George Hakewill

son of John Hakewill of the City of Exeter Merchant, was born in the parish of S. Mary Arches within the said City and educated in Grammar learning there, became a Commoner of S. Alb. Hall in the beginning of the year 1595 and in that of his age 16, where he became so noted a Disputant and Orator, that he was unanimously elected Fellow of Exeter Coll. at two years standing. Afterwards he proceeded in Arts, applyed himself to the deep researches in Philosophy and Divinity, entred into the sacred function, travelled beyond the seas, and at his return, became as noted for his Preaching and Disputes, as before he was for Philosophy. In 1610 he was admitted to the reading of the Sentences, and the next year proceeded in Divinity. Afterwards he became the first sworn Chaplain that attended Prince Charles, by whose endeavours, I presume, he became Archdeacon of Surrey, an. 1616, which was the highest dignity that he enjoyed, being hindred, I presume, from rising higher for his zealous opposing the match of the Infanta of Spain with his Master the Prince. The story of which was this: After he had with some pains written a small Tract against that match, not without some Reflections on the Spaniard, which could not be pleasing to the King, he caused it to be fairly transcribed by another hand. Which done, he unknown to the King presented it to the Prince. The Prince after he had perused it, shew’d it to the King, who being offended at it, commanded Tho. Murrey the Princes Tutor and Secretary, the Author Hakewill, William his brother, and all others who knew of, or were consenting to it, to be committed ((d))((d)) Camden in Annal. Reg. Jac. 1. MS. sub an. 1621. to custody in Aug. 1621, whence being soon after released, our Author Hakewill was dismist from his attendance on the Prince. So that tho his Learning was accounted by the generality polite, his Philosophy subtile, and Divinity profound, yet in this particular he was esteemed very rash and imprudent. A certain Author ((e))((e)) Sir Ant. Weldon in his Observations on K. Charles p. 217.218. at the end of his Court and Char. of K. James, printed 1651. oct. tells us, that when he presented the said MS. to the Prince, he should say, “ Sir, I beseech you make use of this, by reading it your self, but if you shew it to your Father, I shall be undone for my good will. The Prince returned him many thanks, and assured him, it should never go farther than the cabinet of his own breast; but withall he asked him to whom he had shew’d it, Hakewill replied, the Archbishop (Abbot) hath read it, who returning, said to him, Well done thou good and faithful servant. Besides him, he told the Prince, he had shewed it to Mr. Murrey his Tutor, who belike being better acquainted with his Masters perfidious disposition (so are the words of the libellous Author) than the other, did then disswade him from delivering it to the Prince, for saith he, he will betray you . And it so fell out, for within less than two hours after his said engagement to the Doctor, he presented it to his Father, upon which he, or any thro whose hands or cognizance it had passed before, were all under a disgrace, and banished the Court, &c. The works of this our Author Hakewill are these.”

The vanity of the eye. Oxon. 1608. in oct. Written for the comfort of a young Gentlewoman who became blind by the Small pox.

Scutum Regium adversus omnes Regicidas & Regicidarum patronos ab initio mundi usque ad interitum Phocae Imperatoris &c. lib. 3. Lond. 1612. oct.

The antient and ecclesiastical practice of Confirmation, confirmed by Arguments drawn from Scripture, Reason, Councils, Fathers, and later Writers, &c. Lond. 1613. qu.

Answer to a Treatise written by Dr. B. Carier by way of letter to his Majesty, wherein he layeth down sundry politick considerations, by which he pretendeth himself was mov’d, and endeavoureth to move others to be reconciled to the Ch. of Rome, &c. Lond. 1616. qu.

Treatise against the match with the Infanta—This little thing, which is in MS. I have not yet seen. But another of the like nature I have lying by me, written by one Thomas Allured sometimes Secretary to Ralph Lord Ever President of Wales, the beginning of which is this. Though to advise may seem presumptuous, yet what is well intended, I am more than confident will be neither offensive to your Lordship, &c. ’Twas written to the Marquess of Buckingham, who communicating it to the King, he was so much displeased, that the Author Allured was committed to custody 10 June 1620, being a full year before Hakewill had written his Tract.

Twelve Sermons concerning Davids vow to reform himself, his Family, and his Kingdom, on Psal. 101. Lond. 1621, 22. oct. Besides which he hath other Sermons extant, as (1) Serm. preached at Barnstaple, on Judg. 5.51. Lond. 1632. qu. (2) Serm. at the funeral of John Downe Bac. of Div. Rector of Instow in Devon. sometimes Fellow of Eman. Coll. in Cambr. on Dan. 12.3. Oxon 1633. quart.

Comparison between the days of Purim and that of Powder Treason—Printed 1626. qu.

An Apology or Declaration of the power and providence of God in the government of the World, proving that it doth not decay, &c. in four books. Lond. 1627. To which were added two more—Lond. 1635. fol. 3d Edit. In the first of which are Hakewills Replyes to Bishop Goodmans Arguments and Digressions, which he had made on the first four books of the before mentioned Apol. or Declar. having been incited thereunto by Hakewills former confutation of some passages in Bish. Goodmans Fall of man, &c. relating to the eternity of the world, or for the universal and perpetual decay thereof, whereby Goodman would prove the fall of man. But this confutation made by our Author (whether in MS. or printed I know not) I have not yet seen.

Discourse of the Lords day, on Rev. 1.10. Lond. 1641. quart.

Dissertation with Dr. Heylyn concerning the pretended Sacrifice in the Eucharist. Lond. 1641. qu.

A Treatise rescuing Dr. Joh. Rainolds and other grave Divines, from the vain assaults of P. Heylyn, touching the History of S. George, pretendedly by him asserted.—This I have seen in a MS. fol. but whether ever printed I cannot tell. Quaere. He also translated into Latine The life of Sir Tho. Bodley, his Kinsman, which is in MS. in the publick Library. At length upon the promotion of Dr. Prideaux to the Bishoprick of Worcester, he was elected Rector of Exeter Coll. (to which he had before been an especial benefactor) but did little or not at all reside upon it: for the Civil War breaking then forth, he receded to his Rectory of Heanton near to Barnstaple in Devon. where he lived a retired life to the time of his death, which hapning in the beginning of April in sixteen hundred forty and nine,1649. was buried on the fifth day of the same month in the chancel of the Church there. Over his grave was a stone afterwards laid, with this Inscription ingraven thereon, Reliquiae Georgii Hakewell S. Th. D. Archidiaconi Surriae, collegii Exoniensis & hujus Ecclesiae Rectoris, in spem resurrectionis hic repositae sunt, an. 1649. aetatis suae 72. I have seen a copy of his last will and testament, proved 2 May 1649, wherein he desires that his body might be buried in Exeter Coll. Chappel, if it could conveniently be; if not, at least his heart under the Communion table, or under the desk where the Bible lays, with this Inscription on a brass plate to be put on it, Cor meum ad te Domine. But this I presume was not done, because no such Inscription appears. However the Society of Ex. Coll. did afterwards, in honor to his memory, hang up his Picture painted to the life in his doctoral formalities on the Organ-loft at the east end of the isle, joyning to the south side of the Chappel. In the Rectory of the said Coll. succeeded Mr. (afterwards Dr.) John Conant, and in his Archdeaconry, Joh. Pearson D. D. of Cambridge, installed therein 26 Sept. 1660, a learned man and famous for his Exposition of the Creed, and other books. He was afterwards the worthy Bishop of Chester, and died about the middle of July 1686.