I always go to "Canu'r Bobl" (Songs of the People) by Huw Williams for info on traditional Welsh music. Re: Dafydd y Garreg Wen ...

It was first published in Edward Jones' "Relicks of the Welsh Bards" 1784. (Not sure, but I think this is available on Google Books) where it is titled "Dewisol Gân Dafydd o'r Garreg Wen" ("the song chosen by Dafydd of Garreg Wen") He was an Eifionydd harper who played this on his death bed asking that it be played at his funeral. It was then published by Owain Alaw in the second half of the 19thC as "Roedd Dafydd yn marw" (Dafydd was dying) and by Brinley Richards with the words "Cariwch medd Dafydd" (Dafydd asked, 'bring me...") Apparently there has been debate as to whether it is Welsh, Scottish (July Jott?), or even Russian. If you want fuller details you'll have to look for the Liverpool Daily Post, 11 September 1951.

Then there's Phyllis Kinney's input (Welsh Traditional Music 2011) on Edward Jones' last publication, "Hen Ganiadau Cymru" (Ancient Songs of Wales) which was not his best by far but he was old an broke. She writes of Dewisol Gân Dafydd y Garreg Wen: "almost unsingable as it stands, being set to words by Sir Walter Scott in a metre which does not fit the music." Perhaps those would be the words above that seem to fit that description (and not the tune)?

sian