He was born in
Halifax in the
West Riding of Yorkshire and educated at
St John's College, Cambridge, where he was tutored by the poet
John Cleveland, whose biography he later wrote and whose works he edited and published. He graduated B.A. in 1642. Lake was an ardent
Royalist and fought valiantly for
King Charles I at
Basing House and
Wallingford. On leaving the army, Lake entered the Church. He was ordained in 1647, and graduated
D.D. (
litterae regiae) at Cambridge in 1661. He held the following livings: • Vicar of
Leeds, 1661–1663. • Rector of
St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate, 1663–1670. •
Prebendary of Holborn (in
St Paul's Cathedral), 1667–1682. • Rector of
Prestwich, 1668–1685. • Prebendary of
Fridaythorpe (in
York Minster), 1670–1685. •
Prebendary of Halloughton (in
Southwell Minster), 1670–1682. • Master of
Bawtry Hospital, 1674–1683. •
Archdeacon of Cleveland, 1680–1682. Lake was appointed
Bishop of Sodor and Man on 7 January 1683. He was translated to
Bristol on 12 August 1684 and to
Chichester on 19 October 1685. He was one of the
Seven Bishops who opposed the
Declaration of Indulgence and were imprisoned by
King James II. However, during the
Glorious Revolution, he voted for a regency for the
Kings's son. He
refused to accept William and
Mary and was suspended from office on 1 August 1689. Lake died on 30 August following. ". ==References==