Edward Williams, whose bardic appellation was Iolo Morganwg, was a native of Glamorganshire, where he was born in March, 1745. His father being a stone-mason, brought him up to the same trade; but even in his early youth he was remarkable for avoiding all diversions with boys of his own age, and was pensive and thoughtful, eager in receiving the instructions of an excellent mother, who grounded him well in the English language. 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; he wrote English with great ease and elegance. In 1794 he published two volumes of English poetry, which consist of original compositions, and translations from the Welsh, and in conjunction with Dr. Pughe and Mr Owain Jones, edited the “Myvyrian Archaiology.” He has left several valuable works in manuscript, especially materials for a History of Wales, which it is greatly to be lamented was not published in his lifetime. He died on the 17th of December, 1827, aged eighty-two.
Griffith Williams was a native of Caernarvon, in North Wales, where he was born in the year 1589. He was educated at Jesus’ College, Cambridge, and having taken orders, he was appointed to the lectureship of St. Peter’s, Cheapside, but his preaching so offended the Puritans, that they procured his suspension. He obtained a living in Wales, and became chaplain to the King, prebendary of Westminster, and dean of Bangor. In 1641 he was created bishop of Ossory; and his death took place at Kilkenny. He was the author of several works on divinity.
John Williams, Archbishop of York, and Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, was born at Aberconwy, in 1582. He was educated at Ruthin School, and St. John’s College, Cambridge, where he soon distinguished himself by his application and splendid abilities, which were rewarded with a fellowship. He was ordained in 1609, and soon after he obtained the rectory of Grafton, in Northamptonshire. Being appointed chaplain to Lord Ellesmere, then Lord Chancellor, he ingratiated himself so much with his patron by his talents, that he obtained through him rapid preferments, and was appointed one of the royal chaplains. In 1619 he was made dean of Salisbury, and soon after exchanged it for the deanery of Westminster; in a short time he was appointed lord keeper, and immediately afterwards he was raised to the bishopric of Lincoln. He retained great influence at court during the reign of James the First, and was the chief cause of the promotion of Laud to the episcopal bench, who, however, ungratefully joined in various persecutions to which the Archbishop was subjected for several years; but his worth and excellent character prevailed: he was restored to favour, and in 1641 he was raised to the archiepiscopal see of York. During the civil war, he fortified Conwy Castle for the King’s use; but after a seige, being surprised, he was compelled to give it up on honourable terms to the parliamentary troops. He died at Gloddaeth, near Conwy, on his birth-day, in 1650. He was the author of several theological works, and an interesting “History of his Life” was published by Bishop Hacket, who had been his chaplain; and a more condensed biography subsequently by Stephens, and also by Phillips.
John Williams, L.L.D., was born at Llanbedr-pont Stephen in 1727. He was educated at the Grammar School of the same town, where he acquired a competent knowledge of the classics; being strongly inclined to the ministry, he was entered at the age of nineteen at a Dissenting Academy, in Caermarthen, where he went through the usual studies to be qualified for the office of a minister. In 1752 he went to Stamford, Lincolnshire, at the unanimous request of a congregation of Protestant Dissenters, and in 1755 he removed to a similar situation in Berkshire. Here he completed his “Concordance to the Greek New Testament,” and afterwards he removed to Sydenham, where he officiated for the long period of twenty-eight years. In 1777 he was chosen the curator of Redcross-street Library; and the lease of his chapel expiring, he retired to Islington, where he remained until his death, which took place in 1798. In his character, both public and private, he was esteemed for the conscientious discharge of his duty as a Christian minister, and for his literary acquirements. He published several works on theology and other subjects, which are of great merit, and enriched with valuable information.
Roger Williams was a native of Wales, where he was born in the year 1599. He was entered for the church, and was accordingly educated for it; but adopting puritanical principles, he emigrated to North America, where he founded the town of Providence. He distinguished himself by his zeal for the conversion of the Indians to Christianity, of whose language he published a very useful “Manual and Glossary,” which has been frequently reprinted. His colony thrived rapidly, as he was decidedly opposed to all restraint in religion, and granted to all who settled there free liberty of conscience. He died in 1683.
Thomas Williams was a native of Caernarvonshire, and received an University education at Oxford. He practised as a physician at Trevriw, near Llanrwst, and he wrote a “Welsh and Latin,” and “Latin and Welsh Dictionary,” which he left in manuscript; and it was subsequently published in 1632, with many additions and corrections by Dr. John Davies. He made a good collection of pedigrees, which he entitled “Priv achau holl Gymru Benbaladr,” i.e. The Primitive Pedigrees of all Wales. In 1606 he was proceeded against as a Papist in the court of Bangor, and in the following year he was excommunicated. There was written also by him a large “List of Plants” in Latin, Welsh, and English.
William Williams was a native of the Isle of Anglesea. He was educated at Oxford, and in 1652 he was elected scholar of Jesus’ College, whence he removed to Gray’s Inn. In 1667 he was appointed recorder of the city of Chester. When the Popish plot broke out, he sided with the party then dominant; and in 1678 he was chosen one of the representatives of the City of Chester, and again for the parliament which sat in 1679, and a third time in 1680; in the two last parliaments he was chosen speaker of the House of Commons. After the Presbyterian plot broke out in 1683, he became an advocate for them and the fanatics. When James the Second came to the crown, he was taken into favour, and was made solicitor-general instead of Sir Thomas Powis, who was appointed attorney-general in 1687. Williams was knighted on this occasion, and soon afterwards created a baronet. He has published several of his eloquent speeches, besides some other works.
Richard Wilson, the eminent landscape painter, was the son of the Rev. John Wilson, rector of Penegoes, in Montgomeryshire, where he was born in 1714. Having received a good classical education, he was sent at the age of fifteen to London, where he was apprenticed to a portrait painter: and he set up for himself in London, and painted the portraits of the Prince of Wales and Duke of York, who were then under the tuition of Bishop Hayter, of Norwich. Not obtaining any great success in the metropolis, he went to Italy, and meeting with the Earl of Dartmouth, who saw the young painter’s great abilities, proposed that he should travel with him to Naples, which being readily accepted, enabled him to study some of the finest specimens of painting. Here also he became conscious of his particular excellence in landscape painting, at the height of which branch he soon arrived. His reputation having become now very great, he returned to England in 1755. Although his abilities were esteemed, he was far from obtaining the patronage which his extraordinary talents deserved, and it was not until after his death that his works were duly appreciated. After a long period of neglect, and insult, caused by the mean jealousy of rivals, he died near Mold, in 1782, in the sixty-eighth year of his age.
William Worthington, D.D., an eminent theological writer, was born in Meirionethshire in 1703. He received his education at the Grammar School, in Oswestry, and Jesus’ College, Oxford, where he proceeded through his degrees. Having taken orders, he obtained various preferment from Dr. Hare, then bishop of St. Asaph, he was rector of Hope, and Darowen, and had a prebendal stall in the Cathedral of St. Asaph, and another in York, to which he was appointed by Archbishop Drummond, whose chaplain he had been. Among the variety of his works, the principal are an “Essay on Redemption,” “Evidences of Christianity,” and “Sermons on Boyle’s Lectures.” He died in 1778.
Sir John Wynn of Gwydir, was born near Llanrwst, in the year 1553. He was made a baronet on the creation of that honour in 1615. He lived in retirement, and wrote a curious and valuable work, entitled “The History of the Gwydir family,” which was first printed in 1773, octavo. He was a member of the council of the marches, and was well versed in the history and antiquities of his native country, and a great patron of its literature. Inigo Jones was born on his estate, and enjoyed the patronage of the family who first brought him to notice. He died in 1626, in the seventy-third year of his age.