Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 14.djvu/155

 by a Gentleman of the Inns of Court,’ Lond. 1715, 8vo. The fourth volume is the only one in quarto, and it was sold by the author ‘at the corner of Little Queen Street, Holbourn.’ Vol. v. contains ‘Pallas Anglicana,’ a dramatic composition which the author describes as ‘Drama Ethico-Politico-Epistemicum.’ According to his ‘Argumentum’ prefixed, Albionopolis (London) is invaded by certain strangers who are led on by Ars Magica, and Discordia, i.e. Genius Jesuitismi and Irreligio Atheistica, and these, after giving a great deal of trouble, are at last eternally exiled by Pallas or Irenastes. It is a strange farrago, but not without marks of learning and ability. Vol. vi. contains ‘The present and former state of Physick, Diseases, Patients, Quacks, and Doctors.’ All the volumes are of such great rarity, that Dr. Farmer never saw but one (the first), nor Baker but three, which were sent to him as a great curiosity by the Earl of Oxford, and are now in the library of St. John's College, Cambridge. In the British Museum there are seven volumes (Lond. 1715–16, 8vo and 4to). Davies's other publications are: 1. The Recantation of Mr. Pollet, a Roman Priest, late Missioner and Popish Emissary in Worcestershire, Glocestershire, Herefordshire, Flintshire, &c.’ Lond. [21 May 1705] 4to. This is a sermon on Revelation xviii. 4. 2. ‘The Present and Primitive State of Arianism truly stated’ [London, 1715], 8vo. 3. In the Harleian MSS. there is a long letter from him in French, to the Earl of Oxford, with a Latin ode.

[Addit. MS. 5867 ff. 170 b, 171; D'Israeli's Calamities of Authors (1812), i. 66–80; D'Israeli's Curiosities of Literature (1866), 128–30; Nichols's Lit. Anecd. viii. 501; Lowndes's Bibl. Man. (Bohn), 600; Chalmers's Biog. Dict.; Williams's Eminent Welshmen, 107.] 

DAVIES, OWEN (1752–1830), Welsh writer, born at Wrexham in 1752, came to London and joined the Wesleyan methodists. In 1789 he was appointed an itinerant preacher, and on the establishment of the Welsh Wesleyan Mission he was sent to Wales as superintendent. He died at Liverpool on 12 Jan. 1830.

His works are: 1. ‘Amddiffyniad o'r Methodistiaid Wesleyaidd,’ 1806. 2. ‘Ymddiddanion rhwng dau gymmydog, yn dangos cyfeilornadau Calfinistaeth,’ Caerlleon (Chester), 1807, 12mo. 3. ‘Catechism for Children,’ Chester, 1808, 16mo, translated into Welsh (‘Catecism i Plant’) by T. Roberts. 4. ‘Sylwadau ar lyfr a gyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar gan Mr. T. Jones,’ 1808. 5. ‘Llythyr at Mr. T. Jones,’ about 1809. 6. ‘Deuddeg o Bregethau ar wahanol Destunau,’ Dolgelly, 1812, 8vo. 7. Sermons printed in the ‘Eurgrawn Wesleyaidd.’

[Williams's Eminent Welshmen; Cat. of Printed Books in Brit. Mus.] 

DAVIES, RICHARD (d. 1581), bishop of St. David's, was the son of Davydd ab Gronwy, and Janet, daughter of Davydd ab Richard. Though his father was said to be descended from Ithel Velyn, lord of Ial, and his mother from one of the fifteen tribes of North Wales ( additions to, Athenæ Oxon. (Bliss) i. 462), the former was only a poor curate of Gyffin, just outside Conway town, while his mother must have been one of the ‘focariæ’ who were almost allowed to the lower parochial clergy in Wales down to the Reformation. He was born at Plas y Person either about 1501, if it is true that he was eighty when he died, or about 1509 if he were, as is also said, fifty when consecrated bishop (, Parker, ii. 50). There is a story that when young he won a prize at an eisteddfod (Cambrian Register, iii. 157). He was educated at New Inn Hall, Oxford, a house much frequented by Welsh students, especially civilians and canonists, before the foundation of Jesus College. His degree in arts, says Wood, is unknown, but he had become D.D. before 1560 (Fœdera, xv. 577), though Wood says he received that degree so late as 1566. He was made rector of Maidsmorton and vicar of Burnham in Buckinghamshire, the latter living being conferred upon him by Edward VI in 1550 (, Survey of St. David's, p. 123). Already married and a decided reformer, he lost his preferments under Mary, and sought refuge at Geneva. His name, however, is by no means prominent among the Marian exiles, though he is once mentioned in the famous tract on the ‘History of the Troubles of Frankfurt’ (p. 168) as among those who in 1557 joined E. Horne and Chambers in subscribing objections to the ‘new discipline.’ He must therefore have belonged to the party desirous of conforming with the Book of Common Prayer in their worship. Sir John Wynne (History of the Gwydir Family, p. 94, ed. 1878), who knew Davies's sons at Oxford, says that after his flight to Geneva his exceeding poverty compelled him to live on the alms of the fugitives there, but adds that ‘in three years he learnt the French language so well as to be able to serve a cure in that city, and thus support his family.’ During this period two sons were born to him. Though there is no evidence that he took any part in the preparation of the ‘Geneva Bible,’ yet the whole atmosphere of the