John Bale was a Protestant polemicist who wrote several books during the English Reformation. He was an ally of Thomas Cromwell and received Cromwell’s protection following his denunciation of Roman Catholic practices and the monastic system. Bale fled into exile following Cromwell's execution by Henry VIII in 1535. On his return to England in 1548, he published a book containing the names  and works of British (English, Scottish and Welsh) authors from the past five centuries. It was published at Ipswich by John Overton in 1548-9. This edition, completely rewritten and containing the names of authors from the past 14 centuries was published at Basel the following decade.