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GLOSSARY OF TERMS

USED FOR

ARTICLES

OF

BRITISH DRESS AND ARMOUR.

BY THE

REV. J. WILLIAMS, M.A., (AB ITHEL,)

Llanymowddwy.

A GLOSSARY, &c.

A.

ACHEN-A coat of arms. It has a particular reference

to the lineage of the bearer.

"The long-mane dragon's achen we view,

And see the brightening silver hue."

Iolo Goch, 1370-1420, relative

to the arms of Mortimer.

ACHRE-A raiment peculiar, as it would appear from

the etymology of the word, to a person of gentle birth. ACHRIS-This seems to be a similar description of covering.

ADFACH-The beard of a dart, or hook.

ADOEW, called also GOTOEW-a spur. Llywarch Hen, in the sixth century, speaking of the battle of Llongborth, in which Geraint ab Erbin was slain, says that he saw there the "quick-impelling gotoew;" and he relates of one of his own sons that he wore "the golden gotoew." Iolo Goch describes Mortimer as having

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golden gotoew;" and O. ab Ll. Moel, 1430-1460, compliments some one by saying that he "ought to have golden gotoew."

AERBAR-The spear of slaughter.

AERWY-A collar or chain. In ancient times it was a

badge of distinction, worn by warriors.

“A golden aerwy will be sent to some slaughter,

On his goodly neck, bright and fresh."

G. ab Ieuan Hen, A.D. 1460.

In the institution of the Round Table, established by Rhys ab Tewdwr in the eleventh century, the ribbon, which the bards wore on their arm, just below the shoulder joint, indicative of their several degrees, was designated aerwy and also amrwy. The armlet of the Druid-bard was white; that of the Privileged-bard sky-blue; and that of the Ovate green; whilst the aspirant or disciple wore one which exhibited a combination of these three colours. When the bards had abandoned the general use of their official robes, the aerwy was "considered of equal value, and representing the same honour with the entire dress." -(Iolo MSS., p. 633.)

AES-A buckler or target, carried in the left hand, or on

the left arm, which were hence denominated, respectively, "llaw aswy," and "braich aswy," i, e., the shield hand or arm. The heroes of the Gododin are represented by Aneurin as "armed with the aes." From that poem we also learn that the aes was sometimes made of wood :

"When Cydywal hastened to battle, he raised the shout, With the early dawn he dealt out tribulation,

And left the splintered aesawr scattered about."

The original is “aesawr dellt." It is not quite clear whether the expression refers to the formation of the aes as being composed of laths, or merely to its shat

tered condition; neither view, however, would militate against the fact of its material being wood. But we find that it was also made of steel. Thus Prydydd y Moch, 1160–1220, says of Gruffydd ab Cynan that

"He formed the sudden conflict in the protection of an aes of steel."

Nor was it always light; for the Prydydd Bychan, 1210-1260, speaks of Meredydd ab Owain as armed with

"A broken, red, heavy aes."

The aes was doubtless the same with the aspis, which both Herodian and Dion Cassius represent as being used by the Britons.

ALBRYS-The catapulta, or the cross-bow.

"Send through him from the albrys another wound."

Dafydd ab Gwilym, 1330-1370.

In the Armorican dialect this instrument is similarly called "albalastr;" and as there was no extensive intercourse between the Welsh and Bretons subsequently to the sixth century, we may fairly date words, this among others, which are common to the languages of both people, at least as early as that era. ALFARCH-A spear.

AMADRWY--A purfle about a woman's gown; the train or trail of a gown.

AMAERWY-A hem, a skirt, a border, welt or guard about a coat or gown, a fringe of a garment, a selvedge. Taliesin, in the sixth century, speaks of a

"silver amaerwy.

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AMBAIS-A safeguard; a kind of woman's riding dress.

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