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Giraldus, Cambrensis, 1146?-1223?
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Extracts from the scriptures; rules of the South Wales Unitarian Society; etc.

Miscellaneous papers, home-made booklets, etc., containing various items in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') bound together in one volume. A considerable part of the volume is devoted to extracts from the Old and New Testaments in English and Welsh (sometimes grouped together as illustrative of specified ideas or subjects - 'Iesu Grist yn Ddyn', 'Iesu Grist yn ddarostyngedig i'r Tad', 'Aberth Crist', 'Divine Unity', etc.) and lists of textual references from the two Testaments grouped under headings such as 'Mab Duw', 'Mab y Dyn', 'Meibion Duw', 'Iachawdwriaeth', 'Satan', 'Yspryd Glân', 'Crist', and similar topics. Other items in the volume, pagination in brackets, include a transcript of an 'englyn' (this item possibly in the hand of Edward Williams's son Taliesin Williams) and an extract from [William] Warrington [: The History of Wales] relating to the Welsh in the time of Giraldus Cambrensis (10-11); a list in Welsh of the rules of the South Wales Unitarian Society ('Rheolau a Threfniadau Cymdeithas Dwyfundodiaid Deheubarth Cymru a gyttunwyd arnynt gan Henuriaid y Gymdeithas yn eu Cyfarfod Cyffredinol yn y Gelli Onnen ym Morganwg arddydd Gwener yr wythfed o Fis Hydref yn y Flwyddyn 1802') with an introductory note on the aims of the society (159-74); a list of the names of people ? connected with, or members of, the aforementioned Unitarian Society (175-7); a brief list of expressions or sayings in Welsh attributed to Charles Winter [Arminian Baptist] minister at Craig Fargod [co. Glamorgan] (178); a small, home-made booklet inscribed on the outside cover (203) 'Hints for a New Modification of the Rules of the South-Walian Unitarian Society, 1816', the rules themselves bearing the superscription (205) 'Rules of the S[outh] Walian Churches of Unitarian Christians coassociated for the purposes of restoring what appears to them to be the undebased Religion of Jesus Christ by an attempt to institute an Apostolical Ministry and for the diffusion of Religious and Moral knowledge by the distribution of Books' (203-18); transcripts of an unattributed 'englyn' and of five stanzas of a Welsh hymn (228); a draft version of the religious booklet published by 'Cymdeithas Dwyfundodiaid Deheubarth Cymru' under the title Holiadur neu Addysgiadau Cyffredin, Hawl ac Atteb, yn Athrawiaethau a Dyledswyddau Crefydd . . . (Merthyr Tydfil, 1814), being a translation by [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg', who describes himself as 'Bardd Cymdeithas Dwyfundodiaid Deheubarth Cymru', of the second edition of a work by J[ohn] P[rior] Estlin, possibly that author's General Instructions in the Doctrines and Duties of Religion (230- 57); draft versions of the words of six Welsh hymns, versions of five of which appear in an appendix to the aforementioned booklet called Holiadur neu Addysgiadau Cyffredin . . . (257-61); another version of the rules of the South Wales Unitarian Society to be found on pp. 159-74 above having the slightly variant title 'Rheolau a Threfniadau Cymdeithas Dwyfundodiaid Deheubarth Cymru yr honn a ymgorpholwyd ddydd Gwener yr wythfed o Fis Hydref 1802' and an extended introduction, and being followed by a list of six names, including that of Edward Williams himself, headed 'Cyfeistedd 1802', and a further list of forty-one names being those of the principal members ('prif aelodau') of the society (274-98); (continued)

Notes relating to public meetings for the purpose of religious exercises, religious discipline, etc . (310-14); incomplete critical observations on the content and poetic form of a collection of hymns by T. Evans ['Tomos Glyn Cothi'] i.e. [ Thomas Evans: Cyfansoddiad o Hymnau wedi cael eu hamcanu at Addoliad Cyhoeddus ag yn enwedig at Wasanaeth Undodiaid Cristianogol (Caerfyrddin, 1811)] (321-3); another version in Welsh of the rules of the South Wales Unitarian Society (326-38); a draft version of a letter addressed, by inference, by Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') to the bishop of St. David' s referring to one of the recipient's predecessors 'Bishop [Samuel] Horseley, the cursing and swearing Horseley', the said bishop's attack on the Unitarians ('he began to cudgel the South Walian Unitarians . . . huge host of Unitarian hunters'), the stand made by the Unitarians, their formation of 'the first professedly Unitarian Congregation', the writer's sympathy for the cause, his conception of 'the idea of a Southwalian Unitarian Society for the promotion of genuine Christianity by the distribution of Books', the first annual meeting of the said society in 1802 ('18 individuals'), the growth of the society, etc. (342-5); the words, six stanzas, of a Welsh psalm tune (347); miscellanea including extracts from The Monthly Review [November 1802], The Monthly Register, November 1802, the Bishop of Landaff's charge [to the clergy], 1802, and ? The Crit[ical] Review, 1802 (350-56); transcripts of three stanzas of Welsh religious verse by [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg', an 'englyn' attributed to Wm. Moses, and three further stanzas of verse (two in Welsh and one in English) attributed to the said Wm. Moses (362-4); another version in Welsh of the rules and regulations of the South Wales Unitarian Society drawn up at a general meeting held at Gelli Onnen, co. Glamorgan, 7 October 1802 (vide above where the date is given as 8 October) (366-84); an undated list of 'Subscribers to the Unitarian Society' ? in Aberdare, Romney, and Merthyr [co. Glamorgan] (413-14); a list of fifteen topics under the superscription 'Scriptural Researches. By Edward Williams' (422); briefer versions in Welsh of eight of the rules of the aforementioned South Wales Unitarian Society with a list of the names of members and their subscriptions (426-31); further notes relating to the South Wales Unitarian Society (434-41); notes headed 'Paham yr ydwyd yn Gristion' (442- 5); ? a copy of a proposed title-page for an intended pamphlet on the existence of the devil by Edward Williams under the title 'Scriptural Researches No. 9' (450); and an incomplete English version of the introduction or preface to the rules of the aforementioned South Wales Unitarian Society (458-62).

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.