Commonplace book of John Holyoke, 1662 - May 1663

This unbound commonplace book was kept by John Holyoke during 1662 and 1663. The volume contains chiefly religious quotations and sermon notes (possibly of sermons preached by Holyoke himself), in English, Latin and Greek. Both ends of the volume were used to begin writing: the front page reads “Johannes Holyoke, adjunctu occupatu, May-1663” and the rear page reads “Johannes Holyoke [illegible] 1662.” The texts do not follow a straight tête-bêche model, where one text is upside down in relation to the other; rather, the texts change direction several times within the volume. The volume also includes part of letter sent to Holyoke’s grandfather Pynchon, September 16, 16?? [date illegible], as well as a series of alphabetically arranged quotations.

Title supplied by cataloger.

John Holyoke, uncle of President Edward Holyoke, was born to Elizur and Mary (Pynchon) Holyoke on August 5, 1642, in Springfield, Massachusetts. Graduating from Harvard College in 1662, Holyoke was among the early settlers of Westfield, Massachusetts, preaching there for several months in 1667. Returning to Springfield after his father’s death in February 1675/6, he became a freeman on May 23, 1677 and subsequently served in several public offices. Holyoke died on February 6, 1711/12.