Of the length and breadth of Wales, the nature of its soil, and the
three remaining tribes of Britons
Cambria, which, by a corrupt and common term, though less proper,
is in modern times called Wales, is about two hundred miles long
and one hundred broad. The length from Port Gordber (1) in
Anglesey to Port Eskewin (2) in Monmouthshire is eight days'
journey in extent; the breadth from Porth Mawr, (3) or the great
Port of St. David's, to Ryd-helic, (4) which in Latin means VADUM
SALICIS, or the Ford of the Willow, and in English is called
Willow-forde, is four days' journey. It is a country very strongly
defended by high mountains, deep valleys, extensive woods, rivers,
and marshes; insomuch that from the time the Saxons took possession
of the island the remnants of the Britons, retiring into these
regions, could never be entirely subdued either by the English or
by the Normans. Those who inhabited the southern angle of the
island, which took its name from the chieftain Corinaeus, (5) made
less resistance, as their country was more defenceless. The third
division of the Britons, who obtained a part of Britany in Gaul,
were transported thither, not after the defeat of their nation, but
long before, by king Maximus, and, in consequence of the hard and
continued warfare which they underwent with him, were rewarded by
the royal munificence with those districts in France.
CHAPTER II
Of the ancient division of Wales into three parts
Wales was in ancient times divided into three parts nearly equal,
consideration having been paid, in this division, more to the value
than to the just quantity or proportion of territory. They were
Venedotia, now called North Wales; Demetia, or South Wales, which
in British is called Deheubarth, that is, the southern part; and
Powys, the middle or eastern district. Roderic the Great, or
Rhodri Mawr, who was king over all Wales, was the cause of this
division. He had three sons, Mervin, Anarawt, and Cadell, amongst
whom he partitioned the whole principality. North Wales fell to
the lot of Mervin; Powys to Anarawt; and Cadell received the
portion of South Wales, together with the general good wishes of
his brothers and the people; for although this district greatly
exceeded the others in quantity, it was the least desirable from
the number of noble chiefs, or Uchelwyr, (6) men of a superior
rank, who inhabited it, and were often rebellious to their lords,
and impatient of control. But Cadell, on the death of his
brothers, obtained the entire dominion of Wales, (7) as did his
successors till the time of Tewdwr, whose descendants, Rhys, son of
Tewdwr, Gruflydd, son of Rhys, and Rhys, son of Gruffydd, the
ruling prince in our time, enjoyed only (like the father) the
sovereignty over South Wales.
CHAPTER III
Genealogy of the Princes of Wales
The following is the generation of princes of South Wales: Rhys,
son of Gruffydd; Gruffydd, son of Rhys; Rhys, son of Tewdwr;
Tewdwr, son of Eineon; Eineon, son of Owen; Owen, son of Howel Dda,
or Howel the Good; Howel, son of Cadell, son of Roderic the Great.
Thus the princes of South Wales derived their origin from Cadell,
son of Roderic the Great. The princes of North Wales descended
from Mervin in this manner: Llewelyn, son of Iorwerth; Iorwerth,
son of Owen; Owen, son of Gruffydd; Gruffydd, son of Conan; Conan,
son of Iago; Iago, son of Edoual; Edoual, son of Meyric; Meyric,
son of Anarawt (Anandhrec); Anarawt, son of Mervin, son of Roderic
the Great. Anarawt leaving no issue, the princes of Powys have
their own particular descent.
It is worthy of remark, that the Welsh bards and singers, or
reciters, have the genealogies of the aforesaid princes, written in
the Welsh language, in their ancient and authentic books; and also
retain them in their memory from Roderic the Great to B.M.; (8) and
from thence to Sylvius, Ascanius, and AEneas; and from the latter
produce the genealogical series in a lineal descent, even to Adam.
But as an account of such long and remote genealogies may appear to
many persons trifling rather than historical, we have purposely
omitted them in our compendium.
CHAPTER IV
How many cantreds, royal palaces, and cathedrals there are in Wales
South Wales contains twenty-nine cantreds; North Wales, twelve;
Powys, six: many of which are at this time in the possession of
the English and Franks. For the country now called Shropshire
formerly belonged to Powys, and the place where the castle of
Shrewsbury stands bore the name of Pengwern, or the head of the
Alder Grove. There were three royal seats in South Wales:
Dinevor, in South Wales, removed from Caerleon; Aberfraw, (9) in
North Wales; and Pengwern, in Powys.
Wales contains in all fifty-four cantreds. The word CANTREF is
derived from CANT, a hundred, and TREF, a village; and means in the
British and Irish languages such a portion of land as contains a
hundred vills.
There are four cathedral churches in Wales: St. David's, upon the
Irish sea, David the archbishop being its patron: it was in
ancient times the metropolitan church, and the district only
contained twenty-four cantreds, though at this time only twenty-
three; for Ergengl, in English called Urchenfeld, (10) is said to
have been formerly within the diocese of St. David's, and sometimes
was placed within that of Landaff. The see of St. David's had
twenty-five successive archbishops; and from the time of the
removal of the pall into France, to this day, twenty-two bishops;
whose names and series, as well as the cause of the removal of the
archiepiscopal pall, may be seen in our Itinerary. (11)
In South Wales also is situated the bishopric of Landaff, near the
Severn sea, and near the noble castle of Caerdyf; bishop Teilo
being its patron. It contains five cantreds, and the fourth part
of another, namely, Senghennyd.
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