A manuscript containing transcripts by David Parry from the Red Book of Hergest, together with other poetry, the volume being compiled before it was given to Jesus College, Oxford in 1701. The contents of the volume are as follows: A Welsh Grammar copied from the Red Book of Hergest (col. 1117), with collations by Samuel Williams from Llanstephan MS 3, p. 472 (original foliation I-Vb, 1-7); a copy of the poetry on cols 1143-1356 of the Red Book of Hergest (original foliation 7-12b, original pagination 13-168, 169-265); followed by sixteen leaves at the end of the manuscript containing poems by Robin Ddu o Fôn, Tudur Aled, Rhys Nanmor and others, together with the pedigree of Sir Rhys ap Thomas. Samuel Williams has copied a good many of the older material in a modernised orthography on the side left blank by the original copyist. There are also marginalia in the hand of Moses Williams. A note, probably in the hand of Samuel Williams, on p. 265 (original pagination) reads 'All the Poetry collated March 27 . 1722'.
David Parry, Reverend Samuel Williams and Moses Williams.
A transcript of 'Captain W. Middleton's translation of the Psalms into Welsh' copied by Samuel Williams from a transcript in the hand of 'W. Dafydd Lewelyn o blwyf Llangynydr Eglwys Yail o. c. 1606' (p. 312). Samuel Williams found W. Dafydd Llewelyn's text 'more correct than the printed copy'. The manuscript bears Samuel Williams's inscription: 'Yscrifennwyd ym/mhen y wern ym hlwyf Llanarth. 1696.' (p. 313).
A manuscript in the hand of Moses Williams containing Triads and Gorwynnion from the Red Book of Hergest, Englynion y Clywaid from Jesus College MS 3, and XIII Tlws.
A manuscript, 1774, in the autograph of Evan Evans (Ieuan Fardd) containing triads (pp. 7-57, 65-66); the Life of Gruffydd ap Cynan (pp. 75-160); etc. On p. 1 is a list of contents, stated to have been copied from the library of Watkin Williams Wynn. The text of the Life of Gruffydd ap Cynan, including notes, printed in Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales Vol. II, pp. 582-605, is taken wholesale from this manuscript.
A manuscript divided into three parts containing triads collected by Moses Williams, with Prefaces, etc., prepared for publication. At the beginning of the volume are notes, including directions to the printer, a list of subscribers [1717], etc. There then follows the first part of the manuscript (paginated 1-98) containing a collection of the 'historical' triads, with variant readings from 'B.B. of Carm., R.B. of Hergest, Cwtta Cyfarwydd, Rich: Wynne of Gwydr's MS., Dr. Foulkes's Book', together with two version of transcripts by Moses Williams ready for the printer, with a preface in Latin. The second part of the manuscript (paginated 1-112) contains 'moral' and other triadic sayings. The third part of the manuscript (paginated 1-74) contains 'proverbial triads', followed by a translation into Latin. The contents of parts two and three of the volume are to be found in the Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales.
A manuscript in the autograph of Evan Evans (Ieuan Fardd) containing triads (pp. 1-32); poetry, the poets cited including Taliesin, Dafydd ap Gwilym, Siôn Cent and Gruffydd Dwnn (pp. 33-86, 95-102); a list of Welsh holy (saints') days (pp. 87-90); names of Welsh rivers and their sources (pp. 91-94); etc. The volume also contains an appendix in the hand of D[avid] Ellis, [1787x1788]. The section containing triads is apparently left unfinished as most of p. 32 and the whole of p. 33 are blank.
A manuscript in two parts, the first part containing 'Some words omitted in Dr. Davies Welch and Latin Dictionary ...'; and the second part containing 'Geiriau or hen Gamberaag anhawdh ei dirnad yn yr oes hon', with illustrations from the poets, including Tudur Aled. The first part of the text (original foliation 1-101) is written in a seventeenth century hand while the second part (original foliation 1-14) is written in a sixteenth century hand. From the many references in the text to Sir Thomas Wiliems it would appear that the scribe of the first part of the manuscript had access to the original Dictionary MSS used by Dr John Davies, Mallwyd. The vocabulary in the second part of the manuscript is apparently a copy of Wiliam Llŷn's Vocabulary.
A manuscript in the hand of Moses Williams containing 'Kelvyddyd kerdd Davod' (ff. 1-5a), being a copy of pp. 10-16 of Llanstephan MS 28, with a note stating that 'This imperfect Tract I transcribed out of a MS. writ by Guttyn Owain A.D. 1455 & communicated to me by D Foulkes of Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd.'; and an extract 'Out of Huw Machno's Book' (ff. 5b-12b) outlining the fifteen faults which may be committed when writing Welsh verse, with examples. The text cites a line from Wiliam Cynwal.
A manuscript containing Welsh laws (pp. 1-96) and the 'Elucidations' (pp. 97-535), written in the hand of John Jones, Gellilyfdy prior to 25 September 1619 (see pp. 67, 535). Where the text is imperfect Moses Williams has written its contents in the margins. The text of pp. 1-96 of this manuscript corresponds with that of Peniarth MS 29, pp. 1-51, while the remainder may be a copy of Peniarth MS 278. The original of pp. 97-535 was either imperfect or frequently illegible as dots indicating lacunae are frequent. Much of the matter of this second part is the same as the 'Elucidations' in Ancient Laws and Institutes of Wales, Vol. ii, Book XIV. The text ends abruptly at the beginning of the sixth line on p. 535.
A manuscript containing the Welsh laws, described as being 'Variantes Lectiones & Addidamenta Ex Codd. MSS. Gul. Williams Baronetti'. The volume also includes a list of the subjects contained in Llyfr Gwyn Hergest (the White Book of Hergest) (p. 38, part i) and in 'Oes Gwrtheyrn Gwrtheneu' from Llyfr Coch Hergest (the Red Book of Hergest); together with a copy of Mostyn MS 136, pp. 1-44.
A manuscript in the hand of Moses Williams containing 'A transcript of an ancient MS. of Cyfraith Howel Da communicated to me by Mr. Wm Baxter, A. D. 1714 ...sold afterwards to the Earl of Oxford' (pp. 1-60); ' A transcript of Cyfraith Hywel [from Bibl. Harleian MS 63 B.]' (pp. 69-199); 'A transcript of an old Latin Copy of Cyfraith Hywel' (pp. 205-231); a transcript 'Ex Llyvyr Koch Hergest col. 1032' (p. 233); 'Statuta Walliæ (Eleod: MS. cui Tit. Liber Memorandorum Ecclesiæ Conventualis de Bernewelle) Anno 1284' (pp. 235-262); 'Howel da mab kadell &c. from 'Cleopatra A. XIV. Membr. Cott. 6' (pp. 269-349); 'A Transcript of c. Hywel taken out of ... Caligula A. III. 3 . / 1713. Cott. 2' (pp. 356-392; and fragments of texts (pp. 396-429).
A manuscript containing the Welsh Laws, being a transcript of British Museum MS Harleian Titus D. II. Three folios at the beginning and two at the end contain poetry in Welsh and Latin, etc. There are also some items of a corn account. The general style of the handwriting, which is not all in the same hand, is suggestive of the manuscripts of Dr John Davies, Mallwyd, which were copied partly by him and partly on his behalf.
A manuscript in the autograph of Moses Williams containing Welsh proverbs translated into Latin. Inside the front cover is inscribed: 'Transcribed out a MS. writ by Dr Davies. The Drs.' First and Second Translations are in the Harleian Library. There is another Copy with additions by Mr Vaughan of Hengwrt.' The transcript is mostly written on one side only of the folios, leaving the other side for the many additions made by the transcriber. After f. 97 there are five leaves of additions on paper of a smaller size, and ff. 129-138 contain 'additional Proverbs by Mr. W. Langford late Parson of Llan fawr communicated by the Rev. Mr. Ball Vicar of Northop'. This collection of proverbs is fuller than the one printed by Dr John Davies at the end of his Dictionary.
A manuscript relating to the Welsh 'cynfeirdd' and inscribed 'Y llyfr hwn a ddatyscrifennais i Evan Evans o law deg y Doctor Davies o Fallwyd', i.e. taken from British Library Addl. MS 14869. The text of this manuscript was reproduced in the Myvyrian Archaiology.
A manuscript in the hand of Moses Williams containing 'Y Groclith' (ff. 1-22) and 'Rybud Gabriel at Veir' (ff. 23-26) (Luke i, 26-38), both of which are written in two columns, the one in mediæval, the other in modern orthography.
