Miscellanea,

A volume containing miscellaneous notes, jottings, etc., in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg'). The contents include, pagination in brackets, notes relating to William de Brewis [13th cent.], the chaplaincy of Thirlesbury Martin in the parish of Lantwit [co. Glamorgan], and the formation of the parish of Eglwys Brewis from this chaplaincy (15-16); a reference to the conquest of the lordship of Brecon by Bernard Newmarch in 1087, a copy of an inscription on a cross in the parish of Vaenor [co. Brecknock], and a note on a cromlech at Ty Illtud in the parish of Llanhammwlch (sic) [co. Brecknock] [extracted from William Camden's Brittania] (16-17); notes, historical and geographical, relating to Glamorgan including extracts from Camden's Britannia (18-27); copies of two memorial inscriptions in Clyrow churchyard, co. Radnor, one recording an age of 219, with a comment [by Edward Williams] relating to this (28); an anecdote relating to an attack by Edgar, King of London ('Brenin Llundain'), upon Morgan Mawr in Morgannwg (31 + 34); a genealogy tracing the descent of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn in direct line from Eneas Ysgwyddwyn (35- 6); genealogical and other data relating to Llywelyn Bren, Senghenydd, Lewysaid (sic) y Fann [co. Glamorgan], Llywelyn Bren ieuanc, Lewys Rhaglan ' o Lys y Vronydd', the Gawntlo family of Tregawntlo [co. Glamorgan], and Iestin ap Gwrgan (36-40); a sketch plan of, and a brief note on, 'Gallt Cawrdaf. An[cien]t Monastery', a note on a measure called Miskyn Measure, notes on the site of the 'old church' and on the 'present parish church' at Marcross [co. Glamorgan], and notes relating to land called Nash orchards and land adjacent to it in Nash [co. Glamorgan] (43-5); a note relating to relations between Edgar [king of England] and Morgan Hen [of Morgannwg] circa 967, and the alliance between Iestin ab Gwrgan and the Danes and Irish, late 11th cent. (58); a chronicle of events in Welsh history but relating mainly to South Wales, late 10th-11th cent. (59-71); brief notes relating to events in the reigns of Edward II and Edward III based upon Froissart's Chronicles (75-7); (continued)
Genealogical notes relating to the Gamage family up to the second half of the sixteenth century 'Ex Harl. Lib. No. 368' (85-6); a list of fifteen subject or chapter headings relating to Welsh poetry headed 'Topics for the History of the Bards' (91); a further list of eighteen subject or chapter headings relating to Welsh literature, bardism, music, etc. (92); miscellanea including a medicinal recipe extracted from the Monthly Review, a list of ecumenical councils, 314-551 [A.D.], specifications and a sketch relating to a settee or couch with drawers and a book shelf, etc. (93-6); a list of places in co. Glamorgan where fairs were held noting the main items sold (97-9); brief notes relating to John Hopkins of Neath 'the versifier of the psalms, died 1541', and his ancestor Hopkin Thomas, fl. 1350, who 'wrote the Greal' ( 100); notes on meteorological predictions made by the Prelate Luders of Glucksburg in 1785 and his theories re the influence on climate of ice floes floating down from northern seas (101-02); a list of nine subject or chapter headings relating to Welsh literature, bardism, language, etc., headed 'History of the Bards' (103); miscellanea including eight lines of English verse translated from Welsh by E[dward] Williams, a brief note on tradition by Edward Williams, brief notes relating to sheep and cattle in Glamorgan, genealogies of the bard Taliesin and an anecdote relating to him, etc. (104-08); a brief list of Welsh words with observations on Welsh polysyllabic words whose roots are unknown (122); lists of proverbs, proverbial expressions, and rhyming proverbial couplets, some connected expressly with Glamorgan, a list of nine Welsh words with notes on most, formulae of 'common cries', examples of crude set 'question and answer' pieces, etc. (123-32); notes relating to the sense of apartness of the people of Glamorgan and Monmouth as opposed to the rest of Wales, traces of the Silurian dialect of Welsh in Anglesea and its use by the 'Northwalian Bards of the middle ages' whose 'poetic dialect' was ' demonstratively founded on the Silurian', etc. (133-5); a list of personal ' names . . . still very common in Glam. & Monm.' (136); a further list of Welsh proverbs or proverbial expressions (136-8); geological notes relating to ? the coast of Glamorgan (138); extracts from [John Shore, Baron] Teignmouth: [Memoirs of the] Life . . . of Sir William Jones [philologist and jurist, 1746-94], and a quotation from [ ] Diderot (139- 41); a list of Welsh names of ? villages, farms, etc., and a brief note on Rhys Ddu, temp. Owen Glyndwr (144-6); incomplete notes with the superscription 'Some Account of the Ancient Town of Lantwit Major (Wallice Llanulltud fawr) in the County of Glamorgan' recounting legends concerning Saint Illtud and his monastery and school (147-60); incomplete notes relating to the divisions of Gwlad Forgan in the time of Iestin ab Gwrgan [ late 11th cent.], conflicts between Morgannwg and Deheubarth previous to the time of Iestin, Rhys ap Tewdwr's seizure of the lands of Einon ab Collwyn [late 11th cent.], etc. (163-5); brief notes relating to the history of the Welsh strict-metre poetic system (171-2); brief notes relating to Ewenny Abbey and Ewenny village (173); transcripts of 'englynion' attributed to Llywelyn ab Ifan 'o'r Rhaglan', John David Rhys, Morgan Llywelyn 'o Gastell Nedd', Rhys Morgan 'Pencraig Nedd', and Edward Efan, 'cywyddau' attributed to Lewis Hopcin, a stanza attributed to Wil. Hopcin, and a stanza of unattributed verse (175-86); notes relating to the fifteenth century poet Llawdden or Ieuan Llawdden, his compendium of Welsh bardic laws and arrangement of Welsh strict poetic metres approved at a session of bards held at Caermarthen in 1451 and ratified and confirmed at a second such session of bards also held at Caermarthen in 1460 or 1461, the protest made by Glamorgan bards against these, their researches concerning the bardic laws and institutes, the systematic arrangement of the results of these researches by Gwilym Tew, Lewys Morganwg, and Llen. Siôn 'o Langewydd' successively, and an assembly of Glamorgan bards held at Beaupre Castle circa 1670 for the purpose of 'reviving or recognizing' the ancient institutes, etc. (187-90); reflections concerning the probable origin of the 'gwyddoniaid', the wise men or teachers of the ancient Cymmry, the growth of this body into a more formal system or institution, and its role as 'Parent of the Bardic or Druidic Instit[ut]ion' (190-94); (continued)
Extracts from the poems of Cynddelw referring to 'Derwyddon' (194); notes relating to an assembly held at Caerllion ar wysg under King Arthur to promulgate laws, to the arrangement of the Welsh strict poetic metres, and to the five basic elements (200-01); notes on a few Welsh words with illustrative excerpts from poems (202); a reference to 'Llyfr Cyfarwyddyd ar achoedd o waith Ieuan Brechfa' with the lineage of the said Ieuan Brechfa, a list headed 'Llyma enwau y nawnyn a diriwys yn gyntaf yn fforest Glyn Cothi', and other miscellanea (203-04); a list of twenty-four knights at King Arthur's court divided into eight groups of three, each group possessing particular attributes (205-07); extracts from Welsh poems attributed to, or single stanzas or 'englynion' attributed to Edmund Prys, Siôn Philip, 'N'., Iaco ab Dewi, Thos. Ll'n 'o Regoes', and Ll'n Thomas (208-11); an anecdote relating to the composition by Rhisiart ab Iorwerth Fynglwyd of an 'englyn' containing the names of several objects referred to in a conversation at an 'eisteddfod' (212); copies of the memorial inscriptions on the tombstones of the Reverend Samuel Jones, Bryn Llywarch, ob. 1697, and his wife, ob. 1676, in Llangynwyd churchyard [co. Glamorgan], and a stanza of Welsh verse by [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg' (213-14, 241-2); a transcript of eight stanzas containing Welsh triads in verse form attributed to Iolo Pen y Lan (215-16); a version of the Welsh prose tale 'Hwedl Rhitta Gawr' (217-20); the title and first words of another prose tale, viz. 'Hwedl fel y llosgwys Cenfigen ei pherchen' (221) followed by fifteen blank pages obviously intended for a copy of this and possibly other similar tales; a transcript of a five-stanza poem entitled 'Syrthiad y Dail' attributed to Thomas Glyn Cothi (238-9); notes headed 'The antiquities of Lantwit Major, Corn. Glamorgan' relating to Saint Illtud, the monastic church founded at Llanilltud, and the early abbots of that church, and attributed to David Nicholls, 1729 (243-55; see also NLW MS 13153A above and references there to NLW MSS 13114B, 13116B); extracts from [Thomas] Carte [: A General] History of England [vol. I, pp. 185-6] relating to St. Germain's mission to Britain in 448, his founding of schools under Dubricius and Iltutus, and the influence of these schools ( 256-61); brief notes referring to Paulinus, Dubricius, and Iltutus, and an anecdote relating to Edgar, king of England, stealing the bell of Lantwit Church in 975 A.D. (261-3); extracts from [John] Leland's Itinerary relating to the 'West Thawan' area of Glamorganshire including Llan Iltuit ( 264-5); notes allegedly from Welsh manuscript sources relating to St. Iltutus and his monastery and school at Llanilltud (266-70); notes relating to the town and parish of Lantwit [Major] referring to a tradition concerning a charter drawn up in the time of William, earl of Pembroke [1551-70], 'for the incorporation of Lantwit', a quay at Cohugh and additions to the town hall built by the said earl, a custom whereby newly-married couples dined in the town hall on their wedding day, rooms under the town hall, the county gaol nearby, the town hall itself, the houses in the town, the soil in the parish, the corn grown, the sheep and cattle reared, the brooks and the river Colhugh, the sea shore, the shell and other fish to be found, the limestone of the cliffs and rocks, etc. (270-80); a further note on 'Illtud Sant . . . a wnaeth Fangor deg a Bangor Illtud ai gelwid' (281); notes referring to Germanus's mission to Britain and the schools and pupils of Dubricius and Iltutus ? 'From Goadby's History of England printed at Sherborn, 1752' (283-5); an incomplete note on Dubricius from 'Sir Harry Spelman . . . in his Councils' (285); notes on traditions relating to sixteenth and seventeenth century non-conformity in Wales, more particularly south-east Wales, with (a) references to the influence or activities of Siôn Penri, W[illia]m Erbri, vicar of the parish of St. Mary's, Cardiff, Syr Hywel Ychan, curate at Y Rhath (Roath) under William Erbri, and Thos. Llewelyn 'o Regoes' [co. Glamorgan], (b) mention of the last named's congregations at Rhegoes, Llangyfelach, and Llanfabon, his translations of sections of the English Bible into Welsh, his licence from Archbishop Grindal to preach in Welsh, and his alleged correspondence with the 'hen ficcar o Landdyfri' [Rhys Prichard], and (c) comments on the ideas of the aforementioned persons and others with regard to infant or adult baptism and forms of church government incorporating a suggestion [by Edward Williams himself] that contemporary Methodists would eventually find it necessary to secede from the Anglican Church (299-309; for comments on the data relating to Thos. Llewelyn see TLLM, tt. 127-8); (continued)
A note relating to a sixteenth/seventeenth century dissenting congregation at Blaen Cannaid [co. Glamorgan], its 'classification' as presbyterian or baptist, the part played in its history by Thos. Llewelyn 'o Regoes' and Hywel Lewys and possibly [John] Penri and [William] Erbri with a transcript of an 'englyn' attributed to the said Hywel Lewys (310-11; see James and Evans: op. cit., pp. 219-20); a note on a tradition relating to the opinions of the aforementioned [William] Erburi and of Walter Cradog concerning baptism (312; see James and Evans: op. cit., p. 220); transcripts of 'englynion' attributed to Iolo Goch and Daf[ydd] ab Gwilym ( 315-17); notes headed 'Coffadwriaeth am Feirdd a Phrydyddion . . .' containing anecdotes relating to 'eisteddfodau' held at Gwern y Cleppa, y Ddol Goch yn Emlyn and Marchwiail . . . yin Mhowys', ? all temp. Edward III, and referring to the poets Dafydd ap Gwilym, the three brothers Llywelyn, Ednyfed, and Madoc ap Gruffudd of Marchwiail, Siôn y Cent, Rhys Goch o Eryri, Iolo Goch, and Llywelyn ap Gwilym (319-20); a note relating mainly to the examination of the Welsh musical measures and the various grades of musicians at the first 'eisteddfod' held at Caerwys [co. Flint] (321); a note relating to the poetic form known as 'cerdd arwest' or 'cerdd deuluaidd' (322); a copy of a 'Prospectus of Y Bardd Teulu neu Dywenydd Morganwg, a Quarterly Welsh Magazine to be printed at Merthyr Tydvil' describing topics to be included, giving indications as to editorial policy, etc. (329-32; see NLW MS 13089E above and the references noted there); notes relating to the poet Bedo Brwynllys, mid 15th cent., a collection of the poems of Dafydd ap Gwilym made by the said Bedo, a ? copy of this collection formerly in the library at Raglan Castle which had been destroyed in the time of Oliver Cromwell ('the largest and most valuable [library] in Wales at the time it was formed . . . the largest collections of Welsh Manuscripts that ever were made'), two other copies of Bedo Brwynllys's collection surviving in South Wales, the Herberts of Raglan's patronage of Welsh literature, Sir William Herbert's connection with the printing of Gruffydd Roberts's Welsh grammar in 1540, the publication of Dafydd ap Gwilym's work 'about 20 years ago . . . at the expence of Owen Jones' [Barddoniaeth Dafydd ab Gwilym, Llundain, 1789], the printing of this volume 'chiefly' from North Wales manuscripts which were inferior to those preserved in South Wales, Dr. [John] Davies [of Mallwyd]'s opinion of the language of Dafydd ap Gwilym's poetry, the formation of the 'modern [Welsh] literary dialect . . . chiefly . . . from the language of this bard' (333-5); notes defining the poetic terms 'gwasgargerdd', 'deifregdawd', and 'gosteg [o englynion]' (341); a list of the mottoes ('gair cysswyn') of various bardic chairs (342-3); a note relating to a ceremony to re-establish a bardic 'cadair wrth gerdd dafod' held in Castell Nedd and the quarrel that occurred there between Rhys ap Tewdwr and Iestin [ap Gwrgan] (343-4; marginal note in the hand of [Taliesin] ab Iolo); further notes relating to the quarrel and fighting between Rhys ab Tewdwr and Iestyn ab Gwrgan (345-7); a brief note on the poetic form 'cerdd arwest' (349); and notes relating to the ignorance concerning the Welsh bardic craft prevalent in the time of Syr Gruff. ap Nicolas, the attempts by Dafydd ap Edmwnt and Guttyn Owam after the second [Carmarthen] 'eisteddfod' to name the Welsh strict metres ('rhoi enwau ar y mesurau'), the ensuing controversy between the bards of Morgannwg and those of Gwynedd, the arrangement of the twenty-four [strict] metres by Guttyn Owain, the acceptance of this system in North Wales, knowledge of this system in South Wales through the medium of Siôn Daf[ydd] Rhys's grammar, a manuscript work [on the Welsh bardic metres and system] compiled by Ll[ywely]n Siôn then in the writer's [i.e. Edward Williams's] possession, his showing of this manuscript to Syr Risiart Basset of Bewpyr [co. Glamorgan], Syr Risiart's decision to call a bardic convention, according to the old rites of the Glamorgan bards, in connection therewith, and the boundaries of the bardic Morgannwg (349-52). In one instance notes have been written on the verso of a printed leaflet announcing the printing of Edward Williams's two volumes of English verse entitled Poems Lyric and Pastoral.

Title based on contents.

Formerly known as Llanover C. 71.

Preferred citation: NLW MS 13158A.

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

For the text of pp. 299-309 see L. J. H. James and T. C. Evans: Hen Gwndidau, Carolau, a Chywyddau . . ., Bangor, 1910, pp. 214-19.

Published