HOWE, John, a younger brother of Sir Scrope Howe of Nottinghamshire, and a relation of the author of Divine Meditations, was member for Cirencester in the convention parliament of January, 1689. He was constantly elected, either for that borough or for the county of Gloucester, in the three last parliaments of King William and in the three first of Queen Anne. In 1691 he strenuously defended Sir John Fenwick. In 1699, when the army was reduced, it was chiefly owing to Howe's earnest pleading of their cause that the displaced officers were allowed half pay. Howe was described in 1703 as "a tall, thin, pale-faced man, with a very wild look, brave in his person, bold in expressing himself, a violent enemy, a sure friend, and seems to be always in a hurry." So vehement in their invective were Howe's speeches in the debates on the partition treaty, that King William declared that nothing but the disparity of their rank would have prevented him from demanding satisfaction with the sword. Howe was a very warm and valuable friend to the old East India Company. On the accession of Anne he was made paymaster-general, and retained that office until the accession of George I., who superseded him in favour of Walpole. Howe wrote a panegyric on King William, besides several songs and little poems. He died at his seat at Stowell in Gloucestershire in 1721.—W. J. P.
HOWE, Josiah, a divine and poet, born at Crendon in Buckinghamshire, became a fellow of Trinity college, Oxford, in 1637; preached before Charles I. at Christ church, in 1644, a sermon which was printed in red letters, and after his being ejected from his fellowship by the presbyterians, died in 1701. Of the recommendatory verses which he prefixed to the folio edition of Beaumont and Fletcher, and other poetical works, Warton speaks in terms of high praise.
HOWE, Richard, Earl, a celebrated English naval officer, was born in 1725. He was the second son of Emmanuel Scrope, Viscount Howe, and Maria Sophia Charlotte, daughter of Baron Kielmansegge, master of the horse to George I. when elector of Hanover. He was educated at Eton, which he quitted at the age of fourteen to enter the navy, and joined the fleet which, under Anson, was sent to attack the western coast of Spanish America. He next served on board the Burford in an expedition to the West Indies, and distinguished himself so much that he was made a lieutenant in 1745. He was shortly after appointed commander of the Baltimore sloop-of-war, and was severely wounded in the head in an encounter with two French ships on the Scottish coast. As a reward for his gallantry he was raised to the rank of post-captain. After serving in the West Indies, on the coast of Africa, and in the Mediterranean, he was appointed in 1755 to the command of the Dunkirk of 60 guns, and joined the fleet under Admiral Boscawen which was sent to intercept the French squadron off Newfoundland. Owing to the fogs, the main body of the enemy escaped, but two of their vessels, the Lys and the Alcide, were captured by Captain Howe. The Seven Years' war now commenced; Howe was employed in the Channel service, and displayed his characteristic courage and skill in the reduction of Cherbourg, and various other exploits, which kept the southern and western coasts of France in continual alarm. On the death of his elder brother, who was killed in the expedition under Abercrombie against Ticonderago in 1758, Howe succeeded to the family title and estates. On the 20th of June in the following year, he defeated the French squadron under De Conflans, and captured two of the enemy's ships, the Théssée and the Formidable. On the termination of the war, he obtained a seat at the admiralty board (1763). Two years later he was made treasurer of the navy, and afterwards was returned to parliament for Dartmouth. In October, 1770, he was made rear-admiral of the blue, and commander-in-chief of the Mediterranean fleet. In 1776 he and his brother. General Howe, were appointed commissioners for the pacification of America, and held a conference for that purpose with a committee of congress; but the attempt to induce the Americans to return to their allegiance proved utterly fruitless. He assisted his brother in the reduction of the Delaware forts in 1777; and in the following year with a much inferior force, he fought successfully a brilliant action with the French fleet under D'Estaing, which was cruising off Rhode island with the view of assisting the revolted colonists. He soon after returned to England, and four years later was promoted to the rank of admiral of the blue, and was raised to the dignity of a viscount of Great Britain. He was appointed to the command of the fleet which was despatched to relieve Gibraltar—a service which he successfully performed in spite of numerous and formidable difficulties. On his return home after this important exploit, he was appointed, in 1783, first lord of the admiralty; in 1777 he was advanced to the rank of admiral of the white; and in 1788 was created Earl Howe. On the 22d of June, 1790, he was appointed to the command of the Channel fleet, and hoisted his flag on board the Charlotte of 100 guns, and on June, 1794, gained the most glorious of all his victories, that in which he defeated the French fleet off the western coast of France. Howe had only twenty-five ships of the line, while the enemy had twenty-six, and were superior in the size of their vessels, in their weight of metal, and in their aggregate number of guns and men. Notwithstanding these advantages, after a short but severe struggle the French admiral, Villaret-Joyeuse, made off, followed by all his ships that could carry sail, leaving ten of his vessels dismasted. Seven of these were captured by the British. Six were brought safely into Portsmouth harbour; the seventh, the Vengeur, was so much shattered that in less than ten minutes she filled and sank with upwards of two hundred of her crew. There is not a word of truth, however, in the vainglorious story invented by the infamous Barriere, respecting the mode of this catastrophe and the conduct of the French sailors. Lord Howe was now seventy years of age, and his health began to fail; but he was still able to perform one of the most valuable, if not the most brilliant, of the many important services which he rendered to his country—his suppression of the perilous mutiny of the British fleet at Portsmouth and Spithead in 1797. There can be no doubt that the men had been ill paid, ill fed, shamefully neglected by the country, starved and plundered by their pursers, and harshly and brutally treated by their officers; and Lord Howe, who was vested by the government with plenary powers to settle all matters in dispute, personally visited all the line-of-battle ships, ascertained precisely the grievances of the seamen, which he promptly redressed, and at the same time superseded the officers who had rendered themselves obnoxious by their tyranny. This was the last public act of his useful life. He died on the 5th of May, 1799, leaving three daughters, but no sons. Lord Howe was the ablest naval officer of his day. When he was introduced to George II., the king said—"Your life, my lord, has been one continued series of services to your country." He was distinguished by his cool and steady valour and presence of mind, his soundness of judgment and nautical skill. In person he was tall, strong, and well made. Though a rigid disciplinarian he was greatly beloved by the sailors, among whom, from the darkness of his complexion, he was familiarly called "Black Dick."—J. T.
HOWE, Sir William, an English general, brother of the famous admiral, was one of the principal officers employed in America during the war of independence. He led the troops which fought at Bunker's hill, 17th June, 1775. In the month of October following he succeeded General Gage in the command of the British forces in America. He defeated the Americans at Brooklyn, 27th August, 1776; at Brandywine, 11th September, 1777; and in some other encounters: but though a courageous soldier, he displayed a great want of activity and military skill, and suffered various opportunities of finishing the war to pass away unimproved. He was, however, much beloved for the warmth of his heart and for his winning manners. He was recalled in 1778 at his own request. On the death of his brother. Earl Howe, he succeeded to the Irish honours of Viscount Howe and Baron Clenawley. General Howe died in 1814.—J. T.
HOWEL the Good, or HYWEL Dda, who has been designated the Welsh Justinian, was the son of Cadell, son of Rhodri the Great, king of North and South Wales, and flourished in the tenth century. He succeeded his father in 907; but it was not till towards 934, that he extended his sway over the entire principality. The want of a code, which was felt in Wales at this period, had occupied his attention immediately on coming to the throne; and in 926 he set out, accompanied by Martin, bishop of Mynyw or St. David's, Mordav, bishop of Bangor, Marchlwys, bishop of Llandav, and the learned Blegwryd, for the purpose of obtaining among other information as many and full particulars as possible respecting the laws anciently in force in Roman Britain. Those who desire to become acquainted with the progress and result of Howel the Good's legislative labours, must refer to works more peculiarly devoted to Cambro-British archæology. It may be sufficient to state here that, on
