Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/44

 t ABBOT. of Dr. Overton, bifliop ofLitchfield and Coventry, the king named Dr. Abbot for his fucceifor ; and he was accordingly ccnfecrated bifhop of Ihofe two united fees, in Dec. 1609. About a month afterwards, he was tranflated to the fee of London, vacant by the death of Dr. Thomas Ravis. Upon the deceafe of Dr. Richard Bancroft, archbifhop of Canter- bury, on Nov. 2, 1610, his majefty had a new opportunity of tedifying his eftc'em for Dr. Aobot, and accordingly raifed . him to the archiepifcopal fee. He became now in the higheft fol. i. favour both with prince and people, and was concerned in all the great affairs both of church and (rate. However, he never appeared over fond of power, nor did he endeavour to carry his prerogative as primate of England to any great height; yet he (hewed a fteady refutation in the maintenance of the rights of the high-cornrniffion court, and would not WJnwooo's fubmit to lord Coke's prohibitions. Bcin? a man of modera- TV f " )
 * rnoriais, t j on j n ^j s principle^ he greatly dtfplcafed fome of the high

?. z8i.' churchmen ; but he had as great concern for the church as any of them, when he thought it really in danger. His great zeal for the Proteftant religion made him a ftrenuous pro- moter of the match between the Elector Palatine and the princefs Elizabeth, which was accordingly concluded and iblemnized Feb. 14, 1612,, the archbifhop performing the ceremony on a ibgf creeled in the royal chapel. On the loth of April, his electoral highnefs fet out for Germany : before his departure, he made a prefent of plate to the arch- bifliop, of the value of a thousand pounds; and as a mark of his confidence, he wrote a letter to him from Canterbury, in- forming him of the grounds of that ciifcontent with which he Ib. p.^54- left England. About this time, the famous Hugo Grotius came over to England, to endeavour to give his maielty a better opinion of the Rem >nftrants, as they then began to be called: we have a very fingular account of the man, and of his negotiation, in a letter from the archbifhop to fir Ralph Jb, p. 459. Winwood. In the following year happened the famous cafe of divorce betwixt the lady Frances Howard, daughter of the earl of Suffolk, and Robert earl of Effex : this affair has been by many confidered as one of the greatefi blemiihes of " fight for it ; for you tell us upon the " are edge tools, or rather like that ' matter beforehand, his authority is " weapon that is faiH to cot with one " God's authoriry if he prevail. " edge, and cure with the other. I " Mr. D.iftor, I hava no time to ex- *' commit you to God's proteflion, <4 prefs my mina further on this theory " good Dr, Abbot, and reft your good bafinrft; I fhall give you my orders " friend, " about it by Mr. Solicitor, and until ft JAMES R." " then, mejdie no moie in it ; for they king