Besides the interest which these ancient documents possess, as objects of antiquarian curiosity, and as contributing to the elucidation of British History, they have claims to attention of a far more general character, as being intimately connected with the origin and progress of modern European Literature; for it is among the legends and traditions of the Welsh that many of the materials are to be found, which supplied the nations of the Continent with their earliest subjects of composition, and produced those highly imaginative works that continue to exercise so powerful an influence to the present day. A great mass of Historical information, relating to the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth centuries, is contained in the unpublished Poetry of Wales; from which an intimate acquaintance with the state of society during those periods may be obtained; the Welsh Bards being the Chroniclers of the times in which they lived, and their Poems chiefly addressed to the leading men of the day. Besides Poetry there is still existing unpublished, a large collection of Prose, both Historical and Legendary. The mode of proceeding adopted by the Society is, as far as its pecuniary means may admit, to procure Copies of the most important ancient Manuscripts relating to Wales, and to publish them with Notes and Illustrations, accompanied by English Translations. The publications are to appear at such intervals as may be convenient, in Volumes not exceeding one Guinea each to Subscribers. The Society began to make known its views in 1837, under the patronage of his late Majesty William the Fourth, whose death for a time caused a delay in its progress; but her Majesty Queen Victoria, having graciously approved of its object, and become its Patroness, it again, in 1838, appealed to the Public for the aid necessary to accomplish its undertakings. The first Work that engaged the attention of the Committee is the present Volume, which will be succeeded by another, now in the Press, being a MISCELLANEOUS SELECTION OF ANCIENT WELSH MSS. in prose and poetry, from originals collected by the late Edward Williams, (Iolo Morganwg,) for the purpose of forming a continuation of the Myvyrian Archaiology, and afterwards proposed to be used as materials for a New History of Wales. To be edited, with Notes and Translations, by his Son, MR. TALIESIN WILLIAMS, of Merthyr Tydvil. The following are also in a state of forwardness, and will be put in the Press as soon as adequate Funds are obtained for the purpose :— THE HERALDIC VISITATION OF WALES AND THE MARCHES, in the time of Queen Elizabeth, by Lewys Dwnn, Deputy Herald at Arms, from such original Manuscripts as still exist. Edited by SIR SAMUEL R. MEYRICK, K.H. LL.D. F.S.A. F.R.S. &c. with Illustrations and numerous Notes, for the advantage of the English as well as the Welsh reader. THE LIVES OF THE WELSH SAINTS, from various ancient Manuscripts in the British Museum and elsewhere. The following MSS. have also been recommended for Publication : CHRONICLE OF WALES, in the Lambeth Library. CHRONICLE OF WALES in the Thirteenth Century, compiled in the The inedited matter in the LLYFR COCH O HERGEST, in the library LLYFR COCH LLANELWY, or the Red Book of St. Asaph. REGISTRUM PRIORATUS DE BRECKNOCK. ANCIENT RECORDS from the time of Edward III. belonging to the Donations and Annual Subscriptions, together with Orders for Copies of the Works, are requested to be forwarded to the Honorary Secretary, at Abergavenny. Subscribers' Names and Orders for Copies of the Works will also be received by the Publisher, Mr. W. Rees, Llandovery. Donations, Annual Subscriptions, etc. Annual Subscriptions. £. s. d. No. of Copies. The Grand Duke Alexander of Russia The Most Hon. The Marquess of Bute Sir Samuel R. Meyrick, K.H. F.S.A. &c.- 1270 W. Ormsby Gore, Esq. M.P. 5 5 0 1 1 0 12 2 0 10 10 0 2 2 0 10 10 0 2 10 10 0 1 1 1 0 1 The Right Hon. the Earl of Shrewsbury T. W. Lawford, Esq. Brecon Rev. J. M. Traherne, M.A. F.R.S. &c. D. J. Lewis, Esq. Gilvach Rev. Evan Andrews, M.A. Robert's Rest Rev. W. Bruce Knight, M.A. Margam 1 The Very Rev. the Dean of Hereford The Ven. W. Vickers. Archdeacon of Salop G. Ormerod, Esq. F.R.S. &c. Sedbury Park Rev. Dr. Williams, Cowbridge Evan David, Esq. Radyr Rev. Dr. Donne, Llanyblodwel Rev. R. Williams, M.A. Ysceifiog Col. A. T. J. Gwynne, Monachty Rev. A. B. Clough, B.D. Braunstone Rev. L. Jones, Almondbury Mr. George Farmer, Cardiff Rev. W. L. Jones, M.A. Llanengan, &c. Mr. Joseph Morris, Shrewsbury Mrs. Hughes, Knighton Lisle John Hughes, Esq. Donnington Rev. Thomas Lewis, Yatton Court Mrs. Davies, Moor Court Lady Hastings, Titley Court 100 1 1 0 PREFACE. THE LIBER LANDAVENSIS, or THE BOOK OF LLANDAFF, is so called because it is the ancient Chartulary, or Register Book of the Cathedral of Llandaff, wherein were recorded Memoirs of its more eminent Prelates, Grants of Endowment, and other interesting and important particulars relating to the Church and Diocese. It has also been called LLYFR TEILO, or THE BOOK OF TEILO, because the Diocese sometimes went by the name of Teilo, St. Teilo being one of the most eminent of its Prelates, and also because part of the materials, whereof it was compiled, was contained in a still more ancient Register, that went by his name, to which it makes reference,1 and which it probably superseded. The compiler of the Work is stated to have been Galfrid2 or Jeffrey, brother of Urban, the last Bishop of Llandaff mentioned therein, whose undertaking appears to be to make the older Register of Teilo his ground-work, and to give in addition such other suitable information as he could obtain, and think proper to communicate, and to relate the particulars according to the mode of description In the Requisition of Urban, Bishop of Llandaff, to Pope Calixtus II. at Rheims, in the year 1119, the said Bishop refers to the very ancient original Work, saying, "as the manuscript of our Patron St. Teilo does testify," (sicut Chirographum sancti patroni nostri Teliaui testatur,) pp. 84 and 555 of this Book. The manuscript of Teilo is likewise referred to in the account of the Cantrefs of Glamorgan, p. 237, where it is called Gref Teliau; but whether such reference is to the more ancient MS. or to this Work, is doubtful. 2 Wharton considers Esni, Dean of the Church of Llandaff, who was invited by his brother, Bishop Urban, to be present at the removal of the body of St. Dubricius from Bardsey to Llandaff in 1120, to be the same person as Galfrid.—Anglia Sacra, p. xxvii. |
