Essay on Caerphilhf Castle. 197 



a respect for tlie charters and immunities of Lis English subjects, calcu- 

 lated to make him equally respected during peace ; and which, though 

 probably forced from him unwillingly by the exigencies of the time, was 

 not the less favourably contrasted with the behaviour of those who had 

 immediately preceded him. 



Inferior to his great predecessor Richard in chivalrous valour, he was 

 equally brave in the field, and more equitable, because less impetuous, in 

 the council-chamber j and if inferior to his grandsire John in low craft and 

 cunning, he still possessed sufficient knowledge of mankind to select able 

 counsellors, sufficient strength of mind to direct and control the ambition 

 of his nobles, and sufficient consistency of character to carry his designs 

 steadily into effect. His views of policy were enlarged and securely laid j 

 some of them took effect during his life, others came to pass at a subse- 

 quent period, and the lapse of centuries has attested their wisdom. Unlike 

 his father and his grandfather, and equally so to his ill-starred son, he 

 never acted without a sufficient reason, nor left a design, when once en- 

 tered upon, incomplete. 



But a very principal scene of Edward's labours, and the object of bis 

 most successful scheme of policy, lay in the principality, upon the southern 

 extremity of which the castle which we ha^e been describing is situated. 

 Wales, from a very remote period of history, had been an object of enmity 

 with the inhabitants of England, from whatever source derived. Sprung 

 from the ancient Celtic population of the island, their rugged mountains 

 had enabled them to resist the invaders before whom their less fortunate 

 brethren of the plains had lost their existence as a nation ; and to retain 

 their own laws, language, and princes, unaltered, amidst the general com- 

 mixture of Roman, Saxon, and Norman, by which the less mountainous 

 parts of the island had been completely overrun. 



Soon after the Norman conquest, Fitz-hamon, a great baron, nearlv 

 allied to the Conqueror, won by his sword and by treachery the fertile 

 territory of Morgannoc or Glamorgan ; slaying such of the inhabitants as 

 refused to submit, or driving them to the mountains, to be replaced by 

 Norman colonists. Fixing upon Cardiff as his principal residence, he 

 there constructed a castle, and portioned out the newly-acquired territory 

 among ids twelve principal followers, constituting himself their feudal chief. 



Other adventurers, following the example of Fitz-hamon, and assisted 

 like him by the internal dissensions of the natives, and the treachery of 

 the losing party, acquired lands upon the borders of Wales, and were con- 

 stituted by the English monarchs, lords-marchers. In this manner the 

 fertile plains of the border were gradually ac(juired by the Normans, though 

 not without considerable loss and continual disquiet from the outbreaks 

 of the Welsh, whose inherent love of liberty permitted them not to remain 

 cooped up in their mountains, while their enemies calmly enjoyed the 

 richest portion of their ancient inheritance. 



