that our vessels, being seasoned with true sanctification, they may be made sweet to receive and preserve the water of the river of life, flowing from the lively rock of Christ Jesus: to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one Trinity in unity, be all laud and praise everlasting. Amen. Thine in Christ, A. F. In clarissimi Doctrina et Pietate Viri JOHANNIS HOOPERI Martyrium, CONRADI GESNERI Carmen. Aureus Hooperus flammis invictus et igni, In terris cineresque manent, et fama corusca, Discite. Namque dabit Deus his meliora; nec auris THE LIFE, &c. OF BISHOP HOOPER. JOHN HOOPER, student and graduate in the univer sity of Oxford, after the study of the sciences, wherein he had abundantly profited and proceeded, through God's secret vocation was stirred with fervent desire to the love and knowledge of the Scriptures. In the reading and searching whereof, as there lacked in him no diligence, joined with earnest prayer: so neither wanted unto him the grace of the Holy Ghost to satisfy his desire, and to open unto him the light of true divinity. Thus Master Hooper, growing more and more, by God's grace, in ripeness of spiritual understanding, and shewing withal some sparkles of his fervent spirit, being then about the beginning of the six articles, in the time of King Henry the Eighth, fell eftsoon into displeasure and hatred of certain Rabbines in Oxford, who by and by began to stir coals against him, whereby, and especially by the procurement of Doctor Smith, he was compelled to avoid the university, and so removing from thence, was retained in the house of Sir Thomas Arundel, and there was his steward, till the time that Sir Thomas Arundel, having intelligence of his opinions and religion, which he in no case did favour, and yet exceedingly favouring the person and conditions of the man, found the means to send him on a message to the Bishop of Winchester, writing his letter privily to the Bishop, by conference of learning to do some good upon him, but in any case requiring him to send home his servant to him again. Winchester, after long conference with Master Hooper, four or five days together, when he at length perceived that neither he could do that good which he thought to him, nor that he would take any good at his hand, according to Master Arundel's request, he sent home his servant again, right well commending his learning and wit, but yet bearing in his breast a grudging stomach against Master Hooper still. It followed not long after this, as malice is always working mischief, that intelligence was given to Master Hooper to provide for himself, on account of danger that was working against him. Whereupon Master Hooper, leaving Master Arundel's house, and borrowing a horse of a certain friend (whose life he had saved a little before from the gallows), took his journey to the sea side, to go to France, sending back the horse again by one, which indeed did not deliver him to the owner. Master Hooper being at Paris, tarried not there long, but in a short time returned into England again, and was retained of Master Sentlow, till the time that he was again molested and laid wait for whereby he was compelled (under the pretence of being captain of a ship going to Ireland) to take the seas, and so escaped he (although not without extreme peril of drowning) through France, to the higher parts of Germany. Where he entering into acquaintance with the learned men, was of them -friendly and lovingly entertained, both at Basil, and especially at Zurich of Master Bullinger, being his singular friend. Where also he married his wife, who was a Burgonian, and applied very studiously to the Hebrew tongue. At length, when God saw it good to stay the bloody time of the six articles, and to give us King Edward to reign over this realm, with some peace and rest unto the Gospel, amongst many other English |