George Griffith

was born at Penrhyn in Caernarvanshire, 30 Sept. 1601, educated in Westm. School, elected Student of Ch. Ch. in 1619, took the degrees in Arts, became an eminent Tutor in his house, and a Preacher in these parts. Afterwards Dr. John Owen Bishop of S. Asaph, (to whom he was Chaplain) conferr’d on him the Rectory of Llanvechen in Montgomeryshire, which he changed for Llanymynech, situated partly in Shropshire and partly in Montgomeryshire. In 1635 he proceeded D. D. being then, or about that time, Canon (and as some say Archdeacon) of S. Asaph, and Minister of Llanchinio in the said County of Montgom. In the time of the Rebellion he lost all or most of his Spiritualities, did good service for his Majesty and the Church in several respects, and therefore rewarded after his Majesties Restauration, as I shall anon tell you. While he lived at Llanymynech, whence, I think he was not ejected, he wrot,

A modest Answer to a bold Challenge of an itinerant Preacher, (Vav. Powell)—Printed 1652. The beginning of which is, Accepi hodie chartulam, &c. To which Vav. Powell making a reply in most false and barbarous Latine, beginning, Domine in quartam ultimae diei hebdomadae, &c. our Author made a Rejoynder beginning thus, Ehem! quid tandem video? &c. All which being in order to a publick Disputation, Griffith afterwards, when he saw himself abused thereby, published,

Animadversions on an imperfect relation in the Perfect Diurnall, numb. 138. Aug. 2. an. 1652. containing a narration of a Disputation between Dr. Griffith and Mr. Vavaser Powell near New Chappell in Montgomeryshire, 23 Jul. 1652. Lond. 1653. qu. See more in Vav. Powell, an. 1670. Our Author Griffith also wrot,

Some plain discourses on the Lords Supper, instructing the ignorant in a due preparation for that holy sacrament, and representing the great danger of communicating amiss. Oxon. 1684. in tw. It was then corrected, and had an Epist. to the Reader set to it, by Andr. Allam M. A. and Vice-Principal of S. Edm. Hall. Our Author also took upon him the Translation of the new Common-Prayer-book in the Welsh Tongue; but whether he ever finished it I know not. In a Convocation of the Clergy held 1640, he made a motion for a new Edition of the Welsh Bible, set out many years before by Will. Morgan B. of S. Asaph. At length having successfully asserted the Truth and Cause of the Ch. of England in Wales, in the times of Usurpation, in disputing with Itinerants, keeping up the Offices and Ceremonies thereof, &c. he was by his Maj. grace and favour made Bish. of S. Asaph, to which being consecrated 28 of Oct. 1660 in K. Hen. 7. Chap. at Westm. sate there till the time of his death, and kept the Archdeaconry of S. Asaph in commendam with it. In 1662, in a Convocation of the Clergy then held, he concurred ((*))((*)) D. Lloyd in his Memoires, &c. p. 600. effectually in drawing up the Act of Uniformity, and making certain Alterations in the Common Prayer then set out, and ’tis thought the form of baptizing those of riper years was of his composing. He died on the 28 of Nov. in sixteen hundred sixty and six,1666. and was buried in the choire of the Cath. Ch. of S. Asaph. Soon after was a Monument placed over his grave, with this Inscription engraven thereon, Hic jacet corp. Rev. in Christo patris ac Dom. D. Georgii Griffith S. T. P. hujus Ecclesiae Asaph. Episc. sacratissimi, cujus altera melier pars, choro coelesti associata est, 28 die Novembris, an. Dom. 1666, aetat. 65 & consecrationis 7 mo. Qui plura desiderat facile investiget.