Christopher Hatton

, Son of Will. Hatton of Holdenby in Northamptonshire, Son of John, Son of Hen Hatton, by Eliz. his Wife, Sister and Heir of Will. Holdenby of Holdenby before-mentioned, was born at Holdenby, became a Gentleman-Commoner of S. Mary’s Hall, in the Reign of Q. Mary, at which time Will. Alan (afterwards a Cardinal) presided it. Thence, without a Degree, he went to the Inner-Temple; afterwards became successively one of the Queen’s Gentlemen Pensioners, Gentleman of the Privy Chamber, Captain of the Band of Pensioners, a Knight, Vice-chamberlain of the Queen’s Houshold, one of the Privy Council, Lord Chancelor of England, Knight of the Garter, and Chancelor of this University. “He was a Man (n)(n) Camden in Britan. in com. Northampt. to say nothing of him, but that which in truth is due, for Religion and Godliness right devout, of approved faithfulness to the State, of incorrupt, Equity, for Alms deeds of all others most bountiful, and one (which is not the least part of his praise) that was most willing and ready to support and maintain Learning, &c. He was also somewhat (o)(o) Idem in Annal. Reg. Elizab. sub An. 1591. enclined to the Popish Party, by reason his Natural Clemency could not be drawn into a Persuasion, that in case of Religion, Men should be burnt, hang’d, or quartered. ” And therefore it was that one (p)(p) Pet. Ribadeneira in Append. ad N. Sanderum de Schism. Anglic. reporteth that he always was in animo Catholicus; and another (q)(q) See in Leycester’s Commonwealth, printed 1641. p. 149. that he was of such credit and favour in Rome, as if he was the greatest Papist in England. He wrote, as it is said, several things pertaining to the Law, but none of them are extant; only this, if I may say it is his, and not his Name set to it for sale sake.

A Treatise concerning Statutes, or Acts of Parliament, and the Exposition thereof. Lond. 1677. oct. Whether ever before printed, I know not.

Speeches spoken during the time of his Chancelorship—MS. This great and worthy Person dyed on the 20th. of November in one thousand five hundred ninety and one, 1591 aged 51. and was buried in the upper part of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, on the 16th. of December following. Soon after came out a little Book of Verses made on his Death, by several Hands, intit. Musarum plangores. Christopher Lord Hatton, Son of John Hatton, the nearest Knsman of the Male Line to the aforesaid Sir Christopher, was not of St. Mary’s Hall, but of Jesus College in Cambridge, and afterwards a Doctor of the Civil Law of Oxon, as I shall elsewhere tell you. He published the Psalms of David, with Titles and Collects, according to the matter of each Psalm. Printed at Oxon, 1644. in oct. and afterwards enlarged and published several times. These Collects or Prayers at the end of every Psalm, were compiled by Dr. Jeremiah Taylor, and so were the Devotions for the help and assistance of all Christian People, which are at the end of every impression of the aforesaid Book; yet notwithstanding they go all under the Name of the aforesaid Christop. L. Hatton, (having his Arms in the Title of them,) who dying 4 July 1670. being then, or lately, a Member of the Privy Council to his Majesty, was buried in a private Chappel of the Collegiate Church at Westminster (dedicated to St. Peter) opposite to the Capella Regum, on the North side. See more in Jer. Taylor, under the year 1667.