Pilgrim's Progress, Welsh and English.

In France and Flanders, where men kill each other,

·My Pilgrim is esteemed a Friend, a Brother.·
In Holland, too, 'tis said, asI am told,
My Pilgrim is with some, worth more than gold.

S O wrote John Bunyan in 1684, when ten editions had

been issued in English, and when he was issuing a
sequel, dealing with Christiana and her family. It may perhaps
be inferred also that there was a version into Gaelic, readable
both in West Scotland and in Ireland, for he goes on to say,
Highlanders and wild Irish can agree
My Pilgrim should familiar with them be.
Four years later there was a translation for other denizens
of these isles, into Welsh. The demand was steady, and ma.ny
editions appeared, many versions. The confusion between
these has been great, and we are much indebted to Mr. John
Ballinger, head of the National Library of Wales at Aberys-
twyth, for a careful investigation undertaken at our request,
whose results were communicated July, 1921, and are embodied
in the next eight paragraphs.
The first version of the Pilgrim's Progress into Welsh
was made by Stephen Hughes of Swansea, equally active in
evangelism, authorship, translation; it appeared in 1688, the
year: when !JJoth he and Bunyan died, being published 'by
Richardson at London; it gave the original only, without the
sequel a,bout Christiana. This version· was revised by Thomas
Jones of Shrewsbury, where he published it in 1699. It was
again prepared for the press by John Rhydderch and published
by Thomas Durston at Shrewsbury about I 7 I 5 ; and this
edition was reprinted after 1738 by Durston without
~h)'dderch's name.
When the Methodist revival had raised a people. eager
for spiritual food, John Edwards of Glyn Ceiriog translated
the second part, and this was published at Shrewsbury by
S. Prys in 176 I. But he was misled by the "third part"
which Blare issued in I 692 with the suggestion that it was
by Bunyan; and he translat~d this also, publishing at Chester
39
40 The Baptist Quarterly
through Harvey in 1768. It led, however, on to a second
version of the first part, published by Eddowes at Shrewsbury
in 1779., and reprinted in 1790. This was the last issue
from the northern centre.
Carmarthen was the centre of literary and national revival
at this time, with several publishers. Ross. issued an edition
of the first part in 177 I, but for a generation other interests
predominated, till Daniel put out another in 1805, apparently
In large nUhlbers, for it is the first to be found in many public
libraries. It provoked a renewed interest; Williams put out
another edition at Merthyr next year, and reprinted in 1809.
Richard Davies undertook a new version of both parts, which
were published separately at Carmarthen by Evans -in 1807;
unfortunately he also. translated the spurious "third part"
and published in 1808. Harris reprinted the first part in
181 I; Evans the second in 1812, besides a third version of
the third part executed by Lewis Jones.
John Hughes of Brecon, an accomplished scholar, was
sent by the Wesleyan Conference to travel in North Wales.
Towards the end of his twenty years' work, he translated all
three parts, which were published in one volume about 18 19
at Liverpool by Fisher who reprinted them at London about
I 824 and d:! 2 7 .
A rival edition was put out at Carnarvon by L. E. Jones
in 182 I, and reprinted 1833. It was apparently this edition
which was reissued at Carnarvon in 1848 by H umphreys and
again in 1861, with an off-print of the second part about.
1860. Chester saw two rival editions in 1842, each of the
combined first and second parts, one by Thomas, the other
by Evans and Ducker.·
London followed, the Religious Tract Society in 1855
giving the first and second, but Jacksongiving the "third"
as well. a reprint of H ughes' edition. About the same time
also, Caleb Morris supplemented these three with a version
of Mr. Badman, which had been previously k!l0wn in 173 I
and 1782. The London Printing and Publishing Company
published seven of Btinyan's works including both parts of
Taith'y Pererin (and the "third ") about 1860, reprinting about
IH6S and 1870. The bad tradition was followed by Virtue
reprinting Caleb Morris's edition.
 Pilgrim's Progress, Welsh· and English 41
At Bala, G. J on~s published the first part in 1856, and
Gee repeated this at Denbigh in 1860 and 1904, the Tract
Society following suit in 1907. At Wrexham, Hughes &
Son put out both parts in 1861 - 3. Swansea saw a composite
issue by E. ·~eater about 1880- 5, and Porth a larger by
J ones & J ones about 1 9 0 5.
Mackenzie of London had led the way with an edition
by J. R. Kilsby Jones of five works, including the two
parts; this appeared about 1869 and again six years lat.er.
Blackie responded in 1870 with a version revised from Offar's
critical text, containing thirteen works. Scotch rivalry was
then transferred to Edinburgh where Jack issued three works
about I 876 and again after 1 885.
This list shows that the Welsh have not been accustomed
to see the two parts together. They· were not translated by
the same man till 1807, and nbt issued in one volume till
1842, though an edition vitiated by the "third part" appeared
in 18 19. It further shows a London rivalry beginning 1860
with a reprint of old work:, and culminating in a good critical
edition of all the 'books which are usually read.
During June and July 1 92 I, the Times Literary Supple-
ment reminds us, no fewer than three copies of the original
. English edition of 1 678 have been sold by auction in London ..
Nathaniel Ponder sold them for 4s. 6d., the modern price
was £3,000. For the book is one of the rarest in the language,
only nine copies being known. Three of these are in public
libraries, the John Rylands at )Manchester, the British Museum,
and the Lenox in New York. Three are in private hands,
Pierpont Morgan, Henry Huntingdon, Sir George Holford.
The tree recently sold will probably change hands agaIn
shortly.
I t is remarkable that three of these nine copies seem to
have been owned by Baptists. This is certain with one, which
belonged to Thomas Marsom, a fellow-prisoner with Bunyan,
whose family retained it till 1886. Another belonged to
Thomas Kingsford who bought it April 8, 1678. This family
was a tower of strength to Baptists in Kent, but this particular
man has not been identified. A third copy belonged in 1679
to "William Readding at Greens fordge in the parish of
W amborne." The place is not easy to recognise, but the
42 The Ba.ptist Quarterly
Reddings were Baptists in, the, Amersham district at that
time, not far from Wooburn .. These' copies were' really read,
and are not now in the best condition,· like those ,which
stood unused, in aristocratic libraries.
During Bunyan's life-time twelve editions 'appeared, the
ninth, however, being in two forms, so that· there were
thirteen printings. The second edition, 1678, was enlarged
by twenty-three pa:ges, introducing Worldly Wiseman, Giant
Despair's wife Diffidence, and. many delightful touches.
WilliamBrodie Gurney, treasurer of the B.M.S., had a copy
of this second edition, now to be seen in the Angus Library,
while both universities own copies, as well as the Museum.
The third edition was called for in 1679, and Bunyan made a
few further additions, while his publisher prefixed a portrait.
The variations are carefully recorded in the critical edition
prepared for the Hansard Knollys Society in 1847 by George:
Offor. After the third edition, Bunyan hardly touched the
book, though the publisher next year added another woodcut,
and slight variations are found, probably at the whim of the
printer. A careful facsimile of the original 'edition w.as
published by Elliot Stock, and so for a shilling the ordinary
reader may own what bibliophiles value in the original at
£1,25 0 .

The German Baptist Brethren.

T'.
HREE distinct. bodies exist, all of German extraction,
holding more or less Baptist views, yet without any
relations between themselves; they are popularly 'known as
Mennonites, Dunkers, German Baptists.
The Mennonites were salvaged from" the Anabaptists of
the sixteenth century by Menno Simons of the Netherlands.
They were found all up the Rhine from mouth to source, and
are still f\lurid in Holland, though most have emigrated to
Russia, America, Canada. To-day they are mostly Unitarian,
and in their habits retain much of the sixteenth century. With
Baptists they have no . intercourse whether in Europe or in
North America.