MarginaliaAn. 1555. February.(sayd he) from tyme to tyme to heare from me, and I will write vnto you as it goeth with me. But the last newes of all I shal not be able to write: for there (sayd he, takyng M. Bullynger by the hand) where I shall take most paynes, there shal you heare of me to be burned to ashes: MarginaliaM. Hoper prophesyeth of himself.and that shalbe the last newes which I shall not bee able to write vnto you, but you shall heare it of me. &c.  

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With a young, protestant, and apparently healthy Edward VI having just ascended the throne, this would have been a remarkable prophecy, if Hooper actually made it.

To this also may be added an other lyke propheticall demonstration, foreshewyng before the maner of hys Martyrdome wherewith he should glorifie God, which was this: When M. Hooper beyng made Byshop of Worcester and Glocester should haue his Armes giuen hym by the Harold, as the maner is here in England, euery Bishop to haue his armes assigned vnto himMarginaliaA note of M. Hoopers armes presignyfiing hys Martirdom. (whether by the appoyntment of M. Hoper, or by the Harold I haue not certeinly to say) but the Armes which were to him allotted was this: a Lambe in a fiery bush, and the Sunne beames from heauen descendyng down vpon the Lambe, rightly denotyng (as it semed) the order of hys sufferyng, which afterward folowed.

But now to the purpose of our story agayne: MarginaliaM. Hooper returneth again in to England.Thus whē maister Hoper had take his farewell of M. Bullinger and his frendes in Zuricke, he made his repayre agayne into England in the reigne of kyng Edward vj. where he commyng to London vsed continually to preach, most tymes twyse, at least once euery day, and neuer fayled.  

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This is confirmed in letters to Bullinger from Anna Hooper and from Micron (OL, I, pp. 108 and 557). An interesting passage in the Rerum, which was never reprinted, states that at first Hooper did not preach because the bishops refused to grant him a licence due to his opposition to vestments, but that he received permission to preach from the duke of Somerset (Rerum, p. 279).

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MarginaliaThe notable diligēce of M. Hoper in preaching.In his Sermons, accordyng to his accustomed maner, he corrected sinne, and sharpely inueyed against the iniquitie of the world, and corrupt abuses of the Church. The people in great flockes and companies, dayly came to heare his voyce, as the most melodious sounde and tune of Orpheus harpe, as the Prouerbe sayth: In somuch that often tymes, when he was preachyng, the Church should be so full, that none could enter further then the doores therof. In his doctrine he was earnest, in toūg eloquent, in the Scriptures perfect, in paynes indefatigable.

Moreouer, besides other his giftes and qualities this is in hym to be marueled, that euen as he began, so he continued still vnto his lyues end. For neither could his labour and payne takyng breake him, neither promotion chaunge him, neither dainty fare corrupt him. MarginaliaThe singuler vertues of M. Hooper discribed.His lyfe was so pure and good, that no kinde of sclaunder (although diuers went about to reproue it) could fastē any fault vpon him. He was of body strong, his health whole & sound, hys wit very pregnant, his inuincible patience able to sustaine what soeuer sinister fortune and aduersitie could do. He was constaunt of iudgement, a good Iusticer, spare of dyet, sparer of wordes, & sparest of tyme. In housekeepyng very liberall, and some tyme more free then his lyuing would extēd vnto. Briefly, of all those vertues and qualities required of S. Paule in a good B. in his Epistle to Timothe, I know not one in this good B. lackyng. He bare in countenaūce & talke alwayes a certaine seuere & graue grace, which might peraduēture be wished sometimes to haue bene a litle more populare & vulgarlike in him: but he knew what he had to do best himselfe.

This by the way I thought to note, for that there was once an honest Citizē, & to me not vnknowen, which hauing in himselfe a certaine conflict of cōscience, came to his doore for coūsell: but being abashed at his austere behauiour, durst not come in, but departed, seekyng remedy of hys troubled mynde at other mens handes, whiche he afterward by the helpe of almighty God did finde & obtaine. Therefore in my iudgement, such as are appointed & made gouernours ouer the flocke of Christ, to teach and instruct them, MarginaliaDiscretiō how ministers and preachers ought to behaue themselues.ought so to frame their lyfe, maners, countenaunce, and externall behauiour, as neyther they shewe themselues to familiar and light, whereby to be brought in contempt, nor on the other side agayne, that they appeare more lofty and rigorous, thē appertaineth to the edifiyng of the simple flocke of Christ. Neuertheles, as euery man hath his peculiar gift wrought in hym by nature, so this disposition of fatherly grauitie in this man neither was excessiue, neither dyd hee beare that personage which was in hym without great consideration. For it seemed to hym peraduenture, that this licentious and vnbrideled lyfe of the common sorte, ought to be chastened, not onely with wordes and discipline, but also with the graue and seuere countenaunce of good men.

After he had thus practised himselfe in this popular and common kynde of preachyng: at length, and that not without the great profite of many, he was called to preach before the kynges Maiestie, and soone after, made MarginaliaM. Hooper made Bishop of Glocester and Worcester.Byshop of Glocester by the kynges commaundement. In that office he continued two yeares, and behaued hymselfe so well, that hys very enemyes (except it were for hys good doynges, and sharpe correctyng of sinne) could finde no fault with hym: and after that hee was made Byshop of Worcester.

But I cannot tell what sinister & vnlucky contention concernyng the orderyng and consecration of Byshops, & of their apparell, with such other like trifles, began to disturbe

the good and lucky beginning of thys godly Byshop. For notwithstandyng that godly reformatiō of religion then begon in the Church of England, besides other ceremonyes, more ambitious then profitable or tendyng to edification, they vsed to weare such garmentes and apparell as the popishe Byshops were wont to doe: MarginaliaPopish attire.first a Chymere, and vnder that a white Rochet: then a Mathematicall cap wyth iiij. angels, diuidyng the whole worlde into iiij. partes. These trifles tendyng more to superstition then otherwise, as he could neuer abyde, so in no wyse could he be perswaded to weare them. For this cause he made supplication to the kyngs Maiestie, most humbly desiryng his highnes, either to discharge hym of the Byshopricke, or els to dispense wyth him for such ceremoniall orders. Whose petition the kyng graunted immediatly, wrytinge hys letter to the Archb. after thys tenour.

MarginaliaThe kings letter to the Archbishop in the behalf of M. Hooper.RIght reuerend father, and ryght trusty and welbeloued, we grete you well. Whereas we by the aduise of our Counsail, haue called and chosen our right welbeloued & well worthy M. Iohn Hooper, professor of Diuinitie, to be our Byshop of Gloucester: as wel for his great knowledge, deepe iudgement, and long study both in the scriptures & other prophane learning, as also for his good discretion, ready vtterance, & honest lyfe for that kynd of vocatiō: to the intent all our louing subiectes which are in his said charge and elswhere, myght by his sound and true doctrine, learne the better their dutie towardes God, their obedience towardes vs, and loue towards their neighbours: from consecratyng of whom we vnderstand you do stay, because he would haue you omitte and let passe certayne rites and ceremonies offensiue to his conscience, wherby ye thynke you should fall in Premunire of lawes: we haue thought good by the aduise aforesayd, to dispense and discharge you of all maner of daungers, penalties, and forfaitures you should run & be in any maner of way, by omitting any of the same. And these our letters shalbe your sufficient warrant and discharge therfore.

Yeuen vnder our signet at our Castell of
Wyndsore, the 5. of August, the 4. yeare
of our raigne.

Besides this letter of the kyng, also the Earle of Warwicke (which was afterward Duke of Northumberlād) adioyned hys letter to the foresayd Archb. of Cant. to thys purpose and effect, that M. Hooper might not be burdened with þ^e oth vsed then cōmonly in the consecratiō of byshops, which was agaynst his conscience: as by the purporte of the letter here is to be seene, as foloweth.

MarginaliaA letter of the Earle of Warwick to the Archb. in the behalfe of maister Hooper.AFter my most harty commendations to your grace, these may be to desire the same, that in such reasonable thinges, wherein thys bearer my Lord electe of Glocester craueth to bee borne wythall at your handes, you woulde wyte safe to shew hym your graces fauour the rather at this my instaunce: which thyng partly, I haue taken in hand by the kinges Maiesties owne motion. The matter is wayed by hys hyghnes: none other but that your grace may facily cōdescend vnto. The principall cause is that you woulde not charge thys sayd bearer with an oth bourdinous to his conscience. And so for lacke of tyme I committe your grace to the tuition of almighty God. From Westminster the xxiij. of Iuly, 1550.

Your graces most assured louyng frend.
I. Warwike.

MarginaliaThe kings request nor the Earles could take effect.¶ Both thys graunt of the king, and also the Earles letters aforesayd notwithstanding, the byshops still stoode earnestly in the defence of þ^e foresayd ceremonies, saying it was but a small matter, & that the fault was in the abuse of the thyngs, and not in the thyngs themselues: adding moreouer, that he ought not to be so stubburne in so light a matter and that his wilfulnes therin was not to be suffered.

To be short, MarginaliaDiscord about rituall garments of churchmen.whylest both parties thus contended about thys matter more then reason would, in þ^e meane time occasiō was geuē, as to þ^e true Christiās to lament, so to the aduersary to reioyce. In cōclusiō, this Theologicall cōtētiō came to this end, þ^t the byshops hauing þ^e vpper hand, MarginaliaM. Hooper fain to agree to the Bishops.M. Hooper was faine to agree to this cōdition, that sometimes