ROBINSON, John, English Independent clergyman: b. Lincolnshire, about 1576; d. Ley den, Holland, 1 March 1625. It has been widely assumed that he was educated at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. He was, say certain later writers, suspended from a benefice in Norfolk. He himself mentions a residence in Norwich, where he was religious director of a band of worshippers, and where certain persons were excommunicated for their interest in his in struction. In 1608 he emigrated to Amsterdam, with several of the congregation of the church at Scrooby Manor, Nottinghamshire, and thence in 1609 to Leyden, where he was ordained pas tor, with William Brewster (q.v.) as ruling elder. In 1611 a building was purchased for 8,000 guilders for use as a meeting-house. Mather in his (MagnaHO says that °those famous divines, Polyander and Festus Hom mins, employed this our learned Robinson to dispute publicly ip the University of Leyden against Episcopius, and the other champions of that grand choke-weed of true Christianity) (Arminian doctrine). There may be some foundation for the story of such a disputation; but it was probably not at Polyander's request, nor at the university, where Episcopius was in power. Robinson was admitted to the univer sity in 1615 and attended Episcopius' lectures. He took a very active interest in the project for emigration to America; and had a majority of his church volunteered would have accom panied them hither. Previous to the sailing of the Speedwell he preached on 21 July 1620, observed as a day of prayer and humiliation.
His celebrated address is given in Winslow's Unmasked' (1646), the author re marking that Robinson 'used these expressions, or to the same purpose,p and some allowance must be made for such improvements and em bellishments as Winslow may have made to suit his controversial purpose. Robinson cor responded with the "church of God at Plym outh, New England." Mather calls him "a most wise, grave, good man," and Robert Baillie, "the most learned, polished, and modest spirit" among the Separatists. A tablet marks the house in which he lived in Leyden, and Peter's Church, where he is buried, also contains a bronze memorial. His 'Works,) with memoir and notes of Robert Ashton, appeared in 1851. The most important of his works which were published were 'A Justification of Separation from the Church of England) (1610) ; 'Of Religious Communion) (1614) ; 'Essays or Ob servations Divine and Moral) (1625). Consult Bradford, 'History of Plymouth Plantation' (Coll. of the Mass. Hist. Soc., 4th ser., Vol. III, 1856) ; Mather, 'Magnolia) (1702) ; Neal, 'History of New (1720) ; Brook, 'Lives of the Puritans) (1813) ; Dexter, 'Con gregationalism of 300 Years) (1880) ; 'Life) by Davis (1903) ; Burrage, Champlin, 'New Facts Concerning John Robinson) (Oxford 1910).