Robert Howard (Royalist)

Sir Robert Howard KB (1598 – 22 April 1653) was an English landowner, member of parliament, and Royalist soldier.

He was involved in a scandal when his mistress Frances Coke, Viscountess Purbeck, was found guilty of adultery and was twice summoned to explain her pregnancy with his son to the Court of High Commission.

[1] During the English Civil War, Howard was in command of the defence of Bridgnorth Castle when it surrendered to the Parliamentarians in 1646.

Frances's brother-in-law the Duke of Buckingham had the pair brought before the Star Chamber on charges of adultery.

Frances, Lady Purbeck, was fined and sentenced to a term of imprisonment, and to do penance – but she fled abroad.

Howard had to leave the House of Commons in 1642 after killing the king's commissioner of array, but he did attend the session of parliament held at Oxford in 1641.

Howard died on 22 April 1653 at the Hall in the Forest[4] and was buried at Clun, after which his wife remarried John Berry[1] A brass plaque in St George's church in Clun, stating his age as 63, commemorated Robert Howard's life.