John Bois

John Bois (sometimes spelled Boys or "Boyse") (5 January 1560 – 14 January 1643) was an English scholar, remembered mainly as one of the members of the translating committee for the Authorized Version of the Bible.

Life Bois was born in Nettlestead, Suffolk, England, His father was William Bois, a graduate of Michaelhouse, Cambridge and a Protestant converted by Martin Bucer, who was vicar of Elmsett and West Stow; his mother was Mirable Poolye.

His father took great care about his education, and already at the age of five years John could read the Bible in Hebrew. He was sent to school at Hadleigh, then went to St John's College, Cambridge, in 1575 when he was 15 years old. He was taught by Henry Copinger, and soon was proficient in Greek. He intended medicine as a profession, but its study brought on hypochondria. Serious financial troubles followed, and he had to sell his library; his scholarly reputation brought him tasks, but they were poorly rewarded. In 1609 he succeeded John Duport as prebendary of Ely while also serving as rector of Boxworth. He spent the last years of his life there. He was eighty-three when he died in Ely. He had four sons and three daughters, none of whom survived their father. His wife died two years before him. The renderings of the Vulgate are in the main defended, but Bois frequently proposes more exact translations of his own.