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CHAPTER XIII
Divine Service … Llangollen Bells … Iolo Goch … The Abbey … Twm o'r
Nant … Holy Well … Thomas Edwards
SUNDAY arrived … a Sunday of unclouded sunshine。 We attended
Divine service at church in the morning。 The congregation was very
numerous; but to all appearance consisted almost entirely of
English visitors; like ourselves。 There were two officiating
clergymen; father and son。 They both sat in a kind of oblong
pulpit on the southern side of the church; at a little distance
below the altar。 The service was in English; and the elder
gentleman preached; there was good singing and chanting。
After dinner I sat in an arbour in the perllan; thinking of many
things; amongst others; spiritual。 Whilst thus engaged; the sound
of the church bells calling people to afternoon service came upon
my ears。 I listened; and thought I had never heard bells with so
sweet a sound。 I had heard them in the morning; but without paying
much attention to them; but as I now sat in the umbrageous arbour;
I was particularly struck with them。 Oh how sweetly their voice
mingled with the low rush of the river; at the bottom of the
perllan。 I subsequently found that the bells of Llangollen were
celebrated for their sweetness。 Their merit indeed has even been
admitted by an enemy; for a poet of the Calvinistic Methodist
persuasion; one who calls himself Einion Du; in a very beautiful
ode; commencing with …
〃Tangnefedd i Llangollen;〃
says that in no part of the world do bells call people so sweetly
to church as those of Llangollen town。
In the evening; at about half…past six; I attended service again;
but without my family。 This time the congregation was not
numerous; and was composed principally of poor people。 The service
and sermon were now in Welsh; the sermon was preached by the
younger gentleman; and was on the building of the second temple;
and; as far as I understood it; appeared to me to be exceedingly
good。
On the Monday evening; myself and family took a walk to the abbey。
My wife and daughter; who are fond of architecture and ruins; were
very anxious to see the old place。 I too was anxious enough to see
it; less from love of ruins and ancient architecture; than from
knowing that a certain illustrious bard was buried in its
precincts; of whom perhaps a short account will not be unacceptable
to the reader。
This man; whose poetical appellation was Iolo Goch; but whose real
name was Llwyd; was of a distinguished family; and Lord of
Llechryd。 He was born and generally resided at a place called Coed
y Pantwn; in the upper part of the Vale of Clwyd。 He was a warm
friend and partisan of Owen Glendower; with whom he lived; at
Sycharth; for some years before the great Welsh insurrection; and
whom he survived; dying at an extreme old age beneath his own roof…
tree at Coed y Pantwn。 He composed pieces of great excellence on
various subjects; but the most remarkable of his compositions are
decidedly certain ones connected with Owen Glendower。 Amongst
these is one in which he describes the Welsh chieftain's mansion at
Sycharth; and his hospitable way of living at that his favourite
residence; and another in which he hails the advent of the comet;
which made its appearance in the month of March; fourteen hundred
and two; as of good augury to his darling hero。
It was from knowing that this distinguished man lay buried in the
precincts of the old edifice; that I felt so anxious to see it。
After walking about two miles we perceived it on our right hand。
The abbey of the vale of the cross stands in a green meadow; in a
corner near the north…west end of the valley of Llangollen。 The
vale or glen; in which the abbey stands; takes its name from a
certain ancient pillar or cross; called the pillar of Eliseg; and
which is believed to have been raised over the body of an ancient
British chieftain of that name; who perished in battle against the
Saxons; about the middle of the tenth century。 In the Papist times
the abbey was a place of great pseudo…sanctity; wealth and
consequence。 The territory belonging to it was very extensive;
comprising; amongst other districts; the vale of Llangollen and the
mountain region to the north of it; called the Eglwysig Rocks;
which region derived its name Eglwysig; or ecclesiastical; from the
circumstance of its pertaining to the abbey of the vale of the
cross。
We first reached that part of the building which had once been the
church; having previously to pass through a farmyard; in which was
abundance of dirt and mire。
The church fronts the west and contains the remains of a noble
window; beneath which is a gate; which we found locked。 Passing on
we came to that part where the monks had lived; but which now
served as a farmhouse; an open doorway exhibited to us an ancient
gloomy hall; where was some curious old…fashioned furniture;
particularly an ancient rack; in which stood a goodly range of
pewter trenchers。 A respectable dame kindly welcomed us and
invited us to sit down。 We entered into conversation with her; and
asked her name; which she said was Evans。 I spoke some Welsh to
her; which pleased her。 She said that Welsh people at the present
day were so full of fine airs that they were above speaking the old
language … but that such was not the case formerly; and that she
had known a Mrs Price; who was housekeeper to the Countess of
Mornington; who lived in London upwards of forty years; and at the
end of that time prided herself upon speaking as good Welsh as she
did when a girl。 I spoke to her about the abbey; and asked if she
had ever heard of Iolo Goch。 She inquired who he was。 I told her
he was a great bard; and was buried in the abbey。 She said she had
never heard of him; but that she could show me the portrait of a
great poet; and going away; presently returned with a print in a
frame。
〃There;〃 said she; 〃is the portrait of Twm o'r Nant; generally
called the Welsh Shakespeare。〃
I looked at it。 The Welsh Shakespeare was represented sitting at a
table with a pen in his hand; a cottage…latticed window was behind
him; on his left hand; a shelf with plates; and trenchers behind
him; on his right。 His features were rude; but full of wild;
strange expression; below the picture was the following couplet:…
〃Llun Gwr yw llawn gwir Awen;
Y Byd a lanwodd o'i Ben。〃
〃Did you ever hear of Twm o'r Nant?〃 said the old dame。
〃I never heard of him by word of mouth;〃 said I; 〃but I know all
about him … I have read his life in Welsh; written by himself; and
a curious life it is。 His name was Thomas Edwards; but he
generally called himself Twm o'r Nant; or Tom of the Dingle;
because he was born in a dingle; at a place called Pen Porchell; in
the vale of Clwyd … which; by the bye; was on the estate which once
belonged to Iolo Goch; the poet I was speaking to you about just
now。 Tom was a carter by trade; but once kept a toll…bar in South
Wales; which; however; he was obliged to leave at the end of two
years; owing to the annoyance which he experience