William Browne

from: The New England historical and genealogical register, Volume 63By Henry Fitz-Gilbert Waters, New England Historic GenealogicalSociety " Browne, Fenner.— Referring to the contributions to Brownegenealogy, which appeared in the Register; vol. 61, pp. 116-118, andvol. 62, pp. 1911-200, we can now supply the last link in the chain ofancestors who were ministers in Queen Mary's reign, as described byAunt Burchard. The father of Rev. Joseph Browne, clerk and pastor ofthe parish of Rusper, and of Rev. Benjamin Browne of the parish ofIfleld, both parishes in co. Sussex, was the Rev. William Browne, whofor over fifty years was pastor of the parish church in Horley, co.Surrey, Eng. Queen Mary's death occurred in 1558, and although Mr.Browne's incumbency of the parish dates only from June 26, 1561, underthe patronage of Queen Elizabeth, and in the third year of her reign,yet his early years were contemporary with the life and reign of QueenMary. He died Nov. 14, 1615. Aunt Burchard's claim as to ministerialancestry is fully warranted. In tiie History of Surrey, by Manning andBray, three folio volumes, published in London. 1809, is a very fulldescription and history of this old church in Horley, where the agedpastor and his two wives were buried. The first incumbent of thiachurch, Walter de Stoteford, was instituted Jan. 21, 1283. In vol. 2,p. S02, appears a copy of an inscription in Latin, Including a familychart also in Latin, as it appeared on a Sussex black marble stoneagainst the north wall of the Chancel: MEMORI/E SACRUM OVURL' BROWN"PASTOR HU'8 KCL'E P'SPACIUM QUINQUAGINT' ANNORUM OBIIT 14° MOVRMBR181615, MAGDALENE UXOR EJUS PRIMA EXPIRAVIT SEPTLMO SEPTEMB' 1604, ETMAKGAKETA SPOU8A ULTIMA CECIDIT 17° IT.IIK. 1611. It will be seen thatthe will of the Rev. Joseph Browne of Rusper, as found in the recordsof the Consistory Court of Chichester, corroborates the list of hisown children as named on the chart, except as to two sons, Stephen andJoseph, who perjiaps were deceased. The will also mentions his brotherRev. Benjamin Browne of the parish of Ifleld. There is no flaw in thecorroboration. In the parish church of Horley where are a number ofother inscriptions and monuments of the early sixteenth andseventeenth century periods, which are connected with the Browne andFenner families. In the North Aisle, on a flat stone, is a large brassfigure of a woman under a pointed arch of brass, hands uplifted,praying. It is about two-thirds the size of life, perfect, and thoughnot elaborately engraven, is remarkably handsome. At her feet Is thefollow tag inscription : " Of yourcharite pray for the soule of JohanFenner, late wyf of John Fcnntr Gent, whiche Johan decessed the ij dayof July, in the yere of our Lord M VcXVJ, on whose soule Ihii havemercy. Araen." " We may find much material for those who are descendedfrom these families in this vicinity, while the three parishes lie inadjacent counties, they yet lie within a radius of ten or twelvemiles. Silas Fish Dokranck. 489 Fifth Avenue, New York."