Davila, Gilles Gonzales

, a Spanish ecclesiastic, and historiographer to the king of Spain, was a native of the town of Avila, from which he derived his name. He accompanied the cardinal Pierra Deza to Rome, and made great progress in the study of sacred and profane history. On his return to Spain, he was presented to a benefice in the church of Salamanca; and being invited to Madrid in 1612, he was appointed king’s historiographer for Castille. He composed in Spanish, “A History of the Antiquities of Salamanca;” the “Life of Alphonso Tostat;” “Theatre* de las Grandesas de Madrid;” “Theatro ecclesiastico de las iglesias de las Indias;”a life of Henry III. king of Castille, &c. and other works. He died in 1658, upwards of eighty years old. ²