Good biographies of mediæval Welshmen are few. Henry Owen's Gerald the Welshman is good; also Bradley's Owen Glyndwr. Tout's Edward I should be consulted, also Wade Evans's St. David.
For later times we begin with Llewelyn Williams's Making of Modern Wales. It is scholarly, original, and well written; but in parts should be read with great caution. Bowen's Statutes of Wales is invaluable. Other works of value are Skeel, Council of the Welsh Marches, J. H. Davies's Introduction in his edition of the works of Morgan Llwyd; Morrice's Wales in the Seventeenth Century; D. R. Jones's Y Deffroad Addysgawl; The Welsh University (College Histories Series); Elvet Lewis's Nonconformity in Wales. There are some good biographies, notably: Pollard's Henry VIII; Pierce's John Penry; David Jones's Life and Times of Griffith Jones of Llanddowror; Ambrose Jones's Griffith Jones; Hughes's Life of Howel Harris; Jenkins's Thomas Charles of Bala; Gwynn Jones's Cofiant Thomas Gee Owen Thomas's Cofiant John Jones Talsarn; Williams's Thomas Charles Edwards; McCabe's Robert Owen; W. E. Davies's Sir Hugh Owen.
Welsh history, like that of most countries, requires a study of contemporary literature, both prose and poetry, for its true understanding. The following works will be found most useful: Gildas; The Mabinogion; Geoffrey of Monmouth's Histories; Theophilus Evans's Drych y Prif Oesoedd; Ellis Wynne's Gweledigaethau y Bardd Cwsc; Vicar Pritchard's Camvyll y Cymry; Morgan Llwyd's Llyfr y Tri Aderyn. The letters of the brothers Morris, and of Goronwy Owen are illuminating. For social life the novels of Daniel Owen are invaluable. The numerous poets published by O. M. Edwards in Cyfres y Fil, together with the Introduction contained in the majority of them, are of the utmost importance. Dr. Edward's Traethodau Llenyddol contains many interesting historical essays. Shakespeare's historical plays ought not to be neglected.
For Welsh literature and language the following books should be consulted: Morrice's Manual of Welsh Literature; Robert Owen's The Eymry; Griffith's Llenyddiaeth Cymru; Renan, Poetry of the Celtic Races.
Almost every Welsh castle and monastery has its local historian.
English historians, as a rule, have dealt inadequately, and often ignorantly, with Wales. Bearing this in mind, the student would do well to turn to the Political History of England, Green, Clarendon, Gardiner, and Lecky.