Williams, Peter

Author

b Llansadyrnin (Llansadurnin), nr St Clears, Carmarthen 1721/22, d Llandyfeilog (Llandyfaelog), nr Kidwelly, Carmarthen 1796. Carmarthen Grammar Sch, Carmarthen Coll. Warned by a tutor against the preaching of George Whitefield, he went to hear him and was converted. He was ordained (Welsh Anglican) 1744 and served as curate in Eglwys Cymmyn (Gymyn) on the coast near his home, where he also opened a school. After 2 years, unpopular with the church establishment on account of his evangelical fervour, he became an itinerant preacher with the Calvinistic Methodists. During the revival years he proved an outstanding leader, but on being dismissed for heresy he built a chapel at Water St, Carmarthen, on some town land of his own. In 1759 he published a Welsh hymn-book Rhai Hymnau ac Odlau Ysbrydol; then Hymns on Various Subjects in 1771. He also compiled an annotated Welsh family Bible (1767–70) and Concordance (1773). Sadly, he is one of many Welsh writers whose work is known in English ‘only through wretched translations from which all the poetry has evaporated’. It was the 1771 collection which included his own part-translation of William Williams’ (Pantycelyn) best-known hymn, for the first stz of which he himself is now best-known beyond Wales; see notes. No.868*.