Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Blandie, William
BLANDIE or BLANDY, WILLIAM (fl. 1580), author, born at Newbury, Berkshire, was educated at Winchester College was elected a probationer fellow of New College, Oxford, on 8 June 1563, and was admitted B.A. 3 July 1566. Soon afterwards he was removed from his fellowship by the Bishop of Winchester on account of his strong popish leanings. He then went to London and joined the Middle Temple, where he became 'fellow.' He appears to have served in the Low Countries with the English army in 1580. He was the author of:
- 'The Five Books of the Famous, Learned, and Eloquent Man, Hieronimo Osorius [Osorio da Fonseca, bishop of Silves], contayning a discussion of Ciuill and Christian Nobilitie,' 1576, dedicated 'at Newberie, 6 day of April,' to the Earl of Leicester.
- 'The Castle or Picture of Policy, shewing forth most liuely the face, body, and partes of a commonwealth, the duety … of a perfect … souldiar, the martiall feates late done by our … nation, under the conduct of … J. Noris, Gecerall of thearmyof the states in Friesland. … Handled in manner of a Dialogue betwixt Gefferay Gate and William Blandy, souldiars,' 1581, dedicated to Sir Philip Sidney.
An undated volume on ancient chronology, by Adam and William Blandy, fellows of Pembroke College, Oxford, has been erroneously ascribed to this William Blandy. The book was certainly published early in the eighteenth century, Adam Blandy proceeded B.A. at Oxford in 1704 and M.A. in 1707. William proceeded B.A. in 1708 and M.A. in 1711, and died in 1739. They were probably descendants of the earlier William Blandy, and sons of Adam Blandy of Letcombe Regis, Berkshire (Berry's Berkshire Genealogies, 144).
[Wood's Athenæ Oxon. (Bliss), i. 428; Oxford Register (Oxf. Hist. Soc.), i. 264; Brit. Mus. Cat.; free Notes and Queries, 8th ser., iii. 67, 119; Hunter's MS. Chorus Vatum.]