John Harris

son of Rich. Harris of Padbury in Bucks, sometimes Fellow of New Coll, and afterwards Rector of Hardwick in the same County, was born in the Parsonage house at Hardwick, educated in Grammar learning in Wykehams school near Winchester, admitted perpetual Fellow of New Coll. in 1606, took the degrees in Arts, and became so admirable a Greecian, and so noted a Preacher, that Sir Hen. Savile used frequently to say that he was second to S. Chrysostome. In 1617 he was unanimously elected one of the Proctors of the University, and two years after was made Greek Professor thereof; both which Offices he executed to his great honor and credit. Afterwards he became Prebendary of Winchester, Rector of Meonstoke in Hampshire, Doct. of Divinity, and at length in Sept. 1630 Warden of VVykehams Coll. near VVinchester, he being then Preb. of Whitchurch in the Church of Wells. In the beginning of the grand Rebellion raised by the Presbyterians, he sided with them, was elected one of the Assembly of Divines, took the Covenant and other Oaths, and so kept his Wardenship to his dying day. He hath written,

A short view of the life and vertues of Dr. Arth. Lake sometimes Bishop of B. and Wells. Lond. 1629. in 6 sh. and an half in fol. As also several letters to the noted Anti-Arminian Dr. W. Twysse, of which one was Of Gods finite and indefinite decrees, another Of the object of Predestination, which, with Twysse’s Answers, were published by Hen. Jeanes in a folio book which he published at Oxon 1653. Our Author Harris died at Winchester on the eleventh day of August in sixteen hundred fifty and eight, aged 70 years,1658. and was buried in the Chappel belonging to the Coll. of W. of Wykeham near Winchester. Over his grave was soon after a Tomb-stone laid, with an Inscription on a brass plate fastned thereunto; the contents of which I shall now for brevity sake pass by. In his Wardenship succeeded Will. Burt D. D. whom I shall mention elsewhere.