He was a younger son of John Browne of Colchester, Essex and trained in the law at either the Inner or Middle Temple.
He was a Member (MP) of the Parliament of England for Lichfield in 1584, Newtown (Isle of Wight) in 1593, Cirencester in 1601 and Harwich in 1604.
[1] He married Joan, the daughter of John Vigors (sometimes spelled Vigorus) of Langham, Essex, and had at least one son, Christopher.
[2] It appears that with Richard's appointment as Clerk of the Green Cloth, he was granted the lease from the Crown of the then 200 acre Saye's Court estate in Deptford (previously known as the manor of West Greenwich).
His grandson, Richard, was created a baronet and great granddaughter, Mary Browne, was married to John Evelyn, the diarist.