Thomas Holbech 1606?-1680
Thomas HOLBECH 1606?-1680
Biographical Note
Son of William Holbech, of Birchley Hall, Fillongley, Warwickshire. BA Emmanuel College, Cambridge 1626, MA 1629, BD 1636, DD 1660; fellow 1629, Master 1675. Vice-Chancellor 1677-8. Vicar of Epping, 1641-43 (sequestered), restored 1660; rector of St Augustine, London 1662, Prebendary of St Paul’s 1660. Apparently spent part of the Interregnum serving as rector of Chastleton, Oxfordshire.
Books
Holbech’s will (PCC PROB 11/364) includes a codicil making provision for his books. All his printed books, as listed in a catalogue, were to go to Thomas Holbech, son of his nephew William Holbech of Westminster, apart from a number of printed books separately listed in a paper signed by him, which were to be divided between Emmanuel College, another nephew Simon Cayley, and another of his kinsmen. His bequests also included a quarto English Bible to his niece Catherine Cooper, and twenty shillings to Simon Cayley to buy a book as a remembrance. His writings were to be given to Thomas Holbech. A mid 18th century list of donations to Emmanuel (Emmanuel Archives, 9.2) values Holbech’s gift at £20; at least 20 volumes can be identified in the College today. A letter from Holbech to William Sancroft of 1656 refers to the hardships of his life during the Interregnum, including the fact that he had begun to sell books to raise income. Books from Holbech’s library are now found widely scattered, in addition to those which remain at Emmanuel. Examples: Emmanuel 309.1.29, 318.2.8, 331.3.84; Bodleian Bywater O.7.2; Plume Library, Malden K.5.30; BL Ames 3/1416 (tp only).
Characteristic Markings
Holbech inscribed his titlepages with his name and the motto Homo cum sis, id fac simper intelligas.
Sources
- Matthews, A. G. Walker revised. Oxford, 1948.
- Venn, J. & J. A. Alumni Cantabrigienses. Cambridge, 1922.