The Dead Yet Speaking, Biography 27
The Life and Death of John Hooper, who dyed Anno Christi 1555.
JOhn Hooper was a Student, and Graduate in the University of Oxford, where having abundantly profited in the study of other Scienc…s, he was stirred up with a fervent desire to the love and knowledge of the Scriptures; in which study he joyned earnest prayers to his diligence, for the better understanding of the same: but the six Articles coming out at that time, h… was so hated by some, especially by Doctor Smith, that he was compelled to leave the Univ…rsity, and went to live with Sir Th…mas Arrundel; and danger approaching there also, he left the Kingdome, and went to Paris, yet after a while he returned again, and lived with one Mr. Sen…low; but understanding that snares were again laid for him, with much difficulty and danger he escaped the second time into France, and from thence travelled into Germanie: at Zurick Master Bullinger became his especiall friend, where he studied Hebrew: and hearing that King Edward the …ixt was come to the Crowne, he was desirous to returne into England; and when he tooke his leave of Bullinger, he, with harty thanks for all kindnesses, promised to write often to him of all his affaires: but, saith he, the last news …f all I shall not be able t… write; for where I shall take most pains, there shall you …ear of me to be burned to ashes. Returning to London, he preached twice, but at least once every day: the people so flockt to him, that the Churches could not contein them: in this pains-taking he continued to his lives end, neither did his labour breake him, nor promotion change him, nor dainty fare corrupt him: he was of a strong body, sound health, pregnant wit, and of invincible patience: spare of dyet, sparer of words, and sparest of time: a liberall hous-keeper, and very grave in his carriage. Being by King Edward made first Bishop of Glocester, then of Worcester; he carried himselfe so uprightly and inoffensively, that his enemies had nothing to say against him: He used to goe about from town to towne, and from village to village to preach unto the people: he governed his house so, that in every corner of it there was some smell of vertue, good example, honest conversation, and reading of the Scriptures: In his Hall there was daily a table spread with good store of victuals, and beset with poore folke of the City of Worcester by turns, who were served by four at a Mes…e, with whole and wholesome meat: and when they were served (being before examined by himselfe or his deputies, of the Lords Prayer, Creed, and ten Commandements) then he himself sate down to dinner, and not before. In the beginning …f Q…een Maries dayes he was sent for by a Pursivant to London; and though he had opportunity, and was perswaded by his friends to flye, yet he refused, saying, Once I did flye, but now being called to this place and vocation, I am resolved to stay, and to live and dye with my sheepe. By Winchester when he came to London, he was railed upon and committed to prison; afterwards also at his examination, they called him Beast, Hypocrite, &c. which he bore without answering againe: in the Flee… where he was prisoner, he had nothing but a pad of straw for a b…d, and a rotten covering, till good people sent him a bed to lye on: of one side his chamber was the sinke and filth of the house, on the other the town-ditch, enough to have choaked him. After he had laien thus a while, falling sick, the doors, bars, hasps and chaines being all made fast, he both mourned, called and cryed for helpe; yet the Warden hearing, would suffer none to go to him, saying, Let him alone, if he dye, it were … good riddance of him, &c. At last being degraded and condemned, he was sent to Glocester to be burned: the night before his death he did eat his meat quietly, and slept soundly; after his first sleep, he spent the rest of the night in prayer; the next day Sir Anthonie Kingston coming to him, told him that life was sweet, and death bitter; to which he answered, The death to come is more bitter, and the life to come more sweet: I am come hither to end this life and suffer death, because I will not gain-say the former Truth that I have here taught unto you: also a blinde Boy coming to him, after he had examined him in the grounds of Religion, he said, Ah poor Boy, God hath taken from thee thy outward sight, but hath given thee another sight much more precious; having endued thy soule with the eye of knowledge and faith. Being delivered to the Sheriff, he said to him, My request to you Master Sheriff, is onelyonly that there may be a quick fire, shortly to make an end of me, and in the mean time I will be as obedient to you as you can desire; if you thinke I doe amisse in any thing, hold up your finger, and I have done: I might have had my li…e with much worldly gaine, but I am willing to offer up my life for the Truth, and trust to dye a faithfull servant to God, and a true subject to the Queen: when he saw the Sheriffs men with so many weapons, he said, This is mor… then needs, if you had willed me, I would have gone alone to the stake, and have troubled none of you all: as he went to the stake he was forbid to speake to the people: he looked chearfully, and with a more ruddy countenance then ordinary: being com… th…th…r, he prayed about half an …our: and having a box with a pardon set before him, he cryed, If you love my soul away with it, if you love my soul away with it. Three Irons being prepared to fasten him to the stake, he onelyonly put on an Iron-hoop about his middle, bidding them take away the rest, saying, I doubt not but God will give me strength to abide the extremity of the fire without binding. When reeds were cast to him, he embraced and kissed them, putting them under his arm, where he had bags of gun-power also: when fire was first p…t to him, the faggots being green, and the winde blowing away the fl…me, he was but scorched: more faggots being laid to him, the fi…e was so supprest, that his n…ther-parts were burned, his upper being scarce touched: he prayed, O Iesus the son of David have mercy upon m…, and receive my soule: and wiping his eyes with his hands, he said, For Gods love let me have more fire. A third fire being kindled, it burned more violently, yet was he alive a great while in it; the last words which he uttered, being, Lord Iesus receive my spirit. In one of his Letters he wrote, Imprisonment is painfull, but liberty upon evill conditions is worse: the Prison stinkes, yet no… so much as sweet houses where the feare of God is wanting: I must be alone and solitary; its better to be so, and have God with me, then to be in company with the wicked: Losse of goods is great, but losse of grace and Gods favour is greater: I cannot tell how to answer before great and learned men; yet it is better to doe that, then stand naked before Gods tribunall: I shall dye by the hands of cruell men; he is blessed that looseth this life, and findeth life eternall: there is neither felicitie, nor adversitie of this world that is great, if it be weighed with the joyes and pains of the world to come.
Reader, behold, and then admire
Ho…pers most rich Seraphicke fire:
His constanc… wa… great, his heart
(Balso…'d by heav'n) out-vi'd all smart:
Rare was his life, rare was his death;
Whilst time remains his fame shall want no breath.