'Llyfr Gwallter Demapys'; genealogies of the saints; etc.,

A composite volume consisting of a number of home-made booklets containing miscellaneous items in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') bound together. P. 31 is inscribed 'Gwallter Dymapys ar Drin Tir'. Pp. 37-52 contain a short treatise in Welsh on agricultural husbandry with the superscription 'Llyma Lyfr Gwallter Demapys [Walter Map or Mapes, the medieval author, fl. late twelfth century] sef cynghorion hen wr megis y dysgai ac y cynghorai ei ab ynghylch llafuriaw Tir a threfnu ysgrublaid fal hynn'. According to an end note (p. 52) the treatise was copied 'O Lyfr Mr. Richards o Langrallo', but for the opinion that it was compiled by Edward Williams himself and attributed to Walter Map see TLLM, t. 3. P. 53 contains a note, allegedly taken from Thomas Truman of Pant Lliwydd's book of pedigrees, linking Walter Map and his family with the village of Trewallter and parish of Llancarfan, co. Glamorgan, but for the falsity of this claim which is probably an Edward Williams forgery see again TLLM, t. 3. Pp. 54-68 contain a further treatise in Welsh on agricultural husbandry with the superscription 'Cyngor yr Hen Gyrys Megis yr oedd ynteu yn cynghori ei fab fal hynn'. This, according to a note on p. 68, was copied from a volume in the possession of the Reverend Thomas Evans of Brechfa in 1800. For the connection between this and the treatise on agriculture which is to be found in the 'Red Book of Hergest' and which was published in The Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies, vol. II, pp. 8-16, see TLLM, t. 3. Pp. 69-196 (previously a separate booklet paginated 1-126) contain (pp. 69-116) genealogical and historical data relating to the saints of the island of Britain described (p. 69) as 'Achau Saint Ynys Prydain o Lyfr Thomas Hopcin o Langrallo a hwnnw yn un o Lyfrau Thomas ab Ifan o Dre Brynn yn yr un Plwyf a ysgrifenwyd gantho ynghylch y flwyddyn 1670', and (pp. 117-82) further genealogical and historical data relating to the said saints described (p. 117) as 'Achau a Gwelygorddau Saint Ynys Prydain o Lyfr Hir Thomas Truman o Bant Lliwydd Plwyf Llansannwr yin Morganwg' and with a concluding note (p. 182) 'O Lyfr hir Tomas Truman o Bant Lliwydd a fuassai yn un o Lyfrau Thomas ab Ifan o Dre Brynn'. Pp. 197-232 contain miscellaneous items including notes relating to 'Cadair Tir Iarll', aspects of Welsh bardism, 'cerddi arwest', the revision by Benwyll arwyddfardd of rules relating to rank and armorial bearings, etc., a few triads, references to 'Cadair Llanfihangel Glynn Afan', 'Cadair Llangynwyd Tir Iarll', 'Cadair y Wennarth', and 'Cadair Cefn Gorwydd', and anecdotes relating to Antoni Pywel and Ieuan Deulwyn. Pp. 233-300 form a booklet inscribed on the outer, upper cover (p. 233) '1808 Prydyddiaeth Cymmysg Iolo Morganwg' and containing (pp. 235-57) free- and strict-metre Welsh poems by [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg' himself. Pp. 301-32 form another booklet with a 'title-page' inscribed 'Anreg Beirdd Ynys Prydain I blant bychain Cymru . . . Argrafwyd (sic) yn Llundain, 1794. Pris 2d', and with the contents consisting of a list of Welsh proverbs or popular sayings headed 'Glam[organ] proverbs'.

Title based on contents.

Formerly known as Llanover C. 39.

Preferred citation: NLW MS 13126A.

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

For an English version of pp. 69-182 see Taliesin Williams (ed.): Iolo Manuscripts ... (Llandovery, 1848), pp. 495- 537. See also references to this manuscript contained in NLW MS 13173A.

For the text of pp. 69-182 see Taliesin Williams (ed.): Iolo Manuscripts . . . (Llandovery, 1848), pp. 100-134.

Published