Showing 7 results

Archival description
Ussher, James, 1581-1656.
Print preview View:

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').

Miscellanea,

Miscellaneous papers containing notes, lists, jottings, etc., of an extremely varied nature in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') bound together in one volume. The contents include pp. 15-18, ? a draft of a proposed title-page and table of contents (as per chapter) of a proposed work by Edward Williams to be called 'Dissertations Historical and Critical on the Ancient British Bards and Druids'; 24, a brief note mentioning a dissenting congregation at Blaen Cannaid [co. Glamorgan] circa 1690, which split into three sections which moved (i) to Cwm y Glo, (2) to Llanvabon and thence to Hengoed, and (3) to Mynwent y Cwacers and thence to Tref y Rhyg; 26, a brief note on [the Reverend John] Walters; 27, a list of eleven topics under the superscription 'An Analytical Dissertation on the Welsh Language' (? an outline plan for a book); 30, a list of Welsh historical source material headed 'Documents of Ancient British History. Translated from the Welsh. By E. Wms' (? relevant to a proposed volume); 31, a list of ? chapter subject headings under the superscription 'Historical Dissertations on ye an[cien]t Brit[ish] B[ar]ds and Dr[ui]ds' (? relevant to a proposed volume); 45, a list headed 'Testunau Barddoniaeth a roddwyd yngorsedd Alban Arthan ar Ben Bryn Owain ym Morganwg . . . 1796'; 49 + 51, a copy of the reputed Welsh bardic alphabet ('Llymma ddarddangos ar Goelbrenn y Beirdd . . .'); 57-8, brief notes relating to American Indians; 65, brief notes on Venantius Fortunatus's opinion concerning the harp, etc. (from [J. C.] Walker: Historical Memoirs of the Irish Bards) and on Dafydd Williams, vicar of Penllin [co. Glamorgan], ob. 1690; 67-9, 73-4, 155, philosophical notes relating to 'savagism', the suppression of evil, marks of civilisation, etc.; 79-81, further notes relating to ? American Indians; 85, a note on the advantages and disadvantages of Glamorgan as a place for 'elegant rural retirement'; 87-8, extracts from, or comments on statements in, the Cambrian Visitor [1813]; 94-6, ? a copy of a letter to Dafydd Sanders criticising some of his poetic work including an 'awdl'; 104-05, a note relating to 'coelbren y beirdd'; 122, 135, 228, a few miscellaneous triads; 123-7, notes relating to Owen Jones ('Myfyr'), his connection with the Gwyneddigion Society, his part in the publication of the Myvyrian Archaiology, and his project for transcribing the works of the Welsh bards employing 'Charles and Vaughan . . . to transcribe for him at so much per week together with victuals'; 154, a list of the 'Contents of Revd. Mr. Thomas of Bonvilston's MSS'; 157-8, 'Notes for A push at the pillars of Priestcraft'; 161-4, comments on baptism, communion, the formation of religious groups or societies without priests and upholding freedom of belief and conscience, etc.; 169, ? a list of the literary competitions at an 'eisteddfod' to be held at Carmarthen in August 1823; 177, a note on the English language; 179-81, notes relating to George Thomas of Lisworney [co. Glamorgan], circa 1650, and an extant manuscript volume containing religious treatises, expositions of scripture, etc., ? compiled by him; 186, notes on 'bargodfardd' and 'bargodiain'; 187, a transcript of three stanzas of English verse called 'The withered rose'; 189, a note on Dafydd Nanmor; 192, a brief note referring to early Christianity in Glamorgan and to 'Prince Morgan' from whom the country obtained its name; 197, a comment on 'eisteddfod Caerfyrddin', N.D.; 199, ? a draft of a proposed title-page for Cyfrinach Beirdd Ynys Prydain; 201, notes relating to Maelgwn Hir, Talhaiarn Fardd, and Taliesin Ben Beirdd; 205-09, an account of the discovery of inscribed stones and of pottery near the village of Myddfai [co. Carmarthen] by J. J. Holford in 18 . . ., with copies of the inscriptions; 212, notes headed 'Amseryddiaeth Escob Usher'; 213-16, extracts from, or comments referring to, [Thomas] Pennant: Tour in Wales and [William] Bingley: A Tour Round North Wales [1800], Vol. II; 217, a note on the districts, hundreds, etc., of Glamorgan; 221, a list of names of persons headed 'Bridgend Quarry' (? owners or developers of); 225, a list of ? bardic grades ('Llyma fal y dosparthant y Trosedigion nid amgen na'r gwyr wrth addysg cerdd dafawd a'i pherthynasau'); 230, ? a list of chapter or section headings under the superscription 'Inquiries into the origin and Progress of Letters amongst the Ancient Britons' (? for a work of that title); 234, a list with the superscription 'Naw Cylmawd Cadair Cerdd dafawd'; 235, a short list of Welsh poets, 14th-15th cent., with dates and a few notes; 237, ? chapter or section headings for a study of the 'History of the Bards'; 239, notes with the superscription 'Appendix to the History of the Bards'; 241, a short list of 'Works on ancient mythology to be consulted illustrative of some things in the History of the Bards'; 245, draft proposals for a second edition of Edward Williams: Poems Lyric and Pastoral; 246, brief notes on the language, etc., of medieval Welsh poets, D[afydd ap] G[wilym], etc.; 247, a note on the wrongful attribution of poems to certain Welsh poets; 249, a brief note re the ancient literature of North Wales and the 'Life of Gruffudd ap Cynan'; 252, genealogical data; 255, a list of ? titles of English poems headed 'for printing' (some of these correspond to the titles of the poems in Edward Williams: Poems Lyric and Pastoral); (continued)

256, notes on Fonmon Castle, Boverton Court, and Lantrithyd house [co. Glamorgan]; 257, instructions or rules relating to the submission of poems in competitions for bardic chairs and for bardic grades ('am radd'); 263, 265-6, notes relating to the accentuation of Welsh words and the use of monosyllabic and polysyllabic words in this context; 264-5, a brief note on the 'peithynen' with suggestions that the English also had a method of writing by inscribing on wood; 269-70, draft proposals for publishing a Welsh version of a treatise on rhetoric by [Anthony] Blackwall ('Traethawd ar Areithyddiaeth O Saesoneg y dysgedig Dr. Blackwall gan [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg'); 272, a plan of a fruit garden; 275 + 279 + 281, a draft title-page for, or proposals for publishing, Cyfrinach Beirdd Ynys Prydain; 284 + 289, lists of 'houses in Cowbridge' and 'houses in Lantwit'; and 286, notes on 'coelbren beithyn' and 'coelbren gildwrn'. Interspersed amongst these items are groups or lists of Welsh words, transcripts of Welsh verse, extracts from Welsh poems, and other historical and literary miscellanea. In some instances notes have been written on the blank dorse or margins of a printed leaflet, 1798, proclaiming that an invitation had been extended, 1797, to bards to repair to Primrose Hill, London, Tyle y Gawl, Glamorgan, and Caerwys [co. Flint], for bardic meetings; printed proposals for publishing Edward Williams's two volumes of English verse Poems Lyric and Pastoral in 1792; a ? holograph note from Mr. Dunn from St. Athans, to Mr. [Edward] Williams re the erection of a monument (in third person); a printed leaflet advertising 'New Music written and composed by John Parry' which was for sale; a printed leaflet advertising the sale by auction at Newton Nottage, Glamorganshire, September 1813, of the 'materials of the sloop Friends'; a ? holograph letter from J[ohn] Hughes from Brecon, to Mr. Edwd. Williams, Merthyr Tydfil [circa 1822], relating to the writer's Essay [?Essay on the Ancient and Present State of the Welsh Language, 1822] being prepared for publication (the letter is endorsed with a note in the hand of Edward Williams stating that 'Mr. Job James the Printer of this work' was unable to complete the printing of the said work as soon as had been hoped owing to certain difficulties including the fact that his office' was not furnished with some types and characters that were found necessary' and that 'the ordering and waiting for them' had caused delay; this note does not refer to John Hughes's Essay but, in all probability, to Edward Williams's own work Cyfrinach Beirdd Ynys Prydain, publication of which was held up for the reasons specified in the note ('o eisiau digon o lythyrennau argraph'; see the introduction to the work)); a ? holograph, undated note from B. Williams to Mr. Williams re sending twenty grains of crude opium; printed proposals for publishing Cyfrinach Beirdd Ynys Prydain in 1821; and a printed circular dated 16 August 1820 containing an appeal for funds for the completion of a Unitarian chapel at Merthyr Tydfil.

Introduction to British History, &c.

A volume containing an account of the manuscripts transcribed by Evan Evans (Ieuan Fardd) in the form of a dedicatory letter, dated 8 August 1785, addressed to Sir Roger Mostyn (pp. 1-15), together with his introduction to British History (pp. 17-132). The text includes many quotations and extracts from Robert Vaughan, William Jones, Bishop Humphrey Humphreys, from Greek and Latin authors, etc.

Gildas; Nennius; Dissertatio de Bardis

A manuscript in the hand of Evan Evans (Ieuan Fardd) containing 'Archbishop Usher's Copy of Gildas Nennius transcribed from Llannerch Library' (ff. 1-74); 'Gilda Minor' (ff. 81-83) and a treatise in Latin on the Welsh bards (ff. 85-106).

Various extracts

A composite volume, in the hand of Evan Evans, containing notes on Nennius and Gildas, which include twelve triads in Welsh, copies of letters to Archbishop Ussher from Robert Vaughan, Edward Brownker and Gerard Langbaine, together with extracts from a letter from Archbishop Ussher to William Camden (ff. 1-89); pedigrees of rulers and saints (ff. 92-121, 124-132), with copious notes regarding the sources of the texts; poetry by Guto'r Glyn (f. 122); a copy of a charter of Rhos Fynach, Conwy (ff. 145- 147); etc.

Notes on theology

A volume, 1696-[early 18 cent.], in the hand of John Tibbots, later Vicar of Darowen, compiled mostly whilst a student at Oriel College, Oxford, containing notes and transcripts in English, Latin and Welsh on subjects including theology, church history and logic and including also several sermons.
The notes are taken from several books, including [Matthew Parker], De Antiquitate Britannicae Ecclesiae (London: J. Day, 1572, STC 19292) (f. 3); Henry Aldrich, Artis Logicae Compendium (Oxford: e Theatro Sheldoniano, 1691, Wing A896) (ff. 6-11); Jeremy Collier, Essays Upon Several Moral Subjects, Part 2 (London: R. Sare and H. Hindmarsh, 1697, Wing C5253), pp. 17, 25 (f. 23 verso); John Tillotson, Sermons Preach'd Upon Several Occasions (London, 1678, Wing T1260bA), pp. 175-200 (ff. 24-33); three sermons from The Works of the Reverend and Learned John Lightfoot D.D. (London, 1684, Wing L2051), pp. 1135-40, 1163-4, 1303-5 (ff. 33 verso-45 verso); [Simon Patrick], A Discourse of Profiting by Sermons (London: T. Basset, B. Tooke, F. Gardiner, 1683, Wing P790), pp. 2-9 (ff. 46-48); John Goodman, A Sermon Preached...at the Guild-Hall Chappel on Decemb. 18th 1681 (London: R. Royston, 1681, Wing G1126), pp. 1-33 (ff. 52-62); James Ussher, The Annals of the World (London: J. Crook and G. Bedell, 1658, Wing U149), pp. 1-2 (f. 63 recto-verso); John Tillotson, Six Sermons (London: B. Aylmer and W. Rogers, 1694, Wing T1268), pp. 247-286 (ff. 64-71 verso); [Charles Leslie], An Answer to a Book (London: [n. pub.], 1692, Wing L1120), pp. [vii]-[xxii], 1-19 (ff. 77 verso-82 verso); [Francis Gastrell], Some considerations concerning the Trinity (London: E. Whitlock, 1696, Wing G303), pp. 1-12 (ff. 83-86 verso); [Louis Jobert], The Knowledge of Medals (London: William Rogers, 1697, Wing J755), pp. 1-5 (ff. 88-89 verso); and John Wagstaffe, The Question of Witchcraft Debated (London: Edward Millington, 1669, Wing 198), pp. 4-15 (ff. 90-91). The single text in Welsh is a short homily to be read to repenting adulterers, entitled 'Coffaad bur neu Ddarn o rybydh i dorwyr priodas a godinebwyr...', apparently unpublished (ff. 74 verso-77). A short memorandum concerning butter, [1792], is on f. 2 verso.

Tibbots, John, 1677 or 1678-1735

Letter to James Ussher and Welsh poetry

A letter, in English, from Robert Vaughan of Hengwrt to James Ussher, archbishop of Armagh, concerning the dating of various historical events (pp. 1-44); and cywyddau and awdlau of Tudur Penllyn, Ieuan Tudur Penllyn and Dafydd Nanmor in the hand of Robert Vaughan (pp. 45-171).

Vaughan, Robert, 1592-1667