Robert Gentilis

Son of Aubrey Gentilis mention’d among these Writers under the year 1611. p. 314: was born in London, matriculated as a member of Ch. Ch. 19. of Apr. 1599, in the ninth year of his age, took the degree of Bach. of Arts as a member of Jesus Coll. in the beginning of July 1603, was translated to S. Johns Coll. soon after, and became Collector in the Lent following for Proctor W. Laud of that House. Thence he was elected Probationer Fellow of Alls. Coll. in 1607, by the endeavours of his Father, who got him sped into that house by an argument in Law, as being under the statutable years. In the said Coll. he continued for some time, took a degree in the Civil Law, but turned a Rake-hell, became King of the beggars for a time, and so much given up to sordid liberty, if not downright wickedness, that he not only spent all that he could get from his Father, (whom he would often abuse) but also afterwards what he could get from his Mother, to whom also he was very disobedient, as she in her last will confesseth. Afterwards he travelled beyond the Seas, took up and became a sober man; and at his return, was a retainer to the Royal Court, and received a Pension from the King. He hath translated from Ital. into English. (1) The history of the inquisition. Lond. 1639. qu. written by Paul Servita. (2) Of the success and chief events of the Monarchy of Spayne, and of the revolt of the Catalonians. Lond: 1639. in tw. written by Marquess Virgilio Malvezzi. (3) Considerations on the lives of Alcibiades and Coriolanus. Lond. 1650. in tw. written by the same Author. Also from French into English Le Chemia abrege: or, a compendious method for the attaining of sciences in a short time, together with the Statutes of the Academie founded by the Cardinal of Richelieu. Lond. 1654. oct. And lastly from Spanish, as it seems, into English, Clar. 1654. The antipathy between the French and the Spaniard. Lond. 1641. in tw. Ded. by the translator to Sir Paul Pindar Kt, to whom in his Epist. he promiseth something that shall be his own invention, that is to publish something of his own writing, but whether he was as good as his word, I know not. One Robert Gentilis a Monk of the Order of S. Benedict in the Monastery of Pontfract in Yorkshire wrot a book of Homelies, and therefore is numbred ((*))((*)) Vide in Append. illustrium Angliae scriptorum per Jo. Pitseum, cent. 4. nu. 9. among our English Writers, but Quaere whether he was not an Outlander.