Miscellanea,

A volume containing miscellaneous prose and verse items in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') and consisting of two main sections pp. 1-282 and pp. 283 466. The contents of the first section, pagination in brackets, include notes headed 'South Walian Rural Poetry (Cerdd Deuluaidd)' (9-10); notes relating to the antiquity of the period of the formation of the Welsh language and to the use of the 'Silurian dialect' as the 'literary dialect of North Wales' in medieval times ? to circa 1400 with suggestions as to the reason for this and mention of a 'History of Wales or rather of Britain' by T. Price of Plas Iolyn (23-30); notes relating to features of the bardic 'Dosparth y Ford Gronn' (39); comments on the tradition relating to the original home of the 'Cymry of Britain' being 'Gwlad yr Haf' (46); a note on the expression 'Y mae wedi myned i Gaerffili' linking its origin with the activities of the Spencer family in that area (51); lists, in English and Welsh, of the five royal (or kingly or princely) tribes of Wales (54-6); an extract from a 'cywydd' allegedly composed by Lewis Morganwg to Sir Wiliam Herbert of Raglan with a note on a bardic meeting convened by the latter in which the said Lewis was licensed as 'pencerdd gwlad ar holl Forganwg a Gwent' and the order of bards and musicians was reorganised into a system subsequently adopted in Gwynedd and Powys (73-4); notes relating to an 'eisteddfod' held 'ym monachlog Pen Rhys yng Nglyn Rhondde' in which the bard Gwilym ab Ieuan Hen alias Gwilym Tew exhibited a system of strict metres exemplified in his 'awdl' to the Virgin Mary (75-7); examples of 'foolish attempts which I [Edward Williams] made in very early youth . . . to write English verse on the principles of Welsh versification' (81); brief notes relating to the Welsh bards Casnodyn, Trahaearn Brydydd Mawr, Addaf ap Dafydd, Gruffudd ap Addaf ap Dafydd, and Rhys Goch ap Rhiccert (82-3); brief notes referring to the 'new system of bardism' instituted by King Arthur and systems based on it, e.g. 'Cadair Tir Iarll' (83-4); a list of the seven ecumenical councils held, 314-553 (87); ? a copy of a proposed title-page for 'Gair ym Mhlaid y Bibl . . . Yn atteb i Lyfr Tomas Paine . . .' being ? an intended translation by E[dward] Williams ('Iolo Morganwg') of Bishop Richard Watson of Llandaf's work [An Apology for the Bible . . . Letters . . . to Thomas Paine] (88); a note recording the death, 22 December 1803, of John Williams [Edward Williams's brother] (88); a brief note on the bardic 'clerwr' (92); a note relating to the contents of 'Bonedd y saint', its publication in the 'Welsh Archaiology', and a version 'amplified or interpolated' by the insertion of 'legends of wonderful miracles' to be found in a manuscript called Llyfr Twrog of 'circa 1300 or rather later' (93); a brief general note on Welsh bards (96); statistics relating to world religions (97); lists of Glamorgan proverbs (99, 177-8, 192, 195-6, 219-20, 226-7, 231-2, 238); an anecdote relating to Thomas Wyndham of Clear Wall [co. Gloucester] and the payment of annuities to his family's retired servants (100); Welsh medicinal recipes (106, 125, 194); miscellaneous extracts headed 'Mangoffeion o Lyfr Ysgrif Prydyddiaith Daf. Jones Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd sef nodau achlysurol (yn ysgol Rad y Cymry yn Llundain)' (115-19); a note on 'corfanau' (126); a list of seventy-five books, etc., with the superscription 'Edward Williams about the year 1798 sold Books and Stationary in Cowbridge and for a monthly order for books from London had the following from time to time amongst other orders' (128- 31); notes on the 'Clares, Lords of Glamorgan' (162-3); a note relating to Welsh pedigrees and their use to substantiate claims to land (164-5); data relating to Owen Glyn Dwr (166); a list of 'Glamorgan words and idioms' ( 171-2); the words and music of a dance tune 'Llanbedr ar fynydd, cainc ar fesur Triban' (173; see IM, t. 44); brief notes relating to the Cogan (later Williams) family from temp. Henry VII (175-6); transcripts of Welsh stanzas attributed to Dafydd Nicolas composed to exemplify 'Mesurau cerdd deuluaidd cyffredin ym Morganwg' with an added note by [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg' (179-80); two lists headed 'Glamorgan words' and 'Enwau dirprwyiadol ym Morganwg' (181-3); a list of twenty-four names, etc., headed 'Awduron Dywenydd Morganwg' (187-8); (continued)
genealogical data headed 'Achau Morganiaid Tredegyr o Lyfr Mr. Cobb o Gaerdydd' (191); an anecdote relating to an unnamed incumbent of an unspecified parish in co. Glamorgan temp. Edward VI (193); notes relating to two eighteenth century 'eisteddfodau' held at Llansanffraid ar ogwr and Pont y Goetre Hen and to the Powel family of y Tonn Du and Y Goedtre Hen incorporating 'englynion' attributed to . . . Pywel and Benjamin Dafydd 'o Lynnogwr' (200-01); the words of a 'triban' set to music (203); the music of an air called 'Bwbach Darllain al. Bwbach darlludd' (204; see IM, t. 53, n. 38); a list of traditional customs in Glamorgan ('Arferion Morganwg') (208-09; see IM, tt. 38-40); a genealogy tracing the direct descent of Rhisiart Fychan, Iarll Carberry (earl of Carberry), fl. 1661, from Gwaithfoed, king of Caredigion, and a note on the arms of the said Gwaithfoed and his descendants (213-14); ? extracts from letters from Charles Winter [Arminian Baptist minister at Craig Fargod, co. Glamorgan] to Harri Charles referring to, inter alia, Rhys Dafydd [? Rees David, Arminian Baptist of the same period and area] (220-22); genealogical notes tracing the descent of Dafydd Llwyd ap Llywelyn ap Gruffudd of Mathafarn [poet] and his descendants from Padarn Beisrudd (223-4); the words and music of an unnamed Glamorgan air (225); a short list of old churches ? in Glamorgan, a short list of Glamorgan place-names containing the element cog-, a note on George Morgan of Pen Cefn Cribwr, ? circa 1680, and two triads (230); a list of rhyming proverbs (233-5); a list of 'Silurian idioms' (237); a brief historical note relating to Swansea castle (242); a note relating to Siôn Cent, Dafydd Ddu 'o Hiraddug', and 'chwedl Einiawn ap Gwalchmai a'r Ellylles' (245); a note on Urien Rheged (247); information allegedly obtained from Mr. [Thomas] Richards of Llangrallo [co. Glamorgan], the lexicographer, concerning manuscripts in the library at Tre groes [near Pencoed, co. Glamorgan] (264; see TLLM, t. 105); a list of eighteenth century poets mainly of cos. Carmarthen and Glamorgan (266); transcripts of Welsh free-and strict-metre verse, sometimes a single 'englyn' or stanza or extracts from a poem, including verse attributed to Daf. ap Edmwnd or Morys Dwyfech, Y Tywysog Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, and Einiawn Offeiriad (120), [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg' (124, 174, 202, 211-12, 217, 228, 267-82), Lewys Fowel and Siôn Rhydderch (161), Rhys Brydydd and Owain Gwynedd (173), Wil Hopcin (184), Ieuan Tir Iarll or John Bradford (189-90), Lewys Wiliam, 'gwerthwr llyfrau o Ferthyr' ('Tribanau'r Hoywal newydd, a elwir yn Saesneg Canal, o Ferthyr Tudfyl . . . i Dre Caer Dydd . . .') (197-9), 'yr offeiriad Willams (sic) o Benarth . . . cylch 1715' (202), y Parchedig Thomas Wilkins (205), Jonathan Hughs (207), Deio ap Ieuan Du (219), Lewis Hopcin and Edwd. Evan (228), Siôn Thomas Harri (242), and Morys Jones 'o blwyf Llangathen' (246), and unattributed verse (103, 174, 184, 185-6, 202, 205, 206, 207, 225, 239-41); lists of Welsh words (9-60, 90, 122-3, 132-4, 160, 218, 243); and extracts from various printed works including [James] Currie: The Life of [Robert] Burns, Walter Nicol: The Villa Garden Directory, H. P. Wyndham: Tour thro Monmouthshire and Wales, The Monthly Magazine, The Encyclopaedia Britannica, the works of Sir William Jones, etc. P. 283 is inscribed 'Casgledydd Penn Ffordd Yn Cynnwys amrafaelion o Goffadwriaethau a Sylwadau perthynol gan mwyaf i Forganwg sef Hynafiaethau, Prydyddiaeth Sathredig, Diarhebion, Geiriau ag ymadroddion Cymreig, Ceinciau ac erddiganau, hen Ddefodau ag arferion, Enwogion, ag hynodion o wyr a phethau, Hen Gestyll, Hen adeiliadoedd eraill, Hen orseddau, Cromlechau, etc., ynghyd ac amrafaelion o frasnaddiadau Cerdd dafawd Iolo Morganwg . . . 1800' (see IM, t. 67) and this appears to be the 'title-page' for the section now paginated 307-466 (previously 1-158) a list of the contents of which is to be found on pp. 285-8. Included are, pagination in brackets, lists or groups of Welsh proverbs or idiomatic expressions (309, 318, 320, 326, 343-4,347-9 373 376 379 382 411, 414-16, 428, 443-5, 454-5); groups or lists of Welsh words or phrases (309, 327, 338, 339 374-6, 377-8, 381, 413, 419, 428 446-7); (continued)
a short list of sayings attributed to Charles Winter aforementioned Arminian Baptist minister of Craig Fargod church [co. Glamorgan], circa 1750 (310); notes on a tradition relating to nine mounds associated with King Arthur in South Wales (316); an anecdote relating to a 'safe-conduct' given by Wm. Davies, incumbent of Llangyfelach, 1770, to an Englishman called Wiliam Hopman to travel from Llangyfelach to Llanymddyfn (319-20); a list of antiquities, etc., [in co. Glamorgan] (340-42); an anecdote relating to a visit by Siencyn Tomas, dissenting minister from co. Cardigan, to an 'eisteddfod' at Pil [co. Glamorgan] with a copy of an 'englyn' of welcome to him attributed to Siôn Rhydderch (343); notes relating to the locations of meetings of poets ('cyrddau prydyddion') held in co. Glamorgan (345); extracts from a pedigree of the family of Syr Rhys ap Thomas (349); a list of six principles headed 'Cyfraith Morganwg' (382); a brief note on the meeting house at Botffordd [co. Glamorgan] built in 1739 (383); an anecdote relating to Sir Wiliam Lewys of Gilfach Fargod and his attempt to apprehend parishioners of Gelligaer [co. Glamorgan] who were attending a service in a [dissenting] meeting house temp. Charles or James II (383); a note relating to the erection of a [dissenting] meeting house at Coed y Cymmer [co. Brecknock] in 1747 (383); an anecdote relating to the minister of a [dissenting] congregation at Sychbant, Mynydd yslwyn [co. Monmouth], temp. Charles II, with brief comments on the activities of bailiffs and constables with regard to dissenters during that period (384); a list of Glamorgan medicinal recipes ('Meddyginiaethau cyffredin yin Morganwg') (412); notes relating to Welsh harps including the triple harp, and to harpists named Elis Siôn Siamas of Llanfachreth, co. Merioneth, temp. Queen Anne, Siôn Siams, and Gruffudd Evan of Llanwynno [co. Glamorgan] (417-19); a list of names of places, rivers, etc., in co. Glamorgan (429-31); a list of four Welsh triads (447); notes relating to a Glamorgan harvesting custom (448); an extract from 'Brut y Tywysogion' re the Lord Rhys's 'eisteddfod' held in Cardigan (449); a description of a traditional game or pastime called 'Brigant neu chware'r Brigant' with the words and music of an accompanying song (450-52; for the text and comments see D. S[ilvan] E[vans]: 'Chwareu Brigant', The University College of Wales Magazine, vol. III, pp. 159-63; see also IM, t. 53); a further brief note relating to Glamorgan pastimes (452); lists of rivers, mountains, and castles in co. Glamorgan (461-4); transcripts of Welsh poems in strict and free metre including verse attributed to David Davies of Castell Hywel (306), William Moses 'o Gethin ym Merthyr Tudfyl neu Gwilym Glynn Taf' (307-09, 310, 314), Dafydd Nicolas (311-12, 321-3, 324, 339, 386, 449, 466), Dafydd Williams 'o Bont Run' (312 ), Edward Efan 'o Aberdar' (313), Thos. Llen 'o Regoes' (313, 337), Rhys Morgan 'o Bencraig Nedd yn eisteddfod Y[s]trad Dyfodwg, 1751' (314-15), Efan Siencyn Dafydd (317), [Edward Williams] 'Iolo Morganwg' (325, 328-37, 350-62, ? 362-9, 370-71, 379-80, 385-6, 387-408 (a sequence of one hundred and sixty tribannau entitled 'Tribanau Mebinogaidd Iolo Morganwg sef Tribanau Diarhebol'), 409-10, 420-21, 432, 438-41, 456, 466), Wm. Efan ( 338), Llywelyn 'o'r Canerw' (345), Morgan Wiliam 'o Gogyrwen' (379), Efan Thomas 'o Lan y Lai' (425), Ann Llywelyn 'o'r Blue Bell' (432), Iorwerth ab Ioan (435), Siôn Bwl 'o Lantrisaint' (453), Thos. Wiliam 'o Dregolwyn' (456), Dafydd o'r Nant (456), Huw Morys (456), ? Edward Evan (458-9), and Llelo Llwnc y Trothwy (465-6), and unattributed verse (312, 313, 317, 323, 324, 325, 327, 346, 372, 432, 442, 449, 457-60); and the words and music of airs called 'Cainc ar y Clych ym Morganwg' (413), 'Can Crottyn y Gwartheg neu Y Fuwch wynebwen lwyd' (421-2; see IM, t. 64, n. 55), 'Canu bachgen y Felin' (422-3), 'Can y Maensaer neu'r Maensaer mwyn' (424-5; see IM, t. 64, n. 55, and tt. 360-61), 'Can yr Angylion' (433), 'Cainc yr odryddes' (435; see IM, tt. 60-64), and 'Cainc y Cathreiwr' (436; see again IM, tt. 60-64), and of 'Salm ar y Bader' by 'Iolo Morganwg' (437-8).

Title based on contents.

Formerly known as Llanover C. 59.

Preferred citation: NLW MS 13146A.

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

Item: 1.1 Manuscript Volume (NLW MS 13146A). Action: Condition reviewed. Action identifier: 6002984. Date: 20030512. Authorization: Selected for conservation. Authorizing institution: NLW. Action agent: J. Thomas. Status: Manuscript Volume (NLW MS 13146A) : One page torn. Institution: WlAbNL.
Item: 1.2 Manuscript Volume (NLW MS 13146A). Action: Conserved. Action identifier: 6002984. Date: 20030923. Authorizing institution: NLW. Action agent: G. Edwards. Status: Manuscript Volume (NLW MS 13146A) : Repaired torn page. Institution: WlAbNL.

Published