In 1501, Richard obtained a grant of the vill of Mostyn for fifteen years. (One of the sureties was Ralph Ravenscroft, whose son, George, would marry Richard’s daughter, Elen.) The grant was renewed in 1519 for seven years and was renewed again in 1523.
In 1523, Richard, together with Sir William Gruffudd and Sir Roger Salusbury, presided at an Eisteddfod held at Caerwys, in Flintshire.
For some years before his death, Richard had been sinecure Rector of Whitford. (Mostyn pp. 66-74).
Richard ap Hywel was related to Henry Tudor, who became Henry VII of England, and is said to have harbored Henry at Mostyn while he was preparing the overthrow of Richard III. Richard ap Hywel is thought to have fought at the Battle of Bosworth. Henry is said to have visited Mostyn after he became king. (Pennant pp. 57-58, Taylor p. 102).
Events
Date of Birth: about 1468.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Carr (1975, p. 44) notes that when his mother Margaret died in 1532, Richard was described by the escheator as being 64 years old.
Date of Death: 31 January 1539/40.
Place of Death: Mostyn Hall, Flintshire, Wales.
The date and place are given by Carr (1975, p. 52). Mostyn (p. 70) gives 7 February, which Carr states is incorrect.
Relationships
Father: Hywel “the Dun Stag” ab Ieuan Fychan ab Ieuan.
This relationship is given by Mostyn (p. 66), by Dwnn (2:308), by Lloyd (4:148), by Carr (1979, p. 138, p. 157), and by Davies. It shown by Bartrum (Tudur Trefor 13 (C2)).
Mother: Margred ferch Gruffudd ap Rhys (died 1532).
This relationship is given by Mostyn (p. 66), by Dwnn (2:308), by Lloyd (4:148), by Carr (1979, p. 138, p. 157), and by Davies. It is shown by Bartrum (Tudur Trefor 13 (C2)).
Spouse: Catrin Salusbury.
This relationship is given by Mostyn (p. 66), Dwnn (2:308), Lloyd (4:149), Carr (1975, p. 51), and Davies. It is shown by Bartrum (Tudur Trefor 13 (C2)).
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.)
Thomas Mostyn (2 May 1490 - 30 August 1558) married Jane Griffith in 1517.
Huw ap Richard s.p.
Pirs Mostyn (abt 1495 - 2 February 1580) married Elen ferch Thomas Griffith. Pirs (Peter) was an M.P. for Flintshire in 1545 and for Flint Boroughs in 1558.
Robert ap Richard.
Nicolas ap Richard.
Elen ferch Richard married George Ravenscroft.
Jonet ferch Richard married Gruffudd ab Ieuan ap Llywelyn Fychan.
Jonet ferch Richard married Huw ap Rhys.
Dows ferch Richard married Thomas Fychan.
Margred ferch Richard married Robert Llwyd.
Margred ferch Richard married Hywel ab Ieuan.
Unknown ferch Richard married Dakin ap Deio.
Evidence
from an abstract of the Recognizance Rolls of Chester (DKPR 1876, p. 555):
Moston.
1501, July 21. Town, lease of, to Richard ap Hoell’, for 15 years from Mich. last past, at the accustomed old rent, and 26l.0s.8d. of increase; sureties Ralph Ravenscroft, armiger, and John Clerke. [16 & 17 Hen. 7. m. 2 (2).]
A transcription of the will of Richard ap Howell ap Jevn Vyuchan of Whitford, Flintshire
(Some of the diacritics are not exactly right.)
In dei noĩe amen decimo sexto die mensis octobris anno dñi Milłimo quigentesimo tricesimo viijo Ego Ricũs ap Howell ad Jeũn Vyuchun compos mentis saneqɛ memorie existens condo testamentum in se continens ultimam meam voluntatem in hanc qui sequitur modum Revocando alia testamenta prius p me facta/ Et volo q istud testamentŭ iam per me conditum remanet impptuū. In prmis com̄endo animam meam deo omnipotenti beate marie virgini et om̃ibus sanctis suis corpusqɛ meū sepiliendum in ec̅c̅łia sacra, Item lego vni prisbr̃o honeste conversacionis ad ad celebrand’ pro aĩa mea et aĩa uxoris mee ac aĩabus om̅i Christifidelium in ec̅c̅łia pocħ de Whitforde quinqɛ libras Sterliñg Item lego conventui Fratrum de denbigh̅t, vj. s. viij đ. Item lego conventui Fratrum de Ruthlande vj s. viii đ. Item lego conventui Fratrum de bangor vj s. viij đ. Item do et lego Thome ap Richard filio meo et assignatis suis totum jus et terminū meum in firma Dñi regis quam habeo et teneo in villa de Meston Item lego Eleseo ap Hull quadraginta solidos Residuum vero om̃i bonoz meoz non legaloz solutis meis debitis et legatis do et lego Petro ap Ricõ filio meo Juniori ad distribuend’ hm̃oi ad suū placitum quem ego nõio ordino et constituo me̅u̅ verum et solum executorum pñtibz tunc ibm dn̅o Hugone ap Daye M̃ Joħe Pakyngton̅ Wilłmo Shottefort Nicħo Gravener et Robto Burfeld testibus ad premiss vocat spĩalir atqɛ rogat Sr Hugh ap Day M̃ Joħn Packington Wilłm Shotefort Nicholas Gravener Robt Burffyld.
[proved 20 May 1540]
Mostyn (pp. 70-73) translates and annotates this will.
from the Cedwen MS (given by Mostyn pp. 66-67, Dwnn 2:308 fn, and Lloyd 4:148-149)
The Mansions and Possessions which descended to the said Richard ab Howel ab Ieuan Vychan, and the occasions of them:
1. The First Court called Pengwern in Chirk:land, being part of the possessions of the prædict: Adda ab Iorwerth ddu and Eliz: his wife, who was the daughter of Gruff: Vychan ab Gruff: of Rhuddalt; which Eliz: was whole sister to Owen Glyndwrdwy: she was also the mother of Ieuan ab Adda ab Iorwerth ddu.
2. The Second Court was Tref Castell in Môn, in the Hundred or Cwmmwd of Tindaethwy, and Tref Gwehelyth in the Cwmmwd of Llivon; and was part of the possessions of Angharad the [daughter] and heir of Ednyved ab Tudyr ab Gronw ab Tudyr ab Gronw ab Ednyfed Vychan; And this Angharad was the mother of Ieuan Vychan ab Ieuan ab Adda.
3. The Third Court is Mostyn in Tegeingl, which was the possession of Angharad [daughter] of Howel ab Tudyr ab Ithel Vychan: And this Angharad was the mother of Howel ab Ieuan Vychan.
4. The Fourth Court is Tre’r Garnedd in Môn in the Cwmmwd of Menai, and Tre Nant bychan in the Cwmmwd of Twr Kelyn in Môn with their appurtenances. All these were part of the possessions of Morvydd, the [daughter] and heir of Sir Gruff: Lloyd Knight. and This Morvydd was the wife of Madoc Gloddaith, the mother of Gruffydd ab Madoc Gloddaith.
5. The Fifth Court is the Court of Gloddaith in the Cwmmwd of Creuddyn, which was the possession of Margaret the [daughter] of Gruffydd ab Rhys ab Gruffydd ab Madoc Gloddaith: And the said Margaret was the Mother of Richard ap Howel ab Ieuan Vychan; and she was also the mother of Harry Salsbury ab Harry ab Thomas Hên Salsbury.
An anecdote from Pennant (pp. 57-58)
At one end of the gallery [at Mostyn] is a great room, remarkable for a singular event. During the time that Henry earl of Richmond was secretly laying the foundation of the overthrow of the house of York, he passed concealed from place to place, in order to form an interest among the Welsh, who favored his cause on account of their respect to his grandfather Owen Tudor, their countryman. While he was at Mostyn, a party attached to Richard III arrived there to apprehend him. He was then about to dine, but had just time to leap out of a back window, and make his escape through a hole, which, to this day, is called the King’s. Richard ap Howel, then lord of Mostyn, joined Henry at the battle of Bosworth; and after the victory, received from the king, in token of gratitude for his preservation, the belt and sword he wore on that day; he also pressed Richard greatly to follow him to court: but he nobly answered, like the Shunamitish woman: ‘I dwell among mine own people.’ The sword and belt were preserved in the house still within these few years.
References
Bartrum, Peter C., “Tudur Trefor 13 (C2)” in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500. [The sources that Bartrum cites for Richard are: Peniarth 137 (122) -- written in the early 1500s by ‘Syr’ Thomas ap Ieuan ap Deiews; Peniarth 138 (599a) and BM. Add. 15041 (923b) -- MSS written in the mid-1500s by Thomas ap Llywelyn ab Ithel of Bodbard; Peniarth 133 (29), Peniarth 176 (198), and Peniarth 134 (118) -- MSS 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.
Carr, A.D. “The Mostyns of Mostyn, 1540 - 1642, Part I” in the Flintshire Historical Society Journal, Volume 28 (1977/1978), pp. 17-37.
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).
Edwards, P.S. “Mostyn, Peter (by 1518 - 1580), of Talacre, Flints.” in Bindoff, S.T. (ed.) The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1509-1558 (Boydell and Brewer, 1982).
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. “Richard ap Hywel” in Tree: Wales. Welsh Medieval Database Primarily of Nobility and Gentry. [This resource, which mainly gathers references from secondary sources, appears to be currently offline (July 2016).]
Pennant, Thomas. The History of the Parishes of Whiteford and Holywell (London: B. and J. White, 1796).
Taylor, Henry. Historic Notices of the Borough and County-Town of Flint. (London: Elliot Stock, 1883).
The Thirty-Seventh Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records. (London: 1876).
“Will of Richard ap Howell ap Jevn Vyuchun of Whitford, Flintshire” in Church of England. Province of Canterbury. Prerogative Court.Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Probate Records, 1384-1858, PROB 11/28/100.