Czar of Moscovy and his ministers, is given by Lathbury (History of Nonjurors, 1845, p. 309), from the manuscripts of Bishop Jolly. Before a definitive reply had been received from the Greek prelates, the church which made the overture had split into two in consequence of a controversy. Brett supported Collier in proposing to return to the use of the first liturgy of Edward VI, as nearer the use of the primitive church. He defended his view in a postscript to his work on 'Tradition.' He took part in various controversies connected with the nonjuring question, and joined in consecrating bishops with Collier and the Scotch bishop, Campbell. In 1727 he consecrated Thomas Brett, junior. He also contributed some notes to Zachary Grey's edition of 'Hudibras' (published 1744). Brett was an amiable man, of pleasant conversation, and lived quietly in his own house, where he died on 5 March 1743. He had twelve children. His wife died on 7 May 1765; his son, Nicholas, chaplain to Sir Robert Cotton, on 20 Aug. 1776.
Brett published many books of which full titles are given in Nichols's 'Anecdotes,' i. 411. They are as follows: 1. 'An Account of Church Government,' 1707, answered by Nokes in the 'Beautiful Pattern;' and enlarged edition 1710, answered by John Lewis, 1711, in 'Presbyters not always an authoritative part of Provincial Synods;' to which Brett replied. 2. 'Two Letters on the Times wherein Marriage is said to be prohibited,' 1708. 3. 'Letter to the Author of "Lay Baptism Invited,"' &c. (condemning lay baptism). This led to a controversy with Joseph Bingham, who replied in 'Scholastical History of Lay Baptism,' 1712. 4. Sermons on 'Remission of Sins,' 1711, reprinted with five others in 1715. 5. 'Review of Lutheran Principles,' 1714, answered by John Lewis. 6. 'Vindication of Himself from Calumnies' (charging him with popery), 1715. 7. 'Independency of the Church upon the State,' 1717. 8. 'The Divine Right of Episcopacy,' 1718. 9. 'Tradition necessary, &c.,' 1718, with answer to Toland's 'Nazarenus.' 10. 'The Necessity of discerning Christ's Body in the Holy Communion,' 1720. 11. 'Collection of the Principal Liturgies used by the Christian Church, &c.,' 1720; this was in reference to the schism of the nonjuring body. 12. 'Discourses concerning the ever blessed Trinity,' 1720. 13. Contributions to the 'Bibliotheca Literaria,' Nos. 1, 2, 4, and 8, upon 'University Degrees,' 'English Translations of the Bible,' and 'Arithmetical Figures.' 14. 'Instruction to a Person newly Confirmed,' 1725. 15. 'Chronological Essay on the Sacred History,' 1729. 16. 'General History of the World,' 1732. 17. 'Answer to (Hoadly's) "Plain Account of the Sacrament,"' 1735. 18. 'Remarks on Dr. Waterland's "Review of the Doctrine of the Eucharist,"' 1741. 19. 'Four Letters on Necessity of Episcopal Communion,' 1743. 20. 'Life of John Johnson,' prefixed to his posthumous tracts in 1748. There are also several sermons and tracts. There is a letter of his to Dr. Warren, of Trinity Hall, in Peck's 'Desiderata Curiosa' (lib. vii. p. 13). Three letters of his on the difference between Anglican and Romish tenets were published from the manuscripts of Thomas Bowdler in 1850; and a short essay on suffragan bishops and rural deans was edited by J. Fendall from the manuscript in 1858.
[Nichols's Literary Anecdotes, i. 407-12; Masters's Corpus Coll. Cambr. (1753), 245-8; Appendix, p. 87; Lathbury's Nonjurors, passim.]
BRETTARGH, KATHARINE (1579–1601), puritan, was daughter of a Cheshire squire, John Bruen of Bruen Stapleford, father of John Bruen [q. v.] She was baptised on 13 Feb. 1579, and from an early age she was distinguished by earnest religious feeling. When she was about twenty she was married to William Brettargh or Brettergh, of 'Brellerghoult' - Brettargh Holt - near Liverpool, who shared her puritan sentiments. The couple were said to have had some persecution at the hands of their Roman catholic neighbours. 'It is not unknowne to Lancashire what horses and cattell of her husband's were killed upon his grounds in the night most barbarously at two seuerall times by seminarie priests (no question) and recusants that lurked thereabouts.' Her piety, however, was such as to impress them in spite of her dislike of their creed. 'Once a tenant of her husband's being behinde with his rent, she desired him to beare yet with him a quarter of a yeare, which he did; and when the man brought his money, with teares she said to her husband, "I feare you doe not well to take it of him, though it be your right, for I doubt he is not well able to pay it, and then you oppresse the poore."' It is perhaps characteristic of the times that her biographer insists upon the circumstance that 'she never used to swear an oath great or small.' After a little more than two years of married life she was attacked by 'a hot burning ague,' of which she died on Whit Sunday, 31 May 1601. She was encouraged by a visit from her brother, John Bruen, and by the consolations of William Harrison and other puritans. Her biographers are indignant at the
