The Welsh and Their Literature: from The London Quarterly Review, January 1861, American EditionBorrow, George
History
The Welsh and Their Literature: from The London Quarterly Review, January 1861, American Edition
Borrow, George
Welsh literature -- History and criticism
For many years after the death of Hu the Cymry retrograded instead of
advancing in civilization; they ceased to be a united people; plunder and
devastation were of daily occurrence among them; every one did as he
pleased, as far as in his power lay; there was no law, but the law of the
strongest; and no justice, save that which was obtained from clemency and
courtesy. At length one Prydain arose, who, either from ambition or a
nobler motive, determined to introduce a system of government amongst
them. By strength of arm and character he induced the Cymry of the lower
country to acknowledge him for their head, and to obey certain laws which
he enacted for the regulation of conduct. But neither his sovereignty
nor his laws were regarded by the Cymry of the hilly regions. Prydain
was the first king amongst the Cymry; and from his time the island was
called Britain, which is a modification of his name, and the inhabitants
Britons. The independent Cymry, however, disdained to call themselves or
their districts after him, but still styled themselves Cymry, and their
districts Cumrie-land and Cumberland; whilst the Gael of the North, who
never submitted to his sway, and who knew little about him, still called
themselves Gael, and their country Caledon and Alban.
Various kings succeeded Prydain, during whose reigns the Britons
continued in much the same state as that in which he had left them; on
the coming of one Dyfnwal Moelmud, however, to the throne, a mighty
improvement was effected in their condition. This prince was the great
lawgiver of the Britons, and the greatest benefactor which the race had
known since the days of Hu Gadarn. Tradition differs as to his exact
origin, but there is ground for believing that he was the chief of a
Cornish tribe, and that he was elected to the throne on account of his
wisdom and virtue. He gave a regular system of laws and a constitution
to the kingdom, and appointed magistrates in every place, whose duty it
was to administer justice without respect of persons in all disputes, and
whenever the law had been violated. This great and good man is believed
to have lived about 400 years before the Christian era.
After the Cymric or British race had been established in the island about
1300 years, they were invaded by the Romans, under Julius Cæsar. The
king, who at that time ruled in Britain, was called Caswallon; he was a
great warrior and much beloved by his subjects. In him and his Britons
the Romans found their match and more, for after a month’s hard fighting
and skirmishing, they were compelled to betake themselves to Gaul, the
country from which they had come.
Mighty was the triumph in Britain, says an old chronicler, on the retreat
of the redoubted foe; and Caswallon gave a grand festival at Caer Lud, or
London, which was reckoned in after times one of the three grand
festivals of Britain. A grand festival indeed it must have been, if, as
an ancient bard says,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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