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Owen, Goronwy, 1723-1769?
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'Cronfa Dafydd Ddu', etc.

A composite volume compiled by Owen Williams, Fronheulog, Waunfawr in 1857. It comprises: I. 'Y Gronfa' (pp. 1-200), largely in the hand of David Thomas ('Dafydd Ddu Eryri'), containing an introduction ('Y Rhagymadrodd') signed 4 October 1790; an English translation by D[avid] T[homas] of two lines of poetry by Gwalchmai; 'Cyfieithiad o Awdl Sibli (Sibyl's Ode, translated by the Revd. Gor[onwy] Owen)' ('See the above, versified in D. Thomas's poetical collection'); etymons of Mr Jones of Llanegryn, Mr L. Morris, and D. Tho[ma]s; extracts from letters from the Revd. Gor[onwy] Owen to Mr Richard Morris of the Navy Office, London, 1753-67; Welsh poetry by Bleddyn, Gwgon, Taliesin, Cynddelw [Brydydd Mawr], 'Guttun Gwrecsam' ('sef John Edwards neu Sion Ceiriog now dead'), Rhisiart Jones 'o Fôn, Syr Thomas Jones ('Iechyd i Galon yr hen offeiriad O na bai Gant o'i fath ynghymru y dydd heddyw'), Hywel ap Reinallt, Llywelyn Goch ap Meurig Hen (with a translation by Evan Evans ['Ieuan Fardd']), Hywel ap Dafydd ap Ieuan ap Rhys, Thomas Celli, Tudur Aled, D[avid] Thomas, Owen Williams (Waunfawr) (c.1820), Rhys Jones 'o'r Blaenau', and Goronwy Owen; English poetry by Alexander Pope, John Dyer, and Thomas Gray; anecdotes and biographical notes relating to Gruffydd Hiraethog, William Phylip, Sion Tudur, William Lleyn, etc.; 'Athrawiaeth y Gorphwysiadau', being rules of punctuation, copied in 1809 ('not intended for public inspection'); observations in verse on 'Barddoniaeth Gymreig', for publication in the North Wales Gazette, 1818; a holograph letter from D. Thomas to Robt. Williams, land surveyor, Bangor, 1820 (plagiarism of one of the writer's poems, comments on the poetry of 'Gutyn P[eris]', results of the Wrexham eisteddfod); 'Sibli's Prophecy. A Fragment from the Welsh', translated by D. Thomas; 'A Discourse between St Kybi and other saints on their passage to the Isle of Bardsey ...'; epithalamia to Dafydd Thomas and Elin, his wife, by [John Roberts] 'Siôn Lleyn', [Griffith Williams] 'Gutyn Peris', [William Williams] 'Gwilym Peris', and Dafydd Owain ('Bardd Gwyn o Eifion', i.e. 'Dewi Wyn o Eifion'), 1803-4; reviews by 'Adolygwr' of 'awdlau' by Walter Davies ['Gwallter Mechain'] and Edward Hughes ['Y Dryw'] on 'Amaethyddiaeth' submitted for competition at Tre Fadog eisteddfod, 1811; and critical observations on Welsh poetry entitled 'Ystyriaethau ar Brydyddiaeth Gymraeg ai pherthynasau yn gynnwysedig mewn rhai nodiadau ar waith Mr. T[homas] Jones ['Y Bardd Cloff'] yn y Greal', by 'Peblig', Glan Gwyrfai [i.e. 'Dafydd Ddu Eryri'] (published in Golud yr Oes, 1863, pp. 118-23), together with copies of two letters, 1806, to the author from 'Padarn' [i.e. 'Gutyn Peris'] and John Roberts ['Sion Lleyn'] containing their observations on the views set forth in the treatise. Pp. 61-8 are in the autograph of Owen Williams, Waunfawr. The compiler has included a few cover papers from manuscripts of 'Dafydd Ddu Eryri' bearing such inscriptions as 'This Morrisian MS (with some others) I found at a Farmhouse called Braint near Penmynydd, Anglesey, Sept. 9th 1793. D. Thomas' (p. 123) and 'This MSS (with several others) has been bequethed to me, by the Rev. David Ellis, late Rector of Cruccaith in Caernarvonshire. D. Thomas' (p. 189). Ii. The works of Griffith Williams ('Gutyn Peris'), Braich Talog, Llandegai, - 'Sef Casgliad, O Ganiadau, Carolau, a Cherddi, Ac awdlau, a Chowyddau, Ac Englynion ...', transcribed by Owen Williams, Ty ycha'r ffordd, Waun fawr, Llanbeblig, 1811, together with a few 'englynion' by Goronwy Owen (pp. 201-48). Iii. 'Bywyd a Marwolaeth Godidog Fardd, Dafydd Thomas; neu Dafydd Ddu, o Eryri', being a biography collected and transcribed by Owen Williams, Waunfawr; 'Casgliad Barddonawl O Waith Dafydd Ddu o Eryri, Y rhai a gyfansoddodd Yn ol ei argraffiad o Gorph y Gaingc' (imperfect) (1 page), 'Englynion ar Fedd Dafydd Thomas' by Dafydd Owen ('Dewi Wynn o Eifion'), Robert Williams ('Robert ap Gwilym Ddu' 'o'r Bettws Bach Eifion'), Griffith Williams ('Guttun Peris'), Richard Jones (Erw), Wm. Edward ('Gwilym Padarn'), and [Owen Williams]; 'englynion' by 'Dafydd Ddu Eryri', 1796-1815 and undated; and extracts from three letters from 'Dafydd Ddu Eryri' to P[eter] B[ailey] W[illiams], 1806-20 (the death of the recipient's parishioners in Llanberis and Llanrug, the death of the recipient's brother the Reverend Eliezer Williams, the displeasure of 'O[wain] Myfyr') (pp. 251-84). Iv. A transcript of Cofrestr o'r holl Lyfrau Printiedig ... (Llundain, 1717) (pp. 287-452). Inset are three leaves containing transcripts of a letter from Edmund Francis to [ ] (the writer's health, the recipient's preaching engagement) (incomplete) and of a letter from D. Thomas ['Dafydd Ddu Eryri'] to [John Roberts, 'Siôn Lleyn'], 1810 (the sale of the writer's [Corph y Gaingc]). Written on the inside lower cover is a long note by O[wen] Williams, Fronheulog, Waunfawr, 1857, of which the following is an extract, - 'Myfi a gesglais gynhwysedd y llyfr hwn o'r hen ysgrifiau a ddaeth i'm dwylaw oeddynt eiddo Dafydd Ddu Eryri ac a delais am eu rhwymo yn nghyd megys y gwelir yma er's llawer o flynyddoedd yn ol ...'.

Memoranda and accounts of 'Eben Fardd', etc.

A composite volume in the autograph of Ebenezer Thomas ('Eben Fardd') containing a summary of the main events of his life, 1802-58, notes concerning Goronwy Owen, David Thomas ('Dafydd Ddu Eryri') and David Owen ('Dewi Wyn o Eifion'), various accounts and memoranda, partly in pencil, including the following: 'Sepr 17 1844 Received from Mr Hugh Humphreys 144 copies (Printed) of my 'Harvest Hymns' 2/6. Distributed as follows ...', and 'Dr. Burton's Theory of the Millenium', lines entitled 'Contemplation on a River's Bank (From Eben Fardd)' by 'Bl. ab C.....n [i.e. a translation of 'Myfyrdod ar lan afon'], notes of an address or sermon in Welsh on education, and notes on the Hebrew alphabet, etc.

Miscellanea,

Miscellaneous papers and note-books containing notes, extracts, transcripts, lists, etc., in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') bound together in one volume. The contents of pp. 53-60, 73, 75, 86-9, 91, 143-206, 209-17, 233-8, and 279-90 consist mainly of lists or groups of Welsh words and phrases sometimes with English definitions and/or illustrative excerpts from the works of Welsh poets. Some of these lists or groups contain words extracted from one source such as poems by, or attributed to, Taliesin, or to be found in 'The Book of Taliesin', John Bunyan: Taith y Pererin, William Wotton: Cyfreithieu Hywel Dda . . . (London, 1730), etc. P. 13 is inscribed 'Glynn Papers 1821. Customs of the Manor of the Lordship of Coity Wallia. From a Copy in the Hand Writing of Richard Jenkins, Esqr., of Hensol Castle, Glamorgan, 1714', and is followed (pp. 17-27) by an incomplete copy of the presentments of a jury of survey for the lordship and manor of Coyty Wallia aforesaid [co. Glamorgan], 1631 [/2]. Other items in the volume include pp. 33-6, anecdotes relating to the brothers Richard and William Twrch and the building of the chapel (1586) and the porch (1600) at Bewper [ co. Glamorgan], with references to Inigo Jones (see also NLW MS. 13089E above); 37-41, a copy of Sir Walter Scott's 'Hymn to Christopher North, Esqr.' transcribed from Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, April 1821; 45-9, notes relating to the ruins of a ?Roman 'glass and pottery manufactory' near Caer Rhun [co. Caernarvon], and to nature in the languages and literatures of Wales and England; 69-71, a transcript of the answers to a questionnaire relating to the parish of Llantrithyd [co. Glamorgan]; 72, stanzas of ?two Welsh hymns; 83-4, notes on differences in the use of the verb in the Welsh of North and South Wales; 107-10, notes relating to the Welsh bardic tradition, more particularly the use of triads by the bards, with examples of such bardic triads and English translations; 112, a list of the persons (?commissioners) in whose presence the 'eisteddfod' was held at Caerwys [co. Flint] in 1565 (sic) and of the bards and musicians who were licensed at the said 'eisteddfod'; 113-34, ?extracts from [Paul Henri] Mallet: Northern Antiquities . . . [? the translation from the French by Thomas Percy, London, 1770] and [Joseph] Ritson: A Select Collection of English Songs (1783); 135-41, draft proposals for publishing a multi-volume work containing essays on aspects of Welsh literature, history, bardism, etc., with transcripts of, or extracts from, original Welsh documents and manuscripts relating thereto and English translations of the original source material (see Prospectus of Collections for a New History of Wales in Six Volumes . . . by Edward Williams (Carmarthen, 1819 )); 142, a note on the aims of 'Cymreigyddion Deheubarth, a Corresponding Literary (Philological) Society of South] W[ales]' and a list of six rules headed 'Unitarian Discipline and Polity'; 207-08, a list of Latin words, mainly common nouns, commencing with the letter v with English definitions and, occasionally, Welsh ? derivatives; 221, suggestions by E[dward] Williams re the cultivation of vineyards in Britain; 225-32, miscellaneous horticultural notes ('A New Method of propagating trees', 'A new . . . method of raising Cowcumbers', 'To ripen Grapes'), etc., extracted mainly from the Weekly Miscellany, [Philip] Miller: The Gardener's Dictionary . . ., and Ra[lph] Austen: A Treatise of Fruit Trees . . . ; (continued)

239-46, extracts ? from letters of L[ewis] Morris and a commonplace book of R[obert] Vaughan of Hengwrt relating to matters of Welsh etymological, bardic, and antiquarian interest, with comments, sometimes severely critical of the opinions expressed by Morris and Vaughan, added presumably by Edward Williams ('ignorance . . . inconsistency … willful lies, a complete triad of Lewis Morris' grand accomplishments', 'the abominable falshoods of Robert Vaughan'); 247 + 250, transcripts of 'englynion' attributed to Jenkin Richards and a note on Richards's religious attitudes (written on the blank margins, etc., of an incomplete copy of printed proposals, 1792, by [Sir] Herbert Croft for publishing a new edition of Dr . [Samuel] Johnson's Dictionary); 251-66, miscellaneous items including a list of the 'Names of Constellations in Wales', two notes relating to the bard Iolo [Goch], a note on a volume containing prophesies by various bards 'collected by Mr. Ellis Wynne of Las Ynys', ? an extract from a letter from W[illia]m Wynne to L[ewis] Mor[ris] relating to an ode by Goronwy [Owen] and his use of the 'Cadwyn fyr' measure, an extract from a letter from Edw[ar]d Llwyd to Robert Davies at Llannerch [co. Flint] referring to glass beads which may have been 'Roman or referable to our glain Neidr', an extract from a letter from R[ober]t Vaughan of Hengwrt to Archbishop Usher relating to the different yokes used in yoking oxen in Wales, a critical comment ? by Edward Williams on the opinions of Lewis Morris and [Robert] Vaughan of Hengwrt with regard to the story of Brutus, a brief note on 'The Cantref Breiniol' and the 'saith cantref' of Morganwg, an extract from a letter on the subject of freemasonry published in the Gentleman's Magazine, September 1794, lists of 'Y chwebeth a wnaeth i'r Brytaniaid golli anrhydedd ei Pendefigaeth', 'Meibion Cynfarch', 'Rhyfeddodau Ynys Prydain', 'Geiriau Gwir Taliesin', and 'Deuddeg pwnc cas gan Grist . . .', versions of the Lord's Prayer in Welsh, transcripts of four 'englynion' attributed to Huw Caerog, Huw Llyn, Hugh Pennant, and Wiliam Cynwal, and headed 'Englynion Eisteddfod Caerwys', extracts from various Welsh poems, etc.; 267-78, a fourteen point 'Outline of a Plan for a Complete and Superb History of the County of Glamorgan Sketched by Edward Williams, 1806'; 293 + 296, a memorandum of a proclamation, 1795, of a bardic meeting to be held at Pen Bryn Owain, co. Glamorgan, in 1796; 294-5, notes on Hywel Siôn of Brofeisgyn [co. Glamorgan] (2nd half 17th cent.) and 'Yr Hen Saphin' of Pen y bont ar Ogwr [co. Glamorgan] (? early 18th cent.), to both of whom many proverbial or popular sayings were attributed, and comments on the use of proverbs by the Welsh (? part of an introduction to a proposed collection of Welsh proverbs); 301-08, a copy of the introduction, the letter to the reader, and the notes on Arthur and his knights to be found at the beginning of Lewys Dwnn's volume of pedigrees of the families of cos. Carmarthen, Pembroke, and Cardigan (see S. R. Meyrick (ed.): Heraldic Visitations of Wales . . . by Lewys Dwnn . . . (Llandovery, 1846), pp. 7-10); and 309, a list of 'Grammars in the possession of E. Williams' (? 'Iolo Morganwg').