"He loved the battling of spears, At Mannan, and before Aldud the renowned."
"Emyt af crennyt y gat waewawr Catvannan yr Aelut clodvawr."
"Yn dieding . . . . . Ac Adan Cadvannan cochre, Veirch marchawg goddrud y more."
"Resistless As Aeddan of the blood-stained steeds of Mannan-fight, He was an impetuous rider that morning."
Here we have three separate proofs of the fact, that Cadvannan was anterior to the battle of Cattraeth: now when and where did that take place? In the year 582, and probably at Clackmannan, on the Firth of Forth in Scotland. Here is my authority (_Annals of Ulster_):
"DLXXXII. Bellum Manan, in quo victor erat Aodhan Mar Gawran."
The battle of Cattraeth must be that of 603, at which Aeddan was also present.
These few annotations from a new translation of _The Gododin_ now in MS., will, it is hoped, satisfy your correspondent GOMER that I am justified in repeating the views of Davies. Should he wish to get a correct text, and a judicious version of _The Gododin_, he had better subscribe to a translation by the Rev. J. Williams (author of the _Ecclesiastical Antiquities of the Cymry_), now about to issue from the Llandovery press, at a very moderate price. Probert's translation is very scarce.
Is there no tradition of this battle at Sigston?
_Lincolnshire Folk Lore._--The following, illustrating as it does a superstition still very prevalent in Lincolnshire, may interest some of your readers. I transcribed it a few days ago in the British Museum from Holly's _Lincolnshire Notes_, vol. iii. fol. 358.:--
"The other I receaued from Mr. Thomas Codd, minister of Laceby in Linc, w[=c]h he gave under his owne hand; he himself being a native of ye place where this same happened, and it was thus:
"At Axholme, alias Haxey, in ye Isle, one Mr. Edward Vicars (curate to Mr. Wm. Dalby, vicar), together with one Robert Hallywell a taylor, intending on St. Marke's even at night to watch in ye church porch to see who shoud die in ye yeare following (to this purpose using divers ceremonies), they addressing themselues to the busines, Vicars (being then in his chamber) wished Hallywell to be going before and he would p[=s]ently follow him. Vicars fell asleep, and Hallywell (attending his coming in ye church porch) forthwith sees certaine shapes p[=s]nting themselves to his view, resemblances (as he thought) of diuers of his neighbours, who he did nominate; and all of them dyed the yeare following; and Vicars himselfe (being asleep) his phantome was seen of him also, and dyed with ye rest. This sight made Hallywell so agast that he looks like a Ghoast ever since. The lord Sheffield (hearing this relation) sent for Hallywell to receiue account of it. The fellow fearing my Lord would cause him to watch the church porch againe he hid himselfe in the Carrs till he was almost starued. The number of those that died (whose phantasmes Hallywell saw) was as I take it about fower score.