Volume 1

A catalogue of the manuscripts relating to Wales in the British museum / Compiled and edited by Edward Owen.

  • British Museum. Department of Manuscripts
Date:
1900-1922
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A catalogue of the manuscripts relating to Wales in the British museum / Compiled and edited by Edward Owen. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    100/152 (page 72)
    (d) f. io. The state of North Wales towchinge religion. The people naturallie are vearie devoute, havinge in harte doubtles engrafted as greate feare regarde and reverence of a sup’nall power as anie people in the wourld elswhere have, but more than the name of God they knowe noethinge att all, and therefore as utterlie ignorante of Him or theire saluac’on doe still in heapes goe one [on] pilgrimage to the wonted wells and placs of superstic’on, and in the nights after the feasts when the ould offrings weare used to be kepte at anie idolls chappell albeit the church be pulled downe; yet doe they come to the place where the church or chappell was, by greate jorneys barefoote vearie sup’sticiouslie, &c. The moave for the meatinge and knowledge of the time when the pilgrimes shall come is cheeflie wroughte by theire pencars or heade minstrells whoe at the direcc’on of some ould gentle- wooman doe ordenarilie geve the somons of the time certaine for suche meatings. Upon the Sondaies and hollidaies the multitude of all sortes of men woomen and childerne of everie parishe doe use to meete in sondrie places either one [on] some hill or one the side of some mountaine where theire harpers and crowthers singe them songs of the doeings of theire auncestors, namelie, of theire warrs againste the kings of this realme and the English nac’on, and then doe they ripp upp theire petigres at lenght howe eche of them is discended from those theire ould princs. Here alsoe doe they spende theire time in hearinge some parte of the lives of Thalaassyn [Taliessin], Marlin Beno Pybbye [Merddyn pen beirdd], Jeruu [? Jorwerth], and suche other the intended prophetts and saincts of that cuntrie. The com’on sorte of gent of that cuntrie doe ordenarilie in everie place and eche companie advance the habilitie of the dominion of Wales, preferringe the same to be more than the valor [value] of the kingdome of Scotlande, and thabilities of the people of that province or parte of this realme to be more able to mainteyne a regall estate than be the Scotts. And here is to be noted whan they lie idlelie one [on] the mountains sides how than [then] they talke of the fastnes and naturall strenght of everie waie place and hill ol theire cuntrey. Trewlie at this daie yf you loke throwlie to the whole number of gents and others of all sortes in North Wales ye shall scarcelie finde anie (the Byshops and some fewe others excepted) yet in anie sorte well instructed in the faithe of Christe, for of the whole multetude suche w’ch be under xxxty yeres of age seeme to have noe shewe of anie religion, the others well neare gen’allie all daie to professe and to mainteyne the absurdest poincts of popishe heresie, accordinge to w’ch knowledge (moste lamentable to be spoken) the greatest number of them doe frame theire lives in loosnes, licenciousnes, contenc’on and other suche like. Yf the enemies of God and trewe religion shall ever endevor the disquiett of the setled state, they are in policie to practise the same where ignorance moste aboundeth, and where the gospell hath bine leaste preached, w’ch suerlie is in Wales.