MARTIN BROWNE.
Martin Browne was born about 1590, probably in Lincolnshire; he was apprenticed to Thomas Clemence, a surgeon free of the Company, and on 13th July, 1613, was admitted to the freedom. He seems to have had an extensive practice, and in 1648 was living in Creed Lane. There are numerous references to him in our Minutes, from which may be gathered that he was a man of great experience, and well able to hold his own in some cases where his professional skill had been called in question by jealous brethren of the craft. He served as Warden in 1640 and 1645, and was Master in 1653, when he presented the Company with a loving cup (see [p. 502]). He died 16th April, 1655, and in his will dated 20th August, 1654, and proved 24th April, 1655, he describes himself as of the parish of St. Gregory, “full of yeares,” and requests to be buried in his parish church near his dead children “which was partly under my owne pewe where now of late I satt.” To the poor of that parish he leaves £10. To the poor of East Tilbury 40s. To the poor of Louth, in Lincolnshire, £10. To his cousin Richard Mason, of Leeyborne, Lincolnshire, £5, and to his son, Richard Mason, testator’s apprentice, £5 and his case of silver instruments, “with fower books of phisick and of Chirurgery namelie Ambrose Parrey and Rondeletius and Aqua Sendens his mannuall operations and Tangaltius and others Authers all bound up in one volumne.” He gives several legacies of money to cousins, nieces, servants, and apprentices, makes his wife Margaret his executrix, and leaves all his lands and houses in the counties of Essex and Lincoln and the City of London to her for life, with remainder to his only child Rebecca, the wife of Humphry Winch, Esquire. “To my cousen Henery Barker all my Instruments of yron for Chirurgerie excepte my Lancetts and incision knives. I likewise give [him] theise bookes namely the workes of Hypocrates, Galen, Celsus, Paulus Agenta, ffernebens Senertus his Chirurgery.”
Arms (as engraved on the loving cup). Quarterly, 1st and 4th three mullets, 2nd and 3rd a hunting horn stringed between three escallops.