William Bridge

BRIDGE, WILLIAM (1600?–1670), puritan divine, was born in Cambridgeshire about 1600. He entered Emmanuel College at the age of sixteen, became M.A. in 1626, and was many years a fellow of the college. In 1631 he was appointed to the lectureship of Colchester, where he continued but a short time. In 1633 he held a Friday lecture at St. George's Tombland, Norwich, for which he was paid by the corporation. In 1636 he was the rector for St. Peter's Hungate, Norwich, a living at that time worth no more than 22l. per annum. Here he was silenced by Bishop Wren. He continued, however, in the city for some time after his suspension until he was 'excommunicated ' and the writ 'de capiendo' came forth against him. He took refuge in Holland and settled at Rotterdam, succeeding as pastor the celebrated Hugh Peters, and he was thus associated in the pastorate with Jeremiah Burroughs. From a passage in the 'Apologetical Narration' it may be inferred that Bridge received much support from the magistrates of the city, and that many wealthy persons joined the church, some of whom had fled from the persecution of Bishop Wren. While at Rotterdam he renounced the ordination which he had received when he entered the church of England, and was again ordained, after the independent way, by Samuel Ward, B.D., after which he similarly ordained Ward. He returned to England in 1642, frequently preached before the Long parliament, and on 30 July 1651 the sum of 100l. per annum was voted to him, to be paid out of the impropriations. It would seem from two letters preserved in Peck's 'Desiderata Curiosa' that he was consulted by the parliament in reference to a general augmentation of ministers' salaries. Dr. Nathaniel Johnson, in his book entitled 'The King's Visitorial Power asserted,' gives a petition from the fellows of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, signed, amongst others, by Bridge, and says, 'He was a great preacher, and one of the demagogues of this parliament.' He was in the assembly of divines at Westminster, and was one of the writers of the 'Apologetical Narration,' published in 1643. His name is also subscribed to the 'Reasons of the Dissenting Brethren against certain Propositions concerning Presbyterial Government,' which was published in 1648. After a brief sojourn at Norwich, where he preached a sermon to the volunteers, Bridge at length settled at Great Yarmouth, where he continued his labours till 1662. It is very probable that at Yarmouth his congregation, at least for some time, met in the parish church, for in 1650 the north part of the church was enclosed for a meeting-place at an expense of 900l. When ejected he went to reside at Clapham, near London, and preached in, if not founded, the 'Independent Meeting' there. He died at Clapham on 12 March 1670, aged 70. From an epitaph in Yarmouth church it appears that he was twice married. The name of his first wife is not known; he afterwards married the widow of John Arnold, merchant and bailiff of that town. Bridge's printed works are nearly all sermons. His first publication is dated 1640, and was printed at Rotterdam. In 1649 the works of Bridge were published in three volumes, quarto, printed by Peter Cole, London. Another collection was published under the title of 'Twenty-one Books of Mr. William Bridge, collected into Two Volumes,' London, Peter Cole, 1657, 4to. Other publications followed in 1665, 1668, and 1671, and after his death eight sermons were published as 'Remains,' 1673. In 1845 the whole works of Bridge were printed in five volumes, octavo, from copies chiefly in the possession of the Rev, Frederick Silver, of Jewry Street. Fifty-nine separate titles are given in the table of contents of the five volumes; a complete list is in Darling's 'Cyclopædia.' A very antique-looking portrait of the author, 'Obit 1670, W. Sherwin sculp.,' accompanies the first volume of 1845. It originally appeared in a volume of Bridge's sermons. A different and very pleasing portrait of Bridge may be seen in Dr. William's library. [Memorial of William Bridge, prefixed to his collected Works, 1845; Palmer's Nonconf. Memorial, iii., 1803; Peck's Desiderata Curious, 1732-5; Darling's Cyclopædia, 1860.]