Gervaseof Tilbury

Gervase of Tilbury, so called from his birthplace (13th cent.), was an English priest and author. He went to Rome and other parts of Italy, and, after being ordained, studied law at Bologna. In 1177 he was present at the meeting of the Emmperor Frederick and Pope Alexander III. at Venice. He then came to England, and here he wrote Liber Facetiarum for Henry, the crowned son of Henry II. After the death of this prince, he visited Sicily, and seems to have had a house at Nola. He then entered the service of the Emperor Otto IV., who made him Minister of the kingdom of Aries. It was at this period that he wrote his principal work Otia Imperialia.