Bamber was born the son of Richard Bamber, at
Carleton,
Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire. He entered the
College of St. Omer and later attended the
English College of St Gregory in Seville. He was ordained in 1626 and sent to England. On landing at
Dover, he knelt down to thank God. Seen doing this by the Governor of
Dover Castle, he was arrested and banished. He returned again, and was soon afterwards apprehended near
Standish, Lancashire; he had probably been chaplain at
Standish Hall. On his way to
Lancaster Castle he was lodged at the Old-Green-Man Inn near
Claughton-on-Brock, and managed to escape through a window, his keepers being drunk. He was found wandering in the fields by a Mr. Singleton of
Broughton Tower and was sheltered by him. saying, "God loveth a cheerful giver." Edward Bamber was beatified by Pope John Paul II in November 1987. A stained glass window in the church of St.Marie's in Standish depicts Bamber being pushed off a ladder, which served as a gallows for his execution, by two soldiers. An ode composed on his death is still extant. ==See also==