respondent of mine, he has become that of Edward Evans, esq. of Eyton Hall, in this county, and of the family of Treveilir in Anglesey. One of his letters which he directed should be shewn to me is the following, from which you will be able to judge of the value of his researches.

SIR,

(COPY.)

Claremont Hill, Shrewsbury; Aug. 13, 1831.

IN April last, Mr. Madocks, on passing through Shrewsbury to London, left with me two of his three volumes, and has promised to bring me the third at another opportunity. Dr. Meyrick, in his letter to the Gentleman's Magazine, described the three volumes as the Visitations of Lewis Dwnn: that, however, is not the case, as I will explain. One of the two volumes sent me is the original Visitation of Caermarthenshire, Cardiganshire, and Pembrokeshire. In this volume are two loose memorandums, in the handwriting, I think, of Dr. Meyrick, from which I presume, he has seen or had in his possession the volume; yet, I imagine, he has had it but for a short time, as I have found in this volume the information relative to Lewis Dwnn which Dr. Meyrick wished to obtain, and which I am about to narrate, trusting that you, sir, will pardon me for being tedious; and that, if it will not be asking too much, you will, at your convenience, show it to Dr. Meyrick.

It appears then, from a detailed account of the Dwnn family, occupying several pages of this volume, and from a statement by Ieuan Brechfa, the bard, quoted therein, that David Dwnn, a younger son of Mredydd Dwnn, of Kidwelly, killed the mayor of Kidwelly, and in consequence fled from South Wales into Powysland. He settled in Montgomeryshire, and became steward to Edward Charlton, Baron Powys, and in that county his posterity continued; and the father of Lewis Dwnn married a descendant of this David Dwnn, as will be seen by the annexed pedigree; and their son Lewis assumed the surname of his mother's family.

Having thus ascertained the real descent of Lewis Dwnn, I am enabled to state from other evidences in my possession, that Lewis Dwnn was related to the celebrated Mr. Francis Thynne, the herald, who was of the ancient family of that name, seated at Cause Castle, (in this county, but close to the border of Montgomeryshire,) and so much distinguished in the courts of Henry VIII. and Queen Elizabeth, and from the then representative, of which the present Marquis of Bath is lineally descended: and I think it very probable, that to his connection with his contemporary Francis Thynne, the herald, and the other more distinguished and courtly members of the Thynne family, Lewis Dwnn owed his appointment as deputy herald.

Gwenllian, coheir of Ieuan ab David, ab Kydwgan, Gruffydd Dwnn. Jane, daughter of
ab Kriadog, of Coed, descended from Brockwel

Robert ab Howel,
ab David, ab Ie-
uan vachan.

The volume from which I have abstracted this pedigree, and which is the original Visitation of the three counties, before mentioned, I have copied; and I have also copied from Mr. Madock's other volume all the pedigrees it contains, that I did not before possess. This second volume is a selection only from the pedigrees taken by Lewis Dwnn in his Visitations of Radnorshire, Flintshire, Denbighshire, Carnarvonshire, Anglesey, and Merionethshire, with a collection of genealogical memoranda, (principally relating to Pembrokeshire families,) made by, or for George Owen, of Cemaes, esq. (York herald, temp. Eliz.) to whom this volume once belonged, and who, from a memorandum it contains in his own handwriting, appears to have had such an acquaintance with or control over Lewis Dwnn, as to enable him to obtain copies of whatever descents the latter registered in Wales, and to furnish transcripts of them to such gentlemen as he (Mr. Owen) chose to favour with these authenticated pedigrees of their families. Not having yet seen Mr. Madock's third volume, I can say nothing of its contents; but when I obtain the loan of it, I will, sir, give you some account of it, if there should be any thing in it that throws further light on the history of Lewis Dwnn.

I perceive, from his Visitation of Cardiganshire, &c. that these books of Lewis Dwnn were as little known to most of the best Welsh historians and genealogists as to the members of the Herald's College and other English genealogists, who have all denied that any regular visitation of Wales ever took place. The learned Mr. Theophilus Jones, who wrote the excellent history of Brecknockshire, makes in that work an especial complaint that none of the ancient Welsh bards or genealogists in their peregrinations, had recorded the descent of the family of Stedman, of Strata Florida, in Cardiganshire; and few men had examined so many genealogical and historical Mss. relating to the Principality as he had; yet, in this Visitation of Lewis Dwnn, I find the pedigrees of the Stedmans regularly entered, duly certified by the head of the family, and further amplified by Lewis Dwnn at three or four subsequent visits in the course of his labours: so that it is clear Mr. Jones knew nothing of Lewis Dwnn's MSS. Your own volume, sir, is an attested copy of Lewis Dwnn's Visitation of Anglesey, Caernarvonshire, and Merionethshire. Mr. Madock's has the original of Cardiganshire, Caermarthenshire, and Pembrokeshire; and, from references occasionally made in these, it is clear that Lewis Dwnn visited all the other six counties of the Principality, together with Monmouthshire, and the Marches. What has become of these latter portions of his Visitations is an inquiry of much interest, because the information therein contained is unique, and of its kind invaluable. I have a copy nearly (but not quite) perfect of his Visita

tion of Montgomeryshire, transcribed from a copy made by his contemporary and friend, the celebrated Thomas Jones, of Tregarron, and now belonging to Mr. Corbet, of Ynysymaengwyn.

You ask me, sir, to state my views in collecting this description of information. I beg to assure you, sir, I have no selfish views on this subject, and such information as I obtain, I freely communicate to all inquirers. Should I be enabled eventually to arrange and continue my collections satisfactorily, I might make them more public. I have now the materials for the formation of authentic memorials of the descent of the families of several counties of the Principality, and, as I can, I collect documents for the further continuing them to the present period. It was with this view I was anxious to obtain the loan of Mr. Williams's Taicroesion мs. If he is so kind as to intend obliging me with it, I have not yet received any intimation to that effect; and, sir, if it would not be trespassing too much on your kindness, it would add greatly to the obligations you have already conferred upon me, if you could in any way, that would not be inconvenient to yourself, assist me in obtaining from Mr. Williams that favour. I have a promise of a мs. that will enable me to continue the line of many of the principal South Wales families.

The Hopton family, as to which you made inquiry 'was, at a period now very remote, one of the most distinguished in Shropshire; and was soon after, if not before the Norman conquest, seated at Hopton Castle, near Ludlow.

Walter de Hopton was of Hopton Castle, and Sheriff of Shropshire in 1268; and, in 1275, he was a Baron of the Exchequer.

Thomas Hopton, of Hopton Castle, Sheriff of Shropshire in 1430, was the lineal heir male of the said Walter Hopton.

Walter Hopton, of Hopton Castle, fought under the York interest at Ludford, on the 23d of September, 1459, against King Henry, for which, however, he escaped on payment of a fine.

Soon after this period, Elizabeth Hopton, the heiress of this principal branch of the family, carried their great estates to her husband, Sir Roger Corbet, of Moreton Corbet, knight.

The male line of the family was, however, continued in a younger branch. Thomas Hopton had married Anne, the sole heiress of Jeffrey Rockhill, of Rockhill, in the parish of Burford, and their junior branch became the head of the family.

Edward Hopton, of Rockhill, (descended from the above Thomas), at the dissolution of the monasteries, (temp. Hen. VIII.) purchased Chirbury Priory, which also became a possession of the family.

John Hopton, son of the said Edward, was of Rockhill and Chirbury Priory, and was sheriff of Shropshire in 1575.

William Hopton, son of John, married Dorothy, daughter of John Morgan, esq. He was of Rockhill and Chirbury_Priory, and was sheriff of Shropshire in 1591. His eldest son, Edward, having married in a manner which he did not approve, (the daughter of John Pearch, gent., merchant of the staple,) he disinherited him; and, by deed, dated Nov. 28, 1599, settled all his estates upon his second son Richard, who was afterwards knighted, and seated at Canon Frome, county of Hereford. Edward, the elder brother, had an only son, Morgan Hopton, rector of St. Andrew's Holborn, whose son Edward, was of Gray's Inn, in 1661. From Sir Richard, the younger brother, I presume your friend Mr. Hopton, now of Canon Frome, is lineally descended.

I am, Sir, with great respect,

Your much obliged, and most obedient servant,
JOSEPH MORRIS.

P. S. Mr. Lloyd's History of Wales will very soon be completed.

To Edward Evans, esq., Eyton Hall, near Leominster.

Mr. Madocks, to whom the books of pedigrees belong, is the highly respectable possessor of Fron-yw and Glanywern, in the county of Denbigh. Now, it is quite true, that I had but a very cursory inspection of these volumes, not exceeding half an hour, the greater part of which was occupied in copying out the first pedigree, in the presence of Windsor Herald, who attested the correctness of the copy, it being Gwehyleth Rolant Meurik Doctor o'r ddwy gyvraith, arglwydd o Barliament ag un o'r kynghoriaith o'r Marches. The first volume is entitled, “Llyvr Lewis Dwnn prydydd o Sir Trevaldwyn o'r Betws ynghydhewain ar beryw yr hwnn yssyd Ddebyt Herawt at arms tros tair talaith Kymru mewn Marchys of Wals dann batent a selas Clarencieulx a Norey das vrenhinioedd yr arvan dann yssel farur dros South Work & North Work Gwynedd a Deheubarth. Duw a gadwo gras Brenhines Elsbeth yn jach, Amen floed: hwn 1580."

From a Ms. of the celebrated antiquary, Edward Llwyd, entitled the British Genealogist, and compiled in the year 1693, a copy of which I possess, I am enabled to give the former and corresponding part of the pedigree of Lewis Dwnn.