Robert Abbot

Robert Abbot (Guildford, about 1560 – Salisbury, 1617) was the Anglican Bishop of Salisbury in 1615. The elder brother of the Archbishop, George Abbot, he shared his brother's good fortune. Having passed through the same course of education with his brother, he early distinguished himself as a preacher, and his popular talents procured him the living of Bingham, in Nottinghamshire.

In 1594, Abbot appeared as a writer against the Roman Catholic Church, in a piece titled, "A Mirror of Popish Subtilties" (1594). King James appointed him one of the chaplains in ordinary. The strong aversion to "popery", which he, together with his brother, inherited from his parents and retained throughout life, appeared in all his writings. One of these, "Antichristi Demonstratio" [A Demonstration of Antichrist] (1603), was so much admired by the king, that he ordered his own "Paraphrase on the Apocalypse" to be printed with it.

His "A Defence of the Reformed Catholic of Mr. William Perkins" (3 vols, 1606-1609), won Abbot royal favor and a promise of preferment. In 1609, he was elected master of Balliol College; and the manner in which he conducted himself in this difficult post did credit to the choice. His college was distinguished by the industry, sobriety, and harmony of its members, and was a fertile nursery of literature and science. His zeal against "popery" was ably displayed in a course of lectures, read in his college, and published after his death, "On the King's Supremacy". It was also expressed in a sermon preached before the university, in which he laid open the secret methods by which certain persons were attempting to undermine the reformation, clearly referencing Archbishop William Laud, who was present for the lecture. The doctor wrote to his friend, Dr. Richard Neile, Bishop of Lincoln, complaining that, "he was fain to sit patiently at the rehearsal of this sermon, though abused almost an hour together, being pointed at as he sat," Rushworth's Collection, vol. 1, p. 62.] and asking whether he ought to take public notice of the insult.

As nothing more was heard of the affair, it is probably that the bishop, aware that the attack had not been unprovoked, advised the doctor to remain quiet. Abbot's talents and zeal, united probably with the interest of the archbishop, at last obtained for him the see of Salisbury, and his brother had the gratification of performing upon him the ceremony of consecration. On his departure from the university, he delivered a farewell oration in Latin, which was much admired.

He possessed the episcopal dignity little more than two years, but discharged his duty, during that short period, with diligence and fidelity, and left behind an unblemished reputation. Comparing the merits of the two brothers, Robert and George, Thomas Fuller remarksFuller, Thomas. "Worthies of England". Surry, p. 82.] that "George was the more plausible preacher, Robert the greater scholar; George was the abler statesman, Robert the deeper divine."

Abbot died about 1617, being one of five bishops who succeeded to the see of Salisbury within six years. The writings of this prelate were chiefly levelled against the Roman Catholic Church. He wrote several commentaries on the scriptures which were not printed; among these is a Latin commentary on the whole epistle to the Romans, in four volumes folio. genbio|Abbot, Robert]

References