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The Four Ancient Books of Wales by William F. Skene [1868]

This is William Skene's anthology of dark-age Welsh Bardic poetry. Often cited, but difficult to obtain, this book contains every remaining piece of Bardic poetry known. The poems are translated from four manuscripts: the Black Book of Caermarthen, the Red Book of Hergest (which is also the source of the Mabinogion), the Book of Taliessin and the Book of Aneurin, all of which date from the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries C.E. The poems themselves date from much earlier, probably from the sixth century by internal evidence.

This corpus is one of the treasures of world literature. It is also the only true source material for the study of Bardic lore, which reputedly preserved the esoteric (and long-lost) beliefs of the Druids. Largely written to satisfy wealthy patrons, much of the subject matter is related to mead-inspired battles, particularly the renowned Gododin cycle. However, the poetry rises above the gory combat and toadying to achieve an artistic height that would not be reached for many centuries. Some of the later works, which use Christian themes as a jumping-off point, have an almost haiku-like quality. The poems are infused throughout with mystic clarity, strange flashes of wisdom, and insight into humanity and nature.

This book is very rare, and only available for purchase today in a print-on-demand edition. This etext, produced at sacred-texts, is the first comprehensive posting of this fascinating material on the Internet.

John Bruno Hare, March 17th, 2004.

Title Page
Contents
Map of Prydyn or Y Gogled

Introduction

Chapter I. The Poems Contained in the Four Ancient Books of Wales
Chapter II. The Literature of Wales Subsequent to the Twelfth Century
Chapter III. Sources of the Early History of Wales
Chapter IV. State of the Country in the Sixth Century, and its Hist...
Chapter V. State of Britain in A.D. 560 When Gildas Wrote, and King...
Chapter VI. Manau Gododin and the Picts
Chapter VII. The Races of Britain and the Place of the Picts Among ...
Chapter VIII. The Celtic Dialects and the Probable Character of the...
Chapter IX. The Celtic Topography of Scotland, and the Dialectic Di...
Chapter X. Cumbria and the Men of the North
Chapter XI. Recent Criticism of Mythological Poems Examined
Chapter XII. Recent Criticism of Historical Poems Examined
Chapter XIII. True Place of the Poems in Welsh Literature.
Chapter XIV. Result of the Examination of the Poems, and their Clas...

TRANSLATION OF THE POEMS

I. Historical Poems Containing Allusions to Events Prior to A.D. 560

II. Historical Poems Containing Allusions to Events Subsequent to A.D. 560.

G. Poems Referring to War Between Sons of Llywarch Hen and Mwg Mawr Drefydd.

XXX. Names of the Sons Of Llywarch Hen. Black Book of Caermarthen X...
XXXI. Black Book of Caermarthen XXX
XXXII. Black Book of Caermarthen XXXIV.
XXXIII. Red Book of Hergest XI.

H. Poems Relating to Gwallawg ap Lleenawg

XXXIV. Black Book of Caermarthen XXXII.
XXXV. Book of Taliessin XI.
XXXVI. Book of Taliessin XXXVIII.

I. Poems Relating to Urien Reged.

XXXVII. Red Book of Hergest XVII.
XXXVIII. Book Of Taliessin XXXI.
XXXIX. Book of Taliessin XXXII.
XL. Book of Taliessin XXXIII.
XLI. Book of Taliessin XXXIV.
XLII. Book of Taliessin XXXVI.
XLIII. The Satisfaction of Urien. Book of Taliessin XXIX.
XLIV. The Spoils of Taliessin, a Song to Urien. Book of Taliessin X...
XLV. Red Book of Hergest XII.

J. Poems Relating to Urien and his Son Owen.

XLVI. Book of Taliessin XVIII.
XLVII. The Affair of Argoed Llwyfain. Book of Taliessin XXXV.
XLVII. The Death-Song of Owain. Book of Taliessin XLIV.

K. Poems Relating to the Battle of Ardderyd.

XLIX. Black Book of Caermarthen I
L. Black Book Of Caermarthen XVII.

L. The Gododin Poems.

LI. Book of Aneurin I.
LII. Book of Aneurin II.
LIII. Book of Aneurin IV.
LIV. Book of Aneurin V.
LV. Song to Ale. Book of Taliessin XX.

M. Poems Relating to Cadwallawn.

LVI. Book of Taliessin XLIX.
LVII. Book of Taliessin L.
LVIII. Red Book of Hergest XV.

N. Predictive Poems Relating to Cadwaladyr.

LIX. The Omen of Prydein the Great. Book of Taliessin VI.
LX. Book of Taliessin XLVII.
LXI. Book of Taliessin LIII.

O. Poems Connected With Powys.

LXII. Satire of Cynan Garwyn Son of Brochwael. Book of Taliessin XX...
LXIII. Red Book of Hergest XVI.

P. Poems Which Mention Henry, or the Son of Henry

LXIV. A Dialogue Between Myrdin and His Sister Gwendydd. Red Book o...
LXV. A Fugitive Poem of Myrdin in His Grave. Red Book of Hergest II.
LXVI. Black Book of Caermarthen XVI.
LXVII. Black Book of Caermarthen XVIII.
LXVIII. Red Book of Hergest XX.
LXIX. Red Book of Hergest XIX.
LXX. Red Book of Hergest XXI.

III. Miscellaneous Poems from the Black Book of Caermarthen

Q. Poems Attributed to Other Early Bards

LXXI. Meigant. Black Book of Caermarthen II.
LXXII. Cuhelyn. Black Book of Caermarthen III.
XXIII. Black Book of Caermarthen IV.
LXXIV. The Cynghogion of Elaeth. Black Book of Caermarthen XX.
LXXV. Black Book Of Caermarthen XXI.

R. Anonymous Poems on Religious Subjects

LXXVI. Black Book of Caermarthen V.
LXXVII. Black Book of Caermarthen VI.
LXXVIII. Black Book of Caermarthen VII.
LXXIX. Black Book of Caermarthen IX.
LXXX. Black Book of Caermarthen X
LXXXI. Black Book of Caermarthen XI.
LXXXII. Black Book of Caermarthen XII.
LXXXIII. Black Book of Caermarthen XIII.
LXXXIV. Black Book of Caermarthen XXV.
LXXXV. Black Book of Caermarthen XXIX.

S. Poems Relating to Yscolan.

LXXXVI. Black Book of Caermarthen XXVI.
LXXXVII. Black Book of Caermarthen XXVII.

IV. Miscellaneous Poems from the Book of Aneurin.

T. Poem Containing Ancient Proverbs

LXXXVIII. Book of Aneurin III.

V. Miscellaneous Poems from the Book of Taliessin.

U. Poems Relating to the Life and Opinions of Taliessin.

LXXXIX. The Fold of the Bards. Book of Taliessin III.
XC. Hostile Confederacy. Book of Taliessin VII.
XCI. The Chair of Taliessin. Book of Taliessin XIII.
XCII. Song to the Wind. Book of Taliessin XVII.
XCIII. Song to Mead. Book of Taliessin XIX.
XCIV. Song to the Great World. Book of Taliessin LV.
XCV. Song to the Little World. Book of Taliessin LVI.
XCVI. Juvenile Ornaments of Taliessin. Book of Taliessin IX.
XCVII. The Elegy of the Thousand Sons. Book of Taliessin II.
XCVIII. The Pleasant Things of Taliessin. Book of Taliessin IV.
XCIX. Book of Taliessin V.
C. Book Of Taliessin XXVII.

V. Poems Relating to Jewish History.

CI. The Plagues of Egypt. Book of Taliessin XXII.
CII. The Rod of Moses. Book of Taliessin XXIV.
CIII. Book of Taliessin XXIX.
CIV. Book of Taliessin LI.

W. Poems Relating to Legends of Alexander the Great.

CV. The Contrived World. Book of Taliessin XXVI.
CVI. Book of Taliessin XXVIII.

VI. Miscellaneous Poems from the Red Book of Hergest.

X. Poems Attributed to Llywarch Hen.

CVII. Red Book of Hergest V
CVIII. Red Book of Hergest VI.
CIX. Red Book of Hergest VII.
CX. Red Book of Hergest VIII.
CXI. Red Book of Hergest IX.
CXII. Red Book of Hergest X
CXIII. Red Book of Hergest XIII.

Y. Poems Beginning ''Eiry Mynyd.''

CXIV. Red Book of Hergest IV
CXV. Red Book of Hergest III.

Z. Poems on Various Subjects.

CXVI. Red Book of Hergest XVIII.
CXVII. The Viaticum of Llevoed Wynebglawr. Red Book of Hergest XXIV.

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Patchwork Merchant Mercenaries had its humble beginnings as an idea of a few artisans and craftsmen who enjoy performing with live steel fighting. As well as a patchwork quilt tent canvas. Most had prior military experience hence the name.

Patchwork Merchant Mercenaries.

Vendertainers that brought many things to a show and are know for helping out where ever they can.

As well as being a place where the older hand made items could be found made by them and enjoyed by all.

We expanded over the years to become well known at what we do. Now we represent over 100 artisans and craftsman that are well known in their venues and some just starting out. Some of their works have been premiered in TV, stage and movies on a regular basis.

Specializing in Medieval, Goth , Stage Film, BDFSM and Practitioner.

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Likewise, it is typical for these history-lovers to peruse the tent (aka mobile store front) and, upon finding something that pleases the eye, ask "Is this period?"

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After a festival's time of answering weighty questions such as these, I'd sleep like a log! Only a mad man could possibly remember the place and time for each piece of kitchen ware, weaponry, cloth, and chain within a span of 1,000 years!! Surely there must be an easier way, a place where he could post all this knowledge...

Traveling Within The World is meant to be such a place. A place for all of these artists to keep in touch and directly interact with their fellow geeks and re-enactment hobbyists, their clientele.

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