SANCHEZ, FRANCISCO, commonly called "El Brocense," the best classical scholar of his day in Spain, was born at Las Brozas in Estremadura in 1523. After taking his bachelor's degree at Valladolid, he went to Salamanca, where he obtained the chair of rhetoric in 1554. He likewise taught Greek and Latin, and had the honour to be spoken of in the highest terms by such learned men as Justus Lipsius and Scioppius. Lipsius, after designating him the "divine" and the "admirable," calls him "the Mercury and the Apollo of Spain." Having edited several classical authors, and having taken his doctor's degree, he devoted all his time to the great work Minerva, seu de Causis Linguae Latinae Commentarius, which appeared in 1587, and which has frequently been reprinted. This work raised the author's reputation to the highest pitch. He resigned his chair of rhetoric into the hands of his son-in-law in 1593, and died on the 17th January 1601, aged 77.
Sanchez wrote a great many smaller works, which are contained in the 4-vol. edition of his minor writings of 1766. Prefixed to the first volume is a Life of the author by Mayans.