Welsh Journals

226 BYE-GONES. May, 1881. by_ "IoloMorganwg," but on Aug. 18, 1880, another writer pointed out how old Iolo was rather sweeping in his condemnation of those who did not agree with him. Southey had a high opinion of Iolo, and writes of him thus in a letter to Henry Taylor, Esq., Jan. 24,1827 :— My old acquaintance (those, I mean, who were elders when I was a young man) are dropping on all sides. One very remark¬ able one is just gone to his rest after a pilgrimage of fourscore years. Edward Williams, the Welsh Bard, whom, under his Welsh name of Iolo, some lines in " Madoc," were intended to describe and gratify. He was the most eccentric man I ever knew, in whose eccentricity there was no affectation, and in whose conduct there was nothing morally wrong. Poor fellow ! with a wild head and a warm heart, he had the simplicity of a child and the ten¬ derness of a woman, and more knowledge of the traditions and antiquities of his own country than it is to be feared will ever be procured by any one after him. I could tell you some odd anec¬ dotes of him which ought not to be lost. The lines mentioned in this letter refer to Madoc in Wales, and are as follows :— "--------There went with me Iolo, old Iolo, he who knows The virtues of all herbs of mount or vale, Or greenwood shade, or quiet brooklet's bed ; Whatever lore of science or of song Sages and bards of old have handed down." To return to William Owen Pughe. Mr. Southey did not always entertain so low an opinion of his powers, or he would scarcely have written thus—in a letter to Cole¬ ridge, June 11, 1804 :— William Owen [Pughe] lent me three parts of the " Mabinog- ion," most delightfully translated into so Welsh an idiom and syntax, that such a translation is as instructive (except for ety¬ mology) as an original. I was, and am, still utterly at a loss to devise by what possible means, fictions so perfectly like the Arabian Tales in character, and yet so indisputably of Cimbric growth, should have grown up in Wales. Instead of throwing light upon the origin of romance, as had been surmised, they offer a new problem, of almost impossible solution. Bard Williams [Iolo] communicated to me some fine arcana of bardic mythology, quite new to me and to the world, which you will find in " Madoc." Again ; writing to Mr. Hickman, the same month, Southey says—" If William Owen will go on and publish them, I have hopes that the world will yet reward him for his labours." N.W.S. THE WELSH CANNIBAL (Feb. 16, 1881).—The story of the Welsh cannibal, Gwrgi Garwlwyd by name, will be found in the Welsh Triads : Myvyrian Archaiology ii., pp. 9 (No. 37), 13 (No. 28), 65 (No. 46). The name signifies man-dog, and has been used by some Welsh writer as an appellative for " cannibal," and not as a proper name. Deiniol. NOVELS RELATING TO WALES (March 9, 1881).—I have a 3 vol. novel, written by the Rev. R. W. Morgan, formerly P.C. of Tregynon, and published by Rich. Bentley in 1853. The title of it is Raymond de Monthault. The Lord Marcher—a legend of the Welch borders. The plot is laid at Powis Castle, and many places in the neighbourhood are introduced into the tale. Bookworm. Two or three of the novels by Thomas Love Peacock relate to, or have scenes laid in Wales. D. COFFIN PLATES ON CHURCH WALLS (Mar. 30, 1881).—A great number of Coffin Plates were nailed to the front of the gallery in Llanwnws Church, near Ystradmeurig, Cardiganshire, up to the year 1872 but I don't know what was done with them when the church was restored.. T.L.L.W. MAY 4, 1881. NOTES. Y GOFITTY.— This is the name given to a farm house in the parish of Llandyssil, Cardiganshire. I have asked the derivation and meaning of many good Welsh scholars, but after several vain surmises all have given it up. Its history, which I have from a trustworthy source, is this :—About the beginning of this century the occupier found that a certain well near the house was possessed of marvellous health-giving properties, whose praise, at least, was frequent in his mouth. A quack doctor who lived near, being acquainted with Latin, naturally called the water aqua vita;. The neighbours felt how appropriate the name was and applied it to the farm and all its belongings, calling it to this day, I believe, " Y Gofitty." I only give it from the pronunciation, being ignorant of the way in which it is usually spelt. Possibly if we could only get at the history of many a name it would confound the ety¬ mologists just as much as the above. Cynwyl. SEVENTEENTH CENTURY TOKENS. (Apr. 6. 1881). MONMOUTHSHIRE. The tokens of this county are few in number, and are all of late date ; the earliest was issued in the year of the Restoration. It is singular that no tokens exist of the now important town and port of Newport. Abergavenny. 1. Ob. Walter . davids . in . 1661—ob in a diamond Re. abergeneye—w. D. D. in a diamond \ B. 2. Ob. Edward . Lewis . his . Farthinge (In three lines) Re. op . Abergavenny . 1667—Arms; a fleur-de- lys i B. 3. Ob. phillip . morgan—The Mercers' Arms Re. OF . ABERGAVENY . 1671—HIS . HALFPENY $ 4. Ob. phillip . morgan—The Mercers' Arms Re. OF . ABERGAVENY—1667 £ B. Caerleon. 5. Ob. WILLIAM . MEREDITH—1668. Re. OF . CARLINE . MERCER—W . M . \ 6. Ob. william . Meredith . 1669—Prince of Wales' Feathers Re. A . caerlyon . farthing—A man holding a halberd. £ This token is as large as the usual halfpenny tokens. The Parish Register of Caerleon states that William Meredith was buried Oct. 19,1715. Chepstoio. 7. Ob. THOMAS . DAVIS—HIS . HALFPENY Re. OF . CHEAPSTOL . 1671—1 . D . (sic) \ B. 8. Ob. will . davis . of . Chepstow—The Mercers' Arms Re. MERCER . HIS . FARTHINGE—W . D . 1670 (A large token) j 9. Ob. RICHARD . MORGAN—HIS . HALFPENY Re. of . chepstowe—1670 (Octagonal) \ Incorrectly described by Boyne. B. 10. Qb. SAMVEL . MORGAN . 1670—S . M . Re. A . CHEPSTOWE . FARTHING—A p0rtculli8 £