Robert Browne (1550s – 1633) was the founder of the Brownists, a common designation for early Separatists from the Church of England before 1620. In later life he was reconciled to the established church and became an Anglican priest.
Browne became a lecturer at St Mary's Church, Islington,[1] where his dissident preaching against the doctrines and disciplines of the Church of England began to attract attention.[3] During 1578 he returned to Cambridge and came under the influence of Richard Greenham, Puritan rector of Dry Drayton, near Cambridge. Browne may have been encouraged to complete his ordination and serve at a parish church. He was offered a lecturer position at St Bene't's Church, Cambridge possibly through Greenham, but his tenure there was short lived. He may have come to reject the Puritan view of reform from within the Church, and started to look outside the established Church.
Browne was the first seceder from the Church of England and the first to found a church of his own on Congregational principles. By 1581 he had attempted to set up a separate church in Norwich; he was arrested but released on the advice of William Cecil, his kinsman. Browne and companions left England and moved to Middelburg in the Netherlands later in 1581. There they organised a church on what they conceived to be the New Testament model, but the community broke up within two years owing to internal dissensions.
His most important works, A Treatise of Reformation without Tarying for Anie, in which he asserted the right of the church to effect necessary reforms without the authorisation of the civil magistrate; and A Booke which sheweth the life and manners of all True Christians which set out the theory of congregational independency, were published at Middelburg in 1582. The following year two men were hanged at Bury St Edmunds for circulating them.[4]
Browne was only an active Separatist from 1579 to 1585 and returned to the Church of England. He served as Headmaster of St Olave's Grammar School, Southwark 1586–89 and was also Headmaster of Stamford School between 1589 and 1591.[citation needed] He was much engaged in controversy with some of those who held his earlier separatist position and who now looked upon him as a renegade. In particular he several times replied to John Greenwood and Henry Barrowe; one of his replies, entitled A Reproofe of certaine schismatical persons and their doctrine touching the hearing and preaching of the word of God (1587–1588) sheds light upon the development of Browne's later views.
He was married twice, firstly to Alice Allen, thought to be one of his Middelburg congregation, with whom he fathered nine children. Alice Browne died in July 1610 and in February 1612 Browne married Elizabeth Werrener at St Martin's Church, Stamford. He was imprisoned 32 times during his life for his non-conformist beliefs and died in jail at Northampton, after he was imprisoned for hitting a constable. He is buried in St Giles's churchyard, Northampton.[7]
Legacy
He is considered the father of the Congregational body in the English-speaking world, and "The Father of the Pilgrims" due to the Mayflower passengers in 1620 being part of the Brownist movement.
A Treatise of Reformation without Tarrying for any and of the Wickedness of those Preachers which will not reform till the Magistrate command or compel them (1582) – The church had a right to effect necessary reforms without permission of civil magistrate
A Book which sheweth the Life and Manners of all true Christians (1582) – defines congregational autonomy
An answere to master Cartwright his letter for ioyning with the English Church (1583)
A true and short declaration, both of the gathering and ioyning together of certaine persons, and also of the lamentable breach and division which fell amongst them (1583)
A Reproof of Certain Schismatical Persons (15??)
A New Year's Guift (1589)
References
^ abcdRobert Browne of Lilford, Lilford Hall, accessed 20 November 2020
^"Browne, Robert (BRWN570R)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
^Cromwell, Thomas (1835). Walks through Islington. London. pp. 82–4.
^Neal, Daniel (1732). "The history of the Puritans, or, Protestant non-conformists..." Internet Archive. Open Library. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
^"UCA Calendar of Commemorations". UCA Assembly illuminate. Uniting Church in Australia. pp. 4, 84. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
External links
Robert Browne of Lilford; this article has more biographical detail about Browne.
— this ExLibris article also has more biographical detail about Browne.
Robert Browne - The Rebel Who Inspired A Nation Documentary trailer. A short film about Robert Browne produced by The Robert Browne of Lilford Foundation, a charity set up in his memory.
robert, browne, brownist, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, robert, browne, brownist, news, newspapers. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Robert Browne Brownist news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message Robert Browne 1550s 1633 was the founder of the Brownists a common designation for early Separatists from the Church of England before 1620 In later life he was reconciled to the established church and became an Anglican priest Contents 1 Biography 2 Legacy 3 Works 4 References 5 External linksBiography EditBrowne was born at Tolethorpe Hall in Little Casterton Rutland England about 1550 1 and was the third of seven children of Anthony Browne and his wife Dorothy a daughter of Sir Philip Boteler In 1572 he graduated from Corpus Christi College Cambridge 2 It was probably while Browne was at Corpus Christi that he first met Robert Harrison from Norwich 1 They were both influenced by the Puritan theologian Thomas Cartwright It has been claimed that after leaving Cambridge Browne was a schoolmaster at Oundle School 1 Browne became a lecturer at St Mary s Church Islington 1 where his dissident preaching against the doctrines and disciplines of the Church of England began to attract attention 3 During 1578 he returned to Cambridge and came under the influence of Richard Greenham Puritan rector of Dry Drayton near Cambridge Browne may have been encouraged to complete his ordination and serve at a parish church He was offered a lecturer position at St Bene t s Church Cambridge possibly through Greenham but his tenure there was short lived He may have come to reject the Puritan view of reform from within the Church and started to look outside the established Church Browne was the first seceder from the Church of England and the first to found a church of his own on Congregational principles By 1581 he had attempted to set up a separate church in Norwich he was arrested but released on the advice of William Cecil his kinsman Browne and companions left England and moved to Middelburg in the Netherlands later in 1581 There they organised a church on what they conceived to be the New Testament model but the community broke up within two years owing to internal dissensions His most important works A Treatise of Reformation without Tarying for Anie in which he asserted the right of the church to effect necessary reforms without the authorisation of the civil magistrate and A Booke which sheweth the life and manners of all True Christians which set out the theory of congregational independency were published at Middelburg in 1582 The following year two men were hanged at Bury St Edmunds for circulating them 4 Browne was only an active Separatist from 1579 to 1585 and returned to the Church of England He served as Headmaster of St Olave s Grammar School Southwark 1586 89 and was also Headmaster of Stamford School between 1589 and 1591 citation needed He was much engaged in controversy with some of those who held his earlier separatist position and who now looked upon him as a renegade In particular he several times replied to John Greenwood and Henry Barrowe one of his replies entitled A Reproofe of certaine schismatical persons and their doctrine touching the hearing and preaching of the word of God 1587 1588 sheds light upon the development of Browne s later views He was ordained deacon and priest by Richard Howland Bishop of Peterborough in September 1591 5 He held the benefice of Little Casterton 6 in which parish Tolethorpe lay and then Thorpe Achurch in Northamptonshire from 1591 to 1631 He was married twice firstly to Alice Allen thought to be one of his Middelburg congregation with whom he fathered nine children Alice Browne died in July 1610 and in February 1612 Browne married Elizabeth Werrener at St Martin s Church Stamford He was imprisoned 32 times during his life for his non conformist beliefs and died in jail at Northampton after he was imprisoned for hitting a constable He is buried in St Giles s churchyard Northampton 7 Legacy EditHe is considered the father of the Congregational body in the English speaking world and The Father of the Pilgrims due to the Mayflower passengers in 1620 being part of the Brownist movement He is commemorated as a reformer of the church in the calendar of the Uniting Church in Australia on 5 September 8 Works EditA True and Short Declaration 1581 A Treatise of Reformation without Tarrying for any and of the Wickedness of those Preachers which will not reform till the Magistrate command or compel them 1582 The church had a right to effect necessary reforms without permission of civil magistrate A Book which sheweth the Life and Manners of all true Christians 1582 defines congregational autonomy An answere to master Cartwright his letter for ioyning with the English Church 1583 A true and short declaration both of the gathering and ioyning together of certaine persons and also of the lamentable breach and division which fell amongst them 1583 A Reproof of Certain Schismatical Persons 15 A New Year s Guift 1589 References Edit a b c d Robert Browne of Lilford Lilford Hall accessed 20 November 2020 Browne Robert BRWN570R A Cambridge Alumni Database University of Cambridge Cromwell Thomas 1835 Walks through Islington London pp 82 4 Neal Daniel 1732 The history of the Puritans or Protestant non conformists Internet Archive Open Library Retrieved 22 September 2016 Person Brown Robert 1591 1633 CCEd Person ID 138581 The Clergy of the Church of England Database 1540 1835 Person Browne Robert 159 159 CCEd Person ID 138588 The Clergy of the Church of England Database 1540 1835 http www edintone com independents robert browne includes photos of a memorial stone erected in 1923 UCA Calendar of Commemorations UCA Assembly illuminate Uniting Church in Australia pp 4 84 Retrieved 3 February 2022 External links EditRobert Browne of Lilford this article has more biographical detail about Browne English dissenters Brownists this ExLibris article also has more biographical detail about Browne Robert Browne The Rebel Who Inspired A Nation Documentary trailer A short film about Robert Browne produced by The Robert Browne of Lilford Foundation a charity set up in his memory Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica article Browne Robert This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Wood James ed 1907 The Nuttall Encyclopaedia London and New York Frederick Warne a href Template Cite encyclopedia html title Template Cite encyclopedia cite encyclopedia a Missing or empty title help Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert Browne Brownist amp oldid 1146093690, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
