Another noble lady who was greatly interested in Welsh Antiquities, was the late Dowager Lady Kensington; and her Ladyship, had she lived, intended to write down for me a few Pembrokeshire local traditions that she knew in order to record them in this book.

In an interesting long letter written to me from Bothwell Castle, Lanarkshire, dated September 9th, 1909, her Ladyship, referring to Welsh Traditions and Folk-Lore, says: I always think that such things should be prescrved and collected now, before the next generation lets them go! .. home in October for India, for three months." for India in October, but sad to say, died there in January; but her remains were brought home and buried at St. Bride's, Pembrokeshire. On the date of her death I had a remarkable dream, which I have recorded in this book, see page 277.

"I am leaving She did leave home

I tender my very best thanks to Evelyn, Countess of Lisburne, for so much kindness and respect, and of whom I think very highly as a noble lady who deserves to be specially mentioned; and also the young Earl of Lisburne, and Lady Enid Vaughan, who have been friends to me even from the time when they were children.

I am equally indebted to Colonel Davies-Evans, the esteemed Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire, and Mrs. Davies-Evans, in particular, whose kindness I shall never forget. I have on several occasions had the great pleasure and honour of being their guest at Highmead.

I am also very grateful to my warm friends the Powells of Nanteos, and also to Mrs. A. Crawley-Boevey, Birchgrove, Crosswood, sister of Countess Lisburne.

Other friends who deserve to be mentioned are, Sir Edward and Lady Webley-Parry-Pryse, of Gogerddan; Sir John and Lady Williams, Plas, Llanstephan (now of Aberystwyth); General Sir James and Lady Hills-Johnes, and Mrs. Johnes of Dolaucothy (who have been my friends for nearly twenty years); the late Sir Lewis Morris, Penbryn; Lady Evans, Lovesgrove; Colonel Lambton, Brownslade, Pem.: Colonel and Mrs. Gwynne-Hughes, of Glancothy; Mrs. Wilmot Inglis-Jones; Capt. and Mrs. Bertie Davies-Evans; Mr. and Mis. Loxdale, Castle Hill, Llanilar; Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd, Waunifor; Mrs. WebleyTyler, of Glanhelig; Archdeacon Williams, of Aberystwyth; Professor Tyrell Green, Lampeter; Dr. Hughes, and Dr. Rees, of Llanilar; Rev. J. F. Lloyd, vicar of Llanilar, the energetic secretary of the Cardiganshire Antiquarian Society; Rev. Joseph

Jordanston, Fishguard;

Rev.

Evans, Rector of W. J. Williams, Vicar of Llanafan; Rev. H. M. Williams, Vicar of Lledrod; Rev. J. N. Evans, Vicar of Llangybi; Rev. T. Davies, Vicar of Llanddewi Brefi; Rev. Rhys Morgan, C.M. Minister, Llanddewi Brefi; Rev. J. Phillips, Vicar of Llancynfelyn; Rev. J. Morris, Vicar, Llanybyther; Rev. W. M. Morgan-Jones (late of Washington, U.S.A.); Rev. G. Eyre Evans, Aberystwyth; Rev. Z. M. Davies, Vicar of Llanfihangel Geneu'r Glyn; Rev. J. Jones, Curate of Nantgaredig; Rev. Prys Williams (Brythonydd) Baptist Minister in Carmarthenshire; Rev. D. G. Williams, Congregational Minister, St. Clears (winner of the prize at the National Eisteddfod, for the best essay on the Folk-Lore of Carmarthen); Mr. William Davies, Talybont (winner of the prize at the National Eisteddfod for the best essay on the FolkLore of Merioneth); Mr. Roderick Evans, J.P., Lampeter; Rev. G. Davies, Vicar of Blaenpenal; Mr. Stedman-Thomas (deceased), Carmarthen, and others in all parts of the country too numerous to be mentioned here. Many other names appear in the body of my book, more especially aged persons from whom I obtained information.

Llanilar, Cardiganshire.

March 18th, 1911.

JONATHAN CEREDIG DAVIES.

CHAPTER I.

LOVE CUSTOMS AND OMEN SEEKING.

"Pwy sy'n caru, a phwy sy'n peidio,
A phwy sy'n troi hen gariad heibio."

Who loves, and who loves not,

And who puts off his old love?

NDOUBTEDLY, young men and young women all
over the world from the time of Adam to the present
day, always had, and still have, their modes or
ways of associating or keeping company with one
another whilst they are in love, and
in love, and waiting
wedding day. In
but I am happy to

for, and looking forward to, the bright
Wales, different modes of courting prevail;
state the old disgraceful custom of bundling, which was once so
common in some rural districts, has entirely died out, or at least
we do not hear anything about it nowadays. I believe Wirt
Sikes is right in his remarks when he says that such a custom has
had its origin in primitive times, when, out of the necessities of
existence, a whole household lay down together for greater
warmth, with their usual clothing on.

Giraldus Cambrensis, 700 years ago, writes of this custom in these words:

"Propinquo concubantium calore multum adjuti." Of course, ministers of religion, both the Clergy of the Church of England and Nonconformist ministers condemned such practice very sternly, but about two generations ago, there were many respectable farmers who more or less defended the custom, and it continued to a certain extent until very recently, even without hardly any immoral consequences, owing to the high moral standard and the religious tendencies of the Welsh people.

One reason for the prevalence of such custom was that in times past in Wales, both farm servants and farmers' sons and daughters were so busy, from early dawn till a late hour in the evening that they had hardly time or an opportunity to attend to their love affairs, except in the night time. Within the memory of hundreds who are still alive, it was the common