Welsh Journals

324 BYE-GONES. Nov., 1881. attempting to cut some of our prizes. The Africa, the day after, Thursday, came near to us in the morning, and said nothing until the evening, when she informed me Admiral Collingwood had sent him to see me into port. I desired him to stay by the ship, but the good Captain Digby thought proper to take care of himself and made off in the night. The blowing up of the ship, I believe a Spanish one, was the most extraordinary and magnificent sight which can be conceived. We saw another explosion from a ship on fire upon the Wednesday evening, but from the distance which she was off, it was by no means the same thing. I know not when we shall get into port, we are all harassed to death, and when we do arrive at Gibraltar I fear our accom¬ modations will be but bad.—(28th Oct.) An opportunity offers of sending my returns of killed and wounded—killed 47, badly wounded 31, slightly 45, in all 123. You must write to my sister's house, &c, &c, as I shall have no opportunity, the Scourge brig having no time to lose. I am quite well, safe at anchor three leagues from the coast of Spain, the winds constantly from the south to west. We can make no progress until a change of wind. The weather at present moderate, but ever since the battle it has been very bad, almost a constant gale of wind, with constant rain, shocking for our poor wounded. I have heard nothing how our poor Louisa goes on. Give my love to all the children. Adieu my love, how happy I shall be to see you all next month or December. NOVEMBER 2, 1881. NOTES. A SINGULAR RACE.—"Saturday morning a singular race was run on the road between Redbarn and St. Alban's, one mile, between a labouring man and a Welsh girl in her pattens, when the girl won the match." —Wood's British Gazetteer, April 24, 1773. T.W.H. QUERIES. TWM SION CATTL—When did this work of fiction first appear, and where was it printed and published ? Of the author, Mr. J. Llewellin Prinhard, what is known ? Any information respecting him would be acceptable, D.J. SONGOING.—There is a very peculiar word used about here in harvest time, termed " Songoing," by which gleaning is meant. Can any of your contributors explain the origin and derivation of this term ? Wrexham. Landwor. [See Halliwell's dictionary of Provincial Words; Wilbraham's Cheshirs Words, and Miss Jackson's new book on Shropshire Words.-ED.] DAFYDD IONAWR.—Information is greatly de¬ sired concerning the maternal ancestry of this poet. The name of his mother was Catherine David, and she was married to Mr. John Richards of Glan y morfa, Towyn, about the year 1750. Any particulars of Catherine David's family will be valued. Owain Veddyg. THE THELWALL FAMILY.—In a MS. volume of Welsh Pedigrees in the British Museum is the follow¬ ing paragraph:—"Richard Thelwall,Recorder of Ruthin, married Margaret daughter (the ' Cae Cyriog MS.' adds heiress) of John ab Edward Lloyd ab David ab John ab Ithel ab Robert Bakarn. This Richard Thelwall Houlds .(sic) lands from Adam Vardon Baron Llanbedr." The " Cae Cyriog MS." has " John ab Richard ab Ithel," and Bays nothing of Robert but mentions Edward as then living, and a son of Richard and Margaret. Will some reader of Bye-gones say : 1. When a Richard Thelwall was Recorder of Ruthin ? 2. To which branch of the nume¬ rous family of Thelwall did he belong ? 3. Of what family was his wife Margaret ? The "Cae Cyriog MS.?" states that she was daughter of John ab Edward Lloyd o Lanbedr." 4. Who was Robert Bakarn ? and 5. Who can Adam Vardon have been, and how was he "Baron Llan¬ bedr" ? H.W.L. REPLIES. CHURCH LEWN AT OSWESTRY (June 8, 1881).—Miss Jackson, in the Shropshire Wor.l Book, de¬ fines " Lewn" to be a Church rate, but that it meant more than this in Oswestry is shewn by the following entry from the record of the Borough Quarter Sessions in 1765 :— '' Ordered that a Lewn of three pence by the pound rate be assessed & laid upon the inhabitants of the said Town to repair the Roads." Jarco. LODOWICK LLOYD (Apr. 1, 1874).—In the volume of "Additional MSS." in the British Museum known as "Y Melynhi" is a poem subscribed by Lodowick Lloyd entitled " The most ancient and comendable sweet sonet of Britishe Sidanen, applied by a courtier to the princelye praise of the queenes maiestie. To the wealths not of Sidanen." As may be surmised from the title, the poem is filled with fulsome adulation of the beldame Queen. H.W.L. THE FIGARO IN WALES (Oct, 5, 1881),—I have a copy of this very scarce paper, which was issued in a monthly sheet of four folio pages. The first number appeared in March, 1835 ; the last in January, 1836; eleven numbers in all. But in February 1836 another sheet was issued, called Philo-Figaro, and I think no more under that title. My copy came to me from the late Dr. Owen Owen Roberts of Bangor, and he said it was perfect. He should know, for he had the principal hand in getting it up, chiefly with the view of showing up the parsons, and the way in which they were said to have neglected their # public duties. Some clergymen laughed very heartily over its contents, others were very angry; the latter predominating undoubtedly, although they might have pretended otherwise to treat the whole thing as so much nonsense. The paper was printed and published by Robert Jones at the Albion Office, Friars' Place, Bangor. Gladwtn. THE LATE LORD HANMER, (July 13, 1881). The question as to when Lord Hanmer became a Baronet is a very simple one, although it requires a rather categorical answer. The late Lord Hanmer suc¬ ceeded his grandfather, Sir Thomas Hanmer, as third Baronet in 1828. His father, who died Nov. 1818, ten years earlier, was the Lieut. Col. Hanmer referred to. He was the heir to the Baronetcy, but dying in his father's life time, his eldest son, John (the late lord) stepped into his shoes. His (Col. Hanmer's) widow resided at White¬ hall, Shrewsbury, with her family, for many years after her husband's death. W.H. Shrewsbury. SEVENTEENTH CENTURY TOKENS (Oct. 19,1881).—One of the towns named by Snelling, an autho¬ rity who wrote on these pieces in the year 1766, was Bangor Fawr. Boyne, who wrote later and edited a valuable work on them, which was published in 1858, and which has ever since been looked on as an authority, remarks under Wales :—"I have not met with a token of Bangor Fawr, so did not insert it." The writer of this letter,