{87b} An allusion probably to his armorial bearings. Another reading gives “bled e maran,” on the open strand. {87c} “This singular fact of the ancient Britons wearing amber beads, is confirmed by many beads of amber having been found in the barrows on Salisbury plain, which have been recently dug. I understand that in several of these graves, pieces of amber like beads have been met with; and in one as many beads were found as would have made a wreath.” (S. Turner’s Vind. 208, 209.) {87d} “Am ran.” “Tri argau gwaed: gwaed hyd _ran_, a gwaed hyd gwll, a gwaed hyd lawr; sev yw hynny, gwaed hyd _wyneb_, gwaed hyd ddillad, a gwaed a reto hyd lawr.” (Law Triads, Myv. Arch, vol. iii. p. 342.) Hence “amrant,” the eyelid. {87e} Lit. “the place of wine,” otherwise “a horn of wine,” “Ef a’m rhoddes medd a gwin o wydrin _ban_. He gave me mead and wine from the transparent horn. (Taliesin.) Al. “gwrnvann,” the place of the urn. In that case the line might be thus translated,— Precious was the amber, but its price was the grave. {88a} The hero of this stanza we take to be the “son of Ysgyran” himself. He disdained the eager advance of the enemy; for such was his will, that he had only to declare it, to make Venedotia and the North acknowledge his power, and submit to his jurisdiction; or, it may be, to march unanimously to his side. Supposing “gwyar,” however, to be the correct reading, we might render the line thus,— He repelled violence, and gore trickled to the ground. Perhaps the identity of the person commemorated with the son of Ysgyran would become more evident by the addition of a comma after “gyssul,” thus,— “Ket dyffei wyned a gogled e rann O gussyl,—mah Ysgyrran.” Who Ysgyran, or Cyran (the _ys_ being a mere prefix) was, we have no means of knowing, as the name does not occur any where in history. {88b} Al. “The maimed shield-bearer,” (ysgwydwr.) {88c} “Cyn-nod,” the principal mark or butt; the most conspicuous, owing to his being in advance of his men, and perhaps on account of his stature also, if “eg gawr,” or “yggawr” mean _giantlike_. {88d} “Cyn-ran;” the foremost share, or participation of an action. {89a} “Pymwnt,” (i.e. pum mwnt; “deg myrdd yn y mwnt,”) five hundred thousand, which, multiplied by five, would give us 2,500,000 as the number of men who composed the above battalions.