Person Gascoigne; Sir; Bernard (1614 - 1687); royalist army officer and diplomat Gascoigne Bernard Sir royalist army officer and diplomat Guasconi, Bernardo Bernardino Guasconi Gascoin 1614 - 1687 Italian Male Florence, Italy, Europe 1614 1614 Haymarket, St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, England, Europe 10 January 1687 16870110

Diplomat; Soldier Career: Man-at-arms in the service of the Grand Duke of Tuscany; served in Lombardy, Piedmont and Germany; joined the King's Army (c1644); wrote account of occurrences in England for Ferdinand Grand Duke of Tuscany (1647); taken prisoner at Colchester and condemned to be shot but his life was spared (1648); returned to Florence (1650); lived in England (1660-1664 and 1667); negotiated to give the English government secret intelligence from Venice and France (1664); attended Cosimo, Prince of Tuscany, on his visit to England (1669); English envoy at Vienna (1672-1673) Parents: Giovanni Battista di Bernardo Guasconi and Clemenza Altaviti Gascoigne became naturalised English in 1681. A first bill for Gascoigne's naturalisation was read in the House of Lords in 1661 but did not proceed further although he was able to obtain a patent of denization as Sir Bernard Gascoigne of Florence in October 1661. He did not contribute to the Society's activities and was later expelled. Ejected due to non-payment of arrears 22 July 1685. Fellow 20/06/1667 22 July 1685 Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DNB; Hunter; Shaw LD; ODNB References: Knowles Middleton W E. 1978-9. 'Some Italian Visitors to the Early Royal Society', in Notes and Records, vol. 33, pp. 157-173 Notes: Proposed by Henry Howard, Duke of Norfolk. He does not seem to have been a conventional Knight, but rather, in 1661, obtained a 'patent of denization by the name of Sir Bernard Gascoigne of Florence' (DNB). According to Hunter, he was expelled in 1685. ODNB has April or May 1614 as date of birth. ODNB has 20 January 1687 OS as date of death. International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 1614 - 10 Jan 1687 The past Fellows entries are under continuous revision. If you have queries or additional information to contribute, please contact Library@royalsociety.org. Content in external sources is not controlled by the Royal Society and historical sources may include content that is now unacceptable. Reviewed on 01/06/2022 as part of the Name Authority Project update. NA8381 21/11/2001 Andyg Pmab 15/01/2026 RS_NET\VidaM Yes http://viaf.org/viaf/96913503 95f8016c-52ae-4789-910a-af2fa469f0fe