Welsh Journals

JttNE 5, 1889. BYE-GONES. 129 without eradicating tribal and clan feuds. This summary of the evidenee seemed to Mr Gomme to be quite sufficient to establish the identity of the people who constructed the terraces and those who constructed the hill forts. The evidences of the Teutonic system of settlement in Britain does not provide for terrace cultivation, and Ave have to look to a pre-Teutonic period for the hill-cultivators. The evidences of comparative custom, as it is found in India, seemed to the lecturer to prove the exist¬ ence in Britain of a hill-folk who bear a relationship to the Aryan occupiers of the valleys exactly similar to that obtaining in India, where races have not lost their special characteristics and are still marked off from each other, instead of being crushed out by the greater weight of nationality, and when this evi¬ dence comes to be tested by the ascertained facts of man's early life in Britain, we are met by Mr Boyd Dawkins's pre-historic farmer _ of the neolithic age, whose characteristics and position produced such vast changes in the history of pre-historic man, and whose descendants are to be traced in the sur¬ viving Iberic populations, a remnant of which may still be found in Britain, and types of which are re¬ presented by the hill tribes of Central Asia, the home from which the whole race is proved to have spread. An extremely interesting discussion fol¬ lowed the reading of the paper.—Mr Seebohm pointed out with great clearness the facts which strengthened his general theory that terrace culti¬ vation arose from agricultural exigencies, such as the clearness of corn and the consequent increase in the value of land, &c. He showed how this form of cultivation was part of the open field system, and gave recent instances of the custom. At the same time he considered the possibilities of hill cultiva¬ tion from Mr Gomme's point of view in a favourable light. He closed his observations with the sugges¬ tion that the Cymmrodorion Society should under¬ take the investigation and the calendaring of the field-names on the old Welsh Tithe Maps, of which a great number are kept at the various diocesan Registries.—Sir W. Thomas Lewis added some com¬ plimentary remarks as to the value of Mr Gomme's paper, and Mr J. A. Corbett, of Cardiff, made some valuable suggestions bearing on hill cultivation and place names in connection with Glamorganshire.— Mr J. Romilly Allen, editor of the Archreologia Cainbrensis, also took part in the discussion, and on the proposal of Dr Owen, seconded by Mr David Lewis, a cordial vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Gomme for his paper.— In acknowledging the com¬ pliment, Mr Gomme emphasised the distinction be¬ tween the hill cultivation from the bottom upwards, and that which clearly proceeded from the top downwards. In conclusion he proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Seebohm for his services in the chair, Mid for his address on the subject.—Mr Thos. Ellis, M.P., seconded the proposal, and dwelt upon the immense value of Mr Seebohm's researches to the student of the agrarian question in Britain.—The proposal was carried with acclamation. It is pro¬ vable that at an early date Mr Seebohm will read a paper on some kindred subject before the Cymmro- aorion Society. Mr Gomme's paper is, we under¬ stand, a portion of an important work on Terrace UUtivation, which he is now preparing for the VSoL I. JUNE 5, 1889. NOTES. BISHOP PARRY'S BIBLE.—The Rev. R, J. Roberts, vicar of Pool Quay, Montgomeryshire, has in his possession a very perfect copy of this valuable Bible. The first page is absent, and a few sheets are worn in the commencement of the book, particularly in the calendar. The date is, in consequence of the disappearance of the title page, not in the book, but there is no doubt of its being a genuine 1620 Welsh Bible. Between " Caniad Solomon" and " Llyfyr Prophwyd Esay," i.e., between the Song of Solomon and the Prophet Isaiah, there is a block or cut which con¬ tains the Prince of Wales's Feathers, with " Ich Dien " at base, and Welsh harps between. And under the last chapter of Malachi is a drawing of the Rose and Crown, supported by two cherubs. The book evidently at one time belonged to a church. It is well bound and embossed, with brass bindings and corner brass plates. The clasps have disappeared, but portions of the leather to which they were fastened still exist. The book was bought at the Rug sale for £3 12s, but in those days its true value was unknown. In our days it would be considered cheap if bought for £20. E.O. OSWESTRY CORPORATION RECORDS. (May 22, 1889). HALSTON.— The subjoined case and opinion are among the Oswestry Corporation Records, and give an interesting statement of the early title to Halston. ' J. P.-J. CASE. Halston in Shropshire is the seat of John Mytton, Esquire, and the District or place known by that name at present consists of his Mansion House & Two farm Houses, without any other Dwellings, and the Lands therein contain about Six hundred acres, All which are the property of Mr Mytton. There is a Chapel without any revenues annexed to it, and the Chaplain is appointed by the Owner of Halston, who allows him what he in his discretion thinks proper, and the Chapel has now actually been shut up and no duty done there for seven years last past (that is) since the death of the Father of the present Mr Mytton, who is but very lately come to reside at Halston. No Constable Church Warden or Over¬ seer of the Poor has ever been appointed for Halston, and no person has ever exercised there the Duties of such Officers. No Officers of any other parish have ever interfered in this District nor have the inhabi¬ tants of it ever acted as Parishioners of any Parish, And the reputation of the^ place certainly^ is that Halston is not a Parish or Vill. The Poor who have done kind of Acts which gain Settlements in Parishes have been relieved by the Owners of Halston, and there have been immemorially two Strikes of Corn given by them weekly to the poor, but no regular rate has ever been made for their relief. Christenings, Marriages, and Burials have 17