Antiquæ linguæ Britannicæ thesaurus. A Welsh and English dictionary, wherein the Welsh words are often exemplified by select quotations from celebrated ancient authors; and many of them etymologized, and compared with the Oriental and other languages ... adorned with many valuable British antiquities, to elucidate the meaning of obscure words. To which are annexed, a Welsh and English botanology, and a large collection of Welsh proverbs. And to the whole is prefixed, a compendious Welsh grammar, with the rules in English; also, to which are added, The rules of Welsh poetry / By the late Rev. Thomas Richards, Coychurch.

  • Richards, Thomas, 1709 or 1710-1790.
Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Antiquæ linguæ Britannicæ thesaurus. A Welsh and English dictionary, wherein the Welsh words are often exemplified by select quotations from celebrated ancient authors; and many of them etymologized, and compared with the Oriental and other languages ... adorned with many valuable British antiquities, to elucidate the meaning of obscure words. To which are annexed, a Welsh and English botanology, and a large collection of Welsh proverbs. And to the whole is prefixed, a compendious Welsh grammar, with the rules in English; also, to which are added, The rules of Welsh poetry / By the late Rev. Thomas Richards, Coychurch. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    of ancient Britisli Autbors, or outof sucb of tbe moderns, as are allowed to bave been perfect Critics in tbe Welsb Tongue. Tbe Armoric also is bere often inserted, and sometimes the Cornisb, as they are but Dialects of ibe ancient British. It may afford matterof wonder, that a Colony of Britans, wbo bave settled in France since tbe fourth century,* * * § do retain still the Language, wbicli tbeir Ancestors carried over witb them ; whereas the Cornish, here in Britain, have now (it seems) entireìy lost the original Language of their Country, and must, if tbey desire to know ibe Significations of tbe Names of Families, Places, &c. come over to Wales to learn them. Some Irish Words are inserted too, which agree wilh tbe Welsh; forthe Irish Tongue isknowu tohaveagreat affinity with the British, and is thought by some to have been originally the same Language. As to the helps I received for this performance from Works of this kind published before, I must acknowledge that the greaiest assistance I had, was from Dr. Johnf Davies’s Dictionary ; a book which (to use ihe Words of that learned Prelate Dr. Nicholson, Bishop of Derry,î concerningit) shews iFsexcel- lent Author to have been perfectly acquainted with all the learned Languages as well ashis own Mother tongue. It is to this learned Writer I am obliged for most of the Words, which, from the Hebrew and other Oriental Languages, are inserted in the following Work. I have likewise made use of all tbe authorities or examples, which he gives from ancient Writers, as they are accu- rate proofs of the Significations assigned to the Words they are set under: and wben I set down any other acceptations of Words, besides those mentioned by the Doctor, or add aiiy Words by him omitted, 1 often exemplify them in the same manner. I have inserted all the Armoric Wordstoo, which occur in his Work. I own myself to have been much assisted too in this performance by the ingenious Mr. Edward Lhwyd’s Archseologia Brittannica. § That excellent Büok furnished me with several hundreds of British Words, which are not to be met with in Dr. Davies’s Dictionary. It is from the Archseologia I took the Cjinish, Irish, and many of the Armoric Words. í perused also the same Antiquary’s Additions to that part of Camden’s Brittannia which relates lo Wales, and some of his other Writings. The learned Dr. Wotton’s Glossary, at the end of the Welsh Laws, was Iike- wise of no small use to me. It is from that Work I excerped the British Terms of the Law, and several other Words, whichocçur in Prince Howel Dda’s Laws, that have been either wholly omitted, or not rightly interpreted in former Welsh Dictionaries. *Tlie Britans of France, about the year of Christ 384, went over out of this Island under the command of Conan, Lord of Meiriadoc, to tlie aid of Maximus the Tyrant, against the Emperor Gratianus. For this Service Maximus granted to Conan and his followers the Country of Armorica. Wynne’s Hist. of Wales, p. 8. t John Davies, D. D. was Rector of Mallwyd, in Merionethshire. He published his Welsh Grammar, entitled, Antiqu8e Lingnae Britannicíe, &c. Rudirnenta, in 1621 ; and his Dictionary, entitled, Antlquae Linguae Brittannicae, &c. Dictionar- ium dupìex, in 1632. :j; Vifl. Nicholson s English Historical Dictionary, Vo1. 1, p. 77. § Rdward Lhwyd, M. A. of Jesus College, and F. R. S Èeeper of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, died the 29th of June, 1709, and in the 49th year of his age. He intended to publish a second Volume of his Archaeologia Britannica, which was to be a Historical Dictionaiy of the Kings, Princes, Noblemen, Saints, Churches, Castles, and of all other remarhable Persons and Elaces among the Ancient Britans, whereof any raenlion is niade iti old Writings; but his untimely death deprived posterity of that valuable Work,