The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1879-11-14 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

WELSH CELEBRITIES. THE REV. 'REES PRICHARD. [BY BUYS.]  (Conclusion). Sir Walter Raleigh, while a prisoner in the Tower, designed the writing of a universal history as a means of beguiling the tedium of his imprisonment. He had begun this work, when something occurred within view of his window—a squabble amongst the soldiery or something of that sort—which he wished to investigate. Although he had been a witness of part of the affair, he found so much difficulty in arriving at the truth of what had taken place, that he gave up his inquiry in despair. And this circumstance led to his giving up writing the history, for he argued with himself that if there could be so much doubt as to what takes place in one's own time, and under one's own ebservation,'who could assert with confidence what took place a thousand years ago? The difficulty is one which besets all historical inquiry, however great the subject inquired into may be, or however humble. Exact statement, like a perfect 'piece of mechanism, is not obtained without much labour and many failures. My promised narrative of the circumstances attending the death of Samuel Prichard is one such failure. The material at my disposal was not all I could desire; there were a few facts and much tradition to go upon, and these I proposed blending. There was sufficient harmony between all that I then knew to warrant my doing so; but no sooner had I put my material into presentable form than I stumbled upon some historical data in Meyrick's History of Cardiganshire, which at present I cannot reconcile with my accepted traditions. Such being the case, I have thought it best to throw my narrative aside, and wait for further opportunity of investigation. In the meantime, I may allow myself to close this series of papers by placing fact and tradition side by side, in crude form, and leave the reader to form his own judgment. The facts are ,these :—The Rev. Rhys Prichard died in November, 161.4, his son having predeceased him. The son leavex an only daughter, who succeeds to the grandfather's property. After the Vicar's death there is a lady who is in possession of his honsehel effects. She is described by his Welsh biographer simply as " Phendefigas," but she would appear to be the son's widow. The several traditions which are current agree in stating that Samuel' Prichard was cruelly murdered at Mace-pVelin, near Lampeter, in the county of Cardigan; that the cause &: his murder was his intimacy with a " lady " who resided there, and that the tragedy took place after the Civil War had begun, a date which we may set down as about the year 1613. They agree further in stating that hie body was thrown at night into the Tivy. One tradition may be found at some length in " Twm Shen Catti." Samuel Prichard is there represented as a young fellow in the hey-day of youth, who has fallen in love with the heiress of Maes-yVelin. With intentions strictly honourable, he Reeks the lady's hand in marriage. Now this " heiress " has three brothers—quite an anomaly for an " heiress " to be So blessed under our English laws —and they have views of their own regarding the succession to their sister's property, whereby they render themselves as disagreeable as so many uncles of a Itichard-the-Third stamp would be. According to the nature of such beings they disapprove of suitors for their sister's hand; and knowing that the lovers have a trysting place, they lie in wait there, and surprise the guileless youth when he arrivee, Tile youth flies for his life to M aes-yVette, near .nt hanil,tellewed by the kretbers, who fall upon him there and kill him. I °Gushier this "tradition "—if it may be called such—to be a chimer invention. The historical note appended to it in the novel is of some little interest, and the reader is refence thereto. My acquaintance with Cardiganshire is but small, and of Lampeter I know nothing whatever from persmell observation. The following tradition has hovehlei Le:A Wily given me by a friend who comes from a family. long the t,le e,f Teivy and whose boyhood was spent near the spot of which I am sp :aking. He well remembered his grandfather relating it, and it was besides current in the neigh.