(John), alias VOWELL, was born in Exeter, about the year 1524, the second son of Robert Hooker, who in 1529 was mayor of that city. He was instructed in grammar learning by Dr Moreman, vicar of Mevagissey in Cornwall, and thence removed to Oxford; but to what college is uncertain. Having left the university, he travelled to Germany, and resided some time at Cologne, where he kept exercises in law, and probably graduated. Thence he went to Strasbourg, where he studied divinity under the famous Peter Martyr. He now returned to England, and soon after visited France, intending to proceed to Spain and Italy; but was prevented by a declaration of war. Returning therefore again to England, he 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, among other works, 1. Order and usage of keeping of 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 chronicle. 4. A description of the city of Exeter, and of the fondrie assaults given to the same; Holinsh. chron. vol. iii. 5. A book of ensigns. 6. Translation of the history of the conquest of Ireland from the Latin of Giraldus Cambrensis; in Holinsh. chron. vol. ii. 7. Synopsis chorographica, or an historical record of the province of Devon; never printed.

(Richard), a learned divine, was born at Heavy-tree, near Exeter, in the year 1553. Some of his ancestors were mayors of that city, and he was nephew to John Hooker the historian. By this uncle he was first supported at the university of Oxford, with the addition of a small pension from Dr Jewel, bishop of Salisbury, who in 1561 got him admitted one of the clerks of Corpus-Chriti college. In 1573 he took the degree of master of arts, and was admitted fellow the same year. In July 1579, he was appointed deputy professor of the Hebrew language. In October, in the same year, he was for some trivial misdemeanor expelled the college, but was immediately restored. In 1581 he took orders; and, being appointed to preach at St Paul's cross, he came to London, where he was unfortunately drawn into a marriage with Joan Churchman, the termagant daughter of his holters. Having thus lost his fellowship, he continued in the utmost distress till the year 1584, when he was presented by John Cheny, Esq.; to the rectory of Drayton-Beaucham in Buckinghamshire. In this retirement he was visited by Mr Edwin Sandys, and Mr George Cranmer, his former pupils. They found him, with a Horace in his hand, tending some sheep in the common field, his servant having been ordered home by his sweet Xanippe. They attended him to his house; but were soon deprived of his company by an order from his wife Joan, for him to come and rock the cradle. Mr Sandys's representation to his father, of his tutor's situation, procured him the mastership of the Temple. In this situation he met with considerable molestation from one Travers, lecturer of the Temple, and a bigoted Puritan, who in the afternoon endeavoured to confute the doctrine delivered in the morning. From this disagreeable situa- Hooker solicited archbishop Whitgift to remove him to some country retirement, where he might prosecute his studies in tranquillity. Accordingly, in 1591, he obtained the rectory of Boscomb in Wiltshire, together with a prebend in the church of Salisbury, of which he was also made sub-dean. In 1594 he was presented to the rectory of Bishopstowe in Kent, where he died in the year 1600. He was buried in his own parish-church, where a monument was erected to his memory by William Cooper, Esq. He was a meek, pious, and learned divine. He wrote, 1. Ecclesiastical politie, in eight books, fol. 2. A discourse of justification, &c. with two other sermons, Oxford 1612, 4to. Also several other sermons printed with the Ecclesiastical Politie.

naval architecture, a vessel much used by the Dutch, built like a pink but rigged and masted like a hoy.—Hookers will lie nearer a wind than vessels with cross-sails can do. They are from 50 to 200 tons burden, and with a few hands will sail to the East Indies.