Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Peerson, Andrew
PEERSON or PIERSON, ANDREW (d. 1594), divine, graduated B.A. from Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, in 1540–1541 or 1542, and M.A. in 1544 or 1545 (cf. Cooper, Athenæ Cantabr. ii. 173; Masters, Hist. of C. C. C. pp. 354–5). Soon after graduating B.A. he was elected fellow of his college; for a time he was bursar, and laid out and planted with fruit trees the fellows' garden (Willis, Architectural History of Cambridge, i. 252, 261). In 1550–1 he served as proctor, and was also auditor of the Trinity chest. He vacated his fellowship about 1552, and seems to have accepted some cure in Cambridge, from which he was ejected on 3 Oct. 1553 for continuing to administer the communion in the form used under Edward VI. On Parker's election as archbishop he made Peerson his chaplain, almoner, and master of faculties, chose him to preach a sermon at the consecration on 21 Jan. 1559–60 of five bishops, bestowed upon him the livings of Brasted, Wrotham, and Chiddingstone in Kent, and, on the death of John Bale [q. v.] in 1563, secured his election to the eleventh prebendal stall in Canterbury Cathedral; he also recommended him for the provostship of Eton in 1561, but without success. In 1562–3 Peerson sat in convocation as proctor for the clergy of the diocese of Llandaff, subscribed the articles then agreed upon, and voted against the six articles for abolishing certain rites and ceremonies. Peerson took part in preparing for press the ‘Bishops' Bible,’ and revised the translation of Leviticus, Numbers, Job, and Proverbs (Parker Corresp. p. 355 n.) Tanner doubtfully attributes to him Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, and Proverbs. In 1569 he was one of two commissioners to visit the diocese of Canterbury, and on 4 Jan. 1570–1 had a license for non-residence. In September 1573 he entertained Burghley at his ‘fine house,’ as Parker called it, at Canterbury; the archbishop named Peerson one of his executors on his death in 1575, and bequeathed him a gilt cup, the gift of Elizabeth. On 30 June 1580 he was presented to the living of Hardres, Kent, but resigned it in 1582; on 1 Sept. 1589 he received the living of Harbledown, Kent. He died early in November 1594, having married at Sheldwich, on 16 April 1582, Sarah Sampson, widow; but he must have had a previous wife, as in his will he mentions his son, Andrew Peerson, and daughter-in-law, Joan, and their children (Hasted, Kent, iv. 492).
[Cooper's Athenæ Cantabr. ii. 173; Strype's Works, Index, passim; Parker Corresp. (Parker Soc.), pp. 197 n. 335 n. 442, 444; Burnet's Hist. Reformation, iii. 423; Masters's Hist. Corpus Christi Coll., ed. Lamb, pp. 328, 334, 354–5; Hasted's Kent, i, 381, 407, ii. 245, iii. 583, 735, iv. 492, 620; Cowper's Canterbury Marriage Licenses, 1st ser. col. 320; Tanner's Bibl. Brit.-Hib. p. 587; Le Neve's Fasti, i. 60.]