Texts
Welsh version of the birth of Arthur
Incoming data
The catalogue entry for this text has not been published as yet. Until then, a selection of data is made available below.
A Middle Welsh version of the story of King Arthur’s conception, his early childhood and the sword in the stone.
Manuscript witnesses
Text
Aberystwyth, National Library of Wales, Llanstephan MS 4
Fragment corresponding with the final 20 lines of the text in NLW MS 1A.
f. 505r
Text
Aberystwyth, National Library of Wales, MS 1A
incipit: ...iddi gyfran oi dyrnas [tra vai] ef vyw Olim Llanstephan MS 201. The text begins mid-sentence. Davies argues that the manuscript itself appears to be complete so that the opening of the tale is likely to have been wanting from the exemplar from which the text was copied.
pp. 1–19
Text
Aberystwyth, National Library of Wales, Peniarth MS 215
A copy by John Jones of Gellilyfdy.
pp. 317–348
MS
Aberystwyth, National Library of Wales, Peniarth MS 215
It seems that Evans failed the notice the beginning of a new text.
p. 317–
Sources
Primary sources Text editions and/or modern translations – in whole or in part – along with publications containing additions and corrections, if known. Diplomatic editions, facsimiles and digital image reproductions of the manuscripts are not always listed here but may be found in entries for the relevant manuscripts. For historical purposes, early editions, transcriptions and translations are not excluded, even if their reliability does not meet modern standards.
[ed.] [tr.] Davies, J. H., “A Welsh version of the birth of Arthur”, Y Cymmrodor 24 (1913): 247–264, with plate.
Welsh Journals Online: <link>
Secondary sources (select)
Lloyd-Morgan, Ceridwen, “Blending and rebottling old wines. The birth and burial of Arthur in Middle Welsh”, in: Axel Harlos, and Neele Harlos (eds), Adapting texts and styles in a Celtic context: interdisciplinary perspectives on processes of literary transfer in the middle ages: studies in honour of Erich Poppe, 13, Münster: Nodus Publikationen, 2016. 155–175.
Lloyd-Morgan, Ceridwen, “Récrire les enfances d’Arthur en gallois, au Pays de Galles et à Calais”, in: Hélène Tétrel, and Géraldine Veysseyre (eds), L’Historia regum Britannie et les «Bruts» en Europe, 1: Traductions, adaptations, réappropriations: XIIe-XVIe siècle, 106, Paris: Classiques Garnier, 2015. 105–125.
abstract:
C. Lloyd-Morgan s’intéresse à deux récits narrant l’enfance d’Arthur qui, écrits aux xve et xvie siècles, augmentent la partie arthurienne de l’Historia regum Britannie. Ces deux récits gallois s’ouvrent à une nouvelle influence : celle des romans arthuriens.
C. Lloyd-Morgan focuses on two narratives about Arthur’s childhood from the 15th and 16th centuries. These texts have extended the Arthurian part of the Historia regum Britannie and show the influence of a new literary trend : Arthurian romances.
