St. Philip Howard and St. William Howard

Saint Philip Howard Feast Day: October 19

Saint William Howard Feast Day: June 20

Introduction

The Howard family of sixteenth and seventeenth century England was a famous family indeed. It contained great nobles (the Duke of Norfolk, the Earl of Arundel, the Viscount Stafford), a Cardinal (Philip Thomas), a noted poet (Henry), and England’s first great art collector (Thomas). The family produced outstanding military and naval officers. And it produced the two martyrs named above, both of whom have been beatified.

Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel, was born at Arundel House in London. His father had yielded to pressure and had left the Catholic Church to join the Church of England. Philip, therefore, was reared and educated as a Protestant. He married Anne, Countess of Surrey Philip went to the court of Queen Elizabeth and for a time completely neglected his wife for the dissolute life of the court. In 1581, he heard the disputations of Blessed Edmund Campion and was greatly impressed. He returned to his wife and tried to make amends for his past behavior.

Fleeing England

In 1584, he and his wife were received into the Church by Father William Weston, S.J. The people at court, including Queen Elizabeth, soon noticed the change in Philip’s way of living. They discovered that he had joined the despised “papists.” Philip saw that he was in danger, and he determined to flee. He wrote a letter to Elizabeth explaining why he was leaving and then boarded a ship with his wife. But all Philip’s movements had been watched. He was captured at sea, brought back to England, and confined to the Tower of London.

Sentenced to death and imprisoned

When the Span the Armada sailed against England, all Catholics were suspected of being Spanish agents. Philip was brought to trial. On forged evidence, he was convicted of high treason and sentenced to death. For some reason, the death sentence was not carried out. Philip languished in prison for another six years. He asked to see his wife and his son who had been born since his imprisonment. He was told that not only might he see them, but he might have his complete freedom, provided he would attend Protestant services. He refused.

Martyrdom of Saint Philip Howard

St. Philip died October 19, 1595, and there was some suspicion that he had been poisoned. He was thirty-eight years old. Ten of Philip’s thirty-eight years had been spent in prison. He spent much of this time in writing and in translating devotional works. As if his close confinement were not enough, he fasted three days a week and got up at five o’clock every morning for prayers.

When he was expecting to be executed, he wrote this statement: “The Catholic and Roman faith, which I hold, is the only cause (as far as I can anyway imagine) why either I have been thus long imprisoned or why I am now ready to be executed.” In the stone walls of the Tower of London, it is still possible to see two inscriptions carved by Philip and one referring to him after his death by a fellow prisoner. Philip Howard’s relics are at Arundel. Philip showed that he would die before he would renounce his faith, and there is little doubt that his imprisonment hastened his death. The Church, therefore, lists him as a martyr.

Philip’s son, Thomas

Philip’s son Thomas, the art collector, succeeded his martyred father as Earl of Arundel. Thomas did not have the great courage and faith of his father; he renounced the Catholic Church and became a member of the Church of England. Thomas’ fifth son, William, remained a Catholic, however, and eventually followed the example of his grandfather.

Thomas’ son, St. William Howard

Saint William suffered from the unjust laws that had been passed against Catholics. He had to pay the excessive taxes that were levied. He did not suffer personal persecution in his younger days. King Charles I came to the throne when William was only fourteen Charles, who was rather favorably disposed toward Catholics, seems to have taken a liking to William.

On his coronation day, Charles made William a knight of the Bath. The king also sent William on several important missions to the continent where he was able to acquire items for the art collection that had been started by his father. In 1637 Sir William married Mary Stafford, the Catholic sister of the last Baron Stafford.

Three years later, Charles transferred the barony to William and immediately afterward made him a viscount. He was now entitled to sit in the House of Lords. Viscount Stafford defended Charles I in the Great Rebellion which ended in 1649 with the execution of Charles by the followers of Oliver Cromwell.

He paid dearly for this during the years that Oliver Cromwell ruled England. His rights and property were restored when Charles II came to power in 1660. The next sixteen or seven teen years must have been happy ones for William. He spent much time with his wife and with their many children. During this period he conducted his nephew, Philip Thomas Howard, to Rome to receive the cardinal’s hat.

Apparent plot to assassinate the king

In 1678, a disreputable character named Titus Oates appeared before the House of Commons and said that he had discovered a terrible “Popish Plot.” He said that the pope, the Society of Jesus and their confederates had hatched a plot to assassinate the king and take over the government of England. The chief positions in the papal dominated government, according to Oates, had already been assigned to Catholic peers; financial matters were to be directed by William Howard.

Under questioning, Oates and his perjured witnesses repeatedly contradicted themselves. But the enemies of the Church were bent upon using any means to gain their ends. Public sentiment was lashed fever pitch, and the people demanded death for those who had been named by Oates.

King Charles II did not for a minute believe the accusations of Titus Oates, but he did not have the power to stop the persecution that had been ordered by Parliament.

Sentenced to death

William Howard and four other Catholic peers named by Oates were arrested in October, 1678, and imprisoned in the Tower of London. As the months dragged by and nothing treasonable could be proved against the five, a face-saving device was sought: one of the group members must be put to death to prevent the whole affair from becoming ridiculous. St. William Howard was the one selected.

St. William’s trial before the House of Lords began on November 30, 1680, his sixty-ninth birthday. William was denied the aid of counsel. He conducted his own defense very capably, but he was doomed from the start. When the vote was taken, fifty-five peers voted guilty and only thirty-one voted innocent.

St. William was amazed. He had not thought that the nobles of the realm could be so blinded by prejudice. To the nobles who had condemned him, William said: “God’s will be done, and your Lordships … God forgive those who have sworn falsely against me.” After a pause he continued: “My Lords, I do here, in the presence of Almighty God, declare that I have no malice in my heart against those who have condemned me. But I have one humble request to make; that for the short time I have yet to live, I may be allowed to see my wife and children and friends.” The request was granted.

The Lords also petitioned the king to allow the prisoner to be beheaded. The usual penalty for traitors was granted the request hanging, drawing, and quartering. The king without hesitation; would have freed William if this had been within his power.

Preparing for martyrdom

Viscount Stafford spent his last days in preparation for death. He wrote letters to his two daughters on the continent who were nuns. He wrote to his niece, the countess of Arundel; to her husband he bequeathed the sword which the Howards had wielded in defense of the English crown. He was told that December 29 was the day appointed for his execution. To his wife he said: “This is the day the Lord hath made, let us then rejoice.”

December 29, feast of St. Thomas a Becket, was a cold bleak day. About ten o’clock in the morning, Viscount Stafford was summoned to the courtyard. He accepted a cloak which was offered to him. “I may perhaps shake from the cold,” he whispered to his friends, but not, please God, from fear.”

Forgiving his executioner

At Tower Hill, the place of execution, William Howard made a brief speech in which he said he was innocent of any crime. Many in the crowd said: “We believe you, my Lord, we believe you.” He reaffirmed his attachment to the Catholic Church and to the king. He added that he died for the faith and for that alone. Then he knelt before the block, kissed it, saying: “Lord Jesus, receive my soul.” and laid his head on the block. The executioner hesitated. The viscount asked what was the matter, and the man said: “Do you forgive me?” The answer came quickly: “I do.” Then the ax fell.

William Howard, Viscount Stafford, one of twenty-four innocent men to die because of the “Plot,” was beatified on December 15, C 1929, by Pope Pius XI.

OTHER SAINTS NAMED PHILIP:

St. Philip, third century martyr. Public official of Alexandria, Egypt: father of St. Eugenia. Feast Day: September 13.

St. Philip Neri, 1515-1595. Apostle of Rome; founder of the Oratorians, a congregation of secular priests. Feast Day: May 26.

BL. Philippine Duchesne, 1769-1852 Associate of St. Madeline Sophie Barat, and first superior of the Religious of the Sacred Heart in the United States. Feast Day: November 17.

OTHER SAINTS NAMED WILLIAM:

St. William of Tours, died 1154. Archbishop. Feast Day: June 8.

St. William of Toulouse, died 1242. Dominican priest, martyr. Feast Day: May 29.