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Three letters, 1568-1571, written in Latin to Abraham Ortelius, the Flemish cartographer, the first, 3 August 1568, from Humphrey Llwyd (Lhuyd), physician and antiquary, at Denbigh when he was mortally ill (a contemporary note, possibly by Ortelius, at the foot of the letter states that he died 31 August ('prid. Cal. Sept.') [1568]), the second, 2 November 1570, from Robert Owen in haste at Douai, and the third, 2 January 1570[/1], from Hu: Owen, brother of Robert Owen, at the earl of Arundel's house in London, all three letters connected with each other and with the work of Humphrey Llwyd. In the top left hand corner they are numbered in pencil 27, 31 and 34: these are the numbers which were given to them when they were published in chronological order by J. H. Hessels in Ecclesiae Londino- Batavae Archivum, Tom. 1, Abrahami Ortelii . . . epistulae (Cantabrigiae, 1887). The pagination in ink (421-4, 829-30, and 425-6) and other numbers in pencil (? 131, 211 and 210) appear to belong to earlier arrangements of the letters, one in order of Christian names, the other in order of surnames (Hessels, op. cit., pp. x-xi). The Humphrey Llwyd letter has been reproduced as a frontispiece to the Annual Report of the National Library of Wales, 1967-1968. In his letter Llwyd acknowledges receipt of Ortelius's description of Asia, refers to his own serious illness, and sends Ortelius his (Llwyd's) map of Wales, two maps of England, and what he describes as some fragments of a description of Britain written in his own hand. Only the conclusion of the letter (after 'vale'), one or two insertions and corrections, the address and an endorsement are in the handwriting of Humphrey Llwyd. The endorsement reads 'Mr Owen [i.e. Hugh Owen] fold vp these saff & delyuer theym at on EMANVEL house at Somers kay beneth bylyngesgate to be sent to Antwerp: vale' (see also Trans. Cymmr., 1937, plate facing p. 136). Hugh Owen and Robert Owen were Roman Catholics and of the Owen family of Plas-du, Llanarmon, co. Caernarvon (see D.W.B. under Owen family of Plas-du, Caerns., and the references given there). Robert Owen in his letter enquires on behalf of his brother whether the description of England and the chorography of Wales by the late Humphrey Llwyd, together with a letter written in Latin, have reached Ortelius. He asks him not to write to Douai as he will be going to England for the sake of his health following a serious illness, but rather to direct his letter to his brother or him at the earl of Arundel's house in London. Hugh Owen acknowledges receipt of a letter from Ortelius from which he learned that Humphrey Llwyd's brief commentary of Britain with the map of Wales has reached him safely and thanks him for so readily embracing the last, but immature and imperfect, works of their common friend. He is sorry knowledge of Ortelius's doubts about certain words did not reach him before his brother left the Netherlands but he will do his utmost to fill the gap if Ortelius will send him notes and lists both of the words in the commentary and of the matters and places in the map. He has kept a copy of the book lest any harm should befall it in transit and so that it need not be sent back if Ortelius is in doubt on any point [It was published under the title Commentarioli Britannicae descriptionis fragmentum. Auctore Hum/redo Lhuyd, Denbyghiense, Cambro Britanno (Coloniae Agrippinae: Apud Ioannem Birckmannum, 1572)].

A manuscript of the second half of the thirteenth century containing 'Y Gododdin', a series of awdlau lamenting warriors slain in battle at Catraeth, and believed to have been originally composed by Aneirin at the end of the sixth century (pp. 1-24). The awdlau are followed by four poems known as the gorchanau: Gorchan Tudfwlch (pp. 25-26), Gorchan Adebon (p. 26), Gorchan Cynfelyn (pp. 26-28) and Gorchan Maeldderw (pp. 28-38).
The manuscript was written by two scribes: scribe A (pp. 1.1-23.5, 25.1-30.11) and scribe B (pp. 23.6-24.21, 30.12-38.22). The hand of scribe B is also responsible for Peniarth MS 14, pp. 1-44 and Peniarth MS 17; see Ingo Mittendorf, 'Sprachliche und orthographische Besonderheiten eines mittelkymrischen Textes aus dem 13. Jahrhundert (Gwyrthyeu e Wynvydedic Veir)', in Akten des Zweiten Deutschen Keltologen-Symposiums, ed. S. Zimmer, R. Ködderitzsch and A. Wigger, Buchreihe der Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie, 17 (Tübingen, 1999), p. 129. Daniel Huws suggests the Cistercian abbey of Aberconwy as a likely location of the scriptorium; see Medieval Welsh Manuscripts (Cardiff and Aberystwyth, 2000), 75.

A transcript, [mid 20 cent.], of the diary, 26 July 1914-22 April 1916, of a soldier from Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, serving with the Royal Engineers in the First World War, including a record of his experiences on active service in the Dardanelles.
On the basis of information supplied by Mr Gwyn Jenkins, Talybont, January 2012, the writer of the diary has been identified as Hubert Cole, a Sapper with the 1st Welsh Field Company Royal Engineers. He married Kate Eveline Webb at St Luke's Bayswater on 1 November 1914.

Llawysgrifau'r Parchedig William Phillips (1861-1944), Gwalchmai, yn ymwneud â'i ymweliad i Wladfa Patagonia ym 1891. = Manuscripts of the Rev. William Phillips, (1861-1944), Gwalchmai, Congregational minister, relating to his visit to the Welsh Colony in Patagonia in 1891.

A volume containing Welsh poetry in free and strict metres, in the hand of David Evans (Dewi Dysul), Llandysul, Cardiganshire (see W. J. Davies, Hanes Plwyf Llandyssul (Llandysul, 1896, repr. 1992), pp. 253-5), mostly written by himself and relating to local events and personalities. Also included are diary entries, 1839-1872, relating to the weather and agricultural memoranda (ff. 70-81verso, inverted text).
The volume contains a Welsh carol, 1828 (ff. 1-2), Welsh poems sent as Valentines, 1850-1851 (ff. 13, 15, 33), a poem in praise of Llanover Hall, [1860s] (f. 52 verso), a poem in praise of John Hopkins (Ioan Glan Tees), 1863 (ff. 53 recto-verso), a Welsh metrical version of Mother Shipton's Prophecy, 1873 (f. 59), a poem on the death of the son of David Davies (Glan Cunllo), 1867 (f. 55 verso), and a chart of early-nineteenth century Welsh poets compiled by John William Thomas (Arfonwyson), [c. 1840] (f. 74 verso).

Cyfrol o achau, cerddi a nodion hynafiaethol, dyddiedig 1766 (ond a luniwyd tua 1763-1769), yn llaw Hugh Hughes (Y Bardd Coch o Fôn), ac sy'n dwyn y teitl 'Llyfr Melyn Tyfrydog [ne]u'r Gell Gymmysg' (t. xxv). Canolbwyntia rhan gyntaf y gyfrol ar achau disgynyddion Pymtheg Llwyth Gwynedd, y mwyafrif yn deuluoedd o Fôn (tt. 1-91; rhestrir y teuluoedd ar tt. xxvii-xxix). Ychwanegwyd arfbais liwiedig teulu Llwydiarth Esgob i gyd-fynd ag ach Hugh Hughes ei hunan ar t. 40. = A volume of pedigrees, poems and antiquarian notes, dated 1766 (but compiled around 1763-1769), in the hand of Hugh Hughes (Y Bardd Coch o Fôn), and entitled 'Llyfr Melyn Tyfrydog [ne]u'r Gell Gymmysg' (p. xxv). Pedigrees of the descendants of the Fifteen Tribes of North Wales, mostly Anglesey families, fill the first part of the volume (pp. 1-91; the families are listed on pp. xxvii-xxix). The coloured arms of the family of Llwydiarth Esgob are appended to the pedigree of Hugh Hughes himself (p. 40).
Cynhwysa'r gyfrol hefyd nodiadau hynafiaethol (t. 97 passim), trioedd a chynghorion (tt. 107-110, 116-119), ynghyd â nifer helaeth o gerddi Cymraeg (t. xiii passim), rhai wedi eu copïo o 'Delyn Ledr' William Morris, Caergybi (bellach BL Add. MS 14873) (tt. xvi, 119), ac eraill o gyfrol Evan Evans, Some Specimens of the Poetry of the Antient Welsh Bards (London, 1764) (t. 182). Ymysg cerddi cyfoes y llawysgrif, ceir rhai gan David Ellis (t. 282), Evan Evans (Ieuan Brydydd Hir) (t. 269), Hugh Hughes (tt. 260, 272, 275), Robert Hughes (Robin Ddu yr Ail o Fôn) (t. 235), a Goronwy Owen (t. 263). Diweddarwyd rhai o nodiadau hynafiaethol y gyfrol mewn dwylo diweddarach, hyd oddeutu 1858 (t. 50). Am restr o gynnwys y gyfrol, yn llaw Hugh Hughes, gweler t. xvii. = The volume also contains antiquarian notes (p. 97 passim), triads and wisdom (pp. 107-110, 116-119), together with a great number of Welsh poems (p. xiii passim), some copied from the 'Telyn Ledr' of William Morris of Holyhead (now BL Add. MS 14873) (pp. xvi, 119), and others from Evan Evans' Some Specimens of the Poetry of the Antient Welsh Bards (London, 1764) (p. 182). Amongst contemporary poems in the manuscript are compositions by David Ellis (p. 282), Evan Evans (Ieuan Brydydd Hir) (p. 269), Hugh Hughes (pp. 260, 272, 275), Robert Hughes (Robin Ddu yr Ail o Fôn) (p. 235), and Goronwy Owen (p. 263). Antiquarian notes of a later period were added to the manuscript, until c. 1858 (p. 50). For a list of the volume's contents, in the hand of Hugh Hughes, see p. xvii.

Twenty-three letters, 1940-1971, from David Jones, artist and writer, to his friend T. F. (Tom) Burns, nineteen of which date from the period 1940-1944 and form a valuable source for the life and work of the writer during the war years. The principal subjects discussed in the others are the history of Wales, the early history of the compass, Malory's Morte Arthur and the writer's experiences in the First World War. Twelve of these letters were printed, wholly or in part, by René Hague in Dai Greatcoat: A self-portrait of David Jones in his Letters (London, 1980).

Diary, 1915-1916, of Ethel Dora Heins (1886-1933) of Brecon, recording her service as a Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse in Alexandria.
A photograph of Heins is on f. 26.

The Hendregadredd manuscript, containing poems by the Gogynfeirdd bards, etc.
The contents of the manuscript were published by the University of Wales Press Board in 1933 under the title of Llawysgrif Hendregadredd.

A notebook, [1910], belonging to David Lloyd George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, containing rough notes in pencil for speeches given by him in late November and early December, on the campaign trail for the December 1910 General Election (ff. 1-41, 94 verso).
The volume contains material which can be found in Lloyd George's speeches in Edinburgh, 26 November (ff. 1 verso, 3-4 verso, 6-7, 8 recto-verso), Cardiff, 29 November (ff. 9 verso, 11 verso-13, 14, 15 verso-16), Ipswich, 2 December (ff. 18, 22, 23 verso), Glasgow, 5 December (f. 31 recto-verso), North Wales, 7-9 December (f. 36 recto-verso), and East Ham, 15 December (f. 39, 40 verso). Lloyd George also critiques at length Lord Rosebery's speeches of 30 November and 3 December 1910 (ff. 16 verso-33 passim). The notes relate mainly to the Parliament Bill to reform the House of Lords (passed as the Parliament Act 1911), the issue on which the election was called, but also tariff reform, Home Rule, land tax, etc. The volume is entirely in English except for two sentences in Welsh (ff. 30 verso, 35 verso).

Ten letters, 1918-19, from men serving with the armed forces in the First World War, expressing their gratitude for parcels sent by members of Bwlch Calvinistic Methodist church, Rhoslefain, co. Merioneth.

A notebook containing accounts relating to concerts held at Cwmystwyth Council School in aid of the soldiers' fund, and a list of persons contributing to the war memorial at Cwmystwyth.

The diary, 1630-1636, of [?Robert] Bulkeley, Dronwy, Llanfachreth, Anglesey.

One of two roll books, 1915, of D Company, 20th Battalion and of E Company, 16th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

An autograph book owned formerly by Eira D. Richards, containing the autographs of hospitalised soldiers and also noting their regiments rind dates and locations of wounding.

One of two roll books, 1915, of D Company, 20th Battalion and of E Company, 16th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

Twelve letters, 1900-1902, from Edward Thomas to Sir Owen M. Edwards, his erstwhile tutor at Lincoln College, Oxford, written shortly after Thomas had left university, their main purpose being to ask for guidance in seeking employment; they also reflect his attachment to Wales and his interest in the Welsh language.

The 'De Grey' Book of Hours, [mid-15 cent.].

Day book, 1788-1797, of the artist Thomas Jones, Pencerrig, relating to the Pencerrig estate in the parish of Llanelwedd, Radnorshire, recording details of payments received for rents, tithes and farm produce, and of payments made to servants and craftsmen, together with particulars of land tax payments and poor rates (ff. 17 verso-94).
Also included, in a different hand, are a barrister's accounts, 1758-1761, detailing the charges made for services rendered to individuals in London and Wales (ff. 1-17). Memoranda relating to tree planting are on ff. 63 verso, 65 verso and 84 verso; details of payments made to the artist Guiseppe Marchi are on f. 24. Extracts from the volume were published in R. C. B. Oliver, The Family History of Thomas Jones the Artist, of Pencerrig, Radnorshire (2nd ed., Llandrindod Wells, 1987).

Autobiography, apparently unpublished, of William Owen of Cardigan, 'The Birth, Life, Education and Transactions of Captn. William Owen the noted Smuggler ...', the original having been either written at Carmarthen gaol in 1747 by Owen himself whilst awaiting his execution for murder or dictated by him to the Reverend John Davies, prison chaplain, who has attested that he attended Owen during his confinement (f. 161). It contains an account of his personal life and of his smuggling exploits in the West Indies, in Ireland, and on the western coasts of Britain, with a transcript of his trial (pp. 119-60). The manuscript [watermark 1808] is apparently a copy in the hand of Daniel G. Matthias, whose name is inscribed inside the front cover with the date 12 January 1811. An account detailing expenditure on food and lodging, in a different hand, is found inside the back cover.