1

Ferguson was himself fully aware of the limits of his powers, for he says: "I shall have to leave the question of the Irish or British, as well as of Pagan or Christian origin, dependent on the question of language, which I do not profess to solve." At the same time, the problem has not yet been attacked competently from its archæological side. A great deal may be learnt from a map showing the geographical position of all the monuments, for it is probable that they originated in the part of the country where they are most numerous, that is to say, in the south-west promontory of the co. Kerry. A list of the stones, arranged according to the associations in which they have been found, shows that a considerable proportion occur in churches or churchyards, pointing to the Christian origin at least of some of them. In Ireland the largest groups of Ogham monuments and the greatest number collectively have been discovered either built into the walls and roofs of the underground chambers within raths, or in ancient burial-grounds called "killeens", now used only for the interment of unbaptised infants and suicides. Sir S. Ferguson and Mr. R. Rolt Brash are both of the opinion that the building materials for the rath-caves were obtained from the neighbouring killeens, which cemeteries must, if this is so, be of greater age than the rath-caves. It is to be regretted that the killeens have not been more thoroughly explored, with a view to determine whether the burials in them are Pagan or Christian. Several killeens are described in Mr. R. Rolt Brash's Ogham-Inscribed Monuments of the Gaedhil, and in one that was examined the bodies were not cremated, but enclosed in rude cists formed of stones set on edge. Superstitious ceremonies are still performed in some of the killeens, consisting of making the circuit of the burial-ground sunwise whilst saying certain prayers, and leaving votive offerings in a hollow stone basin called a "bullaun", or hanging up pieces of rag on a thorn-tree over a holy well. A certain number of the Ogham monuments are marked with crosses of early form, but it is often difficult to determine whether the sacred symbol and the inscription were both carved at the same time. Sir S. Ferguson believes the crosses to be contemporaneous with the inscriptions, but Mr. Rolt Brash takes an opposite view; and "when doctors disagree, who shall decide?"

The sixth chapter, on the Welsh Ogham stones, will probably be of most interest to the readers of Archeologia Cambrensis, although there is very little added to what has already appeared in our Journal, in Prof. Westwood's Lapidarium Wallia, and in Prof. J. Rhys's Lectures on Welsh Philology.

The work of Sir S. Ferguson's life has been a labour of love, and it is to be hoped that the publication of his lectures will induce others to take up the study of the early sepulchral monuments of

1 Dr. J. Anderson, in his Scotland in Early Christian Times, First Series, has explained this method very ably. He calls the group consisting of the greatest number of examples the "principal group", and the others the derived groups".

Great Britain, which he pursued with such untiring energy; and if, when climbing on the shoulders of an intellectual giant, we are enabled to see further into the past than the giant himself, we must not forget that it is not to our unaided powers of vision that

we owe our success.

Archaeological Notes and Queries.

AN ANCIENT MS. CONNECTED WITH LLANDAFF CATHEDRAL." At the Episcopal Visitation held in Llandaff Cathedral on Wednesday the 23rd inst., an ancient MS. of great interest connected with the history of the Chapter was delivered into their custody by Mr. J. E. Ollivant, the Chancellor of the Diocese. The existence of this MS. had been for many years unknown to the members of the Chapter until interest being aroused in the history of the Chapter in the time of the Cathedral Commission of 1853, search was made in the Diocesan Registry, at the instigation of Bishop Ollivant, for any MSS. bearing on its history. The Registrar, Mr. Huckwell, when asked what documents were in his possession, did not at first mention these; but on March 24 he put into the Bishop's hands some MSS. in parchment, which doubtless formed one of the 'three books' said by Browne Willis (p. 177) to be in the custody of the Chapter of Llandaff, viz., the Chapter Act Book, begun in 1575; the Liber Landavensis; and the third containing some orders by Bishop Blethin'. The Chapter Act Book still exists; the Liber Landavensis has wandered from its original possessors, and is now in the possession of Mr. P. B. Davies-Cooke of Owston, near Doncaster; and the third comprised the MSS. restored on the 23rd inst. to the Chapter. These were rebound and carefully guarded by the late Bishop, and were found among his papers by the Chancellor, his executor, by whom a correct copy and a translation have been made. The Visitation afforded a fitting opportunity to restore these interesting pages to the custody of the Chapter.

"The first sheet (paged 81, as if it had belonged to a larger volume) is a copy of a dispensation respecting marriage within the prohibited degrees, granted by Cardinal Wolsey. The other side of this has been utilised for the commencement of the charge of Bishop Blethin to the Chapter, 1575. The third portion is headed Consuetudines et Ordinaciones Ecclesiæ Landavensis', and contains much interesting matter respecting the government of the Cathedral, the residence of the canons and their rota for preaching, the oaths of the bishop and canons on installation, and so forth, in six pages. The whole ends with a blessing and imprecation on those respectively who should keep and violate them, and a declaration that these ordinances were sealed by the Bishop and Chapter, Janu

ary 30, 1575, and 18 Eliz. Amongst the details we find that such canons as had not the divinum prædicandi donum were required to pay, instead of preaching, the sum of five shillings of English money. Every canon was required to purchase a cope of the value of five marks, which on his death his executors were to hand over to the church, or the value of the same.

"It is possible that these are ordinances which were drawn up in the time of Bishop Henry, Prior of Abergavenny, who regulated the status of the Chapter between 1195 and 1218; or that those concerning the 'Residence of the Canons' are those drawn up by William de Brewys, 1265-86, which are to be found in the original Liber Landavensis. That there is some connection between these 'Consuetudines' and the Liber Landavensis appears clear, for the Chancellor forwarded a few extracts to Mr. Davies-Cooke, who kindly compared them with his MS., and found great similarity; for instance, the entry about the cope is to be found in both.

"Some extracts from the 'Charge of Bishop Blethin', with other interesting matter, may be found in the Account of Llandaff Cathedral, published by Bishop Ollivant in the year 1860."-Western Mail, May 25, 1888.

RECORDS OF THE BAILIWICK OF WREXHAM, A.D. 1339 AND 1340.—" It seems desirable to call attention to some of the chief points of interest presented by the records which the Corporation of Wrexham have lately ordered to be transcribed and translated. These records are simply the proceedings of the courts of the bailiwick of Wrexham, held between Michaelmas 1339 and Michaelmas 1340.

"The bailiwick or raglotry of Wrexham (representing an ancient Welsh commote) included, besides Wrexham, the following townships-Rhiwabon, Dinhinlle Isaf, Dinhinlle Uchaf (then, apparently, called 'Trefibychain'), Moreton Wallicorum (then called 'Eglwysegl'), Moreton Anglicorum (then called simply' Moreton'), Cristionydd Kenrick, Esclusham, Minera, Bersham, Broughton, Brymbo (then sometimes called Bryn-baw'), Erddig (then called 'Furddicot'), Stansty, Acton, Marchwiel, Sontley, Eyton, and RuyThe other townships in the present Hundred of Bromfield belonged then to the bailiwick of Marford,

As representing an old Welsh commote, the bailiwick of Wrexham had its group of ancient Welsh officers,-its raglot, its ringild, its sergeant of the peace, and its chief forester, all of whom are mentioned in the record. These were entitled to various charges on certain lands. They were entitled also to levy certain sums on the tenants, or at least the bond-tenants of the lord. But Cenric ap Codblawd and Einion ap Rhirid, two of the raglot's bailiffs, were continually being 'presented' for exacting more than was due; and in one case these bailiffs were 'presented' for 'going daily as guests to the houses of the lord's bondsmen in Dinhinlle, to their damage, and in contempt of the lord.'

"The values of things in this district at that time are worthy of

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notice. Horses were worth from five to eleven shillings each, and bulls from five to six shillings. Cows are nearly always appraised at six shillings and eightpence, and lambs were twopence apiece. On the other hand, a hive of bees was worth nearly nine shillings. Lead was fifteen shillings a charr, the charr being nearly equal in weight to our ton. Corn was sold by the hob or hobbett, the meill, and the quarter. The hobbett is still in use; but I have never heard of the meill. Oats were threepence a hobbett, and there were eight hobbetts in a quarter. Wheat was two shillings a quarter. Flax was sold by the 'disne', whatever that may be.

"Ieuan Dymcck, the second of the well known family of Dymock, is twice mentioned in these records; but if Dymock is really a Welsh surname, it was the only Welsh surname then established in the district. With this doubtful exception, all names were strictly personal, and not hereditary. Names like John, Thomas, and William, were only then beginning to come into use, and were still very rare. The really common male names were Addaf, Bleddyn, Cadwgan, Cenric, David, Ednyfed, Einion, Elidyr, Griffydd, Griffri, Grono, Heilin, Howel, Hwfa, leuaf, Ieuan, Iocyn, Ithel, Iorwerth, Madoc, Meilir, Morgan, Owen, and Rhys. The following male names occur more rarely: Awr, Belyn, Cadifor, Cyfnerth, Daniel, Donyn, Dyfynwyn, Gwyn, Gwion, Gwrgeneu, Ifor, Llywarch, Madyn, Medron, Niniaw, and Rhirid. I give, finally, all the female names mentioned in the record: Angharad, Dyddgu, Efa, Generys, Genilles, Gwenllian, Gwenhwyfar, Gwerfil, Gwladys, Hawys, Hunydd, Lleucu, Marred, Myfanwy, Nest, Tangwystl, and Tibot.

"Scores of the persons mentioned in these records had nicknames, and in some cases a man's nickname wholly displaced his true name. Thus one man was always called 'Codblawd' (Bag of Meal), another 'Bongam' (Crooked Shank), a third Talgrach' (Scabby Forehead), a fourth Bolgrach' (Scabby Belly), and a fifth Torddu' (Black Belly). Then we have names like 'Ithel Gostog' (Ithel the Surly), 'Iorwerth Grinwas' (Iorwerth the Niggard), Madoc Hagr' (Madoc the Ugly), Cenric Sant' (Cenric the Saint), 'Madoc Chwith' (Madoc the Left-Handed), 'Iocyn Oer' (Iocyn the Cold). Grono y Mes' (Grono of the Acorns) may also be mentioned as a curious name.

"There were very few Englishmen in the district; and in one trial in which an Englishman was concerned, the case had to be adjourned to the next court because not enough of his countrymen were present to form a jury. There were, however, a good many Englishmen settled near Ruabon, either in the township of Dinhinlle Isaf or in that of Moreton-below-the-Dyke. In the last named township were at that time iron mines; and in the same township, or in the adjoining township of Dinhinlle Isaf, was also a forge; and I think it must have been in connection with these iron mines and forge that the colony of Englishmen just mentioned came to be established. Now the eastern portion of Moreton-below-the-Dyke forms a distinct hamlet, which is still called Moreton Anglicorum',

or' Moreton of the English', and this hamlet includes 'The Gefeliau', a name which means 'the Smithy', whilst just outside its borders are two farms which for centuries have been called "The Cinders'. Finally, Moreton Anglicorum formed part of a manor which was called Manerium Fabrorum', or Manor of the Smiths. I think, then, that Moreton Anglicorum was possibly the district occupied by the Englishmen who worked the iron mines and forge above named. How were the spiritual wants of these Englishmen supplied? In answer I may say that in a survey of Moreton Anglicorum, taken in 1620, an old chapel, then in 'decay', is mentioned there.

"Besides Ieuan Dymock, the ancestors of several other well known local Welsh families are mentioned in these records, the ancestors of the Broughtons of Marchwiel, the Lloyds of Plas Madoc, the Eytons of Eyton, the Sontleys of Sontley, and of the present Mr. Jones-Parry of Llwynon.

"More interesting still it is to find mentioned, not once only, but again and again, those two famous brother bards, Madoc Benbras and Ednyfed ap Griffith. It seems quite worth while to tell the story of these two poets, and of their almost equally famous brother, Llewelyn Llogell, the parson of Marchwiel.

"In the early part of the fourteenth century there was living in the neighbourhood a gentleman of ancient Welsh lineage, who owned a large part of the townships of Sontley and Eyton, and from whom the Sontleys of Sontley and the Eytons of Upper Eyton were derived. His name was Griffith ap Iorwerth ap Einion. Now this gentleman had three sons,-Ednyfed; Madoc, commonly called Madoc Benbras' (Madoc Coarse Head); and Llewelyn, rector of Marchwiel, commonly called 'Llogell' (or Pocket). Now all these three sons were notable poets, and their names were connected with two of the three 'regenerating Eisteddfodau' of Wales. In the confusion and social disorganisation resulting from the long struggle for Welsh independence, the ancient Welsh metres were in danger of being wholly forgotten throughout North Wales. The three sons of Griffith ap Iorwerth had been compelled to go to Glamorgan as pupils to Llewelyn ap Gwilyn Emlyn (who was then at the court of Ifor Hael) to learn the mechanical principles of their art. But it was through the three great 'regenerating Eisteddfodau' that the rules of vocal song became again the common property of the bards of Wales.

"The first of these three Eisteddfodau was held at Maes Aleg, under the patronage of Ifor Hael. The second was held at Dolgoch, in Emlyn; and here Ednyfed ap Griffith, one of our three local bards, won the chair. It is said that this Ednyfed, of Sontley, was actually the preceptor of the famous poet Iolo Goch. It was probably at his instance that the third of the three great 'regenerating Eisteddfodau' came to be held in the parish of Marchwiel. this famous congress of the bards, held under the patronage of Earl Mortimer of Chirk, Ednyfed's two brothers greatly distinguished

At