Francis Holcroft facts for kids
Francis Holcroft (born around 1629, died 1693) was an English minister. He was one of many ministers who were forced to leave their churches because of their religious beliefs during a time of big changes in England.
Contents
Francis Holcroft's Story
Early Life and Education
Francis Holcroft was born in West Ham, Essex. His father was Sir Henry Holcroft. In 1647, Francis began studying at Clare Hall, Cambridge. There, he became friends with John Tillotson, who later became a very important church leader. While at Cambridge, Francis became a strong supporter of Puritan ideas. Puritans were a group of Protestants who wanted to make the Church of England simpler and more "pure."
He earned his master's degree in 1654. After that, he became a fellow (a kind of teacher or researcher) at his college and was ordained as a minister.
Becoming a Preacher
For a few years, Francis freely served the church in Litlington, Cambridgeshire. Around 1655, he became the minister at Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire. He was a very good preacher and was helped by another minister, Joseph Oddy.
Holcroft eventually started a church based on "congregational principles." This meant that each local church would be independent and run by its own members, rather than being controlled by bishops or a central church authority.
Facing Challenges
In 1662, a major event called the Great Ejection happened. Many ministers, including Holcroft, were forced out of their churches because they would not follow the new rules of the Church of England, which brought back bishops. After being removed from Bassingbourn, Holcroft continued to preach to his former church members. He gathered them into new groups in different places, with help from Oddy and another minister, S. Corbyn.
In 1663, Holcroft was put in Cambridge jail. This was because he was preaching illegally, as he was no longer allowed to be a minister. However, the jailer sometimes let him out to visit his congregations. At his trial, he was told he had to leave the country. But a powerful person, Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey, spoke to King Charles II on his behalf. So, Holcroft was allowed to stay in jail instead of being exiled.
Continued Ministry and Imprisonment
Holcroft was released from jail in 1672, when a special order called the Declaration of Indulgence allowed more religious freedom for a short time. He immediately went back to preaching. But soon after, he was put in jail again.
He managed to get moved to the Fleet Prison in London, which was a prison for people who owed money. There, he often preached to large groups of people. Once he paid his debts, he was finally released. During both his times in prison, his old friend John Tillotson supported him.
Holcroft's Legacy
Until 1689, Francis Holcroft was in charge of many church groups in Cambridgeshire and nearby areas. After 1689, his health began to fail, and he became very sad. His church organization struggled without his strong leadership.
He passed away on January 6, 1693, in Thriplow, Cambridgeshire, where he was buried. He left some of his money to help the poor people in his congregations. He also left a piece of land in Oakington to be used as a burial place. Another historian, Edmund Calamy, said that Francis Holcroft preached in almost every village in Cambridgeshire.
His Writings
Francis Holcroft wrote a short book called "A Word to the Saints from the Watch Tower." It was published in 1688. It seems he wrote this book while he was in Cambridge jail.
