The National Library of Wales
Elis Gruffudd – The Calais Welshman
Tue, 08 Jan 08 14:27:00
In circa 1552 Elis Gruffudd completed his massive chronicle of the history of the world from the Creation to his era. The chronicle (which is in Welsh) was divided in two, and in the second part, NLW Manuscript 3054D (Volumes i & ii), which is now on the Library’s website, we are told the history of England and Wales from the time of William the Conqueror to 1552.
Elis Gruffudd (‘The soldier of Calais’) was born circa 1490 in Upper Gronant in the parish of Llanasa, Flintshire. He joined the English army in about 1510 and fought in Holland and Spain. By 1518 he was working for Sir Robert Wingfield, a gentleman from Suffolk, and in 1520 he moved to Calais where Wingfield was an ambassador (and which was a part of England at the time).
Although Gruffudd was a soldier and an administrative officer, it is his work as a transcriber, translator, and in particular as a chronicler, which is of interest today. Gruffudd’s most important work is his chronicle, which is one of the most extensive narrative texts written in the Welsh language.
Gruffudd’s significance as a source becomes apparent in contemporary sections of the text, where the evidence is based upon his own experiences. While accompanying his master, Sir Robert Wingfield, he witnessed many important events, such as the meeting between the kings of England and France on the Field of Cloth of Gold, near Calais, as well as trials at the Court of Star Chamber, London. He gives lively descriptions of what he has seen and heard.
This manuscript throws some light on Gruffudd’s own life, and also on the lives of other Welsh people who emigrated to London and Calais. Furthermore, we are shown the attitudes of the Welsh towards the first two Tudor kings, Henry VII and VIII, and are given an insight into Welsh history in an English cultural context.
Further Information:
Siôn Jobbins, NLW Press Office: 01970 632 902 sij@llgc.org.uk
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