Britain, or A chorographicall description of the most flourishing kingdomes, England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the ilands adjoyning, out of the depth of antiquitie beautified vvith mappes of the severall shires of England: vvritten first in Latine by William Camden Clarenceux K. of A. Translated newly into English by Philémon Holland Doctour in Physick: finally, revised, amended, and enlarged with sundry additions by the said author.

[ A]

CAERMARDEN-SHIRE.

CAERMARDEN-SHIRE,* 1.1 is plenteous enough in Corne, sto∣red abundantly with Cartaile and in some places yeeldeth pit cole for fewell. On the East side it is limited with Glamorgan, and Brechnock-shires, on the West with Pembrock-shire, on the North with Cardigan-shire severed from it by the River Tivie running betweene, and on the South with the Ocean, which [ B] with so great a Bay or Creeke getteth within the Land, that this Countrey seemeth as it were for very feare to have shrunke backe, and withdrawne it selfe more inwardly.

Upon this Bay,* 1.2 Kidwelly first offereth it selfe to our sight, the Territory whereof, K••tani the Scot his sonnes held for a time, untill they were driven out by Cuneda the Britan. But now it is counted part of the inheritance of the Dutchy of Lancaster by the heires of Maurice of London or De Londres: who making an outroad hither out of Glamorgan-shire, after a dangerous war made himselfe Lord heereof, and fortified old Kidwelly with a wall and Castle to it, which now for very age is growne to decay and standeth, as it were, forlet and forlorne. For, the Inhabitants having passed over [ C] the little River Vendraeth Vehan, built a new Kidwelly, entised thither by the commo∣dity of the haven, which notwithstanding at this day being choked with shelves and barres, is at this present of no great use. Whiles Maurice of London invaded these parts,* 1.3 Guenliana the wife of Prince Gruffin, a stout and resolute woman in the highest degree, to recover the losses and declining state of her husband, came with displai∣ed banner into the field and fiercely assailed him, but the successe not answerable to her courage, shee with her sonne Morgan, and other men of especiall note (as Gi∣rald recordeth) was slaine in battaile. By Hawis or Avis the daughter and heire of Sir Thomas of London: this passing faire and large patrimony, together with the Title of Lord of Ogmor and Kidwelly came unto Patricke-Chaworth, and by his sonne Pa∣trickes [ D] daughter, unto Henry Earle of Lancaster. Now the heires of the said Mau∣rice of London (as we learne out of an old Inquisition) for this inheritance,* 1.4 were bound to this service, that if their Soveraigne Lord the King, or his chiefe Justice came into the parts about Kidwelly with an Army, they should conduct the foresaid Army with their banners and their people through the middest of Nethland as farre as to Loghar. A few miles be∣neath Kidwelly,* 1.5 the River Tovie, which Ptolomee calleth TOBIUS falleth into the the Sea, after he hath passed through this Region from North-East to South, first by Lanandiffry, so called, as men thinke, of Rivers meeting together; which Hoel the sonne of Rhese overthrew for malice that hee bare unto the English: * 1.6 then by Dine∣vor, a princely Castle, standing aloft upon the top of an hill, and belonging unto the [ E] Princes of South Wales whiles they flourished: and last of all, by Caer Marden, which the Britans themselves call Caer-Firdhin,* 1.7 Ptolomee, MARIDUNUM, Antonine, MU∣RIDUNUM, who endeth his Journeies there, and through negligence of the transcri∣bers is in this place not well used. For they have confounded the Journeies from Galena to Isca, and from Maridunum to Viriconium. This is the chiefe City of the country, for medowes and woods pleasant, and in regard of antiquity to be respected; Compassed about very properly, as Giraldus saith, with bricke walles, which are partly yet standing upon the famous river Tovit, able to beare small ships, although there be now a barre of sand cast up against the very mouth thereof.* 1.8 In this City was borne the * 1.9 Tages of the Britans, I meane Merlin: For like as Tages being the sonne of an evill Angell [ F] taught his Countrimen the Tuscans the art of Sooth saying, so this Merlin the sonne of an Incubus Spirit, devised for our Britans prophesies, nay rather meere phantasti∣call dreames. Whereby, in this Island he hath been accounted among the credulous and unskilfull people a most renowned Prophet. Straight after the Normans entring

into Wales, this City was reduced (but I wot not by whose conduct) under their [ A] subjection, and for a long time sore afflicted with many calamities and distresses, be∣ing oftentimes assaulted, once or twice set on fire, first by Gruffin ap Rise, then by Rise the said Gruffins brother: at which time, Henry Turbervill an Englishman succoured the Castle, and hewed downe the Bridge. But afterwards by the meanes of Gil∣bert de Clare, who fortified both the walles thereof, and the Castles adjoyning, it was freed from these miseries: and being once eased of all grievances, and in security, endured afterwards more easily from time to time the tempests of warre and all as∣saults: And the Princes of Wales of the English bloud, I meane the first begotten sonnes of the Kings of England, ordained heere their Chauncery and Exchequer, for all South Wales. [ B]

* 1.10Neere unto this City on the East side lyeth Cantred-Bichan, that is, The lesse Hun∣dred (for the Britans terme a portion of land that containeth 100. Villages a Cantred) in which, beside the ruines of Careg Castle situate upon a Rocke, rising on every side steepe and upright,* 1.11 there are many under-mines or caves of very great widenesse within the ground, now covered all over with green-sord and turfe, wherein it is thought the multitude unable to beare armes hid themselves, during the heate of warre: there is also heere a Fountaine, that as Giraldus writeth, Twice in foure and twenty houres ebbing and twice flowing resembleth the unstable motions of the maine Sea.

* 1.12But on the North-East side, there stretcheth it selfe a great way out, Cantredmaur, that is, The great hundred, a most safe refuge for the Britans in times past, as being [ C] thicke set with woods, combersome to travaile in, by reason the waies are intricate by the windings in and out of the hils, Southward stand Talcharn and Lhan-Stephan Castles upon rockes of the Sea,* 1.13 which are most notable witnesses of martiall valour and prowesse as well in the English as in the Welsh. Beneath Talcharn, Taff sheddeth it selfe into the Sea, by the side whereof was in times past that famous Twy Gwin ar Taff,* 1.14 that is, The white house upon the River Taff, because it was built of white Hazels for a summer house: where, in the yeere of our Redemption 914. * 1.15 Hoel, sirnamed Dha, that is, Good, Prince of Wales, in a frequent Assembly of his States (for there met there beside others, of the Clergie one hundred and forty) abrogated the an∣cient ordinances, and established new lawes for his Subjects, as the Prooeme to the [ D] very lawes themselves doe witnesse: In which place afterward, a little Abbay na∣med White land,* 1.16 was built. Not farre from whence is Killmayn Lhoyd; where, of late daies certaine country people hapned upon an earthen Vessell, in which was hour∣ded a mighty deale of Romane Coine,* 1.17 of embased silver: from the time of Commo∣dus the Romane Emperour, who first embased silver, unto the fifth Tribuneship of Gordian the third, which fell just with the yeere of Christ 243. Among these, were certaine peeces of Helvius Pertinax, of Marcus Opellius, of Antoninus Diadumenianus, of Julius Verus Maximus the sonne of Maximinus, of Calius Balbivus, of Clodius Pupienus, of Aquilia Severa the wife of Elagabalus and of Sall. Barbia Orbiana, which among Antiquaries are of greatest price and estimation, as being most rare of all others. [ E] Now it remaineth that I should relate, how upon the river Tivy, that separateth this County from Cardigan-shire,* 1.18 there standeth New-Castle (for so they call it at this day) which Sir Rhise ap Thomas that warlike Knight who assisted Henry the Seventh when he gat the Crowne, and was by him right worthily admitted unto the Socie∣ty of the Knights of the Garter, renewed: whereas before time it was named Elme∣lin. Which name, if the Englishmen gave unto it of Elme-trees, their conjecture is not to bee rejected,* 1.19 who will have it to bee that LOVENTIUM of the DIME∣TAE, whereof Ptolomee maketh mention: For, the Britans call Elmes Llwiffen. But seeing I can finde by no record in Histories, which if the Normans first wrested this Country out of the hands of the Princes of Wales, I am to proceed now or∣derly [ F] to the description of Pembroch-shire.

It hath Parishes 87.

[illustration]

PENBROK Comitatus olim Pars DEMETARVM

[illustration]

Notes

• * 1.1

  Caer Marden-shire.
• * 1.2

  Kidwelly.
• * 1.3

  Guenliana, a woman of man∣ly courage.
• * 1.4

  Lords of Og••mor and Kid∣welly.
• * 1.5

  River Tovie.
• * 1.6

  Dinevor.
• * 1.7

  Maredunum. Caer merdin.
• * 1.8

  Merlin.
• * 1.9

  Divinour or Prophet.
• * 1.10

  Cantred Bitham. Cantred.
• * 1.11

  Caves under the ground.
• * 1.12

  Cantredmaur.
• * 1.13

  Talcharn. Lhan-Stephan.
• * 1.14

  Taff River.
• * 1.15

  Haelius.
• * 1.16

  Whiteland.
• * 1.17

  Peeces of Ro∣man Coine.
• * 1.18

  New Castle.
• * 1.19

  Loventium.