SOUTHWELL (BACON), NATHANAEL. — Jesuit writer and bibliographer, b. in Norfolk in 1598, d. in Rome on 2 Dec. 1676.
From 1617 to 1622 he was a student at the English College in Rome, where he changed his original surname Bacon to S. After two years of missionary work in his homeland, in 1624 he entered the Society of Jesus; upon returning to Rome, he served as minister at the English College (1627). For nearly twenty years he was secretary to five generals of the Order: Carafa, Piccolomini, Gottifredi, Nickel, and Oliva (1649–67), until he was entrusted with the editing and continuation of the *Biblioteca Scriptorum Soc. Jesu*, begun by Frs. Ribadeneira and Alegambe, which he carried forward until 8 Aug. 1675. A book of meditations for every day of the year by him is also preserved.