CLARKE, William, an English divine, was born at Hagmon Abbey, in Shropshire, in 1696, and, after a grammatical education at Shrewsbury School, was sent to St John's College, Cambridge, of which he was elected fellow in 1716, B. A. in 1731, and M. A. in 1735. He was presented by Archbishop Wake, in 1724, to the rectory of Buxted in Sussex, at the particular recommendation of Dr Wotton, whose daughter he had married. In 1738 he was made prebendary and residentiary of the cathedral church at Chichester. Some years before this he had given to the public a specimen of his literary abilities, in a preface to his father-in-law Dr Wotton's Leges Walliae Ecclesiasticae et Civiles Hocli Boni, et aliorum, Walliae Principum. There is reason likewise to surmise, that an excellent Discourse on the Commerce of the Romans, which was highly extolled by Dr Taylor in his Elements of the Civil Law, might have been written by our author. It came either from his hand or from that of his friend Mr Bowyer, and is reprinted in that gentleman's Miscellaneous Tracts. But Mr Clarke's chief work was, The Connexion of the Roman, Saxon, and English Coins, tracing the antiquities, customs, and manners of each people from the earliest times, particularly the origin of feudal tenures, and of parliaments, and illustrated throughout with critical and historical remarks on various authors, both sacred and profane. This work was published, in one volume quarto, in 1767; and its appearance from the press was owing to the discovery made by Martin Folkes, Esq. of the old Saxon pound. It was dedicated to the Duke of Newcastle, whose beneficent disposition is celebrated for having conferred obligations upon the author, which were not the effects of importunity. Mr Clarke's performance was perused in manuscript by Arthur Onslow, Esq. Speaker of the House of Commons, who honoured him with some useful hints and observations; but he was chiefly indebted to Mr Bowyer, who took upon him all the care of the publication, drew up several of the notes, wrote part of the dissertation on the Roman sesterce, and formed an admirable index to the whole. Mr Clarke's last promotions were the chancellorship of the church of Chichester, and the vicarage of Amport, which were bestowed upon him in 1770. These preferments he did not long live to enjoy, departing this life on the 21st of October, in the following year. He had resigned, in 1768, the rectory of Buxted to his son Edward. In Mr Nichols's Anecdotes of Bowyer, there are several letters and extracts of letters written to that learned printer by Mr Clarke, which display his character to great advantage as a man of piety, a friend, and a scholar.