The Four Ancient Books of Wales, Vol. 2: Containing the Cymric Poems Attributed to the Bards of the Sixth Century

by William Forbes Skene

Excerpt from The Four Ancient Books of Wales

The black book OF caermarthen I. II. III. IV.' V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. XV. XVI. XVII. XVIII. XIX. Englynnionn y Bedev XX. Kygogion. Elaeth ae cant XXI. Elae'ch Agent.

521 pages, Paperback

First published August 11, 2015

About the author

William Forbes Skene was a Scottish historian and antiquary. He was the second son of James Skene of Rubislaw, near Aberdeen, who was a friend of Sir Walter Scott. He was educated at Edinburgh Academy in Edinburgh and at the University of St Andrews, taking an especial interest in the study of Celtic philology and literature. In 1832, he became a Writer to the Signet (WS), and shortly afterwards obtained an official appointment in the bill department of the Court of Session, which he held until 1865.

Skene's early interest in the history and antiquities of the Scottish Highlands bore its first fruit in 1837, when he published The Highlanders of Scotland, their Origin, History and Antiquities. His chief work, however, is his Celtic Scotland, a History of Ancient Alban (3 volumes, Edinburgh, 1876–1880), perhaps the most important contribution to Scottish history written during the 19th century.

The most important of Skene's other works are: editions of John of Fordun's Chronica gentis Scotorum (Edinburgh, 1871–1872); of the Four Ancient Books of Wales (Edinburgh, 1868); of the Chronicles of the Picts and Scots (Edinburgh, 1867); and of Adomnán's Vita S. Columbae (Edinburgh, 1874); an Essay on the Coronation Stone of Scone (Edinburgh, 1869); and Memorials of the Family of Skene of Skene (Aberdeen, 1887).