The Black Book of Carmarthen

The Celtic Literature Collective

Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin
The Black Book of Carmarthen
Peniarth MS 1

Currently housed at the National Library in Wales, the Black Book of Carmarthen (Peniarth MS 1) is a manuscript dating to the middle of the thirteenth century. It is believed to have been the work of a single scribe at the Priory of St. John in Carmarthen.

Much of the material is either concerned with the figures of the Dark Ages--Myrddin, Arthur, Urien, and Taliesin all appear here--there are also a number of religious poems. Also, there are a few poems by Cynddelw, bard of Madog ap Maredudd (ca. 1160). Skene does not translate his poems, so I am currently in the process of tracking down usable translations of the Cynddelw poems.

The majority of the translations I am using here are from The Four Ancient Books of Wales, by W. F. Skene, 1868. Unfortunately, they are probably not the most accurate translations, but they are the only ones which, to my knowledge, are public domain. (Even at that I'm not sure, though the book is well out of print.)

i. Ymddiddan Myrtin a Talyessin	1. The Dialogue of Myrddin and Taliesin
ii. Meigant	2. Meigant
iii. Devs ren	3. God Supreme
iv. Kervit vrten	4. The Ode to Cyridwen
v. Kynaenad keluit	5. A Skillful Composition
vi. Eneid kid im guneit	6. Soul, Since I Was Made
vii. Nac im adneirun nev	7. Let Us Not Reproach
viii. Trioedd y Meirch	8. The Triads of the Horses
ix. Moli duu innechrev a diuet	9. Let God Be Praised
x. Gogonedauc argluit hapich guell	10. Hail, Glorious Lord
xi. Arduireaue tri trined in celi	11. I Will Extol Thee
xii. Ynenu domni	12. In the Name of the Lord
xiii. Brenhin guirthvin guirth auchaw yssit	13. There Is A Graciously Disposed King
xiv. Mic Dinbych	14. Tenby
xv. Dinas Maon	15. Dinas Maon
xvi. Y Bedwenni	16. The Birch Trees
xvii. Afallen	17. The Apple Trees
xviii. Oianau	18. Listen, Piglet
xix. Englynion y Beddau	19. The Stanzas of the Graves
xx. Kygogion. Elaeth ae Cant.	20. The Cynghogion of Elaeth
xxi. Elaeth Agant.	21. Not To Call Upon God
xxii. Gereint filius Erbin	22. Gereint son of Erbin
xxiii. Duv in kymhorth	23. untranslated
xxiv. Assuynaw naut duv diamehv	24. untranslated
xxv. Tra vom kyd keredd	25. As Long As We Sojourn
xxvi. Dv dy uarch du dy capan	26. The First Song of Yscolan
xxvii. Kyntaw geir adywedaw	27. The Second Song of Yscolan
xxviii. Gvledic ar bennic erbin attad	28. untranslated
xxix. Bendith y wenwas	29. A Blessing To the Happy Youth
xxx. Lym awel llum brin	30. Keen is the Gale
xxxi. Pa Gwr	31. Arthur and the Porter
xxxii. Kanu Gwallawg	32. A Song on Gwallawg ab Lleenawg
xxxiii.Ymddiddan Gwyn ap Nudd a Gwyddno Garanhir	33. The Dialogue of Gwyn ap Nudd and Gwyddno Garahir
xxxiv. Kyd karhwine morva	34. version a); version b)
xxxv. Ymddiddan Taliessin ac Ugnach	35. The Dialogue of Taliesin and Ugnach
xxxvi. Marunad Madawc mab Maredut	36. untranslated
xxxvii. Marunad Madawc fil Maredut	37. Lament for Madawg ap Maredudd
xxxviii. Seithenhin	38. Seithenhin
xxxix. Enwev Meibon Llywarch Hen	39. The Names of the Sons of Llywarch Hen

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