Bale, John (1495–1563)

English writer and cleric. His King John provides a link between religious drama and the Elizabethan chronicle history play; it is considered to be the first English historical play.

He was also the author of a number of virulently anti-Catholic plays, which he seems to have written as Protestant counterparts to the still popular Catholic mystery plays and morality drama.

Bale was born in Cove, Suffolk, and educated at Cambridge. In 1529 he became prior of the Carmelites of Ipswich. Soon after this date he adopted the principles of Protestantism and wrote in its defence. In consequence, Edward VI made him bishop of Ossory in 1552, but on the accession of Mary he was forced to escape, first to Holland and then to Switzerland. On his return to England, he was made a prebendary of Canterbury by Queen Elizabeth. He died in Canterbury and was buried in the cathedral. He was one of the foremost antiquaries of his time.