The following are excrepts from the Book of Barddas of Iolo Morgannwyg, edited and adapted here from Welsh usage to Canadian usage By Ollamh Brock Adams.
​
THE BOOK OF BARDISM.
Here is the Canadian adaptation of the Welsh Book of Bardism, that is to say, the Druidism of the Bards of the Isle of Britain, which Llywelyn Sion of Llangewydd, extracted from old Books, namely, the books of Einion the Priest, Taliesin, the Chief of Bards, Davydd Ddu of Hiraddug, Cwtta Cyvarwydd, Jonas of Menevia, Edeyrn the Golden-tongued, Sion Cent, Rhys Goch, and others, in the Library of Rhaglan, by permission of the lord William Herbert, earl of Pembroke, to whom Gods grant that we may prove thankful as long as we live. The first is a Treatise in the form of Question and Answer, by a Bard and his Disciple--the work of Sion Cent, which contains many of the principal subjects of the primitive wisdom, as it existed among the Bards of the Isle of Britain from the age of ages. Here adapted for Canadian use by the Bards of the Dominion of Canada. In this Dialogue, the Disciple first puts the question, and the Bard, his Teacher, answers, and imparts to him information and knowledge. In the second place the Bard examines, and the Disciple answers.
​
Bhardachadh 
Ultimately this is an adaptation of Iolo Morgannwyg's work (call it forgery if you will), it is the oldest and most complete "Theology" we have from the "Celtic" tribes of that time, hence it's inclusion. It is being edited for a Canadian audience and application. It is also being translated to fit into a Q-Gaelic dialect for it's use in Scoto-Irish-Canadian (Ui Nial) practice. It is also being adapted to fit a polytheistic framework with Aedh-God-Dewy standing for the High God genderless progenitor of all. Here's a Welsh- Gaelic- English Glossary to help with the adjustment:
​
Aedh =God =Dewy= Hu
Siorach =Infinity =Ceugant
Saoirse = Liberty =Gwynvyd
Adharta = Progression = Abred
Neamhni =Void/ Nothingness = Annwyn
Donn/Tethra = Bad/Dark/ Brown = Awrann
Imbas = "Spirit" = Awen
​
Iolo Morgannwg's 30 point synopsis of Druid doctrine 
​
1) All animated beings originate in the lowest point of existence; they rise in its scale until they arrive at the highest state of happiness that finite beings may experience 
​
2) All states below the human state are evil, but there is no 'culpability' in this domain: here fate reigns. 
​
3) All beings rise from the condition of animals to the human state, and then they attain to 'some degree of negative goodness'. 
4) Every being fills its allotted place in creation 
5) In the human state, the balance of good and evil produces liberty: the will is now free to exercise itself. 
6) Here, a being has the power of 'coacting with the deity'. 
7) All states above the human are good; having attained to one of these, a being cannot relapse. 
8) An evil person falls, after their death into an animal state of existence [which] corresponds with the turpitude of their Imbas (soul)'. Eternal misery, however, is incompatible with the attributes of Aedh(God). 
9) Finite beings cannot comprehend infinity, therefore Aedh 'manifests itself to finite comprehensions as a finite being, such as in the person of Jesus, Gautama, Churchill, ect'. 
10) The ultimate states of happiness permit ' delightful renovations in endless succession', for a finite being cannot 'endure the taedium of eternity'. 
11) Memory exists in the lower states 
12) In the higher states mankind remembers their past 
13) Knowledge can only be gained by experience 
14) Knowledge of the higher states is communicated by celestial beings: Bardism always owes its origin to divine communication. 
15) Beasts of prey are instruments of divine benevolence: They expedite the passage of Imbas (souls). 
16) It is meritorious to die for truth, justice, and virtue. 
17) A criminal should voluntarily give themselves up for execution. 
18) The sacrifice of animals hastens their progress to the human state. 
19) No inferior being should destroy another except to save its own life 
20) Every act conducts to ultimate good: the victim of injustice is compensated for their suffering. 
21) Fortitude is the greatest of virtues. 
22) Pride is 'the utmost degree of uman depravity'. 
23) The soul is an inconceivably minute particle of the most refined matter. 
24) From a perfect knowledge of the causes of evil, liberty ensues. 
25) Humanity's is the 'state of probation' (Adharta) 
26) Creation is still in its infancy. 
27) When recognized as such evil is hated; 'but being in itself possible it will, with all other possibilities, eternally exist in its abstract principles'. 
28) All states of existence, when purged of evil, will remain 'as beautiful varieties in the creation'. 
29) They may then be occupied by 'celetials', when they will all be equally honorable. 
30) The infallible rule of duty' is 'not to do or desire anything, but what can eternally be done...in the celestial states.' The good of one being must not arise from the misery of another. 
 
First examination 
​
(Aedh, the Gaelic word for eternity, is herein utilized to represent the self-conscious aspect of eternity in place of 'God' a Germanic epithet for Odin/Eochaid/Dagda) 
This is the Druidism of the Bards of the Dominion of Canada, with their opinion respecting God (Aedh) and all living beings of whatsoever grade or kind they may be. it is rudimentally taught as follows:-- 
​
Q: What is God (Aedh)? 
A: What cannot be otherwise. 
Q: Why can it not be otherwise 
A: Could it be otherwise, we should have no knowledge of any animation, being, existence, or futurity, in respect to anything now know to us. 
Q: What is God (Aedh)? 
A: Complete and perfect life, and the total annihilation of everything inanimate and death, nor can any species of mortality concur with it. In God (Aedh) is life, full, entire, imperishable, and without end. 
2) Aedh is perfect life, which cannot be limited or confined, and, in virtue of its proper essence, is possessed of perfect knowledge, in respect of sight, sufferance, and intention,, having its origin in itself, without communion with anything else whatsoever, and wholly free from all participation in 'evil' (Anamat). 
3) Aedh is absolute good (Mat), in that it totally annihilates all 'evil', and there cannot be in it the least particle of the nature of 'evil'. 
4) Aedh is absolute power, in that it totally annihilates inability, nor can power and will in it be restrained, since it is almighty, and all-good. 
5) Aedh is absolute wisdom and knowledge, in that it totally annihilates ignorance, and folly; and therefore no event can by any chance happen, which it knows not of. And in view of these qualities and properties no being or animation can be conceived or contemplated other than coming from Aedh, except natural evil, which annihilates all life and goodness. 
6) What would totally annihilate and reject Aedh and life, and therein all goodness is absolute and natural evil; which is thus in complete opposition, and of a contrary nature, and essence to Aedh, life, and goodness. 
7) And by means of this direction, may be seen two things existing of necessity, namely: the living and the dead; good (Mat) and evil (Anamat); Aedh and Donn, and darkness in darkness, and powerless inability. 
8) Donn is destitute of life and intention--a thing of necessity, not of will, without being or life, in respect of existence and personality; but vacant in reference to what is vacant, dead in reference to what is dead, and nothing in reference to what is nothing. Whereas Aedh is good with reference to what is good, is fullness in reference to fullness, life in life, all in all, and light in light. 
9) And from what has been said, it may be seen that there can be no existence of original nature but Aedh and Donn, The dead and living, nothing and occurrence, issue from what is issueless, and existence from mutual union. 
10) Aedh mercifully, out of love and pity, uniting itself with the lifeless, that is the evil (Anamat), with the intention of subduing it unto life, imparted the existence of vitality to animated beings, and thus did life lay hold of the dead, whence intellectual animations and vitality first sprang. And intellectual existences and animations began in the depth of Neamhni (the void/ Annwn), for there is the lowest and least grade, and it cannot but be that there and in that state intellectual life first began, for it cannot be otherwise than that the least and lowest grade of everything should be the original and primordial one. The greatest cannot exist in an intellectual existence before the least; there can be no intellectual existence without gradation, and in respect of gradation there cannot but be a beginning, a middle, and an end or extremity,-- first, augmentation, and ultimate or conclusion. Thus may be seen that there is to every intellectual existence a necessary gradation, which necessarily begins at the lowest grade, progressing from thence incessantly along every addition, intervention, increase, growth in age, and completion, unto conclusion and extremity,, where it rests forever from pure necessity, for there cannot be any thing further or higher or better in respect of gradation and Adharta (Abred). 
11) All intellectual existences partake of Mat and Anamat (good and evil), and that, more or less, according to their degree in Adharta, from the dead in the depth of neamhni, to the living in the extremity of goodness and power, even so far as would not be at all possible for Aedh to conduct them further. 
12) Animations in neamhni are partakers of life and goodness in the lowest possible degree, and of death and evil in the highest degree that is possibly compatible with life and personal identity. Therefore, they are necessarily evil, because of the preponderance of evil over the good; and scarcely do they live and exist; and their duration and life are necessarily short, whilst by means of dissolution and death they are removed gradually to a higher degree, where they receive an accumulation of life and goodness, and thus they progress from grade to grade, nearer and nearer to the extremity of life and goodness, Aedh, out of its merciful affection for animated beings, preparing the ways along Adharta, out of pure love to them, until they arrive at the state and point of Human existence, where goodness and evil equiponderate, neither weighing down the other. From this spring liberty and choice and elective power in humanity, so that they can perform whichever they like of any two things, as of good and evil; and thus it is seen that the state of humanity is a state of probation and instruction, where the good and evil equiponderate, and animated beings are left to their own will and pleasure. 
13) In every state and point of Adharta that is below humanity, all living beings are necessarily evil, and necessarily bound to evil, from utter want of will and power, notwithstanding all the exertion put forth, which vary according as they are situate in Adharta, wether the point be high or low. On this account Aedh does not hate or punish them, but loves and cherishes them, because they cannot be otherwise, and because they are under obligation, and have no will and choice, and whatever the amount of evil may be, they cannot help it, because it is from obligation, and not willingly,that they are in this condition. 
14) After having arrived at the point of humanity in Adharta, where evil and good equiponderate, mankind is free from all obligation, because goodness and wickedness do not press one upon the other, nor does either of them preponderate over the other. Therefore, the state of mankind is a state of will and freedom and ability, where every act is one of project and selection, consent and choice, and not of obligation and dislike, necessity and inability. On this account mankind is a living being capable of judgment, and judgment will be given upon them and their acts, for they will be good or bad according to their works, since whatever they do they could do differently; therefore it is right that they should receive punishment or reward as their works require. 
​
The second examination.
​
Q. Prithee, who art thou? and tell me thy history.
A. I am a man in virtue of God's will, and the necessary consequence that follows, for "what God wills must be."
Q. Whence didst thou proceed? and what is thy beginning?
A. I came from the Great World, having my beginning in Neamhni.
Q. Where art thou now? and how camest thou to where thou art?
A. I am in the Little World, whither I came, having traversed the circle of Adharta, and now I am a human at its termination and extreme limits.
Q. What wert thou before thou didst become a human in the circle of Adharta?
A. I was in Neamhni the least possible that was capable of life, and the nearest possible to absolute death, and I came in every form, and through every form capable of a body and life, to the state of humanity along the circle of Adharta, where my condition was severe and grievous during the age of ages, ever since I was parted in Annwn from the dead, by the gift of God, and Its great generosity, and Its unlimited and endless love.
Q. Through how many forms didst thou come? and what happened unto thee?
A. Through every form capable of life, in water, in earth, and in air. And there happened unto me every se-verity, every hardship, every evil, and every suffering, and but little was the goodness and Saoirsa before I became a human.
Q. Thou hast said, that it was in virtue of God's love thou earnest through all these, and didst see and experience all these; tell me how can this take place through the love of God? And how many were the signs of the want of love during thy migration in Adharta?
A. Saoirsa cannot be obtained without seeing and knowing every thing, but it is not possible to see and to know every thing without suffering every thing. And there can be no full and perfect love that does not produce those things which are necessary to lead to the knowledge that causes Saoirsa, for there can be no Saoirsa without the complete knowledge of every form of existence, and of every evil (necessity) and good (freedom), and of every operation and power and condition of evil (necessity)and good (freedom). And this knowledge cannot be obtained without experience in every form of life, in every incident, in every suffering, in every evil (necessity) and in every good (freedom), so that they may be respectively known one from the other. All this is necessary before there can be Saoirsa, and there is need of them all before there can be perfect love of God, and there must be perfect love of God before there can be Saoirsa.
Q. Why are the things, which thou hast mentioned, necessary before there can be Saoirsa?
A. Because there can be no Saoirsa without prevailing over evil and death, and every opposition and Donn(aidh), and they cannot be prevailed over without knowing their species, nature, power, operations, place, and time, and every form and kind of existence which they have, so that all about them may be known, and that they may be avoided, and that wherever they are they may be opposed, counteracted, and overcome, and that we may be cured of them, and be restored from under their effect. And where there is this perfect knowledge, there is perfect liberty, and evil and death cannot be renounced and overcome but where there is perfect liberty; and there can be no Saoirsa but with God in perfect liberty, and it is in perfect liberty that the circle of Saoirsa exists.
Q. Why may not perfect knowledge be obtained, without passing through every form of life in Adharta?
A. On this account, because there are no two forms alike, and every form has a use, a suffering, a knowledge, an intelligence, a Saoirsa, a quality, an operation, and an impulse, the like and complete uniformity of which can not be had in any other form of existence. And as there is a special knowledge in each form of existence, which cannot be had in another, it is necessary that we should go through every form of existence, before we can acquire every form and species of knowledge and understanding, and consequently renounce all evil, and attach ourselves to every Saoirsa.
Q. How many forms of existence are there? and what is the use of them?
A. As many as God saw necessary towards the investigation and knowledge of every species and quality in good and evil, that there might be nothing, capable of being known and conceived by God, without being experienced, and consequently known. And in whatsoever thing there may be a knowledge of good and evil, and of the nature of life and death, there is a form of existence which corresponds with the attainment of the knowledge required. Therefore, the number of the kinds and modes of forms of existence is the sum that could conceive and understand with a view to perfect goodness, knowledge, and Saoirsa. And God caused that every living and animate being should pass through every form and species of existence endued with life, so that in the end every living and animate being might have perfect knowledge, life, and saoirsa; and all this from the perfect love of God, which in virtue of Its Divine nature It could not but exhibit towards humanity and every living being.
Q. Art thou of opinion that every living being shall attain to the circle of Saoirsa at last?
A. That is my opinion, for less could not have happened from the infinite love of God, God being able to cause, knowing the manner how to cause, and continually willing every thing to exist that can be conceived and sought in Its own love, and in the desire of every animation whilst opposed to evil and death.
Q. When will this condition happen to every living being, and in what manner will occur the end of the life of Adharta?
A. Every living and animate being shall traverse the circle of Adharta from the depth of Neamhni, that is, the extreme limits of what is low in every existence endued with life; and they shall ascend higher and higher in the order and gradation of life, until they become human, and their there can be an end to the life of Adharta by union with goodness. And in death they shall pass to the circle of Saoirsa, and the Adharta of necessity will end for ever. And there will be no migrating through every form of existence after that, except in right of liberty and choice united with Saoirsa, with a view to re-experience, and re-seek knowledge. And this will remain for ever, as a variation and novation of Saoirsa, so that no one can fall into Siorachd, and thence into Adharta; for God alone can endure and traverse the circle of Siorachd. By this it is seen that there is no Saoirsa without mutual communication, and the renewal of proof, experience, and knowledge, for it is in knowledge that life and Saoirsa consist.
Q. Shall every human, when he dies, go to the circle of Saoirsa?
A. No one shall at death go to Saoirsa, except they who shall attach themselves in life, whilst a human, to goodness and godliness, and to every act of wisdom, justice, and love. And when these qualities preponderate over their opposites, namely, folly, injustice, and uncharitableness, and all evil and ungodliness, the human, when they die, shall go to Saoirsa, that is heaven, from whence they will no more fall, because good is stronger than evil of every kind, and life subdues death, prevailing over it for ever. And they shall ascend nearer and nearer to perfect Saoirsa, until they are at its extreme limits, where they will abide for ever and eternally. But the human who does not thus attach themselves to godliness, shall fall in Adharta to a corresponding form and species of existence of the same nature as themselves, whence they shall return to the state of humanity as before. And then, according as their attachments may be to either godliness or ungodliness, shall they ascend to Saoirsa, or fall in Adharta, when they die. And thus shall they fall for ever, until they seek godliness, and attaches themselves to it, when there will be an end to the Adharta of necessity, and to every necessary suffering of evil and death.
ADHARTA/ABRED.--SAOIRSA/GWYNVYD.--IMBAS/AWEN.
​
Q. How often may one fall in Abred?
A. No one will fall once of necessity, after it has been once traversed, but through negligence, from cleaving to ungodliness, until it preponderates over godliness, a man will fall in Adharta. He will then return to the state of man, through every form of existence that will be necessary for the removal of the evil, which was the cause of his fall in Adharta. And he will fall only once in Adharta on account of the same ungodliness, since it will be overcome by that fall; nevertheless, because of many other impieties he may fall in Adharta, even numberless times, until every opposition and Donn(aidh) that is, all ungodliness, shall have been vanquished, when there will be an end to the Adharta of necessity.
Q. How many have fallen in Abred? and for what cause have they fallen?
A. All living beings below the circle of Saoirsa have fallen in Adharta, and are now on their return to Saoirsa. The migration of most of them will be long, owing to the frequent times they have fallen, from having attached themselves to evil and ungodliness; and the reason why they fell was, that they desired to traverse the circle of Siorachd, which God alone could endure and traverse. Hence, they fell even unto Neamhni, and it was from pride, which would ally (align?) itself with. God, that they fell, and there is no necessary fall as far as Neamhni, except from pride.
Q. Did all, who reached the circle of Saoirsa after the primary progression of necessity from Neamhni, fall in Adharta from pride?
A. No; some sought after wisdom, and hence saw what pride would do, and they resolved to conduct themselves according to what was taught them by God, and thereby became divinities, or holy angels (aingeal-little flame), and they acquired learning from what they beheld in others, and it was thus that they saw the nature of Siorachd and eternity, and that God alone could endure and traverse it.
Q. Does not the danger of falling in Adharta, from the circle of Saoirsa, exist still as it did formerly?
A. No; because all pride and every other sin, will be overcome before one can a second time reach the circle of Saoirsa, and then by recollecting and knowing the former evil, every one will necessarily abhor what caused them to fall before, and the necessity of hatred and love will last and continue for ever in the circle of Saoirsa, where the three stabilities, namely, hatred, love, and knowledge, will never end.
Q. Will those, who shall return to the circle of Saoirsa after the fall in Adharta, be of the same kind as those who fell not?
A. Yes; and of the same privilege, because the love of God cannot be less towards one than towards another, nor towards one form of existence than another, since It is God and Progenitur to them all, and exercises the same amount of love and patronage towards them all, and they will all be equal and co-privileged in the circle of Saoirsa, that is, they will be divinities and holy angels for ever.
Q. Will every form and species of living existence continue for ever as they are now? If so, tell me why?
A. Yes, in virtue of liberty and choice, and the blessed will go from one to another as they please, in order to repose from the fatigue and tediousness of Siorachd, which God only can endure, and in order to experience every knowledge and every Saoirsa that are capable of species and form; and each one of them will hate evil of necessary obligation, and know it thoroughly, and consequently of necessity renounce it, since they will perfectly know its nature and mischievousness--God being a help, and God being chief, supporting and preserving them for ever.
Q. How are these things to be known?
A. The Gwyddoniaid, from the age of ages, from the time of Seth, son of Adam, son of God, obtained Imbas from God, and thence knew the mystery of godliness.; and the Gwyddoniaid were of the nation of the Cymry from the age of ages. After that, the Gwyddoniaid were regulated according to privilege and usage, in order that unfailing memory might be kept of this knowledge. After that, the Gwyddoniaid were called Bards according to the privilege and usage of the Bards of the Isle of Britain, because it was after the arrival of the Cymry in the island of Britain, that this regulation was made; and it is through the memorials of Bardism and Imbas from God that this knowledge has been acquired, and no falsehood can accrue from Imbas from God. And thus came it thence to the Bards of the Dominion of Canada following the great disruption. In the nation of Israel were found the holy prophets, who through Imbas from God knew all these things as described in the Holy Scriptures, And after Christ, the Son of God, had come in the flesh from Saoirsa, further knowledge of God, and Its will, was obtained, as is seen in St. Paul's Sermon. And when they, the Cymry, were converted to the faith in Christ, their Bards claim to have obtained a more clear Imbas from God, and knowledge about all things divine beyond what had been seen before, and they prophesied, improving Imbas and knowledge. Hence is all knowledge concerning things divine and what appertains to God.
Q. How is Imbas to be obtained, where it is not, so that a Bard may be made of those, who would be a Bard?
A. By habituating one's self to a holy life, and all love towards God and humanty, and all justice, and all mercy, and all generosity, and all endurance, and all peace, and practising good sciences, and avoiding pride and cruelty and adultery, and murder and ambuscade, and theft, and covetousness, and all injustice, that is, the things that will corrupt and destroy Imbas, where it exists, and will prevent the obtaining it, where it does not exist.
Q. Is it in the way it was first obtained, that Imbas from God is still obtainable?
A. It is in this way that Imbas is obtained, that the truth may be known and believed. Some, however, are of opinion that the way in which the truth was first known, was, that the divinities, or holy angels, and the saints or godly men, who went to heaven, and especially Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came down from Saoirsa to the Little World in the condition of man, in order to teach, warn, direct, and inform those who seek to be divine. That is, they came in the capacity of messengers sent by God in His infinite love, and in virtue of their own great love co-operating with the love of God, and as His obedient messengers. And we shall have what of Imbas from God is necessary for us, by attaching ourselves to the good and godly with sincerity, and out of pure love for all goodness.
​
THE THREE STATES.
1. According to the three principal qualities of humanity shall be their migration in Adharta: from indolence and mental blindness they shall fall to Neamhni; from dissolute wantonness they shall traverse the circle of Adharta, according to their necessity; and from their love for goodness they shall ascend to the circle of Saoirsa. As one or the other of the principal qualities of humanity predominates, shall the state of the person be; hence heir three states, Neamhni, Adharta, and Saoirsa.
2. The three states of living beings: Neamhni, whence the beginning; Adharta, in which is the increase of knowledge, and hence goodness; and Saoirsa, in which is the plenitude of all goodness, knowledge, truth, love, and endless life.
​
AEDH.
God (Aedh) is three things, and cannot be otherwise: coeval with all time; co-entire with all essence; and co-local with all mental purpose. Could what is called God be otherwise, it would not be Aedh, since it could be surpassed, and no one is Aedh that can be surpassed. It is also co-sentient with all animation.
DONN, TUIREANN.
There are three benefits to be had from Donn (Cythraul): the defection of evil; a view to goodness; and the triumph of victory over what is contrary to the beneficial.
​
​
​
SIORACHD.--DURATION.--GOD.
Three things that are not capable of size or measure: Siorachd (Ceugant); duration; and God; because there can be no extremes to one or other of them--no beginning or end or middle to them.
THE THREE IMPERCEPTIBILITIES OF GOD.
There are three things that are imperceptible in God: Its origin, because there can have been no time in which It did not exist; the greatness of Its love, for how much so ever It does, It will see no end to what It can in justice accomplish; and Its power, because there is no end, size, or measure to what It can do after the utmost intention.
THE TWELVE PRIMARY NEGATIVES.
The twelve primary Negatives, called in some books the Lesson of the Gwyddoniaid, but in other books the Lesson of Tydain.
There is nothing sought after but what is precious;
There is nothing precious but what is beneficial;
There is nothing beneficial but possession;
There is no possession but Gwynvyd;
There is no Gwynvyd but knowledge;
There is no knowledge but what is new;
There is nothing new but what changes;
There is no change but what is advantageous;
There is no advantage but what is beautiful;
There is nothing beautiful but what is just;
There is nothing just but love;
There is no love but God.
And thus it ends.
Tydain the Father of Awen sang it, says the Book of Sion Cent.
BARDIC APHORISMS.
Thus says the Bard:--
There is no advantage but what can in no ways be dispensed with, that is, God;
There is no want but the want of God;
There is no enjoyment but the enjoyment of God;
There is no loss but the loss of God;
There is no sufficiency but God;
There is nothing immeasurable but God;
There is nothing knowing but God;
There is nothing in every place but God;
There is nothing powerful but God;
There is nothing in every thing but God;
There is no whole but God;
There is no God but what is whole.
​
​
​
ANNWN.--LIFE.--DEATH.
Question. In what place is Neamhni?
Answer. Where there is the least possible of animation and life, and the greatest of death, without other condition.
Q. What are the characteristics of life?
A. Lightness, light, heat, and incorruption, that is, unchangeableness.
Q. What are the characteristic marks of death?
A. Heaviness, cold, darkness, and corruption, that is, changeableness.
Q. In what does the nature of death and mortality consist?
A. In its characteristics, where one is the cause of another, as heaviness is the cause of darkness, and both the cause of corruption, and
corruption the cause of both.
Q. In what does the necessity of animation and life consist?
A. In its characteristics, that is, brightness, and light, and lightness, and incorruption, one being the cause of another--hence God and life.
​
​
THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF LETTERS.--THE NAME OF GOD.--THE BARDIC SECRET.
Pray, my skilful and discreet teacher, if it be fair to ask, how was the knowledge of letters first obtained?
I will exhibit the information of every folk of wisdom and pro-found knowledge, thus;--When God pronounced its name, with the word sprang the light and the life; for previously there was no life except God itself. And the mode in which it was spoken was of God's direction. That name was pronounced, and with the utterance was the springing of light and vitality, and life, and source every living thing; that is to say, each and all originated together. And Menw the Aged, son of Menwyd, beheld the springing of the light, and its form and appearance, not otherwise than thus, 
/I\
, in three columns; and in the rays of light the vocalization--for one were the hearing and seeing, one unitedly the form and sound; and one unitedly with the form and sound was life, and one unitedly with these three was power, which power was God the creator. And since each of these was one unitedly,it understood that every voice, and hearing, and living, and being, and sight, and seeing, were one unitedly with God; nor is the least thing other than God. And by seeing the form, and in it hearing the voice--not otherwise--he knew what form and appearance voice should have. And having obtained earth under him coinstantaneously with the light, he drew the form of the voice and light on the earth. And it was on hearing the sound of the voice, which had in it the kind and utterance of three notes, that it obtained the three letters, and knew the sign that was suitable to one and other of them. Thus was made in form and sign the Name of God, after the semblance of rays of light, and perceived that they were the figure and form and sign of life; one also with them was life, and in life was God (Bile), that is to say, God is one with life, and there is no life but God, and there is no God but life.
It was from the understanding thus obtained in respect of this voice, that it was able to assimilate mutually every other voice as to kind, quality, and reason, and could make a letter suitable to the utterance of every sound and voice. Thus were obtained the Cymraeg, the Gaelic, and every other language. And it was from the three primary letters that were constructed every other letter,--which is the principal secret of the Bards (of the Dominion of Canada); and from this secret comes every knowledge of letters that is possible.
Thus was the voice, that was heard, placed on record in the symbol, and meaning attached to each of the three notes:--the sense of I was given to the first column, the sense of A to the second or middle column, and the sense of O to the third; whence the word IAO. That is to say, it was by means of this word that God declared its existence, life, knowledge, power, eternity, and universality. And in the declaration was its love, that is, coinstantaneously with it sprang like lightening the source of all the universe into life and existence, co-vocally and co jubilantly with the uttered Name of God, in one united song of exultation and joy--then all the worlds to the extremities of Neamhni. It was thus, then, that God made the worlds, namely, It declared its Name and existence 
/ I \
I A O
.
Why is it not right that a person should commit the Name of God to vocalization, and the sound of language and tongue
Because it cannot be done without misnaming Aedh, for no one has ever heard the vocalization of Its Name (though it is the fundamental vibration of all existence), and no one knows how to pronounce it (in its entirety); but it is represented by letters, that it may be known what is meant (by its intention), and for Whom it stands. Formerly signs were employed, namely, the three elements of vocal letters. However, to prevent disrespect and dishonour to Aedh, a Bard is forbidden to name God, except inwardly and in thought. Or when necessitated in ritual.
Pray, my beloved and discreet teacher, show me the signs that stand for the Name of God, and the manner in which they are made.
Thus are they made;--the first of the signs is a small cutting or line inclining with the sun at eventide, thus, 
; the second is another cutting, in the form of a perpendicular, upright post, thus, 
/
; and the third is a cutting of the same amount of inclination as the first, but in an opposite direction, that is, against the sun, thus 
I
; and the three placed together, thus, 
\
But instead of, and as substitutes for these, are placed the three letters O I W. And it was in this manner that the Bard inserted this name in their stanza, thus,
/ I \
The Eternal, Origin, Self-existent, Distributor,--holy be the lips
That canonically pronounce them;
Another name, in full word,
Is O. I. and W--OIW Whom the word.--Ieuan Rudd sang it.
This name God gave to itself, to show that It is in existence, and that there is no one but Itself, except by gift and permission; for truly all of us human beings, and other living beings, are and exist only by the gift and permission of God. It is considered presumptuous to utter this name in the hearing of any person in the world. Nevertheless, every thing calls it inwardly by this name--the sea and land, earth and air, and all the visibles and invisibles of the world, whether on the earth or in the sky--all the worlds of all the celestials and terrestrials--every intellectual being and existence--every thing animate and inanimate; wherefore none that honours God, will call It by this name, except inwardly.
The three mystic letters signify the three attributes of God, namely, love, knowledge, and truth; and it is out of these three that justice springs, and without one of the three there can be no justice. Which one so ever of the three stands up, the other two will incline towards it; and every two of them whatsoever will yield precedency and pre-eminence to the third, whichever of the three it may be. It was according to this order and principle that three degrees were conferred upon the Bards of the Dominion of Canada, and each of the three was invested with privilege, precedency, and pre-eminence, in respect of the particularity of necessity, over the other two, whichsoever they might be. Out of the three attributes of God spring every power and will and law.
It was out of the knowledge and understanding of the vocalization of language and speech, by reason of the three principal letters, that 20 letters were formed, constructed from the primary columns, namely, the three principal letters in the form of rays of light. And it was thus that form and appearance could be imparted to every vocalization of language and speech, and to every primary sound, and symbolic forms of memory be made visible on wood and stone. Accordingly the memory of seeing could thus take place simultaneously with the memory of hearing; and, by means of signs, every sound of voice could be rendered visible to the eye, as far as the ear could hear what the tongue spoke, and what Imbas from God was capable of. Then when 20 letters were constructed out of the principal columns, namely these 
/ I \
--since no letter can be found on the Ogham (Coelbren), or in the Secret of the Bards of the Dominion of Canada, that has not its elements and modifications derived from one or other of the three principal columns--and because these signs were cut on wood, they were called Litrichean. And when every one of the letters was cut on wood, each of them received a name and meaning in respect of sound and voice, warranted and systematized; that is to say, each had its own peculiar vocalization, confirmed by art. Thus were obtained the signs and rudiments of war-ranted speech, which is called Abic, but others call it Abcedilros. Thus was ocular and manual art applied to speech and thought, whence arose ocular memorials and the materials of knowledge. Then wise men and aspirants engaged themselves in improving sciences and language and speech, and in discriminating vocalization and the variety of sound with greater skill and minuteness; and they elaborated them, until they were able to make two more letters, so that the Alphabet consisted of eighteen letters. After that the need of two more was observed, until they became twenty; nor are there more in the Alphabet of the Ogham that are simple, that is to say, of primary sound. Nevertheless, there are others that are compound letters, significative of the mutation of voice, and of the accentuation of letters, of which, according to highly skilful teachers, there are sixteen in number, whilst others will have them to be eighteen. Some of them cannot have authority or warrant, at least they cannot have necessity, in virtue of indispensable reason; nevertheless it is not allowable to forbid the improvement of sciences, whilst every Imbas and art are free, provided they do not injure, obscure, or confound laudable sciences.
It is by means of letters that sciences and history are committed to rational memory. The three foundations of sciences are memory, understanding, and reason, and without the memory little is the utility of memory, understanding, and reason. After the discovery of the knowledge of letters it was that every understanding, and consideration, and every meditation of Imbas were committed to the memorial of letters; and from long acquaintance therewith room was seen for improving, amplifying, and varying the order and system of language and speech, and the art of letters, that letters might be warranted, which should be suitable to every circumstance of language and speech, and for the purpose of showing visibly every sound and utterance of word, voice, and speech, that they might harmonize with the ratiocination of the art of language and letters, and that speech might agree with speech between man and man, in respect of the sound and meaning of a sentence, the effort of language, and the encounter of the art and sciences of language and letters. Hence easy and warranted became the understanding, and understanding arose from understanding, and all folk became of one judgment in respect of the meaning of word and sentence, and in respect of the sense, accent, and signification of letters. And hence fixed confirmation was bestowed upon the sciences of letters, and upon all sciences that were committed to the memory and under the auspices of letters; and it became easy, also, to learn and understand what was thus arranged systematically and with a fixed meaning; and it was easy for all folk to be of one judgment, and of one sense in respect of such. That is to say, from the long co-reasoning of wise folk (Draoi/ Filidh) and aspirants, and folk of art, improvement and fixedness of meaning and system, are obtained, in respect of all sciences, and in respect of every one of them. After letters had been improved and amplified, as occasion required, in respect of meaning and number, there were exhibited twenty-four primaries--in the opinion of others, the three nines, that is to say, twenty-seven; nor is there any need or occasion for more primaries, for, say they, there cannot be symbols of every sound of word and speech in the Gaelige under twenty-five letters--but they formed secondaries and two primary letters.
Cain: Pray, my far knowing teacher, why is it said that only a Bard of thorough secrecy knows how the Name of God is to be spoken audibly, that is to say, by means of the three principal columns of letters?
Freagair: Because only a Bard of secrecy knows properly the old system of letters, and their meaning, accent, and powers, in respect of their stability in the system of the twenty letters; for when the system of the twenty was established, new letters were employed for the Name of God, namely O I U (IAO), but previously, during the era of the sixteen, no letters stood for the Name of God, other than the three columns of primary letters, that is 
/ I \
, which was called the system of God and light, and only a Bard of thorough secrecy now knows properly either the one or the other of the two old systems, which I have mentioned.
Cain: Why is not that secret committed to letter and audible speech, that it may be known of all?
Freagair: Because it is misjudged by him/her who would have credence from another for more than s/he knows, and it is the wicked person, with the view of pillaging belief from the ignorant, that does so, and that bestows unjust imaginations upon a letter, and its meaning, accent, pronunciation, and sound, rather than the true and just. It is by such men that divine sciences are and have been corrupted, therefore the secret ought not to be divulged to other than to him who, in the judgment and sight of man, is warranted as having Imbas from God. Nor is there any other who knows the vocalization of the Name of God, without telling a falsehood, and the greatest falsehood is to falsify God and its Name.
Cain: Why is it not free from falsehood to commit the Name of God to speech and the hearing of the ear?
Freagair: Because that cannot be done without its being falsely spoken, by any person or living being and existence possessed of soul and intellect, but by God Itself;--to exhibit and pronounce it in speech otherwise is falsehood, and the devastation and spoliation of God, for there is no being but Aedh and in God, and whoso says otherwise speaks falsehood, which is falsehood against Aedh, and depredatory usurpation over it. But those who possesses Imbas from God will perceive the secret, and will know it, and wherever a person may have Imbas from God, warranted in respect of reason and conduct, it is not unjust to divulge to ???him??? the secret, but it is not just to do so to any other, lest the Name of God be spoken erroneously, falsely, and through unjust and vain imagination, and thereby be mocked, disparaged, and dishonoured. There is also another cause, namely, to induce a person to excercise their understanding and reason upon just and firm meditation; for those who does so, will understand the character and meaning of the primitive system of twenty letters, and the subsequent system of twenty, and hence will perceive and understand the Name of God, and the just reverence due to it; for those who do truth will do justice.
It was from these three things that they began to exhibit sciences in Triads, that is to say;--
The three principal signs of sciences, namely,--the three rays of light, for from them were obtained appearance and colour and form--the three voices of light, and from them were obtained hearing and speech and vocal song--and the three symbolic letters, and from them were obtained the memory of sight, and the form of voice, visibly, and.. mental understanding in regard to what can have no colour, or form, or voice. And it was from these three that fixedness and authority were obtained for sciences and art.
THE FIRST INVENTORS OF WELSH LETTERS.--IMPROVERS OF THE CYMRIC ALPHABET.--INVENTION OF THE ROLL AND PLAGAWD.--OBLIGATION OF A BARD TO HOLD A CHAIR AND GORSEDD.
Who was the first that made letters?
Einigan the Giant, or, as he is also called, Einiget the Giant; that is, he took the three rays of light, which were used as a symbol by Menw, son of the Three Shouts, and employed them as the agents and instruments of speech, namely the three instruments B. G (H). D (M). and what are embosomed in them, the three being respectively invested with three agencies. Of the divisions and subdivisions he made four signs of place and voice, that the instruments might have room to utter their powers, and to exhibit their agencies. Hence were obtained thirteen letters, which were cut in form on wood and stone. After that, Einigan the Giant saw reason for other and different organs of voice and speech, and subjected the rays to other combinations, from which were made the signs L. and R. and S., whence there were sixteen signs. After that, wise men were appointed to commit them to memory and knowledge, according to the art which he made; and those men were called Gwyddoniaid, and were men endued with awen from God. They had no privilege and license warranted by the law and protection of country and nation, but only by the courtesy and pleasure of the giver. The Gwyddoniaid are called the principal sages of the nation of the Cymry. When the Cymry came to the Isle of Britain, and seisin of land and soil was appointed for every innate Cymro, and each had his dwelling and position, and when sovereignty was arranged, and was to be conferred upon him who should be found to be the bravest and wisest and most powerful, being an innate Cymro, they resorted to Gorsedd by their heads of kindred, and conferred the sovereignty upon Prydain, son of Aedd the Great, for he was found to be the bravest, most powerful, wisest, and the brightest of wit. And Prydain, son of Aedd the Great, assembled the heads of kindred, sages, and men of knowledge of the nation of the Cymry in a conventional Gorsedd. Then were Bards appointed, namely, of three degrees, that is to say, primitive Bards, to uphold the memorial of national voice and vocal song, and Ovates, to uphold the memorial of symbols, whence they were called herald-bards, and Druids, whose duty it was to impart instruction and sciences to the nation of the Cymry, namely divine sciences, and sciences of wisdom, according to what was known by means of the memorial of the voice of Gorsedd and vocal song, in right of the primitive Bard, and the memorial of symbol and letter by herald-Bards. And when the offices incumbent upon the three degrees were appointed, license and privileges in respect of protection and reward were assigned to them. And raiment was given to each of the three degrees, namely blue to the primitive Bards, green to the Ovate-Bards, and white to the Druid-Bards. Thus every one was to bear his badge and honour by authority, that every Cymro might know his privilege, protection, and reward; and security was given them that none besides should bear those vestment badges.
When was the augmentation of symbols as far as twenty-four brought into knowledge and use?
Rhuvawn the Golden-tongued, introduced two symbols. namely W and Ff, whereupon eighteen letters were used, and thus they continued until the time of Talhaiarn of Caerleon-upon-Usk, who introduced six letters different to what had been before him, which were Ch. F. C. T. P. Ll., whence they became twenty-four letters. After that, others were invented as ancillaries to the signs which required them, for the sake of confirming the vocalization of word and sign, until those which now exist were arranged, namely, thirty-eight signs, as the signs of wood and stone; and they are in use by the herald-bards of the Isle of Britain under the privilege of the sciences of the nation of the Cymry.
When were the sciences of the writing of Roll and Plagawd obtained?
By Bran, son of Llyr the Blessed, it is said; but others relate that it was by Gwydion, son of Don the Irishman, of Arvon, who brought them from Ireland. That, however, is not true in reference to the nation of the Cymry, for certain is it that Bran the Blessed first brought them into the Isle of Britain from Rome, where he learned the art, and the mode of manufacturing plagawd with the skins of lambs and calves and kids. It was Gwydion that first introduced them into Ireland, after the Irish of Mona and Arvon had obtained the faith in Christ; hence the knowledge of letters and the writing of Roll and Plagawd.
Why should a Bard, in virtue of his oath, hold a Chair (Cathair) and Gorsedd (Cathaitach)?
Because there can be no country and nation without good sciences under the protection of God and His peace, and there can be no prepared sciences without teachers, and there can be no teachers without the ordering of privilege and usage, and there ought to be no privilege without actual usage; wherefore nothing can become actual without prudent order, and established practice, and obligatory office on the part of those who are entitled to privileges and immunities. The three functions of Chair and Gorsedd are to teach sciences from God and goodness, in respect of what is found to be wisdom,--to preserve the memory of the privileges, usages, and praiseworthy actions of the country and nation of the Cymry,--and to uphold order and known dates in respect of the learning of masters.
​
ORIGIN OF LETTERS.
Einigain, Einigair, or Einiger, the Giant, was the first that made a letter to be a sign of the first vocalization that was ever heard, namely, the Name of God. That is to say, God pronounced His Name, and with the word all the world and its appurtenances, and all the universe leaped together into existence and life, with the triumph of a song of joy. The same song was the first poem that was ever heard, and the sound of the song travelled as far as God and His existence are, and the way in which every other existence, springing in unity with it, has travelled for ever and ever. And it sprang from inopportune nothing; that is to say, so sweetly and melodiously did God declare its Name, that life vibrated through all existence, and through every existing materiality. And the blessed in heaven shall hear it for ever and ever, and where it is heard, there cannot be other than the might of being and life for ever and ever. It was from the hearing, and from him who heard it, that sciences and knowledge and under-standing and awen from God, were obtained. The symbol of God's Name from the beginning was 
, afterwards 
, and now OIW; and from the quality of this symbol proceed every form and sign of voice, and sound, and name, and condition.
THE INVENTOR OF VOCAL SONG.--THE FIRST RECORDERS OF BARDISM.--ITS FIRST SYSTEMATIZERS.--THEIR REGULATIONS.--MODE OF INSCRIBING THE PRIMARY LETTERS.--ORIGIN OF THEIR FORM AND SOUND.--THE THREE MENWS.
Pray, who was the first that made a vocal song in Cymraeg?
Hu the Mighty, the man who first brought the Cymry into the Isle of Britain; and he made the song to be a memorial of what happened to the nation of the Cymry from the age of ages. And he inserted in it the praise of God for what the Cymry had received at His hand, by way of protection and deliverance, also the sciences and regulations of the nation of the Cymry. It was from that song that instruction in vocal song, and the understanding of just memorials, were first obtained. After that came Tydain, father of Awen (Welsh Imbas), who improved the sciences and art of vocal song, and reduced it to an artistic system, that it might be the more easily learned, understood, and remembered, and be the more pleasantly recited and listened to.
Pray, who were they that first preserved the memory and sciences of Bardism, and gave instruction in wisdom?
The Gwyddoniaid, namely, the sages of the nation of the Cymry; they preserved the memory in vocal song of the sciences and wisdom of Bardism, and gave instruction in them; nevertheless the sciences of the Gwyddoniaid possessed neither privilege nor license, except by courtesy--neither system nor chair.
Who were the first that conferred system and chair on Bards and Bardism, and on Poets and vocal song?
The three primary Bards, namely, Plennydd, Alawn, and Gwron, who lived in the time of Prydain, son of Aedd the Great, and in the time of Dyvnvarth ap Prydain, his son. That is, they devised a Chair and Gorsedd, and regulated teachers and aspirants, and pupilage; and introduced instruction in sciences, and fixed and just memorials in respect of the knowledge of Bardism, and vocal song, with its appurtenances, and in respect of usages, that, of justice, and according to the requirements of wisdom, were suitable to Bards and Poets, as would be most requisite for the benefit and praise of the nation of the Cymry.
Pray, my accomplished teacher, instruct me as to the regulation and system of Chair and Gorsedd, which the three primary Bards introduced in respect of Bards and Poets?
Prydain, son of Aedd the Great, did, of his acute and sagacious sense and meditation, what he saw the best in every act and event for the benefit and praise of the might of the nation of the Cymry. He then called to him the Gwyddoniaid, and requested judgment by ballot as to the three who should be found to be the wisest and best of them in respect of sciences, when Plennydd, Alawn, and Gwron, were found to be the best in respect of sciences, and wisdom, and secrecy, and the art of vocal song. Then they conferred the privilege of country and nation upon those whom they perceived to be the best in respect of the sciences, and art of Bardism and vocal song, and upon the instruction which they gave, and which was regulated by system and art. And these are the order and system which they devised.
Pray, on what were letters first made, and in what manner?
They were first made on trees, that is, wood was hewn into four sided staves, on each of which were cut small notches, and it was by means of as many notches as were necessary, that letters were formed. After that, on a slate stone, that is, letters were engraved on it with a steel pencil, or a flint. When it was done on wood, it was called coelbren, and hence the grooves of the letters were called coelbren; and the lettered stone was called coelvain. There was a different way in which letters were made on wood, other than by means of notches, namely, with black or any other colour that might be most ready at hand. And this was practised by the Cymry for ages before memory. When this island was won by the men of Rome, they brought over here a plant, called plagawd, that is, a sedge, which was obtained from the land of Asia, and the land of Canaan, and wrote upon it. After that, art was applied to the skins of calves, the skins of goats, and the skins of sheep, and plagawd was made from them, and it is the best of all manufactures for books. Nevertheless, the Bards of the Isle of Britain retain in memory and history the mode of making the ancient books, in order to rescue the Cymraeg from the misunderstanding, to which it would otherwise be liable. Another reason is, that wood and stone can be procured where and when plagawd cannot; wherefore there is no proper Gorsedd (Cathairach) or Chair (Cathair), where the ancient usages and the ancient sciences, according to understanding and art, are not exhibited. On that account there ought to be wood in every Gorsedd and Chair, and besides a Roll of plagawd; that is, there ought to be an exhibition of all the sciences of letters in the Gorsedd and Chair of the Bards of the Isle of Britain; and where there is no wood, then lettered stones.
Pray, how were letters first understood in respect of form and sound?
Thus, God, when there was in life and existence only Himself, proclaimed His Name, and co-instantaneously with the word Life and existance burst wholly into a shout of joy; and that voice was the most melodious that ever was heard in music. Co-instantaneously with the voice was light, and in the light, form; and the voice was in three tones, three vocalizations, pronounced together at the same moment. And in the vision were three forms and colours, which were the form of light; and one with the voice, and the colour and form of that voice, were the three first letters. It was from a combination of their vocalizations that every other vocalization was formed in letters. He who heard the voice was Menw the Aged, son of the Three Shouts; but others say that it was Einigan the Giant (Greatx7 grandfather to Oergarlmer MacBoerlgarlmer) that first made a letter, the same being the form of the Name of God, when he found himself alive and existing co-momentaneously and co-instantaneously with the voice.
Pray, my eloquent and learned teacher, how many men, that were Menws, have there been in the nation of the Cymry, for I find mention and account of others of the name of Menw?
Three persons, within memory and knowledge, have been of that name, that is to say, Menw, son of the Three Shouts, the second was Menw the Tall from the North, and the other, Menw, son of Menwad, of Arvon, the man who was the first of the nation of the Cymry that made dramatic representations.