Ffeil Peniarth MS 144 [RESTRICTED ACCESS]. - Cywyddau, achau, &c.

The manuscript's first use was for a record of actions of petty debt, [c. 1625-8], probably by Richard Wynne, the main scribe, who had learnt legal script (see pp. 29, 38) (pp. 275-94 (inverted text), see also f. xiii). Its second use began at the back end (pagination follows the second use); it is on pp. 1-237 and on later pages reversed. This use was by Richard Wynne of Abercynlleth, Llangedwyn, for cywyddau, etc. of [15-17 cent.], mainly of [16 cent., second ½] - [17 cent.], and of local if not personal interest, and some canu rhydd (pp. 1-81 and, reversed, pp. 247-64). On f. xiii verso is a signed autograph poem by him in English, composed in 1631, perhaps copied later. The hand of Richard Wynne is a variable one. The poetry had mostly, if not all, been copied by 1640 (see pp. 54, 81, 248, 263). Material in his hand includes: his own pedigree, compiled about 1640 (p. 252); memoranda of family baptisms and burials (pp. 269-70); notes in English on Welsh history (pp. 271-4); 'Eisteddfod Caerwys' (pp. 267-8); and notes in English on blazon (pp. 206-14). His is the primary hand of the pedigrees on pp. 81-5 and 92-166, set out as achau’r mamau and mostly of local interest; these pages of pedigrees are in smaller script than the poetry, evidently his later hand (he was writing in 1646 on p. 75), as is the poem he added on p. 247. Pedigrees were added on pp. 87-91 by a second hand, probably that of John Wynne (1634–72), son of Richard, whose pedigree begins on p. 87; the hand is consistent with the signature on his will [NLW, SA/1672/104]. Additions were then made throughout by a third hand, writing in 1673 (p. 201), that of Edward Davies of Rhiwlas, Llansilin (1618–80), half-brother of John Wynne. He contributed additions to pedigrees (e.g. pp. 16, 20, 42) and the main text of the pedigrees on pp. 167-205, 215-37, and the poetry on pp. 238-46. He wrote his name on pp. 9, 247, 248 ('Edward ap Dafydd') and, with a pennill by him, on p. 293. Substantial additions were then made throughout by John Davies of Rhiwlas [son of Edward], [c. 1680] - [1718] (p. 46). He left his signature (e.g. on pp. 7, 11); he provided foliation and, on ff. iv-viii, an index to the pedigrees; he added englynion (e.g. f. xiii verso and pp. 2, 7, 47) and many notes, in margins, of the place and date of burial of contemporaries; and pedigrees (e.g. ff. viii verso-xiv).