The History of the Worthies of England, County 4
CARMARTHEN-SHIRE.
CARMARTHEN-SHIRE hath Pembroke shire on the W…st, the Severn-Sea on the South, Cardigan-shire on the North, Brecknock and Glamorgan-shires on the East. The mountains therein are neither so many nor high as in the neighbouring Counties, affording plenty of Grass, Grain, Wood, Fish, and what not? Besides, nature here giveth the Inhabitants both meat and stomach; the sharpness of the air breeding an appetite in them.
There is a place in this County called Golden-grove, which I confess is no Ophir or Land of Havilah, yielding Gold in specie, but plentifully affording those rich Commodities, which quickly may be converted thereunto; and the pleasure is no less than the profit thereof. It is the Possession of the right Honourable Richard Vaughan Baron of Emelor in England, and Earl of Carbery in Ireland. He well deserveth to be owner of Golden-grove, who so often hath used a Golden hand, in plentiful relieving many eminent D…vines during the late Sequestration. This county affording no peculiar Commodities, let us proceed to
Wonders.
Giraldus Cambrensis reporteth a Fountain to be in this County (let he himself find it out and justifie it) which conformable to the Sea, ebbe…h and floweth twice in four and twenty hours. But seeing this is a maritime Shire, possibly there may be a more then ordinary communication betwixt it and the Ocean, and then the wonder is not so great.
More credibly it is related, that there are in this Shire, strange subterranean Vaults, conceived the Castles of routed people in the Civil Wars. And no wonder, seeing David first set up in a defensive posture for himself in the Cave of Adullam, so that having no place where he could safely set the sole of his foot above ground, all his present help was under the Earth, and future hope was above the heavens.
Martyrs.
ROBERT FARRAR an English man by bi…th, but where born unknown, was a prime Martyr of this County. A man not unlearned, but somewhat indiscreet, or rather uncomplying, which procured him much trouble: so that he may be said with Saint Laurence to be broyled on both sides, being persecuted both by Protestants and Papists.
He was preferred to be Bishop of Saint Davids, by the Duke of Sommerset, then Lord Protector, who was put to death not long after. Some conceive, that the Patrons fall was the Chaplains greatest guilt, and encouraged his enemies against him. Of these, two were afterwards Bishops in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, viz. Thomas Young Arch. Bishop of York, and Rowland Merrick Bishop of Bangor.
Souldiers.
Sir RICE ap THOMAS was never more than a Knight, yet little less than a Prince in this his Native County. If the Author of Praelia Anglornm may not be believed,
—Ricius Thomas flos Cambro-Britannum.
King Henry the seventh will himself witness his worth. To him lately landed at Milford Haven with contemptible forces; this Sir Rice repaired with a considerable accession of choice Souldiers, marching with them to Bosworth field, where he right valiantly behaved himself. That thrifty King according to his cheap course of remuneration (rewarding Gown-men in Orders (by him most employed) with Church Livings, and Sword-men with Honour) afterwards made Sir Rice Knight of the Order, and well might he give him a Garter, by whose effectual help he had recovered a Crown.
Elmelin in this County was one of his principal seats, whose name and …ture he altered, building and calling it*Camb. … in this County. New-Castle, and I believe it one of the latest Castles in Wales, seeing since that time it hath been fashionable to demolish, not to erect fortified Houses.
As he appeared early, so he continued long in military action, for I find him in the fourth year of King Henry the eighth, conductor of five hundred light horse, at the pompous and expensive fiege of Therouene, where I meet his last mention in our English Chronicles.
WALTER de DEVEREUX son of—Devere…x and Cicely his Wife (sole sister to Thomas Bourchier last Earl of Ess…x) was born in the town of*Mills in his Catalogue of Honour in the Earls of Essex. Carmarthen, and by Queen Elizabeth in his Maternall Right created Earl of Essex. One Martially minded, and naturally hating Idlenesse, the Rust of the Soul.
Though time hath silenced the factions, and only sounded the Facts of Queen Elizabeths Court, no place had more heart-burnings therein, and it was a great part of Gods goodness and her prudence that no more hurt was done thereby. Many maligned our Earl—Tantae ne Animis Aularibus Irae? desirous to thrust him on dangerous designs. Nor need we consult the Oracle of Apollo to discover his chief Adversary, being he was a prime Favourite, who loved the Earls nearest relation better than he loved the Earl himself, whom he put on the project of Ireland.
Yet was not our Walter surprised into that service, seeing Injuria non fit volenti, and being sensible that his roome was more welcome to some than his company at Court, he willingly embraced the employment. Articles (the first and last I believe in that kind) are drawn up betwixt the Queen and him, who was to maintain such a*200. horse and 400. foot. proportion of Souldiers on his own Cost, and to have part of the fair Territory of—ClandeBoy in Ulster for the conquering thereof. So much for the Bears skin, now all the craft will be to catch, kill, and fley the Bear himself.
Well, to maintain an Army (though a very little one) is a Soveraigns and no Subjects work, too heavy for the support of any private mans estate, which cost this Earl first the Mortgaging, then the selling out-right his fair Inheritance in Essex. Over he goeth into Ireland with a noble company of Kindred and Friends, supernumerary volunteers above the proportion of Souldiers agreed upon.
Sir William Fitz-VVilliams Lord Deputy of Ireland hearing of his coming, and suspecting (Court jealousie riseth very early, or goeth not to bed at all) to be ecclipsed by this great Earl, sollicits the Queen to maintain him in the full power of his place, without any diminution; alledging this, much to conduce to the Honour of her Majesty whom he represented. Hereupon it was Ordered, that the Earl should take his Commission from this Lord Deputy, which with much importunity and long attendance, he hardly obtained, and that with no higher Title than Governour of Ulster.
After many impressions (not over successfully) made in Ulster, he was by the Deputy* Camb. Eliz. Anno 1573. remanded into the South of Ireland, where he spent much time (take much in little in my Authors words as to his general performance) Nullius bono sed magno suo damno. His Friends in the English Court grow few and cold, his Foes many and active; affronts were plentifully powred upon him, on purpose either to drown him in grief, or burn him in his own anger. From Munster he was sent back into Ulster, where he was forbidden to follow his blow, and use a Victory he had gotten: Yea, on a sudden*Camb. Eliz. Anno 1575. stript out of his Commission, and reduced to be a Governour of three hundred men: yet his stout Stomach (as true tempered Steele) bowed without breaking, in all these afflictions embracing all changes with the same tenour of const…cy. P…y days in Ireland came very thick, moneys out of England very slow; his noble Associates began to withdraw, common men to mutiny, so that the Earl himself was at the last recalled home.
Not long after he was sent over the second time into Ireland with a loftier Title, (the length of the Feather makes not the Head the higher) of Earl Marshall of Ireland, where he fell into a strange looseness (not without suspicion of Poyson) and he died, Anno 1576. His Soul he piously resigned to God, his Lands (much impaired) descended to his Son Robert, but ten years of age. His Body was brought over and buried in Carmarthen the place of his Nativity, and his Widow Lady (to say no more) was soon re-married to Robert Earl of Leicester. Let me adde, that he died in the*Camb. Eliz. Anno 1576. 36▪ year of his age, fatal to his Family, his Father and grand-Father dying in the same, which year Robert Earl of Essex his Son never attained to, and whether it had not been as honourable for his Grand-Child Robert Earl of Essex to have died in the same year of his age, or to have lived longer, let others decide.
Writers.
AMBROSE MERLIN was born at Carmarthen, a City so denominated from his Nativity therein. This I write in conformity to common Tradition (and he who will not errare cum vulgo, must pugnare cum vulgo) my own judgement remonstrating against the same, finding the City called Mariadunum in Ptolomy, before Merlins Cradle was ever made, if Merlins Cradle was ever made.
His extraction is very incredible, reported to have an Incubus to his Father, pretending to a Pedigree older than Adam, even from the Serpent himself. But a*Dr. Brown in his vulgar Errors, Book 7. Ch. 16. Learned Pen demonstrateth the impossibility of such Conjunctions. And let us not load Satan with groundless sins, whom I believe the *Ioh. 8. 44.Father of lyes, but [in a litteral sense] no Father of Bastards.
Many are the pretended Prophesies of Merlin, whereof the British have a very high esteem, and I dare say nothing against them; only I humbly tender to this Nations consideration a modest Proverb of their own Country, Namyn Dduw nid oes Dewin; that besides God there is no Diviner. Yet I deny not but the Devil can give a shrewd conjecture; but often the deceiver is deceived. Sure I am Merlins Prophesies have done much mischief, seeing such who pretended skill therein, that they could unfold his meaning (though for my part I believe they must have the Devils key who open the Devils lock) put*Dr. Powell in his History of Wales, pag. 386. Owen Glendower on his Rebellion against King Henry the fourth, perswading him the time was come wherein he should recover the Welsh Principality, which caused the making of those cruel Laws, with Draco's, written in blood against the Welsh, which no tender Englishman can read without regret.
There want not those who maintain Merlin to be a great Chymist, and those we know have a Language peculiar to themselves, so that his seeming Prophesies are not to be expounded historically but naturally, disguising the mysteries of that faculty from vulgar intelligence.
The best Prophesie I meet with in Merlin which hit the mark indeed, is what I find cited out of him by*In his History of Ireland. Giraldus Cambrensis.
Sextus maenia Hiberniae subvertent, & Regiones in Regnum redigentur.
The Sixth shall overturn the walls of Ireland, and reduce their Countries into a Kingdom.
This was accomplished under King James the sixth, when their Fastnesses (Irish Walls) were dismantled, and Courts of Civil Justice set up in all the Land. But enough of Merlin, who is reported to have died Anno—
The Farewell.
How this County (with the rest of Wales) hath preserved its woods in our unhappy Civil Wars is to me unknown; yet if they have been much wasted (which I suspect) I wish that the Pit-Coal, which in some measure it affordeth, may daily be increased for the supply of their fewell.