Aberystwyth National Library of Wales Llanstephan MS 117

1. Home
2. Manuscript
3. Aberystwyth National Library of Wales Llanstephan MS 117

Manuscript Identification
Reference Number	Welsh8
Location	Aberystwyth, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru
Siglum/Shelfmark	Llanstephan MS 117 (formerly Shirburn MS D. 30)
Page/Folio range	151v-162v

Textual Content and Tradition
Standardised title of narrative	Ystori Saith Doethion Rufain
Incipit or textual title	Llyma ddechre chwedyl y vii wyr doethion or Rvfn; gynt yr rroedd ymerod yn Rvfain aelwid diaklesian a hwnw oedd gwedi mawr oi wraic...
Version (siglum)	A (Seven Sages)
└ Language Group within Version	Welsh Version A: Chwedleu Seith Doethon Rufein
└ Narrative/Scholarly Group within Version	Early Modern and Modern Welsh Version A
└ Further scholarly subgroup (1)
└ Further scholarly subgroup (2)
Translated/adapted from (Version/Text)
Source for information on textual relationship to broader tradition	Lewis (1925, 1958, 1967)

Languages
Language of text	Welsh
Regional or specific Language of text
Source for regional or specific Language of text

Digitisation and Editions
Digitisation	Https://viewer.library.wales/5708565 (https://viewer.library.wales/5708565#?xywh=-1%2C-3812%2C5551%2C15494&cv=327)
Modern Editions	Lewis, Y Seithwyr Doethion (1925)

Note

Lewis notes that the usual name of the third master, Bankarrios/Painkaros rather than Lentulus, is an anomaly shared with NLW Cardiff MS 3.4 (RMWL Cardiff MS 5), The Book of Elis Gruffydd. Whether than suggests a relationship between the two texts (e.g., Cardiff MS 3.4/ MS 5 as a source for Llanstephan 117?) is not discussed (Lewis (1925, 1958, 1967), p. 29). In his description of this manuscript, Lewis notes that this text is 'mostly illegible' and 'incomplete' - both the narrative and the manuscript cut off abruptly part of the way through the Senescalcus story (Lewis 1925, 1958, 1967) (p. 29). This seems to be borne out by Evan's description of the explicit: 'ef a erchis y medic iddo geisio gwraic yn wely ac ynte aechis yw ystiwart logi rwraic iddo ir ic pvnt ac yn yr ystiward a naeth o chwant yda' [He asked the physician to get a woman for him in bed, and he asked the steward to hire a woman for him for one pound, and the steward did so out of desire...] (Evans 1903, p. 579). (Examination of the digitised manuscript, linked above, appears to confirm this as well.) See Evans (1903), pp. 568-579 for more details. (Added by Jane Bonsall)

Authorship and Production
Scribe	Ieuan ap William ap Dafydd ap Einws
Author
Place of Manuscript Production
Date of Manuscript Production	1544 - 1552
Source of Date of Manuscript Production	NLW catalogue: https://archifau.llyfrgell.cymru/index.php/miscellanea-133, Evans (1903)

Physical Description
Material	Paper
Total pages/folios in Manuscript	162
Height
Width
Script style/form
Prose or verse	Prose
Illustrations	No

Contents and Additional Texts

Other texts in the Manuscript

The description of the manuscript in the NLW catalogue is non-specific and does not mention the Saith Doethion Rufain by name: A manuscript containing poetry (pp. 17-42), the poets including Taliesin, Iolo Goch, Dafydd ab Edmwnt and others, with poetry included also within other sections of the text; triads attributed to Taliesin (p. 16); the Rood legend (pp. 97-103); apocryphal gospels (pp. 104-153, 259-269, 272, 274-276); the Purgatory of Patrick (pp. 202-212); lives of saints (pp. 161-187); proverbs and adages, etc. (pp. 10-12, 14-15, 299-300); prayers (pp. 13, 238-250, 255); vocabulary (pp. 95-96); a planisphere, calendar, planetary tables and other astrological material (pp. 43-86, 89-90, 281-291); interpretation of dreams (pp. 91, 94); palmistry (pp. 92-93); directions concerning bleeding, medical recipes, etc. (pp. 1-9, 87-88, 236, 277-280, 300c-301). Evans (1903), pp. 568-79 offers more detail.

Catalogues and Research Literature
Catalogue	https://archifau.llyfrgell.cymru/index.php/miscellanea-133
Modern Research Literature	Lewis (1925), Lewis (1925, 1958, 1967), Evans (1903)

Pattern of embedded stories in this manuscript

Has Short Title Has Sequence Number Has Narrator Has Name Variation Arbor – The Tree 1 Empress   Canis – The Faithful Dog 2 Bancillas Bantillas Aper – The Boar and the Fruit 3 Empress   Medicus – The Doctor 4 Auguste Augustus Gaza – The Treasure 5 Empress   Puteus – The Well 6 Bankarios Painkaros Ramus 7 Empress   Roma and Lupus 8 Malquidras Malcwidas Virgilius – Virgil's Marvels 9 Empress   Vidua – The Widow 10 Caton Cato Sapientes – The Wise Men 11 Empress   Inclusa – The Imprisoned Wife 12 Jesse   Copy Embedded Stories Copy Embedded Stories × Select Target Page: Close Process

Research Material
Has Research Material Title Has Research Material Link Has Research Material Description