Lives of John Donne, Henry Wotton, Richd Hooker, George Herbert, | Page 3

than the content of so hopeful and
happy an employment.
This was not unwelcome news, and especially to his Mother, to whom
he was a dutiful and dear child, and all parties were so pleased with this

proposal, that it was resolved so it should be. And in the mean time his
Parents and Master laid a foundation for his future happiness, by
instilling into his soul the seeds of piety, those conscientious principles
of loving and fearing God, of an early belief that he knows the very
secrets of our souls; that he punisheth our vices, and rewards our
innocence; that we should be free from hypocrisy, and appear to man
what we are to God, because first or last the crafty man is catched in his
own snare. These seeds of piety were so seasonably planted, and so
continually watered with the daily dew of God's blessed Spirit, that his
infant virtues grew into such holy habits, as did make him grow daily
into more and more favour both with God and man; which, with the
great learning that he did after attain to, hath made Richard Hooker
honoured in this, and will continue him to be so to succeeding
generations.
[Sidenote: John Hooker]
This good School-master, whose name I am not able to recover,--and
am sorry, for that I would have given him a better memorial in this
humble monument, dedicated to the memory of his scholar,--was very
solicitous with John Hooker, then Chamberlain of Exeter, and uncle to
our Richard, to take his Nephew into his care, and to maintain him for
one year in the University, and in the mean time to use his endeavours
to procure an admission for him into some College, though it were but
in a mean degree; still urging and assuring him, that his charge would
not continue long; for the lad's learning and manners were both so
remarkable, that they must of necessity be taken notice of; and that
doubtless God would provide him some second patron, that would free
him and his Parents from their future care and charge.
[Sidenote: Bishop Jewel]
These reasons, with the affectionate rhetoric of his good Master, and
God's blessing upon both, procured from his Uncle a faithful promise,
that he would take him into his care and charge before the expiration of
the year following, which was performed by him, and with the
assistance of the learned Mr. John Jewel;[1] of whom this may be noted,
that he left, or was about the first of Queen Mary's reign expelled out of
Corpus Christi College in Oxford,--of which he was a Fellow,--for
adhering to the truth of those principles of Religion to which he had
assented and given testimony in the days of her brother and predecessor,

Edward the Sixth; and this John Jewel, having within a short time after,
a just cause to fear a more heavy punishment than expulsion, was
forced, by forsaking this, to seek safety in another nation; and, with that
safety, the enjoyment of that doctrine and worship for which he
suffered.
But the cloud of that persecution and fear ending with the life of Queen
Mary, the affairs of the Church and State did then look more clear and
comfortable; so that he, and with him many others of the same
judgment, made a happy return into England about the first of Queen
Elizabeth; in which year this John Jewel was sent a Commissioner or
Visitor, of the Churches of the Western parts of this kingdom, and
especially of those in Devonshire, in which County he was born; and
then and there he contracted a friendship with John Hooker, the Uncle
of our Richard.
[Sidenote: At Oxford]
About the second or third year of her reign, this John Jewel was made
Bishop of Salisbury; and there being always observed in him a
willingness to do good, and to oblige his friends, and now a power
added to his willingness; this John Hooker gave him a visit in Salisbury,
and besought him for charity's sake to look favourably upon a poor
nephew of his, whom Nature had fitted for a scholar; but the estate of
his parents was so narrow, that they were unable to give him the
advantage of learning; and that the Bishop would therefore become his
patron, and prevent him from being a tradesman, for he was a boy of
remarkable hopes. And though the Bishop knew men do not usually
look with an indifferent eye upon their own children and relations, yet
he assented so far to John Hooker, that he appointed the boy and his
School-master should attend him, about Easter next following, at that
place: which was done accordingly; and then, after some questions and
observations of the boy's learning, and gravity, and behaviour,