John, one of the most eminent English writers among the Socinians, was born at Wotton-under-Edge, in Gloucestershire, and educated in the free-school of that place. Being a hopeful youth, he was noticed, particularly by Lord George Berkeley, who allowed him an exhibition of L10 a year. This caused him to apply himself vigourously to his studies; and, while at school, he translated Virgil's Bucolics, and the first two satires of Juvenal. He continued at school till he was thirteen years of age; and having manifested, even at that early period, a singular piety, and contempt of secular affairs, he was sent to the university of Oxford, and entered a student in Magdalen hall. In 1641 the magistrates of Gloucester chose him master of the free-school of that city; an office in which he conducted himself very much to the satisfaction of his patrons and employers. But having formed some opinions concerning the Trinity different from those commonly received, and expressed his thoughts with too much freedom, he suffered various persecutions and imprisonments in the time of the commonwealth. During one of these confinements, which lasted for several years, being reduced to great indigence, he was employed by Roger Daniel of London to correct the impression of the Septuagint Bible, which that printer was about to publish, and wished to render as accurate as possible. In 1651 the parliament published a general act of oblivion, which restored him to liberty; but he was afterwards imprisoned on account of his tenets; and, at last, the protector banished him for life to St Mary's Castle in the isle of Scilly, whither he was sent in October 1655. He was allowed a hundred crowns a year for his subsistence. In 1658 he was again set at liberty. But after the restoration of King Charles II, he was fined in L100, each of his hearers being amerced in L20, and further condemned to lie in prison till the fine was paid; and this cruel sentence having been put in execution, the want of fresh air and exercise caused him to contract a disease, of which he died on the 23rd of September 1662, in the forty-seventh year of his age. Biddle's life was published in Latin in 1682, by Mr Farrington of the Inner Temple, who represents him as possessed of extraordinary piety, charity, and humility. He would not discourse of those points in which he differed from others, with persons who did not appear religious according to their knowledge; and he was strict in observing himself, as well as severe in exacting from others reverence in speaking of God and Christ. He had so happy a memory, that he retained word for word the whole New Testament, not only in English, but in Greek, as far as the fourth chapter of the Revelation of St John.