6. On WM. JENKINS, mariner, who died 28th July, 1804. Have toss'd me to and fro', Hoping thro' grace again to rise, To meet my Saviour in the skies. 7. On the tomb of MARY, daughter of WM. GROVE, who died 22d July, 1814, aged 27 years. Beloved Mary, farewell, for a short time! How inferior is all converse with the world to the remembrance of thee. IOAN DDU O LAN TAWE. ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS. As it must very materially conduce to the promotion of Welsh Literature, to ascertain the extent and value of the ancient MSS. now in existence, the foregoing head has been adopted for the purpose of condensing under it such information, as may be procured on this subject. The following account of the Contents of the "Llyfyr Côch o Hergest," or Red Book of Hergest, in Jesus College, Oxford, cannot fail to be regarded as an acceptable commencement of this plan, and, especially, as it does not appear, that these Contents have ever before been in print, or at least in the present connected order. The Editor is indebted for the account to J. J. a gentleman, who, he believes, is a member of Jesus College, THE CONTENTS OF " LLYFYR COCH O HERGEST”*. I. YSTORIA DARED. The History of the Trojan War, written by Dares Phrygius, from the Latin translation, vulgarly ascribed to Cornelius Nepost. P. 1. Written, says Mr. E. Llwyd, about the end of the fourteenth century. + This Translation has been ascribed to various writers. Mr. Edward Llwyd, in his Archæologia Britannica, p. 265, mentions it as the work of Geoffrey of Monmouth. It has also been appropriated to Owain Glyndwr, to his Bard Iolo Goch, and to Sir Hywel y Pedolau, who lived at the close of the thirteenth century, and was knighted by Edward II, to whom he was foster-brother.-ED. II. BRUT Y BRENHINODD. The History of the Isle of Britain, from the landing of Brute to the death of Cadwaladr, the last British King, at Rome, Anno D. 688. P. 31. This history was written originally in the Brytaneg or old British, but modernised by Gwalter or Walter, Archdeacon of Oxford, and at his request, translated into Latin by Jeffry of Monmouth, (see p. 230.)*. III. BRUT Y TYWYSOGION. The History of the Princes of Wales,-remarkable events from Anno 680 to 1280. [Qu. Whether this is Caradog of Llancarvan's Chronicon Principum Walliæ ?] IV. P. 230. The Reasons, assigned by Gildas for the degeneracy of the Britons, which occasioned their loss of that part of Britain called England. V. The Names of the Cantreds and Commots of Wales. P. 376. P. 377. VI. YSTORIA CHARLYMAEN. The History of Charlemagne.-His actions in Spain contra Paganos and Inimicos Jesu Christi. Translated from the Latin into Welsh by Madawg Selyf, at the particular request of Gruffydd vab Maredudd, ab Owain, ab Gruffydd, vab Rhys. P. 381. An Account of some Exploits of Earl Roland, nephew of Charlemagne in Spain, &c. P. 498. The Epitaph of Archbp. Turpin in Latin, vid. p. 495†. P.502. VII. IMAGO MUNDI neu DELW Y BYD. A Geographical Description of There Parts of the Globe. P. 502. A Description of the Planets, &c. This is a translation of Henry of Huntingdon's Imago Mundi. P. 515. VIII. A Brief Chronology from Adam to A. D. 1318. P. 516. * Copies of this History are by no means scarce; there are several in the Hengwrt Library. The same may be said of the next MS. For some interesting particulars, relating to both these historics, see a letter of Mr. Lewis Morris, in the 1st Volume of the Cambrian Register, p. 334.-ED. + There is one copy at least of each of the articles, contained in this MS., in the Hengwrt Library.-ED. IX. CYNGHOR Y DOETH I'W FAB. A Father's Advice to his Son on several subjects, as Husbandry, Economy, &c. very ancient, says E. LHWYD*. X. CHWEDYL Y SEITHNYN DOETH. P. 520. The Tale of the Seven Wise Men. Written by Llywelyn Offeiriad. XI. BREUDDWYD RHONABWY. The Dream of Rhonabwy, a Tale. P. 527. P. 555. XII. PROPHWYDOLIAETH SIBLI DDOEth. The Prophecies of Sibil the Wise, Priam's daughter by Hecuba. P. 568. XIII. CYFOESI MYRDDIN A GWENDDYDD EI CHWAER. A Prophecy of Merlin, son of Morfryn, in verse, being a dialogue between him and his sister Gwenddydd,-an evident forgery, (says Lhwyd,) being written Anno D. 948 †. P. 577. Item, GWASGarddgerdd MYRDDIN YN Ei fedd. Merlin's Ultimum Vale, containing Predictions, &c. P. 584. XIV. A passage from St. Austin's concerning the TEWDWR, literally, The Thickness of the Earth. Item, a Short Soliloquy of the soul. P. 584. XV. PROPHWYDOLIAETH YR ERYR YNGHAER SEPTON. The Prophecy of an Eagle, or, according to others, of one named Aquila, at Caer Septon, or Shaftesbury, while the wall of the town was building. And indeed, (says G. Monmouth,) I should not have failed transmitting the speech to posterity, had I thought it true as the rest of the history. This happened in the reign of Rhudibras, ante Christum, 980. P. 585. Lhwyd's expression is subantiquum, which means somewhat or rather ancient. This MS. is also called Cato Cymraeg.—ED. + ELlwyd's words are, "ignoto authore, quem circa annum 948, non reverâ de futuris, sed præteritis (cum eos nominatim designet) scripsisse constat."-Arch. Brit. p. 258.-ED. Attributed to Merlin Ambrosius, (an meritò necne parùm refert, says Lhwyd), XVI. ENWEU Y TRI DYNION A GAWSANT GAMPEU Adda. The Names of the Three Men, who jointly equalled Adam in wisdom, &c. Of Women who equalled Eve in beauty, &c. XVII. PAN AETH LLU I LYCHLYN. P. 588. Ibid. An Account of Succours sent to Norway and other places, Of King Arthur's Death and the place of his burial, P. 589. P. 590. XVIII. TRIODD YNYS BRYDAIN. AnAccount of some of the most remarkable things in the Isle of Britain, in Triads, three kings, three cities, &c. P. 590. Mr. Vaughan, saith Lhwyd, is of opinion that they were written about one thousand years ago. XIX. TRIODD Y MEIRCH. Of Three remarkable Horses, one of Casibelaunus, &c*. P. 596. XIX. ENWEU YNYS BRYDAIN A'I RHAGYNYS ODD, &c. The Names of the Isle of Britain and of the Islands adjoiningof the cities, rarities, &c. therein, P. 600. XX. YSTORIA CHYARLYS. An Account of Charlemagne's Journey to Jerusalem, from thence to Constantinople. Written at the request of Archbishop Turpin. He is advised by the Patriarch of Jerusalem to undertake the war contra Paganos et inimicos Jesu Christi, which see in p. 381, ante. XXI. CHWEDYL IARLLES Y FFYNNON. P. 605. The History of the Countess of the Well.-The feats of Owein son of Urgen one of Arthur's Knights, in gaining her. XXII. YSTORI PEREDUR. P. 627. P. 655. The History of Pere dur son of Efrawg, Earl of the North, one of Arthur's Knights*. Some Adventures of Gwalchmai, another of Arthur's Knights. "To these," says Llwyd, "the copyist has added some moral Triads." Arch. Brit. p. 264. There is also a copy of the Triads at Hengwrt, and one in the British Museum. There are three different series published in the second volume of the Archaiology of Wales.-Ep. WALKS ROUND DOLGELLAU. "Well do I know these mountain wilds: And every bosom'd vale, and valley stream Is dear to memory." WALK II. SOUTHEY. DOLGELLAU TO NANNAU. NANNAU, (the Ravines,) the seat of Sir Robert Vaughan, Bart. is about three miles from Dolgellau, and placed high among the hills in the north-east part of Merionethshire. The road thither is nearly one continued acclivity, so that it is, perhaps, situated higher than any gentleman's house in Wales. It is a plain, substantial stone building, and was erected by its present hospitable proprietor on the site of the ancient structure. It fronts the south, in which direction the prospect is bounded by the green hills in the vicinity of Gwanas and Caerynwch, and, on the opposite side, by those above Llanfacraeth. Immediately behind the house, or rather on one side of it, rises a huge and gloomy mass of rock, called Moel Oerthrom or the Mount of Oppression. Why thus named is not known: Pennant, however, supposes it to have been a British post," the station perhaps of some tyrant." The park at Nannau is well supplied with venison, which is small in size, but, like the mountain mutton, of excellent flavour. It contains, as has been already related*, the ruins of the mansion of Howel Sele, on the site of which Sir Robert has lately erected a Gothic lodge, which, situated as it is among so many wild hills, has a very picturesque appearance. The estate, belonging to Nannau, like that of Hengwrt, is stocked with a large quantity of very fine timber. Unlike many of our landed proprietors, Sir Robert has carefully preserved his noblest trees untouched by the rude stroke of the axe; and the woods round Nannau abundantly testify the good effects of the worthy baronet's policy. The gardens cannot be called extensive, but they produce very good fruit, and, considering their exposed situation, evince in the proprietor of Nannau a large portion of zeal for the pleasant and useful science of Horticulture. After this brief sketch we will commence our walk. Passing over the Pont Vawr, then, we turn to the right, and follow the course of the road till we come to the gate, which See CAMBRO-BRITON, Vol. i. p. 226. |