Lord Cydivin, Montgomery Wagles

Cydafael Ynnyd, lord of Cydewain, County Montgomery, and Judge of Powys, i. e. regent under the Prince, of Central Wales, called Powys, or Powys-land. He was a lineal descendant from Urien, Lord of Rhigid, A. D. 90, who is claimed to be a direct descendant from Coel Codebog, a British king, B. C. 262. Cydafael married Arienwen, daughter of Jarwarth, the eldest son of Prince Meredydd ap Bleddvnn, who was Prince of Wales, A. D. 1063.

In the year 1212, when the country was threatened by an invasion by the English, Cydafael seized a firebrand with which he ran from mountain to mountain, summoning the people to arms, whereby he gave such timely notice that the invaders were repulsed. For this service his kinsman Llewellyn the Great granted him a coat-ofarms, viz:

"Sable (to indicate the night) three firebrands, or., fired ppr." This coat was augmented (temp. Henry V.), by a grant to his descendant, Einion Sais, who married Eva of Bodorgan, of a—

"Chevron arg., charged with a fleur-de-lis gules, between two choughs, sable, respecting each other." And a crest was added, viz:

"A castle arg., surmounted by a chough (or Bran) holding in dexter claw a fleur-de-lis." This in allusion to castle Dinas-Bran, the principal fortress of his ancestor, Prince Bleddynn, and the place where Cydafael held his court as Judge of Powys.