Beda, Natalis (Or Noel),
a French theologian, was a native of Picardy, being born in the diocese of Avranches near the close of the 15th century. He was principal of the College of Montaign, at Paris, in 1502; and syndic of the faculty of theology about 1520. He was opposed to all and every kind of reform. In 1521 he obtained from the Sorbonne a condemnation of the writings of J. F. Stapulensis. He chiefly distinguished himself by his opposition to the wish of the king, Francis I., to obtain the sanction of the Sorbonne to the divorce of Henry VIII of England. So far did Beda carry matters, that he was arrested in 1536, condemned to make the amende honorable in the Church of Notre-Dame, and was sent prisoner to Mont SaintMichel, where he died in the following year. He wrote against Erasmus, who answered in a rejoinder, entitled Supportationes Errorum in Censusris Natalis Bedce; and in which he accused Beda of 181 lies, 310 calumnies, and 47 blasphemies. Beda also wrote, De Unica Magdalena (Paris, 1519): — Apologia pro Filiabus et Nepoti. bus Anns (ibid. 1520): — Contra Commentarios Fabri in Evangelio Lib. ii (ibid. 1526): — In Erasmi Paraphrases (ibid.): — Apologia adversus Clandestinos Lutheranos (ibid. 1529). See Jocher, Allgemeines Gelehrten-Lexikon, s.v.; Lichtenberger, Encyclopedie des Sciences Religieuses, s.v.; Biog. Universelle, s.v. (B. P.)