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A history of Welsh literature from the Cynfeirdd to the nineteenth century, and notes on Celtic deities, Welsh history and institutions, etc.

Notes in the hand of D. Morgan Lewis of lectures delivered at a Holiday School at Llanwrtyd, 9-19 August, 1921, by Professor W. Jenkyn Jones [University College of Wales, Aberystwyth] ('Yr Ysgol Sul'), the Reverend Fred Jones [Tal-y-bont, co. Cardigan] ('Ysgrifennu Cymraeg'), and Professor [E.] Ernest Hughes [University College of Swansea] ('Hanes Cymru '); together with brief notes of a lecture on Welsh music.

Notes by Gwilym Hughes on the statues of Welsh historical figures in the Cardiff City Hall.

A letter, dated 10-11 July 1967, from the artist and writer David Jones, Harrow, to the novelist [Anthony] Powell, mainly discussing Welsh genealogy and history. Jones also refers to the anniversary of his involvement in the battle of Mametz Wood, 10-11 July 1916, the subject of part 7 of his poem In Parenthesis (London, 1937) (f. 16 verso).
The letter contains references to the recent 'David Jones Special Issue' of Agenda, 5.1-3 (Spring-Summer 1967), Powell's television producer and director son Tristram, with whom Jones was acquainted, Kenneth Jackson, Saunders Lewis, and Jones's knowledge of Welsh (all f. 16), and the Eliseg Pillar inscription (f. 16 recto-verso).

Papers of Dr Emyr Wyn Jones, [1920x1988], comprising essays, articles, addresses, reviews and adjudications, mainly of a medical, historic or literary nature; together with some personal papers.

An unpublished historical and topographical account of Wales by John Gwynne of Llanidloes, co. Montgomery, Surveyor of North Wales and servant to Sir William Herbert, first Earl of Pembroke, the author's presentation copy to Sir William Cecil (later Lord Burghley), with a correction in Cecil's hand on f. 8 verso. The text, in English apart from Latin sub-headings, with marginal notes, is written in alternating Secretary and Italic scripts and is preceded by a dedicatory letter (f. 3 recto-verso). Folios 8-11 verso carry thirty-four coats of arms; and f. 20 verso carries a plan of the Welsh royal court similar to the illustrations found in BL Add. MS 22356 and NLW Llanstephan MS 116. A transcript of the same text, contained in Cardiff MS 3.11 (RMWL MS 50), pp. 27-94, has been published in Archaeologia Cambrensis 1915.

Twenty letters, 1964-74, from David Jones (1895-1974), artist and writer, to the archaeologist Nancy K. Sandars. As well as containing references to his work, the letters discuss a range of topics including the history and prehistory of Wales.

A minute book of the Literary Society of Gerlan Calvinistic Methodist Church, Gerlan, Bethesda, Caernarvonshire, covering (with some gaps) the period 1906-19. Among the entries are detailed reports of lectures by Principal [Thomas] Rees, Bangor (on 'David Livingstone'), Professor [Sir] John Morris-Jones, Bangor ('Dewi Wyn o Eifion' and 'Pantycelyn'), Thomas Shankland, Bangor ('Morgan John Rhys, y Jacobin Cymreig'), S. Maurice Jones, Caernarvon ('Olion Hen Hanes Cymru', with illustrations, by the recorder, of Caernarvon Castle, Valle Crucis Abbey, the parliament house of Owain Glyndŵr at Dolgellau, Cefn Brith, etc.), J. H. Jones ('Je Aitsh'), Liverpool ('Y Cymro trwy lygad Said'), [Lewis Davies Jones] ('Llew Tegid') ('Trioedd hen a newydd), [Robert] Gwyneddon Davies and Mrs. [Grace] Gwyneddon Davies ('Alawon Gwerin'), T. Gwynn Jones, Aberystwyth ('Pantycelyn'), etc.

Lectures on the history and topography of Wales written by Evan Jones ('Ieuan Gwynedd').

Notes of a special course on the history of Wales to 1600 by Edward Edwards.

A transcript by Walter Davies of Dafydd Thomas : Hanes Tair Sir ar Ddeg Cymru.

Miscellanea mainly in the hands of John Jenkins and Walter Davies and relating to the history, literature, ecclesiastical affairs, and music of Wales; a document relating to the collation of Richard Humffreys to the living of Aberhavesp, February 21, 1628 9; a fragment in the hand of Edward Lhuyd; a letter from Maudline Nanne to Robert Vaughan, May 24, 1636; etc.

'Lloffion Hynafiaeth. Antiquarian and Historical Gleanings', being extracts made by John Jenkins from manuscript and printed sources relating to British and Welsh history.

Articles and addresses by David Samuel mainly on Welsh literature, history and education, 1890-1909, and an account of his tour in the United States of America, 1889.

An imperfect draft summary of a proposed history of Wales.

One hundred and twenty-four autograph letters, 1959-1974, from painter-poet David ('Dafydd') Jones, all addressed to Valerie ('Elri') Wynne-Williams (née Price), with the exception of two to her husband Michael ('Mihangel') (ff. 54, 112-113) and one to them both (ff. 55-56), discussing a variety of topics including his, and her, health and living conditions, his work, his friends, the Welsh language and Welsh history and politics. Some letters are illustrated with coloured pencil, pen and ink drawings, mainly of animals and flowers (ff. 8, 32, 33, 45 verso, 46 verso-47, 48 verso, 76, 103, 104 verso, 152), inscriptions (ff. 9, 34, 124 verso, 128, 136 verso) and sketch maps of Harrow (ff. 143, 144).
There are references throughout to friends and correspondents including Saunders Lewis (ff. 2-11 passim, 42-188 passim), Harman Grisewood (ff. 4-192 verso passim), René Hague (ff. 42 verso-187 passim), David Blamires (ff. 160, 186, 190 verso, 192), Louis Bonnerot (ff. 123, 186 verso), Tom Burns (ff. 13, 14 verso, 48, 64 verso, 68 verso, 77, 85 verso, 86 verso, 89 verso, 110, 116, 140 recto-verso, 188 verso), Douglas Cleverdon (ff. 68 verso, 160 verso, 162, 163 verso, 187), Aneirin Talfan Davies (ff. 9 verso, 11, 14 verso, 16, 33 verso, 63 verso, 71 verso, 123, 124, 128, 129 verso, 154 verso, 162), Clarissa Eden (f. 107 verso), T. S. Eliot (ff. 51 recto-verso, 62 verso, 67 verso, 69 verso, 71, 73, 74, 85), Gwynfor Evans (ff. 29 verso, 31, 131-192 verso passim), Illtud Evans (f. 6, 11 recto-verso, 37, 46 verso, 57, 61), Arthur Giardelli (ff. 150, 151 verso, 171 verso, 186), Eric Gill (ff. 45 verso, 66, 67 verso, 68 verso, 121), Stanley Honeyman (ff. 84, 140, 154 verso, 159 verso), Morag Owen (ff. 59, 98, 140), Catherine Rousseau (née Ivainer) (ff. 36 verso-127 passim), Stephen Spender (ff. 81 verso-82, 83 verso, 91), Bill Stevenson (f. 158 verso) and Helen Sutherland (ff. 68, 97 verso, 157). There are also occasional references to Desmond Chute (f. 120 verso), Idris Foster (ff. 60 verso, 63 verso), Philip Jones Griffiths (ff. 1, 131), David Lloyd George (ff. 108 verso-109, 127 verso), Megan Lloyd George (ff. 18 verso, 20, 21-22), J. D. Innes (f. 49 verso), Augustus John (f. 85 verso), Alun Oldfield-Davies (ff. 37, 77), Tristram Powell (ff. 142 recto-verso, 144), Caradog Prichard (ff. 19 verso, 77, 108), Kathleen Raine (f. 59 verso), Keidrych Rhys (ff. 6 verso, 8, 9, 16, 30 verso, 36 verso), Meic Stephens (ff. 171, 175), Vernon Watkins (ff. 47, 128 verso), D. J. Williams (f. 106 recto-verso), Kyffin Williams (ff. 49, 63, 77) and R. O. F. Wynne and his family (ff. 61, 62, 63, 64 verso, 67 verso, 81, 94 verso, 96 verso¸ 98, 130 verso), and brief reminiscences of his experiences during the First World War (ff. 70 recto-verso, 76, 79 recto-verso, 108 verso-109, 130 recto-verso, 151 verso, 164). Also included is a copy of his letter, dated 10 August 1959, to Megan Lloyd George (f. 21; for her reply see NLW, David Jones (Artist and Writer) Papers CT3/3, f. 247); cuttings of letters to the Times by David Jones, Valerie Price and others, 1958 (ff. 193-196); and a copy of a 1959 photograph of the two by Philip Jones Griffiths (f. 197). The letter of 23 September 1973 (ff. 178-179 verso) was published under the title 'Yr Iaith' in Planet, 21 (January 1974), 3-5.

A volume containing an account of a tour in North Wales in the form of transcripts, [18 cent., last ¼], of four letters, dated 20-28 September 1776, sent from Caernarfon (pp. 1-25), Tan-y-Bwlch, Merioneth (pp. 27-49), Denbigh (pp. 50-74) and 'Rhyd Dyn' [Rhyddyn], Flintshire (pp. 75-95), commenting mainly on Welsh history and castles.
The transcripts have been heavily corrected and emended in a different hand. The author, who appears to have resided at Rhyddyn, is not named but may be the Rev. William Warrington. His correspondents are identified as a Mr Eyton (p. 1) and a Dr Jeffries (p. 49). Also included are a preface (ff. v-vii) and several versions of a passage, in the same hand as the emendations, relating an encounter with some Irishmen (f. i verso).

Papers, 1976-2019, accumulated by Ena Niedergang whilst researching for her book Wales-China: 250 years of history published in 2015 and other papers not used for the book, including correspondence relating to missionaries and soldiers who served in China and the many connections between the two countries.
Additional papers relating to The Wales-China Friendship Society, including correspondence relating to branches of the society in Cardiff and Swansea and minutes of meetings, The China ’89 project, visitors to China and from China to Wales and exhibitions.

Miscellaneous papers containing notes, extracts, transcripts, lists, etc., in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') bound together in one volume. Pp. 9-62, 68-73, 76- 90, 107-48, 213-20 and various other pages in the volume contain miscellaneous Welsh word lists frequently, but not invariably, with English definitions and illustrative excerpts from the works of Welsh poets. Other items include pp. 63-5, an incomplete 'Cornish - Silurian vocabulary' (words beginning with letter A only); 75, a comparative word list with the superscription 'Peculiarities of the Silurian and Venedotian dialects'; 93-106, a list of popular proverbial and figurative expressions or phrases in Welsh (see IM, t. 389); 149-50, 157-63, lists of Latin proper names, common nouns, etc., largely connected with ancient Gaul; 153- 6, 165-208, a French - English vocabulary with Welsh cognates of the French words; 221-30, a Cornish - English vocabulary with the superscription 'Borlace Vocabulary' [probably transcribed from, or based upon, the vocabulary to be found in William Borlase: Antiquities, Historical and Monumental, of the County of Cornwall . . . (1754, 2nd ed. 1769)], with Welsh cognates of the Cornish words; 236, 'Some Names of Rivers in Glamorganshire'; 237, a copy of a poem attributed to Taliesin; 240, notes headed 'Names of Mountains'; 241-2, notes headed 'Appelative Name of Watter', and 'Proper Names of Rivers'; 251-8, a collection of Welsh proverbs arranged alphabetically according to the initial letter (incomplete, G-Y only); 260-61, a Welsh poem by Edward Williams; 262, a list of 'Silurian words agreeing with Armoric'; 273-4, two lists with the headings 'Books and MSS. useful towards the History of Cardiff', and 'Hints and Materials for the History of Cardiff' respectively; 281-2, a copy of a thirty-eight stanza anti-Puritan poem entitled 'Cân i Ladron Morganwg' attributed to 'Jenkin Rhichards o Flaenau Gwent' and dated 1646 (for an assessment of the historical evidence presented in this poem see Thomas Richards: A History of the Puritan Movement in Wales (London, 1920), p. 211, and the same author's Religious Developments in Wales, 1654-1662 ( London, 1923), pp. 191-4, and for doubts as to its authenticity IM, tt. 254-63); 283-4, a transcript of a letter from [the Reverend] Edw[ar]d Gamage [from St. Athan] to Llywelyn [ab Ifan] 'o'r Cannerw', undated (replying to a request for the names of books for the study of the Welsh language, observations on differences between the dialects of Glamorgan and North Wales, a suggestion that a scholarly, bardic language be formed from the best elements in all regional dialects) (for a holograph copy of a letter from Edward Gamage to Llywelyn ab Ifan see NLW MS 13077B and for transcripts by Edward Williams of letters from, or allegedly from, Gamage to the same recipient in addition to the present example see NLW MSS 13095B, 13100B; for observations on these letters and the dubious authenticity of the Williams transcripts see IMCY, tt. 58-60, TLLM, tt. 107, 195, and IM, tt. 245-6); 285, a copy of an 'englyn' descriptive of a silkworm and 'composed of vowels'; 291, an incomplete transcript of [Thomas] Gray's 'Ode on the Pleasure arising from Vicissitude'; 295-8, a chronicle of events in British-Welsh history, 1076-1110; 299-300, notes on the Welsh bardic order with references to [James] Macpherson's theories about the druids and bards and a comment on his Fingal poem; 302, extracts from the Universal Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure, 1768; 303-04, a transcript of [Taliesin's poem] 'Gwaith Argoed Llwyfain' with an English translation thereof by W[illia]m Whitehead (see Edward Jones: Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards . . . (1784), pp. 5-6); 307-10, an English translation of the title-page of Theophilus Evans: Drych y Prif Oesoedd . . ., ail arg. [1740], and of pp. 107-10 of the text of the work; 315-16, a copy of a letter from 'Christopher Crabstick', servant of Mr. Windham [Thomas Wyndham of Dunraven Castle, co. Glamorgan], to Captain Wind[s]or [Captain Thomas Windsor, R.N.), undated (a satirical attack on recipient's decision to offer himself as a candidate in the parliamentary election for the county of Glamorgan [?1789]); 323, draft copies of an election song to accompany the preceding item; 317-20, brief notes on the topography, agriculture, mineral wealth, etc., of the three main divisions of Glamorgan; 321-2, an advertisement for a proposed history of the town of Cardiff and lordship of Glamorgan; 326, a copy of the proposed title- page of Edward Williams's intended 'History of the Ancient British Bards or Druids' to be published in 1795; 327-30, notes on Welsh poetic metres ('Am gysefin ansawdd y mesurau') and on bardic ceremonial ('defodau . . . wrth gynnal gorsedd'); 333-4, prose items with the superscriptions 'Casbethau serchog', 'Llyma lythr anfon serch o waith D.G. o lyfr Ovydd', 'Dewisbethau serchog o lyfr Ofydd', and 'Casbethau Eiddig'; 335-6 two sequences of stanzas (twenty-one and twenty-four respectively) of Welsh prophetic verse with each stanza commencing with the words 'Coronog faban . . .', the first sequence being taken, with revised orthography, from Thomas Pugh: Brittish and Out-landish Prophesies . . . (London, 1658) [pp- 47-51, 37-8] (for the text of both sequences see Iolo Manuscripts . . ., pp. 276-82); 337-8, an incomplete copy of a Welsh poem describing the county of Glamorgan, its towns, etc. (for the missing portion, i.e., stanzas 1-30, see Iolo Aneurin Williams MS 97 in the National Library of Wales); 339-40 transcripts of two 'cywyddau' attributed to Ieuan ap Hywel Swrdwal and Gruff. ap Ieuan ap Llywelyn Fychan; 341-2, a transcript of a letter in Welsh from the poet Gronw Owen from Donnington, co. Salop, to William Elias, 1751 (for the text of this letter and notes on problems relating thereto see J. H. Davies (ed.): The Letters of Goronwy Owen . . . (Cardiff, 1924), pp. 3-4, 203-04); 343-5 medical maxims in Welsh; and 347-8, transcripts of 'englynion' by Wm. Llyn, H[uw] Llyn, and Edward Morris. Also included are miscellaneous notes on bardic, literary, and historical matters, etc.

Miscellaneous papers and fragments containing notes, transcripts, lists, copies of his own poems, etc., by Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') bound together in one volume. The contents include holograph copies of Welsh poems by Edward Williams himself using the bardic names 'Iolo Morganwg', 'I[orwer] th G[wili]m', and 'Ior[wer]th Morganwg'; transcripts of Welsh strict- and free-metre poems (often incomplete) including single stanzas attributed to Huw Morus and Edward Morus (pp. 60, 65), a few stanzas attributed to Gronwy Owain (p. 78), and an 'englyn' attributed to Iorwerth Fynglwyd (p. 141), etc.; a short list of Welsh names of 'different sorts of grass or hay in Glam[organ]' (p. 32); a short list of 'Glum[organ] proverbs' (p. 42 ); draft copies or transcripts of the words of two English election songs written in connection with a parliamentary election in co. Glamorgan [? the election involving Thomas Wyndham of Dunraven Castle and Capt. Thomas Windsor, R.N., in 1789] (pp. 75-6); a ? draft version of an English poem entitled 'Bardic Institutes, a Vision Written in an ancient Bardic circle on Morlais Hill near Merthyr Tidvil, Glam.' (pp. 80-82); excerpts from the work of various Welsh poets headed 'Quotations from Bards relating to usages, Institutes, mythology, Literature, etc., of the Bards' (pp. 83-4 and possibly 193-4); an incomplete copy of an English poem 'The Royal Shepherd' (p. 87); a note in Welsh recording a meeting held at Pen y Bont ar Ogwr [Bridgend, co. Glamorgan] to celebrate victories over [Napoleon] Bonopart (p. 90); a short list of Welsh strict poetic metres headed 'Dosparth Llawdden' (p. 101); a very brief note on 'Lords Halls of Courts and Justice at Coyty, Lantwit, St. Brides, St. Athan, Penmark, [and] Lancarvan [co. Glamorgan]' and 'Baronial Court Halls' of the vale of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire (p. 103); a list in Welsh of some of the traditional customs and pastimes of Glamorgan ('Hen Arferion a Defodau Morganwg') (pp. 105-06); an anecdote relating to Morgan ab Ithel o Forganwg, Hywel Dda, and Blegywryd (p. 107); an anecdote relating to efforts made to deprive the Welsh of education subsequent to the rebellion of Owain Glyndwr, the renewal or spread of the practice of writing by inscribing on wood, and the teaching of this practice to the bards of Gwynedd and Powis by Ieuan ap Hywel Swrdwal and Llawdden Fardd (pp. 115- 116); notes relating to Welsh poetic metres (pp. 139-40, 142, 183-4); a non-chronological list of events in English and Welsh history, 852-1415 ( pp. 143 + 48); a prose tale entitled 'Ystori Rhitta Gawr' (p. 144); statistical tables giving the population of twenty-one parishes in the hundred of Swansea [co. Glamorgan], and four parishes in the hundred of Carnawllon, Caermarthenshire, 1811 (p. 145); brief notes containing speculation as to the state of the province of Siluria [south-east Wales] at the time of the Roman withdrawal, with references to the ancient seminary at Carlion, place names reminiscent of the 'first Planters' of Christianity in the province, monumental inscriptions, etc. (p. 149); ? draft versions or transcripts of the words of Welsh psalm or hymn tunes (pp. 166-7); medicinal recipes in Welsh (pp. 187-90); notes on the 'corfan' or metrical foot in the class of poems called 'dyriau' (p. 184, second sequence); a list of towns, etc., in co. Glamorgan headed 'Town Halls of [ ]' (p- 195); miscellaneous Welsh word lists; miscellaneous triads; extracts from the works of various Welsh bards; and other miscellanea. Some of the notes have been written on the reverse of a promissory note signed by Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') in London, 13 January 1794 (p. 96), the reverse side of an account rendered by Thos. Williams, marble mason, to Hercules Clarke, mason, in respect of a chimneypiece (pp. 164 + 169), and the reverse side and margins of a copy of printed proposals, May 1799, for publishing a periodical to be called Eurgrawn Cymraeg neu Drysorfa Gwybodaeth (pp. 187 + 190).