Robert Bolton

, a most religious and learned Puritan was born at Blackbourne in Lancashire, on Whitsunday 1572. educated in Grammar learning under one Mr. Yate in the Free-school, founded at that place, in the 9. year of Q. Elizabeth: where in short time by the benefit of excellent parts, strong memory, labour, and attention, he became the best Scholar in that schoole. At about 18. years of age, he being full ripe for the University, he was sent to Lincoln coll. about 1590. where being put under the tuition of Mr. Joh. Randal a person then of consisiderable note in the University, he profited in Logick and Philosophy, to the admiration of all, meerly occasioned by that ground-work of learning, that he had got at School. It was then observed that tho he was well skill’d in the Greek tongue, yet that he might obtain an exactness in it, he did with intollerable pains write out with his own hand either all Homer or Hesiod, in a fair Greek character. He wrote that language better than English or Latine, and was so excellent a Disputant in it, that he did with as much facility course (or oppose his Antagonist) in the publick Schools, as in Latine. Nay he wrote and spoke it stilo imperatorio, as Lipsius calls it, and ’twas so familiar to him, that he could not avoid it. From the said college he removed to Brasenose purposely to get a Fellowship, because the Society thereof consists mostly of Lancashire and Cheshire men. In the beginning of December 1596. he, as a member of that coll. took the degree of Bach. of Arts; but having few friends, he stayed long without a Fellowship, yet because he should not be disincouraged (for he was poor and had little to maintain him) Dr. Rich. Brett a very good Greecian of Linc. coll. did contribute towards his relief. At length with much adoe he became Fellow in 1602. and in the same year proceeded Master of Arts. So that growing famous, he was successively chosen reader of the Lectures of Logick, and of Moral and Natural Philosophy in that house. In 1605. when K. James came to Oxon. the Vicechancellour appointed him to read in Natural Philosophy in the publick Schools, and to be one of the Disputants before him. Afterwards [•] he grew well studied in the Metaphysicks, Mathematicks, and in all School Divinity, especially in Thomas Aquinas; some of whose works he had read over once or twice. About that time he retired to his own Country, where he had like to have been carried over to the Church of Rome by one Anderton his country man and school-fellow, but their meeting together to confer about the matter being disappointed by Anderton it took no effect. This Anderton (by the way let it be known) was, after he had left Blackbourne Schoole, sent to Christs coll. in Cambridge, where for his eloquence he was called golden mouth’d Anderton: But his mind hanging after the R. Cath. religion, he left that coll. and his Country, and shipping himself beyond the Seas entred into R. Cath. Orders, and became one of learnedest among the Papists. Whether this person be the same with Laurence Anderton a Lancashire man born, and a Jesuit, who published books in 1632. and 34. I know not as yet. As for Bolton he returned soon after to Brasnose, where falling into the acquaintance of Mr. Tho. Peacock a learned and godly man of that house, he was by him setled a most sober and religious person, having been before a swearer, a Sabbath-breaker and a boon companion. In the 35 year of his age he entred into Orders, and two years after, which was in 1609. or thereabouts, he had the Parsonage of Broughton in Northamptonshire confer’d on him by Mr. (after Sir) Augustin Nicolls Serjeant at Law. The same year, in Dec. he was admitted to the reading of the Sentences, and then leaving the coll. for altogether in the latter end of 1610. the University thereby lost a singular ornament. He was a painful and a constant preacher, a person of great zeal towards God in his profession, charitable and bountiful, but above all a reliever of afflicted consciences, which he acquired by that manifold experience he had in himself and others; and grew so famous for it, that he was sought to far and near, and divers from beyond the Seas desired his resolution in several cases of conscience. He hath transmitted to posterity,

A discourse about the state of true happiness, delivered in certain Sermons in Oxon, and at Pauls Cross, on Psal. 1. ver. 1. 2. Lond. 1611. &c. qu. Which, for the godliness of the matter, and eloquence of the stile therein contained, was universally bought up, and the sixth edition of it was printed in 1631.

Instructions for the right comforting afflicted consciences. Lond. 1631. qu.

Helps to humiliation. Oxon. 1631. in tw.

Sermons, as (1) Directions for walking with God, on Gen. 6. 8. 9. Lond. 1625. qu. (2) Serm. at Lent, Assize at Northampton, on 1 Cor. 1. 26. Lond. 1633. qu. Published by his great admirer Edward Bagshaw senior. (3) Serm. on Prov. 29. 2. London 1635. quarto. (4) Cordial for Christians in the time of affiction, on Micah 7. ver. 8. 9. Lond. 1640. qu. &c.

Of the four last things, death, judgment, hell and heaven. Lond. 1633. &c. qu. Published by the said E. Bagshaw.

Funeral notes on his Patron Sir Aug. Nicolls Kt. Judge of the Com. Plea. Lond. 1633. qu. Publ. by the said Bagshaw.

Carnal Professor: of woful slavery of man guided by the flesh. Lond. 1634. tw.

The Saints sure and perpetual guide: or, a treatise concerning the word, on Psal. 119. 105. Lond. 1634 qu.

The Saints self enriching examination: or, a treatise concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Sup. &c. 1 Cor. 11. 28.—printed with the former book, viz. The Saints sure, &c.

The Saints Soul-exalting humiliation, or Soul-fatting fasting, &c. on 2 Cor. 20. 3.—printed also with the former book.

Devout Prayers upon solemn occasions. Lond. 1638. in tw. Publ. by Bagshaw before mention’d.

A short and private discourse between him and M. S. concerning usury. Lond. 1637. qu. publ. also by the said Bagshaw. This is animadverted upon in a book intit. Vsury stated, &c. by T. P.

The last visitation, conflicts and death of Mr. Tho. Peacock Bach. of Div. and Fellow of Brasnose coll. Lond. 1661. Published also by the said Bagshaw. This our religious and learned author Mr. Bolton died at Broughton in Northamptonshire before mentioned, 1631 17 Dec. in sixteen hundred thirty and one, and was buried two days after in the Chancel of the Church there: At which time Nich. Estwick Bach. of Div. sometimes Fellow of Christs coll. in Cambr. and at that time Minist. of Warkton in the said county of Northampton did preach his funeral (*)(*) Printed at Lond. 1635. 39. qu. Sermon, wherein he spoke many things to the honour of the Defunct. About two years after Edw. Bagshaw before mentioned published his life (with some of his works) to which I refer the reader for more satisfaction of him. He the said Mr. Bolton left behind him a Son named Samuel, born at Broughton, educated in Linc. coll. and afterwards became an eminent preacher in London and much followed by the precise party. After the restauration of K. Ch. 2. he was made Prebendary of Westm. and actually created D. of D. of this Univer. which is all that I know of him, only that he dying on the eleventh of Feb. 1668. was buried in the Abby Church of St. Peter at Westminster, on the south side of the Choire, near to the stairs leading up to the Pulpit. The Reader is now to observe, that whereas many things were published under the name of Sam. Bolton, he is to understand them not to have been written by this Samuel, but by another Sam. Bolton educated in Cambridge, Master of Christs coll. there, one of the Assembly of Divines, 1643. Preacher to the Congregation of S. Saviours in Southwark, in the time of the Rebellion and interval, who dying the 15. Octob. 1654. aged 48 years, was buried in the Church of St. Martin within Ludgate in London, much lamented by the Brethren of the Presbyterian perswasion.