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 Answer.

FOr Answer hereunto, you must first conceive that Griffith ap Conan at the time of Rees ap Theodor's death, was not so powerfull as you make him to be: for as we read in the Author of his life, he was then but newly escaped out of the Earl of Chester's prison, where he had re∣mained 12. years. Secondly, that notwithstanding his unsettled state in Northwales (by reason of his said imprisonment,) and the King of Englands displeasure conceived against him, he joyned forces with Cadwgan ap Bledhyn his son in law, and entring Southwales, after they had slaine in battell a great number of Normans, a great part thereof though not all became subject to Cadwgan, as the British history of the Princes relateth; wherein also we find, that afterwards Griff: ap Conan sent his sons Owen and Cadwalladr twice to Southwales, being one time accompanied with 6000 Footmen, and 2000 Horsemen, they took the Castles of Walter Espec, and Richard de la Mare, and also the Castles of Aberystwyth, Dinerth, and Caerwedros, subduing the whole countrey to the town of Cardigan; and after the slaughter of 3000 Normans in the field, they chased the rest out of the Country, restoring Griffith ap Rees to his father's inheritance, and the ancient inhabitants to their former dwellings. Which is sufficient evidence that they made claime to Southwales as soveraign Princes. And Griffith ap Conan cannot be imagined to interest himselfe in the cause, (especially in his weaknesse) by sending his subjects to the field, but that he challenged the sove∣raignty thereof as due by inheritance, and his son Owen Gwynedd prince of Northwales would not have entred Southwales, in the first year of

his reign, as the Chronicle witnesseth, overthrowing the Ca∣stles of Ystratmeuric, Stephens, and Hwmphreys, and burning the town of Carmarthen, and compelling part of Dyved to pay tri∣bute unto him, (as Gwalchmai ap Meilir that lived in that age hath recorded) retaining most of Cardigan in his own hands, without claime or pretence of title. Likewise when Henry 2. King of England made his third Expedition against Wales, the Lord Rees and the power of Southwales, and all the other Lords of Wales with their forces mar∣ched against the King under the conduct of the Prince of Northwales, which directly proveth his soveraignty over all Wales. After these tumults and turmoils, Lhewelyn ap Jorwerth Prince of Northwales, to prevent all doubt that might arise concerning his right, made all South∣wales and Powis swear fealty unto him, as the book of Conwey makes good, wherein we read that they acknowledged the like fealty to Da∣vid his son, and Lhewelyn the last Prince. But as concerning the un∣kind dealing of Griff: ap Conan with Gr: ap Rees, and Gr: ap Conan's going to the King of England, I cannot see how that deserves an answer as an Argument for the soveraignty in the Princes of Southwales. Last∣ly you affirme that the Lord Rees surrendred his title to the principality of Wales to the King of England: which seems unto me most improba∣ble, considering he would not voluntarily depose himself of such royall preheminence and soveraignty, without he were brought to such ex∣tremity that there were no other remedy; whereas it is evident that the Lord Rees was in great favour with King Henry the second at the time you mention, and had been for many years before; witnesse the Office of being Justice of Southwales, which the King had given him three years before that peace at Glocester, as the book of Conwey mentioneth: then also that he brought to the King's peace at Glecester no lords of Northwales or Powis, but few of Southwales, such as had formerly of∣fended the King; whereby it appears that his said resignation, if there were any such, extended no farther then his title of Southwales only, and yet in regard that all the English writers do terme and stile the said Lord Rees King of Southwales, even to the last period of his life, I can∣not readily believe that there was any such surrender made, untill the same do appear by some Authentick record.