WELSH BARDS AND MUSIC. 323 



The eifteddfod was a rigid fchool. The poetical, 

 or mufical difciple, who, at the expiration of his 

 triennial term, was not able to attain a higher 

 degree, was always condemned to lofe that which 

 had been previoufly conferred upon him. — The laws 

 of the eifteddfod alfo ordained, that if a difciple was 

 feen in taverns, or other places, playing at any 

 game for money, any perfon prefent (hould be au- 

 thorized to take from him all the money he had iiiL 

 his purfe. For mockery and derifion, or the inven- 

 tion or propagation of falfehood, the difciples were 

 punilhed by fine and imprifonment : the laws fay 

 that the bards fhall be peaceful in their manners, 

 friendly in their difpofitions, and humble in their 

 fervices to the prince and all his adherents. 



The bards were at all times held in the higheft 

 repute, not only by the nobles, but even by the 

 princes of Wales. The court bard was, in rank, 

 the eighth officer of the king's houfehold, and was 

 very often of his council. Whoever committed 

 only a flight injury to his perfon was fined fix cows, 

 and a hundred and twenty pence. Tiie murderer 

 of a bard was fubje£t to the penalty of a hundred 

 and twenty-fix cows. He attended the prince's army 

 to battle, and, in cafe of conqueft, was rewarded 

 with the moft valuable beaft that remained after the 

 prince's fliare in the fpoils had been taken away. 

 Nothing can difplay more forcibly the eftimation 

 and influence which the bards enjoyed in the early 

 periods, than their remarkable prerogative of peti- 



Y 2 tioning 



