Background
Harvey was baptised 15 April 1560 at Saffron Walden, where his father John Harvey was a ropemaker.
Harvey was baptised 15 April 1560 at Saffron Walden, where his father John Harvey was a ropemaker.
He was a brother of Gabriel Harvey and John Harvey (also an astrologer). He entered Pembroke Hall, Cambridge as a pensioner on 15 June 1575, proceeding Bachelor of Arts 1578 and commencing Master of Arts 1581, and was elected fellow of his college. A noted Ramist, he once was placed in the stocks for breaking windows at Peterhouse, in retaliation for a student satire Duns Furens there.
Harvey was ordained deacon and priest in 1585, and in 1586 became rector of Chislehurst, in Kent.
