Born in Ludlow 1549, son of John Holland, younger brother of William Holland of Burwarton, a village located ten miles north east of Ludlow. Often confused with his cousin Thomas, son of William, having the same name and being very close is age; the two even died the same year but six months apart. Thomas son of William was the heir to the Burwarton Estate and was buried on 10 September 1612 in Stottesden, Shropshire, whereas Thomas son of John was a minor celebrity of his day and was buried on 26 March 1612 in Oxford.
Thomas married Susan Gunter on 22 July 1593 in All Saints' Church and had six children, three sons and three daughters, all christened in North Moreton between 1594 and 1601:
Anne named after Thomas' mother in law, Anne Gunter. She married Dr. John Whetcombe, vicar of Maiden Newton, Dorsetshire and former pupil of Thomas'.
William Matriculated into Exeter College, Oxford 22 November 1611 aged 16 . He became a captain in the service of Charles I.
Brian named after Thomas' father in law, Brian Gunter of North Moreton. BA from Exeter College, Oxford 17 December 1621, MA 6 July 1627 . Became a minister and moved to Long Wittenham. Later in life he became father to Brain Holland who was matriculated into Magdalen College, Oxford 22 June 1667 aged 17. Brian Jr was a chorister from 1660 to 1668, a clerk from 1668-1671, rector of Hitcham, Buckinghamshire, canon of Sarum from 1672 and rector of Lamyatt from 1704 . He married Mary Keene on 5 June 1672 and became father to Daniel Holland.
In June 1604, 54 of England's most prominent linguists and scholars were commissioned into 6 groups to translate the Bible into English. Thomas took a very prominent part in the translation of the Bible, as a member of the "First Oxford Company", responsible for the translation of the books of the Old Testament prophets from Isaiah to Malachi, in the project to create an Authorized Version of the Bible for reading in the churches. After it was published 2 May 1611, Thomas died 10 ½ months later aged 63. He had stoutly resisted the "popish innovations" which Richard Bancroft and William Laud strove too successfully to introduce at Oxford. Thomas is interred in the chancel of St Mary's church, Oxford. One of his portraits is in the Hope collection in the Bodleian Library, and a fine engraving in Henry Holland's Herωologia Anglica. Another of his portraits, which is in the National Portrait Gallery, London, reads, "Hollandus docuit divini dogmata verbi et pugil adversos stravit feliciter hostes," which translates roughly as "Holland taught the teachings of God's Word and fought against enemies, successfully throwing them down."
The Bewitching of Anne Gunter
It was during his time translating that Thomas was involved in a case of witchcraft in North Moreton brought by his sister in law, Anne Gunter, and her father, Brian Gunter, against local women who it was said had cursed Anne Gunter. The case went to the Star Chamber and Thomas was called as an expert witness. He refused to believe that Anne was possessed by the devil and that she could it was claimed read with her eyes closed. It was eventually discovered to be the invention of Anne's father who had a vendetta against a local family.
Works
Thomas' works include:
'Oratio habita cum Henricus Episc. Sarisburiensis Gradum Doctoris susceperit,' Oxford, 1599, 4to.
'Πανηγυρίς D. Elizabethæ Reginæ. "A Sermon preached at Pauls in London the 17 of November, 1599. Whereunto is adioyned an Apologeticall Discourse for observing the 17 of November yeerely in the form of an Holy-Day," Oxford, 1601
