HYWEL ap 'Syr' MATHEW (died 1581), poet, genealogist, and soldier

A native of the Teme valley in Radnorshire. His poetry includes cywyddau written to bishop Richard Davies, William Herbert, earl of Pembroke, Mathew ap Morus of Ceri, Siencyn ap Dafydd of Llanarthney, and an awdl to Lewys Gwyn of Glyn Nedd (Neath) (Llanstephan MS 133 (71, 712), Llanstephan MS 30 (384); Hafod MS. 13 (197); Brogyntyn MS. 2 (529)). We learn from the late 16th century copy of his History of Britain (Peniarth MS 168 (178)) that he was present at the siege of Boulogne in 1544. It appears too that he was a zealous Roman Catholic. Peniarth MS 138 and parts of Cardiff MS. 50 (274-5, 293-356) are in his hand. His genealogical manuscripts were used as a basis for Lewys Dwnn's in Peniarth MS 268 . It is said that Rhys Cain and Lewys Dwnn praised his manuscripts, and that the latter was his pupil. Lewys wrote an elegy to the poet when he died on 20 July 1581 (Peniarth MS 96 (371)).

Author

• Ray Looker

Sources

• H. Blackwell, NLW MSS 9251-9277A: A Dictionary of Welsh Biography
• Edward Jones, Musical and poetical relicks of the Welsh bards (London 1794), 87
• William Owen Pughe, The Cambrian Biography (1803)
• Reports on Manuscripts in the Welsh Language (Historical Manuscripts Commission 1898–1910), I, ii, II, i

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: Hywel ap Syr Mathew

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q5962777

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-RUU/1.0/