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Miscellanea,

Miscellaneous papers containing notes, lists, transcripts, extracts, etc., in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') bound together in one volume. The contents include pp. 13-39, copies of ten tales or fables in Welsh, nine bearing the titles 'Dammeg y Dial', 'Dameg y Ceiliog Rhedyn a'r Moryn', 'Dammeg y Dylluan, y golomen, a'r ystlym', 'Dameg y geifr, y Defaid, a'r bleiddiaid', 'Dameg y march gwyllt', 'Dammeg yr Eos a'r hebog', 'Dammeg Cenfigen yn Llosgi ei hun', 'Dammeg y Gwr a'r [Ebol]', and 'Dammeg Meredydd ap Rhosser o Lanbedr a'r Fro am gastell Tre Warin', and the tenth telling the story of Tanwyn, the son of Trahaearn, the bard (for the Welsh text of nine of these see Iolo Manuscripts . . ., pp. 167-84, and for English translations ibid., pp. 577-96); 38, brief notes with the superscription 'On the affinity of the ancient Gallic or Celtic with the Modern British', being presumably the introduction to a proposed essay or article on the said subject; 43-8, sketches ? in connection with the construction of a 'wheel oared boat'; 49- 64, 66, 68-96, 136-7, genealogical and other data relating to British saints some allegedly extracted from the manuscripts of Tho[mas] Truman, Iaean Deulwyn, Iaean Brechfa, Antoni Pywel, and Watkyn Owen; 65, a collection of miscellaneous Welsh words with English definitions, etc.; 66, ten stanzas of Welsh verse by [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg' attacking [Owen Jones] 'Owain Myfyr'; 67, a short list of Welsh triads; 97, an extract from the Gent[leman's] Mag[azine], 1780, relating to the cultivation of a new kind of wheat; 98, lists of pre-Saxon archbishops of London and early bishops of Llandaff; 99, notes on English history temp. Richard II - temp. Henry VII; loo, a list of the kings of Wales, A.D. 181- 517; 101, three draft stanzas of religious verse [? by Edward Williams]; 102, an incomplete, ? draft copy of a letter relating to Cattwg Sant and 'proverbs, moral aphorisms, etc., attributed to him'; 110, a Welsh-English list of species of apples; 111, a list with the superscription 'Llyma enwau wyth Esgobion Cymry Cyn dwyn o Saeson goreuon eu gwlad oddiar y Cymry'; 124, a list of 'Churches in Glam[organ which] are not generally called by the names of saints'; 131 + 133, an incomplete list of the names of those who had founded churches in Glamorgan ('Enwau y Rai a wnaethant Eglwysydd a Chorau ym Morganwg') (see Iolo Manuscripts . . ., pp. 219-22, 635-8); 155-74, 183-4, 187, 197, 203, notes relating to the special alphabets which, according to Edward Williams, were in use amongst the Welsh bards and monks, the four-sided billets of wood used as a writing surface when these two alphabets were used, the 'peithynen' (the name given to a series of such billets inserted in an upright frame so as to allow each to be rotated), the mythological account of the origin of letters and the basic alphabet, the acquisition and development of the alphabet by the Cymry, the use of wood as a writing surface in Wales in the Middle Ages, etc.; 166, four stanzas of English verse being doxologies written by Edward Williams in 'long metre', 'common metre', 'short metre', and the 'metre of Psalm 148'; 175-6, a copy (probably not in the hand of Edward Williams) of the assessment for poor rate in [the parish of] Lantwit Major [co. Glamorgan], 1753-1754; 180, 182, 194, 200, 205-08, 211, miscellaneous notes on bardic and literary matters; 181, a transcript of the beginning of a text of 'Brut y Brenhinedd'; 185-6, an incomplete ? copy of a letter from Edward Williams to John Nichols, esq., containing a description of an accompanying example of a 'peithynen' (see above), a note on the word 'peithynen', observations on the connection between Latin and Welsh, brief comments on Edward Llwyd and Doctor [John] Davies [of Mallwyd] and their knowledge of the Welsh language, etc.; 189-92, a list in Welsh of twenty-two of the basic principles or regulations of the bards of the Isle of Britain ('Defodau a Breiniau Beirdd Ynys Prydain') with an English version of the first twelve; 198, five stanzas of a Welsh hymn; 215-116, brief notes relating to the administration of justice in Glamorgan, 12th-16th cent.; 2117, an anecdote relating to Sir Risiart Grinvil [Norman knight, 1st half 12th cent.], the bringing of the builder Lalys ? from Rome to Glamorgan by the said Sir Risiart, and the building of the monastery at Glyn Nedd, the church of Llandaff, and castles at Caerdyf, y Coetty, San Dunwyd, etc., and the founding of Trelalys by the said Lalys; 218, an anecdote relating to [the Norman knight] Syr Rhobert Fitshamon and Ifor Bach, lord of Regoes and Glynrhondda; and miscellaneous notes, etc. The reverse side of printed handbills containing proposals for publishing Edward Williams's two - volume work Poems Lyric and Pastoral and a new edition of Dr. [Samuel] Johnson's Dictionary have been used in two instances for writing notes.

Miscellanea,

A composite volume containing notes, lists, transcripts, etc., of a very miscellaneous nature in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg'). The contents, pagination in brackets, include reflections on looking at the ruins of medieval castles more particularly those of Glamorgan (xi + xiv); lists or groups of Welsh words, sometimes with English definitions and / or illustrative excerpts from Welsh poems (5-8, 11, 13, 42-3, 45-52 72, 117, 124, 145-7, 163, 215, 218, 221-2, 227-9, 231, 233, 243-7, 251-4, 268, 302, 307, 316); a list of the titles of 'Cywyddau Ior[wer]th Morganwg' i.e. Edward Williams himself (9-10); a seven-stanza poem entitled 'Cân y Bore' by [Edward Williams] 'Iorwerth Morganwg' (15-19); brief lists of events with dates extracted from [Henry Rowlands:] Mona antiqua [restaurata] and [William] Camden [:?Britannia] (20-21); an extract relating to the 'cantrefi' of Morgannwg from 'Vol. 17, Plas Gwynn' [i.e. Panton MS 17 now NLW MS 1986] (22); notes on laws promulgated by Sir Robert Fitshammon [in Glamorgan in the late eleventh century] (53); brief notes headed 'Peculiarities of the orthography of Mr. Bassett of Lanelays Welsh MS. History of the 13 Knights' (41); brief notes referring to the Norman knights Sir Lawrence Berckrolls, Gilbert Humphrefil, and Sir William Le Esterling and the lands given to them [on the conquest of Glamorgan] (39- 40); brief notes headed 'Llyma son am Dywysogaeth a Phendefigaeth a Bonedd Morganwg' (36-7); a list of sixteen [Glamorgan] castles with brief notes thereon (34-5); notes relating to Morgannwg ? in the late eleventh and first half of the twelfth century with references to Paen Twrbil, an attack on Cardiff Castle ? led by Ifor Bach, a political and judicial system ? set up by Ifor Bach, a law promulgated by 'ffwg Morganwg' against foreigners, etc. (30-33); brief notes relating to meetings of the Welsh bards held in the various princes' courts four times a year ? during the second half of the eleventh century, the supervision of the bards' use of Welsh by the princes, the patronage of the bards by Rhys fab Tydyr Fawr and Nest, wife of Iestyn [ap Gwrgant], and a meeting arranged between the said Rhys, Nest, and Iestyn (27-9); brief notes relating to the division of his domain by Rhodri Mawr amongst his sons, the conditions imposed on them, the status and duties of the kings of various parts of Wales, etc. (24-6); drafts of a proposed title-page for Cyfrinach Beirdd Ynys Prydain to be published in 1822 (57, 68); lines of Welsh verse to illustrate 'cynghanedd' of the 'groes rywiog' type (58, 67); brief notes on and a sketch to illustrate 'Cylch yr Abred', 'Cylch y Gwynfyd', and 'Cylch y Ceugant' (59); a list of bardic 'gorseddau' (60-61); notes relating to the creation of the twenty-four Knights of the Round Table by King Arthur and to the qualities and duties expected of such knights, a list of the twenty- four accomplishments they should be capable of, and a list of the names of sixteen of the said knights (62-6); a brief note relating to the bardic 'Cadair Tir Iarll' ? instituted in the time of Gilbart y Clâr (69); a brief note referring to the bards Risiart ap Iorwerth Fynglwyd and Hywel Hir ap Rhys ap Llywelyn (78); notes headed 'Y Ford Gron' referring to the organising of the Welsh bards, musicians, etc. (81-2); notes relating to procedure in connection with bardic meetings (86-7); a brief note attacking 'Win. Owen, Edward Davies, a'r Hen darn Tant E. Jones' (87); a note relating to the contents of 'Greal Beirdd Morganwg' ? an intended quarterly periodical (94); notes relating to the knowledge of letters amongst the Cimmeri on their arrival in Britain and amongst the Druids with references to Roman inscriptions and ancient British inscriptions (95- 6); brief notes on solemn days or festivals observed by Glamorgan bards and the bardic 'Round Table' of Morgannwg (113); an extract from a 'cywydd' attributed to William Cynwal ? illustrating certain bardic terms (115); an example of the bardic alphabet allegedly used by the Welsh bards (118-19); notes relating to the migrations of the Cymry and their coming to Britain ( 125); a brief note on the possible uses of inscribing on billets of wood, etc. (127); a list of ancient Welsh musical instruments ('offer cerdd oslef yr hen Gymry') extracted allegedly from 'an old imperfect MS. in Goetre Hen Library circa 1767 borrowed by John Bradford' (128); a note referring to the genuine poems of Taliesin and the spurious poems attributed to him, the writer disclaiming responsibility for including some of the latter in the 'Welsh Archaiology' stating that his main work in connection therewith had been 'travelling thro' Wales in search of old MSS.' (132 + 129); notes relating to 'coelbrenni rhin', 'coelfeini cyfrin', etc. (137-8); notes referring to the reintroduction of the bardic 'Dosparth y Ford Gron' into Wales from Brittany by Rhys ap Tewdwr, a meeting ? in 1075 between Rhys and Iestyn ap Gwrgan for this purpose and ? to organise the order of Welsh bards and musicians, a further meeting between the two in 1077 leading to a quarrel concerning Nest, wife of Iestyn, the coming of Robert fab Ammon and the Norman knights to Iestyn's aid, and their eventual conquest of his realm (139-41); a suggestion relating to 'Y Bardd Glas o'r Gadair' and 'cynghanedd' (142-3); notes relating to bardic ceremonial headed 'Dosparth y Ford Gronn' (149-51); notes relating to ? the proclaiming of 'eisteddfodau', etc. (161-2); a brief note on the 'bardd teulu' (163); a brief note relating to the intellectual state of the [early] Cymry (169); general remarks contrasting the poets of North and South Wales (170-71); notes relating to the fate of the souls and spirits of men after death (177-9); a note relating to the work of the 'Welsh bards as tutors' (181); an anecdote relating to Einigan Gawr and Menw ap y Teirgwaedd and the origin of knowledge (183); transcripts of two 'awdlau' attributed to Prolh o Gil Fai and Iorwerth Llwyd ap y Gargam, stanzas attributed to Gwalchmai ap Meilir, and unattributed verse (187-97); extracts from [Edward Davies's series of 'Letters on Celtic Literature to Mr. Justice Harding previous to the publication of The Celtic Researches'] with occasional comments [by Edward Williams] (205-11); (continued)

A transcript of three of the old Welsh 'englynion' usually designated 'englynion y Juvencus' with a version in modern orthography [all probably transcribed from Edward Lhuyd: Archaeologia Britannica, p. 221] (212); copies of two 'englynion' by [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg' himself (215); extracts relating to the early Cimbrians or Kimmeri and their connection with Thrace (223); miscellaneous extracts from Welsh verse (225-6, 239-40); a list of titles headed 'Odes by E. Wins.' (232); an agricultural note headed 'Irish Course of Culture' (233); a list of personal names headed 'July 28th Bath. Poems delivered to' (234); a list of Welsh phrases headed 'Phrases in common use in Glamorgan & also amongst the Persians and other Mahometans' (249-50); two lists of Welsh triads the first headed 'Dewisolion o Drioed[d] Cerdd Iaco ap Dewi gerllaw dechreu Llyfr Mr. Thos. Evans o Frechfa', and the second 'Trioedd gweddus ar ddyn & ex idem (Dewisolion)' (273-6); extracts by [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg' from one of Lewis Morris's manuscripts called Prif Ancwyn Gorhoff' being No. 43 of the Welsh School Manuscript Collection in London including a version of the statute for Welsh bards and musicians attributed to Gruffydd ab Cynan ('Statud y Gwyr wrth Gerdd o waith Gruffydd ab Cynan'), bardic triads, a list, with examples of some, of the twenty-four Welsh strict poetic metres, lists with headings such as 'Saith cas ar ferched', 'Chwe casbeth gan Dduw', and 'Cas gan hwsmon bum peth', etc. (277-93; this manuscript numbered 43 was one of the manuscripts listed as missing from the Welsh School Collection when it was presented to the British Museum in 1844, see B. M. Additional MS 14955); a list of Welsh triads headed 'Dewisolion o Drioedd gweddus eu dysgu Iaco ab Dewi (Ll. Th. Evans)' (294-6); a copy of a proclamation that a 'Cadair wrth Gerdd Dafawd' would be held 'ar dwyn y Bettws yn Nhir Iarll' in 18[?2]1 (301); extracts from the preface to Thomas Jones: [An] English [and] Welsh Dictionary, 1811, with a comment by E[dward] W[illiams] (304-05); a list of eleven Glamorgan river-names ('enwau nentydd ag afonydd Morganwg') (312); historical notes relating to Welsh poetry including notes on the 'Silurian School', 'a monster to whom we may apply the appellation of the School of Carmarthen . . . engendered between the false Taste of Dafydd ap Edmund and the ignorance of Gruffudd ap Nicolas', the establishing of the Carmarthen school in North Wales and its duration for two centuries, the decline of the said school and the emergence of a new school with the coming of bards such as Hugh Morris, Edward Morys, etc., the attempts of the Gwyneddigion Society to revive the Carmarthen school in North Wales, the song-writing tradition in South Wales, and Richard Hughes, the sixteenth century Caernarvonshire poet, described as 'the oldest song writer of undoubted authenticity' [in North Wales] (313-14, 311-12); horticultural and agricultural notes giving instructions what to do in each month of the year (324, 321-3, 326, 319-20 ); and notes headed 'Llyma'r ddosparth a wnaeth y Brenin Arthur ar gadw achau a chof am fonhedd Cynhenid Cenedl y Cymry' (328-9). Some of the notes are written on the verso or margins of an incomplete copy of a pamphlet announcing a literary competition (composing a 'cywydd') organised by the Gwyneddigion in 1822, a ? holograph letter from William Williams from Cowbridge to Mr. Williams, Geilston, 1806 (requesting assistance in 'taking estimat of the work unfinis'd at the bridwell'), and copies of a pamphlet announcing the printing of Edward Williams's two volumes of English poems entitled Poems Lyric and Pastoral. Inset is a printed copy of a circular letter from Thomas Stephens as honorary secretary of the Merthyr Cymreigyddion Society, 184 . . ., announcing the society's intention of holding an eisteddfod on (blank), stating what the objectives of the society were, and asking for subscriptions.