collections frnm his manuscripts were published, including: 1. 'Reports of diverse Choice Cases of Law, taken by Richard Brownlow and John Goldesborough,' 1651. 2. 'Reports' (a second part of 'Diverse Choice Cases of Law'), 1652. 3. 'Declarations And Pleadings in English,' 1652; 2nd part 1654; 3rd edition 1659. 4. 'Writs Judicial,' 1663. 5. 'Placita Latine Rediviva: a Book of Entries collected in the Times and out of some of the Manuscripts of those famous and learned prothonotaries Richard Brownlow, John Gulston, Robert Moyland, and Thomas Cory, by R. A. of Furnival's Inn' 1661; 3nd edition 1673. 6. 'A Second Book of Judgements on Real, Personal, and Mixt Actions and upon the Statute; all or most of them affirmed upon Writs of Error. Being the collection of Mr. George Huxley of Lincoln's Inn, Kent., out of the choice manuscripts of Mr. Brownlowe and Mr. Moyle.' &c., 1674. 7. 'Latinè Redivivus: a Book of Entries of such Declarations, Information, Pleas in Bar, &c,, contained in the first and second ports of the Declarations and Pleadings of Richard Brownlow, esq., late chief protonotary of the Court of Common Pleas (unskillfully turned into English and) printed in the years 1653 and 1654. Now published in Latin, their original Language, with additions,' 1693.
[Turnor's Collections for the History of the Town and Soke of Grantham, pp. 94-5, 100; Gent. Mag, xcvi. 26; Barrington's Observations on the more Ancient Statutes; Granger's Biographical History of England (5th edit.), iii. 26; Visitations of Lincolnshire, Harl. MSS. 1190, 1550, 1551, 3625, and Heralds' College; Brit. Mus. Catalogue; family papers belonging to Earl Brownlow.]
BROWNRIG, RALPH (1592–1659), bishop of Exeter, was born at Ipswich of parents who are described as being 'of merchantly condition, of worthy reputation, and of very christian conversation.' His father died when he was only a few weeks old, but he was well brought up by a pious and judicious mother, who sent him at an early age to the excellent grammar school at Ipswich. There he remained until his fourteenth year, when he was sent to Pembroke Hall, Cambridge. He was elected scholar of the 'house,' and then fellow sooner than the statutes permitted, because 'the college wanted to make sure of him.' He took his M.A. degree in 1617, B.D. in 1621, and D.D. in 1626. When James I was entertained at Cambridge with a 'Philosophy Act,' Brownrig waa chosen by the university to act the joco-serious part of 'Prævaricator,' and greatly delighted the king and the rest of the audience by 'such luxuriancy of wit consistent with innocency.' Thomas Puller, who knew him personally, tells us that 'he had wit at will, but so that he made it his page, not his privy counsellor, to obey, not direct his judgment.' In 1621 he was mode rector of Barley in Hertfordshire, and in the same year was appointed to a prebend at Ely by Dr. Felton, the bishop of that see. He ministered to his rustic parishioners at Barley for some years, 'and fitted,' says his biographer, 'his net to the fish he had to catch; but,' he adds, 'he was more fit to preside in the schools of the prophets than to rusticate among plain people that follow the plough.' And he was presently called upon to preside in a school of the prophets, being chosen master of St. Catharine's Hall, Cambridge. He appears to have been a very auccessful master, the hall improving both in the quality and quantity of the students in consequence of his care and the fame of his name. In 1629 he was made prebendary of Lichfield; in 1631 archdeacon of Coventry. He held the office of vice-chancellor of the university in 1637 and 1638. He was presented to the eleventh stall in Durham Cathedral by Bishop Morton, whose chaplain he was, in 1611; and finally, in the same year, upon the translation of Bishop Hall to Norwich, he succeeded him in the see of Exeter. He was vice-chancellor again in 1643-4, when the Earl of Mancheeter visited the university, and it is highly probable that his interposition was serviceable to the church party at Cambridge. But it is also probable that his retention of his mastership was due not only to 'the procerity of his parts and piety,' but also to the fact that his lawn sleeves did not altogether alienate his presbyterian friends, and moreover that in some points he agreed with them rather than with their adversaries. For he was a strict Calvinist, and in other respects was opposed to the Laudian type of churchmanship. He was also nominated one of the assembly of divines. Yet, in his way, he was thoroughly attached to the church of England, 'which' (he said) he liked better and better 'as he grew older.' In 1645 be was brave enough to preach a royalist sermon before the university, and was deprived of his mastership in consequence, and was obliged to quit Cambridge. He had previously been deprived of all his other preferments. He found refuge among the independent laity, who were still faithful to the church. He divided his time between London, Bury St. Edmunds, Highgale, and Sunning, a village , in Berkshire, by far the greatest part of it being spent in the last-named place at the
