Bond, John

, a celebrated commentator and grammarian, was born in Somersetshire in 1550. He was educated at Winchester school, and in 1569 was entered a student at New college in Oxford, where he became highly esteemed for his academical learning. In 1573 he took the degree of B. A. and in 1579 that of M. A. and soon after the warden and fellows of his college appointed him master of the free-school of Taunton in Somersetshire. Here he continued many years, and several of his scholars became eminent both in church and state. Being at length, however, tired with the fatigue of this irksome employment, he turned his thoughts to the study of physic, and practised it with great reputation, although without taking any degree in that faculty. He died at Taunton the | 3d of August, 1612, and was buried in the chancel of the church, with the following epitaph over his grave:

Qui medicus doctus, prudentis nomine clarus,

Eloquii splendor, Pieridumque decus,

Virtutis cultor, pietatis vixit amicus,

Hie jacet in tumulo; spiritus alta tenet.

Mr. Bond has left “Annotationes in poemata Quiuti Horatii,” Lond. 1606, 8vo. Han. 1621, 8vo, and Ley den, 1653, 8vo. The best edition is that of Amst. 1636, 12mo. His Persius was not printed till two years after his death, in 8vo, under the following. title, “Auli Persii Flacci Satyrae sex, cum posthumis commentariis Johannis Bond,” 1614, 8vo. It was published by Roger Prowse, who had married his daughter Elizabeth, and who, in the dedication to Dr. Montague, bishop of Bath and Wells, informs us, that his father-in-law had not put the last hand to these Commentaries; which may be the reason of those considerable defects in some points of history and philosophy which are to be found in them. Mr. Wood is of opinion that, besides these, he wrote several other pieces, which were never published. ¹