it is but folly for any man in the world to believe a woman in respect to her personal chastity, farther than he may be able to observe her; and that thou mayest ascertain how thy wife broke her marriage vow the very night last past, behold, here is her finger as a proof for thee, with thy signet ring round it, which was cut from her hand in her sleep, by the person that slept with her; so that, as thou mayest not have to boast by saying she had not transgressed in respect to her chastity."

To these words Elphin replied in the following manner: By thy permission, honourable king, permit me to say, that I am by no means able to deny my ring, for there are many people who can identify it; but, in truth, I solemnly assert that the finger round which it is was never joined to the hand of my wife ; for, in certain truth, it has upon it three particular things, not any one of which was ever upon either of the fingers of the hands of my wife, and the first of the three is conclusive, by the leave of your grace, wheresoever my wife may at present be, whether sitting, or standing, or lying down, this ring will not stick even upon her thumb; and you may plainly observe, it must be difficult to force this ring over the joint of the smallest finger of the hand from which this finger was taken; and the second thing is, that my wife has not been on any Saturday, since I have known her, without having her nails pared before going to bed; and, indeed, you can plainly see that the nail of this

gwegi i wr yn y byd goeliaw ei wraig am ddiweirdeb ei çorf pellaç noc y gallo ev ei gweled hi: ac megys y byddo diogel iti na bu gywir dy wraig di o barthred ei phriodas y nos neithwyr ddiweddav, gwel dyma ei bys yn arwydd iti, ac dy vodrwy dithau amdano, gwedi ei dòri oddiwrth ei llaw gàn y neb à orweddodd gyda hi, a hithau yn ei çwsg, màl na byddai vost iti ddywedyd yn erbyn na thorasai hi ei diweirdeb."

Ar hyn yr atebai Elfin yny modd yma: "Cyda yth cenad ti, vrenin enrhydeddus yn wir, nid wyv vi mewn un modd yn gallu gwadu vy modrwy; canys y mae niver o ddynion yn ei hadnabod; eithr mi á nodav yn gadarn na bu y bys y mae hi yn ei gylç ermyoed wrth law vy ngwraig i; canys yn llwyr wir y mae arno dri pheth nodedig, yr hynerioed ni bu yr un o honynt àr un o vysedd dwylaw vy ngwraig; ac y cyntav o'r tri ydyw yn ddiau, pa le bynag y mae hi yr awr hon, yn eistedd, ai yn sevyll, ai yn gorwedd, ni sava y vodrwy hon ar ei bawd hi; a gellwg weled yn amlwg vod yn anhawdd. gyruy vodrwy hon dros vigwrn y bys lleiav à oedd ar y llaw y tòred y bys hwn oddiwrthi; ac yr ail peth ydyw, yn wir na bu vy ngwraig i un sadwrn er pan adwaenwn hyhi heb orthòri ei hewinedd cyn ei myned i ei gwely; a hawdd gweled na thòred ewin y bys baç hwn er ys mis; ac y trydydd peth ydyw, y llaw y tòred y bys hwn oddiwrthi á dylinodd does.

finger has not been cut for a month; and the third thing is this, that the hand from which this finger has been cut has kneeded some dough of rye within the three days prior to this finger being cut off it; and I will confirm it as true to your goodness, that my wife has not kneeded rye dough since she has been a wife to me."

Then the king became extremely angry with Elphin for standing out so stoutly against him on behalf of the chastity of his wife; and on that account the king commanded him the second time to prison, saying that he should not be liberated from thence, until he proved his boasting to be true, as well in respect to the talent of his bard as to the purity of his wife: these were during the time in the palace of Elphin, making merry; and, in the meanwhile, Taliesin informed his mistress how Elphin was in prison on their account; but he desired her to appear cheerful, and explained to her the manner he would go to the court of Maelgwn to liberate his master. Thereupon she inquired by what means he would free his master; and then he replied in this manner:

"A journey will I perform,
And to the gate I will come;
The hall I will enter,
And my song I will sing;
My speech I will pronounce
To silence royal bards.
In presence of their chief,
I will greet to deride,
Upon them I will break,
And Elphin I will free.

rhyg o vewn y tridiau cyn tòri y bys yma oddiwrthi; a mi á gadarnáav i eiç daioni çwi, na thylinodd vy lngwraig i does rhyg er pan ydyw hi yn wraig i mi."

Yna y sores y brenin yn aruthr wrth Elfin am sevyll yn gadarned yn ei erbyn gyda diweirdeb ei wraig; ac o'r açaws y brenin ei gorçymynai ev i'r carçar eilwaith, trwy ddywedyd na çafai ev ollyngdawd oddiyno, nes iddo brovi ei vocsaç yn wir, yn gystal am gywreindeb ei vardd ac am gyweirdeb ei wraig : y rhai hyn er hyd yr amser yma á oeddynt yn llys Elfin yn gwneuthur yn llawen; ac o vewn y pryd y dangosai Taliesin i ei arlwyddes y modd yr ydoedd Elfin mewn carçar o eu haçaws hwynt; eithr erçis eve y byddai ei arlwyddes yn llawen, trwy ddangosi iddi y modd yr elai ev i lys Maelgwn i ryddâu ei arlwydd. Ac yna y govynai hi iddo, pa ddelw y gollyngai eve ei arlwydd yn rhydd; ac yntau á atebai yn y dull yma:

Should contention arise,
In presence of the prince,
With summons to the bards
For the sweet-flowing song,
And wizards' posing lore
And wisdom of Druids.

In the court of the sons of the distributer

Some are who did appear
Intent on wily schemes,

By craft and tricking means, of affliction

In pangs

To wrong the innocent.
Let the fools be silent,
As erst in Badon's fight,-
With Arthur of liberal ones
The head, with long red
blades;

Through feats of testy men,
And a chief with his foes.
Woe be to them, the fools,
When revenge comes on them.
I, Taliesin, chief of bards,
With sapient druids' words,
Will set kind Elphin free
From haughty tyrant's bonds.
To their fell and chilling cry,
By the act of a surprising
steed,

From the far distant North,
There soon shall be an end.
Let neither grace nor health
Be to Maelgwn Gwynedd,
For this force and this wrong;
And be extremes of ills
And an avenged end
To Rhun and all his race:
Short be his course of life,
Be all his lands laid waste;
And long exile be assigned
To Maelgwn Gwynedd!"

Having spoken thus, Taliesin. took leave of his mistress; and at length he arrived at the court of Maelgwn, who, in royal state, was about entering the hall to

Pan ddel amryson
Yn ngwydd y teyrnon,
A gwys i'r beirddion
Am y gerdd gyson,
A phwyll dewinion,
A doeth dderwyddon.

Yn llys meibion dewon
Mae rhai à rithiason',
O gyvrwys ddiçellion,
Ac ystrywgar voddion,
O ovidiau gloesion,
Am gamwedd y gwirion.
Tawent yr ynvydion,

Màl pan vu gwaith Baddon,
Rhag Arthur ben haelion,
A llavnau hir-goçion ;
O waith gwyr govwynion
Gwaith rhi ar ei alon.
Gwae hwynt yr ynvydion,
Pan ddelo dialon.

Mi Taliesin ben beirddion,
A doeth eiriau derwyddon,
A ollwng Elfin dirion
O garçar tra-beilę trawsion.
Eu gorwyrain waedd aredd,
O weithred gorwydd rhy-
vedd,

O vaith bellder y gogledd,
Hwn á wna arnynt ddiwedd.
Na bo rad na gwedd
Ar Vaelgwn Gwynedd,
Am drais a çamwedd,
A mawr gywrysedd,
A dial ddiwedd
Ar Run a'i tivedd ;
Bid vyr ei vuçedd,
A difaith diredd;
Bid hir ddivroedd
Ar Vaelgwn Gwynedd!"

Gwedi gwedyd vàl hyn, Taliesin á gymerai ei gènad gàn ei arlwyddes; ac yn y diwedd y cyrçai lys Maelgwn, y neb oedd yn ei radd vreninawl yn

dinner, in the manner usual with kings and princes, on every high festival in that age. And just as Taliesin had come into the hall, he observed there was room for him in an unfrequented place near where the bards and minstrels were wont to repair to perform their service and devotion to the king, as is still customary in proclaiming largess upon high festivals. So the time was now arrived for the bards or the heralds to proclaim the largess and liberality of the king; and these came towards the place where Taliesin was squatting in a corner, who stretched out his lip after them, and on it he played "blab blab" with his finger; they took not much notice of him in passing, but walked on till they came before the king, to whom they made their obeysance with their bodies, as it was proper for them to do, without uttering a single word, but extending out their lips and mouthing at the king, playing "blab blab" with their fingers and lips, as they had seen the boy doing before, which sight filled the king with wonder and amazement, supposing them to be drunk, owing to a profusion of liquors; therefore he desired one of the lords that ministered at his table to go to them, to request that they would call to mind where they were standing, and how they ought to conduct themselves. This he did with pleasure; but they were not prevailed upon to desist from their folly. On that account, he sent the second and the third time, and ordered them to leave the hall. At length the

myned i eistedd yn y neuadd at ei giniaw, màl yr arverynt vreninoedd a thywysogion ei wneyd ar bob gwyl uçel yn yr oes hòno. Ac yn gyttrym ag i Daliesin ddawed i vewn y neuadd y gwelai vàn iddo mewn cornel ddisathr, àr y neilldu y lle y gorvyddai àr y beirdd ac y cler ddawed i wneyd eu gwasanaeth ac eu dyl àragosion y brenin, megys y mae arverawl eto mewn llysoedd o gyhoeddi helaethiant àr uçel-wyliau. Ac evelly y delai yr amser i veirdd neu arwyddiaid gyrçu i gyhoeddi haelioni a gallu y brenin ac ei nerth; y rhai hyn a ddoynt gèr y gilvaç yr ydoedd Taliesin yn crwciaw ynddi, yr hwn á estynai ei wevl yn eu hol hwynt, gàn çware ag ei vys blerwm blerwm àr ei wevl wrth y sawl ni ddalynt vawr o sulw wrth vyned heibio iddo, eithr cerdded rhagynt oni ddelynt wy ger bron y brenin, i wneyd iddo eu moes gàn ymgrymu, mål yr oedd iawn iddynt, ond heb ddywedyd un gair, eithr estynu eu gwevlau a mingamu àr y brenin, trwy gware blerwm blerwm ar eu gwevlau ag eu bysedd, àr y dull y gwelynt wy y baçgen yn ei wneyd yn y blaen; y vath olwg á berai i'r brenin ryveddu a synu ynddo ei hun, o dybu eu bod hwynt wedi meddwi o amlder gwirodau; o herwydd hyny y gorcymynai eve i un o ei arlwyddi yn gwasanaethu iddo vyned atynt ac erçi iddynt alw ar gov ac ystyriaw man yr oeddynt yn sevyll, a pha à ddyleynt ei wneyd; a hyny á wnelai yr arlwydd yn llawen; eithr nid

king desired one of the 'squires to give a blow to the chief of them, who was called Heinin the Bard; then the 'squire took a broom and struck him on his head so that he fell back on his breech, whence he got up on his knees, and then he besought the king's grace for permission to show him that such inadvertence did not arise from neglect, nor from want of thought, nor from ebriety, but from the power of some spirit that was within the hall; and in addition to this Heinin spoke as follows:

"Illustrious king, be it known to your grace, it is not from the effect of a profusion of liquors that we are dumb, and seem as drunken men, but through the impulse of a spirit sitting in yonder corner in the form of a child."

From that spot the king commanded a 'squire to fetch him, and who went into the corner where Taliesin was sitting, and thence brought him into the presence of the king, who asked him what he was, and from whence he came. Then Taliesin answered him satirically, as is seen here.

oedd gynt iddynt beidiaw ag eu gorwegi; am hyny yr anvones y brenin yr eilwaith ac y drydedd i erçi yr elynt allan; ac yn y diwedd yr erçis ev i un o'r ysweiniaid roddi dyrnawd i'r pènav onaddynt, y neb à elwid Heinin Vardd; yna y cymerai yr yswain ysgubell ac ei tarawai àr ei ben, màl y syrthiai yn ei eistedd ar ei din ; ac yna y cyvodes ev àr ei liniau, ac yr arçai nawdd y brenin ac ei gènad er y dangosai iddo nad ydoedd y gwall hwna arnynt o eisiau gwybodaeth, nac veddwdawd, namyn o rinwedd rhyw ysbryd à oedd yn y neuadd; ac yn ol hyny dywedai Heinin vàl hyn:

"Ovrenin enrhydeddus, bydded hysbys iti, nad o angerdd cyfeithder gormoddion wirodau yr ydym ni yn vudion heb allu ymddyddan ac vàl dynion mudion, namyn o rinwedd ysbryd sydd yn eistedd yn y gornel acw àr rith dyn baç.'