most bounden duty here in their name to present to your majesty (as the chiefest first-fruit) a book of the New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ, translated into the British language, which is our vulgar tongue, wishing, and most humbly praying, if it shall so seem to your wisdom, that it might remain in your majesty's library for a perpetual monument of your gracious bounty shewed herein to our country, and the church of Christ there. And would to God that your grace's subjects of Wales might also have the whole book of God's word brought to like pass; then might their fellow-subjects of England rejoicingly pronounce of them in these words: "The "people that sat in darkness "have seen a great light: they "that dwelled in the land of "the shadow of death, upon "them hath the light shined. "Blessed are the people that "be so; yea, blessed are the "people whose God is the "Lord." Yea, then would they both together thus bro therly say, "Come, and let us "go up to the mountain of "the Lord, to the house of "Jacob, and he will teach us "his ways, and we will walk in "his paths." And thus to end, I beseech Almighty God, that, as your grace's circumspect providence doth perfectly accomplish and discharge your princely vocation and governance towards all your humble subjects, that we also on our part may, towards God and your highness, demean ourselves in such wise, that his justice abridge not these halcyon and quiet days, (which hitherto, since the beginning of your happy reign, have most calmly and peaceably continued,) but that we may long enjoy your gracious presence, and most prosperous reign over us; which we beseech God, for our Saviour Jesus Christ's sake, most mercifully to grant us. Amen. Your majesty's Most humble and faithful subject, WILLIAM SALESBURY*. This eminent antiquary flourished at the close of the 16th century, and translated the New Testament into Welsh, in conjunction with Bishop Davies, which was printed ih 1620. See CAMBRIAN BIOGRAPHY, 12mo. page 312. A Copy A Copy of a Letter relating to St. Asaph sent to the Author, transcribed as supposed from the Papers of Mr. Davies, of Llannerch. SIR, I can give you no better account of St. Asaph, than that it seems to have been very anciently an episcopal see, though very little is known now of its foundation. The general tradition is, that one Kentigern, about 550, was succeeded by Asaph, from whom the church is now called. The traditions we have concerning these two seem to be no better grounded than upon the credit of John of Tinmouth, a monk of the 14th century, who (as also his transcribers, Capgrave, &c.) tells many wonders of them. The Life of Kentigern is in Bollandi Acta Sanctorum, in Jan. 13, p. 819; and probably the Life of St. Asaph, too, is in some other part of that voluminous work. Of Kentigern, see also Usher's Primordia, cap. 15, p. 681, of the quarto edition; Spotswood, p. 11; Nicholson's Library, vol. ii.; and Leland's Collectanea. The two aisles of the lower church are, at this day, distinguished by the names of eglwys Asaph and eglwys Kyndeyrn, which distinction is taken notice of by Percy Enderby, in folio. It should seem that the church took its name (as did also St. David's) not from its founder, but from that bishop who was most in esteem with the people; and might, perhaps, govern this see in the time of Austin, the monk (see Alexander Piedmont, p. 255). St. Asaph was dead before 601, when Austin came into these parts (if there was a second bishop of his name, it might be to raise the esteem of the former), and stood up bravely against him in defence of the British church, and probably his name was Hassa; for that seems to have been the right pronunciation of it, by the names of several places in the neighbourhood, which are called from him Ffynnon Hassa, Llan Hassa, and Opnen Hassa; which in some old seals of the bishops is spelt, as Mr. Wharton does observe, Assaven. As to the bounds of the diocese, its being intermixed in some parts with that of Bangor seems to shew that the bishoprick belonged anciently to the Lords Marchers and the Princes of Powys; whereas the diocese of Bangor was the territory of the Prince of North Wales. From Mr. Edward Williams to the Publisher. Flimston, near Cowbridge, There was an ancient register of this church lost in the Oliverian times, and is commonly called Coch Asaph. This book hath been read by Dr. John Davies of Mallwyd, who took some notes out of it, DEAR SIR, and these notes are what Mr. Wharton quotes under the name of Liber Ruter Assavensis. I suppose the ancientest things in this book are still preserved at Llannerch, among the papers of Mr. Davies, who has the original instrument under the episcopal seal of Bishop William Hughes, in these words: Universis Christi fidelibus, as hereafter. In this Llan Elwy is called civitas, which seems to be a very improper word, for the village does not give denomination to any township, the cathedral itself standing in that of Bryn y Polyn; whereas the villas afterwards mentioned are townships; and if they are to be understood as such, then the present division would seem settled in Wales sooner than in England (whereas it is generally supposed to have obtained in Alfred's time, according to Ingulf, p. 286, History of Croyland); but it is improbable it should be sooner here, notwithstanding that my Lord Coke talks otherwise (p. 168, upon Littleton, according to his skill in matters beyond his trade). GULIELMUS ASAPHENSIS. My asthmatic complaint has been such that I have not been able to lie down in a bed for more than two years; this has greatly debilitated both my body and mind. I am not able to pursue my studies with my former perseverance. Habit is, however, a wonderful thing!The human constitution, I find, is capable of accommodating itself to strange things; and, in some instances, things almost incredible. Thus, my being obliged to sit up in a chair all night, and continually, does not bear so hard upon me as at first it did; and I find myself better in health, in spirits, and in bodily strength, than I have been. In your friendly letter of 18th January, you express a wish to know something of my plans; I suppose you mean my literary plans. My History of the Bards is almost ready; and I might begin to print, if I had time and spirits sufficient to engage in it. It will make two quarto volumes. I have I have translated the Aberpergwm copy of Caradoc of Lancarvan, printed in the Welsh Archaiology; and have prepared some notes for it: it will make a good octavo volume, price about 12s. I have also translated Brut I Saison, i. e. History of the Saxons, from a copy in the British Museum; a very old MS. printed also in the Welsh Archaiology. It will make, with the notes, a nine or ten shilling volume, oc tavo. I am translating Bonedd Saint Ynys Prydain, i. e. The History of the Ancient British Saints, with notes, and with it the BOOK of TWROG, of which I found a copy in an odd corner of Wales, in 1803. It would have been in the hands of Owen Jones, and consequently in the Archaiology, had not his conduct towards me excited suspicions that I found to be very just. This will make a large octavo volume, including notes. I have some other translations finished, others in hand, but I shall never be able to print them on any plan that will enable me to superintend the press myself, with retaining, at least, half the copyright in my own possession; and, otherwise, they never shall be printed: my son, I hope, will live to print them; but I hope he will never trust to any patronage, to any Owain Myfir, to any fit to be named with him. I wrote the short View of the Ancient Welsh MSS., prefixed to the first volume of Archaiology, wherein I have advanced some arguments in vindication of the authenticity of the Welsh MSS. I have since enlarged it into a volume, wherein (I trust) I have fully refuted the cavils of the Pinkertonians. Besides the above I have nearly completed my Analytical Dissertation on the Welsh Language. My Grammar on the Silurian Dialect ancient and modern. The ancient literary dialect is purely Silurian. My Grammar of the Modern Literary Dialect, as distinct from, and not confounded with, the Ancient. My son is entering deeply into these studies, and will, to my sorrow, become an author; will, most probably, like myself, "FALL ON EVIL DAYS AND EVIL TONGUES." I have made numerous improvements in my English Poems, preparing them for a second edition, which I shall never see printed; to which I have added many additional pieces, equal, I trust, to any that have been printed, some possibly superior. I have written a good deal of the History of my Life. Can you furnish me, for it, any anecdote of Owain Myfir ? There are a few in London that can; I have received two or three good ones. A great part of my spare time for the last eighteen months has been employed in arranging my Welsh Poetry, which I prefer to all other literary attempts. I hope to be in London some time in the course of the summer, and shall be glad if I can find, in or near the Strand, a place where I may be accommodated with a little room, (a decent garret will do,) wherein I may write by day and sit up at night, for a month or two: a bed will not be wanted,-I cannot make any use of it. Your letter of January last requires answers to other things in it, but I have wasted all the room that this sheet allows me. I will write again to you, sir, in a month or so; possibly sooner. Be pleased to favour me with a line, but it must be to please me, such a long line, as, being divided into parts, will fill up a whole sheet!!! Yes, sir, and let some of the fragments of your long line inform me how Mr. D. Williams is?-where Mr. W. Owen--what he is about? whether he still holds fast to the faith of Johanna Southcott, or not? I am, Sir, yours, EDWARD WILLIAMS. |