Richard Lucas (1648/1649 – 29 June 1715) was a Welsh clergyman and writer of devotional works.

Life

Lucas was born at

Presteigne Presteigne (; : the church of St. Andrew) is a town and community (Wales), community on the south bank of the River Lugg in Powys, Wales. The town is located on the England–Wales border, which surrounds it to the north, east and south. Nearby ...

Radnorshire Radnorshire () was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974, later becoming a Districts of Wales, district of Powys from 1974 to 1996. It covered a sparsely populat ...

. He was educated at

Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship ...

, 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 A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned society, learned or professional society, p ...

of the college in 1671, holding this position until 1684. He was, for a time, master of the school at

Abergavenny Abergavenny (; , , archaically , ) is a market town and Community (Wales), community in Monmouthshire, Wales. Abergavenny is promoted as a "Gateway to Wales"; it is approximately from the England–Wales border, border with England and is loca ...

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South East Wales, south east of Wales. It borders Powys to the north; the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to the north and east; the Severn Estuary to the s ...

. 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 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 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 choir ...

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...

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 Welsh male writers Canons of Westminster