John de Beauchesne

Life & Legacy

John de Beauchesne, also known as John de Beau Chesne, Jean de Beauchesne and Jehan de Beauchesne (c.1538 in Paris – May 1620 in London) was a French Huguenot writing master (that is, a teacher of penmanship) and calligrapher. He relocated to London around 1565, in the reign of Elizabeth I. In 1570 he co-authored A Booke containing divers sortes of hands, the first writing manual published in English. He travelled to Italy and France, where he published additional writing manuals, returning to England by 1583. In his later years he was appointed writing master to two of the children of James I, Elizabeth and Charles (later King Charles I). Beauchesne died in London in May 1620.