Life
He was born in London and educated at Westminster and Trinity College, Cambridge. On taking his degree he was elected a fellow of his college, and soon afterwards wrote the comedy, Loiola (London, 1648), which was twice performed before King James I. He was ordained in 1618, and through the influence of John Williams became rector in 1621 of Stoke Hammond, Buckinghamshire, and Kirkby Underwood, Lincolnshire.
In 1623 he was chaplain to James, and in 1624 Williams gave him the livings of St Andrew's, Holborn, and Cheam, Surrey. He was Archdeacon of Bedford from 1631 to 1661.
When the so-called Root and Branch Bill was before Parliament in 1641, Hacket was selected to plead in the House of Commons for the continuance of cathedral establishments. In 1645 his living of St Andrew's was sequestered, but he was allowed to retain the rectory of Cheam.
On the accession of Charles II, his fortunes improved; he frequently preached before the king, and in 1661 was consecrated Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry. His time at the Cathedral coming immediately after the English Civil War meant that Hacket had the unenviable task of overseeing the restoration of Lichfield Cathedral.
There is an effigy in remembrance of Bishop Hacket in Lichfield Cathedral.
Read more about this topic: John Hacket
Famous quotes containing the word life:
“History not used is nothing, for all intellectual life is action, like practical life, and if you don’t use the stuff—well, it might as well be dead.”
—A.J. (Arnold Joseph)
“And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”
—Bible: Hebrew Exodus, 21:23-25.
“Who shall describe the inexpressable tenderness and immortal life of the grim forest, where Nature, though it be midwinter, is ever in her spring, where the moss-grown and decaying trees are not old, but seem to enjoy a perpetual youth.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)