After his ordination, he was appointed a royal chaplain by
Charles I and was also
rector of
West Horsley in
Surrey, becoming rector of
St Stephen Walbrook on 13 April 1635. This appointment provoked a dispute between Charles I (who presented him for the position), the parishioners of the church and the
Grocers' Company (who controlled the church) because Howell refused to live in the parish. Howell was appointed to a
canonry of
Windsor in 1636 and the
sinecure rectory of
Fulham in 1642. He faced difficulties during the
English Civil War: although regarded as a "puritanical preacher", he was questioned by the
House of Commons on 19 March 1642 over allegations that he had criticized parliament and supported Charles I. Even before that, he had been forced out of his position at St Stephen's Walbrook in 1641 and later forfeited the rectory of West Horsley for non-residence. On the death of
Thomas Westfield in 1644, Howell was appointed Bishop of
Bristol by Charles I. He was consecrated by Archbishop
James Ussher in August 1644, and was the last bishop to be consecrated in England for sixteen years. == Personal life ==