William Bathe

, was born within the City of Dublin in Ireland, Studied several years in this University with indefatigable industry, but whether in any of the three houses wherein Irish men of his time studied, viz. in Vniv. coll. Hart, or Glocester-hall, or whether he took a degree, I find not. Afterwards, under pretence of being weary with the Heresie professed in England (as he usually call’d it) left the Nation, the Religion that he was brought up to, and entred himself into the Society of Jesus, in 1596. being then between 30. and 40. years of age. After he had spent some time in that order, he was sent from Flanders to Padua to increase his studies: which being compleated, he went into Spain, where at Salamanca he presided the Seminary of that Nation ad formationem spiritus. He was endowed with a most ardent zeal for the obtaining of Souls, and was beloved of, and respected by, not only those of his own Order, but of other Orders for his singular vertues and excellencies of good conditions. He hath written

Introduction to the Art of Musick, wherein are set down exact and easie rules, with arguments and their solutions, for such as seek to know the reason of the truth: which rules, he means, whereby any by his own industry, may shortly, easily, and regularly, attain to all such things, as to this Art do belong. Lond. 1584. qu. This book he wrote while he was a young Student in Oxford, being then much delighted in the faculty of Musick.

Janua linguarum: seu modus maxime accomodatus, quo patefit aditus ad omnes linguas intelligendas. Salam. 1611. Published by the care of the Irish Fathers of the Jesuits Order living at Salamanca, and is used at this time there for the instruction of Youth. He also wrote in the Spanish Tongue.

Preparation for the administring of the Sacrament, with greater facility and fruit of repentance, than hath been already done. Millan. 1604. Published by Joseph Creswell under the name of Pet. Manrique. He also (W. Bathe) wrote in English, but his name not put to it,

A methodical institution concerning the chief mystesteries of Christian Religion.

Method for the performing of general Confession.—At length our author taking a journey to Madrid in Spain about several concerns of the Order, died there 17 June in sixteen hundred and fourteen (according to the accompt there followed) and was buried, 1614 I presume, among the brethren in their house there, who had a most entire respect for him and his learning, while he was living.