John Bond (classicist) facts for kids

Meet John Bond! He was an interesting person from England who lived a long time ago (from 1550 to 1612). He was a doctor and also studied old books and languages. Plus, he was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for a town called Taunton not just once, but twice!

Early Life and Learning

John Bond was born in a place called Trull, in Somerset, England. He went to two famous schools: Winchester College and New College, Oxford. In 1579, he earned a special degree called Master of Arts.

Soon after, he became the head teacher at the Free School in Taunton. This was a special school where New College, Oxford, helped choose the teachers.

A Doctor and a Scholar

Even though John Bond didn't have a formal medical degree, he started working as a doctor. People really respected him for his medical skills.

But he became even more famous for his writings about old books and poems. He wrote important notes and explanations for the works of famous ancient writers. One of his most well-known works was about the Roman poet Horace. His notes were so good that they were used in many books about Horace all over Europe! After he passed away, his son-in-law published another important book of his, which was about the writer Persius.

Serving in Parliament

John Bond was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for Taunton two times. He served in the English Parliament in 1601 and again from 1604 to 1611. It's also thought that he might have been the main secretary for a very important person called the Lord Chancellor, Sir Thomas Egerton.

John Bond passed away in 1612 and was buried in the church in Taunton. A historian named Anthony à Wood said that John Bond was a "polite and rare critic." This means he was a very skilled and clever person who helped learning grow a lot!