HISTORY

OF

THE WELSH BAPTISTS,

FROM THE YEAR SIXTY-THREE TO THE YEAR ONE THOUSAND

SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY.

BY J. DAVIS.

PITTSBURGH:

PUBLISHED BY D. M. HOGAN, No. 78, WOOD STREET.

EPHRAIM LLOYD, PRINTER.

Entered, according to act of Congress, in the year One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, by J. Davis, in the clerk's office of the District Court of the United States for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

PREFACE.

AS NOTHING makes stronger impressions upon the mind than example, a view of the lives and principles of eminent persons, and the consideration of the rise and progress of the Christian Religion, might be the most powerful means, under the blessing of God, to lead others to follow the footsteps of those who have denied themselves, taken up the cross, and followed their Lord through evil and good report. Every one, therefore, who has any concern for the glory of God, and the welfare of his fellow creatures, will, most cordially, encourage every effort, in order to obtain these glorious ends. How far this book will answer that purpose, is not for us to say; it must be submitted to the judgment of the reader.

Though the most part is a translation (abridged,) of Thomas's History of the Baptists in Wales, yet we have collected all that we deemed interesting from every other author that we could find on the subject.

It might not be improper to mention the names of some of the authors, from which many of these documents have been taken, and also to make a few remarks relative to the character of the men, and the time in which they lived, as far as we have been informed by authors of later date.

Gildas Fritwn, is the oldest Welsh Historian we could find; because almost all the books that were written before Dioclesian's time, were consumed in that fire, that he ordered to be kindled, (in his wrath and indignation) against the followers of the meek and lowly Jesus. Gildas wrote some of his books in Latin and some in Welsh, in and about the year 548. He was a good man, and a Minister of the Gospel. More of him hereafter.*

Twrog was one of the first ecclesiastical Welsh Historians; for Gildas wrote chiefly on the troubles of the times, and the duty of religious people, and the degeneracy of the age. Twrog wrote about the year 600. We have not seen his writings; but Dr. Thomas Williams says he has seen it in the parish church of Gelynnog, Carnarvonshire, in 1594, covered with black stone.t

Tyssilio also wrote his history in Welsh, about the same time. His works are often quoted by other Historians.

Jeffre ap Arthur, Bishop of Llanelwy, and Caradog of Lancarvan, are considered the best national historians; both of them wrote in Welsh, 1132. The works of the former were translated into Latin by himself; and the other

*De Exidio Britannie; and Hanes y ffydd, 4th ed. p. 184.; also Thomas's Preface, p. 19. + Drych y prif oesoedd, p. 217, and Arch. Brit. p. 225.

into English, by Humphrey Lloyd, Esq., and was reprinted by W. Wynne, A. M. in the year 1702.

Ninnius of Bangor, wrote the History of Wales, about the year 800. Walter Calenius, Archdeacon of Oxford, about the year 1120, brought from Brittany, in France, the History of the Welsh Kings, written in Welsh, which was translated into Latin by him.

Sir John Price was one of the most excellent historians that Wales ever produced; he wrote his Fides Historie Britannie, and his Historie Britannie Defensio, about the year 1553.

Humphrey Lloyd, Esq., wrote the following, the manuscript of which is now at Oxford College, in Latin: Chronicon Wallie a Rage Cadwaladero usque ad Anno Domini 1294. He wrote three other small books: two of them have been printed. He died in the year 1570.

Dr. David Powel, Vicar of Rhywabon, collected from various authors, the History of Wales, which was published in 1584.

Theophilus Evans, Vicar of Llangamarch Brecon. His Drych y prif oesoedd, (or Looking-Glass of the Ancient Ages) was published in 1716.

Simon Thomas, a Presbyterian Minister, printed his History of the World and the Times, (Hanes y byd a'r amseroedd) 1724.

Thomas Williams, a Presbyterian Minister, published his (Oes lyfr) Age Book in 1724.*

Much information has also been obtained from manuscripts, such as the Red Book of Hergest; the Black Book of Carmarthen; old histories; the works of Hugh Pennant; Cwtta cyfarwydd, and the Ancient Bards of the Principality of Wales; from various English authors, as well as Americans, particularly Morgan Edwards and David Benedict.

PART I.

Containing the History of the Welsh Baptists, from the year sixty-three to the Reformation.

THE Welsh, properly called Cumry, the inhabitants of the Principality of Wales, are generally believed to be the descend ants of Gomer, the eldest son of Japheth, who was the eldest son of Noah.* The general opinion is, that they landed on the Isle of Britain from France, about three hundred years after the flood.t

About eleven hundred years before the Christian era, Brutus and his men emigrated from Troy in Asia, and were cordially. received by the Welsh. They soon became one people and spake the same language, which was the Gomeraeg, or Welsh; hence the Welsh people are sometimes called the Ancient Britons.‡

About four hundred years before Christ, other emigrants came from Spain, and were permitted by Gwrgan, the Welsh king, to settle in Ireland, among the Ancient Britons, who were in that country already. They, also, soon became one people, but have not retained either the Welsh or the Spanish language; for the Irish language, to this day, is a mixture of both.||

By what means the Christian religion was first introduced into Britain, is a matter which has often engaged the pens of historians, but whose records do not always agree. The tra dition that Joseph of Arimathea was the first who preached the gospel in Britain, at a place called Glastenbury, the wicker chapel built for him by the Ancient Britons, and his walkingstick growing to a plumtree, might be worthy of the attention

* See Drych y prif oesoedd, p. 7. Dr. Gill on Gen. 10:2. Thomas's His tory of the Baptists in Wales, p. 2. Arch. Britannica, 35 and 267. Dr. Llewellyn's History and Critical Remarks, p. 10. Dr. Heylin's Cosmography, lib. I, p. 218. Mr. Walter's Dissertation, p. 15. See also Bedford's Scriptural Chronology, p. 194,

+ See Oes lyfr, page 23. Holmes's History of England, page 16. Thomas's Preface to the History of the Baptists in Wales, p. 7, in the Welsh language, Dr. Gill on Gen. 10:2. Bedford's Scripture Chronology, p. 194. Drych y prif oesoedd, p. 7.

See Breviary of Britain, vol. 8, by Humphrey Lloyd, Esq. John Price's History of Wales, p. 1. Wynne's Preface to the History of Wales. Preface to Arch. Britannica.