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Gruffudd ap Nicolas, fl. 1425-1456 Glamorgan (Wales) -- Boundaries
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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.

Miscellanea,

A composite volume containing notes, lists, transcripts, etc., of a very miscellaneous nature in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg'). The contents, pagination in brackets, include reflections on looking at the ruins of medieval castles more particularly those of Glamorgan (xi + xiv); lists or groups of Welsh words, sometimes with English definitions and / or illustrative excerpts from Welsh poems (5-8, 11, 13, 42-3, 45-52 72, 117, 124, 145-7, 163, 215, 218, 221-2, 227-9, 231, 233, 243-7, 251-4, 268, 302, 307, 316); a list of the titles of 'Cywyddau Ior[wer]th Morganwg' i.e. Edward Williams himself (9-10); a seven-stanza poem entitled 'Cân y Bore' by [Edward Williams] 'Iorwerth Morganwg' (15-19); brief lists of events with dates extracted from [Henry Rowlands:] Mona antiqua [restaurata] and [William] Camden [:?Britannia] (20-21); an extract relating to the 'cantrefi' of Morgannwg from 'Vol. 17, Plas Gwynn' [i.e. Panton MS 17 now NLW MS 1986] (22); notes on laws promulgated by Sir Robert Fitshammon [in Glamorgan in the late eleventh century] (53); brief notes headed 'Peculiarities of the orthography of Mr. Bassett of Lanelays Welsh MS. History of the 13 Knights' (41); brief notes referring to the Norman knights Sir Lawrence Berckrolls, Gilbert Humphrefil, and Sir William Le Esterling and the lands given to them [on the conquest of Glamorgan] (39- 40); brief notes headed 'Llyma son am Dywysogaeth a Phendefigaeth a Bonedd Morganwg' (36-7); a list of sixteen [Glamorgan] castles with brief notes thereon (34-5); notes relating to Morgannwg ? in the late eleventh and first half of the twelfth century with references to Paen Twrbil, an attack on Cardiff Castle ? led by Ifor Bach, a political and judicial system ? set up by Ifor Bach, a law promulgated by 'ffwg Morganwg' against foreigners, etc. (30-33); brief notes relating to meetings of the Welsh bards held in the various princes' courts four times a year ? during the second half of the eleventh century, the supervision of the bards' use of Welsh by the princes, the patronage of the bards by Rhys fab Tydyr Fawr and Nest, wife of Iestyn [ap Gwrgant], and a meeting arranged between the said Rhys, Nest, and Iestyn (27-9); brief notes relating to the division of his domain by Rhodri Mawr amongst his sons, the conditions imposed on them, the status and duties of the kings of various parts of Wales, etc. (24-6); drafts of a proposed title-page for Cyfrinach Beirdd Ynys Prydain to be published in 1822 (57, 68); lines of Welsh verse to illustrate 'cynghanedd' of the 'groes rywiog' type (58, 67); brief notes on and a sketch to illustrate 'Cylch yr Abred', 'Cylch y Gwynfyd', and 'Cylch y Ceugant' (59); a list of bardic 'gorseddau' (60-61); notes relating to the creation of the twenty-four Knights of the Round Table by King Arthur and to the qualities and duties expected of such knights, a list of the twenty- four accomplishments they should be capable of, and a list of the names of sixteen of the said knights (62-6); a brief note relating to the bardic 'Cadair Tir Iarll' ? instituted in the time of Gilbart y Clâr (69); a brief note referring to the bards Risiart ap Iorwerth Fynglwyd and Hywel Hir ap Rhys ap Llywelyn (78); notes headed 'Y Ford Gron' referring to the organising of the Welsh bards, musicians, etc. (81-2); notes relating to procedure in connection with bardic meetings (86-7); a brief note attacking 'Win. Owen, Edward Davies, a'r Hen darn Tant E. Jones' (87); a note relating to the contents of 'Greal Beirdd Morganwg' ? an intended quarterly periodical (94); notes relating to the knowledge of letters amongst the Cimmeri on their arrival in Britain and amongst the Druids with references to Roman inscriptions and ancient British inscriptions (95- 6); brief notes on solemn days or festivals observed by Glamorgan bards and the bardic 'Round Table' of Morgannwg (113); an extract from a 'cywydd' attributed to William Cynwal ? illustrating certain bardic terms (115); an example of the bardic alphabet allegedly used by the Welsh bards (118-19); notes relating to the migrations of the Cymry and their coming to Britain ( 125); a brief note on the possible uses of inscribing on billets of wood, etc. (127); a list of ancient Welsh musical instruments ('offer cerdd oslef yr hen Gymry') extracted allegedly from 'an old imperfect MS. in Goetre Hen Library circa 1767 borrowed by John Bradford' (128); a note referring to the genuine poems of Taliesin and the spurious poems attributed to him, the writer disclaiming responsibility for including some of the latter in the 'Welsh Archaiology' stating that his main work in connection therewith had been 'travelling thro' Wales in search of old MSS.' (132 + 129); notes relating to 'coelbrenni rhin', 'coelfeini cyfrin', etc. (137-8); notes referring to the reintroduction of the bardic 'Dosparth y Ford Gron' into Wales from Brittany by Rhys ap Tewdwr, a meeting ? in 1075 between Rhys and Iestyn ap Gwrgan for this purpose and ? to organise the order of Welsh bards and musicians, a further meeting between the two in 1077 leading to a quarrel concerning Nest, wife of Iestyn, the coming of Robert fab Ammon and the Norman knights to Iestyn's aid, and their eventual conquest of his realm (139-41); a suggestion relating to 'Y Bardd Glas o'r Gadair' and 'cynghanedd' (142-3); notes relating to bardic ceremonial headed 'Dosparth y Ford Gronn' (149-51); notes relating to ? the proclaiming of 'eisteddfodau', etc. (161-2); a brief note on the 'bardd teulu' (163); a brief note relating to the intellectual state of the [early] Cymry (169); general remarks contrasting the poets of North and South Wales (170-71); notes relating to the fate of the souls and spirits of men after death (177-9); a note relating to the work of the 'Welsh bards as tutors' (181); an anecdote relating to Einigan Gawr and Menw ap y Teirgwaedd and the origin of knowledge (183); transcripts of two 'awdlau' attributed to Prolh o Gil Fai and Iorwerth Llwyd ap y Gargam, stanzas attributed to Gwalchmai ap Meilir, and unattributed verse (187-97); extracts from [Edward Davies's series of 'Letters on Celtic Literature to Mr. Justice Harding previous to the publication of The Celtic Researches'] with occasional comments [by Edward Williams] (205-11); (continued)

A transcript of three of the old Welsh 'englynion' usually designated 'englynion y Juvencus' with a version in modern orthography [all probably transcribed from Edward Lhuyd: Archaeologia Britannica, p. 221] (212); copies of two 'englynion' by [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg' himself (215); extracts relating to the early Cimbrians or Kimmeri and their connection with Thrace (223); miscellaneous extracts from Welsh verse (225-6, 239-40); a list of titles headed 'Odes by E. Wins.' (232); an agricultural note headed 'Irish Course of Culture' (233); a list of personal names headed 'July 28th Bath. Poems delivered to' (234); a list of Welsh phrases headed 'Phrases in common use in Glamorgan & also amongst the Persians and other Mahometans' (249-50); two lists of Welsh triads the first headed 'Dewisolion o Drioed[d] Cerdd Iaco ap Dewi gerllaw dechreu Llyfr Mr. Thos. Evans o Frechfa', and the second 'Trioedd gweddus ar ddyn & ex idem (Dewisolion)' (273-6); extracts by [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg' from one of Lewis Morris's manuscripts called Prif Ancwyn Gorhoff' being No. 43 of the Welsh School Manuscript Collection in London including a version of the statute for Welsh bards and musicians attributed to Gruffydd ab Cynan ('Statud y Gwyr wrth Gerdd o waith Gruffydd ab Cynan'), bardic triads, a list, with examples of some, of the twenty-four Welsh strict poetic metres, lists with headings such as 'Saith cas ar ferched', 'Chwe casbeth gan Dduw', and 'Cas gan hwsmon bum peth', etc. (277-93; this manuscript numbered 43 was one of the manuscripts listed as missing from the Welsh School Collection when it was presented to the British Museum in 1844, see B. M. Additional MS 14955); a list of Welsh triads headed 'Dewisolion o Drioedd gweddus eu dysgu Iaco ab Dewi (Ll. Th. Evans)' (294-6); a copy of a proclamation that a 'Cadair wrth Gerdd Dafawd' would be held 'ar dwyn y Bettws yn Nhir Iarll' in 18[?2]1 (301); extracts from the preface to Thomas Jones: [An] English [and] Welsh Dictionary, 1811, with a comment by E[dward] W[illiams] (304-05); a list of eleven Glamorgan river-names ('enwau nentydd ag afonydd Morganwg') (312); historical notes relating to Welsh poetry including notes on the 'Silurian School', 'a monster to whom we may apply the appellation of the School of Carmarthen . . . engendered between the false Taste of Dafydd ap Edmund and the ignorance of Gruffudd ap Nicolas', the establishing of the Carmarthen school in North Wales and its duration for two centuries, the decline of the said school and the emergence of a new school with the coming of bards such as Hugh Morris, Edward Morys, etc., the attempts of the Gwyneddigion Society to revive the Carmarthen school in North Wales, the song-writing tradition in South Wales, and Richard Hughes, the sixteenth century Caernarvonshire poet, described as 'the oldest song writer of undoubted authenticity' [in North Wales] (313-14, 311-12); horticultural and agricultural notes giving instructions what to do in each month of the year (324, 321-3, 326, 319-20 ); and notes headed 'Llyma'r ddosparth a wnaeth y Brenin Arthur ar gadw achau a chof am fonhedd Cynhenid Cenedl y Cymry' (328-9). Some of the notes are written on the verso or margins of an incomplete copy of a pamphlet announcing a literary competition (composing a 'cywydd') organised by the Gwyneddigion in 1822, a ? holograph letter from William Williams from Cowbridge to Mr. Williams, Geilston, 1806 (requesting assistance in 'taking estimat of the work unfinis'd at the bridwell'), and copies of a pamphlet announcing the printing of Edward Williams's two volumes of English poems entitled Poems Lyric and Pastoral. Inset is a printed copy of a circular letter from Thomas Stephens as honorary secretary of the Merthyr Cymreigyddion Society, 184 . . ., announcing the society's intention of holding an eisteddfod on (blank), stating what the objectives of the society were, and asking for subscriptions.