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A composite volume containing miscellaneous transcripts, extracts, notes, etc., in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg'). Pp. 1-60 contain a copy of the medieval Welsh metrical treatise or bardic grammar which is usually attributed to Einion Offeiriad and/or Dafydd Ddu o Hiraddug. In the present version which, according to a note on p. 61, was transcribed [by Edward Williams] from manuscript texts then in the possession of Mr. [Thomas] Richards of Llangrallo [co. Glamorgan] and the Reverend Thomas Evans of Brechfa [co. Carmarthen], the work is, however, attributed to Edern Dafod Aur. For the probable source of the present text, subsequent transcripts made of it, its attribution (probably by Edward Williams) to Edern Dafod Aur, and its connection with the version published in John Williams ('Ab Ithel'): Dosparth Edeyrn Davod Aur . . . (Llandovery, 1856), see the introduction to G. J. Williams ac E. J. Jones (gol.) : Gramadegau' r Penceirddiaid (Caerdydd, 1934), p. xv, and J. Morris-Jones: 'Dosbarth Edern Dafod Aur', The Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, 1923 4, pp. 1-28. The other items in the volume include pp. 61-70, variant readings of the text of the above-mentioned treatise to be found in the two manuscript sources noted; 85-6, notes on Welsh poetic metres and on an 'eisteddfod' reputedly held at Marchwiail, co. Denbigh, circa 1350 or later in the fourteenth century; 87-8, a list of the contents of pp. 89-247 (previously paginated 1-161); 89-110, a version of the statute or code of rules for regulating the training and conduct of Welsh bards and musicians usually associated with the name of Gruffudd ap Cynan and here associated with the names of the said Gruffudd and Bleddyn ap Cynfyn ('. . . o Lyfr . . . Mr. Wiliam Wiliams o Landegai yn Arfon'); 110-13, notes on an 'eisteddfod' held by invitation of Rhys ap Gruffudd, lord of Dinefwr, at Cardigan (from the same source as the preceding item); 113-17, another shorter version of the above-mentioned statute with notes of subsequent confirmations by Rhys ap Tewdwr and his grandson Rhys ap Gruffudd ('O Lyfr Hywel Rhys o'r Faenor'); 118, a sketch plan showing the ? respective positions of the different grades of bards and musicians at an 'eisteddfod' and sketches of some musical instruments ('O Lyfr Hafod Ychtryd ysgrifen John Jones o'r Gelli Lyfdy'); 119-23, a further version of the abovementioned statute as reputedly confirmed at an 'eisteddfod' held at Caerwys [co. Flint], 1568 ('O Lyfr Mr. Cobb o Gaer Dydd'); 124-44, a treatise on Welsh poetic metres with the superscription 'Llyma Gyfarwyddyd Ar Fesurau Cerdd Dafawd a dynnwyd allan o Lyfrau Simwnt Fychan Bencerdd ag eraill . . .' and with a concluding note '. . . A myfi Wiliam Philip o'r Hendre Fechan yn Ardudwy a'i tynnais allan o waith yr awduron gorchestol a fuant o'm blaen . . .', transcribed from 'un o Lyfrau Mr. Cobb o Gaer Dydd yn . . . 1782'; 145-53, a further version of the statute of Gruffudd ap Cynan as confirmed at an 'eisteddfod' held at Caerwys in 1524 (recte 1523), with a list of bards and musicians licensed at the said 'eisteddfod', transcribed 'o No. 65, P.P., Yswain, Plas Newydd ym Môn' (i.e ., from Panton MS 65, now NLW MS 2031, of which see pp. 200-12] (see also NLW MS 13099B); 153-60, 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 13099B); 160- 64, notes on, and lists of, Welsh musical measures, etc., transcribed 'o Lyfr No. 65 Plas Newydd ym Môn' [i.e. Panton MS 65, of which see pp. 194- 200] (see also NLW MS 13099B); 164-70, anecdotes relating to Dafydd ap Edmwnt and the 'eisteddfod' held at Carmarthen [circa 1450] in the presence of Gruffudd ap Nicolas (according to the superscription 'Ex Vol. XVII, P.P. Plas Newydd, Môn' [i.e. Panton MS.17 now NLW MS 1986A], but, according to a note on p. 170, copied from an old manuscript at Plas Newydd and compared with versions in another manuscript there and a manuscript in the Hengwrt Library in the hand of J[ohn] Jones of Gelli Lyfdy [this last possibly now Peniarth MS 267 in the National Library]); 171-94, an account of the revision of the regulations relating to the Welsh bards and musicians, the rules of 'cynghanedd', and the twenty-four strict metres undertaken in connection with, or at, the aforementioned 'eisteddfod' held by Gruffudd ap Nicolas at Carmarthen, anecdotes relating to Dafydd ap Edmwnd and the said 'eisteddfod', etc., taken 'O Lyfr Iago ab Dewi yn awr gan Mr. Thomas Evans o Frechfa' (for the text of pp. 171-94 see Y Greal . . ., 1805-1806, tt. 49-61, 97-103, 151-4, and for an evaluation of the contents G. J. Williams: 'Eisteddfod Caerfyrddin', Y Llenor, cyf. V, tt. 94-5; see also IMCY, tt. 86-95); 195-9, further anecdotes relating to Dafydd ap Edmwnd and the aforesaid 'eisteddfod' at Carmarthen and an 'eisteddfod' at Nant Gonwy, notes relating to the date of the 'eisteddfod' at Carmarthen, a list of four 'eisteddfodau' held at Carmarthen, Abermarlas, and Castell Gweblai, 1452-1486, etc.; 201-35, a version of the treatise on Welsh bardic craft published by William Midleton in 1593 [Bardhoniaeth neu brydydhiaeth y llyfr kyntaf . . . ( Llundain, 1593)] with additions and variations, which are probably to be attributed to Edward Williams himself, inserted in, or appended to, the text of the original treatise (see the introduction to G. J. Williams (gol .): Barddoniaeth neu Brydyddiaeth gan Wiliam Midleton . . . (Caerdydd, 1930), more particularly tt. 42-4); 235-40, further notes on Welsh poetic metres; and 241-6, further notes relating to two 'eisteddfodau' held at Carmarthen, ?1451 and ?1461.

Miscellaneous papers and home-made booklets containing transcripts, notes, lists, jottings, etc., in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') bound together in one volume. The contents are extremely varied. Prose items include items such as a brief note on Dafydd ap Gwilym (40), notes relating to Gruffudd ap Cynan and the 'eisteddfod' at Glyn Achlach in Ireland (41-2), a list of 'Constellations in Glam[organ]' (46), a list of 'Rhannau'r Dydd' (47), a version of the tale of Elphin and Taliesin at the court of Maelgwn Gwynedd copied 'Ex 37 P.P.' (i.e. Paul Panton MS 37 now NLW MS 2005, of which see ff. 26 verso-48 verso) (75-96), a list of Welsh bards, 11th - 15th cent., with occasional notes (104-05), an anecdote relating to Owain Glyndwr taking refuge in Syr Lawrens Berclos' s castle (106), genealogies of Iestyn ap Gwrgant, lord of Morgannwg, 1091, Meuric, lord of Gwent, descendant of Iestyn, and Syr Rhaph Rhawlech (107- 10), an anecdote relating to Owain Cyfeiliawc (112), a note on the descendants of Iestin ab Gwrgant (114), a note on Richard y Fwyalchen sef Syr Richard Williams, fl. 1590-1630 (116), extracts from [Dauid] Powel [: The Historie of Cambria now called Wales, 1584], pp.191-2, relating to the Welsh bards and minstrels (123-5), genealogical notes on members of the Cecil family from the time of Sir Rotpert Sitsyllt, late 11th cent., to the time of Sir William Cecill, Lord Burghley (127-33), a brief note on the computation of time and on 'Elinor Goch o dir Iarll' (140), notes relating to Welsh bardic grades (149-54), extracts from the review of The Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales which appeared in The Monthly Review, July 1802 (159-60), a list of Welsh proverbs (161-3), a note relating to, and extracts from, Thomas Jones [: Carolau a Dyriau Duwiol, 1696] (165-6), a list headed 'Deuddeg Prifgampau Gwybodau Gwrolion' (169-71), a section headed 'Mangofion am yr hen Brydyddion a hen gerdd dafawd' containing notes and triads relating to Welsh bardism and more particularly the 'bardd teulu' and 'cerdd deuluaidd' (175-85), a copy of the bardic oath ('Adduned neu Dynghedfen Bardd') (191), notes commencing 'Pum Cenedl gynhwynawl a wladychant Ynys Prydain' (207-08), a note relating to Gilbert y Clar (ob. 1295) and his son (ob. 1313) (223), triads (224-5), brief notes on the five stages in the development of ? the Welsh bardic alphabet ('Pumoes Llythyr') (226), notes relating to Gruffudd ap Cynan's flight to Ireland, 1096, and his organising of a meeting of bards and musicians at Glyn Athlach (227), a note on 'Cadair arddangos Tir Iarll' (228), notes headed 'Glamorgan School (Poetry)' containing references to Rhys Goch ab Rhiccert, Norman literary influence in South Wales, Walter de Mapes, D[afydd] ap Gwilym, translations into Welsh, 'Saith Doethion Rhufain', 'Ystori Siarlymaen', the 'Mabinogion', and Walter, archdeacon of Oxford and the original of Geoffrey of Monmouth's 'Historia', and an anecdote relating to Rhys Goch Eryri, etc. (245-7), notes headed 'Bardism lost in North Wales' relating to the state of bardism in North and South Wales from circa 1400 onwards with comments on the restoration of the Welsh language in which Dr. John Davies [of Mallwyd] is referred to as 'the saviour of our language, its regenerator . . .' (253-7), a list of words and phrases ? from [Hugh Lewys:] Perl mewn Adfyd (263-4), a note on translating (295-6), a version of a conversation between teacher and disciple concerning creation, the nature of created matter, the first man, the first three letters, etc., with a note by Edward Williams on the word 'manred' (? the substance of created matter) (307-09), notes relating to the three bardic brothers Madawc, Ednyfed, and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd of Marchwiail [co. Denbigh], an 'eisteddfod' held at Maesaleg [co. ], ? temp. Edward III, another 'eisteddfod' at Marchwiail, temp. Edward III, Gwilym Tew and an 'eisteddfod' at the monastery of Penn Rhys in Glyn Rhodni [co. Glamorgan], an 'eisteddfod' at Caerfyrddin, N.D., successive re-organising of the rules and regulations relating to bards and bardism and musicians in the time of Morgan Hen, prince of Morgannwg, and his brother Ceraint Fardd Glas [10th cent.], of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn [11th cent .], of Rhys ap Tewdwr, lord of Dinefwr (with references to a quarrel between the said Rhys and lestyn ab Gwrgan, lord of Glamorgan, because the latter had carried off 'Rhol y Ford Gronn'), of Gruffudd ap Rhys ap Tewdwr, and of Gruff. ap Cynan, and the patronage of the bards by the squirearchy after the fall of the princes (311-16), rules of the bardic order headed 'Llymma ddosparth y Ford gronn ar Feirdd a phrydyddion a gwyr wrth gerdd Dafawd yn Llys yr amherawdr Arthur . . .', with a note on the disappearance of 'Dosparth y Ford Gronn' and its subsequent restoration by Rhys ap Tewdwr (323-32), another ? incomplete list of regulations for the bardic order headed 'Llymma Hen Ddosparth ar Freiniau a defodau Beirdd a Phrydyddion a phob gwrth (sic) wrth Gerdd Dafawd o Hen Lyfr Watkin Powel o Benn y Fai' (333-5), a version of the gorsedd prayer ('Gweddi Talhaiarn neu weddi'r orsedd') with an English translation (337), a short list of miscellaneous Welsh triads (343), brief notes on the saints Elli and Twrog and 'Llyfr Twrog' (360) (continued)

a list of 'Words collected in Blaenau Morganwg, anno 1770' (361-2), a list of eight ? chapter headings under the superscription 'Dissertation on the Welsh Language' (364), copies of, and a note on, inscriptions 'on Ffynon Illtud near Neath', and on a tombstone in Margam Abbey (371), a note on the institution of 'Y Ford Gronn' by the Emperor Arthur (372), anecdotes or notes relating to twelve Welsh saints (385-8), an anecdote relating to a quarrel between Dafydd ap Gwilym and Gruffudd Grug (389), notes on the fifteen tribes of Gwynedd ('Pymtheg Llwyth Gwynedd o Drefn y Brenin Alfryd ac Anarawd ap Rhodri Mawr . . .') (391-402), ? extracts from the letters of Goronwy Owen with comments by Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') (409-15), a list of the names of authors of carols in a volume belonging to 'Mr. Davies o Fangor' (417-18), a note on the bard Llawdden (418), notes under the heading 'Eisteddfodau Gwynedd' referring to 'eisteddfodau' at Marchwiail (14th cent.), Nant Gonwy (15th cent.), Croesoswallt, Caerwys (16th cent.), and Bala (late 17th cent.), Gruffudd ap Cynan's visit to an 'eisteddfod' at Castell Dinefwr and his introduction of the bardic regulations formulated there into North Wales, etc. (included is an 'englyn' attributed to Dafydd Llwyd 'o Fathafarn') (418-22), an anecdote relating to the bard Llawdden and Gruff. ap Nicolas and the convening of an 'eisteddfod' at Carmarthen, 19 Henry VI (428-9), brief notes referring to 'cynghanedd' usage prior to the 'eisteddfod' at Caerfyrddin in 1451, changes inaugurated by Llawdden with regard to 'cynghanedd' and the strict metres, etc- (431-2), notes headed 'Llyma gyfarwyddyd parth ag am y Naw cwlm cerdd a fuant yng ngherdded Oesoedd amrafaelion ar arfer gan Feirdd a Phrydyddion Cymru' (433-4), notes on 'poetical talent' in the family of Meilir Brydydd, the Gower family in Glamorgan, the family of Einion ap Collwyn, and the 'Avan Branch of the House of Iestin ap Gwrgan', and general observations on the possibility of the development of poetic taste and ability in an individual, etc. (435-40 ), an ? incomplete list of triads headed 'Trioedd y Ford Gronn yn Nhir larll' (453-5) a note relating to 'cerddi teuluaidd' found in manuscript volumes in Glamorgan (463), a note on a bardic 'cadair arddangos' (464), an anecdote relating to Ifor Hael, Llywelyn ap Gwilym, and Dafydd ap Gwilym and a bardic convention at Gwern y Cleppa circa 1330 (466), a note on the bard-brothers Siôn, Wiliam, and Richard Philip of Ardudwy (467), a short list of three triads headed 'Trioedd Cadair Morganwg' (468), notes relating to an 'eisteddfod' at Nant Gonwy, 1 Edward IV, where the strict- metre poetic system devised by Dafydd ap Edmwnt at the 'eisteddfod' held at Carmarthen, 9 Henry VI, was ? officially accepted ('breiniwyd'), incorporating 'englynion' attributed to Dafydd ap Edmwnt and Twm Tegid of Llan Gower in Penllyn (479-81), a list of Glamorgan proverbs ('Diarhebion Morganwg Cymmysg') (499-506), two sets of outline notes headed 'Ancient British Literature' and 'Characteristics of ancient Welsh Literature in its several ages or periods' (507-10), a list of English proverbs headed 'Lantwit and Gower proverbs. The Devil's name in every one of them' (513), miscellaneous triads headed 'Trioedd Cymmysg' (515-16), two lists headed 'Deg Peth ni thalant ei hachub o'r Tan' and 'Deuddegpeth drwg a drwg fydd eu diwedd' (531), a list of 'Mesurau cerdd dafawd Cyffredin', which, according to a note at the end, were also known as 'Mesurau arwest' and 'mesurau cerdd deulu' (536-9), a note on poetical works which appeared in Wales circa 1350 and later in the same century and were attributed to Taliesin and other bards (540), notes referring to 'eisteddfodau' at Caerfyrddin in 1451 and 1460, Nant Conwy [temp. Tudur Aled], and Caerwys, temp. Henry VIII and temp. Elizabeth, with references to changes introduced in the bardic rules and regulations and incorporating an 'englyn' attributed to Ieuan Tew Ieuanc (541-3), and a brief note on the bardic 'Cadair Tir Iarll' (543). Verse items include transcripts of poems, largely 'englynion', or sections of poems attributed to D[afydd] ab Gwilym (40), Taliesin, Iolo Goch, and Llywelyn Goch ap Meyryg Hen (49), Y Bardd Glas o'r Gadair (97-8, 134-7), Caradawc Llancarfan (99), Gwgan Farfawc 'o Landathan' or Gwgan Fardd (100-04), Edward Rhisiart 'o Lan Fair y Bont Faen' (113), Dafydd y Blawd (115), Rhys Meigen (117), Thomas Morgan 'o'r Tyle Garw' (118-20), William Davies or Gwilym Tir Ogwr (122), Siôn y Cent (126), Elis Wynn 'o Las Ynys' (144-5), Edmund Prys, Ficar Clynog Fawr ('mab yr hen archiagon') (145-6), Siôn Morys 'o Lanfabon' (148), lorwerth ap y Gargam (223), y Parchedig D. Dafis, 'gweinidog Llwyn Rhyd Owain' (353-5), Daf. Benwyn (378), Dafydd Nicolas, Aberpergwm (390, 426), Dafydd Alaw (403- 04), Siôn Brwynog (405-06), Llawdden (406, ? 426, 428), Wiliam Cynwal (408 ), Richard Philip (408, 467), Wm. Llyn, Dafydd ap Edmwnt, Robert Clidro, Howel Bangor, and Cadwgan ap Rhys (425), Thos. Llewelyn 'o Regoes' (426), Gruff. ap Maredydd ap Dafydd, Rhisiart Iorwerth, and Siôn Tudur (427), Gruff. ap Dafydd ap Tudur (428), Tudur Aled and Huw Llwyd Cynfel (430), Prohl (with a note 'Einon offeirad, Bardd Syr Rhys Hen o Abermarlais, a elwid y Prohl . . .') (461-2), [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg' (467, 507 ), and Dafydd o'r Nant (481). Also included are lists or groups of Welsh words sometimes with English definitions, excerpts from the works of Welsh poets, these sometimes to illustrate specific words, miscellaneous genealogical data, notes relating to Welsh grammar and etymology, miscellaneous memoranda, extracts from a variety of printed sources, etc.