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1140

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1030

1090

Grammarians and poets,

Bleddyn Ddû wâs y Czd, a Poet, Y Bergam, o Vaelor, in Denbighshire, a Poet, about

Kobert Duke of Normandy, brother to William Rufu; who, about the year 1106, was confined by King Henry the First 28 years in Cardiff Calle: during that period he is faid to have acquired a perfect knowledge of the Welsh language and poetry, and to have been admitted a Welsh Bard. This fingular circumftance is recorded in an old Welsh history of the Lords of Glamorgan, from Jeftin ab Gwrgant, down to Jafper Duke of Bedford.

1090

Bishop Urban, writer of Liber Landavenfis, 1119 Cwrgan ab Rhys, a celebrated Bard, 1130 Caradoc of Llancarvan, a British Historian, 1130 Jeffery of Monmouth, a British Historian, and Bishop of St. Asaph,

Llywarch Brydydd y Moch, Bard to Prince Llewelyn ab Jorweth,

1200

Morris Morgannwg, a Rhetorician and Poet, 1220 Einion, the fon of Gwalchmai of Treveilir, Bard to Llewelyn ab Jorwerth, or Prince Llewelyn the Great,

Daniel ab Llofgwrn Mew, a Bard, Hên Gyrys o Jal; Bâch Buddugre; or Gwyddvarch Gyvarwydd: a celebrated collector of Welsh proverbs, about the year Meddygon Myddvai, who wrote a British book on Phyfic and Surgery, by order of Prince Rhŷs Grŷg, about the year

Yftudvach, a l'oet, and Warrior, who is often celebrated by the Bards for his hofpitality; alío, a collector of Welsh proverbs: of whom Davydd ab Gwilym fays:

"Gwir a ddywawd Yftudvach,
"Gyda'i feirdd yn cyfeddach."

of Is-Conwy, in North Wales, about

1230

1200

1216

1230

Einion Wan, a Bard,

1240

Adda Vrâs, a Poet and pretended prophet,

1240

Phylip Brydydd, a Cardiganshire Bard, Einion ab Gwgon, a Bard,

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Bleddyn Vardd, Bard to Llywelyn ab Gruffudd, the laft Prince of Wales

1260

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Davydd Benvras, Bard to the faid Llywelyn, who was betrayed at Buellt in the year 1282. This Bard enumerates twenty battles that this prince fought. Flourished about

1260

Gwalchmai, the fon of Meilir, Bard to Prince Owen Gwynedd,

Meilir ab Gwalchmai,Bard to Llywelyn the last, 1260

1150

Cafnodyn Vardd

1260

Cyuddelw Brydydd Mawr, Bard to Prince Owen Gwynedd; to Madog ab Meredydd, Prince of Powis; and to Prince Davydd ab Owen Gwynedd, Y Llyvr Dú o Gaer-Vyrddin, i. e. The black Book of Carmarthen, which is in Hengwrt Library, Meirionyddfhire, is fupposed to be the oldest Welsh manufcript now extant it is a quarto fize, confifting of 108 confifting of 108 pages, and contains the works of the Bards of the fixth century. The first part of it is very ancient; the writer unknown; and the latter part of it is thought to be tranfcribed from other

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1260

Gruffydd ab yr Ynad Coch, Bard to the last

Prince Llywelyn,

1270

1160

Edeyrn Davod Aur, a Bard and Grammarian, 1270

Minwyn, a Grammarian and Poet,

Llygad Gwr, a Bard,

1270

Ednyved Vychan, a Bard,

1270

Einion Offeiriad, o Wynedd; a Rhetorician

1280

Seifyll Bryfwrch, a Bard,

1280

-

1280

1280

1280

A. D. Gwilym ddû o Arvon, Bard to P. Llywelyn 1320 Dr. Davydd Ddû, o Hiraddug, in Flintshire; a Bard and Grammarian: from his knowledge. in chemistry and natural philofophy, 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 monaftery of Strata Florida

Mabclâv ap Llywarch, a Bard,

Howel Ystoryn, a Poet,

Yr Yftus Llwyd, a Poet,

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Sir John Gower, a native of Gwŷr, or Gowerland, in Glamorganfhire; 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 said to have written English, was Sir John Gower; who, in his Confeffion of a Lover, calls Chaucer his difciple, 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 laft Welsh Chieftain,

1340

1370

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1370

Davydd Nanmor, an eminent Bard of Me

1370

rionethfhire,

1380

1460

1380

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1380

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1400

1400

Llywelyn Gôch ab Meurig hên, o Nannau, 1400
Jolo Gôch, Lord of Llechryd, in Denbigh-
fhire, a Bard,

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

1400

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1400

1420

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Llywelyn, or Lewis Glyn-Cothi; a Bard, and an officer under Jasper, Earl of Pembroke, This Bard tranfcribed moft of the old Welfh poems and records, in a folio volume, called Llyvr-Coch, (which is ftill in Jefus College Library, Oxford,) from a very ancient manuscript, called Llyvr Hergeft.

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

1450

1450

Rhys Nanmor, Bard to King Henry VII. Tudur Aled, of Dyffryn Aled, in Denbighfhire, a celebrated Bard,

Lewis Morganwg, pencerdd y tair talaith, or chief Bard of the Principality of Wales; and domestic Bard to Neath Abbey

1510 · 1510

Syr Huw Pennant, Offeiriad, and Bard, Gruffydd of Hiraethog, (in Denbighshire) an excellent Bard, that flourished about the year, 1530 He was the preceptor of four eminent poets at one time; and being asked, which of his pupils had the brightest genius; he returned the following answer: Dyfgedig Sion Tudur. The learning of Shôn Tudur. Govalus Symont Vychan.

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Awenyddawl William Cynwal.

The diligence of Simwnt
Vychan.

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The prolific genius of William Cynwal.Ond, nid oes dim cuddiedig But nothing is unknown rhag William Llŷn." to William Llŷn. For the lift of the fucceding Bards, I must refer my readers to the end of Dr. John Davies's Antiquæ Lingua Britannica. And to Mr. Edward Lhuyd's Ca talogue of ancient British Manufcripts, and Welsh writers, in his Archæologia Britannica, p. 225. 258, &c.

Aneurin Gwawdrydd, mychdeyrn Beirdd3, that is, Aneurin with the flowing Mufe, King of Bards; (brother to Gildas Albanius, the British hiftorian,) 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

3 Ancarin flourished A. D. 510,

Cattraeth,

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Cattraeth, on the eastern coast of Yorkshire. His Gododin, an Heroic Poem, written on that event, is perhaps the oldest and nobleft production of that age. Being compofed in a northern dialect, that of the men of Deira, and Bernicia; it is at prefent in many places difficult and obfcure'. The following paffage, verfified by Mr. Gray, from Mr. Evans's fpecimens, will, though a fragment, give an ample proof of the genius of Aneurin*.

OD É,

Selected from the Gododin.

Gwyr á aeth Gattraeth feddfaeth feddwn,
Ffyrf frwythlawn oedd cam nas cymmbwyllwn,
I am lafnawr coch, gorfawr, gwrmwn,
Dwys dengyn ydd ymleddyn aergwn.

Ar deulu Brynaich be i'ch barnafwn,
Diliw, dyn yn fyw nis gadawfwn,
Cyfaillt á gollais, difflais oeddwn,
Rhugl yn ymwrthryn, rhyn rhiadwn.
Ni mynnws gwrawl gwaddawl chwegrwn,
Maban y Gian o faen Gwyngwn.

Pan gryfiai Garadawg i gâd,
Mab baedd coed, trychwn, trychiad,
Taro byddin yn nhrin gymmyniad,
Ef lithiai wyddgwn o'i angad.
Arddyledawg canu, cymmain’o fri,
Turf tán, a tharan, a rhyferthi,
Gwryd adderchawg marchawg myfgi
Rhudd Fedel rhyfel á eidduni.

Gwr gwnedd, difuddiawg, dygymmyni y'ngbad,
O'r meint gwlad yt glywi.

Gwyr á aeth Gattraeth buant enwawd;
Gwin a medd ac aur fu eu gwirawd,
Blwyddyn yn erbyn urddyn ddefawd,
Try-wyr a thriugaint a thrichant eurdorchawd,
O'r fawl yt gryfiafant uch gormant wirawd,
Ni ddiengai namyn tri o wrhydri ffofawd,
Dau gatgi Aeron, a Chyron daearawd,
A minnau o'm gwaedffrau gwerth fy ngwenwawd.

It appears, that Aneurin had 19 brothers and 4 fifters. The names of the children of Caw, of N. Britain, (Lord of Cwm Cawlwyd). "Dirinic. Celydd. Ufic. Echmic. Côv. Aneirin. Gwyddrain. Sampfon. Bangar. Cyhelyn. Girgad. Huail. Gildaw. Aeddan. Gallgo. Dyvnwy. Gwrddolew. Awan. Ceidio. Caean.-Gywyllog. Pergein. Gwenebeth. Gwennobwy.

Amongit thele, it feems that five of them were celebrated Bards; viz. Aneirin. Gildas. Cyhelyn. Avan. and Cian."

F

Had I but the torrent's might,

With headlong rage, and wild affright,
Upon Deira's fquadrons hurl'd,

To rufh, and sweep them from the world!
Too, too fecure, in youthful pride
By them my friend, my Hoel, died,
Great Kian's fon; of Madoc old
He afk'd no heaps of hoarded gold;
Alone in nature's wealth array'd,
He afk'd, and had the lovely maid.
Have
ye seen the tufky boar
Or the bull, with fullen roar,
On furrounding foes advance?
So Caradoc bore his lance.

Vedel's name, my lay, rehearse,
Build to him the lofty verse,
Sacred tribute of the Bard,
Verse, the hero's fole reward.
As the flames devouring force,
As the whirlwind in its course,
As the thunder's fiery stroke,
Glancing on the shiver'd oak;
Did the fword of Vedel's mow
The crimson harvest of the foe.

To Cattraeth's vale, in glitt'ring row
Twice two hundred warriors go;
Ev'ry warrior's manly neck
Chains of regal honour deck,
Wreath'd in many a golden link:
From the golden cup they drink
Nectar, that the bees produce,
Or the grape's extatic juice.
Flush'd with mirth, and hope, they burn;
But none from Cattraeth's vale return,
Save Aeron brave, and Conan ftrong,
(Bursting thro' the bloody throng),
And I, the meanest of them all,
That live to weep, and fing their fall.

Evans's Differtatio de Bardis, p. 68, 69.

Taliefin,

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, King of all Wales. He was found, when an infant, expofed in a wear, which Gwyddno Garanbir, 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 difcontented 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 Hiftory; 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 expofed infant. Taliefin lived to recompenfe the kindness of his benefactor: by the magic of his Song he redeemed him from the caftle 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 hiftory, knowledge, and manners of the ancient Britons and their Druids, much of whofe myftical learning he imbibed. The first poem which I have chofen for a fpecimen of Taliefin's manner, is his defcription 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, fupposed to be Ida, the first King of Northumberland. I am indebted to the obliging difpofition of the late Mr. Whitehead, for the following faithful and animated verfification of this valuable antique

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4 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 relating to the ancient Britons,

A diftrict of Cumberland, the country of Prince Llywarch Hên, from whence he was driven by the Saxons.

Some place on the borders of Northumberland.

7 Owen ap Urien acted as his father's general; and is called, in the British Triades, “one of the three Cavaliers of Battle.”

Cenau,

Atorelwis Urien, ydd yr echwydd,
O bydd ynghyfarfod am garennydd.
Dyrchafwn eidoed odauch mynydd,
Ac ymborthwn wyneb odduch emyl,
A dyrchafwn beleidr odduch ben gwyr,

A chyrchwn Fflamddwyn yn ei lüydd;
A lladdwn ag ef, a'i gyweithydd!

Arhag gwaith Argoed Llwyfain,

Bu llawer celain :
Rhuddai frain,
Rhag rhyfel gwyr !

Agwerin a fryfwys gan ei newydd.
Arinaf y blwyddyn nad wyf cynnydd.

Ac yn 'i fallwyf bên, Ym dygn angau angen; Ni byddif ymdyrwên ; Na molwyf Urien !

Cenau, Coel's blooming heir

Caught the flame, and grafp'd the spear.
"Shall Coel's iffue pledges give

To the infulting foe, and live?
Never fuch be Briton's shame,
Never, 'till this mangled frame,
Like fome vanquifh'd lion, lie
Drench'd in blood, and bleeding die 8."

Day advanc'd: and ere the fun
Reach'd the radiant point of noon,
Urien came with fresh fupplies.
"Rife, ye fons of Cambria, rise,
Spread your banners to the foe,
Spread them on the mountain's brow;
Lift your lances high in air,
Friends and brothers of the war;
Rush like torrents down the steep,
Thro' the vales in myriads sweep;
Fflamddwyn never can sustain
The force of our united train."

Havoc, havoc rag'd around,
Many a carcafe ftrew'd the ground;
Ravens drank the purple flood;
Raven plumes were dy'd in blood;
Frighted crowds from place to place,

Eager, hurrying, breathlefs, pale,
Spread the news of their difgrace,
Trembling as they told the tale.
These are Taliefin's rhimes,
These shall live to diftant times,
And the Bard's prophetic rage
Animate a future age.

Child of forrow, child of pain,

Never may I fmile again,

If, 'till all-subduing death

Close these eyes, and ftop this breath,

Ever I forget to raise

My grateful fongs to Urien's praife!

About the beginning of the fixth century, Urien, fon of Cynvarch ab Meirchion, King of Reged; (a territory in Caledonia, bordering on the tradelwyd Britons, to the fouth ;) who was bred in King Arthur's Court, and was one of his knights: he had great experience in war, and great power in the country by the largenefs of his dominion, and the number of his vaffals: he was ftill greater by his reputation and wisdom; and by his valour in defending his country against the encroaching Saxons. After engagements, with various fuccefs, he at last prevailed fo far against Theodoric, fon of Ida, as to force him to fly into Holy Ifland for safety. Urien, the glory of his country, who had braved death so often in the field, and fought it in vain among the thickest of his enemies, fell at last in the midst of his own men, in the year 560, by the treachery of Morgant, brother to Rhydderch, from mere envy, on

feveral

Cenau led to the affistance of Urien Reged, the forces of his father Coel Godbebog, king of a northern tract, called Goddeu, probably inhabited by the Godini of Ptolemy. Owen ap Urien and Cenau ap Coel were in the number of Arthur's Knights. See

5

Lewis's Hiftory of Britain, p. 201. and Carte's Hiftory of England.
the Ribble, in Lancashire.
9 The Strath-clwyd Britons inhabited the weft part of Scot-
land and the Cumbrians dwelt from the wall fouthward as far as

account

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