John Harris (1588?-1658) was an English academic and clergyman. He was Regius Professor of Greek

Regius Professor of Greek (Oxford)

The Regius Professorship of Greek is a professorship at the University of Oxford in England.Henry VIII founded the chair by 1541. He established five Regius Professorships in the University , the others being the Regius chairs of Divinity, Medicine, Civil Law and Hebrew.-List of holders:* John...

 at Oxford, long-time Warden of Winchester College

Winchester College

Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...

, and a member of the Westminster Assembly

Westminster Assembly

The Westminster Assembly of Divines was appointed by the Long Parliament to restructure the Church of England. It also included representatives of religious leaders from Scotland...

.

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, Oxford

New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...

, and proceeded M.A. on 23 January 1611. He gained a high reputation as a Greek scholar and preacher, particularly with Henry Savile who compared him only with John Chrysostom

John Chrysostom

John Chrysostom , Archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his ascetic...

.

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 prebends. 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

First English Civil War

The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...

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

Solemn League and Covenant

The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement between the Scottish Covenanters and the leaders of the English Parliamentarians. It was agreed to in 1643, during the First English Civil War....

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

Nathaniel Fiennes

Nathaniel Fiennes was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1640 and 1659...

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

Henry Mildmay

Sir Henry Mildmay 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 England....

, John Lisle

John Lisle

Sir John Lisle 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 of King Charles I of England...

, and Nicholas Love

Nicholas Love

Nicholas Love was an English lawyer and one of the Regicides of King Charles I of England.Love was educated at Wadham College, Oxford; M.A., 1636; barrister, Lincoln's Inn, 1636. He was elected M.P. for Winchester in 1645. Love was one of the judges at the trial of Charles I, but did not sign the...

, with the lawyer Robert Reynolds

Robert Reynolds (Attorney General)

Sir Robert Reynolds was an English lawyer and Member of Parliament who served as Solicitor General and Attorney General during the Commonwealth period....

; but Harris gave an adequate account of the College and its functions, and no changes of personnel or statutes ensued. 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

William Twisse was a prominent English clergyman and theologian. He became Prolocutor of the Westminster Assembly, putting him at the head of the churchmen of the Commonwealth. He was described by a Scottish member, Robert Baillie, as “very good, beloved of all, and highlie esteemed; but merelie...

, with Twisse's answers, were published by Henry Jeanes

Henry Jeanes

-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 Wood, he was known for disputation. He graduated B.A. 3 June 1630, and proceeded M.A...

(1653).