or ABBAT, the superior of a monastery of monks erected into an abbey or prelacy.

The name Abbot is originally Hebrew, where it signifies father. The Jews call father, in their language, Ab; whence the Chaldeans and Syrians formed Abba; thence the Greeks Acetas, which the Latins retained, Abbatus; and hence our Abbot, the French Abbé, &c.

—St Mark and St Paul use the Syriac Abba in their Greek, by reason it was then commonly known in the synagogues and the primitive assemblies of the Christians; adding to it, by way of interpretation, the word father, acetas, "Abba, father;" q.d. Abba, that is to say, Father.—But the name Ab, and Abba, which at first was a term of tenderness and affection in the Hebrew and Chaldee, became at length a title of dignity and honour: The Jewish doctors affected it; and one of their most ancient books, containing the sayings or apophthegms of divers of them, is entitled Pirke Abboth, or Avoth; i.e. Chapters of the Fathers. It was in allusion to this affectation, that Jesus Christ forbade his disciples to call any man their father on earth; which word St Jerome turns against the superiors of the monasteries of his time, for assuming the title of Abboth, or Fathers.

The name Abbot, then, appears as old as the institution of monks itself.—The governors of the primitive monasteries assumed indifferently the titles Abbots, and Archimandrites*. They were really distinguished from the clergy; though frequently confounded with them, because a degree above laymen.

In those early days, the abbots were subject to the bishops and the ordinary pastors. Their monasteries being remote from cities, built in the farthest solitudes, they had no share in ecclesiastical affairs. They went on Sundays to the parish-church with the rest of the people; or, if they were too remote, a priest was sent them to administer the sacraments; till at length they were allowed to have priests of their own body. The abbot or archimandrite himself was usually the priest: but his function extended no farther than to the spiritual assistance of his monastery; and he remained still in obedience to the bishop. There being among the abbots several persons of learning, they made a vigorous opposition to the rising heresies of those times; which first occasioned the bishops to call them out of their deserts, and fix them about the suburbs of cities, and at length in the cities themselves: from which era their degeneracy is to be dated. The abbots, now, soon wore off their former plainness and simplicity, and began to be looked on as a sort of little prelates. They aspired at being independent of the bishops; and became so importunate, that some severe laws were made against them at the council of Chalcedon: this notwithstanding, in time many of them carried the point of independency; and got the appellation of lord, with other badges of the episcopate, particularly the mitre.

Hence arose new species of distinctions between the abbots. Those were termed mitred abbots, who were privileged to wear the mitre, and exercise episcopal authority within their respective precincts, being exempted from the jurisdiction of the bishop. Others were called croziered abbots, from their bearing the crozier or pastoral staff. Others were styled ecumenical or universal abbots, in imitation of the patriarch of Constantinople: while others were termed cardinal abbots, from their superiority over all other abbots.—Among us, the mitred abbots were lords of parliament; and called abbots-sovereign, and abbots-general, to distinguish them from the other abbots. And as there were lords abbots, so there were also lords priors, who had exempt jurisdiction, and were likewise lords of Parliament. Some reckon 26 of these lords abbots and priors, that sat in parliament. Sir Edward Coke says, that there were 27 parliamentary abbots, and two priors. In the parliament 20 Rich. II. there were but 25 abbots, and two priors: but in the summons to parliament, anno 4 Ed. III. more are named.

At present, in the Roman-catholic countries, the principal distinctions observed between abbots, are those of regular and commendatory. The former take the vow and wear the habit of their order; whereas the latter are seculars, though they are obliged by their bulls to take orders when of proper age.

Antiently the ceremony of creating an abbot consisted in clothing him with the habit called cuculla, or cowl; putting the pastoral staff into his hand, and the shoes called pedales on his feet; but at present, it is only a simple benediction, improperly called, by some, consecration.

Abbey is also a title given to others beside the superiors of monasteries: thus bishops, whose fees were formerly abbeys, are called abbots; as are the superiors of some congregations of regular canons, particularly carily that of St Geneviève at Paris: and among the Genoese, the chief magistrate of their republic formerly bore the title of abbot of the people. It was likewise usual, about the time of Charlemagne, for several lords to assume the title of count-abbots, abba-comites; and that for no other reason, but because the superintendancy of certain abbeys was committed to them.

(George), archbishop of Canterbury, was born October 29, 1562, at Guildford in Surrey. He went through his studies at Oxford, and in 1597 was chosen principal of University College. In 1599, he was installed dean of Winchester; the year following, he was chosen vice-chancellor of the university of Oxford, and a second time in 1603. In 1604, that translation of the bible now in use was begun by the direction of king James; and Dr Abbot was the second of eight divines of Oxford, to whom the care of translating the whole New Testament (excepting the epistles) was committed. The year following, he was a third time vice-chancellor. In 1608, he went to Scotland with George Hume earl of Dunbar, to assist in establishing an union betwixt the kirk of Scotland and the church of England; and in this affair he behaved with so much address and moderation, that it laid the foundation of all his future preferment. For king James ever after paid great deference to his advice and council; and upon the death of Dr Overton bishop of Litchfield and Coventry, he named Dr Abbot for his successor, who was accordingly consecrated bishop of those two united sees in December 1609. About a month afterwards he was translated to the see of London, and on the second of November thereafter was raised to the archiepiscopal see. His great zeal for the Protestant religion made him a strenuous promoter of the match between the Elector Palatine and the princess Elizabeth; which was accordingly concluded and solemnized the 14th of February 1612, the archbishop performing the ceremony on a stage erected in the royal chapel. In the following year happened the famous case of divorce betwixt the lady Francis Howard, daughter of the earl of Suffolk, and Robert earl of Essex; an affair which has been by many considered as one of the greatest blemishes of king James's reign; but the part acted therein by the archbishop added much to the reputation he had already acquired for incorruptible integrity. The matter was by the king referred to a court of delegates. The archbishop saw plainly, that his Majesty was very desirous the lady should be divorced; but he was, in his own judgment, directly against the divorce. He laboured all he could to extricate himself from this difficulty, by having an end put to the cause by some other way than by sentence: but it was to no purpose; for those who drove on this affair, had got too great power to be restrained from bringing it to the conclusion the king desired. The archbishop prepared a speech, which he intended to have spoken against the nullity of the marriages, in the court at Lambeth; but he did not make use of it, because the king ordered the opinions to be given in few words. He continued, however, inflexible in his opinion against the divorce; and drew up his reasons, which the king thought fit to answer himself. It need scarce be added, that sentence was given in the lady's favour.—In 1618, the king published a declaration, which he ordered to be read in all churches, permitting sports and pastimes on the Lord's day: this gave great uneasiness to the archbishop; who, happening to be at Croydon when it came thither, had the courage to forbid its being read.—Being now in a declining state of health, the archbishop used in the summer to go to Hampshire for the sake of recreation; and being invited by lord Zouch to hunt in his park at Bramzill, he met there with the greatest misfortune that ever befell him; for he accidentally killed the game-keeper, by an arrow from a cross-bow which he shot at one of the deer. This accident threw him into a deep melancholy; and he ever afterwards kept a monthly fast on Tuesday, the day on which this fatal mischance happened, and he settled an annuity of 20l. on the widow*. There were several persons who took advantage of this misfortune, to lessen him in the king's favour; but his Majesty said, "An angel might have miscarried in this fort." His enemies alleging that he had incurred an irregularity, and was thereby incapacitated for performing the offices of a primate; the king directed a commission to ten persons to inquire into this matter. The result, however, was not satisfactory to his Grace's enemies; it being declared, that, as the murder was involuntary, he had not forfeited his archiepiscopal character. The archbishop thenceforward seldom assisted at the council, being chiefly hindered by his infirmities; but in the king's last illness he was sent for, and attended with great constancy till his Majesty expired on the 27th of March 1625. He performed the ceremony of the coronation of king Charles I. though very infirm and much troubled with the gout. He was never greatly in this king's favour; and the duke of Buckingham being his declared enemy, watched an opportunity of making him feel the weight of his displeasure. This he at last accomplished, upon the archbishop's refusing to license a sermon, preached by Dr Sillothorpe to justify a loan which the king had demanded, and pregnant with principles which tended to overthrow the constitution. The archbishop was immediately after suspended from all his functions as primate; and they were exercised by certain bishops commissioned by the king, of whom Laud, the archbishop's enemy, and afterwards his successor, was one: while the only cause assigned for this procedure was, That the archbishop could not at that time personally attend those services which were otherwise proper for his cognizance and direction. He did not, however, remain long in this situation; for a parliament being absolutely necessary, his Grace was sent for, and restored to his authority and jurisdiction. But not proving friendly to certain rigorous measures adopted by the prevailing church-party, headed by Laud, whose power and interest at court was now very considerable, his presence became unwelcome there; so that upon the birth of the prince of Wales, afterwards Charles II. Laud had the honour to baptize him, as dean of the chapel. The archbishop being worn out with cares and infirmities, died at Croydon, the 5th of August 1633, aged seventy-one years; and was buried at Guildford, the place of his nativity, and where he had endowed an hospital with lands to the amount of 300l. per annum. A stately monument was erected over the grave, with the effigy of the archbishop in his robes. He shewed himself, in most circumstances of his life, a man of great moderation to all parties; and was desirous that the clergy should attract the esteem of the laity by the sanctity sancity of their manners, rather than claim it as due to their function. His notions and principles, however, not failing the humour of some writers, have drawn upon him many severe reflections; particularly, which is to be regretted, from the earl of Clarendon. But Dr Welwood has done more justice to his merit and abilities*. He wrote several tracts upon various subjects; and, as already mentioned, translated part of the New Testament, with the rest of the Oxford divines, 1611.

(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-cross, 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 affluency, 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 bishopric, 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 affluency, 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 monasteries, it was given to the Lord Paget; and has since been called Paget's Bromley, and is so denominated in the county map. But it retains its old name in the king's books, and is a discharged vicarage of 30 l. clear yearly value. It likewise retains the old name with regard to the fairs; which are three, and all for horses and horned cattle.* They are on the Thursday before Mid-lent Sunday, the 22d of May, and 24th of August. It is six miles east of Stafford, seven north of Litchfield, and 128 north-west of London.

W. Long. i. 2. Lat. 52° 45'.