NICHOLAS BROWNE, S.T.B. described in his will as of Polebrooke, Northants, clerk, was the immediate ancestor of the Brownes of Arlesey. He was Vicar of Polebrook, Northants, and compounded for his first-fruits II May 1596; from 1586 to 1607 he held a Prebend, 5th stall, in Peterborough Cathedral, to which he was admitted 5 June 1586. He was succeeded by Henry Williamson, S.T.B. 15 January 1607 on his resignation. (Le Neve, Fasti Eccl: Angl: ii. 549). He married the 27th of April 1597, at Lilford, Northants, Frances St. John. According to Wotton (iv. 178), she was a daughter of Thomas St. John, third son of Oliver, Lord St. John of Bletsoe, but I have, so far, been unable to find any proof of this descent. There is no doubt that Oliver Lord St. John had a son Thomas, baptised at Clifton, Beds, the 12 of July 1557, but what became of him seems to be involved in obscurity. I am inclined to assume his identity with the Thomas St. John who married at Cople, Beds, the 10 December 1594, Anne Chicheley; if this be the case he obviously cannot be the father of Frances St. John by this wife. The question then arises—had he a former wife? I suggest that he is identical with a Thomas St. John who was buried at Toddington, Beds, by the name of “ Thomas St. John, gent.” on the 2 December 1614, and the same register records the burials of his two wives, viz:—“Winifred Senjohn wyfe of Thomas Sen John gentle’ was buryed the 28th daie of October.” (1594) and “ Margaret Senjohn wife to Thom’ Senjohn gent, was buried the 24 daie of August.” (1599). If my suggestion should prove to be correct then Frances might have been the daughter of this Thomas by his first wife Winifred.

I have not been able to discover anything further relating to these Toddington St. Johns, as the St. John pedigree, at this period, is very difficult to elucidate, owing to the loss of the earliest register of Keysoe which might have afforded a clue.