Richard Lucas (1648/1649 – 29 June 1715) was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

clergyman and writer of devotional works.

Life

Lucas was born at Presteigne,

Radnorshire , HQ = Presteigne , Government = Radnorshire County Council (1889–1974) Radnorshire District Council (1974–1996) , Origin = , Status = historic county, administrative county , Start ...

. He was educated at Jesus College, Oxford, matriculating there on 3 March 1665 at the age of 16. He obtained his B.A. in 1668 and his M.A. in 1672. He was appointed a Fellow of the college in 1671, holding this position until 1684. He was, for a time, master of the school at

Abergavenny Abergavenny (; cy, Y Fenni , archaically ''Abergafenni'' meaning "mouth of the River Gavenny") is a market town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales. Abergavenny is promoted as a ''Gateway to Wales''; it is approximately from the border wi ...

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( cy, Sir Fynwy) is a county in the south-east of Wales. The name derives from the historic county of the same name; the modern county covers the eastern three-fifths of the historic county. The largest town is Abergavenny, with ...

. After his ordination, his first major publication was ''Practical Christianity'' (1677), containing prayers and discussion on Christian living. This was a popular work and, coupled with his ability as a preacher, seems to have helped him to be appointed as rector of

St. Stephen Coleman Street St. Stephen's Church, Coleman Street, also called "St Stephen's in the Jewry", was a church in the City of London, at the corner of Coleman Street and what is now Gresham Street (and in Coleman Street Ward), first mentioned in the 12th century. ...

in 1678. He became lecturer of St Olave,

Southwark Southwark ( ) is a district of Central London situated on the south bank of the River Thames, forming the north-western part of the wider modern London Borough of Southwark. The district, which is the oldest part of South London, developed ...

, in 1683. Whilst his weak eyesight soon failed completely, he nonetheless wrote ''Enquiry after Happiness'' (1685), his most famous work. Other publications included ''The Duty of Servants'' (1685). In 1697, he was appointed to a

prebend A prebendary is a member of the Roman Catholic or Anglican clergy, a form of canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in particular seats, usually at the back of the ...

at Westminster Abbey and, in 1701, became president of Sion College. He died at Westminster on 29 June 1715 and was buried in the abbey.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lucas, Richard Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford Fellows of Jesus College, Oxford Welsh non-fiction writers 17th-century Welsh Anglican priests 18th-century Welsh Anglican priests Burials at Westminster Abbey People from Presteigne 1640s births 1715 deaths 17th-century Welsh writers 17th-century male writers Canons of Westminster