Welsh Journals

The Conjuror in Montgomeryshire. Dr. W. LL. DAVIES. Read before the Montgomeryshire Society in London. Sooth-saying or divination held a very prominent place in the life of Wales throughout the ages. Giraldus Cambrensis pays particular attention to this matter in his description of Wales in the 12th Century. Since his time many Welsh historians have referred to it, and it has been authoritatively stated that there was at one time hardly any district in Wales without its soothsayer. The term used for him was Diviner or Conjuror. Some of these diviners or conjurers were very eminent men in their time, and people from all parts of Wales used to throng to them to ask their advice. One need only mention such names as Arise Evans who lived in 1652, John Dee who was related to Twm Sion Catti, and always used crystal-gazing, Richard Baxter, Harries Cwrtycadno, Edward Savage of Llangurig, John Morgan of Llangurig, and others too numerous to mention. One would naturally think that the belief in these men and their works would long ere this have disappeared. Everybody is now at any rate partially educated, and surely there is now nobody so silly as to consult these men (if such exist). It is my object to prove to you that belief in omens and sooth- sayers still exists, not only in Wales, but in the adjoining counties of Hereford- shire and Shropshire. The advice of the soothsayer is now sought concerning the following: 1. Regarding animals on the farm. Animal diseases of all kinds, such as lameness, growths of all kinds, warts, etc., and maybe numbers of animals have died on the farm causing great losses to the farmer. 2. Churning and other agricultural pursuits may go wrong. 3. He may be further consulted regarding minor ailments in the farmer's family, such as warts, dog-bites, boils, wounds of all kinds, bleeding, and even indigestion. I shall now proceed to tell you a few stories regarding the first class of case about which the farmer consults the conjuror, namely regarding the animals. Perhaps many animals have died on a farm and the farmer, fearing all will die, hurriedly goes to the local conjuror to ask his advice about checking the trouble. As a rule, when the messenger arrives at the conjuror's house, he is