Bale, John, 1495-1563 (Personal Name)

Works by John Bale that were initially printed under the pseudonyms James Harrison and Henry Stalbridge (or Henry Stalbrydge) have been associated in later editions with his real identity.

His Index britanniore scriptorum ... 1902.

His The vocacyon of Johan Bale, 1989.

Oxford dictionary of national biography, viewed online 23 April 2020 (Bale, John (1495-1563); bishop of Ossory, evangelical polemicist, and historian; born at Cove, near Dunwich, Suffolk, 21 November 1495; began formal education at 12 in Carmelite convent at Norwich, went to Jesus College, Cambridge, about 1514, studied abroad at Louvain and Toulouse, awarded BTh at Cambridge 1529, DTh about 2 years later; friar, in 1530, became prior of white friars' convent in Maldon, Essex; in 1533, promoted to Carmelite convent at Ipswich, prior at Doncaster by July 1534; during 1530s, fell under influence of Thomas, first Baron Wentworth of Nettlestead, to whom he attributed his conversion to protestantism; 1536, left priorate at Doncaster for post of stipendiary priest at Thorndon, Suffolk; by 1536, renounced clerical vows, married; attacked clerical celibacy throughout his polemical writings; in 1537, while at Thorndon, arrested for preaching heresy; freed, thanks in part to intercession of John Leland, king's antiquarian, a strong supporter of Bale and his writings; Bale dedicated Anglorum Heliades (c.1539-1540) to him, historical and bibliographical account of Carmelite order in England (had not yet completed transition from Catholic to protestant theology); also had support of Thomas Cromwell, who supported troupe of actors led by Bale, who staged allegorical morality plays promoting protestant ideas, satirizing Catholic beliefs; known to have written 24 plays, only 5 still extant; first and most widely read today: King John (staged Christmastide 1538); Comedy Concerning Three Laws (printed 1548), The Chief Promises of God, John the Baptist's Preaching, and The Temptation of Jesus Christ (all composed 1538); after 1539 Act of Six Articles, execution of Cromwell, fled to Continent; most influential work during 1st exile: The Image of both Churches (1545), 1st complete commentary on book of Revelation printed in English; outspoken controversial writings, including anti-Roman-Catholic martyrologies: A Brief Chronicle Concerning the Examination and Death of Sir John Oldcastle (1544), The Examination of William Thorpe, and The Examinations of Anne Askew (1547); these works provided models for John Foxe's highly influential Actes and Monuments; Acts of English Votaries (1546), an exposé of alleged monastic corruption; Yet another Course at the Romish Foxes (1543), denouncing Stephen Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, for persecuting English protestants; wrote and edited numerous tracts, including Princess Elizabeth's translation of devotional text by Marguerite de Navarre, Godly Meditations of the Christian Soul (1548); arranged for printing of his polemical works in Antwerp, Wesel; arranged for smuggling them into England, where sold surreptitiously under pseudonyms James Harrison, Henry Stalbridge; Illustrium Maioris Britannie scriptorum ... summarium (Wesel, 1548) opposed destruction of libraries resulting from dissolution of monasteries, continued John Leland's antiquarian project of preserving and cataloguing their manuscript holdings; Index Britanniae scriptorum, untitled manuscript unpublished until 20th century (Bodl. Oxf., MS Selden supra 64), notebook mostly compiled ca. 1548-1552: bibliographical tool, monumental effort to record title, opening lines, and location of every extant learned book composed by a British author; after Edward VI's accession, returned to England; in 1548 he and John Foxe living in duchess of Richmond's house in London; 1551, made rector of Bishopstoke, Hampshire, vicar of Swaffham; 22 October 1552: nominated to Irish bishopric of Ossory; travelled to Ireland late 1552, consecrated 2 February 1553; resided at Kilkenny; ardent upholding of protestant doctrine created controversy; The Vocacyon of Johan Bale to the Bishoprick of Ossorie in Ireland (false colophon; likely that Hugh Singleton and Joos Lambrecht printed it later than 1553 in Wesel): one of earliest known autobiographical writings in English, detailed account of his uncompromising activity as evangelical prelate, largely a record of conflict between the bishop and his flock; after Mary I succeeded, staged his own polemical plays in Kilkenny; fled September 1553; after arrested and freed twice, to Netherlands; forced to leave books and manuscripts behind (their fate remains uncertain); September 1554, in Frankfurt am Main, took part in disputes among English protestant exiles over liturgy and church government; by end 1555, living in Basel, where completed a revision of Summarium, under title Scriptorum illustrium Maioris Brytannie ... catalogus (2 folio volumes, Joannes Oporinus, 1557-1559): great emphasis on documenting continuity of "true" church from early Christian times until his generation, recording works of proto-protestant writers, notably English Lollards; Acta Romanorum pontificum (Joannes Oporinus, 1558): anti-papal material; following accession of Elizabeth, returned to England, 10 January 1560, appointed by crown as canon of 11th prebend in Canterbury Cathedral; Declaration of Edmonde Bonners Articles (originally written 1554, published 1561) attacks Catholic bishop of London for persecuting protestants under Mary; attended 1563 convocation; died before 26 November 1563, buried at Canterbury)

Wikipedia, 27 April 2020: John Bale (John Bale (21 November 1495-November 1563); English churchman, historian, and controversialist, Bishop of Ossory; wrote oldest known historical verse drama in English (on King John), developed and published very extensive list of works of British authors down to his own time, just as monastic libraries were being dispersed; last Prior of Ipswich Carmelite house, elected 1533; abandoned his monastic vocation, got married; powerful protection of Thomas Cromwell, whose notice he is said to have attracted by his miracle plays, e.g., Three laws, which denounced the monastic system and its supporters; profane parody; when Cromwell fell from favour in 1540, Bale fled with wife and children to Antwerp; returned on accession of King Edward VI, received living of Bishopstoke, Hampshire, promoted 22 October 1552 to Irish see of Ossory, Church of Ireland; consecrated 2 February 1553; conflicts with Dean of Dublin, who protested against revised consecration ceremony, judge Thomas St. Lawrence, who travelled to Kilkenny to urge the people to reject Bale's innovations; with accession of Queen Mary, his term ended September 1553; fled, eventually made way to Netherlands, then to Frankfurt and Basel; during exile, devoted himself to writing; returned on accession of Queen Elizabeth I, received (1560) a prebendal stall at Canterbury, where died and was buried in Cathedral) https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Bale&oldid=909867990

Wikidata, 30 April 2020 (John Bale (Q1234985); description: Anglican bishop in Ireland; sex or gender: male; country of citizenship: Kingdom of England; date of birth: 21 November 1495; place of birth: Dunwich; date of death: November 1563, Gregorian; languages spoken, written, or signed: English; occupations: priest, writer, theologian, historian, poet; educated at: Jesus College; religious order: Carmelites) http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1234985

Wikipedia, 30 April 2020: Convocation of 1563 (Convocation of 1563; significant gathering of English and Welsh clerics that consolidated the Elizabethan religious settlement, brought the Thirty-Nine Articles close to their final form; sessions 11 January-14 April 1563, New Style [Gregorian]; John Bale a participant) https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Convocation_of_1563&oldid=926666431