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 parish church in Wales. In the same year a royal patent gave William Salesbury and the printer, John Waley, exclusive license to print the above Welsh versions for the term of seven years (Lansdowne MS. 48, f. 175). Davies at once set to work with energy, though he complained, however, that he found ‘small help’ from any one except Salesbury. Davies was himself also busy in revising the English translation. It was not until 1567 that the firstfruits of their efforts appeared. In that year was printed the first Welsh edition of the New Testament. The bulk of it was the work of Salesbury, but Huet, chantor of St. David's, had translated the Apocalypse, and Davies 1 Timothy, Hebrews, St. James, and 1 and 2 Peter. Davies also contributed a long epistle to the Welsh (‘Epistol at y Cembru’), of which the full title is ‘R. episcop Menew yn damuno adnewyddiat yr hen ffydd catholic a golauni euangel Christ ir Cembru oll, yn enwedic i bop map eneid dyn o vewn ey episcopawt.’ It combines a good deal of rather questionable history with some sounder divinity. It was reprinted with the Welsh version of Jewel's ‘Apology’ in 1671. It is written, says a recent critic, in a more vigorous and easy style and with less archaic diction than Salesbury's translation. The New Testament, a well-printed black letter quarto, was printed at London by Henry Denham, ‘at the costs and charges of Humfrey Toy,’ a Welshman from Carmarthen, whose family was subsequently associated with the bishop in founding the grammar school of that town. In the same year appeared the Welsh prayer-book (‘Llyfr Gweddi Gyffredin,’ &c.), printed in folio by Denham, also at Toy's cost. For this Salesbury and Davies seem to have been jointly responsible; but it is impossible to determine their respective shares in the undertaking. A prospect of the completion of the translation of the Bible was held out in Salesbury's dedication, but the work seems to have languished. Sir John Wynne tells a story that Davies and Salesbury quarrelled over the meaning of some single word, and that in consequence the co-operation which had hitherto produced so much result came to an end. Not until after Davies's death did William Morgan publish in 1588 a complete Welsh bible; but in his preface he bears strong testimony to the great work of Davies. On the literary merits of the version opinion has been more divided, but the praise or blame of that more rightfully belongs to Salesbury than to Davies. (On all points connected with the literary characteristics and sources of the Welsh Testament, see a lecture on W. Salesbury's New Testament by the Rev. T. C. Edwards in ‘Transactions of Liverpool Welsh National Society, First Session,’ pp. 51–81.)

In 1568 appeared the first edition of the ‘Bishops' Bible,’ on which revision Davies had also been actively engaged. In a list drawn up by Parker the books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and 1 and 2 Kings was assigned to Davies; but in the printed copy his initials are at the end of 2 Samuel, and as no other initials occur after the end of Deuteronomy it seems clear that Davies's work was confined to these books (Parker Correspondence, p. 335). But there is nothing very original or important in this revision. It closely followed the ‘Great Bible,’ and when original readings were attempted they were not always happy (, History of the English Bible, p. 241). Davies was also a writer of Welsh verses, many of which are preserved in the voluminous manuscript collections of Welsh poetry in the Addit. MSS. at the British Museum. Davies died on 7 Nov. 1581, and was buried in Abergwili church. His will, dated 13 Sept. 1581, left nearly all his scanty property to his widow, Dorothy. ‘He died poor,’ says Sir J. Wynne, ‘having never had regard to riches.’ In his will he mentions his sons Peregrine, Richard, and Pearson, and two daughters, Margaret, betrothed to Hugh Butler, and another married to the William Penry whose violence brought his father-in-law into some difficulties (, Collections in Lansdowne MS. 982, f. 18).

[Wood's Athenæ Oxon., with Humphrey's additions, i. 462, ed. Bliss; Strype's Annals of the Reformation, and Lives of Parker and Grindal; Parker Correspondence, Parker Soc.; Grindal's Remains, Parker Soc.; Sir John Wynne's Hist. of the Gwydir Family, pp. 93, 94, 96, ed. 1878; Rymer's Fœdera, vol. xv.; Browne Willis's Survey of St. Asaph, ed. Edwards, i. 103–4, ii. 136–147; Willis's Survey of St. David's, 123, 194; Thomas's Hist. of St. Asaph, 85–9, 225–6; Jones and Freeman's Hist. of St. David's, 331, 337; Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1547–80; Nasmith's Cat. of MSS. in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, pp. 149, 154; Bishop Morgan's Preface to Welsh Bible, 1588; Llewelyn's Historical Account of the British Versions of the Bible; Rowlands's Cambrian Bibliography and Transactions of the Liverpool Welsh National Society, First Session.] 

DAVIES, RICHARD (1635–1708), Welsh quaker, was born in 1635 at Welshpool, where his family had a fair estate, and received his education in that town. Although brought up to the episcopal church, when only thirteen years old he began to go to dissenters' meetings, and used to follow one independent minister when he preached at considerable distances. When fourteen he was sent, pre-