William Bishop

, Son of John [〈◊〉] , who died 1601. aged 92. was born of a gentile family at Brayles in Warwickshire, sent to this University in the 17 year of his age, in 157 [•] . or thereabouts, particularly, as I conceive, to Gloucester hall, at which time it was presided by one who was a R. Catholick, or at least suficie [•] tly addicted to the R. perswasion, and that therein, did then, and especially after, study [〈…〉] or else in [〈…〉] who was in anino Catholicus. After he had continued in Oxon. about 3 or 4 years, he left it, his paternal estate which was considerable, and all his friends and his native Country which was more. So that setling himself in the English coll. at Rheimes, he applyed himself partly to the study of Divinity. Soon after he was sent to Rome, where making a fruitful progress in Philosophy and Divinity, he was made Priest and sent into England to convert Souls; but being taken in the haven was kept prisoner several years as (a)(a) Jo. Pits in lib. [〈◊〉] . Angl. Script. [〈◊〉] 17. p. 810. one of his perswasion reports. Afterwards being set at liberty (an. 1584.) he went to Paris, where he was honorably received, and worthily numbred among the Sorbon Doctors. At length he took another journey into England and laboured 9 years in the R. C. harvest. Upon the expiration of which, he was sent for to Rome about certain matters depending between the Jesuits and Secular Priests; (of which business a certain (b)(b) Tho. Bell. in The [〈…〉] lib. 4. cap. 2. 3, 5. §. 2. author hath a large story) all which being determined, he return’d the third time into England, and after 8 years labouring therein to advance his religion, was taken and committed prisoner to the Gate-house in Westminster, where he was remaining in 1612. Afterwards being released and sent back beyond the Seas again, lived at Paris in the Arras or Atrebatian coll. newly rebuilt for Benedictin Monks, by Philip Caverell, Head or Prefect of the Monastery of S. Vedastus at Arras. About the year 1622. our author being made Bishop of Chalcedon by the Pope, he was sent into England to execute the office of a Bishop among the Catholicks; and was by them received with great honour and respect. He hath written,

Reformation of a Catholick deformed by Will Perkins —Print. 1604. in qu. Part 1.

The second part of the reform. of the Cath. &c. Printed 1607. qu.

An answer to Mr. Perkins’s advertisement—Pr. with the former.

A reproof of Dr. Rob. Abbots Defence of the Cath. deformed by W. Perkins—Pr. 1608. in 2. parts in qu.

Disproof of Dr. R. Abbots counter-proof against Dr. Bishops reproof of the defence of Mr. Perkins reform. Cath. Par. 1614. in oct. part 1.

Defence of the Kings honour, and of his title to the Kingdom of England.—He also published and added several things (besides a Preface) to Joh. Pits his book De illustribus Angliae Scriptoribus, and was one of the principal authors of the Libels written against the Archpriestship in England, mentioned in George Blackwell, an. 1612. I find a book written by the Bp. of Chalcedon, entit. A treatise of the best kind of Confessors, pr. in oct. but whether written by this Bishop, or Dr. Ric. Smith, who was his Successor in that titular See, I know not. At length after this learned person, (who was in his latter time of the order of S. Benedict) had lived 71. years, he paid his last debt to nature near to London, on the thirteenth day of April in sixteen hundred twenty and four, 1624 but where buried, unless in S. Pancras Church near to the said City, I know not. One (c)(c) Dr. Jo. [〈◊〉] Senior. that remembers the man, hath told my friend that he died at Bishops Court in London, but where that place is, unless in the Parish of S. Sepulchre, I am yet to seek. A Latine Manuscript containing the obits and characters of many eminent Benedictines since the reformation, hath this character of Dr. Will. Bishop, that he was carceribus, exilio, & Apostolicis sudoribus inclitus, qui a Sancta sede in patriam ad solamen Catholicorum missus, clericis, Religularibus, ac ipsis laicis ob innatum unionis ac pacis affectum juxta charus extitit, &c. This obitat book which I have in my little Library, was written by a Benedictin Monk of Doway named Tho. White alias Woodhop, who having spent several years in the Sheldonian family at Beoly in Worcestershire, (in which County he was born) retired at length in the time of the civil War to Doway, was chosen Prior of the coll. of English Benedictines, and died there of the Pla [•] ue in 1654. From the said book, (wherein ’tis said that Dr. Bishop died near to London) was another composed in English with additions, and therein is this said of that Doctor—he was sent into England by the holy See for the comfort of Catholicks, where he so modestly behaved himself, that he was by all, both Clergy and Seculars, dearly beloved and honoured: And after imprisonments and all sorts of afflictions, patiently endured for the true religion, died in peace near London, &c. This English obital, was pen’d by another Benedictine named Tho. Vincent alias Vincent Sadler author of The Childes Catechisme, &c. pr. at Paris alias London 1678. in oct. who died, as I remember, much about the time that K. Jam. 2. came to the crown. He was nephew or near of kin to Fath. Vincent Sadler of the same order, who died at Lond. 11. June. 1621. after he had been Superintendent of the Province of Canterbury for some years.