JOHN, a celebrated English bishop, was born in 1559; and, after a proper foundation in grammar learning, was sent to St John's college, Cambridge, and was elected a scholar of that society: but afterwards removing to Trinity, was chosen fellow of Overall college. In 1596 he was made regius professor of divinity, when he took the degree of D.D. and about the same time was elected master of Catherine-hall. In 1601 he was raised to the deanship of St Paul's, London, by the recommendation of his patron Sir Fulke Greville, and Queen Elizabeth; and in the beginning of King James's reign, he was chosen prolocutor of the lower house of convocation. In 1612 he was appointed one of the first governors of the Charter-house hospital, then just founded by Thomas Sutton, Esq. In April 1614 he was made bishop of Litchfield and Coventry; and in 1618 he was translated to Norwich, where he died in May 1619, aged, as it is reported, 60 years. He was buried in that cathedral, where he lay unnoticed and forgotten till some time after the restoration of Charles II. when Cofin, bishop of Durham, who had been his secretary, erected a monument in 1669, with a Latin inscription, in which he is said to be, "Vir unaeque docilimus, et omni inomio major."

Wood observes, that he had the character of being the best scholastic divine in England; and Cofin, who perhaps may be thought to rival him in that sort of learning, calls himself his scholar, and absolutely says that he derived all his knowledge from him. He is also celebrated by Smith for his distinguished wisdom, erudition, and piety. In the controversy which in his time divided the reformed churches about predestination and grace, he held a middle opinion, inclining perhaps to Arminianism. He seems indeed to have paved the way for the reception of that doctrine in England, where it was generally embraced a few years afterwards, chiefly by the authority and influence of Archbishop Laud. Overall cultivated a particular friendship with Gerard Vossius and Grotius; and was much grieved to see the love of peace, and the projects of this last great man to obtain it, fo ill repaid. He laboured heartily himself to settle the differences in Holland, upon what is known by the name of the Quinquaricular controversy; as appears in part by his letters to the two learned correspondents just mentioned, some of which are printed in the Epistolae praefiantium virorum, &c.

The bishop is known in England chiefly by his Convocation Book, of which Bishop Burnet gives the following account: "This book was wrote on the subject of government, the divine institution of which was very positively affected. It was read in convocation, and passed by that body, in order to the publishing of it; in opposition to the principles laid down in the famous book of Parsons the Jesuit, published under the name of Doleman. But King James did not like a convocation entering into such a theory of politics; so he discouraged the printing of it, especially since, in order to justify the owning of the United Provinces, who had lately thrown off the Spanish yoke, to be a lawful government, it was laid down, that when a change of government was brought to a thorough settlement, it was then to be owned and submitted to as work of the providence of God. Here it slept, till Archbishop Sancroft, who had got the book into his own hands, and not observing the last-mentioned passage in it, resolved to publish it in the beginning of King William's reign, as an authentic declaration the church of England had made in the point Overbury, Sir Thomas, a learned Englishman, was born in 1581; and studied at Queen's college, Oxford, after which he removed to the Middle-Temple, London. He afterwards travelled for some time, and returned a most accomplished person; when he contracted an intimate acquaintance with Sir Robert Carr, knight of the Bath, who being soon after taken into his majesty's favour, had Mr Overbury knighted at Greenwich. Sir Thomas perceiving the familiarity which subsisted between his patron Carr, now made Viscount Rochester, and the lady Frances, the wife of Robert earl of Essex, was so much displeased at it, that he endeavoured to dissuade him from keeping her company, and from proceeding in the base design he had formed of having her first divorced from her husband, and then marrying her. The viscount, refuting this honest advice, told what he had said to the lady, who was as remarkable for her wickedness as for her beauty; on which they immediately resolved on his destruction. About this time, the king wanting to send an ambassador abroad, the viscount recommended Sir Thomas Overbury. His majesty approving the choice, the viscount imparted the king's intentions to Sir Thomas; but, under a treacherous show of friendship, dissuaded him from accepting of that employment, as it might hinder him from a better way of advancement; promising that he would prevent his majesty from being displeased at his refusal. The viscount then went to the king, and artfully incensing his majesty against Sir Thomas for refusing to obey his commands, that gentleman was committed to the Tower for his contempt, on the 21st of April 1613, where he continued till he was despatched by poison on the 15th of September following, and his body was interred in the Tower-chapel the same day. About two years after, the whole contrivance of his death was discovered. On this several persons were condemned and executed; but though Carr, earl of Somerset, and the lady Frances his countess, were condemned to death for contriving the murder, and hiring the persons who were concerned in it, the king only banished them from court, and afterwards pardoned them. Sir Thomas Overbury wrote several poems, &c. and an account of his travels.

His character is represented by a historian of those times; who, after relating the occasion and circumstances of his death, proceeds in the following terms:

"In this manner fell Sir Thomas Overbury, worthy of a longer life and a better fate; and, if I may compare private men with princes, like Germanicus Caesar, both by poison procured by the malice of a woman, both about the 33rd year of their age, and both celebrated for their skill and judgement in poetry, their learning, and their wisdom. Overbury was a gentleman of an ancient family, but had some blemishes charged upon his character, either through a too great ambition, or the insolence of a haughty temper."

After the return from his travels, the viscount Rochester embraced him with so entire a friendship, that exercising by his majesty's special favour the office of secretary provisionally, he not only communicated to Sir Thomas the secrets, but many times gave him the Over-hauling packets and letters unopened, before they had been perused by the king himself: which as it prevailed too much upon his early years, so as to make him, in the opinion of some, thought high and ambitious; yet he was so far from violating his trust and confidence, that he remains now one example among others who have suffered in their persons or their fortunes for a freedom of advice, which none but sincere friends will give, and which many are such ill friends to themselves as not to receive."