HOOPER, John (c. 1495-1555), bishop and martyr, was a native of Somersetshire, and was born about 1495. He was educated at Merton College, Oxford, and after taking his degree of bachelor of arts in 1518 joined the order of Cistercian monks at Gloucester. Subsequently, “ -while living too much of a court life in the palace of the king,” his attention was directed to the writings of Zwingli, and the result of his perusing them was that after a diligent study of the Scriptures he became a zealous advocate of the principles of the Reformation. For a short time he was chaplain to Sir Thomas Arundel, but, being warned of the danger to which his opinions exposed him, he in 1539 made his escape to France. Returning to England shortly afterwards, he found that plots were again being laid for his life, and escaped to Ireland disguised as a sailor. From Ireland he again went to France, passing thence to Germany, where he married, probably in 1546. After his marriage he settled in Zurich till March 1549, when he set out for England. Immediately on arriving in London he began to apply himself to the work of instructing the masses, and so successful were his labours that the churches in which he lectured were crowded by eager audiences, and that the king specially requested him to remain in London to further the progress of the Reformation. In 1550 he was presented to the bishopric of Gloucester; but, refusing it on account of objections to the oath and vestments, he was summoned before the council, and ultimately was imprisoned for some time in the Fleet, till he intimated that his scruples had been removed. The duties of his episcopate he discharged with a diligence, zeal, and self-sacrifice that have been rarely equalled. He preached three or four times a day in the towns and ...