John Hacket

John Hacket (Born Halket) (1 September 1592 – 28 October 1670) was an English churchman, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry from 1661 until his death.

The Right Reverend John Hacket
Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry
Diocese	Lichfield and Coventry
In office	1661–1670
Predecessor	Accepted Frewen
Successor	Thomas Wood
Orders
Consecration	22 December 1661 by Gilbert Sheldon
Personal details
Born	(1592-09-01)1 September 1592
Died	28 October 1670(1670-10-28) (aged 78)
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglican
Spouse	(1) Elizabeth Stebbing (2) Frances Bennet
Education	Westminster School
Alma mater	Trinity College, Cambridge

For other people with the same name, see John Hackett (disambiguation).

Life

Memorial to John Hacket in Lichfield Cathedral

He was born in London and educated at Westminster and Trinity College, Cambridge.^[1] 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 other, ceding it for practical reasons in 1662.

On the accession of Charles II, his fortunes improved; he frequently preached before the king, and was elected Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry after the bishopric was rejected by the Presbyterian leader Edmund Calamy the elder. Hacket was elected to the See on 6 December, confirmed on 20 December, and consecrated a bishop on 22 December 1661.^[2] 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.

He has a near life-size effigy at rest over marble plaques in Lichfield Cathedral.

Works

His best-known book is the biography of his patron, Archbishop Williams, entitled Scrinia reserata: a Memorial offered to the great Deservings of John Williams, D.D. (London, 1693).

References

1. "Hackett, John (HKT609J)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
2. Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541–1857, vol. 10, 2003, pp. 1–5

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Hacket, John". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 12 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 793.
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Lichfield". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 586.

External links

• Works by John Hacket at Post-Reformation Digital Library

Church of England titles
Preceded by Accepted Frewen	Bishop of Lichfield 1661–1670	Succeeded by Thomas Wood