he deprecates, and not without good reason, the idle speculation of those who derive, whether right or not, every English word they meet with, from the Welsh language. J. J. MOTTO OF THE ORDER OF THE BATH.-DR. ROBERT RECORDE. To the Editors of the Cambrian Quarterly. GENTLEMEN, THE successful termination of the discussion on the subject of the Prince of Wales's motto, in favor of PERIS,* emboldens me to submit to the consideration of your correspondents, in the OLION department, another question of similar interest, regarding the motto which distinguishes the order of the Bath. As the former may now be presumed to be pure Welsh, it will not, I hope, be deemed presumptuous in claiming a Welsh origin to a part of the latter. I have searched in vain in the French vocabularies, for a definite meaning to the word honi, and, connecting the first adoption of this motto by the founder of the Tudor dynasty, with his Cambrian origin, I maintain that honi is neither more nor less than the simple Welsh pronoun, hynny, that, or the same thing; in which case, hynny soit would imply, that betide him, qui mal y pense. If any proof can be adduced of the word honi being used by any French writer, in the sense generally attributed to it in the translation of this motto, I stand corrected. Allow me to take this opportunity of supplying the deficiency pointed out by Mr. J. MORRIS in your last Number, where he regrets that no answer has been given to the inquiry of ELVAELIAD, respecting the birth-place and biography of Dr. Recorde. The desired information may be had by referring to the first volume of Wood's Athenæ Oxonienses, p. 84, which, in addition to the genealogical notices furnished by Mr. Morris, (the Oxford biographer leaving the Cambrian descent of Dr. Recorde in a state of ambiguity,) will afford ELVAELIAD the particulars required. Jan. 31, 1833. UWCHGORFAI. We must be excused inserting further discussion on the subject, although we are not aware of any such termination.-EDITORS. LIST OF STORES IN CARNARVON CASTLE. If the enclosed inventory of some of the stores found in Carnarvon castle, after the death of Sir John Puleston, (who was chamberlain of North Wales, and governor of this fortress in the reigns of Henry VIII. and Edward VI.,) should be thought worthy of a place in your Magazine, may I beg that you will insert it in your next Number. John Wynn ap Hugh, one of the justices before whom the inventory was taken, was direct ancestor to the Wynns of Glynllifon, now represented by Spencer Bulkeley Wynn, Lord Newborough. Griffith ap Robert Vaughan, the other magistrate, was of Talhenbont (now called Plas-hen) in Evionedd, an estate which still remains in the possession of his descendants. I am, Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, Cricciaeth, Caernarvonshire; March 2, 1833. Castră de W. Kasmivan. The trew Inventorie of all Ordin'ne's and such things fownd remayninge in the Castell after the decesse of S John Puleston Knight, late constable viewed and taken the 25th day of ffebruary Anno regni Edwardi quint' by vs John wyn ap hugh esquier Shirriffe of the County of Caern', Gruff' ap Rob't vaghn, and gruff' Davies esquiers, Justice of the peace in the said Countye, appointed for that thentent and purpose by vertue of a Ire to them directed by the right hon'able S Willm Herbert Lord p'sident in the m'ches of walles beringe Date the 3 of ffebruary Anno Supradict' as hereafter ffoloweth. It'm in primis one Rowsty Cankared Slinge. It'm on Rowsty Cankared fawcon. It'm on halfe rowstye kankar'd Slinge. It'm v gone chambers. It'm on halfe hake whowt stock. It'm iij rowstye Cankered hagbutts. It'm ij rawstie Cankered lyttell gonnes. It'm on halfe rowsty Cankared hagbut broken in five pieces. It'm iij man acles. It'm iiij fetters locks. * This word is doubtful in MS. It'm x locks and keys vppon chambers & howses of offices. It'm ij bowlts of iron fallen from the gate of the castell. To the Editors of the Cambrian Quarterly. The following inscription, which I have copied for your pages, is, I believe without a parallel in Wales or England, and is eminently worthy of being preserved in your Magazine. The stone lies in the chancel of the church of Aberconwy, in Arvon, and is looked upon as one of the wonders of the place. Notwithstanding this fecundity, the name is now extinct, and there is not one who can trace his descent to this once rich and highly respectable family. The family estates have passed by purchase to the Williams of Plasisav, in this town. Aberconwy; Chwevror 1, 1833. LLEWELYN C... HERE LYETH Y BODY OF NICH HOOKES OF CONWAY GED. WHO WAS ye 4Jst chiLD OF HIS FATHER Wm. HOOKES ESQ BY ALICE His WIFE, AND ye FATHER OF 27 children, who DYED ye 20th DAY OF MArch 1637 N.B. THIS STONE WAS Reu iVED in ye year 1720 Att ye charGE OF JOHN HOOKES ESqr. & SINCE BY THOS. BRADNEY & W. ARCHER Esq" UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OF EDWARD LHWYD OF THE ASHMOLEAN LIBRARY, OXFORD. (Continued from Vol. IV. p. 248.) DEAR VETERAN, No. XVII. Oxfd. July 16, 1695. doe I am just takeing horse to wait on Mr. Cole, at his country house, in Wiltshire, in order to treat with him about his museum, and therefore have no time to scold now, in answer to that frantic letter brought me by the carrier. All I shall say is, if you not lay your helping hand to the Natural History of Wales I'll mention thee in every page of it. As for Caer Vorwyn, I cannot see why an illiterat shepheard may not be beliv'd in such a case as soon as a Bishop; for y° names of mountains and desert places are better known to those of his profession than men of learning. The inscription at Clocainog is tolerably printed, except the last character, which was not my fault, but y graver's, as you may easily perceive from ye note I have added to it. But Mr. Veteran, where did ye inscription at Vynachlog lurk all this while? Did old Brân ap Dyfnwal moel mûd keep it under a llrengel from your's and all other profane eyes, or were you all so lazy as never to enquire after it? Pray, if I have not a compleat copy of it in your next, let me know how large ye stone is, and whether it lies in ye Abbey, or elsewhere. As much as you sent me of it I read thus: " Congen filius Cadelh, Cadelh, filius Brockmael, Brochmael filius Elises, Elises filius [an legendum Suoidanc] Congen itaque pronepos Elises, &c." If the rest be as plain as this is, we shall find no great difficulty. A BP. Usher sent some other Insc" with it (found somewhere in Wales) to Dr Langbain, which latter, Dr. Langbain, in his epistle to Usher gives over for desperat, but was in hopes to be able to interpret this at Vale Crucis. As to ye difficulties you mention in writing a Na History of Wales, you are not to imagin that I propose ye writeing of such a history as to leave no room for future improvements, that's more than twenty persons can undertake to perform. All I pretend to is to be as industrious as I can, in case I am employ'd, and to spend the remainder of my time in ye examination of y antiquities and natural products of our country. I have no time to adde any more, than that I am, notwithstanding you are loath to own me, My service to Mr. Jones, &c. [Directed] For ye Revd. Mr. John Lloyd, Scholemaster at Ruthyn, Chester Post. [Endorsed] N. Lh. abt singular Frd. July 16, 95. Y most affectionat, And singular frd. E. LHWYD. DEAR S". No. XVIII. Oxford; Sept. 22, 1695. I receiv'd your kind letter with the inclosed half crowns, which were more than enough towards the two books. The other two sent at the same time, I have heard nothing of, but what you told me in your former letter. Perhaps your brother has not yet receiv'd Mr. Vaughan's money; but I hope he'll take care to put him in mind of it, which, because he deliver'd it him he may doe more conveniently than I can. I am very sensible of my obligations to Mr. Mostyn and Dr. Foulks, for their generous encouragement of the design I proposed; and wish nothing more, in case it be my fortune to undertake it, than be able to perform it in some measure to the credit and satisfaction of such worthy patrons. I intend to print some short acct of it, on half a sheet; but must first advise with Dr. Edwards, who is expected about a fortnight hence, from his parsonage in Hampshire. Upon further consideration I think it more advisable to propose the antiquities of Wales, &c. as my main aim and designe, than the Natural History, there being so few in our parts acquainted wth. this latter; and under the umbrage of that, to collect also all the materials I can for a Natural History, which may be publish'd afterwards by myself or some other, in Latin or English, as shall seem most convenient. The gentlemen you mention offer very fairly in promising to take off a book, and I would not have the sallary proposed to any but such as have an esteem for learning, and have also plentifull estates. I could wish, indeed, there were not above twenty concern'd in it, throughout all Wales, for I doe not love to be burthensome to a variety of humours. I have sent you a small token just out of the presse, against Atheism, &c. Be pleased to excuse the binding, for I could get no other. I have now sent you the paper I mentioned in my last, and would desire to hear from you as soon as you have perus'd it, and shew'd it two or three friends. I suppose Dr. Edwards has also sent some of them to Dr. Wyn, the Chancell'; for he told me about a week since, he intended to doe it, by ye first conveniency. |