William Bell

was born in the Parish of S. Dunstan in the West in London, on the 4 of Feb. 1625, educated in Merch. Taylors School, elected Scholar of St. Johns Coll. in 1643, afterwards Fellow, but in 1648 ejected thence by the Visitors appointed by Parliament, he being then Bach. of Arts, and well skill’d in the practical part of Musick. Afterwards he lived in several places as opportunity served, was in France, an. 1649, and about 1655 he had a small benifice in Norfolk confer’d on him, but could not pass the Triers. When his Majesty was restored in 1660, he became Chaplain in the Tower of Lond. to Sir Joh. Robinson Lieutenant thereof, and in the year after he was actually created Bach. of Divinity. In 1662 he was presented by the President and Society of S. Johns Coll. to the Vicaridge of S. Sepulcher in London, void by the Nonconformity of Tho. Gough sometimes of Kings Coll. in Cambridge (who died 29 Oct. 1681, aged 77 years) and in 65 he was made Prebendary of S. Pauls Cathedral by Dr. Henchman Bishop of London. In 1667 he had the Archdeaconry of S. Alban confer’d upon him by the said Bishop, was the same year sworn Chapl. in ord. to his Majesty, and in 1668 he proceeded Doctor of his faculty, and was for his eminence in preaching made soon after one of the Lecturers of the Temple, &c. He hath published,

Several Sermons, as (1) City security stated, preached at S. Pauls before the Lord Mayor, on Psal. 127. latter part of the first vers. Lond. 1660. qu. (2) Joshuahs resolution to serve God with his family: Recommended to the practice of the Inhabitants of S. Sepulchers Parish from 24 of Josh. 15. latter part. Lond. 1672. qu. sec. edit. (3) Serm. preached at the funeral of Mr. Anth. Hinton late Treasurer of S. Barthelmews Hospital, 15 Sept. 1678, at S. Sepulchers. Lond. 1679. qu. He the said Dr. Bell was buried in the Chancel of S. Sepulchers Church before mentioned, on the 26 day of July in sixteen hundred eighty and three,1683. leaving then behind him a precious name among his Parishoners for his Charity, Preaching, and other matters, of which they could not speak enough; and was soon after succeeded in the said Vicaridge by Edw. Waple Bac. of Div. of S. Johns Coll. in Oxon. On the marble stone which covers the said Dr. Bell’s grave I find this written. M. S. Heic jacet Gulielmus Bell SS. Theologiae Professor, Ecclesiae hujus Pastor vigilantissimus; vir optimus, ingens Ecclesiae Anglicanae ornamentum, si primaevam spectes pietatem, faelicissimum ingenii acumen, morum suavitatem & integritatem; partibus regiis inconcussam fidelitatem, vel charitatem (denuo) vix imitabilem. Nec plus dicere decorum, nec fas minus. I tu, & fac similiter. Pientissimam exhalavit animam Julii 19. an. Chr 1683. aetatis 58. As for Th. Gough before mentioned who was D. D. he was buried in the Church of S. Ann Blackfriers 4 Nov. 1681, at which time Dr. Joh. Tillotson Dean of Canterbury preached his funeral sermon; which, with an account of his life therein, being extant, you may, if you please, satisfie your self more of the person, who, as tis said, did translate several things into Welsh, as the Bible, Whole duty of man, A catechisme, &c. Besides the said Will. Bell, I find another of both his names, Master of Arts, and late preacher of the word at Hyton in Lancashire, author of The excellency, necessity and usefulnes, of patience, As also of The patience of Job, and the end of the Lord: or, the glorious success of gracious suffering opened and applyed. Both which were printed at Lond. 1674 in oct, with a pteface to them written by Mr. Rich. Baxter. Which Will. Bell who was a Nonconformist and living at Sinderland in the Parish of Ashton-Underline in Lancashire in June 1668, I take to be the same with him who was author of (1) Well doing, well done to, Serm. on Jer. 22.15.—Printed 1650. qu. (2) Enucks Walk, on Gen. 5.24—Printed 1658. oct. (3) Incomparable company keeping, or a conversation on earth in heaven. Pr. in oct. Whether this Will. Bell be the same W. Bell, (son of Joh. Bell of Chigwell in Essex) who was matriculated in this University, as a member of Ch. Ch. an. 1634 aged 17. years, (but took no degree there) I know not. Quaere.