[ 39° } 



Queen Catherine, being a French woman borne, knew noe 

 difference betweene the Englifh and Welfh nation, untill her 

 marriage being publifhed, Owen Tudur's kindred and countrey 

 were objected to difgrace him, as mofi vile and barbarous ; which 

 made her defirous to fee fome of his kinfmen. Whereupon he 

 brought to her prefence John ap Meredith and Howell ap Lle- 

 welyn ap Howell his neare cofens, men of goodly flat u re and 

 perfonage, but wholey demtute of bringing up and nurture, for 

 when the Queene had fpoken to them in diverfe languages, and 

 they were notable to anfwer her, fhe faid, they voere the goodliejl 

 diwibe creatures that ever Jlie Jaw. 



This being not impertinent to the matter I treat of, and pre- 

 ferved by tradition, I thought fit to infert here. 



John ap Meredith had by his wife five fonnes, viz. Morris* 

 Jevan, Robert, Owen, and Gruff', whereof Robert in his. fa- 

 ther's time was flayne without iflue neare Ruthyn in the follow- 

 ing manner. [The reft furvived their father, and have many de- 

 fcended from them] : . 



The Thelwals of Ruthyn 1 being ancient gentlemen of that 

 countrey, who came into it with the Lord Grey, on whome King 

 Edward the .Firft bellowed the countrey of Duffryn Clwyd k , 

 were at contention with a fepte or kindred of that countrey called 

 the family of Gruff' Goch. Thefe being more in number than 

 the Thelwals (although the Thelwals carried the whole offices of 

 \ the countrey, under the Lord thereof, the Lord of Kent, then 

 treafurer of England) drave the Thelwals to take to the caftle 

 of Ruthyn for their defence, where they befieged-them, untill 



1 Thelwal, who publifhed the Digcfi of Writs, was of this family, and 

 dates his work from his poor houfe near Ruthyn. It is about a mile from 

 , that town, on the road to Mold in.Flintfhire... 



£ Or the vale of Clwyd, Dyffryn bearing that fignification in Welfh. 



• the 



