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48

POETIC CONTENTION, OR EXTEMPORE VERSES ON THE NIGHTINGALE.

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Robt. Gruffudd ab Ieuan.

Tor coedallt ag adail:

Gan natur yn bur heb werth-Eofgyw

Clywch gywydd cloch y gwiail,

Crechwen tad Awen ty dail!

Y dyfgaift yn brydverth;

Duw mydvawr yw dy 'madverth,

Can i Dduw pur, cynnydd perth.

Defgan gloyw organ eglurgerdd-oflev
Eoflais drebl angerdd:

Priv lwyfgan per velysgerdd,

Perogl fain camp prics'wn cerdd!

Bartholomew Jones.

Will. Lijn.

Eiliad mawl ganiad mêl gwenyn-iawnllwydd

Mal arianllais telyn:

Arian gloch ar enau glyn,

Is coedallt Eos Cedwyn !

Blaengar fwn claiar clywais-gwin awen,
Gan Eos velyЛlais;

Bryd ole' baradwyflais,

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Berw o goed lwyn bragod lais !

Huw Llyn.

A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE MUSICIANS, AND COMPOSERS OF WALES,

AND THE TIME WHEREIN THEY FLOURISHED.

See alfo pages 26. 29. 35. and 38. and p. 13, 14, 15, and 16.

Th' old British Bards, upon their Harps,

For falling flats, and rifing fharps,

That curiously were ftrung;

Toftir their Youth to warlike rage,

Or their wild fury to affuage,
In their loose numbers fung.

Gwalchmai ab Meilir, of Anglefey, a Harper and Poet. He went with Richard the First to the Holy War, and flourished about the year 1180. MS.

Jeffrey, Harper to the Benedictine Abbey of Hide near Winchester, about the year 1 180, in the reign of Henry the Ild. See Madox's Hift. of the Exch. p. 251.

Richard, Harper to King Henry the Third. It appears by a pipe-roll, ann. 36 of Henry III. that Richard the Harper was allowed a pipe of wine, and also a pipe of wine for Beatrice his wife. Hawkins's Hift. vol. IV. p. 14.

Rhys ab Tudor, a noted Harper of Anglesey, about
1380. See his Elegy in Davydd ab Gwilym's Works,
P. 474.

Balchnoe, a noted compofer of facred mufic,
Mentioned by Davydd ab Gwilym.

Tudur Gôch, a celebrated Mufician. Mentioned
by Davydd ab Gwilym.

Reinallt, Harper, of Dôlgelly, who contended for the laurel with Sión Eos, about the year 1450. See p.45.

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Eu Telyn a'u bardd teulu. --
William Moore, and Bernard de Ponte, Harpers to
King Edward the IVth, about A. D. 1465. Haw-
kins's Hift. vol. III. p. 480.

Lewis ab Howel Gwyn, Harper, about A. D. 1479.
Davydd, váb Howel divai,
Grythor ai ragor ar rai.
Lewis duliw lwys delyn,

Apla gur ab Howel Gwyn.

Edward Chirk, Bard of the Harp, who obtained the jewel of the British Olympics, about A. D. 1480.

Davydd ab Gwilym, Pencerdd Telyn, Doctor of Mufic, or chief profeffor of the Harp, about 1480. Dai Llwyd, of Cwm Bychan, in Meirionyddshire, Harper, and Warrior, about 1480. There is a cele

brated

brated Welsh tune, called Ffarwel Dai Llwyd, } which was composed on his departure from Wales, when he went with Jafper Tudor, and Owen Lawgóch to the battle of Bofworth Field.

Ieuan Delynior, flourished about 1480.

Gwilym Whifgin, a performer on the Cruth to the Abbot of Llan Egweftl Abbey, in Denbighshire, about the year 1500.,

John Gwynedd, (of North Wales,) a fecular priest, Doctor of Mufic, and compofer for the Church; flourished about 1530.

Rhydderch Deuwaidd, Harper of Coity, in Glamorganfhire, 1540.

Shôn Trevor, of Trev alyn, Harper, ab'. A.D.1560.

The following perfons were graduated profeffors, or chief Musicians of the Harp, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, about the year 1568. Chief Bards, and Teachers Siónab Rhys Bencerdd, William Penllyn, of inftrumental fong*. Hwlcyn Llwyd.

Probationary Stu- (Thomas Anwyl,

dents, (but not Dd. Llwyd ab Siôn ab Rhys,

teachers) of

inftrumental

fong.

Edward ab Evan,

Robert ab Howel Llanvor,

Humphrey Gôch,

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Humphrey Wynn, Harper of Ynys y Maengwyn, Meirionethfhire, 1580.

Thomas Anwyl, Telynior, 1580:

In the establishment of Queen Elizabeth, there were two Harpers, two Lutifts, befides Minstrels Peck's Defiderata Curiofa, p. 225.

At St. Donat's Caftle, Glamorganfhire, there is a picture of Sir Edward Stradling's Harper, who lived in the reign of Elizabeth.

Jones, Mufician to Henry Prince of Wales, about 1604.

John Caerwarden, Violift and Composer to King Charles the First, in 1630.

Robert Jones, an eminent Composer of Mufic, and performer on the Lute, about 1609. William Llwyd, Pencerdd, of Llangedwyn. John Dygon, Bachelor of Mufic, A. D.

1512,

And the following were the chief profeffors of the who was elected Abbot of St. Austin's, in Canter

Crwth; or

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An Englyn on Rhys Crythor, of Hiraethog, who flourished about 1580.

«The east part of the parish of Bód-varry, in Flintshire, dwelleth Howel, a gentleman, that by ancient accuftom was wont to give the badge of the Silver Harp to the beft Harper of North Wales, as by privilege of his ancestors. He lives at Penrhyn, and hath alfo a ruinous caftle, called Caftell Iolo, or Eulo, near Hawarden." Leland's Itinerary, vol. V. p. 56.

See further account of the Congrefs of the Bards in Pennant's Tour in Wales, vol. I. p. 467, &c.

Francis Pilkington, a Lutift of Chefter, and Author of the firft Book of Songs or Airs, of four parts, with Tablature for the Orpharion, &c. fol. 1605.

Daniel, compofer of Songs for the Lute, Viol, and Voice, folio, 1606; fuppofed to be the Brother of Samuel Daniel, the Poet Laureat and Hiftorian, and the publisher of his works in 1623.

Hugh Davies, Bachelor of Mufic, and Organift of Hereford Cathedral, celebrated for his skill in Church Mufic, about 1625.

Two Englyn in praife of Robert Maelor, the noted Harper who flourished about 1689.

bury, about 1497.

Elwy Bevan,one of the first compofers of Canons, flourished in 1631.

Peter Phillips, (or Pietro Phillippi) composer of` Melodia Olympica, &c. 1699.

Robert Davies; and Morgan Grúg; these two laft compofers are mentioned by Morley, in his introduc tion on Mufic, p. 51.

Dicky Jones, a famous Mufician, and tutor to Mr. Festing, and leader at Drury-Lane Theatre, ab'. 1730. For the musicians after this period, fee note'.

Maelor gerdd Bencerdd bynciau, urddedig

Ar ddidwyll vefurau ;
Mwyn ganiad tyniad tannau,
Mwyn a gwych y mae 'n i gwau.

Mewn cyvedd mawredd o 'maros, y cair
Cywrain wawd o'i achos;
Mwynyn ar y Delyn dlês,
Maelor yw mal yr ëos !

Will. Byrchinfbaw.

Edward Kyffin.

An

Evan Mailan, Harper to Queen Anne, and performer in the Choir of Westminster Abbey, about 1706.

Griffith Evan, Harper to Thomas Powel, Efq. of Nant éos, Cardiganfhire, where his portrait ftill remains; It is written upon it, that he played 69 Chriftmaffes at Nant-êos, and aged 80, Flourished about A. D. 1700.

Elis Eos is fpoken of by old people as a wonderful performer on the Welsh harp. There are ftill verfes remembered of his having charmed the queen with his playing, (probably Queen Mary.)

Richard Elias, who came after Elis Eos, was the best player of his time, 'till Elis Sion Siamas, who was a younger perfon, furpaffed

-50

A COMMEMORATION of TWENTY-ONE MUSICIANS AND POETS. An Elegy in commemoration of twenty-one Muficians, and Poets; and foretelling the decline of Mufic, and Poetry in Wales. Written by Sión Tudur, of Wicwair, in Denbighshire, who flourished about the year 1580.2 viz.

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Some of thefe Bards took their degrees, and contended for the Oak-wreath of Fame, at the Seffion of the Bards, held at Caerwys in the ninth year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth.

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Ac Angau drwy ing a droes,
Lladronaidd yw lleidr einioes,

furpassed him, which Richard Elias took fo much to heart, that he did not long furvive after he heard fome verfes fung, extolling Elis Sión Siamas, a fragment of which is as follows:

Mae Elis Siôn Siamas,

Yn amgenach i Bwrpas,

Na Richard Elias o lawer.

Elis Sion Siamas, a famous Harper of Llanvachreth in Meirionethfhire. Some fay that he was Harper to Queen Anne. He was fo much capacitated over the common muficians, that Robert Edward Lewis, a noted poet of his time, compofed the following pennill upon him.

Parch yw vy mbwrpas, i Elis Siôn Siamas,

Telyniwr mawr urddas dda vwynwas hÿd vêdd;
Pen miwfic holl Gymru, am gweirio ac am ganu,
Ve ddarvu i Dduw rannu iddo Rinwedd.

"There were two perfons of the name of Powell, father and fon, who played finely on the Harp. The elder was patronized by the duke of Portland, and when that nobleman was appointed Governor of Jamaica, went with him thither. The younger stayed in England; and Mr. Handel being defirous to make him known, compofed for him a leffon, which is the fifth organ concerto of the first fet, and introduced him in three or four of his oratorios, where there are accompaniments for the Harp, fee p. 52. Besides the Powels, there was at the fame time in London a performer on the Harp, who merits to be had in remembrance. His name was Jones, a Welshman, and blind. The old Dutchefs of Marlborough would have retained him with a penfion : but he would not endure confinement, and was engaged by one Evans, who kept a home-brewed alehoufe of great refort, the fign of the Hercules Pillars, oppofite Clifford's-Inn Paffage, in Fleet-Street, and performed in the great room upftairs during the winter feafon. He played extempore volun-. taries, the fugues in the fonatas, and concertos of Corelli, as alfo

moft of his folos, and many of Mr. Handel's opera fongs, with
exquifite neatnefs and elegance. He alfo played on the violin ;
and on that inftrument imitated fo exactly the irregular intona-
tion, mixed with fobs and paufes, of a Quaker's fermon, that
none could hear him and refrain from immoderate laughter.
Jones died about the year 1738, and was buried in Lambeth
Church-yard; and his funeral, which was celebrated with a
dead march, was attended by a great number of the mufical
people." Hawkins's Hiftory of Mufic. vol. V. p. 357.
Claudius Philips, the Harper, died about 30 years ago, whofe
fame is recorded by Dr. Johnson, in the following epitaph:

Phillips whofe touch harmonious could remove
The pangs of guilty power, or hapless love,
Reft here! opprefs'd by poverty no more,
Here find that calm thou gav'ft so oft before:

Wicked Death, that wily robber of lives, brought distress upon us the ruthlefs churl fnatched away a Sleep undisturb'd within this humble fhrine, Till angels wake thee with a note like thine!

Harry Parry, of Caernavonfhire, who lived about the beginning of this century, was the most celebrated Harper of his time. There is an anecdote told of him, when he was on a mufical excurfion at Liverpool, where he was extremely well received, and from thence was going to Manchester; that fome gentleman wrote a letter of recommendation to fend by him, which was in the following laconic manner: Do but hear him?

Evan Edwards, of Creigiau 'r Bleiddiau, was a natural genius, and a fweet player on the Harp. He died in June 1766, and in the 32d year of his age. His epitaph I have copied from his tomb in Cerrig Drudion Church yard, Denbighfhire, which is as follows:

Dy goffa vydd dryma dro, gan vonedd
Dy vyned i'r amdo;

Am ganiad mae trwm gwyno,

Gan gri dy vyned i'r gro.

Dy vwynder dyner dannau, oeed velus

I viloedd o'glufdian:

Blith ydoedd dy blethiadau,

Ymhob cwr a phirion ceu.―――――

Hugh Elis, of Trawfvynydd, had fome talent on the Harp, and was efteemed one of the best performers of the national Welsh tunes of his time. He was buried in Town Church-yard Meirionyddfhire, and the infcription on his tomb-ftone is as follows; (and faid to have been written by William Nanney Wynn, Efq. of Maes y Nenadd :)

To the memory of Hugh Elis, Harper, who was drowned in the Dilynni, August 5th, 1774, in the 60th year of his age. The Nymphs of the flood were rutting, plague rot 'em, With the Genius of Mufic when he went to the bottom; Their care and attention would elfe have fupported, Mr. John Parry, of Rhiwabon, who died about 18 years ago, The child of the Harp, whom the Mufes all courted. was Harper to the late Sir Watkyn Williams Wynne, and to his father. There was a mufical conteft on the Harp, between Mr. Parry, and Hugh Shôn Prys, of Llandder vel, and Foulk Jones, the Trumpeter, was appointed to be the judge; in which Parry proved victor. Parry and van Williams the Harper, jointly publifhed the firft Book of Welsh tunes; but the original melodies are very much mutilated.

This Evan Williams accompanied the pfalms on the Harp, as a fubftitute for an organ, in fome fmall Church in London. The moft diftinguished performers of the prefent day, on the Triple Harp, or Welth Harp, are Thomas Jones, Efq. late of Richmond, and native of Corwen, Meirionydd; and Sackville

of Glanbrán.

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Dug yr Angau, dig wrengyn,

;

Dylwyth heirdd o'r dalaith hyn.
Cerddorion pob cerdd wrawl,
Cymdeithion mwynion eu mawl
Prydyddion parod addyfg,
Penceirddiaid mwyn blaid o'n myfg;
Telynorion gweifion gwych,
Crythorion croyw-waith hirwych.-
Ple i'r ai dawn pilerau d fg,
Plaid penceirddiaid cywirddyfg?
Dwyn a wnaeth, drwy alaeth drwch,
Duw, vawredd ein divyrwch!
Hwyr weithian am Hiraethawg,
Gamrau rhwydd drwy Gymru'r hawg;
Bu ordd pur-iaith Bardd parawd,
Brwynog yn gyff bren gwin gwawd;
A Lewis, ffriw awchus ffraeth,
Fab Edward vwy wybodaeth.
Torres am Rifiart lorwerth,

Nen bren, goed nen gwawd a'i nerth.
Od aeth hwnt mae'n adwyth hyn,
Duw, dan unclo Dai Nantclyn:
Dug y gwr bu 'n deg ei gán;
Dylai 'n wir Delyn Arian.
Dwyn Ieuan, lân Delyniawr,
Ydyw vwlch ac adwy vawr.
Dai Maenan Duw a' mynedd,
I'r Nev, ar wyl, hyn vu rodd;
Sion ab Rhys heb ei barhau,
Bencerdd Nevawl ei bynciau;
Rhobin yn y gwin a gaid,
Ab Reinallt, Nev bo'r enaid !
Siams a'i grwth, val fiems y grog,
Eutyn daid, dyn godidog.
Siôn ar dant, a fynwr dyn,
Braifg yttoedd vab Rhys Guttyn;
O'i briddaw y mae breuddwyd !
Baroted llaw Robert Llwyd!
Bwrw Ivan, ber avael,
Paun llawen hardd, Penllyn hael.
Sion rhyw lân fynhwyrol oedd,
Ednyved, aed i Nevoedd!
Rifart ab Sion o Vôn vaur,

Hwyl groyw iaith Hywel Grythawr.

Davydd vab Hywel, divai,
Grigor, a'i ragor ar rai.
-Lewys dilwyr keys Delyn,
Apla gur, ab Hywel Gwyn;
Cael a wnaed, wrth ein coel ni,
Colled am Vorgan Celli;

A Thomas, urddas harddwych,

Glyn Gwy, oedd Grythor glán gwych,
Rhobert a ddibarebwyd,

Heb van llefg, ab Ieuan Llwyd ;

lovely company from this country; the performers. on all lively musical instruments, and their comrades, the courteous encomiafts: the skilful poets, and the harmonious chief musicians; the fweet handed Crowthers, and Harpers perfect in their art.

The pillars of learning are gone:

A band of Mafters of Mufic!

God deprived us in a lamentable manner of our moft agreeable diverfion.

Wales will mourn a long time for Griffith Hiraethawg:

John Brwynog, that prompt fupporter of pure language and poetry.

The fmart, eloquent, and knowing Lewis ab Edward.

The growing fund of poetry is fallen by the death of Richard Iorwerth.

It is a great diftrefs that Dai Nantclyn is departed; God took away a melodious musician; indeed he deferved a filver Harp.

The lofs of Evan the Harper is a great breach :

Dai Maenan has his holiday's reward in heaven.

The Pencerdd John ab Rhys, with his divine choruffes, is no more!

Sweet Robin ab Reinallt, God have mercy upon his foul !

Likewife that eminent musician James Eaton, with his chiming Cruth;

And that wife, and brave profeffor of the string, John ab Rhys Guttin.

The interment of the nimble-fingered Robert Llwyd left us in a trance.

The sweet notes of the harp, by that boon of pleasure Evan Penllyn, are loft.

The melodious and neat John Ednyved; may he be in heaven!

Richard ab Shon from famed Anglefey, continuer of the charming founds of Howel Grythawr:

And the tolerably fkilful David ab Howel Grigor.

The pure strains of that proficient's Harp, Lewis ab Howel Gwyn.

Alfo, according to our belief, we fuftain a lofs for Morgan Celli.

And the esteemed, able Crowther, Thomas Glyn Gwy.

The noted, and never-failing Robert ab Evan Llwyd.

Rhobert

52

HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF MUSICIANS, AND POETS.

Rhobert ab Rhŷs wr hybarch,

Rhwydd bunc, mawr yr haeddai barch;

Aeth i'r Nev yn gartrevol,

Ni vynai 'n hwy vyw'n eu hol:

Ev ae yn hawdd o'r van hon,
Gyda mátb gyd y meithion;
Yn llonydd a llaw uniawn ;
Yn lain nod, ac yn lân iawn.
Duw a'i gyrchodd dég orchwyl,
Gydag év, i gadw gwyl.
Yn iach orchest, ni chyrchir.
Eu bath ond hyn byth o'n tir.
Galar i bawb, gwael yw'r byd,
A gwael vydd y Gelvyddyd:
Leilai'r gerdd yn ôl wylaw,
Leilai y ddyfg lwli a ddaw.
Nev i'w 'neidiau vwyn adail

Nawdd Dduw hyn, ni ddaw eu hail ;

Aethant i'w cartrev nevol:

Yno ar hynt awn ar eu hôl.

The deferving and worthy Robert ab Rhys quickly

followed them to the bleffed habitation. He contentedly refigned this world with fuch worthy com. panions, quietly, righteoufly, fpotless, and pure.

It was God's pleasure to fend for thefe men, to hold a feaft with him in heaven.

Adieu skill! no fuch men will be fetched again from our country!

All people may lament; the world is impoverished, the art will now decline!

Mufic and Poetry will fuffer diminution; the fcience will be neglected, and harmony cease!

May their fouls enjoy the heavenly manfion! peace to their manes their like will never be feen again. They are gone to the celeftial abode, let us quickly prepare to follow them.

"There is a curious anecdote recorded of Arnaud Daniel, a Troubadour, who made a voyage into England about the year 1240, where, in the Court of King Henry the Third, he met a Minstrel, who challenged him at difficult rhymes. The challenge was accepted, and a confiderable wager was laid; and the rival Minstrels were shut up in feparate chambers of the palace. The king, who appears to have much interested himself in the difpute, allowed them ten days for compofing, and five more for learning to fing their respective pieces; after which, each was to exhibit his performance in the presence of his majefty. The third day the English Minẞrel announced that he was ready. The Troubadour declared he had not written a line; but that he had tried, and could not as yet put two words together. The following evening he overheard the Minstrel practising his fong to himself. The next day he had the good fortune to hear the fame again, and learned the air and words. At the day appointed they both appeared before the king. Arnaud defired to fing first. The Minstrel, in a fit of the greatest furprize and aftonishment, suddenly cried out This is my fong! The king faid it was impoffible. The Minstrel still infifted upon it; and Arnaud, being clofely preffed, ingenuously told the whole affair. The king was much entertained with this adventure, or dered the wager to be withdrawn, and loaded them with rich presents. But he afterwards obliged Arnaud to give a Chanfon of his own compofition3."

About the end of Queen Elizabeth's reign, flourished Twm Bach, (or Thomas Pritchard,) who was the Orpheus on the Harp at that time. He was born at Coity in Glamorganshire; died (A.D. 1597) in London, and was buried in St. Sepulchre's church. That Poetry fympathized with the fifter Art for the loss, we may be convinced by the following bipartite Englyn, written upon his death, the two first lines by Hugh Griffith, the fequel by Rhys Cain.

Yn iach i Dwm Bach, aeth i'r bedd ;-bellach

E' ballodd Cynghanedd :

Ni wn i'wól, yn un wedd,

A wyr viwfig ar vyfedd.

Ah, fee! our laft, beft harper goes:

Sweet as his ftrain be his repofe !

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Extinct are all the tuneful fires,
And Mufic with Twm Bách expires :

No finger now remains to bring
The tone of rapture from the ftring.

In the reign of George II. Powel, à Welsh Harper, who used to play before that Monarch, drew fuch tones from his inftrument, that the great Handel was delighted with his performance, and compofed for him several pieces of Mufic, fome of which are in the first fet of Handel's Concertos, particularly the fecond, and fixth, which are admirably well calculated for the Harp. He alfo introduced him as a performer in his Oratorios, in which there are fome fongs, Harp obligato, that were accompanied by Powel: fuch as "Praise the Lord with chearful voice," in Efther: "Hark! he ftrikes the golden lyre," in Alexander Balus : and "Fly, malicious fpirit" in Saul, &c.

•· Millot, tom. II. p. 491. and Warton's English Poetry,, vol. II. p. 235. AM S. of Englynion in the library of Jefus College, Oxford.

II

Having

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