The Gentry of North Wales in the Later Middle Ages by Antony D Carr

Author:Antony D Carr [Antony D Carr]
Language: eng
Format: epub

Lle bu’r Brython Saeson sydd

A’r boen ar Gymry beunydd

[Where there were Britons there are Englishmen

And daily pain for the Welsh]

Another example of Glyn Dŵr’s supporters among the political nation was Maredudd ap Cynwrig of Porthaml in Anglesey, a member of one of the leading lineages in that county, that of Llywarch ap Bran.⁸⁶ Maredudd was married to Owain’s niece, the daughter of Robert Puleston; he had held various farms and offices, having even been sheriff of Anglesey before joining the revolt. His father had been involved in the capture of Conwy in 1401 and four of his brothers were also involved in the rebellion.⁸⁷

Hywel ap Tudur ab Ithel Fychan, Rhys and Gwilym ap Tudur ap Goronwy, Rhys Gethin and Hywel Coetmor and Maredudd ap Cynwrig; all these were members of the political nation and involved in the revolt. But there were others who did not join and who remained loyal to the Crown. Loyalties might often be dictated by local political or social rivalries, by kinship or by disputes or quarrels within kindreds; we shall never know the details of many of these. Sir Rees Davies pointed out that three of Owain’s leading opponents in north Wales, Einion ab Ithel of Penllyn, Ieuan ap Maredudd of Cefn-y-fan in Eifionydd and Hywel Sele of Nannau, were related by marriage.⁸⁸ According to one tradition Hywel Sele was killed by Owain after a failed assassination attempt. Another who did not join was Hwlcyn Llwyd of Glynllifon. He died as one of the defenders of Caernarfon against the rebels in 1404, as did Ieuan ap Maredudd of Cefny-fan and Cesail Gyfarch in 1403; his two houses were burned by the rebels in retaliation.⁸⁹ Ieuan’s body had to be taken by sea for burial at Penmorfa because the whole area was under rebel control.⁹⁰ The complexity of relationships is shown by the fact that Ieuan’s brother Robert joined the revolt.⁹¹ No doubt there were many others who had long ago learned to live with the authorities or who were comfortably ensconced in their local power and influence and who had no desire to experience the disruption caused by rebellion, but it is pointless to speculate further.

Those who survived the revolt emerged largely unscathed, although often out of pocket. The men of Anglesey made their peace and paid a large fine in November 1406 and the men of Flintshire did the same in March 1407.⁹² Most of the rest of the north-east seems to have submitted in the same year and others gradually followed suit. Some had already made their peace; Gwilym ap Gruffudd ap Gwilym, later of Penrhyn, and his brothers had done so in 1405.⁹³ Gwilym’s sensitive political antennae may have suggested to him that Owain’s prospects in the long term were less than promising, given the power of the English Crown. Indeed, although most seem to have submitted as members of their communities, one cannot help suspecting that many members of the Welsh political nation had come to the conclusion that there was no future in rebellion, although it continued at least until 1410.

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