The Four Ancient Books of Wales

THE dissolution of the religious houses in Wales in the reignof Henry the Eighth, and the dispersion of their libraries, ledto many Welsh MSS., which had been preserved in them,passing into the hands of private individuals; and collections ofWelsh MSS. soon began to be formed by persons who tookan interest in the history and literature of their country. Theprincipal collectors in North Wales were Mr. Jones of GellyLyvdy, whose collection was formed between the years 1590and 1630, and Mr. Robert Vaughan of Hengwrt, author of awork termed British Antiquities Revived, published in 1662,who died at Hengwrt four years after, in 1666; and in SouthWales, William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, who formed acollection at Raglan Castle in 1590; and Sir Edward Mansel,whose father had received a gift of the priory of Margam inGlamorgan, in 1591. The collections of Mr. Jones and Mr.Vaughan became united at Hengwrt, in arrangement havingbeen made between them that the MSS. collected by eachshould become the property of the survivor. Mr. Jones havingpredeceased Mr. Vaughan, the united collection, consisting ofupwards of 400 MSS., remained at Hengwrt till within the lastfew years, when it was bequeathed by Sir Robert Vaughan ofHengwrt to W. W. E. Wynne, Esq. of Peniarth, in whosepossession it now is.