Camden's Britannia newly translated into English, with large additions and improvements ; publish'd by Edmund Gibson ...

ADDITIONS to BRECKNOCKSHIRE.

[a] UPon the river Wye is Bualht, whereof in the year 1690. a considerable part, be∣ing that side of the street next the river Wye, was by a casual fire totally consumed.

[b] Whether this town of Bualht be the ancient Bullaeum, or whether that city or fort (allowing it to have been in this County) was not at a place call'd Kaereu,* 1.1 some miles distant from it, may be question'd. At leastwise 'tis evident there hath been a Roman fort at Kaereu: for besides that the name implies as much (signifying strictly the Walls or Rampire, and was prefix'd by the Britains to the names of almost all Roman towns and castles) they frequently dig up bricks there, and find other mani∣fest signs of a Roman work. 'Tis now only the name of a Gentleman's house; and not far from it, there is also another house call'd Castelhan. If it be urg'd in favour of Buelht, that it seems still to retain its an∣cient name, which Ptolemy might render 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: it may be answer'd, that Buelht,* 1.2 which I interpret Colles boum [Ox-Cliff or Oxen-Holt] was the name of a small Country here, from whence in all likelihood the ancient Bullaeum (if it stood in this tract) was denominated: but that being totally destroy'd, and this town becoming afterwards the most noted place of the Country, it might also receive its name from it, as the former had done. But (that I may dissem∣ble nothing) since the congruity of the names was the main argument that induc'd our learned Author to assign this situation to the ancient Bullaeum Silurum; we shall have occasion of hesitating, if hereafter we find the ruins of a Roman fort or city in a neighbour∣ing Country of the Silures, the name whereof may agree with Bullaeum no less than Buelht.

[c] Of the famous Owen Glyn-dwr* 1.3 or Glyn-Dowrdwy, I find the following account in some notes of the learned and judicious Antiquary Robert Vaughan of Hengwrt Esq.

Sir Davidh Gam was wholly devo∣ted to the interest of the Duke of Lancaster; upon which account it was, that Owen ap Gruffydh Vychan (commonly call'd Owen Glyn-Dŵr) was his mortal enemy. This Owen had his education at one of the Inns of Court, and was preferr'd to the service of King Richard 2. whose Scutifer (as Walsingham saith) he was. Owen being assured that his King and Master Richard was deposed and murder'd, and withall provoked by several affronts and wrongs done him by the Lord Grey of Ruthin his neighbour, whom King Henry very much countenanced against him; took arms, and look∣ing upon Henry as an Usurper, caus'd himself to be proclaim'd Prince of Wales. And though him∣self were descended paternally but from a younger brother of the house of Powis, yet (as ambition is ingenious) he finds out a way to lay claim to the Principality, as descended (by a daughter) f••om Lhewelyn ap Gruffydh the last Prince of the British race. He invaded the lands, burnt and destroy'd the houses and estates of all those that favour'd and adher'd to King Henry. He call'd a Parliament to meet at Machynlheth in Montgomeryshire: whither the Nobility and Gentry of Wales came, in obedi∣ence to his summons; and among them the said David Gam, but with an intention to murder Owen. The plot being discover'd, and he taken before he could put it in execution, he was like to have suf∣fer'd as a Traitor: but intercession was made for him by Owen's best friends and the greatest uphold∣ers of his cause; whom he could not either ho∣nourably or safely deny. Yet notwithstanding this pardon, as soon as he return'd to his own Coun∣try, where he was a man of considerable interest, he exceedingly annoy'd Owen's friends. Not long after, Owen enter'd the Marches of Wales, destroy∣ing all with fire and sword; and having then burnt the house of Sir David Gam, 'tis reported he spake thus to one of his tenants:

O gweli di wr côch cam, Yn ymofyn y Gyrnigwen; Dywed y bôd hi tan y lan, A nôd y glo ar ei phen.

The British name of this river is Wysk,* 1.4 which word seems a derivative from Gwy or Wy, whereof the Reader may see some account in Radnorshire. At present it is not significative in the British; but is still preserv'd in the Irish tongue, and is their com∣mon word for water. There were formerly in Bri∣tain many Rivers of this name, which may be now distinguish'd in England by these shadows of it, Ex, Ox, Ux, Ouse, Esk, &c. But because such as are unacquainted with Etymological Observations, may take this for a groundless conjecture; that it is not such will appear, because in Antonine's Itinerary we find Exeter call'd Isca Danmoniorum from its situation on the river Ex, and also a city upon this river Usk (for the same reason) call'd Isca Leg. II.

[d] We find the tradition of Cities being drown'd apply'd to many other lakes in Wales;* 1.5 as Pwlh-Kynffig in Glamorganshire, Lhyn Lhan Lhŵch in Kaer∣mardhinshire, Ylhyngwyn in Radnorshire, Lhyn De∣kwyn ucha in Meirionydhshire, and Lhyn Lhyngklys in Shropshire. All which I suspect as fabulous, and not worth any farther notice, than as one of those erro∣neous traditions of the Vulgar, from which few (if any) Nations are exempted. It cannot be denied but that in Sicily, the Kingdom of Naples, and such other Countries as are subject to violent earthquakes and subterraneous fires, such accidents have hapned: but since no Histories inform us that any part of Britain was ever sensible of such calamities; I see no reason we have to regard these oral traditi••ns. As for Ptolemy's Louentinum of the Dimetae, which

[illustration] map of Monmouth

[illustration]

[illustration]

The County of MONMOUTH By Rob^t, Morden

our Author suspects to have been swallow'd up by this lake; I shall have occasion to offer some conje∣ctures relating thereto in Cardiganshire.

[e]

Bernard Newmarch having discomfited and slain in the field Bledhyn ap Maenyrch,* 1.6 seised on the Lordship of Brecon, and forced his son and heir Gwgan to be content with that share of it he was pleas'd by way of composition to appoint him. He gave him the Lordship and Manours of Lhan Vihangel Tal y Lhyn, part of Lhan Lhyeni and Kan∣trev Seliv, with lodgings in the castle of Breck∣nock; where, in regard he was the rightful Lord of the Country, there was such a strict eye kept over him, that he was not permitted at any time to go abroad without two or more Norman Knights in his company.

R. Vaug.

¶ At a place call'd y Gaer near Brecknock, there stands a remarkable monument in the highway, commonly call'd Maen y Morynnion,* 1.7 or the Maiden stone. It is a rude pillar, erected in the midst of the road, about six foot high, two in breadth, and six inches thick. On the one side, where it inclines a little, it shews the portraictures of a man and woman in some ancient habit. It seems to have been carv'd with no small labour, though with little art; for the Figures are considerably rais'd above the superficies of the stone, and all that part where they stand is depress'd lower than that above their heads or under their feet. That 'tis very ancient, is unquestionable; but whether a British Antiquity, or done by some unskilful Roman Artist, I shall not pretend to deter∣mine; but recommend it (together with the tradi∣tion of the neighbours concerning it) to the farther disquisition of the curious.

At Pentre Yskythrog in Lhan St. Aerêd parish,* 1.8 there is a stone pillar erected in the highway, about the same height with the former, but somewhat of a de∣press'd-cylinder form; with this mutilated Inscription to be read downwards.

[illustration] mutilated inscription

〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 VICTORINI

I suppose this Inscription (notwithstanding the name Victorinus) to have been somewhat of a later date than the time of the Romans; and that 'tis only a monument of some person buried there, contain∣ing no more than his own name and his father's; N. — filius Victorini.

* 1.9But this upon a cross in the highway at Vaenor pa∣rish is yet much later; the Inscription whereof, though it be intirely preserv'd, is to me unintelligi∣ble; for I dare not rely on a slight conjecture I had at first view of it, that it might be read; In nomine Domini Jesu Christi, Tilus: Tilaus or Teilaw being an eminent Saint, to whom many Churches in Wales are consecrated.

[illustration]

IN NOMICE ……LUS

* 1.10In Lhan Hammwlch parish there is an ancient mo∣nument commonly call'd Tŷ Ilhtud or St. Iltut's Her∣mitage. It stands on the top of a hill, not far from the Church; and is composed of four large stones somewhat of a flat form, altogether rude and unpo∣lish'd. Three of which are so pitch'd in the ground, and the fourth laid on the top for a cover; that they make an oblong square Hut, open at the one end; about eight foot long, four wide, and near the same height. Having enter'd it, I found the two side-stones thus inscrib'd with variety of crosses.

[illustration] incriptions of various crosses

I suppose this Cell, notwithstanding the crosses and the name, to have been erected in the time of Paganism; for that I have elsewhere observ'd such monuments (to be hereafter mention'd) plac'd in the center of circles of stones, somewhat like that at Rolrich in Oxfordshire. And though there is not at present such a circle about this; yet I have grounds to suspect they may have been carried off, and ap∣plied to some use. For there has been one remov'd very lately, which stood within a few paces of this Cell, and was call'd Maen Ilhtud; and there are some stones still remaining there.

James Butler, afterwards Duke of Ormond, was created Earl of Brecknock, Jul. 20. 1660.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Kaereu.
• * 1.2

  Buelht, what it sig∣nifies.
• * 1.3

  Owen G yndwr.
• * 1.4

  Usk. whenc•• nom••n••
• * 1.5

  The fi••••∣ing of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 town 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the S••••∣ha•• a•• ro•••••••• trad••t••o••
• * 1.6

  ••••edhyn ••p Mein∣••••••ch.
• * 1.7

  ••aen y ••orynnion
• * 1.8

  Insc. at Pen∣tre Ysky∣throg.
• * 1.9

  ••nsc. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••ae••or.
• * 1.10

  ••t. I••tut's C••••.