CONTENTS.

GLEANINGS FROM GOD'S ACRE

WITHIN THE HUNDRED OF LLEYN AND COMMOTE OF EIFIONYDD WITH EXPLANATORY NOTES CONTAINING INTERESTING INFORMATION RESPECTING ANCIENT HOUSES, FAMILIES, &c., OF THE DISTRICT

BY J.JONES (Myrddin Fardd)

"Cared doeth yr encilion" - Welsh Proverb

Pwllheli RICHD. JONES, 74 HIGH STREET 1903

PREFACE.

THINKING it may be satisfactory to some of the readers of this book to know the reasons why the churches of Lleyn and Eifionydd have engrossed so much of my interest and attention I will proceed to explain, first, that I look upon the churches as part of our common heritage, bearing as they do the marks of great antiquity, and connecting the present generation with the past when one and all met and worshipped therein. Secondly, because, there the people have from age to age preserved their chronicles with accuracy and truth in the form of registers well ordered and easily understood, of births, burials, and marriages. In their short entries, these registers hand down to the present age scraps of useful knowledge with a certainty of truth that can not be found elsewhere. Here too are tomes of history testifying to the story of those lying beneath who have joined the great majority. Thirdly, because here we get glimpses of the social life of past ages—years’ stress and change, and many an allusion to ancient customs, names of places and persons, the lore of a country side, and not seldom suggestions that are helpful to understand other matters of importance.

A great part of the entries in the registers and the inscriptions on the gravestones and family monuments are written or carved in Latin; and it is often difficult to arrive at their exact meaning. Sometimes a semicolon; at other times a colon: is used to signify contractions instead of the ordinary dot; and in these cases it often happens that different readings suggest themselves.

My object throughout has been to ensure strict accuracy by writing every word exactly as I found it so that all the inscriptions are printed letter for letter and line for line, as like as possible to the manner in which they originally appeared on the stones. I have carried out this plan, rather than place reliance on any reading of mine own, because that might make it more difficult for others to discover the correct rendering. It is true that the literature of graveyards in old times, as at present, is almost wholly in the hands of country stone-carvers, a simple and unscholarly clan, who turn and twist the words according to their own notions of orthography or the exigencies of space. Yet, though mute, these very mistakes can speak and have their interest and their use, and they are well worth preserving, for many a hint do they give to the student and every particle of knowledge they saved will be valuable in time to come. It must be acknowledged that the number of old mural monuments and grave-stones is gradually decreasing owing to the ravages of time, or the destruction of man, for oftentimes the natives convey away these stones for building or other purposes or wilfully destroy them. Many were destroyed during the days of Cromwell. Alas, that any man should be found to commit any such deeds of sacrilege.

Had due support been given, drawings would have been included of coats of arms which frequently accompany the notices of gentry met with in this book tflese arms they used on their horses and trappings, on their carriages, the buttons of their clothes, on their silver, and many other things pertaining to their families. It is not possible without the aid of drawings to give a minute and clear description of these arms, but nevertheless reference is made to some of them, so that the reader may have some idea of the originals.

Occasionally, where it was thought necessary, the notices have been translated, and the translation placed within brackets; and I have also inserted many notes at the foot of the pages, as contributory towards clearing up doubtful points. Indeed, the collection of the details in this book, and the subsequent classification of all the data obtained has cost me in one form or another more than I care to acknowledge. Facts, such as are found in the book, can not be collected within the walls of a library, but are scattered and hidden in old volumes of manuscripts, or on stones worn by the careless tread of many generations.

As an appendix at the end of the book I have paced a number of notices gathered from churches and graveyards that are not within the scope of this book in Lleyn and Eifionydd; nevertheless all these additional notices bear a close connection with one or the other of the two divisions of Lleyn and Eifionydd.

Before closing this preface I take the opportunity of gratefully acknowledging the kindness of all those who have aided me, in one way or another, especially the Rev. R. Jenkin Jones, M.A., Aberdare; R. Ivor, Parry, Esq., Solicitor, Pwllheli; M. T. Morris, Esq. (Meurig Wyn) Bron Menai, Carnarvon; the Rev. T. Walters, Rector of Llanarmon and Llangybi in Eifionydd; J. H. Davies, Esq., M.A. of Lincolns Inn, London; Iseifion; Meiriadog; Dr. John Rhys, Principal of Jesus College, Oxford; and I should not forget the kindness I have received from all the clergy of Lleyn and Eifionydd for their readiness to place at my disposal the contents of their Parish Registers.

Further, I have but to send this book on its way, known or unknown, handing it to the public as a first fruit of what will be written in the future from the contents of the neglected churches of Wales. At any rate, it is my hope that I have pointed out the path to others, and have prepared the way for better and more profitable workers.

WRTH ystyried y bydd yn foddhaol efallai, i rai o’r darllenwyr imi amlygu pa fodd y daeth Eglwysydd Llyn ac Eifionydd i gael y fath afael ar fy sylw a fy serch, rhoddaf rai rhesymau dros hynny,—yn gyntaf, yr wyf yn edrych at yr Eglwysydd fel rhan o’n treftadaeth gyffredinol, yn dwyn arnynt nodau o hynafiaeth fawr, a’u bod yn ein cysylltu fel cenedl â’r gorphenol, pryd yr oedd pawb yn cydgyfarfod “yn un ac yn gytun yn yr un lle.” Yn ail, am y diogelir o’u mewn cynhyrchion cronicl y wlad mewn geirwiredd amlwg yn rhestrau trefnus a dealladwy o fedyddiadau, priodasau ac angladdau, yn y rhai y trosglwyddir ar fyr eiriau o oes i oes fanylion o ffeithiau tra defnyddiol, gyda phrawf cadarnach o gywirdeb nag a geir yn unman arall; ac am fod cyfrolau o hanes yn cyd-orphwys o’u cwmpas ym mysg y “mwyafrif mawr.” Yn drydydd, am eu bod yn rhoddi cipdrem ar fywyd cymdeithasol brodorion y dyddiau gynt, blyn ddoedd yr hen oesoedd” cyfnewidiol eu hamgylchiadau; ac yn cynnwys llawer o gyfeiriadau at hen arferion - llên, llafar gwlad, enwau lleoedd a phersonau, yn nghyd ag awgrymiadau fyddo’n gynnorthwyol, fe ddichon, i ddeall achosion eraill o bwys. Ceir yn y coflyfrau, ac ar y coflechau a’r beddfeini, gryn lawer yn ysgrifenedig a cherfiedig yn Lladin; ond cyfarfyddir chryn lawer o anhawsderau yn herwydd yr amheuaeth yn y darlleniad yn rhai o honynt. Ceir (;) weithiau, a (:) bryd arall ar ôl geiriau talfyredig, yn lle (.); ond yn y cyfryw ieithoedd nid atalnodau mo honynt, ond nodau talfyriad, yr hyn a bar anhawsder i ddarllen y geiriau yn eu hystyr briodol, am y gellir eu defnyddio i osod allan fwy nag un ystyr. Fy amcan a’m hymgais ydoedd ysgrifenu pob gair gydag eithaf manylder, megis y ceid ef yn ysgrifenedig neu gerfiedig, ac amcanu am i’r oll o’r cerfiadau gael eu hargraffu lythyren am lythyren, linell am linell, mor agos ag y gellid i’r dull ag eu gwelir ar y meini Tybiwn hynny yn well na gosod i fewn unrhyw ddyfaliad o’m heiddo fy hun, am y gallasai hwnnw fod yn rhwystr i gael dyfaliad cywir gan rywun arall. Mae’n wir fod Llenyddiaeth y Mynwentydd yn yr hen amser, fel yn y dyddiau hyn, braidd yn hollol yn nwylaw y cerfwyr gwladaidd - dynion syml ac anysgolheigaidd—pob un yn troi a throsi geiriau at ei bwrpas ei hun wrth amcan, yn ôl sain y gair, &c. Ond er lluosoced y ffaeleddau mae pethau fel hyn yn werth i’w croniclo, rhag myned o honynt gyda’r ffrwd i ebargofiant, am y ceir ynddynt drywydd at ymchwil ychwanegol, ac y bydd pob mymryn o wybodaeth o ddefnydd yn y dyfodol er nad oes neb o’u preswylwyr yn siarad gair ynddynt, y mae ynddynt lawer yn cael ei ddweud. Cydnabyddir fod nifer yr hen goflechau a’r hen feini beddrodol yn cael eu lleihau o oes i oes, naill ai trwy ddifrod amser, neu ynte trwy reibusrwydd y trigolion, weithiau i’w defnyddio i ryw ddibenion o wasanaeth iddynt eu hunain, a phryd arall ddim ond o wir waith bwriad:dinistriwyd llawer o honynt yn ystod rhwysg Cromwel. Gresyn i neb fod mor annynol â chyflawni y fath gyflafan! Oni buasai diffyg cefnogaeth, rhoddasid darluniau o’r holl drechynny a elwir arf-arwyddion (coats of arms) ag ydynt yn gerfiedig yn nglyn a lliaws a gofnodion boneddwyr ag a gyfarfyddir yn y llyfr hwn, y rhai a fabwysiadid ac a wisgid ganddynt ar harnais eu ceffylau, ac ar eu cerbydau, ar fotymau eu dillad, ar eu llestri, ac ar lawer o bethau eraill perthynol i’w teulu. Rhoddi disgrifiad manwl a dealladwy o’r fath arwyddion, heb ddarluniau nis gellir modd bynag, crybwyllwyd rhai o honynt, fel y byddo gan y darllenydd ryw feddylddrych am danynt. Dilynir rhai o’r Cofnodion, yn achlysurol, lle y tybid hyny yn angenrheidiol, a chyfieithiadau rhwng ymsangau. Rhoddwyd hefyd amryw sywadau yma a thraw ar odre y tudalenau, gan feddwl y gallant fod yn werthfawr tuag at roddi ychydig oleuni ar bethau a ymddangosant o’r blaen yn lled dywyll, yr hyn a barodd lawer o lafur a thrafferth - cosdodd casglur defnyddiau, a'u dwyn dan drefn a dosparth yn y naill ffordd a’r llall fwy i mi nag y tueddir ar hyn o bryd i gyfaddef, pe y gwyddwn, oblegid nid yw defnyddiau hanes o’r fath yma iiw cadw gyda’u gilydd yn gryno y tu fewn i furiau llyfrgell, eithr yn wasgaredig a chuddiedig mewn cyfrolau a hen lawysgrifau, ac yn fynych ar feini treuliedig, wedi eu sathru dan draed preswylwyr dibris oesoedd lawer. Ar y diwedd, megis Attodiad, dodwyd i fawn nifer a gofnodion casgledig o Eglwysydd a Mynwentydd nad ydynt tu fewn I gyich y testyn—yn Lleyn ac Eifionydd; eto, y mae pob cofnod o honynt yn dwyn cysylltiad a’r naill neu’r llall o’r ddau ranbarth crybwylliedig, mewn mwy nag un ystyr. Bellach, nid oes genyf and gollwng y llyfr ar ei daith, hysbys ac anhysbys, gan ei gyflwyno at wasanaeth y cyhoedd, megis blaenffrwyth anaddfed o’r hyn sydd i’w- ysgrifenu yn y dyfodol o gynnullion anbybris Eglwysydd Cymru. O leiaf, dyna fy nymuniad i— gobeithio fy mod yn dangos llwybr i eraill, ac yn parotoi ffordd i lafurwyr buddiolach a rhagorach. Yn wladgar

J.JONES (Myrddin Fardd).

Chwilog Awst 1903.