Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
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Herbert Croft (1603–1691), bishop of Hereford, was son of Sir Herbert Croft, who was the grandson of Sir James Croft.
After being for some time, like his father, a member of the Roman Catholic Church, he returned to the Church of England about 1630, and about ten years later was chaplain to Charles I, and obtained within a few years a prebend's stall at Worcester, a canonry of Windsor, and the deanery of Hereford, all of which preferments he lost during the Civil War and Commonwealth.
By Charles II he was made bishop of Hereford in 1661. Bishop Croft was the author of many books and pamphlets, several of them against the Roman Catholics; and one of his works, entitled The Naked Truth, or the True State of the Primitive Church (London, 1675), was very celebrated in its day, and gave rise to prolonged controversy.
His son Herbert was created a baronet in 1671, and was the ancestor of Sir Herbert Croft, 5th Baronet, the 18th century writer.
| Religious titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Nicholas Monck |
Bishop of Hereford 1661–1691 |
Succeeded by Gilbert Ironside |
Wheatley: “Dr. Herbert Croft, Dean of Hereford, consecrated Bishop of Hereford, February 9th, 1661-2. He succeeded Bishop Morley as Dean of the Chapel. Burnet says ‘Crofts was a warm devout man, but of no discretion in his conduct; so he lost ground quickly. He used much freedom with the King, but it was in the wrong place, not in private but in the pulpit.’ Bishop Croft died at Hereford, May 18th, 1691.”