Humphrey Llwyd

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For the Bishop of Bangor from 1674 to 1689, see Humphrey Lloyd (bishop).

Humphrey Llwyd
2nd Parliament
(1563)
A 1574 version of Humphrey Llwyd's 1573 map of Wales, Cambriae Typus.
Another version of Humphrey Llwyd's map of Wales, Cambriae Typus, and possibly that of 1573.
A Victorian-era monument honouring Humphrey Llwyd in St Marcella's Church, Llanfarchell.

Humphrey Llwyd (also spelled Lhuyd) (1527–1568) was a

Earl of Arundel and his brother-in-law, Lord Lumley, formed the basis of the Royal Collection of books; currently housed at the British Library. His motto was Hwy pery klod na golyd ("Fame lasts longer than wealth").[1]

Life

Llwyd was born at Foxhall, his family's estate in

Earl of Lincoln.[1]
The first of the family that came to Wales from England appears to have been Foulk Rosindale, from whom Foxhall, or Foulk's Hall, was called. He married into the family of the Llwyd's of Aston, the probable source where his descendants derived their name, as well as their extraction from Einion Evell of the 12th Century.[2] Einion Evell, Lord of part of Cynllaith, resided at Llwyn y Maen, in the parish of Oswestry. He and his twin brother, Cynwrig Evell, Lord of Y Glwyegl in Maelor Gymraeg, were the illegitimate sons of Madog ab Maredydd, Prince of Powys, by Eva, daughter of Madog (ab Einion Hael) ab Urien of Maen Gwynedd, ab Eginir ab Lies ab Idnerth Benvras, Lord of Maesbrwg.[3]

As a young man, Llwyd was educated at

first parliament (1559).[1]

In 1563, Llwyd returned to Denbigh and lived at

Sir John Salusbury who was then the Lord of the Manor of Denbigh. That year, he was elected MP for Denbigh Boroughs during Elizabeth's second Parliament. It has been suggested that he promoted passage of the act requiring the translation of the Bible into Welsh,[1] but no evidence has been found to support that claim.[4]

From 1566 he toured Europe, including Brussels, Augsburg, Milan, Padua and Venice. In

Ortelius, for inclusion in his forthcoming Theatrum Orbis Terrarum.[4] Although the map contained inaccuracies, it was nonetheless a pioneer work that proved itself useful into the eighteenth century.[4]

Llwyd did not live to see his map published, however, for he died in Denbigh on 31 August 1568.[4] He is buried in St. Marcella's Church, known locally as Whitchurch or Yr Eglwys Wen in Welsh. The church and cemetery are on the Denbigh outskirts on the road to Llandyrnog.

Legacy

In 2019, Llwyd was the subject of a major exhibition, "Inventor of Britain", at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.[5]

Works

No copy exists of Llwyd's translation into English of Agostino Nifo's De auguriis; Llwyd's other work includes:

  • An Almanacke and Kalender, conteynynge, the daye houre, and mynute of the change of the Moone for ever, and the sygne that she is in for these thre yeares, with the natures of the sygnes and Planetes.
  • Brut y tywysogyon
    )
  • De Mona druidum insula … epistola (1568 letter to Ortelius, who published it in Theatrum Orbis Terrarum)
  • Commentarioli Britannicae descriptionis fragmentum (1568). Coins the term "British Empire".
  • Cambriae Typus (1568), map of Wales published in the Additamentum to Theatrum Orbis Terrarum)
  • Angliae regni florentissimi nova descriptio (A map of England & Wales – also published in the Additamentum)[1]

Llwyd also produced two known works in the Welsh language.[1]

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Jones 2014.
  2. ^ Parry 1824, p. 299.
  3. ^ Lloyd 1887, p. 348.
  4. ^ a b c d "Lloyd (Lhuyd), Humphrey (1527–68), of Foxhall, Henllan, Denb. and of Denbigh". www.historyofparliamentonline.org. History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  5. The National Library of Wales
    . 14 January 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.

Bibliography

External links
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