Richard ap Howel (or Hywel) of Mostyn, was son and heir of Howel ap Ieuan Fychan (by Margaret his wife, daughter and sole heiress of Gruffydd ap Rhys of Gloddaeth, and Tre'r Garnedd). His father dying young, his mother, married secondly, Henry Salusbury, son of Thomas Salusbury (the elder), of Lleweni, and upon her decease Richard inherited the Gloddaeth and Tre'r Garnedd estates, including Nant Bychan, Twr Kelyn. The Cedwyn MS [N.L.W. MS. 1654B., fols. 315-317, W.] has this note to the Mostyn pedigree:
"The Mansions and Possessions which descended to the said Richard ap Howel ab Ieuan Vychan [=Ieuan Fychan], and the occasions of them:72

The FIRST COURT called Pengwern in the parish of Llangollen, in Chirk-land, being part of the possessions of the praedict: Adda ab Iorwerth ddu and Eliz: his wife, who was the daughter of Gruff: Vychan ab Gruff: of Rhuddallt: which Eliz: was whole sister to Owen Glyndwrdwy: she was also the mother of Ieuan ab Adda, ab Iorwerth ddu.
The SECOND COURT was Tref: Castell in Mon (Anglesey) in the Hundred of Cwmmwd of Tindaethwy, and Tref Gwehelyth in the Cwmmwd of Llivon; and was part of the possessions of Angharad the daughter and heir of Ednyved ab Tudyr ab Gronw ab Tudyr ab Gronw ab Ednyved Vychan; and this Angharad was the mother of Ieuan Vychan ab Ieuan ab Adda.
The THIRD COURT is Mostyn in Tegeingl, which was the possession of Angharad daughter of Howel ab Tudyr ab Ithel Vychan: And this Angharad was the mother of Howel ab Ieuan Vychan.
The FOURTH COURT is Tre'r Garnedd in Mon in the Cwmmwd of Menai, and the Tre Nant bychan in the Cwmmwd of Twr Kelyn in Mon with their appurtenances. All these were part of the possessions of Morvydd, the daughter and heir of Sir Gruff: Lloyd Knight, and this Morvydd was the wife of Madoc Gloddaith, the mother of Gruffydd ab Madoc Gloddaith (Gloddaeth).
The FIFTH COURT is the Court of Gloddaith in the Cwmmwd of Creuddyn, which was the possession of Margaret the daughter of Gruffydd ab Rhys ab Gruffydd ab Madoc Gloddaith: and the said Margaret was the mother of Richard ap Howel ab Ieuan Vychan; and she was also the mother of Harry Salsbury ab Harry ab Thomas Hen Salsbury (Salusbury).73

In 1501 (which may have been the date of the death of his step-father, Henry Salusbury), Richard ap Howel obtained a grant of the vill (or manor) of Mostyn for 15 years, the record thereof reading as follows:
"Demise to farm of the Vill of Moston to Richard ap Hoell 21 Jul 1501: Arthur, Prince [&c] to all to whom the present letters shall come greeting know that we by the surety of Ralph Ravenscroft esquire [of Bretton, father of George Ravenscroft who married Richard ap Howel's daughter, Elin] and John73

Clerk have granted and to farm let to Richard ap Hoell our Vill of Moston with the appurtenances in the county of Flint with all the commodities perquisites of courts and all other emoluments to the same belonging to have and to hold to him and his assigns from the feast of St Michael the Archangel next to come until the end of the term of 15 years then next following and fully to be completed paying to us therefore at our Exchequer at Chester 8 marks as was answered [for it] in the preceding account and 26 shillings and eight pence beyond as an increase at the feasts of Easter and St Michael the Archangel by equal portions and maintaining the houses and closes and also bearing all other charges to the said premises belonging or in any way incumbent. In witness whereof we have caused these our Letters to be made Patent. Witness myself at Chester the 21st day of Jul in the 16th year of our said father." C.R.R., No. 171, 16 & 17 Hen. 7, m. 2A.74

This grant was renewed 8 Apr 1519 for 7 years, the sureties being David Middleton, of Chester [he was Alderman of Chester and son of David Myuddleton, son of Ririd, of Gwaunnog, Denbigh, and his daughter married a Salusbury.] and Fulk Hope [he was Foulke Hope of Hawarden, who married Anne, daughter of Sir Randall Poole, Knight.] gentleman. It was again renewed 22 Oct, 15 Hen VIII, and was in force when the grantee died, in 1539-40; but in that year one Roger Collye a "groom of the Privy Chamber of Edward Prince of England" obtained a lease of the manor for 21 years from Michaelmas 1546, "on the expiration of a similar lease granted by patent 22 Oct, in the 15th year of Henry VIII, to Richard ap Howell" at a rental of £7 per annum. Pat. Roll, 31 Hen. 8, pt. 5, m. 29. In 1502, 12 Jun, richard Howel under the designation of Richard ap Hoell ap Ieuan Vichan, received an appointment in connection with the Crown subsidies [C.R.R. 17 & 18 Hen. 7, m. 4d(2). This appointment was, perhaps, obligatory.] and he held the office of Justice as steward of the manor.74

In the 15th year of Henry VIII (1523), an Eisteddfod was held at the ancient town of Caerwys, in Flintshire [Mostyn MS. 78] at which Richard ap ho'l ap Ieuan Vachan ysqwier, presided, in conjunction with Syr William Gruffd [Sir William Gruffydd (or Griffith) of Penrhyn, Knight, Chamberlain of North Wales, and descended from Ednyfed Fychan. He was the father-in-law of Richard ap Howel's son, Thomas Mostyn.] and Syr Roeger Salbri [Salusbury, of Lleweni, nephew of Richard ap Howel, being son and heir of Sir Thomas, Richard's brother-in-law.]
They were assisted "by a gentleman of learning and distinction as a bard, named Gruffydd ap Ieuan ap Llewelyn Vychan, and Tudor Aled, who is well known to have been one of the ablest bards of the time." The so-called "Statute of Gruffydd ap Cynan" was promulgated at this Eisteddfod. Caerwys, it appears, from a very early period, was one of the chief places for these meetings and there is mention of a great Eisteddfod held here about the year 1100, at which Prince Gruffydd ap Cynan presided in person, and it would seem as if "the gyfte and bestowing of the Sylver harpe" mentioned in the commission of Queen Elizabeth (1568), as appertaining to "William Mostyn esquior and his ancestors," was originally held by this family by right of descent from the Cymric princes of Wales, under whose authority these meetings were anciently held, and who gave and bestowed the awards.75

Pennant writes thus of Leland's reference to this sliver harp, in connection with the latter's account of Ewloe castle:
"It has been for centuries in ruins; for Leland speaks of it [Ewloe] as 'a ruinous castle or pile, belong to Hoele, a gentleman of Flyntshire, that by auncient accustume was want to give the badge of the sylver harpe to the beste harpir of North Wales, as by a privelege of his ancestors.'" The antiquary adds, continues Pennant, "that he dwelleth at Penrine [Leland probably intended to write Pengwern (Llangollen), supposing it to be in Flintshire, as the Mostyns were yet possessed of this estate, and occasionally resided there] in Flyntshire," but there being no such place in the county, he suspects "that the gentleman intended was Thomas ap Richard ap Howel, lord of Mostyn, in whose family that privilege was long invested; that gentleman having been contemporary with Leland."
Richard ap Howel, who for some time prior to his decease had been sinecure Rector of Whitford [the late Ven. Archdeacon Thomas (St. Asaph, i., p. 20, 1st ed.) gives, under list of Sinecure Rectors of Whitford: 1535, Dominus Richard ap Howel. He abjured Papal Supremacy, 1535 (meaning he became a Protestant). In 1537, he was succeeded by Dominus Hugh de Whitford, alias Price, who was deposed in 1560.] died at Mostyn Hall, 7 Feb 1539-40. His will is in Latin, translated as follows:76
In the name of God amen the 16th day of Oct in the year of our Lord 1538 I Richard ap Howell ap Ieuan Vyuchun [Fychan] being sound of mind and of clear memory make my testament containing in the same my last will in this form which follows revoking other testaments formerly by me made and I will that that testament now by me made shall endure for ever. Firstly I commend my soul to God Almighty the Blessed Mary the Virgin and to all their Saints and my body to be buried in the Holy Church. Also I lease to one priest of honest conversation to pray for my sould and the soul of my wife and the souls of all the faithful of Christ in the Parish Church of Whitforde £5 sterling. Also I leave to the Convent of the Brothers of Denbigh [The Carmelite or White Friars, a Priory founded before 1289, by John Salusbury of Lleweni, and dedicated to St. Mary. The conventual church here, was the mausoleum of the Salusbury family down to the Reformation.]77
6s. 8d. Also I leave to the Brothers of Ruthlande 6s. 8d. [The Dominicans, or Black Friars of Rhuddlan. This House was founded by Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, 1258 (Peniarth MS. 215, fo. 184), with a second foundation by King Edward I and Queen Eleanor. Anian, afterwards Bishop of St. Asaph, was prior, Kenerick (Cynfrig) in 1270 (Arch. Camb., 1847, p. 255). ] Also I leave to the convent of the Brothers of Bangor 6s. 8d. [The Priory of the Dominican Friar Preachers of Bangor, Carnarvonshire, was founded before 1276, and enlarged and rebuilt about 1299 by Tudur ap Goronwy of Penmynydd ancestor of the Royal House of Tudor, who was interred in the chapel of this establishment in 1311.] Also I leave to Thomas ap Richard my son and his assigns my whole right and term in the farm of the lord the King which I have an hold in the town of Meston. Also I leave to Eles ap Hull (Hoell) 40 shillings. The residue in truth of all my goods not bequeathed my debts and legacies having been paid I give and leave to Peter ap Richard my younger son to distribute to whomsoever he pleases whom I name ordain and constitute my true and only executor then there being present Dominus Hugh ap Daye [he was very probably Richard ap Howel's chaplain] Master John Pakyngton, William Shottesfortes, Nicholas Gravener [a mistake for Grosvenor] and Robert Burfield witnesses to the premises especially called and asked Sir Hugh ap Day, Master John Packington, William Shotefortes, Nicholas Gravener Robert Burffyld.78

The above written will was proved before the Lord at London 20 May 1540 by the oath of Thomas Stacye public notary procurator of the executor in such will named: and recommended and administration was granted to the executor aforesaid well &c. and to exhibit a full inventory on the 2nd day after the feast of St. Anne and also to render a clear and faithful account thereof on the day of the Holy Evangelist by the personal oath of the said procurator.
These notes on Richard ap Howel would be incomplete without reference to Pennant's account of the visit paid to Mostyn by Henry, Earl of Richmond, who was to become King Henry VII. [A History of Whiteford and Holywell, by Thomas Pennant, p. 58.]
"At one end of the gallery," says Pennant, describing Mostyn Hall, "is a great room, remarkable for a singular event. During the time that Henry earl of Richmond was secretly laying the foundation of the overthrow of the house of York, he passed concealed from place to place, in order to form an interest among the Welsh, who favored his cause on account of their respect to his grandfather Owen Tudor, their countryman. While he was at Mostyn, a party attached to King Richard III arrived there to apprehend him. He was then about to dine, but had just time to leap out of a back window, and make his escape through a hole, which, to this day, is called the King's. Richard ap Howel, then lord of Mostyn [Richard ap Howel was NOT, however, lord of Mostyn at this time, the manor being then held by his step-father, Henry Salusbury.] joined Henry at the battle of Bosworth [Mr. Henry Taylor of Chester, M.A., F.S.A., the historian of Flint, tells us that at Bosworth Field, Richard ap Howel of Mostyn commanded a force of '1,600 Flintshire miners and colliers well equipped for battle.' Flint Castle, pl 26, and Historic Notices of Flint, p. 102], and after the victory, received from the King, in token of gratitude for his preservation, the belt and sword he wore on that day; he also pressed Richard greatly to follow him to court: but he nobly answered like the Shunamitish woman: 'I dwell among mine own people.' The sword and belt were preserved in the house till within these few years."
The important facts of Pennants narrative, drawn from documents then available at Mostyn, are not unsupported by independent evidence. Howel ap Ieuan Fychan, Richard ap Howel's father, was 3rd and 4th cousin to Henry Tudor through several lines of descent, and Howel's wife, Margaret of Gloddaeth, Richard's mother, was 2d cousin to Edmund Tudor, Henry's father.79

They were Tudor's nearest Welsh kin. [The claims of kinship with Henry Tudor (King Henry VII) put forward long after by various families must be considered as based on exceedingly remote and roundabout connections, some harking back to Ednyfed Fychan, who died 2 centuries before, to reckon the relationship; the term "cousin" then meaning anything up to the 9th degree (see Evan's 'Wales and the Wars of the Roses', p. 31, where John ap Maredydd is wrongly called 'cousin' to Owain Tudor). The Mostyn family, its branches, and the descendants of the house of Penmynydd, alone could lay claim to close ties of blood with the Royal House of Tudor]. Mostyn sheltered Jasper Tudor when a fugitive, and was one of the meeting places of the adherents of that family; its harbour affording excellent facilities for direct communication with France. Chester and Flintshire were in the hands of the Stanleys, secret enemies to the Yorkists. The lordship of Mostyn, including the harbour, from 1473-1485, was held by Henry Salusbury, second husband of Margaret of Gloddaeth, Richard ap Howel's mother, and likewise Richard's brother-in-law, as the latter married Salusbury's sister. But this is not all. Henry Salusbury had 3 other sisters, of whom Elizabeth was the wife of Hugh Conway of Bryn Euryn, Rhos, Constance, wife of Piers Stanley; and Jane wife of John Puleston; their husbands being thus brothers-in-law to Richard ap Howel of Mostyn. Hugh Conway was one of Richmond's followers, although not the same Hugh Conway who, about the time of the accession of Richard III, carried to Brittany the monies collected by Queen Qlizabeth and Henry's mother, Margaret, for the first expedition, which, unfortunately, ended off Plymouth. He was, however, at Bosworth Field, and had a grant in connection with the mines.80

Richard ap Howel's first cousin, Owain ap Meurig of Bodeon, his uncle Meurig, and Meurig's brother, Rhys, are known to have been staunch supporters of the House of Lancaster. Rhys and his nephew, Owain, were at the battle of Bosworth Field, and Rhys was made Sheriff of Anglesey, for life. Gruffydd Vaughan (Vychan or Fychan) of Cors y Gedol, who, according to Tudur Penllyn, Jasper Tudor's bard, was Jasper's chief agent in North Wales and a very near kinsman of Howel of Mostyn. These connections are cited to illustrate more clearly the position which the members of the Mostyn family then occupied in relation to those who took a leading part in the conspiracy which placed the Earl of Richmond, Henry Tudor, on the throne-a conspiracy towards which they contributed both life and treasure, and in which they were deeply involved.
As Henry Tudor was practically a prisoner whilst in Brittany, and his abortive expedition of August, 1483, controlled by the Duke, it is improbable that he visited Wales before the latter date. In June, 1484, however, when about to be handed over to King Richard, Henry escaped into Anjou, and reached Paris. Here he was well received by Charles VII, and at once commenced preparations for his final and successful expedition of the following year.
The futility of the attempt of 1483 was caused by the failure of the Welsh to properly support the Duke of Buckingham, indicating a misunderstanding and entire want of cohesion among the Earl';s Welsh adherents. We know remarkably little of Henry's movements, or of those of his emissaries, from Jun 1484 to Jul 1485, when his transports cleared the Seine. Between these dates, then, would be the time of the brief visit to Mostyn to complete his plans.81

That King Richard III expected such a visit, and took extraordinary precautions, accordingly, to prevent it, is known. The sword mentioned by Pennant was gold mounted, and gilt, and has been traced down to Sir Thomas Mostyn, Knight, who possessed it in 1599.

Richard ap Howel married Catrin (Catherine), 4th daughter of Thomas Salusbury (the elder) of Lleweni, [Mostyn MS. pedigree, 1663: Dwnn, ii., pp. 308, 331; Harl. MS. 4181, fol. 135d; N.L.W. (Cedwyn) MS. 1654B, fo. 315] slain at the battle of Barnet (eldest son and heir of Sir Henry Salusbury of Lleweni, Knight, by Elizabeth his wife, daughter of Jenkin Donne, son of Sir John Donne, of Utkinton, Cheshire, Knight. By this lady Richard had issue 3 sons and 5 daughters. [MS. pedigree 1663; Dwnn, ii., p. 308; Harl. MS. 4181, fo. 135d]. 1 Thomas, 2 Hugh [Dwnn, ii., p. 308; N.L.W. MS., 1560, fo. (old page 61)] who died young and unmarried, 3 Peter (or Peyrs and Piers) ancestor to the Mostyns of Talacre. The daughters were 1 Elin, wife of George Ravenscroft of Bretton, son of Ralph Ravenscroft, 2 Janet, wife of Gruffydd ap Ieuan ap Llywelyn Fychan, 3 Margaret, wife of Howel ap Ieuan of Northrop, 4 Sioned, wife of Hugh Pennant of Bychton, and 5 Dows, wife of Thomas Gruffydd (or Griffith) of Pant y Llongdy.82

Among the MSS. in the British Museum [Add. charters (1197), no. 7038 is a deed (Bipartite) of exchange of lands in Flintshire, between Richard ap Howel ap Ieuan Vachan, esquire, and John ap Ithel ap Howell. Richard is to enjoy all messuages and lands in Merton Ughlan in the parish of Whitford, in the county of Flint, in the possession of Ithel ap Howell, ffader to the said John (except such lands of Ithel and John as are sold to John ap Rees, John ap Ithell ap Gruffydd ap Meredith (Maredydd), and Richard ap Harry ap Ithel Moill) in exchange for the inheritance [Howel ap Tudur ap Ithel Vychan of Halkyn and Mostyn, father of Angharad, sole heiress, wife of Ieuan Fychan of Pengwern and in the right of his wife of Mostyn, was a freeholder of a great part of the present parish of Kilken (Cilcain), in 1407 (Hengwrt MS. N.L.W., from Ministers' Accounts), from whom these lands came to Richard ap Howel. He retained the land upon which Kilken Hall stands, which was probably included in Tudur's estate.] of the said Richard in Kylkyn, in the county of Flynt, of which messuages one is in the holding of Ithell ap Dyo, the other (which the said Richard purchased of Howell ap Benet, Tudor ap Benet and Reis ap Benet) of Howell ap Jenkyn Dicka and Meredith ap Reis (Rhys) ap John, and a meadow in the township of Pentre Vyneth in the parish of Kylken, and a parcel of land in the said parish called Place Helyk. The deed contains a covenant to bar the dower of Katheryn Vergh Ithell, wife of the said John ap Ithel ap Howell, and of Katheryn Salesbury (Salusbury), wife of Richard ap Howell ap Ieuan Fychan, parties thereto, as aforesaid.
Pennant speaks of Richard ap Howel owning the Wood of Bychton, and because of the great scarcity of gold at that time, offering it to the Pennants as the marriage portion of his daughter, Jonet, wife of Hugh Pennant. The Pennants, however, rejected the offer, as the Wood was then considered to be of little value, a decision which their descendants, we are informed, bitterly regretted. [History of Whiteford and Holywell, p. 25.]83

There was anciently a window in Eglwys Rhos (Llanrhos) which, from the very meagre mention of it, appears to have been presented by Richard ap Howel. We first hear of this window from Pennant. [Tours (Eglwys Rhos)]. He tells us that in the east window of the church is the figure "of a man kneeling, dressed in a herald's mantle [the tabard, worn over the armour, and on which the wearer's arms were painted] with the arms of Englefield [Edwin of Tegeingl]. From the named inscription he must have been Howell ap Tudor of Mostyn, and that he had bestowed this window on the church." Hywel ap Tudur of Mostyn, however, had no connection whatever with Eglwys Rhos, so far as we can discover. It was not until 50 years after the latter's death that his grandson, Howel, married the heiress of Gloddaeth; but the arms of Edwin mark the glass as commemorating some one of this family, especially as after the marriage of Angharad, the heiress of Hywel ap Tudur, to Ieuan Fychan, the arms of Edwin were, of course, quartered, and on occasions given preference, after the then Welsh custom.
The next mention of this window is from the pen of a much more dependable antiquary than Pennant, and what he has to say about it is as follows [printed in Lloyd's History of Powys Fadog; but as usual, with no acknowledgement, although obviously copied from Williams' Aberconwy (Denbeigh, 1835), p. 120.]:
There was 'a painted window here [at Eglwys Rhos] at a much earlier period, the gift of Hywel ab Tudor of Mostyn, according to what Mr. Pennant could collect from the imperfect inscription; the fragments have been carefully preserved, and placed in the new window [by Miss Frances Mostyn of Bodysgallen, who died 22 Feb 1827, after repairing the Church and restoring this window.]; one consists of the figure of a man kneeling at a table, and dressed in a herald's mantle with the arms of Englefield; argent, a cross engrailed sable between 4 Cornish choughs [perhaps quartered with the arms of Tudur Trefor] beneath are the words, Fili Dei Iesv Miserere Mei and in the next compartment, Hoolt armigeri qui hec and in the adjoining window is the figure of a saint, which is part of the original window."84
The name Hoolt, if not merely a typographical error, which is probable, for Hoell, is a misreading of a Welsh common 16th century contraction, the last crossed l having been mistaken for a t. As the word armiger follows the contraction, it is obvious that the 'ap Tudor' of Pennant existed only in his imagination, Howel being the last name of the donor's Welsh designation. After comparison with similar lettering on painted glass of this period in Wales, it is suggested that the original read close to:
Fili Dei Iesu Misereri Mei Ric' Fil' Holl Armiger Qui Hec
[my own loose translation: Jesus, son of God, have mercy on me. Richard, son of Hoell, armiger.]
A diligent search has failed to locate any poems whatever addressed to Richard ap Howel, which, because of the position he occupied as regards the bards and the Eisteddfod, and considering the numerous poems addressed to his father and sons, appears rather extraordinary.85

Richard ap Hywel of Mostyn frequently entertained and secreted Henry Earl of Richmond [who was to become King Henry VII of England] during the reign of Richard III. Richard ap Hywel followed Henry with his retainers to Bosworth Field and greatly assisted in obtaining for Henry the crown of England in 1485.64