Bedell, WILLIAM

Bedell, WILLIAM, Bishop, born at Black Notley, Essex, in 1571, was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. From 1602 to 1613 he was incumbent of St Mary's at Bury St Edmunds, save that during 1607-11 he was chaplain to Sir Henry Wotton, the British ambassador to Venice, where he made the friendship of Father Paul Sarpi. In 1616 he retired to the neighbouring parish of Horningsheath, whence in 1627 he was called to become provost of Trinity College, Dublin. Two years afterwards he was promoted to the united bishoprics of Kilmore and Ardagh, the latter of which he resigned in 1633. He immediately set himself to reform the crying abuses that prevailed in his diocese, and with so happy a combination of wisdom, firmness, and charity, that even his enemies were constrained to do homage to his virtues. The translation of the Old Testament into Irish was accomplished under Bedell's direction (the New had been already translated). On the breaking out of the rebellion in 1641, his popularity for some time saved his family from violence, his being the only English house in County Cavan that was spared. At length he was seized and imprisoned in Loughughter Castle. He was soon allowed to remove to the house of a Protestant clergyman at Drumlor, but there catching a fever, he died 7th February 1642. See the Life by his son, edited by T. W. Jones for the Camden Society (1872).