A catalogue of notable Middle Templars, with brief biographical notices/Browne, Sir Anthony
Son of Sir Wistan Browne, of Abbesroding and Langenhoo, in Essex. He was born in Essex about 1510, and studied at Oxford. There is no record of his admission; but he was appointed Reader at the Inn in 1553. He is called by Plowden "a man of profound genius and great eloquence." In 1555 he became Serjeant-at-Law, and one of the Queen's Serjeants. In 1558 he was made Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, but, being a Roman Catholic by religion, was removed by Queen Elizabeth the next year, to make room for Sir James Dyer (q.v.). The queen, however, out of respect for his talents and character, permitted him to hold the position of puisne judge till his death, which occurred on 16 May, 1567.
Chief Justice Browne published no work, but he was an author to this extent, that he supplied the ailments in a treatise published by John Leslie, Bishop of Ross, in support of the right of Mary Queen of Scots to the succession to the Crown of England. Besides which, Wood refers to a manuscript entitled, A Discourse upon certain points touching the Inheritance of the Grown, conceived by Sir Anthony Browne, Justice."