At an early age Gildas committed his son to S. Finnian to be educated.
Leaving his master when his education was complete, Gwynnog settled
in this spot above the plain of Caersws, but the scurrilous pamphlet
issued by his father from his safe retreat in Brittany seems to have
fallen like a bombshell among those of his family who were in Wales
and Cornwall, and obliged them to leave the territories of the princes
against whom Gildas had hurled invectives. Cuneglas (or Cynlas) was
prince of Powys at the time. Gildas called him “a bear, wallowing in
filth, a tawny butcher.”
Cuneglas after this was not likely to deal tenderly with a son of the
pamphleteer, and Gwynnog fled for his life to Brittany, to his father.
It seems not improbable that he was elected Bishop of Vannes, where
there had been sorry doings and ecclesiastical scandals, and the Church
was looking out for a respectable ruler.
The Frank historian Gregory of Tours calls him Eunius, and says that he
was over-fond of the bottle. Weroc II. was Count of Vannes at the time,
and he was engaged in hostilities with Chilperic, king of the Franks,
whom he defeated with great slaughter in 578. Chilperic made terms
with the Breton chief, who undertook to pay tribute, but afterwards
made difficulties about fulfilling his engagement, and sent Bishop
Gwynnog, or Eunius, to Chilperic with a list of complaints. Chilperic
was furious at this breach of engagements, and resented it against the
unoffending prelate, whom he sent into exile. Gwynnog died at Angers in
580, just ten years after his father.
The view from Llanwnog across the basin of the Severn at the mountains
up the valleys of the Severn and the streams that pour into it is very
beautiful.
A branch line from Moat Lane leads to Llanidloes at the junction of
the Clywedog and Afon Tylwch with the Severn. Although the mountains
here do not rise to a great height, they are broken and fine, and many
beautiful walks may be taken up the glens of the tributaries of the
Severn and over the heathy moors. The Afon Brochan may be ascended to
a tarn from which the stream flows, or to the pretty lake Llyn Ebyr,
three miles to the north.
Llanidloes possesses one of the finest churches in North Wales, with a
richly carved oak roof, the hammer beams supported by angels bearing
shields.
Richard Gwynn was a native of Llanidloes. He was educated at S. John’s
College, Cambridge, and must have been of poor parentage, for he was a
sizar there. He could not reconcile himself to the religious changes
in the reign of Edward VI., nor to the violence with which fanatics
wrecked the churches; nor would he accept the claim of Queen Elizabeth
to be “Supreme Governor” over the Church in England, the objectionable
title “Supreme Head” having been put aside.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account