As much as is known of the history of this last of the Smithfield
martyrs will be found in Foxe's Acts and Monuments, eight, 473-479.
There is much difficulty, however, in deciding from what branch of the
great Holland family the martyr came. All accounts tell us that he was
a Holland of Lancashire; yet his name does not appear in any pedigree of
the numerous Lancastrian lines. All these families are descended from
Sir Robert de Holand, who died in 1328, and his wife Maude, heiress of
La Zouche. Nor is it any easier to trace the relationship between Roger
Holland and Lord Strange, or Mr Eccleston, both of whom Foxe calls his
kinsmen. More than one branch of Holland married into Eccleston; and
the Derby connection has eluded all my researches. Roger's wife was
named Elizabeth, but her surname does not appear: they were married in
"the first year of Queen Mary," 1553-4, and had issue one child, sex and
name unknown. His martyrdom took place on the 27th of June 1558, or
"about" that time; Foxe speaks doubtfully as to the exact day. Nothing
further is known of his wife and child.