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Cause book, 1659-87, of John Maddocks (1601-62), Bodfari, co. Flint, containing lists of the civil cases heard on the Chester and North Wales circuits of the Great Sessions in Wales, April 1659 - October 1661 and October 1659 - September 1661 respectively, in which he appeared as an advocate (ff. 2-36; 170-84 verso inverted text); two civil cases heard in the Great Sessions for co. Denbigh, August 1666, are listed in another hand on f. 37. The volume was later used by another scribe (the entry on f. 156 verso is in another hand who also added memoranda on f. 186 verso) to copy extracts from the court book of the bishop of Bangor's manors of Llan, Llech and Llanelidan, co. Denbigh, for sessions held May 1683 - November 1687 before John Maddocks, steward, probably the advocate's son (ff. 156 verso-68 verso inverted text). Other items comprise legal and financial memoranda, including a list, 1662, in the hand of Edward Wynne of bonds delivered by him (f. 185 recto-verso inverted text).

A volume of pedigrees in Welsh and English, evidently compiled in Carmarthenshire about 1663 (see f. 193). The collection is poorly organised. Carmarthenshire families predominate; Cardiganshire and Pembrokeshire are well represented; some pedigrees for other parts of Wales. Mostly based on earlier sources, many on the pattern of achau'r mamau and in Welsh, many coming down to the years 1625-1628. Sources named are 'John Moythe's book' (ff. 117-124 passim) and 'Thomas Johnes of Fountaine Gate' (f. 120 verso). Folios 1-22 contain world chronology, biblical and royal lines, down to Charles II. Additions, mostly of Carmarthenshire interest, by several hands of XVII and XVIII cent., notably by an annotator active in 1706 and, it appears, by John Jones of Pant-glas (fl. 1706-1744) (see ff. 26 verso, 45 versoi, 184, 193).

An interleaved copy of Christoph Helwig, Theatrum historicum et chronologicum . . ., Ed. sexta (Oxoniae, 1662), with some manuscript additions (the solar cycle, lunar cycle, Dominical letter, the date of Easter, and the corresponding year in the Hegira or Mohammedan era, etc.). Written on some of the blank leaves at the beginning and end of the volume are genealogical memoranda concerning the family of Humphrey Humphreys, bishop of Bangor and afterwards of Hereford (see also the note facing p. 178), and facing one of the pages of the Index there is a list of dates concerning William Lloyd, bishop of St. Asaph.

Pedigree (ff. 1-4) and achievement (f. 4), [1664x1673], of George Gwynne of Llwyn Hywel, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, and Llanelwedd, Radnorshire, with one hundred and nineteen other coats of arms, all emblazoned and painted, probably compiled by David Edwardes, Rhyd-y-gors, Carmarthenshire.
The pedigree is traced, sometimes spuriously, from Gwyriad (fl. c. 800), father of Merfyn Frych (f. 1), Coronac, King of Dublin (4 cent.), Caradog Freichfras, earl of Hereford (?6 cent.), Drew de Ballon, 'baron of Abergavenny' (11 cent.), Drym[benog] ap Maenyrch (fl. c. 1100), and Gwrydr Hir (?10 cent.), of Dryslwyn (all f. 2).

Rent roll, 1666, of the manor of Neath Ultra and Cilybebyll, Glamorgan, arranged into free, customary and demense tenants. Also a memorandum of the heriot due on the death, alienation, 'incomb or releife' of a free tenant and the death of a customary tenant.

A volume of popular Welsh poems on religious and scriptural themes written c. 1673-1674 by James Phillipp(es), with additions made a generation later by Phillipp James. The poems belong to the type of verse known in Cardiganshire as 'halsingod'. Linguistic evidence suggests that the authors were natives of East Carmarthenshire.

A pedigree, [17 cent, last ¼], of Hugh Jones of Bottegir [Bodtegir], [Betws Gwerful Goch, Denbighshire], reciting his paternal ancestors back to Adam. This may be the Hugh Jones buried at Betws Gwerful Goch on 2 January 1716.
The pedigree is said to be based on the work of Gutun Owain ('Thus by Gyttyn Owens booke who flourished in King Henry the seaven his time'); the earlier portions, listing mythical and legendary kings of Britain (after Geoffrey of Monmouth), the descendants of Brutus and Eneas Ysgwyddwyn [Aeneas], figures from Roman mythology and the Biblical Patriarchs from Noah to Adam, closely mirrors Gutun Owain's genealogical text in NLW MS 3026C, pp. 63-81. More recent generations consist of mostly genuine rulers of Powys, descended from Kasnar Waledig [Casnar Wledig]. The pedigree is not recorded in Michael Powell Siddons, Welsh Pedigree Rolls (Aberystwyth, 1996).

A collection of printed Votes of the House of Commons, 21 October 1680-10 January 1681 (ff. 26-100), and 21-28 March 1681 (ff. 130-136), together with other printed parliamentary acts, speeches, and proclamation, all kept and some annotated by William Williams, Speaker of the House of Commons, and MP for Chester.
Significant manuscript additions by Williams include notes on his election as Speaker on 21-22 October 1680 (ff. 21-23), on the sudden dissolution of the Oxford Parliament on 28 March 1681 (ff. 137), and on his later career, 1687-1694 (f. 138). Corrections on the printed papers in the Speaker's hand appear on ff. 48, 50, 56, 87, 93, 126-8, 131.

A pedigree, 1680, of the Kerry family of Binweston, Worthen, Shropshire, containing twenty-five coats of arms, all emblazoned and painted. It is a copy, with continuation, apparently by Thomas Fr[ancis, of Montgomery], from a Lewys Dwnn original of 1598. The pedigree is traced from Gwrgene, Lord of Yal and Bromfield [?Gwernen ap Gwaeddgar], Llyr ap Maenyrch, King of Gloster [Llyr Marini], and King Pelenaur [Pellinore or Pelinor], as well as Cadell ap Rhodri Mawr and Severus [ap Cadwr Wynwyn].
Comparison with NLW MS 23219G, a 1792 copy of the pedigree, suggests that the present roll was created as the pedigree and achievement of Edward Kerry (d. c. 1698) of Binweston, the original achievement now having been lost from the foot of the roll. Several arms originally emblazoned 'or, a lion rampant regardant gules, armed and langued azure' seem subsequently to have been over-painted 'party per saltire, azure and ermine' (NLW MS 23219G shows the latter arms); all the arms have suffered from the loss of pigment.

Autograph letters or autographs, 1684-1826, of William Davies Shipley, dean of St. Asaph, and John Moore, bishop of Norwich (aft. Ely), and of the following who held bishoprics in Wales: Shute Barrington (Llandaff), Thomas Burgess (St. Davids), Edward Copleston (Llandaff), John Egerton (Bangor), John Ewer (Llandaff), Samuel Horsley (St. Davids, aft. St. Asaph), John Randolph (Bangor), Thomas Sherlock (Bangor), Thomas Tanner (St. Asaph), John Tyler (Llandaff), Richard Watson (Llandaff), and Lawrence Womack (St. Davids).

'Llyfr Ystrad Alun', containing (a) items in prose, (b) a very large number of 'cywyddau', 'awdlau', 'englynion', and 'carolau' or 'cerddi', and (c) some poems in English. --
(a) The prose items are 'Araith Wgan', 'Addysg rhifyddiaeth, yr hon ddengys rhifedi or ddaiar hyd y lleuad, or lleuad hyd yr haul, or haul hyd y Nefoedd, or nefoedd hyd vffern a lled a thewdwr y ddaear i bob ffordd', 'Dyna fal i mae y saith blaened yn Raenio yn gyntaf Satarnus, Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Venus, Mercurius a Luna...', and 'Breuddwyd Gronwy ddu'. -- (b) Among the poets represented are Sion Phylip, Raff ap Robert, Morgan ap Hughe Lewis, Edmwnd Prys, Wiliam Cynwal, Wiliam Phylip, Thomas Llywelyn, Dafydd Llwyd, Sion Cent, Sion Tudur, Hwmffre Dafydd ab Ieuan, Gruffudd Gryg, Thomas Prys, Dafydd Vaughan (alias Dafydd ab Ieuan), Huw Llwyd Cynfal, Huw Morus, Sion Ifan Clywedog, Maredudd ap Rhys, Hywel Swrdwal, Sion Brwynog, Dafydd Nanmor, Iolo Goch, Owain Gwynedd, Ieuan Brydydd Hir, Gruffudd ab Ieuan ap Llewelyn Fychan, Huw Arwystli, Gruffudd ab yr Ynad Coch, Ieuan ap Rhydderch ab Ieuan Llwyd, Robin Clidro, Harri Hywel, Taliesin, Dafydd ab Edmwnd, Guto'r Glyn, Rhys Goch Eryri, Gruffudd ap Dafydd Fychan, Tudur Aled, Bedo Brwynllys, Wiliam Llyn, Rhys Cain, Gutun Owain, Dafydd Gorlech, Dafydd Llwyd ap Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Llywelyn ab Owain, Robin Ddu, Hywel Rheinallt, Ieuan Dyfi, Dafydd ap Gwilym, Gwerful vch Hywel Fychan, Rhys ap Harri, Mathew Owain, Dafydd Humphreys, J. Jones, Gruffydd James, Syr Hughe Heiward, Hopcyn Thomas ('O Llanelli'), Thomas Rowland, Wil Watkin Ju., Han Edward Morus, Wiliam Siencyn, Ifan ap Sion, Lewis Dwnn, Robin Dyfi, Ifan ap Cadwaladr, Sion Morgan, Lewis Gwynne, Tomos ab Han Sion, Sion Scrifen, Wiliam Dafydd, Rees Prees, Owen Edward, Oliver Rogers, Dafydd Manuel, Richard Abram, Rowland Vaughan, James Dwnn, Robert Lloyd, etc. -- (c) The English items include 'A Christmas Carol' by D. H., 'Agony of or Saviors birth' by J. Jones, 'A Confession of a sinner', 'The prayer of a sinner at the hour of death', 'An effectuall prayer for grace, mercy and forgiveness of sins', 'The dying teares of a penitent sinner', 'Queene Elizabeths delight', 'The Horny booke' by John Scriven, 'A lover departure' by D. ff. Two poems by Dafydd Vaughan, 'Gwir gariad' and ['Camgymeriad'], have stanzas in English and Welsh alternately, the Welsh following the English. -- As so many of the poems in the manuscript are by Dafydd Vaughan he may possibly have been the scribe. The volume has annotations by Walter Davies ('Gwallter Mechain') who has designated it 'Llyfr Ystrad Alun' and who transcribed some poems from it - see NLW MS 1658.

Pedigree, dated 1687, of Richard Herbert of Dolforgan, Kerry, Montgomeryshire, containing nineteen coats of arms, all painted, tracing Herbert's lineage, in the male line only, through fifteen generations, [?spuriously] from King Henry I and his son Herbert [?recte Henry] fitz Roy.
Husbands and wives are recorded in roundels beneath their impaled coats of arms; additional coats have been included to represent Herbert's wife's parents and maternal grandparents, and his daughter. Three generations have been added to the pedigree in a different hand (without heraldry), while further additions have been roughly sketched in pencil, [18 cent., last ¼]. Eight roundels have been left empty. The compilers of the pedigree are not named, however the Rev. John Jenkins (Ifor Ceri) ascribes it to Morris Evans of Llanfyllin, antiquary, and 'John Richardson, Herald Painter' (see NLW MS 1655B, f. 8; the repetition of this attribution alongside other pedigrees in the same volume (f. 13 verso) may cast doubt on its accuracy however). A dedication at the foot of the pedigree lists the authorities consulted (in NLW MS 1655B, f. 9 verso, Ifor Ceri appends the same list to a different pedigree altogether).

A collection of some fifty-seven miscellaneous autograph letters, 1686/7-1930, mostly of Welsh interest, brought together by the dealer and collector Edward Hall, Surbiton.
Eighteen of the letters are correspondence of the barrister J. W. Buck, his wife Sophia (née Brigstoke, of Blaenpant, Cardiganshire), his sister Mrs Sarah Whittaker and their respective families, 1792-1825 (ff. 5-8, 10-43). Twelve letters, 1851, from various Welsh boroughs to H. W. R. Davey, Mayor of Beccles, Suffolk, relate to requests for copies of their borough seals (ff. 48-62). The remaining correspondents include Captain John Giles and Charles Hughes, Chepstow Castle, 26 January 1686/7 (ff. 1-2), Herbert Mackworth (to his wife), 1763 (ff. 3-4), [the Rev.] J[osiah] Rees, 1794 (f. 9), Wm Oldnall Russell, 1824, 1825 (ff. 40-43), [the 4th Duke of] Newcastle, Hafod [Uchtryd], 1835 (ff. 44-45), Hugh Miller, 1839 (f. 46), [Lord] Mostyn, 1855 (ff. 63-64), John C[ole] Nicholl, Merthyr Mawr, 1856-1859 (ff. 65-66, 69-70), Richard Cobden, 1856 (ff. 67-68), Thomas Purnell, [1860s] (ff. 71-76), [Henry] Brinley Richards, [?1870] (f. 77), J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps, 1882 (ff. 79-80), Watkin Williams, Dol-friog, Beddgelert, 1884 (f. 81), J. F. Stephen, 1884 (f. 82), E. Lynn Linton (to Andrew Chatto), [1888] (ff. 83-84), W. Bowen Rowlands (to Sir George Lewis), [c. 1893] (f. 85), C[harles] Vaughan, dean of Llandaff, (to [?Otto] Goldschmidt), [?1890s] (ff. 87-88), [Sir] Theodore Martin (to Goldschmidt), 1896 (f. 89), F[lora] A[nnie] Steel, 1905 (f. 91), H[arold] Greenwood, Llanelly, 1919 (f. 95), Ifan Kyrle Fletcher, 1930 (f. 98), and letters sent on behalf of the Princess (ff. 93-94) and Prince (ff. 96-97) of Wales, 1909, 1921. A price list, 18 January 1956, from Edward Hall provides valuable background information on those items purchased as part of the second group (ff. i-iv).

Letters, 1691-1909, of miscellaneous provenance, to and from bishops, mostly of Welsh dioceses, and other dignitaries relating mainly to social, personal and church matters. Among the correspondents are John Randolph, bishop of Bangor (1) [c. 1807]; Edward Copleston (1) 1844, Joshua Pritchard Hughes (1) 1909, Richard Lewis (1) 1901, Alfred Ollivant (4) 1849-1858, and John Shipley (1) 1769, bishops of Llandaf; John Owen (3) 1897-1899, and Connop Thirlwall (7) 1845-1871, bishops of St Davids; Edmund Gibson, bishop of London (2) 1731; Samuel Butler, headmaster of Shrewsbury School, later bishop of Lichfield (2) 1834; and Cardinal Herbert Vaughan, archbishop of Westminster (3) 1886-1893. Also included is a letter, 1790, from Selina Hastings, countess of Huntingdon.

A holograph letter from Mat[thew] Henry [Presbyterian minister and author], from Chester, to [ ], 1694 (the illness and death of recipient's son, who appears to have been resident in the writer's home, and his burial in the chancel of St. Bridget's church [Chester], a visit paid by the writer's father [Philip Henry, Presbyterian minister and diarist], 'an aged min[ister] in the Country some miles off', to the writer's home, during the deceased's illness, and a sermon preached by him prior to the funeral) (mutilated); and a holograph letter from T[homas] Pennant [naturalist and author], from Bychton [co. Flint], to the Rev[eren]d Mr. [William] Borlase [rector of] Ludgvan, Cornwal, 1763 (points of ornithological interest, the preservation of birds, a request for information about seals).

A collection of miscellaneous letters and papers, 1698-1969, purchased or received by donation from various sources by the National Library of Wales during the period September 2004-April 2013 and boxed as one volume.

A ballad relating to a foxhunt in Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire.

An illustrated copy of The Litterary Life of Thomas Pennant, Esqr. Copy of the Original MS ... signed by Pennant, 1 March 1790, being possibly the actual copy offered by Pennant to Richard Bull in a letter dated 29 May 1790 (see NLW MS 5500C). It is followed by printed copies of some of the appendices to The Literary Life of the late [sic] Thomas Pennant, Esq. ... (published 1793), including A Letter from a Welch Freeholder to his Representative (Chester, 1784), Of the Patagonians (Darlington, 1788), Flintshire Petition (1779) and A Letter to a Member of Parliament on Mail Coaches (London, 1792); a copy of American Annals; or Hints and Queries, for Parliament Men, 1775-8; broadsheets, 1792, 1798, etc.

Sermons, some possibly in the autograph of Griffith Jones, Llanddowror (1683-1761), and others in the autograph of Thomas Evans (d. 1807), curate of the same parish. Some of the sermons noted as having been preached at Llanddowror, Llangan and elsewhere at various dates between 1775 and 1829.

A volume containing copies of The Book of Common Prayer ... Together with the Psalter or Psalms of David ... (Oxford, 1786), The Holy Bible ... (Oxford, 1794), and The Whole Book of Psalms collected into English Metre ... (Oxford, 1787), with manuscript biographical entries relating to members of the Frere family, of which Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere, first baronet (D.N.B. xx, 257), who was christened at Llanelly, Brecknockshire, was a member.