William Richards (priest)

Richards, who was a nonjuror, was appointed on 25 July 1689 by the corporation of Newcastle-on-Tyne as lecturer of St. Andrew's Church in the city.

The result was the publication in London in 1682 of a short satirical work entitled ‘Wallography, or the Britton described,’ dedicated with fanciful rhetoric to Sir Richard Wenman of Casswell.

It was published under Richards's initials only, and was subsequently, in error, ascribed to Jonathan Swift.

[1] He also wrote ‘The English Orator, or Rhetorical Descant by way of Declamation upon some notable themes, both Historical and Philosophical,’ 2 parts, London, 1680.

Anthony Wood says he translated and edited with notes (completed in 1690) the ‘Nova Reperta, sive Rerum memorabilium libri duo’ of Guido Panciroli.