Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Rowlands, Henry (1551-1616)
ROWLANDS, HENRY (1551–1616), bishop of Bangor, born in 1551 in the parish of Meyllteyrn or Bottwnog, Carnarvonshire, was son of Rolant ap Robert of Meyllteyrn and of Elizabeth, daughter of Griffith ap Robert Vaughan (Wood, Fasti, ii. 584). After being educated at Penllech school, he studied at Oxford, and graduated B. A. from New College on 17 Feb. 1573-4. He then migrated to St. Mary Hall, and graduated M.A. 27 June 1577, B.D. 27 March 1591, D.D. 28 June 1605 (Clark, Oxford Reg.; Foster, Alumni Oxon.) He took holy orders on 14 Sept. 1572, and was rector of Meyllteyrn from 1572 to 1581, and of Langton, Oxfordshire, from 1581 to 1600. From 4 Aug. 1584 to August 1594 he was prebendary of Penmynyd, Bangor Cathedral, from 3 Sept. 1588 rector of Aberdaron, becoming in the same year archdeacon of Anglesey, and on 29 Aug. 1593 dean of Bangor. On 16 Sept. 1598 he was elected bishop of Bangor, and installed on 19 Jan. 1598-9 (Le Neve, Fasti; Strype, Whitgift, ii. 405; Hist. MSS. Comm. 6th Rep. p. 254).
He subsequently became rector of Trefdaeth, Anglesey, in 1601, vicar of Llanrhaiadr-inKimmerch 1602, a member of Gray's Inn 1606, and rector of Llanrhaiadr, Denbigh, 1612. He died on 6 July 1616, and was buried in the cathedral in the choir, before the high altar. His will is in the prerogative court. He was careful of the revenues of his cathedral, and gave to it four bells, to replace those sold by his predecessor. He also in 1609 gave lands to Jesus College, Oxford, for the maintenance of two scholars or fellows (Hist. and Antiq. of Oxford, ii. 3166; Fuller, Church Hist. iv. 370), and in his will he left lands for the erection of a school at Meyllteyrn. Rowlands married, at Langton, Frances Hutchins or Pope of Oxford, relict of one Cotesford.
[Wood's Athenæ Oxon. ed. Gutch, i. 57; Williams's Eminent Welshmen; Lansd. MSS. 983 f. 285, 984 f. 34; Camden's Annales. K. Jac. I, sub anno 1616.]