HOOKER, RictlAno (c.15531600). An Eng lish clergyman, author of the most famous existing treatise on the constitution of the Church of England. Ile was born at Exeter, in the year 1553 or 1554, of poor parents. He was a grave, bashful, and quiet boy. diligent in his studies. and quick at learning. His early prog ress was so rapid that his uncle. John Hooker. was induced to aid him in pursuing his education further. With additional help from John Jewel, Bishop of Salisbury. who afterwards became ltis patron. he was enabled to go to Oxford, where he entered Corpus Christi College in 1567. He became a scholar of Corpus Christi in 1573. was admitted to the degree of Master of Arts in 1377. and the same year became a fellow. The range of his learning was wide, and by no means con fined to theology. From the age of nineteen he served as tutor, and in 1571) he was summoned, in an emergency, to deliver the Hebrew lecture, which be did so much to the satisfaction of the authorities that lie continued to perform this duty so long as lie remained at Oxford. For some unknown reason—perhaps through Puritan influence—he was once temporarily suspended front but honorably restored within a month. In 13S2 Hooker took holy orders, and not long after married. Walton says, to hi: Own sorrow. This marriage put an end to Hooker's quiet and congenial oxford life. He was now obliged to seek a parish. Ile received the modest living of Drayton-Benuebamp. in shire (154). where he lived. rather uneomfort ably, for about n year. At the end of that period his fortunes were bettered by his being made Master of the Temple, London, over the head of a Puritan. Walter Travers. who was already reader there.
Hooker's London life was troubled with ecele siastieal controversy. which he disliked. yet which he would not attempt to avoid when once it was forced upon him. Ilis colleague. Traver:, repre that party in the Church of England \Odell desired the adoption of Genevan ideas and usages, whereas llooker stood for the episcopal establish ment. These opposite views were reflected in the preaching at the Temple. "The forenoon sermon spike Canterbury. and the afternoon Geneva." was the current saying. Presbyterianism was either more popular. or else it had the better presentation. for we hear that the congregation "ebbed in the morning" (when Hooker preached).
and "flowed in the afternoon" (to hear Tra vers). The Puritan champion was at last, silenced by Archbishop \\ Ititgitt. but the discussion was continued in print. Itooker was so deeply stirred by the question at issue that he determined to give it exhaustive treatment in book form, and at once entered upon the preparation of what became the celebrated Laws of Eecksiastical Polity. To carry out his design a change of scene was necessary, and llooker sought once more the quiet of a country parish, and found it at Bos combe, in Kent (1591). At the same time he was made a minor prebend of Salisbury, which. added to his income without na•reasing his labor. In Boscomb Hooker wrote the first four books of the Lairs, and they were published in 1594.
The following year he removed to Bishop's Bourne, in Kent. where he spent the remainder of his life. Book V. of the Lairs appeared in 1597. and there is reason to believe that the other three books were written here, although they were not published. There were to be right books in all, according to Hooker's original plan. The Lairs were hailed as the best defense of the Anglican position ever written. Visitors sought the author out in his retreat. but he himself was all un conscious of the important position he had come to occupy. His days were passed in quiet labor, and he continued to fulfill every duty of his par ish with conscientious fidelity until his death, November 2. 1f00, at the comparatively early age of forty-seven.
Hooker's reputation rests upon his writing:, not upon his, preaching. In personal appearance he was not prepossessing. and his manner in the pulpit was not effective. But as the author of the Ecclesiastical Polity lie stands in the front rank of English men of letters. This work is a monument of literary style. in the formative period of English prose. besides being the most important contribution to the subject of Church government in the language. IVe have the first live hooks precisely as Hooker wrote them. The fate of hooks vi. to viii. in their completed form is shrouded in mystery. Walton relates that the manuscript was destroyed by Puritan relatives of Mrs. Hooker. but that the earlier rough draughts were preserved. From these, long afterward:, the seventh and eighth books were printed. What claimed to be a sixth book appeared in InIA. along with the eighth. but most of this probably does not belong to the Lou's at all. The eight. books were republished. with a life of by Izaak Walton. in 1666. since which time they have passed through many edi tions. ln substance the Ecc/esiastieal Polity is a treatise on Chnrch and civil government. Hook er's conception of the origin of the State re sembles the 'social compact' theory of more re cent times. The C'hurc'h lie holds to he simply the English State. looked at from the religious point of view. Ile defends the Established Church system. with all its ceremonial: but he does this with singular moderation, and he in va•iably accords courteous treatment to his opponent:. In diseussing, the theories of Presliy terians and Independents. lie points out what he believes to be their fundamental and he defend: the episcopal theory on Scriptural and rational grounds. as well as because of its an tiquity and practical success. All succeeding writers on the English Church have built upon the foundations which Hooker laid.
11(nd:or's Works (ineluding the Ecclesiastical the 111111 a Ths•ulirso of and a few "'" by John keldt. I 4 Is:mt. tion superseded all previous Imes. It was reis Stied. 1.1 1111 1 Tth ed.) by Dean and Callon Pagel- in ISSS. \ Val 1011, Life of Richard Hook, r, prefixed to mast edition, of hi, ‘‘ (irk- (Oxford, 18:10).