presumptuous error,' for his opinion, though true, was not ' a necessary truth.' Brabourne's book was one of the reasons which moved Charles I to reissue on 18 Oct. 1633 the declaration commonly known as the Book of Sports ; it was by the king's command that Bishop White wrote his 'Treatise of the Sabbath Day,' 1635, 4to, in the dedication of which (to Laud) is a short account of Brabourne. Returning to Norwich in 1635, Brabourne probably resumed his ministry; but he got some property on the death of a brother, and thenceforth gave up preaching. In 1654 he writes in his reply to John Collings, formerly of St. Saviour's, ten of St. Stephen's, Norwich, 'I have left the pulpit to you for many years past, and I think I may promise you never to come in it again.' Collings was a bitter antagonist of his non-presbyterian neighbours. Brabourne had written in 1653 'The Change of Church-Discipline,' a tract against sectaries of all sorts. This stirred Collings to attack him in 'Indoctus Doctor Edoctus,' &c. 1654, 4to. A second part of Brabourne's tract provoked 'A New Lesson for the Indoctus Doctor,' &c., 1654, 4to, to which Brabourne wrote a 'Second Vindication' in reply. This pamphlet war is marked by personalities, in which Collings excels. Collings tells us that Brabourne, after leaving the ministry, had tried several employments. He had been bolt-poake, weaver, hosier, maltster (in St. Augustine's parish), and was now 'a nonsensical scribbler,' who was forced to publish his books at his own expense. While this dispute with Collings was going on, Brabourne brought out an 'Answer' to the 'Sabbatum Redivivum,' &c., of Daniel Cawdrey, rector of Great Billing, Northamptonshire. Cawdrey was dissatisfied with White's treatment of the question in answer to Brabourne, and of course Brabourne unconvinced by Cawdrey. Five years later was he wrote on his favourite theme against Ives and Warren. Nothing further is heard of Brabourne till after the Restoration, when he put out pamphlets rejoicing in liberty of conscience, and defending the royal supremacy in ecclesiastical matters. In these pamphlets he spells his name Brabourn. The last of them was issued 18 March 1661. Nothing is known of Brabourne later.
He published:
- 'A Discourse upon the Sabbath Day … Printed the 23th (sic) of Decemb. anno dom. 1628,' 16mo (Brabourne maintains that the duration of the sabbath is 'that space of time and light from day-peep or day-break in the morning, until day be quite off the sky at night).
- 'A Defence of that most ancient and sacred Ordinance of God's, the Sabbath Day. … Undertaken against all Anti-Sabbatharians, both of Protestants, Papists, Antinomians, and Anabaptists; and by name and especially against these X Ministers, M. Greenwood, M. Hutchinson, M. Furnace, M. Benton, M. Gallard, M. Yates, M. Chappel, M. Stinnet, M. Johnson, and M. Wade. The second edition, corrected and amended; with a supply of many things formerly omitted. …' 1632, 4to (according to Watt, the first edition was in 1631, 4to, and there was another edition in 1660, 8vo. 'M. Stinnet' is Edward Stennet of Abingdon, the first English seventh-day baptist minister, who published 'The Royal Law contended for,' &c., 1658).
- 'The Change of Church-Discipline,' 1653, 16mo (not seen).
- 'The Second Part of the Change of Church-Disciple … Also a Reply to Mr. Collins his answer made to Mr. Brabourne's first part of the Change of Church-Discipline …' 1654, 4to (the reply has a separate title-page and pagination, 'A Reply to the "Indoctus Doctor Edoctus,"' 1654, 4to).
- 'The Second Vindication of my first Book of the Change of Discipline; being a Reply to Mr. Collings his second Answer to it. Also a Dispute between Mr. Collings and T. Brabourne touching the Sabbath Day,' 1654, 4to (not seen).
- 'An Answer to M. Cawdry's two books of the Sabbath lately come forth,' &c, 1654, 12mo. 6. 'Answers to two books on the Sabbath: the one by Mr. Ives, entitled Saturday no Sabbath Day; the other by Mr. Warren, the Jews' Sabbath antiquated,' 1659, 8vo (not seen; Jeremy Ives's book was published 1659, 4to ; Edmund Warren's (of Colchester) was also published 1659, 4to).
- 'God save the King, and prosper him and his Parliament' … 1660, 4to (published 9 Aug.)
- 'The Humble Petition of Theophilus Brabourn unto the hon. Parliament, that, as all magistrates in the Kingdome doe in their office, so Bishops may be required in their office to own the King's supremacy,' &c. 1661, 4to (published 5 March; there is; A Postscript, (sic) 'Of many evils' (sic) which follow upon the King's grant to Bishops of a coercive power in their courts for ceremonies').
- 'Of the Lawfulness (sic) of the Oath of allegiance to the King, and of the other oath to his supremacy. Written for the benefit of Quakers and others, who out of scruple of conscience, refuse the oath of allegiance and supremacy,' 1661, 4to (published 18 March, not included in Smith's 'Bibliotheca Anti-Quakeriana,' 1872).
