A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF Eminent Welshmen, FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO THE PRESENT, AND INCLUDING EVERY NAME ANCIENT HISTORY OF WALES. BY THE REV. ROBERT WILLIAMS, M.A. CH. CH. OXON. PERP. CURATE OF LLANGADWALADR, AND RHYDYCROESAU, DENBIGHSHIRE. LLANDOVERY: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM REES; MDCCCLII. A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF EMINENT WELSHMEN. AARON, is celebrated in our church history as one of the first martyrs of Britain. He was a native of Caerllcon ar Wysg in Monmouthshire, where he and Julius together were put to death with the most cruel torments, during the persecution under Diocletian in the year 303, about the same time with St. Alban, according to Matthew of Westminster. We no where learn what his British name was, it being usual with the Christian Britons to take new names from the Hebrew, Greek, or Latin, at the time of their baptism. Such was the case with Albanus and Amphibalus. According to Walter de Mapes, Geoffrey of Monmouth, and Giraldus Cambrensis, noble churches were dedicated to Aaron and Julius in Caerlleon; that of Aaron having attached to it a famous order of canons, and that of Julius being graced with a choir of nuns. This is in some measure corroborated by the Liber Landavensis, and Bishop Godwin tells us that the remains of these churches were to be seen in his time. Their festival is placed in the Roman Martyrology on the first of July. Llanharan in Glamorgan is also considered to be dedicated to Aaron. ABRAHAM, succeeded to the bishopric of St. David's upon the resignation of Sulgen in 1076. In two years afterwards he died, about the time that the Danes landed and destroyed the city of St. David's. (Brut y Tywysogion.) ACHLEN, one of the sons of Gwrthmwl Wledig, a sovereign prince of the Northern Britons from the beginning to the middle of the sixth century, who came into Wales upon losing his territory. Achlen is recorded in the Triads (Myvyrian Archaiology, ii. 8, 10.) as being carried with his brother Arthanad on their horse Erch up the hill of Maelawr in Ceredigion, or Cardiganshire, to avenge the death of their father. ADEBON, a warrior who lived in the sixth century, celebrated by Aneurin and Taliesin; the latter of whom addressed an ode to him, B |