17th century in Wales

	16th century \| 1700s \| Other years in Wales
	Other events of the century

This article is about the particular significance of the century 1601 - 1700 to Wales and its people.

Princes of Wales

Henry (1610-1612)
Charles (later Charles I) (1616-1625)
Charles (later Charles II) (1630-1649)
James (1688)

Princesses of Wales

none

Events

1601

June - John Salusbury is knighted by Queen Elizabeth I of England for his assistance in suppressing the Essex Rebellion.
October - The "Wrexham riot" occurs, when supporters of Sir John Salusbury are involved in violent clashes with surviving Essex supporters led by Sir Richard Trevor.
December - Sir John Salusbury becomes MP for Denbighshire.
James Price (of Pilleth) becomes High Sheriff of Radnorshire for the first time.^[1]
William Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff, becomes Bishop of St Asaph.

1602

17 July - The Lord Lieutenancy of Monmouthshire is separated from that of Wales and is held by Edward Somerset, 4th Earl of Worcester.
Sir Richard Bulkeley is appointed to the Council of Wales and the Marches.
Sir Edmund Morgan (of Llandaff) is High Sheriff of Monmouthshire.^[2]

1603

Henry Frederick, son of King James I of England, is invested as Duke of Cornwall.

1604

27 February - Roger Brereton of Borras becomes MP for Flint.^[3]
Carmarthen is made a county corporate by charter of King James I of England.
Thomas Myddelton becomes Sheriff of London.
John Davies becomes rector of Mallwyd.
Sir Richard Bulkeley is elected MP for Anglesey.

1605

8 March - Sir Eubule Thelwall is appointed steward and recorder of Ruthin for life.
The earldom of Montgomery is created for Philip Herbert, a favourite of King James I of England.

1606

12 April - A new Union Flag is created by royal decree to mark the union between England and Scotland; Wales is not represented in the design.
31 October - John Griffith, later MP for Beaumaris, matriculates at Brasenose College, Oxford, aged 15.
Hawarden High School is founded as a single-classroom grammar school with £300 left by local resident George Ledsham.
William Spurstow, MP, is instrumental in the passing of a Bill to relieve Welsh cloth from the need to have a seal of content.
A storm buries the village of St Ismail near modern-day Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire.

1607

30 January - Bristol Channel floods cause devastation on the Welsh coast, from Laugharne in Carmarthenshire to above Chepstow in Monmouthshire. Cardiff was the most badly affected town, with the foundations of St Mary's Church destroyed.^[4]
26 March - Peter Mutton is granted the reversion of the office of Attorney General in Wales and Shropshire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Cheshire, and Flintshire for life.
11 May - Marriage of Blanche Somerset, daughter of the Earl of Worcester, and Thomas Arundell, 2nd Baron Arundell of Wardour.
Serious outbreak of plague in Conwy.
Walter Jones, of a family of Welsh wool merchants, begins the construction of Chastleton House in Oxfordshire.^[5]

1608

7 November - Charles Vaughan (of Porthamal) is knighted.
26 November - Peter Wynne, a member of Captain Christopher Newport's exploration party to the villages of the Eastern Siouan Monacan above the falls of the James River in Virginia, writes to John Egerton, 1st Earl of Bridgewater, informing him that some members of Newport's party believe the pronunciation of the Monacans' language resembles "Welch", and have asked Wynne to act as interpreter.^[6]
Richard Wynn, the future 2nd Baronet, enters the service of the Lord Chamberlain in London.

1610

4 June - Henry Stuart is created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester.
date unknown
- Plas Teg is built by Sir John Trevor near the village of Pontblyddyn, Flintshire.
- The Old Church of St Gwenllwyfo, Llanwenllwyfo, undergoes restoration work, as shown by the date of the oak screen and pulpit.^[7]
- Ewenny Pottery started.

1611

29 June - Creation of the Wynn Baronetcy for Sir John Wynn.
William Lewis Annwill, of the Anwyl of Tywyn Family, has his pedigree certified by William Hughes and John Davies.
John Jones of Gellilyfdy is placed in a debtors' prison in London.

1612

Sir Thomas Button winters at the mouth of the Nelson River in Canada, naming it after a crew member.

1613

29 September - Official opening of the New River, supplying London with fresh water.^[8] Sir Hugh Myddelton, who has been instrumental in its creation, is the brother of Sir Thomas Myddelton, Lord Mayor of London in the same year.

1614

26 December - The will of haberdasher William Jones leaves "nyne thousand pounds to the Company of Haberdashers of London to ordain a Preacher, a Free School and Alms houses for twenty poor and distressed people, as blind and lame as it shall seem best to them, of the Town of Monmouth, where it shall be bestowed".^[9] Monmouth School and the Monmouth Alms Houses are among the establishments founded as a result.
Marmaduke Lloyd becomes King's Attorney for the Marches and is appointed to the Council of Wales and the Marches.

1615

Wye Bridge, Monmouth, is rebuilt in stone.

1616

November - Charles Stuart is created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, four years after the death of his elder brother.
Thomas Gerard, 1st Baron Gerard, is appointed President of the Council of Wales and the Marches, replacing Ralph Eure, 3rd Baron Eure.

1617

William Compton, 1st Earl of Northampton, becomes President of the Council of Wales and the Marches.
Sir Richard Wynn, 2nd Baronet, becomes Groom of the Bedchamber to Charles, Prince of Wales, retaining the position until the prince becomes King Charles I in 1625.
Richard Whitbourne is recruited by William Vaughan to govern his new colony of Cambriol.

1618

John Griffith is appointed High Sheriff of Caernarvonshire.^[10] Sir John Wynn, 1st Baronet, becomes Custos Rotulorum of Caernarvonshire.

1619

Mostyn Colliery is recorded as being worth in the region of £700 annually to the Mostyn family, which suggests a fairly substantial output.^[11]

1620

Bishop William Morgan's Bible translation into Welsh is revised by Bishop Richard Parry and John Davies (Mallwyd) as Y Bibl Cyssegr-lan, published in London.

1621

New MPs include Lewis Powell, William Herbert, Henry Vaughan and John Trevor.

1622

William Vaughan arrives in Cambriol to begin a stay of three years, during which he writes The Golden Fleece.

1623

Sir Richard Wynn, 2nd Baronet, is one of the party accompanying the Prince of Wales to Spain. His account of the journey was published a century later.

1625

July 8 - A deputation including Sir Sackville Trevor takes a petition to King Charles I.

1627

June - Sir Sackville Trevor serves with distinction in the expedition to La Rochelle led by George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham.
September - Sir Sackville Trevor leads a flotilla that blockaded the mouth of the Elbe in support of the land force sent under Sir Charles Morgan to assist King Christian IV of Denmark.

1636

The three-arch stone bridge, Pont Fawr, at Llanrwst is built by Sir John Wynn of Gwydir Castle; its design is attributed to Inigo Jones.

1638

Bont Fawr at Dolgellau built.

1639

Abergavenny receives its charter of incorporation.

1643

September - Vavasor Powell leads a march of eighty men to Machynlleth.^[12]
November 9 - Thomas Myddelton takes the bridge at Holt on behalf of Parliament.

1644

January - Thomas Fairfax breaks the six-week siege of Nantwich.
September - The first battle of the English Civil War on Welsh soil takes place at Montgomery.
Thomas Bulkeley is created 1st Viscount Bulkeley in recognition of his service to the Royalist cause in the English Civil War.
Roch Castle is captured by Parliament; the owner's daughter, Lucy Walter, flees to London and thence to The Hague.

1645

February 4 - Jeremy Taylor is among the Royalist prisoners taken during the siege of Cardigan Castle.
June - King Charles I of England begins a tour of South Wales, in the wake of his defeat at the Battle of Naseby, to rally support.
July 16 - King Charles I dines with the Morgans at Tredegar Park.
July 25 - King Charles I is entertained by the Morgans of Ruperra Castle.
August 5 - King Charles I visits Colonel Edward Prichard at Llancaiach Fawr.
September - King Charles I visits Denbigh.

1646

August 19 - Raglan Castle surrenders to Parliament forces.
October - Colonel William Salusbury gives up Denbigh Castle to Parliament forces, with the king's written permission.
Barrister William Philipps buys the island of Skokholm for £300.

1647

March 16 - Harlech Castle surrenders to Parliament's forces, the last Royalist stronghold of the English Civil War on mainland Britain.
date unknown - Katherine Fowler ("Orinda") marries James Philips of Cardigan Priory.

1648

May 8 - Battle of St. Fagans

1649

January - Thomas Wogan and John Jones Maesygarnedd are among the signatories to the death warrant of King Charles I.
April - Rowland Laugharne, John Poyer and Rice Powel, former Parliamentary commanders, are condemned to death for their role in the rebellion leading to the Battle of St Fagans. They draw lots and the sentence is carried out only on Colonel Poyer.
April 9 - Lucy Walter, mistress of the Prince of Wales, gives birth to the future Duke of Monmouth.
Aberystwyth Castle slighted by Commonwealth troops.

1656

date unknown - Colonel Philip Jones buys Fonmon Castle from the St John family.

1657

George Fox visits Dolgellau, resulting in the foundation of a local Quaker community, led by Rowland Ellis.
Jenkin Jones becomes minister at Llanddetty.

1659

The Cheshire Rising proclaims Charles II as King. Its leaders include Thomas Myddelton of Chirk Castle.

1660

July 23 - Creation of the Aubrey baronets of Llantrithead
October 17 - Hugh Lloyd becomes Bishop of Llandaff.
William Philipps is elected MP for Haverfordwest.
At about this date, Elizabeth Cromwell (widow of Oliver) retires to Wales.^[13]

1661

20 April - Royalist Arthur Annesley is created Earl of Anglesey.
Bridge at Carrog built over Dee.

1662

Henry Walter and Charles Edwards are among the ministers ejected as a result of the Act of Uniformity.

1663

Baptist leader John Myles takes the Ilston Book with him when he and his whole congregation emigrate to North America, where they found the First Baptist Church in Swansea.^[14]
Bangor Bridge built at Bangor-on-Dee.

1664

Thomas Wogan, former Parliamentary commander and regicide, escapes from York Castle and flees to the Netherlands.

1666

Last recorded news of Thomas Wogan, resident in Utrecht and plotting against King Charles II.

1667

Francis Davies becomes Bishop of Llandaff.

1668

Rhydwilym Baptist Chapel in Llangolman is founded.^[15]

1669

Henry Morgan lands on Île-à-Vache and begins using it as the base for his piracy.^[16]

1673

17 June - Land for a Friends meeting house at The Pales in Powys is acquired; by the early 21st century it will be Wales's oldest in continuous use.^[17]

1678

The gardens of Bodysgallen Hall are laid out.
17 November - During the Popish Plot John Arnold of Monmouthshire captures Jesuit priest David Lewis at St Michael's Church, Llantarnam.

1679

27 August - Father David Lewis (b. 1616) is hanged at Usk for high treason. He will be canonized in 1970.

1680

9 September - Regicide Henry Marten dies a prisoner in Chepstow Castle.

1682

30 August - A group of Welsh settlers, including Thomas Wynne, set sail for Pennsylvania.
14 September - Bishop Gore School is founded in Swansea by Bishop Hugh Gore.

1686

Rowland Ellis and his fellow Quakers leave Wales for Pennsylvania to avoid religious persecution.

1688

10 December - Mary of Modena, queen consort of King James II of England, flees to France, taking with her the six-month-old James Francis Edward Stuart, Prince of Wales.
The chief officers of the corporation of Abergavenny refuse to take the oath of allegiance to King William III, and the town's charter is annulled.

1689

25 July - Council of Wales and the Marches is abolished.

1690

Blast furnace at Coed Ithel.

1694

7 January - Following the death of the incumbent, Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, the Lord Lieutenancy of Wales is divided between North and South Wales.

1695

7 March - Sir John Trevor, Speaker of the House of Commons, is found guilty of taking a bribe and expelled from the Commons.^[18]^[19]

1697

Pont Cysylltau built.

1699

Bryn Celli Ddu is plundered by grave robbers.

1700

Quaker emigrant Rowland Ellis is elected to represent Philadelphia in the provincial assembly.

Arts and literature

Books

1600

Robert Holland - Darmerth, neu Arlwy i Weddi
William Vaughan - Golden Grove

1603

John Davies of Hereford - Microcosmos
'P.G.' - A most strange and true report of a monsterous fish, who appeared in the forme of a woman, from her waste upwards^[20]
Wiliam Midleton - Psalmae y brenhinol brophwyd Dafydh
George Owen of Henllys - The Description of Pembrokeshire

1611

Lewis Bayly - Practice of Piety

1613

Lewis Dwnn - Heraldic Visitations of the Three Counties of North Wales above Conway

1615

"R.A., Gent." (Robert Anton, Robert Aylett or Robert Armin?) - The Valiant Welshman, or the true Chronicle History of the Life and Valiant Deedes of Caradoc the Great, King of Cambria, now called Wales. As it hath beene sundry times acted by the Prince of Wales his Servants
Rhosier Smyth - Gorsedd y Byd

1618

Ben Jonson - For the Honour of Wales (masque, first performed February 17)

1621

Edmwnd Prys - Salmau Cân

1630

Rowland Vaughan - Yr Ymarfer o Dduwioldeb

1632

John Davies (Mallwyd) - Dictionarium duplex

1645

James Howell - Epistolae Ho-Elianae, vol. 1

1650

James Howell - Epistolae Ho-Elianae, vol. 3

1651

Henry Vaughan - 'Olor Iscanus

1653

William Erbery - A Mad Mans Plea
Morgan Llwyd - Llyfr y Tri Aderyn

1654

Alexander Griffith
- Strena Vavasoriensis; or, a New Year's Gift for the Welsh Itinerants. Or an Hue and Cry after Mr. Vavasor Powell, Metropolitan of the Itinerants, and one of the Executioners of the Gospel by Colour of the late Act for the Propagation thereof in Wales
- True and Perfect Relation of the whole Transaction concerning the Petition of the Six Counties of South Wales, and the County of Monmouth

1655

Jeremy Taylor - Golden Grove; or a Manuall of daily prayers and letanies . .

1656

Morgan Llwyd - Gair o'r Gair

1657

Morgan Llwyd - Yr Ymroddiad

1658

Rowland Vaughan - Yr Arfer o Weddi yr Arglwydd

1660

Rowland Vaughan - Evchologia: neu Yr Athrawiaeth i arferol weddio

Births

1601

James Lewis, MP for Cardiganshire

1602

date unknown - Sir John Glynne, judge (d. 1666)
probable - Henry Wynn, MP for Merioneth (d. 1671)

1603

date unknown Richard Jones, Anglican priest and writer (d. c.1655)

1604

4 May - Sir Hugh Owen, 1st Baronet, politician (d. 1670)
date unknown
- William Erbery, theologian (d. 1654)
- Thomas Hughes, politician (d. 1664)
- Sir Thomas Morgan, 1st Baronet, soldier (d. 1679)
probable - Richard Herbert, 2nd Baron Herbert of Chirbury, Royalist soldier and politician (d. 1655)

1605

14 March - Francis Davies, Bishop of Llandaff (d. 1675)
date unknown - Herbert Price, politician (d. 1678)
probable - John Edwards (Siôn Treredyn), priest and translator (d. 1656)

1607

date unknown - Kenrick Eyton, lawyer and politician (d. 1681)

1608

date unknown - Robert Morgan, Bishop of Bangor (d. 1673)
probable
- Arthur Owen, politician (d. 1678)
- Thomas Powell, priest and writer (d. 1660)

1610

July/August - Humphrey Lloyd, Bishop of Bangor (d. 1689)
date unknown
- William Foxwist, judge and politician (d. c. 1673)
- Robert Pugh, Jesuit priest and controversialist (d. 1679)

1611

date unknown - Henry Walter, Puritan priest (d. c.1678)

1613

2 February - William Thomas, Bishop of St David's (d. 1689)
date unknown - Henry Vaughan the younger, MP (d. 1676)

1615

date unknown - Jonathan Edwards, priest and brother-in-law of John Jones Maesygarnedd (d. 1681)

1617

date unknown - Vavasor Powell, religious writer (d. 1670)

1619

date unknown
- Morgan Llwyd, writer (d. 1659)
- William Price, Royalist colonel (d. 1691)

1620

approx. date - William Maurice, antiquary (d. 1680)

1621

17 April
- Henry Vaughan, poet (d. 1695)
- Thomas Vaughan, philosopher (d. 1666)

1627

20 July - Thomas Wynne, personal physician of William Penn (d. 1691)

c.1630

Lucy Walter, mistress of Charles II of England (d. 1658)

1634

date unknown - William Williams, politician (d. 1700)

1649

5 April - Elihu Yale, founder of Yale University (d. 1721)
9 April - James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, son of the future King Charles II of England and Lucy Walter (d. 1685)

1655

date unknown - Henry Rowlands, antiquary (d. 1723)

1671

date unknown - Ellis Wynne, priest and author (d. 1734)

1674

18 October - Beau Nash, leader of fashion (d. 1762)

1675

date unknown - William Jones, mathematician (d. 1749)

1677

16 July - Angharad James, poet (d. 1749)

1682

17 May - Bartholomew Roberts, pirate ("Black Bart") (d. 1722)

1683

1 March - Caroline of Ansbach, future Princess of Wales (d. 1737)
10 November - Prince George of Hanover, future Prince of Wales (d. 1760)

1688

1 November - Morgan Morgan, American colonist

1693

February - Theophilus Evans, historian (d. 1767)

1696

- date unknown - Marged ferch Ifan, harpist and wrestler (d. 1793)

1700

8 March – William Morgan the elder, of Tredegar, politician (d. 1731)
date unknown - Guto Nyth Brân, legendary athlete (d. 1737)
probable – Lewis Evans, surveyor (d. 1756)

Deaths

1601

19 January - Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, Lord President of Wales, about 63
13 March - Gelli Meyrick, executed for his part in Essex's rebellion, about 45
17 June - Gabriel Goodman, Dean of Westminster, 72
date unknown - Owen Holland, MP for Anglesey

1602