William Holt (born 1545)
second son of Robert Holt (Rochdale / Ashworth) is a famous
member of the family. He graduated with a BA at Oxford and
became a Master of Arts of Cambridge. Dissatisfied with the
Church of England he went to Donay in 1574 where he studied
theology and was ordained. Being sent to Rome he entered the
society of Jesus in 1578. In 1581 he was employed by the
imprisoned Queen of Scots on an embassy to her son King James.
William Holt of Ashworth and William Crichton were sent to
Scotland to procure conversion or deposition of young James VI
and send information to Mary and Philip II of Spain. He was
arrested at Leith in 1583 and tortured, Queen Elizabeth hoping
to discover information on plots against her. Nothing was
obtained from him and he was liberated in 1584 and sent abroad.
He continued to work for the Catholic religion and died in
Barcelona in 1599. |