Robert Harris

Robert Harris (1581–1658) was an English clergyman, known as a Puritan preacher, member of the Westminster Assembly, and President of Trinity College, Oxford.

Life He was born into a large family to John Harris, yeoman (whose family had originally come from Shropshire ), and Elizabeth Hyron at Broad Campden, Gloucestershire. He was educated at Chipping Campden School and the King's School, Worcester. He matriculated, aged 15, at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, 10 June 1597, when his relative Robert Lyster aka Lyson was principal. In order to obtain tuition in philosophy, he taught Greek and Hebrew. He graduated B.A. on 5 June 1600, and though originally intended for the law, decided to enter the church.

When in 1604 the university was dissolved on account of the plague, Harris went home and preached his first sermon at Chipping Campden. In 1606 he married Joan Whateley, the sister of his friend and vicar of Banbury, William Whateley and subsequently raised a large family of at least a dozen children, including Dr. Malachi Harris M.A. D.D. who was, amongst other things, chaplain to Mary Princess of Orange and Charles II.

Returning to Oxford Robert studied theology for ten years, and graduated B.D. on 5 May 1614. In 1614 Sir Anthony Cope offered him the living of Hanwell, Oxfordshire, and Hanwell parsonage became a resort for Oxford students.

He was satirised by the royalists as a notorious pluralist, but there is no proof that he enjoyed all his livings at the same time. John Wilkins describes him as one of the most eminent divines for preaching and practical theology. He published a large number of separate sermons. The chief authority is a eulogistic life by a friend, William Durham, Harris's kinsman and minister of Tredington.

Durham described Harris thus:- "Dr Harris was a man of admirable prudence, profound judgement, eminent gifts and graces, furnished with all the singular qualifications which might render him a complete man, a wise governor, a profitable preacher and a good Christian"