Thomas Browne (died 1460): Difference between revisions

Thomas Browne was the son and heir of Robert Browne and a nephew of [[Stephen Browne]] MP.<ref name="hop">{{cite book |last1=Wedgwood |first1=Josiah C. |title=History Of Parliament (1439-1509) |year=1936 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.210096/ |pages=123–124 |language=en}}</ref>{{refn|It's eluded that his father is Sir Robert Browne of [[Betchworth]] either born 1371 and died 1462 at an impressive age of 91 years, however the source of this is not verifiable.|group=note}} In 1434 he was sworn to the peace in [[Kent]], and made a [[Justice of Peace]] there from 1436 to 24 December 1450.<ref name="hop"/> He was [[High Sheriff of Kent]] in 1439.{{sfn|Richardson I|2011|p=338}}

He was [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Dover (UK Parliament constituency)|Dover]] in the 1439-40 Parliament, for [[Kent (UK Parliament constituency)|Kent]] in 1445–6, and for [[Wallingford (UK Parliament constituency)|Wallingford]] in 1449–50. He attended the Parliaments of 1447 and February 1449, though this appears to have been as Under-Treasurer rather than as an elected MP.<ref name="hop"/>

He served as [[Treasurer of the Household]] to [[Henry VI of England|Henry VI]].{{sfn|Richardson I|2011|p=338}} He was knighted 1449/1451.<ref name="hop"/> During the reign of King [[Henry VI of England|Henry VI]], his highest post was that of [[Chancellor of the Exchequer|Under Treasurer]] to [[Marmaduke Lumley|Marmaduke Lumley, Bishop of Carlisle]] at the [[Exchequer]], which he held between February 1447 and July 1449.<ref name="hop"/> He was later Justice of Peace for [[Surrey]] from 20 July 1454 until his death.<ref name="hop"/>

Browne remained loyal to Henry VI and Lancastrian forces as England became increasingly politically unstable, especially from 1453 after Henry's mental breakdowns, as tensions mounted between [[Margaret of Anjou|Queen Margaret]] and [[Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York|Richard, Duke of York]] over control of the incapacitated King's government resulted with [[Wars of the Roses|civil war]] in 1455. Browne was pardoned by the Yorkist's in 1455, and 1458.<ref name="hop"/> He was the [[Henry Holland, 3rd Duke of Exeter|Duke of Exeter]]'s right-hand man in 1460, unwavering to the Lancastrian cause when [[Battle of Northampton (1460)|Yorkist Earls (Warwick, Salisbury, and Edward)]] arrived in England.<ref name="hop"/> Browne assisted the effort by collecting men and broke the blockade during the [[siege of the Tower of London (1460)]].<ref name="hop"/>

Browne was convicted of [[Treason Act 1351|treason]] on 20 July 1460.{{refn|The transcript of the trial which convicted Browne is held at The National Archives, Kew.<ref>{{cite web|title=Transcript of inquisition as to the treason of Thomas Brown of London and others (1m)|url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4005030 |language=en}}</ref>|group=note}} According to some sources he was immediately executed by beheading,{{sfn|Richardson I|2011|p=338}} while according to other sources he and five others were executed at [[Tyburn]] by hanging on 29 July 1460.<ref name="hop"/>

*Tonford Manor, [[Thanington Without|Thanington]], Kent, called 'Toniford', 'Tunford' etc., in the 27th year of Henry VI [1448] Browne obtained a grant of liberty to embattle and impark and to have free warren etc. within this manor.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hasted |first=Edward |year=1800 |title=Parishes |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol9/pp21-27|journal=The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |volume=19 |pages=21–27|access-date=29 January 2022}}</ref>{{refn|Hasted states Tonford came to the Brownes from Sir Thomas Fogge who acquired it from John de Toniford, however no source is provided. It was however Sir John Fogge on the demise of Browne who made a suit for Tonford in August 1460.|group=note}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wedgwood |first1=Josiah C. |title=History Of Parliament (1439-1509) |url=https://ia802908.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/27/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.210096|pages=339–340 |language=en}}</ref>

*Morris-Court, [[Bapchild]], Kent, situated within the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the [[diocese of Rochester]] and deanery of [[Sittingbourne]]. This property is said to have come into possession of the Browne family before 1413 during the reign of Henry IV.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hasted |first=Edward |year=1800 |title=Parishes |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol6/pp122-132 |journal=The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |volume=16 |pages=122–132|access-date=23 January 2022}}</ref>

*Eythorne Manor, Kent. Browne purchased the property from Sir Walter Hungerford, of Heytsbury during Henry VI reign, and in 1448 obtained the grant of a fair at the neighbouring village of Wimlingswold, to be held on the feast of St. Margaret the Virgin (20 July), but which is now held yearly on Old May-day.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hasted |first=Edward |year=1800 |title=Parishes |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol10/pp62-70 |journal=The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |volume=10 |pages=62–70|access-date=23 January 2022}}</ref>

*Kingsnorth Manor, [[Ulcombe]], Kent. In the 27th year of the reign of Henry VI [1448], Browne obtained licence for a fair in this parish on the feast of St. Michael, and that same year had licence to embattle his mansion there and to enclose a park, and for freewarren in all his demesne lands within the manor.

*Westbury Manor, [[Wateringbury]], Kent, which Browne purchased from Richard Fishborne in the 33rd year of Henry VI's reign [1454]. Now called Manor Farm.

*Swanscombe Manor, [[Greenhithe, Kent|Greenhithe]], Kent. Granted by the crown in 37th year of king Henry VI. [1458] to Browne after [[Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York|Richard, Duke of York]] who held this manor, was attainted.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hasted |first=Edward |year=1800 |title=Parishes |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol2/pp399-421 |journal=The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |volume=12 |pages=399–421|access-date=23 January 2022}}</ref>

*Tong Castle and Manor, [[Tonge, Kent|Tong, Kent]], which had also been in possession of [[Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York|Richard, Duke of York]], but was taken by the crown in the 37th year of king Henry VI.[1458], and granted to Browne prior to his being knighted and appointed comptroller and treasurer of the King's household. Browne soon afterwards obtained a grant of a fair at this manor on St. James's day yearly, and another for liberty to embattle his mansion and to impark his lands here.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Hasted |first=Edward |year=1798 |title=Parishes |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol6/pp132-143 |journal=The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |volume=16 |pages=132–143 |access-date=23 January 2022}}</ref>

*The manor of [[Barfreston]], Kent. The property was alienated to Browne from the heirs of John de Monynham (Moningham), which had deserted their patrimony here, in the latter end of king Henry VI.'s reign.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hasted |first=Edward |year=1800 |title=Parishes |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol10/pp71-78 |journal=The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |volume=10 |pages=71–78|access-date=23 January 2022}}</ref> The property was held by tenure as the castle guard at [[Dover Castle|Dover]].<ref name="hop"/>

In about 1437, Browne married Eleanor FitzAlan, daughter and heiress of [[Thomas Fitzalan|Sir Thomas FitzAlan]] of Betchworth Castle in Surrey, the third son of [[John FitzAlan, 2nd Baron Arundel]] (d.1390) by his wife [[Elizabeth le Despenser]] (d.1408). By Eleanor FitzAlan he had seven sons and two daughters:{{sfn|Cokayne|1910|p=260}}{{sfn|Richardson I|2011|pp=32-3, 338}}

*Catherine Browne, who married Humphrey Sackville, of [[Buckhurst Park, Sussex]] (1426 – 24 January 1488),{{sfn|Richardson I|2011|p=338}} son of Sir Edward Sackville and his wife Margaret Wakehurst.<ref>{{citation|page = 540|article = Poyntz of Cowdray Park|title = A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland Enjoying Territorial Possessions or High Official Rank, but Uninvested with Heritable Honours|volume = 3|first = John|last = Burke|access-date = 7 December 2016|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=upFIAQAAMAAJ&q=buckhurst++humphrey+sackville|publisher = Colburn|location = London|year = 1836}}</ref>

== Explanatory notes==

{{reflist|group=note}}

==Citations==

*{{Cite book |last=Cokayne |first=George Edward |year=1910 |title=The Complete Peerage, edited by Vicary Gibbs |location=London |publisher=St. Catherine Press |volume=I }}

*{{Cite book |last=Hitchin-Kemp |first=Frederick |year=1902 |title=A General History of the Kemp and Kempe Families |location=London |publisher=The Leadenhall Press |url=https://archive.org/stream/generalhistoryof00kemp#page/n39/mode/2up/ |access-date=24 September 2013 }}

*{{Cite book |last=Philipott |first=Thomas |year=1876 |title=Villare Cantianum |location=Lynn: W. Whittingham |edition=2nd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XC3nAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA178 |access-date=23 September 2013 }}

*{{Cite book |last=Richardson |first=Douglas |year=2011 |title=Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families |editor-first=Kimball G. |editor-last=Everingham |location=Salt Lake City |edition=2nd |volume=I |ref={{sfnref |Richardson I |2011}} |isbn=978-1449966379 }}

*{{Cite book |last=Richardson |first=Douglas |title=Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families |editor-first=Kimball G. |editor-last=Everingham |location=Salt Lake City, Utah |year=2011 |edition=2nd |volume=III |isbn=978-1-4499-6639-3 |ref = {{sfnref|Richardson III|2011}} }}

*{{Cite journal |last=Smith |first=Herbert L. |year=1859 |title=Notes of Brasses, Memorial Windows and Escutcheons Formerly Existing in Ashford and Willesborough Churches |journal=Archaeologia Cantiana |location=London |publisher=Kent Archaeological Society |volume=II |pages=103–110 |url=https://archive.org/stream/archaeologiacan03socigoog#page/n199/mode/2up/ |access-date=24 September 2013 }}

[[Category:Politicians from Kent]]