BEDELL, WILmnat, one of the best prelates that have adorned the English church, was b. at Black Notley, Essex, in 1570. He was educated at Emmanuel college, Cam bridge, and after his ordination, officiated as a clergyman for several years at Bury St. Edmunds. In 1604, he accompanied Sir Henry Wottou as his chaplain to Venice. There he resided 8 years, deeply engaged in study, and honored by the friendship of many distinguished men, in particular of father Paul Sarpi, then engaged in the compo sition of his celebrated History of the Council of Trent. While residing here, he translated the English Common Prayer Book into Italian, which was highly appreciated by many of the Venetian clergy. On his return home, he resumed his pastoral duties at Bury, where he lived for some time in such retirement, that when his friendDiodati came to he inquired in vain for the admirable B., whose merits were so well known at enice. lie had given up hopes of finding him, when one day he encountered him in the streets of London. In 1615 B. was presented to the living of Horingsheath, in Suffolk, where he remained 12 years. His retired life and his Calvinistic theology long hindered the recognition of his merits. At length, in 1627, lie was unanimously elected provost of Trinity college, Dublin, to which the fame of his learning and piety had extended. Ile refused to undertake the charge till positively commanded by the king. At the end of two years, he was promoted to the united bishoprics of Kilmore and Ardagh, the latter of which lie resigned in the following year, 1630. He immediately set himself to reform
the erring abuses that prevailed in his diocese, and with so happy a combination of wis dom, 'firmness, and charity, that even his enemies were constrained to do homage to his virtues. Among his other remarkable acts, he removed his lay-chancellor, and took upon himself the ancient episcopal jurisdiction of and deciding causes. The chancellor obtained a decree against him in chancery, with costs, but was so impressed with the superiority of the bishop's services to his own, that lie dropped his claim, and even appointed a surrogate, with orders to pay implicit obedience to the authority of the bishop. The translation of the Old Testam 'nt into Irish was accomplished under B.'s direction (the New had been already translated), as well as some of the homilies of Chry sostom and Leo on the reading of the Scriptures. On the breaking out of the rebellion in 1641, his popularity for some time saved his family from violence, his the only English house in the county of Cavan that was spared. At length, on his refusal to dismiss his clock, he was seized, and imprisoned in the castle of Cloughboughter. Thence he was removed to the house of a Protestant clergyman, where he continued to minister officially till his death, at the end of a few weeks, Feb. 7, 1642, in the 71st year of his age. The rebels followed his body to the grave in the churchyard of Kilmore. Besides some other works, B. translated the last two books of father Paul's history. His life was written by Burnet.