Howman, John

Howman, John an English Catholic divine, was born at Feckenham, Worcestershire, about 1516, of poor parentage. He was educated by the Benedictines of Evesham, and afterwards at Gloucester College, Oxford; became chaplain to the bishop of Worcester, afterwards to Bonner, and vigorously opposed the Reformation in England. In 1549 he was imprisoned in the Tower, but was released on the accession of Mary, who made him dean of Westminster. Elizabeth offered him the archbishopric of Canterbury on condition of becoming a Protestant, but he refused, and was again imprisoned in 1560. Being released in 1563, he finally retired to the isle of Ely, and died at Wisbeach in 1585, leaving an account of his Conference with Jane Grey (Lond. 1554, 1626), besides some Sermons and a few controversial pieces.