John Howson

received his first breath in the Parish of S. Bride in London, educated in Grammaticals in S. Pauls School, became Student of Ch. Ch. in 1577. took the degrees in Arts, holy Orders, and some time after was made one of the Vicars of Bampton in Oxfordshire. On the 15. May 1601. (43. Eliz.) he was installed Canon of Ch. Ch. and in Dec. following he took the degrees in Divinity. In the next year (1602.) he had the office of Vicechanc. of the University confer’d upon him; in which being setled, fell out a controversie between him and certain Divines thereof called Puritans or Calvinists, who for their number were not few. For so it was, that he, a zealous man for the Church of England, as it was established in the time of K. Ed. 6. having heard and beheld with patience for several years the grand enormities, committed in Preaching by many, if not the generallity, of the Divines in the University, was resolved, when in authority, to reform them. But his time being short, only for an year, and his Successor not of the same mind, little or nothing could be done. However John Sprint of his own house he called into question for uttering certain points of doctrine against the ceremonies and discipline then established according to Law, (which was an usual thing for many puritanical and discontented Divines in the Univ. to bark at,) and after him Rob. Troutbeck of Qu. college, nay the most Calvinistical Provost thereof Hen. Airay, who did not only maintain in their Preachings what Sprint had said and done, but also spoke many things to the disgrace of the Vicechancellour: Among which was, that he had to no other end and purpose got the degrees of Bach. and Doct. of Divinity, without exercise done for them, only but that he might sooner obtain the Vicechancellourship, and consequently shew his authority in unjust proceedings, &c. From that time there were continual broils during his government; which being too many now to enumerate, and partly mention’d (†)(†) In Hist. & Antiq. Univ. Ox. lib. 1. p. 30 [•] . b. elsewhere, I shall forbear to treat any farther of them. Afterwards our author Howson was made Rector of Brightwell near to Watlington in Oxfordshire, Fellow of Chelsey coll. and at length Bishop of Oxon. To which See being elected 12. Sept. 1618. was consecrated at Lambeth with Searchfield B. of Bristow, and Bridgman of Chester on the 9. of May following. In 1628. Sept. 18. he was translated to the See of Durham, (in the place of Dr. G. Mountaigne translated to York,) where he remained to his dying day, having always before been accounted a grave and learned man, and a true Son of the Church of England. His works are,

Several Sermons, as, (1) Sermons Preached at S. Pauls Cross 4. Dec. 1597, on Matth. 21. 12, 13. wherein is discoursed, that all buying and selling spiritual promotion is unlawful. Lond. 1597. qu. (2) Second Serm. Pr. at S. Pauls Cross 21. May 1598. on Matth. 21. 12, 13. concluding the former Sermon. Lond. 1598. qu. (3) Sermon at S. Maries in Oxon 17. Nov. 1602. in defence of the Festivities of the Church, and namely that of her Maj. Coronation, on Psal. 118. 24. Oxon. 1603. second edit. qu.

Vxore dimissâ propter fornicationem, aliam non licet superinducere. Thesis tertia proposita & disputata in Vesperiis Oxon. Oxon. 1602. oct. and 1606. qu. The defence of which Thesis, see in Rob. Burhill, under the year 1641.

Certain Sermons made in Oxon, an. 1616, wherein is proved that S. Peter had no Monarchical Power over the rest of the Apostles, against Bellarmine, Saunders, Stapleton, and the rest of that company. Lond. 1622. qu. They are four in number, and all on Luke 12. 41, 42. &c. commanded to be published by K. James, to clear the aspersion laid upon him of favouring Popery; which having not been yet replyed upon by any of the Rom. Cath. party, have rendred their author famous to posterity. He yielded up his last breath on the sixth day of Febr. in sixteen hundred thirty and one,1631/2. aged 75. or thereabouts, and was buried in the Cath. Church of S. Paul within the City of London, leaving then behind him the character of a very learned man, and one plentifully endowed with all those vertues, which were most proper for a Bishop. The Reader is to know that there was one John Howesoun who wrote, A short exposition of the 20. and 21. verses of the third chapter of the first Epistle of St. John containing a profitable discourse of Conscience. Edinb. 1600. oct. but him I take to be a Scot, and to have no relation to Joh. Howson beforementioned.