a short history of wales-第9部分

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d　in　1398；　and　had　left　four　young　children。　They　were　the　real　heirs　to　the　crown；　and　Owen　meant　to　win　their　throne　for　them。　　Their　uncle；　Edmund　Mortimer；　married　Glendower's　daughter。　　But　the　young　Earl　of　March；　the　elder　of　the　Mortimer　boys；　had　no　ambition；　and　a　plot　to　bring　him　and　his　brother　to　Owen　failed。

The　Papacy　had　always　proved　to　be　a　broken　reed　for　Welsh　princes；　but　Owen's　alliance　with　Peter　de　Luna；　the　anti…Pope　Benedict　XIII。；　gave　a　certain　amount　of　prestige　to　his　title。　　The　alliance　with　Scotland；　based　on　common　kinship；　could　bring　him　no　help　at　that　time：　　because　it　was　torn　between　two　factions　during　the　reign　of　the　weak　Robert　III。；　and　the　next　king；　the　poet　James　I。；　was　captured　at　sea　and　put　into　an　English　prison。

The　French　alliance　was　much　more　promising；　it　would　give　what　Owen　wanted　mostsiege　engines；　a　fleet；　and　an　army　of　trained　soldiers。　Charles　VI。　of　France；　the　father…in…law　of　the　deposed　Richard；　refused　to　make　peace　with　the　usurper　Henry；　his　fleet　protected　the　Welsh　coast；　and　in　1405　a　French　army　of　2；800　men　landed　at　Milford。

Owen　struggled　on；　with　waning　power；　until　his　death　in　1415。　　He　came　too　soon　for　success；　while　the　power　of　the　House　of　Lancaster　was　increasing。

Of　all　figures　in　the　history　of　Wales；　that　of　Owen　Glendower　is　the　most　striking　and　the　most　popular。　　The　place　of　his　grave　is　unknown；　his　lineage　and　the　date　of　his　death　a　matter　of　conjecture；　there　is　much　mystery　about　even　his　most　brilliant　years。　　But　his　majestic　figure；　his　wisdom；　and　his　ideals　remained　in　the　memory　of　his　country。　　His　ghost　wandered；　it　was　said；　around　Valle　Crucis。　　His　spirit；　more　than　that　of　any　hero　of　the　past；　seems　to　follow　his　people　on　their　onward　march。　　This　is　not　on　account　of　his　political　ideals；　but　because　he　was　the　champion　of　the　peasant　and　of　education。



CHAPTER　XVITHE　WARS　OF　THE　ROSES



The　reign　of　Henry　V。　was　a　reign　of　brilliant　victories　in　France；　and　the　reign　of　Henry　VI。　one　of　disastrous　defeats。　　During　both　reigns　the　lords　were　becoming　more　powerful　in　Wales　as　well　as　in　England。　　The　hold　of　the　king　over　them　became　weaker　every　year；　they　packed　the　Parliament；　they　appointed　the　Council；　they　overawed　the　law　courts。　　If　a　man　wanted　security；　he　must　wear　the　badge　of　some　lord；　and　fight　for　him　when　called　upon　to　do　so。　　In　the　marches　of　Wales　there　were　more　than　a　hundred　lords　holding　castle　and　court；　and　it　was　easy　for　a　robber　or　a　murderer　to　escape　from　one　lordship　to　the　other；　or　even　to　find　a　welcome　and　protection。　In　Wales　and　in　the　marches　the　lords　preyed　upon　their　weaker　neighbours；　and　the　country　became　full　of　private　war。

The　selfish　families；　all　fighting　for　more　land　and　more　power；　gradually　formed　themselves　into　two　partiesthe　parties　of　the　Red　Rose　and　of　the　White　Rose。　　The　leading　family　in　the　Red　Rose　party　was　that　of　Lancaster；　represented　by　the　saintly　King　Henry　VI。；　the　leading　family　in　the　White　Rose　party　was　that　of　York。　　In　the　Wars　of　the　Roses；　York　and　Lancaster　fought　over　the　crown；　and　those　who　supported　them　over　a　castle　or　an　estate。

Wales　was　divided。　　The　west　was　for　Lancaster；　from　Pembroke　to　Harlech；　and　from　Harlech　to　Anglesey。　　The　east　was　for　York；　from　Cardiff　and　Raglan　to　Wigmore；　and　from　Wigmore　to　Chirk。　　Lancaster　held　estates　in　Wales　and　on　the　borderthe　castles　of　Hereford；　Skenfrith；　Ogmore；　and　Kidwelly　being　centres　of　strength　and　wealth。　York's　chief　country　was　the　march　of　Wales；　with　Ludlow　as　its　centre。　　The　Welsh　barons　took　sides　according　to　their　interests。　Jasper　Tudor；　Earl　of　Pembroke；　held　the　west　for　his　half…brother；　the　king。　　Sir　William　Herbert；　who　was　very　powerful　in　the　country　south　of　the　Mortimers；　took　the　side　of　his　powerful　neighbour。　Others　wavered；　especially　Grey　of　Ruthin　and　the　Stanleys　in　North　Wales。

One　battle　was　fought　between　the　Welsh　Yorkists　and　the　Welsh　Lancastrians。　　This　was　the　battle　of　Mortimer's　Cross；　near　Wigmore；　in　February　1461。　　The　victor　was　the　young　Duke　of　York；　who　was　crowned　king　as　Edward　IV。　later　in　the　year。　　An　old　man；　Owen　Tudor；　the　father　of　Jasper　Tudor；　and　the　grandfather　of　the　boy　who　was　〃to　rule　after　them　all〃　as　Henry　VII。；　was　taken　prisoner。　　They　took　him　to　Hereford；　and　there　they　cut　his　head　off　and　set　it　on　the　market　cross。　　The　battles　of　the　Wars　of　the　Roses　were　very　cruel　ones；　the　noble　prisoners　that　had　been　taken；　even　children　of　tender　age；　were　murdered　in　cold　blood　on　the　evening　of　the　battle。　〃By　God's　blood；〃　said　one；　as　he　killed　a　child；　〃thy　father　slew　mine；　and　so　will　I　do　thee。〃

The　Welsh　barons　led　their　men　to　nearly　all　the　important　battles。　North　Wales　archers；　wearing　the　three　feathers　of　the　Prince　of　Wales；　fought　for　Lancaster　in　the　snow　at　the　great　defeat　of　Towton　on　the　Palm　Sunday　of　1461；　the　archers　of　Gwent；　led　by　Herbert；　fought　vainly　for　York　at　the　battle　of　Edgecote；　in　the　summer　of　1469。　　And　the　Welsh　waverer　and　traitor　was　seen　in　battle　also　Grey　of　Ruthin　led　the　van　for　Lancaster　at　the　battle　of　Northampton　in　1460；　and　caused　the　battle　to　be　lost　by　deserting　to　York　at　the　be　ginning　of　the　fighting。　　In　Wales　itself；　also；　the　war　was　fought　bitterly；　and　the　stubborn　defence　of　Harlech　for　the　Lancastrians　became　famous　through　the　whole　country。　　The　last　battle　fought　between　Lancaster　and　York　was　the　battle　of　Tewkesbury；　in　May　1471；　and　Lancaster　lost　it；　the　Prince　of　Wales；　the　king's　only　son；　was　killed；　and　his　heroic　mother；　Margaret　of　Anjou；　gave　the　struggle　up。　　A　young　Welsh　nobleHenry　Tudor；　Earl　of　Richmondbecame　the　Lancastrian　heir。　　The　fortunes　of　his　house　were　hopeless；　however；　and　his　uncle；　Jasper；　sent　him　in　safety　to　Brittany。

The　Yorkist　kings；　Edward　IV。　and　Richard　III。；　in　spite　of　cruelty　and　murder；　ruled　well。　　They　broke　the　power　of　the　barons；　and　they　made　the　people　richby　maintaining　peace；　by　repressing　piracy；　by　protecting　the　woollen　industry　of　the　towns。

In　Wales　their　rule　was　for　peace　and　order。　　They　made　a　Court　for　Wales　at　Ludlow；　the　home　of　their　race。　　From　Ludlow　they　began　to　force　the　barons　to　do　justice　and　to　obey　the　king。　　It　seemed　as　if　the　rule　of　the　Yorkists　was　to　be　a　long　one；　for　they　were　very　popular　in　London　and　the　towns。

But　the　nobles　were　not　willing　to　see　their　power　taken　from　them　day　by　day。　　Jasper　Tudor　appealed　to　the　loyalty　of　the　Welsh；　and　the　men　of　West　Wales　wanted　a　king　of　their　own　blood；　for　the　laws　had　been　made　unjust　to　them　ever　since　the　time　of　Owen　Glendower。

Many　attempts　were　made；　and　they　failed。　　But　at　last；　on　August　7；　1485；　the　fugitive　Earl　of　Richmond　came　to　Milford　Haven。　　He　marched　on　to　the　valley　of　the　Teivy；　and　he　was　joined　by　Sir　Rees　ap　Thomas；　and　an　army　of　South　Wales　men；　he　journeyed　on　through　the　valley　of　the　Severn；　and　the　North　Wales　men　joined　him；　English　nobles　joined　him　as　he　marched　by　Shrewsbury；　Stafford；　Lichfield；　and　Tamworth。　　Richard's　army　was　also　on　the　march。　　At　Bosworth；　August　22；　1485；　the　two　armies　met　in　the　last　battle　of　the　Wars　of　the　Roses。　　Richard　fought　fiercely；　wearing　his　crown；　and　when　he　was　defeated　and　killed；　the　crown　was　placed　on　Henry's　head。

The　people　of　England　did　not　care　who　ruled；　Richard　or　Henry；　as　long　as　he　kept　order；　for　they　were　very　tired　of　civil　war。

But　the　people　of　Wales　welcomed　Henry　as　a　Welshman　who　would　rule　them　kindly　and　justly。



CHAPTER　XVIITUDOR　ORDER



The　TudorsHenry　VII。；　his　son；　Henry　VIII。；　and　his　three　grandchildren；　Edward　VI。　and　Mary　and　Elizabethruled　England　and　Wales　from　1485　to　1603。　　Under　them　the　people　became　united；　law…　abiding；　patriotic；　and　prosperous。　　The　Tudor　period　is　justly　regarded　as　the　most　glorious　in　British　history；　with　its　great　statesmen；　its　great　adventurers；　and　its　great　poets。

The　Tudors　were　loyally　supported　by　Wales；　by　the　military　strength　of　men　like　Sir　Rees　ap　Thomas　or　the　Earl　of　Pembroke；　and　by　the　diplomatic　skill　of　the　Cecils。　　Under　their　rulehard　and　unmerciful；　but　just　and　efficientthe　law　became　strong　enough　to　crush　the　mightiest　and　to　shield　the　weakest。　　Welshmen　found　that；　even　under　their　own　sovereigns；　their　ancient　language　was　regarded　as　a　hindrance　and　their　patriotism　as　a　possible　source　of　trouble；　but　they　obtained　the　privileges　of　an　equal　race；　and　they　were　pleased　to　regard　themselves　as　a　dominant　one。

They　obtained　equal　political　privileges。　　The　laws　which　denied　them　residence　in　the　garrison　towns　in　Wales；　or　the　holding　of　land　in　England；　came　to　an　end。　　The　whole　of　the　country；　shire　ground　and　march　ground；　was　divided　into　one　system　of　shires　and　given　representation　in　Parliament；　by　the　Act　of　Union　of　1535。　　It　is　called　an　Act　of　Union　because；　by　it；　Wales　and　England　were　united　on　equal　terms。

Anglesey；　Carnarvon；　Merioneth；　Flint；　Cardigan；　and　Carmarthen　had　been　shires　since　I　284；　and　small　portions　of　Glamorgan　and　Pembroke　had　been　governed　like　shires；　so　that　some　Tudor　writers　call　them　counties。　　The　chief　difference　between　a　shire　and　a　lordship　is　that　the　king's　writ　runs　to　the　shire；　but　not　to　the　lordship。　　The　king　administers　the　law　in　the　shire；　through　the　sheriff；　the　lord　administers　the　law　in　the　lordship　through　his　own　officials。

In　1535　the　marches　of　Wales　were　turned　into　shire　ground。　　The　bulk　of　them　went　to　make　seven　new　shiresPembroke；　Glamorgan；　Monmouth；　Brecon；　Radnor；　Montgomery；　and　Denbigh。　　The　others　were　added　to　the　older　English　and　Welsh　counties。　　Of　these；　those　added　to　Shropshire　and　Herefordshire　and　Gloucestershire　became　part　of　England。　　Monmouth　also　was　declared　to　be　an　English　shire；　for　judicial　purposes；　but　it　has　remained　sturdily　Welsh；　and　now　it　is　practically　regarded　by　Parliament　as　part　of　Wales。　　The　whole　country　was　now　governed　in　the　same　way；　and　Wales　was　represented；　like　England；　in　Parliament。　　No　attempt　had　been　made　to　do　this　before；　except　by　the　first　English　Prince　of　Wales；　the　weak　and　unfortunate　Edward　II。

Of　even　greater　value　than　political　equality　was　the　new　re