Page:Biographia britannica v. 5 (IA biographiabritan05adam).djvu/72

Rh  [], the coryphæus of the Levellers, was decended of an ancient family, and born in 1618 at ThickneyThickley [sic] Puncharden in the county of Durham. He gave early proofs of an excellent memory, a ready apprehenion, and a trong imagination; and being a younger on, and also of a very forward temper, was carried by his father without any grammar learning to London, and put apprentice at twelve years of age to Mr Thomas Hewon an eminent wholeale clothier near London-Stone. In this ervice he had not been a long while, before, young as he was, he complained to the City-Chamberlain of his mater’s ill uage; and having carried this point to his atifaction, he afterwards pared not to indulge his genius freely. He was naturally of a high-mettled daring pirit, and having been trained up among the Puritans, he pent everal days a week in reading uch of their books as were proper to inflame his zeal againt the etablihed Hierarchy. The event was anwerable to his endeavours, he