HOOKER, alias VOWELL, JOHN, born in Exeter about
the year 1524, was the second son of Robert Hooker, who in 1529 was mayor of that city. He was instructed in grammar by Dr Moreman, vicar of Menhinit in Cornwall, and thence removed to Oxford, but to what college is uncertain. Having left the university, he travelled through Germany, and resided some time at Cologne, where he kept exercises in law, and probably graduated. He then went to Strasburg, where he studied divinity under the famous Peter Martyr. Having returned to England, he soon afterwards visited France, intending to proceed to Spain and Italy; but he was prevented by a declaration of war. He therefore returned to England, and fixed his residence in his native city, where, having married, he was in 1554 elected chamberlain, being the first person who held that office, and in 1571 represented his fellow-citizens in parliament. He died in the year 1601, and was buried in the cathedral church at Exeter. He wrote, amongst other works, 1. Order and Usage of keeping Parliaments in Ireland; 2. The events of Comets or blazing stars, made upon the sight of the comet Pagonia, which appeared in November and December 1577; 3. An addition to the Chronicles of Ireland from 1546 to 1568, in the second volume of Holinshed's work; 4. A Description of the city of Exeter, and of the sundry assaults given to the same (Holinshed, Chron. vol. iii.); 5. A Book of Ensigns; 6. Translation of the History of the Conquest of Ireland, from the Latin of Giraldus Cambrensis (Holinshed, Chron. vol. ii.); 7. Synopsis Chorographica, or an historical record of the province of Devon, never printed.