Arthur Lake

, brother to Sir Tho. Lake Knight principal Secretary of State to K. Jam. 1. Son of Almeric Lake or du Lake of the antient borough of Southampton, was born in S. Michaels parish, and educated for a time in the Free-School, there. Afterwards being transplanted to Wykehams School to per [•] ect his Grammar learning, was thence elected probationer Fellow of New coll. and after two years of Probation he was made perpetual Fellow thereof, an. 1589. Five years after that, he proceeded in Arts, entred into the sacred function, was made Fellow of Wykehams coll. near to Winton, about 1600. and three years after Master of the hospital of S. Cross in the place of Dr. Rob. Bennet promoted to the See of Hereford. In 1605. he took the degrees in Divinity, and the same year he was installed Archdeacon of Surrey. Afterwards he was made Dean of Worcester in Apr. 1608. in the room of Dr. Jam. Monutague promoted to the See of Bath and Wells, and at length Bishop of those Cities; to which he was consecrated at Lambeth 8. Dec. 1616. In all these places of honour and employment, he carried himself the same in mind and person, shewing by his constancy, that his virtues were virtues indeed. in all kind of which, whether natural, moral, Theological, personal, or pastoral, he was eminent, and indeed one of the examples of his time. He always lived a single man, exemplary in his life and conversation, and very hospitable. He was also well read in the Fathers and Schoolmen, and had such a command of the Scripture (which made him one of the best preachers) that few went beyond him in his time. The things that he hath written, were not by him published, but by his Friends, after his death; the titles of which follow.

Exposition of the first Psalm.

Exposition of the 51. Psalm.

Nine Sermons on Matth. 22. verse 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40.

Ten Serm. on Exod. 19.

Five Serm. at S. Maries in Oxon. on Luke 3. ver. 7, 8, 9.

Eight Serm. on Isa. 9.

Six Serm. on Haggai 2.

Sundry Sermons de tempore preached at Court.

Meditations—All which being collected into a large volume, were printed under this general title. Sermons with religious and divine meditations. Lond. 1629. fol.

Ten Sermons upon several occasions preached at S. Paul’s Cross and elsewhere.. Lond. 1641. qu. The first is on Psal. 160. 29, 30. the second on Jude 5. &c. He dyed in sixteen hundred twenty and six,1626: and was buried in an Isle on the north side of the Choire of Wells Cathedral. Over his grave was soon after laid a plain stone, neither marble nor free, with this engraven on a brass plate fastned thereunto. Here lyeth Author Lake Doctor in Divinity late Bishop of Bathe and Wells, who died on the fourth day of May, an. 1626. His brother Sir Thomas before mentioned, who was of Channous near Edgworth in Middlesex, died at Chanous 17. Sept. 1630. and was buried on the 19. of the same month.