But cease! my wrath is soothed, that for my high-soul'd prince was rising, Be it of whomso'er I sing, a mighty plague in battle! I sing, because I love, because with loud contention striving, A song around the glorious gates for some to aid me singing. Arise, and sing! the brimful horn is my secure possession; For I, O Bards! am safe within, and ye without the palace. Prince Madog ab Maredudd married, first, Susanna, daughter of Gruffydd ab Cynan ab Iago, King of Gwynedd, gules, three lions passant in pale argent. He married, secondly, an English, or rather a Norman, lady, Maude, daughter of Roese de Verdun, upon whom he settled the lordship of Oswestry, on herself for life, and afterwards upon his children by her. This marriage proved to be a most unhappy and unfortunate one, and, in the end, caused the prince's ruin. In consequence of disagreements she left the prince, her husband, and went to Henry II, King of England, for the purpose, as she alleged, of laying her case before him. The king upon this sent to Madog requesting him to come and state his cause before the judges appointed for causes of this nature, and to come for that purpose to Winchester, and, at the same time, desiring him not to bring more than four and twenty horse with him. The Lady Maude was to bring no more with her. On the day appointed for the meeting, Madog arrived with the four and twenty horsemen after him, as had been agreed upon. Maude came also with twenty-four horses, but two men on each horse; and then, by direct treachery and treason, Madog was overpowered, caught and thrown into prison at Winchester; and for this purpose it was that the king and Maude allured him from his own country and friends, that when they got him into their own power they might compel him to settle the lordship of Oswestry upon her, and the heirs of her body, by whomsoever they might be begotten. Thus betrayed by his wife, and by one whom he had always aided in war and trusted as his friend, Madog languished in the prison of Winchester, with no friend. near him, till death freed him from his misery in the year 1159.1 His body, we are told, was conveyed from Winchester with great pomp to Powys-land, and honourably interred in the church of St. Tyssilio, at Meivod. Other writers, however, say that he was buried in St. Mary's Church at Meivod, which he had consecrated in 1155. Our historians tell us that he was a prince who honoured God, and relieved the poor and indigent. "After life's fitful fever he sleeps well, Treason has done her worst: no steel, nor poison, Can touch him further.” "Since he lost his life, may he in recompense for the flagitious injustice, remain in the glorious hierarchy of Saints, in the presence of grace, in perfect bliss. Amen." (See his Elegy by Cynddelw y Brydydd Mawr, p. 137). After the death of Madog, Maude married John Fitz Alan, Earl of Arundel and Baron of Colynwy, now called Clun, who died in 1268, by whom she had a son, John Fitz Alan, Earl of Arundel and Baron of Oswestry and Clun;" and this", says Rhys Cain,2" was the way how the English obtained the lordship of Oswestry".3 Prince Madog ab Maredydd, had issue by his first consort, Susanna, the daughter of Gruffydd ab Cynan ab Iago, King of Gwynedd, four sons and three daughters, 1. Gruffydd Maelor, of whom presently. 11. LLYWELYN AB MADOG, who is called in the Bruts "the hope of all Powys". He was slain just after his father's death in 1159. How or where is not stated. The following stanzas were composed by the bard Cynddelw. 1 Cae Cyriog MS. 2 Rhys Cain was a poet and painter who flourished about the year 1500. He was born in the parish of Trawsfynydd in Meirioneddshire, on the river Cain, whence he assumed his name; but he resided the greatest part of his life in Oswestry. He was a disciple of William Lleyn's, "and was a perfect man, and hath written concerning all Wales".-Lewys Dunn, vol. i, 331; Williams's Eminent Welshmen. 3 Cae Cyriog MS. ODE TO LLYWELYN. 121 A gant CYNDDELW i Gynydion Llywelyn am Madawc am Maredud ac i'w gyrn o achos rodi iddo y Carw a ladassant yn ymyl ei dy. A llyma yr Enlynion. Balch ei fugannawr ban nefawr ei lef Corn Llywelyn llyw lluydfawr Bon ehang blaen hang bloedfawr. Corn wedi llad corn llawen Corn llugynawr Llywelyn Corn gwyd gwydr ai can Corn rueinell yn ol gellgwn. ODE TO LLYWELYN, SON OF MADAWG AB MAREDYDD, PRINCE OF POWYS. BY LLYWARCH LLEW CAD. Gofynnwys nebun, ny bu raen gan rei Pa was a wisg e laesgaen Pa walch yw y balch o'r blaen. Lleissiawn werennic o ranned dyall Llyw glyw glew anhangryud Pieu yr ysgwyt esgutwal cynnwau Pwy'r glew llew llit aer ddywal TRANSLATION. Has no one asked ?-Have none been anxious to know, What youth is he that wears his glittering vestment, An exalted chieftain is he, we give to know, A leader bold, daring and warlike, Whose is the shield rapidly moved, of noble rank, Who is the hero of lion wrath, dauntless in battle, It is the shield of Llywelyn, the chief of his country's honour, A shield with a shoulder in it; A shield with terror in its front. Whose is the sword so boldly brandished, Renowned champion! doubtless it will be related, He that brandishes it is the defender of dwellings; Of the besieging combatants, in the day of battle,- He is called the long-handed Llywelyn, The chieftain who terminates the tumults of the land; Loud is the battle shout of his warriors, The ravager of Lloegyr. Whose is the coat of mail, compact, unyielding? It will not retreat till death— What man is he of noble extraction? We demand before all what is his origin? He is the renowned and valiant leader; Powerful with the mighty lance, wrathful in conflict; Whose is the war-horse, daring the foremost ranks And the warrior enjoying the respect of his followers? He is a firm support, As long as God continues with him. The vanquisher of warriors, manly, and fame-enjoying. III. OWAIN AB MADOG, Lord of Mechain is y Coed, argent, a lion rampant sable, in a border indented gules. In 1164 he, together with his cousin, Owain Cyfeiliog, son of Gruffydd ab Maredudd ab Bleddyn, took the territory of their uncle, Iorwerth Goch, Lord of Mochnant, and shared it between them. In this partition, Mochnantis-Rhaiadr fell to Owain ab Madog, and Mochnant-UwchRhaiadr to Owain Cyfeiliog. The Brut y Saeson states that these two princes and Maredudd ab Hywel,' one of the illegitimate sons of Prince Maredudd ab Bleddyn, seized upon the Castle of Careg Hwfa, which belonged to Iorwerth Goch, after which they took the territory. This Maredudd is styled in the Genealogies Maredudd Hên, to distinguish him from his grandson, Maredydd ab Rhys Owain, or Owain Fychan ab Madog, as he is sometimes called, kept possession of Careg Hwfa Castle,* which he seems to have made his chief residence. 3 2 In 1167, the Lord Rhys ab Gruffydd, Prince of South Wales, together with Owain Gwynedd and his brother Cadwaladr, Princes of North Wales, came against Owain Cyfeiliawg, Prince of Upper Powys, who had allied himself with the English. They took from him Caer Einion, which they gave to his cousin, Owain Fychan, son of Madog ab Maredudd, Prince of Powys Fadog. In 1186, Llywelyn, son of Prince Cadwallon ab Gruf 1 Brut y Saeson. 2 Brut y Tywysogion. 3 See p. 110. 4 Careg Hwfa Castle stood in the township of that name, on the banks of the river Y Vyrnwy. |