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.

IT is recorded by Caradocus, that Anarawd King of Northwales made a road into the country of Cardigan & Ystradtywi, the possession of his brother Cadelh, but being that the Author alleageth not the cause thereof, as whether it were lawfull or unlawfull, it might with better reason be said, that it was made for the defect of Payment of the Tri∣bute due to the crown of Abersraw from Southwales, then such a Rebelli∣on, as thereby forfeiture of Royalty should ensue: and considering also that no chastisement was executed by Cadelh or Howel Dha his son upō Anarawd, who lived long after, it may seem great rigor and tyranny in him, and much to derogate from his title of Dha, that is, the good, if he did deprive Idwal's son of his inheritance, for the offence of Anarawd his grandfather, committed many yeares before his birth, not upon the countries of Howel, as you say, but of Cadelh his father. Therefore if you hold his coming to Northwales to be upon good and lawfull grounds, it will be your best course (rejecting offences and forfeitures) wholly to stick to the incapacity of the heir of Northwales, by reason

whereof Howel's coming to Northwales, whether it were as being next of blood, able, and worthy to undertake such a charge, or by the ap∣pointment of his cousen Idwal, foreseeing perhaps the weaknesse of his son, or else by the election of the people, was good, just, and lawfull. And in regard of his said regency over the house of Northwales, and the right thereunto belonging, I do confesse that he was the soveraign prince of all Wales. But considering, that after his death the other sons of Idwal Voel, and their successors the princes of Northwales recovered and held (as I said before) as well the soveraignty of all Wales, as the rule of Northwales, it plainly appears that the right of soveraignty be∣longed not to Southwales. Moreover Owen the son of Howel Dha was never ruler of Northwales, nor had any action against Cadwalhon ap Jeuaf, whereby to deprive him of his Crown and Kingdome, as you say; neither is it likely, if he had so conquered him, that he would pre∣ferre his yonngest son to the Government of that Kingdome, lest by exalting the younger brother to honours and dignities above the elder, discord and sedition might breed between them: and in a word, your own countryman Caradocus, that lived about 250 years after this time, attributeth the overthrow of Cadwalhon ap Jevaf and conquest of Northwales to the only power of Mredith ap Owen (who then in his Mothers right did rule all Powis land, whereby his power to undertake that voyage may plainly appear) in these words. Mredyth ap Owein a lathawdh Cadwallawn ap Jevaf drwy fuddugoliaeth a chaffael meddiant oi gyuoeth, sef gwyneth a Mon a ddarystngawdh iddaw: that is, Mredith ap Owen slew Cad: ap Jeuaf in battell, and seised on his dominions, for Northwales and the isle of Anglesey submitted to him. Here is no men∣tion had of Owen or his power, and therefore our writers of North∣wales being only Interpreters of your Caradocus, are free from that scandalous imputation that you charge them with. And Lhewelyn ap Seissyllt prince of Southwales, who overcame Aedan ap Blegowryd did not challenge the regency of Northwales, (for Jago the son of Idwal the lawfull heir, as is thought, was not as yet in full age) as appertai∣ning any way to the crown of Southwales, as you could wish it, but as he was next heir of blood unto the said Jago; for as Caradocus saith, he was descended from the kings of Wales by the mother side, whose name was Trawst, the daughter and heir of Elissau, the second son of Ana∣rawd

the eldest son of Roderic the great, and by that meanes according to the same Author he claimed and enjoyed the right of Northwales; therefore his coming to the rule of that Kindome doth not at all favour or confirme your Argument. And here I do greatly marvel who those six Kings of Southwales were, that (as you say) assumed to their hands the government of Northwales, for Mredyth ap Owen was neither king nor heir apparent of Southwales, when he conquered Northwales: and Howel ap Edwyn was King of Southwales when Griffith ap Lhewelyn un∣dertook the rule of Northwales; and in like manner Mredyth ap Owen ap Edwym governed Southwales, when Biedhyn ap Cynfyn received the principality of Northwales at the hands of the king of England, doing homage for the same, whereby it is evident that these three princes were not of the six that you mention, and Howel Dha with Lhewelyn ap Seissyllt though they were most worthy and noble princes, yet cannot exceed the number of two, therefore the number of six must needs be a mistake. It is also to be observed that these princes Mredyth, Griff: Bledhyn, and Trahayarn ap Caradoc, after they had settled themselves in the sure and quiet possession of Northwales, seised to their hands the Kingdome of Southwales, and held the same either by strong hand and usurpation, or by state of inheritance, or else in the right of Soveraign∣ty over all Wales that belonged to the crown of N••rthwales. Usurpers they were not, if it be true, that as you say (in the end of your Trea∣tise) Southwales did never faile of a lawfull Prince to govern it, till the period thereof by the fatall overthrow of prince Rees ap Theodor: law∣full heires also to Cadelh they cannot be, for the posterity of En••on the son of Owen king of Southwales, and eldest brother to the said Mredyth were living, and therefore they could not challenge Southwales by in∣heritance; it remaines then of necessity that their title to Southwales was grounded on the soveraignty that belonged to the king of Northwales whereof they were princes. But howsoever the matter went, it is cer∣taine that they were kings of Northwales, and being so, they took into their hands the regiment of Southwales, whereby I do conclude it was a grosse error in you, when you say, that no prince of Northwales did ever rule in Southwales, or by any occasion did claime the principality thereof: seeing the examples of four princes must cause you to confesse either, your ignorance or partiall censure. Lastly, you say that Rees▪ ap

Theodor prince of Southwales with great valor and wisdome did expell Trahern ap Caradoc the last usurper of Nerthwales, and placed Griff: ap Conan in the quiet possession thereof: but antiquity & the truth will in∣forme us otherwise; for in the life of Griff. ap Conan we may read, that when the said Griffith with his navy landed at Portcleis neer St. Davids, your powerfull prince Rees had been a little before deprived of his Kingdome by Trahayarn king of Northwales, and others, and for safe∣gard of his life had covertly taken Sanctuary at St. Davids: but hearing of Griffith's approach, he came with the Bishop and all the clergy of that house to meet him, where Rees fell upon his knees before Griffith, and acquainting him with his ill fortunes, desired his help and aid to fight with those his adversaries, promising to do him homage, and to reward him with the moity of his Revenues: and Griff: pittying his estate yeel∣ded to his request, and having overthrown in battell his enemies, he in∣stalled Rees in the quiet possession of Southwales, entred and destroyed Powis with fire and sword, and recovered the Kingdome of Northwales his due inheritance: here withall I find an entry made to Powys by a prince of Northwales before the fatall overthrow of Rees ap The••dor, which you deny in your first Argument.