EATON-J. HOWE. 467 Jour; HOWE was a man of great piety, and an excellent divine, but greatly troubled on account of his noncon- formity. 'INhen he was first induced to examine the grounds of conformity, he espoused the cause of the puri- tans, and continued with firmness to adhere to their senti- ments. By the favour of Archbishop Laud, he became minister of Loughborough in Leicestershire ; and because he could not in conscience observe all the superstitious cere- monies enjoined by this arbitrary prelate, he was thought unfit to continue his ministerial labours in so populous a town. Laud therefore suspended him from his ministry.* But the chief cause of his suspension and other troubles, was, his praying only once in the pulpit, that God would preserve the young prince from the infection of popery. The queen, the prince's mother, who was a notorious papist, had numerous popish priests about her, using their utmost endeavours to have the mind of the prince established in the popish opinions ; and, indeed, one of the articles of the queen's marriage was, that all her children should be nursed and brought up near the queen, until they should arrive at the age of fourteen years. There was, therefore, great cause of fear. Mr. Howe, for offering up the above prayer, was condemned in the high commission court, November 6, 1634, to be committed to prison during his majesty's pleasure, suspended from every part ofhis minis- try, fined five hundred pounds, required to make a public recantation before the court, and condemned in costs ofsuit.f Such was the terrible sentence inflicted upon this excellent servant of Christ for the above imaginary crime! Laud says, that " Mr. Howe's prayer expressed in these words, ' That Godwould preserve the prince in the true religion, of which- there was cause to fear,' was so grievous and graceless a scandal cast upon a religious king, as nothing could be greater. It was the shew of a prayer for' the prince," says he, " but was, indeed, intended to destroy the king in the hearts of the people. And," he adds, " if I had not there consented to his punishment, I had deserved to be punished myself."$ How long this divine continued in prison, or by what means he was released from these troubles, wehave not been able to learn. On account of these cruel oppressions, great numbers, both ministers and others, were driven to Holland, Calamy's Life of Howe, p. 5. Edit. 1724. + Prynne's Cant. Doome, p. 420. t Wharton's Troubles of Laud, vol. i. p. 529. Plimmoimmorminows.celk drrotzkr, IsEA,m, ,fir
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