BARDIC PHILOSOPHY

Three things from which never to be moved:
Ones' oaths;Ones' Gods,and the truth.
The three highest of causes of the true human are:Truth,Honour,and Duty.
The three candles that illuminate every darkness:Truth,Nature,and Knowledge.

TRI CHOF YNYS BRYDAIN

(Bardic Responsibilities)

the office and funtion of the British or Cambrian Bards was to keep and preserve "Tri Chof Ynys Brydain":that is the three records or memorials of Britain,or which is otherwise called the British Antiquity,which consists of three parts...The one of the said three Cof is the history of the noteable acts of the kings and princes of this land of Britain and Cambria;and the second of the three Cof is the language of the Britons for which the Bards ought to give account for every word and syllable therein when they are demanded thereof and to preserve the ancient tongue and not to intermix it with any foriegn tongue,And the third Cof was,to keep the genealogies or decent of the nobilty,thier division of lands and thier arms.

BARDIC POETRY

My tongue is not free in the Place of the Goddess,
For Her glory is the offering of milk,
Of dew,
Of acorns.

(Author unknown)

I praise the one who,
To keep gaurd over me,
Did bestow my seven senses,
From fire and earth,
Water and air.
One is for instinct,
Two is for feeling,
Three is for speaking,
Four is for tasting,
Five is for seeing,
Six is for hearing,
Seven is for smelling.

(Author unknown)

DINDSENCHAS

Gabal Glas,Son of Ethadon,Son of Nuada Argallainn,took away a bundle of twigs,which Ainge,the Daghdas' daughter,had gathered to make a drochta thereof.For the drochta which the Daghda used to make,would not cease from dripping while the sea was in flood,though not a drop came out of it during the ebb.

(Author unknown)

I have become a predicting bard...
I have been with skillfull men,
With Math and Govannan,
With Eunydd and Elstron...
I have been a sow,
I have been a buck,
I have been a sage,
I have been a snout,
I have been a horn,
I have been a wild sow,
I have been a shout in a battle...

I have been a cat with a speckled head on three trees.
I have been a well filled crane bag,a sight to behold.
I am harmonious;
I am a clear singer;
I am a Druid.
I an a serpent of wisdom,;
I am love...
I am a depository of song...
I am a bard in the hall,
A chick in the Chair.

Three times I have been born,
I know by meditation;
Anyone would be foolish not to come and obtain all the sciences from the world at my breast.
For I know what has been,
What in the future will occur.
I know all the names of the stars from north to south;
I have been in the galaxy at the throne of the distributor.
I have been three periods in the prison of Arainrhod...

I am a wonder whose origin is not known.
I have obtained the muse from the cauldron of Cerridwen...

I have been an instructor to all intelligences,
I am able to intruct the whole universe.
I shall be until the day of doom on the face of the earth;
Nor is it known if my body is of flesh or of fish.

Firstly I was formed in the shape of a hansome man,
In the Hall of Cerridwen where I was refined.
Though small and modest in my behavior,
I became great in her lofty sanctuary.

While I was held prisoner,
Sweet inspiration educated me.
Laws were imparted to me in speech without words;
But I had to flee from the angry,terrrible hag,
Whose outcry was terrifying.
Conspicuuous when came from the cauldron
The three inspirations of Cerridwen...

Taliesin the Elder

Y GEIR YN ERBYN BYD

Midst cliffs eternal,
Whose strength defied
The crested roman in his hour of pride,
Where Druids ancient Cromlech frowned
And the Oak breathed mysterious murmurs 'round;

There dwelt inspired men of yore,
'Neath plain and hieght,
In th Eye of Light,
And bearing unto Gwynvydd each noble head,
Where none else might tread!