Lives of John Donne, Henry Wotton, Richd Hooker, George Herbert, | Page 4

the
Bishop gave his School-master a reward, and took order for an annual
pension for the boy's parents; promising also to take him into his care
for a future preferment, which he performed: for about the fifteenth
year of his age, which was anno 1567, he was by the Bishop appointed
to remove to Oxford, and there to attend Dr. Cole,[2] then President of
Corpus Christi College. Which he did; and Dr. Cole had--according to
a promise made to the Bishop--provided for him both a Tutor--which

was said to be the learned Dr. John Reynolds,[3]--and a Clerk's place in
that College: which place, though it were not a full maintenance, yet,
with the contribution of his Uncle, and the continued pension of his
patron, the good Bishop, gave him a comfortable subsistence. And in
this condition he continued until the eighteenth year of his age, still
increasing in learning and prudence, and so much in humility and piety,
that he seemed to be filled with the Holy Ghost; and even like St. John
Baptist, to be sanctified from his mother's womb, who did often bless
the day in which she bare him.
[Sidenote: "A dangerous sickness"]
About this time of his age, he fell into a dangerous sickness, which
lasted two months; all which time his Mother, having notice of it, did in
her hourly prayers as earnestly beg his life of God, as Monica the
mother of St. Augustine did, that he might become a true Christian; and
their prayers were both so heard as to be granted. Which Mr. Hooker
would often mention with much joy, and as often pray that "he might
never live to occasion any sorrow to so good a mother; of whom he
would often say, he loved her so dearly, that he would endeavour to be
good, even as much for her's as for his own sake."
[Sidenote: The Bishop's horse]
As soon as he was perfectly recovered from this sickness, he took a
journey from Oxford to Exeter, to satisfy and see his good Mother,
being accompanied with a countryman and companion of his own
College, and both on foot; which was then either more in fashion, or
want of money, or their humility made it so: but on foot they went, and
took Salisbury in their way, purposely to see the good Bishop, who
made Mr. Hooker and his companion dine with him at his own table:
which Mr. Hooker boasted of with much joy and gratitude when he saw
his mother and friends: and at the Bishop's parting with him, the Bishop
gave him good counsel, and his benediction, but forgot to give him
money; which, when the Bishop had considered, he sent a servant in all
haste to call Richard back to him: and at Richard's return, the Bishop
said to him, "Richard, I sent for you back to lend you a horse, which
hath carried me many a mile, and, I thank God, with much ease;" and
presently delivered into his hand a walking-staff, with which he
professed he had travelled through many parts of Germany. And he
said, "Richard, I do not give, but lend you my horse: be sure you be

honest, and bring my horse back to me at your return this way to
Oxford. And I do now give you ten groats, to bear your charges to
Exeter; and here is ten groats more, which I charge you to deliver to
your Mother and tell her I send her a Bishop's benediction with it, and
beg the continuance of her prayers for me. And if you bring my horse
back to me, I will give you ten groats more, to carry you on foot to the
College: and so God bless you, good Richard."
[Sidenote: Jewel's death]
And this, you may believe, was performed by both parties. But, alas!
the next news that followed Mr. Hooker to Oxford was, that his learned
and charitable patron had changed this for a better life. Which happy
change may be believed, for that as he lived, so he died, in devout
meditation and prayer: and in both so zealously, that it became a
religious question, "Whether his last ejaculations or his soul did first
enter into Heaven?"
And now Mr. Hooker became a man of sorrow and fear: of sorrow, for
the loss of so dear and comfortable a patron; and of fear for his future
subsistence. But Dr. Cole raised his spirits from this dejection, by
bidding him go cheerfully to his studies, and assuring him, he should
neither want food nor raiment,--which was the utmost of his hopes,--for
he would become his patron.
And so he was for about nine months, and not longer; for about that
time this following accident did befall Mr. Hooker.
[Sidenote: Bishop