Showing 2 results

Archival description
Cardiff Castle (Cardiff, Wales) Merthyr Tydfil (Wales)
Print preview View:

Bardism; miscellanea,

A volume (pp. i-xxii; 1-449) containing miscellaneous items, many relating to Welsh bardism, in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg'). The contents include pp. 1-3, a note re the proclamation in 1795 of a bardic meeting to be held at Pen Bryn Owain in co. Glamorgan in 1796; 3-7, notes re the times of holding bardic meetings ('Cadair a Gorsedd wrth Gerdd a Barddoniaeth'), etc.; 7-16, eleven rules under the superscription 'Darbodau Gorsedd Gyfallwy Cadair Morganwg . . . ar Benn Brynn Owain ym Morganwg . . . 1795' relating to the conduct of bardic meetings, the measures, content, and language of poems, the bards, etc.; 25-8, a note of a proclamation in 1798 of a 'Cadair a Gorsedd ar Gerdd a Barddoniaeth' to be held at Pen Brynn Owain in co. Glamorgan in twelve months time, notes on the times of holding future bardic meetings '. . . ymmraint Cadair Orsedd Morganwg . . . ar ben Twyn Owain', and a geographical definition of the term Morgannwg in this context; 35-44., notes headed 'Coelbren y Beirdd herwydd Llyfr Llywelyn Siôn' being notes relating to the special alphabet reputedly devised by the Welsh bards for carving or notching on wooden surfaces and different modes of constructing wooden appliances or so-called 'books' which could be used as writing surfaces when utilising this alphabet; 51, an incomplete version of a 'question and answer' conversation between a teacher and his disciple; 55-6, notes relating to early British bards called 'gwyddoniaid', a bardic meeting between Prydain ab Aedd Mawr and three of these bards called Plennydd, Alawn, and Gwron ('Tri Phrif Feirdd Ynys Prydain'), rules for the bardic order formulated then, etc.; 57-60, English definitions of, or notes in Welsh on, terms of bardic relevance, e.g. 'Alban', 'Gorsedd Arddangos', 'Arwest', 'Cerdd Arwest'; 63-73, extracts of varying length from the works of Welsh poets ? illustrating bardic or poetic terms ('Bardic Allusions from the Welsh Bards'); 79, a note on 'Colofn Prydain (sef felly y gelwir y Gyhydedd Gyrch yn Llyfr Gm. Tew)'; 80-82, notes on Welsh literary production up to and including the fifteenth century mentioning Dafydd ap Gwilym, Llawdden, Harri ap Rhys ap Gwilym, Ieuan Brechfa, Edeyrn dafawd aur, Einiawn offeiriad, Dafydd Ddu Hiraddug, and Hopkin ap Thomas; 82-6, notes relating to an 'eisteddfod' held under the patronage of Gruffydd ap Rhys ap Tewdwr in Aberteifi and to rules concerning the order of bards and musicians formulated there; 87-8, brief notes on the bardic 'cadair arddangos' and 'cadair dwmpath'; 89, a note relating to the original of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, an extract from the said work, and a note on 'a circumstance . . . exactly similar' in a poem by Dafydd ap Gwilym; 90-91, notes on Dafydd ap Gwilym and his poetry; 92-4, notes on the Welsh alphabet; 95-? 104, the rules and customs of the bardic chair of Tir Iarll ('Trefnau a Defodau Cadair Tir Iarll'); 111-13, bardic miscellanea; 119- 22, notes relating to the rights, etc., of the bardic order with the superscription 'Llyma ddangos amrafaelion o arferion a breiniau a defodau a barnau a chyfarwyddyd a berthynent i Feirdd a gwyr wrth gerdd o'r hen Lyfrau'; 127-33, notes on 'Cerdd Gadair', 'Cerdd Deuluaidd', 'Clergerdd', 'Datgeiniad Cadair', and 'Datgeiniad Penpastwn'; (continued)

135-7 + 145, further notes re rules for bardic meetings; 142, two triads; 143-4 + 155, notes relating to ? the Welsh bardic alphabet; 154, a note on 'Tair colofn Barddoniaeth'; 157-9, notes relating to the alleged association between (a) Gruffudd ap Cynan and Bleddyn ap Cynfyn and the code of rules for the bardic order, (b) Bleddyn ap Cynfyn and 'regulations for genealogies and armorial bearings', (c) Rhys ap Tewdwr and the introduction of the 'Bardic Laws of the Round Table' from Armorica, and (d) Gruffudd ap Cynan and 'a musical sessions in Glyn Achlach in Ireland . . . 1096'; 171-4, a transcript of twelve stanzas of Welsh verse attributed to Siencyn o'r Crwys y Prydydd; 174, a list of 'Plant Caw o Brydyn'; 175, a transcript of a twelve-line Welsh stanza allegedly composed by Thomas Glyn Cothi on the occasion of the French landing at Fishguard in 1797; 176-7, genealogical data relating to the family of Iestyn ab Gwrgan and related families; 178, a transcript of an 'englyn' relating to Owain Glyn Dyfrdwy attributed to Ieuan Gethin ap Ieuan ap Lleision; 179, a few entries relating to events in Welsh history, 870-959; 180, a transcript of 'englynion' ? attributed to Hywel Ystoryn; 181-6, an anecdote and notes relating to ? the reputed poetesses of Ty Talwyn, parish of Llangynwyd [co. Glamorgan]; 187 + 193, skeleton notes on Llanilid, Llanharan, Llanhari, Llantrisaint, St. Donats, and Flimston [co. Glamorgan]; 188-9, historical and other notes relating to the parish of Merthyr Tydvil [co. Glamorgan]; 190, a list of 'Antiquities in and about Merthyr'; 191, a note on Mallt Walbi 'a Brecon virago' and leader of a gang of freebooters, and a list of 'Remarkable Parishes' [in Glamorgan]; 192, a list of 'Antiquities in and about Lantwit Major' [co. Glamorgan]; 205, extracts relating to 'Melchin, an ancient British author', 'Hu Gadarn', etc., 'Ex Celtic Remains by Lewis Morris'; 206-07, a note on heroic poetry and the attitude of the 'descendants of the Celts' towards it; 219- 22, comments on orthography arising out of [William] Owen [Pughe]'s innovations with regard to Welsh orthography; 223-7, notes relating to the formation of compounds and plurals of monosyllabic words in ancient Cimbric and modern Welsh; 227-39, notes relating to the original home of the Cymry and early druidism and bardism, etc.; 241, a short list of Welsh words relating to worship with English definitions; 242-4, notes on the principles of druidism; 246-51, notes relating to the 'Great Eisteddfod at Caermarthen' [? 1451], 'the system of versification that received the sanction of that Eisteddfod', the adoption of this system by the bards of North Wales and some of those of South Wales, its rejection by the bards of Glamorgan and their compilation of 'a system of discipline, of Poetical Criticism, of Versification, and of whatever appertained to their science', the death of the Carmarthen system during the reign of James I, Gronwy Owen's verse, and the Gwyneddigion Society's annual Welsh poetry competition and its attempt 'to restore the system of the Carmarthen Eisteddfod'; 252-4, notes relating to an 'eisteddfod' held at Nant Gonwy, 1 Edward IV, incorporating 'englynion' attributed to Dafydd ap Edmund and Twm Tegid Brydydd 'o Langower ym Mhenllyn'; 259-66 + 274-82, an outline journal of a journey from South to North Wales and back, July-August 1800, the places mentioned on the northward journey including Cowbridge, Bridgend, Neath, Caeo, Dolau Cothi, Pumsaint, Clydogau Mountain, Llanfair Cludogeu, Llandewi Brevi, Tregaron, Pont Rhyd Fendigaid, Hafod, Pont ar fynach, Llanbadarn, Aberdyfi, Towyn, Dolgelleu, and Blaeneu (a visit to [Rhys Jones, antiquary and poet] and transcribing of manuscripts), and on the return journey Llanfachreth, Dolgelley (mention here of harpists and of the origin of the triple-stringed harp), Carneddi Hengwm, Tal y llynn, Abergyrnolwyn, Aberdyfi, Aberystwyth, Llanrhystid, Tal y sarn, New Inn, Abergwily, Caerm[arthe]n, Llangyndeyrn, Pont y Berem, Llan Nonn, Cydwely, Llanelly, Pont ar Ddulais, Swansea, Llangynwyd, and Bridgend; 262, a transcript of twelve lines of English verse entitled 'Loyalty by a Cobler'; 264, a transcript of an 'englyn' attributed to Huw Llwyd Cynfel; 270-73, a Welsh saints' calendar; 306, a plan of a 'Sheepfold at the foot of Cadair Idris, another in ruins on the same plan Cefn Merthyr, several more in Glamorgan'; (continued)

307, a transcript of the 'title-page' of Edward Jones: The Bardic Museum of Primitive British Literature . . .; 308-13, a series of eleven Welsh triads ('Llyma Drioedd y Beirdd') with an English translation thereof extracted from pp. 1-4 of the aforementioned Bardic Museum by Edward Jones; 316, a medicinal recipe for rheumatism in the head; 317, a 'Plan of a school house or accademy'; 323-38, extracts from Sharon Turner: History . . . of the Anglo-Saxons [vol. IV], relating to the language, literature, and music of the Anglo - Saxons; 339-43, notes on, and extracts from, [Walter] Scott's 'Lay of the Last Minstrel'; 359-62, extracts from a review of Edward Moor: The Hindu Pantheon which appeared in The Edinburgh Review, February 1811; 367-70, brief notes relating to the poetic dialect of the Welsh bards, the 'ancient [Welsh] Prose dialect', 'the modern [Welsh] literary Dialect', and 'The Venedotian Dialect' and its use in literature, and comments on the efforts of 'A Welsh (would-be literary) Society in London . . . to patronize the Welsh Language'; 373-80, notes relating to the introduction of Scaldic bardism into North Wales in the time of Gruffudd ap Cynan and the consequent disappearance of the old British bardism in that part of the country, the preservation of the old bardism in Glamorgan, and the invigorating effect of the 'Scaldic manner or system' on Welsh poetry and the Welsh language, general comments on the moral tone of Welsh literature, etc.; 381, three 'grammatical' triads; 382, a very brief list of Irish words in the Venedotian dialect; 383, an extract 'Ex Vol. 35 Plas Gwynn Mon' [i.e. Panton MS 35 now NLW MS 2003] relating to the 'dymchwelawl' poetic metre; 384, a note relating to an old manuscript volume containing Welsh miracle plays in the possession of 'Dr. Thomas yn Llwyn Iwrch' in the eighteenth century; 385-6, comments on the practice of calling 'the ancient British Religion Druidical'; 387-9, general observations on the development of the 'system of versification and of poetical criticism . . . of the Welsh Bards'; 390, a brief note on 'Bardism or Druidism'; 391-2, a list of fourteen chapter headings for a proposed 'History of the Bards' [? by Edward Williams], with a note at the beginning 'A Bad Plan' and at the end 'The above is only the first rude sketch of 1791 and here only retained as containing a few hints that may be useful' (in addition to material on British / Welsh bardism and druidism and Welsh music this work was to contain chapters on Irish and Highland bards, Scandinavian scalds, Provencal troubadours, and Saxon and English minstrels); 392-4, a list of thirty-six topics or subject or chapter headings being 'Another arrangement' [presumably for the proposed 'History of the Bards']; 395, a transcript of three 'englynion' attributed to Gutto'r Glyn, the third being attributed also to H[ywel] D[afydd] I[eua] n Rhys (an accompanying note mentions an 'eisteddfod' at Cardiff Castle); 396-7, a list of six 'Topics for the Bards Common Place book'; 398, a list of dates ? in connection with the holding of 'eisteddfodau' at Ystrad Ywain [co. Glamorgan]; 399-400, notes relating to the 'Polity or Discipline' of the druids and bards; 407, a list of fourteen 'names given by the ancient Bards to the Coronog faban' (part Welsh, part English, and derived from [Thomas] Pugh [: Brittish and Out-landish] Prophesies . . . [ London, 1658]); 408-18, notes relating largely to early British bardism and druidism with mention of [James] MacPherson and the Ossianic poems; 423-5, miscellaneous triads, etc.; 426 + 430-31, general reflections relating to etymology; 427-9, reflections on the use of conjecture in history particularly 'with respect to the peopling of Europe and America' if no historical records were available; 431-3, notes relating to the dissension between the bards of North Wales and those of Glamorgan consequent upon the 'succesful attempt of Daf[ydd] ab Edmund at the Caermarthen Congress [? 1451] to establish his own system [of versification]', the researches undertaken by the Glamorgan bards into 'Bardic history and science' and their discovery of 'the true principles of Poetry and versification', etc.; 435-7, notes containing general reflections on changes in the Welsh language and poetry from the late thirteenth century onwards; and 438, a list of six Welsh triads.

Miscellanea,

Miscellaneous papers and booklets containing prose and verse items in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') bound into one volume. Verse items, pagination in brackets, include transcripts of strict- and free-metre Welsh poems, sometimes a single stanza or 'englyn', or extracts from Welsh poems attributed to Llywarch Brydydd y Moch (6), D. Edmund (18, 430), Howel ap Syr Mathew (20), Thomas Llywelyn 'o Regoes' (? 21-4, 226 with a note relating to the poet's son), Dicc Hughes (24, 119-26 ), D. Lld. Math[afar]n (24), Syr Lewys ab Huw 'o Fochnant' (25-30), Thomas Evans (31-7), ?Huw Dafydd (37-44), Llywelyn ap Hywel ap Ieuan ap Gronwy ( 56-7), Bedyn Wilco (65-6), Huw Dafydd (68-71), Thomas ap Gwilym 'o Ferthyr Tudfyl' (73-5), Wiliam Sawndwr (83-4, 103-05; see IM, t. 302), Siôn Lewys Hywel 'o Lantrisaint Meisgin' (93-4), Thomas ab Ifan 'o Dre Brynn' (94-6), Llywelyn Deio Pywel (96-8), ? Siencyn Lygad Rhawlin (100-03), Twm ab Han ab Rhys (105-08), R. Hughes (126-32), Llywelyn ab Hwlkyn 'o Fôn' (133-6), ? Watcin Dafydd 'o Ben y Bont' (175 + two unnumbered pages following), Gronw Gethin ab Ieuan ab Lleison 'o Faglan' (185-6), Dafydd Nanmor (186), Dafydd Thomas 'o Dregroes' (187-8), Rhys ap Ioccyn 'o Dre-golwyn' (189-91 with an added note thereon by 'Iolo Morganwg'), Siôn Morgan 'argraffydd o'r Bont Faen' (213-14), Siôn Wiliam 'o Landathan' (214-16), Efan o Lan y Lai (227), Iorwerth ap Sierlyn (231), Gwilym Tew 'o Lynn Taf' (232), Emion Offeiriad (263-4), Daf. ab Gwilym (273, 277-8), y Parchedig Dafydd Dafis 'o Gastell Hywel' and 'o Lwynrhydowen' (274-6), Rhys Meigen (277), William Walters (297-304), Dr. T. Wms. (314), Taliesin (316), Siôn Philip (316), Edmund Prys (316, 383-91), Ed. Richard (316), Huw Caerog (323, 392), Huw Llyn (323, 392 ), Huw Pennant (323, 393) William Cynwal (323, 393), Huw Ednyfed (324), Gruff. ab Lln. Fychan and Ifan Brydydd Hir jointly (324), Lewis Môn (324), D. Edmund (331), Merddin Emrys (336), Syr Wiliam Herbart (340), Hywel Dafydd ap Ieuan ap Rhys (340), Owen Brereton (341), Tudur Aled (383), Wm. Byrkinshaw (392), Ieuan Tew (392), R. Dafies, Escob Mynyw (393), Siôn Tudur (393), [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg' (423-?25), Wm. Llyn (430), Robt. Clidro (430), Howel Bangor (430), and Madawg ab Merfyn Gwawdrydd (431-2); transcripts of unattributed Welsh verse (17-20, ? 37-40, 45-56, 57- 64, 66-7, 98-100, 136-43, 145-50, 202, 227-9, 258, 316, 317-21, 327, 331, 334, 449-54, 461); and also transcripts of English verse (72, 330). Prose items, pagination in brackets, include a brief paginated list of events recorded in W. Wynne: The History of Wales (1-2); genealogical data relating to the descendants of Brychan Brycheiniog based upon the data in the appendices to Theo[philus] Jones [: A History of the County of Brecknock, vol. I, 1805] (3-6); notes relating to the Welsh medical treatise 'Meddygon Myddfai' (8-10); an extract from [The] Myvyrian Archaiology [of Wales], vol. II (11); a note relating to a manuscript allegedly once in the possession of Dafydd Rhisiart 'o Landocheu'r Bont Faen', which had contained, inter alia, some twenty poems by Wil. Hopcin (85); a brief comment on the Welsh language (92); a note relating to Owain Glyn Dwr's activities in Glamorgan allegedly extracted from a manuscript history in the possession of the Rev. Thos. Bassett of Lanelay (151-2); a brief note on Cae Llwyd in the parish of Llangyfelach [co. Glamorgan], home of the poet Huw Cae Llwyd, and on Ieuan ap y Diwlith (155); a note relating to the antiquity of the Cymmry (Kimmeri) as a nation and of the word itself as a national appellative (157); brief data re the descent of King Arthur (158); a list of slanderous epithets for the use of which Margaret John Harri had been excommunicated at Llandaff Consistory Court in 1816 (159); a list of ministers of religion who had attended an annual meeting [? of Unitarians] at y Gelli onnen [co. Glamorgan] in 1813 (161); a copy of a fable re a king and three wise men (177-80); an anecdote relating to the origin of the fruit trees at Margam [co. Glamorgan] (181); 'sayings' attributed to Taliesin ('Gwiredd Taliesin') (182); an anecdote relating to Taliesin and Cattwg Ddoeth (182-3); notes on Welsh poets, 14th- 17th cent. (193-201); a list of five subject headings under the superscription 'Bards, Topics for History of' (202); medicinal recipes ? from 'Meddygon Myddfai' (203); a short list of Glamorgan proverbs (208); a copy of the proclamation of an 'eisteddfod' to be held at Caerwys, co. Flint, to July 1523, extracted from Siôn Rhydderch [: Grammadeg Cymraeg, 1728] (219-20); a list of 'sayings' attributed to Saffin (220-23); a copy of a parable relating to a blind man's search for riches (224-6); a note on Cwrt Aberavan in the parish of Margam [co. Glamorgan] and a list of 'Parselon Margam' (230); a note on the poet Rhydderch ap Ieuan Llwyd (231); (continued)

A list of the early kings of Britain and of the Britons back to the time of Brutys and Eneas Ysgwyddwyn (233-6); a copy of a parable relating to a rich man and a hermit (236-9); brief notes relating to certain physical features in the parish of Merthyr Tudfyl, co. Glamorgan, and to Hywel Rhys, the bard, and his descendants, and references to Blaen Cannaid, Llwyn Celyn, and Cwm y Glo and other Nonconformist meeting houses [in co. Glamorgan] (239 + 242); a copy of a memorial inscription to Morgan Herbert of Havod Uchtryd, co. Cardigan, ob. 1687/8, in Eglwys Newydd Church near Havod, and of an inscription relating to the history of the church (240-42; see S. R. Meyrick: The History and Antiquities of the County of Cardigan, London, 1810, pp. 347-51); brief notes on the dates of the conversion of 'Daenmarc', 'Llychlyn', 'Gwyddelod y Werddon', 'Gwyddelod yr Alban', and 'Gwyddelod Môn ag Arfon' to the Christian faith (257); a brief note relating to markets at Castell y Coetty and Pen y Bont ar Ogwr ? temp. Henry VIII and previously (258); brief notes relating to Sir Edward Stradlin [n.d.] and Thomas Stradlin, temp. Henry VIII (259); notes relating to Welsh strict metres, Elisse ap Gwalchmai 'o Ial', and Dafydd ap Gwilym (264-5); genealogical data headed 'Achau Morganiaid Tredegyr' ( 266-7); medicinal recipes, some from 'Meddygon Myddfai' (268-70, 287-91); brief miscellanea extracted from Panton MS 30 [now NLW MS 1999 (313- 14); an account of the return of Brân ap Llyr from captivity in Rome accompanied by the saints Ilid, Cyndaf, and Meugant Hen (329); comments on the authenticity of Welsh manuscripts ? containing medical material with mention of three such manuscripts, and twelve points ? relating to a pre- sixteenth century manuscript of this nature ? in Jesus College, Oxford (332-3); a list of eight 'sayings' attributed to Cattwg ddoeth (333); notes on the 'three primary or fundamental attributes of God' (335); a brief geographical / geological note relating to the Llangyfelach area [co. Glamorgan] (335); an anecdote relating to Llywelyn Bren and Sir Wiliam Flemin (360; an explanatory comment on Henry Salisbury's wrong definition of the word 'cler' (361); notes relating to the use of the 'Silurian dialect' in Welsh prose and verse of the Middle Ages in North and South Wales and comments on 'anglicisms, English construction, and English idioms' in the Welsh translation of the Bible (363-5); a list of family names to illustrate a Glamorgan custom of 'prefixing the Article to the surnames of the Gentry' (366); a list of places in Glamorgan with, in some instances, specific natural features, antiquities, etc., associated therewith, short lists of locations of inscriptions, caves, and cromlechs [in co. Glamorgan], etc. (367-9); a list headed 'Subscribers - 1804' containing seven names but naming no publication (370; a list of the names of thirty-four Welsh poets, 13th-16th cent., literary historical manuscript volumes or works such as 'Llyfr Coch Hergest', 'Brut y Brenhinoedd', etc. (373-4); a note relating to the convention of poetic contentions (391); an anecdote relating to Gutto'r Glynn at an 'eisteddfod' held in Cardiff Castle under the patronage of Sir Wiliam Herbert (394, for the ending see p. 340); a list of 'sayings' attributed to Cattwn Ddoeth all commencing with the word 'Tryw' (401); a list of nineteen items relating to Welsh bardism, music, grammar, etc., headed 'Jones Gelli Lyfdy MS. No. 120' being presumably an incomplete list of the contents of one of the manuscripts of John Jones of Gelli Lyfdy [co. Flint; ob. ? 1658] (407- 09); poetic extracts to illustrate the meaning of specific Welsh words (415-16, 418, 457-9); a note relating to dialects in Wales (427); a list of ten points or topics under the heading 'Plan of a Religious Society' (442); a list of 'Casbethau (or Casddynion) Selyf Ddoeth' (447); brief notes relating to Welsh bardism from the time of Gwrtheyrn Gwrtheneu to the time of the 'eisteddfod' at Caerfyrdd[in] convened by Sir Gruff. Nicolas (477-8); notes relating to Welsh metres and versification (479-87 ); notes on the connection between Cynddelw, Einion Offeiriad, Tryhaearn Brydydd Mawr, Gwilym Tew, Owain ab Rhydderch, Dafydd Llwyd Mathew, Dafydd Ddu o Hir Addug, and Dafydd ab Gwilym and certain Welsh poetic metres, a list of metres as arranged by Dafydd Llwyd Matthew, and another such list from 'hen Lyfr arall' (488-92); incomplete notes containing references to bardic topics such as 'sefydliad Dosparth Caerfyrddin', 'Eisteddfod Gyntaf Caerwys, 1525', 'Ystatut Gruffudd ap Cynan', 'Dosparth y Ford Gron', and 'Dosparth Tir Iarll' (503-04); miscellaneous genealogical data (249-51, 268, 315); miscellaneous Welsh triads (155, 217-19, 244-5, 247, 271-2, 359, 402, 445-6, 448, 466); and lists or groups of Welsh words, with, in some instances, definitions, illustrative examples, etc., or notes on Welsh words (7, 12, 243, 315, 336, 341, 359-62, 399-406, 411, 427, 429, 441-2). In one instance notes have been written across the face of a printed leaflet announcing the printing by subscription of Edward Williams's two volumes of English verse Poems Lyric and Pastoral (7 + 10).