cquaints his father, who was
then Archbishop of York, with his Tutor's sad condition, and solicits
for his removal to some benefice that might give him a more quiet and
a more comfortable subsistence; which his father did most willingly
grant him when it should next fall into his power. And not long after
this time, which was in the year 1585, Mr. Alvey,--Master of the
Temple,--died, who was a man of a strict life, of great learning, and
of so venerable behaviour, as to gain so high a degree of love and
reverence from all men, that he was generally known by the name of
Father Alvey. And at the Temple-reading, next after the death of this
Father Alvey, he, the said Archbishop of York being then at dinner
with the Judges, the Reader, and the Benchers of that Society, met
with a general condolement for the death of Father Alvey, and with a
high commendation of his saint-like life, and of his great merit both
towards God and man; and as they bewailed his death, so they wished
for a like pattern of virtue and learning to succeed him. And here
came in a fair occasion for the Bishop to commend Mr. Hooker to Father
Alvey's place, which he did with so effectual an earnestness, and that
seconded with so many other testimonies of his worth, that Mr.
Hooker was sent for from Drayton-Beauchamp to London, and there the
Mastership of the Temple proposed unto him by the Bishop, as a greater
freedom from his country cares, the advantages of a better society,
and a more liberal pension than his country parsonage did afford him.
But these reasons were not powerful enough to incline him to a willing
acceptance of it: his wish was rather to gain a better country living,
where he might see God's blessings spring out of the earth, and be
free from noise,--so he expressed the desire of his heart,--and eat
that bread which he might more properly call his own, in privacy
and quietness. But, notwithstanding this averseness, he was at last
persuaded to accept of the Bishop's proposal; and was by Patent for
life, made Master of the Temple the 17th of March, 1585, he being then
in the 34th year of his age. [This you may find in the Temple Records.
William Ermstead was master of the Temple at the Dissolution of the
Priory, and died 2 Eliz. (1559). Richard Alvey, Bat. Divinity, Pat.
13 Febr. 2 Eliz. _Magister, sive Custos Domus et Ecchsiae Novi Templi_,
died 27 Eliz. (1585). Richard Hooker succeeded that year by Patent, in
terminis, as Alvey had it, an