Robert Abbot

, the eldest Son of Maurice Abbot Sherman, (who died 25. Sept. 1606.) by Alice March his Wife, was born at Guildford in Surry, in an house now an Ale-house, bearing the sign of the Three Marriners, by the Rivers side near to the Bridge, on the North side of the Street, in St. Nicholas Parish; educated in the Free School there, (founded by K. Ed. 6. 1551.) under Mr. Franc. Tayler Schoolmaster thereof, became a Student in Balliol coll. 1575. aged 15 years, elected Socius Sacerdotalis of that house 16. Jan. 1581. took the degree of M. A. in the year following, became a noted Preacher in the University, and a constant Lecturer at St. Martins Church in the Quadrivium, and sometimes at Abendon in Berks. Afterwards being made Lecturer in the City of Worcester and Rector of Allsaints Church there, he resigned his Fellowship 8. March 1588. and not long after became Rector of Bingham in Northamptonshire by the favour of Joh. Stanhope Esquire, and afterwards took the degrees in Divinity, that of Doctor being compleated in 1597. In the beginning of the Reign of K. James 1. he was made Chaplain in Ordinary to him, in the year 1609. he was unanimously elected Master of Balliol coll. and in the beginning of Nov. 1610. he was made Prebendary of Normanton in the Church of Southwell. In 1612. he was appointed Doctor of the Theological Chair, usually called the Kings Professor of Divinity, by his Majesty; and in 1615. he was nominated by him to be Bishop of Salisbury, meerly, as ’tis said, for his incomparable Lectures read in the Divinity School concerning the Kings Supream Power, against Bellarmino and Suarez, and for his Antilogia which he a little before had published. So that being consecrated thereunto on the third of Dec. the same year, sate there till the time of his death, which was soon after. He was a person of unblameable life and conversation, a profound Divine, most admirably well read in the Fathers, Councils and Schoolmen, and a more moderate Calvinian than either of his two Predecessors (Holland and Humphrey) in the Divinity-chair were; which he expressed by countenancing the Sublapsarian way of Predestination. His works are,

The Mirrour of Popish Subtilties; discovering certain wretched and miserable evasions and shifts, which a secret cavilling Papist in the behalf of one Paul Spence Priest, yet living, and lately Prisoner in the Castle of Worcester, hath gathered out of Saunders and Bellarmine, &c. concerning the Sacraments, &c. Lond. 1594. qu.

The Exaltation of the Kingdom and Priesthood of Christ. Sermons on 110 Psalm, from the 1. to the 7. ver. Lond. 1601. qu.

Antichristi demonstratio, contra fabulas Pontificias, & ineptum Rob. Bellarmini de Antichristo disputationem. Lond. 1603. qu. 1608. oct.

Defence of the Reformed Catholick of Mr. Will. Perkins lately deceased, against the Bastard Counter-Catholick of Dr. Bishop Seminary Priest. The first part. Lond. 1606. qu. The second part was printed at the same place, 1607. qu. and the third part, 1609. qu.

The old way: Serm. at S. Maries Oxon, on Act-Sunday 8. July 1610. on Jerem. 6. 16. Lond. 1610. qu.

The true ancient Rom. Catholick, being an Apology against Dr. Bishops Reproof of the defence of the Reformed Catholick. Lond. 1611. qu. See more in Will. Bishop, an. 1624.

Antilogia adversus apologiam Andreae Endaemon-Johannis Jesuitae pro Henrico Garnetto Jesuitâ proditore; quâ mendacissime, &c. Lond. 1613. qu.

Exercitationes de gratiâ & perseverantiâ Sanctorum, &c. Lond. 1618. qu.

In Richardi Thomsoni Angli Belgici deatribam, de amissione & intercessione justificationis & gratiae, animadversio brevis. The former of which two, viz. Exerc. de gratia, &c. was printed at Francfort 1619. under this title, Exercitationes Academicae de gratiâ & perseverantiâ Sanctorum, it [•] mque de intercessione justificationis. in oct. As for Rich. Thomson you may see more of him in the Fasti, an 1596.

De supremâ potestate regiâ, exercitationes habitae in Acad. Oxon, contra Rob. Bellarminum & Franc. Suarez. Lond. 1619. qu. He also wrote a most accurate Commentary (in Latin) upon the Epistle to the Romans, with large Sermons upon every verse, in which he handled, as his Text gave him occasion, all the controverted points of Religion at this day. This Commentary, which is in 4 volumes in MS. was given to Bodlies Library by Dr. Edw. Corbet Rector of Has [•] ley in Oxfordshire, who married Margaret, the Daughter of Sir Nath, Brent Knight by his Wife Martha the only Daughter and Heir of the said Dr. Rob. Abbot. Other matters also he left behind him fit for the Press, but whether they were all printed I know not. At length through a too sedentary life, which brought him to the terrible disease of the Stone in the Kidneys, he gave way to fate on the second of March in sixteen hundred and seventeen,1617-18. and was buried in the Cath. Church of Salisbury, over against the Bishops seat, having in less than two years before, married a second Wife, for which he gained the great displeasure of his Brother Dr. Geo. Abbot Archb. of Canterbury. I find another Rob. Abbot, who was a frequent writer, but after the former in time. He was originally of Cambridge, and afterwards a Minister of God’s Word, first in Kent, then in Hampshire, and at length in London, as I shall more at large tell you in the Fasti, 1607.