charitable objects he left thirteen acres and one rood of meadow land in the parish of St. Andrew, Holborn, which is now covered with houses and yielded in 1861-3 a rental of 13,211l. 5s. 3d. per annum (Fourteenth Report of the Charity Commissioners). The funds provide free education for Bedford children of both sexes and of every social and educational grade, together with exhibitions to the universities.
Harper died on 27 Feb. 1573 and was buried, in accordance with the directions of his will, in the chancel of St. Paul's Church, Bedford. A table monument, with brass figures of himself in armour, worn beneath his alderman's gown, and of his widow, was erected to his memory in the south of the chancel (cf. drawing by Fisher in his 'Collections for Bedfordshire,' copied by Nichols in his biography of Harper, London and Middl. Arch. Society's Trans, iv. 86). By direction of the act of parliament (4 Geo. Ill) which regulates the Harper charity, another monument of marble with a rambling inscription was erected in the chancel of the church, and a statue placed in a niche over the doorway of the school-house. His will, dated 27 Oct. 1573, was proved in the P. C. C. on 6 April 1574 (Martyn, 14), and is printed by Nichols (Biography, pp. 91-2). He made his widow sole executrix, and left a cup to the Merchant Taylors' Company, besides several small legacies to friends and servants. Harper lived in Lombard Street, in a mansion formerly belonging to Sir John Percival, who devised it to the company for the use of those of their members who were likely to reach the highest municipal honours. The only known portrait of Harper is one engraved by Richardson from a unique volume of portraits of lord mayors of Elizabeth's reign, published in 1601. It is in the possession of Sir John St. Aubyn. It is doubtful, however, if the likeness be genuine, as many of the heads, according to Granger (Biog. Hist, of England, i. 299), served several times for various lord mayors.
Harper married, first, by license dated 18 Nov. 1547, Alice Chauntrell, widow (Chester, Marriage Licenses, ed. Foster, col. 627), who is, however, described in the visitation of London in 1568 as the widow of - Harison of Shropshire. She died on 10 Oct. 1569, and was buried on the 15th in the church of St. Mary Woolnoth. A daughter, Beatrice, by her first marriage lived in Harper's house with her husband, Prest wood. After Lady Harper's death, Harper disputed the validity of an alleged gift made by her to her daughter, and on 26 Jan. 1569 petitioned the court of aldermen to decide the controversy. A compromise was finally arranged (City Records, Rep. xvi. 512, xvii. 18, 31, 54, 57, 59, 69, 124). Harper married, secondly, by license dated 13 Sept. 1570, Margaret Leedare (or Lethers, according to the spelling in his will), who survived him. He had no issue by either wife. After his death Lady Harper refused to give up the house belonging to the Merchant Taylors' Company. The company eventually proceeded against her in the lord mayor's court, but did not regain possession of their property until August 1575.
[Nichols's Account of Sir William Harper. Trans, of the London and Middl. Arch. Society, vol. iv.; Clode's Memorials of the Merchant Taylors' Company, and Early History of the Merchant Taylors' Company; Wyatt's Bedford Schools and Charities; Lysons's Bedfordshire, 1813, pp. 51-2 ; Visitation of London, 1568, London and Middl. Arch. Society's Trans, vol. iii. ad fin. pp. 16-17 ; Granger's Biog. Hist, of England, i. 299; Carlisle's Endowed Grammar Schools, i. 1-26; Brooke and Hallen's St. Mary Woolnoth, pp. xxiv, 190; Waller's Monumental Effigies.]
HARPER, WILLIAM (1806–1857), minor poet and biographer, was born at Manchester in 1806. He was originally intended for the ministry, but devoted himself to commercial pursuits, engaging also in the public work of the local conservative association, and in the organisation of Sunday schools. For many years he contributed verses to the 'Manchester Courier,' writing also the weekly trade article in the same paper, and in 1840 he published his first volume, 'The Genius and other Poems.' A second collection was entitled 'Cain and Abel; a Dramatic Poem, and minor Pieces,' Manchester, 1844, 8vo. His poems are chiefly of a religious nature, marked by a refined style, and containing good and even lofty lines. Some of his pieces are given in the 'Festive Wreath,' 1842, and the 'Manchester Keepsake,' 1844. He wrote also a 'Memoir of Benjamin Braidley' (Manchester, 1845, 12mo), who was a boroughreeve of Manchester. Harper died at Lower Broughton, Manchester, on 25 Jan. 1857, aged 50.
[Procter's Lit. Reminiscences, 1860, p. 121; Manchester Quarterly, art. by G. Milner, July 1889 ; Evans's Lane. Authors, 1850, p. 113.]
HARPSFIELD or HARPESFELD, JOHN, D.D. (1516–1578), chaplain to Bishop Bonner, was born in Old Fish Street, in the parish of St. Mary Magdalen, London, in 1516, being son of John Harpesfeld, citizen and draper. He was sent to Winchester College in 1528, and was admitted a fellow of New College, Oxford, 14 Nov. 1534. He proceeded
