THE
MYTHOLOGY AND RITES
OF THE
British Druids
NOTES

1 Celt. Res. p. 115.

2 Aug. Tract. 7. in Joaq. T. IX. p. 27.

3 I am totally at a loss to conjecture upon what ground this assertion stands. 1 had mentioned some copyists of the Triads in the twelfth century put I never supposed them to have been the original collectors.

4 The romantic chronicles of Archdeacon Walter, and Geoffrey of Monmodth, and, after them, some late annotators on the Triads, say, that the Coranied, a Belgic tribe, arrived in the age of Lludd. This is evidently erroneous. The reader will see presently, that the Bard means the Romans, and no other people.

5 The Bard addresses himself to a Christian.

6  The subject of the poem is Caesar's second invasion. The particle dy, m composition, conveys the sense of iteration.

7 The district of Troy, whence the Romans deduced their origin.

8 When the oracle commanded Æneas and his company

Dardanidae duri, qua; vos a stirpe parcntum
Prima tulit telius, eadem vos ubere lajto
Accipiet reduces; antiquani exquirite Matrem
                                        Virg. Æn. III. V. 98.

We are informed, that they knew not where to find this parent region, and consequently wandered through various seas in search of it. To this tale the Bard evidently alludes.

9 The Roman toga, or gown.

10 We learn from Cæsar, as well as from the British Triads and chronicles that the Romans were invited into this island by the princes of the Triaorbantes, who were at war with Cassivellaunus.

11 Such was the formidable pilum, as appears from a variety of Roman coins and sculptures.

12 The Romans had carried their arms, not only over the best part of Europe, but also into Aram, or Syria and Armenia, before they invaded Britain.

13 These reputed brothers of Cassivellaunus, were the princes of the Trinobantes, who deserted the general cause of their country, and sent ambassadors to Julius Cæsar.

14 The reader will see hereafter, that the ancient Bards conferred this title upon the solar divinity, and his chief minister.

15 That is Cassivellaunus, whose abilities and prudence are acknowledged by the Roman commander.

16 The fortress or town of Cassivellaunus, Silvis paludihusque munitum. De Bell. Gall. L. V. c. 21.

17 Relinquehatur ut neque longius ab agmine legionum disced! Cæsar pateretur, et tantum in agris vastaudis, incendiisqiie faciendis, hostibus noceretur. lb. c. 19.

18 Grad, or Graid, the sun. Cassivellaunus is called the son of Beli, which is another name of that deified luminary.

19 Those British tribes who voluntarily submitted to the Romans (see Cæsar, lb. c. 20, 21), and on whom Cassivellaunus retaliated, after Caesar's departure.

20 The Bard, in a strain of venial patriotism, ascribes the departure of Cæsar and the Romans to the prowess of his countrymen. Other Bards have dropped pretty strong hints to the same purpose. Lucan says—

Territa quaesitis ostendit terga Britannis.

And Pope, with less asperity—

Ask why, from Britain Cassar would retreat?
Cæsar himself might whisper, was beat.

21 In this Section, I must also take notice of the objections of some of my own countrymen, who, since the publication of the Celtic Researches, have industriously spread a report, that I do not produce the genuine traditions of the Welsh Bards. However little concern I might feel, for the mere accident of thinking differently from these men, yet, as I have made ray opinion public, I deem it a duty which I owe to my own character, as well as to the generous patrons of my book, to shew, that I am competent to judge of the genuine remains of the Welsh; and that my representations of them have been fairly made, and from the best authorities that can be produced.

My own vindication will call for a few remarks, upon the grounds of the adverse opinion} but I hope to vindicate myself with temper.

22 Vindication of the Genuineness of the Ancient British Bards. 8vo. London 1803. See p. 16 to 20.

23 Ibid. p. 14.

24 Ibid. p. 250.

25 W. Archaiol. p. 161.

26 W. Archaiol. p. 158.

27 I think Mr. Owen has, more accurately, ascribed this work to Cuhelyn ab Caw, a Bard of the sixth century. Cam. Biog. V. Cuhelyn.

28 There is another poem of Cuhelyn, which details some curious particulars of Bardic lore. It is introduced in fourth section section of this Essay.

29 W. Archaiol. p. 192.

30  Ibid. p. 66.

31 Ibid. p. 193.

32 W. Archaiol. p 201.

33 W. Archaiol. p. 210.

34 W. Archaiol. p. 212.

35 W. Archaiol. p. 220.

36 W. Archaiol. p. 230.

37 Ibid. p. 243.

38 W. Archaiol. p. 263.

39 Ibid. p. 23.

40 W. Archaiol. p. 290.

41 Mr. Turner's Tranilation.

42 W. Aichaiol. p.250,25.

43 W. Archaiol. p. 377.

44 W. Archaiol. p. 393.

45 W. Archaiol. p. 481.

46 Cæs. de Bell. Gal. L. I c. 30.—L. VI. c. 3.

47 Wootton's Leg. Wall. L IV. 298.

48 The term Collection has offended some minute critics. They ask for the Folk of Triads and the name of the author. They might as well ask for the Book of Judges, and the name of the author. Every Triad is a whole in itself; and the ancient copyists transcribed only as many as suited their occasion, or pleased their fancy.

49 W. Archaiol. Vol. II, p. 75.

50 See Mr. Owen's Introd. to LI. Hen. pp. 60, 61. 62. Mr. Williams's Poems, Vol. II. p. 94. See also Mr. Turner's Vindication, p. 226, and a circumstantial note, communicated by Mr. Owen, p. 127, &c.

51 Owen's Introd. p. 62.

52 Archaiol. Brit. p. 264.

53 See Turner's Vindic. p. 229, &c. and Owen's Introd. p. 60.

54 Ed. Williams' Poems, V. II., p. 161.

55 Owen's Cam. Biog, V. Trahaearn

56  Introd. to Ll. Hen. p. 28.

57 Antiq. of Cornwall, B. II. ch. 21, 22.

58 L. 29, c. i.

59 V. II. p. 5.

60 W. Archaiol. p. 259, 260.

61 W. Archaiol. p. 17. This genuine Bardic account of the production of the water of Awen, or Inspiration, is scarcely reconcilcable with the doctrine which Mr. Owen derives from the chair of Glamorgan; namely, that "The Bardic theology, laws and principles, have, in all ages, been referred to inspiration, or asserted to he derived from heaven, under the denomination of Awen." Introd. to Ll. Hen, p. 63.

62 W. Archaiol. p. 62.

63 W. Archaiol. p. 158.

64 Gent. Mag. Nov. J790.

65 See Sect. V.

66 Celt. Res. p. 245, &c.

67  This method of divination has not been neglected even amongst barbarous nations. For there are Druids in Gaul, with one of whom I was acquainted, namely, Divitiacus Aedutis, who enjoyed the hospitality of your house, and spoke of you with admiration. This man not only professed an intimate knowledge of the system of nature, which the Greeks call Physiology, "but also foretold future events, partly by augury, and partly by conjecture."

68 Cic. de Divinatione, L. I.

69 They also dispute largely upon subjects of natural philosophy, and instruct the youth in their principles.

70 De Bell. Gall. L. VI. c. 14.

71 W. Archaiol. p. S9.

72 W. Archaiol. p. 32.

73 Ibid, p.47.

74 W. Archaiol. p. 25.

75 Introd. to Ll. Hen. p. 54.

75a "Over all these Druids there is one president, who enjoys supreme authority amongst them."

76 "The common people are regarded as nearly upon a level with slaves. They have no power of their own, and are never admitted into the assemblies of the states. Many of these, when oppressed by debt, by the weight of taxes, or by the injury of the great, devote themselves to the service of the nobles, who have, in all respects, the same power over them, which masters have over their slaves."

77 De Bell. Gall. L. VI. c. 13.

78 Poems, V. 11. p. 7.

79 W. Arcaiol. p. 31.

80 Mr, Turner's Translation. Vindic. p. 187.

81 Introd. to LI. Hen. p. 18. See also p. 25.

82 "Upon his death, if any one of the survivors excels the rest in dignity; he succeeds; but if several have equal pretensions, the president is chosen by the votes of the Druids. Sometimes, however, the supreme dignity is disputed by force of arms."

83  Taliesin's Battle of Gwenystrad. Gent. Mag. March, 1790.

84 Gent. Mag. Nov. 1795. Mr. Owen's translation.

85 Mr. Turner's Vindic. p. 207.

86 Introd. to LI. Hen. p. 62.

87 See D. ab Gwilym's Works, p. 244, &c.

88 This duty is acknowledged by the institutional Triads of that very chair.—William's Poems, V. II. p. 232.

89 Introd. to Ll. Hen. p. 51.

90 W. Archaiol. p. 499. The editors have probably inserted 1350, by way of accommodation with the chronology of the chair. The only copy to which they refer, as their original, has the date 1380. which came from the authority of Dr. Davies of Mallwyd, and is the same which is given by Ed. Llwyd, in his Archæologia.

91 The places mentioned in this poem, are in the neighbourhood of Llandovery. Llandlngad is the parish in which that town is situated. The manor of Hirvryn comprehends part of that parish. Caew, or Cynuil Gaio, is at the distance of about ten miles, on the Llanbedr road; and Myddvai, which joins the parish of Llandingad, was famous for its succession of physicians, in the family of Lliwallawn, from the 13th to the 18th century.

92 It appears by this passage, that poison had been administered to the warrior, just as he was going to battle.

93 England.

94  It is the custom in many parts of Wales, to bum the heaths upon the mountains, in order to clear the turf, which is paired off, for fuel.

95 Some nobleman, who took his title from a place in the North, or within the limits of ancient Bernicia.

96 Heroes of ancient fable, who will be mentioned again in the course of this Essay.

97 See Owen's Introd. to LI. Hen, p. 27, 48. Also, Williams's Poems, V. II. p. 39, note, and p. 216.

98  In a consecrated place.

99 "They give lessons upon a variety of subjects, t9 the first nobility of the nation."

100 "These lessons are private, and continued for a long time for the space of twenty years, in a cave, or amongst inaccessible forests."

101 Lib. 111. c. 2.

102 One of the maxims which they teach, has found its way to the Public.

103 "When the sun is in the middle of his course, or when the dark night covers the sky."

104 Lucan. Pharsal. Lib. III.

105 Borlase, B. II. ch. 13, from Strabo, Lib. IV.

106 "They have an eloquence of their own, and their Druids as teachers of wisdom."

107 Lib. III. c. 2.

108 Lex. de Script. Brit. p. 5.

109 See Carte's Hist. p. 46.

110 The true reading seems to be—Y ddeilen-gwynt at threved.

111 Twelve of these are ascribed to Mervin Gwawdrydd, whose age is unknown, unless it be a corrupt reading for Aneurin Gwawdrydd, and nineteen bear the name of a son of Llywarch Hen.

112 Or, who has no friend.

113 See Antiq. of Cornwall, p. 107.

114 They dispute largely concerning the force and power of the immortal gods and instruct the youth in their principles. Of all the gods, they pay the greatest honours to Mercury, whom they represent as the inventor of all arts. Alter him, they worship Apollo, and Mars, and Jupiter, and Minerva. Their opinion respecting these nearly coincides with that of other nations, &c.

115 Perieg. V. 565, &c.

116 Lib. IV.

117 2 Kings, ch. xiii. v. 4.

118 See Appendix, No, 15.

119 Ibid. No. 12.

120 See Celt. Res. p. 157, from Archaiology of Wales, V. II, p. 59, and 71.

121 De Bell. Gal. L. V. c. 12.

122 Lempriere, Bib. Class. V. Samothracia.

123 Celt. Res. p. 163.

124 W. Archaiol. p. 30.

125 Ibid, p. 24.

126 Strabo, L. IV.

127 W. Archaiol. p. 431.

128 Owen's Dict, in voce.

129 These numbers refer to that series which begins p. 57. W. Archaiol. Vol. II.

130 Analysis, V. II. p. 166.

131 Song 24.

132 Song 15.

133 Song 16.

134 Ibid. 6.

135 Song 15.

136 Ibid 22.

137 Ibid. 23.

138 Appendix, No. 10.

139 Appendix, No. 1.

140  Ibid. No. 2.

141 Ibid. No. 3.

142 Appendix, No. 4.

143 Ibid. No 5.

144 Ibid. No. 5.

145 Ibid. No. 11.

146 Appendix, No. 13,

147 Analysis, V. I. p. 100.

148 Analysis, V. I. p. 307, 309, 310, 316.

149 Mysteries of the Cabiri, V, I. p. 17.

150 Mysteries of the Cabiri, V. I. p. 151.

151 Myst. of the Cabiri, V, I. p. 190, &c. with the author's authorities.

152 Welsh Eng, Pict. V. Banawg,

153 Analys. V. II. p. 417.

154 Analys. V. II. p. 422.

155 Myst. of the Cabiri, V. I. p. 177,

156 Myst. of the Cabiri, V. I. p. 210. Antiq. of Cornwall, B. II. C. 16.

157 See W. Archaiology, V. II. p. 21 and 80.

158 Myst. of the Cabiri, V. I. p. S06.

159 See Appendix, No. 3.

160 W. Archaiol. V. 11. p. 4. 72. 76.

161  Taliesin, Appendix. No. 2.

162 Gibson's Camden, Col. 1075.

163 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 16.

164 Ibid. V. II. p. 16, 17, 71.

165 בקר לה

166 Appendix, No. 11.

167 Ibid. No. 3.

168 See Appendix, No. 9.

169 And hence may have arisen the fable of the אילמיס drawing the shrine out of the water.

170 See Myst. of the Cabiri, V. I. p. 35, 43, 45, &c.

171 Camb. Reg. V. I. p. 302, 370.

172 See Dr. Borlase's Antiq. of Cornwall, p. 110.

173 W. Archaiol. V: II. p. 309.

174 Lib. XXXII. c. 3.

175 V. L. p. 114-128.

176 Gibson's Camdeu, Col. 706.

177 See Myst. of the Cabiri, V. I. p. 527, with the author's authorities.

178 Ibid. V. II. p. 281.

179 Myst. of the Cabiri, V. 11. p. 289, from Kæmpfer's Japan, Appendix, p. 13.

180 Gibsons' Camden, Col. 706.

181 Ibid. Col. 791.

182 See Owen's Dict. V. Omwy, Dyvrdwti, Ptrydd, and Feryddm.

183 Myst. of the Cabiri, V. I. p. 259, &c.

184 Iliad, 6, II. Pope's translation.

185 Appendix, No. 3.

186 Ibid. No. 4.

187 Ibid. No. 1.

188 Appendix, No. 9.

189 Appendix, No. I2.

190 Gibson's Camden Col. 797.

191 Gibson's Camden Col. 1217.

192 Plin. L. VIII. Epist. 20.

193 Inghur. Apud. Anuot. ad Lactant. de Fel. Rel. L. I. cap. 13.

194 Myst. of the Cabiri, V. I. p. 61. From Herodot. L. II. c. 156.

195 lb. p. 64; See also the lake and floating island of Cotyle in Italy, p. 65, &c.

196 V. II. p. 429. n.

197 "Does it not appear to you. Sir, that there is something singular in this partiality of the ancients to islands? In these, whatever is sacred, great, or ancient has constantly occurred, why have the inhabitants of the continent given islands this advantage over the continent itself."

198 Lettret sur I'Atlantide, p. 361,

199  Appendix, No. 6.

200 Ibid. No. 7.

201 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 308.

202 Appendix, No. 3.

203 Dr. Borlase's Antiq. of Cornwall, p. 189, and PI. XVII. Fig. 1.

204 Appendix, No. 12.

205  Ibid. No. 10.

206 Appendix, No. 8.

207 W. Archaiol. p. 40.

208 Gwalclmai, W. Archaiol. p. 101.

209 Lib. III. c. 8.

210 Lib. IV. See Dr. Borlase's Antiq. of Cornwall, p. 87.

211 Appendix, No. 6.

212 Ibid. No. 12.

213 Ibid. No. 4.

214 Ibid. No. 11.

215 Ibid. No. 2.

216 Appendix, No. 14.

217 Antig. V. 1162.

218 Francklin's translation.

219 Quaest. Grace, p. 299.

220 Lib. X.

221 Mr. Faber's translation Myst. of the Cabiri, V. II. p. 39.

222 Appendix, No. 1 and 4.

223 Ibid. No. 1, 2, and 4, and Gododin, Song 24.

224 Gododin, Song '25.

225 Compare Appendix, No. 1 and 12.

226 Ibid. No. 9.

227 Ibid. No. 12.

228 Cadair Taliesin in the ensuing section.

229 W. Archaiol. Vol. II. p. 22.

230 Appendix, No. 12.

231 Mysteries of the Cabiri, V. I. p. 17.

232 Ibid. p. 138.

233 Ibid. p. 182.

234 Ibid. p. 177. &c.

235 Myst. of the Cabiri, V. I. p. 218.

236 Analysis V. III. p. 331.

237 Analysis, V. II. p. 266.

238 Ibid. p. 473.

239 Analysis, V. II. p. 333.

240 See the conclusion of Sect. II. and the poems there quoted.

241 Cam. Biog. V. Arthur.

242 Gvreu-wy-var: the H in this word is merely formative.

243 Appendix, No. 3.

244 Taliesin's Mabgyvren, or Elements. W. Archaiol. p. 24.

245 Thus Ceridwen still exists in the middle of the twelfth century. See the poems of Hywel, in the conclusion of this section.

246 ln other passages, this name is written Creirwy, the token of the egg.

247 Analysis. V. II, p. 329. 

248 Analysis, V. II, p. 328, 512.

249 Thus we find a temple of Apollo upon Mount Parnassus, where the ark of Deucalion rested.

250 W. Archaiol. p. 79.

251 Bu, an Ox, and Naw, a ship.

252 See Voyage dans le Finistere, Tom. I.

253 Anson. Prof. 4 and 10.

254 Atlas Geograph. Ed. 1711, p. 1062.

255  See the latter part of the present Section.

256 W. Archaiol, p. 519.

257 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 15. 71.

258 Analysis, V.

259 II. p. 300.

260 See W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 4 and 26.

261 Ibid, p. 19 and 74.

262 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 4, 15, and 69.

263 See Analys. V. II. p. 253, &c.

264 Ibid. p. 269.

265 See Analys. V. II. p. 380.

266 Ibid. 286.

267 See Analys. V. II. p. 3S9.

268 For these particulars, see the sequel of Hanes Taliesin, and that remarkable poem called the Chair of Ceridwen, which I shall produce in the course of this Section.

269 Bryant's Analysis, V, II. p. 331.

270 Ibid. p. 343.

271 Bryant's Analysis, V. II. p. 260. The author observes from Scheditu, de Dus Germ, that Saturn had the name of Crodo. The parentage of the British Venus seems to have corresponded with that of the Greek.

272 Ibid. p. 41.

273 W. Archaiol. p. 166.

274  Bryant's Analysis, V. II. p. 319, &c.

275 Ibid. p. 360.

276 Appendix, No. 14.

277 Gibson's Camden, Col. 815. See also Owen's Dict. V. Glain.

278 W. Archaiol. p. 193.

279 See Camden, as cited before.

"With similar reverence the Samothraciang, whose devotion to the Cabiric rites is well knowest, regarded their magical rings. These were of the nature of amulets, and were believed to have a power of averting danger." Faber's Myst. of the Cabiri, V. I. p. 213.

280 Bryant's Analysis, V, II. p. 553.

281 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 59.

282 Appendix, No. 3. 

283 Analys. V. II. p. 461.

284 Ibid. p. 471.

285 See Mr. Turner's Vindication, p. 283.

286 Appendix, No. 3.

287 See the preceding Section.

288 Monde Primitif. Tom. IV. p. 318.

289 Cadair Taliesin, W. Archaiol. p. 37,

290 Bobo, in the Hiberno-Celtic, implies a mystery.

291 Monde Primittf. as cited before.

292 Lib. XI. chap. 15.

293 See Monde Prim. Tom. IV. p. 325.

294 Analysis. V. II. p. 376.

295 Indian Antiq. V. II. p. $70, &c.

296 W. Archaiol. p. 67.

297 Ibid. p.322.

298 Bryant's Analysis, V. I. p, 483.

299 Ibid. V. II p. 257.

300 "I approached the confines of death, and having nearly trodden the threshold of Prosperine, I returned, being carried through all the elements."

301 See Ind. Antiq. V. II. p. 312, &c.

302 And bitches seem to bowl amidst the gloom.

303 V. 257.

304  Pletho, in his notes upon the magical oracles of Zoroaster, also speaks of the dogs mentioned by Virgil. It is the custom, says he, in the celebration of the mysteries, to exhibit to the initiated certain fantoms, in  the figure of dogs, ^nd many other monstrous spectres and apparitions.

305 Monde Primitif. Tom. IV. p. 236.

306 Ibid. p. 339.

307  See Analysis, V. I. p. 40. 108. 329, &c.

308 W. Archaiol. p. 166.

309 Ind. Antiq. V. II. p. 348.

310 Vide De Bello Gallico, L. V. C. 12.

311 See Ind. Antiq. V. II. p. 243.

312 Plut. in Vita Phor.

313 W. Archaiol. p. 76.

314 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 64.

315 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 59.

316 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 55.

317 Mai ymsawdd jn llyn heb Naw
                    W. Archaiol. p. 27.
Myned e Fenai cya ni'm bu Navs
                    Ibid. p. 159.

318 See Analysis, V. I. p. 47.

319 If we advert to the natural history f the crane, he Is an aquatic bird, and a great fisher, so Gwyddnaw was a Diluvian priest, and a fisher of men.

320 Appendix, No. 1.

321 W. Archiol, V. II. p. 3 and 62.

322 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 15 and 69.

323 Ibid. p. 277.

324 W. Archaiol. p. 165.

325 Divine Legation, V. I. p. 148.

326 Faber's Myst. of the Cabiri, V. I p. 280.

327 Analysis, V. 11. p. 27, &.

328 Ibid. p. 77 and 274.

329 Ibid. p. 410.

330 Appendix, No. 13.

331 W. Archaiol. p. 19.

332 The chair of Ceridwen.

333 W. Aichalol. p. 66,

334 Appendix, No. 4.

335 Bryant's Analysis, V. II. p. 331.

336 Analys. V. II. p. 509.

337 Ibid. p. 242.

338 Ibid. p. 510.

339 Analysis, V. II. p. 332.

340 Appendix, No. 10.

341 The original word may be a compound of Kid, the Arkite goddess, and Gwid, a whirl, or revolution. Thus Cynddela says of himself, and his Bardic fraternity

Gwjr a'n cydberchid uch gwid gwenen.

"We are men who have been mutually honoured over the whirl of the white stream."

Alluding to their initiation into Arkite mysteries. See Owen's Dict. V. Gwid.

342 Appendix, No. 10.

343 W. Archaiol. p. 37.

344 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 63.

345 Song 11. See the ensuing Section.

346 Antiq. of Cornwall, B. II. C. 13. From Pliny.

347 Antiq. of Cornwall,. B. II, C. !. From Pliny, L. XXV. C. 9

348 Opposite to p. 276,

349 Antiq. of Cornwall, B. II. C. 13. from Pliny.

350 Antiq. of Cornwall, B. II. C. 12. From Pliny.

351 Qwen's Cam. Biog. V. Brychon. From the Triads.

352 W. Archaiol. p. 278.

353 That is, "another has been the successful candidate he carries the emblem of victory; whilst my shield retains a blank surface, not blazoned with the desired atchievement."

Hywel lived in an age of Chivalry; hence the metaphors in this passage.

354 The new moon, with her mall and pallid crescent, was the symbol of that goddess.

355 Analys. V. II. p. S80.

356 Appendix, No. 2.

357 Appendix, No. 1.

358 W. Archaiol. p. 59.

359 O Liber, and holy Ceres, ye bright luminaries of the world, who lead forth the year, revolving in the heavens!

360 Bryant's Analysis, V. II. p. 483.

361 Tom. IV. Pl. 7, Fig. 1.

362 To this I may add, Cylch Balch Nevwy, the proud, or magnificent celestial circle, round which the majestic oaks, the symbols Taronwy, the god of thunder, spread their arms.—Taliesin, Cerdd Daronwy.

363  Gibson's Camden, Col, 805.

364 Ind. Antiq. V. VI. p. 123.

365  Ibid. p. 125.

366 Ind. Antiq. V. VI. p. 128.

367 See Sect. 5.

368 Warrington's Hist. of Wales, 1st, Edit. p. 57.

369 See Dugdale's Baronage, p. 1, with his authority; and Gibson's Camden, col. 287. Earl must be here regarded as a mere translation of his British title.

370 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 68.

371 Compare W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 255, 256-271, 273, with Gibson's Camden, Col. 847, and Warrington's Hist. of Wales, p. 64, and his authorities.

See who the songs of the Gododin, in the sequel of this section.

372 W. Archaiol. p. 164. In the table of contents, it is ascribed to a Bard of the eighth century; but in Mr. Owen's Cam. Biog. more accurately, to Cuhelyn the son of Caw, about the middle of the sixth century.

373 Hengist, at it is fully evident from the subsequent pages.

374 Ind. Antiq. Vol. VI. p. 128.

375 Bryant's Analysis, V. II. p. 327, 330.

376 Ibid. p. 394.

377 Archiol. Britan. p. 262.

378 W. Archaiol. V. I. p. 61.

379 The learned author of the History of Brecknockshire.

380 Gredyf gwr oed gwast
Gwrbyt a'm das.

381 The clean weapon of the Bard, like the Hasta Pura of the Romans, seems to have been an emblem of peace. The Bards were regarded as heralds of peace. See song 25, where this Bard is introduced by the name of Ovin, For Ethy ttur a Phan, I read Ethmwr Aphan.

382 Caeawc, wearing a wreath—This was a wreath of amber beads, as appears from the subsequent paragraphs, which also prove that the Bard means Hengist. I recollect no authority for ascribing wreaths of amber to the native Britons; but the costume appears upon many of the old Saxon coins, published by Camden.

383 Bun, the maid, a name of Llywy, the British Proserpine, at whose festivals contention and tumult were deemed sacrilegious. See song 25.

384 The phrase, Twl tal y rodawc repeatedly occurs. It has been translated, the front of whose shield was pierced but it evidently implies, making a signal, by striking the shield.

385 The Bard describes the Saxons, in this work, by several terms, which imply sea rovers. At law'r Mordei.

386 The Saxons were invited, the first time, by Vortigern, and afterwards Rowena.

387 The compact of a friendly meeting, proposed by Hengist.

388 The signal for a general massacre of the unsuspecting British nobles.

389 His worst stratagem was the marriage of his daughter; his better stratagem, the massacre.

390 That is, before the forces of Vortimer, a votary of Godo, the British Ceres.

391 The Bard continually reminds us, that the Britons-had neither offensive nor defensive arms. In song 27, he mentions the plea of the Saxons, for the exclusion of shields That there might be a clear space to light this area. The conclusion of this paragraph, contains a suggestion of Hengist, which is well explained by Mr. Warrington, p. 59. "And in order to banish every idea of hostile intention, it was artfully suggested by the Saxon, that both parties should appear without their arm."

392 Kaeawc kynliorawc bleid e maran. Mr. Jones' MS. "Adorned with bin wreath was the chief, even the wolf of the holme," i.e. Thanet.

393 None but men of the most distinguished rank and character were admitted to the fatal banquet. And of those, the heroes who had fought under Vortimer, were especially selected for destruction, by the united treachery of Vortigern and Hengist. These were the great objects of resentment to both parties. The British King regarded them as the supporters of a rebellious son; and they had expelled the Saxon from the Island of Britain.

394 Vortigern, who had divided his kingdom with Hengist.

395 Cynod, yw y gwr gwrd eg gwyawr;
Cynran, yn racwan racbydiuawr.

396 The Scots and Picts united their forces with the Saxons, who were stationed in the North; and their combined army was beaten by the lieutenant of Vortimer. Warrington, with his authorities, p. 52, 53.

397 The Man of Kent. Probably the British Prince whom Vortigern had dispossessed of his dominions, to make room for Hengist. This chief is introduced again, under the name of Tudvwlch.

398 The Seaxes, which Hengist's party privately wore at the feast.

399 From the expulsion of the Saxons by Vortimer, to the period of Hengist's return about two years and a half.

400 Botgat or Valgus Hengist's father, whom the Saxons call Wetgisse.

401 Death was inevitable, because the unarmed Britons were ranted alternately with armed Saxons The next paragraph describes not a battle, but a sudden massacre.

402 It appears from the subsequent parts of the Gododin, that this interposer was the celebrated Eidiol, a distinguished prince, and president of the Bardic community; or, as he was styled in that wretched age of the British church, Bishop of the Britons. Upon this woful occasion, he acted as Seneschal, or Governor of the feast. He is to be regarded as Aneurin's hero; and from the particulars recorded of him, I conclude he is the same prince who is called Aurelius Ambrosius, Gwrgwl Emi-ys, or hero of the ambrosial stones.

403 That is, the retinue of Hengist, who privately wore their Seaxes or daggers.

404 They had fought thus, in the wars of Vortimer.

405 Whether this apostrophe is to be understood, as coming from the Bard himself, or from some more warlike chief; its object is to reproach the Saxons for their treacherous combination with the Picts.

406  This endowment was the kingdom of Kent, which Vortigern formally bestowed upon Hengist, his father-in-law, when he married Rowena.

407 They were massacred at an ostensively peaceful meeting, by the united plot of Hengist and Vortigern, to whom they bad been equally formidable.

408 An exaggerated number, implying the whole combined party of Vortigern and Hengist.

409 Hengist, who arose to give the signal of death.

410 The retinue of Vortigern, who was Lord of North Wales, a mountainous region his great courtesy for the Saxons was a subject of indignation to the Britons.

411 After the execution of Hengist's plot, the Bards defended the temple against the Saxotts, where many of them must have fallen.

412 That is, in the wars of Vortimer, to which the Bard alludes, in the conclusion of the paragraph.

413 Meinoeihydd—This was the anniversary of the great mysteries of the Britons, as we have already seen in Hanes Taliesin. And it was the season appointed by Vortigern and Hengist for the solemn meeting. Warrington, p. 67.

414 Mab Eilydd—This was the area of the Bards, or the Carsut, in front of their great temple, which was the scene of the massacre.

415 Of these they were disarmed by the stratagem of Hengist.

416 This probably means the bloody battle of Cray-ford, in which those heroes, under the conduct of Vortimer, had fought with Hengist, four or five years before the massacre. In that engagement, both parties seem to have claimed the victory. See Gibson's Camden, Col. 224. Sammes, p. 390.

417 This alludes to the dreadful ravages committed by Hengist, after the massacre. See Warrington, p. 60.

418 The princely descendants of Coel Godebawg supported the cause of Vortigern, who had invited Hengist into Britain.

419 That is Vortigern, "the Inviter of the great slaughterer." It appears from this, and other passages, that Vortigern was privy to the design of massacre, which he had encouraged, in order to get rid of those counsellors and heroes who had supported the cause of his son Vortimer, and might still be suspected of an intention to elect another sovereign. It is probable, however, that the British King was not aware of Hengist's design to seize his person, and extort from him a large portion of his dominions, as the price of liberty.

420  That is Hengist, who, by hastening the execution of his plot, prevented the meditated retreat of Vortigern.

421 This, I conceive, is not to be understood literally, as a hymn to the sun the Bard is only comparing Vonimer to the sun, whom the mystical Bards acknowledged as a divinity.

For Nev, heaven, I read Nav, a Lord.

422 Eiddin, he who extorts property or possession an epithet applied to the usurper Vortigern, in whose court Vortimer received a poisoned cup, by the contrivance of Rowena.

423 The Bard alludes to the actions of Vortimert previous to hit fall.

424 Vortigern, as above. It appears that this bloody usurper, who owed his de vat ion to the murder of his lawful sovereign, and the violence of a party, was diffident of the native Britons, and kept a body-guard of three hundred Saxon horse.

425 It seems by this paragraph, that the Saxon mercenaries of Vortigern amounted to about 3000.

426 Acron, the Splendid one, or the Queen of Brightness; a name of one of the great luminaries venerated by the superstitious Britons.

427 That is, the Picts.

428 The third and principal hero, who is described, and out named, was probably Eidiol, the Bard's peculiar favourite.

429 Hengist, with his wreath of amber round his temples. See song 2.

"Now, with your seaxes!" The signal which Hengist had previously agreed upon with his assassins.

430 This particular of the plot has been already noticed.

431 The seax had a sharp edge on one side; but the other side was frequently cut into teeth, like a saw. Sammes, p. 413.

432 The breaking of sprigs, so frequently mentioned by the Bards, describes the practice of sortilege. It seems, from this passage, that the diviner, either from his lots, or private conjecture, had conceived some presentiment of the event.

433 Hengist's proposal of a friendly meeting for the ostensible purpose of settling all disputes.

434 That is, Vortigern, Lord of Gicynedd, or North Wales. Golyddan, a Bard of the seventh century, emphatically styles him Gwrtheyrn Gwynedd.
W. Archaiol, p. 156.

435 This is the apology of a Saxon individual, for his atrocious conduct at the feast: to which the indignant Briton replies "It was not thy excess," &c.

436 Eidiol, or Ambrosius, who retaliated upon the Saxons by the death of Hengist.

437 Blwyddyn yu erbyn urddyn diiawd—
The year when Vortigern, who had been deposed for his attachment to the Saxons, was re-elected to the sovereignty, after the death of Vortimer.

438 "Above three hundred of the British nobility, the most eminent for their talents in the council, or in the field, perished in this bloody carousal."
Warrington, p. 59, with his numerous authorities,

439 Eidiol, or Ambrosius. It is clear to roe, that under these two names, we are to contemplate but one historical character. Arabrosius had, therefore already returned from Armorica, either during the reign of Vortimer, or upon the faith of this friendly meeting. As this prince was a peculiar object of Vortigern's jealousy, his Mattering appointment, as governor of the feast, may have been made for the purpose of securing his attendance amongst the destined victims.

440 Vortigern, who had been deposed, and re-elected by his faction. The Bard openly charges this infatuated prince with the odium of the massacre.

441 Vortigern had made his way to the throne by the base murder of his cousin Constans. Warrington, p. 39. This paragraph records a more shocking instance of his baseness.

442 The British Proserpine—here she represents the whole community of Bards—her votaries. See song 25.

443 See Gibson's Camden Col. 817. Warrington and his authorities, p. 64.

444 Hengjst's father, by the Saxons called Wetgisse.

445 The English historians, the Triads, and the chronicles of Tysilio and Geoffrey of Monmouth, represent this prince as having singly attacked the Saxons, and slain an incredible number of them with a pole.

The poems of Aneurin and Cuheljn reconcile the report of his actions with probability. Having some suspicion of treachery, he takes his station as governor of the feast, and consequently is not involved in the ranks. Upon the first assault, he extends his shaft between the adverse parties, and gives the alarm to the numerous disciples of the Bards, who were celebrating the festivity of May-day, and to the populace, whom the solemnity had convened. Some of this multitude parry off the Saxons with the long poles which were used in the procession, whilst others set fire to the temporary buildings about the Cursus, and seize the arms which bad been there deposited.

It was Hengist's plan, immediately after the massacre, to burst into the temple, and plunder its treasures: but his Saxons, being half intoxicated, and only armed with their corslets and short daggers, were thrown into confusion by this subitaneous host of Britons, and by the surrounding flames; so that after some loss, they were compelled to retreat, and, for the present, to postpone the completion of their design.

446 Or, before he was buried, after those who laid a plot for his life, had accomplished their design. This obscure sentence alludes to the manner of Ambrosius' death. Eppa, a Saxon physician, treacherously poisoned him, by the instigation of Pasctns, the son of Vortigern.

See Warrington, and his authorities, p. 65, 66.

447 Hengist, who slaughtered the British nobles, and wasted the country, after the death of Vortimer, who had fought at Gulltraeth.

448 Vortimer, who was made a corpse, or poisoned, by the contrivance of his step-mother, Rowena.

449 Galllraeth, the Gallic strand, or shore of the Gallic sea. The Bard describes the battle of Galltraeth, song 14, and ascribes the massacre to the resentment of the Saxons, for the victory which the Britons had obtained in that engagement. Hence it appears, that this was Vortimer's victory, recorded by Nennius, Ad Lapidem Tituli, supra ripam Gallici maris, where the Saxons were entirely beaten off British ground, and compelled to fly to their ships. Gibson's Camden Col. 243.

Llech Titleu, or Lapii Tituli, is substituted for Galltraeth in another passage of the Gododin.

450 The Bard quotes the authority of songs which had been composed upon the occasion.

451 Marchleu and the governor, refer to Eidiol: for the action described, is that which is expressly and exclusively ascribed to that hero.

452 The Saxon.

453 These are important hints upon the subject of the Bardic temple.

454 In subsequent passages, the Bard expressly describes Eidiol as involving the Saxons in flames.

455 A corrupt orthography for Esea—"The British prince (Ambrosius) then laid siege to the city of York, in which place Octa the son of Hengist, and Esca, his brother, had taken refuge ; but these chiefs were soon obliged to surrender, upon condition that they and the Saxon soldiers should retire into the country, near Scotland." Warrington, p. 64.

456 The Hydrams of the British mysteries. See the third section of this Essay. Eidiol, or Ambrosius, was his mystical son, or an adept in the Bardic mysteries.

457 From this single passage, it appears that, amongst all his heathenish mythology, the Bard acknowledges some genuine tenets of Christianity.

458 He had returned in safety from the wars of Vortimer; but he did not escape from the fatal banquet.

459 The year of Vortigern's re-elevation to the sovereignty. See before.

460 Vortigern and the Saxons.

461 The Saxons had been utterly expelled by Vortimer; and again, they returned to Britain upon the restoration of Vortigern.

462 Here Gododin is evidently a name of the great sanctuary, where the massacre was perpetrated.

463 Vortimer's last victory, supra ripam Gallici marii, was the great occasion of Hengist's resentment. The Hard now proceeds to describe the bravery which his heroes had displayed in that decisive action.

464 Rhuvawn, the same as Elphin, the Solar Divinity, or his priest.

465 The account of the great temple, in this song, deserves the attention of the antiquary. In the passage before us, we are told that it was not made for strife—being the sanctuary of the pacific Bards and , Druids. Here, also, was the cell of the sacred fire, mentioned in a preceding paragraph.

466 Hengist, who began his outrage, by killing the Bard.

467 Mr. Bryant has demonstrated, that Saturn and Rhea, 0siris and Isis, &c. implied the patriarch Noah, and the Genius of the Ark: with these, I have identified the Dwyvmn and Dwyvach; Hu and Kid; Tegid and Ceridwen, &c. of the Britons.

Noe is here introduced by his proper name; but I do not infer from hence, that this name had been preserved by the Pagan Britons. The sacred writings were known in the days of Aneurin: and that Bard, or some one before him, had sufficient discernment to perceive, that his Hu, Tegid, or Dwyvan, was originally the same person as the Noe of Scripture history.

Eseye was certainly the same character as his: and Teithan must be identified with the Greek Titan, or the Sun, who is called Titin, in the Hiberno-Celtic. The Bard, as usual, connects his Arkite superstition with Sabian idolatry.

468 A name of the same deified person, but transferred to his priest idol as it is evident from the action ascribed to him.

469 The sovereign—Vortigern, who is elsewhere styled Mynawc Maon, sovereign of the natives.

470 Bedwyr, the son of Bedrawc, a fabulous hero.

471 The community of Bards, who probably resided in booths, within the outward vallum of the temple.

472 That is, their design of plundering the temple, which appears upon this occasion, to have been richly furnished and decorated.

473 The Saxons, who had been the mercenaries and the body guard of Vortigern, lord of the mountainous Venedntia. Golyddan calls them Cychwya Gwrtheyrn Gwynedd, the boatmen of Vortigern of Gwynedd.

474 "The Prince" his office and his action prove, that the title must here be referred to Eidiol.

475 The sadden attack of Hengist's assassins.

476 Eidiol, the governor of the feast.

477 The mystical son of Gwyddnaw the Solar Divinity. See Section 3.

478 Throughout the Gododin, this singular title implies Eidiol, or Ambrosius, as the priest and representative of Hu, N'oe, or Beli, of whom the bull was the favourite symbol.

479 This paragraph alludes to the battle of Maes Beli, near Caer Conan, in Yorkshire, where Ambrosius (Eidiol) routed Hengist and his Saxons, in the year 481, and put them to a disorderly flight. See Gibson's Camden, Col. 847 Warrington, p. 63.

As the Bard denominates the leader a bull of battle, so his forces were the herds of the roaring Beli. This last name, though conferred upon several princes, was properly a title of the Solar Divinity, whose sanctuary the Saxons had profaned. From this victory obtained by his votaries, the field of battle may have acquired the name of Macs Beli, the field of Beli.

480 That is, within the fortress of Caer Conan, which the Bard describes in a subsequent passage, as situated upon the high lands of the Done.

"The Done runs within view of Connisborow, an old castle, called in British, Caer Conan, and situated upon a rock; whither (at the battle of Maishtlly, when Aurelius Ambrosias routed the Saxons, and put them to a disorderly flight) Hengist, their general, retired, to secure himself; and a few days after, took the field against the Britons, who pursued him, and with whom he engaged a second time, which proved fatal, both to himself and his army. For the Britons cut off many of them, and taking him prisoner, beheaded him." Camden. Ibid.

It appears by this paragraph of Aneurin, that previous to the last desperate engagement, Hengist had sent to the British commander a flag of truce, bearing his own arms; which consisted of a white prancing horse, upon a red field. Verstegan, p. 151.

481 Awyr, the sky, in this passage, and Wyhr, which has the same import, in the works of Taliesin, seems to imply a building, which, like Stonehenge, and other British temples, is open to the sky. Thus Taliesin "A holy sanctuary there is on the wide lake, a city not protected with walls, the sea surrounds it. Demandest thou, O Britain, to what this can be meetly applied! Before the lake of the son of Erbin, let thy ox be stationed there, where there ha been a retinue, and in the second place, a procession, and an eagle aloft in  the sky, and the path of Granwyn." (Apollo). Append. No. 2.

So again; he mentions the Druid: of Wybr Geirwnydd, the Ethereal (temple) of Geirwnydd. Append. No. 12.

482 The same as Gwydion, the Hermes of the Britons.

483 The wild boar an epithet applied to Eidiol.

484 A title of the god, and hence of his priest as before.

485  I must leave it to the antiquaries, to ascertain these divinities and their attributes.

486 Rowena, who poisoned Vortimer, her step-son—thence called, the fair corpse, the son of the lady.

487 Eidiol, who, though he seems to have been a much better Druid than Christian, held the rank of bishop, in the apostate church of the Britons.

488 This contemptible scoff.

489 From this passage, as well as from the general tenor of the work, it is evident that the Gododin was not undertaken as one single pocra, with a regular and connected design.

490 Generally supposed to have been Llywarch Hen, the celebrated Bard. But here a difficulty presents itself. Llywarch is the reputed author of an Elegy upon the death of Cadwallon, the son of Cadvan, which happened about the year 646: and it is obvious, that the son of a man who was living in the year 646, could not have liberated Aneurin, who had witnessed the massacre of 472.

I think it probable, that Aneurin's friend was the son of Llywarch Iltn; but that Llywarcli, who is known to have flourished in the beginning of the sixth century, could not have been the author of the Elegy in question.

The piece was anonymous: but some old copyist thinking it worth preserving, transcribed it into a book which contained some of Llywarch's genuine works hence it has passed under his name.

491 Our author was a Northumbrian Briton, and so was Llywarch Hen.

492 Alluding to the "Gorsedd," or solemn Bardic assembly, in which Hengist lad perpetrated his atrocious deed.

493 The Bard being a Northern Briton, mentions his own countrymen with a patriotic distinction, though they had constitutes only a part of the devoted assembly.

494 The seax, with which Hengist's party were privately armed.

495 The Saxons, wearing their corslets, and armed with the dagger; the Britons totally unarmed.

"By the contrivance of Hengist, they were placed with his train, alternately, at the tables, under the pretence of confidence, and of a friendly intercourse with each other." Warrington, p. 39.

496 W. Archaiol. p. 13.

497 Hengist.

498 Eidiol, or Ambrosius, as before.

499 Probably, the old name of Maes Beli, before it had obtained a new designation, from the victory of the Britons.

500 Hengist, who is elsewhere called Dyvynawl Vrych, the freckled intruder, is here represented as consulting his lots upon the event of the approaching battle.

501 This sentence contains the omen, collected from the lots.

502 "The cliff of superiority, or prevalence." This seems to be the name which the Britons gave to the scene of Hengist's last fatal action, near the rock of Caer Conan, where he was taken and beheaded.

503 The names of Hengist and Horsa equally imply a horse. One of these commanders had been slain, and the other beaten; it is, therefore, uncertain which of these is here meant.

504 Eidiol, the priest of the great temple, who is represented as seated upon his steed, when he filled the office of Seneschal.

505 Vortigern, who was confined by Hengist after the massacre, till he purchased his liberty by the cession of purl of his dominions.

506 A sarcastic repetition of the language supposed to have been addressed by Vortigern to Hengist, when he sued for the hand of Rowena.

507 Vortigern, the Venedotian. "Gwrtheyrn Gwynedd," who had ascended the throne, by causing his cousin Constans to be beheaded in his bed; and afterwards, by overruling the voice of the British council, had invited the Saxons into Britain to support his tottering cause, and to oppose the Picts, whose resentment he had provoked, by imputing to the guards of that nation his own sacrilegious crime.

508 Hengist, who had been a mercenary captain.

509 Vortigern, who had married the daughter of Hengist, and whom the Bard repeatedly stigmatises as the adviser of the plot.

510 Or the fire of Meithin. We have frequent allusions to the cell of the sacred fire.

511 Hengist, whose ambition aimed at the sovereignty of Britain.

512 The Bard, Owen, whose fate is so often deplored.

513 Upon Hengist's signal, the Saxons made a sudden and general assault.

514 Eidiol, who is styled the bull of battle.

515 The precincts of the great Druidical temple.

516 Hengist, as before.

517 The pacific insigne of the Bard.

518 Id song 25, it is called the branch in the wars of Vortimer.

519 The sun. Eidiol, or Cynon (the prince), the chief priest of the temple, is also styled a lion.

520 The temple, surrounded by a vallum, which included the dwellings of the Bards.

521 Victory. This seems to be a title of Ked, or Ceridwen, the British Ceres.

522 "Ship-bearer"—he who carried the sacred ark in the British mysteries.

523 The Saxons.

524 The interposing knight, to whom the Bard so often alludes. This is the first time (hat his name is introduced; but his character is easily distinguished by the identity of the action ascribed to him.

525 Apollo, or the sun by his mother, I think the Bard means Aurora, the dawn: he frequently tells us, that the action took place at the dawn.

526 The Saxons, who were their corslets, or coats of mail.

527 Out of three hundred and sixty-three, we are told that three escaped; or, as it is elsewhere expressed, one man out of a hundred: but from this passage it appears, that only one of these pertained to three hundred of the first rank, which composed the more immediate retinue of Vortigern, or the mountain chief.

528 Hengist had carefully disguised bb sentiments, lest be should excite a premature suspicion of his design.

529 Neddig Nar—an abortion, cut out of the womb of his mother.

530 Otherwise, son of Seithenin Saturn, Noah, The Welsh monks have converted him into a saint.

531 Kibito Kid, the same as Pair Ceridwen the Cauldron, or sacred Vase of the British Ceres figuratively, the Bardic lore.

532 Eidiol, or Ambrosius, who, in the year 481, beheaded Hengist at Caer Conan.

533 The meaning is that the Saxons paid dear for their outrage at the feast.

534 Force of blood or he who sheds blood by violence, an epithet of the British Mart.

535  Vortigern, the, supreme king of the Britons.

536  "The prince" Eidiol or Arabrosius, who had returned from Armorica.

537 The Arkite mythology of this passage deserves the attention of the curious. The great temple was the ark and the circle of the world. Hu, the patriarch, was the divinity, and Eidiol, his chosen priest Hu, at the same time, was Aeron, the Arkite—or the splendid one such is the mixture of Arkite and Sabian superstition.

538 From Au and Tav the false usurper. The lady here intended is Rowena, the daughter of Hengist; for we have already seen, that she, in conjunction with her paramour, Vortigern, disposed the ranks at the least.

539 Meiteyr, the May-men—The meeting took place, at the solemn festival of the Britons, in the beginning of May. The fire here intentioned is well known to the Irish, by the name of Bealtaine. See the word in Shaw's Galic and English dictionary.

540  This passage describes some of the regular ceremonies of the meeting which upon the present occasion, unexpectedly closed, with a deplorable massacre.

541 The feast was celebrated, and the outrage committed, upon the Cursus, at the distance of half a mile from the temple, and to which one of the avenues leads. Upon this avenue, or perhaps, in the very gate, or passage of the vallum, which surrounds the structure, and which was probably fortified with a strong palisade; Eidiol kindled a fire to obstruct the irruption of the Saxons who intended to plunder the temple.

542 These birds of prey seem to imply the Saxons, though the term is often QSed, to denote the British princes.

543 Aber, any passage or outlet.

544 This speech is put into the mouth of Eidiol, and evidently addressed to the Saxons.

545 That is, the Bard, who, as we find, was named Owen. He carried the sacred branch, and chaunted the pacific songs of Llywy, the British Proserpine. That Owen was invested with the prerogative of a Druid, appears from the striking coincidence of this passage, with the testimony of Diodorus, respecting those ancient priests. Lib. V. C- 31.

The passage is thus translated by Dr. Henry.

"No sacred rite was ever performed without a Druid; by whom, as being the favourites of the gods, and depositaries of their counsels, the people offered alt their sacrifices, thanksgivings, and prayers; and were perfectly submissive and obedient to their commands. Nay, so great was the veneration in which they were held, that when two hostile armies, inflamed with warlike rage, with swords drawn, and spears extended, were on the point of engaging in battle; at their intervention, they sheathed their swords, and became calm and peaceful." Hist. of Great Britain, B. I. Chap. 2.

546 The British Proserpine, who was symbolized by the Orutit Anguinum, and to whom the mystic branch was sacred.

547 Grannaw Gwyn—Taliesin calls his Gran wyn.

548 The half pagan Bards, who, in that age, constituted the clergy of the Britons.

549 The British Ceres, the same as Ceridwen, the mother of Llywy, or Creirwy.

550 Or slaves of the Venedotianti phrase by which the Bard reproaches the Saxons.

551 Vortigem's castle, in North Wales, was burnt to the ground by Ambrosius, and the unfortunate king perished is the flames. Warrington, p. 62.

552 Alluding probably to the arms of Hengist, namely, a prancing steed, upon a red field, which was displayed at the fatal banquet.

553 The great temple, or British Mount of Judicature, which the nobles were slain by Hengist.

554 The original has Eidyn, the living one; but the two next paragraphs clearly evince, that Eidiol is the person intended.

555 Though shields were not offensive arms, yet their admission into the assembly, might have defeated the murderous purpose of Hengist: a reason was therefore devised, why they should be excluded. It was pretended that their wide orbs would obstruct the light of the torches, during the nightly carousel.

556 The Saxon corslets were not liable to the same objection.

557 Hengist.

558 Eidiol—The Britons and the Germans had great respect for their horses; but the introducing of the governor of the feast upon his steed, was a whimsical rite, whether considered as religious or military,

559 Of Hengist and his Saxons.

560 Eidiol, as above.

561 The death and decollation of Hengist at Ca Conan, upon the bank of the Done. Gibson's Camden, Col. 847.

562 Dyvynawl Vrych, Hengist, as above.

563 Ambrosius was poisoned by Eppa, a Saxon, acting in the character of a physician, Warrington, p. 66.

564 The Preserver the mystical parent of our hero, as an adept in the mysteries of Bardism.

565 Vortimer, who, after a series of bloody battles, drove the Saxons out of Britain.

566 The Saxons never evacuated the island, after the massacre of the British nobility.

567 Eidiol or Ambrosius.

568 The Northern Britons, who made a league with Hengist.

569 The feast, in which Hengist slew the nobles.

570 Davad loyw—Vortigem, upon Hengist's first arrival, allotted the Isle of Thanet for the place of his residence. Warrington, with his authorities, p. 44.

571 Hengist desired of Vortigern, a grant of as much British ground as he could compass about, with a bull's hide. Having obtained this moderate request, he cut a large bull's hide into small thongs, with which he compassed a considerable tract, where be founded a castle, called from that circumstance. Thong Castle. Camden (Col. ,565) places it in Lincolnshire; but Verstegan, p, 133, says it stood near Sydingborn in Kent.

572 Geraint, son of Erbin, a prince of the Britons of Devon, and the commander of a British fleet, in the close of the fifth, and beginning of the sixth century.

573 In North Wales, whither Vortigern withdrew, after the massacre, covered with confusion and reproach. Warrington, p. 60.

574 Geoffrey of Monmouth says he had this warning delivered by the Bard, Merddin Emrys.

575 Perhaps Ambrosius, who was a relation of Vortigera.

576 The wilds of Carnarvonshire.

577 Compare Gibson's Camden Col, 847, with Warrington, p. 64.

578 "Br-ch out of battle," an epithet of reproach, addressed to Octa, who had deserted his father in extremity, and fled into York.

579  The author calls him Wyth, which means Octo; and in this burlesque passage, it also implies Octa.

580 A mimicry of some Saxon words: the meaning is, possibly, white wand.

581 More of Aneurin's Saxon, which I shall not attempt to translate.

582 A curious anti-climax.

583 Alluding to his massacre at the feast

584 Another sarcasm upon his outrage at the feast.

585 The death of Hengist, as related above.

586 A sarcasm upon Octa and Esca, who retired from the field, and shut themselves up in the city of York, where they were forced to surrender.

587 Yet I think it probable, that the real founder of this temple may have had the name of Emrys, which was a title of the Helio-arkite god, and hence conferred upon his priest, under whose direction the building was completed.

Aneurin seems to ascribe its construction to Morien, Janut Marinus, which was also a name of the same god, and of his priest.

The mythological Triads describe Morien the Full-bearded as a foreigner, who was vested with the sovereignty of Britain. W. Archaiol, V. II. p. 61.

It is the general tradition of the Britons, that the Helio-arkite superstition was of foreign growth, and that it came to them by the way of Cornwall, and therefore probably from the tin merchants. See the 5th section. And it may be reasonably inferred, that the building of those temples, which are constructed upon astronomical principles, was not prior to the introduction of that superstition, whatever may have beep its date.

588 Maurice's Ind. Antiq. Vol. VI, p. 113.

589 Ibid. V. II. p. 20i

590 Ibid. p. 476.

591 Bryant's Analysis, V. I. p. 49.

592 See W. Eng. Dict. V. Cromlech.

593 Gibson's Camden, Coll. 741.

594 Nev-ern, pledge of heaven.

595 Gibson's Camden, Col. r59. Sec also 707, 740, &c.

596 Ox-house.

597 Gibson's Camden, Col. 752.

598 Gibson's Camden, Col: 772, 773.

599 Camb. Register, V.I. p. 598.

600 Gibson's Camden, Col. 773.

601 Gibson's Camden, Col. 773.

602 Ibid. Col. 809.

603 Ibid. Col. 813.

604 Gibson's Camden, Col. 810,

605 W Archaiol. p. 166.

606 See some farther account of her in the next section.

607 See Mr. Turner's Vindication, p. 283.

608 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 70.

609  I find this goddess described by several derivatives of Ked or Ket, as Kedig, Kedwy, Y Gedawl, which equally imply the Arkite and the beneficent.

610 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 12. Tri. 50.

611 Or, taking the words in the order in which they stand "Sea of mystery."

 612 Owen's Cam. Biog. V. Llyr.

613 Appendix, No. 3.

614 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 68. Tri. 61.

615 W. Archaiol. p. 35. The lines seem to have been transposed by some copyist, who did not understand them.

616 Appendix, No. 12.

617 W. Archaiol. p. 45.

618 Analysis, V. II. p. 301 and 408.

619 Monde Primitif. Tom. TV. p. 579.

620 W. Archaiol. V. 11. p. C 20. 73. 77.

621  Cambrian Biog. under the articles Pryderi, Pwyll, and Meirig.

622 Appendix, No. 3.

623 Analysis, V. I. p. 40.

624 Ibid, V. II. p. 404.

625 Ibid. V, I. p, 124.

626 Cambrian Register, V. 1. p. 177, and V. II. p. 32. From the Red Book of Jesus Col. Oxford, a MS. of the 14th century.

627 Analysis, V. II. p. S60.

628 [Greek]. Schol. in Lycoph. V. 459,

629 Cadair Teyrn On. Appendix No. 4.

630 In the Cambrian Register, Arawn is oddly translated, "of the silver tongue." 'The word may imply eloquence; but considering his character, I rather think it comes from Aron, an ark, or chest.

631 Myst. of the Cabiri, V. I. p. 220.

632  Agatb, apud Athen, Deipnos. Lib. IX. p. 373.

633 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 67.

634  Ibid. p. 7, 71, 72.

635 Camb. Biog. V. Coll.

636 Analysis, V. II. p. 337.

637 Analysis V. I. p. 78.

638  Ibid. p. 19.

639 Pharaon seems to be the British name of the Cabin, their priests, called Pheryll, were skilled in metallurgy, and are said to have possessed certain books upon mysterious subjects.

640 Gibson's Camden Col. 804.

641 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 59, 65.

642 Beli is represented as the father of the brave Cassivellaumis, and the son of Manhogan, radiated with splendour. But Beli and Prydain are titles of the Helio-arkite divinity. See Append. No. 11, where he is addressed by both these names.

643 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 9, 11, 66, 78.

644 Thus Mr. Owen, in his Dictionary, explains the word "Draio, a generative principle, or procreator; a fiery serpent; a dragon; the supreme. Dreigiaiu silent lightning. In the mythology of the primitive world, the serpent is universally the symbol of the sun, under various appellations, but of the same import as the Draig, Adon, Addm; Bel and Bul amongst the Cymry."

645 W. Archaiol. p. 73.

646 Ibid. p. 44.

647  Cath Vraith, and Cath Ben Vrith.

648 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 6, 20, 72, 77.

649  Ibid. p. 5, 63, 77.

650 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 5, 12.

651 Ibid. p. 19, 69.

652 Ibid. p. 80.

653 W. Archaiol. p. 13, 73.

654 Ibid. p. 19, 74, 80.

655 Schol. in Lycoph. V. 766.

656 Analysis, V. II. p. 408.

657 W. Archaiol. V. 11. p. 5, 13, 68.

There was a prince called Geraint ab Erbin, in the beginning of the sixth century: but the name itself is borrowed from mythology, and the Geraint of the Welsh tales is a mystical character. See Ed. Llwyd's Archaeol. p. 265.

658 See the second section of this Essay.

659 The character assigned to this prince in the Welsh tales is mythological.

He seems to have occupied a distinguished place ia the mystical drama. See the story told of him and the lady of the fountain.

In the red book of Jesus College, Oxford, it is mentioned by Ed. Llwyd. Archaeol. p. 265.

660 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 14. 73.

Ida, the Northumbrian King, is supposed to be described, under the name of Flamebearer. If such be the meaning of the term in this passage, I should conceive that Bun may allude to the mysteries of his, which Tacitus remarked amongst the ancient Germans, and which this pagan prince may have celebrated in Britain.

661 Analysis, V. II. p. 27, &c.

662 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 3. 10. 13. 60.

Caswallon, the son of Beli was attended by Gwenwynwyn, thrice fair, and Gwanar, the ruler, who were sons of Hi-aws, impeller of the waves, son of Kviyvre, the firmament, by Arianrhod, goddess of the silver wheel (the Iris) daughter of Beli, the sun.

663 See the poem called the Chair of Taliesin.

Every leaf of this plant is naturally impressed with a pale figure of a crescent, which was also a sacred symbol amongst the Druids, and other heathens.

664 Owen's Cam. Biog. V. Olwen.

From Maill, the name of this plant, we may derive Cyvaill, an associate, one who mutually exhibits the Maill.

665 Appendix, No. 8.

666 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 74. Triad, 118.

667 Hanes Taliesin.

668 This ambiguity arises from a general principle, which discovers itself ia every page of the Irish vocabulary; namely, the appropriating of the same term to every object which presents the same general idea; and the primary and abstract meaning of Triath happens to be, bulkiness, eminence, or prominence.

669 Gibson's Camden, Col. 815.

670 Owen's Dict. V. Glain.

671 See Appendix, No. 3, and Owen's Dict V. Cromlech.

672 De Bell. Gall. I. VI, c. 13.

673 W. Archaiol. V. U. p. 9. 13, 65.

674 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. H, 65.

675 Cambrian Register, Y- H- P- 313.

In this contest, another mystical canibal was destroyed—namely, Gorgi Garu luiydth, hideous, grey, human dog.

676 Appendix, No. 4.

677 W Archaiol. V. II. p. 8. 12. 69.

678 Ibid. p. 7. 16. 70. The poems of Merddin the Caledonian, afford ground of conjecture, that these days were years, during which, the votaries of Druidism persisted in their superstitious practises after some severe laws have been promulgated against them.

679 Merddin's Avallenau, 1, and C,

680 W. Archaiol. p. 166.

681 Hoianru 3.

682 Cyvbesi 1.

683 Ibid. 11.

684 Ibid. 11.47.

685 Song 22.

686 Cyvoesi 69.

687 Ibid. 133.

688  Ibid. 129.

689 So his age is fixed by our great antiquary, Ed. Llwyd. See his Catalogue of British MSS.

690 This fact will appear upon the examination of the very first line.

Oian a phorchellau, a pharchell dedwydd—which would be thus expressed in Welsh—

Ecinch o harchdliju, o barchell dedwydd.

"Attend, thou little pig, thou initiated pig."

It must here be remarked, that we have no such word as Oinn; it certainly comes from the Irish and Caledunian verb Oigham, or Oighaiiam, I behold, I attend, whence the imperative Oighan, pronounced Oi'an, Behold! Attend!

Again, a, in Irish and Erse, is a sign of the vocative case; but it is never so in Welsh: we write and pronounce o.

The initial p in porchellan, is here changed into ph, after the sign of the vocative, as in Ireland and the Highlands; whereas in Welsh, it would necessarily become a h. Thus, instead of the exclamation of the Irish Ossiau A Phadruig, Patrick, a Welshman would express himself "Badrig!" and in all parallel cases, the variations of the initials are the same.

Porchell, in this poem, takes the Irish and Erse diminutive termination, av, which the Welsh express by yn. So that it is evident from these three first words, that the Hoianau is not Welsh; and that we had our dopy from the country of Merddin: for had it come from Ireland, it would have differed still more than it does from our native idiom,

691 Hoianau 1, 3.

692 W Archaiol. p. 132.

693 Cam. Reg. V. II, p. 613.

694 Bede, L. III. c. 4. Gibson's Camden Col. 1241, 1462.

695 I follow the order of a MS. copy in my possession. The printed edition has transposed two stanzas.

696 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 11.

697 Tawy, a principal river, that penetrates the centre of the Caledonian forest, might be the Tay.

698 These whites were Druids.

699 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 7, 20, 79.

700 Cadair Taliesin, in the third section of this Essay. See also Maurice's Indian Antiquities, V. VI. p. 190. Bryant's Analysis, V. II. p. 542.

In Montfaucon's Antiquities, V. II. fronting p. 276, is the figure of a bass relief, found at Autun, representing the Arch-Druid bearing his sceptre, and crowned with a garland of oak leaves, whilst another Druid approaches, and displays a crescent in his right hand.

701 Eliver is sometimes called Eleuver, the luminnry (W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 64). Gugawn Gwron, the severely energetic, herald of mysteries, is sometimes represented as his son, and other times as his grandson. Ibid. p. 15 and 63.

702 Ibid. p. 8, 16, 70.

703 Camb. Reg. V. II. p. 313.

704 W. Archaiol. V, II. p. 9, 13, 6j,

705 Irish, Bare, a bee: Welsh, Haid, a swarm.

706 W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 7, 20, 79.

707 Ibid. p. 16, 17, 71.

708 Ibid. p. 3, 68.

709 Ibid. p. 14, 73.

710 Ibid p. 68.

711 That is, the son of Cwenddydd, the lady of the day.

712 W. Archaiol. p. 150.

713 Angar Cyvywdned. Ibid. p. 34.

This is the square of 7, multiplied by the mystical 3. The round numbed 140 often occurs. This is the computed number of the stones, which completed the great temple upon Salisbury plain.

714 This identity will appear more clearly in the sequel. If it be said, that Tacitus describes a German, and not a Celtic rite, I would reply, that the Barditus or Bardism, which the Germans near the Rhine, possessed, in the days of that historian, was probably a spread of the Celtic institute, which had been expelled from Gaul. I do not find that any such term as Barditui was familiar to the Germanus of Cæsar, or to those of the Edda.

715 In another copy—"On the brow of a rock, without a stone in its circle,"

716 Gwenddolen, was the mystical daughter of an ancient king of Cornwall. She may represent in general, the Cornish rites; but I think, more particularly, the lunar divinity. Thus she answers to Gwenddolen, who represented the sun.

717 This surely alludes to the practice of divining by lots.

718 Merddin is foreboding the restoration of his Lord Gwenddolen's canibal eagles.

719 This triumphant close very much resembles that of Cadair Taliesin, Cadavr Ceridwen, and several other mystical poems. This seems to have been the style of the Bards, at the completion of their diluvian mysteries, in commemoration of the returning season of serenity.

720 That Merddin used them as means of divination, may be further inferred from hence; in most of the stanzas, a prediction of some great event is immediately subjoined to the contemplation of these mystical trees.

These predictions, of which I have inserted a specimen or two, are sometimes delivered by the Bard himself; at other times, they are put into the mouth of the guardian goddess, who has the property of alternately appealing and disappearing.

721 W. Archaiol. p. 135,

722 Ibid. p. 132.

723 See Herodot. L. VII. C. 6.

724 Appendix, No. 10.

725 Appendix, No. 3.

726 St, Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Chap. I.

727 W. Archaiol. p. 66. Llyr implies the sea, or the sea-beach. This name has a constant reference to the rites of the Diluvian god. It has been conferred upon his priests and eminent votaries. The sons of Llyr may denote, in general, those who had been initiated in the mysteries of the Druids.

728 The Bard speaks of one supreme God, as acknowledged by the ancient Druids, together with their subordinate divinities, Ceridwen, Elphin, &c. whose names occur in this poem.

729 Of the three battles here mentioned, the first, namely, that against the sons of Llyr or the Bards, at the feast seems to have been the same which took place in the avenues or outlets of Stonehenge, which is here called Hen Velen, the old belenium, or temple of Apollo. See the songs of the Gododin.

730 Brochwel was prince of the country, about the dales of the Severn, in the sixth century. In his old age, be commanded the Britons in the memorable battle of Chester, A. D. 603.

731 Urien of Reged, a warlike prince of the sixth century. His fame is celebrated in many songs of Taliesin, and his death lamented by Llywarch Hen.

732 The cauldron, and the sanctuary of Ceridwen, hare been considered, Sect. 3 and 4.

733 Or oblation, in behalf of the fallen warriors.

In this passage, we may remark the bigotry with which the Bards continued to honour the imaginary gods of their forefathers, notwithstanding they acknowledged the being of one love-diffusing Lord of the universe. Are there not nominal Christians in the present day, chargeable with practices no less absurd or impious!

734 It appears from several passages, that this spot, as well as Mona, was sacred to the ancient superstition.

735 Thus Merddin, the Caledonian, in his Avallenau. "When Pyvnaat shall be named the city of stones, the Bard shall receive his perquisite."

736 The Maglocunus of Gildas—Lord of North Wales, from A. D. 517, to 546, and then nominal sovereign of the Britons, to the time of his death, about the year 560.

737 A title of Hu, Bacchus, or Liber Pater, the Helio-arkite god. Thus Appendix, No. 11.

"O Hu, with the expanded wings father Venn!"

738 See his character and connexions in the 3d. Section.

739 That is, the priests or votaries of Ceres.

740 Or masters of Bardic lore,

741 Lleu, the luminary, was the father of Minauc, the Diluvian patriarch, Gwydion was the British Hermes. See the Chair of Ceridwen, in Sect 3. By setting in order the elementary trees, is implied, laying the first foundation of written memorials.

742 Elestron, more particularly, mean the water lilies, or flags—the Lotos of the Druids.

743 Bran ap Lhfr, Raven, son of the sea, was the traditional father of the celebrated Caractacus. He first introduced the mystical cauldron into Ireland, probably with a view to secure his mysteries from the persecutions of the invading Romans. See Turner's Vindic. p. 283.

The name of this Diluvian priest is referable to the raven of Noah.

Our mystical Bard, like Pythagoras of old, pretends to have been present in the transactions of various ages. As he held in the doctrine of Metempsychosis, he blended his own personal character, with that of the Taliesins, or priests of the sun, who had gone before him.

744 Perhaps Blatum of the Itinerary Bulnis, at the West end of the wall of Severus. Lluch Reon, the chief seat of the Northern Druids. See Sect. 5.

One of the great maxims of the Druids was—to exercise fortitude. Diog. Laert.

745 The Brython, when distinguished from the Cymry, or primitive inhabitants, seem to have been the Belgian tribes, whom the Triads place in the North, a well as the South of Britain.

746  An allusion to the bloody feast, on the Cursus, at Stonehenge, where D'eon, or Hu, held his court. Taliesin, as chief Druid, and vicegerent of this god, and of Ked, or Ceres, claims the sovereignty of the British Island. Had his religion been in full establishment, he would have been acknowledged as supreme judge, from whose decree there would have been no appeal. Merddin was styled Supreme Judge of the North, in the sixth century.

747  In this passage, our Bard borrows his imagery from Diluvian mythology, and represents his sanctuary as a type of the ark.

748 This sentiment often occurs in the old Bards. It seems to express some degree of dissatisfaction in their heathenish mummery, and to import a tow of becoming Christians, sometime before their death. See the first stanza of the following poem.

749 W. Archaiol. p, 67.

750 The whole language of this Bardic prayer, is strongly tinctured with the Diluvian, or Arkite lore of the Druids.

751 The same Northern people with the Brython mentioned in the preceding poem.

752 The Bard, by an enigmatical description, reminds his countrymen of the ancient solemnities connected with the insular sanctuary. 1. The sacred X of the patriarch, the Ych Banawg, is stationed before the lake, ready to draw the Avanc or Shrine to land, out of its watery repository. 2. It is the lake of Eraint ab Erbin, or of the vessel of the lofty chief's. 3. The retinue of priests assembled on the occasion, and joined in the mystical procession. 4. The eagle, or symbol of the sun, was placed aloft in the sky, that is, in the open æthereal temple, which is often so called. 5. There was the representation of the path of Grontwyn, or Apollo an image of the ecliptic, in which the pomp was conducted, preceded by the waving eagle. And 6, this was done in the presence of the great sovereign, or the sun himself—that is, it was diurnal celebration, which commenced at the dawn.—See No. 6.

753 Demetia, Pembrokeshire, and the neighbouring districts.

754 The Cabiri, the deities of Arkite mythology. See Cadair Ceridwen, in the third Section.

755 The Bard distinguishes three particulars id the business of his sanctuary. 1. The rehearsal of ancient lore. 2. The chaunting of hymns, in honour of the gods. 3. The interpretation of their will, by birds of augury.

756 The hierophant, by whom the Bard had been initiated, and of whom he bad received the mead and wine, or the [Greek] of the British Ceres.

757 By the description which is given of this sea-mew, it is evident, he was no other than the hierophant, or chief Druid, mentioned above. Hywel, the son of Owen, describes the Druids under the same figure. The choice of this aquatic bird as their symbol, arose from their Arkite rites, and Dilivian mythology. Amongst the ancients, the sea mew was the symbol of Minerva, as an Arkite goddess. See Faber's Cabiri, V. I. p. 106, 185, &c. The sanctuary, or sacred island, which was fabled to have wandered from place to place, like the ark of old, now fixes itself upon the border of the flood, and proves to be the insular spot, now containing the town of Tenby, in Pembrokeshire: for it is evident, from what the Bard had said before, that he means Dinbych, in Dyved. This is but a small distance from Arbertk, High Grove, the chief seat of the mystical Pwyll. See Sect V.

758 Probably, some ancient and sacred poem upon the adventures of the Helio-arkite god.

759 Green was the colour of the ovate, or of him who had already been initiated into the first principles of Bardism. See Owen's Dict. V. Glain and Ovydd.

760 The cauldron of inspiration, implying the mysteries of Bardism. See Sect. III.

761 Or writings of Prydain, who was the same as Hu. See No. 11. We may gather from hence, that the Druids had certain ancient writings, which they deemed more sacred by far, and of greater importance, than those songs and tales, which were made public, or recited in the ears of the people. These writings had already been concealed in times of persecution, probably during the Roman government: and they were known only to the Druids, or Bards of the highest order; for Taliesin tells us, that in case of necessity, he possessed the effectual means of concealing them again. We can only guess, in general, that these arcana comprehended the sacred history, and rituals of the Druids, together with the rules of divination, and most mysterious doctrines of the ancient priesthood.

From the beginning of the next stanza, it appears that this code was composed in the mystical characters of the Bards, consisting of reeds, and the points, and shoots of trees. To this kind of writing Taliesin alludes, when he says "I know every reed, or twig, in the cave of the chief diviner."

762 Here we perceive the augur in the solemn exercise of his divining art the cormorant, a bird of ill omen, denounces an approaching persecution. The Druid comprehends the hint, and conceals his sacred memorials. Llad, in other passages, is a name of the Arkite goddess. In Taliesin's Avgar Cyvyndawd, she is represented as the mother of the Celtic Apollo. Her memorials teem to imply the same thing as the writings of Prydain, mentioned above.

763 After the Bard had received the omen from the cormorant, and concealed his memorials, he still persists in celebrating his holy sanctuary, till he is interrupted by a repeated message from some bird of augury, protecting spirit, brother Druid, who seems to speak to the end of the stanza.

764 W. Archiaol. p. 45.

765 See Sect. V.

766 Or the inclosure which had four avenues or passages, pointing different.

767 Introd. to LI. Hen, p. 51.

768 Or Quickener.

769 Bryant's Analysis, V. II. p. 257. See also p. 361, where we find a divinity expressly appointed, guarding of the door,

770 W. Archaiol. p. 55.

771 Alluding, perhaps, to the double birth of the Arkite god. Thus Dionusus (Noah) was styled [Greek]. Or else, the Bard may hare had an eye to the mystical union of the patriarch and the sun.

772 [Heb.] The Glorious God.

I shall not undertake to explain the various particulars introduced in this passage: only, I suppose, that by the solar god's vaulting over the boundary, the Bards intimated his crossing the equator. This may have been represented by some mystic rite. Diodorus tells us, that Apollo had his appropriate chair in the great Hyperborean temple, which antiquaries, of no mean name, pronounce to have been no other than the famous structure of Stonehenge. There the god amused himself with a dance, ones in nineteen years, amongst his established train. As it was the known practice for certain priests, in the celebration of the mysteries, personally to represent the sun and moon, I conjecture that the Druids, in their great festival of the cycle, dressed up a pageant of their own order, to personate this luminous divinity.

773 Cawr mar, firm inclosure, or strong boundary, seems to mean the firmament.

774 Or, Heilin the Feeder, the solar divinity, whom the 6ard always place my the third rank.

775 Apollo is here introduced in person, as pronouncing the solemn benediction, and calling his chosen votaries into his presence^ to join in the celebration of mystic rites.

The remainder of the poem is put into the mouth of the priest, who represent this divinity

776 The dance, in which Apollo joined with his votaries.

777 The kine of Ceres, which drew her ark, or chest. Her procession seems to have commenced in the evening, as that of the solar divinity did in the morning. See No. 6.

778 Or Minauc the dei6ed patriarch and hence his priest and representative.

779 Insular sanctuaries. See the Essay, Sect. II. and Append No. IL and VI. The Bard may also allude to the sacred rafts, or boats. See Sect III.

780 Sanctuaries, containing the cells of the sacred fire.

781 A curious specimen on Druidic lore.

782 The pageant means to say "Were the world again to be overwhelmed, as at the deluge, yet the Arkite sanctuary, the chair of the Helio-Arkite god should remain in security."

783 The same as Kid, the Arkite goddess, whose renovating cauldron could restore the slain to life: but, at the same time, it deprived them of utterance, or obliged them to take an oath of secrecy. See Turner's Vindic. p. 283.

The efficacy of this cauldron is here illustrated, by the energy which was displayed by a prince of the Bardic order after the massacre of the nobles.

784 Or warrior.

785 This passage describes the rite of sortilege—the concluding lines contain the vaticination, deduced from the experiment.

786 W Archaiol. p. 43.

787  It should seem, that the Bard imputes the flowing and ebbing of the tide to the sun's influence.

788 The phrase Rhwyv Trydar, lord, or leader of the din, which Taliesin and Aneurin apply to the sun, with others of similar import, seem to denote, that the Druids welcomed his risings with frantic shouts of joy, accompanied with vocal hymn, and instrumental music.

789 W. Archaiol. p. 27. The insular cell or stall of the sacred ox, which represented the Arkite god, and was known only to the regular Bards or Druids.

790 Taliesin censures those Bards who were ambitious of displaying their talents, without having acquired an accurate knowledge of the mystic lore of the order. It appears- from the sequel, that his satire is pointed chiefly against those poetical geniuses, who attended at the gates of the great.

791 The mystagogue, as usual, blends his own personal character with the symbols of this god the tower or pyramid, the serpent, ice.

792 Several whimsical comparison are added in the original poem, for the purpose of ridiculing the pretended Bards; but I have omitted them, as destitute of interest.

793 This passage describes the preparation for the solemn periodical rite, of removing the shrine out of the cell, in the Arkite island, which seems to have been surrounded only at high water. Here we may remark. 1. A ritual observation of the time of flood, alluding to the deluge. 2. A fanatical rite of piercing the thigh, so as to draw blood. "Thus, the idolatrous Israelites cried aloud, and cut themselves, after their manner, with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them." 3. A ritual adorning of the sacred rock, which was, at that time, to display the countenance of the Arkite god. 4. This was done at the dawn, that the Helio-Arkite god might be coming forth from the cell, at the precise hour of the sun's rising. 5. This rock was the chief place of tranquillity; for here the divinity was supposed to reside, excepting at the time of the solemn procession. 6. This patriarchal god, the Supreme Proprietor, was ho who received his family, exiled from the world, into his ark or sanctuary.

794 This proclamation is made in the name of the Arkite cell, and of the tauriform god.

795 A foreign term: perhaps from [Heb.], which implies both an ox or bull, and [Heb.] the dawn or morning; compounded with [Heb.], flame, fire, inchantment.

The bull of fire was an apt title for the Helio-Arkite god, as the bull was the symbol of the patriarch, and the sun was worshipped in the form of fire, or flame. It will occur to the reader, that the other meanings of these terms, were strictly pertinent to the mysticism of the Druids, whose god came forth in the morning, and was esteemed the president of inchantors.

796 The mystagogue requires a song, not only perfectly consistent with the lore pf the Bards, but also, noted in their mystical characters, or omen-sticks.

797 That is, "Shall not be admitted to the mysteries, where the mead is ritually administered by the priests."

798 By which, the symbolical sprigs above mentioned, were confined to their places, in the composition of the sacred hymn.

799 Who seem, according to the vulgar phrase, to prop the gates of the great, where they attend as venal minstrels. As Druidism was not now established by law, the president had no weapon but his satire, wherewith to silence these poetasters.

800 This piece contains much of the Helio-arkite lore: but it is so full of mystical allusions, which are become obscure, from the loss of monuments, that I hope to be pardoned. It I do not succeed in explaining the whole. It is here exhibited, in order to exercise the ingenuity of better mythologists.

See W. Archaiol. p. 50.

801 Some passages in the modern Bards might countenance the idea, that this shout refers to the Creation; but I rather think, the mythologist alludes to the joy which took place at the opening of the ark, and the putting forth of its inhabitants.

802 The original fraternity of Bards and Druids.

803 As Bedwen, a birch, implies the may-pole, or Phallus; and, as the term used by a celebrated Bard, D. ab Gwilym, in a very gross sense: I suspect Taliesin alludes to the powers of nature, in their simplest form.

804 The oak was sacred to the great god of the Druids, who is styled Buanawr, the quickener, before when heaven and earth tremble a dreadful fee, whose name in the table book is Dryssawr, the deity of the door. This must apply to the deified patriarch, who received his connected family into the ark, and his connected votaries into the Druidical sanctuary.

805 Beneficent of the oaks. There is a most dark and difficult poem, called the Incantation of Maelderw. See No. XVI.

806 Nereus, the deluge, the abyss, which was now appeased. The name seems to be derived from the Hebrew [Heb.], Ner, to run or flow, as water. "Hence (says Mr. Parkhnrst) the Greeks and Romans had their Nereus, which originally signified the great abyss, or the sea considered as communicating with it." Thus Nereus is addressed in the Orphic hymn.

Possessor of the ocean's gloomy depth.
Ground of the sea, earth's bourn and source of all.
Shaking prolific Ceres' sacred seat,
When, in the deep recesses of thy reign,
The madding blasts are, by thy power, confin'd;
But oil! the earthquake's dreadful force forefend.

Heb. Lex.

807 From henceforth, the mystagogue describes the formation, and details the history of the great president of the Druidical order, the priest, prophet, and viceregent of the Helio-arkite god; who, upon the principle of the metempsychosis had preserved his existence and his identity through all ages, from the time when the ark was first constructed.

The fruit, flowers, earth, and water here mentioned, are the same kind of ingredients which were used in the mystical purifications, with a view to form or regenerate the members of the Bardic order.

808 Math was a mighty operator with the magic wand, who. at the time of the deluge, set the elements at large; and Gwydion was the Hermes of the Britons.

Compare No. X. with Cadair Ceridwen.

809 These repeated exorcisms, or purifications by mystical rites, seem to imply the initiation of the great pontifical character, every time he descended into a new body.

810  The separation of the Noachidæ, or the dispersion from Pabel.

811 Or "The Bard of Budd conversed much with men."

812 This passage clearly asserts, that the hierarch passed through the deluge which was regarded as a great lustration. And this achievement was performed in the sacred vessel of the patriarch.

813 These 8000 were, perhaps, sacred fountains, which poured forth their waters to meet the descending rain, and complete the lustration of the globe.

814 Stained with the blood of victims, which he bad sacrificed.

815 Domitor, God.

816 "Tacitus informs us, that the Estvi (a German tribe) worshipped the  mother of the gods, and that the symbol which they used was a boar, the mother of the gods was, in short, the ark of Noah, from which issued all the hero-gods of paganism. With regard to the boar we find it introduced very conspicuously into many of those legendary traditions, which relate to the great event of the deluge. It appears to have been one of the symbols of the ark." Faber's Myst. of the Cabiri, V. I. p. 220.

"Perhaps, if the matter be expressed with perfect accuracy, we ought rather to say, that a hoar was symbolical of Noah, and a sow of the ark. Hence we find, that as Vishnou was feigned to have metamorphosed himself into a boar, so the nurse of the Arkite Jupiter, or, in other words, the Noetic ship, is said by Agathocles to have been to hare been a sow." Note. Ibid.

817 The adder or viper was a symbol of the Helio-arkite god; and hence of his priest, who occupied his station upon the sacred mount, or in the Diluvian lake.

818 A constellation, representing a sacrificing priest.

819 A priest, representing the Diluvian god.

820 He supported the character of a soothsayer, or haruspex.

821 He was a sacrificing priest.

822 Sacred ships symbols of the ark. Melyngan was of this order, as appears by the road which he travelled. I have shewn, in a note upon No. II. that the sea-mew was a Diluvian symbol.

823 The shield of the Helio-arkite god, and of his priest, having the image of Caer Sidi, the zodiac, or the Druidical temple, formed of gems, and set ii gold. The device still appears upon some old British coins. The hierarch presided in the area of the altar, which was guarded by the priests, and drenched with the blood of victims.

824 Gor-on-wy, Supreme Lord of the Water, the deifed patriarch.

825 So Heilin, the Helio-arkite god, is styled Paigadwr, the feeder, No. IV. The Bards had some tradition that their solar divinity, or his chief priest and representative, in ancient times, had been a herdsman or shepherd. The Greeks told the same tale of their Apollo.

See Apollodor. L. I. c. 9. and L. III. c. 10.

826 That is, the diviners of former times.

827 This sacred name is introduced as a cloak into many of the heathen songs of the Britons.

828 W. Archaiol. p. 46.

829 The monks say that Ugnach, otherwise called Mygnach, the son of Mydnaw, the skip mover, was principal of the college of Caer Gybi, or Holyhead. But these legendaries often confound the votaries of Druidism, with the early saints of their own calendar; and it may be inferred, from the following poem, which certainly is ancient, that Ugnach was a distinguished hierophant in Arkite mysteries. If his station was Holyhead, it must follow, that this islet was a Seon or Sena of the British Bards. See Sect. II.

830 Cwn Annwn, or dogs of the deep, a mystical representation of the white-robed Druids. So Arawn, the Arkite, King of the Deep, had his pack of white dogs with red ears. See Sect. V.

831 Attributes of the tauriform god, whom this priest represented.

832 Taliesin's horse, named Melyngan, as we have already seen, was a sacred ship. See No. VII.

833 Segontium, near Caernarvon, was called Caer Seiont, from the river Seiont (Amnis Sagarum), being probably the place where the S'ion, or Gallicenæ, landed from Mona. The Seon here mentioned was an isolated sanctuary Seon Tewdor or representative of the ark. See No. X.

834 The former of these was the father of the Diluvian patriarch. See Cadair Ceridwen, inserted in the third Sect. The latter was the British Hermes, often mentioned.

835 The cup of initiation.

836 A trinket, which was viewed as the insignia of an adept. Aurdlws.

837 The [Greek], or cell of initiation.

838 Or seat of presidency, which Ugnach filled, as chief of his order.

839 By introduction into his Helio-arkite mysteries.

840 W. Archaiol. p. 48.

841 The Arkite goddess, whose appropriate emblem was the boat. In the days of Merddin, her votaries were exposed to a severe persecution.

842 The Maglocunus of Gildas.

843 The tauriform god, or his chief priest.

844 The circular temple, representing the zodiac, &c. It is also called Cylch balch Nevwy, the magnificent celestial circle, Cyleh byd, the mundane circle, &c.

845 Some symbols of the moon and sun.

846 The persecutors of the Druids, it seems, amongst other acts of hostility, broke to pieces, or defaced, the sacred circles. This was deemed, by the votaries of the old superstition, a most heinous outrage. See No. XII.

847 The sacred ox, or his chief priest.

848 These seem to have been three attendant priests.

849 Or Arderydd, in which the Northern establishment of the Druids was utterly ruined. See Sect, V. Merddin makes Taliesin prophesy of this calamitous event.

850 The same, I suppose, as Sidi or Sidin, the Helio-arkite temple. See Sect. IV. This stanza seems to describe the fanatical battle of Arderydd.

851 Surnamed Gosgorddvator, with the great retinue. He was brother of Ceidiaw, Gwenddolen's father.

852 Lord Belin, Dorainus Sol. The name has been conferred upon some of his favourite priests and votaries. In this* passage, the mystagogue seems to predict the re-establishment of his cause at some future period.

853  Into which the remains of the Druid host retired for safety.

854 Lord of the Din a title of the Helio-arkite god, who is styled Cadam Trydar, the mighty one of the Diti. No. V. and Rhwyv Trydar, leader of the Din, Gododin. He seems to have derived these names from the fanatical hymns and frantic shouts of his votaries, at the hour of his rising. The title is here transferred to his priest.

855 See W. Archaiol. p. 70.

856 Which was administered to the attendants at the sacred festival.

857 The ark of the god, which was under the protection of his priest.

858 The ark; and hence the insulated fanes, sacred to Arkite mysteries. Cwydion was Hermes. His land may have been the old world, which was overwhelmed by the deluge; as it was his traditional office to conduct the dead into a region beneath the abyss. In this passage, we have much Arkite mythology.

1. The patriarch came from the land of Hermes, or the old world.
2. He entered the inclosure of Seon, or of the nine sacred damsels, which was guarded by a strong door, or barrier. This inclosure was the ark.
3. When he was shut up in this sanctuary, the great supreme (Sec No. III.) sent forth a poisonous vapour, to destroy the wicked world. To this bane, the Bards often allude. See Cadair Ceridxoen, Marvmad Dylan, &c. But the messenger of death entered not the inclosure of Seon. In the same strain of fable, Maelgwn is said to have retired into a church, to avoid the contagion of the yellow pestilence: here he would have been safe, had he not seen the demon of destruction through a small hole in the door: but the inclosure of Seon was better secured.
4. By this pestilential vapour, which filled the whole atmosphere, the patriarch's wicked contemporaries were destroyed. But the earth was still polluted.
5. Then the great magicians, with their magic wands, set free the purifying elements: one of the effects of which, as described in the Triads, was the dreadful tempest of fire, which split the earth to the great deep, and consumed the greatest part of all that lived. W. Archaiol. V. II. p. 59. Upon this, the waters of Llyn Llion, or the abyss, burst forth.
6. These powerful agents would have destroyed the patriarch and his family in Caer Seon, had not Hermes counselled him to impress a mystical form, or to strike a peculiar signal upon his shield. This, I [suppose, had the same effect as the horrid din, with which the heathens pretended to save the moon, at the hour of her eclipse.
7. This device, together with the integrity of the just ones, preserved them from being overwhelmed by the deluge.
8. Hence, an imitation of these adventures became a sacred institution, which was duly observed in the mysteries, and conducted by the presiding priest.

859 A title of Hu, who was venerated in the symbol of a huge serpent, and acknowledged as the supreme lord of Britain, where his chief priest governed as his vicegerent. See No. XI.

860 The priest, who was considered as still living, Orbe alio, though his corporeal parts had been dissolved.

861 Gallicenæ, Gwyllion, or Seon. Those devoted priestesses, whose office it was, in the mysteries, to lament the supposed death of their god, as the Jewish women wept for Tammuz.

Here the Bard, as usual, digresses into his Arkite mythology The just ones, or Arkites, had been afflicted and tossed about upon the face of the deluge; but their integrity brought them to a safe harbour. The natural inference was, that this good priest, their votary, had also escaped from trouble. Notwithstanding this implied hope, the Bard is grieved for the departure of his benefactor, whose loss will be long felt by the fraternity of Mona.

862 The name implies wonderful supreme leader, or wonderful chief dragon.

The reader will recollect, that the titles of the Helio-arkite god have often been conferred upon his priests, and upon those princes who were favourites with the Druids and Bards. See W. Archaiol. p. 72.

863 There are many things worthy of remark in the character of this British Pantheos, as delineated by his priest and representative.

He is lord of the din, which, as we have seen, is a description of the Helio-arkite god: he is the god of war the ætherial god and the deity to whom the rainbow pertains; that is, the deified Noah. See Cadair Ceridwen.

He is a protector in darkness a husbandman, like the Diluvian patriarch a protector of the ark, and Arkite temples, like the sovereign On. See No. IV.

He is the vanquisher of the Diluvian giants, the inspirer of heroism, and the president of mystic lore.

He gave the invincible sword to Henben (the ancient chief, some idolized monarch of early ages), and accomplished the purification of Haeamddor, [Greek], the ark, the same as Seon Tewdor, and Ynys Pyhyrddor.

His state of affliction (during the deluge) was symbolized by an ox submitting to the yoke. He was the father of all mankind; and, as the great demon-god of the bards, and their original instructor, he was skilled in all the mysteries of the order being a Bard, a musician, and an enchanter. At the same time, he disliked the symbol of the eagle, which may have offended the Druids, when he displayed his wings on the Roman standard.

864 In this passage we may remark, 1. The titles and character of the god. 2. The character and office of the priest. And 3. The time and place where he performs his sacred function.

The god is named Hu, and the glancing Hu, who is described as having expanded wings: he is invoked as the father of the priest he has the title of Seon, distributor, and Prydain, ruler of seasons: he is the gliding king, that is, the dragon, who pursues the fair one alluding to some such fable as that which represents Jupiter in the form of a dragon, as violating Proserpine, and by her becoming the father of Bacchus. See Myst. of the Cabiri, V. I. p. 208. He is also named the victorious Beli, that is, the sun, and adored as lord and protector of the British isle.

The priest describes himself as the son of the god his Bardic proclaimer, or mystagogue, and his deputy governor. His office was to recite the death song, before the victim was struck to invoke the god to lead the mystical procession round the sacred lakes and the temple to offer a libation with the horn of consecrated liquor; and then to take the knife and slay the victim.

These ceremonies are performed at a public and solemn festival, whilst the sanctuary, or assembly of priests and votaries, invoke the dragon king and the place of celebration is on the sacred mount, within the stone circle and around, which represented the world and near the consecrated lakes.

At this time, the huge stones of the temple were covered with a veil, on which was delineated the history of the dragon king. There seems also to have been a living dragon, or serpent, as a symbol of the god, who is described as gliding from place to place, and tasting the drink offering in the acted vessels.

865 Britain, or the island of Beli, was also the island of Hu, No. X.: but Hu and Beli were the same.

866 W.Archaiol. p. 74.

867 It may be inferred, from the general tenor of the poem, that this Ogdoad consisted of the Diluvian patriarch and his family. They were, therefore, the same as Sydyk and his seven sons, the Cabiri, mentioned by Sanchoniatho; and the same as the sacred Ogdoad, or eight primitive gods of Egypt, who guided the ship of the sphere, thus sailing the ark, an emblem of the system of the heavens. See Faber's Myst. of the Cabiri, V. I. pp. 56, 61, 76. Bryant's Analysis, V. II. p. 234.

868 These supposed labours of the Diluvians seem to have been regarded as models of a Druidical festival, in which the various rites had their appropriate days.

869 The accumulating deluge, which overwhelmed and dashed to pieces the inhabitants of the earth, is figuratively styled the blood of men. Sanchoniatho speaks of the blood of the primitive race, as being mixed with rivers and fountains.

Or, five ships, with five hundred men, embarked. These were wicked inhabitants of the old world, who being now terrified by the raging flood, approach the ark of the just man, and pray for protection.

Their prayer is in a foreign language, probably that of the mysteries which were introduced by Coll, the Cornish hierophant. Taliesin has elsewhere informed us, that the spotted cat of Mona, one of the idols which pertained to this superstition, was attended by men of a foreign language. We are also told by the same Bard, that the Druidical lore had been delivered in Hebrew; or Hebraic. See No XIII. And the words, Adonai and Pompai, which occur in the context, seem to imply, that thin fragment has a near affinity to the Hebrew, or some of its dialects. In that language, the former of these terms signifies lord; and Mr. Bryant tells us, that Pompi means the oracle. Analysis, V. I. p. 259.

Some idea of the purport of this passage may be collected from the context; and as it may seem to determine the important question, whether the Druids possessed sacred hymns in the Phœnieian language, I shall attempt to write the lines in Hebrew characters, with the hope, that some good Orientalist may think them worthy of attention; and if they present the vestiges of Phoenician antiquity, do me the favour of correcting them.

[Hebrew]

870  Cadwaladr, supreme ruler of battles. title of the Diluvian patriarch: Cynan, the prince one of his sons. This passage implies some tradition of the preacher of righteousness: but how is his character perverted!

871 The patriarch, as father and primary instructor of the Druids, is so staled by way of eminence. See No. IV. and XI.

872 The dominion of Gwair, the son of Geiriawn, the word of justice, otherwise called the son of Gwestyl, the great tempest. This Gwair was the Diluvan patriarch. See Sect. V. and App. No III.

Taliesin, the Arkite priest, was said to have dwelt upon the bank of the lake of Geirionydd. The patriarch is fabled to have had a temple, open to the sky, like the Caer Sidi of the Druids. The Gwyllion, or Gwyllawd, were the prototypes of Mela's Gallicenæ.

873 This prophecy of the Gwyllion alludes to the ark, which was fabulously reported to have rested upon Eryri, or the heights of Snowdon. Such was the local appropriation of Diluvian history. See Sect. II, and III.

874 As Bardic mythology placed the principal events of the Diluvian age within this island, so the patriarch and his family are emphatically styled Brythnn. Are we still to look for the origin of that name in Eastern mythology, and in the root m3, whence [Heb.], and [Heb.]. The language of the Bard seems to favour that idea.

875 Emblem of the ark bellowing, before the deluge, for its select company then boiled, or tossed about by the flood, and finally consumed on the spot where the patriarch landed, and found rest.

876 This division of the poem presents a tradition of Nimrod's rebellion, or of a subsequent dereliction of some. principles, which the Druids deemed sacred. His customary honours had been withholden from the patriarch, who is here described as ruler of the sea, in allusion to his riding upon the deluge. He has the name of Menwyd, which, if it be British, seems to imply the blessed he is the dragon chief of the world, or the universal patriarch and king, venerated under the symbol of a dragon he is the fabricator of Kyd, or the ark, in which he traversed the waters of the abyss.

This ark was stored with corn: hence Ceres, her appropriate genius, as well as the British Ceridwen, was the goddess of corn; and, like the car of Ceres, the British ark was borne aloft by serpents, those favourite symbols of Helio-arkite idolatry.

The adversaries of Menwyd wished to remove or destroy three things first, the ape. This animal the Egyptians held sacred to the god Apis (Bryant's Analysis, V. I. p 335), who was Noah (lb. V. II. p. 268), worshipped under the form of a bull. lb. p. 418.

As the ape was not a native of Britain, or of any other Northern climate, it nay be inferred, that the Druidism of this Bard was tinctured with the superstition of some Southern people.

The second object of persecution was the stall of the cow, or the cell which contained the symbol of the Arkite goddess: and the third was the mundane rampart, or circular temple, representing the great belt, which surrounds the world.

The fanatical Bard deems the ape, the stall of the cow, and the consecrated circle, of such importance, that he fancies the world would become desolate when they were destroyed; and in vain should the cuckoo proclaim the approach of the great festival in the beginning of May, with its solemn procession and sacred dance. This dance is mentioned in No. II. IV. and XIV.

877 In this obscure passage, the Bard complains of the corruptors and persecutors of his religion.

878 The Saxon; alluding to the affair at Stonehenge.

879 The Britons; who carried arms in their mystical processions. See No. XIV.

880 A scoff at Scripture history. The Bards, forsooth, were not children of the fallen Adam, but of the regenerate Noah.

881 The patriarch the Saturn of the Druids. See Sect. III.

882 Professor of Christianity.

883 The Druids had some idea of a day of doom: at least, the phrase often occurs in the most heathenish paragraphs of the ancient poems. Something of the same kind has been remarked in the tales of the Edda.

884 As this is a pretended prophecy of the Ogdoad, we may suppose that the Bard alludes to certain events, which had occurred previous to his own age; and which he affected to regard as the accomplishment of the prophecy.

885 Diviners of the primitive world, which had been overwhelmed by the deluge. He probably means the Ogdoad, who had prophesied before the flood. These fanatics had established a seminary in the North, out of the reach of Roman arms. See Sect. V

886 The Diluvian patriarch, who produced Ked, the sacred ship. The Bard consigns his enemies to the bottom of the abyss.

887 Or, re-establish the arch Druid, as supreme ruler of Britain. See No. I.

888 Such was the British hell. The Bards tell us, it abounded with frost and $now, and was infested by a variety of noxious and loathsome animals.

889 A translation of the former part, relative to the parentage and character of the British Apollo, is inserted in the Celt. Res. p. 553.

The extract which follows relates to the priest of that god, and recites the various characters be had sustained in his progress through the circle of transmigration, or the stages of initiation.

See W. Archaiol. p. 36.

890 His lore, therefore, was not regarded as peculiar to the Druids of Britain.

891 See the story called Hanes Taliesin, in the third Section of the preceding Essay.

892 This mystical Hen, as the reader has seen, was the Arkite goddess.

893 This seems to have been a title of the Diluvian patriarch, or Helio-arkite god, with whom his priest claimed a mystical union.

894 The heathen Britons crowned themselves with ivy branches, when they celebrated the mysteries of Bacchus.

895 See an imperfect copy, W. Archaiol. p. 21.

896 The manifest intention of this poem, is to recommend to the Britons the use of arms. The Bard first of all recites the solemn custom of carrying them in the celebration of Bacchic rites: and then touches upon the calamitous fate of those British nobles, who laid aside their arms in their conference with Hengist.

897 Menwed, which is of the same import as Menwyd, a title of the Diluvian patriarch. No. XII.

898 The insular stall of the sacred ox, or tauriform god.

899 The shrine, drawn forth by the sacred oxen.

900 Hu, the Helio arkite god, the British Bacchus.

901  The chain here mentioned, was that of the sacred oxen the bunches or knobs belonged to their collar. See No. III. The sovereign was the god himself, or the priest who personated his character: and the spear was the thyrsus, which probably carried something of a Phallic allusion.

902 The Druids, who led the circular dance.

903 Dionysius informs us, that the British bacchanals were crowned with garlands of ivy.

904 The same fable, respecting the acquisition of the Anguinum, which is related by Pliny—Praetei'a est ovoruin genus in magna Galliarum fani, omissum Groecis. Angues innumeri aestate convoluti, salivis fauciuin, corporumque spiimis, glonicrantur; Anguinum appellatur. Druidae sibilis id dicunt in sublime jactari sagoque opportere intercipi, ne tellurem attingat. Profugere raptorem equo: serpeatcs enim insequi, donee arcentur amnis alicujus interventu, &c. Hist. Nat. L. XXIX. c.3

As the person who had acquired this prize was styled a bull, it may be conjectured, that it was his privilege to represent the tauriform god in the solemn procession,

905 This wave was Hengist and his Saxons, The imagination of the Bards was so wholly engrossed by their Diluvian lore, that they borrowed most of their imagery from it.

906 The inhabitants of those districts which Vortigern had assigned to Hengist.

907 When Hengist advised, that shields should be excluded from the place of conference, as useless and inconvenient in a friendly assembly, he seems to have hewn his own shield into splinters, by way of enforcing his argument. Aneurin, in the Gododin, speaks of his leaving at a distance the shield that was split into lath.

908 Tudvwlch, whom Hengist selected for his own victim, and for that purpose placed next to him at the feast. The fate of this prince is deplored in the songs of the Gododin.

909 The mountain chief—Vortigern the Venedotian, as in the Gododin.

910 Hence it appears, that this poem was composed a year after the massacre f the nobles at Stonehenge, or about A. D. 473. Aneurin had witnessed the horrid scene, and the groans of the dying still sounded in his ears.

911 There are three of these pieces preserved; but I shall reserve the talisman of Cunobeline, till I offer some remarks upon the old British coins.

912 In this little poem, the mystagogue  discriminates between those probationers who duly preserved the secrets with which they were entrusted, and those who were tempted by any consideration whatever to divulge them. To the latter, it seems, the protecting talisman would be of no avail.

913 In the original high stones, the reaper of his foes. This is an elliptical phrase, implying the god who inhabited the temple, constructed of high stones.

914 I retain the original word, which implies a circle, or circular temple, as with as a military fortress.

915 Hu, the Helio-arkite god, who it repeatedly mentioned in the poem.

916 The great massacre which had been recently perpetrated.

917 These epithets may be referred to Eidiol, or Ambrosius, whose actions are recorded in the Gododin. His sleep seems to have succeeded to the toils of the fatal morning.

918 Notwithstanding the extraneous matter that is interspersed throughout the poem, the great enterprise of the Bard is the construction of this web of' heroism. We learn the following particulars respecting it. The figure of the leader of the army is interwoven in the work, together with those of Hu, or the sun, and of the red dragon.

It is described as Brascawd, Magnum Sublatum, a huge, raised (standard) the glory of the great field of battle, which was to accompany the army, flying in the breeze.

There was a flowing streamer attached to it, interwoven with the threads of wrath, and it was regarded as possessing a miraculous power of protection from military disgrace. By these circumstances, I deem myself justified in styling it a magical flag, or standard, though the Bard has not expressly introduced the phrase.

919 These directions, as well as some of the same kind which occur in the next paragraph, manifestly refer to the delineation of the commander, upon the web of heroism: and the Bard expresses himself, as if he imagined that the disposition of the figure most influence the conduct and fortunes of the man.

920 That is—Let him be circumspect, but not pusillanimous. There seems to be more sober, good sense in the maxims of this paragraph, than what usually falls to the lot of a conjuror,

921 Mr. Owen renders Manon, a paragon of beauty, a goddess. The word is, in this passage, connected with the masculine epithets, Disgleiriawr, the luminary, and Archawr, the Arkite. It is, therefore, a manifest title of the Helio-arkite divinity, whom the Bard also styles Talachon; which I interpret, with the lofty front: but the term may be of foreign origin, and imply Tal Chan, Sol Rex.

922 Adavawn, united hands: it is, perhaps, an error of the copyist for .4dvain the people.

923 A gwyddei nth ae eneu—who made a fall with his mouth. This sarcasm is evidently aimed at Vortigern, who checked the ardour of his victorious forces, upon the second landing of Hengist, and ratified a friendly convention with the Saxons, as I have already observed in the notes upon the Gododin. From this circumstance, the British prince obtained the opprobrious epithet, Gwrtheneu, of the ill-omened mouth.

924 Alluding to the votaries of Druidism, who were thrown into the utmost confusion by the sudden massacre which took place, whilst they were celebrating the solemnities of May; and with difficulty protected their lives within the mound of the great temple, till Kenan, the prince, that is, Eidiol, or Ambrosius, rallied them from their consternation, and planned the means of defence. See the Gododin,

925 That is, the unanimous counsel of the hoary Druids.

926 The island of Bardsea, which was sacred to the mysteries of the Helio-arkite god, whom the Bard feigns to have foretold the recent calamity by an oracle, accompanied with a prophecy of returning prosperity. This Druidical fraud must have been very seasonable in the days of Aneurin.

927 The original is ry annet; but I think my translation is accurate; it as usual, in this ancient copy, to double the n, where the preceding vowel is long; thus cunn for can, gwyjin for gwiyii, &c.

928 Probably the son of Einion. This Rhan lived in the fifth century, and was styled one of the three haughty chiefs of Britain. He was the grandson of Cynedda, whose patrimony was in Cumberland and North Britain.

929 Hengist, who had returned to Britain: his gross bulk is taken notice of by Cuhelyn and Aueurin.

930 The Bard returns to his web of heroism. The threads of wrath seem to denote some colour which was hoisted, when the army neither gave nor received quarter.

931 The phrases radiant presence, and ruddy glancer, must be referred to the Helio-arkite divinity, the patron of the pagan Britons.

932 This seems to allude to the shout of determined vengeance, described in the Gododin, Song 15.

933 I understand this as the name of the magical standard.

934 Appendix No. VII.

935 Appendix, No. 8.

936 Hence the figures of the sun and moon, the frequent repetition of Apollo and his harp, the spica or ear of corn, the galley or ship, and the lunette, which represented both the moon and a small boat.

937 In Camden's coins, which seem to have been struck in ages when our mythologists paid more regard to the simplicity of nature, we generally find these circles distinct from the figure of the bore.

938 It may be proper to apprise the mythologist, that Tywyson, the Spica, also implies a general, but obscene symbol of heathenism. The curious may see an example, Camb. Reg, V. II. p. 307.

939 That the Britons understood this as a title of their Apollo, is evident, from No. 7 of this tables where Apollo appears playing upon his harp, with the inscription Cunobi; and from No. 23, which presents the same figure of Apollo, with the name Cunodeli, Dominm Beli. So Merddin mentions the seven sacred fires (q. planets?) of which Cunobeline was the first. (Append. No. IX.) And in the poem called the Talisman of Cunobeline, he is represented as a demon-god.

940 The legends or inscriptions are, undoubtedly, in the dialects of the several tribes by whom the coins were struck. These dialects may have varied in their orthography and inflexion in the course of eighteen centuries: yet it may be presumed, their radical words are to be found in the two principal branches of the ancient Celtic, namely, the language 9f the ancient Bards, and that of Irish MSS.

941 See Hist. of Manchester, V. I. p. 342, and V. II. p. 67. 2d Ed.

942 Archaiol. Brit. p. 236.

943 I have remarked (Sect. II.) that it was a custom of the Celts, mergere, to sink or deposit their gold and silver in sacred lakes or streams. As this rite was performed under the direction of the priests, or Druids, they knew undoubtedly where to find their treasure again, when it was wanted. Thus the Bard speaks of the recovery of the old talismanic pieces of Trychdrviydd, the unobstructed pervader, who was the same as Cunobeline, Dominus Sol; and it is remarkable, that he prefers as most efficacious, those which resemble the Karabre coins; and exhibit the monstrous figures, cut off at the haunches. These pieces, then, were deemed magical, and duly concealed by the Druids, in order to be reproduced upon some urgent occasion. 

944 That is, the solar divinity, who is often described by similar epithets. See Append. No. II. It appears from this poem, that he was the same as Kynvelyn.

945 A it is the property of this kind of poetry to be dark and mysterious, the word March, horse, is not introduced; but the horse-hoofs, horse-tails, and horse-riders, which are connected with the mystical figure, unequivocally explain the meaning of the Bard. I may add, that the figure is here named Try-Chethin, which is a compound of Cethin, hideous, the title of the mystical horse, in Taliesin and the Triads.

946 Hengist, who comes under similar descriptions in the songs of the Gododin.

947 The Bard has now approached the sacred stream which he propitiates, in order to procure his charm, with auspicious rites.

948 The Bardic lots, so often mentioned.

949 This is a horrid picture of Hengist, issuing forth from the great banquet, covered with the blood of the British nobles. The Bard denounced, that he should, ere long, be stained with his own gore, from the assault of Cunobeline, or the solar divinity: so Aneurin describes his defeat before the bull of battle, and the herds of the roaring Beli.

950 Probably the chief Bard, who was slain at the feast, and deplored by Cuhelyn and Aneurin. By thus intermixing lamentations for the dead, with the eulogia of his talisman, the Bard seems to insinuate, that the woful catastrophe might have been prevented, by a timely exhibition of his vaunted charm.

951 Hengist had excluded shields from the festival; but. it seems, this charm would repair the injury which ensued upon that occasion, and enable the patriotic warriors to drive out the invader of their country.

Such infallible trinkets must have often deceived the wearer; but an ill-omened expression, or the slightest instants of misconduct, was always sufficient to account for the accident, and support the credit of the solemn impostor.

952 This is mentioned !a the Gododin, and in Gwarchan Maelderw. It seems to imply the great temple.

953 The Bards were distinguished by their blue garments.

954 Gen, or En, a spirit, or intelligence the presiding divinity.

955 It should seem, that the Bard imputed his escape from the feast, and consequently the opportunity of composing his Gododin, to the virtue of his talisman.

956 This shaft was probably who Hudlath, magic wand, or the Cangen, branch, which was carried by the divining Bard.

957 Perhaps an error of the copyist for Tenevan, the traditional father of Cunobeline.

958 These were the heroes whose fall is mourned in the Gododin; which see.