Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- [17-18 cent.] (Creation)
Level of description
File
Extent and medium
98 ff. (pp. 1-83, 83a-b, 84-194) ;ranging from 191 x 140 mm. to 204 x 145 mm. ‘In old leather binding’ [RMWL]; rebound at NLW.
Context area
Archival history
Two early inscribed names, [17-18 cent.], are John Roberts (p. 96) and David Parry (p. 110). Other names of [18 cent.]: John Morris (p. 95), Kadwaled Puw (p. 96), John Roberts, perhaps a mere copy of the earlier signature (p. 96), Hugh Jones, 1746 (pp. 28, 95), John Prichard [1746] (p. 28), Griffith Roberts (pp. 1, 28 with note of gift from Hugh Jones, and 144 with date 1754).
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
A composite manuscript, the four parts probably together from the start. Tracts on theosophy, astrology and conjuring. At first in unbound booklets (witness some soiled surviving paper covers, pp. 28, 29, 96, 120). In Welsh and English, the Welsh by four collaborating scribes, the English by three others, their texts complementing those in Welsh. All of [17-18 cent.].
(i) pp. 1-28. A tract, in Welsh, its beginning wanting; cites Peter of Abano, H.C. Agrippa and Gerard of Cremona, and on p. 14 reads: ‘Hud yma yr ysgrifenais tu ag at y ffordd blaunaf su ynghwaith Peter Albanws gwelwch wrth yr Elament fel llufr Morgan Llwud natur dyn.’ All by scribe A. The watermark of this part appears to be Churchill 243 (1707).
(ii) pp. 29-96. Beginning ‘Yn y llyfyr cynta yr hwn uw pedwerydd llyfr Agrippa’. By scribes B (pp. 29-62, 65-78), C (pp. 63-4), A (pp. 78-83b, 90-4), D (pp. 84-9).
(iii) pp. 97-120. ‘Pwy bynnag a ewllyssio wubod dirgelwch’, citing Peter of Abano, followed by ‘Aphorisms’, in Welsh, numbered 1-14 (pp. 97-110) and ‘72 [o] golofnau ar uchel henwau Duw’ (pp. 111-18). All by scribe B.
(iv) pp. 121-94. Texts in English, written by three other contemporary hands. These comprise ‘Aphorisms’, in English, numbered 15-48 (pp. 121-64); geomancy (pp. 165-94) including on pp. 167-79 ‘Gerard Cremonen[s]is of Astromonical [sic] Geomancy’; and astrology (pp. 181-94).
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Access to the original manuscript by authorised permission only. Readers are directed to use surrogate copies.
Conditions governing reproduction
Usual copyright laws apply.
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Welsh, English.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
A detailed list of the manuscript's contents may be found in J. Gwenogvryn Evans, Report on Manuscripts in the Welsh Language, vol. I (London, 1898-1905), 966-967.
Description based on Daniel Huws, A Repertory of Manuscripts and Scribes c.800-c.1800 (Aberystwyth, 2022), I, 408.
Generated finding aid
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Available on microfilm at the Library.
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Formerly Hengwrt MS 199. The ‘198’ on p.1 probably represents a Hengwrt number, later 199.
Note
Preferred citation: Peniarth MS 171 [RESTRICTED ACCESS].
Note
Title based on contents.
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
March 2024.
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Description revised by Maredudd ap Huw.