From that moment his influence began visibly to de cline. His inflexible virtue, which was a perpetual censure on the manners of Charles and his profligate minister induced him frequently to oppose their mea sures. Ilis principles of liberty were alarmed by the unconstitutional demand of a general loan ; and his in dignation was strongly excited against those mercenary ecclesiastics who prostituted religion to the support of such a flagrant infringement on the subject's rights. He rc fused, therefore, to license a sermon which Dr Sibthorpe had written for this disgraceful purpose ; and Buckingham eagerly seized the opportunity of gra tifying- his hatred against the worthy primate. At his instigation, Abbot was suspended from the archiepis copal office, banished from London, and ordered to con fine himself at one of his country seats. On the con vocation of parliament, however, it was found necessary to restore him; and such was his popularity, that he was employed by the lords as the only person who could moderate the pretensions of the commons, in the petition of right. At court his presence was extremely unwelcome ; his authority was entirely superseded by the intrigues of Laud; and the indignities which he sufkred induced him to withdraw to Croydon, where he died on the 4th of August, 1633, at the age of seven y-one. Ile was buried in the church of Guildford, where a magnificent monument was erected to his memory.
The church of England cannot boast of a prelate more truly respectable than Abbot, archbishop of Can terbury. Offices which are open to merit, independent of rank or fortune, is ill often be filled by men conspi uous firr talents and virtue ; yet it not unfrequently happens, that high elevation destroys, or at least im pairs the excellence which led to its attainment. But 1bbot was not has remarkable for his moderation, his integrity, and his firmness in the exercise of his exalt ed office as primate, than for his modesty, his unaspir ing temper, and his uncorruptil•e %irtue in more ob scure and 'nimbi( situations. He seems to have been
influenced in all his conduct by the spirit of the religion loch he prolersed. Though naturally mild and un ()Wending-, he %, as resolute in opposing whatever his onscience his sovereign, he (Sas, at the same time, solit itouslv attentive to the rights „r fur the respectability of his order, he wished to promote it, not by constrained reverence for the clerical dignity, but by the exemplary purity of the clerical life. His enemies branded him as a puritan, but that was a term of reproach bestowed, without discrimination, by the licentious and unprin cipled courtiers of Charles, on all who refused to admit the unlimited prerogative of the crown; and it is, per haps, the most striking proof of his excellence, that malignity could never throw any fouler imputation on his character.
His works are, Quxstiones sex theologicx totidem Pre lcctionibus disputatte, Oxford, 1598. Dr Hill's Reasons for Papistry unmasked, Oxford, 1604. Sermons on the Prophet Jonas. The History of the Massacre of the Val telinc. A Geography. A Treatise on the perpetual Visibility of the true Church. A Preface to the Exami nation of George Sprat. A Sermon from Isaiah, xi. 6. preached at Winchester, May 26, 1608, at the Funeral of Thomas, Earl of Dorset. A Narrative concerning his Disgrace at Court, in two parts, written in 1627. His Judgment of bowing at the name of Jesus. A Letter to the Archbishop of York, dated September 4, 1622. A Letter to Dr Williams, bishop of Lincoln, Lord Keeper. Besides those he published several Speeches and Dis courses, delivered in Parliament and elsewhere. (F-4.)