Robert Williams

“ Grufydd Roberts, a learned grammarian, distinguished himself by the publication of a valuable “Welsh Grammar,” which was printed at Milan, in 1567. Nothing is known of his history, besides that he was educated at Sienna, in Italy, under the patronage of William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke.
William Salusbury, an eminent antiquary, was a native of Denbighshire, where he was born in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. He was educated at Oxford, and entered the profession of the law. ”

“ In 1770, on the death of his mother, he left Wales, and travelled over several counties in England, in the exercise of his calling, and studying architecture and other sciences connected with it. He resided for several years in London, Bristol, and other towns, and returned to Wales, where he married in 1781. His first productions were Welsh poetry, and he was a man of wonderful abilities as a Welsh and English poet, and a skilful antiquary ”

“ Henry Rowlands, D.D., was born in Mellteyrn, in Caernarvonshire, in 1551, and was educated at New College, Oxford. He obtained the rectory of his native parish in 1572, and subsequently of Launton, in Oxfordshire. He was advanced to the deanery of Bangor in 1593, and was consecrated bishop of the same diocese in 1598. He was a most munificent benefactor to his cathedral, and bestowed great sums in improving and adorning it. He also founded two fellowships in Jesus College, Oxford; and bequeathed money for the foundation of a school in his native place. ”

“ He was a very good poet in his native language, and several of his productions have been published. As an antiquary he was eminently skilful, and it is greatly to be lamented that a valuable work entitled “Celtic Remains,” which he left in manuscript, has never been sent to the press, as his acute and learned remarks would be a great addition to illustrate our national antiquities. He collected about eighty volumes of Welsh manuscripts, which are now deposited in the Welsh School Library, in London. He died in 1765, in Cardiganshire. ”

“ Henry Maurice, D.D., an eminently learned and talented divine, was born in 1648, at Llangristiolus, in Anglesea. He was sent to Jesus College, Oxford, in his sixteenth year, where his abilities and great merit recommended him to the notice of the principal, Sir Leoline Jenkins, who made him a scholar of the college, and afterwards fellow. When Sir Leoline was sent on an embassy to Cologne, he appointed Mr. Maurice to be his chaplain, in which station he gave the greatest satisfaction by his diligent attention to his duties ”

“ Mr Jones was exceedingly fond of reading, particularly poetry; and about this time he began “to torment the Awen” (Muse) , as he used to say; and wrote several things both in Welsh and English. In 1789 he was elected a member of the Gwyneddigion, and shortly afterwards he became secretary to the society. At the time when it was regularly attended by Owain Jones, Myfyr, Dr. W. O. Pughe, &c., who encouraged the young bard, and gave him much valuable advice. In 1794 we find his name as one of the stewards of the festival of Ancient Britons, and in 1801, as llywydd (chairman) of the Gwyneddigion. ”

“ John Hanmer, a member of the ancient family of the same name, living at Hanmer, in Flintshire, was educated at the University of Oxford, where he obtained a fellowship in All Souls College. He subsequently became a prebendary of Worcester, and rector of Bingham, Nottinghamshire. He was appointed chaplain to King James the First, who nominated him bishop of St. Asaph in 1623. ”

“ He always rose at a very early hour, and devoted the time he thus gained to reading and studying. In temperance and frugality he was remarkable through life, and always studied and practised it with the utmost exactness, which gave him a constant feeling of dignified independence. ”

“ Davydd Edward o Vargam, an eminent poet of Glamorgan, who was admitted a graduate of the Gorfedd for that province in the year 1620, presided there in 1660, and died in 1690. Many of his productions are preserved, but his most important work is the “Augmentation of the Collection of the Bardic Mysteries,” formed by Llywelyn o Llangewydd.
Alderman Waithman was, indeed, “the architect of his own fortune.” He was born near Wrexham, North Wales, in 1764, of parents of virtuous character, but in humble life. His father died soon afterwards ”

“ He took a degree in Cambridge, whither he had removed from Oxford; but his opinions becoming known, rendered him obnoxious to some of the dignitaries, and being reprimanded, he thought it prudent to retire to the Continent, in order to publish his translation of the Testament, which appeared in 1526, and was printed at Antwerp. He commenced afterwards the translation of the Pentateuch, and some other books of the Old Testament; but his first publication, of which a second edition was widely diffused over England, caused him to be marked as a victim to Popish bigotry. ”

“ When he was about seven years of age, he removed with his father to London, where he attended the ministry of Dr. Samuel Stennett. At the age of twenty, he was introduced to the Academy of Homerton, where Mr. Parry remained during six years, pursuing with unremitting ardour, the studies to which he had devoted himself. On leaving the academy, he acceded to an invitation from the church of Little Baddow, Essex, where he was ordained in the year 1780. ”

“ His regard for learned men was great, as appears from his having helped to support Camden in his travels, who, through the dean’s interest, was made under master of Westminster School. His desire for perpetuating learning was no less conspicuous in the free-school founded in his native place, and his philanthropy still lives in an hospital established for the aged poor.
Howell Harris, an eminent preacher, distinguished as the introducer of Methodism into Wales, was born at Trevecca, in Brecknockshire, on January 23rd, 1713 ”

“ He did not carry on his trade, but lived a life of retirement in the cultivation of his talent for poetry, of which he has left us splendid memorial. The productions of his pen are numerous; and these valuable poems have been patriotically collected p. 45and published by an eminent Welsh scholar and divine, in two volumes. Hugh Morris, on the breaking out of the civil war, was a stanch friend to royalty, and he exerted all the powers of his pen in its support, and there is no doubt but that his writings had great influence over the minds of the common people, ever attached to poetry. ”

“ In the whole circle of the profession, no man stood higher in private estimation, or public respect. As a lawyer and a judge, his decisions, particularly in exchequer cases, were sound, and evinced considerable acuteness. He long enjoyed the friendship and confidence of Lord Chancellor Eldon, for whom, on several occasions, he presided under special commissions as speaker of the House of Lords. ”

“ Jones, formed the Gwyneddigion Society, for the purpose of patronizing the Bards of Wales, and promoting the study of the Welsh language; and this excellent society annually offers prize medals, and other rewards for compositions on various subjects. After a most useful and active life, p. 27this amiable man, whose zeal was only equalled by his private worth, died at his house in Thames-street, London, September, 1814, in the seventy-third year of his age. ”

“ Of his professional abilities, his “Relicks of the Welsh Bards” bear ample testimony; and will convey his name, with honour, to posterity. They are the result of forty years labour and research; and his countrymen of the Principality may now boast, that, as well as the Irish and the Scotch, they also have their “Melodies.”
Rice Jones of Blaenau, in Meirionethshire, one of the most eminent poets of Wales of recent times. He died in the autumn of the year 1801, at the great age eighty-six. ”

“ Wyn Elis, A.M., an eminent divine and poet, who lived at Y-Las-Ynys, in Meirionethshire, from about the year 1680 to 1740. About the year 1720, he published a small tract in Welsh of great utility, containing letters of advice to Christian professors, with various hymns and other pieces. Soon after, he published the “Bardd Cwsg, or the Vision of the Sleeping Bard,” in the manner of Don Quivedo, a very popular work, which has been reprinted several times since the death of the author. ”