Coincidentally a related Harris article
Good news for our membership! The College of Arms' Garter King of Arms Visitation of 1623 to Gloucestershire, available within the Harl. MSS. 1543, fo. 188. has given me information about the ancestry of The Rev. Dr. Malachi Harris (Francis Blencowes wife, Anne's father). It also clears up the various myths and discussions about the Harris origins, and their supposed "poor family background" in Gloucestershire. I am sure you are well versed in Visitations to English counties in the 15th to 17th centuries, by the different Kings and Heralds from the College of Arms.
The bottom line is that, the College would send out a Summons to the landed Gentry and Peerage of a county, to attend their Court hearing, during which they would conduct a full enquiry and require documentary proof from the attendees, of their family history.
So! Anyone recorded as having satisfied the Court, was "written up" by the College team carrying out the inquisition, and safely stored in the College Archives in London.
During the late 19th and early 20th century, members of the Harleian Society commenced a most incredible translation and production of these County Visitations, which supply people like us with irreplaceable information about our ancestry.
No way would Giles Harris (brother of our Robert) living in Churchill, Gloucestershire, and our Robert Harris (who died in 1658, some 35 years after the visitation) have been summoned from the information and records held in the London College of Arms, if they had all been part of a humble and poor family! The use and meaning of the word "humble" in the 17th century description we had been given, could not have been further from the truth. Those summoned to attend, were the opposite of humble; they were wealthy land owners!
Thomas Harris
John Harris & Elizabeth Hyron
Malachi Harris & Mary Fossett
Anne Harris & Francis Blencowe
Antony Farnath
Wolverhampton
I think Robert's marriage to Joan Whately, granddaughter of John Knight was a fortuitous one that probably propelled him up the ladder a bit. (See An Impressive Family Pub pg 13-16 Nov 2011) Anne