John Hoskyns
John Hoskyns was an influential English lawyer and poet born around March 1, 1566, near Mouncton, Hereford. He pursued his education at Westminster and Winchester College, eventually earning degrees from New College, Oxford. Known for his wit, Hoskyns became a notable figure at Oxford, although his sharp satire led to his departure from the university. After studying law at the Middle Temple, he garnered a reputation as a skilled rhetorician and mingled with prominent literary figures such as Sir Walter Ralegh and Ben Jonson. Hoskyns's significant work, "Direccions for Speech and Style," served as a guide for rhetoric and letter writing, circulating in manuscript form and influencing later writers. He also had a brief political career as a Member of Parliament under King James I, where his criticisms of the king resulted in his imprisonment in the Tower of London. After his release, he continued to work in law and was appointed as a judge in 1621. Hoskyns passed away on August 27, 1638, and his contributions to literature, particularly in both Latin and English poetry, remain noteworthy, cementing his status in the history of sixteenth and seventeenth-century literature.
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John Hoskyns
Nonfiction Writer and Poet
- Born: March 1, 1566
- Birthplace: Mouncton, Herefordshire, England
- Died: August 27, 1638
Biography
John Hoskyns was born on or about March 1, 1566, near the village of Mouncton in Hereford, England, to John and Margery Hoskyns. He began his early studies at Westminster, later moving to Winchester College in 1579. It is likely that he began writing Latin verse while still at school. In 1585, he went to New College, Oxford University, earning a B.A. in 1588 and an M.A. in 1592. During this time he became known as a great wit. While at Oxford he was elected terrae filius; in this role, he was to play the witty fool at public events. Hoskyn’s satiric orations, however, were so indiscreet that he was forced to leave Oxford.
In 1593, he entered the Middle Temple in London to study law. He continued to work in the Middle Temple for some thirty years. While there, he became known as a skilled rhetorician; his friends included some of the most famous literary figures of his day including Sir Walter Ralegh, Ben Jonson, John Donne, James Kirk, and Sir John Davies, among others. He became part of a group that met at the Mitre Tavern, writing about them in the poem “Convivum Philosophicum.” Around 1599, Hoskyns began writing perhaps his most famous work, “Direccions for Speech and Style,” a guidebook for writing letters and rhetorical figures. The book circulated only in manuscript but was apparently very well known. Its influence can be traced through Ben Jonson to the “sons of Ben.”
Hoskyns was called to the bar on May 2, 1600. In 1604, he became a member of Parliament under King James I, serving in the House of Commons. As would be expected, Hoskyns’s outspoken criticism of the king led him into trouble. By 1614, he had so angered and offended James I that when the king dissolved Parliament on June 7, he filed charges against Hoskyns and committed him to the Tower of London on June 8. While in the tower, Hoskyns resumed his friendship with fellow prisoner Ralegh. There is evidence that Ralegh asked Hoskyns for help in reviewing his writing style.
After his release in 1615, Hoskyns continued to serve in the Middle Temple. In 1621, he was appointed judge for some Welsh regions, and in 1623, he was made sergeant-at-law. Poet John Donne commemorated this event with a sermon at St. Paul’s Cathedral. He returned to Parliament in 1628 under King Charles I. In 1638, a large man stepped on Hoskyn’s foot, resulting in an injury that led to gangrene. Hoskyns died on August 27, 1638.
Although “Direccions for Speech and Style” was not published as a book until the twentieth century, its influence was far reaching. Moreover, while much of his verse was written in Latin, Hoskyns also produced significant poetry in English, some of which has been mistakenly identified as that of John Donne. For these reasons, he is an important figure in sixteenth and seventeenth century literature.