Dear Sir,

I don't know that you will relish being troubled on the score of the Welsh tribes; You once thought of doing something with them, yourself: Vaughan of Hengwrt's account is dry, short, and unsatisfactory; their numerous descendants will furnish anecdote, and some, should enliven so dry a subject: perhaps, you will let your writer, copy answers, to a few Queries; In Barrington's Gwedi [sic] History is the relationship as it stands, between the present Sir W: W. Wynne, and Sir John of Wynnstay; If I conceive it right, Sir W. Williams, the son of the speaker married the daughter, and heiress of Edw. Thelwal of Plas y ward; Her Mother was a Grandaughter [sic] of old Sir John, the Historian, & Sir Watkin to whom Sir J: left his Estate,¹ was of course his first Cousin's ^grand-son, and his great-Welsh nephew: Pray, what length of time did the late M^r. Wynne of Bodyscallan set for the Carnarvonshire Boroughs, and what year did he dye: When did Billy Bodvel dye, and how long did he set for that County: When did Lady Prendergast dye: D^r. Gabriel Goodman, Dean of Westminster, and the Founder of Ruthin school, Camden's patron, was he not a Welshman? and the Father of Bishop Goodman?² of what See? I know your books will answer these Questions in an instant, if I could get over to them; As I cannot at present determine that time, so I wish this information by letter, for I stop for want of it: It will be well if it pleases you to send me some sense on the general matter, but I rather guess you are in another world, and will despise this, at present.³ Bloddy will only write from his pate, and good memory, and will ^not set on a Chair, and Consult Books, otherwise, I had not troubled you, as above. I shall take great care of y^t. Pedigree, till I have a safe opportunity of sending it over: Bloddy has promised me Powell's latin verses, on the Tribes, He was of Ednop, in South-Wales; I wish I knew more of him, as well as of his namesake, our Historian, of Ruabon. Anecdotes, and Characters of Great men, are exhausted; some thing might still be had from those of a second rate: You have gathered the Welsh Harvest of History, so close, that there is scarce any. thing to Glean after you, especially in greater matters. [...] Shall I say something of this sort, of Bloddy:
To the House of Kymbychan of this tribe, (Bleddyn ap Cynfyn) we are indebted for a worthy man, and excellent Welsh Genealogist, the reverend John Lloyd Rector of Caerwis; He is a liberal and living light to all who pry into pedigree: that loose fellow Foote ridiculed, and with some success, our natural love of Ancestry, but Spain was, not ultimately obliged to Cervantes; his ingenuity tis true, was an honour to his Country, but in removing the speck, he injured the Eye itself, of her national Gallantry, and the Spanish Infantry has been no longer distinguished as the first in Europe. [...] But of this Enough, and I remain always, Dear Sir,

Your affect:^te Servant,

Ph: Yorke

Abergele, July 19^th: 1791.

If I should put a Motto –
ridentem [sic] dicere verum
Quid vetat –⁴

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Editorial notes

1. The relations outlined here are complex, and may be confused. The Sir J: to whom Yorke refers is unlikely to be Sir John Wynn, first baronet, whose Gwydir estate was bequeathed to Robert Bertie, first duke of Ancaster. It may, rather, be a reference to Sir John Wynn, fifth baronet (c.1628–1719), of Rhiwgoch, Merionethshire, and Wynnstay, Denbighshire. He bequeathed the Wynnstay estate to Jane (née Thelwall), through whom it came to Sir William Williams, second baronet (c.1665–1740), her husband, and their son Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, third baronet (?1693–1749), of Wynnstay, Denbighshire. Hist P.
2. Yorke appears to have confused the generational order of the Goodman family as well as the identity of its members. Gabriel Goodman was uncle to Godfrey Goodman, bishop of Gloucester.
3. Yorke may be referring to Pennant's preoccupation with his 'Outlines of the Globe' at this time. See, for example, 1136 and 1142.
4. 'Ridente dicere verum quid vetat': 'What prevents me from telling the truth while smiling?' Horace, Satires, book I, satire 1, line 24.