The office of bedell is referred to in the 'original statutes' of the University (see Hackett, p. 101) where the alternative title of 'apparitor' is also given. In canon law apparitors had three functions, as lictores, where they carried their staves of office before the judge of the court and carried out his orders; as viatores, where they carried out administrative, policing, financial and judicial matters; and as praecones, where they acted as public cryers. Until the very end of the fifteenth century the University bedells were privileged persons rather than graduates. From at least 1276 one of two bedells was attached to the faculties of divinity and, until 1534, of canon law and the other to the faculty of arts. Up to 1276 there had been a third bedell, the Bedell in Glomery, answerable to the Master of Glomery, and so, indirectly, to the Archdeacon of Ely rather than to the Chancellor. Accordingly he was forbidden a place in university processions. By the late fourteenth century a third bedell is again found, apparently subsidiary to the other two, and there continued to be three esquire bedells until the death of George Leapingwell in 1863: the post of third bedell having been abolished in the new statutes of 1858. From the early sixteenth century the esquire bedells were M.A.s, usually married, resident in the town and persons of some substance. As such they acted as intermediaries between town and gown, and were often employed in negotiations over the acquisition of real property and also served as messengers to the court. They preceded the Chancellor or the Vice-Chancellor, as they still do, in formal processions, and accompanied graduands to the ceremonial disputations which formed part of the process of graduation. They also served warrants to attend the university courts on persons above the rank of B.A. Summonses to townsmen and undergraduates were served by the Yeoman, or Dog, Bedell, whose office was also abolished in 1858, some of his functions being taken over by the University Marshal. The Esquire Bedells were, until very recently, in charge of all ceremonial within the university, and were the arbiters of correctness in academical dress. As authorities on ceremonial they produced a series of manuals: Matthew Stokys' (MS) Liber Rerum Memorabilium (Stokys' Book: Misc.Collect.4); John Beverley's Account of the different ceremonies observed in the Senate House of the University of Cambridge (Cambridge, 1788); Adam Wall's Ceremonies observed in the Senate House of the University of Cambridge: with the forms of proceeding to all degrees, the manner of electing officers, tables of fees, and other articles relating to the University (Cambridge, 1798; revised by Henry Gunning in 1828). It is significant that the first three registraries were recruited from the ranks of the Esquire Bedells, but the dominance of King's between c. 1490 and 1560 is harder to explain, as is the frequent progression from bedell to printer between 1591 and 1680. The maces currently borne by the Esquire Bedells were presented by George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, in 1626; and the Yeoman Bedells mace, now carried by the Marshal, was presented by his successor as Chancellor, Henry Rich, Earl of Holland, in 1628. The Bedells were until the mid-twentieth century elected by the Senate but are now appointed by the Council. For an account of the office, see H. P. Stokes, The Esquire Bedells of the University of Cambridge (Cambridge Antiquarian Society, Octavo series, no. xlv, 1911) and also the catalogue of the 1981 exhibition of University Archives: 'Useful and picturesque officers'.
[1250] Gossel, Robert Benefactor
[1250] Piroun, Ralph Benefactor
[1260] Walter de Wells Benefactor
1270 c. Thomas de Tuddenham Benefactor
1270 c. Thomas le Bedel
1270 c. Walter de Oxford Benefactor
1279 c. Walter le Bedel (perhaps the same as the last)
1287 c. Robert the Bedell [1] (perhaps Robert Carless, c. 1290, or Robert the Bedell, c. 1300)
1287 c. Russell, William
1290 c. Carless, Robert Benefactor
1290 c. Thomas de Watlington Benefactor
1300 c. Christopher the Bedell [1]
1300 c. Reginald the Bedell (but perhaps this is the Oxford bedell of that name)
1300 c. Robert the Bedell [2]
1315 c. Thurstan de Huningham Benefactor; University Chaplain
1324 c. Stephen de Eye Benefactor
1347-68 c. Richard de Betelee/Betelle Benefactor
1350 c. Adam de la More
1350 c. Henry the Bedell
1355 c. John de Arundel
1360 c. John de Wesenham
1360 c. Physwick, William
1360 c. Wigmore, William
1408 c. Bristow, Richard
1418 c. Physwick, John
1440 c. Woodlark, Robert Provost of K 1452
1450 c. William Bedell
1455 c? Christopher the Bedell [2]
1460 c. Bury, Thomas
1460 c. Dalton, William [1]
1460 c. Semper, Alan d. 1488
1470 c. Canterbury, John Fellow of K
1485 c. Bretherton, Laurence
1485 c. Carsey, John Benefactor CC Bedell of Divinity
1490 c. Morgan, Philip M.A.; Fellow of K Bedell of Arts. M.D. 1507
1495 c. Bedford, John Third Bedell; Benefactor
1500 c. Pickerell, William M.A.; Fellow of JE (perhaps just deputy for Morgan)
1505 c. Hobbs (Hobys), Robert M.A.; Fellow of Resigned, c. 1529. D. 1555; Benefactor K Bedell of Arts. First Registrary
1509 c. Cheke, Peter Bedell of Divinity. D. 1530; Benefactor
1510 c. Clark, John [1] LL.B.?; Fellow of K Third Bedell. D. 1521; Benefactor
1521 c. Adams, Thomas Third Bedell. D. 1555; Benefactor
1529 c. Sherwood, Thomas [1] M.A.; Fellow of JN Bedell of Arts. Resigned 1549
1530 Mere, John M.A.; Fellow of K Bedell of Divinity. Registrary 1543; d. 1558; Benefactor
[1530] Urmston, James M.A.; Bedell of Divinity
1539 Pykerell, John (killed: KB 27/1115/Rex m.9; KB 9/541/127)
1549 Flued, William Bedell of Arts
1550 c. Bronsted, William M.A. PET Bedell of Arts. D. 1563
1555 Muryell, William Third Bedell. Dismissed; (Mere's diary), 1556
1556 Baxter, John B.A.; Fellow of CTH Third Bedell. D. 1596
1557 Stokys (Stokes), Matthew M.A.; Fellow of K Bedell of Divinity. Registrary 1558. Resigned, 1585. D. 1591
1563 Redman, John [2] PET Bedell of Arts. Resigned, c. 1579
1579 c. Stringer, Philip M.A.; Fellow of JN vice Redman
1585 Smith, Thomas [2] M.A.; Matr. T 1576; Fellow of JN vice Stokys. Registrary, 1591
1591 Brooke, Thomas M.A. CL vice Stringer, resigned. Librarian, 1623
1592 c. Ingram, William M.A. M vice Smith, resigned. LL.D., 1604
1596 Ridding, Richard M.A. JN vice Baxter, deceased
1605 c. Wiseman, John M.A. JE vice Ingram, resigned
1624 Buck, Thomas M.A.; Fellow of CTH vice Wiseman, resigned
1626 Buck, John M.A. CTH vice Ridding, deceased
1629 Hughes, Francis M.A. T vice Brooke, deceased
1669 Peck, John M.A.; Fellow of JN vice Hughes, deceased
1670 Worts, William M.A.; Fellow of CAI vice T. Buck, deceased
1680 Martin, Hugh M.A.; Fellow of PEM vice J. Buck, deceased
1682 Richardson, Purbeck M.A.; Fellow of T vice Peck, deceased
1683-1715 Perne, John M.A.; Fellow of PET vice Richardson, deceased
1704-27 Clarke, Edward M.A., Fellow of CL; vice Worts, deceased
1715 Attwood, Richard M.A.; Fellow of PEM vice Pern, deceased
1716 Simpson, Robert M.A.; Fellow of CAI vice Martin, deceased
1727:01:13 Huntman, Thomas M.A.; Fellow of T vice Clarke, deceased
1727:12:14 Burrough, James, Sir M.A.; Fellow of CAI vice Huntman, deceased. Master, 1754
1734 Burrowes, Thomas M.A.; Fellow of T vice Attwood, deceased
1749 Bennett, Thomas LL.B. Q vice Simpson, deceased
1754 Porteus, Beilby B.A.; Fellow of CHR vice Burrough, resigned
1755 Dawes, Francis B.A.; Fellow of PET vice Portues, resigned
1767 Chafy, William [1] B.A. JN vice Burrowes, deceased
1770 Beverley, John B.A. CHR vice Bennett, deceased
1772-75 Hey, Richard M.A. M vice Chafy, resigned
1775 Mathew, William LL.B.; Fellow of JE vice Hey, resigned
1789 Gunning, Henry B.A. CHR vice Dawes, deceased
1797 Isola, Charles B.A. EM vice Mathew, deceased
1814 Ware, George M.A. JN vice Isola, deceased
1826 Leapingwell, George M.A. CC vice Ware, deceased
1827 Hopkins, William B.A. PET vice Beverley, deceased; (the coach)
1854 Godfray, Hugh B.A. JN vice Gunning, deceased
1866 Besant, William Henry M.A.; Fellow of JN vice Hopkins, deceased
1870 Miller, Robert Kalley M.A.; Fellow of PET vice Besant, deceased
1873 Gross, Edward John M.A.; Fellow of CAI vice Miller, resigned
1877 Humphry, Alfred Paget M.A.; LL.M. T vice Gross, resigned
1877 Wace, Frederick Charles M.A.; Fellow of JN vice Godfray, deceased
1893 Gill, Wilfred Austin M.A.; Fellow of M vice Wace, deceased
1900 Evans, Arthur Humble M.A. CL vice Gill, deceased
1913 Smith, Rupert Hamblin M.A. PET vice Humphry, resigned
1920 Carey, Gordon Vero M.A.; Fellow of CL vice Evans, resigned
1922 Sumner, Charles Pinfold M.A. CAI vice Carey, resigned
1936 Garrett, Herbert Leonard M.A. JN vice Smith, deceased. D. 1941
1937 Thompson, Colin Hustwick M.A. Q vice Sumner, retired
1946 Wilson, Norman Scarlyn M.A. PEM vice Garrett, deceased 1941
1960 Sinker, Philip Tennant M.A. CL vice Thompson, resigned
1968 Melville, Paul Clifton M.A. SEL vice Wilson, retired
1976 Poole, Richard Neal Barlow- M.A. CHR vice Melville, resigned
1977 Tee, Peter Arthur Handbury M.A. CTH vice Sinker, retired
1987 Johnson, Malcolm MacDonald M.A. JN vice Barlow-Poole, retired
1996 Emmines, John Peter PET vice Tee
1997 Williams, John Horace HH vice Johnson
2003 Rogers, Nicola ?? vice Williams, retired