Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bedel, Henry

1215530Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 04 — Bedel, Henry1885Alfred Goodwin

BEDEL, HENRY (fl. 1571), divine, was a native of Oxfordshire. One Henry Bedel took the degree of B.A. at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, on 13 Feb. 1555-6, and M.A. 1566 (Wood, Fasti Oxon. (Bliss), i. 146, 172). Wood is not certain, but it seems probable from the dates, that this graduate was identical with the preacher of the same name. Bedel was collated to the rectorship of St. Pancras, Soper Lane, on 4 Oct. 1561, and preferred to the vicarship of Christ Church, London, on 28 Jan. 1567. The latter living he resigned in 1576 (Newcourt, Rep. i. 320, 519). While vicar of Christ Church he preached 'a sermon exhorting to pity of the poor, which treatise may well be called the mouth of the poor.' It was delivered on 15 Nov. 1571 and published in 1573. Waterland praises it as 'learned and elaborate.' This is his only extant work, although Wood says that he was the author of other sermons.

[Tanner's Bibliotheca; Oxford Univ. Register; Watt's Bibl. Brit.]

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