Leonard Cox facts for kids

Leonard Cox (born around 1495, died around 1549) was an important English scholar. He wrote the very first book in English about rhetoric, which is the art of speaking or writing well. Leonard Cox was known around the world for his knowledge. He was friends with famous thinkers like Erasmus and Melanchthon. People at the time knew him as a great teacher, poet, and speaker. He was also good at many languages, both old and new.

The Early Life and Travels of Leonard Cox

Leonard Cox began his studies at Tübingen University in 1514. He spent time teaching at the University of Kraków in Poland from 1518 to 1520 and again from 1525 to 1527. There, he taught about classic writers. He also worked as a schoolmaster in places like Levoča (in 1520) and Košice (in 1521), which are now in Slovakia.

Some records suggest he traveled a lot, possibly visiting Paris and Prague. He had important supporters in Poland, including Krzysztof Szydłowiecki. In 1527, Cox helped print letters exchanged between Martin Luther and Henry VIII of England. He added his own introduction praising Szydłowiecki. Szydłowiecki and Jan Łaski helped Cox meet Erasmus. Cox often gave lectures on Erasmus's book De copia.

Education and Teaching in England

Leonard Cox visited England and earned his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from the University of Cambridge in 1526-1527. He later received the same degree from Oxford University in 1530.

Around 1530, Hugh Cook Faringdon, who was the abbot of Reading Abbey, made Cox the headmaster of the grammar school in Reading, Berkshire. While at Reading, Cox supported John Frith when he faced trouble. After Faringdon was executed in 1539, Cox moved to Caerleon in Wales, where he continued to run a school. Leonard Bilson took over as headmaster of Reading school in 1546.

The Art or Crafte of Rhetoryke

Leonard Cox is most famous for his book, The Art or Crafte of Rhetoryke. The first version came out in 1524, and another was printed in London in 1532. This book was based on a part of Melanchthon's Institutiones Rhetoricae.

Cox's book was the very first one about rhetoric written in English. Rhetoric is the skill of using language effectively to persuade or inform. The book was meant for a wide audience, but it was also very useful for lawyers. Many people believe it was designed to be a textbook for students in grammar schools.

Other Written Works

Besides his famous rhetoric book, Leonard Cox worked on other writings. He edited a book called Venatio by Adriano di Castello in 1524. He also translated a Greek text, Marcus Eremita de Lege et Spiritu, into Latin.

Cox translated Erasmus's Paraphrase of the Epistle to Titus from Latin into English. In 1534, he asked his printer to give this translation to Thomas Cromwell, hoping Cromwell would help him get a job at a free school in Bristol. This translation was printed again in 1549.

In 1540, he wrote Commentaries upon Will. Lily's Construction of the eight parts of Speech. This was a version of William Lilye's basic Latin grammar book, also dedicated to Cromwell. Cox also wrote short poems that were included at the beginning of other people's books, such as Erasmus's Hyperaspistes and a French grammar book by John Palsgrave.