Sylvanus Morgan

Abstract

Sylvanus Morgan (1620–93) was a noted arms painter, author of the Sphere of Gentry published in 1661, compiler of pedigrees and Master of the Painter-Stainers Company; but little is known of his origins apart from the fact that he was born in London.1 Recently, two manuscripts have come to light which together reveal the family from which he sprang and its connections with both the Court circle, and early Welsh genealogists. The first is a manuscript entitled Morgan’s Welsh Pedigrees (National Library of Wales Manuscript 22999E2) in which the only complete entry is the pedigree of Sylvanus Morgan himself, ‘the true owner of this Book’. The second is a manuscript which was sold at auction in 20143 (now in the Folger Shakespeare Library) which contains, inter alia, two pages of a copy of the pedigree of Morgan of Arxton, reaching back many generations, probably late sixteenth century. In the National Library of Wales manuscript, Sylvanus Morgan is shown as the son of Sylvanus Morgan of London (who, it is stated, was born in Much Dewchurch, co. Hereford) and Isabell Blithe, the daughter of Edward Blithe of co. Warwick by Elinor the daughter of Pratt of co. Derby. His paternal grandparents were William Morgan of Arxton and Maude eldest daughter and co-heiress of William Garnon of Blackmor. Next to the name of William Morgan is drawn a mullet—a five-pointed star—which is the heraldic cadency mark of the third son. The pedigree shows William Morgan as son of Thomas Morgan of Arxton by Elizabeth, daughter of Whitney. The coats of arms of the great-grandparents are shown at the top of the genealogical table.