Ffeil NLW MS 21249B [RESTRICTED ACCESS] - Llyfr Achau Wiliam Cynwal

A manuscript of Welsh pedigrees, compiled by the sixteenth-century poet and transcriber, Wiliam Cynwal (dec. 1587) of Ysbyty Ifan. The hand of Wiliam Cynwal runs throughout the MS, there are however a few minor additions to the text by later hands scattered throughout the work. Each genealogy is preceded by a heading locating or naming the family seat; a bolder script is then employed at the beginning of the genealogy proper and sometimes subsequently when a sub-section is introduced. There is rubrication on ff. 5, 117 verso and 292 verso. The aim and scope of the MS is set out by the scribe in an introductory note on f. i, where it is said that the intention is to record the pedigrees of the gentry of Gwynedd, Powys and parts of the counties of Cheshire and Shropshire. He also states his intention of preparing a similar MS to include the pedigrees of the families of the seven counties of Deheubarth. Before the end of the present MS, however, the transcriber has diverted a significant portion of his MS to record details of South Wales families. This MS, like several of Cynwal's other genealogical MSS, concentrates on tracing the maternal ancestors of the families in question. Genealogical and heraldic MSS in his hand include: Bangor 5943, BM Harleian 1961 and Peniarth 128 and 183.
The MS opens with the following preface: 'Y llyfr hwnn a ddechrevais i Wiliam Kynwal pryd[ydd] hel i Iachav ai yscrivennv p[an] oedd oed Krist 1565 ac ynddo yr wyf yn Roi Iachav boneddicion gwynedd a ffowys a phart o sir gaer lleon ac o sir y mwythic a llyfr arall yr wyf yni wnevthvr o Iachav boneddicion saith sir dehevbarth y llyfr hwnn a yscrifenais o amafaelion (sic). lyfrav yn gowiraf ac ygellais drwy boen travael ac anhvnedd ac er hynny medd y ddihareb ni chair dim heb i vai velly o bydd neb ar vol Inav awypo yn sikr [fod] bai ar y llyfr hwnn adolw[yn] I ymendio ac yn gyntaf [ ]Kair y dabl [ ] ch [ym]ovynner [ ]' (f. i).