Welsh Manuscript Society

The Barddas of Iolo Morganwg, Vol. I., ed. by J. Williams Ab Ithel, [1862], at sacred-texts.com

p. vii

"OES Y BYD I’R IAITH GYMRAEG."

Patroness,

HER MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA.

Patronized also by

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA,

AND

HIS IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE LOUIS LUCIEN BONAPARTE.

President,

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF POWIS.

Vice-presidents,

His Grace The DUKE OF BEAUFORT, K.G.

His Grace The DUKE OF NEWCASTLE, K.G.

His Grace the DUKE OF SUTHERLAND, K.G.

The Most Noble The MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNE, K.G.

The Most Noble The MARQUESS OF CAMDEN, K.G.

The Right Honourable The EARL OF SHAFTESBURY

The Right Honourable The EARL OF DUNRAVEN

The Right Honourable The EARL OF CAERNARVON

The Right Honourable The EARL OF CAWDOR, F.R.S.

The Right Honourable VISCOUNT EVERSLEY

The Right Honourable VISCOUNT FEILDING

The Right Reverend The LORD BISHOP OF ST. DAVID'S

The Right Reverend The LORD BISHOP OF ST. ASAPH

The Right Reverend The LORD BISHOP OF LLANDAFF

The Right Reverend The LORD BISHOP OF BANGOR

The Right Honourable LORD DYNEVOR

The Right Honourable LORD CARBERY

The Right Honourable LORD MOSTYN

The Right Honourable LORD LLANOVER

The Honourable T. LL. MOSTYN, M.P.

The Right Honourable CONSEILLER JOUKOVSKY

SIR WATKIN WILLIAMS WYNN, Bart. M.P. Wynnstay

SIR STEPHEN GLYNNE, Bart. Hawarden Castle, Flintshire

SIR EDWARD BULWER LYTTON, Bart. M.P. Knebworth, Hertfordshire

SIR THOMAS PHILLIPPS, Bart., F.R.S., F.S.A. &c., Middle Hill

SIR HUGH WILLIAMS, Bart., Bodelwyddan

BERIAH BOTFIELD, Esq. M.P., F.R.S., F.S.A., &c., Norton Hall

WILLIAM ORMSBY GORE, Esq. M.P. Porkington

OCTAVIUS MORGAN, Esq. M.P.. F.R.S., F.G.S. Friars, Newport

W. W. E. WYNNE, Esq. M.P. Peniarth, Merionethshire

SIR GARDINER WILKINSON, F.R.S., D.C.L.

W. A. WILLIAMS, Esq. of Llangibby Castle, Monmouthshire

His Excellency MONS. VAN DER WEYER, Belgian Minister

His Excellency BARON BENTINCK, Netherlands Minister

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Committee,

The Right Honourable Lord Llanover, Chairman

Octavius Morgan, Esq. M.P., F.R.S., F.G.S., Friars, Newport

J. Bruce Pryce, of Dyffryn, Esq. Cardiff, Glamorgan

J. Arthur Herbert, of Llanarth, Esq.

The Rev. Illtyd Nicholl, M.A. of Ham, Cowbridge, Glamorgan

Editors, Translators, and Collators of Manuscripts,

The Rev. J. Williams Ab Ithel, M.A. Rector of Llanymowddwy*

The Rev. E. Owen Phillips, M.A., Vicar of Aberystwyth*

The Rev. Hugh Williams, M.A. Chancellor of Llandaff*

John Pughe, Esq. F.R.C.S. Penhelyg, Aberdovey

William Rees, Esq. of Tonn, Llandovery*

Those marked thus* are also Members of the Committee.

Corresponding Members,

WALES.

The Right Hon. Lady Llanover, (Gwenynen Gwent) Llanover, Abergavenny

Lady Charlotte Schreiber, Dowlais, Glamorganshire

George Grant Francis, Esq. F.S.A. Cae’r Baily, Swansea

Major Herbert, Llansanffraed, near Abergavenny

Rev. Dr. James, (Dewi o Ddyfed,) of Pantêg, Monmouthshire

Arthur James Johnes, of Garthmyl, Esq. Judge of Local Courts, North Wales

John Johnes, Esq., Dolaucothy, Caermarthenshire

Rev. T. Jones, M.A. Llanengan, Caernarvonshire

The Very Rev. Dr. Lewellin, Dean of St. David's, & Principal of St. D.C.L.

Thomas Wakeman, Esq., The Graig, near Monmouth

W. W. E. Wynne, Esq. M.P. Peniarth, Merionethshire

Rev. Sir Charles Salusbury, of Llanwern, Bart.

Miss Williams, of Ynyslâs, Glamorgan, South Wales

Miss Jane Williams, of Ynyslâs, Glamorgan, South Wales.

ENGLAND, &c.

Rev. A. B. Clough, B.D., F S.A., &c. Braunston, Northampton

Rev. Robert Jones, M.A. All Saints Rectory, Rotherhithe, London

Rev. R. H. Lloyd, M.A. of Owersby, Lincolnshire

J. Whitefoord Mackenzie, Esq. F.R.S., F.S.A. &c.

Edinburgh Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart. F.R.S. Middle Hill, Worcestershire

The Lady Charlotte Schreiber, Roehampton, Middlesex

Secretary,

Mr. William Griffith, 4, Sidmouth Place, Gray's Inn Road, London.

HONORARY FOREIGN SECRETARY FOR GERMANY.--Mr. J. G. Sanerwein, Asiatic Society's Office, London.

HONORARY FOREIGN SECRETARY FOR FRANCE.--Mons^r. Rio, Paris.

Treasurers,

Messrs. Bailey, Gratrex & Co., Bankers, Abergavenny.

Publisher,

Mr. D. J. Roderic, Llandovery, South Wales.

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The Welsh Mss. Society,

HAS been formed for the purpose of transcribing and printing the more important of the numerous Bardic and Historical Remains of Wales, still extant in the Principality, and other parts of the world, that have hitherto been allowed to continue in a state of obscurity, without any effective measures being adopted to lay their contents before the public, and secure them from the various accidents to which they are liable. In addition to the general decay which, from their perishable nature, these venerable relics have been for ages undergoing, whole collections have, within a short space of time, been destroyed by fire; and of those MSS. dispersed throughout the country, numbers known to have existed a few years ago, are now no where to be found.

Besides the interest which these ancient documents possess, as objects of antiquarian curiosity, and as contributing to the elucidation of British History, they have a claim to attention of a far more general character, as being intimately connected with the origin and progress of modern European Literature; for it is among the legends and traditions of the Welsh that many of the materials are to be found, which supplied the nations of the Continent with their earliest subjects of composition, and produced those highly imaginative works that continue to exercise so powerful an influence to the present day.

A great mass of Historical information, relating to the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth centuries, is contained in the unpublished Poetry of Wales; from which an intimate acquaintance with the state of society during those periods may be obtained; the Welsh Bards being the Chroniclers of the times in which they lived, and their Poems chiefly addressed to the leading men of the day. Besides Poetry, there is still existing unpublished a large collection of Prose, both Historical and Legendary; persons of affluence are therefore solicited to contribute larger Donations and Subscriptions, than are required by the Rules of the Society, in order to enable the Committee to proceed with greater rapidity in carrying on the publication of Manuscripts.

The first Work that was published by this Society, was the LIBER LANDAVENSIS, or LLYFR TEILO, comprising nearly 700 Royal 8vo. pages; gratuitously edited and translated by the late Rev. W. J. Rees, M.A., F.S.A. &c. Of this Work only a few Copies remain to be sold to persons becoming Members of the Society at £1 2s. 0d.--Non-members, £2 2s. 0d.

The second Work of the Society consisted of a MISCELLANEOUS SELECTION OF ANCIENT WELSH MSS. in prose and poetry, from the originals collected by the late Edward Williams, (Iolo Morganwg) for the purpose of forming a continuation of the Myvyrian Archaiology, and afterwards proposed to be used as materials for a New History of Wales. Edited with Notes and Translations, by his son, the late TALIESIN AB IOLO, of Merthyr Tydvil. This work is of the same size and price as the Liber Landavensis, and a few copies remain still in the hands of the Publisher.

The third Work, The HERALDIC VISITATIONS OF WALES AND ITS MARCHES, Temp. Elizabeth, and James I. in two Imperial 4to. Volumes was printed under the gratuitous and able superintendence of its Editor, the late SIR SAMUEL RUSH MEYRICK, K.H., LL.])., F.S A, &c., of this Work only 240 copies were published which were all engaged by Subscribers; it is therefore out of print and has become extremely scarce.

The LIVES OF CAMBRO BRITISH SAINTS, was next published, from Ancient Welsh and Latin MSS. in the British Museum and elsewhere, comprising 680 pages Royal 8vo., and was gratuitously edited and translated by the late Rev. W. J. REES, M.A., F.S.A., &c. Some copies of this Work are still to be had of the Publisher, price £1 1s. 0d. to persons becoming Members of the Society,--Non-members, £2 2s. 0d.

The ANCIENT WELSH GRAMMAR made by EDEYRN DAFOD AUR, by the command of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, (prince of Wales from 1254 to 1282,) Rhys Vychan lord of Dynevor and Ystrad Towy; and Morgan Vychan, lord paramount of Morganwg,--together with Y PUM LLYFR KERDDWRIAETH, Or Rules of Welsh Prosody, by Simwnt Vychan, in the 15th Century. Edited with Translations and Notes, by the Rev. John Williams Ab Ithel, M.A. A few

p. x

copies only remain on hand, to be sold at £1 1s. 0d. each,--Non-members, £2 2s. 0d.

The MEDDYGON MYDDFAI, or a Compendium of the Medical Practice of the celebrated Rhiwallon and his Sons, Cadwgan, Gruffydd, and Einion, of Myddvai, in Caermarthenshire, Physicians to Rhys Gryg, lord of Dynevor and Ystrad Towy, son of Gruffydd ap Rhys, the last Prince of South Wales, about the year 1230; from Ancient MSS. in the Library of Jesus College, Oxford, Llanover, and Tonn; accompanied by an English Translation, To the whole is annexed the curious Legend of THE LADY OF THE LAKE, called LLYN-Y-FAN, from whom the above Physicians were said to be descended, and a copious Herbal; Edited by the Rev. J. Williams ab Ithel, M.A., Rector of Llanymowddwy; Translated by John Pughe, Esq., F.R.C.S., Penhelyg, Aberdovey. Price £1 1s. 0d.

To be ready early in 1863, the Second Volume of 

BARDDAS; OR BARDISM, a Collection of Original Documents, illustrative of the Theology, Discipline and Usages, of the Bardo-Druidic System of the Isle of Britain, with Translations and Notes, by the Rev. J. Williams Ab Ithel, M.A., Rector of Llanymowddwy.

The curious matter brought to light for the first time in this Work, cannot fail to attract the particular attention of scholars, and to open a new and interesting era in the History of Welsh Literature.

It is intended henceforward to bring out a Volume of about 400 pages every Twelve Months, to be supplied to Members of the Society only, free of all expense. Those Works already published, and not out of print, can be had by payment of the additional price affixed to each.

RECOMMENDED FOR PUBLICATION.

The inedited matter of the LLYFR COCH O HERGEST, in the Library of Jesus College, Oxford.

ANCIENT RECORDS, Temp. Edward III. belonging to the Manor Court of Ruthin.

WELSH CHARTERS.

Y DAROGANAU, or VATICINATIONS of the middle ages.

A complete and correct edition of the BARDS of the 6th and 7th centuries.

Y DIARHEBION CYMREIG, or WELSH PROVERBS.

The HISTORICAL TRIADS.

The Life of GRUFFUDD AB CYNAN.

The GREAL; in the Hengwrt Collection.

Rules of the Society

I. That the objects of the Society shall be to procure copies of any interesting Manuscripts relating to Wales and the Marches thereof, and to publish them with English Translations and Notes.

II. That Subscribers of at least One Guinea annually, become members of the Society.

III. That all Subscriptions being considered due for the ensuing year, notice must be sent to the Secretary, before the 1st of January, of any Member's intention to withdraw his name.

IV. That the Society's Publications are to appear yearly in parts or volumes, to be delivered free to Subscribers not in arrear with the subscriptions.

V. That there shall be only a limited number of copies printed of each Work beyond the number of Subscribers, which copies the Committee are empowered to dispose of to persons becoming annual subscribers.

VI. That the management of the affairs of the Society be vested in the Chairman and Committee, and that the funds of the Society be disbursed in payment of the necessary expenses incident to the production of the Works of the Society, and that the accompts of the receipts and expenditure be audited annually by two Members.

Subscribers' Names, Donations and Annual Subscriptions are requested to be forwarded to the Secretary, Mr. Griffith, 4, Sidmouth Place, Gray's Inn Road, London.