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John Hooker, John Hoker or John Vowell (c. 1527–1601) was an English writer, solicitor, antiquary, civic administrator and advocate of republican government. He wrote an eye-witness account of the siege of Exeter that took place during the Prayer Book Rebellion in 1549. From 1555 to his death he was chamberlain of Exeter.
Hooker was born at Bourbridge Hall in Exeter, Devon, England about 1525. He was the second son of Robert Vowell or Hooker and Agnes Doble, his third wife. The Vowell family had acquired the name Hooker in the 15th century, but usually retained the earlier name; in fact John Hooker was known as John Vowell for much of his life. By the time he was born the family had been prominent in Exeter for several generations.
His early education was acquired under Dr. Moseman, Vicar of Menhussin in Cornwall, and he afterward studied law at Oxford. Later he traveled in Germany and resided some time in Cologne and Strasbourg, where he was the guest of Peter Martyne and attended the divinity lectures of that learned Reformer. He returned to England and after a short stay went to France, intending to extend his travels to Spain and Italy, but was prevented by the war.
Returning to his native country he settled in Exeter. In the 1540s he married Martha, daughter of Robert Tucker of Exeter and they had three sons and two daughters. By 1586, Martha had died and he had married Anastryce/Anstice (c. 1540–1599), daughter of Edward Bridgeman of Exeter. They had seven sons and five daughters. John Hooker had three wives but his daughter Mary is not mentioned. It would seem probable that she was his daughter by his second wife Anstice.
He was chosen first chamberlain of Exeter in 1555, and devoted himself after this to the study of history and antiquities. In 1568 was a member of the Irish Parliament, and in 1571 was one of the members of the English Parliament from Exeter (Wood). He was the author of several works, among them "State of Ireland and Order of Keeping a Parliament in that Country," the same being found in the British Museum under title, "Order and age of keeping Parliament in England" (MS. Harl., II73, vol. 19).[1] John Hooker was uncle to the celebrated divine, Richard Hooker, Rector of Bascombe, County Wilts, 1591, and Prebendary of Sarum. John Greene removed early to Sarum (Salisbury), the country town of Wiltshire.
From 1551 to 1553 he was employed by Myles Coverdale during his short incumbency as Bishop of Exeter; and then in 1555 he became the first chamberlain of Exeter, a post that he held until his death.[1] As chamberlain he was responsible for the city's finances, he dealt with disputes between guilds and merchants, oversaw the rebuilding of the high school, planted many trees in the city, and collected and put in order the city's archives.[1] He used these archives to compile his "Annals" of the City in which he details the characteristics of every Tudor mayor of Exeter, and in 1578 he also wrote and published The Lives of the Bishops of Exeter.[2] At a time when it was deemed essential for cities and nations to have ancient lineage, Hooker described the foundation of Exeter by Corinaeus, nephew of Brutus of Britain, son of Aeneas. He advocated emulating the governmental institutions of the Roman Republic which, in his opinion, brought Rome to greatness, and held the municipal government of Exeter up as a model republican commonwealth worthy of emulation. "[I denounce those who chose] to supporte the authoritie of the Idoll of Rome whome they never sawe in contempte of their trewe & lawfull kinge, whom they knewe and oughte to obeye." —Hooker, on the siege of Exeter, in The description of the citie of Excester, 1.67
In 1568, possibly because he regarded himself as underpaid for the work he was doing for the city, Hooker was persuaded by Sir Peter Carew to go with him to Ireland to be his legal adviser, during his claim to lands there. He also organised Carew's papers in support of his claim for the barony of Idrone, a task to which he committed himself so deeply that in 1569 he was returned to the Irish parliament as member for Athenry. Hooker later wrote a biography of Carew, The dyscourse and dyscoverye of the lyffe of Sir Peter Carew, in which he almost certainly understated the deceit and aggression behind Carew's Irish venture.[1][7][8]
He was, for short periods, a member of both the Irish and English parliaments and wrote an influential treatise on parliamentary procedure. Until Carew's death in 1575, Hooker spent much time in Ireland, but he had also been returned to the English parliament in 1571 as one of the burgesses of Exeter. The session had only lasted a few weeks, but he kept a journal in which he accurately recorded the proceedings. His experiences in the Irish and English parliaments led him to write a treatise on parliamentary practice, The Order and Usage how to Keepe a Parlement in England, which was published in two editions in 1572. One edition had a preface addressed to William FitzWilliam, the Lord Deputy of Ireland and was clearly intended to bring order to the Irish assembly; the other was addressed to the Exeter city authorities, presumably to aid his successor burgesses. In writing his treatise Hooker took much inspiration from the Modus Tenendi Parliamentum, a treatise from the early 14th century.[1]
In 1586 Hooker again represented Exeter in parliament. At this time he was one of the editors of the second edition of Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles, published in 1587. Hooker's Order and Usage was included and he contributed an updated history of Ireland, including parts of his Life of Carew and a translation of Expugnatio Hibernica ("Conquest of Ireland") by Gerald of Wales. In his Irish section he again made his religious and political sympathies very clear, repeatedly denouncing the Catholicism of the native Irish, seeing it as the cause both of their poverty and rebelliousness. Rome, he wrote, is "the pestilent hydra" and the pope "the sonne of sathan, and the manne of sinne, and the enimie unto the crosse of Christ, whose bloodthirstiness will never be quenched". Hooker continued to serve Exeter in his later years, becoming coroner in 1583 and recorder in 1590. He was also appointed as steward of Bradninch by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1587.[1]
His last, unpublished and probably uncompleted work was the first topographical description of his home county that he called Synopsis Corographical of the county of Devon. He probably started work on this before his friend Richard Carew began writing his similar Survey of Cornwall.[2] In writing his Synopsis, Hooker was influenced by the style and structure of William Harrison's Description of England, which had been published in 1577 as part of the first edition of Holinshed's Chronicles.[1] Although Hooker revised Synopsis many times, he probably never completed it to his satisfaction. The work exists today as two almost identical manuscripts[9] which were used as source material for many later topographical descriptions of the county: Thomas Westcote's Survey of Devon of 1630, and Tristram Risdon's Chorographical Description or Survey of the County of Devon (c. 1632) are examples. "a verye ancient towne … and maye be equall with some cities for it is the cheffe emporium of that countrie and most inhabited with merchantes whose cheffest trade in tyme of peace was with Spayne … it is a clene and sweete towne, very well paved…" —Hooker, on Barnstaple, in Synopsis Corographical, 261-262 Works: Orders Enacted for Orphans and for their Portions within the Citie of Exeter, London, 1575 The Antique Description and Account of the City of Exeter: In Three Parts, All Written Purely by John Vowell, Alias Hoker The order and usage of the keeping of a parlement in England, 1572 A pamphlet of the offices and duties of everie particular sworned officer of the citie of Excester (sic) 1584 The Life and Times of Sir Peter Carew.
Price says he died 1601(?), when about eighty years of age, and was buried in Exeter Cathedral, but no monument. [2]
John Hooker was uncle to the celebrated divine, Richard Hooker, Rector of Bascombe, County Wilts, 1591, and Prebendary of Sarum. His grandson, John Greene, removed early to Sarum (Salisbury), the county town of Wiltshire, (2) [IT:(2)((Leland's Itinerary (pp. 7-8, 31) [3]
John married Martha Tucker in 1549 at Exeter, Devonshire, England.
Children ◦Robert Hooker b. c 1550
◦John Hooker b. c 1551
◦John Hooker b. c 1552
◦Margery Hooker b. c 1554
◦Prothsaye Hooker b. c 1556
John's wife, Martha, died circa 1556 in Exeter, Devonshire, England, leaving him a widower.
John married Anastasia Bridgeman, daughter of Edward Bridgeman, circa 1558 at England.
Children
◦Thomas Hooker b. c 1559
◦Toby Hooker b. c 1560
◦Alice Hooker b. c 1561, d. b 28 Jun 1622
◦Zachery Hooker b. b 6 Jun 1562
◦Magdalen Hooker b. c 1563
◦Audrey Hooker b. c 1564
◦Thomas Hooker b. c 1566
◦MARY HOOKER b. c 1568
◦Peter Hooker b. 1570
◦Amy Hooker b. c 1571
◦George Hooker b. c 1572
◦Dorothy Hooker b. c 1576
◦John Hooker b. 1578, d. b 8 Nov 1601
John's wife, Anastasia, died before 25 March 1599 in Exeter, Devonshire, England, leaving him a widower.
On 26 January 1601 in writing to the Exeter corporation just before his death, he described himself as 'unwieldy and imperfect ... my sight waxeth dim, my hearing very thick, my speech imperfect and my memory very feeble'.
He was Chamberlain of Exeter at the time of his death. John departed this life before 15 September 1601 at Exeter, Devonshire, England. On this day, an election was held to fill his vacancy as Chamberlain
John was buried without a monument in Exeter Cathedral.
Career:
In Exeter
“[I denounce those who chose] to supporte the authoritie of the Idoll of Rome whome they never sawe in contempte of their trewe & lawfull kinge, whom they knewe and oughte to obeye.” —Hooker, on the siege of Exeter, in The description of the citie of Excester
During the Prayer Book Rebellion of 1549 Hooker experienced at first hand the siege of Exeter, and left a vivid manuscript account of its events in which he made no effort to conceal his anti-Catholic sympathies. From 1551 to 1553 he was employed by Myles Coverdale during his short incumbency as Bishop of Exeter. In 1555 he became the first chamberlain of Exeter, a post he held until his death.
As chamberlain he was responsible for the city's finances, he dealt with disputes between guilds and merchants, oversaw the rebuilding of the high school, planted many trees in the city, and collected and put in order the city's archives. He used these archives to compile his "Annals" of the City in which he details the characteristics of every Tudor mayor of Exeter, and in 1578 he wrote and published The Lives of the Bishops of Exeter.[8] In 1570/71 he was MP for Exeter.
At a time when it was deemed essential for cities and nations to have ancient lineage, Hooker described the supposed foundation of Exeter by Corinaeus, nephew of Brutus of Britain, son of Aeneas. He advocated emulating the governmental institutions of the Roman Republic, which in his opinion brought Rome to greatness, and held up the municipal government of Exeter as a model republican commonwealth worthy of emulation.
In Ireland
In 1568, possibly because he regarded himself as underpaid for the work he was doing for Exeter, Hooker was persuaded by Sir Peter Carew to accompany him to Ireland as his legal adviser. He organised Carew's papers in support of his claim for the barony of Idrone, a task to which he committed himself so deeply that in 1569 he was returned to the Irish parliament as member for Athenry. Hooker later wrote a biography of Carew, The dyscourse and dyscoverye of the lyffe of Sir Peter Carew, in which he almost certainly understated the deceit and aggression behind Carew's Irish venture.
Until Carew's death in 1575, Hooker spent much time in Ireland, but he had also been returned to the English parliament in 1571 as one of the burgesses of Exeter. The session had lasted only a few weeks, but he kept a journal in which he accurately recorded the proceedings. His experiences in the Irish and English parliaments led him to write a treatise on parliamentary practice, The Order and Usage how to Keepe a Parlement in England, which was published in two editions in 1572. One edition had a preface addressed to William FitzWilliam, Lord Deputy of Ireland and was clearly intended to bring order to the Irish assembly; the other was addressed to the Exeter city authorities, presumably to aid his successor burgesses. In writing his treatise Hooker took much inspiration from the Modus Tenendi Parliamentum, a treatise from the early 14th century.
In 1586 Hooker again represented Exeter in parliament. At this time he was one of the editors of the second edition of Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles, published in 1587. Hooker's Order and Usage was included within it and he contributed an updated history of Ireland, with parts of his Life of Carew and a translation of Expugnatio Hibernica ("Conquest of Ireland") by Gerald of Wales. In his Irish section he made his religious and political sympathies very clear, repeatedly denouncing the Catholicism of the native Irish, seeing it as the cause both of their poverty and rebelliousness. Rome he described as "the pestilent hydra" and the pope "the sonne of sathan, and the manne of sinne, and the enimie unto the crosse of Christ, whose bloodthirstiness will never be quenched".
Later life
“a verye ancient towne ... and maye be equall with some cities for it is the cheffe emporium of that countrie and most inhabited with merchantes whose cheffest trade in tyme of peace was with Spayne ... it is a clene and sweete towne, very well paved...” —Hooker, on Barnstaple, in Synopsis Corographical, 261–262
Hooker continued to serve Exeter in his later years, becoming coroner in 1583 and recorder in 1590. He was also appointed as steward of Bradninch by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1587. By this time he was involved in the long task of organising and writing his historically-based description of his home county which he titled Synopsis Corographical of the county of Devon. He probably started work on this before his antiquary friend Richard Carew began writing his similar Survey of Cornwall. In writing his Synopsis, Hooker was influenced by the style and structure of William Harrison's Description of England, which had been published in 1577 as part of the first edition of Holinshed's Chronicles.
Although Hooker revised his Synopsis many times, he probably never completed it to his satisfaction. The work survives today as two almost identical manuscripts, one in the British Library the other in the Devon Record Office, which were used as source material for many later topographical descriptions of the county, including Thomas Westcote's Survey of Devon (1630) and Tristram Risdon's Chorographical Description or Survey of the County of Devon (c. 1632). He wrote an account of the Black Assize of Exeter in 1586 from which a virulent and deadly disease spread from prisoners in Exeter Prison to the courtroom in Exeter Castle and thence to the whole county.
Marriage & progeny
In the 1540s he married Martha Tucker, daughter of Robert Tucker of Exeter by whom he had three sons and two daughters. Martha died before 1586 after which he re-married to Anastryce Bridgeman (c. 1540–1599), daughter of Edward Bridgeman of Exeter, by whom he had seven sons and five daughters.
Death & burial
In later life his health failed. He wrote: "...my sight waxeth Dymme my hyringe [hearing] very thycke my speache imperfecte and my memory very feeble". He died in Exeter on 8 November 1601 at the age of 76 and was buried at St Mary Major, Exeter.
See also:
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H > Hooker > John Vowell Hooker MP
Categories: Members of Parliament, Athenry | Members of Parliament, Ireland 1569 | Members of Parliament, Exeter | Members of Parliament, England 1571 | Members of Parliament, England 1586 | Exeter, Devon | English Authors | Devon, Notables | Notables
Rachel Grindall has no documentation, and as she isn't listed here, she can be forgotten. Alice Powell has no documentation I can find and should be removed. Rachel Alice Stanyerne seems to be an odd hybrid of several women. Again, no documentation, and should be removed. The same with Alice Stanyerne.
The History of Parliament (https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-1603/member/hooker-alias-vowell-john-1527-1601) lists two wives: Martha Toker (Tucker) and Anastryce Bridgeman. Respectfully submit John's excess wives be deleted and Martha Tucker added in their place.
Both profiles have spouse Rachel Grindal and mother Agnes Dobell, so they are either profiles in error or actually are one of the same persons, not father and son.