Welsh Journals

June, 1881. BYE-GONES. 243 subject by the syndics and delegates of the University I presses both of Oxford and Cambridge, requesting his ad- i vice as to the expediency of undertaking a new version of the Welsh Testament. In consequence, there had been a i conference of Welsh bishops that morning with a deputa- I tion of the Welsh clergy, and the following resolution was passed :—"At a meeting of the Welsh bishops and the deputation appointed for the purpose of bringing before them the question of the desirableness of revising the Welsh version of the New Testament, it was resolved, on the motion of the Bishop of Llandaff, seconded by the Bishop of St. Asaph, ' that a committee be appointed for the purpose of considering the expediency of undertaking a revision of the Welsh version of the New Testament accord¬ ing to the text adopted in the revision of the English version, and that they report to the Welsh bishops on this matter as soon as they can after due consideration, stating at the same time the grounds upon which their opinion is founded.' " In accordance with this resolution, the mem¬ bers of the deputation subsequently met, and appointed the following committee, as representing the several dioceses :— For Bangor : The Dean, Chancellor Briscoe, D. Walter Thomas, vicar, St Ann's, Proctor. For St. Asaph : Canon Wynne Edwards, Canon Richardson, D, R. Thomas, vicar, Meifod, Proctor. For St. David's : Archdeacon North, Canon D. Williams, vicar, Llanelly ; Joseph Hughes, vicar, Cwmdu. For Landaff : Arch¬ deacon Griffiths, Canon Powell Jones, vicar, Llantrisant; John Griffiths, rector of Merthyr. The committee will meet on an early day, and it is expected that the report will be in the hands of the Welsh bishops in the course of three weeks or a month. The Rev. D. R. Thomas, Mtifod Vicarage, Welshpool, will act as secretary pro tem., and will receive communications on the subject, which will be treated on the principles and method of the English ver¬ sion. JUNE 1, 1881. NOTES. ROBERT OWEN.—In a second-hand copy of " The Life of Robert Owen written by himself " (1857) there is the following presentation inscription, apparently in the handwriting of the author :—" Presented to His Excellency the Saxon Ambassador to -Great Britain, by the Author, who has written these works with a view to open a new Book of life to Man, and a greatly superior Existence to the Human Race. Sevenoaks Park, Seven- oaks, 20th April, 1858." Z. DICK SPOT.—In Bye-goncs for Mar. 27, 1878, a memoir of this local celebrity was quoted, which gave an account of his death in 1793, and burial at Oswestry. According to that account he died in his bed, and surroun¬ ded by friends ; but in the little book by the "Poor Curate of Ford," which was published in 1801 (see Bye-yuaes, May 25,) there is the following passage :— A Shropshire conjuror, vulgarly called Dick Spot, could do great matters—tell a wench her fortune; when she was to be married ; whether the young one would be boy or girl; discover a stray sheep ; or a stolen cock; and all by the planets: yet, with all this great knowledge into futurity, his hap was to die in a ditch.—Poor Dicky ! I sincerely wish the Doctor a better fate ; but the knowing ones are sometimes taken in. By " the Doctor" Mr. Matthews means the compiler of "Moore's Almanack:"—the object of his pamphlet being to shew up its astrological absurdities. His illustration respecting Dick Spot seems to have been unfortunate ; and if true, it was scarcely one to prove his case. Astrology may be true, and yet its professors sometimes die in ditches! * N.W.S. QUERIES. ROODDEE.—Is not this name a corruption of Rhyd-ddu—the ford of the Ddu or Dee? Elgo. QUAKERS IN WALES.—I shall be much in¬ debted for information as to the members of the Society of Friends formerly existing in the neighbourhood of Llwyngwril. Is the body now extinct ? Where are the records of the members to be found ? Newo. THE WELSH FLANNEL TRADE.—I gather from the newspapers of 1839 that during the autumn of that year the Flannel Market was removed from Newtown and Llanidloes to Shrewsbury ; the first market in the latter town being held on the 15 Oct. Are we to under¬ stand that the Welsh towns voluntarily ti-ansferred their market to the Shropshire capital? H.B. REPLIES. Y GOFITTY (May 4, 1881).—May not this be a corruption of Gofid-dy, or Ty-'r-gofid, (i.e.) the house of trouble ? * F.S.A. Brecon. SEVENTEENTH CENTURY TOKENS (May 11, 1881).—The initial letters upon the tokens are those of the issuers and their wives, it being the custom when the issuer was married to join his wife's initials with his own. I have a few hundred examples in which all the initials are so placed. . Landwor. Doubtless the middle letter in the initials men¬ tioned represented the better half of the tradesmen, who in those primitive times materially assisted in the business of the shop. If Tell is a married man he will probably see the same plan adopted on his silver spoons I Told. The third initial letter on the field of the 17th Century tokens is that of the wife of the issuer, and the initial of the surname is generally placed over those of the christian names of the issuer and his wife, thus— M. W. L. as on No. 2 of my Shropshire list, but for convenience of printing the initials are placed in line. James W. Lloyd. VOLUNTEER ARMY OF 1803-4(May 18, 1881).— In addition to the Oswestry dangers (Cavalry), and the Oswestry Artillery ; there was a local troop connected with the county infantry commanded by Mr. John Kynaston-Powell. The latter afterwards were formed into a militia company. When I first remember them the local captains were the Hon. Thomas Kenyon of Pradoe, and Mr. Parker of Sweeney. Mr. John Croxon was also an officer. The band met opposite the Wynnstay Arms on Sunday evenings, and then marched to Maesyllan, for drill; but I don't remember to which of the companies the band belonged. The names of the players, as far as I remember them, were as follows:—Mr. Eyeley, painter, First Clarionet; William Hughes, shoemaker, second ditto; Samuel Jones, painter, ditto ditto ; Mr. Edwards, Unicorn, French Horn; Henry Evans, bricklayer, Horn; George Roe, hatter, Serpent; Thomas Cureton, shoemaker, Bassoon; Thomas Cash, slater, Tambourine; William Roberts, cooper, Cymbals; John Tomkies, Big Drum; Benjamin Rogers ("Ben Starch,") Trumpeter; Thomas Thomas and Alec. Gilmore, Fifers; Richard Hughes, Drummer.