in his work. He is the author of a "Catechism on Divinity," (1752), based on his catechetical teaching—a work in which he greatly excelled; and of many admirable hymns for public worship. His sermons, published after his death, are among the most popular village sermons ever printed.—(Rippon's Register, Vol. i.)—J. A. L.
BEDDOME, John, Rev., a member of the church under the pastoral care of the Rev. Benjamin Keach, in Horsley Down, London; called to the ministry, and sent as pastor to Henley in Arden, in 1679. Here he laboured as co-pastor with Mr. Wallis and Mr. Foskett till 1719. In 1724 he was invited to the college in Bristol, where he succeeded Andrew Gilford and his son Emanuel, and continued till his death.—J. A. L.
BEDELL, William, D.D., one of the most eminent men for learning, piety, and matured powers of mind, of the seventeenth century, was born at Black Notley in Essex, in the year 1570, and was descended from an ancient and respectable family of that county. He received a good classical education, and was entered at Emanuel college, Cambridge, where he made great proficiency, and was so highly esteemed, that his seniors were in the habit of referring to him in their disputes and controversies upon religion and other subjects. Of this college he was elected a fellow in 1593. After leaving the university, he settled in the town of Bury St. Edmunds, where he first regularly engaged in the ministry, having long previously practically performed its duties while in college, with other pious young men. At Bury he remained for several years, respected and loved as an active and zealous minister, till he was appointed chaplain to Sir Henry Wotton, the ambassador of James I. to the court of Venice, having been selected as the fittest person for a situation made peculiarly responsible at that critical period of the interdict placed upon Venice by Pope Paul V. Here Bedell formed a close intimacy and enduring friendship with the celebrated Fra Paolo Sarpi, better known as Father Paul, the official theologian of the senate, and author of the "History of the Councils of Trent," who took a prominent part in the Venetian struggle against the pope. This good and enlightened man spent much of his time in religious discussions with Bedell, and candidly confessed that "he had learned more of theology and practical religion from Mr. Bedell than from any other person with whom he had conversed during the whole course of his life." During his stay at Venice, Bedell also became acquainted with the famous bishop of Spalato, Antonio de Dominis, whom he assisted in the composition of his work, "De Republica Ecclesiastica," afterwards printed at London. While in Venice, Bedell gave himself diligently to the study of Hebrew, under an eminent Jewish Rabbi, through whose exertions he obtained the manuscript copy of the New Testament, which he purchased for its weight in silver, and presented to Emanuel college. After a residence of eight years. Bedell left Venice for England, taking a most affectionate leave of Father Paul, who gave him his own picture, a Hebrew Psalter and Bible, and a great portion of his manuscripts. On his return, he retired to Bury St. Edmunds, where he married, and occupied himself in translating Father Paul's manuscripts into Latin and English. In 1615 Sir Thomas Jermyn presented Bedell to the rectory of Horningsheath in Suffolk, where he remained for twelve years in the most zealous yet unostentatious discharge of his parochial duties. Indeed, so strict was his retirement and humility, that though he had published many works, he was little known personally, and when Diodati, whom he had known in Venice, came to England from Geneva, he was unable, after many efforts to find out his residence, till at length he met with him by chance in Cheapside. Strange to say, Diodati was the person who first made the great learning and virtues of Bedell known to his countrymen, and to the English church. He introduced Bedell to Dr. Morton, bishop of Durham, and gave him such a full account of his friend, that the bishop took particular care of his interests. Bedell now became known everywhere for his learning and piety, and the provostship of Trinity college, Dublin, being vacant in 1626, the fellows, acting upon the advice of Archbishop Usher, invited him to fill that office, and addressed the king entreating him to command Bedell to accept it. With this request the king complied, and Bedell obeyed with cheerfulness, though he would have preferred to remain in the quiet of his humble living of £100 a year. In this important office he continued for two years, discharging his arduous duties with great ability and perseverance, revising the old, and establishing new regulations. He was then promoted to the bishoprics of Kilmore and Ardagh. Bedell's standard of the duty of a christian bishop was very exalted, and he took care to live up to it. He set himself sedulously to reforming the many abuses which he found in his sees. Amongst other things he discountenanced all pluralities, and in order to set an example in his own person, he resigned the see of Ardagh, though the revenues of that and Kilmore were barely sufficient to meet his own modest requirements, and their contiguity enabled him to discharge the episcopal functions of both with efficiency. As a christian minister, he was a bright example to his clergy, of godliness, humility, and earnest evangelism. He also applied himself to reform the flagrant abuses of the ecclesiastical court, presiding there himself, and deciding causes with the assistance of his clergy, and though he was involved in a suit in chancery, by reason of interfering with the privileges of that court, he nevertheless pursued his plan to the end, and overcame all opposition. Bedell now formed the determination to carry out one of the dearest objects of his heart, the translation of the Holy Scriptures into the Irish tongue; and for this purpose he procured the assistance of Mr. King, a convert to protestantism, a man of learning and genius, and the best Irish scholar of his age. The good bishop himself learned the language, of which he became sufficiently master to compose a grammar. These two devoted part of every day to their task: in a few years the translation was completed, and though subsequent events prevented Bedell from printing and publishing it, the manuscript was fortunately preserved after his death, and printed by the Hon. Robert Boyle. Upon the breaking out of the rebellion in Ireland in 1641, the protestant population were everywhere assailed and slaughtered, and yet such was the veneration in which Bedell was held by the Irish insurgents, that he was left unmolested, while these atrocities were committed around him. "There seemed," says Burnet, "to be a secret guard set about his house, for though there was nothing but fire, blood, and desolation about him, yet the Irish were so restrained, as by some hidden power, that they did him no harm for many weeks." All those who were persecuted, of every age, sex, and class, now fled to Bedell's house as to a sanctuary that would not be violated, though he had no means of resisting violence. He received them all, shared everything he had with them, and sustained them by his prayers and exhortations. Not only his house, but the outhouses, the church, and even the churchyard were filled with these people. Dr. Swiney, the Roman catholic bishop of Kilmore, to his credit, offered to take up his abode with Bedell, in order to protect him; but this he gratefully declined, adding, "For my own part, I am resolved to trust in the Divine protection. To a christian and a bishop, that is now almost seventy, no death for the cause of Christ can be bitter." For nearly two months from the commencement of the rebellion. Bedell remained unmolested. At last, upon the 18th of December, he received a command from the insurgents to send away those whom he was sheltering. This he firmly refused to do. They then assured him, that much as they respected and loved him, they would be obliged, by the orders of the council of Kilkenny, to remove him from his house. Bedell replied, "Here I am: the Lord do unto me as seemeth good unto him, the will of the Lord be done." The bishop and his two sons, with others, were seized and conveyed to the castle of Loughoughter, situate on an island in a state of ruin, and almost in the water. Here he continued suffering extreme privations with the patience and constancy of a martyr, comforting and praying with his fellow-prisoners, till on the 7th of January, he and his sons, with a Mr. Clogy, were released upon an exchange of prisoners, and not being permitted to leave the country, he took up his abode with an Irish minister of the name of Sheriden. But his feeble body had received a shock from the exposure and want which he had endured, from which it never recovered. He declined rapidly, though to the last he persisted in discharging his clerical duties of praying and preaching. On the 25th of January he became alarmingly ill, and having called his sons and their wives around his bed, and addressed to them, at such intervals as his strength allowed, one of the most touching, beautiful, and pious exhortations that was ever uttered by uninspired lips. He then blessed them, and his speech failing, he fell into a slumber which continued tranquil, and with occasional intermissions, till his death upon the 7th of February, 1642, in the seventy-first year of his age. He was buried beside his wife in the churchyard of the cathedral of Kil-
