CORWEN. The earthquake was distinctly felt here. About 5.40 a.m., as nearly as can be ascertained, the rattling of crockery, etc., caused by the shock awoke a number of people, who testify to a feeling of general terror, produced by the rumbling noise and the rattling of the windows and doors. Mr John Bellis, the local postman, was returning from the morning mail, and says two very vivid flashes of lightning were immediately followed by a great rumbling, and by earth tremors. This lasted about fifteen seconds. MONTGOMERYSHIRE. The shock was distinctly felt in a number of houses at Llanfyllin, but though much consternation was caused no injury or damage is reported. The shock was severely felt at Trewern between 5 and 6 a m. There were two or three shocks lasting four or five seconds. No great damage was done, excepting that some of the inhabitants were frightened. In various houses plates and dishes were thrown off the shelves, doors trembled, and the beds swayed to and fro like the pendulum of a clock. The shock was felt at Pool Quay, and at the Ark Inn, Arddleen, it shook some plates off the shelves and broke them. At Welshpool the shock was felt by many. No serious damage was done, and the time is said to have been twenty minutes to six. The earthquake was noticed by many persons at Newtown. Mr W. Cooke,clerk to the Urban District Council, who was awake at the time, heard a noise as of an explosion a short distance away, and then the bed was upheaved and swaved. The door and windows shook, and the shock died away in short, quick vibrations, like the flapping of a bird's wings. Mr David Hamer likens the noise to the pattering of rats along the passage, and the motion of his bed as not unpleasant. At Llanidloes the shocks were but the Upper Green and High-street appear to felt generally, have felt the shock more severely. In some houses locked doors were suddenly burst open, and articles of furniture thrown about the rooms. Many persons were much alarmed. The stationmaster at Llandinam says the shock was very severe, and the station shook so violently that he feared it would tumble down. For prevailed violently a considerable time much The broken, beds were felt to rock to and fro, and some persons were with difficulty able to keep ca their feet. The shock was felt at Llanbrynmar about 5.30-6.45 a.m., on Thursday. It was felt with more or less distinct ness all over the parish, but there were ne few people whose rest was not in the least disturbed by it. It was accompanied by a ku rumbling noise, as of "boxes falling pell-mell, but with a deeper sound" is the description of one who heard it. The shock was felt at Llanfair Caereinion by a large number of people about 5.30 a.m., and caused much consternation. DECEMBER 30, 1896. NOTES. TURNPIKE ROADS (Dec. 2, 1896).-PRICE OF LAND, &c. Dec. 28th, 1769. Ord. that Thos. Trevor, Edwd. Kynaston, Richd. Maurice, Edwd. Brown, and John Tomley be appointd. a Committee to direct a conveyance of the water wch. now injures the road leading from Willow gate to Kern y bwych across Mr Robt. Lloyd's lands at Swan Hill. Ord. that Mr Edwd. Barrett do tender to Mr Birch of Pentrewern after the rate of thirty shil lings per acre for his meadow lands and eighteen shillings per acre for his arable lands for widening the road near the Gobowen. Ordered that the Surveyor pay unto Richard Rhees Three shillings and six pense pr. Rood in Lieu of Posting and Railing about his Gravel Pit in Goebowen, which is seven Roods and a half, provided the Posts be six feet high with three Rails. At the X Keys in Oswestry, Jan. 27, 1774. tions after due notice given be removed by the Ord. That all annoyances nuisances & obstruc Surveyor p'ticularly all the Gates except Turnpike leading from Oswestry to Wrexham being great gates wch. are erected across the Turnpike road annoyances nuisances & obstructions to Travellers. Whereas by the Amendment to this Act a Clause alarm is inserted therein That if any Gate shall be at Machynlleth. The houses were shaken, the erected between Oswestry and Kyrn y Boch the windows rattled, Inhabitants of the Parish of Oswestry who shall and the rocking of beds rudely awaken- inhabit and dwell on the North side of the Gate ed the occupants from their slumbers. shock was severest in the neighbourhood of Gar-mitted to pass and repass with their horses, beasts, and shall during the continuance of this Act be per shon, where crockery, pictures, and furniture were carriages thro' the sd Gate upon payment annually removed from their positions. The earthquake of the sum of two shillings and sixpence by every lasted about three seconds, but was sharp and person keeping a team, and the sum of one loud. No damage or injury is reported. sensation felt by those who experienced the shock in lieu of all Tolls whatsoever insured by virtue of The shilling by every other person not keeping a Team in bed has been compared to that of being tossed the sd Act, and a Gate being erected at the upped on the waves of the sea. end of the Willow Street between Oswestry and Kern y Bwch aforesd at wch Gate Mr Robt. Lloyd of Swan Hill claims the benefit of such composition, meeting that the Dwellinghouse of Mr Lloyd at It is hereby given in the opinion of the Trustees in Swan hill aforesd. is not in the parish of Oswestry The shock was distinctly felt at several houses in Llanllugan, and the churchyard wall, which was in a dilapidated state, was damaged. A very distinct shock was felt in Llangurig parish. Pieces of earthenware were thrown down and and therefore by no means intitled to the Benefit of the sd Composition. At the X Keys in Oswestry, Sep. 29, 1774. Whereas Mr John Jones of Vrony gard's Cart loaded wth Coals was weigh at the Machine erected at Black park gate on Monday, the 28 Sept. inst, wch weigh'd 25c. 3qr. Olb., and Thomas Owen of Plaseinion Mills Cart loaded with Coals was weigh'd the same day at the said Machine wch weigh'd 25c. 2qr. Olb., and it appears that a quantity of water lodges in the pit to the detriment of the Machine.-Ord. that a drain be made from the pit to carry off the water. J.P.-J. (To be Continued.) # THE MONTGOMERYSHIRE ELECTION OF 1774.-The following list of voters which I found in the British Museum Add. MS., 14,936, fol. 107b, may prove a supplement to the interesting articles which appeared some time ago on Surnames in Montgomeryshire. The use of the number preceding some of the names is obvious, but I do not know the meaning of the before others. I felt disappointed at not finding my own surname in the list; Aston being the nearest approach to it, and really only another form of it. But I am informed by Mr N. Bennett of Glanyrafon that Ashton is not an uncommon name in Montgomeryshire since the time of Oliver Cromwell. In that case I must conclude that my forefathers at the time of this election were either very lukewarm politicians or were neither freeholders nor leaseholders. It will also be observed that several other well-known Montgomeryshire surnames are omitted in the list, such as Bebb, Bumford, Dakin, Kinsey, Theodore, &c. C.A. Surnames of the Freeholders and Leaseholders who voted at the General Election for the Co. of Montgomery, 1774. Yr hon a ddengys fel mae'r Saeson, &c., wedi ymgymsgu (sic.) â'r Cymry yn Mhowys. Clive Colebatch Colley Leighton 22 Lewis Linley Lowe Cowdale Lyth Cowern Llewelyn Adden Gethyn 18 Powell Craft 42 Lloyd brook Gittins Mapp Cross Marpole Goodwin 2 Price Crosse Marsh Marton Mason Spoonley Symcocks 4 Gough 30 Griffiths Gwalchmay 4 Harris Hawkins Basnett Harper {Mathew Mathway 17 Morgan Mews Dolby Dolphin Moxon Dorset Munford Downes Mytton * Drake Nanney Newell Dunn Tannar 29 Thomas Thornes Topp Turner 4 Watkins Watson ton Wilkes Fox Phillip 4 Francis Phipps Wynne Yates Youde Franks 3 Pierce G.G. VAVASOR POWELL AT SWEENEY (Nov. 4, 1896).-There is no reference in the Sweeney epitaphs to Vavasor Powell. It may be that your correspondent has heard of the paragraph in Gough's History of Myddle, where be says, referring to Mr Baker of Sweeney, "He was a great patron and benefactor of all Independent preachers, such as Vavasor Powell, who commonly preached every day in the weeke. I have heard him pray and preach four houres together in the dining roome at Sweeney, where many persons came to heare him, and when the people departed they had everyone a quarter of a twopenny bun or cake, and everyone a glass of beere, of about half a pint." FIELD. TUMULUS NEAR SELATTYN (Nov. 11, 691 ... 9 for Wm. Mostyn Owen, Esq.; Majority 76 1896). "D.M. R. "will find all particulars bedesires upon the whole 546... 78 for Wat. Williams, Esq. 1237 ... 87 in the very article he quotes, viz., Archæologia Cambrensis for January, 1857, the same being the official report of the exploration of the mound, by the late Mr Wynne of Penisrth and Total voters 1324, besides several more, others. 918 Welsh names 406 English &c. 1324 QUERIES. TRAHERNES OF CASTELLAN.-What is known of the Trahernes of Castellan (which at one time was called Tyr David ap Traherne) previously to 1630, in which year one William ap Edmund Traherne married Margaret Williams of Aberpergwm? LLEISAN. DWY O GERDDI DUWIOL, 1769.-The following is not given in Rowlands's Cambrian Bibliography, viz.-" Dwy o Gerddi Duwiol: y gyntaf yn dangos mawrion lygredigaethau yr oes bresennol, gan Watkin Dafydd; yr ail, Llythyr at Owen Prys, o blwyf Lliwel, yr hwn a orweddodd ar ei glaf wely bum' mlynedd a'r hugain, gan Philip Tomas, Llanymddyfri; argraphwyd dros Efan William, gynt o Blwyf Mihangel, yn Sir Forganwg, 1769." Eight pages. Has this been noted before? In the list All the evidence strongly points to its being the burial place of "Gwen." The few parts of a skeleton found in the mound were those of a man over 6 feet in height, about 45 years. of age. This was the opinion of the celebrated anatomist, the late Professor Owen. This answers to the reference to the assassination and burial of Gwen by his father, Llywarch Hen, in the celebrated poem. "Prysg Gwen""Preesgweene," probably takes its name from Prysg-thicket-Gwen's thicket, or meeting grounds. The present tenant of Gorsedd Wen, Mr Jones, was present at the exploration. W. CURRENT NOTES. The Rev Benjamin J. Baines, for many years her Majesty's Inspector of Schools for South Wales, died at Swansea on Sunday week, at the age of seventy-six. The death is announced, at the age of sixty. three, of Mr Michael Walter Jones of Club, Chairman of the Radnorshire Coal Company. Mr Jones had for more than a quarter of s century been a churchwarden of St. George's. Mr Francis Darwin is preparing to publish a supplementary series of Charles Darwin's letters, and writes to the press asking any of Mr Darwin's correspondents to send him letters, excepting, of course, those which have appeared in the " Life." Probate of the will, dated May 11, 1894, of Mr Richard Davies of Treborth Hall, Bangor, Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey, has been granted to his widow, Mrs Annie Davies, sons (Messrs John Robert Davies, Henry Rees Davies, Richard Lloyd Davies), and cousin (Mr Charles Pierce, Brynymor, Bangor). The testator left personal property of the gross value of £294,446 11s 10d. The testator appoints his wife sole guardian of his infant son, Arthur Charles Davies, during his minority. To his wife the testator bequeaths his household furniture, plate, jewellery, carriages, horses, &c.; to his son Henry Rees Davies he bequeaths £10,000; to his clerk, Mr Richard Chas. Jones, £500; and the testator also requests that his wife's maid, Martha Jones, shall be properly provided for during her lifetime. The freehold mansion-house and estate of Treborth, including the lower park (formerly called the Britannia Park), is bequeathed to the use of his wife and her assigns during her life. The testator devises all his estates, farms, and lands in the county of Anglesey to his eldest son, Mr John R. Davies, Ceris, and his heirs and assigns for ever. All his towns and lands in the barony of Balrothery West and county Dublin, Ireland, are devised to his trustees to be held in trust to be managed, or with power to sell the same or any part, the profits or income to be paid to his wife during her lifetime. The sum of £60,000 is to be invested, and the dividends, incomes, and interest arising from the same are to be paid to the testator's wife during her lifetime, and after her death to his issue, with certain restrictions. The testator bequeaths to his three unmarried daughters the sum of £15,000 each, and the sum of £10,000 to each of his two married daughters. The residue of the testator's personal estate is to be divided amongst his four sons in equal shares. THE CYMMRODORION SOCIETY. The Lord Chancellor presided on Thursday week at the annual dinner of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion. Amongst the guests were Sir R. and Lady Wyatt, Sir J. Puleston, Mr Brynmor Jones, Q.C., M.P., Mr H. Owen, and Mr Vincent Evans, secretary.-The Chairman, in proposing the toast of the evening, "Success and Prosperity to the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion," apologised for not being able to pronounce the name of the Society, and also for not being able to address the company in Welsh. (Laughter.) He had thought of requesting his friend Mr Francis Williams to supply him with a Welsh speech, and to tell him how to deliver it. But he remembered a story which was rife when he was chairman of Quarter Sessions in Carmarthe shire. It was said that a very distinguished and, having a brother English bishop with him, prelate had been reading Welsh very diligently, they went out walking together, and lost their way. Meeting a peasant, the Welsh bishop asked, in his best Welsh, which was the way. The person addressed only scratched his head and replied, "Dim Seisnaeg." (Laughter.) Perhaps if he (the speaker) had carried out his intention his present audience would have thought what the rustic said to the bishop. (Renewed laughter.) Referring to the Cymmrodorion Society, the Lord Chancellor said it had unrolled the records of the past to an extent that no other nation he was acquainted with could boast of. He was quite sure that all present had read diligently all the Society had published. He was compelled to admit that he had not. (Laughter.) But he hoped to improve in the future. In all seriousness, he would say that a Society which had lasted so long as this Society, and which had done so much to enhance the value and claim recognition for the literature of Wales, was a Society to be proud of. (Hear, hear.) There was a great number of Welsh poets and a great number of Welsh poems, and if for the moment A BIRD'S NEST IN WINTER.-Some three weeks ago, while the workmen were engaged in pulling down the goods-yard signal box at Whitchurch Railway Station, they noticed a sparrow hovering over the box in a very excited state. On the box being brought down, the cause of the bird's anxiety was soon apparent, for a nest was discovered containing two eggs. THE SALOP COUNTY ARMS. At the meeting of the County Council held on the 2nd May last, the Chairman was authorised to apply to the College of Arms for a grant of arms to the county, on receiving a satisfactory guarantee that all expenses incidental to the application would be defrayed from private sources. The application was accordingly made, and it may be interesting to many to know that the following Arms were granted, viz: "Erminois three Piles Azure, two issuant from the Chief and one in Base,each charged with a Leopard's faceOr." The cost of obtaining the grant amounts to £82 Os 8d. A list for subscriptions is now open at my they were not known and appreciated, they only shared the fate of their English brethren, some of whom were not even read. (Applause.) Dr Isambard Owen, in reply, reminded the Chairman that whatever might be said of the Welshman's love of theology, music, or poetry, nobody would deny that he had a warm corner in his heart for law. (Laughter.) The Cymmrodorion Society had been accused of looking back too much to the past and paying too little attention to the future. He did not think the charge well founded, be cause it was by looking into the past we could best obtain guidance and inspiration for the future. John Jones-the typical Welshman-had, during the past century, been engaged in a very practical work-the task of developing the hidden resources of his country. Wales had always been a land of concealed treasure. Little more than of purchasers. I am gradually transferring the bulk of my library to the Institution of St Deiniol's at this place, which I hope to succeed in founding; but I retain certain branches for use, and a few of what are to me treasures, though you would, I apprehend, refuse to most of them a place on your shelves. "The oldest book I have, that is to say the one longest in my possession, was presented to me personally by Mrs Hannah More. It is a copy of her 'Sacred Dramas,' printed and given to me in 1815, eighty-one years ago; and was accom panied with a pretty introductory sentence, of which I remember only the first words. They were these: 'As you have just come into this world, and I am just going out of it, allow me,' and so forth. 66 "My purchases commenced a few years after one hundred years ago the mineral wealth of that time, and I have a variety of books acquired Glamorganshire and Monmouthshire was concealed under barren and comparatively profitless Constitutional History,' in quarto, presented to at Eton. Among them is a copy of Mr Hallam's moorlands, and until quite recent times a compar-me by his son Arthur, the subject of 'In Memoatively barren state of things concealed a treasure in Wales with which not even coal and iron could riam,' and at that period my dearest friend. be compared an active brain, coupled with an 'Book-buyers of the present day have immense eager desire for education. (Hear, hear.) He advantages in the extended accessibility and thought it said very much for the character of cheapness of books which, whether in the ancient the Welsh nation that a strongly marked national or modern languages,ought to be considered cla-simovement had exerted most strenuous efforts in cal. I have a copy of the 'Spectator' in eight the cause of a national system of education. (Ap- volumes, 8vo, which cost me £4; and I hold plause.) It was to the impulses extended from Scott's Poems in the small volumes at a somewhat that Society that they were indebted for the es- larger price. These were both bought in the tablishment of the University of to-day. (Loud twenties.' The enormous development of the applause.)-Mr William Evans, in submitting the second-hand book trade, and the public spirit of toast of " Literature, Science, and Art, as conmany publishers, have also been greatly in favour nected with Wales," expressed the hope that Wales of book-buyers. In one respect only they have would yet produce a Burns and a Scott. lost ground, and that is in regard to bookbinding. (Applause.) The Rev Llewellyn Thomas (vice- It is (as a general rule; I am not complaining principal of Jesus College) responded for litera- in my own case) much dearer than it was seventy ture and science, and Mr Goscombe John (the and eighty years back, and, notwithstanding aboliCardiff sculptor) for art.-The Chairman's health tions of duty and enlarged use of machinery, it was proposed by Sir Charles Philipps, and duly is generally worse in that vitally important partihonoured.The proceedings were enlivened by cular, the easy opening of a book... I showed lately some excellent Welsh singing by Miss Nellie Grif- to a friend my copy of the original octavo edition fiths, Miss Marion Isaac, and Miss Rachel of Scott's earlier novels (down to 'Quentin DurThomas, of the Cardiff Royal Welsh Ladies' ward') in half morocco, with gilt tops. He priced Choir, who were under the direction of Mme. the binding for to-day at 48 (I think rather too Clara Novello Davies. high), but (when at Oxford) the binder charged me MR GLADSTONE'S BOOKS. AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL LETTER. letter a on 28. "As quantity has been my strongest point, I may without offence refer to it in comparison The "Academy" prints, by permission of Mr with quality. An able and learned person of Gladstone, which the right hon.our day bought for his own use twenty thousand gentleman addressed to Mr Quaritch volumes. They were examined and valued for the subject of English book collectors. The docu- sale (which never came off) in London, and it was ment, dated September 9, 1896, is written by Mr predicted that he would net from them eight Gladstone himself, in a firm and bold hand, with thousand pounds, or a little over two shillings a volume. Nearly at the same time a library of hardly a correction. somewhat over half the quantity, but rich in rarities, brought (not at auction) about six pounds a volume. "I have in my time," writes Mr Gladstone, "been a purchaser to the extent of about 35,000 volumes. A book collector ought, as I conceive, to possess the following six qualifications: appetite, leisure, wealth, knowledge, discrimination, and perseverance. Of these I have only had two, the first and the last, and these are not the most important. Restricted visual power now imposes upon me a serious amount of disability; and, speaking generally, I have retired from the list "Though, as I have said, a beggarly collector, I have had a few specialities. One I will mention. I accumulated more than thirty distinct rifaccia menti of the Book of Common Prayer. Many of these had prefaces which commonly ran to this effect: The Prayer Book is excellent. But it has some blemishes. Let them be removed, and |