redith circiter, Annum Domini, 1477.

"Madog wyf, mwyedie Wedd
Jawn Genau, Owen Gwynedd,
Ni fynnwn Dir', f y awydd oedd,
Nid Da mawr ond y Moroedd."

These Lines were communicated to our Author he says by the celebrated
William Camden.

A Gentleman who is possessed of Sir Meredyth ab Rhys's, "Cywydd i
ddiolch am Rwyd bysgota; i lfan ab Tudor;" "An Ode to thank Evan ab
Tudor, for a Fishing Net;" obligingly favored me with the following
copy of the above Lines.

Mewu Awr dda, Minnau ar Ddwr
o fodd hael a fydd Heliwr.
Madog wych, mwyedig Wedd
Jawn Genau, Owen Gwynedd
Ni fynnai Dir', f' enaid oedd,
Na Da mawr ond y Moroedd.

Literally; "On a happy Hour, I on the water
Of Mannaers mild, the Huntsman will be
Madog bold of pleasing Countenance,
Of the true Lineage of Owen Gwyned.
He covettd not Land, his Ambition was,
Not great Wealth, but the Seas,"

As the Poet seems to be returning thanks to a Friend for a Favour, I
am of opinion that he only alludes to Madog's Success, and expressing
his Hope that he should be as successful in his pursuits. Therefore
in the third Line, I would read, not, wyf, "I am," but wych, "bold,"
"Courageous;" &c. and in the fifth Line, I would read not f' enaid
oedd, "my Soul or Ambition was," but ei enaid oedd, "His Soul,
or Ambition was."

A Gentleman, who, upon the whole, approved of these Alterations,
observed that in the fifth Line, alteration was not necessary;
for f'naid oedd, literally, "he was my Soul," was an apostrophe;
in other Words, "I revere his Memory."

The four last of the above Lines were sent to me above 30 Years
ago, by my late learned and excellent Friend, Dr. John Collet,
of Newbury, Berks, which I endeavoured to translate as above.

They were thus rendered into Latin by the late Dr. Samuel Johnson.

Inclytus hic Haeres magni requiescit Oenii,
Consessus tantum mente modoque patrem.
Servilem talis Cultum contempsit Agelli
Et petiit Terras per Freta longa novas.[i]

[Footnote i: Public Advertiser. May 25th 1787. Sir Thomas Herbert's
Translation, though faithful, is not literal.

But, in my opinion, neither He nor Dr. Johnson enter into the real
meaning of the Poet.]

It hath been said by some Writers that these Lines were found cut
upon a stone in Mexico, but this is said without Foundation. It is
much more probable that they were written, on the above occasion,
by Sir Meredyth ab Rhys, who flourished about 300 Year