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Continued Survival
Cynwal is best remembered for his metrical Psalms (Salmau Can) published as an appendix to the Welsh Book of Common Prayer in 1621. These psalms were practically the only hymnal used in Wales for over a century, and they still are used in many churches in Wales for congregational singing.
As far as other secular writing was concerned, much of the early literature had been lost or destroyed. However, due to the tireless work of collectors and antiquarians such as John Prys, Robert Vaughan and John Jones, such medieval works as "The Book of Taliesin," "The Black Book of Carmarthen" and "The White Book of Rhydderch" were not only preserved as reminders of the long and splendid tradition of Welsh literature, but helped to inspire future generations.
Prys and his colleagues were part of the new breed of scholars who wished to understand the world that had created such wonderful classical writings, and they therefore were anxious to interpret and assess ancient sources. They wanted to look closely at the claims of such as the Italian Polydor Vergil, who questioned much of Geoffrey of Monmouth's account of the central myth of Welsh identity -- the story of King Arthur.
 Vergil's work was viewed as heresy to patriotic Welsh historians who felt it their duty to refute his arguments: the anglicized Italian had to be answered by such works as "Historie of Cambria," Now called Wales, published in 1584 by David Powel. It closely followed the arguments of Humphrey Lluyd's adaptation of the ancient "Brut y Tywysogion." Powel's book remained the standard version of the history of Wales for the next few centuries.
Geoffrey of Monmouth's histories were composed before the mid-12th century; a century later, Geraldus Cambrensis completed his "Itinerarium Kambriae" and "Descriptio Kambriae" based on personal observations undertaken on travels to all parts of the nation. It wasn't until 1586 that another Latin book of travels, that explored Roman Wales "Britannia" was completed by William Camden. Camden's book presented Britain within the framework of the divisions into the Celtic tribal areas, those of the Silures, the Demetai and the Ordovices, as recorded by the classical geographers. The book has been recognized as the best of its kind for two centuries.
Through such revisions of the ancient works as those of Lhuyd and Powel, and the newer histories of Camden, the noble, wonderful tales of Geoffrey of Monmouth, concocted from his imagination as they might have been, retained their powerful hold on the Welsh consciousness. It enabled them to hold on to the idea that they, and they alone in the whole of Britain were the true British race and the rightful heirs to the Arthurian tradition. As scholar John Davies of Hereford put it in 1590: "We have long been afflicted and oppressed by those that sought our whole race to destroy." He added, "Caerleon, where king Arthur lived of yore shall be rebuilt and double gilt once more."
 Such sentiments were of great interest to Queen Elizabeth (left). When she felt it would benefit her rule, she took full advantage of her Welsh ancestry. Not only did she authorize the translation of the Bible into Welsh, but she also encouraged the writings of London Welshman John Dee, a key figure in the expansion of her island kingdom overseas.
Dee publicized the traditions of Prince Madog of Gwynedd's discovery of the New World. During the 12th century when he supposedly brought his little fleet into what is now Mobile Bay, Alabama, explored the Mississippi Valley and joined the Mandan tribe, the pitiful remnants of whom still revere a white ancestor. Elizabeth's court officials eagerly seized the legend, diligently promoting attempts to find the Northwest Passage to India as justification for their war against the Spanish, and proof of their legitimate claims to the Americas. Dee's preposterous claims included King Arthur's ruling over large territories in the Atlantic, and that Madog's voyage had confirmed the Welsh (therefore Tudor) title to this empire. As successor to the Welsh princes, Elizabeth was the rightful sovereign of the Atlantic Empire.
In the meantime, however, Elizabeth died in 1603, and a new monarch arrived in London to take his throne over the Kingdom of Great Britain.
Chapter 12: Status Quo
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