WALES. 231 



about the year 450, and whose works were certainly extant at the 

 time of the Reformation, and clearly evince that Geoffrey of Monmouth 

 was not the inventor of the history which makes the present Welch 

 the descendants of the ancient Trojans. This poetical genius seems 

 to have influenced the ancient Welch with an enthusiasm for inde- 

 pendency ; for which reason Edwai'd I, is said to have made a general 

 massacre of the bards ; an inhumanity which was characteristical of 

 that ambitious prince. The Welch may be called an unmixed people, 

 and are remarkable for still maintaining the ancient hospitality, and 

 their strict adherence to ancient customs and manners. This appears 

 even among gentlemen of fortune, who in other countries commonly 

 follow the stream of fashion. We are not however to imagine, that 

 many of the nobility and gentry of Wales do not comply with the 

 modes and manner of living in England and France. All the better 

 sort of the Welch speak the English language, though numbers of 

 them understand the Welch. 



Cities, towns, edifices.... Wales contains no cities or towns that 

 are remarkable either for populousness or magnificence. Beaumaris 

 is the chief town of Anglesey,* and has a harbour for ships. Brecknock 

 trades in clothing. Cardigan is a large populous town, and lies in the 

 neighbourhood of lead and silver mines. Caermarthen has a large 

 bridge, and is governed by a mayor, two shei'iffs, and aldermen, who 

 wear scarlet gowns and other ensigns of state. The other towns of 

 Wales have nothing particular. It is, however, to be observed, that 

 Wales, in ancient times, was a far more populous and wealthy country 

 than it is at present ; and though it contains no regular fortifications, 

 yet many of its old castles are so strongly built, and so well situated^ 

 that they might be turned into strong forts at a small expence- 



Commerce and manufactures. ...The Welch are on an equality, 

 as to their commerce and manufactures, with many of the western 

 and northern counties of England. Their trade is mostly inland, or 

 with England, into which they import numbers of black cattle. Milford 

 haven, which is reckoned the finest harbour in Europe, lies in Pem- 

 brokeshire ; but the Welch have hitherto reaped no great benefit 

 from it, though of late considerable sums have been granted by par- 

 liament for its fortification. The town of Pembroke employs near 

 200 merchant ships, and its inhabitants carry on an extensive trade. 

 In Brecknockshire are several woollen manufactures ; and Wales in 

 general carries on a great coal trade with England and Ireland. 



Constitution and government... .Wales was united and incor- 

 porated with England in the 27th of Henry VIII, when by act of 

 parliament, the government of it was modelled according to the Eng- 

 lish form ; all laws, customs, and tenures, contrary to those of Eng- 

 land, being abrogated, and the inhabitants admitted to a participation 

 of all the English liberties and privileges, particularly that of send- 

 ing members to parliament, viz a knight for every shire, and a burgess 

 for every shiretown, except Merioneth. By the 34th and 35th of the 

 same reign, there were ordained four several circuits for the adminis- 

 tration of justice in the said shires, each of which was to include three 

 shires ; so that the chief justice of Chester has under his jurisdiction 



* The isle of Anglesey, which is the most western county of North Wales, is 

 surrounded on all sides by the Irish Sea, except on the south-east, where it is di- 

 vided from Briton by a narrow strait, called Menu, which in some places may be 

 passed on foot at low water. The island is about 24 miles long, and 18 broad, an4 

 contains 74 parishes. It was the ancient seat of the British Druids, 



