Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Holland, Cornelius
HOLLAND, CORNELIUS (fl. 1649), regicide, is said by Noble to have been a native of Colchester, and there is good reason to believe that he was a son of Ralph Holland, who settled in the parish of St. Laurence Pountney, London. Cornelius Holland, born 3 March 1599, entered Merchant Taylors' School in January 1609–10. He matriculated at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge (as ‘gentleman’), in 1614, and graduated B.A. in 1618. The register of St. Laurence Pountney records the baptism (17 Feb. 1627–8) of ‘James, son of Mr. Cornelius Holland, gent., and Sybell.’ Soon after this date Holland was in the service of Sir Henry Vane, but in 1635 was clerk-comptroller in the household of the Prince of Wales. He had also an office under the board of green cloth, and amassed a considerable fortune, but ‘when the court wanted assistance he deserted it, refusing to contribute to the expenses of the Scotch war in 1639’ (Noble). In 1640 (22 Oct.) he was elected M.P. for New Windsor, and again in December of the same year, the previous election having been declared void. He took no prominent part in the debates of the Long parliament, and seems to have acted generally under the guidance of his old master, Vane. In 1643 he signed the solemn league and covenant, and three years later was chosen one of the commissioners for settling the treaty of peace with Scotland. He became a member of the council of state in 1649, and had, it is said (Clarendon Papers), the chief hand in drawing up the charges against the king, but he was not present when the sentence was pronounced, nor does his name appear upon the warrant for execution. His services to the parliament were rewarded by grants of land both in England and in the Bermudas, while lucrative offices, including the keepership of Richmond Park, were bestowed upon him. Noble says that he had ten children, and gave one of them (possibly Elizabeth, wife of John Shelton of West Bromwich) a marriage portion of 5,000l. At the Restoration he was excepted absolutely, both as to life and estate, from the Bill of Indemnity, but managed to escape to Holland, and join, it is said, his fellow-exiles at Lausanne, where he ended his days. The date has not been traced.
[Robinson's Reg. of Merchant Taylors' School, i. 63; Wilson's Parish of St. Laurence Pountney, p. 132; Noble's Regicides; Cal. State Papers, Dom. Ser. 1641; Heraldic Visitation of Staff.; Tighe and Davis's Annals of Windsor, vol. ii.]