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but the plate given by him is not very accurate, and much of the stained glass there mentioned is now no longer in existence. As a memorial, however, of what it once was, the following is quoted from the account given at p. 306 of that work:

In the window to the east is finely painted the picture of King Charles the First, as is also the paternal arms of the Owens in an Eschocheon Gules a Chevron Or, between three Lions rampant of the 2d. In another eschoucheon is also the said paternal arms of the Owens, impaled with Or, a Hawk proper. Under those, in another light in the same window, in a large eschoucheon, is the paternal arms of Hugh Owen, Esq., of this family, with all its quarterings, crest, and motto. Next to that, in another light, is his lady's arms and quarterings, with its crest and motto, Honestas optima politia. Under these eschoucheons, within a compartment, is writ as follows:

THIS CHAPPELL WAS APPOINTED to be builT BY HER DEAR HUSBAND HUGH OWEN, SON AND HEIR OF WILLIAM OWEN OF BODOWEN, Esq; AND ERECTED BY HIS DEAR WIFE ANN OWEN, THE ONLY DAUGHTER AND INHERITRIX OF RICHARD WILLIAMS OF LLUSDULAS, Esq; APRIL THE 20TH 1661.

The window to the south is exactly painted the same with that to the east, King Charles's picture only omitted. On both sides, at the top of the wall, is a cornice of wood, and all above that is wainscotted, part of which is cove-ways. The center or other part of the ceiling is flat.

On the south side, between the window and the east end, on the wainscot or coving, is painted our Saviour's appearing to the twelve disciples. Opposite to that on the north side is painted our Saviour's resurrection and ascension, and in his hand a flagg, with soldiers asleep about the tomb. On the south side, below the window, is painted St. John, and over his head, within a glory, is writ this i. e. Jehovah. Next to St. John is the picture of St. Luke; and opposite to St. John the picture of St. Mark; and next to him St. Matthew.

The flat, or center, of the ceiling, is painted with clouds, sun, moon, and stars; and over the south window, in a flat ceiling, is writ, within a glory, Holy, Holy, Holy, Hallelujah, Amen, with cherubims heads.

At the east end of the chancel, next the chapel, is a handsom monument, with the effigies of Hugh and Ann Owen, on their knees, with a pedestal and book before them, with their arms and several quarterings. On a pannel, or table of marble, is the following inscriptions:

The correct inscription is given here, from a rubbing taken in 1844. Willis's copy is erroneous.

Here lieth THE BODY OF COLONELL HVGH Owen
OF BODOWEN ESQ. WHO DIED THE 21 DAY OF
OCTOBER 1659.

RELIGION, LEARNING, FRIENDS, POORE HAVE LOST
A NOBLE PATRON, WHO MAINTAIND THEM AT HIS COST.
HIS COVNTRIES PATRIOT, MOST FIRME TO MONARCHY,
AND FOR BEING LOYALL, SVFFRED INFINITELY,
WITH FOES WOULD NOT Cologve nor hiS PRINCE BETR
BVT LIVDE HIS FAITHFVLL SUBJECT TO HIS DYING DAY.

ΑΥ.

THIS MONVMENT WAS MADE BY ANN OWEN HIS BELOVED
WIFE THE DAVGHTER AND INHERITRIX OF RICHARD
WILLIAMS OF LLVSDILAS, ESQ. IN MEMORY OF her
DEARE HVSBAND 1660.

The window at the altar, or end of the chancel, was also erected at the expence of an ancestor of the family, and is preserved by the family to this day. It is all of painted glass; part of it consists of three arch'd lights; in the middle one is painted the crucifixion of our Saviour, and under that is King David, On the north light is painted Llewelyn, and on the south light is Meyrick ap Llewelyn, with their wives, who were both ancestors of this family. On the breast or coat-armour of Meyrick ap Llewelyn are painted his arms, the same the family now gives, as is also his lady's, viz. Three Ravens; and underneath is written in an old character:

Orate pro Animabus Meyrick ap Llewelyn ap Hulkin & Margaretæ uxoris, & Odoeni Meyrick & Ellenæ Ferch Roberti Meredith de Glyn-lleon, Armigeri, uxoris suæ, qui hane fenestram fieri fecerunt.

This Meyrick ap Llewelyn ap Hulkin was the first of the family that settled at Bodowen, which family came from Preseruad, and is descended from one of the fifteen tribes of North Wales. Meyrick ap Llewelyn ap Hulkin had a son Owen, whose son was Hugh ap Owen, Esq; his son was Owen ap Hugh, whose son Sir Hugh Owen, Kt., marry'd the daughter and heiress of George Wyrryot, Esq., of Orielton in the county of Pembroke; his son was John Owen, Esq; whose son Hugh was created Baronet in October, Anno Domini 1627. He was succeeded by Sir Hugh Owen, Bart. his son; and he by Sir Arthur Owen, Bart. his son, now living, who marry'd Emme daughter of William Williams, late of Glascoed in the county of Denbigh, Bart. The said Sir Hugh Owen, Kt. had another son called William, to whom he gave his Anglesey estate of Bodowen; who had issue Hugh, whose neice Ann Owen became heir of that estate, and marry'd Sir Hugh Owen of Orielton, Bart. father of Sir Arthur Owen, by which marriage the estates were united again.

The present condition of the chapel (A.D. 1846) is, how

ever, different from what it was in the days of Browne Willis; the paintings on the roof, which were never of good execution, are now much defaced; and the condition of the stained glass in its windows, as well as in the chancel window, will be perceived from the following description, due to the kindness of the present rector, the Rev. J. H. Williams: —

The windows of Bodowen chapel contain no portraits, but very imperfect remains of three coats of arms.

In the south window-second lower compartment. Argent, a chevron sable between three birds with ermine in their beaks. Crest, a white bear pierced with an arrow in the head "Honestas optima politia." The other crest and several quarterings lost. In an upper compartment, a hawk proper.

In the south window-third lower compartment. Gules, a chevron or between three lions rampant. Gules, a chevron argent between three stag's heads. Argent (query, Azure?) three crowns or. Crest, lion rampant or, white bear, as above.-"Vivit post funera virtus." In an upper compartment, part of a wreath.

Under the arms is an inscription similar to that on the stone over the chapel door, outside, "This chapel was [appointed to be] built," &c. The coat of arms is perfect over the monument, but not coloured.

In the east window of the chapel - Gules, chevron argent between three stags' heads. Argent, chevron sable between three birds with ermine in their beaks. Sable, an oak tree proper (with acorns) and two arrows or, pointing downwards. · "Vivit post In an

upper compartment, a wreath of leaves and flowers.

In the east window of the church. In the upper part of the centre compartment, the crucifixion, with a man at the side holding a cup. Below, a figure in royal robes, ermine collar; in the left hand a ball and cross, in the other hand a sceptre; the head lost.

In the upper part of the northern compartment, the Virgin Mary? In the lower part, a female kneeling, with hands raised together in attitude of prayer; and before her a man kneeling, very imperfect, little more remaining than the hands raised together and one leg.

In the upper part of the south compartment, St. John? In the lower part, a man kneeling, having on his breast a coat of arms; argent, three ravens sable. Argent, a chevron or, between three lions rampant; behind him a red piece, probably the drapery of a female.

Many pieces of the painted glass, particularly the several quarterings in the chapel windows, have been transposed (one turned upside down) according to the convenience and taste of the glazier.

By a British MS. it appears that Llywarch ap Brân bore a chevron sable on a field argent between three crows with bait in their bills. Hwfa ap Cyndelw bore gules, a chevron between three lions rampant or. Carwed, lord of Twrcelyn, bore sable, an oak

proper fructed or, the stem crossed by two arrows saltier-wise, pointed upwards.

This church however, derives its principal interest for the antiquary, from the very valuable inscription which is preserved in it, on the lintel of the southern doorway in the nave, and which is the only relic remaining of the building which originally stood on the spot but was superseded by the present edifice. It has been insufficiently printed by Rowlands, in the Mona Antiqua, but the annexed engraving, carefully reduced from the stone, may be considered a facsimile of the original:

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A rubbing of this inscription has been submitted to G. Petrie, Esq., R.H.A.; V.P.R.I.A. (author of the great work on Irish ecclesiastical architecture) and that gentleman has had the extreme kindness not only to make the reduced drawing from which the above engraving has been cut, but also to give the following account of the inscription itself.

In the decyphering of this inscription I found little or no difficulty, and my reading of it differs only in a single letter from that originally given in Rowlands' Mona Antiqua, and afterwards in Gough's Camden; but this difference is of some importance. In Rowlands the inscription is read thus:

Catamanus Rex sapientissimus opimatissimus omnium Regum. In Gough's Camden thus:

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Catamanus Rex sapientissimus opimutissimus omnium regum.

My reading, which I have no doubt is the true one, is as follows:

CATAMANUS REX SAPIENTISIMUS REGUM.

OPINATISIMUS

OMNIUM

Whether it has previously been thus read by others, or not, I have no works by me, nor time at my disposal to determine; I can only say that I do not recollect to have seen it so read.

If any doubts of the genuineness of this inscription were ever entertained, and such might naturally have arisen from the very barbarous copy of it in Rowlands, I trust they will be now for ever dispelled. The forms of the letters found in it throughout, fully prove it, in my opinion, as of the seventh century. They are very similar, generally, to those in the MS. copies of the Gospels, of the sixth and seventh centuries, preserved in the library of Trinity College, Dublin, as well as to those in the Hiberno-Saxon MSS. in England of the latter age. And they perfectly agree with those in the Irish monumental inscriptions of this period remaining in Ireland, while they differ somewhat from those of a later date, as they do also from those of the inscription on the Pillar of Eliseg in Denbighshire. As interesting examples of this agreement, I may particularly instance the mode in which the e and x are united in the word Rex, and the e and g in Regum, of which we have numerous examples in our MSS. and monumental inscriptions. Of the very peculiar form of the A, indeed, I have found no examples, strictly corresponding, in our monumental inscriptions; and I can call to mind but few in our manuscripts. But this does not, by any means, diminish the authenticity, and claim to antiquity, of the inscription; on the contrary, it supports them, and indicates it to be of an age anterior, at least, to the ninth century A form of A, very nearly approaching to it is to be found in St. Kilian's text of the Gospels of the seventh age, and one approximating still more closely-indeed, I may say exactly similar to it, in the MS. copy of the Canons of the Irish Synod, held in 450, preserved in the Biblioth Col., C.C.C., Oxx., and which is supposed to have been written not long after that period. Indeed, as Dr. O'Conor, who states, that this form of A is found in the book of St. Columbus, of Kills, or rather, as he should have stated, of Durrow, well observes, this form belongs more to the seventh than to the eighth century." Preterea litera A. sic scripta sæculum vii. redolet potius quam viii., ut in Dictionario Diplomatico Benedictino Dom de Vaines, Paris, 1774, t. 1, Pl. 1, Capital des Manuscrits, fig 1." Rerum Hib. Scriptores, Tom. 1, p. ccxl.

I shall only add, that in the curious monumental inscription of the seventh century, in the church of Penrhos Lligwy, in Anglesey, which is also figured in Rowlands, and of which I trust you have procured a rubbing, the A appears to be exactly of the form of that in the inscription to Catamanus or Cadvan.1

1 The church and churchyard of Penrhos Lligwy were examined carefully in 1845, but no traces of any such inscription could then be found.

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