Four Ancient Books of Wales: S. Poems Relating to Yscolan.: LXXXVI. Black Book of Caermarthen XXVI.

I. BLACK thy horse, black thy cope, Black thy head, black thyself, Yes, black I art thou Yscolan? II. I am Yscolan the scholar, Slight is my clouded reason, There is no drowning the woe of him who offends a sovereign. III. For having burnt a church, and destroyed the cattle of a school, And caused a book to be submerged, My penance is a heavy affliction. IV. Creator of the creatures, of supports The greatest, pardon me my iniquity! He who betrayed Thee, deceived me. V. A full year was given me At Bangor on the pole of a weir; Consider thou my suffering from sea-worms. VI. If I knew what I now know As plain as the wind in the top branches of waving trees, What I did I should never have done.