Rowland Heylyn

Rowland Heylyn was a prosperous London merchant and sheriff credited with the publishing Welsh translation of Bible (1630).

Descendent of the wealthy Powys family, Rowland was apprenticed to Thomas Wade, a London merchant in 1576. Having obtained freedom of the Ironmongers’ Company in 1584 he first served as company’s assistant and later as master (1614, 1625). During his career he also served as a treasurer of the Muscovy Company in 1623. Besides being a successful businessman, Heylyn was also an important public figure. In 1624 he was elected alderman and sheriff of London. By contemporaries he was described as “a man of singular goodness”. A large fortune that he amassed Heylyn used to finance publication of various Welsh books.

He died childless in 1631.