BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE

OF

BISHOP HOOPER.

JOHN HOOPER was born in Somersetshire, about the close of the fifteenth century. His name is usually spelt Hoper, or Houper, by himself and his contemporaries. He studied at Oxford, probably in Merton College, and subsequently embraced the monastic life. After the dissolution of the monasteries, and when the Act of the Six Articles was in force, he withdrew to the continent, where he was kindly received at Zurich by Bullinger. He remained abroad till the accession of King Edward VI. In 1548 he returned to England, and residing in London, preached continually to large congregations, taking also an active part in the proceedings of that period.

In May, 1550, he was nominated to the bishopric of Gloucester, but was not consecrated till the next year. This delay was owing to his objections to an oath by the saints, and to some of the vestments formerly worn by the Romish prelates, and then retained. The former point was conceded; but the dispute respecting the habits went so far, that Hooper was for a short time confined in the Fleet. This matter being at last arranged by his yielding in a great measure to what was required, he entered upon his diocese, to which that of Worcester was afterwards added, and discharged the duties of the episcopal office in a most exemplary manner.

On the accession of Queen Mary, Hooper was one of the first who were brought into trouble. He was committed to the Fleet in September, 1553, on a false allegation of being indebted to the Queen, and was treated with much severity. The particulars are related by himself in one of his letters.

When popery was fully restored, Hooper was among the earliest sufferers, as he had predicted would be the case. Gardiner treated him with unrelenting severity. He was condemned in January, 1555, taken to Gloucester, and burned near to his own cathedral on the 9th of February. His cruel sufferings, augmented by the barbarous orders of his persecutors, are fully related by Foxe.

Bishop Hooper appears to have taken an active part in the reformation during the reign of King Edward VI.; and although for a time at variance with Cranmer and Ridley on the question respecting habits, a perfect reconciliation afterwards took place, and he was an inmate with the former at Lambeth, when visiting London.

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No life of Bishop Hooper has yet appeared as a separate work materials had been collected for a fuller biographical notice for this volume, when the Editor's attention was called to some letters of this reformer, transcribed from originals in the Archives at Zurich. As these letters supply important additional information respecting the writer, and it is probable that the researches at Zurich and elsewhere in Switzerland, now in progress in behalf of the Parker Society, may give yet further particulars; the Editor is unwilling to delay the publication of the present volume, now completed at the press, and therefore gives the preceding very brief sketch, hoping that a more detailed memoir, with fuller statements, may appear with the remaining portion of the author's writings. Of the pieces included in this publication it is unnecessary to say any thing in addition to the preliminary notices: it is evident from the remarks of contemporary writers, that they had considerable influence in their day.

The subjoined list of Bishop Hooper's writings, from the Bibliotheca of Bishop Tanner, will shew what remain to be printed. His letters mention two treatises sent to Zurich a short time before his martyrdom. Hitherto these have been sought for in vain; but the researches above alluded to being still in progress, it is possible they may yet be found.

November, 1843.

The following is the list of Bishop Hooper's works, as given by Bishop Tanner in his Bibliotheca Britanico-Hibernica.

HOOPERUS (JOHANNES) patria Somersetensis in academia Oxon. et, ut A. Wood videtur, in collegio Merton. in studiis humanioribus institutus. Emenso philosophiæ curriculo, monachi Cisterciensis habitum assumpsit, quem mox abjecit, et Londinum se contulit, ubi lectione quorundam Lutheri librorum amplectendam doctrinam reformatam invitabatur. Circa annum MDXXXIX. metu sex articulorum solum vertit, et usque ad Henrici VIII. mortem per Galliam, Hiberniam, et Helvetiam vagari coactus est. Regnante Edwardo in patriam rediit, et A. MDXLIX. unus accusatorum Bonneri fuit. Fox. i. edit. p. 700, et capellanus ducis Somerset. Strype in Vita Cranmer. p. 219. Anno MDL. episcopus Glocestrensis designatus est; accepto etiam A. MDLII. (regis dono) Wigorniensi multo opulentiori episcopatu, quem simul cum Glocestrensi per dispensationem regiam quæ Commenda vocatur, tenuit. Maria regnum auspicante Londinum accersitus est, ubi 28 Jan. MDLIV. Stephanus Gardiner, episcopus Winton. ei duos objecit articulos, unum de matrimonio clericorum, alterum de divortio, (vid. Ric. Smith librum De cœlibatu) deinde in carcerem compactus, et tandem hæreseos damnatus, igni traditus est, Glocestriæ, 9 Febr. MDLV. Inter doctos sui seculi viros in primis annis philologia simul et philosophia clarus, senex autem theologia et patrum lectione non minus insignis habebatur. Erat ecclesiæ Romanæ infensissimus, matri Anglicanæ autem non per omnia amicus: utpote qui puritanis favebat, et ritibus ecclesiæ, saltem, quod ad vestes sacras spectat, se non conformem præstabat. Scripsit Anglice, Answer to the bishop of Winchester's book, entit.

A detection of the devil's sophistry, wherewith he robbeth the unlearned of the true belief in the sacrament of the altar. Pr. "Youre booke, my lorde, intytlid." Zurich, MDXLVII. 4to. A declaration of Christ and his office. Ded. to Edw. duke of Somerset. 8 Dec. MDXLVII. Pr. "The godlye pretence." Zurich, MDXLVII. 8vo. recus. cum correctionibus Christoph. Rosdell... 12mo. Lesson of the incarnation of Christ. Pr. pr. "Seyng we be even so apointed." Lond. MDXLIX. 8vo. Sermons on Jonas before the king and council in Lent. MDL. Pr. ded. regi Edw. VI. "Amonge other most noble and." Lond. MDL. et MDLIX. Svo. Answers to certain queries concerning the abuses of the mass. Burnet, Hist. reform. vol. 11. num. 25. A godly confession and protestation of the christian faith, wherein is declared what a Christian man is bound to believe of God, his king, his neighbour and himself. ded. K. Edw. VI. and parliament. "The wyse man Cicero most." Pr. lib. "I beleve accordynge to the holi." Lond. Mdl. 8vo. Homily to be read in the time of the pestilence, and a most present remedy for the same... MDLIII. 4to. Various letters written in prison. X. in Fox. Acts et monum. of the church.

III. in Strype, in Vita

A. MDLV. pp. 1507, 1511, etc. Cranmer. append. p. 133, seq. to the prisoners in the counter, dat. 4 Jan. MDLIV. extat ad finem Apologia i. about the story of his recanting, dat. 20 Febr. MDLIV. MS. Eman. Cantabr. Exhortation to patience sent to his wife Anne. Pr. "Our Saviour Jesus Christ." Fox, p. Fox, p. 1513. Certain sentences written in prison. Lond. MDLIX. 8vo. An apology against the untrue and slanderous report made of him, that he should be a maintainer and encourager of such that cursed queen Mary. Pr. "It is the use and fashion of all." Lond. MDLXII. 8vo. Quibus adduntur epistolæ nonnullæ scriptæ in carcere. Comfortable expositions on the

Speech at his death.

23. 62. 73. et 77. psalms. Lond. мDLxxx. 4to. Exposition on Psal. XXIII. Pr. "To the faithful in the city of London." Pr. "Your fayth and hope of." Lond. MDLXII.