William Salesbury

, a most exact Critick in British antiquities, was born of an ancient and gentile Family in Denbighshire, spent several year in Academical learning either in St. Albans, or Broadgates, hall, or both. Thence he went to an Inn of Chancery in Holbourne near London, called Thavies Inn, where he studied and made sufficient progress in the common Law; and thence, as ’tis probable, to Lincolns Inn. Afterwards he applied his muse to the searching of Histories, especially those belonging to his own Country, wherein he became so curious and critical that he wrot and published,

A Dictionary in English and Welsh, much necessary to all such Welshmen, as will speedily learn the English tongue, thought by the Kings Majesty very meet to be set forth to the use of his gracious Subjects in Wales. Lond. 1547. qu. whereunto is prefixed,

A little treatise of the English pronunciation of the Letters—From the said Dictionary, and treatise, Dr. Joh. Davies obtained many materials when he was making his Dictionarium Britannico-latinum.

A playne and familiar introduction, teaching how to pronounce the Letters in the Brytish tongue, now commonly called Welsh, whereby an English Man shall not only with ease read the said tongue rightly, but &c. Lond. 1550. qu. Afterwards perused and augmented by the Author, Lond. 1567. in 7. sh. in qu.

Battery of the Popes bottereulx, commonly called the High Aultar. Lond. 1550. in oct. He also published The Laws of Howell Da, Clar. 1567. and other things relating to his own Country, which I have not yet seen. He was living in the house of Humph. Toy a Bookseller in St. Pauls Ch. yard in London, in Fifteen hundred sixty and seven, (which was part of the ninth and tenth years of Qu. Elizabeth) being then esteemed a Person to be much meriting of the Church and British tongue, but when he died, I find not.