Brecknockshire, in 1714.  His parents were in humble circumstances, but they contrived to give him a classical education, and kept him at school until he was eighteen, when his father dying, he was obliged to support himself by giving instruction to a few boys in the neighbourhood, intending at a proper time to enter the established church.  In 1735, he went to Oxford, and was entered at St. Mary Hall, where he did not remain to complete his studies.  In 1739, he began to traverse Wales, preaching in the open fields and streets according to the tenets which Whitfield was spreading in England, and gaining numerous converts every day.  The sect which he introduced is still very great in Wales, and after spending seventeen years in spreading his doctrine, he came to reside permanently at his native town of Trevecka.  After an active life, he died in the year 1773.

John ap Henry was born in Wales in 1559, and was a celebrated character at that period, better known by his assumed title of Martin Marprelate.  He was entered at Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he took the degree of B.A. in 1584; he afterwards removed to Oxford, where he graduated M.A.; he preached frequently in both Universities, and gained great reputation, and he afterwards became a notorious Puritan.  His embracing the principles of the Brownists, rendered him obnoxious to a vindictive government, to the cruelty of which he afterwards fell a victim.  He was prosecuted for some libellous pamphlets which could not be proved against him; and afterwards he was most illegally tried and condemned on a charge of denying the sovereign’s authority, for which he was accordingly executed.  He was a man of great talent and learning, but his productions are chiefly political tracts which related to that period.

Matthew Henry was the son of Philip Henry, an eminent Nonconformist, and he was born at Broad Oak, in Flintshire, in the year 1663.  He was early instructed by his father in the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew languages, in which he made great proficiency, and being originally intended for the bar, he was entered at Gray’s Inn; but his great predilection for divinity induced him to leave that profession, and for twenty-five years he was the zealous pastor of a Dissenting congregation in Chester.  In 1702, he removed to Hackney, where he paid the most sedulous attention to the duties of his ministry; he remained there until his death, which took place in 1714, of a stroke of apoplexy.  His numerous works are a proof of his deep learning, and he enjoyed great popularity both as an author and a preacher; his chief work is an Exposition of the Bible, in five volumes, folio, which has gone through numerous editions.

Edward Herbert, Lord Herbert of Cherbury, eminent for his character and writings, was the son of Richard Herbert, Esq., of a very ancient family, and was born at Montgomery Castle, in North Wales, in 1581.  His proficiency was so great in his early education that he was entered at University College, Oxford, at the age of twelve.  In 1600, he came to London, and being introduced at court, he became a Knight of the Bath soon after the accession of James the First.  After spending his time in visiting various courts of Europe, and serving for some time under the Prince of Orange in the Low Countries, in 1614, he was sent on an embassy to the court of France; and having been recalled, he was sent ambassador a second time, and while there he printed at Paris his famous book “De veritate prout distinguitur a Revelatione.”  In 1625, he returned home, and was created an Irish Peer, and afterwards an English Baron.  He afterwards retired from public life, and upon the breaking out of the civil war, he joined the parliamentary party, but he soon quitted it, and joined the royal cause, and consequently he was a great sufferer in his estate.  He died in London, in 1648, and was buried in St. Giles’s-in-the-fields.  He wrote the Memoirs of his own Life, which were not published until the year 1764, by Lord Oxford.  The character of this distinguished nobleman was brave, generous, and disinterested.

George Herbert, younger brother of Lord Herbert, distinguished himself as a poet and divine; he also was born at Montgomery Castle, in 1593.  He was educated at Westminster School, and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he obtained a fellowship; and in 1619, he was chosen public orator.  Having taken orders, he applied himself with great assiduity to the duties of his profession, and the first benefice which he received was a prebend in the diocese of Lincoln, and the parish church connected with it was rebuilt mostly at his own expense.  He subsequently obtained the rectory of Bemerton, near Salisbury.  His death took place in February, 1633.  He published the “Country Parson,” and he was the author of the “Temple,” which contains poems on sacred subjects, besides other minor pieces.

James Howel, the author of the popular and interesting “Epistolæ Hoelianæ,” was the son of a clergyman, and born in Caermarthenshire, in 1596.  He took his degree of bachelor of arts in Jesus College, Oxford, in 1613.  When he left the University, he was appointed, through the interest of Sir Robert Mansel, to superintend a patent glass manufactory in London, which had been established by some men of rank.  In 1619, he commenced a tour on the Continent in the service of his employers, and during the three years that he continued abroad, he visited Holland, Spain, France, and Italy; in Venice he engaged some workmen for his manufactory, for the Venetians were at that time very famous for their skill in casting plate-glass.  Soon after his return to England he was elected fellow of Jesus College, and travelled abroad again with the son of Lord Altham.  He afterwards had the office of secretary to Lord Scrope, then president of the North, and was elected member of parliament for Richmond, and subsequently he was appointed secretary to the English Ambassador, the Earl of Leicester, in Denmark.  In 1640, he was made clerk of the council, which he did not long retain by reason of Cromwell’s usurpation.  His works are numerous, and he was the first who held the office of Historiographer, which he obtained on the Restoration.  He died in 1666.

William Hughes, D.D., was a native of Caernarvonshire, and was educated partly at Oxford, whence he removed to Christ’s College, Cambridge.  He was chaplain to the Duke of Norfolk, and he took his degrees of divinity in Oxford, having been incorporated from Cambridge.  He was afterwards rector of Llysfaen in Caernarvonshire, and in 1573, he was consecrated Bishop of St. Asaph.  He died in 1600.

Humphrey Humphreys, D.D., was born at Penrhyn-dau-draeth, Merionethshire, in 1648.  He received his education at the free grammar schools of Oswestry and Bangor, and in 1665, he was admitted a member of Jesus College, Oxford, where he obtained a scholarship, and afterwards a fellowship; he proceeded regularly through his degrees, and became rector of Llanvrothen, which he left in 1672 for the living of Trawsfynydd.  Having been made a canon of Bangor, he was installed dean of the same cathedral in 1680, and in 1689, he was raised to the bishopric, from which he was translated to the see of Hereford in 1701.  His death took place in 1712.  He was a person of excellent virtues during the whole course of his life, and an example of piety, and strictly attentive to the duties of his high station.

George, Lord Jefferies, Baron Wem, was the son of John Jefferies, Esq., of Acton, in Denbighshire, where he was born in