SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT: Elizabeth I’s family background and Croydon’s most famous Archbishop encouraged a work of scholarship that has preserved a vital piece of heritage, writes DAVID MORGAN
There’s lovely: the cover of Morgan’s first Welsh translation Bible
A couple who visited Croydon Minster last year had planned their trip for a while.
They wanted to see the memorial to Archbishop John Whitgift.
Not only were they delighted to view it, they were thrilled to see the Whitgift stained glass window above it in the Nicholas Chapel.
“There it is,” said the man’s wife. “The coat of arms with the words, ‘the Principality of Wales’.”
Turning to me, her husband explained that the reason they had come to see the tomb and the window was because of Archbishop Whitgift’s role in getting the Bible translated into Welsh.
This merited further investigation.
The man who translated the Bible into Welsh was William Morgan.
He was born about 1545 at Ty Mawr, Wybrnant, on the Gwydir estate.
Humble beginnings: William Morgan’s home in North Wales, at Ty Mawr, now a National Trust property
Ty Mawr is now a National Trust property, near to Betwys-y-Coed in North Wales, and its displays include information and artefacts from Morgan’s life.
Despite humble origins, Morgan was educated with the landlord’s children in the nearby Gwydir Castle. His outstanding abilities as a learner led him to St John’s College Cambridge in 1565.
Initially Morgan was a “subsizar”, someone who paid for his board and lodging by acting as steward for other students (Isaac Newton worked his way through college centuries later as a subsizar). Morgan spent many years studying, full and part-time, with his final degree, a Doctor of Divinity, being awarded in 1583.
It is probable that Morgan first came across John Whitgift during his time at Cambridge, as the latter was Master of Pembroke College in 1567 before becoming Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity later that same year.
Alongside his scholarly pursuits, Morgan was also a clergyman in the Church of England. He was ordained by the Bishop of Ely in the cathedral there on December 21, 1568. His first church appointment was at Llanbadarn-fawr in Cardiganshire, but it was in the 1580s, while he was vicar of St Dogfan’s in Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochant, not far from Oswestry, that significant events happened in his life.
Tudor family: Queen Elizabeth I
At the request of Queen Elizabeth, Parliament decided that the Bible should be translated into Welsh. Elizabeth’s grandfather, Henry VII, was, of course, Welsh. Her father, Henry VIII, had got the Bible translated into English and Elizabeth, the last of the Tudors, wanted to make her mark on the newly reformed church, too.
Morgan was still at Cambridge when William Salesbury published the first Welsh translation of the New Testament. Morgan revised this work and then completed his own translation of the Old Testament while he was at Llanrhaeadr, ready to present to Her Majesty.
However, while he was busy on his translation Morgan fell foul of some powerful parishioners, who made official complaints about him to the church authorities. Ultimately, that meant John Whitgift, who was by now the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Parishioners complained that Morgan had neglected his duties to visit his flock because he was always in his study working on his translation. This complaint, though, was based on prejudice because of Morgan’s refusal to countenance a particular wedding.
Morgan had to travel to Lambeth Palace to have the complaint investigated by Whitgift. The Star Chamber recorded that Morgan was “ on the whole, a conscientious parson much harassed by the malice of his enemies”.
Pilgrimage site: the reconstructed tomb of John Whitgift in Croydon Minster, with the stained glass window behind it
What was a stressful time for Morgan actually brought a new opportunity. The Archbishop was impressed with Morgan and encouraged both his translation work and his ecclesiastical career.
Whitgift arranged for Morgan to come to London for a whole year, lodging with the Dean of Westminster, in order for him to be close to the printer and assist him working in a different language. His Welsh Bible was ready to be printed in 1588, when a thousand copies were produced. So keen was he on the project, that Archbishop Whitgift paid the printing costs out of his own money.
About 24 of these Whitgift-funded Bibles survive to this day, one being on display at Ty Mawr.
In the beginning: the Book of Genesis from Morgan’s original Welsh edition
Morgan, though, expressed some misgivings about the newly printed Bibles. He thought they were too large, only really suitable for church services and not for reading at home. He also thought that at £2 a copy, they were too expensive – at today’s prices, each copy would cost £650.
And, despite his best efforts, there were still some misprints.
Seven years later, Morgan was appointed by Whitgift to become the Bishop of Llandaff. His consecration took place in Croydon Parish Church on July 20, 1594.
That service must have been a very special one. Along with Archbishop Whitgift, who performed the consecration, was the Bishop of London, Richard Fletcher, the Bishop of Norwich, William Redman, and the Bishop of Rochester, John Young. Also in attendance were Gabriel Goodman, the Dean of Westminster with whom Morgan had lodged, and Samuel Finch, the Vicar of Croydon.
Bishop in Wales: William Morgan was a protégé of Archbishop Whitgift
Morgan spent six years at Llandaff before his appointment as Bishop of Asaph, in North Wales, in 1601. He spent three years in that post. He attended his final chapter meeting on September 6, 1604. He died on September 10 and was buried the next day in the Bishop’s Palace.
His last will and testament revealed that he died having accumulated very little of value. Among the items that he bequeathed were some pieces of pewter crockery, five flower pots, two peacocks and two swans.
What he did leave behind, though, was his priceless gift to Wales, his translation of the Bible.
Many scholars agreed that this was the most important book in the Welsh language. Morgan had a gift for languages and his translation of a rather stuffy and dry text was brought to life by his phrasing and choice of vocabulary. People in Wales could hear the Bible in their own tongue for the first time and it transformed many lives. It helped to establish the Welsh language at a time when it seemed to be fading into obscurity.
Morgan’s text came to be seen by many as an inspiration for future poets, percolating as it did through Welsh society so that it led to non-conformity, the Eisteddfodau, chapel singing and choirs. The world’s biggest international Eisteddfod is held annually at Llangollen, not far from where Morgan was vicar at Llanrhaeadr.
Man of the Bible: Bishop Morgan, with his good book, commemorated at St Asaph’s
In his years as a bishop, Morgan was a strong supporter of Whitgift. Morgan was probably at the Lambeth Conference of 1595, giving his support to the Archbishop as he battled for influence over the church with the Puritans.
“The Most Reverend Father in Christ, the Archbishop of Canterbury, that most excellent Patron of Literature, most keen champion of the truth and most prudent guardian of order and seemliness,” is a quote attributed to Morgan about his boss.
The significance of getting the Bible translated into Welsh cannot be underestimated.
In order to understand the story more fully, perhaps an itinerary could be planned with the following stops:
- Llandaff Cathedral
- St Asaph’s Cathedral
- Ty Mawr
- St Dogfan’s Church Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochant and
- Croydon Minster
It might be done in July, perhaps, to allow a visit to the Llangollen Eisteddfod.
I feel a pilgrimage coming on.
David Morgan, pictured right, is a former Croydon headteacher, now the volunteer education officer at Croydon Minster, who offers tours or illustrated talks on the history around the Minster for local community groups
If you would like a group tour of Croydon Minster or want to book a school visit, then ring the Minster Office on 020 688 8104 or go to the website on www.croydonminster.org and use the contact page
Other recent articles by David Morgan:
- Lockjaw, honours and pantomimes: Happy New Year from 1924
- Croydon lad who did a Runner for the Blind Beak of Bow Street
- The Cause of Many Troubles: Handel Lucas’s lifelong struggles
- The church fire that consumed a thousand years of history
- If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, or want to publicise your residents’ association or business, or if you have a local event to promote, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
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