John Harris (Harrys) (c.1588–1658) was an English academic and clergyman. He was Regius Professor of Greek at Oxford, long-time Warden of

Winchester College Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of the ...

, and a member of the

Westminster Assembly The Westminster Assembly of Divines was a council of Divinity (academic discipline), divines (theologians) and members of the English Parliament appointed from 1643 to 1653 to restructure the Church of England. Several Scots also attended, and ...

Life

He was born at Hardwicke, Buckinghamshire, about 1588, the son of Richard Harris, rector of Hardwicke. After being educated at Winchester College, where he entered as a scholar in 1599, he was Fellow (1606–1622) of

New College, Oxford New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as its feeder school, New College is one of the oldest colleges at th ...

, and proceeded M.A. on 23 January 1611. He gained a high reputation as a Greek scholar and preacher, particularly with

Henry Savile Henry Savile may refer to: *Henry Savile (died 1558) (1498–1558), MP for Yorkshire *Henry Savile (died 1569) (1518–1569), MP for Yorkshire and Grantham *Henry Savile (Bible translator) (1549–1622), English scholar and Member of the Parliament ...

who compared him only with

John Chrysostom John Chrysostom (; gr, Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος; 14 September 407) was an important Early Church Father who served as archbishop of Constantinople. He is known for his homilies, preaching and public speaking, his denunciat ...

. :s:Harris, John (1588?-1658) (DNB00) In 1617 he was elected one of the university proctors and in 1619, being then B.D., was appointed regius professor of Greek. He resigned his professorship in June 1622, receiving various

prebend A prebendary is a member of the Roman Catholic or Anglican clergy, a form of canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in particular seats, usually at the back of the ...

s. In May 1628, being then D.D., he obtained the rectory of Meon-Stoke, Hampshire. In September 1630 he was elected Warden of Winchester College, where he built Sickhouse, founded in 1640 on the site of the old Carmelite friary, built by 1656. During the

First English Civil War The First English Civil War took place in England and Wales from 1642 to 1646, and forms part of the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. They include the Bishops' Wars, the Irish Confederate Wars, the Second English Civil War, the Anglo ...

he sided with the presbyterians, and was chosen one of the assembly of divines. He took the

covenant Covenant may refer to: Religion * Covenant (religion), a formal alliance or agreement made by God with a religious community or with humanity in general ** Covenant (biblical), in the Hebrew Bible ** Covenant in Mormonism, a sacred agreement b ...

and other oaths, and so kept his wardenship; it helped that he was on good terms with

Nathaniel Fiennes Nathaniel Fiennes (c. 1608 – 16 December 1669) was a younger son of the Puritan nobleman and politician, William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele. He sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1640 and 1659, and served with the ...

. Winchester had a parliamentary visitation in 1649, a powerful group headed by three regicides in

Henry Mildmay Sir Henry Mildmay (ca. 1593–1668) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1621 and 1659. He supported the Parliamentarian cause in the English Civil War and was one of the Regicides of Charles I of ...

John Lisle Sir John Lisle (1610 – 11 August 1664) was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1640 and 1659. He supported the Parliamentarian cause in the English Civil War and was one of the regicides o ...

, and

Nicholas Love Nicholas Love (1608–1682) was an English lawyer and one of the Regicides of King Charles I of England. Love was educated at Winchester College and Wadham College, Oxford; M.A., 1636; barrister, Lincoln's Inn, 1636. His father, also Nicholas ...

, with the lawyer Robert Reynolds; but Harris gave an adequate account of the College and its functions, and no changes of personnel or statutes ensued.Kirby, pp. 336-9. He died at Winchester on 11 August 1658, aged 70, and was buried in the college chapel.

Works

He wrote a biography of Arthur Lake, prefixed to Lake's ''Sermons'' (1639). Letters to

William Twisse William Twisse (1578 near Newbury, England – 20 July 1646) was a prominent English clergyman and theologian. He was named Prolocutor of the Westminster Assembly in an Ordinance dated 12 June 1643, putting him at the head of the churchmen o ...

, with Twisse's answers, were published by

Henry Jeanes Henry Jeanes (1611–1662) was an English clergyman and puritan controversialist. Life He was son of Christopher Jeanes of Kingston, Somerset, born at Allansay. He became in 1626 a commoner of New Inn Hall, Oxford, where, according to Anthony ...

(1653).

Notes

References

*Thomas Frederick Kirby (1892), ''Annals of Winchester College: from its foundation in the year 1382 to the present time'' * {{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, John 1588 births 1658 deaths 17th-century English Anglican priests Fellows of New College, Oxford Westminster Divines People from Buckinghamshire People educated at Winchester College Regius Professors of Greek (University of Oxford)