John Jones of Gellilyfdy
Encyclopedia
John Jones of Gellilyfdy (c. 1578 - c.1658) was a Welsh lawyer, antiquary, calligrapher, manuscript collector and scribe
. He is particularly significant for his copying of many historic Welsh language
manuscripts which would otherwise have been lost.
Jones often styled himself as Siôn ap Wiliam ap Siôn, using the Welsh patronymic
system, in his manuscripts.
; he was the eldest of six sons of William Jones, whose lands were at Gellilyfdy, Ysgeifiog, Flintshire
(Gellilyfdy farm still stands near the small village of Babell
). He was educated in law, probably at Shrewsbury School
(lodging in the present-day Plough Inn on Cornmarket), and by 1609 was engaged in the Court of the Marches at Ludlow
as an attorney. By this time he had already begun to make copies of manuscripts that he located in the houses of the Welsh gentry: however, by 1611 he was in a debtor's prison
in London
. Jones was to spend much of his life in prison from this point, although he used his time while incarcerated to carry out much of his transcription work and did relatively little copying while at liberty.
In 1612 Jones was at Cardiff
transcribing the Book of Llandaff
, but by 1617 was in the Fleet Prison
: he was also imprisoned at Chester
and Ludlow at various times. Although he inherited the residue of his father's estate in 1622, this was to lead to a series of lawsuits in Chancery
, and the remainder of his life was blighted by legal actions (either as defendant or plaintiff), debt and periodic imprisonment. During the Civil War
period Jones was also imprisoned for refusing to pay taxes, complained about the privations visited on Wales by the King and Parliament, and spent a great deal of time petitioning various political figures such as Endymion Porter
. Perhaps unsurprisingly given his experiences, Jones was eventually to disown the legal profession, writing from prison on such subjects as "The Judgments of good Kings on unjust Judges". Jones was recorded as being at Gellilyfdy in 1654, but was back in the Fleet by November.
Jones was a friend of the antiquary Robert Vaughan
, and the latter seems to have come into the possession of Jones' manuscript collection (including the White Book of Rhydderch
) on his death, although he may also have accepted at least some in payment of a debt. Edward Lhuyd
, in his Archaeologia Britannica, and others relate a story that Jones and Vaughan, who were regular correspondents, had made an arrangement that the survivor of the two would inherit the other's library.
Jones' exact date of death is not known, but he was possibly still alive in 1658 and probably died in the Fleet early that year. Jones had married in 1651, and letters of administration after his death show he had three female children. His widow Elizabeth was still alive in 1662, when she was assessed for the hearth tax at Gellilyfdy.
Jones was not only a copyist but was also a notable calligrapher, designing many of his own capitals and tail-pieces and adopting others from Italian models. Due to the high sulphur content of the ink he used, some of his most attractive work can no longer be reproduced, as the ink has consumed the paper it was written on.
Jones also started to compile a Welsh or Welsh-Latin dictionary in 1623. This became a characteristically massive undertaking; William Owen Pughe
, compiler of an important early 19th century Welsh-English dictionary, regarded Jones' Welsh vocabulary as "the most valuable" up to that point "due to its copiousness".
Scribe
A scribe is a person who writes books or documents by hand as a profession and helps the city keep track of its records. The profession, previously found in all literate cultures in some form, lost most of its importance and status with the advent of printing...
. He is particularly significant for his copying of many historic Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
manuscripts which would otherwise have been lost.
Jones often styled himself as Siôn ap Wiliam ap Siôn, using the Welsh patronymic
Patronymic
A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
system, in his manuscripts.
Life
Like many antiquaries of the period, Jones came from a family of the minor rural gentryGentry
Gentry denotes "well-born and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past....
; he was the eldest of six sons of William Jones, whose lands were at Gellilyfdy, Ysgeifiog, Flintshire
Flintshire (historic)
Flintshire , also known as the County of Flint, is one of thirteen historic counties, a vice-county and a former administrative county, which mostly lies on the north east coast of Wales....
(Gellilyfdy farm still stands near the small village of Babell
Babell
Babell is a hamlet in Flintshire, Wales. It is part of the community of Ysgeifiog.The hamlet takes its name from the Babell Methodist chapel, built in 1836, but the surrounding area was formerly known as Gelliloveday or Gellilyfdy...
). He was educated in law, probably at Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged 13 to 18, founded by Royal Charter in 1552. The present campus to which the school moved in 1882 is located on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England...
(lodging in the present-day Plough Inn on Cornmarket), and by 1609 was engaged in the Court of the Marches at Ludlow
Ludlow
Ludlow is a market town in Shropshire, England close to the Welsh border and in the Welsh Marches. It lies within a bend of the River Teme, on its eastern bank, forming an area of and centred on a small hill. Atop this hill is the site of Ludlow Castle and the market place...
as an attorney. By this time he had already begun to make copies of manuscripts that he located in the houses of the Welsh gentry: however, by 1611 he was in a debtor's prison
Debtor's prison
A debtors' prison is a prison for those who are unable to pay a debt.Prior to the mid 19th century debtors' prisons were a common way to deal with unpaid debt.-Debt bondage in ancient Greece and Rome:...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Jones was to spend much of his life in prison from this point, although he used his time while incarcerated to carry out much of his transcription work and did relatively little copying while at liberty.
In 1612 Jones was at Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
transcribing the Book of Llandaff
Book of Llandaff
The Book of Llandaff is a 12th century compilation of documents relating to the history of the diocese of Llandaff in Wales...
, but by 1617 was in the Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison was a notorious London prison by the side of the Fleet River in London. The prison was built in 1197 and was in use until 1844. It was demolished in 1846.- History :...
: he was also imprisoned at Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
and Ludlow at various times. Although he inherited the residue of his father's estate in 1622, this was to lead to a series of lawsuits in Chancery
Court of Chancery
The Court of Chancery was a court of equity in England and Wales that followed a set of loose rules to avoid the slow pace of change and possible harshness of the common law. The Chancery had jurisdiction over all matters of equity, including trusts, land law, the administration of the estates of...
, and the remainder of his life was blighted by legal actions (either as defendant or plaintiff), debt and periodic imprisonment. During the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
period Jones was also imprisoned for refusing to pay taxes, complained about the privations visited on Wales by the King and Parliament, and spent a great deal of time petitioning various political figures such as Endymion Porter
Endymion Porter
Endymion Porter was an English diplomat and royalist.-Life:He was descended from Sir William Porter, sergeant-at-arms to Henry VII, and son of Edmund Porter, of Aston-sub-Edge in Gloucestershire, by his cousin Angela, daughter of Giles Porter of Mickleton, in the same county.He was brought up in...
. Perhaps unsurprisingly given his experiences, Jones was eventually to disown the legal profession, writing from prison on such subjects as "The Judgments of good Kings on unjust Judges". Jones was recorded as being at Gellilyfdy in 1654, but was back in the Fleet by November.
Jones was a friend of the antiquary Robert Vaughan
Robert Vaughan (antiquary)
Robert Powell Vaughan was an eminent Welsh antiquary and collector of manuscripts. His collection, later known as the Hengwrt-Peniarth Library from the houses in which it was successively preserved, formed the nucleus of the National Library of Wales, and is still in its care.-Biography:Vaughan...
, and the latter seems to have come into the possession of Jones' manuscript collection (including the White Book of Rhydderch
White Book of Rhydderch
The White Book of Rhydderch is one of the most notable and celebrated manuscripts in Welsh. Written in the middle of the fourteenth century it is the earliest collection of Welsh prose texts, though it also contains some examples of early Welsh poetry...
) on his death, although he may also have accepted at least some in payment of a debt. Edward Lhuyd
Edward Lhuyd
Edward Lhuyd was a Welsh naturalist, botanist, linguist, geographer and antiquary. He is also known by the Latinized form of his name, Eduardus Luidius....
, in his Archaeologia Britannica, and others relate a story that Jones and Vaughan, who were regular correspondents, had made an arrangement that the survivor of the two would inherit the other's library.
Jones' exact date of death is not known, but he was possibly still alive in 1658 and probably died in the Fleet early that year. Jones had married in 1651, and letters of administration after his death show he had three female children. His widow Elizabeth was still alive in 1662, when she was assessed for the hearth tax at Gellilyfdy.
Manuscripts
Both Jones' father and grandfather (the latter of whom had been the subject of elegies written by sixteenth-century poets William Llŷn and William Cynwal) had been manuscript collectors. His first manuscript copy was made in 1598, and he went on to make over a hundred further volumes. Later characterised as a rather indiscriminate copyist, Jones transcribed works on a vast range of subjects: in addition to his interests in law, poetry and history, he may in part have worked simply to relieve the stresses of imprisonment, as he would obsessively recopy or re-arrange existing works when no new materials were available.Jones was not only a copyist but was also a notable calligrapher, designing many of his own capitals and tail-pieces and adopting others from Italian models. Due to the high sulphur content of the ink he used, some of his most attractive work can no longer be reproduced, as the ink has consumed the paper it was written on.
Jones also started to compile a Welsh or Welsh-Latin dictionary in 1623. This became a characteristically massive undertaking; William Owen Pughe
William Owen Pughe
William Owen Pughe was a Welsh antiquarian and grammarian best known for his Welsh and English Dictionary, published in 1803, but also known for his grammar books and 'Pughisms' ....
, compiler of an important early 19th century Welsh-English dictionary, regarded Jones' Welsh vocabulary as "the most valuable" up to that point "due to its copiousness".