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Llanover Manuscripts Hengwrt Estate (Llanelltyd, Wales) -- Library
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Barddoniaeth, etc.,

Miscellaneous papers and home-made booklets containing transcripts, lists, notes, memoranda, etc., in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') bound together in one volume. Pp. 1-64 contain transcripts of Welsh strict-metre poems attributed to Dafydd Benwyn, Siôn Ieuan ap Rhys Fychan, Llywelyn ap Hywel ap Ieuan ap Gronw 'o Lantrisant Misgyn', Iorwerth Hen, Dafydd Llwyd Mathau, Ieuan Du'r Bilwg, Owain ap Llywelyn ap y Moel y Pantri, Dafydd Hopcin 'o Blwyf y Coetty', Siôn Bradford, Rhys Morgan 'o Ben Craig Nedd', Gutto'r Glynn, Bedo Brwynllys, Syr Rhisiart Lewys, Siôn ap Hywel Gwynn, Rhisiart Iorwerth, Rhys Goch 'o Eryri', Ieuan Dyfi, Hopcin ap Thomas ab Einion, Dafydd ap Gwilym, and Hywel ap Dafydd ap Ieuan ap Rhys, with occasional notes on the poet and / or the poem attributed to Siôn Bradford. Preceding p. 1 are two, brown- paper leaves one of which is inscribed 'Englynion, Awdlau, a Chywyddau o Lyfr Ieuan Bradford a'i synniadau ef arnynt'. Other Welsh verse items transcribed include sequences of 'Englynion y misoedd' attributed to Merfyn Gwawdrydd and Madawg ab Merfyn Gwawdrydd (77- 85, 95-8), 'englynion' attributed to Gruff. ab Daf. ab Tudur (93), Rhisiart Iorwerth (93), Dafydd Nicolas, Aberpergwm (99), Cadwgan ap Rhys ( 99), Thos. Lln. Regoes (99), Llawdden (100), Ieuan Brydydd Hir (101), Siôn ap Dafydd (207), [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg' (216, 257), John Jones ' o Fôn' (218), D. Edmwnd (282), Tudur Aled (359), Edmwnd Prys (438), Gruff. Philip (438), and D[afydd ap] G[wilym] (470), a 'cywydd' attributed to Robert Huws 'o Fôn' (101-03), three poems entitled 'Buarth Beirdd', 'Canu y byd mawr', and 'Canu y byd bychan' [from the 'Book of Taliesin'] (105-10), a sequence of 'Englynion y coedydd a gant y Beirdd yn eu Cadair gân yn Llangynwyd', the 'englynion' being attributed to Edward Dafydd, Dafydd Edward, Charles Meredydd, Siams Thomas, Hywel Rhys, Dafydd Rhys, William Lidwn, Hopcin Thomas, Siôn Padam, Mathew Llwyd 'o Gelli Gaer', Llywelyn Thomas, and Harri Lleision 'o Lancarfan' (121-3), an 'awdl' and a sequence of eleven 'englynion' attributed to Edward Evans (125-30), extracts from the works of the Cynfeirdd as published in The Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales, vol. I, here transcribed under the superscription 'Assonances of the school of Taliesin or of the 6th century' (149-63), ten stanzas with the title 'Cân i'r llaw' attributed to Siôn Wiliams 'o Landathan' (181-4), further extracts from the works of the Cynfeirdd as published in The Myvyrian Archaiology, vol. I, under the superscription 'Cynghanedd unawdl. Consonance of rhime the only consonance that was systematically required by the Bards of the ancient school' (202-04), four stanzas with the title 'Darnau o Gân y Mab o'r Dolau Gleision' (209), further extracts from the works of the Cynfeirdd as published in The Myvyrian Archaiology (210-12), extracts from 'Y Gododdin' (374-85), and three stanzas attributed to Mabclaf ap Llywarch (489). (continued)

Prose items include a note on a 'vellum, very ancient' manuscript of the 'Laws of Dyfnwal Moelmud and other ancient Laws antecedent to those of Hywel Dda' allegedly to be found amongst the Hengwrt MSS in the late seventeenth century (93-4), triads (133-4, 136, 279), an account of 'wear and tear expences, daily expences on my [? Edward Williams's] Tour thro' South Wales in 1802' (167), a list of 'Names of Places in N[orth] W[ales]' (168-9), notes on Gruffydd ap Cynan's connection with the Welsh bardic laws (177-80), a brief note on Welsh vernacular dialects (180), a brief genealogy of Syr Rhys ap Thomas (187), a brief account of 'schools' of Welsh poetry, viz. the Ancient or Primitive school, the schools of Taliesin, Gruffydd ap Cynan, Tir Iarll or Rhys goch ap Rhiccert, and Llawdden, the Northwalian school, the schools of Nature, Gronwy Owain, Glamorgan, and the Gwyneddigion, the modern Southwalian school, and the school of the Jumpers including 'William Williams, the hymn carpenter' (258-9, 188-91, 196-9, leaves misplaced), two lists headed 'Naw Cyhydedd' and 'Corvannau' (201), a brief note on 'cynghanedd lusc', assonant terminations, and initial and complex alliterations (205), a brief pedigree of George Owain (206), a list with the superscription 'Letters and Essays of Iolo Morganwg' (219, 235), lists of caps and wigs which would be sold 'at the Annual Fair' on All Fool's Day (222-3), a list of 'Gwyr Cwm y Felin' (224; see NLW MS 13121B above ), two medicinal recipes for the cure of cancer (227-8), a statistical table showing average rainfall in various parts of the British Isles (228), a similar table showing the population of various South Wales towns [? circa 1800, see IM, t. 5] (230), a ? introductory note to an intended collection of Welsh proverbs and aphorisms (231), extracts from The Crit[ical] Review, June 1803 (233-4), lists of rare plants, various kinds of stone, clay, etc., castles, abbeys and monasteries, ancient houses in the Gothic style, other ruins, [gentlemen's] seats, British and Roman camps, and Druidical monuments, ? all in Glamorgan (240-52), a list of Glamorgan exports (253), a list of 'Fish in Ogmore River' (255-6), a brief pedigree of Oliver Cromwell (280), a list of Welsh families who derived their surnames from their place of residence (393-4), a list of North Wales poets whose names were derived from place-names and a list of South Wales poets (395-6), notes headed 'Peculiarities of the North Walian dialect' (405-09), a list of 'Barbarous names of places in Anglesea' (413), ? extracts from 'Adam Littleton's Latin Geographical and Historical Dictionary, Anno 1678' (429-31), a note on Llanfachreth church [co. Merioneth] (438), a list of the commissioners at the 'eisteddfod' held at Caerwys [co. Flint], 9 Elizabeth I, and of some of the bards licensed at the said 'eisteddfod' (453), two lots of notes on agriculture headed 'Ffermyddiaeth hen' and 'Hen ffermyddiaeth' (455-7), and biographical or genealogical notes or data (sometimes very brief) relating to Llywelyn Brenn, Ifor ap Einon, Llywelyn Bren Hen and Llywelyn Bren Ieuanc (165), Rhys Pritchard (176), Walter Lollard, Dafydd Ddu Hiraddug, John Stow, [John] Gower, and [Geoffrey] Chaucer (193), John de Ecclescliff, Lleibiaw, Ceraint Hir, Nicholas ap Gwrgant, and John Pascall, all bishops of Llandaff (192 + 200), Ifor Hael (200 + 235), Thos. Wilkins, rector of Lanmaes, ob. 1699 (200), Edward Davies, rector of St. Brides, ob. 1672 ( 201), members of the Berkrolls family (217), Gwynfardd Dyfed (235), and Wm. Llyn (487). Also included in the volume are lists or groups of Welsh words (sometimes with English definitions), extracts of varying length from the works of Welsh bards and poets (sometimes to provide examples of specific words, phrases, or names, e.g. Hu Gadarn), and notes or memoranda on a variety of subjects.

Gramadeg y beirdd, etc.,

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.

Miscellanea,

A volume containing miscellaneous notes, transcripts, extracts, etc., by Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg'). The contents include pp. 1-6 (blank); 7-15 (blank, but pages headed 'Manuscript Documents English'); 16-33 (blank, but pages headed 'Institution of the Round Table or of Tir Iarll'); 34-8 (blank); 39-54, a transcript of 'A true Coppie of an antient memorable Treatise of Record touchinge the Progenie and Descent of the honorable Name and Family of the Herberts by Commission from Edw. IV, Ano. Dom. 1460', allegedly from a manuscript in the possession of J. Lloyd, Alltyrodyn, Cardiganshire (see William Coxe: An Historical Tour in Monmouthshire . . . (London, 1801), pp. 421-2), and notes on the Welsh bard Siôn Cent, including extracts from W. Coxe: op. cit. (each page headed 'Documents Miscellaneous'); 55-78, notes on the Welsh triads containing the reputed laws of Dyfnwal Moelmud (each page headed 'Moelmutian Triades Legislative'); 79-84, general observations on Welsh literature (including historical writings, works on grammar, etc.) headed 'Analogical observations on Welsh Literature made on Reading Denina's Revolutions of Literature' [? C. G. M. Denina: An Essay on the Revolutions of Literature, trans., London, 1771]; 85-6 (blank, ?intended for further notes on the subject matter of pp. 79- 84); 87-9, notes on traditions re the early settlers of the British Isles ( each page headed 'Original Traditions'); 90-101 (blank, headings as pp. 87- 9); 102-09 (blank, but pages headed 'Miscellaneous Anecdotes of Bards, &c .'); 110-74 (blank); 175, notes on two Welsh proverbs headed 'Proverbs, adages, etc., of Bardic origin'; 176-238 (blank); 239, notes on a 'very ancient' manuscript containing the text of 'ancient Welsh Laws antecedent to those of Howel the Good and chiefly the Laws of Dyfnwal Moelmud' once in the library at Hengwrt but subsequently lost, and extracts from a letter from [Humphrey] Humphreys, bishop of Bangor [1689-1701], to Mr. Vaughan [of Hengwrt] relating to the said manuscript (p. 239 and p. 240, which is blank, are headed 'Anecdotes Miscellaneous, Welsh and English'); 241-78 (blank).