Notes

GDG 18

Gruffudd ab Adda, who probably hailed from Powys Wenwynwyn, was a poet and a musician. His few extant poems are listed in MFGLl 979. They include his cywydd to the birch tree which has been felled and taken from its natural habitat to serve as may–pole in the town of Llanidloes (in Arwystli in Powys Wenwynwyn), see DGG poem LXV. Gruffudd's skill as a musician is suggested by the comparison with the nightingale in the opening part of Dafydd's cywydd, and the tune 'Cainc Gruffudd ab Adda' included in the compilation prepared by Robert ap Huw in the 17th c. also bears witness to his work as a musician. Although Dafydd implies that Gruffudd was of noble descent (line 47) his name was not recorded in the genealogy books.

David John frequently annotated the poems he recorded in BM 29. He noted that Gruffudd ab Adda was killed in Dolgellau and that he himself had seen the skull from which those who suffered from cough used to drink. According to another tradition, recorded in M 212, Gruffudd ab Adda, who is described as one of Dafydd ap Gwilym's companions, was killed in Dolgellau on account of his wife.

Rachel Bromwich argued that this elegy, and likewise Dafydd's elegies to Gruffudd Gryg and to Madog Benfras, were fictitious on account of the satirical and humorous elements which they contain, see SPDG 181–2; APDG 160–1; also introductory note to poem 20. Thomas Parry in GDG 460 had previously drawn attention to the parallel between Gruffudd's murder and the killing of a goose (line 49) and he was also of the opinion that this marwnad was fictitious. Huw M. Edwards in his recent discussion on this genre of poems supported Rachel Bromwich's view, see 'Murnio marwnadau: golwg ar y ffug–farwnad yng nghyfnod y cywydd', Dwned 5 (1999), 47–79, whereas Alan Llwyd in HGDG 136 believed that the elegy was genuine and contained no humorous references.

Two versions, H 26 and Pen 49, derive from the Vetustus, and the following versions also derive either directly or indirectly from the same source: C 7, M 212, NLW 560, Ll 14, BL 14890. The line order corresponds in these versions but the last group (with the exception of C 7) include an additional couplet (lines 37–8) which contains valuable information about Gruffudd although it could be argued that the lines were added at a later date in the light of traditions associated with the poet's death. The earliest source in which the poem was recorded is Pen 110. Thomas Parry was not aware of this version and he based his edition on H 26 and Pen 49. Several readings recorded in Pen 110 (which also contains lines 37–8) have been included in this new edition.