Cylchgronau Cymru

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noticing that The Red Book of Hergest also was nearly lost to Jesus College. We learn that Edward Lhwyd, who was, for a considerable period of his life, Keeper of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, paid seven shillings on February 17, 1701 for binding the Red Book. Afterwards it should have been returned to Jesus College but we know that it was not so. For the next thirteen years it remained amongst Lhwyd's books until in 1714 Wilkins made a declaration stating the claim of Jesus College to the MS. To all to whome these presents shall come­I Thomas Wilkins of Llanblethian in the County of Glamorgan doe hereby Certify that I have severall yeares agoe presented Jesus College, Oxon with an old large Manuscript called Llyfr Coch 6 Hergest, which book was by the order of ye said College given out of their Custody to be new bound, And is since (as I am informed) found amongst Edward Lloyd's books to which Manuscript the said Mr. Lloyd or his Representatives can pretend no manner of Title. Witness my hand this 26th of March 1714: Tho. Wilkins."1 A similar accident may well have happened to The Book of the Anchorite. Moreover the memorandum quoted above shows that no guilt is attached to Dr. Gruffydd Roberts inasmuch as he received the MS. as a gift from some person called Richard Thomas. The MS., however, was eventually returned to the Jesus College authorities. In 1800 Owen Jones, better known as Owen Myfyr, and William Owen, who later became Dr. William Owen Pughe, bought the MS. along with other books, from Dr. Gruffydd Roberts and later restored it to its rightful owners. The following memoran- dum was written by Pughe, and it is now found attached to the MS. Llundain, Gorffenaf 26. 1806. Y Llyvyr hwn ynghyd a Llyvrau (sic) ereill & brynoedd Owain Jones a Gwilym Owain gan Gruffydd Roberts y Meddyg, o Ddolgellau yn Meirion, yn y Vlwyddyn 1800 a chan eu bod yn hysbys, wrth weled llawysgriven T. Wilkins, y gwr a'i anrhegodd, mai Eiddo Coleg yr Iesu yw a chan hyny nid ellynt lai nog ei adver i ei wir Berch- enawg Caeadwyd yn Llundain, Gorphenav 1806. Owen Jones William Owen2 Ever since 1806 the MS. has formed part of the Jesus College Collection of MSS. that is now deposited in the Bodleian Library and with the exception of the Red Book of Hergest it is probably the most valuable Welsh MS. in that collection. The texts con- xReport on MSS. in the Welsh Language, ii. p. 1. Sef. The Elucidarium and other Tracts in Welsh from Llyvyr Aglcyr Llandeivi- vrevi, Introduction, p. x. This book is referred to below as Ll.A.