[ 39i ] 



the fiedge was rayfed by John ap Meredith, his formes, and kin- 

 dred, to whome the Thelwals fent for ayde. In that exploite 

 Robert the fonne of John ap Meredith was flayne with an arrow 

 in a wood, within the view of the caftle of Ruthyn called Coed 

 marchau 1 ; in revenge wherof many of the other fide were flayne, 

 both at that time and afterwards. Some affirme John ap Mere- 

 dith to have beene at a field in Penyal m for Tho' Gruff, which 

 field was fought betweene Tho' Gruff' ap Nicolas and Henry ap 

 Gwillim, and the Earle of Pembroke's captaines, where Tho' 

 Gruff' got the field, but received there his death's wound. 



Henry VII. minding on his entry into England to clayme the 

 crown againft the tyrant Richard the Third, wrote this letter a 

 which is ftill extant, to John ap Meredith in hasc verba n : 



■ 



By the King. 



Right trufty and well-beloved, wee greete you well : and 

 whereas it is foe, that, through the helpe of Almighty God, the 

 affiftance of our loveing and true fubje&s, and the greate confi- 

 dence that wee have to the nobles and commons of this our prin- 

 . cipalitie of Wales, we be entred into the fame, purposing by 

 the helpe above rehearfed, in all hafte pofllble, to defcend into 



1 Coed in Welfh iignifies a wood. 



m Pennal, the place where Tho' GrufF' ap Nicholas was wounded, is 

 knowne by tradition ; and lieth in Wttra Bennal, in the pariih of Towin, 

 over againft Llidiart y parke crache, and in the midft of the way : being 

 a little round pavement, and almoft covered with grafs *. 



" Henry the Seventh, when he claimed the Crown of England againft 

 Richard the Third, landed at Milford Haven, and marched from thence 

 through South and North Wales into Leicefterfhire, where the battle of 

 Bofworth was fought. He had probably been informed at Milford, that 

 John ap Meredith had confiderable influence in N. Wales. [He might 

 alfo know it from his family, as they were nearly related.] P. 



* This note was added By fame perfon who had perufed the MS. with attention. 



2 our 



