Wencdociae regionis (i.) Gweinedh. Therefore Giraldus Cambrensis
with his followers Leyland and Lhwyd, must needs be in an error,
when he gives his voice for Mervyn. And truly Giraldus Cambrensis,
though in antiquity he were most expert and skilfull, yet seems not a
little to be ignorant of the true history of Roderic the great and his chil∣dren:
for besides the former error in the 2d chapter of his book, inti∣tuled,
Descriptio Cambriae, he avers that the said Roderic was the cause
of the division of Wales into the three kingdomes of Northwales, South∣wales,
and Powis, whereas it is apparent, that the said three kingdomes
had their severall Kings many years before his birth, as Dr. Pow••l most
truly proveth in his notes upon the said chapter: then also he saith,
that Cadelh, to whom Roderic had given Southwales for his portion,
survived Anarawd and Mervyn, whereby he got the monarchy of
all Wales. Cadelh (saith he) praemortuis frat••ibus totius Walli•• monar∣chiam
obtinait, And Carad••cus a more ancient writer testifieth, that
Cadelh died 6. years before Anarawd, with whom agreeth your coun∣treyman
George Owen Harry, and another most ancient British Chro∣nologer
which beginneth thus, Oes Gwrtheyrn Gortheneu &c. mentio∣ned
by Sr. John Prise, p. 121. defensionis Britannicae historiae. Lastly, he
faith that Cad••lh's successors even to Theodor enjoyed the said m••nar∣chy,
whereas it is clear that diverse of the line of Anarawd ruled the
Kingdome of Northwales during that time: so that we cannot but con∣clude
Giraldus to be in a grosse error. And as to the testimony of
David Nanmor, on whom relies your whole hope for Cadelh's sove∣raignty,
it is answered, that his Authority (had it been as you make it
to be, which shall appear to be far otherwise, especially in so ancient
a matter as we now handle, being favoured or strengthned by no an∣tiquity,
and himselfe not flourishing before the middle of the raign of
Henry the sixth, would have been too weak to encounter not only
Dr. Powel, but a multitude of most ancient Anthors, well seen in anti∣quity,
that maintain the contrary: I cannot be perswaded that he was
ever of that opinion, nor that those verses you are pleased to lay
to him are his. They do not savor of the skill of the meanest Bard,
much lesse of Nanmor, that sometimes contended with David ap Ed∣mond
for the chair at the Eistedhfa in Caermarthen, and by his Compod
manuel, his Gorchestion, Cywydhau, Odes and Epigramms, is well known