Christopher Windebank (born 1615), was an English translator who lived in

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

and worked as guide and interpreter for English ambassadors.

Biography

Christopher who was born in 1615 was a son of Sir Francis Windebank, (later Secretary of State to King Charles I). He was a demy of

Magdalen College, Oxford Magdalen College (, ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete. Today, it is the fourth wealthiest college, with a financial endowment of £332.1 million as of 2019 and one of the s ...

, from 1630 to 1635. He was then sent to Madrid "to understand that court", and lived for a time with the English ambassador, Sir Arthur Hopton. In 1638 he made an imprudent marriage, which cost him his post, and on 5 August 1639 Hopton suggested that his wife should be placed in a convent. Subsequently, being "a perfect Spaniard and an honest man", he was found useful as a guide and interpreter by English ambassadors at Madrid. cites Clarendon, ''Rebellion'', ed. Macray, bk. xii. § 103 note.

Notes

References

;Attribution * 1615 births Year of death missing English translators Guides Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford {{England-bio-stub