Bancks was born in Sonning, Berkshire, and became apprenticed to a weaver in Reading.
He suffered an accident, and left the apprenticeship before completion, becoming a bookseller in Spitalfields.
He wrote poetry and biography, including works on the lives of Jesus, Oliver Cromwell and William III.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Stephen, Leslie, ed.
This article about an English writer, poet or playwright is a stub.