America Discovered by the Welsh in 1170 A.D.

d one of the greatest pri

ssions, which were divided, according to the custom of the nation, among the sons, and he

wing spirited ode in celebration of an important victory h

chief I sing o

gifts endow'

curb'd the

heir of Brita

mbition mar

yield to ma

stores at Ava

egions o'er the

s intent on

rin's verd

ochlin's a

ns of the

far, bore them o

abor doom'd, a

allant lord, wher

sons ranged

dark tumu

tempest of the

urns the fu

wild Conf

rears her

te Rank exp

pon confli

e in torren

g shrieks, and s

re's front a thous

s still the

death-strok

spear, flight

victims plu

he torrent-t

enai rolls

warriors on

strew'd, and

drag their mang

he slaught

e King's red

set thus, Lloe

doom'd her

her routed

at Owain's s

tongues of his e

h renown through

great prince, which have never been surpassed in true poetic spirit, eleg

, Edwal, Cynan, Rien, Maelgon, Llewelyn, Iorweth, Davydd, Cadwallon, Hywell, Cadell, Madoc, Eino

lared unfit to occupy such a position, on account of an injury done to his nos

reland, and although not born in wedlock, thus being regarded as an illegitimate son, he aspired to the crown after the dea

lain in battle, and Davydd ab Owain occupied his father's throne. As a stroke of perfidy, or policy, he married the sister of King Henry the Second, whereby he succeeded in breaking for a time the independent spirit of the Welsh. He gave aid to his brother-in-law in money and men, and attended the Parliament at Oxford. Such a treacherous c

uel, that he put out the eyes of large num

was so considerable as successfully to oppose that of England at the mouth of the Menai in the year 1142. The poem in which Gwalchmai has

d to his brother Davydd's ferocity, who imagined that he might also dispute the question of succession to the throne. Doubtless it was this that led Madoc to resolve that he would leave those sc

lted in the discovery of a new world, from which he returned to make known his good fortune and to gather other emigrants to accompany him thither. He accordingly fitted out a second expedition, and, taking his br

preceding the time of Columbus, where the above event is thus noticed in treating of the genealogy

found that his name is mentioned three or four times by Cynddelw, Llywarch, and Gwalchmai. These are held to be among the most

prove his innocence respecting Madoc's death. He invoked the aid of the Saviour "lest he should inj

HE HO

free me fr

ng. Show

prince with

doms nine sha

e dwelling-

, safe from

ssed to Rhodri ab Owain Gwynedd, of

e there, who in

ple of the ear

on quench'd am

nd his bravel

mper mild, in

bosom of th

ession he cou

angéd for a c

welyn ab Iorweth by the same bard

is to ask a

ders will our

ill guard the

he breach, ru

is to Powys'

axons by Lla

wave is he

doc, whom we

hat he i

ab Owain Gwynedd, lamenting his bei

be without mentio

of me meri

rce, above th

hero of th

, ere he

h smooth words

of the harmony of

ont to h

tributing

o please than

y Cynddelw, Madoc is twice mentioned, one pas

Madoc by the

orrow for the

le was he fr

grasp'd he the w

istinguished celebrity of the latter part of the fifth century. He went on an expedition to discover some islands which are known by the name of G

Bard of Emrys Wledig, or the Ambrosius of Saxon

Christian Bards of Wales,-Merddin Wy

Bards, went to sea, and

Owain Gwynedd, who, with three hundred men, went to s

the loan of a fishing-net by a poem, sent a secon

of a gene

his father,

me, on the

aid, will

brave, of

ynedd's off

o land,-man

alth, exce

who, throu

seek my wo

can be entertained on that point. In the above quotation th

of sight. So far as can be known, it appears that these odes were written prior to any definite notion of a Western world, known subsequently as the American Continent. Madoc's voyages might not have been very familiar to many except the Welsh, and they were ignorant whither he went. One thing, howe