Barddoniaeth,

An imperfect manuscript consisting of thirty folios of uniform size and two smaller leaves, with the two halves of ? the lower cover of an early nineteenth century periodical or part publication, which at one time seems to have served as a protective covering, bound in at the beginning. A considerable part of the original manuscript appears to have been lost as the volume was described by the Reverend John Williams ('Ab Ithel'), circa 1856, as containing 'about 100 pages' (see L. James: Hopkiniaid Morganwg . . . (Bangor, 1909), p. 91). The former protective cover bears the inscription 'Llyfr Llanfihangel Iorwerth. Cywyddau amrafaelion. Siôn Cent hyd Dafydd Hopcin o'r Coetty. Englynion Eiry Mynydd, &c.', in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg'), and the contents consist of transcripts of Welsh verse mainly in strict metre. Dafydd Hopkin of Coety, co. Glamorgan is sometimes named as the copyist (see L. James: op. cit., p. 91; TLLM, tt. 229, 267; and IMCY, t. 139). The poems include 'cywyddau' and 'englynion' by Thomas Prys, Ieuan Tew Brydydd, Dafydd Hopkin (1734), Ieuan Brechfa, Lewis Morganwg, Iorwerth Fynglwyd, Dafydd ap Gwilym, Rys Dynfwal (sic), Rhys ab Morys, ?Mredydd ap Rees, Swrdwal Hen, Huw Dafydd Probert, Siôn Tudur, Owain Gwynedd, Gwilim ap Ieuan Hen, Dafydd ap Edmwnt, Daio Lliwiell, Ieuan Tew Brydydd Ifangc, Huw Lewis, Gruffydd ab Ifan ab Llewelyn Fychan, Wiliam Cynwal, Morus ab Hywel ab Tudur, Siôn Cent, Hywel ab D'd ab Ieuan ab Rhys, Llywelyn Goch, Gruffydd Dafydd Fychan, Ieuan ab Hywel Swrdwal, Bleddyn Fardd, and Dafydd Llwyd Fach, a series of pseudo- gnomic poems with each stanza commencing with the words 'Eira mynydd' some of which are attributed to Llywarch Hen and Mabclaf ab Llywarch, and poems attributed to Taliesin and Aneurin. There are marginal notes by Edward Williams and his son Taliesin Williams.

Taliesin Williams (Ab Iolo or Taliesin ab Iolo, 1787-1847), schoolmaster and author, was the son of Edward Williams (Iolo Morganwg). He was born in Cardiff on 9 July 1787 and grew up in the Vale of Glamorgan. He became a schoolmaster at Gileston, then an assistant at the Rev. David Davis's school in Neath. In 1816 he opened a school in Merthyr Tydfil, which he ran for the rest of his life.
Taliesin assisted his father with the publication of Cyfrinach Beirdd Ynys Prydain (1829). Taliesin inherited his father's manuscripts and his druidic beliefs, oblivious to Iolo's inventions, and became his foremost defender. He edited selections from Iolo's manuscripts, published posthumously by the Welsh MSS Society as Iolo Manuscripts (Liverpool, 1848). His poems Cardiff Castle (1827) and The Doom of Colyn Dolphyn (1837) were based on Iolo's manuscripts. He became an important figure in the eisteddfodau of the time, winning prizes for his essays and poetry.
Taliesin married Mary Petherick of Merthyr Tydfil and they had six children, including the Edward Williams (1826-1886), the Middlesbrough ironmaster. Taliesin Williams died in Merthyr on 16 February 1847.

Taliesin Williams (Ab Iolo or Taliesin ab Iolo, 1787-1847), schoolmaster and author, was the son of Edward Williams (Iolo Morganwg). He was born in Cardiff on 9 July 1787 and grew up in the Vale of Glamorgan. He became a schoolmaster at Gileston, then an assistant at the Rev. David Davis's school in Neath. In 1816 he opened a school in Merthyr Tydfil, which he ran for the rest of his life.
Taliesin assisted his father with the publication of Cyfrinach Beirdd Ynys Prydain (1829). Taliesin inherited his father's manuscripts and his druidic beliefs, oblivious to Iolo's inventions, and became his foremost defender. He edited selections from Iolo's manuscripts, published posthumously by the Welsh MSS Society as Iolo Manuscripts (Liverpool, 1848). His poems Cardiff Castle (1827) and The Doom of Colyn Dolphyn (1837) were based on Iolo's manuscripts. He became an important figure in the eisteddfodau of the time, winning prizes for his essays and poetry.
Taliesin married Mary Petherick of Merthyr Tydfil and they had six children, including the Edward Williams (1826-1886), the Middlesbrough ironmaster. Taliesin Williams died in Merthyr on 16 February 1847.

Title based on contents.

Formerly known as Llanover B. 3.

Preferred citation: NLW MS 13064D.

The description is also available in the Handlist of Manuscripts in the National Library of Wales, Volume IV (Aberystwyth, 1971).

See L. James: Hopkiniaid Morganwg . . . (Bangor, 1909), p. 91.

Published