Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 30.djvu/171

Jones scripts in Jones's possession. He is also spoken of by Dr. John David Rhys, his contemporary, as ‘the most celebrated, accomplished, and accurate’ herald-bard of the day (, Welsh Grammar, published in 1592, p. 303). In an undated petition (before 1612) to Robert Cecil, lord Salisbury, Jones stated that Lord Burghley ‘did recon me to be his kinsmane, for that he was descended from my greate-graunfather, Howell Moythey’ (Cal. of State Papers, Dom. 1611–18, p. 130). Portions of the Tonn MSS. (vide infra), dated 1620, are supposed to be in Jones's autograph. He was probably over ninety years of age when he died.

Besides the pedigrees supplied to Dwnn, there is among the Tonn MSS. at the Cardiff Free Library a small volume, of which at least 171 folios are in Jones's own handwriting. Another folio book, of three hundred pages, also written by him, is mentioned in the ‘Cambrian Quarterly Magazine,’ ii. 225. Two pedigrees in his autograph exist at Dynevor, Carmarthenshire, and another is preserved at Nanteos, Cardiganshire. The third series of the ‘Triads,’ printed in the ‘Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales,’ is said to be from a manuscript written by Jones in 1601. He was also a fair poet, and an ‘Ode to Grief’ (‘Cywydd i'r Gofid’), written by him, is included in Meyrick's ‘Cardiganshire,’ p. 249. Other poems composed by him are preserved at the British Museum (Add. MSS. 14907, 15008, 15056).

In local tradition ‘Twm’ has been unwarrantably regarded as the ‘Welsh Robin Hood.’ His headquarters are identified with a mountain recess, still known as ‘Twm Shon Catti's Cave,’ near Ystradffin in Carmarthenshire. He is also erroneously represented as having married, by means of a stratagem, Joan, daughter of Sir John Price of the Priory, Brecon, known as ‘the heiress of Ystradffin,’ and is said to have removed to live at Brecon, and to have become a magistrate for that county and high sheriff for Carmarthenshire (where, according to his petition to Cecil, he had ‘a hundred pounds a yeare;’ cf., Eminent Welshmen, p. 261; , County Families of Wales, i. 272–3). Such traditions were collected by Meyrick, in his ‘History of Cardiganshire,’ 1810, pp. 247–51, and were developed, utterly regardless of chronology, by [q. v.], in a sketch called ‘Twm John Catty, the Welsh Robin Hood,’ included in ‘The Innkeeper's Album,’ London, 1823, 8vo, and in a play by the same author, entitled ‘The Welsh Rob Roy,’ and performed in 1823 at the Coburg Theatre. In 1828 T. J. Llewelyn Prichard published what he described as the first Welsh novel, under the name ‘The Adventures and Vagaries of Twm Shon Catti,’ Aberystwith, 12mo, 3rd edit. Llanidloes, 1873.

 JONES, THOMAS (1618–1665), civilian, born in 1618, was the son of Edward Jones of Nanteos, Cardiganshire, by his wife Margaret, daughter of James Lewis of Abernantbychan. He graduated B.A. from Oriel College, Oxford, 12 Feb. 1638–9, was the same year elected probationer fellow of Merton, proceeded M.A. 4 June 1644, and B.C.L. and D.C.L. on 18 May 1659. In 1647 he travelled in France and Italy as tutor to George, son of Sir [q. v.], but returned ‘unfortunate as to his charge,’ and submitted to the parliamentary visitors on 6 Aug. 1649. In 1660–1 Jones unsuccessfully petitioned Charles II for confirmation in the professorship of laws which he held as deputy of Dr. Zouch, then recently dead. He urged that he had studied for several years at foreign universities, and his petition was supported by Brian Duppa, bishop of Winchester, and Dr. Thomas Clayton (Cal. State Papers, Dom. Charles II).

Jones is abused as a ‘knave and rogue’ by Wood, who was like himself a member of Merton College, for supporting the election of Dr. (afterwards Sir) [q. v.], ‘a stranger,’ as warden in 1661. According to Wood, Clayton when in office disappointed Jones of promised preferments, and his mind consequently gave way. In 1662–3 he retired to London to follow the profession of the law at Doctors' Commons, but being unsuccessful his mental derangement grew. He died of the plague in the autumn of 1665. Wood gloated over Jones's derangement, death, and unceremonious burial.

Jones was a good Greek and Hebrew scholar, and was the author of ‘Prolusiones Academicæ, seu recitationes solemnes in Titulum De Judiciis: Item theses de origine dominii et servitutis; cum oratione inaugurali,’ 3 parts, Oxford, 1660, 8vo. 