Showing 66 results

Copy of the 'Historia Brittonum' of Nennius.
A copy of this manuscript in the hand of Ieuan Fardd is now NLW MS 2020iB.

Manuscripts, [c. 1120]-[1942x1959], formerly part of the library of the Davies-Cooke family at Gwysaney, Mold, consisting mainly of family papers and manuscripts in Welsh or of Welsh interest.
The manuscripts include the Liber Landavensis (Book of Llandaff), [c. 1120]-[c. 1133]; volumes of Welsh pedigrees, [16 cent.], and Welsh poetry, [16 cent.]; Richard Davies's translation into Welsh of St Paul's Pastoral Epistles, [1546x1563]-[1567x1581]; a manuscript of the Brut in English, [1460x1479]; sermons, [17 cent.]-1811; inventories, catalogues and schedules relating to books, deeds and other property at Oulton, Owston, Llannerch and Gwysaney, 1750/1-1801; a travel journal of Bryan Cooke, 1790-1797, and journals of continental tours by Phillip Davies Cooke, 1815-1824; records of dues for the parish of Mold, 1581-1590; rentals and accounts of the Llannerch and Gwysaney estates, 1730-1843; surveys of the Llannerch and Gwysaney estates, [18 cent.]-[early 19 cent.]; valuations of part of the Gwysaney estate in Flintshire, 1809; pedigree rolls, 1604-1771, of the Davies, Puleston, Humphreys (of Bodelwyddan) and Meredith (of Allington) families; and several groups of letters, including transcripts and memoranda, and other papers, relating to the Puleston, Davies, Cooke, Davies-Cooke and other families, [1487x1503]-1901.

A volume containing some seventy-eight letters, 1796-1901, mostly relating to the Davies-Cooke family of Gwysaney and Owston, with a few apparently collected as examples of autographs, together with miscellaneous other papers, 1790-[late 19 cent.], and engravings and photographic reproductions of paintings, 1832-[late 19 cent.].
The correspondents include G[iovanni] B[attist]a Niccolini, 1841 (f. 1), Thomas V[owler Short, Bishop of] St Asaph, 1849, 1852 (f. 2), [Stapleton Cotton, 1st Baron] Combermere, Dublin, 1825 (f. 3), [Frederick Lygon, 6th Earl] Beauchamp, 1875 (f. 4), [George Osborne, 6th Duke of] Leeds, Milan, 1821 (f. 6), [Sir] G[eorge] O[nesiphorus] Paul, 1800 (ff. 7, 11), Thomas Pennant, 1796 (f. 8), W[illiam] D[avies] Shipley, 1800 (f. 9), [Robert Dundas, 2nd Viscount] Melville, Admiralty, 1814 (ff. 11, 33), [James Hewitt, 4th Viscount] Lifford, 1874 (f. 13), R. R. Reinagle, 1828 (ff. 13, 14, 15), C[harles] Duncombe, 1819 (f. 14), P. F. Robinson, [?1833] (f. 15), [Charles William Wentworth Fitzwilliam, 5th Earl] Fitzwilliam, 1843, 1852 (ff. 16, 18), [John Mitford, 1st Baron] Redesdale, 22 August 1817 (f. 16), C. L. Ebor [Charles Longley, Archbishop of York], 1860 (f. 17), [George Nugent, 1st Marquis of] Westmeath, Chester, 1852 (f. 18), W. Ebor [Archbishop William Thomson], York, 1864 (f. 20), Tho[ma]s Worsley, Cambridge, 1867 (f. 21), [Thomas Littleton Powys, 4th Baron] Lilford, 1862 (f. 24), George Müller, Bristol, 1852 (f. 25), S[usan, Duchess of] Marlborough, [n.d.] (ff. 26, 29), [Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquis of] Westminster, 1837 (f. 26), [Charles Wood, 1st Viscount] Halifax, 1880 (f. 27), [Frederick Temple Blackwood, 1st Marquess of] Dufferin [and Ava], [n.d.] (f. 27), Richard Owen, 1858 (f. 29), [Charles John Shore, 2nd Baron] Teignmouth, 1838 (f. 30), [George Venables-Vernon, 5th Baron] Vernon, Geneva, 1842 (f. 30), W[illiam] Gregory, Dublin Castle, 1821 (f. 33), E. Maunde Thompson, 1881 (f. 34; concerning Barnabe Fitzpatrick), [George, 2nd Baron] Kenyon, 1804-1814 (ff. 37-38, 46), [Charles Grant, 1st Baron] Glenelg, Colonial Office, 1836 (f. 40), T[homas] Gaisford, Ch[rist] Ch[urch], 1849 (f. 42), [Robert Stewart, Viscount] Castlereagh, Dublin Castle, 1800 (f. 43), and [Edward King, Viscount] Kingsborough, 1811 (f. 44). The main recipients are Bryan Cooke, 1800-1821 (ff. 6-40 passim), Philip Davies Cooke, 1828-1853 (ff. 2-42 passim), and Philip's brother W. B. Cooke, 1827-1842 (f. 1, 21, 25, 30), father-in-law George King, 3rd Earl of Kingston, 1800-1826 (ff. 3, 11, 12, 33, 43), and son Philip Bryan Davies-Cooke, 1860-1901 (ff. 4, 17, 20, 23, 24, 27, 29, 31, 34). Other items in the volume include Bryan Cooke's passport, 1818 (f. 19), miscellaneous notes, copy letters and documents, etc., 1797-[?late 19 cent.] (ff. 24, 32, 34-36, 61) and printed items, 1790-1889 (ff. 31, 39, 59-60).

A volume containing some one hundred and two letters and other papers, [1487x1503]-1895, many relating to the Davies, Cooke and Davies-Cooke families of Gwysaney, Owston and Llanerch and relatives such as the Earl of Kingston, with other letters apparently collected as examples of autographs. Also included are items such as engravings, photographs and cuttings relating to some of the correspondents, 1788-1900; some items are accompanied by biographical notes, [19 cent., third ¼].
The papers include the Earl and Countess of Kingston's invitation to Queen Victoria's Coronation, 1838 (ff. 1-2), a sign manual of Henry VII, [1487x1503], thanking John Pillesdon [Puleston] (f. 5), two warrants of Henry VIII, 1538 (ff. 5 verso-6), an acquittance signed by Geo: Asapher: [George Griffith, Bishop of St Asaph], 1664 (f. 24) and two receipts relating to Théodore de Bèze and François Bonivard, 1554, 1575 (f. 53; French). Other correspondents include William, Duke of Clarence [later William IV], 1828 (f. 7), Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, 1805-1825 (ff. 9-11), Mary, Duchess of Gloucester, [1827x1857] (f. 13), Princess Elizabeth of Hesse Homberg, [1810x1827] (f. 15), Princess Sophia Matilda, [1810x1827] (f. 17), Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, 1808-1824 (ff. 18, 29), Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, 1809-1810 (ff. 20-21), J[ohn Egerton, 1st Earl of] Bridgewater, 1638 (f. 22), Cardinal Consalvi, Rome, 1818-1819 (ff. 25-27; letters and passports to Bryan Cooke, in Italian), George IV [two signatures only] (f. 28), Baron Atthalin, Aide de Camp to the Duc d’Orleans, 1820 (f. 30; French), F[rançois] d'Orléans, [prince de Joinville], 1843 (f. 32; French), General G. H. Dufour, Berne, 1851 (f. 33; French), E[dward] B[ulwer] L[ytton] (f. 34), [5th Duke of] Richmond, Goodwood, 1847 (f. 34), Pope Pius IX [signature only], [?1859] (f. 34), Spencer Perceval, Downing Street, 1810 (f. 35), Eleanor Butler and [Sarah] Ponsonby, [the Ladies of Llangollen], 1785, 1791 (ff. 35 verso-36), [René-Eustache, marquis d']Osmond, 1816-[1821] (ff. 37, 39 verso-40; French), [11th Duke of] Norfolk, [?1790s] (f. 38), W. E. Gladstone, 1852 (f. 38 verso), [Benjamin] Disraeli, Downing Street, 1868 (f. 39), [Viscount] Palmerston, 1810 (ff. 41 verso-42), [Viscount] Kingsborough, 1834 (f. 43), William Wilberforce, 1798, 1801 (ff. 43 verso-44), Warren Hastings, 1807 (f. 45), Thomas Telford, 1829 (f. 47), Sir John Sinclair, 1816 (f. 48), Francis Chantrey, 1820-1834 (ff. 48 verso-51), [Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of] Westminster, 1852 (f. 53 verso), Sir Robert Peel, [2nd bart], 1836 (f. 56 verso), George Canning [signature only], 1797 (f. 58 verso), M[artin] F[arquhar] Tupper, [1860] (f. 59 verso), W[illiam] Spence, 1850 (f. 60), [Professor] John Phillips, York, 1853 (f. 62), H[umphry] Repton, 1796 (f. 64), Jos[eph] Sabine, 1827, 1828 (f. 65), John Franks, Calcutta, 1832 (f. 66), R[amsay] R[ichard] Reinagle, 1828, 1829 (f. 67) and Gathorne Hardy, 1867 (f. 68). The main recipients include Captain Thomas Davies, 1638 (f. 22), Bryan Cooke, [?1790s]-1821 (ff. 25-27, 38, 40, 42, 43 verso-44, 46, 50 verso, 56 verso, 58, 64), Philip Davies Cooke, 1820-1852 (ff. 30, 34, 37, 38 verso, 48 verso-51, 53 verso, 55, 56 verso-57, 60 verso-62, 65, 67), and his father-in-law George King, 3rd Earl of Kingston, 1815-1838 (ff. 2, 7, 9-11, 18, 29, 35, 56, 57 verso, 63, 65).

A volume containing some one hundred and sixty-three letters and other papers, 1576-1810, mostly of the Davies family of Llanerch and Gwysaney or of the related families of Mutton, Whitehall and Dod (ff. 1, 3-92, 97 verso-98), together with a few later additions, 1813-[late 19 cent.] (ff. 2, 3a, 11a recto-verso, 18 verso, 40a).
The papers include commissions signed by Charles I, 19 July 1643 (f. 1), and Charles II, 15 August 1651 (f. 3), and an order signed by Oliver Cromwell, 30 June 1658 (f. 4); other correspondents include the 1st Earl of Bridgewater, 1620-1647 (ff. 5-9), the 2nd Earl of Bridgewater, 1650-1653 (ff. 10-11), Charles, Earl of Derby, 1652-1663 (ff. 14-16), Barnabe Fizpatrik [Barnaby Fitzpatrick] to [Edward VI], 4 March [1552] (f. 17), Sir Peter Mutton to his mother (in Welsh), 17 January 1604/5 (f. 19), Sir Marmaduke Lloyde, 1635-1637 (ff. 22-23), Robert Corbett, Stanwardine, 1636-1639 (f. 24), [Col.] Thomas Davies, [1624]-[?1625] (ff. 33-34), Mutton Davies, 1654-1657 (f. 41), Sir Roger Mostyn, 1st bart, 1655-1686 (f. 42), Thomas Price, Bishop of Kildare, 6 March 1660/1 (f. 43), Eubule Thelwall, 15 April 1661 (f. 48), Letitia Davies to her husband Robert Davies [IV], 1700-1708 (ff. 59-62), Sir Watkin Wm Wynne, 4th bart, 20 February 1777 (f. 76), Sir Roger Mostyn, 5th bart, 1784 (f. 77), Thomas Pennant, 1784-1796 (f. 78, 2 letters), [Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron] Kenyon, 1796 (f. 80, 2 letters) and Wm Oliver, Bath (f. 91). The main recipients are Robert Davies [II], 1620-1633 (ff. 5-6, 33-35, 37-39), his brother Col. Thomas Davies, 1635-1650 (ff. 7-10, 22-32), Robert Davies [III], 1652-1665 (ff. 14, 16, 38, 40, 41-46, 48), Robert Davies [IV], 1685-1708 (ff. 13, 36, 42, 46-50, 53, 56, 59-63), Peter Davies, [Tybroughton, brother of Robert Davies VI], 1777-1796 (ff. 73-80) and Thomas Pennant, 1784 (f. 77). A list of the contents, [19 cent., last ¼], is on ff. 93-97.

Letters patent, dated at Westminster, 11 February, 1 & 2 Philip and Mary [1554/5], issued by Mary I, Queen of England and Ireland, and Philip II of Spain, as King of England and Ireland, granting lands in Broughton [?Bychton], Marton [Mertyn] and Tredesmowen [?Trefednywain], [all in the parish of Whitford], in the commote of Coleshill, Flintshire, to John Davye [Davies, of Gwysaney].
The document is decorated with a fine initial double-portrait of the monarchs enthroned, in ink and wash within the initial letter 'P' of interlacing strapwork, and bears the secretarial signatures of both. Large strapwork initial letters appear in the first line, and the margins are illuminated with heraldic emblems in gold and colours. The great seal of Mary I is appended, attached by the original green and white plaited laces.

A poem entitled 'Epistle to the Lady Charlotte Rawdon from the Banks of the St Lawrence' by Thomas Moore.

A catalogue of the books, pamphlets, manuscripts and writings of John Davies of Llannerch, Denbighshire, taken 1778. The books are catalogued according to size. The occasion for the compilation of this catalogue was a lease for fifteen years of Llannerch Hall granted by John Davies to the Rev. William Davies Shipley, dean of St Asaph. Also preserved within this volume are four leaves containing a catalogue of the manuscripts in the Llannerch Library, taken in 1740.

A catalogue of the books in the library of Owston Hall, Yorkshire, made 2 March 1752.
On pp. 1-7 and 80 are notes on 'Elementary and Practicall Geometry and Arithmetick' and on pp. 76-77 there are tables of coin weights and measures, beer-, ale- and wine-measures, measures of length, time, etc.

A letter book containing copies of letters, 14 April 1806-19 April 1820, sent by Bryan Cooke of Owston, Yorkshire, to W. WIlliams, Careglwyd, Mold, and other correspondents, concerning his estates in Wales.

A fifteenth-century manuscript of the Brut in English with continuation to 1450, written probably in the 1460s or 1470s in the West Midlands of England (indicated by the dialect) or possibly in Wales.
The text is the English translation of the Brut to 1333 followed by the usual continuation to 1377. The continuation for 1377-1450 (at which point the text ends abruptly) is, except for the years 1415-19, that of the unusual text printed by J. S. Davies in 1856, known as Davies's Chronicle. A quire and a half are wanting at the end of the manuscript; originally no doubt the text continued to 1461, as does Davies's Chronicle. The Brut with its continuation was printed by Caxton in 1480, and then frequently until 1530. Among additions to Brie's text of the Brut are the epitaphs of the Welsh and the English clerk on Llywelyn ap Gruffydd. On a blank page is a Latin epitaph for Mathew Goch, previously only known in a shorter form from a single manuscript (f. 181 verso). The manuscript is on paper, written by three or more hands, and as pastedowns and flyleaf has three leaves of a fine English noted missal of the twelfth century.