Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sandford, James
SANDFORD or SANFORD, JAMES (fl. 1567), author, apparently a native of Somerset, may have been uncle or cousin of John Sandford (1565?–1629) [q. v.] One ‘Mr. Sandford’ was tutor from about 1586 to William Herbert, third earl of Pembroke [q. v.] (cf. Ashmole MS. 174, f. 149). James was well read in classical and modern literature, and worked laboriously as a translator. In 1567 he published two translations with Henry Bynneman [q. v.], the London printer: the one was entitled ‘Amorous and Tragicall Tales of Plutarch, whereunto is annexed the Hystorie of Cariclea and Theagines with sentences of the philosophers,' London, 1567; and was dedicated to Sir Hugh Paulet [q. v.] of Hinton St. George, Somerset. There is a copy in the British Museum, lacking the title-page. Sandford's other translation of 1567 was 'The Manuell of Epictetus, translated out of Greeke into French and now into English,' London, 1567, 12mo, dedicated to Queen Elizabeth (British Museum). Two years later there followed 'Henrie Cornelius Agrippa, of the Vanitie and Uncertaintie of Artes and Sciences, englished by Ja. San., Gent.,' London, 1569 (by Henry Wykes, 4to); it was dedicated to the Duke of Norfolk; a few verses are included (British Museum). In 1573 there appeared 'The Garden of Pleasure, contayninge most pleasante tales, worthy deeds, and witty sayings of noble princes and learned philosophers moralized,' done out of Italian into English, London (by H. Bynneman), 1573, 8vo; this was dedicated to Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester. In an appendix are 'certaine Italian prouerbs and sentences done into English' (British Museum). The whole work was reissued as 'Houres of Recreation or Afterdinners, which may aptly be called the Garden of Pleasure . . . newly perused, corrected and enlarged,' London (by H. Bynneman), 1576, 12mo (British Museum). In the dedication to Sir Christopher Hatton, Sandford repeats some prognostications of disaster for 1588. An appendix collects 'certayne poems dedicated to the queen's most excellent majestye.' 'Mirror of Madnes, translated from the French, or a Paradoxe, maintayning madnes to be most excellent, done out of French into English by Ja. San. Gent.' London (Tho. Marshe, sm. 8vo), was also published in 1576. It resembles in design Erasmus's 'Praise of Folly' (Brydges, Censura, iii. 17). A few verses are included; copies are at Lambeth and in the Capell collection at Trinity College, Cambridge. Sandford was further responsible for 'The Revelation of S. Iohn, reueled as a paraphrase . . . writen in Latine (by James Brocard),' London (by Thomas Marshe), 1582; it was dedicated to Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester (British Museum). Some verses by Sandford are prefixed to George Turberville's 'Plaine Path to Perfect Vertue' (1568).
[Ritson's Bibliographia Poetica; Sandford's Works in Brit. Mus.; Hazlitt's Bibliographical Collections.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.241
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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