[1733]John Hoskyns[GC], serjeant-at-lawe, was borne at Mounckton in the parish of <Llanwarne> in the com. of Hereford, Aº Dni <1566> [on[1734] St. Mark's day].
Mounckton belonged to the priory of Llantony juxta Glocester, where his ancestors had the office of cupbearer (or 'pocillator') to the prior. I have heard there was a windowe given by one Hoskyns there, as by the inscription did appeare.
Whither the serjeant were the eldest brother[1735] or no, I have forgott; but he had a brother, John[GD], D.D., a learned man, rector of Ledbury and canon of Hereford, who, I thinke, was eldest, who was designed to be a scholar, but this John (the serjeant) would not be quiet, but he must be a scholar too. In those dayes boyes were seldome taught to read that were not to be of some learned profession. So, upon his instant importunity, being then ten yeares of age, he learned to reade, and, at the yeare's end, entred into his Greeke grammar. This I have heard his sonne, Sir Benet Hoskyns, knight and baronett, severall times say.
He was of a strong constitution, and had a prodigious memorie. At ... yeares old, he went to Winton schole, where he was the flower of his time. I remember I have heard that one time he had not made his exercise (verse) and spake to one of his forme to shew him his, which he sawe. The schoolmaster presently calles for the exercises, and Hoskyns told him that he had writ it out but lost it, but he could repeate it, and repeated the other boye's exercise (I think 12 or 16 verses) only at once reading over. When the boy who really had made them shewed the master the same, and could not repeate them, he was whipped for stealing Hoskyns' exercise. I thinke John Owen[GE] and he were schoole-fellowes. There were many pretty stories of him when a schooleboy, which I have forgott. I have heard his son say that he was a yeare at Westminster; and not speeding there, he was sent to Winton.
The Latin verses in the quadrangle at Winton Colledge[GF], at the cocks where the boyes wash their hands, were of his making, where there is the picture[1736] of a good servant, with hind's feet, ... head, a padlock on his lippes, ... The Latin verses describe the properties of a good servant.
When he came to New College, he was Terrae filius; but he was so bitterly satyricall that he was expelled and putt to his shifts.
He went into Somersetshire and taught a schole for about a yeare at Ilchester. He compiled there a Greeke lexicon as far as M, which I have seen. He maried (neer there) a rich widowe, [of Mr. Bourne]; she was a Moyle of Kent; by whome he had only one sonne and one daughter.
[After[1737] his mariage] he admitted himselfe at the Middle Temple, London. He wore good cloathes, and kept good company. His excellent witt gave him letters of commendacion to all ingeniose persons. At his[1738]first comeing to London he gott acquainted with the under-secretaries at court, where he was often usefull to them in writing their Latin letters.
His great witt quickly made him be taken notice of.