[172] This instrument is generally supposed to have been the origin of the violin, which was not commonly known in England till the reign of Charles I. Before this time the crwth was not probably confined to the Principality, from the name of Crowdero in Hudibras; as also from a fiddler being still called a crowder in some parts of England, though he now plays on a violin instead of a crwth.
[173] These Welsh lines quoted by Giraldus are selected from two different stanzas of moral verses, called Eglynion y Clywed, the composition of some anonymous bard; or probably the work of several:
“A glyweisti a gant Dywyneg,
Milwr doeth detholedig;
Digawn Duw da i unig?“Hast thou heard what was sung by Dywynic?
A wise and chosen warrior;
God will effect solace to the orphan.“A glyweisti a gant Anarawd?
Milwr doniawg did lawd;
Rhaid wrth anmhwyll pwyll parawd.“Hast thou heard what was sung by Anarawd?
A warrior endowed with many gifts;
With want of sense ready wit is necessary.”
Or, as Giraldus quotes it,
“Wrth bob crybwll rhaid pwyll parawd.”
“With every hint ready wit is necessary.”
Myvyvrian Archaiology, page 172.
[179] Awenydhion, in a literal sense, means persons inspired by the Muse, and is derived from Awen and Awenydd, a poetical rapture, or the gift of poetry. It was the appellation of the disciples, or candidates for the Bardic Order; but the most general acceptation of the word was, Poets, or Bards.
[183] Genealogies were preserved as a principle of necessity under the ancient British constitution. A man’s pedigree was in reality his title deed, by which he claimed his birthright in the country. Every one was obliged to show his descent through nine generations, in order to be acknowledged a free native, and by this right he claimed his portion of land in the community. He was affected with respect to legal process in his collateral affinities through nine degrees. For instance, every murder committed had a fine levied on the relations of the murderer, divided into nine degrees; his brother paying the greatest, and the ninth in affinity the least. This fine was distributed in the same way among the relatives of the victim. A person past the ninth descent formed a new family. Every family was represented by its elder; and these elders from every family were delegates to the national council.—Owen.
[184] The naviculæ mentioned by Giraldus bear the modern name of coracles, and are much used on the Welsh rivers for the taking of salmon. Their name is derived probably from the Celtic word corawg, which signifies a ship. They are mentioned by the ancient writers.
[197] By the city of Legions Chester is here meant, not Caerleon.
[198] Of the stones inscribed “HIC VICTOR FUIT HAROLDUS”—“HERE HAROLD CONQUERED,” no original, I believe, remains extant; but at the village of Trelech, in Monmouthshire, there is a modern pedestal bearing the above inscription.—See the description and engraving in Coxe’s Monmouthshire, p. 234.