R. BROWN. &37 still persisted in detaining his chaplain, they must and would make use of other means : but what other methods they used, or what ecclesiasticalcensure was inflicted upon Brown, we have not been able to ascertain.. In the year 1581 he settled in the city of Norwich, where he was employed in the stated exercise of his ministry ; and many of the Dutch, who had there a numerous congregation, imbibed his principles. Growing confident by success, he called in the assistance of one Richard Harrison, a country schoolmaster, and planted churches in different places.i. He did not, however, remain long unnoticed. For during the above year, he was convened before Bishop Freake of Norwich, and other of the queen's commissioners, and committed to the custody of the sheriff of the county, by whom he was for some time detained a prisoner.. Also, in the same year, the celebrated judge Anderson 'discovered the warmth ofhis zeal against Brown; for which Bishop Freake wrote to the treasurer Burleigh, desiring he might receive the thanks of the queen.§ Whether the treasurer laid the case before her majesty we cannot learn ; but by his kind intercession Mr. Brown was at length released from prison, when he left the kingdom, and settled at Middle- burg, in Zealand. There, by leave of the magistrates,he formed a church according to his own model, which is explained in a book he published in 1582, entitled, " A Treatise of Reformation without tarrying for any, and of the wickedness of those Preachers, who will not reform them and their charge, because they will tarry till the Magis- trate command and compel them. By me, Robert Brown." After continuing a short time at Middleburg, his people began to quarrel so violently, and divide into parties, that Brown grew weary of his office, and returned to England in 1585. Soon after his arrival in his native country, he was convened before Archbishop Whitgift, and required to give this answer to certain things published in one of his books ; but the archbishop having by force of reasoning brought him to a submission, he was dismissed a second time by the intercession of the lord treasurer. He went to his father's house; but his father was soon tired ofhim, and abandonedhim to a wandering course of life,and discharged him from his family, saying, " that he would not own hiss. Strype's Parker, p. 326, 327. + Collier's Ecel. Hist. vol. ii. p. 581. Heylin's Hist. of Pres. p. 298, 299. 11 Biog. Brit.. vcl. i. p, 180. Edit. 1778.
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