Ieuan Fychan was “a prominent figure in Gwynedd during the first half of the fifteenth century. Of great stature, inheritor of ox-like strength, and trained to arms, he was also a scholar, well versed in the literature of his own and other countries. He would seem to have gathered an ample library. A great sportsman, he was much beloved by his tenantry, and during the whole of his life respected and trusted by those in power.”(Mostyn p. 30)
As a youth, Ieuan Fychan volunteered as an esquire in the French Wars. “We find him on his return, after succeeding to the estates, living in all the rude pomp and splendour of his ancestors, rivalling the ancient princes in dispensing hospitality, and scattering with a lavish hand golden gifts upon the itinerant bards.” (Mostyn p. 30)
In 1415, Ieuan Fychan was an esquire in the retinue of Thomas FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel and Surrey. In 1424 he is recorded as a follower of Sir John Talbot, about to depart for the relief of Croytoy. (Mostyn p. 32)
Ieuan Fychan was a qualified bard. Some poems of his survive, along with others addressed to him. Translations are given by Mostyn (pp. 35 - 42), who notes that the poems' quality is difficult to assess.
The property at Mostyn came to Ieuan Fychan through his marriage to Angharad ferch Hywel. He is frequently mentioned in connection with Mostyn in Flintshire records beginning in 1432 and continuing into the 1450s. (Mostyn pp. 44-48)
In 1454, Ieuan Fychan was issued a commission to arrest Henry de Wirral, Abbot of Basingwerk, and in 1455 he was issued a commission to arrest without further warrant all disturbers of the peace in Flintshire. As the Abbot was a powerful man who had been disturbing the peace for some time, these commissions suggest that Ieuan Fychan and his associates had a strong force under their command. (Mostyn p. 50)
In 1457, surviving poems show that Ieuan Fychan was lying in his sick bed, worrying about the fate of his sons Ithel and Rhys, who had been captured by their kinsmen Risiart of Trefor. (They were murdered.) (Mostyn pp. 50-54)
Events
Date of Birth: late 1300s.
Place of Birth: Pengwern (near Bodelwyddan).
The date and place are given by Mostyn (p. 30).
Date of Death: early 1477.
1477 is given by Carr (1975 p. 44; 1979, p. 157). Mostyn (p. 50) argues that Ieuan died in 1457 or 1458: Two poems written at the end of July 1457 imply that Ieuan Fychan was still alive then, and he must have been dead by March 1457/8 when his son had a lease for Mostyn. (The lease is dated March 1457. The new year began on 25 March.) Glenn (p. 144) assumes that Ieuan was dead by 11 June 1457 because the town and lordship of Mostyn were leased by the Crown to John Conwey on that date.
Place of Death: unknown.
Mostyn (p. 50) suggests that he died at either Pengwern or Mostyn, probably the latter.
Place of Burial: unknown.
Mostyn (p. 50) suggests that he was probably buried at Whitford.
Relationships
Father: Ieuan ab Adda ab Iorwerth Ddu.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Tudur Trefor 13). It is given by Mostyn (p. 30), by Dwnn (2:308),by Lloyd (4:146), and by Carr (1979, p. 138, p. 152). Mostyn (p. 27) cites a record dated 26 March 1437 (C.R.R. (Mostyn), an. 1437) which names Ieuan’s Fychan’s father as Ieuan and his grandfather as Adda.
Mother: Angharad ferch Ednyfed ap Tudur.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Tudur Trefor 13). It is given by Mostyn (p. 30), by Dwnn (2:308),by Lloyd (4:146), and by Carr (1979, p. 138).
Spouse: Angharad ferch Hywel ap Tudur.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Tudur Trefor 13, Tudur Trefor 13 (C1), Edwin 14). It is given by Mostyn, by Dwnn (2:308), by Lloyd (4:146), and by Carr (1975, p. 5; 1979, p. 138, p. 139, p. 156).
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. Most information below comes from Bartrum and Mostyn.)
Hywel ab Ieuan Fychan married Margred ferch Gruffudd.
Ellis ab Ieuan Fychan (living 1457)
Ithel ab Ieuan Fychan (died 1457). Ithel was “imprisoned in Chirk Castle and then carried to Howlford Bridge, thrown into the Severn and drowned” (Bartrum Tudur Trefor 13 (C1)).
Margred ferch Ieuan Fychan married Meurig ap Llywelyn ap Hwlkyn.
Alice ferch Ieuan Fychan married William ap Maurice Gethin.
Rhys ab Ieuan Fychan (died 1457). Rhys was “imprisoned in Chirk Castle and then carried to Howlford Bridge, thrown into the Severn and drowned” (Bartrum Tudur Trefor 13 (C1)).
Gwerful ferch Ieuan Fychan married Dafydd ap John Goch.
John ab Ieuan Fychan
Gwen ferch Ieuan Fychan married Thomas ab Ithel. Gwen was illegitimate.
Evidence
An example of Ieuan Fychan’s poetry (from Mostyn pp 35-37; translation by Ifano Jones). Ieuan Fychan is sending a humorous poem to his cousin,Sion Eyton, noted for his parsimony, requesting the gift of a coracle with which to fish during Lent. His description of the boat incorporates allusions to Northern mythology, and he pokes fun at Sion Eytun for having had himself made an English burgess and justice. (Sion’s reply pointed out that Ieuan Fychan had done the same thing.)
I think …
[two defective lines are omitted]
How I shall come (just memory!)
To have fish by my learning and talent --
[The fish] that are in the sea-ford every morning.
By Holy God! it is a fair cry,
And I, as I would,
[Thou] generous man, wish this:
Friday is [the day] for satisfying [the appetite],
And my soul doth desire [it].
It shall not come to [?by] the land (it would be cut up);
A cowardly man will not go into the black water;
And, therefore, [I] kindle a greeting:
It must be sent by a note of love --
One bounteous in feast [and] the most generous in the country, --
It is not necessary to utter charms,
[Or] to name a man: ever straight is Sion Eutun --
A justice of privilege -- the soul of the region:
The tenant is my messenger;
My song shall explain my plea
For a coracle to beat about
For the fine fish before Easter.
Let it be handsome [this] wizard’s boat --
A thick bowl on the slope of a leading wave --
A life to the body (dripping picture of the valley!)
A couch to [for] a long, destitute devil --
Ribbed as with the shafts of lightning,
A black-skinned bag: well will it preserve dry oaths;
It is like gain to praise
The fair cauldron of the black skin
Of a buckler: why conceal the facts?
It is shallow, [made] of an ox’s coat;
This is half a raven, with the complexion
Of thunder, [and] knows [how] to swim three fords --
A pan upon water (it does not make me anxious)
Of the precious skin of a good black ox;
If I [could] I’d gild a speech
Until the Day of Judgement (long study!):
I know not the uttering of a rash facetious word
Out of my mouth about the cauldron --
[Nothing,] in faith, about the tub
Except that it were a good game to give a fall to a man.
Yet, careless wight [as I am,]
I must ever thank the man, by Dewi,
Who, free with his gold, gives it to me,
By considering the second gift to me,
Again of the son of Eutun --
For compelling me (severe task!)
Learnedly to versify to him.
If Sion, of his great plenty, gives
(Frankest of sons!) the gift to me --
The coracle to me for love’s sake,
And an oar, I shall have nothing cheap:
Let Sion (cruel relic!) know it!
Let him beware my pledgeword!
I shall sing a song before winter
Of the nature of complaint, if I shall not have the gift:
A vehement piece of flawless song
And a real satire will be the portion of some:
Iuan fychan ab Iuan ab Adda [sang it]
References
Bartrum, Peter C., “Tudur Trefor 13”, “Tudur Trefor 13 (C1)”, and “Edwin 14” in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500. [The sources Bartrum cites for Ieuan Fychan are: Peniarth 129 (102) -- a copy made about 1500 of a MS written about 1497 by Gutun Owain; Peniarth 137 (122, 213) -- a MS written in the early 1500s by ‘Syr’ Thomas ap Ieuan ap Deiews; Peniarth 138 (599a) -- a MS written in the mid-1500s by Thomas ap Llywelyn ab Ithel of Bodbard; Peniarth 133 (29) -- a MS written in the mid-1500s by Gruffudd Hiraethog.]
Carr, Antony David. The Mostyn Family and Estate, 1200-1643 (PhD thesis, University of Wales, 1975).
Carr, A.D. “The Making of the Mostyns: the Genesis of a Landed Family” in Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion (1979), pp. 137-157.
Davies, Sir William Llewelyn. “Mostyn Family, Mostyn Hall” in Welsh Biography Online.
Dwnn, Lewys, and Samuel Rush Meyrick. “Moiston Hall”, in Heraldic visitations of Wales and part of the marches between the years 1586 and 1613 by Lewys Dwnn. (Llandovery: William Rees, 1846).
Glenn, Thomas Allen. “Ithel Vychan of Halkyn, and Some of his Descendants” in Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. LXXVII. Seventh series, Vol. II. (London, 1922) pp. 135-146.
Lloyd, Jacob Youde William. The History of the Princes, the Lords Marcher and the Ancient Nobility of Powys Fodog and the Ancient Lords of Arwystli, Cedewen and Meirionydd. (London: T. Richards, 1881-1887).
Mostyn, the Right Hon. Lord, and T. A. Glenn. History of the Family of Mostyn of Mostyn (London: Harrison and Sons, Ltd., 1925).
Oman, Sandra. “Ieuan “Fychan” ab Ieuan” ” in Tree: Wales. Welsh Medieval Database Primarily of Nobility and Gentry.