He took an active part against Gilbert Burnet for his 'Pastoral Letter,' and spoke vehemently against the prosecution of the war and on behalf of Sir John Fenwick.
He served among those appointed by the House of Commons to bring in a bill on the forfeited estates in Ireland (December 1699), and thundered in parliament over the grants to King William's Dutch friends of some of the property.
With Queen Anne's accession Howe was once more a courtier, and in 1702 moved that a provision of £100,000 a year should be secured to her consort, Prince George of Denmark.
On the retirement of Richard Jones, 1st Earl of Ranelagh, the post of Paymaster-General was divided, and Howe was appointed paymaster of the guards and garrisons at home (4 January 1702 – 1714).
An anecdote by Sir Thomas Lyttelton in illustration of his speaking talents is in the Gentleman's Magazine,[4] and he is introduced into Jonathan Swift's ballad On the Game of Traffic.
A satirical speech of Monsieur Jaccou (i.e. Jack How), purporting to be 'made at the general quarter sessions for the county of G—r,' and ridiculing his vanity and French leanings, was printed.
His wife was Mary, daughter and coheiress of Humphry Baskerville of Poentryllos in Herefordshire, and widow of Sir Edward Morgan of Llanternam, Monmouthshire.