Thomas Hen Salusbury

Constable of Denbigh castle (1454, 1466)

Thomas was known as “Hen” (the old). He was of Lleweni.

Events

Date of Birth: unknown.

Place of Birth: unknown.

Date of Death: 1490.

Place of Death: unknown.

The date is given in a correction to an article in Dictionary of Welsh Biography (Salusbury), citing the Gutun Owain poem below. Other sources (for example, Owen, p. 154) state that he was killed at the battle of Barnet in 1471.

Relationships

Father: Henry Salusbury.

This relationship is alluded to in a poem by Guto Glyn from about 1484 and mentioned in an elegy for Thomas by Gutun Owain. Henry is shown by Bartrum (Salesbury 1) as Thomas's father, but Bartrum gives his death as having occurred in 1400, which makes the chronology suspiciously long, even given Thomas's agnomen "Hen" ("old"): Thomas’s wife, Elizabeth, was probably born in the 1440s. Smith (p. 6) suggests that there were two Henry's, father and son, the elder dying in 1400 and the younger attested in 1418. He suggests that the younger was the father of Thomas.

Mother: Agnes, daughter of John ab Arthur Curteis.

This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Salesbury 1). Smith (p. 6, citing the Survey of the Honor of Denbigh pp. 12, 13, 84, 204, and 281) states that Agnes's father John "is no doubt a descendant of the William Curteys who in 1334 held nearly 200 acres in Segrwyd, Archwedlog and Ystrad, and two burgages in Llanrwst." If Smith's suggestion is correct that there were two Henry Salusburys in succession, probably the second was the husband of Agnes, as Owen (p. 154) states that in 1437 Agnes, the wife of Henry Salusbury, held 166 acres in the park of Segrwyd. The 1437 date for Henry and Agnes is contradicted by a monumental inscription transcribed in Harl. MS. 2129 (AC 1887, p. 262) which states that Henry and Agnes died in April 1400, but Smith (p. 6) suggests that this may not be reliable. Smith notes that Lloyd (4:331) states that Henry, the husband of Agnes was alive in 1421, although Lloyd also (4:339) prints without comment the epitaph giving the 1400 death date. The Curteis connection is confirmed in a laudatory poem addressed to Sir Thomas Salusbury (the son below) by Tudur Aled (died 1525), given by Williams (p. 191).

Spouse: Elizabeth Done.

This relationship is given by Ormerod (2:248) and by Smith (IA). It is shown by Bartrum (Salesbury 1). It is mentioned in contemporary poems.

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 from Smith.)

Jonet married (1) John (II) Aer Conwy; married (2) Jenkin ab Elise.

Constance married Pirs ap Pirs (Piers Stanley of Ewloe).

Elsbeth married Huw Conwy.

Alice (Jane) married John Puleston Hen.

Catrin married Richard ap Hywel.

Fulk (died 1543). Dean of St Asaph.

Sir Thomas Salusbury (died about April 1506) married (1) Jonet ferch William Fychan; relationship outside of marriage with Margred ferch Jenkin.

Robert Salusbury of Llanrwst married Gwenhwyfar ferch Rhys ab Einion Fychan.

Harry Fychan Salusbury (died 1493) of Llanhaiadr married Margred ferch Gruffudd.

John of Bachymbyd married Lowri ferch Robert.

Evidence

A poem written in 1483 or 1484 by Guto Glyn: "In Praise of Tomas Salbri ap Harri Salbri of Lleweni and his family" is available with a translation and explanatory notes on Guto'r Glyn.net.

An elegy for Thomas Salusbury written by Tudur Aled (c. 1475 - 1525):

Byd A Welais

Marwnad Tomas Salbri Hen

Mi a wn gŵyn am un gŵr,

Mwy ‘r cŵyn no phe meirw cannwr ;

Rho Duw ! drwg, y rhai da draw,

Chwannog ydych i’n gadaw !

Brig ddyrnwyd y̆n aelwyd ni,

Braens seilbren, bwrw Hen Salbri ;

Bwriwyd eryr llwyd i’r llan,

Blaendrwyth, brenhinllwyth Henllan ;

Bwrw un hen-gyff brenhin-goed,

Braenu cainc bura ‘n y coed !

Ef aeth anap fyth yno

Ddwyn ĭ fab oddiyno, fo ;

Dau freuddwyd fry a wyddwn, --

Dinbych oedd dan y baich hwn ;

Doe ‘r oedd yn ĭ diwreiddiaw

Ddyrnod yr ordd arni, draw ;

Duw, dug, -- fo ‘m didŷwyd i, --

Doe, wyneb y daioni !

Dedwydd fu, daed oedd ĭ fyd,

Do diweddir dedwyddyd.

Ni bu ‘rioed wynebwr iach

Ar y Sesiwn, rasusach ;

Ni bu drist ĭ wyneb draw,

Bu drist wynebau drostaw ;

Bwa ‘r tir, o bwriwyd hwn,

Byth, o’i fewn, beth a fynnwn ?

A meistr im a’m ystôr oedd ;

Sorrais o nerth ais wrth hwn,

Nes ĭ orwedd, ni sorrwn !

Dyn wedi ĭ roi dan iau draw,

Fal Siôb, wyf o’i lys, heibiaw ;

Diwyno ‘myd o un modd,

Duw drachefn, da dyrchafodd ;

Diwreiddio dâr a wyddwn,

Ag impio wyth am gwymp hwn ;

Yn esgob, un a wisgir,

A gado ‘r saith i gadw ‘r sir.

Wedi bwrw oed y barwn,

Ni chaeir tŷ na chwrt hwn ;

Ni chai henwr ĭ chynnal--

Yr iefanc doed i’r fainc dal ;

Yr ail gŵr i’r wâl a gân,

Ag ar henw ‘r gŵr ĭ hunan ;

Beth a’n trôi oll byth o’n trais ?--

Bod ail y byd a welais !

Bu ŵr hen yn Llyweni,--

Bo hŷn y gŵr bïau hi !

Bu’n ĭ lys, uwch ben y wlad,

Brynhawn oer--bwrw ‘n henuriad !

Tri modd,--pand da ‘r ymweddyn ?--

Hudol, a dis, a hoedl dyn !

Un yw Hud, anwiw hyder,

A nesaf fydd Einioes ferr ;

Lluniwyd ĭ wisg, llen a dâr,

Lle ‘r âi ddoe ‘n llawr y ddaear ;

Lliain crai oll yn y crys,

Heb o’r lliain bâr llewys !

Lleuad ar ball ydyw ‘r bedd,

A llun gŵr a llew ‘n gorwedd ;

Gwŷr ĭ lys, ar gweryl un,

Gweywyr oedd, o gŵyr, iddun ;

Gawr Droea fawr draw a fu,

Ymysg gwŷr, ymwasgaru ;

Gwlad, hyll y goleuwyd hon,

Gan gŵyn, â gynau gwynion !

A chwmwl dros chwemil draw,

A chan trist achwyn trostaw ;

A chloi teml uwchlaw Tomas,

A chau ar glai a chŵyr glas ;

Nid rhyw gaead tragywydd,

Ond â Duw newidio dydd !

Ni chair mâch i ŵr am oes,

Ni bydd un heb ddwy einioes ;

Ni bu farw tarw anturiaeth,

Na fa, ddim,--i nef ydd aeth !

An Elegy for Thomas written by Gutun Owain (died 1498):

Marwnad Tomas Salbri Hen

Trist y’r beirdd trosto yw’r byd,

Am vn gŵr sydd mewn gweryd:

Bwriwyd aur a bwyd i’r bedd,

Bwrdd a llynn beirdd holl Wynedd.

Bwrw iawn hen waed brenhinoedd,

Braw ynn, Tomas Salbri, oedd.

Pwy ‘n i ôl, - eath yn penn ni! -

Mwy heb hiraeth mab Harri?

Duw oeres, o dayarwyd,

Galonav klêr glannav Klwyd:

Llyweni a holl Wynedd

A gŵyn byth o gav vn bedd.

Mil pedwar kant, - ail Antwn, -

Oedd oed Tuw pan gladdwyd hwn,

A’r ail rrif ar ôl y rrain,

Ydoedd ddec a dav ddevgain.

Yr oedd mor gyoedd i gŵyn

A’r Gwener am Dduw’r Gwaenwyn.

Yr oedd win a gwleddoedd glân,

A’i ddiwedd val gwledd Ieuan.

Yffleiriaid lonid i lys

Ddoe’n i voli, Dduw, ‘n velys,

Kŵyr golav ar vreichiav’r vronn,

Gan ganwr gownav gwynionn:

I Ddinbych ydd ai vnbenn

I vwrw i ŵyl at Vair Wenn;

Aeth i gorff, benaeth y gwŷr,

I Baradwys y Brodyr.

Os gweddw hi, i wraic briod,

Elsabeth, wylais i bod.

Mae tȃl am i govalon,

I fflant vydd o’r Fflint i Vȏn:

- Mae ystȏr a ffarch y’r meystr Ffŵc,

Ac enw hyd y’ Morgannwc;

Deon Assa, Duw ‘n oesswr

Dod i gorff, - a daed y gŵr!

- Meister Tomas, yn vrddas ni,

Y sy eilbrawd o Salbri;

Arddel gwaed vrddol a gaf:

Aur ar hwnn, yr ser hynaf!

- Harri gledd hir o Gloddaith,

Henw Nvdd yw hwnn i’n iaith.

- Rrobert, ŵr diarhebol,

Rruthvn yn vn yn i ȏl,

- Pedair merched val Edydd,

Pedwar sant ȃ’r pedair sydd.

- Wyth, o’r ddav benaeth o’r ddôl,

A’r nowfed yn ŵr nevol:

O Vair, os oer i varw, Siôn,

Mae o’r eryr mawr ŵrion:

Llyna lin Llyweni lys,

Llywenydd yr holl ynys;

Tevlu glȃn yn talu gwledd,

Tylwyth hŷn talaith Wynedd:

Tyf vddvnt etiveddion,

Tŷ Duw sydd y’w tad a Siôn.

References

Bartrum, Peter C., “Salesbury 1” in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500.

[The sources that Bartrum cites for Thomas are: Peniarth 128 (255a, 881a) “Llyfr Edward ap Roger” (written before 1582); Peniarth 132 (278) (written by Gruffudd Hiraethog and Lewys ab Edward); and Peniarth 176 (138), Peniarth 177 (198), and Peniarth (135) (written by Gruffudd Hiraethog (died 1564)).]

D.R.T. "The Carmelite Priory, Denbigh" in Archaeologia Cambrensis (Fifth Series, Vol. IV, no. 13, 1887) pp. 260-273.

Dwnn, Lewys, and Samuel Rush Meyrick. Heraldic visitations of Wales and part of the marches between the years 1586 and 1613 by Lewys Dwnn. (Llandovery: William Rees, 1846).

Calendar of Salusbury Correspondence 1533 - circa 1700 (Smith, W. J. ed.) (Cardiff, University of Wales Press, 1954).

Gwaith Lewys Mon. (University of Wales Press, 1975). [This book, which I have not seen, contains an elegy to Thomas Salusbury.]

Jones, T. Gwynn (ed.). Gwaith Tudur Aled. (Caerdydd Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 1926).

Lloyd, Jacob Youde William. The History of the Princes, the Lords Marcher, and the Ancient Nobility of Powys Fadog Vol. 4 (London, 1884).

L'Œuvre poétique de Gutun Owain, 2 vol. (Édouard Bachellery ed. and trans.) (Paris, 1950-1).

Ormerod, George; Peter Leycester; William Smith; William Webb; and Thomas Helsby. The history of the county palatine and city of Chester: compiled from original evidences in public offices, the Harleian and Cottonian mss., parochial registers, private muniments, unpublished ms. collections of successive Cheshire antiquaries, and a personal survey of every township in the county, incorporated with a republication of King's Vale royal and Leycester's Cheshire antiquities. (London: G. Routledge, 1882).

Owen, D. Huw. "Clans and gentry families in the Vale of Clwyd 1282-1536" in Wales and the Welsh in the Middle Ages (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2011).

Survey of the Honor of Denbigh 1334 (Paul Vinogradoff and Frank Morgan eds.) (London, 1914).

The Thirty-Seventh Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records (1876).

"Tomas Salbri ap Harri Salbri of Lleweni, fl. c.1447 - d. 1490, and his family” on Guto’r Glyn.net. [accessed 8 April 2018]

Williams, John. The Records of Denbighshire and Its Lordship. Volume 1. 1858, Wrexham.