Meurig Dafydd (–1595) was a Welsh
bard
In Celtic cultures, a bard is an oral repository and professional story teller, verse-maker, music composer, oral historian and genealogist, employed by a patron (such as a monarch or chieftain) to commemorate one or more of the patron's a ...
, genealogist and historian, at one time one of the leading literary figures in Glamorgan.
However, his poetry was formal and uninspired.
Life
Meurig Dafydd was born at
Llanishen near Cardiff around 1510.
He studied under
Lewys Morgannwg, a much livelier poet, and became a professional bard.
He was a convinced Roman Catholic.
He married Joan Mathau, granddaughter of Sir Christopher Mathew of
Llandaff
Llandaff (; ; from 'church' and ''River Taff, Taf'') is a district, Community (Wales), community and coterminous electoral ward in the north of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It was incorporated into the city in 1922. It is the seat of the Bisho ...
.
For forty years he was the family bard of the Lewis family of
Van, Caerphilly.
He was also a genealogist and historian and acted as a "herehaut" to the Ludlow court.
Meurig Dafydd periodically left the Lewis's to tour the houses of the gentlefolk of
Glamorgan
Glamorgan (), or sometimes Glamorganshire ( or ), was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It is located in the South Wales, south of Wales. Originally an ea ...
,
Gwent and south
Brecknock.
He died in 1595.
Work
In his day Meurig Dafydd was a leading literary figure in Glamorgan.
However, his poetry was cold and conventional, composed in strict metres.
It is said that he once presented a praise poem to
William Bassett, lord of
Old Beaupre Castle.
Basset read the poem, confirmed that it was the only copy, paid the bard, rebuked him for his unsatisfactory work and threw the manuscript into the hall fire, saying, "By my honestie I swere yf there bee no copie of this extante, none shall there ever bee."
Edward Stradling (1528/29–1609) bore the expense of the publication of
John Dafydd Rhys's Welsh grammar ''Cambrobrytannicæ Linguæ Institutiones'' (London, 1592).
Meurig Dafydd addressed a ''
cywydd
The cywydd (; plural ) is one of the most important metrical forms in traditional Welsh poetry ( cerdd dafod).
There are a variety of forms of the cywydd, but the word on its own is generally used to refer to the ("long-lined couplet") as it is ...
'' to Stradling and Rhys on the publication of the grammar, and referred to the former as a master of seven languages.
According to
Iolo Morganwg he once said, "The Druid and the Domestic Poet are the same thing, and of the same kind of grade."
This saying may well have been a fiction invented by Iolo.
The bard and antiquary John Llywelyn of Llan Gewydd, near
Bridgend
Bridgend (; or just , meaning "the end of the bridge on the Ogmore") is a town in the Bridgend County Borough of Wales, west of Cardiff and east of Swansea. The town is named after the Old Bridge, Bridgend, medieval bridge over the River Og ...
, Glamorganshire studied under Meurig Dafydd and Thomas Llewelyn.
Notes
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dafydd, Meurig
1510s births
1595 deaths
Welsh poets
16th-century Welsh writers