The History of the Worthies of England, County 9
MERIONITH-SHIRE.
MERIONITH-SHIRE, (in Latine Mervinia) hath the Sea on the West side, on the South (for certain miles together) Cardiganshire, severed by the River Dony, and on the North bounded upon Carnarvon and Denbigh-shire.
It is extream mountainous, yea (if true what Giraldus Cambrensis reporteth thereof) so high the Hills therein, that men may discourse one with the other on the tops thereof, and yet hardly meet (beneath in the Valley) in a days time. Yet are not the Mountains altogether useless, feeding great numbers of Sheep thereon. Mr. Cambden takes especial notice of the beauty and comliness of the Inhabitants of this Shire.
Nor must it be forgot that there is a place at this day called Le Herbert upon this account;
When the unhappy difference raged betwixt the Houses of York and Lancaster, David ap Jenkin ap Enion, a stout and resolute Gentleman (who took part with the House of Lancaster) valiantly defended the Castle Arleck against King Edward the fourth, until Sir William Herbert (afterwards Earl of Pembroke) with great difficulty made his passage unto it, and so furiously stormed it, that immediately it was surrendred.
Wonders.
There is a Lake in this County called in British Lhin-tegid, in English Pimble-mear, which may be termed our Leman Lake, having the same work of wonder therein, though set forth by nature in a less Letter. For as Rhodanus running through that French Lake, preserveth his stream by it self (discernable by the discolouration thereof) with the Fishes peculiar thereunto. The same is here *Camb. B…it. in Merionithshire.observed betwixt the River Dee, and the water of the Lake; so that here is (what some cavil at in the Grammar) a Conjunction disjunctive. Let Philosophers dispute, what invisible partition incloseth the one severally from the other. I have heard some, by way of similitude, apply it to such, who being casually cast into bad company, lie at such a cautious posture of defence, that they keep their own innocency entire, not maculated with the mixture of their bad manners, as rather being in, than of, their Society.
We must not forget another strange quality of Pimble-mear, viz. It swelleth not with all the Waters, and those very many, which fall therein by the bordering Mountains, whereas *Idem. Ibidem.a blast of wind will quickly make it mount above the bounds and banks thereof. Like some strange dispositions, not so much incensed with blows, as provoked by words (accounted but wind) into passion.
I know not whether it be worth the relating, what is known for a truth of a Market Town called Dogelthy in this Shire, that
| 1. The Walls there of are 3. miles high. | 1. The Mountains which surround it. |
| 2. Men come into it over the water, but | 2. On a fair bridge. |
| 3. Go out of it under the water. | 3. Falling from a Rock, and conveyed in a wooden Trough (under which Travellers must make shift to pass) to drive an Over-shot Mill. |
| 4. The Steeple thereof doth grow therein | 4. The Bells (if plural) hang in an Yeugh tree. |
| 5. There are more Ale-houses than houses. | 5. Tenements are divided into two or more Tipling-houses, and Chimnyless Barns used to that purpose. |
This last I had [mediately] from the mouth of a Judge in his Charge condemning the same.
Saints.
Saint THELIAN was of British extraction, and placed here until with certainty heA M P. c…n be removed to another County. He was bred under Dubritius Bishop of Landaff, by whose Holy care he attained to a competent Learning, and exemplary Sanctity. Great his acquaintance and intimacy with Saint David Bishop of Menevia.
In his days the Picts harrassed his Country, he was much envied for his Holiness, by one of their chief Commanders, *In the … ers of English Saint…, pag. 150.who sent two lewd Strumpets, supposing by their tempting tricks to entrap this holy man. These women counterfeiting madness (whereby they might assume the more liberty to themselves of filthy discourse) returned distracted *Idem Ibidem.indeed, not having understanding enough to relate the cause of their sad misfortune, which wrought so much upon the first design of their practises, that he received the Faith and was baptized, and ever after had a great veneration and esteem for this our Saint.
He accompanied Saint David to Jerusalem, and returning into his own Country, by his fervent Prayers freed the same from the Plague, wherewith it was then much infested. His death happened February the ninth, about the year of our Lord, 563.
The Farewell.
This County (the inhabitants whereof generally betake themselves to the feeding of Sheep) was much beholding to Ludwall their Prince, who (King Edgar imposing on him as a yearly Tribute, the presenting him with three hundred Wolves) did in a manner free it from Wolves. It is my desire, that seeing that ill natured Creature is at this day totally removed out of it, that the people wholly lay aside all strife and animosities, and give no longer occasion to the Proverb, Homo Homini Lupus.