Rhys Meurug facts for kids
Rhys Meurug, also known as Rice Merrick, was an important Welsh historian and writer who lived a long time ago. He was also a landed gentleman, which means he owned a lot of land and was part of an important family. Rhys Meurug passed away in 1586.
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About Rhys Meurug's Life
Rhys Meurug lived in a place called St. Nicholas in the beautiful Vale of Glamorgan in Wales. His family was very old and important. People believed he was related to Caradog Freichfras, a famous knight from the legendary Round Table.
Rhys Meurug had an important job. He was the Clerk of the Peace for Glamorgan. This meant he helped keep records and manage legal matters for the area. A powerful person called the earl of Pembroke chose him for this role. Rhys Meurug was buried in Cowbridge church when he died.
Rhys Meurug's Famous Book
Rhys Meurug wrote a very important book about the history of Glamorgan. He finished it in 1578. The book was called A Booke of Glamorganshire Antiquities.
Sadly, the original copy of his book was lost in a big fire in 1807. But luckily, copies of the book were made before that. One copy from the late 1600s can be found at Queen's College, Oxford library. Another copy is kept at the Cardiff public library.
What the Book is About
Rhys Meurug's book was written in English. It talks about three main things:
- The special features of the Glamorgan region.
- How the country was divided by Norman knights.
- Information about the original Welsh families.
- Details about Glamorgan in Rhys Meurug's own time.
It seems like a part of the book might be missing from the copies we have today. This missing part might be found in other old writings by Edward Llwyd. This section probably talked about rivers, important houses, parishes, and different lands in Glamorgan.
People Rhys Meurug Knew
Rhys Meurug worked with other important people of his time. He teamed up with a historian named Sir Edward Stradling when he was writing his book.
He was also known by two poets, Dafydd Benwyn and Sils ap Sion. These poets wrote special songs called elegies to honor Rhys Meurug after he passed away.
