Robert Dixon (ca. 1614–1688) was an English clergyman, theologian, and royalist.

Early life

Dixon was the son of James Dixon of London and his wife Joane Betson.Armytage, George
"A Visitation of the County of Kent"
pg. 62 He was educated at

St John's College, Cambridge St John's College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge founded by the House of Tudor, Tudor matriarch Lady Margaret Beaufort. In constitutional terms, the college is a charitable corpo ...

, where he took his BA in 1634/5 and his MA in 1638, before being ordained in 1639.

Imprisonment and later career

After his ordination, Dixon had obtained a benefice in Kent. A steadfast royalist, he refused to take the

Solemn League and Covenant The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement between the Scottish Covenanters and the leaders of the English Parliamentarians in 1643 during the First English Civil War, a theatre of conflict in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. On 17 August 1 ...

, and as a result was seized after preaching a funeral sermon and imprisoned, first at Knole House and then at Leeds Castle. He was held prisoner at Leeds for fourteen months before being released. By 1647, Dixon was the rector of Tunstall, a position he held until 1661,Clergy of the Church of England Database
/ref> though for a time he was sequestered from the position on account of his royalist leanings. After the Restoration, he was appointed one of the prebends of Rochester Cathedral in 1660.

Works

Dixon is known to have authored three books: *'The Doctrine of Faith, Justification, and Assurance humbly endeavoured to be farther cleared towards the satisfaction and comfort of all free unbiassed spirits. With an appendix for Peace', 1668 *'The Nature of the two Testaments; or the Disposition of the Will and Estate of God to Mankind for Holiness and Happiness by Jesus Christ, concerning things to be done by Men, and things to be had of God, contained in His two great Testaments of the Law and the Gospel; demon; strating the high spirit and state of the Gospel above the Law', 1670 *'The Degrees of Consanguinity and Affinity described and delineatea' 1674 He is sometimes held to have written a verse volume called 'Canidia, or the Witches, of Rhapsody in five parts, by R. D.' According to his son James, this work was admired by John Dryden, who met Dixon at Linstead Lodge in Kent and expressed praise for his poetry.Kennedy, Deborah
"Poetic Sisters: Early Eighteenth-century Women Poets"
pp. 129-130

Family

Dixon married Sarah Mabb, daughter of Thomas Mabb of Bersted in Kent. They had three children: * Robert Dixon, Jr. (d. 1711), who was also rector of Tunstall * James Dixon (1648–1716), a lawyer * Elizabeth Dixon (d. 1738), who married another clergyman, Meyrick Head Through his son James, he was the grandfather of the poet

Sarah Dixon Sarah Dixon (baptised 28 September 1671 – 23 April 1765) was an English poet, probably born in Rochester, Kent, where she was baptised.Orlando, CambridgRetrieved 14 May 2017./ref> She took to writing "during a Youth of much Leisure", although ...

. Dixon died in 1688.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dixon, Robertus 1688 deaths English Anglican theologians 17th-century English theologians 17th-century English Anglican priests