'Llyfr Jenkin Richard',

An imperfect, seventeenth century manuscript. Pp. 1-160 and 165-232 contain a collection of Welsh free- and strict-metre poems (medieval to seventeenth century) including poems by Howell Thomas Dauid, Jenk[in] Richard, William Jenkin, Giles ap John, David Du Hir Addig, Charles Thomas, Robert Lia, Rys Goch 'o Fochgoron', John Kent, John Jones, Rich. Watkins, clerk, John Tydyr, Rhys Parri, Dafydd Llwyd Mathey, Hugo Dauids, vicarius, Tho. Lewis, Charles Jones, Mredyth ap Rosser, Res Brychan, Ievan Rhydd, Dafydd ap Gwilim, Ioroth Fyngllwyd, Lln. ap Ho. ap Ivan ap Gronow, Hugh Dafydd (? the same as Hugo Dauids, vicarius, above), Bedo ap Phe. Bach, Dafydd ap Edmond, Iolo Goch, Lln. ap Howell, Howel Swrdwal, Tydyr Aled, Hyw Penmal, and Edward Dafydd (the seventeenth century poet concerning whose identity see TLLM, tt. 96-100, and, for a different opinion, IM, t. 260 and R. Geraint Gruffydd: 'Awdl Wrthryfelgar gan Edward Dafydd', Llên Cymru, cyf. V, tt. 155-63, and cyf. VIII, tt. 65-9). Intermingled with the Welsh poems are a few English items including religious verse by Richard Morgan, clerk, alias Sir Richard y Fwyalchen, and an anonymous poem entitled 'An Epitaph vppon ould dotard Wroth' [? William Wroth, Puritan cleric]. Pp. 161-3 and possibly part of p. 159 contain a record of payments or contributions by an unspecified person or persons, 1643-1646, in connection with the maintenance of royalist forces in co. Monmouth. These include contributions towards the garrisons at Monmoth, Raggland, Colbroock, and Abergev[eny], and towards the cost of provisions, weapons, etc. The volume is referred to as 'Llyfr Jenkin Richard(s)' and this is the Jenkin Richard(s) of Blaenau Gwent whose own poems form part of the text (see IMCY, tt. 82, 176; IM., tt. 257-8, 259-60; TLLM, t. 100; and Llên Cymru, cyf. III, t. 98). In TLLM., tt. 97, 100, poems by Edward Dafydd are said to be in the poet's own hand, but R. Geraint Gruffydd in Llên Cymru, cyf. V, t. 158 infers that the whole volume is in the hand of the aforementioned Jenkin Richard(s).

Title based on contents.

Formerly known as Llanover B. 12.

Preferred citation: NLW MS 13072B.

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

Several personal names, some being signatures, have been written in the margins, etc., and the following are coupled with claims to ownership of the volume - Jenkin Richard, Henry Jenkins, Lewis Thomas, and Richard Jenkin(s).

See note in NLW MS 13178B.

For the possible identity of Edward Dafydd see R. Geraint Gruffydd: 'Awdl Wrthryfelgar gan Edward Dafydd', Llên Cymru, cyf. V, tt. 155-63, and cyf. VIII, tt. 65-9. For the text of, and comments on, two of the anti-Puritan poems in this collection see G. J. Williams: 'Cerddi i Biwritaniaid Gwent a Morgannwg', LIM Cymru, cyf. III, tt. 98-106. For Jenkin Richards see Llên Cymru, cyf. III, t. 98 and cyf. V, t. 158.

Published