LLYWELYN FARDD (fl. c. 1150-1175), poet
Parent: Cywryd
Gender: Male
Occupation: poet
Area of activity: Poetry
Author: David Myrddin Lloyd
His dates and list of works are not easily fixed. Cerdd Dafod gives c. 1185 - 1220, but J. Lloyd-Jones has c. 1155 - 1200. It may be suggested that there were two poets of the same name, one in the 12th century, and the other in the 13th century, and that that is why the ' Red Book of Hergest ' refers to ' Llywelyn Fardd, son of Cywryd.' This poet was the earlier, and apparently a native of Merioneth. In an elegy to Cedifor he refers to himself as a soldier of Madog ap Maredudd (died 1160), and in addressing Owain Fychan, son of Madog (died 1187), he claims that he was older than that prince. In a poem to Owain Gwynedd he states that he had been with him on Southern soil, but Owain did not fight in South Wales after 1138. According to the ' Red Book ' it was Llywelyn who sang the elegy to Owain's retinue which is attributed to Cynddelw in The Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales Llywelyn Fardd composed several religious poems, his best being his 'Ode to Cadfan,' which is a panegyric to the church of Towyn and a splendid description of its religious life during the abbacy of Morfrân, who was alive in 1147.
In a short poem in Llsgr. Hendregadredd and The Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales to Llywelyn the Great, by Llywelyn Fardd, the prince is styled as ' eagle of Clwyd,' a title which would be but scant praise if used much after 1206. This composition reads like the effort of a young poet, and indeed he described himself as an ' eloquent youth.' It is suggested that this second Llywelyn Fardd was then on the threshold of his career and that it was he who lived to sing the praises of Owain ap Gruffudd ap Gwenwynwyn a prince who was alive as late as 1274.
Author
- David Myrddin Lloyd, (1909 - 1981)
- Llawysgrif Hendregadredd (1933), 1933
- The Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales (1801-1807), i, 355-362
- The Poetry in the Red Book of Hergest (Llanbedrog 1911)
- H. Lewis, Hen Gerddi Crefyddol (Cardiff 1931)
- J. Lloyd-Jones, The Court Poets of the Welsh Princes
Sources
Published date: 1959
Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
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