He was born about 1586, in
Thurlby a member of an old Lincolnshire family, and had an extended military career, entering Dutch service at age 13, gaining a company after combat at the
Siege of Ostend. He took part in the
Sluis campaign in 1604 under
Horace Vere and was ranked captain by 1606 after the siege of
Rheinberg. Around this time he attracted the favour of
Prince Maurice of Nassau, captain-general of the United Provinces and future
Prince of Orange, becoming one of his personal servants in the privy chamber. At some point in the years between his promotion to the position of captain and the Cleves-Jülich campaign of 1614 he was knighted. He became
colonel of an English regiment in the Netherlands in 1622/3, by purchase from
Viscount L'Isle; and was then one of the four standing colonels in the Low Countries. He was shot and mortally wounded at the Battle of La Felt during the
siege of Maastricht on 11th August 1632, pierced through by three successive bullets. In 1636 one of his officers, Captain Nicholas Byron, erected a monument to his memory in the Hague where he was buried on the instructions of Prince Maurice. His brother George Harwood belonged to the
Feoffees for Impropriations. Harwood was known as a lay supporter of
Puritanism. In Dutch affairs leading up to the
Synod of Dort, and at that time lieutenant-colonel in Viscount L'Isle's regiment, he was briefing
George Abbot. He intervened in 1622 to secure the appointment of
William Ames at the
University of Franeker; and he also supported
John Burges. He was a significant international connection for Puritans. Harwood signed the
Second Virginia Charter of 1609. He was also involved in the
Somers Isles Company, and was a charter member of the
Providence Island Company. ==Death and legacy==