Welsh Journals

176 BYE-GONES. Aug. 2, 1899. six feet in length, and has a broad, plain two- edged blade. The hilt is two-handed, and is pro¬ tected by large coiling hand-guards. Its single ornament is a gilt dragon—the Dragon of Wales— grasping an irregular mass of crystal. The fol¬ lowing is Professor Herkomer'a own description of~it:—"The natural crystal represents mystery. Within it are drilled the three sacked1 lines sup¬ posed to be the first attempt to write the word Jehovah, the dragon guarding both. The hand- guard is of wrought steal, the dragon and hands are copper gilt, and the scabbard being of wood is symbolical of peace," IN THE FIELDS AND LANES. OFFA FIELD CLUB. The fourth of this season's excursions took place on Thursday, when a visit was paid to Welshamp- ton and Ellesmere. The party left Oswestry by the 1-50 train and alighted at Welshampton station. A walk of about a mile brought them to the Bog a little before 3 p.m. The afternoon was hot and sultry. After spending about three hours on the Moss they walked back to the village for tea, which was provided at Mrs Rogers's. Tea over they returned to the Bog, and rambled over it until 8 30 when they made their way to Elles¬ mere and returned by the 10-15 train, after spending a very interesting half-day. It was observed that they could not have chosen a better time to visit the Moor and find more specimens in flower. Amongst the large number of plants gathered were the Marsh Andromeda (Andromeda polifolia), Bog Asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum), Alder back-thorn (Rhamnus Frangula), Cranberry (Vaccinium Oxycoccos), white fumitory (Corydalis claviculata), Rose-bay (Epilobium angustifolium), Broomrape (Orobanche major), Basil thyme (Calamintha Acinos), Comfrey (Symphytum officinale), Marsh pennywort (Hydrocotyle vulgaris), Sundews (Drosera rotundifolia and D. longifolia), Bog fern (Aspidium Thelypteris), royal fern (Osmunda regalis), &c. AUGUST 2, 1899. NOTES. WELSH WEATHER-LORE: ST. PAUL'S EVE.—Whilst wading through an early 18th century MS. of Welsh poetry I came across the following anonymous englyn, anenb the weather on the eve of the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul (January 24th) which is new to me— Oa hin dda, bvd da i'n tir—Noswyl Bawl; Os gwlyb iawn, drud brynir; Oa gwynt, rhyfel a welir; Os niwl, haint gresynol hir." J. Fisher. GOBOWEN AND CHIRK BANK.-The following are extracts from Road Records :— At the X Keys in Oswestry March 21 1771. The Committee having view'd the Newbridge & Chirk hill are of opinion that the Ascent in each may be much eas'd. Ord. that Sam1 Lovet, Surveyor of the road from Newbridge to Wrexham, do form a New road Twelve yds broad, cover'd, and make the same Effectual from the hundred yds computing from the Bridge End turning Northwardly & proceeding under the hedge in the most Easy direction into the Common at ye top thereof. That Mr Edwd Barrett Surveyor of the Chirk road take the advice of Rev Mr Price in easeing the Pitch of Chirk hill from the turn to the Water spout & as far up the hill on a level with Mr Lovet's house. At the X Keys in Oswestry June 27 1771. Order'd that Mr John Maddox of the pool be paid for Lands taken into the turnpike road being 240 yards After the rate of 18 Shillings per acre at twenty-five years purchase. Ordered that Mr Edwd Kynaston pay to the several owners of lands between Goebowen & Oswestry for the lands taken from them in opening & widening the Turnpike road between Goebowen & Oswestry after the rate of 18 shillings for Arable land and 30 shillings for Meadow at 25 years purchase. J.P.-J. STAFFORD PRYS, PRINTER, SHREWS¬ BURY.—Myrddin Fardd, in recording Welsh ballads in Y Traethodydd, 1886, p. 275, has the following, which, I believe, will interest the Welsh readers of this column •— TAIR O GfiRDDI NEWYDDION. Yn Gyntaf. Dechrau cerdd ar ddyll ymddiddan rhwng y pryd- ydd a'r gog ynghylch yr amser presenol yw chanu ar Gings ffarwell. Yn Ail. Dechre cerdd o goffadwriaeth am orfol- eddys lwyddiant Brenin Prussia ar i holl Elynion gyda chywir hanes am gymaint a laddodd a chy- nuint oedd yw Erbyn, yw chanu ar gwymp y dail. Yn drydydd. Cerdd o fawl i Sr. Nicolas Beyli marchog Sir Fon, yw chanu ar y foes. (Gwaith Hugh Jones, Llangwm, yw y tair hyn.) Argraphwyd yn y Mwythig tros Tho. Roberts, 1758. [t. d. 8.] Ar y diwedd ceir yr hysbysiad a ganlyn :—" Yr ydw i Thomas Roberts yn hyspyssu i chwi y cymru fod Cymro yn codi argraphwasg yn y Mwythig i Argraphu neu Brintio Llyfrau Cymraeg, yr hwn sydd yn dywedyd tynniff ef rhai o'r brychau oddiar Tafodau plant Gomer; ar brychau ydi geiriau sydd yn gymysg yn y cymraeg o amryw geithiau yr hwn ydi Stafford Price mead Thomas Roberts. If I understand the note contained in the last paragraph, it is to the effect that a Welshman named Stafford Price had begun, or was about to begin, printing at Shrewsbury, and would print Welsh books free from the errors or mistakes usually mixed up in the language. It is probable that the chap-book above recorded was his first attempt at linguistic and typographical reform ; if so, it was a miserable failure. We have the testimony of Thomas Roberts that he was a Welshman ; but Roberts himself, it appears, waa no great authority on orthography. However, the note is valuable, as it helps to fix the time when Stafford Prys eeb himself up in business as a printer, and suggests that some of Rowlands'8 entries are inaccurate. Tho earlier entries of