Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 7.djvu/343

 CAERNARVON CASTLE. 243 The queen being then in a state of convalescence, he went to Neuadarthlan and Hardelagh till the 24th. His time was spent betwixt these places and Criccaeth. He made a sojourn at Caernarvon from the 27th of May until the 8th of June. He then passed to Baladeuthlyn, where he stayed nearly a month, returning from it to Caernarvon on the 5th of July, when he made another rest in the town for three weeks. On the 27th of the same month he left it for Nevyn, (where he held a great tournament,) Bardsey, Criccaeth, Porthelyn, and Penvaghan. He was again here from the 14 th to the 21st of August, wdien he quitted Wales by way of Aber, Aberconway, Rhuddlan and Flint, for Chester. On the 13th of October, Edward I. came to Caernarvon for the fifth time within the same year, and remained ten days, and finally left it the last week in the month, taking Criccaeth and Harlech on his route to Castel y Berio, which he reached on the 1st of November, and proceeded on the 8th of the same month to Lampadarnvaur or Aberj^stwith. This outline of his movements during the present year of his reign has been derived from the royal attestation of writs or other official documents issued during the period, and it shows that he was continually in attendance upon his beloved consort, both previously to her confinement with Prince Edward, in the month of April, 1284, and for several days afterwards.^ We also learn that, during the latter half of this twelfth year, he visited the various places where his castles were built, so that, if he did not actually behold them in a state of advancement, which is more than probable, he must then have fixed upon the spots where these superb fortresses were to be raised.^ Pursuing their history, as we find it noticed on the Pipe Rolls, it appears that between the years 1291 and 1293 (the 19th and 21st of Edward I.) little was expended upon the Welsh castles, the only entry on the subject being placed on a record of the latter year, in which 207/. 11^. Hfc^- occurs for operations at Caernarvon and Harlech. In the 21st year, Adam de Whetenhale received 100 marcs for his yearly fee as Constable, being the same sum that had pre- viously been granted to the commander of the other castle in the adjacent county. " Edward was in Soutii Wales in the 'Mh year of his roign, hut did not proceed into the Northern Principality.
 * I quote from my own MS. Itinerary of the reij^n.