The folklore places their first appearance in the 13th century, when Rhiwallon the Physician and his three sons were doctors to Rhys Gryg, prince of Deheubarth. It was said that they treated Rhys when he was wounded in battle near Carmarthen in 1234, but he died of his wounds shortly afterwards at Llandeilo. The family are supposed to have continued to follow the profession in the direct male line until 1739, when John Jones, the last of the line of physicians, died. Instructions for preparing herbal medicine attributed to the family have survived in the Red Book of Hergest, which dates from the late 14th century, and in other, more recent, Welsh manuscripts.
Legend
Rhiwallon, who supposedly lived in the parish of Myddfai in Carmarthenshire in the 12th century, and his sons Cadwgan, Gruffudd and Einion, were physicians whose skill became proverbial in medieval Wales. A number of families in the Myddfai district later claimed descent from Rhiwallon, the most notable member being Morgan Owen, Bishop of Llandaff, (d.1645), who inherited much of the estate of the physicians in Myddfai parish.[1] A collection of treatises on humours, medicinal herbs, and similar topics in the typical medieval European tradition attributed to Rhiwallon was included in the Red Book of Hergest, a 14th century manuscript collection, under the title Meddygon Myddfai.[2]
Later antiquarians visiting Myddfai parish collected some further oral traditions regarding the family, including a legend of its origins. The first reference to this story occurs in a diary compiled by the topographer Richard Fenton, who visited the parish in 1808.[3] The story was subsequently expanded in an article in 1821 periodical The Cambro-Briton and in an introduction to the 1861 book Meddygon Myddvai. The latter version was based on the oral accounts given by three elderly residents of the parish in 1841, collected by William Rees of Tonn, Llandovery.[3]
In the folk tale as set down by Rees,[4] a young man, son of a widow from Blaen Sawdde (near Llanddeusant) agreed to marry a beautiful girl who arose from the lake of Llyn y Fan Fach, with a promise that he would not hit her three times without cause, or she would return to her father. He complied easily because the girl was so beautiful, and they were happy for years putting up a house in Esgair Llaethdy near Myddfai, and bringing up a family there. The girl brought a dowry of cattle, traditionally still kept at Dinefwr Castle, Llandeilo,[5] and other animals. But over time the man struck his wife three times: once, to remind her to fetch a horse, once to ask why she was crying at a wedding, and once when she laughed at a funeral. She had to return to the lake according to the promise, taking the cattle with her and leaving behind her husband and their three sons.
The sons often walked around the lake hoping to see their mother again. One day she appeared to the eldest son, Rhiwallon, presented him with a collection of medicinal prescriptions and instructions, and told him that his future and that of his descendants was to be a healer. She later returned and passed him information on herbs and plants to be used in cures. In due course Rhiwallon went to the court of Rhys Gryg of Deheubarth, where he became a famous doctor, as did his own sons.
The legend was further elaborated by the story that some of Rhiwallon's descendants continued to practice medicine in the area until well into the 18th century. In particular the "David Jones of Mothvey [Myddfai], surgeon" (d.1719) and his eldest son John Jones, surgeon (d.1739) who are both commemorated on a gravestone now located in the porch of St Michaels, Myddfai, were identified by local folklore as the last two members of the family of physicians in the direct male line. A second manuscript of herbal remedies attributed to Rhiwallon's family, which was brought to light in the early 19th century, was said to have been copied from one in the possession of John Jones. Descendants of the Jones family were still in the medical profession in the 20th century: in 1971 the Welsh Medical Gazette published the biographical profiles of two men, Surgeon-Major Edward Hopkins of Carreg Cennen Castle and Dr. John Powell of Tenby, who both practised medicine and were descendants of David Jones of Myddfai.[6]
The manuscripts
The book Meddygon Myddvai, published in 1861 by John Pughe, collects together most of the materials attributed to the Physicians, which it groups under two manuscripts. What it terms the "first" manuscript is the material included in the Red Book of Hergest, corrected by comparison with other copies. There was a revival of interest in herbalism in 18th-century Wales and a number of people had made further copies, including the scholar, Edward Lhuyd, Thomas Beynon of Greenmeadow and the bard and translator James Davies (Iago ab Dewi) of Llanllawddog.[7]
The "second" manuscript printed in the 1861 book consists of materials found in a manuscript formerly known as MS Llanover C.24 and now held by the National Library of Wales. It was brought to light by, and is partly in the hand of, the antiquarian, bard and literary forger Iolo Morganwg (Edward Williams). The text purports to be a collection of herbal medicinal prescriptions and herb names compiled by Hywel Feddyg ab Rhys ab Llywelyn ab Philip Feddyg, a descendant of Rhiwallon through his son Einion. It is supposed to have been copied by Williams in 1801 from a manuscript owned by Thomas Bona, physician, of Llanfihangel Iorwerth, Carmarthenshire, itself supposed to be a copy taken by Bona's brother William in the 1740s from a manuscript belonging to John Jones of Myddfai, the last of the family of physicians.[8] Williams' manuscript is followed by a smaller collection of medicinal prescriptions in different handwriting, said to have been compiled by Harri Jones of Pontypool.[8]
It has, however, been suggested that the Llanover "Meddygon Myddfai" manuscript is one of Williams' forgeries, and was compiled by him based on the materials he found in Harri Jones's manuscript.[9] Williams also appears to have had access to a copy of James Davies's version of the "first" manuscript.[7]
Notes
↑ Jones, F. "An Approach to Welsh Genealogy", Trans. of Hon.Soc. of Cymmrodorion, 1948, p. 400
Deheubarth was a regional name for the realms of south Wales, particularly as opposed to Gwynedd. It is now used as a shorthand for the various realms united under the House of Dinefwr, but that Deheubarth itself was not considered a proper kingdom on the model of Gwynedd, Powys, or Dyfed is shown by its rendering in Latin as dextralis pars or as Britonnes dexterales and not as a named land. In the oldest British writers, Deheubarth was used for all of modern Wales to distinguish it from Hen Ogledd, the northern lands whence Cunedda originated.
Llandovery is a market town and community in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It lies on the River Tywi and at the junction of the A40 and A483 roads, about 25 miles (40 km) north-east of Carmarthen, 27 miles (43 km) north of Swansea and 21 miles (34 km) west of Brecon.
Laugharne is a town on the south coast of Carmarthenshire, Wales, lying on the estuary of the River Tâf.
The Red Book of Hergest, Oxford, Jesus College, MS 111, is a large vellum manuscript written shortly after 1382, which ranks as one of the most important medieval manuscripts written in the Welsh language. It preserves a collection of Welsh prose and poetry, notably the tales of the Mabinogion and Gogynfeirdd poetry. The manuscript derives its name from the colour of its leather binding and from its association with Hergest Court between the late 15th and early 17th century.
Nest ferch Rhys was the daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr, last King of Deheubarth in Wales, by his wife, Gwladys ferch Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn of Powys. Her family is of the House of Dinefwr. Nest was the wife of Gerald de Windsor, Constable of Pembroke Castle and son of the Constable of Windsor Castle in Berkshire, by whom she was the ancestress of the FitzGerald dynasty.
Rhys ap Tewdwr was a king of Deheubarth in Wales and member of the Dinefwr dynasty, a branch descended from Rhodri the Great. Following the Norman Conquest, he had to pay William the Conqueror to keep his kingdom, which lasted until the end of William's reign.
Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, sometimes spelled Blethyn, was an 11th century Welsh king. King Harold Godwinson and Tostig Godwinson installed Bleddyn and his brother, Rhiwallon, as the co-rulers of kingdom of Gwynedd on his father's death in 1063, during their destruction of the kingdom of their half-brother, king Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. Bleddyn became king of Powys and co-ruler of the Kingdom of Gwynedd with his brother Rhiwallon from 1063 to 1075. His descendants continued to rule Powys as the House of Mathrafal.
Myddfai is a small village and community in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is situated south of Llandovery in the Brecon Beacons, and has a population of 415, decreasing to 398 at the 2011 census.
Ednyfed Fychan, full name Ednyfed Fychan ap Cynwrig, was a Welsh warrior who became Seneschal to the Kingdom of Gwynedd in Northern Wales, serving Llywelyn the Great and his son Dafydd ap Llywelyn. Ednyfed claimed descent from Marchudd ap Cynan, Lord of Rhos, 'protector' of Rhodri Mawr, King of Gwynedd. He was the patrilineal ancestor of Owen Tudor and thereby of the Tudor dynasty.
Lewys Glyn Cothi, also known as Llywelyn y Glyn, was a prominent 15th-century Welsh poet who composed numerous poems in the Welsh language. He is one of the most important representatives of the Beirdd yr Uchelwyr or Cywyddwyr ("cywydd-men"), the itinerant professional poets of the period between the 1284 Statute of Rhuddlan and c. 1600.
Maelienydd, sometimes spelt Maeliennydd, was a cantref and lordship in east central Wales covering the area from the River Teme to Radnor Forest and the area around Llandrindod Wells. The area, which is mainly upland, is now in Powys. During the Middle Ages it was part of the region known as Rhwng Gwy a Hafren and its administrative centre was at Cefnllys Castle.
Dinefwr Castle is a ruined castle overlooking the River Towy near the town of Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It lies on a ridge on the northern bank of the Towy, with a steep drop of one hundred feet to the river. Dinefwr was the chief seat of the Dinefwr dynasty of the Kingdom of Deheubarth. The castle is a Grade I listed building.
Llyn y Fan Fach is a lake of approximately 10 hectares on the northern margin of the Black Mountain in Carmarthenshire, South Wales and lying within the Brecon Beacons National Park. The lake lies at an altitude of approximately 1,660 feet (510 m), immediately to the north of the ridge of the Carmarthen Fans. It is the smaller of two lakes within this mountain massif: the slightly larger Llyn y Fan Fawr is about 2 miles (3.2 km) to the east.
Elfael was one of a number of Welsh cantrefi occupying the region between the River Wye and river Severn, known as Rhwng Gwy a Hafren, in the early Middle Ages. It was divided into two commotes, Is Mynydd and Uwch Mynydd, separated by the chain of hills above Aberedw. In the late medieval period, it was a marcher lordship. However, after the Laws in Wales Act 1535, it was one of the territorial units which went to make up the county of Radnorshire in 1536.
Einion ab Anarawd (c.1130–1163) was the son of Anarawd ap Gruffydd.
Thomas Wiliems was a Welsh-language antiquarian.
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