The youngest son of Thomas Anderton of Chorley and the nephew of Christopher Anderton of Lostock, the successful Elizabethan lawyer, he was educated at Blackburn Grammer School in Lancashire. He matriculated to Christs College, Cambridge as a pensioner (ie he was awarded a scholarship) in 1593 where he took his Batchelor of Arts in 1596/7. A contemporary of John Donne and Shakespeare, he was said for brilliant genius and ready elloquence he was commonly called 'Golden-Mouthed' Anderton. It is not improbable that he was ordained in the Church of England, but his conscience caused him to revert to the Roman Catholic faith and in 1604 he went to Rome where he became a member of the radical Society of Jesus. He returned to England full knowing that if he was captured that he would be burnt at the stake, or worse - hung, drawn and quartered. He lived the life of a fugitive amongst his kinsman preaching and giving Mass and is particularly linked with Birchley Hall, where a Catholic Printing Press was discovered about the same time. No doubt he made ample use of the many secret passages, panels, trap doors and hollow walls that Birchley was riddled with. Amazingly he found the opportunity during his life in hiding to write poetry, music - he is reputed to be the author of the famous hymn "Jerusalem, My Happy Home" - and books that were famous throughout Europe, especially his controversial "Protestants Apologie". He was a true "Rennaisance Man" - a poet, a man of arts & letters, a traveller and a soldier of conscience. He is a man to be admired for what he was and what he did.

Extract from "The Andertons of Lostock" , p9 - 11
by R. Hargreaves, Heaton Rd, Lostock
privately printed, 1974

The involvement of the Anderton family in the writing and printing of books, tracts and treatises is convincingly argued by Arthur J. Hawkes in the paper read before the Bibliographical Society on 15th February 1926.

The first mention of a secret printing press operating in Lancashire is found in a tract against the Jesuits written by an Anglican clergyman named John Gee, entitled "The foot out of the snare" published in 1624, in it he writes "There was a printing press surprest about 3 years ago in Lancashire where all Brereley his works with many Popish pamphlets were printed".

The name Brereley refers to John Brereley, Priest, and it has been suggested that this was the pseudonym of James Anderton [I of Lostock], and that the printing press was established at Lostock Hall. Much more convincing is the evidence that the John Brereley was the alias of Laurence Anderton, and for Birchley Hall to have been the home of the printing press.

Laurence Anderton, was the youngest son of Thomas Anderton of Chorley; and this Thomas was the younger brother of Christopher Anderton [I of Lostock]. So Laurence was cousin to James Anderton and his brothers Thurston, Christopher and Roger.

Laurence Anderton, born 1577, was educated at Blackburn Grammer School and matriculated in 1593 as a pensioner at Christ's College, Cambridge when he took his B.A. in 1596/7. It is said "for his brilliant genius and ready eloquence he was commonly called "golden-mouthed Anderton".

It is not improbable that he was first ordained in the English Church but in the words of Anthony � Wood "his mind hanging after the Roman Catholic religion he left that College and his country and shipping himself beyond the seas entered into Roman Catholic orders and became one of the learnedest of the papists". In 1604 he went to Rome and became a member of the Society of Jesus, but returned home "as a labourer in the English Province".

Birchley Hall, some 10 miles from Wigan, acquired from the Heaton family, was occupied successively by the three younger brothers of James Anderton. Thurston who died in 1598, he was never convicted of recusancy, but his widow (nee Norris of Speke) was convicted in 1600. Christopher, married Anne Scarisbrick, and lived at Birchley until 1613. Christopher was a noted recusant even in Elizabeth's reign. Roger probably occupied Birchley Hall from 1613 and was certainly established there on his marriage to Anne Stafford in 1615, and he remained there until his death in 1640. Roger too was a staunch papist.

Birchley Hall was even more isolated and secluded than Lostock, secret passages and panels, trap doors and hollow walls abounded, and provided an ideal centre for the Catholic Mission in Lancashire.

There is convincing evidence that a press was set up at Birchley Hall and that Christopher and Roger Anderton were actively engaged in the printing of the numerous works of their cousin Laurence Anderton, alias John Brereley including no doubt "Potestants Apologie", his most notable work; a book which he consided would serve as a reference book for his fellow Catholics in the great controversey.

Laurence Anderton also wrote a great deal of sacred poetry, one of which now appears as a well known hymn in "Hymns Ancient and Modern, Revised". This hymn (No. 282/623), "Jerusalem, my happy home" was written under the title of "The song of foure priestes that sufferred death at Lancaster", the manuscript of which is in the British Museum.

Anderton of Horwich
Laurence I, S.J.
Alias John Brereley, Priest
Scroope?
Silver-mouthed Anderton
Golden-mouthed Anderton

12/08/1575 Baptism
IGI 1981/Q2025A

1575-1576 Born "... his mother was probably a Scroop of Danby Castle which was the alias used by his brother William. There is little foundation for the statement, and it is improbable, that Lawrence went by the name Scroope"

Placed by Gillow in Lostock branch, as a nephew of James Anderton I of Lostock
Gillow/034p

1576 Born; 'Collectanea, S.J.', Dr. Oliver Foley/774

1577 Born to Thomas Anderton of Horwick [sic], and brother to Christopher Anderton of Lostock [sic]

Since from Foley/774 we also learn that he was 28 in 1604 when he entered the Society of Jesus it is most likely that the former record is more accurate. Although it is likely that his father was indeed Thomas Anderton of Horwich, it is more likely that he was the brother of Chistopher Anderton of Horwich.
ND of B/396

[1577-1596] Educated at Blackburn Grammer School
ND of B/396

1596-1597 Graduated from Christs College, Cambridge, B.A. "...was commonly called 'the silver-mouth Anderton'...' quoting from "Athen. Oxon., Wood"

Thought to have become a minister of the Established Church. Later he converted to Catholicism.
ND of B/396

"...where he was admired for his brilliant genius and ready eloquence, upon which he was commonly called 'Golden-mouth Anderton'..."
Foley/774

pre-1604 Thought to have returned to Lancashire after his conversion to write "The Protestants Apologie ..." which Gillow thinks was published by the Andertons Sercret Press.
Gillow/034

1604 Entered the Society of Jesus at Rome
ND of B/396

Aged 28 when he entered the Society, became an author of theological works
Foley/774

1604 "The Protestants Apologie for the Roman Church" First edition printed. Evidently it was printed prematurely and the author thought it imperfect. It was printed under the nom de plume of John Brereley, Priest.

post-1605 "... teaching in the continental colleges, during which time he published ... he returned to England, to his native county, where his missionary labours were principally confined ..."
Gillow/034

1608 "The Protestants Apologie for the Roman Church" Second edition printed.

1615 "The Protestants Apologie for the Roman Church" Third edition printed "...on its' appearance attracted much attention."
ND of B/396

1615 Converted Henry Morley who was at that time in the care of Christopher Anderton of Horwich, therefore in Lancashire. Foley/776

1620 "The Liturgie of the Masse" First published at Cologne still writing as John Brereley.

1620 "St. Augustines Religion" First published, writing as John Brereley.

1621 "... Superior of the Lancashire district in 1621 and probably for some years before ..."
Gillow/034

1621 Commemorated the marriage of Christopher Anderton III of Lostock and Agnes Preston in verse
101.124

1621 "... a printing house [was] supprest ... in Lancashire where Brereley his works ... were printed ..." Birchley
Foley/673

1621? "The Reformed Protestant" Published at Birchley?
ND of B/396

1623 "...F[ather] Anderton, a Jesuit, a Lancash[ire] man, yet not the same Anderton who goeth by the name Scroope ..."
Evidently there were two Jesuit Andertons: one who was definately in or around London in 1623 and another one named Scroope who may or may not have also been around London. Elsewhere in Gees' list when there are two priests of the same name they are listed seperately. I interpret this to mean that the Anderton who went by the name Scroope was not in London at the time.
Foley/677

c. 1624 Sent to the mission in London, there at the time of Gee What is Gillows source for this statement? if this is his interpretation of Gee then it is not a primary source.
Gillow/034

1624 "Luthers Life..." Published at St. Omers

1625 "One God, One Faith" Published under the initials W.B.

1633 "The Progenie Of Catholicks and Protestants" Published at Rouen under his own name.
ND of B/396

1633 "The Nonentity of Protestancy" Published Catalogue of the State Library of NSW

1634 "The Triple Cord" Published at St. Omer
ND of B/396

1640 "Miscellania; Or a treatise contayning two hundred contraversiall animadversions" Published Catalogue of the State Library of NSW

1641 Returned to Lancashire [ from London]
Once again, what is Gillows source? If he has a reference to his being in Lancashire then he might be using his earlier assumption that he was in London in 1624 that this is evidence of a return.
Gillow/034

7/04/1643 Died
ND of B/397 and Foley/776

... Thought to be the author or editor of a collection of poetry in the British Museum, Additional MS 15225, fol.31, p.61 105.385

... "... Dr. Oliver suspects that he is the chaplain of the Earl of Essex whom Father Gerard received into his house in London ..."
Foley/774

... "Father John Heton [sic] was both the nephew and convert of Father Laurence Anderton alias Scroope"

Dorothy Anderton of Horwich, Johns' mother, married Thomas Heaton, therefore this is evidence of Laurence as an Anderton of Horwich as well as evidence that he went by the name Scroope
Foley/776

... "... Henry Morley ... was brought up by Christopher Anderton, the brother of the reverend Father Scroope, of the Society of Jesus ... [who] ... converted me, giving me the name he himself had used when he first studied ... Laurence ... "

Since we know that the Christopher Anderton who was the guardian of Henry Morley was of Horwich, this is evidence that the Jesuit who went by the name of Scroope was an Anderton of Horwich. Could Laurence have been giving Henry his real name to use as an alias as a sentimental gesture, whilst at the same time preserving his anonymity? Or was another brother - the William shown on the Foley pedigree - a Jesuit also?
Foley/776

... William Anderton, the son of Thomas Anderton of Horwich is listed as Scroope

Foley/Ped

National Dictionary of Biography - ND of B/

International Genealogical Index, 1981 edition - IGI 1981/

Gillow; Biographical Dictionary of English Catholics - Gillow/

Foley; Records of the English Province of the Society of Jesus - Foley/

Pedigree attached to Foley
Foley/Ped
101.124
105.385