Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sion Llywelyn

by John Edward Lloyd

For works with similar titles, see Llywelyn of Llangewydd (DNB00).

SION or John, LLYWELYN (d. 1616?), Welsh bard, of Llan Gewydd, near Bridgend, Glamorganshire, was one of the series of mid-Glamorgan antiquaries who carried on the bardic traditions of this district from mediaeval times to the age of Iolo Morgannwg [see Williams, Edward, 1746–1826] and Dr. William Owen Pughe [q. v.] Among his instructors are mentioned Meurig Dafydd and Thomas Llewelyn; like the former, he became (in 1580) president of the 'Gorsedd' or bardic congress of Glamorgan. A letter from him to Meurig Dafydd, printed in 'Adgof uwch Anghof' (Penygroes, 1883, p. 1), shows him as a copyist of Welsh manuscripts, whose work was to be paid for at the rate of 1l. a month. Many of the manuscripts printed from Iolo Morgannwg's collection in the Iolo MSS. (1848) were transcribed by him. His chief work was a complete account of the bardic system of Glamorgan, which he wrote in his old age. It formed the basis of 'Cyfrinach y Beirdd,' compiled by Edward David or Dafydd [q. v.], and sanctioned at a 'Gorsedd' held in 1681. It was not published till 1829. Sion died about 1616.

[Preface to Heroic Elegies of Llywarch Hên (1792), lxiii; Edward Dafydd's preface to Cyfrinach y Beirdd; preface to Barddas (Welsh MSS. Soc. 1862), vol. i. pp. lxxxiii-v.]

J. E. L.

Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.250
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line

Page	Col.	Line
316	i	14 f.e.	Sion or John, Llywelyn: for a further account of the subject of this article see art. Llywelyn of Llangewydd.