LLEWELLYNwasthePrinceofWales.HehadbeenonthesideoftheBaronsinthereignofthestupidoldKing,buthadafterwardsswornallegiancetohim.WhenKingEdwardcametothethrone,Llewellynwasrequiredtoswearallegiancetohimalso;whichherefusedtodo.TheKing,beingcrownedandinhisowndominions,threetimesmorerequiredLlewellyntocomeanddohomage;andthreetimesmoreLlewellynsaidhewouldrathernot.HewasgoingtobemarriedtoELEANORDEMONTFORT,ayoungladyofthefamilymentionedinthelastreign;anditchancedthatthisyounglady,comingfromFrancewithheryoungestbrother,EMERIC,wastakenbyanEnglishship,andwasorderedbytheEnglishKingtobedetained.Uponthis,thequarrelcametoahead.TheKingwent,withhisfleet,tothecoastofWales,where,soencompassingLlewellyn,thathecouldonlytakerefugeinthebleakmountainregionofSnowdoninwhichnoprovisionscouldreachhim,hewassoonstarvedintoanapology,andintoatreatyofpeace,andintopayingtheexpensesofthewar.TheKing,however,forgavehimsomeofthehardestconditionsofthetreaty,andconsentedtohismarriage.AndhenowthoughthehadreducedWalestoobedience.
ButtheWelsh,althoughtheywerenaturallyagentle,quiet,pleasantpeople,wholikedtoreceivestrangersintheircottagesamongthemountains,andtosetbeforethemwithfreehospitalitywhatevertheyhadtoeatanddrink,andtoplaytothemontheirharps,andsingtheirnativeballadstothem,wereapeopleofgreatspiritwhentheirbloodwasup.Englishmen,afterthisaffair,begantobeinsolentinWales,andtoassumetheairofmasters;andtheWelshpridecouldnotbearit.Moreover,theybelievedinthatunluckyoldMerlin,someofwhoseunluckyoldpropheciessomebodyalwaysseemeddoomedtorememberwhentherewasachanceofitsdoingharm;andjustatthistimesomeblindoldgentlemanwithaharpandalongwhitebeard,whowasanexcellentperson,buthadbecomeofanunknownageandtedious,burstoutwithadeclarationthatMerlinhadpredictedthatwhenEnglishmoneyhadbecomeround,aPrinceofWaleswouldbecrownedinLondon.Now,KingEdwardhadrecentlyforbiddentheEnglishpennytobecutintohalvesandquartersforhalfpenceandfarthings,andhadactuallyintroducedaroundcoin;therefore,theWelshpeoplesaidthiswasthetimeMerlinmeant,androseaccordingly.
KingEdwardhadboughtoverPRINCEDAVID,Llewellyn\'sbrother,byheapingfavoursuponhim;buthewasthefirsttorevolt,beingperhapstroubledinhisconscience.Onestormynight,hesurprisedtheCastleofHawarden,inpossessionofwhichanEnglishnoblemanhadbeenleft;killedthewholegarrison,andcarriedoffthenoblemanaprisonertoSnowdon.Uponthis,theWelshpeopleroselikeoneman.KingEdward,withhisarmy,marchingfromWorcestertotheMenaiStrait,crossedit-neartowherethewonderfultubularironbridgenow,indayssodifferent,makesapassageforrailwaytrains-byabridgeofboatsthatenabledfortymentomarchabreast.HesubduedtheIslandofAnglesea,andsenthismenforwardtoobservetheenemy.ThesuddenappearanceoftheWelshcreatedapanicamongthem,andtheyfellbacktothebridge.Thetidehadinthemeantimerisenandseparatedtheboats;theWelshpursuingthem,theyweredrivenintothesea,andtheretheysunk,intheirheavyironarmour,bythousands.AfterthisvictoryLlewellyn,helpedbytheseverewinter-weatherofWales,gainedanotherbattle;buttheKingorderingaportionofhisEnglisharmytoadvancethroughSouthWales,andcatchhimbetweentwofoes,andLlewellynbravelyturningtomeetthisnewenemy,hewassurprisedandkilled-verymeanly,forhewasunarmedanddefenceless.HisheadwasstruckoffandsenttoLondon,whereitwasfixedupontheTower,encircledwithawreath,somesayofivy,somesayofwillow,somesayofsilver,tomakeitlooklikeaghastlycoininridiculeoftheprediction.
David,however,stillheldoutforsixmonths,thougheagerlysoughtafterbytheKing,andhuntedbyhisowncountrymen.Oneofthemfinallybetrayedhimwithhiswifeandchildren.Hewassentencedtobehanged,drawn,andquartered;andfromthattimethisbecametheestablishedpunishmentofTraitorsinEngland-apunishmentwhollywithoutexcuse,asbeingrevolting,vile,andcruel,afteritsobjectisdead;andwhichhasnosenseinit,asitsonlyrealdegradationandthatnothingcanblotoutistothecountrythatpermitsonanyconsiderationsuchabominablebarbarity.
Waleswasnowsubdued.TheQueengivingbirthtoayoungprinceintheCastleofCarnarvon,theKingshowedhimtotheWelshpeopleastheircountryman,andcalledhimPrinceofWales;atitlethathaseversincebeenbornebytheheir-apparenttotheEnglishthrone-