Lancelot Browne
Encyclopedia
Lancelot Browne was an English physician.
; in 1570 received the license of the university to practise physic. He took a leading part in the opposition to the new statutes of the university promulgated in 1572, and in 1573 was made proctor.
He was created M.D. in 1576, and after this would appear to have moved to London, as on 10 June 1584 he was elected fellow of the College of Physicians
. He was censor in 1587, and several times afterwards; an elect in 1599; and a member of the council of the college in 1604–5; but died in 1605, probably shortly before 11 December
Browne was physician to Queen Elizabeth, to James I, and to his queen Anne of Denmark
. In the 1570s the privy council consulted him and Roger Marbeck
, another royal physician, concerning diseases encountered in the English naval campaign against the Spanish. Just before the Spanish Armada
, Browne, Gilbert, Marbeck and Ralph Wilkinson were put on alert to help the navy with drugs.
He was one of those entrusted by the College of Physicians in 1589 with the preparation of a pharmacopoeia
, and in 1594 was on a committee appointed for the same object. The work was stalled, and was not resumed until after his death. He had learned some Arabic, and William Bedwell
relates that, when ambassadors came in 1600 from the Sultan of Morocco, Browne was the only person who could understand them.
's Great Herbal (first edition, 1597). A dictionary he compiled to the works of Avicenna
was unpublished, but was used much later by Edmund Castell
for his Lexicon Heptaglotton, and Browne is mentioned in the introduction. He collaborated with Thomas Blundeville
, on The Theoriques of the Seuen Planets (1602),an astronomy book that also published research of William Gilbert on magnetism, and contained work by Henry Briggs
and Edward Wright
.
, who married his daughter Elizabeth, and father of Galen Browne, also a physician.
Life
He was a native of York. He matriculated at St. John's College, Cambridge, in May 1559, where he was a few months behind William Gilbert, with whom he associated in later life. He graduated B.A. in 1562–3, and M.A. in 1566. In 1567 he was elected fellow of Pembroke HallPembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
; in 1570 received the license of the university to practise physic. He took a leading part in the opposition to the new statutes of the university promulgated in 1572, and in 1573 was made proctor.
He was created M.D. in 1576, and after this would appear to have moved to London, as on 10 June 1584 he was elected fellow of the College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
. He was censor in 1587, and several times afterwards; an elect in 1599; and a member of the council of the college in 1604–5; but died in 1605, probably shortly before 11 December
Browne was physician to Queen Elizabeth, to James I, and to his queen Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark was queen consort of Scotland, England, and Ireland as the wife of King James VI and I.The second daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark, Anne married James in 1589 at the age of fourteen and bore him three children who survived infancy, including the future Charles I...
. In the 1570s the privy council consulted him and Roger Marbeck
Roger Marbeck
Roger Marbeck , son of organist John Marbeck, was a noted classical scholar, was appointed public orator in the University of Oxford in 1564, and in 1565 became a canon of Christ Church and was elected provost of Oriel College; he left Oxford on account of an unfortunate marriage, and took to...
, another royal physician, concerning diseases encountered in the English naval campaign against the Spanish. Just before the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
, Browne, Gilbert, Marbeck and Ralph Wilkinson were put on alert to help the navy with drugs.
He was one of those entrusted by the College of Physicians in 1589 with the preparation of a pharmacopoeia
Pharmacopoeia
Pharmacopoeia, pharmacopeia, or pharmacopoea, , in its modern technical sense, is a book containing directions for the identification of samples and the preparation of compound medicines, and published by the authority of a government or a medical or pharmaceutical society.In a broader sense it is...
, and in 1594 was on a committee appointed for the same object. The work was stalled, and was not resumed until after his death. He had learned some Arabic, and William Bedwell
William Bedwell
William Bedwell was an English priest and scholar, specializing in Arabic and other "oriental" languages as well as in mathematics....
relates that, when ambassadors came in 1600 from the Sultan of Morocco, Browne was the only person who could understand them.
Works
He contributed a commendatory letter in Latin prefixed to John GerardJohn Gerard
John Gerard aka John Gerarde was an English herbalist notable for his herbal garden and botany writing. In 1597 he published a large and heavily illustrated "Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes", which went on to be the most widely circulated botany book in English in the 17th century...
's Great Herbal (first edition, 1597). A dictionary he compiled to the works of Avicenna
Avicenna
Abū ʿAlī al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Sīnā , commonly known as Ibn Sīnā or by his Latinized name Avicenna, was a Persian polymath, who wrote almost 450 treatises on a wide range of subjects, of which around 240 have survived...
was unpublished, but was used much later by Edmund Castell
Edmund Castell
Edmund Castell was an English orientalist.He was born at Tadlow, in Cambridgeshire. At the age of fifteen he entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge, gaining his BA in 1624-5 and his MA in 1628. Appointed Professor of Arabic in 1666, with the full title 'Sir Thomas Adams Professor of Arabic'. He...
for his Lexicon Heptaglotton, and Browne is mentioned in the introduction. He collaborated with Thomas Blundeville
Thomas Blundeville
Thomas Blundeville was an English humanist writer and mathematician. He is known for work on logic, astronomy, education and horsemanship, as well as for translations from the Italian. His interests were both wide-ranging and directed towards practical ends, and he adapted freely a number of the...
, on The Theoriques of the Seuen Planets (1602),an astronomy book that also published research of William Gilbert on magnetism, and contained work by Henry Briggs
Henry Briggs
Henry Briggs may refer to:*Henry Briggs *Henry Briggs , *Henry Shaw Briggs , Union general in the American Civil War...
and Edward Wright
Edward Wright (mathematician)
Edward Wright was an English mathematician and cartographer noted for his book Certaine Errors in Navigation , which for the first time explained the mathematical basis of the Mercator projection, and set out a reference table giving the linear scale multiplication factor as a function of...
.
Family
He was father-in-law to William HarveyWilliam Harvey
William Harvey was an English physician who was the first person to describe completely and in detail the systemic circulation and properties of blood being pumped to the body by the heart...
, who married his daughter Elizabeth, and father of Galen Browne, also a physician.