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The Tablature of the Iolo Morganwg Manuscript (British Library, MS Add. 14970) PAUL WHITTAKER 1 Introduction Lbl MS Add. 14970, also known as the Iolo Morganwg manuscript, is a compilation of harp tablature and medieval Welsh poetry in the hand of Edward Williams, better known as Iolo Morganwg (1747- 1826). According to a note on the first folio, the manuscript was copied by Williams in 1800 from books belonging to Rhys Jones of Y Blaenau, Llanfachreth, in Meirioneth (1718-1801), who was known primarily as a poet and editor rather than as a musician.1 Williams's manuscript was presented to the British Museum by the Cymmrodorion Society in 1844. The harp tablature section with which I am concerned here extends from fos. 3r to 8r: a printed ver- sion appears in The Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales.2 The source which Edward Williams used as his exemplar has since been lost, and his own transcription is incomplete: it begins with the twelfth cainc of 'Cwlwm is gywair',3 and ends with the first section of a piece headed 'Medle', which is known from other sources to have consisted of several sections. In all, he copied four pieces, of which only two are complete: Folio 3r 'Cwlwm is gywair' (ceinciau 12-15 only) 3v-5r 'Cwlwm bach ar y go gywair' 5r-7r 'Yr hen gwlwm ar y go gywair' 7v-8r 'Medle' (first section only) By comparison with the Robert ap Huw manuscript, the musical content of Lbl MS Add. 14970 (hereafter referred to as the Iolo manuscript) has been unjustly neglected. This arises in part from Edward Williams's poor reputation as a rigorous scholar, despite his efforts to foster Welsh literary and musical culture through the copying and publication of early manuscripts (particularly as part of