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 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; British Library Ames 3/1416 (tp only).

Inscription and motto of Thomas Holbech (Armagh Robinson Library CC.V.11 N. Fuller, Miscellaneorum theologicorum, London, 1617)

Characteristic Markings

Holbech inscribed his titlepages with his name and the motto Homo cum sis, id fac semper intelligas.

Sources

• Will of Thomas Holbech, The National Archives PROB 11/364/342.
• Matthews, A. G. Walker revised. Oxford, 1948.
• Venn, J. & J. A. Alumni Cantabrigienses. Cambridge, 1922.