PARRY
,
RICHARD
(
1560
-
1623
),
bishop and biblical translator
;
b. in
1560
, son of
John ap Harri
, of
Pwllhalog
,
Cwm, Flints.
, and
Ruthin
, and his wife,
Elen
ferch
Dafydd ap John
, of
Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd
.
Richard
Parry
was educated at
Westminster School
under
Camden
. In
1579
he entered
Christ Church
,
Oxford
, where he graduated
B.A.
5 Feb. 1584
. He was ordained a
deacon
by
bishop
Robinson
of
Bangor
,
5 April 1584
, and on
4 May
was instituted to a comportion of
Llanelidan
, the endowment of
Ruthin free school
. While
master
of
Ruthin
, he proceeded
M.A.
4 June 1586
, and later,
4 March 1594
, became a
B.D.
On
24 Dec. 1592
he became
chancellor
of
Bangor
;
1 Jan.
1593
,
vicar
of
Gresford
; in
1596
,
rector
of
Cilcain
; and
11 April 1599
,
dean
of
Bangor
. Consecrated
bishop
of
S. Asaph
,
30 Dec. 1604
, he retained
in commendam
the
archdeaconry
of
S. Asaph
and his livings of
Gresford
(until
1609
) and
Cilcain
(until
1622
). He also acquired the livings of
Rhuddlan
(
1605-18
),
Cwm
(
1610-16
), and
Llanrwst
(
1616-23
). In
1610
, at the
earl of Salisbury
's request, he intervened, unsuccessfully, in the dispute between
Sir
John
Wynn
of
Gwydir
(q.v.)
and his tenants at
Dolwyddelan
.
Parry
's report on his diocese in
Jan. 1611
shows his deep concern over lay impropriation and the lack of a learned, resident, ministry.
Parry
is chiefly remembered for his revised versions of the
Welsh
Bible
and
Book of Common Prayer
, published in
1620
and
1621
. Though
Parry
received the credit, his brother-in-law,
Dr.
John
Davies
of
Mallwyd
(
c.
1567
-
1644
) (q.v.)
, was mainly responsible for the work.
He m.,
c.
1598
,
Gwen
ferch
John ap Rhys Wyn
, and had four sons and seven daughters. He d. at
Diserth
,
26 Sept. 1623
, leaving a pension of £6 p.a. at
Jesus College
for a poor scholar of
Ruthin
.
Bibliography:
-
J. Ballinger
and
Ifano Jones
,
The Bible in Wales
, 1906
, 25-6;
-
Calendar of State Papers, Domestic
Series
, Record Publication
,
1603-18
;
-
Cambrian Bibliography
, Llanidloes, 1869
, 93-7;
-
Oxford Dictionary of National
Biography
;
-
W. J. Gruffydd
,
Llenyddiaeth Cymru o 1450 hyd 1600
,
1922
, 77-9;
-
Journal of the Historical Society of the
Church in Wales
, 1949 ff
, i, 43-9;
-
History of the Princes, the Lords Marcher,
and the Ancient Nobility of Powys Fadog
, v, 208 ff.;
-
Thomas
.
A History of the Diocese of St.
Asaph
, i, 227, iii, 321-2;
-
[
J. E. Griffith
.
Pedigrees of Anglesey and Carnarvonshire
Families
, 1914
, 387].
Author:
Sir Glanmor Williams, M.A., Swansea
