S. HOWE. 457 terrible sentence he absconded; but after some time he was apprehended, and shut up in close prison, where he died., His death happening while under the above disgraceful sentence, he was denied christian burial, and a constable's guard secured the parish church of Shor, ditch to prevent his interment there. At length his remains were deposited in Agnes-la-clair.4 This was most probably about the year 1640. In a work published against the separatists, entitled, The Brownisls' Synagogue," 1641, it is said, " Of these opinions was Howe, that notorious predicant cobbler,whose body was buried in the highway, and his funeral sermon preached by one ofhis sect in a brewer's cart. "i- Hence it appears that his funeral was publicly conducted, notwith- standing the violence of the time; and that his people took this method of pouring contempt upon the impotent rage of his persecutors, whose sentiments concerning christian burial, and consecrated ground, they utterly despised : and to prove that what they did was from principle, and not merely irom necessity, many of themembers of his church afterwards, by their own desire, were buried in the same: place.t. The celebrated Mr. Roger Williams, of Providence in New England, gives the following honourable testimony to the character of Mr. Howe. " Amongst so many instances," says he, "dead and living, to the everlasting praise of Jesus Christ, and of his Holy Spirit, breathing and blessing where he listeth, I cannot but with honourable testimony remember that eminent christian witness, and prophet of Christ, even that despised and yet beloved Samuel Howe; who being by calling a cobbler, and without' human learn- ing, (which yet in its sphere and place he honoured,) who yet, I say, by searching the holy scriptures, grew so excellent a textuary, or scripture-learned man, that few of those high rabbies, who scorn to mend or make a shoe, could aptly or readily, from the holy scriptures, out-go him : and however he was forced to seek a grave or bed in the 'high- way, yet was his life, and death, and burial, honourable and glorious, being attended by many hundreds of God's people ; but how much more will be his rising again :"§ Mr. Howe was succeeded in the pastoral office by Mr. Stephen More, whose memoir is given in the next article. Ivimey's Hist. of Baptists, p. 154. 1. Brownie's Synagogue, p.'2. Ivimey's Hist. of Baptists, p. 153. § Williams's Hireling. Ministry noneof Christ's, p. 11,12. Edit. 1652. IIIIIIMMIImawsmwaskAinesaavi raa.s.n.
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