ABBOT (Robert,) elder brother to the former, and born at Guilford in 1560, went through his studies in Balliol college, Oxford. In 1582, he took his degree of master of arts, and soon became a celebrated preacher; and to this talent he chiefly owed his preferment. Upon his first sermon at Worcester, he was chosen lecturer in that city, and soon after rector of All-saints in the same place. John Stanhope, esq; happening to hear him preach at Paul's-crofs, was so pleased with him, that he immediately presented him to the rich living of Bingham in Nottinghamshire. In 1597, he took his degree of doctor in divinity: and, in the beginning of king James's reign, was appointed chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty; who had such an opinion of him as a writer, that he ordered the doctor's book De Antichristo to be printed with his own commentary upon part of the Apocalypse. In 1609, he was elected master of Balliol college; which trust he discharged with the utmost care and assiduity, by his frequent lectures to the scholars, by his continual presence at public exercises, and by promoting temperance in the society. In November 1610, he was made prebendary of Normanton in the church of Southwell; and, in 1612, his Majesty appointed him regius professor of divinity at Oxford. The fame of his lectures became very great; and those which he gave upon the supreme power of kings against Bellarmine and Suarez, so much pleased his Majesty, that, when the see of Salisbury became vacant, he named him to that bishoprick, and he was consecrated by his own brother at Lambeth, December 3, 1615. When he came to Salisbury, he found the cathedral running to decay, through the negligence and covetousness of the clergy belonging to it: however, he found means to draw five hundred pounds from the prebendaries, which he applied to the reparation of this church. He then gave himself up to the duties of his function with great diligence and assiduity, visiting his whole diocese in person, and preaching every Sunday whilst health would permit. But this was not long: for his sedentary life, and close application to study, brought upon him the gravel and stone; of which he died on the 2d of March 1618, in the fifty-eighth year of his age; having not filled the see quite two years and three months, and being one of the five bishops which Salisbury had in six years. He was buried opposite to the
bishop's seat in the cathedral. Dr Fuller*, speaking of the two brothers, says, "that George was the more plausible preacher, Robert the greatest scholar; George the able statesman, Robert the deeper divine; gravity did frown in George, and smile in Robert." He published several pieces; and also left behind him sundry manuscripts, which Dr Corbet made a present of to the Bodleian library.