with a circular head, into the garden, but it must have once served as an entrance to a chapel. In the same wall, between the doorway and the eastern end, are three sedilia, of which we have given a view, with one of the arches which has fallen down restored, as we hope it will shortly be. They are of elegant proportions, and contain curious little shelves or recesses for placing the breviaries used by the officiating priests. These recesses are made of slate. Beyond the sedilia is a low pointed recess, extending into the chapel, which might have served as the arched covering of a tomb, but is now blocked up; and beyond this again a small piscina, with a shelf like the sedilia, but without a drain. In the northern wall is another similar arch or recess rather larger than the former, but also extending through the wall into the northern chapel or aisle, and intended for the same purposes or for an Easter Sepulchre. The eastern end is lighted by three lofty, well-proportioned lancets with bold splays, and above them in the gable, though entirely concealed by the ivy, are three smaller lancet-shaped apertures. There are four clerestory windows greatly dilapidated, but apparently of two lights each, on the southern side; and perhaps the position of the rood-loft may be determined from the holes left in the walls when it was pulled down. According to tradition this rood-loft now graces Llanegryn Church, near Towyn. In the northern aisle a portion of very old timber work remains in the roof, but whether it be in the position it originally held, before the dissolution of the monastery, we have no means of deciding.

LEGAL DOCUMENTS CONNECTED WITH THE HISTORY OF THE ABBEY.-The earliest authentic mention which we find made of the abbey occurs in the Taxatio, A.D. 1291, and the extract relating to it we give below. We next find it noticed in the pleadings in Quo Warranto, about 24th Edward III., before Richard de Stafford and his associates, justices itinerant of the prince in North Wales (Vid. Record of Caernarvon, pp. 199-202). The abbot is therein stated to have been summoned to shew by what right he claimed certain privileges, inasmuch as the holding of them and of various properties, which he claimed, militated against the statute of Mortmain. The record then states as follows:"And the aforesaid abbot came and said that a certain Llewelyn son of Gervase (Llewelyn ap Iorwerth) formerly Prince of North Wales by his charter had given granted and confirmed to the then Abbot of Cymmer, predecessor of this very abbot, all the aforesaid liberties to be held by him and his successors for a pure and perpetual eleemosynary gift, which charter the Lord Edward, formerly King of England, great grandfather of our Lord the present Prince, after he had conquered Wales, inspecting, ratified granted and confirmed by his letters patent. And he further said that the Lord Edward, lately King of England, grandfather of the present Prince, while the Principality of Wales was in his hands, inspecting the same letters patent of the Lord Edward, great grandfather, &c., ratified granted and confirmed them by his letters patent for himself and his heirs. And he produced the same letters patent of the Lord Edward King, the grandfather, &c., which testified to the foregoing in these words: -Edward by the grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitaine to all, &c., we have inspected the letters patent of the Lord Edward of illustrious memory late King of England, our father in these words:-'Edward, &c., we have inspected the charter which Lewelin son of Gervase (Llewelyn ap Iorwerth) formerly Prince of North Wales, gave to the Abbot and monks of Kymer, in Wales, in these words:-"To all sons of Holy Mother Church as well present as future, to whose notice the tenor of these present letters shall come, Lywelin son of Gervase prince of North Wales greeting and peace. Whereas we are bound by all that in us lies to secure to all the benefits of peace, especially to those whom the order of

religion recommends, it is therefore our duty to provide carefully that they be not molested unjustly through breach of the peace. Therefore hearing the petitions of our beloved brethren the Abbot and monks of the Cistercian order in the diocese of Bangor, devoutly serving God and the glorious Virgin Mary at Kymer, and living regularly under the rule of St. Benedict our patron, and being inclined to their petition, wishing diligently to provide for their use whatever we know to have been conferred on them either by ourselves or by others or by our fellow Princes, we have determined to give a confirmation under our seal, in order that what has been given justly may not at a future period be taken away by any unjust presumption. We have moreover thought fit to commit to this writing in a clear manner the names of lands given to the same monks by ourselves and others our brothers the Princes, together with their entire boundaries and appurtenances, according as is better and more certainly and more manifestly contained in the charters and donations of the Lords the Princes, Meredith to wit and Griffith sons of Konan, and Howel son of Griffith, and others; and according as the said Princes have more fully and expressly conferred and given to the said monks all the lands and liberties, Kymmer to wit, in which place their monastery is situated, &c."

The charter then goes on at great length to recite the various lands, with their boundaries, as belonging to the abbey; but we abstain from following it into this detail, inasmuch as the document itself being printed both in Dugdale's Monasticon and in the Record of Caernarvon, is easy of reference, and also because the spelling of nearly all the names recited is so erroneous or obsolete, that they would convey little information to the reader. Add to which that a good idea of the property of the abbey will be formed from other documents given below. The remainder of the charter is, however, curious on account of the privileges and liberties which it conveyed to the monks, and thus continues:

"All the aforenamed lands in the three aforesaid provinces, and whatever others they have obtained or may in future obtain, whether from ourselves or from others, and also may have conferred on the lord of Kemmer and the monks of the same place, I will warrant and maintain for myself and my heirs as a perpetual donation, as well as those given them

by others; in plains and in woods, in meadows, waters, mills, in pastures and fisheries, in stationing of nets in rivers, in pools and ports, and in shores and the sea, in liberties of ships and boats, in the right of having and taking away, without any contradiction or tollage, their cargoes of the property of the monks, if by accident it happen that they become broken or wrecked by storm at sea; in the taking up of all kinds of timber, and stone of what kind soever; in having birds and wild animals of what kind soever; in digging for and working out mines and treasures; in mountains and woods; in all moveables and immoveables; in possessing and holding for their own use all things, which are contained upon or beneath the said lands whether material or immaterial; in holding all uses and commodities free and quit of all secular exaction or burthen, without the molestating or calumniating or controverting of any one, without custom of the secular laws, or any tribute at any time, without any convention with any one, in pastures or in other uses in the aforesaid lands whether in co-habitation or co-partnership. Moreover we have given and granted to the monks that if any one of (our or the) heirs in all the land which is under my power shall make to them a temporary concession of land or pool, they may have the power and liberty of holding and taking away the produce of them. Being obedient in all things, and before all things, to the precepts of our lord the Pope we have granted to the aforesaid brethren that the privileges of the most high Pontiff corroborated by the authority of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and whether given or to be given to the said monks, shall have their full force and remain unshaken and inviolate. Against those however who manifestly infringe upon the apostolical authority, either by burning any of the dwellings of these monks, or by shedding blood within the limits of the monastery or of their granges or places, or by detaining a man, or by repeatedly committing any act of irreverence, by robbing a man, or by doing anything against the apostolical writings and indulgences, however dear or near to us those persons may be, we will fully exercise secular justice upon them, and patiently and willingly uphold the ecclesiastical censure passed upon them."

The charter, after further stipulating that it is to be binding on all the heirs of the granter, is sealed by the prince,

and countersigned by "the lord Esau, then abbot," and in presence of numerous witnesses, of whom are specially cited Gervase (or Iorwerth), a professed monk of the house; Madoc, a converted brother; and Llwydyarth, a religious brother, of Kymmer; and among the laymen by Gwyn, son of Ednewyn, the prince's seneschal; Eynyawn, son of Rodri; Master Serwith Ywen, and "many other fit and faithful persons." The date is 1209. We have followed Dugdale's reading of these names as more correct than that in the Record of Caernarvon. The confirmation by Edward I. is dated at Westminster, on the 26th day of March, in the 17th year of his reign, and that of Edward II. at Wigmore (Wyggermore), on the 11th day of August, in the 6th year of his reign. The record of the pleading goes on to state that John de Delves, the Prince's deputy, objected to this, that as the abbot had not claimed the privileges on the last journey of the justices he ought to forfeit them to the prince; but the abbot, in reply, offered to pay, and did pay, a fine of 6s. 8d. for their recovery. John de Delves then objected that, admitting the validity of the charters, they conferred no privileges beyond confirming the original charter of Llewelyn, but that all the privileges and rights granted by the Welsh princes reverted to the crown of England upon the conquest; and further that the abbot had illegally used these privileges, which the abbot denied, and demanded judgment thereon. In the end, however, the ratifications of the original charter are allowed to stand good, and the abbot is maintained in his property and privileges.

The Record of Caernarvon again notices the religious fraternity of Cymmer. Thus, in the list of attornies admitted on behalf of certain persons before the justices itinerant, occurs an entry (p. 210) by which the abbot of Kymer gives to Thomas de Engleton, or William de Campeden, powers of prosecution and defence, against all persons impugning his liberties, as well as in all pleas and complaints for or against himself present or future, before the justices itinerant of North Wales.

Among the petitions recorded in this book are the following, at pp. 217-218. From the Abbot and Convent of Kymmer, that the Prince would take them under his protection; to which was replied that the justice should inform himself of some trustworthy person in whom they could confide,