"RHYS, son to Tewdwr ap Einion ap Owen ap Howel Dda, as lawful heir to the government of South Wales, put in his claim, which being very plain and evident, so prevailed with the people of the Country, that they unanimously elected him for their Prince, much against the expectations of Trahern ap Caradoc, Prince of North Wales.

"The government of all Wales, both North and South, had long been supported by usurpers, and forcibly detained from the right and legal inheritors; but Providence would suffer injustice to reign no longer, and therefore restored the rightful heirs to their Principalities. Rhys ap Tewdwr had actual possession of South Wales, and there wanted no more at this time, than to bring in Gruffydd ap Cynan to North Wales: both these Princes being indisputably right and lawful heirs to their respective governments, as lineally descended from Rodri Mawr, who was legal proprietor of all Wales. Gruffydd ap Cynan had already reduced Anglesea, but not being able to bring a sufficient army from thence, to oppose Trahern, he invited over a great party of Irish and Scots, and then, with his whole army, joined Rhys ap Tewdwr, Prince of South Wales. Trahern, in like manner, associating to himself Caradoc ap Gruffydd, and Meilir, the sons of Rhiwallon ap Gwyn, his cousin german, the greatest and most powerful men then in Wales, drew up his forces together, with resolution to fight them; both armies meeting together upon the mountains of Carno, a terrible and cruel battle ensued presently thereupon, which proved the more fierce and bloody, by reason that both sides resolutely referred their whole fortune to the success of their arms; and life would prove vain if the day was lost. But after a dismal fight on both sides, the victory fell at last to Gruffydd and Rhys ap Tewdwr. Trahern and his cousins being all slain in the field, after whose death Gruffydd took possession of North Wales, and so the rule of all Wales, after a tedious interval, was again restored to the right line, A.D. 1079."—Caradoc.

"Rhys ap Tewdwr was contemporary with William Rufus. The last battle he fought was at Hirwain‐wrgan, a large plain on the confines of Glamorganshire and Brecknockshire; here, after a bloody engagement, he was totally defeated, and, according to the chronicle first quoted, he himself was obliged to fly to Glyn Rhodneu, Where he was overtaken and beheaded at a place, thence called Pen Rhys."—Theophilus Jones' History of Brecknockshire.

But Mr. Jones, in continuation, expresses a doubt of this, from the topography of the country, such a retreat, leading towards the enemy, instead of the reverse. Also, because Ieuan of Brechfa says, he was slain in the field of battle. But as I have followed Caradoc, whom he allows to be worthy of credit, I think myself justified in giving in the Poem the above turn to the affair.

CYNAN, a son of Rhys ap Tewdwr being closely pursued after his father had been taken and beheaded inGlyn Rhodneu, (the place is now called Pen Rhys,) in his retreat towards the Vale of Tywi; to save his life, he attempted to swim over a lake called Cremlyn, in which he was drowned. From this circumstance, the lake is ever since called Pwll Cynan. After this, Robert Fitzamon returned, and gathered his men together on Twyn Colwyn, where they were paid for their sevices, by Jestin, in pure gold, and the place has ever since been called "Y Filltir Aur," (the Golden Mile.)"—Caradoc.

LLEWELYN AP GRUFFYDD, the last independent Prince of Wales, whose affecting story is so familiar to all readers, that it may, perhaps, be deemed unnecessary to give any explanation on that part of "the Harper's hints;" yet, to the young, I am inclined to think the following extract from Malkins's South Wales will prove acceptable:—"Aberedw Castle, Radnorshire, and its neighbourhood, while closely connected with Cambrian History, afford picturesque objects the most attractive, to fix and detain, as well as engage the attention. The village is denominated from its situation at the mouth of the Edwy, where that river falls into the Wye. The Castle is so placed as to command both streams. It belonged to Llewelyn ap Gruffydd, the last independent Prince of Wales, and was his last refuge. It would appear indeed, as if that Prince's affairs were not in a desperate situation at the time of his death, and that hemight still have been, at least, troublesome to Edward; but for the treachery of his unworthy countrymen; his friends had, it is true, been overthrown by the King's party, though even there, the victory was purchased by the loss of William de Valence, a promising youth, cousin to Edward. In the mean time, Llewelyn had laid waste the country of Cardigan, and spoiled the lands of Rhys ap Meredith, who sided with the English. After this, he unfortunately quitted his army, with a few friends, and came to Builth, which he had taken from the Mortimers. In his Castle of Aberedwy he designed to have remained in quiet and obscurity for a time, plotting with the neighbouring chiefs the deliverance of their Country. As he passed by the banks of the Wye, in his way from Builth to Aberedwy, he fell in with Edmund Mortimer's party, who, as natives, recognised their lawful Prince; such, however, was their respect for his person, that, though attended only by his Esquire, he was suffered to gain the valley of Aberedwy without interruption, and there held his intended conference with the Welsh Lords. The enemy had obtained intelligence of his position, and had recovered from the reverential embarrassment into which his first appearance had thrown them; they descended from the hill, but found the bridge over the Edwy, near the mouth, securely kept, and its passes manfully defended by Llewelyn's adherents; the traitors of Builth, (as they have ever since been called,) then led the English to a ford, across which they sent a detachment, under the command of Walwyn, a gentleman of Hay, some remains of whose palace are still to be seenthere. Walwyn thus gained possession of the Prince's retreat, and attacked the defenders of the bridge in the rear, but not till after Llewelyn had made his escape. The snow was on the ground, and the tradition is, that he adopted the stratagem of reversing his horse's shoes, to deceive his pursuers; but the Smith, to whom he had recourse, betrayed the circumstance to the enemy, so that with difficulty he reached a narrow dingle, and there concealed himself." As far as I have been able to learn, the professed Historians do not record the stratagem. But there is a curious historical MS., where this account of the shoeing is given, with some other interesting particulars. He was not far from the main army, to which he was lying in wait to escape, when he heard the noise of horsemen surrounding the grove that gave him shelter. He was unarmed and disguised, but Adam Francton, (a common soldier, I believe,) put him to death, without knowing the value of his prey. The few friends who had followed his flight, unacquainted with the melancholy catastrophe, stood their ground, and fought boldly, but were at length overpowered, and compelled to quit the field. The victorious English began plundering the dead of the valuables about their persons, when Francton recognised his victim, whose head he sent to the King at the Abbey of Conway. It was received with savage triumph, and indecently exhibited to the populace on the Tower of London."—Malkins's South Wales, Vol. I.

The manner of Llewelyn's death is so variously reported, that it seems impossible to separate truth fromfiction, or to come to any decided opinion on that point. But his previous character leaves no room to cast the stigma of cowardice upon him, let his murder have been accomplished how or where it would. I cannot think it improbable, (allowing this last account a degree of accuracy,) that Llewellyn, placed in the situation therein described, viz. having destroyed the bridge at Builth, and proceeding further up the Vale of Irvon, had crossed the bridge over that river with the few troops then under his command, and stationed them in such a manner as was deemed most favourable to defend the passage of it. Thus conceiving himself in no immediate danger of attack, it is, perhaps, allowable to imagine, that the unfortunate Prince, with a heart lacerated by the treachery and coldness of his friends, on whom he relied for aid, and depressed by the intensity of his feelings for the state of his beloved country, and the actual position of his faithful followers, was deeply musing on the past, and forming plans for the future. Is there not a possibility that these painful thoughts might have led Llewelyn to stray alone into the wild recesses of that romantic glen, and thus, separated from his people, to become an easy prey to a party of his foes, who had crossed a ford at a considerable distance higher up, unobserved, from being expected at the bridge? I must leave this suggestion to those who are more competent to decide.

"CWM LLEWELYN, or Llewelyn's Dingle, is in the parish of Llanganten, Breconshire, where the great and gallant Llewelyn ap Gruffydd was slain, (as related inmy first Volume.) The fall on each side to a small rill, called Nant Llewelyn, running through it, and emptying itself into the Irvon, is so very trifling and inconsiderable, that it hardly deserves the name of Cwm; it should more properly be called Pant, the one meaning in general a deep valley, and the other a smaller depression on the surface of the ground. About a mile or two below this spot, on a high precipitous bank close to the river, where it begins to take a circular curve, is a mound, partly natural, and partly artificial, on which, it is said, stood a Castle, called Castell Caer Beris. From the natural strength and unaccessible approach to it on the South, assisted by the labour of man in rendering it equally unassailable on the North and East, before the use of gun‐powder was known, and from the appearance of the soil at the top of the mound, which, for some inches on the surface, resembles burnt wood, I believe it to be an ancient British Tower, or Castle, constructed entirely of wood;—perhaps the only one of which any vestige is left in Breconshire. And here I think it is probable Llewelyn might have stationed a few of his troops, to prevent the enemy from crossing the river below him, and to guard the pass on the banks on the other side, for both of which purposes it was admirably calculated.

"His horse's shoes were reversed, but the Blacksmith betrayed the secret, and the Prince was closely pursued, and killed in a field about two miles above Builth, and six from his own Castle of Aberedw, the ruins of which are to be seen about 100 yards from Aberedw Church, near the junction of the Edw and the Wye. The placeis called Cwm Llewelyn,1 and the traitor stigmatized from this event with the title of Bradwr Aberedw, (the Traitor of Aberedw.) A house erected over his grave retains the name of Cefn‐y‐bedd. Thus fallen, unarmed, guarded, betrayed, but not unlamented, died Llewelyn ap Gruffydd, after a reign of 36 years, A.D. 1232, the 8th of Edward I."—Theophilus Jones's Brecknockshire, Vol. II. pp. 255—6.

"ABEREDW CASTLE, the Castle of Aberedw, (or Aberedwy,) stands about 4 miles from Buallt, and is particularly interesting to every Welshman, not so much for its grandeur as for its having been the favourite residence, and the last retreat of Llewelyn ap Gruffydd, the last native Prince of Wales, who held regal power. Llewelyn, at a time when the forces of Edward I. were invading the Principality in different quarters, visited Aberedw, for the purpose of entering into consultation with some chief persons of the district, whom he was anxious to engage in his service against the English. On his arrival, however, he found himself nearly surrounded by such a number of the enemy's troops, that he considered resistance useless, and withdrew his men to Buallt. The ground being covered with snow, he is said to have had his horse's shoes reversed, in order to deceive his pursuers, but the secret was betrayed by the smith, whose name was Madoc Goch Mîn Mawr, (red haired, wide‐mouthed Madoc.) Llewelyn succeeded in passingthe bridge at Buallt, and breaking it down before the arrival of his enemies, he applied to the garrison of Buallt for shelter, who, however, refused him admittance, whence the inhabitants to this day have been called 'Bradwyr Buallt,' or Traitors of Builth, the unfortunate Prince proceeded up the Vale of Irvon for about 3 miles, crossed the river by a bridge above Llanynys, and stationed his few troops on a favourable spot for defending the passage. On the arrival of the English, they made a fruitless attempt to gain the bridge, but a ford having been discovered at some distance, a detachment crossed the river, and these coming unexpectedly on the rear of the Welsh troops, routed them without difficulty. Llewelyn himself was attacked unarmed in a dell near the scene of action, from him called Cwm Llewelyn, by one Adam Francton, who plunged a spear into his body, and afterwards cut off his head, and sent it to the King of England; the body was dragged to a little distance, and buried in a place still known by the name of Cefn‐y‐bedd, or Cefn bedd Llewelyn, (the ridge of Llewelyn's grave,) near the banks of the Irvon. The remains of the Castle are near the village of Aberedwy, on the East banks of the Wye, in an angle formed by that river and the Edwy. The surrounding scenery is extremely beautiful."—Hughes's Beauties of Cambria.

IN Shakspear's beautiful Play of Henry IV, there is a specimen of this boasting, in the dialogue betweenGlyndwr and Hotspur. "Glyndwr, 'I call the spirits from the vasty deep.' Hotspur, 'Why, so can I; but will they come when you do call?' Glyndwr, 'I say the earth did quake when I was born!' Hotspur, 'So it would if your mother's cat had kitten'd.' "—Henry IV.

"In the reign of Richard II. one Owen ap Gruffydd Vychan, descended of a younger son of Gruffydd ap Madoc, Lord of Bromfield, was not a little famous. This Owen had his education in one of the Inns of Court, where he became Barrister at Law, and afterwards in very great favour and credit, served King Richard, and continued with him at Flint Castle, till at length the King was taken by the Duke of Lancaster. Betwixt this, Owen and Reginald, Lord Gray of Ruthyn, there happened no small difference touching a common lying between the Lordship of Ruthyn, whereof Reginald was owner, and the Lordship of Glyndwrdwy, in the possession of Owen, whence he borrowed the name of Glyndwr. During the reign of Richard, Owen had the pre‐eminence; but after his deposal, the scene was altered; and as Reginald was better befriended, he entered upon the common, which occasioned Owen, in the first year of Henry IV. to make his complaint in Parliament against him. No redress being found, the Bishop of St. Asaph wished the Lords to take care, that by thus slighting his complaint, they did not irritate and provoke the Welsh to an insurrection; to which some of the Lords replied, that they did not fear those rascally barefooted people. Glyndwr, therefore, finding no other method to redress himself, having several friends and followers, put himself in armsagainst Reginald; and meeting him in the field, overcame and took him prisoner, and spoiled his Lordship of Ruthyn; nor could he regain his liberty without agreeing to pay 10,000 marks for his ransom, whereof 6,000 were to be paid in the fourth year of King Henry, and to deliver up his eldest son, with some other persons of quality, as hostages for the remainder. This good success over Lord Gray, together with the numerous resort of the Welsh to him, and the favourable interpretation of the prophecies of Merddyn, made the swelling mind of Glyndwr entertain hopes of restoring this Island back to the Britons, wherefore he set upon the Earl of March, who met him with a numerous party of Herefordshire men, but the Welsh proved victors; and having killed above a thousand men, they took the Earl of March prisoner, and though King Henry was importuned to ransom the Earl, he refused, alledging that he wilfully threw himself into the hands of Glyndwr. Yet, about the middle of August, the King went in person, with a large army, to correct the presumptuous attempts of the Welsh; but by reason of the extraordinary excess of weather, (which some attributed to the magic of Glyndwr,) he was glad to return safe. The Earl of March detained, marries Owen's daughter, and agrees to take part with him against the King of England. With them joined the Earl of Worcester, and his brother, the Earl of Northumberland, with his valiant son, Lord Percy, who conspiring to depose the King in the house of the Archdeacon of Bangor,* by their deputies, divided therealm among them. All the country lying betwixt the Severn and the Trent, southward, was assigned to the Earl of March; all Wales, and the lands beyond the Severn, westward, to Glyndwr; and all from the Trent, northward, to Lord Percy. This was done, as some said, through a foolish credit they gave to a vain prophecy, as though King Henry was the excreable Moldwarp; and they three, the Dragon, the Lion, and the Wolf, which should pull him down, and distribute his kingdom among themselves. Lord Percy was slain at Shrewsbury,—the Earl of Northumberland lay down his arms at York,—but the final blow was given by the Prince of Wales, afterwards Henry V., in the battle of Usk, fought on the 15th of March, Glyndwr's son being taken prisoner, besides 1500 more, taken or killed. After this we hear little of Glyndwr, excepting that he continued to plague the English upon the Marches, to the 10th year of King Henry's reign, when he miserably ended his life, being, as Holenshed reporteth, driven to that extremity, that despairing of all comfort, he fled and lurked in caves and solitary places, fearing to shew his face to any creature, till at length being starved for hunger, and lack of sustenance, he miserably ended his days."—Caradoc.

"Our hero terminated his hopes and fears on the 20th of September, 1415, in the 61st year of his age, at thehouse of one of his daughters, but whether that of his second daughter, Elizabeth, or Alicia, who was married to Sir John Scudamore, of Ewyas, and John Lacy, of Kentchurch Court, all in Herefordshire, or his daughter Margaret, who was married to Roger Monington, of Monington, also in the County of Hereford, is uncertain. Kentchurch and Monington both claim the honour of being the place of his interment."—Memoirs of Owen Glyndwr.

SIR David Gam, celebrated in Shakespear's Henry IV. under the name of Fluellyn. His answer to Henry V., at the battle of Agincourt, is familiar to every one,—David Gam, or the one‐eyed, was the son of Llewelyn ap Howell Vychan, of Brecknock. His residence was at Old Court, Monmouthshire, the site of which is in a field adjoining Llandilo Cresseney; sometimes also at Peytyn Gwyn, near Brecon. He married a sister of Owen Glyndwr, but was nevertheless one of his most violent enemies. It is even said, that he attempted to assassinate Owen at Machynlleth, where Owen caused himself to be crowned inaugurated Sovereign of Wales; but the plot was discovered, and David Gam arrested and imprisoned. Owen then visited the Marches of Wales with fire and sword, and burnt David Gam's house in return for his treachery, making some satirical verses on the occasion. David Gam, to avoid theresentment of Owen Glyndwr, then removed to England, where he resided until Owen's death, after which he returned to Wales, and took from thence 'a party of stout and valorous Welshmen' to the assistance of King Henry V., in his operations against the King of France; and his valour and intrepidity at the battle of Agincourt, (where he lost his life in the defence of his Sovereign, by whom he was knighted as he was expiring on the field) have gained him a most enviable station in the records of military fame.

"A FETCH Candle, or Corpse Candle, a light so named, as some pretend, preceeding and signifying the approaching death of a person. See Richards' Welsh Dictionary, article Canwyll Corph, Canwyll dyn marw.

The tradition in the Diocese of St. David's, is something to the following purport,—When Ferrars, Bishop of St. David's, was burnt at Carmarthen, in the days of Queen Mary, he assured the spectators, that if he died in the right faith, there should be a light before the death of many persons throughout his Diocese, which, to the present time, is seen, (or thought to be seen) in the night, passing from the house of the person whose death is portended, towards the churchyard, and pointing out the course afterwards taken by his funeral. Sometimes, when a person dies in the open air, it is asserted that a light had been seen to arise from the spot, and to pass indirection in which the corpse was carried. The colour of the light also is of importance, as a pale flame is thought to signify the death of a child, and so on to a deep red, which portends the death of an aged person. These occurrences are very firmly believed by numbers, though like other superstitions, they are gradually giving way to juster views of religion, and a better system of education.

WHEN two persons have agreed to enter into the state of wedlock, a person who performs the office of Gwahoddwr, (Bidder,) goes round, and repeats in a kind of chaunt, a poetical invitation to all their neighbours to attend the Wedding. Formerly this was the only mode of invitation, but of late years, a printed circular, a specimen of which follows, has been also used for the purpose, and is usually circulated amongst the friends and acquaintance of the Young Couple, some weeks previous to the Bidding. Other quaint forms of Bidding Letters are occasionally made use of, but the following is the one most approved:—

The Young Man, with his Father, David Davies, and his Brother, John Davies, desire that all debts of the above nature due to them, be returned on the said day, and will be thankful of all our favours granted.

Also, the Young Woman, with her Father and Mother, Isaac and Mary Davies, and her Uncle, David Edwards, desire that all debts of the above nature due to them, be returned on the said day, and will be thankful, for all favours conferred, 1

This is intended as a general and particular invitation to all friends of both sides, and every person is expected to contribute a small sum towards making a purse for the Young Pair to begin with. Strangers, of course, are welcome. There is always a person attending, who writes down the gifts, which account is taken care of, as these gifts can be required upon a like occasion, as the Bidding Letter sets forth; but there are usually manycontributors, such as rich and friendly neighbours, masters and mistresses, &c., that require no repayment, and those returnable are called for at distant periods, and in small portions, so that it may well be considered as an useful and well‐timed benefit. This custom is called Pwrs y Gwregys, and the present is termed paying Pwython.

" 'STAFELL, or Ystafell, is also used for the store of clothes, household furniture, &c., which the Bride collects before the day of marriage, and makes a display of at the time."—Richards's Welsh Dictionary.

I have always noticed with approbation the provident care which the young Welsh females take to lay in a little store of useful articles, such as household furniture, abundance of substantial garments, and other things necessary to begin the domestic arrangements with comfort, previous to their marriage. In fact, the collection is begun almost from infancy, and is continued until they meet with "a man to their mind." These, generally, consist of homespun blankets, feather beds, crockery, and dairy or kitchen requisites; and so far from considering this care as an indication of a precocious expectation or intention of wedlock, I feel confident, it is rather an assurance that it will not, generally speaking, be entered into unadvisedly. It might, perhaps, be desirable that their English, and more especially their Irish neighbours, imitated them in this point at least.