MARGAM ABBEY.] MARGAM ANNALS-DISASTERS-ABBOTS. 347 Dugdale fixes the date of argam Abbey in the year 1147. It was founded by Robert, Earl of Gloucester-so often named in this work-and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. In this, also, the annals of Margam-written by a monk of the Abbey-agree, and mention the date of its foundation as that of the year in which the founder departed this life. The chronicle, printed in the second. volume of Gale's Scriptores, called "Annales de Margam," is a history of general scope, extending from the year of the Conquest to that of 1232, and throws but little light upon the particular affairs of the Monastery in which it was written. It is a history of the times, not of the Abbey. It gives the names, however, of four abbots, mentions three or four incursions of the Welsh, and remarks that Margam and Beaulieu in Hampshire were the only monasteries among the Cistercians that were released from King John's extortions in 1210, to which reference has been already made in our notice of Tinterne. The plea upon which Margam escaped these severe taxations was, that, both in his progress to and from Ireland, the King and his suite had been liberally entertained by the abbot and monks of Margam. With respect to the inroads noticed in these "Annals," we are told that— "This year, M.C.LXI, in the month of October, the Welsh burnt down our granary or barn; an act which was quickly followed by divine vengeance." Again, "In M.CC.XXIII, (he says,) in the course of one week, wicked men have destroyed upwards of a thousand of our sheep, with two houses. In the following year they wantonly slew two of our servants in one day, while engaged in the performance of their duty; and also, immediately thereafter, a youth who had charge of the flock." But the fourth irruption was still more serious; for "they burnt to the very ground our grange at Penwith, with many cattle, including the steers; they next depopulated the grange of Rossaulin, burnt many sheep, drove off the cows, and put one of our servants wantonly to death; they then took the cattle of the grange of Theodore Twdor, killed many on the road, took the rest with them. Lastly, they set fire to the Abbey houses in different places, and great were the flocks that perished in the flames."-Annal. de Marg. Scriptores a T. Gale, tom. ii. pp. 7, 16, 17. Leland ascribes to this Abbey the privilege of sanctuary: "Habet privilegium sanctuarii, sed quo rarissime aut nunquam utuntur Cambri-" but of which the natives very rarely or never made any use. According to the same authority, Margam Abbey had four daughter-houses in Ireland, namely— Kyrideyson, S. Crux, Maio, and Chorus Benedictus. Abbots.-William, the first Abbot, died in M.C.LIII; Andrew, the second, two years later; and it was probably in the short time of the latter, or that of his successor, that the altar of the Holy Trinity in the abbey church was consecrated by William, Bishop of Llandaff. Gilbert, the third Abbot, resigned in July, M.CC.XIII, died the following year at Kirksted, and was succeeded by Abbot John, of whom nothing is recorded by the annalist. A large collection of original charters belonging to this Abbey is still preserved with the Harleian manuscripts in the British Museum. The common seal of the Abbey, appendant to a deed, dated 1518, has been elegantly lithographed, as we read in the Monasticon, by the care of the Rev. W. Traherne. At the Dissolution, the sum total of the revenues of Margam Abbey amounted to one hundred and eighty-eight pounds, fourteen shillings sterling; the clear income to seven pounds less. The site was granted by the King to Sir Rees Maxwell, Knt. The Abbey was afterwards the seat of Thomas, Lord Mansell; and passed afterwards into the Talbot family. In early times the buildings of this Abbey are described as affording specimens of the richest style of conventual architecture. But these characteristics are no longer applicable to the ruins before us; for time and the quarry-man, probably, have done much to deface the beauty and even form of the original structure. Osborne, p. 6.-Walter, a Norman knight, and a great favourite of William the Conqueror, was one summer evening playing at chess with the King, and after a time won all he played for. The King then threw down the board, and with his usual oath exclaimed he had nothing more to lose. Walter, however, being of a different opinion, replied-" Sir, here is land." "True," said the King; "and if thou beatest me this time, thine be all the land on this side the bourne or river which thou canst see where thou now standest." This said, to it they went once more, and knight Walter again won the game, whereupon the King, starting up and slapping him on the shoulder, said, "Henceforth thou shalt be called Ousebourne." And hence, it is supposed, came the name afterwards so famous.-[Life of Corinni, Pegge's Curialia Miscellanea, p. 319. Lower, 156.] Tinterne, p. 53.-The drinking after Complins of the prioress of Rumsey has crept into all our familiar books. Among the injunctions to the convent of Appleton, anno. 1489, is the following:-" Item, That none of your sisters use the ale-house, nor the water syde, where course of strangers dayly resorte." In another it was inquired: "Whether any of the susters doe cherish theme moste that have any monye, and causeth them to spende the same, when they be within, at good ale, or otherwise?" Item.-"Whether any of the susters be commonlye drunke?" There were, however, many honourable exceptions. Pensions were granted at the Dissolution according to the character of the monastic brothers and sisters, which it was the business of the King's visitors to investigate, and recommend when approved. Rahdal Wylmyston, monk of Norton, they pronounced to be "a good, religious man, discreet, and wellgrounded in learning-having many good qualities." The nunnery of Legborne petitioned to be preserved, saying—" We trust in God, ye shall here no complaints against us, nether in our living nor hospitalitie-keeping."-[See Fosb., quoting M.S. Cott., Cleop. E. iv., 370, B.] TINTERNE, p. 57.—That the learning of those times was rather scanty, even among the higher ecclesiastics, we have the testimony of Pitscottie :-Forman, who succeeded to the archbishopric of St. Andrew's-on the death of his predecessor at the battle of Flodden-owed his sudden rise to the partiality of Pope Leo X. Being then at Rome, the new archbishop thought it decorous to give a banquet to his Holiness and the dignitaries of his court, before setting out on his journey homeward. "When the dinner came up," says the historian, "the Pope and cardinals placed, and sat down according to their estate; then the use and custom was, that, at the beginning of the meat, he that aught [owned] the house, and made the banquet, should say grace and bless the meat. And so they required the holy bishop to say the grace, who was not a good scholar, and had not good Latin, but began rudely in the Scottish fashion in this manner, saying-' Benedicite,' believing that they should have answered, Dominus. But they answered Dans, in the Italian fashion, which put this noble bishop bye his intendiment, that he wist not how to proceed forward; but happened out, in good Scottish, in this manner, the which they understood not, saying-' To the devil I give ye all, fause carles, in nomini Patriæ, Filii, and Spiritus Sancti !' Amen, quoth they! Then the bishop and his men leugh. And the bishop shewed the Pope the manner that he was not a good clerk, and his cardinals had put him bye his intendiment, and therefore he gave them all to the devil in good Scottish; and then the Pope leugh among the rest."-[Pitscottie, Hist. Scotl. p. 166, 299], quoted by Morton. TINTERNE, p. 76.--Wyat, who was attached to the Reformers, before their tenets were openly proclaimed in this country, is said to have accelerated the downfall of monastic institutions by the following jest:-During a conversation with the King on the projected suppression of monasteries, Henry observed to the poet that he foresaw great alarm would be caused throughout the country if the Crown were to resume the immense property then accumulated by the church. Wyat, who saw that this scruple might produce hesitation, and perhaps obstruction in the measures then in progress, replied with a suggestionTrue, your highness; but what if the rooks' nests were buttered ?" Henry, it is said, took the hint, and, by distributing valuable church lands among the nobility, diminished the danger and odium of an enterprise at once so daring and unpopular. 66 APPENDIX-NOTES TO RAGLAN CASTLE. 351 Raglan, p. 132.—David Gam, the Fluellin of Shakspeare, and whose name has been already noticed in the article on Raglan, was the son of Llewelyn ap Howel Vychan, of Brecknock, by Maud, daughter of Lefan ap Rhys ap Ivor ap Elvel. The residence of this celebrated warrior was Old Court, the site of which is in a field adjoining Llandeilo-Cresseny House, midway between Abergavenny and Monmouth. David Gam, being the officer sent to reconnoitre the French army before the battle of Agincourt, said to the King on his return"An't please you, my liege, they are enough to be killed, enough to be taken prisoners, and enough to run away." In this battle, David, with his son-in-law, Roger Vychan [Vaughan], and his relative, Walter Lloyd, rescued the King when surrounded by his foes-saved his life at the expense of their own—and out of the eighteen French cavaliers slew fourteen. The King, after this signal victory, approached the spot where they lay in the agonies of death, and bestowed on them the only reward that could then be paid to their valour—to wit, the honour of knighthood. Shakspeare, as we have observed, designated this fiery soldier by the name of Fluellin. He resided often at Peytyn-Gwyn, near Brecon, and many of his descendants at Tregaer; others of the family were buried in Christ's Church, Brecon. There are almshouses in the parish of St. David's, Brecon, with a portion of garden-ground attached to each, given by one of the Games or Gams of Newton, for thirteen female inmates-decayed housekeepers in the town of Brecon.-[Owen Glendower, by Thomas.] In our notice of the Founders of Raglan, from other historical sources, this David is named Sir Richard Gam, whose daughter, after the loss of her husband, Sir Roger Vaughan, at Agincourt, espoused Sir William ap Thomas, the knight of Raglan. RAGLAN, p. 174.-Inter Carolinum-the King's route after Naseby fight. June 14. Battle of Naseby, 1645. 15. Lichfield at the governor's in the close. Mond. 16. Mrs. (Widow) Barnford's, Wolverhampton. July 17. The "Angel" at Bewdley (two nights), 17th and 18th. 19. Dined at Bramyard, supped at Hereford (and remained). 1. (Tuesday) To Campson, dinner, Mr. Pritchard's-to Abergavenny, supper, at Mr. Guncer's (staid second). 3. To Raglan, supper, Marquis of Worcester, remained till Wed. 16. To Tridegur, to dinner-Cardiff, supper, Sir T. Timel's-defrayed at the country's charge. 18. Back to Raglan to dinner, remained till 22. To Mr. Moore's of the Creek, near Black Rock, and came back to supper at Raglan. |