He was the eldest son of
Francis Browne, 3rd Viscount Montagu and his wife Lady Elizabeth Somerset, daughter of
Henry Somerset, 1st Marquess of Worcester. Browne succeeded his father as
Viscount Montagu in 1682, and served as assistant
cupbearer at the
coronation of
James II of England in 1685. In February 1688, he was appointed
Lord Lieutenant of Sussex to replaced
Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset, who had refused to put the "Three Questions" to the Sussex bench (to see if they would favor repeal of the Test and Penal Acts against Catholics). However, when the
Glorious Revolution broke out, Montagu was ousted from the lieutenancy and replaced by Dorset again. == Personal life ==