John Tolly 1614/5-1655

John TOLLY 1614/15-1655

Biographical Note

Born in London. BA Christ's College, Cambridge 1633, MA 1636; fellow of Peterhouse 1633. Rector of Tattingstone, Suffolk 1641, of Little Gransden, Cambridgeshire 1643; ejected from there, and from his Peterhouse fellowship ca.1644. He was accused of having a crucifix, and "other superstitious trimmings" in his room. His movements thereafter are not known but he officiated at a wedding in Putney in 1650, and his will refers to patronage from the Earl of Rutland.

Books

Tolly's will refers to "my books here and at Haddon [in Derbyshire] worth as I conceive about £120 [though] they cost much more", directing that they be sold "at what a bookseller will give for them only advice of a scholar or two must first be had a catalogue of them in parchment and book folding over". He asked that the income from his chamber in Peterhouse be put to buying books for the college library. He also referred to his "papers and paper books" which are "so ill written and confused that they cannot be useful to any other man", specifiying that these should be disposed of by his executor.

Characteristic markings

None of Tolly's books have been identified.

Sources

• Matthews, A. G. Walker revised. Oxford, 1948, p.87.
• Venn, J. Biographical history of Gonville & Caius College. Cambridge, 1897.
• Walker, T. A. Admissions to Peterhouse, 1912, p.50.