Bl. William Howard
William Howard was the grandson of St Philip Howard. In 1637 he married Mary Stafford, heiress of the Stafford family, and in 1640 he was made Viscount Stafford.
The story
William Howard was the grandson of St Philip Howard. In 1637 he married Mary Stafford, heiress of the Stafford family, and in 1640 he was made Viscount Stafford. During and after the English Civil War his family lost its English estates, and he spent years abroad and in bitter lawsuits with his relatives.
In 1678 Titus Oates invented the "Popish Plot", a supposed Catholic conspiracy to kill King Charles II. Lord Stafford, an elderly Catholic peer, was among those accused. He was held in the Tower of London, and condemned on false testimony.
He was beheaded on Tower Hill on December 29, 1680. Before he died he prayed, "Lord, forgive those who have sworn falsely against me." He was beatified in 1929.
Blessed, not yet a saint
William Howard was beatified in 1929.
Sources
Sources & notes
- Santi e Beati, “Beato Guglielmo Howard”
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1907–1912), “William Howard, Viscount Stafford”
- Story written for this site from the sources above, in our own words.
- Further reading: Wikipedia, “William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford”. Feast day and dates: Wikidata Q423078.
- Image: Anthony van Dyck, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
