Welsh Journals

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, 1879. THE CAMBRIAN REMEMBRANCER. 107 took the name of Stuart. Nest was afterwards married to Trahaern ab Caradoc, Prince of North Wales. H. Llwyd, The Old Bards.—How is it that we so seldom meet with striking pieces, such as the following in the productions of our modern bards? See how Gruffydd ab leuan ab Llewelyn Fychan addressed St. Cynhafal, in the year 1500! " Dy genad wna gnawd yn iach, Cynhafal! cwynai'n hyfach; Dod ddau bwnc, dedwydd eu bod, Erch imi ddwy arch-ammod ; Iechyd im' rhag nych, waywdwys, A'm rhoi wedi ym mharadwys." There is no reference here, it is true, to God's help, but in those days Saints could do all that was need¬ ful for man. Maelgwyn. JUNE 21st, 1879. ODDS AND ENDS. The Rev David Jones, op Holywell.—Mr Salisbury, in a letter which appeared in the ' Herald' some weeks since, on the sudden death of Mr Peter Evans, of this town, referred to the death of Mr Jones in the year 1831. I have before me a book published by that devoted man in the year 1810, entitled " Casgliad o Bum' Cant o Hymnau, yn Chwe' Khan." It was printed at Holywell, by one Edward Carnes, who, in 1798, also printed a small volume entitled "Cnewyllyn mewn Gwisg," which, if I mistake not, was the work of Robert Davies, of Nantglyn. That was, of course, before Mr Jones settled in this town, but I have heard it said that soon after he came here he employed Mr Carnes to print some religious books for him in Welsh. Can any book collector tell me what these books were; and further, how many editions of the Hymn Book mentioned above were printed at Holywell between 1810 and 1831 ? Ymofynydd. Ambrose Mostyn.—I cannot, of course, pretend to say that Nonconformity had secured a foot-hold in Flintshire in the seventeenth century, but Mr Ambrose Mostyn, a native of that county, and a member of the ancient family of his name long settled there, wai one of the earliest Nonconformists wo read of. He had been educated for the Church, and after leaving the University he preached for .<ome time in Montgomeryshire, afterwards at Holt in Denbighshire, and in 1659 he removed to Wrexham, but the cruel spirit of persecution drove him from that place. Lord Say and Seal took him and his wife into his seat in Oxfordshire, where he acted as domestic chaplain to that nobleman, and at his death he removed to Lmelon, where he died in ]6B4. The Nonconformists had a congregation at Newmarket, in this county, before the close of the century; and in 1701, Mr John Wynne, of Coppar- leny, gave them a meeting place, there. Mr Mcstyn's family had considerable estates in that neighbour¬ hood, and he possibly may have induced them to befriend the "Noncons." Beuno. Heb Dduw Heb Ddim.—A good many South Walian families, as you are aware, use these words for a motto, and I am often asked where among the " wise saws" of the Welsh this sentiment can be met with. The answer is found in a long poem attribu¬ ted to Saint Cadog, abbot of Llancarfan, far too long a piece to be copied for your use, but I may send you the termination of it, where you will find the words at the head of this note. Who the tran¬ slator was I know not. " Without feeling—without sense ; Without sense—without understanding; Without understanding—without reflection; Without reflection—without knowledge; Without knowledge—without patience; Without patience—without instruction ; Without instruction—without virtue ; Without virtue—without God ; Without God—without everything." J. Bonner. Modern Bards.—I have not seen the following in any printed book, but met with it in a volume writ¬ ten by the Eev Evan Evans, then of Chistleton, near Chester:— " Ouw sydd uchel ryfelwr, Uchel ei gamp uwchlaw gwr; E foddodd Pharo a'i fyddin, Cuchfawr blaid yn y coch-for blin." E. P. George Herbert's Sunday.—" The sweet Poet of the Temple," George Herbert was born at Mont¬ gomery Castle, and is, therefore, one of our eminent North Walians, who left his mark upon the page of history. There is no more useful book published in the English language than his "remains," nor a higher testimony to the sanctity of the Lord's Day than in his beautiful poem upon that holy hour of rest secured for us in a world of trials and sorrow. Mr Bright in one of his brilliant speeches delivered in the House of Commons, quoted the first verse of this poem, and upon that testimony of its worth, I might fairly ask you to give it a place in your columns, but the poem itself, and as the production of a very honoured Welshman, will pass it through your portals, I doubt not, and I have accordingly copied it for you. SUNDAY. "O Day most calm, most bright, The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend, and with His blood ; The couch of time ; care's balm and bay ; The week were dark but for thy light; Thy torch doth show the way. The other days and thou Make up one man, whose face thou art, Knocking at heaven with thy brow ; The working days are the back part ; The burden of the week lies there, Making the whole to stoop and bow, Till thy release appears.