- s. xvex
This chapter discusses miscellanies of Welsh-language poetry, focusing on six 15th-century manuscripts from the National Library of Wales, Peniarth collection, MSS 51, 54, 55, 57, 60, and 67, all of which contain material deriving directly from contemporary poets. The formation of these miscellanies was influenced by two key aspects of Welsh bardic practice: the fact that poets and reciters were itinerant meant that numerous contributors could have access to any single manuscript collection on separate occasions, and the prevalence of memorial transmission meant that large quantities of poetry were potentially available for transcription, despite the paucity of written exemplars. Socio-political networks are evident in patrons’ miscellanies, whilst the two manuscripts belonging to poets (51 and 67) are shown to reflect the ideal of the learned bard represented by the legendary Taliesin.
A collection of early Welsh poetry, including religious poems, praise poems and elegies.
- c. 1250
- Black Book of Carmarthen scribe
- s. xiv1
- Book of Taliesin scribe
A Welsh vellum manuscript consisting of two parts (Hengwrt MSS 411 and 408).
- s. xiii-xiv
First part (Hengwrt MS 411) of a medieval Welsh vellum manuscript.
- s. xiii
Second part (Hengwrt MS 408) of a medieval Welsh vellum manuscript.
- c. 1300
- c. 1350
- Hywel Fychan ap Hywel Goch
First part of the White Book of Rhydderch.
- c. 1350
Four manuscript fragments containing parts of the Four branches of the Mabinogi (i-iii) and Gereint ap Erbin (iv).
- s. xiii
- s. xiii
Manuscript fragment of Gereint.
- s. xivin
- Book of Taliesin scribe
