Page images
PDF
EPUB

multifarious public cares still leave opportunity for antiquarian and historical pursuits of sterling value, as our pages abundantly testify. The one has already given, and the other we hope will yet give, to the Celtic world, an extensive and lasting memorial of antiquarian research.

In the portion of Mr. Rowlands's MS., which now follows, will be observed a document concerning Clynnog Vawr partially quoted. This has been published at full length in the Record of Caernarvon, but with many errors in the names of places therein mentioned. Our learned correspondent has communicated to us another MS. concerning Clynnog, which corrects and elucidates the document in question; and, even at the risk of repetition, we shall print this, with a translation from the Record of Caernarvon, when we come to treat of Clynnog Vawr at a future period.

Aberbreint vel Dwyran. Villa

bipartita.

HÆC olim quæ jam bipartita est, una villa erat nomine Aber-breint, quæ ad ostium rivuli Breint sita est, sed Dwyran vocatur; quæ ab Idwallo Wallorum principe, ecclesiæ de Clynnog Fawr, ex una parte; ex altera episcopo Bangorensi concessa fuit, indeque in duas partes, i. e. Dwyran, divisa: hæc Episcopo, illa Beunoni, quæ in hunc diem Dwyran Esgob, et Dwyran Beuno, suis terminis dignoscuntur. Hac villa ex parte Episcopi villenagium erat, hoc est ex Britonum jure, villanos seu homines servili sorte natos enutriit, dominoque suo subjecit. Parvula quidem censu est; non plus quam tres boviatas terra, ut ex Episcopi extentâ patet, suis amplexa est limitibus, in quibus non pauci tamen extiterunt hujusmodi villani domino suo, nativo fœdere obstricti, ideoque in omnibus vetustatis chartulis nativi vocitantur: grex certe hominum dominis suis maxime mancipatus, et ut plurimum jumentorum instar una cum terris solenniter venundatus: sed ut nunc villenagii hujus natura penitus sit perspecta, hîc pro omnibus aliis locis, ubi hoc hominum occurrit genus, hujusmodi venditionis

Aber Breint or Dwyran, a township divided into two portions.

THIS township, which is now divided into two, was formerly one, by name Aber-breint, situated at the mouth of the little river Breint, and is now called Dwyran. This was granted by Idwal, Prince of Wales, to the Church of Clynnog Vawr, on the one part, and to the Bishop of Bangor, on the other; and hence was divided into two portions, that is to say, Dwyran, one for the bishop, the other for Beuno, which to this day, are known by their limits, as Dwyran Esgob and Dwyran Beuno. This township, in the bishop's part, was a villenage; that is to say, by the laws of the Britons, it maintained villains or men born in a servile condition, and subjected them to its lord. It was of small value, containing within its limits not more than three boviates of land, as appears by the bishop's extent; in which, however, there were not a few villains of this kind, bound to their lord by the native wal. On this account, therefore, in all the charters of antiquity, they are called natives; a herd of men certainly very much bound down to their masters, and commonly sold along with the

hominum cum suis terris, unum et land, like beasts of burthen. alterum profero exemplum.

Chartula venditorum hominum.

"Rhys ap Gryffydd ap Jorwerth, Gryffydd ap Dicus, et Evan ap Dicus, etc., dedimus, confirmavimus, et vendidimus in perpetuum, Gulielmo ap Gryffydd ap Gwilym de Penmynydd, etc., hos scilicet nativos, Engan goch ap Jorwerth ap Kynwric, Dicum ap Engan goch ap Jorwerth ap Kynwric, cum filiis et filiabus dictorum Engani et Dici, naturaliter procreatis et procreandis, cum eorum sequelis, terris, bonis et catallis quibuscunque, pro quâdem summa pecuniæ etc., habend. eidem Willmo Gryffydd ap Gwilym, hæredibus et assignatis suis, in perpetuum. Dat. apud Bangor secundo die Maii, anno regni Regis Hen. IV. primo."

"Gryffydd ap Jorwerth Vychan, liber tenens villæ Llechgynfarwy etc. vendi et confirmavi Willimo ap Gryffydd ap Gwilym etc., hæredibus et assignatis suis, hos nativos, scil. Dafydd ap Evan ap Adda, Jorwerth et Gryffydd filios ejus, et Angharad filiam ejusdem Dafydd, et Hwva ap Evan ap Adda, nativos meos, cum omnibus mobilibus et immobilibus suis etc., habend: præfato Willimo hæredibus et assignatis suis in perpetuum. Dat. apud Penmynydd die lunæ proxime ante Fest. Sant. Bartholomei anno Hen. VI. primo."

"Ednyfed vychan ap Ednyfed, alias dictus Ednyfed ap Arthelw verch Dafyd ap Gryffydd, et Howel ap Dafyd ap Ryryd, alias dictus Howel ap Arthelw verch Dafydd ap Gryffydd, liberi tenentes Domini Regis villæ de Rhandir Gadog etc., dedimus

In

order, however, that the nature of this villenage may be thoroughly perceived, I here bring forward some examples, which may serve (to elucidate) all other places where men of this kind are mentioned.

Deed of a Sale of Men.

"Rhys ap Gryffydd ap Iorwerth, Gryffydd ap Dicus, and Evan ap Dicus, &c., we have given, confirmed, and sold in perpetuity to William ap Gryffydd ap Gwilym, of Penmynydd, &c., these natives, to wit, Engan goch ap Iorwerth ap Kynwric, Dicus ap Engan goch ap Iorwerth ap Kynwric, with the sons and daughters of the said Engan and Dicus, naturally begotten and to be begotten, with all their followers, lands, goods, and chattels, whatsoever, for a certain sum of money, &c., to be held by the same William Gryffydd ap Gwilym, his heirs and assigns, for ever. Given at Bangor, on the second day of May, in the first year of the reign of King Henry IV."

"I, Gryffydd ap Iorwerth Vychan, a free tenant of the township of Llechgynfarwy, &c., have sold and confirmed to William ap Gryffydd ap Gwilym, &c., to their heirs and assigns, these natives, to wit, Dafydd ap Evan ap Adda, Iorwerth and Gryffydd his sons, and Angharad, daughter of the same Dafydd, and Hwva ap Evan ap Adda, my natives, with all their moveables and immoveables, &c., to be held by the aforesaid William, his heirs and assigns, for ever. Given at Penmynydd, on the Monday next before the Festival of St. Bartholomew, in the first year of Henry VI."

"Ednyfed Vychan ap Ednyfed, otherwise called Ednyfed ap Arthelw, daughter of Dafydd ap Gryffydd, and Howel ap Dafydd ap Ryryd, otherwise called Howel ap Arthelw, daughter of Dafydd ap Gryffydd, free tenants of our Lord the King,

et confirmavimus Willimo ap Gryffydd ap Gwilym, armigero et libero tenenti de Porthamel etc., septem nativos nostros, scil. Howel ap Dafydd dew, Matto ap Dafydd dew, Ieuan ap Ieuan ddu, Llywelyn ap Dafydd dew, et Llewelyn ap Evan Coke, (goch?) cum eorum sequelis tam procreatis quam procreandis, ac omnibus bonis, catallis etc., habend. etc. predictos nativos nostros etc., præfato Willimo Gryffyth ap Gwylym, hæredibus et assignatis suis in perpetuum. Dat. apud Rhandir Gadog 20 die Junii anno Hen. VI. 27.”

Hæc sane belluina barbaries cum aliis Britonum ferociis luce jam Evangelii a Papismi tenebris denuo exorta, moribus inde majore politura limatis protinus exolevere: quapropter omnes villulæ hujus vassali, aut episcoporum quorundam gratia, aut pretio facto, liberi tandem fiebant tenentes, multis ejus terræ ligulis frugum feracissimis inter se disterminatis præditi; ex quibus qui ad Episcopum spectant cum dominum suum agnoscunt, clientelares census sectasque curiæ ejus solvunt, alterum vero dimidium, quod attinet Sancto Beunoni olim asscitum soluta illa apud Clynnog Fraternitate, vel citius ut alii volunt, in manus Regis devenit, tenentesque redditus suos in regium exsolvunt fiscum, Principisque curiam cum cæteris

sectantur.

CLYNNOG VECHAN.

Hæc perexigua villa est a quodam Idwallo (Iwrch q.) Principe, (an caprea vel calvo vel altero, de tribus enim ejus nominis legimus, non constat,) Ecclesiæ de Clynnog Vawr, nomine Sanct. Beunonis concessa reperitur, unamque illius Ecclesiæ

of the township of Rhandir Gadog, &c., have given and confirmed to William ap Gryffydd ap Gwilym, Esquire, and free tenant of Porthamel, &c., seven natives of ours, to wit, Howel ap Dafydd dew, Matto ap Dafydd dew, Ieuan ap Ieuan ddu, Llywelyn ap Dafydd dew, and Llywelyn ap Evan coke, (qu. goch?) with all their followers, as well begotten as to be begotten, and all their goods, chattels, &c., to be held, &c., the aforesaid our natives, &c., by the aforesaid William Gryffydd ap Gwilym, his heirs and assigns, for ever. Given at Rhandir Gadog, on the 20th day of June, in the 27th year of Henry VI."

Of

This beastly barbarism, with other ferocious practices of the Britons, has become obsolete, since the light of the Gospel has arisen out of the darkness of Papism, and since manners have thence become more softened and polished; and hence all the vassals of this township, either by favour of some of the bishops, or by payment of money, have at length become free tenants, endowed with strips of land exceedingly fruitful, and divided from each other. these, those that refer to the bishop acknowledge him as their lord, and pay the customary fines and suits of his court as tenants; the other half, however, which refer to St. Beuno, and were formerly subject to him, on the dissolution of that fraternity at Clynnog, or sooner, as some will have it, fell into the King's hands, and as tenants pay their rents into the Royal Treasury, and their suit to the Prince's court along with others.

CLYNNOG VECHAN.

THIS inconsiderable township is found to have been granted to the Church of St. Beuno, by a certain Prince Idwal, (qu. Iwrch, whether derived from a goat or a bald person, or some other, for we read of three of that name, is uncertain) and constituted

Præbendam fecit. Regiuncula est Regiuncula est hordei feracissima, quippe quæ paludi Genivennæ incumbens, arenulis ex ea volatilibus, saliumque e mari respersionibus, admodum saturata, et frugibus fæcunda redditur. Familiam jam olim apud se haud contemnendam colebat, quæ fato cessit, domumque cum hæredio ejus in manus domini Audoeni Hughes, pretio facto, nuper accessisse contigit: jam vero cum in hac villula nulla alia dicendi res suppetit, non abs re fore existimem, si quod de donationibus vita ac pietate illustrium, Ecclesiæ de Clynnog vawr, cujus hæc appendicula erat, ex antiquis chartulis olim desumptum jam recolendo subtexerim, prout ex extentæ codice a celeberrimo viro et peritissimo Antiquario domino Roberto Vaughan de Hengwrt, non ita pridem evulgatum proditur, viz.

"Edwardus Dei gratia Angliæ et Franciæ Rex, Dominus Hiberniæ etc. Omnibus ad quos presentes literæ pervenerint salutem. Sciatis, quod ex parte dilecti nobis Galfridi Treffnant, nunc Propositi sive Rectoris Ecclesiæ Collegiate de Clynnog vawr, in comitatu Caernarvon in Northwallia, nobis sit lamentabiliter monstratum qualiter ante tempus, et quo non existat memoria hominum, quidam Gwithenit dedit propriam villam suam Clynok vawr Deo et Begnobo, tunc Abbati Abbatiæ de Clynnok vawr pro anima sua et anima consobrini sui Catwallini, sine censu regali et sine consule, sua proprietate, sicut quidam lapis in terra (testatur q.) ac personæ subscriptæ dederunt Deo et Sancto Beugnobo res sive terras subscriptas sicut Gwithenit dedit Clynog vawr, videlicet: Cadwalader Rex dedit Graianog; Tegwareth Rex dedit Porthamell; Merfyn Princeps dedit Carnguwch; Cadwgan ap Cynvelyn dedit Bodveilian yn Lleyn; Bodwell Rodri filius Mervini dedit Denivio;

ARCHEOL. CAMB. VOL. I.]

one of its prebends. This small district is very fertile in barley, for being near to the Geinwen Marsh, and saturated with sand blown from thence, as well as by the salt spray from the sea, it is rendered productive for crops. A family of note, once existed in it, but has become decayed; and it has lately happened that its residence and property have fallen, by purchase, into the hands of Sir Owen Hughes. Since, however, there is no other circumstance worthy of mention connected with this little township, it appears to me not irrelevant, to add some particulars concerning the donations made by persons, illustrious for their lives and piety, to the Church of Clynnog Vawr, of which this was an appendage. These have been taken from old charters, according as they have been extracted from the Book of the Extent, by that very celebrated man and most learned antiquary, Mr. Robt. Vaughan, of Hengwrt.

"Edward, by the grace of God, King of England and France, Lord of Ireland, &c., to all to whom these present letters come greeting: Know ye that on the part of our beloved Walfrid Treffnant, now Provost or Rector of the Collegiate Church of Clynnog Vawr, in the county of Carnarvon, in North Wales, it hath been lamentably shewn to us, how in times before the memory of man, a certain Gwithenit, gave his own township of Clynnog Vawr, to God and Begnobus, (St. Beuno,) then to the Abbot of the Abbey of Clynnog Vawr, for his own soul and the soul of his mother's sister's son, Catwallinus, without any royal tax or superior lord, of his own property, according as a stone erected on the land (testifies); and the under written persons, have given to God and St. Beugnobus, the property and lands underwritten, according as Gwithenit gave to Clynnog Vawr, to wit: King Cadwalader gave Graianog; King Tegwaret, Porthamel; Prince Merfyn,

YY

Griffri filius Tunglam dedit tertiam partem de Maistref; Greang dedit Derwyn; Rodri filius Idwall dedit Botalog; Idwall dedit Penrhos; Rhodri dedit tertiam partem de Neuagwll; Gwynthenit filius Tridog dedit Llanllyfni et Coret Abersaint; Cadell Rex dedit Cilcourt; Ydwall dedit Clynog vechan; Tridog dedit Coret Gwyrfai a silva usque ad mare; Ydwall dedit Aberbraint; Cadell ap Rhodri dedit Brynhydagen; Anarrawd filius Rhodri dedit Ysgallen yn Creuddyn; Cadel dedit Bodtwnog et Llandynwal; Rhodri ap Mervyn dedit Pistill et Nantsochyn yn Lleyn; Cadell dedit Eithinog; Rhodri dedit Y Llannor yn Lleyn; Cynan filius Howel dedit Bodelias yn Lleyn; Anarrawd dedit Bodagwyn; Anarrawd filius Rhodri dedit Dolpebin; Grewan filius Owen dedit Dolcoediog; Griffith ap Llywelyn dedit Yvaenol; Cadwaladrus dedit Llanvawr yn Lleyn; Griffith filius Llywelyn dedit Trefryw; Lowlion filius Llonwrien dedit Hirdref yn Lleyn; Jonab dedit Bodegroes; Rhodri filius Nervyn dedit Moneddus; Cadell filius Rhodri dedit Penhidegan; Griffith filius Llywen dedit Treflech; Rhodri dedit Penrhos yn Twrcelyn; Howel filius Cadell dedit duas partes de Llecheiddior; Griffith filius Llywelyn dedit Rhoswenissa, etc."

Hanc, jam recitatam solum nomine tenus, recapitulationem fuisse chartularum antiquarum arbitror; quas, hæc Ecclesia, tunc a superioribus seculis suis olim consignatas archivis, habuisse videtur: sed utcunque hæc, cum veritate conciliari possent, apertissima constat luce, plurimas ex his terris, quæ hoc catalogo designantur, jam multis a retro annis, non ad Ecclesiam de Clynnog vawr, sed ad alios principes viros, presertim ad Præsulem Bangorensem, plenissimo et indubio jure spectasse, prout in Extentis tum Regis quam Episcopi, tamque ex aliis pervetustis syngraphis facile constat: verum enimvero hæc villula, cum aliis eo modo concessis,

Carnguwch; Cadwgan ap Cynvelyn, Bodveilian in Lleyn; Bodwell Rodri, son of Mervin, Denivio; Griffri, son of Tunglam, the third part of Maistref; Greang, Derwyn; Rodri, the son of Idwal, Botalog; Idwal, Penrhos; Rhodri, the third part of Neugwll; Gwynthenit, son of Tridog, Llanllyfni and Coret Abersaint; King Cadell, Cilcourt; Ydwall, Clynog Vechan; Tridog, Coret Gwyrfai, from the forest to the sea; Ydwall, Aberbraint; Cadell ap Rhodri, Brynhydagen; Anarrawd, son of Rhodi, Ysgallen yn Creuddyn; Cadell, Bodtwnog and Llandynwal; Rhodri ap Mervyn, Pistill and Nantsochyn yn Lleyn; Cadell, Eithinog; Rhodri, Y Llannor yn Lleyn; Cynan, son of Howel, Bodelias yn Lleyn; Anarrawd, Bodagwyn; Anarrawd, son of Rhodri, Dolpebin; Grewan, son of Owen, Dolcoediog; Griffith ap Llywelyn, Yvaenol; Cadwaladrus, Llanvawr yn Lleyn; Griffith, son of Llewelyn, Trefryw; Lowlion, son of Llonwrien, Hirdref yn Lleyn; Jonab, Bodegroes; Rhodri, son of Mervyn, Menedus; Cadell, son of Rhodri, Penhidegan; Griffith, son of Llywen, Treflech; Rhodri, Penrhos, in Twrcelyn; Howel, son of Cadell, two parts of Llecheiddior; Griffith, son of Llywellyn, Rhoswenissa, &c."

I am of opinion that this charter, recited as far as the names only, was a recapitulation of ancient charters, which this church seems at that time to have possessed, having been consigned to its archives from former ages. However this may be reconcileable with the truth, it is very evident that for many years past very many of the lands, designated in this catalogue, belonged in the fullest and most indubitable right, not to the Church of Clynnog Vawr, but to other chief men, and especially to the Bishop of Bangor, as readily appears as well from the King's and Bishop's extents, as from other very ancient documents. Nevertheless, this little

« PreviousContinue »