=Sources.=--(_a_) Llanstephan MSS. 136, f. 80. (National Library
of Wales.) (_b_) _Ceinion Llenyddiaeth Gymreig_, i., pp. 220, 221.
(London, n.d.). (_c_) _Gwaith Lewis Glyn Cothi_, p. 477, lines 3-12.
(Oxford: 1837.)
[+Note.+--The following extracts are translated from
contemporary Welsh poems. The first two are selected as examples of the
'bruts' or vaticinatory poems, written and circulated to stir up the
Welsh chieftains to support Henry. The third extract illustrates the
excitement among his countrymen on the eve of Henry's landing.]
(_a_) The knell of the Saxon shall be our satisfaction; a prince shall
we have of our own race.... Cadwaladr[47] will come to his own again
with his eightfold gifts and his doughty deeds.... Woe to the black
host beside the wave if misfortune should come to the strangers.
Jasper[48] will breed for us a Dragon; of the fortunate blood of
Brutus[49] is he. The Bull of Anglesey[50] is our joy; he is the hope
of our race. A great grace was the birth of Jasper from the stock of
Cadwaladr of the beautiful [spear] shaft.
[47] The last King of Britain. The Tudors claimed descent from
Cadwaladr.
[48] Jasper Tudor, uncle of the Earl of Richmond.
[49] The mythical founder of the British race.
[50] Henry Tudor. The home of the Tudors was at Penmynydd, in Anglesey.
(_b_) We are waiting for him [Henry] to show, when he comes, the Red
Rose in high pomp. The Thames will run with blood on that day, and
there shall we be satisfied.... There is longing for Harry, there
is hope for our race. His name comes down from the mountains as a
two-edged sword; and his descent from the high places; and his sword
wins the day. He will win, ere his life be done, the unbelieving to the
Creed of the Cross.
+To Jasper Tudor.+
(_c_) In what seas are thy anchors, and where art thou thyself? When
wilt thou come to land and how long must we tarry? On the feast of the
Virgin[51] fair Gwynedd,[52] in her songs, watched the seas. In the
month of May she awaited, expecting thy coming from afar. God! August
has come,[53] and yet thou hast delayed ... Lord of Pembroke, awake thou!
[51] March 25.
[52] The Principality of North Wales.
[53] Henry and Jasper Tudor landed at Milford on August 7 or 8, 1485.
PROCLAMATION AGAINST THE TUDORS (+June 23, 1485+).
=Source.=--Ellis's _Original Letters_, Second Series, vol. i., pp.
162-166. (London: 1827.)
Forasmuch as the King our Sovereign Lord hath certain knowledge that
Piers, Bishop of Exeter, Jasper Tudor son of Owen Tudor calling himself
Earl of Pembroke, John late Earl of Oxford and Sir Edward Woodeville,
with other divers his rebels and traitors, disabled and attainted by
authority of the High Court of Parliament, of whom many be known for
open murderers, adulterers and extortioners, contrary to the pleasure
of God and against all truth, honour and nature, have forsaken their
natural country, taking them first to be under the obedience of the
Duke of Brittany, and to him promised certain things which by him and
his Council were thought things too greatly unnatural and abominable
for them to grant, observe keep and perform, and therefore the same
utterly refused. The said traitors seeing that the said Duke and his
council would not aid and succour them, nor follow their ways, privily
departed out of his country into France, there taking themselves to
be under the obedience of the King's ancient enemy Charles, calling
himself King of France; and to abuse and blind the commons of this
Realm, the said rebels and traitors have chosen to be their captain
one Henry Tudor, son of Edmund Tudor, son of Owen Tudor, which of
his ambitions and insatiable covetousness encroacheth and usurpeth
upon him the name and title of royal estate of this Realm of England,
whereunto he hath no manner [of] interest, right, title or colour,
as every man well knoweth;... and if he should achieve this false
intent and purpose, every man's life, livelihood and goods should
be in his hands, liberty and disposition; whereby should ensue the
disheriting and destruction of all the noble and worshipful blood of
this realm for ever. And to the resistance and withstanding whereof,
every true and natural Englishman born must lay to his hands for his
own surety, and well. And to the intent that the said Henry Tudor might
the rather achieve his said false intent and purpose by the aid ...
of the King's said ancient enemy of France, [he] hath covenanted and
bargained with him, and with all the Council of France, to give and
release in perpetuity all the right, title and claim that the Kings
of England have had and might have to the crown and realm of France,
together with the duchies of Normandy, Anjou and Maine, Gascony and
Guienne, the castles and towns of Calais, Guisnes, Hammes, with the
marches appertaining to the same, and to dissever and exclude the
arms of France out of the arms of England for ever.... And over
this ... the said Henry Tudor and other the King's rebels and traitors
aforesaid, have intended at their coming, if they can be of power,
to do the most cruel murders, slaughters, robberies and disherisons
that were ever seen in any Christian realm. For the which and other
inestimable dangers to be eschewed ... the King our Sovereign Lord
desireth, willeth and commandeth all and every of the natural and true
subjects of this his realm, to call the premises into their minds, and
like good and true Englishmen to endeavour themselves with all their
powers for the defence of themselves, their wives, children, goods
and hereditaments.... And our said Sovereign Lord, as a well-willed,
diligent and courageous Prince, will put his royal person to all
labour and pain necessary in this behalf ... and our Sovereign Lord
willeth and commandeth all his said subjects to be ready in their
most defensible array, to do his Highness service of war, when they
by open proclamation or otherwise shall be commanded so to do for the
resistance of the King's said rebels, traitors and enemies.
HENRY'S LANDING (+August, 1485+).
=Source.=--_A Short View of the Long Life of that ever wise,
valiant and fortunate Commander, Rice ap Thomas, Knight._ (Cambrian
Register, 1795.)
[+Note.+--The original manuscript, from which this account is
taken, was written about the year 1605, and therefore cannot claim to
have the value of a contemporary authority. But the continuator of the
Croyland Chronicle, the only contemporary account, is extremely meagre
in its details of Henry's journey through Wales; and this biography was
based on contemporary materials, the traditions of the Welsh bards and
similar matter. Moreover, in representing Rees as a confederate with
Richmond before the landing, it agrees with the contemporary English
ballad of the Lady Bessy.]
The Earl [of Richmond] having received Rice ap Thomas's answer, with
other joyful and comfortable advertisements from Morgan of Kidwelly, he
was so greatly encouraged therewith that no hopes of auxiliary forces
from the French King or any other necessary provisions whatsoever,
could make him any longer to disappoint his friends and confederates
with an expectation of his coming, and therefore with all convenient
speed furnishing himself with such men, money and munition as he could
readily procure, he enshipped himself and weighed anchor from Harfleur,
having but two thousand men in all, and they, God wot, poorly provided,
and so in seven days, with a prosperous gale, he landed at Milford.
In the interim, Rice ap Thomas stood all upon thorns, as conceiving
there might be some private compact and underhand working between the
usurper and the French King, whereby the just pretences of Richmond
should be for ever confounded.... Hereupon Rice musters up all his
forces, calls all his friends about him, and where he found any want
among them either of arms or other necessaries for the war, he supplied
with his own store, whereof he had sufficient as well for ornament as
for use; so that in few days he had gathered together to the number
of two thousand horse and upward, of his own followers and retainers,
bearing his name and livery. His kinsmen and friends who came besides
with brave companies to do him honour were Sir Thomas Perrott, Sir
John Wogan, and John Savage.[54] ... Arnold Butler, Richard Griffith,
John Morgan and two of his own brothers, David the younger and John,
all of them worthy soldiers and very expert commanders, with divers
others.... There came likewise out of North Wales to this service many
worthy gentlemen both of name and note, especially of the Salisburies,
under the conduct of Robert Salisbury, a fast friend of Rice ap Thomas
in the French wars.... He [Rice] then set forth in most martial manner
towards the Dale, as his prophet whilom had advised him, a place not
far from his castle of Carew, from whence at that time he led his army,
and there meeting with the Earl of Richmond ready to take land, he
received him ashore, to whom he made humble tender of his service, both
in his own and in all their names who were there present, and laying
him down on the ground, suffered the Earl to pass over him, so to make
good his promise to King Richard that none should enter in at Milford
unless he came first over his belly.... Rice ap Thomas having made an
end of what he would say, the Frenchmen, lying aboard all this while,
were sent for to land; who upon their coming were marvellously well
received by the Welshmen, and entreated with all courtesy, (for that
sole virtue of courtesy towards strangers I think the Welsh go beyond
all nations of the world); every man, I say, striving to give them all
contentment, and cheering them up with fresh victuals.... The Earl of
Richmond then entreated the Earls of Oxford and Pembroke to muster the
French, and to take a view of their defects, who, upon inquiry, found
they wanted both necessary furniture of arms and other munition,
besides that they were very raw and ignorant in shooting, and handling
of their weapons; men, as it seemed, raised out of the refuse of the
people and clapped upon the Earl to avoid his further importunities.
Rice ap Thomas ... in his heart wished them back again in France, there
being not one man of quality among them.... This being done they
(Richmond and Rice) with the Earls of Oxford and Pembroke drew aside to
consider of their present state and condition, and what course was best
to be taken for their putting forward. In fine they concluded the Earl
should shape his course by Cardigan, and Rice ap Thomas by Carmarthen,
that so going several ways, the Welsh and the French might be kept
asunder, to prevent such jars and quarrels as commonly arise between
strangers; appointing Shrewsbury for their place of meeting.
[54] Sir Gilbert Talbot's ten thousand dogs
In one hour's warning for to be,
And Sir John Savage's fifteen hundred white hoods,
Which would fight and never flee.
* * * * *
Sir Rees ap Thomas, a knight of Wales certain,
Eight thousand spears brought he.
Sir John Savage he hath no peer,
He will be wing to thee,
Sir Rees ap Thomas shall break the array,
For he will fight and never flee.
_The Song of the Lady Bessy._