Welsh Journals

July, 1882. BYE-GONES. 91 JULY 12, 1882. NOTES. AN OSWESTRY SCHOOL.—Extract from Bishop Norbury's Register, 1328:—" Collo'. Scolarum gram- maticalium Albi Monasterii."—Note by Bishop Hob- house : " John Gilbert licensed to keep 'Scolas grammati- cales in the town of Oswestry."—[See W. Salt, Archceol., vol. 1880.] Gnot. POPISH CEREMONIES IN WALES. (July 5, 1882.) Carol Singing is still in great favour in Wales. At a former time the Welsh had carols adapted to most of the ecclesiastical festivals and to the four seasons of the year. These carols were variously called Carol Plygain or Carol Nadolig Crist (the Christmas day Carol); Carol ar wyl Ystwyll (or Epiphany Carol) to be sung from house to house during Christmas time. Carol Pasg (Easter Carol), Carol Nosioyl Fair (the eventide of Lady Day), a period of great importance at one time. Hence :—" Noswyl Fair uwch na Sul fu," a carol being sung in the family in praise of Mair Wen (the Blessed Mary). Haf gan, Mel- wawd Mai, Carol Haf, called also Canu dan y pared (the May Carol), " Singing under the Wall," a kind of seren¬ ade in which the glories of the opening of Summer and the good qualities of the family are extolled, joy also being expressed that the Winter had passed and gone. Christ¬ mas Caroling is now the only form preserved, and is still popular in the Nonconformist places of worship. I well remember the last of the class that composed and sang his own carols. He was best known by the familiar name of Cfriffith y Prydydd (Griffith the Poet). He was a short, straight, and active little man, evidently conscious of his talents as a singer and Prydydd. He had a good clear tenor voice, and his clear utterance as he caroled the tune of "Trymder," "See the Building," or "Miller's Key" riveted the attention of the audience, and many would remark that "Griffith's Carol was as good as a Sermon." Great effort was made to obtain his services in the_ chapels of the lower parts of Montgomeryshire. Griffith was for many years a leader of the congrega¬ tional singing at Pendre chapel, Llanfyllin. Some of the most popular carol writers of Montgcmeryshire were Nonconformists. Amongst them were Evan Pugh, Rhos- y-brithdir, Thomas Williams (Eos Wnfa), Llanfihangel, J. D. Jones, Ruthin, and Thomas Hughes, Llanfyllin. The Plygain or Matins was held not only in the chapels but also in the farm houses, and in these cases the services were held in the evening. The attenders were supplied with refreshments. At the close a special carol was sung. "Carol wi'th ymadael a thy Wyliau'r Nadolig." The first stanza of one of them we are tempted to extract: " Cyfodwch i ymadael, bawb allan o'i gornel, Hi aeth yn bryd uchel, i drafael y drws; Hai heno gwahanwn, ac adre tueddwn, Cychwnwn symudwn, o'r madws." Blodeu-Gerdd, 131. During the Christmas week carol singing is still a popular institution on the borders. Well known and popular singers are gladly welcomed from house to house. Some of the English carols still in vogue are— " As I sat on a sunny bank."j " The first great joy our Mary had." " Rejoice and be merry, cast sorrow away."- " While Shepherds watch." " Go down, go down, to Bethlehem town." I can well remember the pleasure afforded to old and young of the household when the quavering voice of Samuel Davies was heard giving clear intonation to " God rest you, merry gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay, For Jesus Christ our Saviour Was born on Christmas day." " This brings tidings of comfort and joy, And of joy, This brings tidings of comfort and joy." When the chorus was repeated, "And of joy" was loudly sung out in the early morn or late at night, making us all feel joyous and glad. And then the concluding chorus, although we all knew it well, was none the less welcome— "God bless the master of this house, And bless the mistress too, And all the little ladie3 That round the table grow. This brings tidings of comfort," &c. Gypt. (To be continued.) QUERIES. OWEN LEWIS OF TYDDYN Y GARREG (Merioneth) was a Quaker, and suffered for his religious opinions in 1662. Some of his property was seized,and he himself imprisoned at Bala. He is mentioned in Richard Davies's autobiography. In 1690 his widow and son Ellis Lewis removed to Ireland, and in 1708 emigrated to Penn¬ sylvania, the widow having previously married Owen Roberts. In 1713 Ellis Lewis, the son, married Elizabeth Newlin, of a wealthy family, and connected with the Pro¬ vincial Government. From this marriage has descended a well-known family in Pennsylvania of high respectability, and eminent for having given a chief justice to that State. Can any of your readers give any information relative to the family and ancestry of Owen Lewis of Tyddyn y Gar- reg, who, Richard Davies says, " was in the Commission of the Peace during Oliver's time?" There is a common near Tyddyn y Garreg called " Tir Stent." Can that be the property of the unfortunate Quaker, which was escheated or seized by the (Jrown, and to whom does it now belong ? Are there any descendants or connections of Wm. Lewis still in Merioneth? Z. CELEBRATED TRIALS.—I have been engaged for some time past in coiiecting the particulars of cele¬ brated Trials, relating more especially to the Four Border Counties, or to persons connected therewith ; and among others that I have met with, is the " Whole of the Pro¬ ceedings At Large In A Cause on an Action Brought by the Right Hon. Richard Lord Grosvener, against His Royal Highness Henry Frederick Duke of Cumberland." The trial took place in the Court of King's Bench on the 5th of July, 1770. I have a considerable number of printed documents relating to this cause, both in English and in French, and also a curious French MS. which I have not seen in print; but I know that there are many fugitive pieces, printed in 1770, and in 1771, which throw consider¬ able light upon the more recent history of this unhappy business, and I want if possible to get at a list of them, for a friend, who is engaged in' writing a new account of the trial, with some historical references to points of public interest depending in some measure upon it. If any of your readers can give the short titles, and dates of any papers they may know of that refer to thia particular case, I should be obliged if they would do so, in your columns, A.B.