Item 2388 - Fr John Persall SJ

Born: 23 January 1633, Staffordshire, England
Entered: 07 September 1653. Watten, Belgium - Angliae Province (ANG)
Ordained: c 1666, Liège, Belgium
Final Vows: 02 February 1671
Died: 09 September 1701, England - Angliae Province (ANG)

◆ Henry Foley - Records of the English province of The Society of Jesus Vol VII

Persall, John, Father, alias Harcourt, was a native of Staffordshire, of the ancient Catholic family of that name. Born 1633 ; he made his humanity studies at St. Omer's College ; entered the Society at Watten,September 7, 1653, under the name of John Harcourt, and was professed of the four vows February 2, 1671. He was probably connected with the
Harcourt family on his mother's side, which would account for his taking that name as an alias. He was sent to Rome in1663, under the name of Harcourt, and probably made his theology there. He returned to Liège College about 1668, was appointed Professor of Philosophy, and from 1672–1679 of Theology, appearing from that time under his real name of Persall. In 1680 he was confessor at the same College,and in 1683-1685 a Missioner in the College of St.Thomas of Canterbury, the Hants District. Upon the accession of James II, his Majesty appointed him one of his Preachers in Ordinary, and he resided at the new College of the Society which was opened in the Savoy, London, May 24, 1687. Upon the breaking out of the Orange Revolution in December,1688, he effected his escape to the Continent. In 1694 he was declared Rector of Liège College,retaining the office for many years. In 1696 he was appointed Vice-Provincial,and attended the fourteenth General Congregation of the Society in Rome, in the same year. During 1701 he was a missioner in the College of St. Ignatius, London, and died, probably in the same College,September 9, 1702, æt. 69. A few of his letters are preserved in the Archives of the Province ; and two of his sermons are extant, one preached on October 25,1685,and the other before the King and Queen at Windsor on Trinity Sunday,May 30,1686. (Biography,Records S.J. vol.v.p.300.)

◆ Catholic Record Society, Volume 70, 1981

The English Jesuits, 1650-1829: A Biographical Dictionary

by Geoffrey Holt

Persall, John alias Harcourt. Priest.
b. January 23rd, 1633, Staffordshire.
e. St Omers College 1648-53.
S.J. September 7th, 1653.
Watten (nov) 1653-5.
Liège (phil) 1656-8.
St Omers College 1659-61.
Rome (?theol) 1663.
Ordained priest c. 1666.
Liège 1669, 1672-6, 1678-82.
College of St Thomas of Canterbury 1683, 1684.
College of St Ignatius 1685-8 (London Savoy College and Royal preacher 1687).
Watten 1689.
Ghent 1689.
Ireland 1691 (military chaplain).
College of St Thomas of Canterbury 1692, 1693 (with Sir John Shelley 1692).
Liège 1694-8 (Rector).
College of St Ignatius 1699-1701.
d. September 9th, 1701, in England.

(Fo.7; CRS.69; 114; 113; DNB.; 150 III(1) 17/12/1701; 9 ff. 1, 2, 4; 12. f. 145; Gil.5/272; 123 II ff.154, 156; Che. 64/453. For writing see Som.).