Robert Bale

called by some Robert Bale Junior, because there was another of both his Names, a Lawyer of London, and before him in time, was born in the County of Norfolk, entred, when Young, among the Carmes or Carmelites, commonly called White-Friers, in the City of Norwych; spent some time for the sake of Study, among those of his Order, living in the North Suburb of Oxon, where he improv’d himself much in the faculty of Theology; as, I presume, he did partly at Cambridge among those of his Society there. Afterwards he became Prior of the Carmes at Burnham in his own Country, where he was had in veneration by them and others for his great love towards Learning and Learned Men. All the time that he could procure, he greedily spent in his beloved Study of Divinity, and Histories both Divine and Profane; and having to his great expence obtained a considerable Library of Books, they, at length, came after his Death to that of the Carmes at Burnham. He hath written,

Annales perbreves Ordinis Carmelitarum. The beginning of which is, Anno Mundi 3042. Helias Thesb. &c.

Historia Heliae Prophetae. The beginning of which is, Ecce ego mitto, &c.

Officium Simonis Angli. The beginning of which is, Simon pater inclytus, &c. This famous Simon was Simon Stock, the most noted and religious Brother of the Carmes that ever was; the first of all his Order that took a degree in this University, as I have told (i)(i) In Hist. & Antiq. Vniv. Oxon. lib. 1. p. 99. a. you elsewhere; and the same, who many Years after his death was Canoniz’d. Besides the said Books, he the said Rob. Bale composed Several. Sermons, which went from hand to hand, as one (k)(k) V [•] le Baleum in lib. De Scrip. maj. Brit. u [•] sup. Cont. 11. num. 59. of his Order will farther tell you, who addeth, 1503 that he giving way to fate in Fifteen hundred and three which was about the 18th. Year of K. Hen. 7. was buried in his Monastery of Burnham before-mentioned.