Raised in Protestant circles, Harrison entered Christ Church, Oxford and in 1560 was awarded his bachelor's degree.
During the reign of Queen Mary I of England, Christ Church became a centre of Catholic support, and Harrison converted to Catholicism.
On 15 February 1559, prior to the award of his bachelor's degree at Oxford, Harrison was instituted as the rector of Radwinter in Essex, by the appointment of Lord Cobham, who owned the right,[1] and to whom he was also household chaplain.
He also used his own observation, experience and wit, and wrote in a conversational tone without pedantry, which has made the work a classic.
"No work of the time contains so vivid and picturesque a sketch," was the assessment of The Cambridge History of English and American Literature.