16

Minwyn, a Grammarian and Poet,

Llygad Gwr, a Bard,

CHRONOLOGY OF THE ANCIENT BRITISH BARDS.

A. D.

Edeyrn Davod Aur, a Bard and Grammarian, 1270 Llyvr-Cóch, (which is ftill in Jefus College Li

brary, Oxford,) from a very ancient manuscript, 1270 called Llyvr Hergeft*.

A. D.

Ednyved Vychan, a Bard,

1270

Einion Offeiriad, o Wynedd ; a Rhetorician

Davydd ab Ednwnd, yr Awdur ariandlyfog, or chief Bard,

1450

Gutto o'r Glyn, Bard to Llan Egweftl, or Vale 1280 Crucis Abbey, in Denbighshire, 1280

1450

Y Prydydd Bychan, o Ddeheubarth,
Cadwgan ab Cynvrig, a Poet,

Guttyn Owain, a Herald Bard, and Historian; 1280 refided chiefly at Yitrad Fflur Monaftery in 1280 Cardiganfhire,

1340

Gwilym ddû o Arvon, Bard to Pr. Llywelyn 1320 Dr. Davydd Ddû, o Hiraddug, in Flintshire; a Bard and Grammarian: from his knowledge in Chemistry and natural philosophy, he got the name of a magician; he lived about the year Trahaearn Brydydd Mawr, or Trahaearn the noted Bard, Davydd ab Gwilym, or Davydd Morganwg; Bard to Ivor Hael, (Lord of Maefaleg, in Monmouthshire,) and to the monastery of Strata Florida

Mabclâv ap Llywarch, a Bard,

Howel Yftoryn, a Poet,

Yr Yftus Llwyd, a Poet,

1480

Cynvrig ab Gronw, a Poet and Genealogist, who flourished about 1450. This Bard, and Syr Meredudd ab Rhys, who flourished in 1440 mentions the discovery of America, by Madoc,

1370

1370

Sir John Gower, a native of Gwŷr, or Gowerland, in Glomorganfhire; the first English Poet, and Laureat to King Richard II. to whom he dedicated his works, about the year Dr. Johnson, in his Hiftory of our English Language, fays, "The firft of our authors, who can be properly faid to have written Englifh, was Sir John Gower; who, in his Confeffion of a Lover, calls Chaucer his disciple, and may therefore be confidered as the Father of English Poetry."

Llywelyn Moel y Pantri, a Bard,

Syr Gruffydd Lhwyd, ab Davydd ab Einion, chief Bard to Owen Glyndwr, the last Welsh Chieftain, Llywelyn Gôch ab Meurig hên, o Nannau, 1400 Govalus Syment Vychan. lolo Gôch, Lord of Llechryd, in Denbighhire, a Bard,

Ithel Ddû, o Vro Veilir, in Anglesey, called Dryw'r Gerdd, i. e. The Druid of Song, Rhys Gôch o Eryri, of Havod Garregog, near Snowdon, a Bard,

The MS. Record of Llandaff is ftill extant, commonly called the Book of St. Teilo, or Eliud, the fecond Bishop of that fee, who flourished in the reign of King Arthur; and of which, I have a Tranfcript.

A Monumental Inscription of an Archdruid, found at Zwickau in Voightland,
a province of upper Saxony.
Δυςβάλεις Δρονίδων Meyiolos.
Durbaleis, Greatest of the Druids.

HIC JACET DAVID PILIUS HOWELL FILII MADOCI

Moses Griffith delin 1808. & Ja. Barire sculp The Tomb of DAVYDD DDU, of HIRADDUG. Archdeacon of Diserth, and Vicar of Tremeirchion, in Flintshire; who was a learned Bard, and flourished between the years 1310, and 1380. He wrote a British Grammar; CYWYDD DYSGEDIG, or the learned Ode; and invented three of the metres in Welsh Poetry; see page 8, and 9, of the 2nd Volume of this work. He was likewise Author of a Pious Ode; and has given an elegant poetical translation of the TE DEUM, and several of the Psalms; which are preserved in the 1st Volume of the Archaiology of Wales, page 536. & 55g. He possessed great knowledge in natural Philosophy, Chymistry, and Mathematicks: which got him the name of a Conjurer, among the vulgar; and there are many strange stories told of him in Wales to this day.

Published as the Act directs for Ed Jones, St James's Palace 1808

Aneurin Gwawdrydd, mychdeyrn Beirdd', that is, Aneurin with the flowing Mufe, King of the Berds; (brother to Gildas Albanius, the British historian,) who lived under the patronage of Mynyddawg of Edinburgh, a prince of the North; whofe Eurdorchogion, or warriors wearing the golden Torques; 363 in number, were all flain, except Aneurin and two others, in a battle with the Saxons at Cattraeth, on the eastern coaft of Yorkshire. His Gododin, an Heroic Poem, written on that event, is perhaps the oldeft, and nobleft production of that age. Being composed in a northern dialect, that of the men of Deira, and Bernicia † ; it is at present in many places difficult and obfcure §. The following paffage, versified by Mr. Gray, from Mr. Evan's specimens, will, though a fragment, give an ample proof of the genius of Aneurin *.

ODE

Selected from the Gododin.

18

HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE BARD, TALIESIN.

Taliefin, who in one of his poems gives an honourable teftimony to the fame of Aneurin, was like him called Penbeirdd, Chief, or King of Bards. He lived in the reign and enjoyed the favour of Maelgwn Gwynedd, Sovereign of all Wales. He was found, when an infant, exposed in a wear, which Gwyddno Gorynbír, the King of Cantre'r Gwaelod, had granted as a maintenance to Prince Elphin his fon. Elphin, with many amiable qualities, was extravagant ; and, having little fuccefs at the wear, grew discontented and melancholy. At this juncture Taliefin was found by the fishermen of the prince, by whofe command he was carefully fostered, and liberally educated. At a proper age the accomplished Bard was introduced by his princely patron at the court of his father Gwyddno, to whom he prefented, on that occafion, a poem called Hanes Taliefin, or Taliefin's History; and at the fame time another to the prince, called Dybuddiant Elphin3, the confolation of Elphin, which the Bard addreffes to him in the perfon and character of an exposed infant. Taliefin lived to recompenfe the kindness of his benefactor: by the magic of his Song, he redeemed him from the castle of Teganwy, (where he was for fome misunderstanding confined by his uncle Maelgwn,) and afterwards conferred upon him an illuftrious immortality.

Taliefin was the mafter, or poetical preceptor of Myrddin ap Morvryn: he enriched the British Profody with five new metres: and has tranfmitted in his poems fuch veftiges as throw new light on the history, knowledge, and manners of the ancient Britons, and their Druids, much of whofe mystical learning he imbibed.

The first poem which I have chofen for a fpecimen of Taliefin's manner, is his description of the battle of Argoed Llwyvain, in Cumberland, fought about the year 548, by Goddeu, a King of North Britain, and Urien Reged, King of Cumbria, against Fflamddwyn, a Saxon general, fuppofed to be Ida, the first King of Northumberland. I am indebted to the late Mr. Whitehead, Poet Laureat, for the following faithful and animated verfification of this valuable antique

Flush'd with conqueft, Fflamddwyn faid,
Boaftful at his army's head;
"Strive not to oppose the stream,
Redeem your lands, your lives redeem.
Give me pledges?" Fflamddwyn cried.
"Never", Urien's fon replied,
Owen', of the mighty stroke;
Kindling, as the hero spoke,

* This is one of the 12 great battles of Urien Reged, cele brated by Taliefin, in poems now extant. See Carte's Hiftory of England, p. 211, and 213. where there is much valuable information rǝlating to the ancient Britons.

A district of Cumberland, the country of Prince Llywarch Hên, from whence he was driven by the Saxons. "Some place on the borders of Northumberland. "Owen ap Urien acted as his father's general; and is called in the British Triads, "one of the three Cavaliers of Battle." Cenaus