Gruffydd Done

Gruffydd Done (around 1501, † around 1566 or around 1570) was a Welsh politician and scholar.

origin

He came from the branch line of the Dwnn family from South Wales, his grandfather Robert was the eldest son of Gruffudd Dwnn from Kidwelly . Gruffydd was the second son of Owen ap Robert Done and Sioned, a daughter of Lewys Ryd.

Life

From 1518 he built a property in Ystrad Merthyr near Kidwelly, which was completed in 1533. In addition to numerous other offices, Done was Justice of the Peace from 1543 to 1558 and Sheriff of Carmarthenshire from 1546 to 1547 and Mayor of Carmarthen in 1549 and 1556 .

In 1547 he ran in the general election in Cardigan against John Cotton. After Cotton was the winner of the election on September 24, Done was named on September 28 by Edward Herbert , the Sheriff of Cardiganshire, as a member of the House of Commons . The exact circumstances for this are unknown, presumably the first election was contested and was part of a power struggle between the Jones, Devereux and Herberts in South West Wales. Done was imprisoned in Fleet Prison in London in 1559 for looting a Breton merchant ship off Carmarthen .

Importance as a scholar

His importance lies less in his offices than in his activity as a historian and scholar. He collected numerous Welsh writings, of which he owned over 64 volumes in 1564, and promoted bards throughout Wales, which is why many songs of praise have come down to him. Many travelers visited him in Merthyr Ystrad, including the librarian John Leland and William Salesbury , who translated the New Testament into Welsh .

Family and offspring

His first marriage was around 1522 Ellen, a daughter of Henry ap John from Rhydarwen, with whom he had four sons. Around 1533 he married Gwenllian, a daughter of Lewis ap Thomas. He and his second wife had two sons and two daughters. Of his eight children, three sons died of diseases in 1533, another son died in 1537 and two daughters in 1545.

Web links

• ADK Hawkyard: DONE (DONNE, DOUNE, DWNN), Gruffydd (by 1501-66 or later), of Ystrad Merthyr, no. Kidwelly and Carmarthen, Carm. (History of Parliament online)
• Garfield Hopkin Hughes: DWNN, GRUFFYDD (Welsh Biography Online)