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BREKNOCK-SHIRE. CHAPTER VII.
BReknock-shire, in the British Lan∣guage Brechineau,* 1.1 (so called, as the Welch-men relate of a Prince named Brechanius, the Father of an holy off-spring, whose twentie foure daughters were all of them Saints) is a Countie neither very large, nor greatly to be praised or disliked of, whose bounds upon the North is parted from Radnor with the Ri∣vers Clarwen and Wye: the West lyeth butted upon by Cardigan and Caermarden-shires: the South is confirmed by Glamorgan; and the East with Mon∣mouth and Radnor-shires, is wholly bound.
* 1.2(2) The length of this Shire from North to South, betwixt Llanuthel and Istradgunles, are twentie eight English miles; and her breadth from East to West, extended betwixt Pentrisso and Llywell, are twentie; the whole in circumference, about one hundred and two miles.
(3) This Countie is full of hils, and uneven for travell, which on the South part mount in such height,* 1.3 that as Giraldus hath written, They make the ayre much colder, and defend the Countie from the ex∣cessive heat of the Sunne, whereby a certaine naturall wholesomnesse of ayre maketh it most temperate:* 1.4 and on the East side, the Mountaines of Talgar and Ewias doe as it were forefence the same. Among which, there a∣rise and run so many fruitfull springs, that their val∣lies are thereby made most fertile, yeelding in plen∣tie both corne and grasse.
* 1.5(4) The ancient Inhabitants and possessors of this Shire, with the rest in this South Tract were the Silures, much spoken of, and great opposites to the Romans, whose Countries were first made subject by Iulius Frontinus,* 1.6 who besides the valour of the enemy, had to struggle with the Mountaines and Straits, as Ta∣citus tels us; neither any more hard, we may well say, then them of this Shire; whereof one in the South, and three miles from Breknock, is of such height and operation, as is uncredible: and were it not that I have witnesse to affirme what I shall speake, I should blush to let the report thereof passe from my Pen: In my perambulations in these parts, remaining in Breknock to observe the site of that Towne, the Al∣dermen or chiefe Seniors thereof, regarding my paines, with friendly and courteous entertainments at my departure, no lesse then eight of them, that had been Bailiffes of the Towne, came to visit me; where they reported upon their credits and trials, that from the top of that hill, in the Welch called Mounch-denny,* 1.7 or Cadier Arthur, they had oftentimes cast from them, and down the North-East Rocke, their Cloaks, Hats, and Staves, which notwithstan∣ding would never fall, but were with the ayre and winde still returned backe, and blowne up: neither, said they, will any thing descend from that cliffe be∣ing so cast, unlesse it be stone or some metalline sub∣stance: affirming the cause to be the Clouds, which are seene to racke much lower then the top of that Hill.* 1.8 As strange tales are told of the Meere Llynsa∣vathan, two miles by East from Breknock, which at the breaking of her frozen Ice, maketh a fearefull sound like unto thunder.* 1.9 In which place, as is re∣ported, sometimes stood a faire Citie, which was swallowed up in an Earth-quake, and resigned her stone-wals unto this deepe and broad water: whi∣ther unto this day leadeth all the waies in this Shire: which, as learned Cambden conjectureth, might be that Louentrium, which Ptolemy in this Tract pla∣ceth; and the more confirmed by the Rivers name adjoyning, being also called Leuenny, which River also passeth through this Meere without any mix∣ture of her waters, as by the colour thereof is well perceived, which glideth thorow it with the same streame, and no greater then wherewith she first entred in.
(5) The Townes for commerce,* 1.10 are Hay, Bealt, and Breknock, two of them unfortunate of their for∣mer greatnesse, whom warres and sedition have de∣faced and cast down. Hay upon VVye and Dulas, pleasant for situation, in the rebellion of Owen Glen∣dowerdwy, was diswalled, depopulated, and burnt, in whose foundations for new repaires, many Romane Coines have been found; and thereby thought to be a seat of their Legions: and Buelth, now Bealt, though of good frequencie, yet not so great as when Ptolemy observed her position for graduation, who calleth it Buleum Silurum, neither when it with the Countrey was possessed by Aurelius Ambrosius, by whose permission Pascensius the sonne of Vortiger ru∣led all, as Ninius writeth, nor yet of later times, when Leolin the last Prince of the Britaines, was therein betrayed and slaine.
(6) Breknock the Shire-towne,* 1.11 for buildings and beautie retaineth a better regard, whose walles in O∣vall-wise are both strong & of good repaire, having three Gates for entrance, with ten Towres for de∣fence, and is in circuit sixe hundred and fortie paces about, upon whose West part a most sumptuous and stately Castle is seated, the like whereof is not com∣monly seene, whose decayes approching do increase her ruines daily, and in the end is feared will be her fall. This Towne is seated upon the meeting of two Rivers, Houthy and Vske, whose yeerely government is committed to two Bailiffes, fifteene Aldermen, two Chamberlaines, two Constables, a Town-clerk, and two Sergeants their attendants: having the Poles elevation in 52.21. minutes of Latitude, and for Longitude is placed in the 16. and 32. minutes, as the Mathematicians doe measure them.
(7) This Shire is strengthened with nine Castles,* 1.12 divided into six Hundreds, wherein are seated three Market Towns, and sixtie one Parish-Churches.