Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Browne, Thomas (d.1585)
BROWNE, THOMAS (d. 1585), headmaster of Westminster, was born about 1535, and educated at Eton, whence he proceeded to King's College, Cambridge, in 1550. He graduated B.A. in 1554-5, M.A. in 1558, and B.A. in 1559. In the 'Alumni Etonenses' (p. 166) he is styled S.T.P. Wood (Athenæ, iii. 1004) also calls him a doctor of divinity. He was presented by the provost and scholars of King's College to the rectory of Dunton-Waylett in Essex, which he held from 18 April 1564 till his death (Newcourt, ii. 231). In 1564 he was appointed to the head-mastership of Westminster School. In the following year he was made a canon of the church of Westminster, and acted for some time as sub-dean (Le Neve, iii. 360; Widmore, Antiq. of West. p. 219). Browne was next promoted to the rectory of St. Leonard, Foster Lane, on the presentation of the dean and chapter of Westminster, 11 July 1567 (Newcourt, i. 394). This preferment he resigned when presented, 7 June 1574, to the rectory of Chelsea, by Anne, duchess dowager of Somerset and Francis Newdigate (Newcourt, i. 586). He had meanwhile resigned the mastership of Westminster in 1570 (so Welsch, Alumni West.; Widmore, p. 227, gives 1569 as the date). In 1584, when it was proposed to translate Aylmer to the vacant see of Ely, and promote Day, the provost of Eton, to London, the names of Mr. Browne and Mr. Blithe were submitted for the provostship in a scheme sent by Whitgift to the queen (Strype, Whitgift, i. 337), but the scheme fell through, and Browne died in the following year (1586) on 2 May (Le Neve, iii. 350). He was buried in the north transept of the abbey (Widmore, 219, 227), or according to Faulkner in the cloisters (Chelsea, i. 179). In the register of Chelsea parish for 3 April 1576 is found the baptism of Gabriel, son of Thomas Browne, Pars. (Faulkner, ii. 119). Browne was the author of occasional poems in Latin and English verse.
- A Latin poem, prefixed to Edward Grant's 'Spicilegium Graecæ Linguæ' (1577).
- A similar poem in John Prise's 'Defensio Historiæ Britannicæ' (1573).
- A Latin poem on the death of the two Dukes of Suffolk (1552).
- 'Thebais, a tragedy.'
- A poem in English on Peterson's 'Galateo' (1576) (v. Ames, ii. 903).
- Wood (Athenæ, ii. 130) mentions verses by a Thomas Browne, prebendary of Westminster, in Twyne's translation of Humphrey Lloyd's 'Breviary of Britain.'
- Prefixed to a sermon by Richard Curteys, bishop of Chichester, preached before the queen at Greenwich in 1573-4, there is a 'Preface,' written according to the title-page by one T.B., and signed 'Thomas Browne B.D. at Westminster.' This is probably the work of the man under notice.
[Cooper's Athenæ Cantab. i. 510; Tanner's Bibl. Brit.; Welch's Alumni Westmonast. p. 9; Harwood's Alumni Eton. p. 166; Newcourt's Repertorium, i. 394, 586, 923, ii. 231; Wood's Athenæ Oxon. (Bliss), ii. 231, iii. 1 004; Faulkner's Chelsea, i. 179, ii. 119; Widmore's Antiquities of Westminster, pp. 219, 227; Strype's Whitgift, i. 337; Ames (Herbert), ii. 903; Curteys's Sermon before the Queen at Greenwich, 1573-4; Le Neve, iii. 350.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.40
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
| Page | Col. | Line | |
| 64 | ii | 4 | Browne, Thomas: for in 1673 read 6 Dec. 1673 |
| 25-26 | Note that 'The Royal Charter . . . ' 1649 is by Thomas Bayly [q. v.] and not by the subject of this article |