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A. D.

1276.

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 bulwarks of the country. Whenever Eng. land was diftreffed by factions at home, 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 harafs the people; and wherever victory was purchased, 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 Welsh 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 againft Lewellyn, and marched into his country with certain affurance of fuccefs. 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. were the fteep 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

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proached the Welsh army in its laft 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; fo 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 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 Cheshire 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 in

dignant 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 fifty thoufand pounds penalty, vet 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 hould be disagreeable 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 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 usual 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 Welfh 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 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 Atrong to perfuade this prince to hazard a decifive battle against the English. With this view, he marched into Radnorfhire; and paffing the river

Wey,

Wey, his troops were furprized 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 desperately into the midst of the enemy, and quickly found that death he fo 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 fpirit 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 brother 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 was taken, tried, and condemned, as a traitor. His fentence was executed with the moft rigorous feverity; 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 ex

pired the government, and the diftinction of his nation. It was foon after united to the kingdom of England, made a principality, and given to the eldeft 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

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 rehearfing the glorious deeds of their ancestors, were particularly ob. noxious 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 feverity he is faid to have foftened by another meafure, equally politic, and far lefs culpable. In order to flatter their vanity, and amuse their fuperftition, he left his queen to be delivered in the caftle of Caernarvon; and afterwards prefented the child, whose name was Edward, to the Welsh lords, as a native of their country, and as their appointed prince. The lords received him with acclamations of joy, confidering him as a mafter, who would govern them as a diftinct people from the English, there being at that time another heir apparent to the English crown. But the death of the eldest fon, Alphonfo, foon after made young Edward, who had been thus created prince of Wales, heir alfo to the English monarchy; and ever fince the government of both nations has continued to flow in one undivided channel.

This great and important conqueft being atchieved, paved the way for one of ftill more importance, though not attended with fuch permanent confequences. Alexander III. king of Scotland, had been killed by a fall from his horfe, leaving only Margaret, his grand-daughter, heir to the crown, who died fome time after. The death of this princefs produced a moft ardent dif pute about the fucceffion to the Scottish throne, being claimed by no less than twelve competitors.

That

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