preferved their freedom and their country, uncontaminated by the admiffion of foreign conquerors. But as they were, from their number incapable of withstanding their more powerful neighbours on the plain, their chief defence lay in their inacceffible mountains, thofe natural bulA. D. warks of the country. Whenever Eng. land was diftreffed by factions at home, 1276.

or its forces called off to wars abroad, the Welsh made it a conftant practice to pour in their irregular troops, and lay the open country wafte wherever they came. Nothing could be more pernicious to a country than feveral neighbouring independent principalities, under different commanders, and purfuing different interefts; the mutual jealoufies of fuch were fure to harass the people; and wherever victory was purchafed, it was always at the expence of the general welfare. Senfible of this, Edward had long wifhed to reduce that incurfive people, and had ordered Lewellyn to do homage for his territories; which fummons the Welfh prince refused to obey, unlefs the king's own fon fhould be delivered as an hoftage for his fafe return. The king was not difpleafed at his refufal, as it ferved to give him a pretext for his intended invafion. He therefore levied an army against Lewellyn, and marched into his country with certain affurance of fuccess. Upon the approach of Edward, the Welsh prince took refuge among the inacceffible mountains of Snowdon, and there refolved to maintain his ground, without trusting to the chance of a battle. These were the steep retreats that had for many ages before defended his ancestors against all the attempts of the Norman and Saxon conquerors. But Edward, equally vigorous and cautious, having explored every part of his way, pierced into the very centre of Lewellyn's territories, and approached

A 5

proached the Welsh army in its last retreats. Lewellyn at first little regarded the progrefs of an enemy, that he fuppofed would make a tranfient invafion, and then depart; but his contempt was turned into confternation, when he faw Edward place his forces at the foot of the mountains, and hem up his army, in order to force it by famine. Deftitute of magazines, and cooped up in a narrow corner of the country, without provifions for his troops, or pafturage for his cattle, nothing remained but death, or fubmiffion; so that the unfortunate Welsh prince, without being able to ftrike a blow, for his independence, was, at last, obliged to fubmit at difcretion, and to receive fuch terms as the victor was pleased to impofe. Lewellyn confented to pay fifty thousands pounds, as a fatisfaction for damages; to do homage to the crown of England; to permit all other barons except four near Snowdon, to fwear fealty in the fame manner; to relinquish the country between Cheshire and the river Conway; to do juftice to his own family, and to deliver høftages for the fecurity of his fubmiffion.

But this treaty was only of fhort duration the A. D. oppreffion of the conqueror, and the indignant pride of the conquered nation, 1277 could not long remain without producing new diffenfions. The lords of the Marches committed all kinds of injuftice on their Welfh neighbours; and although Edward remitted the fiftythoufand pounds penalty, yet he laid other reftrictions fome time after upon Lewellyn, which that prince confidered as more injurious. He particularly exacted a promife from him at Worcester, that he would retain no perfon in his principality, that fhould be difagreeable to the English monarch. These were infults too great to be endured, and once more the Welsh flew to arms. A body of

•

their forces took the field under the command of David, the brother of their prince, ravaged the plain country, took the caftle of Hardwardin, made Sir Roger Clifford, juftice of the Marches, who was very dangerously wounded, their prifoner, and foon after laid fiege to the caftle of Ruthland. When the account of these hoftilities was brought to Edward, he affembled a numerous army, and fet out with a fierce refolution to exterminate Lewellyn and his whole family; and to reduce that people to fuch an abject ftate, that they fhould never after be able to revolt or diftress their more peaceable neighbours. At first,, however the king's endeavours were not attended with their ufual fuccefs; having caufed a bridge of boats to be laid over the river Menay, a body of forces, commanded by lord Latimer, and de Thonis, paffed over before it was completely finifhed, to fignalize their courage against the enemy, The Welsh patiently remained in their fortreffes till they faw the tide flowing in beyond the end of the bridge, and thus cutting off the retreat of the affailants. It was then that they poured down from their mountains with hideous outcries; and, with the most ungovernable fury, put the whole body that had got over to the fword. This defeat revived the finking fpirits of the Welth; and it was now univerfally believed by that poor fuperftitious people, that heaven had declared in their favour. A ftory ran that it was foretold, in the prophecies of Merlin, that Lewellyn was to be the reftorer of Brutus's empire in Britain: a wizzard had prognofticated that he should ride through the streets of London with a crown upon his head. Thefe were inducements fufficiently frong to perfuade this prince to hazard a decifive battle against the English. With this view, he marched into Radnorfhire; and pafling the river

Wey,

241

proached the Welsh army in its laft retreats. Lewellyn at firft little regarded the progress of an enemy, that he fuppofed would make a tranfient invafion, and then depart; but his contempt was turned into confternation, when he faw Edward place his forces at the foot of the mountains, and hem up his army, in order to force it by famine. Deftitute of magazines, and cooped up in a narrow corner of the country, without provifions for his troops, or pafturage for his cattle, nothing remained but death, or fubmiffion; so that the unfortunate Welsh prince, without being able to ftrike a blow, for his independence, was, at last, obliged to fubmit at discretion, and to receive fuch terms as the victor was pleafed to impofe. Lewellyn confented to pay fifty thousands pounds, as a fatisfaction for damages; to do homage to the crown of England; to permit all other barons except four near Snowdon, to fwear fealty in the fame manner; to relinquish the country between Chefhire and the river Conway; to do juftice to his own family, and to deliver heftages for the fecurity of his fubmiffion.

But this treaty was only of fhort duration : the A. D. oppreffion of the conqueror, and the indignant pride of the conquered nation, 1277 could not long remain without producing new diffenfions. The lords of the Marches committed all kinds of injuftice on their Welsh neighbours; and although Edward remitted the fiftythoufand pounds penalty, yet he laid other reftrictions fome time after upon Lewellyn, which that prince confidered as more injurious. He particularly exacted a promife from him at Worcester, that he would retain no perfon in his principality, that fhould be difagreeable to the English monarch. These were infults too great to be endured, and once more the Welsh few to arms. A body of

•

their forces took the field under the command of David, the brother of their prince, ravaged the plain country, took the caftle of Hardwardin, made Sir Roger Clifford, juftice of the Marches, who was very dangerously wounded, their prifoner, and foon after laid fiege to the caftle of Ruthland. When the account of these hoftilities was brought to Edward, he affembled a numerous army, and fet out with a fierce refolution to exterminate Lewellyn and his whole family; and to reduce that people to fuch an abject state, that they should never after be able to revolt or diftrefs their more peaceable neighbours. At first, however the king's endeavours were not attended with their ufual fuccefs; having caused a bridge. of boats to be laid over the river Menay, a body of forces, commanded by lord Latimer, and de Thonis, paffed over before it was completely finifhed, to fignalize their courage against the enemy, The Welsh patiently remained in their fortreffes till they faw the tide flowing in beyond the end of the bridge, and thus cutting off the retreat of the affailants. It was then that they poured down from their mountains with hideous outcries; and, with the moft ungovernable fury, put the whole body that had got over to the fword. This defeat revived the finking fpirits of the Welsh ; and it was now univerfally believed by that poor fuperftitious people, that heaven had declared in their favour. A ftory ran that it was foretold, in the prophecies of Merlin, that Lewellyn was to be the restorer of Brutus's empire in Britain: a wizzard had prognofticated that he should ride through the streets of London with a crown upon his head. Thefe were inducements fufficiently ftrong to perfuade this prince to hazard a decifive battle against the English. With this view, he marched into Radnorfhire; and paffing the river

215

Wey,