Theology. The Stanza Of The Gorsedd Chair
*
"The Barddas of Iolo Morganwg, Vol. I.", ed. by J. Williams Ab Ithel, [1862],
The Stanza Of The Gorsedd Chair Of The Winter Solstice.
When the country of Gwrthenin, 2 shall bewail a stratagem,
To the notches 3 of rods shall the secluded populace repair;
Blessed the lips that shall easily, and in confidential secrecy,
Pronounce three words of the ancient and primitive language.
Composed by Merddin Emrys. 4
Footnotes
367:2 p. 366 This is probably a corrupt reading of "Gwarthefin;" unless we take it as meaning "Gwrthenau," the cognomen of Gwrtheyrn, one of "the three arrant traitors of the Isle of Britain." In that case, the "stratagem" referred to would undoubtedly be the treacherous plot of the long knives on Caer Caradog, of which he was the promoter.
367:3 \"Ysgyr," the plural of "ysgor", which, according to Llywelyn Sion, is used for a letter, i.e. a notch, or opening, from "ys", and "gor", an opening, or aperture. There is here clearly a reference to the Coelbren or Peithynen of the Bards, to p. 367 the use of which, under certain national troubles, the people would have to recur, as was the case in the time of Dwain Glyndwr.
367:4 Merddin Emrys was the Bard of Emrys Wledig, or Ambrosius, in the 5th century.
"The Barddas of Iolo Morganwg, Vol. I.", ed. by J. Williams Ab Ithel, [1862],
The Stanza Of The Gorsedd Chair Of The Winter Solstice.
When the country of Gwrthenin, 2 shall bewail a stratagem,
To the notches 3 of rods shall the secluded populace repair;
Blessed the lips that shall easily, and in confidential secrecy,
Pronounce three words of the ancient and primitive language.
Composed by Merddin Emrys. 4
Footnotes
367:2 p. 366 This is probably a corrupt reading of "Gwarthefin;" unless we take it as meaning "Gwrthenau," the cognomen of Gwrtheyrn, one of "the three arrant traitors of the Isle of Britain." In that case, the "stratagem" referred to would undoubtedly be the treacherous plot of the long knives on Caer Caradog, of which he was the promoter.
367:3 \"Ysgyr," the plural of "ysgor", which, according to Llywelyn Sion, is used for a letter, i.e. a notch, or opening, from "ys", and "gor", an opening, or aperture. There is here clearly a reference to the Coelbren or Peithynen of the Bards, to p. 367 the use of which, under certain national troubles, the people would have to recur, as was the case in the time of Dwain Glyndwr.
367:4 Merddin Emrys was the Bard of Emrys Wledig, or Ambrosius, in the 5th century.
