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Gwyneddigion Society Bards and bardism.
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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.

Miscellaneous poetry and prose,

A composite volume containing miscellaneous material, chiefly in the hand of William Owen [-Pughe] and lettered on the spine 'M.S.S., Vol. I'. The contents include: pp. 1-3, 'At y Beirdd yn Eisteddfod Caerwys', being a 'cywydd' by 'Y Bardd Clôff' [Thomas Jones]; p. 5, transcript of, and notes on, an inscription found at Pap Castle near Cockermouth, [Cumberland]; pp. 7-9, 'An outline of the Tale of Arthur and his Warriors, popular in Glamorgan and other parts of Wales, as given by Edward Williams'; pp. 11-13, notes on the Welsh and bardic alphabets, and the alphabet introduced by E. Llwyd [Edward Lhuyd] into his Archaeologia Britannica; pp. 17-18, further notes on Welsh orthography; pp. 19-24, 'Llyma Ystori Aza ac Eva - Wedi ithyny o' r ail Lyvyr o'r Beibl, yr hwn a elwir Genesys' (text published, see J. E. Caerwyn Williams: 'Ystorya Adaf ac Eua y Wreic', The National Library of Wales Journal, vol. VI, pp. [170]-75; this version is probably a copy of the text found in Wrexham MS 2 [NLW MS 873B], see the colophon at the end of the present text: 'Mez John Edmonde curad Tal-y-llyn. Adysgrived gan Gwilym Owain o Lyvyr Havod Uçdryd, Gorfenav 12d. 1799'); pp. 24-26, 'Llyma y saith gair azywed y doethion', and a series of questions and answers on Biblical and ecclesiastical subjects [cf. NLW MS 873B, pp. 138-42]; pp. 27-33, 'Llyma Ystori Titws Vesbessianws Arbenig a Filatws' (text published, see J. E. Caerwyn Williams: 'Ystorya Titus Aspassianus', The Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies, vol. IX, pp. 221-30; appended to the text is the following colophon: 'Gwilym Owain o Veirion a adysgrives hyn o lyvyr cylç 300 mlwyz oed, Gorfenav. 11d. 1799; Y llyvyr hwnw a berthynai i lyvrgell Havod Uçdryd' [cf. NLW MS 873B, pp. 83-90 ]); pp. 35 and pp. 37-38, drafts of two letters in the hand of William Owen [-Pughe], relating to the perusal of MSS and the compilation of his dictionary; p. 39, notes on bards and bardism; pp. 41, 43-44, onomastic notes attempting to prove the names 'Peebles', 'Fife' and 'Caledonia', to be of Welsh origin; p. 45, printed receipt, dated 7 January 1805, recording W[illia]m Owen [-Pughe]'s annual subscription to Cymdeithas y Gwyneddigion; p. 47, 'Proclamation for a Meeting of the Bards, at Midsummer, 1798' (printed); p. 51, printed proposals, dated 1801, for the second volume of Edward Jones, Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards . . .; pp. 53-54 a poem entitled 'To Maenwyn', beginning: 'Maenwyn, e'er Age had shook my head . . .', being a translation of 'Llywarch a Maen' (see Ifor Williams: Canu Llywarch Hen (Caerdydd, 1935) tt. 20-21); p. 55, proposals for encouraging the Welsh bards by means of eisteddfodau; p. 56, draft proposals, dated 1 February 1789, for printing a Welsh and English Dictionary by [William Owen-Pughe]; pp. 57-58, notes 'On the etimology [sic] of London'; p. 59, a list of Welsh words, some of which are followed by phrases and couplets illustrating their meaning; p. 60, 'Gwedy dwyn koron Lundeyn ay theyrn wyalen . . . Ac ny bu en oes Vaelgun, ac wrth henny ny alley hwnnw vot en Vael da hynaf' (text published, see Dafydd Jenkins: 'Llawysgrif Goll Llanforda o Gyfreithiau Hywel Dda', The Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies, vol. XIV, pp. 103-04); p. 62, a table and extract relating to the payment of 'galanas' (see Dafydd Jenkins, art. cit ., p. 102); (continued)

pp. 63-65, 'Trioedd ynys Brydain en Llyfr Coch o Hergest. Ex eodem col. 599', p. 65 bears a note in Latin by Iorwerth ab Madog, 'Transcript taken by Moses Williams from the original M.S. in the House of Mr. Llwyd of Penyrallt, near Bangor'; pp. 67-68, 'Association for exploring the Madawca Country', stating the objects of the society intent on an expedition to America in search of the White Padoucas; pp. 69-70, Slavonic versions of the Lord's Prayer with an attempt to correlate them with a Cornish version (incomplete); pp. 71-72, a poem by 'Meilirion', entitled 'On the Revolution', and beginning: 'Hail sons of Cambria, bards of ancient lore . . .'; p. 73, notes on 'Brigant', a type of dance, in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg'), including tunes entitled: 'Canu cylch y Brigant' and 'Canu rhedfa'r Brigant'; pp. 75-76, draft title of 'A Comparison Between The Erse language as contained in Shaw's Dictionary and the Welsh in II Parts. done in December 1797 by W.O.'; p. 77, a vocabulary of the terms of rhetoric; p. 78, draft proposals in English and Welsh for printing a guide to the Welsh language; p. 79, printed proposals for printing by subscription, Poems Lyric and Pastoral . . . by Edward Williams; p. 81, notes on 'Lleiku Llwyd' and 'Llywelyn Goch ab Meyrig Hen'; pp. 83-84, 'Hanes am grëad y Byd', being the beginning of the book of Genesis, written in William Owen [-Pughe]'s own orthography; pp. 85-86, further notes on the 'Etymology of London'; p. 87, [?] draft inscription for the tombstone of Robert Hughes, 'Robin Ddu yr Ail o Fôn'; p. 89, 'Cywydd Marwnad Robert Hughes o Fon. 1785' attributed in pencil to 'Sion Lleyn' [John Roberts, Pwllheli], beginning: 'Clywyd clych mynych ym Môn . . .'; p. 91, a list of some MSS of Welsh interest in the Cotton library; pp. 93-96, a collection of fifty-three miscellaneous 'englynion'; pp. 97-103, a paraphrase of a portion of the book of Job, chapters 38-41; pp. 105-06, 'Plan for exploring the country of the Padoucas, commonly denominated the White, or Welsh Indians . . .'; p. 108, invitation dated 2 Oct. 1784, to a meeting of the Cymmrodorion Society addressed to Mr. [William] Owen [-Pughe]; p. 109, a printed ticket ( blank) to the St. David's Day meeting of 'Cymdeithas y Gwyneddigion'; p. III, notice, dated 29 May 1784, of a meeting of the Cymmrodorion Society, addressed to Mr. [William] Owen [-Pughe]; p. 113, 'Cerdd arferol ei chanu gan y Gwyneddigion; Wrth dderbyn Cyfeillion', a printed poem beginning: 'Cyd unwn Wyneddigion, Brodorion freiscion fryd . . . '; p. 115, 'Buddugoliaeth Rhydd-did. Can Newydd', a printed poem by [Edward Williams ], 'Iolo Morganwg', beginning: 'Y Diddig Brydyddion, Wyr glewion o'n Gwlad . . .'; pp. 117-18, notes on punctuation and emphasis; p. 119, four 'englynion' headed: '1798 Un 87 o'i oed', by Rhys Jones, beginning: 'Rho fawl tro buddiol tra byddaf - erglyw . . .', together with another two entitled: 'I'w Wyr', beginning: 'Glân yr â'r baban i'r bedd . . .'; pp. 121-22, notes on the words 'Derwydd', 'Bardd' and 'Ofydd'; p. 123, English and Welsh versions of eleven Psalm-like verses, beginning: 'Simple are the children of the mountains, but their hearts beat high in their breasts'; p. 127, a copy of [?the Lord's Prayer] in unpointed Hebrew; and pp. 129-42, a draft by David Samwell, in the author's autograph, of portions of 'The Padouca Hunt', a satire on a debate by the Caractacan Society in 1791 on the existence of the Welsh Indians; and a printed booklet entitled: Araeth y Gwir Anrhydeddus Iarll Caernarfon, Yn Nghyfarfod Aelodau Lleyg Eglwys Loegr, a gynnaliwyd yn Winchester, Swydd Hants, Mehefin 29, 1834 . . . (Bala: R. Saunderson, 1834).