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

1307987Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 05 — Bignell, Henry1886Augustus Robert Buckland

BIGNELL, HENRY (1611–1660?), divine, the son of Foulk Bignell of Souldern, Oxfordshire, was born in the parish of St. Mary, Oxford, in July 1611. In 1629 he became a servitor of Brasenose College, and subsequently entered at St. Mary's Hall. After taking the degree of B.A. he was ordained and set up as a schoolmaster. In 1645 he was made rector of St. Peter-le-Bayly, Oxford, but was ejected from his benefice for scandalous conduct. Shortly before the Restoration he went out to the West Indies, where he seems to have died. According to Wood he published, in 1640, a book ‘for the education of youth in knowledge,' called ‘The Son's Portion,' and was the author of some other ‘trivial things not worth mentioning.'

[Wood's Athenæ, iii. 406, and Fasti, i. 465.]