John Davies (Mallwyd)
Encyclopedia
Dr John Davies, Mallwyd (c. 1567 – 1644) was one of Wales's leading scholars of the late Renaissance
. He wrote a Welsh
grammar and dictionary. He was also a translator and editor and an ordained minister of the Church of England
.
Born in Llanferres, Denbighshire
, the son of a weaver, he graduated from Jesus College, Oxford
in 1594. His name is traditionally associated with the parish of Mallwyd
, Gwynedd
, where he was rector from 1604 until his death in 1644.
He is believed to have been the main editor and reviser of the 1620 edition of the Welsh
translation of the Bible
and the 1621 edition of the Welsh
translation of the Book of Common Prayer
.
He published a Welsh grammar in Latin in 1621, Antiquae linguae Britannicae ..., and a Welsh-Latin Latin-Welsh dictionary in 1632, Dictionarum duplex. In 1632 he also published Llyfr y resolusion, a masterly translation and Protestant adaptation of The first booke of the Christian exercise, appertayning to resolution (1582) by English Roman Catholic Robert Parsons
.
He died, possibly while at Harlech
, on 15 May 1644, and was buried at Mallwyd church, where a memorial was erected to him on the 200th anniversary of his death.
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
. He wrote a Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
grammar and dictionary. He was also a translator and editor and an ordained minister of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
.
Born in Llanferres, Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
, the son of a weaver, he graduated from Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
in 1594. His name is traditionally associated with the parish of Mallwyd
Mallwyd
Mallwyd is a small village at the most southern end of the county of Gwynedd in North Wales in the valley of the River Dyfi. It lies on the A470 approximately half-way between Dolgellau and Machynlleth, and forms the junction of the A458 towards Welshpool. The nearest village is Dinas Mawddwy, two...
, Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, where he was rector from 1604 until his death in 1644.
He is believed to have been the main editor and reviser of the 1620 edition of the Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
translation of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
and the 1621 edition of the Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
translation of the Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
.
He published a Welsh grammar in Latin in 1621, Antiquae linguae Britannicae ..., and a Welsh-Latin Latin-Welsh dictionary in 1632, Dictionarum duplex. In 1632 he also published Llyfr y resolusion, a masterly translation and Protestant adaptation of The first booke of the Christian exercise, appertayning to resolution (1582) by English Roman Catholic Robert Parsons
Robert Parsons (priest)
Robert Persons , later known as Robert Parsons, was an English Jesuit priest.-Early life:...
.
He died, possibly while at Harlech
Harlech
Harlech is a town and seaside resort in Gwynedd, within the historical boundaries of Merionethshire in northwest Wales. Lying on Tremadog Bay and within the Snowdonia National Park, it has a population of 1,952, of whom 59% speak Welsh...
, on 15 May 1644, and was buried at Mallwyd church, where a memorial was erected to him on the 200th anniversary of his death.
Sources
- 'Davies, John (c. 1567-1644)'. In Meic Stephens (Ed.) (1998), The new companion to the literature of Wales. Cardiff : University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-1383-3.
- Davies, Ceri (Ed.) (2004), Dr John Davies of Mallwyd : Welsh Renaissance scholar. Cardiff, University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-1874-6.
- Parry, Thomas (1955), A history of Welsh literature. Translated by H. Idris Bell. Oxford : Clarendon Press.
External links
- Early Grammars : Antiquae linguae Britannicae... 1621 part of the Celtic Voices exhibition at the National Library of WalesNational Library of WalesThe National Library of Wales , Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales; one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies.Welsh is its main medium of communication...
- John Davies, 'Antiquae Linguae Britannicae ....' (1621), from the Gathering the jewels website