Notes

GDG 57

The poet in this short cywydd conveys his great love for Morfudd and enthusiastically describes her beauty and fair complexion. She, however, chooses to reject his advances and he fears that her refusal to meet him will led to his untimely death. The poet suggests that her refusal stems from her religious devotion, and Dafydd ap Gwilym in poem 129 'Pererindod Merch' seems to imply that Morfudd was a nun by calling. Another explanation for the rejection might be that Morfudd at this time was married (line 21).

Although this well–known poem is only attributed to Dafydd ap Gwilym in the extant manuscripts, Thomas Parry expressed doubts as to its authenticity. These, however, did not prevent him from including it in his edition of 1952. Thomas Parry drew attention to the poem's simple style and diction, and he further noted that BM 48 was the only early source. Morfudd is mentioned on two occasions but Thomas Parry acknowledges that Dafydd ap Gwilym's popularity as a love poet could have induced a later poet to adopt the same name. E.I. Rowlands on the other hand confidently attributed the poem to Dafydd ap Gwilym. He argued that the reference to Eithinfynydd was genuine and that several independent sources confirmed that Morfudd was connected with Merionethshire, see LlC 6 (1960–1), 105–8. D.J. Bowen supported this interpretation, see LlC 14 (1981–4), 186–7, and Gruffudd Aled Williams more recently expressed his agreement in 'The literary tradition to c. 1560', History of Merioneth ii, ed. J. Beverley Smith and Llinos Beverley Smith (Cardiff, 2001), 541.

1. Eithinfynydd   A farm located between Llanuwchllyn and Dolgellau in Meirionethshire is known by this name, see GDG 490. The name is also linked with a dwelling near Tal–y–bont in the western part of the county, see Gruffydd Aled Williams art.cit., 541.