ADVERTISEMENT. THE Editor on the completion of his labours desires to record his obligations to the most noble the Marquis of Exeter, and to the Dean and Chapter of Peterborough, who kindly allowed him access to their libraries: to the Rev. J. F. Russell, of Enfield Highway, for the loan of several originals; and to the Rev. Robert Scott and other friends for much valuable assistance. To these must be added the Rev. Samuel Carr, Editor of the Early Writings of Bishop Hooper, who offered to overlook the work during its progress through the press. In the preparation of the work for the press the text of the original editions has been in almost all cases rigidly adhered to the marginal notes and references are original, with the exception of the bracketed portions, which have been supplied by the Editor; and the references to the fathers and other writings have been, as far as practicable, carefully verified. The Editor regrets that, owing to a severe illness which attacked him while the sheets were passing through the press, some confusion has arisen in the headings of sheets 8, 9, and 10. The heading on the left hand pages from 118 to 156 inclusive should have been "Visitation Book;" and on the opposite pages "Articles, Injunctions, Interrogatories, &c." according to the subjects. The Epistola ad Episcopos &c., and the Appellatio ad Parlamentum, ought, perhaps, to be considered as introductory epistles to the Treatise which follows them: but the Editor felt that the position which they occupy in Foxe's work did not quite justify the adoption of this arrangement. PAGE A brief and clear Confession of the Christian Faith......... 19 III. A godly Confession and Protestation of the Christian Faith 64 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE OF BISHOP HOOPER. IT has been stated in the brief notice of Bishop Hooper given in the volume of his Early Writings, that he was born in Somersetshire, towards the close of the fifteenth century. He was only son and heir to his father, who seems to have been possessed of considerable wealth. Having graduated at Oxford, where, according to Foxe, he made great progress in his studies, he subsequently embraced the monastic life, becoming a member of the Cistercian order at Gloucester1: but at what time or under what circumstances he abandoned his profession, is not recorded?. While residing probably in London, and "living," as he expresses it, "too much of a court life in the palace of the king3," his attention was first seriously drawn to the subject of religion by the perusal of some of the writings of Zuinglius and Bullinger's Commentaries upon the Epistles of St Paul: and so deep was the impression which these works produced upon him, that he studied them night and day with unwearied attention. Under the influence of the feelings thus called forth he appears to have returned to Oxford, where he applied himself with great diligence to the study of the holy scriptures; "in the reading and searching whereof," says Foxe, "as there 1 In the sentence pronounced upon him by Gardiner he is described as "olim monachum domus sive monasterii de Cliva, ordinis Cisterciensis." The sentence is preserved amongst the Harleian MSS. in the British Museum: also in Strype's Eccles. Mem. Vol. II. Part II. No. XXVIII. 2 Strype says, "About the year 1535 or 1536, I meet with one John Howper, a black friar of Gloucester, whether our John Hoper or no I cannot affirm; who, with six monks more of the same house, desired licence from Cromwell, then lord privy seal and the king's vicar spiritual, to change their habit."-Eccles. Mem. Vol. III. Part I. p. 282. Oxford, 1822. 3 Zurich Letters, 1. xxi. p. 33. 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." His zealous support of the principles of the Reformation soon attracted the notice, and drew upon him the displeasure, of some of the authorities, and especially of Dr Smith, professor of Divinity; and, the Act of the Six Articles being in force, he was compelled to retire from the university. He was received into the house of Sir Thomas Arundel, and became his steward: but at length his master, "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 in 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 hands, 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'." Hooper was not suffered to remain long unmolested: an intimation of impending danger was conveyed to him, and he was warned to provide for his safety. He escaped to the seaside, and, crossing over to France, proceeded to Paris. Shortly afterwards, however, he returned to England, and resided for a time in the house of a Mr Sentlow: but finding that plots were again laid for his destruction, he once more sought safety in flight; and "was compelled (says Foxe), under 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." While sojourning at Strasburgh, as we learn from one of his letters to Bullinger dated from that city, he met with a lady of the name of Anna, whom he describes as of noble family"; 1 Foxe, Acts and Monuments, p. 1502. Lond. 1583. 2 Bullinger also in his Diary speaks of Hooper's wife as nobilis. |