Samuel Harsnett

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Samuel Harsnett (June 1561 - May 1631) was an English writer on religion and Archbishop of York from 1629.

He was born in Colchester, Essex and later educated at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, where he became a fellow and then master (1605-1616). Harsnett became Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University. In 1584 he was disciplined by Archbishop Whitgift for preaching against predestination, but became Archbishop of York in 1629 after being Bishop of Norwich from 1619 to 1628.

Harsnett was the vicar of Chigwell from 1597 - 1605 and in 1619 he purchased land to found Chigwell School (1629) in his former parish. A brass of Harsnett can be found in St Mary's Church, Chigwell, where he is buried.

His Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures (1603) was a source used by Shakespeare in the play King Lear.

Religious Posts
Preceded by George Montaigne	Archbishop of York 1629–1631	Succeeded by Richard Neile