Footnotes:
[3] Probably Cheshire; the North Welsh commonly call Chester Caer.
[23] It is the custom of Mahometans, to lay aside their sandals, before entering the Mosque.
[49] Taliesin lived in the sixth century; he was a foundling, discovered in his infancy lying in a coracle, on a salmon-weir, in the domain of Elphin, a prince of North Wales, who became his patron. During his life he arrogated to himself a supernatural descent and understanding, and for at least a thousand years after his death he was regarded by the descendants of the Ancient Britons, as a prophet or something more. The poems which he produced procured for him the title of “Bardic King;” they display much that is vigorous and original, but are disfigured by mysticism and extravagant metaphor. The four lines which he is made to quote above are from his Hanes, or History, one of the most spirited of his pieces. When Elis Wynn represents him as sitting by a cauldron in Hades, he alludes to a wild legend concerning him, to the effect, that he imbibed awen or poetical genius whilst employed in watching “the seething pot” of the sorceress Cridwen, which legend has much in common with one of the Irish legends about Fin Macoul, which is itself nearly identical with one in the Edda, describing the manner in which Sigurd Fafnisbane became possessed of supernatural wisdom.
[50] A dreadful pestilence, which ravaged Gwynedd or North Wales in 560. Amongst its victims was the king of the country, the celebrated Maelgwn, son of Caswallon Law Hir.
[84] Llyn Tegid, or the lake of Beauty, in the neighbourhood of Bala.
[93] The reader is left to guess what description of people these prisoners were. They were probably violent fifth monarchy preachers.
[100] An active London Magistrate, treacherously murdered by a gang of papist conspirators in the reign of Charles the Second.
[108] A celebrated Welsh poet, who flourished in the thirteenth century. A short account of him will be found in Owen’s Cambrian Biography.