John Hales (1584-1656).
[1035]Mr. John Hales, ...[1036], was borne at Wells, I thinke I have heard Mr. John Sloper say (vicar of Chalke; his mother was Mr. Hales's sister, and he bred him at Eaton).
His father was a steward to the family of the Horners:—
Hopton, Horner, Smyth, and Thynne,
When abbots went out, they came in[1037].
Went to school, at Bath (as I take it). Fellow of Merton Colledge. Assisted Sir Henry Savill in his edition of Chrysostome (cum aliis). Afterwards fellow of Eaton College.
Went chaplain to Sir Dudley Carlton (ambassador to ...). I thinke was at the Synod of Dort.
When the Court was at Windsor, the learned courtiers much delighted <in> his company, and were wont to grace him with their company.
I have heard his nephew, Mr. Sloper, say, that he much loved to read ... Stephanus, who was a familist, I thinke that first wrote of that sect of the Familie of Love: he was mightily taken with it, and was wont to say that sometime or other those fine notions would take in the world. He was one of the first Socinians in England, I thinke the first.
He was a generall scolar, and I beleeve a good poet: for Sir John Suckling brings him into the Session of the Poets: