Abbott, The. One of Scott's (Waverley) novels, published 1820, and written in memory of Mary Queen of Scots, whose history it sketches from the time of her imprisonment at Lochleven Castle to her flight into England after the battle of Langside. Historical period, 1568.

Abbot (The), the second of three novels on the Reformation. The first, called The Monastery, is by far the worst; and the third, called Kenilworth, is the best. The Abbot, Father Ambrose (q.v.), plays a very subordinate part, the hero being Roland Græme. The tale is this: Roland, a very young child, was nearly drowned by trying to save a toyboat, but he was drawn from the river by Wolf, a dog of Lady Avenel's; and as lady Avenel had no family, she brought up Roland, as a sort of page. The indulgence shown by his kind patroness drew upon him the jealous displeasure of the rest of the household; and ultimately the spirit became so bitter that Lady Avenel, when he was between 17 and 18, dismissed him from her service. Roland, going he knew not whither, encountered Sir Halbert Glendinning, the husband of the Lady Avenel, who took him into his service, and sent him to the regent Murray, who sent him to Lochleven, as the page of Mary queen of Scotland, who had been dethroned and sent to Lochleven as a state prisoner. He was there above a year, when Mary made her escape, was overtaken by the Reform party, and fled to England.

Roland Græme is discovered to be the son of Julian Avenel and Catherine Græme. He married Catherine Seyton, a daughter of Lord Seyton, and was heir to the barony of Avenel. Mary of Scotland is excellently portrayed in this novel, and Queen Elizabeth in Kenilworth.