Lewis Bayly facts for kids
Lewis Bayly was an important bishop in the Church of England. He lived a long time ago, in the 16th and 17th centuries. He is best known for writing a very popular book called The Practice of Piety. This book helped many people understand how to live a Christian life.
Lewis Bayly's Life Story
Lewis Bayly was likely born in either Carmarthen, Wales, or Biggar, Scotland. He studied at Oxford. After finishing his studies, he became a vicar in Evesham, Worcestershire. A vicar is like a local church leader.
Around 1604, he became the rector of a church in London. A rector is also a type of church leader. Later, he worked as a chaplain for Prince Henry Frederick, who was the son of the king. He then became a chaplain for King James I himself.
In 1616, King James I chose Lewis Bayly to become the Bishop of Bangor. A bishop is a senior leader in the church, overseeing many churches in an area. Bayly was known for being a strong Puritan. Puritans were a group of people who wanted to make the Church of England simpler. Lewis Bayly passed away in Bangor in 1631.
His Famous Book: The Practice of Piety
Lewis Bayly is most famous for his book, The Practice of Piety, directing a Christian how to walk that he may please God. We don't know exactly when the first version came out. However, it was reprinted many times. By 1821, it had been printed 74 times!
This book was incredibly popular. It was translated into many languages. These included French, German, Dutch, Italian, Polish, Hungarian, Romansh, and Welsh. It was even translated into the language of the Massachusetts Indians.
The book was very important in different countries. In the Netherlands, it was the best-selling religious book of the 1600s. A famous writer named John Bunyan was greatly influenced by this book. His wife owned a copy, and reading it helped him start his own spiritual journey.
Lewis Bayly's Family
Lewis Bayly married a woman named Anne. She was the daughter of Sir Henry Bagenal. They had a son named Nicholas Bayly. Nicholas later became a Member of Parliament for Newry in Ireland.
Nicholas's son, Edward Bayly, was given the special title of a Baronet in 1730. This is a hereditary title, like a knight but passed down through the family.
Edward's grandson, Henry Bayly, inherited another important title in 1769. He became the 10th Baron Paget. He then changed his last name to Paget in 1770. In 1784, he was made the Earl of Uxbridge. An Earl is a high-ranking noble title.
His oldest son, Henry Paget, became very famous. He was a military leader at the Battle of Waterloo. For his bravery, he was given the title of Marquess of Anglesey. A Marquess is an even higher noble title. The Bayly family became connected to the important Paget family through these marriages and titles.
