wealh

noun

1. (historical)In Anglo-Saxon England, a speaker of a Brythonic language, especially Welsh.

   “It is possible that the services on the royal manors, of which Seebohm gives one instance even in the very Saxon Hampshire, may have been heavier than the average of manors held by eorls or thanes. If so, the tenantry on the former may have been in larger proportion wealhs.”

   “That the kings had wealhs in their service, whose position rose in consequence of that service, is shown by Ine, cap. 83:[…]”

   “Wealhs may also be placed on the same footing by being recognised as free gafolgelders of the king and being connected with a family land, a hide of their own, though their personal estimation will not reach that of Englishmen of equal social standing. This possible equation with the wealhs gives us also a clue as to the probable constitution of the family settled on the land.”