Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- [1800] (Creation)
Level of description
File
Extent and medium
112 pp. (previous pagination 1-136, of which 24 pages are missing between the present numbers 36 and 37).
Previously unbound; bound in quarter leather at NLW.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Edward Williams (Iolo Morganwg, 1747-1826), stonemason, poet and literary forger, was born 10 March 1747 in Llancarfan, Glamorgan, to Edward Williams (1715-1795), stonemason, and Ann Matthews (1713-1770), and lived for most of his life in Flemingston (or Flimston), Glamorgan, apart from periods spent in London, Kent and elsewhere. His only schooling came from his mother and from the numerous poets who taught him their craft. He worked as a monumental mason and builder. He also tried his hand at various other trades but with little success; he was imprisoned for debt in Cardiff Gaol in 1786. In 1781 Iolo married Margaret Roberts (1749-1827). They had four children, of which two, Margaret (b. 1782) and Taliesin (1787-1847), survived into adulthood. Iolo Morganwg died at Flemingston on 18 December 1826. Iolo had various literary, antiquarian and political interests. He wrote poetry in both Welsh and English, his Poems Lyrical and Pastoral appearing in 1794. He became a Unitarian from about 1797 and wrote many hymns, published in Salmau yr Eglwys yn yr Anialwch (1812, 1827 and 1834). Following the French Revolution he had radical sympathies. However he has become notorious for his forgeries and fabrications. The edition of Dafydd ap Gwilym published in 1789 contained an appendix of additional poems which were in fact written by Iolo. The Myvyrian Archaiology (1801, 1807), of which he was an editor contained many of his fabrications. These forgeries went largely undiscovered until the early twentieth century. His interest in the ancient druids led to his unveiling of the Gorsedd of Bards of Great Britain, which first met on Primrose Hill, London, in 1792. He claimed it to be a miraculous survival from ancient times and it persists as an integral part of the ritual and pageantry of the National Eisteddfod. However it too was invented by Iolo. Following Iolo's death his son Taliesin, a schoolmaster in Merthyr Tydfil, edited his manuscripts and upheld his legacy, apparently completely oblivious to the forgeries.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
A manuscript in the hand of Edward Williams (Iolo Morganwg), entitled 'Gwersi Doethineb yr, Hen Gymry. a gasglwyd o'r Hên Lyfrau Ysgrifen, Gan Iolo Morganwg B.B.D. Yn y Flwyddyn 1800'. The contents include: p. 2, an announcement ('Ysbysiad') by Iolo Morganwg in which he outlines his intentions in preparing the manuscript; pp. 3-26, 'Chwedlau'r Doethion (o Lyfr Tre Brynn)', being 160 'englynion milwr' (cf. Iolo MSS (1888), pp. 251-259); pp. 27-32, another series of 34 'englynion milwr' entitled 'Llyma chwedlau Doethion eraill, i ddoeth a'u deallo', (cf. Iolo MSS, pp. 260-261); pp. 32-34, 'Llyma Gynghorion y Bardd Glâs o'r Gadair i bob Gwr doeth a ddymunai rengu bodd Duw a Dynlon yn y Byd yma ac yn y byd arall ...'; pp. 35-36, 'Llyma eraill o gynghorion Y Bardd Glas o'r Gadair' (end missing); pp. 37-41, [Cyfarddodau'r Bardd Glas o'r Gadair] being linked sequences of aphorisms (beginning missing); p. 42, 'Gnodiau y Bardd Glâs o'r Gadair', being six stanzas beginning 'Gnawd hir ofal i bob geuawg ...'; pp. 43-47, 'Amryw Bethau gwiw eu dal ar gov. O Lyfr Rhys Thomas Argraphydd, a dynnawdd efe, meddai, o Lyfr y Parchedig Evan Evans', beginning 'Pump peth nid doeth ymddiried iddynt...'; pp. 48-56, 'Llyma Drioedd am a weddant fod ar ddyn ac ar Ddoethineb', beginning 'Tri pheth anhawdd eu cael ...', said to be 'O Lyfr Edwd. Lewys, Yswain, O Ben Llin ym Morganwg'; pp. 57-58, 'Llyma rai drioedd eraill oddiar ddalen friw yn yr un llyfr', beginning 'Tri pheth a wnant wraig yn anniweir ...'; pp. 58-60, 'Y to arall it ddalen y mae a ganlyn', beginning 'Tri pheth a attaliant wahoddedigaeth i wr ...'; p. 60, 'ar ddarn arall o ddalen', beginning 'Tri pheth a wnant wr yn ddysgedig ...'; p. 61, 'Llyma'r Naw celfyddyd Wladaidd - Y Naw Celfyddyd Dinesig', said to be 'O Lyfr y Parch. Evan Evans pan oedd ef yn y Caerau yn sir Fynwy'; pp. 62-66, 'Llyma Englynion Cain Cynwyre. (O Lyfr Joseph Jones)', being thirty stanzas purporting to be the work of Ystyffan Bardd Teilaw; pp. 66-70, 'Englynion Dead Fardd. (O Lyfr Sion Philip o Dre Os.)', beginning 'Bid goch crib ceiliawg yniawl ei lef ...'; pp. 70-72, 'Trioedd', said to be from '(Llyfr Twm Robert)'; pp. 72-74, 'Llyma Ddewis bethau Bardd Ifor Hael. (O Lyfyr Mr. Cobb o Gaer Dydd.)', followed by a note by Iolo Morganwg concerning the text; pp. 75-76, 'Casbethau Owain Cyfeiliawg. (O Lyfyr Mr. Cobb)', followed by a note on the text by Iolo Morganwg; pp. 77-81, 'Dewisbethau yr Hen Fardd Llwyd o Forganwg'; pp. 81- 83, 'Dewisbethau Gwr doeth ...', said to be 'O Lyfr Mr. Edward Sanders o Lansanffraid Fawr'; pp. 83-84, 'Dewis bethau Gwr. o Lyfr y Bardd Côch o Fôn, 1771'; pp. 84-85, 'Dewisav Gwr Taliesin', said to be from 'Llyfyr y Bardd Côch o Fôn'; pp. 85-87, 'Dewis Bethau Hywel Bwr Bach (LI. Mr. Sanders)'; pp. 87-89, 'Dewis Bethau Deio Maelinydd', '(Ll. Mr. Sanders)'; pp. 90-91, 'Casbethau Sion Goch o'r Hendref', '(Llyfyr Mr. Sanders)'; pp. 91-96, 'Dewis Bethau Sion Cwm Tridwr. (Ll. Sanders.)', followed by extensive notes on Sioni Cwm Tridwr by Iolo Morganwg; pp. 97-98, 'Dewis Bethau yr hen Gap Du, (Llyfr Sanders.)', said to be by Wiliam Cap Du; pp. 98-103, 'Llyma Awdl y Gwaeau a gant Taliesin Ben Beirdd', beginning 'Gwae a gymmerth Fedydd ... '; pp. 103-04, 'Casbethau Hen Goch y Dant'; p. 104, an englyn by Iolo Morganwg beginning 'Doethineb Da y'th enau yn siarad ...'; pp. 105-107, 'Cerdd y Bardd Glas o'r Gadair, o Lyfyr Joseph Jones o Gaer Dydd, a ysgrifenwyd ynghylch y flwyddyn 1590', beginning 'Deg gormes caredforion ...', followed by a note on Y Bardd Glas o'r Gadair; pp. 108-109, 'Llyma Englynion a fuant rwng Caradawg LlanCarfan a Gwgan Farfawg o Landathan (O lyvyr Joseph Jones o Gaer Dyv, 1590)', beginning 'Gwgan Farfawc, hanpyll gwell ...'; and pp. 109-111, 'Atteb Gwgan Farfawg', beginning 'Hanpyll Gwell, ti Garadawg ...'.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- Welsh
Script of material
Language and script notes
Welsh.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
The description is also available in the Handlist of Manuscripts in the National Library of Wales, Volume IV (Aberystwyth, 1971).
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Original title.
Note
Formerly known as Mysevin 10.
Note
Preferred citation: NLW MS 13230A.
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Geraint Fardd Glas, 9 cent. (Subject)
- Thomas, Rhys, 1720-1790 (Subject)
- Evans, Evan, 1731-1788 (Subject)
- Ystyffan Fardd (Subject)
- Ifor ap Llywelyn, fl. 1340-1360 (Subject)
- Phylip, Siôn, approximately 1543-1620 (Subject)
- Owain Cyfeiliog, Prince of southern Powys, ca. 1130-1197 (Subject)
- Hughes, Hugh, 1693-1776 (Subject)
- Taliesin (Subject)
- Jones, Joseph, Cardiff (Subject)
- Caradoc, of Llancarvan, d. 1147? (Subject)
- Gwgan Farfog (Subject)