BROUGHTON, Thomas, a learned divine, and one of the original writers in the Biographia Britannica, was born at London, July 5. 1704. At an early age he was sent to Eton, where he soon distinguished himself by his acuteness and studious disposition. Being superannuated on this foundation, he removed about 1722 to the university of Cambridge; and, for the sake of a scholarship, entered himself of Caius College. Here two of the principal objects of his attention were the acquisition of the modern languages, and the study of mathematics, under the famous Professor Sanderson. In May 1727, Broughton, after graduating as B.A., was admitted to deacon's orders, and in
the succeeding year was ordained priest, and took the degree of M.A. He then removed from the university to the curacy of Offley in Hertfordshire. In 1739 he was instituted to the rectory of Steppingston, or Stibington, in the county of Huntingdon. He was soon after chosen reader to the Temple, by which means he became known to Bishop Sherlock, then Master, who conceived so high an opinion of Broughton's merit, that in 1744 he presented him to the valuable vicarage of Bedminster, near Bristol, together with the chapels of St Mary Redcliff, St Thomas, and Abbot's Leigh annexed. He was afterwards collated by the same patron to the prebend of Bedminster and Redcliff, in the cathedral of Salisbury. Upon receiving this preferment he removed from London to Bristol, where he married the daughter of Thomas Harris, clerk of that city, by whom he had seven children. He died December 21, 1774.
For many years of his life, Broughton was engaged in a variety of publications, of which a list is given in the Biographia Britannica, 2d edition. He was a great admirer of ancient music, and furnished Handel with words for many of his compositions. He was distinguished by an active zeal for the Christian cause; and in private life was devoted to the interests and happiness of his family, and possessed a mild, cheerful, and liberal temper. In 1778 a posthumous volume of sermons, on select subjects, was published by his son, the Rev. Thomas Broughton, M.A.