DAVIES, HUMPHREY (died 1635), vicar of Darowen, and transcriber of Welsh manuscripts

Son of David ap Griffith, a cleric hailing from the Harlech district, and Jonet, daughter of David ap Thomas of Maes-y-neuadd. He is said to have been rector of Llanfyllin for a few months in 1571 and to have left to study at Cambridge. His career at Cambridge appears to have been confused in the reference books with that of a native of Leamington Hastings who bore the same name. Judging by the silence of the Welsh poets he did not take a degree. He was vicar of Darowen from 1577 until his death in 1635. He wrote several collections of Welsh poetry, and at least seven of his manuscripts have survived: Gwyneddon 1, Llanstephan MS 35 , Llanstephan MS 118 , Mostyn 160, Bodewryd MS 1D , B.M. Add. 14933, and Brogyntyn 2. He compiled the latter for Dr. Theodore Price, nephew of his wife Jonet, daughter of Edward Stanley, constable of Harlech castle in 1551. Eulogistic poems were addressed to him by Griffith, John, and Richard Phylip, Ieuan Tew Brydydd the second of Arwystli, and Evan Lloyd of Gwaun Einion. Both John and Richard Phylip state that in his younger days he translated books from other languages into Welsh, but it is not known what books they were.

Author

• Evan David Jones, (1903 - 1987)

Sources

• A Survey of the Cathedral-Church of St. Asaph (1720), i, 384
• A History of the Diocese of St. Asaph (1874), ii, 234
• Athenae Cantabrigienses (1858–1913), ii, 474
• Alumni Cantabrigienses
• N.L.W. The Records of the Church in Wales at the National Library of Wales, St Asaph
• Reg. Collat.
• The National Library of Wales Journal, v, 234-5
• T. Parry, Gwaith Dafydd ap Gwilym (Cardiff 1952), cxxxvii, cli-clii

Works

• NLW Archives: Brogyntyn MS I.2: Barddoniaeth, 1599

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20733212

Published date: 1959

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