White Book of Rhydderch

The White Book of Rhydderch ( Welsh: Llyfr Gwyn Rhydderch [ ɬivr gwin ' ŗeðerx ], English: White Book of Rhydderch ) is one of the most famous collections of art in mittelkymrischer language. It was written in the first half of the 14th century and is one of the earliest collections of Welsh prose, but also contains some examples of early Welsh poetry. The manuscript is now in the collections of the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth.

History and content

The earlier one-volume manuscript is now bound in two volumes, which are called Peniarth MS 4 and MS 5 Peniarth. Peniarth MS 4 contains the Welsh tales known as Peder Keinc y Mabinogi ( " The Four Branches of the Mabinogi " ) are known ( with the exception of Breuddwyd Rhonabwy, " Rhonabwys Dream" ), Peniarth MS contains 5 (the first part of the original manuscript ) religious texts in Welsh, most of which are translated from the Latin. Templates were the Imago Mundi of Honorius Chronicle of Autun, as well as apocryphal (such as the pseudo - Gospel of Matthew ) and hagiographic writings.

The White Paper was copied mid-14th century, probably from Ieuan Llwyd for Rhydderch (* 1325, † 1400 ) of Parcrhydderch from the parish Llangeitho in Ceredigion. Rhydderch, who comes from a family with a long tradition of literary patronage, held offices under the British crown and was also an authority on Welsh law. The manuscript has the handwriting of five writers, probably from the Strata Florida Abbey, which lies not far from Rhydderchs home.