Y Gododin: A Poem of the Battle of Cattraeth Part 16

{1b} Cambrian Biography, sub voce.

{1c} Stevenson's Nennius, p. 52.

{2a} It is stated in the Iolo MSS. that Cunedda Wledig held his court in Carlisle.

{2b} Am. Marcel. 1. 20.

{3a} Triad 39, third series.

{3b} Triad 7.

{3c} Myv. Arch. v. i. p. 52.

{4a} Myv. Arch. v. i. p 57.

{4b} Elegy on Old Age.

{5a} Chalmers's Caledonia, v. i. pp. 239, &c.

{5b} 1. 231.

{5c} 1. 289.

{5d} 1. 386.

{5e} 1. 393.

{5f} 1. 534.

{5g} 1. 607.

{5h} 1. 713.

{6a} 1. 32

{6b} 1. 648.

{6c} Stanzas xvii. x.x.xii lx.x.xvi.

{6d} 1. 229.

{6e} 1. 86, 584.

{6f} Stanza xviii.

{7a} 1. 753, 884.

{7b} Stanza lxviii.

{7c} Stanza xiv.

{7d} Stanza x.x.xix.

{7e} Stanza xlii.

{7f} Stanza xliii.

{7g} Stanza lxv.

{7h} Stanza lii.

{7i} Stanza xxi.

{7j} Stanza xvii.

{8a} Stanza xliii.

{79a} Or, "The youth was endowed with a manly disposition," the word _oed_ being taken as a verb (oedd) rather than as a substantive; though it ought to be remarked, as indicative of the sense in which it was regarded by the copyist, that MS. No. 3, which has generally supplied the _dd_ where it was considered necessary, has it not in the present instance.

{79b} Al. charger, in the singular number. The favourite steed of our hero, supposing him to be the son of Urien Rheged, is, in the Triads, called "Carnavlawg" (cloven-hoofed) and is said to have been "one of the three horses of depredation of the Isle of Britain," (Myv. Arch. vol. ii.

page 20.) Taliesin in his Elegy on Owain son of Urien, describes him as

"Gwr gwiw uch ei amliw seirch A roddei feirch I eirchiaid."

A worthy hero seated on variegated trappings, Who would give steeds to those that asked him.-Myv. Arch. vol. i. p.

59.

_Thick mane_ was regarded as one of the good points of a horse; thus Taliesin,-

"Atuyn march myngvras mangre."

Beautiful in a tangle is a thick-maned horse.-Ib. p, 28.

{79c} Lit. "Were under the thigh of;" an expression frequently employed by the early bards to denote the act of riding. See "Elegy upon Geraint ab Erbin," by Llywarch Hen.

{80a} One of the sons of Llywarch Hen is similarly represented as a youth,-

"That wore the golden spurs,"-Owen's Ll. Hen, p. 131.

In the days of chivalry, of which the era of the G.o.dodin may fairly be considered as the commencement, the privilege of decorating arms, and the accoutrements of horses with gold, was exclusively confined to knights, and their families; squires being only permitted the use of silver for the purpose. (St. Palaye, 1. 247, 284.)

{80b} "Pan," pannus-down, fur, ermine, or fulled cloth.

{80c} This is not literally true of Owain ab Urien, for he was married to a daughter of Culvynawyd Prydain.

{80d} "Argyvrein," might perhaps come from _argyvrau_, paraphernalia; a portion or dowry.

"Ymogel ddwyn gwraig atat yn enw ei _hargyvrau_."