Thomas Holyoake

or Holyoke son of Francis Hol. mention’d under the year 1653, was born at Stony Thorp near to Southam in Warwickshire, educated in Grammar learning under one Mr. White at Coventry, became a student in Queens Coll. in Michaelm. term 1632. aged 16 years, took the degrees in Arts, made Chaplain of the said Coll. and in the beginning of the Civil War, when Oxford became the Seat of K. Ch. 1. and garrison’d for his use, he was put into Commission for a Captain of a Foot Company, consisting mostly of Scholars. In which office doing good service, had the degree of Doct. of Div. confer’d upon him by the favour of his Majesty, tho no such matter occurs in the public register of the University, which was then somtimes neglected. After the surrender of the Garrison of Oxon for the use of the Parl. he, by the name of Tho. Holyoake, without the addition of Master, Bac. or D. of D, obtained a License from the University to practice physick: whereupon setling in his own Country he exercised that faculty with good success till 1660. In which year his Maj. being restored to his Kingdoms, Thomas Lord Leigh Baron of Stoneleigh in Warwickshire presented him to the Rectory of Whitnash near Warwick, and soon after was made Prebendary of the collegiat church of Wolverhampton in Staffordshire. In 1674 Robert Lord Brook conferr’d upon him the Donative of Breamour in Hampshire (which he had by the marriage of his Lady) worth about 200 l. per an, free from presentation, institution, and episcopal visitation; but before he had enjoy’d it an year or thereabouts, he died to the great grief of his family. He hath written,

A large Dictionary in three parts: 1. The English before the Latine. 2. The Latine before the English. 3. The proper names of Persons, places and other things, necessary to the understanding of Historians and Poets. Lond. 1677 in a thick larg folio. Before which is an Epistle written by the authors son Charles Holyoake of the Inner Temple, whereby he dedicates the book to Fulke L. Brook, and author written by Dr. Thom. Barlow B. of Lincolne, wherein are many things said of the work and its author. But this the reader is to know, that the foundation of the said Dictionary was laid by his father Fr. Hol. before mention’d, and upon that foundation is the largest Dictionary made that hath been ever yet published in England. The said Dr. Holyoake, who was much respected in the neighbourhood where he lived, for his ingenuity and humanity, died of an high Feaver at Breamour on the tenth day of June in sixteen hundred seventy and five.1675. Whereupon his body was conveyed to Warwick and there interred by that of his father, in the great Church there dedicated to S. Mary the Virgin.