Gruffudd ab Owain Glyndŵr Mathrafal 1375-1412

Annals of Kings Richard II and Henry IV. In that year, on Ash Wednesday [4th March], a great slaughter of the Welsh took place. On 5th May, in another battle fought at Usk between the Welsh and the English retainers of the Prince, a son¹ of Owain Glyndŵr was captured, while fifteen hundred men on the rebel side were either taken prisoner or killed.

Later, around the feast of St Dunstan [19th May 1405], Owain Glyndŵr’s chancellor was captured in battle, and many of the Welsh were killed. In the same year, John Hanmer, Glyndŵr’s son-in-law, was also captured in battle. They were all taken to London and imprisoned in the Tower.

Eo anno, Die Cinerum, facta est magna strages Wallensium, et quinto die mensis Maii, altero facto conflictu, apud Usk, inter Wallicos et Anglicos, familiares Domini Principis, captus est filius Oweni Glendor, captis cum eo, vel peremptis, mille quingentis de parte rebellium.

Expost, circa festum Sancti Dunstani, captus est in bello Cancellarius Oweni Glendor, multis ex Wallensibus interemptis. Et eodem anno captus est Johannes Hanmere, gener ejus, in bello: qui omnes ducti sunt Londonias, et in Turri clausi.

Note 1. Gruffudd ab Owain [aged 30], 1375-1412. He died seven years later in the Tower of London. Owain's brother [his uncle] Tudur ap Gruffudd [aged 48] was killed in the battle. Compare with the account by Adam of Usk who places the battle in March although the text notes he may have been confused with the battle at Grosmont on 11th March: "On the feast of Saint Gregory [12th March] Griffith, eldest son of Owen, with a great following made assault, in an evil hour for himself, on the castle of Usk [Map], which had been put into some condition for defence, and wherein at that time were the lord Grey, of Codnor, sir John Greyndour, and many other soldiers of the king. For those same lords, sallying forth manfully took him captive, and pursuing his men even to the hill-country of Higher Gwent, through the river Usk, there slew with fire and the edge of the sword many of them, and above all the abbot of Llanthony, and they crushed them without ceasing, driving them through the monks wood, where the said Griffith was taken. And their captives, to the number of three hundred, they beheaded in front of the same castle near Ponfald; and certain prisoners of more noble birth they brought, along with the same Griffith, to the king. The which Griffith, being held in captivity for six years, at last in the Tower of London was cut off by a pestilence. And from that time forth in those parts the fortunes of Owen waned." Thomas of Otterbourne's 'Chronica Regum Angliae' places the battle on the 15th March which is consistent with Adam of Usk.