or **SORBON**, the house or college of the faculty of theology established in the university of Paris. It was founded in 1252 by St Louis, or rather by Robert de Sorbon his confessor and almoner, first canon of Cambrai, and afterwards of the church of Paris; who gave his own name to it, which he himself took from the village of Sorbon or Serbon, near Sens, where he was born. The foundation was laid in 1252; queen Blanche, in the absence of her husband, furnishing him with a house which had formerly been the palace of Julian the apostate, of which some remains are still seen. Afterwards the king gave him all the houses he had in the same place, in exchange for some others. The college has been since magnificently rebuilt by the cardinal de Richelieu. The design of its institution was for the use of poor students in divinity. There are lodgings in it for 36 doctors, who are said to be of the society of the Sorbonne; those admitted into it without being doctors, are said to be of the hospitality of the Sorbonne. Six regent doctors formerly held lectures every day for an hour and a half each; three in the morning, and three in the afternoon.

is also used in general for the whole faculty of theology at Paris; as the assemblies of the whole body are held in the house of the Sorbonne; and the bachelors of the other houses of the faculty, as the house of Navarre, &c. come hither to hold their *sorbonnique*, or act for being admitted doctor in divinity.