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Llanover Manuscripts Davies, Walter, 1761-1849
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Miscellanea,

Miscellaneous papers in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') bound together in one volume. The contents include pp. 11- 36, a draft version of the essay 'A short review of the present state of Welsh MSS.' which appeared as a preface to The Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales . . ., vol. I (London, 1801), the present version being a much fuller one than that actually published (see also NLW MSS 13089E, 13104B above); 39-57, transcripts of Welsh poems attributed to Rissierdyn, Iorwerth Fynglwyd, and Huw Dafydd; 68-121, a transcript of a sequence of seventy-two 'englynion' ('Englynion y Clyweit') and poems attributed to Meredydd ap Rosser, Rhys Brychan, Dafydd Llwyd Matheu, Ieuan Rhydd, Siencyn Rissiart, In. Risiarts, Siôn Tudur, Wiliam Cynwal, William Llyn, ? Huw Arwystli, Rhisiart Davies, Esgob Mynyw, Robert Gruffudd ab Ifan, Bartholomew Jones, Huw Llyn, Elis ap Rhys ap Edward, R. Hughes 'o Fôn', D[afydd ap] G[wilym], William Elias, [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg', and Gronwy Ddu (or Hopkin ap Thomas ap Einion), miscellaneous extracts, lists of the children of Llywarch Hen, Urien Rheged, etc.; 125, a note on the poet Siôn Cent; 127-8, genealogical notes on the descendants of Rhys ap Tewdwr headed 'Morganiaid Tredegyr'; 129, memoranda ? relating to the parish of St. Mary, Cardiff; 140-41, a transcript of an incomplete English poem described as an 'Old Poem on Glamorgan. English'; 147-8, extracts from Patrick Symson: The Historie of the Church . . . (London, 1634); 150, an incomplete transcript of a 'cywydd' attributed to Wm. Egwad; 153-4, incomplete notes headed 'History of Dunraven Castle'; 165, a list of people who had attained to a considerable age in Glamorganshire; 166, a transcript of a fragment (end portion) of a letter, December 1726, from Edward Gamage, [rector of] St. Athan, which appears to have contained information relating to the Stradling family of St. Donats (see NLW MS 13100B above); 167-8, ? an outline scheme or chapter headings for a proposed 'History of the Lordship of Glamorgan'; 179-80, notes headed 'Bonedd ag Anfonedd' [from Panton MS 63 now NLW MS 2029B]; 180, transcripts of 'englynion' attributed to R. Nanmor, Iorwerth Fynglwyd, and Iolo Goch; 181-2, a list headed 'Llyma enwau Celloedd Cor Illtyd'; 184, notes relating to the descent of the Rev. John Williams, Sevenoaks, Kent, circa 1800, from the Cogan family; 185-6, a list of markets and fairs [in co. Glamorgan]; 187, a note relating to the reform of parliamentary representation; 192-3, chapter headings for a proposed 'History of the British Bards'; 194, a list of old castles in co. Glamorgan; 198 + 203, an account between Edward Williams and Thomas Williams relating to the tuition of the former's children Margaret, Ann, and Taliessin, 1796-1803 (verso used for writing notes); 200-01, a list of literary topics headed 'Testunau gwastadol a sefydledig Beirdd Cadair Morganwg a Gwent ac Euas ac Ergin ac Ystrad Yw . . . derbyniedig bob amser a ganer arnynt . . .'; 204, an anecdote relating to a blind man; 204, three stanzas of Welsh verse by [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg'; 208-09, a copy of the inscription on the tomb of the Reverend Daniel Walter, master of Cowbridge School, ob. 25 August 1787, and his brother William, ob. 8 October 1789; 220-21, a short French - English - Welsh vocabulary; 223, an 'englyn' by [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg'; 227-9, notes relating to Hindustani prosody, etc.; 230, a brief note on Welsh bards and minstrels; 233 + 240, extracts from [Nicholas Owen:] Caernarvonshire, a sketch of its history . . . [London, 1792]; 236-7, a list of 'Barbarisms in Walter Davies' Translation of [Thomas] Gisborne [A Familiar Survey of the Christian Religion . . .]'; 238 + 235, rules of a scheme for collecting subscriptions for a proposed ? emigration, ? 1797; 243-4, a list of titles of ninety-five Welsh poems, mainly 'cywyddau', headed 'Celfyddydau, moesau, ag arferion'; 246-7, descriptive notes on co. Glamorgan; (continued)

249-52, notes on the waste lands ? of Radnorshire with suggestions relating to inclosures; 255-8, notes on the production of wine in Germany with suggestions re vine growing in Britain; 261, a note on three wells in the lordship of Newton Nottage; 263-6, a list of 'Druidical maxims'; 265, a draft title-page for a second edition of Edward Williams: The Fair Pilgrim, a poem translated from Dafydd ap Gwilym; 268, a note on 'Brut y Saeson'; 269-71, medicinal recipes and other extracts from ? the Annual Register; 273-85, 335-8, religious and philosophical notes or observations; 290-92, notes on heraldic terms, etc ., ? from the Encyclopaedia Britannica; 293-4, ? extracts from [Thomas] Maurice: Indian Antiquities; 299-304, notes headed 'Eastern District of the County of Radnor' (topography, soil, the possibility of coal deposits); 312-13, a transcript of a 'cywydd' attributed to Gutto'r Glyn; 318-19, notes headed 'History of the Bards' referring to Ll[ewely]n Siôn's treatise on bardism; 321-2, notes headed 'Llymma Reithiadur Cerdd'; 341, extracts from Esdras II, chapter XIV; 344, notes on 'Trefn yr Albannau'; 348-9, a list of 'remarkable instances of longevity' ? extracted from the General Magazine, September 1789; 352-3 a 'Table of the fifteen Diationick Chords of the system of the antient'; 355, notes on 'Rheol bwrw pris', 'Y Cant hir', the burning of lime ? in Anglesey, etc.; 356, two lists of rules headed 'Hyn a wna wr yn hiroesawg ag yn iachus', and 'a Fyrhaant einioes dyn ac a'i heneiddia'; 357-9 a list headed 'Llyma rai o Gweiriau Cerdd dant'; 360, notes headed 'A Comparison of the pronounciation of the letters in the Welsh or British tongue to the Greek and Hebrew letters'; 361, notes headed 'Gogwyddor i ddallt y pricciad yn Llyfr Robert ap Hugh y Telynior'; 361 (2), extracts from Sion Rhydderch: Grammadeg Cymraeg [1728]; and 368, a few triads, a few Welsh proverbs, a note relating to Lewys Morys, and a note on the 'Wenhwyseg' as the language of Welsh literature to circa 1300. Interspersed amongst the above items are miscellaneous Welsh verse, lists or groups of Welsh words often with English definitions or explanatory notes, grammatical or etymological notes, etc. In one instance notes have been written on the blank sides of an incomplete copy of Herbert Croft's printed proposals, 1792, for publishing an English dictionary based upon that of Samuel Johnson, and in another on the blank verso of a broadsheet containing a copy of a Latin inscription found in the parish of Gelligaer, co. Glamorgan, with a Welsh translation thereof.

Agriculture; accounts of journeys,

A volume containing general observations and instructions relating to agricultural and horticultural matters, a corpus of data relating to agricultural practices, agricultural and rural economy, animal husbandry, horticulture, and related matters in various counties in England and Wales, ?incomplete accounts of journeys in parts of Wales [by Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg')], and other miscellaneous items, all in the hand of the aforesaid Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg'). The general observations and instructions relating to agriculture and horticulture have usually been extracted from such sources as, according to the superscriptions to the notes, 'Will's Almanack, 1804', [Arthur] Young: [The Farmer's] Calendar, and [ ] Lawrence: The New Farmer's Calendar. The data relating to agricultural practices, etc., in the counties of England consists mainly of extracts from, or notes based upon, sections of the published surveys of agriculture, etc., in these counties which appeared largely under the auspices of the Board of Agriculture in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, viz. those of Jacob Malcolm and William James for rather William, James, and Jacob Malcolm] for the county of Surrey, George Turner for the county of Gloucester, John Boys for the county of Kent, John Monk for the county of Leicester, Nathaniel Kent for the county of Norfolk, Robert Lowe for the county of Nottingham, John Billingsley for the county of Somerset, and John Middleton for the county of Middlesex. The data concerning agriculture, etc., in Wales relates to the counties of South Wales. Some of this data has been extracted from, or is based upon, published agricultural surveys similar to those for the English counties also made in respect of the Welsh counties, e.g., those of Charles Hassall for the counties of Carmarthen and Pembroke, John Clark for the county of Brecknock, and Thomas Lloyd and the Reverend Mr. Turner for the county of Cardigan. It would appear, however, that most of the data relating to the counties of South Wales has not been extracted from such sources but it may possibly be linked with the work which Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') himself undertook in 1796 in surveying the counties of Glamorgan and Carmarthen on behalf of the Board of Agriculture and with the work he undertook in assisting the Reverend Walter Davies ('Gwallter Mechain') in collecting material for his review of the economy of South Wales subsequently published under the title General View of the Agriculture and Domestic Economy of South Wales . . . Drawn up for the Consideration of the Board of Agriculture and Internal Improvement (London, 1815) (see the introduction for references to the assistance rendered by Edward Williams to the Reverend Walter Davies in respect of this project). Pp. 73-88 of the present manuscript contain an account of a journey undertaken [by Edward Williams] in the course of which he passed through or by the following neighbourhoods, places, buildings, etc., commenting on the features noted in brackets after the names - Penygored or Llechryd (tin works, salmon weir, coracle), Kilgeran, Cardigan, Blaen y Ffos Baptist meeting house, Fryni Vawr, Llanfernach ('a rich lead mine on the Estate of Captain Lloyd of Bronwydd worked by Lord Milford about 7 years ago . . .'), Bribwll ('a large old mansion'), Glandwr Meeting House ('very large, Independants'), Llangludwen Mill ('saw the place where they had been without any success digging for coal'), Llanboidy (adverse comments on the inhabitants of the area and also on the 'Pembrokeshire Peasantry'), Meidrym ('a decent village'), Job's Well near Caermarthen, and Gillimoor near Caerm[arthe]n Town ('100 acres of the rankest moor or bog drained by . . . Philips, Esqr.'). (continued)

Pp. 149-71 contain further notes relating to a journey [by Edward Williams] proceeding from Aber Cothi via Llanegwad, Hendre Wencyn Farm, Plas Newydd, Middleton Hall ('fine seat of Sir William Paxton . . . highly finished appartments and numerous flourishing plantations'), Grongar Hill, Dryslwyn Castle, Llanarthne, Golden Grove ('a fine old Mansion'), Llandeilo ('an ill planned and in general ill-built Town . . . some good houses . . . a large clumsy old Church', adverse comments on the inhabitants of the district, comments on a local custom of hanging jugs on nails 'all round the rooms of their houses', rather adverse comments on Dinevor Castle, Dryslwyn Castle, Carreg Cennen Castle, and the tomb of Sir Rhys ap Thomas in the church of Caermarthen), Newton Dinevor ('Fine seat of Lord Dinevor, the Park . . . one of the finest in the whole Kingdom', report on a conversation with Lord Dinevor), Derwen fawr, Aberglasney ('Mr. Dyer's, the Birth place of the Bard of Grongar Hill', praise of Grongar Hill and the views of the surrounding country to be seen from there), Crongaer Farm House, and Cross Inn (a brief note on and a sketch of 'Caermarthenshire Gates and Posts'), to Allt y Gog (a note here on 'Caermarthen Trade' with mention of 'Vaughan's anchor smithery', 'Vaughan's foundery', shipping, and ship building). Pp. 177-205 contain a further account of a journey [by Edward Williams] from Landilo ('Scattered Town with some good houses others wretched') via Dinefwr Park, Dinefor Castle, Llanfynydd village ('neat without & whitened, dirty & black within'), Glyn Cothi Mountains, Bryn Llywelyn Mountain, Llanybyddar, Llanwnen ('people most intelligent of any in Wales, mostly Presbiterians, very little English'), Cribin Clottas, Silien ('a scattered village of shabby aspect'), Langybi ('Church no Windows . . . a grammar school in the church . . . women do all the works of husbandry, threshing, grubbing, hedging . . . . have a tone or brogue that is far from pleasant . . . meeting houses numerous'), Llonio isa farm house, John's of hafod's estate, Llonio Mill, Llan Ddewi Brevi ('large double Isle Church & large village'), Tregaron New Bridge, Tregaron ('ragged Town that has a market, inferior to a Glamorgan village . . . Church large and long a clumsy high Tower, no windows in front'), House of Twm Siôn Catty ('½ mile out of town in ruins'), Llynn maes y llynn, Pont Rhyd fendigaid, Ross Fair ('4 or 5 houses only'), Yspytty ystwyth, the great bog between Tregaron & Ystrad Meuryg ('the property of Johns, Lisburne, &c., who are paid 5s per day for as much as one man can cut . . . this is called Corsgoch ar Deifi'), Ystrad Meuryg ('a dry healthy place, fine views . . .', note on E[dward] Rich[ar]ds and his school and library), Devils Bridge ('meet Messrs. Boddington & Este . . . walk over Havod grounds'), Ystrad Flur (brief note on the ruins of the abbey), dreary mountainous Country for many miles in Lanbadarn parish (' the inhabitants very stupid and extremely ignorant . . .'), foot of Pumlumon, Glasbwll village, Machynlleth ('a very good Town for Wales, many neat houses, good hall recently built. . . '), Pennegos, Dolgeiog, Llanwryn, Llancemais ('Decent Church & good village'), Mallwyd ('a very pleasant village . . . Church is a rude building with a Tower of oaken boards constructed in 1640', notes on Dr. John Davies 'the saviour of the Welsh language', his 'grammar of the Welsh language', his 'Welsh & Latin Dictionary', his revision of 'the Welsh Bible and prayer book' and his translation of 'some useful books of practical devotion into the Welsh language'), Mallwyd Bridge (sketch of bridge), Dinas ym Mowddwy ('a Market weekly but its number of houses do not exceed 30, here is a new meeting house built about 4 years ago'), Abercowarch village ('many new cottages . . . a spinning mill at work', a note here on South walians who were thronging 'to the Methodist Association at Bala' and on one young woman whom the writer had met who had come '100 miles on a pilgrimage to this circulating Mecca of Welsh fanaticism'), and Llanymowddwy, as far as Bwlch y Groes (further note on the Methodists looking forward to hearing [David] Jones of Llangan preaching at Bala). The accounts of the three journeys noted contain observations on topographical, agricultural, and geological features of the areas through which the traveller passed.

Journal,

A notebook written in pencil by Edward Williams, 'Iolo Morganwg', and containing an account of his journey from London to Merthyr, 29 May - (?) 24 June 1802. A few of the pages are now very indistinct and almost illegible. The places mentioned include Tatsworth, Oxford, Woodstock, Enstone, Long Compton and Rollright circle, Tidmanton, Alderminster, Stratford upon Avon, Wooton [sic], Henly [sic], Birmingham, Bromwich, Westbury, Bilston, Wolverhampton, Tettenhall, Shiffnal [sic], Madley ? [Madeley], Colebrook Dale, Buildwas, Hatcham, Salop (Shrewsbury), Crew Green, Meivod, Llanfair, Newtown, Ceri, Felindre, Bugeildy, Llanfair Waterdine, Knighton, Norton, Presteign, New Radnor, Old Radnor, Glasdre [? Gladestry], Pain's Castle, Clirow, Hay, Glasbury, Llyswen, Capel (y) ffin, and Brecon. Among the individuals briefly mentioned are the Reverend Walter Davies ['Gwallter Mechain'], curate of Meifod, with whom, 14 June, Iolo Morganwg sets out on a survey of South Wales, Mr. Weyman 'at Griffin Ffloyd', Mr. Richard Williams of the Duke's Arms, Knighton, Thos. Grove, Esqr., of Cwm Elen, and Mr. [ ] Morgan, wool-stapler, of Knighton. There are also some notes on the Vale of Glamorgan, including an air, and hymn stanzas, e.g. 'Rhodio gyda Duw'.

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.