Robert Browne 1580

Fleeing from England because of Independent or Congregationalist views of the Church, Browne first sheltered in France, then came to Scotland. He landed at Dundee in 1583 and proceeded the following year to Edinburgh. Andrew Melvillet at St Andrews gave him some encouragement but he faced persecution from the Kirk and within a short time left to return to England. His influence, however, continued, and forty years later the King and Council were convinced that ‘Brownism’ was infecting Edinburgh.