The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-16
BARD|C CONCRESS0f Wales
First Established for the Welfare Of
the Community.
ANTEDATES CHRISTIAN ERA
The First Eistcddfod Was Hold Cent turics
Before the Christian Era. and
Its Exercises Similar to
Those of Today.

]. Humphreys Parry. the editor of
"The Transactions Of the Cymrodori-
ons, or Metropolitan Cambrian Institu-
tion," a learned antiquarian and ele-
giant writer, a native of North Wales,
at the beginning of the present century,
who had university training, and
gained the admiration Of his fellow
countrymen bytthe publications Of the
Cambro- -Briton, a most valuable mis-
cellany, in which Is contained mass
Of information respecting the history
Of Wales, writes of the Gorsedd insti-
tuition in the following manner:
1.-THE Gorsedd, or Congress of Bards,"
he says, lowed its birth to the Bardic or
Druidical institution. 1t was at first
established for the promotion of objects
connected with the moral and political
welfare of the community, as well as
for the minor or subordinate purposes
of cultivating the arts of music and
poetry. The most ancient notices of it
now extant occur in the Triads. of the
social state, which are ascribed to
Dyfnwal Moelmud, who lived three or
four centuries before the Christians era
In these ancient records, the Gorsedd y
Beirdd, or congress of bards, is num-
bered among the national privileged
meetings of the Cymry." 1t was held
posed part of the country, or according
to the bardic maxim, "in the face Of the
sun, and In the eye of light" Such was
the primitive character of the ancient
conventions; but how long it was re-
tanned there are no means of ascertain
ing with any degree of precision. The
long 1nternecine wars consequent on the
successive invasions of the Romans and
Saxons, as we'll as the introduction of
Christianity, by destroying the politi-
cal and religious ascendancy of the
Druids, must have deprived the institu-
ton Of its primitive Importance, and
from this period there Is no doubt 1t
gradually departed more and more
from its genuine character.
The Gorsedd in its earliest stage, we
have thus seen, was of a very different
nature from what 1t has since become.
In its next gradation 1t appears to have
been devoted to the more PARTICULAR en-
couragement of the musical and poetic
al talents Of the country, as we'll as
to the preservation of the ancient or
dinances and traditions of the bards.
The earliest congresses of this charac-
ter OF which we have many memorials
are two which took place In the sixth
ana seventh centuries, under the pat
ronage Of Maelgwyn Gwynedd and Cad
waladr. last kings of the Britons, at
which several poets and minstrels at
tended. From this period we have no
further memorials of these national fes-
tivals until we arrive at the time of
Bleddyn alb Cynfyn and Gruffydd alb
Cynan. when the original designation
OF the Gorsedd seems to have been first
exchanged for that now In use, of els
> teddfod or session. At the eistedd.
fodau holden during the reign of Gruf-
In vpHtn 1p~,
alterations or amendments were made
in the Bardic laws. and the national
music end poetry were subjected to a
varietyiof important regulations. which
have Pen In operation more or less
ever siAce.
In thd early part of the twelfth CEN
tury CIdwgan alb Bleddyn alb Cynfyn
FOLLOWED 1.-THE example Of his father in the
encouray ement he gave to these ma.
tlonal cd MENTIONS and he was succeed
ed BY pys ap Gruffydd. generally