Francis Howgill (1618 – 11 February 1669) was a prominent early member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in England. He preached and wrote on the teachings of the Friends and is considered one of the Valiant Sixty, men and women who were early proponents of Friends' beliefs and suffered for them.
Howgill was born about 1618, probably of yeoman parents, in Todthorne, near Grayrigg, Westmorland in northern England.[1] He probably made his living as a farmer and a tailor. He studied theology and in 1652 became a minister of the established church in Colton. He explored the teachings of the Anabaptists, the Independents, Seekers and Baptists: but shortly after, he and John Audland (another minister) encountered George Fox, an early leader in the Friends movement, preaching on Firbank Fell and were convinced. Soon after Howgill was imprisoned in Appleby-in-Westmorland for refusing to remove his hat when appearing in court in defence of James Nayler.[1]
Afterwards he met Edward Burrough. The two spread the Quaker message together and became close friends. Among those they converted around 1654 was Hester Biddle. They established the Religious Society of Friends in London and also worked in Bristol and Ireland. Howgill published A Woe Against the Magistrates, Priests, and People of Kendall, (1654) endorsing the Quaker practice of "going naked as a sign". The Quakers in London came under the influence of Nayler and when Fox parted company with him in 1656, Howgill tried, unsuccessfully, to bring about a reconciliation. In 1657 he was in Scotland, and in 1661 he was in prison in London.
Howgill was married first to a woman named Dorothy. After her death in 1657 he married Mary, who is counted, along with him, as one of the Valiant Sixty, a group of early Quaker preachers and missionaries. After the Restoration he claimed, in his tract One Warning More (1660), that the nation had "chosen madness". In 1663 he refused to swear the oath of allegiance to the crown and was sentenced to life imprisonment at Appleby. During that time people came to support him and to seek advice. but his General Epistle (1665) showed pessimism as to any Quaker triumph over adversity. He became sick in prison and died on 11 February 1669.[2] In 1676 a collection of his writings, The Dawnings of the Gospel-Day, and its Light and Glory Discovered, was published.[1]
francis, howgill, 1618, february, 1669, prominent, early, member, religious, society, friends, quakers, england, preached, wrote, teachings, friends, considered, valiant, sixty, women, were, early, proponents, friends, beliefs, suffered, them, contents, life, . Francis Howgill 1618 11 February 1669 was a prominent early member of the Religious Society of Friends Quakers in England He preached and wrote on the teachings of the Friends and is considered one of the Valiant Sixty men and women who were early proponents of Friends beliefs and suffered for them Contents 1 Life 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksLife editHowgill was born about 1618 probably of yeoman parents in Todthorne near Grayrigg Westmorland in northern England 1 He probably made his living as a farmer and a tailor He studied theology and in 1652 became a minister of the established church in Colton He explored the teachings of the Anabaptists the Independents Seekers and Baptists but shortly after he and John Audland another minister encountered George Fox an early leader in the Friends movement preaching on Firbank Fell and were convinced Soon after Howgill was imprisoned in Appleby in Westmorland for refusing to remove his hat when appearing in court in defence of James Nayler 1 Afterwards he met Edward Burrough The two spread the Quaker message together and became close friends Among those they converted around 1654 was Hester Biddle They established the Religious Society of Friends in London and also worked in Bristol and Ireland Howgill published A Woe Against the Magistrates Priests and People of Kendall 1654 endorsing the Quaker practice of going naked as a sign The Quakers in London came under the influence of Nayler and when Fox parted company with him in 1656 Howgill tried unsuccessfully to bring about a reconciliation In 1657 he was in Scotland and in 1661 he was in prison in London Howgill was married first to a woman named Dorothy After her death in 1657 he married Mary who is counted along with him as one of the Valiant Sixty a group of early Quaker preachers and missionaries After the Restoration he claimed in his tract One Warning More 1660 that the nation had chosen madness In 1663 he refused to swear the oath of allegiance to the crown and was sentenced to life imprisonment at Appleby During that time people came to support him and to seek advice but his General Epistle 1665 showed pessimism as to any Quaker triumph over adversity He became sick in prison and died on 11 February 1669 2 In 1676 a collection of his writings The Dawnings of the Gospel Day and its Light and Glory Discovered was published 1 See also editEnglish Dissenters LevellersReferences edit a b c Francis Howgill The Journeys of George Fox 1652 1653 Catie Gill Howgill Francis 1618 1669 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford UK OUP 2004 retrieved 11 November 2015 Pay walledExternal links editClaus Bernet 2002 Francis Howgill In Bautz Traugott ed Biographisch Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon BBKL in German Vol 20 Nordhausen Bautz cols 778 790 ISBN 3 88309 091 3 David Murray Rust s History of Quakerism A WOE AGAINST THE Magistrates Priests and People OF KENDALL Texts of Some Epistles by Francis Howgill and Robert Barclay Jointly The Quaker Women Online entry for Hester Biddle who converted to Quakerism after hearing Burrough and Francis Howgill preach Howgill Francis Dictionary of National Biography London Smith Elder amp Co 1885 1900 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Francis Howgill amp oldid 1114801210, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
