(Bernardin), a celebrated Italian, was born at Siene in 1487, and first became a Cordelier; but he quickly returned into the world, applied himself to the study of physic, and acquired the esteem of cardinal Julius de Medicis, afterwards Pope Clement VII. At length, again changing his mind, he refu- med his monk's habit in a penitential mood; and not content with this, but aiming at higher perfection, he embraced in 1534 the reformed feet of the Capuchins. He practised, with a most rigorous exactness, all the rules of the order; which, being then in its infancy, he contributed so much to improve and enlarge, that some writers have called him the founder of it. He was certainly made vicar-general of it, and became in the highest degree eminent for his pulpit eloquence. He delivered his sermons with so much grace and politeness, and spoke so copiously, that he ravished his audience wherever he was; never indeed was a man more successful or more applauded. His extraordinary merit procured him the favour of Pope Paul III., who, it is said, made him his father confessor and preacher. He was thus the darling both of prince and people; when, falling into the company of one John Valde a Spaniard, who had imbibed Luther's doctrine in Germany, he became a proflyte. He was then at Naples, and began to preach in favour of Protestantism; which being observed, he was summoned to appear at Rome; and was in this way thither when he met at Florence Peter Martyr, with whom, it is probable, he had become acquainted at Naples. This friend persuaded him not to put himself into the pope's power; and they both agreed to withdraw to some place of safety.

Ochimus went first to Ferrara, where he disguised himself in the dress of a folder; and proceeding thence to Geneva, arrived there in 1542, and married a woman of Lucca. He did not, however, settle there, but went to Augsburg, where he published some sermons.

In 1547 he was invited, together with Peter Martyr, into England by Archbishop Cranmer, that he might have their joint assistance in carrying on the reformation. They arrived in December; and going to Lambeth, were kindly received by Cranmer. They were entertained there for some time; and Ochimus, as well as Martyr, was made a prebendary of Canterbury (A). He laboured heartily in the conduct of the reformation; and his dialogue upon the unjust usurped primacy of the bishop of Rome, was translated into Latin by Ponet bishop of Winchester, and published in 1549. But upon the death of Edward VI., being forced as well as Martyr to leave England, they retired to Stasburg, where they arrived in 1553. From this city Ochimus went to Basil, and was invited thence in 1555 to Zurich, to be minister of an Italian church which was gathering there. This church consisted of some refugees from Locarno, one of the four bailiwicks which the Switzers possess in Italy; they being hindered from the public exercise of the reformed religion by the opposition of the Popish cantons. Ochimus had no difficulty to subscribe the articles of faith agreed upon by the church of Zurich, and met in that city with Bullinger, who proved a very good friend to him. He governed this Italian church till 1563, when he was banished thence by the magistrates of the town for publishing some dialogues, wherein he defended the doctrine of polygamy. From Zurich he went to Basil; but not being suffered to stay there, he fled in great distress into Moravia, where he fell in with the Socinians, and joined them. Stanislaus Lubienietzki, the great patron of this sect, gives the following account of his last days in his Hist. Reformat. Polon. Ochimus says he retired into Moravia, and into Poland, and even there he was not out of the reach of Calvin's letters. He returned into Moravia after king Sigismund's edict; who in 1564 punished with banishment all those that were called Tritheists, Atheists, &c. Some gentlemen endeavoured to keep him in Poland; but he answered, that men must obey the magistrates, and that he would obey them, even were he to die among the wolves in the woods. During his travels, he fell sick of the plague at Pincklow, and received there all possible offices of kindness from one of the brethren, named Philippovius. His daughter and two sons, whom he carried along with him, died of the plague; but he had buried his wife before he had left Zurich. As for himself, he continued his journey to Moravia, and within three weeks died at Slakow, in 1564, aged 77.

His character is variously represented by different authors, as was to be expected; for men like him have all manner of things, good and bad, said and written of them, by somebody or other. Bayle says, that the confession he made publicly, on the change of his religion, is remarkable. He acknowledged, in a preface, that if he could have continued, without danger of his life, to preach the truth, after the manner he had preached it for some years, he would never have laid down the habit of his order; but as he did not find within himself that courage which is requisite to undergo martyrdom, he took sanctuary in a Protestant country. His writings are numerous, but not bulky.