_Upon Owain Gwynedd_, _Prince of North Wales_, _by Gwalchmai_, _the son
of Meilir_, _in the year_ 1157.
I will extol the generous hero descended from the race of Roderic, {25a}
the bulwark of his country, a prince eminent for his good qualities, the
glory of Britain, Owain the brave and expert in arms, a prince that
neither hoardeth nor coveteth riches.--Three fleets arrived, vessels of
the main, three powerful fleets of the first rate, furiously to attack
him on a sudden. One from Iwerddon, {25b} the other full of well-armed
Lochlynians, {25c} making a grand appearance on the floods, the third
from the transmarine Normans, {25d} which was attended with an immense,
though successless toil.
The Dragon of Mona's sons {26a} were so brave in action, that there was a
great tumult on their furious attack, and before the prince himself,
there was vast confusion, havoc, conflict, honourable death, bloody
battle, horrible consternation, and upon Tal Moelvre a thousand banners.
There was an outrageous carnage, {26b} and the rage of spears, and hasty
signs of violent indignation. Blood raised the tide of the Menai, and
the crimson of human gore stained the brine. There were glittering
cuirasses, and the agony of gashing wounds, and mangled warriors
prostrate before the chief, distinguished by his crimson lance. Lloegria
was put into confusion, the contest and confusion was great, and the
glory of our prince's wide-wasting sword shall be celebrated in an
hundred languages to give him his merited praise.