Welsh Journals

and emphasise that the literary activity of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries had its roots in the past. Towards the close of the fourteenth century there was written a poem. which will serve to introduce the chief period of the literary activity of this province. The poem, which is in the form of a dialogue between the poet's soul and body, is the work of a famous North Wales poet, Iolo Goch. In it the soul tells how it has gone on a journey through Wales, visiting the poet's acquaintances in various districts. It is clear that the itinerary taken is that of the poet when engaged on his official rounds. After passing through Ceri and Newtown, says the soul, I came to Maeliennydd sticking to your tracks like a hound, and passed by the houses of the sons of the brave and wise Philip Dorddu. The body here breaks in to ask if they were alive and well for they were fine folk of great splendour. Yes, says the soul, and also the men of Elfael than whom none finer are to be found. Then, enquires the body, did you go to Builth, that land with its fine woods and pastures ? Assuredly, answers the soul, and most entertaining it was to be in that blest land. With the rest of the journey we are not con- cerned our interest lies in its early stages, past the houses of the sons of Philip Dorddu. Philip Dorddu ap Howel ap Madog, who was alive about the year 1350, lived in the neighbourhood of Llanbister in the Valley of the Ieithon. An old manuscript in the Llanstephan collection gives what purports to be a list of his father's houses, namely-Baili Glas, Llinwent, Cantal, Rhos-y-meirch, Gardd Fagu (mentioned by Cynddelw in the twelfth century as we have seen), Croes Cynon, Y Trallwng Byr, Craigfryn Howel, and several others. Philip had at least four sons-Gruffydd, Hywel, Maredudd and Cadwgan, and these sons inherited from their parents lands near to Llanbister named Bron-y-ganllwyd, Penhernyw, and Trallwng Byr. Now, it is evident from the poem of Iolo Goch's that I have men- tioned, that that poet was accustomed to visit these people, to sing his odes at their feasts, to praise their great ancestor, Elystan Glodrydd, prince between Wye and Severn, and to trace their family connections in intricate genealogical poems. Unfortunately, these poems have not survived to our day; still, a good number of others addressed to their children and grandchildren have been preserved. Several were addressed to Dafydd Fychan ap Dafydd ap Cadwgan ap Philip Dorddu; that is, to a grandson of one of the patrons of Iolo Goch. This Dafydd fychan lived at Llinwent, which today is a farm near Llanbister. Let us notice a typical poem. The mid-fifteenth poet Huw Cae Llwyd, writing in praise of Dafydd, says