me 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. 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 (probably due, in
part at least, to Browne's influence) 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
the 19th of November 1586 was detained by the gaoler and brought before
Archbishop 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 the 18th of March 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 bishops 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:--_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_ (1590-1591), and _A Brief Discovery of the F