Welsh Journals

Nov. 13, 1895. BYE-GONES. 215 evidence of customs, which an eye-witness might readily misinterpret, I hold to my position that the sin-eater has not existed in Wales in recent times.—1 am, &c, N. W. Thomas. New College, Eastbourne. [The Times declined to publish a fuller reply to Mr Hartland, on the ground that the subject was not of sufficient general interest—Ed.] WELSH BIBLIOGRAPHY. Will you kindly allow me once more to call the alttenltion of your readers to the above work ? I have in a formic<r letter stated that I am compiling a Bibliography of Wales for this cen¬ tury, in which I enter all books, pamphlets, musical books', periodicals, newspapers, &c, pub¬ lished an the Welsh language; as well as those relating to Wales published in amy other language. The entries are made by giving the title-pages in full, with, a description of each book, size, number of pages, &o.; and the work is interspersed with biographical notes of the authors, .translators, and printers. Even broadsides, ballads, and political tracts and pamphlets are recorded, by giving the headings in full, wiltih descriptions. I have already recorded about 12,000 ; and if my life and health be spared to see. the end of this oenltuiry, I hope to be able to collect sufficient materials to fill alt Ijfiast six volumes of about 750 pages, demy 8vo., each, with an additional volume of index. I have already visited, on several occasions, some of the principal public libraries, I have ransacked the cupboards and chests in cottages and farmhouses for several miles round my habi¬ tation, and I have received full accounts of some thousands of publications from book4overs in all parts of Wales. But, I have every reason to be¬ lieve, that there are still many hundreds, if not thousands of books—small local books chiefly, such as guide books, poetry, and small pamphlets— which I have nolt been able to describe. There¬ fore, I shall deem it a great favour if those who have good collections of Welsh books, or books relating to Wales, will 'kindly send me a list of what they have in the following form: — Drych yr Amsfroedd, Robert Jones; Trefriw, 1820. History of the Dioarse of St. Asaph, Thomas; London, 1874. Wild Wales, George Borrow; London, 1868. History of Llangynwyd Parish, Cadrawd; Llonelley, 1887. If the date is given it will enable me to find out at once whether I have entered the books or not. And I can then return the lisit, marking those of which I require full particulars. I would here remind my correspondents that this work is not done in the exjpfotation of any profit Fifty pounds were awarded me for what I had done upon it at on eisteddfod about three years ago. And I then voluntarily undertook to complete it as far as I could- for tile sake of Welsh literature. The profit or loss of the publication will be received or borne by the National Eistedd¬ fod Association. The first volume of the work (from 1801 to 1820) will be sent to press early next year. Charles Ashton. Dinas Mawddwy, North Wales. KGVEMBER 13, 1895. NOTES. ALL HALLOWS' EVE.—It may be well to place on record the exact worda now sung on All Hallows' Eve at Oswestry. They were taken down at my door last All Hallows' Eve. The boys who sang, asked where they learnt the words, seemed to think it a curious question: the words had come to them, probably, among their earliest impressions:— Wissil wassal, bread and possal, Apple or a pear, plum or a cherry, Any good thing to make us merrj. The roads are very dirty, My shoes are very thin, I've got a little pocket To put a penny in. If you haven't got a penny, A ha'penny will do, If you haven't got a ha'penny, God bless you ! Sol cake ! sol cake ! One for Peter, two for Paul, Three for the man that made us all. W.O. EDWARD I. AND THE WELSH BARDS. —The Add. MS. 15,059, in the British Museum, contains a Welsh Essay, signed "Mervinius" (the Rev. Walter Davies), under the title— " Traethawd ar Lyvvodraeth a Defodau y Bry- taniaid." It is the original copy of that essay as printed in the second volume of Gwaith Gwallter Mechain, edited by Canon Silvan Evans (pp. 110—163). Gwallter Mechain at the close of that essay refers to the massacre of the Welsh bards by Edward I,; and on page 62 of the above- namel MS. there is a foot-note in English, of which the following is a copy :— Mr LI—d of H—f—d—n—s being among the antiquarians who out of curiosity opened King Edw'd's tomb at Westm'r. May 2nd, 1774. As soon as the body appeared, he spat in his face, calling him the vilest tyrant that ever was a curse to mankind, for his cruelty in slaugh¬ tering the innocent bards; and added, that if he could have done it with decency, he would have p—ss—d upon him. This act of revenge upon the dead monarch was told to our present majesty, who seemed well pleased with the farce. The note does not appear with the essay as printed; but I think it is worth preserving. The " Mr LI—d " referred to, I think, must have been Mr Howel Lloyd of Hafodunos, who died in 1783. He, as well as Gwallter Mechain, be¬ lieved in the old tradition, which modern writers regard as " not proven." C.A. QUERIES. A DEVIL OF HOT BEER.—" She was carry- ing what they call in Shropshire a devil of hot