Dove was born in London, England, and educated at Merchant Taylors' School from 1564 to 1571.
[1] He was named as one of the first scholars of Jesus College, Oxford in its foundation charter in 1571, but never attended.
[2] Instead, he became a scholar at Pembroke College, Cambridge, obtaining his BA in 1575 and his MA in 1578.
[3] He was a Pembroke contemporary of Lancelot Andrewes, who had also been educated at Merchant Taylors' School and named as a founding scholar of Jesus College, Oxford.
[1] In 1589, Dove became Dean of Norwich and in 1601 he was consecrated Bishop of Peterborough, where he remained until his death in 1630.