John Harte

was educated in most kinds of literature in Oxon; but in what College or Hall I cannot find. One Mr. Harte was a Sojournour of Exeter College, An. 1551. (5. Ed. 6.) but him I take to be too soon for our author, who was but a young Man when he encountred Dr. Jo. Rainolds in a disputation. What degrees he took here, it appears not, though those of his Profession (the Jesuits) tell (k)(k) Vide Hen. Morum in Hist. Provinc. Angl. Soc. Jesu. lib. 4. num. 13. us, that he was Bachelaur of Divinity of Oxon; yet upon the strict perusal of our Registers, I cannot find the least authority for it. After he had left this University, being then, and before, very unsettled and wavering in mind, he went beyond the Seas, changed his Religion, took priestly Orders, and was sent into the Mission of England; but soon after taken and committed to Prison, to a filthy dungeon, as a noted (l)(l) Card. Will. Alan in his Answer to the Libel, entit. The Execution of Justice, p. 14, &c. author tells us; who adds that after he (whom he calls the happy young Confessor) had been often by Famine tormented, was unexpectedly brought out to encounter Joh. Rainolds before-mentioned, An. 1583. or thereabouts. Which disputation being smartly held on both sides, those of Harte’s Persuasion say that Rainolds was foiled; though, the opposite, not; upon some years after was published,

The summ of a conference between Joh. Rainolds and Jo. Hart, touching the Head, and the Faith of the Church, &c. Lond. 1588. qu. See more in Jo. Rainolds, under the year 1607. Afterwards our Author Harte, who is stiled by a learned (m)(m) Gul. Camdenus in Annal. R. Eliz. part 3. sub an. 1584. Author, Vir praecaeteris doctissimus, being banished with divers other R. Priests, in 1584. he went to Verdune, where he entred into the Society of Jesus. Thence he was called to Rome, where making some stay till authority commanded him thence, he went into Poland, and settled for a time at Jareslaw. At length giving way to Fate on the 14. of the Cal. of Aug. in fifteen hundred ninety and five, 1595 or thereabouts, was buried at Jareslaw, or Joreslaw. Seven years after his Body was taken up, and translated to another place belonging to the Jesuits, who had an high esteem for his Person while living, sanctity of Life and Learning, and when dead for his memory. I find another John Hart, who was Chester Herald, and wrote and published, An Orthography, containing the due Order and Reason how to write or paint the Image of Man’s Voice, most like to the Life or Nature. Lond. 1569. And another Jo. Hart of later time, who, among other Books, did publish, The burning Bush not consumed, wherein one may judge whether he be the Child of God or not. Lond. 1641. 2. fourth edit. But whether this last, who was a zealous Puritan, (if not worse,) or the former, who was an Herald, were of this University, I know not as yet.