PEDIGREE OF THE FAMILY OF WILLIAMS, ALIAS CROMWELL, FROM 1066-1657.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ARCH. CAMB.

SIR,-The accompanying paper or pedigree of "Oliver (Cromwell) Lord Protector," originally compiled by the celebrated York Herald Ralph Brooke, and bearing the contemporary date of "1657," having recently fallen into my hands, I take the liberty of sending it to you; it being, in its composition, almost entirely Welsh, and likely, therefore, to interest many of your readers, to whom this document, or a similar one (which I have not hitherto observed in your pages) may be unknown, and am, sir, your obedient servant,

Penrhos House, Weston-super-Mare. 7 May, 1868.

EDWARD S. BYAM.

Miscellaneous Notices.

HOLYWELL, FLINTSHIRE.-We understand that the Commissioners of the Holywell Local Board are taking steps for repairing and "improving," as the local papers term it, the ancient holy well of their town. The idea of repairing the building is good, if it can be carried into effect by a competent architect; but that of "improvement" has something suspicious about it in the very term employed. We have seen so many churches and other buildings "improved" and "restored" in Wales that we entertain lively apprehensions when we find this obnoxious word employed. Improvement too often is synonymous with destruction; it all depends upon the architect who takes the task in hand we will hope for the best; because, no doubt, the intention of the authorities at Holywell is a laudable one. We will only remind them that their responsibility is great; that the monument is a thoroughly historical one: and that since the chapel over St. Mary's Well at Wigfair has been destroyed, this at Holywell is altogether unique. Sooner than maim this interesting piece of medieval architecture, we had much rather hear of its being left alone.

D. SILVAN EVANS' DICTIONARY OF THE WELSH LANGUAGE.— We were premature in giving it to be understood, in our last number, that Mr. Silvan Evans's Dictionary was in course of publication. For the latter word we ought to have said "preparation". The learned author, we understand, has, as yet, no idea of the time when it may be actually ready for issuing to the public. His principal object in issuing a preliminary prospectus has been to invite the co-operation of Celtic scholars; but, hitherto, as we regret to be informed, he has received more encouragement from Saxons than from Celts.

HOLLAND ARMS, CONWAY CHURCH.-In the south or Holland transept of Conway Church, there is a raised tomb commemorating the Holland family and on it are the following armorial bearingsOn a shield, of the sixteenth century, seme of fleurs de lis, a lion rampant, reguardant to dexter. The shield is surmounted by a knight's helmet, which itself is capped with the crest on a wreath, a lion's paw, issuing from flames, and holding an eagle's claw; shadowed with a mantle enveloping the shield from behind. Above the shield are two compartments: that to dexter bearing FIAT PAX, that to sinister FLOREAT JUSTICIA, in two lines. Beneath the shield occurs the following inscription, in six lines-EDWARD HOLLAND ARMIGER POSUIT HOC MEMORIALE HOLLANDORU' AD REQUISICO'EM HUGONIS HOLLAND AR' PR'IS SUI PAULO ANTE OBITU' QUI OBIIT, 13 DIE MAII, A.D. 1584.

OLD COLLEGE, CONWAY.-It is stated that the building called "The Old College" in Conway is being demolished: an act of petty Vandalism which we regret, but at which we are not surprised, after what we have seen done in that town.

NEW WORKS ON ARCHEOLOGICAL SUBJECTS.-We regret that want of space will not allow of our doing more, at present, than acknowledge the receipt of the following highly interesting pamphlets, viz.-An Account of the Ogham Chamber at Drumloghan, County of Waterford, by R. R. Brash, Esq., M.R.I.A., being a well illustrated description of a most important early Irish monument; On the Remains of the Austin Friary at Ludlow, by George Cocking, Esq., with a ground plan; and Abbey Ruins of the Severn Valley, by another correspondent, H. H. Vale, Esq., F.S.A., of Liverpool. This is peculiarly graphic and well written, but lacks illustrations. For the same reason we are reluctantly compelled to defer till a future number, reviews of Mr. Skene's highly important work on the Four Ancient Books of Wales, one of the most valuable contributions to Celtic history and literature of this century; The Pedigree of the English People, by Dr. Nicholas; and a second notice of Sir J. Y. Simpson's Essay on the Rock Carvings of Scotland, and other countries, including Wales.

[We have to apologise for a delay in the issuing of the present number; but we have been compelled to wait for the completion of arrangements connected with the approaching August Meeting.-Ed. Arch. Camb.]

Archaeologia Cambrensis.

THIRD SERIES, No. LVI.-OCTOBER, 1868.

CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS A CARTULARY OF

MARGAM.

(Continued from p. 196.)

XXXIX.-[75 B. 17.]

OMNIBUS sancte ecclesie filiis ad quos presens scriptum pervenerit Willielmus de Bonavilla filius Johannis de Bonavilla salutem. Sciatis me concessisse et hac carta confirmasse Deo et ecclesie Sancte Marie de Margan et monachis ibidem Deo servientibus in puram et perpetuam elemosinam xl. acras terre arabilis quas de templariis tempore patris mei tenuerunt reddendo illis annuatim pro omni servicio consuetudine et exactione xl. denarios. Has xl. acras si ego de templariis dirationare potero concessi et confirmavi predictis monachis imperpetuum tenendas et habendas de me et heredibus meis libere quiete et pacifice et plenarie sicut antea de templariis tenuerunt scilicet reddendo mihi et heredibus meis annuatim pro omni servicio xl. denarios. Hiis testibus, Hereberto de Sancto Quintino, Willielmo de London, Waltero de Sulia, Ricardo Flamang, Willielmo de Cantelo, Ricardo sacerdote de Bonavilla, Magistro Radulfo Mailoc, Johanne Torsi et multis aliis.

(S. d. circa 1260.)

Seal of pale red wax, slightly oval, about one inch and a quarter in greatest length. In the centre the holy lamb and banner, the badge of the Templars. A gem. Legend, SIGILLVM WILL'I DE BONEVILLA.

This is one of the most powerfully attested charters in the whole series; St. Quintin and London, or De Londres, being members of (and probably the heads),

3RD SER., VOL. XIV.

23

and Cantelupe a cadet of, very considerable families, and Sully and Fleming important local gentry.

Herebert de St. Quintin tests a charter by R. de Haia in the time of Fitzhamon (N. Mon., iv, 633). Richard de St. Quintin, in the time of William Earl of Gloucester, gave the church of Frome-St. Quintin to Tewkesbury; and Richard de Granville gave to Neath the mill of Pandelia, which he held of Richard de St. Quintin (N. Mon., v, 58). They were a wealthy and numerous race, holding lands in Wilts, Dorset, Essex, and Yorkshire, in which last county the name is still found. In Glamorgan they founded St. Quintin's Castle in Llanbethian, of which a fine Edwardian gateway remains. Their connexion with Glamorgan ceased early. Herbert de St. Quintin was summoned to Parliament in 1294; and in consequence the Earls of Pembroke, who married his heirs general, assumed the creation of a barony in fee.

De Londres was an early, perhaps an original, settler under Fitzhamon upon the lower Ogmore, where his family built a castle, of which the square keep, in the late Norman style, still remains. The Butlers of Dunraven were their vassals; and they afterwards extended their possessions into Caermarthenshire, where they acquired or built Kidwelly Castle and the lordship of Carnwylhion. Of this family, Maurice gave lands in Aisse, or Nash, to Neath before 9 John; and about 1200 the church of Calwinston to the church and monks of St. Michael's of Ogmore (probably Ewenny), which was founded, in 1141, as a cell to Gloucester by Sir John de Londres (N. Mon., v, 58; i, 537; Cott. Cart., xi, 24). William was brother to Richard, and tested a charter to Neath by Henry Earl of Warwick (Coll. Top. et Gen., iv, 29). The name is of frequent occurrence both here and in Berks, till Hawisia de Londres, heiress of the Welsh and Berks estates, conveyed them by marriage to the Chaworth or De Caduris family; her son, Pagan de Chaworth, coming into possession on her death, 2 Ed. I. The heiress of Chaworth, Maud, married Henry Earl of

Lancaster, grandson of H. III; and her grandaughter, Blanch, carried the Welsh estates to her husband, John of Gaunt. They have since merged in the Duchy of Lancaster, of which the old De Londres Castle of Ogmore, with a large upland estate, is still held.

William de Cantelo, or Cantelupe, bore a name very widely known throughout the Welsh Marches; but the actual connexion of the family of Gower and Cantilupeston with the Barons Cantilupe and the canonized bishop of Hereford, has not been ascertained, although various circumstances, besides the peculiarity of the name and arms, render the connexion more than probable.

Sir William Cantilupe of Cantleston or Trecantlo Castle, in Merthyr Mawr, is reputed ancestor of William, Elias, and William, three generations allied by various ties with Dunstanville of Cornwall, Umphraville, Vaughan, Butler, De Londres, and De Braose of Glamorgan and Gower. Robert de Cantelow tested a Gower deed in 1304, and a Margam charter (75 A 43) in 1308. The Welsh pedigrees deduce the Lords Cantilupe of Abergavenny from this ancestry; but this is exceedingly improbable, and the reverse is more likely to be true. It seems certain that Cantleston, Newton, and Cornellau, were conveyed in marriage by Joan, the Cantelupe heiress, to Horton, whose grandaughter, Jenet, daughter of Jenkin Horton, married Richard, and was mother of the well known Sir Matthew Cradock of New Place in Swansea.

XL.-[75 A. 40.]

Examinatio testium productorum ex parte Abbatis et Conventus de Margan et eorum deposicio facta die Mercurii proxima post festum Beate Agathe Virginis anno Domini millesimo ducentesimo sexagesimo secundo in ecclesia Beati Johannis de Kaerdif per Dominum Priorem de Talelecho Commissarium Abbatis de Wygemor et Magistri Galfridi de Burgo canonici Landavensis judicium a Domino Papa delegatorum in causa appellationis mota inter Abbatem et Conventum de Margan ex parte una et Abbatem et Conventum Monasterii Sancti Petri Gloucestrie ex altera.

Frater Johannes Comyn monachus de Margan juratus et examinatus dicit quod vidit et audivit et presens fuit in ecclesia