and sought to strengthen himself by a foreign alliance; but in the mean time his kingdom was taken possession of by Beli. When abroad, he married the daughter of the king of Llychlyn, by which means he succeeded in obtaining aid to invade Britain. After landing, a furious battle in the forest of Calatyr in Yorkshire, where " the ranks fell as the corn in harvest beneath the hand of the reaper," ended in the defeat of Brân, 15,000 of the men of Llychlyn being slain. He himself with great difficulty reached one of his ships, and escaped to Gaul. After a residence of some time at the court of one of the Gaulish princes, whose daughter he married, Brân again succeeded in obtaining a powerful army to restore him to his kingdom. But when they had landed, and were on the point of engaging, his mother Tonwen rushed between the lines, and her tears and entreaties prevailed to reconcile them. The two armies then threw down their arms, and applauded the reconciliation. In the following year the two brothers resolved to invade Gaul, for the purpose of conquest, and having overcome a general levy of the Gauls, they took the king prisoner, and compelled the people to become their vassals. They then destroyed all the fortresses, and within a year completed the subjection of the whole kingdom. From thence they led their armies towards Rome, subduing the intervening countries, and destroying all the castles until they encamped before the city. The Romans bought them off this time with a large sum of money, and the promise of an annual tribute, twenty-four persons of the best families being delivered as hostages for the due performance of the treaty. From Rome the brothers turned their arms against Germany, but finding soon after that the Romans had broken the treaty by secretly sending aid against them, they immediately returned to Rome, and after a furious battle, with great slaughter on both sides, the city was taken. Beli after the victory returned home with his Britons, but Brân remained with his Gauls as 66 emperor of Rome, and with excessive rigour forced the Romans to obey him, as the Roman history shows." (Myv. Arch. ii. 155.) The Welsh Bruts relate nothing further of Brân, but according to classical authors, whose accounts of Brennus are no less romantic, Camillus soon afterwards defeated the Gauls, B. C. 385, and entirely freed the country of them.

BRAN (VENDIGAID,) the son of Llyr, is one of the most illustrious characters in our history. In the earlier part of his life he distinguished himself in battle and in government, as allusion is made by our poets to his warlike deeds and political wisdom. (See poems by Cynddelw, Myv. Arch. i.212, 248.) In one of the Triads (ibid. ii. 63.) he is classed with Prydain and Dyvnwal as the three who consolidated the form of government. He was the father of Caradawg, the celebrated Caractacus of classical history, and when his son was delivered up to the Romans by the treachery of Aregwedd Voeddig, Brân and all his family were carried as hostages to Rome, where they remained

seven years. During this time he became a convert to the Christian faith, and at the expiration of that period, A. D. 58, he returned to Britain, bringing with him four teachers, Ilid, Cyndav, Arwystli Hen, and Mawan, and by them the gospel was first preached in this island. The reader will observe that whatever authority is due to the Triads as authentic records of Welsh history, there is here a complete contradiction to the statements of classical writers. Dion Cassius relates that Caractacus was the son of Cunobelinus, who died before the commencement of the war with the Romans, and was succeeded in his kingdom by his two sons Caractacus and Togodumnus. The observations of Professor Rees on this point in his excellent Essay on the Welsh Saints may be consulted with advantage. In another of the Triads, he is classed with Lleirwg and Cadwaladr, as the three sovereigns who conferred blessings on the Isle of Britain, (tri menwedigion teyrnedd. Myv. Arch. ii. 63.) and in another his family is joined to those of Brychan and Cunedda to forin the three holy lineages of the Isle of Britain. Among the very ancient and interesting Welsh romances, known by the name of Mabinogion, is one of which Brân Vendigaid is the subject, and the events of which are briefly the following. Matholwch, the supreme king of Ireland, arrives with a fleet at Harlech in Merionethshire, where Brân kept his court, to demand Bronwen his sister in marriage. His request being granted, he returns to Ireland. In course of time Bronwen receives an insult by being boxed on the ear, which is alluded to in the Triads as one of the three atrocious blows of Britain; for Brân invades Ireland to avenge his sister. Seven only returned from this disastrous expedition, after having nearly extirpated the people of Ireland. Brân also being mortally wounded orders his surviving companions to carry his head to be buried in the White Hill in London, as a protection against all future invasions, as long as the head remained there. Their progress to London with the head is then related. At Harlech they are detained seven years listening to the birds of Rhianon singing in the air; and in Dyved they remain eighty years in a splendid hall in the enjoyment of every pleasing amusement; all their misfortunes, and the object of their journey, being kept out of their minds; but by opening a door in the direction of Cornwall, their real condition breaks in upon their minds, so that they are compelled to pursue their journey. (Dr. Owen Pughe, in the preface to Gunn's Nennius.) We learn from the Triads, (Myv. Arch. ii. 11.) that the head was afterwards removed by Arthur, who would not have this Island defended by any other means than his own prowess. With regard to the great antiquity of this romance, we may observe that aliusion is made to it in a poem by Taliesin, who flourished in the sixth century, and which is printed in the Myvyrian Archaiology, i. 66.

BRECHVA, (IEUAN) an eminent poet, historian, and herald of Caermarthenshire, who died, according to the "Cambrian Biography,"

about A.D. 1500. There is a short summary of Welsh History by him, printed in the second volume of the Myvyrian Archaiology.

BRENDA, a saint, who was one of the sons of Helig ab Glanawg, and embraced a monastic life, when their territory was inundated in the early part of the seventh century. A saying of his is recorded; (Myv. Arch. ii. 30.)

"Gwir a ddywaid Saint Brenda,

Nid Пlai cyrchir y drwg na'r da."
Truly saith St. Brenda,

The evil is not less resorted to than good.

BROCHWAEL (YSGYTHROG,) prince of Powys, was the son of Cyngen ab Cadell Deyrnllwg. When Ethelfrith, king of Northumberland, at the instigation of Ethelbert king of Kent, and Augustine the monk, marched to destroy the monastery of Bangor Dunawd, Brochwael at the head of the Welsh forces encountered him; but the inferiority in numbers being great on his side, he was compelled to retreat, leaving the monastery a prey to the invader. However the cruel massacre of the monks, and destruction of the place, was soon after revenged, for Brochwael, having obtained the assistance of the other Welsh princes, again attacked Ethelfrith, and totally defeated him, above ten thousand Saxons being slain; and he himself, being wounded, with difficulty escaped the hot pursuit of the conquerors. This occurred about the year 607. (Myv. Arch. ii. 363.)

BRONWEN, the daughter of Llyr, and sister of Brân, is recorded in the Triads as having suffered the infliction of a blow, which from its consequences was called one of "the three fatal blows of the Isle of Britain." (See Myv. Arch. ii. 11. 13. 18. 65.) In the Mabinogi of Brân Vendigaid, it is explained to us what is meant by that expression. Bronwen, who resided at Harlech in Merionethshire, anciently called from her, Twr Bronwen, was sought and obtained in marriage by Matholwch king of Ireland. Being afterwards illtreated by him, and insulted by a blow on the face, she left the country to return home; but on landing in Wales, we are told that she looked back upon Ireland, which, freshening the memory of the indignity she had suffered, broke her heart. Brân, to avenge his sister, invaded Ireland, and destroyed nearly all the people of the country. The romance also states that a square grave was made for Bronwen, on the banks of the river Alew, and there she was buried. In 1813, a most interesting discovery was made, which serves to give great authenticity to our Welsh documents, as, in the present instance, the romance has been founded upon historical facts. A farmer living on the banks of the river Alaw in Anglesey, having occasion for some stones, supplied himself from a carnedd which was close to the river, and having removed several, he came to a cist of coarse flags covered over. On removing the lid, he found within an urn of ill-baked earth, about a foot high, placed with its mouth downwards, full of ashes, and half calcined fragments of bone. Another circumstance may be added, that the very spot has always

been called Ynys Bronwen, or the Islet of Bronwen, which is a remarkable confirmation of the genuineness of the discovery. All the circumstances together seem to place the matter beyond a doubt, that the remains were actually those of Bronwen. A full account of the discovery was furnished by Sir R. C. Hoare, who visited the place soon after, and is given in the Cambro-Briton, ii. 71.

BROOMFIELD, (MATHEW) a poet who flourished about 1550. A few of his poems are preserved in the MS. collections belonging to the London Cymmrodorion Society.

BROTHEN, a saint, who was one of the sons of Helig ab Glanawg. He and his brothers embraced a religious life, when their territory was inundated by the sea. He founded the church of Llanvrothen in Merionethshire; and his festival is Oct. 15. (Bonedd y Saint.)

BRUTUS, according to the fabulous accounts of the Welsh Bruts, was the son of Silvius, and grandson of Ascanius. When about fifteen years old he was the accidental cause of his father's death, for which he was banished from Italy. He then went to Greece, and in course of time, his worth became so celebrated throughout the country, that all of Trojan race flocked to him against the oppression of the Greeks. Having overcome every opposition, he consulted the gods, and at their intimation, he proceeded through Gaul, until at last he arrived at the island since called from him Britain, in the year 1200 after the deluge. He had three sons, Locrinus, Camber, and Albanactus, and died in the 24th year after his arrival here. A very detailed account of his progress and adventures is given in the Bruts, which are printed in the second volume of the Myvyrian Archaiology.

BRUTUS (TARIAN-LAS,) according to the story of the Welsh Bruts, was the eldest of the twenty sons of Evrawg, king of Britain, whom he is said to have succeeded on the throne about B. C. 935. He reigned ten years, and was succeeded by his son Lleon Gawr. (Myv. Arch. ii. 123.)

BRWYN, a distinguished warrior in the defence of his country against the aggressions of the Saxons. He was the son of Cunedda Wledig, and lived in the fifth century.

BRWYNLLYS, (BEDO) who was esteemed among the most celebrated poets of his time, lived at Brwynllys, in Brecknockshire, about 1450. Besides composing numerous poems, which are preserved in MS. and the titles and first lines of seventeen of which are given in the Greal, he conferred a great obligation on all the admirers of the Welsh muse, by collecting together into a large volume the works of our sweetest bard, Davydd ab Gwilym, which were widely scattered over every part of Wales. This volume was deposited among the valuable Welsh MSS. in the Library of Raglan Castle, which was burnt in the time of Oliver Cromwell. Other copies however were fortunately made, from which the edition of 1789, by Owen Jones and William Owen, was printed.

BRWYNLLYS, (EDWARD,) a poet who is said to have flourished from 1550 to 1580.

BRWYNOG, (LEWIS,) a poet that flourished from 1550 to 1580. BRWYNOG, (SION,) or Sion ab Howel ab Llewelyn ab Ithel, an eminent poet, who flourished about 1550. He was the proprietor of Brwynog, in Anglesey, whence he assumed his bardic name. Y cardiwr du is another name which he occasionally used; many of his poems are preserved in MS. and he also wrote a History of the three principalities of Wales, which has never been published.

BRYCHAN, was the son of Aulach Mac Gormuc, otherwise called Anllech Goronawg, son of Cormach Mac Carbery, one of the kings of Ireland. He was brought to Britain at an early age by his parents, who took up their residence at Benni, (the Gaer, upon the banks of the river Isgaer, near Brecknock.) Having spent his youth in military exercises, he succeeded, about the year 400, in right of his mother Marchell, daughter of Tudor, to the principality of Garthmadrin, afterwards called from him Brycheiniog, the name it still bears in Welsh, and of which Brecknock is merely a corruption. He is distinguished in Welsh history as the father of a numerous family of sons and daughters, whom "he brought up in learning and the liberal arts, that they might be able to show the faith in Christ to the nation of the Cymry, wherever they were without the faith." For which reason this family, with those of Brân and Cunedda, is recorded in the Triads, as the three "gwelygordd sanctaidd," or holy families of the Isle of Britain. (Myv. Arch. ii. 61.) According to Bonedd y Saint he had twenty-four sons, whose names were Cynog, Cledwyn, Dingad, Arthen, Cyvlevyr, Rhain, Dyvnan, Gerwyn, Cadog, Mathaiarn, Pasgen, Nefai, Pabiali, Llechau, Cynbryd, Cynvran, Hychan, Dyvrig, Cynin, Dogvan, Rhawin, Rhun, Cledog, and Caian. The daughters. were twenty-six in number, and their names were Gwladus, Arianwen, Tangwystl, Mechell, Nevyn, Gwawr, Gwrgon, Eleri, Lleian, Nevydd, Rhieingar, Goleuddydd, Gwenddydd or Gwawrddydd, Tydiau, Elined, Ceindrych, Gwen, Cenedlon, Cymorth, Clydai, Dwynwen, Ceinwen, Tudvyl, Envail, Hawystyl, and Tybiau. Other accounts vary in the numbers, twenty-four for the whole number being the smallest. It should be remembered, however, that he was thrice married, his wives being Eurbrawst, Rhybrawst, and Peresgri, and four of his sons were illegitimate. Later writers reduce the number within narrower bounds, by considering several of his grandchildren to be included in the list. Nearly all of them embraced a religious life, and were the founders of numerous churches in Wales. Brychan died about 450. The monkish writers abound in superstitious anecdotes of Brychan and his family, and there is an ancient MS. preserved in the British Museum, entitled "Cognacio Brychan," which gives an account of them. (See Jones's Brecknockshire. Rees's Welsh Saints. Hoare's Giraldus Cambrensis.)

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