Bedell, William

Bedell, William an Irish prelate, was born at Notley, Essex. 1570, and educated at Emanuel College, Cambridge, where he became B.D. 1599. His first preferment was St. Edmondsbury, Suffolk, which he left in 1604 to become chaplain to Sir Henry Wotton, ambassador at Venice. At Venice he spent 8 years, and was intimate with De Dominis (q.v.) and Father Paul Sarpi (q.v.); and, on returning to England, he translated Father Paul's History of the Council of Trent into Latin. In 1627 he was appointed provost of Trinity College, Dublin, and in 1629 bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh. He set himself to reform abuses, and gave an example by relinquishing one of his dioceses (Ardagh). Through his labors many Romanists, including priests, were converted; and he had the Bible and Prayer-book translated into Irish. In 1641 he was imprisoned by the rebels, and died in consequence, Feb. 7, 1642. His Life, with the Letters between Waddesworth and Bedell, was published by Bishop Burnet (Lond. 1685, 8vo). See Coleridge, Works, 5, 313.