to the abbey to hear the music and study the architecture. One of his earliest literary efforts were some essays on plates from subjects in Westminster Abbey, published in 1782–3 in Carter's ‘Antient Sculpture and Painting.’ The extent and value of his assistance was afterwards a matter of dispute between him and Carter (Gent. Mag. 1814, i. 133, 144, ii. 114). On the discovery of the paintings on the walls of the House of Commons in 1800, Hawkins undertook to write an account of them to accompany the drawings made by J. T. Smith. A misunderstanding arose, and Smith completed and published the work himself in 1807 as ‘Antiquities of Westminster.’ Hawkins published ‘A Correct Statement’ of his share of the work, London, 1807, 8vo, and Smith issued ‘A Reply,’ London, 1808, 8vo. During 1814 he engaged in a dispute with Isaac D'Israeli in vindication of his father, but seems to have got the worst of it (Gent. Mag. 1814, i. 551, ii. 12). Hawkins died on 12 Aug. 1842, in his eighty-fifth year, at Lower Grove, Brompton, where he had long resided. He was a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. His library was sold in 1843. He is described (Gent. Mag.) as a learned antiquary, whose ‘talents were overshadowed by a sour and jealous temper.’
Hawkins also published: 1. An edition of Ruggle's ‘Ignoramus,’ with notes, &c., London, 1787, 8vo, on which he had worked for nearly ten years (Nichols, Literary Anecdotes, ix. 35). 2. ‘Walton's Complete Angler,’ 1797, 12mo, 1808, 8vo (a reproduction of Sir J. Hawkins's edition). 3. ‘L. Da Vinci's Treatise on Painting’ (Rigaud's translation), with a life, 1802, 8vo. 4. ‘A History of the Origin and Establishment of Gothic Architecture,’ London, 1813, 8vo, which was severely handled by John Carter (1748–1817) [q. v.] in the ‘Gentleman's Magazine’ (for Carter's letters see Gent. Mag. 1813 ii. 321, 1814 i. 9, 114, 133, 329, ii. 313, 1815 ii. 305. Hawkins, who does not seem to have studied architecture thoroughly, replied in the same periodical (1814, i. 5, 242, 348, 456). 5. ‘An Inquiry into … Greek and Latin Poetry’ (especially dramatic), London, 1817, 8vo. 6. ‘An Inquiry into the nature … of Thorough Bass on a new plan,’ London [1817], 8vo.
[Gent. Mag. new ser. 1842, xviii. 662–4.]
HAWKINS, NICHOLAS, LL.D. (d. 1534), bishop-designate of Ely, nephew and godson of Bishop West of Ely, was born at Putney, and was educated at Eton, whence he was elected scholar of King's College, Cambridge, in 1514. He became rector of Doddington in the Isle of Ely (19 Jan. 1518–1519), of East Dereham, Norfolk (1520), and Snailwell, Cambridgeshire (20 June 1526). He devoted himself to the study of civil and canon law, proceeded to the degree of LL.D., and was admitted an advocate 30 Nov. 1528. We learn from a letter of Chapuys that at one time he embraced the teaching of the reformers, and was thrown into prison for Lutheranism, but subsequently recanted and was compelled to ‘carry a fagot’ as a repentant heretic by his uncle the Bishop of Ely (Letters and State Papers of Hen. VIII, v. No. 1377). He was well rewarded for his compliance. He became a diplomatic servant of the crown, and it was when absent on a foreign mission that he was collated to the rich archdeaconry of Ely, to which he was admitted by proxy 9 Nov. 1527, resigning the rectory of Doddington. As archdeacon he attended the convocation of 1529. When Henry VIII was prosecuting his divorce with the pope and the emperor, Hawkins's reputation as an ecclesiastical lawyer and diplomatist led to his appointment in 1532 as resident ambassador at the imperial court in succession to Cranmer. He was sent with credentials to the Duke of Brunswick, the king of Hungary, and the Elector Palatine, October 1532, at a salary of 30s. a day, paid a year in advance (ib. v. 1372, 1380, 1388). Chapuys, writing to the emperor 1 Oct., gives a full account of his earlier life, and states that he had rendered eminent service to the king when he declared himself head of the church, and had written against the authority of the pope. Hawkins was instructed to procure opinions relative to the divorce, and was credited with possessing ample funds to prosecute his object (ib. 1377). A commission was also given him in common with Jerome (Ghinucci), bishop of Worcester, Dr. Cranmer, and others, to treat for a universal peace (ib. 1482). Hawkins landed at Calais 5 Oct., and reached Mantua 16 Nov., when he had an audience with Charles V, and his credentials were accepted. He employed himself in translating into Latin Henry's ‘Glass of Truth’ on the unlawfulness of marriage with a deceased brother's wife (ib. 1564). By Christmas eve he had reached Bologna, where Clement VII had come to confer with the emperor. Thence he wrote to the king that he had finished his translation, and requested him to send him his book ‘De Potestate Papæ.’ At the same time he complained to Cromwell that while the other ambassadors had silver plate he was compelled to eat off pewter. By 22 Feb. 1533 he had had an interview touching the divorce with the pope (ib.
