John Penry

Background

Penry John was born in Brecknockshire, Wales in 1559. Cefn Brith, a farm near Llangammarch, is traditionally recognised as his birthplace.

Education

Having graduated B. A. , he moved to St Alban Hall, Oxford, and gained his M. A. in July 1586. He did not seek ordination, but was licensed as University Preacher.

Career

There is not much evidence for his preaching tours in Wales; they could only have been made during a few months of 1586 or the autumn of 1587. In 1562 an act of parliament had made provision for translating the Bible into Welsh, and the New Testament was issued in 1567; but the number printed would barely supply a copy for each parish church.

The tradition of his preaching tours in Wales is slenderly supported; they could only have been made during a few months of 1586 or the autumn of 1587.

At this time ignorance and immorality abounded in Wales.

In 1562 an act of parliament had made provision for translating the Bible into Welsh, and the New Testament was issued in 1567; but the number printed would barely supply a copy for each parish church.

Archbishop Whitgift, angry at the implied rebuke, caused him to be brought before the High Commission and imprisoned for about a month.

With the assistance of Sir Richard Knightley and others, he set up a printing press, which for nearly a year from Michaelmas 1588 was in active operation.

It was successively located at East Moulsey (Surrey), Fawsley (Northampton), Coventry and other places in Warwickshire, and finally at Manchester, where it was seized in August 1589.

On it were printed Penry's Exhortation to the governours and people of Wales.

On January in 1590 his house at Northampton was searched and his papers seized, but he succeeded in escaping to Scotland.

There he published several tracts, as well as a translation of a learned theological work known as Theses Genevenses.

He was arrested in March 1593, and efforts were made to find some pretext for a capital charge.

He was convicted by the Queen's Bench on May 21, 1593, and hanged at St Thomas-a-Watering on May 29 at the unusual hour of 4 p. m.

Achievements

• Penry pleaded with the church authorities to improve matters, and even petitioned the Queen. In 1587 he published a book entitled "A Treatise containing the Aequity of an Humble Supplication" which put forward his grievances against the church, and called for more preaching in Welsh by men - even laymen - of good character.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Three treatises concerning Wales

Religion

He matriculated at Peterhouse, Cambridge, in December 1580, being then almost certainly a Roman Catholic; but soon became a convinced Protestant, with strong Puritan leanings.

Connections

On his release Penry married Eleanor, a lady of Northampton, which town was his home for some years.

They had four daughters.

Spouse:

Eleanor