Venn and Foster (in agreement): matric. sizar from PEMBROKE, Easter 1550; of Yorkshire; born c.1531; BA 1553/4; fellow 1554; MA 1557; DD 1583 [incorp. Oxford 19 May 1563; sup'd BD Oxford 22 Mar. 1566/7; created DD of Cambridge 11 June 1583]. President of St John's College, Cambridge 1564-72; ordained priest, London 1554; R of East Treswell, Notts 1556; R of Fulbeck, Lincs., 1560; R of Thornton, West Riding, Yorks (???) [Foster omits ???] 1560; R of Great Easton, Essex 1566-76; R of Kingston Bagpuze, Berks, 1568; precentor Lincoln cathedral 1572-98, prebendary 1573-98; canon 1574; Archdeacon of Bedford 1574-98; R of Brant Broughton, Lincs, 1575; R of Fishtoft 1576, R of Caistor 1576; Archdeacon of Lincoln 1580-1; R of Gransden [this should be Little Gransden,] Cambs. 1587; R of Somersham, Hunts, 1589-98; Canon of Gloucester 1592-3 and 1594. Married Mary, dau. of Edward Brograve; buried Somersham, Mar. 1597/8; Will (PCC); father of Ephraim (c1595); See Al. Oxon, Cooper II, 235; DNB, Lincs. Pedigrees.
See also Oxford DNB: Robinson, John (d. 1598), Church of England clergyman and college head.
Despite Foster/Venn, seems unlikely that he was at Thornton, and certainly did not die in 1581 - could be someone else.