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 BERINGTON

491

BERISSA

before liim. Before giving him his special faculties, liowever, Rome called upon him to withdraw his signature from the Blue Books. For several years he demurred, being still under "Cisalpine" influence. At length, through the intervention of Monsignor Erskine, who was living in England as an informal papal envoy, Bcrington was induced to sign the neces- sary retractation, on 11 October, 1797. After some delay due to the disturlied state of Rome, his faculties were sent, but they ne\er reached him, for he died suddenly of apoplexy while riding home from Sedgley Park.

Charles Butler. HUt. Memoirs of EnglUh Catholics; MlLNER, Supplem. Memoirs: Gillow. Bibl. Diet. Eng. Cath.; Amberst, History of Catholic Emanripation: Hosenbeth, Life of MUrier; Brady, Episcopal Succession in England and Ireland, etc.

Bernard Ward. Beruigton, Joseph, one of the best known Catholic writers of his day, b. at Winsley, in Here- fordshire, 16 January, 1743; d. at Buckland, 1 Decem- ber, 1827. He was educated at the Enghsh College at Douai, showing such talent and originality of mind that after liis ordination to the priesthood he was promoted to the chair of philosophy in the university. In this position his inclination towards liberal opinions became apparent, and his theses, prepared for the exhibition of his pupils, created such a stir that he thought it prudent to resign. On his return to England, he occupied several positions in turn, each intended to give him leisure to pursue his studies. From 1776 to 1782 he was chaplain to Mr. Thomas Stapleton, of Carlton, Yorkshire, acting at the same time as tutor to his son, with whom he afterwards travelled around Europe. We next find him at Oscott, then a lonely country mission, where liis cousin, Charles Berington, who had been appointed coadjutor bishop, joined him. Both the Beringtons were of the same cast of mind; both were favourers of the committee appointed to represent the Catholics in their struggle for emancipa- tion, which gained for itself an imfortunate notoriety for its liberalizing principles, and the gen,?rally anti- episcopal tendency of its action. The Midland Dis- trict was the chief centre of these opinions, and fifteen of the clergy of Staffordshire formed them- selves into an association of which Joseph Berington was the leader, the primary object being to stand by their bishop, Thomas Talbot, who was partly on that side. Afterwards, however, they were led into other action, especially in taking up the ease of Rev. Joseph Wilkes, who had been suspended by his bishop in consequence of his action on the com- mittee, which laid them open to criticism.

Joseph Berington was by this time becoming well known as an author with an attractive style of writing, but of very advanced views. His "State and Behaviour of English Catholics" (1780) contained more than one passage of doubtful orthodoxy; his "History of Abelard" (17S4) brought into promi- nence the same philosophical tendencies which he had before manifested at Douai; and his "Re- flexions", addressed to Rev. J. Hawkins, an apostate priest (178.5 and 1788), were much criticized; while perhaps more than all, the "Memoirs of Panzani", which he edited with an Introduction and Supplement (1793), gave him the reputation of being a disloyal Catholic. Under these circumstances, when Sir .John Throckmorton of Buckland in Berkshire, appointed Berington his chaplain, Dr. Douglass, Bishop of the London District (in which Buckland was situated), refu.sed to give him faculties, till in 1797 he printed a letter explaining his views, which the bishop considered satisfactory. A year or two later. Dr. Douglass again suspended him, until he signed a further declaration in 1801.

Berington passed the remainder of his life at Buckland, where he wrote the most extensive of all

his works, "The Literary History of the Middle Ages" (1811). He published many other books at different times; but some of his writings remained in manuscript, lest their publication should give offence. In private life Joseph Berington was a model priest, exact in the discharge of his duties, and noted for his charity to the poor. He was re- spected by all who knew liim. Catholic and Protes- tant alike, and after his death a slab was erected in his memory in the Protestant church at Buckland with an inscription written by his friend. Rev. John Bew, formerly President of Oscott. The only likeness extant is a silhouette, in the Catholic Direc- tory for 1832. Berington 's works (besides those men- tioned in the text) are: "Present State of Caths." (1787); "Rights of Dissenters" (1789); "Henry II, Richard and Jolm" (1790); "Examination of Events termed Miraculous" (1796); "Gother's Prayers" (1800); "Faith of Catholics" (1813); "Decline and Fall of Cath. Relig. in Eng." (1813, a reprint of Memoirs of Panzani) ; numerous letters and pamphlets and many other works in MS.

Cooper in Diet, of Nat. Biog.; Gillow, Bibl. Diet. Eng. Cath.: Ward, Cath. London a Century ago (1905); Husenbeth, Life of Milner; Cath. Miscellany (1828).

Bern.uid Ward. Berisford, Humphrey, Confessor (c. 1588) of whom the only extant account occurs in the MS. marked "F", compiled during the seventeenth cen- tury by Father Christopher Grene. This MS. which is now at the English College in Rome has been partly printed in Foley's "Records" (III). Of Humphrey Berisford it states that he was a gentle- man of the county of Derby, whose father, an es- quire, was a Protestant. The account continues: "He studied at Douay about two years. Returning from thence, his father employed him about his suit in law, and having once a suit against one, who fearing to be cast by his means, accused him before the judge for a recusant. When the cause should have been heard the judge examined him. He constantly professed his faith. Then the judge offered both favour to his cause and liberty if he would but only say he would go to their church; which he utterly refused. Therefore he was com- mitted to prison where he remained seven [blank in original] then died a prisoner". Gillow conjectures that the missing word was years and states that he died in Derby Gaol about 1588. To this account nothing can with certainty be added. The "Douay Diaries" mention one " Beresf ordus " among other "sons of men of position" (nobilium filii) as leaving the college in November, 1576. On 31 May, 1577, he is spoken of a returning from Paris and is then alluded to as clai-us adolescens. But tliis young man cannot be certainly identified with Humphrey Beris- ford as there were at this time other Catholics of the same name, three of whom, James, Oswald, and Frederick Beresf ord, were prisoners in the Poultry Counter in London, in this very year.

FoLEV. Records Eng. Prov.. S.J. Ill, 230; Gn.LOW, Bib. Diet. Eng. Cath. (London, 1885), I, 200; Douay Diaries (Lon- don. 1877), 113. 122.

Edwin Burton. Berissa (Berisa or Verissa), a titular see of Pontus Polemoniacus, in Asia Minor which Kiepert and Ramsay have rightly identified with the modern village of Baulus or Bolus, south-west of Tokat. In the time of St. Basil it was included in the Diocese of I bora, .as appears from letters LXXXVI and LXXXV'II of the great bishop, but soon after became an independent bishopric in Armenia Prima, with Sebasteia as metropolis. This important change took place before 458, when its bishop, Maxentius (written wrongly Auxentius), subscribed with his colleagues of Armenia Prima the synodal letter to the Emperor Leo (MansI, XII, 587-589). HIerocles, at the beginning of the sixth centurj-,