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Translation:

5. Awdl-gywydd i Ddewi Sant

edited by Dafydd Johnston

In praise of St David by Lewys Glyn Cothi. Date c.1447 × c.1489.

Mae ’mhwys, mewn crwys, lle croesant,
Ar un sant o’r ynys hon,
Dewi gâr, lle dug urael,
Dogwael1 Dogwael was a variant form of Dogfael ab Ithael ap Ceredig, a cousin of Dewi ap Sant ap Ceredig. o Geredigion,
5Ac ŵyr ydiw i⁠ 1 i The preposition is not written in Llst 7, because it does not count as a syllable, but the mutation of the following word indicates its presence. Geredig
A drig ymyl dŵr eigion.
Meddan’, y nos y’i ganed
I roi gwared i’r gwirion,
Yno y gwisgwyd Myniw
10Â lliw mantell Gaerllion,⁠2 According to Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae Caerleon-on-Usk was the site of the metropolitan see of Wales, and Archbishop Dubricius relinquished his position in favour of David, withdrawing from the world to Bardsey Island, see GMon 214, TWS 60–1.
A Dyfrig roes diofryd
O’r byd, ennyd, a’r dynion,
Ac ydd aeth Padrig,⁠3 The Life of St David relates how Patrick was instructed by an angel to leave Glyn Rhosyn to David and go to Ireland thirty years before the birth of David, see BDe 2; StDW 110–13. Since Patrick was older than David, oedd iau must be meant in comparison to Dyfrig. oedd iau,
A’i urddau i Iwerddon.
15 Dewi a wnaeth o’r deau
Rhinweddau’n rhai newyddion:
Llawer o geirw a beris⁠4 There is no mention of this miracle in the Latin or Welsh lives, but Iolo Goch says that stags served David, see DewiIG n15(e) and also DewiGB l. 18n(e).
Tra fu goris Tref Garon,⁠5 Llanddewibrefi is about three miles south of Tregaron.
Ac o’r ŷd gyrru adar
20Yn wâr i brennau irion.⁠6 Cf. DewiLGC2 ll. 15–16. There is no mention of this in the Latin or Welsh lives, but Gwynfardd Brycheiniog refers to David gathering birds into a barn, see DewiGB ll. 168–75 and l. 172n(e), and Iolo Goch says that he drove wild birds into houses, see DewiIG n14(e). The life of Paul Aurelian relates how he and David together drove birds into a barn, see SoC, i, 14.
Bara gymerth a berwr,⁠7 According to the Welsh life, bread and water were his only sustenance (BDe 3, StDW 108–9), but Iolo Goch mentions cress as well, DewiIG l. 48.
Neu ddŵr afonydd oerion,
Ac o’r rhawn, gwisg ar ei hyd,
A phenyd ar lan ffynnon.
25Dyn heno, rhag dwyn hynny,
I’w dŷ y ffy wrth bwys ffon.
Dewi agos bendigodd,
O’n bodd, yr ennain baddon.⁠8 David is said to have performed this miracle at Bath, making poisonous water medicinal, see BDe 6, StDW 120–1.
Ei unllais aeth i Enlli
30O Landdewi Frefi fron.⁠9 According to the account of the synod at Llanddewibrefi in the lives, a hill rose up under David’s feet so that the enormous crowd could hear him preaching. Ieuan ap Rhydderch claimed that his voice could be heard in St Dogmaels, DewiIRh l. 88, but Lewys Glyn Cothi’s claim is the most extravagant by far.
I bawb ffordd y bo aberth
Y bo nerth Dewi ab Non.
[Llst 7 →]

My trust, in crosses, where they cross,
is based on one saint of this realm,
David, cousin of Dogfael⁠1 Dogwael was a variant form of Dogfael ab Ithael ap Ceredig, a cousin of Dewi ap Sant ap Ceredig. of Ceredigion,
where he wore fine linen,
5and grandson is he of Ceredig
who dwells beside the ocean.
They say that on the night he was born
to bring salvation to the innocent,
then was Menevia invested
10with the colour of the robe of Caerleon,⁠2 According to Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae Caerleon-on-Usk was the site of the metropolitan see of Wales, and Archbishop Dubricius relinquished his position in favour of David, withdrawing from the world to Bardsey Island, see GMon 214, TWS 60–1.
and Dyfrig renounced
the world, for a while, and mankind,
and Patrick,⁠3 The Life of St David relates how Patrick was instructed by an angel to leave Glyn Rhosyn to David and go to Ireland thirty years before the birth of David, see BDe 2; StDW 110–13. Since Patrick was older than David, oedd iau must be meant in comparison to Dyfrig. who was younger,
and his followers went to Ireland.
15David from the south performed
miracles of new kinds:
he caused many stags to appear⁠4 There is no mention of this miracle in the Latin or Welsh lives, but Iolo Goch says that stags served David, see DewiIG n15(e) and also DewiGB l. 18n(e).
whilst he was below Tregaron,⁠5 Llanddewibrefi is about three miles south of Tregaron.
and from the corn he drove birds
20tamely to green trees.⁠6 Cf. DewiLGC2 ll. 15–16. There is no mention of this in the Latin or Welsh lives, but Gwynfardd Brycheiniog refers to David gathering birds into a barn, see DewiGB ll. 168–75 and l. 172n(e), and Iolo Goch says that he drove wild birds into houses, see DewiIG n14(e). The life of Paul Aurelian relates how he and David together drove birds into a barn, see SoC, i, 14.
Bread and cress were his sustenance,⁠7 According to the Welsh life, bread and water were his only sustenance (BDe 3, StDW 108–9), but Iolo Goch mentions cress as well, DewiIG l. 48.
or the water of cold rivers,
and his clothing was all of horsehair,
and he did penance beside a fountain.
25A man tonight will flee to his house
leaning on a stick to avoid such suffering.
David blessed at close quarters
the medicinal bath for our good.⁠8 David is said to have performed this miracle at Bath, making poisonous water medicinal, see BDe 6, StDW 120–1.
His single voice reached all the way to Bardsey
30from the hill of Llanddewibrefi.⁠9 According to the account of the synod at Llanddewibrefi in the lives, a hill rose up under David’s feet so that the enormous crowd could hear him preaching. Ieuan ap Rhydderch claimed that his voice could be heard in St Dogmaels, DewiIRh l. 88, but Lewys Glyn Cothi’s claim is the most extravagant by far.
May David son of Non give his strength
to all wherever mass is celebrated.

1 Dogwael was a variant form of Dogfael ab Ithael ap Ceredig, a cousin of Dewi ap Sant ap Ceredig.

2 According to Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae Caerleon-on-Usk was the site of the metropolitan see of Wales, and Archbishop Dubricius relinquished his position in favour of David, withdrawing from the world to Bardsey Island, see GMon 214, TWS 60–1.

3 The Life of St David relates how Patrick was instructed by an angel to leave Glyn Rhosyn to David and go to Ireland thirty years before the birth of David, see BDe 2; StDW 110–13. Since Patrick was older than David, oedd iau must be meant in comparison to Dyfrig.

4 There is no mention of this miracle in the Latin or Welsh lives, but Iolo Goch says that stags served David, see DewiIG n15(e) and also DewiGB l. 18n(e).

5 Llanddewibrefi is about three miles south of Tregaron.

6 Cf. DewiLGC2 ll. 15–16. There is no mention of this in the Latin or Welsh lives, but Gwynfardd Brycheiniog refers to David gathering birds into a barn, see DewiGB ll. 168–75 and l. 172n(e), and Iolo Goch says that he drove wild birds into houses, see DewiIG n14(e). The life of Paul Aurelian relates how he and David together drove birds into a barn, see SoC, i, 14.

7 According to the Welsh life, bread and water were his only sustenance (BDe 3, StDW 108–9), but Iolo Goch mentions cress as well, DewiIG l. 48.

8 David is said to have performed this miracle at Bath, making poisonous water medicinal, see BDe 6, StDW 120–1.

9 According to the account of the synod at Llanddewibrefi in the lives, a hill rose up under David’s feet so that the enormous crowd could hear him preaching. Ieuan ap Rhydderch claimed that his voice could be heard in St Dogmaels, DewiIRh l. 88, but Lewys Glyn Cothi’s claim is the most extravagant by far.

1 i The preposition is not written in Llst 7, because it does not count as a syllable, but the mutation of the following word indicates its presence.