PRINCE OF WALES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19842, 10 January 1920, Page 11

PRINCE OF WALES.

ORIGIN OF THE TITLE. STORY COES BACK TO LLEWELYN. When tho Prince of Wales was in America the National Geographic Society issued, from, its Washington headquarters, a bulletin relating how tho British prince acquired the title, and also tho origin of his famous insignia, three ostrich plumes and the motto “ Ich dicn ” (I serve). The story of the title borne by the heirs to the British throne dates back to the days of Llewelyn, the last of the Welsh princes, when that country sll had a quasi-independent status, the bulletin says. In Welsh legend, song and story, Llewelyn is a veritable King Arthur, and his brother David was the traitorous Modrcd of his court. Since Henry 11. of England had invested his heir, afterwards Edward 1., with all the English royal claims in Wales, it mignt have been supposed that Llewelyn would try to placate the young prince. The battle of Evesham, fought while Henry 111. was yet living, had resulted in many concessions to LlewelynBut Llewelyn incurred the displeasure of Edward by casting his lot with tho famous Monr-fort family, and perpetrated what was considered a direct affront when he announced his betrothal to Eleanor do Montfort. Moreover he declined to attend the coronation of Edward. Within two years after that coronation, Edward concluded a vigorous campaign in Wales with the treaty of Conway, by which Llewelyn had to sign away most of tho privileges he had won a decade earlier. .For hvo years .Wales was quiet. Then David, who had aided tho English kin" against his brother, headed a revolt against English rule, set a torch to Hawfirclen Castlo and precipitated a war in which Llewelyn was killed, and Edward was conqueror of Wales. There was an ancient prophecy that the Prince of Wales some day would be crowned in London. In mockery of that, it is believed Edward had Llewelyn* s head brought to London and wreathed in ivy to show the people. .While Edward was making sure of his subjugation of Wales by building a _ string of castles, Queen Eleanor joined him,, and in the newly completed Carnarvon a son was bom, who became tho first English Prince of Wales® and later was King Edward 11. According to a popular story tho conqueror exercised his grim humour by promising tho Welsh a prince who could speak no English, construed to mean a native son, until Edward announced, upon, the birth of his son. that the infant "''tv'i e Prince of Wales in question. Whether that story bo true or not, the heir apparently was not formally invested with the title until he was seventeen years old, Ever since then the heir to the British throne has been Unown as the Prince of Wales, though usually he has been invested with the title, and not so endowed upon birth. No less romantic is tho story of the insmma and motto of tho Prince of W ales. Here again historians do not fully credit the generally accepted story Certain it is that another Edward, known as “ the Black Prince ” because of the armour he wore, adoptou. the feathers and the pledgeTh° ?? int d° u ht is whether he actually did stumble over the bodv of the Valiant John the Blind, of Bohemia, after the battle of Oecy, and wms so struck wutli admiration of the sightless warrior who had his charger attached to horses of his companions so no nught not fail in loyalty to his ally i hihp of Franco, that Edward plucked the insignia from his enemy’s uniform and swore to wear it for ever after. At least Edward’s own bravery on that occasion, and his chivalry upon many others, make it entirely plausible that ho should acknowledge the valour of an enemy. It was tho first battle of magnitude in which tho young prince had engaged, and his father, Edward UJ. watched from the crest of a bill, holding reinforcements in leash while his son fought against great odds. King Edward explained that ho wanted his sou to win his spurs in battle, nor did victorr t0 C epm ’° him of crecJit for Bio The victory was most decisive; may discount somewhat Finer 1, on w erS re P°rcod that tho nnUr ß fi f fled nightfall with only five knights and sixty soldiers leaving more than 40,000 dead and dying men on tho field.