Balbuena, Bernardo De

Balbuena, Bernardo De bishop and poet of Spain, was born at Valdepenas in 1568. He accompanied his family to Mexico, and had scarcely attained his seventeenth year when he became remarkable for his poetic talent. After a time he returned to his native country, but he spent the remainder of his life at Jamaica, where he exercised the functions of judge, or at Porto Rico, where he became bishop. He was there in 1625, when the Dutch pillaged it, and lost a large library. He died at Porto Rico in 1627. He wrote Siglo de Oro en las Selvas de Eriphile (Madrid, 1608 and 1821). Another poem, entitled Grandeza Mexicana, was published (ibid. 1604). See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.