Yny lhyvyr hwnn (In this book) was the first book to be printed in theWelsh language. It was written by SirJohn Price ofBrecon, a nobleman and secretary ofthe Council of Wales and the Marches. He was one of the most important Welsh manuscript collectors of his time, particularly after thedissolution of the monasteries. The publication's main objective was to correct the lack of material, and specifically, the lack of religious material, available in the Welsh language. AsYny lhyvyr hwnn was aRenaissance humanist venture with the aim to put into print the heritage ofWelsh literature, Price also included anABC section and the first Welsh printed alphabet. A record of English, European and Welsh saints was added, as well as a monthly forecast for agricultural purposes. The last section of the pamphlet is a comprehensive religious text, approximating contemporaryprimer prayer books but sans thecanonical hours. These subjects dominated many early Welsh publications.Yny lhyvyr hwnn was printed in London byEdward Whitchurch in 1546.[1]
TheNational Library of Wales holds the only known copy. It was part of the foundation collection donated by SirJohn Williams to the Library in 1908.[2]