Epilogue

The conquest of 1066 meant disaster for the proud noble lines that had dominated souther Britain since the fall of Rome. Those dynasties, both Welsh and Anglo-Saxon, were soon living under the Norman yhoke. In 1093 the last pretender to Gruffudd ap LLywelyn's position as King of the Britons, Rhys ap Tewwr, was killed in battle by the Norman Bernard de Neufmarché, who was the husband of Gruffudd's granddaughter. The death of Rhys, the son of Gruffudd's old rival Hywel ab Edwin's cousin, opened the way for the Normans to cut a swath across Wales to the Irish Sean and, in the words of the native chronicle, 'then fell the kingdom of the Britions.' The calamity was described in a Latin poem composed by a Welsh cleric from a distinguished and learned family, writing at Llanbadarn Fawr c. 1094-95. Rhigyfarch ap Sulien describes himself as 'born of teh famous race of the Brition' and his 'Lament' is a fitting epitaph to the world of Gruffudd, and to that of the men who had treacherously engineered his death;

Why does the earth not consume us, nor the sea swallow us . . .

One vile Norman intimidates a hundred natives with his command, and terrifies (them) with his look . . .

Families do not now take delight in offspring; the heir does not hope for paternal estates; the rich man does not aspire to accumulate flocks . . .

Our limbs are cut off, we are lacerated, our necks are condemned to death, and chains are put on our arms,

The honest man's hand is branded by burning metals. A woman (now) lacks her nose, a man his genitals . . .

O (Wales), you are afflicted and dying, you are quivering with fear, you collapse, alas, miserable with your sad armament . . .

An alien crowd speaks of you as hateful . . .

Patriotism and the hope of self-government flee; liberty and self-will perish.