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Sils ap Sion, fl. 1570-1590
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Miscellanea,

A composite volume (pp. 1-540 with two pages not numbered) containing miscellaneous notes, lists, transcripts, extracts, etc., in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg'). The contents include pp. 1-20, an account of the revision of the regulations relating to the craft and conduct of Welsh bards and musicians, the rules of 'cynghanedd', and the twenty-four strict poetic metres undertaken in connection with, or at, the 'eisteddfod' held under the patronage of Gruffudd ap Nicolas at Carmarthen [circa 1450], anecdotes relating to Dafydd ap Edmwnd and the said 'eisteddfod', etc., the greater part of the material being allegedly extracted 'O Lyfr Iago ab Dewi yn awr gan Mr. Thomas Evans o Frechfa, 1799' (this is the same account, etc., as that which is found in NLW MS 13096B, pp. 171-95, for which see above); 21-2, biographical and other notes on Sir Robert ab Amon, lord of Glamorgan [late 11th cent.], and his brother Richard; 23-4, notes on the Reverend Samuel Williams and his son the Reverend Moses Williams, a list of 'eisteddfodau' held at Carmarthen, Aber Marlas, and Castell Gweblai, 1452-1486, an anecdote relating to the poet Dafydd ab Edmwnd, a transcript of two 'englynion' by, or attributed to, the said poet, etc.; 25-7, extracts from the manuscript copy of the 'Lib[er] Land[avensis]' in Jesus College [Oxford, i.e., Jesus College MS 20]; 28-9, lists headed 'Names of some Constellations of Fixed Stars peculiar to the Britons', and 'Some Constellations in Glamorgan'; 33-7, a version of the Welsh legend of the birth of Taliesin (see The Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales . . . (London, 1801), vol. I, pp. 17-19); 38, Welsh verse attributed to Morys ab Ieuan ab Eigyn and Lewys Morys; 39, a list of the names of early Welsh bards ('Hen Brydyddion a fuant gynt yng Nghymru'); 40, a transcript of 'englynion' ? attributed to Twm ab Han ab Rhys; 41-54, a series of twenty Welsh fables relating to birds and animals with the superscription 'O Lyfr Owain Myfyr. Damhegion a ysgrifenwyd ar femrwn ynghylch y flwyddyn 1300' (see BM Additional MS 14884, and for a published text Y Greal . . ., 1806, tt. 279-80, 322-9, and ibid., 1807, tt. 366-70); 55-9, series of Welsh triads with the superscriptions 'Llymma Drioedd Arbennig' (see John Williams: Barddas . . ., vol. I, pp. 394-7), 'Trioedd Serch', 'Trioedd Taliesin', and 'Trioedd mab y Crinwas' (continued)

60-63, lists of Welsh 'sayings' and other miscellaneous lists with the superscriptions 'Saith ymofynion y saith Doethion', 'Geiriau Gwir Cattw Ddoeth', 'Geiriau Gwir', 'Llyma leoedd ynghorph Dyn y bydd swrn gynheddfau ynddynt', 'Saith Gynneddf Gwr Dewisol ', 'Naw rhif Carennydd', 'Pysygwriaeth o Lyfr Hywel Ddu Feddyg', 'Cas ddynion Selyf Ddoeth', and 'Cas betheu Owein Cyfeiliog'; 64, a transcript of the inscription and 'englyn' found at the beginning of Lewis Dwnn's volume of pedigrees of families in cos. Carmarthen, Cardigan, and Pembroke; 65-8, a version of the Welsh tale 'Breuddwyd Gronw Ddu o Fôn'; 69-81, transcripts of three Welsh strict-metre poems ('awdlau') by, or attributed to, Rhobert Dyfi, Siôn Tudur, and Gruffydd Thomas; 82-8, a copy of a letter in Welsh, 9 December 1726, from the Reverend Edward Gamage from St. Athan [co. Glamorgan], to Llywelyn ab Ifan 'o'r Cannerw', giving an account of the achievements of members of the Stradling family (for a holograph copy of a letter from Edward Gamage to Llywelyn ab Ifan see NLW MS 13077B, and for transcripts by Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') of letters from, or allegedly from, Gamage to the same recipient in addition to the present example see NLW MSS 13091E, 13095B, and pp. 528-36 of the present manuscript; for observations on these letters and doubts as to the authenticity of the Williams transcripts see IMCY, tt. 58-60, TLLM, tt. 107, 195, and IM, tt. 245-6); 89-123, versions of Welsh tracts, tales, etc., entitled 'Cato Cymraeg' (for the text see Y Greal . . ., 1806, tt. 145-51), 'Ystori y Llong Foel' (for the text see Taliesin . . ., cyf. II, 1860-61, t. 284), 'Breuddwyd Paul Abostol' (for the text see Iolo Manuscripts . . ., pp. 190-92, and for an English translation ibid., pp. 603-05), 'Cyngor i Feirdd a Dysgedigion Cymru' (attributed to loan Dafydd Rhys, M.D. [the Welsh physician and grammarian]; see Thomas Parry: 'Siôn Dafydd Rhys', Y Llenor, cyf. X, tt. 35-46), 'Araith Ieuan Brydydd Hir, 1450', and 'Casbethau Ieuan Brydydd Hir'; 124-30, transcripts of a Welsh poem entitled 'Arwyddon Taliesin', two poems by, or attributed to, Twm ab Ifan ap Rhys, a Welsh prophecy entitled 'Llyma Brophwydoliaeth Merddin', and an 'englyn' attributed to Edward Dafydd o Fargam; 137-42, notes, allegedly 'from John Bradford's MS', relating to the bards Lewys Glyn Cothi, Lewys Morganwg, Thomas Philip Fardd, Hopcin Twm Philip, Ieuan Swrdwal, Hywel Swrdwal, Ieuan ab Hywel Swrdwal, Iorwerth Fynglwyd, Dafydd Fynglwyd, Rhisiart Iorwerth, Bran ap Llyr, Talhaearn Fardd, Sils ab Siôn, Meredydd ab Morgan Philib, William ap Morgan, William Dafydd, Morgan Pywel, Siôn Mowddwy, Llawdden, Cattwg fab Gwynnlliw, Caradawc o Lancarvan, Casnodyn Fardd, Trehaearn Brydydd Mawr, Harri ab Rhys ab Gwilym, Meuryg Dafydd, and Llywelyn Siôn; 153-71, a version of the Welsh prose oration 'Araith Gwgan' (for the text see Taliesin . . ., cyf. II, tt. 108-12, and for observations thereon IM., tt. 249-51); 171-4, transcripts of a poem from 'Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin', 'englynion' by, or attributed to, Wiliam Llyn, Huw Llyn, Richard Davies, Esgob Dewi, Dafydd Nanmor, Siôn Tudur, Syr Lewys, and Ednyfed Fychan, etc.; 175-7, a copy of a preface to 'a little book' ? with the title 'Short Pedigrees of divers Noblemen . . . of Pembrokeshire containing most part of the eight ancestors from whome they are descended' found 'amongst L. Morris' papers'; 178-81, extracts from [John Wynne:] The History of the Gwedir Family [London, 1770]; 182, a note relating to freemasonry; 183-5, lists of Welsh 'sayings' attributed to Ystyffan Fardd and Catto Ddoeth, etc.; 185-7, a transcript of a Welsh poem attributed to Sippyn Cyfeiliog; 188-93, a version of the Welsh tale 'Dammeg Einion ap Gwalchmai'; 194-204, transcripts of four unattributed 'englynion', a Welsh poem attributed to Twm ab Ifan ab Rhys, and an 'awdl' attributed to Siôn Tudur, and genealogical data headed 'Pum Brenhinllwyth Cymry'; 205-20, genealogical data relating largely to Glamorgan, notes on the arms of [Norman] knights who had come to despoil Glamorgan ('Llyma arfau y Cwncwerwyr a ddaethant ar anraith i Forganwg'), etc. (continued)

221-45, transcripts of 'englynion' attributed to Dafydd Benwyn, Siôn Morys Llwyd, Dafydd Llwyd Mathew, Gronwy William, Llewelyn Siôn, Antoni Powel, Morgan Powel, Harri Rheinallt, Huw Ceiriog, Huw Llyn, Wm. Byrcinsiaw, Ieuan Tew, R. Dafis, Escob Mynyw, Siôn Tudur, Huw Pennant, Wiliam Cynwal, Owain Brereton, Owain Gwynedd, Lewys Menai, Bedo Hafesb, Einon Tew, Siôn Philip, Simwnt Fychan, Wiliam Llyn, Edward Brwynllys, Huw Arwystli, Elis ab Rhys ab Edward, Robert Gruffudd ab Ifan, Huw Conwy, Bartholomew Jones, Hywel Ceiriog, Rhys Celli, Dafydd Alaw, Edward Dafydd, Dafydd Edward, Charles Meredydd, Siams Thomas, Hywel Rhys, Dafydd Rhys, Wiliam Lidwn, Hopcin Thomas, Siôn Padarn, Mathew Llwyd 'o Gelligaer', Llywelyn Thomas, Hopcin Dafydd Edward 'o Langyfelach', Harri Lleision 'o Lancarfan', Bleddyn Siôn, Hywel Lewys, Siôn Roberts, Thomas Lewys, Jenkin Rhisiart, Charles Dafydd Meredydd, Morgan Gruffudd, Lleision Ifan, Hopcin Llywelyn, Dafydd Ifan Siôn, Charles Bwttwn, esqr., Dafydd o'r Nant, Samuel Jones, Lewys Môn, Tudur Aled, Gruffudd ab Llywelyn Fychan with Han Brydydd Hir, Huw Ednyfed, Rhys Nanmor, Gwilym ab Ieuan Hen, Iorwerth Fynglwyd, Rhys ab Rhisiart, Gwilym Tew, Dafydd Llwyd 'o Fathafarn', and Ieuan Brechfa (some of these 'englynion' were allegedly written in connection with a bardic meeting held at Craig y Ddinas, 'eisteddfodau' at Caerwys, Bewpyr, Dinbych, ? Carn Fadryn, and Castell Gweblai, and a 'cadair wrth gerdd yn Llangynwyd . . . 1664' (see TLLM, tt. 91-2)); 239-42, anecdotes relating to Gutto'r Glynn and Hywel Dafydd ab Ieuan ab Rhys at an 'eisteddfod' held in Cardiff Castle (with a transcript of an 'englyn' attributed to Sir Wiliam Herbert), and Dafydd o' r Nant at a meeting of bards at Lantrisaint; 247-9, an incomplete copy of a 'cywydd' attributed to Edmund Prys; 250-52, brief genealogical notes relating to the poets or writers Huw Machno, Einion ab Gwalchmai, Rhys Goch, Tudur Penllyn, Llew'n Offeiriad, Syr Owain ab Gwilym, Llen. Goch ab Meurig Hen, Tudur Aled, William Cynwal, Cywryd ab Elaith, Ieuan ab Rhydderch, Dav. Powel, D.D., Gruff. ab Ieuan, Rhys Cain, John Cain, Dafydd Jones, vicar Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd, Dafydd Llwyd . . . 'o Fathafarn', Edmund Prys, Ednyfed ab Gruff., Madog Benfras, and Llywelyn Llogell Rison (continued)

253-4, an anecdote relating to a Welsh scholar at Oxford and a copy of a poem attributed to Taliesin; 257-8, copies of extracts made ? by Evan Evans ['Ieuan Fardd'] from 'the Liber Landavensis in the Library of Mr. Davies of Llannerch' [now NLW MS 17110E]; 265--84, a copy of ? the preface and first section of a work entitled 'Datguddiad y Daroganwr Neu gasgliad o amryw frudiau a daroganau . . . yn yspysu yn amlwg mai'n presennol Frenin William y trydydd yw y Brenin Darogan' transcribed, according to a note on p. 266, in 1799 from a manuscript in the hand of Thomas ab Ifan of Tre Brynn [the copyist of NLW MSS 13061-13063B, 13069B, 13085B] then in the possession of Thomas Johns of Hafod Uchtryd, co. Cardigan (the preface deals with vaticinatory verse in the Welsh language more particularly that of Merddyn Emrys, Merddyn Wyllt, and Taliesin, and the author maintains that prophetic allusions in such poems were to King William III; see TLLM, tt. 171-2); 289-327, transcripts of miscellaneous old Welsh poems [mainly from 'Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin' and 'Llyfr Taliesin']; 327-9, a copy of an 'awdl' attributed to Dafydd y Coet; 337-45, transcripts of a twelve-stanza poem ['Enweu Meibon Llywarch Hen'] attributed to Llywarch Hen, and a sequence of thirty-seven 'englynion' all commencing with the words 'Eiry mynydd' attributed to Llywarch Hen, or Mab Claf ab Llywarch, or Llywelyn Llogell Rhison 'o Farchwiail', a version of the Welsh prose oration 'Trwstaneiddrwydd Gruffudd ap Adda ap Dafydd', and a few medicinal notes attributed to 'Meddygon Myddfai'; 346-59, transcripts of an 'awdl' allegedly written by Gwilym Tew in connection with an 'eisteddfod' held in the monastery of 'Penrhys yng Nglynn Rhodneu' in Glamorgan in 1434 or 1435, and an 'awdl' allegedly written by Lewys Morganwg for an 'eisteddfod' held in the monastery of Nedd (Neath) [in Glamorgan] in 1493 or 1494; 359-62, an anecdote relating to a proposal to establish a university in Glyn Nedd, temp. Henry VII, a few Welsh triads, and extracts from Robert Vaughan: British Antiquities Revived . . . ([Oxford], 1662); 363-72, transcripts of two 'awdlau' attributed to Thomas Prys 'o Blas Iolyn' and Lewys ab Edward; 375-8, a copy of an extract from the 'Liber Landavensis' as in pp. 257-8, and brief pedigrees of Gwaithfoed, prince of Cardigan, fl. circa 1000, and Bleddyn ap Cynfyn; 379- 417, transcripts of Welsh poems attributed to Thomas Prys 'o Blas Iolyn', Siôn Tudur, Meredydd ap Rhys, Dafydd Nanmor, Rhys Goch 'o Eryri', Madoc ap Gronw Gethin, and Prydydd y Moch, and of unattributed Welsh verse; 418, an analysis of the 'elements' in man ('Defnyddion Dyn') (see John Williams: Barddas. . ., vol. I, pp. 386-9); 419-28, transcripts of two early Welsh poems, the first being an elegy to Cynddylan (for both poems see The Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies, vol. IV, pp. 41-7, and vol. VI, pp. 139-41), and a sequence of twenty-five 'Englynion Beddeu Milwyr Ynys Prydain' from 'Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin'; 435-48, transcripts of Welsh strict- metre poems attributed to Da'dd Williams, 'viccar Penllin'; 451-82, transcripts of Welsh strict- and free-metre poems attributed to Huw Morys; 483-92, a brief account in Welsh of the history of Glamorgan from the time of Morgan Mwynfawr to the reign of Henry VIII allegedly 'allan o Lyfr y diweddar Barchedig Edward Gamais, offeiriad Sant Athan, ag ynawr gan Mr. Siôn Spenser o'r un Plwyf'; 493-527 two accounts in Welsh of the quarrels between Iestyn ab Gwrgant, lord of Glamorgan, and Rhys fab Tydyr, lord of Deheubarth, and between the said Iestyn and Einon fab Collwyn, which led eventually to the conquest of Glamorgan by the Normans under Syr Rhobert fab Amon and the division of the country amongst the said Syr Rhobert and his twelve fellow knights, with brief notes on the subsequent ownership of the estates created (the first account was allegedly taken 'o Lyfr Daniel Thomas, argraphydd', and the second allegedly 'o Lyfr y Parchedig Mr. Thomas Basset o Lan y Lai a Gweinidog Sili ag Eglwys Brywys'); 528-36, an incomplete copy of a letter in Welsh [from the Reverend Edward Gamage, rector of St. Athan] to Llywelyn ab Ifan, giving an account of the coming of Sir William Le Esterling, ancestor of the Stradling family, into Glamorgan with the Normans (see pp. 82-8 above); and 539, an incomplete extract relating to the twenty-four traditional Welsh accomplishments.

Barddoniaeth; doethineb Catwg Ddoeth,

A composite volume containing transcripts of prose and verse items in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg'). Pp. 1-80 contain transcripts of Welsh poems, almost entirely 'englynion', by, or attributed to, Llywelyn ab Rhosser 'o Sainffag[an]', Dafydd Llwyd Mathew, Dafydd ap Siencyn Fynglwyd, Richd. Watcins, vicar Llanellen, Thomas Llywelyn 'o Regoes', Llywelyn Thomas, Edwd. Dafydd 'o Fargam', Siôn y Cent, Siôn Morys 'o Lanfabon', Thomas Lewys 'o Lechau', Rhys Brychan, Hywel Bwr Bach, Huw Cae Llwyd, Dafydd Benwyn, Iorwerth Fynglwyd, Morys Cyffin, Hopcin Thomas 'o Faglan', Rhaff ab Rhobert, Siôn Tudur, Gwerfyl Mechain, Rhobert Cludro, Tudur Aled, Dafydd ap Edmwnd, Hywel ap Syr Matthew, Bleddyn Siôn 'o Lancarfan', Hywel Llwyd, Dafydd ap Gwilym, Siôn Philip 'o Hendrewaelod', Lewys Morys, Dafydd, abad Margam, Dafydd Dafies 'o Gastell Hywel', Iolo Morganwg, Huw Llwyd Cynfel, Siôn Cydewain, Llawdden, Syr Lewys Mochnant, Lewis Môn, Roger Cyffln, Syr Ifan o Garno, Wiliam Byrchinsha, Ednyfed Fychan, Cwnin Brydydd, Twm Siôn Catti, Lewys Morganwg, Rhys Brydydd, ? Lewys Glyn Cothi, Dafydd Nanmor, Jenkin Richards 'o Flaenau Gwent', Ieuan Gethin ab Ieuan ab Lleision, Siôn Brwynog, William Cynwal, Richard Huws, Dr. Morgan, esgob Llanelwy, Lewys Powel, William Middelton, Hopcin Tomas ab Einiawn, Elis Drwynhir, Harri ap Thomas ap Wiliam 'o'r Ddiserth', Grufydd Hiraethog, Morys Dwyfech, Owain Gronw, Hywel ap Rhys, Syr Lewys Gethin, Richard Cynwal, Roger y Gwydd, Edmwnd Prys, Dr. R. Davies, esgob Ty Ddewi, Rhys Cain, Huw Roberts Llun, Rhisiart Iorwerth 'o Langynwyd', ? Huw Ednyfed, Einion ap Dafydd Llwyd, Rhydderch Roberts, Syr Lewys y defaid, Syr Lewys Anwyl, Robert ab Han, Syr Ieuan Brydydd, Syr Owain ap Gwilym, Catherin ferch Howel, Wiliam Llyn, Owain Gwynedd, Dafydd Alaw, Evan Llwyd Sieffre, Morgan ap Huw Lewys, Robert Dafydd Llwyd, Wiliam ap Hywel ap Tomas, Morys Parri Llen, Ifan Siôn 'o Wedir', and Sils ap Siôn, and other unattributed poems. The inscriptions on p. 81 and p. 83 and the note on p. 82 appear to indicate that they were intended as cover and 'title-page' respectively for a home-made booklet containing a corpus of 'englynion' by Jenkin Richards of Blaenau Gwent, co. Monmouth, extracted mainly 'o Lyfrau Harri Siôn o Bont y Pwl a Llyfr ym Meddiant Rhys Thomas, Argraffydd o'r Bont Faen ym Morganwg', but only four 'englynion', presumably meant to be attributed to this poet, follow on p. 84. Pp. 91-198 contain miscellaneous items including 91-2, notes headed 'On the oldest places of Christian Worship in Wales'; (continued)

93-7, 105-06, notes, generally derogatory, on the character and literary and metallurgical activities of Lewis Morris; 100- 04, notes on 'Welsh Ideas of Celibacy'; 122-8, a transcript of thirty 'englynion' entitled 'Ymatreg Llywelyn a Gwrnerth' attributed to Tysiliaw fab Brochwel Ysgithrawc; 130, a note relating to an 'eisteddfod' held at Y Pil (Pyle, co. Glamorgan), 1740; 131- 41, notes relating to 'singing to the harp', the 'bardd telyn', carol and 'alsain' verse, the adapting of verse to music, etc.; 147-62, transcripts of 'englynion' attributed to Rhobert, Tywysog Norddmanty, Morys Kyffin, Wm. Byrchinsha, and Gutto'r Glyn, extracts from the works of various Welsh poets, etc.; 167, a version of William Midleton's introductory epistle [to his Bardhoniaeth neu brydydhiaeth, y llyfr kyntaf (Llundain, 1593)] copied 'Ex Vol. 40. Mr. Panton' [i.e. Panton MS.40 now NLW MS 2008]; 168-9, five stanzas of a hymn tune attributed to Elis Wynn; 169, a transcript of two 'englynion' attributed to Dr. [John] Davies; 171, a list of the commotes and hundreds of Glamorgan copied from '68. P.P.' [i.e. Panton MS 68 now NLW MS 2034]; 175-88, an alphabetical list of Welsh bards 'o Lyfr D'dd Ddu o'r Eryri'; and 188-98, miscellanea including transcripts of 'englynion' attributed to Siôn Mawddwy, Ieuan Tew, William Philip, and D[afydd] ab Gwilym, miscellaneous triads, genealogical data relating to various Welsh bards and Syr Rhys ap Thomas, etc. Pp. 207-390 (previously paginated 1-184) contain a collection of maxims, proverbs, triads, sayings, etc., attributed to Cattwg Ddoeth and described on a 'title-page' to the section ( p. 199) as 'Llyma Ddoethineb Cattwg Ddoeth o Lancarvan' and in a concluding note (p. 390) as 'Llyfr y cyntaf y Gwyddfardd Cyfarwydd'. In a note on the aforementioned 'title-page' (p. 199) Edward Williams claims to have transcribed this collection in 1799 from a manuscript in the possession of Siams Thomas of Maerdy Newydd, co. Glamorgan. Preceding and following the actual text of the collection are transcripts of a prefatory letter dated 1685 (pp. 201-06) and of the concluding note already referred to (p. 390) both of which are attributed to the Glamorgan scribe and copyist Thomas ab Iefan of Tre Bryn as compiler of the manuscript from which Edward Williams was allegedly copying (see TLLM, t. 172; IM, tt. 291-4). Pp. 391-477 contain a transcript of a collection, in alphabetical order, of over three thousand Welsh proverbs attributed to Cattwg Ddoeth ('Llyma Ddiarhebion Cattwg Ddoeth . . . sef yw hwnn Ail Lyfr y Gwyddfardd Cyvarwydd'). This collection, according to the aforementioned note at the end of the preceding section (p. 390) attributed to Thomas ab Iefan, had been compiled by the said Thomas from various sources and formed a continuation of the previous section. Edward Williams's claim with regard to the Siams Thomas volume is probably intended to apply to the contents of pp. 391-477 as well. The contents of pp. 199-390 have been published in The Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales . . ., vol. III (London, 1807), pp. 1-99.