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Davies, John, d. 1694
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Barddoniaeth,

A volume containing transcripts of Welsh verse in strict metre (consisting mainly of 'cywyddau') transcribed, October [18]89 - February [18]90, by I[saac] F[oulkes] [newspaper proprietor and publisher]. Many of the poems are annotated to indicate that they were copied out of a volume in the possession of 'W.J.' of Llangollen, and the whole work appears to be an incomplete transcript of NLW MS 670D, which itself consists of a collection of Welsh poems transcribed by William Jones ('Bleddyn'), antiquary, local historian, etc., of Llangollen. The poets whose work is represented include Gwerfil Mechain, Howel Dafi alias Hywel ap Dafydd ap Ieuan ap Rys (Bardd Raglan), Sion ap Phelppot, Robert ap Dafydd Llwyd, Iorwerth Fynglwyd, Dafydd Llwyd ap Llywelyn ap Gruffydd (o Fathafarn), John ap Howel ap Tudur, Huw Cae Llwyd, Lewys Daron, Bedo Brwynllys, ? Gruffydd ap Ieuan Fychan, Syr Rhys o Garno, Morus ap Hywel ap Tudur, Gruffydd Hiraethog, Huw Llwyd Cynfael, Ifan Tew, Dafydd Nanmor, Cadwaladr Cesail, Huw Ifan ap Huw (o'r Bryn bychan), John Ifan, Rhisiart Cynwal, Huw Machno, Syr John Leiaf, Huw Pennant, Rhys Nanmor, Sion Dafydd Penllyn alias Sion Dafydd Las alias y Bardd Meddw (o Nannau), Syr Dafydd Owain, Gruffydd ab Ieuan ab Llewelyn Fychan, Hywel Cilan, Lewis Môn, Hywel Gethin, Efan ab Gruffydd Leiaf, Watkyn ab Risiart, Hywel ap Reinallt, Mathau Bromffield, Watkyn Clywedog, William Lleyn (Bencerdd), William Cynwal, Simwnt Fychan (Bencerdd), Euan Llafar, Thomas Prys (o Blasiolyn), William Vaughan, Huw Arwystli, Sion Phylip, Richard Phylip, Ifan Dyfi, Lewis Menai, Dafydd Owen, and Llewelyn ap Gutyn. A note on p. 123 indicates that three 'englynion' by [Thomas Edwards] 'Twm o'r Nant', which were to be found at this point in W[illiam] J[ones]'s volume [NLW MS 670D], had not been copied by the transcriber, as he intended including them in a proposed new edition of that poet's works, to be published by him in 1889. A second note on the same page indicates that, similarly, fourteen 'cywyddau' by Tudur Aled had not been transcribed in the present volume, but had been copied into another book, with the intention of publishing these and other poems by the same bard, together with poems by Guto'r Glyn and Sion Tudur. In fact, fourteen 'cywyddau' and four other poems by Tudur Aled, and all of the poems by Guto'r Glyn and Sion Tudur, which appear in NLW MS 670D, have been omitted from the present volume, the presence of poems by the two latter bards in NLW MS 670D being usually indicated by the transcriber by quoting the title, or title and first line, of such works. A note on p. 153 states that eighty ' cywyddau' by Dafydd ap Gwilym [which appeared in William Jones's book, i.e ., NLW MS 670D, pp. 149-263], had been used to correct the published edition of that poet's work ('Yma daw LXXX Cywydd o waith Dafydd ab Gwilym, y rhai a ddefnyddiwyd i gywiro ei waith argraffedig'). These eighty poems, and also five retaliatory poems composed by Gruffydd Grug, in a poetic contention with Dafydd ap Gwilym, and found interspersed among the eighty 'cywyddau', have been omitted from the present volume. A further note on p. 264 states that the last three 'cywyddau' [in NLW MS 670D] had not been copied, as the transcriber believed the text to be so corrupt, that they did not merit transcription. A fly-leaf is marked 'Bk i', and this possibly connects the volume with NLW MS 19313, which, marked on a fly-leaf 'Bk ii', consists of a similar volume of Welsh verse transcribed, March - April [18]90, by I[saac] F[oulkes], again, by inference, from a book in the possession of W[illiam] J[ones].

Isaac Foulkes.

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.