07-Robert Browne: Thinking the Unthinkable

Robert Browne, who then was in his early thirties, lodged in
this city of Norwich for a few months during the years 1580-
81. He was soon arrested and jailed, after which, in 1582, he
emigrated to Middleburg in the Low Countries, where he
published three books. Such are the salient facts about my
subject this evening. Not much, is it? End of story? End of
paper? Far from it.
In 1583 – remember the aforementioned dates, 1580-1582 –
in 1583, Elias Thacker and John Coppin were hanged at Bury
St Edmunds, hanged with Browne’s books tied about their
necks. Their crime? They had read, and led others to read,
Browne’s writings.