(Edmund), bishop of London, of infamous memory, was born at Hanley in Worcestershire, and generally supposed to be the natural son of one Savage a priest; and that priest was the natural son of Sir John Savage of Clifton in the same county. Strype, however, says, he was positively assured that Bonner was the legitimate offspring of a poor man, who lived in a cottage known to this day by the name of Bonner's place. About the year 1512, he entered student of Broadgate Hall in Oxford. In 1519, he was admitted bachelor of the canon and civil law. About the same time he took orders, and obtained some preferment in the diocese of Worcester. In 1525, he was created doctor of canon law. Having now acquired the reputation of a shrewd politician and civilian, he was soon distinguished by cardinal Wolsey, who made him his commissary for the faculties, and heaped upon him a variety of church-preferments. He possessed at the same time the livings of Blaydon and Cherry-Burton in Yorkshire, Ripple in Worcestershire, east Dereham in Norfolk, prebend of St Paul's, and the arch-deaconry of Leicester. Bonner was with the cardinal at Cawwood, when he was arrested for high treason. After the death of that minister, he soon found means to insinuate himself into the favour of Henry VIII. who made him one of his chaplains, and employed him in several embassies abroad, particularly to the pope. In 1532, he was sent to Rome, with Sir Edward Kame, to answer for the king, whom his holiness had cited to appear in person or by proxy. In 1533, he was again dispatched to pope Clement VII. at Marseilles, upon the excommunication of king Henry on account of his divorce. On this occasion he threatened the pope with so much resolution, that his holiness talked of burning him alive, or throwing him into a caldron of melted lead; upon which Bonner thought fit to decamp. His infallibility did not foresee that the man whom he thus threatened was predestined to burn heretics in England. In 1538, being then ambassador at the court of France, he was nominated bishop of Hereford; but, before consecration, was translated to the see of London, and enthroned in April 1540.—Henry VIII. died in 1547, at which time Bonner was ambassador with the emperor Charles V. During this reign he was constantly zealous in his opposition to the pope; and, in compliance with the king, favoured the reformation. Henry VIII. was not to be trifled with; but, on the accession of young Edward, Bonner refused the oath of supremacy, and was committed to the fleet; however, he soon thought fit to promise obedience to the laws, and was accordingly released. He continued to comply with reformation; but with such manifest neglect and reluctance, that he was twice reprimanded by the privy council, and in 1549, after a long trial, was committed to the Marshalsea, and deprived of his bishopric. The succeeding reign gave him ample opportunity of revenge. Mary was scarce seated on the throne before Bonner was restored to his bishopric; and soon after appointed viceregent and president of the convocation. From this time he became the chief instrument of papal cruelty: he is said to have condemned no less than 200 Protestants to the flames in the space of three years. Nor was this monster of a priest more remarkable for his cruelty than his impudence. When Queen Elizabeth came to the crown, he had the insolence to meet her, with the rest of the bishops, at Highgate. In the second year of her reign, refusing to take the oath of allegiance and supremacy, he was again deprived, and committed to the Marshalsea; where he died in 1569, after ten years confinement. There cannot be a stronger instance of the comparative lenity of the Protestant church, than its suffering this miscreant to die a natural death. Several pieces were published under his name.