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An album compiled by John Lloyd James ('Clwydwenfro'), Congregational minister at March, Cambridgeshire, etc. The volume is almost wholly of Congregational interest, and relates for the most part to Glandwr Church, Pembrokeshire, and to the activities of John Davies ('Siôn Gymro' otherwise 'Siôn Llethi' otherwise 'Ioan Llethi'), who was ordained minister of the church in 1827. The manuscript items include genealogical extracts in the hand of 'Clwydwenfro' (the families of Evans of Penywenallt, Jenkins of Pantyrlys, and Lloyd of Noyadd Trefawr, all in the parish of Llandygwydd, and the Reverend Thomas Nicholas of the Presbyterian College, Carmarthen, etc.); letters of dismission to Glandwr Church, 1738-1833 (one from Rhyd-wilym Baptist Church, 1785, another signed by M[organ] Jones, 'Ty Newydd, Treleach', 1833); receipts to Lewis Thomas [of Bwlch-sais, parish of Llanfyrnach, first minister of Glandwr Church] for the payment of rent in respect of the [Congregational] meeting- house at Reed y Ceised [Rhydyceisiaid], parish of Llanginning, 1738/9-1739; holograph letters to John Davies ('Siôn Gymro') from S[amuel] Griffiths, Horeb, 1836 (the distribution of 'Mr. Jones Cofiant'), Thos. and Mary Griffiths, Glynarthen, 1836 (an endeavour 'to bring things to a better order among us than they are at present'), Richard Jones, Llwyngwril, 1828 (the distribution of publications), M. D. Ioannes [Jones] [Bala, 1879] (the visit of John Thomas, publisher, Merthyr, to Bodiwan and to Ffestiniog and his proposal for the publication of the recipient's Y Proffwydi Byrion, constitutional controversy in the Independent College, Bala) (Greek), Edw[ ard] Davies, Brecon, 1851 (recommending Joseph Jervis to the ministry of either Llwynyrhwrdd or Capel Ifan [Iwan]), Ja[me]s Griffiths, Treliwyd, St. Davids, 1830 (meetings at St. Davids, etc.), G. Jones, Llandilo, [18]81 ( enclosing proof sheets), M. A. Johns Hill, St. Clears, [18]56 (a request to visit the writer's mother), Sam[ue]l Roberts ['S. R.'], from [Y] Dydd Office, Dolgellau, 1868, and from Conway, 1881 (thanks for the recipient's Llethi, a request for leading articles for Y Dydd, the presentation of a testimonial to 'S. R.' for his 'pioneer pleadings . . . for Penny Postage', comments on a libel suit), John Davies, Cwrte, 1846 (the death and burial of the writer's daughter), William Lewis and John Thomas, Carmarthen ('Late fellow student [sic] at Neuaddlwyd'), 1828 (the distribution of books), Robert Gladding, book-seller, London, 1878 (the purchase of a book), J. Jones [1831] (the distribution of publications, arrangements for the writer's preaching tour), D[avid] Pugh, House of Commons [M.P. for East Carmarthenshire], 1867 (the presentation to the House of the recipient's petition against the sale of intoxicating drinks on Sunday, and the second reading of the Sunday Trading Bill), E. Evans, Trehowell [parish of Llanfyrnach], 1847 (the first offer of Trehowell as a residence), Wm. Davies, Fishguard, undated (the recipient's preaching engagement at Fishguard) (fragment), and Jno. Williams, Castle [parish of Llanarth], [18]24 (the writer's studies, local news) (with an addition by Thos. Williams, Llwyncelyn, to Mr. David Jones, 1824, relating to the writer's application for admission to Newtown Academy); a copy of a letter from J. G. Davies ['Siôn Gymro'], 1827 (a bequest to the minister of Glandwr Church); an undated letter from the Baptist Church at Newcastle Emlyn to Glandwr Church, proposing a joint renewal of the lease of Cappel loan [Iwan] and the joint provision of a new cemetery; a copy of a letter from David Davies, Penywayne [parish of Llanfihangel Llantarnam, Monmouthshire] to J[ames] Michael [Pont-hir], 1821 (observations on William Evans's revolt and his application for membership of the recipient's church); a holograph letter from [Diana Noel], baroness Barham, to the Reverend Wm. Griffiths, Glandwr, 1822 (the recipient's health, the opening by the writer of a chapel [at Park Mill, Gower]); an autograph letter, 1897, signed by Thomas E. Ellis and T. F. Roberts on behalf of the Welsh Library Committee of University College of Wales, Aberystwyth; an incomplete draft of a letter from ['Clwydwenfro'] to the Reverend T. Stephens, Wellingborough [editor of Album Aberhonddu (Merthyr Tydfil, 1898)], 1895 (biographical notes on the Reverend John Griffiths, Hitchin, and others); a holograph letter from Marth[a] James, Raccoon, Gallia County, Ohio, to David Thomas, Velin Wern, Llanina, Cardiganshire, 1855 (the death of the writer's husband, the writer's property and stock, the improvement in living conditions, food and land prices, industrial development, references to Welsh neighbours); a holograph letter from [the Reverend] Wm. Evan[s], Llaindelin [parish of Llanfyrnach) to the Reverend Wm. Griffiths, Glandwr, 1805 (a controversy at Glandwr regarding the succession to the ministry, with copies of proposals for the use of Glandwr and Penygroes meeting-houses); receipts for books borrowed from the Trustees of Glandwr Church, 1748/9 and undated; vouchers for the purchase of wine, 1759-1767; a certificate, 1854, for procuring the registry of Glandwr as a place of worship, pursuant to 16 Vict., c. 36; rules of public worship adopted by the minister, elders, and deacons at Glandwr, 1796; undated lists of members of Glandwr and Rhydyceisiaid Churches; miscellaneous music; a probationary call to John Davies ('Siôn Gymro') ('Student, Newtown') to the ministry of Glandwr Church, 1826; a certificate of the ordination of John Davies, 1827; a testimonial to John Davies from Edw. Davies, North Wales Academy, Newtown, 1826; confessions of faith of John David (died 1756), minister of Glandwr Church, and of applicants for membership of the church; a certificate of the subscription of oaths by John Davies ('Siôn Gymro'), 1822; 'Carol Nadolig'; sermon notes by J[onah] Lloyd [Congregational minister], St. Asaph; vouchers of John Davies ('Siôn Gymro'), 1842-1879 and undated (the schooling of his children, the purchase of books, the payment of poor rate for the parish of Llanfyrnach) and miscellaneous accounts; the petition of Mary Gibbon, widow, of the parish of Llangolman, for relief as a result of the destruction of her house by fire, 1793; a bond, 1814, from Rees Edwards of Nantyreglwys, parish of Llanboidy, co. Carmarthen, gent., to Roger Griffiths of Castle Garne [recte Garw], parish of Llangludwen, co. Carmarthen, and John Morse of Graig, parish of Llanvirnach, co. Pembroke, gentlemen, for the payment of a sum of £20 and interest, being a bequest by Mrs. Edwards, mother of the said Rees Edwards, for the support of the minister of the congregation of Dissenters at Glandwr meeting-house; a draft lease [for 999 years] [1797] from the Reverend John Griffiths, minister of the Gospel, Dinah Griffiths [his wife], and John Devonald Griffiths, their son, gent., of Glandwr, parish of Lanvirnach, co. Pembroke, to Roger Griffiths of Castellgarw, parish of Langloydwen, co. Carmarthen, and John Morse of Graig, parish of Lanvirnach, co. Pembroke, gentlemen, of a piece of land, being part of Glandwr, parish of Lan[virna] ch (endorsed by 'Clwydwenfro': 'The following draft of Glandwr Chapel Deed was drawn up and is in the hand-writing of James Davies ('Siams Dafi')); an account of a controversy in 1803 between the Reverend William Evans and the Reverend William Griffiths concerning the succession to the ministry of Glandwr Church (endorsed by 'Clwydwenfro': 'Mae yr hanes dilynol yn llaw ysgrifen James Davies, Penlanfach wedi hyny o Bentregalar'); a receipt, 1839, signed by John Evans, Nantyr Eglwys, afterwards archdeacon of Carmarthen; case, and the opinion of John Williams, Chancery Lane, 1803, touching the power of the lessees specified in the deed of 1797 to lock up Glandwr meeting-house to prevent the assembly of William Evan and his adherents; certificates of the registration of deaths, 1844-1874; a certificate, 1837, of the registration of Glandwr for the solemnization of marriage; an obituary, 1831, of Betty Daniel Watkin, Blaen y Pant, Llanarth, with in memoriam verses by 'Ioan Llethi'; biographical notes by 'Clwydwenfro' on a family of four brothers surnamed Evans of Llanboidy; a pedigree chart of the descendants of Roger Griffiths, Castell Garw, compiled by Miss Norah Griffiths of Sandown, I.O.W.; a draft agreement, 1847, between David Owen of Ynysfawr, parish of Llandysylio, co. Carmarthen, gent., and John Davies ['Siôn Gymro'] of Pencalch, parish of Llanwinio, minister, for the purchase by the latter of Iet Wen, parish of Llanfrynach [sic], co. Pembroke; the will of John Davies, minister of the Gospel at Glandwr, parish of Llanfurnach, and at Moriah, parish of Llanwinio, co. Carmarthen, 1834; a letter, 1834, to the Carmarthen journal by 'J. D. De Castelle', relating to lines in Latin transcribed from a paper among the books of the Reverend John Pughe of Motygido, Llanarth; accounts of dreams experienced by John Davies ('Siôn Gymro'), 1860-1882; a letter, 1842, to the Weekly Dispatch by J. Davies ['Siôn Gymro'], Llanfyrnach, replying to an attack on Christianity; poetry by Abel Williams, 'Toywr' 'near Castlewilia', and a hymn by W. Griffiths, Glandwr; etc.

Printed and graphic material in the volume includes verses entitled 'Hen Gapel Glandwr, Swydd Benfro', 1866, by W. H. James ('Gwallter Myrnach'), New Zealand, a native of Pontygavel, Llanfyrnach; an 'Outline of Plan' of the proposed University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, 1870; a notice of 'Cymanfa Myfyrwyr Hen Athrofa Neuaddlwyd', 1851, with a covering letter to J Davies from the Reverend William Evans, Aberaeron; verses by 'M.', Milford, entitled 'Lines, Addressed by a young Lady to the Rev. William Davies, of Pencaer, in the 81st year of his age, when addressing his Son, on his settlement at Neyland; and giving an account of the origin and progress of about 30 places of Worship in the English part of Pembrokeshire'; verses entitled 'Mae'r flwyddyn yn d'od: Pennillion ar glywed Bronfraith yn canu gerllaw, Chwefror 2, 1865' by [John Davies] ('S[ iôn] Llethi'); the Humble Petitions of Thomas Davies of Bankyfelin, parish of [Llan]fihangel-Abercowin, Carmarthenshire, 1829, and Thomas Davies of Cerrig-gwynion, parish of Llanarth, Cardiganshire, 1832, for relief as a result of the destruction of their properties by fire; an address, 1829, by H. Leach, Milford, to the Freeholders of the County of Pembroke, deploring the lack of tolerance shown by opponents of the Roman Catholic Relief Bill (together with a draft Welsh translation in the hand of John Davies ('Siôn Gymro') for publication in Y Dysgedydd); a prospectus of a school to be opened at St. Asaph by [the Reverend] Jonah Lloyd, 1826; a prospectus of the first number of Y Diwygiwr, 1 August, 1835; an appeal on behalf of the Welsh Independent Chapel,Manchester, 1829; an undated paper on 'Gweddio ar Eistedd' read by John Davies ('Siôn Gymro') at the Pembrokeshire Congregational Quarterly Meeting; hymns sung at the anniversary of Ivor Chapel Sabbath School [Dowlais], 1870; an undated biography of the Reverend John Griffiths (died 1811), Glandwr, by John Davies ('Siôn Gymro'), read at the centenary services of Pen-y-groes Congregational Church [1865]; a circular letter, 1880, in the name of M. D. Jones, Bala, announcing the death and burial of the Reverend R[obert] Thomas ('Ap Vychan'); in memoriam cards, 1870-1872; Regulations of University and King's College, Aberdeen, in granting degrees in Medicine, 1840, with a covering letter, 1842, from William Gregory to John Davies ('Siôn Gymro '); A Brief View of the Operations and Principles of Temperance Societies, published by the British and Foreign Temperance Society, 1834, and addressed to 'Revd. Mr. Davies, Glandore'; an issue of Band of Hope Review, April 1853; a proof sheet of a list of students of the Presbyterian College, Carmarthen, 1818-1869, with annotations in the hand of Principal W. J. Evans; press cuttings (Rhyl National Eisteddfod, 1892, portraits and photographs of ministers of religion, eminent personages, and of church buildings, a letter by Daniel Davies, Bethesda, Swansea, 1848, relating to the removal of the Normal College for Wales to Swansea and to the voluntary principle in education, poetry by 'Clwydwenfro' and 'S[iôn] Llethi', a sermon by J[ohn] D[avies] ('Siôn Gymro'), 1874, etc.); a map of the Roman Empire drawn by John Griffiths Davies, son of 'Siôn Gymro', and given by him to 'Clwydwenfro' before his apprenticeship to a draper at Narberth; a composite photograph of seventy Congregational ministers, together with a printed key ('Enwau y deg a thrugain'); and water-colour drawings by Lily James and Rose James, 1896.

Miscellaneous papers containing notes, transcripts, extracts, etc., in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') bound together into one volume. The contents include pp. 1-16, extracts from the works of various Welsh bards under the superscription 'Bardic allusions to ancient usages, institutions, ideas, &c.'; 16, a list of the seven attributes of God ('Saith Angheneddyl Duw'); 16-17, a group of eight Welsh triads attributed to Syr Wiliam Herbert of Raglan; 18-19, a brief note on the Irish in Anglesey and North Wales; 19-20, Biblical allusions to the practice of writing on wood; 22-3, further extracts from the works of Welsh poets similar to those on pp. 1-16; 25, Welsh triads; 26, a transcript of an 'englyn' attributed to Evan Evans y Prydydd Hir; 27, three stanzas of a Welsh poem headed 'Pennillion Iolo Morganwg'; 34-5, a list of thirty-six 'Southwalian Gogynfeirdd'; 35, a brief note on Gruffudd ap Cynan's introduction of 'Scaldic Literature', etc., into Wales; 36-7, notes on the use of the 'englyn milwr' measure by 'Southwalian Bards', and on the meaning of the word 'anaw' and of the element 'chwyfan' in the name of the Flintshire antiquity 'Maen chwyfan'; 38-9, a list of 'Writers on the Art of Poetry now Extant' in South Wales and N[orth] Wales; 41, a query relating to 'the Caerwys Bards or Eisteddfod'; 41, a note on the Welsh bards' refusal to introduce fiction into poetry; 42-4, notes headed 'On Coelbren y Beirdd'; 45-50, notes headed 'Bards of the 11th to the 13th centuries' stressing the impact on Welsh poetry of the Scandinavian Scaldic influence introduced via the court of Gruffudd ap Cynan; 51-9, notes headed 'Bards of the 15th Century in S[outh] Wales' dealing mainly with the influence of Norman and Provencal poetry on the twelfth century Welsh poet Rhys Goch ap Rhys ap Rhiccart and other Welsh bards via the courts of the Norman lords in Glamorgan, its continuance in the work of Dafydd ap Gwilym, etc.; 60-73, notes headed 'Modern Poetry of North Wales' containing general, mainly derogatory comments on North Wales poetry from the seventeenth century onwards with references to Lewys Morris, Edward Morris, Hugh Moris, Rice Jones of Blaenau, Goronwy Owain, and other poets, the practice of borrowing or imitating metres from English songs and ballads, the results of the literary competitions inaugurated by the Gwyneddigion Society, etc.; 74-92 notes headed 'Modern South Walian Poetry' dealing mainly with the 'song writing' or 'popular poetry' tradition in South Wales as contrasted with North Wales; 93-6, notes relating largely to the tale called 'Cyfarwyddyd Einiawn ap Gwalchmai a Rhiain y Glasgoed'; 97-102, miscellanea headed 'Mân bethau perthynas (sic) i'r Beirdd a Barddoniaeth'; (continued)

104-08, notes relating to the society commonly known as 'Gwyr Cwm y Felin' which existed at Cwm y Felin in Betws Tir Iarll [co. Glamorgan], with references to its connection with the druidical and bardic tradition and its association with Lollardy in the past and Unitarianism in the present (see NLW MS 13121B above); 109, a transcript of three stanzas of Welsh verse headed 'Myned yn y maen. To take the chair. . .'; 110, notes on a theory that there were two poets called Dafydd Nanmor, the one a grandson of the other; 121, a list of seven rules headed 'Some Rules of Welsh versification'; 122, a 'scheme' or chapter headings for a 'History of the Bards'; 123-46, a short essay or article on the 'History of the Welsh Language' containing observations on the three main dialects, viz. Silurian, Demetian, and Venedotian, their use in Welsh literature, etc.; 147-9, lists of early bishops of Llandaf and of the bishops of Wales before the time of Garmon ('Escobion Cymru Cynog Amser Garmon'), and notes on the meaning of the words 'cor' and 'bangor'; 151-3, a pedigree of the ? Williams family of Aberpergwm; 163-88, notes and extracts relating to the manufacture of beet sugar, the cultivation of trees and potatoes, the making of varnishes, wines, etc., and medicinal recipes; 201-02, a note headed 'Bards secret and gripe'; 203, a list headed 'Proverbial and idiomatic expressions in Glamorgan'; 215-18, transcripts of miscellaneous Welsh verse including two 'englynion tawddgyrch cadwynog' attributed to Edward Evan 'o Aberdar' and Lewys Hopcin of the parish of Llandyfodwg [co. Glamorgan], an 'englyn' attributed to Siôn Tudur, and six stanzas headed 'Y Credadyn ar farw idd ei enaid' being reputedly a translation from Pope's ode entitled 'The dying Christian to his soul', and extracts from 'cywyddau' attributed to Edmund Prys; 228, notes headed 'Gwehelyth y Simwniaid'; 229, a note on madness in dogs; 240-41, a list of Welsh names of fruits; 247-53, extracts from The Monthly Review, 1790, vol. I, including a transcript of 'Robinson's Elegy on leaving Westminster College'; 278, a note referring to the tradition relating to the alleged Trojan colonization of Italy; 285-6, a ? draft of proposals for publishing a Welsh religious and literary journal to be called 'Goleugrawn Deheubarth Cymry', publication to be annually or quarterly, the first number to appear towards the beginning of 1817; 303- 05, an extract relating to 'healing wounded trees'; 310-11, notes on a proposed 'water wheel at ye present forge [at Kevan] . . ., 29 Jan. 1787'; 315-16, a horticultural note and a medicinal recipe; and 321-7, transcripts of three 'cywyddau' ? attributed to Dafydd ap Gwilym. Also found on various pages are groups or lists of Welsh words, miscellaneous Welsh triads, and other miscellaneous items. Some of the notes have been written on the blank verso or in the margins of copies of printed leaflets advertising 'Sea Bathing' and 'Genteel Lodgings' at the Ball, Swanbridge, seven miles from Cardiff, the wares of Tucketts and Fletcher, Bristol (Tucketts and Fletcher, grocers and tea-dealers, no. 11, Corn-Street, Bristol ([Bristol], [1795?], ESTC T230410)), and the wares of E. M. Downing at his 'Grand Musical Repository', Bristol, and a printed copy of 'An Elegy on the late Reverend John Wesley'.