Robert Browne

Robert Browne (1540–1630) was the founder of the Brownists.

He was born at Tolethorpe Hall in Rutland, England and took a degree from Corpus Christi College, Cambridge in 1572. He is reputed to have been Master of Stamford School.

He was the first seceder from the Church of England, and the first to found a Church of his own on Congregational principles, which he did at Norwich. His project of secession proved a failure, and he returned to the English Church.

He died in jail at Northampton, where he was imprisoned for assaulting a constable. He may be considered as the father of the Congregational body in England.

Works

* "A Trve 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)
* "A Book which sheweth the Life and Manners of all true Christians" (1582)
* "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)

External links

* [http://www.exlibris.org/nonconform/engdis/brownists.html English dissenters – Brownists] — this ExLibris article has considerably more biographical detail about Robert Browne.