lewellyn contumacious,"
and the "military tenants" of the crown were ordered to assemble in the
following midsummer at Worcester, to march into Wales. Six months seem
in these days rather a long pause after declaring war. But this gives
one a notion of the slowness of communication, and the difficulties of
travel and transport in the Middle Ages. It now takes but three weeks or
so to equip a whole army, and send it overseas in transports that can be
had at a moment's notice. But in the thirteenth century it was all that
Edward, one of the first generals and greatest politicians of his age,
could do, to prepare a little fleet at the Cinque Ports, and to gather
his land forces by the appointed time. When once, however, he found
himself face to face with the enemy, "the fabric of Welsh greatness fell
at a blow." The southern chiefs speedily submitted. Llewellyn's
brothers, David and Roderick, joined the king, and were honorably
received by him. The fleet attacked Anglesea by sea, and the "Prince of
Wales," finding himself hemmed in on every side in the wilds of Snowdon,
threw himself upon the royal mercy.

Edward now gave full proof of his natural generosity and clemency. A
treaty was signed in which Llewellyn consented to pay the king a tribute
of one thousand marks a year for the Isle of Anglesea; to pay fifty
thousand pounds for the cost of the war; and to give ten hostages for
the fulfilment of these engagements. The very next day, Edward, who had
made peace the moment the Welsh Prince desired it, remitted the fine of
fifty thousand pounds and soon after gave up the tribute for Anglesea
and restored the hostages. He then invited Llewellyn to spend Christmas
at Westminster; and in the following summer prepared a princely wedding
at Worcester for him and Eleanor de Montfort.

For four years the Welsh troubles seemed at an end. All was apparently
peace and content. But "a prophecy of Merlin had announced that when
English money became round, the Prince of Wales should be crowned at
London, and a new coinage of copper money, coupled with the prohibition
to break the silver penny into halves and quarters, as had been usual,
was supposed to have fulfilled the prediction."[17] Upon such slight
matters do the fate of nations hang. The hopes of the misguided Welsh
were again excited; and in 1282, Llewellyn's brother David--who had been
heaped with favors by Edward, given an English earldom, and married to
the Earl of Derby's d