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Cwrtmawr manuscripts Elias, William, 1708-1787
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Gwaith Wiliam Elias, &c.

A composite notebook labelled 'Gwaith Wiliam Elias, &c.' containing transcripts by John Jones ('Myrddin Fardd') of 'englynion', 'cywyddau', etc. largely by or relating to William Elias (1708-87) [Plas-y-glyn, Llanfwrog, Anglesey]. The poets represented in addition to William Elias are D(afydd) Parry, Michael Prichard, J. R. ('Englynion i annerch Owen Gruffydd', etc.), Ed. Morus, Owen Gruffydd and Thomas Edwards ('Cywydd Marwnad i'r Canmoladwy a'r Anrhydeddus ddiweddar William Elias'). There is also a note on Peniarth MS 201 ('Allan o Ysgriflyfr Peniarth [i.e. Hengwrt]. -Rhif 188'). Loose papers comprise a copy of the gravestone inscription of William Elias and his wife, 'Cerdd i Ddiolch i Fachgen o Landwrog am Fenthyg Llyfr Notes', together with some 'englynion' (in pencil), and a leaf from Eurgrawn Mon, 1825, pp. 14[7]-8 (see The Letters of Goronwy Owen, ed. J. H. Davies (Cardiff, 1924), pp. 203-4). Another loose item, a folio from an eighteenth century manuscript, has been restored to its place at the beginning of Wynnstay MS 7.

Poetry, etc.

A composite volume from the collection of John Jones ('Myrddin Fardd') written in several hands of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and comprising ten main sections: (I) The first section (pp. 1-121 and some unnumbered items) contains poetry by Tomas Edwards Nant, S[ion] Owen, [David Owen] 'Dewi Wyn Eifion' [sic] and (mainly) Robert Williams ('Robert ap Gwilym Ddu'), some possibly in his autograph. Other items include a list of books ('Catalek of all ye books that I Have'), some accounts headed 'Cost Capel garn talwyd' and 'heb Daly am Capel garn', observations entitled 'Lwybr Dyn neu Ysdyriaethau ar bedair rhan oes Dyn' by Robert Williams, a letter, 1845, from Ellis Owen, Cefn y Meusydd, to Mr Robert Williams, Bard, Bettws fawr, Llanystumdwy, containing verses by Robert ab Gwilym Ddu entitled 'Pererindod o'r Aipht i Ganaan; and a list of poems by ['Robert ap Gwilym Ddu']. There are also some press cuttings and other additions by John Jones ('Myrddin Fardd'). (Ii) A memoir of David Owen ('Dewi Wyn o Eifion') by and in the autograph of John Thomas ('Siôn Wyn o Eifion'). (Iii) Miscellaneous items including 'Pymtheg Llwyth Gwynedd', poetry by Huw Llwyd Cynfal, Dafydd ap Sion and y Parchedig Mr Goronwy Owen o Fôn, and draft of a letter from 'Dyngarydd' [?David Owen ('Dewi Wyn o Eifion') ] to Mr Gomer' [? for Seren Gomer ], and 'A Memorandum Book' in the autograph of John Thomas ('Siôn Wyn o Eifion') containing notes on natural history, etc. in English transcribed from various printed sources. (Iv) Notes in Welsh in the autograph of John Thomas ('Siôn Wyn o Eifion') on theological subjects including extracts from 'Patrick's Places' i.e. the work of Patrick Hamilton, followed by short accounts of Phoenicia, Palestine, Assyria, Babylon, etc. (V) An incomplete poem entitled 'Carol Plygain am Bwrcas Crist tros eu [sic] Ddyweddi ...... (Vi) Two items in the autograph of John Thomas ('Siôn Wyn o Eifion') entitled 'Cyfrifiad byr am amryw o enwau neu Sectau a ymddangosasant yn y byd' (? incomplete) and 'Ateb i rai holiadau, mewn Llythyr oddi wrth yr Ysgrifennydd at ei ewythr John Roberts', which last item includes observations by Michael Roberts on one of the questions. (Vii) This section consists of sixteen pages and one loose folio. The first fourteen pages are in the autograph of William Elias, c. 1731-44, and contain poetry by Evan ap Llywelyn Vychan (beginning wanting), D. Parry, William Elias, J. Rhydderch, Owen Griffiths and D[afydd] N[anmor]. The next two pages contain verses in English by Gr: Lloyd and the loose folio contains 'englynion', one by Moris ap Evan ap Dafydd ['Morus Dwyfech']. A note at the foot of p. 9 reads 'Oed ein harglwydd, pan dorwyd, y ffordd y mynydd Bwlch Derwin gynta, 1739, y rhan isa, ai gorphen: Mehefin 18: 1740: Wm Ellias, a Griffith Davidd o fodychen, overseers', and there is a recipe for making ink on p. 10. (Viii) 'Englynion' by Edward Charles and a number of Welsh hymns (author's name not given). (Ix) This section is in the autograph of John Roberts [?'Siôn Lleyn'], 1767, and contains poetry by Roger Thomley, Michel Prichiard, Sion Thomas Bod-edern, Gwen Arthur, William Elias, Owen Griffith, John Philip, John Roberts, Hugh Roberts, Thomas Jones, Rich[ar]d Parry niwbwrch, ? W. Ell... and John Rogar [sic]. (X) Veterinary and other recipes, mainly in Welsh.

Barddoniaeth Owen Gruffydd, etc.

Five uniformly bound notebooks numbered 1-5 containing a collection made by John Jones ('Myrddin Fardd') of the poetical works of Owen Gruffydd, Llanystumdwy (d. 1730), transcribed from Peniarth MS 124 (see 502 and 505), NLW MS 799 and other sources (?NLW MSS 18 and 11816, etc.), together with some printed items and (in 503) a few 'englynion' by William Elias. The lists of contents at the beginning of 503 appear to relate to Cwrtmawr MS 467 and NLW MS 799 respectively.

Llenorion Lleyn ac Eifionydd,

A composite volume lettered on the spine 'Llenorion Lleyn ac Eifionydd' and described in the old typewritten handlist of Cwrtmawr Manuscripts as 'Llyfr Cywyddau etc. R. Llys Padrig. etc. fol.' The first part is in an early nineteenth century hand or hands (watermarks 1803 and 1804) and contains a list of sheriffs for Caernarvonshire to 1796; a list of arms; and 'cywyddau', etc. by Rhisiart Cynwal, Gruffydd Phylip, Sion Dafydd Las o Nanau, Owen Gruffydd, Lewis Menai, Ieuan Tew, Sion Tudur, Sion Phylip, Edmwnd Prys, Ieuan Llwyd, Gruffydd Hafren and Watcin Clywedog. The remainder of the manuscript (from p. 56 to the end) is almost entirely of later date and is written in the autograph of John Jones ('Myrddin Fardd') and others; this section includes 'cywyddau', 'englynion', etc. by some of the poets already mentioned and by Ffoulk Wyn 'yn enw Owen Madryn y Crwner', Owain Waed Da, W[illiam] Llyn, Evan ap Tudur Penllyn, Howel ap Feinallt, Morys ap Ifan ap Einion o Lyn, Owain ap Llewelyn ap y Moel, Gruffydd Grug, Dafydd Llwyd ap Llywelyn ap Gruffydd o Fathafarn, Robin y prydydd bach, Huw Pennant, Sion Cain, Iolo Goch, Sion Brwynog (incomplete), Huw Llyn, Syr Dafydd Trefor, Ieuan ap Madog ap Dafydd, Tudur Penllyn, [Lewis Môn] (beginning only), Hugh ap Risiart ap Dd, Morys Dwyfech, Cadwaladr Gruffydd, Gruffydd Bodwrdda, Rowland Hugh, Lewis Glynn, Dafydd Namor [sic] o blwy Beddgelert, Howel Ceiriog, Wiliam Cynwal, D. Ellis, Cricketh, Huw ap [Rhisiart ap Dafydd], Gruffydd ap Tudur ap Howel and Huw kau Llwyd. There are also 'englynion' by [William Edwards] 'Wil Ysceifiog', [William Edwards] 'Gwilym Padarn', Owen Roberts, Harri Parri o Graig y Gath, Walter Davies ('Gwallter Mechain'), Hugh Evans ('Hywel o Eryri') and J. Robert [sic] 'Sion Lleyn'. Inset are 'Cywydd i Ddafydd Owain o'r Gaerwen ymhlwyf Llanystumdwy yn Eifionydd, swydd Gaernarfon, (Bardd ieuangc yr hwn a ddychanodd D. Ddu o Eryri am iddo esgeuluso dyfod i ymweled ag ef pan fu yn rhoddi tro yn Eifionydd yn 1801 - y rhan gyntaf o'r Co. gan Wm. Jones. Bardd ieuangc o Bentraeth yn Môn, y rhan olaf gan fardd o Arfon', dated 'Llanddeiniolen near Caernarvon Septr. 4th. 1802' and addressed to 'Mr. O. Jones, No. 148 Upper Thames Street, London' [? in the autograph of David Thomas ('Dafydd Ddu Eryri')] and an extract from [Yr Eurgrawn Wesleyaidd, 1824], pp. 341-6 ('Hanes Cantref y Gwaelod', etc.). Some of the poems are said to be copied from the manuscript of Rhys Jones 'o'r Blaenau' and William Elias, Plas y Glyn, Anglesey.

Owen Gruffydd MS,

A volume of poetry, chiefly in strict metre, written largely in the autograph of Owen Gruffydd (?1638-1730) between 1677 and 1692. Most of the poems are by Owen Gruffydd, but the following poets are also represented: Robin Ddu, Dafydd Gorllech, John Roger, Sion Phylip, Sypyn Cyfeiliog, Dafydd ap Gwilym, William Phylip, Gyttyn Owain ('medd rhai' 'Meredydd ap Rhys' in another hand), Ifan Tew Prydydd, Huw ab Iva[n], Bedo Brwynllysg, Edmwnt Prys, Edward Morys, Matthew Owen and Hugh Morys. There is a list of contents at the beginning and the poems have been correspondingly numbered. There are 'penillion' by William Elias on p. 309b. John Jones ('Myrddin Fardd') has supplied a lacuna in the manuscript from Peniarth MS 124. Almost all the 'cywyddau' in this manuscript, but not the 'englynion' and the poems in free metre, are to be found also in Peniarth MS 124, which is later in date than the present manuscript and written in a different hand. The pages have been numbered by Dr J. Gwenogvryn Evans and his report on the manuscript is in J. Gwenogvryn Evans MS 70a (under 'M[yrddin] F[ardd] 5'). If the information given on pp. 1 and 50 is correct, Owen Gruffydd was born in 1638. A note at the end (p. 238) of his elegy to Sir Roger Mostyn (d. 1690) states that the poet received fifty shillings for the 'cywydd'. There is a folio missing after p. 36 and another is wanting before p. 53.

Llyfr Michael Prichard,

A manuscript described as 'Llyfr o hen areithiau a Chywyddau' in the hand of Michael Prichard of Llan Llyfni. It contains poetry, largely in the form of 'cywyddau', by Michael Prichard, Sion Phylipp, Sion Tydur, Rhys Cain, Huw Llwyd Cynfel, Robert ab Howel ab Morgan, William Llyn, Dafydd ab Euan ab Owen, y Rhys ab Ednyfed, Owen Griffith, Thomas Lloyd [recte Prys] (Plas Iolyn), Dafydd Manuel, Wmphrey Dafydd ab Ifan ('Clochydd Llann brenn Mair'), Elis Rowland, Gryffydd ap Llywelyn Fychan, Wiliam Cynwal, Edward ap Rhys, and Thomas Llwyd (Penmen), and anonymous poems; 'Hanes y Twrstan, neu araith S. Tudyr', 'Breuddwyd Sion Tudur', and 'Prognosticasiwn Sion Tydur'; and a mediaeval Welsh glossary ('Llymma bart o'r hen Gymraeg; ar iaith arferedig wrthi') extracted from a book of Thomas Price of Plas Jolyn. The volume was compiled during the period 1726-9. There are a few additions in other hands, among them 'englynion' in praise and in memory of Michael Prichard by William Elias, [Griffith Williams] ('Gutyn Peris'), etc. At the end are two incomplete indexes, the one by Michael Prichard and the other by Owen Williams, Waunfawr. The spine is lettered 'Michael Prichard MS'.