He was born in Halifax in the West Riding of Yorkshire and educated at St John's College, Cambridge,[1] where he was tutored by the poet John Cleveland, whose biography he later wrote and whose works he edited and published.

Lake was an ardent Royalist and fought valiantly for King Charles I at Basing House and Wallingford.

He held the following livings: Lake was appointed Bishop of Sodor and Man on 7 January 1683.

He was one of the Seven Bishops who opposed the Declaration of Indulgence and were imprisoned by King James II.

He refused to accept William and Mary and was suspended from office on 1 August 1689.