William Sancroft, an English prelate, born at Fresingfield, Suffolk, Jan. 13, 1616, died there, Nov. 24, 1693. He was educated at Emmanuel college, Cambridge, and became a fellow in 1642, but subsequently lost his fellowship by refusing to subscribe to the "Solemn League and Covenant." He was chosen one of the university preachers in 1660, was rector of Houghton-le-Spring, a prebendary of the cathedral of Durham, and in 1678 became archbishop of Canterbury. "When James II. issued his declaration for liberty of conscience, and required the clergy to publish it, Sancroft refused, and with six other bishops presented a petition to the king against it. The seven prelates were committed to the tower on a charge of libel, but were acquitted. Sancroft refused to take the oath of allegiance to "William and Mary, and was deposed. He published some sermons, and "Letters to Mr. North" (afterward Sir Henry). His "Modern Policies and Practices," from Machiavelli and others, was published in 1757.