SPRAT (Dr Thomas), bishop of Rochester, was
born in 1636. He had his education at Oxford, and
after the Restoration entered into holy orders. He
became fellow of the Royal Society, chaplain to
George duke of Buckingham, and chaplain in ordi-
nary to king Charles II. In 1667 he published the
History of the Royal Society, and a Life of Mr Cow-
ley; who, by his last will, left to his care his printed
works and MSS. which were accordingly published by
him. In 1668 he was installed prebendary of West-
minster; in 1680, was appointed canon of Windsor;
in 1683, dean of Westminster; and in 1684, consecrated
to the bishopric of Rochester. He was clerk of the clo-
set to king James II.; in 1685, was made dean of the
chapel royal; and the year following, was appointed
one of the commissioners for ecclesiastical affairs. In
1692 his lordship, with several other persons, was
charged with treason by two men, who drew up an af-
fociation, in which they whose names were subscribed
declared their resolution to restore king James; to seize
the princes of Orange, dead or alive; and to be ready
with 30,000 men to meet king James when he should
land. To this they put the names of Sancroft, Sprat,
Marlborough, Salisbury, and others. The bishop was
arrested, and kept at a messenger's, under a strict guard,
for eleven days. His house was searched, and his pa-
pers seized, among which nothing was found of a trea-
sonable appearance, except one memorandum, in the
following words: Thorough-paced doctrine. Being as-
ked at his examination the meaning of the words, he
said that, about 20 years before, curiosity had led him
to hear Daniel Burgess preach; and that being struck
with his account of a certain kind of doctrine, which
he said entered at one ear, and pacing through the head
event out at the other, he had inserted the memorandum
in his table-book, that he might not lose the substance
of so strange a sermon. His innocence being proved,
he was set at liberty, when he published an account of
his examination and deliverance; which made such an
impression upon him, that he commemorated it through
life by an yearly day of thanksgiving. He lived to the
79th year of his age, and died May 20. 1713. His
works, besides a few poems of little value, are, "The
History of the Royal Society;" "The Life of Cow-
ley;" "The Answer to Sorbiere;" "The History of
the Rye-house Plot;" "The Relation of his own Ex-
amination;" and a volume of "Sermons." Dr Johnson
says, "I have heard it observed, with great justice,
that every book is of a different kind, and that each
has its distinct and characteristical excellence."