Theophilus Brabourne

Theophilus Brabourne (1590–1662) was an English Puritan clergyman and theological writer on the Christian Sabbath question.

Brabourne was a native of Norwich. The date of his birth is fixed by his own statement in 1654: 'I am 64 yeares of age'. His father was a Puritan hosier. He was educated at the Norwich Grammar School till he was fifteen years of age, and intended him for the church. When the youth should have gone to the University of Cambridge, the silencing of many Puritan ministers for non-compliance with the ceremonies of the Church of England induced the father to take his son into his own business.

Brabourne was sent to London, as a factor for selling stockings wholesale. He remained in London till his marriage. Brabourne then lived for two or three years at Norwich with his father, and resuming his intention of entering the ministry, he studied privately. He proceeded M.A. in 1621, and in the same year was ordained by Thomas Dove; he served as a curate at Catton, Norfolk.;

Brabourne held a conference, lasting 'many days, an houre or two in a day,' at Ely House, Holborn, with Francis White (bishop of Norwich 1629–31, of Ely 1631-8). This was the beginning of his troubles with the high commission court, over a period of three years. He was in the Gatehouse Prison at Westminster for nine weeks, and was then publicly examined before the high commission. The king's advocate pleaded against him, and Bishop White spoke for about an hour on his errors. Sir Henry Marten moved to sue the king to issue a writ de hæretico comburendo, but William Laud interposed. Brabourne was censured, and sent to Newgate Prison, where he remained eighteen months.

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