Leonel Sharp[1] (1559 – 1631) was an English churchman and courtier, a royal chaplain and archdeacon of Berkshire, imprisoned for sedition in 1614.
He was second son of Robert Sharpe, a merchant, of London, and of Julian, eldest daughter of Sir Richard Mallorie, lord mayor.
[4] In 1588 he was present at Tilbury camp in the capacity of chaplain to Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, and was chosen, as he states, to repeat Queen Elizabeth's oration to the whole army assembled there.
Sharp celebrated the commencement of James I's reign by a laudatory sermon on Solomon and the queen of Sheba, at St. Mary's.
He was also about this time appointed chaplain to Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, and addressed to him a congratulatory epistle to him on his escape from the Gunpowder Plot.
Already, in 1606, he had been summoned to clear himself to the council of the suspicion of endeavouring to stir up strife between the English and the Scottish factions at court.