succory. 
 
 Near the village of Llandudno. 
 
 L 
 
162 HISTORY OF ABERCONWY. ^ 
 
 Tiifoliuni striatum. Soft knotted trefoil. 
 
 On Ihe coast near DyKaiiwv. 
 
 Medicag:o niaculata. Spotted medick. 
 
 Near the ruins of Gogarth palace. 
 
 Prenaiithes niuralis. \\'all lettuce. 
 
 On Marl rocks, 
 
 Hypocbaeris niaculata. Spotted cat's ear. 
 
 On the rocks above Llandudno. 
 
 Carduus tenuiflorus. Grey thistle. 
 
 In the same situations. 
 
 Chrysocoma linosyris. Goldylocks. 
 
 On the rocks above Llandudno village. 
 
 Conyza squarrosa. Great tleabane. 
 
 On dry banks near the river. 
 
 Senecio viscosus. Stinkiii"- eroundsel. 
 
 On the coast of Llandudno bay. 
 
 Aster Tripolium. Sea starwort. 
 
 s 
 
 On all the salt marshes. 
 
 Inula dysenterica. Common fleahane. 
 
 On the road from Bodavon to the shore. 
 
 Orchis pyramidalis. Pyramidal orrliis. 
 
 In Gloddaith wood. 
 
 Listera ovata. Tway-blade. 
 
 In Bodavon meadows. 
 
 Epipactis latifolia. Helleborine. 
 
 Near Llandudno. 
 
 Juniperus communis. Juniper. 
 
 Formerly abundant on the Creiddyn mountains; there is some 
 remaining on Pydaw above Pabo ; and also on the top of Bryn euryn. 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 No. I. 
 
 The Original Charter granted to the Abbey of Aberconwy, by 
 Llytvelyn ap Joruerth, Prince of North Wales. 
 
 (From Dugdale'i Monasticon.) 
 
 ABERCONWEYENSIS ABBATIA IN AGRO CARNARVONENSI, 
 FUNDATA ANNO MCXCVIII. 
 
 NoTUM sit omnibus sanctae matris ecclesiae filiis, tain presentibus, 
 quam futuris, quod ego Lewelinus Gervasii iilius, totius Norwallia 
 Princeps, intuitu divine pietatis, pro salute anima? mea; & aniip^- 
 rum omnium antecessorum & h^redum ac successorum meorum 
 dedi & concessi, atqne presenti Carta mea confirmavi pro me & 
 haeredibus ac successoribus meis, in puram & perpetuam eleemosi- 
 nam imperpetuum Deo & Sancta? Maria & monachis de Abercon- 
 wey, sub regulari habitu Deo servituris, locum ipsum in quo idem 
 monasterium fundatum est, per hos scilicet terminos. Ascendendo 
 de flumine Conwy usque ad Abergeffyn, deinde totum fluvitim 
 Geffeyn usque ad quoddam claud juxta Chveridros, hinc divertendo 
 ad dextram per illud claud lapidibus signatum usque ad rivulum 
 Perhey, hinc ascendendo per ilium rivulum usque ad quoddam 
 claud juxta Coetmaur, hinc per illud claud usque ad quandam rupem 
 prope hinc per altitudinem collium petrosarum usque ad os Chris- 
 tiani, hinc descendendo usque ad mare & deinde per flumen Conwy, 
 usque ad Abergeffyn. Dedi eciam & concessi atque confirmavi 
 
 l2 
 
]fi4 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 eisdem Monachis has terras apud Creudyn, per hos videlicet 
 terminos. Ascendendo de Conwy usque ad quendam fonticulum 
 existentem in extrema parte terrae arabilis monachoruni apud He- 
 mtron ; Hinc per superiorem partem terrae ab eisdem cults usque 
 ad lapides grandes existentes in Erw-voruran, inde usque ad com- 
 munem viam. Line per ductum vias usque ad claud supra Erwedus, 
 hinc usque ad caput Carrec-Wyber, hinc per superiorem partem 
 Ryuoryn, & terrs arabilis Monachorum usque ad extremam partem 
 Guernegof, hinc per alveum desubtus Gwernegof usque ad terram 
 Crocuryn; hinc per lapides in termino constitutes usque ad rivulum 
 juxta Eglwys-Ros, hinc per ductum rivuli usque ad alveum qui est 
 in extrema parte prati monachorum subtus Crocuryn, hinc per duc- 
 tum alvei usque ad decensum rivuli qui est inter Bodesgallen & 
 Brongoch, & descendit in dictum alveum. Hinc usque ad fontcm 
 quendam, hinc per rupem proximam desuper pendentem usque ad 
 lapidem quern vocant quadratum, hinc usque ad rupem in qua est 
 fovea, hinc usque ad Carrecereii, hinc usque ad secundam rupem 
 ultra Carrecwalth, hinc per superiorem partem terras cultae monach- 
 orum usque ad claud inter Trefwarth & Callaurwerth, & sic per 
 ductum illius claud usque ad paludem subtus, hinc per extremam 
 partem terrae arabilis monachorum usque ad nemus Eardur filii 
 Kendelu, hinc per claud usque ad caput illius claud. Inde per ripam 
 paludis inter terram arabilem & paludem usque ad Argaevelin, hinc 
 per ductum aquae usque ad Conwy. Concessi eciam eisdem mo- 
 nachis totam aquam Conwy & ejusdem aquee transitum atque pis- 
 cariam de Ahergeffyn usque Aberconwy. Concessi insuper & con- 
 firmavi eisdem monachis Frywlwyd per hos scilicet terminos. As- 
 cendendo de mari per medium cujusdam fossae in terminumfactae us- 
 que ad fluvium Karroc, hinc per medium Karroc usque ad rivulum 
 Chwilogen, hinc per medium Chwilogen usque Blaen-chwilogen, 
 hinc ascendendo per paludem usque Pm'/Z/xtk;-, hinc per alveum pa- 
 ludis usque Gwernehleideu, hinc per medium Gwernebhideu usque 
 Wennbanc , hinc per medium Wejinbanc dcscendendo per quendam 
 
\P1>F.NDIX. 
 
 1«0 
 
 rivulum fluentem per quendam valliculum usque ad fluvium Dwijn- 
 ech, & sic descendendo totam aquam Dwynech & raolendiiium atque 
 piscariam tofaliter 8c integre usque ad fluvium Dwynaur, deinde 
 per medium aquaj Dwynaur, cum medietate piscarie, usque ad 
 mare, & abhinc per litus usque ad fossam supradictam. 
 
 Concessi eciam & coniirmavi eisdem monachis AVinper hos vide- 
 licet terminos. Ascendendo de Hensarngwin ^u^i^. Pentyrth per 
 quendam alveum usque ad fluvium Keiloc. Hinc per medium Kei- 
 loc usque ad quendam rivum fluentem de Sichnanc, hinc per ilium 
 rivum usque ad daud-seri, hinc descendendo per aquam fluentem de 
 claud-seri usque Blaen rivi Efelanc, hinc per medium rivi Efelanc 
 usque Rytefelanc. Hinc ascendendo per quendam alveum usque 
 Rytnerthvoessen, hinc per extremum alveum ultra Bryn-hrych & 
 Enys-las usque ad fluvium Karroc, & abhinc descendendo per 
 quendam alveum usque Hensarngwin. Dedi eciam & confirmavi 
 eisdem Redenociielen, per hos videlicet terminos ; ab illo loco quo 
 fluvius Karroc fluit juxta quendam fontem existentem prope Llan- 
 wnda usque ad quendam alveum qui est inter Gefenys-vechan & 
 Enys-Keubrcn versus Gerthic, hinc divertendo ad dexteram per 
 quendam alveum ultra Enys-Keuhren usque Werndofyn, hinc per 
 medium Werndofyn descendendo usque ad fluvium Gwyleyt, hinc 
 per medium Gwyleit usque Aherkarroc juxta Morua-Duillen, & 
 sic ascendendo per medium aquas Karroc versus Llamvnda usque 
 ad dictum locum juxta praedictum fontem. Concessi eciam & con- 
 firmavi eisdem Najikall per hos scilicet terminos. Ascendendo de 
 Aherkall per fluvium Kail usque Brieth-du, hinc usque ad altitu- 
 dinem Llwytmaur, hinc ad cacumen montis Llwytmaur usque 
 Blaenyivennyd Gwyneon. Hinc usque Blaen-Meyc, hinc descen- 
 dendo per medium Meyc usque Dwynech ; & ab hinc per aquam 
 Dwynech usque Aberhall. Concessi insuper eisdem & confirmavi 
 Kellhineoc, per hos scilicet terminos. Ascendendo de Meney per 
 fluvium Breint usque Aher- rwllcwyr ran, hxnc per medium aqua 
 
HJ({ APPENDIX. 
 
 Pulleuyrran usque Sarnigerd, hinc per quoddam claud lapidibus 
 viguatum usque ad quuddani stagnum juxta Trefarthen, hinc per 
 medium illius stagni usque Clauderadwy, hinc per illud c/aj/rf usque 
 ad litus, hinc directe usque ad alveum Meney, & sic per medium 
 a.(\\xie Meney\isf\\\e Aber-Breint. ConcessieciamScconfirmavieisdem 
 molendinum de Talebont cum pertinentiis ; aquam quoque & fossam 
 de Sarny Velyn usque Carreg-Elgar, atqne viam communem omni 
 tempore de Kellhineoc usque ad molendinum praedictum sine impe- 
 dimento cujuscunque. Dedi eciam & confirmavi eisdem Bodged- 
 tiyd, per hos videlicet terminos. Ascendendo de quadam parva in- 
 sula existente in Llyn-coron per medium claudyago usque Carned- 
 Yorwerth. Hinc divertendo versus Aberfraiv per quoddam claud 
 lapidibus signatum usque Wenn-we7in. Hinc per claud quoddam 
 lapidibus signatum usque Murdynen-kefnerth. Hinc direct^ ver- 
 sus Henllys usque Korsenllys. Hinc divertendo ad dexteram per 
 medium alvei usque Rytdti. Hinc per medium illius alvei usque 
 Abergoner yaranen, prout descendit in KorscaUellyn. Hinc ascen- 
 dendo per Gonetgaranen juxta quoddam claud lapidibus signatum 
 usque Wenn-las. Hinc per medium Wen-las usque Wenn-vaur. 
 Hinc ascendendo per alveum usque Fynnon-y-meyirch. Hinc per 
 quoddam claud lapidibus signatum usque ad latus Bodwrdyn. Hinc 
 per ductum lapidum usque Cerric-poetldon. Hinc per quoddam 
 claud divertens versus Trefdraeth usque ad latus Trefdraeth. Hinc 
 per medium alvei existentis in confinio Trefdraeth per medium 
 Korsygirvran usque Pylleu-Haloc, &, ab hinc per alveum usque ad 
 praedictam insulam. Dedi eciam & confirmavi eisdem plateam de 
 Lamnaes per terminos suos cum omnibus pertinentiis suis. 
 
 Concessi insuper & confirmavi eisdem monachis Voelas-Keirnauc 
 & Llanveir- Ryt-castell, per hos videlicet terminos. Ascendendo 
 de Abergwrysganc per fluvjum Gtvrysgaiic usque ad quoddam latum 
 vadum in Blaengwryiganr . Hinc per alveum usque Maenesartyr. 
 Hinr \\sf\\\c Cerrir- FJiiyupgnd. Hiiir usque rrt;»f<//)/». Hinc us- 
 
AFPKNDIX. 167 
 
 que iid fontem sublus Moel-seissavc. Hinc usque ad sunimitafem 
 Moel-seissauc. Hinc usque blaen gwenn eneas. Hinc descendendo per 
 alveum usque Hennjtbeli. Hinc per fluvitini Kuhtwyn usque 
 Blaen Kaletwyn sublus Kois-gamnen. Hinc direct^ ducta linea 
 usque Esgynvaen-gwgann. Hinc usque Lfyn-alwen. Hinc per 
 medium Llyn-alwen & medium fluvi Alwen usque Rytgwynn. 
 Hinc per Nant-heilynsets usque ad quandam valliculam divertentem 
 ad sinistram, & per illam valliculam ascendendo usque ad capud 
 cujusdam alvei profundi subtus Brondenyynllwyn. Hinc relin- 
 queiido Brondengyn-lhvyn ad dexteram intra terminos monachorum 
 per vallem usque blaen- Llaethauc. Hinc per medium Llaethauc 
 usque ad fluvium Nuc. Hinc per medium Nuc usque ad fluvium 
 Comvy & per medium aque Conwy usque ad Abcr-gwriscanc. 
 
 Concessi etiam & confirmavi eisdem Llynkemer, per hos scilicet 
 terminos; ascendendo per Llynkemer per fluvium Alwen usque 
 Aher Drywes. Hinc per medium aque Drywes usque Boner elic- 
 bras. Hinc usque Nant Ringhylleyt. Hinc ad fluvium Breint ^■ 
 per medium Breint usque Llynkemer. Concessi etiam & confir- 
 mavi eisdem Llethwed-krynllwyn per hos scilicet terminos, a Pwlle 
 propinquiori Taldinas-Dindunant contra Aluen usque ad locum ubi 
 rivulus descendit in Alwen de bwlchdinewyt, Inde contra eundem 
 rivulum usque Bwlchdinewyt. Inde per discensum rivuli ex alia 
 parte montis versus Kerricedrudeoyi usque ad Enyserheid. Hinc a 
 superior! parte ejusdem Enys per paludem usque ad rivulum ulte- 
 riorem fluentem de quondam fonte. Inde per lon^^itudinem cujus- 
 dam valliculje usque ad caput majinaj paiudis versus orienteni. 
 Hinc per longitudinem illius paiudis usque ad rivulum decurrentem 
 de fonte ulteriori versus orientem ^ regione Alwen, & ab eodem 
 fonte usque ad claud inferius subtus viam. Inde per longitudinem 
 illius claud ad Heliclwynen apud blaen-nant quod descendit versus 
 Alwen. Inde usque ad Kerricllwydeon versus aquilonem in^ super- 
 cilio nijusdam collis. Hinc usque super A/fffi» vallis (\\\'\ descendit 
 
168 APPENDIX. 
 
 versus dinas dundunant. Hinc per ejusdam vallis longitudinem us- 
 que ad supradictum Ptvlle j\ixt& Tal ipsius dinas. 
 
 Concessi insuper 8c confirmavi eisdem monachis has terras apud 
 Naiihoenem, scilicet gwascat onnos Brynr/ivynem, Hafat, Tandrec, 
 Llyndu, Chwmygoret, Scubordynemreis, Hendrefwynein, Wernosdet, 
 Pennant, Morgenen, Pennant crwnn cum Llem ex utraque parte 
 Hem, Chivmerth ex utraque parte Erth, Chwmdelif ex utraque 
 parte delif, kenien trinemt, ^ ywryt, kei ex utraque parte Degymm, 
 per videlicet terminos subscriptos. Ascendendo de Abercrlwyn 
 prout descendit in ferlas per medium Colwyn usque blaencolwyn 
 prout descendit de bwlch chtcmllem. Hinc per crepidinem rupium 
 usque ad caput Weddtiavaur. Hinc usque ad capud Grybgoch. 
 Hinc usque ad capud Wregyssant. Hinc per altitudinem rupium 
 usque ad sedem peris. Hinc usque ad capud Moel-berned. Hinc 
 direct^ usque ad ilium locum in quo fluvius Member incipit sicut 
 torrens precipitanter descenderc. Hinc per medium aque Member 
 usque Eranongoch. Hinc ascendendo per illam aquam usque Lle- 
 gat-Erych. Hinc usque ad altitudinem Cerric-eryylch. Hinc us- 
 que Lhth-edcar. Hinc usque bankarw. Hinc per cacumen rupium 
 Bancaru usque bleau-teyriv. Hinc per fluvium Teyru usque ad 
 petram quEe descendit in Teyru juxta Ryt Teyru superiorem. Hinc 
 per parvos colles petrosos a latere Gerrynt usque Lhthwedgwelvau. 
 Hinc ducta linea indirect^ usque ad monticulum qui in similitudi- 
 nera castelli apparet a dextera parte Llethwedgwellvau. Hinc per 
 altitudinem usque ad capud carrecereryr. Hinc per summitatem 
 rupium usque ad Gorssed Ressygynt prout pendet desuper vallem. 
 Hinc divertendo versus Llyndinas per longitudinem cujusdam 
 brachii petrosi desuper vallem apparentis usque ad capud claud 
 mein. Hinc per medium illius claud usque ad ^\x\'ium ferlas, & de- 
 inde per medium yej7«* usque ad Abercolivyn prout descendit in 
 Llynckemer. Dedi eciam & confirmavi eisdem monachis Arden i; 
 Darlas, per hos scilicet terminos ; ascendendo de Aberpwlledarlas 
 
APPENDIX. 169 
 
 per niediura aque tisque ad stagnum Cawlwyd. Hinc per medium 
 illius stagni usque ad paludem quae est supra capud stagni >k per 
 illam directe paludem usque ad Vygynforthant. Hinc per altitudi- 
 nem rupium usque ad capud Llithretewrath. Hinc per altitudinem 
 illius mentis versus occidentem usque Bwlcherylvarthant . Hinc 
 descendendo per illam vallem, & per ilium rivulum descendentem 
 per illam vallem qui dicitur frivt-du qui est direct^ subtus Carrec- 
 fftvennolyod & descendit in fluvium Eyyyen, & per fluvium Eygyen 
 usque ad stagniim Eygyen & per illud stagnum & per fluvium des- 
 cendentem de stagno usque ad flumen Conwy & per medium Conwy 
 usque ad Aberpwlledarlas. 
 
 Concessi insuper eisdem monachis quod liberi sint iraperpetuum 
 & quieti ab omnibus pastibus & poturis hominum equorum, canum, 
 & avium, & non compellantur ad pascendum me aut ministros meos 
 aut alios quoscunque seculares sub obtentu consuetudinis, & quod 
 circa electiones depositiones seu resignationes abbatum tempore va- 
 cationis aut alio tempore ego nuUatenus intromittam, seu ministri 
 mei aut alii seculares minime intromittant ; set omnia in dicto mo- 
 nasterio facienda per religiosos ordinentur regulariter & tractentur. 
 Concessi eciam eisdem ut uti & gaudere possint naufragio in omni- 
 bus terris suis & litoribns meliori modo quo in terris meis ego utor, 
 videlicet quecumq: bona seu res per submersionem aut fractionem 
 seu per aliud infortunium ad terras suas seu ad litora terris suis 
 conjuncta de mari evenerint, ipsa bona totaliter & integre sint ipso- 
 rum monachorum similiter si naves aut scaphae aut bona ipsorum 
 monachorum infra dominium meum per procellam maris aut nau- 
 fragium aut per aliud infortunium fracta aut submersa fuerint, 
 ipsa vasa & bona sint ipsorum monachorum. Concessi eciam eis- 
 dem monachis quod ipsi & omnes servientes sui cum omnibus bonis 
 suis quieti sint ab omni theoloneo, passagio, paagio, & pontagio 
 in omnibus terris meis. Et quod ipsi & omnes servientes sui ac 
 omnia bona sua libere sine quocunque precio paratum transitumha- 
 
170 APPENDIX. 
 
 beant per Meney, Conwy, Abermatv ^ Dyui, & in omnibus passa- 
 giis per omnem potestatem meam non obstante quacunque lege aut 
 consuetudine. Concessi eciam eisdem quod si animalia sua aut alia 
 queecumque bona furata rapta seu ablata vel ad tempus perdita fue- 
 rint, tam cito iidem monachi ilia bona probaverint esse sua ipsis 
 sine dilations pacific^ liberentur. Similiter prohibeo ne aliqua per- 
 sona secularis aut religiosa de dominio meo preter dictos monachos 
 utatur illo signeo ferreo quo ipsi signare solent animalia sua & ju- 
 menta, & si animalia quarumcumque inventa fuerint signo ipso sig- 
 nata ipsi monachis liberentur. Concessi insuper eisdem monachis 
 imperpetuum quod pro quacumque causa dicto aut facto seu foris- 
 facto in curiis meis aut in quacunque curia laicali nullatenus judi- 
 centur amercientur seu puniantur, set in capitulis suis secundum 
 ordinem suum corrigantur. Concessi etiam eisdem monachis ut 
 n alius hominum extorqueat ab eis vicinitatem aut partem de pastu- 
 ris silvis aut molendinis suis, set ipsi monachi contra omnes custo- 
 diant & possideant fines & terminos suos in hac carta contentos, «fe 
 intra eosdem terminos araturas, aedificia, culturas, & alios quoscum- 
 que labores pro libito suo faciant sine contradictione cujuscumque. 
 Concessi eciam eisdem monachis quod nullus hominum possit super 
 ipsos calumpniam seu actionem facere propter receptionem aliqua- 
 rum personarum ad habitum suum cujuscunque conditiouis sint, 
 postquam ipsi recepti in dicto monasterio profiteantur ; set si qui 
 tales personas ad religionem de seculo fugientes super aliquibus ca- 
 lumpiiiaverint, durante anno probationis, & non post professioneni 
 factam actionem suam ostendant. Concessi etiam eisdem monachis 
 ut si qui professorum dicti nionasterii sine licentia & consensu ab- 
 batis sui pecuniam aut alia bona a creditoribus incaute mutuo acce- 
 perint aut secularibus fidejussionibus se immiscuerint, monasterium 
 praedictum pro talibus mutuis & fidejussionibus minimi satisfaciat. 
 Concessi insuper eisdem quod licit<^ possint super aquas currentes 
 inler terras meas seu hominum meorum ex una parte fi terras ipso- 
 iHiii ex alt(*ra levarc & aedificare molendina, & etiam easdem aquas 
 
APPENDIX. 171 
 
 de canalibus suis ad terras suas vertere & decliiiare sine impedi- 
 meuto cujuscumque. Concessi eciam eisdetn quod licitc pussint re- 
 cipere ad habitum suum & ad famulatum suum & servicia liberos 
 meos spadarios & homines de advocatione mea, afque omnes primani 
 tonsuram habentes cujuscunque conditionis extiterint, sine molestia 
 Si caliimpnia cujuscunque. Et quia pium est ut omnibus, qui seculi 
 vanitates & muudanas divitias derelinquunt & ad regis regum obse- 
 quia voluntarie convertuutur, principum assint presidium /& tutela, 
 volo pro me & hasredibus ac successoribus meis quod iidem monachi 
 tam procsentes quam futuri habeant & possideant omnes terras prae- 
 dictas per limites & fines ac terminos przenominatos. In siivis & 
 campis, cultis & incultis, pratis, pascuis, pasturis, piscariis, stagnis, 
 vivariis, aquis, molendinis, viis, semitis, moris, giebariis, lapidibus, 
 metallis, avibus, omniumque avium nidis, litoribus, portubus, nau- 
 fragiis, thesauris, omnibusque rebus tam super terras suas quam sub 
 terris suis inventis, bene & ia pace, liber^ quiete integre, pleuari^ 
 honorifice, firmiter & inconcusse in liberam puram & perpetuam ele- 
 mosinam imperpetuum, solutas & libcras ab omni terreno servicio 
 & exactione seculari. Volo eciam ut iidem monachi tam praesentes 
 quam futuri omnibus praedictis libertatibus quietanciis & aliis liberis 
 consuetudinibus per omnes terras meas & per totum principitatum 
 meum imperpetuum gaudeant & utantur; Et prohibeo sub periculo 
 indignationis meae ut nullus hominum eisdeni monachis aut servient- 
 ibussuis contra banc cartam meam prejudicium faciat aut gravamen. 
 Quoniam ipsos & omnes res ac possessiones suas sub protectione 
 mea suscepi. Et ut haec mea donatio atque confirmatio imperpe- 
 tuum firma & inconcussa permaneat, ne aliqua contentionis aut per- 
 turbationis occasio contra pra;dictos monachos possit imposterum 
 suboriri, eam praesenti cartajmunimine & sigilli mei impressione ro-. 
 boravi. Testibus liiis Yortverthyam, gwynn filio Ednewein-ydon ca- 
 pellano meo, & Madoco filio Cadur. Dat. apud Aberconwy anno 
 ab incarnatione Domini millesimo centesirao nonagesimo octavo, 
 septimo idns Jaimarii, & principafus mei anno decimo. 
 
172 APPENDIX. 
 
 No. II. 
 
 Respecting the Translation of the Abbey to Maenan. 
 
 Rex archiepiscopis, &c. salufem. Sciafis nos pro salute animse 
 nostraE & aoimarum antecessorum & haeredum nostrorum dedisse 
 concessisse & hac carta nostra confirmasse dilectis nobis in Christo 
 abbati & conventui de A berconeweij quorum situm transferri volumus 
 usque Maynan, de assensu eorundem abbatis & convenfus & coabba- 
 tura suorum ordinis Cisterciensis per quos locum ilium fecimus vis- 
 itari, quodtotamecclesiamde Aberconewey quam priusconventualem 
 habuerunt & tenuerunt de caetero babeant & teneant quantum in 
 nobis est in proprios usus parochialem cum omni jure patronatus 
 & proprietatis sibi & successoribus suis, & in puram & perpetuam 
 elemosinam cum omnibus juribus possessionibus & rebus aliis ad 
 praedictam ecclesiam parochialem spectantibus quocunque nomine 
 censeantur infra rauros quam extra, cum omnibus decimationibus 
 omnium terrarum & maris ex utraqiie parte de Conewey ad praefatam 
 ecclesiam de Aberconewey spectantium ab antiquo. Ita tamen quod 
 eidem ecclesiae dcservire faciant per duos capellanos anglicos & 
 idoneos, & honestos, quorum unus sit perpetuus vicarius in eadem, 
 & per ipsos abbatem & conventum in singulis vocationibus ipsius 
 vicariae loci diocesano praesentetur, & per unum tertium capellanum 
 Walensem honestum, propter idiomatis diversitateni. Quare volu- 
 mus, &c. Dat. per manum nostram, ei^wA Karnarvan, xvj. dieJulii. 
 
 Et memorandum quod haec carta irrotulatur in rotulo Wallias de 
 hoc anno. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 173 
 
 No. III. 
 
 Respecting the same. 
 
 Rex archiepiscopis, &c. salutem. Sciatis quod in recompensa- 
 tionem situs quondam abbacie de Aberconcwey & terrarum adjacen- 
 tium, & grangiae de Creuthyn cum pertinentiis ad eandem abbaciam 
 tunc spectantium, quas abbas & conventus loci ejusdem in manus 
 nostras reddiderunt, dedimus & concessimus & hac carta nostra 
 confirmavimus praedictis abbati & conventui ordinis Cisterciensis, 
 quorum monasterium postmodum de novo apud Maynan in honore 
 omnipotentis Dei, & beatae Marice & omnium Sanctorum, pro salute 
 animae nostne & aniraarum omnium autecessorum & haeredum seu 
 aliorum nostrorum successorum fundavimus, praedictam villam de 
 Maynan cum pertinentiis, quam una cum quibusdam aliis terris 
 Henrico de Lacy comiti Lincolnice & haeredibus suis & quam idem 
 comes postmodum quietam de se & haeredibus suis in manus nostras 
 reddidit. Et etiam centum decem & septem solidatas, & octo den- 
 aratas terrae quas Mereducus Grat/i, ^ Gorgonen frater ejus, & quin- 
 decim solidatas terrje quas Tuderius ab Karwet tenuerunt in eadem 
 villa de Maynan & quas in manus nostras quiete similiter reddiderunt. 
 Habendas & tenendas praefatis abbati & conventui & eorum succes- 
 soribus in eodem monasterio Deo & beatae MaricB servituris, cum 
 omnibus suis pertinentiis, in liberam puram & perpetuam elemosinam 
 inperpetuum. Concessimus eisdem abbati & conventui & confirma- 
 vimus omnes rationabiles donationes terrarum ecclesiarum hominum 
 & elemosinarum eis a quibuscunque jam collatas & imposterum con- 
 ferendas vel adquirendas. Quare volumus &c. quod praedicti abbas 
 & monachi «& eorum successores babeant & teneant villam terras & 
 redditus praedictos cum omnibus libertatibus & liberis consuetudini- 
 bus ad eos spectantibus ut in boscis pratis &c. per metas & bundaa 
 subscriptas ; videlicet ascendendo de Coneivey versus montes de 
 
174 APPENDIX. 
 
 Abercamwl ; ubi descendit fluvius qui appellatur Cynnogan in flumiiie 
 de Conewey ; &i sic ascendendo per ilium fluvium de Ci/njiogan usque 
 ad fonteni dc Tangivre ; & de foiite illo per viam inagnam directc 
 usque ad Rytijlluydieirche ; & exinde per rivulum parvum usque 
 ad fluvium de Guydenging ; & sic ascendendo per ilium fluvium 
 usque ad rivulum parvum qui descendit de Dewlwyn & deinde usque 
 Grafiwyn-chuydauc; Si sic directe usque Pwll in medio Gtvenn- 
 Bcnarwann ; & deinde usque Pwll in medio Ywemud Bycheyn & sic 
 usque Anion yr Heol, deinde usque m.or?ixaYkaekeirtti ; deinde usque 
 C/aiirfjuxta domes fabrorum; deinde usque ad capud Erw Yranallen; 
 exinde usque flumen Erethlin: deinde usque Given- Bowys; & sic 
 juxtalatus Givenn-Boivys usque Pwll-Bndyr&c exinde usque Nant- 
 jwrach ; & deinde descendendo usque ad moram quae dicitur Gtven- 
 nyco: & deinde usque Y bwlck-coch, deinde usque ad moram quae est 
 inter Gwernnelanc, (S* Garthgynamiel ; & inde usque ad aquam quae ap- 
 pellatur Ballenllethauc , & sic per illam aquam usque longum vadum, 
 deinde usque ad moram quas appellatur Givernnvnenan Sc sic per 
 quendam rivulum usque Pwll-ydon, & per aquam Pullydon, usque 
 Conewey; & sic per filuni aque Conewey usque ad AherycamhivU. 
 Et quod habeant omnes rationabiles donationes terrarum ecclesiarum 
 hominum & elemosinarum eis k quibuscumque jam coUatas & im- 
 posterum conferendas vel adquirendas bene & in pace libere, quiete, 
 integre, plenarie, & honorifice, cum sok ^ sak, tol & theam, infange- 
 nethef, ^- utfangenethef, hamesoch, yridhrich, holwyk, Jichwych, 
 Ferwych, hengwych, leirwych, jlemmejirid, murdro, latrocinio,ybr- 
 stal, hordel, ff horesl infra tempus & extra tempus, & in omnibus 
 locis & cum omnibus causis quae sunt & esse possunt. 
 
 Concessimus etiam quod praedicti abbas & mouachi quieti sint im- 
 perpetuum de omnibus misericordiis, & quod ipsi & omnes homines 
 sui liberi sint & ab omni scoto & geldo & omnibus auxiliis regura 
 vice-comitum & omnium niinisterialium eorum St de hidagio, caru- 
 ragio, daiiegeld, hornegelde, & exercitibus, scutagiis. tallagiis, les- 
 
APPENDIX. 176 
 
 tagiis, stallagiis, siris, & assisis, & assartis, de vasto iienioruin, de 
 niaereiuio cariando, de amiis portandis, de thesauro portando, de 
 chaciis, establiis, scotallis Regalibus, de purprestura, hundredis, 
 wapentacliiis, placitis & querelis warda & wurdepemj, averpeny, 
 hundredespeny, horthalpeny, trythingpeny, & de operibus castello- 
 rum parcorum pontium, & de clausuris & omni carragio summagio 
 navagio passagio muragio& domuum regaliura edificatione&omni- 
 moda operatione. Et probibemiis ne bosci eorum ad praedicta 
 opera vel ad aliqua alia capiantur, & similiter ne blada illorum vel 
 hominum suorum ad castella munienda capiantur. 
 
 Concedimus eciam quod omnia tenementa eorum tarn in bosco 
 quam in piano sint deaforestata & extra omnem potestatem forestari- 
 orum. PrEecipimus eciam quod praedicti abbas & monachi & homi- 
 nes sui liberi sint & quieti ab omni theolonio in omni foro & in om- 
 nibus mundinis & in omni transitu pontium viarum & maris per om- 
 nem potestatem nostram, & per omnes terras nostras in quibus eis 
 libertatem dare possumus & omnia mercata sua & hominum suorum 
 sint similiter in praedictis locis ab omni theolonio quieta; & quod 
 naves eorundem abbatis & monachorum liberum transitum per om- 
 nem potestatem nostram habeant absque omni exactione & consue- 
 tudine. 
 
 Concedimus eciam & confirmavimus eisdem abbati & monachis, 
 quod si aliquis hominum suorum pro delicto suo vitam vel membra 
 debeat amittere vel fugerit & judicio stare noluerit vel aliud delic- 
 tum fecerit pro quo catalla sua debeat perdere, ipsa catalla sint 
 praedictorum abbatis & monachorum. Similiter si aliquis hominum 
 suorum sit amerciatus erga nos vel ballivos nostroa pro quacumque 
 causa vel delicto seu forisfacto amerciamenta praedicta dictis abbati 
 & monachis reddantur, servata regiae potestati justitia mortis & 
 membrorum. Haec omnia praedicta & omnes alias quietancias liber- 
 tates & liberas consuetudines quae in hoc scripto non comprehendun- 
 
170 APPENDIX. 
 
 tur & liberiores alicui domui religiosa; conferri possunt, concedimus 
 prsedictis abbati & monachis pro Dei amore & gloriosae virginis 
 Maria 6i pro salute aniinae nostrae & omnium autecessorum & haere- 
 dum nostrorum, in liberam puram & perpetuam elemosinamimper- 
 petuum. Et probibemus super forisfacturam nostram quod nuUus 
 eisdem abbati & monachis vel hominibus suis contra banc cartam 
 nostram forisfaciat sub poena viginti librarum, quia ipsos & oranes 
 res Sc possessiones suas & bominum suorum in custodiam & protec- 
 tionem nostram recepimus. Et probibemus ne iidem abbas & om- 
 nachi ponantur in placitum de aliquo tenemento sue nisi coram no- 
 bismet ipsis vel haeredibus nostris. Hiis testibus venerabili patre 
 Roberto Bathonensi ^ TFe//en,y2 episcopo cancellario nostro, &c. Uat. 
 per nianum nostram, Apud Kaernarvan xxiij die Octobris. 
 
 No. IV. 
 
 The Bull of Pope Nicholas for the Translation of the Abbey. 
 
 (From Steven's Additiont to Du^dale'a Monastic'on. Appendix, 301.) 
 
 NiCHOLAUS Episcopus servus servorum Dei, dilectis filiis abbati 
 & conventui Monasterii de Aberconewete in Wallia, Cestertiensis 
 Ordinis, Bangorensis Diocesis, salutem & Apostolicara benedic- 
 tionem. 
 
 Ex parte carissimi in Christo filii nostri Edwardi Regis angliae 
 ilhistris, fuit propositum coram nobis, quod felicis recordationis 
 Honorius Papa, Predecessor noster, ante consecrationem et Bene- 
 dictionem suam intellecto, quod monasterium vestrum ob certas 
 causas rationabiles, in loco, ubi tunc erat, non poterat commode 
 remanere, Prefatus Predecessor, nonduni benedictuset consecratus, 
 ad devotam ipsius Regis supplicationis instantiam, transferendi pre- 
 fatum monasterium de pra?misso loco ad locum, in quo nunc situm 
 esiie diiiosiitur, per litleras suas, bullatas bulla sua. qua; nomen 
 
APPENDIX. 177 
 
 suum nondum exprimebat, vobis concessit liberam facultatem ; sic- 
 que vos litterarum ipsarum auctoritatc, sicut asseritis, de priori 
 loco praefatum monasterium transtulistis. 
 
 Licet igitur quoad hujusmodi actum, seu gratiara, eaedem litterae, 
 sic buUatae, plenam, iramo plenissimam in se habeant potestatein, 
 maxime cum sedes Apostolica, ante consecrationem et benedictio- 
 nem Electi in summum Pontificem, cum defectiva Bulla, Electi no- 
 men nuUatenus exprimente, buUare litteras suas consueverit ab 
 antique ; 
 
 Ut tamen de mentibus rudium error omnis totaliter evellatur, 
 vestris et ipsius Regis devotis supplicationibus inclinati,quod per eas- 
 dem litteras super hoc factum est ratum & firmum habentes, id prout 
 tenemur, auctoritate apostolica approbaraus, et presentis scripti pa- 
 trocinio communimus. 
 
 Niliilominus declarantes, seu decernentes hujusmodi translationem 
 dicti monasterii eandem vim, eundemque vigorem habere, ac si per 
 litteras dicti Predecessoris, Integra bulla bullata, alias tamen legi- 
 time facta esset. 
 
 NuUi ergo &c. 
 
 Dat. ReatcB 12 Kalendas Septembris, Pontificatus nostri anno 
 secundo. 
 
 Subjilis sericis flavi rubeique coloris. 
 
 M 
 
178 APPENDIX. 
 
 No. V. 
 
 The foUoiving Extracts are from the Taxation, ordered hi/ Pope 
 Nicholas in 1291. See Willis' St. Asaph and Banyor. 
 
 BONA ABBATIS DE CONWAY. 
 
 Abbas habet Villam de Maynant, Reddit. cum molendinis etper- 
 quisitis, cum carrucis, yjZ. j*. vijrf. 
 
 Item Hirhadocks, et Vaccariam de Trebedewe, iij carucatarum, 
 cum aliis commoditatibus, 'i]l. \s. 
 
 Item Grangiam de Karennock, Voylas, Demoetjerstn, Keneke- 
 nea, Lewes, et Kylwen, v carucatas, cum aliis commoditatibus, 
 ij/. V*. 
 
 Item Hcrligaret, Lauwoyr, et Hencbesche, ij carucatae cum pas- 
 tura, j?. iv*. viijd. 
 
 Exitus al. 
 
 Abbas babet cvi Vaccas, Exitus vj7. vjj. 
 
 Item habet ccccclx Oves. Exitus viij?. v*. 
 
 Item habet xv Equas, Exitus xv*. 
 
 Summa Bonorum Abbatis de Conwey xxvjZ, ij#. ivrf. 
 
 Bona Temporalia Abbatis' de Comvay, Assavens. Dioc. existentta 
 
 in Diocesi Bangoriensi. 
 
 Abbas habet Grangiam de Frithlwyd duas carucatas terre cum 
 commoditatibus, xx*. 
 
 Item habet Grangiam de Triam unam carucatam terre cum com- 
 moditatibus, x*. 
 
 Item habet Grangiam de Nankall unam carucatam terre cum 
 commoditatibus, x,y. 
 
 Item habet Grangiam dc Bodnant pt Havailyn, cum molendino 
 fuUonico et aliis commoditatibus, xxjj. viijrf. 
 
APPENDIX. 179 
 
 Item habet Maiierium de Corvvylys tres carucatas terrc, cum red- 
 ditu, et moleudino, et aliis commoditatibus, xv/. x*. 
 
 Item habet Grangiam de Kelliniok septem carucatas tcrre cum 
 commoditatibus, xij/. 
 
 Item habet Grangiam de Bodgedwyadhes tres carucatas terre cum 
 aliis commoditatibus, xxx*. 
 
 Item Abbas habet medietatem ville de Penmir unam carucatam 
 terre cum redditu et molendino, ivl. \s. 
 
 Item habet Grangiam de Herdudwy unam carucatam terre, cum 
 Nauthlyn, cum commoditatibus, xv*. 
 
 Summa, xxxvij/. vj*. viijrf. 
 
 No. yi. 
 
 The oriyinal Charter granted by Edward the first to the Burgesses 
 
 of Aherconwy. 
 
 (From the Editor's unpuUlislied Manuscripts.) 
 
 Edwardus DEI gra' rex Angliae Dns Hiber' et Dux Acquie- 
 tanie Archiep'is, Ep'is, Abb'ibus, prioribus, Comitibus, Baronibus, 
 Justiciar', vie' pr'posit's, ministris, et omnibus Ballis, et fidelibus 
 suis salutem. Sciatis Qd volumus, et concedimus, p' nobis et he- 
 red' n'ris, qd villa n'ra de Aberconvirey de ceter' Lib' Burgus sit, et 
 hales n'ri eiusdam ville lib'i sint Burgenses. Et qd Constabula- 
 rius Castri n'ri de Aberconwey, qui p' terap'e fuerit, sit maior 
 Burgi illius, iuratus tarn nobis qua eisdam Burgens', qui, prius pre- 
 stito Sacramento de Juribus n'ris conservandis, eisdam Burgens' 
 Juret sup' s'ca Dei Evangelia, Qd ip'e lib'tates eisdam Burgens' a 
 nobis concessas conservabit. et faciet fideliter ea quas ad officiu ma- 
 ioris p'tinent in eodara Burgo. Concedim' eciam qd ip'e Burgens' 
 sing'lis annis in festo S'ti Mich'is Arch'i duos Balli'os idoneos et 
 sufficientes de semetip'is eligant, et d'co constabular' TanquamMa- 
 iori suo presentent, qui in p'ncia d'cor' maioris et Burgens' Jurent, 
 qd officiu Ball'ie sue fideliter facientet exeque't'. Volum' etiam et 
 
 m2 
 
180 APPENDIX. 
 
 cocedimus Qd d'ci Burgens' b'eant lib'am persona sua in Burgo pr'- 
 d'cto de oibus transgressoribus ib'ni, Exceptis casibus vite et mem- 
 brorfi, in quibiis casibus o'es ta Burgens' qua alii imprisonent'r in 
 castro n'ro ib'm. Veruntamen si aliqui d'cor' Burgens' rectati, 
 accusati, vel indicati fuerint sup' aliqua Transg', in huiusmodi casi- 
 bus volumus qd ea occacoe iraprisone'tur q'andiu bonii et sufficient' 
 manucapcoem invenerint ad staiidu inde recto cora capitali iustic' 
 n'ro, vel aliis Juisticiariis n'ris ad hoc deputat'. Concedim' insu- 
 per eisdam Burgens' qd o'es terrae eidam Burgo ia assignat' de 
 warrenate & de afforeestate sint oiSio, et qd Judei in eodam Burgo 
 aliquibus temp'ibus no raorent'r. Concedim' etiam pro nobis et 
 hered' n'ris eisdam Burgens' lib'tat subscript' vz, qd nullus vie 
 iiror' in aliquo se intromittat sup' eos de aliquo pl'it' vel querela, 
 vel occacoe, vel aliqua re alia ad p'd'ctana villa p'tinent'. Saluis 
 tamen nobis et hered' n'ris pl'it' corone n're sicut p'dictu est. Et 
 Qn ip'i h'cant gildam m'catoria cu Hansa et aliis consuetudinibus et 
 lib'tatibus ad gildam illam p'tinentibus. Ita qd nullus qui no sit dc 
 gilda ilia m'candisam aliqua faciat in eadam villa nisi de voluntate 
 Burgens' p'dcoru. Concedim' etiam eisdam Burgens' qd si aliquis 
 natiuus alicuius in p'fata villa manserit, et terra in eadam tenuerit, 
 et fuerit in eadam gilda et Hansa et lotus et scotus cu eisdam hoibus 
 n'ris per un* ann' et unu' Die' sine calumpnia deinceps no possit 
 repeti a diio suo sed in eadam villa liber p'maneat. Preterea Con- 
 cedim' eisdam Burgens' n'ris qd li'eant Socke et Sacke, Toll et 
 Theam, et Infangcntheff ; Et qd quieti sint p' totam Terra n'ra de 
 Theolonio, Lestagio, passagio, muragio, pontagio, et stallagio, et de 
 Lene Danegilde, et gaywite, et oibus aliis consuetudinibus, et ex- 
 accionibus, p' tota potestate' n'ram, tarn in Anglia, q'am in oibus 
 aliis terris n'ris, et qd ip'i vel eoru bona quocuq' locorum in terra 
 vel potestate n'ra inventa, no areste't'r p' aliquo debito, de quo fide- 
 iussores aul principalcs debitores no cxtiterint, nisi forte ip'i dc- 
 bitorcs de eoru sint coia et potestate b'entes uudc de debit' suis in 
 toto vel in p'te salisfaccre possint, et d'ci Burgcn' n'ri crcditoribus 
 
APPENDIX. 181 
 
 corundam debitor, in Tiisticia defuerint, et de hoc rationabiliter 
 constare possit. Et <H) iidem BuucENSiiS n'ri pro transgressione> 
 seu forisf c'ur' scrvienciQ suoru, catalla et bona sua in manibus ip'oru 
 invent' aut alicubi locorQ per ipsos s'rvientes deposita, quatenus sua 
 esse sufficientcr p'bare poterunt, no amittant. Et etiam qd si 
 idam Burgens' aut coram aliqui infra terra et potestate' n'ram 
 testati decesserint vel intestati, nos vel hered' n'ri bona ip'orura 
 confiscari no faciemus quin eor' hered' ea integre h'eant, Qua- 
 tenus d'ca catalla d'coru defunctoru fuisse constiterit, du 
 tamen de d'cis hered' noticia aut fides sufficienter h'eant'. 
 Et qd Burgens' nostri p'dc'i no convincat'r p' aliquos 
 forinsecos sup' aliquibus appellis, rectis, iniuriis, transgres- 
 sionibus, criminibus, calumniis, et demand' eis imposit' aut im- 
 ponend' a Caern'von nsq'e ad aqua de Cloid, sed sol'modo p' 
 Burgens' n'rosp'dictos, nisi de aliqua re tangent' coitatem Burgi p' 
 d'c'i, et tunc in casu illo deducant'r sc'dmlib'tat' app'bataset hacte- 
 nus rationabiliter usitatas in ciuitate n'ra Herfordie. Quare vo- 
 lum' et firmiter precipimus pro nobis et hered' n'ris, qd villa n'ra 
 de Aberconwey de cetero liber Burgus sit, et holes n'ri eiusdam 
 ville lib'i sint Burgens', et qd Constabular' Castri n'ri p'd'ci de 
 Aberconwey, qui p' tempore fuerit sit Maior Burgi illius, iuratus 
 tarn nobis qua eisdam Burgens' qui prius p'stito sacramento de iuri- 
 bus n'ris conservand' eisdam Burgens' Juret sup' sc'a Dei Evange- 
 lia qd ip'e lib'tates eisdam Burgen' a nobis concessas conservabit, 
 et faciei fideliter ea que ad officiu Maioris p'tinent in eodam Burgo. 
 Concedim' etiam qd ip'i n'ri Burgen' singulis anis in festo S'ti 
 Mich'is Arch'i duos Balli'os idoneos et sufficientes de semetipsis 
 eligant, etd'co Constabulario tamq'am Maiori suo preseutet, qui in 
 p'ntia p'dc'oru maioris et Burgen' jurent qd ofSciu Bailie sue fide- 
 liter facient et exequent'. Volum' etiam et concedim' qd d'ci Bur- 
 gen' h'eant libera Persona sua in Burgo p'co de oibus transgressio- 
 nibus ibide' exceptis casibus vite et membroru in quibus casibus oes 
 lam Burgen' quam alii imprisone't'r in Castro nostro ibidem. Ve- 
 
182 APPENDIX. 
 
 RUNTAMEN si nliqui d'coru Burgeu' rectati, accusati, vel indicati fu- 
 erint, sup' aliqua traiisgressione in huiusmodi casib' Volumus qd 
 ea occ'oe iniprisone't'r quadiu bona et sufficientem manucaptione' 
 invenerint ad standum inde recto corii capital' iusticiar' n'ro, vel 
 aliis juisticiariis nr'is, ad hoc deputato. Concedim' insup' eisdani 
 Burgens' qd oes terras eidam Burgo iam assignat' dewarrannate, et 
 de afforestate sint onio, Et qd Judei in eod' Burgo aliquib' temp' no 
 morent'r. Volum' etiam et concedimus p' nobis et hered' n'ris 
 qd p'd'ci Burgens' h'eant oes alias lib'tates et lib'as consuetudines 
 sup'ius expressas bene et pacifice absq' occ'one vel impedimento 
 n'ri vel hered' nroru Juisticiari' vicecomit' aut alior' Ballivor' seu 
 ministror' n'roru quorucQq' imp'petuu sicut p'dc'ra est. Hiis testi- 
 Bu' Veiiabr pr'e R. Bathonien' et Wellen' Ep'o Cancellario n'ro, 
 Ric'o de Burgo Com' Ultan' Thoma de Clare, Ric'o de Brus, Regi- 
 naldo de Grey, Nicolao de segraue, Petro de Champnent, Joh'e de 
 monte alto, et alijs. Dat' p' manu n'ram apud fflint octavo die Sep- 
 tembris Anno Regni n'ri duodecimo. 
 
 (The foHouin^ Atldllionsand Explanationi are subjoined to the Charier in the Editor'* Manuscript.) 
 
 Hansa : hoc est primu' Custtimu' x>ocat' hansa co qd d'tis Rex Ed- 
 ward' prim' quondam Rex angli' p' Cartam sua' Concessit Bur- 
 gens' Anylicis Ville de Comvey. 
 
 VinELi'T qd eritis .luisti fideles et veraces illustrissimo Dno Regi 
 
 Edwardo et hered' suis princ' Wallie. 
 EiUTis .luisti et ver' in exercend' ofliciu Constabularifi et Maioris 
 
 hiiius ville de Conwey Et qd no manutenebitis neq' custodi- 
 
 otis Soldar' Wallensicos p' tempore v'ro existent' eodam 
 
 officio. 
 It AM manutenebitis cu oibus viribus corporu v'roru atq' diuitiis 
 
 v'ris libertates consiietudines clamia et ffranchesias hujus 
 
 ville de Conwey. 
 
APPENDIX. 183 
 
 Itam eritis justi et veraces coitatibus Burgens' istius ville et cuillis 
 portabitis Scott Lott, pitch & paie watch & ward in oibus 
 temporibus egjestate et necessitate. 
 
 Itam no panilicabitis neq' pandoxabitis in quodam loco vocat' le 
 fferry. 
 
 Itam nuq' eritis in voluntate assensu et consensu ad faciend' h5iem 
 Wallens' neq' muliere' Wallens' nullatenus lib'at' ad occu- 
 pand' vel fungend' lib'tat' huius ville carnes occidend' et scin- 
 dendo pinsendo vel pandoxand' neq' alia uUa occupacoe in 
 grave dampnu et detrimentu p'd' comitat' Burgens'. 
 
 Et A D premissa oia atq' singula fideliter servanda sup' Evangelia 
 sc'a corporate p'stabitis Juramentu. 
 
 SocKE hoc est Sexta a homagin' in Curia v'ra sc'din consuetud 
 Regni. 
 
 Sake hoc est pl'it emend' de transgr' homag' in Curia v'ra, quia 
 Sake An'ce Guchason et Socke d'r p'd seor' tur*. 
 
 Tholl' hoc est qd vos et holes v'ri de toto homagio sitis quiet' in 
 oibus m'cat' et de Tholonio de rebus vend' et vendict'. 
 
 Them' hoc est qd h'eat oiiiem generacoem villanoru v'roru eteorum 
 sectis et catall' ubicQq' in Anglia invent' fuerint, Exept' qd si 
 quis nativus quiet p' unu Ann' et iinu diem in aliqua villa p' 
 velegiata manserit, Ita qd in Coi gilda tanq'am unus eoru re- 
 cept' fuerit a villenagio sit lib'atus. 
 
 Infangthef hoc est qd latrones capt' in dino vel in feado v'ro et de 
 latracino suo convit' fu'int in Curia v'ra adiudicent'r. 
 
 Itam si aliquis in eadam villa vel feod Captus fu'it cu manuopere 
 a Sectam alicuius p't' qui Sect' versus eu prosequi volu'int 
 statim iidam Balli et Burgens' assignar' fec'int Diem p'fixam 
 cur' sen tend' vz infra triduQ vel certo Die et sic idem appel- 
 latus coram eis arenabitur. Et si ponere volu'it Jnquis ad- 
 niittet'r. Et si .Inventus fu'it culpabilis indicabit'r et sus- 
 pendet'r. 
 
 OuTFANGTHEF hoc est qd latrones de terra v'ra vel de feodo v'ro 
 
184 APPENDIX. 
 
 extra terrain vel feod' v'ram Capt'r cu latrocinio ad curia 
 
 v'ram ver'tentur et ibi iudicent'r. 
 Tiiam'sokin' hoc est quiet' et amerciament' p' ingressu hospic' vio- 
 
 I'nt sine licentia et contra pacem dni Regis et qd tenet pl'ita 
 
 de huiusmodi transgressionibus in Cur' v'ra. 
 Fforstall' hoc est quiet' de Catall' Arrer' infra terra' v'ram vel 
 
 extra et qd teneant inde pl'it' in Curia v'ra et h'eat' inde' am' 
 
 c' p' neu'. 
 Scott hoc est qd erit' quiet' de quadam consuetudine sicut de Coi 
 
 Tallagio ad opus vie' h' ens Ball'. 
 GiLDA hoc est quit' de consuetudine s'rvili. 
 Benedafgelde hoc est quit' de quadam consuetudine que curit in 
 
 aliquo loco qua quonda le Danes leuauerunt in Anglia. 
 Theolonio hoc est quiet' de oibus Tolnet' in omnibus civitatibus et 
 
 villis Anglie. 
 Restag hoc est quiet de oibus paviment' in oibus Civita'bus et vil- 
 lis Anglie. 
 Passag hoc est quiet' qd possunt lib'e transsir' & equiter' cQ aiali- 
 
 bus et m' cunon molun' ubiq'. 
 MuRAG hoc est qd de denar* dand' ad muros civitat' vel villar'. 
 PoNTAG hoc est quiet' de pontag Civitat' vel villar.' 
 Gaywite hoc est quiet' de denariu dand' ad gwerras et qd custod- 
 
 iant bene et pacifice terras suas p'tin' Burgo p'd'co. 
 Roth hoc est qd quiet' de oibus stallagiis in Regno Anglie. 
 Stallag hoc est quit de oibus stallagiis in oibus Ciuit' et villis in 
 
 Regno Anglie. 
 Hai'SE Y hac est quiet de oibus Tallagiis in oibus locis Regni Anglie. 
 
APPENDIX. 185 
 
 No. VII. 
 
 (The following Exlrncl in rroin llie Extent or the County of Caernarvon, taken by John <lt- Delves, 
 In 1352. 36 Edwarrl III. ami it relates to the neighbourhood of Abcrcoiiwy.) 
 
 COM. caern'von. 
 
 ISSAPH, 
 
 In Extent ' Com' p'd' fact' coram Johen' Delves locum tcnent' 
 Ric' comit' arundell Justiciar' Diii in Northwall' Die ven'is prox' 
 ante flf'um nativitatis S'ci Joh'nis Bab'te, anno Regni R' Edwardi 
 Tertiia Conqu' vicesimo sexto, inter al' continet'r sicprout inferius. 
 
 Eriannus, 
 
 In eadam villa sunt quinq' gavel native, vz. G.ivell vocat' 
 gavell wither, gavell vocat' gavell weithoit, gavell vocatur gavell 
 Ronghagheit, gavell vocat' gavell EiFeiriat, et gavell vocat' gavell 
 loydenewe, et sunt hered' p'd' gavell vocat' gavell wither Blethin 
 ap madwin et David ap moylwin et alii coh'edes sui et reddunt inde 
 quol't termino p'd'cor' Quatuor terminor' ij*. ijd. S'ma p'ann' viij*. 
 viijrf. Et sunt heredes p'd' gavell de gavell withoit, Jeam ap Cad'et 
 Blethin ap madwyn et alii coh'edes sui et reddunt inde quol't 
 terra' p'd' cor' quat' term' ij*. iiijrf. S'ma p' ann' ix*. iiijrf. Et sunt 
 hered' pred'c'e gavell vocat gavell Ronghagheit David ap Eden 
 ap madd' ap teg et reddunt inde quol't termino p'd'cor' quatuor 
 terminor' iij*. iiijeZ. Que suma p'ann' xiij*. jrf. Et de p'd'ca gavell 
 vocat' gavell Efferiat quidam Bleth' ap Rerit' tenet inde quartes 
 p'tes et redd' inde quol't termino quatuor terminor' suprad' xvijrf. 
 Sama p' ann' v*. viijrf. Et solvat inde quol't anno ad ffm S'ci Petri 
 ad vincla ad opus manerii de aver ijrf. ob. Et p' Kylgh stalon 
 p' quatuor p'tib' gavell p'd'ce ijrf. suma p'anu' iijrf. ob. qr. Et 
 p'd'ca gavell de lloydenewy restat in manus coit' villaru istius ville 
 p'defecu hered' p'dimiss' vie' p'serviti' debit.' Et consuet et Redd 
 inde quol't termino p'd'cor terminor' p'd' xvrf. Suma p' ann' V5. 
 Et qual't istaru quinq' gavell nativaru p'dt' quarta p'tes p' dee 
 
186 APPENDIX. 
 
 gavell vocat' gavell Efl'eriat que redd' quolib't anno ad flm S'ci Petri 
 ad vincla ut p'supra in ista villa solu' quol't anno ad d'cum ffm pro 
 repat' man'ii p'dci uyl. et sic suma cunstit' terininii p' dcoru quatuor 
 gavell couiuncta xijrf. Suma p'anu' xijd. Et qualib't p'd'car' quinq' 
 gavell p'ter predict' quarta p'tem solvat quol't anno ad ffm S'ci 
 Petri ad vincla p'd' p' Kilgh stalon iijrf. et sic est suma cuiuslib't 
 termini p'd'carQ gavell' coniunt' xijrf. Suma p' ann' xijrf. Et 
 omnes iste quinq' fact' feet' ad duos magnos turnos per ann' et fac' 
 Carriage princ' apud trefriu aber et usq' aquam belli marisci 
 hoie et equo rapienter diem duos denar' et solum pro quol't reler' 
 vj*. viijrf. Et pro qual't gol vj*. viijrf. et pro qual't annob vj*. viijrf. 
 ct debet sect' ad molam dium' de Conwey et solum Kilgh Raglot 
 et ip'i et omnes villani istius Coraoti solvent' quolib't anno coniunct' 
 ad flestu Pasche et S'ci mich'is p' equales porcoes de fine duoruni 
 magnorum terniinorum p' anum xl*. Suma p' ann' xl*. Suma 
 redd' istius ville p' ann' xliiij*. jd. ob. ultra xl«. pro ffine, Eadeni 
 villa est de treweloge, et est in eadem villa una gavell et terr' p's' 
 unius gavell de terra nativa et sunt hered' Suma Redd p' aun' vj*. 
 ijd. et fac' feet' et oriiia alia ut villam eisdam ville de Eriannus." 
 
 No. VIII. 
 
 (From the Editor't unpublished ManuEcript^J 
 
 A COPY OF HERLE HIS COMMISSION. 
 
 Of the C'unstablenhipe of the Castell of Conwey and Stewardshipe of 
 
 the Ahhye of Bardescy. 
 
 Maria dei gra Anglic ffrauncie et hib'nie Regina fidei Defensor 
 et in terra Eccl'ie Anglicane et hib'nice Supremum Caput. Omni- 
 bus ad quos p'sentes I're p'uen'int saltern. Sciatis qd nos in con- 
 sideracoe boni et fidelis seruicij nobis p'dil'cum servientem nrum 
 .Foli'em lierle unu' de lez Quiries Stabuli n'ri ante hac impens' de 
 gr'a n'ra Sp'iali, certa scientia et mero motu n'ris Dedinnis et Con- 
 eessimus ac p* p'ntes Damns el Concedimus eidam .loh'i herle offi- 
 
APPENDIX. 187 
 
 ciu Constabularii sive Custodis Castri n'ri de Conwey in Com' ii'ro 
 Carn'von infra princip'itatem n'ram North wall i' Ac etiam officiu sen- 
 escalli et Custodis curiaru omn et singloru Dirior' manerioru terr' 
 fen'toru possessionii et hereditamentoru n'roru quorucuq' nup' nio- 
 nastei-io de Bardesey in eodani Com' Carn'von quoquodo spectaii vel 
 p'tineii aut p'cell' possessionu inde nup' existen', Quequidam officia 
 ffranciscus Comes Hunt's nup' h'uit, ac ad p'sens in dono et disposi- 
 coe n'ris legittimo modo existunt, ac ip'm Johanem herle Constabu- 
 lari' et Custode' Castri n'ri de Conwey p'd. Ac Senescalli p'd ma- 
 neri' dinoru terraru ten'toru et ceteroru p'missorii p'd monasterio 
 de Bardsey spectan' et p'tinen', facimus ordinauimusetconstituimus 
 p' p'sentes h'endi gauden' exercend' et occupand' officia p'd' et eo- 
 rum utruq' p'fato Joh'i herle p'se vel p' sufficientem Depulatu su' 
 sive Deputatos su' sufficientes ad Termin' et p' termino vite eiusdam 
 Johanis herle. Et ulterius de uberiori g'ra n'ra dedimus et con- 
 cessimus ac p' p'ntes damus et concediraus eidam Johan herle p' 
 exercicio et occupacde d'cti off'cii Constabularii Castri p' vad' et 
 ft'eod' Quinquaginta libraru p' Ann' ac pro exercicio et occupacoe 
 Die' officii Senescair p'd manerioru terraru ten'toru et ceteroru 
 p'missoru D'co nup' monasterio spectan' et p'tinen' vadu et feod' Ixj*. 
 legalis raonet' Anglie p' Ann' habendu et gaudend' eadam vad' et 
 feod, et eoru utruq' p'fato Johan' herle et assign' suis ad termin' et 
 pro termino vite ip'ius Joh'nis herle p'cipend' animatim p'd feod' 
 qu'quaginta libraru de exitibus p'ficuis et reuenucoibus principali'tis 
 n're Northwall' p'd p'ueniend' et cressen' p' manus Can' arij seu Re- 
 ceptoris n'ri ibini p* temp'e existen' ad festa S'ci Mich'is arch'i etan- 
 unciacois b'te Marie virginis p' equales porcoes, ac p'cipiend' anua- 
 tim p'd vad' Ixjs, p' manus Balliuoru firraarioru tenentiu seu alioru 
 occupator' p'missoru' p'd nup' monasterio p'tinen' p'tempore .de ex- 
 isten' de exitibus et revenucoibus eorudam p'missoru ad festa p'd' 
 p' equales porcoes una cu dibus aliis p'ficius comoditat' et advanta- 
 giis d'cis officiis seu eoru alteri quoquomodo spectan' & p'tinen' in 
 tarn aniplis modo et forma p'ut ffranciscus Comes Hunt' aut aliquis 
 
188 APPENDIX. 
 
 alius sive aliqui alii d'ca officia sen eor' utruq' ante bac h'eus sen 
 gaudens h'entes sen gaudentes h'uit p'cipit vel gavisus fuit, h'uerunt 
 p'ceperunt vel gavisi fuerunt, p'exercicio eodam officior' seu eor' 
 alterius. Et ulteriiis de ampliorig'ra n'radedimus etconcessimus, 
 ac p' p'sentes damus, et concedimus, eidam Joh'ni herle tot et tan- 
 tas Denar* sumas ad qiiot et quantas d'ct' seperalia vad' et feod' et 
 ecru utruq' a festo annunc' b'te Marie virginis ultimo p'terito hue 
 usq' se extendunt et attingunt, h'endi eidam Joh'ni herle ex dono 
 n'ro p' manus Can'arium Balioru seu firmarioru p'd absq' compote 
 seu aliquo alio p'inde nobis hered' vel successor' n'ris quomodo red- 
 dend' solvend' vel faciend' eo qd expressa mentio de vero valore 
 anuo aut de aliquo alio valore vel certitudine p'miss'sive eorum ali- 
 cuius aut de aliis donis sive concessionibus p'nos vel p' aliquem 
 p'genitor n'ror' p'fato Joh'ni herle ante hec tempora lact' in p'sen- 
 tibus minime fit existit aut aliquo statute, actu, ordinacone, p'visi- 
 one, restriccone inde in cotrario fct', edit' ordinat', sive p'viss', aut 
 aliqua alia re causa vel matteria quacunq' in aliquo modo non ob- 
 stant'. In cv\' uui testimoniO has I'ras u'ras fieri fecimus paten- 
 tes, Teste meipsa apud Westm' Decimo die Octobris Anno Kegni 
 primo," 
 
 No. IX. 
 
 The following assessment furnishes us with the names of the~ 
 freeholders and tenants in the year 1567, in the comot of Isav, or 
 Arllechwedd isav, which comprises the parishes of Aberconwy, Gy- 
 ffin, Llangelynin, Caer rhun, and Llanbedr. 
 
 (From the Editor's unpublished RIaniiecripM.) 
 
 COMOTT DE ISSAPHE. 
 
 Kentalle Ruddu' assic' ville de Castclh cum hamlet de llethan, 
 Glyn gronante, penvro, Uanbeder, factum virtute Bris Duo Hegiiio 
 Elizabeth de certiorar' fac' vie' Caern'von direct' viz. Riceo Gruft' 
 unlit' (tiuc vie' Com' p'd' Et Terminitl' xviijo. die apprilis, anno 
 
APPENDIX. 189 
 
 Regni d'ce Dnc Regiuo nono. Per sacram' Hugouis ap Uobt' ap 
 Wm. Owin' ap Rica', Ricci ap mad. Hugonis ap Dd. Owyn ap 
 Gruft' ap Glyii. Owin ap Jon. ap Jeam. Rice' ap Wni. ap gr. 
 Jeam thomas ap Rees. Rob'ti ap Hem ap Jeam. Wm. llema ap 
 Jeam. Ricei ap Wm. Tuder. Hugonis ap Thomas ap R.' Wm. 
 gruff' ap Jeam, Hugonis ap Jon. ap gr, Lewis ap Rob't, et Wm. ap 
 Jon ap Jeam. Qui dicunt sup' sacram' sane', ut sequitur postea. 
 
 Richard Bulkeley mil' 
 
 xxviijs. 
 
 Mores Wynn p'tero Jon ap Jonet ap 
 
 
 
 Jon ap Wm. ... 
 
 
 xd. 
 
 John Wynn ap hugh Ar. 
 
 
 iijd. 
 
 Edward Wms. arm - - - 
 
 xj«. 
 
 viijd. 
 
 Hugh ap Rob't ap Wm. gen' 
 
 xxvjs. 
 
 viijd. 
 
 Henry Wms. 
 
 viijs. 
 
 iiijd. 
 
 Rob't ap hugh ap Rlnalte - 
 
 
 iiijd. 
 
 Gruff ' Davis arm - 
 
 
 xvjd. 
 
 Richard hampton - - - 
 
 
 xxd. 
 
 Richard Peecke ... 
 
 
 xd. 
 
 George Gruff' 
 
 xvjs. 
 
 viijd. 
 
 Tyr Gruff' wyth 
 
 
 vjd. 
 
 Wm. ap Rob't ap m'dlth 
 
 vs. 
 
 ijd. 
 
 Owin ap David ... 
 
 iiijs. 
 
 iljd. 
 
 Thomas gruff' 
 
 Iij5. 
 
 ixd. 
 
 Thomas ap David Uoyd 
 
 
 vjd. ob. 
 
 Thomas ap Wm. ap David - 
 
 
 iiijd. 
 
 Hugh Stodarte 
 
 
 xxd. 
 
 Rees ap lima ap gr pellyn - 
 
 ijs. 
 
 jd. 
 
 Rob't ap mredlth ap Wm. - 
 
 
 ijd. 
 
 John ap Wm, gruff' 
 
 
 vjd. 
 
 William ap Rob't ap glynn- 
 
 xviijd. 
 
 Rob't ap Rees ap Richard - 
 
 J> 
 
 xvijd. 
 
 Lowry uch owen ap thomas ap hoi' 
 
 
 vjd. 
 
 Jeam iloyd ap hoi' ap Rees 
 
 
 ijd. 
 
190 APPENDIX. 
 
 John ap Rees ap Tudyr - - xiiijd. 
 
 David ap Jeam ap mad - - vijd. 
 
 Wm. ap hugh ap Rees ap Rob't - ijd. 
 
 GriifF' ap Rees ap Wni. - - ijd, 
 
 William holland - - - ij* jd, 
 
 Hugh holland - - - ijjd. ob. 
 
 Kay llyder - - - xijd. 
 
 David ap Jon thomas - - xvjd. 
 
 Humphrey holland - - ijd. 
 
 Nicholas mellers - - - ixd. 
 
 Raffe mellers - . . j^, 
 
 David ap Rees ap Ric' - - jd. 
 
 Lewis ap Rees ap David - - jiijd. 
 
 Tyrtutur gwyn yn bryn y bettus iiijd. 
 
 Wm. ap Richard ap Rees - vijd. 
 Jonet uch gruff' & annes uch gruff' iij«. 
 
 Hugh thomas ap Jeam ap Rees - xjd. 
 
 Hugh thomas ap Rees - - iiijd. 
 
 Owen David lloyd - - viijd. 
 
 Wm. gruff' ap glyn - - vjd. 
 
 Wm. ap Jon ap Jeam - - vjd. 
 
 Ffowlke ap Ric' ap dd ap pellyn - vjd. 
 
 Wm. ap Ric' ap David - - ijd. 
 
 Kay waryng yn moditba - - ijs. viijd. 
 
 Kay waryng yn lloydvayn - xijd. 
 
 Owen ap Wm. ap Rees - - xijd. 
 
 Wm. thomas ap Jeam ap dd - xvijd. ob. 
 
 David ap Wm. ap m'edd - - iiijd. 
 
 Hugh ap owen ap dd ap thomas - viijd. 
 
 Hugh ap Wm. ap lleam - xvijd. 
 
 Wm. Bulkeley m'ce'^ - - viijd. 
 
 Howell gruff' ap Jonkyn - xviijd. 
 Tyr Crach y Bryn - • v<r. 
 
 Y gydwerne - - - vjd. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 191 
 
 Thomas Salusbury - - "U*- 
 
 
 Robert ap Sr hiigli 
 
 iiijd. 
 
 Hugh ap Dd ap Rob't - 
 
 xiijd. 
 
 Y Briwnaynt 
 
 vd. 
 
 Tyi- Carweir - - - ijs. 
 
 jd. ob, 
 
 TyrStyffan 
 
 xxd. 
 
 Rob't owen ap J'- 
 
 xjd. 
 
 Thomas ap Wni. ap madd' 
 
 jd. ob, 
 
 Morvydd uch Rob't ap madd' 
 
 iijd. ob 
 
 Rob't ap Ueam ap Jeam ap Dd - iij«. 
 
 vjd. 
 
 Wm. ap lleam ap Jeam ap David 
 
 xxd. 
 
 Robert ap Wm. ap thomas ap llel- 
 
 vjd. 
 
 Robert ap Wm. Rob't ap lowies - 
 
 iijd. 
 
 Ffowlke ap Richard ap Wm. 
 
 iijd. ob. 
 
 Rob't lewis ap madd' 
 
 ijd. 
 
 Mores ap John ap Rees - 
 
 viijd. 
 
 Hugh ap Jon gruff' 
 
 viijd. 
 
 Harry ap glyn 
 
 ixd. 
 
 Jeam ap hugh ap Rees ap Jon 
 
 iiijd. 
 
 Thomas ap Rob't m'dith - 
 
 vd. 
 
 Rob't ap m'edd ap Wm. p'terre 
 
 
 katerin uch Jon ap Wm. matter sun' 
 
 xijd. 
 
 Alsoa uch Jon ap Wm. 
 
 xjd. 
 
 Marseley uch Jon ap Wm.- 
 
 xijd. 
 
 Cadlayes y viccar - 
 
 iiijd. 
 
 Annes uch Jon ap Wm. - 
 
 xijd. 
 
 Thomas Wyn ap Edmond - 
 
 jd. 
 
 Rees ap madd' ap glyn 
 
 iiijd. 
 
 Richard ap Wm. gruff ' 
 
 ijd. 
 
 Tyr tutor gwyn yn mron hythgene- 
 
 iiijd. 
 
 Jeam thomas ap Rees 
 
 viijd. 
 
 Tyr Rob't ap Dd ap yollyn 
 
 iijd. 
 
 Richard ap Wm. Tudder - 
 
 xvijd. 
 
 Hugh ap Dd ap Jeam Dico - ijs. 
 
 
192 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 William hookcs - . . o. 
 
 Tyrtalgwge - . . j^^ 
 
 Jon ap Sr Wm. - . . y^ 
 
 Rich ap R. p'tei la Jon moyles terr' xxjd. 
 
 Annes ucli thonias ap R'ap gronwe vijd. 
 
 Alis uch thomas ap R' ap gronwe - iiijd. 
 
 Kateiin uch thomas R' ap gronwe - iijrf, 
 Edd' Wms htigh ap Rob't ap Wm. 
 
 p'pte molend llanbedr - - \\\d. 
 
 Wm Hooks p' p'te molend' p'd' - iiijd. 
 Thomas Assaphe Ep'us p' p'te s' 
 
 molend p'd' - . . jj^^ 
 
 Gruff' Davis p' p'te molend p'd' - ijd. 
 
 Hugh Davies p' p'te molend p'd' - iUjd. 
 
 George Davies p' p'te molend' p'd' ijd. 
 Wm ap R' ap gronowe p' p'te molend p'd' ijd. 
 Rob't ap Thomas ap lleam ap dd p' 
 
 p'te molend p'd' - . jj. 
 
 Elen uch dd p' p'te molend' p'd' - jd. 
 
 Thomas Dd Uoyd p' p'te molend' p'd' ijd. 
 
 Wm hoUand p" p'te s' molend' p'd' jrf. 
 
 Kay madd' Krache - . xxd. 
 
 Ellen gruff' ap glyn - . jd. 
 
 Wm ap Rich, ap Wm. - - ijijd. 
 Suma hui' Rental' p' ann' - xji.iiijs. viijd. ob. 
 
 Sua p' ann' ixi. iiijs. vd. "> 
 
 ffoed'Bal'ib'm-xb. iijd. ob. j ''•''• '^'- ""J'^' ''^' 
 
APPENDIX. 193 
 
 No. X. 
 
 (From the F.<liloi'« unpiihlisheil Mamurn|iti.) 
 
 The recepte of Mr. Wyll'am Holland and Hugh byrkedale 
 Stuarts of y* mylnes from y'= feaste of saynt Edwarde the confessor 
 in ye xxij yere of ye rayne of kynge Henry the viij unto y* same 
 feaste next folowynge. 
 
 Margere browne a hoope* vvhete - 'xvjd. 
 
 Marget peycke a l)oope whete - xvjd. 
 
 Alyse Holland a hoope whete - xvjd. 
 
 Jenet davjd a hoope vvhete - xvjd. 
 
 Agnes vz engyon a pecke whete - iiijd. 
 
 Davyd ap Tudyr a pecke whete - iiijd. 
 
 Geffrey ap Jankin a hoope mongecorne xijd. 
 
 Helyn Peycke a stryke mongecorne ijs. 
 
 Alyse Stodart a hoope whete - xvd. 
 
 Helyn Hoocks a hoope whete - xvd. 
 
 Helyn aldersley a hoope whete - xvjd. 
 John ap gniffyth d. hoope monge- 
 corne - - - - vd. 
 Edmunde dd. a hoope mongecorne xvd. 
 John ap Tudyr a stryke mongecorne ijs . 
 Kenalde ap gruffyth a stryke 
 
 mongecorne - . - xxd. 
 
 Hon ap Tudyr a stryke mongecorne xxd. 
 
 James lathwood d. a hoope whete - viijd. 
 
 Lewys ap Rese d. a hoope whete - viijd. 
 
 Thomas byrkedale d. a hoope whete viijd. 
 Gwenhovar vz ethel d. a quarter 
 mongecorne ... yjs. viijd. 
 
 •Two cibyns make one peck, four pei:ks one hoop, two hoops one strike, aud four 
 Dtriket one quarter. 
 
 N 
 
\Q4 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Harie ap Ho" a hoope mongecorne xrf. 
 
 Dauyd ap ginffyth iij stiyke nioDge- 
 
 corne - . . y^ 
 
 John aldersley a hoope mongecorne xd. 
 
 Kolanci lee a hoope mongecorne - xd. 
 
 Jane acton d. a hoope whete - viijd. 
 
 Rese ap Jeuan d. a hope monge- 
 corne - - - . ^^ 
 
 Rye' ap Rese a hoope otemeie - xjrf, 
 
 Wylliam oclt-y d. a hoope otemeie vjd. 
 
 (Iwenllean vz Robert d. a hoope 
 
 mongecorne - - . y^_ 
 
 Meredyth ap Wylliam astryke & d. 
 mongecorne - - . jj,. yj</. 
 
 (Jvvenhovarvzbedoa hoope otemeie xijd. 
 
 Jenet totte d. a hoope whete - vijd. 
 
 Agnes porter d. a hoope mongecorne vd. 
 
 Katerin stodart a hoope whete - xvd. 
 
 Wylliam ap gwylym a lioope 
 
 mongecorne - - . ^j, 
 
 Hugh byrches d. a hoope otemeie - vjd. 
 
 Kateryn bulkeley d. a hoope otemeie -vjd. 
 
 Wylliam ap Robart ij stryke monge- 
 corne - - - . iiJ5. iiijd, 
 
 Marget pygot a hoope mongecorne xd. 
 Edmunde taylyord. a hoope monge- 
 corne - - - . vjf_ 
 
 Gwenhovar vz madoc d. a boope 
 
 otemeie- - - yjd. ob. 
 
 Hugh byrkedale d. a hoope whete xd. 
 Kateryn vz Thomas a hoope monge 
 
 come - - . . xijrf. 
 William maderer d. a hoope mongecorne vjd. 
 
 Dauyd ap Reee a boope otemeie - xijd. 
 
APPENDIX. 195 
 
 Rye' ap John a hoope moiigecoriie xijd. 
 Rycharde Holland a pecke monge- 
 
 corne - - - " 'y** 
 
 Marget schennan d. a lioope whete xd. 
 Jenet vz Rycluirtd. a hoope monge- 
 
 corne . - - - " *'J*' 
 
 Gwen vz engyon a peck whete - vd. 
 
 Jonne Robinson d. a hoope whete xvjd. 
 
 Daiiyd mylner iij pecks monjjecoine ixd. 
 
 John Salysbie d. a hoope whete - xijd. 
 Robert ap Rychaid a hoope & d. 
 
 mongecoine - - - xviijd. 
 Haire acton a hoope whete - xvjd. 
 Marget louden a kehyn whets - ijd. 
 John biu'ro a hoope inongecoine - xd. 
 Rye' ap Thomas a hoope monge- 
 coine - - - - ^^■ 
 (The remaining 20.i items ure a repciidon of the 
 above names. ) 
 
 S'ma - - \ij'''. xixs. xjd. ob. 
 
 John Carter a stiyke malte - wVyd. 
 Marget scherman a strykc & d. 
 
 malte - - - - 'J*- '«''• 
 
 Thomas byrkedale a hoope malte - >jd. 
 Hugh byrkedale xiij stryke malte x\ijs. ixd. 
 
 John barker d. a hoope malte - vJ. 
 
 Helyn mellers a hoope m ilto - xd. 
 
 Helyn peycke ij quarter & d. malte was. 
 
 John mylner a Gtiyke malt - xviijd. 
 
 Agnes Conwcy ij .stryke - - i'j«- 
 (The remaining ile>r>s are b9 in number. ) 
 
 S'ma - - xxij/i. vij.s. NJd. ob, 
 
 S'ma tdt. - xxxv/j. vijs. >Jd. 
 
 N 2 
 
196 APPENDIX. 
 
 The sum total of the disbursements is xxvij/i. xiijj. iijrf. 
 Et sic remanet declar' ----- vij/j. xiiij*. viijrf. 
 Et Willms Holland et Hugo Brykedale sol' iiide vz xiijo. die 
 Janiiarij ao. H. viij. xxiijo. — vli. vjs. vjc/. 
 
 M.D. that the said Hugh Byrkedale hath paid to the handys of 
 Hugh hookys the some of v/. vj*. viijd, p'oell" whereof paid by the 
 hands of the said hugh hookys to Nich'as mellures to pay the King 
 xxs. and also paid to Mr. aruold his fee vj*. viijd. and the rest 
 wiche is xxs. the said hugh paid to the comyn coffre. 
 
 M.D. that the xiiij Daye oflF January in the xxiij^A yere of the 
 reign of Kyng Henry the viij Ric' bulkeley then beyng ald'ma by 
 thassent of all the comes of the tovvue of Conwey delyv'yd the said 
 vli. vjs. vjd. unto hugh peyk hugh hooks Nich'as Mellures & 
 Bartholomew stodart w other money to sue for the said towne of 
 Conwey. Hugh peicke. Rye' peicke vicar. Wyllam hoUand 
 p'rte. hugh hokys. 
 
 Be it also in remembrance that the said xiiijfA day of January in 
 the foresaid xxiijrf. yere of the Reign of Kyug henry the viijt/i ther 
 was taken out of the comyn coti're xijli xixs. ixd. of the whiche xij/i. 
 xixs. ixd. ^'j/i. xix*. ixd. were delyv'yd the said hugh peyk hugh 
 hoks Nichas Mellurs & Barth' Stodart for their cost, and the other 
 vjli. were delyu'yd the said Nich'as Mellurs to kepe and to make 
 accompt thereof agayne unto the comes of the said towne. 
 
 M.D. that the said hugh peyke, hugh hookys, nich'as mellures, 
 fcc Barth' stodart, in the fest of Saynt Mathie theap'leao. xxij H. viij 
 accompted in the Comyn house beffore the comburges howe they 
 spend the said xij/j. xix*. ixd. whereof they were allowed & acgwytte 
 but viijf. wiche Rcsleth in the hands of the said hugh peick. 
 
APPENDIX. \97 
 
 No. XI. 
 
 A copy of part of the last Will and Testament of the late Lewei 
 
 Owen, Esq. deceased: 
 
 I give and bequeath unto the aforesaid Hugh Williams and Henry 
 Jones, and to there heirs for ever, Jointly all my Rectory of Conway, 
 and right of patronage to the Vicar of Conway, and all my Tythes 
 in Conway & Glethaieth, with their appurtenance, in the County of 
 Carnarvon, to the uses following (that is to say) that they the said 
 Hugh Williams and Henry Jones and there heirs shall let and sett 
 the Rectory Tythes and Premises last mentioned to the utmost 
 value, which shall be yearly for ever laid out and bestowed in 
 Woollen and Linnen Cloaths, to be cutt out into gowns shirts and 
 smocks, with stockings & shoes, and the same to be given every AU- 
 hoUan day yearly for ever unto poor men and women dwelling in the 
 the Town of Conway, and in the three parishes in the Comott of Cry- 
 thin, viz' each of them a gown, a shirt, or a smock, a pair of shoes, a 
 pair of stockings to the value of twenty shillings, or thereabouts, at 
 the discretion of the said Hugh Williams, Henry Jones, and Robert 
 Salsbury and their heirs, and of y** Vicars and Churchwardens of 
 the four several parishes of Conway, Eglerosse, Llangwstenin, and 
 Llandidno, there for the time being, each poor man and woman 
 being three score years old at the least. Except they be starke blind, 
 and they or any four of them to certify under there hands before 
 the feast of Christmas in every year unto the Bishops of the Diocese 
 where the said tithes lie that they have performed this my bequest 
 according to the true intent of my will. And I further will that 
 those persons who shall by force of this my will enjoy my lands in 
 Eglecrosse and Llynsteninge, shall for ever pay to the poor of the 
 said Two Parishes Twelve pence a piece weekly in Bread, as they 
 have always by me received the same; Le. Owen. Signed sealed 
 and published by the said Lewes Owen as his last will & Testament 
 4th day of Sept. 1623, in theijresence of TobyMathew, Rice Lane. ser». 
 
Il>8 AFPKNUIX. 
 
 No. xir. 
 
 COWYDI) I SANT FKRAJU 
 
 tFrom the EOilur'a unpubllsliiit ^MmiiuirlpU.) 
 
 Y lleian liaidd y\v ilun hon, 
 Lie i urddwyd holl y vverddon; 
 Merch i'r gwr niowrwych a gaid, 
 Dip dacws o dop dnciaid. 
 Santes iiith oedes i'tli ddyiU), 
 Sanffiaid lesu i tfrydydd. 
 With ddeclire dy witliie diwan, 
 A'(h fuchedd nid iaith feclian, 
 ^ dydd morwyn ddedwydd wyd, 
 O'lh ddawn oil i'th ynilhvyd ; 
 Coes dy lysfain, garni gwaitli, 
 Draw dam a dorwyd ymaith, 
 'fyfodd, niavvr i gwnaid liefyd, 
 O'lh rad goes a throed 1 gyd ; 
 Mynuaist i wan, niynwes deg 
 Mai ar gwyr, m^l or garreg. 
 Tieiglaist o bob tii i'r eglwys 
 Tryvvyr gynt a fii'n troi'r srwys. 
 A'th gogal i droi'r ail draw, 
 Ni bu chwclydr heb chwiliaw. 
 Ymenyn gviyn am nn gair 
 Aeth Nil lliidw,waith anlladair; 
 A lliuhv aeth yn llaw dyn 
 ^ n y man yn ymenyn : 
 A chwrw a wnaed, chwaer i Non, 
 Mewii da gawg mwy na dignn, 
 
APPENDIX. \ii9 
 
 I beri daioni dwys 
 
 Dyn wiw glaer daiinaw eglwyg. 
 
 Khoddaist i'r cantief liefyd 
 
 Er Duvv gaws y niaerdy i gyd. 
 
 Ag er rhoi caws y gwr can, 
 
 Dydd a nos nid oedd un eisiau. 
 
 Gwyddit y pyintheg gweddi, 
 
 A gwedd teg y gweddiyt i ; 
 
 Bwiit y nythlen wennaul 
 
 O bail law trwm ar belydr haul. 
 
 O'r Werddon ar y donnen 
 I'r nior yn wir, inorwyn wen, 
 
 Da nofiaist hyd yn Nyfi, 
 Mae dull Duw ar dy fantell di : 
 Ar li i doetliost i'r Ian, 
 Sy'n ffrwyd loew, sanffraid leian : 
 Gwnaethost o'r brwyn yngwynedd 
 Pysgod glan, pasg gyda gwledd. 
 Bwrlaist ymrig y berwr 
 Brwynied yn obru yn y dwr. 
 Byw'n iach deg buon i'ch dwrn, 
 Byw'n esgiid heb un asgwrn : 
 Aincenaist ni ddeliaist ddig 
 Weled Pedr o wlad Padrig; 
 Gwelaist nef ynhref Rufain, 
 Gwyl wen Fair a'i gloewon fain, 
 Ar nowradd morwyn wirion, 
 Ar o lauhau yw'r wyl hon. 
 A'th wyl a 'sodes lesu, 
 Noswyl Fair fal duw sul fu ; 
 Gwnaethost yddyn yn Llundain 
 Y maer yn farch, morwyn fain ; 
 Llawer a wnaeth Duw erod ; 
 Lie bych ocb am allu bod ! 
 
200 APE^ENDIX. 
 
 Rhwyddhoist rhotldaist yii rhydd ?' 
 Rhag y pab wraig y pobydd ; 
 Rhwmaist y cythrel crenlawn, 
 Rhoed a'th Dduw a rhad a'th ddawn : 
 Rhoed Duw (inau y rhydd feinir 
 Rliag pob diawl, pan lo hawl hir; 
 Ffyrnig cvvn uffern i caid, 
 Da Fred fwyn difryd f'enaid. 
 
 loHWERTH I'^NGLWYD, a'icant. 
 
 THE END, 
 
 CI.WYDIAN OI riCF., 
 DENBIOH, PRIMED BY 1 HUM AS OEE 
 
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