Battle of Orewin Bridge

Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough. Around the next feast of Saint Nicholas¹, Llywelyn descended from the mountains with only one squire, wishing to cautiously observe whether the inhabitants of the valleys remained loyal to him as before. He left his entire army on the ridge of the mountain above the river called Wye. His men took possession of the bridge of Orewin, and many Welsh remained there on his side, while on the other side were many royal troops. The king himself was that same day stationed at Rhuddlan [Map]. As the royal forces, whose leaders were Sir John Giffard and the young Sir Roger de Mortimer, saw the Welsh at the bridge and the large army on the ridge above, they discussed among themselves what ought to be done. One of them, named Elias Walwyn, replied, If we remain here, we can neither advance nor cross. But there is a certain ford not far from here and unknown to the Welsh, where we can cross, though with difficulty. Let brave men follow me, and we shall strike the Welsh from behind, those who are now at the bridge. Then the way across the bridge will be opened for the rest of our army, and from there we shall be able to press forward against the remaining enemies.

And so he did, and he crossed the ford that was unknown to others, from which the place took its name that it bears to this day, and it was called Hiliswath. After the Welsh who were stationed at the bridge were struck down, the way was opened for the rest of our army to pass through freely. When the sound of battle reached the ears of Llywelyn himself, who was hiding nearby in a barn at Thaulweyr, he said, "Are not my Welshmen holding the bridge at Orewin?" They replied to him, "Indeed, they are." And he said, "Even if all England were on the other side, I would not fear them." But as the noise of the fighting grew louder and his army on the heights began to panic when they saw the English forces approaching, Llywelyn hastened to slip away secretly with his page, for he feared for his life when he learned what had happened. He was spotted by one of our men, Stephen of Frankton, though he did not know who he was. Stephen followed him with a few others and, finding him fleeing and lightly armed, pierced him with a lance, and then quickly withdrew and returned to our army. The Welsh troops stood in their formations on the mountain ridge, waiting for their prince and lord, but in vain. As our forces advanced up the hill, the Welsh shot many arrows and bolts, and there was a brief skirmish with our archers, who were positioned among the cavalry. Many of the Welsh fell, because they had bravely held their ground in hope of their leader's return. At last, our cavalry reached the summit of the hill above them. After some were cut down, the rest were turned to swift flight. When our men returned victorious, the above-mentioned Stephen went back to see who the two individuals were whom he had struck down. Upon seeing Llywelyn's face and recognizing him, they cut off his head and brought it with joy to our king. The king then ordered it to be sent to London. A silver crown was placed upon it as a sign of his former princely title, and it was carried on a lance through the middle of Westcheap, London, by a mounted man, accompanied by a large crowd of citizens and much ceremony. Eventually, it was placed on a high turret of the royal tower, where it remained for a long time to be seen by all who passed by.

Circa vero sequens festum beati Nicolai descendit ipse Leulinus cum solo armigero de montibus, ut cautius exploraret si habitatores convallium in fide sua manerent ut prius, reliquitque totum suum exercitum in supercilio montis super aquam quæ vocatur Waye et præoccupaverunt sui pontem Grewyn, manseruntque ibi ex parte sua Wallenses plurimi et ex parte altera regales multi; rex vero eodem die apud Rotheland erat in præsidio. Dumque regales nostri, quorum duces exercitus erant dominus Johannes Giffard et dominus Rogerus de Mortimer juvenis, viderent Wallenses ad pontem et exercitum grandem in supercilio montis, loquerenturque mutuo quid esset faciendum, respondit unus cui nomen Hilias Wallayn, Si manserimus hic nec proficere nec transire poterimus, sed est vadum quoddam non longe distans et a Wallensibus incognitum, ubi transire poterimus, cum difficultate tamen; sequantur ergo me viri fortes, et percutiemus a tergo Wallenses qui modo sunt ad pontem, et sic patebit ingressus per pontem reliquo exercitui nostro, poterimusque extunc plane procedere contra reliquos hostes.

Fecitque sic et transivit vadum aliis incognitum, unde et nomen sortitum est usque in præsentem diem et vocatum est Hiliswath: percussisque Wallensibus qui erant ad pontem, liberum fecit introitum reliquo exercitui nostro. Cumque clamor ascenderet etiam ad aures ipsius Leulini qui ibi prope in grangio Thaulweyr latitabat, ait ipse Leulinus, Nonne Wallenses mei sunt ad pontem Grewyn? dicunt ei, Utique sunt. Et ait, Etiamsi tota Anglia esset in parte altera non timerem eos. Ingravescente tandem clamore et tumultuante ejus exercitu in excelsis dum exercitum Anglorum viderent properantem, festinavit ipse Leulinus cum puero suo latenter ascendere, timuit enim sibi cognito prædicto casu. Cumque videretur a quodam ex nostris, Stephano scilicet de Stephen de Franketone, nec tamen cognosceretur quis esset, secutus est eum idem Stephanus cum paucis et ipsum fugientem et leviter armatum lancea perforavit, et confestim abiit, et reversus est ad exercitum nostrum. Steterunt itaque Wallenses per turmas suas in supercilio montis expectantes principem et dominum suum, sed incassum: et ascendentibus nostris, sagittas et telas multas direxerunt, factaque concertatione aliqua per sagittarios nostros qui inter equestres innixi erant corruerunt multi, eo quod animose steterunt expectantes dominum suum: tandem vero equestres nostri ascenderunt in montem super eos, et cæsis aliquibus reliquos in velocem fugam converterunt. Revertentibus ergo nostris obtenta victoria, prædictus Stephanus perrexit ut videret quinam essent illi duo quos percusserat, et visa facie Leulini et cognita, amputaverunt caput suum, et ad regem nostrum cum gaudio detulerunt. Rex vero illud mitti jussit Londoniis, et sic apposita serta argentea in signum principis per medium Westchepe Londoniis in lancea per equestrem delatum est cum magno comitatu civium et apparatu, et super turrim excelsam turris regiæ tandem cum lancea repositum est ut a transeuntibus universis longo tempore videretur.

Note 1. The Feast Day of St Nicholas is the 6th of December. The battle of Orewin Bridge took place on 11th December 1282.

Letters of Archbishop John Peckham 372. To Edward I.

To my lord the King. To his very dear lord Edward, by the grace of God king of England, lord of Ireland, duke of Aquitaine, friar John, by the permission of God, archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England, greeting in great reverence. Sire, know that those who were at the death of found in the most secret part of his body some small things which we have seen. Among the other things there was a treasonable letter disguised by false names. And that you may be warned, we send a copy of the letter to the bishop of Bath, and the letter itself Edmund de Mortemer has, with Llewellyn’s privy seal, and these things you may have at your pleasure. And this we send to warn you, and not that any one should be troubled for it. And we pray you that no one may suffer death or mutilation in consequence of our information, and that what we send you may be secret. Besides this, sire, know that lady Maud Lungespeye (age 48) prayed us by letter to absolve Llewellyn, that he might be buried in consecrated ground, and we sent word to her that we would do nothing if it could not be proved that he showed signs of true repentance before his death. And Edmund de Mortemer said to me that he had heard from his servants who were at the death that he asked for the priest before his death, but without sure certainty we will do nothing. Besides this, sire, know that the very day that he was killed, a white monk sang mass to him, and my lord Roger de Mortemer has the vestments. Besides this, sire, we request you to take pity on clerks, that you will suffer no one to kill them nor do them bodily injury. And know, sire, God protect you from evil, if you do not prevent it to your power, you fall into the sentence, for to suffer what one can prevent is the same as consent. And, therefore, sire, we pray you that it may please you that the clerks who are in Snowdon may go thence and seek¹ better things with their property in France or elsewhere. For because we believe that Snowdon will be yours, if it happen that in conquering or afterwards, harm is done to clerks, God will accuse you of it, and your good renown will be blemished, and we shall be considered a coward. And of these things, sire, if it please you, send us your pleasure, for we will give thereto what counsel we can, either by going thither or by some other way. And know, sire, if you do not falfil our prayer, you will put us in sadness, which we shall never leave in this mortal life. Sire, God keep you, and all that belongs to you.

This letter was written at Pembridge, Thursday after St. Lucy’s day².

Note 1. Querelur, to dispute, but is perhaps an error for querer,

Note 2. The Feast Day of St Lucy is 13th December.

Letters of Archbishop John Peckham 370. To Adam de Nanneu, a Dominican.

Brother John, etc., to his beloved son Brother Adam of Nanneu, of the Order of Preachers, greeting, grace, and blessing. Lately, with our letters, we sent you to the regions of Snowdon concerning certain matters to be explained to Lord Llewelyn, Prince of Wales, and to the other magnates of the land, for the good of the commonwealth, with the understanding that you should return to us with their replies as soon as it could conveniently be done. But you, in no way observing the time set for your return, have neither come to us nor taken care up to now to inform us concerning the replies received from the said prince and magnates. Wherefore, strictly enjoining you in virtue of obedience, we command you that, all delay and slowness set aside, you come to us with all speed, to report to us what you have received and what you have done in regard to those matters for which we sent you, so that we may clearly understand what is to be done in this affair, through which provision may wholesomely be made both for us and for them. In testimony of which matter we have caused these our letters to be sent to you. Farewell. Given at Sugwas, on the day before the Ides of December [12th December 1284], in the third year of our ordination.

Frater J[ohannes] etc., dilecto filio fratri Adze de Nanneu, ordinis Prædicatorum, salutem, gratiam et benedictionem. Nuper cum nostris literis misimus vos ad partes Snaudon’, pro quibusdam negotiis domino Lewelino principi Walliz et ceteris terrae magnatibus pro utilitate rei publicse exponendis, ita quod ad nos cum responsis eorundem quam citius commode posset fieri rediretis; vos autem tempus redditus vestri minime observantes, nec ad nos venitis nec super responsis acceptis a principe et magnatibus preedictis, curastis hactenus nos reddere certiores. Quocirca vobis in virtute obedientie firmiter injuangendo mandamus, quatenus omni dilationis tzedio cessante ad nos celerius veniatis, nobis relaturi quid receperitis et feceritis in hiis pro quibus vos duximus transmittendum, ut que agenda sunt in hac parte lucide cognoscamus, per que tam nobis quam ipsis valeat salubriter provideri. In cujus rei testimonium vobis has nostras literas duximus transmittendas. Valete. Datum apud Sugwas, i. id. Decembris, ordinationis nostree anno illl.