God gave our lands salvation:
some good saints are on the move,
a voice of monks, a spiritual host,
let us rejoice, every host, after them.
5Wasn’t it fortunate when
the saints drew us from its bonds, the ancient sanctuary?^{1 o’i rhwym, y seintwar⁠ The pronoun ’i refers to the seintwar ‘sanctuary’.}⁠
Bond of a sentence^{2 sentes⁠ The edition follows GSDT 6.30 Gyffes, mewn sentes y sai’ and pp. 139–40, where sentes is understood as a form of sentens ‘sentence’ used to complete the rhyme in that line’s cynghanedd. The same is true here, where sentes completes the rhyme (with dines-) in this line’s cynghanedd lusg, although it is not noted as a variant form in GPC Ar Lein s.v. sentens. On the possible significance of this word in the wider context of the poem, see the introductory notes.} throughout the towns,
now the bond has been undone.^{3 Weithion y rhwym aeth yn rhydd⁠ See ll. 11–12n.}⁠
Is there any land [whose inhabitants] didn’t swear an oath
10and failed to keep it after this?
After we were all placed in the net,
from our peril^{4 perigl⁠ A form of perygl, see GPC Ar Lein s.v.} we were cleansed entirely.^{5 Ll. 11–12. Cf. Psalms 66.10–12 ‘For you, O God, have tested us … You brought us into the net, you placed a crushing burden on our backs … yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.’}⁠
Both the living and the dead from the grave
convert and plead for mercy.
15The saints of the land gave a cry,
the saints of Bardsey^{6 saint Enlli⁠ The small island at the tip of the Llŷn peninsula was said to be the burial place of twenty thousand saints.} yonder give the same cry.
The Lord on high gave to us
a gift from heaven to save us.
David^{7 Dewi⁠ On the saint, see BDewi (Introduction).} our father, wise prelate,
20went to him, Robert,^{8 Rhobert⁠ Robert Tully, bishop of St David’s 1460–81, see the introductory notes.} with a warning,^{9 rhybudd⁠ On the possible significance of this word, see the introductory notes.}⁠
a man of the same flesh as the Man^{10 y Gŵr⁠ Christ.} who had made him
who gave everything to the diocese.^{11 [y]r esgobaeth⁠ ‘The diocese’ of St David’s, see the introductory notes.}⁠
Never was his face at any time
without a fair smile to bless us;
25it was no land for as long as there was no benefit
to be had from confession in the face of hell.
After his prayer we saw
heaven in our land.

A man^{12 gŵr⁠ Lludd, see l. 30n ⁠Cornaniaid⁠.} once drove, merits were obtained,
30⁠Coraniaid⁠^{13 Cornaniaid⁠ A unique form of ⁠Coraniaid⁠, the first of three oppressions which came to Britain according to ‘Cyfranc Lludd a Llefelys’ and the Triads, see Williams 1910: xi–xiv; CLlLl2 xxxii–xxxiii; TYP 92–3; cf. GLM LXXI.29–32. Lludd defeated the ⁠Coraniaid⁠, a race of incomers who could hear every word uttered in the open, by following the counsel of his brother, Llefelys, who fashioned a magical horn that enabled them to conspire privately. A demon which was found in the horn was washed away with Llefelys’s wine, see CLlLl2 3–4. This part of the story may have influenced the form ⁠Cornaniaid⁠ (corn ‘horn’), but cf. also a version of the story found in Ellis Gruffudd’s Chronicle, ibid. 17–20 ⁠Koronaniaid⁠.} from our island.
Holy water^{14 dŵr glân⁠ ‘Holy water’, cf. GLM LXXII.39 (the combination is not noted in GPC). In ‘Cyfranc Lludd a Llefelys’, the ⁠Coraniaid⁠ are defeated with water infused with crushed insects (see CLlLl2 3), which may suggest reading dŵr glan ‘stagnant water’, but the combination is not noted in GPC (furthermore, the orthography of the manuscript reading, glan, suggests that glân is the correct reading).} was a salve in that case
over wise men’s houses, over land and wealth.^{15 Ll. 31–2. To rid Britain of the oppressive ⁠Coraniaid⁠, Llefelys urges his brother, Lludd, to gather both the ⁠Coraniaid⁠ and the people of Britain together in one place and sprinkle magic water over them, see CLlLl2 3–4. Huw Cae Llwyd outlines this story but refers specifically to the act of sprinkling water Dros dai’r doeth, dros dir a da ‘over wise men’s houses, over land and wealth’, whereas the text of ‘Cyfranc Lludd a Llefelys’ refers to sprinkling water ar pawp yn gyfredin ‘over one and all’.}⁠
We too will drive both Coraniaid⁠
and deceit from our midst, our host is superior;
35where it’s a covering we’ll bear
holy water^{16 dŵr swyn⁠ See the combination in GPC Ar Lein s.v. dŵr.} to lock the doors of our land.
Images with the host following them,
saints’ banners – this is grace.
The weight^{17 Mynyw⁠ The Welsh name for St David’s in the Middle Ages.} of our land is behind the banner
40of a saint from St David’s,^{18 pwys⁠ Cf. GG.net 27.52 Mae pwys holl Bowys lle bych ‘the weight of all Powys lies wherever you are’.} a patron saint is he.^{19 Mae pwys ein tir, mabsant yw⁠ The -b- in mabsant becomes voiceless under the influence of -s-, therefore completing the consonantal cynghanedd in this line, see CD 211–12.}⁠
David^{20 Dewi⁠ See l. 19n.} will drive away a black host,
and there will be an entirely white host for us.
Not one patron saint would be found
from the crowd without making them into captains:^{21 Heb eu tynnu’n gapteniaid⁠ The -t- in gapteniaid causes lenition to -p-, therefore completing the consonantal cynghanedd in this line, see CD 212–13.}⁠
45Cynog’s torque,^{22 torch Gynog⁠ Cynog, the foremost saint of Brycheiniog, was renowned for having a marvellous torque. It was kept at Merthyr Cynog, where it was seen by Gerald of Wales on his journey through Wales in 1188. Both Hywel Dafi and Dafydd Epynt praised it as a gift from heaven. It was presumably destroyed at the Reformation. Further, see MWPSS poems 14 and 15.} strike down strife^{23 Torch Gynog, trycha gynnen⁠ Cf. Hywel Dafi in his poem for Cynog, MWPSS 14.39–40 Torch o nef, trychu a wnaeth / Trwy filaen, twrf o alaeth ‘A torque from heaven, it sliced through / The villein, a clamour of lamentation’.}⁠
against every old oppression, raise the siege!^{24 tor y sis⁠ A passage that probably stands apart from the main sentence, which follows on from the first line of the couplet. Tor y sis ar bob trais hen ‘Raise the siege on every old oppression’ does not seem meaningful in this context, for raising the siege would simply aid the enemy. On sis, a form of sîj ‘siege’, see GPC Ar Lein s.v.}⁠
Fair Cynidr,^{25 Cynydr⁠ A form of ⁠Cynidr⁠, patron saint of a number of churches in Brycheiniog.} good old protector,^{26 awdur⁠ See GPC Ar Lein s.v. (b) ‘protector, patron’.}⁠
beat the most cruel enemies!
May he who has faith in the Rood
50wear the merciful Son’s cuirass.^{27 Ll. 49–50. See ll. 53–6n. The words y mab ‘the son’ could refer to Cynidr, but Christ is more likely, cf. ll. 60.}⁠
Blessed and fair Christ’s standard
is by every fair cross, [and] a throne.^{28 ystâl⁠ ‘Throne’, but ‘company, throng’ is also possible, see GPC Ar Lein s.v. stâl (a), (b).}⁠
On battlefields Jesus’s weapons
vanquish serpents;
55let us, if we go out of doors,
wear these if that is true.^{29 Ll. 53–6. See Isaiah 59.17, ‘[The Lord] put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak’; Ephesians 6.13–17, ‘take up the whole armour of God … having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith … and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.’ The reference to [g]orfod sarffod ‘vanquishing serpents’ brings to mind Luke 10.19, ‘Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy’, as well as the iconic serpent in the Garden of Eden, see Genesis 3.}⁠
If they allow it, Mary’s vestment^{30 [g]wisg Mair⁠ A proper name would usually mutate following a feminine noun, that is wisg Fair⁠, see TC 107–8; cf. l. 45 torch Gynog⁠. The consonantal cynghanedd in this line may have distorted the common rule, or Huw Cae Llwyd may have understood gwisg as a masculine noun, see GPC Ar Lein s.v.}⁠
which remains over the people of Wales is suitable to be worn.
It’s a great failure for us to lose [the support of] a virgin
60 [from] whom came the one Son for our sake.
No one gave us a charter guaranteeing a home
except God and the saints by His grace.
If we were for a time (our own fault)
in hiding, with mankind lamenting,
65may God set up^{31 stofed⁠ Third singular imperative form of ystofi, see GPC Ar Lein s.v. ystofaf⁠1 (b). As for the meaning, the edition follows CO3⁠ 102, 199 ‘plan, plot’ and GBF 301 ‘trefnu’ (‘to plan’).} His chamber
with us – let Him be better observed!

Rhoddodd Duw waredigaeth i’n gwledydd:
rhai saint da sydd ar gerdded,
llais mynachod, llu ysbrydol,
llawenhawn, bob llu, ar eu hôl.
5Onid oedd yn ffodus pan dynnai
saint ni o’i rhwym, y seintwar hen?
Rhwym dedfryd drwy’r trefi,
aeth y rhwym bellach yn rhydd.
A oes unrhyw wlad na thyngodd [ei thrigolion] lw
10a pheidio â chadw hwnnw wedi hynny?
Wedi ein rhoi i gyd yn y rhwyd,
o’n perygl fe’n purwyd yn llwyr.
Troi [i’r ffydd] ac erfyn am drugaredd
mae’r byw a’r marw o’r bedd.
15Saint y wlad a roddodd lef,
saint Enlli acw sy’n llefain yr un fath.
Rhoddodd yr Arglwydd dyrchafedig
rodd o’r nef i’r rhyddhau ni.
Aeth Dewi ein tad, prelad doeth,
20ato, Rhobert, â rhybudd,
gŵr o’r un cnawd â’r Gŵr a’i creodd
a roddodd bopeth i’r esgobaeth.
Ni bu ei wyneb ef fyth
heb wên deg i’n bendithio;
25nid gwlad oedd hon tra nad oedd unrhyw les
mewn rhoi’r gyffes rhag uffern.
Wedi ei weddi roeddem
yn gweld nef yn ein gwlad ni.

Gyrrodd gŵr gynt, haeddiannau a gafwyd,
30Goraniaid o’n hynys.
Bu dŵr sanctaidd yn eli yn yr achos hwnnw
dros dai’r bobl ddoeth, dros dir a chyfoeth.
Gyrrwn ninnau Goraniaid
a thwyll o’n plith, ein llu sy’n well;
35dygwn lle mae’n orchudd
ddŵr sanctaidd i gloi drysau ein gwlad.
Delwau a’r llu yn eu dilyn,
banerau saint – dyma yw gras.
Mae pwysau ein tir y tu ôl i faner
40sant o Fynyw, mabsant yw.
Fe yrra Dewi lu du ymhell,
a llu hollol wyn a gawn ni.
Ni ellid cael un mabsant o’r dorf
heb eu gwneud yn gapteiniaid:
45torch Cynog, trywana gynnen
yn erbyn bob hen ormes, coda’r gwarchae!
Cynidr teg, hen amddiffynnwr da,
cura’r gelynion creulonaf!
Boed i’r sawl a gred yn y Grog
50wisgo curas y Mab trugarog.
Ceir baner Crist bendigaid a theg,
ceir gorsedd, wrth bob croes deg.
Mae arfau Iesu ar feysydd
yn gorchfygu seirff;
55os awn allan o dŷ, gadewch i ni
wisgo’r rhain os yw hynny’n wir.
Os caniatânt hynny, mae gwisg Mair
a bery dros Gymry yn weddus i’w gwisgo.
Methiant mawr i ni yw colli [cymorth] morwyn
60y bu [ohoni] yr un Mab er ein mwyn.
Ni roddodd neb i ni siartr ar dŷ
ond Duw a’r saint drwy Ei ras Ef.
Os buom am ysbaid (ein bai ni)
yn cuddio, a’r hil ddynol yn cwyno,
65boed i Dduw drefnu ei ystafell
gyda ni – boed iddo gael Ei barchu’n well!