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Kilmyn-Droed-Du

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Cilmin-Droed-Dhu

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About the year 843 there lived in Glynllyson, North Wales, a knight known as Cilmin-Troed-Dhu, or Cilmin of the black leg. He came there with his father's brother Mervyn, either from the Isle of Man or from Mervyn's possessions in the North of Britain and founded the Fourth Noble Tribe of Wales, probably known as the Cilmins.  Cilmins uncle Mervyn Vryshe, King of the Isle of Man, married Esyllt, only daughter and heir of Conan, son of Roderick, King of the Britains. Conan died and Mervyn and Esyllt became King and Queen of Wales in the year 818.   Their son was the last Roderick the Great and ancestors of the Tudors.

Thus we can picture Cilmin-Troed-Dhu as a warrior living in a world that knew little else than the power of conquest.  His clan were barbaric herdsmen, his abode no doubt crude, but as luxurious as his high station afforded.  His education and religion were the evolution of four centuries since the English occupation of Britain, conserved by the monks on their monasteries.  We must believe that he was outstanding in his generation, for, in the ensuing sixteen centuries, his descendants held a high place, each one in his day.  The following is quoted from the Cambrian Register, published in 1790, "Cilmin-Troed-Dhu----He lived in the time of Mervyn Vryshe, King of the Isle of Man, being his brother's son, with whom he came from the North of Britain. . . his prosterity were wise and discreet men in all their ages and many of them learned in the Laws and Judges under the Kings and Princes of Wales, as Mongene Ynad and Apnerth his son, whose law book is still in exant , fairly written on parchment." As nephew to Mervyn, King of Wales, and as cousin to Roderick the Great, Cilmin must have had considerable prestige, aside from the fact that he was chieftain of one of the noble tribes of Wales.

Cilmin's stronghold was not far from Carnarvon, close to the beautiful mountain Yr Eifl (The Rivals) and once dedicated to fire worship.  The whole district is reminiscent of the Druids and the Town of Fortresses is the finest example of an ancient British 'Station' The remains of a great number of small houses or cells are spread over the mountains.  Nearby are several circles of stones; below is a Cromlech or ancient tomb, the whole being surrounded by a double range of walls.  On the summit is a Carned.  This was the scene of the legend of Cilmin-Troed-Dhu

Glynlysson Park, now the seat of Lord Newborough, stretches where the domain of Cilmin-Troed-Dhu once lay.  The pretty Llifon River runs through the grounds to which it gives name "Sparkling and foaming at intervals over its rocky bed as if it were still startled by the denisens of the rocky mountains." just as it did a thousand years ago.

As legend has it, far up the mountains, across the swift stream which marked the boundary of Cilmin's domain, lived   mysterious demons.  Thunder clouds shrouded their kingdom and fierce lightning and rumbling accompanied their rites, as any one living near could testify.

Cilmin became the friend of a Necromancer dwelling in the vicinity, who knew all the secrets of nature except one, which was in a Book, written by no mortal hand and guarded by a Demon whose abode was near the forked summit of Yr Eifl.  The Necromancer, although a magician, had no power to obtain the mystic Book and he craved to know the secret it contained, he confided the anguish of his soul to his friend.  Our Knight, Cilmin, was young and afraid of no mortal man nor of the Devil himself. He promised the Necromancer that the Book should be his.

Armed to the teeth, he mounted his favorite steed and safely crossed the dangerous rocks and swift currents of the Stream.  The Necromancer had urged him to be particularly careful not to touch its waters as evil would certainly befall him.  Cilmin spurred his steed over the stony way and up the craggy steep into the mountain and Tref-Y-Caeran, the Town of Fortress, an immense rampart of huge stones honeycombed with cells of every form and ending in a point almost inaccessible.  Here was the resort of the Demons whose chief lived on the highest pinnacle of the rock with a hideous giantess who executed his bidding and wrought terrible havoc to the country.  Their constant study was the Book which, in their hands, taught only evil, but to Christian eyes would disclose much good.  The giantess lived in a cell called to this day Moel-Carn-Y-Guwch and now rises to a cone, being crowned by a huge pile of stones, like the ruins of a fortress; but at that time the stones were in the lap of a giantess and she intended to heat them red hot at the Demon's fire and cast them down on the neighboring fields to destroy them.  When she saw Cilmin riding up the steep she was so surprised that she started from her seat and let stones fall from her apron.  The place is still called"Apron Full of Stones"

Then followed a fearful combat between the Giantess, the Demon and Cilmin The Knight, by the help of his good sword, was able to fell the Demon and to snatch the Book held beneath his serpent wing.    Spurring his horse, he began to descend the mountain with the whole city of Demons howling at his heels.  Keeping them at bay the Knight came crashing down the steep.  When he reached the stream of Llifon his gallant steed, all foam and lather, fell to exhausted and dying.  Cilmin hesitated not a moment, but rose on the back of the noble animal and made a desperate leap.  Just as he touched the opposite bank one foot slipped and he felt as though a red hot grasp had seized his leg beneath the water and he heard a fiendish laugh as he dragged himself away from the stream and sought the hermitage of the Necromancer.  He gave him the Book  so dearly gained and it is a pity that the Necromancer was not able by his magic to restore the leg to health again.   Hensforth it remained coal black and the Knight was lame to his dying day.  He was known as Cilmin-Troed-Dhu or Cilmin of the black leg.

This myth is a tale of the middle ages, probably written by one of the monks of that time.  Reformers of this period did not dare to openly express theirs views and wrote entirely in a symbolical language.  This monk of the Roman Church evidently wished its reformation.   Cilmin may have been a Crusader whose mind had become freed from superstion by travel and contact with others thinkers in Italy, Constantinople  and Palestine; the Necromancer, a wise monk, acquainted through the monasteries with all the learning of his time; the Book, the Bible, which was with-held from the people; the Demons, the evil members of the clergy, who typified superstion, fear, ignorance and the lower passions; the Book, the boundary between error and truth; "Whoever crosses the stream of error must bear its mark and go forever limping on his way." However one may interpret the tale, there was in truth a Knight, Cilmin-Troed-Dhu, living in this very spot in the year 843.

The coat of arms used for centuries by the Gilmans is given by Vincent, the HeraldF in "Welsh Coats of Arms." written about 1620, as the coat of arms borne by Cilmin-Droed-Dhu.  At the close of the 15th century the control of the use of arms had become very lax and some had assumed arms without proper sanction.  To rectify this state of affairs the Crown appointed Officers of the Arms, requiring tem either in person or by deputy to "Make visitations throughout the whole of England and examine the coats of arms in use, deface or rectify those borne improperly and record those which were then born properly by inheritance." At least three visitations passed through the country and genuine arms originating before that date and properly in use at that period were then registered.   It is an established fact that these three visitations weeded out all those not entitled to bear arms.  At this time the the Gilman arms were officially recorded.   The Glynns, also descendants of Cilmin-Troed Dhu, were likewise permitted to bear this same coat of arms, but the male line of Glynns is now extinct.  The arms and crest vary considerably in different branches of the family but the black leg is ever present.  The crest of the Norfolk Gilmans is a demi-lion issuing from the cap of maintenance.  Their motto is "Si Deus Quis Contra" (If God be with us what can avail against us) or "Esperance" (Hope).

At this time it seems appropriate to call attention to the varied spelling of the Gilman name.  The letter C in Anglo-Saxon originally had the sound of G.  Y was also used for I in them 14th century.  Thus Cilmin became Gilmin, Kilmyn, then Gylmyn, Guylmyn, Guillmyn, Gilmyn, and Gillman or Gilman.  It was frequently spelled two or three different ways in one document.  Few names have retained so closely their original sound and spelling.

It seems incredible that the pedigree of an obscure Welsh chieftain should have been recorded for so many generations back in the days when spelling was an art and records were only for the royalty.  It involves a tale of medieval history worth the telling.

 

From the book The Gilmans of Hingham, England

By Constance Le Neve Gilman Ames

 

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