Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Allott, William

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611595Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 01 — Allott, William1885Thompson Cooper

ALLOTT, WILLIAM (d. 1590?), catholic divine, was a native of Lincolnshire, and received his education in the university of Cambridge, though he does not appear to have graduated. When Queen Elizabeth came to the throne, he retired to the continent, and took up his residence at Louvain, where he studied divinity for some years and was ordained priest. He afterwards lived for some time at Cologne, and returned to England in 1579. He was in high favour with Mary Queen of Scots, whom he frequently visited in her confinement. After some years spent upon the English mission he was imprisoned and banished with many others of his religious profession. The Queen of Scots, in return for his services to her, sent him a letter recommending him to her friends in France, and, at her request, he was made canon of St. Quintin in Picardy. The fatigues of the mission and too great application to study having impaired his health, the physicians advised him to take a journey to Spa, where he died of the dropsy about 1590. During his abode in the Low Countries he became acquainted with Lord Morley and his brother Charles Parker, bishop elect at the time of Queen Mary's death. Both of them had retired from England on account of religion, and were particular benefactors to Allott during his studies, as they were to many other students similarly situated.

Allott was the author of ‘Thesaurus Bibliorum, omnem utriusque Vitæ antidotum secundum utriusque instrumenti veritatem & historiam succinctè complectens. Cui in calce accessit Index Evangeliorum Dominicalium in series suas certas & capita dissectorum, omnibus Pastoribus & Concionatoribus admodum utilis.’ Antwerp, 1577, 8vo; Lyons, 1580, 8vo; Antwerp, 1581, 8vo; Lyons, 1585, 8vo; Cologne, 1612; with epistles dedicatory to Pope Gregory XIII and Lord Morley.

[Diaries of the English College, Douay, 9, 10, 26, 292, 302; Pits, Relationes Historicæ de Rebus Anglicis, 788; Dodd's Church History (1739), ii. 58; Cooper's Athenæ Cantab. ii. 97; Tanner's Bib1. Brit. 37.]

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