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 center of Lewellyn's territories, and approached the Welsh army in its laft retreats, Lewellyn at firft little regarded the progrefs of an enemy, that he supposed would make a tranfient invasion, and then depart; but his contempt was turned into confternation, when he saw Edward place his forces at the foot of the mountains, and hem up his army, in order to force it by famine. Destitute of magazines, and cooped upon in a narrow corner of the country, without provifions for his troops, or pafturage for his cattle, nothing remained but death, or fubmiffion; fo that the unfortunate Welsh prince, without being able to ftrike a blow for his independence, was at laft, obliged to submit at difcretion, and to receive fuch terms as the victor was pleased to impofe. Lewellyn confented to pay fifty thousand 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 justice A. D. 1271.. juftice to his own family, and to deliver hoftages for the fecurity of his fubmiffion. But this treaty was only of fhort duration: the oppreffion of the conqueror, and the indignant pride of the conquered nation, 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 fifty thousand pounds penalty, yet he laid other restrictions fome time after upon Lewellyn, which that prince confidered as more injurious. He particularly exacted a promise from him at Worcefter, that he would retain no perfon in his principality, that should be difagreeable to the EngJifh 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 Harwardin, made Sir Roger Clifford, juftice of the Marches, who was very dangerously wounded, their prifoner, and foon after laid fiege to the castle of Ruthland. When the account of thefe hoftilities was brought to Edward, he affembled a numerous army, and fet out with a fierce refolution to exterminate Lewellyn and his whole fa mily; and to reduce that people to fuch an abject ftate, 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 finished, to fignalize their courage against the enemy. The Welsh patiently remained in their fortreffes till they saw 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 spirits of the Welsh; and it was now univerfally believed by that poor fuperftitious people, that heaven had declared in their favour. A story 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. These were inducements fufficiently strong to perfuade this prince to hazard a decifive battle 1 battle against the English. With this view, he marched into Radnorshire; and paffing the river Wey, his troops were furprifed and defeated by Edward Mortimer, while he himself was abfent from his army, upon a conference with fome of the barons of that country. Upon his return, feeing the dreadful fituation of his affairs, he ran defperately into the midst of the enemy, and quickly found that death he so ardently fought for. One of the English captains recognizing his countenance, fevered his head from his body, and it was fent to London, where it was received with extreme demonftrations of joy. The brutal spirit of the times will fufficiently appear from the barbarity of the citizens on this occafion the head being encircled in a filver coronet, to fulfil the prediction of the wizzard, it was placed by them upon a pillory, that the populace might glut their eyes with fuch an agreeable fpectacle. David, the bro ther of this unfortunate prince, foon after fhared the fame fate; while his followers, quite difpirited by the lofs of their beloved leader, obeyed but flowly, and fought with reluctance. Thus being at laft totally abandoned; he was obliged to hide himself in one of the obfcure caverns of the country but his retreat being foon after difcovered, he he was taken, tried, and condemned, as a traitor. His fentence was executed with the moft vigorous severity; he was hanged, drawn and quartered, only for having bravely defended the expiring liberties of his native country, and his own hereditary poffeffions. With him expired the government, and the distinction of his nation. It was foon after united to the kingdom of England, made a principality, and given to the eldest fon of the crown. Foreign conquefts might add to the glory, but this added to the felicity of the kingdom. The Welsh were now blended with the conquerors; and in the revolution of a few ages, all national animofity was entirely forgotten. At the time of the conqueft, however, the Welsh fubmitted with extreme reluctance; and few nations ever bowed to a foreign yoke with greater indignation. The bards of the country, whofe employment confifted in rehearsing the glorious deeds of their ancestors, were particularly obnoxious to the king, who, confidering that while they continued to keep the ancient flame alive, he muft expect no peace in his new acquifitions, ordered them to be maffacred, from motives of barbarous policy, at that time not uncommon. This severity he is faid to have foftened by another measure, equally |