I 354 ] 



that no liberties have been taken in improving his orthography or 

 ftyle, except now and then by breaking a, very long and compli- 

 cated period into two, fo as to make it more perfpicuous and in- 

 telligible. 



It is not pretended that the prefent publication is entitled to 

 any merit of this fort, as it appears to have been compiled merely 

 for the author's information, and that of his descendants. 



His intention in thefe memoirs of his family was to deduce his 

 pedigree from Owen Gwynedd, Prince of N. Wales in 1438, 

 So long therefore as his anceflors continued to be fome of the reguli 

 of that country, it may be confidered as a hiftory, or rather brief 

 chronicle of the Principality. Imperfect however as it is, yet it 

 may be entitled to fome degree of value, in the light of a Sup- 

 plement to Dr. Powell's Chronicle of Wales. 



It appears by this MS. that the author was furnifhed with fome 

 materials, which neither Powell, nor Wynne, the only other his- 

 torian of Wales, had ever Seen. 



In different parts of thefe memoirs he cites as his authorities, 

 The copy of a Fragment of a Welfli Chronicle, in the poffeffion 

 of his coufin Sir Thomas Williams of Trefriw j Wellh Pedigrees ; 

 The records kept in Carnarvon Caftle ; Records copied for him 

 at the Tower, by J. Brought ton, Efq. then Juftice of N. Wales; 

 as alfo the tradition of the country. 



What feems to be moft interefting in the work, are fome anec- 

 dotes and circumftances which relate to the more immediate an- 

 ceflors of the author, as they are ftrongly chara&eriftick of the 

 manners and way of living in the Principality, during that 

 period. 



As the places mentioned are often nothing more than farms, 

 and in a part of Wales not much known probably to Englifh 

 Readers, it hath been thought proper to Subjoin in a note Some ac- 

 count of their htuations. 



If 



