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Eisteddfod Caerwys (1798 : Caerwys, Wales)
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'Amrywion',

A composite volume, the contents including: pp. 1-2, an English prose rendering of a 'cywydd' by Tudur Aled requesting a horse from the Abbot of Aber Conwy, the first line of the original being 'Gydag un a geidw Gwynedd . . .'; p. 3, 'Names of the Horse', a list of equivalents in several languages; pp. 3-15, 'Extracts from the historical triads of Britain' followed by several quotations and extracts relating to the horse; p. 17, a formal acknowledgement, 1794, from T. W. Wrighte, secretary of the Society of Antiquaries, of the second part of William Owen [-Pughe]'s dictionary; pp. 19-44, an English translation of the beginning of Llyfr y Tri Aderyn . . . by Morgan Llwyd (for an edition of the Welsh text see Thomas E. Ellis (ed.), Gweithiau Morgan Llwyd o Wynedd, vol. 1, (Bangor, 1899), pp. 157-89); p. 45, eleven verses beginning 'Mi glowais newydd digri . . .', and an 'englyn' beginning 'Dannod lliw'r manod ai Mîn, dannod Twyll . . .'; p. 47, a list of words headed 'New Holland Language'; pp. 49-86, vocabularies, notes on languages, etc.; pp. 87-110, a Cornish-English vocabulary (A-C), headed 'from a Mss at Mr Halsells wrote about 1710' ('30 years ago' deleted), as well as Cornish versions of the Lord's Prayer; pp. 111-18, a Welsh-English vocabulary; pp. 125-56, 'Egwyddor y Prif Gristnogion Neu reol y Bywyd wedi ei adnewyddu Gyda dull o wir dduwioldeb A'r modd i brofi ein buchedd yn gyfatebol', based on Hugh Turford, Sylfaen Buchedd sanctaidd . . . (Caerfyrddin, 1773), tt. 55-103; pp. 159-68, 'Awdyl voliant i Rys ab Gruffydd ap Howel ap Gruffydd ap Ednyfed Vychan o Von', by Einion Ofeiriad [sic] dated 1280, in the hand of Edward Williams, 'Iolo Morganwg', beginning 'Rhys ap Gruffudd fudd feiddiaw rhoddiawdr rhyssedd . . .'; pp. 179-87, a holograph copy sent to Mr. Thomas Roberts, Goldsmith, of an elegy entitled 'Awdl . . . goffadwriaeth am . . . Goronwy Owain sef Testyn y Gwyneddigion . . . 1803' by 'Eliwlod' [= David Owen, 'Dewi Wyn o Eifion'] (cf. Cymdeithas y Gwyneddigion, Awdlau Coffadwriaeth am y Parchedig Goronwy Owain . . . 1803 (Llundain, [1803]), tt. [9]-18); pp. 191-3, printed proposals, 1789, for printing A Welsh and English Dictionary . . . by William Owen; pp. 195-6, five stanzas entitled 'Peace' beginning 'The Song of Peace who would not gladly sing . . .'; p. 197, a broadside containing an elegy by Dafydd Ionawr [David Richards], Marwnad y Seneddwr Enwog, Thomas Williams o Fon Esquire (Dolgellau: T. Williams, 1803); p. 199, a printed notice of an eisteddfod to be held at Caerwys, Whitsuntide 1798, under the auspices of the Gwyneddigion Society; and pp. 202-47, a draft introduction by William Owen [-Pughe] to his dictionary, most of which is crossed out, together with miscellaneous linguistic material.

Barddoniaeth, etc.,

A note-book (pp. 1-80) and miscellaneous papers (pp. 81-268) containing notes, lists, extracts, transcripts, etc., in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') bound together in one volume. Page 1 is inscribed 'Cynnulliadau Tuag att Hanes Eisteddfodau Caerfyrddin, Caerwys, ag eraill Casgledig (gan mwyaf) yng Ngwynedd gan Iolo Morganwg', and this first section contains: a version of the 'statute' of Gruffudd ap Cynan as allegedly confirmed at an 'eisteddfod' held at Caerwys, co. Flint, in 1523, with a list of the names of the bards and musicians licensed at the said 'eisteddfod', transcribed 'O Lyfr Ygrif (sic) P. Panton, Yswain, o'r Plas Gwynn ym Môn' or, as stated elsewhere, 'Ex No. 65, Plas Gwynn, Môn' [i.e. Panton MS 65, now NLW MS 2031, of which see pp. 200-12] (see also NLW MS 13096B above) (pp. 17-27); a list of the twenty-four Welsh strict poetic metres with illustrative examples [?transcribed from the aforementioned Panton MS 65, pp. 186-93] (see also NLW MS 13096B) (pp. 27-35); notes relating to, and lists of, Welsh musical measures [?transcribed from Panton MS 65, pp. 194-200] (see also NLW MS 13096B) (pp. 36-39); an incomplete transcript [?from Panton MS 65, pp. 182-4] of notes relating to the twenty-four traditional Welsh accomplishments (p. 40); anecdotes relating to the poet Dafydd ap Edmunt and the 'eisteddfod' held at Carmarthen [c. 1450] under the patronage of Gruffudd ap Nicolas, transcribed 'Ex Vol. 17, P.P.' [i.e. Panton MS 17, now NLW MS 1986A, of which manuscript see ff. 111-17] (see also NLW MS 13096B) (pp. 41-47); further miscellaneous extracts from Panton MS 17 including an anecdote relating to the poet Huw Arwystli, notes relating to the 'cantrefi' of Glamorgan, etc. (pp. 47-49); transcripts of 'englynion' by, or attributed to, D[afydd] ab Gwilym, John Mowddwy, ?Thos. Lln., and Siôn Tudur (pp. 49-50); transcripts of twenty-three 'englynion' commemorating the year of accession of every English monarch, 1066-1558, attributed to Berud ap yr Ynad Coch, Bleddyn Ddu, Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr, Lln. Fardd, Dafydd y Coet, Harri Haram Param, Cyssymdaith Llevot Wynt epolawl, Mabwaith Hengrys o Iâl, Llywelyn ap Ho wrneth, Gwilym Ddu o Arfon, Dafydd Bach ap Madoc Gwladaidd, Llygad Gwr, Daniel Llosgwrn Marw (sic), Dafydd Eppynt, Ieuan Brydydd Hir, Bleuddyn ap Ieuan Hen, Hywel Ystorun, Ierwerth Fynglwyd, Rhys Nanmor, Hywel ab Bleuddyn Mathew, Owain y Bardd 'o Wynedd', and Huw Arwystli (pp. 51-56); a list of the commissioners in whose presence the 'eisteddfod' was held at Caerwys in 1567, and of the poets and musicians who were granted licences at the said 'eisteddfod' (pp. 56-59); a list of bards present at, and notes relating to, an 'eisteddfod' held at Bala [co. Merioneth] in 1740 (p. 60); an extract relating to the code of rules for Welsh bards and musicians allegedly compiled in the time of Gruffudd ap Cynan (p. 61); and transcripts of two sequences of 'englynion' (six and five respectively) allegedly written by Siôn Prichard Prys at an 'eisteddfod' held at Bala in 1680 with the object of enlisting the aid of the bishop of Bangor and Sir Roger Mostyn in an attempt to obtain a [royal] patent for holding an 'eisteddfod' (pp. 62-64). The greater part of the contents of the remainder of the volume consists of transcripts of Welsh poems in strict and free metres, including poems by, or attributed to, [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg' himself, Ieuan Tir Iarll 'sef John Bradford o'r Bettws ym Morganwg', Daf. Nicolas, William Hopkin, Daf. o'r Nant, Llywelyn ab Ifan, Siôn Hywel, Thomas Evan, 'Telynor o'r Drenewydd Nottais ym Morganwg', Morgan Pywel, Gwilym Tew (or Owain ap Rhydderch, or Ieuan ab Rhydderch), Twm ab Ifan ab Rhys, Gronwy William, Hywel Llwyd 'o Lancarfan', Wil. Tabwr, Dafydd Nicolas 'o Aberpergwm', Lewys William 'o Ferthyr Tydfyl', Thomas Williams, William Llywelyn, and Wm. Sanders 'o Landocheu'. The free-metre verse includes the words of songs written to specified airs. Other items in the volume include observations ?by Edward Williams after reading certain criticisms of John Hughes: An Essay on the Ancient and Present State of the Welsh Language [London, 1823] (pp. 113-114); notes on Welsh bardism (pp. 161-165); notes headed 'Etymologies that point out the origin and progress of civilization' (p. 167); extracts from Hugh Thomas: An Introduction to the British History [?London, ?1730] (pp. 169-171); a few Welsh triads and proverbs (pp. 227-228); a list of Welsh proverbs heard in Glamorganshire by [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg' arranged in alphabetical order according to the initial letter (incomplete, A-G only) (pp. 231-240); advisory or proverbial sayings attributed to Taliesin, Cattwn ddoeth, and Meugant (pp. 243-2444); a list of the ten commandments of St. Paul described as '. . . dengair deddf Pawl Sant y rhai a gafas efe o ben Iesu Grist . . .' (see John Williams: Barddas . . ., Vol. I, pp. 288-9) (p. 247); a list of Latin words commencing with the letter v with English meanings and Welsh ?derivatives (pp. 253-254); and (interspersed amongst other items), miscellaneous Welsh proverbs (pp. 241-end). In three instances the blank verso and margins of copies of a printed handbill (English) containing proposals, 1793, for publishing The Celtic Remains (vol. I by Lewis Morris, vol. II by Walter Davies) and of a printed handbill (Welsh) announcing an 'eisteddfod' to be held at Caerwys in 1798 under the patronage of the Gwyneddigion Society have been used for writing notes. A few loose leaves (pp. 261-268) have been placed in an archival envelope.

Letters, vol. I,

A volume made up of correspondence, poetry, printed items, etc. The letters, about one hundred and six in number, 1786-1806, are addressed (except where otherwise stated) to William Owen [-Pughe], and the correspondents, in alphabetical order, are the following: p. 505, Mary Belk, French Gate, Doncaster, 1805 (1, to Mrs. Owen) (mention of visions of Mrs. Southcott, etc.); p. 443, Edward Charles ['Siamas Wynedd'], London, n.d. (1) (he wishes to subscribe to the dictionary, a series of twelve 'englynion' ('Molawd y llyfr')); p. 471, Wm. Cunnington, Heytesbury, 1806 ( 1) (an account of Marden or Merden between Devizes and Everly [sic]); p. 278, J[ohn] Daniel, [Carmarthen, 1793] (1) (a note re copies ordered of the dictionary); pp. 239, 241, 245, Edwd. Davies, Sodbury, 1792 (2, and 'Scheme of an Essay on the History of the Bards') (sending a paraphrase of Taliesin's elegy on the death of Owain son of Urien prince of Reged); p. 470, Hugh Davies, Beaumares, 1806 (1) (mention of the abridgement of the addressee's great work, he has nearly completed the trifle containing the account of the British names of plants, a gout prescription); pp. 219, 273, 291, 501, Walter Davies, 'Gwallter Mechain', All Souls Col[lege], Oxford, and Myfod,1793-1805 and undated (4, one to Owen Jones) (the addressee's dictionary, the Cylchgrawn, re the return of Owen Jones's books, the writer's work in connection with the S.P.C.K. Welsh Bible, he is setting off for South Wales owing to Iolo [Morganwg]'s strange conduct); p. 163, G[eorge] Ellis, London, [1803] (1) (mention of Walter Scott, the Mabinogion, Leyden's opinion); p. 155, W[illiam] Gunn, Irstead, Norwich, 1803 (1) (the illness of his eldest daughter, requesting further assistance in identifying the British cities of Nennius, the 'Vindication of the Celts' by the addressee's friend); pp. 483, 488, 491, Richd. Hoare, [1805] (2, and a list of persons and places mentioned in the Hirlas poem) (various queries re Giraldus); pp. 281, 379, John Jones, curate of Llangadfan, Llangadfan, 1790 and [1793] (2) (the specimen of the addressee's dictionary, a request concerning a near relation (a girl) who is anxious to come to London); pp. 255, 263, 288 ('englynion'), 381, 439, Thomas Jones, Colommendy, Corwen, Llanrhaiadr in Mochant [sic], and Excise Office, Bristol, 1789-1795 (4, two to Edward Jones ['Bardd y Brenin']) (sending 'penillion' (enclosure wanting), the Bala Eisteddfod (1789), the St. Asaph Eisteddfod (1790), the addressee's proposed dictionary, chance and not choice has brought him to Bristol for two years, mention of John Evans, the Penmorfa Eisteddfod (1795), a young Quaker in Bristol (unnamed), the writer's health); pp. 267, 282, 289, 301, 303, 311, 339, 343, 367, 371, 373, 377, (?)387, 415, Will[iam] Jones, 'Cadfan' or 'Gwilym Cadfan', Llangadfan, 1789-1794 (13 and an address) (words for the dictionary, emigration, autobiographical details, an address 'To all indigenous Cam- brobritons', mention of Ezeckiel Hughes, etc.); p. 345, John Lloyd [Holywell postmark, 1790] (1) (hints concerning the specimen of the addressee's dictionary, subscribers' names); pp. 495, 497, Tho[mas] Lloyd, North Walsham, 1805 (2) (requesting translations of passages (specified) in the 'Wisdom of the Cymri [sic]', Iolo Morgannwg [sic] and the History of the Bards, the Welsh Archaiology); p. 385, Thomas Owans, New Inn, Llanrwst, 1791 (1, to Owen Jones) (a letter to the Gwyneddigion in London mentioning the Llanrwst Eisteddfod and hoping they will be no less assiduous in caring for the work of the old poets, reference to the manuscripts of Dafydd Sion, 'Dewi Fardd', at Trefriw, and to a manuscript of Welsh poetry belonging to Thomas Holland of Manchester, son of John Holland of Te[i]rdan in the parish of Llan-Elian yn rhos, co. Denbigh, his own circumstances); p. 159, Jane Owen, Nassau, New Providence, 1801 (1) ( her plight following the death of John Owen, with a cutting headed 'The Bahama Gazette', 16 Oct. 1801); pp. 285, 295, Richard Powel, 'Y Bardd Glas o'r Gader', Yspytty Ifan, 1793-1794 (2, one to [Thomas Jones, Llanrhaiadr y Mochnant]) (he has not yet received the medal, items of poetry addressed to Thomas Jones, William Owen [-Pughe], and [David Thomas] 'D. Ddu o Eryri '); pp. 277, 307, Morg[a]n J[ohn] Rhees, Carmarthen and Philadelphia, 1793 and 1796 (2 and a printed prospectus of the Cambrian Company); (continued)

pp. 349, 353, 403, 461, W[illiam] Richards, Lynn, 1790-1803 (4) (the addressee's proposed dictionary, the Welsh Indians, how he relinquished his design of compiling a small Welsh dictionary for the use of Gwŷr Dyfed chiefly, mention of three bungling Welsh dictionaries now set on foot); p. 271, Evan Richardson [i.e. Evan Pritchard], 'Ieuan ab Risiart alias Ieuan Llyn', Bryncroes, [17]93 (1) (wishing to know the price of the addressee's dictionary, whether to come to London); pp. 465, 467, 479, Griffith Roberts Senior, Surgeon &c., Dolgelley, 1804 (3) (intelligence that his son Jhon [sic] Roberts is dead, the writer's MSS); pp. 447, 449, D[avid] Samwell, 'D. Feddyg Du', [1797] (2) (the printed proclamation [of the (1798) Caerwys Eisteddfod]); pp. 249, 275, 313, 318, 319, 321, 325, 329, 333, 335, 357, 389, 393, 397, 419, 423, 427, 431, 435, 455, 457, David ( Dafydd) Thomas, 'Dafydd Ddu Eryri', writing from Waunfawr, Llanddeiniolen, Bettws Garmon, Caernarfon, Llanystumdwy, Plas Gwyn, Llanfair Bettws Geraint, and Amlwch, 1786-1798 (21) (literary matters, etc., including the intention of the writer and others to form a society called 'Eryron' (Snowdonians), Barddoniaeth Dafydd ab Guilym, draft proposals for printing 'A Guide to the British Language' by H. & D. Thomas, a draft title-page, etc., for 'Awdlau ar destynau Cymdeithas y Gwyneddigion i'r Eisteddfodau B. A. 1789, 1790, 1791 . . . gan Dafydd Ddu o'r Eryri', and items of poetry); p. 509, G[eorge] Thomson, Edinburgh, 1805 (1) (to Thomas Johnes, see NLW MS 13223C, p. 257) (a request for original Welsh airs, to be harmonized by Haydn); p. 399, John Walters, Cowbridge, 1790 (1) (re the specimen of the addressee's dictionary); and pp. 11, 25, 29, 33, 37, 41, 49, 53, 55, 59, 63, 67, 71, 75, 79, 83, 87, 91, 95, 99, 103, 107, 111, 115, 119, 123, 127, 131, 135, 139, 143, 147, 151, Edward Williams, 'Iolo Morganwg', writing mainly from Flimston but also from London, Llanrwst, Hafod Uchtryd, Cowbridge, and Gileston, 1788-1806 (33) (literary and personal matters). Some items of poetry are to be found in the letters (see under the names Edward Charles, Edward Davies, William Jones, Richard Powel, and David Thomas). At the beginning of the volume, pp. 3-10, 15-24, are a number of 'cywyddau' attributed to Dafydd ap Gwilym, with notes. These are in the autograph of Edward Williams, 'Iolo Morganwg', and they include the poems now known as 'Cywyddau'r Ychwanegiad'. Also in the volume are poetical compositions, some holograph, by Goronwy Owen (pp. 199-218, 451-3), and Lewis Morris, 'Llewelyn Ddu' (pp. 221-33), and instances of the work of the following poets: Edward Williams, 'Iolo Morganwg' (pp. 43-5, ?523-4, holograph), William Philyp [sic] (pp. 170-1), William Wynn, Person Llan- Gynhafal (pp. 189-96), Edm[un]d Price, Archiagon Meirionydd (pp. 197-8), Ieuan ap Hywel Swrdwal or Ieuan ap Rhydderch ap Ieuan Llwyd (pp. 235-7), [David Thomas], 'D[afydd] Dd[u] Er[yri]' (pp. 253-4, holograph), D. Pugh (pp. 529- 30), Robert Davies, Nantglyn (pp. 535-8), Jo. Davies ['Siôn Dafydd Las'] (p. 548), and 'Owen ap loan', Caer-gybi (pp. 553-6) with anonymous pieces on pp. 517-8 and 561-8. Miscellaneous items include the following: pp. 173-84, a transcript in the autograph of Evan Evans, 'Ieuan Fardd' or 'Ieuan Brydydd Hir', of the 'Mirabilia' associated with the 'Historia Brittonum' and of c. 57-66 of the Historia (cf. NLW MS 7011D, pp. 202-12, and NLW MS 1982 (Panton 13), ff. 42 verso-58 recto); pp. 259-62, extracts from certain Wynn of Gwydir papers headed 'Instances of the custom of making presents to the Judges' (? in the autograph of Paul Panton, senior); pp. 407-14, a list, under headings, of Welsh physical and geographical features (? in the autograph of David Thomas, 'Dafydd Ddu Eryri'); pp. 475-6, a list of diocesan registrars, etc.; p. 520, a note concerning the medals to be awarded at the Gwyneddigion eisteddfod of 1790 with mention of those for 1791; pp. 545-6, notes concerning Dr. John Davies of Mallwyd; and pp. 549-50, a list of 'British names of Shells & Crustaceous fish' and 'Prif gaerae ynys Brydain gynt'. The printed items comprise: p. 1, 'Trial by Jury' . . . A Song, sung . . . Feb. 4, 1795 in celebration of the . . . trials . . . and . . . acquittals of Thomas Hardy, John Horne Tooke, and John Thelwall . . .' by Edward Williams ['Iolo Morganwg']; pp. 166-7, 514-5, 540-1, a broadsheet containing 'Dull ac amcanion Cymdeithas y Cymreigyddion' by E[dward] Charles, 1796, and 'Cerdd y Cymreigyddion' by J[ohn] Jones, Glan y Gors (three copies, the first endorsed 'Mr. Owen from T. Roberts'); pp. 361- 3, 'Ode for the New Year', 1790, attributed elsewhere to David Samwell; pp. 365, 519, an announcement concerning the Gwyneddigion eisteddfod to be held at Bala the following Michaelmas [1789] and the subjects for the ensuing year (two copies); p. 521, 'Plan of the Triangles made use of for obtaining the Geometrical Distance and Altitude of Snowdon and Moel Eilio with respect to the Sea at Carnarvon. Augt. 1775' extracted from Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Vol. LXVII, Tab. XVIII, p. 788; pp. 525-8, 'The Arabic Alphabet' with notes (two copies); and p. 533, an announcement of the forthcoming publication of Heroic Odes and Elegies of Llywarch Hen, with translation by William Owen. There are also a few loose papers.