A description of Wales by Sr John Prise Knight.

Of Deheubarth or Dinevowr.

This Kingdome although it was the largest, yet was it not* 1.1 the best (in Giraldus his opinion) when the Division was made, in regard it was much infested with the Saxons, and afterwards with Flemings and Normans, and for that in divers parts there∣of the Lords would not obey their Prince, as in Gwent and Morgannwc: It was divided into six Parts. 1. Caredigion* 1.2 was the first, it contained 4 Cantreds and 10 Comots, 1. Can∣tref Penwedic which had in it these Comots, Geneurglyn, Perveth & Creuthyn. 2. Cantref Canawl had these, Mevenyth, Anhunoc and Pennarth. 3. Cantref Castell had these Comots, Mabwyni∣on and Caerwedros. 4. Cantref Syrwen had these, Gwenionyth and Iscoed: This part is at this day called in English Cardigan∣shire, in Welsh Swydh Aberteivi. It is a champion Country without much wood: It hath been divers times overcome by the Flemings and Normans, who built in it severall Castles, but could not keep it: It hath on the East Northwales, the River Dyvi and part of Powys; upon the South Carmarthenshire: on the West the River Teivi and Pembrokeshire, and on the North the Irish Sea. In this is the Towne of Cardigan, upon Teivi, not farre from the Sea: the Towne of Aberystwyth, upon the River Ystwyth, by the Sea: Llanbadarn Vawr once an Episco∣pall See, wherein was a famous Sanctuary in times past, and a place of Religious and Learned men; the Castles of Stratmeyric, Gwalter, of Llanrysted, of Dynerth, of the sons of Wyneaon, of Aberheidol and many more, the Abbey of Strata Florida, the Townes of Tregaron, Llandhewibrevi &c.

2. The 2d part was called Dyvet, at this day Pembrokeshire:* 1.3 It had in it 8 Cantreds and 23 Comots, which were these, 1. Cantref Emlyn, that had these Comots, Vwchcuch, Iscuch and Levethyr: 2. Cantref Arberth had these, Penrhyn ar Elays, Este∣rolef and Talacharn: 3. Cantref. Daugleddeu these, Amgoed, Pennant, and Evelfre. 4. Cantref Ycoed these, Llanhayaden and Castell Gwys. 5. Cantref Penbhro these, Coed yr hâ••, Maenor byrr and Penvro. 6. Cantref Ros these, Hulfforth, Castell Gwalch∣mai and Ygarn. 7. Cantref Pebidioc these, Mynyw, Pencaer and Pebidioc. 8. Cantref Cemais these, Vwchnever, Isnever and Trefdraeth: In this part are diverse Townes and Havens, as Pembroke, Tenby (in Welsh Dynbech y Pyseot) Harford West

(Hwl••fforth) the faire Haven of Milford (in Welsh Aberdaugled∣••eu) St Davids or Menevia (in Welsh Mynyw) the chiefest Epis∣copall See in Wales; Fiscard or Abergwayn, Newport or Tref∣draeth; these are along the Sea coast, or not far off. There are divers Castles therein as Cilgerran, Arberth, Gwys, Llanhayaden, Walwyn, &c. This Part was won first by the Mountgomery•• Earles of Shrewsbury, was after given to the Marshalls, and so to Valence. The Princes of Wales were from thence most trou∣bled with Normans and Flemings, who remaine to this day, and inhabit about Tenby, Pembroke and in Ros, and can speak no Welsh, nor good English as yet. It hath on the West and North the Irish Sea, the Spanish Sea upon the south, upon the East Carmarthenshire, and Cardiganshire on the North East.

3. The 3d part was Carmarthenshire, which had 4 Can∣treds* 1.4 and 15 Comots, as 1. Cantref Fini••c, which hath these Comots, Har••ryn, Dervedd and Isgeneny. 2. Cantref Eginoc, which hath these Gwyr, now in Glamorganshire, Cydweli and Carnwyllion. 3. Cantref Bachan these, Malhaen, Caeo, and Mae∣nor Deilo. 4. Cantref Mawr these, Cethineoc, Comot mab Elvyw, Comot mab Uchdryd and Wydigada: In this shire are severall Townes and Castles, as Caermardyn, Dinevowr, the Seat of the Prince of the Country, Newtowne, Llandeilo, Llanymddyfry, Emlyn, Swansey (in Welsh Abertawy) now in Glamorganshire a Towne by the Sea: the Castle of the sonnes of Uchiryd, of ••lanstephan and others: It hath upon the West Dyuet or Pem∣brokeshire, on the North Cardiganshire, on the South-West the Sea, on the South-East Glamorgan, and on the East Brecknock∣shire. It is reckoned the strongest part of all Southwales, as be∣ing full of high Mountains, great Woods, and faire Rivers, espe∣cially Towy.

4. The 4th called Morganwc (now Glamorganshire) contained* 1.5 4 Cantreds with 15 Comots: As Cantref Croneth with these Comots, Rhwng Neth ag Avon, Tîr yr Hwndrwd and Maenor Glynogwr. 2. Cantref Pennythen with these, Meyskyn, Glynrhod∣ni, Maenor Talavan and Maenor Ruthyn. 3. Cantref Brenhinol with these, Cibowr, Senghennyth, Uwchcaeth and Iscaeth. 4. Cantref Gwen••lhwg, which is now in Monmouthshire, with these Comots, Yrhardh Ganol and Eithaf dylygion. In this part are many Townes, Castles and Ancient places, as Landaff a Bishops

See, Caerdyff, in Welsh Caerdhydd, Cowbridge (in Welsh Y bont Vaen, that is, a Stone-bridge) Neath, Ab••avon, Bridgend, Lantwyt, Caerffili, St Donats (the Seat of the ancient Family of the Stradlings) Margam (now the Seat of the Mansells another noble Family) and other: It hath diverse Rivers, which runne to the South Sea, as Lay, Tâf, Tawy, Neth, Avon, Ogwr or Og∣mor, and Llychwr; It hath on the South the Severne Sea, which divideth it from Devonshire and Cornwall, upon the West and Northwest Carmarthenshire, upon the North East Brecknocke∣shire, and Monmouthshire upon the East.

5. The Fifth part was called Gwent, & is now in Monmouth∣shire;* 1.6 It had 3 Cantreds and 10 Comots, as 1. Cantref Gwent, which had these Comots, Ymynyth, Iscoed, Llefnydh and Trefy∣grug. 2. Cantref Iscoed these, Brynbuga, Uwchcoed, Y Teirtref and Erging ac Ewyas, now in Herefordshire. 3. Cantref Coch, which is now in Glocestershire and called the Forrest of Deane: In this part is the ancient City of Caerllêon upon Us••, where was in old time the See of the Arch Bishop of Wales; here are also divers Townes and Castles, as Monmouth, Chepstow, Glyn∣strigul, Ros, Tintern upon the River Wy, Newport (in Welsh y Castell Newydd) Usc (in Welsh Brynbuga) Grosmont, Raglan, White Castle, Abergevenny and many other: It is a faire, fertile Country, but had this unhappinesse in former times, that the Gentlemen were never obedient to their Prince: It hath on the West Glamorgan and Brecknockeshire, Herefordshire upon the North, the River Wy and Glocestershire on the East, and upon the South and South East the Severne: Rivers, Avon, Elwyth, Munnow. &c.

6. The 6th and last part Brecheinoc, now Brecknockeshire,* 1.7 which hath 3 Cantreds and 8 Comots, as 1. Cantres Selef, which hath these Comots, Selef and Trahayern. 2. Cantref Canol these, Talgarth, Ystradyw and Brwynllys or Eglwys Yail. 3. Cantref Mawr these, Tîr Raulff, Llywel and Cerrig Howel: In this part are these Townes Brecknock (in Welsh Aberhodni) lying situate by the Confluence of the Rivers Usc and Hodni, Hay (in Welsh Y Gelly) Talgarth, Buellt, Llangors. It hath West Carmarthenshire and the River Tawy, on the North Radnorshire and the Wy, Hereford and Monmouthshire on the East, and Gla∣morgan on the South: It is for the most part full of Mountains,

Woods and Rivers, especially Buelht. The Bruses, Mortimers, Bohuns and Staffords (after the dispossessing of the Welsh) have been Lords of this Country. These six Shires forementio∣ned with Radnorshire, formerly a part of Powis, are now com∣monly called Southwales: It is a large Country having many faire Plaines and Valleys for Corne, high Mountains full of Pasture for Cattell, great and thick Woods, Forrests and Parks for red Deere and Fallow: cleare and deepe Rivers full of Fish. The Rivers are, Severne which with Wy and Reidol spring out of a high mountain called Plymllymon in Montgomeryshire on the edge of Cardiganshire. Severne runs by Llanidlos full East, through Cydewen, by the Welsh Poole, and under the Castle of Shrawarden to Shrewsbury, from whence it turnes Southward to Bridgenorth, Bewdley, Worcester, Glocester,, and so to the Sea near Bristoll. Gwy, in English Wy, runs South East by Rayader-Gwy to Buellt, where Irwon meets her, thence to Glasbury, so to Hereford & Monmouth, & to the Severne Sea at Chepstow, Môr Ha∣fren, so they call the Sea that severeth Wales from Somersetshire, Devonshire & Cornwall. Reidol runs Northward and makes hast to the Sea neare Aberystwyth. Usc riseth in a high mountain called y Mynydd du▪ in the Southwest part of Brecknockshire, runs to Brecknocke, so through Monmouthshire to the Towne of Usc, Caerllêon and Newport, and so to the said South sea. Tywy hath its spring not farre from Wy, runs South to Llanymd∣dyfri, thence Southwest by Llandeilo, and Dinevowr to Aber∣gwili and Caermarddyn, and so by Llanstephan to the sea. Teivi riseth in the edge of Carmarthenshire, runs Northwest by Em∣lyn, Cilgerran, Cardigan, and so to the North sea. In Giraldus Cambr. his time there were in this River (above other Rivers) a great number of Bevers, a kind of beast the Welsh called A∣vanc; the name remaineth still in Wales, but what it was very few can describe: It is not much unlike an Otter, only it is bigger, all hairy saving the tail, which is like a fishes tail, broad and thick like a mans hand: It useth as well the water as the land, hath very sharp teeth, and is a very sagacious Creature: He that will learne more of this beast, let him read Girald. Itiner. l. 2. c. 3. There are a number of other rivers, as Tawy in Glamorganshire▪ Tâf in Carmarthenshire, two rivers called Cledhe•• in Pembroke∣shire, Remney, Gevenni, Arth, Aeron, Ystwyth &c.

There are divers Lordships added to other Shires, that were heretofore taken for parts of Wales, and have at this day the Welsh spoken in most of them, as Oswestree, Knocking, Whitington, Elsmer, Masbrooke, Cherbury, Gaurs, Clunn, which are now in Shropshire; Ewyas Lacy, Ewyas Haroald, Clifford, Winsor∣ton, Yardley, Huntingdon, Whitn••y, Loghardneys in Herefordshire.

Southwales, as all the rest of Britaine, was first inhabited by Britains, who remain there to this day, though in divers places, especially neare the Sea, mingled with Saxons, Normans, and Flemings. Since the Norman Conquest their Princes could never keepe quiet possession of it, but by reason of opposition from Strangers, and the disloyalty of their own people, & vexation and war thereupon, they were for the most part compelled to keepe themselves in Carmarthenshire.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Deheubarth or Dinevor.
• * 1.2

  1. Caredigion.
• * 1.3

  2. Dyvet.
• * 1.4

  3. Caermard∣dyn.
• * 1.5

  4. Morgan∣nwc.
• * 1.6

  5. Gwent.
• * 1.7

  6. Brecheinoc.