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Robert Abercromby (1536 – 27 April 1613), whose surname was also spelled asAbrecromby andAbercrombie, and was known by such pseudonyms asRobert Sandiesoun andSanders Robertson, was aScottishJesuitmissionary.
He was born and educated inScotland, and studied in theCollegium Romanum inRome, where on 19 August 1563 he became a Jesuit. From 1564 he lived in Braunsberg (then inRoyal Prussia; present-dayBraniewo) where he was professor of grammar in the biggest Polish Jesuitcollegium (where teaching was inLatin) and anovice master.
In 1565 he was ordained apriest. In Braniewo he was in constant contact withStanislaus Hosius. LearningPolish was difficult for him, and he had some problems with the finances of the school. Due to these problems he was permitted to leave Poland in 1580, when he met the Scottish king for the first time. In September 1580 he went back to Poland - from 1580 to 1587 he performed similar tasks inKraków,Poznań andWilno.
In 1587 he left Poland and returned to Scotland. During the journey to Scotland in 1580 and during his second stay there he was organizing transports of ScottishCatholic novices to be trained in Polish schools andseminaries.[1][2]
Abercromby claimed that he had reconciledAnne of Denmark, queen ofJames VI of Scotland, to theCatholic Church.[3] James apparently allowed Abercromby to meet her atHolyroodhouse circa 1599. She made no outward sign of a change of religion.[4]
Abercromby remained in Scotland for some time, but a price of 10,000crowns was put upon his head.[5] He spent the period 1601–06 under the protection ofGeorge Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly.[4]
Abercromby went back to Braunsberg in 1606. His name was connected to theallegiance oath controversy when a pamphlet "pasquil",Exetasis epistolæ nomine regis, written under the pseudonym Bartholus Pacenius against James I was traced to Braunsberg;[4] but the investigation byPatrick Gordon was inconclusive.[6] He died there on 27 April 1613.
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Robert Abercromby".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.