A century of sermons upon several remarkable subjects preached by the Right Reverend Father in God, John Hacket, late Lord Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry.

John Hacket (1592–1670) was an English churchman and academic. He was born in London and educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Oxford. He later became the president of Trinity College, Oxford, in 1630 and was appointed Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry in 1661. Hacket was known for his scholarship, particularly in theology, and for his support of the Anglican Church during a period of political and religious upheaval in England. He wrote several works on religious and historical subjects, including a biography of the poet John Donne. Hacket played a significant role in the religious and intellectual life of his time.

“In addition to the Latin play of ‘Loyola’ and his great work on the life of Archbishop Williams, a small work entitled ‘Christian Consolations’ (1671, republished 1840) has been incorrectly attributed to Hacket. ‘A Century of Sermons on several remarkable subjects’ was edited, with a memoir, by Thomas Plume in 1675. In company with Ben Jonson he translated Bacon’s ‘Essays’ into Latin. His skill in using the Latin tongue was considerable, and his reading was varied and extensive. His biographer admits that he was of a hasty and choleric temper, but very quickly reconciled to any who had offended him. His quarrel with Dean Wood, who afterwards succeeded him as bishop, and was suspended for simoniacal practices, caused, according to Pepys, considerable scandal, but the bishop enjoyed high estimation in the opinion of all good men. He married Elizabeth, daughter of W. Stebbing of Soham, Suffolk ; and after her death in 1638, Frances, daughter of Mr. Bennet of Cheshire, and widow of Dr. Bridgman, prebendary of Chester. He had several children. His eldest son, Andrew, was knighted, and was a master in chancery; he erected a recumbent effigy to his father’s memory in Lichfield Cathedral. There is an engraving of this tomb and also of a portrait of Hacket in ‘A Century of Sermons.” (www.apuritansmind.com).