Which from his father he had heard,
And after them I have remembered.”
The Physicians of Myddfai were Rhiwallon and his sons, Cadwgan, Gruffydd and Einion, who became Physicians to Rhys Gryg, Lord of Llandovery and Dynefor Castles, who lived in the early part of the thirteenth century. Rhys “gave them rank, lands, and privileges at Myddfai for their maintenance in the practice of their art and science, and the healing and benefit of those who should seek their help.”
The fame of the celebrated Physicians was soon established over the whole country, and continued for centuries among their descendants; and the celebrated Welsh Poet Dafydd ap Gwilym, who flourished in the fourteenth century, says in one of his poems when alluding to these physicians:—
“Meddyg, nis gwnai modd y gwnaeth
Myddfai, o chai ddyn meddfaeth.”
(A Physician he would not make
As Myddfai made, if he had a mead fostered man.)
Mr. Rees says that “of the above lands bestowed upon the Meddygon, there are two farms in the Myddfai parish still called “Llwyn Ifan Feddyg,” the Grove of Evan, the Physician, and “Llwyn Meredydd Feddyg” (the Grove of Meredydd the Physician). Esgair Llaethdy, mentioned in the foregoing legend, was formerly in the possession of the above descendants, and so was Ty-newydd, near Myddfai, which was purchased by Mr. Holford, of Cilgwyn, from the Rev. Charles Lloyd, vicar of Llandefalle, Breconshire, who married a daughter of one of the Meddygon, and had the living of Llandefalle from a Mr. Vaughan, who presented him to the same out of gratitude, because Mr. Lloyd, wife’s father had cured him of a disease in the eye. As Mr. Lloyd succeeded to the above living in 1748, and died in 1800, it is probable that that skilful oculist was John Jones, who is mentioned in the following inscription on a tombstone at present fixed against the west end of Myddfai
HERE
Lieth the body of Mr. David Jones, of Mothvey, Surgeon,
who was an honest, charitable and skilful man,
He died September 14th, Anno Dom. 1719, aged 61.
JOHN JONES, SURGEON,
Eldest son of the said David Jones, departed this life the
25th of November, 1739, in the 4th year of his Age,
and also lyes interred hereunder.