Morgan Owen

a Ministers son, received his first breath in Caermerthenshire, was admitted a Student in Jesus Coll. in the beginning of 1608, aged 23 years, and being afterwards made one of the Chaplains of New Coll. did, as a member thereof, take the degree of Bach. of Arts by the name of Owen Morgan, an. 1613, he being then a Preacher. In 1616 he was admitted M. of A, as a Member of Hart Hall, was afterwards well beneficed in his own Country of Wales, and a useful man in the Church there. When Dr. Laud became B. of S. David he then knew the man and his zeal for the Church, and therefore when he became Chanc. of the University, he was by his endeavours actually created Doctor of Divinity, as a Member of Jesus Coll. an. 1636. Soon after, that he might shew himself grateful to his Mother the Univ. of Oxon, he, at his own charge (being a rich man) enclos’d the south yard belonging to S. Maries Church with a fair free stone wall, and built also of the same stone (most curiously carved and engraven) the beautiful Porch leading from the high street into the said Church, with the image of our Lady and a babe in her arm, at the top of it. Which being finished about two or three years after, ’twas not only disgusted by the Puritan, and defaced by the Parliament Soldiers in the beginning of the Troubles, an. 1642, but laid in Laud’s dish as an article against him at his Tryal, that he did oblige the said Dr. M. Owen to build it, permitted him as Chancellour of the University, and connived at all when ’twas finished. About the beginning of March 1638 he was elected Bishop of Landaff in the place of Dr. VVill. Murrey deceased, (who before had been B. of Kilfenore in Ireland) which election being ((c))((c)) Pat. 15. Car. 1. p. 15. consented to by the King on the 19 of the same month, he was soon after consecrated, but the day when I know not; and on the 9 of Apr. following the Temporalities of the said See were ((d))((d)) Pat. 16. Car. 1. p. 19. restored to him. In Dec. 1641, he was one of the Bishops that were impeached of High Treason for subscribing the Protestation mention’d before in Dr. R. VVright, and thereupon being committed Prisoner to the Tower, remained there till about VVhitsontide following. Afterwards he retired to his own Country, suffered there for his Loyalty and for being a Bishop, and one promoted by Laud; much about the time of whose death, this Dr. Owen died also. By his Will dated 14 Dec. 1644,1644/5. and proved 12 of Dec. 1645, it appears that he was rich and possessed of several Lands, which went, I presume, to Morgan Owen his brothers son. He endowed the Free-school at Caermerthen (where in his younger years he had taught) with 30 l. per an. charged upon the Impropriation of St. Ismaels in the said County, about which time the present Fabrick of the said School was erected.