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 Ball convent, York. This sisterhood, which had long existed at York, was originally established on the continent in the seventeenth century by Mary Ward to supply the means of a sound religious and secular education to young ladies. Frances Ball introduced this institute into Ireland in 1821, and since then it has spread to most of the British colonies, where the nuns are usually called Sisters of Loreto. Before her death, which occurred at Rathfarnham Abbey, 19 May 1861, she founded thirty-seven convents in various parts of the world.

 BALL, HANNAH (1734–1792), Wesleyan methodist, was born on 13 March 1733-4. When Wesley and other methodist preachers visited High Wycombe, where she was resident for the greater part of her life, she was attracted by their teaching. In 1766 she began to keep a diary, some extracts of which have been published. Several of the letters that passed between her and Wesley have also been printed. By Wesley's advice she broke off an engagement to be married to one who, in the language of the sect, was 'an ungodly man.' This Wesley termed, and not without reason, 'a very uncommon instance of resolution.' She was a mystic, and Wesley warns her that 'a clear revelation of several persons in the ever blessed Trinity was by no means a sure trial to christian perfection.' In 1769 she began a Sunday school. The germ of the modern Sunday school may be traced in the methods of instruction established by Luther, Knox, and St. Charles Borromeo. There are traces of them in France in the seventeenth century. The Rev. Joseph Alleine was in the habit of drawing young pupils together for instruction on the Sunday. Bishop Wilson instituted such schools in the Isle of Man in 1703. The Seventh Day baptists had one between 1740 and 1747 at Euphrata, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1763 Mrs. Catharine Cappe and the Rev. Theophilus Lindsey had such a gathering of the young at Catterick. Dr. Kennedy, about 1770, established one in Bright parish, co. Down. In 1778 the Rev. David Simpson opened one at Macclesfield. There was another at Little Lever, taught by 'Owd Jemmy o' th' Hey,' whose services were paid for by a wealthy piper-maker, Adam Crompton. These and others preceded the experiment made at Gloucester in 1783 by Robert Raikes, who is usually described as the founder of Sunday schools.

Hannah Ball died on 16 Aug. 1792. The school was continued by her sister Anne. At this time the Wesleyans, whilst having their own separate meetings, were still attenders at the parish churches, and both Hannah Ball and her sister were in the habit of taking the school children with them. At the funeral of Mrs. Ball, a relative, the Rev. W. B. Williams observed that 'if any Arminian entered heaven the angels would cease to sing.' Anne Ball arose in her place and, gathering her little flock around her, marched out of the church, which she never re-entered. The little Sunday school was reorganised in 1801, and is still in existence.

 BALL, JOHN (d. 1381), priest, fomented the insurrection of Wat Tyler. Very little is known of his previous career, except that he had been preaching for twenty years and had been three times committed to the archbishop of Canterbury's prison for his indiscreet utterances. He was probably, therefore, over forty years of age when he became so conspicuous in history. His career seems to have commenced at York, where, he tells us, he was St. Mary's priest—probably attached to the abbey of St. Mary's. Afterwards he removed to Colchester. He was certainly living in Essex in the year 1366, when the dean of Bocking was ordered to cite him to appear before the archbishop of Canterbury, and to forbid persons attending his preaching (, iii. 64). And ten years later we meet with an order for his arrest as an excommunicated person addressed to some of the clergy in the neighbourhood of Colchester (Patent Roll, 50 Edw. III. p. 2. m. 8 in dorso). All, however, had little effect; for, according to Walsingham, he preached things which he knew to be agreeable to the vulgar. His doctrines were in great part those of Wycliffe, especially about the right of withholding tithes from unworthy clergymen. But he added some of his own, among which (if it be not an exaggeration of his enemies) was the extraordinary opinion that no one was fit for the kingdom of God who was not born in matrimony. His popularity, however, was no doubt mainly due to his advocacy of the claims of bondsmen to be put on terms of equality with the gentry. 