Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 06.djvu/417

 the academy of St. Luke, Rome. He was employed for many years by the trustees of the British Museum in engraving the Elgin marbles, from drawings executed by G. J. Corbould. Between 1786 and 1842 he exhibited fifty plates at the Royal Academy.

 BROMPTON, JOHN (fl. 1436), supposed chronicler, was elected abbot of Jorvaux in 1436. The authorship of the compilation printed in Twysden's 'Decem Scriptores' (col. 725-1284, Lond. 1652), with the title 'Chroicon Johannis Brompton, Abbatis Jorvalensis, ab anno quo S. Augustinus venit in Angliam usque mortem Regis Ricardi Primi,' is uncertain. It has been ascribed to Brompton on the strength of an inscription at the end of the C. C. C. Cambridge MS., which probably means nothing more than that Brompton had that manuscript transcribed for him. Sir T. D. Hardy has pointed out that the compilation must have been made after the middle of the fourteenth century, as it contains many extracts from Higden, who is referred to, 'and that there is reason to believe that it was based on a previous compilation, made probably by a person connected with the diocese of Norwich.' The work is wholly uncritical, and, having been widely accepted as authoritative by writers of past times, has been the means of importing many fables into our history.

 BROMPTON, RICHARD (d. 1782), portrait-painter, studied under Benjamin Wilson and afterwards under Raphael Mengs at Rome; here he became acquainted with the Earl of Northampton, whom he accompanied to Venice. During his stay in that city he painted the portraits of the Duke of York and other English gentlemen, in a conversation piece, which was exhibited at Spring Gardens in 1763. In that year Brompton settled in London, residing in George Street, Hanover Square. In 1772 he painted the Prince of Wales, full length, in the robes of the Garter, and his brother, Prince Frederick, in the robes of the Bath. His best known portrait is that of William Pitt, first earl of Chatham, in which the great statesman is represented half-length, in peer's robes, standing with his right hand raised to his breast and his left arm extended. The original was presented in 1772 by the earl himself to Philip, second earl of Stanhope, and is now at Chevening. It was engraved in line by J. K. Sherwin in 1784, and in mezzotint by E. Fisher. There is a replica in the National Portrait Gallery, London. Brompton's extravagant habits led him into difficulties, and caused his confinement in the king's bench prison for debt; but being appointed portrait-painter to the Empress of Russia, he was released and went to St. Petersburg, where he died in 1782. In the gallery of Greenwich Hospital is a half-length portrait by him of Admiral Sir Charles Saunders, K.B. Brompton was an exhibitor at the Society of Arts and Royal Academy between the years 1767 and 1780.

 BROMSGROVE, RICHARD (d. 1435), was a monk of the Benedictine abbey of Evesham, who doubtless derived his name (which is sometimes given under the form of Bremesgrave) from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire as his birthplace. He was elected abbot of Evesham when infirmarer of the abbey, on 6 Dec. 1418, and was consecrated in Bengeworth church by Bishop Barrow, of Bangor, who in the year previous had been chancellor of Oxford. He died on 10 May 1435, after holding the abbacy for seventeen years, and was buried before the high altar in St. Mary's chapel in the abbey church. The register of his acts during his abbacy is preserved in Cotton MS. Titus C. ix. (ff. 1-38). It contains articles for the reformation of monasteries which were proposed by Henry V in 1421, with modifications suggested by various abbots. It appears from this register (f. 32) that he wrote a tract, 'De fraterna correctione canonice exercenda.' A transcript of the register exists amongst the collections of James West in Lansdowne MS. 227, British Museum.

 BROMYARDE, JOHN (fl. 1390), so named from the place of his birth, Bromyard in Herefordshire, was a friar of the Dominican order. He was educated at Oxford, where he distinguished himself in jurisprudence as well as in theology, and he subsequently lectured on theology at Cambridge. He was a keen opponent of the doctrines of Wycliffe, which he denounced in preaching and lecturing, and also by writing; and he is said by some writers to have taken part in the fourth council of London which assembled under William de Courtenay, archbishop of Canterbury, in the year 1352, for the purpose of condemning Wycliffe; but 