Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Corbie, Ambrose

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1353610Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 12 — Corbie, Ambrose1887Thompson Cooper

CORBIE or CORBINGTON, AMBROSE (1604–1649), jesuit, one of the sons of Gerard Corbie [q. v.] and his wife, Isabella Richardson, was born near Durham on 7 Dec. (O.S.) 1604 (Oliver, Jesuit Collections, p. 74). At the age of twelve he was placed in the English college at St. Omer, whence he removed in 1622 to the English college at Rome. He was admitted into the Society of Jesus at Watten in 1627, and became a professed father in 1641. For some years he taught the belles-lettres with great applause in the college at St. Omer (Southwell, Bibl. Scriptorum Soc. Jesu, p. 45). In 1645 he was minister at Ghent (Foley, Records, vii. 167). He was appointed confessor in the English college at Rome, where he died on 11 April 1649.

He wrote: 1. ‘Certamen Triplex a tribus Societ. Jesu ex Provincia Anglicana sacerdotibus RR. PP. P. Thoma Hollando, P. Rodulpho Corbæo, P. Henrico Morsæo, intra proximum triennium, pro avita fide, religione, sacerdotio, contra veritatis, pietatis, ecclesiæque hostes, susceptum fortiter, decertatum constanter, confectum feliciter, Lon dini in Anglia,’ Antwerp, 1645, 16mo, with three engraved portraits; reprinted, Munich, 1646, 16mo. The two Latin editions of this book are in great requisition among collectors (Backer, Bibl. des Écrivains de la Compagnie de Jésus, ed. 1869, i. 1369; Cat. of the Huth Library, i. 282). An English translation by William Barclay Turnbull was published at London, 1858, 8vo (Gillow, Bibl. Dict. of the English Catholics, i. 564). 2. An account of his father. Printed in Foley's ‘Records,’ iii. 64. 3. ‘Vita e morte del fratello Tomaso Stilintono [i.e. Stillington, alias Oglethorpe], novitio Inglese della Compagnia di Giesu, morto in Messina, 15 Sept. 1617;’ manuscript at Stonyhurst College (Hist. MSS. Comm. 3rd Rep. 338).

[Authorities cited above.]

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