Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Harsnett, Samuel
HARSNETT, SAMUEL (1561–1631), archbishop of York, baptised in the parish of St. Botolph, Colchester, Essex, 20 June 1561, was the son of William and Agnes Harsnett. In his will dated 16 March, and proved 20 April 1574, his father describes himself as ‘William Halsenoth of St. Buttolphe, Colchester, baker,’ and desires to be buried in the churchyard of that parish (registered in the archdeaconry court of Colchester). Samuel was admitted a sizar of King's College, Cambridge, on 8 Sept. 1576 (Cambridge Matriculation Register). From King's he removed to Pembroke Hall, of which he became a scholar. In 1580–1 he proceeded B.A., was elected fellow of Pembroke on 27 Nov. 1583, and shortly afterwards received holy orders. He took his M.A. degree in 1584, and on 27 Oct. of that year preached a sermon in St. Paul's Cross, London, against the Calvinistic doctrine of predestination. It is appended to ‘Three Sermons preached by … Dr. Richard Stuart, Dean of St. Paul's,’ &c., 12mo, London, 1656. He was consequently denounced as a papist. He was also, as he states, ‘checked by the Lord Archbishop Whitgift, and commanded to preach no more of it, and he never did, though now Dr. Abbot, late bishop of Sarum, hath since declared in print that which he then preached to be no Popery’ (Lords' Journals, 19 May 1624, iii. 389). Three years later, in March 1586–7, Harsnett was appointed master of the free school at Colchester, but in the autumn of 1588 abandoned the ‘painfull trade of teachyng’ in order to study divinity at Pembroke Hall. He then exerted himself, without success, to obtain the vacant mastership for one Mark Sadlington, fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge. In 1592 he was elected junior university proctor. In 1596 he supported Peter Baro [q. v.], the Lady Margaret professor of divinity, who had shown Arminian tendencies in his criticism of the Lambeth Articles, then lately promulgated. Harsnett, with John Overall, afterwards bishop of Norwich, and Lancelot Andrewes [q. v.], at that time master of Pembroke Hall, declined to condemn Baro's views (Strype, Life of Whitgift, 8vo ed. ii. 303). Meanwhile he had become chaplain to Richard Bancroft, then bishop of London, and on 14 June 1597 he received institution to the vicarage of Chigwell in Essex, and on 5 Aug. 1598 was installed prebendary of Mapesbury in St. Paul's Cathedral. In March 1597–8 he was on the commission which condemned John Darrel [q. v.] for pretending to exorcise devils. In vindication of these proceedings Harsnett wrote his famous treatise entitled ‘A Discovery of the Fravdvlent practises of Iohn Darrel, Bacheler of Artes …, detecting in some sort the deceitfull trade in these latter dayes of casting out Deuils,’ 4to, London, 1599. As chaplain to Bancroft Harsnett was licenser of books for the press. Towards the close of 1599 an old fellow-student at Pembroke Hall, Dr. (afterwards Sir) John Hayward [q. v.], with whom, however, Harsnett had not been intimate for ten or twelve years previously, delivered the manuscript of his ‘The First Part of the Life and raigne of King Henrie the IIII’ to a friend connected with the Bishop of London's household, who begged Harsnett's official approbation of it ‘in the name of a cantel of our English Chronicles, phrased and flourished over, only to show the author's pretty wit.’ Harsnett rashly licensed it without reading it. The book was construed into rank treason by the lawyers, and bore a highly eulogistic Latin dedication to the Earl of Essex, then in disgrace, which was ‘foisted in’ without Harsnett's knowledge. Hayward was forthwith sent to the Tower, and Harsnett himself threatened with imprisonment, if not degradation. Greatly terrified he sought to appease Coke, then attorney-general, with letters which are in pitiable contrast to the bold tone of his published utterances (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1598–1601, pp. 405, 452–3). He succeeded in convincing Coke of his innocence, and was soon restored to favour.
On 17 Jan. 1602–3 he was collated to the archdeaconry of Essex, and during 1603 published, by order of the privy council, a vigorous exposure of popish designs, entitled ‘A Declaration of egregious Popish Impostures, … vnder the pretence of casting out deuils. Practised by Edmvnds, alias Weston, a Iesuit, and diuers Romish Priests, his wicked associates’ (with copies of confessions and examinations of the parties), 4to, London, 1603; with a new title-page, 8vo, London, 1605. From the ‘Declaration,’ as Theobald first pointed out, Shakespeare took the names of the spirits mentioned by Edgar in King Lear, and makes besides one or two other unmistakable allusions to it, while at least one passage in it must have been in Milton's recollection when he wrote ‘L'Allegro.’ J. M. N[orman] in ‘Notes and Queries,’ 2nd ser. vii. 144–5, has cited the parallel passages in full. Harsnett became rector of Shenfield in Essex, 16 April 1604, on the presentation of Sir Thomas Lucas of Colchester, and resigned the rectory of St. Margaret, New Fish Street, London, in the autumn of that year. On 9 Nov. 1605 he was elected master of Pembroke Hall in succession to Lancelot Andrewes. The following year he was chosen vice-chancellor, and received the degree of D.D., his exercise being excused by a special grace. As vice-chancellor he ‘govern'd with a high hand’ (Harl. MS. 7038, f. 56 b). The statutes framed by him may be seen in Addit. (Cole) MS. 5845, f. 231 b. He had resigned in 1605 his vicarage of Chigwell, a place for which he always cherished an attachment, to become on 16 May 1606 vicar of Hutton, in the same county of Essex, which he ceded in 1609 in favour of his relative, Adam Harsnett [q. v.] In 1609 also he resigned his prebend of Mapesbury to John Bancroft, a nephew of the primate, whereupon he was presented on 28 Sept. to the richly endowed rectory of Stisted in Essex. On 13 Nov. 1609 he was elected bishop of Chichester, again in succession to Lancelot Andrewes, translated to Ely, and was consecrated by Bancroft on the following 3 Dec., being allowed to hold his living of Stisted in commendam with that see, but resigning the archdeaconry of Essex. Bancroft, when making his will on 28 Oct. 1610, named Harsnett as an overseer, and as one of those whom he could wish ‘uppon some Sonday within a moneth after my death to preache in Lambith church, and to make such mention of me as may tend to Godes glory’ (registered in P. C. C. 96, Wingfield).
Harsnett still continued to rule over Pembroke Hall, but his high church practices, frequent absences, and financial mismanagement led to many unseemly disputes with the fellows. Andrewes tells Under-secretary Sir Thomas Lake, on 27 July 1612, that the Bishop of Chichester is desirous of resigning his mastership (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1611–18, p. 139). In 1614 Harsnett was again elected vice-chancellor of his university. In March 1614–15 James I, accompanied by his son Prince Charles, paid his first visit to Cambridge. John Chamberlain tells Sir Dudley Carleton on 16 March 1614 [–15] that Harsnett ‘did his part every way’ (Hardwicke State Papers, pp. 396–7). He strove to repress the indiscriminate conferment of honorary degrees, more especially of those in divinity. In 1616 the fellows of Pembroke exhibited to the king an accusation in fifty-seven articles against the master. Harsnett was charged principally with favouring popery, absence from college, and improper dealing with the accounts. The fellows also appealed to Andrewes, the Earl of Suffolk, at that time chancellor of the university, Sir George Villiers, and others. Though Harsnett was compelled to resign, he continued in high favour at court, and these differences did not prevent the ‘miserrimi Pembrochiani,’ as the fellows styled themselves in their lengthy ‘Querela,’ nor indeed the university at large, from writing him complimentary letters on his elevation to the see of York, besides asking for his good offices as a privy councillor (cf. Addit. (Cole) MS. 5873, ff. 37, 44). On the death of Dr. John Overall, Harsnett was translated to Norwich, 17 June 1619, and confirmed in the see on 28 Aug., when he resigned the rectory of Stisted. During his occupancy of the see he is said to have expended 2000l. on the repair of the episcopal palaces of Norwich and Ludham (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1634–5, p. 102). His strictness in enforcing the discipline of the church, added to his harsh and overbearing demeanour, made him eminently unpopular with the puritan party in his diocese. In May 1624 the citizens of Norwich charged him before the commons with various misdemeanors, chiefly, however, at the instigation of Sir Edward Coke. He was accused of ‘setting up images in the churches,’ and of ‘using extortions many ways.’ Harsnett defended himself before the lords against each of the six articles of the charge, and cleared himself to the satisfaction at least of the more influential among his audience (Commons' Journals, vol. i.; Lords' Journals, vol. iii.). In July 1624 Harsnett wrote to the bailiffs of Yarmouth thanking them for their diligence in suppressing conventicles, and giving them instructions for further proceedings (Swinden, Hist. of Great Yarmouth, pp. 827–33). In 1627 the inhabitants of Yarmouth complained to the king that they had been greatly harassed by Harsnett, and said that his complaints had been frivolous, and dismissed in the several courts of law (ib. pp. 841–3).
In 1628 Dr. George Montaigne, archbishop of York, died, and Harsnett was elected in his place on 26 Nov. of that year, and confirmed on 13 Jan. following. On 10 Nov. 1629 he was also sworn of the privy council. These dignities, says Fuller, he owed to the friendship of Thomas Howard, earl of Arundel, who had placed his younger son William with him (Worthies, ed. 1662, ‘Essex,’ p. 326; Gent. Mag. vol. ciii. pt. ii. p. 11, n. 2). During 1629 Harsnett founded a Latin school and an English school at Chigwell as a thank-offering for his elevation from the vicarage to an archbishopric. He framed many wise and careful ordinances for the government of his schools. The ‘Principles of the Christian Religion, according to the Order of the Book of Common Prayer,’ the infusion of the phrase and style of Tully and Terence, and of the Greek and Latin poets generally, and the avoidance of all ‘novelties and conceited modern writers’ are characteristic features of the archbishop's educational views (The Deed and Ordinances of the Foundation Schools at Chigwell, privately printed, 4to, 1852). He also built a gallery in the north aisle of Chigwell Church for the use of the free scholars, which was last used for worship on 28 March 1886. After falling into comparative obscurity the Latin school, under a scheme published by the Endowed Schools Commission, 29 June 1871, enjoyed anew a highly flourishing state; the English school has been handed over to the school board (The Chigwell Kalendar and Ten Year Book, 1887). In 1629 Harsnett interposed in behalf of Gervase Markham [q. v.] when accused of ‘papistry’ (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1629–1631, pp. 51–2). On visiting the church of All Saints, North Street, York, he praised its beauty, and gave it a silver communion cup, with paten-cover, an interesting piece of plate still in excellent preservation (Yorkshire Archæol. and Topogr. Journal, viii. 314–315). His health was meanwhile breaking. The steady progress of the puritan party towards power embittered his last days (cf. his letters in Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1629–31, pp. 73, 167). By Lent 1631 he had rallied sufficiently to impress upon John Davenant [q. v.], bishop of Salisbury, the necessity of paying due deference to the autocratic power which then governed the church in a vehement oration of ‘well-nigh half an hour long’ (Fuller, Church Hist. ed. Brewer, vi. 75). Writing from Bath on 25 April he says ‘he is yet so much a prisoner, though he has used the hot baths, as he is not able to write his own name’ (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1631–1633, p. 21). He died at Moreton-in-the-Marsh, Gloucestershire, on 25 May 1631, and was buried on 7 June, according to his directions, ‘within the parish church of Chigwell, without pomp or solemnity, at the foot of Thomazine, late my beloved wife’ (will cited in Biographia Britannica (1757), iv. 2546). His fine brass, which was executed after his own design, has been twice removed from the tomb in the chancel floor to be affixed to the wall, where it now remains. Harsnett married Thomazine, widow of William Kempe, and the elder of the two daughters of William Walgrave of Hitcham in Suffolk, by Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Poley of Boxted in the same county (Visitations of Essex, Harl. Soc., pt. i. 121). She was buried at Chigwell 3 Feb. 1601, leaving an only daughter, Thomazine, who had been baptised there 6 July 1600 (parish register), but apparently did not long survive. Harsnett's house at Chigwell, where his kinswoman, Mrs. Barbara Fisher, died in June 1808 at the age of ninety-five, was during the 18th century repaired and modernised by William Park Fisher, a jeweller, of Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, London (Lysons, Environs, iv. 124; Supplement, p. 346). It is now divided into two residences known as ‘The Grange.’
Fuller commends Harsnett's ‘great learning, strong parts, and stout spirit’ (Worthies, ed. 1662, ‘Essex,’ p. 326), adding elsewhere that ‘he was a zealous asserter of ceremonies, using to complain of (the first, I believe, who used the expression) “conformable puritans,” who practised it out of policy, yet dissented from it in their judgments’ (Church Hist. ed. Brewer, vi. 88). On the other hand Prynne compares him to a ‘furious Hildebrand,’ and relates one or two somewhat unintelligible stories in illustration of the archbishop's ‘domineering outrage and dreadful end’ (The Antipathie of the English Lordly Prelacie, 1641, pp. 221–2). In addition to his published works he left, according to Wood, ‘four or more MSS. fit for the press, of which one is “De Necessitate Baptismi,” &c.’ (Athenæ Oxon. ed. Bliss, ii. 874–5). A copy of his theses, entitled (1) ‘Nemo necessariò damnatur;’ (2) ‘Certitudo uniuscujusque salutis non est certitudo fidei,’ is in the British Museum, Harleian MS. 3142, ff. 54–61; another copy is at Colchester. He also drew up the famous ‘Considerations for the better settling of church government,’ presented by Laud to the king, and sent by his majesty in December 1629 to Abbot, archbishop of Canterbury, as ‘instructions concerning certain articles to be observed and put in execution by the several bishops in his province,’ now preserved in the Lambeth Library (Laud, Works, Library of Anglo-Cath. Theology, v. 307). His library he bequeathed to the corporation of Colchester in trust for the clergy of the town and neighbourhood on condition of a suitable room being provided for its reception. The collection, which consists chiefly of theological literature of the sixteenth century with a few incunabula, passed through many vicissitudes, but is now properly cared for in Colchester Castle. A catalogue, with a biographical and bibliographical introduction, was compiled by the present writer in 1885, of which the corporation printed two hundred and fifty copies for private circulation in 1888.
[Biographia Britannica, 1757, vol. iv.; Morant's Hist. of Colchester; European Mag. xxxv. 224; Strype's Annals, 8vo, vol. iii. pt. i. p. 637; Strype's Life of Whitgift, 8vo, ii. 346; Cooper's Athenæ Cantabr. ii. 380–3; Heylyn's Life and Death of Laud, 1671, pp. 188, 202; Morant's Essex, i. 170; Collier's Eccl. Hist. (Lathbury), vii. 198, 201; Nichols's Progresses of James I, iii. 61 n.; John Browne's Hist. of Congregationalism in Norfolk and Suffolk, pp. 73–8; Benjamin Brook's Puritans, vols. ii. iii.; Calamy's Nonconf. Memorial, 1802–3, iii. 275–6; W. Huntley's (i.e. W. Prynne's). A Breviate of the Prelates intollerable usurpations, 1637, pp. 161–2; Hacket's A Memorial of Archbishop Williams, 1693, p. 95; Carlisle's Endowed Grammar Schools, i. 415–23; Thomas Wright's Essex, ii. 391–3; Lysons's Environs, iv. 127–8; Notes and Queries, 3rd ser. iv. 3; Newcourt's Repertorium, i. 73; Gent. Mag. vol. lxxiii. pt. ii. pp. 808–9, 932; Addit. (Cole) MS. 5871, f. 27; Ogborne's Essex, p. 238; Cotton Mather's Eccl. Hist. of New England, 1702, iii. 44; Prynne's Canterburies Doome, 1646, pp. 368, 509, 512, 537; Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1611–1618 p. 278, 1634–5 p. 102, 1635–6 p. 418, 1636–7 p. 410; Trans. of Essex Archæol. Soc., new ser. vol. iii. pt. ii. pp. 152–3; Harl. MS. 703, art. 111, f. 150; Athenæum, 28 July 1883.]