Robert Roberts (cleric)
Encyclopedia
Robert Roberts was a Welsh
Anglican cleric and writer. He was vicar
of the parish of Chirk
in north-east Wales for over thirty years, and during his time there he wrote a bi-lingual explanation of the Creed
, Ten Commandments
and the Lord's Prayer
for the use of the inhabitants of Chirk and the surrounding area, where both English
and Welsh
were spoken.
relating to Robert Roberts as being a "gentleman" and as being from Llandysilio
, near Llangollen
in Denbighshire
, Wales. Robert Roberts was educated at Jesus College, Oxford
. He matriculated
at the University of Oxford in March 1699, when he was recorded as being eighteen years old, and he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1702. Roberts was then ordained as a priest in the Church of England
and, in 1709, was appointed as vicar of the parish of Chirk
, Denbighshire. He remained there until his death in 1741, his tombstone recording that he was then 61 years old.
Roberts wrote a booklet, in both English
and Welsh
, entitled A duo-glott-exposition of the Creed, the ten Commandments and the Lords Prayer, calculated for the borders of England and Wales, but particularly for the use of the parish of Chirk, whose inhabitants are partly Welsh and partly English – the Welsh title was Sacrament Catechism, neu Gatechism i barattoi rhai i dderbyn Sacrament Swpper yr Arglwydd. The booklet was published in 1720 in Shrewsbury
by the printer and bookseller Thomas Durston.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
Anglican cleric and writer. He was vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of the parish of Chirk
Chirk
Chirk is a small town and local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It has a population of over 4,000....
in north-east Wales for over thirty years, and during his time there he wrote a bi-lingual explanation of the Creed
Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in the year 325.The Nicene Creed has been normative to the...
, Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
and the Lord's Prayer
Lord's Prayer
The Lord's Prayer is a central prayer in Christianity. In the New Testament of the Christian Bible, it appears in two forms: in the Gospel of Matthew as part of the discourse on ostentation in the Sermon on the Mount, and in the Gospel of Luke, which records Jesus being approached by "one of his...
for the use of the inhabitants of Chirk and the surrounding area, where both English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
were spoken.
Life
Roberts was the son of Henry Roberts, who is described in the records of the University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
relating to Robert Roberts as being a "gentleman" and as being from Llandysilio
Llandysilio
Llandysilio is a village and community in the Welsh county of Powys.Its population at the 2001 Census was 962. The present parish church, dedicated to Saint Tysilio, dates from 1867 but tradition states that a church was founded here by Tysilio in the seventh century.- External links :*...
, near Llangollen
Llangollen
Llangollen is a small town and community in Denbighshire, north-east Wales, situated on the River Dee and on the edge of the Berwyn mountains. It has a population of 3,412.-History:...
in Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
, Wales. Robert Roberts was educated at Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
. He matriculated
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
at the University of Oxford in March 1699, when he was recorded as being eighteen years old, and he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1702. Roberts was then ordained as a priest in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and, in 1709, was appointed as vicar of the parish of Chirk
Chirk
Chirk is a small town and local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It has a population of over 4,000....
, Denbighshire. He remained there until his death in 1741, his tombstone recording that he was then 61 years old.
Roberts wrote a booklet, in both English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
, entitled A duo-glott-exposition of the Creed, the ten Commandments and the Lords Prayer, calculated for the borders of England and Wales, but particularly for the use of the parish of Chirk, whose inhabitants are partly Welsh and partly English – the Welsh title was Sacrament Catechism, neu Gatechism i barattoi rhai i dderbyn Sacrament Swpper yr Arglwydd. The booklet was published in 1720 in Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
by the printer and bookseller Thomas Durston.