that I heard of hys most godly and fatherly constancie, in con∣fessing the truth of the gospell, I haue conceyued great consolati∣on and ioy in the Lord. For the integritie and vprightnes of that man, his grauitie & innocency all England I thinke hath known lōg ago. Blessed be God therfore, which in such abundāce of ini∣quitie and decay of all godlines, hath geuen vnto vs in this re∣uerend old age, such a witnesse for the truth of hys Gospell. Mi∣serable and hard harted is he, whom the godlynes and constant confession of so worthy, so graue, and innocent a man, wyll not mooue to acknowledge and confesse the truth of God.
I do not now brother require you to write any thing to me agayne: for I stand much in feare lest your letters should be in∣tercepted before they can come to my hands. Neuertheles know you, that it shall be to me great ioy to heare of your constancy & fortitude in the Lordes quarell. And albeit I haue not hitherto written vnto you, yet haue I twise (as I could) sent vnto you my mynde touchyng the matter which in your letters you required to know. Neyther can I yet brother, be otherwise perswaded: I see me thinks so many peryls, whereby I am earnestly mooued to counsell you not to hasten the publishing of your works, especi∣ally vnder the title of your owne name. For I feare greatly left by this occasion both your mouth should be stopped hereafter, and al thyngs takē away frō the rest of the prisoners, wherby other∣wise, if it so please God they may bee able to do good to many. Farewell in the Lord my most deare brother, and if there be any mo in prison with you for Christes cause, I beseech you, as you may, salute them in my name. To whose prayers I doe most hum∣bly and hartily commend my selfe and my fellow prisoners and concaptiues in the Lorde, and yet once agayne, and for euer in Christ, my most deare brother, farewell.
M. Hooper after all these tumults and vexations su∣steined about his inuesting and priestly vestures, at length entring into his Dioces, did there employ his tyme which the Lord lent hym vnder King Edwardes raigne, wyth such diligence, as may be a spectacle to all bishops, which shall euer hereafter succeed him, not only in that place, but in whatsoeuer Dioces through the whole realme of En∣gland, so carefull was he in his Cure, that he left neyther paynes vntaken, nor wayes vnsought, how to trayne vp the flocke of Christ in the true word of saluation, continu∣ally labouring in the same. Other men commonly are woont for lucre or promotions sake, to aspire to Bisho∣prickes, some huntyng for them, and some purchasing or buying them, as men vse to purchase Lordships, & when they haue them, are loth to leaue them, and thereupon also loth to commit that thing by worldly lawes, whereby to loose them.
To this sort of men M. Hooper was cleane contrary, who abhorred nothing more then gain, labouring alwais to saue and preserue the soules of his flocke. Who beeyng B. of two Diocesses, so ruled and guided eyther of them, and both together, as though he had in charge but one fa∣milie. No father in his household, no gardiner in his gar∣den, nor husbandman in his vineyard, was more or better occupied, then he in his Dioces amongst his flocke, goyng about his townes and villages in teaching and preaching to the people there.
That tyme that he had to spare from preaching, he be∣stowed either in hearing publike causes, or els in priuate study, prayer, and visiting of schooles, with hys continuall doctrine, he adioyned due & discrete correction, not so much seuere to any, as to them which for abundance of riches, & welthy state, thought they might do what they listed. And doubtlesse he spared no kind of people, but was indifferent to all men, as well rich as poore, to the great shame of no small number of men now adayes. Whereof many we do see so addicted to the pleasing of great and rich men, that in the meane tyme they haue no regard to the meaner sort of poore people, whome Christ hath bought as dearely as the other.
But now agayne we will returne our talke to maister Hooper, all whose lyfe in fine was such, that to the church and all churchmen, it might be a light and example, to the rest a perpetuall lesson and sermon. Finally, how vertu∣ous and good a bishop he was, ye may conceiue and know euidently by this: that euen as he was hated of none but of them which were euill, so yet the worst of them all could not reprooue his lyfe in any one iote.
I haue now declared hi•• vsage and behauiour abroad in the publike affaires of the Church: and certainly there appeared in him at home no lesse example of a worthy pre∣lates life. For although he bestowed & conuerted the most part of his care vpon the publike flocke and congregation of Christ, for the which also he spent his bloud: yet neuer∣theles there lacked no prouisiō in him, and to bring vp his owne children in learning and good maners: euen so much that ye could not discerne whether he deserued more praise for his fatherly vsage at home, or for his bishoply doyngs abroad. For euery where he kept one religion in one vni∣forme doctrine and integritie. So that if you entered into the Bishops pallace, you would suppose to haue entred in to some Church or temple. In euery corner thereof, there was some smel of vertue, good example, honest conuersa∣tion, and reading of holy scriptures. There was not to be seene in hys house any courtly roystyng or idlenesse: no pompe at all, no dishonest word, no swearing could there be heard.
As for the reuenues of both his bishoprikes, although they did not greatly exceede, as the matter was handled, yet if any thing surmounted therof, he pursed nothing, but bestowed it in hospitalitie. Twise I was (as I remem∣ber) in his house in Worcester, where in hys common hall I saw a table spread with good store of meate, and beset ful of beggers and poore folke: and I asking hys seruauntes what this ment, they told me that euery day their Lorde & maisters maner was, to haue customably to dinner a cer∣tayne number of poore folke of the sayd citie by course, who were serued by foure at a messe, with whote & wholesome meats: and when they were serued (being afore examined by him or his deputies of the Lordes praier, the articles of their fayth, and x. commaundements) then he himselfe sate downe to dinner, and not before.
After this sort and maner M. Hooper executed ye office of a most carefull and vigilant pastor, by the space of two yeres and more, so long as the state of religion in K. Ed∣wards tyme did safely florish and take place: and would God that all other bishops would vse the like diligence, care, and obseruance in their function. After this, K. Ed∣ward beyng dead, and Mary beyng crowned Queene of England, religion beyng subuerted & chaunged, this good B. was one of the first that was sent for by a pursiuant to be at London, and that for two causes.
First, to answer to D. Heath then appointed Bish. of that Dioces, who was before in K. Edwards days depri∣ued thereof for papistry.
Secondarily, to render account to D. Boner Bishop of London, for that he in King Edwardes tyme was one of his accusers, in that he shewed hymselfe not conforma∣ble to such ordinaunces as were prescribed to hym by the king and his Counsayle, openly at Paules Crosse. And although the said M. Hooper was not ignoraunt of the e∣uils that should happen towards him (for he was admo∣nished by certaine of his frends to get him away and shift for hymselfe) yet hee would not preuent them, but taryed still, sayeng: Once I did flee and tooke me to my feete, but now, because I am called to this place and vocation, I am throughly perswaded to tary, and to liue and dye with my sheepe.
And when at the day of his appearaunce (which was the first of September) he was come to London, before he could come to the foresayd D. Heath and Boner, hee was intercepted & commaunded violently agaynst hys wyll to appeare before the Queene and her Counsaile, to answer to certaine bonds and obligations, wherein they sayd hee was bound vnto her. And when he came before thē, Win∣chester by and by receyued hym very opprobriously, and rayling and ratyng of hym, accused him of Religion. Hee agayne freely and boldly told his tale, and purged hym∣selfe. But in fine it came to this conclusion, that by them he was commaunded to Ward (it beyng declared vnto hym by his departure, that the cause of his imprisonment was only for certaine summes of money, for the which he was indebted to the Queene, and not for religion.) This how false and vntrue it was, shall hereafter in his place more plainly appeare.
The next yeare, beyng 1554. the 19. of Marche, he was called agayne to appeare before Winchester and other the Queenes Commissioners: where, what for the Bishop, and what for the vnruly multitude, when he could not be permitted to plead his cause, he was depriued of hys Bi∣shoprikes. Which how, & in what order it was done, here now followeth to be seene by the testimonie and report of one, which being present at the doing, committed the same to writyng.