"Early Stone Fortifications in Wales and elsewhere," which will be delivered in the month of January. A Paper by Mr. Brynmôr Jones, Q.C., M.P., on "Some Aspects of Early Social Life in Wales," based on studies which the Lecturer and Principal Rhys have undertaken in connection with a recent Welsh Governmental Enquiry. A Paper by Mr. Isaac Foulkes (Llyfrbryf), Liverpool, on "Hen Argraphwyr Cymru." A Paper on "Geoffrey of Monmouth," by Professor W. Lewis Jones, of Bangor, which it is hoped may lead to the issue of a new edition of the works of that writer..

It is proposed to hold the Annual Dinner on Monday, the 28th of November, and the Council have great pleasure in making known that the Right Hon. Lord Kenyon (whose family were connected with this Society at its earliest inception) has accepted an invitation to preside on the occasion.

During the year the following Publications have been issued to Members:

:

Part 2 of Owen's Pembrokeshire consisting of Collections for Pembrokeshire-List of Pembrokeshire Manors-Catalogue and Genealogy of the Lords of Kemes-Kemes TractsInquisitio Post Mortem, William Owen and George Owen -The Description of Milford Haven-Milford Tracts. (Presented to members by the Editor, Mr. Henry Owen, F.S.A.)

Volume xii of Y Cymmrodor containing "The Court of the President and Council of Wales and the Marches from 1478

to 1575," by Judge Lewis; "Offa's and Wat's Dykes," by Mr. A. N. Palmer; and a paper un "Celtic Art," by Mr. T. H. Thomas, R.C.A.

The Transactions for the Session 1896-7, containing the following papers :-An Article on "Music in Wales," by Mr. Joseph Bennett; "Domestic and Decorative Art in Wales," by Mr. Thomas E. Ellis, M.P. ; “Suggestions as to the Fuller Study of Owen Glyndwr," by Owen Rhoscomyl and Mr. Hubert Hall, F.S.A.; and an address on Recent Developments in Welsh Education," by the Rev. G. Hartwell Jones, M.A.

The Society is indebted to one of its Members, Mr. Robert Williams, F.R.I.B.A., for a series of Illustrations to the Article on "Domestic and Decorative Art in Wales."

With regard to forthcoming Publications, the Council beg to report that the Transactions for the Year (which will shortly be issued) contains the following Papers: Early Welsh Bibliography," by Mr. J. H. Davies, M.A., with facsimile Illustrations of the Titlepages of the earliest printed Welsh Books; and an Illustrated "History of John Wilkinson and the Old Bersham Iron Works," by Mr. Alfred Neobard Palmer, the wellknown local historian of Wrexham. Also the interesting Paper by Miss Mary Owen (Mrs. Ellis J. Griffith) on "Welsh Folk Music," as well as Mr. F. C. Conybeare's important Contribution to the "History of the Early British Church."

For the first part of the New Series of Y Cymmrodor the following Papers are in course of production, viz. :— "A Bibliographical Account of the Works of Vicar Prichard," by Mr. John Ballinger, of the Cardiff Free Libraries; a collation of the Welsh Manuscript Society's Edition of the Cambro-British Saints by Professor Kuno Meyer; and a number of original Documents from the Record Office illustrating the late Judge Lewis's article on The Court of the President and Council of Wales and the Marches," edited by Mr. D. Lleufer Thomas.

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Considerable difficulty has been experienced by the Council in obtaining an absolutely accurate transcript of The Black Book of St. David's. Arrangements have been made with Mr. W. K. Boyd (a well-known expert) to collate the Copy with the Text and to correct all errors of the press. It is to be hoped that the Text, together with Mr. Willis-Bund's translation, will appear early in the ensuing year.

The Council have much gratification in announcing that

definite arrangements have been made with the Rev. Professor Hugh Williams, M.A., of Bala, for the production of a new Edition of Gildas. The Text and the Translation are in the printer's hands and will be issued as early as possible as a first part.

The second part will consist of an important Introductory Essay by Professor Williams, dealing with the book and its place in Literature, the authors who make use of it and their object in doing so, the attempt to fix the approximate date of the work, the author's motives and aims, and the light thrown by the work on the Invasion of Britain by the Irish, Picts and Saxons, and the Christianising of Britain, and the story of its Church Usages.

Considerable progress has been made by Mr. Edward Owen, F.S.A., with the Catalogue of Manuscripts relating to Wales at the British Museum which he is preparing for the Society. The Council hope to issue the Catalogue in parts in the course of the ensuing year.

The Council desire to record their special thanks to the Marquess of Bute (the President of the Society) and the Marchioness of Bute for the most generous and hospitable manner in which they entertained the Members at their London House at the close of the last Session.

During the year the Cardiff Corporation, with the support of other Local Bodies, promoted a Memorial to Her Majesty the Queen in Council with the object of obtaining a recognition of the Armorial Bearings of Wales on the National Standard. The Council of this Society, being approached on the subject, expressed their willingness to give the movement such independent support as might be deemed expedient should the matter take a practical shape. Recently, however, in deference to an opinion expressed by the Marquess of Salisbury, in which he hoped that the question would not at the present time

X

be pressed, it has been deemed inexpedient to take any further prominent action at this juncture. The Council hold themselves open, however, to render such assistance to the movement in the future as they may deem fit and necessary.

With a view to assisting the movement recently initiated by the Welsh Industries Association, which has for its object the encouragement and development of Local Industries in Wales, the Council have arranged for the Meeting already referred to in the earlier part of this Report, and they trust that the Members will endeavour to show their appreciation of the efforts made by giving their presence at the Meeting.

The Council desire to acknowledge the following presents received for the Library, viz. :—

Volume I of Owen's Pembrokeshire, being No. 1 of the Cymmrodorion Record Series, presented by the Editor, Mr. Henry Owen, F.S A.

By-gones, presented by Messrs. Woodall, Minshall and Co.

Under the Society's Rules the terms of Office of the following Officers expire, viz. :-The President, the Vice-Presidents, and the Auditors, and ten members of the Council retire in accordance with Rule 4, viz. :—

HENRY OWEN, F.S.A.

ISAMBARD OWEN, M.D., M. A.
EGERTON PHILLIMORE, M.A.
JOHN RHYS, LL.D., M.A.
FREDK. T. ROBERTS, M.A.
H. LLOYD ROBERTS.

R. ARTHUR ROBERTS, M.A.
RICHARD ROBERTS, B.A.
J. ROMILLY ALLEN, F.S.A.
D. LLEUFER THOMAS, B.A.

The Financial Statement for the year is appended to

this Report.

Cheque Book