GRYFFYTH, JASPER (died 1614), cleric, warden of Ruthin hospital, chaplain to archbishop Bancroft, collector of manuscripts

Name: Jasper Gryffyth
Date of death: 1614
Spouse: Mary Gryffyth
Child: Anne Gryffyth
Child: Marye Gryffyth
Child: Elizabeth Gryffyth
Child: Bartholomew Gryffyth
Gender: Male
Occupation: cleric, warden of Ruthin hospital, chaplain to archbishop Bancroft, collector of manuscripts
Area of activity: History and Culture; Literature and Writing; Religion; Scholarship and Languages
Author: Evan David Jones

The details of his early life and educational career are not known. He appears to have been a native of Guilsfield, Montgomeryshire; he had property there, and he left money to the poor of that parish to be distributed by his brother, Robert. He was a man of learning and he used to write his name in Hebrew characters in his manuscripts. He came under the patronage of Gabriel Goodman, dean of Westminster, founder of Christ's hospital, Ruthin, and he held a number of ecclesiastical preferments, some of them, at least, by the dean's favour. He was rector of Longstone, Monmouth, from 1595 to 1601, and of the first part of Llansannan from 1605 to 1614, warden of Ruthin hospital from 1599 to 1606, and vicar of Hinckley, Leicestershire, from 1600 until he died in 1614. His will was drawn up 18, and proved 28 May, and he was buried in the chancel of Hinckley parish church, 25 May. He names his wife, Mary, his son Bartholomew, and his daughters Elizabeth, Marye, and Anne, with a suggestion that the children were minors. His wife was a daughter of John Roberts of Park, Llanfrothen. In a letter to Sir Robert Cotton, 1613, Jasper Gryffyth lists forty Latin manuscripts in his possession, and other fragments in Latin and Welsh (B.M. MS. Cotton, Jul. C., iii). Some of the most important Welsh manuscripts passed through his hands, e.g. 'The Black Book of Carmarthen ,' 'The White Book of Rhydderch ,' Peniarth MS 44 and Peniarth MS 53 , the 'Dingestow Brut' (NLW MS 5266B ), the 'Life of Gruffudd ap Cynan' (Peniarth MS 17 ), and two manuscripts of the Laws of Howel (Harleian 4353 and Cotton Cleopatra B.V.). He wrote Llanstephan MS 120 and parts of Peniarth MS 316 and B.M. Cotton, Vespasian A, vi.

Author

Evan David Jones, (1903 - 1987)

Sources

E. D. Jones, 'Jaspar Griffith (Gryffyth), Warden of Ruthin (d.1614),' The National Library of Wales Journal, i, 168-70, and the sources there cited
NLW Archives: NLW MS 1626C, NLW MS 1627C

Additional Links

Wikidata: Q20733337

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/