Robinson, Richard, archbishop of Armagh and lord Rokel)y, was born in the North Riding of York- shire, England, in 1709. He was educated at West- minster School and Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his master's degree in 1733. Dr. Blackburn, arch- bishop of York, appointed him his chaplain, and collated him first to Elton, Yorkshire, and next to prebend of Grindal, Cathedral of York. In 1751 he went to Ire- land, and was promoted to the bishopric of Killala in the same year. In 1759 he was translated to the united sees of Leighlin and Ferns, and in 1761 to Kildare. In 1765 he was advanced to the primacy of Armagh, and made lord-almoner and vice-chancellor of the Univer- sity of Dublin. He was created baron Rokeby of Ar- magh in February, 1777, and in 1783 he was appointed prelate to the Order of St. Patrick. He succeeded to the title of baronet upon the death of Sir William, his brother, in 1785. Bishop Robinson died at Clifton, near Bristol, in October, 179-1. He was very watchful over the legal rights of the Church in Ireland. The acts of the 11th and 12th of the then reigning sovereign, securing to bishops and ecclesiastical persons repayment for expen- ditures in purchasing an(l building glebes and houses, originated with him. See Chalmers, Bing. Diet. s. v.
Robinson, Robert, a distinguished minister of the Baptist denomination in England, was born at Swaff- ham, Norfolk, .Ian. 8, 1735. In 1749 he was apprenticed to a hair-dresser in London. Becoming a hopeful Chris- tian under the preaching of Whitetield, his master re- leased him from his indentures, and he returned to his native county and began to preach as a Calvinistic Methodist. He soon joined the Baptists, and in 1759 became pastor of the Baptist ('hurch in Cambridge, where he was very popular with all classes of people. Enjoying peculiar facilities for study at Cambri<ige, he improved every opportunity to add to his store of knowl- eilge. He was a tine linguist, and easily learned both the ancient and modern languages. Between the years 1770 and 1782 he prepared and published a translation oi Sauriiis ISermoiis. He also published in 1770 A Plea
for the Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in a Pastoral Letter Addressed to a Congregation of Protestant Dis- senters at Cambridge. It is said that this "J'/ea excited the most singular attention, and the highest dignitaries of the Church of England pronounced that it was the best defence of the divinity of Christ that had ever been published. He was invited to become a clergy- man of the Establishment, to which, however, he re- fused to listen." Robinson was the author of several other works which, in their day, enjoyed a good degree of popularity. Among them was a translation of tlie celebrated essay of Claude, On the Composition of a >Ser- mon, and an elaborate work on which he spent years of labor — History (f Baptism. Close and long-continued application to study at length produced its effect on his constitution, and he died June 9, 1790. Although he was thought at one time to lean somewhat towards Socinianism, he never lost the aftection and confidenc'c of his Church in Candjridge. See Dyer, Robinsous Life and Writings (Lond. 1796, 4to) ; Flower, Robin- son's Miscellaneous Worlcs, etc.; also the Annual Re- view, 1805, p. 464; Eclectic Review, September, 1861; Allibone, Diet, of Brit, and A mer. A iithors, s. v. ; Dar- ling, Cyclop. Bibliog. s. v. (J. C. S.)
Robinson, Thomas (1 ), an English clergyman, was born at Wakefield, in the county of York, Aug. 29, 1749. He was educated at the grammar-school of his native place, the governors of which, when it was determined to send him to the university, unanimously agreed to allow him a double exhibition (pension). He was ad- mitted a sizar into Trinity College, Cambridge, in Octo- ber, 17G8. In 1772 he was elected fellow of the college, and soon after presented to the curacies of Witcham and Witchford. About two years afterwards he accejited the curacy of St. Martin's in Leicester, was chosen after- noon lecturer of All-Saints', and in 1774 chaplain to the Infirmarj'. In 1778 he was appointed weekly lecturer of St. Mary's, Leicester, and in the same year was pre- sented to the living of this church. Mr. Robinson died of apoplexy, March 24, 1813, after preaching thirty- nine years in Leicester. Among his works are, Script- ure Characters (Lond. 1789, 12mo; last ed. 1860, 8vo): — The Christian System Unfolded (ibid. 1805, 3 vols. 8vo; last ed. 1848, 8vo): — Prophecies of the Messiah (ibid. 1812-25, 8vo): — hesides Addresses, etc. See Alli- bone, Diet, of Brit, and A mer. A uthors, s. v.
Robinson, Thomas (2), an English clergyman, was born about the middle of the last century, and be- came rector of Ruan Minor -and vicar of St. Hilary, Cornwall. He died in 1814. He was the author of, A Few Plain Reasons for the Belief of a Christian (1800, 8vo) : — Inquiry into the Nature, Necessity, and Evidences of Revealed Religion (1803, 8vo).
Robinson, "William (1), a Presbyterian minister, was born near Carlisle, England, in the begiiuiing of the 18th century. Havnig plunged into the dissipations of London, he was ashamed to return to iiis father, anti re- solved to seek his fortune in America. On his arrival, he began to teach school in Hopewell, N. J., living the life of a correct and sober man. Soon after his conver- sion, he determined to enter the ministry, and pursued his studies at the Log College. He was received under the care of the New Brunswick Presbytery on April 1, 1740, and was licensed to preach May 27 following. On Aug. 14, 1741, he was ordained in New Brunswick sine titulo. Until 1746 he labored as missionary in Virginia, and on March 19 was dismissed from the Presbytery of New Brunswick to that of New Castle, with a view of bis becoming pastor of the congregation at St. George's, Del. But in April following, before he had been in- stalled, his death occurred. There remains little doc- umentary testimony concerning him; but there is a uniform tradition that he was an eminently devout and benevolent man, and one of the most vigorous and ef- fective preachers of his day. See Sprague, Annuls of the A mer. Pulpit, iii, 92.