Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Howe, Josias
HOWE, JOSIAS (1611?–1701), divine, born about 1611, was the son of Thomas Howe, rector of Grendon-Underwood, Buckinghamshire. Howe told Aubrey that Shakespeare took his idea of Dogberry from a constable of Grendon (Brit. Mus. MS. Add. 24489, 250). He was elected scholar of Trinity College, Oxford, on 12 June 1632, and graduated B.A. on 18 June 1634, M.A. in 1638 (Wood, Fasti Oxon. ed. Bliss, ii. 96-97). On 26 May 1637 he was chosen fellow of his college. A sermon which he delivered before the king at Christ Church on Psalm iv. 7 was, it is said, ordered by Charles to be printed about 1644 in red at Lichfield's press at Oxford. Only thirty copies are supposed to have been printed, probably without a title-page. Hearne, who purchased a copy at the sale of Dr. Charlett's library on 14 Jan. 1723, has given an interesting account of it in his edition of Robert of Gloucester's 'Chronicle' (ii. 669). Howe's preaching before the court at Oxford was much admired, and on 10 July 1646 he was created B.D. Howe was removed from his fellowship by the parliamentary visitors in 1648 for 'non-appearance' (Register, Camd. Soc., p. 552), but was restored in 1660, and died in college on 28 Aug. 1701. He has commendatory verses before the 'Works' of Thomas Randolph, 1638, and before the 'Comedies, Tragicomedies, and other Poems' of Wm. Cartwright (London, 1651).
[Authorities in the text.]