WELSH BARDS AND MUSIC. 3'^5 



turies, or betv/ixt the reign of Grldith ap Cynan, 

 and that of the lad prince Llewelyn, is the brighteil 

 for talent in the barJs that the Welfh annals can 

 boaft. During this interval fome of the noblell 

 monuments of their genius were produced., Unfor- 

 tunately, however, at the prefent day little elie is 

 extant than the names of the bards. 



• By the cruel policy of Edward I., who, although 

 he had conquered the countrv, did not think him- 

 feif fecure in his triumph, whilft the warm and 

 energetic fongs of a race of men, deemed almofl 

 infpired, were permitted to overawe the vulgar, was 

 effeded, if we are to believe the allertion of fir 

 John Wynne, a total majfacre of the Welfh bards. 

 Whether Edward proceeded to this inhuman ex- 

 tremity or not, is at prefent a matter of little im- 

 portance, it appears certain that he adopted modes 

 of preventing the bards from exercifing their func- 

 tion. By this means they were reduced thenceforth 

 to employ their facred art in obfcurity and forrow. 



In the infurredion under 0\yen Glyndwr, at the 

 beginning of the reign of Henry IV., the martial 

 fpirit of the Britifli mufe was once more revived to 

 celebrate the enterprizes of the Welfh hero. Like 

 himfelf, the bards of his time were " irregular and 

 wild ;" and as the taper, glimmcri^ig in its focket, 

 gives a fudden blaze before it is extinguiflied, fo 

 did they make one great effort of their original and 

 faring genius, which foon afterwards was buried, 

 ,^^,vith their hero, in the grave. 



Y 3 Under 



