John Harpesfeild

, a grand zealot for the Rom. Cath. Religion, was born in the Parish of St. Mary Magdalen (in Old Fishstreet) within the City of London, educated in Grammar learning in Wykehams School near to Winchester, admitted perpetual Fellow of New. Coll. in 1534, took the Degrees in Arts, holy Orders, was made Chaplain to Bonner Bishop of London, and left his Fellowship about 1551, being then beneficed in London. About 1554 (he being then D. of D.) he was made by his Patron Archdeacon of that place, in the room of Joh. Wymesley of less activity by far than Harpesfeild; and it was then (temp. Mariae Reg.) observed that as Dr. Bonner B. of London shew’d himself the most severe of all Bishops against Hereticks, as they were then called, so our Author Harpesfeild of all Archdeacons, which was the reason he fared the worse for it upon the change of Religion. In 1558, some months before Qu. Mary died, he became Dean of Ch. Ch. in Norwych, upon the resignation of John Boxall, but forced to leave that dignity in the beginning of 1560 to make room for John Salisbury suffragan Bishop of Thetford, who had been ejected in the first year of Qu. Mary. I find published under this Doctor Harpesfeilds name these things following.

Concio ad clerum in Ecclesia S. Pauli, 16. Oct. 1553 in Act. cap. 20. 28. Lond. 1553. oct.

Homelies to be read in Churches within the dioc. of London. Lond. 1554-55. At the end of Bonners Catechisme.

Disputations for the degree of Doctor of Divinity, 19. Apr. 1554—Printed in the Acts and Mon. of the Church, by Joh. Fox: In which disputation Archb. Cranmer bore a part.

Disputes, talkings, arguings, examinations, letters, &c.—Printed also in the said book of Acts and Mon. After Qu. Elizabeth came to the Crown, he was committed Prisoner to the Fleet, where continuing for an year or more, was released upon security given that he should not act, speak, or write against the doctrine of the Church of England. Whereupon retiring to the house of a near relation of his, dwelling within the Parish of St. Sepulcher in the Suburb of London, spent the remainder of his days in great retiredness and devotion. At length paying his last debt to nature in Fifteen hundred seventy and eight, 1578 was buried, as I conceive, in the Church of that Parish. On the 5. Dec. in the same year, one Anne Worsop the nearest of kin to him, had (a)(a) In a book of Administrations in the Will-office, beginning 1. Jan. 1571, a Commission granted to her from the Prerogative Court of Canterbury to administer the goods, debts and chattels of Joh. Harpesfeild D. D. of the Parish of St. Sepulcher in Lond. lately deceased; so that I presume he died either in Oct. or Nov. going before. He had a brother named Nicholas, whom I shall remember under the Year 1583.