White Book Of Rhydderch

What was one manuscript has now been bound as two separate volumes and are known as Peniarth MS 4 and Peniarth MS 5. Peniarth MS 4 contains the Welsh tales now collectively known as the '' Mabinogion '', and Peniarth MS 5 (the first part of the original manuscript) contains religious texts in Welsh, mostly translated from Latin.

The White Book was copied in the mid-fourteenth century, most probably for Rhydderch ab Ieuan Llwyd (ca. 1325-1400) from Parcrhydderch in the parish of Llangeitho in Ceredigion . Rhydderch, who came from a family with a long tradition of literary patronage, held posts under the English Crown but was also an authority on native Welsh Law . The hands of five scribes have been identified in the manuscripts, very likely working in Strata Florida Abbey , not far from Rhydderch's home.

Sources

'White Book of Rhydderch'. In Meic Stephens (Ed.) (1998), ''The new companion to the literature of Wales''. Cardiff : University of Wales Press. ISBN 0708313833.

Parry, Thomas (1955), ''A history of Welsh literature''. Translated by H. Idris Bell. Oxford : Clarendon Press.

External links

The White book of Rhydderch at the National Library of Wales website. ''Gives access to colour images of Peniarth MS 4''.

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White Book Of Rhydderch