Cylchgronau Cymru

"OLD BRECKNOCK CHIPS." A Column of Antiquarian Chit-Chat relating to the County of Brecknock. NOTES, QUERIES, AND REPLIES, on Subjects inter¬ esting to Bieconsbire, mast be addressed to EDITOR, Brecon County Times, Brecon. Real names and addresses must be given in confidence, and MSS. mast be written legibly, on one side of the paper only. FEIDAY, AUGUST 5th, 1887. ~ NOTES. AN OLD BRECON ELECTION SKIT OF FIFTY YEARS AGO.—The foUowing reprint of an old "skit" will be read with interest at the present day, and from its perusal we find that the same baneful influences are at work to-day as were at work fifty years ago—the Pocket Screw :— 1832. A BRIGHT DAY AT BRECON. ACT THE FIRST. Scene.—A Butcher's Shop, Enter an aged TRUMPETER, blowing two ways at once. Trumpeter. Bright, your proceedings surprise me. Bright. God bless you, Sir, your proceedings are still more extraordinary ; and if I may make so BOLD as to offer good advice, the less that's said about them the better. Trumpeter. I'll make your conduct known, depend on it. Bright, Thank you, Sir, you will render me a great service; and I trust that your conduct will like¬ wise be Recorded. (Exit Trumpeter playing aflat and a sharp.) Enter the DEAN of D--------,— Dean. Bright, make out my bill. Bright. Lord bless you, Sir, that's soon done; you don't eat much at your own expense. Dean. Don't be impertinent, fellow, or I'll commit you. Bright. Commit me! I should have thought you had made threats enough of that sort. Why, there's Mr. Hughes of Llanfaes, looking after you with a large Horsewhip in his hand. {Exit the Dean in great tribulation.) Enter two near relatives of DAVI JONES f Lawyer. My bill, Bright. Parson. And mine. Bright. Thank you, Gentlemen, I was just about to send them in. Lawyer. I shall have the bill taxed, Bright. Parson. And I shall deduct the tenth part of it on account of prompt payment. Bright. Ay, you'll exact your tithe as usual; but I don't know, Reverend Sir, what you call prompt payment. (Exeunt the Kinsmen of Davy Jones.) Enter PHILIP FOPPINGTON, with a Pocketfull of Phil Fop. Bright, let me have my bill. Bright. With pleasure, Sir, and I hope you'll let me have my money. Phil. Pop. Well, send in the biU, send in the biU. Bright. It wiU take some time to make out, Sir; it has been running such a devilish long time. (Exit Phil. Fop. putting on his white gloves). Enter Dr. SPRING, with a snuffle). Doctor. Bright, I want my bill. B>-ight. Then want must be your master; I'm busy just now. Doctor. Well, let me have it as soon as you are at leisure. Bright. Leisure ! Lord love you, Doctor, if I had no more Customers than you have got Patients, I should have leisure enough. But your till shall be made out and sent to Lion Lane before you have smoked your pipe and swaUowed your Glass of Gin and Water. (Exit Doctor in a pet). Enter Mr. MARCHBERRT. Marchberry. Bright, send in your bill, and be d------d to you. Bright. The same to you, Sir, with all my heart and soul. Marchberry. I'll knock you down if you give me any Insolence. Squire Skethrog. Not while I'm present. Marchberry. (To the Squire) You had better go home and cut fat bacon for your ploughmen. Squire Skethrog. (Hitting right and left.) Take that you pettifogging buUy. (Exit Marchberry in double quick time.) Enter several Substantial FARMERS. 1st Farmer. That's a fine Sheep, Bright, the true Leicester Breed. 2nd Farmer. We'll take it amongst us, Bright. Bright. Thank you, Gentlemen; this is a bhight day for me, for I not only stand some chance of getting my doubtful debts paid off, but have got more new Customers than I've lost already. 3rd Farmtr. Glad to hear it, master Bright, glad to hear it; we'U aU stand by the REFORM BUTCHER. TALES RELATING TO BRECONSHIRE—In Drych y Prif Oesoedd we are treated to the foUowing marvellous tales, on the testimony of that old Arch- Humbug, Giraldus Cambrensis:— Tale No. 1.—That about the year 1110, as Lord Radnor was going to Builth on an hunting excur¬ sion, he lodged his dogs for a night in the Church of Llanavan-.fawr, and the next morning they were all literally mad, and himself totally blind. Tale No. 2 —The Church of Llywel in Brecknock¬ shire, and the village also, were burnt with fire about a.d. 1100, and everything contained in them was destroyed, except a box which contained the conse¬ crated bread, and which had not the smeU of the fire upon it. Tale No. 3.—It happened about the same time that a young lad went clandestinely into the Church of Dewi [David] in Brecknock, and climbed up to a dove's nest, intending to rob it of the young When he stretched one of his hands to the nest, resting the other on a stone, it adhered so fast thereto that he could not in any way separate them, until he had spent three days and three nights there in fasting and prayer, when he obtained deUverance. Tale No. 4.—There was a chapel near Brecknock called the Chapel of Elnyfed, the name of one of Brychan's daughters. It adjoins " Llwch Crug y Gorsedd," where the wake, or festival of the patron saint, was observed annually on the 1st of August. During the celebration of this anniversary, after the reading of the mass, some in the chapel and others in the chapel yard would faint, and in a short time leap upon their feet in a wild and distracted manner, and show, by signs with their hands and otherwise, whatever they had done wrong on previous festivals. Some made signs that they had been plaiting; others that they had been spinning, carding, or knitting ; and, after they had thus made confession, they were restored to their right mind. The Editoe. QUERIES. THE REV. VAVASOR GRIFFITHS' ACA¬ DEMY.—I have been told that the late Rev. Dr. Richard Price, the famous mathematician, received a portion of his early training at the Academy of the Rev. Vavasor Griffiths, at Talgarth, in Brecknock¬ shire (a.d. 1739) Who was the Rev. Vavasor Griffiths, and are there any reoords of his work at Talgarth? Jaeoo II.