Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 06.djvu/218

 Sir Paul Davys, and died s.p. 2. Isabella, married Sir James Graham, son of William, earl of Monteith; her daughter Ellinor, or Helen, married Sir Arthur Rawdon, of Moira, lineal ancestor of the Marquis of Hastings. 3. Jane, married Alderman Toxteith of Drogheda. 4. Anne, married Standish Hartstonge, one of the barons of exchequer. His works were collected by John Vesey, archbishop of Tuam, in one volume, Dublin, 1677, fol., arranged in four tomes, and containing five treatises against Romanists (including a confutation of the Nag's Head fable); three against sectaries, three against Hobbes, and seven unclassified, being defences of royalist and Anglican views. Allibone incorrectly says that the 'sermon preached at York Minster, 28 Jan. 1643. before his excellency the Marquess of Newcastle,' &c., York, 1643, 4to, is not included in the collected works. The works were reprinted in the 'Library of Anglo-Catholic Theology,' Oxford, 1842-5, 8vo, 5 vols. Milton thought Bramhall wrote the 'Apologia pro Rege et Populo Anglicano,' 1650, 18mo, but the real author was John Rowland. The posthumous publication of Bramhall's 'Vindication of himself and the Episcopal Clergy from the Presbyterian Charge of Popery, as it is managed by Mr. Baxter,' &c., 1672, 8vo, with a preface by Samuel Parker (afterwards bishop of Oxford), produced Andrew Marvell's 'The Rehearsal Transpros'd,' 1672, 12mo.



BRAMIS or BROMIS, JOHN (14th cent.), writer, was a monk of Thetford. He translated the 'Romance of Waldef' from French metre into Latin prose. This romance was originally written in English verse, and had been done into French at the desire of a lady. The manuscript of Bramis is in the Corpus Christi College Library, Cambridge, No. 329. 'Incipit prologus super hystoriam Waldei, &c.' An historical compilation entitled 'Historia compendiosa de regibus Britonum,' and attributed to Ralph de Diceto, is printed in Gale, 'Quindecim Scriptores,' p. 553. The author repeatedly refers to a former compilation thus 'Hæc Brom, &c.' There is no reason for making Ralph of Diceto the author, though the 'Historia' is based on his works; it ends 'Hæc Brome,' and is probably the work of Bramis.



BRAMSTON, FRANCIS (d. 1683), judge, third son of Sir the elder [q. v.], was educated at the celebrated school of Thomas Farnabie or Farnaby, in Goldsmiths' Alley, Cripplegate, and at Queens' College, Cambridge, of which Dr. Martin was then the master, where he graduated B. A. in 1637, and M.A. in 1640. He was admitted to the Middle Temple as a student in 1634, but as his health was weakly he for a time entertained the idea of taking holy orders. Shortly before the final rupture between the king and the parliament he was elected a fellow of his college, and after being called to the bar (14 June 1642) left the country. The ensuing four years (1642-46) he spent in travel in France and Italy, falling in with Evelyn and his friend Henshaw at Rome in the spring of 1645, and again at Padua and Venice in the autumn of that year. On his return to this country he dismissed the idea of entering the church, and devoted himself to the study and practice of the law. His history, however, is a blank until the Restoration, when he was made steward of some of the king's courts (probably manorial) in Essex, and of the liberty of Havering in the same county. In 1664 he represented Queens' College, Cambridge, in the litigation respecting the election of Simon Patrick to the presidency, and in the following year was appointed one of the counsel to the university, with a fee of 40s. per annum. In 1668 he was elected one of the benchers of his inn, and appointed reader, his subject being the statute 3 Jac. c. 4, concerning popish recusants. The banquet which, according to custom, he gave on this occasion (3 Aug.) is described by Evelyn, who was present, as 'so very extravagant and great as the like hath not been seen at any time.' He mentions the Duke of Ormonde, the lord privy seal (Robartes), the Earl of Bedford, Lord Belasyse, and Viscount Halifax as among the guests, besides 'a world more of earls and lords.' In Trinity term of the following year he was admitted to the degree of serjeant-at-law, presenting the king with a ring inscribed with the motto, 'Rex legis tutamen,' and was appointed steward of the court of common pleas at Whitechapel, with a salary of 100l. per annum. In Trinity