Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 06.djvu/327

 Society, published:
 * 1) 'Lectures on the Elements of Algebra,' London, 1810, 8vo.
 * 2) 'Six Lectures on the Elements of Plane Trigonometry,' London, 1810, 8vo. These were included in a collection of his 'Mathematical Lectures,' 2 vols. Broxbourne, 1810-11.
 * 3) 'A Treatise on Mechanics: intended as an Introduction to the Study of Natural Philosophy,' 2 vols. London, 1813-14.
 * 4) 'An Elementary Treatise on Algebra,' 3rd edit. London, 1815, 8vo, 12th edit. 1847.
 * 5) 'A compendious Treatise on the Elements of Plane Trigonometry; with the method of constructing Trigonometrical Tables,' 2nd edit. London, 1818, 8vo, 4th edit. 1832.
 * 6) 'A compendious Treatise on the Theory and Solution of Cubic and Biquadratic Equations, and of Equations of the higher orders,' London, 1821, 8vo.
 * 7) 'A brief Narrative of a Visit to the Valleys of Piedmont, inhabited by the Vaudois, the descendants of the Waldenses; together with some observations upon the fund now raising in this country for their relief,' London, 1825, 8vo.

 BRIDGE or BRIDGES, RICHARD (fl. 1750), was one of the best organ-builders of the eighteenth century, but details as to his biography are very deficient. His first recorded organ is that of St. Bartholomew the Great, which was built in 1729. In the following year he built his best organ, that of Christchurch, Spitalfields, which cost the very small sum of 600l. In the same year he built the organ at St. Paul's, Deptford, in 1733 that of St. George's-in-the-East, in 1741 that of St. Anne's, Limehouse, in 1753 that of Enfield parish church, and in 1757 that of St. Leonard's, Shoreditch. Bridge also built an organ for Eltham parish church, and, together with Jordan and Byfield, the organ at St. Dionis Backchurch (between 1714 and 1732), the celebrated instrument at Yarmouth parish church, and an organ at St. George's Chapel in the same town. In 1748 (according to the Morning Advertiser of 20 Feb.) he was living in Hand Court, Holborn, but the date and place of his death, which took place prior to 1776, are unknown.

[Hopkins and Rimbault's History of the Organ, (1855), pt. i. p. 100.]  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 