SAMUEL, EDWARD (1674 - 1748), cleric, poet, and author

Name: Edward Samuel
Date of birth: 1674
Date of death: 1748
Child: William Samuel
Child: Edward Samuel
Gender: Male
Occupation: cleric, poet, and author
Area of activity: Literature and Writing; Poetry; Religion
Author: William Llewelyn Davies

Born in Cwt-y-Defaid in the parish of Penmorfa, Caernarfonshire. He came to the notice of Humphrey Humphreys, bishop of Bangor, who helped with his education and advised him to prepare for orders. He went to Oxford, matriculating from Oriel College, 19 May 1693, as 'pauper puer'; Thomas, A History of the Diocese of St. Asaph, describes him as B.A. He became rector of Betws Gwerfil Goch, 4 November 1702, but exchanged it, 21 January 1721, for that of Llangar, where he remained until his death on 8 April 1748. Two sons became clergymen - EDWARD SAMUEL (1710 - 1762), rector of Llanddulas (1735-47), and his father's immediate successor at Llangar, and WILLIAM SAMUEL (1713 - 1765), rector of Nantglyn, 1743-65, and father of Dr. David Samwell.

Edward Samuel wrote some poems in free metre; for examples see (a) Blodeu-gerdd Cymry , 1759; (b) Llu o Ganiadau, neu Gasgliad o Garolau a Cherddi … o Gasgliad W. Jones, Bettws Gwerfil Goch (Oswestry, 1798); (c) Eos Ceiriog, 1823; and (d) B.M. Add. MS. 14961. Sermons by him were published (Pregeth ynghylch gofalon bydol a bregethwyd yn Eglwys Llangywer, yr ail dydd o fis Mai, 1720. Ar gladdedigaeth Mr. Robert Wynne, diweddar Vicar Gwyddelwern , 1731 and Adgyfodiad ein Harglwydd Jesu Grist, wedi ei brofi Mewn pregeth a bregethwyd ar Ddydd Sul y Pasg , 1766), but his most important original work in prose was Bucheddau'r Apostolion a'r Efengylwyr (Shrewsbury, Thomas Jones , 1704, and other eds.). The following works translated by him were also published - (a) Gwirionedd y Grefydd Gristionogol (1716, etc.) - from the original by Hugo Grotius; (b) Holl Ddyledswydd Dyn (Shrewsbury, 1718); (c) Prif ddledswyddau Christion : sef angenrhaid a mawrlles gweddi gyffredin a mynych gymmuno (Shrewsbury, John Rhydderch, 1722/3; 1793 ed. printed at Chester) - from the original by William Beveridge, bishop of St Asaph; the first of the two works, published together, was dedicated to judge Robert Price, Giler, Denbighshire, and the second to Watkin Williams Wynne [sic], Wynstay [sic], and (d) Athrawiaeth yr Eglwys (Caerlleon, Roger Adams, 1731), being versions of two separate works, the one by Peter Nourse, and the other by William Wake, archbishop of Canterbury. A facsimile of a letter written by Samuel (1 March 1703/4) to Edward Lhuyd can be seen in Richard Ellis, Facsimiles of Letters of Oxford Welshmen.

Author

Published date: 1959

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