WILLIAM BEDELL His Life and Times

WILLIAM BEDELL His Life and Times By REV. w. GAMBLE, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S.A. Author of: IRISH AXTIQt;ITIES AKD ARCHAlOLOGY IRISH POETS CLOXMACNOISE IRISH LAKES HISTORY Ot' KILLOt;GHTER PARISH ETC. All Rights Reser-c•ed PRICE, 10/6 •.· L . I (' ' . I ..::~:.. WILLIAM BEDELL- 1571-1642 FOREWORD Mv soLE QUALIFICATIONS FOR COMPLYING WITH DR. Gamble's request that I would write this Foreword are (1) that I was a very unworthy successor of \Villiam Bedell, the greatest, most saintly and learned of the long line of Bishops of Kilmore; (2) that I have, I think, read all the lives of Bedell which have been published; and (3) that his example was the greatest inspiration in my work in the diocese for which he laboured so heroically, and where his influence abides. How remarkably the example he set of what a Bishop's life and work should be has been an inspiration to his successors may be illustrated by the reverence in which Alfred George Elliott, Bishop of Kilmore from 1897- 1913, held the memory of \Villiam Bedell. He paid his great predecessor a tribute which was deeper than hero worship. Symbolic of this reverence and admiration was his determination to be buried as Pear tu the grave of \Vi!liam Bedell as authority would permit. The life of Bishop Elliott is another tale worth telling by a competent historian. I am glad that Dr. Gamble's Life of \Villiam Bedell is to be published, and I trust that it will bring inspir ation to many readers. Every Bishop of the Anglican Communion should study the career of this great historical personality, as part of the preparation for his consecration. He was a noble figure. His work, both as Provost of Trin"ity College and as Bishop of Kilmore, brought him face to face with such corruption and irregularities as were all too common in the secular political and ecclesiastical life of the day. He faced the task of cleansing Augean Stables with supreme courage, coupled with exceptional ability, and always in the spirit of Christian humility. The result for him was opposition and unpopularity in high quarters, reproof from Viceroys and Archbishops, constant worry and anxiety; but from the poor and oppressed a love which found expression m the saiute fired over his grave by soldiers of the Ir.ish Army, as his worn-out body was committed to the ground. It was always for others, never for himself that he fought, toiling in the cause of righteousness, weary and heartbroken at times. A great theologian, and outstanding scholar, learned in the law, a leader of men, he was one :whose life was founded upon faith and prayer. 'Every task was undertaken with heroic conscientiousness for the glory of God. Had his fellow bishops and the secular leaders of the day followed his wise policies, the history of our country might well have taken a different and happier course. ARTHUR DUBLIN. EARLY LIFE ILLL\M BEDELL was born in the v.illage of Black Notley in Essex, on the 29th September, 1571. WThe Bedell family was of no great eminence from a worldly point of v.iew, only of Yeoman stock. \Yilliam's ancestors, grandfather and father, were both deeply religious, of Puritan outlook, and of the Calvin istic school of theology. This we might expect. The Reformation had only recently taken place, and this was the natural after math, an extreme reaction from the olc:l system. Naturally \Yilliam Redell imbibed the views of his forbears, and was trained up in that atmosphere, and in the narrow tenets of Calvinism. Sterness and determination were also traits which \Villiam Bedell appears to have inherited from his forefathers, and it is thought that he also inherited the tendency to hospitality, which ever characterized him, from his mother, who was the essence of kindness. Bedell was religiously inclined from an early age. There is a saying that the child marks the man, or is father of the man, so it was with William Bedell. Early in life he showed those gifts and characteristics for which he afterwards became so distinguished. His boyhood was noted for piety, and industry, a thing very rare in youth. He was first sent to a local school, the master of which was a capable teacher, and Bedell made good progress under his care. WILLIAl\I BEDELL Bedell was not brilliant, but he was naturally studious, and hard working, and so he succeeded. At the early age of eleven, he left the local school, and entered Cambridge University. In keeping with his religious views, he was sent to Emmanuel College, which was congenial to one holding such views. He entered College in 1584, and took the usual university course, and soon after entrance became a scholar (1585). For four years he showed no outstanding ability, and was just in the common run. But at the end of the first four years he began to distinguish himself. He graduated B.A. 1:J88, took M.A. 1592, and as soon as he was old enough, he was elected a Fellow of the College (1593), and proceeded to the B.D. degree in 1599. He acted for a time as Catechetical Lecturer, and also as Bursar. Bedell now became a diligent student of, and attained proficiency in Divinity, Philosophy, Arts, Latin, and Greek. He excelled in Greek, not using translations, as so many do, but going to the fountain head, the originals. He also made a study of Syriac, Arabic, and Hebrew-in short, he was, for his time, a very good classical scholar. Nothing can show the mastery he acquired, more than the fact that he could produce grammars to meet the requirements of all these langu ages. As well as in Greek, he also specialized in Philosophy and in Divinity. Dr. Chaderton, who was then Master of Emmanuel College, had a very high opinion of Bedell. Bedell also won the approbation of a Mr. Perkins, who guided him in his studies, and thus, in no small way, con tributed to his success. 6 HIS LIFE AND Tll\IES In his later years in college, Bedell devoted the greatest part of his time to Divinity. His knowledge of Divinity was so marked, and pro found, and correct, that it left an indelible impression on that celebrated critic and judge, Paulo, the Venetian, some time later on. \Vhile at Cambridge, Bedell won the reputation of being not only an eminent scholar, but a Godly man, a man of piety, and of mature judgment. Even as a young man, he _was marked out by his leadership, and impressed all who came in contact with him, and he was often made a court of appeal in cases of difficulty. As a student, and while still a layman, he did Horne Mission work locally, among the godless. Bedell's inclinations at this time (College days) was for the ministry. One might expect that from his keenness for Theology. He entered Holy Orders in li\97, before leaving College, and was ordained by Dr. Stern, the Suffragan Bishop of Colchester. In due course, he was given charge, for a short time, of the Parish of Bury, St. Edmunds, in Suffolk. 7 WILLIA111 BEDELL AS CHAPLAIN * N 1607, in the reign of James I, Bedell was appointed I to go to Venice, as Chaplain, to Sir Henry Wotton, the English Ambassador. At the time of Bedell's arrival, Venice had just been set free from an Interdict, imposed by Pope Paul V, as a result of a confli.ct of authority. There was an old feud between Venice and the Holy See, which origin ated over the question of discipline, and resulted in Venice being put under an Interdict in 1606. The facts are briefly these. The Republic of Venice · passed Edicts forbidding the erection of new churches in Venice without licence from the Government, and also prohibiting fresh ecclesiastical endowments. Furthermore, two clerics were arrested, and justly imprisoned, for crimes, by the Venetian Government. The Pope (Paul V) demanded their release, and when the Venetian Senate refused to submit, the Pope issued a Bull of Interdict. That piece of discipline had not unduly embarrassed Venice, rather it had inclined her rulers to consider the possibility of going over to the side of the Refor mation. There were high hopes in Protestant circles, that the Republic of Venice might break with the Vatican. Indeed, it was only by the merest chance that there was not a breaking away from Rome. The Republic retaliated when the Interdict was imposed, and the dispute went on from bad to worse, till eventually France acted as intermediary, and peace was restored. 8 HIS LIFE AND TIMES The post of Chaplain, coming at this juncture, was congenial to a man of Bedell's views. Bedell was in his element 'in a matter like the Venetian controversy, and he took an active, though belated part, in the endeavour to confirm the Leaders of the Venetians in their revolt against the Pope. He also instructed, in the Scriptures, seven Venetian Divines, who were in the schism against Rome. At Venice, Bedell made the acquaintance of th~ famous Father Paulo Sarpi, the ecclesiastical leader of the Republic, and the well-known author of the " History of the Council of Trent," who became a life long friend. In many respects they were kindred spirits, and from their associations, shed an influence for good upon each other. They assisted each other in the language question. \Vith the help of Paulo, Bedell learned, and mastered, the Italian language, and could preach in Italian.

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