Thomas Bentham

, a learned and pious man of his time, was born at Shirebourne (a Market Town I think) in Yorkshire, admitted perpetual Fellow of Magd. coll. 16. Nov. 1546. proceeded in Arts the year after, and about that time did solely addict his mind to the study of Theology, and to the learning of the Hebrew tongue, in which last he was most excellent, as in those of Greek and Latin, which he had obtained before he was M. of A. After Q. Mary came to the Crown, he was turn’d out of his Fellowship (for his forward and malepert (†)(†) Vide Laur. Humfredum in Vita & morte Jo. Juelli, edit. 1573. p. 72, 73. & in Hist. & Antiq. Univ. Ox. lib. 1. p. 275. b. zeal against the Cath. Religion in the time of Edw. 6.) by the Visitors appointed by her to regulate the University. Whereupon retiring first to Zurich, and afterwards to Basil in Germany, became Preacher to the English Exiles there, and expounded to them the intire book of the Acts of the Apostles. Afterwards being recalled by some of the Brethren, was made Superintendent of them at London, and continued among them in a timorous condition for some time. At length when Q. Elizab. succeeded, he was nominated Bishop of Lichf. and Coventry upon the deprivation of Dr. Ralph Bayne: To which See being elected, had the temporalities thereof restored to (*)(*) Pat. 2. Elizab. p. 11. him 20 Feb. 1559. being then about 46 years of age. On the 24. of March following, he was consecrated, and about six years following he was actually created Doct. of divinity, being then in great repute for his learning. He died on the 21. of Feb. 157879. in fifteen hundred seventy and eight, leaving then behind him a Widdow named Matilda. He was succeeded in Lichf. and Cov. by Dr. Will. Overton, of whom I have made mention among the writers under the year 1609.