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and his daughter. Death relieves all, why does he not vifit me? for after Gwenddolau no prince ho hours me; I am not foothed with diverfion, I am no longer vifited by the fair: yet in the battle of Arderydd I wore the golden torques, though I am now despised by her who is fair as the fnowy swan.

Sweet apple-tree, covered with delicate bloom, growing unfeen in the fequeftered woods! early with the dawn have I heard that the high-commisfioned chief of Meuwydd was offended with me; twice, three times, alas! four times in the same day have I heard this; it rung in my ears ere the sun had marked the hour of noon. O Jefus ! why was I not taken away by deftruction, ere it was the sad fate of my hand to kill the fon of Gwenddydd?

Sweet apple-tree, appearing to the eye a large and fair grove of stately trees! monarch of the furrounding woods; fhading all, thyfelf unfhaded! yet fhall my fong of prophecy announce the coming again of Medrod, and of Arthur, monarch of the warlike hoft again fhall they rufh to the battle of Camlan; two days will the conflict laft, and only feven escape from the flaughter. Then let Gwenbwyvar remember the crimes she has been guilty of, when Cadwaladr repoffeffes - - when an ecclefiaftical hero leads the warriors to battle. Alas! far more lamentable is my destiny, and hope affords no refuge. The fon of Gwenddydd is dead, flain by iny accurfed hand!

Sweet apple-tree, loaded with the sweetest fruit, growing in the lonely wilds of the woods of Celyddon! all feek thee for the fake of thy produce, but in vain until Cadwaladr comes to the conference of the ford of Rhëon; and Cynan advances to oppose the Saxons in their career. Then fhall the Britons be again victorious, led by their graceful and majestic chief. Then fhall be restored to every one his own. Then fhall the founder of the horn of gladness proclaim the fong of peace, the ferene days of happiness. Tranflated by Mr. Edw. Williams.

These were the poetical luminaries of the fixth century. Their works are pregnant with feeling, with fancy, and enthusiasm; "and do honour to the nation that produced them. Foreigners who fhall read them will be obliged to foften fome of thofe dark colours in which they have usually painted our ancestors. The rays of genius that fhone forth in the Britons, amid the gloom of the dark ages, are more valuable in the eye of reafon, and contribute more to their glory, than all the bloody trophies they erected. But how can their poetry produce this effect, if their language remains unintelligible, if no one will translate it into the other languages of Europe 2 ?

1 Plydd, in Glamorganshire, fignifies soft, tender, delicate, Mallet, in his Introduction à l'Hiftoire de Dannemare,

2 The reader may see these reflections better expreffed by M,

&c.; and efplydden, very unaccountably, a Pippin.

H

The

The writings of thefe ancient Bards deferve to be explored and published, not merely as fources of poetical and philofophical pleasures, but as ftores of hiftorical information. Their origin is not doubtful, like that of fome venerable works which, we have reafon to fear, were drawn together from fabulous records or vague tradition; these were compofed on recent exploits, and copied immediately from their fubjects, and fent abroad among nations that had acted or feen them. From a diligent investigation and accurate editions of them by learned Welshmen, many important advantages may be promifed to the British hiftory, which, fupplied and improved from these copious fountains, would no longer difguft with incredible fables of giants and magicians, but engage by a defcription of real events and true heroes. For early poetry has in all countries been known to give the fullest and most exact picture of life and manners..

The Druids, in their emigration to Ireland, had not left Britain entirely deftitute of its mufic, which, though no longer communicated by the precepts of that learned order, was perpetuated by practice. It languished indeed for a time, but afterwards grew and flourished in Wales with the other furviving arts of Britain.

"It seems to have been a prerogative peculiar to the ancient Kings of Britain, to prefide in the Eisteddvnd, or Congress of the Bards. Accordingly we find a curious circumftance mentioned in Dr. John David Rhys's Grammar, which happened about the middle of the feventh century: King Cadwaladr fat in an Eisteddvod, affembled for the purpose of regulating the Bards, taking into confideration their productions and performance, and giving new laws to Mufic and Poetry 3. A Bard, who played on the harp in the prefence of this illuftrious affembly in a key called Is-gywair, ar y Bragod Dannau, which difpleafed them much, and was cenfured for the inharmonious effect he produced, because that was of the found of Pibau Morvydd, (i.e. "Caniad Pibau Morvydd, fydd ar y Bragod gywair;" the fong of Morvydh's pipes, is in the minor key.) It was then ordered, under great penalties, whenever he came before perfons fkilful in the art, to adopt that of Mwynen Gwynedd, the pleafing melody of North Wales; which the royal affociates firft gave out, and preferred. They even decreed, that none could fing with true harmony, but with Mwynen Gwynedd, because that was in a key which confifted of notes that form perfect concords, and the other was of a mixed nature: of which fuperiority we have examples in the following tunes; Caniad Ceffyliwr, Caniad o Vawrwyrthiau, Caniad Feuan ab y Góv, Caniad Anrheg Dewi, Caniad Cydwgi, Caniad Einion Delyniwr, Caniad Crych ar y Carfi, and many others."

To this period may be referred, not without probability, those great but obfcure characters in Welsh mufic, Ithel, Iorwerth, and yr Athro Vêdd, and the Keys, and Chromatic Notes by them invented, and still diftinguished by their names, in ancient manuscripts.

About the middle of the ninth century, Roderic the Great, King of all Wales, revised some of the old British laws, and appointed new 5. He ordained that all ftrong holds, caftles, and citadels, fhould be fortified and kept in repair; that the Churches and Religious Houses fhould be re-edified and adorned; and that in all ages, the Hiftory of Britain (being faithfully registered) fhould be kept therein ".

Caradoc of Llancarvan collected the Acts and Succeffions of the British Princes from Cadwalader to the year 1156. Of his collections there were feveral copies kept in the Abbies of Conway in Caernarvonshire, and at Strata Florida, or 'Stratflur in Cardiganfhire; which received additions as things fell our, when the Bards belonging to thofe Abbies went their ordinary vifitation (called Cléra,) from the one to the other. They contained in them, befides, fuch other occurrences that happened within the Inle of Britain as were thought worthy of recording. This courfe continued in thofe Abbies until the year 1270, which was a little before the death of the laft Prince Llewelyn, who was flain at Buellt1.

3 Cambro-Britannica Cymraece Lingua Inftitutiones, by Dr. John David Rhys, p. 303. Alfo Grammadeg Cymraeg. By John Rhydderch. 12mo, printed at Shrewsbury, 1728, p. 177.

From King Cadwaladr's time the old British books, called Brut y Saifon, and Brut y Tywysogion, began their account; afterwards commanded to be continued and preserved in monafteries by Prince Roderic the Great.

4 Mr. Lewis Moris, in one of his MSS. which I have seen, fuppofes that they were Druids.

King Roderic's palace was at Caer Seiont, or Segont, near Caernarvon. Alfo, there was a town called Caer Sion, which ftood on the top of a hill, north of Conway. This was the feat of Gwalch Gorfedd, where Maelgun (or, as others fay, his father Cafallon,) went to judge between the poets and musicians. He lived at Diganwy, in Rhôs, or Creuddyn, and caufed the poets and harpers to iwim the river Conway. The harpers inftruments were spoiled; therefore the poets, whofe tools could not be damaged, carried

the day.

Jorwerth Beli, to the Bishop of Bangor, A. D. 1240. A Defcription of Wales, by Sir John Prife, published by Thomas Ellis, with Mr. Robert Vaughan of Hengurt's notes, printed A. D. 1663, 4to. p. 41. Only 128 pages were published of it: it is the beft history of Wales extant, as far as it goes. See alfo, Warrington's Hift. of Wales, p. 134, fecond edit. quarto. And, Enderby's Hift. of Wales, p. 274.

7 The Herald Bard, Guttyn Owen, who flourished about the year 1480, wrote the best and most perfect copy of that record. "Prince Gruffudd ab Cyvan, Prince Rhys ab Tudor, and Prince Bleddyn ab Cynvyn, made diligent fearch after the arms, ensigns, and pedigrees, of their ancestors, the nobility and Kings of Britain; what they difcovered by their pains in any papers and records, were afterwards digefted by the Bards, and put into books. And they ordained 5 Royal Tribes, (there being only 3 before,) to whom their pofterity to this day can derive themfelves and alfo 15 Special Tribes, of whom the gentry, elpe

From

1

From the era of Cadwalader, hiftory is obftinately filent concerning the Welsh Mufic till about the year 942; a period illuminated by the laws of King Howel*. In thefe laws we do not find the mufical or poetical establishment of the national Bards; but they contain fuch injunctions refpecting the Court Bard, and the chief Bard of Wales, as in fome measure compenfate for that defect of information. The Bards were in the highest repute, and were fuppofed to be endowed with powers equal to infpiration. I cannot give a stronger idea of the esteem they were in, than by citing from the Welsh laws the account of their rank in the Prince's Court, the various privileges, rewards, and fees, they were entitled to, and the fevere penalties that were enacted to preferve their perfons.

Y Bardd Teulu, the Court Bard, or Laureat Bard, who was in rank the eighth officer of the King's household, received at his appointment a harp, and a whale bone chefs-board from the king, and a gold-ring from the queen. On the fame occafion he prefented a gold-ring to the judge of the palace. He held his land free. The king furnished him with a horse, and fuch wearing apparel as were of woollen; and the queen with linen. On the three great festivals of Christmas, Eafter, and Whitfuntide, he fat at the prince's table next to the comptroller of the houfhold; and publicly received from the hands of that officer the harp on which he performed and was entitled at thofe feftivals to have the Difiain, or comptroller of the houfhold's garment for his fee. If the Bard defired any favour of the king, he was to play one of his own compofitions; if of a nobleman, three; if of a plebeian, 'till he set him to fleep. Whoever flightly injured the Bard, was fined fix cows and CXX pence. The murderer of a Bard, was fined CXXVI cows. His heriot money was one pound, (i. e. mortuary for the dead.) Gobr Merch, or the marriage fine of his daughter, was CXX pence. Her Cowyll, or nuptial prefent, was one pound and CXX pence. Her Egweddi, or dowry, was three pounds. When he went with other Bards upon his Clére, or mufical peregrination, he was entitled to a double fee. If the queen defired to have mufic, when fhe retired from the hall, he was to accompany his harp in three fongs, but in a low voice, that the court might not be diverted from their avocations. He accompanied the army when it marched into an enemy's country; and while it was preparing for battle, or dividing the fpoils, he performed an ancient fong, called Unbeniaeth Prydain, the Monarchal Song of Britain

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and for this fervice, when the prince had received his fhare of the fpoils, was rewarded with the most valuable beaft that remained 9.

r Pencerdd, or chief Bard of the District, was the tenth officer in rank. When he appeared at the Court of the Welsh princes, he fat next to the judge of the palace: none but himself and the Court Bard was allowed to perform in the prefence of the prince. When the prince defired to hear mufic, the chief Bard fang to his harp two poems; one in praise of the Almighty, and the other concerning kings and their heroic exploits after which a third poem was performed by the Court Bard. He obtained his pre-eminence by a musical and poetical conteft, which was decided by the judge of the palace, who received on this occafion from the successful candidate, as an honorary fee, a bugle-horn, a gold-ring, and a cushion for his chair of dignity. His mufical rights and authority were not subject to the controul of the prince, and his privilege of protection lafted from the beginning of the first fong in the hall of the palace, to the conclu

cially of North Wales, are for the most part defcended. And in our books we have mention of the Tribe of the Marches, &c. belides other Tribes called Gwehelyth and Gwehelaethau." British Antiquities Revived, by Robert Vaughan, Efq. printed A. D. 1662,

quarto, p. 44.

In the beginning of the reign of Edward the Third, the Welfh Monks were removed to English Abbies, and replaced by Englifh Monks. Dugdale's Monafticon.

* See Silas Taylor, on Gavel-kind, p. 97.

See Cyfreithieu Hywel Dda ac Eraill, or Leges Wallica, tranflated in Latin by Dr. Wotton and Mr. Mofes Williams; and published with a learned preface by Mr. Clarke. Folio. London, 1730, p. 35, &c. And, Pennant's Tour in Wales, Vol. I. 9 "Dr. Wotton, the learned editor of Howel's Laws, in a note on this paffage, p. 36; conjectures that the title and subject only were prefcribed, and that the choice and compofition of the Poetry was left to the Bard. The Welsh, fays he, always preferved a tradition, that the whole ifland had once been poffeffed by their ancestors, who were driven into a corner of it by their

Saxon invaders. When they ravaged the English: borders, they
dignified their incurfions with the pretext of recovering their
hereditary rights. Their Bards therefore entertained them with
defcriptions and praises of the fplendor and courage with which
the monarchy of Britain was maintained by its ancient heroes,
and infpired them with an ardour of emulating their glorious ex-
ample. If any thing can be added to the conjectures of fo difcern-
ing a critic as Dr. Wotton, it is, that probably an excellent old
poem, called Unbeniaeth Prydain, was conftantly recited in the
field, and accompanied by a tune of the fame antiquity, till, by
a long interval of peace, or fome other accident, they were both
forgotten, and that afterwards the Bards fupplied what had been
lott from their own inventions." Tranflated Specimens of Welb
Poetry, in English verfe. 1782, p. 33.

But heed, ye Bards, that for the fign of onfet
Ye found the ancienteft of all your rhymes,
Whofe birth tradition notes not, nor who fram'd
Its lofty ftrains."

Mafon's Caractacus.

fion

fion of the laft. He had his land free. Every young mufician within the district, when he laid aside his Telyn rawn, or hair-stringed harp, and became a graduate in the art, paid him a fine of XXIIII pence. Every woman upon her first marriage paid him XXIIII pence. The marriage fine of his daughter was CXX pence. His heriot money was CXX pence. The recompenfe for an affront given him, was fix cows and CXX pence. The compenfation, or penalty upon whomfoever flew him, was CXXVI cows". But what remains to be faid of the manner of his election, and the nature of his office, I muft defer, till the institutes of Prince Gruffudd ab Cynan enable me to speak more largely, and with greater certainty, of this dignified perfon.

In these conftitutions we discover the firft account of the Clera 2, or triennial circuit of the Bards, as we before traced the origin of the Eisteddvod, their triennial affembly, in the annals of Cadwaladr. We likewise find that a vaffal by the practice of Poetry and Mufic, which he could not adopt without the permiffion of his lord or prince, acquired the privileges of a freeman, and an honourable rank in fociety". Nothing can difplay more forcibly the estimation and influence which the Bards enjoyed at this early period, than their remarkable prerogative of petitioning for prefents by occafional poems. This cuftom they afterwards carried to fuch an excefs, and fuch refpect was conftantly paid to their requests, that in the time of Gruffudd ab Cynan, it became neceffary to controul them by a law, which reftrained them from asking for the prince's Horfe, Hawk, or Greyhound, or any other poffeffion beyond a certain price, or that was particularly valued by the owner, or could not be replaced. Many poems of the fucceeding centuries are now extant, written to obtain a horse, a bull, a fword, a rich garment, &c.

It appears that Mufic and Poetry were infeparably united in the fame person, in the reign of Howel: nor is it clear at what period they were divided, till the time of Gruffudd ab Cynan. Milton, elegantly fays:

Bleft pair of Syrens, pledges of Heaven's joy,
Sphere-born harmonious fifters, voice and verfe,

Wed your divine founds, and mix'd pow'r employ !

About the year 1070, Bleddyn ab Cynvyn, Prince of North Wales, the author of another code of Welsh Laws, established some regulations refpecting the mufical Bards ", and revised and enforced those which were already made.

About the year 1100, the great Prince Gruffudd ab Cynan invited to Wales fome of the best musicians of Ireland "; and being partial to the mufic of that ifland, where he was born, and observing with displeasure the disorders and abuses of the Welsh Bards, created a body of inftitutes for the amendment of their manners, and the correction of their art and practice ". Accordingly I find in an old MS. of Welsh Mufic ", in the library of the Welih fchool, a curious account of fo remarkable a

10 Leges Wallicae, p. 68, &c.

11 Leges Wallicae, or Howel's Laws, p. 68, &c. We find the fame refpect paid to the musicians, in other conftitutions. "Who ever fhall strike a harper, who can harp in a public affembly, fhall compound with him by a compenfation of four times more than for any other man of the fame condition." Leg. Ripuariorum et Wefinorum. Lindenbroc. Cod. LL. Antiq. Wifigoth. &c. A. D. 1613. Tit. 5. § ult.

12 Howel's Laws, p. 37. § II, 12.
13 Howel's Laws, p. 307. 31ft Triad.
14 Howel's Laws, p. 37. § 12.

Llewelyn's Bard had fuch a high opinion of his prince's generofity, that he exclaims,

Were I to afk my prince a boon, "Even if it were the full-orb'd moon, "He'd give it prince of gen'rous foul! "He'd give his faithful Bard the whole!

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15 Dr. Rhys's Grammatical Inftitutes of the Welsh Language, p. 295.

16 Dr. Powel, in his notes on Caradoc, informs us, that either our Mulic came hither with Prince Gruffudd's Irish musicians, or was compofed by them afterwards. Mr. Wynne, the other editor of Caradoc's Hiftory, miftaking this paffage in Dr. Powel, and not diftinguishing inftrumental mulic from mufical inftruments, hath mifled his readers by afferting that the Harp and Crwth came from Ireland. See Wynne's Hiftory of Wales. edit. 1774, p. 159. Further information may be teen in the next page.

It is recorded, in the life of Prince Gruffudd ab Cynan, that Cellan, Pencerdd Telyn, his chief musician of the Harp, fell in a battle which was fought in Anglefey between the invading Nor

revo

mans and Saxons, against Gruffudd ab Cynan. We might perhaps have been convinced of Cellan's great abilities in the arts, had he lived, and alfo of the beauty of his eloquence, as he could have defcribed the brave exploits and warlike atchievements of his Prince, for which his fame was fignalized in Wales, Ireland, the Danish lands, and among other nations. AMS Hiftory of Prince Gruffudd ab Cynan.

17 Ibid. Alfo Powel's Hiftory of Wales, p. 115 and 191. Clarke's Preface to the Welf Laws, p. 25. and Rhydderch's Welsh Grammar, p. 177, &c.

18"Some part of this MS. according to a memorandum which I found in it, was tranfcribed in the time of Charles the First, by Robert ap Huw of Bodwigen, in the ile of Anglefey, from William Penllyn's book." Dr. Burney's Hiftory of Mulic; vol. II. p. 110. William Penllyn is recorded among the fuccefsful candidates on the harp, at an Eifteddvod at Caerwys, in 1568, where he was elected one of the chief Bards and Teachers of inftrumental fong. Pennant's Tour in North Wales, printed 1778, p. 438. This MS. Dr. Burney informs me,"contains pieces for the harp that are in full harmony or counterpoint: they are written in a peculiar notation, and supposed to be as old as the year 1100 at least. Such is the known antiquity of many of the fongs mentioned in the collection." Hiftory of Mufic, ibid. The 24 meafures of Mufic are here annexed from the MS. in the original Welth, for the purpofe of afhiting future enquiries, and fhewing, by the variety of its technical terms, what perfection the art had formerly acquired. As they have never been explained, I forbear attempting a tranflation, from apprehenfion of mistake, and mifleading the reader.

Alfarch

——

revolution, beginning with these words: Here follow the four-and-twenty measures of inftrumental Music, all conformable to the laws of harmony, as they were fettled in a congrefs by many Profeffors, skilful in that science, Welsh and Irish, in the reign of Gruffyd ab Cynan, and written in books by order of both parties, princely and principally, and thence copied, &c'.

This grand reformation of the Bards was effected by dividing them into claffes, and affigning to each class a distinct profeffion and employment. We have hitherto viewed them in a very various and extenfive sphere. It was their office to applaud the living and record the dead: they were required to poffefs learning and genius, a skill in pedigrees, an acquaintance with the laws and metres of poetry, a knowledge of harmony, a fine voice, and the command of an inftrument. This diverfity of character is well expreffed by Drayton, in the fixth song of his Polyolbion :

"Mufician, Herald, Bard, thrice may'st thou be renown'd,
"And with three feveral wreaths immortally be crown'd!"

Such variety of excellence was unattainable by human capacity. The Bards were now therefore diftributed into three grand orders, of Poets, Heralds, and Muficians; each of which again branched into fubordinate diftinctions.

Neither of these orders or diftinctions was any longer compatible with thofe with which it had been connected, or with any other profeffion.

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According to a more minute arrangement, there were of regular Bards, proceeding to degrees in the Eifteddvod, fix claffes: three of Poets, and three of Muficians.

The first clafs of the Poets confifted of hiftorical or antiquarian Bards, who fometimes mixed prophecy with their infpiration: they were alfo critics and teachers and to them belonged the praise of virtue and the cenfure of vice. It was their duty to celebrate the gifts of fancy and poetry. Of them it was required to address married women without the air of gallantry, and the clergy in a ferious ftrain fuitably to their function, to satirife without indecency, and without lampooning to aniwer and overthrow the lampoons of the inferior Bards.

The second class was formed of domestic or parenetic Bards 3, who lived in the houfes of the great, to celebrate their exploits and amiable qualities: they fung the praises of generofity, contentment, domeftic

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Mac y mw'n bir.

Cor-finiwr.
Cors goloff.
Rhiniart.
Cor-Aldan.

Trefi beli.
Wnfach.

Cordia tytlach.

Cor-Vinvain.
Cor Wrgog.
Carfi.

Brath yn ysgol.

Fflam gur Gurgan.

Mac y mon byrr.
Calchan.

Brut Odidog.

Tru/gwl Mawr.
Tuy Bách.

Mac y mwynvaen.
Toddyv.
Hatyr.
Macy Delgi.
Yr Alban Hyvaidd.
Alvarch.

In the fame MS. are preferved the five principal Keys of Welsh
Mufic, established by the fame authority.

Is gywair, the Low Key, or Key of C.

Cras gywair, the Sharp Key, or A.

Lleddo gwair, the oblique Flat Key, or F.

Go gywair, the third above the Key-note is flat.
Bragod gywair, the Mixt, or Minor Key.

A manufcript, belonging to Sir Watkin William Wynne, contains fome curious information refpecting the Welth Mulic; which I have given here, literally tranflated.

Cerdd Dannau.

"This Book is called the Prefervation of Inftrumental Mufic; that is to fay, the Harp, and Cwrth, within the three provinces of Cambria; formed of the fcience of Mufic, through the knowledge and invention of a Doctor of Mufic, affifted by four chief profeffors of the Harp, and Crwth; and the good will and

happiness,

ability of each being confonant to one another towards forming the fong, to preserve it in memory, to perform, and to explain it with correctnefs. The names of the four chief musicians were, Alban ab Cynan, Rhydderch the Bald, Matholwch the Gwythelian, and Alav the Song fter. The audience were Henry Redback, Carfi the Harper, and many others, affifting with their advice and scientific knowledge. And by the couniel of thofe learned men, the skill of the Doctor of Mufic, and the four profeffors of the art, and by the unanimous agreement of all, were made the twenty-four meafures; and to give ftability to those, the twenty four canons were formed. They were made for three reasons: the first, for compofing a piece; the second, for knowing the merits of it; and the third, for preferving it in memory; as their names follow farther on, in the Welsh and Hibernian language. And Marchan the Gwyddelian was Lord of Ireland at that time; by whom they were confirmed in the place called Glyn-Achlach, through his power and offices; and he further decreed, that every person should fupport them."

That was about the year 1096, when Gruffyd ab Cynan, and Cadogan ab Bleddyn, were retreated to Ireland: Hugh, Earl of Chester, and Orven ab Edwyn, having taken poffeffion of their lands, and of the Ifle of Anglesey.

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