The Thirteen Treasures of Britain Part 1
Who were the actual owners attributed to the treasures?
The Thirteen Treasure of Britain are a source of endless fascination for many, myself included. Various esoteric readings have gone into the treasures over the years, attributing connections to various gods or concepts. Instead of diving headfirst into esoterica (which would probably fill a book after sorting through all the theories and possibilities) I want to take a look at two of the earliest surviving manuscripts featuring them, Peniarth MS. 51 and Peniarth MS. 60. Peniarth MS. 51 dates to 1460 roughly written by the Bard Gwilym Tew. Because of the late nature of the manuscript all of the treasures are rather late additions to Arthuriana, but it is unlikely that Gwilym invented them himself, and as is the case with much of Welsh legendary matter there is the possibility that it is quite a bit older. Peniarth MS. 51 does not give descriptions of any of the Treasures, only their names and owners, so I will be adding the additional context for each item given in Peniarth MS. 60, which dates to roughly 1500. The most interesting factor about Peniarth MS. 51, and what makes it relevant to my work here, is that Gwilym explicitly states in the heading for the segment in the manuscript that “The names of the thirteen treasures which were in the North.” Peniarth MS. 60 similarly heads the segment on the treasures “Here are the names of the thirteen treasures from the North”. With an initial glance at the most accessible versions of the treasures found in most works only eight are obviously northern, however, looking at the earliest versions I think a case can be made that almost all of the mentioned owners were Men of the North. That is not to say there aren’t deeper earlier mythological roots, but the men attributed as owners are fairly easily placed between then 4th and 6th centuries A.D.
LLEN ARTHUR
Peniarth MS. 51: Arthur’s mantle.
Peniarth MS. 60: The first was Arthyr’s mantle. Unseen [was he] who might be under it, and he would see everybody.
From the most readily available (and later) versions the emendation “yng Nghernyw” is added, clarifying ‘In Cornwall’. This I would suspect is an attempt by the writers to place Arthur where common knowledge said he was at the time, influenced by post-Galfridian sentiment. Much like Bromwich, Breeze and others have concluded, the earliest Arthur seems to belong to a Northern context instead. I have taken this a step further of course in my research, and believe it may be the Coeling Prince Arthwys ap Mar who was the kernel of truth behind the later Arthur. This later Arthur morphs into a high-medieval amalgam of many different figures however. Arthur’s mantle is later described in The Dream of Rhonabwy as “a mantle of ribbed brocaded silk. And he spread the mantle in front of Arthur, and an apple of red gold at each of its corners”
KLEDDE RHYDDERCH HAEL
Peniarth MS. 51: The sword of Rhydderch the Generous.
Peniarth MS. 60: Dyrwyn, the sword of Rhydderch the Generous: If anybody but himself drew it, it would burst into fire from its cross to its point.
Dyrnwyn is the first obviously northern treasure. A magic sword whose name means ‘White-Hilt’. Rhydderch was king of Alt Clut in the mid to late 6th century, descended from Ceredig Wledig, who is the Coroticus Saint Patrick chastised in a letter, lamenting that his warbands were “fellow citizens of the devils” and “glutting themselves with the blood of innocent Christians”. Rhydderch himself features in “Vita Sancti Columbae” and heavily in “Life of St Kentigern” as St. Kentigern’s patron.
MWYS GWYDDNO
Peniarth MS. 51: The Hamper of Gwyddno.
Peniarth MS. 60: The Hamper of Gwyddno Garanhir (Longshank): The food of a man would go into it; the food of a hundred men would be got from it.
The earliest version gives no epithet for Gwyddno, and probably represents Gwyddno the father of Elffin mentioned in Bonedd Gwŷr y Gogledd in Dyfnwal Hen’s line, making him a cousin of Rhydderch. Eventually he is equated with the semi-legendary Gwyddno Garanhir, both in the pedigrees and seen here in the Thirteen Treasures. These later legends associate him with the coast of Meirionnydd and Ceredigion, though “Porth Wyddno in the North” mentioned in the triads strengthens the earlier northern association. This is also an example of a fairly common scenario of transplanting figures from the Hen Ogledd to more familiar territory in Wales.
KORN BRAN
4. Peniarth MS. 51: The Horn of Brân.
Peniarth MS. 60: The Horn of Brân the Miser: The drink wished for would be found in it.
Brân is somewhat harder to place, but a few sources associate him with the north. Bonedd Yr Arwyr calls him “Bran Galad or Gogledd”. He is further associated with the northern figure Brân ab Ymellyrn, in the pedigree Kynan ap Bran Galed ap Emellyr ap Kynwyd Kynwydion recorded by Gruffudd Hiraethog, making him a grandson of Cynwyd ap Cynfelyn ab Arthwys. It is possible that Bran ap Dyfnwal Moelmud, a distant cousin could be the same as Brân the Miser, however the association with Bran ap Ymellyrn seems stronger.
KAR MORGAN MWYNVAWR
5. Peniarth MS. 51: The Car of Morgan the Wealthy.
Peniarth MS. 60: ...[missing]... Where he wished he would be.
The segment naming and partially elaborating here is missing, however almost all other manuscripts agree on the following
“The Car of Morgan the Wealthy: Whoever went into it and wished to be where he desired, he would be”
Morgan the Wealthy or Morgan Mwynfawr is also an example that is often misattributed as a southern figur. In this case, it is easy to explain why. Iolo Morganwg attributed the epither Mwynfawr on Morgan ab Athrwys of Gwent, which as Batrum points out has little authority. Much of Iolo’s manuscripts are known forgeries, and Iolo took liberties with associating figures who were less known to him with more familiar places, often close to where he in particular lived. This misattribution has lead to Morgan ab Athrwys often being given the epithet Mwynfawr erroneously, and has even been repeated by academics misled unknowingly. Morgan Mwynfawr is more easily identified with Morgan ap Tudwal, a brother of Rhydderch Hael as given in the Hanesyn Hen pedigrees. It is likely that this is the Morcant that is responsible for the assassination of Urien Rheged, as well as the Morken seen in The Life of St. Kentigern. Morgan may be the same man as Mynyddog Mwynfawr the Chieftain of the Gododdin ruling during the infamous Battle of Catraeth c. 580. My friend
has pointed out in his work that Morgan/Morken likely had a disease similar to gout, being associated with a Carriage of some kind makes even more sense.KYLLYLL LLAWFRODEDD
6. Peniarth MS. 51: The Knife of Llawvrodedd.
Peniarth MS. 60: The Knife of Llawfrodedd the Horseman (which) would serve the twenty four men at the table.
Llawvrodedd is harder to place, but not impossible. He appears both in The Dream of Rhonabwy and Culhwch and Olwen, but these give no real geographical information, and because of their late nature it is uncertain as to whether any would be genuine or not. The triads however do tell us that he tended the herd of Nudd Hael, a cousin of Rhydderch placing him within Alt Clut’s influence.
Chronological Considerations
Interestingly almost all of these figures belong to the later half of the 6th century, except for Arthur, and almost all of these men have some association with the Kingdom of Alt Clut, with Rhydderch, Morgan, Gwyddno, and Lawfrodedd having clear associations to it. Bran though it seems at first glance would appear to be a Coeling, however there is some contention whether Cynwyd Cynwydion is Cynfelyn ab Arthwys’ son or in fact Cynwyd the father of Dyfnwal Hen, which would instead associate him with Alt Clut as well. Part two features a more scattered chronology, as well as two figures of dubious historicity. Stay tuned for that article later this week!
Wonderful essay. I love the pictures that go with it. Really excited to get a copy of your book. Keep up the great work. John