Specimens of the Poetry of the Ancient Welsh Bards

A List of Subscribers

Rev. David Evans, Penarth, Llanfair.

W. Llewelyn, Esq., F. G. S., Glanwern, Pontypool.

Miss Davies, 12, Harper Street, Bloomsbury, London.

Rev. James Rhys Kilsby Jones, 10, Priory Street, Camdentown, London.

Mr. R. Peregrine, Llanelly.

—Thomas Hamer, Llanidloes.

—T. G. Jones, Llansaintffraid, Oswestry.

—W. Jones, (a descendant of the author)

Yspytty Ystwith, Cardiganshire.

Andrew Jones Brereton, Esq., (Andreas o Fón,) Mold.

Rev. D. Rowlands, M.A., Llanidloes.

—J. Edwards, M.A., Rector of Newtown.

Bernard Quaritch, Esq., 15, Piccadilly, London, 12 copies.

R. Richardson, Esq., Maes Cottage, Rhayader.

T. Richardson, Esq., Dolgroes, Yspytty Ystwith, Cardiganshire.

Rev. J. B. Evans, B.D., Vicar of St. Harmon, Radnorshire.

Mr. James Evans, Postmaster, Lampeter.

T. T. Griffiths, Esq., Wrexham.

Messrs. R. Hughes, & Son, Wrexham.

Mr. John Mendus Jones, Llanidloes.

Rev. D. Davies, Incumbent of Dylife, Montgomeryshire.

N. Bennet, Esq., Glanyrafon, Trefeglwys.

Rev. Thomas Williams, (a descendant of the author) Curate of Llanwrin, Montgomeryshire.

Mr. David Williams, Dyfngwm Mines, Dylife.

John Jenkins, Esq., Llanidloes, 2 copies

Frederick J. Beeston, Esq., Glandwr, Llanidloes, and 16, St. George’s Place, Hyde Park, London, 2 copies.

W. Chambers, Esq., Hafod, Cardiganshire.

Rev. W. Jones, Crescent Street, Newtown.

Rev. Owen Wynne Jones, (Glasynys,) Curate of Llangristiolus, Bangor.

Mr. W. Walter, Mount Pleasant, Trallwn, Pontypridd, Glamorganshire.

John Biddulph, Esq., Dderw, Swansea.

Mr. W. Lloyd, Warrington.

Arthur James Johnes, Esq., Garthmill, Welshpool, 3 copies.

Robert Edwards, Esq., Mayor of Aberystwith.

W. H. Thomas, Esq., South Place, Aberystwith.

Rev. C. D. Rees, M.A., Rhayader.

John Jones, Esq., (Talhaiarn,) Battlesden, Woburn Beds.

Mr. Robert Isaac Jones, Tremadoc.

—Wynne, Esq., Coed Coch, Abergele.

Mr. C. D. Bynner, Llangadvan.

Rev. T. James, (Llallawg,) Netherthong, Huddersfield.

Rev. John Mills, 40, Lonsdale Square, Islington, London.

John Jesse, Esq., F. R. S., Llanbedr Hall, Ruthin.

Rev. John Davies, Walsoken Rectory, Wisbeach.

The Right Honourable the Earl of Powis, Powis Castle, Welshpool.

The Right Honourable Lord Llanover, Llanover Park, Abergavenny, 2 copies.

George Hammond Whalley, Esq., M.P., Plâs Madoc, Ruabon.

Mr. Thomas Benbow, New York.

John Maurice Davies, Esq., Barrister at Law, Crygie, Aberystwith.

Rev. Richard Jenkins, B.A., Abermagwr Cottage, Crosswood Park, Aberystwith.

W. P. R. Powell, Esq., M.P., Nanteos, Aberystwith, 3 Copies.

Rev. David Williams, Llanedwy Rectory, Llanelly, Carmarthenshire.

Lady Augusta E. Marshall, Ruabon, 2 copies

Rev. Charles Williams, D.D., Principal of Jesus College, Oxford.

Rev. D. Silvan Evans, Llangian, Pwllheli.

—J. Williams, (Ab Ithel,) Llanymowddwy Rectory.

—Lewis Evans, Head Master of Ystradmeirig School, Cardiganshire, 2 copies.

—Owen Jones, Vicar of Towyn.

Thomas Wright, Esq., F. R. S., 14, Sydney Street, Brompton, London.

William Jones, (Gwrgant,) 20, King’s Arms Yard, London.

Rev. Robert Williams, M.A., Rhydycroesau, Oswestry.

George Osborne Morgan, Esq., 2, Stone Buildings, Lincoln’s Inn, London.

J. W. Szlumper, Esq., C. E. Milford Haven.

James Davies, Esq., Rhosrhydgaled, Aberystwith.

John Jones, Esq., Dinorben, St George’s, St Asaph.

Mr. W. W. Jones, (Gwilym o Fôn,) Towyn.

—Owen Mills, Llanidloes.

—T. J. Lloyd, Machynlleth.

Rev. James Griffiths, Vicar of Llangynmor, Carmarthen.

John Scott, Esq., Corbet Arms Hotel, Aberdovey.

Rev. Thomas Jones Hughes, Vicar of Llanasa, Holywell.

John Dendy, Esq., B.A., 36, York Street, Manchester.

Rev. D. Parry, B.A., Darowen Rectory, Machynlleth.

William Price, Esq., Llanffwyst, Abergavenny.

John Jones, Esq., 26, North Parade, Aberystwith.

John Evan Thomas, Esq., F.S.A., 7, Lower Belgrave Square, London.

Rev. Henry J. Evans, Curate of Dowlais.

—David Lloyd James, Vicar of Pontrobert, Montgomeryshire.

Mr. Richard Mills, the Green, Llanidloes.

Miss Sarah Mills, Llanidloes.

Thomas Stephens, Esq., Merthyr Tydvil.

W. H. Reece, Esq., F.A.S., New Street, Birmingham.

James Rees, Esq., Carnarvon.

Ensign E. Powell, Trewythen, Llandinam.

Mr. Thomas Hughes, 10, Croston Street, Liverpool.

Mr. D. J. Roderic, Llandovery.

—Evan Jones, Machynlleth.

—John Beavan, Newtown.

Footnotes

10a Arwystli, the name of one of the cantreds of Powys.

10b Belyn, a great man from Lleyn in Carnarvonshire, mentioned in the Triades, and is said there to have fought with Edwin, king of the Northumbrians, in Bryn Cenau in Rhos, in the county of Denbigh; probably he was one of Cadwallon’s generals; it is well known, and confessed by Beda himself, that that prince was a terrible scourge to the Saxons.

11a Garthan, the name of a fort or castle somewhere near the Severn.

11b This was the famous battle of Bangor-is-y-coed in Flintshire, after the murder of the monks, at the instigation of Austin, the first converter of the Saxons to Christianity. This is the account Humphrey Lloyd gives of that affair: “Ille vero [Augustinus S.] ob hanc contumeliam, & quod archiepiscopo Cantuariæ a se constituto, & quod cum Romans ecclesia in quibusdam non convenirent, Anglorum odium ita in eos concivit, ut paulo post (ut dixi) ab Ethelfredo, Ethelberti, Cantiæ regis, ob Augustino incitati, opera & auxiliis, monachi pacem petentes, crudeliter occisi; & postea Britanni duce Brochwelo Powisiæ Rege, victi sunt, donec tandem Bletrusii Cornaviæ ducis, Cadvanni Northwalliæ, Mereduci Suthwalliæ regum copiis adjuti, & Dunoti abbatis viri doctissimi concione animati, quique jussit (ut nostri annales referunt) ut unusquisque terram oscularetur, in memoriam communionis corporis Dominici, aquamque ex Deva fluvio manu haustam biberet, in memoriam sacratissim isanguinis Christi pro eis effusis, & ita communicati, memorabili prœlio Saxones, occisis (ut Huntingtonensis refert) ex eis MLXVI. Cadvanumque in civitate Legionis regem creavere.” Britan. Descript. Commentariolum, p. 90, & 91, Moses Williams’s Edition. This battle is called in our annals sometimes Gwaith Caerlleon, that is, the battle of Chester, and is said to have been fought, a.d. 633.

11c We have no account at present, that I know of, who this Morach Vorvran was, nor the occasion of his joy and festivity, alluded to in this poem; probably it was upon the defeat of the Saxons at Bangor.

11d The name of a place, but where situated, I know not.

12a Talgarth, the name of many places in Wales; but this must be somewhere near the sea.

12b Hirlas, the epithet of the horn, from hir, long; and glâs, blue, or azure.

12c Mochnannwys, in the original, he calls himself prince of the Mochnannwys, or inhabitants of Mochnant.

13a Gwestun, the name of a place somewhere in Powys.

13b By this circumstance, it seems they rescued the prisoner from some maritime town.

13c Sun equally, that is, at noon day, which added much to the merit of the action.

13d The guards of Mynyddawc Eiddin, or of Edinborough, in the battle of Cattraeth, which is celebrated by Aneurin Gwawdrydd, in his heroic poem entitled the Gododin. Mynyddawc was a prince of the North: he is mentioned in the Triades of Britain; and his guards, who were famous for their loyalty and bravery, were reckoned among the three noble guards of the kingdom of Britain; the other two being the guards, or, as the word Gosgordd may be translated, the clans of Melyn, the son of Cynvelyn, and the guards of Drywon, the son of Nudd, in the battle of Rhodwydd Arderydd.

14a Llidwm, the name of a place somewhere in Maelor.

14b I do not recollect what country this place is in.

15a I cannot recollect who Myfanwy Fechan, the subject of the poem, is, but guess her to be descended from the princes of Powys.

15b Castell Dinas Bran, or Bran’s Castle, is situated on a high hill near Llangollen in Denbighshire. Mr. Humphrey Llwyd, the antiquarian, thinks it took its name from Brennus; but Llwyd of the Museum, more probably, from Bran, the name of a river that runs there about. Bran signifies a crow, and is the name of several rivers in Wales. I suppose on account of their black streams issuing from turfaries. There are still remains of the ruins of this castle.

15c Howel-ap-Einion Lygliw was a man of note in his time, and a celebrated Bard. Dr. Davies thinks he was uncle to Griffydd Llwyd-ap-Dafydd-ap-Einion Lygliw, another famous bard, who flourished a.d. 1400.

15d Creirwy, a lady of great beauty often mentioned by the bards.

15e Garwy, one of king Arthur’s knights.

15f Trystan-ap-Tallwch, another of king Arthur’s knights.

15g Caswennan, the name of one of king Arthur’s ships, which was wrecked in a place denominated from her Goffrydau Caswennan.

16a Alban, Scotland. It seems the Bard rode upon a Scotch steed.

16b Aran, the name of two high mountains in Merionethshire.

16c Some of the Trefor-family (and perhaps descendants) now live near Castell Dinas Bran.

16d Rhun, son of Maelgwn Gwynedd king of Britain, a.d. 570. I do not remember the story alluded to here by the Bard.

16e I suppose Myfanwy Fechan was descended from Tudur Trefor earl of Hereford, of one side. The worthy family of the Mostyns of Mostyn and Gloddaith, are descended from Tudur Trefor.

17 Dinbrain, the same as Dinas Bran.

18a There were two Myrddins, or Merlins, as they are wrongly written by the English, viz. Myrddin Emrys and Myrddin Wyllt; the last was a noted poet, and there is a poem of his extant, entitled Avallennau, or the Apple-trees.

18b Aneurin Gwawdrydd Mychdeyrn Beirdd, i.e. Aneurin the monarch of Bards, was a celebrated poet of North Britain. His poem, the Gododin, upon the battle of Cattraeth, is extant; but by reason of its great antiquity, is not easily understood at this distance of time, being upwards of twelve hundred years old: however, it appears, from what is understood of it, to have been a very spirited performance.

18c Craig Vreiddin, is a high hill in Montgomeryshire.

18d I know not where this country is.

18e Some lines are wanting in the original.

19a Knocking, I suppose, is somewhere near Offa’s ditch.

19b Porth Ysgewin is near Chepstow, in Monmouthshire or Glamorganshire.

19c Taliesin Ben Beirdd, or the chief of Bards, flourished about the year 560, or thereabout, under Maelgwn Gwynedd king of Britain, called by Gildas Maglocunus. Many of Taliesin’s poems are extant, but on account of their great antiquity are very obscure, as the work of his contemporaries are. There is a great deal of the Druidical Cabbala intermixed in his works, especially about the transmigration of souls.

20a Rheidol is the name of a large river in Cardiganshire, and Glasgrug, one of the palaces of the princes of South Wales, is very near it, about a measured mile from Aberystwith, and at present the property of the Rev. Mr. William Powel, of Nanteos.

20b Lleision was one of the palaces of the princes of Powys, corruptly now called Llysin; and the park about it is called Llysin-park, the patrimony of Lord Powys.

21a The battle of Llwyvein was fought by Urien Reged and his son Owain, against Ida king of the Northumbrians. It is celebrated by Taliesin in a poem, entitled Gwaith Argoed Llwyvein, i.e. the battle of Argoed Llwyvein.

21b Eurgain, Northop in Flintshire, so called from Eurgain, the daughter of Maelgwn Gwynedd.

21c Demetia. This expedition of Llewelyn-ap-Iorwerth was against the Flemings and Normans, of which there is an account in Powel’s History of Wales, p. 277, 278.

22a Llan Huadain, the name of a place in Pembrokeshire.

22b Cilgeran, the name of another place in the same county, near the river Teivi.

22c Llywarch Hen, the son of Elidir Lydanwyn a nobleman of North Britain, and cousin german to Urien Reged king of Cumbria; he was a great warrior, and fought successful against the Saxons; but fortune at last favouring the Saxons, he was obliged in his old age to retire to Wales. He had twenty-four sons, who wore golden chains, and were all killed in battles against the Saxons. Llywarch Hen was a noted Bard, his works are extant, wherein he celebrates the noble feats of his sons, and bewails his misfortunes, and the troubles of old age, especially in distress.

22d Tanad is the name of a river in Montgomeryshire, which emptieth itself into the Severn.

22e Nudd Hael, or the Generous, was a nobleman of North Britain remarkable for his liberality.

22f Huail was a brother of Gildas, the son of Caw, and a noted warrior. His brother Gildas was the author of the Epistle De excidio Britanniæ.

22g Rhydderch Hael, or the Generous, was another nobleman of the North, noted for his liberality.

23a Rhun, the son of Maelgwn Gwynedd king of Britain, a great warrior.

23b As an hand, &c., i.e. I am as necessary to him as one of those members to the body, to celebrate his martial feats.

23c Gwriad is the name of a hero mentioned in the Gododin.

23d Hunydd, the name of a woman, probably the prince’s mistress. The Bards had no great affection for Joan the princess, daughter of king John, because she was an Englishwoman, and not faithful to the prince’s bed.

23e Arvon, the county of Carnarvon, so called, because situated opposite to Môn, or Anglesea. Arvon, literally Supra Monam, from the particle Ar, super, and Môn, Mona.

25a Owain Gwynedd, prince of North Wales, was descended in a direct line from Roderic the Great, prince of all Wales, who divided his principality amongst his three sons.

25b Iwerddon, the British name of Ireland, hence the Hibernia of the Latins, and Ἱέρνη and Ἱθέρνια of the Greeks, probably called from the British Y Werdd Ynys, i.e. the Green Island.

25c Lochlynians, the Danes, so called from the Baltic, which our ancestors called Llychlyn. Llychlyn is the name of Denmark and Norway, and all those northern regions mentioned in the works of our bards.

25d Normans. Moses Williams, in his notes on the Æræ Cambro Brittanicæ, gives the following account of this battle.

“Normanni, qui in hoc loco Frainc appellantur, erant copiæ quas Henricus Secundus in Monam misit a.d. mclvii. duce Madoco filio Maredudii Powisiæ principe. Hi ecclesias SS. Mariæ et Petri (ut annales nostri referunt) spoliavere. Istæ vero ecclesiæ in orientali Monæ plaga sunt, unde liquet locum Tal Moelvre dictum alicubi in Mona esse, fortasse etiam haud procul ab ecclesiis praedictis: omnes vero qui navibus egrediebantur a Monæ incolis interfecti sunt.” Vide Annales a Powelo editos, p. 206, 207.

It seems by Gwalchmai’s poem to have been a very large fleet, which came partly from Ireland, partly from the Baltic, and the rest from Normandy, to invade the principality. It is plain that its forces were numerous, as they came from so many countries; but it seems they met with a very warm reception from the prince and his sons, and that they were glad to sail away as soon as possible.

26a Owain Gwynedd had many sons noted for their valour, especially Howel, who was born of Finnog, an Irish lady. He was one of his father’s generals in his wars against the English, Flemings, and Normans, in South Wales, and was a noted Bard, as several of his poems, now extant, testify.

26b It seems that the fleet landed in some part of the firth of Menai, and that it was a kind of a mixed engagement, some fighting on shore, others from the ships. And probably the great slaughter was owing to its being low water, and that they could not set sail: otherwise I see no reason why, when they were worsted on land, they should continue the fight in their ships. It is very plain that they were in great distress, and that there was a great havoc made of them, as appears from the remainder of this very spirited poem.

27a Who this lady was is not known at present.

27b What country this is I cannot recollect.

27c Teivi, the name of a large river in Cardiganshire.

27d Elivri, the name of a woman; but who she was, or when she lived, is not clear.

27e Cadvan is the saint of Towyn Meirionydd.

27f Dysynni is the name of a river that runs by Towyn.

28a I cannot recollect at present who this person is, nor the occasion of his grief, though it is mentioned in some of our manuscripts.

28b Eryri, Snowdon, called Creigiau Eryri and Mynydd Eryri, i.e. the rocks and mountains of snow, from Eiry, which signifies snow. As Niphates, the name of a mountain, from a word of the same signification in Greek.

28c Dewi, St. David, a bishop in the time of king Arthur, and the patron saint of Wales.

30a Iorwerth, surnamed Drwyndwn, or with the broken nose, the father of Llewelyn, was the eldest son of Owain Gwynedd, but was not suffered to enjoy his right on account of that blemish.

30b Owain Gwynedd, prince of North Wales.

30c Llewelyn was the lawful heir of the principality of North Wales, in right of his father Iorwerth, and accordingly put in his claim for it, and got it from his uncles David and Rodri, when he was very young.

30d David, the son of Owain Gwynedd, who succeeded his father as prince of Wales.

30e This battle is not mentioned by any of our historians. The description is very animated in the original, and very expressive of such a scene. It was fought near Porth Aethwy. The steeds of the main is a poetical expression for ships.

31a Alun, the name of a river in Flintshire, where there was a battle fought by Llewelyn against the English.

31b Caeawg Cynnorawg is the name of a hero celebrated by Aneurin Gwawdrydd in the Gododin.

31c Deudraeth Dryfan is the name of some place near the sea. There are many places in Wales called Deudraeth; but where this in particular is situated I cannot guess.

31d Ogrfan Gawr, an ancient British prince, cotemporary with king Aurthur.

32a Camlan, the name of a place somewhere in Cornwall, where the decisive battle between king Arthur, and his treacherous nephew Medrod happened, who had usurped the sovereignty while he was absent on a foreign expedition. King Arthur, according to our ancient historians, slew Medrod with his own hand; but received his death-wound himself, and retired to Ynys Afallon or Glastenbury, where he soon afterwards died. His death was politically concealed, lest it should dispirit the Britons. Hence arose so many fabulous stories about it.

32b Cadwallon, the son of Cadfan, is that victorious king of Britain, who was a terrible scourge to the Saxons. Beda, in his ecclesiastical history, calls him tyrannum sævientem, an outrageous tyrant.

32c Caer Lleon, Chester, so called, as our historians relate, from Lleon Gawr, or king Lleon, and not from Castra legionum, as modern writers will have it. Cawr anciently signified a king, as Benlli Gawr, is called by Nennius, cap. 30, Rex Benlli; but now it signifies a giant, or a man of an extraordinary strength and stature. It is not improbable but that the Ancient Britons chose such for their kings.

33a Gwyddgrug, Mold, in Flintshire, so called from Gwydd, high, and Crug, a hill. Mold is a corruption of Mons altus.

33b Elsmere, the name of a town in Shropshire.

33c Mochnant is a part of Powys.

33d Argoedwys, the men of Powys, from Ar, above, Coed, wood. The Powysians are called by Llywarch Hen, gwyr Argoed. As, “Gwyr Argoed erioed a’m porthant,” i.e. I was ever maintained by the men of Argoed.

33e The princes of Powys adhered to the kings of England, and the lords Marchers, against their natural Prince, to whom they were to pay homage and obedience, according to the division made by Rhodri Mawr, as appears from the Welsh History.

34a Coed Aneu, the name of a place near Llanerchymedd, in Anglesea.

34b Dygen Ddyfnant, another place whose situation I am ignorant of, where another battle was fought.

34c Bryn yr Erw, another place unknown.

34d Celyddon, the British name of that part of North Britain, called Caledonia by the Romans.

34e Dinbych, Denbigh.

34f Foelas, or Y Foel las, i.e. the green summit, which is the name of a place in Denbighshire, where there is an old fort, now in the possession of Watkyn Wynn, Esq., colonel of the Denbighshire militia, whose seat is near it.

34g Gronant, the name of a fort or castle in Flintshire.

34h Dinas Emreis or Emrys, the name of a place in Snowdon, near Bedd Gelert, where Gwrtheyrn, or Vortigern, attempted to build a castle.

34i Morgant, the name of one of Llewelyn’s generals.

35a Mechain, a part of Powys.

35b Caer Liwelydd, Carlisle.

36a Arllechwedd, a part of Carnarvonshire.

36b Cemmaes, the name of several places is Wales. The Bard means here a cantred of that name in Anglesea.

37a Tyganwy, the name of an old castle near the mouth of the river Conway to the east; it was formerly one of the royal palaces of Maelgwn Gwyneld, king of Britain, and was, as our annals relate, burnt by lightning, ann. 811, but was afterwards rebuilt, and won by the Earls of Chester, who held it for a considerable time, but was at last retaken by the princes of North Wales.

37b Arfon, the country now called Carnarvonshire.

37c Beli. This was probably Beli Mawr, to whom our Bards generally trace the pedigree of great men.

37d Eryri, Snowdon, which some suppose derived from mynydd eryrod, the hill of eagles, but more probably from mynydd yr eiry, the hill of snow. Snowdon, in English, signifies literally the hill of snow, from Snow and Down, that being still a common name for a hill in England, as Barham Downs, Oxford Downs, Burford Downs, &c.

37e Greidiawl, the name of a hero mentioned by Aneurin Gwawdrydd in his Gododin.

37f Teivi, the name of a large river in Cardiganshire.

38a Bryneich, the men of Bernicia, a province of the Old Saxons in the North of England. The inhabitants of Deira and Bernicia are called by our ancient historians, Gwyr Deifr a Bryneich.

38b It was the policy of the British princes to make the Bards foretell their success in war, in order to spirit up their people to brave actions. Upon which account the vulgar supposed them to be real prophets. Hence the great veneration they had for the prophetical Bards, Myrddin Emrys, Taliesin, and Myrddin Wyllt. This accounts for what the English writers say of the Welsh relying so much upon the prophecies of Myrddin. There are many of these pretended prophecies still extant. The custom of prophecying did not cease till Henry the Seventh’s time, and the reason is obvious.

38c Pwlffordd, is the name of a place in Shropshire. There is a bridge of that name still in that county.

38d Cydweli, the name of a town, and Comot, in Carmarthenshire.

39a Cefn Gelorwydd, is the name of some mountain, but where it is situated I know not.

39b Arderydd, is the name of a place somewhere in Scotland; perhaps, Atterith, about six miles from Solway Frith. This battle is mentioned in the Triads, and was fought by Gwenddolau ap Ceidiaw and Aeddan Fradawg, petty princes of the North, against Rhydderch Hael, king of Cumbria, who got the battle. Myrddin Wyllt, or Merlin, the Caledonian, was severely handled by Rhydderch Hael, for siding with Gwenddolau, his patron, which he complains of in his poem entitled Afallenau, or Apple-trees.

39c Eiddionydd, now Eifionydd, the name of a Comot, or district, in Carnarvonshire.

39d Drws Daufynydd, is the name of a pass between two hills, but where it lies I know not. Drws Daufynydd signifies, literally, the door of the two hills. There are many passes in Wales denominated from Drws, as Drws Ardudwy, Drws y Coed, Bwlch Oerddrws, &c.

39e Aberffraw, the name of the prince’s chief palace in Anglesea.

40a Dinefwr, the name of the prince of South Wales’s palace, pleasantly situated upon a hill above the river Towy, in Carmarthenshire, now in the possession of George Rice, of Newton, Esquire, member of parliament for that county.

40b Mathrafal, the seat of the prince of Powys, not far from Pool, in Montgomeryshire, now in the possession of the earl of Powys.

40c Rhos and Penfro, the names of two Cantreds in Pembrokeshire.

41 Fflamddwyn, the name of a Saxon prince, against whom Urien, king of Cumbria, and his son Owain, fought the battle of Argoed Llwyfein.

46a Nudd Hael, or the Generous, one of the three liberal heroes of Britain mentioned in the Triads, and celebrated by Taliesin.

46b Griffydd Llwyd, the hero of the poem, was the son of Rhys, son of Griffydd, the son of the famous Ednyfed Fychan, seneschal to Llewelyn the great, and a brave warrior. Edward Philipp Pugh, Esq., of Coetmor, in Carnarvonshire, is a descendant in a direct line from Ednyfed Fychan, and has in his custody a grant from prince Llewelyn the Great of some lands in Creuddyn given to the said Ednyfed, and his posterity, with the prince’s seal in green wax affixed to it. To this worthy gentleman, and his lady, I am much obliged for their civility when I lived in those parts.—The royal family of the Tudors are likewise descended from Ednyfed Fychan, as appears by a commission that was sent to the Bards and Heralds of Wales, to enquire into the pedigree of Owain Tudor, king Henry the Seventh’s grandfather.

46c The land of the Angles, i.e., England.

47a Gwynedd, the name of the country, called by the Romans Venedotia, but by the English North Wales.

47b Urien Reged, a famous king of Cumbria, who fought valiantly with the Saxons, whose brave actions are celebrated by Taliesin and Llywarch Hen. He is mentioned by Nennius, the ancient British historian, who wrote about a.d. 858. This writer is terribly mangled by his editors, both at home and abroad, from their not being versed in the British language. I have collected some manuscripts of his history, but cannot meet a genuine one without the interpolations of Samuel Beulan, otherwise I would publish it. I have in my possession many notes upon this author, collected from ancient British manuscripts, as well as English writers, who have treated of our affairs. This I have been enabled to do, chiefly by having access to the curious library at Llannerch, by the kind permission of the late Robert Davies, Esquire, and since by his worthy son, John Davies, Esquire, which I take this opportunity gratefully to acknowledge.

47c Cywryd. This Bard is not mentioned either by Mr. Davies or Mr. Edward Llwyd, in their catalogues of British writers. It seems he flourished in the sixth century, as did all the ancient British Bards we have now extant. Here let me obviate what may be objected to me as mentioning so many facts, and persons who lived in the sixth century, within the course of this performance. It was the last period our kings fought with any success against the Saxons, and it was natural, therefore, for the Bards of those times, to record such gallant acts of their princes, and for their successors to transmit them to posterity. Every person, though but slightly versed in the British history of that time, knows that Cadwaladr was the last king of Britain. Since his time there are no works of the Bards extant till after the conquest, as I have shewed in my Dissertatio de Bardis.

47d Dunawd, the son of Pabo Post Prydain, one of the heroes of the sixth century, who fought valiantly with the Saxons.

48a Afan Ferddig, was the Bard of the famous Cadwallon, son of Cadfan king of Britain. I have got a fragment of a poem of his composition on the death of his patron Cadwallon; and as far as I understand it, it is a noble piece, but very obscure on account of its great antiquity; as are the works of all the Bards who wrote about this time. It is as difficult a task, for a modern Welshman to endeavour to understand those venerable remains, as for a young scholar just entered upon the study of the Greek language to attack Lycophron or Pindar, without the help of a dictionary or scholiast. How Mr. Macpherson has been able to translate the Erse used in the time of Ossian, who lived a whole century at least before the earliest British Bard now extant, I cannot comprehend. I wish some of those that are well versed in the Erse or Irish language, would be so kind to the public, as to clear these matters; for I can hardly believe that the Erse language hath been better preserved than the British.

48b Cadwallon, the son of Cadfan, the most victorious king of Britain, fought many battles with the Saxons; and, among the rest, that celebrated one of Meugen, in which he slew Edward king of Mercia, where the men of Powys behaved themselves with distinguished bravery; and had from thence several privileges granted them by that brave prince. These privileges are mentioned by Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr, a Powysian Bard, in a poem entitled “Breintiau Gwyr Powys,” or the Privileges of the men of Powys, which is in my custody.

48c Môn, the Mona of the Latins, called by the English Anglesea, in which, at a place called Aberffraw, was the palace of the princes of North Wales. The Bard seems here to hint at the loss of Llewelyn-ap-Griffydd, the last prince of Wales of the British line.

48d Arfon, the country now called Carnarvonshire.

48e Rheon, the name of a river in Carnarvonshire, often mentioned by the Bards; but it must have altered its name since, for I do not recollect any such river which bears that name at present.

60a P. 213. H. Steph. Edit. 1559.

60b P. 246. D.

61 Footnote mark in book, but no corresponding footnote, unless it’s a mix-up with the one on page 60.—DP.

66 Fortasse, “Vindictam in Deirorum populum,” &c.

68 Quid sibi vult hic Bardus non mihi constat.

69 Sc. cruore fuso.

73 “Qui Harpatorem in manum percusserit, componat ilium quarts parte majori compositione quam alteri ejusdem conditionis homini.” Inter Legg. Ripuariorum et Wesinorum a Lindenbrochio collectas—Unde patet quanto in honore apud exteros etiam Bardus et Harpator (idem enim pleruuque fuit munus) habitus esset. Præter harpam aliud instrumenti genus sibi peculiare Norwallenses vindicant, quod Crwth vocant—Hinc verbum Anglicum Crowdero apud Hudibrastum pro Fiddler, or Player upon the Violin, ad quod Crwth principium dedisse videtur. Hoc instrumenti genus ferè in desuetudinem abiit, et violino cessit.—Ex sex chordis felinis constat, nec eodem modo quo violinum modulatur, quamvis a figurâ haud multùm abludat: in Sudwalliâ peintus ignoratur:
“Romanusque Lyrâ plaudat tibi, Barbarus Harpâ,
Græcus Achilliaca, Crotta Britanna canat.”

Venantius. Lib. 7. Carm. 8.

74 Vid. Prynne’s Coll. of Records, Vol. III. p. 1214.

77 Dygen Freiddin, hodie Craig Freiddin, est rupes alta et prærupta in agr. Salopiensi, non procul a Sabrina.

79 Quaenam sit hæc avis mihi non constat.

80 Potûs genus apud veteres Britannos.