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APPENDIX, 
The Bardo-Druidic System. 
The promoters of the Welsh Eisteddfod, which was held at Llangollen in 
the autumn of 1858, offered a prize of £30, and a Bardic tiara in gold, for 
the fullest information, from original sources, of the theology, discipline, and 
usages of the Bardo-Druidic system of the Isle of Britain. This led to the 
production of a work compiled chiefly from the MSS. of the late Iolo 
Morganwg, one of the two that constituted the only members of the Bardic 
institution, when it was revived at the close of the last century. Of this 
the adjudicators speak in the highest terms, remarking : — 
“ When we consider that the Gorsedd of the Bards was but a continuation, 
in the White Island, of the circular temples of patriarchal times, we may 
feel assured that it is among the remains of Bardism, or the religious system 
connected with those primitive temples, we may hope to discover, if at all, * * * § 
that Golden Key, concealed and secured, which can open the mysteries, or 
esoteric doctrine, of ancient nations.” 
I have reserved for this Appendix a more elaborate examination of the 
work entitled Barddas, as I can scarcely expect of my audience to follow 
with the Cyvrinach, or sympathetic intelligence which is required, the details 
of this curious mysticism. It perhaps requires that one should have some of 
the old British blood in one’s veins to understand it even with labour and 
study ; but having acquired it, the possessor may feel that he has indeed 
possession of the golden key, by which to open out stores of hidden wisdom, 
though that be indeed the wisdom of this world that comes to nought.* 
This system as developed in “ Barddas ”f must be taken for what it is 
intrinsically worth, there being no sufficient proof of the genuineness of all 
its traditions. It is, nevertheless, exceedingly well worth study. It is a 
refined system of Druidism, made to conform as far as is possible with the 
teaching of Christianity. 
It professes to derive from tradition (confirmed by Nennius^) the origin of 
the Cymry from Javan, and asserts that Einiged the great, son of Huon, son 
of Alser, son of Javan, son of Japheth, son of Noah the aged, was the first 
■who invented the codbren — that is, “the wood of credibility,” or record-stick, 
called by Taliesin, “ y gonoydd a goraU.’’ This being the early depository 
of knowledge, led, as I conclude, to the same word being employed for both, 
gicydd signifying equally “ a frame of wood ” and “ knowledge ” ; for the 
codbren was simply a frame of wood enclosing sticks on which letters could 
be cut with a sharp knife. The perishable nature of the material was a great 
disadvantage, leading of course to the destruction of all the early records of 
the Cymry, whilst the Accad people, who in early times were probably their 
neighbours, found in the plains of Babylonia the right substance, day , which 
could be baked thoroughly, and thereby rendered indestructible, and so 
transmitted to us their learning and science, as Pliny says, “ on baked tiles.” 
“ Several words in the language which relate to knowledge and literature 
have a primary reference to wood. Thus : arwydd , a sign ; cyfamvydd, 
skilful ; cyfancyddyd, information ; cywydd, a species of versification, also 
revelation ; dedwydd, having recovered knowledge, happy ; derwydd, a 
Druid ; egwydder, a rudiment, an alphabet ; gwyddawr, a rudiment ; 
gwyddon, a man of science ; gwgmviddigion, men of sacred knowledge.” § 
* 1st Cor. ii. 6. 
t Barddas , or, A Collection of Original Documents, &c., illustrative of the 
Bardo-Druidic System. By the Rev. J. W. Abithel, M.A., 1862. 
X “ Extraditione veterum, qui incolae in primo fuerunt Britannia;.” 
§ From Barddas, p. 13, note. 
