John Sandford (poet) facts for kids

John Sandford (born around 1565, died 1629) was an English clergyman and a smart person who studied languages. He was known for being really good at understanding and teaching the rules of Romance languages like French, Italian, and Spanish. He also wrote poems in Latin and was one of the first people to create what we now call literary nonsense – fun, silly writing! He even made fun of another famous traveler, Thomas Coryat.

Early Life and Education

John Sandford was born in a town called Chard, Somerset in England, around the year 1565. His father was Richard Sandford. When he was about 16 years old, in 1581, John went to Balliol College, Oxford, which is a famous university.

He worked hard and earned his first degree, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), in 1586. Later, in 1595, he earned his Master of Arts (M.A.) degree.

Becoming a Chaplain

In 1593, John Sandford became a chaplain at Magdalen College in Oxford. A chaplain is like a minister or priest who works for a college or a family. He stayed in this job at Magdalen College until 1616.

However, sometimes he got into a bit of trouble for not attending church services. Even so, he was a respected scholar.

Travels and Diplomatic Missions

Before 1616, Sandford started traveling. He became a chaplain for an important person named Sir John Digby. Sir John was a diplomat, which means he worked for the English government to deal with other countries.

Around 1610, Sandford was with Sir John in Brussels, a city in Belgium. Then, in 1611, they traveled to Spain. Sir John Digby's mission was to help arrange a marriage between the English royal family and the Spanish royal family. This was a very important diplomatic trip.

Later Career and Death

By 1614, Sandford was back in England. He worked for George Abbot, who was the archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop was a very high-ranking church leader.

In 1615, Archbishop Abbot gave Sandford some important church positions. He became a prebend in Canterbury Cathedral, which is a special role in a major church. He also became the rector (head priest) of two churches in Kent: Ivechurch and Blackmanstone.

Later, in 1621, he was given another church, Snave, also in Kent. He held these positions until he passed away on September 24, 1629. John Sandford was buried in the famous Canterbury Cathedral.

His Writings and Works

John Sandford was known for being a talented writer, especially of Latin poems. Other writers of his time, like John Lane and John Davies of Hereford, praised his poetry.

Early Poems

His very first published work was a Latin poem in 1592. It was called Appolinis et Mvsarum Eὐκτικὰ Eἰδύλλια. This poem described a special dinner given by Magdalen College for Queen Elizabeth I when she visited Oxford.

He also wrote other poems for important events, like funerals of famous people. His poems were often included in other writers' books as commendatory poems, which are poems written to praise the main author or their work.

Grammar Books

Besides poetry, Sandford was an expert in languages. He wrote several grammar books to help people learn French, Latin, Italian, and Spanish. These books were very useful for students and travelers.

• French Grammar: In 1604, he published Le Guichet Francois, which was a short introduction to the French language.
• Latin Grammar: In 1605, he released A briefe extract of the former Latin Grammar. This book made learning Latin easier for English speakers.
• Italian Grammar: Also in 1605, he published A Grammar, or Introdvction to the Italian Tongue.
• Spanish Grammar: For Sir John Digby's trip to Spain, Sandford prepared Προπύλαιον, or Entrance to the Spanish Tongue in 1611. This book was specifically for the people traveling with the ambassador.

John Sandford's work on grammars helped many people learn new languages during his time.