a great part of
whose learning it is certain he had imbibed. This celebrated Bard was in
great favour with all the great men of his time, particularly with
Maelgwn Gwynedd, the warlike and victorious king of all Britain, with
Elphin his patron, whom he redeemed with his songs from the castle of
Tyganwy, where he was upon some account confined by his uncle Maelgwn.
He likewise celebrated the victories of Urien Reged, king of Cumbria, and
a great part of Scotland, as far as the river Clyde. In short, he was
held in so great esteem by posterity, that the Bards mentioned him with
the greatest honour in their works. In his poem entitled Anrheg Urien,
or Urien's Present, he says that his habitation was by Llyn Geirionnydd,
in the parish of Llan Rhychwyn, in Carnarvonshire, and mentions therein
his cotemporary, the famous Aneurin Gwawdrydd, author of the Gododin, an
heroic poem on the battle of Cattraeth, of which some account is given in
the Dissertatio de Bardis.

A wn ni enw Aneurin Gwawdrydd Awenydd
A minnau Daliesin o lann Llyn Geirionnydd.

i.e. I know the fame of that celebrated genius Aneurin Gwawdrydd, who am
Taliesin, whose habitation is by the pool Geirionnydd.--

Having finished this short account of our author, I shall now proceed to
his poem, entitled, Dyhuddiant Elphin, or Elphin's Consolation, which I
offer now to the public.

Dr. John David Rhys quotes it at length in his Linguae Cymraecae
Institutiones Accuratae; which, to save further trouble, I shall beg
leave to transcribe here in his own words. "Caeterum nunc et propter
eorum authoritatem, et quod huic loco inter alia maxime quadrant, non
pigebit quaedem antiquissima Taliesini Cambro-Britannica Carmina
subjungere," &c.

I have nothing more to acquaint the reader with, but that I have used two
copies in my translation, one in print by the said Dr. John David Rhys,
the other in manuscript by Dr. Thomas Williams. I have followed the copy
I thought most correct, and have given the different reading of the
manuscript in the margin.

TALIESIN'S POEM

_To Elphin_, _the son of Gwyddno Goranhir_, _king of Cantre'r Gwaelod_,
_to comfort him upon his ill success at the Wear_; _and to exhort him to
trust in Divine providence_.

I.

Fair Elphin, cease to weep, let no man be discontented with his fortune;
to despair avails nothing. It is not that which man sees that supports
him. Cynllo's prayer will not be ineffectual. God will nev