Fw: Carlisle Journal, 05 Mar 1842 - Death of Henry HOWARD (1)
Petra Mitchinson
Saturday 05 Mar 1842 (p. 2, col. 7-8)
Death of H. HOWARD, Esq., of Corby.
We have this week the painful duty of recording the death of our highly valued and long-esteemed neighbour, Henry HOWARD, Esq., of Corby Castle—a gentleman whose virtue and talents were as generally appreciated as they were extensively known. He died at his seat, Corby Castle, near this city, on Tuesday morning last, in the 85th year of his age, in the enjoyment of a reputation for piety, patriotism, and virtue, higher than almost any other man within our knowledge has attained, and to which the daily practice of a long life had fully entitled him.
Mr. HOWARD was born on the 2nd July, 1757; and was the eldest son of Philip HOWARD and Ann, daughter of Henry WITHAM Esq., of Cliff, in the County of York. To trace his lineage through a long line of ancestors, would be to enumerate the families of the noblest and most venerated names that adorn our English annals. The direct descent of the Corby branch of the HOWARD family is from Sir Francis HOWARD, second son of Lord William HOWARD (commonly called "Belted Will HOWARD") the celebrated Warden of the Western Marshes in the time of James the First, third son of Thomas, fourth Duke of Norfolk, and Elizabeth, third daughter of Thomas Lord DACRE, of the North, sister and co-heir of George, the last Lord DACRE,—the family of the Earl of Carlisle being descended from the eldest son of the same noble pair. Mr. HOWARD was twice married; first, in 1788 to Maria, third daughter, and co-heiress of Andrew Lord ARCHER, of Umberslade; and secondly, in 1793, to Catherine Mary, the second daughter of Sir Richard NEAVE, of Dagnam Park, in the County of Essex, Bart. His first Lady died, with her infant daughter, in child-bed, Nov. 9, 1789; and to her memory Mr. HOWARD erected a splendid marble monument, in Wetheral church, by NOLLEKINS,—said to be one of the finest pieces of sculpture by that artist. The second Lady survives to mourn the loss of one of the most affectionate of husbands.
At the period of Mr. HOWARD's birth the penal laws against the Catholics were in their full rigour, and like most Catholics of his status, he was sent, at the proper age, (in 1767,) to receive his education at the celebrated establishment of the English Benedictine Monks at Douay, and afterwards to the University of Paris. We may here remark, as strongly evincing the altered state of the times, that amongst the most vivid of Mr. HOWARD's early recollections, was that of having seen the bleached heads of some of the parties who took share in the rebellion of '45, stuck over the ancient gates of Carlisle.* And it is still more worthy of remark, that England at that day refused the services of some of her worthiest sons, on account of their religious opinions! This was strongly exemplified in the case of Mr. HOWARD. On quitting the University, his ambition was to distinguish himself in the military profession; but he was a Catholic, and the door of promotion in the English army was closed against him—no man of that persuasion, being at that time permitted to rise even to the dignity of a corporal! To this circumstance Mr. HOWARD thus alludes in the Appendix to his "Historical References, in support of the Catholic Religion:"—
"We [the Catholics] were all obliged, before 1778, to seek for education abroad, and consequently seldom saw home or parents for six or eight years. The army being my choice, I did not see either for more than three days during 10 years. I was sent to the Teresian Academy at Vienna; but neither my father, his relatives, nor the kind endeavours of that excellent gentleman, Sir Robert Murray KEITH, our ambassador, under whose eye I had been for four years, could obtain leave for me to serve in our army: I even, in 1779, offered to serve as a volunteer in America, but did not receive any encouragement." * * "In 1783, the late Duke of Norfolk tried to obtain for me admission into the German part of the military establishment of his Royal Highness the Duke of York. At last I had to give up my favourite object:—thus the best part of my life had passed away in unavailing attempts; and when later I endeavoured, through the kind offices of Sir George HOWARD, to procure a commission for a very fine young man, my brother, I found it still inadmissible. In the hope of more favourabe times he entered into the Sardinian service; but there, in a small village in Piedmont, was carried off by a fever, without having a single Englishman near him." * * "A seat in Parliament, in my neighbourhood, was offered to me in a very flattering manner, with other advantages, which the laws forced me reluctantly to decline. Like other Catholic gentlemen, when the laws respecting us began to be relaxed, in their execution, I served in the militia, went to Ireland, and afterwards, by the friendship of many distinguished gentlemen of this county, who placed themselves under my command, I formed a volunteer corps," [the Cumberland Rangers] "and we served till peace broke us up.† Such, par force, has been my inefficient life."
And what a reflection upon our country, that such a man should have been compelled to live an "inefficient life" simply because he bowed at the same altar at which his forefathers had worshipped! In a manuscript note to the passage above quoted, now in our possession, and which appears to have been written prior to the passing of the Catholic Emancipation Bill in 1829, Mr. HOWARD says—
"All offices accompanied by personal peril are now open to us, and we are most thankful for the right to expose our lives for the service of our country in the post of honour; but we should also aspire to and be desirous to partake of the advantages and occupations of peaceful life under the shade and protection of our ancient, free, and generous-minded constitution."
While at Vienna, Mr. HOWARD was treated with much personal kindness by the great Empress Maria Theresa, and formed an acquaintance with many distinguished men of various nations who afterwards became conspicuous actors in the events consequent on the French revolution. He pursued his favourite studies with characteristic ardour, and repeated offers were made to him of service in the Austrian army, by Marshal WURMZER and other commanders; but these were declined in the hope that he might be permitted to serve in the army of his native country.—How bitterly these hopes were disappointed, through the operation of laws as absurd as they were cruel, we have just seen.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Sir Walter SCOTT beautifully alludes to this "mummery of exposing the senseless head," in a speech he puts into the mouth of Fergus M'IVOR, on the day of his execution:—“Ay, they will set it on the Scotch Gate, that I may look, even after death, to the blue hills of my native country, which I love so dearly."
† In 1808 a handsome Silver Cup, with appropriate emblems, the gift of the officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates of the Cumberland Rangers, was presented to their Colonel-Commandant, Mr. HOWARD, in the Castle Yard. The Cup was presented in the name of the corps, by Lord WALLACE, who delivered an eloquent and spirit-stirring address on the occasion.
[to be continued]
Petra Mitchinson
Saturday 05 Mar 1842 (p. 2, col. 7-8)
Death of H. HOWARD, Esq., of Corby.
We have this week the painful duty of recording the death of our highly valued and long-esteemed neighbour, Henry HOWARD, Esq., of Corby Castle—a gentleman whose virtue and talents were as generally appreciated as they were extensively known. He died at his seat, Corby Castle, near this city, on Tuesday morning last, in the 85th year of his age, in the enjoyment of a reputation for piety, patriotism, and virtue, higher than almost any other man within our knowledge has attained, and to which the daily practice of a long life had fully entitled him.
Mr. HOWARD was born on the 2nd July, 1757; and was the eldest son of Philip HOWARD and Ann, daughter of Henry WITHAM Esq., of Cliff, in the County of York. To trace his lineage through a long line of ancestors, would be to enumerate the families of the noblest and most venerated names that adorn our English annals. The direct descent of the Corby branch of the HOWARD family is from Sir Francis HOWARD, second son of Lord William HOWARD (commonly called "Belted Will HOWARD") the celebrated Warden of the Western Marshes in the time of James the First, third son of Thomas, fourth Duke of Norfolk, and Elizabeth, third daughter of Thomas Lord DACRE, of the North, sister and co-heir of George, the last Lord DACRE,—the family of the Earl of Carlisle being descended from the eldest son of the same noble pair. Mr. HOWARD was twice married; first, in 1788 to Maria, third daughter, and co-heiress of Andrew Lord ARCHER, of Umberslade; and secondly, in 1793, to Catherine Mary, the second daughter of Sir Richard NEAVE, of Dagnam Park, in the County of Essex, Bart. His first Lady died, with her infant daughter, in child-bed, Nov. 9, 1789; and to her memory Mr. HOWARD erected a splendid marble monument, in Wetheral church, by NOLLEKINS,—said to be one of the finest pieces of sculpture by that artist. The second Lady survives to mourn the loss of one of the most affectionate of husbands.
At the period of Mr. HOWARD's birth the penal laws against the Catholics were in their full rigour, and like most Catholics of his status, he was sent, at the proper age, (in 1767,) to receive his education at the celebrated establishment of the English Benedictine Monks at Douay, and afterwards to the University of Paris. We may here remark, as strongly evincing the altered state of the times, that amongst the most vivid of Mr. HOWARD's early recollections, was that of having seen the bleached heads of some of the parties who took share in the rebellion of '45, stuck over the ancient gates of Carlisle.* And it is still more worthy of remark, that England at that day refused the services of some of her worthiest sons, on account of their religious opinions! This was strongly exemplified in the case of Mr. HOWARD. On quitting the University, his ambition was to distinguish himself in the military profession; but he was a Catholic, and the door of promotion in the English army was closed against him—no man of that persuasion, being at that time permitted to rise even to the dignity of a corporal! To this circumstance Mr. HOWARD thus alludes in the Appendix to his "Historical References, in support of the Catholic Religion:"—
"We [the Catholics] were all obliged, before 1778, to seek for education abroad, and consequently seldom saw home or parents for six or eight years. The army being my choice, I did not see either for more than three days during 10 years. I was sent to the Teresian Academy at Vienna; but neither my father, his relatives, nor the kind endeavours of that excellent gentleman, Sir Robert Murray KEITH, our ambassador, under whose eye I had been for four years, could obtain leave for me to serve in our army: I even, in 1779, offered to serve as a volunteer in America, but did not receive any encouragement." * * "In 1783, the late Duke of Norfolk tried to obtain for me admission into the German part of the military establishment of his Royal Highness the Duke of York. At last I had to give up my favourite object:—thus the best part of my life had passed away in unavailing attempts; and when later I endeavoured, through the kind offices of Sir George HOWARD, to procure a commission for a very fine young man, my brother, I found it still inadmissible. In the hope of more favourabe times he entered into the Sardinian service; but there, in a small village in Piedmont, was carried off by a fever, without having a single Englishman near him." * * "A seat in Parliament, in my neighbourhood, was offered to me in a very flattering manner, with other advantages, which the laws forced me reluctantly to decline. Like other Catholic gentlemen, when the laws respecting us began to be relaxed, in their execution, I served in the militia, went to Ireland, and afterwards, by the friendship of many distinguished gentlemen of this county, who placed themselves under my command, I formed a volunteer corps," [the Cumberland Rangers] "and we served till peace broke us up.+ Such, par force, has been my inefficient life."
And what a reflection upon our country, that such a man should have been compelled to live an "inefficient life" simply because he bowed at the same altar at which his forefathers had worshipped! In a manuscript note to the passage above quoted, now in our possession, and which appears to have been written prior to the passing of the Catholic Emancipation Bill in 1829, Mr. HOWARD says—
"All offices accompanied by personal peril are now open to us, and we are most thankful for the right to expose our lives for the service of our country in the post of honour; but we should also aspire to and be desirous to partake of the advantages and occupations of peaceful life under the shade and protection of our ancient, free, and generous-minded constitution."
While at Vienna, Mr. HOWARD was treated with much personal kindness by the great Empress Maria Theresa, and formed an acquaintance with many distinguished men of various nations who afterwards became conspicuous actors in the events consequent on the French revolution. He pursued his favourite studies with characteristic ardour, and repeated offers were made to him of service in the Austrian army, by Marshal WURMZER and other commanders; but these were declined in the hope that he might be permitted to serve in the army of his native country.—How bitterly these hopes were disappointed, through the operation of laws as absurd as they were cruel, we have just seen.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Sir Walter SCOTT beautifully alludes to this "mummery of exposing the senseless head," in a speech he puts into the mouth of Fergus M'IVOR, on the day of his execution:—“Ay, they will set it on the Scotch Gate, that I may look, even after death, to the blue hills of my native country, which I love so dearly."
+ In 1808 a handsome Silver Cup, with appropriate emblems, the gift of the officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates of the Cumberland Rangers, was presented to their Colonel-Commandant, Mr. HOWARD, in the Castle Yard. The Cup was presented in the name of the corps, by Lord WALLACE, who delivered an eloquent and spirit-stirring address on the occasion.
[to be continued]