Henry Barrowe
Henry Barrowe (
1550â€"
1593),
English Puritan and
Separatist, was born about
1550, in
Norfolk, of a family related by marriage to
Nicholas Bacon, and probably to
John Aylmer,
Bishop of London. He matriculated at
Clare Hall, Cambridge, in November
1566, and graduated BA. in
1569â€"
1570. Afterwards he "followed the court" for some time, leading a frivolous if not licentious life. He was a member of
Gray's Inn for a few years from
1576, but was never called to the bar.
In about
1580 or
1581 he was deeply impressed by a sermon, whereupon he retired to the country, and was led by study and meditation to the strictest form of
Puritanism. Subsequently, in what manner is not known, he came into intimate relations with
John Greenwood, the
Separatist leader, whose views he adopted without reserve. Though not strictly resident in
London at this time, he was associated with "the brethren of the Separation" there, in whose secret meetings his natural earnestness and eloquence made him conspicuous.
Greenwood having been imprisoned in
The Clink, Barrowe came from the country to visit him, and on
November 19 1586 was detained by the gaoler and brought before Archbishop
John Whitgift. He insisted on the illegality of this arrest, refused either to take the ex officio oath or to give bail for future appearance, and was committed to the Gatehouse. After nearly six months detention and several irregular examinations before the high commissioners, he and Greenwood were formally indicted (May
1587) for recusancy under an act originally directed against
Papists. They were ordered to find heavy bail for comformity, and to remain in the
Fleet Prison until it was forthcoming. Barrowe continued a prisoner for the remainder of his life, nearly six years, sometimes in close confinement, sometimes having "the liberty of the prison." He was subjected to several more examinations, once before the
privy council at
Whitehall on
March 18 1588, as a result of petition to the queen. On these occasions he vigorously maintained the principle of
separatism, denouncing the prescribed ritual of the Church as "a false worship," and the bisbops as oppressors and persecutors.
During his imprisonments he was engaged in written controversy with
Robert Browne (down to
1588), who had yielded a partial submission to the established order, and whom he therefore accounted a renegade. He also wrote several vigorous treatises in defence of separatism and
congregational independency, the most important being:â€"
A True Description of the Visible Congregation of the Saints, &c. (1589)
A Plain Refutation of Mr Gifford's Booke, intituled A Short Treatise Gainst the Donatistes of England (1590â€"1591)
A Brief Discovery of the False Church(1590).
Others were written in conjunction with his fellow-prisoner, Greenwood. These writings were taken charge of by friends and mostly printed in the
Netherlands. By
1590 the bishops thought it advisable to try other means of convincing or silencing these controversialists, and sent several conforming
Puritan ministers to confer with them, but without effect. At length it was resolved to proceed on a capital charge of "devising and circulating seditious books," for which, as the law then stood, it was easy to secure a conviction. They were tried and sentenced to death on
23 March 1593. The day after sentence they were brought out as if for execution and respited. On
31 March they were taken to the gallows, and after the ropes had been placed about their necks were again respited. Finally they were
hanged early on the morning of
April 6. The motive of all this is obscure, but there is some evidence that the lord treasurer Burghley endeavoured to save their lives, and was frustrated by Whitgift and other bishops.
