British antiquities revived, or, A friendly contest touching the soveraignty of the three princes of VVales in ancient times managed with certain arguments whereunto answers are applyed by Robert Vaughan, Esq. ; to which is added the pedigree of the Right Honourable the Earl of Carbery, Lord President of Wales ; with a short account of the five royall tribes of Cambria, by the same author.

The seventh Argument.

AFter this conquest of Wales by the overthrow of Rees ap Theodor, and the expulsion of his son Griff: ap Rees, who was forced to fly to Ireland, Griff: ap Conan being then prince of Northwales, and of greatest power of any prince there, sithence the said division, never stirred for the principality of Southwales; which, if he had been the su∣preme Prince of Wales, by this occasion he should most properly and

justly have done; neither did any of the Princes of Northwales succeeding him to the last prince Lhewelyn ap Griffith make claime thereunto: Albeit they were all of them, one after the other, the most powerfull, worthy, & fortunate Princes that had ruled in Northwales since the division, as Owē Gwyn••th, David ap Owen, Lhewelyn ap Jorwerth, David ap Lhewelyn, and that they had the advantage in their times of the alteration of seven Kings of England, & a troubled state there to have attempted it. But Griff: ap Rees returning from Ireland (to recover his patrimony) in the weaknesse of his fortunes retired to Griff. ap Conan then prince of North wales, whose daughter he had married, & had by her worthy sons. Of whose return & purpose Henry the first King then of England under∣standing, knowing him to be the undoubted heir of Wales, and that he would be received by the people, sent for the prince of Northwales, and drew him in, to yield to the delivery of Griff: ap Rees into his hands, which the Prince attempted, and had effected accordingly, but that Griff: ap Rees (upon some notice thereof) hardly escaped into the San∣ctuary of Aberdaron, whence the prince would have forced him, but that he was rescued by the whole clergy of the countrey, and thence conveyed to Southwales, whereupon it is evident, that if Griff. ap Co∣nan had been soveraign prince of Wales (de jure) first no necessity compelling him, he would not have been so undiscreet as to have put himselfe into the King of England's hands (who claimed the soveraign∣ty thereof,) neither would the king have suffered him to depart, see∣ing by detaining him he might more easily have compassed his end. Secondly, the Prince of Northwales would not have been so injurious to himself, as to have delivered Griffith ap Rees (if he had been his ho∣mager of Southwales) whereby to divest himself of his right thereunto by his own act. But it is plaine that the prince of Northwales in respect of the conquering of Rees ap Theodor, having submitted himself to the King of England (as his homager,) and to his peace, came to the king at his sending for him, knowing well that the King was carelesse of him as touching the right of Soveraignty of Wales. And so he yeilded (to make his peace the firmer with the King) to the betraying of his Superior, of his guest and son in law, and the son of him who got him the possession of the principality of Northwales. Hereupon Griff▪ ap Rees put himselfe in armes, and so held himself during King Henries

time, and a part of King Stephens, recovering a great part of Southwales, and died, leaving his troubles and possessions to his son, called the Lord Rees, who in the end made peace with king Henry the second, and sur∣rendred to him his title to the principality of Wales, bringing the chie∣sest of the Nobility and Gentry of Southwales to Glocester, where they submitted themselves to the King, and received their lands and posses∣sions by the Kings grant, to hold of him. And the Lord Rees accep∣ted of the King to be his Justice of Southwales, which office continued untill 27. of King Henry the 8. and ended in the Lord Ferrers of Chart∣ley.