DWNN, JAMES (c. 1570 - c. 1660), poet, from Montgomeryshire.
Date of birth: c. 1570
Date of death: c. 1660
Parent: Alice ferch Meredydd ap Dafydd
Parent: Lewys ap Rhys ap Owain
Gender: Male
Occupation: poet
Area of activity: Poetry
Author: Garfield Hopkin Hughes
His earliest poem (NLW MS 3051D (692)) is dated 1594, and his latest (B.M. MS. 51 (73)) 1657. Accordingly, it is possible that he was the eldest son of Lewys Dwnn. The two frequently wrote panegyrics in honour of the same people - the families of Gogerddan, Mathafarn, Gregynog, and the Plasau Duon, Dr. John Davies of Mallwyd, etc., but, for the most part, James Dwnn confined himself to his own neighbourhood. Many of his poems are preserved in the ' Book of James Dwnn ' (Llanstephan MS 53 ), but there are many others which are found scattered in other collections, e.g. NLW MS 1560C , NLW MS 2691D , NLW MS 5261A , NLW MS 5269B , NLW MS 6496C ; Peniarth MS 91 , Peniarth MS 92 , Peniarth MS 327 ; Cardiff MSS. 83, 84, etc. Most of them are panegyrics and elegies, but attention is drawn to his englynion on the burning of Mathafarn House by Cromwell's soldiers in 1644, and to the four cywyddau on holy days - 'ar yr epistol ddydd gwyl y Gwirionedd,' 'y Sul gwedi yr Natolig,' 'ddydd Calan,' and 'dydd gwyl Ystwyll' (NLW MS 7191B (262-5)).
Author
- Garfield Hopkin Hughes, (1912 - 1969)
Published date: 1959
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