The History of the Worthies of England, County 2
BRECKNOCK-SHIRE.
BRECKNOCK-SHIRE hath Radnor shire on the North, Cardigan and Carmarthen-shires on the West, …-shire on the South, Hereford and Monmouth-shires on the East the length thereof being adjudged twenty eight, the … thereof twenty miles.
My *Speed in his Description of this County.Author saith that this County is not greatly to be praised, or disliked of, with which his Character, the Natives thereof have no cause to be well pleased, or much offended. The plain truth is, the fruitfulnesse of the Vallies therein maketh plentiful amends for the barrennesse of the Mountains, and it is high time to give a check to the vulgar errour, which falsely reporteth this County the worst in Wiles; let it … for me to say, this is not it, and which is it, let others determine.
Nor doth it sound a little to the credit of this County, that … … the chiefe Town thereof, doth at this present afford the title of an Eartl to James Duke of Ormond, the first that ever received that Digniry. Above four hundred years since, a Daughter of Gilbert and Maud Becket, (and Sister to Tho. Becket) was by King Henry the second, bestowed in marriage on one Butler an English Gentleman. Him King Henry sent over into Ireland, and (endeavouring to … … blood) rewarded him w…th large lands, so that his posterity were created Earls of Ormond. Now therefore we have cause to congratulate the return of this noble Family i…to their Native Country of England, and wish unto them the encrease of all … therein.
Natural Commoditi…s
Otters.
Plenty of these (Lutrae in Latine) in Brecknock-meer. A Creature that can dig and dive, resident in the two clements of Earth and Water. The … where hee bites, maketh his Teeth to m…et, and the Otter leaves little distance betwixt them▪ He is as destructive to Fish, as the VVoolf to Sheep. See we here, more is required to make fine Flesh than to have fine Feeding, the Flesh of the Otter (from his innate rankness) being nought, though his Diet be dainty. I have seen a reclaimed Otter, who in a quarter of an houre would present his Master with a brace of Carps.
Otter-VVooll is much used in the making of Beavers. As Physicians have their Succedanea, or Seconds, which well supply the place of such Simples, which the Patient cannot procure, so the Otter is often in stead of the Bever, since the BeaverTrade is much wasted in the West Indies, their remnant retiring high into the Country, and being harder to be taken. Yea Otter-wooll is likely dayly to grow dearer, if Prime Persons of the weaker Sex (which is probable) resume the wearing of Hais.
Brecknock-shire equalling her Neighbours in all General Commodities, exceedeth them in
Wonders,
In the Air. He that relateth Wonders walketh on the edge of an house, if he be not careful of his footing, down falls his credite: this shall make me exact in using my Authors … ut prius.words, informed by credible persons who had experimented it; That their Cloaks, Hats, and Staves cast down from the top of an Hill (called Mounch-denny, or Cadier Arthur) and the North-East Rock thereof, would never fall, but were with the air and wind still returned back, and blown up again; nor would any thing descend save a stone, or some metalline substance.
No wonder that these should descend, because (besides the magnetical quality of the Earth) their forcing of their way down is to be imputed to their united and intended gravity. Now though a large cloak is much heavier than a little stone; yet the weight thereof is diffused in several parts, and fluttering above, all of them are supported by the Clouds, which are seen to rack much lower than the top of the Hill. But now, if in the like trial, the like repercussion be not found from the toppes of other Mountains in Wales of equal or greater height, we confesse our selves at an absolute losse, and leave it to others to beat about to find a satisfactory answer.
Let me adde that waters in Scripture are divided into waters above, and waters under Gen. 1. 7.the Firmament: by the former, men generally understand (since the interpretation thereof relating to Coelum Aqueum, is exploded by the judicious) the water ingendred in the Clouds. If so, time was, when the waters beneath were higher than the waters above; namely, in Noahs flood, when the waters prevailed fifteen Cubits above the tops of Gen. 7. 20.the Mountains.
In the Water.
When the Meer Llynsavathan (lying within two miles of Brecknock) hath her frozen Ice first broken, it maketh a monstrous noise, to the Astonishment of the hearers, not unlike to Thunder. But till we can give a good cause of the old Thunder, [and *Job 2…: 14.the power of his Thunder who can understand?] we will not adventure on the disquisition of this new one.
In the Earth.
Reader, pardon me a word of Earthquakes in general. Seneca beholds them most terrible, because most *Natural quest. cap. 1.unavoidable of all earthly dangers. In other frights [Tempest, Lightning, Thunder, &c.] we shelter our selves in the bowels of the Earth, which here from our safest refuge, become our greatest danger. I have learned from an able * Pen, that the frequency and fearfulnesse of Earthquakes, gave the first occasion toDr. Hackwill in his Apology, lib. 2. sect. 4. that passage in the Letany, From sudden death good Lord deliver us.
Now to VVales. The Inhabitants of this County have a constant Tradition, that where now the Meer Llynsavathan spreadeth its waters, stood a fair City, till swallowed up by an Earthquake, which is not improbable. First, because all the High-ways of this County do lead thither; and it is not likely that the Loadstone of a bare Lake should attract so much Confluence. Secondly, Ptolomy placeth in this Tract the City Loventrium, which all the care of Master *As he confesseth in the Description of this shire.Cambden could not recover by any ruines or report thereof, and therefore likely to be drowned in this Poole. The rather because Levenny is the name of the River r…nning through it.
Saints.
Saint
KEYNE.
CANOCH.
CADOCK.
The first of these was a Woman (here put highest by the curtesie of England;) the two later, Men, all three Saints, and children to Braghan, King, builder and namer of Brecknock. This King had four and twenty Daughters, a jolly number; and all of them *See Cambdens Brit. in B…nock shire.Saints: a greater happinesse, though of them all, the name onelyonly of *Rob. Buckley M. S. in vilis SS. mulierum Angliae in vita Sanctae Keyn…. fol. 90.Saint Keyne surviveth to posterity. Whether the said King was so fruitful in Sons, and they as happy in Saintship, I do not know, onelyonly meeting with these two, Saint Canoch and Saint Cadock, (whereof the later is reported a Martyr) all flourishing about the year of our Lord 492. and had in high veneration amongst the people of South-VVales.
I know not whether it be worth the reporting, that there is in Cornwall, near the Parish of St. Neots, a Well arched over with the robes of four kinds of Trees, VVithy, Oak, Elm, and Ash, dedicated to Saint Keyne aforesaid. The reported vertue of the Water is this, That whether *Carew his Survey of Cornwal. pag. 130.Husband or VVife come first to drink thereof, they get the mastery thereby.
St. CLINTANKE was King of Brecknock, a small Kingdom for an obscure King, though eminent with some for his Sanctity. Now it happened, that a noble Virgin gave it out, that she would never *Jo. Capgrave in Cabal. S. S. Brit.marry any man except the said King, who was so zealous a Christian. Such as commend her good choice, dislike her publick profession thereof, which with more Maiden-like modesty, might have been concealed. But, see the sad successe thereof. A Pagan Souldier purposely to defeat her desire, kild this King as he was one day a hunting; who, though he lost his life, got the reputation of a *Engl. Martyr. on the 19. August.Saint, and so we leave him. The rather, because we find no date fixed unto him; so that the Reader may believe him to have lived, even when he thinks best himself.
Prelates.
GILES de BRUSE, born at Brecknock, was Son to William de Bruse Baron of Brecknock, and a prime Peer in his Generation. This Giles became afterwards Bishop of Hereford, and in the Civil Wars sided with the Nobility against King John; on which account he was banished, but at length returned, and recovered the Kings favour. His Paternal Inheritance (by death it seems of his elder Brother) *Godwin in the Bishops of Hereford. pag. 536.was devolved unto him (being together Bishop and Baron by descent) and from him after his death, transmitted to his Brother Reginald, who married the Daughter of Leoline Prince of Wales. If all this will not recover this Prelate, into our Catalogue of Worthies, then know, that his Effigies on his Tomb in Hereford Church, holdeth a Steeple in his hand, whence it is concluded, that he built the Belfree of that Cathedral, as well he might, having so vast an estate. His death happened Anno 1215.
Since the Reformation.
THOMAS HOWEL was born at *So was I told by his Brother Mr. James Howel.Nangamarch in this County, within few miles of Brecknock, bred Fellow of Jesus Colledge in Oxford, and became afterwards a meek man, and most excellent Preacher. His Sermons, like the waters of Siloah, did run softly, gliding on with a smooth stream: So that his matter by a lawful and laudable felony, did st…al secretly into the hearts of his hearers. King Charls made him the last Bishop of Bristol, being consecrated at Oxford. He died Anno Dom. 1646. leaving many Orphan children behind him.
I have been told, that the honourable City of Bristol hath taken care for their comfortable education, and am loath to pry too much into the truth thereof, lest so good a report should be confuted.
States-Men.
HENRY STAFFORD, Duke of Buckingham. Though Humphrey his Father had a fair Castle at, and large lands about Stafford (whereof he was Earl) yet his Nativity is most probably placed in this County, where he had Brecknock-Castle, and a Principality about it. This was he, who with both his hands set up Richard the third on the Throne, endeavouring afterwards with his hands and teeth too, to take him down, but in vain.
He was an excellent Spoaks-man, though I cannot believe that his long Oration (to perswade the Londoners to side with the Usurper) was ever uttered by him in terminis, as it lieth in Sir Thomas Mores History. Thus the Roman Generals provided themselves of Valour, and Livy (as he represented them) stocked them with Eloquence. Yet we may be well assured that this our Duke either did or would have said the same, and he is the Orator who effects that he aimeth at; this Duke being unhappily happy therein.
Soon after not remorse for what he had done, but revenge for what King Richard would not do (denying his desire) put him on the project of unravelling what he had woven before. But his fingers were entangled in the threads of his former Web; the King compassing him into his clutches, betrayed by Humphrey Banister his Servant. The Sheriff seised this Duke in Shropshire, where he was digging a *Speeds Chronicle in the raign of King Rich. the thirdditch in a Disguise; How well he managed the Mattock and Spade, I know not, this I know, that in a higher sense, He had made a *Psal. 7. 1….Pit, [to disinherit his Soveraign] and digged it, and is fallen into the Ditch which he had made, being beheaded at Sarisbury without any legal Tryal, Anno 1484.
Memorable Persons.
NESTA. Hunger maketh men eat what otherwise they would let alone, not to say, cast away: The cause I confesse (wanting matter to furnish out our Description) inviting me to meddle with this Memorable (not Commendable) Person.
1. She was Daughter to Gr…ffin Prince of Wales.
2. VVife to Bernard de Neumarch, a Noble Norman, and Lord by Conquest of this County.
3. Mother to Mahel, an hopeful Gentleman, and Sibyl his Sister.
4. Harlot to a young man, whose name I neither do, nor desire to know.
It happened, Mahel having got this Stallion into his power, used him very hardly, yet not worse than he deserved. Nesta madded hereat, came in open Court, and on her Oath, before King Henry the second, publickly protested, (no Manna like revenge to malicious minds, not caring to wound their Foes, though through themselves) that Mahel was …e of Neumarch his Son, but begotten on her in Adultery.
This, if true, spake her dishonesty; if false, her perjury; true or false, her peerless impudency. Hereby she disinherited her Son, and setled a vast Territory on Sibyl her sole Daughter, married afterwards to Milo Earl of Hereford.
The Farewell.
When Mr. Speed in pursuance of his Description of England, passed this County, no fewer than Eight, who had been Bayliffs of Brecknock, gave him courteous entertainment. This doth confirm the Character I have so often heard of the Welsh Hospitality. Thus giving them their due praise on just occasion, I hope, that the British Reader will the better digest it, if he find some passages altogether as true as this, though nothing so pleasing to Him, in our following Farewells.