Hanserd Knollys

Hanserd Knollys (1598 – 1691) was an English Particular Baptist minister, divine (theologian), and schoolmaster.

Life Hanserd Knollys was born at Cawkwell, Lincolnshire, in 1598. He was educated privately under a tutor, and later was for a short time educated at Great Grimsby grammar school. Knollys afterwards was matriculated at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, in 1627 or 1629. Leaving the university, Knollys became schoolmaster of the Queen Elizabeth's High School at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. In 1620, he was ordained in the Church of England as deacon on 29 June. On the next day, 30 June, Knollys was ordained priest by John Williams, Bishop of Lincoln, and was presented by Williams to the vicarage of Humberston, Lincolnshire. In addition to being a vicar, Knollys preached every Sunday in the neighbouring parish churches of Holton-le-Clay and Scartho. Two or three years later, he resigned his living owing to scruples about ceremonies and admission to the Eucharist, but continued his preaching office.

Nonconformism

In 1636, Knollys came to Nonconformist ideas and renounced his orders. He removed to London with his wife and family. Shortly afterwards, he fled to New England to escape the Court of High Commission. A warrant from the Court reached Knollys at Boston, Massachusetts, but after a brief imprisonment he was allowed to remain unmolested. During his time in New England, Knollys preached at Dover, New Hampshire, and adopted credobaptism. Cotton Mather enumerated him among 'godly Anabaptists;' quite when he adopted the doctrine is not clear.

On 24 December 1641, Knollys returned to England and reached London, due to his aged father. He founded a boarding-school in Great Tower Hill. Soon afterwards, Knollys was elected to the mastership of the free school in St. Mary Axe. After about a year, he temporarily left to become an army chaplain. Dissatisfied with the parliamentary commanders, he returned to London and his school-keeping. Knollys learned Hebrew from Christian Ravis of Berlin. In 1644, he preached in the London and Suffolk churches and churchyards, and occasionally, in what afterwards became quaker fashion, endeavouring to supplement the regular sermon by a discourse of his own. This led, according to Thomas Edwards, to tumults. Knollys was twice brought before a committee of parliament, but on each occasion was absolved from blame and protected.

He gathered a church in 1646, meeting first for about a year, in Great St. Helen's, then in Finsbury Fields, next in Coleman Street, subsequently in George Yard, Whitechapel, and ultimately at Broken Wharf, Thames Street. His most important convert was Henry Jessey, whom he baptised in June 1645. Knollys wrote a letter on 11 January 1646 to John Dutton of Norwich, in favour of toleration, printed by Edwards in Gangraena; embittered the Presbyterians against him. Knollys, in the next year, subscribed the second edition (1646) of the First London Confession of Faith, drafted up by Baptists in London. On 17 January 1649, the Parliament of England gave a commission to Knollys and William Kiffin to preach in Suffolk, on petition from inhabitants of Ipswich. His name is attached to pleas for toleration addressed to the Parliament in 1651 and 1654, and to Oliver Cromwell on 3 April 1657. A total of ten volumes were published. Seven of the volumes were edited by Edward Bean Underhill. Other volumes were edited by George Offor, the Reverend C. Stovel, and the Reverend F. A. Cox. The two volumes by Thieleman J. van Braght were translated from the Dutch by the Reverend Benjamin Millard, while the first of the two volumes has illustrations by the engraver Jan Luyken.