Welsh Journals

Jan., 1877. BYE-GONES. 173 BYE-GONES FOR 1877. $OTES, QUERIES, and REPLIES, mi subjects interesting to Wales and the Borders, must be addressed to "Bye-gones, Croeswylan, Oswestry." Real names and addresses must be given, in confidence, and MSS. must be written legibly, on one side of the paper only. JANUARY 3, 1877. THE BALANCE.—We are sorry not to be able to comply with the request of our friend " B.," but his query does not come within the scope of Bye-gones. LOCAL NEWSPAPERS.—" Ricus" wants a list of all the news¬ papers published in North Wales and the Borders. We refer him to any newspaper directory, in which he will find all the information he wants. We should be glad to publish some account of the extinct newspapers and periodicals of the same district. EASTER SUNDAY.—" Cymro Bach" asks in what months Easter Sunday occurred in the years 1772 and '1810, but the subject is not so especially interesting to " Wales and the Borders" as to suit Bye-gones. NOTES. HENGWRT MSS. AT PENIARTH— In the 5th volume just out of the new Edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica there is an able article by Professor Sullivan upon Celtic Literature. It treats of the various branches of the Celtic language, and mentions in detail celebrated Welsh MSS. the most important of which it states are contained in the Hengwrt Collection, consisting of about 400 volumes, which are now in the library of Mr. Wynne, of Peniarth. In treating of the Cornish literature, Professor Sullivan, unwittingly perhaps, does an injustice to that profound scholar and distinguished linguist, your neighbour, the Rev. Canon Williams, of Rhydycroesau. In enumerating the few works which are extant in the Cor¬ nish language, " which was once the spoken language of the centre and South of England," the Professor says :— The third relic of the Cornish language is a miracle play founded upon the life of St. Meriasek, son of a Duke of Britanv, <inrt called in Breton St. Mcriadec. This piece, which was bitten in 1504, was found a few years ago by Mr. Whitley Stokes among the Hengwrt MSS. at Peniarth. The language is newer tnan that of the Ordinalia, the admixture of English being also greater; the metre employed is, however, much the same. Ithink I can state without fear of contradiction that this M-o. was first discovered by the Rev. Canon Williams, and pointed out by him to Mr. Whitley Stokes, who is doubtless a great linguist, but probably acquired much of ws knowledge of the Cornish language from Canon wuhams's learned and comprehensive work, " Lexicon ^ornu-Britannicum, Dictionary of the Ancient Celtic of ^ornwall, with Synonyms in Welsh, Armoric, Irish, ^lic, and Manx; Llandovery, 1862-65." Professor "uuivan s learned and most elaborate article will on the whole find great favour with Welshmen. The list which he gives of the most important works bearing upon his subject, excluding many works on Celtic history, is a long and important one, and" will surprise many Welshmen, and will appear apochryphal to Englishmen who systemati¬ cally decry Celtic literature. S. Under the title "Cave" there is another article by a Welshman, Professor Boyd Dawkins, a native of Butting- ton, Montgomeryshire, with which his countrymen will feel great satisfaction. PLYGAIN. — A correspondent of the Os-westry Advcrtizcr in Sep., 1858 said, upon Christmas-days, at about three o'clock in the morning, most of the parishioners used to assemble in Welsh Churches, and after prayers and a sermon continue singing psalms and hymns with great devotion till broad day ; and if, through age or in¬ firmity, any were disabled from attending, they never failed having praj-ers at home, accompanied with carols on our Saviour's nativity. The former part of this custom is still preserved, but is too often perverted by in¬ temperance. This act of devotion is called 'Plygain,' or the crowing of the cock. It has been a general belief among the superstitious that, instantly, on hearing that shrill sound -—Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air, Th' extravagant and erring spirit hies To his confine. And during the whole Christmas season the cock was sup¬ posed to exert his powers throughout the night; from which undoubtedly originated the Welsh word Plygain, as applied to this custom. Shakespeare finely describes this old opinion in Hamlet, act 1, scene 1. Nemo. QUERIES. CROMWELL, NEAR OSWESTRY.—In the issue of Bye-gones Dec. 23, 1874, "D." called attention to the name '' Cromwell" on Morden's map of Shropshire, illus¬ trating Gibson's Camden, 1695, and stated that the place so named was situated between Maesbury and Woolston. Would not this be the place we now call "Crumpwell?" Can any one give the origin of the latter name, or any reference to it in old deeds or conveyances ? O.S.O. THE CURFEW.—Staying for a night during the past summer at that most singular of all Welsh towns, Dolgelley, I heard what I never heard before, and what, indeed, I never heard of before; viz.:—After the curfew had been rung, the day of the month was tolled, and, the day being the 29th, it was quite an effort to follow the information afforded. Is such a custom observed else¬ where, and what is its origin ? And is the curfew rung now-a-days in any other town in Wales or the borders ? Footpad. 44