Career

Bale was a native of Norfolk, and when very young entered the Carmelite monastery at Norwich. Having a great love of learning, he spent a portion of every year in the Carmelite priories at Oxford or Cambridge. He became prior of the monastery of his order at Burnham Norton.

Bale enjoyed a high reputation for learning, and collected a valuable library, which he bequeathed to his priory upon his death on 11 November 1503.

His principal works were:

Annales Ordinis Carmelitarum (Bod Architecture Seld B 72). Historia Heliæ Prophetæ

Officium Simonis Angli (ie of Street Simon Stock, the first English Carmelite friar and a major figure in the establishment of the Carmelite Order).