Dictionary of Welsh Biography

ARTHUR (fl. early 6th century?), one of the leaders of the Britons against their enemies concerning him developed into a curious amalgam of oral traditions about the wounded king who would one day return to liberate his fellow-countrymen (and there is contemporary evidence that this belief was current in Wales, Cornwall, and Brittany in the 12th century), pseudo-historical records and creations of the imagination of one author after another. Thus was formed one of the richest romantic cycles
ASSER (d. 909), bishop and scholar He is known almost entirely from what he tells us of himself in his life of king Alfred. He belonged to the clerical community of S. Davids, where he was brought up and educated, being a relative of bishop Nobis, who died in 873. In due course, he succeeded to the see and therewith acquired a reputation for scholarship, which spread beyond the borders of Wales. Thus it came about that in or
BARLOW, WILLIAM (1499? - 1568), bishop succeeded in founding Christ College, Brecon, in 1542. He conveyed the valuable manor of Lamphey to the king, who in turn conferred it upon Sir Richard Devereux. Barlow was translated to Bath and Wells in 1548, and 'resigned' in 1553. After being twice imprisoned for trying to escape, he fled to the Continent early in 1555, and remained in Germany and Poland until 1558. He was one of those who consecrated
BAYLY, LEWIS (d. 1631), bishop and devotional writer , and gained a B.D., 1611, D.D., 1613. He became vicar of Shipston-on-Stour, Worcestershire, 1597, of Evesham, 1600, where he successfully agitated for a town charter and became headmaster of the grammar school. There followed several substantial promotions in the Church, both in Wales and in England - including a chaplaincy to the king and the treasurership of S. Paul's Cathedral. He was parson of
BECK, THOMAS (d. 1293), bishop of S. Davids The second son of Walter Bek, baron of Eresby, Lincs. In the University of Oxford he attained the degree of master, and in 1269 was elected chancellor. Upon the return of Edward I to England in August 1274, he entered, with his younger brother Antony, afterwards bishop of Durham, the service of the Crown, and by his ability and fidelity won the warm approval of the king. The post which he held
BEDLOE, WILLIAM (1650 - 1680), adventurer and Popish Plot informer of Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey. He gave evidence against over a dozen priests, and even accused the queen, Catherine of Braganza, of plotting to murder the king. He died at Bristol, 20 August 1680. A contemporary considered him much superior to Oates in imagination and fluency of speech, and hardly inferior to him as a liar and a perjurer.
BERNARD (d. 1148), bishop of S. Davids , on 18 September, required to elect Bernard. He was ordained priest at Southwark on the same day, made the usual profession of obedience to Canterbury, and received from the king a confirmation of the rights and privileges of the see. On the 19th he was consecrated in Westminster abbey by archbishop Ralph, six bishops assisting. The queen and her son William were also present. In many respects, the
BERRY family, industrialists and newspaper proprietors All three sons of JOHN MATHIAS BERRY (born 2 May 1847 in Camrose, Pemb.; died 9 January 1917) and his wife Mary Ann (née Rowe, of Pembroke Dock), who moved to Merthyr Tydfil in 1874, were created peers. J. M. Berry worked on the railway and as an accountant before becoming an estate agent and auctioneer in 1894. He was the mayor when King George V visited the town in 1912. The foundation stone of
BERTIL, PRINCESS LILIAN (DUCHESS OF HALLAND), (1915 - 2013) and a love affair quickly developed. When Ivan Craig returned from the war he wished to be free from his marriage to remarry and he and Lilian were divorced amicably. King Gustaf VI Adolf was unwilling for his second son, who might become heir to the throne, to marry a commoner, and rather than precipitate a constitutional crisis Lilian and Bertil lived together from 1946 in their villa in Sainte
BEUNO (d. 642?), patron saint oldest manuscript of the Venedotian Code, under the name of 'clas Beuno,' as warranting (with Bangor) the legal privileges of the cantref of Arfon. According to tradition, the site was given by Gwyddeint, a cousin of Cadwallon, king of Gwynedd, and, therefore, about 630. A long list of other donors who enriched the community in later years appears in the records of the church; they made it one of the
BLAYNEY family Gregynog, Brogyntyn in the defence of Harlech Castle for the king, and was one of the Commissioners appointed by him to sign the articles of surrender in March 1647. He died in 1659. Arthur's third son, HENRY, was the father of JOHN BLAYNEY, who was sheriff in 1716. John Blayney married Anne, daughter of Arthur Weaver of Morville, Salop, the sheriff of Montgomeryshire in 1667. Their youngest son and eventual heir
BLEDRI (d. 1022), bishop of Llandaff He is only known from ' Liber Landavensis.' There it is said that he was chosen in 983 by the sons of Morgan Hen (died 974) and other princes with the concurrence of the clergy and people of the diocese, and (no doubt later), confirmed by king Ethelred and archbishop Elfric of Canterbury. Only one incident is recorded of his long episcopate. During a conflict between his men and those of king

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