Charles Croke (died 1657) was an English clergyman and Gresham Professor of Rhetoric.

Life

He was the third son of Sir John Croke, and was admitted student of

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

, on 5 January 1604. He proceeded B.A. (1608), M.A.(1611), B.D. and D.D. (1625). He was tutor of his college, and held the professorship of rhetoric at

Gresham College Gresham College is an institution of higher learning located at Barnard's Inn Hall off Holborn in Central London, England that does not accept students or award degrees. It was founded in 1597 under the Will (law), will of Sir Thomas Gresham, ...

, London, from 1613 to 1619. He was junior proctor (1613), and fellow of

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

(1617–1621). He became rector of

Waterstock Waterstock is a village and civil parish on the River Thame about west of the market town of Thame in Oxfordshire. The parish is bounded to the north and west by the river, to the south largely by the A418 main road, and to the east largely b ...

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

, on the presentation of his uncle, Sir George Croke, on 24 June 1616, and rector of Agmondisham,

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...

, in 1621. He took private pupils at Agmondisham, and among them were

Sir William Drake ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as part o ...

, Sir Robert Croke, John Gregory, and Henry Curwen, son of Sir Patricius Curwen. Curwen died while in Croke's charge, and Croke published a memorial sermon. Later there were George Savile from 1641, and Charles Bertie who was attending the school when Croke closed it at the end of 1650. At the end of his life Croke went to Ireland, having petitioned

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...

for leave to bring Edward Terry (son of Edward Terry the travel writer) to Amersham in his place. He died at

Carlow Carlow ( ; ) is the county town of County Carlow, in the south-east of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, from Dublin. At the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, it had a population of 27,351, the List of urban areas in the Republic of Ireland, ...

10 April 1657.

References

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Croke, Charles 17th-century English Anglican priests 1657 deaths Fellows of Eton College Year of birth unknown