Harpsfeld, Nicholas

, brother to the preceding, was born in London, and educated at Winchester school, after which he studied civil law at New college, Oxford, of which he was admitted a fellow in 1536. In 1543 he took the degree of bachelor of laws, and the year following was chosen principal of White-hall, which stood on the site of Jesus college. In 1546 he was appointed regius professor of Greek. He was the first who read this lecture before it was fully established by Henry VIII. and Leland characterizes him as “Atticae linguae interpres facilis, disertus, aptus.” He appears to have resigned this office in 1548. In 1550, Pits says, he went abroad for conscience sake; but in 1553 we find him resigning his fellowship, taking the degree of LL. D. and on Jan. 15, 1554, admitted a civilian in London. In the same year he was made archdeacon of Canterbury, prebendary of St. Paul’s, and also admitted to the living of Layndon, which in 1558 heresigned to his brother. In 1558 he acted as prolocutor for the province of Canterbury in convocation, and after queen Elizabeth came to the throne, was, as well as his brother, one of the seven popish disputants; but his zeal for popery deprived him of all his preferments. He appears to have been afterwards imprisoned, some say for twenty-three years. But it is proved that he was for some years at least under the mild custody of archbishop Parker, who afforded

him every help in compiling his ecclesiastical history. He died in 1583. He wrote, 1. Dialogi sex contra summi pontificatus, monastics vitae, sanctorum sacrorum imaginum, oppugnatores et pseudo-martyres,“Antwerp, 1566, 1573, 4to This was published under the name of Alan Cope, Harpsfeld being then in prison. The initials at the end, | A. H. L. N. H. E. V. E. A. C. Pits interprets thus,” Auctor hujus libri Nicolaus Harpsfeldus; edidit vero eum Alanus Copus.“2.” Historia Anglicana ecclesiastica,“Doway, 1622. The original ms. is in the Cotton library, but differs in some passages from the printed book. It is a learned and laborious performance, according to Wood, but much impartiality cannot be expected. 3.” Historia haeresis Wickleffianæ,“published with the former. 4.” Chronicon a diluvio Noe ad annum 1559,“ms. in verse, and 5.” A Treatise concerning Marriage," occasioned by king Henry VIII. 's divorce, a ms. in the library of New college. Other manuscripts are mentioned in our authorities. ¹