Part 18

{47c} Cywryd. This Bard is not mentioned either by Mr. Davies or Mr. Edward Llwyd, in their catalogues of British writers. It seems he flourished in the sixth century, as did all the ancient British Bards we have now extant. Here let me obviate what may be objected to me as mentioning so many facts, and persons who lived in the sixth century, within the course of this performance. It was the last period our kings fought with any success against the Saxons, and it was natural, therefore, for the Bards of those times, to record such gallant acts of their princes, and for their successors to transmit them to posterity. Every person, though but slightly versed in the British history of that time, knows that Cadwaladr was the last king of Britain. Since his time there are no works of the Bards extant till after the conquest, as I have shewed in my Dissertatio de Bardis.

{47d} Dunawd, the son of Pabo Post Prydain, one of the heroes of the sixth century, who fought valiantly with the Saxons.

{48a} Afan Ferddig, was the Bard of the famous Cadwallon, son of Cadfan king of Britain. I have got a fragment of a poem of his composition on the death of his patron Cadwallon; and as far as I understand it, it is a noble piece, but very obscure on account of its great antiquity; as are the works of all the Bards who wrote about this time. It is as difficult a task, for a modern Welshman to endeavour to understand those venerable remains, as for a young scholar just entered upon the study of the Greek language to attack Lycophron or Pindar, without the help of a dictionary or scholiast. How Mr. Macpherson has been able to translate the Erse used in the time of Ossian, who lived a whole century at least before the earliest British Bard now extant, I cannot comprehend. I wish some of those that are well versed in the Erse or Irish language, would be so kind to the public, as to clear these matters; for I can hardly believe that the Erse language hath been better preserved than the British.

{48b} Cadwallon, the son of Cadfan, the most victorious king of Britain, fought many battles with the Saxons; and, among the rest, that celebrated one of Meugen, in which he slew Edward king of Mercia, where the men of Powys behaved themselves with distinguished bravery; and had from thence several privileges granted them by that brave prince. These privileges are mentioned by Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr, a Powysian Bard, in a poem entitled "Breintiau Gwyr Powys," or the Privileges of the men of Powys, which is in my custody.

{48c} Mon, the Mona of the Latins, called by the English Anglesea, in which, at a place called Aberffraw, was the palace of the princes of North Wales. The Bard seems here to hint at the loss of Llewelyn-ap-Griffydd, the last prince of Wales of the British line.

{48d} Arfon, the country now called Carnarvonshire.

{48e} Rheon, the name of a river in Carnarvonshire, often mentioned by the Bards; but it must have altered its name since, for I do not recollect any such river which bears that name at present.

{60a} P. 213. H. Steph. Edit. 1559.

{60b} P. 246. D.

{61} Footnote mark in book, but no corresponding footnote, unless it's a mix-up with the one on page 60.--DP.

{66} Fortasse, "Vindictam in Deirorum populum," &c.

{68} Quid sibi vult hic Bardus non mihi constat.

{69} Sc. cruore fuso.

{73} "Qui Harpatorem in manum percusserit, componat ilium quarts parte majori compositione quam alteri ejusdem conditionis homini." Inter Legg. Ripuariorum et Wesinorum a Lindenbrochio collectas--Unde patet quanto in honore apud exteros etiam Bardus et Harpator (idem enim pleruuque fuit munus) habitus esset. Praeter harpam aliud instrumenti genus sibi peculiare Norwallenses vindicant, quod _Crwth_ vocant--Hinc verbum Anglicum _Crowdero_ apud Hudibrastum pro _Fiddler_, _or Player upon the Violin_, ad quod _Crwth_ principium dedisse videtur. Hoc instrumenti genus fere in desuetudinem abiit, et _violino_ cessit.--Ex sex chordis felinis constat, nec eodem modo quo _violinum_ modulatur, quamvis a figura haud multum abludat: in Sudwallia peintus ignoratur:

"Romanusque Lyra plaudat tibi, Barbarus Harpa, Graecus Achilliaca, _Crotta Britanna_ canat."

VENANTIUS. Lib. 7. Carm. 8.

{74} Vid. PRYNNE'S Coll. of Records, Vol. III. p. 1214.

{77} _Dygen Freiddin_, hodie _Craig Freiddin_, est rupes alta et praerupta in agr. _Salopiensi_, non procul a _Sabrina_.

{79} Quaenam sit haec avis mihi non constat.

{80} Potus genus apud veteres Britannos.