Welsh Journals

to the keeper of Glamorgan. This the Welsh lords refused to do until Llywelyn himself took a hand and ordered them to make the required restorations,166 a significant indication of the prince's influence far beyond the borders of Gwynedd. Negotiations between the bishops of Coventry and Rochester and representatives of both Llywelyn and the Marshal at Broughton (Salop) early in March had resulted in the conclusion of a truce until 30 April. By 12 April the truce had been ratified and extended to 25 July.167 News of the defeat and death of Richard Marshal reached Henry III about 6 May, by which time he had removed his alien advisers from his council and was deeply committed to reconciliation with the rebels. That reconciliation with Gilbert Marshal and his brother's party went ahead was partly due to Llywelyn's insistence that this was a pre-condition of his confirmation of the truce. Llywelyn was promptly informed of the reconciliation effected at Gloucester and fresh negotiations in June led to the truce of Myddle, initially for two years but which endured in practice until Llywelyn's death in 1240.168 Among the Welsh lords of the south, one only had taken the king's side, Morgan ap Hywel. Although in Norman hands in 1086, Caerleon had changed hands rather frequently in the twelfth century before being taken by William Marshal the elder in 1217. In the 1220s Morgan had failed to convince the king's court of his alleged rights to the castle. Even his successful defence of the castle against Llewelyn in 1231 had failed to advance his cause. Morgan was among those who gave charters of fealty to the king in August 1233, invoking excommunication on himself and interdict on his lands if he failed in loyalty. Henry III responded on 26 August, receiving Morgan and all he could bring with him into his service and promising not to make any peace with the Marshal in which Morgan was not included.169 Morgan was in a position to be a serious threat to the Marshal for he held not only lands in Gwynllwg of the earl of Gloucester but also two commotes, Edlwgan and Llefenydd, in the western fringe of Netherwent itself. There was evidently some fighting between the Marshal's men and Morgan's before the truce of Usk. The terms of the truce almost certainly included a promise by Richard Marshal to restore lands of which he had deprived Morgan, and Morgan was invited to lay his claim to Caerleon before the king. His case was duly heard by the king's justices at Hereford about 13 October. It appears that the 166 Ibid., pp. 590-1, 594-6. 167 Ibid., pp. 553, 555; C.P.R., 1232-47, p. 61. 168 Close R., 1231-34, pp. 568-69; C.P.R., 1232-47, p. 54. 169 Close R., 1231-34, p. 321; C.P.R., 1232-47, p. 24.