MEMOIRS 
 
 Catf)oitc0 of 
 
 that have 
 
 FFERED DEATH IN ENGLAND ON RELIGIOUS ACCOUNTS, 
 from 
 
 The year 1577 to 1684. 
 BY BISHOP CHALLONER, V. A.L. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 Cart-fully colifctf.lfrom the Accounts of Eye-witnesses, cotcmporani Authors, and 
 Manuscripts kr'tt in the Enylisk Colleges &' Convents abroad. 
 
 Manchester, 
 
 Printed by Mark Wardle, No. 48, Spinning -fiel 
 
 T. JtAVDOCK, Ifi TIB-JUANE.

 
 635m 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 _L HE following sheets are presented to the reader as a supplement to 
 English history, which appeared to the publisher, by so much the more 
 wanting, by how much the less, the trials and executions of catholics, 
 on religious accounts, have been taken notice of by the generality of 
 English historians : and which, he flattered himself, would not be disa- 
 greeable to the lovers of history, of what persuasion soever they might 
 be in matters of religion : for if men of all persuasions read with plea- 
 sure the history of the lives and deaths, even of the most notorious ma- 
 lefactors ; not that they are delighted with their crimes, but because 
 they there meet with an agreeable scene of stories unknown before $ 
 and often discover a surprizing boldness and bravery in their enterprizes ; 
 how much more may it be expected, that every generous English soul 
 should bs pleased to rind in the following memoirs, so much fortitude 
 and courage, joined with so much meekness, modesty and humility, in 
 the lives and deaths of so many of his countrymen, who have died for 
 no other crime but their conscience. 
 
 The first and most necessary quality, that ought to recommend his- 
 tory, is truth ; and this we can assure our reader, we have been careful 
 to follow to a nicety : and therefore we have given nothing upon hear- 
 says, or popular traditions, but upon the best authorities ; either of 
 grave cptcmporary writers, informed by such as were upon the spot, or 
 themselves eye-witnesses of what they write ; or of records and manu- 
 script memoirs, penned by such as were eye-witnesses, or otherwise 
 perfectly instructed, in the things they deliver; and withal, men, as 
 we had reason to be convinced, of the strictest veracity. And we have 
 always taken care in the beginning of every life, to acquaint the reader 
 from whence we have had our informations, concerning the persons we 
 are treating of. 
 
 We pretend not to make panegyrics of any of these brave men ; but 
 merely to deliver short memoirs of what we found most remarkable in 
 their lives, and particularly in their deaths ; and, as we had so many to 
 treat of, we have been sometimes forced to be shorter than could have 
 been wished, and to pass many things over, that we might be able to 
 bring the whole into compass ; which has chiefly happened with rela- 
 tion to those whose lives have been published at large, and might singly 
 suffice for a just volume j as those of FatherCampion, Father Walpole, 
 &c. For as for some others, we have been obliged to be much shorter 
 than we would, for want of proper lights ; having been able to find 
 little else of them, than that they died at such a time and place, and for 
 the cause of their religion. We cannot but lament our being left so 
 much in the dark, with regard to several : but shall not pretend to de- 
 termine whether this has happened by the iniquity of the times, or the 
 negligence of our fore-fathers, in not committing to writing the particu- 
 lars of those gentlemen's lives and deaths ; or, perhaps, the memoirs 
 then written, have since been lost ; as we know some have, at least so 
 far as not to have come as yet to our hands. Where we think it proper 
 to advertize our reader, that if he knows of any such memoirs, and will
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 be. so good as to furnish us with them, or with any other materials, re- 
 lating to the sufferings of catholics, we shall thankfully acknowledge 
 the favour, and insert them by way of a supplement in our second vo- 
 lume, which we are preparing for the press. 
 
 As to the odious imputation of treason, which was laid at these gen- 
 tlemen's door 5 though we pretend not to act the apologist, but only the 
 historian j yet we must acquaint our reader, that we have inserted no 
 one's name in our list, without being first fully convina d that his reli- 
 gion and conscience was his only treason ; which was certainly the case 
 of all who suffered upon the penal statutes of Elizabeth 27. viz. either 
 for being made priests by Roman authority, and exercising their func- 
 tions in England ; or for harbouring and relieving such priests : and it 
 no less certainly was the case of those who suffered for denying the 
 spiritual supremacy, or for being reconciled to the catholic church : a 
 thing the more evident, because there was not a man of them all, but 
 might have saved his life, if he would but have conformed in matters 
 of religion. 
 
 As to father Campion, and his companions, to whom their adversa- 
 ries pretended to impute treasons of another kind, viz. I know not what 
 conspiracies formed at Rhemes and Rome, we are fully persuaded that 
 they were no more traitors than the rest ; and that the true cause of 
 their death was the hatred of their religion ; and therefore we have 
 given them a place with the rest in these memoirs. 
 
 And, indeed, it seems to have been the more common opinion of 
 the nation, at that time, and even of the queen herself, if we believe 
 Mr. Camden, in his Elizabeth, that these men were not guilty of those 
 pretended conspiracies ; which they, for their part, notwithstanding all 
 their rackings and torturings, all, to a man, constantly denied, both in 
 life and death, though they had their lives offered them, if they would 
 own themselves guilty : which thing alone, to every thinking man, 
 must be a full demonstration of their innocence. To pass over other 
 considerations ; as for instance, that several of diem had never been in 
 their lives at the places where they were pretended to have been plot- 
 ting ; or, if they had ever been there, were not there at least at the 
 time of the pretended plot 5 several of them had never been seen in 
 their lives, by the perjured witnesses that deposed against them ; nor 
 had ever seen one die other (though they were accused to have plotted 
 together) till they all met at the bar to take their trials} which, with 
 many other arguments too long to be here inserted, prove abundantly. 
 that they were, indeed, no plotters 5 and that their only guilt was their 
 religion. 
 
 Hence our English catholics have ever looked upon diem, no less 
 than the others, as martyrs of religion : and so has the greatest part of 
 Christians abroad, French, Spaniards, Italians, Germans, as appears by 
 the honours shewed to the relics of the one sort, no less than of the 
 other, by people of all these nations ; which they have earnestly sought, 
 dili^nt'y preserved, and highly esteemed ; and have attributed many 
 miraculous cares to them : insomuch that some of the most celebrated 
 author- abroad, have employed their pen?, in writing dieir history, as 
 of great and glorious martyrs ; as the truly learned and pious Diego de 
 Yepez, bishop of Tarrasona, and father Ribadaneira, have done in Spa-. 
 :; ; ..-h j Polirms in Italian; ice. Th?y are also recorded amongst die
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 most famous martyrs, by father Lewis de Granada, in his catechism \ 
 and by Bozius, the learned orotorian, in his excellent work de Signi* 
 Ecdesia.-, lib. 12. sect. 51/. they are likewise mentioned with the high- 
 est honour by Cardinal Baronius, in his annotations upon the Romao 
 martyrologie, Dec. 2.Q. It is true the apostolic see has not as yet. 
 thought fit, by any solemn decree, to declare them martyrs; yet has 
 not been entirely silent in their regard. Gregory XIII. as we learn 
 from the bishop of Tarrasona, in his history of the English Persecution, 
 1. 2. c. 5. allowed in 1582. their relics to be used in the consecration of 
 altars : and his successor,* Sixtus V. in his bull, .which begins, affticta: 
 '<$ crudelitcr rex at a: anglorum reliutt'ue, directed to the whole church, 
 as an exhortation to assist the college, then -residing at Khemes, make* 
 an honourable mention of them as gloriotts martyrs. Paul V. also al- 
 lowed the same college to sing a r,okmn mass of thanksgiving upon Oc- 
 casion of the death of any one of the priests executed in England for 
 religion ; and a plenary indulgence to such as having confessed and re- 
 ceived v/ere present at that mass. To say nothing of other grants of the 
 same nature made to other colleges and convents. 
 
 Some will perhaps be surprized to rind in these memoirs such fre- 
 quent mention of the racking and torturing of priests, and others, that 
 suffered in queen Elizabeth's reign ; because these things are not usual 
 in this kingdom, nor supposed to be agreeable to our laws. I am not 
 lawyer enough to decide how far these violences may be justifiable by 
 our constitution ; certain it is they are not now in use : but we must be 
 utterly strangers to the history of that reign, and must contradict aii 
 kinds of monuments, and innumerable cotemporary writers, if we 
 deny that they were in use in those times. This is what Cecil himself, 
 in his book, intitled, The Execution <f Justice in England, written in 
 vindication of the proceedings of the government against catholics, offers 
 not to deny, though he would have his reader believe, that these rack- 
 ings were not for matters of religion, but treason ; and were not so se- 
 vere as catholics pretended: but Cardinal Allen, in his Sincere and 
 \I'.Ji-\t Defence of the suffering Catholics, written in answer to the 
 aforesaid book, confutes both these assertions, p. JO, 11, Sec. whosf 
 words I shall here set down : 
 
 ' The place serveth here to say somewhat of fbeir racking of catho- 
 ' lies ; which they would have strangers believe never to be done tbi 
 ' any point of religion. As for example (say they, in the addition tq 
 ' the end of the libel) none is asked by torture, ii'hat he believeth of tht 
 ' mass, or nf transuistantiation, or suck like. Whereas, indeed, it no 
 1 less concernelh religion, to demand and press us by torture to declar.-. 
 ' it-hire, in whose houses, a- hat days and times, we say or hear ma*.* 
 f how many tee have reconciled ; it-hat we have heard in confession wh'~> 
 'resort to our preachings ; who harbour catholics and priests ; where 
 * such a Jesuit, or such a priest, is to le found; where catholic looks are 
 ' printed; &c. which things being demanded of evil intent, and to tht 
 
 * ' Sixtus V. Bulla afflictse, Sic. ex sancto ilio ar.giorum seminario multcs fen: 
 ' quotidie prodire audimu*, qui deo juvame in Angliam ad confirmaudos cattiolicoru:-. 
 ' animos redeutttcs, gloricsis, & aj.ad posteros quoque illustnbus finuris martyris, su- 
 ' amcrgacatholicam fideni, & hanc sanctam e<!em devotionem usque ad sa::; 
 ' toapimus eflcsioncm te;v:ntui.' B'ollur. t. i, p. 240.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 ' annoyance of the catholic cause, of God's priests, and of innocent 
 
 * men ; no man may, by the law of God and nature, disclose, &c. 
 
 ' Yet these were the interrogatories for which the famous confessor 
 ' Mr. B riant was tormented with needles thrust under his nails ; racked 
 ' also otherwise in cruel sort, and especially punished by two whole days 
 ' and nights famine, &c. The like demands were put to the blessed 
 e martyrs, Campion, Sherwine, and others upon the torture ; and of 
 'this latter, was asked} where Father Parsons and Campion were j 
 ' and whether he had said mass in Mr. Roscarock's chamber ; and what 
 ' money he had given him. Mr. Thomson, a venerable and learned 
 
 * priest, was put to torments, only to get out of him to what end he 
 e kept certain portable altars, and where he intended to bestow them. 
 ' And the young man, Carter, was examined upon the rack ; upon 
 ' what gentleman, or catholic ladies, he had bestowed, or intended to 
 ' bestow, certain books of prayers, and spiritual exercises and medita- 
 ' tions, which he had in his custody ; which may suffice to refute the 
 ' adversaries' asseveration ; that none have been tormentedfor other matter 
 
 * than treason. 
 
 ' But the words of Mr. Thomas Cottam uttered, in sense, at the bar, 
 ' and thus verbatim left in writing, discover the case more plainly, &c . 
 
 ' Thus therefore he spoke and avouched openly in the presence of 
 f the rack-masters ; indeed, quoth he, you are searchers of secrets ; 
 f for you would needs know of me, what penance I was enjoined, by 
 
 * my ghostly father, for my sins committed ; and I acknowledge my 
 ' frailty, that, to avoid the intolerable torment of the rack, I confessed, 
 f God forgive me, what they demanded therein. But when they fur- 
 ' ther urged me to utter also what my sins were, for which that pe- 
 ' nance was enjoined me ; I then answered, that I would not disclose 
 ' my offences, saving to God and to my ghostly father alone. Where - 
 ' upon, they sore tormented me, and still pressed me with the same de- 
 ' mand ; and I persisted, that it was a most barbarous and inhuman 
 ' question j and that I would not answer, though they tormented me to 
 
 * death. 
 
 ' Thus spoke Mr. Cottam at his arraignment, wherewith the ene- 
 ' mies being ashamed, the lieutenant of the tower, there present, began 
 
 * to deny the whole : whereuuto Mr. Cottam replied again thus ; and 
 ' is not this true ? Here is present Dr. Hammond, with the rest of the 
 ' commissioners that were at my racking ; to whose consciences I ap- 
 ' peal, God is my witness, that it is most true ; and you know that Sir 
 ' George Carie did ask me those unnatural questions, deny it if you can. 
 
 ' As for the moderation which, by your libel, you would have the 
 
 * world believe, her majesty's ministers have ever used in giving the 
 ' torment to the persons aforesaid, and to other catholics : the poor inno- 
 ' cents have felt it, and our Lord God knoweth the contrary, &c. Look 
 
 * in your records what suspicion of treasons, or great matters, you could 
 
 * have in young Sherwood, who was the first in our memory that was 
 ' put to the rack for matters of conscience, when no man dreamed of 
 ' any of these new-feigned conspiracies. 
 
 ' How often have you, by famine and filthy dungeons, tormented 
 ' the happy young confessor Mr. John Hart ,- v hich could not now be, 
 ' after his condemnation/ for any thing else but for his religion j - and 
 ' because he would not yield to one Remolds, a minister, with whom
 
 PREFACE 
 
 ' you appointed him to confer ? For what other cause did you threaten 
 ' the torture to Mr. Osburne, but to make him confess that he had said 
 ' mass before the true noble confessors of Christ, my lord Vaux, and 
 ' Sir Thomas Tresham ? &rc. We speak nothing of the pitiful extremities 
 ' you have brought divers unto by horrible fetters, stocks, dungeons, 
 ' famine, " Thomson, Borschoe, Henslow, Clifton," or of the death 
 ' of well near twenty happy catholics, at once infected and pestered 
 ' in York prison, &c. Of all which inhuman dealing we will not im- 
 ' peach the superior magistrate, much less the sovereign : but surely 
 ' the inferior ministers of that pretended justice cannot be excused of 
 *' most cruel and sacrilegious dealing towards God's priests, and other 
 ( innocent persons. 
 
 ' And as for the particular handling of Father Campion and Mr. 
 ' Briant (whom the libellers make example of their mild and gentle 
 ' entertainment upon the torture) we refer all indifferent readers to the 
 ' said Briant's own Latin epistle of that matter : and for the other, 
 " Father Campion," they say true, indeed, that after his first racking, 
 ' and at the time of the protestants' disputes with him in the Tower, he 
 ' was not so bereaved of his hands, but he might, with pain, write or 
 ' subscribe his name : but afterwards, upon his second or third racking, 
 ' he was so benumbed that he could neither take the cup and lift it to his 
 ' mouth, nor draw off his cuff at the bar, &c. nor many days following 
 ' had he any feeling or use of his limbs, &c. The like we could prove 
 f of Mr. Paine' s, the priest, tormenting, and divers others.' So far the 
 cardinal. 
 
 Out of whom I shall add some few things more relating to the suf- 
 ferings of the catholics in those days, cap. 3. p. 38. He complains of 
 ' the infinite spoil of catholic men's goods, honours and liberty, by rob- 
 ' bing them for receiving priests, hearing mass, retaining catholic 
 ' school-masters, keeping catholic servants, mulcting them by 201. a 
 ' month, (which, by their cruel account, they make thirteen score a 
 ' year) for not repairing to their service j by which a number of antient 
 ' gentlemen fall to extremity, &c.' He adds, ' the taking of their dear 
 ' children from them by force, and placing mem, for their seduction, 
 ' with heretics (which violence cannot be done, by the law of God, even 
 ' to infidels) the burning of priests in the ears, the whipping and cutting 
 ( off die ears of others, carrying some in their sacred vestments through 
 ' the streets, putting our chaste virgins into infamous places appointed 
 ' for strumpets ; and other unspeakable villainies, not inferior to any of 
 ' the heathenish persecutions. 
 
 Page 3y. ' They have pined/ says he, ' and smothered in their fil- 
 ' thy prisons, above thirty famous prelates ; above forty excellent and 
 ' learned men ; of nobles, gentlemen and matrons, a number ; whose 
 ' martyrdom is before God, as glorious, as if they had, by a speedy 
 ' violent death, been dispatched. Every dungeon and filthy prison in 
 ' England is full of our priests and brethren ; and all provinces and 
 ' princes Christian, are witnesses of our banishment, Sec. 
 
 Page 54 ' And yet this good writer " of the Execution of Justice in 
 
 f England," to colour over their cruelty towards catholic gentlemen 
 
 ' setteth down the matter as if cases of conscience, of religion, or of the 
 
 ' see apostolic, were but lightly punished, &c. when he and all the 
 
 world knoweth, that they may, and do, by those wicked laws, dis-
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 ' inherit, put to perpetual prison, and to death, divers of the Liity. \Ve 
 
 * refer them to the worshipful Mr. Tregian's case, who liveth in prison 
 ' so many years of alms, after the spoil and rapine of so goodly posses - 
 ' sions. We refer them to the laymen put to death of late at Win- 
 ' Chester and Andover ; to so many fled for religion, of the best nobility 
 ' and gentry, wholly sacked and spoiled of all they possessed} and so 
 ' many hundreds more, vexed, pillaged, and spoiled at home, so as not 
 ' to have wherewithal to expel famine from themselves and families : and, 
 ' which is yet more, we tell you, that there can never a catholic no- 
 
 * bleman in the realm (if by any shew of religion he gives the enemy 
 4 the least suspicion in the world of his good affection that way) be sure 
 ' of his life, lands and state one day : for, by one false pretence and 
 ' calumny or other, they will entrap him, imprison him ; and, in fine, 
 ' they will overthrow him and his whole family, and transfer all his 
 " honours, sometimes, to his chiefest enemies, &c. 
 
 In fine, page 1 . ' We appeal, says he, to the conscience and 
 'knowledge of all the catholics and protestants within the realm, who, 
 ' of their equity, will never deny, that most prisons in England are full 
 ' at this day, and have been for divers years, of honourable and honest 
 ' persons, not to be touched with any treason or other offence in the 
 world, other than their profession, and faith.' So far he. All which 
 points we find confirmed by many other testimonies ; and this may 
 suffice, by way of preface ; which, it is hoped, will give no offence to 
 our present governors, whose milder ways of proceeding with catholics, 
 they will ever thankfully acknowledge. 
 
 N. B. That in these memoirs we have omitted James Leyburn, 
 esq. who suffered at Lancaster in 1583 ; because his case was different 
 from that of all other catholics who suffered at those times : for both a.t 
 his arraignment, and at his death, he denied the queen to be his lawful 
 sovereign, as we learn from Cardinal Allen and other cotemporary 
 writers. 
 
 CONTENTS* 
 
 J_ HE names of the priests and lay catholics, who suffered death for 
 religious matters, from the year 1577, till the end of the reign of queen 
 Elizabeth. 
 
 1577. S John Shert, pr. Tylurn . . p. 45 
 Cuth. Maine, pr. Launceston p. 7 s Rbt- Johnson, pr. do 47 
 
 1578. S Wm. Filbie. pr. do 48 
 
 John Nelson, pr. Tylurn ... 12 ^ Luke Kirbie, pr. do 5O 
 
 T. Sherwood, gent, do 15 s Law. Richardson, pr. do. ... 54 
 
 1581. S Thomas Cottam, pr. do. . ... 56 
 Everard Hanse, pr. Tylurn . . lQ\ William Lacy, pr. York . . . 60 
 Kdm. Campion, pr. S J. do. . 22 S Richard Kirkeman, pr. do. . . 62 
 Ralph Shewvine, pr. do. . . . 31 James Thompson, pr. do. ... 64 
 Alex. Brian, pr. S. J. do. ... 35 s 1583. 
 
 1582. S William Hart, pr. Yo~k ... (55 
 
 J. Paine, pr. Chelmsfnrd ... 38 ? Rich. Thirkill, pr. do 71 
 
 Thomas Ford, pr. Tylurn . . 43 S J. Slade, schoolmaster, Jfinch. 74
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 John Body, M. A. Andot'er...!^^ Robert Morion, pr. Lincoln's' 
 
 1584. \ Inn Fields ib 
 
 George Haydock, pr. Tyburn. ..76 S H. Moor,gent. Line, InnFieldsl 16 
 
 James Fenn, pr .....do.. ..79 Thos. Alford, alias Acton, pr. 
 
 Thos. Hemerford, pr do. ...83 
 
 John Nutter, pr do....ib. 
 
 John Munden, pr do.'..* 86 
 
 Clerkenwell .....117 
 
 J. Clarkson, pr. ntur Hounslowl 1 8 
 Thos. Felton, gent, do ...ib. 
 
 Wm. Carter, printer do..,. 88 S Richard Leigh, pr. Tyburn. ..120 
 
 Jas. Bell, pr. Lancaster ib. $ Edward Shelly, gent, do 121 
 
 John Finch, layman, do ib. <. Richard Martin 1 , layman do ib. 
 
 R. White, schoolmas. Wrexham 90 S Richard Flower, layman do..... .?'>. 
 
 John Roch, layman... do... '....ib. 
 
 Margaret Ward, gentvv. do.. ..'&. 
 
 Wm. Way, pr. Kingston 124 
 
 1585. 
 
 Thos. Alfield, pr. Tyburn 92 
 
 Thos. Webley, layman, do ib. 
 
 Hugh Taylor^ pr. York 93 
 
 way, pr. 
 Robert Wilcox, pr. Canterburyl25 
 
 Marmaduke Bowes, gent. do...ib. S Ed. Campian,pr do ib. 
 
 1586. ^ Chris. Buxton, pr....do ib. 
 
 Ed. Stransham, pr. Tyburn 96 S R. Widmerpool, gent. do.... ..126' 
 
 Nicholas Woodfen, pr. do 97 |> Ralph Crocket, pr. Chichester ib. 
 
 Richard Sergeant, pr. do 98 ^ Edward James, pr do....ib. 
 
 William Thomson, pr. do ib. S John Robinson, pr. Ipswich. ..127 
 
 Rob. Anderton, pr. IsleofWightQS J Will. Hartley, pr. nmr Thcatrel23 
 
 William Marsden, pr. do ib. S J. Weldon, pr. Mile's End-green ib. 
 
 Francis Ingolby, pr. York 100 S Rich. Williams, pr. Holloway...ib. 
 
 John Finglow, pr....do ib. \ Rob. Sutton, schoolmaster, Clerk- 
 
 John Sandys, pr. Gloucester... ib. S enivell ib. 
 
 John Lowe, pr. Tyburn 101 ? John Hewitt, pr. York 129 
 
 John Adams, pr. do...... ib. S Edward Burden, pr. do ib. 
 
 R. Dibdale, pr....do ib. \ Wm.Lampley, laym. Gloucester ib. 
 
 MargaretClithero, gentlewoman ^ 1589. 
 
 York 103 S John Amias, pr. York 129 
 
 R. Bickerdike, gent. York 104 > Robert Dalby, pr. do ib. 
 
 Rich. Langley, esq. do ib. s George Nicols, pr. Oxford... 130 
 
 "1587. \ Richard Yaxley, pr. do ib. 
 
 Mary queen of Scots, Fothering- 
 
 hay Castle 104 
 
 Thos. Pilchard, pr. Dorchester ib. 
 
 Edmund Sykes, pr. York 105 
 
 RobL Sutton, pr. Stafford ib. 
 
 Thos.Belson, gent. pr. do 134- 
 
 Humph. Prichard, laym. do.... 135 
 Wm. Spencer, pr. York 
 
 pr. 
 , lav 
 
 Rob. Hardestv, laym. do ib. 
 
 '1590. 
 
 Steven Rousham,pr. Gloucester 106 Chris. Bayles, pr. Fleet-st reet... 135 
 
 John Hambley, pr. Chard 107 S Nich. Homer, laym. Smithjleldl36 
 
 George Douglas, pr. York ib. <| Alex. Blake, layman, Gray's Inn 
 
 Alexander Crow, pr. do 108 s \Mne ib. 
 
 1588. > Miles Gerard, pr. Rochester... 1 37 
 
 Nicholas Garlick, pr. Derby. ..II 1 <[ Francis Diconson, pr. do ib. 
 
 Robert Ludlam, pr....do 1 12 S Edw. Jones, pr. Fleet-street... ib. 
 
 Richard Sympson, pr. do 113 r Anthony Middleton, pr. Clerken- 
 
 W. Dean, pr. Mile'sEnd-greenl 14 S well ib. 
 
 Henry Webley, layman, do.. .115 ^ Edmund Duke, pr. Durham. ..138 
 Wm. Gunter, pr. the Theatre 116 ^ Richard Hill, pr.,.....do ib. 
 
 Vol. I. bb
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 John Hog, pr. Durham..,. ..139 \ 1595. 
 
 Richard Holiday, pr,.. do ib. i George Errington, gent. York 191 
 
 1591. S William Knight, yeoman, do...ib. 
 
 Robert Thorp, pr. York 139 William Gibson, yeoman, do... ib. 
 
 Thos. Watkinson, yeoman, do 140 
 Monford Scot, pr. Fleet-street 
 
 yeoman, 
 Henry Abbot, yeoman... do.. .ib. 
 
 1597. 
 
 William Andleby, pr. York 192 
 
 Thos. Warcop, gent. ..do.. .194 
 
 Edward Fulthorp, gent...do....ifi. 
 
 1598. 
 
 Pickes, layman, Dorches- John Britton, gent. York.... ib. 
 
 ter , , ib. Peter Snow, pr do., ib. 
 
 Edmund Genings, pr. Gray's S Ralph Grimston, gent.do ib. 
 
 Inn Fields ,,.. 143 ^ John Jones, alias Buckley, pr. 
 
 Swithin Wells, gent do... 151 S O.S.F. St. Thomas' sW Bering ib. 
 
 Eustachius White, pr. Tyburn 153 Chris, Robinson, pr. Carlisle 19S 
 Polydore Plasden, pr do.. .155 \ Richard Horner, pr. York ib. 
 
 George Beesley, pr. do,..,, ib. 
 
 Roger Diconson, pr. Winches- 
 ter 142 
 
 Ralph Milner, layman, do ib. 
 
 Wil. Pick 
 
 Brian Lacy, gent .do....ib. 
 
 Johfl Mason, layman ... do.., .ib. 
 Sydney Hodgson,' lay man do....ib. 
 
 1592. 
 
 Wm. Pattenson, pr...,.,.do...l56 
 Thomas Pormort, pr. St. Paid's 
 
 Church-yard............ ib. 
 
 Robert Ashton, gent. Tyburn 1 57 
 
 1593. 
 
 Edw. Waterson, pr. Newcastle ib. 
 James Bird, gent. Winchester 158 
 
 Antony Page, pr. York ,...ib. 
 
 Joseph Lampton, pr. Newcastlel59 
 William Davies, pr. Beaumaris ib. 
 
 1594. 
 
 1599. 
 
 Matthias Harrison, pr. do ib. 
 
 John Lyon, yeoman, Okeham...ib, 
 Jas Doudal, merchant, Exeter 1 97 
 
 1600. 
 
 Chris. Wharton, pr. York 197 
 
 J. Rigby, gent. S. T. Watering 198 
 Thomas Sprott, pr. Lincoln. ..204 
 
 Thomas Hunt, pr....do ib. 
 
 Robert Nutter, pr Lancaster... 206 
 
 Edward Thwing, pr..,.do ib. 
 
 Thomas Palasor, pr. Durham... 207 
 
 John Norton, gent.. ..do 203 
 
 John Talbot, gent.,. ...do ib. 
 
 1601. 
 John Pibush, pr. St. Tho. Water- 
 
 John Speed, layman, Durham 165 
 
 Wm. Harrington, pr. Tyburn. ..ib. ing ........................... ...209 
 
 John Cornelius, alias Mohiw, pr. S Mark Barkworth, alias Lambert, 
 
 b. J. Dorchester ........ . ...... ib. \ pr. O.S.B. Tyburn ............ 210 
 
 Thos. Bosgrave, gent, do ...... ib. \ Roger Filcock, pr. S. J. do.. .213 
 
 John or Terence Carey, layman S Ann Line, gentlewoman, do. 214 
 
 Dorchester ..................... ib. \ Thurstan Hunt, pr. Lancaster 215 
 
 Patrick Salmon, layman ......... ib. S Robert Middleton, pr...do ...... 16, 
 
 John Bost, pr. Durham ...... 169 Nich. Tichburn, gent. Tyburn ib. 
 
 John Ingram, pr. Newcastle...]! 1 <| Thu. Hackshot, ayman, 
 George Swallowell, a converted S 1602. 
 
 minister, Darlington, ........ 172 ^ James Harrison, pr. York ...... 216 
 
 Ed. Osbaldeston, pr. YorA'...i74 S Antony Battle or Bates,gent. do. ib. 
 
 I 595. J J. Duckett, bookseller, Tyburn ib. 
 
 Robert Southwell, pr. S. J. Ty- \ Thomas Tichburn, pr. Tyburn 219 
 
 burn ........................... 175 S Robert Watkinson, pr. do ....... ib. 
 
 Alex. Rawlins, pr. YorA".....J81 \ Francis Page, pr. S. J. do ...... 220 
 
 Henry Walpole, pr. S.J. do... 182 s 1603. 
 
 James Atkinson, layman ...... 183 William Richardson, alias An- 
 
 William Freeman, pr. Warn- ick 190 \ dersonj pr. Tyburn ............ 223
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 As the names and number of other catholics, as well of the clergy 
 as of the laity, who, under this same reign, were either deprived of 
 their livings, or suffered loss of their estates, imprisonments, banish- 
 ments, &c. for their religion ; it is impossible to set them all down. 
 Dr. Bridgewater, in a table published at the end of Cancertatio Eccle* 
 siae Catholic?, gives us the names of about twelve hundred, who had 
 suffered in this manner, before the year 1.088; that is, before the 
 greatest heat of the persecution ; and yet declares, that he is far 
 from pretending to have named all, but only such whose sufferings had 
 come to his knowledge. In this list there are three archbishops (taking 
 in two of Ireland) ; bishops consecrated, or elected, eighteen ; one 
 abbot ; fou,r whole convents of religious ; thirteen deans ; fourteen 
 archdeacons ; sixty prebendaries ; five hundred and thirty priests j 
 forty-nine doctors f>f divinity ; eighteen doctors of the law ; and fif- 
 teen masters of colleges ; one queen ; eight earls ; ten lords ; twenty 
 six knights ; three hundred and twenty-six gentlemen ; and about 
 sixty ladies and gentlewomen. Many of these died in prison; and 
 several under the sentence of death. 
 
 We shall here add, by way of conclusion of this first part, the 
 names of those (who were not executed) whose sufferings for religion 
 are briefly touched on in our memoirs. 
 
 Ailivorth, an Irish gentleman, perishes in prison. 
 
 Arundd, Sir John, is cast into prison. 
 
 Arundd, Philip, Earl of, died in prison under sentence of death. 
 
 Bamet, Mr. is condemned to die. 
 
 Bennet, John, priest, is imprisoned and tortured, and at last sent into 
 
 banishment. 
 
 Bishop, William, priest, is imprisoned, and afterwards banished. 
 Bosgrave, James, priest, S. J. is sentenced to death, afterwards 
 
 banished. 
 
 Canfidd, Bennet, capuchin, imprisoned, afterwards banisfled. 
 Catholics, prisoners in York castle, dragged to protestant sermons. 
 Chaplain, William, priest, dies in prison. 
 
 Clifton, Thomas, priest, is condemned to perpetual imprisonment, 
 Cooper, John, perishes through cruel treatment in the Tower. 
 Colin*, John, bookseller, condemned to die. 
 Cornish gentlemen cast into apremwiire. 
 Cotesmore, Thomas, priest, perishes in prison. 
 Crowther, Thomas, priest, dies in prison. 
 Dymock, esq. champion of England, perishes in prison. 
 Feckcnham, abbot of Westminster, dies in prison. 
 Fenn, Robert, priest, suffers prisons, racks, & banishment for his faith, 
 Harrison, John, priest, dies in prison. 
 Hart, John, priest, is condemned with father Campion, is cruelly used 
 
 in prison, and afterwards banished. 
 
 Hatton, Richard, priest, is condemned to perpetual imprisonment, 
 Holmes, Robert, priest, perishes in prison. 
 Hunt, Eleanore, is sentenced to die for harbouring a priest, 
 Jenks, Roland, is condemned to lose his ears. 
 Jetter, John, priest, dies in prison.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Lancashire gentlemen Imprisoned for religion. 
 
 Lomax, James, priest, perishes in prison. 
 
 Maskew, Bridget, is condemned to be burnt. 
 
 Mettham, Thomas, priest, S. J. dies in prison. 
 
 Northumberland, Henry Piercy, earl, is murdered In the Tower. 
 
 Norton, Mrs. is sentenced to death for relieving a priest. 
 
 Orton, Mr. is condemned with father Campion, afterwards banished. 
 
 Pounds, Thomas, esq. a great sufferer for catholic religion. 
 
 Pole, Edward, priest, dies in prison. 
 
 Priests, seventy, banished in 1585. 
 
 more banished in 1603. 
 
 thirty committed prisoners to Wisbich castle. 
 Pugh, John, is condemned to die for his religion. 
 Pugh, Henry, gent, is cruelly tortured. 
 
 Rishton, Edward, priest, is condemned with father Campion. 
 
 Shelley, esq. dies in the Marshalsea. 
 
 Sherton, Martin, priest, dies in prison. 
 
 Steile, James, priest, is banishedand cruelly treated. 
 
 Tesse, Ann, is condemned to be burnt, for persuading a minister to 
 
 become a catholic. 
 
 Thimbleby, Gabriel, gent, dies in prison. 
 Trcgian, Thomas, esq. is stripped of a plentiful estate, and condemned 
 
 to perpetual imprisonment. 
 Thyrwhite, William, esq. is hurried to prison under a violent fever, 
 
 and dies in two days. 
 Typper, Mark, gent, is whipped through the city of London, and has 
 
 his ears bored through with a hot iron. 
 Vaux, Lawrence, warden of Manchester, dies in prison. 
 Wakeman, Roger, priest, perishes in prison. 
 
 Watson, Christopher, with twenty other catholics, perishes in York jail. 
 Watson, Richard, priest, is cruelly treated in bridewell. 
 
 escapes by the help of Mrs. Margaret Ward. 
 
 Wells, Mrs. dies under sentence of death in prison. 
 Williamson, Thomas, priest, is condemned to prison for life. 
 Wiseman, Mrs. is condemned to die. 
 
 Yates, Edward, esq. with six other catholic gentlemen, is taken with 
 father Campion and cast into prison.
 
 Mary being dead, her sister Elizabeth was immediately pro- 
 claimed queen, November 17, 1558. This princess, who had before 
 professed herself a catholic, now took oft" the mask, and, by degrees, 
 brought about a total change of the religion of {he kingdom. In order 
 to this, great industry was used to have a parliament returned that 
 might come into the queen's measures ; and she succeeded so far, that 
 the pretended reformation was by law established, though not without 
 great opposition, in both houses ; and in the house of commons, only 
 by the plurality of six voices, notwithstanding die queen was present to 
 encourage her party. See Howes upon Stow, in his preface to queen 
 Elizabeth. 
 
 As for the clergy, all the bishops then sitting opposed the change : 
 and the whole convocation, which met at the same time with this queen's 
 first parliament, declared against it, and drew tip five memorable ar- 
 ticles, touching ihe real presence ; transubstantiation ; the sacrifice of 
 the mass for the li\ ing and the dead ; the supremacy of St. Peter, and 
 his successors ; and the authority of the pastors of the church exclusive 
 of the laity, in matters relating to faith and church discipline. Which 
 articles they addressed to the bishops, to be by them laid before the lords 
 in parliament : and both the universities sent a writing at the same time, 
 declaring their concurrence in the same doctrine, so that the new re- 
 ligion was settled by this parliament, not only without the concurrence 
 of the clergy, but, indeed, in opposition to the whole body of ths 
 clergy of the nation. See Fuller, 1. 6. &c. and Dr. Heylin's Hist. 
 Reform, p. 285. 286. 
 
 Religion being thus changed, and the common prayer established 
 instead of the mass, the bishops, and as many of the clergy as could -jot 
 be brought to acknowledge the queen's church headship, and receive the 
 new liturgy, were deprived of their livings, and either cast into prison, 
 or forced into banishment. Kitchin of Landaff was the only one among 
 the prelates who complied ; who having changed with every turn, w:i$ 
 resolved now to be no changling : so that, what with the deprivation 
 of great numbers of the catholic clergy, and the death of a great many 
 more, carried oft" not long before by an epidemical distemper, the 
 queen was put upon the necessity of having her new church supplied 
 with an ignorant and illiterate clergy, as Dr. Heylin complains, \vhooc 
 learning went no further than the liturgy, or book of homilies. 
 
 The removal and imprisonment of the catholic clergy, joined to the 
 precautions that were taken to exclude catholics frona Uw uu'uxi\
 
 i INTRODUCTION. 
 
 and from all means of qualifying themselves by learning, for the functions 
 of the priesthood, would, in a short time, have left this nation quite 
 destitute of pastors to administer the sacraments to such as still adhered 
 to the old religion ; the old priests daily dying off, and no new one 
 coming to succeed in their places ; had not the divine wisdom prevented 
 so great an evil, by inspiring Dr. William Allen (afterwards cardinal) 
 to institute seminaries abroad for training up English scholars in virtue 
 and learning, to be in proper time made priests, and to return into their 
 native country, there to labour in the vineyard of their Lord. This 
 learned and pious divine, at that time regius professor of divinity in th 
 university of Douay, instituted, by the authority of that holy pope St. 
 Pius V. a seminary in Douay in 1508, which was not only die first of 
 the English nation, and the parent of all the rest, but also the first, as 
 it is believed, in the whole Christian world, instituted according to the 
 model of the council of Trent. Sess. 23. cap. 10. This seminary or 
 college counts amongst her alumni, or such as have been some time her 
 members, one cardinal, one archbishop, twelve bishops, two other 
 bishops elect, three archpriests with episcopal faculties, eighty doctors of 
 divinity, seventy writers ; many of the most eminent men of divers re- 
 ligious orders ; and what is most glorious of all, above one hundred and 
 fifty martyrs, besides innumerable others \vho have either died in prison 
 for their faith, or, at least, have suffered imprisonments, banishments, 
 c. for the same. The first amongst the sons of this seminary that were 
 presented to the holy order of priesthood, were Richard Eristow, after- 
 wards D. D. Gregory Martin, chief author of die translation of the 
 Rhemes testament, Thomas Ford and Thomas Robinson ; they wero 
 ordained at Brussels in 1573. But none were sent upon the mission till 
 1574, when Lewis Barlow, Henry Shaw, Thomas Metham, and Martin 
 Kelson, were sent, with apostolic faculties, into the vineyard of their 
 Lord. 
 
 The great success which followed these beginnings, engaged pop* 
 Gregory XIII., the successor of Pius V. not only to settle a yearly pen- 
 sion upon the seminary of Douay, but also to found another seminary in 
 Rome, in the ancient hospital of the English nation. To this purpose 
 Mr. Allen, by orders of his holiness, sent to Rome, in 15/0, William 
 Holt, priest, John Atkins, deacon, Ralph Standish, clerk, Thomas 
 Bell, John Mush, and William Low : he also sent Mr. Gregory Martin 
 to help to model this new colony. These were followed, in 1577, D 7 
 Martin Aray,. Ralph Sherwin, Edward Rishton and Leonard Hide, all 
 priests ; William Harrison, deacon, and Arthur Pitts : and in the be- 
 ginning of 1578, by Richard Hay dock and George Birket, priests ; 
 Thomas Burscough, Edward Gratley, Christopher Owen, and Caesar 
 Clement, students. In the mean time the tumults of the Low Countries 
 in this year, 1578, obliged the seminary to remove from Douay to 
 Hhemes, in France, after it had sent fifty- two priests into the mission : 
 and from Rhemes it sent twelve more that same year, and twenty others 
 in the following year, \5~Q. 
 
 The first missioner from Rome was John Atkins above-mentioned,, 
 who was sent in 157P, and was followed that same year by Jonas Mere- 
 ilith, Richard HayooclCj Mijrtitt Aray, and Leonard Hide, all mad$
 
 INTRODUCTION. a 
 
 priests before in Douay college. These were followed, in 1580, by 
 three others, made priests before at Douay, and twenty-nine from 
 Rhemes. In which same year the priests of the society of Jesus first 
 entered upon the mission. Their two first missioners were those eminent 
 divines, Edmund Campion and Robert Parsons. 
 
 The fruits that these missions produced in England were surprisingly 
 great ; for the generality of die missioners were men who were neither 
 to be wearied with labours, nor frightened with dangers, and as the 
 sequel shewed, were prepared to meet death in all its shapes. So that it is 
 not to be wondered, that whereas in the nr.it ten years of the queen's reign, 
 few had the courage to refuse to join in a schismatical communion. Now 
 by the preaching of these missioners, thousands in all parts of the king- 
 dom, and many of the first rank, Avere reconciled to God and his church, 
 although their recusancy, as it was called, exposed them to heavy fines 
 of 201. a month, and other severe penalties} and the prisons throughout 
 the whole nation Avere filled with* their persons. 
 
 But the loss of liberty and goods not being thought a sufficient 
 punishment for men whose conscience was their only crime, more severe 
 laws were enacted, by which it was made high treason to be reconciled 
 to die catholic church, or to persuade any one to that religion, or to be 
 otherwise instrumental in die reconciling any one. High treason to pro- 
 cure, publish, or put in use any bull, writing, or instrument from die 
 bishop of Rome. High treason for Roman 'catholic priests to remain in 
 rliis kingdom ; and felony for any one to harbour, relieve, or assist 
 them. By Avhich la\vs, as .these memoirs Avill abundantly demonstrate, 
 great numbers, bodi of die clergy and laity, have been executed in most 
 parts of tJiis kingdom ; though sometimes our adversaries have strove to 
 hide their shame, by pretending I know not AA'hat plots and treasons of 
 their own contrivance, and charging diem upon catholics, whom diey 
 Avere resolved to make away Avith in hatred to dieir religion : as in die 
 case of die pretended conspiracy of Rome and Rhemes, 158O, and diat 
 which is commonly called Gates' 's plot, in 1679. But truth has still 
 prevailed, in spite of all their stratagems, insomuch diat their OAvn 
 writers have been since forced to acknoAvledge, diat these men Avere not 
 guilty of the treasons charged upon them. So that as these really suffered 
 in hatred of dieir religion, AVC have reason to rank diem amongst die 
 martyrs of religion. 
 
 In die mean dme, notwithstanding all these laws, and die A'igorous 
 execution of them, die number of catholics still increased, and new 
 colleges or seminaries were erected, to supply them Avith pastors, at 
 Seville and Vailadoiid, in Spain, in 158y. and another college at St. 
 Omers, for the education of youdi, in 15y4. And in the beginning of 
 the folloAving century, the monks of the Venerable order of St. Bene- 
 dict entered also upon the mission, and Avere not long after followed by 
 the friars of the holy order of St. Francis, &c. not to speak of die college: 
 instituted at Lisbon, in 1622. 
 
 Our memoirs of the sufferings of our English catholics, begin Avith 
 the year 157/, the nineteenth of queen Elixabeth. Because from this 
 } x.ar AVC may properly date the beginning of tiie great persecution, but
 
 4 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 little blood having been shed by her before, at least for matters purely 
 religious. And it is very remarkable, that tliis same year, a few months 
 before the execution of the protomartyr of the seminaries, Mr. Cuth- 
 bert Maine, God Almighty seems to have warned the nation against this 
 spirit of persecution, by a judgment (for I can call it nothing else) which 
 can scarce be paralleled in all history ; and as to the substance of the 
 matter of fact, is attested by all kinds of records, and acknowledged 
 by protestants as well as catholics. 
 
 This was in the case of the memorable trial of Roland Jenks, a ca- 
 tholic bookseller, in Oxford, who, for speaking some words against the 
 queen's religion, was condemned, in the assizes held at Oxford^ in July 
 1577, to i'.ave his cam nailed to the pillory, and to deliver himself lnj 
 cutting them off" with his own hands. Which sentence was no sooner 
 passed, when immediately upon the spot, a strange mortal distemper, 
 the like of which, as to its symptoms, has never been heard of before 
 or since, seized upon the judges, justices on the bench, sheriffs, jury- 
 men, and hundreds of others that were present at the trial, and carried 
 them off in a very short time. Let us hear Mr. Wood, the protestant . 
 historian of the university of Oxford, his account of this history, in his 
 Historia & Antiquitafes. Universitatis Oxonimsis, 1.1. p. 2Q4. His 
 words, translated from the Latin, are as follows. 
 
 ' It was ordered, therefore, in the convocation held on the 1st of 
 'May, 15/7, that the criminal, Roland Jenks, should immediately be 
 ' apprehended ; and being put into irons, should be sent up in order to 
 ' be examined before the chancellor of the university, and the queen's 
 ' council. In the mean time, all his goods are seized, and in his house 
 ' are found bulls of popes, and libels reflecting upon her majesty. Hr. 
 ' was examined at London, in presence of the persons aforesaid, and 
 ' then was sent back to Oxford, there to be kept in prison till the next 
 ' assizes, which began on the 4th of July, in the Old Hall in die Castle 
 ' Yard, and lasted for two days. 
 
 ' He was brought to the bar and was arraigned for high crimes and 
 
 ' misdemeanors ; and, being found guilty, was condemned by a sentence 
 
 ' in some manner capital .- for he was to lose his ears. At which time 
 
 ' (though my soul dreads almost to relate it) so sudden a plague invaded 
 
 ' the men that were present (the great crowd of people, the violent heat 
 
 ' of the. summer, and the stench of the prisoners, all conspiring toge- 
 
 ' ther; and, perhaps, also a poisonous exhalation breaking suddenly at 
 
 ' the .san-.o lime out of the earth) that you might say, death itself sat 
 
 ' on \'. ;:iid, by her definitive sentence, put an end to all the 
 
 ' caus peat numbers immediately dying upon the spot, others 
 
 ' struck with death, hastened out of the court as fast as they could, to 
 
 ' die within a very few hours. A mournful ditty was shortly after pub- 
 
 this subject by a young university man, which, for brevitv 
 
 sake, i shall omit, out it may not be amiss to set down the names of 
 
 atest note, who were seized by that plague, and 
 
 ' . These were, Sir Robert Eel), chief baron of 
 
 Nicholas Earliam, sergeant at law, both g 
 "d;e popisl) religion; which, perhaps, the romanisU will toy
 
 INTRODUCTION. S 
 
 ' hold on as an argument for their cause ; but I c!e.-:ire them to remem- 
 ' her, not to search too narrowly into the secret judgments of- God, 
 e when we are at a loss to account even for f . which the 
 
 ' Almighty has revealed in holy writ. To the above-named must be 
 'added, Sir Robert Doyley, the high sheriff of Oxford, Mr. Hart, hi; 
 ' deputy, Sir William Babington, Messieurs Doyley, Wenman, Dan- 
 ' vers, "Fettyplare, and Harcourt, justices of the peace ; Kirley, Green- 
 ' wood, Nash, and -Foster, gentlemen : to whom are to be joined, to 
 ' say nothing of others, almost all the jurymen, who died within two 
 1 days.' 
 
 He adds, out of the register of Merton college, the following ac- 
 count of the symptoms of this strange disease. 
 
 ' Some getting out of bed (agitated with I know not what fury from 
 ' their distemper and pain) beat and drive from them their keepers with 
 
 * sticks ; others run about the yards and streets like madmen j others 
 
 'jump head foremost into deep waters The sick labour with a most 
 
 ' violent pain, both of the head and stomach : they are taken with a 
 
 . ' phrenzy ; are deprived of their understanding, memory, sight, hear- 
 ' ing, and other senses. As the disease increases, they take nothing j 
 
 * they get no sleep ; they suffer none to tend or keep them ; they are 
 'always wonderfully strong and robust, even in , death itself ; no com- 
 ' plexion or constitution is spared ;. but the choleric are more particular!/ 
 ' attacked by this evil, of which the physicians can neither mid the 
 
 ' cause nor cure, The stronger the person is, the sooner he dies. 
 
 ' Women are not seized by it, nor the poor, neither does any one catch 
 ' it that takes care of the sick, or visits them. But as this disease was 
 'strangely violent, so it was but of a short continuance; for within a 
 ' month it was over.' So far the register. 
 
 The substance of this history may be "found also in Sir Richard 
 Baker's Chronicle, and in Fuller's Church History, book 9. p. KXJ. 
 To say nothing of the catholic writers, in whom I have found it, who 
 are F. Parsons, E)nst. de Pcrsecutior.c Angl. published in 1581. Mr. 
 llishton, dc Schismate Angl. 1. 3. Ribadaneira, in his appendix to Dr. 
 Saunders's History, cap. 13. Yepez, bishop of Taragona, in hi* 
 Spanish history of the persecution, 1. 2. cap. 9. who relates also, cap. 
 1 1 . some other examples of the like judgments upon the persecutors, 
 \'c. I find also the same history had reached Douay by the following 
 month, where I find it recorded in the register, or diary of die college, 
 August 157/. Mr. Jenks survived his punishment many years, for I 
 find by the same diary lie was at Rhemes in 158/. 
 
 But neither this remarkable warning, nor any other ensuing judg- 
 ments, hindered the unhappy politicians of those days from beginning 
 and carrying on the intended tragedy, which afforded the nation so 
 many scenes of blood, for the many remaining years of that long reign j 
 n: id all for fear lest the Romans should come and take aivay their place 
 ami nation. 
 
 As to the priests and others, who suffered in these persecutions, of 
 whom we are now going to '-peak, though we make no question of their 
 religion having been their only crime, yet we have abstained from giving
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 them the title of Saints or Martyrs, that we might not seem to ran be- 
 fore the church of God, which has not as yet thought proper to declare 
 them such ; to whose wholesome and wise decrees we desire in all thing* 
 to conform ourselves. And for the same reason we have been very 
 sparing in mentioning miracles, visions, or revelations, shewn in favour 
 of any of these champions of God's truth : for such things, by the de- 
 crees of the see apostolic, ought not to be published till they have been 
 first duly examined, and approved by the ordinaries. On which ac- 
 count, we think it necessary to advertise our readers in this place, that 
 what little is found of that nature in the following sheets, is not to be 
 taken as having the weight of church authority, or any authentic de- 
 claration to support it ; but only as historical faetSj delivered by grave 
 and credible vouchers. 
 
 As to the number of those that have suffered for religion in tin? 
 reign, from 15/7 to 1603, I find them to have been in all, priests 124, 
 laymen and women 63. The first was Mr. Cuthbert Maine, of whom 
 we shall now speak.
 
 1. CutJd-ert Maine, Priest. 1577- 
 
 iiE was the first missionary priest that suffered in England for religion* 
 mailers, and the proto-martyr of Douay college, and all the seminaries. 
 J have a short account of his life and death in English, published in 
 1582 : I have also a more ample account of him in a Latin manuscript 
 of Douay College. I shall present the reader with an abstract of die 
 former, in the very words of the author, who was an intimate friend of 
 Mr. Maine ; chusing rather to offend the ears with the old language of 
 the writer, than, by new-modelling the narration, to lessen its autho- 
 rity, or spoil its amiable simplicity. I shall here and there add some 
 Things out of the Latin manuscript, which, for distinction sake, I shall 
 enclose within these marks " ". 
 
 ' Cuthbert Maine was bom in Barnstnple. " or rather in the parish of 
 
 * Yalston, three miles from Barnstaple," in Devonshire. He had an old 
 schismatical priest to his uncle, that was well beneficed ; who being 
 ' very desirous to leave his benefice to this his nephew, brought him up 
 ' at school, and, when he was eighteen or nineteen years old, got him 
 ' made minister : at which time (as Mr. Maine himself, with great 
 sorrow and deep sighs, did often tell me) he knew neither what 
 
 * ministry nor religion meant. Being sent afterwards to Oxford, he 
 
 * heard his course of logic in Alborn-hall, and there proceeded bachelor 
 of arts. 
 
 ' At that time St. John's college wanted some good fellow to play 
 his part at the communion table ; to play which part Mr. Maine was 
 
 * invited and hired. In which college and function he lived many years, 
 ' being of so mild a nature, and of such sweet behaviour, that the pro- 
 
 * testants did greatly love him, and the catholics did greatly pity him ; 
 ' insomuch that some dealing with him, and advertizing him of the evil 
 state he stood in, he was easily persuaded that " the new" doctrine was 
 ' heretical, and, withal, was brought to lament and deplore his own 
 < miserable state and condition. And so being in heart and mind a per- 
 ' suaded catholic, " he unhappily, nevertheless," continued yet in the 
 ' same college for some years, and mere proceeded master of arts. 
 
 ' Some of his familiar friends, "particularly Mr. Gregory Martin and 
 ' Mr. Edmund Campion," being already beyond the seas for their con- 
 ' science, did often solicit him by letters to leave that function of the 
 
 * iliiabtry, and invited him. to come to Douav. One of these letters,
 
 3 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' by chance, fell into the hands of the bishop of London, who dispatched 
 ' a pursuivant strait to Oxford for Mr .Maine and some others : the rest 
 ' app.ared and were sent to prison ; but by chance Mr. Maine was then 
 ' in his country, and being advertized by his countryman and friend, 
 
 * Mr. Ford, (then fellow of Trinity college, in Oxford, and of late 
 1 martyred) that there was process out for him, he took shipping on the 
 ' coast of Cornwall, and so went to Douay, when the seminary there 
 ' was but newly erected. 
 
 ' Here, " being 'taken into the church," falling to divinity, and keep- 
 ' ing the private exercises within the house diligently, and doing the public 
 
 * exercises in the schools with commendation, after some years he pro- 
 ceeded bachelor of divinity, and was made priest. And desirous 
 
 * partly to honour God in this sacred order, and to satisfy for that he 
 '. liad dishonoured him by taking the sacrilegious tide of ministry ; partly 
 
 * inflamed with zeal to save souls, he returned to England, " being sent 
 ' by Dr. Allen, afterwards cardinal, first president of Douay college," 
 
 * together with Mr. John Paine, who was since martyred, " where he 
 4 arrived safely," anno IS'^Q. Mr. Maine placed himself in his own 
 ' country, with a catholic and virtuous gentleman, Mr. Tregian, " of 
 
 * Vblveden, or Golden, five miles from Traro, in Cornwall, passing in 
 
 * the neighbourhood for his steward." 
 
 ' In die year 1577, m th month of June, the bishop of Exeter 
 
 * being in his visitation at Truro, was requested by " Mr. Greenfield," 
 
 * die sheriff of die county, and other busy men, to aid and assist them to 
 
 * search Mr. Tregian' s house, where Mr. Maine did lie. After some 
 
 * deliberation, it was concluded, that die sheriff and die bishop's chan- 
 ' cellor, with divers gendemen and dieir servants, should take die 
 ' matter in hand. As soon as they came to Mr. Tregian' s house, die 
 ' sheriff first spoke to him, saying, diat Inland his company were come 
 ' to search for one Mr. Bourne, who had committed a fault in London , 
 
 * and so fled into Cornwall, and was in his house, as he was informed. 
 ' Mr. Tregian answering, diat he was not diere, and swearing by his 
 
 * faith, fhat he did not know where he was ; further telling him, that 
 f to have his house searched, he diought it great discourtesy ; for that 
 
 * he was a gendeman, and diat they had no commission from die queen. 
 ' The sheriff being bold, for diat he had a great company with him, 
 
 * swore by all die oadis that he could devise, diat he would search his' 
 
 * house; or else he would kill, or be killed, holding his hand upon his 
 ' dagger, as if he would have stabbed it into die gendeman. 
 
 ' This violence being, used, he had leave to search die house. The 
 ' first place diey went to was Mr. Maine's chamber, which being fast 
 ' shut, diey bounced and beat at die door. Mr. Maine came and 
 
 * opened it (being before in die garden, where he might have gone from 
 diem). As soon as die sheriff came into die chamber, he took Mr. 
 ' Maine by die bosom, and said to him, what art thou ? he answered, 
 
 * I am a man. Whereat, die sheriff being very hot, asked if he had 
 ' a coat of mail under his doublet ? and so unbuttoned it, and found an 
 ' dgints Dei case about his neck, which he took from him, and called 
 ' him traitor and rebel, with many otijer opprobrious name*.
 
 CUTHBERT MAINE. t 
 
 ' They carried him, his books, papers and letters, to the bishop, 
 ' who, when he had talked with him, and examined him about his 
 ' religion, confessed that he was learned, and had gathered very good 
 ' notes in his book, but no favour he shewed him. Thence the sheriff 
 ' carried him from one gentleman's house to another, till he came to 
 ' Launceston, where he was cruelly imprisoned, being chained to his 
 ' bed posts, with a pair of great gives about his legs, and strict com- 
 ' mandment given, that no man should repair unto him. 
 
 ' Thus he remained in prison, from June to Michaelmas ; at which 
 ( time the judges came their circuit. The Earl of Bedford was also 
 * present at Mr. Maine's arraignment, and did deal most in the matter.' 
 " Several heads of accusation were exhibited against him at his 
 trial, as, 
 
 " 1st. That he had obtained from Rome a bull, containing matter 
 of absolution of the queen's subjects. This was no other than a 
 printed copy of the bull of the jubilee of the foregoing year, which 
 they had found amongst hi- papers. 
 
 " 2dly. That he had published this bull at Golden, in the house of 
 Mr. Tregian. 
 
 " 3dly. That he had maintained the usurped power of the bishop of 
 Rome, and denied the queen's supremacy. 
 
 " 4thly. That he had brought into the kingdom an Agnus Dei, and 
 delivered it to Mr. Tregiaii. 
 
 " Sthly. That he had said mass in Mr. Tregian' s house. 
 
 " There were no sufficient proofs of any of these heads of the in- 
 dictment. And as to the bull, it being only a printed copy of the 
 grant of the jubilee of the past year, now of no force, and no ways 
 procured from Rome by Mr. Maine, but bought at a bookseller's 
 shop at Douay, out of curiosity to see the form of it, it was very 
 certain that the case was quite foreign, both to the intent and to the 
 words of the statute. Yet judge Manhood, who behaved himself 
 very partially in the whole trial, directed the jury to bring him in 
 guilty of the indictment, alledging, that n-Jicre plain proof* z/v/'t- 
 wanting, strong preemptions ought to take place -, of which, accord- 
 ing to his logic, they had a good store in the cause in hand, knowing 
 the prisoner to be a popish priest, and an enemy of the queen's re- 
 ligion." 
 
 ' The jury that went upon him were chosen men for the purpose, 
 ' and thought him worthy of death, whether there came any proof 
 ' against him or no, because lie was a catholic priest ; such is their 
 ' evangelical conscience. After the twelve had given their verdict, 
 ' guild/, " judge Manhood gave sentence on him, in the usual form, 
 as in cases of high treason ; which Mr. Maine heard with a calm and 
 chrarful countenance, and lifting up his hands and eyes to heaven, 
 answered, Dm grutias, thanks be to God. He was to have been 
 xccuted within fifteen days, but his execution was deterred until Si 
 Andrew's day ; upon \v\\-\\ occasion I know not, says my author ; 
 c
 
 10 MEMOIRS, Sec. 
 
 but the Latin- manuscript says the occasion was, that judge Jcnrrie* 
 being dissatisfied with the proceedings of his colleague ; and the privy 
 council, informed of all that had passed, they thought proper to have 
 nil the judges mci-t upon the matter ; that, accordingly, they mot, 
 but disagreed in their sentiments, several of the older and wiser of 
 them being of judge Jerferies's opinion. However, such was the 
 iniquity of the times, that the council concluded, tint the prisoner 
 should be executed for a terror to the papists. My author says, the 
 sheriff, who went to court, and was there made knight for his late 
 sen ice in this cause, was the man that procured the dead warrant to 
 be signed for Mr. Maine's execution, which he sent into the countrr 
 to the i unices there." 
 
 ' Three days before he was put to death, there came a serving-man 
 f unto him, and willed him to prepare for death ; for, saith he, i/nu are 
 ' to le executed within these three dai/s ut the fart Iif.it. AVhich kind ad- 
 ' monition Mr. Maine took very thankfully, and said to the serving-man, 
 ' that if he hud any thins' to girt 1 , he irou'.-l rather /<',/// it upon him 
 ' than on any other ,- for he had dune more for him than ever ami inuit 
 ' did. After that advertisement he gave himself earnestly to prayer and 
 ' contemplation until Ijjs death. The second night after he ga\e him- 
 ' self to these spiritual exercises, there was seen a great light in his 
 ' chamber, between twelve and one of the clock,. insomuch that some 
 ' of the prisoners that lay in the next rooms, called unto him to know 
 ' what it was (for they knew very well that he had neither fire nor 
 ' candle). He answered, desiring them to be quiet, for it did nothing 
 ' appertain unto diem. 
 
 ' At the day of his execution many justices and gentk-men came to 
 ' see him, and brought with them two ministers, who did dispute with 
 ' him, whom he confuted in every point : but the justices and gentle - 
 ' men, who were blind judges, would hear nothing of that ; but they 
 ' affirmed, that the ministers were much better learned than he. Al- 
 ' though thev confess he died very stout Iv, whereat they did much 
 ' marvel, telling the ignorant people, that he could avouch no scripture. 
 * for his opinion, which was most untrue : for I know by the report of 
 ' honest men that were present, that he did confirm every point in 
 ' question with testimonies of scriptures and lathers ; and that abun* 
 ' dantly.' 
 
 " It was upon this occasion, (according to the Latin manuscript) 
 that his life was offered him, if he would renounce his religion ; 
 which, when he refused to do, they pressed him at least to swear 
 upon the bible, that the quee.n was the supreme head of the church 
 of England, assuring him of In'.s life if he would do this ; but if he 
 refused it, he must then be hanged, drawn and quartered, according 
 to sentence. Upon this" ' he "took the bible into his hands, made 
 ' the sign of the cross upon it, kissed it, and said, tht: queen lu-itlu-r 
 ' ever icas, nor is, nor ever shall le, the head (f the church of Eng- 
 ' land. 
 
 * He was to be drawn a quarter of a mile to the place of execution. 
 ' and when he vva> to be laid on the sledge, some of the justices*
 
 CUTHBERT MAINE. n 
 
 f moved the sheriff's deputy, that he would cause him to have hi-? 
 ' head laid over die car, that it might be dashed against the stones in 
 ' drawing ; and Mr. Maine offered himself tliat it might be so, but tlie 
 ' sheriff's deputy would not suffer it. 
 
 ( When lie came to the place of execution, " which was the market- 
 ' place of the town, where they had on purpose erected a gibbet of 
 ' unusual height, being taken off the sledge," he kneeled down and 
 ' prayed : when he wa.s on die ladder, and die rope about his neck, he 
 ' would have spoken to the people, but die justices would not suiter 
 ' him, but bid him say his prayers, which he did very devoutly. And 
 ' as the hangman was about to turn the ladder, one of the justices 
 ' spoke to him in this manner : Xutr villain find traitor, thou knvirest 
 ' t/mt th'ju f It alt die, and tf'u-r >;/'? tell HS whether Mr. Tregian and Sir 
 ' John Arundel did know nf these thitigs ir/iich t/ioit art condemned for ; 
 ( and also if hat t/ioit dost linnic f >/ them ? Mr. Main answered him 
 ' very mildly : / knoir nothing <f *\Ir. Tregian and Sir Jo/in Arundel, 
 ' I-ut that the?/ arc g'lmd unit gnd!:/ ^-.-ntlemen ; and an fur the t hings I 
 ' fun condemned fur, t/tri/ icere <>>i/i/ biQUffi tn it: 1 ,', and to nit other. 
 ' Then he was cast off tiic ladder saying, in mcuius tuas, &c. and 
 * knocking his breast. 
 
 ' Soiue of tiie gentlemen would have had him cut down strait way, 
 ' that they might have had him quartered alive 5 but the sheriff's de- 
 ' puty would not, but let him hang till he was dead/ The Latin 
 manuscript >ays, " he was, indeed, cut down alive, but falling from 
 the beam, which was of an unusual height, with his head upon die side 
 of the scaffold, on which he was to be quartered, he was by that means 
 Jilmo.it quite killed; and therefore but little sensible of the ensuing 
 !K tchery. His quarters were disposed of, one to Bodwin, one to 
 Tregny, one to Earnstable, and the fourth to remain at Launceston 
 ea-tli: : his head was set upon a pole at \Tadebridge, a noted high- 
 way. The hangman, who embrued his hands in his innocent blood, 
 in less than a mondi s time became mad, and soon alter miserably 
 expired. And it is particularly remarked, that not one of those 
 whom Mr. Maine reconciled to the church, could ever be induced 
 to renounce the catholic truth, which diey had learned from so good 
 a master. Mr. Tregian, the gentleman who had entertained him, 
 lost his estate, which was very considerable, for his religion, and was 
 condemned to peqietual imprisonment ; and several of his neigh- 
 bours and servants were cast in a premunire as abettors and accom- 
 plices of Mr. Maine : Sir John Arundel was also persecuted and cast 
 into pri.-on upon this occasion. 
 
 " Mr. Maine suffered at Lauueeston, in Cornwall, Nov. 2C), 1577, 
 of whom thus writes Mr. Stow, in his chronicle of this year" ' 
 ' Cuthbert Maine was drawn, hanged and quartered at Launceston, in 
 ' Cornwall, for preferring Roman power. 
 
 The persons that were condemned with Mr. Maine, and ca-t in a 
 premunire, were Richard Tremavne, gent. John Kemp, irent. Richard 
 Hoar, gent. Thomas Harris, g;-m. John "vViiLin,-, M. A. John 
 Philips, yeoman, John Hodges, vroin.-'.n. and James Humphreys, 
 vc!.m;:n : ail neighbours or .servants to Mr. Trc^ian
 
 
 12 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 2 . *John Nelson, Priest. 15/8. 
 
 JOHN Nelson was die son of Sir N. Nelson, knight, and was bom at 
 Shelton, near York. Being come to near forty years of age, and 
 hearing of (he college lately established at Douay, in Flanders, he went 
 over thither, in the year 1574, in order to qualify himself there, by 
 virtue apd learning, for the priestly ministry, by which he might be of 
 service to his native country, in reclaiming sinners from the errors of 
 their ways. Accordingly, being judged by his superiors duly qualified, 
 he was by them presented to holy orders, and was ordained priest at 
 Bynche, by the archbishop of Cambray, in June, 15/6, at the same 
 time with Messieurs John Colington, Jonas Meredith, Roger Wake- 
 man, and Richard Chapman. And he was sent upon the English 
 mission the 7th of November, the same year. 
 
 ' Mr. Nelson f was taken in London, upon die 1st of December, 
 ' 15/7, l ate ' n the evening, as he was saying the mattins for die next 
 ' day following, and was presently sent to prison upon suspicion of 
 
 * papistry, as they term die cadiolic faith. And, after five or six days, 
 
 * he was brought forth to be examined before die high commissioners. 
 ' Here diey tendered him die oadi of die queen's supremacy, which he 
 ' refused to take ; and being asked, why he would not swear ? he 
 ' answered, lecaust he had never heard, or read, that any lay prince 
 ' could have that pre-eminence. And being further demanded, who dien 
 ' was die head of die church ? he answered, sincerely and boldly, that 
 ' the. pope's holiness was, to whom that supreme authority in earth .> 
 ' due, as teing Christ's vicar, and the lawful successor of St. Peter. 
 
 Secondly, ' They asked him his opinion of die religion now practised 
 ' in England ? to which he answered, widiout any hesitation, that it 
 ' iras'both sthisitttttical and heretical. Whereupon they bid him define 
 ' what schism was : he told them, it was a voluntary departure from 
 ' the unity of the catholic Roman faith. Then (seeking to ensnare him) 
 ' they furdier urged, what is the queen then, a schismatic or no ? He 
 ' answered', he could not tell, because he knew not her mind in setting 
 'forth, or maintaining nf, the religion now puHiclij used in England. 
 ' The commissioners replied, diat the queen did both promulgate it and 
 '.maintain it ; and pressed him to tell them, if she did so, whether then 
 ' she were a schismatic and a heretic or no ? Mr. Nelson paused awhile, 
 ' as being unwilling to exasperate his prince, if he might have chosen, 
 f but yet more unwilling to offend God and his own conscience, and to 
 ' give scandal to the world ; then he answered, conditionally, if she l-i- 
 ' the ai'tli T forth, said he, and defender of this religion, now practised 
 
 * it; England, tiien she. is a schismatic and a heretic. Which answer, 
 
 * Fr.-vn ;i rrinted account by an eye-witnees of his death ; and from an old Latin 
 manuscript of Douay college. 
 
 t Bishop Vv-pr?, in his historv of the English persecution, 1. -2. c. 63. relates, that 
 the devil, wi-.tim Mi. Nelson iiac! forced out of the body ot a possessed person a few 
 days "before, h;id thuauned him. that he would have him taken up in a \veck. and 
 that it sh?ulii cost him his life.
 
 JOHN NELSON. 13 
 
 v when they had extorted out of him, they said, he had spoken enough, 
 ' they sought no more at his hands. 
 
 ' So he was sent back to prison, and about seven weeks after was 
 
 * brought forth to his trial, where the same questions being again pro- 
 
 * posed to him, and he answering still the self-same to every question, 
 ' as he had done before, sentence of death was pronounced against him, 
 ' as against one guilty of treason, February the 1st, 1577-8. When the 
 ' sentence was pronounced against him, he never changed his counte- 
 ' nance, nor did there ever appear in him any sign of a troubled mind : 
 ' but he took his condemnation very meekly, and prepared himself with, 
 *a good courage for death. The jailor's wife, moved with compassion, 
 ' offered him wine, thereby, as she thought, to assuage the heaviness 
 f of his mind. But he would not taste it, saying, that he rather desired 
 ' a cup of cold water, as more meet for him. And from the very hour 
 
 * the sentence was pronounced against him, till the hour of his death, 
 ' he took no other food but bread and small-beer. 
 
 ' He was so delighted with prayer and secret meditation, that he 
 ' would not hear of any other things willingly, especially if they were 
 ' worldly matters. A friend of his advised him to read and meditate 
 ' upon the lives and deaths of the martyrs. Though he disliked not the 
 ' counsel, yet he answered, that (by God's mercy} he had enough to 
 ' occupy Ins mind in thai, and to meditate upon full ivell. And being 
 ' put in mind, by the same friend, with what alacrity and joy of mind 
 ' many thousand martyrs had suffered the most exquisite torments for 
 ' Christ's sake, and that they never complained nor shrunk thereat : he 
 
 * answered, that this same thought came often to his mind, and afforded. 
 
 * him ifuc/i comfort, that he no ways doubted but that he should Jiud and 
 ' feel the (like) grace of Gods consolation in the midst of his agony. And 
 ' surely this courage and willingness to die came from this : that on the 
 
 * Thursday before his arraingment and death, he had cleansed his con- 
 ' science by confession, and had fortified himself by receiving the blessed 
 ' sacrament of the altar: for a priest coming to visit him, with others in 
 ' company, desirous to communicate at Mr. Nelson's hands, wishing it 
 ' might be upon Candlemas day, because of the solemnity of the feast. 
 ' After they bad considered of the matter, they saw it was no fit day, 
 ' because such festivals are more subject to suspicion; and therefore 
 1 they concluded to defer it till the day after Candlemas day : but Mr. 
 4 Nelson wished rather to prevent the feast, and to communicate upon 
 ' the Thursday before ; which was done : though (at that time) neither 
 ' he nor any of his friends suspected that he should so shortly come to 
 ' his martyrdom. When, behold ! the very next day after, word wan 
 ' brought him, that he was to be arraigned on the morrow, and should 
 4 be undoubtedly condemned, if he did not revoke his former words : 
 ' and so it fell out indeed, as you have heard.' " So that it was God's 
 special providence that he pitched upon the Thursday before the feast ; 
 for otherwise he must have died without the sacred viaticum." 
 
 ' Upon Momfoy, the 3d of February, being the day of his martyr- 
 ' dom, he dime very early, before day, up to the higher part of 
 ' die prison ; whereas, from Saturday till then, he had be cu Kept in
 
 14 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' lo\v dungeon. Two of l)is nearest kinsmen coming to him, found 
 ' him earnest at his prayers, with his hands joined together and lifted 
 ' ' up, insomuch that the other prisoners there present did botli mark it, 
 ' and wonder at it much, when they had talked awhile together, and 
 'he siw them so full of sorrow that they had much ado to abstain 
 ' from weeping, yet for all that he was nothing moved hhmelf, neither 
 ' gave any sign or appearance of sorrow, either in voice or countenance : 
 ' but rebuked them, saying, that he looked for same Comfort and conxo- 
 f la f ion of them, in that case, and not ly their tears to le occasioned 
 ' to grieve'; iril ling them farther, to lame/if and weep for t/ieir men .*///> 
 
 * and not for him ; Jor he had a sure confidence that all should go welf 
 ' tcitii him. 
 
 ' When his kinsmen took their last farewel of him, they fell into 
 ' such immoderate tears and lamentations, that he was somewhat moved 
 ' therewith, but stayed and repressed nature by-and-by, and so dismissed 
 ' them: and they were no sooner gone, but two ministers came in, 
 ' seeking to remove him from his faith, but in vain ; for he utterly re- 
 ' fused to have any talk with them, desiring them to let him be in quiet, 
 ' and so they did, and departed from him. 
 
 ' When he was brought forth of die. prison, and laid upon the hurdle, 
 ' some of the officers exhorted him to ask the queen's majesty, whom 
 ' he had highly offended, forgiveness : lie answered, / will as/; //.-/ no 
 ' pardon, for I never offended her. At which words the people that stood 
 ' about him raged, saying, then he should be hanged like a traitor as 
 ' he was. Well, said he, God's will le. done ;. I perceive tlrtt I mutt 
 ' die, and surely I am ready to die with a good will ; for letter is it to 
 ' alide all punishment, le it ever so grievous, here, than to suffer the 
 ' eternal torments of hell fire. 
 
 ' Being come to the place of execution, and put into the cart, the 
 ' first words he spoke were, in manns luus Dnmine, &'c. Then he be- 
 ' sought such of the standers by as were catholics, to pray with him, and 
 ' for him, saying, either in Latin, or in English, the pater, ave and 
 ' creed, which he himself said in Latin, adding thereto the confiteor, 
 ' and the psalms miserere & de profinidis ; which being finished, turn- 
 ' ing himself round about to all the people, he spoke to them in this 
 ' sort, / call you all, this den/ to witness, that 1 die in tlie unity of the 
 ' catholic church ; and for that unity tk now most wittingly .w//<V ///?/ 
 ' Hood to ie shed: and therefore I I'eseech God, a /id rey nest you nil to 
 ( pray for the same, that it would please God of his great mercy, to 
 ' make you, arid ail others that are not such already, true catholic men ; 
 ' and loth to live and die in the unity of our holy mother the catholic 
 ' Roman church. At which words the people cried out, aicay with tliee 
 ' and thy catholic Romish faith : but this notwithstanding, he repeated 
 ' the same prayer again. 
 
 ' Then he requested to be forgiven of all men, as well absent as 
 ' present, if he had offended any ; protesting that he forgave all his 
 'enemies and persecutors, desiring God also to forgive them. I fere 
 ' again he was willed to ask the queen forgiveness ; which he refused to 
 
 do for a while : at last he said, //' / have oj/'ended her, or any else, I
 
 -THOMAS SHERWOOD. 15 
 
 ' W; Ayr and aH the u-nrtd forgiveness, as I forgive all : and so the 'hang- 
 
 ' man being ordered u> dispatch, Mr. Nel.son prayed a little while to 
 
 * himself, ;\nd then requested nil such as were catholics to. pray with 
 ' him, that Christ, /;/ tin- merits of hi* tttter pfit.->ioii , u-ould receive hi* 
 ( settl into everlasting joy . When the can was drawn away, a great 
 ' multitude cried with a loud voice, Lord receive his soul. 
 
 ' He was cut down before he was half dead, and so dismembered 
 ' and ripped up ; and, as the hangman plucked out his heart, he lilted 
 ' hirnM.:lf up a little, and, as some that stood near report, spoke- these 
 ' words, / fon*it'e the queen, and all tliat were cu users f nnj de&th : 
 ' but I, though I saw his lips move, yet heard not so much : and the 
 ' hangman had three or four blows at his head before he could strike it 
 ' off. His quarters were hanged on four of the. gates of the city, and 
 ' his head set upon London bridge.' So far my old English author. 
 
 Mr. Nelson suffered ;it tyburn, Feb. 3, 1577-S. Of him Mr. 
 Stow, in his chronicle, writes thus: ' John Nelson, for denying the 
 ' queen's supremacy, and such other traitennis words against her ma- 
 
 * jcsty, was drawn from Newgate to tyburn, and there hanged, hovelled 
 
 * and quartered. One Sherwood was also hanged for the. like treason. 
 ' February ~. 
 
 3. * TJiomas $h&ie>'pod, Scholar.' 
 
 .JL HOMAS Sherwood was born at London, of pious and catholic parents, 
 and by them brought up in the true faith, and in the fear of God. But' 
 being desirous to improve himself in \ irtue. and learning, he went over 
 to the English college, founded not long before in the university of 
 Donay, in Flanders, where I rind him, in the diary of the house, a 
 student, in 15/6. Not long after this, \\:t returned to London, in order 
 to settle his arfairs, and proi:ure imisv.-y to help him to carry on hi* 
 studies. 
 
 Whilst he was in London, lie frequented the house of lady Tregony, 
 a virtuous catholic, who had a .VMI named Marliu, whose faith and 
 manners were widelv distant from those of his mother. This young spark 
 suspected that mass was sometimes private!;' said in his mother's house ; 
 and this, as he imagined, bv tin- means of Mr. Shera-ood 5 which was 
 ihe occasion of his conceiving an implacable hatred against him ; inso- 
 much, that, one day meeting him in the streets, he cried out, stop the 
 traitor, stop the traitor ; and so causing him to be apprehended, had 
 him before the next justice of peace. Where, when they were come, 
 Mr. Tivgonv could alledge nothing eL>r against Mr. Sherwood, but that 
 IK- suspected him to be a papist. Upon u'iiich the justice examined him 
 concerning his religion; and in particular, what his sentiments weir, 
 conceroittg the <n.ic<-n's clturch-headjship, and the pope's supremacy. 
 To which Mr. Sherwood candidly answcrc/l, that // did not believe the 
 fiueen to be I he lieuii oj'ilu- church oagland } oadthat l/iis pre-eminencf 
 
 * I rcm Mr. Bridgrrwater's Concertafi'o Ecclesri* Cathoticae, R,ii-i-. : .u-: bis catalogue o! 
 
 'i. -':- ut Doiuy i.'!:i-ijc, j;i ! a i.uth: .MS. in nu- iuud>.
 
 !0 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 l-\'faiigrd in the pope. And being furdier asked concerning the queen's 
 religion, he made the like answers as we have seen above Mr. Nelson 
 did. Upon which he was immediately committed, and cast into a 
 dungeon in die tower. In the mean time his lodgings were searched 
 and plundered of all thai he had, and between 2O and 301. of money, 
 borrowed for the use of his poor alllicted fadier, were carried off by 
 these harpies with die rest. 
 
 In die tower he was most cruel!)' racked, in order to make him 
 discover where he had heard mass. But he suffered all dieir tortures 
 with a greatness of soul not unequal to that of die primitive martyrs, 
 and would not be induced to betray or bring any man into danger. After 
 diis, he was dirust into a dark, filthy hole, where he endured very 
 much, from hunger, stench, and cold, and die general want of all 
 tilings, no one being allowed to visit him, or afford him any comfort. 
 Insomuch that, when a catholic gentleman, " Mr. Roper, son-in-law 
 to Sir Thomas More," pitying his extreme sufferings, had, by die 
 means of another prisoner, conveyed to Mr. Sherwood's keeper some 
 money for die use of his prisoner, die money was by the keeper re- 
 turned the next day, because the lieutenant of the tower would not 
 suffer the prisoner to have the benefit of any such alms. And all diat 
 he could be prevailed upon to do, was to lay out one poor six-pence for 
 a litde fresh straw for him to lie upon. 
 
 In fine, after about six months' suffering in this manner, with in- 
 vincible patience, and gloriously triumphing over chains, dungeons and 
 torments, during which he often repeated these words, Lord Jcsit, O ! 
 I am not irorfh;/ that / should suffer these things for tht-e .' much less am 
 I worthy of those rewards which thoit hast promised to give to such us 
 confess thee ; he was brought out to his trial, and condemned to die 
 for denying die queen's supremacy; and was executed according to 
 sentence, being cut down whilst he was yet alive, dismembered, bo wel- 
 led and quartered. 
 
 He suffered at tyburn, Feb. 7> 1577-8. 
 
 This year, 157S, the English seminary was obliged to leave Douay 
 (after having sent from dience fifty-two priests upon the English 
 mission, besides others sent to Rome) and to repair to Rhemes ; where- 
 tiiey remained till 15Q4. The first of those that were ordained at 
 Rhemes, who suffered in England for religious matters, was, 
 
 4. * Everard Hanse, Priest. 1581. 
 
 JVlR. Hanse was born in Northamptonshire, and performed his higher 
 studies in the university of Cambridge ; dien was made a minister, 
 and promoted to a good fat benefice. ' But, by God's great providente 
 ' and mercy towards him,' " he had not been above two or three years 
 in diat state, before he" ' fell into a grievous sickness, in which, as 
 4 well by diat chastisement, as by some special miraculous admonitions 
 
 * From a Dcuay MS. But chiefly from the same author from whom we have 
 transcribed the martyrdoms of Mr. Maine and Mr. Nelson.
 
 EVBRAHD HANSE. 17 
 
 ' from above, lie began to consider of his former life, and the damnable 
 ' state and function he was in. Whereupon, calling for a catholic 
 ' priest,' " the manuscript says it was his own brother, William Hanse, 
 who was a priest of Douay college, with whom before he had many dis- 
 putes," ' he reconciled himself to the church, forsook the ministry, akm- 
 ' doned his wrongfully-begotten benefice, and so passed over to llhemes. 
 ' Where having lived near two years in most zealous and studious sort, 
 ' and being by that time, through continual exercise, well instructed in 
 
 * cases of conscience, and all duties of priesthood : he was, for die un- 
 ' speakable desire he had to gain both others, but especially some of his 
 ' dearest friends, to the unity of the church and salvation, much moved 
 ' to be made a priest, and to return home. 
 
 ' He had his intent/ " being made priest March 25, 1581, by the 
 bishop of Chaalon, in the church of the blessed virgin, with ten others 
 of the same college. He said his first mass on the 2d of April, of the 
 s:mie year, and was sent upon the mission on the 24th of the same 
 month, in the company of Mr. Freeman, Mr. Finglie, and Mr. Henry 
 Clinch. 
 
 " Mr. Hanse being therefore now lawfully sent," ' came into Eng- 
 ' land ; where he had mot been long, when venturing one day to visit 
 ' certain prisoners in the Marshalsea, he was there apprehended/ " upon 
 suspicion of his being a priest," ' and being examined by an officer, 
 ' what he was, and from whence he came ? he, without more ado, 
 ' confessed boldly himself to be a catholic, and a priest of the seminary 
 ' of Rhemes ; whereupon he was cast into Newgate amongst thieves, 
 'and loaded with irons. And a few days after, when the jail delivery 
 
 * of that prison was holden, he was brought to the bar, July the 28tli. . 
 ' Where Mr. Fleetwood, the recorder, sitting in judgment, asked him, 
 ' where he was made priest ? what was the cause of his coming into 
 ' England ? and the like. The man of God, without fear or dissimu- 
 
 ' lation, told him, that the cause of his return was to gain souls ; and 
 ' that he was made priest at llhe.nie*. 
 
 ' Recorder. Then you are a subject to the pope ? 
 
 ' Mr. Hanse. So I am, Sir. 
 
 ' Recorder. Then the pope hath some superiority over you ? 
 
 ' Mr. Hanse. That is true. 
 
 ' Recorder. What ! in England ? 
 
 ' Mr. Hanse. Yea, in England 5 for he hath as much authority 
 ' and right in spiritual government in this realm, as ever he had ; and 
 ' as much as he hath in any other country, or in Rome itself. 
 
 ' Upon which most plain and sincere confession, the heretics (as 
 ' their fashion is to falsify all tilings, and, by contrived slanders, to 
 ' make the servants of God odious) gave out afterwards in print, that 
 ' he should say, that, princes had not any supremacy or sovereignty in 
 ' their own realms, but the pope only j which was far from his mid 
 ' every catholic man's mind. Eut upon his former answer, to bring 
 ' him, by course of questions, into- -the compass of some of their new 
 9
 
 IS MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 c statutes of treason, they asked him farther, whether he thought the 
 ' pope could not err? to which, though he expressly answered, that in 
 ' life and manners he might offend, -v oho err h/ his Private doctrine or 
 ( writing : but that in judicial di;fi>iitinnx, and in dedtSHg matters of 
 ' controversy, he did tifi'er err. This plain speech, notwithstanding, 
 ' die enemies gave out that he should say, th pujn> could not sin. 
 
 ' Then tliey proceeded with him further, and demanded, whether 
 ' the pope had not judicially proceeded in die deposition of the queen ? 
 '' And, thereupon, they rend a piece of the hull of Piu<> Quintus ; those. 
 ' words especially, in which he declared her to he an heretic, and a 
 ''feutor of heretics; and deprived her of al! regal authority, and pre- 
 ' tended right of these dominions, ike.. Did he not t-rr, snid there, in, 
 'this? / Itope, said Mr. Hanse, he did tint. Which term, I hope, he 
 ' used on purpose in this matter, because Pius Quintus his act was, in 
 'this case, not a matter of doctrine, but of fact; wherein he did not 
 ' arfirm, that the pope could not err,' " or even grievously sin ; though 
 it is certainly the part of Christian charity to hope that he did not." 
 
 ' But to go one step forward, and to bring him into the compass of 
 ' die first statute of die last parliament, upon which tliev intended to 
 ' indict him, Mr. Recorder asked whether lie spoke die loresaid thing 
 ' to persuade odier men that heard him to be of his mind r Mr. Hanse 
 
 * replied, / <>. not what you mean h/ persuading ; tut I would have 
 ' all me to believe the catholic faith as I dv. 
 
 ' This being done and said of each side, order was given to one 
 ' present, diat was learned in die law, to draw up an indictment of 
 ' treason against Mr. Hanse, upon the new statute made in the last par- 
 
 * liament, which was out of hand done. The effect whereof was, that 
 r the said Hanse being one of die pope's scholars, and made priest be- 
 ' yond the seas, was returned to seduce the queen's majesty's subjects 
 
 * from dieir obedience ; and that he had affirmed the pope to be his 
 ' superior here in England, and had as much audioriiy in spiritual go- 
 ( vernment, within this realm, as ever he had before : saying further, 
 ' diat he hoped Pius Quintus erred not in declaring her to be an heretic, 
 ' excommunicating and deposing her majesty, and acknowledging diat 
 ' he uttered so much to have others diink therein as he did, &c. which 
 ' indictment being openly read, and Mr. Hanse diereon arraigned, lie 
 ' was ordered to hold up his hand : be held up his left hand ; w here.up< >n 
 ' die recorder blamed him, attributing it to some pride or superstition,. 
 
 * that, being a priest, lie would not vouchsafe, or r.iight not hold up 
 ' his anointed right hand : but the truth was, he did it, because his 
 ' right hand was occupied in easing himself, by holding up the great bolts 
 ' wherewidi die blessed man was exceedingly laden : for being ad- 
 f nionished, he forthwith stretched forth his right hand. 
 
 ' And being asked whether he was guilty of the things contained in, 
 ' die indictment, after a tew words, wherein he said, he WHS iiot altogether 
 ' guilty in tJwse things as they were set dnicn, he yet ctcknt>irlcdged the 
 ' substance, and the sense thereof with gnat courage and cnnatannj. 
 f Whereupon die sentence ofdeadi was pronounced against him in the 
 ' form well known to all aien. This done, he was returned to the prison.
 
 EVERARD HANSE. lp 
 
 ( from whence he came, where minister Crowley, and others, came to 
 ' attempt to overcome his constancy : but alter much talk, and many per- 
 4 suasions to relent in some points of religion, and to acknowledge his 
 ' fault towards her majesty j when they saw they could not prevail 
 ' against the blessed contessor, they forged to his disgrace, and to make 
 ' him odious, that he should affirm to them in talk, that treason to the. 
 ' queen -if as no sin I: if ore God. Which slander they were not ashamed 
 
 * to put out iii print. 
 
 ' He was condemned upon the 28th of July, 1581 ; and upon the 
 last day of the same month lie was drawn to Tyburn ; where being put 
 into the curt, he, with a chearful countenance, preferred himself to be a 
 ' catholic priest, and most glad to die for testimony thereof. And being 
 4 willed to ask the queen mercy, and demanded whether he took her for 
 ' his sovereign, he answered, that he did take her far his queen ; a fid 
 
 * that he never offended her majesty otherwise titan in matters of his con- 
 ' science, which their new made statutes had drawn to matters of 
 ' treason. And whereas, said he, I understand it has leen given out, that 
 ' I should say, treason was no offence to God : I protest I neither meant 
 ' nor said am/ more, but that these new made treasons, which are nothing 
 ' else indeed hit the confession of the catholic points of religion, were no 
 ' offences to God. 
 
 ' Then the ministers culled upon him to pray with them, and to de- 
 e sire the people to assist him : He answered, that he might not pray witk 
 
 * heretics ; lut desired /in nitty all catholics to pray for him and with him. 
 
 * And so whilst he was praying devoutly to himself, the cart was drawn 
 ' awav : and before he was half dead, the rope was cut, and he bowelled 
 
 * alive, and afterwards quartered : a spectacle of great edification to the 
 
 * good, and a wonder to every one that looked upon it.' 
 
 " The Douay manuscript, and Raissius in his printed catalogue of 
 martyrs of the English college, add, * that when the executioner had his 
 hand upon his heart, Mr Hanse distinctly pronounced these words, 0! 
 happy day .' And tliat it was the current fame, that his heart being cast 
 into die fire, leaped of itself out of die flames ; and being flung in again, 
 and covered with a faggot, it sprung up again with so much force, as 
 visibly to raise the faggot out of its place, and hold it as it were, for a 
 short time, quivering in the smoak." 
 
 Mr. Hanse, the day before his death, wrote the following letter to his 
 brother, \\ ho was a priest of the same college. 
 
 BHOTHER, 
 
 ' I pray you be careful for my parents, see them instructed in the 
 ' way of truth, so that you be careful for your own state also ; what you 
 ' shall take in hand that way, think no oilier, but God will send good 
 
 * Cumque Carnifcx cor ejus adhuc palpitans manibus attrcctaret, in hanc supremnin 
 prnrup" Ocem, O diem telicem 1 in.o <;n<x! magi* mirere, cor ejus in ignem missum 
 raagnc. inipetu exiinssc hubet t'arr.a coiijei.ticus, cuinijuc rursus t'u--ce cccpertum lignco 
 in i^ncm L-onjiciuin csset, secundo tanta u ctelaium contra iascem ascendisse, ut ilium 
 turn loco rr.oseret, turn in fumo ipso herere tremulum faceret. Rai^ius in Cutalogo, p.. 
 J4, ij, exDiario Collegii Anglorum.
 
 20 MEMOIRS, &c 
 
 ' success ; my prayers shall not be wanting to aid you by God's grace. 
 ' Give thanks to God for all that he hath sent ; cast not yourself into 
 ' dangers wilfully, but pray to God, when occasion is ottered you may 
 ' take it with patience. 
 
 ' The comforts at the present instant are unspeakable ; the dignity too 
 ' high for a sinner ; but God is merciful. Bestow my tilings, you find 
 ' unc'iven away, upon my poor kinsfolks. A pair of pantomcs I leave 
 ' with M. N. for my mother. Twenty shillings I would have you be- 
 ' stow on them from me, if you can make so much convenient]}' ; some I 
 ' have left with M. JS T . I owe ten shillings and two shillings, I pray you 
 ' see it p:iid. M. N. will let youunderstand how, and to whom. If you 
 ' want money to discharge it send to my friends, you know where, in my 
 ' name. Summa Conciliorum I pray you restore to M. B. the other 
 ' books, you know to whom. 
 
 ' Have me commended to my friends ; let them think I will not for- 
 ' get them. The day and hour of my birth is at hand, and my master 
 ' saith, Tolle Cruce.ni tuam *? sequere me. I'ale in domino. 
 
 Yours, 
 Pride olitus. EVERARD HAN T SE. 
 
 It was expected, that Mr. Thomas Clifton, another priest of Douay 
 college, a native of Kent, should have been the next to follow Mr. 
 Hanse, of whom a certain missioner, in a letter recorded by Mr. Rush- 
 ton, 1. 3. de Schumate, p. 320, writes as follows, ' Mr. Hanse suffered 
 ' his conflict with an invincible patience. It seems, that Mr. Clifton, 
 ' priest, is to be the next to succeed him ] who has already, for some 
 ' months, suffered so much from die heretics, by cold, hunger, and the 
 ' load of his chains, in a dungeon amongst felons, that his being yet alive 
 ' seems a miracle. This man when, of late, he was led thro' the streets, 
 ' loaded with heavy irons, to the bar, in the company of thieves, hiscom- 
 ' panions sighing, and almost all the people being moved to commiscr- 
 ' ation ; he alone was chearful, and draged his chains along with a smil- 
 ' ing countenance. And when one asked him, why he, more than 
 ' the rest, should laugh, his case being so deplorable as it was ? He 
 ' answered, because I look for greater gain than tht-y from my Bufferings ; 
 1 and it is just they should laugh that win.' 
 
 He was condemned to perpetual imprisonment ; and immediately, 
 upon hearing die sentence, fell upon his knees, and with hands and eyes 
 lifted up to heaven said, allelujah, allehijah. He was sent buck to New- 
 gate, and there fed with the bread of sorrow, having his hands, feet and 
 neek chained in sildi sort, diat he could neidier sit down, nor stir out 
 of his place all die day ; and every night being put down into a hor- 
 rid and darksome dungeon. Douay diary, ad annum 1.581. 
 
 Of Mr. Hanse, thus writes Mr. Stow, in his annals or chronicle, anno 
 1581. ' Eyerard Hanse,, a seminary priest., was in die Sessions-flail, in 
 ' the Old Bailey, arraigned, where he affirmed, that himself was subject 
 ' to the pope in ecclesiastical causes, and diat the pope hath now the 
 ' >;ime authority here in England, that he had an hundred years pu^t, 
 ' with other trailerous speeches ; for the which he was condemned and
 
 EVERARD HANSE. 21 
 
 ' and executed.' So Mr. Stow, who adds, that, ' at the same sessions, 
 f were brought from the Fleet, Gatehouse, Newgate, and the Counters, 
 ' sundry prisoners, indicted for refusing to come to die church ; all 
 ' which being convicted by their own confession, had judgment accord - 
 ' ingly, to pay twenty pounds for every month of such their wilful ab- 
 ' sence from the church.' 
 
 But this was not the only, nor the greatest, severity that the Eng- 
 lish catholics endured in this persecution, which raged without any 
 intermission for the twenty-five last years of queen Elizabeth's reign. 
 About this very time that Mr. Hanse suffered, or a little before, we find 
 many instances of an extraordinary nature of the sufferings of catholics, 
 recorded by Dr, Bridgwater in his collections, published under the 
 title of Cuncertatio Ecclesice Catfioticcs : Some of which we will here 
 set down. 
 
 I. William Tyrwhile, son to Sir Robert Tyrwhite, accused for 
 having heard mass, at his sister's wedding, was carried prisoner to the 
 Tower, notwithstanding he was actually sick of a high fever; and the 
 physicians declared, that he was a dead man if they removed him to 
 prison in that condition : His friends offered any bail for his appearance, 
 as soon as he should recover 5 but all in vain ; he was huiried away, 
 sick as he was, and died within two days. His brother, Robert Tyr- 
 'Vv'hite, was also, for the same cause, cast into prison, and there died. 
 
 II. Mr. John Cooper, a hopeful young man, of a good family, 
 brought up under Dr. Nicholas Harpsfield, designing to leave England 
 for the sake of his religion and to follow his studies abroad, and having, 
 for that purpose, gathered together what money he could, was stopped 
 at the sea side upon a discovery of his design, and sent back to London, 
 where he was plundered of all he had, and committed close prisoner to 
 Becheam Tower : here, partly through hunger and cold, and partly 
 through the nastiness and stench of the place, he contracted a disease, 
 by which he appeared something disturbed in the head and delirious. 
 This being told to the lieutenant of the tower, he ordered his bed to be 
 taken away, which some friends had sent him in, that he might lie for 
 the future upon the bare floor ; which addition to his former sufferings 
 brought him quickly to his end : and for a token that he perished through 
 their barbarous usage, when they pulled off his slippers, in order to 
 bury him, his flesh stuck to them, and came off by pieces from the 
 bones. 
 
 III. Mr. Dimock, champion of England, and son-in-law to tha 
 Earl of Lincoln, having been a paralytic for some years, so that he 
 could neither go out of doors, nor move himself one step, without help, 
 was accused to the bishop of the diocese, of being a Roman catholic : 
 upon this, he is cited to make his appearance before his lordship, and 
 excuses himself by reason of his palsy. The bishop therefore comes to 
 his house, sees his condition, but is nothing moved with it, orders him 
 to be carried to prison, where, in a short time, he dies. But neither 
 would they let him die quietly, but sent in their ministers to perplex 
 him, and force their prayers upon him, though, to the last gasp, he 
 refused their assistance, and died in the faith of his renowned ancestors*
 
 "22 MEMOIRS, 5c,-. 
 
 IV. Mr. Christopher Watson, and about twenty other catholic*, of 
 both sexes, imprisoned in like manner for their religion, perished also 
 about this time in York ffestle. 
 
 V. Mark Typer, a yovmg gentleman, -who had been some time 
 student in Douay college, was condemned by Mr. Fleetwood, the recor- 
 der of London, to be whipped through the city, and to have his ears 
 bored through v\ ith a red hot iron : which sentence was accordingly 
 executed upon him for his religion. We pass over many other instance* 
 of extraordinary severity against the catholics, which were but the pre- 
 ludes of more cruel treatment, which we shall meet with by and by. 
 
 5. * Edmund Campion, Priest. S. J. 
 
 JtLxmuND Campion was born in London, where he had his first edu- 
 cation in Christ-Church Hospital. From whence he was sent to Oxford. 
 ' where he was brought up in St. John's college, being very much be- 
 ' loved for his excellent qualifications, by Sir Thomas White, of wurthv 
 ' memory, the founder of that house, at whose burial he made an t x- 
 
 * ceilent oration in Latin, having made the like before in English, at the 
 
 * funeral of my lady Dudley, late wife of the Earl of Leicester > where, 
 ' after he had passed with great applause through all such exercises, 
 ' degrees, and offices as the university yiekleth to men of his condition, 
 ' by die importunate persuasions of some of his friends, that were de- 
 *". sirous of his worldly honour and advancement, he suffered himself to 
 ' be made deacon after tlieir new fashion. 
 
 ' But for all that, our Lord mercifully witliheld him from that ain- 
 ' bitious course, which is the gulf in which many great wits have perish- 
 ' ed in these days. Therefore, having spent some more time in study, and 
 
 * travelled into Ireland (the history of which country he wrote truly and 
 '.eloquently) hearing that there was a seminary not long before begun 
 ' in Douay, he went over thitlier, " where, under the conduct of Dr. 
 Allen, first president of the college, he applied himself with great dili- 
 gence, as well to the study of divinity, as to the acquiring the knowledge 
 of God and himself, the true science of die saints : And" ' after many 
 ' exercises, done both in the house and in the public schools, he proceeded 
 
 * bachelor of divinity, to his great commendation, and the honour of 
 ' our nation. 
 
 ' Nevertheless all this while (especially being now more advanced in 
 ' devotion, zeal, learning and judgment than before) the continual 
 ' thought of dint schismatjcal deaconship which lie had taken, did so 
 
 * sorely oppress his mind, and the conceit of die greatness of diat sin so 
 
 * burthened his conscience, diat no counsel of learned friends could give 
 ' him satisfaction, till he entered into religion to wipe away the same by 
 ' penance and holy profession. So making his choice of die society of 
 
 * His life has been published by Bombinu*, and several others. What we here give 
 is, an extract out of the old English author, from whom we had our account of Mr. 
 Han?e, &c. whom we prefer to all the rest, as being more ancient, and personally 
 acquainted with Mr. Campion, and an eve witness to his death. His account \vas pub- 
 lished in 15S2.
 
 EDMUND CAMPION. 23, 
 
 ' Jesus, which has ever since regarded him as one of her brightest lights, 
 < he went to Rome, where he was admitted by the general of the order, 
 "Anno, 1573," and after one month's stay in that city, was sent,ta 
 ' Bohemia where he abode " about seven years" and was made priest at 
 ' Prague, continually (f during this time" teaching, preaching, cate- 
 
 * chizing, writing and labouring for the church of God ; whereby he 
 ' became so famous, that not only other principal states, but the im- 
 ' perial majesty was contented often to hear him preach ; till, at length, 
 
 * at the sute of such as knew his great talent in dealing with heretics for 
 ' their conversion, his general called him thence to be bestowed upon 
 ' his own country. 
 
 In his return towards England, he called at Rhemes, where, the 
 college was now translated, having father Robert Parsons in his com- 
 pany ; ' where, beside other communication, appertaining to the re- 
 ' duction of our country to the catholic faith, he demanded of Dr. Allen, 
 ' whether lie thought that any service he could do in England (the times 
 ' being as they were) were likely to be worth all these- loug labours aiui 
 ' hazards past and to come, or might countervail the wants that those 
 
 * should seem to have by his absence from whence he came. To which 
 
 * Dr. .Mien answered, father, said he, Jrst, whatever you did thert, 
 ' may le (fane l-y other*, one or wore <;f your order. Secondly, you owe 
 
 * more duty to England tlnni lo Bohemia, and to London than to Prague. 
 
 * Though I am g/ad you. have made some recnnipence to thai c.nu.ntry for 
 ' the old u-oinid it receii'ctl from us' " in !f/ic.klef}''s tin? ; from whom 
 the Hussities of Bohemia learnt their heresies." ' Thirdly, the. recovery 
 ' of one soul from heresy is u-ortli ul! your pains, as I hope you will gain 
 1 many : lecausc the harvest is loth more plentiful and more ripe with us 
 ' than in those parts. Finally, the reward may le greater ; for you may 
 ' le. martyred for it at home, u-Jiich yon t-auaot easily oltnin there. So 
 ' he was satisfied. And of this communication I have heard him often 
 
 * speak. 
 
 ' At last he happily landed at Dover, the day after Midsummer, 
 ' anno, 1560, being, by God's great goodness, delivered out of the 
 ' searchers' and othcers' hands, who detained him with them upon su.>- 
 ' picion for some hours, upon deliberation to have sent him to the council. 
 ' Coining therefore to London, lie preached there his first sermon upon 
 ' St. Peter and St. Paul's day, at which I myself was present, where he 
 ' had aiVill audience, and that of persons of distinction. But afterwards, 
 ' loth there and in sundry other parts of the realm, far greater, through 
 4 the fame and experience of his manifold virtues, and great eloquence 
 ' and learning ; many protestants of good nature being, at sundry times, 
 ' to hear him ; who, ever afterwards, contemned their vulgar pulpit- 
 ' men, in comparison of him, 
 
 ' He preached once a day, at the least, often twice, and sometimes 
 f thrice; whereby, through God's goodness, he converted several iu 
 ( most counties of the realm of the best sort, besides young gentlemen, 
 'students, and others oi "all conditions.' "And by the experience he 
 had of t he good that came of preaching, he particularly recommended 
 tu \-crardiis AJVrcuviajius, the gencraj yf hi order, iu a letter written
 
 24 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 from England, that such of the society as should be sent upon the 
 English mission, should be able preachers. In which letter he also ac- 
 knowledged the good offices done him and the society, by the missioner-* 
 of the secular clergy, who had cultivated this vineyard for many years 
 before his coming." 
 
 ' At his first entrance into the kingdom, he made his proffer of dis- 
 
 * putation j for such causes as he alledged tn the same ; and more at large 
 
 * afterwards, in his eloquent and learned book to both the universities, 
 
 * whereby the protestant preachers and prelates found themselves so 
 
 * deeply wounded in their doctrine and credit, notwithstanding tlrey had 
 ' patched up a few pamphlets against him, that they instigated her ma- 
 ' jesty's council to alter the question from controversy in religion, to the 
 ' cause of the queen and matter of state, that so they might maintain, by 
 
 * force and authority, what tliey could not do by their learning and 
 
 * divinity. 
 
 ' Thereupon it was given orlt, by* divers speeches and proclamations, 
 
 * that great confederacies were made by the pope and foreign princes, for" 
 
 * the invasion of the land; and that the Jesuits and seminary priests, 
 
 * were sent in, forsooth, to prepare their ways, and such like trumpery, 
 
 * to beguile and incense the simple against them. Then all exquisite 
 
 * diligence was used for the apprehension of others, but more particularly 
 
 * of father Campion, whom they called the Pnpex Champion. 
 
 ' At length, after he had laboured in God's Ifarvesf near thirteen 
 
 * months, being betrayed by one George Eliot, after long seim-h, and 
 
 * much ado, by God's permission, he fell into the persecutors' hands the! 
 '1/thofJuly, 1581, being found in a secret closet, in a catholic gentle- 
 ' man and confessor's house, called, Mr. Yates, of Lyfordy two godly 1 
 ' priests, Mr. Ford and Mr. Collington, being with him,- all lying, when 
 ' the enemy discovered them, upon a bed, their faces and hands lifted 
 ' up tA heaven. He offered his two companions in the search, that if 
 ' they thought all that ado was for him, and that his yielding himself up 
 ' might acquit them, he would give himself up ; but fhcy would not 
 ' Suffer this in any-wise : but hearing one anothers confessions, ex- 
 
 * pected God's good will together, every one having penance injoined 
 ' to say three times, thy will lc dime, O Lord '. and St. Jlin Ba!>ti*i 
 ' pray for me. Which blessed saint they particularly invoked, for that 
 ' father Campion was delivered, as he took it, out of the searchers' 
 ' hands at Dover, by the intercession of that holy prophet, his .special 
 ' patron. 
 
 ' Father Campion being now in the power of the traitor Eliot, and 
 
 * the officers, and made a shew and matter of mockery to the unwise 
 c multitude, and the ungodly of all sorts, shewed such remarkable mo- 
 f desty, mildness, patience, and Christian humility, in all his speeches 
 ' and actions, that the good were exceedingly edified, and the enemies 
 ' much astonished. After he had been two days in the custody of the 
 ' sheriff of Berkshire, he was carried with the rest, as well priests as 
 -* gentlemen and others, apprehended in that place, towards London. 
 ' At Abington, among others, divers scholars of Oxford came to see the 
 ' man so faiaous, of which being told by one Mr. Lydcot, he said, he
 
 EDMUND CAMPION. 2* 
 
 r icas very glad ; himself Icing once of that university, and asked, whe- 
 ' ther they would hear a sermon ; tliere, at dinner, Eliot said to him, 
 'Mr. Campion, you look cheerfully ufjnn every-body but me : ' I knuic 
 ' you are angry with me in your heart for this work. God forgive thee, 
 ' Eli'it, said he, for so judging of me : I forgive thee, and in to/u'n 
 ' thereof, I drink to thee; yea, and if thou wilt repent and come to con- 
 f fe.t.<ion, I wilt at solve thee ; lut large penance thou must have. 
 
 In his way to London, ' besides the tying of his legs under his horse, 
 ' and binding his arms behind him, which was done to the others also, 
 
 * the council appointed a paper to be set upon his hat with great capital 
 ' letters, CAMVIOX THE SEDITIOUS JESUIT ; and gave orders, that they 
 ' should stay at Colebrook a good part of Friday, and all the night, that 
 ' thence they might bring him and his companions upon Saturday, in 
 ' triumph through the city, and the whole length thereof, especially 
 ' through such places, where, by reason of the markets of that day, 
 ' the greatest concourse of the common people was ; whom in such 
 ' matters their policy seeks most to please ; which was executed ae- 
 ' cordingly, all London, almost, beholding the spectacle ; the mob 
 ' gazing, and with delight beholding the novelty : but the wiser sort 
 ' lamenting to see our country fallen to such barbarous iniquity, as tu 
 1 abuse in this manner, a religious man, so honourable in all nations 
 ' for his learning, and of so innocent a life : so that day, which wai 
 ' the 22d of July, he was delivered up to the lieiltenant of the-. 
 ' tower. 
 
 ' Here, besides the ordinary miseries incident to that kind of 
 ' imprisonment, doubled by the inhuman dealing and deep hatred to 
 ' catholics, of the c^iief officer of the place, after sundry examinations, 
 ' terrors and threats, by the lord chancellor, and others of the council 
 '' and commission, he was divers times racked, to force out of him, by 
 'intolerable torment >, whose houses he had frequented, by whom he 
 ' was relit ved, whom he had reconciled, when, which way, for what 
 'purpose, and by what commission, he came into the realm; how, 
 ' where and by whom he printed and dispersed his books, and such 
 < like. 
 
 ' At his first racking, they went no further with him ; but after- 
 c wards, when they saw he could not be won to condescend somewhat 
 
 * at least in religion, which was the thing they most desired, they 
 ' thought good to forge matter of treason against him, and framed thtrir 
 
 * demands accordingly ; about which he was so cruelly torn and rent 
 ' upon the torture, the two last times, that he told a friend of his that 
 ' found means to speak with him, that he thought <hey meant to make 
 f him away in that manner. Before he went to the rack, he used 10 
 ' fall down at the rack-house door, upon both knees, fo commend 
 " himself to God's mercy ; and upon the rack he called continually 
 ' upon God, repeating often the holy name of Jesus. He most charit- 
 ' nbly forgave his tormentors, and the causers thereof. His ki ; 
 
 ' ing him ihe next day, how he ft. It hi? hands and feet " he r.\ 
 ' not ill, becfiufe nut a! oil
 
 26 MEMflfRS, &c. 
 
 f The enemies, not contented with this, and many other accustomed 
 f ways of torture, secretly, as it is said, used towards him to afflict his 
 ' body, added a thousand devices and slanderous reports to wrong him 
 ' in his fame, opening all the mouths of die ministers to bark against 
 ' him ; sometimes publishing, that there was great hope he would 
 ' become a protestant ; sometimes, that he had been at church and 
 ' service : another while, that he had uttered upon the rack all that ever 
 ' he knew ; yea, sometimes, that he, had therefore killed himself in 
 ' prison ; which, no doubt they would have further avouched, if he 
 ' had died by racking, as it was very like he should have done. 
 
 ' The lieutenant of the tower, at the beginning, hoping that lit- 
 ' might be gained to their side in some points, either by sweet word.i, 
 ' great promises of promotions, or extreme torments, extolled the man 
 ' exceedingly, affirming divers times, that he was such a man as Eng- 
 ' land never brought forth before : and surely, said he, it is God's sin- 
 ' gular goodness that he returned home ; no doubt her majesty will 
 ' prefer him to great livings. And that he might want no good pretence 
 ' to yield to their desires, they often brought to him such divines as 
 ' they had to confer with him, and to persuade him privately to relent 
 1 somewhat to their sect : but not prevailing that way, they caused, 
 ' under colour of fatisfying his former challenge of disputation, divers 
 ' public disputes, or rather certain light skirmishes, to bark at him and 
 ' bait him. Four or five of the contrary side, all provided as well as 
 ' they could, were set put against one destitute of all proper helps, 
 " and brought almost to the brink of death by the rack," ' now one 
 
 * snatching, now another ; and sometimes all biting together. The 
 ' masters of the game, in the mean time, when they saw father Cam- 
 ' pion, in answering and defending himself (for he was never suffered 
 
 * to oppose) to gripe the adversaries hard, parted them with their tip- 
 ' staves, commanding him to silence, and threatening him with law*. 
 ' authority and punishment. Thus they disputed three several time* 
 ' with the man of God, shewing nothing but barbarous despite, malice, 
 1 and so deep ignorance in divinity, that divers of the protestauts them- 
 ' selves were ashamed thereof, and marvelled exceedingly at die other's 
 ' learning, meekness, patience and humility. 
 
 ' And now, by this time falling from all hope of his yielding to 
 ' diem, and so from all pity and good-nature towards him, they prac- 
 ' tised how to make him and his companions away by some shew of 
 ' justice, and that not for the new made treasons ; that is to say, for 
 ' mere religion, but for matters of treason so called of old, against her 
 ' majesty and die state ; forging things for this purpose, and finding out 
 ' three or four false fellows that would not stick to swear die .same 
 ' against a man -whom they never knew nor saw in their life before his 
 ' apprehension. So they caused an indictment to be drawn up against 
 ' him, and a number more of most godly learned priests, compriz- 
 ' ing him and them all together, that so whatsoever might colour- 
 
 * ably be avouched or witnessed of the rest, or of any one of them all, 
 ' either present or absent, all might seerfl to the simple, and to die jury 
 ' (deeply biased by fear ajid authority) to touch him also, and every oiu? 
 ' of the others.
 
 EDMUND CAMPION. 2; 
 
 'The 14th day of November, anno 1581, he and seven others 
 ' were brought from the Tower to the King's Bench bar, and a bill of 
 ' their indictment was read in the hearing of father Campion and the 
 ' rest, how that in the 22d year of the reign of our sovereign lady the 
 ' queen, on the last day of May, in the parts beyond the seas, they had 
 
 * practised the queen's deposition and death ; and the stirring up of re- 
 ' bell ion within, and invasion of the realm from abroad, and such like 
 ' stulf. Whereupon he was arraigned with the others, and commanded, 
 ' as custom is in such cases, to hold up his hand ; but both his arms 
 ' being pitifully benumbed by his often cruel racking before, and he 
 ' having them wrapped in a furred cuff, he was not able to lift his hand 
 ' so high as the rest did, and was required of him ; but one of his com- 
 ' panions, kissing his hand so abused for the confession of Christ, took 
 ' off his cuff, and so he lifted up his arm as high as he could, and 
 ' pleaded not guiltu, as all the rest did. I protest, said he, before God, 
 ' find his knty angels, before Heaven and earth, before the world and 
 
 * this bar whereat I stand, -which is lut a small resemblance nf the ter- 
 
 * rible judgment of the next life, that I am not guilty of any part of the 
 
 * tretison contained in the indictment, or of any other treason whatsoever. 
 ' Then lifting up his voice, he added, is it possible to find twelve men su 
 ' wicked, and void of all conscience in this city, or land, that willjind us 
 ' guilty together of this one crime, divers of us never meeting, or know- 
 ' ing one the other, before our bringing to this bar'? 
 
 ' Nothing more was done that day, only a jury was impanneled for 
 ' the next Monday, being the 2Oth of the same month : but three of 
 
 * the lirst of tliat impannel being esquires, doubting that justice should 
 ' have no free course that day, in these men's cases, whose blood was 
 ' so earnestly thirsted after, appeared not when the day came. In the 
 ' mean time Mr. Campion and his fellow confessors were carried back 
 4 to the prisons from whence they came.' " The seven that were 
 arraigned, together with Mr. Campion, were Mr. Ralph Sherwine, Mr. 
 Lnke Kirby, Mr. Thomas Cot tain, Mr. Robert Johnson, and Mr. Ed- 
 ward Rishton, all priests of Douay college ; Mr. James Bosgrave, a 
 young Jesuit, who, coming over tor his health, had fallen into their 
 hands, and Mr. Orton, a lay gentleman. And the next day, in like 
 manner, were arraigned, Mr. John Collington, or Colleton, Air. 
 I. aun-nce Richardson, Mr. John Hart, Mr. Thomas Ford, Mr. William 
 i'ilby, Mr. Alexander Brian, and Mr. John Shcrt, all priests, educated 
 in the same college, though Mr. Shert was made priest at Rome." 
 
 ' On the 2Oth day of November before mentioned, Mr. Campion 
 ' and his companions were brought ba,ck again to receive judgment ; 
 ' where, notwithstanding what commandment soever, or order taken 
 ' to the contrary, there was Mich a presence of people, and that of the 
 ' more honourable, wise, learned, and best sort, as \\as never seen or 
 ' hranl of in that court, in ours or our fathers' memories before us. So 
 ' wonderful an expectation there was of some to see die end of this 
 ' marvelous tragedy, containing so many strange and divers acts of ex- 
 amining, racking, disputing, subornations of false witnesses, and 
 ' the like : of others, to IK -hold whether the old honour of law and 
 4 ju>tice, wherein our uation hath, of all the world, had the praise.,
 
 28 MEMOIRS, See. 
 
 ' could, or durst, now stand its ground, notwithstanding any violent 
 ' impression of power and authority to the contrary. Whether there 
 1 were any Markhams left in the land that would yield up coiffe, office 
 ' and life, rather than give sentence against such as they knew, in 
 ' conscience, to be innocent, and, in truth, not touched by any evi- 
 ' dence whatsoever. But this one day gave that assembly, and all the 
 'world, full proof of the sad fall of equity, law, conscience and justice, 
 ' together with the catholic faith in our poor country. 
 
 ' For nothing there said by the queen's attorney, solicitor, or other 
 ' counsellors, or by any of those that were at their racking, or by the, 
 ' suborned false witnesses,' " Eliot, Cradock, Sledd and Munday," 
 ' could in any well-informed man's conscience, touch any of them all, 
 ' as every one of die rest, and especially father Campion, did, point by 
 * point, prove and declare as clear as the sun ; and his innocence, in 
 f particular, .wa"s so plain in all men's sight, that what colour soever 
 ' might be made for the condemnation of the others, yet for father 
 ' Campion's none at all : insomuch, that whilst the- jury were- gone 
 ' forth, divers wise and well-learned lawyers, and others, conjecturing 
 'and conferring one with another what should be the verdict, they all 
 e agreed, that whatever might be concluded as to some of the rest, it 
 ' was impossible to condemn father Campion. 
 
 ' But it was father Campion that especially was designed to die, 
 ' and for his sake the rest ; and therefore no defence could serve : and 
 ' the poor jury did that which they understood was looked for at their 
 ' hands, and brought them in all guilty. Mr. Popham, the attorney- 
 ' general, having plainly signified to them, that it was the queen's will 
 ' it should be so. .The most unjust verdict, says my author, that ever 
 ' I think was given up in this land, whereat already not only England, 
 ' but all the Christian world, doth wonder, and which our posterity 
 ' shall lament and be ashamed of. Upon this, sentence followed, that 
 ' all these holy men should be hanged, drawn and quartered, as in cases 
 ' of high treason, and so that doleful day was spent. Father Campion, 
 1 and his happy associates, rejoiced in God, using divers holy speeches 
 c of scripture to their own comfort, and the great edification of others, 
 ' and so were sent back to their prisons again, where, being laid up in 
 ' irons for the rest of their time, they expected God's mercy, and the 
 ' queen's pleasure.' 
 
 " The following day the other priests who, as we have seen above, 
 were arraigned for the same fictitious plot, received the same unjust 
 sentence, Mr. Colleton only except ed, who was acquitted by the tes- 
 timony of Mr. Lancaster, witnessing, that he was with him in Gray's 
 Inn, the very day that he was charged with plotting at Rhemes ; 
 where, indeed, Mr. Colleton, who was sent inissioner from Douay, 
 had never been in his life. He was afterwards transported into banish- 
 ment, and lived to be the first dean of the English chapter, erected by 
 the bishop of Chalcedon. 
 
 As to the innocence of all the rest of these gentlemen, with regard 
 to the treasons laid to their charge, and the bare-faced injustice used in 
 the condemning of them, my author, in his preface to his account -j of
 
 EDMUND CAMPION. 29 
 
 their deaths, has set it in so clear a light, that it seems to be out of all 
 dispute, that the true cause of their execution was not any trea-'on, but 
 their religion. And we learn from Mr. Camden, in his Elizabeth, 
 that for the greasiest part of them, the queen herself did not believe 
 them uilt. P'erosue tamen ex mitcHis his sucerdotilits e.iitij i 
 
 guilty. P'erosque tamen ex mitcHis his sucerdotilits e.iitij in 
 patriam conficOuK consciosjiiisse non credidit. p. 327- edit. 10'15." 
 
 The time that passed between judgment and execution, which was 
 from the 20th of November till the 1st of December, father Campion 
 spent in preparing for his end by godly spiritual exercises ; shewing so 
 much patience, and using such sweet speeches to his keeper and others 
 that had to deal with him, that the same keeper having afterwards one 
 Norton in his custody (who had been a violent persecutor of Mr. Cam- 
 pion and his companions) and comparing together the different be- 
 haviours of his prisoners, declared, that he hud a saint in his keeping 
 l(fore, hit now he had a devil, 
 
 In the mean time the protestants did not desist to tempt Mr. Cam- 
 pion, with proffers of life and liberty, to go over to their side, or at 
 least to make some steps towards them ; insomuch, that die lieutenant 
 of the Tower told Mr, Campion's sister, who came to see her brother 
 three days before his death, that if fie would litt yield to change his re- 
 ligi<>n, he would secure him a 100/. a year ; but Mr. Campion had too 
 well studied that great lesson : what will it profit a man to gain the 
 whole ifcrLl and lute his own soul? to be moved by any such oilers. 
 
 On the morning of the 1st of December, he was brought to Mr. 
 Sberwine and Mr. Brian, who were to be his companions in death, who 
 waited for him in the Coleharbor prison : and after mutual embrace, 
 they were all three led out to the hurdles prepared for them ; father 
 Campion saluting the people at his coming out with these words, God 
 sure you all, God Hess you, and make you all good catholics. ' They 
 ' were drawn from the Tower to Tyburn, says my author, there to be 
 f martyred for the catholic faith and religion. Father Campion was 
 ' alone on one hurdle, and the other two together on another, all 
 ' molested by ministers and others, calling upon them by the way for 
 ' their subversion j and by some also, as opportunity served, comforted \ 
 ' and father Campion especially consulted by one in some cases of con- 
 ' science and religion ; and the mire wherewith he was all spattered, 
 ' most courteously wiped off his face. 
 
 ' Wjben they were come to the place of execution, where divers of 
 ' her majesty's honorable counsel, with many other persons of honour, 
 ' besides an infinite multitude of people, attended their coming. Father 
 ' Campion was first brought up into the cart ; where, after some small 
 ' pause, he began to speak upon that text of St. Paul, 1. Cor. iv. (). 
 ' ice are made a spectacle to the world, &C. but was interrupted by Sir 
 ' Francis Knowles, and the sheriffs, urging him to confess his treason, 
 ' against her majesty, and to acknowledge himself guilty : To whom lie 
 ' answered, for the treason irliich hare leen lat/edto nn/ charge and I am 
 
 * ame here to suffer for I deiire you all to leaf witness ivit/i me, that 
 
 thereof I am a/lug, t/irr in^e&tt. 
 
 1 \\ hereupon answer was made to him by'one of die conn
 
 30 MEMOIRS, &:c. 
 
 ' he might not seem to deny the objections against him, having been 
 ' pnned by sufficient evidence. "Well my lord, said lie, I am a catholic 
 ' man, and a priest ; in that fuith have I lived, and in that faith dr> 
 ' I intend to die: and if you. esteem my religion treason, tiien am [ 
 'guilty: as for anif other treason I never committed, God is /;;?/ 
 'judge: but you hare now what you. desire ; I beseech you to IKIL-C- 
 'patience, and suffur me to speak a word or tiro for discharge 
 
 * of my conscience. But not being sufterrd to go forward, he wa< 
 
 * forced to speak only to that point which they most urged, protesting, 
 ' that he was innocent of all treason and conspiracy ; desiring credit to 
 ' le given to his answers, as to the last answer mad* upon his death and 
 'soid: adding, that the jury might easily I e drc-Aved, &c. but that he 
 '^forgave all,, as he desired to le forgiven ; desiri?ig all them to forgive 
 ' him, irhose names he had confessed upon the rack (for, upon the com- 
 
 * missioners oaths, that no harm should come unto them, he uttered some 
 ' persons with whom he had leen.} 
 
 ' Further he -declared the meaning of a letter sent by himself, in 
 ' time of his imprisonment, to Mr. Pound, a prisoner then also in the 
 ' Tower, in which he wrote, that he would not disclose, the secrets of 
 'some houses where he had leen entertained: affirming upon his soul, 
 
 * that the secrets he meant in that letter were not, as it was misconstrued 
 ' ly the enemy, treason or conspiracy s or any matter else against her 
 ' majesty or the state ; but saying of mass, hearing confessions, preaching t 
 ' and such like duties and function's of priesthood . This he protested to be 
 
 * true, as he would answer before God. 
 
 ' They pressed him to declare his opinion of Pius Quintus his bull, 
 
 * concerning the excommunication of the queen. To which demand 
 ' he gave no answer. Then they asked, whether he renounced the 
 ' pope ? He answered, he was a catholic : whereupon one inferred, 
 ' saying, in your Catholicism (I noted the term) all treason is contained. 
 ' In fine, preparing himself to drink his last draught of Christ's cup, 
 ' he was interrupted in his prayer by a minister, willing him to say 
 
 * some prayer with him ; unto whom, looking back with a mild coun- 
 ' tenance, he meekly replied, you and I are not one in religion, wliere- 
 1 fore I pray you content yourself, I bar none of prayer, only I desire 
 ' them of the household of faith to pray icith me, and in wy agony to say 
 ' one creed, (for a signification that he died tor the confession of the. 
 
 * catholic faith therein contained.) 
 
 ' Some also called to him to pray in English ; to whom lie answered, 
 
 * that he would pray in a language he well understood. At the upshot 
 ' of this conflict he was willed to a*k the queen forgiveness, and to pray 
 ' for her j he meekly answered, wherein have I of] ended her ? /// ////< 
 
 * / am innocent : this is my last speech: in this gii-e me credit : I have 
 ' and do pray for her. Then the Lord Charles Howard asked of him, 
 ' for which queen he prayed, whether for Elizabeth the queen ? to whom 
 ' he answered, yea, for Elizabeth, your queen and my queen. And 
 ' the cart being drawn away, he meekly and sweetly yielded his soul 
 Vunto his Saviour, protesting (hat he died a perfect catholic. 
 
 ' Which his mild death, and former sincere protestations of his
 
 RALPH SHERWIXE. 31 
 
 * innocency, moved the people to such compassion and tears, that the 
 ' adversaries,, in their printed books " of his death under Munday's 
 name," ' were glad to excuse the matter." 
 
 He suffered at Tyburn, December], 1581, sEtatis Anno 42. 
 
 The gentlemera that were brought up to London at the same time 
 with father Campion, and cast into prison, were Edward Yates, John 
 Cotton, Edward Koines, "William I fild'j-k-v, Humphrey Raines, Philip 
 Low, and John James. 
 
 6. * Ralph Slierwhie, Priest. 
 
 JLlE was born in Derbyshire, at a place called Radesley, near L.ingford, 
 and brought up in Exeter college, in Oxford, where he was admitted 
 fellow, in 15fj8. ' In 1574, says Mr. Wood, " Atht-n Oion" pro- 
 ' ceeding in arts, he was made senior of the act, celebrated July 26, the 
 ' .saiiie year, being then accounted an acute philosopher, and an ex- 
 
 * crllent Gmecian and Hebrician.' " fie left the university in 1575, 
 and with it the protestrmt religion, which it seems did not sit easy 
 upon his conscitmce, aud" ' went over to Douay, to die seminary that 
 ' was then there, says my author, and after some years study in divinity, 
 ' was made priest by the bishop of Cambray, on the 23d of March, 
 ' 1577, together with Mr. Laurence Johnson, that was martyred under 
 ' the name of Richardson, " and eight otliers." And tlie 2d of August, 
 ' of the same year, he was sent to Rome, in company with Mr. llish- 
 
 * ton, who was afterwards condemned with him, where he studied in 
 ' the seminary till the year 1580 ; at which time he returned homeward 
 ' by the way of llhcmes,' " where he made some short stay, upon a 
 design of accompanying, in quality of Chaplain, Dr. Goldwell, bishop 
 of St. Asaph, who then purposed to come over to England to administer 
 confirmation t the catholics ; but the bishop falling sick at Rhemes, and 
 proceeding no further in his journey," ' Mr. Shenvine went forward 
 ' towards England ; where, after his arrival, he occupied himself in all 
 ' functions belonging to priesthood, with great zeal and charity ; and 
 ' soon after was taken in Mr. llosrarroke's chamber, in London, and 
 ' committed to the Marshalsea, where he. lat night and day in a great 
 ' pair of shackles, for the space of a month. 
 
 ' In November after his imprisonment, there came word from the 
 ( knight marshal, to the keeper of the Msrshalsca, to understand of him, 
 
 * whether there vert* an'/ papists in his prison that durst or irvuld main- 
 ( tfiin tfu'ir cruise l\i/ disputation , and *f there ircre any .im-h, that t'un 
 ' tht'// should send him such t/Ht'.itintts o.v t/tty u-ou/d defend, subscribed 
 ' ii-ii/i their hands, (nid make themselves read'/ to dispute ; Jor t/uy should 
 ' under* tarn,' from him shortly of tin.' inuniu-r, time and place, hozv and 
 ' n-her,- to dispute. This motion was so well liked of the catholics, that 
 ' Mr. Sherwine and two other priests, that were afterwards condemned 
 ' with him., ^'r/.. Mr. John Hart aud Mr. Bosgrave, offered themselves 
 ' to the combat, drew up questions, subscribed their names, and sent 
 
 tfiQin the same auijior, an Cf-witne$ ofhi!j ds*th.
 
 32 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' them to the said knight marshal ; but the questions pleasing him not, 
 ' they accepted of other questions sent unto tliem from him, and ex- 
 
 * pected with joyful minds the day appointed to dispute. But, lo ! the 
 ' very day before they should have disputed, Mr. Shenvine was removed 
 ' to the Tower, where he was at sundry and several times examined and 
 
 * racked. 
 
 ' In his first racking he was asked where father Campion and father 
 ' Parsons were ? why he and they came over into England ? what ac- 
 ' qmintance he had here in Engaud ? whether he had said mass in Mr. 
 ' Roscarroke's chamber ? and whether he had of him at any time money? 
 ' He was a close prisoner almost a whole year, in which time he had 
 ' divers conferences with ministers, sometimes in private, at other 
 ' times in an open audience of honourable and worshipful persons, to 
 ' the honour of God, the benefit of his afflicted church, and to the ad- 
 ' miration of most of his hearers. 
 
 ' He was, after his first racking, set out in a great snow, and laid 
 ' upon the rack ; and the gentleman in whose chamber he was token, 
 
 * was kept hard by, in a dark corner, to hear his pitiful groans.' " Of 
 his second racking, the Reverend Mr. Broughton, in a manuscript re- 
 lation sent over to Douay in 1626, writes, ' that his brother, Mr. 
 ' John Sherwine, still living, being asked by a priest concerning his 
 ' brother, told him, that he, coming to his brother in the Tower of 
 
 * London, his said brother told him, that he had been twice racked, and 
 ' the latter time he lay Jive days and nights without any fowl, or speaking 
 f to any hxlu. All ir/iich time, he lay, as he thought, in a s'lia-ji l-<ft,rc 
 ' our Saviour on the cross, sifter which time, he came to himself, not 
 'finding any distemper in his joints f-i/ the extremity of the 'torture. It 
 ' was offered him ly th& Ushops of Canterbury and LonduH, that if he 
 
 * would hit go to Paus church, lie sliould have the second bishopric 
 ' of England." 
 
 ' On Midsummer day, in the year 15S1, he was called before the 
 ' lieutenant of the Tower (as likewise all his fellow prisoners were) who 
 ' demanded of him, by commission from the council, whether he would 
 ' go to their common prayer service ? who refusing, the lieutenant told 
 ' him the danger of a late statute made in that behalf; and farther, that 
 
 * he should be indicted upon that statute within two or three days. So thar 
 ' at that time, it seems, they had no such matter to lay against him, as 
 ' was afterwards pretended ;' for it was not as then thoroughly hatched. 
 
 ' The order of his life,' " during his imprisonment," ' in his spare 
 
 * diet, his continual prayer and meditation, his long watching, with 
 ' frequent and sharp discipline used upon his body, caused great admi- 
 4 ration to his keeper ; who would always call him, a Man of God, and 
 
 * the best and devoutest priest that ever he saw in his life.' 
 
 He was brought to the bar, as we have seen, with father Campion, 
 ' and condemned for the same pretended conspiracy ; of which, both 
 ' living and dying, he ever protested himt-elf to be wholly innocent.' 
 After his condemnation, he wrote to his friends in the following terms -. 
 ' Your liberality I have received, and disposed thereof to my great con- 
 ' tentation ; when hereafter, at the pleasure of God, we shall mAtJn
 
 RALPH SHERWINE. ^ 33 
 
 * heaven, I trust you shall be repaid, cumfeenure. Delay of our death 
 ' cloth somewhat dull me ; it was not without cause that our Master 
 ' himself said, QuodJucL>fac i,itcj. 
 
 ' Truth it is, I hoped ere this, casting of this body of death, to have 
 
 * kissed the precious glorified wounds of my sweet Saviour, sitting in 
 ' the throne of, his Father's own glory. Which desire, as I trust, dc- 
 ' scending froirrabove, hath so quieted my mind, that, since the judicial 
 ' sentence proceeded against us, neither the sharpness of the death 
 ' hath much terrilied me, nor the shortness of life much troubled me. 
 
 ' My sins are great, I confess, but I flee to God's mercy : my neg- 
 ' ligences are without number, I grant ; but I appeal to my Redeemer's 
 ' clemency : I have no boldness but in his blood ; his bitter passion is 
 ' my only consolation. It is comfortable that the prophet hath record - 
 ' ed> that he hath written us in his hands. Oh ! that he would voueh- 
 
 * safe to write himself in our hearts ; how joyful should we then appear 
 ' before the tribunal seat of his Father's glory ; the dignity whereof, 
 
 * when I think of, my flesh quaketh, not sustaining, by reason of mortal 
 f infirmity, the presence of my Creator's majesty. 
 
 ' Our Lord perfect us to that end whereunto we were created, that, 
 ' leaving this world, we may live in him, and of him, world without 
 ' end. It is thought, that upon Monday or Tuesday next, we shall be 
 f passible ; God grant us humility, that we, following his footsteps. 
 ' may obtain the victory.' So far the letter ; which speaks the spirit of 
 the man. 
 
 * When he came out of the lieutenant's hall, with others of his com- 
 ' panions, two days, or thereabouts, before he was martyred (having 
 ' talked with a minister, who was never so held up to the wall in his 
 ' lite, by report of such as stood by) he uttered these words, ah, father 
 ' Campion, I shall be shortly above yonder fellow, pointing to the sun, 
 "with such a courage, that some said he was the resolutest man that 
 ' ever they saw. 
 
 ' He will never be forgotten in the Tower, for some words which 
 f he spoke when he was ready to go to execution. Charke the minister 
 ' can best report them, who stood hard by. Some of Charke' s fellow 
 ' ministers said, those words could not come from a guilty conscience.' 
 
 The day before his death, he wrote die following letter to the Rev. 
 Mr. John Woodward, his uncle : 
 
 * Alsit lit gloriemur nisi in cruce Domini Jesu Christi, &c. 
 ' My dearest Uncle, 
 
 ' After many conflicts, mixed with spiritual consolations and 
 ' Christian comforts, it hath pleased God, of hi.s infinite mercy, to call 
 ' me out of this vale of misery. To him therefore for all his benetits at 
 
 * all times and for ever be all praise and glory. 
 
 ' Your tender care always had over me, and cost bestowed on me, 
 * I trust, in lieaven shall be rewarded. My prayers you have si ill h:id, 
 ' and that was but duty ; other tokens of a grateful mind I cuuld not 
 ' shew, by reason of my restrained neceity,
 
 34 MEMOIRS, Sec. 
 
 ' This very momiug, which is the festival of St. Andrew, I was nd- 
 ' vertised by superior authority, that to-morrow I was to end the course 
 ' of this life : God grant that I may do it to the imitation of this noble 
 ' apostle and sen-ant of God, and that with joy I may say, rising off the 
 ' hurdle, salve sancta crti.i, &c. 
 
 ' Innocency is my only comfort against all the forged villainy which 
 ' is fathered on my fellow priests and me. Well, when by the high 
 ' Judge, God himself, this false vizard of treason shall be removed 
 ' from true catholic men's faces, then shall it appear who they be that 
 ' carry a well meaning, and who an evil murdering mind : In the mean 
 ' season, God forgive all injustice, and if it be his blessed will to coif- 
 ' vert oui' persecutors, that they may become professors of his truth. 
 
 ' Prayers for my soul procure for me, my loving patron : and so 
 ' having great need to prepare myself for God, never quieter in mind, 
 ' nor less troubled towards God, binding all my iniquities up in hU 
 ' prtcious wounds, I bid you farewell ; yea and once again, the loving- 
 ' est uncle that ever kinsman had in this world, farewell. 
 
 ' God grant us both his grace and blessing until the end, that living 
 ' in his fear, and dying in his favour, we may enjoy one the other for 
 ' ever. Salute all my fellow catholics. And so, without farther 
 ' troubling of you, my sweetest benefactor, farewell. On St. Andrew's 
 f day, 1581. Your nephew 
 
 RALPH SHKRWIXE, Priest. 
 
 After Mr. Campion was executed, and the butchery finished, -the 
 hangman taking hold of Mr. Sherwine with his hands all bloody, s:;id t<> 
 him, thinking to - terrify him, come, Sherwine, take thou also thy 
 wages. But the holy man, nothing dismayed, embraced him with a 
 chearful countenance, and reverently kissed the blood that stuck to hi^ 
 hands ; ,at which the people were very much moved. Then getting 
 into the cart, he employed some time in prayer and contemplation, 
 having his eyes shut, and his hands lifted up to heaven. After which, 
 lie asked, if the people looked for any speech from him ? Many of the 
 people, and some also of the more honourable sort, answering, yes, lie 
 began with a manly courage, and a loud voice, first, to render thar.ks 
 to each of the three persons of the eternal trinity, for the mercies and 
 blessings bestowed upon him : and then was going on to give an account 
 of his faith, when Sir Francis Knowles interrupted him, and bid him 
 confess his treason against the queen. Mr. Sherwine with great con- 
 stancy replied, I am innocent of any such crime. And when he was 
 still farther pressed to acknowledge himself guilty, he said, I have no 
 occasion to tell a lie, it is a -case where my soul is at stake ; and so still 
 persisted to maintain his isnocenco, adding, that although in this short 
 time of mortal life he ifas to undergo the infamy andpjtnishihent of a 
 traitor, he made no doult of his future happiness through Jesus Christ, 
 in whose dea f h, passion and b!wd, he only trusted. 
 
 ' Then he mr.dc a sweet prayer to our Lord Jesus, acknowledging 
 ' the imperfection, misery, and sinful wretchedness of his own nature, 
 ' still protesting his miioecne?- from -til trr-:i -cms and traiterous practice :
 
 
 ALEXANDER BRIAN. 35 
 
 ' and that his going out of this realm beyond the seas, was only for his 
 
 * soul's health, to learn to save his soul. And being again tempted by 
 ' Sir Francis Knowles, he answered in this wise, tush, tush, you and I 
 ' shall answer this l-e fore another Judge, where my innocence shall l-e. 
 ' known, and you will see that I am guiltless of this. Whereupon Sir 
 
 * Francis sr-id, we know you are no cpntrivcr or doer of this treason, for 
 ' you are no man of arms ; but you are a traitor by consequence. But 
 ' Mr. She.rwiiie boldly answered, if to l-e a catholic only, if to leaper- 
 
 * J'ect catholic, l-e to l-e a traitor, then am I a t rat for. 
 
 ' After which words, being by authority debarred of any further 
 
 * speech, he said, I for gin e all who cither iy general presumption, or 
 ' particular error, have procured my death ; and so devoutly prayed 
 ' to his Saviour Jesus, After which prayer he was pressed to speak 'his 
 ' opinion touching pope Pius his bull : to which point he gave no answer. 
 ' Then being willed to pray for die queen, he answered, I have and do. 
 ' At which words the Lord Howard again asked, which queen he 
 ' meant r whether Elizabeth queen ? To whom, somewhat smiling, lie 
 ' said, yea for Elizabeth queen I now at this instant pray my Lord God 
 ' t< . make her his servant in this life, and after this life, coheir with 
 ' Jesus Christ. 
 
 ' "When he had thus prayed, there was some that said openly, that 
 
 * he meant to make her a papist ; to whom he boldly replied, God 
 ' forbid otherwise : and so recollecting himself in prayer, he died pa- 
 ' tiently, constantly and mildly, crying, Jesu, Jesu, Jesu, le to me a, 
 
 I Jesus.' 
 
 7 . * Alexander Hrian, Priest. 
 
 II E was born in Dorsetshire, and studied for a while in Hart Hall, 
 < Jxford : but not liking the religion of the times, he left both the uni- 
 versity and the kingdom, and went over to Douay, to the English college 
 or seminary there, anno lo/^ Here and at Rhemes he prosecuted his 
 studies ; and being ordained priest, was sent back upon the English 
 mission, in 15 "9- Where, before his apprehension, he rcconviled to 
 ihe church an ancient gentleman, father to Robert Parsons, S. J, 
 
 ( About .the 28th of April, 1581, he was apprehended in his chamber 
 at midnight, by Norton ; his chamber was rifled, and 3l. in mgney 
 taken from him (for that is a principal verb, says my author, in all 
 apprehensions of catholics) his apparel and other things, especially a 
 trunk, wherein was a silver chalice, and much other good stulf, which 
 was not his, but committed to his custody, was taken away also, and 
 he sent close prisoner to die Counter, with commandment to stop all 
 that a>ked for him ; and that he should have neither meat nor drink ; 
 who in such order continued till he was almost famished. At last, in 
 friendship, or by what means I know not, he got a pennyworth of hard 
 cheese, and a little broken bread, with a pint of strong beer, which 
 brought, him into such an extreme thirst, that he essayed to catch with 
 
 * From a printed account by an eye-witness of his death, published in 1
 
 36 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' his hat the drops of rain from the house eaves, but could not reach 
 ' them. 
 
 * The morrow after (he ascension day, he was removed to the Tower, 
 ' where he verily thought he should have been utterly famished, and 
 ' therefore carried with him a little piece of his hard cheese, which his 
 ' keeper, in searching him, found about him : but Mr. Brian humbly 
 ' intreated him not to take it from him. Within two days after his 
 e coming to the Tower, he was brought before the lieutenant, Mr. Dr. 
 ' Hammond, and Norton, who examined him after their common man- 
 ' ner, first tendering an oath to answer to all, &rc. And because he 
 ' would not confess where he had seen father Parsons, how he was 
 ' maintained, where he had said mass, and whose confessions he had 
 ' heard, they caused needles to be thurst under his nails ; whereat Mr. 
 ' Brian w;:s not moved at all, but with a constant mind and pleasant 
 ' countenance, said die psalm, Miserere, desiring God to forgive his 
 ' tormentors ; whereat Dr. Hammond stamped and stared, as a man 
 ' half beside himself, saying 1 , what a thing is this ? if a man were not 
 ' settled in his religion, this were enough to convert him. 
 
 ' After this he was, even to the disjointing of his body, rent and torn 
 ' upon the rack, because he would not confess where father Parsons was, 
 ' where the print was, and what books he had sold, and so was returned 
 f to his lodgings for that time ; yet the next day following, nolwith- 
 ' standing the great distemperature and soreness of his whole body, his 
 ' senses being dead, and his blood congealed, he was brought to the 
 ' torture again, and there stretched with greater severity than before ; 
 
 * insomuch, that supposing with himself they would pluck him in 
 ' pieces, he put on the armour of patience, resolving to die, rather than to 
 ' hurt any creature living ; and having his mind raised in contemplation 
 ' of Christ's bitter passion. At his racking he swooned away, 50 that 
 
 * they were fain to sprinkle cold water on his face to revive him again j 
 
 * yet they released no part of his pain. 
 
 ' And here Norton, because they could get nothing of him, asked 
 1 him, whether the queen were supreme head of the church of England, 
 ' or not : To this he said, / am a catholic, and I l-elieve in tins as a 
 f catholic should do. Why, said Norton, they say the pope is ; and so 
 ' say I, answered Mr. Brian. Here also the lieutenant used railing and 
 " reviling words, and slapped him on the cheeks, after an uncharitable 
 ' manner : and all the commissioners rose up and went away, giving 1 
 ' commandment to leave him so all night : at which, when they saw he 
 
 * was nothing moved, they ordered he should be taken from the tor- 
 ' mem, and sent him again to Walesboure ; where, not able to move 
 ' hand or foot, or any part of his body, he lay in his cloaths fifteen days 
 ' together, without bedding, in great pain and anguish. 
 
 ' These torments, and the man's constancy, nre comparable truly to 
 ' the old sufferings of the renowned martyrs of the primitive church, 
 ' which he could never have borne by human strength, if -God had not 
 ' given his singular and supernatural grace. Himself confessed, that by 
 ' a vow he made, and other special exercises, he had great consolation in 
 ' all these vexations ; whereof I will set down his own words, in an
 
 ALEXANDER BRIAX. 37 
 
 * epistle that he wrote to the fathers of the society in England ;' " where, 
 after having acquainted them with a vow he had made, that ;/'GW 
 should be pleaded to deliver him, lie would enter into their society U'ithin 
 one year next ensuing. He writes thus :" ' The same day that I was 
 < first tormented on the rack, before I came to tine place, giving my 
 
 * mind to prayer, and commending myself and all mine to our Lord, I 
 - ' was replenished and filled up with a kind of supernatural sweetness of 
 
 ' spirit : and even while I was cnlh'ng upon the mast holy name of Jesus, 
 ' and upon the blessed virgin Mary, (tor I was saying the rosary) my 
 ' mind was chearfully disposed, well comforted, and readily prepared 
 
 * and bent to suffer and endure those torments, which even then I most 
 ' certainly looked for, &c. "Whether this that I will say be miraculous 
 ' or no, Gocl he knoweth ; but true it is, and thereof my conscience is 
 ' a witness before God. And this I say, that in the end of die torture, 
 ' though rny hands and feet were violently stretched and racked, and 
 ' my adversaries fulfilled their wicked lust in practising their cruel 
 ' tyranny upon my body ; yet, notwithstanding, I was without sense 
 ' and feeling, well nigh of all grief and pain ; and not so only, but as it 
 ' were comforted, eased and refreshed of the griefs of the torture by 
 f past. I continued still with perfect and present senses in quietness of 
 ' heart and tranqiiUity of mind. "Which thing, when the commissioners 
 ' did sec, they departed, and in going forth of the door, they gave 
 ' orders to rack me agnin the next day following, after the same sort. 
 ' Now when I heard them say so, it gave me in my mind by and bv, 
 
 * and I did verily believe and trust that, with the help of God, I should 
 ' be able to bear and suffer it patiently. In the mean time, as well as 
 ' I could, I did muse and meditate upon the most bitter passion of our 
 ' Saviour, and how full of innumerable pains it was. And whilst I was 
 ' thus occupied, me-thought that my left hand was wounded in the palm, 
 ' and that I felt the blood run out : but in very deed there was no sudi 
 ' tiling, nor any other pain than that which seemed to be in my hand.' 
 So far Mr. Brian. 
 
 ' "When he went to Westminster-hall to be condemned, he rnnde 
 ' a cross of such wood as he could get, which he carried with him 
 ' openly ; he- made shift also to shave his crown, because he would sig- 
 ' nify to the ministers (who at his apprehension had scoffed and mocked 
 ' him, saying, that he was ashamed of his vocation) that he was nol 
 ' ashamed of his holy orders, nor yet that he would blush at his religion-. 
 ' "When he was condemned, irons were commanded to be put upon him 
 ' and the rest, and they were never taken off till they were fetched forth 
 ( to be martyred? 
 
 After Mr. Campion and Mr. Shcnvine had finished their cour-e, Mr. 
 Brian was ordered up into the cart. ' Being there prepared to death, he 
 ' began first to declare his bringing up in the catholic faith and religion, 
 1 and his being in Oxford ; upon which word he was cut short by one, 
 ' saying, what have we to do with Oxford ? come to thy purpose and 
 ' confess thy treason : whereupon he answered, / am not t?ifilfi/ of any 
 ' such tiling ; I lea,-. >/, ,- / at Koine nnr at Rhemcs at that time idicn Dr. 
 ' Sounders come into Ireland," " the time of the pretended ci.-n.-ipiracy." 
 ' To this end he spoke and protested, as he would answer before v.n d
 
 38 . MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' He spake not much, but whereas he was , urged more than the 
 ' other two, to speak what he thought of the bull of Pius Quintus, he 
 ' said, he did believe of it, as al] catholics did, and the catholic faith 
 ' doth : and thereupon protesting himself to die a true catholic, as he 
 ' was saying Miserere mel Deus, he was delivered of the cart, with 
 ' more pain, by negligence of the hangman, than either of the others ; 
 ' who, alter his beheading, being dismembered, his heart, bowels and 
 ' entrails burned, to the great admiration of some, being laid upon th 
 ' block, his belly downwards, lifted up'.his whole body then remaining; 
 ' from the ground. And this I add upon report of others, not my own 
 ' sight.' 
 
 Mr. Brian was but twenty-eight years old when he suffered. My 
 author gives his character in short in these words : ' he was a man not 
 ' unlearned ; of a very sweet grace in preaching, and of an exceeding 
 * great zeal, patience, constancy and humility.' 
 
 Mr. Stow, in his chronicle of this year, makes mention of the 
 execution of Mr. Campion, Mr. Sherwine and Mr. Brian. ' Hie first 
 'of December, says he, Edmund Campion, Jesuit, Ralph Sherwine, 
 ' and Alexander Brian, seminary priests, were drawn from the Tower 
 ' of London to Tyburn, and there hanged, bo welled and quartered.' 
 
 The learned and truly pious father Lewis, of Grenada, in die abridg- 
 ment of his catechism, chap. 23, makes a very honourable mention of 
 father Campion, Mr. Sherwine and Mr. Brian, as illustrious martyrs, 
 with an account of their deaths, agreeable to what has been set down 
 above. 
 
 N. B. Mr. Brian, as appears from his letter recorded by Dr. Bridge- 
 water, in his Concertatio, desired before his death to be received into 
 ihe society of Jesus, and it seems his request was granted him by the 
 fathers of the society, who always give him a place amongst their 
 martyrs. 
 
 8. * John Paine, Priest. 1582. 
 
 JtlE was born in Northamptonshire. In what college he was educated 
 in either of our universities at home, I have not found : But he was ad- 
 mitted into the English college of Douay, in 15/5, ordained priest the 
 following year, and sent upon the English mission at the same time with 
 Mr. Cuthbcrt Maine, and there laboured with great fruit. His residence 
 was chiefly in Essex, at the house of the lady Pctre. He was appre- 
 hended and committed in 1581, and carried to the Tower of London, 
 where he was most cruelly racked. But his trial and execution was at 
 Chelmsford, in E>sex ; of which take the following extract, from au 
 unexceptionable witness. 
 
 * The 20th of March, 1582, Sir Owen Hopton, lieutenant of the 
 ' Tower, came to Mr. Paine' s chamber door, and by knocking raised 
 ' him out of bed, who had much watched before, and hastened him to 
 
 * From a printed account, by an eye-witness of bis death, published in 1 ifc2, and 
 from the diary ot Douay college.
 
 JOHN PAIXE. 39 
 
 come forth half dressed, not telling him to what end : but being after- 
 ' wards advertised how the matter stood, and perceiving that he was to 
 ' be removed,' " from the Tower to Chelmsford jail/' ' he desired 
 ' leave to return into his chamber to make himself ready, and to fetch 
 ' his purse which he had left behind him ; but this was not granted j 
 ' but he was delivered to certain officers there attending, to be con- 
 ' ducted into Essex, according to the appointment of the council. Mr. 
 ' Paine in his cassock only went forward with them, being the more 
 ' gently dealt with that he was not bound at all. In the mean time, the 
 ' lady Hopton took care to secure his purse for her own use. 
 
 ' On the Friday following he was arraigned after this manner, first, 
 ' his indictment was read, viz. that Mr. Paine should utter to one Eliot, 
 ' at a certain Christmas, lying with him in his chamber, that many de- 
 ' vices have been heretofore concerting the change of religion, a::d yet 
 ' none have prosperously succeeded: but, of all others, this setmeth die 
 ' best, which I have heard, said lie, sometime mentioned by the earl of 
 ' Westmorland, Dr. Allen and Dr. Bristow, that fifty me;!, wdi 
 ' appointed with privy coats and daggers, should espy seme opportunity 
 ' whfn the queen was in her progress, and kill the queen's majesty, the 
 ' Earl of Leicester, and Mr. Wakmghflm, and then to proclaim the 
 
 queen of Scots. Also that he should say, it wa.s no greater siu to kill 
 ' the queen, than to dispatch a brute beast. 
 
 'This being read, Mr. Paine denied the indictment, and defied ail 
 ' treason ; protesting, that he always in mind or word honoured the 
 
 queen's majesty above any woman in the world ; that he would gladly 
 e always have spent his life for her pleasure in any lawful sen-ice ; that 
 ' he prayed for her as for his own soul ; that he never invented or com- 
 ' passed any treason against IKT majesty, or any of the nobility of En?- 
 
 laud. 
 
 ' However, Eliot swore that the indictment was true, " and to this 
 positive deposition" ' Mr. Mo; rice, the queen's counsellor, joined seve- 
 
 ral presumptions from Mr. Paine's having gone be.yor.cl the seas/ and 
 
 having been made priest by the bishop of Cambray, and consequently, 
 ' as he falsely supposed, having taken an oath to the pope : from hi* 
 ' having spoken with traitors in Flanders, viz. with tlie earl of Westmor- 
 
 land, Dr. Allen and Dr. Bristow ; and travelled with a traitor's son, 
 ' Mr. William Tempest. 
 
 ' To these presumptions Mr. Paine answered, that to go beyond the 
 ' seas was not a sufficient token of a traitor, nor yet to be made priest by 
 
 the b'whop of Cambray ; for so were many otbqrs nothing at all thinking 
 ' of treason ; that for his part he was not the pope's scholar, neither had 
 
 any maintenance of him ; for when he was at die college, it had as yet. 
 4 no pension from the pope. That he had never talked with the earl of 
 
 Westmorland ; and that Dr. Allen and Dr. Bristow had never talked 
 "to his knowledge of any such diings : that Mr. Tempest was an hon- 
 
 est gentleman, and never talked to him about treason : neither was it 
 ' unlawful for him to keep him company, seeing that he was a servant 
 ' to a right honourable counsellor Sir Christopher Hatton. 
 
 ' He refellcd Eliot's deposition. First, taking Cod to witness on hit
 
 40 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 * soul that he never had such speech with him. Secondly, he broughf 
 ' two places of scripture, and a statute to prove, that without two suffi-- 
 ' cient witnesses no man should be. condemned. Thirdly, he proved Eliot 
 ' insufficient to be a witness, for having been guilty, 1st. Of oppression 
 ' of poor men, even unto death. 2diy, Of a rape and other notorious 
 ' lewdnesses. 3dly, Of breach of contract, and cozening the ladv 
 ' Petre,' " widow of Sir William Petre," of money. 4lhly, Of changing 
 4 often his religion. 5thly, Of malice against himselr ; adding, that 
 
 * he was also attached of murder and such like acts ; and Was a noto- 
 
 * rious dissembler, &c. 
 
 ' Hereupon a jury was impanelled, who, on Friday after dinner, 
 ' brought in their verdict guilty. Upon Saturday a little before dinner, 
 ' coming again to the bar, judge Gaudy asked Mr. Paine what he could 
 
 * say tor himself j who acswr.red, that he had said sufficiently ; alledg- 
 
 * ing, that it was against (he law of' God and man that he should /;. 
 ' condemned for one man's witness notoriously hi famous. Then tlie 
 ' judge said, if he were not guilty the jury would have found it. Mr, 
 
 * Paine answered, that those men of the jury are poor ignorant men, not 
 
 * at all understanding whet treason is. But, says he, if it pluase the 
 ' queen and her council that I shall die, 1 refer my cause to God. Then 
 ' the judge said, that his own words made most against him ; and if 
 
 * Eliot had sworn falsely, his death should be required at his hands, the 
 ' which no man knew but God and himself. Mr, Paine said, that ail 
 ' teas but treachery in seeking of his Hood. In fine, judge Gaudy pro- 
 ' nounced the sentence of condemnation ; and afterwards exhorted him 
 ' to repent himself, although, said lie, you may better instruct me 
 ' herein. Mr. Paine demanded the time when he should fuller : It was 
 
 * answered, on Monday following, about eight of the clock. 
 
 ' After he was returned to prison, the high sheriff and others came 
 
 * to him, and demanded, whether he made Jesus Christ the only cause 
 
 * of his salvation ? He answered affirmatively, professing unto them the 
 ' catholic truth. AH Sunday, till five of the clock, one Dr. Withers 
 
 * and Dr. Sone were with him, persuading him earnestly to change hi* 
 ' religion ; the which, said they, if you will alter, we doubt not to 
 ' procure mercy for you. This Mr. Paine told me himself, saying, that 
 ' the ministers, by their fttolish I all ling, did much ve.r and troul-le him. , 
 
 * J, amongst many, coming unto him about ten of the clock with the. 
 ' officers, he most comfortably and meekly uttered words of constancy 
 ' to me, and with a loving kiss took las' leave of me. 
 
 ' The next morning, the 2d of April, about eight of the clock, h 
 ' was laid on the hurdle, and drawn to the place of execution ; where, 
 ' kneeling almost halt" an hour, he earnestly prayed ; then arising and 
 
 * viewing the gallows, he kissed it with a smiling countenance, and 
 ' ascended the ladder; and the halter being fitted to his neck, he lifted 
 ' up his eyes and hands towards heaven a pretty while, then began to 
 ' speak to the people. And, 
 
 1st. ' He made to them a declaration of his faith, confessing one 
 ' God in essence or substance, and trinity in persons ; and thai the 
 'word was iacajtiate for mr:n redemption, &c. because I had informed
 
 JOHN PAINE. 41 
 
 ' him that the common people thought him to be a Jesuit, and that they 
 ' said the Jesuits' opinion was, that Christ is not God. 
 
 2dly. ' He desired God to forgive him all the sins of his life past, 
 ' and to have mercy on all sinners. 
 
 3dly. ' He forgave all who ever had offended him, and, by name, 
 
 < Eliot, for whom he earnestly prayed that God would make him his 
 ' companion in heavenly bliss. 
 
 4thly. ' He declared that his feet did never tread, his hands did 
 ' never write, nor his wit ever invent, any treason against her majesty ; 
 ' but that he always wished unto her as to his own soul, desiring Al- 
 ' mighty God to give her in earth a prosperous reign, and afterwards 
 ' eternal felicity. 
 
 ' The lord Rich willed him to confess, that he there died a traitor, 
 ' and to be sorry for his treason. To whom very patiently he answered, 
 ' that he defied all treason, and to confess an untruth was to condemn 
 ' his own soul. I confess truly, said he, that I die a Christian Catholic 
 ' Priest. And addressing himself to my lord Rich, sweet my lord, said 
 ' he, certify her majesty thereof, that she suffer not hereafter innocent 
 ' blood to be cast away, seeing it is no small matter. Some affirmed, 
 ' that he had confessed his treaon to the lady Pool. He said, that he 
 ' knew no such persoy. Then a minister said, that Mr. Paine's brother 
 ' confessed to him in his chamber, seven years ago, that he talked of 
 ' such an intention. To this he answered, being somewhat moved, 
 ' Inne Dens ! My brother is, and always hath been, a very earnest pro - 
 ( ti'stfint ; yet I know he will not say so falsely of me : and then he de- 
 ' sired his brother should be sent for : they called for him, but then he 
 ' was in town ; (and when some of us came from the execution, we 
 ' found his brother in our inn, of whom we asked if this was true, 
 ' uttering to him all the matter. He swore unto us with great admira- 
 f tion, that it was most false : and told us, that he would so certify my 
 ' lord Rich ; immediately he was sent for to my lord, and I took horse 
 * te ride away, and as yet hear no more of it.) 
 
 ' To conclude, they would not tarry so long till his brother should 
 
 < be sent for : Mr. Paine often confessed, that he died a Christian ca- 
 ' tholic priest. They desired him to pray with them in English^ but 
 ' he was attentive to his end in contemplation, and being often called 
 ' upon by the ministers to join with them in the Lord's prayer, he said, 
 ' that he had prayed in a tongue which he well understood. A minister 
 ' asked him, whether he repented not that he had said mass ? but Mr. 
 ' Paine did not hear him, being in contemplation. 
 
 ' After all, very meekly, when the ladder was about to be turned, 
 ' he said, Jessus, Jesus, Jesus, and so did hang, not moving hand or 
 ' foot. They very courteously caused men to hang on his feet, and set 
 ' the knot to his ear, and suffered him to hang to death, commanding 
 ( Bull, the hangman of Newgate, to dispatch " in die quartering of 
 him" lest, as they said, he should revive, and rebuked him that he did 
 ' not dispatch speedily. All the town loved him exceedingly, so did the 
 'keepers, and most of the magistrates of the shire. No man seemed, 
 ' in countenance, to miglikc him, but much sorrowed and lamented hi?
 
 42 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 c deatlu Who most constantly, catholicly, patiently and meeilv, 
 ' ended this mortal Kfb to rise triumphantly, his innocency known to ^11 
 ' the world. 
 
 ' He had been long in prison, very ill used, cruelly handled, and 
 c extremely racked. He was once or twice demanded, whether he 
 ' would go to their church ? (for that would have made amends for all 
 
 * these treasons.) IVliy? said he, you say I am in for treason, dis- 
 ' charge we nf that, and then you shall know farther of my mii-dfor tlie 
 ' other. All fair means, all foul means, all extremity, all policy wero 
 ' used to find that which was not. After his racking, the lieutenant of 
 ' the Tower sent to him his servant with this letter. 
 
 ' I have herewith sent you pen, ink and paper ; and I pray you 
 1 write what you have said to Eliot, and to your host in London, con- 
 ' cerning the queen and the state ; and thereof fail not, a you wilL. 
 ' answer at your uttermost peril. 
 
 Mr. PAIXE'S Answer. 
 Bight Mrrshlpful, 
 
 e My duty remembered, being not able to write without better 
 f hands, I have by your appointment used the help of your servant. For 
 ' answer unto your interrogations, I have already said sufficient for a 
 
 * man that regardeth his own salvation, and that with such advised 
 f asseverations uttered as amongst Christian men ought to be believed j- 
 ' yet once again briefly for obedience sake. 
 
 ' First, touching her majesty, I pray God long to preserve her high- 
 ' ness to- his honour, and her heart's desire ; unto whom I always have, 
 ' and during life, will wish no worse, than to my own soul. If her 
 ' pleasure be not that I shall live and serve her as my sovereign prince, 
 ' then will I willingly die her faithful subject, and, I trust, God's true 
 c servant. 
 
 ' Touching the state, I protest, that I am, and ever have been, free 
 c from the knowledge of any practise whatsoever, either within or with- 
 e out the realm, intended against the same : for the verity whereof, as I 
 ' have often before you and the rest of her grace's commissioners, called 
 ' God to witness, so do I now again ; and one day before his Majesty 
 f the truth now not credited will be then revealed. 
 
 ' For Eliot, I forgive his monstrous wickedness, and defy his ma- 
 ' Hcious inventions ; wishing that his former behaviour towards others, 
 1 being well known, as hereafter it will, were not a sufficient disproof of 
 ' these devised slanders. 
 
 * For host, or other person living, in London or elsewhere (unless 
 ' they be by subornation of my bloody enemy corrupted) I know they 
 ' can neither for word, deed, or any disloyalty, justly touch me : and 
 ' so before the seat of God, as also before the sight of men, will I answer 
 ' at my utmost peril. 
 
 Her majesty's faithful subject, and 
 
 Your worsliip's humble prisoner, 
 
 JOHN PAINE, Priest. 
 
 Mr. Paine's execution is recorded by Mr, Stow, in his annals 158.2.
 
 THOMAS FORDE. 43 
 
 'John Paine,, priest, being indicted of high treason, for words by 
 ' him spoken to one Eliot, was arraigned, condemned and executed at 
 ' Chelmsford.' 
 
 He Buffered April 2, 1582. 
 
 9. * Thomas Forde, Priest. 
 
 JL ROM AS Forde was bom in Devonshire, brought up in Trinity college, 
 Oxford j where he took the degree of master of arts, in 15()7, and was 
 soon after admitted lellow of that college : but not liking the protestant 
 religion, he quitted his fellowship, and all other temporal hopes, and 
 went over to the college or seminary lately instituted at Douay, where 
 he arrived in 15J1 > and, after having for some time there seriously 
 applied himself to the study of divinity, he was made priest in 15/3, at 
 the same time with those two eminent divines, Richard Bristow and 
 Gregory Martin ; these being the three first that were presented to holy 
 orders from Douay college. He took his degree of bachelor of divinity 
 in 1576 ; and soon after returned into England upon the mission, where 
 he laboured for some years with great fruit in the conversion of many 
 souls. He was apprehended on the IJth of July, 1581, with father 
 Campion, in die house of Mr. Yates, of Lyford, in Berkshire ; and 
 with him was carried up to London, and cast into the Tower, and con- 
 demned the November following, for the pretended conspiracy of 
 llhemes and Rome ; whereas he had never been in his life either at 
 Rhemes or Rome j nor had the witnesses that appeared against him, 
 " Slecld and Munclay, the Gates and Bedlow of those days/' ever so 
 much as seen Mr. Forde be-fore his imprisonment. 
 
 He received sentence of death the 21st of November, 1581 ; but 
 wa-, not executed till May IS, l.jfe'J. In the mean time, to make his 
 execution, and that of his companions, more plausible, and that it might 
 appear to the world, if they were not guilty of the pretended conspiracy 
 (which even the queen herself did not believe) that they were at least 
 disaffected persons to her majesty, and as such deserved to die. They 
 sent to them the queen's attorney and solicitor, Popham and Egerton, 
 with two civilians, Hammond and Lewes, to propose six articles to 
 them concerning tlie bull of Pius V. and what obedience was to be paid 
 to that decree ; and what they thought of the pope's deposing power ; and 
 at" certain passages of the writings of Dr. Saunders and Dr. Bristow ; 
 in tine, what they would do in case of an invasion on account of re- 
 ligion ? 
 
 ' To these interrogatories Mr. John Start, Mr, Lawrence Richard- 
 son, and Mr. Thomas C'ottam, would make no other answer, but, that 
 they were catholics, and believed in all points as the catholic Roman 
 church taught them. Mr. Richardson added, that in all matters not 
 repugnant to the catholic religion, he professed obedience to her ma- 
 jcnty. Mr. Forde answered, that he did not ktiow what to say to the 
 bull of Pius V. as being a stranger to the circumstances of that bull : 
 
 * From the records of Douay college ; and from a printed accouut of ihe execution 
 of him and his companions, by an eye-witness.
 
 44 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 that as to the deposing power, he thought die pope might have a power? 
 upon certain occasions, which he did not name, " as \vhere a whole 
 kingdom would otherwise be perverted," to discharge subjects from 
 their allegiance : that he would not pretend to answer for the doctrine 
 of Dr. Saunders or Dr. Bristow, let them answer for themselves : and 
 as to the last point, he thought it would be time enough to determine 
 what was to be done, when the case should happen. And not unlike 
 to his were the answers of Mr. Robert Johnson, Mr. Luke Kirby, and 
 Mr. William Filbie. 
 
 ' On the 28th of May, 1582, after a long series ofcmel treatments, 
 ' and much art used to make them either confess the feigned treason, 
 ' or deny their faith, the reverend priests, Mr. Thomas Forde, Mr. 
 
 * John Shert, and Mr. Robert Johnson, were all trailed upon hurdles 
 ' from the Tower of Ixmdon, through the streets to Tyburn, betwixt 
 ' six and seven of the clock in the morning. And, nr>t, Mr. Forde 
 ' being set up in the cart, blessed himself with the sign of the cross ; 
 ' being so weak, that he fell down in the cart, and after he was up, he 
 ' said, I am a catholic, and do die in the catholic religion. And thera- 
 '. with he was internipted by sheriff Martin, saying, you come not 
 ' hither to confess your religion, but as a traitor and malefactor to the 
 
 * queen's maiesty and the whole realm, moving and stirring of sedition ; 
 ' and thercfbre I pray you go to and confess your fault, and submit 
 ' yourself to the queen's mercy, and no doubt but she would forgive 
 'you. 
 
 ' Whereunto Mr. Forde answered, that supposed offence whereof I 
 ' wits indicted and condemned, was the conspiring of her majesty's 
 ' death at Rome and Rhemcs, whereof I was altogether not guilty : for 
 ' the offence was supposedfor conspiring the queen's majesty's death in the 
 ' 2'2d year of her majesty's reign ; at which time, I was in England re- 
 ' mowing, and long lefore that ; for I have remained here for the space 
 f of six or seven year?, and never during that time departed this realm 
 ' whereof I might Iring the witness of an hundred, yea of^five hundred 
 ' sufficient men, and had thereupon l:ecn discharged at the lar, if I u-ould 
 ' have disclosed their names with whom I had been ; which 1 did forbear 
 ' to do, for fear of bringing them into troulle. Then sheriff Martin 
 ' said, here is your own hand- writing, with the testimony of worshipful 
 ' men, the queen's attorney, Dr. Hammond, Dr. Lewi,, and others : 
 ' and if that will not serve, here is one of your own companions (Mun- 
 ' day) that was the pope's scholar, to testify your offence. Mr. Forde 
 ' answered, that notwithstanding, I am altogether not guilty , whatei'er 
 ' you have written. 
 
 ' He continued for the most part in prayer secretly to himself, during 
 ' the time that the sheriff or any other spoke to him. Then was a scroll 
 ' of his examination (of which 'we have spoken above) read by a minis T 
 ' ter : and Munday, the pope's scholar, being called as a witness against 
 ' 1 im. said, that Forde was privy to their conspiracies ; but was not able 
 ' to :ifnrm. that ever he saw him beyond the seas. This his assertion 
 ' Mr. Forde utterly denied upon his death : and being asked what lie 
 ' thought of the queen's majesty ; and withal willed (9 ask her and the 

 
 JOHN SHERT. 4& 
 
 * whole realm forgiveness ; he said, he acknowledged her fur his sovereign 
 f and queen, and that he net'er in his life had offended her. And so pray- 
 ' ing secretly, he desired all those that were of his faith to pray with him ; 
 ( and ended with tins prayer, Jesu, Jesu, Jesu, esto mi hi Jesus, and 
 ' hanged until his companion Mr. Shert (likely to terrify him the more) 
 f might see him.' 
 
 H, 
 
 10. * John Shert, Priest. 
 
 E \vas born in Cheshire, and brought up in Brazen-nose college, ir^ 
 Oxford, where he took the degree of bachelor of arts in 156o. But 
 soon after quitting the university, he became a noted school-master ia 
 London. Then crossing the seas to the college lately erected at Douay, 
 he v .is admitted in 15/8, there studied his divinity, and was made sub- 
 deacon : from whence he was sent to Rome, where he finished his 
 studies and wrs made priest, and so returned to the college now trans- 
 lated to Rhemes ; and from thence was sent to England, in 1579, & 
 year before the pretended conspiracy of Rhemes and Rome ; for which 
 he was afterwards arraigned and condemned. After he had laboured 
 for some time in his mission, he was apprehended and brought to the 
 Towei on the same day with Mr Paine, viz. July 14, 1581. And ii> 
 the November following he was condemned, as we have seen, for tho 
 pretended conspiracy, though the witnesses had never seen him in their 
 lives before his apprehension. 
 
 ' Being brought from the hurdle,' " on which he had been drawn 
 from the Tower to Tyburn," ' and seeing his companion, Mr. Forde, 
 hanged before him, with a confident courage, smiling countenance, 
 and with his hands lifted up, he spoke as followeth, O happy Thomas f 
 happy ai't thou that hast run that happy race! O Icnedicta animaf 
 O llessed soul ! thou art in a good case ! thou Hissed soul pray for me. 
 And being lifted into the cart, he desired all catholics to pray for him - 
 and turning to the place of execution, by commandment of die sheriff, 
 and seeing his companion bowclled and beheaded, he kneeled down 
 and c- led out, O Thomas ! O happy Thomas ! O blessed soul ! happy- 
 art thou : thy blessed soul pray for me. And being found fault withal, 
 because he prayed to those that were dead ; he said, O blessed lady, 
 mother of God, pray for me ; and all the saints of heaven pray for me. 
 The sheriff finding fault with this as erroneous doctrine ; he answered, 
 that it was both sound and true doctrine, which he would now seal 
 with his blood. After which he began as follows. 
 
 ' O blessed Lord, to thee be all honour and praise : I give tliee most 
 hearty thanks, for that thou didst create me of nothing tu thy likeness 
 and similitude. 2dly, For my redemption by the death of thy sweet 
 son, Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer. And lastly, that thou 
 wilt bring me thy poor servant to so glorious and happy a death for thjr 
 sake ; although in the eyes of worldlings contumelious and reproach- 
 ful ; yet to me most joyful and glorious : and for the which I yield thec 
 
 * From the same eye-witness, and from Arnoldus Raissius in his jniau'cl catalogue 
 of the martyrs of Douay college, and from the records of that '
 
 46 MEMOIRS, Sec. 
 
 * most hearty thanks. Here he was stopped from proceeding furthet 
 ' by the sheriff, who said to him, ask the queen's forgiveness tor these 
 
 * treasons whereof thoti art condemned : who answered, the askinc of 
 ' forgiveness doth imply an offeiice done ; and for me to charge myself, 
 
 * being innocent, would be contrary to my duty. We. have been racked 
 
 * and tormented for these things, and nothing hath been found : we have 
 ' also been twice examined since our condemnation, which hath not 
 
 * been seen heretofore in any malefactor. Those supposed treasons, for 
 ' which I am condemned, I leave between God and myself; and upon 
 
 * my dc-nth ].am altogether innocent and faultless ; and I utterly ix-fuse 
 "' to a.->k her forgiveness for this fact whereof I am condemned, for that 
 '* I am not guilty : but if in any other private matter I have offended, I 
 ' ask her and all the world forgiveness : for rt is impossible for me to be 
 
 * guilty of the conspiracy at Rhemes or Rome,, being in England long 
 
 * time before the said supposed treasons committed, and continuing here 
 
 * ever since : which Munday, his accuser, did not much deny : for he 
 
 * *nid, he never knew him beyond the seas, neither at Rome nor at 
 
 * Rhemes. 
 
 ' Then sheriff Martin requested a minister that stood by, to read his 
 
 * examination. Who answered, that as the man is obstinate no\v, so 
 1 upon his examination was he as obstinate, for he uttered nothing that 
 tf is to be read. The sheriff desired Mr. Shert again to acknowledge his 
 
 * offeuce ; affirming, that the queen would deal very mercifully with 
 ' him ; and that he had authority himself, if he did acknowledge 
 ' his fault, to stay his execution, and to return him back Aithout more 
 ' ado. Who answered, should I for saving this carcase, condemn my 
 'soul? Godfortid. 
 
 ' Being asked what he thought of the queen's majesty ? he answered, 
 
 * I acknowledge her for my. soTereign lady and queen, for whose pros- 
 ' perous estate and wetl doing, I did always pray. And being demand- 
 ' ed whether he thought her to Ix; supreme governor, under Christ, of 
 ' the church of England ? He said, I will give to C?esar that which is 
 ' his, and to God that which belongeth to God. She is not, nor cannot 
 'be, nor any other but only the supreme pastor. What! do you meaa 
 r that whore of Babylon the pope ? said die sheriff. Take heed, Mr. 
 ' sheriff, said Mr. Shert, for the day will come when that shall be a 
 ' sore word for your soul ! aud then it shall repent you that ever you 
 ' called Christ's vicar upon earth, the whore : when you and I shall stand 
 
 * at one bar, before that equal Judge who judgeth all things a-right, 
 ' then I say will you repent your saying ; and then must I give testimony 
 '-against you. 
 
 r And the hangman making ready at the importunate clamour of the 
 
 * people, who cried to dispatch, saying, that he liad lived too long. 
 ' He delivered his handkerchief to the hangman with two shillings 
 ' therein, saying, take this for thy hire, and I pray God forgive thee. 
 
 * Then, with a loud voice, that all might hear him, he denounced as 
 
 * follows: whosoever dleth out of the catholic church, dicth in th? state 
 ' of damnation. Therewith turning almost round about, he held up his 
 
 * hands, wagging them to the people ; and then began to pray as follow-
 
 ROBERT JOHXSON. 4? 
 
 etli : Doniine Jesu ChristejHi del vivi pone passianem, crucem CS* mor- 
 tem tuam, &c. widi his pater, ave, and other prayers. And when 
 the cart was trailed away, his hands being before on high, he light 
 upon the rope and uo hud it, and the officers pulled diem do-.vu. The 
 sheriff then said, notwithstanding bis obstinacy, see how willing he i* 
 to live. And so he hanged till he was dead ; but it seemed to me, 
 that his hands, b) chance, as he was putting them down, tell upon 
 the rope, which he held fast in his hands, as, in that cuse, he would 
 have done an}' other thing if he had chanced upon it. 
 
 11. * Robert Johnson, Priest. 
 
 H, 
 
 .E was bom in Shropshire, though he is called Figorniensis in the 
 Douay diary, from his being of the diocese of Worcester. In his youth 
 he was for some time a servant in a gentleman's family : but quitting 
 this service, he went abroad, and was received in die English college 
 of Douay, where, after he had sufficiently qualified himself by virtue 
 and learning, he was made priest, and sent upon the mission in lo/'O, 
 long before the pretended conspiracy of Rhemes and Rome. In what 
 part of England he exercised his functions, or where and in what manner 
 he was first apprehended, I have not found : but this I have found, that, 
 on the 5th of December, 15bO, he was, from some other prison, trans- 
 lated to die Tower, where he was at three different times most cruelljr 
 racked : and in the November following he was brought to the bar, 
 and condemned widi father Campion and odiers ; though his execution 
 was put off till die 2Sth of May, 1582. 
 
 * Being brought from the hurdle, he was commanded to look upon 
 
 * Mr. Shert, who was hanging, and then immediately cut down : and 
 ' so being helped into the cart, he was commanded again to look bark 
 ' towards Mr. Shert, who was then in quartering. And after he had 
 ' turned and signed himself with the .sign of the cross, saying, in wnn'mr 
 ' Patris, C5*c. dispatch, quoth the sheriff, and speak quiedy. I would 
 
 / sorry, answered Mr. Johnson, to trnulie or n/J#ntl i/our worship. 
 ' You shall not offend me, saidi die sheriff, so that you offend not God. 
 'Johnson; lam a catholic, and aw condemned for conspiring tJie 
 ' queens death at Rhe.rnes, with the other cow/xinij tr/io -ere condemned 
 ' icith nif. I protest, that as for gome of them, with tchom I ii'as con- 
 ' demnedto have conrpired u-ithul, I did imcr see them Itfore we met at 
 ' the lar, neither did I ever write unto them, or receive letter.? fmi the/it .- 
 ' and iLifur any treasons, I am not guilty in deed nor thought.' " Here his 
 examination was read, and his answers to die six articles. Then the 
 sheriff said" ' you shall hear also what your own companion, named 
 ' Monday, can say against you : whereupon Munday v/as called and 
 ' came nigh to the cart. 
 
 ' Johnson. Munday, didst thou ever know me beyond die seas, or wa 
 ' I ever in thy company ? 
 
 ' Munday. I was never in your company, neither did I ever know 
 * From the same authors.
 
 48 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 f you beyond the seas : but I was privy to your most horrible treasons, 
 ' whereof you were most clearly convicted. I pray God you may repent, 
 ' and that you may die a good subject . 
 
 ' Johnson. Munday, God give thee grace to repent thee of thy 
 ' deeds ; truly thou art a shrewd fellow ; but there is no time now to 
 ' reason these matters, with thee ; only I protest before God I am not 
 
 * guilty of any treason. 
 
 ' Sheriff. Dost thou acknowledge the queen for lawful queen ? Re- 
 ' pent thee, and notwithstanding thy traiterous practices, we have au- 
 
 * thority from the queen to carry thee back. 
 
 ' Johnson. I do acknowledge her as lawful as queen Mary was. I 
 'can say no more ; but pray to God to give her grace, and that she may 
 
 * now stay her hand from shedding of innocent blood. 
 
 ' Sheriff. Dost thou acknowledge her supreme head of the church in 
 ' ecclesiastical matters ? 
 
 ' Johnson. I acknowledge her to have as full and great authority as 
 ' ever queen Mary had ; and more with safety and conscience I 
 ' cannot give her. 
 
 r Sheriff. Thou art a traitor most obstinate. 
 
 c Johnson. If I be a traitor for maintaining this faith, then all the 
 
 * kings and queens of this realm heretofore, and all our ancestors, were 
 
 * traitors, for they maintained the same. 
 
 ' Sheriff. What ? you will preach treason also if we suffer you. 
 ' Johnson. I teach but die catholic religion. 
 
 ' Hereupon the rope was put about his neck, and he was willed to 
 f pray, which he did in Latin. They willed him to pray in English, that 
 
 * they might witness with him 5 he said, I pray that prayer which Christ 
 ' taught in a tongue I well understand. A minister cried out, pray as 
 ' Christ taught : to whom Mr. Johnson replied, what ! do you think 
 f Christ taught in English ? He went on saying in Latin his Pater, Ave 
 ' and Creed, and in manus tuas, &c. And so the cart was drawn away, 
 < and he finished this life as the rest did. They all hanged until they 
 
 * were dead, and so were cut down and quartered.' 
 
 Two days after, viz, on the 3Oth of May, 1582, four more reverend 
 priests, Mr. William Filbie, Mr. Luke Kirby, Mr. Laurence Richardson, 
 whose right name was Johnson, and Mr. Thomas Cottam, suffered for 
 the same cause, at the same place. All these are mentioned by Mr. 
 Stow in his annr.ls. 
 
 12. * William Filbie, Priest. 
 
 XJL E was born in Oxford, and there educated in Lincoln college ; but 
 not liking the established religion, he forsook that university and went 
 over to Douay or Rhemes ; where, continuing his studies in the English 
 
 
 
 * From the Douav diary, and from a printed account of his death, by an eye-witncss> 
 In liS_\
 
 WILLIAM FILBIE. 4Q 
 
 college, he was made priest in 1581 : and returning soon after to Eng- 
 land upon the mission, and happening to go to the house of Mr. Yates, 
 of Lyford, at the same time as father Campion and his companions were 
 there apprehended, he was also made a prisoner and conducted to Lon- 
 don with them. My author relates, that in their way to London, lodging 
 at Henley, Mr. Filbie ' had in his sleep a significant dream or vision of 
 ' the ripping up of his body, and taking out of his bowels : the terror 
 ' whereof caused him to cry so loud, that the whole house was raised 
 ' thereby ; which afterwards was accomplished in his own, father Cam- 
 ' pion's and others his companions, martyrdom.' 
 
 He was committed to the Tower with the rest on the 22d of July; 
 arraigned and condemned the following November, upon the testimony 
 of witnesses that had never seen him in their lives before his imprison- 
 ment : and whereas he shewed a more than ordinary chearfulness and 
 constancy upon this occasion, he was ordered to be pinioned with iron 
 manicles, which he endured from the time that he received sentence, 
 November 20, till the 30th of May, when he was executed. On which 
 day, being Wednesday, he was drawn with his three companions f from 
 ' the Tower of London along the streets to Tyburn, about seven of the 
 ' clock in the morning. 
 
 ' When they were come to the place of execution, Mr. Filbie being 
 ' the youngest (not above twenty-seven years of age) was first taken 
 * from the hurdle ; and being lifted into the cart, he blessed himself 
 c with the sign of the cross, saying, in nomine Patris, &c. and then 
 ' said, let me see my brethren, looking to the others who lay on the 
 ' hurdle ; and therewithal holding forth his hands to them, he said, pray 
 ' for me. Then speaking to the company, he said, lam a catholic, and 
 ' I protest before Almighty God that I am innocent of all these matters 
 ' -ti- hereof I am condemned ; and I hope to be saved by the merits and 
 ' deatli of our Saviour Jesus Christ, beseeching him to have mercy on. 
 ' me, and forgive me mine offences : and therewithal a proclamation was 
 ' read for keeping the peace ; and at the end thereof was said., God save 
 ' the queen ; to which he said, amen. 
 
 ' The people asking him for what queen he prayed ? he answered, 
 ' for queen Elizabeth, beseeching God to send her a long and quiet n '1211, 
 ' to his good-will, and make her his servant, and preserve her from her 
 ' enemies. With that Mr. Topcliif and others willed him to say, God 
 ' save her from the pope. To whom he answered, he is not her eneim . 
 ' After that, one of the sheriff's men standing in the cart with Mr. 
 ' Filbie, said to him, what hast thou there in thy handkerchief ? and 
 ' therewithal taking the handkerchief from him, found a little cross 
 ' of wood within it, which he holding up in his hands, said, O! what 
 ' a villainous traitor is this that hath a cross, divers times repeating it ; 
 ' and some of the people saying the same. Whereunto Mr. Filbie an- 
 ' swered nothing, only smiling at them. He was no more ashamed, 
 ' *ays my author in the margin, of this his Saviour's banner, than of his 
 ' crown, which he made shift to shave. 
 
 ' Then the articles, with the preface of the book printed by authority, 
 ' were read, and his answers to them. To the sixth article he HIH weird.
 
 50 MEMOIRS, ia\ 
 
 that if he had been in Ireland, he would have done as a priest should 
 have done ; that is, to pray that the right might take place. Some 
 upon this asked him, did Saunders do well in that business of Ireland ? 
 I know not, said he, I was not privy to his doings : I never saw or 
 spoke with him : let him answer for himself. 
 
 ' Then sheriff Martin called upon the hangman to dispatch ; and the 
 rope being about his neck, the sheriff said, Filbie, the queen is mer- 
 ciful unto you, and we have authority from her to cany you back, ii" 
 you will ask her mercy, and confess your fault : don't refuse mercy 
 offered ; ask the queen forgiveness. To whom Mr. Filbie answered, 
 I never offended her. Well, then, sd'id the sheriff, make an end ; 
 and thus desiring all catholics to pray for him, he prayed, saying his 
 pater, and ore, andz'w manustuas, &c. and when the cart was draw- 
 ing away, he said, Lord receive my soul ; and so hanged, knocking 
 his breast several times, till some pulled down his hands ; and so he 
 finished his mortal life. 
 
 H, 
 
 13. * Luke Kirby, Priest. 
 
 was born in the bishopric of Durham, according to Raissius ; 
 others say at Richmond, in Yorkshire. He was master of arts in one 
 of our universities ; but going abroad to Douay, in Flanders, was re- 
 ceived into the English college there, 1576, and made priest in 1577 ; 
 and the year following sent upon the mission. Where he had not been 
 long before he again went abroad, and travelled to Rome, partly for 
 devotion, and partly for further improvement in learning. Here he 
 remained in the English college till 15 SO, when he returned into Eng- 
 land, and was not long after apprehended : for I find by a printed diary 
 of things transacted in the Tower of London from 1580 till 1585. that 
 on the 5th of December, 1580, Luke Kirby, Thomas Cottam, and other 
 priests, were brought to the Tower from other prisons ; and that these 
 two, on the 10th of tile same month, suffered the torture called, the 
 Scavenger's Daughter, of which I find frequent mention in the memoirs 
 of the sufferings of the catholics in those days. Raissius and the Douay 
 diary tell us, that Mr. Kirby was thrust into a hoop, or circle ot iron, 
 in which his whole body was as it were folded up, and his hands, feet, 
 and head bound fast together. Perhaps this cruel engime is the same as 
 that which the other diary calls the Scavenger's Daughter. 
 
 On the 20th of November following, Mr. Kirby received sentence 
 of death, at the same time, and for the same cause, with father Cam- 
 pion and others ; but suffered not till the 28th of May, 1582. When, 
 after Mr. Filbie had finished his course, he was brought from the hurdle 
 to see him hang ; ' and being lifted up into the cart, he began thus, O 
 ' my friends, O my friends, I am come hither for supposed treason, 
 f although indeed it be for my conscience. Then he prayed, O my 
 ' Saviour Jesus Christ, by whose death and passion I hope to be saved, 
 ' forgive me sinful sinner my manifold sins and offences, &c. And 
 
 * From the same eye-witness* ad from Raissius's catalogue.
 
 LUKE KIRBY. 51 
 
 c being commanded to turn towards the place of execution, his com- 
 ' paniou, Mr. Filbie, being beheaded, and, as the manner is, the ex- 
 
 * ecutioner lifting up his head between his hands, and crying, God save 
 ' the queen, Mr. Kirby said, amen : and he being asked what queen ? 
 ' he answered, queen Elizabeth, to whom he prayed God to send a 
 ' long and prosperous reign, and 1 to preserve her from her enemies. Mr. 
 ' Charke the minister bid him say, from the pope's curse and power. 
 ' Mr. Kirby replied, if the pope levy war against her, or curse her un- 
 c justly, God preserve her from him also ; and so direct her in this life, 
 ' as that she may further and maintain Christ's catholic religion, and at 
 
 * ia^>t inherit the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 ' After this, he made a solemn protestation of his innocency in 
 ' that whereof he was condemned ; adding, (hat if there were any 
 ' man living that could justly accuse him in any one point of that 
 ' tr/'u rt'i-f he was coiule7)inccl, he u'as ready to submit himself to her 
 ' majesty s clemency : and seeing Munday present, he desired he might 
 ' be brought in to say what he could. Who being brought in, said, that 
 ' being at Rome, Mr. Kirby persuaded him and another young man, 
 ' named Robinson, to stay there, and not to come to England j for that 
 
 * shortly some stir or trouble was like to come : and seeing that could 
 ' not stay him, he said, that he willed him to persuade those that were 
 ' his friends to the catholic religion against the great day. Mr. Kirby 
 ' answered, that it was unlike that he who knew before his departure 
 ' from Rome how he was affected in religion, would utter any such 
 ' words to him to persuade the people. Munday replied, that it was 
 ' like, because he delivered him some hallowed pictures to carry with 
 ' him. Mr. Kirby answered, that because he mistrusted him, he would 
 ' not deliver, nor did not deliver, any to him ; but he said, he gave him 
 ' two Julios to buy pictures j and that now he was very ungratefully 
 ' dealt withal, being by him falsely accused ; he having been 
 
 * such a benefactor to all his country-men, although he knew 
 ' them to be otherwise affected in religion than himself was : for, 
 ' he said, he spoke to some of the pope's chiefest officers, and was 
 ' like through them to come to trouble. To others, he said, he gave 
 ' the shirt off his own back j and travelled with others forty miles for 
 ' their safe conduct, and only for good- will. And as for Munday, he 
 ' had written a letter to a friend in Rhemes, to deliver him fifteen shil- 
 ' lings, which he never received, because he never went to receive it : 
 ' and he urged Munday again, in the fear and love of God, to say but 
 ' the truth ; alledging farther, how one Nichols, who in his book 
 ' uttered much more of him than Munday did, yet his conscience ac- 
 ' cus'tng him, he came to his chamber in the Tower, and in the presence 
 ' of four, whereof he named his keeper to be one, recanted and denied 
 ' that which before he bad affirmed in his book. See Mr. Kirby's letter 
 ' below. 
 
 ' Then the sheriff interrupted him, and said, even as he hath recant- 
 ' ed his error, and is sorry for it, so do you. Mr. Kirby not regarding 
 ' his words, passed on, and shewed likewise, that thi.s Munday, in 
 ' presence of Sir Owen Hopfcon, and others, did say, that he could
 
 52 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' charge him with nothing, which Munday denied : but he affirmed it 
 ' aca'm, and said, that thereupon one that was present said, that upon 
 ' thai confession he might take, advantage. The sheriff asked who that 
 ' was ? he answered, it was one Coudridge. After this, his answer to 
 ' the six articles was read. Where, to the first, being examined, lie 
 * said, that the excommunication of Pius V. was a matter of fact, 
 ' wherein the pope might err 5 the which I do leave to himself to answer 
 ' for.' " And as to the power of deposing princes for certain causes," 
 ' he now explained himself, that it was a question disputable in schools, 
 ' and he did only yield his opinion. Notwithstanding, said he, I do ac- 
 ' knowledge to my queen as much duty and authority as ever I did to 
 ' queen Mary, or as any subject in France, Spain, or Italy, doth sc- 
 ' knowledge to his king or prince. And as for Dr. Saunders and Bris- 
 ' tow, they might err in their private opinions ; die which I will defend 
 ' no farther than they do agree with the judgment of Christ's catholic 
 ' church. 
 
 ' Being demanded whether he thought the queen to be supreme 
 ' governess of the church of England ? he answered, he was ready to 
 ' yield her as much authority as any other subject ought to yield his 
 ' prince, or as he would yield to queen Mary, and more with safety of 
 ' conscience he could not do. Then sheriff Martin told him, that the 
 ' queen was merciful, and would take him to her mercy, so he would 
 ' confess his duty towards her, and forsake that ?nan of Rome ; and that 
 ' he had authority himself to stay the execution, and carry him back 
 ' again. Who answered, that to deny the popes authority was denying 
 ' n point of faith, which he u-ould not do for saving his lift 1 , l-eing sure 
 ' that this would l-e to damn hi-s soul. Then was it tendered him, that 
 ' if he would- but confess his fault, and ask the queen forgiveness, she 
 ' would yet be merciful to him. He answered again, that his conscience 
 ' did giv-e him a clear testimony that he never offended ; and therefore he 
 ' would neither confess that whereof he was innocent ; neither ask for- 
 ' gireness, where no offence ti-as committed against her majesty. WelL, 
 ' then, said sheriff Martin, do but acknowledge those things which yoiy 
 ' fellow Bosgrave hath done, such as appeareth by his examination, and 
 ' I will yet save your life. Who denied likewise to do this.' " By these 
 numbers of proffers, says my author, it is plain they judged them in- 
 nocent in their conscience of those pretended treasons." 
 
 ' Then the people cried, away with him ; and he began to pray in 
 Latin ; the ministers and others desired him to pray in English, and 
 they would pray with him: who answered, that in praying with them 
 he should dishonour God ; but if you were of one faith with me, then, 
 said he, I would pray with you. Withal he desired all those'that 
 were catholics to pray with him, and he would pray with them : and 
 so, after he had ended his pater nostcr, and began his avc, the cart 
 was drawn away, and there he hanged till he was dead ; and till his 
 two companions, Richardson and Cottam, were brought to take a view 
 H'h'.iii. His speeches were intricate, because many did speak unto 
 him, and of several matters : but here are die principal things by him 
 uttered to my remembrance.
 
 LUKE KIRBY. 53 
 
 A true Copy (if a Letter sent 7-y Mr. Kuly to some of his Friends. 
 
 ' My most hearty commendations to you, and the rest of my 
 ' dearest friends. If you send ai;y tiling to me, you must make haste, 
 e because we look to suffer death very shortly, as already it is signified 
 ' to us. Yet I much fear lest our unworthiness of that excellent per- 
 ' faction and crown of martyrdom should procure us a longer life. 
 
 ' Within these few days John Nicholls came to my chamber window 
 ' with humble submission to crave mercy and pardon for .all his wicked- 
 f ness and treacheries committed against us ; and to acknowledge his 
 ' books, sermons, and infamous speeches to our infamy and discredit, 
 ' to be wicked, false, and most execrable before God and man. Which, 
 ' for preferment, promotion, hope of living, and favour of the nobility, 
 * he committed to writing, and to the view of the world : whereof being 
 ' very penitent and sorrowful from his heart, rather than he would com- 
 ' mit the like offence again, he wisheth to suffer a thousand deaths. 
 ' For being pricked in conscience with our unjust condemnation, which 
 ' hath happened contrary to his expectation, albeit he offered matter 
 ' sufficient, in his first book of recantation, for our adversaries to make 
 ' a bill of indictment against us, yet he minded " expected" then nothing 
 ( less, ns now he protested!. He knoweth in conscience our accusations, 
 1 and the evidence brought against us, to be false, and to have no colour 
 ' of truth, but only of malice forged by our enemies : and for Sledd and 
 ' Munday, he is himself to accuse them of this, wicked treachery and 
 ' falsehood : and of their naughty and abominable life, of which he was 
 ' made privy, and which for shame I cannot commit to writing. In 
 ' detestation of his own doings, and of their wickedness, he is minded 
 ' never hereafter to ascend into pulpit, nor to deal again in any matter 
 ' of religion j for which cause he hath forsaken the ministry, and is 
 ' minded to teach a school, as I understand by him, in Norfolk. In 
 ' proof whereof he shewed me his new disguised apparel, as yet covered 
 ' with his minister's weed. I wished him to make amends for ah 1 his 
 ' sins, and to go to a place of penance : and he answered me, he was 
 ' not yet conformable to us in every point of religion, nor ever was, but 
 ' lived at Rome in hypocrisy, as he hath done ever since in his own 
 ' profession. Again he thought, that if ever he should depart the realm, 
 ' he could not escape burning. 
 
 ' He offered to go to Mr. Lieutenant, and to Mr. Secretary Walsing- 
 ' ham, and declare how injuriously I and the rest were condemned, that 
 ' he himself might be free from shedding innocent blood ; albeit he was 
 ' somewhat afraid to shew himself in London, where already he had 
 ' declared our innocent behaviour, and his own malicious dealing to- 
 ' wards us in his book and sermons. 
 
 .' To give my censure and judgment of him, certain I think, that he 
 ' will within a short time fall into infidelity, except God of his goodness 
 ' in die mean time be merciful unto him, and reclaim him by some good 
 ' means to the catholic f:ii:h ; yet it should seem he hath not lost all 
 ' good gifts of nature, whereas in conscience he was pricked, to open the 
 ' truth in our defence, and to detect his own wickedness, and treacheries 
 ' of others prncti-ed against UP, to our confusion. Now I see, as all the
 
 54 MEMOIRS, &c 
 
 * world hereafter shall easily perceive, that the doings of this roan do 
 ' confirm the old saying:, that rather than God will have wilful murther 
 ' concealed, he procureth the birds of the air to reveal it. 
 
 ' I am minded to signify to Sir Francis \Valsingham this his sub- 
 ' mission unto us, except in the mean time I shall learn that he hatji 
 ' (as he promised faithfully to me) already opened the same. Mr. 
 ' Riclrardson and Mr. Filbie have now obtained some bedding, who ever 
 "* since their condemnation have laid upon the boards. Mr Hart hath 
 
 * had many and great conflicts with his adversaries. This morning, the 
 
 * lOth of January, he was committed to the dungeon, where he now 
 
 * reinaineth : God comfort him ; he taketh it very quietly and patiently : 
 ' die cause was for that he would not yield to Mr. Reynolds, of Oxford, 
 ' in any one point, but still remained constant the same man he was be- 
 ' fore and ever. Mr. Reynolds, albeit he be the best learned of that 
 ' sort, tliat hath from time to time come hither to preach and confer, 
 ' yet the more he is tried and dealt withal, the less learning he hath 
 ' shewed. Thus beseeching you to assist us with your good prayers, 
 ' whereof now especially we stand in need, as Ave, by God's grace, shall 
 ' not be unmindful of you. I bid you farewell this 10th of January. 
 1582. 
 
 Yours to death' and after death, 
 
 LUKE KIKBY. 
 
 X. B. Mr. Hart here mentioned wa* Mr. John Hart, a native of 
 Oxfordshire, who, for. conscience sake, leaving the university of Ox- 
 ford, passed over into Flanders, was admitted into the English college 
 of Douay, in 15/1, made bachelor of divinity in that university, iH 
 15/7, a ud die year following ordained priest. Returning into England 
 he was apprehended in June, 158O, ami on die 20th of December, of 
 that same year, was from die Marshalsea translated to the Tower : he 
 was cruelly tortured iu prison, and in the November following con- 
 demned to die : but on die day designed for execution, he was by a 
 reprieve taken off die sledge, and returned to prison: lie was after- 
 wards sent into banisliment in 1584, and entered into die Society of 
 Jesus. Mr. Reynolds published in print his conference with Mr. Hart, 
 though, as it is supposed, very partially. It is allowed at all hands, that 
 Mr. Hart acquitted himself with honour in this controversy ; whom 
 therefore Mr. Cambden is pleased to compliment with die title of Vir 
 pr& carfcrif cloctissimus. He died at Jareslaw, in Poland, 1594. 
 
 14. * Laurence Richardson, alias Johnson, Priest. 
 
 _L/AURENCE Richardson was born in Lancashire, and educated in Brazen- 
 nose college, in Oxford, and was a fellow of that college, but quitting 
 his fellowship and protestanT religion, as a great many of the most hope- 
 ful subjects did in diose days, he went over to Douay college in 1573, 
 where, having passed through his course of divinity, he was made priest 
 
 * From Raissius his catalogue of martyrs, and the Douay diary : his ckath from a 
 eye-witness.
 
 LAURENCE RICHARDSON. 55 
 
 in 1577- His labours upon the mission were in his native country of 
 Lancashire, where he was much esteemed for his extraordinary zeal and 
 piety. He was apprehended in some part of the year 1581, and being 
 in prison at the time that the pretended plot of Rhemes and Rome was 
 set on foot by the enemies of die catholics j he was also charged with 
 the rest of the priests then in prison of that pretended conspiracy, though 
 he was in England at the time that he was accused to have been plotting 
 at Rhemes ; and the wretches that were his accusers had never seen him 
 there or elsewhere before his imprisonment. However, all this was not 
 regarded in his trial, and he was condemned November 21, 1581, and 
 executed the 30th of May, 1582. My author, an eye-witness of his death, 
 tells us, ' that immediately after the cart was drawn away from Mr. 
 ' Kirby, Mr. Richardson and Mr. Cottam, priests and graduates, were 
 ' brought together to look upon him whilst he was hanging ; and that 
 ' he being cut down, they were put up into the cart, where, with 
 ' chearful countenances, they signed themselves with the sign of the 
 
 * cross, saying, in nomine Patris, &c. Mr. Cottam turning him about 
 ' said, God bless you all, our Lord bless you all, with a smiling coun- 
 f tenance. Mr. Richardson being commanded by the sheriff's man to 
 ' look upon his companion who was in cutting up, said, O ! God's will 
 ' be done : with that, one Field, a preacher, said, dispatch, dispatch : 
 ' to whom Mr. Cottam said, with smiling countenance, what are you, 
 ' an executioner or a preacher ? fye, fye. A minister standing by, said, 
 ' leave off those jests, it is no time to jest ; he is a preacher, and not an 
 ' executioner ; lie cometh to exhort you to die well. Mr. Cottam re- 
 ' plied, truly ly his words he seemed to le an executioner ; for he said, 
 ' dispatch, dispatch. Then Mr. Richardson being placed right under 
 f the place where he was to hang, divers persons moved speeches to him 
 ' all at one time. To whom he answered, I pray you do not trouble 
 e me : if you demand any questions of me, let (hem be touching the 
 ( matter whereof I was condemned, and do not move new questions : 
 f and thereupon he was turned back to look upon Mr. Kirby, who was 
 ' then in quartering, which he did ; and the head being cut off, thev 
 
 * held it up, saying, God save the queen : and he being demanded what 
 ' he said ; I say, amen, I pray God save her. 
 
 ' And further he said, I am come hither to die for treason, and I 
 ' protest before God, I am not guilty of any treason, more than all 
 ' catholic bishops that ever were in this land since the conversion thereof 
 ' till our time; and were they alive they might as well be executed for 
 ' treason as 1 am now. To whom a minister replied, the case is not the 
 ' same ; for then popish priests lived under popish princes, and did not 
 '' disobey them, and so were no traitors. Whilst they were talking with 
 ' Mr. Richardson, Mr. Cottam took Bull the hangman by the sleeve, 
 ' and said to him, God forgive lh.ee and make thec his servant ; take 
 ' heed in time and call for grace, and no doubt but God will hear tht-e : 
 ' take example by the executioner of St. Paul, who, during the time of 
 ' die saint's execution, a little drop of blood falling from St. Paul upon 
 ' his garment, white like milk, did afterwards call him to remembrance 
 ' of himself, and so he became penitent for his sins, and became a good 
 ' man ; whose example I pray God tliou mayest follow - ; aud, I nrar 
 
 * God give thee his grace.
 
 5<5 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' Then the six articles were, read, and Mr. Richardson's answer, 
 1 who said, as touching the doctrine of Dr. Saunders and Dr. Bristow, 
 ' lie allowed of it no farther than they agreed with the true catholic 
 ' church of Rome. Topcliff, and some ministers said, he bi: : i his 
 ' faith upon Saunders : to whom he answered, I build not my faith 
 ' upon any one man whatsoever, but upon the whole catholic church. 
 
 * Then the rope being put about both their necks, and fastened to the 
 ' post, the sheriff said, now Richardson, if thou wilt confess thy faults 
 ' and renounce the pope, the queen will extend her mercy towards thee, 
 
 * and thou shalt be carried back again. Mr. Rich.irdson answered, I 
 ' thank her majesty for her mercy ; but I must not cor.fess an untruth, 
 ' or renounce my faith. 
 
 ' All this while Mr. Cottam was in prayer, and uttering divers good 
 f sentences ; saying, all that we here sustain is for saving of our souls ; 
 ' and therewithal lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, O Lord, thou 
 ' knowest our innocency. Then he was bid to confess his treasons. O 
 ' Lord, said he, how willingly would I confess, if I did know any 
 ' thing that did charge me ; and if we had been guilty of any roofa 
 ' thing, surely one or other of us, either by racking or death, would 
 ' have confessed it, or else we had been such people as never were 
 ' heard of. And I protest before God, that before my coming into Eng- 
 ' land, I was prepared to go into the Indies ; and if I were to be set at 
 ' liberty, I would never rest bpt on the journey towards those Countries. 
 ' With that the sheriff said, the queen will be merciful to thee, if thou 
 'wilt thyself: he answered, I thank her grace ; saying further, do 
 ' with me what you think good. Therewithal the sheriff commanded 
 ' that the rope should be loosed from the post, and he removed down 
 ' from the cart. 
 
 ' Then Mr. Richardson was once more called upon to confess and 
 ' ask pardon of the queen ; he answered, that he had never offended 
 ' her to his kncv/ledge. Then he was willed to pray; which he did, 
 ' desiring all catholics to pray with him. He said his pnter, ave and 
 ' creed; and when the cart began to move, he said, Lord receive my 
 ' soul, Lord Jesu receive my soul.' 
 
 15. * Thomas Cottam, Priest. 
 
 _L HOMAS Cottam was born in Lancashire, brought up in Brazen-nose 
 college, in Oxford, where he took the degree of bachelor of arts, March 
 23, 1568. From whence he went to London, and was there for some 
 time a school-master ; but embracing the carbolic religion, he left the 
 kingdom, and went over to Douay, to the English college lately founded 
 there. From Douay, after some time, he was sent to Rome, where he 
 entered into the Society of Jesus : ' But there foiling into a consuming 
 ' and lingering sickness, he was, by his superiors, sent to Lvo:,- ; in 
 ' France, to try if by change of air he might be recovered : but the skk- 
 ' ness so grew and increased upon him, that he was made an unfit man 
 ' for them, and thereupon they dismissed him. Whilst Mr. Cottam 
 
 * From the same eye-witness, and from Raissius lib catalogue, p. 37.
 
 THOMAS COTTAM. 57 
 
 ' was at Lyons, Sleclcl, that infamous Judas, intending to work some 
 
 * mischief, came from Rome in ihe company of divers Englishmen, whose 
 ' names and marks he took very diligently : and being come to Lyons, 
 ' found Mr. Cottam there ; and travelling in his company from thence 
 
 * for some days understood of him, that he meant very shortly to return 
 f home to his native country. Whereupon Sledd took his marks more 
 ' exactly and precisely-; and' being arrived at Paris, he there presented to 
 ' the English Embassador the names and marks he had taken, who sent 
 ' them over to the queen's counsel, and from them they were sent to 
 ' the searchers of the ports. 
 
 In the mean timn Mr. Cottam went to Rhemes, where the college 
 had lately been translated from Douay ; and there, ' being a deacon 
 ' and a good preacher long before, he was made priest ; and hearing of 
 ' company that \rere ready to go into England, he made great haste to 
 ' go with them, and earnest suit to have leave, partly for his health, and 
 ' especially for the great zeal he had to gain and save souls. 
 
 ' He arrived at Dover in June, 1580, in the company of Mr. John 
 ' Hart and Mr. Edward Ilishton, two learned priests (who are also both 
 ' condemned) and another a layman. After these four had been searched 
 ' to their skins, and nothing found about them, Mr. Hart was stopped 
 ' and taken for Mr. Orton (to whom he nothing at nil resembled) Mr. 
 ' Cottam was likewise stopped, because the marks which Sledd had given 
 c of him were, indeed, very clear and apparent in him. And, for the 
 ' avoiding of charges, Mr. Allen, then major of Dover, and Stevens the 
 ' searcher, requested the layman, Mr. Cottam' s companion,' " Dr. Ely, 
 professor of the canon and civil law in the university of Dcuay," ' who 
 ' called himself Havarcl, to carry him as a prisoner to my lord Cobham, 
 f who agreed very easilv thereunto : but as soon as they were out of the 
 ' town, I cannot, said Havard, in conscietice, nor will not, being myself 
 ' a catholic, deliver you, a catholic priest, prisoner to my lord Cobham ; 
 ' but we will go strait to London, and when you come there shift for 
 ' yourself, as 1 will do for myself. Coming to London, Mr. Cottam 
 ' went immediately to one of the prisons, and there conferred with a 
 ' catholic, a friend of his, recounting to him the order and manner of 
 ' his apprehension and escape. His friend told him, that in conscience-, 
 ' he could not ma,ke that escape, and persuaded him to go and yield hiin- 
 ( self prisoner : whereupon he went to his friend Havard,' " Dr. Elv," 
 
 * and requested him to deliver him the major of Dover's letter to my 
 
 * lord Cobham. Why? what will you do with it ? said Havard ; I ir'dl 
 'go, said Mr. Cottam, and carry it tu him, and yield myself prisn)icr ; 
 
 for I am fully persuaded, that I cannot make this eicapc in conscience : 
 f Why, said Havard, this counsel that hath been given you proceeded^ 
 ' I confess, from a zealous mind, but I doubt whether it carrieth with 
 ' it the weight of knowledge : you shall net have the letter, nor you 
 ' may not, in conscience, yield yourself to the persecutor and adversary, 
 ' having so good means offered to escape their cruelty. But Mr. Cottam 
 ' still persisting in his demands ; well, said Mr. Havard, seeing you 
 ' will not be turned from this opinion, let us go first and cpnsult with 
 ' such a man (naming one but newly come over) whom Mr. Cottam
 
 58 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 * greatly honoured and reverenced for his singular \vit and learning, and 
 ' for his rare virtues ; and if he be of your opinion, you shall have the 
 ' letter and go in God's name. When they came to this man, he 
 ' utterly disliked of his intention, and dissuaded him from so fond a co- 
 ' gitation. Mr. Cottam being assuaged, but not altogether satisfied, 
 ' went quietly about his business, and never left London for die matter. 
 ' The major of Dover's letter being sent back to him again, within two 
 f or three days after cometh up die host of die inn where Mr. Cottam 
 ' was taken. 
 
 ' This host, as providence would have it, met with Havard, and, 
 ' taking him by the shoulder said, Gentleman, you had like to liavc; 
 ' undone me, because die prisoner you promised to deliver is escaped, 
 
 * Wherefore you must come with me to one Mr. Andrews, my lord 
 ' Cobham's deputy, and give him satisfaction in the matter. Havard 
 f was somewhat amazed at diis sudden summoning ; but after awhile 
 ' coming to himself, he said, why, my host, if I deliver you the pri- 
 ' soner again you will be contented ? Yes, said die other, deliver me 
 ' die prisoner, and I have nothing to say to you. Upon this they went 
 ' to Mr. Cottam's lodging j but he was removed, die people of die 
 ' house knew not whither. The host would fain have had this Havard, 
 ' so called for die time, to go widi him to the said Andrews : but 
 ' Havard sought all means to avoid his company, being sure, if he had 
 ' once come widiin die persecutor's paws, lie should not escape them so 
 ' easily ; and being as then loth to fall into furdier trouble, he said to 
 ' die odier, my host, there is no such necessity why I should go to Mr. 
 ' Andrews : for if I did, perhaps he would pick some quarrel with me, 
 ' by reason of the prisoner's escape ; and I might come to trouble, and 
 
 * you would reap no gain or profit diereby. But this I will do for your 
 < discharge, I will bring you to a merchant, who, I think, will give 
 * you his hand that I shall bring you the prisoner by four of the clock, 
 
 * or else diat I shall deliver you my body again. I am content, saith he, 
 
 * so that I have the one of you two. To the merchant dierefore they 
 ' went, who, at die request of Havard, his brother-in-law, gave his 
 ' hand and promise for die performance of die condition before specified. 
 ' (Which promise, diough punctually performed, cost the merchant 
 
 * eight months' imprisonment afterwards ; but how jusdy will be one 
 *" day examined before die just Judge.) Thus Havard leaving his host 
 
 * in the merchant's house, went forth into the city, widi another in hi.s 
 
 * company, to see if he could meet with Mr. Cottam. 
 
 r And coming into Cheapside, there, by chance, he met him ; and 
 f after ordinary salutations, he said, Mr. Cottam, such a man is come 
 
 * to town, and hadi so seized upon me for your escape, diat either you 
 ' or I must needs go to prison : you know my state and condition, and 
 
 * may guess how I shall be treated, if once I appear under my right name 
 ' before them : you know also your own state. Now it is in your 
 r choice whether of us shall go ; for one must go, there is no remedy : 
 
 * and to force you I will not, for I had radier sustain any punishment 
 
 * whatsoever. Mr. Cottam, lifting up his eyes and hands to heaven, 
 ' said these words:. Note God be blessed. I should never while I lh>t:d 
 f hwe been without scruple, if I had escaped from them . Nothing gricvr
 
 THOMAS COTTAAI. 59 
 
 ' eth me, lut that I have not dipatched some business that I have to do. 
 ' Why, said Havard, it is but ten of the clock yet ; and you may dis- 
 ' patch your business by four of die clock, and then you may go to 
 ' them. Whither is it, said he, that I must go ? To the sign of the 
 ' Star, quoth Havard, in; New Fish-street ; and there you must en- 
 ' quire for one Mr, Andrews, my lord Cobham's deputy ; to him you 
 
 * must surrender yourself. I will, said he ; and so they parted, and 
 ' never saw one the other after. 
 
 ' Mr. Cottam, after he had dispatched all his business, went at four 
 ' o'clock, all alone, to the place appointed, and there yielded himself 
 ' prisoner (an invincible proof of his being innocent of any treason) and 
 ' was carried to the court, lying then at Nonesuch, or Otlands. From 
 ' whence, after five days' conference with divers ministers that laboured, 
 ' but in vain, to pervert him, he was sent to the Marshalsea for religion, 
 ' and not for treason ; and from thence to the Tower, there to be racked ; 
 ' not for to reveal any secret treason, as the adversaries most falsely 
 
 * pretend ; but tormented because he would not confess his private sins 
 ' unto them, .as he both confidently and truly affirmed to their faces at 
 ' his arraignment. After a long confinement he was led to Westminster, 
 ' and there unjustly condemned' " with father Campion and others ; 
 and on the 30th of May following, drawn to Tyburn, where we have 
 seen his behaviour in the cart, and how he was set down again before 
 Mr. Richardson's execution." 
 
 ' When the cart was drawn away from Mr. Richardson, Mr. Cottam 
 ' said, O good Laurence pray lor me : Lord Jesus receive thy soul ; 
 ' which he repeated several times. All this time Mr. Cottam was with 
 ' the sheriff and die ministers upon die ground, having the rope still 
 ' about his neck. I could not well hear what persuasions the sheriff 
 ' and ministers had with him : but I do conjecture, that what they said 
 ' was, that if he would renounce his faidi he should have his pardon : 
 ' for I heard him well utter these words, I will not swerve a jot from 
 ' m l) fcttJth for any thing : yea if I had ten thousand lives, / would 
 ' rat her lose them all, than forsake the catfwlic faith in any point. 
 ' And with that he was lifted up into die cart again ; and die sheriff 
 ' said widial, dispatch him, since he is so stubborn. 
 
 ' Then he was turned backward to look upon Mr. Richardson, who 
 ' was then in quartering, which he did, saying, Lord Jesus have mercy 
 ' upon them ! O Lord, give me grace to endure to the end ; Lord 
 ' give me constancy to the end. Which saying he uttered almost for 
 ' all die time that Mr. Richardson was in quartering, saving once that 
 ' he said, thy soul pray for me ; and at the last he said, O Lord, what 
 ' a spectacle hast diou made' unto me ! which he repeated twice or 
 ' thrice. And then die head of Mr. Richardson was held up by the 
 ' executioner, who said, as die custom is, God save the queen. To 
 ' which Mr. Cottam said, I beseech God to save her and bless her ; 
 ' and widi all my heart I wish her prosperity as my liege and sovereign 
 'queen, and chief governess. They willed him to say, and supreme 
 ' head in matters ecclesiastical. To whom he answered, if I u'ould 
 have put in those u'ords, I had lean discharged almost tci'o years since.
 
 60 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' Then the sheriff said, you are a traitor if you deny that. Mr. Cottam 
 ' said, no, that is a matter of faith, and unless it be for my conscience 
 f and faith; I never offended her majesty. And with that, he looked up 
 ' to heaven and prayed secretly ; then uttered these words, in tc DO- 
 ' mine xperuri nnn -confundar in ccternuw ; in thee, O Lord, have I 
 f hoped, let me not be confounded for ever. And, O Z>/ niin c tuplur a. 
 ' pro me passus cs, &c. O Lord thou hast suffered more for me, three 
 ' times repeating plura, more. 
 
 f Then die sheriff said to him, yet Cottam call for mercy and con- 
 ' fess, and no doubt the queen will be merciful unto you. Who an- 
 ' swered, my conscience giveth me a clear testimony that I never 
 ' offended her. Adding, that he wished her as much good as to his 
 ' own soul ; and for all the gold under the cope of heaven, he would 
 ' not wish that any one hair of her head should perish to do her harm : 
 ' and that all that he did here suffer, was for -saving his soul ; desiring 
 ' Almighty God, for his sweet Son's sake, that he would vouchsafe to 
 ' take him to his mercy : saying, that him only he had offended ; and 
 ' desiring God, that if there were any thing more unspoken, which were 
 ' convenient to be spoken, he would now put it into his mind. 
 
 ' And then he prayed, desiring forgiveness of all the world ; and 
 ' saying, that he did from the bottom of his heart forgive all. Adding, 
 ' that the sins of this realm have deserved infinite punishment, and God's 
 * just indignation ; and desiring him, of his mercy, that he. would turn 
 f his wTath from this people, and call them to repentance, to see and 
 ' acknowledge their sins. Then he begged all catholics to pray with 
 ' him j and having said his pater, and being in the middle of his avc, 
 ' the cart was driven away. He hanged till he was dead ; and being 
 ' stripped, he was found to wear within his shirt, a shirt of very coarse 
 ' canvass, without sleeves, which reached down beneath his middle ; 
 ' which was likely in the nature of a hair shirt, for die punishment of 
 ' his body ; with which kind of things England is not now acquainted. ' 
 
 He suffered May 30, 1582. 
 
 Father Lewis, of Grenada, in his abridgement of his catechism, 
 chap. 22, gives an accotmt of the death of Mr. Cottam, and the other 
 six his companions, from an eye-witness, and looks upon them a* 
 illustrious martyrs. 
 
 \V I 
 
 William Lacy. Priesl. 
 
 ILLIAM Lacy was a Yorkshire gentleman, " born at Hauton," who 
 for some time, enjoyed a place of trust in that country under queen Eli- 
 zabeth; and had a fair prospect of being advanced higher, had not his re- 
 ligion stood in his way. He was one of the chief gentlemen of those. d;iys 
 whose house was open to the priests that came over from the colleges 
 abroad, where thev always met with a kind welcome ; and were sure to 
 want no service or assistance that he could afford or pTocure them. 
 
 * From the collections of Dr. Bridge v, attr, in his Concertatio Ecclciiat C'athulicie 
 E-iition of l jbb. fol. 90. a.
 
 WILLIAM LACY. 61 
 
 But a> lie wa? taught by these gentlemen, that neither he nor his could in 
 conscience frequent the prote.stant churches, his absenting himself was soon 
 taken nolia- of, and he was obliged to give up his charge.. Neither was 
 tiiis all, I nit so many means were tound to <listn >s him, and sueh heavy 
 lines imposed upon him e\ery month, for his and his famih "s recusancy, 
 that he was obliged to leave his house and home, and to travel about, 
 sheltering himself some times \vith one friend, some times with another ; 
 and being never able to stay long in a place, without danger of being ap- 
 prehended and imprisoned by the. adversaries of his faith. At length his 
 wife dying, he took a resolution, though he was now pretty well advanced 
 in years, to go abroad, in order to dedicate the remainder of his days to 
 die service of God and his neighbours in the ecclesiastical state. 
 
 He had no sooner taken this resolution, but he took the first oppor- 
 tunity to pass over into France to the college lately translated from 
 Douuy to Ilhemes, where he was received according to his merits, and 
 diligently applied himself to the study of divinity, frequenting the schools 
 with the young divines, and giving great edification to all by his humility 
 and other virtues. After having tor some time exercised himself in this 
 manner in the English college at Rhemes, he went from thence to Pont- 
 a-musson in Lorrain, to follow his studies there. From whence his de- 
 votion carried him to Rome, to visit the holy places consecrated by the 
 sufferings of die apostles and martyrs. Here he procured a dispensation 
 that he might be made priest ; for having been married to a widow, he 
 could not be ordained without a dispensation ; which was the easier 
 granted him, in consideration of his personal merit and great virtues. So 
 having made the spiritual exercises in the English college of Rome, he 
 received all his orders, and shortly after returned home, to labour in the 
 mission, which he did with great fruit for the space of about two years, 
 bringing over many souls to Christ and his church. 
 
 He frequently \isited the catholics that were prisoners for their con- 
 science in York Castle; where, on the 22d of July, 1582, having been 
 with others present at mass, celebrated before day by Mr. Bell ; and 
 making the best of his way out of the eastle, vipon the keeper's and 
 turnkey's taking an alarm, he was seized under die castle walls, and 
 carried' in the morning before the lord mayor of York, and counsellor 
 Check ; who having strictly examined him, committed him prisoner to 
 the castle, with orders that lie should be loaded with irons ; which he 
 kissed when they were put on him by the keepers. "With this load of 
 chains he was hurried away to Thorp, die archbishop's seat, to be ex- 
 amined by him. What passed here, says my author, between him and 
 the archbishop we could by no means come to know ; because, after this 
 interview, Mr. Lacy wa cast into a dungeon by himself, so diat we 
 could not have any access to him. 
 
 Upon thb 1 1 th of August he was brought to the bar, where he was 
 arraigned for having been made prie>t at Rome ; which lie acknowledged, 
 and which appeared from the letters of ordination he had about him at 
 the time of his apprehension. But die judge not content with this con- 
 tes-,ion, pressed him further, with that murthering question, whether he 
 acknowledged the queen, to be the supreme head of the church cf Eng-
 
 62 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 land ? He replied, that in this matter, as well as in all other things, he 
 believed as the catholic church of God and all good Christians believed. 
 Upon this he was brought in guilty of high treason, and had sen- 
 tence to die, as in cases of high treason. He heard the fatal sen- 
 tence with a serene countenance, and an undaunted courage, saying, 
 God be for ever blessed, I am now old, and by the course of nature could 
 not expect to live long. This will be no more to me, than to pay the com- 
 mon debt a little before the time. I am rejoiced, therefore, at the things 
 ^vhich have been said to me, we shall go into t/te house of the Lord ; and 
 so shall be with the Lord for ever. 
 
 The day appointed for his death was the 22d of August, when Mr. 
 Lacy and Mr. Kirkeman, another gentleman of the same character, 
 were laid upon a hurdle, and drawn to the place of execution. In die 
 way they made their confessions to each other : and when they came to 
 the gallows, Mr. Lacy first made his prayer to prepare himself for his 
 last conflict ; and then ascending the ladder, began to speak to the peo- 
 ple, and to exhort them to provide for the salvation of their souls, by 
 flying from heresy. But the Ministers apprehending that the cause of 
 their religion would suffer by such discourses, procured to have his 
 mouth effectually stopped, by hastening the hangman to fling him oft" the 
 ladder, and so put an end to his mortal life. 
 
 He suffered at York, August 22, 1582. 
 
 17. * Richard Kirkeman , Priest. 
 
 H, 
 
 .E was born at Adingham, in Yorkshire, of a gentleman's family, 
 and being already advanced in learning, went over to the English college 
 of Douay, where, following his studies, he was made priest, and sent 
 upon the mission in 1578. His apostolic labours were in the northern 
 provinces, where, being on a journey, he was sloped on the 8th of August, 
 1582, by justice Wortley, within two miles of Wakefield, who having 
 examined him who he was ; what business brought him into that part of 
 the country ? &c. and not being satisfied with his answers, was for send- 
 ing him and his servant to prison as vagrants and dangerous fellows. Mr. 
 Kirkeman perceiving how matters were like to go, thought it best to 
 acquaint the justice with what he was, and to leave the issue to provi- 
 dence } and accordingly calling for a pen, he wrote with his own hand, 
 that he was a catholic priest. Upon this, the justice asked him no more 
 questions, but ordered his baggage to be searched (where they found a 
 chalice, and other utensils, for saying mass) and both him and his ser- 
 vant to be carried to York, where die assizes were forthwith to be held. 
 Their first night's lodging was at Tadcaster, were they had die bare floor 
 for dieir bed. The next day they arrived at York, where Mr. Kirkeman 
 was, widiout more ado, immediately brought to die bar. 
 
 Here many questions were put to him, as where he had lived ? whe- 
 ther he had ever been beyond the seas ; and in what place j and for how 
 long a time ? whether he had not withdrawn her majesty's subjects from 
 
 * From Dr. Bridgewater's ConCertatio, fol. 100, and from the Douay records-
 
 RICHARD KIRKEMAN. 63 
 
 (heir allegiance ? whether he had said mass in England, and where ? &c. 
 to these questions he candidly answered ; that he had lived with Mr. 
 Dimock, who died in prison for the catholic faith : that he had been 
 two years abroad ; that Jie never withdrew any man from his allegiance 
 to the queen ; but persuaded as many as he could to embrace the true 
 religion ; and administered the holy sacrament, as time and place would 
 permit ; that he had said mass in Northumberland ; but as to particular 
 places and persons he would not name them. Upon these answers an 
 indictment was drawn up against him, and a jury impannelled, who 
 brought him in guilty of high treason ; 1st, for being a priest of the se- 
 minary of Douay or Rhemes. 2dly, for persuading die queen's subjects 
 to the catholic religion. 
 
 After the jury had brought in their verdict, Mr. Kirkeman was car- 
 ried to the gaol, where he was again examined by justice Wortley and 
 justice Manwaring ; who not being able to extort out of him what they 
 wanted, Mr. Wortley, in a passion called him papist and traitor, and 
 loaded him with reproaches and injuries. To whom Mr. Kirkemaa 
 calmly replied, you might, sir, uith the same justice, charge the apostles 
 tilso with Icing traitors ; for they taught the same doctrine as I IHUP 
 teach, and did the same things for which you condemn me. 
 
 After this, he was brought again to the bar to receive sentence ; which 
 was pronounced upon him Ui the usual form. Mr. Kirkeman, with a 
 wonderful calmness and modesty, addressing himself to the judge upon 
 this occasion, begged of him, that he would consider well what he did ; 
 that he looked upon himself as a wretched sinner, and infinitely unwor- 
 thy of so great an honour, as that of martyrdom. The judge, who un- 
 derstood not this language, told him, that the sentence pronounced upon 
 him was agreeable to what the law directed in those cases ; and that he 
 had now nothing else to do but to prepare himself for death. The con- 
 fessor again begged of him, to consider his unworthiness of so great a fa- 
 vour. The judge warmly answered him, that his wickedness had well 
 deserved that kind of death, ft must then le so, said Mr. Kirkeman, and 
 I must le honoured with so sublime a dignity, Good God ! how unworthy 
 atn I nfit ! lut since it is thy holy u-ill, thy holy will le done on earth as 
 it is in heaven : and with that he began with a loud voice that hymn of 
 joy and thanksgiving, te Duum laudamus. 
 
 Four days before his death, he was sent for by the high sheriffand 
 two ministers : what passed between them was kept private j nor had 
 tlie cadiolics in any opportunity of learning it from himself : for from 
 diat time he was kept in a dungeon by himself, waiting widi patience, 
 arid preparing himself for his passage into eternity. 
 
 On the 22d of August he was pinioned down on the hurdle, and 
 drawn with Mr. Lacy to die place of execution. Here he employed 
 himself in silent prayer till his companion had happily finished his course : 
 dien being called upon by die officers, he chearfully went up the ladder ; 
 and addressing himself to the multitude of spectators, which was very 
 great, he began to make an exhortation to diem ; but was interrupted 
 and ordered to desist. Upon which, going up a little higher, on the 
 ladder, and lifting up his eyes towards his heavenly country, to which hi->
 
 64 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 soul aspired, he pronounced these words of the royal prophet, licit mihi, 
 tjina incnlatus men* prnloiigntun c\/ .- halitai'i cum he&itOHtii; its Cedar, 
 tnultitm i/icnlfi fuit aninni men .' and so was flung off the ladder, and 
 yielded up his soul to his creator. 
 
 18. * James Thompson, Priest. 
 
 JVj_R, James Thompson was born and brought up in Yorkshire, in the 
 west part thereof, and about the city of York. From thence he went 
 over to the college lately translated from Douay to Rhcmes, where he 
 was made priest, and sent back to England in 15SI. He was appre- 
 hended on the llth of August, 15S2, in the city of York, in the house of 
 Mr. Branton, a catholic, then prisoner for his conscience in the Kitcote; 
 and being examined by the f counsel, what he was, he franklv owned 
 himself to be a priest. At which, when some seemed to be surprised, 
 because he had been for some years before well known in that city, and 
 they could not imagine how he should be made a priest, he told them, 
 he had been beyond the seas, and was ordained there : though his stay 
 was but short, not above one year, because the state of his health 
 obliged him to return home sooner than he had designed. 
 
 They bid him tell them sincere! v, whether his returning to England 
 wr.s not in order to reconcile the queen's subjects to the church of Rome ? 
 He answered, that the cause of his returning iato 'England was that 
 which he had already told them ; for he had laboured under a very ill 
 state of health from Candlemas till the beginning of May.' But withal, 
 say's he, I will tell you ingenuously, that I returned in order to do some 
 service to my country. They asked him, if he had reconciled any ? he 
 answered, that where opportunity was offered, he had not been wanting 
 to his duty. They asked how many, and what persons he had recon- 
 ciled ? he desired to be excused from answering a question by which lie' 
 might bring others into danger. Then they asked, whether he acknow- 
 ledged the queen's majesty for the supreme head of the church ? He 
 answered, that he did not acknowledge her for such. Very well, said 
 they, you need say no more ; you have said enough. He answered,' 
 llessed Ic God. 
 
 Yet not content with this, they further asked him, whether he 
 would, take arms against the pope, if he should invade the kingdom ? 
 he replied, when that time shall come, I trill shew myvelf a true 
 patriot. But, said they, will you right against the pope now ? He an- 
 swered, 110. Upon which, after many reproaches and injuries, they 
 ordered him to prison, and commanded that he should be loaded with 
 double irons ; where he remained for seventeen days, and then, chained 
 as he was, was led through the streets from his first prison to the castle. 
 Here he was put to the common side amongst the felons, where he re- 
 
 * From Dr. Bridge water's collections, in his Concertatio Ecclesine Catholics?, Sec. 
 fol. 101. And from a manuscript account sent over to Douay, bv^he Reverend Mr. 
 Ralph Fisher. 
 
 f Srnacus.
 
 WILLIAM HART. 65 
 
 mained some time ; and then, through the interest of friends, was re- 
 moved to a chamber, where he had the company of two other priests, 
 prisoners for the same cause. 
 
 On the 25th of November he was brought to the bar, tried and con- 
 demned ; and had sentence of death pronounced upon him in the usual 
 form as in cases of high treason : at the hearing of which, he was so 
 transported with joy, that he seemed to have quite forgot the pains of his 
 disease, under which he had so long laboured. After sentence he spent 
 his time, night and day, either in prayer and meditation, or in labouring 
 to gain souls to God and his church : in which he had good success, by 
 the divine blessing and the opportunity of the place : for, being put again 
 into the company of felons, after his condemnation, he prevailed on 
 some of them, by his exhortations and good example, to renounce their 
 errors and sins, and in spite of the devil and his ministers, to die good 
 catholics and true penitents. 
 
 When the day of execution was come, and the hurdle, upon which 
 he was to be drawn to the gallows, was before his eyes, being asked by 
 one how he found himself affected, he answered, that in all his life he had 
 never been so joyful. A minister upon this occasion, offered to talk to 
 him ; but Mr. Thompson would not have any tiling to say to him : and 
 the rest that were to suffer with him (though not for the same cause) 
 followed his example, and plainly told the minister, that they would by 
 no means give ear to his doctrine. When he was come to the place of 
 execution, he there prayed for a long time, and with great fervour j and 
 then going up the ladder, he spoke to the people, declaring, that he 
 died in the catlwlic faith ; and for the catholic faith ; calling God to 
 witness, that he had never been guilty of any treason against his queen 
 or country : so, after he had again prayed for a while, commending his 
 fioul to his Creator, he was flung off the ladder, and was observed, whilst 
 he was hanging, first, to lift up his hands towards heaven, then to strike 
 his breast, with his right hand j and, lastly, to the great astonishment of 
 fhe spectators, distinctly to form the sign of the cross. 
 
 He suffered at York the 28th of November, 1582. 
 
 1Q. * William Hart, Priest. 1583. 
 
 M. 
 
 .R. Hart was born in the city of Well S A in Somersetshire, and brough* 
 up in Lincoln college, Oxford, where his happy genius and great talents 
 were much admired. From thence he passed over to Douay (disliking 
 the religion and manners of Oxford) to pursue his studies in the English 
 college in that university. From whence, in the year 1578, he removed 
 with the rest of the students to Rhemes. In this journey his courage and 
 patience was admirable, when, labouring under a violent fit of the stone, 
 lie nevertheless went the whole way on foot, bearing the most acute pains, 
 joined to the labour of the journey, with a wonderful calmness and even- 
 ness of mind, to the great edification of his companions. To whom, 
 
 * From Dr. Bridgewater's collections, fol. 104. And from the Douay record*. 
 K
 
 do MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 during his whole stay at Douay and Rhemes, he was a perfect pattern 
 of modesty and piety. His disease still growing upon him, his su- 
 periors sent him to Spa , to try die waters there ; but all in vain ; the 
 physicians declared, that there was no remedy for him but cutting : he 
 submitted, in hopes of thereby prolonging his life to labour in the Lord's 
 vineyard, offered up what he was to suffer, as a penance for his sins, 
 and underwent all with great courage ; having his soul so fixed in God 
 by prayer, that he scarce seemed to take any notice of so painful an 
 operation, at which, both the surgeon and others that were present, 
 were much astonished. 
 
 Some time after his return to Rhemes, he was sent by superiors to 
 Rome, to the English college there : which at that time, and for many 
 years before and after, was chiefly supplied with students from Douay 
 and Rhemes. Here continuing to apply himself with great ardour to 
 his studies, and making daily progress in the science of the saints, 
 having attained to great perfection, both in virtue and learning, he was 
 made priest and sent upon the mission. In England he diligently em- 
 ployed his talents to the greater glory of God, and conversion of man v 
 souls, chiefly in and about York : for, besides, a singular piety towards 
 God, a great love for his neighbours, and an extraordinary zeal for the 
 catholic faith, which were from the beginning very eminent in him ; 
 his carriage and behaviour was so winning, as to make him agreeable to 
 all : and his eloquence (for which he was called another Campion) 
 joined to an extraordinary gift he had in preaching, was such, as easily 
 made its way into the hearts of his hearers. His devotion was great to 
 the tremendous mysteries ; which, whilst he celebrated, he was often 
 observed to shed abundance of tears ; and his charity was very remark- 
 able towards numbers of poor catholics that were prisoners in those days 
 for their conscience, and who, in York especially, were daily perishing 
 through the many incommodities of their imprisonment, joined to the 
 hardheartedness and barbarity of their keepers. These he daily visited, 
 refusing no labour nor danger for their comfort and assistance ; encou.- 
 'raging them to suffer with patience ; procuring them what assistance he 
 was able ; hearing their confessions, and administering the sacraments to 
 them. 
 
 The night tkat Mr. Lacy and othejs were apprehended, who had 
 been assisting at mass in York castle, Mr. Hart was one of the company ; 
 but he escaped by getting down the wall, and made his way through a 
 muddy pool, or moat, in which he was up to the chin in water and mire. 
 .But within six months after, God was pleased he should fall into the 
 hands of the persecutors, who rushed into his chamber the night after 
 Christmas day, when he was in bed and asleep, and seized upon him. 
 At the first surprise, and perhaps not yet fully awake, he bid them keep 
 off and not touch him, for he was an anointed priest ; adding withal, 
 that he would dress himself immediately and accompany them. As soon 
 as he was dressed, they carried him to the house of the high sheriff, 
 where they kept him till day ; and then he was brought before the lord 
 president of the north, who having examined him, sent him prisoner to 
 the castle where he was lodged in a dungeon, which was his only cham-
 
 WILLIAM HART. 6; 
 
 ber till his dying day : and whereas he could not help discovering, both 
 by his countenance and words, the great joy of his soul, in suffering for 
 such a cause, they loaded him on St. John's day with double irons to 
 tame his courage ; but all in vain : for, in proportion to what he suffered 
 for Christ, he found still greater consolations from Christ. 
 
 During his confinement, he had several conferences with some of the 
 chief of the protestant ministers in York ; namely, with dean Hutton, 
 Mr. Bunny, Mr. Pace, and Mr. Palmer : in which these gentlemen had 
 no reason to boast of their success ; though they were pleased to publish, 
 that they did not doubt but he would easily be brought over to their 
 side. 
 
 When lie was brought to the bar, the judge asked him, why he had 
 left his native country to go beyond the seas ? He answered, for no other 
 reason, my lord, but to acquire virtue and learning : and whereas I found 
 religion and virtue flourishing in those countries, I took holy orders (to 
 which I perceived myself called by a certain impulse from God) to the 
 end that, renouncing the world, I might be more at liberty to serve my 
 Maker. They asked him, how he had employed his time since his return 
 into England ? He answered, in instructing the ignorant, and adminis- 
 tering the sacraments, for the benefit of the souls of our countrymen. 
 They told him, he was guilty of high treason ; first for quitting the king- 
 dom without the leave of her majesty, and adhering to her capital enemy 
 the pope. Secondly, for withdrawing her majesty's subjects from their 
 obedience, by reconciling them to the church of Rome ; as he had done 
 Mr. John Wright and one Couling. Mr. Hart replied, that his going 
 out of England could be no treason, since he went to no other end but to 
 improve himself in learning and virtue : that his obedience to the pope in 
 spiritual matters, was no ways inconsistent with his allegiance to his 
 queen ; and that he called God to witness, that he had never in his life 
 entertained so much as a thought derogatory to the authority of the 
 queen, whom he acknowledged his lawful sovereign ; or tending to 
 withdraw her subjects from their obedience ; and that neither Mr. 
 Wright nor Couling, nor any other, could say, that he had ever spoke 
 so much as one word to them to dissuade them from their obedience to 
 her majesty. 
 
 However, upon these two heads an indictment of treason was drawn 
 up, and a jury impannelled, who, as directed by the judges, brought 
 him in guilty. And accordingly he had sentence to die as in cases of 
 high treason. He received the sentence with a perfect conformity to the 
 will of God, using those words of holy Job, Dominus dedit, &c. The 
 Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away ; as it has pleased the Lflrd, so 
 has it been done ; may the name of the Lord be blessed : adding, that 
 hn tras in good hopes that now a short time zvould put an end to his mor- 
 tal life, and all its miseries, to be succeeded by true and everlasting jvys. 
 
 The six last days before execution, he prepared himself for his exit 
 by a rigorous fast, spending withal whole nights in prayer and con- 
 templation, and ardently wishing for that happy hour that should eter- 
 milly unite him to the sovereign object of his love. When he was 
 brought out of his dungeon on the day lie was to suffer, he took his
 
 68 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 leave of the catholic prisoners, earnestly recommending his last conflict 
 to their prayers : then addressing himself to the chief jailor, he bid him 
 farewell, thanking him for his kindnesses ; though indeed he had met 
 with little or no kindness or favour from him. Being fastened down 
 upon the hurdle, he was drawn through the streets to the place of ex- 
 ecution, having his eyes rixed upon heaven, and his soul in silence at- 
 tentive to God. Before he came to the gallows, he was met by two 
 ministers, Mr. Bunny and Mr. Pace, who made it their business to 
 affront him, and to persuade the people that he did not die for his religion, 
 but for treason. As soon as he arrived at the place, he chearfully went 
 up the ladder, and began to pray in silence. They asked him if he 
 prayed for the queen ? he answered, that he had always prayed for her 
 to that day, and as long as he lived would not cease to pray for her ; 
 that he willingly acknoti'ledged her for his sovereign, and professed a 
 ready obedience to her, in all things which were not inconsistent with the 
 catholic religion. Then Mr. Bunny steped out and read aloud to the 
 people the bull of Pius Quintus j by which he had excommunicated the 
 queen, &c. pretending thereby to prove that Mr. Hart must needs be a 
 traitor ; and that the business of his coming over \vas to withdraw her 
 majesty's subjects from their allegiance. Mr. Hart answered, in short, 
 that far from having any such thoughts, he had ever prayed for the 
 queen's safety, and the happy state of the kingdom. But Mr. Pace was 
 particularly troublesome to the holy confessor, continually loading him 
 with reproaches and injuries. To which Mr. Hart made no other reply 
 than this, good Mr. Pace be so kind as to let me be quiet this short time 
 I have to live ; which he several times repeated. Then lifting up his 
 eyes to heaven, he began the psalm, ad te levavi oculos meos, &c. but 
 was again interrupted by the ministers, calling upon him to join with them 
 in prayer, which he refused to do, telling them, that his faith and 
 theirs was not the same. Bnt he desired the catholics to pray for him, 
 and to bear witness that he died in and for the catholic faith, and not for 
 any crime whatsoever, or treason against the state. With that he was 
 thrown off the ladder ; and, according to sentence, was cut down alive 
 and quartered. And though the lord mayor and other magistrates, who 
 were present at the execution, sought to hinder the catholics from carry- 
 ing home with them any relics of the confessor, yet some there were 
 who, in spite of all their precautions and threats, carried off some of his 
 blood, or fragments of his bones, or pieces of his cloaths, which they 
 kept as treasures ; so great was the veneration they had for his virtue, 
 and the cause for which he died. 
 
 Mr. Hart suffered at York, March 15, 1582-3. He has a place in 
 Mr. Wood's Athencs Oxon. p. 214. who acknowledges, that he was 
 executed for his character. ' This Mr. Hart,' says the protestant 
 historian, ' was hanged, drawn and quartered for being a Roman 
 ' priest.' 
 
 Dr. Bridgewater, in his Conccrtatio, has published several of Mr. 
 Hart's letters. In one of which he gives an account of what had passed 
 in his conferences with the protestant divines. In the others he en- 
 courages his penitents, especially such as were prisoners for their con-
 
 WILLIAM HART. 69 
 
 science, to constancy ; exhorts them to neglect no opportunity of 
 frequenting the sacraments, as most powerful means of divine grace, 
 (lamenting that he himself was deprived of that benefit, no priest being 
 allowed to come near him) expresses his ardent desire to be dissolved, 
 and to be with Christ, only regretting that he had not better served so 
 good a Lord ; and forbids them to grieve upon his occasion, whose 
 death was to be so great a gain. These letters are nine in all, and are 
 very edifying. Besides which, I have met with a copy of a letter which 
 he wrote to his mother a few days before his death j with which I shall 
 here present the reader. 
 
 Most dear and loving Mntlier, 
 
 1 Seeing that by the severity of the laws, by the wickedness of our 
 ' times, and by God's holy ordinance and appointment, my days in this 
 ' life are cut off; of duty and conscience I am bound (being far from 
 ' you. in body, but in spirit very near you) not only to crave your daily 
 ' blessing, but also to write these few words unto you. You have been 
 ' a most loving, natural and careful mother unto me : you have suffered 
 ' great pains in my birth and bringing up : you have toiled and tur- 
 ' moiled to feed and sustain me your first and eldest child ; and, there - 
 ' fore, for these and all other your motherly cherishings, I give you (as 
 f it becometh me to do) most humble and hearty thanks ; wishing that 
 ' it lay in me to shew myself as loving, natural and dutiful a son, as 
 ' you have shewed yourself a most tender and careful mother. But 
 ' I cannot express my love, shew my duty, declare my affection, tes- 
 ' tify my good-wiU towards you ; so little am I able to do, and so much 
 ' I think myself bound unto you. I had meant this spring to have seen 
 ' you, if God had granted me my health and liberty : but now never 
 ' shall I see you, or any of yours, in this life again ; trusting yet in 
 ' heaven to meet you, to see you, and to live everlastingly with you. 
 
 ' Alas ! sweet mother, why do you weep ? why do you lament ? 
 ' why do you take so heavily my honourable death ? Know you not that 
 ' we are born once to die j and that always in this life we may not live ? 
 ' know you not how vain, how wicked, how inconstant, how miserable 
 * this life of ours is ? do you not consider my calling, my estate, my 
 ' profession ? do you not remember that I am going to a place of all 
 ' pleasure and felicity ? why then do you weep : why do you mourn ''. 
 ' why do you cry out ? But perhaps you will say, I weep not so much 
 ' for your death, as I do for that you are hanged, drawn and quartered : 
 ' my sweet mother, it is die favourable^, honourablest and happiest 
 ' death that ever could have chanced unto me. I die not for knaverv, 
 ' but for verity : I die not for treason, but for religion : I die not for 
 ' any ill demeanor or offence committed, but only for my faith, for my 
 ' conscience, for my priesthood, for my blessed Saviour Jesus Christ : 
 ' and, to tell you truth, if I had ten thousand lives, I am bound to lose, 
 ' them all, rather then to break my faith, to lose my soul, to offend mv 
 ' God. We are not made to eat, drink, sleep, to go bravely, to feed 
 ' daintily, to live in this wretched vale continually } but to serve God 
 ' to please God, to fear God, and to keep his commandments ; which 
 ' when we cannot be suffered to do, then rather must we chuse to lose 
 ' our Jives, than to desire our lives.
 
 ;o MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' Neither am I alone in this kind of suffering ; for there have of late' 
 ' suffered twenty or twenty-two priests, just, virtuous and learned men, 
 ' for the self-same cause for the which I do now suffer. You see Mr. 
 < James Fenn and John Bodie are imprisoned for religion ; and I dare 
 ' say they are desirous to die the same death which I shall die. Be con- 
 ' tented, therefore, good mother, stay your weeping, and comfort yourself 
 ' that you have borne a son that has lost his life and liberty for God Al- 
 
 * mighty's sake, who shed his most precious blood for him. If I did desire 
 ' or look for preferment or promotion, credit or estimation in this world, I 
 ' could do as others do : but, alas ! I pass not for this trish trash ; I 
 ' contemn this wretched world 5 I detest the pleasures and commodities 
 ' thereof) and only desire to be in heaven with God ; where I trust I 
 4 shall be, before this my last letter come to you. 
 
 ' Be of good cheer then, my most loving mother, and cease from 
 ' weeping ; for there is no cause why you should do so. Tell me, for 
 ' God's sake, would you not be glad to see me a bishop, a king, or an 
 e emperor ? Yes, verily, I dare say you would. How glad then may ypu 
 ' be to see me a martyr, a saint, a most glorious and bright star in hea- 
 ' ven. The joy of this life is nothing, and the joy of the after life is 
 ' everlasting : and therefore thrice happy may you think yourself, that 
 ' your son William is gone from earth to heaven, and from a place of all 
 f misery to a place of all felicity. I wish that I were near to comfort 
 ' you : but because that cannot be, I beseech you, even for Christ 
 ' Jesus's sake, to comfort yourself. You see how God hath brought me 
 ' up, and how he hath blessed me many ways : a thousand times then 
 
 * unhappy should I be, if for his sake I should not lose this miserable 
 ' life, to gain that blessed and eternal life wherein he is. 
 
 ' I can say no more, but desire you to be of good cheer, because 
 ' myself am well. If I had lived, I would have holpen you in your age, 
 ' as you have holpen me in my youth. But now I must desire God to 
 ' help you, and my brethren, for I cannot. Good mother be contented 
 ' with that which God hath appointed for my perpetual comfort : and 
 ' now, in your old days, serve God after the old catholic manner ; pray 
 ' unto him daily ; beseech him heartily to make you a member of his' 
 ' church ; and that he will save your soul : for Jesus sake, good mother, 
 ' serve God. Read that book that I gave you, and die a member of 
 ' Christ's body ; and then one day we shall meet in heaven, by God's 
 ' grace. 
 
 ' Recommend me to my father-in-law, to my brethren, to Andrew 
 ' Gibbon's mother, and to Mrs. Bodie, and all the rest. Serve God, and 
 ' you cannot do amiss. God comfort you. Jesus save your son 1, and 
 
 * send you once to heaven. Farewell, good mother, farewell ten thoti- 
 ' sand times. Out of York castle the 10th of March, 1583. 
 
 Your most loving and obedient son, 
 
 WILLIAM HART.
 
 RICHARD THIRKILL. ?i 
 
 20. * Richard Thirkill, or Thirkeld, Priest. 
 
 .11 E was bom at Cunsley, in the bishopric of Durham, where, or what 
 education he had at home, I have not found ; but he seems to have been 
 pretty well advanced in age before he went abroad ; for he is called an 
 old man in the account of his death, which was within four years after he 
 was made priest. His education abroad was in the English college of 
 Douay and Rhemes. He was made priest in the year 1579 : a d as he 
 was coming home from the place where he had been ordained, lifting up 
 his hands to heaven with astonishment, he cried out, O good God / 
 and directing his discourse to one of his companions : God alone knou's, 
 said he, how great a gift this is that hath leen conferred upon its this 
 day. ' He considered"/ says my author, who was one of his intimate 
 friends, ' how excellent and singular a gift it was to offer up daily to God 
 ' for his own and the whole people's salvation, the precious blood ol" 
 ' Christ, the spotless and undented lamb j and the frequent meditation 
 ' of this gift, produced in his soul that daily increase of divine love and 
 ' heavenly courage, that there was now nothing in life he desired more, 
 ' than in return for what Christ had done for him, to shed also his blood 
 " in Christ and for Christ.' My author adds, that he had often heard 
 him say, that, for eight whole years he had made it the subject of hi- 
 prayers, that he might one day lay down his life for his faith j which at 
 length was granted him in the following manner. 
 
 His mission was chiefly in and about York, where, on the 24th ot" 
 March, nine days after the execution of Mr. Hart, going by night to 
 visit a catholic, who, for his conscience, was confined in the prison upon 
 fitc bridge, he was apprehended upon suspicion of being a priest ; which 
 he readily owned, saying, I -will never deny my vocation ; do ivitk /< 
 what you will. He was carried bffore the lord mayor, and to him also 
 as boldly confessed what he was ; who sent him for that night to the 
 house of Standeven , the high sheriff; whose first business was to find 
 out and plunder his lodging, and seize upon his books, church stuff, &e. 
 After which he was committed to the Kitcot prison on the next day, 
 where he remained till the 2/th of May, which was the day of his trial. 
 In the mean time, he was twice examined by the dean of York, and three 
 of the council, concerning his character and functions : and he was very 
 free in his answers, only where any other person was concerned. They 
 asked him for what reasons he had gone beyond the seas ; and with what 
 design he had returned into England ? He answered, that it was for con- 
 science sake, that he might serve God the better; and that he had return- 
 ed into his own country in order to gain souls to God and his church : 
 confessing also, that he had said mass, and performed the rest of the func- 
 tions of his ministry, as occasion required. They touched also upon the 
 question of the supremacy ; but the dean seemed unwilling to have that 
 matter pressed home : however, Mr. Thirkill signified, to them, that he 
 thought the spiritual jurisdiction did not belong to her majesty, but to the 
 
 ' 
 
 * From Dr. Biirfgewater's collections, fol. 110. And from the diary or journal 
 Douay cpHege. '
 
 72 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 What were the dispositions of the soul of this holy man in the 
 horror and solitude of his prison, we may learn from his epistles, of 
 which Dr. Bridgewater has published six, all very edifying and full of 
 the spirit of the martyrs. Let us hear what lie writes in one of them to 
 one of his ghostly children. ' The world,' says he, ' dear daughter, 
 ' begins now to seem insipid, and all its pleasures grow bitter as gall ; 
 ' and all the fine shews and delights it affords, appear quite empty and 
 ' good for nothiug. Now it is seen, that there is no true joy, no 
 ' object, no agreeable pleasure, that can afford any solid delight, but 
 ' one alone, and that is Christ. I experience now, that the greatest 
 ' pleasure, joy and comfort is in conversing with him; that all time thus 
 ' employed -is short, sweet and delightful : and those words that, in this 
 ' conversation, he speaks to me, so penetrate my soul, so elevate my 
 ' spirit above itself, so moderate and change, all fleshly affections, that 
 ' this prison of mine seems not a prison, but a paradise ; my crosses 
 ' become light and easy, and the being deprived of all earthly comfort, 
 ' affords a heavenly joy and happiness. O happy prison ! O blessed 
 ' confinement ! O solitude full of comfort ! O goal a long time desired ! 
 ' where hast thou staid so long ? O crosses ! where have you been all 
 ' this while ? O solitude ! why didst thou not suffer me to relish thy 
 ' sweetness sooner ? But, wretch as I am ! I see it was my unwor- 
 ' thiness (which is still as great as ever) that hitherto kept me from- 
 ' such an honour, that my being so propense to vice would not suffer 
 ' me to attain to so great a blessing as these crosses ; that my iniquity 
 ' and sins have, with good reason, delayed and hindered my being pro- 
 ' moted to so happy a state as this solitude. These jewels of so great a 
 ' price ; all these riches the great God has been pleased to confer upon 
 
 * me here in my prison ; all which I ascribe to him, and acknowledge 
 ' to be his gift, his mercy, his love ; attributing nothing to myself. To 
 ' him therefore be all praise, honour and glory, for so unspeakable a 
 
 * benefit bestowed upon his poor, wretched, and altogether undeserving, 
 
 * servant.' So he. 
 
 The day of his trial he was led from the Kitcot to. the castle, guarded 
 by the sheriff and his men. He was dressed in his cassock ; which 
 made him appear more venerable j and his countenance, air and be- 
 haviour, expressed so much courage and constancy, joined with such 
 sweetness and modesty, as both ravished and astonished the beholders. 
 When he was brought to the bar, so great was the press of the people, 
 crowding to see him, that my author complains he could not hear the 
 particulars of his trial and answers : but the is.sue was, that he was found 
 guilty of the indictment, from the answers he had before returned, 
 when he was under examination, particularly because he had confessed 
 his having sacramentally absolved and reconciled the queen's subjects to 
 the church of Rome. The jury having brought in their verdict, Mr. 
 Thirkill was carried back to the castle, and put down into the con- 
 demned hold amongst the felons : yet so that he had an opportunity of 
 calling upon the catholic prisoners to pray for him ; and to assure them, 
 /"/ was a great pleasure to him to suffer for so good a cause ; for which, 
 if'hf had a thousand fives, he would n-'iUingly lay them all down.
 
 RICHARD THIRKILL. ?3 
 
 He passed that whole night in instructing the malefactors, and dis- 
 posing them to die well : And on the next morning, being the 28th of 
 May, at eight o'clock, he was again ordered before the judges. Four 
 catholic prisoners, who were to make their appearance at the bar that 
 same morning, took the opportunity, as they passed by him, to beg his 
 prayers and his blessing ; which he gave them. A good old woman, 
 who was likewise summoned to appear there for the profession of her 
 faith, was still more courageous, for, coming up to him at the bar, and 
 kneeling down, she asked his blessing in open court ; which Mr. Thir- 
 kill, graciously smiling, immediately gave her ; and defended what he 
 had done against some upon the Bench (who pretended, that in giving 
 his blessing, he had usurped the prerogative of Christ) maintaining, 
 that in quality of a minister of God, he had a power from him to bless 
 in his name. 
 
 My Author, who seems to have been an eye-witness of what passed 
 on this occasion, tells us, that at first Mr. Thirkill coming up to the bar, 
 and leaning oAjer it with his face towards the judges, seemed to the 
 spectators to be fixed in contemplation : but when the other catholics 
 were called upon by name, and arraigned for recusancy, he turned a little 
 back to hear what they would answer. Amongst the rest, a gentleman 
 of good note was brought to the bar, together with his lady, both arraign- 
 ed for not going to church (on which account, they were both afterwards 
 cast into prison) . This gentleman being sick and weak did not answer so 
 loud as to be well heard by the court ; upon which one cried out, he 
 looks at the priest : and another, a gentleman on the bench, said, this is 
 the traitor who has persuaded him to all this. Upon which, a third, who 
 was also one of the bench, and a kinsman of the gentleman, said, cousin, 
 I beg you would think seriously on the matter ; now is the time, before 
 the jury bring in their verdict ; your submission afterwards will come 
 too late. Don't wilfully fling away your goods and possessions : adding, 
 at the same time, if this traitor of a priest were not here, no doubt but 
 my cousin would be much more tractable. Here Mr. Thirkill spoke ; 
 'Tis better, said he, to cast away one's goods, than to run the risk of 
 losing one's soul. Then turning to the gentleman ; let your goods go., 
 said he, stick you close to God, and with great courage confess his holy 
 name. And whereas the judges commanded him to be silent ; he told 
 them, it was an exceeding great joy and pleasure to him to see the cou- 
 rage and constancy of these catholics, in maintaining so good a cause ; 
 and that it was his duty to exhort and encourage them on these occasions. 
 
 Upon this, one of the judges calling upon him by his name, said, 
 Richard Tliirkill, come up to the bar ; what can you say for yourself, 
 why sentence of death should not be pronounced upon you, as you have 
 been here arraigned and found guilty of high treason ? Mr. Thirkill repli- 
 ed, that he had yesterday brought five reasons out of the holy fathers, 
 by which he had demonstrated, that he was not guilty of high treason, 
 " viz in his exercising the power of the keys in obsolving sinners ;" but 
 these reasons were not regarded, and the judge immediately proceeded 
 to pronounce sentence ; by which he was, to be carried back to the place 
 from whence he came : and from thence to be drawn to the place of
 
 r-i MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 execution, and there hanged, cut down alive, dismembered, bowelled 
 and quartered. Which sentence, as soon as the confessor had heard, 
 falling on his knees, he gave most hearty thanks to God, and pronounc- 
 ed aloud these \vords, llicc dies quam fecit Dombius, &c. This is the 
 day which the Lord has made ; let us be glad and rejoice therein. Then, 
 that lais presence might no longer encourage the other catholics, he was 
 hurried out of the court, and thrust into the lowest dungeon in the castle. 
 
 On the next day he was drawn from the castle to the place of execu- 
 tion, where he suffered according to sentence : though as to the particu- 
 lars of his words and actions there, my author complains he could not 
 get any certain account of them, such care was taken to prevent tlu-. 
 catholics, and the rest of the people, from being present at his death j 
 guards being set for that purpose at the gates, the lord mayor having 
 ordered that day a general meeting of the citizens, under pretence of 
 making a proper choice for the militia : however, my author was assured 
 by persons of credit, that he was cut down alive according to the letter 
 of the sentence : snd that the faithful might not gather up any of his 
 blood, they had ordered a great fire of straw to be made upon the place 
 to consume all, in such manner, that nothing of it might be found. 
 
 He suffered at York the 20th of May, 1 583. He' is called Thrilkill 
 .'by Dr. Bridgewater and bishop Yepez, and Thrilkeld by cardinal Allen iu 
 his answer to the book called, the Execution of Justice in England ; 
 or, Jits titia Britannica. 
 
 21. * John S/ade, Schoolmaster. And 22. John 
 Body, M. A. 
 
 _L HESE two are commonly joined together, because they were tryed 
 and condemned at the same time, and for the same cause ; though they 
 neither suffered at the same place, nor on the same day. Mr. Stow 
 makes mention of them hi his chronicle of 1583. ' John Slade, school- 
 
 'master, says he, and John Body, master of arts, being both eondemn- 
 ' ed of high treason for maintaining of Roman power, were drawn, haug- 
 ' ed, bowelled and quartered.' 
 
 Mr. Slade was born in Dorsetshire ; and, after his education at home 
 in grammar learning, going abroad, was, for some time, a student in 
 the canon and civil law in the university of Douay and a convictor of 
 the English college in that city, and therefore has a place in Raissius's 
 catalogue of the martyrs of that community. At his return home, hav- 
 ing little or no opportunity of exercising his talent in the law, in the 
 circumstances of catholics in this kingdom, he became a schoolmaster, 
 as we learn from Mr. Stow above quoted. Mr. Body was born in the 
 city of Wells in Somersetshire ; his father was a wealthy merchant there, 
 and had been mayor of the town. He was brought up in New Col- 
 lege, Oxford, where he took his degree of master in arts ; and for 
 some time studied the canon and civil law : but not liking the. established 
 religion, he went over to Douay college (the common refuge in thoe 
 
 * From a Douay manuscript, and other memoirs.
 
 JOHN SLADE, Ice. 75 
 
 days of such as left England for the catholic cause) where he arrived 
 May 1, 15/7> snd Avas for some time a convictor in that house. After 
 his return home, both he and Mr. Slade were so zealous in maintaining 
 the old religion, that they were aprehended upon that account by the 
 enemies of their faith, and prosecuted upon the article of the supremacy. 
 My manuscript lays their death at the door of Cowper, bishop of Win- 
 chester, as particularly busy in procuring their condemnation : but if 
 Heylin's chronology, ' in his Help to English History, be exact, by 
 which he makes Cowper to have entered upon the bishopric only in 
 158-4, he could not have prosecuted them in 1583, at least, not in 
 quality of bishop of Winchester. 
 
 They were both arraigned together at Winchester, and there tried 
 and condemned ; and what was very singular in their case, is, that ac- 
 cording to Dr. Saunders, or rather Mr. Rishton, " 1. 3 de Schismate 
 Angl." they were twice, at different times, sentenced to death upon 
 the same indictment ; which cardinal Allen, in his answer to Justitia 
 Britannlca, cap. 1 . imputes to a consciousness in their prosecutors of 
 the first sentence having been unjust and illegal. The whole and sole 
 cause of their condemnation was, that they denied the queen's spiritual 
 supremacy, and maintained that of the pope, as appears from the account 
 of their trial and execution, published by a protestant, and an eye- 
 witness ; printed at London, by Richard Jones, the same year they suf- 
 fered, viz. 1583. 
 
 The}" both suffered with great constancy. Mr. Slade was hanged, 
 drawn and quartered at Winchester, October 30. Mr. Body at An- 
 dover, November 2, 15 S3. My manuscript relates, that, as he was 
 drawn along the streets on a hurdle, his head being in danger of being 
 hurt by the stones, an honest old man, pitying him, offered him his 
 cap, in part to save his head ; which Mr. Body, with thanks, refused j 
 adding withal, that he was just now going to give his head, life and all, 
 for his Saviour s sake. Cardinal Allen also informs us, from the printed 
 history of his execution, that Mr. Kingsmel having called upon him at 
 the gallows to confess the crime for which he was condemned, that the 
 people might know the cause for which he died, Mr. Body, after he 
 had professed his obedience and fidelity to the queen in all civil matters, 
 spoke thus to the people, /-e it knou-ii, said he, to all you that are //m 1 
 present, that I suffer death this day, because I derm the ([ueen to le the 
 supreme head of the church of Christ in England. I never committed any 
 other treason, unless they will have hearing mass, or say'nig the Hail 
 Mary, to be treason. His mother, as my manuscript relates, hearing 
 afterwards of her son's happy death, made a great feast upon that occa- 
 sion ; to which she invited her neighbours, rejoicing at his death as his 
 marriage ; by which his soul v, as happily and eternally espoused to the 
 lamb. 
 
 I find also amongst those that suffered this year, 1583, in an old 
 catalogue kept in Bouay college, the name of William Chaplain, prie.st j 
 of whom it is there said, ol-iit in vincnUs, that he died in bonds 01 
 in prison. He was made priest at Rhemes, in 1581 .
 
 76 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 23. * George Hay dock, Pr/esL* 1584. 
 
 VTEORGE Haydock was son to Evan Win Haydock, esq. of Cottam- 
 hall, near Preston, in Lancashire. The father, after the death of his 
 lady, went abroad to the English college of Douay ; and though he was 
 well advanced in years, resuming his studies, was, after some time, 
 made priest ; and returning into England, laboured for some years with 
 great fruit in the vineyard of his Lord. He was also agent, or procurator, 
 for the college ; which office he discharged to the general satisfaction of 
 his brethren. Two of his sons followed the same course of life as the 
 father had made choice of. Richard, who went with his father to 
 Douay, in 1573, and was ordained priest in 1577 i and going after- 
 wards to Rome, became, at length, doctor of divinity : and George, of 
 whom we are now treating, who had also his education for four years at 
 Douay college, where he learnt his humanity ; and from thence was 
 sent to Rome, where he went through his course of philosophy, and 
 began his divinity. But the climate not agreeing with his health, he 
 was obliged to leave Rome, being as yet only deacon, and to go into 
 France, where he remained at Rhemes three months, and was made 
 priest j and from thence returned into England, to labour there for the 
 benefit of the souls of his neighbours. 
 
 He had scarce arrived at London, when, by the treachery of on? 
 Haukinson, he fell into the hands of the pursuivants, on the 6th of 
 February, 1581-2, in St. Paul's church-yard, and was by them carried 
 into the church, where one of the ministers conferred for awhile with 
 him, and offered him his liberty without more ado, if he would renounce 
 the pope 5 which Mr. Haydock refusing to do, the pursuivants carried 
 him and Mr. Arthur Pits (whom they also had apprehended) before 
 Mr. Popham, the queen's attorney, by whom they were strictly ex- 
 amined j as they were again the next day by Cecil, lord treasurer, who 
 sent them both to the tower. Here, between Norris the pursuivant, 
 and Sir Owen Hopton, the lieutenant of the tower, Mr. Haydock had, 
 all his money juggled away ; and that the matter might be kept the 
 more secret, the lieutenant lodged him in a remote place by himself, 
 suffering none of his friends to come near him. By which means, for a 
 year and three months, he was not only deprived of all human comfort 
 and assistance, but also of the benefit ot the sacrarnents, excepting once,, 
 when a zealous priest contrived a way of coming at him, and administer- 
 ing the holy mysteries to him. 
 
 A little before his happy end, he had another place assigned for him, 
 where he was not so narrowly watched, but that sometimes his friends 
 might come to see him. By which means he had both an opportunity 
 of communicating oftener, and others were greatly edified by conversing 
 with him, and beholding his humility and patience : for besides all 
 other incommodities of his imprisonment, which he had to endure, he 
 was continually struggling with a lingering disease, which he had first 
 
 * From Dr. Bridgewater's collections, fol, 133, and from the journals and other 
 juemoirs of Douay college.
 
 GEORGE HAYDOCK. 77 
 
 contracted in Italy, and which now returned upon him in prison, and 
 frequently caused most violent stitches and pains. After he had been a 
 long time tried in this school of patience, it pleased God that he should, 
 at length, be called forth to give proofs of his fortitude and courage also, 
 in the profession of his faith, and in sealing it with his blood. He was 
 brought therefore before Mr. Fleetwood, the recorder of the city, and 
 others, to be examined ; upon which occasion, he shewed so much in- 
 trepidity in maintaining the cause, that the examiners being resolved to 
 make away with him, put those murdering questions to him ; what he 
 thought of the power of the pope, and of the queen, in spirituals ? To 
 which he readily answered, that he believed the bishup of Rome was, 
 under Christ, the chief head of the church upon earth ; and that this 
 dignity and authority could not belong to the queen, or any other woman. 
 This was enough. However, to make him more odious to her majesty, 
 they pressed him still further, and did not leave off till, by force of 
 questions and inferences, they had brought him, though against his will, 
 to say, that the queen was a heretic, and, without repentance, would 
 be eternally lost. This examination was upon the 18th of January, 
 1583-4. On which day the church celebrates the festivity of St. Peter's 
 chair, at Rome. And it was a subject of great satisfaction to Mr. Hay- 
 dock, that he should be called forth to maintain the authority of the 
 successor of St. Peter, on that day of his chair, as he signified afterwards 
 to his companions. 
 
 On the 6th of February (the very day on which he had been first 
 apprehended two years before) he was carried from the tower to West- 
 minster-hall, and there arraigned for high treason, with his four com- 
 panions, Mr. Fenn, Mr. Hemerford, Mr. Nutter, and Mr. Munden. 
 They were all brought in guilty by the jury ; and the next day received 
 sentence of death, as in cases of high treason. The cause for which they 
 were sentenced to die, is thus set down by Mr. Stow, in his chronicle, 
 L584. 'The 7th of Feb. John Fenn (he should say James) George 
 ' Haddock, John Munden, John Nutter, and Thomas Hemerford, 
 ' were all five found guilty of high treason, in being made priests be- 
 ( yond the seas, and by the pope's authority, since a 'statute made in 
 ' anno primo of her majesty's reign j and had judgment to be hanged, 
 ' bowelled and quartered ; who were all executed at Tyburn, on the 12th 
 ( of February.' So Mr. Stow, who takes no notice of the pretended 
 plot of Rome and Rhemes, which they were also pleased to charge upon 
 them 5 their very adversaries being sensible there were no grounds for 
 any such accusation, 
 
 Mr. Haydock received the sentence of death with incredible joy, 
 returning hearty thanks to God for so great a favour : and whereas his 
 apprehension and his arraignment both happened on the day of his pa- 
 troness, St. Dorothy, virgin and martyr, he attributed this happy event 
 to her prayers, and marked it down in the calendar of his breviary - f 
 which, when he was going to die, he bequeathed to Mr. Creagh, arch* 
 bi>hop of Armagh, at that time prisoner in the tower for the catholic 
 religion. In the mean while, being wholly intent on preparing him- 
 self for his happy passage, he was alarmed by a rumour spread about
 
 78 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 the city, which was brought to him in the tower, that the queen had 
 changed her mind, and that he was not to suffer. Upon which, when 
 his friends congratulated with him, he, on the other side, who saw 
 himself, as he thought, just in the haven, and was very unwilling to 
 be drove back again into the. midst of the dangers of the tempestuous sea 
 of this mortal life, conceived a great grief; but his confessarius, a man 
 of great prudence and experience, encouraged him, assuring him, that 
 these rumours were industriously spread about, only to make the world 
 believe that the queen was averse to these cruelties, to take off the 
 odium of them from her majesty, as if they were extorted from her 
 against her inclinations ; and that such reports as these, as it had been 
 found in the case of Mr. Forde, Mr. Shert, &c. were indeed a sign 
 that he and his companions would certainly sutler. Upon this Mr. 
 Haydock was freed from his fears, and wholly applied himself by 
 watching, fasting and prayer, to prepare for his last end. 
 
 On the 1 2th of February (Dr. Bridgewater says the 13th) Mr. Hay- 
 dock, early in the morning, said mass in his chamber to prepare himself 
 by the holy viaticum for his journey into eternity : and then, with his 
 four companions, was drawn through the streets from the tower to 
 Tyburn. When they were come to the place, Mr. Haydock, though 
 the youngest of them all, was first ordered up into the cart} into which 
 he ascended with great alacrity. Here, the rope being now about his 
 neck, he was called upon by Spencer, the sheriff, and by the ministers, 
 to confess his treason against the queen, and to aik her pardon. He 
 answered, I call God to witness, upon my soul, that lam innocent of the 
 pretended treason ; and therefore I have no occasion to ask her pardon. 
 He added, withal, that he acknowledged her for his queen, and wished 
 her all happiness, and had offered up several prayers to God for her 
 that very day : and that such was his disposition, in regard to her ma- 
 jesty, that if he were alone with her in a wilderness, where he might, 
 without danger, do to her what he pleased, he would not hurt her 
 with the prick of a pin, though he might have the whole world for so 
 doing. 
 
 The sheriff, who shewed himself a bitter enemy to Mr. Haydock 
 nnd his fellow confessors, told him, that, since his condemnation, they 
 had discovered far more heinous crimes of him : and, upon this, the 
 infamous Munday was called for, who pretended, that he had heard 
 him, when he was at Rome, wish for the queen's head. Mr. Haydock 
 answered, I am just now going to appear before the bar of the divine 
 Justice, to give an account of all I have done in my life : I call there- 
 fore God, the Judge of my soul, to witness, that I never spoke any 
 such words, or ever desired any such tiling : and thou, Munday, said 
 he, if thou hadst heard me say such words, Avhy didst thou not appear 
 witness against me at my trial ? Because, said Munday, I knew nothing 
 of the business. But, said the sheriff, did you not say the queen was a 
 heretic ? Yes, said Mr. Haydock, I own I said so. With that, the 
 officers and ministers made a great outcry, calling him a thousand 
 traitors, and loading him with reproaches and injuries. In the mean 
 time, Mr. Haydock, not attending to their cries, said his prayers to
 
 JAMES FENN 79 
 
 himself. One of the ministers, who was in the cart with him, would 
 have had him pray aloud in English, that the people might join with 
 him in prayer : but the confessor, putting away the minister from him 
 as well as he could, told him, he had nothing to say to him, or his ; 
 but that he desired all catholics to pray with him, to their common Lord, 
 for his and their whole country's salvation. 
 
 One of the crowd cried out, there are no catholics here : yes, said 
 another, we are all catholics. I call those catholics, said Mr. Haydock, who 
 follow the faith of the holy catholic Roman church : God grant that the 
 catholic faith may receive some increase by my blood. The catholic 
 faith, said the sheriff, the diabolical faith ; drive away the cart and 
 hang the villainous traitor. The cart was drove away, and Mr. Haydock 
 was suffered to hrmg but a very little while ; when Spencer, the sheriff, 
 ordered the rope to be cut, and the whole butchery to be performed 
 upon him whilst he was alive, and perfectly sensible : and so, through 
 most cruel torments, he passed to a better life, February 12, 1583-4. 
 
 21. * James. Fcnn, Priest. 
 
 AJ.E was born at Montacute, in Somersetshire, and brought up in 
 Oxford, first in New College, where his two elder brothers, John and 
 Robert, studied at that time, and afterwards in Corpus Christi College : 
 but being about to be received fellow of the college, he boggled at the 
 oath of supremacy, which was tendered him upon that occasion, and 
 thereupon was expelled the house : however, he staid a while longer 
 in the university, and was tutor to some young scholars in Glocester- 
 hall : but not finding himself safe liere, he retired from Oxford into 
 his native country, Somersetshire, where he was entertained by a gen- 
 tlonan of fortune, in quality of tutor or preceptor to his sons, whom he 
 brought up in the fear of God, and the love of the old religion ; though 
 their father, who was a worldly man, had another way of thinking. 
 Here Mr. Fenn married a wife, by whom he had two children ; and 
 having undergone divers persecutions for his conscience ; and,, after 
 some time, lost his wife, he betook himself to the service of Sir Ni- 
 cholas Pointz, an eminent catholic gentleman, whom he served in 
 quality of steward, to the great satisfaction of his master, and all that 
 had any dealings with him. And such, indeed, was his conduct in 
 every station of life that he went through, as not only faithfully to dis- 
 charge the duties of his office, but also to behave himself with so much 
 edification, that the whole tenor of his life was a perpetual sermon, by 
 which he strongly recommended virtue and piety to all that conversed 
 with him. 
 
 A learned and pious priest, who used to frequent Sir Nicholas's 
 house, taking notice of the excellent qualifications and rare virtues of 
 Mr. Fenn, thought it a pity that his talents should not be employed 
 in greater things ; and seriously advised him to quit that worldly employ, 
 and to go over to Rhemes to the English college lately translated thither 
 
 * From Dr. Bridgewater, fol. i, Athense Oxon, &c.
 
 80 MEMOIRS, See. 
 
 from Douay, that, receiving holy orders, and returning into his country, 
 he might be serviceable to the souls of many. Mr. Fenn took the 
 counsel of the holy man, and giving up his stewardship, went over to 
 Rhemes, where he was made priest, as appears by the college diary, 
 anno 158O, and so was sent upon the mission. His labours were in 
 his own native country, Somersetshire, where he reconciled several 
 persons of distinction to the catholic church. But it was not long be- 
 fore he was apprehended by the persecutors, though not yet known to 
 be a priest, and sent to Ilcester gaol, where he was lodged amongst the 
 felons, and loaded with irons. And that nothing might be wanting to 
 his disgrace, he was exposed, chained and fettered as he was, in a 
 public place, on a market dav, for a shew to all the people : but the 
 success did not answer the design and expectation of his adversaries : 
 for such was the invincible patience ; such the modesty of his counte- 
 nance, and the tranquillity of soul, which discovered itself in his whole 
 behaviour on this occasion, that the spectators conceived a great vene- 
 ration for him j and many began to look more seriously into their 
 religion ; being not a little shocked to see a man treated in this manner, 
 barely for following the dictates of his conscience in matters of re- 
 ligion. 
 
 The magistrates in the country being alarmed at this, acquainted 
 the queen's council, by letters, with the whole matter, who ordered 
 Mr. Fenn to be sent up to London, where he was examined by secre- 
 tary Walsingham, and sent prisoner to the Marshalsea. Here he was 
 kept for two whole years, the jailors and turnkeys not knowing him to 
 be a priest, and therefore treating him with more humanity than other- 
 wise they would have done ; and not prohibiting any one to visit him ; 
 which opportunity Mr. Fenn made good use of, not only to confirm the 
 catholics in their faith, and administer the holy sacraments to as many 
 as applied to him ; but also to reconcile several protestants to the church. 
 In the mean time he prayed much, meditated often, exercised himself 
 daily in the works of mercy, both corporal and spiritual, to his fellow 
 prisoners, especially those of the household of faith. He had a parti- 
 cular charity for pirates and other unhappy malefactors, who were to 
 suffer the law for their crimes ; whom he visited as much as he could, 
 and exhorted with great affection, to make good use of their time, and 
 to appease the wralh of God by penitence, and to seek a reconciliation 
 with his divine Majesty in the communion of the catholic church, 
 which alone, had received from Christ the keys of heaven, and the power 
 of remitting and retaining sins. And such was the force and unction 
 that accompanied his words, that he brought several of those, hardened 
 sinners to repentance and confession ; and, among the rest, a noted 
 pirate, whom he found so deeply oppressed with the load of his sins, as 
 to be absolutely in despair of salvation ; whom he so effectually ex- 
 hcrtcd and encouraged, by setting before his eyes the greatness of God's 
 mercy, and the power he had given to his ministers, that he cast him- 
 self at his feet, and desired to be admitted into the catholic church, and 
 to make his confession, which he did, after Mr. Fenn had given him 
 proper instructions as far as the shortness of his time would permit. The 
 next day he also admitted him to the holy communion, to his ur.. e peak-
 
 JAMES FENN. 81 
 
 able comfort : and so stout was this convert, that, being to die the 
 following day, he absolutely refused the communion and prayers of the 
 protestanl ministers, neither regarding their threats nor their promises : 
 and at the place of execution publicly professed that he died a catholic, 
 and blessed the providence of God that had brought him to a place where 
 he had met with such holy company as taught him to be a Christian. 
 
 As Mr. Fenn's words carried with them a particular virtue, by which 
 he made a great impression on the souls of those that conversed with 
 him ; so, in his very countenance and mein, there was something ex- 
 ceedingly engaging and attracting, more especially when he was speak- 
 ing of God, and of heavenly things (which he did as often as he had 
 opportunity) or when he was celebrating the sacred mysteries ; inso- 
 much, that those who saw him, or heard him, on these occasions, 
 found themselves wonderfully affected and stirred up to devotion, by 
 that heavenly air which shewed itself in the whole man. A certain 
 gentleman, who once assisted at his mass, declared to a priest of his 
 acquaintance, that he found in his soul at that time, such unusual sen- 
 timents of devotion as he had never experienced before or since ; so that 
 he could not refrain from shedding an abundance of tears : and this, by 
 seeing the heavenly mein of the holy priest, and that air of recollection 
 and devotion, which was so remarkable in him upon that occasion. 
 
 One year before his happy end, he seemed to have a foreknowledge. 
 of his death, and prepared himself for it by a more strict retirement 
 (only when the necessities of his neighbours required his attendance) and 
 a more continual prayer, joined to much watching and fasting ; till the 
 time now drawing near, when God would crown his servant, he was 
 discovered to be a priest, and committed to a more close confinement. 
 And as it pleased the ministry at that time to pick out some of the many 
 priests they had then in prison, to make an example of them for the 
 terror of the catholics, he was one that was marked out for the butchery. 
 And, as a preparation for this, he was called to an examination, and 
 had the usual murthering questions put to him concerning the supre- 
 macy ; to which he answered in such manner as to profess all due 
 obedience to the queen in temporals, and the pope in spirituals : declar- 
 ing withal, that he was a catholic, and that there was not a?iy one article 
 of the catholic religion for which ha was not 'willing to lay down his life. 
 
 When his trial came on, though they wanted not matter sufficient 
 for his condemnation, on account of his priest-hood, and the answer* 
 he had given to the examiners ; yet to make the proceedings against 
 him more plausible in his indictment, they affirmed, that James Fenn 
 and George Haydock, in such a year, month and day (which were all 
 named) had conspired together at Rome to kill the queen, and had re- 
 turned into England in order to perpetrate their wickedness. Mr. Fenn 
 being called upon by the judges to answer for himself, called God and 
 all the court of heaven to witness, that this accusation was most notori- 
 ously false; that, indeed, he had never been at Rome in his life, nor 
 ever any nearer it than Rhemes : that he had never seen Mr. Haydock 
 till he met him at the bar, and tint at the very time when he was pre-
 
 62 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 tended to have been plotting at Rome, he was actually in England, as 
 he could demonstrate ; and that he believed he could make it appear, 
 that he was then prisoner in the Marshalsea ; that he had never enter- 
 tained so much as the first thought of any treason against the queen, 
 and that he would not, for the whole kingdom of England, have done 
 her the least hurt, though he could be sure of doing it with impunity. 
 
 The judge told him, that although there might be some error in the 
 circumstances of time, place, &:c. yet that he had been sufficiently con- 
 \~icted of treason, and therefore was to look for nothing else but to die ; 
 and so neither witness nor any evidence whatsoever being produced to 
 prove the pretended plot, to the astonishment of all that were there, he- 
 directed the jury to find him guilty of the indictment, and accordingly- 
 pronounced sentence upon him, as in cases of high treason ; which bare- 
 faced iniquity convinced all, that the true cause of Mr. Fenn's condem- 
 nation and death was no other than his character and religion. 
 
 Having received sentence, he was carried to the Tower, and there 
 kept in a dungeon, loaded with irons, from Friday, the day of his con- 
 demnation, till Wednesday following, which was the day of his execu- 
 tion. In the mean time, Mr. Popham, the attorney general, and a 
 doctor of the civil law, formerly school-fellow to Mr. Fenn, came to 
 him, to exhort him to comply and acknowledge the queen's authority, 
 and obey the laws ; promising, that if he would, they would use their 
 best endeavours to save his life. The confessor told them, he willingly 
 acknowledged the queen's authority in all temporal matters ; but that 
 he neither could nor would acknowledge her supreme head of the church, 
 hut only as one of the sheep subject in spirituals to that shepherd to 
 whom Christ committed his whole flock : and that he was ready to die 
 in and for the profession of this faith. 
 
 On the day of execution he was laid on a hurdle to be drawn, with 
 his companions, from the Tower to Tyburn. It was a moving spectacle 
 to many to see his little daughter Frances, with many tears, take her last 
 leave of her father upon this occasion, whilst the good man, who had 
 long since been dead to all things in this world, looking upon her with 
 a calm and serene countenance, and lifting up his hands as well as he 
 could, for they were pinioned, gave her his blessing, and so was drawn 
 away. At Tyburn he was not suffered to speak many words ; but after 
 he had prayed for a while, he only declared to die people his innocence 
 of the crime that had been falsely laid to his charge in the court ; and 
 then recommended himself and the queen, to whom lie wished all 
 manner of happiness, to God's mercy. And so the cart being drawn 
 away, he was left hanging for a little while, and then cut down alive, 
 bowelled and quartered. His quarters were disposed on four of the 
 gates of the city, and his head upon London Bridge. 
 
 Mr. Robert Fenn, brother to Mr. James, was also a priest of Douay 
 ami a great snfTerf-r for his religion. Ex'dlum, curctres, vincuht, 
 '? trudilu: imnraHf.i, savs Dr. Bridgewater, fol. 410, ob catholica* 
 -."'tali.* ifttlinn?u,m rnnstantiw-HiP fierfmsnus est. Mr. John Fenn, the 
 }4>cr brother, was likewise a priest. Both one and the other were 
 '. 'v'l irom thtU" fellowships in Oxford, for the catholic religion. And
 
 THOMAS HEMERFORD. 83 
 
 Mr. John Fenn had a great hand in the book called, Concertatio Ecclesics 
 Catholim', &c. published by Dr. Bridge-water. In his latter days he 
 was confessor to the English Augustin Nuns, at Louvain, 
 
 25. * Thomas Hemerford, Priest. 
 
 JVj.R. Hemerford, or Emerford, was born in Dorsetshire, and brought 
 up in Oxford, where he took the degree of bachelor of law, 15/5. But 
 being dissatisfied with the religion of his country, he went abroad to 
 Rhemes, to the English college then residing there : and from thence, 
 as I find by the college journal, was sent to Rome, in 1580, where he 
 finished his studies, and was ordained priest. Returning into England, 
 he was apprehended, and was one of those that was marked out for' 
 execution at the same time with Mr. Haydock, Mr. Fenn, &c. with 
 whom he was tried and condemned, Feb. 7, and after lying in irons, in 
 a dungeon in the Tower, for five or six days, was drawn with them 
 from the Tower to Tyburn ; where he suffered death with great con- 
 stancy for his faith and character ; being cut down alive, as the rest 
 also were, and so bowelled and quartered, Feb. 12, 1583-4. 
 
 26. -f~ John Nutter, Priest. 
 
 JOHN Nutter was born in the parish of Burnley, in Lancashire, and 
 educated in the university of Oxford, where he was admitted bachelor 
 of divinity, June 13, 1575. Afterwards leaving the protestant com- 
 munion, lie went abroad to Rhemes, where I find, by the college diary, 
 he and his brother arrived, August 23, 157Q. Here he was made 
 priest in 1582, and sent upon the mission. He took shipping at New- 
 haven, " Havre de Grace," in France, with a design to land at Scar- 
 borough ; but the ship foundering upon the coast of Suffolk, and Mr. 
 Nutter being taken ill of a violent fever, he was put on shore at Dun- 
 wich. The ship was soon after lost, but the mariners and passengers 
 were all saved. In the wreck a neighbouring minister laying hold of 
 -4 bag, in hopes of meeting with some booty, was disappointed to find ' 
 nothing but catholic books : from which, both he and the magistrates, 
 to whom he gave an account of what he had found, suspected f the sick 
 man and his companions were priests. And, upon further inquiry, Mr. 
 Nutter not denying his character, they took him into custody, together 
 with Mr. Conyers, another priest, and Mr. Lawson, a layman. And, 
 notwithstanding his illness, they fastened a great chain of iron to his leg, 
 with a clog of wood at the end of it ; and, having served his two com- 
 panions in like manner, sent up to town to give an account to the council 
 of the capture they had made. 
 
 In the mean time, while they are waiting for an answer, the 
 neighbouring ministers and others crowd in upon Mr. Nutter and, 
 
 * From Athenae O.xoh., Douay Records, and Dr. Bridgewater's Concertatio. 
 t From Athens Oxon., Douay Diarv, and Dr. Bridgewater's Collections in his COP.- * 
 certatio, fbl. 150, 2.
 
 84 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 notwithstanding his sickness, will needs dispute with him about religion, 
 all attacking him with joint forces, some upon one article, some upon 
 another : to whom he gave, sick as he was, so satisfactory answers, that 
 though they would not open their eyes to behold the truth which he set 
 before them, yet they could not help admiring his learning ; and con- 
 cluded, that he was a more than ordinary man, perhaps a bishop, .or, 
 at least, a cunning Jesuit, sent upon some plot into the nation. But 
 none of them all, though they saw him in such a plight with his fever 
 and chain, that he could neither rise out of bed, nor turn himself in bed, 
 had the Christianity to propose the easing him, at least for a time, of his 
 chain and clog : such was the barbarity of the people in those days with 
 regard to catholics. Within ten days orders came from the council, that 
 the prisoners should be removed to London : so Mr. Nutter and his 
 companions were put into a waggon, and conveyed to town with a 
 strong guard to attend them : from whose inhumanity Mr. Nutter 
 suffered much in this journey, he being still violently ill, and loaded 
 with irons, and his guards contriving on purpose to carry him through 
 the most rugged ways they could : for which they gave no other reason 
 but that they did it to exercise his patience. After their arrival at 
 London, Mr. Nutter and his companions were sent down to Richmond, 
 to be examined by secretary Walsingham. Mr. Nutter was so ill that 
 he could scarce either stand or speak ; so that, after he had acknow- 
 ledged that he was a catholic priest, no more questions were asked him, 
 but he was sent back to London, and committed to the Marshalsea. 
 
 Here, by the blessing of God, and the charitable help of some good 
 catholics, he quickly recovered ; and he remained in this prison a whole 
 year, where he did much good, reconciling many to the catholic 
 church, and taking great pains in instructing them therein. And so 
 zealous and indefatigable was he in this charitable work of his neigh- 
 bours' conversion and salvation, that though sometimes he seemed to 
 spend a great deal of time in vain, and to lose his labour, with regard 
 to certain persons whom he had to deal with, he would never despond 
 or leave off, but still persevered in praying earnestly to God, and using 
 the best exhortations he could, till these stubborn hearts yielded at last 
 to the divine grace. Amongst those whom the man of God took the 
 most pains with, there was one, whom he could not, during life, 
 bring to any thing : but the same being- one of the spectators of his 
 death, was so moved thereby, as to be quite changed into another man ; 
 and .from that day to resolve to live in that church for which he saw this 
 holy priest die with so much constancy. 
 
 Mr. Nutter was also remarkably charitable to his enemies ; and so 
 far from seeking or desiring any revenge, as to be glad to do them kind- 
 ness ; which he shewed in the case of those very men who had so lately 
 grosly injured him, at the time of his apprehension and bringing up to 
 town: for they being prosecuted by the officers of the Marshalsea, for 
 unjustly detaining some cloaths belonging to Mr Conyers, his fellow- 
 prisoner ; and justly fearing the consequence, applied to the catholic 
 prisoners whom they had before treated with so much inhumanity, to 
 beg of them to stop the prosecution : which, when Mr, Ccnyers seemed
 
 JOHN NUTTER. 85 
 
 unwilling to consent to, unless they would be at the charges of the suit 
 which was commenced, Mr. Nutter undertook to be an intercessor for 
 his enemies, and, by his charitable remonstrances, prevailed with his 
 fellow-prisoner to desist from his claim. 
 
 He was also a great rebuker of vice, wheresoever he discovered it ; 
 which charity he exercised with that unaffected candour, simplicity and 
 sincerity, joined with a profound self-knowledge and humility, as to 
 procure from his fellow-prisoners the name of John of Plain Dealing, 
 In the mean time he was very severe to himself, treating his body- 
 roughly, not only by fastings and watchings, but also by frequent dis- 
 ciplines, which, though he industriously sought to conceal, it was dis- 
 covered by one of his most intimate friends, a little before his death. 
 His lodging was very incommodious, in a poor hole in the garret, or 
 highest part of the prison ; but he was well pleased with it, as being 
 more remote from toe noise, and therefore more proper for prayer and 
 contemplation. 
 
 One day, when a certain priest was to be put in irons, and tlie 
 jailers were fitting them to his legs and hands, Mr. Nutter hearing of 
 it, thrust himself into the company, and laying hold of the fetters, 
 kissed them with great veneration ; and when, in the way of ridiculing 
 him, they asked him if he would not kiss the manicles too ? Yes, said 
 he, very willingly ; and so he did with great respect, affirming, that 
 these irons were sanctified by the touch of the bodies of God's servants, 
 who had been bound by them. 
 
 After Mr. Nutter had been about a year in the Marshalsea, he was 
 called to another examination, and had the usual questions put to him ; 
 to which he answered with great courage and resolution. At length 
 they proceeded to that question which they usually proposed in the last 
 place to those whom they designed to make away, viz. what he would 
 do, in case the pope should invade the kingdom ? To which he answer- 
 ed, that lie would do as a good catholic priest ought to do ; and as he 
 would not further satisfy them what that was, they would needs infer 
 from hence, that he was a traitor, at least, in his heart. 
 
 The next day Mr. Nutter promised Mr. Popham, the attorney 
 general, to give him, in writing, a full and satisfactory answer to all 
 things, if he, on his part, would engage his word to deliver this writing 
 into the queen's own hands. Mr. Popham promising so to do, Mr. 
 Nutter wrote a full account, as it is thought, of the true reasons that 
 brought him and his fellow priests over into England : which were not 
 to disturb the peace of the kingdom, or to plot against the queen ; but 
 to invite their fellow subjects to peace with God ; and to promote the 
 true and only solid interest of their queen and country. This writing 
 had no other effect, than to hasten, perhaps, his trial and execution : 
 for, immediately upon it, he was summoned to appear in Westminster- 
 hall, and was there tried and condemned, with four other priests, on 
 the 7th of February j and, after lying in irons rive days in the Tower, 
 w;is drawn, together with the same four confessors, to Tyburn, and 
 there hanged, cat down alive, bowelled and quartered, February 12, 
 1583-4,
 
 86 MEMOIRS, &<:. 
 
 He was the fourth, in that happy number, to fight that last battJe 
 of his Lord; and his ghostly children, who were present upon thi.s 
 occasion, were not a little edified with that chearfulness and serenity 
 which appeared in his countenance, as well upon the hurdle as at the 
 gallows ; and that courage and constancy which he shewed in his 
 sufferings. 
 
 He suffered, says Mr. Wood, in his Athencc Oxon., for being a 
 Roman catholic priest, and denying the queen's supremacy. 
 
 M, 
 
 27. * John ^Munden, or Muiuhjii, Priest. 
 
 . r. . Munden was born at Maperton, in Dorsetshire, and educated in 
 the university of Oxford; where he was admitted fellow of New College, 
 in 15(52, and had the character of being a very good civilian. Being 
 discovered to be a catholic, he was deprived of his fellowship, in 15dt>; 
 and after many years, going abroad, lie applied himself to the study of 
 divinity, at Rhemes, where he arrived in 1580; where, also, according 
 to some authors, he was made priest : but in the account in Dr. Bridge- 
 water, of his examination before secretary Walsingham, he answers, 
 that he was made priest at Rome, though he was not of the college or 
 seminary there ; and I find him in the Douay diary returning priest from 
 Rome, in 1582. 
 
 About the end of February, 1582-3, as he was going up from "Win- 
 chester to London, he met upon Hounslow-heath with one Mr. Hammond, 
 a lawyer, who knowing him to be a priest, stopped him on the way, 
 and obliged him to go back with him to Stains, where he delivered him 
 up to the justices or magistrates of the place. These sent him to London, 
 to Wolsey, the Latin secretary : who, the following day, sent him to 
 Sir Francis Walsingham, principal secretary of state. 
 
 The secretary asked him, where he was made priest ? whether he 
 were of any seminary ? who had sent him back into England ? who had 
 furnished him with money for his journey ? &rc. To all which, Mr. 
 Munden returned a sincere answer. Then the secretary inveighed most 
 bitterly against the seminarists, and against the translation of the New 
 Testament, lately published at Rhemes : and as if he were resolved that 
 Mr. Munden should pay for all these misdemeanors of the seminaries, 
 he began to propose to him the questions, which were the common 
 forerunners of death. 
 
 1st. What he thought of Dr. Saunders's going into Ireland ? Mr. 
 Munden answered, he knew not what Dr. Saunders went about, and 
 therefore could not say whether he did right or wrong in going thither ; 
 let him answer for himself. 
 
 2dly. The secretary asked him, what he would do, or what any 
 good subject ought to do, in case of an invasion of the kingdom upon 
 account of religion ? and what he thought of the deposing power ? Mr. 
 
 * From Athenae Oxon.. Douay Memoirs, and Dr. Bridgewater's Collection, fcL 
 139. -2.
 
 JOHN MUNDEN. 6; 
 
 Munden begged to be excused from answering questions that were 
 above his capacity ; for that, as his chief study had been the civil law, 
 he was not divine enough to resolve such queries. . 
 
 3dly. He asked, whether he esteemed queen Elizabeth to be the 
 true queen of England ? he answered, yes. But, said Walsingham, do 
 you allow her to be queen, as well de jure, as de facto ? I do not 
 rightly understand, said Mr. Munden, the meaning of those terms. 
 How now, traitor, said Walsingham, do you boggle at answering this ? 
 And therewithal gave him such a blow on one side of the head, as 
 perfectly stunned him, and made him reel ; so that for some days after, 
 he complained of a difficulty of hearing on that side. After this injury, 
 and many other reproaches and affronts, the secretary sent for a pur- 
 suivant, and ordered him to conduct Mr. Munden to the Tower, and 
 to take his horse and furniture tor his pains. 
 
 In the Tower he was, at first, very ill lodged, being put into irons 
 for twenty days, and obliged, for some time, to lie upon the bare floor. 
 However, he was not without comfort, as well interior from God, who 
 forsakes not his servants on these occasions, as exterior from a good 
 priest, a fellow-prisoner, his ghostly father ; who also helped very 
 much to support him and encourage him under another kind of trial, 
 which he here met withal ; when being called forth to be again ex- 
 amined by Popham, the attorney-general, this gentleman, not contented 
 with other injuries, charged him with having led a leud life in his own 
 country : for although this was no more than a groundless calumny, Mr. 
 Munden was, nevertheless, very much concerned at the accusation, not 
 for his own sake, but for fear of the scandal that would by this means 
 be cast upon religion : but the good man, his director, comforted him, 
 putting him in mind of that beatitude, St. Matth. v. blessed are you, 
 U'hcn men shall revile you, and slinll persecute you, and shall speak 
 all kind of evil against you falsely, fur ni-y sake, le glad and rejoice, 
 for your reirard is exceeding great in heaven. Adding withal, that 
 the prophets and apostles, and even Christ our Lord himself, had been 
 calumniated and slandered : and that it was always the way, both of 
 ancient and modern heretics, as he shewed by examples, to seek to 
 asperse in this manner the reputation of the ministers of God, and of 
 his true church : but that truth and innocence would, in these cases, 
 sooner or later, prevail, to the confusion of their enemies. 
 
 Mr. Munden was about a twelvemonth prisoner in the Tower, before 
 he was called to the bar to take his trial. But on the 6th and 7th of 
 February, 1583-4, he was tried and condemned in Westminster-hall, 
 at the same time, and for the same cause, with the other four whom 
 we have last treated of. When sentence was pronounced upon him, 
 he, with the rest of those holy men, joined in reciting the hymn Te 
 Deum laudamus, with a serene and chearful countenance : and so great 
 was the inward joy he conceived in his soul upon this occasion, that he 
 could not help discovering it in his voice, in his face, and in the whole 
 outward mnn. Some who had not been in the court that day, perceiv- 
 ing in him, when he returned to the Tower, that extraordinary alacrity, 
 supposing he h:;d been acquitted, congratulated with him ; but he soon
 
 I ' MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 gave thwn to understand, that his joy proceeded from other sort of prin- 
 ciples that those of flesh and blood. This joy continued \vith him till 
 his happy death : and when his confessor came to him, the night before 
 he was to suffer, lie found him in the same disposition, enjoying so 
 great a sweetness of internal consolation, as to stand in no need of his 
 comfort ; but rather, he who came to comfort him, went away himself 
 exceedingly comforted by him. 
 
 He was drawn with the rest to Tyburn, on the 12th of February, 
 according to Mr. Stow, or the 13th according to Dr. Bridgewater : and 
 after having been the spectator of the combat of the other four, assisting 
 them by his prayers, he, in his turn, had them in heaven, spectators of 
 his combat, and assisting him by their prayers ; whilst, with equal con- 
 stancy, he overcame gibbets, ropes, knives, and fire, and all the other 
 instruments of cruelty ; and so passed from short pains to everlasting 
 rest. 
 
 This same year, 1584, several oilier catholics suffered for religious 
 matters : of whom Dr. Bridgewater treats at large in his Cuncertatio 
 Ecclesite Catholicce. These were, 
 
 1. William Carter, a printer, for printing a Treatise of Schism, 
 against catholics going to the protestant churches : In which, a paragraph 
 touching Judith and Holofernes, by a forced construction, was inter- 
 preted to be an exhortation to murther the queen. 
 
 He was hanged, drawn and quartered, at Tyburn, January the 
 llth, 1583-4. 
 
 2. James Bell, born at Warrington, in Lancashire, brought up in 
 Oxford, and made priest in queen Mary's days ; who, when the religion 
 of the nation was changed upon queen Elizabeth's accession to the 
 crown, suffered himself to be earned away with the stream, against his 
 conscience ; and for many years officiated as a minister, in divers parts 
 of the kingdom. He was, at length, reclaimed in 1581, by the re- 
 monstrances of a catholic matron, joined to a severe fit of sickness, with 
 which God was pleased to visit him ; in which he was reconciled to God 
 and his church. He had no sooner recovered the health of his soul by 
 confession, but he recovered also the health of his body ; and, after 
 having applied himself for some months to penitential exercises, and 
 brought forth fruits worthy of penance, he resumed his priestly functions, 
 labouring with all diligence for the souls of his neighbours, for the space 
 of about two years. In January, 1563-4, he was apprehended by a 
 pursuivant, and carried before a justice of peace. To whom he acknow- 
 ledged himself to be. a priest, and confessed that he had been reconciled 
 to the catholic church, after having a long time gone astray ; and there- 
 fore was by him committed to Manchester jail. From hence he was 
 sent to Lancaster, to be tried at the Lent assizes : in \vhich journey his 
 arms were tied behind him, and his legs under the horde's belly. He 
 was arraigned, together with Mr. ThonuN "Williamson and Mr. Richard 
 Hutton, priests, and Mr. John Finch, layman ; all for the supremacy. 
 Mr. Bell, in his trial, shewed a great deal of courage and resolution, 
 boldly professing, that he had been reconciled to the church, and had 
 faculties to absolve penitent sinners - } and that he did not acknowledge
 
 JOHN MUNDEN. Sg 
 
 the queen's ecclesiastical supremacy, but that of the pope. In con- 
 Sequence of which supposed treasons, he had sentence to die, as in 
 cases of high treason. The other two priests were also found guilty by 
 the jury ; but as the judge had instructions to put to death no more than 
 two, they were not sentenced to die^ but only condemned to a perpetual 
 imprisonment, and loss of all their goods, as in cases of premunire. Mr. 
 Bell shewed great content upon this occasion, and looking at the judge 
 said, / icg your lordship would add to the sentence, that my lips and 
 the tops ofmyfingers may le cut off, for having sworn and subscribed to 
 the articles of heretics, contrary loth to my conscience and to God's truth. 
 He spent the following night, which was his last, in prayer and medita- 
 tion ; and suffered on the ensuing day, which was the 20th of April, 
 1584, not only with great constancy, but with great joy; being then 
 Sixty years of age. 
 
 3. John Finch, born in Eccleston parish, in Lancashire, who, aftef 
 he was come to man's estate, and was married and settled in the world, 
 being heartily disgusted with the new religion, upon a long and serious 
 examination of the merits of the cause, was reconciled to the catholic 
 church ; and was so fervent a convert, as not only to neglect no means 
 of sanctifying his own soul ; but also to endeavour, as much as he could, 
 to be instrumental in procuring the conversion and salvation of others j 
 as well by his own words and good examples, as by the assistance he gave 
 to the labourers in God's vineyard ; in whose service, for many years, 
 he was wholly employed, accompanying them, and conducting them to 
 the houses of the faithful, where the duties of their functions called 
 them, and serving them in quality both of a clerk and of a catechist. At 
 length, by the treachery of a false brother, he was apprehended, together 
 with Mr. George Ostcliffe, a priest of Douay college, by the earl of 
 Derby. Mr. Finch being now a prisoner, they spared neither threats 
 nor promises to induce him to go to church ; which, when they could 
 not persuade him to, they dragged him thither by downright violence 
 through the streets, his head beating all the way upon the stones ; and 
 being thereby grievously broken and wounded ; then they thrust him 
 into a dark stinking dungeon, where he had no other bed but the bare 
 and wet floor 5 no other food but oxens' liver, and that very sparingly. 
 Here they kept him sometimes for whole weeks together, sometimes for 
 whole months ; not to speak of innumerable othf r sufferings which he 
 endured for some years, whilst he was in the hands of the enemies of his 
 faith. At length, he was ordered from Manchester to Lancaster, to be 
 tried for his life at the Lenten assizes, where he was indicted for delibe- 
 rately and maliciously affirming, that the Pope hath power or jurisdic- 
 tion in the kingdom of England, and that he is the head of the catholic 
 church ; ofivhich church, some part is in this kingdom. Of this treason 
 he was found guilty by the jury, and thereupon had sentence to die, a* 
 in cases of high treason : which sentence he received with joy, having 
 long desired to suffer death for the cause. He was executed the follow- 
 ing day, April 20, with Mr. Bell, at Lancaster ; and his quarters were 
 disposed of, to be set up on poles in four of the chief towns of that 
 county, 
 
 y
 
 90 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 4, Richard White, born at Llangdlos, in Mongomcryshire of Wales, 
 and brought up in Cambridge. He was, after his return from the 
 university, for some time a schoolmaster, first at Wrexham, and then at 
 Orton, in Flintshire, being all the while in his heart a catholic ; yet, by 
 an error too common in those days, outwardly conforming so far as to 
 frequent the protestant churches, till the Douay missioners (of whom 
 about sixty-four came over before there were any from other places) 
 coming to those parts, made him sensible of his fault, and reconciled 
 him to the church. His absenting himself from the protestant service 
 began to be taken notice of; and after some time he was apprehended, 
 arid committed, by justice Pilson, to Ruthin gaol, where he iay for three 
 months, loaded with double chains, till the next assizes ; in which he 
 was brought to the bar, and had a proffer of pardon for all that was past, 
 if he would only once go to church ; which he refusing, was again 
 returned to prison. The following year, the assizes being held at 
 Wrexham, in the month of May, judge Bromley being informed of all 
 that was past, was resolved that Mr. White, who still refused to go to 
 church, should be carried thither by force, which was done accordingly. 
 Mr. White making all possible resistance, and loudly protesting all the 
 way against the violence that Avas offered him ; and in the church itself, 
 making what noise he could, that neither he nor any others might hear 
 the minister : so that the judge not being able to silence him, ordered 
 him to be carried out, and set in the stocks in the market-place. In the 
 mean time an indictment was drawn up against him, for having inso- 
 lently and impiously, as they termed it, interrupted the minister and the 
 people in the divine service ; and a jury being impannelled, Mr. White 
 was brought into the court to answer for himself; when, the clerk of the 
 assizes beginning to read the indictment, such a sudden dimness fell 
 upon his eyes, that he could not distinguish one letter. The judge 
 asked him what was the matter; he said, / do not know irhat is the 
 matter with my eyes, but I cannot see. The judge put it off' with a 
 sneer, saying, take care lest the papists make a miracle of this. Mr. 
 White was returned to prison, where, a short time after, he had two 
 others sent to bear him company for the same cause, viz. Mr. John 
 Pugh and Mr. Robert Morris. After some time they were all three 
 arraigned for high treason, and sent away from Wrexham gaol to the 
 council of the Marches at Bewdley, where they were all cruelly tor- 
 tured, to make them discover by whom they had been reconciled, &c. 
 Mr. White and Mr. Pugh shewed great courage and constancy upon 
 this occasion. Mr. Morris was not so stout ; for which weakness he 
 afterwards heartily repented. At length, on the llth of October, 1584, 
 they were all brought to their trial, and indicted for high treason ; the 
 witnesses, who were infamous wretches suborned for the purpose, swear- 
 ing that the prisoners had affirmed in their hearing, that the queen was 
 not the head of the church, but the pope ; and that they would have per- 
 suaded them, or one of them, to the catholic religion. The prisoners 
 excepted against their testimony, as of men that had been notoriously per- 
 jured before, and publicly infamous ; but these exceptions were not 
 -laken notice of: and the jury, instructed (as it seems) by judge Brom- 
 Isy, brought in Mr. Wliite and Mr, Pugh guilty, but acquitted Mr.
 
 JOHN MUNDEX. Ql 
 
 Morris, who, to the surprise of the court, wept most bitterly at his hard 
 lot, that he should not be so happy as to be condemned also, and to 
 suffer with his companions for so good a cause. He was returned to 
 prison, where he remained at the time that my author wrote his account 
 of Mr. White's death. Mr. Pugh was reprieved 5 but Mr. White suf- 
 fered according to sentence ; being cut down alive and butchered in a 
 most cruel manner, pronouncing the sacred name of Jesus twice, whilst 
 the hangman had his hands in his bowels. 
 
 He suffered at Wrexham, in Denbyshire, October 17, 1584. His 
 head and one of his quarters were set upon Denbigh castle, the other 
 three quarters were disposed of to Wrexham, Ruthin and Howlet. 
 
 Mr. John Bennet, priest, of Douay college, ordained in 1578, was 
 also prisoner at the same time with Mr. White and Mr. Pugh : who, 
 after he had been examined by Hughs, bishop of St. Assaph, and by 
 judge Bromley, and had stoutly maintained his faith at Hawarden, in 
 Flintshire, in 1583, was sent first to Flint (where he was cast into a 
 filthy prison, and loaded with double irons) and then to the council of 
 the Marches of Wales, where he was twice cruelly tortured, in order to 
 make him confesss whom he had reconciled, &c. But they could ex- 
 tort nothing out of him. He was, not long after, sent up to London, 
 and from thence, in the year 1585, was, with thirty other priests, sent 
 itjto perpetual banishment. Upon this occasion he went strait to 
 Rhemes, where, for some time, he lived with his brethren in the 
 English college then residing in that city, giving wonderful examples of 
 virtue to all ; and, at length, going from thence, he entered into the 
 Society of Jesus. With him also, Mr. Henry Pugh, a Flintshire gen- 
 tleman, was cast into prison, and cruelly tortured, as may be seen in 
 Dr. Bridgewater. 
 
 I find likewise in an ancient catalogue of Douay college, the names 
 of several priests of the seminaries who lost their lives this year in prison, 
 for their character and religion. These were, Mr. Thomas Cotesmore, 
 a native of the diocese of Lichfield, sent priest from Rhemes in 15 SO. 
 Mr Robert Holmes, of the diocese of Carlisle, sent priest from Rhemes 
 the same year. Mr. Roger Wakeman, made priest at the same time 
 with Mr. Nelson, and sent from Douay in 15/6. Mr. James Lumax, 
 a priest of Rome, sent thither from Rhemes in 1580. Of the three 
 latter the catalogue says, that they were killed by the stench, and other 
 incommoditics of their respective prisons. Pcedore carceris & aliis in- 
 crjinmodis ejctinctl sunt. 
 
 Of Mr. Wakeman, Dr Bridgewater also relates, fol. 412, that 
 being translated from one of the Counters to Newgate, and there lodged 
 near a most stinking hole, where the prisoners emptied themselves and 
 their chamber pots, he suffered much during two whole years, till at 
 last he was killed with the stench of the place. 
 
 The same author, in the same place, relates likewise of Mr. Holmes, 
 that falling into the hands of the persecutors, he was kept prisoner for 
 two months in a certain dark hole, designed for keeping coals, which 
 had on both sides of it houses of office ; that lying here on the bare
 
 02 MEMOIRS, Sec. 
 
 floor, without any bed, he was brought to death's door j and though, at 
 the earnest suit of his friends, he was changed to a more commodious 
 prison 5 yet, being too far gone to be recovered, died within two days. 
 
 In the same place he also informs us of Mr. Ailworth, a secular 
 gentleman, who, for his constancy in his faith, was not only cast into 
 prison, and there put into irons, but also thrust down by the jailer into, 
 a nasty dungeon, or, rather, a common sewer, where he perished by 
 the stench, within eight days. 
 
 The same author, in his short view of the sufferings of the catholics, 
 at the end of his Concertatio, acquaints us, that in this same year, 
 1584, no less than fifty catholic gentlemen's houses in Lancashire, were 
 searched hi one night, under pretence of looking for priests j but so as 
 to plunder the houses, and send away the masters to divers prisons ; 
 where they suffered great hardships for their faith. My author names 
 particularly Mr. Travers, Mr. Holland and Mr. Barlow ; the last of 
 whom was, at that very time, so ill as not to be able to sit upon his 
 horse j yet this could not dispense him from being sent to prison. And, 
 indeed, such was the case of the catholics at this time, not only in 
 Lancashire, but all over the kingdom, that the jails were ever)' where 
 filed with them, and that barely for their recusancy ; insomuch, that 
 the old prisons not being sufficient to hold them, new ones were built 
 in many places j and all this for people whose conscience was their only 
 crime, 
 
 28. * Thomas Alfield, Priest. 1585. 
 
 jVlR. Alfield, or Aufield, as some call him, was born in Glocester-r 
 shire, studied his divinity in the English college then residing in Rhemes, 
 where he was made priest in 1581 ; and so sent upon the English 
 mission, where I find him a prisoner in April, 1582. In the latter end 
 of the year 1583, or the beginning of 1584, there came out a book 
 penned, as it was supposed, by Cecil, lord treasurer, intitled, The 
 Execution of Justice, &c. j or, Justitia Britannica. The drift of this 
 book was to, persuade the world, that the catholics, who had suffered 
 in England since the queen's accession to the crown, had not suffered 
 for religion, but for treason. The book was immediately answered by 
 Dr. Allen, and the author fairly convicted of notorious untruths : but 
 people in power will not bear to be told they lie. Mr. Alfield, there- 
 fore, who had found means to import into the kingdom some copies of 
 pr. Allen's Modest Answer to the English Persecutors, and had dis- 
 persed them, by the help of one Thomas Webley,, a dyer ; was called 
 to an account, as was also the said Webley, and both the one and the 
 other were most cruelly tortured in prison ; I suppose in order to make 
 them discover the persons to whom they had distributed the said books. 
 They were afterwards brought to their trial, and condemned on the 5th 
 of July, and suffered at Tyburn on the day following ; where both the 
 one and the other had their life offered them if they would renounce the 
 
 * From the Douay Journal and Catalogue, and frora Df. Bridgewatcr's Coilcctkru, 
 fy!. 2U3. Q.
 
 HUGH TAYLOR. <?3 
 
 pope, and acknowledge the queen's church headship ; which they rc- 
 Jusing to do, were both executed. 
 
 H, 
 
 2Q, Hugh Taylor, Priest. 
 
 .UGH Taylor was born in Durham, performed his studies in the 
 English college then residing at Rhemes, where he was made priest in 
 1584, and sent upon the English mission. He was apprehended some 
 time in the following year, tried and condemned at York for being a 
 priest, and for haying received faculties from the see of Rome, to absolve 
 and reconcile the subjects of England, and denying the queen's su-> 
 premacy. 
 
 He was drawn, hanged and quartered at York, Nov. 26, 1585. 
 
 Marmaduke Bowes, a married gentleman of Angram Grange, neai 
 Appleton, in Cleveland, was executed at the same time with Mr. 
 Taylor, for having entertained the same gentleman in his house ; or, as 
 Mr. Leonard Brakenbury, a Yorkshire attorney, affirms, in a manuscript 
 which I have in my hands, for having only given him a cup of beer at 
 his door. Mr. John Ingolby, counsellor at law, in another manuscript, 
 of which I have an extract, affirms, that Mr. Bowes hearing of the 
 priest's being taken, came to York, at the assizes, to try to free him by 
 his appearance ; whereupon, as soon as he was lighted rrom hii horse, 
 without pulling off his boots, he went strait to the Castle Yard, to speak, 
 in the priest's behalf. But himself being hereupon questioned, was 
 immediately apprehended, tried and condemned, upon the statute lately 
 made against harbouring or relieving priests, upon the accusation of one 
 Martin Harrison ; the earl of Huntington, a bitter enemy of the ca- 
 tholics, being then president of the North ; and Laurence Mears, one 
 of the council, being judge. Some say he was hanged in his boots and 
 spurs. 
 
 He suffered at the same time and place with Mr. Taylor. The pro- 
 vidence of God, in his regard, was the more to be admired in bringing 
 him to this happy end, because (as it seems by another relation that I have 
 now before me) he had, though a catholic in his heart, conformed in 
 outward shew to the religion of the times. ' He died very willingly," 
 " says this relation by the lady Bapthorp," ' and professed his fairh, 
 ' with great repentance for having lived in schism.' 
 
 Mr. Taylor and Mr. Bowes were the first that suffered by the san- 
 guinary statutes of this year (the- 27th of Elizabeth) by which it was 
 made high treason for any native of her majesty's dominions, made 
 priest since die rirst year or he r reign, by authority derived from Rome, 
 to return into this kingdom, or remain here ; and felony for any person 
 to harbour or relieve any such priest, knowing him to be a priest. By 
 which statutes, as we shall sre hereafter, most of those that have since 
 suffered for religious matters, were arraigned and condemned. The 
 catholics perceiving tiie storm that was hanging over their heads, sought 
 
 * From the Douay Jpurrul ; Dr. Bridgcwater, f&l. 203, znd Rabsius's Catalogue, 
 . 4?.
 
 94 MEMOIRS, ice. 
 
 to divert it by an humble and dutiful address to the queen '' which may 
 be seen in a small tract, called, English Protestants' Plea for Priests 
 and Papists, 1621," presented to her majesty by Mr. Shelley, of Sussex, 
 one day as she was walking in her park, at Greenwich. But this ad- 
 dress had no other effect, than the causing the gentleman who presented 
 U, to be cast into the Marshalsea, where he died a close prisoner, for 
 no other fault, but presuming to present an address to the queen> with- 
 out the knowledge and consent of the lords of the council. 
 
 What with these new laws, and the others formerly made, the 
 catholics were so terrified, that many of them resolved to leave the 
 nation ; by this means to be out of the reach of these cruel statutes, and 
 at the same time to enjoy the free exercise of their religion. This reso- 
 lution was taken, amongst the rest, by that noble lord, Philip Howard, 
 earl of Arundel (eldest son to the late duke of Norfolk, who, by 
 Leicester's contrivances, was brought to the block in 15/2). But be- 
 fore he departed the realm, he wrote a dutiful letter to the queen, to 
 be delivered when he was gone ; signifying, that for his soul's health, 
 and the service of God, he purposed to leave his native country, but 
 not his loyal affection for her majesty. His design miscarried ; for just 
 as he was going on board the ship, he was betrayed by one of his do- 
 mestics, seized, brought back to London, and committed to the Tower. 
 His brothers, uncle, and several of his kindred, friends and sen-ants, 
 being at the same time committed to several prisons. For this offence 
 he was first fined ten thousand pounds, in the Star Chamber, and sen- 
 tenced to be imprisoned during the queen's pleasure. Then, after some 
 years' confinement, upon new informations, he was brought upon his 
 trial before his peers, found guilty, and had sentence of death, April 
 4, 1580. The crimes objected against him, were chiefly his harbour- 
 ing and relieving of priests, and corresponding with Dr. Allen, and 
 with Mary queen of Scots. It is true, he was not executed, but per- 
 mitted to die a lingering death, under a tedious confinement, being 
 kept a close prisoner for ten years, from the time of his condemnation, 
 till his death : during which time he gave himself up to a strict and 
 penetential course of life ; and to continual prayer and contemplation, 
 to the great edification of all that knew him. The bishop of Tarrasona, 
 1. 2. c. 4. relates, that he lay upon the ground, fasted three days a 
 veek upon bread and water, &c. 
 
 This same year, 1585, Henry Fiercy, earl of Northumberland, 
 who had been sent to the tower the year before, upon occasion of his 
 friend the lord Paget's privately retiring beyond the seas, for his con- 
 science sake ; after many efforts of his enemies (of whom the earl of 
 Leicester was supposed to be the cliiefest) to. bring him in guilty of some 
 treason, was found shot through the reins apd groin. Great industiy 
 was used to persuade the nation that he was felo de se ; but it was 
 violently suspected that he was made away by Leicester. This Henry 
 was brother to Thomas Piercy, earl of Northumberland, who, with 
 Charles Nevile, earl of Westmorland, took up amis in the north, 
 for the catholic religion, in. 1569, and was beheaded at York, in 
 1572.
 
 HUGH TAYLOR. p5 
 
 I find, in an ancient catalogue, the names of the following priests 
 9f the seminaries, who died this year in prison for their religion. 
 
 1st. Thomas Crowther, born in Herefordshire, priest, of Douay col- 
 lege, ordained in 1575, and bachelor of divinity in that university. He 
 was a man of extraordinary parts and learning, and a notable missioner. 
 He died in the Marshalsea, after about two years' imprisonment. 
 
 2dly. Edward Poole, sent priest from Rhemes in 1580, and appre- 
 hended and cast into prison the same year. 
 
 3dly Laurence Vaux, formerly warden of Manchester, (some time 
 convictor of the college of Douay, or Rhemes) afterwards canon regular. 
 He was cast into the prison of the Gatehouse, together with N. Titchburn, 
 esq. by Elmer, bishop of London, in 1580, and died there this year. 
 
 4thly. John Jetter, whom I find in the college of Rhemes, in 15S1, 
 made sub-deacon. I believe he was made priest at Rome. 
 
 Of the ancient confessors, this year died prisoner in Wisbitch castle, 
 the venerable John Feckenham, last abbot of Westminster. 
 
 But one of the most remarkable occurrences in the history of this 
 year is, the banishment of about seventy priests, within the compass of 
 one twelvemonth. ' On die 21st of January, 1584-5, says Mr. Stow 
 in his annals, Jesuits, seminaries, and other massing priests, to the 
 number of twenty-one, " one was only a lay gentleman," late prisoners 
 in the Tower of London, Marshalsea, and Xing' s-bench, were shipped 
 oft' at the Tower- wharf, to be carried towards France, and banished 
 this realm for ever, by virtue of a commission from her majesty,, bear- 
 ing date the 15th of the same month, anno 1585. 
 
 ' On die 15th of September, die same year, by virtue of an order 
 from die lords of the council, thirty-two priests more, and two laymen, 
 at that time prisoners in the Tower, Marshalsea, &c. were embarked in 
 the Mary-Martin, of Colchester, on the south side of the Thames, over 
 against St. Catharine's, to be transported over unto the coasts of Nor- 
 mandy, and banished this realm for ever.' 
 
 There were about eighteen more, according to Cambden and others, 
 (Dr. Bridgewater says twenty-two,) all priests but one, (he a deacon,) 
 sent into banishment from die northern prisons about the same time. Of 
 whom Dr. Bridgewater writes, diat they were for the most part ad- 
 vanced in -years ; some being sixty, others seventy, or upwards, and 
 one eighty years old ; and diat many of them had been a great many 
 years in prison ; some ever since the beginning of this reign, i. e. for 
 twenty-six years. Bridgewater's Brevis Descriptio, &c. fol. 411. 
 
 The same author, in the foregoing page, relates also, as an occur- 
 rence of this year, the case of James Steile, priest, who, after having 
 been twice taken and cast into prison, first at York, and then at Man- 
 chester, was put on board a ship to be carried into perpetual banishment. 
 He suffered much on shipboard, but little, in comparison with the treat- 
 ment he afterwards met with : for being cast upon the Irish shore, and 
 stripped of all his clothes, even to his very shirt, he was carried to the 
 next town, where a poor woman gave him a piece of a shift to cover iiis
 
 go MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 uakedrlcss ; and in that manner he was presented to the sheriff of the 
 county ; who sent him, naked as he was, upon a horse, without saddle 
 or bridle, to the city of Cork, conducted by certain wicked wretches., 
 who sported themselves with whipping him frequently during the whole 
 jrurney, which was no less than twenty miles. When he arrived at hi? 
 journey's end, he was put into irons, and kept in the common gaol 
 amongst the thieves, till, by the orders of the earl of Derby, and the 
 bishop of Cork, he was again shipped ofY, and sent into banishment. 
 
 The names of the twenty-one who were sent into banishment in 
 January, were> 
 
 1. Jasper Hay wood. S. J. 
 
 2. James Bosgrave, S. J. 3. John Hart, B. D. 4. Edward Rusli- 
 ton. These three were condemned at the same time with father 
 Champion and his companions. 
 
 5. John Colleton, or Collington, acquitted at that time, yet kept in 
 prison till this present year. 
 
 6. Arthur Pitts, afterwards dean of Liverdun. 7. Samuel Conyers. 
 8. William Odder, g. William Warmington. 10. Richard Slack. 
 
 11. William Hartley 12. Robert Nutter 13. William Dean 
 These three were afterwards executed for their character. 
 
 14. William Bishop, afterwards bishop of Chakedon. 
 
 15. Thomas Worthington, who, after cardinal Allen and Dr. Barret,, 
 was the third president of Douay college. 
 
 16. Richard Norris. 17. Thomas Stevenson. 18. Christopher 
 Thompson, ig. John Barns. 20. William Smith. 
 
 21. Mr. Orton, a lay gentleman, condemned with father Campion. 
 
 I have not been able to recover the names of all the rest that were 
 banished this year. I find in the Douay catalogues, that many of them 
 came and made some stay in the college ; as besides several of those 
 named above, did John Bennet, Steven Rousham, Lewis Hews, John 
 Adams, John Vivian, Thomas Sympson, Andrew Fowler, Thomas 
 Pilchard, Jonas Meredith, Nicholas Garlick, Edmund Syke's, John 
 Marsh, Thomas Freeman, and John Hewet. 
 
 30. * Edward Strancham, or Transhctm^ Priest. 
 
 JV1.R. Edward Stransrmm, whom Mr. Stow, in liis annals, calls 
 Edmund Barber, from the name under which he dUguised himself upon 
 the mission, was born at or near Oxford, and educated in St. John's 
 college, in that university, where he took the degree of bachelor of 
 arts, in 1575-0. Not long after this, he left the \iniversi ty and the 
 protestant religion, and went over to Douay, where I rind him in June, 
 
 * From Athenar. Oxon., Diary of Douay College. R'shron, 1.3. deSchUm 
 ia r.c, ar.d Dr. Bridge water's Cbncertatio Ecclesiae CathoUcae, &c. to'. 2J4.
 
 NICHOLAS WOODFEN. 97 
 
 15/6 : and going afterwards to Rhemes, (the college being translated 
 thither) he was ordained priest in December, 1580, and sent upon the 
 mission on the last day of June, 158 1, with three others ; one of which 
 was Mr. Woodfen, Avho afterwards suffered with him. 
 
 The account that both Mr. Rishton and Dr. Bridgewater give of 
 these two missioners, is short, but very full and expressive. The former 
 writes as follows : ' At London, Edward Transham, a priest of remark- 
 ' able zeal and piety, and endowed with the grace of the word ; and 
 ' his companion Mr. Woodfen, a man of equal merit and constancy, 
 ' glorified God by a most precious death and confession ; whose bowels 
 ' they plucked out whilst they were yet alive 5 and whose quarters they 
 ' set up for a prey to the fowls of the air.' p. 347- 
 
 The latter writes thus : ' Mr. Edward Transham, and Mr. Wood- 
 ' fen, catholic priests, after they had given many and various arguments 
 ' of their piety, charity and Christian fortitude, in gathering together the 
 ' .scattered sheep of Great Britain ; the time being now come, in which 
 ' they were both to glorify God by an illustrious confession of their 
 ' faith, and confirm their brethren by the voluntary shedding of their 
 ' blood, being approved by the testimony of faith, they offered their 
 ' souls and bodies a living and holy sacrifice to God their creator and 
 1 redeemer.' 
 
 They suffered at Tyburn, January 21, IS 85 -6, barely for being 
 priests. They are mentioned by Mr. Stow, in his annals, who calls 
 Mr. Woodfen by the name of Devereux. ' Nicholas Devereux, says 1 
 ' he, was condemned for treason in being made a seminary priest at 
 ' Rhemes. Also, Edmond Barber, made priest as aforesaid, was like- 
 ' wise condemned of treason : and both were drawn to Tyburn, and 
 ' there hanged, bo welled and quartered.' 
 
 31. * Nicholas Woodfen, alias Wheeler, Priest. 
 
 JL HIS gentleman, whom Mr. Stow calls Devereux, from the name by 
 which he was arraigned and condemned, and who was known at the 
 college by the name of Woodfen, but his true name was Nicholas 
 Wheeler. He was a native of Lemster, or Leominster, in Hereford- 
 shire, and performed his studies at Douay and Rhemes, was made priest 
 at Rhemes the 25 th of March, 1581, said his first mass on the 5th of 
 April following, and was sent upon the mission on the 30th of June. 
 We have just now heard his character from Mr. Rishton and Dr. 
 Bridgewater ; and how he was put to death with Mr. Transham, for 
 being made priest by Roman authority, and remaining !n this kingdom 
 contrary to the statute of Elizabeth 2/. What follows is a copy of a 
 relation penned by an ancient missioner, his schoolfellow. 
 
 ' Mr. Nicholas Devereux, priest, executed at Tyburn, was bora at 
 ' Lemstet, a town in Herefordshire, in the Marches of Wales ; with 
 
 . * From the Douay Diary; and from a manuscript in mv hands, by th* reverend 
 Mr, Davis, an intimate acquaintance of Mr. Woodfen.
 
 98 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' whom I was schoolfellow in Lemster, and then he was called Nicholas 
 ' Wheeler, and held for one of the best scholars in the school. Whom, 
 ' from that lime, I did never see, until he had taken holy orders beyond 
 ' theseas, and returned intoEngland. Coming to London, after his return, 
 ' he waa driven to great necessity ; and learning that I was entertained 
 1 by Sir Thomas Tresham's lady, who lived in Tuttle-street, in West- 
 ' minster (Sir Thomas Tresham, her husband, being prisoner " for his 
 ' religion" at Hogsdon, " or Hoxton," beyond London) he came to an 
 
 * inn thereby, and sent me a letter. I came unto him ; who declared 
 ' r.nto me, the tears standing in his eyes, that he had neither money to 
 ' luy him any meat, nor scarce any cloat/ts tjpon his tack. I pitied his 
 ' case, Comforted him, and gave him such money as I had then present ; 
 ' and afterwards acquainted him with catholics in London ; and by the 
 ' help of Mr. Francis Brown, the old lord Montague's brother, I got 
 ' him apparel, and furnished him in such sort, as he took a chamber in 
 ' Fleet-street, near the conduit, at one Barton, a haberdasher's house, 
 ' and did much good among the gentlemen of the inns of court, and 
 ' went in a gown as one of them ; where he went by the name of 
 ' Woodfen. But Norris the pursuivant, ferreted him out, and forced 
 ' him from thence. After that, he came to Hogsdon to me : where. 
 ' the next day after his coming, he fell into the like danger : for the 
 ' house was beset and searched by two pursuivants ; who, to be the 
 ' more sure of their prey, brought with them the owner, or landlord. 
 ' of the house ; who finding a certain door closed up, told Sir Thomas 
 'of it 5 who said it was true, that because his sen-ing men lay in that 
 ' chamber, and his son in the next chamber, to the end that his men 
 ' should not have access to his son, he barred up that door ; wherein, 
 ' indeed, the secret place was devised, which saved us both at that 
 
 * time : but, as our Saviour said, nnndum wiit hora men, so his hour 
 ' was not yet come, until falling the third time into the pursuivant's 
 ' hands, he was executed at Tyburn, January 21, 1586, by the name 
 
 * of Nicholas Devereux. He was a man of a fine complexion of body, 
 ' affable and courteous : and therefore, I think, he won the more love.' 
 So far Mr. Davis. 
 
 On the 20th of April following, we find two more priests executed 
 together at Tyburn ; of whom thus writes Mr. Stow, in his annals, 
 ". William Thompson, alias Blackburn, made priest at Rhemes, and 
 ' Richard Lee, alias Long, made priest at Lyons, in France, and remain - 
 ' ing here contrary to die statute, were both condemned, and, on the 
 
 * 20th of April, drawn to Tyburn, and there hanged, bow "died and quar- 
 4 tered.' 
 
 32. * Richard Sergeant, alias Long and 33, William 
 Thomson, alias Blackburn, Priests. 
 
 .LJLICHARD Sergeant, who sometimes screened himself under the names 
 of Lee and Long, was born in Gloucestershire, of a gentleman's family, 
 
 * From the Diaries, and Catalogues of Martyrs of Douay College, and from a ma- 
 nuscript history, kept in the same coliee,e, ot aflairi relating to the catht/.tcs during the 
 f :^n uf queen Elizabeth, by Dr. CLuirnpney.
 
 ROBERT ANDERTON, &c. 99 
 
 and was an alumnus and priest of the English college then residing at 
 Rhemes j though he received the order of priesthood, according to Mr. 
 Stow, at f Lyons. He was a man of learning, and after he had for 
 some time laboured with fruit in gaining souls to Christ, was appre- 
 hended, cast into prison, tried and condemned, barely for being a 
 priest, and remaining in the kingdom, contrary to the statute of 27 
 Elizabeth. 
 
 And William Thomson, sometimes known by the name of Black- 
 burn, born in the parish of Blackburn, in Lancashire, alumnus and 
 priest of the same college, after many labours in the vineyard of his 
 Lord, in administering, in the midst of dangers, the holy sacraments to 
 catholics, and reclaiming heretics from the way of perdition, was, in 
 like manner, apprehended, tried and condemned, for having been made 
 priest by the authority of the see apostolic, and remaining in England 
 contrary to the statute. They were both drawn together to Tyburn, 
 and there happily finished their course, being hanged, bowelled and 
 quartered, April 20, 1586. 
 
 This, or the next, month, we find two more priests of the same 
 college, executed for the same cause, in the Isle of Wight. These 
 were, 
 
 34. J Robert Anderton and 35, William Marsden, 
 Priests. 
 
 Anderton, born of an honourable family in the county pala- 
 tine of Lancaster, and William Marsden, born in the parish of Goosenor, 
 in the same county ; both performed their studies in the college of 
 Rhemes : and Mr. Anderton in particular, has the character, in the 
 manuscript history, of having been a man of great learning, vir doctis- 
 timus. Being advanced to the dignity of priesthood, they were together 
 sent over to labour in the vineyard. But, going on shipboard, whilst 
 the)' were sailing for some other part of the kingdom, a storm arising, 
 drove them upon the Isle of Wight. Where, being suspected to be 
 priests, they were apprehended and carried before a justice of the peace j 
 and, upon examination, they not denying their character, were com- 
 mitted to prison. When they were brought upon their trial, they made 
 it appear, that they were cast upon shore against their will, and had not 
 remained in the kingdom, before their commitment, the number of 
 days mentioned in the statute 5 and therefore could not be guilty of the 
 treason, or liable to the punishment of that statute. But this plea, how 
 just soever, was overruled, and they were found guilty by their jury, 
 and had sentence to die, as in cases of high treason ; and this barely for 
 (heir being priests, made by authority derived from Rome, and coming 
 over into this kingdom. In consequence of this sentence, they were 
 executed in the Isle of Wight, on the 25th of April, according to a 
 manuscript catalogue kepi in Douay college, which I believe to be the 
 
 f It appears by the college journal that he was ordained not at Lyons, but at Laon. 
 J. From the Diaries, Catalogue?, and Manuscript History above quoted.
 
 100 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 same as was drawn up by order of the bishop of Chalcedon, to be pre- 
 sented to the pope. The constancy and chearfulness with which these 
 two holy confessors offered themselves to the worst of deaths, and their 
 behaviour on this occasion, gave great edification to the catholics, and 
 astonishment to their adversaries. 
 
 36. * Francis Ingolby, Priest. 
 
 P HANCIS Ingolby was son of Sir William Ingolby, knight. He was 
 born at Ripley, in Yorkshire ; was an alumnus and priest of Douay 
 college, during its residence at Rhemes, and was ordained and sent 
 upon the English mission, anno 1384. He laboured with great fruit in 
 the northern parts of this kingdom, in the worst of times ; where, at 
 length, he was apprehended, tried and condemned, barely for being a 
 priest, ordained by authority derived from the see of Rome, and remain- 
 ing in this kingdom. He suffered at York, on the 3d of June, 1586. 
 
 37. "}" John Finglow, or Fingley, Priest. 
 
 ,FoHN Finglow, or Fingley, was born at Barneby, near Houden, in 
 Yorkshire ; had his education in the English college, then residing at 
 Rhemes ; where he was ordained priest, March 25, being Easter Eve, 
 1581 ; and was sent upon the English mission the 24th of April follow- 
 ing. After many labours in gaining souls to Christ, in the northern 
 parts of the kingdom, he was apprehended and committed to York gaol ; 
 and being brought upon his trial, was condemned of high treason, for 
 being a priest made by Roman authority, and for having reconciled some 
 of the queen's subjects to the church of Rome. He was hanged, bow- 
 clled and quartered at York, August 8, 1586. Some say 1587- He 
 suffered, says Molanus, in his catalogue, p. 14. with that generous cou- 
 rage which seems to have been natural to the seminarists from the very 
 beginning, and with an ardent zeal for the confirmation of religion. 
 Ingenita seminari-stis jam inde ab initio generositate 1 ^ & ardore in T?!i~ 
 gione confinnanda, 
 
 38. John Sandys, Priest. 
 
 JOHN Sandys was born in the diocese of Chester, was educated in 
 Douay college during its residence at Rhemes, where he was made 
 priest, and sent upon the English mission, anno 1584. After having, 
 for some time, diligently applied himself to his missionary functions, he 
 was apprehended, tried and condemned for being a priest ; and was 
 drawn, hanged, bowelled and quartered at Gloucester, August the 1 1 th, 
 (some say the 2d) 1586. 
 
 In October following, I find three priests executed together at Tyburn ; 
 of vhom thus writes Mr. Stow in his chronicle. ' The 6th of October, 
 
 * From Uie Douay diary, catalogues, and MS. history. 
 
 + From the diary, catalogues, and manuscript history above quoted. 
 
 Jftid.
 
 RICHARD DIBDALE. 101 
 
 ' John Lowe, J. Adams, and Richard Dibdale, being before condemned 
 
 * for treason in being made priests by authority of the bishop of Rome, 
 
 * were drawn to Tyburn, and there hanged, bowelled and quartered.' 
 
 3Q. * John Lowe and 40, John Adams, Priests. 
 
 JOHN Lowe was born at London, and was, for some time, a protestant 
 minister j but being converted, he went abroad, and was first an alum- 
 nus of Douay college, and afterwards sent from Douay to Rome in 15/6, 
 where he was made priest ; and from thence returned upon the English 
 mission, Here he was apprehended and cast into prison ; and, at 
 length, tried, condemned and executed, as in cases of high treason, 
 barely for his priestly character and functions, 
 
 He suffered at Tyburn October 8, 1586. 
 
 John Adams was born at Martin's Town, in Dorsetshire, and per- 
 formed his divinity studies in the English college, then residing at 
 Rhemes ; from whence he was sent priest upon the mission, anno 1581. 
 He was one of those priests that were banished in 1535 ; and, upon that 
 occasion, returned to the college ; but, after a short stay, went again 
 into the vineyard, where he was again apprehended. Other particulars 
 relating to him I have not found, only Molanus signifies, that his con- 
 stancy was proof against the artifices and promises, by which many 
 sought to divert him from his generous resolution of laying down his- 
 life for his faith. Multorum elusis artibus, qui constantiam de more 
 catholicorum variis promissis mollire conantur. 
 
 He was condemned barely for being a priest, and was executed at 
 Tyburn, October 8, 158G, 
 
 41. }- Richard Dibdale, Priest. 
 
 JLVICHABD, or, as he is called in most catalogues, Robert Dibdale, was 
 born in Worcestershire, was an alumnus and priest of the English col- 
 lege, then residing at Rhemes, and from thence, anno 1584, was sent to 
 labour in the English vineyard, which he diligently cultivated for some 
 years, till, falling into the hands of the persecutors, he was tried and 
 condemned to die tor his priestly character and functions. And, in 
 consequence of this sentence, was, together with Mr. Lowe and Mr. 
 Adams, drawn to Tyburn, and there hanged, bowelled and quartered, 
 October 8, 1586. 
 
 Of him thus writes Mr. Davies, an ancient missioner, in a manuscript 
 relation sent over to Douay, anno 1626. ' Mr. Richard Dibdale, priest, was 
 ' executed with Mr. John Lowe. I met him once at Sir George Peck- 
 ' ham's, of Denham, besides Uxbridge, where he practised the office of 
 ' an exorcist : for there were three persons bewitched and possessed, two 
 ' maids and one man. Out of one of the maids he brought forth a great 
 ' needle at her cheek, and two rusty nails, and pieces of lead : her name 
 
 * From the Douay memoirs above quoted. 
 
 f From the sarnc'inempirsj and from a manuscript in my hands.
 
 U02 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' was Ann Smitli. The other was called Fid, who, after the apprehen- 
 ' sion of Mr. Dibdale, became concubine to Bancroft, called archbishop 
 ' of Canterbury, and had a child by him, as I have heard. I left him 
 ' there upon Ascension Eve, and coming to London, I was apprehended 
 ' by Newal and "Worseley, two pursuivants, on Ascension Day in the 
 ' morning, saying my prime, bound and sent to the compter in Wood- 
 ' street, and two gentlemen that were taken with me ; the third gentle- 
 ' man who brought me a missal escaping, by giving the pursuivants 3l. 
 ' The same Mr. Dibdale I also met twice or thrice at the old Lord 
 ' Vaux's house, who then lived at London. More of him I cannot say 
 ' of my own knowledge.' 
 
 Of the same Mr. Dibdale, and his exorcisms, thus writes the learned 
 and pious Diego de Yepez, confessor to Philip II. king of Spain, and 
 bishop of Tarasona, in his Spanish history of the persecution of England, 
 1. 2. chap. 13. ' Wonderful, says he, were the things that happened in 
 the exorcisms of certain persons possessed by the devil, made by Mr. 
 ' Dibdale, priest, who was since martyred, and by others, in the house 
 'of a certain catholic, where many persons of distinction met, with 
 ' great profit to their souls, to see and hear things far exceeding the 
 ' forces of human nature ; which obliged them to reverence the works 
 ' of God, and the virtue and power which Christ our Lord has be- 
 ' queathed to the ministers of his church. The martyr Dibdale obliged 
 ' the devil to bring up by the mouth of one of the possessed persons, 
 ' balls of hair, and pieces of iron, and other such like things, which it 
 ' was impossible could ever naturally have gone into, or afterwards have 
 '' come out of, a human body. The devils also, upon this occasion, 
 ' told what relics of the saints each one had privately brought with him ; 
 ' and obeyed the prayers and exorcisms of the church, confessing and 
 ' declaring, to their own confusion, the virtue which the sign of the 
 ' cross, holy water, and relics, (as well of the ancient saints, as of those 
 ' that suffer in these days in England for the catholic faith) have against 
 ' them. All which, though some incredulous and hardened heretics 
 ' slighted ; yet, others that were not so much biassed by passion, but 
 ' more reasonable, were convinced by the evidence of what they saw, 
 ' and thereupon renounced their errors.' So far this prelate. 
 
 The same author, in this and the following chapters, relates several 
 other remarkable histories, which happened in these times, of persons 
 possessed by the devil. As of a young man in Derbyshire, who being 
 a catholic in his heart, to save his worldly substance (for he was rich) 
 outwardly conformed to the established religion, and received the protes- 
 tant communion ; which he had no sooner done, but he fell into a great 
 trouble of mind, followed by strange fits, which, as it was not long after, 
 plainly discovered proceeded from an evil spirit possessing him. Also 
 of another young man in Hampshire, to whom the like happened upon 
 his going, though but once, to the protestant church. He was delivered 
 by a catholic priest, a prisoner for his faith ; who having reconciled him 
 by confession, and given him the holy communion, sent him home per- 
 fectly cured, giving him withal, as a defence against the devil, the cassock 
 of another priest, who had suffered martyrdom a little before j ' which/
 
 RICHARD DIBDALE. 103 
 
 says my author, ' the young man kept with great reverence and devo- 
 1 tion, and shewed it to the person who related this history to me ; and 
 ' he is living at this day, with great edification to all that know him.' 
 He relates also of a third person a student of Oxford, who was strangely 
 obsessed by the devil, frequently persuading him to make away with him- 
 self. His friends would have it that he was mad, and sent him to Bedlam. 
 After some time, by the means of a catholic gentleman, who recounted 
 this history to my author, he was, by degrees, convinced of the errors 
 in which he was brought up, and reconciled to the catholic church j 
 and having made a general confession, and received the holy communion, 
 was perfectly cured both in soul and body. But returning to the uni- 
 versity, that he might not lose his place, which he enjoyed before in his 
 college, he concealed his being a catholic, and went to the protestant 
 service ; which he had no sooner done, but the devil returned again, 
 molesting him as before ; and shortly after he hanged himself in -despair. 
 A fourtli history, which the same author gives from the testimony of 
 his English friends, is of one Mr. Bridges, a student of Middle Temple, 
 who being possessed by the devil, was brought to Mr. Fox, the protes- 
 tant martyrologist, to be delivered by his prayers. His friends at first 
 imagined that he was actually delivered, and published aloud the success 
 of the preacher, as a confirmation of their religion ; but they werequicklv 
 undeceived, and the young gentleman was found to be worse than 
 ever. They carried him therefore again to Mr. Fox ; but instead of their 
 finding him in a condition to deliver others, he appeared, by all symp- 
 toms, to be possessed himself ; though his friends, desirous to disguise 
 the matter, gave another turn to the strange agitations they saw in him ; 
 attributing them to a temptation of despair, from the great sense he had 
 of his own sins and of God's justice. 
 
 On the 26th of March (some say the 25th) of this or the foregoing 
 year, for authors are divided about the time, Mrs. Margaret Clithero, 
 whose maiden name was Middleton, a gentlewoman of a good family in 
 Yorkshire, was pressed to death at York. She was prosecuted, under 
 that violent persecution raised in those times, by the earl of Huntington, 
 lord president of die North. The crime she was charged with was re- 
 lieving and harbouring priests. She refused to plead, that she might 
 not bring others into danger by her conviction, or be accessary to the 
 jurymen's sins in condemning the innocent. And therefore, as the law 
 appoints in such cases, she was pressed to death. She bore this cruel 
 torment with invincible patience, often repeating in the way to ex- 
 ecution, that, this ivay to heaven ivas as short as any other. Her 
 husband was forced into banishment. Her little children, who wept 
 and lamented for their mother, were taken up, and being ques- 
 tioned concerning the articles of their religion, and answering as 
 they had been taught by her, were severely whipped ; and the eldest, 
 who was but twelve years old, was cast into prison. Her life was 
 written by the reverend and learned Mr. John Mush, her director, who, 
 after many years labouring with great fruit in the English mission, after 
 having suffered prisons and chains, and received even the sentence of 
 death for his faith., died at length in his bed, in a good old agf, ia 
 
 26J7;
 
 104 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 In this also, or the foregoing year, Robert Bickerdike, gentleman, 
 was executed at York, for religious matters, October 8, " one manu- 
 script says, July 23." He was born at Low -hall, in Yorkshire, and 
 suffered, as in cases of high treason, for being reconciled, says this 
 manuscript, to the chuch of Rome, and refusing to go to the protestant 
 church. 
 
 The reverend Mr. Ralph Fisher, in a manuscript relation, which I 
 have in my hands, recounts the following particulars of him. ' Robert 
 ' Bickerdike, gentleman, was born in Yorkshire, near to the town of 
 
 * Knaresborough ; but his dwelling was in the city of York ; who being 
 ' brought before the magistrate there for matter of conscience and reli- 
 ' gion, was examined, among other things, if the Pope, or his agent, 
 
 * the king of Spain, should invade England, whether he would take the 
 ' queen's part, or the pope's ? To this Mr. Bickerdike did make answer, 
 ' it any such thing came to pass, he would then do as God should put 
 ' him in mind. Upon this answer, he was first arraigned at the London 
 ' hall of the city of treason ; but the jurors being men of conscience, 
 ' fouild him not guilty. Whereupon the judge being grieved that he 
 ' was freed by the jury, caused him to be removed from the gaol or 
 ' prison of the city to the castle ; and there again indicted him of the 
 ' aforesaid treason 5 and, by a new jury, he was found guilty of treason : 
 ' and the judge, whose name was Rhodes, gave sentence, that he should 
 e be hanged, drawn and quartered. And so constantly he suffered ac- 
 ' cording to the same sentence : which was, for that he would do as 
 e God should put him in mind/ 
 
 On the 1st of December, of this same year, 1586, Richard Langley, 
 esq. bom at Grintliorp, in Yorkshire, was executed at York, for har- 
 bouring and assisting priests. 
 
 This year also, as I find in an ancient catalogue, John Harrison, 
 priest, of the college of Rhemes, died in chains, oliit in vinculis. He 
 was ordained and sent upon the mission in 1585. 
 
 In the beginning of this year, viz. February 8, 158/> Mary queen of 
 Scotland and dowager of France, was beheaded at Fotheringhey castle in 
 Northamptonshire, after an imprisonment of eighteen years. As her con- 
 stancy in the catholic religion was the chief cause of her death, whatever 
 might otherwise be pretended ; HO is she usually reckoned amongst 
 those who suffered for religion. 
 
 XLII. * Thomas Pilchard, Priest. 
 
 J_ HOMAS Pilchard was born at Battel, in Sussex, and educated in Douay 
 college, during its residence at Rhemes, where he was made priest, and 
 sent upon the mission, anno. 1583. Here he was, for some time, an un- 
 wearied labourer in the vineyard of his Lord, till, falling into the 
 hands of the persecutors, he was committed to prison, and banished in 
 1585 j but returning upon the mission, he was again apprehended, tried 
 and condemned for being a priest, ordained beyond the seas by authority 
 
 * From the Douay Journalgnd Catalogues, and the MS. History of Dr. Champney,
 
 ROBERT BUTTON, 105 
 
 f the See Apostolic, and for exercising his functions in England, and 
 for reconciling the Queen's subjects. 
 
 He was hanged, drawn and quartered at Dorcester, March 21 . 
 
 43. * Edmund Sykes, Priest. 
 
 X^DMUND Sykes was born at Leeds, in Yorkshire, and educated in the 
 English college, then residing in Rhemes, where I find hinr, by the 
 Douay journals, to have been made priest the 21st of February, 1581, 
 and sent upon the mission the 5th of June the same year. After having 
 laboured with fruit for several years in the vineyard, he was apprehend- 
 ed, some time in or before the year 1585, and was one of those priests 
 that were sent into banishment that year. He quickly returned again 
 into England ; and, after some time, was taken again. Of this second 
 imprisonment, thus writes Dr. Champney, in the manuscript annals of 
 queen Elizabeth, preserved in Douay college. ' Edmund Sykes, born 
 ' of honest parents in the town of Leeds, priest of the college of Douay, 
 ' after some years fruitfully employed in the vineyards of the Lord, being 
 ' apprehended, was thrust into a most strait and very troublesome prison ; 
 ' in which, bv the experience of sufferings, he acquired the virtue of 
 ' patience, and learned to die. For he endured most grievous conflicts, 
 ' not only from the world and the flesh, but also from the prince of dark- 
 ( ness himself. For the other catholics, who were kept prisoners in the same 
 ' jail, though not in the same room, heard in his room a noise as it were 
 ( of one that was disputing and contending with him, whom he rebuked 
 ' and rejected with contempt : and when afterwards they asked him what 
 ' was the matter, he told them, that the devil had been there to trouble 
 ' (ifid molest him, and to tempt and urge him to renounce his religion. 
 1 Afterwards being brought to the bar, and arraigned for high treason, 
 ' for being made priest, and returning into England, and there remain- 
 ' ing contrary to the statute. He acknowledged the matter of fact, " of 
 ' his being made priest, &rc." but absolutely denied there was any guilt 
 ' or treason in the case. He had sentence to die, according to which, 
 'he Mas hanged, bo welled and quarte red at York, March 23.' I have 
 before me a manuscript catalogue, of martyrs, which refers his death to 
 the following year. 
 
 44. -\" Robert Sut ton, Priest. 
 
 J.VOBEHT Sutton was born at Burton upon Trent, and brought up in the 
 university of Oxford, where he made a great progress in learning ; but 
 withal, was strongly entangled, to use the expression of the Douay 
 journal, in the snares of the heretics and of the world j till, by an ex- 
 traordinary mercy of God, being frequently called upon by the letters of 
 his friends from Douay, he took a generous resolution, together with his 
 brother Abraham, who was in the same case, to disengage himself from 
 
 * From the same Journals, Catalogues and Manuscript, 
 f From the same Journals, Manu^cripf Annals, and oth'
 
 106 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 all these bands ; and leaving his station in the protestant church, to go 
 over to Douay, where he and his brother were admitted, March the 
 24th, 15/6-7. Here they applied themselves to the study of divinity, 
 and were both made priests, and sent together upon the English mission 
 the ipth of March, 1577-8, before the college was removed to Rhemes. 
 Mr. Robert Button's labours seem to have been chiefly employed in his 
 own country of Staffordshire. And he has the character, in the manu- 
 script annals, of having been a man full of zeal and piety, who laboured for 
 many years, with great success, in bringing back the lost sheep to the 
 fold of Christ. Both he and his brother Abraham were of the number 
 erf those priests who fell into the hands of the persecutors, and wen- 
 banished in 15.85. They both returned to their apostolic labours ; and, 
 -ifter. some time, Mr. Robert Sutton being again apprehended, was com- 
 mitted to Stafford jail ; and, being brought upon his trial,was condemned 
 by the statute of the 27th of Elizabeth, for being a priest, and remaining 
 in this realm. He had sentence to die, as in cases of high treason, and 
 suffered accordingly at Stafford; preserving, says Molanus,c sound soul in 
 a mangled lody, and overcoming the cruelty of the executioners ly Chris- 
 tian patience. He suffered, according to the manuscript annals, and 
 other authors, some time in March : though the larger Douay catalogue 
 says the 27th of July. I have at present before me, a letter written 
 from England, by Mr. John Cleaton, an eye-witness, concerning a per- 
 son possessed by a furious devil, who was wonderfully delivered by the 
 relicks of Mr Robert Sutton. 
 
 Abraham Sutton, his brother, lived till the reign of king James I. and 
 was one of those priests, who, being prisoners in the beginning of that 
 reign, were sent into perpetual banishment in 1005. 
 
 45. * Steven Rousham, Priest. 
 
 OTEPHEN Ron sham was born in Oxfordshire, and brought up in the uni- 
 versity of Oxford, where he was, for some time, a minister in the church 
 of St. Mary's. Being converted to the catholic faith, he went abroad, 
 and was made priest in the English college then residing at Rhemes, and, 
 from thence was sent upon the mission, anno 1582. He was but indif- 
 ferently learned, says the manuscript history, and of a weak and sickly 
 constitution of body ; but his soul was robust, vigorous and constant. He 
 fell into the hands of the persecutors the same year, and was sent a pri- 
 soner to the Tower by secretary 7 Walsingham, on the ipth of May ; and, 
 not long after, thrust down into that dungeon, which is called Little Ease, 
 and it very well deserves the name. In this wretched hole this servant 
 of God was kept eighteen whole months and thirteen days. His suffer- 
 ings, during his imprisonment, were great ; but God was not wanting in 
 bis comforts and heavenly visits to this holy soul that was suffering for 
 his cause. It is particularly recorded of him in the manuscript annals, 
 that, on the very day and hour when Mr. Ford, Mr. Shert and Mr. John- 
 
 * From the journals of Douay college, the diary of thin^ transacted in the Tower, 
 from i.'.so to 1585, the catjtiogueb ot Martyrs, and Dr. Champney's manuscript annsds 
 ol queen
 
 JOHN HAMBLEY. 107 
 
 son, his familar acquaintance (whom he had hoped to have accompanied) 
 were glorifying God by suffering at Tyburn for their faith, Mr. Ilousham 
 being then in his lonesome dungeon., perceived a most sweet and most 
 pleasant light ; and felt, at the same time, three gentle strokes on his 
 right hand, as it were to bespeak his attention to the glorious triumphs of 
 his companions. And that, another time, when he was daily looking to 
 be called out to his trial, in order to undergo the same kind of death, he 
 had an indication from heaven that his time was not yet come ; but that 
 he was to say many masses more before his death. He was sent into 
 banishment in 1585 ; but his ardent zeal of the salvation of souls., which, 
 in his banishment, became greater every day than other, and the desire 
 he had to glorify God by martyrdom, did not suffer him to stay long 
 before he returned again upon the English mission, where, whilst he .was 
 diligently applying himself to his functions, he was apprehended in the 
 house of a widow lady, called Strange, and carried away to Glocester 
 jail ; and, at the next assizes, was brought to the bar, and arraigned for 
 being made priest beyond the seas, and returning into England, and 
 'making it his business there to reconcile the queen's subjects to the ca- 
 tholic church. All this he freely confessed } but so far from acknow- 
 ledging any guilt, much less any treason in the case, he openly protested, 
 that if he had many lives, he would most willingly lay them all down for 
 so good a cause. When sentence was pronounced upon him according 
 to the usual form, as. in cases of high treason, the joy that he shewed 
 on that occasion was admired by all. 
 
 He suffered with wonderful constancy at Glocester, some time this 
 year. Writers are not agreed about the day nor the month. Some say 
 it was in March, others in July. 
 
 46. * John Hambley, Priest. ' 
 
 J OHN Hambley was a native of the diocese of Exeter, was an alumnus 
 and priest of Douay college, during its residence at Rhemes ; from 
 whence he was sent upon the English mission, anno 1585. I have not 
 been able to find many particulars relating to his life or death ; only that 
 he was apprehended, tried and condemned, upon the statute of .the 2/th 
 of Elizabeth, as a priest, and had sentence to, die, as in cases of high 
 treason. He had both his life and a good living proffered him, if he 
 would conform to the protestant religion, as Mplanus testifies, p. 14.) 
 But he rather chose to die than to renounce his faith. . He suffered with 
 a wonderful constancy, says Dr. Champney's manuscript history, of the 
 reign of queen Elizabeth ; who, with some others, affirms, that, he was 
 executed at York, September the pth. But father Wilson and Molauus, 
 in their printed catalogues, tell us, that he suffered, at Chard, which is 
 a town of Somersetshire, in the confines of Dorsetshire and Devonsliire. 
 Molanus says it was on the 20th of July. 
 
 Those who affirm that Mr. Hambley suffered at York, September the 
 Qth, give him for companion in death, .Mr. George Douglas, a secular 
 
 * prom the Douay Journals, and the Catalogue of the tylartyrs.
 
 108 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 priest of the Scottish nation, who was certainly executed at York that 
 day ; not precisely tor being a priest, but for persuading the queen's 
 subjects to the catholic religion. For which supposed treason he was 
 condemned to die, and wag drawn, hanged and quartered at York, 
 suffering all with admirable constancy. Molanus calls him a priest of 
 Douay college : but this circumstance is not found in any other catalogue, 
 uor have J met with his name in the journals of the college. 
 
 47. * Alexander Crow, Priest. 
 
 .ALEXANDER Crow was born in Yorkshire, and, for some time, fol- 
 lowed a trade in York. ' But going beyond the seas, out of his zeal to 
 ' God and his country/ says my manuscript, * he fell to his studies at 
 ' Rhemes, and became a priest > being, both for his said zeal and 
 .' virtue, well esteemed of by his superiors, and by them sent in an 
 ' orderly mission into England, for the salvation of souls, " anno 1584." 
 * After he had laboured here some time, with much edification to all 
 ' that knew him, he was taken at South Duffield, coming thither to 
 ', christen a child of one Cecily Garnet ; and at the assizes held at York, in 
 ' November, was arraigned and condemned for being a priest, and re- 
 ' maining in England, contrary to die laws of the realm. He was 
 ' hanged, drawn and quartered at York, the 30th of November, 1586',' 
 " according to this relation ; but Yepez, Wilson, Molanus, Raissius, 
 and the manuscript annals, say 1587 :" ' being about the age of thirty - 
 'five.' 
 
 The manuscript annals give this short account of Mr. Crow, anno 
 Eliz. 29, ' On the 30th day of the month of November, Alexander 
 ' Crow, a priest of Douay college, after he had strenuously laboured in 
 ' those difficult times, in gathering together the sheep of Christ that had 
 ' been scattered, falling into the hands of the wolves, stoutly laid dow^ 
 ' his lite for Christ arid his sheep, being put to death at York, in the 
 ' like manner as the other martyrs above-mentioned.' 
 
 But the Bishop of Tarcasona, in his history above quoted, has some- 
 thing very remarkable relating to Mr. Crow, which we must not omit. 
 His words are as follow : ' Another thing, not less worthy of notice, 
 happened to a priest of the seminary of Rhemes, named Alexander 
 Crow/ in the year 1587. This priest and soldier of Jesus Christ was 
 a prisoner in York Castle, where, after much ill treatment, he received 
 sentence of death: whereupon he began to be exceedingly comforted, 
 and to shew so great joy in the court, that all that were present took 
 notice of it : and returning to the prison (where he was lodged with 
 another catholic) he could not contain himself all that day, so great 
 was the satisfaction he conceived by thinking that he was to die the 
 next morning. Whrn the night cnme, and the time of going to bed, 
 he told the other catholic, to take his rest ; J-ut, for my part, said he, 
 
 * From the journals of Douay college ; from Dr. Champney's manuscript annals of 
 rjue^n Mizabcth, and another manuscript in my hands by one that knew him, and from 
 hf History of the Persecution of England, by Yepez, bishop of Tayrasona, 1. 2. rr \t, 
 p. 128. ' ' i
 
 ALEXANDER CROW. 100 
 
 'for this one night ivhich remains of life, I am willing to watch in 
 f prayer with Christ our Lord. And when the other catholic insisted, 
 ' that, either the father should come to bed also, or should admit him to 
 ' bear him company in his watching ; he would not consent, but bid 
 ' him go to bed, and leave him alone. The catholic submitted and went 
 ' to bed, and the priest lighting a taper that was there, and setting it 
 ' upon the stool, knelt down, and began to enter into very quiet prayer, 
 ' as his companion took notice, who remained awake to see what 
 ' passed. 
 
 ' After one hour of silent prayer, the father began to speak (as if 
 ' he was holding a colloquy) and by little and little to enter into a heat, 
 ' so that his voice began to change like a man that was disturbed. At 
 ' length getting up, he went to the bed where his companion lay, and 
 ( touching him with his hand, asked him if he was asleep ? his com- 
 ' panion answered, no. The priest begged of him then, that he would 
 ' recommend him, to the best of his power, to our Lord, because he 
 ' stood in need of his prayers. So lie returned again to his place, and 
 ' began in the same manner to be troubled as before, giving signs in his 
 ' exterior of being in great anguish, and, as it were, out of himself, till, 
 ' at length, he put out with his own hand, (like a man in anger) the 
 ' taper that was burning by him : with all this his trouble did not cease, 
 ' but he still continued, as it were, in a conflict and agony ; some times 
 ' speaking low, and begging the assistance of our Lord and the Saints ; 
 ( at other times raising his voice as one angry and- in a rage ; and this 
 ' lasted for the space of half an hour, after he had put out the light : 
 ' whilst the poor gentleman in bed was not a little terrified at seeing and 
 ' hearing what passed ; and begged of our Lord, as well as he was able, 
 ' to deliver him from this affliction ; for he plainly perceived that he was 
 ' in a conflict. 
 
 ' At length he saw him coming towards the bed, reciting, with 
 f much joy, the psalm, Laudate Dominnm de Cecils, &c. Praise ye the 
 ' Lord in the heavens, &rc. continuing it to the end; and then, as 
 f one inebriated with an abundance of consolations, he broke out into 
 ' other praises of our Lord God, admiring his unspeakable mercies, and 
 ' his divine sweetness towards the children of men. He set himself 
 ' down on the bed by his companion, not having been able for many 
 * days to lift his feet up from the ground for the great weight of the bolts 
 ' and chains, and remained, as one asleep, for a quarter of an hour : but, 
 ' at length, he broke out again into the praises of God, and asked his 
 ' companion, if he had not been irightened ? The gentleman answered, 
 ' lie had ; and withal begged of him, that he would tell him what was 
 ' fhe meaning of that great noise, and of those changes and alterations 
 ' he had discovered that night : the priest answered, that though, as to 
 ' his own part, it would signify little to relate it ; yet, as it might be of 
 ' some comfort to the catholics to know what had passed, he would tell 
 ' him the whole matter. 
 
 ' After a while, said he, that I had been in quiet prayer, my flesh 
 ' began to creep ujxjn me, and my hair to stand on end, and I perceived 
 ' myself quite changed, and, on a sudden, J saw before my eyes a most
 
 110 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 f ugly monster, which began to terrify me ; and when I least looked 
 ' for it, assaulted me with these words : thou thinkest to-morrow to be 
 ' a martyr, and to go strait to heaven j but I assure thee it will not be 
 ' so : for I know thou art condemned to hell, and that the sentence is 
 ' passed against thee in God's tribunal, which cannot be recalled : and 
 ' to-morrow, though thou shalt be drawn to the gallows, thou shall not 
 ' be executed ; but they will keep thee two years longer in prison, with 
 ' these bolts and chains which thou hast on, and will give thee only two 
 f morsels of black bread, and a little water every day ; and thou shalt be 
 
 * abhorred by all, and shalt lead the most miserable life that ever man 
 ' led upon earth : therefore, that thou mayest be delivered from so 
 ' great sufferings, it will be better for thee at present to put an end to 
 ' thy life by a knife or a halter, and not to wait for to-morrow. And 
 ' though I shook him off, said the father, many times, answering what 
 ' God put in my mind, he never left off importuning me ; and whatever 
 e way I turned my eyes, he placed himself always before me, giving me 
 ' intolerable trouble with his horrid figure. And when I extinguished 
 -' the light, it was that I might no longer see so frightful a sight ; but he 
 ' still continued terrifying and molesting me very much ; and the con- 
 ' flict went on still encreasing, till our merciful Lord taking pity of my 
 ' weakness, sent me succour from heaven. And this was, that at the 
 
 * time when I found myself in the greatest straits, I saw a great light 
 
 * come in at the door, with two persons, who, as I believe, were our 
 ' Lady and St. John, the Evangelist ; who, by their presence, gave me 
 ' unspeakable comfort , and then the monster that had troubled me be- 
 ' gan to draw back and tremble : and one of them said to him, begone 
 ' from hence thou cursed creature, thou hast no part in this servant of 
 
 * Christ, who will shed his blood to-morrow for his Lord, and will enter 
 ' into his joy. Immediately the monster disappeared, and they likewise, 
 
 * leaving me so full of consolation, that I cannot express it. Upon this, 
 
 * 1 came with great joy of heart, and canticles of praise in my month, 
 ' and sat me down here in the manner that you saw, not being sensible 
 ' whether I was on the ground or in bed, in heaven or in earth. This 
 
 * one thing I beg of you for Christ's sake, that you do not speak one 
 ' word of this to any one till you see my race finished, and till I am de- 
 ' Hvered of the burden of the flesh. Having said this, they both glori- 
 
 * fied our Lord, and so continued till the morning, discoursing together, 
 
 * with great satisfaction, of heavenly things, &c. 
 
 ' But the impudent enemy was not contented with having failed in this 
 f first attempt, but returned again to persecute this soldier of Christ, who 
 ' being now upon the ladder, at the gallows, in profound prayer, before 
 ' the hangman had put the rope about his neck, the devil envying the 
 ' happiness with which God rewarded his servant, and the consolation 
 f that he gave him in prayer, flung him down off the ladder ; but vet he 
 ' received no manner of hurt, though the fall was very high, and with 
 
 * great violence, as it appeared to the standers by. This gave occasion 
 ' to the heretics, that were there, to cry out, that the papist was in de- 
 ' spair, and that he wanted .to kill himself. But the father mounted the 
 ' ladder again, and told them with a great serenity of countenance and of 
 ' heart, smiling, it is not as you think, my brethren, that I had a mind
 
 NICHOLAS GARLICK. ill 
 
 r to kill myself ; but it was the enemy who wanted to rob me of this 
 ' glorious death, and out of envy, flung me off the ladder ; and this is 
 * not the first time that he has sought to deprive me of the crown which 
 ' God gives me ; who has permitted him to do what he has done ill 
 ' your presence, that you might know how little he is able to' do 5 for, 
 ' how much soever he has sought it, he has not been able to do me any 
 ( hurt, either in soul or body ; neither can he do any hurt to the ser- 
 ' vants of God, more than their Lord is pleased to permit for their greater 
 ' good ; and upon this occasion, speaking more at large, and with greater 
 ' liberty, to the people, he delivered many things of edification, exhort- 
 ' ing them to the catholic faith : and passing through the usual course 
 *' of the ordinary butchery, he gloriously finished his career, and went to 
 ' enjoy his God for ever." 
 
 This year, 158/, I find in the Douay memoirs mention of two 
 others, the one a priest, the other a secular gentleman ; both some time 
 members of Douay college, who perished in prison for religious matters. 
 The priest was Martin Sherton -, the gentleman's name was Gabriel 
 Thimbleby. 
 
 This year also about thirty priests were committed prisoners to Wis- 
 bitch castle in Cambridgeshire. Several had been sent thither in the 
 foregoing years ; but most of these being dead, the whole number of 
 prisoners there, at this time, were thirty-three priests, and one lay gen- 
 ileman, viz. Thomas Pounds, esq. a zealous catholic, and great sufferer 
 for his faith. 
 
 48. * Nicholas Gar lick, Priest. 1588. 
 
 JNicHOLAs Garlick,' says Mr. Bagshaw, ' was descended of honest 
 parentage, in a little town called Vinting, in Glossopdale, within the 
 county of Derby ; and was, for the space of seven years, schoolmaster 
 at Tidswell (in the same county) so well discharging his duty therein, 
 that, by his good and most charitable care he had of his scholars, as if 
 they had been his own children, he caused three of them to take the 
 same venture, and most happy course that he himself did (viz. to go 
 over) to the English college then at Rhemes ; who were all made 
 priests, and returned to their country with happy success, by encreas- 
 ing servants of God unto their mother the catholic church ; whereof 
 one, called Christopher Buxton, was martyred, " October 1, 1588," 
 at that memorable place of our former saints of England, Canterbury." 
 
 Mr. Garlick was made priest, as appears by the Douay journal, in 
 the latter end of March, 1582, and was sent upon the English mission 
 January 25, 1582-3. How long he laboured here, before his first 
 
 * From the jourpals or diary of Douay college ; from the catalogue of martyrs drawn 
 up by orders of the bishop of Chalcedon, in 16-26; from Dr. Champney's manuscript 
 history of the reign of queen Elizabeth, and from two other manuscript relations in my' 
 hands: the one sent over by Mr. Robert Bagshaw, priest, some time scholar to Mr. 
 Garlick; the other by the reverend and learned Mr. Kichard Broughton, vicar general 
 of the northern parts, penned by one that was present at the execution of Mr. Gailick, 
 arvl hts two companions.
 
 II % MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 commitment, I have not found ; but certain it is, that he was a prisoner 
 in 1585 j and was one of those priests who were sent into banishment 
 that year. Upon this occasion he made a short visit to his mother col- 
 lege, where he arrived October 17 ', but on the l^th of the same month, 
 he set out again for England, in the company of Mr. John Harrison, 
 priest, who afterwards suffered in the same cause Mr. Garlick's mis- 
 sionary labours seem to have been in his own country of Derbyshire, 
 where he was apprehended some time between the Lent and Summer 
 assizes, 1588, together with Mr. Robert Ludlam, who was afterwards 
 his companion in death. They were taken in the house of Mr. John 
 Fitzherbert, by George, earl of Shrewsbury, and committed to Derby 
 jail, where they found Mr. Richard Sympson, who had been condemn- 
 ed in the Lent assizes before, for being a priest ; but was reprieved, as 
 it was commonly apprehended and spoken, because he either actually 
 had gone to the protestant church and service, or had made promise, or 
 given hopes, he would so do. Him these two confessors of Christ en- 
 couraged in such manner, that he did not only repent him of his act or 
 promise, but, as we shall see by-and-by, suffered death with them at 
 the Summer assizes, being within one fortnight, or a little more, after 
 the imprisonment of the said Mr. Garlickand Mr. Ludlam. 
 
 At these assizes, these two glorious men, says Mr. Broughton's ma- 
 e nuscript,with much constancy and Christian magnanimity, without the 
 ' least sign of fear or dismay, professing themselves to be catholic priests, 
 ' greatly rejoicing in that sacred calling and functions, were condemned 
 
 * to the terrible death of drawing, hanging and quartering, for being of 
 
 * that holy religion and profession ; and were, thereupon, after many 
 ' hard usages, cruelly put to death at the said town of Derby, July 24, 
 f 1588.' 
 
 They were all three drawn together on hurdles, to the place of exe- 
 cution ; where, when they were arrived, it seems Mr. Sympson was to 
 have gone first up the ladder ; but whether he shewed, on this occasion 
 some signs of fear, as Dr. Champney's manuscript signifies, or whether it 
 was, that Mr. Garlick only apprehended a danger lest his companion's 
 courage should fail him, if he were to be the first in the combat, he has- 
 tened to the ladder, and kissing it, went up first, and with remarkable 
 joy and alacrity, finished his course. 
 
 49. * Robert Ludlam, Priest. 
 
 JLJ.E was born of honest parentage near Sheffield, performed his studies 
 abroad in the English college then residing at Rhemes ; where he was 
 made priest, and from thence sent into England upon the mission, anno 
 1582. Mr. Eagshaw gives him this character, that ' for his modesty 
 ' and good life, and zeal to win souls to God he was beloved of all that 
 ' love the catholic church.' He was apprehended, tried and condemned, 
 at the same time, and for the same cause, as Mr. Garlick, viz. for 
 being a catholic priest, and remaining in this realnv contrary to the 
 
 * From the same manuscripts.
 
 RICHARD SYMPSON. US 
 
 statute : and he shewed the same courage and constancy, both at his 
 trial, and at his death. Whilst Mr. Garlick was under execution, Mr. 
 Ludlam stood by with a smiling countenance, discovering in his exterior 
 the interior joy of his heart, that he was going to suffer death for such a 
 cause. When he was upon the ladder, and just ready to be cast off, 
 ' looking up towards heaven, with a smiling countenance (as we learn 
 ' from an eye-witness of his death) as if he had seen some heavenly 
 ' vision of angels, he uttered these his last words, as speaking to saints 
 f or angels appearing to him, vemte i-enedicti Del, come you blessed of 
 ' God.' And with these words he was flung off the ladder, and so went 
 to enjoy their happy company. 
 
 50. * Richard Sympson, Priest. 
 
 jLu CHARD Sympson, according to Mr. Bagshaw's relation, was born 
 in Lancashire, of good and honest parents ; but the Douay journal calls 
 him Eboracensis of Yorkshire ; and the bishop of Chalcedon's catalogue 
 names the place of his birth, viz. Well, near Rippon, in that county. 
 ' He had been a minister, says Mr. Bagshaw ; but, after knowlege of 
 ' the absurdity and falshood of his religion, he became priest, and used 
 ' much preaching in defence of the catholic faith, to win souls.' It 
 appears from the Douay journal, that, after his conversion, he suffered 
 a long and severe imprisonment in York, for the catholic religion. After 
 which, going abroad, he was admitted into Douay college, May the ipth, 
 1577 -, and, not long after, made priest and sent into England. Here 
 he fell into the hands of the persecutors, and was sent from prison into 
 banishment in 1587. But quickly returned again into the vineyard ; 
 and was apprehended again a second time going from Lancashire into 
 Derbyshire, and committed to the county jail at Derby, and there tried 
 and condemned, at the Lent assizes, 1588, for being a priest made by the 
 authority and rites of the Roman church. 
 
 He was reprieved till the Summer assizes j and, as it is said, made 
 some steps towards a conformity, or at least gave some hopes to the 
 adversaries of a compliance ; but he was reclaimed by Mr. Garlick and 
 Mr. Ludlam ; and bitterly repented himself of this slip, punishing him- 
 self for it with fasting, watching, and hair cloath, for the remainder of 
 his life, which was but short ; for the protestants finding themselves 
 disappointed of their hopes, ordered him for execution, together with 
 the other two, whom we have spoken of. ' He suffered with great 
 ' constancy, says an eye-witness, though not with such (remarkable) 
 ' signs of joy and alacrity as the other two. 
 
 ' Their heads and quarters were set upon poles in divers places in 
 ' and about the town of Derby ; and the penner ofthis their martyrdom 
 ' (who was also present at their deaths) with two other resolute catholic 
 ' gentlemen, going in the night divers miles, well armed, took down 
 ' one of their heads from the top of a house standing on the bridge, and 
 
 * From the same Manuscripts.
 
 114 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' a quarter from the end of the bridge ; the watchmen of the town seeing 
 ' tliem (as was afterwards confessed) and making no resistance. These 
 they buried with as great decency and reverence as they could. Soon 
 ' after, the rest of the heads and quarters were taken away secretly by 
 ' others.' 
 
 Of these three priests, thus writes the author of an ancient ode, or 
 poem, who seems also to have been an eye-witness of their death : 
 
 When Garlick did the ladder kiss, 
 
 And Sympson after hie, 
 Methought that there St. Andrew was 
 
 Desirous for to die. 
 When Ludlam looked smilingly, 
 
 And joyful did remain, 
 It seem'd St. Steven was standing by, 
 
 For to be ston'd again, &c. 
 And what if Sympson seem'd to yield, 
 
 For doubt and dread to die j 
 He rose again, and won the field, 
 
 And died most constantly. 
 His watching, fasting, shirt of hair j 
 
 His speech, his death, and all, 
 Do record give, do witness bear, 
 
 He wail'd his former fall. 
 
 51* * William Dean, Priest. 
 
 WILMAM Dean was born in Yorkshire, and was an alumnus and 
 priest of the English college then residing at Rhemes ; from whence he 
 was sent upon the English mission, anno 1582. Dr. Champney and 
 father Ribadaneira, give him the character of vir mormn gravitate & 
 doctrina conspicuus , a man remarkably grave and learned : but the 
 iniquity of the times permitted him not to employ his talents to the best 
 advantage. He fell into the hands of the persecutors some time before 
 1585, and was one of those priests that were banished in the beginning 1 
 of that year. He quickly returned again to his missionary labours, and 
 falling a second time into the adversaries' hands, was tried and condemn- 
 ed, August 22, 1588, for being made priest by Roman authority, and 
 remaining in this realm contrary to the statute of 2/ Elizabeth. 
 
 It is here to be observed, that as soon as the queen and her council 
 were delivered from, their apprehensions of the Spanish armada, they 
 immediately raised a greater persecution than ever against the English 
 catholics, though no ways concefned in that designed invasion. Robert' 
 Dudley, earl of Leicester, the queen's great favourite, and the capital 
 enemy of the catholics, is believed to have been the chief promoter of 
 
 * From the Douay Diary, the bishop of Chalcedon's Catalogue, Dr. Cbampney's 
 Manuscript. Ribadaneira's Appendix to Saundcrs's De Sehismate Angl. chap. 1. and 
 Bishop Yepez's History ot the Persecution ot England, book v. chap. i.
 
 WILLIAM DEAN. 115 
 
 those cruelties. By his instigation a new proclamation was published 
 against the papists, and six new gallowses were erected in and about 
 London, for the executing of them. This wicked Haman (who had 
 been heard to say, that he desired to see all the streets of London washed 
 with the Hood of papists) had drawn up a long list of them whom he 
 particularly designed for the butchery. For a prelude of this tragedy, 
 and for the hanselling his new gallows, ' on the 26th of August, says 
 ' Mr. Stow, in his annals, in the sessions hall without Newgate, of 
 ' London, were condemned six persens for being made priests beyond 
 ' the seas, and remaining in this realm contrary to the statute : four 
 ' temporal men for being reconciled to the Roman church ; and four 
 ' others, for relieving and abetting the others. And on the 28th Wil- 
 ' liam Dean and Henry Webley w:ere hanged at Mile's-end : W. Gunter 
 e at the theatre : R. Morton and Hugh Moor at Lincoln's-inn-rields : 
 ' Tho. Acton at Cler ken well, Thomas Felton and James Clarkson 
 ' between Branford and Hounslow. And on the 30th of August, 
 * Richard Flower, Edw. Shelley, R. Leigh, R. Marton, J. Roch and 
 ' Margaret Ward, gentlewoman (who had conveyed a cord to a priest 
 ' in Bridewell, by means of which he had made his escape) were hanged 
 ' at Tyburn/ 
 
 Thus the unhappy Leicester was filling up the measure of his sins, 
 
 when he was overtaken by divine Justice, and carried off by death on 
 
 the 5th of September, within a week after these executions. However, 
 
 the queen, who was almost the only person that regretted his death, 
 
 took care that the catholics should have no great reason to rejoice at it ; 
 
 when, in the following months, she caused a great many of those whom 
 
 Leicester had marked out for the slaughter, to be put to death in divers 
 
 parts of the kingdom. Of this Leicester Dr. Heylin, the protestant 
 
 historian, in his History of the Reformation, p. 339, 340, gives this 
 
 character, ' that he was a man, so unappeaseable in his malice, and ua- 
 
 suliablfi in his lusts ; so sacrilegious in his rapines ; so false in promises, 
 
 and treacherous in point of trust ; and, finally, so destructive of the 
 
 rights and properties of particular persons, that his little finger lay far 
 
 heavier on the subjects, than the loins of all the favourites of the two 
 
 last kings.' So far the doctor ; who informs us, in the same place, 
 
 that this man had the disposing of all offices in court and state, and of 
 
 all preferments in the church : so that catholics had little good to expect 
 
 in a reign where Leicester did all. 
 
 But to return to Mr. Dean ; he was, on the 28th of August, drawn 
 to Mile's-end-green, and there executed according to sentence. At the 
 place of execution he was beginning to speak of the cause for which he 
 and his companion* were condemned to die. But his mouth was stopped 
 by some that were in the cart, in such a violent manner, that they had 
 like to have prevented the hangman of his wages. With Mr. Dean \vas 
 executed Henry Webley, a layman,, for having been aiding and assisting; 
 to htm.
 
 U6 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 52. * William Gunter, Priest. 
 
 \\IIUAM Gunter was born at Ragland, in Monmouthshire ; was an 
 alumnus and priest of Douay college, during its residence at Rhemes ; 
 from whence he was sent upon the English mission, anno 1587. He 
 was apprehended, tried and condemned, barely for his priestly cha- 
 racter, and the exercise of his functions in this realm ; and he was drawn, 
 on the 28th of August, from Newgate to the new pair of gallows set up 
 at the theatre, and there was hanged, bowelled and quartered. He 
 suffered, as did all the rest that were executed at this time, with great 
 constancy and joy. And though they were not permitted to speak, yet 
 their very silence spoke for them, and strongly recommended the re- 
 ligion for which they so willingly died. 
 
 53. -f- Robert Morton, Priest. And, 54, Hugh Moor, 
 Gentleman. 
 
 JLVOBERT Morton was bom in Yorkshire ; and going abroad, had his 
 education partly in the English college of Rome, and partly in that of 
 Douay, at that time residing at Rhemes. In the latter he was promoted 
 to priesthood ; and from thence was sent missioner into England, anno 
 1587. He was apprehended, tried and condemned by the sanguinary 
 statute of the 27th of Elizabeth, barely for his priestly character and 
 functions. He received sentence of death on the 26th of August, 1588 ; 
 and on the 28th of the same month, was drawn from Newgate to a new 
 pair of gallows set up in Lincoln' s-inn-fields, and there hanged, bowelled 
 and quartered. With him was executed, 
 
 Hugh Moor, gentleman, born at Grantham, in Lincolnshire ; who, 
 after a protestant education, being reconciled to the catholic church, 
 went abroad to the college then residing at Rhemes, and was for some 
 time a student there : but returning into England, was apprehended 
 and cast into prison ; and, after some time, tried and condemned, for 
 being reconciled to the catholic church, and going abroad to a Romish 
 seminary. He absolutely refused to go to church, for this would have 
 made atonement for his pretended treason ; and therefore had sentence 
 to die, and was executed accordingly, August 28, in Lincoln's- inn- 
 fields. 
 
 Of these two, and of all the others that suffered at this time, father 
 Ribadaneira, in his appendix to Dr. Saunders's history, writes, that they 
 all suffered with admirable constancy and patience, yea with joy and 
 pleasure ; that they were not allowed, indeed, to speak to the people, 
 because the persecutors were afraid lest their words should make a strong 
 impression on the minds of the hearers, in favour of the old religion. 
 But that the very death of so many saint-like, innocent men (whose 
 lives were unimpeachable) and of several young gentlemen, which they 
 
 * From the Douay dsary, the bishop of Chalcedon's catalogue, and a letter of a, 
 niissioner, written the December following, apud Yepez, p. 6. 
 f From the same memoirs.
 
 THOMAS HOLFORD. 117 
 
 endured with so nauch joy, strongly pleaded for the cause for which they 
 died. 
 
 55. * Thomas Holford, alias Acton, Priest. 
 
 JV-LR. Thomas Holford (whom Stow calleth Acton) was born in 
 ' Cheshire, but in what place I know not " the bishop ot Chalcedon's 
 ' catalogue says it was at Aston," his father being a minister. I knew 
 ' him in Herefordshire, where he was schoolmaster to sir James Scuda- 
 ' more, of Holm Lacy, that now is, and his two brethren, Mr. Harry 
 f and John. After my first coming over into England, going unto Here- 
 ' ford city where I was born, to see my parents, I did send for him, 
 ' and so delt with him, gratia Dei coopcrante " with the help of God's 
 ' grace" that before I knew any thing of it, he was gone to Rhemes, 
 e <( to the English college then residing there" where he received holy 
 ' orders, and was returned again within the space of two years. 
 
 ' Meeting with him again some four years after, I acquainted him 
 ' where I lay myself ; where, to his welcome, at his first coming, 
 ' the house was searched upon all souls day, when Mr. Bavin was mak- 
 ' ing a sermon. The pursuivants were Newall and Woresley ; but we 
 ' all three escaped. After that, he fell into a second danger, in the 
 ' time of the search for Babington and his company (of which tragedy 
 ' sir Francis Walsingham was the chief actor and contriver, as I gather- 
 ' ed by Mr. Babington himself, who was with me the night before he 
 ( was apprehended): for after he " Mr. Holford" had escaped two or 
 c three watches, he came to me ; and the next day the house where I 
 ' remained was searched, but we both escaped by a secret place, which 
 ' was made at the foot of the stairs, where we lay, going into a hay 
 ' barn. Which troubles being passed, Mr. Holford, the next year after, 
 ' went into his own country, which was Cheshire, hoping to gain some of 
 ' his friends there unto the catholic church : but there he was apprehen- 
 ' ded, and imprisoned in the castle of West Chester, and from thence 
 
 * was sent, with two pursuivants (as I take it) to London j who lodg- 
 ' ing in Holborn, at the sign of the bell, or the Exchequer (I do not 
 ' well remember whether) the good man rising about five in the raorn- 
 ' ing, pulled on a yellow stocking upon one of his legs, and had hU 
 ' white_boot hose onlfe other, and walked up and down the chamber. 
 1 One of his~k eepers looked up (for they had drank hard the night before, 
 ' and watched late) and seeing him there, fell to sleep again. Which 
 ' he perceiving, went down into the hall. The tapster met him, and 
 ' asked him, what lack you, gentleman ? but the tapster being gone, 
 ' Mr. Holford went out, and so down Holborn to the conduit, where a 
 ' catholic gentleman meeting him (but not knowing him) thought IIP 
 
 * was a madman. Then he turned into the little lane into Gray's- inn- 
 ' fields, where he pulled oft' his stoeking and boot hose. What ways he 
 ' went afterwards I know not ; but betwixt ten and eleven of the clock 
 ' at night, he came? to me, where. I lay, about eight miles from London. 
 ' He had eaten nothing of all that day ; his feet were galled with gravel 
 
 * From % Manuscript Relation by the Reverend Mr. Davis.
 
 118 MEMOIRS, tar. 
 
 ' stones, and his legs all scratched with briars and thorns (for he dared* 
 ' not to keep the highway) so that the blood followed in some places. 
 
 * The gentleman and mistress of die house, caused a bath with sweet 
 ' herbs to be made, and their two daughters washed and bathed his legs 
 ' and feet, after which, he went to bed. 
 
 ' After this escape, he avoided London for a time, but the next year, 
 ' 1588, he came to London to buy him a suit of apparel. At which time, 
 ' going to Mr. Swithin Well's house, near St. Andrew's church in Hol- 
 
 * born, to serve God (i. e. to say mass) Hodgkins the pursuivant espy- 
 ' ing him as he came forth, dogged him into his taylor's house, and there 
 ' apprehended him. 
 
 ' He was executed on the 28th of August at Clerkenwdl.' So far 
 Mr. Davis. 
 
 56, * James Claxton, Priest. And, 5J, Thomas 
 Felton, Gentleman. 
 
 JN/LR. James Claxton, or Clarkson, was born in Yorkshire, studied 
 in Douay college, during its residence at Rhemes, and was there made 
 priest ; and from thence was sent upon the English mission, anno 15S2. 
 He was apprehended and committed to prison some time in or before the 
 year 1585, for he was one of those priests that were sent into banish^ 
 ment in that year. But he returned again to his missionary labours : 
 and falling again into the hands of the persecutors, was tried and con- 
 demned upon the statute of the 27th of Elizabeth, for being a priest and 
 remaining in this realm. He had sentence to die as in cases of high 
 treason, and was executed between Branford and Hounslow, on the 
 28th of August, 1588. 
 
 f Thomas Felton was bom, says my manuscript, about the year of our 
 ' Lord 156'7, at Bermondsey-abbey, in the parish of St. Mary Magdalene, 
 ' within a mile of Southwark, London, in Surry. He was son to John 
 ' Felton, gentleman, who suffered at London in the year 15/O, for 
 ' setting up the bull of Pius V. concerning the excommunication of 
 ' queen Elizabeth. Being yet a young youth, he was taken by the old 
 ' lady Lovett to be her page ; but not staying there long, he was sent 
 ' over to the English college at Rhemes, to be brought up in piety and 
 ' learning. In both which he profited so much, that shortly after he 
 ' became a clergyman, receiving tonsure by the hands of the cardinal 
 ' de Guise, then archbishop of Rhemes ; which was in the year 1583. 
 ' After that he had continued a while longer in the college of Rhemes, 
 ' he had a desire to enter into the order of the Minims ; and was ad- 
 ' mitted thereinto by the commendations of Dr. Allen, then president 
 ' of the English college. But his body not sen ing well for the strictness 
 ' of that life, he was enforced, within a while, to return into his native 
 * country, for the recovery of his health. Being there sufficiently re- 
 ' covered, and resolving to return again beyond the seas, it happened 
 
 * From the Douay records, and from a manuscript in my hands, by Mrs. Salisbury, 
 sister to Mr. fr'tlton.
 
 JAMES CLAXTON, &c. 119 
 
 * that he was stayed at the sea- side by the officers ; and, after examina- 
 f tion, sent up to London, and committed to the Compter, in the 
 ' Poultry. In which place he remained prisoner some two years. In 
 ' this time an aunt of his, one Mrs. Blount, out of love to Thomas, 
 
 * laboured much, by the means of some friends she had at court, to 
 ' procure his liberty, which was at length effected. After his release- 
 ' ment, thinking to pass over into France, as formerly he intended, he 
 ' was the second time intercepted, and committed to Bridewell ; from. 
 ' whence, after some time of durance, he was released by the procure- 
 ' ment of the lady Lovett, his mistress in time past, then prisoner in 
 ' the Fleet for her religion. Being a second time released, he again ad- 
 f ventured to get beyond the seas to the college of Rhemes j but was 
 ' again the third time stayed and apprehended at the port j and, there- 
 ' withal, committed again to Bridewell, from whence he had been de- 
 ' livered but a little before. 
 
 ' In tliis his imprisonment he was very cruelly treated : for, first he 
 
 * was put into Little Ease, where he remained three days and three 
 ' nights, not being able to stand, or lie, or sit, and fed only with bread 
 f and water, as both the keeper's wife, and Thomas himself afterwards 
 c told Frances Felton (then a maid, but afterwards married to one Mr. 
 ' Salisbury) his own sister. After this he was put into the mill to grind, 
 ' and was fed no otherwise all the while he laboured in it, than he had 
 ' been before in Little Ease, viz. with bread and water only. Then he 
 ' was hanged up by the hands, to the end to draw from him, by way of 
 f confession, what priests he knew beyond the seas, or in England : 
 f which punishment was so grievous, that therewith the blood sprung 
 ' forth at his fingers' ends. At another time, upon a Sunday, he was 
 ' violently taken by certain officers, and carried betwixt two, fast bound 
 ' in a chair, into the chapel at Bridewell, to their service. He having 
 ' his hands at first at liberty, stopped his ears with his fingers, that he 
 ' might not hear what the minister said : then they bound down his 
 
 * hands also to the chair ; but being set down to the ground, bound in 
 ' the manner aforesaid, he stamped with his feet, and made that noise 
 ' with his mouth, shouting and hollowing, and crying oftentimes Jesus, 
 
 * Jesus, that nothing which the minister said could be heard by any 
 ' then present at the service. His sister, Frances Felton, afore-men- 
 ' tioned, who, at that time, came to the prison to visit him, was pre- 
 ' sent at the church at this passage, not being then a catholic. 
 
 ' After this he was called to the bar, at the sessions of Newgate ; the 
 e Spanish fleet making towards England, having then newly been de- 
 ' feated, he was questioned, whether he would have taken the queen's 
 ' part, or the pope's and Spaniards', if those forces had landed ? He 
 ' answered, he would have taken part with God and his country. Then 
 ' the judge asked him, whether he did acknowledge the queen to be the 
 ' supreme head of the church of England ? Whereunto he made answer 
 ' that he had read divers chronic/ex, but never read that God ordained a 
 ' woman should be supreme head of the church. For this speech of his 
 ' the judge condemned him. The next day, being Wednesday the 
 ' 'JSth ef August, he was hanged near Branford., iu Middlesex, with
 
 120 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' a priest at the same time condemned with him, whose name was Mr. 
 
 * James Claxton or Clarkson. They were carried together from Bride- 
 ' well, on liorseback, about four of the clock in the afternoon, and 
 ' presently hanged after their arrival at the place of execution. He 
 
 * suffered about the age of twenty or twenty-one. His friends had got 
 ' a pardon for him after his condemnation, which was brought to him 
 r immediately before he was to go to the place of execution ; which, 
 1 notwithstanding, he refused to accept of, chusing rather to die for 
 
 * God, than to live any longer in this world." So far the manuscript 
 relation of Mrs. Salisbury. Others say, that he was condemned for 
 being reconciled to the catholic church. What his sister mentions of 
 his not accepting the pardon, I suppose must be understood by reason 
 of some condition with which this pardon was clogged, which he 
 could not, in conscience, accept of. 
 
 58. * Richard Leigh, Priest. 
 
 .11 E was born in London, and going abroad, was, for some time, 
 student in the college of Rhemes, and from thence, in 1582, was, 
 with several others, sent to Rome, where he finished his studies, and 
 N was made priest, and so went upon the English mission. Here he was 
 soon after apprehended, and cast into prison, and then sent into banish- 
 ment : but he returned again to the work of his Lord, and fell a second 
 time into the hands of the persecutors, by whom he was marked out for 
 the slaughter, amongst the many others that were butchered in this 
 year of blood. The bishop of Tarrasona, who calls Mr. Leigh a learned 
 priest, relates, p. 60/, that he being present, with many others, when 
 a catholic gentleman was examined upon his religion, by Elmer, the 
 protestant bishop of London ; and the lay gentleman excused himself 
 from entering into argument with his Lordship : upon which the prelate 
 began to triumph, as if the gentleman could say nothing for his religion. 
 Mr. Leigh thought himself obliged modestly to offer not only to satisfy 
 the queries which the bishop had proposed, but in all other points of re- 
 ligion to give an answer to whatever his lordship should think fit to 
 object. The bishop, instead of accepting the proffer, culled him a 
 popish dog and a traitor, and delivered him up to the secular court for 
 his mouth to be stopped with a halter, as it was not long after ; though 
 this way of arguing, and determining controversies, appeared not a little 
 shocking, even to the protestants themselves, who were witnesses 
 of it. 
 
 Mr. Leigh was condemned, as we have already seen from Mr. 
 Stow's chronicle, on the 26th of August, 1588, for no other crime, lul 
 for having leen made priest leyond the seas, and remaining in this realm 
 contrary to the statute. -For this he had sentence to die, as in cases of 
 hiijh treason, and was accordingly executed at Tyburn, August the 
 -loth. 
 
 * From the bishop of Chalcedon's catalog^, from Dr. Champney's manuscript his- 
 tory, and from bishop Yepez, 1. S, chap. i.
 
 MRS. MARGARET WARD. 121 
 
 With Mr. Leigh were executed five others, viz. Edward Shelly* 
 gentleman, of the family of the Shelleys, of Sussex, Richard Martin, 
 Richard Flower, and John Roch, laymen, and Margaret Ward, gen- 
 tlewoman : some for being reconciled to the church, others for abetting 
 and relieving priests. And as for Mrs. Ward, as we have seen from 
 Mr. Stow, her crime was the conveying a cord to a priest in Bridewell, 
 by means of which he made his escape. But of her we shall say more 
 by and by. 
 
 Dr. Champney, in his manuscript history, relates after Rilad 
 aneira, 1. 4, De Schism, and bishop Yepez, 1. 5, chap. 1, that when 
 these confessors of Christ were drawn through the streets of London, to 
 Tyburn, a gentlewoman of fashion, animated with a zeal and fortitude 
 above her sex, crying out with a loud voice, exhorted them to be con- 
 stant in their faith ; and then forcing her way through the crowd, and 
 kneeling down, asked their benediction. Upon which she was imme- 
 diately apprehended and committed to prison ; as was also another 
 catholic, who, at the place of execution, hearing one of the confessors 
 earnestly requesting all catholics, if any were there present, to pray for 
 him, because he stood in much need of their prayers, and not thinking 
 it enough to pray secretly in his heart, as others did, knelt down before 
 all the multitude and prayed aloud for him, to the great encouragement 
 of the confessor, and great mortification of the persecutors. 
 
 THE HISTORY OF 
 59. * Mrs. Mtrgaret Ward. 
 
 JVjLRS. Margaret Ward was born at Congleton, in Cheshire, of a 
 gentleman's family, and was in the service of a lady of distinction, when 
 Mr. Watson, a secular priest, was confined in Bridewell for his religion. 
 The story of this gentleman is thus related by the bishop of Tarrasona, 
 1. 2. c. 5. 
 
 Richard Watson was a priest of the seminary of Hhemes, a virtuous 
 and zealous missioner, who had laboured much in the Lord's vineyard j 
 but being apprehended, and confined to Bridewell, was, at length, by 
 force of torments, and the insupportable labours, and other miseries of 
 the place, prevailed upon, through human frailty, to go once to the 
 protestant church ; upon which, he was set at liberty. But such was 
 the remorse he felt in his soul after this sin, that, instead of bettering his 
 condition by being thus enlarged, he found his case far worse, and the 
 present torments of his mind much more insupportable, than those which 
 he before had endured in his body ; the more because he had now lost his 
 God, whose divine grace Bad formerly been his comfort and support j 
 whereas he now could find no comfort, either from God or man ; but 
 the heavens were become to him as of brass, and the earth as iron. 
 
 In this melancholy condition, he went to one of the prisons, where 
 
 * From Dr. Champney's manuscript, and the bishop of Tarrasona, in his history f 
 the persecution, 1. 5, cap. 2.
 
 124 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 never, in her life, had done any thing of which she less repented, than 
 of the delivering that innocent lamb from the hands of those bloody 
 wolves. They sought to terrify her by their threats, and to oblige her 
 to confess where the priest was, but in vain ; and therefore they pro- 
 ceeded to pronounce sentence of death upon her, as in cases of felony : 
 but, withal, they told her, that the queen was merciful ; and that if she 
 would ask pardon of her majesty, and would promise to go to church, 
 she should be set at liberty, otherwise she must look for nothing but 
 certain death. 
 
 She answered, that as to the queen, she had never offended her 
 majesty ; and that it was not just to confess a fault, by asking pardon 
 for it, where there was none : that as to what she had done in favouring 
 the priest's escape, she believed the queen herself, if she had the bowels 
 of a woman, would have done as much, if she had known the ill treat- 
 ment he underwent. That as to the going to their church, she had, for 
 many years, been convinced that it was not lawful for her so to do, and 
 that she found no reason now to change her mind, and would not act 
 against her conscience ; and therefore they might proceed, if they 
 pleased, to the execution of the sentence pronounced against her ; for 
 that death, for such a cause, would be very welcome to her j and that 
 she was willing to lay down not one life only, but many, if she had 
 them, rather than betray her conscience, or act against her duty to God 
 and his holy religion. 
 
 She was executed at Tyburn, August 30, 1588, shewing to the 
 end a wonderful constancy and alacrity j by which the spectators were 
 much moved, and greatly edified. 
 
 Whilst these things wsre acting, Mr. Wai son was under cure in the 
 waterman's house, who, as soon as he was recovered, thought proper 
 to withdraw further from danger ; and that he might be the better dis- 
 guised; changed cloaths with the waterman, who joyfully accepted the 
 change, and put on, with great devotion, the cloaths of one whom he 
 regarded as a confessor of Christ. But not long after, walking in the 
 streets, he met the jailor, who took notice of the cloaths, and caused 
 him to be apprehended and carried before a justice of peace, where, 
 being examined how he came by those cloaths, he confessed the whole 
 truth 5 upon which he was committed, prosecuted and condemned : and 
 making the same answers as Mrs. Ward had done, with regard to the 
 begging the queen's pardon, and going to church, he endured the same 
 death with much spiritual joy in his soul, and a constancy which many 
 admired, and were very much edified by it. 
 
 60. * William Way, Priest. 
 
 jLlE was. born in Cornwall, had his education in Douay college, during 
 its residence at Rhemes j was an alumnus and priest of that college, 
 and from thence was sent upon the English mission, in 1586. When 
 and how he was apprehended I have not found, or how long he had been 
 
 * From the Douay diaries and catalogues,
 
 MRS. MARGARET WARD. 123 
 
 Mrs. Ward soon procured the cord, which she brought in her basket 
 under the bread and other eatables, and appointed two catholic water- 
 men, who were let into the secret, to attend with their boat near 
 Bridewell, between two and three o'clock the next morning ; at which 
 time Mr. Watson, applying to the corner of the cornish his cord, which 
 he had doubled, not sufficiently considering the heighth of the building, 
 began to let himself down, holding the two ends of the cord in his 
 hands, with a design of carrying it away with him, after he had got 
 down, that it might not be discovered by what means he had made his 
 escape. But, by that time he had come down something more than 
 half the way, he found that his cord, which he had doubled, was not 
 now long enough ; and he, for some time, remained suspended in the 
 air, being neither able to ascend or descend, without danger of his 
 life. 
 
 At length, recommending himself to God, he let go one end of his 
 cord, and suffered himself to fall down upon an old shed or penthouse, 
 which, with the weight of his body, fell in with a great noise. He was 
 very much hurt and -stunned by the fall, and broke his right leg and 
 right arm ; but the watermen ran in immediately to his assistance, and 
 carried him away to their boat. Here he soon came to himself, and, 
 feeling the cord, remembered his coat which he had left in the fall, 
 which he desired one of the watermen to go and bring him. And when 
 they were now advanced in their way, he bethought himself of the cord, 
 and told the watermen, that if they did not return to fetch it, the poor 
 gentlewoman that had given it him would certainly be put to trouble. 
 But it was now too late ; for the noise having alarmed the jailor, and 
 others in the neighbourhood, they came to the place, and rinding the 
 cord, immediately suspected what the matter was ; and made what 
 search they could to find the priest, , but in vain ; for the watermen, 
 who had carried him ofi", took proper care to conceal him, and keep 
 him safe, till he was cured : but God was pleased, that, instead of one 
 who thus escaped from prison, two others, upon this occasion, should 
 meet with the crown of martyrdom, as we shall now see. 
 
 For the jailor seeing the cord, and being convinced that no one but 
 Mrs. Ward could have brought it to the prisoner, and having before 
 found out where she lived, sent early in the morning justices and con- 
 stables to the house, who, rushing in, found her up, and just upon the 
 point of going out, in order to change her lodgings. They immediately 
 apprehended her, and carried her away to prison, vrhere they loaded 
 her with irons, and kept her in this manner for eight days. Dr. Champ- 
 ney and father Ribadaneini add, that they hang her up by the hands, 
 and cruelly scourged her, which torments she bore with wonderful 
 courage, saying, they were preludes of martyrdom with which, ly the 
 grace of God, she hoped she should le honoured, 
 
 After eight days she was brought to the bar, where, being asked by 
 the judges, if she was guilty of that treachery to the queen, and to the 
 laws of the realm, of furnishing the means by which a traitor of a priest, 
 as they were pleased to call him, had escaped from justice ? She an- 
 swered, with a cheadul countenance, in the affirmative : and that she
 
 122 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 tome others, his fellow priests, were confined, to seek for counsel and 
 comfort from them ; and here, having confessed his fault, with great 
 marks of a sincere repentance, and received absolution, desiring to re- 
 pair the scandal he had given, in the same place where he had sinned, 
 he returned to the church of Bridewell, and there, in the middle of the 
 congregation, declared with a loud voice, that he had done very ill in 
 coining lately to church with them, and joining in their service ; which, 
 said he, you untruly call the service of God, for it is, indeed, the service 
 of the devil. He would have said much more, but was prevented by 
 the people, who immediately laid hold of him, and stopping his mouth, 
 dragged him to prison ; where they thrusted him into a dungeon so low, 
 and so strait, that he could neither stand up in it, nor lay himself down 
 at his full length to sleep. Here they loaded him with irons, and kept 
 him for a whole month upon bread and water ; of which they allowed 
 him so small a pittance, that it was scarce enough to keep him alive, 
 not suffering any one to come near him to comfort him or speak to 
 him. 
 
 At the month's end, he was translated from this dungeon to a lodg- 
 ing at the top of the house, where, at least, he could see the light, and 
 was less straitened for room : but the adversaries of his faith made this 
 lodging more troublesome to him than the former, by plying him con- 
 tinually, some times with threats, some times with prayers and pro- 
 mises, to engage him to go again to church, and to seem, at least 
 outwardly, whatever he might inwardly believe, to be of their religion : 
 so tliat their continual importunities made him perfectly weary of his 
 life. In the mean time, the catholics, who heard of his sufferings, 
 durst not attempt to come near him, to succour or comfort him, for 
 fear of being taken for the persons who had persuaded him to what he 
 had done, till Mrs. Margaret Ward, a gentlewoman of a courage above 
 her sex, undertook to do it. 
 
 She was in the service of a lady of the first rank, who then resided 
 at London ; and hearing of the most afflicted condition of Mr. Watson, 
 asked and obtained leave of her lady to go and attempt to visit and re- 
 lieve him. In order to this, she changed her dress, and taking a basket 
 upon her arm, full of provisions, went to the prison, but could not have 
 leave to come at die priest, till, by the intercession of the jailor's wife, 
 whom Mrs. Ward had found means to make her friend ; with much 
 ado she obtained permission to see him from time to time, and bring 
 him necessaries, upon condition, that she should be searched in coming 
 in and going out, that she might carry no letter to him, or from him j 
 which was so strictly observed for the first month, that they even broke 
 the loaves, or pies, that she brought him, le*t any paper should thereby 
 be conveyed to N him ; and all the while she was with him, care was 
 taken that some one should stand by to hear all that was said. But, at 
 length, beginning to be persuaded that she came out of pure compassion 
 to assist him, they were less strict in searching her basket, and in hear- 
 kening to their conversation ; so that he had an opportunity of telling 
 her, that he had found a way by which, if he had a cord long enough 
 for that purpose, he could let himself down from the top of the house, 
 'ind make his escape.
 
 ROBERT WILCOX, &c. 125 
 
 in prison before his execution, or any other particulars relating to him, 
 only that he was prosecuted and condemned upon the penal statutes, for 
 having been made priest beyond the seas by Roman authority, and com- 
 ing into this realm, and remaining here. For this supposed treason he 
 was hanged, bowelled and quartered at Kingston, in Surry. Some say 
 on the 1st of October ; but the bishop of Chalcedon's catalogue says on 
 the 23d of September, who believes him to be the same whom Mr. Stow, 
 in his chronicle, calls Flower, when writing of the year 15S8, he says, 
 ' on the 23d of September, a seminary priest, named Flower, was 
 'hanged, headed and quartered, at Kingston.' Though bishop Yepcz, 
 and others, speak of Mr. Flower and Mr. "Way, as of two different 
 persons. 
 
 6l. * Robert Wilcox 62, Edward Campian and 
 63, Christopher Buxton, Priests. 
 
 XtoBERT Wilcox was bora at Chester, and performed his studies at 
 Rhemes, where the English college then resided. Of this college he was 
 an alumnus and priest ; and from hence was sent upon the mission in 
 1586. His mission seems to have been in Kent. When ami how he fell 
 into the hands of the persecutors I have not found ; but only that he was 
 condemned to die, as in cases of high treason, merely upon account of 
 his character and functions ; and, in consequence of this sentence, was 
 hanged, drawn and quartered at Canterbury. Raissius says it was some 
 time in September. Others affirm it was on the 1st of October, 1588, 
 Mr Edward Campian and Mr. Buxton, priests, and Mr. Widmerpool, 
 a layman, suffered with him. Mr. Wilcox was the first who was called 
 upon to go up the ladder, which he did with great cheerfulness 5 and 
 when he was up, turning to his companions with a smiling countenance, 
 he bid them be of good heart, telling them, that he was g"ing to heaven 
 lefore them, where he should carry the tidings of their coming after him. 
 
 He suffered with great constancy and alacrity to the great edification 
 of the faithful, and confusion of the persecutors. 
 
 Edward Campian was born in Kent of a gentleman's family, was an 
 alumnus and priest of Douay college, during its residence at Rhemes : 
 from whence he was sent upon the mission in 1587- He was apprehen- 
 ded, prosecuted and condemned to die, merely for his character and exer- 
 cising his priestly functions in England ; and for this supposed treason 
 was hanged, bowelled and quartered, on the same day, and at the same 
 place, with Mr. Wilcox, and with the same courage and chearfulness. 
 
 Christopher Buxton was bora in Derbyshire, and brought up in Mr. 
 Garlick's school at Tidswell in that county j from whence he passed over 
 to the college then residing at Rhemes, and there, for some time, prosecu- 
 ted his studies. Dr. Champney, in his manuscript history, with Raissius 
 and Molanus, in their printed catalogues, call him a priest of Douay col- 
 lege 5 but as I find not his name in the old Douay catalogue of those that 
 were sent priests from Ilhcmes upon die mission, I rather believe the sc- 
 
 * From the surae memoirs, and from Dr. Champney's manuscript history.
 
 126 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 count given by the bishop of Chalcedon, who calls him alumnus and 
 cleric of the college of Douay, during its residence at Rhemes, but priest 
 of the college of Rome. He was condemned for the same cause as Mr. 
 Wilcox and Mr. Campian, viz. for coming into England, being a priest , 
 nnd remaining there contrary to the statute ; and suffered at the same 
 time and place, and with the like courage. He was the youngest of 
 the three, and was obliged to stand a spectator of the barbarous butchery 
 of his companions : but when the persecutors, thinking, perhaps, that 
 his constancy had been shook with the sight of this scene of blood, 
 offered him his life upon condition that he would conform to their re- 
 ligion ; he generously answered, that he ivould not purchase a corrupt- 
 il-le life at such a rate ; and that if he had a hundred lives he ivoitld 
 willingly lay them all down in defence of his faith. 
 
 Robert Widmerpool, who suffered at the same time, was a gentle- 
 man, born at Widmerpool, in Nottinghamshire, who was, for some 
 time, tutor to the sons of Henry Piercy, earl of Northumberland. The 
 cause for which he was condemned to die, was his hospitality to priests, 
 and in particular, his having introduced a priest into the house of the 
 countess of Northumberland. At the place of execution, he, with 
 great affection, kissed both the ladder and the rope as the instruments 
 of his martyrdom j and having now the rope about his neck, began to 
 speak to the people, giving God most hearty thanks, for bringing him to 
 so great a glory, as that of dying for his faith and truth, in the same 
 place where the glorious martyr, St. Thomas of Canterbury, had shed 
 his Hood for the honour of his divine Majesty. Some of the people, at 
 these words, cried out, away, away M'ith the traitor j but he, not 
 moved at all with their clamours, looking round him, and recommend- 
 ing himself to the prayers of the catholics, was flung off the ladder, and 
 to happily exchanged this mortal life for immortality. 
 
 64. % Ralph Crokett and, 65, Edward James, 
 Priests. 
 
 JLVALPH Crokett was born at Barton upon the hill in Cheshire, performed 
 his studies at Rhemes, and was an alumnus and priest of the college 
 then residing in that city : from whence he was sent upon the English 
 mission in 1585.' The particulars of his missionary labours, or of his 
 apprehension and trial, I have not found, only that he was prosecuted 
 and condemned upon the penal statute of 2/ Elizabeth, and had sen- 
 tence to die, as in cases of high treason, barely upon account of his 
 priestly character and functions. 
 
 He was drawn, hanged, bowelled and quartered, at Chichester, 
 October 1, 1588. 
 
 Edward James was born at Braiston, in Derbyshire, and was, for 
 some time, student in the college of Rhemes 5 from whence he was 
 sent to Rome, 1588. Here he was made priest ; and from hence he 
 was sent upon the English mission. He was apprehended, prosecuted 
 
 * From the bishop of Chalcedon's catalogue, and the Douay journals.
 
 JOHN ROBINSON. 127 
 
 and condemned, barely upon account of his priestly character ; and was 
 hanged, bowelled and quartered on the same day, and at the same place, 
 with Mr. Crokett. 
 
 Their quarters were set upon poles over the gates of the city ; through 
 one of which a catholic man passing early in the morning, found one of 
 these quarters which had fallen down, which, by the size, was judged 
 to be Mr. Crokett's (he having been a tall man, whereas Mr. James 
 was of low stature) . This quarter was carried off", and sent over to 
 Douay, where I have seen it. 
 
 66. * John Robinson, Priest. 
 
 M, 
 
 .R. Robinson was bora at Fernsby, in the North Riding of Yorkshire. 
 His character in Dr. Champney is, that he was a man of extraordinary 
 Christian simplicity and sincerity ; in a word, a true Israelite, in whom 
 there was no guile. After having lived some time in the world in a 
 married state, becoming a widower by the death of his wife, he went 
 over to Rhemes, where the college then was j and there applying him- 
 self to his studies, was, at length^ -made priest, and sent upon the 
 mission. He no sooner came to England, than he was apprehended in 
 the very port, and sent up to London ; where, after some months impri- 
 sonment, he was brought to the bar, and condemned to die upon account 
 of his priestly character. t)r. Champney relates of him, mat he was 
 used to say, If he could not dispute for his faith as well as some others, 
 he could die for it as well as the lest. He was sent down to suffer at 
 Ipswich in Suffolk, where he was hanged, boweled, and quartered, 
 October 1, 1588. Concerning him thus writes the Reverend Mr. 
 Haynes, ' Mr. John Robinson, a secular priest, being, in the year 1588, 
 ' prisoner in the Clink at London, when the rest that had been there 
 ' prisoners with him (whom he called his bairns, and they, for his age 
 ' and sincerity, called him father) were, for the catholic faith, sent into 
 * divers parts of the kingdom to be executed ; the good old man, being 
 ' left alone, lamented for divers days together exceedingly, until at last, 
 ' a warrant was sent from the council to execute him also. "The news 
 ' whereof did much revive him ; and to him that brought the warrant, 
 ' he gave his purse, and all his money, and fell down on his knees and 
 1 gave God thanks. Being to set forward in his journey, they willed 
 ' him to put on boots ; for it was in winter, and as far as Ipswich in 
 ' Suffolk, where he was sent to suffer. Nay, said the good man, these 
 ' legs had never boots on yet, since they were mine, and now surely they 
 f shall perform this journey without boots,, for they shall be well paid 
 ' for their pains.' 
 
 He left behind him a son, Francis Robinson, who was also a priest, 
 and a true heir of his father's virtue. 
 
 The next that occur in the catalogues of those that suffered tins 
 year, 1588, are Mr. Hartley and Mr. Weldon ; of whom Mr. Stow, in 
 
 * From the Douay catalogues, Champney's manuscript, and the relation of the 
 Reverend Mr. Joseph Haynes.
 
 128 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 his Chronicle, writes thus ; < The 5th of October, J. Weldon and W. 
 ' Hartley, made priests at Paris, and remaining here contrary to the 
 'statute, were hanged, the one at the MileVEnd, the other nigh the 
 ' theatre ; and Robert Sutton, for being reconciled to the see of Rome, 
 ' was hanged at Clerkenwell. 
 
 * 67. William Hartley, and 68, John Weldon, 
 Priests. 
 
 WILLIAM Hartley was born in the diocese of Litchfield, performed 
 his higher studies in the college of Rhemes ; from whence he was sent 
 priest upon the English mission, anno 158O. Mr. Stow says he was 
 ordained at Paris, which may very well be ; for the superiors of the 
 college had an indult from the pope to present their alumni for holy 
 orders to any of the bishops of the province of Rhemes, or Sens, one of 
 which the bishop of Paris was at that time. Mr. Hartley had not la- 
 boured above a twelvemonth in the vineyard of his Lord, before he was 
 apprehended in the house of the Lady Stonor, and carried prisoner to 
 the Tower, August the 13th, 1581, together with Mr. John Stonor and 
 Mr. Steven Brinkley, lay gentlemen. Here he was confined till Sep- 
 tember 16, 1582, and then was translated from the Tower to another 
 prison, where he remained till January, 1585 ; when, with about twenty 
 other priests, he was shipped off into banishment. Upon this occasion 
 he returned to Rhemes to the college j but, after some short stay there, 
 set out again for England, being more afraid of being wanting to the cause 
 of God, and the salvation of souls, than of a cruel death, which he was 
 certainly to look for, if he fell again, as most probably he would, into 
 the hands of the persecutors. In effect, he was again apprehended, some 
 time in or before the year 1588, and then brought upon his trial, and 
 condemned to die upon account of his priestly character. He was exe- 
 cuted near the theatre, October 5, 1588, his mother looking on, as 
 Raissius relates, " Catalog. Martyr Anglo Duac, p. 52." and rejoicing 
 exceedingly that she had brought forth a son to glorify God by such 
 a death. 
 
 On the same day John Weldon, priest " of the college of Douay, 
 according to Champney and Molanus" condemned for the same cause, 
 was drawn to Mile's-End-Green, and there executed. About the same 
 time (some say the same day) Richard Williams, a venerable priest, who 
 had been ordained in England before the change of religion, was also, for 
 religious matters, hanged at Holloway, near London. 
 
 Robert Sutton, layman, suffered on the same day at Clerkenwell. 
 The cause of his death was purely his religion, viz. because he had 
 been reconciled to the church of Rome. His life was offered him at the 
 gallows, if he would acknowledge the Queen's ecclesiastical supremacy, 
 as I learn from the copy of a letter, which I have in my hands, written 
 by Mr. William Naylor, who was an eye-witness of his death. ( I saw, 
 
 * From the Douay diary and catalogues, and from the journal of things transacted ia 
 the Tower, from 1580 till 1585.
 
 JOHN AMIAS, Sec. 129 
 
 f says he, one Mr. Sutton, a layman, and a schoolmaster, put to death 
 
 * at Clerkenwell in London ; to whom the sheriff' promised to procure his 
 
 * pardon, if he would but pronounce absolutely the word nil ; for he 
 ' would that he should acknowledge the queen to be supreme head in all 
 ' causes without any restriction ; but he " Mr. Sutton" would acknowlege 
 ' her to be supreme head in all causes temporal ; and for that he would 
 f not pronounce the word all without any restriction, he was executed. 
 4 This I heard and saw.' So for Mr. Naylor. 
 
 69. * John Hewit And, 70, Edward Burden, Priests. 
 
 JL HESE two were both priests of Douay college, during its residence 
 at Rhemes. The former fell into the hands of the adversaries of his faith 
 whilst he was as yet only deacon, and was sent into banishment in 1585 ; 
 when returning to Rhemes, he was made priest, and sent upon the 
 mission. The latter, who was a native of the Bishoprick of Durham, 
 and educated in Trinity college, Oxford, was made priest in 1584, and 
 sent into England in 1586. They were both condemned upon account 
 of their priesthood, and were hanged, drawn and quartered at York ; 
 the former on the 5th of October, the latter on the 29th of November, 
 1588. 
 
 This same year also, William Lamplcy, layman, suffered at Glou- 
 cester for the catholic religion. 
 
 71. ~f" John Amias And, 72, Robert Dalby, Priests. 
 1589. 
 
 J onx Amias (some call him Ann) was a native of Yorkshire, an alum- 
 nus of Douay college during its residence at Rhemes, where he was 
 made priest the 25th of March 1581, and sent upon the English mission 
 on the 5th of June of the same year, together with Mr. Edmund Sykes. 
 Robert Dalby was a native of the Bishoprick of Durham, an alumnus 
 also and priest of the same college, sent upon the mission in L5S8. 
 They bom fell into the hands of the persecutors, and were condemned to 
 die the death of traitors, upon account of their priestly character. They 
 suffered together at York on the 16'th of March, 158S 9. Dr. Champ- 
 ney, in his manuscript history " ad annum Ellzab. 31." gives the fol- 
 lowing account of them.. ' This year, on the l6th of March, John 
 Amias and Robert Dalby, priests of the college of Douay, suffered at 
 York, as in cases of high treason, for no other cause, but that they 
 were priests ordained by the .authority of the see of Rome, and had 
 returned into England, and exercised there their priestly functions for 
 the benefit of the souls of their neighbours. I was myself an eye- wit- 
 ness of the glorious .combat of these holy men, being at that time u 
 s 
 
 * From the Douay Diaries and Catalogues. 
 
 t From the Douay Diary, the bishop of Chalcedon's Catalogue, and the manuscript 
 jbistory ot Dr. Chamjniey, who was an eye-witness of their deaih.
 
 130 MEMOIRS, &:c. 
 
 ' young man, in the 20th year of my age ; and I returned home con. 
 -* firmed by the sight of their constancy and meekness, in the catholic faith, 
 ' which by God's grace, I then followed j for there visibly appeared in 
 ' those holy servants of God, so much meekness, joined with a singular 
 ' constancy, that you would easily say, that they were lambs led to the 
 
 * slaughter. 
 
 ' They were drawn about a mile out of the city to the place of execu- 
 ' tion, where being arrived, and taken off the hurdle, they prostrated 
 ' themselves upon their faces to the ground, and there employed some 
 ' time in prayer, till the former "Mr. Amias" being called upon by the 
 ' sheriff, rose up, and, with a serene countenance, walked to the gal- 
 ' lows and kissed it j then kissing the ladder, went up. The hangman 
 ' having fitted the rope to his neck, bid him descend a step or two lower, 
 ' affirming, that by this means he would suffer the less. He then 
 ' turning to the people declared, That the cause of his death was not 
 ' treason, lut religion : but here he was interrupted, and not suffered to 
 
 * go on. Therefore composing himself for death, with, his eyes and 
 
 * hands lifted up to heaven, forgiving all who had any ways procured his 
 
 * death, and praying for his persecutors, he recommended his soul to 
 ' God,andbeing flung off the ladder, quietly expired] for he was suffered 
 ' to hang so long till he seemed to be quite dead. Then he was cut 
 ' down, dismembered and bowelled, his bowels cast into a fire that 
 ' was prepared hard by for that purpose, his head cut off, and the trunk 
 ' of his body quartered. All this while his companion " Mr. Dalby" 
 ' was most intent on prayer ; who being called upon, immediately 
 ' followed the footsteps of him that had gone before him, and obtained 
 ' the like victory. The sheriff's men were very watchful to prevent the 
 ' standers by from gathering any of their blood, or carrying off any thing 
 ' that had belonged to them. Yet one, who appeared to me to be a 
 ' gentlewoman, going up to the place where their bodies were in quar- 
 
 * tcring, and not without difficulty making her way through the crowd, 
 ' fell down upon her knees, before the multitude, and, with her hands 
 'joined, and eyes lifted up to heaven, declared an extraordinary motion 
 ' and affection of soul. She spoke also some words which I could not 
 ' hear for the tumult and noise. Immediately a clamour was raised 
 
 * against her as an idolatress - } and she was drove away, and whither or 
 ' no she was carried to prison, I could not certainly understand.' So far 
 J)r. Champney. 
 
 73. * George Nicols-^And, 74, Richard Yaxley, 
 Priests. 
 
 VTEORGE Nicols was a native of Oxford, and an alumnus and priest of 
 Douay college, during its residence at Rhemes j from whence he was 
 sent upon the mission, in 1583. My author gives him the character of 
 a man of extraordinary virtue and learning, and of a zealous and laborious 
 
 ^ * From the Douay Catalogues, from Father Ribaclaneira, in his Appendix to Dr. 
 founders, chap. 3, from the Bishop ofTarrasona's history of the persecution, book YT 
 chap. 3. and from Dr. Champney's Manuscript.
 
 GEORGE NICOLS, &c. IS I 
 
 rhissioner, who, during the six years of his mission, was the happy in- 
 strument, in the hands of God, of the conversion of many souls. His 
 mission was chiefly in and about Oxford : where, amongst other pious 
 adventures, the writers of his life particularly take notice of the reconci- 
 liation of a noted highwayman, who being apprehended and committed 
 to Oxford castle, was, by the conversation of some catholics, who were 
 prisoners there for their religion, brought to a sense of his crimes, and 
 a desire of confessing them, and dying in the catholic faith ; insomuch 
 that he did nothing else, night and day, but bewail his sins, longing for 
 the hour when he might cast himself at the feet of a catholic priest to 
 confess them. His catholic fellow prisorjers found means to acquaint 
 Mr. Nicols with these particulars '; and failed not to instruct their con- 
 vert how to prepare himself for a visit from this gentleman ; who, on 
 the very morning of die day of execution (no opportunity offering be- 
 fore) came to the jail, together with a crowd of others, whose curiosity 
 brought them to see this famous malefactor before his death ; and passing 
 for a kinsman and acquaintance of the prisoner, after mutual salutations, 
 he took him aside, as it were to comfort and encourage him, and heard 
 his confession, for which he had prepared himself by spending the whole 
 night before in prayers and tears ; and which he made with great signs 
 of a truly contrite heart ; and having given him absolution, he left him 
 wonderfully comforted, and armed against the terrors of death, which 
 he now with joy was reach' to welcome. The prisoner then declared 
 himself a catholic ; and though many persuasions were used to make 
 him return to the protestant religion, he persisted to the end in his reso- 
 lution of dying in the old faith, and professed under the gallows, that if 
 he had a thousand lives, he would joyfully part tvlth them, rather than 
 renounce the catholic Roman faith. 
 
 Richard Yaxley, who was Mr. Nicols's companion in death, was 
 born at Boston, in Lincolnshire, of a gentleman's family, and was also 
 an alumnus and priest of the same college, and was sent from Rhemes 
 upon the English mission, in 1586'. He was by many years younger 
 than Mr. Nicols, and having his mission in the same country, regarded 
 him as his father. They were apprehended together at the house of 
 a pious catholic widow, who kept the St. Catharine's Wheel, in Oxford, 
 by the officers of the university, who broke in at midnight, and hurried 
 them away, together .with Mr. Belson, a catholic gentleman, who was 
 come thither to visit his ghostly father, Mr. Nicols, and Humphrey ap 
 Richard, the servant of the inn. The next morning they were all car- 
 ried before the vice-chancellor, where several doctors were assembled, 
 with many others who had the curiosity to see and hear the prisoners .- 
 Here they were examined concerning their religion, and they all readily 
 answered, they were catholics. Then they v jre farther interrogated, if 
 there were not any priest among them ? After some demur, for fear of 
 prejudicing any other persons, Mr. Nicols, judging that it would be for 
 the greater glory of God to confess his character, stoutly said, I confess, 
 that, f-y the grace of God, and of the holy sec apostolic, I am a priest of 
 the true holy catholic Roman church. The vice-chancellor and hie 
 assessors, from hence inferred, that he must needs be n traitor , and 
 withal, some of them charged him with blasphemy, in taking to hid-
 
 132 MEMOIRS, &:c. 
 
 self the name of priest, which, as they pretended, belonged to Christ 
 alone. This brought on a dispute concerning religion, in which Mr. 
 Nicols pressed his adversaries so close, that, the standers by appearing 
 not a Irttle moved with his arguments, the vice-chancellor thought 
 proper to put an end to the controversy, by sending away the two priest.-; 
 to one prison, and Mr. Belson and the servant to another j and ordered 
 them all to be put in irons. Having thus, as they flattered themselves, 
 tamed their spirits, they sent one of their most celebrated divines to the 
 two priests, to confer with them concerning the blessed sacrament : but 
 Mr. Nicols managed this controversy also so well, and urged so home 
 the plain words of Christ, in the institution of the blessed sacrament, 
 together with the current doctrine of the holy fathers, and of all an- 
 tiquity, and the authority of the church, and of her general councils, 
 compared with the novelty of the opposite doctrine, the inconstancy and 
 infinite dissentions of its teachers, and uncertainty what they would be 
 at, that he stopped the mouth of his adversary, to the great advantage of 
 the catholic cause, in the minds of many who came into the prison to 
 hear the dispute. Henceforward it was thought proper to let disputing 
 alone, and to attack them another way. Therefore, the next day, they 
 were all four brought, in their irons, before the vice-chancellor and his 
 council, and examined again ; not now concerning their faith, but why 
 they, being priests, had presumed to come over into England ? How 
 they had employed their time here ? with whom they had conversed ? 
 and upon what subjects ? what acquaintance they had amongst catholics, 
 &c. ? To these questions the servants of God answered, that they came 
 over upon no other errand, but to win souls to Jesus Christ, and to 
 teach them the catholic faith ; that this was their whole business here ; 
 and that they neither knew, nor treated, nor thought of any thing else, 
 but how to discharge this great duty, though they were sensible of the 
 danger which they thereby incurred by the laws ; but they thought this 
 was the least they could do for the honour and service of him who had 
 died for them ; and for whom they should be glad to sacrifice their 
 lives. But as for any other catholics, they could not be prevailed on to 
 name any, or bring any into danger. Upon this they were sent back to 
 their prisons, and the queen's council was informed of all that had 
 passed. 
 
 Soon after this, an order came down from the council, to have the 
 prisoners sent up to London ; Avho, pursuant to the instructions given 
 from above, were set upon Rrmnantes, with their hands tied behind 
 them, and the two priests also, for greater disgrace, with their legs 
 tied under their horses' bellies ; and, in this manner, were conducted, 
 under a strong guard, from Oxford to London, being treated all the 
 way with great cruelty by their guards, and affronted and abused by the 
 populace, more especially when they came to London, where they were 
 attended from the very skirts of the town to the gate of the prison by an 
 insolent mob, loading them with reproaches and injuries, \vliich they 
 bore with an invincible patience, setting before their eyes the sufferim:* 
 of their Redeemer. And to add fo their affliction, a young gentlt-ruan 
 of the university, a graduate, in art?, who, out of pure compassion, had 
 attended them all the way from Oxford, and afforded them what ser-
 
 GEORGE NICOLS, &c. 333 
 
 vice he could, was, in reward of his charity, taken up as soon as he 
 came to London ; and whereas the persecutors could not proceed against 
 him with any colour of law, they charged him with being mad, and as 
 such, confined him to Bedlam, to be there treated (as one that had lost 
 his senses) with low diet, and to be beaten into his senses again. In 
 which manner they kept him a long time, for no other fault, but that 
 of having been serviceable to these servants of God in their journey. 
 
 After they had remained some days in prison, at London, they were 
 carried before secretary Walsingham, the capital enemy of the catholics, 
 who put the like questions to them as the vice-chancellor had done be- 
 fore : to which Mr. Nicols would give no other answer, but that they 
 were all catholics, and that he, for his own part, was, though unworthy, 
 a priest of the holy Roman church. If you are a priest, said the secre- 
 tary, then, of course, you are a traitor. A strange consequence, 
 honoured sir, said Mr. Nicols, since, it is certain, that they, who first 
 converted England from paganism, were all priests, But they, said the 
 secretary, did not disturb the nation as you do, nor stirred up seditions 
 against their sovereigns. To which the confessor replied, that, if 
 preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, if instructing the ignorant in the 
 catholic faith, be disturbing the nation, or stirring up sedition, then 
 were they equally guilty j if not, both we and they are equally innocent; 
 nor can there, be any treason in the case. With this the two priests 
 were ordered to Bridewell, where they were tortured, and hanged up 
 in the air, for die space, of five hours together, to make them confess by 
 whom they had been harboured or entertained, &rc. But these torments 
 they bore with great courage and constancy, and generously refused, to 
 the end, to name any one who might be brought into trouble upon their 
 account. Artifices were also employed, and a pretended convert was 
 sent to Mr. Nicols, desiring to be addressed by him to some priest, that 
 was at liberty, for further instructions. But the man of God, who was 
 very discreet, discovered the trick, and would have nothing to say to the 
 false catechumen. After this they separated the two priests from each 
 other, and thrust Mr. Nicols down into a dark and stinking dungeon, 
 full of nauseous insects ; but translated Mr. Yaxley from Bridewell to 
 the Tower, where he was every day put upon the rack, till, at length, 
 it was resolved in the council, that they should be sent back to Oxford 
 to be executed there, for an example to the scholars, and other inhabi- 
 tants of that city. 
 
 This resolution was no sooner taken, than the prisoners, under the 
 same guard as before had brought them up to town, and with the like 
 cruel treatment, were conducted back again to Oxford, to be tried at 
 the assizes there ; and that none of them might escape, sir Francis 
 Knollys, one of the privy council, was appointed to be present at their 
 trial, to overawe the jury, that they might bring in a verdict agreeable 
 to the inclinations of the court. And first the good widow, their hostess, 
 was tried, and cast in a proemunire, condemned to the loss of all lieu 
 goods, and to perpetual imprisonment ; which sentence she received 
 with joy, .only regretting that 'she was not to die with her ghostly 
 fathers. Then the two prints were condemned to die, as in cases of
 
 134 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 high treason : and, lastly, Mr. Belson and the servant being convicted 
 of having been aiding and assisting to the priest*, were, on that account, 
 sentenced to die, as in cases of felony. They all received their respec- 
 tive sentences with chearfulness, giving thanks to God for the honour he 
 did them of dying for his cause ; and mutually embraced one another 
 with extraordinary marks of the 'inward joy of their hearts. They were 
 drawn to the place of execution, on July the 5th, 1 589, st'H retaining 
 the same serenity in their countenance, and joy in their hearts ; and 
 meeting there with an infinite multitude of people, assembled to see their 
 last conflict, they saluted them, saying, lehold, we are here brought to 
 die for the confession of the catholic faith, the old religion, in which our 
 forefathers and ancestors all lived and died. 
 
 The first that was called upon to go up the ladder was Mr. Nicoh, 
 who, after having made his prayer to God, and to the people the pro- 
 fession of his faith, would have spoke more at large upon the subject, 
 but was interrupted and forbid to go on ; so recommending his soul into 
 the hands of his Creator, he was tlirown off the ladder, and happily 
 finished his course. He was followed by Mr. Yaxley, who, after hav- 
 ing embraced the dead body of his companion with great affection, and 
 recommended himself, in this his last conflict, to the prayers of his 
 happy soul, going up the ladder, and beginning to speak to the people, 
 was, in like manner interrupted ; and, after a short prpft-ssion, of his 
 faith, was also flung oft". The slanders by seemed to have a more than 
 ordinary compassion for him, upon account of his youth, beauty, and 
 sweet behaviour, and the consideration of his family ; but all these 
 things he despised for the sake of his master ; for whom he willingly 
 offered himself a sacrifice. Their bodies were cut down, bowelled and 
 quartered ; and their heads were set on the old walls of the castle, and 
 their quarters over the gates of the city. Some false zealots disfigured 
 their faces, cutting and hacking them with their knives, becau.se of the 
 extraordinary beauty which was observed in them ; and it was much 
 take n notice of, that, in the disposing of their quarters, the right hand 
 of Mr. Nicols, instead of hanging down from the shoulder, as is natural 
 on the like occasions, stood up erected on high, and turned against the 
 city, in the posture and manner of one that was threatening. 
 
 75. * Thomas Behon, Gentleman. 
 
 _L HOMAS Belson was born at Brill, the scat of the family in the county 
 of Oxford. I find him in the Douay diary at the college of Rhemes, in 
 1584 : from whence he departed for England, on the 5th of April of 
 that year, in the company of Mr. Francis Ingolby, priest, who suffered 
 at York, in 1586. We have already seen how he was apprehended in the 
 company of Mr. Nicols and Mr. Yaxley, examined both at Oxford and 
 at London, and finally tried and condemned with them for his hospi- 
 tality and charity to them ; and God was pleased he should be their 
 companion in death ; for no sooner was Mr. Nicols and Mr. Ynxlcy 
 dead, but Mr. Belson was also ordered up the ladder to finish his course. 
 
 * From the same writers, and the Douay diary.
 
 CHRISTOPHER BAYLES. 135 
 
 He first embraced the dead bodies of his pastors, which were then in 
 quartering, and begged the intercession of their happy souls, that he 
 might have the grace to imitate their courage and constancy. He added, 
 that he looked upon himself very happy that he had been their ghostly 
 child, and was now to surler with them, and should quickly be pre- 
 sented before the Almighty in so good company. And thus, with 
 great chearfulness, he delivered his body to the executioner, and his 
 soul to his Maker. 
 
 The last in the combat was Humphrey Prichard, a Welchman, a 
 plain, honest, and well-meaning soul ; and, as our authors all agree, a 
 great servant of God -, who, for twelve years, had done signal service; 
 to the poor afflicted persecuted catholics in those evil days. He came to 
 the gallows with a chearful and smiling countenance, and being now 
 upon the ladder, and turning to the people, he said, I call you all to 
 witness, in the presence of God, and of his holy angels, that I am a 
 catholic, and that I was condemned to die for the confession of the ca- 
 tholic faith ; and that I die willingly for die catholic faith. A minister 
 that stood by, told him, he was a poor ignorant fellow, and did nol 
 know what it was to be a catholic. To whom Humphrey replied, that 
 he very well knew what it was to be a catholic, though he could not, 
 perhaps, explain it in the proper terms of divinity : that he knew what 
 he was to believe, and for what he came there to die ; and that he wil- 
 Jingly died for so good a cause. With that he was throwu off the 
 Jadder, and so reposed in the Lord. 
 
 They all suffered, July 5, 1589, 
 
 76. * JPilliam Spcmer, Priest. 
 
 \V ILLIAM Spenser was born in Yorkshire, and educated in Douay 
 college, during its residence at Rhemes : from whence he was sent upon 
 the English mission, in 1584. The particulars of his labours and suffer- 
 ings I have not found, only that he was apprehended, tried and con- 
 demned tor receiving holy orders beyond the seas, by authority derived 
 from the bishop of Rome, and coming over to England, and there ex- 
 ercising his priestly functions. He received the sentence of death with 
 an undaunted courage, and suffered with great constancy ; being hanged, 
 drawn and quartered at York, the 24th of September, 158p. 
 
 With Mr. Spenser was hanged one Mr. Robert Hardesty, a layman 
 of great probity and piety, for having harboured and relieved the con- 
 fessor of Chris^ knowing him to be a priest. 
 
 77- -f" Christopher Bales, or Bayles, Priest 1500. 
 
 IL/HRISTOPHER Bayleswas born in the parish of Cunslcy, in the bishop- 
 rick of Durham, and performed his studies abroad, partly in the English 
 
 * From the Douay diary, and catalogues, and Dr. Crjampney's manuscript, 
 f From Ribadaneira's appendix, c. 4, Dr. Champney's manuscript, and the bishop 
 ff Chalcedon's catalogue.
 
 136 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 college of Rome, and partly in that of llhemes. From the latter lie 
 was sent priest upon the English mission in 1588. Here, after some 
 time, he fell into the hands of the adversaries of his faith ; and, besides 
 the miseries usually attending imprisonment, suffered much from their 
 cruelty, being grievously racked, in order to oblige him to confess where 
 he had said mass, and by whom he had been entertained or relieved ; 
 insomuch, that, at one time, he was hung up in the air for twenty-four 
 hours together ; all which he bore with wonderful patience and cou- 
 rage, though, otherwise, of an infirm body, and inclined to a consump- 
 tion. At length, being brought to the bar, he was arraigned, tried and 
 condemned, upon the statute of the 2/th of Elisabeth, for being made- 
 priest beyond the seas, and coming into England to exercise his priestly 
 functions. When sentence was to be pronounced upon him, and the 
 judge, according to custom, asked if he had any tiling to alledgt; 
 for himself ? He desired to ask one thing, which was, whether St. 
 Augustin, the monk, sent by the pope of Rome to preach the Christian 
 catholic faith to the English, was guilty of treason in complying with 
 that commission, or no? to which, when the court had answered that 
 he was not : Why then, said the confessor, do yon arraign and con- 
 demn rue for a traitor, who do the same thing as he did ? and to whom 
 nothing can be objected but what might equally be objected to him ? 
 they told him the difference was, that, by their laws, his case was now 
 piade treason ; and without any further arguing, proceeded to pronounce 
 the sentence of death in the usual form. He was drawn to Fleet-street 
 to a pair of gallows erected over-against Fetter-lane, and was there 
 hanged, bowelled and quartered, March the 4th, 1 589-90. 
 
 On the same day were hanged, Nicholas Homer, a layman, bora 
 at . Grauntley, in Yorkshire, for relieving and assusting the said Mr. 
 Bayles ; and Alexander Blake, also a layman, for the same cause. Of 
 all these, thus writes Mr. Stow, in his chronicle, ' Christopher Bayles, 
 ' made priest beyond sea, was convicted of treason for remaining in this 
 ' realm contraiy to a statute : Also Nicholas Horner and Alexander 
 f Blake, convicted of felony, for relieving of Bayles, contrary to the like 
 ' statute. These were all executed on the 4th of March. Bayles was 
 ' hanged, bowelled and quartered in Fleet-street ; Horner was hanged 
 ' in Smithfield ; Blake in Grays-inn-lane.' 
 
 The bishop of Tarasona, in his history of the English persecution, 
 book 11. chap. 18. Numb. 3 and 4, relates of Mr. Horner, that he was 
 apprehended once before for harbouring priests, and at that time was 
 kepjt so long in a filthy dungeon, that with the dampness of the lodging 
 one of his legs was mortified, so that he was obliged to have it cut off. 
 But that, whilst the surgeon was at work, God was pleased to favour 
 him with a vision, which so strongly drew his attention, and so sweetly 
 entertained him, that he was not at all sensible of so painful an opera-r 
 tion. After this, the persecutors having some compassion for him, set 
 him at liberty. Till being accused a second time of relieving priests, 
 and convicted of this felony, and not consenting to save his life by going 
 to the protestant church, he was condemned to die. The night before 
 his execution, finding himself overwhelmed with anguish and fear, he
 
 EDWARD JONES, &c. 137 
 
 betook himself to his prayers, and then seemed to perceive a crown 
 hanging over his head ; and lifting up his hands to take hold of it, to see 
 what it should be, lie could feel nothing. Afterwards rising from his 
 prayers, he perceived the same crown still over his head, and that, as 
 he moved or changed his place, it still moved with him ; and this for the 
 space of above an hour. Which vision afforded him unspeakable com- 
 fort, and caused him to die the next day with extraordinary marks of 
 joy. This vision was related by the confessor himself to a friend, who 
 was with him in prison, a little before he was carried out to execution ; 
 who wrote the whole account to father Robert Southwell, on the 18th 
 of March, of the same year ; which letter, says my author, I have 
 seen. The same is confirmed by father Ribadaneira and Dr. Champney, 
 in their histories. 
 
 78. * Miles Gerard And, 79, Francis Diconson, 
 Priests. 
 
 _L HF.SE two were both priests of Douay college, during its residence at 
 Rhemes : the former was born in Lancashire, of a gentleman's family ; 
 the latter in Yorkshire, They were sent together upon the English 
 mission, from Rhemes, on the 31st of August, 158p; though Mr. 
 Gerard had been ordained priest in 1583. The ship in which they went 
 for England, was overtaken with a violent storm, by which they were 
 cast away upon the coast of Kent. But it was not God's will that they 
 should perish by this less glorious death, his divine providence having 
 reserved for them the crown of martyrdom. They escaped therefore to 
 the shore, where they met with a more violent storm : for being imme- 
 diately apprehended (upon suspicion, or the information of some of the 
 ship's crew) and cast into prison, they were arraigned, tried and con- 
 demned for coining into England, being priests ; and, upon this account, 
 had sentence of death, rs in cases of high treason, and they both suf- 
 fi-rcd with constancy, at Rochester, April 30, 
 
 80. -\-EdirardJones And, 81, Antony Middleton y 
 Prices* 
 
 JL tie former was born in North Wales, in the diocese of St. Asaph ; 
 the latter in Yorkshire. They both were priests of Douay college* 
 during its residence at Rhemes : from whence Mr. Middleton was sent 
 upon the English mission, in 1586, Mr. Jones in'1588. Their mis- 
 sionary labours were employed in and about London, arid with grent 
 fruit ; the more, because Mr. Middleton being low of stature, and of a 
 young look, for a long time was not suspected to be a priest : and Mr. 
 Jones, though his time upon the mission had not been long, being a 
 zealous preacher, had justly acquired to himself a great esteem amongst 
 
 * From the bishop of Chalccdon's catalogue and Dr. Champney's manuscript, 
 t From the Douay diary, the bishop of Chalcedon's catalogue, Dr. Champncy's ir.- 
 nuscript, and father Ribadaneira, chaj>. 4.
 
 138 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 the catholics. They were both apprehended by the means of certairt 
 priest-catchers, who, to bring about their villain}- more effectually, had 
 feigned themselves catholics. Ribadaneira, who is followed by Dr. 
 Champney and Mr. llaissius, affirms, that they were hanged up with- 
 out any formal trial, before the doors of the houses where they were 
 taken, Mr. Jones in Fleet-street, near the conduit j Mr. Middleton at 
 Clerkenwell. And that upon the gallows on which they were hanged, 
 the executioners' had caused to be written in great letters, FOR TREASON 
 AND FOREIGN INVASION, to make their cause more odiotfs to the people ; 
 but that this artifice did not take, and the spectators, instead of applaud- 
 ing their proceedings, departed highly displeased with these tyrannical 
 measures. Mr. Middleton desired to have leave to speak to the people, 
 which not being allowed him, he contented himself with this short 
 speech, I call Almighty God to witness, that I here die barely for the 
 catholic faith, and for being a priest, and a preacher of the true religion ; 
 and I beseech the divine Majesty to vouchsafe to accept of this my 
 death for the forgiveness of my sins, and the advancement of the ca- 
 tholic faith, and the conversion of heretics. A gentleman there present 
 cried out, sir, you have spoken very well, and what is sufficient. With 
 this Mr. Middleton was flung off the ladder ; and, as the bishop of 
 Clialcedon's catalogue affirms from the testimony of eye-witnesses, was 
 cut down, and bowelled whilst he was yet alive. They suffered on the 
 6th of May, 15(>0. 
 
 This same year, four other gentlemen of the same character were 
 executed at Durham, of whom we are now to speak. Wilson and 
 Molanus put them in the following year, but they are certainly mis- 
 taken, as appears from the Douay register, followed by Dr. Champney, 
 by the bishop of Chalcedon, and llaissius. 
 
 82. * Edmund Duke 83. Richard Hill 34. John 
 Hog And, 85, Richard Holiday, Priests. 
 
 Duke was born in Kent, and was first a student in the 
 English college then residing, at Rhemes, where I find him promoted to 
 minor orders, September 23, 1583 ; from thence he was sent to Rome, 
 where he finished his studies, and was made priest. 
 
 Richard Hill, John Hog, and Richard Holiday, were all born in 
 Yorkshire, all students of the college then residing at Rhemes, and were 
 made sub-deacons at Soisson, the 18th of March, 1589, deacons a* 
 I-ion, the 27th of May, and priests, at Laon, the 23d of September, in 
 the same year. They were all sent together upon the English mission, 
 <\vith Mr. Duke, who was lately returned from Rome) 011 the 22d ot 
 March, 1589-C)O. They landed in the north of England, and travelling 
 through the country, which they were not well acquainted with, they 
 were, upon a slight suspicion, stopped in a village, where they staid to 
 rest themselves, and vere carried before a neighbouring justice of the 
 
 * From the Douar diary, bishop of Chalcedon's catalogut , and Dr. Chaunpney'a 
 manuscript.
 
 ROBERT THORP. 130 
 
 peace, who, upon examination, finding them to be priests, committed 
 them to Durham jail. Here they had some conflicts about religion, as 
 well with the prebendaries of Durham, as with some other ministers ; 
 ki which, says my author, " Dr Champney, in his manuscript," the 
 confessors of Christ came off victorious. Eat there was another more 
 effectual way of stopping their mouths, which was to arraign and con- 
 demn them for transgressing the statute of Elizabeth 27, which forbids, 
 upon pain of death, priests, made by Roman authority, to come over 
 into England, or remain here. Of this transgression they were all found 
 guilty, and upon this account alone had sentence to die, as in cases of 
 high treason. They suffered at Durham, May 27, some say May 6, 
 15.QO. The meekness and constancy which appeared in them in this 
 last scene of life edified many, and was admired by all. It was also 
 taken notice of, as a thing very extraordinary, as we learn from a letter 
 of Mr. Cuthbert Trollop, priest, that the well, out of which they took 
 water to boil the quarters of these four holy priests, did presently dry up, 
 and so continued for many years after. 
 
 This year put an end to all the plots and stratagems of that unwearied 
 persecutor of the English catholics, and capital enemy of the missioners, 
 sir Francis Walsingham, principal secretary of state to queen Elizabeth. 
 He died miserably on the 6th of April, 1590, of an ulcer and impostume 
 in his bowels, which reduced him to that wretched condition, that 
 whilst he was yet alive, he yielded so insupportable a stench, that scarce 
 any one could bear to come near him. Ribadaneira and Champney re- 
 late, that amongst other attempts he made to ruin the seminaries abroad, 
 he once, by his emissaries, procured to have the well poisoned, which 
 supplied the college of Rhemes with water, in order to destroy by poison 
 all the priests and students ; and tliat another time he caused poison to be 
 given to Dr. Allen, the institutor and first president of that community : 
 but the providence of God defeated these and many others of his plots. 
 He maintained so many spies abroad, and was at such expences to bring 
 about his wicked enterprizes, that he not only spent what was allowed 
 him by the queen for that purpose, which was very considerable, and 
 the saury of Iris place, but also his whole estate, leav ing nothing to his 
 only daughter but his debts, who, says Dr Champney in his manuscript, 
 having renounced heresy, now embraces the catholic faith. 
 
 1591. This year the persecution, which had something relented, 
 began again to rage as mucli as ever. The first that felt the fury of it 
 was Mr. Robert Thorp, priest, (Ribadaneira, being a stranger to the 
 English names, calls him Therfeus) and his harbourer, Mr. "VVatkinsoi*, 
 
 86. * Robert Thorp, Priest. 
 
 JLVOBERT Thorp was born in Yorkshire, and was an alumnus and priest 
 of Douay college, during its residence at Rhemes j from whence he was 
 gent upon the English mission, May 9, 1585. He employed his la- 
 
 * From the Douay diary and catalogues, from Ribadaneira, chap. " . Champney'* 
 jranui'jript, and the relation of the lady Babthorpe,
 
 I4a MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 hours in Yorkshire, his native country. Dr. Champuey, who \vas ac 
 quainted with him, writes of him as follows : ' This holy priest, whom 
 f 1 knew in my younger days, and to whom I have often confessed my 
 
 * sins, had laboured for a long time, and with very great fruit, in the 
 
 * vineyard of the Lord. He was a man of low stature, of infirm health, 
 4 and but indifferent in point of learning, but of great devotion and 
 
 * piety ; but though he was naturally timerous and weak, yet he suffer- 
 ' ed death for the catholic faith with great constancy and fortitude.' 
 
 The manner of his apprehension is thus related by the lady Babthorpe, 
 who then lived in that country, but after her husband's decease, became 
 a nun at Louvain. ' To my remembrance,' says she, ' it is twenty-nine 
 ' years since we w r ere committed to Sheriff- Hut ton castle : the president 
 ' (of the North) was then the earl of Huntington, and the archbishop's 
 ' name was Piers, who had been a priest. And for the manner of Mr. 
 ' Thorp's taking and death, I can remember no more, but that on a 
 
 * Palm-Sunday's evening, " rather on the eve of Palm-Sunday," he was, 
 ' by an evil neighbour, seen to go into Thomas Watkinson's house j or, 
 
 * as gome said, that neighbour saw some of Thomas Watkinson's ser- 
 r vants get palms, which was sufficient to assure them that he had a priest 
 ' in his house ; for they knew well that priests used much to come to 
 1 his house ; but they could not be sure of the time ; so now thinking 
 . they were sure of one, they went with speed to one Mr. John Gates, a 
 ' justice of peace, living in Houldone, some three miles off, one who 
 ' was always ready on such evil employments ; who, with his company, 
 ' came so early on Palm-Sunday in the morning, that, as I heard, they 
 ' took them in their beds, and carried them away to York, where they 
 
 * were martyred. The manner of their deaths J remember not, only 
 ' this, that the good old man, '* \Vtakin;on" was offered his life if he would 
 ' go to church, which he refusing, was martyred with the priest.' 
 
 This Thomas "Watkinson, who suffered with Mr. Thorp, was a yeo- 
 man of Menthorpe, in Yorkshire, a good religious catholic, who lived 
 a kind of a solitary life, and afforded what aid and assistance he could to 
 the missioners. He suffered with great constancy, though naturally he 
 was also timerous, and now advance r d in years. 
 
 Mr. Thorp was condemned merely upon account of his priesthood j 
 and Mr. Watkinson, merely for harbouring priests. The former was 
 Ijanged, drawn and quartered ; the latter only hanged. 
 
 They suffered at York, May 31, 1,591. 
 
 67. * Monford Scot And, 88, George Beeslcy, 
 Priests. 
 
 or Montford Scot, was born of a gentleman's family, in 
 the Diocese of Norwich, and was far advanced in his studies before he 
 left England, which was in the year 15/4. At which time he was ad- 
 mitted, by Dr. Allen, into the college lately instituted at Douay, and 
 
 ^ From the Douay diary and catalogues, iroju father Ribadaneira, chap. 7. and from 
 Df. Champney's manuscript history.
 
 MOXFORD SCOT, &c. 141 
 
 there applied himself to the study of divinity. He was one, of the eldest 
 sons of that fruitful mother, and stands the nineteenth in tin: list of her 
 priests, according to the order of their ordination, and the thirty-first iij 
 the list of the missioners sent from thence into England. He v, as made 
 priest in 15 Jo, and sent upon the mission in 15/7, before the removal 
 of the college to Rhcmes. Dr. Champney gives him this character : 
 He was,' says he, ' a man of wonderful meekness and of so great ab- 
 stinence and devotion, that his diet, on common days, was bread and 
 water, and he would take but little more on Sundays and holidays ; 
 and so addicted he was to prayer, that he spent whole days and nights 
 almost in this exercise, insomuch that his knees were grown hard by 
 the assiduity of his prayers, as it is related of St. James ; which, when 
 one of die standers by perceived, whilst his body was quartered, he 
 said aloud ; I skcadd. bo glad t6 see any one of uur nilnhters, icith their 
 knees us much hardened ty constant prayer, as we see this man's kneef 
 are. And so great and so general was die veneration that this holy priest 
 had acquired, that Topcliff, that noted persecutor, loudly boasted, 
 that the queen and kingdom were highly obliged to him, for having 
 apprehended and brought to the gallows a priest so devout and so mor- 
 tified. He was prosecuted and condemned barely upon account of his 
 character, and was hanged, bowelled and quartered, on the 2d of July, 
 1501, in Fleet-street. He suffered with wonderful constancy, and no 
 less modesty and spiritual joy, to the great edification of the spectators, 
 and the admiration even of die greatest enemies of his faidx and cha- 
 racter.' 
 
 George Beesley, priest, suffered at the same time and place, and 
 with the like constancy, alacrity, and edification of the faithful. He 
 was born at a place called the Mount, in Goosenor parish, in Lancashire, 
 and was an alumnus and priest of Douay college, during its residence at 
 Rhemes : he was ordained priest in 158/, and sent upon the English 
 mission in 1588. He was a man of singular courage, young, strong, 
 and robust, before he fell into the hands of the persecutors ; but whilst 
 lie was in their hands, he was so frequently and cruelly tortured by the 
 unhappy Topcliff, in order to oblige him to confess what catholics he 
 had conversed with, and by whom he had been harboured or relieved, 
 that he was reduced to a mere skeleton ; insomuch, that they who were 
 before acquainted with him, could scarce know him to be die same man. 
 when thev saw him drawn to execution. Yet all these torments he en- 
 dured with invincible courage and patience, and would not be induced to 
 name any one, or bring any one into danger on his account. He was 
 condemned merely for his priestly character, and remaining in England 
 contrary to the statute of Elizabeth 27 ; and was hanged, bowelled and 
 quartered in Fleet- street, July 2. Some say, that the servant of die inn, 
 M'here he was apprehended, was executed at the same time, for aiding 
 and assisting him. Mr. Beesley left behind him a brother of the same 
 character, who, for many years after, laboured in the Lord's \;ue- 
 
 raL
 
 142 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 8Q. * Roger Diconson, or Dickinson, Priest, 
 
 JLVOGER Diconson (whom Ribadaneira calls de Kinsonio, from which 
 some have given him the name of Kinson) was born at Lincoln, and 
 was an alumnus and priest of the English college, then residing at 
 Rhemes. He was ordained priest at Laon, in April, 1583, and sent 
 upon the mission the 4th of May, the same year. The particulars of his 
 missionary labours, apprehension and trial, I have not found ; only, that 
 he was condemned merely on account of his priesthood, and suffered as 
 in cases of high treason, by hanging, drawing, and quartering, with a 
 constancy worthy of the cause for which he died. 
 
 He was executed at Winchester, July 7, 15Q1. 
 
 Ralph Milner, layman, suffered at the same time and place, for re- 
 lieving the said Mr. Diconson. He was born at Flacsted, in Hampshire ; 
 and had a wife and eight children living at the time of his condemnation. 
 The judge, as it were out of pity, advised him to go but once to church, 
 that by this condescension, he might escape the ignominious death of die 
 gallows, and live for the good of his family : but Mr. Milner answered 
 with true Christian fortitude, would your lordship then advise me, for 
 the perishable trifles of this world, or for a wife and children, to lose my 
 God ? No, my lord, I cannot approve or embrace a counsel so disagree- 
 able to the maxims of the gospel. He \vas executed therefore according 
 to sentence ; and suffered with extraordinary courage and constancy. 
 
 At the same assizes were also condemned, f seven maiden gentle- 
 women, of good families, for having received Mr. Diconson into their 
 houses to say mass to them. But the judge, who thought they would be 
 sufficiently terrified by die sentence of death, gave them a reprieve, and 
 so ordered them back to prison ; at which they all burst out into tears, 
 and begged, that the sentence of dead), pronounced against them, might 
 be put in execution j and that they might die widi their ghostly father 
 and pastor ; it being just, that as diey had a share in his supposed guilt, 
 so diey should be also sharers in his punishment : adding widial, that 
 they trusted in God, that he who had given them the grace to do what 
 diey had done, would also strengthen them to suffer death widi courage 
 and constancy for die holy cadiohc faith. 
 
 Some time this year, 1591, (die particular day or month I have not 
 found) William Pikes, a layman, suffered at Dorchester, as in cases of 
 high treason, for being reconciled to die church of Rome, and denying 
 die queen's spiritual supremacy. He was, as I learn from a written re- 
 lation of die reverend Mr. Manger's, born in Dorsetshire, and dwelt in 
 a village called Moors, in the parish of Parley, four or five miles from 
 Christ's Church, in Hampshire. He was hanged, cut down alive-, 
 bowelled and quartered. Being cut down all alive, says a manuscript re- 
 lation in my hands, ' and being a very able, strong man, when the ex- 
 ' ecutioner came to throw him on the block to quarter him, he. stood 
 
 * From the Douay diary and catalogues, from Dr. Champney's manuscript, an^ 
 from a relation sent over from England, recorded by father Rihadaneira, c. ",. 
 t Septem nobiles virgines. Champney in MSS. Ribadaneira in Appendice, c. 7.
 
 EDMUND GENINGS. 143 
 
 ' upon his feet j whereupon tlie sheriff's men over-mastering him, threw 
 
 him down, and pinned his hands fast to the ground with their hal- 
 
 berts : and so the butchery was perfected.' 
 
 This year, on the 2gth of November, a new proclamation was pub- 
 lished against the catholics, as if die laws hitherto made, and all the 
 fines, imprisonments, banishments and deaths, suffered in consequence 
 of those laws, had not been sufficient. Of this proclamation, Cecil, 
 lord Burleigh, was supposed to be the author. 
 
 QO. * Edmund Genings, alias Ironmonger, Priest. 
 
 JL^DMUXD Genings (whom Stow, in his chronicle, calls Ironmonger, 
 from the name under which he concealed himself upon the mission) was 
 born at Lichfield, in Staffordshire, in the year 1567, an d was brought 
 up in the protestant religion. From his very infancy he was wonder- 
 fully grave, and took no delight in die childish plays of those of his age, 
 but gready loved,' says his brother, p. 17, 'to behold die heavens j 
 and therefore he usually went forth in die evening to delight himself 
 with the sight of the skies bedecked widi stars. And, on a time, in 
 these his tender years, going forth at night, according to his custom, 
 this strange spectacle appeared to him in the air : he saw, as it were, 
 armed men with weapons killing and inurthering others diat were dis- 
 armed, and great store of blood running every where about them. 
 
 ' Tliis strange sight put him into a great fear, which caused him to 
 run in hastily to tell his mother, who was then a widow, what he had 
 seen ; and she presently went forth with three or four of her neigh- 
 bours, and they were all eye-witnesses of the same spectacle. Thus 
 much I myself have heard them report ; who also affirmed, diat my- 
 self was dien present ; but, being very young, I cannot remember it. 
 This happened in the beginning of our chiefest persecution, not long 
 before the glorious death of father Campion and the rest.' 
 
 When he was about the age of sixteen, he was recommended by his 
 schoolmaster (wonderfully taken with his docility and modesty) to Air. 
 Richard Sherwood, a catholic gentleman, to serve him in quality of his 
 page. In this service he learned from his master, who was a gendeman 
 much persecuted for his conscience, the catholic religion : and not long 
 after, when he was litde more than seventeen years of age, Mr. Sher- 
 wood having determined to cross the seas, and consecrate himself to 
 God in an ecclesiastical state (as he afterwards did, being made priest at 
 Rhemes, as appears by the college diary, in 1584, and sent upon the 
 mission die 2d of August, diat same year, with Mr. Robert Dibdale) 
 Mr. Genings finding in himself a strong call to the same kind of life, 
 with earnest and repeated entreaties obtained to be sent over to Rhemes, 
 where the college then resided, with recommendations to Dr. Allen, then 
 president there, afterwards cardinal. 
 
 No sooner was he received into die college, but, widi all diligence 
 
 * From the Douay diary ; but principally from his life, written by his brother, John 
 ferungs, and published at St. Omer?, in leu,
 
 144 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 And alacrity, lie applied himself to his studies ; but, above all, to th<* 
 study of the science of the- saints, the fear and love of God, in which 
 he made great progress, to the satisfaction of his superiors, one of whom 
 has given him in writing a character to this effect : ' Edmund Genings 
 ' was provident and wise in counsel, humble in obedience, devout in 
 ' Christ, strong in faith, prompt in good works ; most true and sincere 
 ' in his words, remarkable in his goodness, excellent in chanty. He 
 ' was often afflicted and sick ; he suffered all patiently : there was ever 
 ' in him a discretion in all his actions, and a love towards all, worthy of 
 ' imitation.' 
 
 He was of a very weak constitution of body, and by the extraordinary 
 pains he took, partly in his studies, and partly in his spiritual exercises, 
 He fell into a great sickness, which Avas followed by a continual ague, 
 and other infirmities, which, at length, brought him into a most dan- 
 gerous consumption, insomuch that the phvsicians despaired of his re- 
 covery. This determined the president to send him into England, to 
 try if the change of air might do him any service. He left Rhemes not 
 without great regret, and went on his journey as far as Havre de Grace, 
 in Normandy, being recommended to two or three banished English 
 priests who were there ; who, after one fortnight of his stay in that 
 place, procured him a passage in a ship bound for London, and provided 
 him all things necessary for his journey. When, behold ! on a sudden, 
 Mr. Genings, who was very unwilling to risk himself amongst his pro- 
 testant relations, not having yet finished his studies, and attained to the 
 order of priesthood, which he was so desirous of, and therefore had 
 heartily prayed to God for die recovery of his health, desires of these 
 good gentlemen (who had been witnesses, during his abode with them, 
 of the divers grievous assaults of his illness which he had suffered) to have 
 a little longer patiencewith him, and not to insist, as they did, upon his 
 going on board ; for that lie felt himself very much better, and almost 
 as well as ever he was in his life. They condescended to his desiresy 
 and found him, in effect, so suddenly and so wonderfully changed, that, 
 on the very next day, he was not only able to eat his meat with a good 
 appetite, but also to go a good long walk, and give such other tokens of 
 health, as appeared not a little extraordinary. This sudden recovery of 
 his was esteemed miraculous : upon which he returned to Rhemes, and 
 there took up again, though with a greater fervour tlian ever, the course 
 of life which his sickness had obliged him to interrupt ; ever aspiring to 
 the sacred order of priesthood, by which he might be qualified to assist 
 the souls of his neighbours, and return to his own country to meet there 
 with the crown of martyrdom. His common expression (as his brother 
 relates from the testimony of his fellow collegians) as often as occasion 
 was offered of talking of England, and martvrdom there, being this, 
 vivamus in spe, vivamus in spc, let us live in hope, let us live in 
 hope I 
 
 The superiors of the college considering his fervour, procured a dis- 
 pensation from Rome that he might be made priest before his time, 
 being but twenty-three years of age. The preparation he made for 
 worthily receiving this holy order was very great ; and the impression 
 which his meditations on the dignity of the priesthood, and the great-
 
 EDMUND GENINGS 14" 
 
 ness of the charge, &c. made upon his mind, was so strong, that it 
 produced a wonderful effect in his very body of a shaking, as it were a 
 palsy, which continued with him to his dying day. At this time, for 
 his greater exercise of humility, patience and charity, he was made 
 prefect of the infirmary : in which office he so laboured about the sick 
 students, even in the meanest services, that he was called the very pat- 
 tern of piety and humility. He was ordained priest, extra tempora (by 
 an indult granted to the college by Gregory XIII.) at'Soissons, March 
 18, 159O, together with Mr. Ai.cvmdw Hawlins,- who suffered at York 
 in 1595 ; and he was sent upu' the English mission, by Dr. Barret, 
 then president of the college, on tiie pth of April following, in the com- 
 pany of the same Mr. Rawlins, and Mr. Hugo Sewel. In their way 
 they met with a party of Hugonots belonging to the garrison of Crippy, 
 who robbed them, and stripped them, and carried them into that town. 
 The governor of which, as Mr. Genings writes to Dr. Barret, April 17, 
 from Abbeville, treated them very ill, threatened them with death, and 
 thrust them into a dark dungeon, where they remained from Tuesday 
 till Thursday night. ' But we,' says he, ' despised their threats, re- 
 joicing that we suffered these cruelties from them, for the self-same 
 causes, for which we shall suffer death in England, if God gives us 
 strength : so that neither the prison, nor the want of meat, cloaths, or 
 beds, any ways terrified us. On Thursday in the evening, after we 
 had eat nothing that day but a little black bread, we had our papers re- 
 stored to us, and we were put out of the town, and about ten o'clock 
 at night we arrived at the suburbs of La Fere, God Almighty shewing 
 us the; way, which we knew not. When we had here rested our 
 wearied bodies, the next day the governor of La Fere gave us a crown, 
 and sent us away in peace ; and now we are at Abbeville.' So far Mr. 
 Genings, in his letter to Dr. Barret, recorded in the Douay diary. 
 
 He and his companions embarked at Treport, on the coast of Nor- 
 mandy, in a French vessel, the master of which promised to set them 
 ashore in the night on the English coast. They landed near Whitby, in 
 Yorkshire, on the side of a high cliff, with great danger of their lives : 
 and when they came into the town to refresh themselves, they found in 
 the inn one Ratcliffe, a pursuivant, who suspected them, and' put them 
 many questions concerning their arrival thither ; but their time was not 
 yet come ; and God delivered them out of his hands, and conducted 
 them safe to a catholic gentleman's house within t\vo or three miles of 
 Whitby : and here they parted from one another ; and Mr. Genings, 
 after half a year's stay in the northern parts of the kingdom, going to 
 Lichfield, his native city, in order to gain thore the souls of his nearest 
 relations, found that most of his friends and kindred were dead, except 
 one brother, whom he heard to be in London, but in what part of the 
 town he could not learn. But as he understood the state of his soul to 
 be, at that time, very bad, his charity determined him to go up to Lon- 
 don to seek after this strayed sh"p. Here, for a whole month, he left 
 no place untried where he could suspect his brother might be ; but still 
 not finding him, and having now no hopes of meeting with him, he re- 
 solv;-d to leave the town for a time. When, behold ! God Almighty
 
 146 MEMOIRS, &rc. 
 
 brought him to the sight of his brother, though, at first, without know- 
 ing him, and that in a strange manner. " And thus it was, " says this 
 brother in his life, p. 54," ' as I have heard from his own mouth. 
 
 ' Having, as I have said, a determination to leave London for a 
 '* while, he walked forth of his inn one morning (certain days before he 
 ' had purposed to travel) to visit a friend of his on the other side of the 
 ' city ; and passing by St. Paul's church, when he was on the east side 
 ' thereof, he suddenly felt a great alteration in his body, insomuch as his 
 ' face glowed, and, as he thought, his hair stood an end, and all his 
 ' joints trembling for fear ; his whole body seemed to be bathed in a 
 
 * cold sweat. This strange accident causing him to fear some evil to be 
 ' imminent towards him, or danger of taking, he looked back to see if 
 
 * he could perceive any body pursuing him, but seeing no body near, 
 ' but only a youth in a brown coloured cloak, making no reflection who 
 ' it should be, he went forward to his intended place to say mass that 
 
 * day. Not long after, on the very morning before he purposed to de- 
 ' part out of the town, the blessed man recollecting himself in his devo- 
 ' tions, seriously prayed that his departure without finding his desired 
 ' brother might encrease his patience ; and although it afflicted him very 
 ' much, yet he cried out, Jiat volitntas tua : my will is thy will, .m'et-t 
 ' Lord, thy will be done. His devotions being finished, he went abroad 
 ' to another place, where he had promised to celebrate mass that day 
 ' before his departure. Which done, as he was returning homewards 
 ' towards his inn, upon Ludgate-hill, suddenly as he was going, he felt 
 ' the same motions as he had done the time before ; and as the lamb 
 ' naturally feareth the ravening wolf, so his innocency fearing the worst* 
 ' looked back to see who followed him ; and behold no man of mark, 
 ' but a youth in a brown cloak, and at the same instant reflecting on the 
 ' time past, when he suffered the like agitation, and steadfastly viewing 
 ' the young man (whom he had left a little boy in the country, and had 
 ' not seen of eight or nine years) he was struck with this thought, this 
 ' may be my brother. Upon this he approached the youth, and courte- 
 ' ously saluting him, enquired what countryman he was ? and hearing 
 ' that he was a Staffordshire man, civily demanded his name ; whe 
 ' made answer, his name was Genings. By which he knew he certainly 
 ' was his brother, so long sought after. Then casting an. eye towards 
 ' heaven, by way of love and thanks, smiling upon the party, he told 
 ' him, he was his kinsman, and was called Ironmonger ; and asked 
 f him, what was become of his brother Edmund ? The youth, not 
 ' suspecting him to be the man, told him, he had heard he was gone to- 
 
 * Rome to the pope, and was become a notable papist, and a traitor both 
 ' to God and his country ; and that if he did return, he would be hanged 
 ' infallibly. Mr. Edmund hearing this, and smiling at the boy's folly, 
 ' told him, that he had heard his brotlier \vas a very honest man, and 
 ' loved both the queen and his country, but God above all. But tell me, 
 ' said he, good cousin John, do you not know him if you see him ? To 
 
 * which John answered, no : but beginning to suspect that he was hi* 
 ' brother, and a priest, told him, he could not tell what he was, but 
 ' that he greatly feared he had a brother a papist priest, and that he was 
 
 * the man ; swearing withal, that if it was so, he would discredit him-
 
 EDMUND GENINGS 147 
 
 r self and all his friends ; and protesting, that in this he would never 
 * follow him, although in other matters he would greatly respect 
 ' him.' 
 
 In a word, Mr. Edmund, upon this occasion, discovered himself to 
 his brother, though not telling him that he was a priest, but did not find 
 in him any present dispositions towards his conversion ; neither was it a 
 proper time, or place, to treat upon that subject. Therefore, taking his 
 leave of him, he promised to see him again, after his return out of the 
 country, and then to impart to him some affairs of great consequence. 
 But the conversion of his brother, was to be the fruit of his martyrdom -, 
 which, after labouring for some short time in preaching, catechising, 
 and performing other his priestly functions, in the country, he came to 
 meet with in London, as we shall now see. 
 
 It was on the 7th of November, 1591, Mr. Genings returned to 
 London, and met that evening, in a catholic house in Holborn, Mr. 
 Polidore Plasden, a very virtuous and godly priest, and a fellow collegian 
 of his at Rheraes ; and treating with him where they shbuldsay mass 
 the next day, it being the Octave of All Saints, they concluded to say 
 their matttns together, and to celebrate the next morning at the house 
 of Mr. Swithin Wells ; and acquainted some friends with this design. 
 Here, on the next day, Mr. Genings being at the consecration, and Mr. 
 Plasden, " and Mr. White," priests, Mr. Brian Lacy, gent. John 
 Mason, and Sydney Hodgson, laymen, Mrs. Wells and others being 
 present, Topltffe, the arch priest-catcher, with other officers, came in, 
 and broke open the chamber door, where he was celebrating. Upon 
 this occasion, the gentlemen before named arising from their devotions, 
 thought proper to oppose force to force, so to prevent the profanation of 
 the sacred mysteries : and one of the laymen seeing Mr. Topliffe ob- 
 stinately bent upon coming in, run upon him to thrust him down stair?, 
 and, in the struggle fell with him. In the mean time Mr. Plasden, 
 having appointed the rest to keep the broken door, went to the altar and 
 bid Mr. Genings go forward and finish the mass. Then returning to the 
 door, and seeing Mr. Topliffe hastening up with a broken head, and 
 tearing he would raise the whole street, to pacify him, told him, he 
 should come in presently, and they would all yield themselves up his 
 prisoners ; which they did, as soon as the mass was ended : when Top- 
 liffe, and the rest, rushing in, took Mr. Genings as he was in his vest- 
 ments, and all the rest, men and women, to the number of about ten, 
 with their church stuff, books, &c. and carried them to Newgate ; who 
 were, shortly after, all examined by justice Yonge, and returned to 
 prison to take their trials the next sessions. Mr. Wells, who was ab- 
 sent when this happened, at his return finding his house ransacked, and 
 his wife carried away to prison, went forthwith to justice Yonge, to 
 expostulate with him about the matter, and to demand his wife, and the 
 keys of his lodging. But the justice, without more ado, sent him to 
 bear the rest company, with a pair of iron bolts on his legs ; and ex- 
 amining him the next day in Newgate, upon his answering, that he was 
 not, indeed, privy to the mass being said in his house j but wished he 
 bad been present, thinking his house highly honoured, by having so
 
 Vtf MEMOIRS, &c 
 
 divine a sacrifice offered therein/ the justice told him, that though he 
 was not at the feast, he should taste of the sauce. 
 
 On the 4th of December Mr. Genings, and all the rest, were 
 brought upon their trial, and a jury was impannelled to find them all 
 guilty ; and yet all they could prove against them, was no more, than 
 that one of them had said mass in Mr. Wells's house, and the rest had 
 heard the said mass. Many bitter words and scoffs were used by the 
 judges, and others upon the bench, particularly to Mr. Genings, be- 
 cause he was very young, and had angered them with disputes. And 
 the more to make him a scoff to the people, they vested him, not now 
 in his priestly garments (in which they had before carried him through 
 the streets) but in a ridiculous fool's coat, which they found in Mr. 
 Wells's house. In conclusion, the next day the jury brought in their 
 verdict ; by which die three priests were all found guilty of high treason, 
 for returning into the realm, contrary to the statute of 27 Elizabeth > 
 and 'all the rest of felony, for being aiding and assisting to the priests. 
 And it was appointed that they should all die at Tyburn, except Mr. 
 Genings and Mr. Wells, who were to be executed before Mr. Wells's 
 own door, in Gray's-inn-fields. The judges, after pronouncing sen- 
 tence, began to persuade them to conform to the protestant religion, 
 assuring them, that by so doing, they should obtain mercy ', but other- 
 wise they must certainly expect to die. But they all bravely answered, 
 that they would live and die in the true Roman and catholic faith, which 
 they and all antiquity had ever professed ; and, that they would ly no 
 means go to the protrstant churches, or once think that the queen could ie 
 the head of the church in spirituals. 
 
 At their return to Newgate, the three priests were cast into the 
 dungeon: and, whilst they were there, justice Yonge, Mr. Topliffe, 
 and others twice or thrice came to the prison, and calling for Mr. Genings, 
 promised him both life and liberty, if he would go to their church, and 
 renounce his religion ; giving him also hopes of a living and promotion, 
 in that case: but they found him still constant and resolute. With 
 which they being highly offended, put him into a dark hole within the 
 prison, where he could not so much as see his own hands, nor get up 
 r,r down without hazard of breaking his neck. Here he remained in 
 prayer and contemplation, without any food or sustenance, till the hour 
 of his death. 
 
 On the 10th of December, at eight in the morning, Mr. Plasden, 
 Mr. White, &c. were carried to Tyburn, and there executed ; Mrs. 
 Wells, to her great grief, was reprieved, and died in prison. Mr. 
 Genings and Mr. Wells, were brought according to sentence, to Gray's- 
 inn-fields, over-against Mr. Wells's door, to suffer there. Where, 
 after a few speeches of some ministers that were there present, Mr. 
 Genings was taken off the sled, and, like St. Andrew, joyfully saluted 
 the gihU-t prepared for him. ' Being put upon the ladder (p. 8-1) 
 ' many questions were asked him by some, standers by, whereto he still 
 * answered directly. At length Mr. Topliffe cried cut, with a loud 
 ' voice, Genings, Genings, confess thy fault, thy popish treason, and 
 ' the queen, by submission, no doubt, will grant thee pardon. To
 
 EDMUND GENINGS. * . 149 
 
 ' which he mildly answered, I know not, Mr. Topliffe, in what I have 
 ' offended my dear anointed princess ; for if I have offended her, or any 
 
 * other, in any thing, I would willingly ask her and all the world for- 
 
 < giveness. If she be offended with me, without a cause, for professing 
 ' my faith and religion, because I am a priest, or because I will not turn 
 ' minister against my conscience, I shall be, I trust, excused and inuo- 
 ' cent before God. I must obey God, saith St. Peter, rather than men, 
 .' Acts v. And I must not, in this case, acknowledge a fault where 
 ' there is none. If to return into England priest, or to say mass, be 
 ' popish treason, I here confess I am a traitor ; but I think not so : and 
 ' therefore I acknowledge myself guilty of these things, not with repcn- 
 ' tance, or sorrow of heart, but with an open protestation of inward joy, 
 f that I have done so good deeds ; which, if they were to do again, I 
 
 * would, by the permission and assistance of God, accomplish the same, 
 
 < although with the hazard of a thousand lives.' 
 
 Mr. Topliffe being very angry at this speech, scarce giving him li- 
 berty to say a pater nnster, bid the hangman turn the ladder ; which 
 being done, he presently caused the rope to be cut ; the holy priest being 
 little or nothing stunned, stood on his feet, casting his eyes towards 
 heaven, till the hangman tripped up his heels to make him fall on the 
 block, on which he was to be quartered. After he was dismembered, 
 the violence of the pain caused him to utter these words with a loud 
 voice, Oh it smarts ! which Mr. Wells hearing, replied, ' Alas ! sweet 
 ( soul, thy pain great, indeed, lut almost past ; pray for me now, most 
 .' holy saint, that mine may come.' After he was ripped up, and his 
 bowels cast into the fire, ' if credit may be given, says his brother, 
 " p. 8()" to hundreds of people standing by, and to the hangman him- 
 ' self, the blessed martyr (his heart being in the executioner's hand) 
 f uttered these words, sanctc Gregori or a pro me : which the hangman 
 ' hearing, swore a most wicked oath, Z ds ! see, his heart is in my 
 
 * hand, and yet Gregory is in his mouth. ! egregious papist.' 
 
 Amongst many catholics that were present at this execution, there 
 was a devout virgin, who had wholly dedicated herself to the service of 
 God ; who had a great desire to get, if possible, some little part of his 
 flesh, or of his blood, to keep as a relick ; but not being able to come 
 near the gibbet for the crowd, she followed his quarters, as they were 
 carried back again to Newgate to be boiled ; when many running to see 
 them before they were carried up to boiling ; to satisfy their curiosity. 
 Bull, the hangman, took up one of the fore-quarters by the arm; which, 
 when he had shewed to the people, he flung dqsvn carelesly into the 
 basket again, so that both the hand and arm hung put over the sides of the 
 basket ; which the said virgin seeing, drew near to touch it, and laying 
 hold of his anointed thumb, by a secret instinct, gave it a little pull, 
 only to shew her love, and desire of having it when, behold ! to her 
 reat surprise, the thumb was instantly separated from the rest erf the 
 hand, and remained in her hand, which she carried off without being 
 taken notice of by any one. 
 
 This young gentlewoman, presently after this miraculous acquisition, 
 took a resolution to renounce entirely the world, and all Us vanities ;
 
 150 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 and going beyond the seas with this her relick, became a nun of the 
 order of St. Augustin ; and hearing of this martyr's own brother, says 
 my author, speaking of himself, p. 94, living in the seminary of Douay, 
 sent him, for a token, a little piece of the same thumb, inclosed in a 
 letter, written with her own hand, protesting the verity of all the afore- 
 said narration. 
 
 But the most wonderful event that followed Mr. Genings's death, 
 was the sudden conversion of this same brother ; which he, speaking 
 of himself in the third person, thus relates, p. 98, &c. ' This martyr's 
 ' brother, called John Genings, being in London at the very time of his 
 ' brother's apprehension, condemnation and execution, hearing of the 
 
 * same, rather rejoiced, than any way bewailed the untimely and bloody 
 ' end of his nearest kinsman, hoping thereby to be rid of all persuasions, 
 ' which he mistrusted he should receive from him, touching the catholic 
 ' religion,* " having been brought up, as he tells his reader a little above, 
 HI great prejudices to catholics, and rather inclined topuritanism." ' But, 
 ' about ten days after his execution, towards night, having spent all that 
 
 * day in sport and jollity, being weary with play, he resorted home ; 
 ' where, to repose himself, he went into a secret chamber. He was no 
 ' sooner there set down, but forthwith his heart began to be heavy, and 
 f he began to weigh how idly he had spent that day. Amidst these 
 ' thoughts, there presently was represented to his mind, a strange ima- 
 e gination and apprehension of the death of his brother ; and, amongst 
 ' other things, how he had, not long before, forsaken all worldly 
 ' pleasures, and, for his religion only, endured intolerable torments. 
 ' Then, within himself, he made long discourses concerning his religion 
 ( and his brother's, comparing the catholic manner of living with his, 
 
 * and finding the one to embrace pain and mortification, and the other to 
 ( seek pleasure ; the one to live strictly, and the other licentiously ; the 
 ' one to fear sin, the other to run into all kind of sin. Upon this, being 
 ' struck with exceeding terror and remorse, he wept bitterly, desiring 
 
 * God, after his fashion, to illuminate his understanding, that he might 
 ' see and perceive the truth. O ! what great joy and consolation did 
 ' he feel at that instant ! what reverence, on the sudden, did he begin 
 ' to bear to the blessed virgin, and to the saints of God, which before 
 ' he had never scarce heard talk of! what strange motions, as it were 
 ' inspirations, with exceeding readiness of will to change his religion, 
 ' took possession of his soul ! and what a heavenly conceit had he now 
 ' of his dear brother's felicity ! He imagined he saw him ; he thought 
 ' he heard him. Tn this extasy of mind, he made a vow upon the spot, 
 ' as he lay prostrate on the ground, to forsake kindred and country, to 
 'Jind out the true knowledge of his brothers faith. Which vow he soon 
 ' after performed, and departed England without advertising any one of 
 ' his friends, and went beyond the seas to execute his promise.' 
 
 This Mr. John Genings became afterwards an alumnus of Douay 
 college, where he was made priest in l60/, and was from thence sent 
 upon the mission in 16Q8. After some time he entered into the holy 
 order of St. Francis, and was the happy instrument of procuring a con- 
 vent for his order at Douay, in l6l/ , and of restoring the English Fran-
 
 SWITHIN WELLS. 151 
 
 ciscan province ; of which he was the first provincial ; which has since 
 furnished the mission with many zealous apostolical labourers, and holy 
 martyrs. 
 
 H, 
 
 Ql. * Swithin Wells, Gentleman. 
 
 was the sixth son of Thomas Wells, of Brambridge, near Win- 
 chester, esq. and brother to that worthy confessor, Gilbert Wells, esq. 
 renowned for his immoveable constancy amongst many, and great per- 
 secutions which he suffered under queen Elizabeth for the catholic re- 
 ligion. Mr. Swithin was virtuously educated from his infancy, and 
 carefully instructed in all manner of learning fitting his age and condition. 
 He was good-natured, pleasant in conversation, courteous, generous, 
 courageous, and every way a gentleman in his comportment. He took 
 to wife a virtuous gentlewoman, who, as we have seen, was con- 
 demned with him ; but did not die with him, being reserved to suffer a 
 longer and more lingering martyrdom in prison. 
 
 ' As Mr. Wells grew more mature in age, so he did in virtues. And 
 ' although he was much delighted in hawking, hunting, and other such 
 ' like gentleman's diversions, yet he so soberly governed his affections 
 ' therein, as to be content to deprive himself of a good part of those 
 ' pleasures, and retire to a more profitable employment of training up 
 ' young gentlemen in virtue and learning, with such success, says my 
 ' author, that his school hath been, as it were, a fruitful seminary to 
 ' many worthy members of the catholic church ; whereof one hath al- 
 ' ready gained the crown of martyrdom ; others yet remain, some in- 
 ' dustrious and painful workmen in the happy harvest of souls, and some 
 ' strong and immoveable pillars, to support the catholic cause against so 
 ' many grievous storms and tempests as are daily raised against it.' 
 
 We have already seen in what manner Mr. Wells was apprehended, 
 imprisoned and condemned to die ; and how he refused to save his life 
 by renouncing his religion. The following letter, which he wrote to 
 his brother-in-laJV, Mr. Gerard Morin (a constant professor of, and 
 sufferer for, the' catholic faith) whilst he was in prison before his con- 
 demnation, as it excellently expresses the interior dispositions of his soul, 
 deserves particularly to be here recorded. 
 
 ' The comforts which captivity bringeth, are so manifold, that I have 
 ' rather cause to thank God highly for his fatherly correction, than to 
 ' complain of any worldly misery whatsoever. Dominus de ccelo in 
 ' terram aspexit ut audiret gemitus compeditorum, &c. Potius mi/it 
 ( haletur uffligi pro Christo, quam honorari a Christo. These, and the 
 * like, cannot but comfort a good Christian, and cause him to esteem hi.s 
 ' captivity to be a principal freedom, his prison a heavenly harbour, and 
 ' his irons an ornament. These will plead for him, and the prison will 
 ' protect him. God send me, withal, the prayers of all good folks to 
 ( obtain some end of all miseries, such as to his holy will and pleasure 
 
 * From Mr. John Genings's relation of the life and death of Mr. Wells, and from 
 Dr. Chimpney's manuscript history.
 
 152 MEMOIRS, &b. 
 
 * shall be most agreeable. I have been long time in durance, and en- 
 ' diired much pain ; but the many future rewards in the heavenly pay- 
 ' ment, make all pains seem to me a pleasure : and truly custom hath 
 
 * caused, that it is now no grief to me at all to be debarred from com- 
 ' pany, desiring nothing more than solitariness : but rather I rejoice, 
 < that thereby I have the better occasion, with prayer, to prepare my- 
 ' self to that happy end, for which I was created and placed here by 
 ' God, assuring myself always of this one thing, that how few soever. I 
 ' see, yet am I not alone, solus non cst cur Ckrishis comes cst. " He is 
 ' not alone who has Christ in his company." When I pray, I talk with 
 ' God ; when I read, he talketh to me ; so that I am never alone. He 
 
 * is my chiefest companion, and only comfort. Cum ipso sum in tri- 
 
 * lulationc. 
 
 ' I have no cause to complain of the hardness of prison, considering 
 ' the effects thereof ; and the rather, because I fasten not my affection 
 
 * upon worldly vanities, whereof I have had my fill to my great grief 
 
 * and sorrow. I renounced the world before ever I tasted of imprison - 
 
 * ment, even in my baptism ; which being so, how little doth it import 
 
 * in what place I be in the world, since, by promise, 1 vowed once 
 ' never to be of the world : which promise and profession, how slen- 
 
 * derly soever I have kept heretofore, I purpose, for the time to come, 
 ' God assisting me with his grace in my commenced enterprise, to con- 
 ' tinue to my life's end. The world is crucified In )r, and I to the world. 
 
 * God forbid that I should glory in any thing but in the cross nf Christ. 
 ' I utterly refuse all commodities, pleasures, pastimes and delights, 
 ' saving only the sweet service of God, in whom is the perfection of all 
 'true pleasures. Vanilds ramtatum, & omnia ranitas prceter amare 
 ' Deum. " Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity besides loving God." 
 
 * I am bound and charged with gyves, yet am I loose and unbound to* 
 
 * wards God : and far better 1 account it to have the body bound, than 
 ' the soul to be. in bondage. I am threatened hard with danger of death ; 
 ' but if it be no worse, I will not wish it to be better. God send me his 
 
 * grace, and then I weigh not what flesh and blood ca^do unto me. I 
 ' have answered to many curious and dangerous questions ; but I trust 
 ' with good advisement, not offending my conscience. What will be- 
 ' come of it, God knows best, to whose protection I commit you. 
 
 E carcere & cateuis ad regnum, 
 
 Tuus dum vixero. Sw. W. 
 
 Mr. Wells received the sentence of death with undaunted courage, 
 and religiously prepared himself for it. The morning he was to die, his 
 wife (who had also received the like sentence for the like guilt of har- 
 bouring priests) was brought out of prison with him, and Mr. Genings; 
 in order, as it was supposed, for execution ; but she was remanded back 
 to prison by the sheriff, there to wait the queen's pleasure. That which 
 Would have afforded great joy to another, w;is grievously afflicting to this 
 good lady, who lamented to see herself left behind, and not suffered to 
 bear her husband and her ghostly father company in so glorious a death. 
 She lived ten years a close prisoner in Newgate, exercising herself there 
 in fasting, watching, and continual prayer, and died most holily, in
 
 EUSTACHIUS WHITE. 153 
 
 1602. Mr. Wells was carried to be executed, with Mr, Genings, in 
 Gray's-inn-tields, over against his own door. In the way seeing, by 
 chance, an old friend of his, he could not forget his wonted mirth ; but 
 saluted him in these words, ' farewel, dear friend; farewel all kawk- 
 '' ing, limiting, and old pastimes ; I am now going a better way.' At 
 the place of execution he was first witness of the bloody butchery of Mr. 
 Genings ; but so far from being terrified by it, or desiring any respite 
 or delay of execution, he rather expressed a desire to have his death 
 hastened. ' Dispatch, said he, Mr. Topliffe, dispatch ; are you not 
 ' ashamed to suffer un old man to stand here so long in his shirt in the 
 ' cold. I pray God make you, of a Saul a Paul, of a persecutor a ca- 
 ' tholic professor.' And in these and other like sweet speeches, says 
 my author, p. IOQ, full of Christian piety, charity and magnanimity, 
 be happily consummated his course the 10th of December, 1591. 
 
 Q2, * Eustachius White, Priest. 
 
 JL^USTACHIUS White was bom at Louth, in Lincolnshire. His father 
 was an earnest protestant 3 who, upon his son's conversion, was so 
 highly offended as to lay his curse upon him : but God turned this curse 
 into a blessing. Mr. Eustachius going abroad, became an alumnus, 
 first of the college of Douay, then residing at Rhemes, and afterwards 
 of that of Rome, where he was made priest. He returned to Rheme* 
 in October, 1588 ; and from thence, in the November following, was 
 sent upon the English mission. Mr. John Genings, in the life of his 
 brother, reckons Mr. White in the number of those who were taken, 
 together in Mr. Wells' s house ; and certain it is, that he suffered oil 
 the same day with Mr. Genings and Mr. Plasden but except we sup- 
 pose him tp have been twice apprehended, I have some reason to think 
 there may be a mistake in that particular of his being taken with Mr. 
 Genings : for I have a manuscript in my hands, written by Mr. Stephen 
 Barnes, priest, who was acquainted with Mr. White, which gives a very 
 different account of his apprehension. For thus he writes to Mr. Barber, 
 priest, then living in Douay college. 
 
 ' Amongst your priests martyred, there is one Mr. Eustachius 
 ' White, who used in our country, whom I knew. He was taken at 
 "' Blanford in this manner : coming, as I think, from London, he light 
 ' in company of a west-countryman, whose name I know not, but he 
 ' was somewhat belonging to the law. Riding with him, Mr. White 
 ' being a fine gentleman-like man, and of good discourse and conversa- 
 ' tion, passed his time very well with him : and to feel the man's dis- 
 ' position in religion, talked of matters beyond the seas, as having been 
 ' a traveller $ and finding the lawyer well affected, as he thought, in 
 ' religion, spoke the more freely, but no ways discovering what he was. 
 ' Their ways lying together to Blanford, but no farther, Mr. White 
 ' would have takeivhis leave there, but the lawyer urged him, that they 
 
 * From Dr. Chftmpney's manuscript history, and other manuscripts in rny hand* , 
 and from the bisnop ot Tarrasona's history of the persecution, p. &12, bia.
 
 154 MEMOIRS, &<*. 
 
 but after breakfast, having taken leave of his companion, and gone 
 ' out of the town, the lawyer informed the officers that he was a semi- 
 ' nary priest ; and telling them which way he was to go, they made 
 ' after him. Mr. White, in the mean time, missing his breviary, 
 ' which he had left in the inn, turned back The officers met him ; 
 ' but not suspecting him coming towards the town, nor lie them about 
 ' what they were going, came directly to the inn, where he was taken. 
 ' And being much urged whether he was not a prit-st, easily confessed 
 ' it, when he might do it withont danger to any other. Having confessed 
 ' himself to be a priest, they sent immediately for the minister, one 
 ' Dr. Houel, a tall man, and a great opinion there was of his learning. 
 ' They conferred together, what their controversy was I know not ; but 
 ' Mr. White alledged for himself a place of scripture, which the doctor 
 ' denied. Mr. White avouched, that it was so in their own book, and 
 ' the other still denied it. Mr. White wished him to come again the 
 ' next day, and bring his book with him, and if he could not shew it 
 ' in his book, he would go to church with him : the other answered as 
 ' resolutely, that if it were so, he ivould never go to church more, lur 
 
 le a papist. Thus, for the present they left their disputation. The 
 
 * next day (the rumour of this being spread about) great numbers came, 
 ' expecting surely to have the priest to church with them. The doctor 
 ' also came, and brought his book with him ; but being come into the 
 ' room, he laid the book on the table, and his elbow upon it, and began 
 ' to talk of other matters : but Mr. White repeating openly the condi- 
 
 * tions agreed on the night before, asked him, whether he had brought 
 ' his book ? he answered, yes : but he held it fast under his elbow, and 
 ' would have entered into other disputes ; but Mr. White urged they 
 ' were not needful ; but that he should bring forth the book, and their 
 ' conference would be ended : for so that either he must go to church, 
 ' or the doctor be a papist. The doctor as yet, not offering to shew the 
 'book, Mr. White endeavoured, with modesty, to take it from under 
 ' his eibow ; but he would not let it go : whereupon Mr. White turning 
 ( to the audience, repeated the conditions again, and willed them to 
 ' judge who had the right ; and, withal, to consider well with what 
 ' false doctrine they were seduced ' ; and so would deal no more with 
 ' Dr. Houel. The people were much moved} and many, of whom I 
 ' know some, that were very hot protestants before, became very calm : 
 
 and the opinion of the common sort was, that there was not such a 
 ' learned man again in England. He was detained there for some days, 
 ' and afterwards sent for to London by a pursuivant, and there racked, 
 ' a.s 'was said, seven times, and put to death. I heard, at that time, 
 ' some of Blanford say, that they hoped the town would join together, 
 ' and put up a petition to the queen to beg him. This I have, heard 
 
 from the mouths of some in Blaufbrd that were present, and told it 
 ' nv:, while it was in every man's mouth : for I had occasion to come 
 
 * ihiiLer'very soon after.' So far Mr. Barnes. 
 
 The bishop of Tarrasona and Dr. Champney confirm what is here
 
 POLYDORE PLASDEN. 155 
 
 said of Mr. White's being cruelly tortured in prison. And the former, 
 in particular, relates, that Mr. White lying in Bridewell at the mercy ot 
 the inhuman Topliffe, or Topcliffe (for I find his name differently 
 written) besides other cruel treatments, was once hung up for eight 
 hours together by the hands iniron.manicles, to oblige him to confess in 
 whose houses he had said mass, or from whom he had received any re- 
 lief, since his return into England : but though this torment was so 
 grievous, that the sweat which the violence of the pain forced from his 
 body, passed all his garments and wet the very ground under him, as 
 was attested by eye-witnesses : yet nothing could be extorted from him, 
 which might prejudice the persecuted catholics : and under the greatest 
 of his pains, he cried out, Lord, more pain, if tkou pleascst, and more 
 patience. Though Mr. White had been thus inhumanly handled by the 
 tyrant, he told him, with a great deal of meekness and humility, Mr. 
 Topcliffe, I am not angry at you for all this, but shall pray to God for 
 your welfare and salvation. Topcliffe replied in a passion, that he 
 wanted not the prayers of a traitor, and that he would have him hanged 
 the next sessions. Then, said Mr. White, I will pray for you, sir, at 
 least, at the foot of the gallows ; for you have great need of prayers. 
 Mr. White was condemned merely on account of his priesthood ; 
 and was drawn to Tyburn, and there hanged, bowelled and chartered, 
 December 10, 1591. 
 
 Q3. * Polydore Plasden, Priest. 
 
 i OLYDORE Plasden, whom Mr. Stow calls Blaxton, was a native of 
 London, and performed his studies abroad, partly in the college of 
 Douay, then residing at Rhemes, and partly in that of Rome. Frora 
 whence he was sent priest upon the English mission. We have already 
 seen, in the life of Mr. Genings, all that regards Mr. Plasden' s appre- 
 hension, trial, and condemnation. He was sentenced to die, as in cases 
 of high treason, for being a priest and returning into England to exercise 
 his priestly functions here. 
 
 He was drawn to Tyburn, and there hanged, bowelled and quartered, 
 December 10, 1592, 
 
 With Mr. White and Mr. Plasden, three others were executed for 
 being aiding and assisting to priests, viz. Mr. Brian Lacy, gentleman, 
 John Mason and Sydney Hodgson. They all constantly chose to die 
 for their religion, rather than to save their lives by occasional con- 
 formity. 
 
 Of all these executions thus writes the protestant historian, Mr. 
 Stow, in his chronicle, 1591, ' The 10th of December, three seminary 
 ' priests, fur being in this realm contrary to the statute, and four others, 
 ' for relieving them, were executed. Two of them, viz. a seminary 
 1 named Ironmonger, and S within Wells, gentleman, in Gmy's-inn- 
 ' fields, on the north side of Holborn ; Blaxton and White, seminarists, 
 ' and three others, their abettors, at Tyburn.' 
 
 * From the Douay diary, and the bishop of Cbalcedon's catalogue-
 
 156 MEMOIRS; &c. 
 
 94. * William Patenson, Priest 15Q1, 
 
 W ILLIAM Patenson, or Patteson, was a native of the bishopric of 
 Durham, an alumnus and priest of Douay college, during its residence 
 at Rhemes. He was ordained in 158/, and sent upon the English 
 mission in J58p. Falling into the hands of the persecutors, he was pro- 
 secuted and condemned to die, as in cases of high treason, merely upon 
 account of his priestly character and functions. This holy man, the 
 night before his execution, was put down into the condemned hole, witji 
 seven malefactors, who were all to suffer on the next day ; and being 
 more concerned for their eternal salvation, than his own temporal life, 
 he so movingly preached to them repentance for their sins, and a sincere 
 conversion to God and his church, that six of the seven were reconcile- 1 
 by him ; and, on the next morning, professed themselves determined to 
 die in the catholic faith, as they did, with great marks of repentance 
 for their past crimes, and a willingness to suffer that ignominious death 
 in satisfaction for them. The persecutors were so enraged at this, that 
 they treated Mr. Patenson, on this account, with more than ordinary 
 cruelty, causing him to be cut down immediately, and butchered whilst 
 he was alive, and in his perfect senses. 
 
 He suffered at Tyburn, January 22, 15pl-2. 
 
 95. ^-Thomas Pormort, or Portmore, Priest. 
 
 JL H DMAS Pormort, or Portmore, was bora in Lincolnshire, of a gen- 
 tleman's family. He performed his studies abroad, partly in the college 
 of Rhemes, and partly in that of Rome, to which he was sent from 
 Rhemes in 1581. At Rome he was made priest, and from thence he 
 was sent upon the English mission. He fell into the hands of the per- 
 secutors in August 1591, and was committed to the Tower, where he 
 was several times cruelly racked, to extort from him, by force of tor- 
 ments, the names of those who had harboured or relieved him. But his 
 constancy was proof against all their torments, although, by the violence 
 of them, his body was all disjointed, and his belly broken. So they 
 proceeded to his trial, and condemned him to die, as in cases of high 
 treason. The crimes for which he was sentenced to death, and after* 
 wards executed, are thus set do\yn by Mr. Stow, in his chronicle, 
 1591. 
 
 ' The 8th of February, Thomas Pormort was convicted of two several 
 ' high treasons ; the one for being a seminary priest, and the other for 
 ' reconciling John Barwys, haberdasher. John Barwys was also con- 
 ' victed of high treason, for being reconciled, and of felony, for re- 
 ' lieving the said priest, contrary to the statute. Thomas Pormort was 
 ' executed in Paul's church-yard, February 20.' 
 
 * From the Douay catalogues, manuscript history of Dr. Champney, and father 
 Ribadaneira in his appendix, C. JO. 
 
 t From the Douay diary and catalogues, from Ribadaneira, chap. 7j and Dr. 
 Charnpney's manuscript.
 
 EDWARD WATERSOX. 157 
 
 This year, 15Q2, on the 23d of June, Robert Ashton, gentleman, 
 born at Croston, in Lancashire, was executed at Tyburn for procuring 
 a dispensation from Rome to marry his second cousin. Catalog. Chalced. 
 &c. And in the same month, Thomas Metham, one of the first 
 missioners from Douay, afterwards a Jesuit, died a prisoner for hi$ 
 faith in Wisbich castle. 
 
 96. * Edward Jfaterson, Priest. 15g3. 
 
 JCrfDWARD Waterson was born at London ; and being come to man's 
 estate, travelled, with certain merchants, into Turkey, to see those 
 eastern regions. Here a rich Turk taking a liking to him, offered his 
 daughter in marriage, if he would renounce the Christian religion : but 
 this condition Mr. Waterson, though at that time no catholic, rejected 
 with horror. Coming back from Turkey, he took Rome in his way 
 homewards, and there was instructed and reconciled to the catholic 
 church by the means of Mr. Richard Smith (afterwards bishop of 
 Chalcedon) then living in the English college, in that city. From 
 Rome he went to Rhemes, where the college Svas at that time,, which 
 is now at Douay. Here he was admitted a student, and here he lived, 
 for some years, a great pattern of humility, penance, and other virtues. 
 He had a most ardent zeal for the salvation of souls ; and, upon that 
 account, though he was but indifferently learned, he was desirous to be 
 made priest, and to be sent upon the English mission. He had his de- 
 sire, and was ordained priest the Saturday alter Mid-lent Sunday, 1592, 
 and was sent into England the Whitsuntide following : on which oc- 
 casion, he declared to his companions, that if he might have the king- 
 dom of France to stay there till the nc.rt Midsummer, he zcould rather 
 chuse to go for England, as he did ; such was his desire of being service- 
 able to the souls of his countrymen. 
 
 Mr. Waterson was but a short time in England before he was ap- 
 prehended, tried and condemned, for being made priest by Roman 
 authority, and coming into England, and remaining here. He received 
 the sentence of death with joy, and suffered with constancy. The Rev. 
 archdeacon Trollop relates, from the testimony of virtuous catholics, 
 who were eye-witnesses, and related it to him, ' that whilst this blessed 
 martyr was drawn upon the hurdle to his execution, upon a sudden (he 
 hurdle stood still ; and the officers, wilh all their whipping and striv- 
 ing, could not make the horses to move it : and fresh horses passing 
 by, they took them and put them to the hurdle ; yet they could not 
 (though they broke die tresses) any way move him or the hurdle ; 
 who seeing their attempts to be frustrate, were forced to take the 
 martyr from the hurdle, and to lead him on foot to the place of execu- 
 tion ; saying, it would be a note to the papists, which had happened 
 that day.' 
 Dr. Champney adds, that being, upon this occasion, taken off the 
 
 * From Dr. Champney's manuscript history, and from a MS. relation of his death, 
 :nt over to Douay by Mr. Cuthbcik Trollop, archdeacon.
 
 158 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 hurdle, he walked chearfully towards the gallows, not as to a punish-* 
 ment, but as to a crown. And that coming to the place, and recom- 
 mending himself by a short prayer to God, as he was offering to go up 
 the ladder, it was violently agitated of itself, without any visible hand, 
 till the confessor made the sign of the-ojjss, and then the ladder stood 
 still; and he ascending, was shortly alu. ">mied oft" ; and, according 
 to sentence, cut down, bowelled and quartereuSy I find Dr. Champney 
 was Mr. Waterson's cotemporary at the college, and received clerical 
 tonsure, with about forty others, on the same day as Mr. Waterson was 
 made deacon, February 24, 15Q1. 
 
 Mr. Waterson suffered at Newcastle upon Tyne, January 7, 15Q3. 
 
 97- * James Bird, Gentleman. 
 
 J AMES Bird was born at Winchester, of a gentleman's family. His 
 parents brought him up in the protestant religion; which, upon a con- 
 viction of conscience, he afterwards forsook, and became a catholic ; 
 and, going abroad, was, for some time, a student in Douay college, 
 during its residence at Rhemes. At his return home, his zeal for his 
 religion caused him to be apprehended. The accusations laid to his 
 charge, were, that he had been reconciled to the Roman church, and 
 that he maintained the pope to be, under Christ, the head of the church. 
 When he was brought to the bar he acknowledged the indictment ; and 
 thereupon received sentence of death, as in cases of high treason : yet, 
 so that both lite and liberty were offered him, if he would but once go to 
 the protestant church ; but he chose rather to die than to act against his 
 conscience. And when his father solicited him to save his life by com- 
 plying, he modestly answered, that as he had always been obedient to 
 him, so would he willingly obey him in this also, if he could do it 
 without offending God. After a long imprisonment he was hanged, 
 drawn and quartered at Winchester, March 25, 15Q3. 
 
 He suffered with wonderful constancy and cheat-fulness, being but 
 nineteen years old. His head was set up on a pole upon one of the gates 
 of that city ; which his father one day passing by, and viewing the face 
 of his son, thought that the head bowing down, made him a reverence : 
 upon which he cried out, ah .' my ,von Jemmy, who not only livinsj wa^t 
 ever obedient and dutiful, hit now also, when dead, payest reverence to 
 thy father ! how far from thy heart was all affection or will for treason, 
 or any other wickedness .' 
 
 Q8. -f- Antony Page, Priest. 
 
 ANTONY Page was born of a gentleman's family, at Harrow on the 
 Hill, in the county of Middlesex. He performed his studies abroad in 
 Douay college, then residing at Rhemes. where he was made priest in 
 ]5()1, and sent upon the mission January 3, 15Q1-2. Dr. Champney, 
 
 * From the bishop of Chalcedon's catalogue, and Dr. Champney's manuscript 
 + From the. same catalogue and manuscript, and from the Douay divy.
 
 WILLIAM DA VIES. 15Q 
 
 who was his cotemporary at the college, tells us, that he was a man of 
 wonderful meekness ; of a virginal modesty and purity, and of a more 
 than common learning and piety ; who, for his singular candour of mind, 
 and sweetness of behaviour, was dear to all. Falling into the hands of 
 the adversaries of his faith, after suffering much in prison, and main- 
 taining, by disputation, his religion in some conferences with the 
 ministers, he was condemned to die, as in cases of high treason, merely 
 on account of his priestly character, and was drawn, hanged and 
 quartered at York, April 2O, 1593. 
 
 QO. * Joseph Lampion, Priest. 
 
 XJ.E was born of a gentleman's family, at Malton,f in Yorkshire j 
 and going abroad to the college then residing at Rhemes, there perform- 
 ed part of his studies ; and being in his divinity, went from thence to 
 Rome, to the English college of that city, in 1589. But he had not 
 been here long before his zeal for the salvation of the souls of his neigh- 
 bours, prompted him to desire to break off the course of his school 
 divinity, and to return home to look after the lost sheep. So being 
 rmxle priest, he was sent upon the mission, where he was immediately 
 apprehended and committed to prison, and not long after brought to the 
 bar, arraigned and condemned for being a priest, and coming into Eng- 
 land to perform his priestly offices in this kingdom. For this, and no 
 other, treason, he had sentence to die the death of a traitor, which he 
 suffered with great constancy and fortitude. He was cut down alive, 
 and the hangman (who was one of the felons, who, to save his own 
 life, was to perform that office) having begun the butchery, by dis- 
 membering the martyr, had so great a horror of what he was doing, that 
 he absolutely refused to go on with the operation, though he was to die 
 for the refusal : so that tlie sheriff' was obliged to seek another execu- 
 tioner : whilst the martyr, with invincible patience and courage, sup- 
 ported a torment which cannot be thought of without horror, and which 
 shocked even the most barbarous of the spectators ; till, at length, a 
 butcher, from a neighbouring village, was brought to the work, who, 
 ripping him up, and bowelling him, set his holy soul at liberty, to take 
 its happy flight to its sovereign and eternal good. 
 
 He suffered at Newcastle, July 2/, 1593, in the flower of his age, 
 (for he was not yet thirty) and in the sight of his friends and re- 
 lations. 
 
 100. J William Davies, Priest. 
 
 JVlR. Davies was born, according to Yepez's relation, in Caernarvon } 
 according to the bishop of Chalcedon's catalogue, at Crois in Yris in 
 Denbighshire of North Wales. He was, says the former, of one of the 
 
 * From the same catalogue and manuscript. 
 f-'Some say he was of the bishopric of Durham. 
 
 t From the Douay diary, and from the relation of one of his companions and fellow 
 prisoners, recorded by bishop Yepez, in his history of the persecution, 1. 5, c. 8.
 
 J<j0 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 best families of that country : but leaving home, he went beyond sea, 
 and became a student in the college then residing at Rhemes. Here, hi 
 a short time, lie made a great progress in virtue ; and such was his 
 zeal of souls, that he was very desirous, evn before he had finished the 
 usual course of his divinity studies, to run to 'ie succour of numbers in 
 his country, perishing through error and vict He was made priest, 
 and sent upon the mission in 15S5. He chose hi. own country for the 
 seat of his labours ; and there, for several years, in the midst of diffi- 
 culties and dangers, sought after the lost sheep, and brought many of 
 them back to his Lord's fold : till, about the 20th of March, 1591-2, 
 going to Holyhead, to procure a passage for four young men into Ire- 
 land, who, from thence, designed to go over into Spain, to the college 
 of Valladolid j both he and his companions were taken up upon sus- 
 picion, at the instance of one Mr. Fulk, a great enemy of the catholics. 
 They passed that first night in the hands of the dregs of the people, who 
 entertained them all the night with scoffs and injuries ; but the next 
 morning they were hurried away to Beaumaris, which is the county 
 town of Anglesey. Here they were all five examined. 
 
 1st. If they had any Agnus Dei's, or blessed medals, or pope's 
 bulls, or if they had received any letters from the English seminaries 
 abroad ? they answered, no. They were asked, if they would swear it 
 upon the bible ? they answered, they would not ; for they thought their 
 word was enough. 
 
 2dly. They were asked, where they were going ? they answered, to 
 Ireland. 
 
 3dly. They were asked if they would go to church, or take the oath 
 of supremacy? they absolutely refused to do either. And so this day's 
 work ended, after they had treated them with many injurious words and 
 reproaches. The next day they were again brought before the magis- 
 trates, and examined more rigorously. And then Mr. Davies frankly 
 confessed, that he was a priest of the seminary of Rhemes, and that he 
 had returned hnme to administer the sacraments fn his brethren, the ca- 
 tholics o/' this kingdom, and fr I ring lack as many protestants as he 
 cmtld to the true catholic religion. They urged him much to tell them 
 with whom he had lived all the time he had been in England : but lie 
 absolutely refused, whatever efforts they made, to give them any answer 
 to such questions as these, which might be of bad consequence to others. 
 
 Upon this confession, Mr. Davies was separated from his compan- 
 ions, and cast into a dark stinking dungeon, between two walls of the 
 castle of Beaumaris, where he was not suffered to see or speak with any 
 one, till after about a month's time, his virtue and patience had gained 
 so far upon the jailor, as to permit him, for about one hour in a day, viz 
 between eight and nine in the morning, to come cut of his dungeon 
 to breath a better air, and to converse with his companions, -who were 
 kept prisoners in another part of the c.-stle. They then found the 
 means privately to procure a vestment, and other necessaries, to say 
 mass, which Mr Davies celebrated every dav, and afterwards punctually 
 returned to his dungeon to give God thanks, and there entertained him- 
 self with his Saviour. The jailor, by degree?, was still more indulgent
 
 WILLIAM DAVIES. i6l 
 
 insomuch, that Mr. Davies and his companions wanted not opportunities 
 of making their escape out of the castle ; but they would not requite 
 the jailor's kindness by exposing him to the danger of falling under any 
 inconveniencies on their account. 
 
 Whilst Mr. Davies was confined in the castle of Beaumaris, many, 
 attracted by the reputation of his sanctity, had recourse to him from 20, 
 30, or 40 miles round, some for counsel in their doubts, and comfort 
 in their affliction, others to confess their sins, and treat with him of the 
 salvation of their souls j and those who could not come in person, con- 
 sulted him by letters : and it is not to be expressed how much the cause 
 of religion and piety was thus, in a short time, advanced in all that 
 neighbourhood ; insomuch, that whereas before, there was scarce one 
 to be found in those parts, who openly professed himself a catholic, there 
 were now a great many, in spite of the ministers, who frequently came 
 to the castle to dispute with Mr. Davies ; amongst whom was one Mr. 
 Burgess, a noted preacher, who brought with him two sacks of books ; 
 but gained nothing by the conference but his own confusion. 
 
 When the assizes came, Mr. Davies and his four companions were 
 all brought to the bar ; and he was arraigned of high treason, for having 
 been made priest beyond the seas by Roman authority, and returning 
 into this kingdom ; and his companions of felony, for having been found 
 in his company. The jury found them all guilty of their respective in- 
 dictments ; upon which, instead of being any ways dismayed, Mr. 
 Davies began, with a joyful voice, the hymn te Deum, and his com- 
 panions joined with him in the thanksgiving, till the officers of justice 
 prohibited them to proceed. In the mean time the people murmured 
 aloud at the injustice of the verdict, till the judge, to appease them, 
 told them, that as to the priest, nothing could be said to excuse him 
 from the sentence of death : but as to the four youths, who were taken 
 in his company, he thought the jury had stretched the point too far, to 
 bring them in guilty of felony, since it had not been made to appear in 
 the trial, that they knew him to be a priest ; and therefore they should 
 be all five sent back to prison, till the queen and her council had been 
 informed of the case, and should signify their pleasure what should be 
 done with them. 
 
 Not long after this, Mr. Davies was ordered from Beaumaris to 
 Ludlow, where, at that time, the council of the Marches of Wales re- 
 sided : here the most learned ministers of that country were employed 
 to confer with him, and the president of the council neglected no means 
 of bringing him to conformity ; and once, under pretence of a disputa- 
 tion to be held with the ministers, led him to church in an afternoon, 
 and caused the common prayer service to be read there, that Mr. Davies 
 might seem to countenance it by his presence. The confessor perceiv- 
 ing die artifice, would have gone out immediately, but the door was 
 shut upon him, and he was kept there by force. Upon which, he 
 began to recite, with a loud voice, the vespers of the Roman breviary, 
 so that the minister could not be heard, and all was confusion. And 
 when all was" over, to prevent the scandal that might be taken from his
 
 1(32 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 having been there, he publicly declared, in the hearing of all the people, 
 calling God and his holy angels to witness, that he had been brought 
 thither by a stratagem, and kept ly force ; and that he would rather die a. 
 thousand deaths, than willingly communicate in an heretical service. 
 The president told him, he was a madman for refusing to purchase hi-, 
 life and liberty at so easy a rate as that of acquiescing to their liturgy ; 
 and so, with injuries and reproaches, sent him back to prison. 
 
 From Ludlow he was sent bound to Beudley, making the journey 
 in three days, in company of a malefartor, who was ordered to the 
 prison there. Here Mr. Davies was no sooner arrived, but, sick and 
 weary as he was, he was thrust down into a dungeon, amongst felons 
 that lay under sentence of death, so closely penned up together, that 
 they had no room to stir ; nor any other convenience to lie down to rest 
 on, or even to sit on, than a sort of a stone seat two feet high, which the 
 malefactors very civily offered Mr. Davies to sit on in the day, and 
 sleep on at night. But his chief suffering here, was from the insupport- 
 able stench of the place, the prisoners being obliged to do all their ne- 
 cessities in that close place. From Beudley he was shifted again to other 
 prisons, till, at length he was ordered back again to Beaumaris castle,., 
 to his own great satisfaction, who had made it his prayer to God, as he 
 told his companions, that if his divine Majesty was pleased to do him 
 that honour, of which he acknowledged himself infinitely unworthy, ta 
 shed hisblood for his faith, it might be in that place, where no one had 
 suffered before ; and where the catholic religion was so little known, 
 and in a manner quite forgot. 
 
 The resolution of sending back Mr. Davies to Beaumaris, coming to 
 the knowledge of some catholic gentlemen, they formed a design of 
 rescuing him, on the way, out of the hands of the officers of justice, 
 and setting him at liberty : but having imparted their design to him, he 
 would by no means consent to it, assuring them withal, that were they 
 to come to rescue him, he would not go along with them ; such was his 
 desire of suffering for Christ. And this plainly appeared, by what hap- 
 pened the night he was brought to Beaumaris ; when the officers having 
 lost their way in the dark, and giving him an opportunity of escaping, 
 he would not make use of it; but being himself well acquainted with 
 the country, served them as a guide, till they came to the castle. 
 
 Here Mr. Davies found his four companions, who were overjoyed to 
 see him again; and with them he formed a kind of religious commu- 
 nity in the prison, observing from this time, till his death, the follow ing 
 order or regulation of life : they all rose at four in the morning, and 
 then employed one hour in mental prayer : they recited together the 
 hours of the divine office ; and Mr. Da\ ic ; every day said mass to them, 
 with great devotion, and many tears, which, though he strove to con- 
 ceal, he was not able, his heart being brim-full of divine consolations on 
 these occasions. After mass and thanksgiving, they sung together the 
 anthem O S'tcrurn Cwwirium, and then applied themselves to reading 
 and studying, and Mr. Davies to his prayer. At their meals the holy 
 man taught them, both by word and example, to practice self-drnial,. 
 by abstaining from what they had the most inclination to. After their
 
 WILLIAM DAVIES. 1$3 
 
 meals, they employed half an hour in reading in the Imitation of Christ, 
 and other spiritual books. After which, Mr. Davies entertained them 
 for a while with pious and edifying discourses, upon the subject of their 
 spiritual lecture, or the lives of the saints, or the devotions that he had 
 seen abroad in catholic countries, &c. Then they recited together the 
 litanies of the blessed virgin ; and the remainder of the afternoon and 
 evening, they spent in their studies, and in reciting their rosary ; and 
 Mr. Davies in mental prayer, and in treating with those that came to 
 him about the concerns of their souls. At night they recited together 
 the litany of the saints, and made their examination of consciences, and 
 so went to rest. Twice in the week they confessed, and they commu- 
 nicated on all Sundays and holidays; And thus they spent the last six 
 months, after Mr. Davies' s return to Beaumaris, with so much comfort 
 to their souls, that they seemed to be rather in heaven than in a prison. 
 Whilst the holy confessor, not contented with the hardships and morti- 
 fications incident to imprisonment, wore all the while, night and day, a 
 rough penitential hair shirt, woven like a net, which he concealed a long 
 time j but, a little before his death, privately gave, as a token of his 
 love, to one of his companions. 
 
 And now the time was come, when God was pleased to crown hi.? 
 servant : for the judges coming again upon their circuit, to hold the 
 assizes at Beaumaris, for the county of Anglesey, in 15Q3, had in- 
 structions from court to proceed against Mr. Davies, as in cases of high 
 treason. In consequence of these instructions, he was brought to the 
 bar, and received sentence of death, in the usual form. After which 
 the judges extolled to him the queen's clemency, and assured him, that 
 he might not only save his life, but also look for encouragement and 
 promotion, if he would but consent to go once to the protestant church : 
 but neither the fear of a most cruel death, nor any worldly hopes, had 
 any influence upon a soul that was fixed in God, as was that of Mr. 
 Davies ; who, with a loud voice, and chearful countenance, blessed 
 the Lord that he was now to le so happy as to sited his blood for the love 
 of his divine J\Iajesty. 
 
 Some days passed before the sentence could be put in execution ; 
 for the people of Beaumaris had conceived so great an opinion of the 
 sanctity of Mr. Davies, and so great a veneration for him, that not a 
 man in the town would furnish, for love or money, any thing necessary 
 for that purpose, such as ladder, rope, caldron, wood, &c. much less 
 could any one be found there, who could be prevailed upon to do the 
 hangman's office ; so that the sheriff was obliged to hire two fellows 
 from a distant place, to undertake the business, that if one failed, the 
 other might perform the office ; who, though at their coming to Beau- 
 maris, they strove to conceal the design of their coming, yet being 
 suspected by the people, were shut out from every house they came at, 
 and were pelted with stones by the boys in the streets. In the mean 
 time, some of the gentlemen of that country, made a fresh prolVer to 
 Mr. Davies, to rescue him out of the hands of the sheriff and his men, 
 by force, on the morning designed for his execution : but he earnestly 
 intreated them, for the love of Jesus Christ, not to think of aw such
 
 164 MEMOIRS, &c 
 
 enterprise, which would expose themselves to so great a danger, and d* 
 him no service. 
 
 On the 21st of July, in the morning, the prisoner was brought out 
 to the hurdle, in order for execution j and passing before the window, 
 where his companions stood to take their last farewel of him, turning 
 towards them, with a chearful smile on his countenance, gave them 
 his last benediction, which they received on their knees, shedding many 
 tears; for which he rebuked them, as being altogether unseasonable, 
 since he was going to be delivered from all his sufferings, and to enter 
 into the joy of his Lord, When he was arrived at the place of execu- 
 tion, being taken off the hurdle, he mounted the ladder, and making 
 the sign of the cross, began to speak to the people, who, with their 
 heads uncovered, attended to his words j but the sheriff would not 
 staffer him to go forward ; but told him, he did not come there to preach, 
 but to die j and therefore bid him prepare for death. The confessor 
 obeyed, and having made a short profession of his faith, and declared, 
 that the cause for which he died was no other than his priestly cha- 
 racter ; prayed that his innocent blood, which he joyfully shed for his 
 religion, might not cry to heaven for vengeance, but rather plead for 
 mercy for that island ; that it might once more be illustrated with the 
 light of faith, which it had lost. Then taking the rope, he kissed it, 
 and put it about his neck, saying, thy yoke, O Lord, is sweet, and thy 
 l-urthen is light. Then having stood a while in silent prayer, with a 
 serenity of countenance that was admired by all, he was turned off the 
 ladder, and half hanged, and then cut down, dismembered, bowelled, 
 and quartered. His cloaths, dyed in his blood, were purchased by his 
 companions ; and the hangman, not long after, for some crime, falling 
 into the hands of justice, declared at the gallows, that, of all he had 
 done in his life, nothing troubled his conscience so much as having cm- 
 Irued his hands in the Hood of so holy a man ; confessing, that God had 
 justly, on that account, brought liim to suffer a shameful death. 
 
 As to Mr. Fulk, who had caused Mr. Davies to be apprehended, of a 
 rich man that he then was, in about a year's time, he was obliged to sell 
 all his substance, and became miserably poor, so as to have neither a 
 farthing of money, nor credit with any one ; and being despised by all, 
 he privately withdrew, and was never heard of more. The constable 
 also that apprehended Mr. Davies, was seized immediately with aq 
 inflamation in the great toe of his ri^ht foot, accompanied with most 
 violent pains, which spread and communicated itself to all that side, till 
 it reached his right hand, in spite of all the endeavours of physicians and 
 surgeons, and corrupted the whole body, .so as to yield 'a most loathsome 
 stench, insupportable to himself, and to all that came near him. And 
 in this manner he miserably expired. 
 
 One of Mr. Davies's companions, who was younger than the rest, 
 was put into the hands of a country school-master, to be whipped into 
 a conformity with the church by law established. But he found means 
 to make his escape over into Ireland, where meeting with a young 
 gentleman, formerly his school-fellow, and prevailing with him to be 
 reconciled to the catholic church, they both went, not long after, over
 
 JOHN CORNELIUS. l6i 
 
 into Spain, to the college of Valhdolid, where they were both actually 
 living, with great edification, when the bishop of Tarrasona was writing 
 his account of Mr. Davies's martyrdom, viz. in 15()S. 
 
 Mr. Davies suffered at Beaumaris the 21st of July, 1.593, after 
 about sixteen months' imprisonment. 
 
 1594. In the beginning of this year, or, according to the English 
 account, in the latter end of 1593, viz. on the 4th of February, John 
 Speed, layman, was executed at Durham. His guilt was, being aiding 
 and assisting to priests, whom he used to serve in guiding and conduct- 
 ing from one catholic house to another. He died with constancy, de- 
 spising the proffers that were made him to bring him to conform. 
 
 101. * William Harrington, Priest. 
 
 W ILLIAM Harrington was born of a gentleman's family, at a place 
 called St. John's Mount, in Yorkshire. He performed his studies 
 abroad, in Douay college, during its residence at llhemes. Here he 
 was made priest ; and from hence he was sent upon the English mission 
 in 1592. When, how, or where, he was apprehended, or any other 
 particulars of his sufferings, or missionary labours, I have not been able 
 to learn, only that he was condemned to die, on account of his priestly 
 character and functions ; and for this, and no other treason, was put to 
 a most cruel death. 
 
 ' The 18th of February, 1 says Mr. Stow, in his chronicle, ' one 
 ' named Harrington, a seminary priest, was drawn from Newgate to 
 ' Tyburn, and there hanged, cut down alive, struggled with the hang- 
 ' man ; but was bowelled and quartered.' So far Mr. Stow : where it 
 is to be noted, that what the historian mentions of Mr. Harrington's 
 struggling with the hangman, after he was cut down, cannot be drawn 
 to an argument of his not being resigned to die ; but only shews the 
 efforts which nature will be sure to make in a man, whose senses are 
 stunned by having been half hanged ; and therefore, by the motions of 
 his hands and body, strives to resist that unnatural violence which is 
 offered by the hands and knife of the executioner. 
 
 Mr. Harrington suffered at Tyburn, February 18, 1594. 
 
 102. -j~ John Cornelius, alias ^fohun, Priest. S. J. 
 
 JOHN Cornelius, alias Mohun, was born at Bodmin, in Cornwall, of 
 Irish parents, and brought up at school m the same town : from whence 
 he was bent to Oxford by sir John Arundel, who was much taken with 
 his rare genius and diligence in learning. But Mr. Cornelius liking the 
 old religion better than the new, It ft Oxford, and went beyond the seas 
 to llhemes (the English college having been lately translated thither 
 
 * From the Douay diary and catalogues, and from Scow's chronicle, 
 -f- From a manuscript relation in my hands, penned by the Rexerend Mr. Manger ; 
 anJ from the bishop of Tarrasona' s history of the persecution of [-'.unkind, 1. 5. c~.4. ; 
 frorua relation sent out of England three months after Mr. Cornelius's martjrdom.
 
 166 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 from Douay) and was there received by Dr. Allen, the institutor and 
 first president of that seminary of martyrs. After some stay here, he 
 was sent, in 158O, to Rome, to finish his studies in the English college of 
 that city, where he remained for some years ; and had the honour once 
 to make an oration in Latin, and speak it in the pope's chapel on St. 
 Steven's day. Here he was made priest, and from hence was sent upon 
 the English mission, where he laboured, with great fruit, for about ten 
 years. He was a man of a most mortified life, and greatly addicted to 
 prayer and contemplation j but, withal, zealous and diligent in his pas- 
 toral functions, and had a notable talent in preaching, so that he was 
 admired and loved by all that knew him. 
 
 Mr. Manger relates of him, from the testimony of a worthy gentle- 
 man who was familiarly acquainted with him, ' that he was very power- 
 ' ful in dealing with those that were possessed ; and that from one, in 
 ' the presence of the same gentleman, he forced the devil to bring forth, 
 ' from her inward parts, a piece of a rusty knife, of an inch and half in 
 ' length, which he took out of her mouth, and a bag of sand of the 
 ' fashion of a pincushion, and bigness of a little penny purse.' He adds 
 also, from the same testimony, that when Mr. Cornelius was saying 
 mass for the soul of John lord Stourton (who had died unreconciled, but 
 with great desire of the sacraments, and more than ordinary marks of 
 sorrow and repentance) he had a vision, after the consecration and ele- 
 vation of the chalice, of the soul of the said lord Stourton, then in pur- 
 gatory, desiring him, to pray for him, and to request of the lady his 
 * mother to cause masses to le said for his soul. This vision was also seen 
 at the same time, by Patrick Salmon, a good religious soul, who was 
 then serving Mr, Cornelius at mass- 
 Mr. Cornelius was apprehended in the house of the widow of sir 
 John Arundel (upon the information of a wicked servant) on the second 
 Sunday after Easter, in April 15C)4, by Mr. Trenchard, sheriff of Dorset- 
 shire ; and with him Mr. Thomas Bosgrave, a Cornish gentleman, a 
 kinsman of sir John Arundel, was also hurried away to prison, be- 
 cause, seeing Mr. Cornelius in the hands of the officers, hurried away 
 without any hat, he clapped his own hat upon the confessor's head, say- 
 ing, the honour I oive to your function may not suffer me to see you go 
 bare headed. Upon which the sheriff told him, he should bear him com- 
 pany ; and, as we shall see by-and-by, for this offence he afterwards 
 also suffered with him. John, or, as others call him Terence Carey 
 and Patrick Salmon, both natives of Dublin, and servants in the family, 
 were also committed to prison upon this occasion, as aiding and assisting 
 Mr. Cornelius. 
 
 The confessor was first carried to the sheriff's house, where some 
 protestant ministers strongly attacked him on the subject of religion j but 
 Air. Cornelius maintained the cathpjic cause with such strong argument, 
 that the sheriff, fearing the influence his words would make upon those 
 that were present, put a stop to the dispute. Shortly after, the council 
 
 * She was the daughter to the earl of Derby, and had for her first husband, the lrd 
 Sjourton. After whose death she was married to sir John Arundel.
 
 JOHN CORNELIUS. 167 
 
 being informed of all that had passed, the confessor was ordered to be 
 sent up to London ; where he was examined by the lord treasurer, the 
 archbishop of Canterbury, and others of the privy council j who strove 
 to extort out of him, first by words, and afterwards by the rack, the 
 names of such catholics as had harboured or relieved him : but his con- 
 stancy was proof against all their efforts ; and he refused to the last to 
 make any discovery which might redound to the prejudice of his bene- 
 factors. Upon this he was sent back into the country, there to take 
 his trial, and there to die. The three last days before the assizes, he 
 spent wholly in prayer and pious exhortations to his fellow prisoners, 
 without eating, in a manner, or sleeping, and so prepared himself for his 
 conflict. After this, he was brought to the bar with his three companions, 
 where they were all found guilty by the jury ; Mr. Cornelius of high trea- 
 son, for being a priest, and coming into this kingdom and remaining 
 here ; Mr. Bosgrave and the other two, of felony, for aiding and a'sist- 
 ing Mr. Cornelius, knowing him to be a priest. 
 
 After the jury had brought in their verdict, the three laymen cast 
 themselves at the feet of Mr. Cornelias, to crave his blessing ; and they 
 were all sent back to prison, sentence not being to be pronounced till 
 the next day. They prepared themselves for it by prayer, and animated 
 one another by pious colloquies, in which they passed that night ; and, 
 on the following day, they were all sentenced to die. It was observed, 
 that judge Walmsley pronounced the sentence with tears in his eyes. Mr. 
 Cornelius would have spoken to the judges after sentence was given, 
 but was ordered to be silent. However, the judges assured them all, 
 that their lives should be saved, if they would conform and go to the 
 protestant church ; which they all stoutly refusing, were sent back to 
 prison, there to prepare for their last end. 
 
 They were condemned on the 2d of July, 15Q4, and on the 4th were 
 carried out to their martyrdom. Mr. Cornelius was drawn on a hurdle 
 to the place of execution ; the other three walked on foot. The con- 
 fessor animated them by the way to suffer death with courage and con- 
 stancy ; and, indeed, it appeared by their countenances, that they went 
 to the gallows with as much content and satisfaction, as if they had beeu 
 going to a feast. Mr. Cornelius made also the best use he could of 
 his time, in favour of a malefactor, who \vas to suffer with them ; whom 
 he so effectually exhorted to faith and repentance, that the man declared 
 aloud, that he looked upon himself happy that he ivas to die bi such good 
 company. 
 
 The first that was ordered up the ladder, was John Carey, a man of 
 great courage. He kissed the rope when it was to be put about his 
 neck, saying, O precious collar ! then made a profession of his faith., 
 for which he declared he died ; and so was turned off. The next was 
 Patrick Salmon, a man much admired and beloved for his virtues. In 
 dying he admonished the people, (hat the on/i/ ivay to secure their eternal 
 welfare, was to embrace that faith for which he and his companions laid 
 dnu'n their lives. Mr. Bosgrave was called upon next, who being a man 
 of reading, made a speech to the people of the certainty of the catholic 
 frith ; which was heard with great attention, the ministers standing by.
 
 1G3 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 and not offering a word in vindication of their religion. And now it 
 was come to Mr. Cornelius's turn to ascend the ladder ; at the foot of 
 which, he knelt down, and prayed a little while ; then kissed theground, 
 and afterwards the feet of his companions, who were still hanging ; then 
 addressing himself to the gallows, he saluted it with those words of St. 
 Andrew, lona crux diu desiderata, &c. O good cross a long time de- 
 sired, &c. And going up the ladder, offered three several times to 
 speak to the people, and was. as often interrupted. Then he declared 
 what had hitherto been kept a secret, viz. that he was admitted into the 
 Society of Jesus, in London, by the superior of the English Jesuits ; and 
 was to have gone over with others to make his noviceship in Flanders, 
 had he not been prevented by his apprehension. After which, he prayed 
 aloud for his persecutors, and for the conversion of the queen, and so 
 was flung off the ladder, and shortly after cut down and quartered. His 
 quarters were set up upon four poles, but afterwards were taken down 
 by the catholics, and buried with the bodies of his companions. His 
 head was nailed to the gallows, till it was removed at the desire of the 
 town, apprehending the scourges of God upon them, as they had ex- 
 perienced before on the like occasions. Yet we are told, that the fol- 
 lowing year a dreadful plague ensued amongst them, which carried off so 
 many, that the living were not sufficient to bury the dead. 
 
 Mr. Cornelius, and his companions, suffered at Dorchester, July 4, 
 1594. 
 
 Since this was written, I received from the English college of St. 
 Omers, a copy of a manuscript concerning Mr. Cornelius ; the origi- 
 nal of which is kept in the archievesof that college. In which are added 
 the following particulars relating to the life of this holy servant of God. 
 That he every day said mass at five o'clock in the morning, and never 
 without tears : that whenever he read the passion of Christ, in the 
 office of the holy week, he wept exceedingly : that he was sometimes 
 in an extasy at his prayers ; and that a gentleman, who came to him 
 for counsel, found him on his knees, his hands crossed before his breast, 
 his eyes cast up to heaven, but without motion ; and the whole man so 
 absorpt in God, that the gentleman, for some time, doubted whether he 
 was alive or dead, and not without difficulty brought him to hear and see 
 him : that he always wore a rough hair shirt, and used frequent discip- 
 lines ; and for many years fasted four days in the week : that his cha- 
 rity for the poor was such, as to give them all that came to his hands, 
 committing the care of himself to God's providence ; that he preached 
 regularly twice a week ; gave catechistical instructions for about an hour 
 almost every day ; and read some pious lessons for about half an hour 
 in the evening, to such as more particularly aspired to perfection. In 
 fine, that the mortification of his senses, and his recollection in God, 
 was so great, that for three whole years that his lodging was in a room, 
 the window of which looked upon the parish church, he had never 
 observed it, nor knew whether the house in which he lived was leaded 
 or tyled. The manuscript adds, that upon more occasions than one, his 
 face was observed to shine with a certain heavenly light.
 
 JOHN BOST. 16$ 
 
 A copy of a letter written ly father Cornelius, half an hour before he 
 was called out to suffer, to his ghostly child, Mrs. Dorothy, the 
 eldest daugiiter to the lady Arundel, who had consecrated her vir- 
 ginity to God, and promised ly vow to be a religious woman of the 
 order of St. Bridgit. 
 
 ' He that loveth his life in this world, shall lose it ; and he that 
 
 hateth it shall find if. If I find it, by the grace and infinite mercy of 
 ' God (though very unworthy and miserable) with exceeding great sa- 
 
 tisfaction, and never-ending pleasure, I shall remember you. In the 
 ' mean time, whilst the soul remains in this body, pray you for me j 
 ' for I have a great confidence that we shall see one another in heaven ; 
 ' if you keep inviolable the word you have given, first to God, and then 
 ' to St. Bridgit. I heartily recommend you to my poor mother, and the 
 ' promise of your vow, concerning which I have written to you three or 
 ( four times, and wonder that you have taken no notice of it. The 
 ' devil is always upon the watch : be you also watchrul. Signify your 
 ' will to me, that I may carry with me your resolution to St. Bridgit. 
 ' I do not forget those whom I do not name. God be your keeper. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 JOHN, who is going to die for a moment, that he may 
 live for ever. 
 
 103. * John Bost, Priest. 
 
 JVlR. Bost, or Boast, was born of a gentleman's family, in the town of 
 Penrith (vulgo PerethJ in the county of Cumberland. He was educated 
 in one of our universities at home, where he also took the degree of 
 master of arts ; and was cotemporary with, and much esteemed by, 
 Tobie Matthews, who,, at the time of Mr. Bost's execution, was bishop 
 of Durham (afterwards archbishop of York) and who, extolling his 
 excellent parts, is reported to have said, upon that occasion, it u- as pity 
 no much ivorth should have died that day, But Mr. Bost left both the 
 university and the kingdom, and all hopes of worldly preferment for con- 
 science sake, and being reconciled to the catholic church, was received 
 into the college lately translated from Douay to Rhemes ; and after some 
 time spent there in his studies, was made priest, and sent upon the Eng- 
 lish mission in 1581. Here he laboured, for several years, with great 
 zeal, and much fruit : insomuch, that he was in a particular manner 
 sought after by the persecutors . and the earl of Huntington, in par- 
 ticular, then lord president of the North, and a most bitter enemy of the 
 catholics, of all the priests in those provinces, was most intent upon the 
 apprehending him. So that when the said lord president was promised, 
 by one Francis Ecclesfield, to have two of the gravest priests of the north 
 betrayed to him, he desired the traitor rather to be sure of Bost. At. 
 
 * From two manuscript relations sent me from Douay ; the one formerly sent over 
 bv the Reverend Cuthbert Trollop, archdeacon; the other by the Rjverend Father 
 Thuresby, of thr Society of Jesus, and from letters written out of England, in liirt, 
 recorded by the bishop of'Tarrasona, in his history^ 1. $, c. 5-
 
 I/O MEMOIRS, tee. 
 
 length, after many narrow escapes, he was betrayed, by die said Ecciest- 
 field, into the president's hands, in this manner : the traitor having in- 
 telligence that Mr. Bost was in the hpuse of Mr. William Claxton, " in 
 the bishopric of Durham," signified the same to the lord president j 
 and, to be more sure of his game, went thither to confession and com- 
 munion ; and having thus hypocritically and sacrilegiously abused the 
 sacred mysteries, he went forth, like another Judas, to accomplish his 
 wicked project, and meeting sir William Bowes and others, went along 
 with them to the house in order to apprehend Mr. Bost. The holy man 
 was so well concealed that, after a long search, they could not find him, 
 so that they thought they had been deluded : but the traitor bid them 
 pull down the house or burn it, for he was sure the priest was in it ; 
 upon which they began to make breaches in the walls, and at length 
 discovered their prey. 
 
 Mr. Bost being thus apprehended, was brought before the lord pre- 
 sident, who made, upon that occasion, a prolix speech, concerning the 
 long search that had been made for him, from time to time, for the 
 space of some years ; all which while, by his cunning tricks, he had 
 deluded the diligence of his officers, whom he had employed to appre- 
 hend so notorious a traitor ; but that now, to his great satisfaction, he 
 had taken him at last. To which speech, Mr. Bost, in the end, replied 
 with a smiling countenance ; and after all this, my lord, you have but 
 gotten Boast, alluding to the earl's boast, in having used such diligence 
 for his apprehension. The confessor was shortly after sent up to London ; 
 where he was, for a long time, kept prisoner in the Tower, and often 
 most cruelly racked, insomuch that he was afterwards forced to go 
 crooked upon a staff. At length, after a hard imprisonment, and many 
 torments endured at London, he was sent back again into the north, 
 there to be tried and executed. 
 
 He was a man of great courage, learning and wisdom ; nnd no ways 
 defeated or overcome by his sufferings. When he was brought to the 
 bar for his trial, Mr. George Swallowell (who had lately been a reader 
 of the protestant church, and was now arraigned for the catholic religion) 
 somewhat wavering, and being upon the point of yielding through fear, 
 Mr. Bost, in the public court, so effectually encouraged him to stand 
 firm to the catholic faith, that he immediately declared himself sincerely 
 penitent for his staggering ; and Mr. Bost, putting his hand on his head, 
 publicly absolved him. Upon which, some of the bench cried out, 
 away with Bost, away with the traitor, Sentence was passed upon 
 Mr. Bost, as in cases of high treason, merely upon account of the ex- 
 ercising his priestly functions in England. And, in consequence of this 
 sentence, he was drawn to the place of execution, and there was scarce 
 turned off the ladder, when he was immediately cut down, so that he 
 stood on his feet, and was cruelly butchered alive ; at the taking out of 
 his heart, he spoke aloud thrice, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus forgive thee, as 
 Thomas Forcer, esq. a grave catholic gentleman, for a certainty affirm- 
 ed to Mr. Trollop, the author of the manuscript relation of Mr. Boil's 
 martyrdom. 
 
 He suffered at Durham, July 24, 15Q4 j some say July 13.
 
 JOHN IttGRAM. *7* 
 
 104. * John Ingram, Priest. 
 
 JVla. Ingram was born of a gentleman's family, in Warwickshire. Hjs 
 parents were protestants $ but he was happily reconciled to the catholic 
 church : and, for recusancy ejected out of New College, Oxon, and 
 going abroad, was received alumnus in Douay college, during its resi-. 
 dence at Rhemes j from whence he was sent to the English college of 
 Rome, where he finished his studies, and was made priest ; and from. 
 thence was sent upon the English mission. His missionary labours seem 
 to have been in the north, upon the borders of Scotland ; where, at. 
 length, he was apprehended, and sent up prisoner to the Tower of 
 London, and there, at several times, most cruelly tortured by TopclirT: 
 but he would by no means discover the names of any who had enter- 
 tained or assisted him, which was what the tyrant pretended to extort ; 
 so that TopclifF, in a rage, said, he was, of all otliers, a monster for 
 his taciturnity. At length he was sent back again into the north, to 
 take his trial. Here, " in York castle, or in Durham jail," he wrote 
 two letters, of which I have copies in my hands, to the catholics in other 
 parts of the same prison, worthy of one that was going to be immolated 
 for Christ. In the first, he earnestly exhorts them to constancy and 
 perseverance in that holy profession for which they suffered ; and arms 
 them against the temptation of being staggered, by the unhappy fall of 
 two, whom he calls Iscariots, who had lately gone forth from them ; 
 and admonishes them of that apostle, that if himself, or an angel from 
 heaven, should preach any gospel to them, than what they had re- 
 ceived, he ought to be anathematized. Then he tells them, ' I say 
 ' now to myself and you, let he that stands take heed lest he Jail. And, 
 ' hold what thou hast, lest another take thy crown. Pray, therefore, I 
 
 * conjure you, in the name of my sweet Saviour Jesus, for my constancy, 
 ' courage and zeal in my holy enterprize. For the spirit is ready, lut 
 ' the flesh is iveak. Desire Almighty God to overpoise the multitude 
 ' of my sins with his precious blood, one drop of which is sufficient to 
 
 * wash away the sins of the whole world. I am not as yet condemned, 
 ' nor, to my knowledge, my blessed brother, " Mr. Bost," of whose 
 ' security, temporal, I have no hope. As for my own part, I am al- 
 ' together in the same estate I was in before my departure ; and, I take 
 ' God to witness, that I have neither named house, man, woman or 
 ' child, in time of, or before my torments. I look for my trial on 
 
 * Thursday, and consequently for my death, to God's honour. Pray for 
 ' me earnestly.' 
 
 In the latter he writes thus : ' My dear concaptives, if the vessel of 
 
 * election St. Paul vouchsafed, not only by way of paper, to comfort 
 
 * oftentimes the Christians of the primitive times, but also to give his 
 ' temporal benefactors a sweet surrender of thanks ; it will fit me to 
 ' imitate him in like matter and manner : first, to ascertain you, that in 
 ' my pained body, my spirit is not pained, nor in any disaster, distress 
 
 * From the bishop of Chaleedon's manuscript catalogue ; and from two letters of Mr, 
 Ingram, to h;s fellow prisoners ; copies ot which are kept in Douay college.
 
 172 MEMOIRS, &c, 
 
 f or durance. For St. Paul testifies, that the passions of this time are 
 
 * not condign of the future glory which shall be revealed in us. And, 
 ' for my part, I have long since imprinted in my heart, not to fear those 
 ' that kill the lody, lut cannot destroy the soul. But rather to remember 
 ' these golden sentences, which have issued our of the mouth of all 
 
 * verity. He that hateth his life in this world, keepeth it for life ever- 
 
 * lasting. And, he that confesses me before men, I will confess him 
 ' before my Father, who is in heaven And although, in my native 
 ' country, I have taken great pains in God's vineyard, yet, I doubt not, 
 ' if God will strengthen me, through yours and my patron's prayers, I 
 ' shall purchase for our Babylonic soil more favour by my death. The 
 ' blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. To those that made that 
 ' bountiful offer of a thousand crowns for my life, as my lord chamber- 
 ' lain, in my presence, imparted, I return a thousand thanks, in sign 
 ' of gratitude, meaning (if God will give to a miscreant and wretched 
 
 * sinner constancy, forgiveness of my sins, and grace to die for his glory, 
 ' and his spouse's consolation) to make the return of my bloody sacri- 
 ' fice for their oblation. To all my spiritual children, wheresoever they 
 ' are now sorrowing, I most heartily send greeting ; with humble request 
 
 * to God for their constancy in the true way of salvation. My carnal 
 ' friends I salute, and wish, as to my own soul, conversion from im- 
 ' piety and irreligiosity to virtue, and St. Peter's sheepfold. J love them 
 ' most entirely, but my creator in a far higher degree : for he that loveth 
 'father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me, saith our Saviour 
 ' Christ. I send this, my last, written in haste : for I fear I shall have 
 ' no means hereafter. Therefore I desire God Almighty to protect you 
 ' all, and bless and establish you to suffer persecution for justice sake. 
 ' Thus, in post haste, in viscerilus Christi. Adieu. 
 
 Mr. Ingram was tried and condemned at the same time with Mr. 
 Bost, and for the same cause ; that is, for his character and functions 
 only, and not for any other treason. 
 
 He suffered, with great constancy, at Newcastle, July 25, 15Q4. 
 
 1O5. * George Swalloivell. 
 
 VJEORGE Swallowell was bom in the bishopric of Durham, and brought 
 up in the protestant religion ; and for some time officiated in the double 
 capacity of reader and of school-master, at Houghton Spring, in the 
 same bishopric. Going one day to visit a catholic gentleman, impri- 
 soned for his recusancy, and falling in discourse on the subject of reli- 
 gion, he was so close pressed by the gentleman, upon the article of his 
 mission, and that of his prelates, that he was forced, by way of a last 
 shift, to shelter himself under the queen's spiritual supremacy, and to 
 derive their commissions from her authority. The gentleman exposed 
 to him the absurdity of making a woman, whom St. Paul did not allow 
 to speak in the church, the head of the church, and the fountain of ec- 
 
 * From a manuscript in my hands, and from bishop Yepez's history of the persecu- 
 tion, 1. 5, c. 5, who had his 'informations from letters sent over from England, tvyo 
 months after Mr. Swalloweil's execution.
 
 GEORGE SWALLOWELL. 173 
 
 desiastical jurisdiction ; and treated so well, both tlus and other point* 
 of controversy, that Mr. Swallowell, who was none of those who are 
 resolved to be rebels to the light, yielded to the strength of his argu- 
 ments. And not content privately to embrace the truth, he, not long 
 after, publicly professed, from the pulpit, that he had hitherto leen in 
 an error, but u'as now convinced, that they had no true mission in their 
 church, and therefore he would no longer officiate there. 
 
 Upon this he was apprehended, and committed to Durham jail, and, 
 after a year's imprisonment, was brought to the bar, at the same time 
 with Mr. Bost and Mr. Ingram, priests, and stood between them. At 
 first, through fear of that cruel death to which he was condemned, he 
 yielded to go to the church, and to conform to what the judges required 
 of him. Whereupon Mr. Bost, looking at him, said, George Swalkicell, 
 tchat hast thou done ? At these words of the confessor of Christ, ' he 
 ' was struck with a great damp and confusion, and desired the judge, 
 ( and the lord president (who at that time was the earl of Huntington) 
 'for God's sake to let him have his ii'ord again . To which the judge re- 
 ' plied, Swallowell, look well what thou doest ; for, although thou be 
 ' condemned, yet the queen is merciful. But still he craved to have his 
 ' desire granted. Then the judge answered, if thou be so earnest, thou 
 ' shalt have thy word again j say what thou wilt. Then presently he 
 ' recalled what he had formerly yielded unto, and courageously said, 
 ' that in that faith u- herein those two priests did die, he icould als 
 ' die ; and that the same faith U'hich they professed, he did also profess. 
 f With that Mr. Bost looked at him again, and said, hold thee there, 
 ' Swallowell, and my soul for thine : and with tlie.se words he laid his 
 ' hand upon his head. Then the lord president said, away with Bost, 
 ' for he is reconciling him. Upon this his judgment was pronounced, 
 f which was, to be hanged, drawn and quartered at Darlington.' 
 
 Upon the day designed for execution, he was brought two miles off 
 the place on foot, and then was put into a cart, where he lay on his 
 back, with his hands and eyes up to heaven, and so was drawn to the 
 gallows. To terrify him the more, they led him by two great tires, 
 the one made for burning his bowels, die other for boiling his quarters ; 
 and withal, four ministers attended him to strive to bring him over to 
 their way of thinking ; but he would not give ear to them, or stay with 
 them, but went presently to the ladder, and there fell down upon his 
 knees, and continued for some time in prayer : then making the sign of 
 the cross, he went up the ladder : and having leave of the sheriff to 
 speak, he said, I renounce all heresy ; and spoke some other words 
 which were not well heard by the people ; with which the sheriff being 
 offended, struck him with his rod, and told him, that if he had no more 
 to say, he should go up further ; for the rope should be put about his 
 neck ; which being done, Mr. SwaUpwell desired, if there were any 
 catholics there, they would say three paters, three aves and the creed for 
 him : and so making the sign of the cross upon himself, he was turned 
 off the ladder. After he had hung awhile, they cut the rope and let him 
 fall ; and the hangman, who was but a boy, drew him along by the 
 rope yet alive, and there dismembered and bow.'.lled him, and cast his
 
 174 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 bowels into the fire. At the taking out of his heart, he lifted up 'hi* 
 left hand to his head, which the hangman laid down again ; and when 
 the heart was cast into the fire, the same hand laid itself over the open 
 body. Then the hangman cut off his head, and held it up saying, be- 
 hold the head of a traitor. His quarters, after they were boiled in the 
 caldron, were buried in the baker's dunghill! 
 
 He suffered at Darlington, vulgo Darnton, July 26, 1594, 
 
 1O6. * Edward Osbaldeston, Priest. 
 
 _L HIS gentleman was of the family of the Osbaldestons of Osbaldeston, 
 in the parish of Blakeburn, in the county palatine of Lancaster. He had 
 his education in Douay college, during its residence at Rhemes. Here 
 he was made priest in 1585 ; and from hence was sent upon the English 
 mission, April 27, 1589. After labouring here some years, he was 
 apprehended by the means of one Clark, a fallen priest at Towlerton in 
 Yorkshire, on the 3Oth of September, 15p4, and committed to York 
 castle. His letter to his fellow prisoners gives an account of his appre- 
 hension, and the dispositions he was then in, and therefore deserves to 
 be here inserted. 
 
 ' I was apprehended at Towlerton by Mr. Thomas Clark, the apostate 
 ' priest, upon St. Hierome's day, at night ; a thing much more to my 
 ' comfort, than at any other time ; for that I had such a special patron to 
 
 * commend myself to, and such a stout champion under Christ ; and, 
 ' besides, it pleased God, much to my comfort, to let this sign of his 
 ' love fall unto me that day above all others ; for that it was God's 
 ' great goodness to call rne to the honour of priesthood ; and that, upon 
 ' St. Hierome's day, I said my first mass, and consecrated the blessed 
 
 * body and blood of my Saviour Jesus Christ, and received him with great 
 ' reverence and devotion, and ever since have honoured St. Hierome. 
 ' And the morning before I came forth, I made my prayer to blessed 
 ' St. Hierome ; and, in his merits, I offered myself a sacrifice to God, 
 1 and recommended myself to him, to direct me to his will and pleasure, 
 ' and that I might walk aright in my vocation, and follow St. Hierome, 
 ' as long as God should see it expedient for his church, and most for 
 ' his honour and glory : and if it pleased him still to preserve me, as he 
 ' had done before, I never would refuse to labour, or murmur at any 
 ' pain or travail ; and if it should please his majesty to suffer me to fall 
 ' into the persecutors' hands, that then : 'it would please his infinite good- 
 ' ness to protect me to the end ; which I have no doubt but he will, 
 f after so many and so great goodnesses and gifts, as he hath bestowed 
 ' on me over all my life, which are without number and inexplicable : 
 ' wherefore my hope and trust is much helped, that now he will be most 
 ' sure unto me, since this is the weightiest matter that I ever was about 
 ' in my life : and so considering this, and infinite others, such like, I 
 ' find great comfort, and fully trust in God's goodness, and distrust only 
 
 * From a Douay manuscript, and a copy of a letter written by Mr. Osbaldeston. 
 which I have in my hand.
 
 ROBERT SOUTHWELL. 175 
 
 ' in myself; but in him that comforteth me, I can do all things. And 
 ' this actual oblation of myself that morning, and this that ensueth, 
 maketh me very comfortable, and bringeth me into many good and 
 ' heavenly cogitations, feeling his strength so much as I have done in 
 ' lesser matters, and further off from him than this is : therefore I no- 
 ' tiling doubt, by his grace, but he will grant me to finish that which 
 ' was for him, and by him, begun ; which I pray God I may worthily 
 f do when his good will and pleasure is, and not before : and that I may 
 ' not wish or desire any thing in this life but what may best please him. 
 ' and honour him, and our blessed lady his mother, and all the couit of 
 ' heaven, the most, and edify the people^ and strengthen them in the 
 ' way to Jesus, the king of bliss. 
 
 ' The manner ' of my apprehension' was thus : Abraham Sayre 
 ' and I came to the inn a little before Mr. Clark, and we all came be- 
 
 * fore night : I knew him not fully ; for I thought he had been in 
 ' the south ; but at supper I looked earnestly at him, and I thought it 
 ' was he, and yet I still persuaded myself that he knew me not, and if 
 ' he should know me, he would do me no harm : which fell out other- 
 
 * wise ; God forgive him for it. For when we were going to bed, he 
 c went and called the curate and constable, and apprehended us, and 
 ' watched us that night, and came with us to York, and stood by when 
 ' I was examined before the council, but said nothing then, that I feared ; 
 ' and he was present afterwards when I was called again ; and since ) 
 ' have been nothing said unto ; what will follow, God knoweth : but I 
 ' will not be partial to myself, but prepare me for death, and what el^e 
 ' may befal unto me. Now I pray you, for God's sake, what you hear 
 
 * or learn let me know ; and what is the best course for me to take in 
 ' all points ; and how my brethren have behaved themselves in this case, 
 
 * that have gone before me ; and, for myself, I yield me wholly to 
 ' obedience to you in that blessed society and number in the castle : and 
 ' desire, in all points, to live in discipline and order, and as the com- 
 ' mon live ; and what I have, or shall have, it shall be in common. 
 ' And therefore I pray you direct me in all things, both for my apparel 
 
 * aid diet, and every tiling j and as my brethren have gone before me, 
 ' so would I follow in the humblest sort.' So far the letter. 
 
 As to other particulars relating to Mr. Osbaldeston, I have found 
 none ; but only that being brought upon his trial, lie was condemned 
 to die, as in cases of high treason, on account of his priestly character 
 and functions j and suffered at York the l6th of November, 15g4. 
 
 107 * Robert Southwell, Priest, S.J.15Q5. 
 
 R 
 
 OBERT Southwell was of a family of good repute, born at St. Faith's, 
 in Norfolk, and was sent over young to Douay, where he was, for some. 
 time, alumnus of the English college, or seminary in that university. 
 
 * From Dr. Champney's manuscript, the bishop of Chalccdon's catalogue, and the 
 bishop of Tarrasona's history of the persecution, 1. 5. c. 6. who has transcribed the 
 account of his martyrdom, from a letter of Father Garnet's, written the 4th of March 
 following j who declares, he had his information from eye witnesses.
 
 i;6 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 From thence he went to Rome, and there was received into the Society 
 of Jesus, when he was but sixteen years of age. Having finished his 
 noviceship, and gone through his course of philosophy and divinity with 
 very great satisfaction of his superiors, he was made prefect ol the studies 
 in the English college of Rome, and took that opportunity of applying 
 himself to the study of his native language, in which he proved no 
 small proficient, as the elegant pieces, both in prose and verse, which 
 he has published in print, abundantly demonstrate. 
 
 In 1584 he was sent upon the English mission, and there laboured 
 with great fruit in the conversion of many souls, and amongst them of 
 several persons of distinction, till the year 15Q2, when he was betrayed 
 and apprehended in a gentleman's house, at Uxenden, in Middlesex, 
 within seven miles of London, and was then committed to a dungeon in 
 the Tower, so noisome and filthy, that when he was brought out at the 
 end of die month, to be examined, his cloaths were quite covered with 
 vermin. Upon this, his father presented a petition to the queen, hum- 
 bly begging, that if his son had committed any thing, for which, by the 
 laws, he had deserved death, he might sutler death ; if not, as he was 
 a gentleman, he hoped her majesty would be pleased to order, that he 
 should be treated as a gentleman, and not be confined any longer to that 
 filthy hole. The queen was pleased to have regard to this petition, and 
 to order Mr. Southwell a better lodging ; and to give leave to his father 
 to supply him with cloaths, and other necessaries ; and, amongst die 
 rest, with the books which he asked for, which were only the holy 
 bible, and die works of St. Bernard. 
 
 He was kept in prison diree years ; and, at ten several times, was 
 most cruelly racked, till, at length, a resolution was taken on a sudden 
 in die council to have him executed. Some days before his execution, 
 he was removed from die Tower to Newgate, and there put down into 
 die hole called Limbo ; from whence he was brought out to suffer, on 
 account of his priesthood, the 2 1 st of February, 15p4-5, having been 
 condemned but die day before. Care was taken not to let die people 
 know before-hand the day he was to die, to hinder their concourse on 
 that occasion ; and a famous highwayman was ordered to be executed 
 at the same time, in anodier place, to divert die crowd from die sight of 
 die last conflict of die servant of Christ : but diese precautions availed 
 nodiing, great numbers, and amongst them, many persons of distinc- 
 tion, flocked to Tyburn, to be witnesses of his glorious martyrdom. 
 Hither Mr. Southwell was drawn on a sled, dirough the streets ; and 
 when he was come to the place, getting up into the cart, he made die 
 sign of the cross in the best manner diat he could, his hands being pinion- 
 ed, and began to speak to the people those words of die apostle, Rom. 
 xiv. Whetlier we live, we live to the Lord, or whether we die, we die 
 to the Lord : therefore, whether u'c live or die, we belong to the Lord. 
 Here the sheriff' would have interrupted him; but he begged leave that 
 he might go on, assuring him, that he would utter nodiing diat should 
 give offence. Then he spoke as follows : ' I am come to this place to 
 ' finish my course, and to pass out of diis miserable life ; and I beg of 
 ' my Lord Jesus Christ, in whose most precious passion and blood I
 
 ROBERT SOUTHWELL. 177 
 
 * place my hope of salvation, that he would have mercy on my soul. I 
 ' confess I am a catholic priest of the holy Roman church, and a religious 
 ' man of the Society of Jesus ; on which account I owe eternal thanks 
 f and praises to my God and Saviour.' Here he was interrupted by a 
 minister telling him, that if lie understood what he h:id said in the sense 
 of the council of Trent, it was damnable doctrine. But the minister was 
 silenced by the slanders by, and Air. Southwell went on, saying, ' sir> 
 ' I beg of you not to be troublesome to me for this short time that I have 
 f to live : I am a catholic, and in whatever manner you may please to 
 ( interpret my words, I hope for salvation by the merits of our Lord 
 ' Jesus Christ. And as to the queen, I never attempted, nor contrived, 
 ' or imagined any evil against her ; but have always prayed for her to 
 ' our Lord ; and for this short time of my life still pray, that, in his in- 
 ' finite mercy, he would be pleased to give her all such gifts and graces, 
 ' which he sees, in his divine wisdom, to be most expedient for the wel- 
 ' fare, both of her soul and body, in this life and in the next. I re- 
 ' commend, in like manner, to the same mercy of God, my poor 
 ' country, and I implore the divine bounty to favour it with his light, 
 ' and the knowledge of his truth, to the greater advancement of the 
 ' salvation of souls, and the eternal glory of his divine Majesty. In fine, 
 ' I beg of the Almighty and everlasting God, that this, my death, may 
 ' be for my own and for my country's good, and the comfort of thf- 
 ' catholics my brethren.' 
 
 Having finished these words, and looking for the cart to be imme* 
 diately drove away, he again blessed himself, and, with his eyes raised 
 up to heaven, repeated, with great calmness of mind and countenance, 
 those words of the psalmist, in manus luas, &c. Into thy hands, O 
 Lord, I commend ?ny spirit, with other short ejaculations, till the cart 
 was drawn oft". The unskilful hangman had not applied the noose of the 
 rope to the proper place, so that he several times made the sign of the 
 cross whilst he was hanging, and was some time before he was strangled ; 
 which some perceiving, drew him by the legs to put an end to his pain : 
 and when the executioner was for cutting the rope, before he was dead, 
 the gentlemen and people that were present cried out three several times, 
 hold, hold : for the behaviour of the servant of God was so edifying in 
 these his last moments, that even the protestants, who were present at 
 the execution, were much affected with the sight. After he was dead, 
 he was cut down, bowelled and quartered. 
 
 Two Letters of Father Southwell, written It "fore hiy apprehension, to a 
 friend of his at Rome. Translated from the l-ishop of Tarrasontif 
 history, p. (J4/. 
 
 THE FIRST LETTER. 
 
 1 . ' As yet we are alive and well, being unworthy, it seems, of prisons. 
 ' We have oftener sent, than received, letters from your parts, though 
 * they are not sent without difficulty ; and some, we know, have been 
 < lost. 
 
 2 ' The condition of catholic recusants here, is the same as uiil.
 
 -178 MEMOIRS, &c 
 
 deplorable and full of fears and dangers, more especially since our ad- 
 ' \ersaries have looked for wars. As many of ours as are in chains, 
 ' rejoice, and are comforted in their prisons ; and they that are at liberty 
 ' set not their hearts upon it, nor expect it to be of long continuance. 
 ' AH, by the great goodness and mercy of God, arm themselves to suffer 
 ' any thing that can come, how hard soever it may be, as it shall please 
 ' our Lord 5 for whose greater glory, and the salvation of their souls, 
 ' they are more concerned than for any temporal losses. 
 
 3. ' A little while ago, they apprehended two priests, who have 
 ' suffered such cruel usages in the prison of Bridewell, as can scarce be 
 
 believed. "What was given them to eat, was so little in quantity, and 
 ' withal, so filthy and nauseous, that the very sight of it was enough to 
 ' turn their stomachs. The labours to which they obliged them, were 
 ' "continual and immoderate ; and no less in sickness than in health r 
 ' for, with hard blows and stripes, they forced them to accomplish their. 
 ' task, how weak soever they were. Their beds were dirty straw, and 
 ( their prison most filthy. 
 
 4. ' Some are there hung up, tor whole days, by the hands, in such 
 ' manner that they can but just touch the ground with the tips of their 
 ' toes. In fine, they that are kept in that prison, truly live in lacu 
 ' rniser'ue & in lutofiecis, psalm xxxix. This purgatory we are looking 
 ' for every hour, in which Topliffe and Young, the two executioners of 
 ' the catholics, exercise all kinds of torments. But come what.pleaseth 
 
 * God, we hope we shall be able to bear all in him that strengthens us. 
 ' In the mean time \\ r t pray, that they may l-e put to confusion who work 
 ' iniquity : and that tlie Lord may apeak peace to his people, psalm xxiv 
 ' and Ixxxiv. that, as the royal prophet says, ///> glory may dwell in our 
 ' land. I most humbly recommend myself to the holy sacrifices of your 
 ' reverence, and of all our friends, January 16, 
 
 THE SECOND LETTER. 
 
 1 . ' We have written many letters, but, it seems, few have come 
 ' to your hands. Wei s,ail in the midst of these stormy waves, with no 
 ' small danger ; from which, nevertheless, it has pleased our Lord 
 ' hitherto to deliver us. 
 
 2. ' We have altogether, with much comfort, renewed the vows of 
 f the society, according to our custom, spending some days in exhorta- 
 ' tions and spiritual conferences. Aperttrmus ora, (y attraxinna sptritum, 
 f It seems to me that I see the beginnings of a religious life set on foot in 
 t England, of which we now sow the seeds with tears, that others 
 * hereafter may, with joy, carry in the sheaves to the heavenly gra- 
 
 nares. 
 
 3. ' We have snng the canticles of I he Lord in a strange land, and, 
 ' in this desert, we have sucked honey from the rock, and oil from the 
 ;' hard stone. But these our joys ended in sorrow, and sudden fears dis- 
 ' persed us into different places : but, in fine, we were more afraid than 
 ' hurt, for we all escaped. I, with another of ours, seeking to avoid 
 ' S<?)l!a, had like to have fallen into Charybdis ; but, by the mercy of
 
 ROBERT SOUTHWELL. 179 
 
 * God, we passed betvvixt them both, without being shipwrecked, and 
 ' are now sailing in a safe harbour. 
 
 4. ' In another of mine, I gave an account of the late martyrdoms 
 ' of Mr. Bayles and of Mr. Horner, and of the edification which the 
 f people received from their holy ends. With such de\vs as these the 
 ' church is watered, ut in stiUicidiis hujusmodi ItvMur gerwinans, psalm 
 ' Ixiv. We also look for the time (if we are not unworthy of so great 
 
 * a glory) when our day (like that of the hired servant) shall come. - 
 
 * In the mean while I recommend myself very much to your reverence's 
 ' prayers, that the father of lights may enlighten us, and confirm us 
 
 * with his principal spirit. Given March 8, 15QO." 
 
 An account of Father Southwells trial, from a Latin manuscript kept in 
 
 the archiei'fs of the English college at St. Omers. 
 After father Southwell had been kept close prisoner for three years 
 in the Tower, he sent an epistle to Cecil, lord treasurer, humbly en- 
 treating his lordship, that he might either be brought upon his trial, to 
 answer for himself, or at least, that his friends might have leave to come 
 and see him. The treasurer answered, that if he n-as in so much haste 
 to le hanged, he should quickly have his desire. Shortly after this, 
 orders were given, that he should be removed from die Tower to Ncw- 
 
 fate ; where he was put down into the dungeon called Limbo, and there 
 ept for three days. 
 
 On the 22d of February, without any previous warning to prepare 
 for his trial, he was taken out of his dark lodging and hurried to West- 
 minster, to hold up his hand there at the bar. The first news of this 
 step towards his martyrdom, filled his heart with a joy which he could not 
 conceal. The judges before whom he was to appear, were, lord chief 
 justice Popham, justice Owen, baron Evans, and Sergeant Daniel. As 
 soon as father Southwell was brought in, the lord chief justice made a 
 long and vehement speech against the Jesuits and seminary priestsi as 
 the authors and contrivers of all the plots and treasons which he pre- 
 tended had been hatched during that reign. Then was read the bill of 
 indictment against father Southwell, drawn up by Cook, the queen's 
 solicitor, to this effect : 
 
 Mid&etex. 
 
 ' The jury present on the part of our sovereign ladv the queen, that 
 ' Robert Southwell, late of London, clerk, born within this kingdom of 
 ' England ; to wit, since the feast of St. John Baptist, in the first year 
 ' of the reign of her majesty ; and before the first day of May, in the 
 ' thirty second year of the reign of our lady the queen aforesaid, made 
 ' and ordained priest by authority derived and pretended from the see of 
 ' Rome, not having the fear of God before his eyes, and slighting the 
 ' laws and statutes of this realm of England, without anv regard to the 
 ' penalty therein contained, on the 20th day of June, the thirtv-fourth 
 ' year of the reign of our lady the queen, at LTxenden, in the county of 
 ' Middlesex, traiterously, and as a false traitor to our said lady the queen, 
 ' was and remained, contrary to the form of the statute in such ca^e sf t 
 ' forth and provided, and contrary to the peace of our said Iruiy th? 
 ' <jueen, her crown and dignities.'
 
 180 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 '' The grand jury having found the bill, father Southwell was orderefl 
 to come up to the bar : he readily obeyed, and bowing down his head, 
 made a low reverence to his judges ; then modestly held up his hand 
 according to custom j and being asked, whether he was guilty or not 
 guilty ? he answered, I confess that I was born in England, a sitbject 
 to the queen's majesty ; and that by authority derived from God, I have 
 been promoted to the sacred order of priesthood in the Roman church j 
 for which I return most hearty thanks to his divine Majesty. I confess, 
 also, that I was at Uxenden, in Middlesex, at that time ; when, being 
 sent for thither by trick and deceit, I fell into your hands, as it is well 
 known : but that I never entertained any designs or plots against the 
 queen or kingdom, I call God to witness, the revenger of perjury j 
 neither had I any other design in returning home to my native country, 
 than to administer the sacraments, according to the rite of the catholic 
 church, to such as desired them. 
 
 Here the judge interrupted him, and told him, that lie was to let all 
 that alone, and plead directly guilty or not guilty. Upon which he said, 
 he was not guilty of any treason ivhatsoever. And being asked by whom 
 he would be tried ? he said, ly God and ly you. The judge told him 
 he was to answer, by God and his country ; which, at first, he re- 
 fused, alledging, that the laws of his country were disagreeable to the 
 law of Qod 5 and that he was unwilling those poor harmless men of the 
 jury, whom they obliged to represent the country, should have any 
 share in their guilt, or any hand in his death. But, said he, if through 
 your iniquity it must be so/and I cannot help it, be it as you will, I am 
 ready to be judged by God and my country. When the twelve were to 
 be sworn, he challenged none of them, saying, that they were all 
 equally strangers to him, and therefore charity did not allow him to ex- 
 cept against any one of them mqre than another. 
 
 The jury being sworn, Mr. Cook began to prove the heads of the 
 indictment, that Mr. Southwell was an Englishman and a priest, by his 
 own confession ; and thai his being so young was a demonstration that 
 he was made priest since the time mentioned in the statute, &c. The 
 judge asked him how old he was ? he replied, that he was about the 
 same age as our Saviour, viz. 33. Topliffe, who was present, took 
 occasion from this answe^ to charge him with insupportable pride, in 
 comparing himself to our Saviour. But father Southwell refuted the 
 calumny, confessing himself to be a worm of the earth, and the work 
 and creature of Christ his maker. In fine, after Mr. Cook had de- 
 claimed, as long as he thought fit, against the servant of Christ, and 
 Topliffe and lord chief justice Popiiam had loaded him with reproaches 
 and injuries, to which father Southwell opposed a Christian constancy 
 and inodesty, the jury went aside to consult about the verdict, and, a, 
 short tin-e after, brought him in guilty. He was asked if he had any 
 tiling more to say for himself, why sentence should not be pronounced 
 against him r he ?;rid, nothing; but from my heart 1 l-cg nf Almighty 
 God to forgive all who hare I ecu any u'uys aac.^tiri/ t-j nnj dt-atk. The 
 judge, " Popham," exhorted him to provide for the welfare of his soul, 
 v.-hilst he had tune. He thanked him for this shew of
 
 ALEXANDER RAWLINS. 18* 
 
 eaying, tliat he had long since provided for that, and was conscious to 
 himself of his own innocence. The judge having pronounced sentence 
 according to the usual form, father Southwell made a very low bow, 
 returning him most hearty thanks, as for an unspeakable favour. The 
 judge offered him the help of a minister to prepare him to die. Father 
 Southwell desired he would not trouble him upon that head ; that the 
 grace of God would be more than sufficient for him. And so, being 
 sent back to Newgate, through the streets, lined with people, he dis- 
 covered, all die way, the overflowing joy of his heart, in his eyes, in 
 his whole countenance, and in every gesture and motion of his body. 
 He was again put down into Limbo, at his return to New gate, where 
 he spent the following night, the last of his life, in prayer, full of the 
 thoughts of the journey he was to take the next day, tlirough the gate 
 .of martyrdom, into a happy eternity ; to enjoy for ever the sovereign 
 object of his love. The next morning early, he was called to the com* 
 bat, and, as we have seen above, gained a glorious victory. 
 
 Mr. Southwell's execution is mentioned by Mr. Stow, in his 
 chronicle ; ' February 2O, " 1594-5," says the historian, Southwell, 
 ' a Jesuit, that long time had lain prisoner in the Tower of London, was 
 ' arraigned at the King's-bench bar. He was condemned, and on the 
 ' next morning drawn from Newgate to Tyburn, and there hanged, 
 1 bowelled and quartered.' 
 
 108. * Alexander Raiding, Priest. 
 
 JVlR. Rawlins, or ilawling, was a gentleman by birth, born in the 
 confines of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, and brought up for some 
 time in Oxford, as I conjecture from bishop Yepcz, who, by a mistake, 
 supposes him to have been a native of that city. Going abroad, he was 
 received an alumnus in the English college then residing at Rhemes j 
 and from thence was presented to holy orders, and ordained priest at 
 Soissons, the 18th of March, IfiQO, at the same time with Mr. Genings, 
 and with him was sent upon the English ir.is.sion, the ()th of April fol- 
 lowing. He laboured for some years in those perillous times, keeping 
 himself out of the hands of the persecutors till God was pleased to re- 
 ward his labours with the crown of martyrdom. He was apprehended 
 somewliere in Yorkshire, about the time that father Walpole was sent 
 back from London to York to take hi* trial. And it was resolved that 
 they should sutler together. 
 
 When Mr. Rawlins was brought to the bar, and asked, according to 
 custom, ly u-l-nm he u'ould /v tried: 7 he boggled at the usual answer, 
 I- if God and my cuiintri/ where, by the name of the country, are 
 meant the twelve mm of' the jury, declaring, that he looked upon them 
 as no ways qualified, being ignorant lavmen, to judge in his case ; and 
 that he was unwilling that his blood should lay at llieir doors : let the 
 judges, " Beaumont, Hiliard and Elvin," who knew better, take it 
 
 * From the Douny diary, the bishop of Chakedou's catalogue, and bishop Yepcr^ 
 1. 5, c. y. sect. 9 and 10.
 
 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 npon their own consciences. This exception put the judges to some 
 stand, who adjourned the cause to the afternoon ; but then proceeded to 
 his condemr_ation. He was sentenced to die merely for being a seminary 
 prk'-t ordained by the authority of the bishop of Rome, and for return- 
 ing into England to exercise his priestly functions, and pervert, as they 
 called it, her majesty's subjects. He received the sentence with unspeak- 
 able joy, which was pronounced upon him in the usual form on Saturday 
 the 5th of April, and prepared himself that night, and the following day, 
 to die on the Monday. 
 
 On which day, being the 7th of April, 15Q5, he was brought out to 
 the hurdle, on which he and father Walpole were to be drawn to the 
 place of execution without the city of York, and laid himself down on 
 the left side of the hurdle, saying, that lie left the more honourable place 
 for his betters ; and here he waited for two whole hours before his fellow 
 confessor was brought out to him, spending his time in prayer to God, 
 and in speaking things of edification to the people. He was overjoyed 
 to see him come, for the delay had given him some pain. They ten- 
 derly embraced each other ; but, to prevent as much as could be their 
 pious communications, father Walpole was ordered to lie down with his 
 head towards the horse's tail, by the feet of Mr. Rawlins. When they 
 were arrived at-the gallows, Mr. Rawlins was first ordered up the ladder, 
 who chearfully obeyed, and kissed first the gallows, then the ladder, 
 and afterwards die rope, as the happy instruments which were to send 
 him to heaven. He was not allowed to speak in a manner at all, but 
 was quickly turned off, having the sweet name of Jesus in his mouth, 
 and so happily finished his course; father Walpole being ordered to look 
 on whilst the butchery was performed, in hopes of his being terrified by 
 that scene of barbarity. 
 
 He suffered at York, April 7, 1595. 
 
 H, 
 
 10Q. * Henry Walpole, Priest, S. J. 
 
 L EKRY Walpole was born of pious and catholic parents of an antient 
 family in Norfolk, and was the eldest of many sons, with whom God 
 had blessed them. He was educated partly in Oxford and partly in. 
 Cambridge, and then was sent up to London by his father, to apply 
 himself to the study of the laws, and took chambers in Gray's-inn for 
 that purpose. In the mean time he was a great reader of books of con- 
 troversy, by which he was not only confirmed in his religion, but was 
 also enabled to maintain it against all opponents, and even to gain many 
 proselytes to it ; to which the sweetness and agreeableness of his temper 
 did not a little contribute. In fine, having by this means incurred the 
 displeasure of the government, and being withal desirous to consecrate 
 himself more closely to the service of God, and of his neighbours, he 
 wt-nt abroad to the college then residipg at Rhemes, the common refuge 
 of those who left England for their religion. Here he arrived on the 7th 
 
 * From his lite, published by the bishop of Tarrasona, in his history of the perse* 
 cut-on, 1. o. c. 9. and from the Douay diary.
 
 HENRY WALPOLE. 183 
 
 of July, 1582, as appears by the Douay journal, where, at his first 
 coming, he has this elogium, 7 W die July ex Anglia ad nos venlt D. 
 Hcnricus Walpole inr discretits, gravis & plus. On the 7th of July Mr. 
 Henry Walpole came to us out of England, a discreet, grave and pious 
 man. Here he remained till the following year, when, with four others, 
 he was sent to the college of Rome ; where, not long after (viz. anno 
 1584) he entered into the Society of Jesus. Three of his brothers, some 
 time after, followed his example ; and a fourth going abroad, also to 
 secure his conscience, became an officer in the Spanish service, in die 
 Netherlands. 
 
 After some years spent in Italy, that climate not agreeing with 
 father Walpole's health, he was sent by his superiors to Pont a Mousson, 
 in Lorrain ; and from thence into Flanders ; where, travelling on foot, 
 he fell into the hands of a party of die Calvinists, then in arms against 
 the king of Spain ; and was by diem carried into Fleshing, in Zealand, 
 where he suffered much in prison for the space of a whole year. At 
 the end of which time, one of his brothers procured his liberty. But 
 his suffering on this occasion, so far from diminishing his courage, 
 served only as a fresh spur to excite in him a new and more ardent de- 
 sire of being sent over into England, for the conversion of souls ; a hap- 
 piness after which he had long aspired, hoping here to meet with the 
 crown of martyrdom. But his superiors would not as yet consent to 
 this proposition ; ,but sent him into Spain, where two English semina- 
 ries had been lately established, die one at Seville, the other at Valla- 
 dolid. He was for some time in both diese houses, but longer in the 
 latter, where he had the charge of minister,, or vice rector. From 
 hence he was sent back again into Flanders, with a commission of the 
 king of Spain to die council there, in favour of anodier seminary, for 
 training up English youths in piety and learning, late erected at St. 
 Omers. 
 
 At length, having happily discharged his commission, he had leave 
 from his superiors to go upon the English mission. He landed at Flam- 
 borough Head, in Yorkshire, being set ashore in the night, the 4th of 
 December, 153 ; but had not been above twenty-four hours at land, 
 before he was apprehended, widi his two companions, in a place called 
 Killam, and diree days after was carried prisoner to York. He was 
 examined by the earl of Huntington, then lord president of the north, 
 and by die council ; and freely owned himself to be what he was : upon 
 which he was committed close prisoner to York jail, till the 25th of 
 February following, when he was, by orders from the privy council, 
 sent for up to London, and there committed to the Tower, where he 
 remained for the space of a year ; where/ besides other hardships, lie 
 suffered the torture, according to the custom of that arbitrary reign, 
 no less than fourteen times, as he himself declared a little before his 
 death. 
 
 The various examinations that he underwent, and his answers, the 
 conferences that he had with the protestant ministers, the letters he 
 wrote, the particulars of his trial, the endeavours that were used to bring 
 him to a conformity to the religion by law established, and the con-
 
 184 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 constancy with which he refused to be rescued out of prison, by some 
 friends that would have attempted it, are set down at large by the bishop 
 of Tarrasona, in twenty leaves in quarto, but are too long to be inserted 
 in these memoirs. The conclusion was, that having been sent back to 
 York, to take his trial, he was there sentenced to die, as in cases of 
 high treason, on account of his priesthood. He was brought in guilty 
 by his jury, on Thursday the third of April, and received sentence on 
 the Saturday following, and was ordered to prepare himself to die on die 
 Monday, the 7th of the same month. He received the sentence with 
 alacrity and thanksgiving, and was visited by many during the time 
 which was allowed him to prepare for death, who were astonished to 
 see the joy and comfort with which he looked for that happy hour. On 
 the Monday morning he was drawn, as we have seen, to the place of 
 execution, with Mr. Alexander Rawlins, who was appointed to suffer 
 first; and when Mr. Rawlins was in quartering, they shewed him to 
 father Walpole, bidding him to be more wise than to follow his exam- 
 ple j and offering him his life, if he would conform ; which offer he 
 generously rejecting, went up the ladder ; and there, being asked what 
 he thought of the queen's spiritual supremacy ? freely declared against it. 
 They told him this was treason ; yet they hoped lie would die in peace, 
 and join in prayer with them : he answered, that, by the grace of God, 
 he was in peace with all the world, and prayed God for all, particularly 
 for those that were the cause of his death j but as they were not of his 
 religion, he ought not to join in prayer with them ; yet he heartily 
 prayed for them, that God would enlighten them with his truth, bring 
 them back to his church, and dispose them for his mercy. Then begging 
 the prayers of all catholics, he lifted up his hands 'and eyes to heaven, 
 and recited aloud the Lord's prayer, and after it began the angelical sa- 
 lutation ; which the persecutors had not the patience to hear, and there- 
 fore turned him off the ladder, and quickly cut the rope : and so dis- 
 membered, bowelled and quartered him : a spectacle which drew tears 
 from the eyes of a great part of the beholders, and served not a little to 
 advance the glory of God, and the propagation of his church, in those 
 northern parts of the kingdom. 
 
 Father Walpole was executed at York, the 7th of April, 1595. The 
 earl of Huntington, the great persecutor of the northern catholics, did 
 not survive the year. Bishop Yepez relates, in his history of the perse- 
 cution, 1. 2. c. (). numb. 4. that lie died in great anguish of mind, 
 calling often for his brother, the honourable Walter Hastings, who was 
 a cathdlic, and expressing a most anxious desire of seeing him : but 
 whatever his motive might be for desiring to see his brother, he died 
 without seeing him, in all appearance, in the same state in which he 
 lived. 
 A copy of <i letter of Futht-r Jf'alpole, after his apprehension, to Father 
 
 Richard, a missiuncr of the tucit-ty in Yorkshire, J rum a manuscript 
 
 at St. Omen. 
 
 ' Although your reverence has subscribed no name to your letter, 
 
 * I plainly understand it is from a friend, and from a fellow-soldier j 
 
 * which gives me a very great comfort. I should be overjoyed if I could
 
 HENRY WALPOLE. 16 
 
 ,-*" confer with your reverence by word of mouth, about certain concerns 
 
 * of mine. In the mean time, most dear father, I recommend myself 
 ' to your holy prayers, and those of the rest of our brethren and friends 
 ' in Christ Jesus our Lord. I know not as yet what will become of 
 
 * me ; but whatever shall happen, by the grace of God, it shall be wel- 
 
 * come : for in every place, north or south, east or west, he is at hand ; 
 ' and the wings of his protection and government, are stretched forth to 
 
 * every place where they are who truly serve and worship him, and study 
 ' to promote the glory and honour of his most holy and most precious 
 ' name. I trust that he will be glorified in me, whether in life or 
 ' death ; qui c<epit perficiet : mild vivere Christ us est & mori lucrum. 
 ' Some come to dispute with me, but with clamours and empty words, 
 
 * more than with solid arguments. I cannot go on, cusios aclcst. I 
 
 * recommend your reverence to our guardian angel, and to the whole 
 ' court of heaven, and (above all) to our Lord Jesus Christ. Mementp 
 
 * mei.' 
 
 Another Letter of Father IValpole to the same, after his examination Inj 
 
 Topliffe. 
 
 * Your reverence's letters give me great comfort : but if I could but 
 ' see you, though it were but for one hour, it would be of greater service 
 ' to me, than I can possibly express. I hope that what is wanting, my 
 ' sweet Lord Jesus will supply by other means, whose heavenly comfort 
 ' and assistance has always hitherto stood by me in my greatest necessi- 
 ' ties, and, I am persuaded, will continue so to do, since his love for us 
 
 * is everlasting- 
 
 ' If I would write down all things that have here passed with our ad- 
 f versaries, it would be endless, and the work of a long time. In my 
 ' examination I gave in in writing a long account of my life beyond the 
 
 * seas, of the places where I lived, and of my actions and designs j 
 ' which, I assured them, had no other butt than the only glory of God, 
 ' and the increase of the holy catholic faith. With which view I told 
 ' them, I returned into England, with a very great desire of the con- 
 ' version, not only of the people, but most of all, of the queen herself, 
 
 * and of the whole English nobility ; which I plainly assured them, I 
 ' should ever use my best endeavours to bring about, with the grace of 
 ' God. 
 
 ' To their queries concerning others, I refused to answer. And 
 *" when Topliffe threatened that he would make me answer when he had 
 ' me in Bridewell, or in the Tower, I told him, that our Lord God, J 
 
 * hoped, would never permit me, for fear of any torments whatsoever, 
 
 * to do any thing against his divine Majesty, or against my own con- 
 ' science, or to the prejudice of justice, and the innocence of others, 
 
 ( I have had various conferences and disputations with many of the 
 ' heretics. And whereas I believed I should have been tried at the last 
 ' assizes in this city, " York," I sent in writing to the lord president, 
 ' all those conferences and disputations ; who had ordered me pen, ink 
 ' and paper for that purpose. To which I joined a large discourse, or
 
 186 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 .' treatise ; in which I exhorted all to beware of false prop lie ts, and to 
 f give ear to the voice of the holy church, the spouse of the king, the 
 f house, the vineyard, and the city of Christ. One of the ministers 
 ' complained of me much to the president, for being so bold as to put 
 
 * down such things in writing : but he could not refute what was 
 ' written : and, indeed, they seem to me to be much confounded. 
 ' Blessed be Jesus, qul dot os insipienti, cui non possunt resistere sapi- 
 ' entes. I want very much to have a book or two tor a few hours ; but 
 ' if I cannot have them, Jesus, our God and Lord, is at hand ; and he 
 ' is the eternal wisdom. Your reverence will be pleased to pray to him 
 ' that he may always stand by me, and that all things may turn out to 
 
 * his glory. 
 
 ' I am much astonished that so vile a creature as I am should be so 
 ' near, as they tell me, to the crown of martyrdom : but this I know 
 e for certain, that the blood of my most blessed Saviour and Redeemer, 
 ' and his most sweet love, is able to make me worthy of it, omnia pos- 
 ' sum in eo qui me comfortat. Your reverence, most loving father, is 
 ' engaged in the midst of the battle. I sit here an idle spectator of the 
 ' field j yet king David has appointed an equal portion for us both ; and 
 ' love, charity and union, which unites us together in Jesus Christ our 
 ' Lord, makes us mutually partakers of one anothers merits : and what 
 ' can be more closely united than we two, who, as your reverence sees, 
 ( simul segregati sumus in hoc ministerium. 
 
 ' The president inquired of me who was the superior of .our society 
 ' in this kingdom ? whether it was this, or the other, or who it was ? 
 
 * Topliffe answered, he knew who it was, and named him . I beg your 
 ' reverence would communicate this letter to all our friends : I desire to 
 ' give myself to every one of them ; and more particularly to all our most 
 ' dear fathers and brothers of the society of Christ my Jesus, in 
 ' whose prayers, labours and sacrifices, as I have a share, so have I a 
 ' great confidence. About Midlent I hope my lot will be decided, 
 
 * either for life or death ; for then the assizes will be held here again. 
 ' In the mean while I have leisure to prepare myself, and expect, with 
 ' good courage, whatever his divine Majesty shall be pleased to appoint 
 
 * for me. I beg your reverence to join your holy prayers with my poor 
 ' ones, that I may walk worthy of that high and holy name and pro- 
 
 * fession to which I am called ; which I trust in the mercy of our Lord 
 ' he will grant me, not regarding so much my many imperfections, as 
 
 * the fervent labours, prayers and holy sacrifices of so many fathers, and 
 
 * my brothers his servants, who are employed over all the world in his 
 ' service : and I hope, through the merits of my most swee{ Saviour and 
 
 * Lord, that I shall be always ready, whether living or dying, to glorify 
 ' him, which will be for my eternal happiness. And if my uu worth i- 
 ' ness and demerits shall keep me at present at a distance from the 
 ' crown, I will strive to deserve it by a greater solicitude and diligence 
 ' for the future. And, if in his mercy, our Lord shall grant me now to 
 ' wash my garments in the blood of the Lamb, I hope to follow him for 
 ' ever, cloathed in white. 
 
 ' I can never end when I get any time to write to your reverence,.
 
 HENRY WALPOLE. 18? 
 
 * which I have been seldom able to do j and whether, as long as I live, 
 ' I shall ever have another opportunity, I know not. I confessed in my 
 ' examinations, that I had laboured for the encrease of the two semina- 
 ' ries in Spain, and for that of St. Omers ; and that I had returned 
 ' hearty thanks to his catholic majesty for his great favours to the semi- 
 ' nary of St. Omers : I also confessed, that all my actions had always 
 ' in view the good of others, and no one's harm ; the procuring peace 
 ' among all, and the propagating our holy catholic faith, and the king- 
 ' dom of Christ, to the utmost of my power. This was the sum of my 
 ' general confession, which I gave in writing, signed by my own hand, 
 
 * to the president and to Topliffe. They ask'd me, what I would do if 
 ' the pope should wage war against England ? I answered, that the 
 f circumstances of that time would give me more light j and that I 
 ' should then have recourse to our Lord God for counsel, and would think 
 ' seriously on it before I would any ways intermeddle with tilings of 
 ' war. Hcec & hujusmodi, de quilus postea. May Jesus be always 
 ' with your reverence. Oremus pro invicem.' 
 
 An extract of a letter of father Henry Garnet's, superior of the EnglisJt, 
 Jesuits, concerning father Walpoles treatment in the Tower, and his 
 return to York ; written October 23, 15Q5, translated from the 
 lishop of Tarrasonas history, p. 6Q5, 696. 
 
 ' Blessed father "Walpole met in the Tower of London with the 
 ' greatest misery and poverty, so that the lieutenant himself, tho' other- 
 
 * wise a hard-hearted and barbarous man, was moved to enquire after 
 ' some of the father's relations, and told them, that he was in great and 
 ( extraordinary want, without bed, without cloaths, without any thing 
 ' to cover him, and that, at a season, when the cold was most sharp 
 ' and piercing ; so that himself, tho' an enemy, out of pure compassion, 
 ' had given him a little straw to sleep on. Besides this, the father 
 ' himself, in public court, upon occasion of answering some question 
 ' that was put to him, declared, that lie had been tortured fourteen times : 
 ' and it is very well known how cruel any one of those tortures is, 
 ' which are now in use. For it is a common thing to hang them up in 
 ' the air six or seven hours by the hands ; and, by the means of certain 
 ' irons, which hold their hands last, and cut them, they shed much 
 ' blood in the torture. The force of this torment may be gathered from 
 ' what happened last Lent to a laic, called James Atkinson, whom 
 ' they most cruelly tortured in this manner, to oblige him to accuse his 
 ' own master, and other catholics and priests, and kept him so long in 
 ' the torture, that he was, at length, taken away for dead, after many 
 
 * hours suffering : and, in effect, died within two hours. Some time 
 ' after they carried the father back to York, to be there tried at the 
 ' Midlent assizes. In all that journey he never vent into bed, or 
 ' even laid down upon a bed, to rest himself, after the fatigue of the 
 'day; but his sleep was upon the bare ground. When he came to 
 ' York he was put into prison, where he waited many days for the 
 ' judges coming. In the prison he had nothing but one poor matt three 
 
 * feet long ; on which he made his prayer upon his knees for a great 
 ' part of the night ; and when he slept it was upon the ground, leaning
 
 19* MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' upon the same matt. And besides this long prayer in tlie night, which" 
 ' lasted for the greater part of the night, he spent not a litte time in 
 ' making English verses, in which he had a particular talent and grace ; 
 ' for, before he left the kingdom, he had made a poem upon the" 
 ' martyrdom of father Campian, which was so much taken notice of by 
 ' the public, that the author not being known, the gentleman who 
 ' published it was condemned by the council to lose his ears, and to 
 ' pass the remainder of his days in prison, in which, after some years, 
 ' he made a pious end.' So far father Garnet. 
 
 Father Walpole s defence at his trial, from Yepez, p. 702. 
 
 ' I find, my lords, I am accused of two or three tilings. 
 
 1st. ' That I am a priest, ordained by the authority of the see of 
 'Rome. 
 
 2dly. ' That I am a Jesuit, or one of the society of Jesus. 
 
 3dly. ' That I returned to my country to exercise the ordinary acts 
 
 * of these two callings ; which are no other than to gain souls to God. 
 
 ' I will shew, that none of these three things can be treason. Not 
 ' 'the being a priest, which is a dignity and office instituted by our Lord 
 
 * Jesus Christ, and given by him to his apostles, who were priests ; as 
 f were also the holy fathers and doctors of the church, who converted 
 ' and instructed the world : and the first teachers, who brought over 
 ' the English nation to the light of the gospel, were also priests ; so that 
 ' were it not for priests, we should all be heathens ; consequently to 
 ' be a priest can be no treason. 
 
 ' Judge Beamont here spoke ; indeed, said he, the merely being a 
 ' priest, or Jesuit, is no treason ; but what makes you a traitor, is your 
 ' returning into the kingdom against the laws. If to be a priest, said fa- 
 ther Walpole, is no treason, the executing the office, or doing the 
 
 * functions of a priest, can be no treason. But if a priest, said the judge, 
 ' should conspire against the person of his prince, would not this be 
 ' treason ? yes, said father Walpole ; bnt then neither his being a priest, 
 ' nor the following the duties of his calling, would make him a traitor ; 
 ' but the committing of a crime contrary to the duty of a priest ; which 
 
 * is far from being my case. 
 
 * You have been, said Beamont, with the king of Spain, and you 
 ' have treated and conversed with Parsons and Holt, and other rebels 
 ' and traitors to flie kingdom ; and you have returned hither contrary to 
 ' the laws j and therefore you cannot deny your being a traitor. Father 
 ' Walpole replied, to speak or treat with any person whatsoever, out of 
 the kingdom, can make me no traitor, as long as no proof can be 
 ' brought, that the subject about which we treated was treason ; neither 
 ' can the reluming to my native country, be looked upon as treason, 
 
 * since the cause of my return was not to do any evil, either to the queen 
 ' or to the. kingdom. 
 
 ' Our laws appoint, said Beamont, that a priest who returns from 
 
 ' beyond the seas, and does not present himself before a justice, within 
 
 three days, to make the usual submission to the queen's majesty, .in.
 
 HENRY WALPOLE. 180 
 
 *" matters of religion, shail be deemed a traitor. Then I am out of the 
 ' case, said father Walpole, who was apprehended before I had been 
 
 * one whole day on English ground. 
 
 ' Here Beamont being put to a nonplus, judge Elvin asked him, 
 ' if he was ready to make that submission to the queen, in matters of re- 
 ' ligion, which the laws of the kingdom required ? viz. to acknowledge 
 ' her supremacy, and abjure the pope. Father Walpole answered, he did 
 ''not know what laws they had made in England, whilst he was abroad, 
 ' nor what submission these laws required ; but this he very well knew, 
 
 * that no law could oblige any one, that is not agreeable to the law of 
 ' God ; and that the submission that is to be paid to earthly princes, 
 
 * must always be subordinate to that submission which we owe to the 
 f great King of heaven and earth. Then he added, you, my lords, sit 
 ' here at present in judgment as men, and judge as such, being subject 
 ' to error and passion ; but know for certain, that there is a sovereign 
 f judge, who will judge righteously ; whom in all things we must obey 
 f in the first place ; and then our lawful princes, in such things as are 
 < lawful, and no further. 
 
 ' Here the lord president spoke, we deal very favourably with you, 
 ' Mr. Walpole, said he, when, notwithstanding all these treasons and coti- 
 ' spiracies with the persons aforesaid, we offer you the benefit of the law 
 ' if you will but make the submission ordered by the law j which, if you 
 
 * will not accept of, it is proper you should be punished according to the 
 ' law. Father Walpole replied, there is nothing, my lord, in which I 
 ' would not most willingly submit myself, provided it be not against 
 ' God : but may his divine Majesty never suffer me to consent to tlie 
 ' least tiling, by which he may be dishonoured, nor you to desire it of 
 ' me. As to the queen, I every day pray for her to our Lord God, that 
 ' he would bless her with his holy spirit, and give her his grace to do 
 
 * her duty in all things in this world, to the end that she may enjoy eter- 
 ' nal glory in the world to come : and God is my witness, that to all 
 ' here present, and particularly to my accusers, and such as desire my 
 ' death, I wish as to myself the salvation of their souls, and that, to 
 ' this end, they may live ia the true catholic faith, the only way to eter- 
 
 * nal happiness.' 
 
 The court apprehending the impression the confessor's words mighr 
 make upon the people (who, by this time, could not but perceive that 
 this noise about treason was but a pretence ; and that a submission to the 
 queen's religion was all that was insisted upon) thought fit to put an end 
 to the trial ; so the judges summed up the evidence against the prisoner, 
 which was no other than his own confession, viz. ' that he was a priest 
 and a Jesuit ; that he had been with the king of Spain j that he had 
 treated with father Parsons and father Holt, and others whom they 
 called fugitives, rebels and traitors ; and that he had returned into 
 England to convert his country, that is, as they interpreted it, to 
 seduce her majesty's subjects from the religion by law established, 
 and to reconcile them to the see of Rome.' Then the jury were di- 
 rected to find him guilty of the indictment. To whom, as they were 
 going out,- father Walpole addreased himself in these words, ' gentlemen
 
 igO MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 of the jury, I confess most willingly, that I am a priest, and that I am 
 
 * of the company of Jesus, or a Jesuit ; and that I came over in order to 
 ' convert my country to the catholic faith, and to invite sinners to re- 
 ' pentance. All this I will never deny : this is the duty of my calling. 
 ' If you find any thing else in me, that is not agreeable to my profession, 
 ' shew me no favour. In the mean time act according to your consciences 
 ' and remember you must give an account to God.' 
 
 The jury went out, but returned again quickly, and brought in their 
 verdict guilty ; which father Walpole hearing, shewed great content and 
 joy, and returned most hearty thanks to the divine majesty. This passed 
 on Thursday ; but the sentence was not pronounced till the Saturday 
 fol|o/* r ing : which was executed, as we have seen, on the Monday. 
 
 M. 
 
 110. * William Freeman, Priest. 
 
 . Freeman, who was sometime known by the name of Mason, 
 was born in Yorkshire, and performed his studies in Douay college, 
 during its residence at Rhemes. Here he was ordained priest in 1587 > 
 and from hence he was sent upon the English mission in the beginning of 
 1559. The particulars of his missionary labours I have not been able 
 to learn, nor could I any where meet with the account of his life and 
 martyrdom quoted by the bishop of Chalcedon to his catalogue. Dr. 
 Champney, who, in all probability, had seen it, relates that Mr. Free- 
 man having intelligence that a neighbouring justice of peace had a design 
 to make a strict inquisition after priests in that neighbourhood, to with- 
 draw himself further from the danger, went into another county. But as 
 God would have it, he met the danger he sought to fly, and was there 
 taken up upon suspicion, and committed to prison ; and afterwards pro- 
 secuted and condemned, on account of his priesthood, at the instance 
 chiefly of the archbishop of Canterbury-, Whitgift. When he heard the 
 sentence pronounced against him, he sung Te Deum, -fcfc. When he 
 was drawn to the place of execution, he carried a crucifix on his breast, 
 protesting aloud, that if he had many lives, he would most willingly lay 
 them down for the sake of him who had teen pleased to die upon a cross 
 for his redemption. When he came to the place of execution, where 
 some others, for divers crimes, were also appointed to die that day, he 
 petitioned that be might be the first to go up the ladder : but this was 
 refused, the sheriff being in hopes that the sight of their death might 
 terrify him, and bring him to a compliance, hi which case his life was to 
 be saved : but this sight, as he declared, had a contrary effect upon him, 
 and only served to give him a more ardent desire of dying for Christ. 
 So that with the royal prophet he cried out, as the hart desires after the 
 fountains of water, so does my soul after thee my God. O! when s/iall 
 I come and appear before thy face ! and so great was the joy of his heart, 
 that it manifestly discovered itself in the serenity and cheerfulness of his 
 countenance, to the admiration and edification of the beholders. 
 
 He was hanged, drawn and quartered at Warwick the 13th of Au- 
 gust, 15Q5. Bishop Yepez says in September, 1595. 
 
 * From the Catalogue of the bishop of Chalcedony from Dr. Champney 's manuscript 
 history, and from bishop Yepez, I. 5. c, 9.
 
 GEORGE ERRINGTON. igi 
 
 Molanus, in his catalogue, signifies, that he suffered most cruel 
 torments at, or before, his death, p. 31. Gulielmits Freemannus Col- 
 legii Duaceni Presbyter, post varios cniciatus, & lelluinam imma- 
 nitatem heroice superatam, &c. William Freeman, priest of the college 
 ofDouay, died, after having heroically overcome divers torments, and 
 the brutal cruelty of the persecutors. 
 
 1596. This year is the first, since 1580, that passed without the 
 execution of any priest in this kingdom : and yet even this year could 
 not pass without seeing some catholic blood shed for religious matters : 
 for I find no less than four catholic laymen put to death, as in cases of 
 high treason, at York, in the latter end of November of this year, 
 barely on a religious account. These were George Errington, gentle- 
 man, born at Herst in Northumberland, William Knight, son to Leonard 
 Knight, a wealthy yeoman of South Duffield, in the parish of Heming- 
 brough in Yorkshire, William Gibson, yeoman, born near Rippon in 
 the same county, a most examplaiy and religious man, who, for many 
 years, had been prisoner for his concience in York Castle, and Henry 
 Abbot, a zealous convert, who lived in Holden in the same county. 
 
 Now their case was as follows ; a certain protestant minister, for 
 some misdemeanor, was put into York Castle, where the three former of 
 the persons above named, and several other catholics, were prisoners for 
 their recusancy j as, during a great part of this reign, most of the pri- 
 sons of this kingdom were plentifully stocked with such kind of offenders. 
 This unhappy man, to reinstate himself in the favour of his superiors, 
 took a method that will be justly detested by all honest men of what 
 persuasion soever ; which was to insinuate himself into the good opinion 
 of the catholic prisoners, by pretending a deep sense of repentance for 
 his former life, and a great desire of embracing the catholic truth : so 
 that they believing him to be sincere, directed him, after he was enlarg- 
 ed, to Mr. Abbot, the zealous gentleman mentioned above, in order to 
 procure a priest to reconcile him. Mr. Abbot used his endeavours, and 
 carried him to Carlton, to the house of esquire Stapylton but did not suc- 
 ceed. Soon after, the traitor having got enough to put them all in dan- 
 ger of the law, accused them to the magistrates, to shew his zeal for the 
 protestant religion. So they were all arraigned for persuading the parson 
 to be reconciled to the church of Rome, which is high treason by the 
 sanguinary laws of this reign. Being brought to the bar, they confessed, 
 that they had, according to their capacity, explained to the traitor the 
 catholic faith, and its necessity to salvation ; and, withal, had exhorted 
 him to a serious amendment of his life , but had used no other persuasions. 
 Upon this, they were all found guilty by the jury, and had sentence to 
 die, and were executed at York. 
 
 They suffered with fortitude and joy, November 20, 1 596. 
 
 Two catholic gentlewomen were, for the same cause, condemned at 
 the same time to be burnt alive, viz. Mrs. Ann Tesse and Mrs. Bridget 
 Maskew ; but they were reprieved, and continued in prison till the 
 queen' s death ; and then, by the means of friends, were pardoned 
 by king James I. Mr. Stapylton also, and his lady, underwent great 
 trouble upon this occasion.
 
 Ip2 MEMOIRS, Sec. 
 
 The manuscript, from which I have the greatest part of these par- 
 ticulars, adds aver) r remarkablehistory with relation to Wm. Knight, uncle 
 to the Wm. Knight who suffered, and a great enemy of his nephew and 
 of all catholics, which I shall here set down in the writer's own words : 
 ' There happened in Hemmingbrough parish a thing worth memory, 
 
 * which was this ; there was a catholic man who had been long confined 
 ' in York castle, for his conscience ; and having procured liberty to re- 
 
 * turn home, after many years' imprisonment, he went one time to visit 
 ' an old man of his acquaintance, and perceiving him not likely to live 
 ' long, entered into some good talk with him concerning his soul, and 
 ' used some persuasions to move him to provide for death, and the sal- 
 ' vation of his soul, by making himself a catholic. This came to the 
 
 * knowledge of one William Knight, " who was uncle to the other of 
 
 * that name, whom I have mentioned before, that was a martyr, and 
 ' was the first cause of his nephew's imprisonment, and that upon this 
 ' occasion : the good youth coming to man's estate, went to his uncle 
 ' about some land that was due to him : whether his uncle had the land 
 ' hi his possession, or the writings, I remember not. But knowing his 
 ' nephew to be a catholic, he took him and sent him to prison, where 
 
 * he remained till he got the crown of martyrdom. If he would have 
 ' gone to church his uncle would have given him his land." This bad 
 ' William Knight hearing of the good counsel this prisoner had given 
 ' his neighbour, determined to bring him within the danger of the 
 ' statute of persuasion, which is treason j and, for that end, took the 
 ' minister of the parish with him, whose name was Knighton, and some 
 'others to be witnesses, determining to take the old man's oath, mat 
 the other had persuaded him. As they were going. Knight was forced 
 ' to stay to untruss, and was in such manner handled, that he was 
 
 * obliged to turn back ; so the minister and the rest entertaining no 
 ' such malice, returned without proceeding any farther. Knight's 
 
 * disease left him not till he died, which was within a short time ; how 
 ' few days I am not certain. I had this from the minister himself, who 
 ' acknowledged it to be God's just judgment upon him.' So far the 
 manuscript. 
 
 111. * William jindlely, or Andlaky, Priest. 15 97. 
 
 W ILLIAM Andleby was a gentleman by birth, born at Etton, in 
 Yorkshire, and brought up in the protestant religion, and in a great 
 aversion to the church of Rome ; following withal the liberties of the 
 world and the flesh, which are so much condemned by the old gospel, and 
 so little restrained by the new. When he was about twenty-five years of 
 age, his curiosity carried him abroad to see foreign countries. In his 
 travels he came to Douay, where Dr. Allen had not long before insti- 
 tuted an English college or seminary for supplying England with pas- 
 toral missioners. Mr. Andleby had heard much of die man, and was 
 desirous of seeing and conferring with him : making no doubt, but he 
 
 From the Douay diary, the bishop of Chakedon's catalogue, and Dr. Champner's 
 manuscript history.
 
 WILLIAM ANDLEBY. 198 
 
 could convince him of the absurdity of the Roman catholic religion. Dr. 
 Allen received him very courteously, and treated with him upon the con- 
 troverted points of religion, with that strength of argument, joined with 
 that candour and sweetness of temper, that Mr. Andleby was quite 
 silenced and confounded ; however, though he acknowledged himself 
 unable to answer, yet he would not yield up the cause, or consent tp 
 embrace the catholic faith ; but, after some days' conference, took his 
 leave of the doctor, with design of going to the wars, which the Hol- 
 landers were then engaged in against the king of Spain. The doctor 
 told him, since he saw his conferences had not been able to conquer the 
 hardness of his heart, he would try another means, which was, by hav- 
 ing recourse to prayer, and imploring the almighty master of hearts, to 
 vouchsafe to touch his with his divine grace, and open it to receive his 
 saving truths : and so thev parted. 
 
 Dr. Allen was as good as his word, recommending to God, by fer- 
 vent praver, this strayed sheep : when, behold ! the wonderful change 
 of the right-hand of the most high ! Mr. Andleby, of his own accord, 
 returns the next morning bathed in tears, and desires of the doctor to be 
 instructed and received into the catholic church. The doctor glorifying 
 God for his wonderful work, received him with great joy ; and as Mr. 
 Andleby desired to make his confession to no other than Dr. .Allen him- 
 self, he heard his general confession, and received him into his college j 
 where, after some years' probation, and an exemplary application to 
 piety and learning, he was, at length, presented to holy orders, and was 
 ordained priest, at the same time with Mr. Sherwin, Mr. Laurence 
 Johnson, and others, by the bishop of Cambray, at Chateaux Cam- 
 bresis, the 23d of March, 15/7, and was sent upon the English mission 
 the 14th of April, 15/8 ; the last of those that went from Douay, be- 
 fore die removal of the college to Rhemes. 
 
 His missionary labours were in his own country of Yorkshire j and 
 his zeal of souls was such, as to spare no pains, or fear no dangers, 
 \vherehecouldbeserviceableto any. For the first four years of his 
 mission, he travelled always on foot, meanly attired, and carrying with 
 him, usually in a bag, his vestments, and other utensils, for saying 
 mass ; for his labours lay chic-fly amongst the poor, who were not stocked 
 with such things. Afterwards, humbly yielding to the advice of his 
 brethren, he used a horse, and went something better clad. Dr. Champ- 
 ney alledges, as an instance of his zeal and industry in helping souls, 
 that whereas many catholics were kept prisoners for their conscience in 
 Hull castle, and no one was allowed to have access to them, or speak to 
 them, otherwise than in presence of the keeper, who was a bitter enemy 
 of their religion; Mr. Andleby and Mr. Atkinson (who afterwards 
 suffered under king James I.) with incredible labour and danger, in. 
 spite of motes and walls, gates and bars, found means several times to 
 come at them, and to comfort and assist them. 
 
 Wonderful was the austerity of his life in frequent watchings, fast- 
 ings, and continual prayer. He never spoke but where the honour of 
 God, and his neighbour's good, required it. His recollection was so 
 Bb
 
 1Q4 MEMOIRS, &c 
 
 great, that, even upon his journies, he was always in prayer, mental 
 or vocal, with his soul so absorpt in God, that he often took no notice 
 of those he met ; by which means he sometimes was exposed to sus- 
 picions and dangers from the adversaries of his fakh, into whose hands 
 he fell, at length, after twenty years' labours in the vineyard of his 
 Lord; and was condemned, barely on account of his character and 
 functions, and hanged, drawn and quartered at York, on the 4th of 
 July, 1597. 
 
 Thomas Warcop and Edward Fulthrop, Yorkshire gentlemen, were 
 executed at the same time with Mr. Andleby ; the former for having 
 harboured or entertained Mr. Andleby in his house ; the latter for being 
 reconciled to the catholic church. 
 
 1598. This year, on the first of April, John Britton, gentleman, 
 was executed at York, as in cases of high treason. He was born at 
 Britton, in the west riding of Yorkshire, and being of old a zealous ca- 
 tholic, was, for a great part of his life, exposed to persecutions, on ac- 
 count of his conscience, and generally obliged to be absent from his wife 
 and family to keep himself further from danger. At length, being now 
 advanced in years, he was falsely accused, by a malicious fellow, of 
 having uttered some treasonable words against the queen ; for which he 
 was condemned to die. He refused to save his life by renouncing his 
 faith, and thereupon was put to death. 
 
 112. * Peter Snow, Priest. 
 
 _l ETER Snow was born at, or near, Rippon, in Yorkshire, says the 
 Reverend Mr. Ralph Fisher, in his relation of him : but in the Douay 
 catalogue he is marked down to have been of the diocese of Chester. He 
 performed his higher studies at the college then residing at Rhemes, 
 where he was made priest in 15Q1, and sent the same year upon the 
 English mission. Here he laboured till 15()8, when, going towards 
 York, in company of Ralph Grimston, of Nidd, gentleman, about the 
 feast of St. Philip and James, he_was apprehended with the same gen- 
 tleman. They were both shortly after arraigned and condemned : Mr. 
 Snow of treason, as being a seminary priest, and Mr. Grimston of 
 felony, as being aiding and assisting to him ; and, as it is said, lifting up 
 his weapon to defend him at the time of his apprehension. 
 
 They both suffered at York, June 15, 15QS. 
 113. -}- John Jones, alias Buckley, Priest. 0. S. F. 
 
 J OHN Jones was born of a gentleman's family, in the parish of Clenock, 
 in the county of Caernarvon. At what place he had his education, or 
 where he was made priest, I have not yet found ; only I have seen a 
 list of priests, prisoners in Wisbich castle, 1587, i" which I meet with 
 
 * From a Douay manuscript, and the journal of the collesre. 
 
 + From the bishop of Chalcedon's catalogue. Dr. Champney's manuscript history, 
 ar>d a relation of his death penned by father Garnet, and recorded by bishop Yepe/, 
 L s. c. 10.
 
 JOHN JONES. 195 
 
 his name, with a note, that at that time he was a secular priest. How 
 or when he got out of Wisbich castle I cannot tell ; but certain it is, that 
 after this time he was received into the order of St. Francis, either at 
 Rome, as father Garnet insinuates, or at Pontoise, as Dr. Champney 
 expresly affirms. 
 
 Returning into England about the year 15p.3, he laboured there for 
 three years with great fruit, and then fell again into the hands of the 
 persecutors, and was kept in prison for about two years more, where 
 many resorting to him, received great benefit to their souls from his 
 conversation, till Topliffe, the arch-persecutor, caused him to be ar- 
 raigned (together with Mr. Barnet and Mrs. Wiseman, who had been 
 aiding and assisting to him) in die beginning of July, 15Q8. Father Jones 
 pleaded, that he had never been guilty of any treason against his queen 
 or country ; and desired, that his case should rather be referred to the 
 conscience of the judges, than to an ignorant jury. Judge Clinch told 
 him, they were sensible he was no plotter against the queen, but that 
 he was a Romish priest, and being such, had returned into England con- 
 trary to the statute of Elizabeth 2/ , which was high treason by the laws. 
 If this be a crime, said the confessor, / must own myself guilty : for 7 
 am a priest, and came over into England to gain as many souls as I could 
 to Christ. Upon this he was condemned, and when sentence was pro- 
 nounced upon him, according to the usual form, as in cases of high 
 treason, falling upon his knees, with a loud voice, he gave thanks to God. 
 Mr. Barnet and Mrs. Wiseman were also condemned to die, but were 
 not executed. 
 
 On the 12th of July in the forenoon, Mr. Jones was drawn to St. 
 Thomas's Waterings, the place designed for his execution, where, be- 
 ing taken off the sled, and set up into the cart, he declared, that he had 
 never spoken a word, or entertained a thought, in his whole life, against 
 the queen or his country, lut daily prayed for their welfare. He stood 
 there for about an hour (for it seems the hangman had forgot to bring 
 the rope with him) sometimes speaking to God in prayer ; sometimes 
 preaching to the people ; till, at length a rope being brought and fitted 
 to his neck, the cart was drawn away, and he was permitted to hang 
 till he was quite dead. His body afterwards was bowelled and quartered, 
 and his quarters were set up on poles in the ways to Newington and 
 Lambeth, and his head in Southwark. His execution is mentioned by 
 Mr. Stow in his chronicle. Dr. Champney adds, that both his head 
 and quarters were afterwards taken down by the catholics, though not 
 without great danger : and that he knew two young gentlemen, of con- 
 siderable families, who were apprehended and committed to prison for 
 attempting it. He also informs us, that one of hi* fore-quarters is kept 
 at Pontoise, in the convent of the Franciscans, where he was professed. 
 
 He suffered July the 12th, 15985 and father Garnet, who calls him 
 Godnfredus Mauricivs, wrote his account of his death the 1 5th of tl)$ 
 month and year.
 
 196 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 114. * Christopher Robinson, Priest. 
 
 JXlR. Robinson was born at Woodside in the county of Cumberland, 
 and was a priest of Douay college, during its residence at Rhemes. 
 He was ordained and sent upon the English mission in 15Q2, His mis- 
 sionary labours seem to have been in his own country ; where, at length, 
 he was apprehended and committed to prison. During his confinement he 
 had some conferences with the then bishop of Carlisle, whose name also 
 was Robinson. This protestant prelate expressed a great deal of good 
 nature in regard to his namesake, and spared no pains to bring him over 
 to the new religion by persuasions and promises ; but this generous soul 
 was proof against all his allurements and fair speeches, and remained con- 
 stant in his faith. He was sentenced to die, as in cases of high treason, 
 barely on account of his being a Roman catholic priest, and exercising 
 his functions in this nation. His meek behaviour at the place of execu- 
 tion 3 the sweetness of his words and of his countenance, and the con- 
 stancy and cheerfulness with which he died, touched the hearts of many 
 of the spectators, and was the occasion of many conversions. 
 He suffered at Carlisle August the IQth, 1598. 
 
 115. *j- Richard Horner, Priest. 
 
 RICHA*D Horner was born at Bolton-Bridge in Yorkshire, and was 
 educated in Douay College ; where he was made priest soon after the 
 return of that community~from Rhemes to Douay, viz. in 15Q5 ; and 
 from thence was sent, that same year, upon the English mission ; where 
 falling into die hands of the adversaries of his faith, he was arraigned 
 and condemned merely as a catholic priest ; and, after having suffered 
 much in prison, was executed at York, as in cases of high treason. 
 
 He suffered with great courage and constancy, September 4, 1508. 
 
 1599. In this year most of our catalogues of martyrs place the death 
 of Matthias Harrison, priest, who by some is confounded with Mr. 
 Harrison, who suffered at York in 1602 : but the lists of the priests 
 ordained and sent from Douay college, distinguish them, and call the 
 latter James Harrison, of the diocese of Litchfield, ordained in 1583, 
 and sent from Rhemes upon the mission in 1584 ; whereas the former is 
 there called Matthias Harrison, of the diocese of York, and was ordain- 
 ed after the return of the college to Douay, in 1597j ar >d from thence 
 sent, the same year, upon the mission. Dr. Champney, in his manu- 
 script, also distinguishes them, and tells us, that Mr. Matthias was 
 this year hanged, bowelled and quartered at York, barely on account 
 of his priestly character. 
 
 This year, also, I find two of the laity executed for religious matters, 
 vie. Mr. John Lion, who was hanged, bowelled and quartered at 
 Okeham in Rutland, July 16, for denying the queen's spiritual supre- 
 
 * Frona Dr. Champncy's manuscript, and the bishop of Chalcedon's catalogue, 
 f From the same manuscript and catalogue.
 
 CHRISTOPHER WHARTON. 197 
 
 jnacy. " Catalog. Chalced. citans acta martini ejut, cff refationef 
 jide dignorum t.r certa scientia" And Mr. James Doudal, an Irish 
 merchant, native of Wexford, who, for the same cause, was hanged, 
 bowelled and quartered at Exeter, August 13. Whose burying place, 
 says his countryman John Mullan of Cork, is said to be illustrated with 
 divine miracles to this day, p. <)3. Appendix to his Idea toguta 
 .constanticc. 
 
 116. * Christopher Wharton t Priest. l6<X). 
 
 V-/HRISTOPHER Wharton was born at Middleton in Yorkshire, and 
 brought up In Trinity College, Oxon ; of which college he was some 
 time fellow ; and there also took the degree of master of arts : but pre 
 fering the old religion before the new, he left Oxford, and went over 
 to Rhemes, where the English college then resided ; and, after some 
 time, was there made priest by the cardinal de Guise, then archbishop 
 of that city, March 31, 1584; and from thence was sent upon the 
 English mission in 1580\ He is much commended by Dr Worthington, 
 in his Account ot Sixteen Martyrs, p. 81. for his humility, charity and 
 other great virtues, which God was pleased to reward with the crown 
 of martyrdom. When, or how, he was apprehended, I have not 
 learnt ; but that he was taken in the house of Mrs. Eleanore Hunt, 
 widow ; who, for harbouring him, was also committed prisoner to 
 York Castle, where I find them both in 15pp. 
 
 Mr. Wharton was brought upon his trial in the Lent Assizes 1600, 
 and indicted for being a seminary priest, and returning into the realm 
 contrary to the statute of Elizabeth 2/. He acknowledged himself to 
 be a priest ; but added, that he teas no, as indeed he was, l-ejbre that 
 statute was made, leaving it to his accusers to prove when he was 
 ordained priest : for, considering his age, he might, for ought they 
 knew, have been ordained before the lirst year of queen Elizabeth, and 
 consequently be out of the danger of that statute. At his trial many 
 odious things were objected against the pope, cardinals, missionary 
 priests and catholics in general ; whom they were pleased to charge 
 with idolatry, superstition, treasons, and what not. All which 
 charges Mr. Wharton assured them were unjust slanders ; and id thai, 
 f/uite impertinent to the indictment, a/id the question u/)on which, his 
 life depended, which was to know t lie time irhen he iv as made priest. 
 And as to the disscntions between the Jesuits and seminary priests, 
 which they also objected and amplified, he answered briefly, ' that in 
 ' the catholic Romrfti religion (which he professed, and for which he 
 * was ready to die) there is neither idolatry, nor superstition, nor false* 
 ' hood, nor contrariety of doctrine : and though there are dissuitions 
 ' some times amongst catholics, either priests or others, yet these differ- 
 ' cnces art: not in articles of their faith, but in other matters ; as of some 
 ' particular jurisdiction, right or title, spiritual or temporal, and the 
 
 * From a printed relation of sixteen martyrs, published by Dr. Thomas Worthing- 
 ton, in HUM; from the Dwiay diaries and catalogs, and from Dr. Ch;impney'$ 
 manuscript.
 
 1 9 S MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 * like : and that, for his own part, he had no such controversy with any 
 ' catholic, nor breach of charity with any person whatever.' 
 
 As to the point concerning the time of his ordination, after a few 
 conjectures which proved nothing, Mr. Saville, baron of the exchequer 
 (who was also his judge) affirming, that he knew him in Oxford some 
 years after the time mentioned in the statute, and that he was not then 
 taken for a priest, the jury was directed to find him guilty of the indict- 
 ment j and he was condemned of high treason. Mrs. Hunt also was 
 condemned of felony, for receiving him into her house ; as if she also 
 had known him in Oxford to have been no priest, and to have been made 
 priest afterwards, whereas, indeed, she knew him not at all, till a 
 little time before he was apprehended in her house. She utterly refused 
 to save her life by going to the protestant church j but though she was 
 sentenced to die, and lost all her worldly substance, yet she did not 
 suffer, as was expected, but was permitted to linger away in prison, 
 under the benefit, as it was called, of a reprieve. 
 
 Mr. Wharton had also the usual baits offered him of life, liberty, 
 and promotion, if he would conform, which he generously rejecting, 
 suffered death, according to sentence, with great constancy, at York, 
 the 28th of March, being Easter* Week, 1600. 
 
 117. * John Rigby, Gentleman. 
 
 J OHN 
 
 ancient 
 
 whose circumstances being narrow," obliged him to take to service, 
 where, through human frailty (though he was always a catholic in his 
 heart) he some times went to the protestant church ; for which he 
 afterwards heartily repented, and confessing himself to Mr. Jones, alias 
 Buckley, then a prisoner, was by him reconciled to God, and from that 
 time lived a very exemplary life, and was the instrument of the reconci- 
 liation of divers others, and, amongst the rest, of his own father, in his 
 old age. Whilst he was in the service of sir Edmund Huddlestone, his 
 daughter, Mrs. Fortescue, widow, was summoned to the Sessions- 
 house in the Old Baily, for causes of religion ; and she being sick, and 
 not able to appear, sent Mr. Rigby to testify the same for her in that 
 court. Upon which occasion sir Richard Martin, one of the com- 
 missioners, who had for some time entertained a grudge against Mr. 
 Rigby, began to question him concerning his own religion ; and finding 
 him to be a catholic, and that he refused to go to church, or take the 
 oath of the queen's supremacy, he, with the lord mayor, and the rest of 
 the commissioners, ordered him to Newgate. The next day he was 
 again examined in the Sessions-house by the lord chief justice, where 
 he again professed his religion, and withal acknowledged, that he had 
 xome times gone to the protestant church, though he has always, in heart, 
 a catnttlic ; lut being convinced in his own conscience that this way of 
 fir ting rt'us not consistent with his soufs salvation, he had leen reconciled 
 
 * From Dr, Worthington's printed account of his martyrdom, published the follow- 
 ing year. 
 
 )HN Rigby was a younger son of Nicholas Rigby, a gentleman of an 
 :ient family, of Harrock, in the parish ofEccleston, in Lancashire,
 
 JOHN RIGBY. Ujg 
 
 1'if Mr. Buckley, in the Clink, and for tivo or three years had not gone to 
 church. To which examination, the lord chief justice caused him to set 
 his hand. What follows, is an abstract of an account written by himself 
 in prison, of his trial and examinations. 
 
 ' Then my lord commanded the keeper to take me, and to put on 
 
 * me an iron chain ; which, when it came, I willed him to put it on in 
 ' God's name, and said aloud, I would not change my chain for my lord 
 
 * mayor's great chain ; and I gave the fellow six-pence for his pains. By- 
 ' and-by my lord chief justice sent me word to provide myself, for I was 
 ' to be arraigned forthwith. I bid the messenger tell his lordship, / never 
 ' heard so good ncicx in my life before ; and so I was commanded to the 
 f common jail. But (expecting ever)' day to be arrainged) the Tuesday 
 ' following I was removed to the White Lion in Southwark, and wa* 
 
 there quiet till the 3d of March. " N. B. He was first examined and 
 
 committed on the 14 of February, 1599-1600" And Wednesday the 
 ' 3d of March, in the common sessions, with a number of felons, I 
 ' was brought to rry trial. In the forenoon I was called, and appeared -, 
 ' but nothing was said to me. When the justice went to dinner, we 
 e also went home to prison ; and being at dinner, justice Gaudy sent his 
 ' man for me, and I went willingly with my keeper : and so coming 
 e to them at justice Dale's house, where the judges dined, justice Gaudy 
 ' called me to him, and asked my name, which I told him. Were not 
 ' you committed by lord chief justice, and examined by him ? yea, my 
 ' lord. You know your own hand ? so he shewed me my hand ; and I 
 ' said, this is my hand : I pray you give me leave to speak for myself. 
 ' You shall, said he ; I well perceive you have thought better of the 
 ' matter. I am told by one of my lord of Canterbury's gentlemen, that you 
 ' are now sorry for what you have done, and willing to become a good 
 ' subject, and go to church. If you will so do, her maiesty is merciful. 
 1 How say you ? will you go to church now ? no, my lord. Good my 
 ' lord, whosoever informed your lordship, that ever I did yet yield in 
 ' any point of my profession, was not my friend, nor ever had my con- 
 ' sent thereto. I assure you, my lord, I am a true subject, and obedient 
 ' to her majesty, and her laws, in any thing which may not hurt my 
 ' conscience : but to say that I will go to church, I never will. Yea, 
 ' rather than your lordships should have any light suspicion of me of 
 ' such a consent, take my first answer as it is ; there is my hand, here 
 ' is my whole body, most ready I am, and willing, to seal it with my 
 ' blood. We were told, said one of the judges, you were a simple 
 ' young man, and willing to recant ; but we see now thou art a resolute, 
 ' wilful fellow, and there is no remedy, but law must proceed. Let me 
 ( have law, in the name of Jesus $ God's will be done. 
 
 ' The next day, being Thursday, we went again to the sessions 
 ' at St. Margaret's Hill, where about two in the afternoon, I was called 
 ' to the bar. About an hour after I was called again and bidden to hold 
 ' up my hand ; which I did. My indictment was read, and it was a sharp 
 ' one. Then my lord bid me speak ; and I answered briefly in this manner. 
 
 1st, ' Whereas lam charged in my indictment, that I was recon- 
 ' cikd ; it is very true ; to God Almighty I so was, and I think lay.-fi.il-
 
 300 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ly might be ; and, as I remember, it is also allowed in your book of 
 ' common prayer, in the visitation of the sick, that if any man find him- 
 self burthened in conscience, he should make his confession to the 
 
 * minister j which confession manifesteth a breach between God and his 
 ' soul j and, by this humble confession, he craveth pardon of his sins, 
 ' and reconciliation to God again, by the hands of his minister. 
 
 2dly. ' Whereas I am charged, that I was reconciled from my obe- 
 ' dience to her majesty, and to the Romish religion. I will depose the 
 
 * contrary ; for I was never reconciled from any obedience to my prin- 
 ' cess, for I obey her still ; nor to any religion, for although I sometimes 
 ' went to church against my will, yet was I never of any other religion 
 ' than the catholic, and therefore needed no reconciliation to religion. 
 
 3dly. ' Whereas in my former answers, I said I went to church, it 
 
 * is true, for fear of temporal punishment I so did, but never minded to 
 ' fall from the old religion, and therefore needed no reconciliation to re- 
 ' ligion. 
 
 4thly and lastly. ' I humbly beseech your good lordships, as you will 
 
 * answer it before God, to explicate the meaning of the statute to the 
 ' jury : if the meaning thereof be to make it treason for a man fallen into 
 ' the displeasure of God, through his sins, to be reconciled to God again, 
 ' by him to whom God hath committed the authority of reconciliation ? 
 
 * if this be treason, God's will be done. 
 
 ' Then said both the judges, it was by a Romish priest, and there-. 
 ' fore treason. I answered, it was by a catholic priest, who had the 
 ' liberty of the prison, and was free for any man to come to him to 
 
 * relieve him ; and therefore, by the statute, no treason. Again, my 
 ' lords, if it be not inquired of within a year and a day, there can be no 
 ' advantage taken against me by this statute, if you wrong me not. 
 Whereto replyed one that sat under the judge ; all this will not serve 
 
 * thy turn, for the jury must find it treason. Nay then, sir, said I, if it 
 ' must be, let it be ; God's will be done. Then said justice Gaudy, 
 ' her majesty and her laws are merciful ; if you will yet conform your- 
 ' self, and say here, before the jury go forth, that you will go to church, 
 ' we will proceed no further. My lord, said I, if that be all the 
 'offence I have committed, as I know it is ; and if there be no other 
 ' way but going to church to help it, I would not wiah your lordship 
 
 * to think I have (as I hope) risen thus many steps towards heaven, 
 ' and now will, wilfully, let my foot slip, and fall into the bottomless 
 ' pit of hell. I hope in Jesus he will strengthen me rather to suffer a 
 ' thousand deaths, if I had so many lives to lose. Let your law proceed. 
 ' Then, said the judge to the jury', you must consider of it ; you see 
 ' what is said ; you cannot but find it treason by the law. And so 
 ' they went forth, and stood not long to think upon the matter, but 
 ' came again, and I was called and bidden again hold up my hand : 
 ' they bid the jury look on the prisoner, whether he is guilty or no ? 
 ' and who shall speak for you ; they all said, the foreman. He spoke 
 'so softly that I could not hear him. I willed him to speak up, and 
 'not be afraid. Then he said, Guilty: to the which I said, with a 
 ' loud voice., laus iili, Domhit .' re <,<,'-> jue glor'ue. \Vheu the rest
 
 JOHN RIGBY. 201 
 
 r were arraigned, and judgment was to be given, I was first called, and 
 justice Gaudy said, what canst thou say for thyself, wherefore thou 
 
 * shouldest not have judgment of death ? I answered, if that, which 
 ' before I have said, will not serve, I can say no more. Good Rigby, 
 
 * said he, think not I seek your death : will you yet go to church ? no, 
 ' my lord : why then, said he, judgment must pass ; with a good will, 
 
 * my lord, said I. Then he pronounced sentence, as you know the man- 
 ' ner is j which, when he had ended, I said, Deo gralias, all is but one 
 ' death, and aflealite, in comparison of that which it pleased my sweet 
 ' Saviour Jesus to suffer for my salvation. I humlly thank your 
 ' lordship for your great pains ; and I freely forgive your lords/up 
 ' and the poor jury, and all other persecutors whatsoever. Well 
 ' said ; saith he, indeed you shew your charity 5 and then gave judgment 
 ' to the rest ; and when he had done, he called us together, willing us 
 ' to send for a minister, and provide for death. I desired his lordship, 
 ' to spare my presence, and bestow that counsel elsewhere : for I hope 
 ' I am as well provided as by his exhortation I should be. If you be, 
 ' said he, it is the better for you ; God speed you well, and so we parted. 
 ' I pray God forgive them all, and amend them, if it be his holy will. 
 ' Amen.' 
 
 Thus much he wrote himself in prison, and sent it to a dear friend, 
 who keepeth safe the original, saith Dr. W. For judge Gaudy procured 
 him a reprieve, and he continued in prison till the next assizes : when, on 
 Thursday the iQth of June, justice Kingsmel now sitting upon criminal 
 matters, and justice Gaudy upon civil only, Mr. Rigby was again brought 
 to the bar, and asked by the judge whether he would yet go to church, 
 or no ? he answered, / thank God I am the same man that I was. It is 
 not lawful to go to your church. I -will not go to it. Then thou must 
 die, said the judge, for longer reprieve thou canst not have : he answered, 
 my lord that is the thing u'/iich I desire and look for ; but I think myself 
 far unworthy to die for so good a cause. The judge perceiving he had no 
 irons on his legs, sharply rebuked the keeper ; who, thereupon, brought 
 a strong pair of shackles, which Mr. Rigby taking into his hands, kneel- 
 ing down and making the sign of the cross, kissed them ; and then the 
 keeper's man rivetted them on very fast on both his legs, and so they 
 continued all that day and the night following. The next day he was 
 brought again to the sessions house, where, after he had stood awhile, 
 the irons fell off his legs upon the ground ; at which he smiled, and told 
 his keeper, his shackles were fallen off, and bid him rivet them on faster, 
 which he did, as he thought, very fast ; but, within a little time, they 
 fell off again ; and then he called again upon his keeper, and desired 
 him, to make them faster ; for I esteem them, said he, jewels of too 
 great price to be lost. The keeper's man that had put them on twice 
 before being much amazed, refused to put them on any more : so that 
 the keeper ordered another of" his men to doit. Then Mr. Rigby remem- 
 bering that a catholic maid, called Mercy, had that morning told him, 
 that, in the night, she saw, in her dream, his irons fall off from his legs, 
 said to his keeper, now the maid's dream is found to be true. What 
 the judges thought on the matter we know not 5 but they spoke no 
 more to the prisoner ; but., after much arguing among themselves, 
 
 CQ
 
 202 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 judge 'Kingsmel concluded that he should die : upon which occasion, 
 judge Gaudy was by some seen to weep. Mr. Rigby being asked what 
 he thought of that falling off of his irons, which most men thought to 
 be miraculous, answered, he hoped it was a token that the bands of his 
 mortality should shortly be loosed, as indeed, it proved. He spent the 
 remainder of his time in preparing himself, by religious exercises, for his 
 last end : and a friend asking him in what dispositions he found himself 
 at the approach of death, he answered, I thank our Lord, in very 
 great comfort and consolation of mind. ,- 
 
 On Saturday, in the morning, being the 2 1st of June, word was 
 brought him, that he was to die that day ; he answered very cheerfully, 
 Deo Graiias. It is the best tidings that ever was brought me since I was 
 lorn. The minister of St. George's coming to him upon this occasion, 
 and offering his help, Mr. Rigby courteously thanked him, but told him, 
 we two, sir, are opposite in religion, and therefore I must not com- 
 municate with you in matters of faith. I have long looked for death ; 
 I am prepared, fully resolved, and most ready, to offer up my life for 
 so worthy a cause. Fare you well, sir ; I pray God make you a good 
 man.' Between five and six in the afternoon he was called for by one 
 of the officers, and sweetly taking his leave of the catholics, his fellow 
 prisoners, he desired they would help him with their prayers in this his 
 journey towards his true country. Then going down into the yard, 
 where the hurdle waited for him, he knelt down by it, making the sign 
 of the cross, and was beginning to say some prayers, but was interrupted 
 - by Mr. More, the undersherift's deputy. So rising up, and striking his 
 hand upon the horse, he cheerfully said, go thy ways ; this is the joy- 
 fullest day that ever I kneiv. Then signing himself again with the sign 
 of the cross, he laid himself upon the hurdle, shewing so much alacrity 
 in his smiling countenance, that the standers-by asked him, if he laughed 
 from his heart ? Yes verily, said he, from my heart : and bear witness 
 with me, all good people, that lam now forthwith to give my life only 
 for the catholic cause. Mr. More told him, you die for treason, for 
 being reconciled by a seminary priest ; Yes, said he, sir, but neither can 
 that be treason, nor yet do I die for tJiat only : for, as you know, the 
 judge oftentimes offered to save my life if I would go to church. Then 
 pulling his hat down over his eyes, he said, in the name of our Lord 
 go on, and so settled himself to his devotions. 
 
 The place designed for execution was St. Thomas's Watering. In 
 his way thither, he was met by the earl of Rutland and captain Whit- 
 lock on horseback, who, coming to the hurdle, asked him, what he 
 was, of what age, and for what cause he was to die ? he answered, 
 my name is John Rtgby, a poor gentleman of the house of Harrock in 
 Lancashire : my age about thirty years ; and my judgment and con- 
 demnation to this death, is only and merely for that I answered the 
 judge that I was reconciled, and for that I refused to go to church. 
 The captain wished him to do as the queen would have him, and con- 
 form ; and turning to the sheriff's deputy, confered with him about 
 the matter : then riding again with the earl to the hurdle, and causing 
 it to be stopped a little, he asked Mr. Rigby, are you a married man,
 
 JOHN RIGBY. 303 
 
 or a batchelor ? Sir, said he, I am a batchelor ; and, more than that, 
 I am a maid : that is much, said the captain, for a man of your years j 
 you must have strove much againstyour own flesh. I would be loath, said 
 Mr. Rigby, to speak any thing contrary to the truth ; I am indeed a maid, 
 and that is more than I needed to say. The captain concluded 5 then I see 
 thou hast worthily deserved a virgin's crown : I pray God send thee the 
 kingdom of heaven : I desire thee pray for me. And so they rid to the 
 place of execution, and staid there till the officers were about to drive 
 away the cart, and then posted away, much admiring his courage and 
 constancy. The captain often related these particulars, and declared, 
 that he had never seen his fellow for modesty, patience and resolution 
 in his religion. 
 
 When Mr. Rigby was taken oft" the hurdle and brought to the cart, 
 he knelt down and said aloud his Pater, Ave, Credo and Confiteor ; in tha 
 last of which he was interrupted by the ruder sort of people, crying out 
 against him for praying to saints. When the executioner helped him up 
 into the cart, he gave him an angel of gold, saying, here take this in token 
 that I freely forgive thee and all others that have been accessary to my 
 death. Then viewing the multitude, which was very great, and 
 making the sign of the cross, with a chearful countenance, holding 
 his hands before his breast, he spent a little time in silent prayer. 
 When the rope was to be put about his neck, he first kissed it, and then 
 began to speak to the people, but was interrupted by More, the sheriff!* 
 deputy, bidding him pray for the queen, which he did very affectionate- 
 ly. Then the deputy asked him, what traitors dost thou know in 
 England ? God is my witness, said he, I know none. What ! saith 
 the deputy again, if he will confess nothing, drive away the cart j which 
 was done so suddenly, that he had no time to say any thing more, or 
 recommend his soul again to God, as he was about to do. 
 
 The deputy shortly after commanded the hangman to cut him down, 
 which was done so soon, that he stood upright on his feet, like to a 
 man a little amazed, till the butchers threw him down : then coming 
 perfectly to himself, he said aloud and distinctly, God forgive you. 
 Jesus receive my soul. And immediately another cruel fellow standing 
 by, who was no officer, but a common porter, set his foot upon Mr. 
 Rigby's throat, and so held him down, that he could speak no more.. 
 Others held his arms and legs whilst the executioner dismembered and 
 bowelled him. And when he felt them pulling out his heart, he was 
 yet so- strong that he thrust the men from him who held his arms. At 
 last they cut off his head and quartered him, and disposed of his head 
 and quarters in several places in and about Southwark. The people 
 going away, complained very much of the barbarity of the execution 
 and generally all sorts bewailed his death. 
 
 His execution is mentioned by Howes upon Stow, in his chronicle.
 
 304 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 118. * Thomas Sprott And, ug, Thomas Hunt, 
 Priests. 
 
 J_ HOMAS Sprott was born in the parish of Schelsmere, near Kendal, in 
 Westmorland, and performed his higher studies in the English college 
 ot Douay ; where he was ordained priest in 159(5, and sent the same 
 year upon the English mission. 
 
 Thomas Hunt was born in Norfolk, and was a secular priest of the 
 English college of Seville j who being sent upon the English mission, 
 and there falling into the hands of the persecutors, was committed pri- 
 soner to Wisbich castle ; from whence he, with five more, made their 
 escape some few months before his second apprehension and execution. 
 The history of which is as follows ; 
 
 In the month of July, 1(500, search being made in and about Lincoln 
 after certain malefactors who had committed a robbery, the searchers 
 found, at the Saracen's Head, in Lincoln, Mr. Sprott and Mr. Hunt, 
 strangers to the people of the house, and close up in their chambers } 
 whom they vehemently suspecting to be the men they were seeking 
 after, took up upon suspicion, and strictly examined what were their 
 names ? their places of abode ? what business they followed ? what had 
 brought them thither ? what acquaintance they had in that city or neigh- 
 bourhood, &c. ? So that, to be rid of the importunity of these questions, 
 and of the suspicion of being robbers, they confessed, that they were 
 catholics, U'ho had come thither in hopes of living there more quietly for 
 a time, than they could da where they were more known. The officers 
 searched their mails, and found there the holy oils, and two breviaries, 
 which gave suspicion (hat they were priests. Whereupon they were 
 brought before the mayor, and by him examined upon these four 
 articles. 
 
 1st. Whether they had been at the church within these ten or 
 twelve years ? 
 
 2dly. If the pope should invade the realm, whether they would take 
 part with him, or with the queen ? 
 
 3dly. Whether they did take the queen to be supreme governess of 
 the church of England ? 
 
 4thly. Whether they were priests or no ? 
 
 To these questions they both returned the same answers in substance, 
 TIB. to the first, that they were brought up, from their infancy, in the 
 catholic faith, and were never at the protestant church. To the second, 
 that u'hen such a ease shall happen, which is not likely, they will answer 
 it. To the third, that the pope is supreme head upon earth of the catholic- 
 church throughout the world. To the fourth they answered as before, 
 that they were catholics, and further they thought t/iemselves not bound 
 to answer. 
 
 * From Dr. Worthing ton's relation of sixteen martyrs, published at Douay in 16O1 j 
 the bishop of Chalcedon's catalogue, and Raissius's catalogue of the martyrs of Duuay 
 college.
 
 THOMAS SPROTT, &c. 205 
 
 Nevertheless, upon tliis last article they were immediately arraigned, 
 it being the time of the summer assizes, before judge Glandvil ; and an 
 indictment was drawn up against them, that they were seminary priests, 
 and consequently traitors : and though their being priests was neither 
 proved nor confessed, nor any witnesses produced to avouch it, the 
 judge directed the jury to find them guilty,- which they did : though, as 
 it seems, with great repugnance of conscience, perfectly compelled to it 
 by the sharp words of the judge, who was very positive in the matter, 
 and told them, they must needs bring in their verdict so. Soon after, 
 die judge gave sentence of death, according to the usual form as in cases 
 of high treason ; which the servants of God joyfully heard, giving God 
 thanks for so great a favour, and pardoning their persecutors. But both 
 before and after their condemnation, they were attacked by some pro- 
 testant preachers upon the articles of their religion, whom they so con- 
 futed and confounded, that the magistrates commanded the ministers to 
 hold their peace. These made use of their own far stronger arguments 
 of hurdles, halters, knives, and fire, which these two servants of God 
 courageously met, and gloriously conquered. . 
 
 They were executed at Lincoln some time in July, 1600. 
 
 ' Not many days after,' says Dr. Worthington, in his relation printed 
 and published in the beginning of the following year, p. Sp, ' Mr. 
 ' Glandvil, their judge, received also his own judgment : for, riding 
 ' abroad for his pleasure, near to his own house, with one man, suddenly, 
 ' in the plain field, he fell from his horse to the ground, the horse not 
 ' stumbling at all, but running away a great pace. The servant stept 
 ' quickly to his master, and assaying to help him up, found him dead ; 
 ' whereat being much astonished, he posted as fast as he could to the 
 * next village, crying, that his master u-as dead. The people, in haste, 
 ' running to the place, found it so : and not knowing who else could 
 ' be charged with it, they presently apprehended the same sen-ant, upon 
 ' suspicion that he had murdered his master ; but, upon viewing the 
 ' corpse, they saw evidently, that no man had done this act j for they 
 ' found part of his brains strangely coming forth, both at his nose 
 ' and mouth, not having any other hurt in his head, but towards the 
 ' right side, behind, a great dimple or hole, wherein a child might have 
 ' put his fist j yet neither his skin, nor his hat, broken at all, nor a hair 
 ' of his head wanting, to any man's judgment. They found likewise his 
 ' right shoulder sore scorched, like burned leather, as black as pitch j 
 ' and from thence along upon his arm, a great gash, as if it had been 
 ' made with a knife, but not deep ; and in the calf of his leg, on the 
 ' same side, they found another hole, about an inch broad, and three 
 ' inches deep ; and (which is most strange) not so much as a thread of 
 ' his hose, nor of his other apparel, could be found to be broken. The 
 ' horse that run away, with much ado was taken, but could by no means 
 ' be brought near to the place where his master fell down.' So far the 
 printed relation. 
 
 The execution of Mr. Sprott and Mr. Hunt is mentioned by Howes 
 jpou Stow, Ui his chronicle.
 
 206 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 12O. * Robert Nutter And, 121, Edward Thwing,. 
 Priests. 
 
 JLVoBERx Nutter, brother to Mr. John Nutter, who suffered in 1584, 
 was born in Lancashire, and performed his higher studies in Douay col- 
 lege, during its residence at Rhemes, where he was ordained priest De- 
 cember. 21, 1581, with Mr. George Haydock, and divers others ; and, 
 in the beginning of the following year, was sent upon the English mis- 
 sion. Here I find him prisoner in the Tower, in February, 1583.-4, 
 where he was put down into a dungeon for seven-and-forty days, loaded 
 with chains for the greatest part of the time, and twice tortured : and in 
 the November following, was lodged again in the same hole, and re- 
 mained there for two months and fourteen days.. See the journal of 
 things transacted in the Tower from 158O to 1585, published 
 with Dr. Saunders and Mr. Rishton's history of the schism. 
 In 1585 he was sent into banishment, with many other priests, ' who 
 
 * being brought by their keepers from their several prisons to the Tower 
 ' wharf,' says Dr. Worthington (who was himself one of the number) 
 p. pi, ' and there commanded to enter into a ship ready provided to 
 ' carry them into banishment, declared publicly to the commissioners, 
 ' that they did not accept of that banishment, as of any grace or mercy 
 
 * at all ; for they had not committed any fault, neither against their 
 ' queen nor country, as this pretended mercy falsely supposed ; and 
 
 * therefore, in express terms, required rather to be tried, and to answer 
 ' their accusers at Westminster, and at Tyburn, than to be thus carried 
 ' against their wills out of their native country, from their friends and 
 
 * neighbours, whom they were to serve according to their priestly func- 
 ' tions j affirming, moreover, that though per force they were carried 
 ' away, yet they would assuredly return to the same work, as soon as 
 ' God and their spiritual superiors would permit them so to do.' 
 
 Mr. Nutter, for his part, was as good as his word ; and, after hav- 
 ing visited his old mother college at Rhemes, and made some short stay 
 there, he returned upon the mission. He fell again, not long after, 
 into the hands of the persecutors, and was committed to Wisbich castle, 
 where I find him prisoner in 158/. Here he continued till about the 
 beginning of 1600 ; when, with Mr. Hunt, and four others, he found 
 means to escape. Then going into Lancashire, he was a third time 
 apprehended, and, in the summer assizes, 160O, brought upon his trial, 
 condemned (barely upon account of his priestly character) and executed 
 at Lancaster, July 26. 
 
 Dr. Champney gives him this short elogium, that he was a man of 
 a strong body, but of a stronger soul ; who rather despised than con- 
 quered death ; and went before his companion, " Mr. Thwing," to the 
 gallows, with as much chearfulness and joy, as if he had been going to 
 a feast, to the astonishment of the spectators. 
 
 Edward Thwing was born of an ancientfamily at Hurst, near York. 
 
 ~ _ t 
 
 * From Dr. Worthington's relation of sixteen martyrs, printed in 1601, and Di^ 
 Champney's manuscript, and the Douay diary.
 
 THOMAS PALASOR. 207 
 
 He was first an alumnus of the college of Rhemes ; from whence he was 
 sent to Rome, in 1587 ; but was obliged, for his health, to return again to 
 Rhemes. Here he was presented to holy orders, and ordained priest at 
 Laon, December 20, 15QQ, being at that time, as appears by the 
 Douay diary, master of the Hebrew and Greek tongues, and professor 
 of rhetoric in the college. He was sent upon the English mission from 
 Douay, in 15p7, after the college was returned to that university. Dr. 
 Champney, who was personally acquainted with him, and his co- 
 lemporary at the college, gives him this character ; that he was a man 
 of admirable meekness, and of no less piety, religion, patience and mor- 
 tification j that his patience (amongst the rest of his virtues which 
 rendered him amiable to all) was very remarkable in suffering, with 
 wonderful tranquility, a most painful and tedious infirmity, from an 
 ulcer in the knee, which he had to struggle with for a long time, whilst 
 he was at Rhemes and Douay ; for which the physicians could find no 
 remedy. That, after his return to England, he was a most diligent 
 labourer in the vineyard of his Lord, till his apprehension and commitment 
 to Lancaster castle. From whence he thus wrote to Dr. Worthington, 
 at that time president of Douay college. 
 
 ' Myself am now prisoner for Christ in Lancaster castle, expecting 
 ' nothing but execution at the next assizes. I desire you to commend 
 ' me to the devout prayers of my friends with you, that, by their help, 
 ' I may consummate my course to God's glory, and the good of my 
 ' country. I pray God prosper you and all yours for ever. 
 
 ' From my prison and paradise, this last of May, 1600. 
 
 E. THWING. 
 
 And, in another letter, a few days before his death, he thus writes 
 to the same. 
 
 ' This day the judges come to Lancaster, where I am in expectation 
 ' of a happy death, if it so please God Almighty. I pray you commend 
 ' me most dearly to all your good priests and scholars, whose good en- 
 ' deavours God always prosper, to his own more glory. Ego autemjam 
 ' delebor & tempus resolutionis mece instat. Before this comes unto 
 ' you, I shall, if God makes me worthy, conclude an unhappy life with 
 ' a most happy death. Omnia possum in eo qui me confortat. 
 
 ' From Ijnncaster castle, the 21st of July, this holy year 1600. 
 
 All yours in Christ, EDW. THWINTG. 
 
 He was condemned barely on account of his priesthood, and suffered 
 with great constancy, at the same time with Mr. Nutter, viz. July 
 26, 1600. 
 
 122. * Thomas Palasor, Priest. 
 
 JL HOMAS Palasor, or Pallicer, was born at, Ellerton upon Swale, in the 
 parish of Boulton, in the county of York ; and performed his studies 
 
 * From Dr. Worthington's relation of sixteen martyrs ; from the bishop of Chalce- 
 doa's catalogue, acd from a Douay manuscript.
 
 308 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 abroad partly in the college or seminary, then residing at Rhemes ; frorri 
 whence he was sent into Spain in 1592, and partly in the college of Vala- 
 dolid, where he was made priest ; and from whence he was sent upon the 
 English mission. Dr. Worthington gives him the character of a virtuous 
 and learned priest. He was apprehended in the house of Mr. John 
 Norton (a gentleman of the family of the Nortons of Norton-coniers) 
 near Raven's Hall, in the parish of Laymsley. Mr. Norton and his lady 
 were both also apprehended at the same time, for harbouring Mr. Palasor, 
 and with them, Mr. John Talbot, another Yorkshire gentleman (born at 
 Thornton in Street) for being found in his company, and for aiding and 
 assisting him. They were all brought upon their trials at Durham, in 
 the summer assizes, and all condemned to die ; Mr. Pallicer for being a 
 seminary priest, and returning to England contrary to the statute of 
 Elizabeth 27 ; and the other three for relieving and assisting him. Ano- 
 ther lay gentleman was condemned at the same time, and for the same 
 cause ; but he, through frailty, consented to go to church, and so saved 
 his life j as the others might have done, if they had yielded to the same 
 condition ; which they generously refusing to do, where all executed at 
 Durham, August the Qth, 1600; only Mrs. Norton, being supposed to 
 be with child, was reprieved. 
 
 The Reverend Mr. Cuthberl Trollop, in a manuscript relation which 
 I have in my hands, writes, that Mr. Pallicer, and his companions, 
 
 * being in prison, were Hke to be poisoned by the malice of the jailor's 
 
 * wife ; for an empoisoned broth was prepared for them, and first brought 
 ' to Mr. Pallicer ; who offering to taste of it, the bone of mutton in 
 ' the dish began to run blood, in form of crosses, and of O's, in the 
 ' broth, which he wondering at, abstained from eating of it. The maid 
 ' who brought him the broth noting this, carried it back to her mistress } 
 ' she casting some spice over it, sent the broth again by the same maid 
 ' to Mr. Talbot and Mr. Norton ; which they offering also to taste, the 
 ' blood in like sort issued forth of the meat as before, which caused them 
 ' likewise to abstain. The servant seeing this again, was touched in 
 
 * conscience, and came upon her knees to Mr. Pallicer, and asked him for- 
 ' giveness ; and desired, for Jesus Christ's sake, that he would make her 
 
 * one of his faith, and instruct her what she had to do to be saved ; 
 ' which he did, resolving her in all points, and reconciling her to the 
 ' catholic church. The aforesaid maid, whose name was A|ary Day, at 
 ' that time servant to the jailor, afterwards served a catholic gentle- 
 ' woman called Eleanor Forcer, who informed me of this.' So far Mr. 
 Trollop. 
 
 In the beginning of this same year, 1600, viz. upon the ipth of 
 ' January, says Howes, in his chronicle, p. /Sp, sixteen priests, and 
 ' four laymen, where removed out of divers prisons in and about London, 
 ' and sent to the castle of Wisbich ; whereof one was a bishop of Ireland, 
 ' and another a Franciscan of the order of capuchins, who wore his friar's 
 
 * weed all the way he went, &c.' 
 
 This capuchin was father Bennet Canfield, whose name in the world 
 was William Fitch, a gentleman, born at Canfield in Essex, and brought 
 up to the law in Gray's-Inn ; whose wonderful conversion to the
 
 JOHN PIBUSH, 209 
 
 catholic faith, and call to that religious order, of which, in his time, he 
 was esteemed one of the brightest lights ; together with his other virtues, 
 may be seen in his life, translated from the French, and published in our 
 language, anno 1523. After three years' imprisonment, he was banished, 
 with divers other priests, and at length died in the odour of sanctity at 
 Roan, annolSll. 
 
 This year also the catholics prisoners for their conscience in York 
 castle, upwards of fifty in number, were, by orders of the lord Burleigh, 
 then president of the north, once a week dragged by force into the hall of 
 the castle, and there forcibly detained to hear protestant sermons, preach- 
 ed by the archbishop, and the most eminent of the clergy of that city. 
 This was continued for near twelve months. The behaviour and speeches 
 of the prisoners, upon these occasions, and other remarkable passages 
 that then happened, are set down at large, in a manuscript of about forty 
 chapters, written by the Reverend Mr. W. Richmont. The issue was, 
 that the preachers finding their eloquence nothing availed, and that the 
 prisoners either stopped their ears, or contradicted their discourses, and 
 could riot be silenced, either by their chains or dungeons ; at last con- 
 cluded, after fifty sermons, to let them alone, and give diem no further 
 molestation of this kind. 
 
 The chief of these prisoners were, Mr. George Raines, priest. 
 William Middleton, of Stockeld ; William Stillington, of Kelfield ? 
 Richard Danby, of Cave ; Richard Fentou, of Burnwallis ; Thomas 
 Gelstrop, of Burrowby, esqrs. 
 
 Michael Jenison, of ; James Rosse, of Igmanthorp ; William 
 
 Gascoign, of Thorp, gentlemen. 
 
 123. * John Pibush, Priest. l6oi. 
 
 JOHN Pibush was born at Thirsk, in Yorkshire, and performed his 
 studies abroad, in the English college then residing at Rhemes. Here he 
 was made priest in 1587 ; a d from hence he was sent upon the English 
 mission in 158Q. After some time he was apprehended, and committed 
 to Gloucester jail, where he remained till some of the felons, having 
 found means to break through the walls, and so make their escape, left 
 a free passage open, through which Mr. Pibush also, and the other prison- 
 ers, thought proper to walk out. But, as he was very indifferent upon 
 the matter, he took no care to hide himself; but, travelling on foot on 
 the high road, was the next day again apprehended ; and then was carried 
 up to London. Here he was brought upon his trial, and condemned, 
 merely on account of his priesthood : but suffered not till seven years 
 after. During which time, he was kept prisoner in the King's-bench, 
 and endured very much from the incommodity and unwholesomeness of 
 the place and the multitude of the prisoners penned up together, so that his 
 constitution, which was naturally very robust, was so far altered, as to 
 D d 
 
 * From Dr. Worthington's relation of sixteen martyrs, Chalcedon's catalogue, ani 
 Dr. Champney's manuscript history.
 
 210 MEMOIRS, fcc. 
 
 contract a most grievous infirmity, in which he would lie sometimes for 
 many hours without sense or motion ; insomuch, that when he was after- 
 wards executed, his lungs were found so consumed, that he could not 
 have lived much longer. But one of his chief sufferings in prison was, 
 the continual ill usage he met with, for a long time, from the brutality of 
 his fellow prisoners ; who, not contented with loading him with abuses, 
 reproaches and injuries, sometimes threatened his life ; more particularly 
 when he would be admonishing and rebuking them for their blasphemies 
 and other wickednesses. However, at length, his virtue and patience 
 so far prevailed upon them, as well as upon the jailor, that they began 
 to reverence and love him, and to compassionate his sufferings ; insomuch 
 that he was permitted to rrake himself a sort of a separate cell in the 
 common jail j where, by the help of some catholics who came to visit 
 him, he sometimes said mass, to the unspeakable comfort of his soul. 
 His name was put in the list of those who, in the beginning of the last 
 year, were to be sent from London to Wisbich castle : but it seems God 
 was determined to honour him with a more glorious crown ; for the lord 
 chief justice Popham, when the list was brought to him, struck out Mr. 
 Ptbush's name, no one knew why, nor wherefore. 
 
 The same lord chief justice, on the 17th of February of this year, 
 1601, ordered Mr. Pibush, who had been condemned about seven years 
 before, to be brought to the bar, when nothing less was expected ; and 
 asked him what he had to say for himself win- he should not suffer death 
 according to sentence? the confessor answered with great constancy 
 and meekness, that he had never in his life committed any thing for which 
 he could le justly put to death ; that he had been condemned larelyfor 
 being a catholic priest ; and that he was willing to lay down many lives, 
 if he had them, for such a cause. Upon this he was ordered back to 
 prison, and commanded to prepare for death. On the next day, being 
 the 18th of February, he was drawn to St. Thomas's Watering, and 
 there was hanged, bowelled and quartered. He suffered with a con- 
 stancy worthy of a martyr. His execution is mentioned by Howes upon 
 Stow, in his chronicle. 
 
 124. * Mark Barkivorth, alias Lambert, Priest, 
 0. P. E. 
 
 JVLAHK Barkworth was born in Lincolnshire. He was brought up in 
 the protestant religion till he was twenty- two years of age ; when, going 
 abroad he was converted to the catholic faith, and grounded in solid 
 spirituality, at Douay, in Flanders, by one father George, a Flemish 
 Jesuit. He had been, as he writes a little before his martyrdom, now 
 eight years in the school of Christ : and, for the two first, was under 
 the instruction and discipline of Dr. Barret (president of the English 
 college then residing at Rhemes) where also he enjoyed the company of 
 those famous confessors Dr. Arrowsmith, Mr. Lancaster and Mr. Brad- 
 shaw, men, as he says, of excellent lives, now helping him in heaven 
 
 * From Arholdus Raissius, in his catalogue martyr. Anglo-Duac. and from father 
 Moor's history of the English province ol the society of Jesus.
 
 MARK BARKWORTH. 211 
 
 by their prayers. From hence he went into Spain, where he finished 
 his studies, and was made priest in the English college of Valladolid. 
 After he was sent upon the English mission, he quickly fell into the 
 hands of the persecutors ; and, after many different examinations, and 
 letting slip several opportunities of making his escape, he was brought 
 upon his trial at the Old Baily. The clerk bid him hold up his hand : 
 for what crime ? said he; for the crime of priesthood and treason, said 
 the lord chief justice. IVliy, said Mr. Barkworth, can any one main- 
 tain that to be a priest is treason ? Was not our Saviour a priest according 
 to the order of Melchisede ch ? and will any one say that he was a traitor? 
 Though 1 am of opinion, were he to in judged at this tribunal, he would 
 meet with the like treatment as I look for. They went on, Barkworth 
 hold up thy hand : by whom wilt tliou be tried ? By God, said he, and 
 by the apostles and evangelists, and all the blessed martyrs and saints in 
 heaven. Not so, said the judge, you must say, by God and my coun- 
 try. What, said he, you mean, my lord, these poor men, pointing to 
 the jury ; I will never let my blood lie at their door : for you will oblige 
 them to bring in their verdict against me, right or wrong, or lay so 
 heavy a fine upon them in the Star-chamber, that they will scarce be 
 able to pay it in their whole lives. The judge then put the question to 
 him, art thou a priest, yea or no ? I will neither say, said he, that I am 
 a priest, or that I am not. Well then, said the judge, I see thou art a 
 priest. If you can prove that, said Mr. Barkworth, I am a dead man ; 
 your laws stand against me, and I expect no favour at your hands j 
 neither do I fear death, trusting in the grace of God. Nay, if I had 
 ten lives, I would most willingly lay them all down for him who suffer- 
 ed so many torments, and so cruel a death, for my sins. Tell me then, 
 said the judge, if thou wilt not confess thyself to be a priest, what art 
 thou ? a catholic, said he, making the sign of the cross ; and, were I 
 worthy to be a priest, I should look upon myself placed in a dignity not 
 inferior to that of angels : for priests have a power given them of re- 
 mitting and retaining sins, in God's name, which was never given to 
 angels : with that all the company laughed ; and the question was again 
 put to him as before, by whom he would be tried ? and he answered as 
 before, by God and the holy apostles, &c. and not, said he, by these 
 unlearned men : I was brought up to learning from a boy ; and, after 
 taking degrees among the learned, have spent in studies full seven years : 
 let learned men judge in my cause, and not such as are unlearned. Will 
 you then be tried, said they, by a jury of ministers ? Hell-fire, said he, 
 will try them ; my cause is not to be trusted to them. You would then, 
 said the judge, be tried by priests ? That is right, said Mr. Barkworth. 
 Call in then, said the judge, a jury of them. Your lordship, said he, 
 knows that a compleat jury of them may be found in Wisbicli castle. 
 With this the lord chief justice withdrew j and the recorder, without 
 any more ceremony, neither taking the deposition of witnesses, nor 
 having the confession of the accused, nor waiting for the verdict of the 
 jury, pronounced sentence upon the prisoner, as in cases of high treason ; 
 which, as soon as Mr. Barkworth heard, he fell upon his knees and 
 lifting up his eyes to heaven, said, t/ianks le to God. 
 
 He received the sentence of death, says father Moor, with a joyful
 
 212 MEMOIRS, &c 
 
 and smiling countenance, and making the sign of the cross, began a 
 hymn of joy, and then gave thanks to the judge. After which, ad- 
 dressing his discourse to the standers by, he exhorted them, as they 
 professed themselves Christians, to shew forth by their works what they 
 professed in their words, not fearing what the world can do against them j 
 since, in effect, to die for the cause of justice and truth is a Christian's 
 greatest gain ; and he cannot even wish for a greater happiness than to 
 shed his blood for him who so liberally shed his blood for us all. He 
 was sent back to Newgate, and walked through the streets, fettered as 
 he was, with that air of magnanimity, that the crowd inquired, whether 
 he was not one of the ringleaders of the earl of Essex's riot ? No, said Mr. 
 Barkworth, lut I am a soldier of Christ, who am to die for his faith. 
 
 Mr. Barkworth is commonly challenged by the benedictine monks 
 for one of theirs ; and father B. W. a monk of that venerable order, in 
 his manuscript account of the English congregation, which I have now 
 before me, writes of him as follows : 
 
 f As to those who entered the Spanish congregation (though he 
 ' neither lived, nor was cloathed, in any monastery, as the Rev. Father 
 f Baker affirms) Mr. Mark Barkworth, alias Lambert, challenges the 
 ' first place. 
 
 1st. ' Because he was a great furtherer and concurrer with those 
 ' who engaged amongst the Spanish monks. 
 
 2dly. ' Because in 1601, after frequent occasions, and even provo- 
 ' cations to make an escape ; after nine several examins before several 
 ' tribunals, &c. being condemned for his faith, to make the nation re- 
 ' member, how it received the said holy faith, and to manifest the 
 secrets of his heart and intentions, in regard of the order of St. Bennet, 
 ' he chose to be drawn to Tyburn in the benedictin habit ; which, by 
 ' some means he had procured and gotten ; and had his tonsure accord- 
 ' ingly made, &c.' by which it appears that Mr. Barkworth was a be- 
 nedictin, at least, in desire., if not in efFpct. 
 
 As to the circumstances of his death, they are thus related by the 
 historians of the Society of Jesus, upon pccasion of father Roger Filcock, 
 who died at the same time and place. Mr. Barkworth and Mr. Filcock 
 were both drawn together upon the same hurdle from Newgate to Ty- 
 burn. When they were put up into the cart, Mr. Barkwork, with a 
 joyful accent, sung those words of the royal prophet, hcec diet (juam 
 fecit Dominus, exultemus ; and Mr. Filcock went on in the same tone, 
 & Icetemur in ea. Then Mr. Barkworth declared how ready he was to 
 Jay down, even a thousand lives, if he had them, for his faith ; and 
 protested, that he forgave, with all his heart, the queen, and ail that 
 were any ways accessary to his death, and wished to have them with him 
 in eternal glory . Then he recommended himself to the prayers of the 
 catholics, and the cart was drawn from under him. Here some cruel 
 wretch, fearing lest the weight of his body should put the martyr too 
 soon out of his pain, for he was tall and bulky, set his shoulders under 
 him to bear up, at least, some part of that weight j so that he was cut 
 down whilst he was yet alive; and even when the butcher was seeking 
 for his heart, he pronounced these words, God le merciful to me.
 
 ROGER FILCOCK. 213 
 
 He suffered February the 27th, 1601. His head is kept by the 
 English benedictins at their convent at Douay. 
 
 Father Moor relates of Mr Barkworth, that when Mr. Fleming, one 
 of the counsel for the queen, told him at the bar, that he was a priest, 
 and wore upon his forehead the mark of the least ; he replied, ' I am a 
 ' Christian, and ivear on my forehead the sign of the cross : ly this sign 
 ' I am confirmed against the devil and heretics, God's enemies. I fear 
 ' not your words nor your threats : I confess and adore one God: he cre- 
 f ated me to serve him ; and serve him I cannot in any other but in the 
 ' catholic faith. This faith I prof ess : with the heart men believe unto 
 ' justice ; but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For 
 ' this faith I noiv desire to die, more than I ever desired to live. A T o 
 f death can le more precious than that which is undergone for this faith ; 
 ' which faith Christ taught ; and a hundred thousand martyrs have sealed 
 ' ivith their blood.' 
 
 125. * Roger Filcock, Priest, S. J. 
 
 JLVOGER Filcock was a native of Sandwich, in Kent. He performed 
 his studies abroad, partly in the college of Douay or Rhemes, and partly 
 in that of Valladolid, in Spain ; where, after having given great ex- 
 amples of virtue, to the edification of all that knew him, he was ad- 
 vanced to holy orders, and made priest. He had, for some time, a 
 strong inclination to enter into the Society of Jesus ; but his admission 
 was deferred till some trial had been made of him upon the English 
 mission; to which he was sent in 15Q8, where, after having been suf- 
 ficiently recommended by two years' labours in the midst of dangers, 
 father Garnet, the superior of the English Jesuits, consented to receive 
 him into the society, and to send him over into Flanders, there to make 
 his noviceship : but this was prevented by his being apprehended and 
 committed to Newgate. From whence he was brought out to his trial 
 on the 23d of February, 1 600-1. And though he neither confessed nor 
 denied his being a priest, and no evidence appeared against him, yet he 
 was brought in guilty, and had sentence to die, as in cases of high 
 treason. His fellow confessor, Mr. Barkworth, who was condemned 
 a few hours before him, writes thus of father Filcock, in a letter in- 
 dicted a little while before his death. 
 
 ' The holy confessor of Christ, Mr. Arthur,' " this was the name 
 under which father Filcock skreencd himself upon the mission," ' was 
 ' always one of my chiefest and dearest friends; as well formerly, when 
 ' he was at liberty, as now in prison : a man exceedingly humble, and 
 ' of extraordinary patience, piety and charity. My mind tells me, that 
 ' we shall die together, who have so long lived together.' So Mr. Bark- 
 worth. And so it happened ; for they were both, as we have seen, 
 drawn together to Tyburn, February 27, where Mr. Barkworth was 
 first butchered, before the eyes of father Filcock ; who, so far from 
 being discouraged or terrified with that scene of blood, took occasion 
 
 * From the Douay records, and from the historians of the Society of Jesus.
 
 214 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 from thence of more heartily aspiring after the like felicity ; crying out 
 with the apostle, I desire to be dissolved, and to le with Christ. His 
 desire was not long deferred : when, after a short prayer, he chearfully 
 yielded himself up to the executioner ; and the cart being drawn away, 
 he was hanged, and then cut down, dismembered, bowelled and 
 quartered. 
 
 126. * Ann Line, Gentlewoman. 
 
 OHE was a widow gentlewoman, of an infirm constitution of body, 
 troubled with almost continual head-achs, and, withal, inclining to a 
 dropsy ; and so ill every spring and fall, that her friends, at each of 
 these seasons, feared she would be earned off" by death : but her soul 
 was strong and vigorous, and ever tending by spiritual exercises to 
 Christian perfection. Her devotion was unfeigned ; she received the 
 blessed sacrament at least once a week, and always with abundance of 
 tears. Her conversation was edifying, willingly discoursing on spiritual 
 subjects, and not on worldly vanities : and what was particularly remark- 
 able in her, was, the desire she had of ending her days by martyrdom : 
 on which account she bore a holy envy to priests and others who seem- 
 ed to be in a fairer way to that happy end than she, or any otlier of her 
 sex, were ; of which very few had suffered in this reign. However, 
 she told her confessor, some years before her death, that Mr. Thomson, 
 " Blakeburn," a former confessor of her's, who ended his days by 
 martyrdom in 1586, had promised her, that if God should make 
 him worthy of that glorious end, he would pray for her, that she might 
 obtain the like happiness. She also related to her confessor a vision 
 which she had seen of our Lord in the blessed sacrament, bearing his 
 cross, and inviting her to follow him -, which seemed to promise her 
 this martyrdom, to which she aspired, and which she at last obtained in 
 the manner following. 
 
 On Candlemas day, 1601, the pursuivants having some intelligence, 
 or suspecting that Mrs. Line entertained a priest, beset her house at the 
 very time that mass was actually beginning. However, as the door was 
 strongly barred and fastened, they were forced to wait some time before 
 they could come in ; and, in the mean time, the priest, " Mr. Page," 
 had leisure to unvest himself and make his escape. After they broke in, 
 they searched every corner of the house, and seized upon every thing 
 that they imagined to savour of popery, but could find no priest. How- 
 ever, they hurried away Mrs. Line to prison, and with her, Mrs, Gage 
 (daughter to baron Copley) whom they found in the house. Mrs. Gage, 
 by the interest of a certain nobleman, was, after some time, set at 
 liberty j but Mrs. Line was brought upon her trial, at the Old Baily, 
 before the lord chief justice Popham, a bitter enemy of the catholics. 
 She was carried to her trial in a chair, being at that time so weak and 
 ill, that she could not walk. The evidence against her was very slender, 
 which was the testimony of one Marriot, who deposed, that he s'aw a 
 man in her house, dressed in white, who, as he would have it, was 
 certainly a priest. However, any proof it seems was strong enough 
 
 * From Dr. Champney's manuscript history.
 
 THURSTAN HUNT, &c. 215 
 
 with Mr. Popham against a papist ; and the jury, by him directed, 
 brought in Mrs. Line guilty of the indictment, viz. of having harboured 
 or entertained a seminary priest. According to which verdict, the judge 
 pronounced sentence of death upon the prisoner, and sent her back to 
 Newgate, to prepare herself for execution. Here she acknowledged, 
 that the day before her condemnation, God had given her a foresight of 
 this happiness, when reading her hours in her primmer, she perceived 
 a light and delightful brightness upon and round her book, which she 
 interpreted to be a sign of her future triumph, though she would not 
 speak of it till after she was condemned. When the keeper acquainted 
 her with the dead-warrant being signed, and when afterwards she was 
 carried out to execution, she shewed not the least commotion or change 
 in her countenance. At Tyburn, when she was just ready to die, she 
 declared to the standers-by with a loud voice ; / am sentenced to die for 
 harbouring a catholic priest ; and so far I am from repenting for having 
 so done, that I wish, with all my soul, that where I have entertained one, 
 I could have entertained a thousand. She suffered before the two priests; 
 and Mr. Barkworth, whose combat came on the next, embraced her 
 dead body whilst it was yet hanging, saying, O ! blessed Mrs. Line, 
 who hast now happily received thy reward. Thou art gone before vs ; 
 but we shall quickly follow thee to bliss, if it please the Almighty. 
 She was executed February 27, l601. 
 
 127. * Thurstan Hunt And, 128, Robert Middleton, 
 Priests. 
 
 JVxR. Thurstan Hunt was a gentleman by birth, bora at Carleton-Hall, 
 near Leeds in Yorkshire, and brought up in Douay college, during its 
 residence at Rhemes, where he was ordained priest by the cardinal de 
 Guise, April 2O, 1584; and sent from Rhemes upon the English mission 
 in 1585. His labours seem to have been chiefly in Lancashire} where 
 attempting, with some others, to rescue a priest, whom the officers 
 were carrying to prison, he himself was apprehended, and being found 
 to be a priest, was sent up to London, together with Mr. Robert Middle- 
 ton (a gentleman of the same character, who had fallen into their hands 
 about the snme time) who was a native of York, and a priest of the col- 
 lege of Seville in Spain. They were quickly sent back to be tried and 
 executed in Lancashire, where they had chiefly bestowed their mission- 
 ary labours. Here they were sentenced to die, as in cases of high treason, 
 merely on account of their priesthood ; and here they suffered in con- 
 sequence of this sentence, at Lancaster, sometime in March, 1601. 
 
 This year I find also two other catholics put to death by the penal 
 statutes, 'for rescuing a priest out of the hands of an officer. These 
 were Nicholas Tichburn, gentleman, born at Hartley in Hampshire, and 
 Thomas Hackshot, layman, bom at Mursley in Buckinghamshire. Dr. 
 Champney, who only makes mention of the latter in his manuscript 
 history, relates the story in this manner ; Mr. Hackshot, a stout young 
 
 From Dr. Champney's manuscript, and the Douay diaries and catalogues.
 
 216 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 man, understanding that Mr. Thomas Tichburn, priest, prisoner on ac- 
 count of his character, was, upon some occasion, to be conducted by 
 one only keeper or officer, through a certain street, planted himself there, 
 waiting for their coming, and knocking the keeper down, gave the priest 
 opportunity to escape. However he himself made not such haste away, 
 but the officer, who had been stunned with the blow, coming to him- 
 self and crying aloud, stop tlie traitor, stop the traitur, caused him to be 
 apprehended, and dragged to the prison from whence he was conducting 
 the priest ; where he was cast into the dungeon, and afflicted with divers 
 torments, which he endured with great courage and fortitude, till, at 
 length, he was brought upon his trial, and condemned to die. 
 
 He suffered with constancy at Tyburn, August 24, 1601 : and with 
 him, Mr. Nicholas Tichburn, for being aiding also and assisting in the 
 rescuing of his kinsman. 
 
 12p. * James Harrison, Priest. l6O2. 
 
 JL HIS gentleman, who by some is confounded with Matthias Harri- 
 son (of whom we have spoken in 1599) an d by others is called Matthew 
 Harrison, alias Hayes; in the Douay records and catalogue is called James, 
 and is said to have been a native of the diocese of Litchfield, ordained at 
 Rhemes in 1583, and sent from thence upon the English mission in 1584. 
 v He fell into the hands of the persecutors a little before the Lent assizes, 
 1601 -2; and being brought upon his trial, was sentenced to die, as in 
 cases of high treason, barely on account of exercising his priestly func- 
 tions in England. Raissius relates, that being told by his keeper, the 
 night before execution, that he was to suffer the next day, which it 
 seems was an unexpected piece of news (for the judges had left the town 
 without determining any thing of the time of his suffering) he shewed 
 not the least sign of being troubled at the message, but, with a cheer- 
 ful countenance, set himself down to supper, saying, let us eat and drink, 
 for to-morrow we shall die. He drank up the cup of his Lord the next 
 day, says Raissius, with great constancy and fervour, being executed at 
 York, March 22, 1602. His head, says the same author, is religiously 
 kept by the English franciscans at Douay. 
 
 With Mr. Harrison was hanged Mr. Anthony Battie, or, as others 
 call him, Bates, a lay gentleman of Yorkshire, for having entertained 
 the said Mr. Harrison in his house, knowing him to be a priest. 
 
 ISO. -\-JamesDuckett, Layman. 
 
 JAMES Duckett was a younger son of Mr. Duckett, of Gilfortrigs, in 
 the parish of Schelsmore, in Westmoreland. He had the name of 
 James given him in baptism from his godfather, James Leybourn, esq. 
 lord of Schelsmore (who was drawn, hanged and quartered at Lan- 
 
 * From the catalogue of Arnoldus Raissius, Dr. Champney's manuscript, &c. 
 f From a manuscript sent me from Douay college, written by father Duckett, prior 
 of the English Carthusians at Newport, sen of this same Mr. James Duckett.
 
 JAMES DUCKETT. 21? 
 
 easier, March 22, 1583, for denying the queen's supremacy) yet it 
 seems he was brought up a protestant, and, after some years passed in 
 the school, was bound apprentice in London. Here after some time, a 
 countryman of his, one Peter Mason, put a book in his hands, entitled^ 
 the Foundation of the catholic religion ; which he diligently perused, and, 
 by the reading of it, was brought to stagger very much in his opinion ^ 
 insomuch that he, who before was so zealous in his way, that he would 
 have heard two or three sermons on a day, began now to withdraw himself 
 from their sermons and service, and to be more and more convinced of the 
 falsehood of his former belief. This change was soon perceived by those 
 with whom he lived ; who, finding also the book which had occasioned 
 this alteration, carried it to Mr. Goodaker, the minister of St Edmunds, 
 in Lombard-street, who sent for Mr. James, and examined him, why 
 he went no more to church ? he answered, he neither did, nor would go 
 more to church^ till he had letter satisfaction in their religion than he 
 could give him. Upon this answer, he was committed to Bridewell i 
 from whence, after some time, he was set free by his master's means j 
 but, not long after, he was again questioned for not going to church, 
 and was then sent to die Compter. His master procured his liberty once 
 more, but was afraid of keeping him any longer, lest himself should 
 incur any danger thereby : so Mr. Duckett was forced to compound, 
 and buy out the remainder of his time. 
 
 Being now his own master, he sought the means of being instructed 
 and received into the catholic church ; and, within two months, to his 
 great comfort, he was reconciled by Mr. Weeks, a venerable priest, 
 prisoner in the Gatehouse. After which, he lived two or three years a 
 single life, with great zeal and fervour in religion ; and then took a 
 wife, a good catholic widow, with whom he lived twelve years in wed- 
 lock, dealing mostly in books, with which he furnished catholics, as 
 well for their own comfort and instruction, as for the assistance of their 
 neighbours' souls. This exposed him to many dangers and persecutions, 
 aud he was often apprehended and cast into prison, both in town and 
 country ; and kept sometimes for a long while together in jail ; inso- 
 much that of twelve years he lived a married man, he passed nine of 
 them in prisons. His last apprehension, which brought him to his 
 happy end, and the manner of his trial and death, is thus related by his 
 son : 
 
 ' Peter Bullock, a bookbinder, after he had been condemned a 
 ' twelvemonth, in hope (as many imagined) of obtaining his pardon. 
 ' informed lord chief justice Popha'm, mat James Duckett had had 
 ' twenty-five of " father Southwell's" Supplicfttioas to the Queen, and 
 ' had published them. L'pon this his house was searched at midnight, 
 but no such book found, nor sign thereof ; yet tl^y found the whole 
 ' impression of Mount Calvary, and some other catholic books. How- 
 ' ever, he was apprehended and carried to Newgate, it being the 4th of 
 ' March. At the next sessions he was called to the bar, and Mr. Wat- 
 '" kinson, a virtuous and worthy priest, who newly was come into Eng- 
 ' land and taken, was also brought in. James Duckett perceiving hii
 
 21$ MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' to look pale, and thinking it might be through fear (which indeed was 
 ' only his sickness) began in his best manner to encourage him ; which 
 ' Popham understanding (Mr. Watkinson being first arraigned) calls 
 ' out, Duckett, now speak for thyself. Then evidence being called in, 
 ' the same Peter Bullock accused him, that he had some of father South - 
 ' well's Supplications to the Queen) which he denied, having had 
 ' none of them. Bullock also avouched, that he had bound for him 
 ' divers catholic books ; and, amongst the rest, Bristowe's Motives ; 
 ' which he acknowledged. The jury being called, and hearing what 
 ' was alledged against him, by one only witness, went out, and having 
 
 * consulted, returned again and found him not guilty. Judge Popham, 
 ' who was bloodily bent against him, stood up, and bid them consider 
 ' well of what they did ; for that Duckett had had Bristowe's Motives 
 ' bound for him. Upon whose words they went out again, and soon 
 ' returning, declared him guilty of felony. The jury's verdict being 
 ' given, sentence of death was pronounced against him, as also against 
 ' die three priests, Mr. Page, Mr. Tichburn, and Mr. Watkinson. 
 
 ' On Monday morning, the day designed for his death, his wife 
 ' came to speak to him, which she could not without tears : he bid her 
 ' be of good comfort, and said, his death was no more to him than to 
 ' drink off the caudle which stood there ready for him. If I were made, 
 ' said he, the queen's secretary or treasurer, you would not weepj do 
 ' but keep yourself God's servant, and in the unity of God's church, and 
 ' I shall be able to do you more good, being now to go to the King of 
 ' kings. As you love me, do not grudge that the good men (the three 
 ' priests) are reprieved, and not I ; for I take it for a great favour from 
 ' Almighty God, that I am placed amongst the thieves, as he himself, 
 
 * my Lord and Master, was. As he was carried towards the place of 
 ' execution, in the way his wife called for a pint of wine to drink to 
 f him 5 he drank, and desired her to drink to Peter Bullock, and freely 
 ' to forgive him ; for he, after all his hopes, was, in the self-same cart, 
 ' carried also to execution. Being come to the place, and both he and 
 ' Peter standing up in the cart, Peter, saith he, the cause of my coming 
 ' hither, God and thyself knowest, for which I, from my heart, forgive 
 
 * thee j and that the world, and all here, may witness that I die in 
 f charity with thee, he kissed him, both having the ropes about their 
 
 * necks. Then he said to him, thy life and mine are not long ; wilt 
 { thou promise me one thing ? if thou wilt, speak : wilt thou die as I 
 ' die, a catholic ? Bullock replied, he would die as a Christian should 
 ' do ; and so the cart was drawn from under them.' 
 
 Mr. Duckett suffered at Tyburn, April 19, 1601, mid he is men- 
 tioned by Mr. Howes upon Stow, in his chronicle. Dr. Champney, in 
 his manuscript history of the reign of queen Elizabeth (which he con- 
 cludes with this year) adds, that Mr John Colins, another catholic, 
 after a long imprisonment, suffered death for the same cause, though 
 he knows not whether it was at the same time or no. As to the three 
 priests who were condemned with Mr. Duckett, they were reprieved, 
 indeed, at the intercession of the French embassador ; but it was but 
 for a very short time : for, ' on the 20th of April, says Howes,, in his chro-
 
 THOMAS TICHBURN, &c. 219 
 
 'nicle, Thomas Tichburn, Robert Watkinspn, and James, "he should 
 ' have said Francis" Page, seminary priests, were drawn to Tyburn, 
 ' and there hanged, bowelled and quartered, for coming into the king- 
 * dom contrary to the statute of the 2/th of Elizabeth.' 
 
 131. * Thomas 7 ichburn And, 132, Robert Wat- 
 hinson, Priests. 
 
 JL HOMAS Tichbura was born of an ancient family at Hartley, in Hamp- 
 shire. His education abroad was first in the college at Rhemes, and 
 afterwards in that of Rome ; to which he was sent from Rhemes, Sep- 
 tember 2, 1587. At Rome he was made priest, and from thence was 
 sent upon the English mission. Here he fell into the hands of the ad- 
 versaries of his faith, and suffered bands and prisons for some years, till, 
 as we have seen above, he was rescued by that bold youth, who lost his 
 own life upon that account. Jt was not long before he was again ap- 
 prehended, by the means of one Atkinson, a fallen priest, who meeting 
 Kim in the streets, and knowing him, ceased not to cry out, a, priest, p, 
 priest, stop the priest, till he was seized upon ; though Mr. Tichburn, 
 to stop his mouth, and carry off the matter, told him (which was very 
 true) that he was no more a priest than himself. Thus he was again 
 committed to prison, and soon after arraigned, condemned and executed, 
 merely on account of his priesthood. He was far gone in a hectic fever, 
 and naturally could have lived but a very short time longer ; so that his 
 apprehension and condemnation at this time was a more particular favour 
 of divine providence, which had chosen for him this more glorious and 
 happy death. 
 
 He suffered at Tyburn, April 20, 1601. 
 
 Robert Watkinson was born at Hemingborough, in Yorkshire, and 
 had his education abroad, partly in the college of Douay, and partly in 
 that of Rome : he went through his course of philosophy in the latter ; 
 but was obliged, for his health, to return to Douay to study his divinity : 
 but the change of air made no great alteration in the state of his health j 
 so that his superiors thought it best to present him to holy orders, and 
 send him over into England. He was ordained priest at Arras, Marcfr 
 25, 16'02, and, on the third of April following, began his journey for 
 England. Whilst he was at London, under the care of a physician, he 
 was betrayed by one John Fawether, a false brother, apprehended, ar- 
 raigned and condemned, on the 1 7th of April, and executed on the 
 20th of the same month. He suffered with great constancy at Tyburn., 
 in the company of Mr. Tichburn and Mr. Page. 
 
 There is a very remarkable story concerning this Mr. Watkinson in 
 the Douay diary ; which is, that the day before he was apprehended, as 
 he was walking in London streets with another catholic, he met a 
 stranger, who appeared to be a venerable old man, who saluted him 
 with these words ; Jesus Hess you, sir, you seem to le sick and troubled 
 
 * From the Douay diary, Dr. Champncy's manuscript, and the catalogues of fhal- 
 CCtion and Rajssius.
 
 220 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 with many infirmities ; but le of good chear ; for, within these four days, 
 you shall le cured of all, which happened accordingly ; for die nexj: 
 day he was apprehended, tried and condemned, which was on Saturday; 
 and, on the Tuesday following., he received his crown. The same 
 diary adds, that Mr. Watkinson having found means to celebrate mass 
 in prison the morning before he went out to execution ; they that were 
 present, " and in particular, says Dr. Champney, Mr. Henry Owen, a 
 prisoner for his conscience, who then served at the mass," perceived 
 about his head, sometimes on the one side, sometimes on the other, a 
 most bright light, like a ray of glory ; which, from the consecration till 
 after the communion, rested directly over his head, and then disap- 
 peared. 
 
 133. * Francis Page, Priest ,. S. J. 
 
 JJ.E was born, according to the bishop of Chalcedon's catalogue, of a 
 gentleman's family at Harrow on the Hill, hi the county of Middlesex j 
 or, as some others say, at Antwerp ; which, it seems, he pleaded at 
 his trial, but was not regarded, He was brought up in the protestant 
 religion, and to the study of the law ; and was, for some time, clerk to 
 a noted lawyer in town Here he fell in love with a young gentlewoman, 
 a catholic ; and partly upon her account, partly by the persuasion of a 
 catholic companion, was induced to make a more serious enquiry into 
 matters of religion. His friend brought him to father Gerard Thomson, 
 his own confessor, who gave him full satisfaction in his doubts, and re- 
 conciled him to the church But this was not all ; Mr. Page not only 
 became a catholic, but, by degrees, was quite weaned from earthly 
 affections, and his heart was set upon better things ; so that father 
 Gerard being, not long after, apprehended, and committed close pri- 
 soner to the Tower, Mr. Page renouncing the advantageous match, of 
 which he had so near a prospect, resolved upon a more perfect state of 
 life 3 and going over to Douay, there entered himself an alumnus in the 
 English college of the secular clergy : and after having employed some 
 time in this seminary of martyrs, in the study of divinity, and in the 
 practice of all Christian, virtues, he was, by his superiors, presented to 
 holy orders, and ordained priest j and, not long after, was sent upon 
 the English mission, viz. June the 10th, 1600. 
 
 He had not been long in England, when he narrowly escaped the 
 pursuivants' hands, in die house of Mrs. Line ; when, he being at the 
 altar in his vestments, on Candlemas-day, diey broke into the house, as 
 we have seen in the account of that holy wido\V. However, as his time 
 was not yet come, he made a shift to unvest himself, before they could 
 come into the chamber, where he was ; and to step aside to a private 
 place, where they could not find him. After this escape, he diligently 
 applied himself to his missionary functions, till he was apprehended in 
 the following manner : going out one night to die duties of his calling, 
 he perceived a woman coining after him whom he knew ; who had for 
 
 * From the Douay diary, and from father Moor's history cf the English province <}f 
 >he Society of Jesus.
 
 FRANCIS PAGE. 221 
 
 some time professed herself a catholic, but now made it her business, 
 for the sake of a little lucre, to betray, and take up priests. The sight 
 of this woman made him mend his pace ; but she knowing him, made 
 no less haste after him ; calling out, Mr. Page, / want to speak to 
 you. He would not seem to hear her, but stepped into the first 
 open house, and shutting the door after him, desired the master of 
 the house, who was a protestant, to let him out by a back-door; 
 which he was going to do, when this wicked woman coming up, 
 knocked violently at the door, crying out, a traitor, a traitor, # 
 seminary priest ; and raised a mob about the door, so that the man 
 of the house being afraid of the consequences, would not sutler Mr. 
 Page to go further, but delivered him up into the hands of die constables. 
 He was carried before the lord chief justice Popham, a cruel enemy of 
 the catholics ; the same as before condemned Mrs. Line : who, under- 
 standing that this was the priest who had escaped from that widow's 
 house, after having examined him, sent him to Newgate, where he was 
 put down into Limbo ; and, at the next sessions, which came oil within 
 a few days, he was brought to the bar, together with Mr. Tichburn and 
 Mr. Watkinson ; and with them condemned, barely upon account of 
 his priesthood, by the same lord chief justice Popham. 
 
 There was at the same time, in Newgate, one Mr. Henry Floyd, a 
 priest, who, when Mr. Page was brought back to prison, after his con- 
 demnation, falling upon his knees, testified the greatness of his grief by 
 the tears which plentifully flowed from him ; Mr. Page lifting him up, 
 spoke to him in this manner : what is the meaning of this, sir ? do you 
 weep at my condition, which is most happy ? you ought rather to rejoice 
 and congratulate ivlth me, for so happy a lot, which opens to me a way 
 to eternal Hiss : and so great was the joy that Mr. Page found in himself, 
 at the approach of his martyrdom, that, after having made a general con- 
 fession of his whole life to the same Mr. Floyd, and assisted at his mass, 
 he was in a doubt whether he should venture to celebrate mass himself, 
 for fear that he should not be able to contain himself, during the sacred 
 mysteries, from discovering the extraordinary motions of his heart, by 
 such outward gestures and words, as would be taken notice of and bq 
 heard by the other prisoners, and by the keepers. 
 
 The day before execution, the keeper desired Mr. Floyd to acquaint 
 Mr. Page, that he was to die on the morrow ; adding, that, for his own 
 part, he could not endure to be the bearer of such tidings. Mr. Page 
 received this message, as coming from heaven ; and having obtained 
 leave of die keeper, to stay diat day and night with Mr. Floyd, and 
 having celebrated with him the tremendous mysteries, with wonderful 
 sentiments of joy and devotion ; he declared to this holy man, some part 
 of the favours which God was pleased to shew him diat night, which 
 had filled his soul with such wonderful lights, and so high a knowledge 
 of the divine greatness, as he could never have obtained by books or study j 
 so that he thought nothing could ever more separate him from die love of 
 so great a Lord. 
 
 But that he might experimentally know, that these extraordinary sen- 
 timents of devotion, are a gratuit gift of God, which he gives, and 
 takes away, where he pleases $ and that he might have some experience
 
 -222 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 also, of the great anguish and agony of Mount Olivet, as well as of the 
 sweets of Mount Thabor : he was, all on a sudden, deprived of these ex- 
 traordinary gusts, and of all manner of sensible devotion j and, like his 
 Saviour in the garden of Gethsamane, became sad and sorrowful, even 
 unto death ; so that in this extremity of fear, grief and anguish, he 
 earnestly desired Mr. Floyd's prayers ; shewing, by the paleness of his 
 countenance, and other outward signs, die inward conflicts of his soul. 
 This storm continued till the sheriff sent to him, to prepare himself for 
 execution, for that the hour was now drawing on : which message, in a 
 moment, restored a calm to his soul, and filled him with a new joy ; so 
 that he went out to meet death with as much cheerfulness, as if he was 
 going to a feast. 
 
 When he came forth to the hurdle, which was prepared for him, 
 -seeing a vast crowd of people, who were come thither to accompany him 
 to Tyburn, he took that occasion to declare to diem, with a loud voice, 
 thft sanctity of the catholic faith, and the necessity of holding this faith, 
 in order to eternal salvation. Then he laid himself down upon die 
 hurdle ; and, whilst he was tied down upon it, as well as during die 
 \vhole way to Tyburn, he employed his soul in prayer. When he was 
 taken off the hurdle, and put into the cart, a minister offered to trouble 
 him with some questions about religion ; but the confessor of Christ would 
 not hearken to him. But, after having made a profession of his faith, 
 he declared he was most willing to die for so good a cause, viz. for his 
 faith and priesdiood, and for aiding and assisting, by his priesdy func- 
 tions, the souls of his neighbours. He also, upon that occasion, de- 
 clared die * promise or vow that he had lately made, to enter into the 
 Society of Jesus, as father Moor expresses it ; or diat he was a novice of 
 that society, as Tannerus words it. And at die pronouncing of diat 
 holy name of Jesus, the cart was drawn away, and he hanged till he 
 expired. He was afterwards cut down, bowelled and quartered. 
 
 He suffered April 2O, 1602. 
 
 1603. In the beginning of this year, one bishop of Ireland, four 
 fadiers of the Society of JesuS, sixteen other priests, and four catholic 
 laymen, prisoners in Framingham castle, were transported into perpe- 
 tual banishment. The names of the four Jesuits were, Christopher 
 Holiwood, Roger Floyd, Edward Coffin, and Ralph Brickley. The 
 sixteen priests of the secular clergy were, Lewis Barlow, (the first mis- 
 sioner from the seminaries) Edward Hughs, Christopher Driland, Leo- 
 nard Hide, Robert Woodraff, William Chaddock, Thomas Haberley, 
 William Clarjenet, Francis Robinson, Thomas Thursley (these ten went 
 to Douay, to visit dieir old modier-house, and made some stay diere) 
 Thomas Bramston, John Bolton, N. Tillotson, John Gray, Robert 
 Barns, and N. Knight. This same year also were banished, father 
 William Weston, S. J. after many years' imprisonment. Father John 
 Roberts, O. S. B. Father Andrew Bayly, O. S. D. Father Bennet Can- 
 lield, O. Cap. Mr. Andiony Wright, and Mr. James West, priests. 
 
 * Sponsionertx professus qua se nuper Societati Jesu devoverat. Morus Historic 
 Societ. Provinciae Anglicanae. Se Societatis Jesu Novitium palam professus. Taiv 
 nerus, Historia Martyrum Societatis. Pragae, 1675, in Pazio.
 
 WILLIAM RICHARDSON. 223 
 
 134. William Richardson, alias Anderson , Priest. 
 
 JL HIS gentleman was the last that suffered death on account of his 
 priestly character in this f reign. Of whom thus writes the protestant 
 historian Howes upon Stow, p. 812 ' William Anderson, a seminary 
 ' priest, was drawn to Tyburn, upon the 1 /th of February, and there 
 ' hanged, bowelled, and quartered, for being found in England, c'ort- 
 ' trary to the statute of the 27th of Elizabeth.' He was born at Vales, 
 in Yorkshire ; had his education abroad, first in Douay college, during 
 its residence at Rhemes ; from whence he was sent into Spain, in 15^)2; 
 and then in the colleges of Valladolid and Seville, in the latter of which 
 he was made priest. Other particulars of his apprehension, trial, and 
 death, I have not found. 
 
 Five weeks after Mr. Richardson's death, the queen herself was 
 called to the bar, to take her trial, before the Great Judge. She died 
 on the 24th of March, after having reigned forty-four years, four months 
 and seven days. 
 
 APPENBIX 5 
 
 OR, 
 
 Additions of some Tilings omitted in their proper places t 
 
 THAT HAVE SINCE COME TO MY HANDS. 
 
 First, an Abstract of a Letter of Mr. Henry Holland, licentiate of 
 divinity, author of the look intitled Urna Aurea, and one of the 
 eldest sons of the seminary of Douay; from his Latin epistles 
 in manuscript. 
 
 JL HIS letter is written to Mr. Gilbert, and gives an account of the 
 perils, to which the Roman catholic priests were at that time exposed in 
 England, and speaks of the apprehensions of several of them, viz. 
 
 ' Mr. Hanse,' says the author, ' leaving Rhemes, comes to London, 
 ' and goes to the prison of the Marshalsea, to A'isit the priests that were 
 ' prisoners there, and to be instructed by them, how he was to labour 
 ' in the harvest of the Lord. One of the under-keepers eyes him care- 
 ' fully, and takes notice, by certain marks, that his shoes were made in 
 ' France. He presently cries out, a traitor, and causes the gentleman 
 ' to be apprehended : upon this he was committed to prison, and, not 
 ' long after, underwent a very extraordinary kind of death, being but- 
 ' chered not halt alive, as others are, but perfectly alive and sensible. 
 
 ' Mr. George Haydock passing through St. Paul's church-yard, 
 ' goes into a bookseller's shop to buy some book. He had not been 
 ' diere long before a pursuivant came in ; and as these men are a hungry 
 ' race, and greedy after prey, he immediately suspects Mr. Haydock. 
 ' and apprehends him. 
 
 ' Mr, Johnson comes cratof the country to London on horseback ; in
 
 224 APPENDIX. 
 
 ' Holborn he lights off his horse ; a pursuivant, who knew him, immc- 
 ' diately set upon him, takes away his horse and money, and carries him 
 ' before the secretary of state : by whom he was first committed to 
 e a close prison ; then severely racked ; and, at length, put to a cruel 
 ' death. 
 
 ' At York, Mr. William Hart, resting in his bed at midnight, being 
 ' in a deep sleep, and so suspecting no evil, is apprehended by an armed 
 ' multitude, &c. 
 
 ' Mr. Bennet, in North Wales, was passing, not far from the house 
 f of Mr. Mostyn, a justice of peace, a man not very rigid against ca- 
 ' tholics, but one that complied with the times. This gentleman espying 
 ' Mr. Bennet, who had left the road, and went through the corn, rated 
 ' him for not keeping the high way ; and asked him, who he was ? 
 c whence he came r whither he was going ? &c. Mr. Bennet, as he 
 ' was a man of great simplicity, and fearing God ; and no friend of dis- 
 ' simulation, answered all his questions candidly, and acknowledged, 
 ' that he was a priest. Mr. Mostyn was concerned to find how the case 
 
 * stood ; but his servant being about him, he thought himself obliged to 
 ' conceal his concern, and to commit Mr. Bennet to prison. From this 
 c prison he was afterwards translated to another, where he was hung up 
 ' to the beam by his hands, in iron manicles, and suffered great torments 
 ' with a generous courage. Afterwards he was sent into banishment, 
 1 and entered into the Society of Jesus, in which he piously slept in the 
 'Lord. 
 
 ' Mr. John Mundyn, going on the high-road from Windsor to Lon- 
 ' don, meets, near Hounslow, with counsellor Hammond, a justice of 
 ' peace j and being very well known to him, and not able to decline 
 ' him, courteously salutes him ; I am glad to meet you, Mundyn, said 
 ' Hammond ; I know you are a papist, and always was j and, more- 
 
 * over, I suspect that you are a priest : wherefore yield yourself up ; you 
 ' are my prisoner. Mr. Mundyn argues, that Hammond had no autho- 
 c rity to stop him on the high-way 5 that if he was a justice of the peace, 
 ' he was not so in Buckinghamshire, where they then were, but only in 
 
 * Dorsetshire, &c. But his remonstrances are all in vain, the cruel man. 
 ' is not moved to relent : he makes him his prisoner, and causes him to 
 ' be sent up to London, where he was afterwards martyred. 
 
 ' In Hampshire, Mr. Hemerford was obliged to stay in a certain vil- 
 ' lage whilst the smith put on a shoe upon one of his horse's feet : in the 
 'mean time, a malicious heretic passing by, and considering the man , 
 ' affirmed, that he was the priest that had preached in the barn ; and, 
 ' upon this account, presently apprehended him : .so Mr. Hemerford, in 
 ' a moment, lost both his horse and his liberty : and afterwards, for be- 
 ' ing a priest, was put to death, and obtained, at London, the crown of 
 'martyrdom. 
 
 ' Mr. Adams, a priest in Winchester, stepping out of the house into 
 ' the street, was presently apprehended, and accused, though falsley, of 
 ' having preached in a barn, Sec. at London ; Mr. Owen was at table.; 
 ' Mr. Strausham at the altar ; but neither one nor the other could escape 
 . Jthe hands of the ungodly. The same fortune Mr. Rishton met within
 
 APPENDIX 225 
 
 ' the city, and Mr. Worthington without. Mr. Rishton's apprehension 
 ' was in this manner ; he was in a certain inn, and meeting there with 
 ' a countryman of his, a Lancashire gentleman, he began to treat with him 
 ' about the affair of his soul ; yet so that he first sent to father Parsons, 
 ' the Jesuit, desiring him to come, who could do that work better than 
 
 * himself. In the mean time, the gentleman whispers in his servant's 
 ' ear, to go to such a pursuivant, and to bid him corns with all speed, 
 ' and apprehend the man that he should see talking with him. The 
 ' pursuivant, greedy of lucre, flies thither in a moment, and seizes upon 
 ' Mr. Rishton : in the mean time father Parsons comes up, and looking 
 ' in at the door, sees Mr. Rishton with the pursuivant, and perceiving 
 ' the eminent danger, instead of going in, walks down the street; and, 
 ' as God would have it, escapes. But Mr. Rishton was carried before a 
 ' justice, and committed to die King's-bench, &c. 
 
 ' Mr. Anderton, and his companion " Mr. Marsden" sailed from 
 ' France to England, and had scarce set foot on shore, before they fell into 
 ' the hunters' nets. Soon after they were brought to die bar, where the 
 ' judge, considering that they had been apprehended immediately upon 
 ' their coming to land, before diey could treat widi any one about 
 ' religion, and pitying their case, had a mind to deliver them from die 
 1 danger of the law, by furnishing them with the following plea ; I sup- 
 f pose, said he, gentlemen, you came out of Francs, not with a design. 
 ' of coming into England, but of going into Scotland ; and that you 
 ' were drove into England by a storm against your will ? tell me, is not 
 ' diis die truth ? God forbid, said they, my lord, that we should tell a 
 ' lie for the matter. Our lives would be a burthen to us, if we should 
 ' save them by an untruth. We were sent hither to preach truth; and we 
 ' must not, at our first setting out, give in to a lie. The truth is, we are 
 ' loth priests ; and we set out from France, with a design of coming for 
 'England, that we might here exercise our priestly functions , and re- 
 ' concile the souls of our neighbours to God and his church. Andifivearenot 
 ' suffered here to serve our neighbours' souls, at least we will take care not 
 ' to hurt our own. Jfa had no thoughts of Scotland, but only cf England. 
 ' Nay then, said the judge, the Lord have mercy on you 5 for, by the laws, 
 ( you are dead men. So sentence was pronounced upon diem, by which 
 ' they were condemned to die ; and they suffered the usual butchery with 
 ' constancy and intrepedity, and so obtained a noble martyrdom. The sea 
 ' was more safe to them than the land j which also Mr. John Hart and 
 ' Mr. Bishop experienced, who having escaped ail the dangers of die sea, 
 ' met in the very haven, not indeed with shipwreck, but with bands 
 ' and prisons ; which, after they had suffered there for a while, diey 
 ' were sent up to London to new prisons. 
 
 ' And since we are returned to London, I cannot pass over in silence- 
 
 * Mr. Ailwordi, a young Irish gentleman, of a singular zeal for religion, 
 ' who had hired a house, not in any street, but among the gardens, com- 
 ' modious enough for preaching and mass, where the catholics sometimes 
 ' met in a pretty good number, to die divine service, much to his con- 
 ' tent and satisfaction, who set more value upon what belonged to the 
 ' honour and worship of God, than upon any earthly toys. But the 
 ' diing became known, and reached the ears of Fleetwood, the recorder 
 ' of die city. Tnis furious man, with his constables, came to the hovi-c, 
 
 rf
 
 226 APPENDIX 
 
 ' and finding Mr. Ailworth in his chamber, carried him away to prison, 
 ' even to the very worst prison in London. And in the way, being dis- 
 ' pleased at some word that the gentleman spoke, gave this most constant 
 ' confessor a voilent blow on his head ; then ordered him to be put into 
 ' a filthy dungeon, destitute of all things ; strictly forbidding any one to 
 ' be admitted to visit him, or give him any thing; so the young gentlc- 
 
 man, in eight days time, was brought to his end, by the stench and 
 
 tilth of the place.' So far Mr. Holland. 
 
 Secondly, an abstract of the lives nf three laymen who suffered for re- 
 ligwus matters in 1591, written in Latin ly father Thomas Stanney, 
 S. J. sometime ghostly father to all the three. From a manuscript 
 sent me from. St. Omers. 
 
 1. Swithin Wells, Gentleman. 
 
 W E shall omit such things as have been already marked down in our 
 memoirs concerning Mr. Wells ; and shall only take notice of such 
 tilings as we find added in father Stanney's manuscript ; who, in his 
 preface, gives him this character : that he was a witty man, skilled in 
 divers languages ; a most agreeable companion, and very amiable ; in 
 his younger days something given to honest and innocent diversions ; 
 yet always devout in prayer, zealous in the true faith, and most constant 
 in maintaining the catholic religion. He adds, that as he was a gentle- 
 man, he gave a good example to the gentry, not to give themselves up 
 so much, even to the most innocent worldly pleasures, as to neglect 
 their prayers and devotions, and so to come to be tepid and fearful in 
 the profession of their faith, but rather to despise all transitory things ; 
 and, like him, to be continually advancing towards heaven. 
 
 Mr. Wells, after he had been instructed at home in the liberal 
 sciences, travelled abroad to Rome, partly to learn the language, and 
 partly to visit the holy places. After some years, returning into Eng- 
 land, he was employed in the service of several persons of quality j and, 
 after some time, for his skill in languages, and for his eloquence, was 
 desired, by the most noble earl of Southampton, a most constant pro- 
 fessor of the catholic faith, to live in his house, as he did, much to hi* 
 own commendation, for several years. At length he married a gentle- 
 woman of good famQy, with whom he lived, in an edifying manner, for 
 the remainder of his days. By her he had one only daughter, Margaret, 
 a worthy heiress of her father's and mother's virtues ; who, leaving the 
 world, became a nun. After his marriage, Mr. Wells, for some years, 
 employed himself in teaching the Belles Lettres, and music ; having for 
 his servant and assistant therein Mr. Woodfen, afterwards priest and 
 martyr : and he had the comfort of training up many of them in the 
 tru faith ; and, amongst others, several who were afterwards priests, 
 and religious, and some martyrs ; till, at length, lie was obliged, by 
 the malice of his enemies, and of the ministers, to quit this employment, 
 
 He had a particular talent in bringing over heretics and schismatics 
 to tiie catk>lic faith, and was very zealous and courageous in the cause 
 of religion. Hence, for the latter part of his life, not only his house 
 was daily open to priests, where there were often two or three masses 
 celebrated in a day, but he would also often accompany them in their 
 journies, and in the charitable expeditions in which they were engaged 
 for the assistance of the catholics., in those perillous times ; of which
 
 APPENDIX. 227 
 
 father Stanney gives an instance of his own experience, declaring, how 
 he himself, soon after his coming over into England, was conducted by 
 Mr. Wells down into the west of England, and settled there in the house 
 of a certain gentleman, who was equally zealous and prudent in pro- 
 moting the catholic cause ; where he (father Stanney) by catechistical 
 instructions and sermons, in three or four years' space, brought over 
 some hundreds to the catholic faith. This method Mr. Wells followed 
 till he became so well known to the justices and pursuivants, that it was 
 not safe for any priest to ride in his company ; he having been more than 
 once committed to prison upon these occasions. 
 
 In the last stage of his life, he took a house in Holbora, near Gray's- 
 inn-fields, where he received and entertained God's ministers, till the 
 arch- persecutor, ToplifFe, being informed of his proceedings, took his 
 opportunity and broke into his house when Mr. Genings was actually 
 there at mass, as we have seen above ; where also we have set down all 
 that relates to the apprehension, trial and death of Mr. Wells : only 
 father Stanney adds, that when he was under the gallows, ToplifFe said 
 to him, you see now, Mr. Wells, what your priests have brought you to : 
 to whom he replied, Mr. Topliffe, I am very glad, and give great thanks 
 to God, and look upon myself exceedingly happy, that I have leen so far 
 favoured, as to have received so many , and such saint-like priests, under 
 my ruof. 
 
 2. Lawrence Humphreys, Layman. 
 
 JriE was bora in Hampshire, of protestant parents, and was brought 
 up from his infancy in the protestant schools, being very zealous in his 
 way, and continually reading, and getting by heart the scriptures, and 
 perusing books of religion. About the age of eighteen, he thought 
 himself so perfect a master of controversies, as to seek for every oppor- 
 tunity of conferring with catholics, and disputing against their tenets ; 
 but he particularly desired to meet with some priest or Jesuit, to hear 
 what they could say for their doctrine, as he sometimes signified to the 
 catholics of his acquaintance. One of them addressed himself to father 
 Stanney, and told him the young man's desires ; and, withal, that he 
 was a very moral man, but full of a false zeal, and obstinate in his re- 
 ligion ; yet so, that he had declared, he would rather suffer the worst of 
 deaths, than break his promise of secrecy, or letray a, priest into the 
 hands of his enemies. Father Stanney appointed a proper time and place 
 to confer with him j which was in a house, where he was to preach one 
 day within the Octave of Corpus Christi. And first he delivered his 
 sermon (at which Lawrence and another protestant were present) upon 
 the subject of the real presence ; then he discoursed in private with both 
 one and the other ; and, in a short time, brought them both over to the 
 catholic religion. 
 
 Lawrence's conversion was such as gave great comfort and edification 
 to his ghostly father. He thought he could never do too much to punish 
 his past sins ; he confessed them with great humility, and with abun- 
 dance of tears j and though his life before had been blameless in the eyes 
 of the world, it was now, in all respects, visibly changed for the better. 
 Father Stanney particularly extols his profound humility, his exact obe- 
 dience, his virginal purity, and his j>erfect charity. This queen of 
 virtues had taken deep root in his heart ; insomuch, that he was DC.-' ^r
 
 228 APPENDIX. 
 
 better pleased than when he was promoting the honour and glory of 
 God, and the good of his neighbours, by instructing and catechising the 
 ignorant, visiting prisoners confined for their religion, and exercising, 
 as occasion offered, all kinds of corporal and spiritual works of mercy. 
 Amongst which, my author particularly takes notice of a custom he had, 
 when his companions were met together in the evenings, of reading some 
 good book to them, such as the life of some saint, or some catechistical 
 instruction j by which means, he both confirmed the catholics in their 
 religion, and disposed schismatics to their conversion. 
 
 After some time, he fell into a great sickness, and, in the height of 
 his fever, amongst other things, he said, that the queen was a wh e 
 and a heretic. Some zealots that heard him, would have killed him 
 upon the spot, but were hindered. However, before he was well re- 
 covered, he was, for these words, committed to Winchester jail, to be 
 kept there till the next assizes. In the mean time he begged of the 
 keeper, that he might be employed in all the meanest offices, and do the 
 drudgery of the prison ; which was granted him. 
 
 At his trial the judge asked him, what religion he was of ? he an- 
 swered, by the grace of God I am a catholic, and am very willing to die 
 for the catholic faith and religion. The judge asked him, what he meant 
 by a catholic ? he answered, I mean by a catholic, one, who being bap- 
 tized, professeth in word and work, the catholic faith and religion, de- 
 livered by the apostles to the universal church, and maintained by their 
 successors. The judge pulled out a pair of beads, with a little crucifix, 
 and told him, see here is the God whom you worship. But Lawrence 
 presently replied, not so, my lord ; but that crucifix brings to my remem- 
 brance how much my jLord and Saviour suffered upon the cross for me a 
 most miserable sinner. 
 
 Then the judge asked him, how he came to say that the queen was 
 a heretic ? Lawrence answered with a most solemn asseveration, before 
 God and his angels, that he could not possibly remember that he had ever 
 in his life spoke any such words : But, said he, since divers witnesses 
 affirm it, I shall not stand obstinately to deny it, but shall willingly suffer 
 what punishment you shall inflict upon me. In fine, he was, for those 
 words, condemned to die ; and so was sent back to prison. He received 
 the sentence with joy, and spent the short remainder of his life in medi- 
 tations and prayers, which he performed prostrate upon the ground. 
 When he was carried out to suffer, he made, at the gallows, a public 
 profession of the catholic faith ; and, as he was going up the ladder, 
 made the sign of the cross upon the rounds j which the hangman taking 
 notice of, scoffed at him, saying, thou hast served the pope ; but he has 
 brought -thee to the rope ; and the hangman shall have thy coat. Law- 
 rence smiled at his rhimes, which the other took in such ill part, as to 
 give him a great box on the ear, in a great fury. The good young 
 man meekly replied, why do you do so to me ? I never in my life gave you 
 any cause to treat ms in this manner. 
 
 He was executed at Winchester, in the 21st year of his age, 15Q1. 
 
 3. Ralph Miller, or Milner. 
 
 JL HIS good old man passed the greatest part of his life in a village near 
 Winchester, maintaining his wife, and a large family of children, by 
 \%e labour of his hands. He was entirely illiterate, but led a very moraj
 
 APPENDIX. 229 
 
 Vife, following the religion then in fashion, till, comparing the lives of 
 the catholics, with whom he was acquainted, with the lives of the 
 protestants, and even of their very ministers, he found that the one sort 
 followed a broad and easy way, neglecting tasting and prayer, and put- 
 ting little or no restraint upon their appetites and sensual inclinations; 
 whilst the other sort was much addicted to fasting, prayer and mortifi- 
 cation j and lay under most severe persecutions on account of their con- 
 sciences, which they willingly suffered for God and their religion. 
 These considerations had such effect upon him, as *o determine him 
 to quit the new way, and to return to the old religion ; as he did, not 
 long after ; and being instructed and reconciled by a catholic priest, on 
 the very day that he had received the blessed sacrament, after having 
 finished his general confession, he was apprehended and committed to 
 jail, for his religion. 
 
 He was a prisoner for his conscience many years : but, as his beha- 
 viour had made the keeper his friend, he was not so close confined, but 
 he had often liberty to go out upon his parole, and sometimes was sent 
 out by the keeper about his own affairs, who also often trusted him with 
 the keys of the prison. By these means he had opportunity of doing 
 great services to the poor catholic prisoners in those evil days ; sometimes 
 by procuring them alms j other times, by bringing priests to them to 
 administer the holy sacraments to them. Neither was this his charity 
 confined to the prison, but it also prompted him to procure spiritual as- 
 sistances to the faithful dispersed about the country ; to whom his zeal 
 had, by this time, made him generally known. As an instance of this 
 his charity, Father Stanney, the writer of his life, takes notice, that he used 
 to come once a month to the house where the father resided, to conduct 
 him about the villages, there to preach and administer the sacraments to 
 the poor : who also declares in his preface, that he can testify, that, ig- 
 norant as he was, he had, by the bright light of his virtues, and by his 
 fervent prayers, been, under God, the cause of the conversion of many 
 to the catholic faith. 
 
 ' Once, says father Stanney, he came to me, desiring that I would take 
 < a journey with him, to preach and administer the sacraments, according 
 ' to custom ; when I was obliged, through necessity, to answer him, 
 ' that I had been, not long since, in those parts, where I was very much 
 ' fatigued with preaching, hearing confessions, and administering the 
 ' sacraments : the more because I was obliged to watch whole nights, and 
 ' to celebrate mass twice in the day $ so that I had not, as yet, been 
 ' able to recover myself. Well, but master, said he, for so he used to call 
 ' me, we have still a great many hungry souls that want bread, and 
 ' there is no one to give it them : we have many also, that would be glad 
 ' to shake off the yoke of bondage " heresy" and embrace the catholic 
 ' faith; and I can find none to help them', and receive them into the 
 ' church j what then must I say to them ? I tell you, Ralph, the very 
 ' truth, said I, I want not good-will, but strengtJi ; wherefore, I beg 
 ' they would have a little patience, and in a short time, by the grace of 
 * God, I purpose entirely to satisfy their good desires. But what shall 
 ' I do, said Ralph, if your reverence's health will not permit you to come 
 ' amongst us ? I replied, that I had been desirious, of a long time, to 
 '. have another priest, who might be able to serve those parts; and that 
 ' jf he could find a proper place for him, I would endeavour to procure
 
 230 APPENDIX. 
 
 1 them a proper priest. That I will do, said Ralph, with all my heart j 
 1 and I hope to be able, in a short time, to provide him all necessaries. 
 ' Our superior, with another priest, happened to come to me soon after 
 ' this, and I consulted him what I was to do. He bid me ask Ralph, 
 it'he would be willing to have for their priest, Mr. Roger Diconson, 
 ' \vhom he was very well acquainted with ? he presently answered, with 
 ' all my heart j for, above all others, I would be glad to live and die 
 ' with that good man ; which afterwards happened.' 
 
 Ralph returned to carry the good news to his fellow prisoners, and 
 the other catholics, and within a few weeks Mr. Diconson came to Win- 
 chester ; where he laboured for some years, with great fruit, and great 
 edification ; his mission lying chiefly amongst the poor, and the prison- 
 ers. He was once taken in a gentleman's house in the country, and car- 
 ried to Winchester, where he was put under the guard of six soldiers, 
 in order to be removed to London : but his guards having over-drank 
 themselves, he escaped from them in the night. But being taken a second 
 time, in the company of Ralph Miller, he was committed to Winchester 
 jail : from whence he was sent up to London ; and, after he had there 
 been put to divers torments, was sent back to Winchester to take his 
 trial ; where, as we have seen elsewhere, he suffered death with the same 
 Ralph Miller, on account of his priestly character. 
 
 This good old man, whilst Mr. Diconson was in prison, lost no time, 
 but employed himself in the best manner he could, in preparing for death. 
 No endeavours were omitted by his worldly friends, and by the ministers, 
 to bring him over to consent to save his life, by renouncing his religion ; 
 but all in vain. Even when he was at the very gallows, they ceased not 
 to tempt him j and sent his seven children to him, to move him to relent 
 by the sight of them : but his heart was too strongly fixed on God, to be 
 overcome by flesh and blood. He gave them, therefore, his last blessing, 
 declaring aloud, that he could wish them no greater happiness, than t<t 
 die far the like cause for which he was going to die. 
 
 He suffered July 7, 1591. 
 
 Thirdly, an account of the behaviour of the catholic prisoners in York 
 castle, when, l:y order of Lord Bur Leigh, at that time lord president 
 of the north, the said catholic recusants, in number ffty-three, were 
 dragged into the hall of the castle, and there forcibly detained to hear 
 protestant sermons once a iveek, for the space of one year, or there- 
 abouts. Collectedfrom u manuscript written by W. Richniont, priest. 
 CHAP. I The prisoners, their speeches and behaviour at the Jirst 
 sermon. 
 
 UPON Sunday, being the gth of December, in the year lofjp, the 
 keeper came and called all the catholic prisoners down from their cham- 
 bers, and told them, they must go to the hall before my lord and the 
 council. They all went with him, and when they came into the hall, 
 they were placed within the rails before the council, being set there 
 without the president. There gathered in a great number of people, and 
 then were all the doors of the hall shut up, and presently after Mr. 
 Palmer, chancellor of St. Peter's church in York, and a great preacher, 
 began a prayer, and afterwards took his text out of the xxivth psalm, 
 and fell to talking. The prisoners were astonished at the strangeness f
 
 APPENDIX. 231 
 
 this matter, and (the place admitting of no consultation) they kne\v 
 not what to do. 
 
 After a while, all being quiet, the doors were set open ; and Mr. 
 Stillington rose up and went down, and one Robert Hallely went after 
 him, and they proffered to go forth of the doors, but the keeper shut 
 them again, and then they returned to the rest of their company. When 
 the sermon was ended, Mr. Stillington went to the council, and said, 
 the keeper had deceived them, for he told them of no sermon, but that 
 they must all appear there before my lord. He said farther, that he was 
 very loath to offend them, but yet, in discharge of his conscience, he 
 must let them kno\v, that he would not hear their sermons. One of 
 the council asked him, if he would there make a protestation ? and 
 whether he spoke for himself, or for all his company ? He answered, 
 that he spoke of himself ; and then all the rest of the company cried, 
 that they were all of the same mind with him. The preacher also turned 
 towards him, and said, he had spoken nothing but the truth. Mr. 
 Stillington replied, that he h:ul spoken falsely, and that he himself could 
 shew the same. Here the prisoners began to take heart to them, which 
 the council perceiving, grew very angry with Mr. Stillington, and 
 broke up all further talk and departed. 
 CHAP. III. The prisoners' behaviour and speeches at the second sermon , 
 
 UPON Sunday following, being the 16th of December, the keeper 
 called them all down, and would have had them all to the hall, as he 
 did the other day, but they all refused to go with him j and then he. 
 caused his servants, and other fellows, to take them, one by one, and 
 draw them to the hall ; and strait after came my lord and the council. 
 
 After they were set upon the bench, sir George Rains, (an old priest 
 there amongst them) rose up, and went towards my lord, and all the 
 company followed after him, and they all made suit to his lordship, to 
 give them leave to depart, for that it was against their consciences to hear 
 their sermons ; and, if he thought they suffered not enough for their 
 consciences's sake, to impose what more as pleased him. His lordship 
 stood up and spoke very sharply unto them, and, in manner of an ora- 
 tion, told them, that the state had long borne with them, and that they 
 had been long invited by fair means ; that they had also been urged by 
 punishments ; all which failing, he would, at last, according to the pa- 
 rable in St. Luke's gospel, compel them to hear the word. (c. xiv.) 
 He also spoke much of the disobedience of catholics, and omitted not to 
 touch the ordinary faults objected against them, also of their imprison- 
 ment and suffering, and made it a light thing, and said, that they lived 
 there very pleasantly, and under that colour increased their wealth, and 
 that they were as well there, in prison, as at Stevenson's ordinary in the 
 city. 
 
 When his lordship had ended, and they put out of all hope in this 
 manner, they all turned away, and went forth of the place, with as 
 much haste as they could, but it availed them nothing, for the keeper' s 
 and my lord's men hauled them in again, with greater rigour than be- 
 fore. Then fell they of murmurring and making a noise, some in one 
 manner, and some in another, to interrupt the preacher. My lord 
 stood up again, and commanded silence ; and presently the preacher 
 began the sermon upon the same text he handled the day before, think-
 
 232 APPENDIX. 
 
 ing to repair his credit, by shewing, that Eutyches was a favourite of 
 Apollinaris's heresy, as though he might be baptized in that heresy. 
 
 When the sermon was ended, Mr. Stillington went to my lord, and 
 Mr. Middleton went with him, and all the rest of the company follow- 
 ed. He desired his honour to consider of them, that they were men, 
 and that it is meet they were suffered to be their own guides : it was 
 strange, and very grievous unto them, to be forced against their wills 
 and consciences. And to this effect he urged my lord very earnestly. 
 Mr. Middleton, in the mean space, spoke unto Mr. Heskett, one of 
 the council, and said, sir, you know the law, speak, I beseech you, if 
 it be not against the laws of the realm to use us thus, being punished 
 otherwise for our refusal of going to church ? But Mr. Heskett would 
 give him no answer to this demand. 
 
 The prisoners complained, that day, of injury for being so hauled 
 against their consciences, and my lord himself answered them, and told 
 them (as the council had done the day before) that he knew well enough 
 that it was against their will to be present at their sermons, and that it 
 could be no sin in them, for the fault that was, if there were any 
 offence, was his, and he would take it to himself, and therefore so- 
 lemnly there desired of Almighty God, that all the blame of their pro- 
 ceeding might be laid to his charge, and upon him, and his house. 
 
 In the week following, the prisoners made a petition to his lordship, 
 to have performance of his promise, and named, for their deputies, D. 
 Bagshaw, Mr. Thomas Wright, and Mr. Fitzherbert, who, as they 
 heard, was at London in prison, or any one of them, but his honour's 
 purpose was altered by the preachers, or by the council, at their persua- 
 sions, as you shall see in the week following. 
 
 CHAP. VI. The fourth sermon, preached by Mr. Fuller, the lord 
 president's chaplain. 
 
 J. HIS day the prisoners made more resistance, for being drawn to the 
 hall, than before they had done 5 which turned much more to their hurt. 
 For the jailor's men crushed them against the wall, and, by forcibly 
 striving, gave them many shrewd blows ; the council being sat, Mr. 
 Denby went unto them, and desired, that, with their favour, he might 
 depart ; for he could not abide to hear either God blasphemed, or his 
 conscience offended. They willed him to sit down and be quiet, but he 
 answered, that he would speak. Then, quoth Mr. Stanhope, speak if 
 you dare. I will speak, said the other : and thus they changed twice or 
 thrice, if you dare speak, and I will speak. Then some other of the 
 council willed him to sit down, and stop his ears ; and so he returned 
 to his company. 
 
 Then Mr. Stillington rose up, and went to the council, and Mr. 
 Middleton went with him, and he said thus unto them ; behold ! I be- 
 seech you, the extremity we suffer. And, if (as I told your worships 
 yesterday) we be not above measure troubled in our minds with this 
 usage, for God's sake deal otherwise with us. The council made light 
 of his words, and then all the prisoners rose up, and went forth of the 
 place, towards the lower end of the hall from them, but still to their 
 further hurt ; for the keeper's and the council's men hauled them back, 
 in angry mood, and threw some of them down upon the floor, and beat 
 them unreasonably 5 so that Mr. Stanhope called unto them, and com-
 
 APPENDIX. 233 
 
 manded them to hold their hands. Then the preacher began, and $ie 
 prisoners began likewise to murmur, and make such a noise, that the 
 preacher was forced to stay his speech. The council stood up, and com- 
 manded silence, and made the preacher to go forward with his sermon. 
 Then the prisoners stopped their ears with their fingers till sermon was 
 ended. The sermon being ended, Mr. Stillington hastily stood forth, 
 thinking young Palmer had made the sermon, and called for an answer 
 of the sermon he had promised before my Lord. Mr. Fowler courte- 
 ously answered, he had said nothing to offend him : the other said, he 
 had not heard what he said, but thought him to have been another 
 man. Whilst Mr. Stillington thus spoke, the people broke over the 
 bars, and thronged about him on every side, so desirous they were to 
 hear him speak ; then all the company came to, and some spoke to the 
 council, and some to others about them, that the council was much of- 
 fended thereat, and rose up and left them. 
 
 After dinner, Mr. Danby was sent for to come before my Lord, who 
 reproved him very sharply for his speeches at the hall. He answered, 
 that he spoke nothing to offend them, but only in defence of his consci- 
 ence. In the end, notwithstanding he was my lady's cousin, and de- 
 scended of honour, my Lord commanded him to be put into a dungeon 
 (a dangerous and disgraceful place) there to keep Christmas ; and ga've 
 orders, that all the rest of the catholics should be locked up close pri- 
 soners in their chambers ; and thus they celebrated the joyful time of 
 Christ's nativity, and the beginning of the year of Jubilee. 
 CHAP. VII. IPhat happened at the Jifth sermon. From a letter of 
 Mr. Siillingtoris to the author, the llth of January, 1600. 
 
 SIR, JL HIS last Sunday, being Twelfth-day, we were all hauled forth, 
 save Mr. Holland (a priest lately committed) and one Mr. Sweeting (in 
 whose house he was taken) and my lord came to the hall, and presently 
 stood up and made a speech unto us, and mentioned what great favours 
 were offered us by the state ; also by what fair means we have been in- 
 Vited to hear the word of God ; and our obstinate refusal, and contem- 
 ning the same. He said, he had entered into consideration of these 
 things, and, upon a desire he had to have us taught, together with the 
 advice of learned men, assuring himself of the lawfulness of this 
 course, and that he might draw us unto it against our wills, he had re-? 
 solved thus to force us, and though we refused never so much, yet 
 would he make us to hear, with our outward ears, and if any of 'us 
 wei'e unquiet, and disturbed the preacher, he would severely punish such 
 a one. Here you may observe, good sir, that the ministers are the 
 causers of all these troubles unto us, and set my lord on us, knowing 
 we may resist, and so bring him more against us, than ever by any per- 
 suasions they could themselves have drawn himj for they say (being 
 conscienceless men themselves) that we refuse only of will and of no 
 conscience, which makes him to labour the more to over-rule us. 
 
 When his honour had ended his speech, I stood up, and desired his 
 lordship to give me leave to answer, and I would, by the same authority 
 he had alledged out of Daniel, shew our refusal good and lawful. My 
 lord presently answered, I know, Stillington, that you are the ring- 
 ieader, and ready to answer, but hold your peace, I command you ;
 
 2U APPENDIX. 
 
 you are a prisoner, and therefore, I say again, hold your peace. I sat 
 down, and divers of our company began to speak. Mr. Danby said, we 
 came not to hear your sermons, and, though you hang us, or burn us, 
 we will not hear them. Thomas Clitheroe said, my lord, if we be he- 
 retics, your grandfather was an heretic. My lord had said a little be- 
 fore, that we were all heretics ; and at these speeches all the company 
 almost in the hall laughed. Old Mr. Palmer began his sermon, and we 
 stopped our ears, and then came the jailors and pursuivants, and my 
 lord's men, and took down our hands and held us, and so sate we, 
 striving and doing all that sermon-time. 
 
 When the sermon was ended, Mr. Fenton stood up, and desired his 
 honour to perform his promise, so honourably made unto us before that 
 assembly, that we might have some learned men from Wisbich, to anr 
 swer for us ignorant laymen. My lord gave him no answer, but, with- 
 out speaking of one word, rose up angry and left us, giving order to the 
 jailor, that we should be kept very strait, and that none, without special 
 warrant, should come at us. And yesterday his honour sent for me to the 
 manor, and, after I had done my duty, asked me, what his promise was 
 to us, for having a priest to dispute ? I said, ' his honour promised 
 ' us, to have a learned priest from Wisbich, or London, whom we 
 ' should name, to defend our cause against the preachers : or any semi- 
 ' nary priest in the country that would, to come and go safe. You say 
 ' truly (quoth he) but that is more than I may do, or is fit to be allowed 
 'in our state. But if you will have any seminary priest or Jesuit, that is 
 'within my commission, let him come, and I will assure, I will give 
 ' him leave to come and go, but how he will be looked to after, I cannot 
 f tell you.' I told his honour, ' I knew of none, that would come in 
 ' and deal in that matter. Then my lord told me, that some of our 
 ' company had reported largely of his promise, and liad said, that he 
 ' had promised us a Jesuit to preach. I answered, that I had heard no 
 ' such thing, and I thought none of our company would so overshoot 
 * themselves. And so my lord bid me farewel.' 
 
 CHAt*. VIII. The s'uctfi aermon , made ly the Archbishop himself, the 
 13th of January. 
 
 JL HERE was a very great audience, this day, at the hall. There were 
 divers of the chief gentlemen of the country; there was the lord-mayor 
 and his brethren, the aldermen of the city ; there were many lawyers 
 and Other gentlemen ; and of other people, a very great multitude. 
 The prisoners were hauled down, and placed within the rails, and the 
 bishop in a chair over-against them, at the other end. And after the 
 lord president was come in, the two old priests, Sir George Rains and 
 lr Christopher Wharton, stood both up together, and proffered to 
 speak. The bishop stayed them, and said, they should have time to 
 speak, but they should first hear; for they were brought to that place 
 to hear, and not to preach ; and presently began the sermon. 
 
 Whilst this was in hand, my lord president called for Mr. Stillington, 
 that he should be brought from his company and placed before him at 
 his feet. When he cariie thither, he stood up, and earnestly sued to my 
 lord, that they might depart. He desired his honour, to be well per- 
 suaded of them, they were very loath to offend his lordship, but more 
 
 oath to offend God. Strait my lord grew offended, the rather, because
 
 APPENDIX. 235 
 
 it was in sermon -time, and the other, on purpose, urged that speech at 
 that time, thinking that all the company would have done the like, and 
 that so the bishop (being troubled) might, sooner than others that were 
 at command, have taken occasion to have left that exercise, as verily it 
 is like, he would, for the speech went, that he disliked of that course. 
 Mr. Stilling ton again desired my lord, to give him leave to speak, and 
 told his honour, that he had no will to offend him; and this made the 
 bishop hold his speech, and more grieved my lord than before ; so that 
 he grew very angry, and called him, rebellious fellow, and charged him 
 to hold his speech. ' He again answered, that he was as ready to serve 
 ' her majesty, as any protestant there, with his body and goods, in all 
 ' lawful sort, and desired his honour so to think of him.' Divers willed 
 him to bs silent, and his brother, Mr. Robert Stlllington, a notable pu- 
 ritan, came to him, and asked him, what he meant so to trouble the com- 
 pany ; but he gave him no answer that I can learn of, but still applied 
 to my lord. My lord struck at him with his staff, and called him rebel, 
 and said, he would hang him the next week, at the jail delivery : and 
 lastly, as marvelling at his standing, said, ' what, are you a priest that 
 you are so earnest ? And one of the council answered, I do think he is 
 so. And then my lord stood up, and charged them upon their allegiance, 
 to be silent, and not to stop their ears. 
 
 The bishop again began to preach, and the most of the prisoners 
 stopped their ears. And Mr. Stillington, sitting at my lord's feet, laid 
 both his hands upon his ears. Then he commanded two of his gentle* 
 men, Mr. Chapman and Mr. Philip Stapleton, to hold down his hands, 
 so, sitting of either side, they took his hands and held them forth, that he 
 lay all that sermon -time, as if he had been upon a cross. They took 
 his bible from him, and found certain notes in it, whereof was given 
 out, that they touched matters of state, and that he should be hanged 
 at that jail delivery, being the Tuesday following. 
 
 When the bishop had made an end, he willed Mr. Stillington should 
 stand up, and then he spoke to him, and said something of my lord'* 
 purpose in hauling them to the sermons, in which speech he plainly de- 
 livered, that he thought it unlawful to haul them to church, or to force 
 them to receive any sacrament, and therefore that place was chosen, be- 
 ing a piece of their prison, for them to hear the word of God. Mr. 
 Stillington began to answer something, but the president staid his 
 speech, and said, my lord archbishop should not hear him, nor should 
 he have that favour to speak, seeing he would not hear them ; and so 
 they departed, and order was given to put Mr. Stillington into the dun- 
 geon, and to put Mr. Danby, Mr. Gascoigne, Robert Halleley, John 
 Thackwraie, Thomas Newet, Edward Saughell, and Jerome Bolton, 
 into the low house among thieves. 
 
 CHAP. IX. The seventh sermon, made ly Mr. Goodiiin. 
 
 JL HIS day the prisoners were purposed to speak and make a noise, 
 without ceasing, till the council should leave them, or send them 
 away ; and therefore they began with the preacher to make a noise, and 
 some said aloud, we came not hither of ourselves, and we will not hear* 
 your sermons : others said, we beseech you let us depart ; and others 
 spoke otherwise, and all continued speaking', that neither' the preacher 
 $or the council could be heard. The council stood up and demanded
 
 236 APPENDIX. 
 
 silence, but it was not respected. Then Mr. Feme called to Mr. Stfl- 
 lington, and said, all this disorder was along of him ; and that he should 
 answer for all ; but they all replied, he has no charge of our souls ; we 
 speak of ourselves, and for our own discharge. Then they blamed Mr. 
 Danby, for he spoke very freely, and a note above the rest, and still 
 they desired that they might be sent away. Dr. Bennet went from the 
 bench unto them, and desired them, but now to hear Mr. Goodwin 
 speak in a civil manner unto them ; and then they staid their speech. 
 
 After dinner, Mr. Danby was sent for to the manor, and my lord 
 sharply reproved him for this matter, and assigned him again to the 
 dungeon ; and that Thomas Whelehouse, and Thomas Clitheroe should 
 be double fettered, and be put into the low house with the thieves : and, 
 on Wednesday following (as God would) came a fellow and complained 
 of some wrong sustained by Mr. Danby about his farmhold, and craved 
 remedy of my lord. Upon this occasion, my lord sent for Mr. Danby 
 out of the dungeon, and heard the cause, and found the fellow had 
 sustained no wrong ; but hearing of Mr. Danby's disgrace with my lord, 
 thought then to get some advantage against him. This business dis- 
 patched, Mr. Danby gave a petition to my lord for his delivery out of 
 the dungeon : and my lord asked him, why he spoke so much ? I must 
 either speak, quoth he, or stop my ears. Well then, quoth my lord, 
 do you stop your ears, and hinder not others that would hear. And thus 
 Mr. Danby was delivered out of the dungeon. 
 
 CHAP. XI. The prisoners' behaviour at the ninth sermon made ly Mr, 
 Cook. 
 
 J. HIS week they changed the sermon day from Sunday to Friday, be- 
 cause these sporting preachers drew most of the audience from the 
 cathedral to the castle, and so made the congregation there very small, 
 to the great disgrace of their gospel. This day the council being set, and 
 the preacher in his place before all the prisoners were hauled down ; in 
 this space, one Edward Soughell, a good poor man, went to Mr. Cook, 
 the preacher, and said thus unto him, sir, you use us strangely in haul- 
 ing us thus against our wills. I beseech you satisfy us, if you can, by 
 some authority out of the word of God, that chjistians may be thus 
 used, or by some example, that good Christians ever used heretics after 
 this manner. The preacher would give him no answer ; but said, he 
 was come there to preach, and willed them to hear him, and then to lay 
 all their heads together, and answer what they could. The poor old 
 sickly man again instantly desired him, even for Christ's sake, to give 
 him some answer hereunto : but Cook, for all his learning, was silent 
 to this question, and would make no answer. He began his sermon, 
 and they all stopped their ears ; and then he said, he had purposed to 
 speak to these asps, meaning the catholics, but seeing they stopped their 
 ears and would not hear, he would direct his speech to another audience. 
 The sermon ended, they all departed ; and, in the afternoon, Mr. 
 Stillington and Mr. Danby were sent for to the manor before my lord 
 and the council. The manner of their usage J will recite out of one of 
 Mr. Stillington's letters, as folloM-s. 
 
 Mr. Danby and I were sent ibr to the manor the last day, and car- 
 ried by several keepers, that we should not speak one to the other in the 
 way, so careful are they to bar us of all comfort one of another. .Whea
 
 APPENDIX. 237 
 
 we came into my lord's bed-chamber, there was Mr. Cook standing at 
 the table, and divers books before him. My lord, at the first, began a 
 very sharp speech unto us, and reproved us for stopping our ears, and 
 called us swine and hogs, that despised the word of God, and threatened 
 great punishments to them, that again should dare to stop their ears. 
 J told his lordship, we were of another religion, and it was against our 
 consciences to hear their sermons ; and therefore we could do no less, 
 being hauled thither, than to stop our ears in sign of dislike ; and it was 
 a means also (keeping us from hearing) to keep us from answering and 
 speaking ; by which we should more offend them and the laws, than by 
 stopping our ears. 
 
 CHAP. XII. The tenth sermon preached ly Mr. Bunny. 
 
 ALL the sermon time they stopped their ears, which offended so much, 
 that in the afternoon there came a warrant to put Mr Stillington and 
 Mr. Danbyboth into the dungeon. What, quoth Mr. Stillington, will 
 my lord have us both in the dungeon ? the place will hardly hold us, 
 being little more than three feet wide. There is no remedy, quoth the 
 keeper, I am commanded to put you both there : and the next day he 
 set irons upon Mr. Gascoigne, Thomas Whelehouse and Peter Tunstall. 
 
 The eleventh sermon was made by Mr. Fowler, my lord's chaplain ; 
 and for stopping of their ears, there were fifteen of the prisoners set in 
 irons. So hotly did my lord and the council pursue the stopping of their 
 ears j which, at first, they licensed, and, in some sort, commanded. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. The fifteenth sermon, preached ly Mr. Goodwin. 
 
 J. HE prisoners were this day hauled down one after another, and being 
 size week, there was great wondering at the strangeness thereof: as 
 soon as they were all brought into the hall, one of them preferred a pe- 
 tition, in the name of them ail, to my lord and the judges ; the sub- 
 stance was as followeth : 
 
 ' They first desired their lordships to consider the great distresses 
 ' they suffered ; first, the loss of their goods, and two-thirds of their 
 1 lands, by the statute, for their conscience sake ; and that (this not- 
 ' withstanding) they still paid all sessments, taxes and subsidies, a^ 
 ' deeply as others of their neighbours ; and, with loyal minds, were still 
 ' ready in all employments for their country, and her majesty's service ; 
 ' in respect whereof, they humbly desired their lordships' good con- 
 ' siderations, for thetfodily punishments, viz. the keeping of them close 
 ' prisoners in so corrupt a place as the castle was, the loading them with 
 ' irons so long, and in so cold a season, many of them being aged men. 
 c and very sickly persons : and as touching the stopping of their ears at 
 ' sermons, to which they were hauled against their wills, they humbly 
 ' desired them to take it in no offence ; for, seeing they were holden to 
 ' hear things offensive, and against their consciences, the remedy was 
 e lawful, they thought, in such a case ; it was a thing by the prophet 
 ' Isaiah commended as a just act, and used by the catholics of old time 
 ' against the arians. It was (they said) a secure way to keep their 
 ' consciences at quiet, and a harmless defence allowed them by God, and 
 ' the law of nature.' 
 
 After they had delivered the petition, my lord perused it and gave it 
 to the judge ; he read it, and gave it to the other judges, and *o the/
 
 238 APPENDIX. 
 
 proceeded to the sermon j at which the prisoners stopped their ears ; and 
 when the preacher had made an end, Mr. Danby stood up, and Mr. 
 Stillington with him, and he desired to speak. My lord said presently 
 to him, what, Danby, will you speak ? you are minimus apostolorum, 
 you may hold your peace. One of the judges asked him, whether he 
 would speak for himself, or for his company ? and he answered, that 
 he spoke for his company ; for that his voice was stronger than any of 
 theirs. Then baron Saville angerly asked him, who gave him com- 
 mission to speak in that place ? he answered, that he asked leave, and 
 set down again. 
 
 CHAP. XXX. The twenty-fourth sermon made by Mr. Lyndal ; from 
 Mr. StilHngtons letters. 
 
 HEN the sermon was done, I stood up and desired his honour to 
 hear an old papist speak, which I thought would make his lordship 
 laugh. He gave me leave, and then I rose up from my place, and went 
 up to the preacher, hard before my lord, and doing my duty, desired 
 his honour to bear with my rough English, for I was but a mean 
 scholar ; and then I read the story following, out of St. Augustine, in 
 his 22d book of the City of God, chap. 8. there was a certain oldman^ 
 named Florentius, of our city of Hippo, a godly poor man, ly occupation 
 a shoe-maker, that lost his coat, and had nothing trherewith to buy him 
 another. He prayed in a loud voice to the forty martyrs (whose me- 
 mory is most famous here with us) to be cloathed. Certain mocking 
 young men heard him that were there by chance, and when he went 
 away, they followed him, disquieting, or jesting at him, as though Jte 
 had asked fifty half-pence to buy him aeoat : but he going quietly aivay, 
 f spied a great fah gasping upon the sand, and took the said Jish, by tine 
 help of the aforesaid young men, and carried it to a cook's house, named 
 Carthesus, a good Christian, shewing unto him what had haf)pened unto 
 him. He sold the Jish for three hundred half-pence, purposing therewith 
 to buy wool, that his wife might spin him a coat. But the cook cutting 
 up the fish, found a gold ring in the Jislis belly : and presently moved 
 with compassion, and a good conscience, gave it to the poor man, saying, 
 behold hoiv the forty martyrs have clad thce. 
 
 When I had ended this story, I said to my lord, if I had reported 
 such a miracle to your honour, it would have been taken for some 
 fiction ; but I hope the credit of this old father, St. Augustine, will 
 authorize the report. The gentlemen, and almost all the hall, laughed, 
 and my lord answered, in good faith you have made me laugh indeed. 
 
 Then my lord stood up himself, and made a speech unto us for a 
 farcwel: in which his honour declared, that he began that exercise for 
 our good ; and said, that we resisted more than we needed, or were 
 tied unto by our religion ; and thereby unwisely gavs advantage of the 
 law against ourselves ; but, for his part, he said, he never intended to 
 take advantage on ; and, in the end, he willed us, that if we would 
 pray or speak, to hinder our own hearing, yet so to do it, as it should 
 not hinder them that were willing to hear the preacher ; and thus very 
 favourably made an end. 
 
 When my lord had done, I came and kneeled on my knee, and de- 
 sired his honour, to take pity on the poor men that had now worn irons 
 very long, many of them being sickly and very aged men. His honour
 
 APPENDIX. 23$ 
 
 said, he would leave an honourable gentleman in his place, and turned to- 
 wards my lord Evers, who he hoped would take some consideration in that 
 matter to ease them, and so departed 5 and the next day all our irons 
 were taken off, and his honour gave me t\vo months' liberty to go to the 
 hot baths ; which before had been hindered by many great personages, 
 and now is likely to be hindered again : for after his honour was gone, I 
 staid but three days, with my company in the castle, to get my horses 
 in readiness 5 and in that space, Mrs. Readhead hath treacherously ac- 
 cused us to have had a mass on Corpus Christi Day, when my lord was 
 going away ; and, upon this suggestion, we were searched, and my 
 chamber ransacked more than all the rest, and the walls almost riven 
 down, and I am staid by the council from my journey ; but I am gotten 
 from her keeping for the time ; and I hope the sermons will end, for the 
 preachers edify not much, and some of their own sort think, that they 
 do us wrong, and their own cause no good, whilst they are so taken with 
 lies and falshoods by us ignorant laymen ; and doubtless, many like better 
 our cause now than they did before they heard us speak. Sex. Calccnd. 
 Junij, 1600. 
 
 CHAP. XL. Thejijlieth and last sermon made ly Mr. Cook 
 
 JVxR. Cook was appointed, and took his text from Jeremy li. Cura- 
 vimus Balijlonem & non est sanata den-Unquamus earn, & earnus unus- 
 ijuisque in domum suam. For half an hour he handled this text ; but 
 in the latter part of his speech he railed exceedingly, and applied every 
 thing against Rome, the pope and the catholics. He preached his own 
 condemnations most willingly, and said, he had confuted the papist's ar- 
 gumentfor purgatory, so as the dragon in his den, meaning the priest, 
 could never le able again to open his mouth. This was shameful impu- 
 dence in that place, where all men were witness, that he durst make no 
 confutation or answer to the priest in writing at all ; nor durst he, in that 
 question of purgatory, accept a layman's challenge openly made upon 
 him in the Hall before my lord, and all that assembly, and not once 
 but several times and days. In the end he told them, the magistrates' 
 purpose was good in that exercise ; but seeing their labour lost, he 
 thought them unworthy of such favour, and so mild handling (loss of 
 lands and goods, strait imprisonment, dungeons and wearing of irons, 
 with many terrible threats and open disgraces, is mild handling with Mr. 
 Cook and the ministers : but I may doubt if the preachers would endure 
 such mild usage for the love of their new gospel, if they were put there- 
 to) and that now they would leave them, and return ever)- one to his 
 own home. When he had made an end, one of the council stood up, 
 and told the prisoners, that it was my lord's pleasure the sermons should 
 cease till the spring : and so they all departed. 
 
 The prisoners were glad, and they had great cause to thank God, 
 that had protected them from so manifold dangers, and now given them 
 the victory, after so many conflicts, with such potent adversaries, with- 
 out the loss of any one soldier of the camp. For, thanked be God, they 
 were all constant to the end, cheerful, patiently enduring all disgraces, 
 persevering in unity, and sound in faith. 
 fourthly, an extract out of the commextarief-upon the epistle to the /&-
 
 240 APPENDIX. 
 
 Irewa, c. x. written liy the learned and pious Cornelius a Lapide, S. J. 
 " edition of Antwerp, 1627." Audi Anglicana, &c. 
 
 JDuAS e tribus bonorum partes viduae nobilis quod hsereticorum tern- 
 ' pla adire nollet fisco haeretici addixerunt, cumq ; ipsa ab amicis adjuta 
 ' a fisco bis terq ; propriam Domum agrosq ; conduceret & paulatun 
 ' ditesceret, bis terq ; duabus bonorum partibus rursuni spoliata est : 
 ' Quod ipsa miro cum gaudio tulit. Alius magnam pecuniaram sum- 
 
 * mam quae ad vitam sustentandam sola resiabat apud amicum catholf- 
 " cum deposuerat, quam repertam abstulere pursuivantes ; ipse certior 
 
 * de rapina factus, sublatis in Coelum manibus gratias maximas Deo 
 
 * egit, quod ex ilia hora eum in suum patrocinium & curam suscepisset, 
 e solumq j dolebat quod pecuniae amissse quantitas major non fuisset. 
 
 * Alia fcemina primaria, Uxor Gulielmi Lacei gloriosi postmodum mar- 
 
 * tyris, qui bona omnia ac praecipua munia eo quod haereticorum templa 
 1 adire nollet, gaudens amisserat j post direptionem bonorum perpaupe- 
 ( rem vitam agebat tanta cum laetitia, ut deo pro tanto beneficio digiias 
 ' gratias agere se non posse affirmaret eo quod una cum bonis superfluas 
 ' curas & mundanas obligationes abstulerat, tempusq ; hac ratione va- 
 ' cuum ad aeternam salutem comparandam concesserat : & quamvis ob 
 ' assiduaspersecutionesdomicilia,terrasq j mutare crebro cogeretur tanto 
 ' gaudio fruebatur, ut a deo instanter peteret ne omues suas aerumnas in 
 ' hac vita remuneraretur, sed dolorem aut inrlrmitatem aliquam covpora- 
 
 * lem ad magnum animi gaudium temperandum, & peccata sua dum 
 ' viveret purganda immitteret j quod & praestitum est. Sex enim vel 
 
 ' ' scptem ante obitum annos continuis gravissimisq 5 doloribus & infir- 
 
 * mitatibus exercita fuit, quas summa alacritate sustinuit. D. Franc. 
 ' Tregianus antiquae &: nobilissimae familiae, &c. ferunt eum cum sen- 
 f tentia de amissione bonorum & perpetuis carceribus ferenda esset, 
 ' bysso Candida vestitum comparuisse, & post latam sententiam dixisse : 
 ' Pereant lona quce si nonperiissent, fortassis Dominum suum perdidis- 
 
 * sent. Excellentissimus Arundelias Comes Philippus Howardus, in 
 ' carcere captivus cadiolicis omnibus non exemplo modo, sed etiam sin- 
 ' gulari solatio fuit ; nullus unquam de bonorum rapina, de carceris in- 
 ' commodis, de negata libertate dolentem audivit. Imo conquerentes 
 ' alios ipse nunc verbis erigere, nunc mira qua pollebat comitate conso- 
 
 * lari solebat. Illi praeter deum & coelestium contemplationem sapiebat 
 ' ' nil, pecunias quas pro sustentatione secundum dignitatis gradum regina 
 
 ' illi concedebat, tenui & parco ipse contentus cibo, inter pauperes dis- 
 ' tribuit. Alia multa dixit, fecit, scripsit quas anliquorum primitivae 
 
 * ecclesias heroum factum vel asquent, vel superent. Macte animo an- 
 ' gli orthodoxi, aemuli primorum christianorum & nwrtyrum, haec est 
 e felicitas vestra, quod hocce seculo persecutionibus procelloso in Anglia 
 
 * nati soli paene speretis, soli ambiatis rnartyrium, sive breve illud detur, 
 
 * sive longum & lentum per assiduas rapinas & vaxationes. Invident 
 ' vobis martyrium sanguinis pseudo episcopi ; at eo gloriosius in fortunis 
 ' exhibent quo durius & lentius. Haec enim rapina vitam, non qualem, 
 
 * qualem, sed nobilem & gradu vestro dignam, non vobis solis, sed toti 
 ' ianiiliae & posteritati eripit. Itaq; non unum hoc & simplex, nee 
 1 uaius, sed multiplex & multorum est martyrium. Edit. Antw. 1627, 
 
 FINIS.
 
 MEMOIRS 
 
 and other 
 
 Cat$ottc0 of iotf) js>tj;t8, 
 
 that have 
 SUFFERED DEATH IN ENGLAND ON RELIGIOUS ACCOUNTS, 
 
 from 
 
 The year 1577 to 1684. 
 
 BY BISHOP CHALLONER, V, A. L. 
 
 ".- 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 Carefully collected from the Accounts of Eye-aitnestet, cotemporary Authors, and 
 Manuscripts kept in the English Colleges & Convents abroad. 
 
 Manchester, 
 Printed by Branch &. Jackson, Queen-street St. Ann's, 
 
 FORT. HAYDOCK, 16, TIB-LANE. 
 
 Also sold by E. Booker, No. 56, New Bond-street, London, 
 of whom may be had all the other books published by T. Haydock. 
 
 1803.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 A HE continuation of the executions of catholics on religious accounts, 
 from the death of queen Elizabeth till the end of the reign of king 
 Charles the second, is laid before the reader in this second volume or 
 our memoirs, in which we have endeavoured to follow the same method 
 as in the first. Our intention herein is not to meddle any way with 
 religious controversies, or to make apologies for the principles of those 
 whose sufferings we represent, or to discuss the merits of the cause for ' 
 which they suffered ; but barely to give an impartial account of the 
 characters of these sufferers, as far as we could learn of them, the 
 most remarkable particulars of their lives and deaths, and their be- 
 haviour at their execution. 
 
 If any one apprehend that the cruelties here represented, may re- 
 flect an odium upon the memories of those, who were the authors or 
 executors of the sanguinary laws, by which so much Christian blood 
 has been shed for more than a whole century, in a nation which of all 
 others is naturally most averse from shedding of blood ; we can only 
 assure him, that it was not our design to reflect on the memory of any 
 one, but barely to represent matters of fact, which we hoped might 
 furnish a useful and agreeable scene of history to the English reader. 
 However, we must at the same time declare, how much we are con- 
 vinced, that the more mild proceedings of the present government, 
 with regard to catholics, are far more agreeable both to reason and 
 religion, more honourable to the nation, and more suitable to that 
 claim of liberty and property, which every true Englishman challenges 
 as his birth-right. 
 
 In effect, is it not most agreeable to right reason, for a people that 
 disclaims all pretensions to infallibility, to give a moderate liberty to 
 the tender consciences of their fellow subjects, of thinking for them- 
 selves in matters of religion, without being constrained therein by penal 
 laws ? And can any thing be more highly unreasonable, than to im- 
 pose upon them a necessity of conforming, in matters where their 
 souls are concerned, to the judgment of others, acknowledged by 
 themselves to be liable to error, and contrary in many points to their 
 own judgment, and to that of the greatest and wisest men upon earth? 
 Is not this even irreconcileable with the great principle of morality, of 
 not doing to others what one would not bear should be done to oneself? 
 
 Again, is it not most agreeable to religion, to practise mildness and 
 charity towards our fellow Christians, and if we suppose them to be in 
 an error, to win them over rather by good treatment and good ex- 
 ample, and to convince their judgment by proper arguments and 
 evidences of the truth, than to compel them by penal laws to play the 
 hypocrites, and profess what they do not believe ? And how much 
 more ought this to be observed, if we speak of people, who, if they 
 are in the wrong, it is visibly their misfortune and not their fault, 
 having no worldly motives of honour, interest or pleasure, to bias 
 their judgment, which is plainly the case of English catholics ? And 
 certainly nothing can be more disagreeable to the very first principles 
 
 Vol. II. A
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 of protestant religion, which would have all Christians to steer by the 
 word of God, than to oblige men to renounce those tenets which they 
 sincerely believe to be conformable to the word of God, as catholics do 
 with regard to the doctrine of transubstantiation, &c. 
 
 As to the honour of the English nation, our neighbours abroad 
 certainly think better of us now, than when they were continually 
 hearing of our putting priests to death, which in their notions was an 
 unparallelled piece of cruelty. 
 
 And as to that liberty and property which is the birth-right of a 
 Briton, nothing can be more opposite to it, than persecution for reli- 
 gion, which visibly tends to enslave the conscience, and to invade 
 the life or property of an Englishman, merely because he has not the 
 same way of thinking as his neighbours. 
 
 But the advocates of persecution will here object, that Roman 
 catholics have been notoriously guilty of rebellions and treasons, un- 
 der pretence of religion ; and therefore must be kept under by penal 
 laws. But supposing the guilt to have been even greater than it really 
 was, are there not laws enough against rebellions and treasons, to 
 restrain all sorts of people from such wicked attempts, without con- 
 straining their consciences in matters of religion ? And is it not more 
 than probable, that such things would never have been thought on by 
 catholics, had they not been pushed upon them by the cruel usages 
 they met with on account of their religion ? But be this as it will, 
 the law of God and nature teaches us, that the children ought not to 
 suffer for the misdemeanors of their fathers. 
 
 But the persecutors will say, perhaps, that Roman catholic prin- 
 ciples are inconsistent with civil allegiance to the sovereign, and with 
 the tranquillity of the nation : to which the catholics reply, that their 
 principles are misrepresented ; and that their loyalty to their princes, 
 and peaceful behaviour to their fellow subjects, may be demonstrated 
 by the experience of so many princes and states abroad, as well pro- 
 testants as catholics, where the professors of their religion are known 
 to be as good subjects, in all respects, as any others of what deno- 
 mination soever. 
 
 Some urge, as a third reason for persecuting Roman catholics, that 
 it is a duty incumbent on all Christian princes, not to tolerate an ido- 
 latrous worship in their dominions ; and such they suppose the Roman 
 religion to be. But the more moderate protestants are not willing to 
 charge so gross a crime as that of idolatry on so many millions of 
 Christians, to whom they were indebted for their own Christianity : 
 and since the generality of protestants look upon it as a point of Chris- 
 tian charity, to allow salvation to the catholics, why may they not tole- 
 rate, without a crime, what they grant is not inconsistent'with salvation? 
 But we shall say no more, on this subject, what has been said already 
 being abundantly sufficient to vindicate the moderation of the present 
 government from the unjust censures of some fiery zealots, who breathe 
 nothing but slaughter and destruction against all who differ from them- 
 selves in religious controversies. And we doubt not, but the wisdom 
 of the legislature, when they shall think proper to take these matters 
 under consideration, will find many other weighty reasons, which will 
 demonstrate that a toleration of the private exercise of the Roman
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 catholic religion, will be more agreeable to the common good and 
 tranquillity of the nation, and more advantageous to our trade, than 
 penal laws and persecutions. 
 
 As to the rest, we look upon it our duty, before we conclude, to 
 make a public acknowledgment of our obligations to those from whom 
 we received the greatest part of our materials, out of which we have 
 compiled our memoirs ; particularly to the English colleges of Douay 
 and St. Omers, and to the English Benedictins and Franciscans ; 
 
 and amongst the catholic gentry to C 1 C le, esq. who furnished 
 
 us with divers useful books and manuscripts. 
 
 We think it also necessary, in consequence of the decrees of our 
 superiors, to take notice that we do not pretend by these memoirs to 
 authorize or encourage any religious veneration of these gentlemen who 
 have suffered for their religion, till the church shall think proper to 
 declare them martyrs ; and that on the same account we speak sparing- 
 ly of their miracles; and that if we ever employ, in treating of them, 
 the name of saint or martyr, we understand it not in that sense in which 
 it is attributed to such as have been canonized by the church ; to whose 
 wholesome ordinances we submit ourselves and all our writings. 
 
 CONTENTS, 
 
 an account of those that suffered from the year 1603, 
 the first of king James L to the year 1684, the last of king Charles II. 
 
 1604. J. Almond, alias Lathom, pr. 
 
 John Sugar, pr. Warwick p. 2) Tylntrn 39 
 
 Rob. Grissold, layman, do 5 S John Mawson, layman, Tyburn 4-6 
 
 Lau.Bailv, layman, Lancaster...'] ? 1616. 
 
 1605. , Thomas Atkinson, pr. York.,A7 
 
 Thos. Welbourn, layman, York 7 S John Thulis, pr. Lancaster 49 
 
 John Feathering, do ib. i Roger Wrenno, layman, do....ib. 
 
 William Brown, do ib. S Thos. Maxfield, pr. Tyburn 51 
 
 1606. ^ Thos. Tunstal, alias Helmes, pr. 
 
 Forty-seven priests banished 8 ^ Norwich , 59 
 
 Two Jesuits wrongfully accused S 1618. 
 
 of the powder plot 9 <[ W. Southerne, pr. Nnvcas-un-1.63 
 
 1607. S Sixty priests banished ,64- 
 
 Robert Drury, pr. Tyburn. ib. S Thos. Dyer, monk, O.S.B ib. 
 
 1608. <| 1624. 
 
 Malt. orMaj.Flathers, pr. York 1] S Wm. Bishop, bp. ofChalcedon, 
 
 (ieo.Gervase, pr. O.S.B.TyZwra ib confessor ib. 
 
 Thos. Garnet, pr. S. J. do 13 \ 1628. 
 
 1610. S Edm. Arrowsmith, pr. S. J. Lan.6G 
 
 Eog. Cadwallador, pr. Leomin. 15 / Rich. Herst, layman, do.. ..75 
 
 George Nappier, pr. Oif. 21 S 1640. 
 
 John Roberts^ pr. O.S.B. TyburnW S John Goodman, pr. confessor... 7 9 
 T. Somers, alias Wilson, pr. do. 33 \ 1 641 . 
 
 1612. S Wm. Ward alias Webster, pr. 
 
 William Scot, pr. O.S.B. do.. ..34^ Tyburn... 82 
 
 ft, Newport, alias Smith, pr. do.38 \ Ed. Barlow, pr. O.S.B. Luncast.91
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Seven priests, confessors 97 
 
 164-2. 
 Thos. Reynolds, alias Green, pr. 
 
 Tyburn 99 
 
 Earth. Roe, pr. O.S.B 102 
 
 John Lockwood alias Lassels, 
 
 pr. York.. 106 
 
 Edmund Catherick, pr. York... 109 S 
 N. Wilkes, alias Tomson, pr. $ 
 
 confessor 110 
 
 Ed. Morgan, pr. Tyburn ib. 
 
 Hugh Green, alias Ferdinand 
 
 Brooks, pr. Dorchester 113 
 
 T. Bullaker, pr. O.S.F. Tyburnl 19 
 
 T. Holland, pr. S. J....do 125 
 
 1643. 
 
 Henry Heath, pr. O.S.F. do.. .128 > 
 Arthur Bell, pr. O. S. F. do.. .135 
 
 1644. 
 Boniface Kempe, & Ildephonse 
 
 Hesketh, prs, O. S. B confs 142 S 
 N. Price, of Washinglcy, gent. ^ 
 
 killed in hatred of religion. ..ib. <, 
 
 John Ducket, pr. Tyburn 143 
 
 Ralph Corby, pr. S.J. do 146 
 
 164/5. 
 
 Henry Morse, pr. S.J. do 151 
 
 Brian Cansfield, *pr. S. J . conf. 155 
 Geo. Muscot, alias Fisher, pr. 
 
 and confessor ib. 
 
 1646. 
 Ph. Powel, alias Morgan, pr. 
 
 O.S.B 156 
 
 Ed. Bamber, alias Reding, pr. 
 
 Lancaster 162 
 
 J. Woodcock, alias Farington, 
 
 pr. O.S.F. Lancaster 164 
 
 T. Whitaker, pr. do 165 
 
 R.Bradley & J. Felton,prs. S.J. 
 
 confessors 168 
 
 Thos. Vaughan, pr. confessor... ib. 
 
 1647, &c. 
 
 Thos. Blount, pr. confessor. ..169 
 R. Cox, pr. O.S.B. confessor. ..ib. 
 Sequestrations of catholic estates ib. 
 Catalogue of noblemen & gentle- S 
 
 men slain in the civil wars 176 J 
 
 1651. 
 Peter Wright, pr. S.J. TyburnlSO J 
 
 1G54. 
 
 John Southworth, pr. do,...,,. 184- 
 1678. 
 
 Oates's plot 189 
 
 Ed. Coleman, gent. Tyburn... 1 9 3 
 
 1679. 
 William Ireland,pr.S.J.7j/&7/rnl 95 
 
 John Grove, layman do...zfr. 
 
 Thos. Pickering, lay-brother, 
 
 O.S.B. Tyburn ib. 
 
 Law. Hill, layman, Tyburn. .AW 
 
 Robert Green, layman, do ib. 
 
 Thol Whitebrcad, alias Harcot, 
 
 provincial, pr. S.J .Tyburn... 20O 
 W. Harcourt, alias Waring, pr. 
 
 S. J. Tyburn 20t 
 
 John Fenwick, pr. S.J. Tyburn ib. 
 John Gavan,orGawan,pr.SJ. do ib. 
 
 Anth. Turner, pr. S. J do 202 
 
 Other Jesuits perished in prison 209 
 R. Langhorne, esq. Tyburn.. .210 
 Wm. or John Plessington, pr. 
 
 Chester 212 
 
 Philip Evans, pr. S. J. Cardiff2\\> 
 
 John Lloyd, pr do ib. 
 
 Nicholas Postgate, pr. York... 211 
 C. Mahonv,pr. O.S.F. Euthin2\9 
 John Wall, alias Francis John- 
 son, pr. O.S.F. Worcester... '220 
 FrancisLevison,pr. O.S.F. conf. 223 
 
 J.Kemble, pr. Hereford ib. 
 
 C. Baker, alias David Lewis, pr. 
 
 S. J. Utk 22.5 
 
 W. Lloyd, pr. &conf. 2-28 
 
 Many other priests sentenced to 
 death for their character ...230 
 1630. 
 
 Thos. Tli wing, pr. York 2f?3 
 
 W. Vis. Stafford, Tower-Hill 23* 
 
 1681. 
 
 O.Plunket, archb. Armagh, 7yZ/23S- 
 Matt. Atkinson, pr. O.S.F. died 
 
 prisoner in Hurst Castle 245 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Henry Garnet, pr. sup. of Eng- 
 lish Jesuits, St.P.Church-yard24S 
 Ed. Oldcorne, pr. S. J. Wore. 250 
 Supplement relating Mr. Boast, 
 &c. with additions to the ac- 
 count of Mr. Reading.,,,, ,25 2
 
 MISSIONARY PRIESTS, 
 
 Xc. 
 
 *>< 
 
 JL\.S soon as queen Elizabeth was dead, James, the sixth of that name, 
 king of Scotland, was proclaimed king of England : under whom the 
 catholics hoped for better times. And in effect, not long after his 
 accession to the throne, several recusants of the best rank were by 
 order of his majesty sent for to Hampton-Court, and were there told 
 (by his special direction to some of the lords ot the council) that hence- 
 forth he was resolved to exonerate the Catholics of England, of the usual 
 line or payment of <'20 a month for recusancy : which favour they 
 should so long enjoy, as their behaviour towards the king and state was 
 without contempt. And when the catholics humbly desired to know 
 whether their recusancy would not be interpreted contempt ? They 
 were assured it would not ; and were ordered to signify as much to 
 all of tliat profession. See a small tract, called, The Lay Catholics' 
 Petition for Priests, &c. Chap. I. 
 
 As to the priests also, many of them, who were in confinement, 
 experienced his majesty's clemency, by being allowed to sue forth their 
 pardons, paying a small fine to the then lord chancellor. So that 
 when the king, soon after his arrival into England, was told of one 
 Mr. Freeman, put to death at Warwick, for taking orders in the 
 church of Rome, and remaining in England contrary to the statute ; 
 he said to those about him, with some surprise ; Alas! poor man, had 
 he not four nobles to purchase his pardon ? Some people looked upon 
 this as a jest upon a certain great minister of state : but it was no jest- 
 ing matter for the priest, who was hanged, drawn, and quartered 
 according to sentence. See Protcsta nts* Pica for Priests and Papists, 
 p. 54. Of this Mr. Freeman I have found no farther particulars, nor 
 any mention of him in any of our catalogues ; unless he be the same 
 as 'Mr. John Sugar, priest, who suffered at Warwick, July IS, 1604, 
 as we shall see hereafter. 
 
 But it was not long before the catholics were made sensible, that 
 however the persecution might in some measure be abated, it was uttt 
 
 Voi.JI. K
 
 2 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 to cease. For upon the 22d of February, 1603-4, the king 'sent 
 forth a proclamation, strictly commanding all priests to depart the 
 realm before the 19th of March, upon pain of having the laws ex- 
 ecuted against them without the least favour or mercy : and at the 
 same time giving orders, to the deputy lieutenants, justices of the 
 peace, and other magistrates, to be vigilant in their several posts, 
 and to use great diligence for the discovering and apprehending 
 of all such as, contrary to the aforesaid proclamation, should pre- 
 sume to remain in the kingdom, after the said 19th of March. And 
 as to those priests who at that time were already in prison, his 
 majesty in the same proclamation signifies, that he hath given orders 
 for their being shipped off at some convenient port, and for ever 
 banished the kingdom.' See Howe's Chronicle, p. 834. 
 
 Accordingly, in the month of September, we find twenty-one 
 priests ftnd three 'laymen taken out of divers prisons, by a warrant 
 from the lords of the council, and put on board a ship to be trans- 
 ported into perpetual banishment. Notwithstanding that many of 
 them had his majesty's pardon to shew; since which they had not 
 been convicted of any new offence punishable by the laws of the land 
 with perpetual banishment ; (as they tell the lords of the council, in 
 their letter from the sea-side, dated Sept. 2i, 1604-.) And not a lew 
 of them had voluntarily delivered themselves up pursuant to a procla- 
 mation set forth by the late queen, not long before her death, giving 
 assurance of pardon to all such priests as should deliver themselves up 
 to the civil magistrate, and at the same time give proofs of their 
 allegiance to her majesty ; both which conditions these men had punc- 
 tually fulfilled : and therefore they thought themselves now hardly- 
 used, as they signified in the aforesaid letter, a copy of which I have 
 now by me, in the manuscript collections relating to the sufferings of 
 the English catholics, by the Rev. Mr. Knaresborongh ; whose labours 
 have Been of no small service to me, especially with regard to this 
 and the following reign. 
 
 But the severities exercised against catholics did not stop here j 
 for all the sanguinary laws enacted by queen Elizabeth were from 
 time to time put in execution by this king, during the greatest part at 
 least of his reign ; as we shall see anon. The first, whose name 
 occurs in our catalogues, who suffered death upon the penal statutes, 
 was, 
 
 135. * John Sugar, Priest. 1606. 
 
 JOHN Sugar was born at Womborn, in Staffordshire, of a noted 
 family in ihose parts. He made a good proficiency in his grammar 
 studies at home in his own country ; and then was sent to Oxford, to 
 Merton College, where he went through his course of philosophy. 
 
 * From Arnoldus Raissius in his catalogue of the Douay martyrs, printed in 
 l'\3'0. And from au ola manuscript relation of his martyrdom, seat me from 
 WiU-w ickshire.
 
 JOHN SUGAR. . 5 
 
 And now he xvas upon the point of receiving his degree of batchelor 
 of arts : but there was an oath first to be taken of the Queen's supre- 
 macy, which he boggled at ; and upon this quitted the university. 
 Yet 1 do not find that lie embraced forthwith the catholic religion ; on 
 the contrary, we are told, that for some time after he exercised the 
 oih'ce of a minister at Cank, in his own country, and there held forth 
 against the pope, and the catholic faith : but the Father of mercies did 
 not suffer him to continue long in this way ; but by his heavenly light 
 opened the eyes of his soul to see the beauty of truth ; and inflamed 
 his heart with the love of it. Insomuch that he became a true Con- 
 vert, and a hearty penitent; and, forsaking all his worldly hopes, 
 went abroad to Douay, to the English college ; where, after two years 
 spent in the studv of divinity, lie was made priest, and was sent 
 upon the English mission, in 1601, to labour there in seeking alter the 
 lost sheep. 
 
 ' After his coming into England, says my old manuscript, he 
 ' travelled afoot very much in Warwickshire, Staffordshire, and 
 ' Worcestershire, to serve, help, and comfort the meaner and poorer 
 
 * sort of catholics, with the sacraments of the holy catholic church. 
 
 * He was in his life chaste and innocent ; in conversation humble and 
 ' mild ; in helping the poor and distressed pitiful and charitable ; in his 
 
 * diet very spare and temperate ; and in prayer fervent and continual. 
 
 ' In the first year of the reign of king Ja*nes in England, Mr. 
 ' Eurgoyne, a justice in the county of Warwick, on the 8th day of 
 
 * July, being Relick-Sunday, sent a warrant to search the house of a 
 ' catholic, dwelling in Remington, for the apprehension of a seminary 
 'priest: and the searchers finding none there, went to search in the 
 ' same town tiie house of Robert, Henry, and Ambrose Grissold "or 
 ' Greswold," three unmarried brethren, catholics, for many years 
 ' living and keeping house together : and in searching thereof, a con- 
 ' stable called Richard Smith, and one Clement Grissold, nephew to 
 ' the three aforesaid brethren, apprehended on the highway Mr. Sugar 
 ' for a seminary priest, as he was going with a catholic serving-man, 
 ' nephew to the aforesaid three brethren, and cousin to the said 
 ' Clement : who with the constable and one John Williams, brought 
 ' both him and Mr. Sugar to Mr. Burgoyne the justice, who examined 
 ' them and sent them to prison at War \vick: where they lay together 
 ' a whole year, and suffered imprisonment. 
 
 'And at the assizes holden at Warwick, the 13th and 14th of 
 "' July, in the second year of king James's reign in England, Mr. 
 ' Sugar was arraigned," and by judge Kingsmill condemned to bq 
 ' hanged, drawn, and quartered, for being a seminary priest. In. 
 ' the morning when he was to suffer death, he said to his friends that 
 ' came to visit him, Be ye alt merry; for n~c have not occasion ofsor- 
 ' 7-ou-, but of joy : for although I shall have a sharp dinner, yet I trust 
 ' in Jesus Christ 1 shall have a most sivcct supper. He also desired G6d 
 ' to forgive the judge, and all his apprehenclers and persecutors. As 
 ' he wa,3 drawn on the hurdle to the place of his martyrdom, he gave 
 ' money to fifty poor folks, and prayed very devoutly. An English
 
 4 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' minister at the gallows asked him, How he did believe ? His answer 
 ' was, I believe as my mother the catholic church doth. Then he 
 ' demanded of the minister, Who it was that first converted our 
 ' country, when it was called Britain, to the catholic religion ? To 
 ' whom the minister answered, I never heard this question asked 
 ' before : but who converted it sav you ? Mr. Sugar told him, that it 
 
 * was the successor of St. Peter the apostle, viz. pope Eleutherius, 
 ' who sent Damianus and Fugatius, two learned and godly men, bv 
 f whom Lucius, King of Britain, and his people received the true 
 ' Christian catholic faith and religion. But this new religion, said he, 
 ' crept into this country in the time of king Henry the VIII. 
 
 ' After this he was a good while on his knees, and prayed : and 
 ' that being done he was stript to his shirt, and going up the ladder, 
 ' he said, / thank God, I can climb pretty well to day. As he stood 
 ' upon the ladder he very chearfully said to the people : Be it known 
 ' unto you, good people, that I come hither to die for my conscience. 
 'The under-sheriff answered, Thou diest not for thy conscience, but 
 ' for treason. To which he replied, You do me wrong ; there is none 
 ' can touch me for treason ; it is for conscience I die. Then a boy or" 
 ' about eighteen years of age put the rope about his neck. The 
 ' martyr blessed the rope with the sign of the cross, saying, / came 
 ' into the world with the sign of the cross ; and with the sign of the cross, 
 ' I go out of it again. How dost thou prove that? said the under- 
 ' sheriff; for thou wast not born with the sign of the cross. I make 
 ' account, said Mr. Sugar, that I was not in this world as a chrisr 
 ' tian, till I was signed with the sign of the cross in baptism ; 
 ' for then I first received my spiritual birth. Afterwards the 
 ' under-sheriff willed him to pray for the king. To whom he said, I 
 
 * never denied to pray for him ; and thereupon he prayed thus : God 
 ' bless the king, the queen, the young prince, and all the council : 
 ' God forgive the judge, the justice Mr. Burgovne, and all that did 
 ' apprehend me ; and you too (looking on the sheriff) as I would that 
 ' God should forgive me. Then the hangman said, I prav you good 
 
 * father, forgive me too. I forgive thee, boy, with all my heart, said 
 ' he : then looking on the people w ith a chearful countenance, he 
 ' said to them : Good people, I die willingly ; for I shall get a place 
 
 * of joy : and I beseech Jesus to receive my soul : and I beseech 
 ' all the company of angels, martyrs, and saints to accompany my 
 ' soul to that blessed place. / dtsire to be dissolved, and to be with 
 ' Christ : and I beseech God, that all that are here present may be 
 
 * partakers of that joy to which 1 am going. Then he desired our 
 
 * blessed Savipur to receive his soul, saying, Jesus, Jesus, receive my 
 'soul; unto which the people answered, 'Amen, Amen. Lastly, being 
 * asked if he was ready, riz. to die ; he said, / am ready 'in Jesus. 
 ' Thereupon he was turned off the ladder, and was cut down before 
 ' he was fully dead ; then was opened; his bowels were burnt; his 
 
 * head was cut off; his body was quartered ; and his quarters were 
 ' set upon the gates of Warwick. Thus he having willing, chearmlly, 
 ' and constantly suffered death for his priestly function, and for the
 
 ROBERT GRISSOLD. 5 
 
 profession of the catholic religion of Christ, hath thereby obtained A 
 
 * crown of eternal glory in heaven : for our Lord saith, Apoc. ii. Be 
 ' thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life.' He 
 Buffered July IQth. 1604-. 
 
 136. * Robert Grissold or Greswold, Layman. 
 
 OBERT Grissold, who was born at Romington, in Warwickshire, 
 ' and "was servant to Mr. Sheldon, of Broadway, in Worcestershire, 
 
 * was, says my manuscript, simple and upright in his actions ; un- 
 
 * learned, but enlightened with the holy ghost, feared God, hated sin, 
 ' led a single life and chaste; was kind' to his friends, mild in conver- 
 
 * sation, devout in prayer, bold and constant in professing the catholic 
 ' religion, and heartily loved and reverenced catholic priests. When 
 ' his cousin Clement Grissold apprehended him going upon the way 
 
 * with Mr. Sugar, he said to him, Cousin, if you will go your way, 
 ' you may : I will not, answered he, except I may have my friend 
 ' with me. Then the constable, Richard Smith, or his cousin said ; 
 ' That vou shall not, for he is a stranger, and I will carry him before 
 ' Mr. Burgoyne : then, said he, I will go with him to Mr. Burgoyne ; 
 ' for he knoweth me very well ; and I hope he will do my friend no 
 
 * wrong, when he heareih me speak. Thereupon he went with Mr. 
 
 * Sugar (who was then called Mr. Cox) to the justice Mr. Burgoyne, 
 
 * who after examination sent them both to the prison of Warwick. 
 
 * Where Robert Grissold had occasion offered him" to get away, yet 
 
 * for the love of Mr. Sugar, and zeal for martyrdom, he would not ; 
 ' but there with Mr. Sugar remained a whole year, and with him 
 
 * suffered imprisonment, and afterwards death. 
 
 ' In the second year of king James in England, and upon the 14th 
 
 * day of July, at the assizes holden at Warwick, he being arraigned, 
 * was asked by the judge Kingsmill, If he would go to church ? To 
 ' whom he answered, I will not, my lord. Then thou shalt be 
 
 * hanged, quoth the judge. I beseech you, my lord, Jet me have 
 ' justice, and let the country know wherefore I die. Thou shalt have 
 ' justice, I warrant thee, said the judge, and the country shall know 
 ' that thou diest for felony. Wherein, quoth he, have I committed 
 ' felony ? Thou hast committed felony, saith the judge, in being in 
 ' the company, in assisting and relieving a seminary priest, that is, 
 ' a traitor. 1 have not therein committed felony, answered he. Then 
 ' a justice of peace said to him, Grissold, Grissold, go to church, 
 
 * or else, God judge me, thou shalt be hanged. Then God's will be done, 
 ' quoih he. After that the judge asked him again, If he would go to 
 ' church ? I have answered you, my lord, enough for that matter, I 
 
 * will not. Then thou shalt be hanged, said the judge. I crave no 
 ' favour of you, my lord, in this action, answered he. What, said 
 
 * the judge in a great rage, dost thou crave no favour at my hands? 
 
 * From au ancient manuscript relation of his martyrdom, of which I have a 
 ropy seait iue out of Warwickshire.
 
 6 MEMOIRS, Sec. 
 
 ' No, my lord, said he, I crave no favour at your hands in tlus 
 ' action. Thereupon the judge afterwards condemned him to be hang- 
 ' ed for accompanying, assisting, and relieving a seminary priest : 
 
 * and while he pronounced judgment against him he faultered in his 
 ' speech, and trembled with his hands. The next day after the 
 ' judge had condemned him, he sent to him in his chamber, where 
 ' he profered him life, if he would promise him to go to church j which 
 
 * he utterly refused. 
 
 ' In the morning before he suffered death, he continued an hour in 
 ' prayer, and requested of all the catholics to say a Pater and Ave 
 ' for him, in the honour of God and of St. Catharine his patroness, 
 ' that by the intercession of that blessed virgin and martyr he might 
 
 * obtain of God courage and fortitude to suffer death. And seeing a 
 ' catholic woman in the prison weeping for his death, he said to her ; 
 ' Good woman, why do you weep f Hers is no place of weeping, but of 
 ' rejoicing ; for you must come into the bridegroom's chamber, not with 
 ' tears, but with rejoicing. The woman answered, I hoped you should 
 ' have had your life. I do not want it now, said he, lor I should be 
 
 * loath to lose this opportunity offered me to die : but yet God's will 
 ' be done. Then a catholic maid said, It is well said, friend Robert, 
 ' for it is nothing to suffer death for so good a cause. Whereupon he 
 ' said to the catholics there present, Look that ye all continue to the 
 ; end. 
 
 ' As he was going on foot to the gallows, one willed him to go a 
 ' fair way, and not to follow through the mire Mr. Sugar, who was 
 ' drawn on the sledge before him : to whom he made answer ; / have 
 ' not thus far followed /tint to leave him now for a little mire. And so 
 ' through the mire he went after him. When he came to the place 
 
 * of his martyrdom, for a good while he prayed very devoutly on his 
 ' knees ; and although he was by nature so timorous and weak, that 
 ' he once swooned at the sight of his thumb being only pricked with 
 ' an awl, yet at the gallows he was by the grace of the holy ghost 
 ' so much strengthened, that at the sight of Mr. Sugar's bleeding body, 
 
 * when quartered, he was no way terrified ; but (on the contrary) was 
 
 * so stout and couragious, that when a catholic woman stept between 
 ' him and Mr. Sugar's dead body, whilst it was in quartering, lest the 
 
 * sight should terrify him, he took her by the arm, saying, Stand away, 
 ' for I thank God the sight doth nothing terrify me. 
 
 ' Afterwards the under-sheriff said to him, Grissold,, thou dost 
 ' thyself wrong; for thou art guilty of thy own death. No, quoth 
 
 * he, sir, you do me wrong, in keeping me so long alive after Mr. Sugar, 
 'for I should have suffered with him ; and I only desire to be with him. 
 ' Then seeing the halter, with which he was to be hanged, lying on 
 ' the ground, he was exceeding glad, and giving God thanks, he 
 ' went and dipped it in Mr. Sugar's blood : and going up the ladder 
 
 * he said to the people, Bear witness, good people, that I die here not 
 'for theft, nor for felony ; but for my conscience. Then he freely for- 
 ' gave all his persecutors, and the .hangman ; and devoutly said his 
 ' Confiteoi' t often calling upon the name of Jesus. Lastly, he com-
 
 LAtRENCE BAILY, &c. 7 
 
 * mended his soul into the hands of Almighty God ; and so being turned 
 ' off the ladder, he hanged until he was quite dead. His dead body, 
 
 * by the under-sheriff's permission, was buried near the gallows. 
 
 * And thus this blessed martyr for the short transitory pain of death, 
 ' which he willingly suffered" for a work of charity, and for the pro- 
 ' fessing the catholic religion, hath gotten everlasting joy in the 
 
 * kingdom of heaven.' So far the author of the manuscript relation 
 of his death, who seems to have been an eye-witness of his and Mr. 
 Sugar's sufferings, or at least to have had his informations from eye- 
 witnesses. He suffered July 16, 1604-. 
 
 137- * Laurence Baily, Layman. 
 
 -ILAURENCE Baily was a catholic layman, who was apprehended in 
 Lancashire, for having been aiding and assisting to a priest, who had 
 fallen into the hands of the pursuivants, and had made his escape from, 
 them. For this supposed offence he was cast into prison, where (as 
 we are told by Molanus, in his catalogue, p. 77.) he suffered much 
 with great patience and constancy ; and being brought upon his trial, 
 was condemned to die as in cases of felony, by the statute of the 
 27th of Elizabeth. lie was executed at Lancaster, Dr. Worthington 
 says sometime in August; but Molanus says it was on the 1 6th of 
 September, 1604. 
 
 138. f Thomas Welbourn. 139- John Fulthering. 
 140. William Brown, Laymen. 160,5. 
 
 A HOMAS Welbourn was a schoolmaster, a native of Kitenbushel, in 
 Yorkshire ; and John Fulthering was a layman of the same county, 
 who being zealous catholics, and industrious in exhorting some of 
 their neighbours to embrace the catholic faith, were upon that account 
 arraigned and condemned to suffer as in cases of high treason : as 
 was also William Brown, another zealous catholic layman, a native 
 of Northamptonshire, convicted of the same offence. They all were 
 executed according to sentence ; Mr. Welbourn and Mr. Fulthering 
 at York, the first of August, 1 605 ; Mr. Brown at Itippon, the fifth 
 of September, the same year. 
 
 This year on the 5th of November was discovered that horrid plot, 
 commonly called gunpowder treason ; by which Catesby and some 
 few others his accomplices designed to have blown up the parliament 
 house ; which, though it were indeed a most wicked and detestable 
 enterprise (for which the conspirators were justly punished) is most 
 unjustly urged against catholics in general. For why should the 
 
 * From Dr. Worthington's catalogue of martyrs, published in 1614, p. 46. 
 4- From the catalogues of English martyrs.
 
 8 MEMOIRS, Sec. 
 
 wickedness of a handful of men, whose doings were both then, and 
 ever since, abhorred by the whole body of catholics, both at home 
 and abroad, be laid to the charge of such as had no more hand in the 
 guilt, than the apostles had in the treason of Judas ? 
 
 'Tis more than probable that this was originally a ministerial plot, 
 set on foot by Cecil then secretary of state. ' Some have been of 
 ' opinion, says the author of the Political Grammar, lately published, 
 ' p. 46, that the gunpowder plot in the reign of James the First was 
 ' of the same alloy (a ministerial plot,) and the aukward manner in 
 
 * which the letter was sent to lord Mounteag'le, the night before the 
 
 * execution, seems to confirm it, but much more the papers of the 
 
 * then minister, which have but lately appeared, by which the whole 
 ' affair is brought to light. For it is evident by those papers that the 
 ' minister was acquainted with the conspirators journal from the be- 
 ' ginning ; so that he might have easily stifled the design in its infancy ; 
 ' but that would not quadrate with his principal design, which was to 
 ' divert king James from making any approaches towards popery,) to 
 ' which he seemed to be inclinable in the minister's opinion) by en- 
 ' gaging some papists in a desperate and horrid plot to destroy both 
 ' king and parliament. This was the original of that affair, which has 
 ' filled the kingdom with astonishment lor above a whole century.' 
 So far this author, who is not the only one, nor the first by a great 
 many, who has been of this opinion, since Mr. Osborn has informed 
 the world long ago, p. 34, that this plot was, as he terms it, a neat 
 device of the secretary ; and king James the first himself was so sen- 
 sible of it, that he used to call the jth of November, Cecil's holiday. 
 
 K306. This year no less than 47 priests were from different pri- 
 sons sent into perpetual banishment : their names are recorded in the 
 Douay diary, as follows : 
 
 Thomas Bramston Thomas Flint John Copley 
 
 Philip Woodward Humfrey Meridale Fulk Jsevile 
 
 Abraham Sutton William Clarjenet John Siclemore 
 
 William Singleton Thomas Hodson George Gcrvase 
 
 Silvester Norrice, DD. Thomas Thoresby Thomas Garnet 
 
 Richard Grisold William Arton James Bhmdel 
 
 Thomas Burscough Christopher Lassels Thomas Lailhwait 
 Isicholas Jees Charles Newport Thomas Stanney 
 
 Ralph Buckland Richard Newport Robert Bradsha'w 
 
 George Stransham John Lloyd Thomas Green 
 
 Francis Staflerton Robert Bastard Thomas Butler 
 
 Francis Forster Edward Daw son Edward Collier 
 
 Anthony Rouse Robert Walsh, Hibern N. Pierson 
 
 John Roberts John Hall Andrew White 
 
 Henry Chaterton Hugh Whit^ll N. Nightingal. 
 
 Simon Potinger * John Starkey ;c 
 
 And with them were banished two others not yet priests, viz. 
 William Alabaster and Hugh Bovvcns. The same diary takes notice, 
 Dec. 23, that Thomas Biaiuston., the first named in this catalogue,
 
 HENRY GARNET, &c. 
 
 died at Douay college, aged 66, after having been twenty years a 
 prisoner in Wisbich castle lor his i'aith, and twice banished. 
 
 141. Henry Garnet and 142. Edward Oldcorne, 
 Priests, s. J. 
 
 JL HIS year also, two priests of the society of Jesus were executed, 
 accused of being conscious of the powder plot : viz. Henry Garnet 
 superior of the English Jesuits, and Edward Oldcorne. The former 
 stitfered in St. Paul's church yard, May 3, 1606: and, whatever some 
 protestant writers have pretended to the contrary, both living and 
 dying ever maintained that he had no knowledge of that treasonable 
 design, but through the channel of confession, which the catholic 
 religion prohibits to discover. The latter suffered at Worcester, April 
 the 7th. His accuser, and the only witness that appeared against 
 him, was Mr. Humfrey Littleton, one of the conspirators, hoping to 
 save his own life by accusing a Jesuit. But this same man being 
 brought to the gallows for that crime, solemnly called God to witness, 
 in the presence of thousands, that what he swore against father Old- 
 corne was utterly false, and in hopes only of saving his own lite, by 
 wrongfully accusing him ; for which he begged God's and his pardon. 
 But of these fathers we propose to treat more at large, after we have 
 received proper materials, in an appendix to this work. 
 
 R 
 
 143. * Robert Drury, Priest. 1607. 
 
 OBERT Drury was born of a gentleman's family in Buckingham- 
 shire. He performed his studies abroad, partly in the college then 
 residing at Rhemes, where he went through his course of philosophy ; 
 and partly at Valladolid in Spain, to which place he was sent from 
 Rhemes with several others in 1590, to the college lately founded in 
 that city, by king Philip of Spain, for the education of the English 
 clergy. Here he finished his studies, and was made priest; and from 
 hence he was sent upon the English mission, in the year 1593. His mis- 
 sionary labours seem to have been chiefly in and about London, where 
 his learning and virtue made him considered amongst his brethren. 
 
 In the year 1601, queen Elizabeth set forth a proclamation, 
 November 7, in which she was pleased to promise some favour to 
 such of the clergy, as should give sufficient assurance of their allegi- 
 ance to her, as iheir lawful queen. Upon this, some of the leading 
 men amongst them (one of whom was Mr. Drury) met, and drew up 
 a declaration, or profession of their allegiance, wherein they declared, 
 1st. That they acknowledged queen Elizabeth for their true and lawful 
 sovereign, with as full power and authority as any of her predecessors. 
 2dly. That they were most willing to obey her at all times, and in all 
 cases, as far as any Christian priests, either in this or any other chris- 
 
 * From the Douay diary. The bishop of Ciialcedoa's catalogue, &c. 
 vol. II. c
 
 10 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 tian kingdom, are bound by the divine law arrd the Christian religioft 
 to obey their temporal prince ; to be obedient also to her laws and 
 magistrates, in all civil causes ; and to pray to God to give her a 
 happy and quiet reign, and after this life eternal bliss. 3dly. They 
 declared their abhorrence of all plots and conspiracies against the queen 
 and state ; and their readiness to defend, and to persuade all catholics, 
 as much as in them lay, to defend her majesty's person, state, king- 
 dom and dominions, against all invasions, or hostile attempts, made 
 by whomsoever, or upon what pretext soever, notwithstanding any 
 excommunication denounced, or to be denounced against her majesU , 
 &c. They declared nevertheless, that they acknowledged and con- 
 fessed the "bishop of Rome to be the successor to St. Peter, with no 
 less ample authority and spiritual jurisdiction over all Christians than 
 that apostle had ; and that they would be obedient to his holiness in 
 all things, as far as they were bound by the divine law ; which they 
 doubted not might rightly stand with that allegiance which they 
 had professed to their temporal princess : for as they were most ready 
 to pour forth their blood for the defence of her majesty and their 
 country ; so were they resolved to part with their lives rather than 
 violate the lawful authority of the catholic church of Christ. This de- 
 claration was given up to the lords of the council, by direction, signed 
 by thirteen of the most eminent men of the secular clergy, viz. 
 William Bishop, Dr. of Sorbon, afterwards bishop of Chalcedon ; 
 John Colleton, John Mush, Robert Charnock, John Bosville, Anthony 
 Hebburn, Roger Cadvvallador, Robert Drury, Anthony Champney, 
 Dr. of Sorbon, John Jackson, Francis Barnaby, Oswald Needham, 
 and Richard Button. This declaration .is said to have given satisfac- 
 tion to the queen and her council ; though I don't find that it put a 
 stop to the persecution, unless perhaps with regard to the subscribers 
 in particular, none of whom were any farther prosecuted, during the 
 remainder of that reign. But what was judged satisfactory in point 
 of allegiance bv queen Elizabeth and her council, was not, it seems, 
 deemed so in the following reign of king James the first. For now a 
 new oath of allegiance was imposed upon catholics, by which they 
 were to abjure and detest as damnable and heretical , a doctrine relat- 
 ing to the pope's power ; which neither the word of God, nor the 
 church of God had condemned tor such. This oath, which is said to 
 have been contrived by Sir Christopher Perkins, a fallen Jesuit, and 
 worded on purpose in such a manner that the catholics might He 
 divided in their opinions about the lawfulness of it ; wa> taken by 
 some of the rnissioners, but refused by the far greater number, anfcl 
 prohibited by two several breves addressed by pope Paul die ritth to 
 the catholics of England. 
 
 About the time of the imposing of this new oath, Mr. Drury f<.-tt 
 into the hands of the persecutors, and was brought to his trial for 
 being a priest, and remaining in this realm contrary to the statute of 
 Elizabeth 27. For this supposed treason (for no other was objected 
 to him) he was condemned to die. Tis true he might have saved his 
 life^ if he would have complied with the new oath ; but he chose 
 rather to die, than to act against his conscience : uot that he suffered
 
 MATHEW FLATHERS. II- 
 
 death for refuting the oath, or that this refusal was by the laws punish- 
 able with death ; but that being upon another account, viz. for his 
 priesthood, sentenced to die, he had his life offered him, it he would 
 h.ave taken that oath ; which was the case also of several other priests, 
 who suffered during this reign, who refused to save their lives by 
 taking an oath which they judged to contain a falsehood. Mr. Drury 
 -suffered with great constancy at Tyburn, Feb. '26, 1606-7, Anno JEtutis 
 39. Missionis 1-t. 
 
 144. * Matthew (alias Major) Flat. hers, Pries/. 1608. 
 
 iAR. Flathers was born at Weston, in Yorkshire, and educated in 
 the English college or seminary of Douay. 1 find by the records of 
 the college, that he was presented to the holy order of priesthood, 
 and ordained at Arras, March 25, 1606, and that he was sent with 
 proper faculties upon the English mission, in the company of Mr. 
 Thomas Somers, on the last day of June of the same year. It seems 
 he fell very soon into the hands of the adversaries of his faith and cha- 
 racter ; for I have seen his name in a catalogue of priests banished 
 this same year 1606. However he quickly returned to the work of 
 his Lord; and after labouring some time in Yorkshire his native 
 country, he was again apprehended, and prosecuted at York for his 
 priestly character. For this, and for his functions only, (no other 
 treason being so much as objected to him) he was condemned to be 
 hanged, drawn and quartered. He refused to save his life by taking 
 the new oath of allegiance, as it was called ; and being drawn to the 
 common place of execution, without Mickle Bar, (a gate of York so 
 called) he was butchered in a most barbarous manner :f for he was 
 no sooner turned off the ladder, but immediately cut down; and 
 rising upon his feet, attempted to walk, as one half stunned ; but one 
 of the sheriff's men quickly stopt his journey, by giving him a despe- 
 rate cut on ihe head with his halberd ; .another violently flung him 
 down, and held him fast whilst the executioner ripped up his breast, 
 pulled out his heart, and so completed the butchery .lie suffered at 
 York, March 21, 1607-8. 
 
 G 
 
 145. J George Gerrase, Priest, O. S. B. 
 
 EORGE Gervase, or Jarvis, was born at Eoseham, in Sussex. His 
 father was a gentleman of a noted family in that country ; his mother 
 was of the ancient family of the Shelley s. He was left an orphan, 
 when he was twelve year's of age, and not long after was kidnapped 
 
 * From the Douay diary, ami the printed" catalogues of Dr. Worthiugtoii, p. 
 4F, and Amoidus Raissius, p. 70. 
 
 J From the Douay diary, T. W. in his catalogue, p. 45, and Rassius, p. 94,
 
 12 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 by a pirate, and carried away to the Indies, with two others of his 
 brethren ; where he continued for about twelve years, and quite lost 
 his religion ; at length he found means to return into England. His 
 eldest brother Henry, a catholic, was at this time abroad in Flanders, 
 probably for the security of his conscience ; and that he might there 
 enjoy the free exercise of his religion. Mr. George soon after his 
 return, went over to make him a visit, and by his religious example, 
 and the conversation of a learned catholic divine, was reconciled to 
 the catholic faith ; and soon after became a student in the English 
 seminary at Douay. 
 
 Here he employed about 8 years in the study of virtue and learn- 
 ing ; and being judged by his superiors duly qualified for the sacred 
 functions, he was presented to holy orders, and passing through the 
 usual degrees, was ordained priest in 1603, and was sent upon the 
 English mission August 26, 1 604-. Here he laboured with great benefit 
 to the souls of his neighbours, for about two years ; and then being 
 apprehended, was with many other priests sent from prison into banish- 
 ment, in June 1606. In his banishment he called at Douav ; and 
 after a short refreshment there, he made a journey of devotion tq 
 Rome, to visit the tombs of the apostles. He petitioned, whilst he 
 was at Rome, to be admitted amongst the Jesuits. But this not suc- 
 ceeding, he returned to Douay, and there staid some months at his 
 mother college. His brother designed to have kept him in Flanders ; 
 and had provided for him a comfortable subsistence in the city of 
 Lisle, where he might live remote from the dangers that visibly 
 threatened him, if he ventured to return to England : but as Mr. 
 Gervase was under an engagement to serve the mission, and his heart 
 and affections were there, he was not to be kept from it, either by 
 the importunity of his friends, or the fear of dangers. 
 
 So to England he returned, and landed safe there ; but was soon 
 after apprehended and committed to prison. Here the new oath of 
 allegiance was tendered to him, which he refused. After a few weeks 
 he was brought upon his trial, and was condemned to be hanged, 
 bowelled and quartered, barely on account of his being a priest, and 
 having exercised his priestly functions in England ; which sentence 
 was accordingly executed upon him at Tyburn, April 11, 1 608 ; 
 where he Suffered with the faith, devotion and courage of the primitive 
 martyrs. At the place of execution he prayed in secret to himself 
 upon which some that were there desired him to pray aloud, that the 
 people might join in prayer with him : to whom he" is said to have 
 made answer, / want not the prayers of hereticks ,-' but if there be any 
 catholics here, I earnestly beg that t/tty -mould pray to God for me. He 
 suffered in the 37th year of his age; and is said a little before \\\$ 
 death to have privately received the habit of saint Bennet, at the 
 hands of father Augustin Bradshaw. 
 
 Mr. Gervase's execution is mentioned by Howes 'upon Stow in his 
 chronicle, and by Mr. Salmon in his history, who calls him Sir Georgtj 
 Jar vis.
 
 THOMAS GARNET. 13 
 
 146. * Thomas Garnet, Priest, S. J. 
 
 JL HOMAS Garnet, was son of Richard Garnet, a constant professor 
 and great sufferer for the catholic taith, and nephew or near kinsman 
 to father Henry Garnet, who suffered in St. Paul's church-yard, May 
 3, 1606. After a pious education at home under the care of his 
 father, who from his very birth had vowed and dedicated him to God 
 and his church, he was sent abroad when he was 16 or 17 years of 
 age, to the seminary just then erected at St. Omer's, under the care 
 of the fathers of the society of Jesus; and having there finished his 
 humanity, he passed in the year 15y5 into Spain to the English col- 
 lege of "Yalladolid, where he learned philosophy and divinity, and 
 was made priest. He was sent upon the mission in the company of 
 .Mr. Mark Barkworth, of whose glorious exit we have treated in'the 
 first part of these memoirs, and laboured with zeal in the vineyard of 
 l,is Lord, for about six years, being remarkably industrious in' endea- 
 vouring to bring the souls that were under his care to a thorough sense 
 pf solid pietv, and to ground them strongly in virtue. 
 
 Having been a long time desirous of entering into the society of 
 Jesus he was admitted by father Henry Garnet his kinsman, then su- 
 perior of the English Jesuits : but before he could gtf beyond the seas 
 to make his noviceship, he was apprehended and committed prisoner 
 to the Gatehouse, and from thence was translated to the Tower. His 
 being a kinsman of father Garnet, and having received a letter from 
 him, was the occasion of his being strictly examined by secretary Ce- 
 cil, (not without severe threats of the rack) concerning the gun- 
 powder-plot, then lately discovered; but as they could not find any 
 manner of grounds, fora suspicion of his being any way conscious of 
 that execrable conspiracy, these threats proceeded no farther than the 
 keeping him for eight or nine months in a close confinement, where 
 with lying on the bare ground, and that in the severest season of the 
 winter, he contracted rheumatick pains, and a kind of a sciatica, which 
 stuck by him for the remainder ot his life. 
 
 From prison he was, with many other priests, sent into banish- 
 ment in 1606 ; and then repaired to Louvain, where at that time the 
 English Jesuits had lately procured an establishment for a novitiate. Here 
 he remained some months, giving great edification to his fellow novi- 
 ces, and then was sent back upon the mission ; where being betrayed 
 by one Rouse an apostate priest, he fell again into the hands of the 
 pursuivants. At this second apprehension he was brought before 
 Thomas Ravis bishop of London ; by whom, and by Sir William Wade 
 lie was several times examined. In his examination he neither owned 
 nor denied himself to be a priest, but refused to take the new oath ; 
 adding, that he was of opjnion if any catholics had taken it, they did 
 it out of fear, which he hoped would never prevail with him to act 
 any thing against his conscience. 
 
 * From father Bartoli's history of the English Jesuits, 1. ri. chap. KIT. and 
 x-'-s history of the English province, 1. viii. n. 8.
 
 14 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 He was committed to Newgate, and not long after brought upon 
 his trial at the Old Bailev, upon an indictment of" high treason, for 
 having been made priest by authority derived from Rome, and re- 
 maining in England contrary to the statute of Elizabeth 27. Three 
 witnesses appeared against him, who deposed that whilst he was pri- 
 soner in the tower, he had written in several places, Thomas Garnet, 
 priest : upon this slender evidence, he was found guilty by his jury, 
 and received the sentence of death with great joy ; apprehending no- 
 thing so much as, lest by the interest of friends, or by any other 
 meads, he should be deprived of that crown, which he had now so 
 near a prospect of, as he often professed with tears to those who had 
 access to him. And when some suggested to him how he might have 
 an opportunity of making his escape, he would not make use of it ; 
 chusing rather to obey a voice within, which said to him, noli fugere t 
 don't run away. 
 
 When he was called forth to the hurdle, he obeyed the summons 
 with a remarkable courage and chearfulness : and laid himself down, 
 more like one that was going to his marriage-feast, than to suffer a 
 cruel and ignominious death. There was a great concourse of people, 
 and many of the nobility and gentry at the place of execution ; amongst 
 the rest, the earl of Exeter, one of the privy-council : who endea- 
 voured to persuade the confessor to save his life by taking the oath ; 
 alfcedging that several priests had taken it, and that many more looked 
 upon it a disputable matter, in which faith was not concerned; why 
 therefore should he be so stiff, and not rather embrace the offer of the 
 king's clemencv, by conforming as others had done. Father Thomas 
 replied, My lord, if the case be so doubtful and disputable, how can 
 I in conscience swear to what is doubtful, as if it were certain ? No, 
 I wilJ not take the oath, though I might have a thousand lives. 
 
 Upon this being ordered to get up into the cart, he chearfully com- 
 plied, and kissed the gallows, as the happy instrument which was to 
 send him to hearen. He there professed that he was a priest, and a 
 member of the society of Jesus, though the least and most unworthy : 
 that he had not indeed acknowledged this at his trial, not out of any 
 fear of death, but that he might not be his own accuser, or put his 
 judges under a necessity of condemning him against their conscience : 
 tha< he had spent the nine years of his missionary labours in assisting 
 and comforting the persecuted catholic?, and in bringing, bark the 
 sheep that were gone astray to the fold of Christ ; but as for any trea- 
 sonaWe tiesigns against the king or kingdom, he had never entertain- 
 ed any, not" ever been conscious to any. A minister that was there 
 fisi.ed him. If there was no equivocation in what he said '. The con- 
 fessor replied. No, sir ; for if I had been minded to use equivocations, 
 I might hare taken the oath and saved my life : which oath I did not 
 decline out of any unwillingness to profess my allegiance to the king, 
 which I offered to do, and for that ead produced at my trial a iorm 
 of an oath of allegiance, drawn up according to what was looked upon 
 satisfactory in the days of our ibrefathers, to which I was willing to 
 swear : but this new oath is so worded, as to contain thing*-
 
 ROGER CADWALLADOR. ft 
 
 foreign to allegiance, to which in my opinion no catholic can with a 
 safe conscience swear. 
 
 Then crossing his hands before his breast, and lifting up his eves 
 to heaven, he said, He looked upon this as the most happy day of'his 
 life, and himself most happy in being to die in so good a 'cause: and 
 heartily prayed to God, that lie would turn away his wrath from this 
 nation, and not lay his death to their charge: and in particular that 
 he would forgive all those who had any wavs concurred to his con- 
 demnation, and that he might one day see them happy with him in 
 heaven. After which he re-cited the Lord's prayer, the Hail 
 Mary, and the creed. Then having begun the hymn Veni Creator, 
 when he came to those words, sermone ditum yutttira, the cart was 
 drawn away, and he was left hanging, till he had given up his pious 
 soul into the hands of his Creator. For the people, that was present, 
 and my lord Exeter in particular would not permit the rope to be cut, 
 till he was quite dead. He suffered at Tyburn, June 23, 1608, Anno 
 sEtutis 34. .His execution is mentioned by Howes upon Stow, Collier, 
 Salmon, $c. 
 
 The year 1609 passed without the shedding of any catholic blood 
 for religious matters : a thing the more to be remarked, because the 
 like had not happened since the year 1580. 
 
 1610. In February 1610, I find in B. W's manuscript concerning; 
 the English benedictin congregation, that F. Sigebert Bucklex, the 
 Ja-il surviving monk of die abbey ot Westminster, departed this life in 
 the 93d \ ear of his age : after having endured forty years persecution 
 lor the catholic faith, always shut up in one prison or another. 
 
 147- * Roger Cadxallador, Priest. 
 
 T. 
 Hts gentleman, who was commonly known upon the mission by 
 the name of Rogers, was born at Stretton near Sugercs " or Sugwas," 
 in Herefordshire. His father was a yeoman, a man of substance, and 
 Roger was his eldest son and heir ; but yet he could by no means be 
 brought to follow the world, but even from a boy was very assiduous 
 in serving God, and learning his book, wherein he surpassed most of 
 his school-fellows. His desire of improving himself in religion and 
 study carried him beyond the seas, where he entered himself a student 
 in Douay college, at that time residing at Ithemes. Of this college he 
 was an Alumnus and having made great progress in learning and vir- 
 tue, he received there most of his orders. For I find him in the Douay 
 diary ordained sub-deacon at Rhemes, Sept. 21, 1591, and deacon, 
 Feb. 24, 1392. In the August following he was sent into Spain, to 
 the college lately erected at Vallado'id, where he finished his studies, 
 
 * From two manuscript relations sent me from Douay; gathered partly out 
 ofhis own letters, partly from the testimony of the reverend Mr. John Stevens, 
 a ufiiglilxmriuj missioner, apd other unexceptionable witnesses. Item, from the 
 Douay diary, and from Dr. Pits, tie scr'sptoriiiu*, &t. in Rog. CadwaHodor.
 
 i* MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 and Was made priest ; and from thence returned home to labour in tli^ 
 vineyard of his Lord about the year 1594. 
 
 He is taken notice of by Dr. Pits for his rare genius for learning, 
 and great knowledge in the Greek tongue, out of which he translated 
 Theodoret's Philotheus, or the lives of the fathers of the Syrian deserts, 
 which work of his is extant in print. He had also a great talent for 
 controversy. His labours in England were employed in his own coun- 
 try of Herefordshire, where he deservedly gained the character of a 
 pious, prudent, and zealous missioner : and God was pleased to bless 
 his labours with great success, in winning over many souls to Christ 
 and his church ; especially among the poorer sort, lor whose comfort 
 and spiritual assistance he spared no pains, night nor day ; usually per- 
 forming his journies on foot. And this apostolical kind of life he con- 
 tinued ibr about 1 6 years. 
 
 ' This venerable priest, says my manuscript relation of his sufferings, 
 
 * was apprehended on Easter day, 1610, "at the house of Mrs. Wine-- 
 ' fride Scroope, widow" within eight miles of Hereford, by James 
 
 * Prichard the under sheriff of that county ; and brought first to the 
 ' high sheriff, and then to the bishop of the diocese " Robert Bennet" 
 ' who having long thirsted after his innocent blood, seemed extraor- 
 ' dinarily glad of his apprehension. 
 
 * In his examination before the bishop, being asked what he was ? 
 ' He answered that this was not a fit interrogation : alledging, that a 
 
 * man should by right rather be examined what lie had done or com-- 
 ' mitted ; and in that also he craved the favour which all just laws 
 ' allow, that they would not go about to wrest matters from himself 
 ' against himself, having not so much as one accuser to charge him 
 ' with any thing. This answer not serving his turn, and the bishop 
 ' still continuing to bag him upon his conscience to confess whether he 
 
 * was a priest : he acknowledged ("without more ado) both his priest- 
 ' hood and his right name. Adding, that he presumed his being a 
 ' priest would make nothing against him ; especially in the presence 
 ' of a bishop, whom it did greatly concern to maintain and defend the 
 ' dignity of priesthood. 1'or, my lord, said he, either you must 
 
 * yield yourself properly to be a priest, or I can safely prove that you 
 ' are no bishop. Which he offered to make good, if they would bring 
 ' him books plentifully citing contents out of the fathers Jit for 1m 
 ' purpose. But the' books they would not bring to decide the 
 
 * contention. Only the bishop seemed much to insist upon this one 
 ' point, that Christ was the only sacrificing priest of the New Testa- 
 ' ment, in that proper signification (of the name priest) w^hich is not 
 ' common to all Christians ; so to free himself from being a priest. 
 ' Which made the blessed martyr return him this witty answer. Make 
 ' that good, I pray you, my lord, for so you will prove that I am no 
 ' more a priest than other men, and consequently no traitor or offender 
 ' against your law. To which the bishop being able to make no solid 
 ' reply ; one Holkins, that was sent to cover the bishop's disgrace, 
 ' spoke to this effect. I assure you, my lord, it is strange to see the; 
 4 ala,cntj and courage Q those kind of men ; I heard, his majesty with.
 
 ROGER CADWALLADOR. 17 
 
 r his own mouth say in this present parliament, that the number and 
 ' courage of this kind of men is so great, that if I should (quoth he) 
 
 * put them to death as often as they fall into my hands, I believe I 
 ' should never have done. 
 
 ' Then was the disputation turned into a scoffing at his not shaving 
 ' his head and beard, and at his going like a layman in attire: although 
 ' his dress were not so light, or any way so phantastical as might give 
 'any just cause of offence ; yet they spared not to make sport with 
 ' a little silk point which tied his hose about his knee. Lastly, the 
 ' bishop being angry to see his answers so little regarded (the good 
 ' man ever smiling to see them so forward) thought it best to use the 
 ' force of his authority, where his arguments seemed feeble. Where- 
 ' upon asking whether he would take the oath of allegiance, and he 
 
 * refusing it, he committed him to prison, giving his keeper strict 
 ' orders to look narrowly to him ; thundering out threats against him, 
 " in case he should escape. 
 
 ' The charge was not more strictly given by the bishop, than put 
 ' in execution by the keeper, who loaded him with irons both night 
 
 * and day. At first he made him wear a great bolt, besides the heavi- 
 ' est shackles the prison could afford : and when after a while, by 
 ' reason of his sickness (as it may seem) it was thought fit to ease him 
 ' of his bolt ; vet they would never take away his shackles, but added 
 ' now and then another pair. Insomuch that when he was to be re- 
 ' moved from Hereford jail to Leominsler, though he was forced to 
 ' go all the way on foot, feeble and weak as he was with bad usage 
 ' and sickness together, yet could he not obtain to be free from shac- 
 ' kles in his journey ; but it was thought a sufficient favour that a boy 
 ' was permitted to go by his side, to bear up by a string the weight 
 ' of some iron-links which were wired to the shackles. 
 
 ' Besides this, when he was condemned to die, which was some 
 ' months before his martyrdom, he was chained every night to the 
 ' bed-post with an iron-chain. Yea, one day the keeper led him 
 ' into an obscure and loathsome place, and left him there chained to a 
 ' post, where he had no place to sit or ease himself, and no more li- 
 ' berty to walk than the length of the chain allowed him, which was 
 ' but two yards at most: where he continued till the keeper's wife, mov- 
 ' ed with compassion, came in her husband's absence to let him 
 ' loose. 
 
 ' In his sickness, the keeper ami his wife had no care to afford 
 ' him any comfort ; but rather were vigilant to bar him of all solace 
 ' that catholics did offer : insomuch that when his brother's wife came 
 ' to bring him some small thing she could not have access, but was 
 
 * reviled by the keeper's wife with many opprobrious words, as his 
 ' concubine, among other bad terms, protesting she would fling what 
 
 * was provided out into the streets, rather than the sick priest should, 
 ' have it. Yea, instead of human comfort, they daily heaped upon 
 ' him grievances; sometimes giving out that he had yielded, and pro- 
 
 * mised to recant if he might have a benefice. All which the good man 
 ' did patiently endure, though hd never gave the least occasion to such 
 ' malicious slanders. 
 
 Vol. It D
 
 IS MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 * In the extremity of his sickness, he was summoned on a sudden 
 ' to a second dispute before the bishop; and made to rise out of his 
 ' bed all in a sweat, so that he swooned before he could get out of 
 ' doors : and yet in that distress he was brought to dispute with the 
 ' bishop and his doctors, who were prepared for him with a cart-load 
 of books, observing, as may be thought, on purpose this time of 
 
 * advantage over him. He answered little ; but being prest about the 
 ' marriage of priests, could not forbear saving ; Their ministers might 
 
 * marry as well as other laymen ; and if the catholic church did debar 
 ( her clergy from marriage, why should that grieve them, whom the 
 ' prohibition did no ways concern ? And though the bishop made some 
 ' appearance of being displeased at his man, for bringing him before 
 ' him in that plight ; yet when the good man pleaded his indisposition 
 ' he was not regarded.' 
 
 Mr. Cadwallador was condemned barely on account of his priestly 
 character, no other treason being laid to his charge. He wrote seve- 
 ral letters in prison, one to Mr. Birket the archpriest. Another to Mr. 
 John Stevens, a neighbouring missioner, recommending to them the 
 care of his flock. Other letters also of much edification, he wrote to 
 other friends in the midst of his manifold sufferings. In one of which 
 written, as it seems, when he was now near his crown, he delivers 
 himself thus ;. 
 
 ' Comfort yourselves, my friends, in this, that I die in an assur- 
 ' ance of salvation ; which if you truly love me, as you ought to do, 
 ' should please you better, than to have me alive a little while among 
 ' you for your content, and then to die with great uncertainty, either 
 ' to be saved or damned. If the manner of my death be shameful; 
 
 * yet not more than my Saviour's was: if it be painful, yet not more 
 
 * than my Saviour's was. Only have you care to persevere in God's 
 ' true faith and charity ; and then we shall meet again to our greater 
 
 * comfort that shall never end. Fare ye well.' 
 
 The particulars of his death are thus related in the same manuscript 
 which we have quoted above. ' The long-desired day wherein he 
 
 * was to suffer, being come at last, he and his bed-fellow Mr. Powel, 
 ' a lay-catholic prisoner, left their beds by three o'clock in the morn-. 
 
 * ing^ and were on tireir knees in prayer till eight ; at which time, 
 
 * and all the day after, the resort of people that came to see him, was 
 
 * very great; whose streaming tears, being only strangers to him, 
 ' gave evident signs of their compassion ; many of them protesting 
 ' that they would undertake to go barefoot many a hundred miles to 
 ' do him any good : for which their good-will he courteously and 
 ' kindly thanked them : acquainting them how glorious a thing he 
 ' looked upon it to die for Christ and the catholic faith. 
 
 ' Having spent most of the morning in spiritual preparation (for his 
 end) about ten o'clock he took some corporal food, viz. a little com-. 
 ' fortable broth ; and calling for a pint of claret wine and sugar, on 
 ' occasion of a friend that was come to visit him, he made use of the 
 ' words of bishop Fisher in the lik-j case, as he said, when he was 
 ' taking a cordial, before the like combat of death ; fortiiiidinem mcain 
 ' ad te do.-rtine custod.ia.rn, Saying in English, he took, it to make him-
 
 ROGER CADWALLADOR. 19 
 
 * self strong to suffer for God. Then, as if he had been to go to a 
 ' least, he put on his wedding-garment (viz. a new suit of cloaths) 
 ' which a friend had provided for him, from top to toe, whom he re- 
 
 * quited with a good and godly exhortation, counselling him to per- 
 
 * severe till deaSi in the cathofic faith; and giving him directions to 
 ' bestow twelve pence of his money on the porter ; for he kept two 
 ' shillings in his own pocket to bellow on him that was to lead and 
 ' drive the horse, when he went to execution. 
 
 ' Some half an hour before the time of his suffering, the keeper, 
 ' fora farewel, used all his art and cunning to make him distempered 
 ' with passion ; but found him so well fenced with patience, that it 
 ' was all in vain. So he remained in readiness, expecting the com- 
 ' ing of the sheriff to conduct him to the place of execution ; which 
 ' happened to be about four o'clock in the afternoon. At which time 
 ' the under-sheriff came accompanied among others with the exe- 
 ' cutioners, who were a couple of masons clad in long garments all in 
 ' black, and their faces covered with the same, which made them 
 f seem ugly and dreadful. The champion of Christ, nothing daunted 
 ' at the sight, at hi> first coming out of the doors, chearfully viewed all 
 ' the company, demanding what was to be done ? The under-sheriff 
 ' made answer, Nothing, sir, if you please ; for if you will but take 
 ' the oath of allegiance here, you may save us labour, and yourself 
 
 * much pain : which he constantly refusing to perform, the under - 
 
 * sheriff replied, That then he was to die ; and directed him to lie 
 ' down upon the hurdle. But he seemed loath to concur any way 
 ' himself to his own death, insinuating, that others rather should 
 ' execute that office: which those two black hell-hounds quick- 
 ' ly did, stretching him on the hurdle, and with cords fastened him 
 f thereto. 
 
 ' Being thus bound to the hurdle, he made the sign of the cross as 
 ' well as he could, and quietly betook himself to some heavenly con- 
 ' templation, continuing in it all the way to the place of execution, 
 ' and for about a quarter of an hour after his coming thither. Then 
 ' the under-sheriff thinking he did but delav, and seek to prolong the 
 ' time, interrupted his devotion, making profer of life again, if he 
 ' would take the oath ; which he refusing, the under-sheriff said, 
 ' Then Lord have mercv on you. Being taken off the hurdle, and 
 ' brought within sight oV the gallows, and the block whereon he was 
 ' to be quartered, they shewed him these and other instruments of 
 
 * death, leading him between two great fires, the one prepared to 
 ' burn his heart and bowels, the other to boil his head and quarters : 
 ' and thinking the sight of these did somewhat terrify him, they pro- 
 ' raised him once more that none of them should touch him, if he 
 ' would take the oath ; but his Christian courage made him persist in 
 ' his resolution of dying in that quarrel. And yet after he had 
 ' prayed a while at the foot of the ladder, being wished to make haste, 
 ' for that night approached, to give satisfaction to some gentlemen pre- 
 ' sent, that often inculcated to him the taking of the oath, he openly pro- 
 ' tested that he acknowledged and held his majesty that now is, to be the 
 ' true and lawful king of this realm, and other his dominions ; and that he 
 ' was very willing to swear to him all true allegiance ; that is, to be
 
 20 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' true unto him as far as the law of God and conscience did oblige 
 ' any subject to his sovereign. Whereupon some gentlemen present 
 ' applauded this his protestation, wishing him to proceed forward to 
 ' the rest of the oath, &c. No, said the martyr, there is secret poison 
 ' in the sequel. The gentlemen laboured by 'many words to persuade 
 
 * him the contrary ; and that in the contents of the oath there was no 
 ' denial meant of the pope's spiritual authority, but only a meer ac- 
 ' knowledgment of allegiance to the sovereign prince. Then one 
 
 * Richardson, a minister, importuning him to give his opinion about 
 ' the oath ; he answered, it was a matter of no great importance, 
 ' what his private opinion was ; and that they should rather regard 
 ' what was the sentiment of the church : and that his swearing would 
 ' neither diminish the pope's real authority, nor increase the king's. 
 
 ' Being helped up the ladder, he began to signify to the people, 
 ' that he was brought there to die for the catholic faith ; and for that 
 ' he was a priest ; and for coming over to his country to minister the 
 
 * sacraments to God's children, and to reduce the seduced > that were 
 ' gone astray-, from their errors to the right paths of salvation. And 
 ' then comforting himself with these words of St. Peter. (1 Pet. iv.) 
 
 * Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as a coreter of 
 ' others' things : but if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him 
 ' glorify God in this name, he was interrupted by Richardson, the 
 ' minister, saying, he misapplied the place of scripture, being to 
 ' suffer for treason in the highest degree. To whom the martyr mildly 
 ' replied, You mistake, sir, I was condemned only for being a priest ; 
 ' and it is apparent by the public profers which have been made me, 
 
 * if I would condescend to take the new oath, that I am not guilty 
 ' of treason in the highest degree. Then he went forward, desiring 
 ' the people to bear him witness that he died as a priest for the 
 ' catholic cause ; and begging that if any catholics were present, they 
 
 * would say a Pater-noster with him privately ; if publicly they durst 
 
 * not, for fear of discovering themselves. 
 
 The Pater-noster and Ave Maria being ended, and the minister 
 asking, Whether he would say a Pater with him ? He smiling 
 
 * answered, You shall first yield to say one with me. When the 
 ' unskilful executioner went to put the halter about his neck, he 
 ' seemed to receive it very patiently, as the yoke of his master : 
 ' saying, he freely forgave 'his executioner, and' all others that were 
 ' accessary to his death ; but Robert Bennet by name, meaning the 
 ' bishop, whose finger being deepest in his blood, yet he said he 
 
 * wished him a higher place in heaven than himself. He desired 
 ' also of God that he might be the last that should be forced to die 
 ' in England for defence of the catholic faith ; and that his blood 
 ' might serve, by the grace and merits of Christ, to blot and wipe 
 
 * put of memory whatever stain or blemish was come to his country 
 .' in this cause, by the loose and scandalous lives of any that went in 
 
 * the name of catholic priests. 
 
 * Then he betook himself to his private prayers till the executioner 
 
 * came to turn the ladder : at which time he said aloud five or six 
 
 * Umes. In manus tuas Domine commcndo spiritum meum. Into thy
 
 GEORGE KAPPIER. 21 
 
 f hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. And lastly, Domine accipc. 
 
 * spiritual meum. Lord receive my spirit. He hung very long, and 
 .' in extraordinary pain, by reason that the knot, through the unskil- 
 
 * fulness of the hangman, came to be directly under his chin, serving 
 ' only to pain, and not to dispatch him. Insomuch that when the 
 ' people were persuaded that he was thoroughly dead, he put up his 
 
 * hand to the halter, as if he had either meant to shew how his case 
 ' stood, or else to ease himself : but bethinking himself better, and 
 
 * perhaps a scruple coming into his head to concur to hasten his own 
 ' death ; he had scarce touched the halter, but that he presently 
 
 * pulled away his hand. And within the space of a Pater-nostcr after, 
 ' he lifted up his hand again to make the sign of the cross ; which 
 ' made all the slanders by much amazed ; and some of the vulgar 
 
 * desirous to rid him of his pain, lilted him upwards by the legs twice 
 ' or thrice, letting him fall again with a swag. Then after a little 
 
 * rest, when they thought him quite dead, he was cut down : but 
 
 * when he was brought to the block to be quartered, before the 
 ' bloody butcher could pull off his doublet, he revived and began to 
 
 * breathe ; which the multitude perceiving began to murruur ; which 
 ' made the under-sheriff cry out to the executioner to hasten : but 
 ' before they had stripped him naked he was come to a very perfect 
 ' breathing. It was long after they had opened him before they 
 
 * could find his heart, which, notwithstanding, panted in their hands 
 ' when it was pulled out. As soon as the head was cut off, one of 
 ' the sheriff's men lifted it up on the point of a halbert, expecting the 
 ' applause of the people, who made no sign that the fact was pleasing 
 
 * to them. Nay, they that were present were struck at the sight, and 
 ' said, tins priest's behaviour and death would give great confirmation 
 
 * to all the papists of Herefordshire: which saying fell out to be true; 
 
 * for it ministered to them great courage and comfort/ So far my old 
 manuscript. 
 
 Here is added in another hand, ' He used to travel much a-foot, 
 ' and living commonly amongst the poorer sort, both endured much, 
 ' and did exceeding great good, converting very many. He was a 
 ' very zealous reformer of evil manners, and sought this by all means 
 ' whatsoever in all. One noble saying I heard reported of him was, 
 ' that a notable person coming unto him in his sickness, and he lying 
 ' on his bed with his shackles on his legs, shaking them he said to 
 ' him ; That the high priest of the old law had little bells about the 
 ' rim of his vestment; and I stirring my legs say, Audi domine; luec 
 ' sunt tintinabula mea : Hear O Lord, these are my little bells. Sig- 
 ' nifying belike that these were as acceptable to God as that sound 
 ' of the little bells. Mr. Cadwallador suffered at Leominster, or Lem- 
 * ster, in Herefordshire, August 27. anno 1610. ^Etatis suae 43. 
 
 G, 
 
 148. * George N'appier, Pries f. 
 
 r EORGE NAPPIER was born in Oxford, and there performed his 
 grammar studies. From thence he passed over to Douay, or Rhemes, 
 
 * From T. W. and Kawsius in their printed catalogues. But chiefly from a ma- 
 nuscript relation by a fellow prisoner, which 1 have met with in Mr. fcnaresbo- 
 jrough's collections,
 
 22 MEMOIRS, &e. 
 
 and became a student in the English college. Whilst he was here, 
 among many other rare examples of virtue which he gave, his charity 
 for his neighbours was particularly taken notice of; when in the time 
 of a plague, two of his fellow-students being seized with the infection, 
 he voluntarily took upon him to attend them and to take' care of 
 them, not without evident danger of his own life; for he wa 
 also himself quickly seized by the contagion. But that sick- 
 ness was not unto death, for all three by the mercv of God soon after 
 recovered. Having finished his studies, and received his orders in 
 1596, he resided for some time at Antwerp; and from thence in 
 1503, being the first year of king James the first, he passed over into 
 England. Dr. Worthington in his catalogue gives this short account 
 of his conduct, during the seven years of his mission in England, that 
 he was remarkably laborious in gaining souls to God. Strenuain nava- 
 vit lucrandis animabus operam, p. 51. In the year 1610, he fell into 
 the hands of the persecutors. The particulars of his seizure, and of 
 what passed from that time till his death are here abridged from a 
 manuscript penned by a catholic gentleman who was a fellow-prisoner 
 with him in Oxford goal. 
 
 A true Relation of the Martyrdom of Mr. George Nappier, fyc. in $ 
 
 Letter to a Clergyman. 
 My Rev. Friend, 
 
 XJLccoRDiNG to your request, I have here set down all the particu- 
 lars that befell Mr. Nappier, from the time of his apprehension, until 
 his exit out of this world. 
 
 And first, I have heard him say, that he had made it his prayer to 
 God, that if by the disposition of divine Providence he should fall into 
 the enemies' hands, he might not be taken in his friend's house, be- 
 cause of the penalty of the' laws against harbourers of priests and it 
 seems that God was pleased to hear his prayer. For being seen by a 
 voung fellow to go into a catholic woman's house on the 18th of July 
 towards evening, the knave ran in great haste to the vicar's house, to 
 give notice and concert measures with him for seizing the priest. 
 
 The informer met with a cold reception at the first, the parson's 
 daughter flatly refusing to tell whether her father was at home ; and 
 the mother being no less reserved, and unwilling to let the man come 
 under her roof. Some few days before, it seems, a quarrel had hap- 
 pened between this blade and the parson ; so that his furious knocking 
 at the door, and calling for the vicar in haste, with such disorder in 
 his looks and speech, joined to the fright that both mother and daughter 
 were in from a dream of the latter the night before, that her father was 
 murdered, affected the good women in such manner, that they held fast 
 the door and refused him entrance. The fellow perceived the mistake, 
 and bid them be easv, for that he came upon another sort of an errand, 
 to do a piece of go'od service to the church, and assist the vicar in 
 seizing a popish priest just gone into one of his parishioner's houses. 
 Upon this they began to listen to the man, and the parson was called 
 down ; who commended the young man's zeal, but was of opinion 
 that nothing was to be done that night, but that they would take care 
 to have him secured early in the morning ; and accordingly a consta- 
 ble was engaged to be ready for that purpose.
 
 GEORGE NAPPIER. 23 
 
 Mr. Nappier having assisted the family, and performed his devo- 
 tions * r ery early, according to the custom of those times, took his 
 leave, and was making the best of his way on foot (his usual way of 
 travelling) through the inclosures, supposing all quiet at that early 
 hour, when to his great surprise two or three sturdy young fellow* 
 came up hastily towards him, and bad him stand. \ou must.go back 
 with us, says one : You are a priest, savs another, we'll have you 
 Jx-fbre a justice. The good man made no words on't, but went 
 quietly with them. 
 
 And first they charged the constable with him, and bade him car- 
 ry him before Sir Francis Evers. When he came, the justice ordered 
 the constable to search him. It must be here observed, that Mr. Nap- 
 pier had his pix with him, and in it two consecrated hosts and as he 
 owned to me several times, when he heard Sir Francis give the con- 
 stable orders to search, he was under the greatest concern, for fear 
 lest the blessed sacrament should fall into their hands, and be exposed 
 to some profane or sacrilegious treatment. And he farther assured 
 me, not without tears in his eyes, that whereas the search was most 
 strict, even so far that his shoes were pulled off in the presence of 
 the justice, that nothing might escape them. And whereas also in 
 searching of his pockets, the constable, to his feeling, had his hands 
 many times both upon the pit and upon a small reliquary, yet neither 
 of tiiem were discovered, to the great surprise and no less joy of the 
 good man. A passage he never spoke of during his confinement 
 without blessing and praising the divine goodness for this merciful, 
 nny I not venture to term it with him, even miraculous preservation ? 
 For alter all their labour, they only found his breviary, his holy oils, 
 a needle-case, thread and thimble. Sir Francis said he was but a poor 
 priest, and I verily believe, says he, no great statesman, and bade 
 the constable take him into his custody, and look well to him. The 
 constable replied, he should take a special care of his not making his 
 escape, and would therefore set him in the stocks till his worship 
 should otherwise dispose of him. But Sir Francis forbad him, and 
 ordered the constable to let him have a bed, and what else he called 
 for, and Sir Francis used him very kindly at his own house, as did 
 jny lady. ' She provided me a mess of good broth, said Mr. l\ap- 
 ' pier, for my supper ; and in the morning, when I was again brought 
 ' before Sir Francis, in order to receive my mittimus, mv lady pro- 
 ' vided for me a mess of milk, with cinnamon and sugar for inv break- 
 " fast ; and that being the 20th of July they carried me to Oxford goal. 
 
 The prisoner was brought to the bar the next assizes, which 
 happened soon after his commitment, and was tned before Mr. Justice 
 Crook, upon an indictment of high treason, for taking priestly orders 
 by authority derived from Rome, and remaining in England contrary 
 to the laws. 
 
 The judge asked him whether he was a priest ? The prisoner 
 answered, If he was such the law did not compel him to discover 
 himself: but if, my lord say s he, you have witnesses to prove me a 
 priest, let them be called. Once more the judge said to him, Will 
 you deny tliat you are a priest? Mr. Nappier replied, if any man
 
 24 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 will prove me in orders, let the court produce him ; and then, rhr 
 lord, 1 shall submit to the penalty of "the law. The judge then directect 
 his discourse to the jury in these or the like words. Gentlemen, you 
 hear the prisoner will not deny himself to be a priest ; and therefore; 
 you may certainly believe that he is a priest. For my part, if he 
 will but here say that he is no priest, I will believe him. But indeed 
 these instruments of his priestly functions " the oil boxes" do plainly 
 shew him to be in orders ; and therefore you have evidence sufficient 
 that he is guilty of the indictment. Upon which the prisoner was 
 brought in guilty by the jury. 
 
 His relations made great interest to obtain a reprieve for him, and 
 his execution was respited 'till the month of November ; and, pro- 
 bably speaking, had not some back friends, more especially the vice- 
 chancellor of Oxford and some others interposed, his reprieve might 
 have been continued from time to time, and he either transported, or 
 permitted (o languish away his life in durance, as many others had 
 done before him. But two faults he was guilty of, which according 
 to the divinity of these men were crimes unpardonable. There was a 
 poor wretch tried at the same assizes for felony, and found guilty, 
 whose name was Falkner. Some few days before his execution, he 
 was reconciled by Mr. Nappier, and had all the helps that a dying 
 man could expect, as far as circumstances of time and place would 
 allow. In short, at the gallows the matter was discovered, the poor 
 man declared himself a catholic, abjured the errors of his former 
 religion, as well as begged pardon of God, and of all the world for 
 the sins of his past life ; and with great appearances of repentance, 
 and a devout behaviour, submitted himself to the executioner. 
 
 The people stormed ; the ministers threw all the blame upon the 
 condemned priest, made a heavy rout, called for justice, and went 
 strait away to Abington, to make complaint to the judges. The high 
 sheriff and the vice-chancellor were ordered to examine into the fact, 
 and lay before their lordsips a true account of the whole proceedings, 
 with the names of the persons concerned in the perversion of this 
 poor fellow. Mr. Nappier was sent for to Christ Church, and strictly 
 examined bv the vice-chancellor and the high sheriff about the whole 
 affair. To these he gave this fair account ; that he had no discourse 
 nor acquaintance with Falkner, 'till they had both received sentence 
 of death ; and he was removed from his former chamber to the con- 
 demned hole, where he found the said Falkner. ' Here he applied to me 
 ' (said Mr. Nappier) for my advice and instruction how to make a 
 ' happy end, and save his soul. I was gted of the opportunity, en- 
 ' couraged him in his good resolutions, and on my part endeavoured 
 * by all proper means to improve these pious motions of the holy 
 ' spirit, in order to bring him to a true repentance and confession of 
 ' his sins.' In a word, Mr. Nappier told him without more ado, that 
 he was the person whom God was pleased to make use of for recon- 
 ciling the poor wretch to him and his church, and that as he was the 
 only person concerned, he desired that no other might be questioned 
 Or troubled about it. 
 
 The lugh sheriff and vice-chancellor gave him to understand, that
 
 GEORGE NAPPIER. 25 
 
 they were to lay this whole matter before the judges, who were highly 
 displeased with what they had already heard ; and that as soon as they 
 had received this farther confirmation by his owning the fact before 
 them, they persuaded themselves it would put a stop to the reprieve, 
 and hasten his execution. ' Their will be done, says Mr. Nappier, I 
 did nothing but what I thought a strict duty ; and so far I am from 
 repining any ways at what is done, that if you please. Mr. Vice- 
 Chancellor, with my hearty commendations to my good lord judges, 
 you may assure them, that if they will come back to Oxford, and 
 give me the same opportunity, I will do as much for their lordships.' 
 The vice-chancellor asked him, whether he would take the oath of 
 allegiance ? he told him with all his heart, as far as it related to the 
 obedience due to princes in temporals only 3 and would acknowledge 
 upon oath, if he pleased, that king James was his liege sovereign, and 
 that he was vested with as much authority over all his subjects, catho- 
 lics as well as protestants, as any of his predecessors whatsoever. 
 They insisted upon his taking the oath of allegiance, as set forth in the 
 act of parliament, and upon this condition they promised him his life 
 should be saved. But this he refused. Then they persuaded him to 
 peruse Mr. Blackwell's treatise of the lawfulness of this oath, and the 
 vice-chancellor called for the book. Mr. Nappier took it, and gave it 
 a reading : but some few days after sent back the book, and told Mr. 
 Vice-chancellor, that he still continued in his former resolution, the 
 oath of allegiance as it stood worded he would not take. 
 
 It was soon after noised about, that Mr. Nappier was to be executed 
 in a few days. However nothing was done till the return of the judges 
 from their circuits. Then indeed Judge Crook (as the report then 
 went) managed matters in such sort with the council, that a warrant 
 was sent to the high sheriff for the execution of the prisoner. But 
 here by the unwearied endeavours of his relations, his majesty was 
 again petitioned, and another short reprieve was obtained till the Qth of 
 November ; upon condition, that in the interim he should confer with, 
 the vice-chancellor and other learned divines. The vice-chancellor hap- 
 pening to be at London during most of the time, Dr. Hammond and 
 the pro-proctor had instructions to discourse with Mr. Nappier upon the 
 subject of the oath of allegiance. &c. And it is said of him, that 
 these conferences were managed with so much calmness, humility, and 
 candor on the part of the prisoner, that these gentlemen were not a lit- 
 tle moved with his meek and modest behaviour, and made their report in 
 such favourable terms, as plainly shewed their great unwillingness to 
 have him suffer. 
 
 Some few days before the expiration of the reprieve, the vice-chan- 
 cellor returning, sent again to have the prisoner brought before him, 
 and interrogated him upon the old chapter, was he yet disposed to take, 
 the oath of allegiance ? The prisoner offered him a draught of an oath, 
 of fidelity, which he was ready to take. But the vice-chancellor told 
 him in plain terms, that nothing would satisfy but the parliamentary 
 ath. If he would take this, he would use his best endeavours to save. 
 him, and not otherwise. 
 
 VOL, 2. E
 
 16 MEMOIRS, kc. 
 
 On Thursday the 8th of November the discourse was revived that 
 he was to die, and that the next day. The report was brought to the 
 catholic gentleman prisoner in the same gaol, and the good man himself 
 was not kept in ignorance. A special friend of his, " a priest," sent him 
 word that day, that he purposed to sup with him. Mr. Xappier under- 
 stood the message : and as this confirmed him in his opinion that his dis- 
 solution was at hand ; so it extremely rejoiced him to have the comfort 
 of a priest, and the benefit of the church's absolution to prepare him for 
 his death. He shut himself up under a stricter confinement upon this 
 notice, and employed the remainder of the day in devotion : but withal 
 desired his fellow-prisoner, "the writer of this relation," to order a 
 breast of mutton for supper, and to invite two poor catholics to sup with 
 him, which was done accordingly. 
 
 Thus far we have only abridged the account given by this catholic 
 gentleman. What follows is set down in his own words, copied from 
 the original. 
 
 ' Little did he eat at supper, only a piece of pigeon-pye, and after a 
 
 * few stewed prunes, which one of his sisters had brought him ; and 
 ' very merry he was that evening. And being at supper I said unto 
 
 < him, Mr. Nappier, if it be God's holy will that you should suffer, I do 
 ' wish with all my heart, that it might be to-morrow, it being Friday, and 
 ' said, that our Saviour did eat the paschal lamb with his disciples on 
 ' Thursday at night, and suffered the Friday following : and therefore I 
 
 < wish, if you must die, it might be to-morrow. He answered me 
 ' very sweetly, saying, welcome by God's grace ; and I pray God I 
 
 < may be constant ; praying us all to pray for him. And thus much I 
 ' must let you understand, that every time that he heard news that 
 ' he should suffer, he would give to some poor body that was catholic, 
 
 < some of his cloaths ; and I would say unto him, methinks you might 
 ' make reservation of them again, if you should not die ; he would say 
 ' unto me, oh, no, for I have more upon my back than I brought into 
 ' the world, and if I live I will put myself to God's providence. And 
 ' truly if he had lived he had left himself little more than he brought 
 
 * into the world, for he had given almost all away. After supper he 
 ' and the other good man withdrew themselves to a secret place to con- 
 ' fer of some special matters, and when they had made an end, they 
 ' took their leaves of one another, and so did all the company, and every 
 ' man to his chamber. 
 
 ' The next day being Friday, and the pth of November, about six 
 ' in the morning, the under sheriff sent to the keeper's wife, and willed 
 ' her to let Mr. Nappier know, that he should prepare himself to die, 
 ' for mat was the day, between one and two in the afternoon that he 
 c should be executed. The poor woman took it very grievously, and 
 ' fell a crying, and came to me. I hearing her cry much, marvelled 
 ' what the matter should be, and came and met her at my chamber- 
 ' door, and asked what the matter was ? who answered me crying, oh, 
 ' the blessed man must -die this day, and J cannot rind in my heart to go 
 f tell him of it. I answered her again, welcome by God's grace j for 
 
 * now I am assured it is God's will to have it so, and therefore I will go 
 ' unto him myself to let him understand the news. And so I went
 
 GEORGE NAPPIER. 2? 
 
 * to his chamber, and knocking at his .door, he came and opened 
 
 * it, and I saluted him and asked him how he did ? And he answered me, 
 e saying, well, I thank almighty Jesus. And I asked him how he slept 
 
 * in the night ? and he said, very well, I thank God. Then I said un- 
 ' to him, that the bell had tolled, and rung out also : and he asked me 
 f what I meant by those speeches ? I said unto him again, that now he 
 c must put on his armour ot proof, for he must fight that day a great bat- 
 ' tie. He took me in his arms and embraced me, saying, it was the best 
 ' news that ever was brought unto him, and I was most heartily wel- 
 
 * come for declaring of it unto him, saying farther, that he found him- 
 ' self cleansed, he hoped, from all the rust which had troubled him 
 ' long before. And as I thought he rejoiced much, and asked me if he 
 ' might not serve God, " say mass," that day ? I said, the day was far 
 4 spent, but if it pleased him I would go and make all thing* ready : 
 ' and he prayed me to do so, for he was ready : and surely meth ought 
 ' he did celebrate that day, as reverently in all his actions, and with as 
 ' much sweet behaviour, as ever I saw him in all my life ; for I did 
 ' take special notice of himj he shewed no fear in any respect ; and 
 ' when he had made an end, and all things were laid aside, he fell to 
 ' his devotions ; and by the end of our service many scholars were 
 ' come into the castle-yard, and into the court. And after he had 
 ' prayed some heurs I came unto hirn, and asked him, if I should send 
 ' for some comfortable thing for him to drink ? and he answered me, 
 c no j saying, he would neither eat nor drink, hoping in his Saviour, 
 ' that he should have a sumptuous banquet shortly. And after a little 
 
 * stay I considered that his time drew somewhat near, I came unto him 
 ' again, and put him in mind of shifting him with a fair shirt, and he 
 
 * said he would willingly do so : and then I made him a fire, and 
 
 * warmed his shirt, and coming down to put on his shirt., he made a 
 ' step down amongst the poor prisoners, and did distribute some money 
 ' amongst them ; and coming up again, he brought a piece of silver of 
 ' half a crown, and some money besides, and laid it in my chamber 
 ' window : and I asked him what he would do with that piece of silver, 
 ' having the picture of St. George ? and he told me, that he would 
 ' give it to the executioner for his pains ; and the rest he would give 
 ' to some poor people ; and so he did. And when he had put on his 
 ' clean shirt he fell to his prayers again. He had prayed but a short 
 ' time when a couple of scholars, masters of arts, and I think one of 
 ' them was a minister, came in ; and they began to offer some speeches 
 ' to him concerning the oath of allegiance j he prayed them to give 
 ' him leave, and to let him prepare himself, for he had not long to 
 ' stay : and it stood upon him to call to mind all his reckonings, which 
 ' he was to make to his Lord and Master ; and therefore with most 
 ' mild and sweet words he entreated them not to trouble him ; and they, 
 ' like honest-minded men, stayed their speeches, seeming to be sorry 
 ' for him. And then the pro-proctor cometh to the castle to speak with 
 ' him, and he sent the keeper to bring Mr. Nappier to him : he staying 
 ' in the chamber with divers other scholars, and some others besides ; 
 ( and the blessed man being come unto him, he began to use some 
 ' speeches to him, to persuade him to take the oath. But the good man 
 ' prayed him to give him leave to spend that little time which was leut
 
 2 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' him in prayer. And so kneeled down at a round table, and prayed a 
 ' little. But the under-sheriff willed him to make him ready, for all 
 ' things were almost ready for the execution. And then he rose up and 
 ' went into a little chamber hard by, and put on a white waistcoat, &c. 
 ' and being apparalled to the end that the law had appointed, he came 
 ' again into the keeper's chamber, and I meeting my keeper, he asked 
 ' me, if I had taken my leave of him ? I answered I would willingly 
 e see him again. And he willed me to go up with him, and I should 
 ' see him ; and so I went with him into his chamber ; and as I was 
 ' coming in the blessed man was about to kneel down, and seeing me 
 ' he staid 3 and I pressed through the scholars and came unto him, and 
 ' kneeling down he blessed me, and rising up again he embraced me 
 ' and kissed me. And I heard the pro-proctor ask, who I was ? and 
 ' one answered him, that I was a gentleman and a prisoner for my con- 
 ' science. And then the blessed man began to kneel down, and the 
 
 * proctor said to him, Mr. Nappier, shall I pray with you ? and he an- 
 ' swered him in these words, oh, no, good Mr. Proctor, you and I are 
 < not of one religion, and therefore may not pray together. Then the 
 ' proctor asked him again, saying, shall I pray for you ? The blessed 
 ' man said unto him, I would to God you were in a state of grace to 
 ' pray for me. And then he kneeled down, and I kneeled by him, and 
 ' I think he said but one pater -nosier, for I could say but one, and pre- 
 f sently the under-sheriff called very earnestly to come away : and so 
 
 * prostrating himself on the ground he kissed it, and rose up, and made 
 
 * the sign of the cross, and went forward to the dungeon door, 
 ' where the hurdle staid for him. And coming by the proctor, the 
 ' proctor said unto him, Mr. Nappier, if you will yet take the oath of 
 ' allegiance, I make no doubt of your life. He spoke unto him and 
 ' said, good Mr. Proctor, do not wrong me when I am gone, for I 
 
 * know many speeches will go of me ; and now I say again unto you, 
 ' that I have prayed most heartily for the king, the prince, and all his 
 ' children, as any subject he hath in the world ; and will yield him as 
 ' much power and authority, as ever any prince had or ought to have. 
 
 * And then the hangman came unto him and asked him forgiveness, and 
 
 * the blessed man said and embraced him, I most lovingly forgive thee, 
 
 * and for a pledge I have willed one of the sheriff's men to give thee 
 
 * some silver ; and the hangman said, he had received it, and thanked 
 ' him for it. And so he being called for again he went forward, and 
 
 * coming down to the stairs foot, the door was open, and I followed 
 ' him ; and he seeing the hurdle, most willingly went himself and laid 
 ' him down with a lively courage, having blessed himself: he had not so 
 
 * much as a thread to bind him, which I think never none but was 
 ' bound saving himself. And then they offered to draw forward, and 
 ' one of the pins of the trace broke, so they staid till it was fastened: 
 ' and the people were so unreasonable in pressing themselves to see him, 
 
 * that they pressed me down twice upon the hurdle : and then I called 
 ' to the proctor to command them . to give back 3 and then I took both 
 ' his hands in my hands, and prayed God to comfort him, and looking 
 ' upon me he prayed God to bless me ; and with much ado I got from 
 ' the throng of people. And more than this I cannot set down of my 
 r own knowledge. What follows is. the report of Mr. CharlcVs o\\u 
 ' hearing at the place where he suffered his martyrdom.'
 
 GEORGE NAPPIER. 2g 
 
 The pth of November being Friday, l6lO, it pleased God to ap- 
 point the time in which the faith of Mr. George Nappier, priest, was to 
 be tried in the furnace. Being brought therefore out of prison, and laid 
 on the hurdle, with hands joined and his eyes fixed towards heaven, with- 
 out moving anyway, he was drawn to the place of execution. Where 
 being taken off and set on his feet, beholding the place where he was to 
 suffer, he signed himself with the sign of the cross ; and ascending the 
 steps of the ladder with a chearful mind to receive his martyrdom, 
 turning his face towards the people, having again signed himself with, 
 the sign of the cross, he began to speak as follows : Gentlemen, you 
 must expect no great speech at my hands, for indeed I intend none : only 
 I acknou'ledge myself to le a miserable and irretched sinner. And there- 
 withal joining his hands with intention to pray, he was interrupted by a 
 minister who called to him, saying, Xappier, Nappier, confess your trea- 
 son. Wherewith bending himself, and looking down towards him, lie 
 answered him saying, treason, sir ! I thank God, I never knew what 
 treason meant. To which the minister replied, be advised what you 
 say, do not you remember how the judge told you it was treason to be a 
 priest? he answered the minister again, for that I die, sir, and that 
 judge, as well as I, shall appear before the just Judge of heaven, to u'homl 
 appeal, who will determine ichether it le treason or no to le a priest. 
 And withal he protested that none l:ut catholics can le saved. After 
 these words he desired that he might have leave to pray ; whereunto 
 the minister replied, pray for the king, to which he answered, so I do 
 daily. But, said the minister, pray for the king now. With that he 
 lifted up his hands and said, I pray God preserve his majesty, and make 
 him a llessed saint in heaven. Then he desired the company that he 
 might pray to himself. The minister interrupting him the third time, 
 said, go to pray, and we tcill pray with you. To which he answered, 
 sir, I will none of your prayers, neither is it my desire you should pray 
 with me, lut I desire all good catholics to join with me in prayer. So 
 addressing himself to pray, he said, in te Domine speravi, &c. In 
 thee, Lord, I have put my trust, let me nut le confounded for ever; 
 then lifting up his hands and heart, he said the psalm, Deprnfundis, &c. 
 after that, Beati quorum remissts sunt inif/uitates, &t. ; lastly, the 
 psalm Miserere. These being ended, he pnlled down his night-cap over 
 his eyes, and most part of his face, and often repeating these words : in 
 manus tuas, &c. Into thy hands, O Lord, I commeiid iny spirit: he 
 yielded himself to one side of the ladder, having his hands still joined. 
 So being turned oft", he struck himself three times on the breast, and 
 yielded his blessed soul into his hands that gave it. Thus beseeching 
 God to defend you from your enemies, I most humbly desire you to re- 
 member me in your prayers. From my cell this Ipth day of De- 
 cember, ]6lO. 
 
 P S. His charity was great; for if any poor prisoner wanted either 
 meat to rill him, orclonthsto cover him, he would rather be tvld himself 
 than they should ; if any of them would pray him to give his word to the 
 keeper for them, he would do it, if he paid it himself, as sometimes he 
 did : and he would wait for the poorest prisoners in the castle. There 
 was one wretch went away with 20 shillings and 9 pence of his, promising 
 Jiim hp would send it him honestly, but he never heard of him. One
 
 ao MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 other he lent his cloak to wear a few days, to keep him warm ; and hath 
 willed that as long as he stays in the gaol he must wear it, which I 
 fear will be so long, that he will wear that out, and such another. 
 And thus beseeching you once more of your prayers, I in all duty com- 
 mend me. 
 
 Mr. Nappier suffered at Oxford, November 9, ]6lO. His head 
 was set up on Christ Church steeple, and his quarters upon the four 
 gates of the city. 
 
 148.* John Roberts, priest, 0. S. B. 
 
 J OHN Roberts was born in Merionethshire of Wales, from whence 
 he was called in religion, Father John de Mervinia. In what school or 
 college he had his first education I have not found : though I find one of 
 that name in the Douay diary, sent from Rhemes to Rome in 1583. If 
 this be the gentleman we are treating of, he must afterwards have gone 
 from Rome to Spain : for certain it is, that this Mr. Roberts was some 
 time an alumnus of the English seminary of Valladolid; and from thence 
 betook himself to the Spanish congregation of Valladolid of the venera- 
 ble order of St. Bennet ; amongst whom he entered in the year 15Q5. 
 He was protest in the abbey of St. Martin of Compostella ; and hav- 
 ing not long after received the holy order of priesthood in ItJOO, he was 
 that same year sent upon the English mission : being the first, says father 
 B. W. who out of a monastery (since the suppression of monasteries 
 in England) came to attack the gates of hell, and encounter the prince 
 of darkness in his usurped kingdom ; whom he overcame like his mas- 
 ter, the great patron of martyrs, by losing his life in the conflict. 
 
 He was, says my author, a man of admirable zeal, courage, and 
 constancy, who during his ten years' labours in the mission, was four 
 times apprehended and committed to prison ; and as often sent into ba- 
 nishment ; but still returned again to the work of his master, upon the 
 first favourable opportunity. His extraordinary charity evidently shewed 
 itself during the time of a great plague in London ; where he assisted 
 great numbers of the infected ; and was instrumental in the conversion 
 of many souls from their former errors and vices. He was apprehend- 
 ed, for the fifth time, at mass, on the first Sunday of Advent Ib'lO, 
 and hurried away in his vestments, and thrust into a dark dungeon. 
 From whence he was quickly after brought out to his trial ; and con- 
 demned to die barely for his priestly character. His life however was 
 offered him, if he would have taken the new oath ; which he con- 
 stantly refused. 
 
 My manuscript from St. Omers gives the following account of the 
 execution of Mr. Roberts, and of Mr. Thomas Somers, alias Wilson, 
 a secular priest of Douay college, who suffered at the same time and 
 place. 
 
 ' These two blessed men being drawn within 1 6 or 18 yards of the 
 ' place of execution (Tyburn) the multitude of the gentry and of the 
 
 * From B. W.'s manuscript concerning the English benedictin congregation, ex- 
 tracted from the archives of their monasteries : from Raissius's catalogue of the Douay 
 martyrs - t and from a manuscript sent me from the English college of St. Omcrs.
 
 JOHN ROBERTS. 31 
 
 ' common people was such and so great, that they could not draw them, 
 ' to their intended place ; but were forced to take them from the hurdle 
 ' and to send them to the carts : in which stood 16 condemned persons, 
 ' with their ropes about their necks, and tied to the gallows. Father 
 ' Roberts was first taken from the hurdle, who with a chearful and smiling 
 ' countenance, walked in his gown to the cart, into which he offered to 
 ' leap, but could not, being very weak, in regard of his sickness, until 
 ' by the Serjeants and other officers he was assisted. " He took notice 
 " upon this occasion that he was to be hanged amongst thieves ; upon 
 ' which one of the officers put him in mind that his master was so serv- 
 
 * ed." As soon as his feet were seated in the cart, he turned himself 
 ' towards the poor condemned prisoners, and displaying his hands, and 
 ' blessing them, he said, we are all come hither to die, from which 
 ' there is no hope of escape, and if you die in the religion now pro- 
 ' fessed in England, you shall undoubtedly perish everlastingly : let ine. 
 e therefore, for the love of our blessed Saviour, intreat you that we may 
 s all die in one faith : in testimony whereof let me beseech you to pro- 
 f nounce with me those words, / believe the holy catholic church. Pro- 
 ' testing your desires to die members of the same ; as also your sorrow- 
 ' fulness for having led so naughty and wicked lives, whereby you have 
 ' offended our sweet and merciful Saviour : which if you will truly and 
 ( constantly profess, I will pronounce absolution, and then my soul for 
 ' yours. And being purposed to have given them farther ghostly counsel, 
 ' he was interrupted by a churlish officer, who would no longer permit 
 ' him to speak to those poor people. Whereupon, falling down upon 
 ' his knees, he privately poured forth some few prayers, which having 
 ' finished, he suddenly rising up from his knees, with a smiling and 
 ' most chearful countenance, turned himself to the people, and blessed 
 ' them all. 
 
 ' The executioner being very busy in pulling off his gown, he said, 
 ' Mr. Sheriff, shall I not speak ? To which the sheriff, being a man of 
 ' much humanity, replied, yes, Mr. Roberts, you shall speak ; and 
 ' withal delivered to one of the officers a little glass of aqua vitte te 
 ' keep him from fainting in regard of his great weakness, whereof he 
 ' drank a little quantity. During which time Mr. Somers his associate 
 ' was likewise brought to the cart, to whom Mr. Roberts gave his hand 
 ' to help him up, saying, welcome good brother : and then having em- 
 ' braced and blessed each other, Mr. Roberts turned himself to the 
 ' people, blessing them with a chearful countenance, and with an audible 
 
 * voice, said audite coeli qua; loquor, aadiat terra verba oris met. Which 
 ' having Englished, saying, honorable, worshipful, and my well beloved 
 'friends, and beginning to proceed, he was again interrupted by the 
 ' said churlish officer ; whose insolence was such that he was publicly 
 
 * taunted and rebuked by many gentlemen of great condition, they all 
 ' protesting against his barbarous churlishness. 
 
 ' Being thus hindered from dilating upon that scripture text formerly 
 ' uttered ; having again blessed the people, he said, I am condemned to 
 ' die, for that being a priest I came into England, contrary to a statute 
 ' made in the 27th year of the late queen's reign. Other matter was 
 ' not objected against me at my arraignment. And to the objection that 
 ' he came into England without due authority, be replied,, that he was
 
 32 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' sent into England by the same authority, by which St. Augustin the 
 
 * apostle of England was sent, whose disciple he was ; being of the same 
 ' order, and living under the same rule in which he lived} and that for 
 ' the profession and teaching of that religion, which St. Augustin planted 
 
 * in England, he was now condemned to die. 
 
 ' The executioners being as busy in making Mr. Wilson ready, as 
 
 * they had Mr. Roberts, he in this interim surveying the people, and 
 
 * blessing them, to many of his acquaintance, and to every one that 
 ' saluted him with hat or otherwise, he returned a resalutation with be- 
 ' nedictions : and then pronouncing those words, memorare novissima 
 ' tua, let every man remember his end ; he farther added, omnes nos 
 
 * manjfestari oportet ante tribunal Christi ; we must ah 1 appear before 
 ' the judgment seat of Christ, there to give account of our faith and 
 
 * works : they that have done well shall go to everlasting life ; and they 
 ' that have done evil into everlasting torments. Then blessing the people 
 ' again, he prayed them to pardon him for not using more words, pro- 
 ' testing inability of speech in regard of weakness. But for his last 
 
 * farewell, he entreated them to return to the unity of the catholic 
 ' church ; praying them to take certain notice, that extra ccclesiam non 
 ' est salus ; the English whereof he inforced himself to deliver with a 
 
 * most strong voice ; saying, unto this end I will not cease to pray for 
 
 * you all during my life ; and after my death I shall have greater ability 
 
 * to perform the same : and then he was again interrupted by that same 
 ' rude officer, who so often before had interrupted him, saying, (hat it 
 
 * was not fit he should so persuade the people : to whom the principal 
 
 * officer replied, he speaks nothing against the king or state, and therefore 
 ' I see no reason but that he may speak. To which the other replied, 
 ' it must not be j he must not be suffered to allure the king's people in 
 ' this sort. To which Mr. Roberts answered, I say nothing against the 
 
 * king : he is a good king ; I beseech God to bless him, his grave senate 
 ' the council, the honourable bench by whom I was condemned, to- 
 ' gether with all those that have been instruments of my death. Neither. 
 ' is it the king that causes us to die ; he is a clement king : it is heresy,. 
 ' it is heresy that does this. 
 
 ' Being advised to put on his night-cap, he answered, do you think' 
 ' I fear the head ach ? And seeing the fire prepared to bum his bowels, 
 ' he said, I perceive you prepare a hot breakfast for us. Then having" 
 ' given his last benedictions, as well to the whole multitude, as to those 
 ' that knew or did salute him, putting his hands close to his eyes he 
 
 * prayed secretly until Mr. Wilson was full ready. Whose hands being 
 ' fast tied, with a chearful and pleasant countenance, he " Mr. Wilson" 
 ' blessed all the people with these words, benedicat vos omnipotens &' 
 f misericors Dominus, pater & Jilius & spiritus sanctus. And farther 
 ' said, that he was condemned to die for being a priest ; as also for re- 
 ' fusing an oath, now tendered as an oath of allegiance ; protesting him- 
 ' self ever to have been a true, loyal, and faithful subject ; and that he 
 ' refused not the oath, in respect of that allegiance, which the prince. 
 ' may challenge of his subjects, but in regard that it is so mixed with 
 e matters of religion, that it is expressly forbidden by the pope's holiness,. 
 ' whom we are all bound to obey in matters of religion : and therefore 
 ' he persuaded them all to obey this same supreme pastor of God's
 
 THOMAS SOMERS. 33 
 
 ' church : affirming, as his blessed associate had done before, that out 
 ' of the same church there is no salvation. 
 
 ' And now they were informed by an officer, that they must in- 
 ' stantly die : embracing therefore and blessing each other, and giving 
 ' their last benedictions with manacled hands, Mr. Roberts, plucking 
 ' his handkerchief over his eyes, said, omnes sancti, (5* sanctce Dei in- 
 ' tercedite pro me ; and Mr. Wilson, in manus tuas Domine commendo 
 ' spiritum meum. They were suffered to hang till they were thoroughly 
 ' dead : then being cut down they were bowelled, beheaded, and quar- 
 ' tered : their entrails being burnt, their quarters were buried in the 
 ' same pit which was prepared for those poor wretches that then died j 
 ' all which sixteen bodies were cast upon them.' So far the manuscript. 
 
 B. W. adds, that two nights after one of Mr. Roberts' brethren, 
 with some other catholics, dug out at midnight the quarters both of Mr. 
 Roberts and Mr. Wilson from the pit into Jwhich they had been cast, 
 and carried them off. But that as they were coming into the town at 
 break of day, meeting with the watch, one of these pious thieves, that 
 he might more certainly escape, let drop a leg and thigh of F. Roberts, 
 which was taken up and carried to George Abbot, then bishop of Lon- 
 don, afterwards archbishop of Canterbury, who was the man that had 
 been father Roberts's chief adversary, and had stood with greatest ve- 
 hemency against him at his trial, animating the judge against him : and 
 that he ordered them to be buried in the church of St. Saviour, to hin- 
 der the catholics from recovering them. The rest were carried to 
 Douay, to the monastery of the English benedictins there. But one of 
 F. Roberts's arms was sent into Spain, to the abbey of St. Martin, at 
 Compostella. Mr. Roberts suffered at Tyburn, Dec. 10, l6lO. 
 
 M, 
 
 14Q. * Thomas Somers, alias Wilson, Priest. 
 
 _R. Somers, who was known upon the mission by the name of 
 Wilson, was born in Westmoreland : where for some years he taught a 
 grammar-school, to the great benefit of many, as well of his scholars, 
 as of his other neighbours, whom he instructed in the Christian catholic 
 religion ; and some also of the more advanced he persuaded to go over 
 to Douay, to the English college or seminar}' there ; in order to qualify 
 themselves by learning and piety for holy orders, that so they might one 
 day return again to their own country, to assist the souls of their neigh-' 
 hours in those evil days. The counsel which he gave to others, he not 
 long after followed himself; and repairing to the aforesaid college, he- 
 passed through his divinity studies, was made priest, and sent upon the 
 English mission in 160G. His residence was in London ; and his labours 
 were chiefly dedicated to the poorer sort of catholics there; whom he 
 served with such extraordinary diligence and zeal, as to be commonly 
 known by the name of the pastor or parish priest of London. Parochus 
 Londinensis. T. W. p. 51. 
 
 After sometime he fell into the hands of the priest-catchers, and waa 
 committed to prison, and from prison was, with twenty others of ths 
 
 VOL. 2. F 
 
 * From Dr. Worthington and Raissiiu in their printed catalogues.
 
 j4 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 same character, by \ irtue of an order from the council, shipped off, and 
 sent into banishment He landed at Bologne, and from thence went 
 and paid a visit to his old mother college, \vhere he met with a kind 
 welcome, and was invited to take up his habitation there, the office ot 
 procurator of the house being offered him by Dr. Worthington, then 
 president. But his heart was with his flock, from which he had been 
 Ajioletifly separated ; and no apprehension of dangers, to which his re- 
 turn must needs expose him, (being so well known as he was) could 
 make any impression on a soul that was all on fire with heavenly charity, 
 and which looked upon death in such a cause as the greatest happiness. 
 
 To England therefore he returned, and there reassumed his accus- 
 tomed labours, in the same field as formerly, but was not long after 
 again apprehended, and quickly brought to his trial j where he was 
 convicted of having received holy orders in the church of Rome, and 
 having exercised his priestly functions in England ; and for this supposed 
 treason, (no other being so much as objected to him) he was condemn- 
 ed to die the death of traitors. When the bloody sentence was pro- 
 nounced against him, it drew tears from the eyes of many ; and caused 
 pity and compassion in most of the slanders -by : but as for his own 
 part, he heard it with such a remarkable calmness and composedness in 
 his looks, as affected the whole court with wonder and astonishment. 
 
 A few days after, he was drawn to Tyburn in the company of Mr. 
 Roberts ; where, as we have seen already, they both made a glorious 
 confession of their faith, hi the sight of an infinite number of people, 
 and poured forth their blood in defence of it, December 10, }6lO. 
 
 Molanus in his appendix to his Idea togatce Constanticc, published in 
 1629, sets down Mr. Somers's banishment in 1610, and gives him for 
 companions, Messieurs Richard Newport, Philip Woodward, Thomas 
 Leak, Cuthbert Johnson, Oswald Needham, N. Green, John Prat, 
 John Lockwood, John Ainsworth, Robert Charoberlane, Edward Mil- 
 lington, Gilbert Hunt, N. Sadler and N. Button, O. S. B. Thomas 
 Priest and Mich. Walpole, S. J. &c. He adds, that Oswald Need- 
 ham was afterwards crowned with martyrdom : but this particular is not 
 confirmed by any other writer : and that John Lockwood and Gilbert 
 Hunt were also afterwards condemned to die. 
 
 This year 1610, Mr. Lewis Barlow, the first missioner from the se- 
 seminaries, departed this life in a good old age. He came to Dcuay in 
 157O, was made priest and sent upon the mission in 1574 ; was divers 
 times apprehended and imprisoned, and was sent into banishment in 
 1603 3 but returned again to his labours, and died this year in England. 
 Douuy Diary. 
 
 The year I6ll passed without the shedding of any catholic blood on 
 religious accounts : not so the following year, in which I find three 
 priests and one layman put to death upon the penal statutes. 
 
 150. * William Scot, Priest, 0. S. B. 1612. 
 
 VV ILLIAM Scot, who in religion was called F. Maurus, was a gen- 
 
 * From B. W.'s manuscript concerning the English benedictin congregation i and 
 ft 9a ajclaiioii of his trial, by an eye-witness.
 
 WILLIAM SCOT. 35 
 
 t.eman by birth ; and bred up to the study of the -civil law in Trinity 
 Hall in the University of Cambridge. He was converted by reading 
 catholic books, and went beyond the seas ,- where he was for some time 
 alumnus of one of the Spanish seminaries, I believe, of that of Valla- 
 dolid, and from thence entered into the order of St. Benedict ; being 
 one of the first of the English that entered himself amongst the Spanish 
 monks of the congregation of Valladolid. He was professed in the fa- 
 mous abbey of St. Faeundus in the town of Sahagun : and having re- 
 ceived the holy order of priesthood, returned into England to labour 
 there in the vineyard of his Lord. 
 
 For a welcome at his first arrival at London, he beheld the priest, 
 by whom he had formerly been taken into the church, hurried away to 
 death for his faith and character ; and he himself within three days af- 
 ter was apprehended and cast into prison for the like cause. He was 
 kept in confinement for about a twelvemonth, and then transported 
 into banishment : and this happened to him more than once ; for a cer- 
 tain cotemporary author informs us, that he was several times impri- 
 soned, and several times banished. " Pout crel-ros carceres & C3.il\a. 
 Apostolatus Bened. 247." In his last banishment he went to Douay, 
 and lived there for some lime amongst his brethren in their monastery 
 of that town. But he returned again to his Master's work, and quickly 
 fell into the hands of the persecutors. His chief adversary, who 
 caused him to be prosecuted and condemned, was George Abbot, who 
 from being bishop of London was advanced to the archbishopric of Can- 
 terbury. Mr. Scot upon his apprehension was brought before this pro- 
 te&tant prelate to be examined ; he refused the new oath of allegiance, 
 but neither confessed nor denied his priesthood : the chief proof that 
 was brought for his being a priest, was, that as he came by water from 
 Gravesend to London, upon some danger of being discovered, he flung 
 into the Thames a little bag, where were his breviary and faculties, 
 with some medals and crosses ; which bag a fisherman catching in his 
 net, had carried to the said George Abbot. 
 
 The following account nf his trial and death iras written ly an eye* 
 u'itnt't:*, it-hftse manuscript relation is preserved ly the English bene- 
 dictins, in their monastery of Douay, who favoured me with a 
 copy of it. 
 
 On Monday the 25th of May, Mr. Scot was removed from the 
 Gate-house to Newgate, in order to. take his trial in the sessions which 
 were to begin at the Old Baily the following Thursday. Whilst he 
 was here preparing himself for his last conflict, his conversation gave 
 great edification to his fellow prisoners ; but it was particularly taken 
 notice of, that he seemed much mortified, when any one would he 
 saying, that it was not likely the court would proceed at that time to 
 the execution of any priest. On Thursday morning, when he under- 
 stood by the jailor, that the bishop of London, " King" would be at the 
 sessions-house, to attend his trial, at three o'clock that afternoon ; 
 lie began to take heart, and to prepare himself fur that hour. At 
 which time he and his companion Mr. Newport were conducted to the 
 Old Baily; where were sitting the lord mayor, the bishop of London, 
 the lord chief justice Cook, the lord chjef justicg of the common-pica.-.
 
 PC MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 the recorder of London, with many other justices. Here Mr. Scot's 
 indictment was read ; which, he said, contained falsehood, and 
 therefore he pleaded not guilty. They urged him to say directly, 
 whether he was a priest or no : but this he would neither confess, nor 
 deny ; saying, that it was the business of his accusers to make it out 
 that he was a priest. They would needs infer from hence that he 
 certainly was a priest ; and lord chief justice Cook urged, that in cases 
 of praemunire it was judged sufficient to find any man guilty, if he 
 neither owned nor denied the fact. Mr. Scot replied, that however it 
 might be in cases of praemunire, it was certain that in cases of life and 
 death they were to proceed only according to what had been legally made 
 out by witnesses. 
 
 It was then objected, that he had been sent into banishment as a 
 priest, and that by his accepting of this banishment with the rest, he had 
 sufficiently owned himself a priest. He answered, that he had never 
 accepted of any banishment : that he had been released indeed with 
 others, at the request of the embassador of Savoy ; but when he obtained 
 this liberty, which he had never petitioned for, he neither owned 
 himself a priest, nor ever promised himself, or any other for him, 
 to his knowledge, that he would not return again into England. And 
 whereas the bishop of London was very active in this cause, Mr. Scot 
 told him, it did not become his lordship, or any one of his cloth, to medr 
 die in causes of life and death. But this did not silence the protestant 
 prelate, who amongst other things urged against the prisoner, that in the 
 bag mentioned above, was found a paper giving leave to say mass above 
 or below ground, &c. Giving leave ! said Mr Scot, lul to whom. ? 
 was my name there expressed ? If not, your lordship might have kept 
 that argument to yourself, with the rest of the things in the lag, 
 
 The bishop still urged him to answer, if he was a priest, or no. My 
 Lord, said he, are you a priest ? No, said the prelate. No priest, 
 no bishop, said Mr. Scot. I am a priest, said the bishop, but not a 
 massing priest. If you are a priest, said Mr. Scot, you are a sacrificing 
 priest, for sacrificing is essential to priesthood ; and if you are a sacri- 
 ficing priest, you are a massing priest. " For what other sacrifice have 
 the priests of the new law, as distinct from mere laicks, to offer to God, 
 but that of the eucharist, which we call the mass ?" If then you are 
 no massing priest, you are no sacrificing priest ; if no sacrificing priest, 
 no priest at all, and consequently no bishop. 
 
 But as Mr. Scot perceived the judges were resolved to proceed 
 upon bare presumptions to direct the jury to bring him in guilty ; he 
 told them, he was sorry to see his cause was to be committed to the 
 verdict of those poor ignorant men, who knew not what a priest was, 
 nor whether he was a man or a mouse. Then turning himself to the 
 jury, he said, it grieved him much that his blood was to fall upon their 
 heads ; but withal bid them consider, for the securing their own con- 
 yciences, that nothing had been alledged against him but mere pre- 
 sumptions ; and as he was not to be his own accuser, they were to 
 proceed according to what had been legally proved, and not upon pre- 
 sumptions. The jury withdrew, but quickly returned again, and gave 
 in their verdict by the mouth of the foreman guilty : which word Mf t
 
 WILLIAM SCOT. 37 
 
 Scot had no sooner heard, but he fell upon his knees, and said with a 
 loud voice, thanks be to God : adding, that never any news was more 
 welcome to him ; and that there was nothing that he had ever wished 
 for more in his life, than the happiness of dying for so good a cause. 
 Then turning himself to the people he said, ' I have not as yet confessed 
 f myself a priest, that the law might go on in its course ; and that it might 
 ' appear whether they would proceed to condemn me upon mere pre- 
 ' sumption and conjectures without any witness, which you see they 
 f have done. Wherefore, to the glory of God, and of all the saints in 
 f heaven, I now confess I am a monk of the order of St. Bennet, and a 
 f priest of the Roman catholic church. But be you all witnesses, I 
 ( pray you, that I have committed no crime against his majesty, or 
 f my country ; I am only accused of priesthood, and for priesthood 
 * alone I am condemned/ 
 
 Mr. Newport, a man of great zeal and fervour, who had twice 
 before been imprisoned, and sent into banishment, and through the de- 
 sire of martyrdom had returned a third time upon the mission, and haij 
 been a third time apprehended ; after seven months' imprisonment (du- 
 ring which he had prepared himself, as he had done for many years be- 
 fore for the conflict for which God had designed him) was brought to the 
 session-house with Father Scot, but for want of time was not tried that 
 afternoon, but sent back to prison : to which Mr. Scot returned with as 
 much calmness and unconcernedness in his looks, as if nothing had 
 been done that day against him. The next morning, being Friday, Mr. 
 Newport alone was brought to the bar, where he acknowledged himself 
 to be a priest, and that he had been twice banished, &c. but denied the 
 indictment, not owning himsslf guilty of any treason against his king or 
 country. The recorder told him, it was high treason for a priest ordained 
 beyond the seas to return into England. Mr. Newport answered, what- 
 ever it might be by the law of England, it could be no treason by the 
 law of God : that their new laws were made according to their new 
 religion, and could not be of any force against the law of God, and that 
 authority which Jesus Christ himself had given to priests, in those 
 words, go teach all nations, &c. And as it could be no treason to be 
 a priest, so he could not comprehend how he could be a traitor for re- 
 turning into his own country, having been always both at home and 
 abroad a faithful subject to his majesty. He added, that by the laws 
 which they had lately made against priests, they might condemn Christ 
 himself if he were upon earth, because he was a priest. The recorder 
 told him, that priests were the lirst men that had plotted against his pre- 
 sent majesty. No, no, said Mr. Newport, but protestants and puri- 
 tans were the men that plotted against him, and sought to rob him 
 pf his life, whilst lie was yet in his mother's womb. These and other 
 such like words, says my author, who was present at his trial, he 
 spoke with wonderful constancy and fortitude. He seemed very un- 
 willing his blood should lie at the door of the poor ignorant jury ; but 
 was obliged to acquiesce to I he custom of the law. The twelve brought 
 him in guilty ; which verdict he received with great courage and chear- 
 fnlness. The bishop of London was present at his trial, but said no- 
 thing ; for he had gained but little credit, even amongst protestants, by 
 what lie had said the day before at the trial of Fathei Scot.
 
 38 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 Friday in the afternoon the two confessors of Christ were again 
 brought to the bar ; and being asked what they had to say for themselves, 
 why the sentence of death should not pass upon them ; they replied, 
 that they could not be justly condemned, either for being priests, or for 
 returning into England, for neither the one nor the other could possibly 
 be criminal ; as nothing else could be objected against them. The re- 
 corder would not suffer them to proceed ; but taking occasion from that 
 constancy and alacrity, which appeared in their countenance (by which, 
 as well as by their courageous answers, the people was much edified) 
 to reproach them, as if they had not behaved with that modesty as 
 other priests had done before them, hoping thereby to disgrace them 
 with the standers-by, who had very much applauded them, he pro- 
 nounced separately the sentence of condemnation against them in the 
 xisual form. After which, their hands being tied, they were sent back 
 to prison ; where they remained that night full of joy at their approach- 
 ing happiness, and giving great comfort and edification to their fellow 
 prisoners. 
 
 . . The next morning, being the 30th of May, at six of the clock, they 
 were brought out to the hurdle. And first Mr. Newport was appointed 
 for the right-hand side, who laid himself down with a smiling counte- 
 nance, and lifting up his hands, which were tied, in the best manner 
 he could gave his benediction to the people. Then father Scot, who 
 had come down in his religious habit, with a design to have wore it at 
 his execution, but was ordered to put it off again, advanced to the 
 hurdle ; and standing over it declared to the people, ' that he was a 
 ' faithful subject of his majesty, and daily prayed for him ; and that he 
 ' begged of God, to turn away his stripes and punishments from this 
 ' island ; that he wished as well to the king as to his own soul : and had 
 ' never harboured so much as one evil thought against him : and that if 
 ' by his death he could do any service to the soul or body of his sove- 
 ' reign, he should be no less willing to die for his service, than he was 
 ' now to lay down Jliis life for God's honour, and the testimony of the 
 ' truth.' 
 
 After this speech, at which my author says he was present, Mr. 
 Scot was pinioned down upon the hurdle, and so drawn to Tyburn with 
 his companion, and there executed according to sentence, May 30, be- 
 ing Whitsun Eve, 1612. 
 
 H, 
 
 151. * Richard Newport, alias Smith, Priest. 
 
 was born in Northamptonshire : and performed his studies abroad, 
 partly in the college of Rhemes (if he be the Richard Smith whom I 
 find in the Douay diary sent to Rome in 1586) and partly in that of 
 Rome, where he was made priest. From thence he was sent upon the 
 English mission, and behaved himself in such a manner as justly to ac- 
 quire the character of a laborious missionary ; being withal remarkably 
 successful in bringing home many strayed sheep to the fold of Christ, to 
 which his apostolical way of living did not a little contribute. He was 
 
 * From Dr. Worthington's catalogue, p. 52.
 
 JOHN ALMOND. 39 
 
 several times apprehended and cast into prison, and twice banished. 
 His name occurs amongst those who were transported in 1606; at 
 which time, we are told, he took that opportunity of making a pilgri- 
 mage to Rome, there to pour forth his prayers at the tombs of the apos- 
 tles, in behalf of this afflicted church, and to obtain of God, by their 
 intercession, grace and constancy for himself to fulfil his ministry amidst 
 so many difficulties and dangers, as he expected to meet with upon his 
 return to England. 
 
 It is true, he had been strictly charged by the council not to come 
 back into any of the British dominions at his utmost peril : but theu 
 he had learnt from the examples of the apostles, that in things relating 
 to the functions of his ministry, he was to hearken to God rather than 
 man. To England therefore he returned : and though he was appre- 
 hended again, and banished a second time, he again came back at the 
 first favourable opportunity. 
 
 Being apprehended for the third time, the persecutors were now re- 
 solved to make sure work with him, and effectually silence him for ever. 
 To this end they brought him upon his trial, on an indictment of high 
 treason, for being a priest, and returning into England contrary to the 
 statute. We have already seen his behaviour at die bar ; and how by 
 his jury he was found guilty of the indictment, and in consequence of 
 this supposed guilt, was condemned to die the ignominious death of 
 traitors. Which he suffered with constancy and courage, ill the com- 
 pany of Mr. Scot, May 30, 1612. 
 
 152 * John Almond, Priest. 
 
 JOHN* Almond, who in his examination before the bishop of London 
 calls himself Francis Lathome, and who was known upon the mission 
 by the name of Molineux, was bora on the skirts of Allerton near Liver, 
 pool, in Lancashire, and brought up at school at Much- Wooton in the 
 same county : from hence he passed over into Ireland, and so abroad 
 into the world. He must have left home when he was about 15 or 16 
 years old, if he be the Almond whom I find in the Douay diary sent 
 from Rhemes to Rome in 1582 : but then he must have been more than 
 ten years abroad, which is the time that my old manuscript affirms he. 
 employed beyond the seas to improve himself in virtue and learning. 
 Certain it is, that he was at least 45 years old when he suffered ; though 
 his grey hairs seemed to speak him older ; and that he did not return 
 to England till 1 k)2 ; at which time I find in the register of Dcuay , 
 that John Almond, priest, coming from Rome visited die college of 
 Douay in his way to England. T. W. also in his catalogue informs us. 
 that he was a priest of Rome ; and there publicly sustained Theses of 
 universal divinity with great applause in l601. I have met with little 
 or nothing of the particulars of his missionary labours, only my avuhoc 
 " the manuscript" gives him the following character, in his introduction 
 to die account of his death. ' Upon Saturday being the 5th of Decem- 
 
 * From a copy of his examination before Dr. Kinj, bishop of London, written by 
 himself; and from an old manuscript by an I'yr.-'wiiiiCis oi hi 3 death, aincntst thi 
 collections of the Rev. Mr Kr.aresbcrourh,
 
 40 MEMOIRS, & c . 
 
 ' her, 1612, between seven and eight of the clock in the morning; 
 
 * came to suffer at Tyburn for the catholic religion John Almond, a man 
 ' of the age of forty-five, by his own relation ; yet in his countenance 
 ' more grave and staid, beginning to be besprinkled with hairs that were 
 ' white who having tarried beyond the seas about ten years to enable 
 ' himself by his study with learning and virtue, returned into his native 
 
 * country, where he exercised an holy life with all sincerity, and a sin- 
 ' gular good content to those that knew him, and worthily deserved 
 f both a good opinion of his learning and sanctity of life ; a reprover of 
 c sin, a good example to follow ; ol an ingenious and acute understand- 
 f ing, sharp and apprehensive in his conceits and answers, yet compleat 
 ' with modesty. Full of courage, and ready to suffer for Christ, that 
 ' suffered for him. Of his stature, neither high nor low, but indiffe- 
 'rent; a body lean, either by nature or through -ghostly discipline} a 
 ' face lean, his head blackish brown ; in his conversation mild, learned 
 ' and persuasive, and worthy to be remembered of those that did con- 
 
 * verse with him. As I said, not only a sharp reprover of sin, but a 
 c good encourager besides, by his own example, of those that sought 
 
 * the way to heaven, which he himself found at the last by persecutions, 
 
 * crosses, and many afflictions.' So far the manuscript. 
 
 Mr. Almond was apprehended on the 22d of March, 1611-12, and 
 brought before Dr. John King, lately advanced to the bishopric of Lon- 
 don. What passed in his examination here, was penned by himself, 
 of which I shall here set down an abstract. 
 
 ' Bishop. What is your name ? Almond. My name is Francis. B. 
 ' What else ? A. Lathome. B. Is not your name Molineux ? A. No. 
 
 * B. I think I shall prove it to be so. A. You will have more to do, 
 
 * than ever you had to do in your life. B. What countryman are you ? 
 
 * A. A Lancashire man. B. In what place were you born ? A. About 
 
 * Allerton. B. About Allerton ! mark the equivocation ; then not in 
 *' Allerton. A. No equivocation, I was not born in Allerton, but in 
 
 * the edge or side of Allerton. B. You were born under a hedge then, 
 ' were you ? A. Many a better man, than I or you either, has been 
 ' born under a hedge. B. What, you cannot remember that you was 
 e born in a house ? A. Can you ? B. My mother told me so. A. 
 
 * Then you remember not that you were born in a house, but only that 
 f your mother told you so ; so much I remember too. 
 
 ' B. Were you ever beyond the seas ? A. I have been in Ireland. 
 ' How long since you came thence ? A. I remember not how long 
 ' since, neither is it material. B. Here is plain answering, is it not ? 
 ' A. More plain than you would give, if you were examined yourself 
 ' before some of ours in another place B. I ask, are you a priest ? A. 
 
 * I am not Christ ; and unless I were Christ, in your own grounds, 
 ' yours I mean, I cannot be a priest. B . Though you cannot 
 
 * be one in our grounds, are you one in your own ? A. if I be none, 
 ' nor can be any in your grounds, which allow no other priesthood, nor 
 ' other priest but Christ, and you are bound to maintain your own 
 ' grounds, and uphold the truth of them, you might well forbear this 
 'question, and suppose for certain that I am no priest. B. Are you a- 
 
 * priest, yea or no ? A. No man accuseth me. B. Then this is all the
 
 JOHN ALMOND. *I 
 
 * answer I shall have. A. All I can give unless proof come in. B. 
 ' Where have vou lived, and in what have you spent your time ? A. 
 
 * Here is an orderly course of justice sure ! What is it material where 
 ' I have lived, or how I have spent my time, all the while I am ac- 
 ' cused of no evil ? 
 
 ' Bish. Will you take the oath of allegiance? Aim. Any oath of 
 ' allegiance, if it contain nothing but allegiance. And with that the 
 f bishop reaches out his arm for the oath, lying towards the middle of 
 
 * the table ; which I perceiving said, that oath you cannot with a 
 ' good conscience offer. B. Yes, that I can ; and I thank God, I have 
 ' taken it myself seven times. A. God forbid ! 7?.Why ? J.You have been 
 ' seven times perjured. B. Wherein? A. In taking this false clause, And 
 ' I do further swear that I do from my heart abhor, detest and abjure as 
 ' i?npious and heretical, this damnable doctrine and position, that prin- 
 ' ces excommunicated or deprived ly the pope may be deposed, fyc. 
 
 * B. There is no perjury nor falsehood in it. A. If in taking it you 
 ' abjure that position as heretical which is not heretical, then is it 
 ' perjury and falsehood to take it. But in taking it you abjure that 
 ' position as heretical which is not heretical, ergo, &c. B. 1 grant 
 ' your major, I deny your minor. A. No position in your grounds can 
 ' be heretical, unless it be expressly censured for heretical by the 
 ' word ot God, or the contradictory expressly contained in the word 
 ' of God. But this position is no't expressly censured for heretical 
 ' b_y the word of God ; nor is the contradictory expressly con- 
 ' tained in the word of God. Ergo, it is not heretical. B. It is 
 ' censured as heretical by the word. A. Alledge the text, give us a 
 ' bible. B. Bring in a bible. Then turning it with an evil will, he 
 ' said it was censured in the 13th of the Romans. A. You mean those 
 ' words, He that resisteth power, resisteth God's ordinance. But I ask, 
 ' where is this position censured ? There is not one word of the 
 ' position in hand. Other place he alledged none. B. You would 
 ' have it censured in express words ? A. You are bound to 
 ' bring a censure in express words : which, because I see you cannot, 
 ' answer this consequence : This position is not set down at all in the 
 ' bible : Ergo, it cannot be censured by the bible. He answered not ; 
 ' but said, I w r as a proud arrogant jack. To which I replied, God 
 ' forgive you, your words trouble me not : and so two several times 
 ' more I prayed God to forgive him, when he miscalled me and abused 
 ' me in words. 
 
 ' Then leaving the oath, which he was weary of, he asked, Have 
 ' you gone to the church ? And added, 1 forgot it before ; but I go 
 ' beyond you now. A. I have not gone to the church ? B. Will you 
 'go"? A. 1 will not: Is not this plain dealing ? B. Now you deal 
 ' plainly. A. If it would not offend you, 1 must tell you, that you 
 ' went beyond yourself: for you confessed even now that you should 
 ' have asked it before, and so go beyond yourself in asking it now. 
 ' Much more passed betwixt us before about a disjunctive position, 
 ' wherein the bishop needeth not to boast of his logic : at part of 
 ' which a certain dean coming in, after the bishop was weary, the 
 ' dean began to tajk of the pope's power to depose kings, saying, It 
 
 Vol. II. G
 
 4 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 was essential to the pope, and a matter of faith in our doctrine. To' 
 ' whom I replied, It was not essential to the pope's power, nor any' 
 ' matter of faith : and that whether the pope could or could not de- 
 
 * pose, it was perjury to take the oath in their grounds, and ours too : 
 ' which, I said, I would undertake to demonstrate before all the 
 
 * bishops in England, or else I would lose my hand and my head. The 
 ' dean said, I was too quick with him ; and that my logic would de- 
 
 * ceive me, if I buildcd so much upon it ; wishing me to look to a 
 ' good conscience. I replied, It was my conscience which I did 
 
 * stand upon, and therefore refused the oath for the reasons alledged. 
 
 * Yet to give satisfaction, this oath I offered that I would swear. / 
 ' do bear in my heart and soul so much allegiance to king James (whom 
 
 * I prayed God to bless now and evermore) as he, or any Christian 
 ' king could expect by the law of nature, the law of God, or the positive 
 ' law of the true church, be it which it will, ours or yours. The bishop 
 ' and the dean said they were fair words : but the dean added, he 
 
 * knew well which church I meant : to which I answered, Let you 
 f and me try that, and then put it out of question : but he was deaf on 
 ' that ear. 
 
 ' Then the bishop bad me put my hand to my examination. I 
 r first perused it ; and in the end of it, where the register had set 
 'down, Being asked whether he would take the oath of allegiance ; 
 ' he answered, he could not without perjury : I bid him add also, as 
 
 * I had said, I could not in their grounds nor ours : the bishop would 
 r not suffer him to add that, but said I should have another time ; upon 
 f that, I put my hand to it, though I said he had put it in by halves. 
 
 * Thus ended the pageant, saving that I said publickly (giving the ho- 
 ' nour to God) that 1 had not sworn any oath, not so much as in faith, 
 'in 16 years before ; and therefore they needed not wonder that 1 now 
 ' refused an oath with falsehood and perjury in it.' 
 
 After this examination he was committed to Newgate, from 
 whence after some months he was brought to his trial, upon an in- 
 dictment of high treason, for having taken orders beyond the seas, by 
 authority of the see of Rome, and for remaining in this kingdom con- 
 trary to the laws. At his trial, he shewed, it seems, the same viva- 
 city of wit and resolution, as he had done in his examination ; but 
 was brought in guilty by his jury, though he neither confessed nor >et 
 denied his being a priest ; and what proofs were brought of his being 
 such, does not appear. 
 
 The day appointed for his execution was the 5th of December 1612, 
 when being brought out of Newgate between 7 and 8 o'clock in the 
 morning, he stept with a smiling countenance into the sledge pre- 
 pared for him, and so was drawn to Tyburn. When he arrived there, 
 being taken off the sledge, and having his hands untied, he put off 
 his hat, and blessed God with a loud voice, that he had held him wor- 
 thy, and had brought him to that place to die for his name and glory. 
 Then asking what, he was to do, the sheriff told him that he must 
 get up into the cart that stood under the tree, where he must die. 
 Which he did, though not without much difficulty, the cart being 
 high, and his legs weak and stijf, with his ill and cold lodging -for tcu
 
 JOHN ALMOND. 43 
 
 days before. Being up, iie chcarfully said, I am now, I thank God, 
 up : and kneeling down, he first blessed himself with the sign of the 
 cross, in token that he was not ashamed of Christ, who was crucified 
 thereon for his redemption ; then prayed a little to himself; after- 
 wards rising up he mildly asked the sheriff, whether it would please 
 him to permit him to speak to the people; who very courteously told 
 him, he might. He having leave to speak, kneeled down and said, 
 Doininc labia mca aperies, y on meum annuntiubit laudem tuum. And 
 then protesting that he would speak nothing derogating to the power 
 of his sacred majesty, or injurious to any person whatsoever ; he pro- 
 ceeded and told the people that he was a catholic, and came thither 
 to die for the catholic religion, and for Christ's cause, who had shed 
 his blood for him and his redemption. That he was glad and willing 
 to lose his life for his honour, and sorry he had no more lives to lose, 
 nor more blood to shed for the cause of his blessed Redeemer. That 
 he did acknowledge from the bottom of his heart, that his majesty king 
 James the first was true and lawful king of these realms; and had 
 the same power and authority over his dominions, and his subjects 
 therein born, which the king of Spain, or the king of France had in 
 theirs : that he himself was his true subject, and had never harboured 
 so much as any treasonable thought against him, which he did protest 
 freely and sincerely before (rod and the whole host of heaven. More- 
 over, that if he had known of any treasonable design against the king 
 or state, any way whatsoever, he should think himself obliged to 
 have put a stop to it, to the utmost of his power. Then he earnestly 
 prayed to God for the king and all the royal family, and that his pos- 
 terity might inherit the crown of England for ever. Adding again, 
 that he acknowledged his authority for making laws, and that his 
 subjects were bound to obey them. 
 
 But here he was interrupted by a minister, who asked him, How 
 then he, being a priest, offered to cprne into the kingdom against 
 those laws ? Mr. Almond answered, that Christ was the greater king, 
 and that laws made against Christ's laws were not binding : and that 
 in case he were a priest, which they had not proved him to be, lie 
 had a commission derived from Christ, (who sent his disciples, St. 
 Matthew xxviii. 19, to teach all nations) to come and teach in Eng- 
 land ; as he supposed protestants, if their religion were true, might 
 be sent into Turkey, India, or elsewhere, for saving of souls, not- 
 withstanding the laws of those countries might make it death so to do 
 The minister farther objected, that he had at his arraignment delivered 
 dangerous doctrines, as that a priest had power to absolve and for- 
 givc any man that should kill a king ; and that he had treated the 
 bench with disrespect. He answered, that the minister did mistake 
 him, and belied the catholic doctrine ; and that he had dealt mo- 
 destlv at his arraignment, which he referred to the standers by : and 
 for matters of murthering kings, he declared murther to be a heinous 
 crime, and of a king most of all ; and that the doctrine of the catho- 
 lic church, no ways encouraged any of her children to commit any 
 sin whatsoever, much less murder or treason ; but on the contrary 
 t<*aches them humility, patience, long-suffering and obedience. And 
 "yet the greatest sinner that ever was, even a king-killer, than wliioli
 
 44 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 he thought none could be worse ; through true contrition, confessing 
 himself with hearty repentance to his ghostly father, and ready to 
 make satisfaction according to his power and the rules of the catholic 
 church, might be forgiven through the merits of Christ's bitter passion, 
 one drop of whose precious blood was sufficient to have saved ten 
 thousand worlds, how much more one sinner, though never so vile. 
 And that Christ himself had declared as much St. John xx. 27, and 
 given this power to his church, and the true ministers of the sacra- 
 ments thereof, that tsliose sins soever they did remit should be remitted, 
 ffc. And that this was his doctrine and meaning ; and there was his 
 warrant. And then he pressed the minister to tell him if this was not 
 the protestant doctrine also? who could not deny but it was, if the 
 sinner had faith : but then he asked what satisfaction could be made 
 for the death of a king. Mr. Almond replied, that faith was not 
 sufficient, except it was applied right ; for the devils believed and 
 trembled, and yet could not be saved : and that Christ's death had 
 made satisfaction. The minister pressing farther with an argument 
 concerning faith and satisfaction, Mr. Almond denied the conse- 
 quence ; but withal desired that he might now be allowed to pray. 
 When another minister interrupting him, asked if he had not equivo- 
 cated in his former answers and protestations of loyalty. Mr. 
 Almond protested upon his soul, no, as he should answer before 
 God; nor had spoken with any mental reservation ; and that the onlv 
 reason why he had refused the "oath of allegiance, as they called it, was 
 out of tenderness of conscience, by reason of the ensnaring clauses 
 contained therein : protesting withal, that if the pope, or any foreign 
 prince whatsoever, should by war and hostility invade this His native 
 country, and thereby seek to' overthrow the state, or make a conquest 
 of the kingdom, or divest his majesty of any of his dominions, he 
 ought to be resisted by every good subject, to the best of his power, 
 and that by force and arms ; and that this was the catholic doctrino 
 and religion, which was to be brought in by preaching and miracles, 
 after the example of Christ and his apostles; and not by blood and 
 force of arms : that this he had ever professed and taught, and this he 
 was ready to seal with his blood. 
 
 Then being almost unstripped, having nothing on but his waistcoat 
 and breeches, the halter having been long about his neck, he kneeled 
 down and began to pray, by giving thanks to God, who had strength- 
 ened him by his grace, and brought him thither to shed his blood for 
 the catholic religion, which he most firmly believed to every tittle 
 without the least doubt or wavering. And here again he was inter- 
 rupted by a minister that stood near, who told him he had forgot to 
 ask forgiveness of his sin>. Mr. Almond replied, he did not do well 
 to interrupt him, that he could not do all at once, and yet he could 
 do that without the minister's counsel. Then rising lip he pulled 
 several things out of his pockets, which he flung away, looking round 
 about in the disposing of them as his affection guided him. He also 
 flung away some three or four pounds in silver, amongst the poor that 
 crowded about the gallows ; saying, ' I have not much to bestow or 
 ' give, for the keeper of Newgate hath been somewhat hard unto 
 ' me and others that way, whom God forgive, for I do. For I having
 
 JOHN ALMOND. 45 
 
 ' been prisoner there since March, we have been ill-treated con- 
 ' tinually, but now at last without charity ; for we were all put down 
 ' into the hole or dungeon, or place of little case, whence was re- 
 ' moved since we came thither two or three cart loads of" filth and 
 ' dirt ; we were kept twenty-four hours without bread, or meat or 
 ' drink, loaded with irons, lodging on the damp ground, and so con- 
 
 * tinned for ten days or thereabouts/ Here Mr. Sheriff told him, that 
 the keeper had done nothing but by orders, and was commanded to do 
 what he had done. I had thought, said Mr. Almond, it had been, 
 done of his own head ; but since it was done by power, I will neither 
 resist it, nor speak farther of it. Then turning to the executioner he 
 gave him a piece of gold of eleven shillings : adding, ' I don't give 
 ' thee this to spare me, for I am ready, as my duty doth bind me, to 
 ' lose botli life and blood, and therefore he might, if he would, rip 
 ' him up alive, and cut off his hands, for that no torment was sufficient 
 ' to satisfy his obedience to his redeemer ; wishing he had the heart 
 ' of St. Vincent, or the body of St. Laurence to be broiled upon a 
 ' gridiron ; for he was ready to suffer all, even to be pulled in pieces 
 'joint by joint without anv favour, so much he hoped God would 
 
 * strengthen him with his power ; and that all that blood which he had 
 ' to shed for his master Christ was too little, and not enough.' And 
 then kneeling down again, he humbly acknowledged himself to be a 
 sinner, and earnestly begged God's mercy and forgiveness ; not 
 doubting but that what sins soever he had committed, which he con- 
 fessed were many, Christ by his mercy, his death, and the shedding- 
 of his blood, would remit and pardon ; and that he would now accept 
 his willingness to shed his blood for his glory. Of which words a 
 minister presently taking hold, asked Mr. Almond, What ! do you 
 match ard compare then your blood-shedding with Christ's blood- 
 shedding ; as if Christ were not able to work your salvation, without 
 your own means ; ' You mistake me, quoth Mr. Almond ; my sins, 
 ' though venial, deserve Christ's wrath and punishment. It is his 
 c death alone, and the shedding of his blood alone, that is not only 
 ' sufficient, but also efficient to save us all. i have not much more to 
 
 * say, one hour overtaketh another, and though never so long, at last 
 ' cometh death ; and yet not death, for death is the gate of life unto 
 ' u-;, whereby we enter into everlasting blessedness ; and life is death 
 ' to those that do not provide for death, for they are ever tossed and 
 ' troubled with vexations, miseries, and wickedness ; but to use well 
 ' this life is the path-way, yet through death, to everlasting life. 
 
 Then being in his shirt he kneeled down, and often repeating, 
 In maims trtas D online, 6fc. Into thy bands, O Lord, I commend my 
 spirit : tliou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth : he waited whilst 
 the hangman prepared for the execution, at no time shewing either 
 any sign of fear or faintheartedness through all the course of his 
 martyrdom ; but as he began smiling, so he continued constant with a 
 chearful countenance, instantly desiring all the true professors of the 
 true catholic religion to pray for him and with him : and he often 
 repeated upon his knees, looking up towards heaven, In manus tvaa, 
 <.Vc. and so with a sure hope having commended himself to God, he 
 protested he died a chaste maid, which he did acknowledge was 
 C'hrist's special grace, and not his own ability or worthiness, and that
 
 46 ItfEMOIRS, fccf. 
 
 he ever hated all carnal acts, and such sins for which the cathofic 
 religion or profession had been slandered ; for which grace he ren- 
 dered thanks to God. Then, ' I have been, saith he, indicted and 
 
 * accused that I was a priest, but I will neither confess nor deny the 
 ' same ; but at the last day, when all secrets are revealed, and Christ 
 
 * shall come in glory to judge the world, to whom I hope I am now 
 
 * going, he will then reveal what I am.' Then being ready to die, 
 having stood long in his shirt, the weather being cold, and the morn- 
 ing frosty, yet shewed he no shivering, hor once to quake, but most 
 readily yielded his hands to be tied by the executioner : and the cart 
 being ready to be drawn away, he as'ked if it were not good, or the 
 fashion to have a handkerchief over his eyes ? The people cried, 
 yes : one offering a foul one, which was refused, Mr. Almond said 
 it was no matter : then a stander bv gave him a clean one, and tied 
 ft over his face, which still looked' chearful. Then he desired the 
 executioner to give him a sign when the tart was to be drawn away, 
 ' that he might die with the name of his blessed Saviour Jesus, that 
 ' sweet name of comfort in his mouth.' He often repeated these 
 word, In manus tuas Donrine, &c. and the sign being given, he cried 
 Jtm, Jesu, Jem ; and then hanging for about the space of three 
 Patfr-nosttrs, some of the standers by pulling him by his legs to dis- 
 patch his life ; he was cut down and quartered, his soul flying swiftly 
 to him that redeemed us all, for whose quarrel he protested he died. 
 So far the MS. written by an eye-witness. 
 
 As for Dr. King, bishop of London, who is supposed to have 
 been the principal promoter of Mr. Almond's death ; instead of reap- 
 ing any joy from the execution of this good priest, he is said to have 
 been ever after a man of sorrows. And if we may believe what is 
 confidently asserted by the catholic writers of those times, he was 
 before his death favoured by a grace seldom granted to persecutors^ 
 to become himself a catholic, and to die in the communion of that 
 church, which he had cruelly persecuted. In the preface of a book 
 published in his name after his death, and called, The bishop of Lon-? 
 dons Legacy : he is introduced thus addressing himself to our niartvr. 
 
 * O happy Almond, who here upon earth didst mask thyself under the 
 
 * name of Molineux ! in thy blood, even in thy blood did I wash my 
 ' hands : it was I that did further thy death. Be thou, O blessed saint, 
 
 * who now scest and hearest me, (3uid non videt, qui videntem ontnia 
 
 * ridet f What does he not see, who sees him that sees all things ?) 
 
 * be thou, I say, out of thy seraphical charity, as propitious to pray 
 ' for the remitting of that crying sin, as J am ready to acknowledge 
 
 * the sin : and let thy blood (guilty of no other treason than in not 
 ' being a traitor to Christ and his church) not resemble the blood of 
 
 * Abel, which cried for revenge against his brother, but rather the 
 
 * blood of Christ, which praved for pardon of his crucifiers.' Epistle 
 to the reader, p. 10, 1 1. Mr. Almond suffered at Tyburn, December 
 the 3th, 1612, in the 45th year of his age, the 1 1th of his mission. 
 
 I 
 
 153. John Maicson, Layman. 
 
 Find this name in the list of those that suffered this year for the ca- 
 tholic religion : but with little or no particulars. He was apprehended
 
 THOMAS ATKINSON. 47 
 
 whilst he \vas actually hearing mass : but as this is not capital, by our 
 laws, he must have suffered on some other charge. Whether it \vas 
 for being reconciled to the Roman catholic church ; or for assist- 
 ing priesis; or for being instrumental in the conversion of others, &c. 
 my short memoirs do not inform me : only that he suffered at Tyburn, 
 upon the penal statutes then in force against the English catholics. 
 
 This year 1612, according to B. W. in his manuscript concerning 
 the English benedictin congregation, Thomas Hill, D. D. who from 
 a seminary priest, educated in the colleges of Rhemes and Rome, be- 
 came a monk of the said congregation, was condemned to die for his 
 priestly character ; but was not executed. He died afterwards at 
 Douay in 1644, in the 8-ith year of his age, the 53d of his priesthood, 
 and the 33d of his religious profession. He was the author of a little 
 book of motives to the catholic religion, entitled, A Suartron of Rea- 
 sons, &c. which archbishop Abbot undertook to answer. 
 
 During the three following years 1613, 1614, and 1615, though 
 the catholics were still great sufferers, on account of their recusancy, 
 by heavy fines, close imprisonments, &c. yet I find none put to 
 death for their religion. In the latter end of 1615, I find in the Douay 
 diary Mr. Smith, Mr. Blount, and Mr. Brown, priests, sent into ba- 
 nishment from Wisbich castle, and in the same year father Robert 
 Edmonds, O. S. B. died a prisoner for his faith, in the Gatehouse* 
 But in the year 1616, the sword of persecution was again unsheathed, 
 and no less than four priests and one layman were put to death upon 
 the penal statutes. 
 
 154. * Thomas Atkinson, Priest. 1616. 
 
 A HO MAS Atkinson was born in the East-Riding of Yorkshire, and 
 educated in Douay college, during its residence at Rhemes, where he 
 was ordained priest, as appears by the college diary, in 15S8, and 
 sent the same year upon the English mission. His missionary labours 
 w ere employed in his native country, where for near 30 years he 
 faithfully and zealously discharged every part of the duty of an aposto- 
 lick pastor. ' In recalling many, says my author, to the catholic 
 ' faith ; in diligently visiting his flock, which was numerous, and 
 
 * spread in many distant places, to confirm them with the sacraments, 
 ' to encourage them, and push them forward to the practice of virtue, 
 ' and to arm them against the deceits and fury of their adversaries ; 
 
 * travelling always on foot ; frequently passing whole nights without 
 
 * sleep, either employed in the functions of his ministry, or in his 
 
 * journeys ; for by serving the same parts of the country for so many 
 ' years, he was become so well known to the hereticks, that he could 
 
 * not safely travel by day. Till at length it pleased the divine Majesty 
 
 * From a letter sent over to Douay by a missionary priest in 161f., giving an 
 Account of tbe death of Air. Atkinson, and the others that suffered that year, pub- 
 iished the following year at Douay, under the title of Exemplar L : dtsranu>i, tic. 
 page 43 Item from two manuscripts iii nay hands.
 
 48 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' to reward these labours of his servant, and his tears, which he eon- 
 ' tinually shed in prayer, and his most holy life by a glorious and tri- 
 ' umphant death.' 
 
 Of Mr. Atkinson and his labours, thus also writes the lady Bab- 
 thorpe his cotemporary, in a manuscript which I have before me. 
 
 * There was a good priest, one Mr. Atkinson in our country, who 
 ' lived long in doing great service to God ; taking great pains in scrv- 
 ' ing the poor, who without such pains could not have had those helps 
 ' and comforts that they stood in need of in that time. For divers 
 ' years he travelled afoot, enduring all weathers ; and many times 
 ' when he had a weary and wet day, the houses, to which he went, 
 ' could not receive him in ; but he was obliged to stay in some out- 
 ' house or corner, being both wet and cold, and even" in the time of 
 ' frost and snow, so long, till the owners of the houses could receive 
 ' him in with safetv. This he used so long, that in a great frost he 
 ' got a fall and broke his leg ; in the cure of which he suffered much, 
 ' lighting on a bad surgeon. Yet after his recovery he used his for- 
 ' mer charity and pains ; but not being able to travel much on foot, 
 ' he had a horse to help him. In this man God shewed wonderful 
 ' things at his taking and imprisonment. One was, that his irons fell 
 ' off his legs, when the keeper had fastened them on ; which being 
 ' reported to the lord Sheffield, who was the president of the North, 
 ' he sent to the keeper to know if it were true, who confessed the 
 ' truth. Another charity the good man used was, when he came to 
 ' poor folks houses, he would not let them be at any charge, but both 
 ' found himself meat and them ; and gave them money too : so what 
 ' he received from those that were able he bestowed on the poor.' 
 
 His apprehension and death is thus briefly related in a manuscript 
 sent me from St. Omer's, written the same year that he suffered, and 
 agreeing perfectly with the printed account published at Doua) . 
 
 f A venerable priest, called Mr. Atkinson, a man of 70 years of 
 ' age, or more, who had laboured in this vineyard above 30 (rather 
 ' 28) years, in the province of York, going always on foot, and for 
 ' the most part by night, from one catholic house to another, to help, 
 ' confess, ami administer the holy sacraments ; in this present year of 
 
 * our Lord 1616, coming to the house of a catholic gentleman " Mr. 
 ' Vavasour of Willitoft" was espied by a heretic, and suspected to be 
 ' a priest ; who maliciously advertised some officers of it : and they 
 ' coming with all speed, met the said priest coming from the catholic 
 ' house, and apprehended him ; carrying him with the gentleman, his 
 ' wife and children, guarded with armed men to the city of York. 
 ' Where " it being the time of the assizes" he was brought before the 
 ' president and the judges there present. They examined him, Whe- 
 ' ther he was a priest or no '. Which the holy old man would not ac-> 
 ' knowledge for fear of endangering the goods and lives of the gentle- 
 ' man, and his wife and children " who had harboured him ;" yet 
 ' would not directly deny, because he would not say any thing, that 
 'might have any colour or appearance of untruth. Yet the judges, 
 ' having no other proof or witness, condemned him to death, and gave 
 
 * sentence on him as a traitor.
 
 JOHN THULIS, &c. 4.S> 
 
 * They found about him at his apprehension a pair of beads, some 
 ' blessed grains, with a copy of indulgences granted by his holiness : 
 ' which they there read publicly to the people, laughing and scoffing 
 ' at them, and saying a thousand untruths or the use of them, as here- 
 ' tics are accustomed : and by reason they found these things about 
 ' him, they were confirmed in their opinion, that he was a priest, and 
 ' thereupon impannelled a jury and condemned him. And on the 
 ' 1 1th of March, according to our stile, he was drawn upon a hurdle 
 ' from the prison to the place of execution ; where he had his life of- 
 ' fered him if he would take the oath, which he constantly refusing, 
 ' was turned off* the ladder, and being half dead was cut down by the 
 { executioner, " dismembered, bowelled" and quartered : all which 
 ' he suffered with wonderful patience, courage and constancy, and 
 ' signs of great comfort ; seeing that now fulfilled in him which he 
 ' had so long desired ; not without some foreknowledge, by vision, 
 ' from God, as himself secretly discovered to some friends that were 
 ' with him in the same prison ; where at this present are remaining 
 ' about eighty other catholics, condemned most of them in a pramu- 
 ' nire f that is to say, the loss of all their goods, and perpetual impri- 
 ' sbnment. 
 
 ' A certain young man, a catholic, having a desire to get some re- 
 ' lies of this hol'y martyr, bought of the hangman his stockings : which 
 ' a protestant espying,' caused the young man to be examined by the 
 ' magistrate ; and being found to be a catholic, and the servant of a 
 ' catholic gentleman, they sent him to prison, where he remains and 
 1 suffers with the rest. 
 
 ' After the condemnation and death of this holy man, the judges 
 ' and justices of the assizes, perceiving their proceedings not to be 
 ' pleasing to the people ; (having condemned him against all law, 
 
 * without either witness, or other substantial proof, only for having 
 
 * beads about him, and because he would not directly deny himself to 
 1 be a priest) endeavoured to satisfy the world, by producing after- 
 ' wards a base wicked fellow, who witnessed before them, that the 
 
 * party condemned was a priest, and that he had sometimes seen him 
 ' say mass.' Mr. Atkinson suffered at York, March 11, 1615-16. 
 
 His Latin life, printed at Douay 1617, confirms the truth of that 
 extraordinary event, of his irons falling off his legs, when he was em- 
 ployed in prayer, as a thing well known and attested by many : as 
 also the vision he had before his apprehension, in which our blessed 
 Lady revealed to him that he should glorify her Son, by suffering for 
 his cause a cruel martyrdom. 
 
 155. * John Thulisy Priest. and 156. Roger Wrenno, 
 or Worren, Layman. 
 
 JOHN Thulis was born in Lancashire, at a place called Up-Holland ; 
 and performed the greatest part of his studies abroad in Douay college, 
 
 * From a printed account of their martyrdom, published at Douay in 1617. 
 And from a manuscript in ray hands. 
 
 Vol. II. H
 
 3fr MEMOIRS, &e. 
 
 during it? residence at Rhemrs: from xvhenre. being now a stitttetitiri 
 divinity and in holy orders, he was sent to Rome, where he was made 
 priest. After his return to England he tell into the hands of the ad- 
 versaries of his faith, and was for manv years a close prisoner in AVis- 
 bioh castle : when or how he escaped, or was released from thence, 
 I have not found: but for the latter part of his time" he seems to have 
 exercised his missionary functions in his o\vn country : at least there 
 he was apprehended by order of William carl of Derby, and commit- 
 ted prisoner to the county jail at Lane-aster. 
 
 His Latin life, printed at Douay the year after his execution, in- 
 forms us, that God almighty had prepared this his servant for the 
 f Town of martyrdom, by many trials and crosses, which he had un- 
 derwent with a wonderful courage and tranquillity of mind: and that 
 once when he was brought to death's door by extremity of sickness, 
 and had received all the rites of the church, he was di vinefy admo- 
 nished that he was not to die that time, but to look for a more glori- 
 6as death by martyrdom : that he was a man exceedingly mortified 
 in hrs fife; and who had acquired so great a command ot his passions, 
 that though by nature he was of a choleric disposition, he had so far 
 overcome himself, that even in the midst of calumnies and lies, \\hich 
 were unjustly cast upon him, he behaved v\i<h that temper and meek- 
 ness, and so moderated all his words, as if nothing had come out of 
 his mouth, but what had been well studied and meditated before 
 hand: insomuch that one of the judges, who sat upon him at his trial, 
 was heard to say in the company of many gentlemen, that he had 
 scarce met in all'the north of England with a man of so much modesty, 
 prudence, and temper. 
 
 In the same prison of Lancaster castle, where Mr. Thufrs was con- 
 fined, among other catholics, there was one Roger Wrenno or Worren, 
 a weaver by trade, but a zealous and devout soul. These two not 
 Jong before the ient assizes, 1616, found means to make their escape 
 out of prison about five in the evening : and making the best of their 
 H-ay, as they imagined, from that time till the next day, walking all 
 that while a good round pace ; when they thought they were now 
 about thirty miles from Lancaster, they found themselves to be very 
 near tiat town, God's lioly will designing for them there the crown 
 of martyrdom. So being discovered at sun rising in that neighbour- 
 hood, they were apprehended, and brought back again to their lodg- 
 ings in the castle, where they were sure to be better looked to for 
 the future. Soon after this the assizes came on, when they \\c:r 
 both 'brought to their trial, and both condemned. Mr. Thulis was 
 sentenced to die as in cases of high treason, for being a priest, and 
 exercisiag his priestly functions in this realm ; and the weaver as in 
 eases of felony, for relieving and assisting priests. Yet they both 
 of them had their lives offered them, if they would take the new 
 oalh of allegiance ; and as to Mr. Thulis, a gentleman of that country 
 (Mr. Ashton, of Leaver) who was his godson, profered him 10 a 
 year for his life if he would comply : but they both constantly refused 
 the oath, as inconsistent -with truth an'd their conscience. * ' 
 
 "Hie day appointed for their execution was the ISth of March,
 
 THOMAS MAXFIELD. *I 
 
 when Mr. Thulis was brought out of the castle, and laid upon a hur- 
 dle, in order to be drawn to the gallows. As he took his last feave 
 of his fellow-priests, who remained there in prison, he recommended 
 to them mutual love and charity, the proper characteristics of tbe 
 true disciples of Christ. Wren no was conducted at the same time to 
 execution in the company of divers malefactors, who were to sufe? 
 the same day ; four of whom had been lately reconciled in prison, by 
 Mr. Thulis to God and his church, and constanth professed to 
 last the catholic faith, as the true and only saving religion. 
 
 At the gallows, when Mr. Thulis was going up the ladder, be 
 was again called upon to save his life by taxing the oath : and why, 
 said they, should you boggle at it? It requires nothing more of you 
 than a civil allegiance to the king. Write me then, said he, a form 
 of an oath which contains nothing but civil allegiance, and I will take 
 it. Thev told him, they could tender him no other form of oath than 
 that which was ordered by the parliamentary staiute ; and that, said 
 lie, I cannot in conscience take ; for It contains many tilings contrary 
 to catholic faith. So he was turned oft' tb* Kwtder., and afterwards 
 cut down and quartered. His tour quarters v.<eve hung up at four of 
 the chief towns of the county, viz. Lancaster, Prestcn, Wigau, and 
 Warrington ; that at Preston was fixed to the church steeple : ami 
 his head was set up on tLe castle walls. 
 
 As for Wrenno, the weaver, after he was turned off the ladder, 
 the rope broke with the weight of his bodv, and he tell dpwn to the 
 ground : and after a short space he came perfectly to himself, a4 
 going upon his knees, began to pray very dt-voutlv, with his eves and 
 hands lifted up to heaven. Upon jhis the ministers come up to him, 
 and exto! the providence ami mercies of God in his regard, and like- 
 wise the king's clemency, who would give him his life, if he would 
 but condescend after all to take the oath. The good man at this pre- 
 sently arose, saying, I am the same man I was, and in the same mind, 
 use your pleasure with me : and with that he run to the ladder, ami 
 went up it as fast as lie could. How now, says the sheritf, what 
 does the man mean, that he is in such haste r Oh ! says the good 
 man, if you had seen that which I have j-ust now seen, you would be 
 as much in haste to die as I now ana. And so tfee executioner putting 
 a stronger rope about his neck, turned the ladder, and quickly sent 
 him to see ike apod things of the Lord in the land of the Ihing, of 
 which before he had had a glimpse. They, suffered at Lancaster, 
 Jdarch IS, 16-15-16. 
 
 H, 
 
 177- * Thomas Maxfield, Priest. 
 
 -E was descended of an ancient family of this name in Stafford- 
 shire. His father, who was a man of great piety, had suffered much 
 for his religion j and besides the confiscation of his estate, and a long 
 
 * From his life, published this saw year at Douay by Dr. Kellisoa : and Inwa 
 an account sent o> i-.r tu Dyuay by un eye-wituess of itis coadict and jiriutcd lucre 
 in the fullo'.ving ytar.
 
 52 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 and close imprisonment of many years, was actually under sentence of 
 death for his faith when this son was born ; his wife being at the same 
 time a close prisoner for the same cause. As for Mr. Thomas, having got 
 some little tincture of grammar in his own country, he was sent abroad 
 to the English college of Douay, where he arrived in 1603, and there 
 made a good progress in learning ; finished his course of philosophy ; 
 and was advanced two years in the study of divinitv, when he was 
 attacked with a long and lingering sickness, which obliged him in in- 
 terrupt his studies, and return to his native country, in hopes of reco- 
 vering his health by change of air ; which had its desired effect, for 
 after some time he recovered, and then without delay crossed the 
 seas again, and returned to the college ; where, having compleated 
 his divinitv, and being found by the superiors every way qualified by 
 virtue and learning for an apostolic life, he was presented to holy or- 
 ders in 1614, and sent upon the mission in 1615. 
 
 At his coming to London the first visit he made was to a priest, an 
 intimate friend of his, a close prisoner in the Gate-house ; where like- 
 wise he celebrated mass for the first time after his arrival in England. 
 After which three months did not pass before he was apprehended, 
 being upon his knees before the altar, after mass, in recollection and 
 prayer. In this posture the pursuivants found him, and immediately 
 laying hands upon him, violently hailed him away, as if he had been 
 some notorious robber or housebreaker taken in the fact. 
 
 He was convened before some of the bishops, who put the usual 
 murthering questions unto him. Was he a Romish priest? Why did 
 he presume, after having taken orders in the church of Rome, to re- 
 turn into England contrary to the laws of this nation ? Was he willing 
 to take the oath of allegiance? &c. To these interrogatories, Mr. 
 Maxfield returned a plain and distinct answer, viz. he owned himself 
 a priest, ordained by a catholic bishop, according to the form appoint- 
 ed in the Roman pontifical, and by authority derived from the bishop 
 of Rome. That as he was lawfully ordained, so was he likewise 
 lawfully sent to preach the word of God, and to administer the sacra- 
 ments to his countrymen : and that as the mission of priests lawfully 
 ordained is originally from Christ, who sent his apostles even as his 
 father had sent him, he humbly conceived no human laws could justly 
 render his return into England criminal ; for this would be to prefer 
 the ordinances of men to the commands of the supreme legislator 
 Christ himself. As to the rest, he would pay obedience in ail civil 
 matters to his majesty ; but would not take the oath of allegiance as it 
 was worded. Upon this he was sent to the Gate-house, where he had 
 before offered to God the first fruits of his mission. 
 
 His conduct in prison (for about 8 months) was truly religious and 
 edifying to all. The author of the Latin account of his martyrdom, 
 published at Douay the same year he suffered, w r ho seems to have 
 been an eve-witness of hit bt-haviour, gives this commendation of 
 him : that 'he wholly devoted himself to prayer, and other religious 
 exercises ; that he used great mortifications ; and that his comport- 
 ment in general, during the time of his confinement in the Gatehouse, 
 was such as afforded great comfort and edification to the other prisoners.
 
 THOMAS MAXFffiLD. 53 
 
 But as zeal for the conversion of souls was his predominant virtue, 
 it put him upon thoughts of making his escape out of" prison, that he 
 might be in a condition of being more serviceable to the souls of his 
 neighbours at a time when priests were very much wanted. The de- 
 sign he communicated to a fellow-prisoner^ a father of the society of 
 Jesus, who was his spiritual director, together with his motives and 
 reasons; and farther to learn the will or heaven, he earnestly recom- 
 mended the affair to God in his devotions for many days ; adding 
 fasting and alms to his prayers, and humbly beseeching the Almighty 
 to manifest his will to him, and give such issue to his undertaking as 
 should be best pleasing to him, and most conducive to his divine ho- 
 nour and glory. 
 
 And now having concerted his measures, he attempted to put his 
 design in execution on the 24-th of June 1616 ; letting himself down 
 in the dead of the night from a high window, by the help of a cord. 
 But when he was just come to the ground, he was surprised to find 
 himself fast in the arms of an unknown person ; who by his loud cries 
 gave the alarm to the neighbourhood, and so turnkeys, watchmen, &c. 
 came rushing in upon him, and after having hauled, dragged, beat, 
 and buffeted him, to make sure work, they thrust him under a table, 
 girding about his neck a massive collar of iron ; to this again they 
 iasten a ponderous chain of an hundred weight, wherewith they inhu- 
 manly load and fetter him ; and in this painful posture they keep him 
 for some hours till the morning, and then he met with even more bar- 
 barous usage, as we shall now see. 
 
 There was in the Gatehouse a subterraneous dungeon, a deep and 
 dark hole, which, if we may judge by the filth and nastiness of the 
 place, had not been opened or made use of for a long time : in this 
 dungeon was a pair of wooden stocks of an odd contrivance, made 
 not so much to secure as to torture the prisoner. Here, by the jailor's 
 orders, Mr. Maxfield was to take up his quarters : and in this engine 
 his feet were fastened in such manner that he could neither stand 
 upright, nor yet lie down ; or turn or move his body into any other 
 posture for a little ease : to which was added another torment more 
 intolerable to human nature, from the swarms of venomous insects, 
 generated in the filth and moisture of the vault, which by their creep- 
 ing over his body, fast locked up in this cruel machine, sorely annoyed 
 him, without his being able to make the least defence against them. 
 The darkness, stench, horror, and torments of this place, the con- 
 fessor of Christ endured from before day-break on Friday till Monday 
 night, that is, for above 70 hours together, without the least inter- 
 mission, till a warrant was sent from the council for his immediate re- 
 moval to Kewgate, in order for his trial. 
 
 There was something so very cruel and barbarous in this treat- 
 ment of Mr. Maxfield, that it moved the whole prison to compassion- 
 ate his condition, and study to give him help : so that not without 
 danger of incurring the like penalty, they raised up a plank, and open- 
 ed a small pa.ssage over the dungeon, through which they spoke to 
 Jiim, pitied his extreme sufferings, and threw him in an old blanket 
 to cpver him, being belore almost naked. And a priest of the society,
 
 3^ MEMOIRS, &c, 
 
 a prisoner there, whom Mr. Maxfield had made we of for hi? confes- 
 $arius, ventured to come to this hole to speak to him, to comfort, him, 
 and to exhort him to patience and courage. But what surprised this 
 good father very much, was, to find the man of God so far from being 
 dejected amidst that variety of sufferings, or in need of any human 
 Comforts, that his soul seemed to be elevated with supernatural lights, 
 and abounding with heavenly consolations. 
 
 On Monday at night he was dragged out of this dungeon ; living 
 indeed, and that was all ; his face as pale as that of a dead corpse ; his 
 spirits sunk with hunger, and want of rest, to that degree, that he 
 ivas under continual faintings away : his hands and feet so benumbed, 
 as to have lost all feeling and use ; insomuch that it was some time 
 before he was able to move. However the same night, having first 
 fettered his arms, they hurried him away, and forced him to walk 
 from Westminster to Newgate. Here he was committed to the com- 
 mon side, amongst a gang of felons, and was loaded with heavy irons, 
 without any other convenience for a little rest but the bare floor. But 
 that which gave this holy soul the greatest pain, was, tlie profane ad 
 jmpious discourse of those miserable wretches, who, though threaten- 
 ed with approaching death, yet took no care to make their peace vrkh 
 God, but added daily new crimes to their former heavy load of wick- 
 edness, without the least remorse or sense of God's judgments upon 
 impenitent sinners. Mr. Maxheld laid hold of every occasion to bring 
 these poor wretches to a sense of their deplorable state, and to a re- 
 pentance for their sins : and the divine goodness gave that blessing 
 to his words, that he reconciled two of tlie felons to God and his 
 church. The keepers were soon acquainted with it, and he looked 
 for nothing less than the stocks or dungeon a second time ; but as his 
 trial was at hand and he was looked upon to be a dead man, they 
 winked at it; only took care to prevent the like practices for ihe fu- 
 ture, by removing him from the common side, and placing him anjougst 
 his fellow-priests, acomfurthe could not obtain before. 
 
 On Wednesday the 26th of June, 1616, Mr. MaxfieM was brought 
 to the bar. The trial was soon over, for being indicted for taking 
 orders in the Roman church, and exercising the same in England, ho 
 iairly confessed himself a priest, and so was remanded back to New- 
 gate, locked up in a separate place by himself, loaded with heavy 
 irons, and so strictly looked to, that no persou was allowed to visit 
 him. However he procured by some means or other to desire his 
 fellow-priests in the other part of the prison, to recite the Te Daw, to 
 give thanks to God for the blessings he had received that day-. The 
 next morning he was again brought to the bar, to receive sentence, 
 when the judge offered him life, provided he would take the oath of 
 allegiance. To which Mr. Maxfield replied, that his conscience would 
 not permit him to take that oath, in the manner it was worded ; for 
 that it contained some expressions, which he conceived were not 
 consistent with truth. Then turning himself to the siaaders-by, he 
 desired them to take notice, that he was condemned for n oiher 
 crime but his priesthood, no other treason being so much as objecietl 
 against lam ; and that even for this too., in Uieir own hearing, pat<ka
 
 THOMAS MAXflELD. 5$ 
 
 had been offered him, provided he would take the oath of allegiance, 
 He therefore protested, upon the word of a dying man, that he ac- 
 knowledged King Jajnes his true and lawful sovereign ; that he bor 
 him true and faithful allegiance, and was willing to declare the same 
 upon oath, provided it were done without such clauses and assertions 
 as are contrary to truth, and the catholic religion. After he had said 
 this, he was proceeding to shew the iniquity of the laws, by which 
 men were condemned to death for exercising priestly functions, in a 
 nation which had been converted to the Christian faith by priests of 
 the same religion ; when the court interrupted him, bidding him at- 
 tend to the sentence, which was pronounced in the usual form, viz. 
 that he should be drawn to the place of execution, hanged, then cut 
 down alive, dismembered and bowclled, his bowels to be thrown into 
 the fire, his head to be severed from the body, his body quartered, &c. 
 After sentence pronounced he was hurried back to prison, and thrust 
 into the condemned hole, where he lay till the execution day. 
 
 Strict orders were sent to Newgate that no papists should have ac- 
 ress to the prisoner. However some few made interest to see him. 
 Amongst others a lady of quality found means to make him a charita- 
 ble visit, who declared herself very much edified and comforted with 
 his heavenly discourses and saintlike comportment. 
 
 The Spanish embassador went to court to solicit a pardon for him ; 
 and that being refused, he petitioned at least for a reprieve ; but was 
 told that his excellency must wait till Tuesday next for a final answer. 
 This was on Sunday evening ; and the dead-warrant being signed for 
 the executing the prisoners the very next day, the embassador sus.- 
 nected the worst, but knew not how to remedy it. However he sent 
 his own son to wait on Mr. Maxfield personally in Newgate, an4 
 with him his director, F. Didacus de Puente, a religious man of great 
 learning and piety, of the order of St. Dominick, who in company 
 of some others of the Spanish nation got admittance to see and com- 
 fort the holy man, and to desire his prayers, not only for the embas- 
 sador and his family, but also tor the king his master and the whole 
 nation of Spain : assuring him withal, that no endeavours should he 
 wanting on the embassador's part to procure him a reprieve, though 
 he very much doubted whether he should succeed. 
 
 These pious visitors found the priest of Jesus Christ in a dark dun- 
 geon, loaded with heavy irons like the worst of malefactors ; but with- 
 al perfectly calm, and even modestly chearful under his sufferings. 
 And though he was prettv well convinced that he was to die the next 
 morning ; yet was he so far from appearing dejected or dismayed at 
 the terrors of approaching death, or the least dissatisfied with his lot, 
 that on the contrary there appeared both in his countenance, and in 
 his words and actions, sucli manifest signs of Christian fortitude, and 
 of an entire dependence and confidence in the divine protection, for 
 his support and strength in that last dreadful hour, together with such 
 a saintlike and heavenly air in the whole conversation he had with 
 these strangers, as transported them with a holy joy at the sight of 
 this victim of faith, and filled them AN ith respect and veneration to- 
 %-ards so great a servant of God. The acts of his martyrdom tell us.
 
 56 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 that they threw themselves at his feet ; that they kissed his hands and 
 his chains, and even the very ground he trod on, beseeching him 
 with tears that they might be serviceable to him in one kind or other. 
 Mr. Maxfield thanked them for their charitable offers, but told them, 
 he wanted nothing but theirs, and other good Christians' prayers, tor 
 obtaining the grace of God that he might persevere to the end, and 
 overcome the difficulties he was to encounter with : and therefore be- 
 ing very sensible of his own weakness and insufficiency, he desired 
 them to pray for him. He likewise desired them to use their good 
 offices with the embassador, that at his return to Spain he would re- 
 commend to his catholic majesty the English college of Douay, upon 
 which his royal predecessor Philip the second had settled an annual 
 pension, which he hoped the present king, at the intercession of his 
 excellency, would be pleased to continue. Upon this they took their 
 leave of him, and left him to his devotions. And the reverend fa- 
 ther confessor at his return home caused the blessed sacrament to be 
 solemnly exposed in the embassador's chapel, where the family and 
 other catholics spent the night in prayer in behalf of this holy priest, 
 who was in the morning to pour forth his blood in defence of the ca- 
 tholic religion. 
 
 The next day (the first of July) very early in the morning, Mr. 
 Maxfield was demanded by the sheriff to be carried to the place of 
 execution : and accordingly his irons were struck off, and he was im- 
 mediately led out. It was observed, that much artifice was used to 
 manage this business with as little noise as possible, insomuch that 
 his fellow-prisoners the priests and other catholics, who were lodged 
 in that quarter of Newgate over against him, were kept close up, 
 and not permitted so much as to see him, or receive his last blessing 
 as he passed by. However, when he came opposite to the window, 
 he turned his face towards it, and with an audible voice bid them all 
 adieu, and then making the sign of the cross upon himself and the 
 crowd, he calmly and chearfully laid himself down upon the sledge. 
 
 The adversaries to prevent the great concourse of people, besides 
 chusing so early an hour, had ordered that a woman should at the 
 same time be burnt in Smithfield, in hopes that this would make a 
 considerable diversion, and draw a great part of the people that way : 
 but all was to no purpose, the people poured in from all parts of the 
 town ; and streets, windows and balconies were all thronged with 
 unusual numbers to see this holy priest drawn to Tyburn : and great 
 multitudes there were, horse and foot, who accompanied him to the very 
 place of execution, amongst whom were many catholics of fashion as 
 well foreigners as English. The Spaniards distinguished themselves 
 upon this occasion, who joined themselves in a body, and though they 
 jnet with many affronts, forced their way through the crowd to the 
 sledge, and accompanied the confessor to the end of his stage, fre- 
 quently exhorting him to constancy and perseverance, and begging 
 for themselves his prayers and blessing, with their heads uncovered, 
 .and bowed down in the most respectful manner. 
 
 This was a sensible mortification to some people, who notwith- 
 standing their forwardness tg have this priest takett oft, would gladly
 
 THOMAS MAXFIELD. 1 >7 
 
 have had it done in a more private way ; well knowing that putting 
 priests to death for religious matters only, could not fail to bring an 
 odium upon protestants. But there .was yet another circumstance, 
 that was not less vexatious to them : for when they arrived at Tyburn 
 they found the gibbet beautifully adorned with garlands, and wreaths 
 of flowers; and the ground all covered with odoriferous herbs and 
 greens, in honour of the martyr who was going to suffer there, and 
 of the cause for which he was to shed his blood. 
 
 Mr. Max field being now in the cart, turned himself to the people, 
 and with a serene countenance and modest assurance spoke to them to 
 this purpose. 
 
 * Dear Countrymen, 
 
 ' VV HEREAS my return into England, and my remaining here is 
 * the cause of my being brought hither to suffer a disgraceful death, 
 ' I beg leave to assure you upon the word of a dying man, that my 
 ' errand into my native country after many years spent abroad, was 
 ' nx)t to encourage treasons and rebellions, or withdraw his majesty's 
 ' subjects from their allegiance, or in any kind to intermeddle in state 
 f affairs ; but only to be serviceable to the souls of my dear country- 
 ' men, by endeavouring to remove their errors, and bring them back 
 ' to the faith of their ancestors. Know also, good people, that I am 
 ' not of the number of those, of whom God complains by the mouth 
 ' of his prophet, that they went without his sending. No, God forbid, 
 " that I should undertake a business of this consequence without autho- 
 ' rity of superiors. I came here, because I ivas sent : and I was sent 
 
 r surely as my mission was from the same authority, and directed to 
 ' the same end, viz. the conversion of Englishmen to the catholic 
 * faith ; by condemning me of treason for taking orders in the church 
 ' of Rome, and remaining in England, you cannot but see that you 
 ' involve St. Augustine in the same guilt of treason, a thing in itself 
 ' absurd to all intents and purposes.' 
 
 Here the sheriff interrupted him, and would not suffer him to pro- 
 ceed ; giving orders at the same time to the executioner to do his of- 
 fice. Upon which Mr. Maxfield, falling upon his knees, employed 
 himself for a few minutes in private devotions: then he raised his 
 voice, and prayed aloud for the king, queen, and royal family ; and 
 likewise for the people of this kingdom in general ; and after another 
 pause in silent prayer, he prayed again aloud for his persecutors, ear- 
 nestly beseeching Almighty God to forgive all, as he for his part sin- 
 cerely forgave them, who had been any ways instrumental in taking 
 away his life. These prayers he made with a sedate countenance, and 
 a devotion edifying to all. And now the executioner having fitted the 
 
 * Exemplar Littcraruaa, p. 29. 
 Vol. II. i
 
 33 MEMOIRS, &c- 
 
 cord to his neck, the confessor lifted up his eyes to heaven, ancf 
 stretching forth his right hand gave his last blessing to the people, 
 which the greatest part received with bare heads, and iifany of them 
 kneeling. Then beseeching the catholics to assist his departing soul 
 with their fervent prayers, he repeated aloud those words, Into thy 
 hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit, and so the cart was drawn 
 away. 
 
 He had hanged a very little while, when the sheriff cried out to 
 the executioner to cut the rope, and butcher him alire, according to 
 sentence. Bat the crowd opposing it, and by loud reproaches testify- 
 ing their horror of such a barbarous proposition, the executioner held 
 his hand ; and he was permitted to hang till he was dead, at least to 
 all sense of pain : and then he was bowelled and quartered. 
 
 The sheriff, to shew his zeal, forbad, upon pain of imprisonment, 
 that any one should dare to carry off any part of the body, or 6f his 
 garments, or even of the straw upon which the body was butchered. 
 And to prevent the catholics from stealing afterwards any of his 
 relicks, he ordered a pit to be made near the gallows, of an unusual 
 depth, into which he threw the mangled limbs of the servant of God, 
 and over them two half rotten carcases of felons that had been buried 
 there a month before : and upon these again he cast in the bodies of 
 thirteen malefactors who were executed that day, pressing down upon 
 them a great quantity of earth ; and so he thought he had done the 
 work effectually. But some zealous young men that very night, not- 
 withstanding all the sheriff's precautions, opening the hole, took up 
 the mangled body of the martyr, and carried it away in order to a 
 more decent interment. lie suffered July the first, 1616. 
 
 Mr, Maxfield a little while before his trial u-role the following letter to 
 Dr. Kellison, then presidtn/t of Douay college, the original of vJiick 
 is to this day preserved in the college. 
 
 ' iVAosx reverend and most dear father, as in duty I am bound never 
 ' to forget you, who have ever had so tender and fatherly care of 
 1 me ; so now especially I must in no ways omit to write to you, being 
 ' peradventure the last time that ever I must salute you : for that now 
 ' I expect with some hopes, (if sounworlliv a wretch may presume to 
 "* hope for so great a dignity) to end my days in the just quarrel of my 
 ' lord and master Christ Jesu. I suppose, good sir, now that it has 
 ' come to your notice of my attempt out of the Gatehouse ; and how 
 r it hath pleased God to dispose of me, and deliver me again into the 
 
 * hands ot my enemies; who apprehending me, put me to surfer 
 ' unusual affliction and misery ; the particular relation whereof I 
 ' cruise rather to remit to some other, than myself to be the reporter. 
 ' From thence I was removed by special warrant to [Newgate ; 
 ' whence, as all men tell me, I am to be produced to my answer 
 ' upon Wednesday or Thursday next, there to receive my trial on 
 'life ad death, the happiest news and tidings that ever I heard ; God 
 ' give me strength & courage, and make me to glorify his glorious name 
 
 * by my death ; and to fill up the number of. iny glorified brethren,
 
 THOMAS TUNSTAL. $9 
 
 ' that are gone before me : I think myself most happy that I am 
 ' branched out orj and still remain a member of that blessed house of 
 
 * Douay, that has afforded to our poor barren country so- much good 
 
 * and happy seed. I am therefore yours, and so will live and die. 
 ' Let me therefore, dear father, be made partaker of your good 
 ' prayers a nd commend me, I beseech you, to all mv good and dearly 
 ' beloved brethren, whose happiness I wish ever as my own : and I 
 
 * will never cease, God willing, to pray for you and them, and for the 
 ' prosperity of that house, both in life and after death. lam forced, 
 ' dear good sir, to be briefj through the much company that cometh to me 
 ' at this present, & other necessary business; but I hope you will pardon 
 f me, and accept of this as a token of a great good will. I am your 
 ' poor debtor, and, if I live, I will one day defray all ; if otherwise, 
 ' 1 hope you will remit it. And so in haste, being called to the grate 
 f by the sheriiPs man, I bid you, dear father, farewel in Ohrist .Tcsu. 
 
 Your ever most dutiful, THOMAS MAXFIELD. 
 
 158. * Thomas Tunstal alias Helmes, Priest. 
 
 JL HOMAS Tunstal (who in the Douay records is called Helmet) wa? 
 collaterally descended from the ancient family of the Tunstals, of 
 Thurland in Lancashire, (which afterwards removed into Yorkshire, 
 where they have long resided at Scargill, Hutton or "Wickliff) but was 
 himself born in the diocese of Carlisle. He performed his studies a- 
 broad in the English college of Douay ; was ordained priest in 1609, 
 and sent on the English mission in 1610. Here he quickly fell into 
 the hands of the persecutors, and =pent four or five years of his mission 
 in different prisons. His last confinement before his final apprehen- 
 sion was in \Visbich castle, from whence he made his escape, letting 
 himself down bv a rope. From Wisbich he made the best of his way 
 into Norfolk, where he took shelter in a friend's house not far from 
 Lvnn. But he had been there very few davs, when search was made 
 for him, ajid he was apprehended. 
 
 There was in that neighbourhood a charitable lady, who did great 
 service to the poor in the way of surgery. Mr. Tunstal stood in great 
 want of such assistance, having grievously galled and wounded his 
 hands bv the rubbing of the rope, at the time when he made his 
 escape ; the sores for want of proper applications being grown ex- 
 ceeding painful . Therefore his catholic host advised him to apply to 
 lady PEstrange (this was her name) and put himself under her care. 
 She received him kindly, dressed his wounds, and promised him her 
 best assistance for making a cure. However the good lady could not 
 forbear talking to her husband Sir Hammond 1 'Estrange, a justice of 
 peace, of some particulars relating to her new patient ; as, that he was 
 in poor apparel, yet a gentleman-like man in his discourse and behavi- 
 our ; but withal somewhat reserved in giving an account how he came 
 
 * From the account of his martyrdom, printed at Douay in 1618, and fro:u 8 
 manuscript seut me by C C , Esq. and tsvo other uritteu relations.
 
 60 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 by those wounds in his hands ; that he was a stranger in the country, 
 and lodged at the house of a popish recusant. The justice immediately 
 cried out, this must be the popish priest lately escaped out of \Visbich, 
 for whom he had that day received orders to make diligent search. 
 Upon this, the lady is reported to have cast herself on her knees to 
 intercede for the man, begging her husband to take no notice of what 
 she had said ; adding, that she should be an unhappy woman all her 
 life, if the priest should come to any trouble through her speeches. 
 But notwithstanding all she could say or do, the knight persisted in 
 his resolution of securing the man, and accordingly sent out his war- 
 rant, and had him seized and brought before him. And though the 
 lady again renewed her instances to have him dismissed, yet she could 
 not be heard : but Mr. Tunstall was forthwith committed to Norwich 
 goal, where at the next assizes he was brought upon his trial and con- 
 demned. 
 
 By the (Exemplar Litterarum, p. 36, &c.) printed account of his 
 martyrdom published at Douay the same year, he was condemned upon 
 the testimony of one single witness, and he a man of no conscience or 
 honesty. This fellow made oath that the prisoner had seduced two or" 
 the king's subjects from the protestant religion, to the superstitions of 
 the church of Rome, and that he had made some attempts that way 
 upon himself. Mr. Tunstal desired the parties might be allowed to 
 speak what they knew ; and being called upon, they both declared 
 that what Symons the witness had sworn was false ; the prisoner's dis- 
 course to them being no other than a persuasive to holiness of life in 
 general ; and that neither of them had been reconciled : this both of 
 them offered to confirm upon oath. Symons being called again, far- 
 ther deposed, that the prisoner had confessed himself to be a priest iij 
 his bearing ; and also, that he had been at Rome, and had spoken to 
 the pope, who had conferred upon him power to forgive sins and dis- 
 pense indulgences. This was perjury with a witness, for Mr. Tun- 
 stal had never seen Rome or Italy in his life. However, his solemn, 
 denial of these things was not regarded : but the jury was directed by 
 the judge to find the prisoner guilty of the indictment, which was donq 
 accordingly. 
 
 The jury had no sooner brought in their verdict, but Mr. Tunstal 
 signing himself with the sign of the cross, and falling upon his knees, 
 with eyes and hands lifted up to heaven, cried out in an audible voice, 
 betiedicla sit sancta triaitas, atque indivisa unitas ; confitebinwr ei, quia 
 fecit nnbiscum misericordiam suam. Blessed be the holy trinitv, and 
 undivided unity, we will confess to him\ because he has shewed 
 his mercy unto us : and in that posture continued for a while in 
 prayer. 
 
 Here the judge " Altam" demanded if he would take the oaths of 
 allegiance and supremacy ? Mr. Tunstal replied, his conscience would 
 not permit him to take those oaths ; but if his lordship was pleased 
 to appoint some minister to confer with him, he should be glad of 
 the opportunity of rendering an account of his faith ; and that he did 
 earnestly entreat him Lhat a conference might be had about religion, 
 that truth might appear. But the judge cut him short, telling him., he
 
 THOMAS TUNSTAL. 61 
 
 was a crafty disputant, a cunning sophister, and as such not to be 
 heard, or treated with by way of dispute. Instead ot that, he bid him 
 hearken to the sentence of death which he was to pronounce upon 
 him ; viz. that he should be drawn through the streets to the place of 
 execution, where he should be hanged by the neck, then cut down 
 alive, &c. Dto gratias, says Mr. Tunstal ; and then witli a smiling 
 countenance turning to the judge, Why, my good lord, says he, this 
 u/iole dreadful sentence imports but one dcatii ; and I do assure your 
 lordship, by the help of God's grace, I am not ashamed, nor afraid of 
 death, come u-hen it ii-ill. 
 
 The next day about 9 o'clock, the sheriff with his officers came to 
 demand the prisoner, Mr. Tunstal with achearful countenance saluted 
 them, courteously telling them, he was ready to obey their orders, 
 accordingly being brought to the hurdle, he fell upon his knees, and 
 after some short devotions, rising up he signed himself and the hurdle 
 with the sign of the cross, and so delivered himself to the officers to 
 be pinioned and tied upon it as they thought proper. He was drawn 
 for a loii mile through die street and ways so full of dust, that he had 
 like to have been suffocated with it. When they arrived at the gal- 
 Jows, he was taken off the hurdle ; and kneeling down at the foot of 
 the ladder, he employed about a quarter of an hour in fervent prayer. 
 "\Vhen he got up, Sir Hammond 1'Estrange alighting off his horse, 
 came and spoke to him in a courteous manner, with his head uncover- 
 ed,- to this effect. Well, Mr. Tunstal, I find then you are determined 
 to die, and I hope you are prepared for it. Indeed, Sir Hammond, 
 says the holr man, die I must, neither do I repine at it; on the con- 
 trary, I have great reason to rejoice that I am to die in so good a 
 cause ; and therefore I cannot but be thankful in a particular manner 
 to Sir Hammond 1'E^trange, for being chiefly instrumental in bringing 
 jne to this place. I do heartilv forgive you, sir, and I beseech God 
 that my guiltless blood may not lie heavy upon you and yours. Sir 
 Hammond thanked him, and so departed. 
 
 Then the sheriff ordered him to go up the ladder ; which he did 
 .with great courage, blessing himself, kissing both the gallows and 
 the rope, and having spent another quarter of an hour in private de- 
 votion, lie turned to the people, and began to speak upon the text, 
 Spectaculum facti sitmus mundo, fyc. 1 Cor. iv. 9. but was commanded 
 to desist, the ministers apprehending the impression that his words 
 might make upon the standers-by. Thqn he offered to inform the 
 people at least of the true cause of his condemnation, that it was upon 
 account of taking orders abroad, and exercising his priestly functions 
 in England, and not for any treasonable practices against the king, 
 or government; declaring withal, that what Symens had sworn of his 
 being; at Rome was false : and that he had been condemned upon the 
 testimony of one single witness, which he conceived was not ac- 
 cording to law. But here again he was interrupted by Sir Thomas 
 J nkinson, and ordered to forbear making reflections upon the pro- 
 ceedings of the court. 
 
 Then he once more recollected himself in prayer, often repeating 
 aloud thoi'j penitential words, God be merciful to me a sinner: and
 
 2 MEMOIRS, &c, 
 
 often calling upon the holy name of Jesus, which he had in a manner 
 continually in his mouth; and imploring the intercession of the bles T 
 sed virgin and the saints. Then he prayed aloud for the king, queen, 
 and royal family, and for the people of England in general, ' Beseech* 
 
 * ing God in his great mercy to open their eyes, and bring them to 
 
 * the knowledge of the true faith :' which prayer he repeated three 
 different times, with much fervour and devotion. He also put up a 
 short but fervent prayer to God lor the conversion and repentance of 
 his accuser Robert Symons, beseeching God to touch his heart with 
 his powerful grace, that he might truly repent of his perjury, and 
 do penance for his sin : declaring withal, that if he had ten thousand 
 times as many lives as there were persons present in that crowd, he 
 would most willingly lay them all down for his religion. 
 
 Being asked, whether he was a Jesuit, or a secular priest ? He 
 answered, he was a secular priest, but had made a vow of entering 
 into the holy order of St. Bennet, if it could be done ; and therefore 
 he desired of the sheriff that his head might be set up on St. Bennet's 
 gate. 
 
 The sheriff and the ministers asked him, if he believed there was 
 any merit in good works, and whether he expected to be saved by 
 his good works. He answered, that good works were certainly me"'- 
 fitoi ious, and great means of salvation, through the passion of Christ, 
 without which no one could be saved t but as for himself, he acknow- 
 ledged himself a most unprofitable servant, or rather most wicked, 
 and good for nothing ; and therefore had his whole recourse to the 
 death and blood of his redeemer, and desired to hide himself in his 
 wounds. Then he called for a glass of water to refresh his mouth, 
 hy reason of the great heat and the dust : and asking what o'clock it 
 was, and being told it was about eleven ; then, says he, it is near 
 dinner time : Sweet Jesus ! admit me, though moat tMtcffffy, to be a 
 guest this dny at thy heavenly table. 
 
 Near the gallows, but behind the back of the martyr, there was 
 a great fire prepared to burn his bowels, and by it the block on which 
 he \vas to be quartered. Mr. Tunstal turned his face towards these 
 objects, which would have shocked another person, and kept his 
 eyes for some time fixed on them ; and making the sign of the cross 
 cm the fire, remained a while in contemplation. Then the hangman 
 fitted the rope to his neck, which the martyr devoutly kissed, and 
 fclessed with the sign of the cross, saying, Glory be to ihee, O Lord. 
 He also desired the executioner to give him notice when he was to be 
 turned off, that he might die with the holy name of Jesus in his 
 mouth. They told him, that he might give the sign himself "if he pleas- 
 ed : but this, he said, lie would not do, because he would by no mean?; 
 hasten 1m own death. 
 
 After this, he again made the sign of the cross, and lifting up his 
 hands begged the catholics that were there present to recommend 
 his departing soul to God ; and addressed himself to his Saviour in 
 these words of the church, Bone Jcsu, terbuvi Patris, splendor letenue 
 glariif, iVc. Good Jesus, the word of the Father, the brightness of eternal 
 glory, <j)-c. Adding at the end, into thy hands t Lord, I comitu-nti
 
 WILLIAM SOUTHERNS. 63 
 
 my spirit ; and often repeating the holy name of Jesus, till the exe- 
 cutioner gave him notice ; noiv Mr. Tunstal, and turned him oft', hav- 
 ing these words in his mouth, Jes-u, Jesii, hate mercy on me. 
 
 And thus expired this constant confessor of Christ, having never 
 shew;: from the beginning to the end the least token of fear, nor so 
 much as changed his colour. The lookers on, who were very nume- 
 rous, and amongst them many persons of note, were all sensibly 
 affected with the sight of his death : many shed tears, all spoke 
 kindly and compassionately of him, and appeared edified with his 
 saintlike behaviour. He was permitted to hang till he was dead ; then 
 was cut down, bowelled, and quartered. His head was placed on 
 St. Beimel's gate, in Norwich, according to his request, his quarters 
 on the walls of the city, where they hung for some time, but then 
 were privately taken down. He suffered Julv 13, 1616. The judge 
 who condemned him died before he had finished his circuit ; and 
 most of the jury caine to untimely ends, or great misfortunes. 
 
 The year 1617 passed without any executions of catholics for re- 
 ligion. 
 
 159. * William Souther ne, Priest. 1618. 
 
 A AE was an alumnus and priest of the English college of 'Douay, 
 and the last that suffered in the reign of king James the first. I 
 have met with but few particulars relating to the life and death of 
 this holv man. Raissius in his catalogue of the priests of Douay 
 college who have suffered in England, printed at Douay, 1630, p. 
 82, informs us from the letters which the college had received from 
 persons of undoubted credit on the spot, that this apostolic priest 
 during his minion was mostly employed in converting and assisting 
 the poor: that being apprehended, he was condemned to die for being 
 a priest : that he refused the oath of allegiance : that when the sen- 
 tence of death was pronounced upon him, he fell upon his knees and 
 gave heariy thanks to God : that after condemnation he was forced 
 to lit- in a da:k aiid loathsome dungeon for six days, because no one 
 could be found during that time who would perform the office of the 
 hangman. That he suffered at Newcastle ; and that his head being 
 set up on a spear on one of the town gates, was for some days 
 after by many observed to smile. 
 
 Mr. Knaresborough in his manuscript collections adds, 'Thathft 
 
 * has been told, that Mr. Southerne's mission lay chiefly among the 
 
 * poorer sort of catholics at Bassage, in Staffordshire, an estate be- 
 ' longing to the Fowlers of St. Thomas ; and that he was seized at 
 
 * the altar, and hurried away in his vestments to a neighbouring justice 
 ' of peace, who committed him to Stafford goal ; and this happening 
 'at the beginning of the assizes, he was immediately prosecuted, 
 ' convicted and sentenced. That he was carried to Newcastle-undef- 
 
 * Line, and was there strangled, and butchered according to sen- 
 
 * from Arncidus Raissius'* catalugiie of the Douay martyrs,
 
 6* MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' tence. That his head is said to have been brought back to Stafford^ 
 ' and fixed upon a spear on one of the gates in terrorem.' He suifered 
 April 30, 1618. 
 
 About the end of July of this same year (a5 we learn from the 
 Douay diary) upon occasion of the treaty of marriage which was then 
 on foot between prince Charles and the infanta of Spain, at the in- 
 tercession of the Spanish Embassador, no less than sixty priests, who 
 were confined in divers prisons throughout the kingdom, were per- 
 mitted to exchange their prisons for perpetual banishment, and were 
 transported beyond the seas. 
 
 From the year 1618 till the death of king James the first, who 
 died March the 27th, 1625, I have not met with any mention of 
 priests or others put to death in England for the catholic religion : 
 unless we suppose F< Thomas Dyer, monk, of the venerable order of 
 St. Bennet, to have suffered in this interval. Certain it is, that he 
 suffered some time before the year 1630, because he has place in 
 Raissius's catalogue published in that year : and as he there is set down 
 after F. Maurus Scot, who was executed in 1612, I suppose that he 
 suffered between the years 161 2 and 1630. But where, or when in 
 particular it was, I have not found j nor any thing else relating either 
 to his life or death. 
 
 Whilst the match with Spain was in agitation, the catholics flattered 
 themselves with hopes of being more mildly treated : and we learn 
 from Rushworth's collections, vol. 1. p. 14. that the king, upon 
 being informed that the court of Spain, before they would consent to 
 make any advance in that affair, expected he should propose some 
 conditions in favour of his catholic subjects, dispatched over " anno 
 1620" Sir Walter Ashton with a letter to the king of Spain, ( pro- 
 
 * raising on the word of a king, that no priest or lay catholic should 
 ' thenceforth be condemned on anv capital law ; and that as the laws 
 ' inflicting pecuniary mulcts for recusancy , though he could not at pre- 
 ' sent rescind them, yet he promised to mitigate their execution, as 
 ' thereby to oblige his catholic subjects. And farther, if the marriage 
 ' should take eftect, he promised his daughter-in-law should find him 
 ' ready to indulge all favours which she should request for those of 
 
 * her religion.' 
 
 But though the persecution upon this occasion relented, this in- 
 termission or remission was not of any long continuance : for in the 
 year 1623 the match was entirely broke off, and the laws were order- 
 ed to be put in execution against all priests and papists recusants : 
 many priests were apprehended and committed to prison : the lay- 
 gentlemen were obliged all over the kingdom to pay their 20 per 
 month for their recusancy, and the poorer sort their shilling every 
 Sunday : and as to all other pains and penalties, death only excepted, 
 the persecuting statutes were executed for the remainder of this reign, 
 >vith as much severity* as in any part of queen Elizabeth's days. 
 
 In the year 1624-, Dr. William Bishop, titular bishop of Chalcedon, 
 
 * I have by me copies of several -letters, representing the most cruel treat- 
 inept of the catholics at this time, especially in the nortit.
 
 WILLIAM BISHOP, 65 
 
 departed this life in the 7 1st year of his age, leaving behind him this 
 character, that he was both generally esteemed and loved, both by the; 
 laity and clergy, as well secular as regular. That he was a person of an 
 apostolic spirit and life, who had both laboured and suffered very much 
 in the cause of the faith ; having been twice imprisoned, and as often 
 banished for his religion ; which life had also maintained by divers learned 
 tracts against Mr. Perkins and Dr. Abbot. He was the son of John 
 Bishop, esq., ofBrayles, in the county of Warwick 5 was sent to the 
 university of Oxford in the year 15/0, where he was a student in 
 Glocester Hall. But after three or four years' studying there, being 
 dissatisfied with the protestant religion, he not only left the university, 
 but also his estate, relations and country, and went over to the college 
 lately instituted at Douay. Here and at Rhemes he spent some years 
 and was then sent to Rome,* and after some time upon the English 
 mission. Immediately upon his landing in England he was apprehended 
 and imprisoned, and some time after sent into banishment in 1585 : 
 upon this occasion he went to Paris, and there having gone through the 
 usual exercises of the schools, he was made doctor of Sorbon : and after 
 divers years more spent in apostolical labours upon the mission, and a 
 second imprisonment and banishment, he was at length by pope Urban 
 VIII. in 1622, created bishop of Chalcedon. He died in or near 
 London, April the 13th, l624j and was succeeded by Dr. Richard 
 Smith* 
 
 In a manuscript relation concerning this great man, kept in the ar- 
 chives of the English college of Douay, there is this remarkable history 
 of him. That upon his last return into England, after he was conse- 
 crated bishop in Flanders, he was privately advised by a principal ma- 
 gistrate, one of the king's privy council, (considering the present dis- 
 position of die parliament and the fury of the puritan faction, conti- 
 nually making remonstrances against the growth of popery) to delegate 
 his authority to some others in quality of his vicars, and to retire beyond 
 the seas, at least for a time, till the storm blew over : but that he returned 
 this generous answer, worthy of a Basil, or an Ambrose : that he was 
 not afraid of the threats of the parliament ; that as he had twice already 
 Buffered imprisonment for Christ, he was very uilling to suffer it a 
 third time; or if they should order any thing worse for him, he was ready 
 to undergo it. That he did not come into England with a disposition to 
 run away, as soon as he should see the wolf coming ; but rather as a 
 good shepherd) to lay down his life for his sheep. 
 
 After the decease of king James the first, his son Charles, the first of 
 that narhe, ascended the throne. This prince in his own nature seems 
 not to have been inclined to persecution, at least not so far, as to come 
 to the shedding of blood for religion : yet such was the iniquity of the 
 times, and the importunity of the parliaments, ever complaining of the 
 growth of popery, and urging the execution of the laws, that he gave 
 way to all manner of severities against his catholic subjects, and issued 
 
 * By the-Douay diary he was made priest at Laon, in May, 15S3, 
 VOL, II, K
 
 08 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 out proclamation upon proclamation for the executing the laws against 
 them. So that the generality of catholics had a very bad time of it un- 
 der his government. The first that suffered death by the penal statutes 
 under this king was 
 
 l6o. * Edmund Arrow smith, Priest, S. J. 1628. 
 
 .TvDMUN-D Arrowsmith was born (as two several manuscripts in my 
 kmds expressly affirm) at a place called Haddock, in the parish of 'Win- 
 wick, five miles from Warrington and seven from \Vigan, in 1585. 
 His father was Robert Arrowsmith, a yeoman or farmer in that country; 
 his mother, Margery, was a gentlewoman of the antient family of the 
 Gerards. Both his parents were catholics, and great sufferers for their 
 religion; as were also their fathers before them: for Thurstan Arrow- 
 smith, grandfather to our Edmund, after the loss of goods, and fre- 
 quent- vexations from the pursuivants, suffered a long imprisonment, 
 and died in bonds a confessor of Christ : and Mr. Nicholas Gerard, his 
 grandfather by the mother's side, being a constant professor of the ca- 
 tholic faith, was by order of Sir Thomas Gerard, his own brother, for- 
 cibly carried to the protestant church (at a time when he was labouring 
 under a violent fit of the gout, so that he could not stir) and there 
 placed over-against the minister. But instead of joining with the mi- 
 nister or congregation in their service, he sung psalms in Latin, with so 
 loud a voice, that the minister could iiot be heard, which obliged them 
 to carry him away out of church. 
 
 As to (he father and mother of Mr. Edmund, my Latin manuscript 
 relates, that after divers other troubles and losses sustained for their 
 conscience, they had their house searched by the pursuivants, who with 
 their swords tried every bed and every hole, in which they suspected any 
 priest, or priestly utensils might be hid ; and then they and all their family 
 were tied two and two together, and drove to Lancaster jail; leaving at 
 home four little children, one of whom was our Edmund, whom the pur- 
 suivants had taken out of bed in their shifts, and left standing in the cold, 
 not suffering any of the family to dress thorn ; till some neighbours 
 compassionating their case, came in and did this charitable office for the 
 helpless infants. After this and some other imprisonments, from which 
 he redeemed himself by money, the father of our confessor went 
 abroad with his brother Peter, to be out of the, way of these vexations ; 
 and they both served for a time in the wars in Holland : Peter died at 
 Brussels, of a wound received in the wars ; and was there honourably 
 interred. .Robert, the father of our Edmuixd,. went to Rhcmes or 
 D'ouay, there to visit his other brother Dr. Edmund Arrowsmith, a man 
 of great learning and pier.}', priest and professor in the college ; and af- 
 ter some time returned again to England, and there made a picas end, 
 having foretold his own death some time before. 
 
 Mrs. Arrowsmith being left a widow, and in low circumstances, a 
 venerable priest in that country, to ease her burden, took the boy Ed- 
 
 * From a Latin manuscript of his life, preserved in Douay college : from a printed 
 relation, published a little more than a year after his martyrdom j and from three other 
 manuscripts sent me from Douay,
 
 EDMUND ARROWSMITH. 7 
 
 mund (then called Brian from the name by which he was christened) 
 into his service, to bring him up to learning. My Latin manuscript tells 
 us, that whilst he frequented the schools his daily practice was, as he 
 went to school in the morning, to a place about a mile distance from 
 home, to recite in the way with his brethren, the little hours of our la- 
 ( dy's office ; and when he was coming home at night, the vespers and 
 complin : and that his first care after he came home was to withdraw in- 
 to his oratory, ai;d there to perform his customary devotions of the 
 Jesus psalter, the seven psalms, &c. And such was the sweetness of his 
 temper, and his comportment, that even his protestant school-masters 
 were very fond of him. At length, having tried in vain to pass over to 
 one of the Spanish seminaries, he succeeded better in his attempt to go 
 into Flanders, where he was received in the English college of Douay 
 in December, 1605. 
 
 Soon after his arrival at Douay he received the sacrament of confir- 
 mation, in which he took the name of Edmund (which was the name of 
 his uncle Dr. Arrowsmith) and by this name he was ever after called. 
 He had performed here a great part of his humanity studies, when he 
 was obliged by the bad state of his health to interrupt the course of 
 them, and to return to his native country : where in a short tirae he re- 
 covered, and then his old master sent him back to the college : where, 
 taking the usual oath, he was admitted amongst the pope's alumni ; and 
 applying himself close to his studies, though somewhat infirm in health, 
 he made a great progress in learning": but as IIN too great application 
 threatened a return of his former illness, his superiors thought it most 
 adviseable, (he having now gone through a good part of his divinity) to 
 present him to holy orders, and to send him into England. Upon this 
 he received all the lesser orders in St. Nicholas's church at Douay, June 
 14, 10'12 ; and before the end of the same year, was advanced to the 
 greater orders at Arras, and there made priest, December 9. And on 
 the 1/th of June of the following year, 1613, h'e was by Dr. Kellison, 
 lately made president of the college, sent upon the English mission. 
 
 In England he quickly recovered his health ; and employed his mis- 
 sionary labours in his own country of Lancashire with great zeal ant} 
 success. The printed account of his death, published in 1(530, gives 
 his character in short thus : ' That he was a man of mean presence, but 
 of great innocency in his life, of great sincerity in his nature, of great 
 sweetness in his conversation, and of great industry in his function. 
 And that he was ever of a chearful countenance, a most probable sign 
 of an upright and unspotted conscience.' A fellow labourer of his, 
 n a manuscript which I have in my hands, tells us to the same purpose, 
 that 'though his presence was very mean, yet he was both zealous, 
 witty, and fervent : and so forward (in disputing with heretics) that I 
 often wished him merrily, says he, to carry salt in his pocket to season 
 his actions, lest too much zeal without discretion might bring him 
 too soon in danger, considering the vehement sudden storms ot perse- 
 cution that often assailed us.' My author goes on : ' sometimes I 
 have been in his company, when meeting with ministers sumptuously 
 mounted, I have had much ado to keep him from disputing with 
 them ; which if he had done, it would have brought the whole com-
 
 08 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' pany into danger. In his travels on a time he met with a protestant 
 
 * gentleman, who seeing him of so mean a presence, and understand- 
 ' ing by some in company who and what he was, thought he had got a 
 
 * companion, that he might freely jest at and play upon : but his jests. 
 ' were so retorted back upon him, that he, swearing a great oath, said, 
 ' I thought I had met with a silly fellow, but now I see he is either a 
 1 foolish scholar, or a learned fool. 
 
 ' He took much pains, says the same manuscript, with possessed 
 
 * persons : yet seldom or never without the help and assistance of some 
 ' of his brethren : and so freed many from their troublesome guests, 
 ' and did much good.' He laboured about ten or eleven years upon the 
 mission, in quality of a secular priest ; and then in 1624 entered into 
 the society of Jesus, to which he had an inclination ever after his 
 making a spiritual exercise at Douay, under the direction of a father of 
 that society'. He did not go abroad, to make his noviceship ; but re- 
 tired only for two or three months into Essex, which time he employed 
 in a spiritual retreat. 
 
 ' He was apprehended (says another manuscript in my hands, dated 
 f August 16, 163 1,) once before his last apprehension, and imprisoned 
 
 * in Lancaster, but released afterwards upon pardon, with divers others. 
 
 * " Probably in 1622, when I find by Mr. Rushworth's historical col- 
 ' lections, vol. I. p. 62. the king, in favour of the treaty of marriage 
 ' then going forward with Spain, released a good many priests, and 
 ' other catholics out of prison in and about London ; and gave orders to 
 
 * the judges to do the like in their respective circuits." ' At that ap- 
 
 * prehension he was brought before Dr. Bridgman, bishop of Chester, 
 
 * where divers ministers were at supper with the bishop ; who did all 
 ' eat flesh, it being in Lent. Dr. Bridgman upon that occasion made 
 ' his apology to Mr. Edmund for his eating flesh, saying he was old and 
 ' weak, and was dispensed withal. But who dispenses with your lusty 
 ' ministers there, said Mr. Edmund, for they have no such need ? Both 
 ' before and after supper the ministers were busy in disputing with Mr. 
 
 * Edmund ; and one time divers of them urging him at once, he mer- 
 ' rily said to the bishop, turn all your dogs loose at once against me ; and 
 ' let us have a loose bait.' His second and last apprehension was a little 
 before the summer assizes in 1628. What happened to him then, 
 with the whole history of his trial and death, we shall set down word 
 for word out of the printed relation of his martyrdom, printed in the 
 following year. 
 
 ' This man " father Arrowsmith" performing his priestly functions 
 ' in that country, where afterwards he was put to death , and being in 
 ' labour amongst the rest to reduce a young man to a course of virtue, 
 ' who was fallen both from God and himself ; and having reproved him 
 ' in particular for aa incestuous marriage, &c. was so hated by him, 
 ' that coming once to suspect to what place the priest repaired, he found 
 ' means to discover him to a justice pf peace " captain Rawsthom" whp 
 ' dispatched his warrant for him, and so he was apprehended upon the 
 ' highway. He was committed to the common gaol for not taking the 
 ' oaths, end upon vehement suspicion also that he was a priest and Jesuit. 
 _' This, happened this last summer, not long before the assizes, at
 
 EDMUND ARROWSMITH. 69 
 
 ' he was tried. At the entrance whereof sir Henry Yelvertoa coming 
 ' to know that this prisoner was committed for this cause, and being 
 ' f the judge to whose turn it fell to sit upon life and death, he was not 
 e slack in laying hold of the occasion, and therefore the next morning 
 ( being the 26th of August, he commanded him to be brought to the 
 ' bar. The prisoner at that time was in conversation with some friends, 
 ' and the under-keeper and sheriff's men calling him, after a quick 
 ' and unexpected manner, to go and present himself before the 
 ' judge, he instantly and cheerfully put himself upon obedience, and 
 ' said, God's holy will be done : and so they conducted him to the bar 
 " amongst the felons and other malefactors. 
 
 ( As soon as judge Yelverton set eye upon him, he sent to his col- 
 
 * legue " Sir James Whitlock" desiring his assistance in that service and 
 
 * the jury being called for this trial, judge Yelverton began, sirrah, are 
 ' you a priest ? the soldier of Christ making the sign upon himself of his 
 ' captain's standard, which is the cross, gave this answer, I would to 
 ' God J were worthy. The judge repeated the same question, and he 
 f made this second answer, I would I were. Then the judge asked 
 ' him, are you then no priest ? to which the prisoner was silent. So 
 ' that the judge addressed himself to the jury, and said, you may plainly 
 ' see he is a priest ? 1 warrant you he would not for all England deny 
 ' his order. After this a minister ' ' Leigh or Lee" who sate as a justice 
 
 ' and that if some order were not taken with him he would make half 
 e Lancashire papists. By way of answer to the minister " and to the 
 ' judge, who told him he could say nothing for his religion," the pri- 
 ' soner humbly moved that he might be suffered to defend his faith in 
 ' disputation ; which he doubted not by God's grace to perform against 
 
 * any who would oppose him. The judge without delay stifled thatpro- 
 ' position, and told him, that his doctrine could not be maintained ; but 
 ' that belike he desired that they of his own religion should hear him 
 ' talk. To which the prisoner replied, that he would not only defend it 
 1 in words, but would be glad to seal it with his Hood. The judge told 
 ( him then, after an insulting and savage manner, that he should die, 
 
 * and see his bowels burn before his face. And you, my lord, said the 
 
 * prisoner, must die too. 
 
 ' At this the judge was much enraged, and then shortly commanded 
 ' him to answer directly, how he could justify his going beyond the seas, 
 f and taking the order of priesthood upon him in disobedience .to the 
 ' king's laws ? To which the prisoner made this reply, if any man can 
 ' lawfully accuse me, I stand ready here to answer him. But of his 
 ( being a priest no proof at all was brought, and only a servant belonging 
 .* to the justice of peace, who had committed him, was there called, and 
 ' he swore, that the prisoner persuaded him to be a catholic, and told 
 ' him that the religion now professed in England was heretical ; and that 
 ' it began I ut in Luther s time: and a youth of twelve years of age or 
 f thereabouts, a son to that same justice, affirmed, though without oati^ 
 f jthat the prisoner would have withdrawn him from protestancy.
 
 %0 MEMOIRS, Sec. 
 
 * The prisoner hearing this, humbly begged leave to speak ; which 
 ' being granted, he made a low reverence to the bench, and then began 
 
 * to this effect: my lords, as I was travelling in this country, that very" 
 ' man, as I take it, rushed forth upon me by a hill-side, with a drawn 
 ' sword in his hand. His apparel was mean, but he was on horseback 
 ' I made as much haste from him as I could, but yet being a weak and 
 
 * sickly man, he forced me in the end to the moss, where I left ray 
 ' horse ; and then I fled with all the speed I could use, but yet that 
 
 * could not be great in regard I was loaden, both with heavy cloaths and 
 ' books, and other things. At length he came up to me at a moss ditch, 
 ' and struck at me, who had no other defence but a little walking stick, 
 ' and a dagger which I drew not : and as for the stick he cut it close oft 
 ' at the hand by the blow he gave me, and did me withal some little 
 ' hurt. I asked him then what his meaning was ? and whether he iu- 
 ' tended to take my purse and my life ? he answered, that perhaps he 
 
 * would : and then I fled again from him, but he took me quickly : and 
 
 * then came in this very youth, who hath offered to give evidence against 
 ' me, and some others also to assist him. They used me very unwor- 
 ' thily, and carried me first to an alehouse, and searched me to my very 
 ' skin, after a barbarous manner, and offered some such other indig- 
 ' nities as modesty forbids me to relate : but therein I hindered them the 
 ' best I could, and that done they fell to drink ; and so they consumed 
 ' nine shillings of my money in one hour : And they told me, the justice 
 ' himself, by whose warrant they had apprehended me, was there in 
 ' person : but that I know not how to believe. Upon these occasions, 
 
 * my lords, I began to find fault with this man's wicked and rude be- 
 ' haviour, who seemed to be the ringleader of the rest ; and I besought 
 ' him for Jesus' =ake to give over his disorderly life, his drinking, swear- 
 ' ing, dissolute talking, and all those other things, whereby he might 
 
 * offend Almighty God. Upon my word, and upon my life, this, or to 
 ' this effect is all that I said to him. Let him look on me, and gainsay 
 ' it if he can. As for that youth, I deny not to have told him, that I 
 f hoped when he came to riper years, he would lock better into himself, 
 ' and become a true catholic : for that, and that alone, would be the 
 
 * means to save his sovil : to which he made no answer at all : and I hope, 
 ' my lords, that neither they, nor any other, can prove an ill thing 
 ' against me. 
 
 ' Upon this the aforesaid justice of peace began bitterly to inveigh 
 ' against him, declaring, hou' dangerous a seducer he was, and earnestly 
 f desiring that he might fold no favour : for he feared that ift-rer he got 
 ' his liberty again he would do him some mischief. At this the prisoner 
 ' could not chu.se but smile ; and indeed his usual countenance was in- 
 ' clined that way. But now upon this occasion both the judges told 
 ' him, that he was a saucy fellow, who knew no better manners than to 
 ' laugh and flout at thern who sate there in judgment for the king. But 
 ' he who thought of nothing less than deriding them, besought them not 
 ' to think so ill of him ; and then he cast himself upon his knees, and 
 ' besought Almighty God to Hess the ting, the honourable council, that 
 ' honouralle Icnch, and all that company there : humify leneeching God 
 '' of his infinite mercy to confound and root out heresy, thqt so ice
 
 EDMUND ARROWSMITH. 71 
 
 le all of one religion. To this judge Yelverton replied, with much 
 < fiiry, lookj/ou, gentlemen of the jury, how fie wishes God to confound 
 ' us all, and root out heresy, Ij u'hlch he means our religion. 
 
 e The prisoner was then taken from the bar, with command that he 
 ' should be put in some dark place, where he might have neither light 
 ' nor company to come to him : and when the keeper said, that he had 
 ' no such place, he was bidden to put him in the worst he had. 
 
 ' Whilst he was so remaining there, the judge lost no time in de- 
 
 vising what indictment he might form against him. At length he re- 
 ( solved to draw up two indictments against him, one for being a priest 
 ' and a Jesuit, upon the testimonv of a mother, and her incestuous son, 
 ' who wrote thereof to the justice, when the priest was first examined j 
 ' the other for being a persuader in religion, which had no other ground 
 ' than the oath which the justice's man took against him there at the bar, 
 ' and the accusation of that youth, who affirmed (but yet without oath) 
 ' that he would fain have perverted him from his religion. The business 
 ' being thus prepared, the prisoner was brought again to the bar, where 
 ' judge Yelverton was sitting then alone. 
 
 ' And when upon these indictments, and the evidence which before 
 ' had been given, the jury had found him guilty of high treason; the 
 ' judge rose up, as the manner is, and asked him, what he could say for 
 
 himself, why he should not die according to the law. The prisoner did 
 ' instantly lift up his eyes and hands towards heaven, and made no an- 
 ' swer at all to that question ; but in silence expected the event. And 
 ' then the judge gave sentence upon him in the usual form. The pri- 
 ' soner as soon as he had heard this sentence pronounced, fell down 
 ' upon his knees, and bowing his head very low, sounded forth Deo 
 ' gr atlas with a loud voice ; and then in English, God le thanked. As 
 ' the jailor was carrying him thence to prison, the sheriff brought ex- 
 ' press command from the judge, that they should load him with the 
 ' greatest and heaviest irons in the castle 5 which being presently put 
 ' upon his legs, he was not well able to go ; but as he could he did, and 
 f in the way recited the psalm Miserere, in so audible a voice, that 
 ' many heard him. When he was come into the prison they lodged him 
 ' in a little dark hole, where he could not well lie down ; but was forced 
 ' to sit, with leaning only upon a bolster, which was then cast in ; and 
 ' so he continued in his clothes, with heavy bolts on his legs, fromTues- 
 ' day about one or two of the clock, till Thursday about twelve, when 
 e he was fetched out to execution. He was also watched day and night 
 ' by three or four of the sheriff's men ; for so the judge had com- 
 ' manded; as also that, upon the forfeiture of 1001. no man should be 
 1 suffered to speak with him. It is thought that in all that time he had 
 ' taken very little sustenance, if he had any ; for some that saw him 
 c bowelled, averred, that there was nothing at all in his guts but wind, 
 f and not any one drop of urine in his bladder. 
 
 ' But notwithstanding this strict charge that none of his friends 
 ' should speak with him, the minister " Lee," who had so bitterly in- 
 ' veighed against him before the judge, had privilege enough to go to 
 ' him : and so he did once or twice ,- and his errand was to dispute j 
 f but nobody foiiocth must be present. The prisoner refused that offer,
 
 72 MEMOIRS, c, 
 
 ' since it must be subject to that condition ; as fearing, lest under 
 'thereof, some slanders might be raised against him after his death. 
 ' Some of the minister's disciples seemed to be scandalized, for that he 
 ' had Refused so public an offer of disputation as was made by the pri- 
 
 * soner at the bar, and that now he would seek to go and dispute with 
 
 * him in private. But the minister and such as were most confident 
 
 * with him, affirmed against all such surmises, that the priest was a 
 
 * silly fellow, &c. though indeed he was very well known to be a man 
 
 * both of ready wit and solid judgment, and a grounded scholar, which 
 
 * some of them had well found when he had been apprehended some few 
 
 * years before. 
 
 * In the mean time this happy prisoner, in his close dark cell, em- 
 
 * ploys all his thoughts towards the making of his passage into a better 
 ' world. The judge would have him die a day before the other con- 
 ' demhed persons, a thing unusual at assizes. But his lordship's zeal 
 
 * must be made appear, who was also pleased to look on out of a win- 
 
 * dow at the execution, &c. On Thursday therefore the 28th of Au- 
 ' gust, word was brought to the happy man, by the high sheriff, that 
 ' he must die within four hours after, to whom he said with great devo- 
 ' tion, / leseech my Redeemer to make me worthy of it ! The judge 
 ' commanded that it should be done about noon, when men were most 
 ' likely to be at dinner. But howsoever it fell out the whole place of 
 
 * his execution was covered with great multitudes of people of all sorts, 
 
 * ages, sexes, and religions, expecting the end of this tragedy. And 
 
 * when the keeper delivered his prisoner to the sheriff, there was scarce 
 
 * a man or woman left at home either to take their dinners, or to keep 
 ' their shops. 
 
 e As he was carried through the castle-yard, there was a reverend 
 ' and worthy priest, his fellow-prisoner, "Mr. South worth," who had 
 
 * been condemned for his function a year before, and stood then re- 
 
 * prieved, who shewed himself out of a great window : and the blessed 
 ' man (who was now on his way to the hurdle) no sooner saw his face, 
 ' but he lifted up his hands towards him, with great humility for abso- 
 ' lution, (for this was the sign whereof they were both agreed before) 
 ' and so that priest absolved the other in sight of the people. Then he 
 ' was brought to the castle-gates, where a catholic gentleman embraced 
 
 * him straitly, and kissed him tenderly, till the high sheriff made him 
 ' be removed by force. Then was the blessed man laid and bound upon 
 ' the hurdle, but with, his head towards the horse's tail, " for greater 
 ' f ignominy." ' He was dragged through the streets to the gallows, 
 ' which was near a quarter of a mile from the castle, no friend being 
 ' able to come near him, by reason of the sheriff's halberds and ser- 
 ' vants, but only some ministers were admitted for the increase of his 
 ' torment. The executioner went close before the horse and hurdle, 
 ' with a club in his hand in a kind of barbarous triumph, and the 
 ' blessed man being then bound on the hurdle, held two papers between 
 
 * his hands, which were called, duce ctaves cceli, the one of them con- 
 ' taining an act of the love of God, and the other of contrition, which 
 ' he used for the encrease of his devotion. 
 
 ' Drawing now near the gallows, the horse and hurdle were stayed ;
 
 EDMUND ARROWSMITH. 73 
 
 r where the old limping minister, who hath been mentioned so often be- 
 ' fore, shewed him a huge and terrible fire, with a caldron boiling, so hot 
 ' and high, that no man was able to stand near it ; and he spake thus to 
 ' him, look you, Mr. Rigly, " for this was the name by which F. 
 " Arrowsmith was indicted," what is provided for your death : will you 
 ' conform yourself yet, and enjoy the mercy of the king ? The blessed 
 
 * man looked mildly on him, and said : good sir, tempt me no more ; 
 ' the mercy which I look for is in heaven, through the death andpassion. 
 4 of my Saviour Jesus 5 and I most humbly beseech him to make me wor- 
 ' thy of this death. They dragged him then to the ladder's foot, where 
 ' being untied he prayed about a quarter of an hour upon his knees j but 
 ' the sheriff bidding him then make haste, he replied, God's will be 
 f done, and o kissing the ladder he most undauntedly went up. 
 
 ' During the time of his prayer at the ladder's foot, he often re- 
 ' peated these words, as he had also done upon the hurdle : I freely offer 
 ' thee my death, O sweet Jesus, in satisfaction for my sins 5 and Iwishthis 
 f little Hood of mine may be a sacrifice for them. The old minister then 
 ' took him short, and said, you attribute nothing to Christ's merits and 
 ' passion. But he instantly replied, Oh, sir, say not so: Christ's 
 ' merits and passion are always pre-supposed. As he was ascending 
 ' the ladder, he desired all catholics to pray both with him, and for him, 
 ' in this last conflict. The minister untruly made answer, that there 
 ' were none, and that he would pray for him. But the blessed man re- 
 ' plied thus, 7 neither desire your prayers, nor will pray with you ; and 
 ' if it be true which you say, that there are no catholicf here, 1 wish I. 
 ' might die as many deaths as there are people in this place, upon con- 
 ' dition that they were all catholics. With that he prayed for his ma- 
 ' jesty, and commended to Almighty God the state of this kingdom, 
 ' and especially all his persecutors, whom he freely forgave, desiring also 
 ' forgiveness of whomsoever he had offended. Then going up yet 
 *" higher on the ladder, he farther spoke to this effect. You gentlemen, 
 ' wlio are come hither to see my end, bear witness with me that I die a 
 
 * constant Roman catholic, and for Jesus Christ's sake: let not my 
 ' death be a hindrance to your well-doing, and going forward in the 
 
 * catholic religion, but rather an encouragement therein : for Jesus' sake 
 ' have a care of your souls, than which nothing is more precious ; and 
 ' become members of the true church, as you tender your salvation j 
 
 v ' for hereafter that alone will do you good. I beseech you request my 
 ' brethren, for his sake who redeemed us all, to be careful to supply 
 ' my want and insufficiency, as I hope they will. Nothing doth so 
 'much grieve me as this England, which, I pray God soon convert. 
 ' He prayed then a little while out of a paper, and so pulled his cap over 
 ' his eyes expecting to be turned off. 
 
 ' But the tempter had not yet done with him. Sir, said Mr. Lee, 
 
 * I pray you accept the king's mercy, conform yourself, and take the 
 ' oath, and you shall live : good sir, you shall live ; I would fain have 
 f you live. Here is one come now from the judge to offer you mercy , 
 ' you shall live if you will conform yourself to our religion. The valiant 
 ' champion of Christ, pulling up his cap from over his eyes, said, Osir, 
 
 VOL, II. i
 
 * 'how far am I from that ? tempt me no mon- ; I will not do it, in no 
 ' case, on no condition. Then with undaunted courage he addressed 
 ' himself to the sheriff, persuading him and all the rest to take care of 
 
 * their souls - T till some ministers about him said muttering by, as in the- 
 ' name of the rest, we shall look to ourselves well enough. Others, 
 ' who were farther off, interrupted him by crying out, no more of that, 
 4 no more of that : away with him, away with him. So pulling his cap 
 ' the second tinae over his eyes, and fixing himself in most fervent prayer 
 ' to God, he was cast off the ladder, and was suffered to hang till he 
 ' was dead. The last words which were heard out .of his mouth were, 
 
 * Bone Jeme. Being dead he was cut down, bowelled and quartered. 
 ' His head was set upon a stake or pole amongst the pinnacles of the cas- 
 
 * tie, and his quarters were hanged on four several places thereof. 
 
 * Divers protestants, beholders of this bloody spectacle, wished: 
 " their souls with his. Others, wished they had never come there. 
 
 * Others said, it was a barbarous* act to use men so for their religion, 
 ' &c. The judge departing the next day out of the town, was ob- 
 ' served to turn up and down, or rather prance his horse, and looking 
 ' towards the martyr's head, and not thinking it to be conspicuous 
 c enough, sent back a command to have it set higher by six yards thau 
 ' any of the pinnacles.' So far the printed account of F. Arrowsmith 
 published soon after his death. 
 
 His life published in- 1737, adds from other aneient memoirs, that 
 the judge who condemned him, sitting at supper on the 23d of January, 
 1929^-30, felt a blow, as if some one had struck him on the head : upon 
 which, he fell" in a rage against the servant that waited behind him; 
 who protested that he had not struck him, nor did he see any one strike 
 him : a little after he felt another blow like the first ; and then in great 
 terrors he was carried to bed, and died the next morning. 
 
 The same life relates> that F. Arrowsmith during his confinement 
 reconciled to the church one of the felons, who was executed on the 
 2Qth of August, the day after the martyrdom of the holy man ; and! 
 that he died very penitent and constant in the catholic religion, though 
 bis life was offered him, if he would have returned back to psotestancy. 
 
 ' There is a letter extant,' (says the ancient printed relation of F, 
 ' Arrowsmith's death) of this blessed man, the first he wrote after he 
 ' was imprisoned, which hath these words. All particulars did so co- 
 ' operate to my apprehension and bringing hither, that I can easily dis- 
 ' cern more than an ordinary providence, of Almighty God therein. And 
 ' surely it will appear, that whatsoever followed in his story could not but 
 *' be guided by the like Providence, if these particulars be considered ; 
 f upon which I will here reflect in a wovd. First, the known clemency 
 ' of his majesty, who hath professed, that he likes not to. draw blood 
 ' in case of religion; and the constant practice of the same ever since 
 ' his inauguration to this crown; so that I make myself sure, and it is 
 ' since known to be most certain, that this act of the judge was no way 
 ' encouraged by the king's majesty. Secondly, when the blessed man- 
 < was flying from his persecutors at the time of his apprehension, he 
 ' was extraordinarily well mounted; and yet whatsoever desire he hacl,
 
 HICHARD HERST. 7ft 
 
 * and diligence he used, it was not possible to put his horse to any speed. 
 4 Thirdly, a kinsman of his own, whom he had in nature of a servant, 
 
 * well known to be a stout man, forsook him and fled away, when the 
 f least resistance might Jiave preserved him. And fourthly, when he 
 ' was studying his course of divinity in the seminary of "Douay, he had 
 ' twice in several sicknesses been even in the very agony of death, and 
 ' had twice received extreme unction, but yet was delivered at those 
 ' times, and reserved to this most glorious and victorious end." F. Ar- 
 rowsmith suffered at Lancaster, August the 28th, 1 628, SEtatis 43, 
 Missionis 15. SodetatisS. 
 
 l6l. * Richard Herst, Layman. 
 HP 
 
 JL HE day after father Arrowsmith suffered, a lay-catholic named Ri" 
 chard Herst was also executed in the same place ; condemned by th c 
 samejudge, under the colour of wilful murder ; but in truth, and in 
 the sight of God, for the profession of the catholic faith . His case is 
 thus related by the same author, from whom we have transcribed our 
 account of the death of Mr. Arrowsmith. 
 
 ' Richard Herst being a recusant convict, warrants went out to ar- 
 
 * rest him and carry him before the bishop of Chester. This warrant 
 ' was put into the hands of one Christopher Norcross, a pursuivant be- 
 ' longing to that bishop ; and he associated one Wilkinson and one Dew- 
 
 * hurst, as assistants to himself in that service. This latter, besides his 
 
 * meanness, was of so infamous a life, as that at the self-same time the 
 ' officer of the parish had a warrant in his hands for the apprehending 
 ' and carrying him to the house of correction for his lewdness. Herst 
 ' was then actually holding the plough, and a youth belonging to him 
 ' drove it, and a maid of his was leading a harrow in the same field. 
 ( Norcross and the other two advanced towards him with the warrant : 
 ' and Wilkinson struck at him with a star! : whereupon the maid run 
 ' hastily towards the house, crying out, that they were killing her mas- 
 
 * ter in the field : and hereupon both herself and her mistress, a man- 
 ' servant and one Bullen (who happened to be at the house at that time) 
 ' were all coming on to .help Herst. When Wilkinson and Dewhurit 
 ' perceived this, they made towards that new company, and Wilkinson 
 ' struck the servant down, as also the other who came with him. In 
 ' this confusion the maid gave Dewhurst a blow on the head, who 
 c partly on that occasion, partly also to apply himself close to Wilkinson, 
 ' made more haste than good speed, and ran so disorderly over the 
 ' hard plowed lands, as that he fell down, and broke his leg. Of which 
 ' hurt growing worse and worse, and the same striking up into his 
 ' body, being far from good remedies, he died about the end of thir- 
 ' teen days : before which time the hurt of his head was grown quite 
 ' whole ; and the poor wretch declared at his death, both how much it 
 ' afflicted him that he had been employed in such a business, ami that he 
 
 * came to his death by no other hurt but his fall, which was verified after- 
 ' wards by the oath of two witnesses. And it is both true and certainly 
 ' known (and nothing was so much as offered to prove the contrarv } 
 
 From the relation of his deuth, published iu ii?-
 
 76 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 f that at the time when the maid gave Dewhurst that blow upon the 
 ' head, Herst was distant both from him and her above thirty yards, and 
 ' that withal he gave no direction or encouragement at all that any such 
 ' thing should be done.' 
 
 Thus stood the case : and how this should be made a wilful murder 
 in Herst, it is hard to conceive: yet so were matters managed, the same 
 judge Yelverton (who has been lately spoken of in the story of father 
 Arrowsmith) especially concurring thereunto, that, contrary to all shew 
 of truth and justice, the man was condemned to die, and was executed 
 August 29. It is true, his life was promised him if he would take the 
 oath ; but he refused to live upon any such conditions as were inconsist- 
 ent with his conscience. The day before he was to suffer, he was called 
 upon to go with the other prisoners to church to hear a sermon : but he 
 assured them, that if he had a thousand lives he would rather lose them 
 all than go willingly there : but the high-sheriff ordered him to be dragged 
 thither by force, whilst he on his part made all the resistance that he 
 could, though to his very great hurt j being trailed upon the ground by 
 his legs over a ragged and stony way for 20 or 30 rods from the prison 
 to the church. When he was there he cast himself upon the ground, 
 and thrust his fingers into his ears, that he might not hear their doctrine. 
 But when he was to go back again to prison, he went very merrily, tell- 
 ing some catholics whom he met in the way, they have tortured my lot 
 ly, lut I thank God they have not hurt my soul. 
 
 Two of his friends found means to see him that evening and stayed 
 with him in prison till midnight, in prayer and spiritual conversation, 
 who also returned to him the next morning. To them he seemed to be 
 very desirous to be dissolved, and to be with Christ : for he would be 
 often saying, they stay long : when do you think they will come ? As 
 soon as the sheriff was come to the prison, which was about one o'clock 
 in the afternoon, to take all the prisoners out to execution, he read the 
 dead-warrant, wherein all their names who were to die were inserted, 
 and among the rest that of Mr. Arrowsmith, at the hearing of whose 
 name Mr. Herst said, you have already sent him to heaven ; and I hope 
 I shall not le long after him, for I trust much in his prayers. And look- 
 ing up towards the top of the castle, where the priest's head was placed, 
 the officer asking what he looked at ? / look) said he, at the head of that 
 llessed martyr, whom you have sent before, to prepare the way for us : 
 meaning himself and the other who had been reconciled in prison. In 
 the way to execution, he gave some alms according to his small ability, 
 as he had done before to the poor prisoners in the castle : and being met 
 in the street by Mr. King the vicar of the town, who questioned him 
 about his faith, he answered, I lelieve according to the faith of the holy 
 catholic church. The vicar demanded further of him, how he meant 
 to be saved ? He answered with his usual cheerfulness, not by your re- 
 ligion, Mr. King. But he further asking him, whether he meant to bft 
 saved by the merits of Jesus Christ ? He sharply replied, will you be 
 accounted a divine, and ask me such a question ? 
 
 In the way to execution he carried in his hand a picture of Christ 
 crucified, on which he had his eyes fixed ; and frequently repeated <o 
 himself short ejaculatory prayers. "When he came in sight of the gait
 
 PJCHARD HERSf . 77 
 
 lows, he said, gallows, thou dost not affright m 2: and coming to the 
 place he kissed the post. Some few ministers were there to importune 
 him again in point of religion, but he regarded them not. The sheriff 
 telling him, he was to be the first man to die, he most earnestly and de- 
 voutly recommended himself to the merciful hands of God ; begging 
 the prayers and intercession of the blessed virgin, his angel guardian, 
 and all the saints, especially St. John Baptist, it being the day of his de- 
 collation. And looking up at the executioner, who was busy in fasten- 
 ing the rope, but knew not readily how to do it right, he merrily called 
 him by his name, and said, Tom, I think I must come and help thee, 
 Such was his courage and serenity of mind upon the very brink of death. 
 Then ascending the ladder, after divers short speeches of devotion, and 
 repeating three or four times the holy names of Jesus and Mary, he was 
 turned off, and so passed from this mortal life to a happy immortality, 
 August 2p, 1628. 
 
 The following declaration of his case was written by himself not 
 Jong before he died, 
 
 ' Whereas I have been an humble petitioner to his excellent majesty 
 ' for a pardon for the death of one Henry Dewhurst, and his gracious 
 *' pleasure was, that I should have a legal trial before that my pardon 
 ' could pass ; and trusting in the innocency of my cause yielded my 
 ' body, aud put myself in trial, before judge Yelverton ; who did in- 
 ' form the jury that I was a recusant, and had resisted the bishop's au- 
 ' thority; and that it must be found murder for an example. And 
 ' whereas the jury, after learning the matter, was not willing to find (he 
 ' murder in me ; three of them, whereof the foreman of the jury was 
 ' one, went to thejudge to his chamber after dinner, who took the fore- 
 ' man-by the hand, and told him they must find it murder for an exam- 
 ' pie. This did one of the jury testify unto me when I came from the 
 ' bar, and did report to divers of my friends; and he was one of the 
 ' three that went to thejudge. And now whereas thejudge hath cer- 
 ' tifLed my lord keeper, that it \vas so foul a murder as he did never hear 
 ' of; upon which certificate my pardon is stayed, and my life I am cer* 
 ' tain to lose for the fact : wherefore for the satisfaction of the world, 
 
 * and the clearing of my friends who have sued for my pardon, and es- 
 ' pecially for the queen's excellent majesty, who hath been an earnest 
 4 suitor for my life ; the man had no hurt but only on his leg, which was 
 ' found to be the cause of his death ; and he confessed on his death-bed, 
 ' that he broke it himself; and this was given in evidence before the 
 ' coroner, as may appear by the coroner's verdict, and the examination 
 
 * of witnesses taken before Sir Ralph Ashton and the coroner, which. 
 ' verdict and examination will appear contrary to the judge's certificate. 
 ' And that the man had no mortal wound but only in his leg, and that I 
 ' never gave him stroke, nor was within five or six rods of him when he 
 ' received his hurt ; all this will appear to be^ true by examinations and 
 ' depositions taken before Sir Ralph Ashton and the coroner, which was 
 ' all the evidence that came against me at the assizes. All this I declare 
 ' only for the satisfaction of the world, &c. All this I take on my 
 ' death, as J hope to be saved, and for no hope of life.' So far the de 
 claration. The like is found in a letter written by him about the .sam*} 
 time to a person of honour.
 
 J58 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 He wfl&te also three letters to his ghostly fatlier a little before bis 
 deadi, in the first he delivers himself in the following words : 
 
 Dear and reverend sir, 
 
 ' I received your letter with news of death, at which I am not much 
 ' dismayed, I thank my Lord and Saviour j the more malicious my ene- 
 
 * mies are, the greater is my comfort, for I do constantly believe that my 
 
 * religion is the cause of their malice ; and my greatest desire is to offer 
 ' my blood in so good a cause. And although my flesh be timorous and 
 f fearful, I yet find great comfort in spirit, in casting myself upon my 
 ' sweet Saviour with a most fervent love, when I consider what he hath 
 ' done and suffered for me ; and my greatest desire is to suffer with him : 
 
 * and I had rather chuse to die a thousand deaths than to possess a king- 
 ' dom, and live in mortal sin j for there is nothing so hateful to me as 
 
 * sin, and that only for the love of my Saviour. I do most constantly 
 ' believe that he hath afflicted me to save me; and I trust I shall die 
 
 * truly humbled, for the which I desire your good prayers, that I may 
 ' persevere to the end ; for of myself I can do nothing without his 
 
 * grace.' 
 
 In the second he writes thus : * Now I am preparing for my soul, 
 ' for the which I most humbly desire your good prayers, and likewise \ 
 ' desire you to commend my case to the prayers of some good priests and 
 ' catholics ; and I do freely offer myself into the hands of my sweet 
 ' Saviour, neither desiring life nor deatfe, but according to his blessed 
 
 * will, hoping that he will dispose all thirgs for the good of my soul.' 
 
 In the third, written upon the very day of his execution, he speaks 
 thus : ' Dear and reverend sir, now I take my last leave : I am now 
 ' dying, and am as willing to die as ever I was to live, I thank my Lord 
 ' and Saviour, who, I trust, will never fail me. I have comfort in 
 ' Christ Jesus, and his blessed mother, my good angel, and all the 
 ' blessed saints ; and I am much comforted in the valiant and triumph- 
 ' ant martyr that is gone before me, and I do much trust in his good 
 1 prayers. How I have been used you will hear, and likewise what I 
 
 * had offered to me if I would have taken the oath. I hope my friends 
 ' will truly understand that my greatest desire is to suffer ; and I would 
 
 * I had as many lives to offer as I have committed sins. Now, dear 
 
 * sir, prepare yourself also to suffer, and animate your ghostly children 
 1 in suffering. Once again I desire you to say, and to procure some 
 
 * masses for my sinful soul j and if it please God to receive me into 
 
 * his kingdom, I shall not be unmindful of you, and of all my good 
 ' friends. I pray you remember nay poor children, and encourage my 
 
 * friends about my debts ; and let it appear, that my greatest worldly 
 
 * care is to satisfy them as far as my means will extend. Once again 
 
 r. : I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ Jesus. I trust 
 
 * wr: shajl once meet in heaven, to our eternal comfort : now I take 
 
 * my last leave this execution day, about eight of the clock, and com- 
 ;' rnit you to Christ Jesus.' 
 
 These letters were published, with the relation of his death, in 
 l63O. He left behind him six young childreu, and hU wife big with 
 child.
 
 JOHN GOODMAIST. 79 
 
 From this year, till 1041, I find no more blood shed for religious 
 matters, though as to other penalties, they were frequently inflicted 
 upon priests and orher catholics ; severe proclamations were issued out 
 against them, heavy fines laid upon them, and the prisons filled with 
 them ; insomuch that in the compass of one year alone, there were at 
 feast twenty six priests of divers orders, seized and committed to that 
 one prison alone called the Clink ; to speak nothing of those that were 
 else where confined. 
 
 IIT the year 16-10, John Goodman r priest, was tried and condemned,, 
 en account of exercising his priestly functions ; his case has ri something 
 so particular in it, that though he was not executed, he deserves a place- 
 in these memoirs. 
 
 1(52. * John Goodman, Priest, Confessor. 1(540. 
 
 JOHN Goodman was born in the diocese of Bangor, in North Wales, 
 from whence he is called Bangoriensis, in the diary of Douay college. 
 He was the son of William Goodman ; was brought up in the protestant 
 religion, and sent to the university of Oxford, where he spent along 
 time in his studies, and was at length made a minister after the protes- 
 tant manner. But growing dissatisfied with his religion, by the remon- 
 strances of some friends, he left both his gown and his country; and, 
 going beyond the seas,, was, at Paris, received into the church by the 
 Reverend Mr. Richard Ireland, then residing, there ; and by him recom- 
 mended to Dr. Kellisoir, the president of Douay college, where he ar- 
 rived Feb. the 12th, 1(521, and was admitted amongst the alumni of the 
 college. In the year 1622, September the 24th, I find him presented 
 to the four lesser orders ; which he received at Cambray, from the 
 arch-bishop of that see. After which time he continued studying di- 
 vinity in the college, till May the 6th, 1624 ; when he went from 
 Douay to St. Omer's, in order to be received into the Society of Jesus, 
 and to make his noviceship at Watten. But whether his health would 
 not suffer him to go on, or what other reason it might be, the sequel of 
 his history ever represents him as a secular priest. I have not found 
 where he finished his studies, or where he was ordained priest ; for I 
 meet with his nams no more, in the Douay diary or catalogues. 
 
 In England, after his coming over upon the mission,- he behaved 
 himself in such manner, as to be remarkable for his zeal*; so that William 
 Prynne, in his Royal Popish Favourite, p. 23, calls him a, noted priest. 
 He was apprehended in 1635, but discharged, upon giving bond for his 
 appearance ; of which the same author loudly complains, in a small 
 tract, entitled, Hidden works of darkness brought to public light. He 
 was taken up again in l63g, and committed to the Gatehouse, from 
 whence he was again released by a warrant from secretary Windebank, 
 September the 1/th, l63p. But was retaken not long after, and brought 
 to his trial and condemned in the beginning of 1640. 
 
 * From the Douay diary, and Mr. Nalsoa (a protestant historian} in his Impart 
 Collections, vol. l. p. "38, &c.
 
 ao MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 The following account is taken from Mr. Nalson's Impartial Col- 
 lections, vol. 1. p. 738. 
 
 * Monday, January the 25th. Mr. Hide reports from the conference 
 
 * with the lords, the king's message about Goodman the priest, and the 
 
 * expulsion of the priests and Jesuits, as follows : 
 
 ' His majesty having informed himself by the recorder, of the names 
 ' and natures of the crimes of the persons convicted at the last sessions ; 
 ' and there finding that John Goodman was condemned for being in 
 ' orders of a priest merely, and was acquitted of the charge of perverting 
 ' the king's people in their belief, and had never been condemned or 
 
 * banished before : his majesty is tender in matters of blood in cases of 
 ' this nature* in which queen Elizabeth and king James have been often 
 f merciful : but to secure his people, that this man should do no more 
 ' hurt, he is willing that he be imprisoned or banished, as their lordships 
 
 * shall advise j and if he return into the kingdom, to be put to execution 
 ' without delay. And he will take such fit course for the expulsion of 
 ' other priests and Jesuits, as he shall be counselled unto by your lord* 
 
 * ships, &c. 
 
 ' The effect of the aforesaid conference of the lords and commons' 
 
 * was, that the lords at their petition resolved to concur with the coin- 
 ' mons in a joint remonstrance to his majesty, both that Goodman might 
 ' be executed, and the laws put in execution against all other priests and 
 ' Jesuits. 
 
 1 Friday, January the 29th. This day the two houses waited upon 
 
 * his majesty with their remonstrance, which the lord keeper, Littleton, 
 ' delivered to the king, and was in the following words : 
 
 * May it pleate your Majeity, 
 -* Your loyal subjects the lords and commons humbly represent to 
 
 * your gracious consideration, that Jesuits and priests ordained by au- 
 ' thority from the see of Rome, remaining in this realm, by a statute 
 ' made in the 2/th of queen Elizabeth, are declared traitors> and to 
 ' suffer as traitors. 
 
 ' That it is enacted in the first year of king James, that all statutes 
 ' made in the time of queen Elizabeth against priests and Jesuits be put 
 ' in execution : and for a farther assurance of the due execution of these 
 ' laws, the statute of the third year of king James invites men to the 
 
 * discovery of the offenders, by rewarding diem with a considerable part 
 c of the forfeiture of the recusant's estate: so that the statute of queen 
 
 * Elizabeth is not only approved, but by the judgments of several par- 
 ' liaments in the time of king James of happy memory adjudged fit and 
 ( necessary to be put in execution. That the putting these laws in ex- 
 
 * ecution tendeth not only to the preservation and advancement of the 
 ' true religion established in this kingdom, but also the safety of your 
 ' majesty's person, and the security of the government, which were the 
 ' principal causes of the making of the laws against priests and Jesuits, &c. 
 
 * Then they proceed to inform his majesty, that some priests and 
 ' Jesuits had been executed in the time of queen Elizabeth, and king 
 ' James. That the reprieve of John Goodman the priest had given great
 
 JOHN GOODMAN. 81 
 
 * disgust to the city of London. That it was found that the said 
 ' Goodman had been twice formerly committed and discharged ; that 
 ' his residence afterwards in or about London, was in absolute con- 
 ' tempt of his majesty's proclamation : that he hath been sometime a 
 ' minister of the church of England, and consequently he is an apos- 
 
 * tate ; and they humbly desire that a speedy course may be taken for 
 ' the due execution of the laws against priests and Jesuits. And lastly, 
 ' that Goodman the priest be left to the justice of the laws. 
 
 ' Wednesday, February the 3d. This day the two houses were 
 
 * ordered to attend his majesty in the banquetting-house at Whitehall, 
 ' where he delivered himself in these words. 
 
 ' Having taken into my serious consideration, the late remonstrance 
 ' of the houses of parliament, I give you this answer. 
 
 ' I take in good part your care of the true religion established in 
 ' this kingdom, from which I will never depart. It is against my 
 ' mind that popery or superstition should any way increase ; and 1 will 
 ' restrain the same by causing the laws to be put in execution. I am 
 ' resolved to provide against the Jesuits and priests, by setting forth 
 ' a proclamation with all speed, commanding them to depart the king- 
 
 * dom within one month, &c. 
 
 'Lastly, concerning John Goodman the priest; I will let you 
 ' know the reason why I reprieved him. That, as I am informed, 
 
 * neither Queen Elizabeth, nor my father did ever avow that any priest 
 ' in their time was executed merely for religion, which to me seems 
 ' to be this particular case. Yet seeing that I am pressed by both 
 ' houses to give way to his execution ; because I will avoid the in- 
 ' conveniency of giving so great a discontent to my people, as I 
 
 * conceive this mercy may produce ; therefore I remit this particular 
 ' cause to both houses. But I desire them to take into their consider- 
 " ation the inconveniency which, as I conceive, may fall upon my 
 ' subjects, and other protestants abroad : especially since it may seem 
 ' to other states to be a severity ; which having thus represented, I 
 ' think myself discharged from all ill consequences that may ensue 
 ' upon the execution of this person.' So far the king. 
 
 The next day his majesty communicated to the house of lords a 
 petition sent to him by Mr. Goodman, of the following tenour. 
 To the king's most excellent majesty. 
 
 TJie humble petition of John Goodman condemned, humbly sheioeth, 
 
 ' That whereas your majesty's petitioner hath been informed of 
 ' a great discontent in many of your majesty's subjects, at the gracious 
 ' mercy your majesty was freely pleased to shew unto your petitioner, 
 ' by suspending the execution of the sentence of death pronounced 
 ' against your petitioner, for being a Roman priest ; these are humbly 
 ' to beseech your majesty, rather to remit your petitioner to their 
 ' mercy, than to let him live the subject of so great discontent iai your 
 
 * people against your majesty : for it hath pleased God to give me 
 
 * the grace to desire with the prophet, that if this storm be raised for 
 ' my sake, I may be cast into the sea, that others may avoid thz tempest, 
 
 Vol. H. M
 
 82 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 * This is, most sacred sovereign, the pelitiort of him that should 
 ' esteem his blood well shed, to cement the breach between your 
 ' majesty and your subjects upon this occasion.' I in textor, 
 
 JOHN GOODMAN. 
 
 This uncommon greatness of mind, as it verv much moved the 
 king, so it seems to have softened the parliament into some sentiments 
 of humanity towards the prisoner. For certain it is, that -we hear no 
 more of this affair; only AVC find, that Mr. Goodman, instead of a 
 more quick dispatch at Tyburn, was permitted to linger away in 
 prison, by a more tedious martyrdom ; and that he died a confessor of 
 Christ on the common side of Newgate, in some part of the year 1(54-5. 
 
 J64-1. This year two priests were put to death for the exercise of 
 their functions, and divers others were sentenced to die. The first was 
 
 163. * William Ward, alias Webster, Priest. 
 
 VV ILLIAM Ward, whose true name was Webster, was born at 
 Thornby, in Westmorland, and educated in the catholic religion. He 
 performed his studies abroad in the English college at Douay, where 
 I find him admitted to the college oath in 1605, and ordained priest,. 
 and sent upon the English mission in H>08. The best and fullest 
 account that I have met with of this holy man is in a manuscript rela- 
 tion, written by a priest, who was his intimate acquaintance and 
 ghostly child ; only that he is in a mistake, when he affirms him to 
 have been made priest in the English seminary at Rhemes ; for the 
 seminary had been removed from Rhemes to Douay fifteen years before 
 Mr. Ward was made priest. The account of him sent by way of let- 
 ter, is as follows : 
 
 67?-, 
 
 ' In the way of an exact story I cannot undertake to tell vou the 
 ' entire life of Mr. William Webster, alias Ward, born at Thornbv 
 ' in Westmorland ; but this I can sav, that I had a perfect knowledge 
 ' of the man for many years together, and had the happiness to be his 
 ' ghostly child, divers years before mvself was priest, and divers 
 ' years after. lie was made priest in the English seminary at 
 ' Khemes, in Champaigne, above forty years before his martvr- 
 ' dom, and was ever known to be of an excellent spirit, excced- 
 ' ing zealous in God's service ; not only exemplary in himself, but 
 ' exhorting others to exemplarhy of life ; and his zeal was so great in 
 ' this kind, that he got the repute of a rigid ghostly father : and albeit 
 ' many great persons made use of him in that way, nevertheless he 
 ' yielded nothing to their greatness, but was rather more severe to 
 ' them than to meaner persons ; and however his plainness and round 
 '. language did not always please them, yet his spirit was so good. 
 ' that lie made impression on their souls, even then when they would 
 < scarce lend him patient ears. And I have known many great per- 
 -' sonagf? profess, that albeit they could not please him in conforming 1 
 ' themsf Jves to that religiousness in their lives which he required of 
 
 ; manuscript relation, by a priest n'ho calls himself Mr. Ward's ghostly, 
 child, and from the Douay diary.
 
 WILLIAM WARD. 85 
 
 ' them, nevertheless, they would rather make use of him for their 
 ' ghostly father, and were better pleased with him in that way, than 
 ' with any other that was less plain and more indulgent to them. 
 
 ' It was ordinary with him to threaten those that were worldly in 
 ' plain terms with hell fire, and to tell them, they must make a stricter 
 'account of their actions in the next wodd, than thev did here; 
 ' that heaven was not so cheap as they thought, but must 'be bought at 
 ' a dearer rate than they seemed to value it at ; that it was not easy to 
 ' be saints in heaven, if we were not first saints here, and by a per- 
 ' feet charity united to Almighty God. 
 
 ' He did not use to preach set sermons, though his whole life was 
 ' a continual preaching, but in confessions, wherein he spent most of 
 ' his time, he would exhort much to virtue, and the love of God, and 
 ' dissuade from vice and the vanity of the world ; and seldom spared 
 ' a threat of damnation, if the party were vain, as many of his perii- 
 ' tents have told n.e themselves ; and he gave this reason for it, that 
 ' he found the fear of damnation to work stronger with worldlings for 
 ' their repentance, than the better motive of the pure love of Almighty 
 ' God. 
 
 ' And however some men held him to be passionate, because his 
 ' speech was earnest, and his face somewhat fiery upon any fervent 
 '.' speaking; yet those that knew he was truly rir dolorum, being in 
 ' perpetual pain of two infirmities, which for many late years hung 
 ,' upon him, a corroding fistula, and an extremity of'tooth-ach, never 
 ' bring tree from the actual molestation of the one of these at least, 
 / and commonly afflicted with both at once in a high degree ; and 
 ' knowing that he had besides, in his soul, not only 'a perpetual fire 
 ' of burning charity, but a passionate, yet holy hatred against sip, 
 ' which made him with eagerness inveigh against sinners, according 
 ' to that of the holy prophet, Jrasciinini Sf nolite peccare : those, 1 
 ' say, which knew this, were of a contrary opinion, and did not 
 ' think the man to be so choleric as his hasty speech made others 
 
 * believe he was, but were edified at his spiritual zeal, to see it ex- 
 ' ceed his corporal pain, and give him leave to take pains in repre- 
 ( bending others, when he had more reason to have been indulgent to 
 'himself, j^nd I do profess, that for my own particular, I had this 
 
 * opinion of his zeal, and pure intention in all his actions, that even 
 ' when he did things which others conceived to be odd, I durst not 
 ' but attribute it to a holy simplicity ; and was much edified at many 
 ' passages in his life, which I knew divers did not slick to laugh at, 
 ' and make themselves merry withal. And whereas some censorious 
 ' people presumed to accuse him of avarice, because his diet was ever 
 ' spare, and his apparel homely, though he had means enough to wear 
 ' good cloaths, and make better fare; yet this bie^secl man, the day 
 4 before he died, purged himself of this aspersion, and made profession 
 
 * to a good poor catholic and friend of his, that the sote and true rea- 
 ' son why he did wear no better cloaths, nor .-ovet better diet than he 
 
 * used himself fch was only by 'reason he did in his cwn conscience 
 ' not think himself worthy of better ; and this he spake with such an 
 f .edifying simplicity, as would have put a scruple into any mau not IQ
 
 84 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' have believed him. Besides, the holy man was ever charitable to the 
 ' poor, which argued no love in him to riches, and he left what he 
 f had gathered up to pious uses. It was admirable to see the austerity 
 ' of this good man's life, who, albeit he was never free from pain, 
 
 * and always observed a sparing diet, as was said before, whence he 
 ' must of necessity be exceeding weak ; nevertheless, he did with 
 ' great rigour keep all vigils, embers, fridays throughout the year. 
 ' and lent ; insomuch that all the lent long he* never eat whitemcat all 
 ' his life-time, notwithstanding he was eighty years old and upwards. 
 
 ' And this, amongst other his virtues, to me seemed rare, that 
 ' in all the time I knew this holy man, I could never hear him relate 
 ' any passage, or speak of any subject, but it either began or ended 
 ' with a memory of Almighty God's service, if his whole speech were 
 ' not upon that theme ; insomuch that it may truly be said of him, 
 
 * that his lamp of charity and love towards God was ever burning, 
 
 * and that no blast of human commerce was able to blow it out, but 
 ' still it blazed, and gave light to those whose lamps were extinguish- 
 ' ed, and many times lighted them again, by enkindling in their souls a 
 ' devotion, whom if he found key -cold towards Almighty God's 
 ' service, yet he left them with an ardent desire to serve God better 
 ' than they had done formerly. This to my own confusion and his 
 ' honour hath often happened to myself, and I have heard divers 
 r others affirm the same ; for the truth is, no man that would look 
 ' fixedly upon him, and observe well his comportment, could go out 
 ' of his company without much edification ; so composed an aspect he 
 ' had, so grave a speech, so religious a carriage, so incessant a zeaj, 
 
 * that a man might see he had always God in his mind, and his own 
 
 * soul in his hand : Anima mta in manibut meis semper. As if every 
 ' one of his thoughts, words and deeds, had been a matter that ron- 
 
 * cerned his soul's salvation, as in truth it was to him, and is to every 
 ' one of us, if we reflect (as he did) well upon ourselves, 
 
 ' It was remarkable to see how soon Almighty God was pleased 
 ' to make trial of this his servant's constancy. The holy man when 
 ' he was sent in mission into England, for the conversion of souls, 
 ' had the fortune, by contrary winds, to be landed in Scotland, as 
 
 * he was going to the northern part of England, and being upon sus- 
 ' picion apprehended for a priest, was cast into the dungeon, where, 
 ' for three years together, he did not see the sun, yet in this desolate 
 ' place he continued a zealous and constant professor of his faith, 
 ' and a stout confessor. After three years durance being released 
 ' out of this dungeon, and coming into England, it was not long ere 
 ' he was taken and put in prison again, insomuch that he had been 
 
 * in several prisons of the several counties of England ; and as I 
 ' have, been credibly told, of forty and odd years that he was priest, 
 ' he had been a prisoner about twenty of them at several times ; and 
 had been banished more than once or twice. Yet so the zeal of 
 ' Almighty God had eaten up the man, that he would never leave 
 ' exposing himself to danger of death for (he gaining of souls to God's 
 ' holy truth, and the catholic religion. 
 
 ' And it seems that he was by God's singular providence ordained
 
 WILLIAM WARD. 85 
 
 / to die a martyr, who had lived so long so glorious a confessor. For 
 
 * some few days before he was taken and condemned to death, a ne- 
 ' phew of his and a priest, being careful of his old uncle, and solicitous 
 f how to secure him in these dangerous times, came above fifty miles 
 ' on purpose up to London, to convey his uncle into a private housfe 
 
 * in the country, where he might lie "sheltered till the storm of per- 
 ' secution was blown over, which the parliament had newly raised, 
 .' banishing by proclamation all Jesuits, priests, and seminarists, mena- 
 ' cing deatli to those that should be found in any of his majesty's domi- 
 
 * nions after the 7th of April 1641. But no persuasion of the nephew, 
 ' no entreaty of any other friend, could prevail with the holy man to 
 ' retire himself, whom almighty God it seems did more strongly per- 
 ' suadc to stay in London, out of zeal to his many penitents which 
 
 * were there. And what better proof that it was an holy instinct 
 
 * which made him stay, than that within few days after the blessed 
 ' martyr was dogged by a pursuivant to his lodgings, and at eleven 
 ' o'clock at night was taken out of his bed, carried to prison, arraign.. 
 ' ed, condemned, and executed, all within the space of eleven days. 
 ' In brief, the remarkable virtues in this saint were profound humility, 
 ' apostolical poverty, zeal of souls, holy simplicity, approved forti- 
 
 -' tude, and perfect charity. 
 
 ' The manner of his taking, imprisonment, arraignment, condemnation, 
 
 ' and going to execution. 
 ' He was apprehended on Thursday night about midnight, being the 
 
 * 15th of July 1C41, in the house of one John Wollam, a nephew of 
 ' his, and a poor catholic, by Thomas Mayhew, commonly called 
 
 * Mayo, a pursuivant, in virtue of a general warrant under the hand 
 ' of the speaker of the house of commons, and by this Mayo was 
 
 * brought directly to the prison of Newgate, without any order from 
 ' justice of peace or other officer that had power to commit him, where 
 ' he remained till the sessions following, which began at the Old Bai- 
 ' ley within six days after his imprisonment, viz. Wednesday the 21st 
 
 * of July. 
 
 ' Upon Friday the 23d of July next ensuing, he was indicted 
 ' and arraigned upon the statute of taking orders of priesthood by au- 
 ' thprity ot the church of Rome. The evidence brought against him 
 ' was this Mayo aforesaid, who first professed himself to have been a 
 1 Roman catholic about 19 years past, then testified, that about the same 
 '' time he had made his confession to this Mr. Ward, had absolution 
 ' from him, heard his mass, and received the sacraments at his hands. 
 ' And Sir Thomas Gardener, the recorder, demanding of Mayo what 
 ' ornaments Mr. Ward had on when he said mass, the impudent fel- 
 
 * low being ready at his lie, said, he had on an albe, a stole, a mani- 
 
 * pie, a vestment, and such other things as belong to a priest ; bnt 
 ' as it seems the thing he affirmed was false, so he could not tell the 
 ' colour or quality of the vestments. 
 
 ' Thore were two more who pretended to give evidence against 
 ( him, that he was a Roman priest ; but the one of them said so little 
 f to the purpose, that it was not worth the noting, and so he who gave
 
 8o MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' me this relation, being present at the bar, doth not remember what 
 
 * it was, but affirms it was nothing to the purpose. The otiier witness 
 ' testified, that about seven years since he had apprehended Mr. 
 ' Ward, carried him to the Gatehouse, and took from him a spiritual 
 ' book, wherein were his faculties from the see of Rome. 
 
 ' After these evidences given in by the three witnesses, the re- 
 ' corder asked Mr. Ward, and bid him answer directly, whether he 
 ' was a priest or no ? He answered, no man was bound to accuse him- 
 
 * self, but required that it should be proved against him, if they desir- 
 f cd to know the truth thereof, and then professed openly before the 
 ' bench, that what Mayo had testified was most false ; whereupon the 
 ' recorder demanded of him if at least those faculties which had been 
 ' taken about him, were his j and he answered, he knew of no such 
 thing. 
 
 ' Nevertheless upon these evidences the jury found him guilty ; 
 ' and the same day in the afternoon, when the judges had dined, he 
 ' was sent for from the prison to the bar, where the recorder pronoun- 
 ' ced sentence of death against him in the usual manner. 
 
 ' After this sentence he was brought back to Newgate, whither he 
 went most cheerfully, and there prepared himself for his death, 
 ' which was to be upon Monday following, being the 26th of July, 
 ' 1641. And it was wonderful to see with what alacrity of counte- 
 
 * nance and speech he resigned himself unto the holy will of almighty 
 ' God, professing an ardent desire to suffer for his sake, and declaring 
 ' that if any one should attempt to procure his reprieve or pardon, ho 
 ' would hinder it if he could. 
 
 ' Upon Sunday, which was the day before he died, he desired 
 ' conference with a priest in the same prison, which lasted for some 
 ' hour?, and was sometimes interrupted with tears of joy both in the 
 ' one, and in the other ; in which tears the holy martyr expressed his 
 
 * hearty desire of suffering for his blessed Saviour's sake, and so prettily 
 ' intermingled his joy with sighs, as if his humility had told him, he 
 ' was not worthy of so great a crown of his unworthy labours as was 
 ' this of martyrdom, and ever expressed a fear to be deprived of his 
 ' highest hopes, out of an unworthiness which he conceived in himself 
 
 * of so great an honour. And to all such as came that day to visit him, 
 ' he expressed signs of an excessive joy, that he had lived so long as 
 ' to come to this desired end. 
 
 ' The 2fith of July 1641, which was the day of his suffering, be- 
 ' ing Monday, lie said mass very early in the" morning, with great 
 ' devotion and comfort, administered the holy sacrament to some lay 
 'catholics which were his -fellow-prisoners, "and after thanksgiving, 
 ' communicated to the priest that was with him the day before, cer- 
 ' tain -tilings, which he desired should be executed after his death ; and 
 ' gave him some money, to be distributed amongst the poor catholics 
 ' in prison, as also a twenty-shilling piece to give to Mr. Johnson, the 
 ' master keeper of Newgate, whom he willed him to thank for his 
 ' kind usage towards him. 
 
 ' And it was noted by all who came this morning to him, especially
 
 WILLIAM WARD. s'7 
 
 by the priest, that his countenance, \vhicli was ever grave, was at 
 ' this instant more than ordinarily gracious and sweet, as if it had re- 
 ' ceived an outward beauty from the inward grace which was then no 
 ' doubt abundant in his soul. And as the priest and devout catholics 
 ' who were with him in his chamber, had newly done preparing him 
 ' for his journey to the gallows, by putting him on a dean cap, band, 
 ' and culfs, which were points of great linery in him that affected a 
 ' contemptible attire (though then as going to 'his wedding, and so he 
 ' was content to put on vestes nuptiales) instantly one of the keepers 
 'of the prison knocked at the door, to know if he was ready, for 
 ' that the sledge was come for him ; whereat the blessed man, as if 
 ' he had listened for the glad tidings, made answer himself with a 
 ' chearful voice, saying, yes, I am ready. And within a short time 
 ' after, another of the keepers came "for him, and told him, he 
 ' must go a little about by the leads, because though he had favour 
 ' shewn him not to be lodged, after his condemnation, in the common 
 ' dungeon, yet now that he was to go to execution, he must pass the 
 ' ordinary way through the common goal to the sledge. 
 
 * The holy man obeyed readily, following the keeper as if he had 
 ' been his good angel ; and when he came up to the leads, was stayed 
 ' there a pretty while, because the rest of the prisoners that were to 
 ' suffer as malefactors the same day, were in the chapel, through 
 ' which he was to pass, receiving their communion, as the custom is : 
 ' the martyr being told as much, smiled, and passing through the cha- 
 ' pel, said, is this then- chuptl? And here the keeper, whose name 
 ' was Meares, was to deliver him to another keeper, called Snclling, 
 ' whose office it was to carry the prisoner dowu to the sledge. And 
 ' this Meares, taking his leave of the holy man, said to him, sir, J 
 ' hope TVC shall one day meet in heaven : \\ hereunto the good man 
 ' answered, no, in truth shall we not, unless you become a catholic, 
 
 * and this truth I am now ready to seal with my blood. 
 
 ' After this he encountered with a woman, prisoner in that place, 
 ' whom he understood to be allied to Sir Philip Knevet : her he ex- 
 ' horted to become a catholic, and to lead a virtuous life, using manv 
 ' effectual speeches to that purpose. 
 
 ' It was now about eight o'clock in the morning, when the holy 
 ' martyr being laid on his back upon the sledge, was drawn from the 
 ' prison by four horses to Tyburn ; but as he passed up Holborn, he 
 ' cast a special eye upon such houses as he had acquaintance in, and 
 ' with a cheerful countenance, as well as he could, his hands being 
 ' pinioned, he gave them his benediction. 
 
 ' As he was going to execution, a penitent of his went by him 
 ' bitterly weeping ; to whom the martvr spake, saying, why wecj> 
 ' you child ? The party answered, for you, sir : when instantly the 
 ' martyr said, weep not for my death, for I can yet live if I please ; 
 
 * but it is my joy to die for this cause, and therefore you have no rea- 
 ' sou to weep. 
 
 ' And to another he said, with signs of great joy, that he was in- 
 ' finitely happy to be able to lay down that life voluntarily now, which 
 ' by cpurse of nature he could not hope to keep one month longer.
 
 8S MEMOIRS, &c; 
 
 ' Of his Comportment at Tyburn. 
 
 ' When he came to the place of execution, the sheriff of Middfcr- 
 ' sex, whose office is to attend in such cases, spake unto the holy 
 ' man, asking him if he had any thing to say before he died ? Where- 
 ' upon he answered immediately, that he had to declare to all the 
 ' world the cause of his death, which was purely the point of religion ; 
 * for he was innocent of anv crime that could deserve death : moreo- 
 ' ver he said, Mr. Sheriff, I give you and all this company to under- 
 ' stand, that whereas I am condemned, and brought hither to die for 
 ' being a Romish priest ; even that hath not been proved against me ; 
 ' so I have received hard usage in this sentence ; nevertheless, I shall 
 ' here do you, and all those that had a hand in my death, this right at 
 
 being 
 ' profession to all those that are here present, that I do not only die 
 
 * willingly for this cause, but think myself infinitely happy, and ho- 
 ' noured highly therein, since it is to die for my Lord and Master 
 ' Jesus Christ. Here the sheriff asked him, of what religious order 
 ' he was ? who answered, I am of the apostles' order, I give God 
 
 * thanks for it ; and I do rejoice to receive that superabundant reward 
 ' of my poor labours, which the holy apostles of our blessed Saviour 
 ' received of theirs, though mine have been far inferior and less than 
 ' theirs were. Hereunto the sheriff replied, saying, you die not for 
 ' point of religion, but lor seducing the king's liege subjects. To this 
 ' the holy martyr answered, he had seduced none, but reduced or 
 
 * converted many, the which he was glad of, and did wish he could 
 ' not only have converted more, but even all England ; because there 
 
 * was no other saving faith than that of the Roman catholic church ; 
 ' and as for this faith I die myself most willinglv, so I say unto you 
 ' all, that will hope for salvation, you must die* in the same faith at 
 ' least, if not for it. The sheriff seeing the good Eleazar so stout in 
 ' this point was willing to divert him from it, and asked him what his 
 
 * true name was, whether it were Ward, or not; and whether he was. 
 
 * any thing allied to the bishop of Gloucester ? To which he answered, 
 
 * that his true name was not Ward, but William Webster ; and for the 
 ' bishop, he was not allied to him, and so fell upon the profession of 
 
 * his faith again, saying, Mr. Sheriff I have no relation to that bishop, 
 ' but have ever professed this religion which I now die for ; and if I 
 ' had a thousand lives, I should most willingly lose them all for the 
 ' same cause. Here the sheriff, being willing that he should do any 
 ' thing, rather than inculcate so much to the people the profession of 
 ' the Roman faith, interrupted him again, and said, Mr. Webster, 
 ' have you any prayers to say ? The blessed man told him, I have said 
 
 * my prayers already; but this sufficed not the sheriff, who fearing he 
 
 * would fall upon the former subject, asked him the second time, have 
 ' you any more prayers to say \ To this the saint answered, yes, Mr. 
 ' Sheriff, and if it please you to give me leave I shall say them; when 
 ' instantly he fell upon his knees, and made a quarter of an hour's 
 ' silent prayer with a grave composed countenance ; and when the 
 ' sheriff saw tlie good man stir, either supposing he had done his pray ^
 
 WILLIAM WARD. 
 
 e ers, or not being willing to give him any longer time, he said unto 
 ' him with a loud voice, Mr. Webster, have you any thing else now 
 
 * to say? To which demand the martvr answered, yes, Mr. Sheriff, I 
 ' have this to say more, that I pray heartily to God to bless the king 
 ' and queen, the royal issue and state, and all the people of this 
 
 * realm j and, Mr. Sheriff I would bequeath some small tokens ere 
 ' I die, amongst poor catholics ; but I can see none of them here. 
 ' With that the people cried out, give it to the hangman that he may 
 
 * favour you; at which the saint smiled, saying, Alas! alas! he fa- 
 ' z-our me .' see the fire and faggots, the Imlttr and the gallon's, uhat 
 'favour can he do me ? Nor do I desire to lose the merit of suffering in, 
 ' this cause; which said, he gave unto the sheriiF forty shilling?, be- 
 ' seeching him to distribute that small sum of money amongst the poor- 
 
 * er sort of catholics, the saint himself giving to the hangman two 
 ' shillings and sixpence, which is, said he, for thy good office thou 
 ' art to do me ; and looking about him a little, he espied the carman 
 ' who had driven the hurdle to the gallows, and gave him two shil- 
 ' lings, which is, said he, for thy pains too, though thou be no catho- 
 ' lie ; this done, he threw an inkhorn, and handkerchief, and some 
 ' other things left in his pocket, amongst the people ; and then im- 
 r mediately composed himself to die, recommending his soul to his 
 ' blessed Saviour, and crying out in these words, Je&u, Jesu t Jesit, 
 ' receive my soul, he ended this life. He hung till he was dead, be- 
 ' cause they stript him hanging, then cut him clown, dragged him by 
 ' the heels on his back to the fire, there dismembered and beheaded 
 ' him, ript up his belly, plucked out his heart and his bowels, and 
 ' cast them into the lire, &c. setting up his head and quarters upon 
 ' several gates and places of the city ; but by God's special providence 
 ' the heart of tiiis glorious martyr w'as preserved from the fire, by rea- 
 ' son it slid down upon the edge of a sloping stick, and so fell into 
 ' the embers, where it was rather covered than consumed, and by 
 
 * this accident was found. 
 
 ' A person of great quality, count Egmond by name, hearing by 
 ' a servant of his who was present at the action, that an holy priest 
 ' had suffered martyrdom that morning "being the 26th of July 164-1" 
 ' asked his servant', if he had brought any relick of the martyr away 
 ' with him ; who told him, yes, and gave him (as he said) the very 
 ' handkerchief which the saint had cast out of his pocket. The count 
 ' taking it with reverence, kissed it ; but finding no blood upon the 
 ' same, gave the servant his own handkerchief, commanding him to 
 
 * run back instantly to the place of execution, and to dip that in 
 
 * -some of the martyr's blood, if he could find any. The servant post* 
 ' ing away, came back to the gallows, made diligent search for some 
 ' of the blood, but finding it was all scraped up by the zeal of other 
 ' pious catholics, who had been before him, takes his stick, and rub- 
 ' bing up the ashes where the bowels of the martyr had been burnt, 
 ' finds a lump of flesh all parched, and singed by the fiery embers 
 ' wherein it lay covered, and hastily wrapped up what he had lound, 
 < in the handkerchief which -his lord had given him, not having time 
 ' to shake off the fiery coals or hot ashes, by reason that some mail- 
 
 Vol. II. N
 
 90 MEMOIRS, &e. 
 
 ' clous persons who stood by, and saw this fellow stooping, and tek- 
 
 * ing somewhat out of the fire, demanded of him what he took thence ? 
 ' The man nimbly slipped over a park pale, and run from them, who 
 
 * would have laid hands on him ; whereupon divers horsemen passing 
 ' that way, and hearing a great number of foot cry stop, stop, stop 
 ' (as the ill custom of our nation is every man making himself an 
 ' officer, and hangman rather than fail) out of officious curiosity in such 
 ' cases, rid hard round the park pole, hoping at the next gate to en- 
 ' counter with this poor man, who was pursued bv a clamorous and 
 ' still encreasing company of footmen, who continually kept sight of 
 ' him. The man perceiving himself so beset on all sides, and pursued, 
 ' resolved not to lose the relick, whatever became of himself, drop- 
 ' ed it, as he ran, in a bush, and took special mark upon the bush 
 ' with his eye, where he left it, resolving to come another time and 
 ' fetch what now he could not safely carry any farther ; and this 
 ' he did with such dexterity, making no stop at all, but feigning a 
 
 * small trip or stumble, and yet seeming suddenly to recover himself, 
 ' ran on, drawing his pursuers after him, to delude them, and there- 
 ' by to save the relick. In brief, this poor man recovered the skirts 
 ' of the town ere he was overtaken, and there being apprehended, 
 ' was carried before officers, yet by the power of his lord was fetched 
 ' off, upon security given that he should be forth coming ; and so went 
 ' early next morning to the place where he had dropped the reiick, 
 ' and found it in the handkerchief which he had wrapped it in x and 
 ' in the same place where he had left it ; in which circumstance it is 
 ' remarkable, that the handkerchief was not burnt by any of the 
 ' fiery coals or hot ashes which might hang upon the flesh when lie 
 ' took it out of the fire ; and bringing this home to his lord, upon 
 ' diligent search what it should be, they found, by incision, it was 
 
 * the very heart of the holy martyr, and it remained fifteen days 
 ' untainted ; after which time the count, who keeps it as his greatest 
 ' jewel, caused it to be embalmed ; not that he did it to preserve it 
 ' from corruption, which it seemed no way to incline to, but for reve- 
 ' rence and religion to so rich a relick : Sluiapretiata in connpectu Domini 
 ' mors sanctorum ejus t 
 
 ' And it may serve for an example to all good Christians, that their 
 
 * special devotions and duties to their particular patrons are exercises 
 
 * not only pleasing to God and his saints, but infinitely profitable to 
 souls ; "for whereas this man of God was ever singula'rly devoted to 
 ' St. Ann, the mother of the blessed virgin Mary, keeping her 
 ' feast every year with more than ordinary solemnity, and this com- 
 ' mor.Iy in the houses of some of his penitents, virtuous women, who 
 ' btue that name: see the high reward he received of this his devo- 
 f tion, that Almighty God bestowed the crown of martyrdom upon 
 ' him on the feast of St. Ann, the 26th of July, 16-H ! as'if that bles- 
 
 * sed saint had been ambitious to wait upon God's martyr, and put 
 
 * the triumphant crown upon his head with her own hands, who had 
 ' so devoutly and so constantly, for many years together, on this her 
 ' iestiviU day, solemnized her praises.' So fat the manuscript.
 
 EDWARD BARLOW. 
 164. * Edward Barlow, Priest, O. S. B. 
 
 Barlow, called in religion father Ambrose, was born aj 
 Manchester in 1585, of pious and catholic parents, of the ancient 
 family of Barlow of Barlow. His father was that constant confessor 
 of Christ Alexander Barlow, Esq. who made it his care to give this 
 his son a catholic and liberal education. By these means his tender 
 mind, which had already a happy sweetness of temper, and an in- 
 clination to piety and learning, was improved, and strongly established 
 in the true faith and the love of God. When he was twelve years 
 old he was taken from school, to be page to a relation, a person of 
 quality. But as he grew up, and considered the emptiness and vanity 
 of the transitory toys of this life, and the greatness of things eternaj, 
 he took a resolution to withdraw himself from the world, and to go 
 abroad,, in order to procure those helps of virtue and learning, which 
 might qualify him for the priesthood, and enable him to be of some 
 assistance to his native country. 
 
 The place he made choice of for his studies was the university of 
 Douay, which had been recommended to him by fame, and by the 
 testimony of many learned and pious priests who' had studied there. 
 Here meeting with two other young gentlemen of equal age, and of 
 the same inclinations, he chose them for his chamber fellows, and 
 with them frequented the humanity schools at Anchin college, under 
 the fathers of the society, as the alumni of the English seminary all 
 did during Dr. Worthington's presidency. When he had finished 
 his humanity, he was sent b\ the aforesaid Dr. Worthington " Aug. 
 23, 16 10,"' from the English college of Douay to that of Valladolid ; 
 where he went through his course of philosophy, and part of his 
 divinity : for before he had finished the latter, he followed his brother 
 Dr. Rudesind Barlow to Douay, where he received the habit of St. 
 Bennet ; and after making his noviceship at a house then belonging 
 to the English congregation, near St. Malo in Little Britany, he was 
 professed at Douay, in 1615. And being now thirty years old, and 
 otherwise very well qualified by virtue and learning'for the apostolic 
 calling, he was presented by his superiors, not long after his profes- 
 sion, to the holy order of priesthood, and sent upon the English 
 mission, to which he found himself strongly invited by an inward 
 call. 
 
 The seat of his missionary labours was his native country of 
 Lancashire, " where, says Mr. Knaresborough ? f his memory is held 
 in great esteem to this day, by the catholics of that county, for his 
 great zeal in the conversion of souls, and the exemplary piety of his 
 life and conversation." Tis scarce to be expressed what wonderful 
 blessings the Almighty gave to the labours of this his faithful servant, 
 who made it his constant business to join the care of his own soul 
 with that of his flock, and to preach full as much by example as by 
 
 * From two manuscript relations kept by the Enprlisb bencdictins at Douay, 
 <!"> of them being a letter of his brother F. JUideshid Barlow, to the abbot 
 ft" 'Ccllaiim a. dated January 1, 16. f lu & MSS. collections.
 
 M MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 words. Such was the fervour of his eeal, that, as my author says, 
 he thought the day lost in which he had not done some notable thing 
 fgr the salvation of souls. Night and day he was ever ready to lay 
 hold of all occasions of reclaiming any one from error ; and what- 
 ever time he could spare from his devotions, he employed in seeking 
 after the lost sheep, and in exhorting, instructing, and correcting 
 sinners ; and omitted no opportunity of preaching the word of God. 
 But then he never neglected the care of his own sanctifi cation : he 
 celebrated mass, and recited the office with great reverence and 
 devotion ; had his fixed hours for mental prayer, which he never 
 omitted ; and found so much pleasure in this inward conversation 
 with God, (from which he received that constant supply of heavenly 
 light and strength) that when the time came on, which he had devoted 
 to this holy exercise, he was affected with a sensible joy, as much as 
 worldlings would be when going to a feast. He had also a great 
 devotion to the rosary, which he daily recited, and recommended 
 much to his penitents ; and was very tenderly affected with the sacred 
 mysteries of the incarnation, passion, and resurrection of the son of 
 God (which he there contemplated) and was much devoted to his 
 blessed mother. He often meditated on the sufferings of his redeemer, 
 with his arms extended in the form of a cross, and these meditations 
 enkindled in his soul a desire of suffering for Christ, a happiness for 
 which he daily prayed. 
 
 He had a great contempt of the world, and its vanities ; and a 
 very humble opinion of himself, joined with a great esteem, love and 
 veneration for the virtue of others. He was always afraid of honours 
 and preferments, and had a horror of vain glory, which he used to 
 call the worm or moth of virtues ; and which he never failed to cor- 
 rect in others, and sometimes in a jocose way, at others seriously, 
 According to the temper of the persons. He industriously avoided 
 feasts and assemblies, and all meetings for merry making ; as liable 
 to dangers of excess, idle talk and detraction. He had no regard for 
 temporal interest ; and refused (though desired by many) to live in 
 great families, where he might be well accommodated with all things ; 
 chusing rather to live in a private country-house, where the poor, to 
 whom he had chiefly devoted his labours, might have, at all times, 
 free access to him ; to whom also he plentifully imparted both spiritual 
 and corporal alms, according to his ability. He would never have a. 
 servant, till forced to it by sickness j never used a horse, but made his 
 pastoial visits always on loot. His apparel was mean ; neither would 
 lie ever wear a sword, or carry a watch. He allowed himself no 
 manner of play or pastime ; and avoided all superfluous talk and con- 
 versation j more especially with those of the fair sex, how virtuous or 
 qualified soever : and when the business of his calling obliged him 
 to make an v stay in such company, he kept his eyes fixea on the 
 
 froun:!, and would not look them in the face. Being asked one day 
 y a I~.dy of quality, why he so rr.uch avoided the company of women, 
 since he himsJt' was born of a woman? He replied; for that very 
 reasor I avoir 1 the company cf women, because I was born of a 
 \von;< n ; s gm v in that the corruption 01 concupiscence, which from 0-r
 
 EDWARD BARLOW. 93 
 
 very birth is entailed upon us by original sin, was what made him look 
 upon himself obliged to use those precautions. 
 
 He boarded with an honest country farmer, where his diet was 
 chiefly whitmeats and garden stuff; for'he seldom eat flesh, unless by 
 occasion of company that came to visit him. He drank only small 
 beer, and that very sparingly ; and always abstained from \vine : 
 being asked the reason why he did so ? he alledged the saying of the 
 wise man, wine and women make the wise apostatize. He was never 
 idle, but was always either praying, studying, preaching, adminis- 
 tering the sacraments, or (which he used sometimes to divert himself 
 with) painting pictures of Christ or his blessed mother. He was 
 sometimes applied to, to exorcise persons possessed by the devil, 
 which he did with good success. He had a great talent in compo- 
 sing of differences, and reconciling such as were at variance ; and 
 \vas consulted as an oracle by the catholics of that country in all their 
 doubts and difficulties. He feared no dangers, when God's honour and 
 the salvation of souls called him forth ; and has sometimes, when en- 
 gaged in such expeditions, passed, even at noon day, through the 
 midst of enemies, without apprehension. And when some people 
 would desire him to be more cautious, he would turn them off with a 
 joke ; for he was usually very chearful and pleasant in conversation ; 
 so that they who knew him best, thought he was, in this regard, not 
 unlike the' celebrated Sir Thomas More. Yet he was very severe in 
 rebuking sin, so that obstinate and impenitent sinners were afraid of 
 coming near him. Nothing more sensibly afflicted him, than when he 
 saw any one going astray from the right path of virtue and truth, 
 more especially if it were'a person of whom he had conceived a good 
 opinion, or had great hopes : upon these occasions he would at first 
 be almost oppressed with melancholy, till recollecting himself in God, 
 and submitting to his wise providence justly permitting evil, to draw 
 greater good out of it, he recovered again his usual peace and 
 serenity. 
 
 Some months before his last apprehension (for he was several times 
 a prisoner) hearing that some persons, whom he loved as his own 
 soul, were in a resolution of doing something very wicked, which 
 was like to be the ruin of many soul, he was so strongly on a sud- 
 den affected with it, that it flung him into a fit of the dead palsy, which 
 took away the use of one side, and put him in danger of his life : 
 what added very much to his cross, was, the fear lest his poor child- 
 ren, whom he had begotten to Christ, should now be left destitute 
 of spiritual assistance. And whereas his convulsions and pains seemed 
 to have brought him to death's door, he had this additional affliction, 
 that no priest could be found to administer the holy sacraments to 
 him. In these extremities God Almighty was pleased to comibrt him; 
 and being in a manner out of himself, he broke forth into these 
 words : * Lord, thy will be done ; a due conformity of our will to 
 ' thine, is to be preferred to the use of the sacrament 1 :, and evelA to 
 
 * martyrdom itself. I reverence and earnestly desire thy sacrament's; 
 
 * and I have often wished to lay down my life for thee, in the profeV- 
 
 * sion of my faith ; but if it be pleasing to thy infinite wisdom, by
 
 94. MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' this iHness, to take me out of the prison of this body, lialf dead 
 * already, thy will be done/ Whilst he was in these dispositions, 
 God was pleased to send him a priest of the society of Jesus to assist 
 him ; as he himself had twelve years before exercised the same 
 charity to F. Arrowsmith in prison, before his last conflict : at which 
 time that confessor of Christ is said to have foretold, that he should 
 be the next to follow him. At least this is cprtain, by the testimony 
 of Mr. Barlow himself/ in a letter to his brother Rudesind (who quotes 
 it in his manuscript relation) dated out of prison, May 17, 1641, that 
 F. Arrowsmith ' the night before he suffered, when as yet Mr. Bar- 
 ' low had not heard of his suffering, came to his bedside, and told 
 * him ; I have already suffered ; you shall also suffer ; speak but lit- 
 tle, for they will be upon the watch to catch you in your words. 
 
 On the eves before the principal festivals of the year, whilst Mr. 
 Barlow was in health, the catholics resorted to him from distant places, 
 and passed the night, after the manner of the primitive church, in 
 watching, prayer, and spiritual colloquies ; whilst for his part he was 
 employed almost all the night in hearing confessions. On the next 
 day he treated them all with a dinner, where he, and some of the 
 more honourable sort of his flock, served them that were poor, and 
 waited upon them, and then dined off their leavings. When he sent 
 them home, he gave each of them a groat in alms ; and when all had 
 dined, he distributed what remained to the poor of the parish. His 
 zeal had made him as well known in all that neighbourhood, as the 
 very parson of the parish. Some reprehended him for going about 
 so publicly ; to whom he replied, Let them/car ihat have any tiling to 
 lose, which they arc umvillin^ to part vjilh ; which was not his case, 
 who had set his heart upon nothing in this world ; and w r as even 
 desirous to lay down his life for God's cause. He could not be per- 
 suaded by his friends to retire farther off from danger, to a house of a 
 kinsman of his in Cheshire; being desirous, if it pleased God, to slit-cl 
 his blood at Lancaster. 
 
 He was beginning to recover of his illness, but was as yet x-ery 
 ak, when he was apprehended, on Easter-day 1641, in tlie follow- 
 ing manner, according to the account which he himself sent out of 
 prison to his brother Tludesind. A neighbouring minister, who had 
 with him at church a numerous congregation, instead of entertaining 
 them on that solemn day with a sermon and prayers, as usual, propo- 
 sed to them as a work more worthy their zeal for the gospel, to go 
 along with him to apprehend Barlow, that noted popish priest, whom 
 they would now be sure to find in the midst of his flock ; whereas 
 were they to stay till church-time was over, they would miss the op- 
 portunity. They relished the proposition, and being about 400 in 
 number, armed with clubs and swords, followed the parson, marching 
 in front in his surplice, to the house, where Mr. Barlow having finished 
 mass, was making an exhortation, to his people, about 10() in num- 
 ber, on the subject of patience. The catholics that were within, as 
 soon as they perceived the house was besieged, would have persuaded 
 the man of God to hide himself, there being more than one private 
 place for that purpose in the house, but he would by no means consent
 
 EDWARD BARLOW. 9.5 
 
 to secure himself, and leave his sheep to the mercy of these wolves :_ 
 wherefore exhorting them all to constancy, and putting them in mind 
 that these light and momentary tribulations would work in them an 
 eternal weight of glory ; and telling them withal how ready he was 
 for his part to suffer all things for Christ, he ordered them to open the 
 doors. The mob immediately rushed in, crying out, Where is Barlow ? 
 Where is Barlow ? He is the man we u-ant ; and laying hands upon him, 
 they secured him, letting the rest go, upon giving caution tor their 
 appearance. In the mean time they searched the whole house, and broke 
 open Mr. Barlow's chest, in hopes of finding money : but see the won- 
 derful providence of our Lord ! though there was a considerable sum 
 of money there, which had been lately sent him by some charitable 
 gentlemen to be given to the poor ; and though they rummaged, and 
 turned over all his cloathes, and other things, yet they could not find 
 this bag ; for which providence Mr. Barlow was very thankful, and 
 gave proper orders afterwards for the disposing of the money accord- 
 ing to the intention of the donors. 
 
 Mr. Barlow being now in the hands of this mob and their minister 
 (who, it seems, had acted in this whole affair without any warrant) 
 was carried by them, the same day, before a justice of peace, who 
 sent him, guarded by sixty armed men, to Lancaster castle. Some of 
 his flock would have attempted to rescue him in the way out of their 
 hands ; but he earnestly entreated them not to think of it. He was 
 carried to jail in a sort of a triumph by this armed mob, who insulted 
 over him, and treated him with contempt, which was to him a subject 
 of joy ; though at this time he was as yet so weak, that he could not 
 sit on horseback without one behind him to support him. He was 
 kept in prison from Easter till the summer assizes ; and in the mean 
 time, instead of being weakened or cast down by his sufferings, lie 
 wonderfully recovered his strength and health. He would not hear of 
 the propositions made by his friends, of using their interest to have 
 Jiim removed up to London, or sent into banishment, as many others 
 had been : but desired them to be easy, and not to concern themselves 
 about him ; for that to die for this cause (viz. for being a catholic 
 priest) was to him more desirable than life ; that he must die some time 
 or other, and could not die a better death. To some also upon this oc- 
 casion he imparted in confidence the vision which he had of father 
 Arrowsmith. In prison he often entertained himself with the book of 
 Boetius de consolatione, which the jailor taking notice of, took the book 
 away : at which Mr. Barlow smiling, said, If you take this little book 
 ciiv/y, / will betake myself to that great book from which Bo'elius learned 
 his wholesome doctrine, and that book you can nircr take ait: ay from 
 me: and this is what he continually practised by mental prayer. My 
 author adds, that when any one came to visit him in prison, he would 
 not suffer the time to be lost in vain or worldly talk ; but entertained 
 the party with such discourses only as were for his instruction and edi- 
 fication. 
 
 After above four months imprisonment, his trial came on, on the 
 7th of September, before Sir Robert Heath : who is said to have had 
 instructions from the parliament, if any priest were convicted at Lan- 
 taster, to se.e the law executed upon liu, for a terror to the catholics,
 
 9S MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 who were numerous in that county. The indictment being read, Mr. 
 Barlow freely acknowledged himself a priest, and that he had exercis- 
 ed his priestly functions for above 20 years in this kingdom. The 
 judge asked him, why he had not obeyed the king's proclamation, 
 commanding all priests to depart the realm before the 7th of April 
 last past ? Mr. Barlow answered, that several persons there present, 
 and especially they who had brought him to prison, very well knew 
 that he was then so weak, by a long and grievous illness, that he was 
 no ways in condition to obey the proclamation. 
 
 The judge asked him, what he thought of the justice of those laws 
 by which priests were put to death ? He answered, that all laws made 
 against catholics on account of their religion, were unjust and impi- 
 ous : for what law, said he, can be more unjust than this, by which 
 priests are condemned to suffer as traitors, merely because they are 
 Roman, that is, true priests ? For, there are no other true priests but 
 the Roman ; and if these be destroyed, what must become of the di- 
 vine law, when none remain to preach God's word, and administer 
 his sacraments ? Then said the judge, what opinion have you of the 
 makers of those laws, and of those who by their office see them put in 
 execution ? Mr. Barlow replied, if, my lord, in consequence of so 
 unjust a law, you should condemn me to die, you would send me to 
 heaven, and yourself to hell. Make what judgment you please, said 
 the judge, of my salvation; for my part, though the law has brought 
 you hither as a criminal, and a seducer of the people, I shall not pass 
 so uncharitable a sentence upon you. I am no seducer, said Mr. Bar- 
 low, but a reducer of the people to the true and ancient religion. The 
 judge, as he afterwards acknowledged, was astonished at the constan- 
 cy of his answers, and his intrepidity, and put him in mind that his 
 life was in his hands, and that it was in his power to acquit him, or 
 condemn him : and don't you know and acknowledge, said he, that 
 I sit here as your judge ? I know, said the prisoner, and acknow- 
 ledge you judge, but in such causes only as belong to the tem- 
 poral court and tribunal ; but in spiritual matters, and in tilings be- 
 longing to the court of conscience, be pleased to take notice, that I 
 am judge; and therefore I tell you plainly, that if by that unjust law 
 
 C sentence me to die, it will oe to my salvation ami your damnation. 
 4 )n this the judge directed the jury to bring him in guilty ; and 
 the next day pronounced sentence upon him in the usual form. Mr. 
 JBarlow heard the sentence with a chearful and pleasant countenance, 
 and said aloud, thanks be to God ; and then prayed heartily to the 
 divine Majesty to forgive all that had any ways been accessary to his 
 death. The judge applauded his charity in'thi", and granted him 
 what he petitioned for, viz. a chamber to himself in the castle, where, 
 for the short remainder of his time, he might without molestation ap- 
 ply himself to his devotions, and prepare tor his exit. 
 
 On Friday the 10th of September, he was brought out to suffer ac- 
 cording to sentence, and laid upon the hurdle, on which he was drawn 
 to the place of execution, carrying all the way in his hand a cross of 
 wood which he had made. When he was come to the place, being 
 taken off the hurdle, he went three times round the gallows, carrying 
 the cross before his breast, and reciting the penitent psalm Miserere.
 
 EDWARD BARLOW. 97 
 
 Some ministers were for disputing with him about religion, but he told 
 them, it was an unfair, and an unseasonable challenge, and that he had 
 something else to do at present, than to hearken to their fooleries. He 
 suffered with great constancy according to sentence, and so passed from 
 short labours and pains to eternal rest and joy, in the 55th year of his 
 age, the 25th of his religious profession, and the 24th of his priesthood 
 and mission. 
 
 165. Seven Priests and Confessors. 
 
 J.N the December following the execution of Mr. Barlow, I find seven, 
 priests at once condemned in the sessions at the Old Bailey, to be hang- 
 ed, drawn, and quartered, for their character and priestly functions. 
 They were condemned on the 8th of December, and were to have been 
 executed on the 13th. At the desire of the French ambassador, the 
 king being willing to have them reprieved and banished, sent a message 
 to both houses of parliament, to know their thoughts upon the matter. 
 This message being sent December the llth, from the lords to the 
 house of commons, and there read, it was singly voted upon these fol- 
 lowing priests : ' resolved, that John Hammon, John Rivers, alias Ab- 
 ' bot, Walter Coleman, and N. Turner, priests, shall be put to execu- 
 ' tion according to law.' See Nalson's Impartial Collections, vol. ii. 
 p. 731, 732, &c. However, his majesty having been pleased to grant 
 his reprieve to all the seven, on the Tuesday following, December the 
 14th, both houses agreed to join in a petition, that his majesty would 
 take off the reprieve, and order all the seven to be executed. To 
 which his majesty, on December the l6th, returned his answer, that he 
 would take the matter into consideration. 
 
 This reprieve of the condemned priests, who were shortly after re- 
 duced to the number of six, by the death of one of them, was perpe- 
 tually objected to the king by the parliament} till his majesty, answer- 
 ing from York their petition concerning the magazine of Hull, 8cc. told 
 them, ' concerning the six condemned priests, it is true, they were re- 
 ' prieved by our warrant, being informed that they were (by some re- 
 ' straint) disabled to take the benefit of our former proclamation ; since 
 ' that, we have issued out another, for the due execution of the laws 
 ' against papists ; and have most solemnly promised, upon the word of 
 ' a king, never to pardon any priest without your consent, who shall be 
 ' found guilty by law ; desiring to banish these, " the six," having here- 
 ' with sent warrants to that purpose, if upon second thoughts you do 
 ' not disapprove thereof. But if you think the execution of these per- 
 ' sons so very necessary to the great and pious work of reformation, we 
 ' refer it wholly to you, declaring hereby, that upon such your resolu- 
 ' tion signified to the ministers of justice, our warrant for their reprieve 
 ' is determined, and the law to have its course.' So far the king. And 
 my lord Clarendon, in his history, vol. I. part 2. p. 4QO, tells us, that 
 this unexpected answer did not a little disturb the parliament ; because 
 the king, by referring the matter to them, removed the SCANDAL from 
 himself, and hid it at their doors : and certain it is, that we hear no 
 more of this affair, and that these condemned priests were all suffered to 
 
 VOL. II. o
 
 98 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 linger away their lives in Newgate, though no less than eight of their 
 brethren were executed in different parts of the kingdom, within the 
 compass of that one year 1642. 
 
 It remains, that we should here put down the chief particulars we 
 have been able to discover concerning these seven condemned priests ; 
 and first, as to their order : father Angelus Mason, in his preface to his 
 Certamcn Scraphicum, tells us, that excepting father Coleman, who was 
 a Franciscan, all the rest were either of the secular clergy, or of the ve- 
 nerable order of St. Bennet. Then as to other particulars, to begin with 
 those that were first by parliament voted to die. 
 
 1 . John Hammon, or Hammond, was a priest of Douay college, 
 ordained and sent upon the English mission in 1625. He was a gentle- 
 man of learning and merit ; a leading man amongst his brethren ; a 
 member of their chapter ; and superior of the secular clergy in the 
 West of England. 
 
 2. John Rivers, alias Abbot, a Londoner, was also a priest of Douay 
 college : he was ordained in l6\2, at which time I find he left the col- 
 lege, in order to enter into the society of Jesus. But this design proved 
 ineffectual ; for by the account of father Angelus, above quoted, when 
 Be was condemned to die, he was still a secular priest. 
 
 3. Walter Coleraan was descended of a good family in Staffordshire, 
 who, going abroad, studied his humanity in the English college of Douay; 
 then returning home, after some years spent among his friends, being 
 disgusted with the pleasures and vanities of the world, he determined to 
 leave all, and to follow Christ, in a life of poverty, humility and mor- 
 tification. Upon this he entered among the English Franciscans in their 
 convent .at Douay, where he was called father Christopher of St. Clare. 
 He died in Newgate, Anno, 1645. He was author of a small poem, 
 called, The Duel of Death. See more of him in Certamen Seraphkum, 
 p. 184, &c. 
 
 4. John Turner was a priest of the English college of Douay, or- 
 dained and sent upon the mission in l6'25. He seems to have survived 
 all the rest in prison, and consequently to have endured the longer mar- 
 tyrdom. 
 
 5. The other three, (whose names are not recorded in Mr. Nal- 
 son's collections) were, as far as I can gather from other records, Mr. 
 Henry Myners-, who died prisoner of the common side of Newgate, 
 anno, Father Lawrence Mabbs, O. S. B. who died prisoner in 
 the same gaol', anno, l64l. And father Peter Wilford, O. S. B. called 
 in religion fat he- Boniface, who died in the same prison, March 12, 
 1(546, being fourscore years of age, or upwards. B. W. in his manu- 
 script says ninety. 
 
 ' Father Mason, hi his Ccrfamcn Serapldciitfi, p. 1Q2, speaking of 
 father Coleman, gives this short elogium of all his six companions : that 
 they had all laboured for ft long time upon the mission, with great fruit 
 in gaining souls to God ; that they had suffered all the incominodities of 
 a prison for many years ; that they were condemned merely on account 
 of their priesthood, arid that they received the sentence of death with 
 great joy, giving God thanks tliat they were thought worthy to suffer 
 ia his cause..
 
 THOMAS REYNOLDS. 99 
 
 166. * Thomas Reynolds, alias Green, Priest. 
 
 .1 HOMAS Reynolds, whose true name was Green, was born in the city 
 of Oxford, towards the beginning of queen Elizabeth's reign ; and as 
 great numbers of the brightest and most hoperul young men in both uni- 
 versities in those days, disliking the new religion, wentabroad to be edu- 
 cated in the old, for which afterwards a great many of them laid down their 
 lives ; Mr. Reynolds followed their footsteps, and going over, to Rhemes 
 to the English seminary then residing in that city, after some time spen.t 
 in his studies there, was advanced to holy orders ; and being now dea- 
 con, was, on the 17th of September, 3590, in the company of several 
 others, sent from Rhemes into Spain, the seminaries in that kingdom 
 being then usually supplied from the college at Rhemes. Mr. Reynold^ 
 was made priest at Seville, and from thence was sent upon the English 
 mission. He had been above fifty years in holy orders, when he was 
 called forth to suffer, and in that space of time had weathered many a 
 storm. I find his name amongst the 47 priests sent from divers prisons 
 into banishment in 1606. But he quickly returned again to his post; 
 he was therefore agaiu apprehended, in or about the year 1628, about 
 fourteen years before his death; and was then brought to his trial, and 
 condemned ; but by the queen's interest was reprieved j yet so as still to 
 remain a prisoner. It is true, I find his name in Mr. Prynne's Hidden 
 Works of Darkness, kc. amongst those priests who in 1635, upon, 
 giving bond for their appearance, were permitted to go out of prison : 
 and in consequence of this permission he was often abroad amongst his 
 friends, till in June 1 641, (the factious in the parliament being now very 
 clamorous against the reprieving of priests) he was seized and committed j 
 and in the January following, without any new trial or provocation, was 
 brought down to his former sentence, and executed. 
 
 He was a man, says my author, " Chiflet, p. 37," of a most reli- 
 gious comportment in his whole life, who, for a long course of years., 
 had preached virtue and godliness to his countrymen, no less by his ex- 
 ample than by his words : and he was now far advanced in age, " be.- 
 ''' ing about 80." As to his body, he was fat and corpulent, yet very in- 
 firm through past labours and sufferings. As to his temper, he was 
 remarkably mild and courteous ; and in the many years he had labour,- 
 ed in the vineyard of his Lord, he had reaped much fruit, in gaining 
 many souls to God. He was naturally timorous ; and therefore when 
 he was so unexpectedly called upon to prepare himself to die, distrusting 
 in his own strength, he earnestly importuned heaven for the grace of 
 constancy and perseverence, by long and fervent prayer, in which -he 
 employed a good part of the night before his martyrdom j and begged, 
 to this same end, the prayers of other priests and servants of God ; and 
 the divine majesty was pleased to hear him, and in such manner to fa- 
 vour him with his grace, as to banish all his fears, raid fill his spul wilji 
 a wonderful fortitude and vigour 5 so that he was suqarized to find this 
 
 * From Mr. Ireland's Douay diary 5 a manuscript relation by father Floyd, S.,J, 
 another manuscript, in the collections of Mr. Knaresborough ; and Chirletiu*, in his 
 Palrna Cleri Anglicaui, printed at Antwerp in JC15, p. 2-2,
 
 100 % MEMOIKS, &c. 
 
 change in himself, and could not forbear extolling the mercies of God 
 towards him, and the wondrous operations of his powerful grace in so 
 poor, frail, and infirm an old man. On the morning before he was to 
 die, he celebrated the sacred mysteries ; and then chearfully obeyed 
 the summons of the officers who called for him in order to execution. 
 
 ' ' What follows, is mostly transcribed from two manuscript relations, 
 of which I have copies in my hands." 
 
 ' He, " Mr. Reynolds," e came forth of Newgate, and put off his 
 ' hat to the sheriff, then went up the sledge, and lay down j but lifting 
 ' himself up again, he saluted them that were about him, and gave his 
 
 * blessing to all catholics that were present. Mr. Roe, a Benedictin, 
 ' presently followed, and did in the same manner, and they embraced 
 ' each other on the hurdle. It was the 21st of January, 1641, being 
 ' Friday, the feast of St. Agnes, that these two couragious soldiers of 
 
 * Jesus Christ were called out to fight. They were drawn on one hur- 
 ' die by four car-horses ; the way being very deep and plashy, so that 
 ' their faces, bands and cloaths were much spattered with dirt. In the 
 
 * mean time it is almost incredible how much both protestants and ca- 
 
 * tholics were moved to tears at the sight of them, and what shew of 
 ' zeal the catholics made towards these blessed martyrs j for in the streets 
 
 * they went up to the hurdle where they lay, some kissing their hands, 
 
 * some their garments, others craving their blessing publicly ; others 
 
 * saying, courage, valiant soldiers of Christ : and the martyrs on the 
 
 * other side bade them joyfully farewel, saying, they more esteemed it 
 
 * to be drawn up Holborn on a sledge for this cause, than if they were 
 
 * riding in the best coach the king had, and that they were going to a 
 
 * marriage feast. 
 
 ' They arrived about eleven o'clock at the place of execution, where 
 ' Mr. Reynolds having the sheriff's permission, spoke bravely for half an 
 
 * hour's space ; and amongst other things said, that if he had as many 
 
 * lives as there are bright stars in the firmament, he would most willingly 
 
 * give them all for this cause. That he had conversed with all sorts of 
 ' people, having been a priest in England almost forty years, yet none 
 ' could ever accuse him so much as of a word tending to treason or dis- 
 
 * loyalty ; that he had only laboured to reduce strayed souls to the fold 
 
 * of the catholic church, to which as he had reduced some, so he wish- 
 
 * ed that every one of them had been a thousand. He also told them, 
 
 * that God's vengeance hung over England for their seditious treacheries, 
 ' &c. Here the sheriff asked him what he meant ? I do not mean, said 
 
 * he, the parliament j I will not censure nor meddle with their actions, 
 
 * but beseech Almighty God to bless them, and to send the Holy Ghost 
 ' ' to teach them to do what is best for the kingdom, and the catholic 
 
 * church ; and withal he excused the king for having any hand in his 
 
 * blood, and prayed for him, for the queen, the royal issue, and the 
 ' whole kingdom. 
 
 ' I pray God, said he, that they, " the king and parliament," may 
 ' settle all tilings to his honour and glory, and that England may be a 
 ' flourishing kingdom. I desire all whom I have offended lo forgive 
 ' me, as I forgive all the world from the bottom of my heart, and all
 
 THOMAS REYNOLDS. 101 
 
 ' those who have a hand in the effusion of my innocent blood : I pray 
 ' God that it may not be laid to their charge, and that it may not cry to 
 
 * to heaven for vengeance, and lie heavy upon the kingdom. And God 
 
 * forgive them, to please whom I was so suddenly called away. And 
 ' God bless you, Mr. Sheriff, and reward you for your goodness towards 
 
 * me, and for your patience in bearing with my tediousness, and grant 
 ' you his grace to make you a glorious saint in heaven, &c. Here the 
 
 * sheriff answered in a low voice, and I commend myself to you. 
 
 ' All this he spoke with such an undaunted courage, a chearful as- 
 ' pect, and at the same time with such an air of meekness and humility, 
 ' as drew tears from the eyes of many ; and though the crowd was ex- 
 ' traordinary great, the attention and silence was such as might rather 
 ' be expected in a church than upon this occasion. The sheriff, who 
 ' had all this time stood uncovered, and shewing by his own wet cheeks 
 ' a deep concern for the prisoner, turned towards my lord Rich, and 
 ' some other persons of distinction, and with a great feeling and con- 
 
 * cern protested, that he had never seen in his whole life a man die like 
 ' him j and that for his own part he did truly pit}' his condition. 
 
 ' Mr. Reynolds having finished his discourse, kneeled down, dis- 
 ' posing himself for prayer. When Mr. Roe (a man courageous and va- 
 ' liant, says F. Floyd) rising up, and looking about him, said with 
 ' some surprize, here's a jolly company ! I know you come to see me 
 ' die : my fellow here hath in great measure spoke what I would have 
 ' said. However, I shall repeat the words J used at the bar. I say 
 ' then here again, for a man to be put to death for being a priest, this 
 
 * being the most sacred and highest order in the world, is an unjust and 
 ' tyrannical law. I say, that law of the 27th of queen Elizabeth, 
 ' which condemns a man to death for being a priest only, is a wicked, 
 ' unjust, and tyrannical law, a law not to be found even amongst the 
 ' Turks, or elsewhere in the whole universe, England excepted. Here 
 ' the sheriff said, Mr. Roe, I must not surfer you to vilify the laws ; I 
 ' am here to see justice done, and cannot hear you make these reflec- 
 ' tions upon the laws and judicial proceedings of the nation. Where- 
 ' upon Mr. Roe desisted, recommending himself to the prayers of all 
 ' such as were of his religion, forgiving from his heart all persons what- 
 ' soever, and earnestly begging forgiveness of all. This done he pre- 
 ' pared himself for execution, shewing in his behaviour, the whole time, 
 ' an unparalleled contempt of death. 
 
 ' Then the cart, wherein were three felons (one of which had been 
 ' privately reconciled by Mr. Roe the day before, and gave great signs of 
 ' penitence) was placed under the gallows, and the two confessors were 
 ' ordered to get into it, which they did with joy ; and having there em- 
 ' braced each other for the last time, they betook themselves to their 
 ' private devotions. While the executioner was fastening the ropes, 
 ' Mr. Reynolds called to him, friend, says he, pray let all be secure; 
 < and do thy duty neatly ; I have been a neat man all my life. 
 
 ' After some time employed in mental prayer, they rose up \ and 
 ' Mr. Roe espying one of the turnkeys of the Fleet, where he had for- 
 ' merly been a prisoner, friend, (says he, smiling) I find thou art a pro- 
 
 * phet ; thou hast told me often that I should le hanged - } and truly my
 
 302 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 * umvorthiness was such, I could not believe it, but I sec ihou art a pro* 
 <pket. 
 
 ' While the ordinary of Newgate was praying with the felons, the 
 ' two priests recited the Miserere psalm alternatim, Mr. Reynolds begin- 
 ' ning, and Mr. Roe answering ; and having recited the whole psalm, 
 ' and paused a short time, they repeated it a second time, Mr, Roe 
 ' giving out the first verse, Mr. Reynolds answering The executioner 
 ' coming to cover their faces, Mr. Roe told him, he had disposed of 
 ' his handkerchief ; but, says he, / dare look death in the face. 
 
 e In fine, after some devout recommendations of their souls to their 
 ' Saviour, the servants of God, as the cart was drawn away, saluted 
 ' the people with great signs of joy and alacrity, and so passed to a better 
 ' woiid. They hung till they were fully dead, in their cloaths, and 
 
 * afterwards were quartered. Many present dipped their handkerchiefs 
 ' in their blood, others gathered up the bloody straws, and what they 
 ' could get else, going to London with their spoils. The catholics then 
 ' present (maoy in number) seemed even beside themselves with fervor 
 ' and zeal j and into them that were absent, their glorious example hath 
 ' put life and alacrity. Yea, a protestant said, it would te /vng enough 
 
 * before any of our religion will die, as these men do, for their faith ; 
 e they will sooner turn to a hundred religions. Another protestant that 
 ' frequents our house, " they are the words of father Floyd's MS." 
 ' having no handkerchief about him, dipped his glove within and with- 
 ' out, and brought it to us, and could not for weeping relate what the 
 ' good man said : and added, that many protestants wept, even the she- 
 ' riff himself. A protestant lord, to my knowledge, said, that he was 
 ' unwilling they should be put to death, and that it would be the cause 
 ' that two thousand more papists would rise for these two priests ; and 
 ' that he did not doubt, but when Mr. Ward was executed, a thousand 
 
 * were made papists. It is likely, continues the manuscript, that the 
 ' seven condemned priests will shortly also be executed, notwithstanding 
 ' the king's reprieve ; for now the parliament proceeds against priests 
 ' upon their own authority, without asking the king's leave. God give 
 
 * them constancy, and make us partakers of their merits.' So far the ma- 
 nuscript. They suffered at Tyburn, January 21, 1641-2. 
 
 167. * Bartholomew Roe, Priest. O.S.B. 
 
 XJARTHOLOMEW Roe, who in religion was called father Alban, was 
 born in Suffolk, of a gentleman's family, and was from his infancy 
 brought up in the protestant religion. After having gone through his 
 grammar studies in his own country, he was sent to the university of 
 Cambridge, and there for some time applied himself with good success 
 to higher learning ; till going to visit some friends at St. Albans, as pro- 
 vidence would have it, he was there told of one David, an inhabitant 
 of that town, lately convicted and cast into prison for a popish recu- 
 eant, and was desirous to go and talk with the prisoner, making no 
 
 From a manuscript relation, kept by the English Benedictins at Douay, and other 
 memoirs in my hands.
 
 BARTHOLOMEW ROE. 103 
 
 question but that he could convince him of the errors and absurdities of 
 the Rornish tenets ; for he had a sharp and ready wit, and a tongue well 
 hung, and withal, was full of conceit of his own religion, and with 
 false ideas of the catholic doctrine. To the prison therefore he went, 
 and entered into discourse with the prisoner, upon the subject of his 
 religion ; who, though a mechanic, yet was not ill read in controversy, 
 so that he was able to maintain his cause against all the oppositions of 
 our young university man, and even pushed him so hard upon several 
 articles, that Mr. Roe soon perceived he had taken a tartar, and knew 
 not which way to turn himself. In conclusion, he who came to the at- 
 tack with so much confidence of victory, left the field with confusion, 
 beginning now to stagger and diffide in the cause. 
 
 From this time Mr. Roe was very uneasy in mind upon the score of 
 religion ; nor did this uneasiness cease, till, by reading and conferring 
 with catholic priests, he was thoroughly convinced of his errors, and de- 
 termined to embrace the ancient faith. And having found the treasure 
 of God's truth himself, he was very desirous to impart the same to the 
 souls of his neighbours ; and to this end resolved to go abroad, that he 
 might enter into holy orders, and so return home well qualified by vir- ^ 
 tue and learning to preach to others the true way of salvation. Being 
 therefore reconciled to the church, he passed over into Flanders, and 
 entered himself a convictor in the English college of Douay, as appears 
 by the records of that house : but after some time he removed from 
 thence to Dieulwart in Lorrain, where he took the habit of St. Bennet, 
 amongst the English monks of that venerable order ; and having given 
 general satisfaction to all the religious, during the year of his probation, 
 he was admitted to his solemn profession ; and after some time presented 
 to holy orders ; and being judged by his superiors thoroughly qualified, 
 by a long practice of all religious virtues, for the apostolic functions, he 
 was sent upon the English mission. 
 
 Here he took great pains in preaching, conferring with protestants, 
 &c. and gained many souls to Christ and his church ; his zeal and cha- 
 rity making him proof against ail personal dangers,where he thought he 
 could be serviceable to the soul of his neighbour. After some time he 
 fell into the hands of the pursuivants, and was committed to the new pri- 
 son, which was then in Maiden-lane, and for a long time endured great 
 hardships there ; till by the mediation of count Gondomar, the Spanish 
 ambassador, he was taken out of prison, and with many other priests 
 sent irrto banishment. On this occasion he went to Douay, to visit 
 his brethren in their convent of St. Gregory, and remained with them 
 for about four months ; and then returned again upon the English mis- 
 sion, where he spent the remainder of his days, and that for the most 
 part in prison. 
 
 For after he had laboured for about two years more with his usual zeal, 
 he fell a second time into the hands of the adversaries of his faith, and was 
 then coromited a close prisoner to a filthy gaol at St. Albans, the very place 
 where he had received the first favourable impressions of the catholic 
 faith. His confinement here was very strict, and his want even of 
 necessaries so very great, that he verily believed he must have perished 
 tiirough cold and hunger, if a special providence had not interposed
 
 104 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 But after about two months, by the means of some friends, he was sent 
 for up to town, where he was something better accommodated in the 
 prison of the Fleet, and wanted not opportunity (which he improved 
 to the best) during the I 1 / years of his confinement, of being beneficial 
 to the souls of many who resorted to him ; and even for the latter part 
 of the time, he seems to have had the liberty, as several others of his 
 character had in king Charles's days, of going abroad upon his parole, 
 and attending to the calls of his ministry. In the mean time, he suffer- 
 ed much from frequent illnesses, and violent fits of the stone : (for 
 which he was cut more than once) all which he endured with invincible 
 patience and courage ; being remarkably chearful and facetious even in 
 the midst of his sufferings He was also very industrious in animating 
 such as applied to him to the practice of mental prayer ; instructing 
 them in this holy exercise, both by word of moulh, and by several 
 pious tracts, which he translated out of other languages into English, 
 some of which he caused to be published in print, others he left behind 
 him in manuscript. 
 
 About the beginning of the long persecuting parliament, being in 
 conversation with one of his brethren, he told him, that war was at 
 Land, and that it was time to be prepared for the conflict ; and so it 
 happened : for not long after, he was apprehended, and committed to 
 Newgate, and within a few days brought upon his trial at the Old Bai- 
 ley. The chief witness against him was a fallen catholic, whom he had 
 formerly assisted. He pleaded not guilty, but boggled at being tried by 
 his country, that is, by the twelve ignorant jurymen, as being unwil- 
 ling that they should be concerned in the shedding his innocent blood. 
 The judge upon that occasion told him what punishments the law had 
 ordained for such as refused to plead, which he must look for, if he per- 
 sisted to decline being tried by his country : Mr. Roe generously replied, 
 my Saviour has suffered fur more for me, than all that ; and I am wil- 
 ling to suffer the worst of torments for his sake The judge bid him 
 think better of it, and sent him back to prison. 
 
 The next day, after he had taken advice of some grave and learned 
 priests, he was brought again to the bar, and consented, after the exam- 
 ple of so many other confessors of Christ, to be tried by his country. 
 The jury went aside, and quickly returned, declaring him guilty of the 
 indictment, viz. of high treason, on account of his priestly character 
 and functions, and the judge pronounced sentence upon him according 
 to the usual form, which he heard with a serene and chearful counte- 
 nance ; and then making a low reverence, returned thanks to the judge, 
 and to the whole bench for the favour, which he .esteemed very great, 
 and which he had greatly desired : and how little, said he, is this, which 
 I am to suffer for Christ, in comparison with that far more bitter death 
 which he suffered for me ! He then acknowledged himself to be a priest, 
 but withal loudly condemned those laws by which the priests were put 
 to death ; and made a proffer, to maintain by disputation in open court, 
 against any opponent whatsoever, the catholic faith, which he for thirty 
 years had laboured to propagate, and was now about to seal with his 
 blood. This the judges would not hear of, but sent him back to prison, 
 wondering at his constancy and intrepidity.
 
 BARTHOLOMEW ROE. 10$ 
 
 During the few days he remained in prison, between his condemna- 
 tion and execution, his soul seemed always full of joy at the prospect of 
 his approaching happiness. Great numbers came to visit him, and not 
 one of them who did not depart highly edified with his comportment 
 and conversation. On the day that he was to be executed, he found 
 means to celebrate mass in prison early in the morning, which he did 
 with singular devotion ; and after mass made a short, but pathetic ex 
 hortation to the catholics that were present, giving them his last bene- 
 diction, and desiring of them, that as often as in passing through the 
 city, they should see that hand of his fixed on one of the gates, or in. 
 crossing the water should see his head on London bridge, they would 
 remember those lessons which he had preached to them, of the neces- 
 sity of holding fast the catholic faith, and of leading a Christian and 
 holy life. 
 
 When he was admonished that the officers of justice waited for him 
 below, he readily obeyed the summons, and walked down the steps with 
 an edifying composure, and a modest cheerfulness in his looks, saluting 
 the sheriff and ail the people with great civility. Then coming up to 
 the hurdle, and taking Mr. Reynolds by the hand, who was already 
 placed on it, and with his usual facetiousness, feeling his pulse, asked 
 him, how he found himself now ? In very good heart, said Mr. Reynolds, 
 blessed le God for it, and glad that I am to have Jo r my companion in 
 death a person of your undaunted courage. Then after mutual saluta- 
 tions, Mr. Roe being also fastened on the hurdle, they were drawn to 
 Tyburn, as we have already seen in the acts of Mr. Reynolds. 
 
 When they were arrived at Tyburn, they made their last confessions 
 to each other, and after mutual embraces and congratulations, getting up 
 into the cart, they kissed the ropes, and put them on, as their last stoles, 
 in which they were to offer their last sacrifice ; and heartily recommended 
 themselves to the prayers of all catholics. W T e have already taken no- 
 tice of the last speech of Mr. Reynolds, (during which Mr. Roe was 
 busy in preparing for death one of the malefactors whom he had recon- 
 ciled in prison) and how Mr. Roe was hindered by the sheriff from pro- 
 ceeding in his discourse to the people ; upon which occasion, he begged 
 leave to speak a word or two to the sheriff himself, who told him, he 
 might : pray sir, said Mr. Roe, if I will conform to your religion, and 
 go to church, will you secure me my life ? That I will, said the sheriff, 
 upon my word 3 my life for yours if you will but do that. See then, 
 said Mr. Roe, turning to the people, what the crime is for which I ana. 
 to die, and whether my religion be not my only treason. Other parti 
 culars relating to Mr. Roe's death have been recorded above. He re- 
 commended his soul to God when the cart was about to be drawn away ; 
 and he was observed, whilst he was hanging, to hold for some time his 
 hands joined before his breast, and twice separating them a little, to join 
 them again, as one employed in prayer. 
 
 When he was cut down and stripped, in order to be quartered, a 
 certain writing was found about him, perhaps the speech which he de- 
 signed to have spoke, which the sheriff immediately laid hold of, and 
 is said to have laid before the parliament ; but what in particulaj: were 
 th-i contents of it, we have not been informed. 
 VOL. II. p
 
 106 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 1(38. * John Lochiuoody alias Lassels, Priest. 
 
 J OHN Lockwood was eldest son of Christopher Lock wood, esq. of 
 Soresby in the county of York, by N. Lassels his wife, daughter of sir 
 Robert Lassels of Brackenbrough, in the same county. He was born 
 in 1555, according to the Douay diary, which gives him no more than 
 87 years of age, when he suffered ; "(though I have before me some 
 relations, which affirm that he was at that time 96 years old.) He had 
 exercised his priestly functions, according to the same diary, for the 
 ^pace of 44 years before his martyrdom : so it is likely he did not retire 
 out of England till late. Whenever it was, we are assured that he vo- 
 luntarily quitted an estate of four hundred a year, to devote himself to 
 the service of God and his neighbours, in the quality of a priest and of 
 a missioner ; and that at a time, and in a kingdom, where he could 
 look for nothing else in that quality but labours and dangers, prisons, 
 and death. 
 
 He performed his studies abroad, partly in the college of Douay or 
 Rhemes, and partly in that of Rome : but at Rome he was made priest, 
 as appeal's from his answer in court, when being charged with being a 
 Roman priest, he answered, that it was right enough expressed in his 
 regard, for indeed, said he, I was ordained priest at Rome. He was 
 twice at least a prisoner for his faith, before his last apprehension : for I 
 find in Molanus, that he was sent from prison into banishment in l6lO ; 
 and after his return upon the mission was retaken again, and then brought 
 upon his trial, and condemned to die ; but was reprieved, and kept in 
 prison. How long he was confined at this time I have not found, nor 
 liow he escaped out of prison : probably he was discharged, as many 
 others were, either upon occasion of the marriage-treaty with Spain, 
 or by the interest of queen Henrietta Maria. He was apprehended for 
 the last time at a place called the Wood-end, the house of Mrs. Caten- 
 by, a catholic widow, where the old gentleman had lived for some years. 
 He was cultivating his little garden, when the blood-hounds rushed in 
 upon him, and easily secured their prey. The pursuivants were inhabi- 
 tants of a neighbouring market town called Thirsk ; their leader was 
 one Cuthbert Langdale ; and he and another wretch, to fill up the mea- 
 sure of their iniquities, appeared witnesses against him at the York as- 
 sizes, and took away the life of the good old man. 
 
 Some odd circumstances, bordering upon cruelty, which accompa- 
 nied the commitment and condemnation of Mr. Lockwood. especially 
 considering his great age, and the peaceable and inoffensive disposition 
 of the man, gave much offence, not only to catholics, but to many of 
 the more moderate protestants ; insomuch, that even to this day, says 
 Mr. Kn. his execution is mentioned in Yorkshire with pity and compas- 
 sion. Though as'for his own part, it appears by the sequel of the story, 
 that he was well satisfied with the orders of providence, and did even 
 joyfully take up his cross to follow his dying Saviour. He took leave of 
 his friends with a wonderful evenness of mind, and manifestly shewed 
 
 " From the Douay diary, by Mr. Ireland, and from the mannsciipt collet' ion? of 
 Mr. Knaresboroagh.
 
 JOHN LOCKWOOD. 107 
 
 by his behaviour, that he was not under the least concern at his com- 
 mitment, or the consequences of it. 
 
 The great difficulty was, how to convey the prisoner to York. They 
 set him on horseback, but through weakness and age he was not able to 
 ride : ' Upon this, Cuthbert gets on behind, and supports his feeble 
 ' charge ; but neither would this contrivance long succeed ; the poor 
 ' old man after a short trial fainted away, and had like to have disap- 
 ' pointed. the priest-catcher of his reward. When he was a little reco- 
 ' vered, they jogged on again, but again the old gentleman grew very 
 ' sick, and plainly told his governor, that he could no longer sit on 
 
 * horseback : then you shall He on horseback, quoth Cuthbert ; for to 
 ' York castle you are sent, and to York castle you shall go, with leave of 
 ' the Lord. Accordingly they laid the prisoner on the horse, Cuth- 
 ' bert still riding behind, with one hand managing the beast, and his 
 ' prisoner with the other. And thus moving on by easy marches, after 
 ' many a halt, and many a sick fit, and fainting away, he brought his 
 ' charge alive to York, where they made an odd appearance in the streets, 
 ' and had many lookers on. A passage well remembered, says Mr. 
 ' '.Kn., " from whom we have transcribed it," spoke of to this day and 
 ' by die antient inhabitants of that city, with indignation and horror.' 
 
 Cuthbert having now performed his task, and delivered up his pri- 
 soner to the gaoler, was making haste homeward, when Mr. Lock- 
 wood very friendly called to him, and at the same time pulling out his 
 purse, ' hark you Cuthbert,' says the old gentleman, ' I have even gi- 
 ' ven you a great deal of trouble in bringing me to this happy place, 
 ' here take that angel for your pains, and the Lord be with you.' And 
 five shillings more" he gave to the under priest- catcher for his share in 
 the trouble, so they took leave of each other, and parted very good 
 friends. 
 
 At the next assizes Mr. Lockwood, with his fellow prisoner Mr. 
 Catherick, was tried and condemned ; and though they were for a short 
 time reprieved by the king, the clamours of the parliament against re- 
 prieving priests were such at that time, that his majesty, though, as it 
 is thought, very much against his inclinations, signed the dead warrant 
 for their execution. And accordingly, on the 13th of April, 1642, the 
 king and the prince of Wales, with many lords and persons of distinc- 
 tion, being then at the manor in York, Mr. Lockwood and Mr. Cathe- 
 rick were laid on a hurdle, and drawn through the streets of York to the 
 place of execution, to suffer according to sentence. 
 
 After some time employed in private devotions, the sheriff appointed 
 Mr. Catherick to walk up the ladder : he moved towards it in obedience 
 to orders, but shewed by his countenance, that the fears of death had 
 encompassed and oppressed his soul ; which Mr. Lockwood observing 
 stepped forward, and planting himself at the foot of the ladder, 
 ' Mr. Sheriff",' say 8 h e > ' under favour the place is mine, I am 
 
 * his senior by many years, and therefore with leave I challenge 
 ' it as my right to mount the ladder first. Then applying hici- 
 ' self to Mr. Catherick, my dear brother in Jesus Christ, and fellow- 
 < sufferer, 1 says he, ' take courage ; we have almost run our race, srall 
 f we faint and be tired when in sight of the prize ? O let us rur. in-
 
 108 MEMOIRS, &rc. 
 
 < spirit to ottr Saviour in the garden, and call upon him in his agony and 
 ' bloody sweat. O blessed Lord Jesus ! who submittedst thyself ta 
 ' death, for the example and comfort of thy servants at the hour of 
 ' their deaths, be near us we beseech thee at this moment, moderate 
 ' our fears, strengthen our faith, and confirm our hopes, that in obedi- 
 ' ence to thy call we may go forth to meet thee readily and chearfully ; 
 ' and thankfully drink of thy chalice, how bitter soever to nature. O 
 f Jesus ! sweeten it by thy grace ; help thy poor servants that call upon 
 ', thee, that we may here lay down our lives in obedience to thy holy 
 '. will, and in defence of thy holy religion, with constancy and perseve- 
 ' ranee. Lord Jesus, once more we recommend ourselves in this dread- 
 ' ful hour to thee ! help us by thy powerful grace, that thou O Lord 
 '.mayest be glorified in our deaths, and thy church and people edified.' 
 
 This done, the holy man began to climb up the ladder as well as he 
 could j but finding himself out of breath, he made a halt, and turning 
 to the sheriff with a smiling countenance, ' good Mr. sheriff,' says he, 
 ' have a litte patience with me ; indeed this same climbing a ladder is 
 ' a piece of hard service for an old man of fourscore and seven : howe- 
 f : ver, I will do my best ; for who would not take thus much pains, 
 ' Mr. Sheriff, to get heaven at the journey's end.' Then he began again 
 to ascend, and with the help of two men, whom he rewarded with a 
 shilling each, he arrived at*he top of the ladder. Here pausing a while 
 to recover his breath, he enquired of Mr. Catherick, how he did ? ' In 
 ' good heart,' replies he, ' blessed be God ! and ready to suffer with 
 ' constancy the death his providence has allotted me. Yes, my dear 
 
 * Father, I am willing and ready to follow you, thanks be to my Lord 
 
 * and Saviour Jesus, who by his grace has strengthened me, and by 
 ' your good example has encouraged me.' 
 
 Mr. Lockwood, overjoyed to see his companion thus disposed, pre- 
 pared himself immediately for his end ; and after a few words of edifi- 
 cation to the people, and earnestly desiring the prayers of the catholics, 
 and exhorting them to constancy and patience in their sufferings, he em- 
 ployed a few minutes in silent prayer, and then delivered himself up to 
 the executioner ; and whilst with hands and eyes lifted up towards hea- 
 ven, he cried out, Jesus, my Saviour ! Jesus my Redeemer, receive my 
 soul ! Jesus, le to me a Jesus ! the executioner flung him off, and he 
 soon expired. 
 
 When he was cut down, in order to be bowelled and quartered, the 
 hangman it seems scrupled at the butchery part, and for a time flatly re- 
 fused it } and even taking a rope threatened to hang himself, rather 
 than embrue his hands in innocent blood. But being at last prevailed 
 upon by a wicked woman to undergo the drudgery, he fell to work like 
 a fury, cutting, slashing, and tearing the bodies and bowels as well of 
 Mr. Lockwood, as of Mr. Catherick, hashing their entrails into small 
 parts, and flinging them like a madman amongst the crowd. The heads 
 and quarters of the two priests were disposed en the several gates or 
 bars, as they term them, of the city ; and Mr. Lockwood's head was 
 fixed on the north gate, called Bootham-bar, close by the king's palace, 
 at the manor, where his majesty then resided, insomuch that it was not 
 possible for himjto come out of the palace gate, or even look out from.
 
 EDMUND CATHEHICK. Wg 
 
 the east, but old Eleazar's bloody head was before bis eye?, which muat 
 have affected his miud with some troublesome remembrances. 
 
 169. * Edmund Catherick, Priest. 
 
 ilE was descended from the Cathericks of Carlton, an ancient family 
 in the north riding of Yorkshire, not far from Richmond. He perform- 
 ed his studies in the English college of Douay, and being there made 
 priest, was sent upon the English mission about the year 1635, being 
 then 30 years old. He stands with a fair character in the college diary, 
 and is particularly commended for his extraordinary meekness, and for 
 his zeal and labours in the mission. " R. D. Lockwood, eadem hora 
 secutus est R. D. Edmundus Catherick, qfras Huddlestone Eb.oracen- 
 sis, in passione socius , eo quod Sacerdos esset. Vir mitlss'imus, $5* hujus 
 colegii alumnus, annos hakcnsS", quorum " in vinea Anglicana opera,- 
 rius strenuus impenderat . Diar. MSS. R. D. Ireland, ad annum 1042." 
 
 After seven years labouring in the vineyard of his Lord, he was ap- 
 prehended on the road, not far from Watlass, and was carried by the 
 pursuivants before justice Dodsworth, who had married a near kinswo- 
 man of Mr. Catherick 5 to whom, it seems, the good man some time 
 before (having been invited as a kinsman to his house) had in private 
 candidly owned that he was a priest ; so that Mr. Catherick being now 
 brought before him, the justice without more ado committed him to 
 York castle, and afterwards appeared as evidence against him, making 
 oath that the prisoner had owned himself a priest in his hearing. And 
 it is the opinion of the people of that neighbourhood even to this day, 
 says Mr. Knaresborough in his manuscript collections, that Mr. Dods- 
 worth and his family for some years alter felt the guilt of Mr. Cathe- 
 rick 's blood very heavy upon them, in a long aeries of surprising and 
 dire disasters. 
 
 He was condemned merely for being a priest. His behaviour at the 
 place of execution, was very religious and devout. He employed the 
 whole time in prayer, while Mr. Lockwood was upon the ladder, and 
 by his looks and reverend posture plainly shewed, that his applications to 
 God were full of affection and fervour. When Mr. Lockwood was 
 turned off, Mr. Catherick was ordered up the ladder, and he chearfull/ 
 obeyed : his former fears were now quite dissipated, and a great calm 
 and tranquillity had succeeded in his soul. When he was upon the lad- 
 der, he again betook himself to prayer, earnestly desiring all catholics 
 there present to pray with him, and for him. He spoke little, saying, there 
 ' was no need of it, for that his trial being lately past, whereat many 
 ' of the company were present, they could all bear him witness that he 
 * was tried and condemned for his priesthood ; and that for this only, 
 ' and for no other treason, he was brought thither to suffer death. He 
 ' prayed for the king, his royal consort ar.d their issue, that God in his 
 ' mercy r would shower down his blessings upon them, and send a right 
 f understanding betwixt his majesty and his parliament Then he pray- 
 ' ed for his persecutors, especially the person who was chiefly concerned 
 
 From MI. KiiaiesLw&ush's Ccllecuup*.
 
 UO MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' in his death ; that God would bring him to a sense of his crime, and 
 ' a speedy repentance : adding, that for his own part he freely f ^rgnve 
 ' him, as heartily as he expected and hoped for mercy and paraou oi his 
 * own manifold sins at the hands of God.' 
 
 And now recollecting himself again for a few minutes, with eye? 
 and hands lifted up to heaven, he said, Lord, I oley ; le near me, O 
 Lord! my soul hath trusted in thee ; let me not l<e confounded for ever. 
 Then pulling a cap over his eyes he delivered himself to the executioner, 
 who soon after turned him off the ladder, and he calmly expired, 
 April 13, 1542. His head was placed upon Micklegate bar. His 
 bowels, or rather the fragments of them, were buried on Toft green. 
 
 170. Mr. Wilks, alias Tomson, Priest, Confessor. 
 
 A Little while after the execution of Mr Lockwood and Mr. Cathe- 
 rick, another priest of the secular clergy died in York castle under sen- 
 tence of death His name was Wilks, though he was commonly known 
 by the name of Tomson. He was born at Knaresborough in Yorkshire, 
 was taken at Malton upon a market-day, and set in the stocks to be 
 gazed at by the people almost the whole day ; till a cutler of the town 
 making oath, that he knew him to be lord Evers's priest, he was sent to 
 York castle, tried and convicted j but died before execution. 
 
 171. * Edwafd Morgan, alias Singleton, Priest. 
 
 JC/nwARD Morgan was bom in Flintshire, of North- Waks, and was 
 educated in the English college of Douay :f from hence he was sent 
 into Spain (as appears by the account he gave of himself to the people at 
 the place of execution) and there made priest at Salamanca. From 
 Spain he went to Rome ; and from Rome he came upon the E nglish 
 mission. In England, after some time, he was apprehended and com- 
 mitted to the Fleet prison, where he remained confined for fourteen or 
 iifteen years ; suffering much from the loathsomeness ot the place, and 
 the want of all necessaries j more particularly during the two last years ; 
 with this additional aggravation to his sufferings, that some were pleased 
 to give it out that he was mad ; which slander he willingly forgave, 
 amongst many other injuries, which he had to suffer from the malice 
 of. his adversaries. 
 
 At length he was brought upon his trial, in this parliamentary per- 
 secution ; and was condemned, barely on account of his being a priest 
 ordained beyond the seas, and remaining in this kingdom contrary to the 
 statute of Elizabeth the 27 th. No other crime was so much as objected 
 to him. The sentence of death was pronounced upon him in the usual 
 form, as in cases of high-treason, on the 23d of April, being the feast 
 
 * From the Douay diary. From a Latin manuscript, by- an eye-witness of his death,' 
 sent me from St. Omer's; and from Chiflet's 1'alnise cleri Anglicani, p. 33. printed at 
 Antwerp 1645, who declares in his epistle dedicatory to the bishop of Antwerp, that; 
 he received all his informations either from eye-witness, or from such as were in- 
 formed by eye-witnesses. 
 
 f Hujus, collegij aiuranus. Mr, Ireland's diary, April J612-.
 
 EDWARD- MORGAN. ill 
 
 of St. George the martyr, the patron of England j which sentence he 
 received with remarkable chearfulness, and even joy. Many protest- 
 ants, as well as catholics, came to see him in prison after condemnation j 
 and whereas th former proposed to him their queries, and their objec- 
 tions against the catholic religion, it was wonderful with what solidity, 
 charity and modesty he answered all their queries, and refuted all their 
 objections ; so that on the one hand they found themselves quite over- 
 whelmed with the weight of his arguments ; and on the other, so ta- 
 ken with his charitable and modest way of treating religious controver- 
 sies, that they could not help having a great respect for him, and a great 
 compassion for his case : and it is affirmed that these conferences were 
 of no small service to the souls of several of them. 
 
 As to the catholics, many of them made their confessions to him, 
 and these, as weil as the rest, thought themselves happy if they .could 
 carry off any thing that belonged to him, to keep as a relic ; insomuch 
 that they cut oft his very buttons, and pieces of his cloak j till he wa 
 forced to give it up to be divided amongst them 5 and instead of it they 
 furnished him with a new one to carry with him to Tyburn. Many 
 wept and lamented his case, whom he comforted with cheerful words, 
 flowing from the abundance of a heart full of joy at the approaches of so 
 great a happiness as that of dying for Christ ; declaring to them withal, 
 to the greater glory of God, that though by nature he was timorous, he 
 had now no manner of apprehension of halters, knives, or fires, or 
 whatever else he could suffer for so good a cause ; and that he should be 
 even glad to have many lives, that he might lay them all down in the 
 service of so good a master. However, he begged that all catholics 
 would pray for him, that he might die like a true Roman catholic priest, 
 that is, said he, with a constant humility, and an humble constancy ; 
 that no fear may terrify me, neither any presumption puff me up, or 
 transport me out of the bound* of a Christian modesty in my words and 
 carriage. 
 
 On the day after his condemnation he found means (which he had 
 not been able to do for a year before) of celebrating in prison the tret 
 mendous mysteries, to prepare himself by that august sacrifice and sa- 
 crament for his death. And the divine majesty was pleased upon this 
 occasion to visit his soul with such spiritual delights and heavenly conso- 
 lations, that he was in a manner in an extacy, and found all the difficulty 
 imaginable to proceed in the divine sacrifice ; his devotion being parti- 
 cularly inflamed with the thought of the holy name of Jesus, from 
 which he was obliged violently to divert his mind, crying out with 
 blessed Xaverius, Satis est Domine. It is enough, O Lord ! or he 
 could never have finished. The dispositions which he found in his soul 
 upon this occasion, he discovered in confidence to a priest of the society 
 of Jesus, who came to visit him that day : and the same, or another 
 friend of his found him the following evening in the like raptures of di- 
 vine love and spiritual joys, though he had been wearied all the day with 
 a continual crowd of people coming to visit and confer with him. The 
 religious man, just now mentioned, asked the confessor of Christ, if 
 there was any thing in which he could be any way serviceable to him ? 
 he answered., that he should be glad of the prayers of the society ; an4
 
 |'ia MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 that his prayers should not be wanting for them : but withal taking him 
 aside, he told him, that in the extremity of want under which he had 
 laboured, during the two last years of his imprisonment in the Fleet, he 
 had been obliged to contract some debts to the value of about twenty- 
 two pounds, which it would be a great comfort to him to see discharged 
 before he died. The good father promised he would do his best to pro- 
 cure him that sum of money ; which he set about without loss of time ; 
 and by the contributions of pious catholics was enabled to carry him the 
 whole sum the next day ; for which in return the holy confessor pro- 
 mised his prayers for all his benefactors, ard in particular for the so- 
 ciety of Jesus. 
 
 The night before he was to suffer, he spent in watching and prayer. 
 The following day, being Tuesday the 26th of April, 1642, about eight 
 o'clock in the morning, he was brought out of prison, and laid on a 
 hurdle or sledge incommodiously enough, as well because his head was 
 laid too low, as also because the rope which he had about his neck, was 
 drawn so strait, that he could scarce take his breath : but this being 
 perceived was remedied in Holborn ; upon which occasion the sledge 
 being obliged to stand, some one very courteously offered him a glass 
 Of wine to drink, which he did not reftise ; and withal he took that op- 
 portunity of informing the people of the cause for which he was going 
 to die ; viz. barely for being a priest; whilst all the standers-by were in 
 admiration at that chearfulness and joy, which they discovered both in 
 his words and looks. The multitude of the people that accompanied 
 the sledge was very great, yet no one in that great number offered to 
 affront or insult him, but rather all shewed a compassion towards him. 
 When they arrived at Tyburn, it was with the greatest difficulty ima- 
 ginable that the sheriff's men could make room for the sledge, so great 
 was the concourse of coaches, horsemen and footmen, there assembled, 
 to be spectators of the last conflict of this soldier of Christ. Yet as soon 
 as they saw him, no other voice was to be heard in the crowd but 
 silence, silence, all being desirous to hear his last words j and a great 
 part of them standing with their heads uncovered. 
 
 As soon as lie was put up into the cart, he sent to the sheriff, who was 
 at a distance by reason of the crowd, to ask leave to speak to the people, 
 declaring that he had that regard to the authority of a lawful magistrate, 
 that he would not speak without his permission. The sheriff used his 
 best endeavours to draw nigher, but could not, and therefore by the 
 means of others that were nearer, gave him the leave that he desired. 
 But first, the servant of God, before he would speak, kneeled down in 
 the cart, and there spent some time in silent prayer : then rising up, 
 and disposing of his hat to a friend who was near, he waited a little 
 while till all were silent, his cbuntenance being all the while wonder- 
 fully serene and chearful. He began by signing himself with the sign 
 of the cross, and took for his text out of the gospel of the foregoing 
 Sunday, those words of our Saviour, the good shepherd lays down hh 
 life for his sfieep, St. John x. acknowledging at the same time himself 
 infinitely unworthy of that title, which properly belongs to Jesus Christ 
 the true shepherd of our souls, who died for us all : but withal inferring 
 from this text that we oyght also, by Christ's- example, and by the
 
 HUGH GREEX. 113 
 
 consideration of his dying for us, to be willing to lay down our lives 
 also for him : and affirming, that to die for being a priest of the catho- 
 lic church, is to die for the church of Christ, and consequently dying 
 for Christ. ' There is but one God, said he, one faith, one baptism, 
 ' one true church, in which is found true hope of salvation, out of 
 ' which there can be none ; and for this true church of Christ I wil- 
 
 * lingly die ; and I offer up mv blood for the good of my country, and 
 ' for tire procuring a better understanding between the king and par- 
 
 * liament.' Here he was interrupted by a minister, telling him to 
 prepare himself for death, and not to stand seducing the people. The 
 confessor replied, sir, this is not a proper time for me to dispute with 
 you ; I beg you would not be troublesome to me now ; and so went 
 resolutely on with his discourse (though he was several times inter- 
 rupted by the same minister) proving the true church by its antiquity, 
 universality, succession, Sec. and demonstrating that the modern sects 
 are ail too new to have any claim to a succession from the apostles, or 
 commission from Christ. His words seemed to make no small im- 
 pression on the hearers ; who were also astonished at his intrepidity, 
 and that wonderful chearfulness with which he met death. 
 
 He also gave the people on this occasion a short account of his 
 birth, parentage and education ; acknowledging himself to be a priest, 
 and begging of God to forgive all who had slandered him, or been 
 the cause of his manifold sufferings, a; he besought his divine majesty 
 to forgive his own innumerable sins. After Le had finished his dis- 
 course, and t!;e rope was now fastened in order to execution, he 
 cheartully said, he hoped he should now be sent to heaven in a string. 
 A minister taking him up, said it was now no time to joke : Mr. 
 Morgan replied, indeed this was no joking matter with me, but very 
 serious ; but why should any one be oifended at my going to heaver) 
 cheaf fully ? For God loves a chcarful gi-er. Then after he had re- 
 commended his departing soul by prayer to God, the cart was drawn 
 away ; and he was suffered to hang till he was dead, and then he 
 was cut down, bowelled and quartered. He suffered in the 57th year 
 of his age, April 26, 16-i2. 
 
 172. * Hugh Green, alias Ferdinand Brooks,, Priest, 
 
 1V1.K. Hugh Green, who was known upon the mission by the name 
 of Ferdinand Brooks, or, as he is called in Mr. Ireland's diary, Ferdi- 
 nand Brown, was born in London, about the year 1584, and after 
 an accademical education at Cambridge, became a convert, aod went 
 abroad to the English college of Douay, where he was admitted to 
 the usual oath, and received alumnus, July 7, 1610. He was con- 
 firmed at Cambray, September 2,5, 1611, was advanced to the minor 
 orders, and made sub-deacon at Arras, December 17, deacon March 
 18, and priest June M-, 1612. He sung his first mess on St. John 
 Baptist's day, June 2-t, and left the college on the 6th of August 
 
 * From the Douay diary, and a inamisorii t relation oC his death, by an eye- 
 witness. 
 
 Vol. II. Q.
 
 ll* MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 following, in order to enter himself amongst the capuchins ; but the 
 want of health, or some other impediment preventing his going through 
 with that difficult enterprise, he went over upon the English mission, 
 where he laboured for many years, his residence being at Chediok 
 in Dorsetshire, the seat of lady Arundel. 
 
 When king Charles set forth his proclamation, commanding alt 
 priests to depart the nation by a certain day, and that at their utmost 
 peril, Mr. Green took a resolution to withdraw upon this occasion, as 
 many others had done. The lady of the house opposed the thing, 
 saying it was to no purpose, the' time allowed in the proclamation 
 be'ing now elapsed. Mr. Green had not seen the proclamation, but 
 said with some assurance that there remained two or three days, and 
 therefore he would make the best of his way to Lime the next sea- 
 port, not doubting but he had yet time sufficient to have the benefit 
 of the proclamation. 
 
 When he came to Lime, and was going on board a vessel bound 
 for France, he was roughly accosted by a custom-house officer, en- 
 quiring his name and his business there : Mr. Green very freely told 
 him he was a catholic priest, and that as such he was leaving the 
 kingdom, in obedience to his majesty's late proclamation. The officer 
 answered, that he was mistaken in his account, the day fixed in the 
 proclamation for the departure of the priests and Jesuits being already 
 passed ; and therefore he was not to be allowed the benefit of the 
 proclamation. And whereas he had owned himself a priest in his 
 hearing, he must be had before a justice of peace. Accordingly a 
 constable was called, and Mr. Green was carried before a justice j 
 and notwithstanding his pleading his good intentions of obeying the 
 king's orders, and that he hoped where the mistake was only of two or 
 three days, advantage would not be taken of his unwary but candid 
 discovery of his character, to the endangering of his life ; he was by 
 the justice committed to Dorchester goal ; and after live months im- 
 prisonment was tried and condemned to die, as in cases of high trea- 
 son, barely for being a priest. The following account of his martyr- 
 dom is copied from Mrs. Elizabeth Willoughby's MSS, who was'an 
 eye-witness. 
 
 ' Upon Wednesday before the sentence of death being giveo 
 
 * against him by judge Foster, he said, Sit nomen Domini Jesu bent- 
 ' dictum in scula. " May the name of the Lord Jesus be for ever 
 1 blessed." He should have died upon Thursday, and to that end the 
 ' furze was carried to the hill to make the fire, and a great multitude 
 ' of people were in the streets, and at the gate, and lanes, to see the 
 
 * execution. But our great martyr did desire to die on Friday, the 
 * which was by a friend of his procured of the sheriff", though with 
 
 * very much difficulty, being opposed by Millard the master keeper. 
 1 And it was noted, that after his sentence he never went to bed, and 
 ' eat but very little, scarce enough to sustain nature ; yet was lie 
 ' very chearfiil and full of courage to the last. 
 
 ' Now I beseech our Lord to put his words into my memory, that 
 ' I may expressly relate them, for I have a great scruple to add or 
 ' take 'away : and therefore I have had the help of a true servant of
 
 HUGH GREEN. US 
 
 * God, who was attentive at his death ; yet we being two weak 
 
 * women cannot punctually remember all. Much admired was his 
 ' devotion : he kneeling on the hurdle made his prayer, and kissed 
 ' it before he lay down upon it, and continued his prayers until he 
 ' came to the place of execution. Then he was taken from the 
 ' hurdle, and stayed on the hill a good distance from the gallows* 
 ' until three poor women were hanged : two of them had scut him 
 ' word the night before, that they would die in his faith. O! what 
 ' comfort was this to God's true servant! who did all which was pos- 
 
 * sible to see and to speak with them, but could not. Then thev sent 
 ' again to desire him, that when they had made a confession of their 
 ' sinful life at the gallows, and should give him a sign, that he then 
 ' should absolve them. The which with great joy on his part, and 
 e much benefit (I hope) on theirs, was performed : they two turning 
 f their faces towards us, and throwing forth their arms, cried out to 
 ' him, God be with you, sir ; and so died : but the third woman turned 
 ' from us towards the press of people, and so she died, her face or 
 ' speech never tending towards us. 
 
 ( Now I also noted that our martyr's charity in this short time of 
 * life was not unrewarded ; for God of his mercy was pleased to yield 
 f him the like comfort, by a reverend father of the society of Jesus, 
 ' who w-as there on horseback to absolve him, the which with great 
 *' devotion and reverence, taking off his cap, and lifting up his eyes 
 
 * and hands to heaven, he received from him. 
 
 ' I cannot but bless God to see the magnanimity of these two, our 
 ' holy martyr and that reverend father. The one being at the point 
 
 * of death, with such comfort, as his chearful countenance expressed ; 
 ' and the other not apprehending the great danger he was in to be 
 ' taken by the rude multitude, of whom he should have found no 
 ' mercy. 
 
 ' Now is our martyr brought to the foot of the ladder by the 
 
 * sheriff, where falling upon his knees, he remained in devout prayer 
 
 * almost half an hour : then he took his crucifix and Agnus Dei from 
 ' his nock, and gave them to this devout gcntlewoniaii, my assistant 
 ' in this relation j and his beads he gave Jo another; alsp he gave the 
 ' master-keeper his handkerchief. And last of all to me most un- 
 ' worthy he gave his book of litanies, &e. also from, the gallow-s he 
 ' threw" me down his band, spectacles, and priest's girdle. Then 
 ' turning himself to the people, and blessing himself with the sign of 
 ' the cross, lie began : 
 
 ' There be four principal things, which all men ought to re- 
 ' member ; death, judgment, heaven and hell. Death is a horror to 
 ' nature ; but that which followeth is much more terrible, viz. judg- 
 ' ment, if we die not as we ought ; and as we dispose ourselves to 
 good or evil in this life, so shall the measure of our punishment or 
 ' glory succeed. I am here condemned to die for my religion, and 
 'for being a priest: we know there must be priests, for God'fore- 
 ' telling of the chijrch by the prophets, sailh, Thou art a priest for 
 ' ever, according to the order of Mclchi&cdech, Ps. cix. And, Front 
 ' the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof ^ there shall be a cletar
 
 116 MEMOIRS, &a 
 
 '-sacrifice offered in my name, Malach. i. Now four things are to be 
 '"considered. A God, a sacrifice, a priest, a man. God must be 
 ' served by sacrifice, this sacrifice must be offered by a priest, and 
 ' this priest must be a man : such am I, and therefore I must die. 
 ' Wherefore do we receive holy unction, and are made priests, but 
 ' to offer sacrifice to God ? But I am condemned for being ordained 
 ' by the see of Rome : St. Paul saith, the Romans have the, catholic 
 'faith, Rom. i. &c. and gives God thanks that their faith and his 
 ' were one ; of which catholic faith I am. Against this Roman faith 
 ' all the sectaries cried out ; and all heretics that have been since 
 ' Christ oppugn this faith, and yet truly out of it none can be saved. 
 
 ' There be four things more, one God, one faith, one baptism, 
 ' one church. That there is one God we all acknowledge, in whom, 
 ' from whom, and by whom all things remain and have their being. 
 ' That there is one "faith appears by Christ's praying that St. Peter's 
 ' faith (he said not faiths) should never fail ; and he promised to be 
 ' with it to the end of the world. That there is one baptism ; we are 
 ' all cleansed by the laver of water in the word. That there is one 
 ' church holy and sanctified : doth not St. Paul say, that it is a 
 ' glorious church without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing ? Now 
 ' the marks of this church are sanctity, unity, antiquity, universality ; 
 'which all of us, in all points of faith believe. "Here the ministers in- 
 ' terrupted him, and would have disputed with him ; but he said, he 
 
 * had been five months in prison, and in all that time not any one of 
 ' them came to dispute with him. There he would not have refused 
 'any of them; but now that his time was too short for disputation. 
 ' So he went on." But some will say, We are fallen off from this church 
 
 * of Rome : but in what pope's time, in what prince's reign, or what 
 ' are the errors, none can discover. No, this holy church of Christ 
 ' did never err. We have often offered public disputation, but it 
 ' would never be accepted. No, this church can never be impeached 
 
 * of falsehood in matters of doctrine ; though scholars in school points 
 ' may differ, but never in points of faith. God is the author of all 
 
 * truth, and he hath promised to be with it eren to the consummation of 
 ' theiuorld, St. Matth. xxviii. until we meet all in the unjty of faith, 
 ' and knowledge of the Son of God ; to the end we be not carried 
 ' away with every blast of doctrine ; because many heresies have risen 
 ' with diversities of doctrine to oppugn the truth of God's church, as 
 ' heretofore Arius, Nestorious, Wickliff, and others, so now in these 
 ' our latter times,! Aither, Calvin, Zuingliiis, and the rest, whose doctrine 
 
 * at this present hath so inveigled the judgments of this kingdom ; for God 
 ' cannot be divided, nor served in rnahy faiths. And although there 
 ' have been many heretics, yet this Roman church resisted, confound- 
 ' ed, and condemned all heresies : and Luther himself confesses, that 
 
 * his religion was not begun by God, neither should it be ended by 
 ' God. 
 
 ' Here a minister, (one Banker, some say it was the minister who 
 'formerly had been a weaver, and now is chaplain to Sir Thomas 
 ' Trencher) cried out with a loud voice, He blasphemeth, stop that 
 ' mouth of the blasphemer, cast him off the ladder : and so much noise
 
 HUGH GREEN. 117 
 
 c .was made by the multitude, that the sheriff, to content the people, 
 ' desired our martyr to leave off that discourse ; and silence being 
 ' made, I truly pity our poor countrv, said he, with all my heart, to 
 ' see what divisions are in it, and in religion no unity among you. 
 
 * Then he began to pray heartily tor his majesty, and that this king- 
 
 * dom might be settled in peace, the which he said would never be, 
 ' until there were unity of religion amongst them. 
 
 ' Then he said, I am brought hither for a priest and a traitor : that 
 ' I am a priest I have confessed, and as such I thought to have left 
 ' this my country, in obedience to his majesty's proclamation ; I went 
 ' to receive that benefit for my passage, but was refused, and taken 
 'upon pretence of some few days past, beyond the limitation of the 
 ' aforesaid proclamation, and brought to Dorchester prison, and am 
 ' now /or no other cause, (I thank God) than for bein" a priest, to die, 
 ' and not for any treason to my king or countrv. For 1 protest before 
 ' Almighty God, I never wished hurt to mv king or country in mj 
 ' life; but I prayed for his majesty, and every dny in my Memento at 
 
 * the holy mass, I offered and recommended him to God. But there 
 ' were laws made in queen Elizabeth's days, by which it was made 
 ' treason to be a priest. By this law I am condemned for a traitor ; 
 ' but surely the ancient laws of this kingdom would never have done 
 ' it, as the modern doth. And now judge you, whether the laws so 
 ' lately made by men be Sufficient to overthrow the authority of God's 
 ' church, and to condemn the professors of it? 
 
 ' Nevertheless, I forgive all the world from my heart, and all 
 ' those who have had a hand in my death ; and I beseech you all, if 
 *'I have offended any of you in any thing, that you will every one 
 ' forgive me. I have not liad a purpose to give offence to any of you, 
 ' and I pray God give you all his grace to seek him so, as you may 
 ' be made a'ble to attain his mercy and eternal glory. 
 
 ' Then he called to me, and desired me to commend him heartily 
 ' to all his fellow-prisoners, and to all his friends. I told him I would, 
 ' and that some of them were gone before him, and with joy expected 
 ' him. Then on ray knees I humbly begged his benediction ; so did 
 ' five m'ore of ours ; and he chearfully gave us his blessing, making 
 ' the sign of the holy cross over our heads. Then one Gilbert Loder, 
 ' an attorney, asked him, if he did not deserve death, and believe his 
 ' death to be just ? To which he replied, My death is unjust : so pull- 
 ' ing his cap over his face, his hands joined before his breast, in silent 
 ' prayer he expected almost half an hour his happy passage, by the 
 ( turning of the ladder, for not any one would put a hand to turn it, 
 ' although the sheritf had spoken to many. I heard one bid him do 
 ' it himself. At length he got a country clown, who presently, with 
 ' the help of the hangman, (who sat astride on the gallows) turned the 
 ' ladder, which being done, he was noted by himself and others to 
 ' cross himself three times with his right hand, as he hanged; but in- 
 ' stantly the hangman was commanded to cut him down with a knife 
 ' which the constable held up to Lira stuck in a long stick, although 
 ' land others did our uttermost to have hindered him. Now the fall 
 ' which Jje had from the gallows, not his hanging, did a little astonish
 
 118 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' him ; for that they had willed the hangman to put the knot of the 
 
 * rope at his poll, and not under his ear, as it is usual. The man that 
 
 * Was to quarter him, was a timorous unskilful man, by trade a barber, 
 
 * and his name was Barefoot, whose mother, sisters, and brothers, 
 
 * are devout catholics ; he was so long a dismembering him, that he 
 
 * came to his perfect senses, and sat upright, and took Barefoot by 
 
 * the hand, to shew, (as I believe) that he forgave him ; but the peo~ 
 
 * pie pulled him down by the rope which was about his neck: then, 
 ' did this butcher cut his belly on both sides, and turned the flap upon 
 e his breast, which the holy man feeling, put his left hand upon his 
 
 * bowels, and looking on his bloody hand, laid it down by his 
 
 * side ; and lifted up his right hand, he crossed himself, saying 
 
 * tli ree times, Jesu, Jesu, Jesu, mercy/ The which, although unwor- 
 4 thy, I am a witness of, ibr my hand was on his forehead ; and many 
 ' protestants heard him, and to'ok great notice of it : for all the catho- 
 ' lies were pressed away by the unruly multitude, except myself, who 
 
 * never left him until his head was severed from his body. Whilst he 
 
 * was thus calling upon Jesus, the butcher did pull a piece of his liver 
 'out instead of his heart, and tumbling his guts out every way, to see 
 
 * if his heart were not amongst them ; then with his knife he raked in 
 
 * the body of this blessed martyr, who even then called on Jesus, 
 f and his forehead sweat ; then was it cold, and presently again it 
 f burned ; his eyes, nose, and mouth, run over with blood and Avater. 
 
 * His patience was admirable, and when his tongue could no longer 
 ' pronounce that life-giving name Jesu, his lips moved, and his in- 
 
 * ward groans gave signs of those lamentable torments which for more 
 ' than half an hour he suffered. Methought my heart was pulled out 
 'of my body to see him in such cruel pains, lifting up his eyes to 
 
 * heaven, and not yet dead : then I could no longer hold, but cried, 
 ' out upon them that did so torment him : upon which a devout gentle- 
 r woman understanding he did yet live, went to Cancola the Sheriff, 
 
 * who was her uncle's steward^ and on her knees besought him to sec 
 'justice done, and to put him out of his pain, w r ho at her request 
 
 * commanded to cut off his head; then with a knife they did cut his 
 9 throat, and with a cleaver chopped off his head ; and so this thrice 
 
 * most blessed martyr died. Then was his heart found and put upon a 
 ''spear, and shewed to the people, and so thrown into the fire, which 
 ' was on the side of a hill. They say the heart did roll from the rire, 
 
 * and that a woman did take it up, and carry it away. This I speak 
 
 * not of my knowledge, but what is here reported to be true ; and it 
 
 * may be very probable, because the hill is sleep and uneven, and the 
 heart not thrown as usually, but from the point of a long spear. 
 ' Then did this gentlewoman and myself go to the sheriff, and beg his 
 ' body, the which he freely gave unto us. Now did the devil roar, 
 ' and his instruments the blinded Dorcestrians, (whom with my soul 
 r 1 deplored) did fret and chafe ; and told the sheriff, that he could not. 
 ' dispose of his quarters to papists, neither should we have them. 
 ' And truly I believe, that if we should have offered to carry them 
 ' away, they would have thrown the body and us into the fire, for 
 ' our number was but small, and they many thousands. Their fury 
 ' did so rage against us, that we were forced to withdraw ourselves \ 
 ' and had not 1 procured the master keeper's wife to have gone back
 
 THOMAS BULLAKER. 1.19 
 
 * with us to the town, they had stoned us, or done us worse harm, as 
 
 * I was told by many credible people ; so great is their malice to ca- 
 ' tholics, God in his mercy pardon and convert them. From the town 
 
 * we sent a shrovvd by a protestant woman, to wrap his happy quar- 
 
 * ters in ; whom, it seems, God did send to us on purpose to do this 
 
 * last ottice unto his servant ; for to us all she was a stranger, and live* 
 
 * twelve miles from the town. And when she heard us mourn, that 
 ' not any of us durst appear, she with a courage went and saw hif 
 
 * quarters put into the shrowd, and buried them near to the gallows, 
 
 * although she suffered many affronts from the ungodly multitude; who 
 
 * from ten o'clock in the morning, till four in the afternoon, stayed 
 ' on the hill, and sported themselves at football with his head, and put 
 
 * sticks in his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, and then they buried it 
 
 * near to the body ; for they durst not set it upon their gate, because the 
 ' last before, which was long since martyred amongst them, " Mr. 
 ' John Cornelius Mohun, anno domini 1.59 k" they set up his head 
 
 * upon their town gate, and presently there ensued a plague, which 
 ' cost most of them their lives ; so that still they fear, yet will not 
 
 * amend : God hold his merciful hand over them, or else I fear a se- 
 
 * vere judgment will befall them for this their last inhuman cruelty. I 
 ' wish the contrary, and heartily pray that we may all partake of the 
 ' prayers and sufferings of this our glorious martyr, whose magnani- 
 ' mity and patience were to me both admirable and profitable. And 
 
 * well did one minister sav, who was present at his death, amongst 
 
 * forty more of his coat, that if many such men should die, and be 
 
 * suffered to speak as he did, they should soon shut up their books. 
 ' This is credible, although for some respects the man is not named. 
 ' Sir, this briefly is what I conceived myself obliged to signify unto 
 ' you concerning this subject, not doubting but you will conceive the 
 ' same comfort in reading it, as I did in writing the same unto vou. 
 ' who am, Sir, &c. E. WILLOUGHBY.' 
 
 This same account was not long after published in print by C'hifle- 
 tius, in his Palmcc Cleri Anglicani, and the substance of it is found 
 in the Douay diary, 1642. Mr. Green suffered at Dorchester, on 
 Friday the 19th of August, 1612, in the 57th year of his age. 
 
 173. * Thomas Bullaktr, Priest, O. S. F. 
 
 A HOMAS Bullaker, called in religion, father John Baptist, was born at 
 (Jhichester in Sussex, about the year 1604-, of pious & catholic parents. 
 His father was a noted physician, who brought up his son in the fear of 
 God, & gave him a liberal education. At the age of 1 8 he went over to 
 the college of St. Omers, under the care of the fathers of the society; & 
 irom thence, after a short stay, he was, with divers others, sent to 
 the English seminary of Valladolid in Spain. He had not been long 
 here betbre he found a call to the order of St. Francis, which grew 
 <laily stronger upon him: but then how to put this call in execution 
 
 . # From F. Ansrelus, a 3. Francisco, in his Certamen Seraphjcum, printed 
 anuo 1649, p. 31. &c.
 
 120 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 he knew not; being quite a stranger to the religious of that order, 
 (as they also were to him) and not so much as knowing the language 
 of the country ; and withal apprehending an opposition from the su- 
 periors of iiis college, were they to know any thing of his inclina- 
 tions. In this perplexity he had recourse to God, praying night and 
 day, with many tears, and using divers mortifications, such as hair- 
 shirts, disciplines; lying on the ground, &c. till at length he took 
 courage, and communicated the affair to his confessor, the reverend 
 father Baker, S. J. and he, after examining his vocation, and putting 
 him into a spiritual exercise of ten days ; and finding him still more 
 ardently desiring to embrace the austerity, poverty, and humility of 
 the Franciscan institute, approved of his call, and joined with the rec- 
 tor of the college in petitioning for his admission in the celebrated 
 convent of the Spanish recollects at Abrojo, at six miles distance from 
 Valladolid. The petition was granted to the great satisfaction of 
 young Mr. Bullaker, now about nineteen years of age ; who upon the 
 receiving of the news, broke out into those words of the royal pro- 
 phet, Lcetatus sum in his qua dicta stint mihi, in domum domini i'bimus, 
 Fsal. cxxi. 
 
 He passed his noviceship, and made his religious profession in the 
 convent of Abrojo : and then was sent by his superiors to another 
 convent of the order, to study philosophy ; and from thence to Valla- 
 dolid to study divinity, which he began there, but finished at Segobia. 
 And now being made priest, the Spanish province of the recollects 
 of the immaculate conception, (in which he was professed) being about 
 to send missioners to labour in the West Indies, he petitioned to be of* 
 the number : but his provincial would not consent to that proposal, 
 but told him his own native country England had a better title to his 
 labours, and stood as much in need of them, as the Indies could do. 
 leather Bullaker acquiesced, and willingly embraced the will of God 
 notified to him, bv his superior : and having received proper licence 
 and mission, and prepared himself by an extraordinary recollection 
 and retreat of ten days, he set out upon his journey, which he made 
 on foot (in a secular habit which he had begged) through a great part 
 of Spain and France, in the midst of many dangers and difficulties, 
 till he came to Bourdeaux. Here he took shipping in an English 
 vessel, and landed safe at Plymouth. 
 
 He was scarce come to his inn, when he was apprehended upon 
 the information of the master of the ship, and brought before the 
 mayor of Plymouth; and after examination, committed to a filthy jail 
 in that town ; where he suffered all kinds of extremities for eight clays, 
 having no other bed but the bare ground, it being the winter season 
 and very severe. From Plymouth he was sent to the county jail at 
 Exeter, 'where he was put amongst the felons, and not much better 
 accommodated than he had been at Plymouth ; only he received some 
 small charities, from the few catholics that were in that neighbourhood. 
 In this prison he remained till the lenten assizes, when he was brought 
 to the bar, in order to be tried : but no sufficient evidence appearing 
 against him, his trial was put off. In the mean time some fiiends 
 having interested themselves in his favour at cgurt, he was sent for up
 
 THOMAS BULLAKER. 121 
 
 fo London, and discharged. But what he had suffered in his impri- 
 sonment brought a violent fever upon him ; from which he recovered 
 indeed, yet so that he was never after a healthy man to his dying 
 day. 
 
 Being recovered, he was sent bv his superior into the country, 
 where he laboured with great zeal and fruit, lor about eleven years : 
 till hearing of the martyrdom of Mr. Ward, he was inflamed with a 
 vehement desire of glorifying his master by the like death : which 
 desire of his was increased by the news of the condemnation of the 
 seven priests in the latter end of the same year. Upon this he quits 
 his residence in the country, and with the leave of his superior, dedi- 
 cates himself to the laborious employment of assisting the poor, the 
 sick, and the imprisoned in London ; in hopes of more readily meeting 
 with martyrdom there : he takes a lodging for this purpose in the city, 
 which was soon after visited by the pursuivants, coming to search for 
 a priest. What does he do upon this occasion? Instead of hiding 
 himself, he goes up to the men, and boldly asks them, Am I the priest 
 you search for ? They answer, no. IVIiy, says he, there is no other 
 here. However, they said no more to him, but went their way ; and 
 though they returned again upon the same errand the next day, and 
 found his chamber open where he was sitting at dinner, in their sight, 
 and his breviary was lying hard bv on a table ; yet they took no 
 notice of him, nor so much as offered to come within his room j which 
 gave him no small uneasiness : but his time was not yet come. What 
 follows with regard to his apprehension, examinations, and trial, is 
 an abstract of a manuscript relation written by himself, at the request 
 of a reverend priest, a little befor his death ; published in the Certa- 
 inen Seraplucum, p. 4-7, Sic. 
 
 'On Sunday being the 1 1th of September, 16 12, it pleased AI- 
 ' mighty God to assuage my sorrows, by giving me good hopes that 
 ' he had vouchsafed at length to hear my unworthy prayers, and would 
 ' speedily grant my petition. For this morning in my devotions, 
 ' immediately before mass, having repeated again my former prayer, 
 ' with as much earnestness as I could, that God in his infinite goodness 
 ' would grant me, though most unworthy, the favour of laying 
 ' down my life for his sake ; and having said, as usual, the litanies of 
 ' the blessed virgin, and begun mass ; when I was come to the hymnT^ 
 ' Gloria in excdsis, the apostate Wadsworth, coming into the room, 
 ' seized me at the altar. I offered to take off'my vestments ; but he 
 ' opposed it, saying, he would have me, vested as I was, before 
 ' the sheriff of London : I urged the inconveniencies that might fol- 
 
 * low to himself as well as to me, from the mob, if he conducted me 
 ' through the streets in that dress. Upon this remonstrance he con- 
 
 * sented that I should pull off my vestments : which he immediately 
 ' seized, together with the books, beads, pictures, &c. and my silver 
 ' oil box ; and then carried me, together with the lady of the house, 
 ' before the sheriff. 
 
 ' The sheriff asked me, if I was a priest ?- I told him, I was. 
 
 * Then, said he, how durst you presume to return into England, in 
 
 Vol. II. R
 
 122 MEMOIRS, Sec. ' 
 
 ' contempt of the laws, which prohibit priests returning hither, untfrt* 
 ' the severest penalties ? I answered, because I was convinced that 
 ' those laws were unjust, and therefore not to be regarded. I added 
 ' that I believed if they went on, as thev had began, they would soon 
 ' make it high treason to believe in Christ ; for it appeared how little 
 ' regard they had to him, whose image on the cross of Cheap si do 
 ' they had lately so grossly abused. Some of the standers-bv asked 
 
 * me, where Christ had commanded in the scriptures the making of 
 ' his image ? I answered, that though this was not expressly com- 
 ' manded in scripture ; yet it was agreeable to the law of nature, 
 
 * to which the divine law is no way opposite, to testify our love to a 
 ' person by the regard we have to his picture or image ; and thus 
 ' both right reason and experience shew, that the affront offered to 
 ' the king's image, is to be looked upon as done to himself, and is 
 ' punished as such. What then must be thought of the affronts vou 
 ' have lately offered to the image of Jesus Christ, the king of kings ? 
 ' Then the sheriff asked me, for what intent I had returned to Eng- 
 ' land ? I answered, to bring back my country to the fold of Christ, 
 
 * from which it was gone astray : that I was sent hither to this end. 
 
 * He asked me, who sent me ? I answered, I was sent by those who 
 
 * had an authority to do it, delegated to them by the pope. Then the- 
 
 * sheriff left me, and I was carried out by a backdoor into another 
 ' street, by reason of the great concourse of the mob before the house, 
 ' and conducted to the New Prison. 
 
 ' On Tuesday morning I was carried to Westminster, to be ex- 
 ' amined before a committee of parliament, appointed for that pur- 
 ,' pose. When I came thither, Wadsworth brought in the vestments 
 ' and other ornaments which he had taken, and laid them upon the 
 ' table before the committee ; one of them sr.id, they were but mean : 
 ' they are too good, said I, for those that now have them. The 
 ' chairman gravely said, as mean as they aro, they can serve for an 
 
 * idolatrous worship as well as the best. What idolatrous worship, 
 
 * sir ? said I. Why, said he, is it not idolatry to worship bread for 
 'God? I replied, we worship not the bread and wine for God, in 
 
 * the tremendous mysteries ; but we worship Jesus Christ under the 
 
 * species of bread and wine, as the church of God has always done 
 ' from the days of the apostles. 
 
 * Whilst this controversy was in agitation, one of the company 
 ' in looking over and examining the vestments, uncovered the altar 
 ' <ione, and viewing the crosses upon it, cried out, tiiat he had there 
 f discovered the number of the beast. I could scarce forbear laughing 
 ' at his ignorance : but going up to him, I said, pray, sir, since you 
 'are so well acquainted with the beast, be pleased to tell me what 
 ' is his name. Then the chairman asked me, how I durst presume to 
 '' disobey the laws of my country ? I answered with the apostles 
 ' Arts iv, Judge you, if 'it be just 'in the sight of God, to obey you rather 
 ** than God. Sir William Cawlcy, formerly my school fellow, said, 
 'you know, Mr. Bullaker, it is' written, l\-ur God, and honour the 
 ' king. I know it, said I, and I also know that the parliament which 
 '"made it treason to be a priest, did also bv la\v establish the govern- 
 ' went of the church by bishops, the common prayer, and cereroo.-.
 
 THOMAS BULLAKER. 123 
 
 * nics ; all which in this present parliament you oppose. True, said 
 
 * he, but why may we not amend what is ill ordered before ? This, 
 
 * said I, is what you attempt ; but assure yourself, that a parliament 
 ' will come, and that the very next parliament that shall sit, in which 
 ' that religion which you now pretend to establish (viz. presbytery) 
 
 * will be rejected and thrown out. He said, I should never see that 
 ' day. I know, said I, that the time of my dissolution is at hand, but 
 
 * what I have foretold will certainly happen.' " It did so : for after 
 ' the rump was dissolved there was no legal parliament till the resto- 
 ' ration, when all their religious ordinances were annulled ; this pre- 
 ' diction was published in print in the Certamtn Seruphicwn, p. 31, 
 ' anno 1649, i. e. eleven years before the event." 
 
 ' Upon this they cried out, I was a traitor, and that all their pre- 
 ' sent troubles were owing to the practices of me, and such as me. 
 ' I would to God! said I, there were not in this kingdom another 
 / kind of traitors, from whom the nation has reason to fear far more real 
 
 * and greater dangers : for all your pretences of popish plots, I defy 
 ' you to produce any legal proof of any one single treasonable attempt 
 ' of any .catholic, from the beginning of this parliament, to this present 
 ' day. Then they asked how long I had been a priest? and how 
 ' many years I/had been in England ? I answered, that subducting out 
 
 * of my age (which was about 38) 24 years : I had been priest all the 
 ' rest ; and had been about 12 years in England. They asked, How 
 ' many priests there were of our order in the kingdom ? 1 told them, 
 'though I w r as so free in confessing what related to myself, they were 
 ' mistaken, if they imagined I would betray my brethren, or bring 
 1 them into danger ; and therefore I should answer nothing upon that 
 ' head. Here Wadsworth addressed himself to the committee, said, 
 
 * ihj.s man is so obstinate and resolute in his way, that he is not afraid 
 ' to profes-;, that if you send him out of the nation by one port, he 
 ' n ill return by another ; which though they interpreted to be a con- 
 ' tempt, I there plainly affirmed. They asked me in fine, amongst 
 ' many other things, whether the bishop of Chalcedon had given 
 ' orders whilst he was here in England r I told them no : in conclu- 
 ' SI'CMI, they sent my name, and my examination, which they had taken 
 ' down in writing, to the lord chief justice, and sent me to Newgate, 
 ' in order for my trial and execution. 
 
 ' When I was brought to the court to be tried, I first made the sign 
 
 * of the cross upon my forehead, mouth, and breast, saying aloud, Per 
 ' .<;' -j>; a >n erne is dc iniinic/s nostri-t libcra nos dens nosier ; and then 
 ' humbly begged the blessing of the most sacred trinity. The clerk of 
 
 * the sessions ordered me to hold up my hand, and my indictment 
 ' being read, he asked if I was guilty, or not guilty. I answered, 1 
 ' if by guilty you mean a criminal, as if by taking orders I was guilty 
 ' of any crime or fault, I am not guilty : but a priest I am, and that 
 
 ' I will never deny. Then, said they, thou art a traitor. Had the 
 ' kingdom, said I, 'no other kind of traitors, it would be in a far bet- 
 ' ter condition than it is at present. At these words the court was 
 ' silent for a while, and then they cried out, I was a seducer. Now, 
 '. said I, you give me occasion to rejoice, because you treat me with, 
 ' the same title as the Jews did my Saviour, whom they called a
 
 124- MEMOIRS, See. 
 
 ' seducer. I added, that he that first taught the law of Christ to the 
 ' English nation, (viz. St. Augustine) was a priest like me, and was 
 ' in like manner sent hither by the pope, viz. St. Gregory the great. 
 
 ' They asked again, if I were guilty or not guilty ? I answered, 
 ' I am not guilty of any treason, or any other capital crime ; but I 
 ' confess I am a priest, "and that I was taken at mass; nor wil! ever 
 ' deny my priesthood, though I were to die a thousand deaths for it : 
 ' but to say I am guilty in being a priest, as if there were any guilt in 
 
 * the matter, whereas nothing can be more honourable, that I will 
 
 * never do. Here they made a great outcry, as if I had said, I was 
 
 ' for I 
 I 
 
 or 
 
 sin. Then the recorder said) Mr. Bullaker,~ you have here confes- 
 ' sed over and over again, that you are a priest, plead therefore to 
 ' your indictment directly, guilty or not guilty. I answered as before, 
 
 am not guilty of any treason, but a priest I am. He urged, your 
 
 I , v ., . 
 ' being a priest make* you guiltv of treason, by your transgressing 
 
 * the laws of the land. I answered, that those laws were not to be 
 ' regarded which were repugnant to the law of God : that the heathens 
 
 * of old, and the Mahometans at present had laws, bv which it was 
 ' death to preach to them the law of Christ, but that the trangression 
 ' of such laws as these could be no treason. I added, that the parlia- 
 ' ment which had made that law, by which priests were declared 
 
 * traitors, was certainly not infallible in making laws, a privilege which 
 
 * they would not allow even to the universal church of God, which 
 ' St. Paul calls the pillar and ground work of the truth.' So tar we have 
 abridged the confessor's own account of himself. 
 
 The recorder directed the jury to bring him in guilty of , the 
 indictment: and though, as my author says, they boggled at it, and 
 *vere for having the case referred to the parliament, he proceeded to 
 pronounce sentence upon him, in the usual form. F. Bullaker could 
 not contain his joy upon this occasion, but falling down on his knees, 
 with hands and eyes lifted up towards heaven, sung the Te Deum in 
 thanksgiving to God ; then rising, made a profound reverence to. 
 the court, thanking them for the great favour they had done him ; and 
 so with a remarkable chearfulness and serenity in his countenance was 
 conducted back to Newgate, where he employed the short time that 
 remained of his mortal life in private devotions, and spiritual con- 
 ferences with such of the faithful as applied to him about the concerns 
 of their souls. 
 
 On Wednesday the 12th of October, 164-2, he was brought out 
 of prison, and laid on the sledge, and so drawn to Tyburn, shew- 
 ing all the way a wonderful cheartulness in his countenance. At the 
 place of execution, he spoke to the people upon the text, Thou art a 
 priest for ever according to the order of Melcliiscdccli , Psal. cix. He 
 offered to speak of the real presence of the body and blood of Christ 
 in the blessed sacrament, but was interrupted by the ministers ; and 
 after a little time was ordered by the officer to make an end ; he 
 readily obeyed, giving them hearty thanks tor bringing him thither to
 
 THOMAS HOLLAND. 125 
 
 die for the defence of his faith ; a happiness which he said he had 
 always aspired after, though he acknowledged himself unworthy of 
 ir. He received absolution from one of his brethren, upon giving the 
 sign agreed upon before : and then he employed a short time in 
 silent prayer, standing as it were in contemplation till the cart was 
 drawn away. He was cut down before he was fully dead, dismem- 
 bered, bowelled, and quartered. His heart was saved from the flames 
 by a priest of the same order, whom we just now mentioned: his 
 head was set up on London bridge, and his quarters upon the gates 
 of the city. He suffered in the 38th year of. his age, the 19th of his 
 religious profession, the J-tth of his priesthood, and the 12th of hi* 
 mission. 
 
 174. * Thomas Holland, Priest, S. J. 
 
 T_ 
 HOMAS HOLLAND was born in Lancashire in the year 1600, and 
 was sent over very young to the English college of St. Omer'.s where 
 he employed six years in his studies, giving so great edification to his 
 fellow students, that he was more than once chosen by their votes pre- 
 lect of the sodality of our blessed lady ; and was remarkable for his 
 talent in exhorting and encouraging his companions to piety and de- 
 votion. When he had finished his rhetorick, he was sent into Spain 
 to the English seminary of Valladolid, in Aug. lu'21, where he went 
 through the course of his philosophy. Whilst he was here, Charles 
 Prince of Wales arrived at Madrid, on occasion of the match then 
 proposed with the Infanta Maria; and it was thought proper that the 
 English seminaries in that kingdom should make their compliments to 
 their prince upon his sate arrival : Mr. Holland \vas made choice of 
 for this office by the seminary of Valladolid, and performed hi-, part by 
 a Latin oration, pronounced before the prince, which is said to have 
 given great satisfaction to his royal highness and his attendants. . 
 
 After three years Mr. Holland returned to T'landers, and entering 
 into the society of Jesus, made his noviceship at Wat ten ; and studied 
 his divinity at Liege, where also he was made priest. From Liege 
 he was sent to St. Omer's, where he was confessor to the scholars, and 
 deservedly gained the esteem and love of all, bv his prudence, sweet- 
 ness, and dexteritv in the management of youth, and imprinting in 
 their tender minds the fear and love or God. From St. Omer's he 
 passed to Ghent, where he was for some time minister of the house. 
 He made his last vows, May 2S, 1634-; and in the following year 
 was sent upon the English mission, in hopes of recovering his health, 
 which at that time was in a very bad state. 
 
 The change of air brought no advantage to his health; for the 
 pursuivants being very busy in those days in making strict search 
 after priests ; he was ibrced to lie concealed in the day (London be- 
 ing the seat of his mission) under so close a confinement, that he 
 *scarce durst for months together walk out so much as into the garden 
 
 -* From his life published in Latin at Antwerp, anno 164^ ', from tlie- testimoiiy- 
 ef eye-u-ii.uei-M.-s, ainl rn-r^ous aioit wuitiiy of credit.
 
 'I** MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 fti the house where he was harboured ; by which means, after som 
 time, he in a manner quite lost all appetite, and had even a loath- 
 ing tor his food. Yet notwithstanding these disadvantages, F. Hol- 
 land found means, especially for the two last years of his mission, 
 when the times were the worst, to be very serviceable to the souls of 
 many, by making frequent excursions amongst the poor, under the 
 favour of the darkness of the night, or early in the morning, and 
 under various disguises, necessary in those evil days, in which he 
 succeeded so well, that sometimes his most intimate friends could not 
 know him in his borrowed dress. 
 
 At length he was apprehended on suspicion, October 4, 161-2, and 
 committed to the new prison, where he was detained for about two 
 months, till his trial coming on, he was removed to Newgate. His 
 behaviour in prison was such as very much edified all that came near: 
 bim ; and it was in particular noted, that he seldom went into bed, 
 but spent a great part of the night in prayer. Yet he was very' cau- 
 tious to give his adversaries no advantage or opportunity of gathering 
 from his carriage or behaviour that he was a priest ; so' that when he 
 was brought to the bar, December the 7th, to take his trial at the Old 
 Bailey, though four witnesses appeared against him, they could alledge 
 no substantial proofs of his priesthood, but only bare suspicions and 
 presumptions. However, upon these presumptions, and his refusing 
 lo swear that he was not a priest, the jury, to the surprise of the lord 
 mayor, and others in the court, brought him in guilty; and on the 
 tenth of the same month, the recorder pronounced sentence of death 
 against him in the usual form. At the hearing of which F. Holland 
 calmly said, Deo gratia?, thanks be to God ; and being sent back to 
 prison, invited some other catholics there to join with him in reciting 
 the hymn of thanksgiving, Te Dewn laudumus. 
 
 He had now but a short time to live, being to suffer on Monday 
 the 12th of December ; and for this short time the prison was throngeH 
 with people of all conditions, as well English as foreigners, that came 
 to visit him. He received them all with a religious modesty, joined 
 with a remarkable chearfulness and courage ; spoke handsomely to 
 them, with a smiling countenance, in their respective languages 
 (for he was a perfect master of the French, Spanish, and Dutch) and 
 his words made a strong impression upon them. The duke of Ven- 
 dosme, who was then at London, offered him his service, to endea- 
 vour to put a stop to the execution : but F. Holland humbly thanked 
 his grace, and desired he would put himself to no trouble about him ; 
 as he had some time before, when he was first apprehended, earnestly 
 entreated his superiors by letter, that they would put themselves 
 to no charges on his account, nor make any interest to save his life. 
 
 After F. Holland had allowed a great part of the Saturday to re- 
 ceiving of these visits, he then desired to be alone for the remainder 
 of the evening; and on the Sunday morning, having heard the confes- 
 sions of many, he celebrated mass, & administered the blessed sacrament 
 to his penitents ; after which he spent some time by himself in rcco}- 
 le^tion, and the re^t of the day in oinces of charity to the souls of his 
 neighbours. On this day. the Spanish embassador sent a gentleman Uj
 
 THOMAS HOLLAND. rzr 
 
 him, recommending the king and kingdom of Spain to his prayers ; 
 and letting him know that he had ordered prayers in his chapel for his 
 happy conflict. The father returned thanks for all favours conferred 
 on lam and his, by his excellence and the king his master, and pro- 
 mised that he would pray to God to be their rewarder ; and would 
 for that end offer up his last mass on the ensuing morning, for that 
 king and kingdom. 
 
 On the next day, being the 12th of December, having celebrated 
 early in the morning the sac x>d mysteries, he was called down to the 
 sledge about ten, to be drawn- to Tyburn, It was observed that nei- 
 ther the sheriff of London, nor the sheriff of Middlesex, was present 
 on this occasion, which some interpreted as a testimony of their being 
 Conscious that the prisoner was unjustly condemned. Great multitudes 
 resorted to the place of execution, to be spectators of the last conflict 
 of this servant of God ; amongst the rest, the Spanish embassador with 
 almost all his family. When the sledge was arrived at Tyburn, a' 
 father of the society, who had assisted F. Holland in prison, taking 
 him by the hand, bid him be of good courage, and behave himself 
 like a man. To whom the confessor of Christ replied, with the grace 
 of God, you need not fear ; I shall not want courage. Then arising 
 from the sledge, and perceiving the people to be very silent and at- 
 tentive in expectation of what he should say, he began to speak to 
 them (making the sign of the cross) to this effect. 
 
 'That he was brought thither to die for being a Roman catholic 
 
 * priest ; though this had not been made out by any legal proofs, for 
 
 * w r hich he durst appeal to all and every one present at his trial. How- 
 ' ever, for the satisfaction of such as desired to know the truth, he 
 ' there freely acknowledged that he was a catholic and a priest, and 
 ' by God's great goodness, a religious man of the society of Jesus, and 
 ' the first of that order that had been sentenced to death since the be- 
 
 * ginning of this parliament; for all which favours he returned hearty 
 ' tilanks to the divine goodness.' Then he proceeded to tell the peo- 
 ple, that there could be but one true faith, one true church, and no 
 salvation out of it ; when the ordinary of Newgate interrupted him, 
 and bid him say his prayers to himself, whilst he talked with the two 
 malefactors that were to die that day, and sung psalms with them. 
 The lather did so, and when the minister had finished, he began to 
 pray with a loud voice that all might hear him, and made fervent acts 
 of. faith, hope, ch;;'ity and contrition, offering his life and his whole 
 being to his Maker, and begging that his sufferings and death might 
 be accepted of through Jesus Christ's passion, &c. declaring withal, 
 that he forgave from his heart, the judge, jury, witnesses, and all 
 that had any ways concurred to his death : and praying for the king, 
 queen, and all the royal family,- for the parliament, and the whole 
 nation ; ' for whose prosperity and conversion to the catholic faith, if 
 e L had, said he, as many lives as there are hairs on my head, drops 
 f of water in the ocean, or stars in the firmament, 1 would most 
 
 * willingly sacrifice them all/ Which last words were received with, 
 a shout of the people, in testimony of their approbation. 
 
 After this the father turning himself to Gregory the executioner j .told
 
 1-28 MEMOIRS, &o.. y 
 
 him he forgave him al?o, and presented him with two crowns of money, 
 which was all he had left. Then shutting his eyes for a while in silent 
 prayer, and a little after opening them, and looking towards his con- 
 fessor, who was there in the crowd, at this signal given, received 
 his last absolution ; after which the cart was drawn away, and he 
 was left hanging till he quietly expired; his eyes being observed to 
 remain fixt on heaven, and his hands all the while joined before hi* 
 breast. The minister would have had the hangman cut the rope be- 
 fore he was dead, but Jack catch was more humane than tlie parson, 
 and delayed till his pious soul was let loose from the body ; and then 
 he performed the usual butchery. Many of the catholics found means 
 to carry off something of his blood, &c. as relicks. And even there 
 were not wanting some amongst the protestants themselves, who high- 
 ly admired and praised his virtues. 
 
 Father Holland suffered December 12, 1642, (ttatis 42, societal ig 
 19. His true character was, ' That he had extraordinary talents for 
 promoting the greater glory of God, and that he made an extraordi- 
 nary use of them. His knowledge in spirituals was such, that he was 
 termed the Library of Piety, Bibliotheca Pietatis: and wherever he 
 vras in company, whatever the subject of the conversation happened 
 to be, lie would by a dexterous turn bring it to some moral or gospel 
 instruction for the advantage of the company ; imitating the great 
 saint Xaverius, of whom it used to be said, that in his conversation 
 with the people of the world, he would go in at tfteir door, and conic 
 out at his otfH.' 
 
 1643. This year, two venerable priests were put to death at 
 Tyburn, both of the order of St. Francis ; the first was 
 
 175. * Henry Heath, Priest, O. S. F. 
 
 H 
 
 ENRY Heath was born at Peterborough about the year 160O. Hk 
 parents were protestants, who brought him up to learning, and sent 
 kirn to St. Bennet's college in Cambridge, where he remained about 
 five years. The life he led here, whilst yet a protestant, was far 
 more religious than that of his companions ; and his ardour for learning 
 was so great, that he rose at two in the morning winter and summer 
 to his studies being now made batchelor of arts, and chosen librarian 
 of the college, and having before observed, as he thought, some de- 
 fects in the principles of his religion, he was resolved, having gotten 
 books and opportunity, to examine the matter more thoroughly. 
 "Wherefore being willing to hear both sides speak in their own cause, 
 be first reads Bellarmin, and then Whitaker against him. But behold, 
 instead of satisfying his doubts by this inquiry, he discovers another 
 defect, viz. the unfair dealing of Whitaker in citing his authors, 
 whereas he found Bellarmin always faithful in his quotations. This 
 made him think better of the catholic religion, and eager to look far- 
 
 * From Certamea ScrapLicum, p. 63, and from his life printed in English at 
 Doaay,
 
 HENRY HEATH. i2p 
 
 ther into it. Upon this he reads the ancient fathers, and finding them 
 to deliver the catholic faith, he is inflamed with the love of the old re- 
 ligion, and seeks to communicate the same sentiments to his fellow colle- 
 gians : four of whom by his means not only left the college, but soon after 
 the world too, and all became religious men, three in the holy order of St. 
 Francis, and the fourth in the society of Jesus. Mr. Heath upon those pro- 
 ceedings perceived that Cambridge would quickly be too warm for him, 
 and therefore quitted the university, and came up to London in order to be 
 reconciled to the catholic church. With this view he applies to the Spa- 
 nish embassador, but meets with no countenance. Then he addresses him- 
 self to a catholic gentleman " Mr. George Jarnagan" who also rejects 
 him, suspecting his sincerity. In these streights not knowing how to meet 
 with a priest, or which way to turn himself, he remembers what he had 
 read of the devotions of catholics to the saints, and especially to the bless- 
 ed virgin, and what helps they received by applying to her for her in- 
 tercession, and is resolved to make a trial of this devotion ; when behold, 
 on a sudden the same Mr. Jarnagan, who had a little while before re- 
 jected him with reproach, meets with him, treats him most courteously, 
 and conducts him to Mr. George Muscot, a strenuous labourer in the 
 Lord's vineyard, afterwards president of Douay college, who heard his con- 
 fession, reconciled him to God and his church, and sent him over to Douay 
 recommended to Dr. Kellison, then president of the college 5 who re- 
 ceived him kindly, and admitted him amongst the convictors of that 
 community. 
 
 Mr. Heath had not been long at Douay, when seeing at the college 
 some of the English friars who had been lately established in that city, 
 and being informed of their rule and manner of life, he found a strong 
 call to embrace that penitential institute. He communicated his desires 
 to his confessor, and by him to the president and seniors : who approved 
 of his vocation, and recommended him to the superiors of the English 
 franciscans ; who willingly received him, first to the habit, and then 
 after a year's noviceship (in which he gave great proofs of a most solid 
 virtue) to his religious profession. In religion he took the name of bro- 
 ther Paul of St. Magdalen, and for about nineteen years that he lived in 
 the convent, he led a life of extraordinary perfection. 
 
 He fasted four or five of the seven days of the week for many years 
 together, upon bread and small-beer ; he constantly wore a rough hair- 
 doth, and an iron chain or girdle under his habit ; he used frequent dis- 
 ciplines besides those of the order 5 when he slept, he seldom indulged 
 himself even the poor convenience of the straw-bed allowed by the rule, 
 but spreading a blanket upon the floor, laid himself down in his habit 
 upon it ; and after rising at midnight with the rest of the community to 
 matins, he frequently prolonged his prayer till prime in the morning. 
 As to his interior, it appears by certain regulations which he made for 
 himself, and which were found, written in his own hand, after his 
 death, that he obliged himself constantly to make a meditation after 
 matins, to practice aspirations of the love of Jesus a hundred times iri 
 the day j to mortify upon every occasion his eyes, his tongue, his passions 
 and affections ; to support the defects of all, without murmur ; to suffer 
 incommodities, and want of necessaries, with a pure resignation ; to re- 
 
 VOL.1I. S
 
 130 MEMOIRS, & c ; 
 
 gard God and his service only, and not to seek the affection and esteem 
 
 of creatures ; to abstain from recreations; to retrench all unnecessary 
 
 discourse, &c. to which he added these three rules : ' 1st. Of renouncing 
 
 * dll right and authority in every thing whatsoever, even in my good 
 
 name, and corporal conveniences ; that I may willingly suffer myself 
 
 to be spoiled of all things for God's sake. 2dly. Offering myself as a 
 
 servant to every creature, that I may do him all good, expecting no 
 
 profit thereby, although I may, but crosses and afflictions. 3dly. To 
 
 live as absolutely dead to the defects of others, that I may continually 
 
 find out and lament my own defects.' 
 
 His constant attention to God did not hinder him from making great 
 progress in the sciences both human and divine ; for the attaining to 
 which, he had both good opportunities, and great abilities : no less than 
 thirty treatises, on different subjects, of his compiling, are still preserved 
 in his own hand- writing, in his convent, as lasting monuments of his 
 learning. He was for many years first reader, or professor of divinity, 
 and gained great esteem in the university. He was also twice guardian, 
 cr superior of his convent, and was preferred to other honourable em- 
 ploys in his order, as that of custos, custodum, commissary provincial in 
 the parts of Flanders, &c. of all which he acquitted himself with great 
 prudence and vigilancy. In the mean time, his charity for his poor 
 countrymen that were gone astray From the fold of Christ, was very re- 
 markable ; and he laboured with great zeal and success in reclaiming as 
 many of them as came in his way, from their errors and sins. 
 
 It was in the year l64l, that father Heath seems to have, taken the 
 resolution of quitting his convent, and entering upon the English mis- 
 sion, and this in hopes of meeting there with the crown of martyrdom. 
 Two priests had been put to death in 1641, and seven more were sen- 
 tenced to die for the same cause, that is, for their being in orders, and 
 exercising their functions in England. Amongst the latter was father 
 Colman, a franciscan, a cotemporary of father Heath, and his inti- 
 mate friend. It was in the month of December, 1641, that these con- 
 fessors received the sentence of death, and the news no sooner reached 
 Douay, but father Heath took up his pen, and wrote an excellent letter 
 to these seven condemned priests, who daily looked for the dead war- 
 rant. Take here a part of the letter in his own words, which clearly 
 demonstrate the spirit of the writer, and the desire he had of bearing 
 part in their sufferings. 
 
 ' O ye most glorious men ! most noble friends, and most couragions 
 ' soldiers of Christ Jesus ! How great is my unhappiness, that I am 
 ' not permitted to come to you, that I may be partaker of your chains, 
 ' and offer myself to be consumed with that ardent love of Jesus Christ, 
 ' which in your trials hath made you so constant and victorious over hu- 
 4 man fears. O good Jesus! what is the crime I am guilty of, for 
 * which I am not to be permitted to enjoy your company, seeing there 
 ' is nothing in this world I desire more ? nor indeed is it possible that 
 / any tiling can satisfy me, so long as I am kept from you. Wherefore 
 ..* I humbly beseech you, for the love of God, to pray for me, that I 
 * may come to you, and never be separated from you.' 
 
 About the same time, he wrote tu his provincial for his consent,
 
 HENRY HEATH. 131 
 
 that he might go upon the mission. This letter runs in much the same 
 strain as the former. ' Alas ! most dear sir, says he, I only require 
 ' this ; your obedientials ; after this, nothing stays me j if I can get 
 * your consent but in one word, I will not endure to be kept from you a 
 ' moment's time. Why, sir, you cannot allow that soldier to be a man 
 f of courage, who, hearing that the army is drawn up in battle array, 
 ' the drums and trumpets sounding to the charge, and yet shall indulge 
 f himself at home in sloth and cowardice. I am unfit, I deny not, 
 ' and altogether unworthy to discharge this apostolic duty, or presume 
 ' to suffer for the name of Christ : but his apostle has assured us, that 
 ' virtue is perfected in infirmity, and that God has chosen the foolish, 
 ' that he may confound the wise. Our most benign Lord inspire you 
 ' to hasten your consent, and I shall eternally remain your poor child.' 
 
 Paul Magd. 
 
 His provincial returned him an answer, that after some time he might 
 be permitted to leave his convent, and go upon the mission, but that as 
 yet he could not be spared : upon this he applies himself to father An- 
 gelus Mason, the commissary provincial residing in Flanders, and cast- 
 ing himself upon his knees, with abundance of tears besought him to 
 send him away, for mat he found such strong desires of going upon 
 the mission, that he perfectly languished away, and could not rest night 
 or day : and that he thought the likeness of the hangman putting the 
 rope about his neck was always before his eyes ; which last words (says 
 this superior, page 99) he spoke with such a feeling, and with such an 
 emphasis in their delivery, that had you seen him, you would have said the 
 man did verily think himsel f standing under the gallows, in the hands of 
 the executioner. But though father Mason, (who afterwards wrote the life 
 and martyrdom of father Heath, in his Certamen Seraphicum} was very 
 much affected with his words, yet he could not be induced to yield, for 
 the present, to father Heath's petition ; who being strongly persuaded, 
 that his desire to go to .England was a call from God, was resolved to 
 try one other expedient, which, as we shall see, procured what hp 
 desired. 
 
 He was wonderfully devoted to the blessed virgin, and had seldom 
 or never failed to obtain of God Almighty, what he had particularly re- 
 commended to her prayers and intercession. Of this my author * al- 
 Icdges these wonderful instances : when he was guardian of the con- 
 vent, a pestilential fever had taken root there, and had carried off some 
 of the religious ; others were ill, and himself not without some suspi- 
 cion of having contracted the infection : but what added to his afflic- 
 tion, was, that the wants of the community were at the same time 
 extraordinary great, with little prospect of relief from any quarter. 
 Here he applied himself to this mother of consolation, and immediately 
 his tears were dried up, and his fears dissipated ; his sick brethren reco- 
 vered, and a plentiful and seasonable supply of necessaries for the supr 
 port of his convent (reduced at that time almost to the extremities of 
 want) was brought in by the citizens. His father had hitherto continued 
 
 * ffom an epistle or prayer found in father Heath's yvn hand.
 
 132 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 protestant, proof against all arguments, and now upon the brink of his 
 grave; father Heath recommends his almost desperate condition to the 
 care of the virgin Mary ; when behold on a sudden the feeble old man, 
 aged fourscore, crosses the sea, and unexpectedly calls for his son in his 
 convent at Douay, there to abjure his errors, and to be taken into the 
 catholic church. These, with other great favours, father Heath had re- 
 ceived from the hand of God, by the prayers of the virgin Mary, and 
 therefore was resolved to try this expedient in the present exigency ; and 
 to make a pilgrimage for this purpose to our lady of Montacute, a place 
 of great devotion in Brabant. He took Gand in his way, where he ap- 
 plied himself to father Marchant, the commissary general of his order, 
 but all in vain : so to Montacute he goes, and there makes his supplica- 
 tion to the blessed virgin. Now see the fruit of these devotions : he takes 
 his journey back by Gand, and there again applies himself to father 
 Marchant, humbly entreating him for leave to go upon the English mis- 
 sion, to labour there in the conversion of his country, and lay down his 
 life in defence of the truth. What rhetoric he employed now with the 
 commissary (who had before given him a flat denial) the compiler of his 
 life has not acquainted us. But certain it is, that he expressed himself 
 to him in a most pathetic manner, and made such a vigorous assault, that 
 the good old father was glad to capitulate, and surrender at last upon 
 terms. We have here father Marchant' s relation in his own words : 
 ' this man, says he, inebriated with the spirit, some months since came 
 ' to our presence, desiring, according to his rule, to go to the English 
 
 * that were gone astray from the faith, alledging no other reason than 
 
 * this : that he might shed his blood, that he might be slain with and 
 
 * for the English, his brethren according to the flesh. I was against it ; 
 f I commended indeed his spirit, though moved with too much fervour. 
 
 * At last I signed his obedientials, upon condition his immediate supe- 
 ' riqr would join his approbation.' Now this was the English commis- 
 sary father Mason, to whom father Heath had formerly applied, and 
 had been refused. He goes to him therefore now again, and shews 
 him his letter of leave signed by father Marchant, but is still answered, 
 that he cannot be spared. However, the commissary promises to take 
 the matter into consideration, and recommend it to God. He did so; 
 and though he had resolved to refuse his consent, yet after all (and he 
 calls God to witness, that what he says is the real truth) he felt a secret 
 impulse, strongly determining him to join his approbation. 
 
 Father Heath having now gained his point, made haste back to his 
 convent, to bid adieu to his brethren, and to set forward upon his journey 
 {o England with all convenient speed. His friends were surprised to see 
 what a change the joy of his heart had now made in his very looks, by 
 an unusual gaiety and chearfulness which shone in his countenance. 
 They would have provided him secular apparel, and money for his jour- 
 ney, but this he modestly refused, and set out from Douay pennyless and 
 barefoot in his friar's habit. When he came to Dunkirk, he procured a 
 taylor to metamorphose his friar's weed into a coat, waistcoat, and 
 breeches, and to turn his capuche into a kind of a sailor's cap, in which 
 he sewed up some writings in defence of the catholic religion : and thus 
 equipped he goes on 'board. Here he meets with a German gentleman,.
 
 HENRY HEATH. 133 
 
 who being much taken with the modest and humble deportment of the 
 good man, not only paid for his passage, and provided him necessaries 
 during his voyage, but also kindly offered him money to bear his charges 
 from Dover to London, which father Heath modestly refused, and so 
 made the best of his way barefoot, begging a bit of bread for God's sake, 
 when hunger compelled him to it. 
 
 At London he arrives wearied, as well he might, having travelled 
 barefoot forty miles that day, and it being the winter season. It is now 
 time to take up his quarters, and give some little rest and refreshment 
 to the body. But how shall this be done, for money he has none, nor 
 acquaintance ? however, he ventures to call at the Star inn, near Lon- 
 don Bridge, but the people of the house finding he had no money, 
 turned him out of doors at eight o'clock, in a cold winter night ; and 
 where now to put his head, and what course to take till morning, he 
 knew not. At length wearied with standing in the streets, he resolved 
 to lie down at some citizen's door, where he might meet with some 
 little shelter from the cold air ; and accordingly he laid himself down, 
 and composed himself to rest, designing in the morning to call upon 
 father Colman, in Newgate. 
 
 After some time the master of the house coming home, stumbles 
 upon him, and taking him to be a shoplifter, calls the watch, sends for 
 a constable, and upon a strict search discovers the writings that were 
 concealed in his cap. Upon this he is committed to the Compter, and 
 the next day is carried before my lord mayor, where his writings and 
 himself being examined, he owned himself to be a priest, and so was sent 
 to Newgate. After some days he was examined by a committee of the 
 parliament, to whom he also owned himself a priest ; and being asked 
 to what intent he came into England, he frankly told them, he came 
 upon a very lawful and commendable business, viz. the conversion of 
 his countrymen from sin and heresy. What heresy ? said they. Evea 
 the Prosestant heresy, said he, the Puritan heresy, the Anabaptist 
 heresy, the heresy of the Brownists, and many others. Being told that 
 his coming over was against the laws of the nation, he answered, that 
 the preaching of the apostles was also against the laws of the nations 
 to which they preached ; and that his coming over to preach the gospel 
 in England, could no more be treason than the preaching of Christ and 
 his apostles. 
 
 Soon after this he was brought to the bar, being indicted upon the 
 27th of Elizabeth for being a priest, and returning into England, and 
 therefore guilty of high-treason. The trial was soon over, for as he 
 had acknowledged himself a priest, he was brought in guilty of the in- 
 dictment ; and accordingly received sentence as in cases of high-treason j 
 which as soon as he had heard, making a low reverence to the bench, 
 he said, ' my lords, I give you thanks for the singular honour you have 
 ( done me ; for now I shall die for Christ.' 
 
 During the short interval betwixt his condemnation and execution, 
 the prison was continually thronged with crowds of visitants from all 
 parts of the town, as well protestants as catholics: amongst the ibrnu-i 
 reckoned ab-vc- 40 ministers, who came to confer v/lih him in
 
 }34 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 matter* of religion; some of them seemed very much to pity him ; and 
 all in general spoke well of him, as a man of great parts and learning. 
 As to the catholics, they came to confess to him, or to consult him in 
 matters of conscience ; so that with one and the other, he could scarce 
 get a moment's time for a little repose. 
 
 On the day of execution, being called for by the officers of justice, 
 he readily obeyed the summons, and immediately went down into the 
 street, where the sledge was placed, with a modest chearfulness in his 
 looks. He offered to lay himself down on the ground to be drawn in 
 that manner over the stones and through the mire ; but this was not 
 allowed; so he was laid on the sledge, and drawn according to sentence 
 to Tyburn : when he came thither he readily and chearfully got up into 
 the cart under the gallows, saying with an audible voice, into thy hands, 
 O Lord, I commend my spirit. The rope being about his neck, and 
 having obtained leave to speak, he protested that his return into England 
 was for no other design, but that he might spend his life and labours in 
 the conversion of his country; and that this was the only cause for which 
 he was brought to that place to suffer an ignominious death. But a 
 minister interupted him, saying, that he was not condemned for religion, 
 but for seducing the people. Father Heath calmly replied, with no 
 other justice can I be called a seducer by you, than with what my Lord 
 Jesus Christ was called a seducer by the Jews. Here he was command- 
 ed to be silent, and he readily obeyed ; and not being able to obtain what 
 he desired (viz. to hang naked like his crucified Saviour) joining his 
 hands before his breast, his eyes shut, he employed about half an hour 
 in profound recollection and silent prayer, without any other sensible 
 motion but now and then a devout sigh. After that he had recited 
 aloud the church hymn for a martyr, Martyr Dei, qui unicum, &c. 
 it being the day of St. Anicetus pope and martyr, for his last prayer, 
 he made use of these short aspirations : my Jesus, pardon me my sins \ 
 Jesus, convert England ! Jesus, have mercy on this country ! O England, 
 turn thyself to the Lord thy God ! After which the cart was drawn away, 
 and he left hanging, his hands lifted up towards heaven, and his eyes 
 cast down; and in this posture he quietly expired. After his death he 
 was cut down, bowelled and quartered ; and his quarters fixt upon four 
 of the city gates, and his head upon London bridge. 
 
 N. B. He reconciled in the very cart one of the malefactors that were 
 executed with him. 
 
 He suffered on the 1/th of April, 1643, in the 43d year of his age, 
 and the 2Oth of his religious profession. 
 
 Father Heath a little before the sentence of death was passed upoa 
 bim, wrote out of prison the following letter to a priest, his intimate 
 friend. 
 
 f Very reverend father, 
 
 ' Your consolations have rejoiced my soul. The judges have not yet 
 ' given sentence. I beseech the divine goodness that it may answer my 
 ' desires, that I may suffer death for my Lord Jesus Christ. Alas, fa- 
 ' ther ! what other thing can I desire than to suffer with Christ, to be 
 ' reproached with Christ, to be crucified with Christ, to die a thousand
 
 ARTHUR BELL. 135 
 
 * deaths that I may live for ever with Christ ? for if it be the glory of a 
 soldier to be made like his lord, Godforlid I should glory in any thing 
 but in the cross of my crucified Lord. Let then the executioners come, 
 let them come, let them tear my body in pieces, let them gnaw my 
 flesh with their teeth, let them pierce me through and through, and 
 grind me to dust. For I know, I know full well how profitable it 
 will be for me to die for Christ. The moment of this suffering doth 
 ii-drk an eternal weight of glory in heaven. May your reverend pater- 
 nity be pleased to pray for me a miserable sinner, who will ever be in 
 the wounds of Christ, until death be swallowed up in victory. 
 Your reverence's most humble servant, 
 
 F. Paul of St. Magdalen 
 
 It is also remarked of F. Heath, in Mr. Ireland's diary of Douay 
 college, that he declared in prison, though he always was convinced. that 
 the martyrs found much joy and consolation when they were to suffer 
 for Christ j yet he never could have imagined this delight to be so ex- 
 ceeding great, as he now found by his own experience. 
 
 It is likewise the tradition of the English franciscans in Douar, that 
 when F. Heath was executed at Tyburn, the first that had the news of 
 it in their convent, was his aged father, then a lay-brother amongst 
 them, informed by a vision of his son. 
 
 177. * Arthur Bell, Priest, O. S. F. 
 
 A.RTHUR Bell, who in religion was called father Francis, was bom 
 August 13, ISpO, at Temple Broughton, the seat of his father, in the 
 parish of Hanbury, six miles from Worcester : his parents were both 
 virtuous, and of good families, his mother being sister to Francis Da- 
 niel, esq. of Acton Place, near Long Melford in Suffolk. He was 
 brought up in the fear of God, and in grammar learning, privately at 
 home in his mother's house, who was left a widow when he was eight 
 years of age ; afterwards he lived for some years with his uncle Daniel 
 in Suffolk. At the age of 24, he went over to the English college of 
 St. Omer's, where he employed a year in the study of rhetorick j and 
 then was sent, by the fathers of the society, to the English college of 
 St. Alban the martyr in Valladolid; where he studied his philosophy, 
 and some part of his divinity, and was made priest ; and not long after, 
 took the habit of St. Francis, in the convent of Segobia, August 9, 
 l6l 8 ; and having very much edified the whole community during the 
 year of his probation, he was by the unanimous votes of all admitted to 
 his solemn vows and profession, September 8, l6lQ. Not long after, 
 F. Gennings, being about the restoring the English Franciscan province, 
 and having authority from the general to call to him for this purpose the 
 English friars, wherever they were to be found, sent for F, Bell from 
 Spain to the English convent newly erected at Douay, where he em- 
 ployed two years more in the study of divinity, and then was made con- 
 
 * From Ccrtamen Seraphicum, p. 127, &c. and from a manuscript sent me from 
 St, Omer's.
 
 ia6 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 fessor, first of the poor Clares at Graveline, and afterwards of the nuKS 
 of the third order of St. Francis, at that time residing in Brussels, tiil 
 about the year 1O3Q, when he was chosen guardian for the first time of 
 the convent of the English Franciscans at Douay, and made definitor cf 
 the province ; discharging at the same time the office of lector or pro- 
 fessor of the Hebrew tongue. But before he had gone through the usual 
 term of his guardianship, he was called to Brussels by F. Joseph Ber 1 - 
 guigne, the commissary-general of the order (afterwards archbishop of 
 Cambray) and for the restoring the province of Scotland, was appointed 
 its first provincial, and sent in that quality to the general chapter then 
 held in Spain. After his return he was sent by the same commisary- 
 general upon the English mission, where he arrived September 8, 1634. 
 He laboured with great zeal ; for nine years, in the mission, in convert- 
 ing souls to Christ, and then received the crown of matyrdom for his 
 reward, which for the space of twenty years he had earnestly prayed for. 
 He was apprehended on the 6th of November, 1643, at Stevenedge 
 in Hartfordshire, by the parliament soldiers, upon suspicion of his being 
 a spy ; who, upon a strict search, found in his bags some papers, in 
 which he had written out the lessons of the office of the blessed sacra- 
 ment, and a form of blessing the cord of the confraternity of St. Fran- 
 cis, &:c. which, after sending for the school-master of the town to in- 
 terpret them, appeared (not only to these military men, but also after- 
 wards to the committee of the parliament) dangerous matters : especi- 
 ally the form of blessing the cord, which they imagined to be some 
 spell or conjuration. That day and the following night he passed under 
 the guard of four soldiers, and the next morning was searched again, 
 when they found about him a letter in Spanish, addressed to, or de- 
 signed for, the Spanish embassador, then residing in London, in which 
 was made mention of his being of the order of St. Francis : so that now 
 they resolve to secure him, no longer as a spy, but as a suspected priest. 
 This drew many officers and others to the place where he was detained. 
 One of them asked him what religion he was of? he readily answered, 
 I am a catholic. What ! said the other, a Roman catholic ? How do 
 you mean a Roman ? said father Bell. I am an Englishman. There 
 is but one catholic church, and of that I am a member. They all said, 
 he was in the right to own his religion : that, said he, I will do, with 
 the grace of God, to my last breath. Another asked him if he believed 
 the pope to be the head of the catholic church ? He answered in the af- 
 firmative ; upon which there arose a dispute concerning the church and 
 the pope, but in a confused manner, as is usual to this kind of disputants, 
 who are ever running from one point to another: they brought their 
 bibles to confute him, but in vain; for he shewed them that they had 
 shamefully corrupted even their very scriptures. In conclusion, he told 
 them their arguing against church authority and infallibility, and ground- 
 ing all things in religion upon the weak and uncertain bottom of private 
 judgment, and private interpretation of the scriptures (liable, as they 
 acknowledged, to error) was not a way to invite him to their religion j 
 for that it would be a very unequal change to part with a church (which 
 he was assured was an infallible guide, by the divine promises, as re- 
 tarded in scripture) for a religion which owned itself liable to error, and
 
 ARTHUR BELL. 137 
 
 could give no assurance to its followers that it was not leading them 
 on in the broad wav of eternal damnation. Such an exchange as this, 
 said he, would be' like that which \our soldiers have obliged me to 
 make, who have taken away my cloaths that were whole, and given 
 me nothing but rags in their place. In fine, at parting he told them, 
 plainly and sincerely, that no salvation could be hoped for out oi the 
 catholic church, and that he wished them all to be even as he was, 
 excepting his present state of confinement. 
 
 From Stevencdge he was carried before the committee then sitting 
 in Hartfordshire, to whom all his papers were delivered ; with a par- 
 ticular caution to look well to him, for that he had a spell amongst his 
 papers, by means of which he could get out of any prison or dungeon ; 
 for such they supposed to be that form of the benediction of the cord 
 of St. Francis which was found amongst his papers. Here he was 
 examined, whether he had ever been bevond the seas ? He answered, 
 yes. Whether he had taken holy orders 'there ? He answered, that as 
 this was by their laws deemed a crime, he was not to be his own ac- 
 cuser. Upon this he was given over to Jones the city marshal, to be 
 by him conducted the next day to town ; who stript'him of what the 
 soldiers had left, and set him on horseback, half naked as he was, in 
 his rags, and so carried him to London, making him a subject of 
 mockery to the people, in all the towns and villages through which 
 they passed; whilst F. Bel!, as appears by his own written relation, 
 so far from taking this in evil part, thought this cavalcade of his too 
 great a pomp for one whose profession obligeth him to take up his cross 
 every day, and follow Christ. When they were arrived in town, the 
 marshal (who before in searching him had found the key of his trunk) 
 found means to get the trunk into his hands, and seized upon it, and 
 all its contents as a lawful prize. Tis true the committee of the par- 
 liament, by whom F. Bell was shortly after examined, upon hearing 
 the case ordered the marshal to return his goods ; for as he was not as 
 yet convicted, he had certainly a right to keep what was his. But 
 the marshal, though he promised to return them, never did it. 'I 
 ' shall never hear any more, says F. Bell, of my goods, till the day 
 ' of judgment ; and then I fear I shall be blamed for transgressing 
 ' holy poverty, by having so many goods to lose ; for I firmly believe 
 ' these men were appointed by God to put me in mind of my voca- 
 ' tion. Thanks be to God for it.' Such were the dispositions of this 
 holy man. 
 
 In his examination before the committee of the parliament, being 
 questioned concerning the Spanish letter that was found about him, he 
 acknowledged that he was a poor penitent of the order of St. Francis, 
 but would not satisfy them as to the point of his priesthood ; so he was 
 committed to Newgate in order to take his trial at the next sessions. 
 But before these things were transacted, his brethren had made choice 
 of him to be, for the second time, guardian or superior of their con- 
 vent at Douay, which office had been vacant ever since the martyr- 
 dom of F. Heath, who was actually guardian when he came over to 
 England, where he so quickly met with the crown he sought. F. 
 
 Vol. II. T
 
 138: MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 Bell had not been full four and twenty hours in Newgate when his pro- 
 vincial's letter was brought to him, requiring of him in virtue of obe- 
 dience to fill up the vacancy : and not long after he received the pa- 
 tents tor that office from F. Marchant, the commissary general. His 
 answers both to the one and the other are worthy to be recorded.- To 
 his provincial he writes as follows : 
 
 ' Rtrercnd Father, 
 
 ' I received your command with all humility and readiness at the 
 very time that 'I was putting it in execution: for I took posses-ion 
 of F. Paul's place in Newgate about twenty hours before yours came 
 to mv knowledge. As to what remains, I beg- jour prayers that I 
 may "persevere to the end ; and I beg of all Christians, with St. An- 
 drew, that they would not hinder my suffering, &c. 
 
 Your poor Brother, F. BELL.' 
 
 To the commissary general he returned the following answer : 
 ' Most Rererend Father, obedience and reference. 
 
 1 I received the command of your mo<t reverend paternity with 
 ' humility, and am disposed with all possible readiness to put it in 
 ' execution as soon as tin's present impediment which stands in the 
 ' way shall be removed. Now the impediment is tin's. On the 6th 
 
 * of November, O. S. I was apprehended on my way to London, by 
 ' the parliamentary soldiers, and being examined, and found to be a 
 ' catholic, I was put under the custody of four soldiers night and day. 
 ' And after I had been stript of all things, sword, money, cloaths, 
 ' and even my very shirt, and clad in an old tattered coat of some 
 ' poor soldier, I was brought before the parliament at London, where 
 ' being again examined, I was found out by certain arguments to be a 
 ' friar minor, which I did not deny ; and being withal suspected to 
 ' be a priest according to the order of the Homan church, I was for 
 
 * this reason committed to the prison of Newgate. I am to be tried 
 ' on the 5th of December, what will then be done with me my Lord 
 ' Jesus Christ knows, with whom I am ready to go to the cross, and 
 ' to death, if his mercy will vouchsafe to extend itself so far as to be 
 ' willing to accept of the sacrifice of such and so great a sinner : but 
 ' if I am still necessary to his people, the will of our Lord be done. 
 ',.! have begged death for Christ. This I will continue to beg ibr. 
 ' My sinful life has been a long time hateful to me. Pardon me, I 
 ' know what is for my profit ; to die is my gain. I humbly beg your 
 ' prayers, and those of my brethren, that if (as I wish) it be my lot 
 
 * to die, I may depart with obedience in the grace of Christ ; and with 
 ' St. Andrew I beseech all Christian people not to be a hinderance to 
 ' my death. If I shall not be condemned to die, I will labour by all 
 ' lawful means to procure my liberty, that I may be able to obey, as 
 
 * it is my duty, the command I have received. God preserve 'your 
 c reverence/ &c. 
 
 Ken-gate, Nov. 22, 1643. 
 
 F. Bell was not tried on the .5th of December, as he expected, but 
 en the 7th of that month. The witnesses that appeared against him
 
 ARTHUR BELL. 139 
 
 were Wadsworth, Mayo, and Thomas Gage, all apostates from the 
 catholic religion, and the last also from his religious vows. Wads- 
 worth deposed, that he knew him twenty years before at Brussels, in 
 the habit of St. Francis, and that he was esteemed by all as an ho- 
 nest plain friar. Mayo declared, that he knew him at Graveline, in 
 the monastery of the poor Clares, and that he was one of the priests 
 of that, monastery, and that also he knew him at the convent of the 
 English Franciscans at Douay. Gage made oath, that the prisoner 
 lived for some time at London, with a lady, a near relation of his, 
 where he had often heard him say mass; and that he remembered 
 bis complaining to him of his kinswoman's rising so late, that he could 
 seldom begin mass before 12 o'clock. F. Bell excepted against all the 
 witnesses as infamous apostates, who having broken their faith to 
 God, deserved none with men. And as to the jury, he said, he 
 hoped they were Christians ; ' that he was certainly not a priest of the 
 * Levitical order of Aaron : and that it would not be wisdom, if any 
 ' one had a call from God to the priesthood, to neglect the fountain-? 
 ' head, and to take up with troubled water/ The recorder told him, 
 he spoke mysteriously ; and asked if be had any thing else to say ? 
 He answered, no. Upon which the jury going out, alter a short deli- 
 beration, pronounced him guiliy ; for which verdict the holy man 
 returned them thanks. 
 
 In the afternoon he was brought again to the bar, and asked what 
 he had to say why sentence should not pass upon him. Upon which 
 occasion he expressed himself in the following manner : ' My accu- 
 ' sers have given in their depositions against me, and my jury has 
 ' pronounced me guilty ; I return them my most hearty thanks, for I 
 ' shall most willingly, and with the greatest joy, die with Christ, and 
 ' his apostles and martyrs, my cause being the same as theirs. And 
 ' since I am going to speak ,of a matter of equal or greater import- 
 ' ance than yvas that of which the prophets spoke of old, Jet me 
 ( invoke heaven and earth with them : be astonished, O ye heavens ! 
 ' and be J.hou covered with confusion, O earth ! to see a Christian 
 ' state, at least that pretends to profess Christ and his gospel, to make 
 ' that priesthood high treason which was founded and established by 
 ' Christ and his gospel ; that priesthood, I say, which supports the 
 ' gospel, and is supported by it. It was for this reason I asked in 
 ' the morning whether the gentlemen of the jury were chrislians, inti- 
 ' mating that Christians might perhaps condemn the priests of the 
 ' order of Aaron, but not those of the institution of Christ ; as on the 
 other hand Jews would condemn Christian priests, but not their own. 
 ' What before appeared tp you mysterious, I now explain. Whoever 
 ' has a call from God to the priesthood, let him seek it there, where 
 ' there is a certain and undoubted succession never interrupted from 
 ' Christ's time, viz. in the Roman communion ; and not there, where 
 ' the succession is called in question, or rather, where without all 
 ' question it has certainly failed, as it has amongst protestants ; for 
 ' it is certain, there is no true priesthood in the protestant church.' 
 
 Thus far they heard him with patience ; but here one of the bench 
 interrupted him, telling him, that the Jaws under which a man is
 
 UO MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 born, are to be obeyed. It is true, said father Bell, and if I had 
 been born among pagans, I should have obeyed their law. 1 ?, if they 
 were not contrary to the law of God. " But as for these unchristian 
 laws, bv which priests are put to death," know for certain, ' That 
 ' the makers of them have long since received their just rewards ; 
 ' and let all such look to themselves in time, and to their own con- 
 ' sciences, who are, or shall hereafter, by reason of their office, be 
 ' in the occasion of putting them in execution.' Serjeant Green the 
 recorder pronounced sentence in the usual form, at which father Belf 
 is said to have joyfully intoned the Te Deum, and to have returned 
 hearty thanks to the court ; who also, on their part, seemed to pity 
 his case, and exhorted him to conformity : he told them, he had much 
 more reason to pity their case, and that he begged of God 1 * mercy, 
 they might not have far more grievous torments to suffer in the next 
 world, than those he was to endure in this. 
 
 During the three days which father Bell remained in prison, be- 
 tween the sentence of death and the execution, he was visited by 
 great numbers of catholics, as well English as foreigners ; some com- 
 mg to beg his blessing, others to get something of him, which they 
 might keep as a relick, &c. all admiring the chearfulness and joy 
 which appeared in his words and countenance. Amongst the rest, 
 the imperial envoy came more than once to see him : to whom the 
 man of God declared, that he would not exchange his present con- 
 dition for that of the emperor his master. The French embassador 
 also sent to him, to desire his prayers ; and he being one whom the 
 parliament at that time had great "regard to, Monsieur Charles Mar- 
 chant, his chief chaplain, was in great hopes, by this means, to 
 have put a stop to the execution: but father Bell" frankly told this 
 good priest, when he spoke to him in prison upon that subject, that 
 instead of a friend, as he had hitherto esteemed him, he should look 
 upon him as his capital enemy, if by his means he should be deprived 
 of the crown which he had so long desired; and therefore conjured 
 him to lay aside all thoughts of hindering his death, which would be 
 to him the gate of life. 
 
 On the 1 1th of December, the holy man was brought out of prU 
 son, laid upon a hurdle, and drawn by four horses to Tyburn, the 
 serenity and sweetness of his countenance speaking all the way the 
 interiour disposition of his soul. When he came to the place of exe- 
 cution, he said, Now I see verified in me, what was foretold me by 
 happy Thomas Bullakcr. Who, it seems, when father Bell was com- 
 plaining to him in prison, that as he was the elder brother in religious 
 profession, he ought rather to have gone before him, replied, God 
 will have me to go first, but you shall soon follow vie. Then being 
 put up into the cart, and having leave of the sheriff (who treated him 
 with a great deal of humanity) to speak to the people, he delivered 
 himself to them in these, or the like words : ' Dear countrymen, give 
 ' ear to me, and as you desire to be delivered from vour present mise- 
 ' ries, put an end to your sins ; for, without all doubt, your enormous 
 * crimes are the cause of the calamities under which you groan. But 
 ' above all, I exhort you to renounce heresy, in which you have been
 
 ARTHUR BELL. HI 
 
 e so long engaged : for this (with grief I speak it) has cut you off' like 
 f putrid members from the true body of Christ, and like dead branches 
 
 * from the tree of his church. But if you resolve to persist in loving 
 'darkness more than light, long afflictions will attend you: and cer- 
 
 * tainly, many calamities and miseries threaten this city, and the 
 ' whole kingdom, unless they desist from persecuting priests and ca- 
 ' tholics. See and consider, I beseech you, the afflictions with which 
 
 * God has begun visibly to punish you ; and be assured, that all these 
 ' punishments are tokens of his love, and a manifest testimony that 
 ' he vCould not destroy you but as it were by constraint. I say it 
 
 * again, all these chastisements, civil wars, and calamities are inflict- 
 ' ed upon you by him, to the end, that he may at length, from ship. 
 ' wreck, bring you into the haven of the catholic church. Abuse then 
 ' no longer his goodness and mercy ; do not force him to destroy you, 
 
 * by continuing to provoke his divine justice, by obstinacy in your 
 ' evils.' 
 
 Here being interrupted by the sheriff, he said no more, but turn- 
 ing himself to one of the malefactors who were to suffer with him, he 
 spoke to him some words of exhortation and comfort, and had the satis- 
 faction to see him resolved to die a member of the catholic church. 
 He also addressed himself to the hangman with a chearful countenance, 
 and embracing him, gave him wholesome advice for the salvation of 
 his soul ; with which, and many other things he spoke, the people 
 being much moved, the officers hastened the execution, and ordered 
 the cart to be drawn away. He hanged for the space of one Miserere, 
 and then was cut down, dismembered, bowelled, and quartered. In 
 stripping him, they found under his secular coat, the habit of his 
 order, which it seems, he was accustomed to wear ; upon which oc- 
 casion, the people cried out, with astonishment, see what mortified 
 men these are, who so much despise the pleasures of the world ! 
 Guards were appointed to hinder the catholics from carrying off any 
 thing by way of relick; yet this did not prevent some from dipping 
 their handkerchiefs, or other things in his blood. He suffered Decem- 
 ber 11, 164-3, in the 54-th year of his age, the 25th of his religious 
 profession, and 9th of his mission. 
 
 N. B. That a little before father Bell's trial and execution, there 
 happened to be taken at Yarmouth in Norfolk, one Mr. Walter Wind- 
 sor, a catholic gentleman, or, as some say, a priest ; whose papers 
 being seized, there was found amongst them, a letter from the arch- 
 bishop of Cambray, to some priests upon the mission, with a copy of 
 a brief of pope Urban the VHIth, sent to the said archbishop, by 
 which he was directed to nominate and impower certain priests, then 
 upon the mission, to make diligent enquiry into the cause and manner 
 of death of several priests, lately executed upon the penal statutes, 
 and to transmit the account thereof to Rome. Now the persons deput- 
 ed for this business, by the archbishop's letter, were these : for Lon- 
 don, and all the counties on the south of the river Trent, George 
 Gage, I). D. protonotary apostolical ; father Thomas Dade, provin- 
 cial of the Dominicans ; father Bennet Cox, O. S. B. and father 
 Francis Bell, definitor, O. S. F. For York, and the northern court-
 
 142 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ties, Mr. Phillips, confessor to the queen ; Mr. George Catherick ; 
 father Robert Haddock, provincial of the benedictins ; and father 
 William Anderton, O. S. F. These were commissioned personally to 
 such places where informations were likely to be had, and to call 
 before them persons of credit and integrity, who had been acquaint- 
 ed with the said priests, and the particulars of their trials and beha- 
 viours at the place of execution ; and to take their depositions upon 
 oath, and to put them down in writing, with the names of the de- 
 ponents, and to certify the same in due form to the archbishop. Now 
 these papers coming to the hands of the parliament at this conjuncture, 
 are by some supposed to have hastened the execution of father Bell, 
 who was one of the persons nominated in the archbishop's letter. 
 Certain it is, at least, that they were published by order of parlia- 
 ment, the very day that father Bell was brought upon his trial r 
 being printed by Husband, printer to the parliament, December 7, 
 1(543. 
 
 This year the parliament made and published several rigorous acts 
 and ordinances against delinquents, as they called them, and papists; 
 by which all, whether catholics or others, that had already, or should 
 hereafter assist the king against the parliament, were to have their 
 whole estate seized and sequestered into the hands of committees, 
 named to that purpose ; and all catholics, as such, without any other 
 offence, were to forfeit two thirds of their who estates, real and per- 
 sonal, unless they would take an oath, by which they abjured the pope, 
 transubstantiation, purgatory, worship of the host, &c. With what 
 rigour these acts were put in execution, we shall see hereafter. 
 
 1644. This year the civil wars continuing, two priests of the 
 venerable order of St. Benedict lost their lives by the savage cruelty of 
 the parliament soldiers, of whom thus writes father B, \V. in his manu- 
 script: 'father Boniface Kempe, alias Kipton, professed at Mount- 
 < serrat, -in Spain, with father ildephonse Hesketh, in the civil wars 
 t in 1641, were taken by parliament soldiers, and driven on foot be- 
 < fore them in the heat of summer ; by which cruel and outrageous 
 t usage they were so heated and spent, that they either forthwith or 
 soon after died.' 
 
 This same year also, as Mr. Austin writes (under the name of 
 William Birchley) in his Christian Moderator, Mr. Price, a catholic 
 gentleman, was'murthered at -Lincoln, in hatred of his religion. The 
 story he relates thus : ' I remember an officer of my acquaintance, 
 under the earl of Manchester, told me, that at their taking of Lin- 
 coln from the cavaliers, in the year 164-1, he was an eye-witness to. 
 this tragedy. The next day after the town w : as taken, some of our 
 (the parliament) common soldiers, in cold blood, meeting with Mr. 
 Price of Washinglev, in Huntingdonshire, a papist, asked him, Art 
 thou Price the papist ? I urn, said he, Price the Roman catholic : 
 whereupon one of them immediately shot him dead.' 
 Likewise two reverend priests were executed this year at Tyburn
 
 JOHN DUCKETT. U3 
 
 for their character, viz. Mr. John Duckett, of the secular clergy, and 
 father Ralph Corby of the society of Jesus. 
 
 178. * John Duckett, Priest. 
 
 J OHN Duckett was the third son of James Duckett, (by his wife Mrs, 
 Frances Girlington) a gentleman of an ancient family, Hut small estate. 
 He was born a Underwinder, in the parish of Sedbergh in Yorkshire, 
 anno 1613. lie performed his studies in the English college of Douay, 
 and received all his orders there, being made priest in September, 
 1639. After he was ordained, he went to Paris, in company of Mr. 
 Francis Gage, (afterwards Doctor of Sorbon, and president of Bouav 
 college) and there remained three years in the college of Arras. The 
 Douay diary takes notice, that he was much addicted to mental prayer, 
 so that whilst he was yet a student in the college, he was known to 
 have employed whole nights in those heavenly communications : how- 
 ever, as he was very humble and discreet, when he was going upon 
 the English mission, not content with having before conferred at Paris 
 v\iti some very spiritual persons, who approved of his way of prayer, 
 (though what passed therein betwixt his soul and God, was so sublime, 
 that they owned it was above their comprehension) for farther secu- 
 rity he called at Newport, on purpose to consult his kinsman, the 
 reverend father Duckett, son of James Duckett the martyr, and prior 
 of the .English Carthusians there, and to put himself under his direc- 
 tion, to the end that he might proceed more safely ii the internal 
 way, and avoid the delusions of the enemy, to which contemplatives 
 are often exposed. Here he spent about two months in preparing 
 himself, by spiritual exercises, for the great work of the conversion 
 of soals. 
 
 His mission was in the bishoprick of Durham, where he had been 
 about a year, when he was taken in the following manner : he was 
 called from Diusame, the place of his residence, to baptize two 
 children, upon the feast of the visitation of our blessed lady, July 2 ; 
 and as he was going on his way, in the company of two catholic lay- 
 men, some parliament soldiers, who had intelligence of it, way-Iayed 
 him, and apprehended him and his companions between Whissing- 
 ham and Lencliester, and carried them to Sunderland, where there 
 was sitting at that time a committee of the sequestrators. These ex- 
 amined him, whether he was a priest, or no r He declined giving 
 them 3 positive answer, and told them, if he u-ere tf&ttght thither .y a 
 delinquent, he expected to see r:hat proofs could be nlledyed against him ; 
 and if none were produced, he conceirtd, that by the course of the lazy 
 he u'fl.Y (ivit. But as they had strong suspicions of his being what he 
 was, from the -iwoks and holy oils which were found about him, they 
 committed him to prison ; and a little while after sending for him 
 again, =till pressed him to give a direct answer, and threatened to 
 put lighted matches -betwixt his fingers, and to burn him therewith, 
 
 * From thrve manucrit>t rel Uions sent me irom Douny, " one by Mr. Duok- 
 *tt himself" and from the college d
 
 144. MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 till he would confess what he was. But let us hear Mr. Duckett's 
 own relation of this part of his history, and of the motives upon 
 which he at length confessed himself a priest. ' They committed 
 
 * me to prison, says he, making no doubt of my being a priest, by 
 ' reason of my holy oils, and such like things they found about me ; 
 
 * afterwards 1 was called again, and being I would not answer directly, 
 ' that I was no priest, they threatened to put fired matches bet'wixt 
 ' my fingers, till I would confess what I was. But when their threats 
 
 * would not prevail, they sent me to goal again, and put irons on me. 
 ' About an hour after they called me again ; in the mean time they 
 ' were examining the other two that were taken with me ; who, when 
 ' I heard they would be shipped and sent awav, seeing it was because 
 ' I would not confess what I was, and also fearing lest some of the 
 ' country should come, who knew me, whereby the most part there 
 ' " i. e. the catholics of that neighbourhood " might have suffered, but 
 ' especially those with whom I lived, I confessed myself to be a priest, 
 
 * to free them and the country.' 
 
 It seems, says another manuscript, ' this was an inspiration from 
 ' heaven : for immediately no more enquiry was made after his friends, 
 ' but he was sent up to London, with father Ralph Carlington "Corby" 
 
 * a Jesuit, who was taken in those parts in his vestments, as he was 
 ' going to the altar to say mass. So Mr. Duckett imitated our Saviour ; 
 ' If you seek me, let these go their way.' What follows is taken from 
 a letter, dated September 19, 1644. 'The two confessors being 
 
 * brought up to London, were examined by a committee of parliament, 
 ' where they both stoutly confessed themselves to be priests, as they 
 ' had done before in the country, so were committed to Isewgate, and 
 ' brought to their trial the next sessions ; where Mr. Duckett being 
 ' asked by Mr. Glyn, "the recorder" if he were a priest ? replied, 
 'yes, lam.. Upon this, Mr. Recorder said to the jury, you know 
 ' what follows, he confesseth himself a traitor. No, said "Mr. Duckett, 
 ' / do not confess mysdf a traitor, though I confess myseff a priest. But 
 ' this sufficed to the forward jurymen and judge ; for upon this alone 
 ' he was cast by the jury, and condemned by the judge,' sa^s another 
 manuscript relation. 
 
 Mr. Duckett adds, in his written account of himself, that when he 
 was condemned, he told the judge, that he rejoiced more to hear the 
 sentence pronounced against him, than he did to pronounce if. And 
 both the other manuscripts, and the college diary, all agree, that 
 whereas Mr. Duckett's natural complexion was pale, immediately up- 
 on his arraignment his countenance became in a manner angelical, and 
 his cheeks beautifully red, and continued so till his death. Insomuch, 
 that some who knew him before, and appointed his picture to be 
 drawn, condemned the painter for not making it like him ; but all 
 that had seen the man in the three last days of his life, confessed the 
 picture exactly represented him as he then appeared. See what a 
 transformation grace can work in human creatures. 
 
 ' It was also much noted, (says the letter of Sept. 19, 1644) that 
 
 * his chearful countenance proceeded from a heart overjoyed that he 
 ' was to die in such a cause : and himself hath testified in many letters
 
 JOHN DUCKETT. 145 
 
 ' under his own hand, that ever since he was a priest he did much fear 
 ' to live, but nothing fear to die. Insomuch that he wrote a letter to 
 ' one of those who were taken in company with him, (if he were 
 ' importuned) to confess, that he knew him to be a priest ; for, said 
 'the blessed man, if other witnesses fail, I shall supply all defects in 
 ' that point myself, God willing ; kno^-im* u-hat it ii-ill avail me to die 
 'for suck a cause ; much like St. Ignatius the martyr, casting himself 
 ' on the lion's jaws, saying, Scio quid milti prodest, ignoscite mi hi 
 ' f'dioli. 
 
 ' He was a true humble man (continues my author) and contemned 
 ' riches & the vanities of this world : the first appeared in his refusing 
 ' many accommodations of money and apparel, offered him, not only 
 ' by myself, but by others, even when he had never a cloak to his 
 ' back ; but rather chose to borrow one when he went to the sessions, 
 ' &c. The other, in refusing to hear the confession of the dutchess 
 ' of Guise, who came back from Dover on purpose to spend the last 
 ' night of the martyr's life with him in watching and prayer, in the 
 ' prison. For although he pretended scruple of not having French 
 ' enough, yet it is probable, he having been so long abroad, and 
 ' especially coming lately from Paris, might easily have understood 
 ' the lady," had not his humility made him refer her to others. 
 
 ' He was much importuned to accept of a pardon of his life, by way 
 ' of exchange lor a Scotch lieutenant-colonel, in prison under the 
 ' emperor ot Germany ; and when he saw the matter of grace (as the 
 ' world termed it) far advanced, and offered unto him * by the father 
 ' of the society, that was condemned with him, he returned the favour 
 ' back to the father, saying, it is a thing procured and prosecuted by 
 * your friends, be you therefore pleased to accept thereof. But being 
 ' persuaded by them, "father Corby and his 'friends," that there was 
 ' another way to save that father's life, by his being an Irishman 
 ' born, and therefore not subject to the penalty of the laws ; then 
 ' Mr. Duckett (however willing to die) thought he was bound not to 
 ' refuse the offer of life, upon such fair terms. And this I insert here, 
 ' to shew how little he esteemed life ; for he was nothing altered, upon 
 ' notice that the parliament (which had by their committee given hopes 
 ' formerly of such a tiling) was now resolved not to save a priest's 
 'life by any such exchange. Had this happened to a soul less resigned 
 ' than 'blessed Mr. Duckett's, it would have made some alteration, 
 ' whereas here it made none at all in this constantly chearful martyr. 
 . ' It was noted by all sorts of .spectators that he had a continual 
 ' smile in his looks all the way he went to execution ; which smile .it 
 ' seemed was from the heart. For when the blessed man came to 
 ' the hurdle, he was not content to be helped up, but of himself leaped 
 ' into the straw, and composed himself upon it, as if he had been 
 ' riding in triumph. Before he went out of prison to the hurdle, 
 ' seeing many weeping about him, he smiling said, Why weep you for 
 
 * Mr. Corby, when it u-as proposed to him, referred it to me, and I agaia tt 
 him; thus to and fro it went, till, &c. Mr. Duckett's MSS. 
 Vol. II. U
 
 146 MEMOIRS, See. 
 
 ' me, ivho ant fad at htart of this happy day f And added, H(tc dies," 
 4 qu&m. fecit domintts, exultemus, 6f latcinur hied. And some of the- 
 'jailors observing his smiling farewel from the prison, said, assuredly 
 'this man dies for a good cause, since he and all of his profession' 
 ' go chearfully to the gallows, whereas those of our religion go vveep- 
 ' ing and wringing their hands. 
 
 ' He gave his benediction to all that asked it on the way, with his 
 ' head raised from ihe hurdle, and a smiling- look. This was testified 
 ' unto me by many, but especially by don Antonia de Sousa, resident for 
 ' the king of Portugal, who attended the martyrs unto the place of 
 ' execution, and twice: upon the way spoke to 'them, and asked their 
 ' benedictions, and allirmed with what alacrity Mr. Duckett gave it 
 ' him. 
 
 ' At the gallows he said little, only he told the minister that went 
 ' about to pervert him, sir, I come not hither to be taught my faith, bvt 
 ' t<r die for the profession of it. It seems there was a fear lest Mr. 
 ' Duckett would' have spoken much, out of the abundant joy that 
 ( appeared in him ; so to prevent that, he was in a manner throatied 
 alive (by an itf-favoured hampering of the rope about his neck, 
 
 * which the hangman used to none but to him) and he was observed 
 ' to stand a long time in prayer upon the cart, before it was drawn 
 ' away,, half hanged indeed. When the hangman came to east the 
 1 rope about his neck, Mr. Duckett took it into his own hands, and 
 
 * smiling, kissed it for joy that he was thereby so near ike end of his- 
 ' time and the JtaMMBMg of eternity ; for he did many times express the' 
 
 * sense he had of eternity, and his longing after it, which made him 
 ' glad at the shortness of his time upon so happy an occasion. 
 
 ' One thing was singular in these blessed martyrs, more than in all" 
 ' that went before them in England of latter days, that they both 
 ' appeared in their own weeds in this last scene or their lives ; going 
 ' with hair cut, shaved crowns, and in their cassocks, from the pri- 
 ' son to the place of execution, which if they had asked leave to do, 
 ' perhaps had been denied them, as it was to some who had asked 
 ' leanre before, and were denied. " As to this whole relation" I can 
 
 * assure you,, I have many of these particulars under Mr. Duckett's 
 ' own hand writing, and all the rest from persons of good credit, both 
 ' ear and 1 eye-witnesses- thereof.* So far the letter. 
 
 WhiM he was in Newgate he reconciled one of the felons, who 
 afterwards died with- him. Mr. Duckett suffcred at Tyburn, Sept. 7, 
 Ii64f4, in the 1 31st year of his age, the fifth of his priesthood, and 
 the second of his mission. 
 
 179- * Ralph Corby alias Carlington, Priest, S. J. 
 
 R, 
 
 -A'LPKr Corby; who was known upon the mission by the name o( 
 Carlington, was born near Dublin in Ireland, of English parent-:, 
 natives of the bislioprick of Durham, and zealous converts, who went 
 
 * prom his life printed at Antwerp in 1645.
 
 RALPH COREY, 1 ;7 
 
 *ver into Ireland for the freer exercise of their religion. Here oirr 
 confessor was brought into this world, on lack-day in March 1598, 
 and \vlicu he was five years old accompanied his parents in their return, 
 to England, with whom he lived partly in Lancashire, and partly iu 
 the bishoprick (for the persecutors suffered them not to continue long 
 in the same place) till the age of la, being all the while remarkably 
 dutiful and obedient to his parents, modest and reserved in his words, 
 peaceful and meek in his temper, wonderfully sincere and exact in 
 his speech, despising money, and when any was given him, giving it 
 away to a younger brother, and above all very devout at his prayers, 
 and a great lover of the blessed virgin, whose little office he used to 
 recite upon all Sundays and holidays : all which virtues were, under 
 (*od, due to his pious education ; his parents being very virtuous 
 themselves, and taking care to bring up their children such. Inso- 
 much that both parents and children all entered into religion : the fa- 
 ther and his three sons in the society of Jesus, the mother and her two 
 daughters in the holy order of St. Bennet. 
 
 Young Mr. Ralph at fifteen years of age was admitted into the 
 English college of St.-Omer's, where he spent si.s: years in die study 
 of humanity, and then was sent into Spain ; where he cmyloycd five 
 years more in the study of philosophy and divinity ; one year at Se- 
 ville, where his health permitted him not to remain anv longer, and 
 four at Yalladolid, where he was made priest. He then' returned into 
 "Flanders, made his noviceship in the society of Jesus at Watten, 
 finished his divinity at Liege, and after two years spent at Ghent, was 
 sent upon the English mission in 16,'i2. His missionary labours were 
 employee! amongst the poorer sort of catholics in the bishoprick of Dur- 
 ham, where he travelled much, winter and summer, day and night, 
 and generally on foot ; to instruct, comfort, and administer the sacra- 
 ments to a persecuted people, scattered here and there in the villages 
 of that country ; and this for the space of 1 '2 > ears, suffering very 
 much all the while from a bad state of health, and meeting with very 
 indifferent accommodations, both as to lodging and diet, from his 
 country hosts ; whose hearts nevertheless he had gained in such man- 
 ner bv his virtue and charity, that they loved him as their father, and 
 reverenced him as an apostle. 
 
 He had long aspired after the happiness of dying for Christ, and 
 now the time came on when his desire was to be accomplished. It 
 was on the 8th of July 1644-, when going to mass at a country house 
 in Hampsterly, not far from Newcastle, he was apprehended by the 
 .parliament soldiers, rushing into the house, and scarce giving him 
 time to put off his vestments, and was hurried away to Sunderland, 
 where a committee jjf the sequestrators was then sitting. To these 
 men he readily confessed himself to be a priest ; and being required 
 to sign a paper in which his confession was set down in writing, he 
 obeyed, and without more ado was put on shipboard to be carried 
 to London. Here to his great comfort he found the reverend Mr. 
 John Dackett, a prisoner for the same cause, and now designed to 
 be his companion in tiie same voyage, as he afterwards was both in 
 rison and iu death. And here these two servants oi God contracted
 
 148 MEMOIRS, See.' 
 
 a holy friendship, which death itself could not dissolve, and being 
 founded in God, will unite them in God to all eternity. 
 
 As soon as these two confessors of Christ were arrived at London, 
 they were carried before a committee of the parliament at Westmin- 
 ster, where their confession, which they had signed before, of their 
 being priests, was produced, and acknowledged by them for their 
 own act and deed. Upon which they were ordered to Newgate, and 
 conducted thither through the streets lined with the mob, bv a whole 
 company of soldiers, with their captain at their head, beating their 
 drums, and shooting off their muskets from time to time, as if they had 
 taken in war the generals of their enemies, and like the old Romans 
 were carrying them in triumph. In Newgate the servants of God re- 
 mained close prisoners till the next sessions, that is, till the month of 
 September. And as the violent disposition of the parliament at that 
 time with regard to priests made them look for nothing else but the 
 sentence of death, so they took care to prepare for it by giving them- 
 selves up to prayer and other religious exercises; seeming at the 
 same time by a pious emulation, to vie with one another, which 
 should excel in humility, charity, patience, zeal for the divine glory, 
 and other heroical virtues ; yet so as to maintain a wonderful harmony 
 of will, and mutual concord in all things, to the great edification of all 
 that came near them. 
 
 But what was particularly remarkable in these two confessors, was, 
 their pious strife upon the occasion lately mentioned in our account of 
 Mr. Duckett ; when some hopes being given, that the life of one of 
 them might be saved, by way of exchange for a Scottish officer (a 
 lieutenant-colonel) at that time the emperor's prisoner ; the imperial 
 resident made the offer first to F. Corby, and he, after many thanks 
 to his excellency, modestly declined it, and desired it might be con- 
 ferred on Mr. Duckett, who, he said, was young and healthful, and in 
 all other respects well qualified to do good service upon the mission ; 
 whereas for himself he was grown infirm, and if his life was spared 
 could do little service. On the other hand Mr. Duckett, when the 
 offer was made to him, returning thanks both to the resident and F. 
 Corby, equally declined the favour, and professed it would be better 
 placed on F. Corby, a person of known experience, zeal and piety, 
 and far better qualified to serve the mission than himself. And thus 
 to the great edification of the resident, who came in person to New- 
 gate on this occasion, the offer he made was handed to and fro between 
 them, neither being willing to accept of it, till an expedient was 
 proposed to save them both; but it succeeded not, for the parliament, 
 it seems, was resolved they both should suffer. 
 
 They were both therefore brought to the bar upon the 4th of Sep- 
 tember, at the Old Bailey, where their trials were soon over, both 
 having confessed before under their own hands, that they were priests. 
 "JTis true, Mr. Corby alledged that he was a native of Ireland, and 
 therefore out of the case of the statute : but the recorder told him he 
 was mistaken, and ordered the statute of the 27th of Elizabeth to be 
 read, by which it is made high-treason for any man born within the 
 queen's dominions, of which Ireland is a part, to remain in Englaiul
 
 RALPH COREY. 14-9 
 
 after being made priest, &c. The jury therefore, as directed, brought 
 them both in guilty, and the following day they both received sen- 
 tence of death according to the usual form ; and returned 
 with joy to the prison, there to wait for that lltssed and happy 
 Saturday, as F. Corby expresses it in his letter written to his superior 
 the day that he was condemned, which is the rigil of her glorious nati- 
 vity (the 7th of September) hy whose holy intercession, I hope, says he, 
 to be torn again to a new and everlasting life. 
 
 At their return to Newgate they were thrust down into the con r 
 demned hole amongst the felons, by one of the turnkeys, who also 
 began to strip them, and load them with irons ; till the master-keeper, 
 who was more humane (though not without some consideration of mo- 
 ney to be paid by them) allowed them a better lodging. The last 
 day of their mortal life, and the whole ensuing night, they devoted to 
 prayer, fasting, watching (so as not so much as once to close their 
 eyes) and spiritual conferences with those who came to visit them, as 
 many did, both English and foreigners ; and amongst the latter most 
 of the ministers of catholic princes and states then residing in London, 
 as also the dutchess of Guise, who passed the whole night in watching 
 and prayer with them ; and having made her confession to F. Corby, 
 received the blessed sacrament at his hands, and purchased the chalice 
 in which he said his last mass, which she afterwards kept as a precious 
 relic. The French envoy also made his confession to the father, and 
 received from him a pair of beads and a blessed medal, to be sent to 
 the queen-mother of France, and professed after his departure, how 
 much he had been edified by the sight and conversation of both these 
 champions .of Christ, and that he had never seen their equals for Chris- 
 tian fortitude. Many others also there were that confessed to them, 
 and received at their hands in their last masses, to the great comfort of 
 their souls. 
 
 It was observed that F. Corby, who from the time of his condem^ 
 Cation till then, had been full of joy at the approach of his happy disso- 
 lution, whilst he was saying his last mass, like his Saviour in the gar- 
 den, appeared to be as it were in an agony of sadness and fear, which 
 discovered itself in his gestures, and in his voice, to the surprise of 
 the standers-by, who afterwards inquiring of him the meaning of it, 
 learnt from h'is own mouth that certain melancholy thoughts at that 
 time pressed in upon him, which over clouded his soul, till by earnest 
 prayer to God they were dispelled, and tranquillity and joy succeeded 
 in their place ; and so from that time till his happy death, he conti- 
 nued chearful and joyful ; and told his friends, who wept at their last 
 parting with him, when he was going out in order for execution, that 
 they had no reason to weep, but rather, if they loved him, ought to 
 rejoice and congratulate with him, who was going to meet so great a 
 happiness. 
 
 And now the 7th of September was come, when these two soldiers 
 of Christ were to fight their last battle ; when about ten o'clock in 
 the morning they were called down to the luirdle, they went forth 
 with their crowns shaved, the one in the religious habit of the society 
 of Jesus, and the other in his clergyman's cassock; and being pinion-
 
 150 MEMOIRS, Sec. 
 
 ed down according to custom, they were drawn from Newgate to 
 Tyburn. Many catholics asked and received their blessing in the 
 way ; and even the protestants who saw them could not help admir- 
 ing their courage and constancy. When they were arrived at the 
 place of execution, they kissed the gallows, and giving God thanks, 
 got into the cart, where there stood rive malefactors, who were to be ex- 
 ecuted with tbern. Mr. Dutkett lor his part made no speech, but 
 stood silent, with his eyes lifted up towards heaven. F. Corby con- 
 tented himself with a short discourse, in which he gave an account of 
 the cause for which he and his companion were to die, viz. merely 
 for being catholic priests ; nothing else being alledged against either 
 of them. The sheriff told him, tliev had seduced many, and were to 
 die because having been made priests beyond the seas, they had re- 
 turned into England, and seduced the king's subjects, in contempt of 
 the laws of God and the kingdom. Pardon me, Mir. Sheriff, said F. 
 Corbv, there is no contempt of the laics of God in the case ; and if our 
 desiring the salvation of our neighbours, if our receiving for this pur- 
 pose the holy order of priesthood, instituted In/ Christ, ij our bringing 
 back to Christ's fold the sheep that -ictre gone astray, be against the 
 lavs of (he kingdom, and punishable by death ; I ii'Oitld hare the -^hole 
 t;-or// understand, that in such a cause H-K art not afraid of death f 
 but earnestly desire it, and embrace it with open arms. Yes, Mr. 
 Sheriff", we most willingly render this day to our Saviour, who most 
 viliingly died for us all, this life of ours, due a thousand times over to 
 his merits and death : and tfe shall joyfully die for tht lore of him, and 
 for the cause of our religion. This was the sum of his words, says my 
 author, diligently noted by a catholic that stood near ; nor was' there 
 opportunity for his speaking much more to the people : but the con- 
 .fcKOl was not wanting in exhorting and animating one of the rive, 
 who were to suffer with him, Hauard by name, condemned, though, as 
 'tis thought, wrongfully, for coining, who had been lately reconciled 
 in prison, and made a public profession of his faith at the gallows, 
 regretting very much that he had known it so late : and declaring 
 aloud, that there was no other way to eternal salvation. 
 
 And now the two confessors most lovingly embraced each other, 
 and took their leave for a moment to meet for ever in a happy eternity. 
 The sheriff would not permit them to be cut down, till he was assured 
 they were quite dead. But then on the other hand, he shewed his 
 zeal against popery by ordering all things to be burnt, even to the 
 very apron and sleeves of the hangman, Siat had been sprinkled with 
 any of their blood, that the papist dogs, as he said, might have no- 
 thing to keep for relicks. Yet some there were, who, notwithstand- 
 ing all this diligence of the sheriff, found means to procure some pie- 
 ces of Mr. Duckett's cassock, one of his hands, and the whole cas- 
 sock of F. Corbv. He suffered September 7, 164-4, etatis uaao 46, 
 societatis 20. 
 
 1645.' Five months did not fully pass from the execution of Mr. 
 Duckett and Mr. Corby, when another gentleman of the same cha 
 racter suffered at the same place, for the same cause, viz.
 
 H 
 
 IIENRY MORSE. T51 
 
 ISO . * Henry Morse, Priest, 8. J. 
 
 EKRY Morse, sometime known upon the mission by the name of 
 C'uthbert Claxton, was born in Suffolk, of a gentleman's tamilv, anno 
 1595. His parents were protestants, who brought him up in their 
 own religion, in which he continued till the 23d year of his age ; 
 when being a student of the laws, in one of the inns of court in Lon- 
 don, he began to examine more seriously the grounds of the catholic 
 faith, and after some time retired into Flanders, and was there receiv- 
 ed into the church at Douay. This happened about the beginning of 
 the year 1613, (for this was the 23d year of Mr. Morse's age) and I 
 find in the Douay diary ,t that he was admitted convictor in the English 
 college,in the month o'f August of that same year, having already sundered] 
 imprisonment for his religion, upon his return into England, after his 
 reconciliation. At Douay he remained till September 1.5, 1620, whc-n 
 he left the college, being* then in logick, in order to go into England ; 
 but not long after he travelled to Koine, where he was received in the 
 English seminary of that city, and having finished his studies, was 
 promoted to holy orders, and "sent upon the English mission. 
 
 He landed at Newcastle, and was no sooner got to shore, but im- 
 mediately was carried before a magistrate, upon suspicion of his being 
 a priest, and committed to prison, where he was detained three yean 
 in great sufferings, under a very bad state of health, besides the other 
 incommodities of the place ; all which he endured with a most edify- 
 ing patience. This prison was, it sterns, to serve for his noviceship ; 
 for he had obtained of the general of the Jesuits, at his departure from 
 Rome, that after his arrival in England he should be admitted into 
 their society ; and conveniently ibr that purpose, another priest of 
 the society was, about the same time, cast into the same prison, whd 
 might assist him in quality of master novices. After three years close 
 confinement here, amongst felons and malefactors, several ot whom 
 he had the comfort to reconcile to God and his church, he was trans- 
 ported into perpetual banishment ; and upon that occasion went to 
 Watten, where he recruited his health, which was much impaired in 
 prison, and spent some time amongst the novices, in such manner as 
 to give them great edification. From thence he was sent to make a 
 mission amongst the English soldiers, at that time in the service of 
 the king of Spain, who were quartered in the neighbouring cities, 
 of which charitable employ he acquitted himself with great xeal and 
 success, till he contracted 'a malignant fever, which had like to have 
 bereavext him of his lite; but God preserved him for greater things. 
 Aiter his recovery, he spent some time at Watten and Liege, in qua- 
 lity of minister of those communities ; aftd then his zeal of souls promp- 
 ted: him to desire to be sent back upon the English mission. 
 
 * FFOB* his life published at Autu erp the same year that he suffered. From 
 the Douay diary, &c. 
 
 f Anno 161 8, mense angusto,. e ca'rcere ad nos reversus cst Itenrieus Morse, 
 *--t ad communem mensanj est admisstis. Anno Ifi^O, 15 Sept. Henricus Mor.-j 
 lii;j i.-Oi in aiiL'liam sese e collejio rece^it. Douay diary.
 
 152 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 To England therefore he was sent, and quickly found an oppor- 
 tunity of labouring with great fruit, during the plague, which raged 
 in London in 1636 and 1637. It is scarce credible, what pains he 
 took on this occasion, in visiting, assisting, comforting, and reliev- 
 ing such as were infected, as well protestants as catholics ; having 
 to this end provided himself with a list of about 400 families, where 
 the infection had taken, which he allotted to his own particular 
 charge, and punctually visited in their turns ; and great was the bles- 
 sing God was pleased to give to his labours, not only in respect to 
 the souls of the poor catholics, whom he assisted with the sacraments, 
 but also in the conversion of many protestants. During the course of 
 this plague, father Morse was himself thrice seized with the infec- 
 tion; and when at the third time he looked for nothing but death, he 
 recovered again upon the receiving a letter from his superior, com- 
 manding him to desist for the future from attending the infected. 
 
 Not long after this, he was apprehended by a special warrant 
 from the lords of the council, and committed to Newgate ; and at the 
 next sessions brought upon his trial, accused of being a priest, and 
 of having seduced his majesty's subjects from the religion by law esta- 
 blished. Mr. Prynne, in his Popish Royal Favourite, page 2y. in- 
 forms us, that there was exhibited, and read in open court, a certi- 
 ficate, shewing that he had perverted, as they termed it, 560 pro- 
 testants in and about the parish of St. Giles in the Fields. But this 
 part of the accusation, it seems, could not be legally proved; of the 
 other point, viz. of his being a priest, he was found guilty by his 
 jury ; yet upon the mediation of the queen, he did not receive sen- 
 tence of death ; but, alter sometime, was bailed out, and at length 
 sent into banishment, by the king's proclamation, in the beginning 
 of 1641. 
 
 In the lime of this banishment he was not idle, but made another 
 mission amongst the English soldiers of colonel Gage's regiment, with 
 such diligence and zeal, that he deservedly gained the esteem of that 
 great officer, insomuch that he usually called him the holy father. But 
 his ardour for the greater glory of God prompted him continually to 
 desire to return into England, where he might have a larger field to work 
 in, not without a prospect of receiving the crown of martyrdom for 
 the reward of his labours ; nor did he desist importuning his superi- 
 ors, till they gave their consent to his return, lie was at Ghent when 
 he received this welcome news in 1643, which he immediately im- 
 parted with great joy to his brethren there, going from room to room 
 to them ; and, as he made no doubt but that he was going to die for 
 his faith, promising that he would hereafter be mindful of them. He 
 sailed for the northern parts of England, and landed safely there, and 
 for about a year and a half diligently laboured amongst the catholics olf 
 those provinces in those turbulent times ; till going to a house on the bor- 
 ders of Cumberland to assist a sick person, he was apprehended upon 
 suspicion, by some soldiers that were making search there after ano- 
 ther person, and was sent under a guard towards Durham. In the 
 way thither he was to lodge one night at a constable's house, whose 
 wile was a catholic, who managed matters so as to give him an op- 
 portunity of making his escape for that time. But about six weeks
 
 HENRY MORSE. 153 
 
 after, it plainly appeared, that it was God's will he should glorify his 
 divine name by suffering for him ; when he, travelling in that county 
 with a guide perfectly well acquainted with all the ways thereabouts, 
 and being within a mile or two of the house to which he was going, 
 his guide all on a sudden was puzzled, and knew not which way to 
 turn, as if his memory had been quite gone from him ; upon this they 
 went up to the next cottage, to inquire their way ; and behold, at the 
 very door they mc'-t a man, who looking father Morse in the face, asked, 
 if he was not the person who had lately escaped from the soldiers who 
 were carrying him to Durham ? this unexpected rencounter surprized the 
 father, who not being able to deny the truth, was apprehended, and 
 hurried away to Durham goal, where he was close confined in a filthv 
 lodging for several weeks and then carried to Newcastle, to be shipped 
 off for London . 
 
 At sea he suffered much from the barbarous usage of the rascally 
 ship-crew, and withal, had like to have been cast away in a violent 
 storm, in which another ship was lost before his eyes ; but God reserved 
 him for a more glorious death. Being arrived at London, he was com- 
 mitted to Newgate, January the 24th ; and notwithstanding his brother, 
 who was an eminent lawyer, and a protestant, left no stone unturned to 
 save his life, he was brought to the bar on the 30th of the same month ; 
 and being found to be the man who had been brought in guilty of priest- 
 hood some years before, he was, without further trial, sentenced to die 
 as in cases of high treason, and sent back to Newgate : where, for the 
 short remainder of his mortal life, great numbers of ail sorts of people 
 flocked to him, and were much edified by his saintly comportment and 
 conversation. 
 
 On the first of February, the day of his execution, he celebrated 
 early in the morning, a votive mass of the blessed trinity, in thanks- 
 giving for the great favour God was pleased to do him, in calling him 
 to the crown of martyrdom, having first, according to custom, recited 
 the litanies of our blessed lady, and of all the saints, for the conversion 
 of England. After which he made an exhortation to the catholics that 
 were present, and having reposed himself for about an hour, and per- 
 formed the canonical hours of the divine office, he went to the rooms 
 of all his fellow prisoners, and took his leave of them with that chearful- 
 ness in his looks, as astonished them all. The little time that remained, 
 he employed in private, with another religious man of his order, in most 
 fervent acts of faith, hope, divine love, contrition, &c. till being ad- 
 monished that his time was come, he cast himself upon his knees, and 
 with hands and eyes lifted up to heaven, gave hearty thanks to the Al- 
 mighty, extolled his infinite mercy towards him, and offered himself, 
 without any reserve, as a sacrifice to his divine Majesty. ' Come, my 
 ' sweetest Jesu, said he, that I may now be inseparably united to thee 
 c in time and in eternity ! welcome ropes, hurdles, gibbets, knives, and 
 ' butchery ! welcome for the love of Jesus my Saviour.' 
 
 At nine in the morning the sheriff came to the prison, and calling 
 for father Morse, handed him down very courteously to the sledge, on 
 which he was drawn by four horses to Tyburn. The French embassa- 
 VOL. II x
 
 lot MEMOIRS, &-c. 
 
 dor met him in the <way in his coach, and in the sight of the whole mul- 
 titude saluted him, and craved his benediction ; and afterwards attended 
 him at the place of execution, with all his retinue, begging his prayers 
 for the common peace of Christendom, and for the king and kingdom of 
 France. The count D'Egmout was also present in his coach, to take 
 his last leave of the confessor ; who, getting up into the cart under the 
 callows, and being permitted by die sheriff to speak to the people, ad- 
 dressed himself to them in these, or the like words, which he delivered 
 -vi.tJj a loud voice. 
 
 ' I am come hither to die for my religion, for that religion which is 
 ' professed by the catholic Roman church, founded by Christ, established 
 ' by the apostles, propagated through all ages by an hierarchy always vi- 
 f sible to this day, grounded on the testimonies of holy scriptures ; up- 
 ' held by the authority of fathers and councils, out of which, in fine, 
 ' thi'je can be no hopes of salvation.' Here the sheriff interrupted him, 
 and bid him desist from that subject, and rather tell, if he knew of any 
 plots against the king or parliament. So Mr. Morse went on : ' 1'he 
 ' time was,' said he, ' when I was a protestant, being then a student of 
 < the laws, in the inns of court in town : till being suspicious of the 
 ' truth of my religion, I went abroad into Flanders, and upon full con- 
 ' viction renounced my former errors, and was reconciled to the church 
 ' of Rome, the mistress of all churches. Upon my return into England, 
 ' I was committed to prison for refusing the oath of pretended allegiance; 
 ' and from prison, though I was then no priest, I was sent into banish- 
 ( ment. I went to Rome, and after I had gone through the course of my 
 1 studies for seven years, I returned into England, to help the souls of 
 ' my neighbours ; and here, amongst other charities, I devoted myself 
 ' to the service of the poor catholics and others, in the time of the late 
 ' plague, and suffered nothing to be wanting that lay in me, to their spi- 
 ' ritual comfort.' 
 
 You ought not to glory of your good works, said the sheriff, and the 
 protestant minister that stood by him ; ' I will glory in nothing,' replied 
 the father, ' but in my infirmities ; but all glory I ascribe to God, whp 
 r was pleased to make use of so weak an instrument in so pious a minis- 
 ' try 3 and who is pleased now to favour me so far, as to allow me this 
 ' day to seal the catholic faith with my blood ; a lavour which I have 
 ' begg ec l of him for these thirty years : and I pray that my death may be 
 ' some kind of atonement for the sins of this nation ; and if I had as 
 ' many lives as there are sands in the sea, I would most willingly lay 
 ' them all down for this end, and in testimony of the catholic faith, 
 ' which faith is the only true, the only certain faith, the only faith con- 
 ' firmed by miracles still continuing; in which to this day the blind see, 
 ' the dumb speak, the dead are raised to life. For thy testimonies, O 
 ' Lord, are made credible exceedingly. 
 
 ' But as, Mr. Sheriff, you were pleased to ask, if I knew of any 
 ' plots against the king or parliament, I here declare sincerely, in the 
 ' presence of God, I never in mv life had knowledge of any such plot or 
 ' conspiracy, much less was I myself ever engaged in any. And I hold 
 ' for certain, that the present tumults, and all the calamities under 
 which the nation groaos. are to be ascribed to nothing else but heresy,
 
 GEORGE MUSCOT. 155 
 
 ' and this spawn of so many sects ; and that it will be in vain to look for 
 ' tranquillity and happiness, or any lasting remedy for these evils, as 
 ' long as this mortal poison remains in the very bowels of the nation.' 
 
 Here the sheriff would not suffer him to proceed, but bid him say 
 his prayers, and prepare himself for death. ' I will do as you bid me/ 
 said father Morse, ' and will prepare myself, as well as I can, for my 
 
 to the blessed trinity, acknowledging himself a great sinner, humbly 
 begging mercy and pardon for all his offences, and forgiving his enemies 
 and persecutors, as he hoped for forgiveness from God. He also prayed 
 tor all Christian kingdoms, and most particularly for England ; arid in 
 conclusion, recommended his- departing soul to God, in those words of 
 his dying Saviour, into thy hands., O Lord, I commend my spirit ; and 
 so the cart was drawn away, and he quietly expired. His quarters were 
 set up on four of the gates of the city, and his head on London bridge. 
 He suffered February 1, 1644-5, tetutis 5O. 
 
 1 81 . Brian Cansfield, Priest, S. J. Confessor. 
 
 JFTE was commonly known by the name of Christopher Barton, was a 
 zealous and laborious missioner, and a man of great mortification. He 
 was apprehended at the altar, saying mass, hurried- away in his vest- 
 ments to the next justice of peace ; and after divers injuries and affronts, 
 which like his master he suffered with invincible patience, was cast into a 
 filthy prison, where the stench, and other incommodities of the place, 
 put an end to his mortal life in some part of this year 1645. See Flows 
 Anglo- Bavaricus, p. ~2. 
 
 182. George Muscat, alias Fisher, Priest and Confessor. 
 
 JL HIS worthy gentleman, whose memory will be always dear to the 
 English college of Douay, and whose pastoral zeal and great sufferings 
 in the cause of religion will ever challenge an esteem and veneration 
 from all that have the interest of religion at heart, justly claims a place 
 in these collections, though he neither suffered at the place of execu- 
 tion, nor died in prison. For .if he was not actually executed, he came 
 as near it as ever man did ; and if labouring for the salvation of souls, in 
 spite of threatening dangers, be deserving the gallows, never man better 
 deserved it. 
 
 The summary, of his life and sufferings is contained in his epitaph, 
 engraved on the marble under which he lies interred in the chapel of 
 our blessed lady, in the parish . church of St. James in Douay, and is 
 as follows: 
 
 Post plurimos in Anglia pro fide catholica exantlatos .lolores .cum 
 ingwti animarun lucro, hicquiesdt reverendus admodum domimts Georg- 
 iijs Muscottus, sacerdos Anglus ; f/ui post carcms sqitalares viginfiam- 
 plius annis toleratos, post damnationem -fyo Jide ad patili'.lutn , adigjiem, 
 ad memlrorum discerptionem, fcrali crate ad portani ta-m egressit*
 
 156 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 rum prcestolanie, et populo ad spectaculum currente; vita interim ad 
 preces regince Anglice a rege ampliata, ad prcesidentiam collegii Anglo- 
 Duaceni a summo pontif.ee evectus est ; quod adeo prceclare adm'nmtra- 
 vit, ut disciplina reflorescente, rem familiar em. quadrienij spatio, etiam 
 calamitosis temporilus, ultra viginti millia florenorum adau.ierit ; et 
 tandem meritis ipsemet auctus, terunmis et morlis attenuatus, corpus 
 gracile terras, animam divitem coelo, odorem optimum loni exempli 
 omnibus sacerdotilus reliquit. Oliit anno cetatis 65, sacerdotij 40, 
 prcesidenticc 5, die 24 Decemlris, anno 1645, in ipsa vigilia nativitatis 
 Domini : qua die ipse ohm in fosdissimum lacum inter latrones detrusus, 
 inilique per triduum detentus suavissimos reportavitfructus ; 7iam ejc 
 decem facinorosis, qui morte mulctalantur, nuvem adjidem catholicam 
 reconciliati sunt. Requiescat in pace. 
 
 Englished thus : After a great many labours undergone in England 
 for the catholic laitb, with very great profit of souls, here reposeth the 
 very Reverend Mr. George Muscot, an English priest, who after having 
 suffered the incommodities of a prison for above twenty years, after 
 having been condemned for the faith to the gibbet, to the fire, to the 
 dismembering and quartering of his body, the fatal hurdle waiting at the 
 gate of the prison for his coming out, and the people running to the 
 sight, was iu the mean time, at the intercession of the queen of Eng- 
 land, reprieved by the king, and advanced by the pope to the presi- 
 dentship of the English college of Douay, which he governed in such 
 manner as both to give a new life to the discipline of the house, and in 
 four years to improve, even in the hardest times, its temporal estate by the 
 addition of above 20,000 florens ; and at length he himself being im- 
 proved by merits, reduced by sufferings and infirmities, bequeathed his 
 emaciated body to the earth, his rich soul to heaven, and the excellent 
 odour of a good example to all priests. He deceased in the 65 year of 
 his age, the 40th of his priesthood, the 5th of his presidentship, on the 
 24th of December 1645, on the very vigil of the nativity of our Lord, 
 n which day he having heretofore been thrust down into a most filthy 
 dungeon amongst felons and kept therein for three days, had produced 
 most sweet fruits : for out of ten malefactors who were condemned to 
 die, nine were reconciled to the catholic faith. May he rest in peace. 
 
 183. * Philip Poivel, alias Morgan, Priest, 0. S. B. 
 1646. 
 
 JL HJLIP Powel, commonly known upon the mission by the name of 
 Morgan, was the son of Roger Powel and Catharine Morgan, both of 
 very ancient families, and virtuous, though not rich. He was born in 
 the parish of Tralon in Brecknockshire, on Candlemas-day, 15Q4, and 
 brought up in grammar learning in the common school of Abergavenny, 
 where he was noted for being always very towardly, though amongst 
 many rude companions. At the age of sixteen he was sent to London 
 to study the law under F. Angustin Baker, ' who before he was a monk, 
 was a famous lawyer in the Temple, with whom he continued till he 
 
 * From three manuscripts preserved by the English benedictins at Douay.
 
 PHILIP POWEL. 157 
 
 f was near twenty years old; at which time being sent by him on some 
 ( temporal affairs into Flanders, coming toDouay, he was enflamed with a 
 * great desire of being a monk amongst the English Benedictins of St. 
 ( Gregory's in that town. His spirit being tried, he was admitted to the 
 ' habit in 1614; and after having made a good progress in virtue and learn- 
 ' ing (having for master that learned divine F. Leander of St. Martin) at 
 " the age of twenty-four he was made priest j " in 1618" and in 1622, 
 ' on the 7th of March was sent on the mission. 
 
 ' At his first entrance into England, he repaired to his former master 
 ' F. Baker, with whom he lived sixteen months ; and who was ravished 
 ' at the exchange the young man had made, and was much more ready 
 ' now to teach him in the divine law, than ever he had been formerly to 
 ' instruct him in the civil. After this trial finding him every way qua- 
 ' liried, he sent him to a good family (Mr. Risden's in Devonshire) 
 ' where in a short time he gained the affection of all, insomuch that 
 c when Risden's daughter was married to Mr P. of L. in Somersetshire, 
 ' there was a pious strife between the father and the daughter, who 
 ' should have Mr. Powel : but the daughter prevailed, and with this 
 ' couple he had a constant residence at L. for 21 or 22 years, behaving to 
 ' the great edification of all ; till the late wars forced that family from 
 ' home, and obliged them to disperse themselves in different places. 
 
 ' Whereupon Mr. Powel repaired to his old friend John Tre in the 
 
 ' parish of Yearcome in the county of Devon, and to John CofF in 
 
 ' the parish of Parcombe. Here he had not been above three or four 
 ' months, before these parts were over-run with parliament soldiers ; so 
 ' that no catholic could find any place of safety, but in Goring's army ; 
 ' whither our paster followed his flock, and there took exceeding great 
 ' pains in his functions for the space of six months, till that army being 
 '"dissolved, he took ship in a small vessel that was bound from Corn- 
 ' wal to Wales ; and as he was sailing, on the feast of St. Peter's chair, 
 ' (Feb. 22) his vessel was boarded by capt. Crowder, vice-admiral of 
 ' those seas ; where two of the admiral's men knew him, and accused 
 ' him of being a priest, saying, that they had lately been acquainted 
 ' with him in the parishes of Yearcombe and Parcombe, where, said 
 ' they, he seduced the greater part of the parishes from their churches.' 
 
 Upon this the admiral told him he certainly was a priest, which at 
 first he, would neither confess nor deny : but afterwards recommending 
 the matter to God, and to the prayers of the blessed virgin, his angel- 
 guardian, and St. Benedict, begging to be inspired how to behave, and 
 what answer to give on this occasion, he found himself suddenly deter- 
 mined to acknowlege his priestly character : so that being asked again 
 that same morning by captain Crowder, if he was not a priest ? he 
 chearfully owned himself to be one ; all which particulars he told a be- 
 nedictin monk, who was his confe^sarius whilst he was prisoner in the 
 King's-bench. 
 
 ' He was therefore committed prisoner under deck, where the soldiers 
 ( barbarously stript him of all his cloaths to his very shirt and cloathed 
 ' him with most beggarly rags ; and in this condition he was detained 
 ' prisoner from the 22d of February to the 1 1th of May following, be- 
 ' ing Monday, when by orders of the earl of Warwick, admiral for the
 
 158 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 c parliament, he was sent up to London, and delivered to the custody of 
 f St. Catharine's jail in Southwark. Upon the Wednesday following 
 ' he was examined by judge Roules, if he was a priest ? he acknow- 
 ' ledged he was ; and by him he was commanded to the King's-Bench, 
 ' with recommendation to be civilly used, as indeed he was at his first 
 'entrance ; so he ingratiated himself much with divers gentlemen who 
 
 * were there prisoners for debt. On the Saturday following he was 
 ' called before the two judges Bacon and Roules, by whom he was exa- 
 ' mined of all his whole life ; of which he gave them account as follows, 
 ' to my best remembrance, for I. heard it thrice read at the King's- 
 4 Bench bar. 
 
 ' I was born in Brecknockshire, was educated at the school of Aber- 
 e gavenny, and at iQ years of age was sent 6y my parents to London, 
 ' to apply myself to the law, where I remained betwixt three and four 
 ' years j then I went to Douay, to the monastery of St. Gregory, of 
 ' the order of St. Benedict, and amongst them I received the habit oi 
 ' St. Benedict, when I was about twenty years of age. There I stu- 
 ' died, and whet' I was at the age of twenty-four, I took holy orders. 
 
 * and was made a Roman catholic priest ; and at the age of twenty- 
 ' eight, I was sent into my country, by my superiors, to convert and as- 
 ' sist poor erring souls 3 where I have remained about twenty years in 
 e Cornwal, Devon, and Somersetshire, saying mass, hearing confes- 
 f sions, administering the sacraments, and using all sort of functions of 
 c a priest. 
 
 ' To this confession he set his hand, and so was returned back to 
 ' his lodging in the King's-Bench, where his best accommodation was 
 ' upon matts without bed, bolster, or sheets, and in a chamber with 
 ' five more, a catholic his bedfellow, and some of the rest being sick 
 ' persons. Here some few friends now came to visit him ; and two amongst 
 ' others, who often importuned him to recal his former confession, and 
 e to pretend he was distracted when he wrote it, through the hard usage 
 ' he had met with at sea. But the holy man would not hear of any such 
 ' advice. 
 
 ' On Friday the 29th of May, he was cast into the common gaol, 
 ' being the next day to be judged upon his confession : here the miseries 
 ( of his lodging far exceeded the former, insomuch that it cast him into 
 ' a most dangerous pleurisy. As soon as he began to get a little strength, 
 ' he was carried to the King's-Bench bar in Westminster-hall, on Tues- 
 ' day the pth of June ; and his indictment, drawn up from his own 
 ' confession, being read, the clerk demanded of him, art thou guilty, 
 ' or not guilty ? The holy man answered, with a great deal of meekness 
 
 * and courage, that I am a priest, I freely did confess, and now acknow- 
 ' ledge again ; but guilty of any treason or crime against the state lam 
 ' hot. The judge then said, Mr. Morgan , you are to answer directly 
 
 * to the demand, are you guilty, or not guilty ? He replied, I have ac- 
 ' knowledged myself a priest and a monk, but I am not guilty.. The 
 ' judge demanded by whom he would be tried? by God and by his 
 ( country ? He answered, if I must needs be tried, I will permit my- 
 s self to be tried by the country. So he was conducted back to prison. 
 
 ' On Friday the 12th of June, he was again carried to the King!s-
 
 PHILIP POWEL. I3g 
 
 * Bench bar. His indictment being again read, and the jury present, 
 c the judge asked him (Mr. Morgan) what can you say for yourself? 
 ' He modestly replied, that the proceeding against him ought to be de- 
 ' ferred : for first, said he, I doubt whether you, my lord, have any 
 
 * just power derived from his majesty to try me, or no. Secondly, his 
 
 * majesty's flag flying in a civil war, all trials of life and death ceage. 
 ' He was permitted to say no more, but conveyed by two tipstaffs to a 
 
 * bye seat, whilst the jury sat upon him, and then was called again to 
 ' the bar, to hear their verdict, who brought him in guilty : so he was 
 ' sent back to the KingVbench prison. 
 
 f Tuesday the l6"th of June, he was called again to the bar : he de- 
 "' sired the favour to speak, which being granted, he pleaded that Henry 
 ' VIII. made a statute of qualification of all statutes ; and that the rea- 
 *' son of queen Elizabeth's statute against priests, was her fears and jea- 
 ' lousies of the queen of Scots, and the. Spaniards ; and that it was con- 
 ' ceived at that time, that all the priests in England had a relation to 
 ' them both ; but that now the case was altered ; that the king's person 
 ' was absent, and no plot could be executed by him upon it ; so that both 
 ' the person and the cause being taken away, this latter statute might 
 ' receive the benefit of mitigation, which point was long argued by him 
 ' and the judge, in presence of many lawyers, for it was term-time. 
 ' He added, that according to the letter of queen Elizabeth's statute, he 
 ' was not guilty, not being taken in England, but on the sea. But all 
 ' would not do. So judgment was pronounced by judge Bacon ; upon 
 ' which the holy man, with a chearful countenance and pleasant voice, 
 ' lifting up his hands and eyes towards heaven, said, Deo Gratias, 
 ' thanks be to God, adding, I have not here room, by reason of the 
 ' throng, to give God thanks on my knees ; but I most humbly thank 
 ' him on the knee of my heart. Then he made an offering of himself, 
 ' in a loud voice, to his Saviour Jesus Christ, praying, that the shed- 
 ' ding of his innocent blood might not increase God's wrath upon this 
 ' kingdom, but rather be a means to appease it. Then he prayed for 
 ' the king, queen, and their posterity ; for the judge, jury, and all who 
 ' were any way guilty of his death. The judge said, you do us wrong ; 
 ' you have received judgment, and cannot plead your innocent blood. 
 ' The blessed man replied, my Lord, I have said ; I will not offend. 
 f The judge bid him make choice of what day he would die. He an- 
 ' swered, with a pleasant and modest aspect, as always, my lord, con- 
 ' sider, it is not an easy matter, or a thing soon compassed, to be pro- 
 ' vided to die well. We have all of us much to answer for, and myself 
 ' have not the least share ; therefore, my lord, consider what time your 
 ' lordship would allot to yourself, and appoint that to me. Yet the judge 
 ( made him the same proffer a second and a third time ; to which he 
 ' lastly replied, he would by no means be an allotter of his own death, or 
 ' be any way guilty of it ; but would leave it to his lordship's discretion. 
 ' So being promised he should have a competent notice, he was sent 
 ' back to his lodgings in the prison. 
 
 ' It was admirable to see how pleasant, how affable and liberal he 
 ' was towards all : in a word, his comportment was such, that his fel- 
 ' low-prisoner's, of their own accord, drew up a certificate of his inntf-
 
 160 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' cent and virtuous behaviour, signed by twenty-nine gentlemen, all 
 ' protestants, excepting six, whom he had reconciled in prison, (viz. 
 
 * captain Bromfield, Mr. Martin, Mr. Button, Mr. Hierome, Mr. Ri- 
 e chabie, &c.) This gentleman last named had a most wicked custom 
 ' of swearing : the blessed man once hearing him swear, whilst he was 
 
 * drinking amongst his companions (after his reconciliation) goes to him, 
 ' calls him out, pays his shot, and so severely reprehends him, that to 
 ' this day the man was never heard to swear an oath, as his fellow-pri- 
 ' soners can testify.' 
 
 In the common side of the prison, where he was now lodged, the 
 holy man was placed in a little low earthen ward, in which there were 
 eleven lodgings ; and bore with patience all the nastiness and miseries 
 of the place. His office, it seems, was to sweep the ward, which he 
 did with great delight. One whom he had reconciled, desiring to do 
 that office for him, he refused the courtesy, and gave God thanks, that 
 he had this opportunity of serving the poor and prisoners. 
 
 It was also very observable in this blessed man, that he ' daily increas- 
 
 * ed in pleasantness and cheerfulness, as he grew nearer and nearer to 
 ' heaven, even to his last hour, as many can witness, (says my author) 
 ' and myself can, being with him daily. On the 28th of June, being 
 ' Sunday, near eight in the evening, an officer came from the judges, to 
 ' advertize him, that Tuesday morning next following was appointed 
 
 * for his death ; beginning first with an apology, how unhappy he was 
 ( to be the messenger of such sad tidings ; at which the holy man, 
 ' imagining what it was, joyfully said, welcome, whatever comas : 
 ' God's name be praised! The manner and cordiality of his speech so 
 ' daunted the officer, that he could not read his charge, but the blessed 
 ' man looking over his shoulder prompted him ; then after giving him 
 ' many thanks, called for a glass of sack and drank to him, (saying, as 
 
 * it is in another manuscript, what am I, that God thus honours me ; 
 ' and will have me die for his sake f which words drew tears from the 
 ' eyes of a protestant that was standing by) after which he withdrew to 
 
 * praise and give thanks to God. Many such like tilings were daily ob- 
 
 * served in his comportment. 
 
 ' The last of June (the commemoration of the martyrdom of St. 
 ' Paul) being come, our confessor having first spent the precedent night 
 ' with his confessarius except two hours in which he reposed, having 
 ' finished his confession and private devotions, celebrated the divine 
 ' mysteries with tears trickling down his cheeks. Then " being called 
 
 * for" he went with great cheerfulness to the hurdle, on which he was 
 ' drawn from the common goal of the King's-Bench to Tyburn. In 
 ' the way some presented him with wine, and he taking the glass in his 
 ' hand, asked leave of the sheriff to drink to his coachman, meaning 
 ' the carter, that drove the horses. When he was come to the place of 
 ' execution, arising from the hurdle, he knelt down upon his bare knees 
 ' under the. gallows, and there for some time prayed in silence > then 
 
 * rising, he stepped up into the cart, and making the sign of the cross 
 'upon himself, saying with a loud voice, in nomine patris, &c. he be- 
 ' gan to speak upon the text, spectaatlum facti sumus, fcsV. We are 
 ' made c spectacle to God, to angels, and to men. All you, said he.
 
 PHILIP POWEL, 161 
 
 * that are come to behold me, may think you are come to a sad spectacle, 
 ' but to me it is not so. It is the happiest day, and greatest joy, that ever 
 ' betel me j so that I may say with die prophet, hcec dies quam fecit Do- 
 ' minus, &c. This is the day which God hath made; a day wherein I may 
 ' truly rejoice in my soul : for I am brought hither, a condemned man, to 
 ' execution ; for no other cause or reason alledged against me, than that I 
 ' am a Roman catholic priest, and a monk of the order of St. Bennet. 
 
 * And this I freely confessed myself. This confession and cause only bring- 
 ' eth me hither to execution. I give God thanks, that he has honoured me 
 ' with the dignity of a priest, and I glory that I am a monk of this 
 
 * holy order, which first converted this kingdom from being heathens 
 ' and infidels, to Christianity, and the knowledge of God; St. Augustin 
 ' being their leader, sent by St. Gregory the great, pope of Rome, with 
 ( forty other monks. 
 
 ' Here the sheriff interrupted him, and bid him tell none of his old 
 ' stories and tales, and ordered the hangman to do his office, who im- 
 ' mediately tied up the holy man to the gallows. What he spoke after- 
 ' wards, was to express himself, how freely he forgave all who were 
 ' accessary to his death ; and to pray for the king, queen, prince, and 
 ' royal progeny ; and for a happy peace for the nation and the true know- 
 ' ledge of God ; desiring all catholics to pray for him. Then he knelt 
 
 * on the side of the cart, (for being tied up he could not kneel down) 
 ' and made his prayer to himself; which being ended, lifting his eyes 
 ' to heaven, and giving the appointed sign, lie received absolution,* 
 " from one of his brethren in the crowd, probably the same from whom 
 we have copied the greatest part of this narration." Then giving some 
 money to the hangman, and pulling his cap down over his eyes, he 
 waited in silent prayer, for the cart being drawn away, about a quarter 
 of an hour ; for the carter, whose office it was, having a horror of con- 
 curring to the death of so holy and innocent a man, withdrew himself 
 into the thick of the throng, and would not drive the cart away ; but 
 another was found to do the job, and the man of God was suffered to 
 hang till he expired. His dead body was cut down, bo welled, and 
 quartered ; but his head and quarters were not set up, as usual, on the 
 gates and bridge, but buried in the old church-yard in Moorfields ; and 
 this by petition of the common-council of London to the parliament, 
 hoping, as it is supposed, by this means sooner to obliterate his memory, 
 and the impression which his comportment had made upon the people. 
 His cloaths and shirt, dyed with his bloud, were redeemed of the 
 hangman for 41. by father Robert And a benedictin. He suffered June 
 30, 1646, cetatis 53, rc/ig. 33, missionis 26. 
 
 One of his fellow-prisoners expressed his esteem for hyaa by the fol- 
 lowing lines : > - 
 ' He was of princely race, of British blood, 
 ' Nor yet the twentieth part so great as good, 
 ' Sufficient, and so qualified withal, 
 ' That he did seem to be without a gall. 
 ' Mild, patient, stout : his hand to every poor . . 
 ' Most open, till they blush'd to ask him more. 
 ' Most temperate, and most constant to his Christ, &c. 
 VOL. II. y
 
 ite MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 One of the Douay manuscripts adds the following remarkable cir- 
 cumstance to the narration of his martyrdom, viz, that in the way 
 whilst he was drawn from Southwark to Tyburn, it happened, that 
 a collier met them on Cornhill, driving six strong horses with a load 
 of coals ; who being obliged to stop, and make way for the hurdle and 
 crowd that attended it, fumed and raged at the holy man, complaining 
 aloud, that he should be stopped in his way for that traitor, as he 
 called him : but mark what follows 5 the hurdle was scarce passed, 
 when one of the collier's horses, without any previous sign of hurt or 
 illness, falls down dead in the street, and obliges his master to make 
 a much longer stay, than that which so much offended him before. 
 The same manuscript also takes notice, that the gaoler was so much 
 taken whh the comportment of the man of God, that he accompanied 
 him to the place of execution, and always spoke of him witk the 
 highest esteem. 
 
 184. * Edward Bomber, alias Reding, Priest. 
 
 Bamber, commonly known upon the mission by the name 
 of Reding, was son of Mr. Richard Bamber, and born at a place called 
 the Moor, the ancient mansion-house of the family, lying not far from 
 Poulton, in that part of Lancashire called the Fylde. Having made a 
 good progress in his grammar studies at home, he was sent abroad into 
 Spain, to the English college at Valladolid, where he learnt his philoso- 
 phy and divinity, and was ordained priest. * But in what year this hap- 
 
 * pened, says Mr. Knaresborough, or when he was sent upon the mis- 
 ' sion, my short memoirs do not tell us ; and they leave us as much in 
 ' the dark, as to many other passages and particulars relating to the life 
 
 * and labours of this good priest, as well as to the history of his trial, 
 ' of which we have a very imperfect account. But then, short as they 
 ' are, they are very expressive of his zeal and indefatigable labours in 
 ' gaining souls to God ; his unwearied diligence in instructing the ca- 
 ' tholics committed to his charge ; disputing with protestants ; and going 
 
 * about to do good every where, in times and places of the greatest 
 f danger, with a courage and firmness of mind, much spoken of and 
 ' admired at that time, and mentioned by one of his contemporary la- 
 
 * bourers, and fellow-prisoners, "in a short manuscript relation," 'as 
 ' something that was wonderfully surprising, and, as he expresses it, 
 
 * alovc the power and strength of man. 
 
 f When, how, or where he was apprehended, I have not found, 
 ' but only this, that he had lain three Avhole years a close prisoner in 
 
 * Lancaster castle before he was brought to the bar.' "But now the 
 judges going out on their several circuits, which for some time before 
 tney could not do by reason of the civil wars, and coming to Lancaster, 
 Mr. Bamber and two other priests his companions were brought upon 
 their trial." Here, ' his conduct was discreet and cautious, so as to give 
 ' the judge no unnecessary provocation j but at the same time bis com- 
 ' portment was remarkably couragious and brave, in a degree that was 
 
 * From IVfr, Knwcsborough's manuscript collections.
 
 EDWARD BAMBER. 163 
 
 ' astonishing to the whole court ; where he stood with such aa air of 
 
 * fortitude and resolution of suffering in defence of truth, as might not 
 ' have ill become even one of the most forward and zealous confessors 
 ' of the Cyprianic age. Two fallen catholics, Maiden and Osbaldeston, 
 ' appeared against him as witnesses : these wretches made oath that they 
 ' had seen him administer baptism, and perform the ceremonies of mar- 
 ' riage : and upon these slender proofs of his priesthood, the jury, by 
 ' the judge's direction, found him guilty of the indictment, who there- 
 ' upon had sentence in the usual form, to be hanged, cut down alive, 
 ' &c. as in cases of high-treason. All which Mr. Bamber heard with a 
 ' composed countenance, and without manifesting the least sign of trou- 
 ' ble or concern. 
 
 ' It was on the 7th of August when he and his two fellow priests and 
 ' confessors were drawn on sledges to the place of execution, and at the 
 ' same time a poor wretch, one Croft, condemned for felony, was 
 ' brought to die with them. Mr. Bamber applied his discourse in 
 ' a most affectionate manner to this poor man ; beseeching him to take 
 ' compassion on his soul, and provide for its eternal welfare, by true re- 
 ' pentance of his sins, and embracing the true religion; telling him for 
 ' his encouragement, that it was never too late to make his peace with 
 ' God, who shewed mercy to the penitent thief at the hour of death j 
 ' and he will also pardon thee, said he, if, like him, thou wilt be con- 
 ' verted to him, and truly repent of thy sins. Take courage, my dear 
 ' friend, and boldly declare thyself a catholic, and withal confess some 
 ' of thy more public sins, and be truly contrite and sorry for all -, and I 
 ' a priest and minister of Jesus Christ will instantly in liis .name and iy 
 ' his authority absolve thee. The officers of justice, and the ministers, 
 ' began here to storm and threaten, but Mr. Bamber stood his ground 
 ' and carried his point. The prisoner fairly declaring his fixed resolu- 
 ' tion of dying in the faith and communion of the catholic church ; and 
 ' having confessed aloud some of his public and scandalous crimes, and 
 ' begged pardon for them, and at the same time signifying his sincere 
 ' repentance for his sins in general, Mr, Bamber, according to promise, 
 ( publicly absolved him, in the sight and hearing of the crowd, and to 
 
 * the intolerable mortification and confusion of the pfotestant ministers. 
 ' But they were resolved, it seems, he should do no more mischief ; and 
 ' therefore bid him walk up the ladder, and prepare for death. The 
 ' confessor obeyed their orders, having first taken leave of some friends, 
 
 * and sent a small token to some others, enjoining the messenger to tell 
 ' them from him, not to grieve at his death, for, says he, / hope to 
 ' pray for them in heaven. Here mounting up some steps he halted, 
 ' and taking a handful of money he threw it among the people, saying 
 ' with a smiling countenance that God loved a chearful giver. Then 
 ' after some time spent in private devotions, he turned towards his fel- 
 ' low confessors, exhorting them to constancy and perseverance, having 
 ' his eyes more particularly upon Mr. Whitaker, who by his looks ap- 
 f peared not a little terrified at the approaches of death, which gave oc- 
 
 * casion to the protestants to be veiy busy in tempting him with the 
 ' hopes of life, if he would promise to conform to their religion. Mr. 
 ' Bamber was speaking to him in the most tender and feeling mann"!
 
 164 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' to be upon his guard, and beware of the enemy in that critical hour, 
 ' on which the welfare of his soul was to depend for an eternity ; 
 < when the sheriff called out hastily to the executioner to dispatch him ; 
 
 * and so he was that moment turned off the ladder, and permitted to 
 ' hang a very short time, when the rope was cut, the confessor being 
 
 * yet alive; and thus was he butchered in a most cruel and savage man- 
 ' ner, as my author a priest and confessor, then actually a prisoner at 
 
 * Lancaster, has avowed in the relation above-mentioned, which he 
 ' drew up upon the subject of the death of these three priests. Mr. 
 ' Bamber suffered at Lancaster, August 7, 1646.' 
 
 An Ode or Sonnet composed on his death, and that of his compa- 
 nions, speaks of him : 
 
 STANZA 27 and 28. 
 Few words he spoke, they stopp'd his mouth, 
 
 And choak'd him with a cord; 
 And lest he should be dead too soon, 
 
 No mercy they afford. 
 But quick and live they cut him down, 
 
 And butcher him full soon ; 
 Behead, tear, and dismember straight, . - 
 And laugh when all was done. 
 
 185. * John Woodcock, alias Faringdon, Priest, O.S.F. 
 
 JOHN Woodcock, called in religion father Martin, of St. Felix, was 
 born in Clayton near Preston in Lancashire, in the year 1603. His fa- 
 ther was a protestant, his mother a catholic, who found means of send- 
 ing her son over to the English college of St. Omer's, to be there trained 
 up, by the fathers of the society, in piety and learning. Here he stu- 
 died his humanity ; and from hence he was sent to the English college of 
 Rome to learn his philosophy and divinity. But before he had gone 
 through the usual course of his studies in that college, he conceived a 
 strong desire of embracing a more strict and penitential kind of life. 
 In order to this he first applied himself to the Capuchins, but not suc- 
 ceeding with them, he made his application to the English franciscans 
 of Douay, by whom he was received, being cloathed by R. F. Paul 
 Heath in 1631, and after his year's noviceship making his profession in 
 the hands of R. F. Francis Bell, who, as we have already seen, both 
 gave a glorious testimony to their faith at Tyburn, anno 1643. Within 
 a year or two after his profession he was presented to the sacred order 
 of priesthood ; and some time after made preacher and confessor. He 
 lived also for some time at Arras with Mr. Sheldon, in quality of his 
 chaplain and confessarius, till he was called away by his superiors, in 
 order to be sent upon the English mission. 
 
 In England he discharged the part of a zealous and laborious mis- 
 sionary, notwithstanding his frequent infirmities, till being desirous of 
 ending his days in his convent, he obtained leave of his superiors to re- 
 
 From Cerumen SeraphJcum, p. 159,
 
 THOMAS WHITAKER. 166 
 
 turn thither ; where he lived a most exemplary life, suffering much 
 from his almost continual illnesses with remarkable patience, till F. Paul 
 Heath having lately suffered at Tyburn, and the English friars at Douay 
 having a solemn thanksgiving-service on that occasion, where a French 
 capuchin preached a most moving sermon upon the happiness of suffer- 
 ing in so good a cause ; F. Martin was so animated with a desire of 
 meeting with the same crown, that he desisted not importuning his 
 superiors till he procured leave to return again upon the mission. He 
 landed at Newcastle upon Tyne, and from thence made the best of his 
 way to Lancashire, his native country ; where he was apprehended the 
 very first night after his arrival, and the next day committed by a neigh- 
 bouring justice of peace, to the county jail of Lancaster castle, in which 
 he was kept two whole years, suffering much from the incommodities 
 of the place, and daily aspiring after his happy dissolution. 
 
 His trial came on in the beginning of August, 1646, when being 
 brought to the bar with his two companions, " Mr. Reding and Mr. 
 Whitaker," he confessed himself a priest, and a friar of the order of 
 St. Francis ; his zeal during the time of his imprisonment, having fur- 
 nished proofs enough of his being so, if he had had a mind to conceal it 
 Upon this confession he was condemned to die as in cases of high treason. 
 It is hardly to be expressed with what joy he received the sentence, 
 breaking out into acts of thanksgiving, such as praise be to God ! God 
 le thanked, &c. He passed the last night of his mortal life in prison, 
 in meditation and mental prayer j and on the next day, being the 7th 
 of August, 1646, he was "drawn, together with the two gentlemen 
 above-named, both priests of the secular clergy, to the place of execu- 
 tion; the catholics being much comforted and edified, and the pro- 
 testants astonished and confounded, to see that chearfulness and courage 
 with which these servants of God went to meet that barbarous and ig- 
 nominious death to which they were condemned. 
 
 At the place of execution F. Woodcock being ordered up the ladder, 
 after some short time spent in his private devotions, offered to speak to 
 the people of the cause of his death, and the truth of the catholic faith ; 
 but he was quickly interrupted by the sheriff", and flung orf the ladder 
 by the executioner. Some say the rope broke immediately, so that 
 being perfectly sensible he was ordered up the ladder again, to be hang- 
 ed a second time. But however this may be, it seems he was scarce 
 half hanged at last, but barbarously cut down and butchered alive. He 
 suffered at Lancaster, in the 44th year of his age, the 15th of his re- 
 ligious profession, and the 13th of his priesthood. His head is kept in 
 the cloyster of the English Franciscans at Douay. N.B. F. Woodcock 
 in some catalogues is known by the name of Thompson. 
 
 186. * Thomas Ifhitaker, Priest. 
 
 ' JJ[E was son of Thomas and Helen Whitaker, born at Burnley in 
 
 * Lancashire, a small market town in Blackburn hundred, where he, the 
 
 * said Thomas, was master of a noted free-school. The son performed 
 
 * From Mi. litiaiesborough's manuscript collections.
 
 16(5 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' his grammar studies under his father's care ; and then for his farther 
 ' improvement was sent abroad, at the charges of a neighbouring ca- 
 ' tholic family, " Townley of Townley," and went through his higher 
 ' studies in the English college of Valladolid. He was ordained priest 
 ' here, and entered upon the mission in some part of the year 1638, 
 ' and exercised his functions with great zeal and success for the space of 
 ' five years before his commitment to Lancaster castle. In this space of 
 ' time he was once taken up, but escaped out of the hands of the pur- 
 ' suivants, while on the road towards Lancaster. His guard, it seems, 
 ' having locked him up in his chamber at night, took the liberty of 
 ' making merry below stairs, which Mr. Whitaker being apprized of, 
 ' made his advantage of the occasion, and in the dead of the night let 
 ' himself down out of the window : but the passage being very streight, 
 ' he was forced to strip himself to his shirt, and through haste forgot to 
 ' throw out his cloaths before him, so that he was obliged to make the 
 ' best of his way that night in this naked condition. After wandering 
 ' some miles, meeting with a poor shelter, lie ventured to sit down, and 
 ' take breath a while, being at a loss what to do for cloaths and farther 
 ' security of his person, in a part of the country where he was a stran- 
 ' ger to the roads as well as to the people. But providence declared it- 
 ' self in his favour ; for while he was in these streights, a catholic met 
 ' with him, and being informed of his character and condition, con- 
 ' ducted him to his own house, and took such precautions for his con- 
 ' cealment, that the good man made a safe and effectual escape for that 
 f time, and returned to his people and the exercise of his functions, 
 ' leaving the pursuivants to the confusion of being well laughed at for 
 ' not taking more care of their prisoner. 
 
 ' How long Mr. Whitaker enjoyed his liberty after this I cannot 
 ' learn j only I find that he was seized a second time, and that in the 
 ' year 16-13, at Mr. Midgeall's of Place-hall, in Goosenargh, and then 
 ' he was effectually conducted to Lancaster, and committed to the cas- 
 ' tie or county gaol, on the /th of August, the very day and month on 
 ' which three years after he and his two companions were drawn on hur- 
 ' dies to the common place of execution. He was apprehended by a 
 ' gang of priest-catchers, armed with clubs and swords ; who, it seems 
 ' fell to club-law with their prisoner immediately, and ceased not to 
 ' beat and abuse him (threatening also to murder him upon the spot) till 
 ' they had extorted from him a confession that he was a priest. In pri- 
 ' son he was treated at first with uncommon severity, being sequestered 
 ' from the other prisoners, -and thrown into a nasty dungeon, where so- 
 ' litude and darkness were his portion, which he patiently suffered for 
 ' six whole weeks before he was allowed the liberty of the common 
 
 * gaol, and the company of his fellow confessors. 
 
 ' An ancient priest, his fellow prisoner, who has left behind him a 
 f short account of the behaviour of the three martyrs, always speaks of 
 ' Mr. Whitaker as a person of a most saintly life 5 and declares from his 
 ' own observation and knowledge (having been an eye-witness of his 
 ' conduct for so long a time) that he was still the first and last at prayer, 
 
 * or rather that his whole employment was a continual communication 
 ' with God, either iu mental ov vocal prayer ; aud that the little time
 
 THOMAS WHITAItER. l6/ 
 
 ' which he spared from his holy exercise was constantly employed in 
 ' charitable offices about such of his fellow prisoners as by sicknesses or 
 < age stood in need of help. He was particularly assiduous with regard 
 * to his brethren the other three priests j the more, because being the 
 ' youngest by far, he looked upon it his duty to serve them and assist 
 ' them upon all occasions : and this he performed with pleasure, and at 
 f the same time with so much humility, deference and respect, as if he 
 ' had verily believed them not only his seniors in years, but his superiors 
 c in authority and was glad to be serviceable to them even in the low- 
 ' est menial offices. 
 
 ' Thus did this holy priest employ himself during the three years of 
 ' his imprisonment : but when the assizes drew near, and he had notice 
 ' given to prepare for his trial, he shut himself up in a more strict retire- 
 ' ment, and a more exact spiritual retreat for a whole month j joining, 
 
 
 ' remarkably careful to place his trust in God in all dangers, and exceed- 
 ' ingly diligent in the use of prayer and other proper means to obtain 
 ' from him, who strengthens the weak, such grace and helps as were 
 ' necessary for his support in the day of battle. 
 
 ' His hearing before the judges was quickly over ; for having owned 
 ' himself a priest to the pursuivants and soldiers, who with threats of 
 ' death extorted this confession from him, and these appearing witnes- 
 ' ses against him, he could not, and would not deny the truth ; and so 
 ' committing his cause to God, and his condition to the favour and com- 
 ' passion of the court, he said no more, but with a meek and humble 
 ' deportment waited in silence the return and verdict of the jury, who 
 ' after a short deliberation brought him, and his two companions, ift 
 ' guilty of their indictments ; and the same day they all received sentence 
 ' of death in the usual form.' 
 
 Mr. Whitaker was drawn with the other two to the place of execu- 
 tion, on the 7th of August, and was the last that suffered. He was 
 naturally of a faint-hearted and fearful disposition ; and at the approaches 
 of death shewed evident marks of the dread and anguish that assaulted 
 his soul. This gave occasion to both his companions, in their turns, to 
 exhort and encourage him ; and to the protestants, to tempt him with 
 proffers of life, if he would conform. But, notwithstanding, his natural 
 fears were heightened by the sight of the barbarous butchery of his com- 
 panions, and that scene of blood which he had before his eyes j the Al- 
 mighty, whom he earnestly invoked, supported him by his powerful 
 grace ; and when it came to the upshot, he generously told the sheriff, 
 ' his resolution was fixed to die in the profession of the catholic faith : 
 ' use your pleasure with me, said he, a reprieve, or even apardon, upon 
 
 * your conditions, I utterly refuse. 
 
 ' When he was upon the ladder, he prayed devoutly and earnestly j 
 
 and having now the rope about his neck,, he prayed for his enemies, 
 ' declaring that he freely forgave them, and that he heartily desired to 
 
 die ia perfect charity with all the world. Then resuming his fonner
 
 168 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' ejaculatory prayers, while he was calling for mercy, and recommend- 
 ' ing his departing soul into the hands of his Saviour Jesus Christ, he 
 ' was suddenly flung off the ladder, and executed. He suffered at Lan- 
 ' caster, August 7, 1646, in the 33d year of his age, and the 8th of 
 ' his mission.' 
 
 187. Richard Bradley, and John FeltoHj priests. S. J. 
 Confessors. 
 
 _L HESE two religious fathers both died confessors of Christ within the 
 same month, some part of this year 1646. The former falling into the 
 hands of the pursuivants, was committed close prisoner at Manchester, 
 and died of the gaol disease, before he was brought to his trial. The 
 latter venturing to go into Lincoln in a disguise, in order to assist father 
 John Hood, who looked for his trial and death at the next assizes, was 
 there apprehended upon suspicion^ and after some weeks imprisonment 
 in that city, in great want of all things, was translated to another gaol, 
 and lodged in a cold room in the winter season, where the wind blew 
 in on all sides. Here he continued destitute of all human aid and com- 
 fort, and continually afflicted with the blasphemies and other immorali- 
 ties of the wretches his fellow-prisoners, till after 7 months, no witnesses 
 appearing against him, he was discharged indeed from prison, but with 
 his health and strength so much impaired, that he died within a month. 
 See Floras Anglo- Bavaricus, pag. 73, 74, who informs us, pag. 75, 
 that father Eelton, for 27 years, never omitted preaching on all Sundays 
 and holidays. 
 
 188. Thomas Faughan, Priest 3 Confessor. 
 
 JL HIS gentleman, though he did not suffer at the common place of ex- 
 ecution, was, nevertheless, a martyr for his character and religion ; and 
 that, in the time of these troubles, though I have not met with the certain 
 year of his death. Mr. Austin, in his Christian Moderator, published 
 under the name of W. Birchly, part II. giving a list of the priests exe- 
 cuted in several places, during the parliamentary persecution which be- 
 gun in 1641, closes it with this short account of our confessor, 'Mr. 
 ' Thomas Vaughan, after very hard usage aboard Captain Molton's ship, 
 ' soon after died at CardirTe in South Wales.' 
 
 He was of the ancient family of the Vaughans, of Courtfield, and 
 was nephew to the famous Dr. GifFard, who from a priest and professor 
 of divinity in the English college then residing at Rhemes, became a 
 monk of the venerable order of St. Bennet, and first president general 
 of the English congregation ; and at length was made archbishop of 
 Rhemes, and primate of France. Mr. Vaughan, as appears by the 
 Douay diary, entered student in the English college of Douay, anno 
 1622 ; and having taken the college oath, was by Dr. Kellison, then 
 president, presented for holy orders to his uncle, the archbishop of 
 Rhemes, from whom he received all his orders in September iQlJ, and 
 wasfrom Douay sent upon the English mission, the 27th of Aug. 1628 
 ).ther particulars relating to him, I have not been able to find, .
 
 THOMAS BLOUNT. 169 
 
 Some time also during these troubles, though I have not found the 
 precise year, died prisoner for his faith and character, Mr. Thomas 
 Blount, another priest of the secular clergy. He was a younger son of 
 James Blount, esq ; performed his humanity studies at St. Omers j was 
 sent from thence to the English seminary of Valladolid, but after six 
 months' stay there, returned into England ; then going abroad again, 
 he entered himself a convictor in the English college of Lisbon, anno 
 1(535, where he finished his studies, and was made priest. He was 
 sent upon the mission, April 14, 1642, and having for some years dis- 
 charged the duty of a laborious missioner in the worst of times, he was 
 apprehended and committed to the common gaol in Shrewsbury, and 
 died there. 
 
 And now we are speaking of priests that died prisoners for their reli- 
 gion, we must not omit to mention father Robert Cox, in religion called 
 father Benedict, an eminent religious man of the venerable order of St. 
 Beimel, who, after having received the sentence of death, and endured 
 a long and tedious martyrdom in prison, died in the Clink, anno 165O. 
 We are forced to pass over the sufferings of divers other priests in those 
 evil days, for want of proper records. 
 
 1647, &c. From the year 1646, till the year 1 65 1, I find not any 
 
 priests put to death for their character ; though otherwise the persecution 
 
 against catholics did not cease, and the sequestrators were every where 
 
 busy in sequestering and plundering their estates, as well real as personal, 
 
 That the reader may have a better idea of the sufferings of catholics in 
 
 this kind, I shall here transcribe some pages out of Mr. Knaresborough's 
 
 manuscript collections, concerning these sequestrations. 
 
 The sequestration of two parts of the catholic estates real and personal, 
 
 pursuant to several ordinances of the lords and commons, A. D. 1643, 
 
 J644, &c. 
 
 ' The first of these ordinances bears date April the first, 1643, 
 f appointing certain persons, there named, to be commissioners or se- 
 ' questrators for the several coxintiesot England and Wales; and impow- 
 ' ering them forthwith to seize as well all the monies and other personal 
 ' estate, as also all the manors, lands, and other real estates of notorious 
 e delinquents, that is to say, of all persons who had then raised, or 
 ' should afterwards raise arms against the parliament; or who had vo- 
 ' luntarily contributed, or should contribute any monies, horse, plate, 
 ' arms, ammunition, or other aid or assistance, towards the maintenance 
 ' of any forces raised against the parliament. 
 
 ' And also two parts of all the estates of every papist, or which any 
 ' person had in trust, or for the use of any papist ; this to be let, set, 
 ' sold, and converted and applied to the uses of the parliament, toward? 
 ' supporting the charges of the war. 
 
 ' A second ordinance passed the igth of August the same year, con- 
 taining an explanation and further enlargement of the fore-mentioned 
 ' ordinadlfe for sequestering the estates of delinquents and papists. In 
 ' this is explained, who are to be deemed papists, and who are liable to 
 ' the -penalty mentioned above ; that is, of having two parts of their 
 
 VOT,. II. 7- 

 
 170 MEMOIRS, &c, 
 
 '" estate seized for the use of the parliament. These are, first, all such 
 ' as have willingly harboured any popish priest since the 20th of Xo- 
 ' vember, 1642, or that should hereafter harbour any. 2dly, all that 
 ' had been already convicted of popish recusancy. 3dly, or that have 
 
 * been at mass any time within one whole year, before the 26th of 
 
 * March 1643, or should hereafter be at mass ; or whose children, or 
 ' grand-children, or any of them living in the house with them, orun- 
 ' der their tuition, shall be brought up in the popish religion. Finally, 
 ' all such persons, as being of the age of 21 years, should refuse to take 
 ' the oath of abjuration, " by which they abjure and renounce transub- 
 " stantiation, &c." which oath, any two of the committee-men, or 
 ' any two justices of the peace; or for want of these, the mayor, bai- 
 ' lifrs, or head officer of any city or town corporate, had power to ten- 
 ' der to any suspected papist. All these are here declared liable to the 
 ' penalty above-mentioned ; that is, two parts of three of their whole 
 ' estates real and personal, were to be forthwith seized, sold, and dis- 
 ' posed for the uses of the parliament. 
 
 ' And to the end that a full discover}- might be had of the catholic 
 ' estates, so that it should be morally impossible for them to convey 
 ' away any part of their effects, or conceal or skreen them from the 
 ' commissioners' knowledge, by the assistance of their protestant friends, 
 ' or otherwise, the said sequestrators were further empowered by this 
 ' second ordinance, to examine, upon oath, any person susj>ected to be 
 ' aiding in concealing these men or their effects, or intrusted for them, 
 ' or who should owe any thing, or be indebted to any papist ; and if the 
 ' said persons should refuse to be examined, or to declare the whole 
 ' truth, they were to be committed to safe custody till they should con- 
 ' form, and make the discovery insisted upon by the commissioners. 
 
 ' And for the more speedy and effectual seizure of the personal es- 
 ' tates of the said delinquents and papists, the commissioners had power 
 ' to authorize their several collectors, and agents employed under them, 
 ' to break open all locks, bolts, bars, doors, or other strength, where 
 ' monies or goods were, upon probable grounds, suspected to be con- 
 ' cealed, and seize the same into their possession ; with this further en- 
 ' gagement to such as were assisting to the sequestrators, that for their 
 ' reward, they were to have one shilling in the pound, of all monies, 
 ' lands or goods, as they should discover ; and for their indemnity, the 
 ' protection of both houses of parliament ; and to be esteemed as per- 
 ' sons who did acceptable service to the commonwealth. 
 
 ' Finally, amorgst the remarkable instructions given to the seques- 
 ' trators, consisting of 13 articles, that of number six ought to be care- 
 ' fully remembered, viz. You are to seize two parts of the estates, loth 
 ' real and personal, of all papists, (as they are papists) and the ivhole 
 ' estates of all other sorts of delinquents mentioned in the said ordinance, 
 f whether they be papists or others ; and you are to understand l-y two 
 ' parts of papists estates, two of their whole lands, and ttw of their 
 
 * goods into three to le divided. 
 
 ' Armed with these powers, the sequestrators set out towards their 
 ' respective divisions, and fell to seize, sell, or let, the estates of pa- 
 f piats wherever they could come at them. And in the south and mid-
 
 SEQUESTRATIONS, &c. 171 
 
 ' land counties they made quick dispatch; bringing under sequestration, 
 ' either as delinquents or convict recusants, the whole body of the ca- 
 ' tholics without exception. But as the progress of the parliament's 
 
 * victoiies was not so quick in the north and west, so neither could their 
 ' committees execute their powers with that undisturbed freedom, nor 
 ' make their seizures and commit their plunders with the same unlimited 
 
 * and uncontrouled tyranny, as they did in those counties which had 
 ' been more early reduced, &c. 
 
 ' But after his majesty's affairs declined, and his forces were so 
 weakened, as not to be able to make head against the rebels, then the 
 
 * sequestrators poured in upon those other provinces, and fell upon all 
 
 * the estates of the royalists and catholics, not hitherto sequestered, with 
 ' rage and fury. 
 
 ' After the independents came in play, they made great changes in 
 ' their commissions, and put in sequestrators of their own party : but 
 the harvest then was in a great measure over. The catholic estates had 
 
 * already been under sequestration seven or eight years, and the presby- 
 
 * terians had plundered them to the bare walls, so that there was no- 
 
 * thing left to these new sequestrators. However, as they were a hun- 
 ' gry crew, they were resolved to have something from the papists, 
 ' though less ; and thus they made new inquests, and forced many of 
 ' these oppressed people to undergo new compositions, upon pretence 
 ' that they had nut b^en sequestered according to the full extent and 
 
 * meaning of the late ordinances. 
 
 ' Of the sufferings ot the catholics in general, and of the miserable 
 ' state to which they were reduced by these sequestrations, take this 
 ' short but faithful account from a cotemporary writer, an eye-witness 
 
 * of their oppressures, viz. Mr. Austin, under the name of William 
 ' Birchley, in his Christian Moderator, part I. p. 9, &rc. 
 
 ' Of the papists, says he, some are sequestered for delinquency, and 
 ' those of all cavaliers (ca-tms paril-us) the most severely, though of all 
 
 * the most excusable, because wholly depending upon the pleasure of the 
 ' late king, and infinitely obliged to his royal lenity ; noting it as an un- 
 ' answerable argument of their fidelity and gratitude toward such as deal 
 ' with them in mercy, as also that their declining to receive the oaths of 
 ' supremacy and allegiance, for which they have heretofore been so vio- 
 ' lently persecuted, proceeded not Irom any aversion to civil obedience, 
 ' but because there were mingled in those oaths certain expressions of a 
 ' pure spiritual nature, repugnant to their consciences, and altogether 
 
 * unnecessary to the common security. 
 
 ' Others are equally punished, that is, their whole estate sequestered, 
 ' allowing only a fifth part for their wives and children, though in t.-je 
 ' rt-ason they are altogether justifiable, having never been in any engage- 
 ' ment, but found only in some garrisons of the king, whither they 
 ' were driven for refuge, being put out of the protection of the parlia- 
 
 * ment by public proclamation, their houses every where rifled, their goods 
 ' plundered, and lives endangered by the soldiers, whose condition seems 
 ' clearly to be within the equity of that article of the army's proposals, Au- 
 
 * gust l64/. That the king's menial servants, who never took up arms, lut
 
 172 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' only attended on his person, according to their offices, le freed from 
 ' composition ; much more those who had both the civil reason of duty, 
 ' and the unanswerable argument of necessity, to plead for their dis- 
 ' charge : and (which is yet more hard) some recusants of this class, 
 ' who never bare arms, but were only found in garrisons, for their own 
 ' personal security, as aforesaid, are now ranked among the highest de- 
 
 * linquents, and their estates to be sold, such as sir Henry Bedingfield, 
 ' Mr. Bodenham, Mr. Gifford, &c. 
 
 ' As for the single recusants, two thirds of their estates are seized 
 ' upon; only for the cause of religion, under which notion are in- 
 
 * eluded all such as were heretofore convicted of not resorting to com- 
 ' mon prayers, or do now refuse the oath of aljuratwn, a new oath 
 ' made by the two houses, when the former kind of service was abolish- 
 ' ed, wherein the practice is strangely severe ; for upon bare information, 
 .' the estate of the suspected is secured, that is, his rents, &c. suspend- 
 
 * ed, before any trial or legal proof, even in these times of peace 5 and 
 f being once thus half condemned, he has no other remedy to help 
 f himself, but by forswearing his religion, and so by an oath a thousand 
 f times harsher than that ex officio, they draw out of his own mouth his 
 ' condemnation. 
 
 ' When the sequestrators have thus seized into their hands two thirds 
 ' of the most innocent recusants lands and goods, then come the excise - 
 ' men, tax-gatherers, and other collectors, and pinch away no small 
 ' part of the poor third penny that was left them ; so that after these 
 ' deductions, I have known some estates of three hundred pounds a 
 ' year, reduced to less than threescore ; a lean pittance to maintain 
 ' them and their children, being persons for the most part of good quali- 
 
 * ty, and civil education. And as for priests, it is made as great a crime 
 ' to have taken orders after the rites of their church, as to have com- 
 ' mitted the most heinous treason that can be imagined, and they are far 
 
 * more cruelly punished than those that murder their own parents. 
 
 ' Besides these extreme and fatal penalties that lie upon the recusants 
 ( merely for their conscience, there are many other afflictions whereof 
 ' few take notice, which though of lesser weight, yet being added to 
 ' the former, quite sink them down to the bottom of sorrow and per- 
 
 * plexity ; as their continual fear of having their houses broke open and 
 ' searched by pursuivants, who enter at what hours they please, and 
 1 do there what they list, taking away not only all the instruments of 
 ' their religion, but oftentimes money, plate, watches, and other such 
 ' popish idols, especially if they be found in the same room with any 
 
 * pictures, and so infected with a relative superstition. 
 
 ' Another of their afflictions is, that they, I mean these single re- 
 ' cusants, have no power to sell or mortgage the least part of their es- 
 ' tates, either to pay their just debts, or defray their necessary expences, 
 
 * whereby they are disabled of all commerce, and their credit being ut- 
 
 * terly lost (upon which many of them now provide even their daily bread) 
 
 * they must needs in a short time be brought to a desperate necessity, 
 ' if not absolute ruin ; and if any, the most quiet and moderate amongst 
 'them, should desire to transplant himself into a milder climate; and 
 
 * endeavour to avoid the offence that is taken against him in his o\vu
 
 SEQUESTRATIONS, &c. 173 
 
 ' country, he cannot so dispose of his estate here, as by bill of exchange, 
 ' or any other way, to provide the least subsistence for himself and his 
 ' family : a severity far beyond the most rigid practice of the Scotch 
 ' Kirk ; for there (as I am informed) the persons of recusants are only 
 ' banished out of the kingdom, and prohibited to reside at their own 
 ' homes above forty days in a year, which time is allowed them for the 
 ' managing of their estate, and their estates allowed them for their 
 ' maintenance abroad. A proceeding which their principles would 
 ' clearly justify, if they could justify their principles. But in England, 
 ' where compulsion on the conscience is decried as the worst of slaveries, 
 ' to punish men so sharply for matters of religion, contrary to the prin- 
 ' ciples publicly received, is a course that must needs beget over all the 
 ' world a strong suspicion and prejudice against the honour and reputa- 
 ' tion of that state, which at the same time can practise such manifest 
 ' contradictions. 
 
 ' To this deplorable condition are the English catholics now reduced ; 
 ' yet they bear all, not only with patience, but even silence ; for amongst 
 ' the printed complaints so frequent in these times, never any thing hath 
 ' been seen to proceed from them, though always the chief, and now 
 ' the sole sufferers for their conscience, except (not to be altogether 
 ' wanting to themselves) some modest petitions humbly addressed to 
 ' the parliament, though such hath been their unhappiness, that more 
 ' weighty affairs have still disappointed their being taken into conside- 
 ' ration ; else were they admitted to clear themselves of the mistakes 
 ' and scandals unjustly imputed to them, they would not doubt fuljy 
 ' to satisfy all ingenuous, and dispassionate men, nay even whomsoever, 
 ' that were but moderately prejudiced against them.' So far Mr. Aus- 
 tin. 
 
 Who in his second part sets down the following passages, observed 
 by himself, upon cases depending before the commissioners at Haber- 
 dashers-hall, which will further demonstrate the grievances the catholics 
 endured in those evil days. 
 
 ' The case of Mr. Robert Knightley a recusant only, a great part cf 
 whose mansion-house in Essex was pulled down to repair the fort at 
 Tilbury ; for which he petitioned at Haberdashers-hall in December 
 1651, to have satisfaction out of the two sequestered parts of his own 
 lands there ; but in regard it appeared to be done before January 1640, 
 the present commissioners' answer was, thru had no pcu'er to TY/kvv 
 him. 
 
 ' On the llth of February 1651, was heard the case of Mr. Parker, 
 the lord Morley's only son, about 14 years of age : he petitioned fo; 
 maintenance out of his father's sequestered estate; but because it w;;. : 
 suspected the child might incline to his father's religion, who ib 
 a papist, it was d-nicd him, unless he might be taken both from fa- 
 ther and mother, and committed to the government of a mere stranger ; 
 which was ordered accordingly, and the poor pittance of 1001. per 
 annum only allowed him out of his own and father's estate. 
 
 < In February itf.51, Mr. James Hanhain of tli3 west petitions the 
 commissioners 'at Haberdashers-tall tu tlk effect : that he had never
 
 174 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' acted any thing against the parliament, yet two parts of his estate were 
 
 * sequestered with such rigour for his recusancy, that he could not pos- 
 
 * sibly subsist with necessaries by the remaining thirds, when taxes and 
 ' other charges were deducted : that he was therefore constrained to 
 ' borrow 501. upon bond, and having disbursed 151. of the money, it 
 ' seems the sequestrators got notice that the petitioner had somewhat in 
 
 * his house worth a new sequestration or review, as they call it ; there- 
 ' upon they search his trunks, ficd the remaining 35l. pull out the guilty 
 
 * bag, and two parts of it they sequester into their own pockets, to the 
 ' use of the commonwealth ; and for relief therein Mr. Hanham appeal- 
 ' ed, but found no redress at present, more than an order for the sub- 
 ' commissioners in the country to examine the business, and certify, &:c. 
 ' At the return of whose certificate, I leave the petitioner to expect his 
 ' doom. 
 
 ' On the 31st of march 1 652, the petition of one Hamond orAmmot, 
 ' was read, to this effect : that the petitioner never did bear arms or 
 ' assist the enemies of the parliament, yet his estate had lain under se- 
 ' questration ever since the year 1645, and not one penny allowed him 
 ' for his maintenance. That the petitioner, being a recusant, did in 
 ' the time of the late war continue at his own house, as long as he could 
 ' without apparent danger of his life ; but considering how obnoxious 
 ' even the most peaceable of his religion were to be affronted and ruined, 
 ' by the daily mischiefs they received from some disorderly soldiers, and 
 ' especially seeing one of his neighbours (a recusant) slain at his own 
 ' door, the petitioner did then, and not before, fly for protection to a 
 ' garrison of the late king's, without acting any thing in the least kind 
 ' against the parliament. And therefore humbly prayed he might have 
 ' a fifth of his estate, and the arrears allowed him to buy bread. But 
 ' it not appearing to the commissioners that he had wife or children, 
 ' their answer was, they had not power to grant him any rd'uf. 
 
 1 On the 16th of April, 1652, the case of Mrs. Church, of Essex, 
 
 * a recusant, was heard, whose petition spake to this effect : that her 
 ' late husband in his life-time settled a lease of Muck -hall (or such like 
 ' name) in Essex, of considerable value upon her, in lieu of jointure, 
 ' for divers years yet in being, and was held of the late dean and chapter 
 ' of St. Paul's : that alderman Andrews and Mr. Nathaniel his son, had 
 ' bought the reversion of those lands, at Gurney-house, and had-since 
 ' taken a lease for seven years of the commissioners for sequestration in 
 ' Essex, of the whole present possession, without the petitioner's con- 
 
 * sent or knowledge, and without any regard to her thirds : and that the 
 ' said Mr. Andrews having now possession of the whole estate, had de- 
 ' molished the petitioner's mansion-house, and did refuse to pay the pe- 
 ' titioner her thirds, whereby she was driven to a necessity of wanting 
 ' bread, being a distressed and friendless widow of almost eighty years 
 ' of age : she therefore prayed her thirds and the arrears, and that the 
 ' said lease might be annulled, 8cc. 
 
 ' The first was charitably granted, but as to the lease, and what her 
 ' thirds should be, she was left to the mercy of Mr. Andrews, who I 
 ' fear does forget what the Father of Mercies says in Jerem. xxii. 3, 
 ' execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the
 
 SEQUESTRATIONS. 175 
 
 * hands of the oppressor, and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, 
 " and fatherless, and widow, &c. And in Matt, xxiii. 14, woe unto 
 ' you scribes andpharisres, hypocrites, for ye devour ividou's houses, ami 
 'for a pretence make long prayer ; therefore ye shall receive the greater 
 ' damnation. 
 
 ' That which in this case did most exact my observation, was, that 
 ' Mr. Andrews (a person of quality) should make use of his power 
 ' against a poor widow, and should be present, and openly avow the 
 4 taking of her estate over her head, with so little regard to the thirds, 
 ' which is allowed her by the act of parliament, and so much to his own 
 
 * benefit, without which it is like he would not have taken it, and with 
 ' which the petitioner must needs suffer. 
 
 ' From Haberdashers-hall give me leave to make a step into Moor- 
 ' fields, where on the ipth of May l(J50, being the Lord's-day, Ri- 
 ' chard Ledsara and one Ledbeater, two pursuivants apprehended Ro- 
 ' b^rt Segar, a poor old decfepid man, upon a suspicion (and it was but 
 f a suspicion) that he had been at the Spanish embassador's at mass ; 
 ' upon this bare surmise the poor man was searched, and in his pockets 
 ' they found an old prayer book ; whereupon he was carried before a 
 ' a justice of peace, and committed to the Gatehouse at Westminster, 
 ' where he lay in the common gaol till the quarter sessions in January 
 ' 1651, being full twenty months, without any discharge or proceedings 
 ' against him, and at that sessions was acquitted by proclamation, through 
 ' the mercy of justice Scobell, but was detained prisoner (until April 
 ' 1652) by Mr. Weeks the keeper of the prison, for the rent of his 
 ' lodging, for which the said keeper demanded fourteen pence a week, 
 ' besides fees ; and yet (as I am credibly informed) the old man lay on 
 ' the boards in the common gaol, and had no other pillow for his head, 
 ' but a hard stone, for which he must now pay more than he is worth, 
 ' or continue till he perish in prison, being above 86 years of age. 
 
 ' And now I am at the Gatehouse I shall give you the supplement of 
 ' a like sad story, mentioned in the twenty-first page of the first part of 
 ' this Moderator, concerning agreat-bellied gentlewoman, committed to 
 ' prison on the 24th of June lt)51, her name upon enquiry I find wa? 
 ' Delavall, an English woman, but her husband a French man ; she 
 
 * was committed to the Gatehouse, and with much importunity got 
 ' leave by petition, to go oat upon bail, till she was brought to bed, but 
 ' was an actual prisoner full seven months of the twelve, which is pre- 
 ' scribed by the statute, and the fine of 100 marks stood charged upon 
 ' her, till she was relieved by the late act of oblivion, and all this poor 
 ( woman's sufferings merely grounded upon a bare supposition, that she 
 ' had been at the then French agent's in Long Acre at mass, without so 
 ' much as one witness that there was any mass said there at all ; it be- 
 ' ing the truth of the case (if I may believe their most serious protesta- 
 f tions) that they were only at their other- private devotions.' 
 
 See much more in this author of the unmerciful severities which the 
 catholics endured in those days ; who also informs us, that the seques- 
 trators had so little regard to charity, or even common humanity, that 
 they ' tripartited even the day -labourer's goods, and very houshold stuff, 
 ' and have taken away two cows where the whole stock was out three.'
 
 C<5 , MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 I shall here add my lord Castleman's list (though imperfect in regard 
 to several persons omitted) of catholic noblemen and gentlemen that lost 
 their lives for their loyalty in the quarrel of king Charles the first. 
 
 A Catalogue of Catholics that lost their lives for their 
 Loyalty. 
 
 JL HE earl of Carnarvan, slain at \ Lord viscount Dunbar, zlScarlrn, 
 Newlury, first battle. S and two of his sons wounded. 
 
 KNIGHTS. 
 
 SirJ. Smith, banneret, (who res- S Nich. Fortescue, knight of Malta, 
 
 cued the king's standard from the ) slain in Lancashire. 
 
 rebels at Edghill) slain attires- ^ Troylus Turbevil, capt.-lieut. of 
 
 ford, in Hampshire. the king's life-guard, slain upon 
 
 .1. Causrield, wounded at Newlury, \ his majesty's marching from 
 
 of which he died a lingering S Ncu'ark to Oxford. 
 
 death. / J. Preston, wounded at Furnace, of 
 
 H. Gage (governor of Oxford) slain ^ which he died a lingering death. 
 
 at CMumlrid.ge, Jan. 11, 1(344. S Artli. Aston (governor of Redding) 
 J. Digby, wounded at Taunton, t slain at Tredaugh in cold blood. 
 
 and died at Bridgewater. S Thos. Tildesly, slain at Jf^igan. 
 
 P. Brown, wounded at Nasely, died H. Slingsby, beheaded on Tower- 
 
 at Northampton . \ lull. 
 
 Tim. Fealherstone, killed at Chester S 
 
 COLONELS. 
 Col. Tho. Howard (son of the lord S wounded at Newlury, second 
 
 Win. Howard) slain at Peirs- ^ battle, and died at Marllorough. 
 
 bridge. S Francis Hungate, slain at Chester. 
 
 Th. Howard (son of sir Francis) at ^ Poor (governor of Berkley-castle) 
 
 Atherton-moor : the gaining oft, near Lidneij. 
 
 which battle was principally as- S Wm. Ewre (son to the late lord 
 
 cribed to his valour. c Ewre) at Marston-moor . 
 Thos. Morgan, of Weston, in War- S Ral. Pudsey, at 
 
 wickshire, slain at Newbury, first !* Cuth. Clifton, slain at Manchester. 
 
 battle : he raised a regiment of \ Cns. Bental, at Stow in the JVblds. 
 
 horse for the king at his own S Trollop, slain at IVigan 
 
 charge, and his estate was given ^ Wm. Bains, at Ma/pass. 
 
 to Mr. Pym's son. S \Vm. Walton, at Tredagh. 
 
 Cuthbert Conniers, at Malpass. ^ Rich. Manning, at Alresford. 
 T. Dalton, of Thurnham, mortally \ 
 
 LIEUTENANT-COLONELS. 
 
 Lieut. Col. Thos. Markham,of Al- S Wm. Houghton, at Newlury. 
 
 lerton, slain near Gainsiorougk. <| Phil. Howai'd, slain at Chester. 
 
 Lane. Holtby, at Branceford. - S Middieton, at Hopton-heath. 
 
 Haggerston, at Preston. S Michael Constable, there also. 
 
 Pavier, at Lincoln. \ Sayr, at Nasely. 
 
 Jordan Metham, at Ponlcfrnct. S Scot, at Alrcsford. 
 
 John Godfrey, at Tewhlury. ^ Thomas Salvin, at 
 
 George Preston, at Bradford. <, Richard Brown, at
 
 SEQUESTRATIONS, &c. 177 
 
 Goodndge, wounded at , and S Congrave, slain at Dean, in Glou- 
 died at Oxford * cestershire 
 
 SERJEANT-MAJORS. 
 
 Major Cusand, slain at the taking S Lawr. Clifton, at Shelf or dhouse 
 of Basing, in cold blood ^ Thomas Heskith, at Malpass 
 
 Rich. Harborn, wounded at Mai- S William Leak, at Newbury 1. 
 pass, died at Kendal S Rively, wounded at Naseby, died 
 
 T. Vavasor, slain at Marston Moor ^ prisoner at London 
 
 Panton, wounded at Corer, died at S Richard Sherburn, at 
 
 Ifigfimeadovj ^ Holmbv, at Henly 
 
 Hudleston, slain at York , R. Norwood, slain before Tuunton 
 
 Thomas Ewre, at Newbury I . i 
 
 CAPTAINS. 
 
 Capt. Marmaduke Constable, stan- S Anth. Hamerton, near Manchester 
 dard bearer toLieu-Gen. Lindsey, !j W. Symcots, Cap.-Lieut. to lord 
 slain at Edghttl S Piercy, slain at Newbury 1. 
 
 W. Laborn and M. Anderton, at ^ Thomas Singleton, at Newbury 1 
 Sheriff-button in Yorkshire \ Francis Errington, of Denton in 
 
 Joseph Constable, at Newbury S Northumberland, at Rotheram 
 
 Wiburn, slain at Basing, in cold 
 
 blood 
 
 Thomas Paston, slain at York 
 Henry Butler, slain at Brinle 
 Burgh, slain at Cover 
 
 George Singleton, at 
 
 Michael Fitzakerly, at Liverpool 
 Daniel Thorold, at Naseby 
 Francis Clifton, at Newbury 1 
 John Lance, at Isiip 
 
 Thurston Anderton, wounded at ^ George Cassey, at Hereford 
 Neivbury, died at Oxford S Langdale, at Grcekhovel in Wales 
 
 Haggarston, eldest son of sirThomas /Carver, in Monmouthshire, 
 in Lancashire S John Lingen, at Ledbury 
 
 Anthony Rigbv, at Ba.sing-house Samways, at Newbury 2. 
 
 Richard Bradford, at ^ John Plumton, slain at York 
 
 Kenelm Digby (eldest son of sir S Peter Forcer, at 
 
 Kenelm Digby) raised a troop of ? Thos. Whittingham, at Netvbury 
 horse at his own charge, and was s Winkley, at Liverpool 
 
 slain at St. A'eof's 
 Ratcl iff Hough ton, at Preston 
 Robert Molineux, of the Wood in 
 
 Lancashire, slain at Neivbury 1 . 
 Charles Thimelbv, at Worcester 
 Robert Townsend, at Ed^e-hiil 
 
 Thomas Anderton, at- 
 Richard Walmsly, at Ormschurch 
 J . Singlehurst&'J. Butler, at Mar- 
 ston Moor 
 
 George Holden, at Usk 
 Richard Latham, at Litchfield, 
 
 Matthew RatclifF, near Henly ^Thomas Charnock, at 
 
 Richard Wolfole, at Newbury S Robert Dent, at Newcastle 
 
 Anthony Awd ^ T. Heskith & J. Knipe, at Bindlc 
 
 Thomas Cole, at Newark \ Thomas Eccleston, at 
 
 Pattison, at JVi^an > J. Hothersal & Nic. Anderton, at 
 MaximiIianNelson,at.MrstoKAfoor ^ Greenoo Castle 
 
 Francis Godfrey, slain at Sherburn S Anthony Girlington, at Lancaster 
 
 Thomas Meyne'l, at Pontefract ^ Francis Rous, in Dean Forest 
 
 John Clifton, at Shelford House i Randolph Wallinger, at Cover 
 
 Abraham Lance S Chris. Wray, slain at Bradford 
 
 R. Lance, atRowton'm Cheshire ^ Robert Rook wood, at Oxford 
 
 Vol. II. A a \ William Rookwood, Alresford
 
 17* 
 
 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 HoKkins,sIainatLidneyincoldblood S bury 2, died in prison at London 
 
 Phil. Darcey, at ^ Richardson, slain before Taunton 
 
 Wil. Jones, at England \ Thos. Madden, slain in Woodstrcet 
 
 Henry Wells, wounded at New- S by the fanaticks, Jan. 1660. 
 
 INFERIOR-OFFICERS. 
 
 Lieuts. W. Butler, slain at Newbury 
 Richard Osbalston, at feeds 
 George Hothersal, at Liverpool 
 
 Wil. Girlington, at 
 
 John Kulcheth, at Worral 
 Wil. Singleton, at Marston 
 Peter Boardman, at Bradford 
 Short, slain near Gloucester 
 Rich. Bradford, at Blechington 
 
 S James Bradford, at 
 
 Thomas Kinsman, at Lincoln 
 John Birch, at Birmicham 
 Staley, at Rashall-hall 
 Cornets. W. Culcheth, at Newbury 
 Deinton, at Cardiff" 
 Robert Lance, in Cheshire 
 Edward Walker, at Burton 
 Miles Lochard, at Gooderidge. 
 
 GENTLEMEN-VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 Messrs. Ed. Talbot (brother to the 
 now earl of Shrewsbury, slain at 
 Marston-Moor 
 
 C.Townly& C.Sherburn, there also 
 ^Nicholas Thimelby, at Bristow 
 
 Pool, of Worral, at 
 
 John Typper, at Newnam 
 Chris, Blount, at Edghalston 
 Theodore Mouse, at Langport 
 
 Gerard Salvin, at 
 
 Francis Darcey, at 
 
 Wiburn, at Basing 
 Robert Bowles, at Basing 
 Wil. Stoner, at Basing 
 Price, of Washingley, slain at Lin- 
 coln, in cold blood 
 Cuth. Rat cl iff, slain at Newcastle 
 Thomas Latham, at Newark 
 Andrew Giffard, at Hampton 
 Richard Seborn, at liagland 
 William Alsley, at Wigan 
 Lewis Blount, at Manchester 
 Carey & Gennings,at Shelf ordhouse 
 
 James Anderton, in Wales 
 Thomas Roper, at Gootheridge 
 Stephen Pudsey, in Holderness 
 Francis Pavier', at Marston 
 James Banton, at Cover 
 Thomas Pendrel, at Stow 
 BoniiaceKemp& IldefonsHesket, 
 
 slain near York, in cold blood 
 Michael Wharton, at Scarborough 
 Errington, at Chester 
 T. Westby,doc. of phys'ic,atPi-eston 
 Peter Davis, at Denbigh 
 Edward Davis, at Chester 
 
 Bret, at 
 
 Roger Wood, at Chester 
 
 Henry Lawson, at Melton 
 
 T. Craithorn the elder, at Uphaven 
 
 Henry Johnson, at 
 
 Three sons of Mr. Kitby of Rand if 
 John Witham, at Preston 
 William Selby, at Preston 
 Maj. Gen. Web, dreadfully wound- 
 ed at Neivbury by case-shot 
 
 The names of stick catholics whose estates (both real and personal) ti-cre 
 sold, in pursuance of an act made by the rump, July 16, 1651, for 
 their pretended delinquency ; that is, for adhering to their king. 
 
 John lord marquis of Worcester, S Marmaduke lord Langdale & son 
 
 who so valiantly defended Basing 
 
 house 
 Henry lord marquis of Worcester, 
 
 who has been at least 300,0001. 
 
 Joser by the war 
 Fraci lord Cottington 
 t,ord John Somerset 
 
 ^ Sirs. J. Winter, who so stoutly de- 
 
 S fended Lidney-hoitse 
 
 T. Tildesly slain, &: estate sold 
 
 \ H. Slingsby beheaded at Tower-hill 
 
 S and estate sold 
 
 ^ Piercy Herbert, now lord Powis 
 
 ^ Francis Howard
 
 SEQUESTRATIONS, &c. 173 
 
 Henry Bedingfield s Charles Townly 
 
 Arthur Aston, governor of Reading S Rowland Eyre 
 
 Thomas Haggarston ^ Peter Pudsey 
 
 Esqrs. Roger Bodenham ^ John GifFard. 
 
 Other catholics, whose estates were sold by tin additional rump act, made 
 
 Aug. 4, 1652. 
 
 II. lord viscount Dunbar & son S Lance Errington 
 Sir William Vavasor || Henry Errington 
 
 Sir Edward Ratcliff S John Jones of Dingestoio 
 
 Esqrs. Thomas Clifton John Weston 
 
 Peter Gifford of Chillington \ Phil, llungate 
 
 Walter Fowler of St. Thomas S Gents. Robert Dolman 
 Thomas Brook of Madely ^ Richard Massey 
 
 Francis Biddulph of Biddulph S George Smith 
 
 William Middleton of Stocton \ Ralph Pudsey. 
 ^Nicholas Errington ^ 
 
 More catholics, whose estates were sold by another rump act, made Xo9. 
 18, 1652. 
 
 Henry lord Arundelcf fTitrdor, who S William Hough ton 
 raised a regt. of horse for the king ? William Hesketh 
 and whose castle of War dor was S William Latham 
 so gallantly defended against E. ^ Thomas Singleton 
 Hungerford S John Westby 
 
 Henry lord Morley & Monteagle Jj Sir Edward Charlton 
 William lord Ewre S Esqrs. William Sheldon of Beely 
 
 William lord Powis, who kept long S William Gage, of Bently 
 his castle of Powis against the \ Thomas Clavering 
 enemy, & afterwards was taken S John Plumpton 
 in it ; and thereupon was kept Marmaduke Holby 
 a great while prisoner at Stafford s Henry Englefield 
 and died in durance at London \ Robert Wigmore 
 Charles lord Somerset <> Robert Cramblington 
 
 Sirs. Walter Blount, long a prisoner S William Sherburn 
 
 in the Tower ^ John Constable 
 
 Eclw. Widdrington, who raised a S Richard Latham 
 
 regiment of horse ^ William Bawd 
 
 Richard Tichburn S James Anderton, of Birchty 
 
 C. Bount (slain also by one of his S Thomas Singleton 
 
 own captains) ^ John Talbpt 
 
 J. Clavering, died prisoner at Lond. S Nicholas Fitzakerley 
 John Cansfield 5 John Piercy 
 
 John Thimbelby of Irnham \ Thomas Acton of Burton 
 
 Piiilip Constable S Thomas Gillibrand 
 
 Edward Plumpton ? Thomas Grimshaw 
 
 N. Thornton, who raised a troop <, Ralph Rishton & Wil.Floyer,gent 
 
 of horse at his own charge S Richard Chorley of Charley 
 
 Esqrs. Hugh Anderton of Exton ^ James Anderton of Cleyton Esq, 
 Thomas Langtree of Langtrcc S William Anderton of Andcrton, 
 
 Esq. with many others,
 
 180 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 189. * Peter Wright, Priest, S. /. 1651. 
 
 A ETER Wright was born of poor but virtuous parents, at Slipton in 
 Northamptonshire. His father dying when he was very young, the 
 circumstances of his mother, left with a great family or children, 
 obliged him to seek his bread in service. He had for his master a 
 country -lawyer, with whom he lived several years; and being young, 
 and amongst protestants, quickly forgot the pious admonitions of his 
 dying parent, and lost his religion. However, he was by degrees 
 reclaimed, after he came to man's estate ; and going abroad, was fully 
 reconciled by the English fathers of the society in their college in 
 Liege, to which providence had brought him, whilst he was designing 
 a pilgrimage to Rome. From Liege he was sent to Ghent, recom- 
 mended by father Rector to the English catholics there, and for two 
 years diligently applied himself to his humanity studies, in the college 
 of the Flemish Jesuits ; till in the year 1629, he was pitched upon by 
 the English fathers, to be one of the number who were to be sent that 
 year from St. Omer's, to the seminary of Home. But Mr. Wright 
 petitioned, that he might rather be admitted into the society ; and was 
 accordingly received to the noviceship at Watten ; where, in the 
 two years of his stay, he gained that perfect mastery over his passions, 
 that whereas by nature he was hasty and passionate, from that time he 
 was remarkably calm and sedate. It was also noted, that he took 
 great pleasure, as well here at Watten, as afterwards during the course 
 of his studies at Liege, in making excursions into the neighbouring 
 villages, and catechizing the children. 
 
 Having finished his divinity studies, and his third year's novice- 
 ship in the Tertian house at Ghent, he was made prefect over the 
 scholars in the college of St. Omer's ; though nothing could suit less 
 with his inclinations, than this troublesome office, as he himself ac- 
 knowledged ; but he made a sacrifice of his own will to the will of 
 God, notified to him by his superiors ; and that he might the more 
 perfectly overcome this repugnancy of nature, after having prostrated 
 himself to God in prayer, he went to the rector of the college, and 
 generously offered to continue prefect, if superiors thought proper, 
 during the whole remainder of his life. But not long after, his pro- 
 vincial destined him to an employment, not less laborious indeed, but 
 much more agreeable to his zeal, viz. to a mission amongst the English 
 soldiers ; where he behaved in such manner, as to gain the esteem 
 and affection of all, and to reclaim great numbers of them from their 
 errors and vices. He was particularly dear to sir Henry Gage their 
 colonel, who after their first acquaintance, would not part with him, 
 but had him for an inseparable companion for seven years, partly in 
 Flanders, and partly in England ; till sir Henry (who was governor 
 of Oxford for the king) being killed in the civil wars, in 1644, the 
 marquiss of Winchester, and his lady, desired to have father Wright 
 in their family, with whom he lived till his apprehension, which was 
 on candlemas day, 1650-1. 
 
 * From his life printed at Antwerp, the very year he suflercd. By an eye- 
 witness of his death.
 
 PFfER WRIGHT. 131 
 
 As the privileges of the peers were not regarded in those times of 
 confusion, the priest-catchers watched their opportunity of rushing 
 into the marquis's house, on candlemas dav in the morning, at the 
 very time that father Wright was going to mass, and had not the 
 marquis stopped them for a while upon the stairs, they would have 
 seized the good man in the chapel, if not at the altar itself. But this 
 delay gave him an opportunity of getting out of the window upon the 
 leads ; where, nevertheless, he could not be long concealed ; for the 
 pursuivants finding, upon their coming into the oratory, the altar 
 dressed, and all things ready laid out for mass, conclude'd the priest 
 could not be far off; and perceiving the window open, imagined he 
 had gone out that way, and found it to be so, by sending a boy 
 the same way, who' discovered the father upon the leads.- 
 Thus he fell into their hands, and was carried before the lord chief 
 justice Roles, and by him committed to Newgate as a suspected 
 priest, where he had for companions, besides two priests that lay 
 under sentence of death, five others lately apprehended upon the 
 same suspicion; and amongst them, the reverend Mr. Chenev, a 
 priest of the secular clergy, who was his bed-fellow, and has given 
 an edifying account of father Wright's behaviour in prison, extant in 
 iiis printed life. 
 
 In the first sessions after the apprehension of our confessor, he was 
 not called to the bar ; and two of his companions who were tried, 
 viz. Mr. Kaker and Mr. Cheney, were brought in not ynilfy by their 
 jury, which gave the catholics great hopes, that father Wright would 
 be set at liberty, without being brought to his trial ; and very indus- 
 trious they were to procure his discharge ; but when the following 
 sessions were coming on, they began to apprehend, that those who 
 were in power had other designs ; for it was then given out, that the 
 lord chief justice had sent into the country for the apostate Thomas 
 Gage, to come up, and appear as witness against father Wright, and 
 father Dade, superior of the English dominicans, at that time also pri- 
 soner in Newgate. To divert this blow, the reverend Mr. George 
 Gage, an eminent clergyman, used his best endeavours to prevail on 
 the apostate, who was his brother, not to involve himself in any fur- 
 ther guilt, by having a hand in the blood oi the innocent. He pro- 
 mised he w'ould not, and, as to father Dade, was as good as his 
 word ; for though he appeared in court against him, and testified, 
 that he knew him to be superior of the Dominicans, yet he quali- 
 fied this testimony, by adding, that though he was their superior, pos- 
 sibly he might not be priest ; upon which father Dade was acquitted 
 by the jury. But as to father Wright, the wretch notoriously broke 
 his promise, and swore, that he knew him to be a priest and a Jesuit, 
 and had often seen him say mass- alledging, for the reason of his 
 appearing against him, an old grudge that he had against the father, 
 lor having done him an ill office, as he pretended, with his elder bro, 
 ther Sir Henry Gage. 
 
 The good man being asked by the lord chief justice, what he had 
 to reply to this testimony, and those of the other witnesses, Mayo, 
 Wadsworth, &c. ? would make no other answer than this : My lord, 
 1 give Almighty God thanks, from the bottom of my heart, that he ha.i 
 been pleased I should be here arraigned, (to use the words of St. Peter)
 
 182 MEMOIRS, & c . 
 
 fiot as a mnrtherer, nor as a thief, nor as a rev tier, nor as guilty of any 
 other crime, but my religion ; even the catholic religion, which was, is, 
 and ever will be illustrious over all the earth; and I have nothing more 
 to say. The judge told him, it was not for religion he was arraigned, 
 but for returning into England after having received the order of 
 priesthood, and seducing the people. Father Wright replied, that 
 the persecutors of old might, with as good a grace, have objected to 
 the apostles and the primitive priests, their coming into heathen coun- 
 tries and preaching the faith, contrary to the laws of those countries, 
 and have called it treason and seducing the people. But they preach- 
 ed the gospel, said the judge, you preach errors contrary to the gos- 
 pel. That is the very point in question, said father Wright, adding 
 at the same time, that all manner of errors and heresies were tolerated 
 in England, and none persecuted but the catholic religion, which was 
 a sign of its being God's truth. 
 
 The jury going out to consult about their verdict, after some deli- 
 beration, returned him guilty ; upon which the confessor made a low 
 reverence, with a serene and chearful countenance, and said aloud, 
 God Almighty's holy name be blessed now, and for evermore. The next 
 day, being Whitsun-eve, he received the sentence of death, to his 
 own great comfort, but to the great affliction of his friends and peni- 
 tents, who saw themselves now like to be deprived of so zealous and 
 virtuous a pastor. No endeavours were neglected to save his life, 
 or at least to obtain a reprieve for him, by the means of the Spanish 
 embassador, and others ; but nothing could be obtained ; the less, be- 
 cause it being the Whitsun holidays, neither council nor parliament 
 met. In the mean time, great was the concourse of catholics of all 
 ranks to the prison, from morning till night, to see the servant of 
 C*od; many desired to make their confessions to him ; others begged 
 tome little tiling, which they might keep in memory of him ; all were 
 edified with his w r ords and comportment, and departed with his bles^ 
 sing, finding a certain spiritual joy in their souls, from having seen 
 and spoken with him. As for his own part, he prepared himself for 
 his exit by a general confession of all his life to Mr. Cheney, and 
 waited for death with so much unconcernedness, that as the same 
 gentleman took notice, the two last nights of his life he slept far 
 more quietly than ordinary, and so sound, that it was not without 
 difficulty they awaked him at the appointed hour of five o'clock,, 
 when he arose, the last morning, to celebrate the sacred mysteries ; 
 and he declared in confidence to a priest of the society sent to hin\ 
 by the provincial, that he never in all his life had experienced so. 
 much joy as he then found in his soul at the approach of his dissolu- 
 tion. 
 
 Whitsun-Monday in the morning, he celebrated mass, with the 
 assistance of Mr. Cheney, with great devotion. And when the time 
 was drawing near when he was to go down in order for execution, 
 hearing the knocking at the iron grate, he took it as a summons 
 from heaven, and cried out, / come, sivcct Jesus, I come. Then em- 
 bracing Mr. Cheney, Farewell, said he, my chamberfellow, and 
 ^ before it is long vie shall ice one another again in heaven
 
 PETER WRIGHT. l3 
 
 "When he was called out to the hurdle, he went with so much alacrity 
 and speed,' that the officers could scarce keep pace with him ; and 
 here turning to Mr. Cheney, Upon this bed, says lie, / shall lie alone, 
 as you also henceforward V ill have your bed to yourself . Then being 
 placed on the hurdle, he made a short act of contrition ; and in the 
 midst of mutual embraces, was absolved by Mr. Cheney, and, then 
 drawn away to Tyburn, through the streets crowded with an innu- 
 merable multitude of people. My author writes, that he himself was 
 eye-witness of this last procession of father Wright, who was drawn 
 on the hurdle more like one sitting than lying down ; h-s head was 
 covered, his countenance smiling, a certain air of majesty, and a 
 courage and chearfulness in his comportment, which was both surpris- 
 ing and edifying, not only to the catholics who crowded to ask his 
 benediction, but to the protestants themselves, as many of them pub- 
 licly declared. He adds, that when the hurdle came over against the 
 house where the marquis of Winchester, with his lady, children, and 
 other catholics of distinction, were waiting to see him from a balcony, 
 he lifted himself up as much as his pinions would permit, and making 
 the sign of the cross, gave them his last blessing, which they all re- 
 ceived with their heads bowed down. 
 
 The number of people that met at Tyburn, to be spectators of the 
 triumph of this confessor of Christ, was computed to have been no 
 less than 20,000, and amongst them near 200 coaches, and 500 horse- 
 men. Thirteen malefactors were appointed to die with him, to whom 
 the father endeavoured to give seasonable advice for the welfare of 
 their souls, but was continually interrupted by the minister, and there- 
 fore desisted, betaking himself to silent prayer, in which he employed 
 about an hour, standing with his eyes shut, his hands joined before 
 his breast, his countenance sweet and amiable, and his whole body 
 without motion, as one in deep contemplation. The minister took occa- 
 sion to tell him, it was not yet too late, that he might save his life, if 
 he would renounce the errors of popery : but father Wright gene- 
 rously answered him, if he had a thousand lives, he would most tvuling- 
 fygive them all up in defence of the catholic religion. 
 
 The hangman having fitted the rope to his neck, the confessor 
 made a short speech to the spectators in these or the like words: 
 
 * Gentlemen this is a short passage to eternity ; my time is now short, 
 ' and I have not much to speak. I was brought hither, charged with. 
 ' no other crime, but being a priest. I willingly confess I am a 
 ' priest, I confess I am a catholic, I confess I am a religious man of 
 ' the society of Jesus, or, as you call it, a Jesuit. This is the cause 
 
 * for which I die : for this alone was I condemned ; and for propa- 
 ' gating the catholic faith, which is spread through the whole world, 
 ' taught through" all ages from Christ's time, and will be taught for all 
 ' ages to come. For this cause I most willingly sacrifice my life, and 
 ' would die a thousand times for the same, if it were necessary ; and 
 ' I look upon it my greatest happiness, that my most good God has 
 ' chosen me most unworthy to this blessed lot, the lot of the saints. 
 ' This is a grace which so unworthy a sinner could scarce have wished, 
 
 less hoped ibr. And now I beg of the goodness of my God,
 
 JS4. MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' with all the fervour I am able, and most humbly etitreat him, that 
 * he would drive from you that are protestants the darkness of error/ 
 ' and enlighten your minds with the ravs of truth. And as for you 
 'catholics, my fellow-soldiers and comrades, as man v of you as 'are 
 ' here, I earnestly beseech you to join in prayer for me and with me, 
 ' till my last moment ; and when I shall come to heaven, I will do as 
 ' much for you. God bless you all : I forgive all men. From my 
 ' heart I bid you all farewell, fiil we meet in a happy eternity.' Hav- 
 ing spoken to this effect, he again recollected himseff a while in pray- 
 er, and then the cart was drawn away, and he was suffered to hang 
 till he quietly expired. His dead bodv was cut down, headed, 
 bowclled, and quartered. His friends were permitted to carry off his 
 head and quarters, which were translated to Liege, and there honour- 
 ably deposited in the college of the English Jesuits. He suffered the 
 19th of May, 1651, atatis 48, societatisll. 
 
 As father Wright's comportment in this last stage of life, was ad- 
 mired by the generality of the protestants that were spectators of his 
 death, so it gave occasion to several conversions, a thing very usual 
 on the like occasions. 
 
 1654. From the year 1651, till the year 1654, I find no mention 
 of any priests put to death for their character and religion ; but in the 
 vear 1654, being the first of the usurpation of Cromwell, Mr. John 
 Southworth was drawn to Tyburn, to suffer for his conscience, of 
 whom we shall now treat. 
 
 190. * John Soiithicorth, Priest. 
 
 JOHN* Southworth was born in Lancashire, in the year 1592, being a 
 younger son of the ancient family of the Southworth of Salmesbury, 
 formerly possessed of a considerable estate, but which, ever since the 
 beginning of the reign of queen Elizabeth, has been in a declining 
 condition. He was sent for his education to the English college of 
 Douay, and was an alumnus and priest of that house, from whence 
 he was sent upon the English mission the 13th of October, anno 1619. 
 The first seat of his missionary labours, was his native country of Lan- 
 cashire ; where, after some years employed in his functions, he was 
 apprehended, brought upon his trial, and condemned, for being a 
 priest, in 1627. However, he did not suffer at this time, but was 
 reprieved, and continued a close prisoner in Lancaster castle, where 
 in the following year, as we have seen elsewhere, he was the man 
 that gave the last absolution to father Arrowsmith, when he was go- 
 ing to martyrdom. 
 
 From Lancaster castle he was, I believe, removed to London, and 
 committed to the Clink, for there I find him in April 1630; when, as 
 Mr. Prynne complains " in his Royal Popish Favourite, pag. 18, 19." 
 he was, at the instance of the queen, released with 15 other priests, 
 
 * From Mr. Knaresborough's collections, and other memoirs in nay bauds, ami' 
 from a maauscript sect me from the English college of St. Diner's.
 
 JOIIX SOUTHWORTH. igy 
 
 and delivered to the marquis de Chasteauneuf the French embassador, 
 to be transported beyond the seas. If ever he went abroad, as the 
 author above quoted seems to question, he quickly returned again to 
 his master's work, and laboured so- diligently therein, that he is com- 
 plimented by Mr. Prynne, pag. 2k with the title of a dangerous sedu- 
 cer ; who also informs us, ' that he was afterwards committed again 
 
 * to the Clink prison, by the lords of the privy council's warrant ; and 
 ' yet tor all that, had liberty to walk abroad at his pleasure (as most 
 1 priests, says this author, during their imprisonment had, the more 
 ' safely to seduce, as he calls it, his majesty's good subjects, and open 
 ' masses in their prisons to boot) whereupon being apprehended, and 
 ' brought before some of the high commissioners, and refusing to give 
 
 * bond to appear before them/ he was sent to the Clink by their war- 
 ' rant tinder the seal of the court, dated June 24, 1640, (to which 
 they found him to be formerly committed by the lords, and to be 
 ' then a vagrant prisoner) to be there detained under the keeper's 
 
 * custody, &c. But within few days after, he was absolutely released 
 
 * by secretary Windebank's warrant.' So Mr. Prynne. 
 
 Who goes on in the following page : ' How dangerous a seducer 
 ' this Southworth, alias Southwell, was, appears by this petition of 
 ' Robert White, sub-curate of St. Margaret's Westminster, to the 
 ' archbishop of Canterbury against him, in the last great sickness, 
 
 * 16.'36, which 
 
 ' Most humbly sheweth, that the petitioner, ever since the begin- 
 ( ning of this grievous visitation in Westminster, :c. hath observed 
 ' two popish priests to frequent Westminster, one of which is called 
 ' Southwell, " Southworth" who is, and long hath been a prisoner 
 ' in the Gatehouse, but lives about Clerkenwell. This man, under 
 ' pretence of distributing alms, sent from some of the priests in Somer- 
 ' set-house, or other papists, doth take occasion to go into divers 
 ' visited houses in Westminster ; and namely, to the houses of one 
 c William Baldwin, and William Stiles, in the Kemp-yard in West- 
 ' minster, and there finding Baldwin near the point of death, did set 
 
 * upon him by all means to make him change his religion ; whereunto, 
 ' by his subtle persuasions, Baldwin easily consented, and received 
 ' the sacrament 1'rom him according to the church of Rome, and so 
 ' died a Romish catholic. And in the same manner he also perverted 
 ' William Stiles, who also died a Romish catholic. And Southwell, 
 ' to colour and hide these wicked practices, doth fee the watchmen, 
 ' and other poor people thereabouts, &c. And thus, under a pre- 
 
 .' tence of relieving the bodies of poor people, he poisons their souls/ 
 The petitioner adds, ' that divers poor people, newly turned 
 ' Romish catholics, do oommonly frequent the mass at Denmark-house; 
 ' and three of those poor people watched all night with William Stiles 
 ' immediately before he died, and the next day went thither to mass. 
 ' A most \\icked course, says he, if it should not be remedied. 
 
 ' Upon this, Southwell soon after was apprehended, indicted, ar- 
 
 * raigned, and the premises fully proved against him by sundry wit- 
 ' nesses ; and vet by the queen's and Windebank's powerful means. 
 
 Vol. II. e b
 
 186 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' his final trial was put off, to the great discontent of the people, and 
 ' he not long after released.' So far Mr. Prynne, pag. 25. 
 
 Any other particulars relating to Mr. Soutlnvorth's missionary 
 labours, I have not been able to find, for want of proper memoirs ; or 
 any more of him, till his final apprehension in 1(554-, when 'upon 
 ' information of one Jefleries, a pursuivant, says my St. Omer's MS. 
 ' whom he had in fee, he was taken out of bed at night by Colonel 
 ' Worsley, and upon his own confession of having exercised" his func- 
 
 * tions since his reprieve, he was condemned, and dragged to Tyburn 
 ' upon a sledge, placed between two coiners,' &c. 
 
 As to what passed at his trial, the only account that I have been able 
 to find, is penned by a protestant, (wJio appears to have been a moderate 
 dissenter) in a pamphlet, intitled, a letter from a gentleman in the city 
 to a gentleman in the country, about the odiousness of persecution, printed 
 in J687, page 27. ' The last popish priest, says this author, that was 
 ' put toxJeath in England, for being a priest of the Romish church, 
 ' was put to death in the time of Cromwell. I suppose we are not to 
 ' doubt of the passionate heat which inflamed those who were then in 
 ' authority against the papists and popery. They looked upon the 
 ' papists as mortal enemies to their government, and as fast friends and 
 ' devoted servants to the crown and royal family. Notwithstanding 
 
 * which, when the said priest came upon his trial at the sessions house 
 
 * in the Old Bailey, and upon his arraignment pleaded that he was not 
 ' guilty of treason, but acknowledging himself a priest of the Roman 
 
 * church ; it clearly appeared, that those who were his judges, did 
 
 * their utmost to preserve his life, and to prevent the execution against 
 ' him of those laws, upon which he stood indicted ; for they did for 
 > many hours suspend the recording of his confession, making it their 
 
 * endeavour to prevail with him to plead not guilty to the indictment. 
 
 * They pressed him to this in the public court, assuring him, that if he 
 ' would so plead, his life should be safe; and that they had no evidence, 
 ' which could prove him to be a priest. And when the old man " aged 
 'about 72" would not be drawn to deny himself to be a priest, 
 
 * taking it to be a denying of his religion, and that the court was 
 ' compelled to gi v e judgment against him, the magistrate who gave 
 ' the sentence, " serjeant Steel, recorder of London" was so drowned 
 ' in tears upon that sad occasion, that it was long before he could 
 ' pronounce the sentence, which the law compelled, as he professed, 
 ' to give.' So far this writer of Mr. South worth's trial and condemna- 
 tion. 
 
 As to his execution, he was drawn to Tyburn on the 28th of June, 
 1654. What happened upon this occasion, take here from an eye- 
 witness, in a letter dated the thirtieth of the same month. 
 
 ' As I arrived here I was invited to be a spectator of the martyrdom 
 ' of Mr. Southworth, an ancient secular priest. He had formerly been 
 ' condemned and reprieved in Lancashire, &c. At his execution, 
 ' though it was a stormy and rainy day, there came thousands of peo- 
 ' pie, with a great number of coaches and horsemen. He made a 
 ' speech at the gallows, which I send you with these, according to a 
 ' copy I had from one of the same profession, who stood under the
 
 JOHN SOUTHWORTH. 187 
 
 * gallows. The large particulars I have not as yet, nor seek to send, 
 ' on confidence you will have them from better hands. Priests fly 
 ' hence apace, as presaging a greater storm. There are others in 
 ' hold, and search made after more. All are in fi-ars and suspense, 
 ' not knowing where to dispose themselves, the times are so hard. 
 'There is now another priest brought from Newcastle, taken at mass, 
 ' with the man of the house ; who may the next sessions expect their 
 ( doom. There were five coiners hanged, drawn, and quartered with 
 ' Mr. Southworth. He was cloathed in a priest's gown, and had a 
 ' four-cornered cap. 3 His speech was as follows : 
 
 Mr. South-worth's speech at Tyburn. 
 
 ' Good people, I was born in Lancashire. This is the third time I 
 f have been apprehended, and now being to die, I would gladly witness 
 ' and profess openly my faith, for which I suifer. And though my 
 ' time be short, yet what I shall be deficient in words, I hope 1 shall 
 ' supply with my blood, which I will most willingly spend to the last 
 ' drop for my faith. Neither my intent in coming'into England, nor 
 ' practice in England, was to act any thing against the secular 
 ' government. Hither I was sent by my lawful superiors to teach 
 ' Christ's faith, not to meddle with any te'mporal affairs. Christ sent 
 ' his apostles ; his apostles their successors ; and their successors me. 
 ' I did what I was commanded by them, who had power to command 
 ' me, being ever taught that I ought to obey them in matters ecclesi- 
 4 astical, arid my temporal governors in business only temporal. I 
 ' never acted nor thought any hurt against the present protector. I 
 -' had only a care to do my own obligation, and discharge my own 
 ' duty in saving my own and other men's souls. This, and only this, 
 ' according to my poor abilities, I laboured to perform, I had com- 
 ' mission to do it from him, to whom our Saviour, in his predecessor 
 ' St. Peter, gave power to send others to propagate his faith. This is 
 ' that for which I die, O holy cause ! and not for any treason against 
 ' the laws. My faith and obedience to my superiors is all the treason 
 ' charged against me ; nay I die for Christ's law, which no human 
 
 * law, by whomsoever made, ought to withstand or contradict. This 
 ' law of Christ commanded me to obey these superiors, and this 
 ' church, saying, whoever hears them hears himself. This church, 
 ' these superiors of it I obeyed, and for obeying, die. I was brought 
 
 * up in the truly ancient Roman catholic apostolic religion, which 
 
 * taught me, that the sum of the only true Christian profession is to 
 ' die. This lesson I have heretofore in my life-time desired to learn ; 
 ' tiiis lesson I come here to put in practice by dying, being taught ^ it 
 ' by our blessed Saviour, both by precept and example. Himself said, 
 ' Jfe that ivilt be my disciple, let him take up his cross and follow me. 
 ' Himself exemplary practised what he had recommended toothers. 
 ' To 'follow his holy doctrine, and imitate his holy death, I willingly 
 < suffer at present; this gallows ''looking up" I look on as his cross, 
 ' which I gladly take to follow my dyar Saviour. My faith is my 
 ' crime, the performance of my duty the occasion of my condemna- 
 ' tion. I confess I am a great sinner ; against God I have offended, 
 
 * but am innocent of any sin against man ; I mean, the commonwcaltU
 
 1SS MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' and present government. How justly then I die, let them look to 
 ' who have condemned me. It is sufficient for me that it is God's 
 
 * will : I plead not for myself (I came hither to suffer) but tor you 
 ' poor persecuted catholics, whom I leave behind me. Heretofore 
 
 * liberty of conscience was pretended as a cause of war; and it was 
 ' held a reasonable proposition that all the natives should enjoy it, who 
 ' should be found to behave themselves as obedient and true subjects. 
 
 * This being so, why should their conscientious acting and governing 
 ' themselves according to the faith received from their ancestors, in- 
 ' volve them more than all the rest in an universal guilt ? which con- 
 
 * scientiousness is the very reason that' clears others, and renders them 
 ' innocent. It has pleased God to take the sword out of the king's 
 ' hand, and put it in the protector's. Let him remember that he is 
 ' to administer justice indifferently, and without exception of persons. 
 
 * For there is no exception of persons with God, whom we ought to 
 ' resemble. If any catholics work against the present government, 
 ' let them suffer ; but wh^ should all the rest who are guiltless (unless 
 ' conscience be their guilt) be made partakers in a promiscuous pu- 
 ' nishment with the greatest malefactors ? The first rebellion was of 
 ' the angels ; the guilty were cast into hell, the innocent remained 
 ' partakers of the heavenly blessings. 
 
 ' Here being interrupted by some officers desiring him to make 
 ' haste, he requested all present, that were catholics, to pray for 
 ' him and with him. Which done, with hands raised up to heaven, 
 
 * and eyes (after a short prayer in silence) gently shut, thus devoutly 
 ' demeaned, he expected the time of his execution, which immedi- 
 ' ately followed, and which he suffered with an unmoved quietness, 
 ' delivering his soul most blessedly into the hands of his most loving 
 
 * God, who died for him, and for whose sake he died/ 
 
 The following Latin epigram was made by a min r on the death 
 of this gentleman. 
 
 ' Relligio in varias serpit (modo mobilis) hydras, 
 
 ' Dum colitidolum quisque deumque suum. 
 ' Nullus ibi Deiis est, ubi multitudo deorum ; 
 
 ' Relligio varia relligione perit. 
 ' Martyr erat, vindex quia relligionis avitce, 
 
 * Unica quae nobis ducta per seva fuit. 
 
 * *Tluic Deus afflavit, sonuitque tonitrubus ae'r, 
 
 * Fulgure martyrium testificante suum. 
 
 * In pluviam versus lachrimarum est imber obortus, 
 
 ' Athleta ut maneat f'ortis agone suo. 
 
 * t Claviger ingressum coelis dabat almus apertis, 
 
 ' Quippe fide & feriis gestit obisse suis. 
 
 N. B. Mr. Southworth's body was sent over to the English college 
 of Douay, by one of the illustrious family of the Howards of Norfolk ; 
 and deposited in the church near St. Augustin's altar. In requital of 
 which, as I find attested in the records of the house, God was pleased 
 by the prayers and relics of this martyr, in the year 1656, wonder- 
 
 * It thundered, lightened, ficrained very much as the good man was going to Tyburn. 
 J- He suffered death on the eve of St. Peter and Paul.
 
 OATES'S PLOT. 183 
 
 fully to recal from the very gates of death the honourable Francis 
 Howard of Norfolk, fifth soil to Henry Earl of Arundel, and brother 
 to Thomas and Henry, successively dukes of Norfolk, when absolutely 
 despaired of by all the physicians, and having all the symptoms of a 
 dying man. 
 
 Oatcs's Plot. 
 
 In the year 1 660, king Charles the second was restored, being the 
 12th year after the execrable murder of his roval father. Under hi-; 
 government the catholics liad reason to look for better times ; consi- 
 dering the services they had done both his father and himself; 
 neither was tin's prince in his own inclinations any ways averse from 
 their religion, since it is very well known he died' in the profession of 
 it. Yet such was his indolence (being attentive to little else but his 
 pleasures) and such the temper of the parliament and people, worked 
 up at that time to a vehement hatred lx>th of the religion and the per- 
 sons of catholics (in order to exclude the duke of York from the suc- 
 cession to the crown) that this king gave way to one of the most vio- 
 lent persecutions that ever the catholic-; of England have undergone, 
 from the beginning of the change of religion to this day. 
 
 This persecution was set on foot in the year 1678 (for before that 
 time the catholics were tolerably easy) upon occasion of what is com- 
 monly called Oates's plot, a pretended conspiracy of catholics for kill- 
 ing the king, subverting the government, and rooting out the protes- 
 tant religion ; a plot, which though at that time it gained a general 
 belief throughout the kingdom, is now allowed by all unprejudiced 
 sober men to have been as villainous and malicious a forgery as ever 
 was set on foot. In proof of which the reader may consult several 
 tracts of Sir Robert 1'Estrange, and some of the best protestant histori- 
 ans, such as Mr. Eachard, Mr. Salmon, Mr. Higgons, the continuator 
 of Sir Rich. Baker's Chronicle, &c. So that catholics have reason to 
 rank those that suffered on this occasion amongst the martyrs of religi- 
 on; since in reality the true cause of their death was not any plot, 
 but their constancy in the profession of their religion, and the public 
 hatred to which they were exposed on that account. 
 
 But this persecution did not only involve those that were accused 
 of the plot, it took in also all the catholics in general ; the prisons 
 throughout the kingdom were quickly filled with them ; and the san- 
 guinary laws of queen Elizabeth against priests were put in execution 
 with so much rigour, that I find no less than eight priests put to 
 death merely for their character, in different parts of the country, in 
 !e>s than six weeks time, besides divers others condemned on the 
 ?ame score. 
 
 It was on the 13th of August 1678, that Dr. Tongue (who is sup- 
 posed to have had the chief hand in the contrivance of this pretended 
 plot) gave in his first information to the king ; and not long after Titus 
 Oates was produced by the doctor as his informer; ' a person, says 
 ' the protestant historian " continuator of Baker, p. 687 ." who had 
 ' been dignified with holy orders, though very unworthy of that sa- 
 
 * cred function. He was' sent for to the council, and there swore to 
 
 * the truth of the papers delivered by Tongue, with a great man/
 
 190 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' other matters therein contained. The sum of what he then sworo 
 
 * was, that he had been privy to many consultations and discourses of 
 ' the Jesuits, about killing the king. That at one time they designed 
 ' to shoot him, which was to be done by two men, whose names 
 
 * were Grove and Pickering. That afterwards it was thought better to 
 ' do it by poison ; and this was to be done by Sir George Wakeman, 
 ' a papist and physician to the queen. He said also that many Jesuits 
 ' had disguised themselves, and gone into Scotland among the field 
 ' conventiclers, to distract the government there. That he himself 
 ' was sent first to St. Omer's, then to Paris, and afterwards into Spain, 
 ' to negociate this design. That upon his return with many letters and 
 ' directions from beyond sea to the Jesuits here in England, there was 
 ' a great consult held by them in different rooms in a tavern behind 
 ' St. Clement's church, in which he was employed to carry the reso- 
 ' lution from room to room, and so to hand them round. That at that 
 ' time a fixed resolution was taken to kill the king in one or other of 
 ? the ways above-mentioned, &c. These things were sworn by him 
 '. the first day he appeared before the council. Upon this he was sent 
 ' that very night with a guard, to seize upon the Jesuits and their 
 
 * papers. And for two or three days after he was almost perpetually 
 ' employed, night and day, either in apprehending persons he had 
 ' sworn against, or in attending the council. This fatigue he made use 
 ' of afterwards for an excuse to palliate several gross inconsistencies 
 ' that appeared in the evidence delivered by him at different times. 
 ' Upon his oath there were apprehended Sir George Wakeman above- 
 ' mentioned, Mr. Edward Coleman, secretary to the duchess of York, 
 ' Mr. Richard Langhorn, an eminent counsellor at law, all papists and 
 
 * laymen ; Thomas Whitebread, John Gavan, Anthony Turner, Wil- 
 ' liam Ireland, William Marshall, William Rumley, James Corker, 
 ' and Thomas Pickering, Jesuits and monks, who were accused by 
 ' him of being actors in, or privy to the plot. 
 
 ' That this plot, continues the protestant historian, as sworn to by 
 ' Gates, was a wicked forgery and imposture, is, I believe, little 
 ' doubted at present by thinking unprejudiced men. The character 
 ' of the informer is no small diminution of its credit : for though he 
 ' had worn the habit of a clergyman, he was a fellow of a most infa- 
 ' mous life. He had been once presented for perjury. He had been 
 ' made a chaplain in one of the king's ships, but was dismissed upon 
 ' a complaint of some unnatural practices not fit to be named. He 
 ' afterwards procured a qualification to be chaplain to the duke of 
 ' Norfolk, and that duke being a Roman catholic, Gates expressed 
 
 * soon after an inclination to the popish religion, not from any motive 
 
 * of conscience, but thinking probably to reap some small advantage 
 ' by that vile condescension. But he found himself disappointed ; ior 
 ' he quickly perceived he had lost all hopes from the church of Eng- 
 
 * land, to starve in that of Rome. At last he was sent to the English 
 ' seminary of Jesuits at St. Omer's, where he was treated with great 
 ' contempt. From St. Gmer's he had been sent through France into 
 ' Spain, and from thence returned to England, where he soon after 
 ' broached the plot. Whether in this he were animated by a sjnrit 
 .' of revenge, for the ill usage he had received from the Jesuits^ or by
 
 OATES'S PLOT. 191 
 
 r hopes of reward for the discovery, or whether he was an instrument 
 ' or others to swear what was prepared for him, has been variously 
 
 * thought, but must remain a doubt till the great day, when all secrets 
 
 * shall be revealed. 
 
 ' That there has been, continues the historian, p. 638, and ever 
 ' will be a popish plot for the restoring that religion amongst us, will 
 
 * be easily believed by such as know the restless temper or the church 
 ' and court of Rome. But that they should design to compass this by 
 ' killing the king, or by the violent methods sworn to by Oat^s and 
 ' his associates, appears incredible from the palpable falsehoods and 
 
 * inconsistencies in their evidence.' 
 
 As to the other chief witnesses of the plot, viz. William Bedloe, 
 the historian, p. 690. gives his character in the following lines. 
 ' Soon after this, Oates's discovery was confirmed by a new evidence 
 ' perfectly suited to the old one. His name was William Bedloe, a 
 ' person who had gone through many various circumstances of life, 
 ' and had been very infamous in every one of them. He was thorough- 
 ' ly possessed of all those qualifications that go to the compleating of 
 ' an eminent rogue. He was of a base birth and mean parentage, so 
 ' that little care being taken of his education, or of any provision for 
 ' him, he was forced to make his way in the world by himself. He 
 ' might have done this in an honest way, being not without capacity. 
 
 * But a natural certain bent towards wickedness, which is found in 
 
 * some dispositions, made him choose a contrary course. He was 
 
 * first a poor foot boy, or runner on errands ; and afterwards got into 
 
 * a livery in the family of the lord Bellasis. After this he turned a 
 
 * kind of post or letter' carrier beyond sea, in which condition he got 
 ' acquainted with the names and concerns of people of fashion. He 
 ' made use of this to put in practice a hundred rogueries, being of 
 
 * a bold and daring temper, with a good turn of wit and address. 
 ' Thus he run through all the arts and methods of sharping, going tin- 
 ' der false names, and borrowing money, or other valuable things 
 ' by forged recommendations, or by personating men of figure. He 
 ' travelled over Trance and Spain under the character of a person of 
 ' quality, robbing and cheating wherever he went. In the course of 
 ' this sort of life he had been put into several prison?, Sec. He was 
 'just got out of prison, where he was fed out of the alms-basket, 
 ' when the reward and encouragement were offered to the discoverers 
 
 * of Godfrey's murder. Upon this he went from London to Bristol, 
 
 * and in the way thither sent a letter to secretary Coventry, with a 
 ' desire that he might be seized at Bristol. This was done accord- 
 
 * ingly with great noise, that he might be looked on as a great disco- 
 ' verer. November the 5th he was sent to London, where he was 
 ' dubbed a captain, and the king's evidence ; and, like Gates before 
 4 him, had guards anil subsistence at the king's charge at Whitehall. 
 ' When he was examined before the secretary of state in the king's 
 ' presence, he said he had seen Godfrey's body at Somerset-house, and 
 
 * that a servant of lord Bellasis offered him 40001. to assist in carrying 
 
 * it away. That upon this he went out of town to Bristol, but that 
 'his conscience so haunted him, that it forced him to discover it,
 
 192 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 * Being asked if he knew any thing of the plot, he denied it upon oath, 
 ' He said indeed that he hacl heard of 40,0<X) men to be sent from 
 c Spain, who were to meet as pilgrims at St. Jago's, and to be shipped 
 ' from thence to England, which was all he knew. This was a strange 
 ' story : forty thousand pilgrims was an army in disguise, never 
 ' heard of but in Bedloe s evidence, and the comedy of the Rehear- 
 ' sal. And he could not give any account of the fleet that was to 
 
 * transport such extraordinary invaders. But it plainly appeared he 
 ' had been better instructed before the next day : tor being then 
 ' brought before the house of lords, he abounded in discoveries ; and 
 
 * accused lord Bellasis, lord Powis, lord Arundel of Wardor, and 
 
 I Coleman, of a design to kill the king ; and told the house he had 
 ' begun to put a narrative of the plot in writing, and desired time to 
 ' finish it. When he was asked whether he knew Titus Gates, he pos- 
 ' shively denied it ; but afterwards he brought himself of}' by saying, 
 ' he knew him only by the name of Ambrose. 
 
 Four days after, his discoveries were much enlarged. He said 
 
 * forty thousand men were to be ready in London. That ten thousand 
 
 * men were to ba sent from Flanders, besides the pilgrims of St. Jago's 
 ' in Spain. That Hull was to be surprized just at the critical time 
 ' the plot was discovered. That he was told that all the Roman 
 " catholics of any figure in England were acquainted with this plot, 
 ' with many other particulars too long and trivial to be enumerated. 
 ' There cannot be a more surprizing example of the force of universal 
 
 * prejudice, than that such an evidence should gain attention, much 
 
 II more belief, among so many wise men that heard it. I low could it 
 
 * be thought that forty thousand effective men should be ready in Lon- 
 
 * don for such a design, when probably there is not that number of 
 
 * papists to be found throughout the city, though we take in women 
 r and children \ &c. 
 
 ' The parliament believed all these strange stories ; and the king 
 ' was forced to drive with the tide, and appear as zealous as they. 
 ' Through the course of this month nothing was heard of but addresses 
 ' and proclamations against papists. And on the .30th of November 
 
 * the king came and passed the bill for disabling papists from silting in 
 'either house of parliament' So far the historian, p. 691. 
 
 "Who adds in the same place, the following account of Mr. Stalev, 
 condemned and executed about this time, though not properly for the 
 plot. 
 
 ' The next remarkable occurrence, says he, was the trial of Mr. 
 ' William Staley, a popish banker, for treasonable words. One Car- 
 ' stairs, a Scotchman, a man of a very ill character, happened to be 
 
 * in an eating-house in Covent-Garden, where Staley was at dinner in 
 
 * the next room to him. Carstairs pretended he heard him say in 
 ' French, that the king was a rogue, and persecuted the people of 
 ' God, and that he would stab him, if nobody else would. These 
 ' words he wrote down, and w r ent next morning to Staley, telling him 
 
 * he would swear these words against him, and demanded a sum ot % 
 
 ' money of him. Stalev was much perplexed; he saw the danger of 
 ' such an accusation at such a time ; but he was 
 
 was under difficulties, and
 
 EDWARD COLEMAN. 193 
 
 * refused to part with the money. So he was apprehended, and five 
 
 * days after tried and cast. The evidence against him was positive j 
 ' and being strangers he did not know their character. He could only 
 ' urge how improbable it was, he should say such things in a public 
 ' room, and that in a part of the town where French was so well under- 
 < stood. He was asked, while under condemnation, whether he knew 
 any thing of the plot ? but he denied it, as also the words sworn against 
 ' him. He was executed at Tyburn, where he behaved himself very 
 ' decently.' His trial was succeeded by that of Mr. Edward Coleman, 
 of whom we shall now treat. 
 
 1Q1. * Edward Coleman, Gentleman. 1678. 
 
 _L>DWAHD Coleman was a minister's son, born in Suffolk, and educated 
 in the university of Cambridge, who afterwards became a zealous con- 
 vert to the catholic faith. ' This gentleman, says the continuator of 
 ' Baker, was secretary to thedutchess of York, a great bigot in his re- 
 ' ligion, and of a busy head. This engaged him in many projects for 
 ' the restoring of popery here, or at least procuring a liberty of conscience 
 
 * for those of that profession. He had been engaged in a correspondence 
 ' with P. Le Chaise, the French king's confessor, since the year 1674 ; 
 ' in the course of which, he was continually entertaining him with 
 ' schemes and projects for advancing the interest of the French king, 
 ' and the church of Rome.' These letters being seized, were produced 
 at his trial, which came on at the Old Bailey, November 23, 16/8. 
 
 ' The evidence against him, were Gates and Bedloe, with his own 
 ' papers. The two first charged him with having been privy to several 
 ' consults for killing the king, and to another for raising rebellion in 
 ' Ireland, and that he had received a commission " from the general of 
 ' the Jesuits," to be secretary of state. As to his letters, they shewed 
 ' beyond contradiction, that he had been busy in projects for introducing 
 ' popery ; and some warm expressions which he had let fall, were made 
 ' use of to represent him as a more dangerous person than he really was. 
 ' But all this had no manner of relation to the plot, there not appearing 
 ' throughout all his letters, the least intention of hurting the king, or of 
 ' using violence of any sort, to compass his undertakings, but much that 
 ' implied the contrary. 
 
 ' He pleaded this himself, when he came to make his defence. As 
 ' to Gates and Bedloe, he observed, (which was very true) that when 
 ' he appeared before the council, Gates did not know him. Gates ex- 
 ' cused himself, by alledging the weakness of his sight, the candle- 
 ' light, and Coleman's change of wig and habit j but, he said, as soon 
 * as he heard him speak he knew him. He observed also, that when 
 ' Gates first appeared before the council, he charged him only with a 
 ' letter, and some matters so slight, that the council was ready to let 
 ' him go at large ; whereas, had he known these things he now charged 
 ' against him, that was the proper time to mention them. Gates an- 
 
 * From his printed trials and letters ; the compendium, or short view of the trials 
 relating to the plot; his dying speech ; the continuator df Baker's chronicle, p. 691.. 
 692, &c. 
 
 VOL. II. c c
 
 IQ1 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' swered this, by complaining of the great fatigue he had undergone for 
 ' two days and nights before, in seizing Jesuits, &c. which (he said) 
 ' had so exhausted his spirits, that he did not know what he said. This' 
 ' was a wretched evasion, but it went down at that time. In the third 
 ' place he said, that whereas Gates had swore he was privy to a consult 
 ' about the 21st of August, in London, lie offered to prove that he was 
 ' then ont of town,' " having left London on the 15th of that month, 
 without ever returning till the 31st, late at night." 
 
 ' As to Bedloe, he could only answer him, by solemnly protesting 
 ' he had never seen him till then in his life ; and concluded his defence 
 ' with an asseveration, that he had seen Gates but once before, and 
 ' Bedloe never.' Baker's Chronicle, page 692. 
 
 ' The chief justice, in summing up the evidence, says Mr. Salmon, 
 ' in his examination of bishop Burnet's history, p. 792, did not much 
 
 * insist upon the testimony Gates had given of Coleman's design to 
 ' kill the king ; but said, it was plain, that Coleman intended to bring 
 ' in popery, and subvert the protestant religion, by requiring the assist-' 
 ' ance of a foreign power ; and that he who subverted the protestant re- 
 ' ligion, by consequence brought in a foreign authority ; that this was 
 ' acting in derogation of the crown, and in diminution of the king's su- 
 ' premacy, and an endeavour to bring the nation under a foreign domi- 
 ' nion, namely, the pope's ; and though be might hope to bring in po- 
 ' pery, by procuring a dissolution of the parliament, and a toleration, 
 ' it was to be supposed, other methods would have been taken, if these 
 ' had failed, by his confederates at least, if not by himself ; and he 
 ' who enters upon an unlawful act, is guilty of afl the consequences that 
 ' attend it, though he did not design them ; whereupon Coleman was 
 ' convicted. 
 
 ' The chief justice having pronounced the sentence, Coleman de- 
 ' clared his innocency as to any design against the king's life ; and said, 
 ' he renounced ah 1 the mercy that God could shew him, if he had not 
 ' discovered all he knew to the house of commons ; or if he ever made, 
 
 * or received, or heard of any proposition towards invading the king's 
 ' life, his crown or dignity j or to procure any invasion or disturbance, 
 ' in order to introduce any new form of government, or bring in popery 
 ' by force ; and in this he persisted till he died.' So Mr. Salmon, agree- 
 ably to Mr. Coleman's printed trial. 
 
 The continuator of Baker's Chronicle adds, ' that before his execu- 
 
 * tion, many were sent to him from both houses, with promise of a par- 
 ' don, if he would make discoveries ; but he either would not, or, which 
 ' is as probable, could not make any such. So that some time after, 
 " on Tuesday the 3d of December," he was executed, and suffered 
 ' with great composedne^s and devotion, denying all that had been 
 ' sworn against him. There went about an idle story, that he refused 
 ' to confess upon promise of a pardon from the duke of York ; and that 
 '.when he found h : s death unavoidable, he cried out in a passion, there 
 ' is no faith in man ! But it was very phin, and he could not be igno- 
 ' rant, that the fury of the times was such, that the king had it not in 
 ' his power to pardon him, if he had been e\er so willing.' So far the 
 protestant historian. -
 
 WILLIAM IRELAND. 195 
 
 Mr. Colemarfs last Speech. 
 e It is now expected I should speak, and make some discovery of a 
 
 * very great plot. I know not whether I shall have the good fortune to 
 ' be believed better now than formerly ; if so, I do solemnly declare, upon 
 ' the words of a dying man, I know nothing- o f it. And as for the 
 
 * raising of sedition, subverting the government, stirring up the people 
 ' to rebellion, altering the known laws, and contriving the death of the 
 ' king, I ani wholly ignorant of it ; nor did I ever think to advance that 
 ' religion (which people think I am so zealous of) hereby. I thank 
 ' God I am of it, and declare I die of it ; nor do I think it prejudicial 
 ' to king or government. But though I am, as I said, a .Roman catho- 
 ' lie, and have been so for many years, yet I renounce that doctrine, 
 ' (which some, " Avrongfully," say the Romish church doth usher in to 
 ' promote their interest) that kings may be murdered, and the like j I 
 ' say, I abominate it.' 
 
 Here he was interrupted, and told, if he had any thing to say by 
 way of confession, or sorrow for his guilt, he might proceed ; other- 
 wise it was unseasonable to go on. He said, he had nothing to confess, - 
 that he had never any intention to subvert the government, or to act any 
 thing contrary to law, but what every man of a contrary religion would 
 do in a peaceable manner if he could. He added, that the witness who 
 swore against him did him wrong-; and as for Bedloe, upon the word of 
 a dying man, he never saw his lace before his trial. He also declared, 
 upon the word of a dying man, that he knew nothing of the death of 
 sir Edmundbury Godfrey, for that he was a prisoner at that time. 
 ' Then after some private prayers and ejaculations to himself, says the 
 ' conclusion of his printed trial, the sentence was executed ; he was 
 ' hanged by the neck, cut down alive, his bowels burnt, and himself 
 ( quartered.' 
 
 192.' * William Ireland, Priest, S. J. 1Q3. Thomas 
 Pickering, Lay ^-Brother, O.S.B. 104. John Grove, 
 
 VYILM AM Ireland, alias Ironmonger, was of a gentleman's family ; 
 his uncle was killed in the king's service, and his relations, the Giffards 
 and Pendrells, were instrumental in saving king Charles the second, af- 
 ter the defeat at Worcester. He was born in Lincolnshire, brought up 
 at St. Omer's, entered the society at the age of lp, September 7, 1(555; 
 in which he had the character of a man of extraordinary piety and regu- 
 larity, and a wonderful evenness of mind in all events. He was sent 
 upon the English mission, anno 1677, and was apprehended upon the 
 first breaking out of Gates' s plot. He suffered much in prison, from 
 the loathsomeness of the place, and the load of his chains, and was at 
 length brought on his trial on the 17th of December, 1678, together 
 with Thomas Pickering, a lay-brother of the order of St. Bennet, pro- 
 fessed in the English monastery of Douay ; and John Grove, a catho- 
 
 * Fjorji a short view of the trials relating to the plot, p. 9. Floras Anglo-Bavaricus, 
 p. Ho : a manuscript sent me from St. Omer's, and the continuator ot Baker s OHO 
 flicle, p. 693.
 
 1$6 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 lie layman, employed as a servant by the English Jesuits in their affairs 
 about town. 
 
 ' There were arraigned with them, says the continuator of Baker, 
 ' p. 693, Thomas Whitebread, and John Fenwick, both Jesuits. Gates 
 ' and Bedloe swore against Ireland directly, that he had been present at 
 ' a consult held in August for killing the king ; and Gates swore the same 
 ' positively against Whitebread and Fenwick. But Bedloe charged 
 f those two only by hearsay, so that for want of two positive witnesses, 
 ' they must have been acquitted by the jury in course. Upon this oc- 
 ' casion the court committed a most enormous and crying act of injus- 
 ' tice : for when they saw these two must be cleared, they, by a quirk 
 ' in law, pretended to discharge the jury of them, and put off their 
 ' trial to another time, though they had pleaded to the indictment, and 
 ' the jury was sworn, and the witnesses examined. They pretended in- 
 
 * deed they had precedents for this ; but, as a great man observes, pre- 
 ' cedents against reason only prove that the like injustice has been com- 
 
 * mitted before. As to Pickering and Grove, Gates and Bedlow swore, 
 ' that they were appointed to shoot the king ; and that the latter being 
 ' a layman, was to have 15001. and the former who was a priest, " a 
 " religious man," 30,000 masses, which at a shilling a mass amounts to 
 
 * the same sum ; that they used to walk together in St. James's 
 ' park with pistols for that purpose} that one time Pickering had an 
 ' opportunity to shoot at the king, but that the flint of his pistol was 
 
 * loose j another time there was no powder in the pan j and again the 
 ' third time, the gun was charged only with bullets, by which accidents 
 ' the king's life was saved. These diasters, one upon another, made a 
 ' very unlikely story; but it was all imputed to a special providence, 
 ' which solved the difficulty at once. The prisoners absolutely denied 
 ' the whole, and Pickering averred, that he had never shot off a pistol 
 ' in his life. Ireland brought witnesses to prove, that he was in Staf- 
 
 * fordshire at the time Gates swore he was in London. But Gates pro- 
 
 * ducing a woman, who said, she saw him in London about the middle 
 ' of August, which was the time he swore to, this defence was over- 
 e ruled. So that they were found guilty, condemned, and executed j 
 ' but denied stedfastly to the last moment, all that was sworn against 
 ' them.' So far the historian. 
 
 Mr. Ireland, after his condemnation, being carried back to New- 
 gate, wrote there a journal, which shewed where he was every day, and 
 who saw him from the third of August to the 14th of September, being 
 the time of his absence from London. The chief places were Tixhal, 
 Holy well, Wolverhampton, and Boscobel; the persons that saw him 
 were of great quality, as my lord Aston and his family j sir John South- 
 cot and his family ; madam Harwel, and hers ; several of the Giftbrds 
 of Chillington ; several of sir John Windford's relations j madam 
 Crompton, and Mr. Bidolph of Bidolph ; sir Thomas Whitgreave, Mr. 
 Chetwin, Mr. Gerard, and his family} Mr. Heningham and his j the 
 Pendrels of Boscobel, and above 4O more ; nor is there one day during 
 the whole time, in which there are not produced above a dozen of these 
 witnesses. 
 
 On Friday the 24th of January, after two reprieves, father Ireland 
 and Mr. Grove were drawn from Newgate to Tyburn, abused all the
 
 WILLIAM IRELAND. 1 57 
 
 way, and pelted by the mob, whose insults they endured with a Chris- 
 tian and chearful patience. At the place of execution, Mr. Ireland 
 spoke as follows : 
 
 ' We are come hither, as on the last theatre of the world, and 
 ' do therefore conceive we are obliged to speak. First then we do con* 
 f fess, that we pardon all and every one whatsoever, that have any into- 
 
 < rest, concern, or hand in this our death. Secondly, we do publicly 
 
 < profess and acknowledge, that we are here obliged, if we were guilty 
 
 < ourselves of any treason, to declare it, and that if we knew any per- 
 ' son faulty therein, (although he were our father) we would detect and 
 ' discover him ; and as for ourselves, we would beg a thousand and a 
 ' thousand pardons both of God and man ; but seeing we cannot be 
 ' believed, we must beg leave to commit ourselves to the mercy of al- 
 ' mighty God, and hope to find pardon of him through Christ. 
 
 ' As for my own part, having been twenty years in the low countries, 
 f and then coming over in June was twelvemonth, I had returned again, 
 ' had I not been hindered by a fit of sickness. On the third of Au- 
 ' gust last I took a journey into Staffordshire, and did not come back to 
 ' town till the 14th of September, as many can witness, for a hundred 
 ' and more saw me in Staffordshire, and thereabouts ; therefore how I 
 ' should in this time be acting here treasonable stratagems, I do not welL 
 * know or understand.' 
 
 Here one of the sheriffs told him, he would do well to make better 
 use of his time, than to spend it in such like expressions, for nobody 
 would believe him ; not, said he, that we think much of our time, for 
 we will stay, but such kind of words arraign the proceedings of the 
 court by which you were tried. 
 
 Then Mr. Ireland proceeded, ' I beg of God Almighty to shower 
 ' down a thousand and a thousand blessings upon his majesty, on her 
 ' sacred majesty, on the duke of York, and all the royal family, and 
 ' also on the whole kingdom. As for the catholics that are here, we de- 
 ' sire their prayers for a happy passage into a better world, and that 
 ' God would be merciful to all Christian souls. And as for all our ene- 
 ' mies, we earnestly desire that God would pardon them again and 
 ' again ; for we pardon them heartily, from the bottom of our hearts ; 
 ' and so I beseech all good people to pray for us, and with us.' 
 
 Then Mr. Groves said, ' we are innocent, we lose our lives, 
 ' wrongfully, we pray God to forgive them that are the causers of it.* 
 
 Then having commended their departing souls into the hands of their 
 Creator, they were executed according to sentence j father Ireland be- 
 ing then in the 43d year of his age, and the 24th of his entering into 
 religion. 
 
 Mr Pickering was reprieved till the pth of May, either in hopes of 
 his making discoveries, or because the king was very unwilling to con- 
 sent to his death. But on the day aforesaid he was drawn to Tyburn, 
 and there executed. He expressed a very great joy that he was so hap- 
 py as to yield up his life to God, in a case where his conscience assured 
 him his religion was his only guilt : and he took it upon his salvation 
 that he was innocent in thought, word, and deed, of all that was laid
 
 198 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 to his charge. Being taxed for a priest, he replied with - a smile, na, I. 
 am lut a lay -hot her. He prayed for his accusers and enemies ; and 
 when he 'was just upon the point of being turned off, being called upon 
 by some to confess his guilt, pulling up his cap. .and looking towards 
 them with an' innocent smiling countenance, is this, said he, the coun- 
 tenance of a-'man that dies under so gross a guilt? And so he ended a 
 pious, religious life with a holy death, cctatis anno 58, and went smi- 
 ling off the stage ;. regretted by many, who esteemed him a very harm- 
 less man, and of all men living the most unlikely, and the most unfit 
 for that desperate undertaking of which he was "accused. He was of a' 
 loyal stock, his father having "lost his life in the king's quarrel, during 
 <he civil wars. 
 
 Next comes on the trial and execution of the pretended murderers of' 
 sir Edmundbury Godfrey. This knight was the justice of peace to' 
 whom Oales had brought three copies of his narrative of the plot, and 
 had made oath before him to the truth of it on the 2Jth of September, 
 J678} and on the 12th of October, being Saturday, he was mkscd. 
 and seeii no more, till his body was found in a ditch on Primrose Hill, 
 with his sword thrust through him, on the Thursday following. The 
 people, upon this, concluded that he was murdered by the catholics, be- 
 cause he had taken Oates's depositions ; and nothing more contributed to 
 confirm them in the belief of the plot, than this unhappy incident. It 
 will, I believe, remain a secret to the day of judgment, who they were 
 that really committed this murder ; though the arguments of sir Ro- 
 ger L'Estrange, in the. history of the times, have made it highly proba- 
 ble, that it was the justice himself; for as to the particular persons against 
 whom it was sworn by Prance, there are all the reasons "in the world to 
 believe them innocent ; and as to any other catholics, as the continuator 
 of Baker's Chronicle very well observes, page 689, ' that they should 
 
 murder this gentleman because he had taken Oates's depositions, seems 
 ' not likely : for the only motive they must have for it, must be revenge ; 
 ' for these depositions being immediately after laid before the council, 
 1 coiild not be suppressed by killing -him : and there could be no grounds 
 ' even for resentment : for he was entirely passive in the matter, and it 
 'was not without reluctancy that he was brought to do what he did ; 
 '-and" he lived in good terms with them before. So that it seems impro- 
 ' bable, that the' papistg should, at so critical a season, do such an act,' 
 f which must enrage the fire already kindled against them, only for the 
 ' sake of aa unprofitable and unprovoked revenge.' So far the historian :. 
 who adds, that a proclamation was published, October 20, with a par- 
 don, and 5001. reward to the discoverers of the murder ; the hopes o^ 
 which reward brought Bedice first upon the stage ; who deposed, that 
 he had seen Godfrey's body at Somerset-house, and that a servant of 
 Lord BejUasis offered him 4O001. to assist in carrying it away. Some 
 time after another evidence was produced, and ' this was one Miles 
 ' Prance, a goldsmith, who worked for the queen's chapel at Somerset- 
 
 house. This person had in his house a lodger, whose name was John 
 ' Wren, with whom he bad had some difference about his rent which was 
 
 in arrear. It seems Prance had laid out of his house two or three 
 
 nights the week before the murder : Wren calling to mind this ab- 
 1 sence, but forgetting the difference of a week's time, either really sus-
 
 WILLIAM IRELAND. 199 
 
 ' pected he was then employed in the murder, or used it as a ground*bf 
 < accusation, so that he went and informed against him. Prance was' 
 taken up by a warrant of council; and Bedloe, who was the first dis'-' 
 covercr, was called upon- to give an account of him. Bedloe foresee-' 
 ing this, had found means to get a sight of him- privately before, so' 
 that when he was planted in the room where Prance was brought, he' 
 -started up, and with a cursed oath cried out, this- is one of the rogues 
 I saw with a dark lanthorn about sir Edmundbury Godfrey's body, but 
 he was then in a perriwig. Prance was brought before the committee of 
 council, where Bedloe charged him directly with the murder, and' 
 Wren with being out of his house those nights that Godfrey was mis-' 
 sing. He denied the least knowledge of die murder, or the plot. 
 He was sent to Xeu-gate," where also at first he denied every thing ; 
 but at last (whether compelled by barbarous usage, as he aiterwardi . 
 swore, is uncertain) he made a confession. But afterwards again he. 
 retracted it before the king in council. And thus he weut'on for some 
 time, denying one day, and confessing another, till -at last he settled . 
 upon a confession'.' Baker's Chronicle, page 695. 
 
 The Persons accused by Prance as actors in the murder were Law- 
 rence Hill, servant to Dr. Godden, Robert Green, an ancient feeble 
 man, cushion-keeper of the queen's chapel, and Henry Berry, the por- 
 ter of Somerset-house. They were brdught'on their trial the 10th of 
 February 16/8-9, Prance and Bedloe appearing as evidences. And 
 though Bedloe in his former information had not-mentioned any of the 
 three, nor even at the trial could charge them Virh having seen them 
 about the dead body ; but named quite different persons, yet were they 
 found guilty by the jury, ' They brought witnesses,, says Baker's 
 ' chronicle, p. 690, to prove that they came home in a good hour, on 
 ' those nights in which the fact was said to be done. Those who lived 
 ' in Godden's lodgings deposed, that no .dead body could be brought 
 ' thither " as was pretended. by Prance" for they were every day in the 
 'room that Prance had named. And the centinels of the night '' in 
 ' which he was pretended to be carried out in a sedan" said they saw 
 'no sedan brought out. This defence was very strong, but it was for- 
 1 ced to give way to the fury of the .times ; for they were found guilty, 
 ' condemned and executed. But they denied to the last moment all that 
 ' was sworn against them. 
 
 The same historian tells us, p. 689, ' That there were other informa- 
 ' tions given in upon oath a few years after, of many foul and enormous 
 ' practices with the author of this discovery " Prance" and with others. 
 ' And that in those times, I speak it (says he) with horror, perjury 
 ' and subornation grew so common, that no dependance can, 1 think, 
 ' be reasonably had on any informations of that kind, viz. such a 
 ' Prance's and Bedloe's were. 
 
 Mr. Hill and Mr. Green were carried to Tyburn, February 21, and 
 there executed. Mr Hill upon this occasion spoke as follows : 
 
 1 I am now come to the fatal place of execution, and in a little time 
 ' must appear before the tribunal of God Almighty, who knoweth all 
 ' things 5 and I hope it will be happy for me, because I am innocently 
 ' put to death. I take God, men and angels to witness, I am innocr-.-it 
 'of the death of justice Godfrey: and -believe it will be well for me,
 
 200 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 * because I die innocently j and hope through the nwsnt* of my blessed 
 
 * Saviour to be saved. I do confess, as I lived, so I die a Roman ca 
 
 * tholic, desiring such to pray for me. God bless and preserve his 
 ' majesty, and this poor nation, and lay not innocent blood to its charge. 
 
 * So I bid you all farewell in Jesus Christ, into whose hands I commend 
 ' my spirit. 
 
 Then Mr. Green spake thus : ' I desire all your prayers j and as for 
 
 * sir Edmundbury Godfrey, I know not whether he be dead or alive j 
 ' for in my days I never saw him with my eyes, as I know of; and if 
 
 * false people will swear against me, I cannot help it. I pray to God to 
 
 * bless my king and all his people.' 
 
 Captain Richardson told him, he had a fair trial, and wished him not 
 to reflect upon others, but to prepare himself for death. To which Mr. 
 Green replied, ' I pray God Almighty forgive them all : I never saw 
 ' sir Edmundbury Godfrey to my knowledge in my life. ' 
 
 Mr. Berry was executed on the 28th of the same month. He was 
 brought back to the protestant religion in prison by Dr. Lloyd, or rather 
 declared he never was indeed a catholic, though for interest he had some 
 time professed himself such. He persisted to the end in denying the 
 fact of which he had been accused ; and as the cart was drawing away 
 he lifted up his hands and said, as / am innocent, so receive my soul, 
 Jesus. 
 
 195. * Thomas WJdtelread. 196. William Har court. 
 197. John Fenwick.-igQ. John Gavan. 199. An- 
 thony Turner. Priests, S. J. 
 
 JL ROMAS Whitebread, alias Harcot, was born in Essex, of a gentle- 
 man's family, and after a pious education at home was sent to the semi- 
 nary of St. Omers, where he studied his humanity under the fathers of 
 the society ; and then at the age of 17, entered upon his noviceship at 
 Watten, September the 7th, 1635. After having made his first vows, 
 
 for above thirty years j 
 sparing no pains in bringing back the strayed sheep to the fold of Christ, 
 for which end also he composed and published some controversial tracts 
 yet extant in print. 
 
 At length he was made provincial or chief superior of his order in 
 England. At which time going over to make his visitation amongst his 
 brethren in their college at Liege, and preaching to them, as the custom 
 is, at the renovation of their vows, on St. James's day, July 25, 1678 
 (that is, about two months before the persecution begun) upon that text 
 of the gospel of the day, Potestis lilere calicem quern ego liliturus sum? 
 Dicunt ei, possumus. Can you drink the chalice which lam to drink? 
 they say to him we can. St. Matthew xx. 22. He not obscurely dis- 
 
 * From their printed trials and speeches, and the compendium or short view of the 
 trials in Oates's Plot, printed in 1679. Item, from Floras Anglo-Bavaiicus. p. 151, 
 162, &c. And other monuments in my hands.
 
 THOMAS WHITEBREAD. 201 
 
 covered the foresight he had of that storm which afterwards arose, and 
 of his own and his brethren's sufferings on that occasion. For after 
 having told them, the times were now indeed quiet, but God only knew 
 how long they would be so, he most remarkably thus repeated his text, 
 says F. Joseph Wakeman one of those that were then present, "in a 
 " manuscript in my hands," < potesfa libere caticem, &c. Can you un- 
 ' dergo a hard persecution ? Are you contented to be falsely betrayed and 
 ' injured, and hurried away to prison ? Possnmus. We can, blessed be 
 ' God! Potestis libere, &c. Can you suffer the hardships of a jail ? Can 
 ' you sleep on straw, and live on hard diet ? Can you lie in chains and 
 'fetters? Can you endure the rack ? Possumus. We can, blessed be 
 ' God ! Potestis libere caticem, &c.? Can you be brought to the bar, 
 ' and hear yourselves falsely sworn against ? Can you patiently receive 
 ' the sentence of an unjust judge, condemning you to a painful and ig- 
 ' norriinious death, to be hanged, drawn and quartered ? Possumus. 
 f We can. Which Clausula, as I take it, he always uttered with his 
 * hands joined before his breast, and his eyes up to heaven, in manner 
 ' of prayer.' So far F. Wakeman in his testimony given the 28th of 
 May, 1(581, and confirmed by the subscription of F. John Warner, then 
 rector of Liege, afterwards provincial, who was also present at that ex- 
 hortation . 
 
 Soon after his return to England this storm broke put j and he was 
 apprehended by Gates, at a time that he was labouring under a grievous 
 illness ; and being committed to prison, and loaded with chains, suf- 
 fered much in his body, whilst his soul received a continual support 
 from God by the mdftns of mental prayer, to which he was always much 
 addicted. After many months imprisonment, his trial came on at the 
 Old-Baily, on the 13th of June 16/9, where four of his companions 
 were arraigned with him, who also afterwards suffered with him. 
 These were, 
 
 1. Father William Harcourt, alias Waring, whose true name was 
 Barrow, a native of Lancashire, who entered into the society at the ag 
 of 23, October the 12th, 1632; was sent upon the mission in 1 646, 
 where he laboured for five and thirty years, and deservedly gained the 
 love and esteem of all that knew him. He was rector of London at the 
 time of his apprehension, and venerable for his grey hairs, being seventy 
 years of age ; having been reserved till this time to meet with that death 
 which he had every day prayed for, for twenty years. 
 
 2. Father John Fenwick, whose true name was Caldwell, a native 
 of the bishoprick of Durham ; born of protestant parents, who turned 
 him off upon his conversion to the catholic faith. " He was educated in 
 the seminary of St. Omer's, entered into the society at the age of 28, 
 anno 1656, was sent upon the English mission anno 1675, and being 
 procurator for his brethren, and a diligent labourer in the vineyard of 
 <his master, was apprehended soon after the breaking out of the plot. 
 
 He suffered much in prison from his chains and bolts, so that it was 
 once under deliberation whether his leg must not be cut off. He was 
 .in the 51st year of his age, and the 23d of his religious profession. 
 
 3 . Father John Gavan, or Gawen, a native of London, educated ia 
 the seminary of St. Omer's, where for his candour and innocence Iff 
 
 VOL. II. D d
 
 202 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 was called the Angel. He entered into the society at the age of 2O years 
 ttnno 1660, performed his higher studies partly at Liege and partly at 
 Rome; then being sent into England in 1(>7I, he was for eight year* 
 a diligent preacher and zealous labourer in the vineyard, and brought 
 over many converts to the church. He was 3p years of age, and bad 
 been 10 years in tlie society. And, 
 
 4. Father Anthony Turner, a native of Leicestershire, and a minister's 
 son, brought up in the university of Cambridge, and. there made batche- 
 lor of arts, who being converted to the catholic religion went over to 
 Koine, where he passed through the course of his philosophy in the En- 
 glish college j and then was sent to Watten, to the noviciate of the so- 
 ciety of Jesus, anno 1&53, being then 24 years of age. Ho learned 
 his divinity at Liege, and being made priest was sent upon the mission, 
 where he laboured for about 18 years ; his residence being chiefly at 
 Worcester. He had a great talent for preaching and controversy ; and 
 an ardent desire of suffering for his faith. At the breaking out of the 
 persecution he went up to London, and delivered himself up to a jus- 
 tice of peace, acknowledging that he was a priest and a je-uit. He 
 was 50 years of age, and had been in the society 22 years. 
 
 These five were all brought to the bar June die 13th. ' At this 
 ' trial, says the continuator of Baker's chronicle, p. 699, appeared a 
 ' new evidence, Stephen Dugdale, who had been bailiff to lord Aston ; 
 ' his carriage and behaviour gave more credit to the plot than that 
 ' of Gates and Bedloe. But in some time this new witness proved as 
 ''bad as the rest. Gates and Bedloe repeated the evidence they had 
 ' given before j excepting that Bedloe charged them (now) upon his own 
 
 * knowledge, with what he had before only spoken of by hear-say. 
 ' And the reason he gave was, that the practices of Reading " accused 
 ' of tampering with Bedloe" had engaged him to soften his evidence. 
 ' This was an open confession of perjury, which ought to have set him 
 ' aside for a witness ever after. And judge Wylde, a whorthy and 
 ' ancient judge, told him, when he said this, he was a perjured man, 
 ' and ought to come no more into courts, but go home and repent. 
 ' Bat people were not yet cool enough for reflection, so that not only 
 ' this passed over, but the judge was turned out for his freedom. Dug- 
 ' dale confirmed Gates' 5 and Bedloe's evidence by accounts of the con- 
 
 * saltations of the Jesuits in Staffordshire, about the same time. Prance 
 ' too added his part towards the charge against Harcourt ; and said more- 
 
 * over, that he told him of 50,000 men that were to be in readiness to 
 ' establish popery. 
 
 On the other hand F. \V~hitebread objected to Gates' s evidence, 
 says Mr. Salmon, in his examination of Buniet, p. S03, ' that he w:* 
 'not a credible witness, having taken contradictory oaths: and that 'it 
 ' was not probable he should trust a man in a conspiracy against the 
 1 king's life, whom, by his own confession, he had never seen, and 
 ' whom they had dismissed from St. Omer's for his irregular life. The 
 { prisoners also produced fifteen young gentlemen, students of St. 
 
 * pmer's, who deposed, that Gates was at St. Omer's at the time h- 
 r; swbre he was at the consult at London : they deposed also, that several 
 
 * of the persons, whom Gates swore came over with him, were in Fbn- 
 1 drrs at that time. Other witnesses deposed, that Gavanr was in Suf-
 
 THOMAS WHITKBREAD. 205 
 
 ' fordshlre at the time Gates swore he was in London. They urged far- 
 ' ther, that the witnesses who swore against them were vicious profligate 
 
 * persons of desperate fortunes, and who made a livelihood of swearing; 
 and desired that the court would permit them to shew what Gates had 
 
 * deposed in Ireland's trial. Whereupon sir John Southcote and the 
 
 * lady Southcote, and several other persons deposed, that Ireland was in 
 ' Staffordshire when Gates swore he was in town. Whitebread also 
 
 * observed, that at his first trial, when Gates was pressed to declare who 
 < had seen him in town, he could not name one ; but he said he had not 
 ' seen much company, and staid but six days ; and now he swore he 
 
 * came over the 1/th of April, and his witnesses deposed, they saw him 
 
 * here the beginning of May, which must be a great deal more than six 
 ' days ; and consequently his oath either at this or the former trial is 
 
 * false. They sard, it was probable also that Gates was disgusted at his 
 ' being turned out of the college of St. Omer's, and this might be the 
 ' ground of his malice against them. As to Dugdale, that he run away 
 ' from the lord Aston, having lost 3001. of his lordship's money. That 
 
 * it was strange there should be a plot, wherein so many persons of ho- 
 ' nour and quality were said to be concerned, and no footsteps of it should 
 ' appear, no arms bought, no men enlisted, or any provision made to 
 f put it in execution ; and in short, that there was no manner of reason 
 ' to induce the jury's belief, but downright swearing. And as to the 
 
 * prisoners themselves, they appealed to the world for the innocence 
 ' and unblameableness of their lives hitherto ; whereas it was evident 
 f how viciously and scandalously their accusers had lived.' So fax Mr. 
 Salmon. 
 
 However lord chief justice Scroggs, who behaved himself very par- 
 tially in this whole trial, directed the jury to find them guilty, and ac- 
 cording to his direction the jury brought in their verdict. The comport- 
 ment of the prisoners was all the while very edifying, not the least pas- 
 sion or alteration appearing in them, either at the invectives of the judge, 
 or the clamours of the people (for never was any bear-baiting more rude 
 and boisterous than this trial) but they made a clear and candid defence, 
 with a chearful and unconcerned countenance, says a priest an eye-wit- 
 ness ; so that a stander-by said, if there had been a jury of Turks they 
 had been acquitted. The nest day they all received the sentence of 
 death, according to the usual form, as in cases of high-treason. 
 
 After sentence received they were sent back to Newgate, there to 
 prepare themselves for their exit. Where the day before the execution 
 my lord Shaftsbury was with F. Gavan and F. Turner, promising the 
 king's pardon, if they would acknowledge the conspiracy. F. Gavan 
 answered, ' he would not murder his soul to save his body ; for that to 
 ' acknowledge the plot would be acknowledging what he knew not, and 
 
 * what he did believe was not.' On Friday therefore, being the 20th of 
 June, they were all laid on sledges, and drawn from Newgate to Tyburn. 
 F. Whitebread and F. Harcourt were on one sledge, F. Turner and F. 
 Gavan OQ another, and F. Fenwick on a third by himself. Their com- 
 portment was modestly chearful, and religious, which served not a 
 little to allay the fury of the people. They prayed devoutly at the place 
 of execution. And each of them made a speech, which we must not 
 here omit.
 
 204 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 Father Wliitelreatfs Speech. 
 
 I suppose it is expected I should speak something to the matter I am 
 condemned for, and brought hither to suffer : it is no less than the con- 
 triving and plotting his majesty's death, and the alteration of the govern- 
 ment of the church and state. You all either know, or ought to know, 
 I am to make my appearance before the face of Almighty God, and 
 with all imaginable certainty and evidence to receive a final judgment, 
 for all the thoughts, words, and actions of my whole life. So that I 
 am not now upon terms to speak other than the truth ; and therefore in 
 his most holy presence, and as I hope for mercy from his Divine Ma- 
 jesty, I do declare to you here present, and to the whole world, that I 
 go out of the world as innocent, and as free from any guilt of these 
 things laid to my charge in this matter, as I came into the world from 
 my mother's womb : and that I do renounce from my heart all manner 
 of pardons, absolutions, dispensations for swearing, as occasions or in- 
 terest may seem to require, which some have been pleased to lay to our 
 charge, as matters of our practice and doctrine, but is a thing so un- 
 justifiable and unlawful, that I believe, and ever did, that no power on 
 earth can authorize me, or any body so to do. As for those who have 
 most falsly accused me (as time, either in this world, or in the next, 
 will make appear) I do heartily forgive them, and beg of God to grant 
 them his holy grace, that they may repent of their unjust proceedings 
 against me -, otherwise they will in conclusion find they have done them- 
 selves more wrong than I have suffered from them, though that has been 
 a great deal. J pray God bless his majesty both temporally and eter- 
 nally, which has been my daily prayer for him, and is all the harm that 
 J ever intended or imagined against him. And I do with this my last 
 breath, in the sight of God declare, that I never did learn, or teach, or 
 believe, nor can as a catholic believe, that it is lawful upon any occasion 
 or pretence whatsoever, to design or contrive the death of his majesty, 
 or any hurt to his person ; but on the contrary all are bound to obey, 
 defend, and preserve his sacred person, to the utmost of their power. 
 And I do moreover declare, that this is the true and plain sense of my 
 soul, in the sight of him who knows the secrets of my heart, and as I 
 hope to see his blessed face, without any equivocation or mental reser- 
 vation. This is all I have to say concerning the matter of my condem- 
 nation; that which remains for me now to do, is to recommend my 
 soul into the hands of my blessed Redeemer, by whose only merits and 
 passion I hope for salvation. 
 
 Farther Har court's Speech. 
 
 The words of dying persons have been always esteemed as of greatest 
 authority, because uttered then, when shortly after they are to be cited 
 before the high tribunal of Almighty God, This gives me hopes that 
 mine may be looked upon as such''; therefore I do here declare in the 
 presence of Almighty God, the wfiole court of heaven, and this numer- 
 ous assembly, that as I hope by the merits and passion of my Lord and 
 sweet Saviour Jesus Christ for eternal bliss, I am as innocent as the 
 child unborn of any thing laid to my charge, and for which I am here 
 to die. 
 
 Sheriff How. Or sir Edmunbury Godfrey's death ?
 
 THOMAS WHITEBREAD. 205 
 
 Havcotirt. Or sir Edmundbury Godfrey's death. 
 
 Sher. How. Did not you write that letter concerning the 'dispatch 
 of sir Edmundbury Godfrey ? 
 
 Harcourt. No sir ; these are the words of a dying man, I u'ould 
 not do it for a thousand ivorlds. 
 
 Sher. How. How have you lived ? Harcourt. / have lived like a 
 man of repute all my life, and never was before the face of a judge till 
 my trial : no -man can accuse me. I have from my ^ youth been bred up 
 in the education of my duty towards God and man. 
 
 Harcourt. And I do utterly abhor and detest that abominable false 
 doctrine laid to our charge, that we can have licenses to commit perjury, 
 or any sin to advantage our cause, being expressly against the doctrine 
 of St. Paul, saying, non sunt fadenda mala, ut eveniant lona ; evil is 
 not to be done, that good may come thereof. And therefore we hold it 
 in all cases unlawful to kill or murder any person whatsoever, much 
 more our lawful king now reigning ; whose person and temporal domi- 
 nions we are ready to defend with our lives and fortunes, against any 
 opponent whatsoever, none excepted. I forgive all that have contrived 
 my death, and humbly beg pardon of Almighty God for them. And I 
 ask pardon of all the world. I pray God bless his majesty, and grant 
 him a prosperous reign. The like I wish to his royal consort, the best 
 of queens. I humbly beg the prayers of all those who are in the com- 
 munion of the Roman church, if any such be present. 
 Mr. Turner's Speech, 
 
 Being now, good people, very near my end, and summoned by a 
 violent death to appear before God's tribunal, there to render an account 
 of all my thoughts, words, and actions, before a just judge, I conceive 
 I am bound in conscience to do myself that justice, as to declare upon 
 oath my innocence from the horrid crime of treason, with which I am 
 falsely accused : and I esteem it a duty I owe to Christian charity, to 
 publish to the world before my death, all that I know in this point, con- 
 cerning those catholics I have conversed with since the first noise of the 
 plot, desiring from the bottom of my heart that the whole truth may 
 appear, that innocence may be cleared, to the greater glory of God, and 
 the peace and welfare of the king and country. As to myself, I call 
 God to witness, that I was never in my whole life present at any consult 
 or meeting of the Jesuits, where any oath of secrecy was taken, or the 
 sacrament, as a bond of secrecy, either by me, or any one of them, to 
 conceal any plot against his sacred majesty ; nor was I ever present at any 
 meeting or consult of theirs, where any proposal was made, or resolve 
 taken or signed, either by me or any of them, for taking away the life 
 of our dread sovereign ; an impiety of such a nature, that had I been 
 present at such a meeting, I should have been bound by the laws of 
 God, and by the principles of my religion (and by God's grace would 
 have acted accordingly) to have discovered such a devilish treason to the 
 civil magistrate, to the end they might have been brought to condign 
 punishment. I was so far, good people, from being in September last 
 at a consult of the Jesuits at Tixall, in Mr. Ewer's chamber, that I vow 
 to God, as I hope for salvation, I never was so much as once that year 
 l, my lord Aston 's house. It is true, I was at the congregation
 
 .206 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 of Jesuits held on the 24th of April was twelve-month} but in that 
 meeting, as I hope to be saved, we meddled not with state affairs, but 
 only treated about the concerns of our province, which is usually done 
 by us, without offence to temporal princes, every third year all the 
 world over. Sheriff Ho\v. You do only justify yourselves here. We 
 will not believe a word that you say. Spend your time in prayer, and 
 we will not think our time too long. 
 
 I am, good people, as free from the treason I am accused of as the 
 child that is unborn, and being innocent I never accused myself in con- 
 fession of any thing that I am charged with. Certainly, if I had been 
 conscious to myself of any guilt in this kind, I should not so frankly 
 and freely, as I did, of my own accord, have presented myself before 
 the king's most honourable privy council. As for those catholics which 
 I have conversed with since the noise of the plot, I protest before God, 
 in the words of a dying man, that I never heard any one of them, ei- 
 ther priest or layman, express to me the least knowledge of any plot, 
 that was then on foot amongst the catholics, against the king's most ex- 
 cellent majesty, for the advancing the catholic religion. I die a Roman 
 catholic, and humbly beg the prayers of such, for my happy passage in- 
 ;to a better life. I have been of that religion above thirty years, and now 
 give God Almighty infinite thanks for calling me by his holy grace to the 
 knowledge of this truth, notwithstanding the prejudice of my former 
 education. God of his infinite goodness bless the king, and all the 
 royal family ; and grant his majesty a prosperous reign here, and a 
 crown of glory hereafter. God in his mercy forgive all those which 
 have falsely accused me, or have had any hand in my death : I forgive 
 them from the bottom of my heart, as I hope myself for forgiveness at 
 the hands of God. 
 
 Mr. Turner's Prayer. 
 
 O God, who hast created me to a supernatural end, to serve thee in 
 this life by grace, and enjoy tbee in the next by glory ; be pleased to grant 
 by the merits of thy bitter death and passion, that after this wretched 
 life shall be ended, I may not fail of a full enjoyment of thee my last 
 end and sovereign good. I humbly beg pardon for all the sins which I 
 have committed against thy divine majesty, since the first instant I came 
 to the use of reason to this very time. I am heartily sorry from the 
 rery bottom of my heart, for having offended thee, so good, so power- 
 ful, so wise, and so just a God, and purpose by the help of thy grace, 
 never more to offend thee my good God, whom I love above all things. 
 
 O sweet Jesus, who hast suffered a most painful and ignominious 
 death upon the cross for our salvation, apply, I beseech thee, unto me 
 the merits of thy sacred passion, and sanctify unto me these sufferings 
 of mine, which I humbly accept of for thy sake, in union of the suf- 
 ferings of thy sacred majesty, and in punishment and satisfaction of my 
 sins. 
 
 O my dear Saviour and Redeemer, I return thee immortal thanks 
 for all thou hast pleased to do for me in the whole course of my life ; 
 and now in the hour of my death, with a firm belief of all things thou 
 hast revealed, and a stedfast hope of obtaining everlasting bliss, I chear- 
 rully cast myself into the arms of thy mercy, whose arms were stretched 
 upon the cross for my redemption. Sweet Jesus receive my spirit,
 
 THOMAS WHITEBftEAD. 207 
 
 Mr. Gavan's Speech. 
 
 Dearly beloved countrymen, I am come to the last scene of morta- 
 lity, to the hour of my death ; an hour which is the horizon between 
 time and eternity ; an hour which must ejther make me a star to shine 
 for ever in heaven above, or a firebrand to burn everlastingly amongst the 
 damned souls in hell below ; an hour in which, if I deal sincerely, and 
 with a hearty sorrow acknowledge my crimes, I may hope for mercy ; 
 but if I falsely deny them, I must expect nothing but eternal damna- 
 tion : and therefore, what I shall say in this great hour, I hope you will 
 believe. And now in this hour I do solemnly swear, protest, and vow, 
 by all that is sacred in heaven, and on earth, and as I hope to see the 
 face of God in glory, that 1 am as innocent as the child unborn, of 
 those treasonable crimes which Mr. Gates and Mr. Dugdale have sworn 
 against me in my trial ; and for which, sentence of death was pro- 
 nounced against me the day after my trial. And that you may be as- 
 sured that what I say is true, I do in like manner protest, vow, and 
 swear, as I hope to see the face of God in glory, that I do not, in what 
 I say unto you, make use of any equivocation, or mental reservation, 
 or material prolation, or any such like way to palliate truth. Neither 
 do I make use of any dispensations from the pope, or any body else ; or 
 of any oath of secrecy, or any absolutions in confession, or out of con- 
 fession, to deny the truth ; but I speak in the plain sense which the 
 words bear ; and if I do speak in any other sense, to palliate or hide the 
 truth, I wish with all my soul that God may exclude me from his hea- 
 venly glory, and condemn me to the lowest place of hell fire : and so 
 much to that point. 
 
 And now, dear countrymen, in the second place, I do confess and 
 wn to the whole world, that I am a Roman catholic, and a priest, and 
 one of that sort of priests called Jesuits. And now, because they are so 
 falsely charged for holding king-killing doctrine, I think it my duty to 
 protest to you, with my last dying words, that neither I in particular, 
 nor the Jesuits in general, hold any such opinion, but utterly abhor and 
 detest it : and I assure you, that amongst the vast numbers of authors, 
 which among the Jesuits have printed philosophy, divinity, cases, or 
 sermons, there is not one, to the best of my knowledge, that allows of 
 king-killing doctrine, or holds this position, that it is lawful for * private 
 person to kill a king, although an heretic, although a pagan, although 
 a tyrant: there is, I say, not one Jesuit that holds this, except Mariana, 
 the Spanish Jesuit, and he defends' it not absolutely, but only problema- 
 tically, for which his book was called in, and that opinion expunged and 
 censured. And is it not a sad thing, that for the rashness of one single 
 man, whilst the rest cry out against him, and hold the contrary, that a 
 whole religious order should be sentenced ? But I have not time to dis- 
 cuss this point at large, and therefore I refer you all to a royal author, I 
 mean the wise and victorious king Henry the fourth of France, the royal 
 grandfather of our present sracious king, in a public oration which he 
 pronounced, in defence of the Jesuits, amongst other things, declaring, 
 that he was very well satisfied with the Jesuits' doctrine concerning kings, 
 as being conformable to the best doctors in the church. But why do 1 
 relate the testimony of one single prince, when the whole catholic work 
 is the Jesuits' advocate therein ? Does not Germany, France, Italy,
 
 208 MEMOIRS, &c< 
 
 Spain, and {'landers, trust the education of their youth to them in a 
 very great measure ? Do not they trust their own souls to be governed by 
 them, in the administration of the sacraments ? and can you imagine 
 so many great kings and princes, and so many wise states should do, or 
 permit this to be done in their kingdoms, if the Jesuits were men of such 
 damnable principles as they are now taken for in England ? 
 
 In the third place, dear countrymen, I do protest, that as I never in 
 my life did machine, or contrive either the deposition or death of the 
 king, so now at my death, I do heartily desire of God to grant him a 
 quiet and happy reign upon earth, and an everlasting crown in heaven. 
 For the judges also, and the jury, and all those that were any ways con- 
 cerned, either in my trial, accusation, or condemnation, I do humbly 
 beg of God, to grant them both temporal and eternal happiness. And 
 as for Mr. Gates and Mr. Dugdale, I call God to witness, they by false 
 oaths have brought me to this untimely end. I heartily forgive them, 
 because God commands me so to do j and I beg God for his infinite 
 meroy, to grant them true sorrow and repentance in this world, that 
 they may be capable of eternal happiness in the next. And having dis- 
 charged my duty towards myself, and my own innocence} towards my 
 order, and its doctrine ; to my neighbour and the world, I have nothing 
 else to do now, my great God, but to cast myself into the arms of your 
 mercy. I believe you are one divine essence and three divine persons ; 
 I believe that you in the second person of the trinity became man to re- 
 deem me ; and I believe you are an eternal rewarder of the good, and 
 an eternal chastiser of the bad. In fine, I believe all you have revealed 
 for your own infinite veracity ; I hope in you above all things, for your 
 infinite fidelity ; and I love you above all things, for your infinite beauty 
 and goodness ; and I am heartily sorry that ever I offended so great a 
 God with my whole heart : I am contented to undergo an ignominious 
 death for the love of you, my dear Jesu, seeing you have been pleased 
 to undergo an ignominious death for the love of me. 
 Mr. Femviclis Speech. 
 
 Good people, I suppose you expect I should say something as to the 
 crime I am condemned for, and either acknowledge my guilt, or assert 
 my innocency. " I do therefore declare before God and the whole world, 
 and call God to witness that what I say is true, that I am innocent of 
 what is laid to my charge, of plotting the king's death, and endeavour- 
 ing to subvert the government, and bring in a foreign power, as the 
 child unborn ; and that I know nothing of it, but what I have learned 
 from Mr. Gates and his companions, and what comes originally from 
 them. 
 
 Sher. How. If you can make a good conclusion to your own life, 
 it will do well ; consider if your letters did not agree with the evidence, 
 that's another matter. Fenwick: I assure you, I do renounce all treason 
 from my very heart. I have always, and ever shall disown the opinion 
 of such devilish practices as these are of king-killing. If I speak not 
 the whole frame of my heart, I wish God may exclude me from his 
 glory. Sher. How. Those that murdered sir Edmunbury Godfrey,, 
 said as you do. Fenwick. As for sir Edmunbury Godfrey, I protest 
 before God, I know nothing of it ; I never saw the man in my life. 
 Sher. How. For my part, I am of opinion you had a hand in it* Fen-
 
 THOMAS WHITEBREAD. 209 
 
 tvick. Now that I am a dying man, do you think I would go and 
 damn my soul ? Sher. How. I wish you' all the good I can, but Pll 
 assure you, I believe never a word you say. Fenwick. I pray for 
 liis majesty every day, and wish him all happiness with all my heart. 
 Also I do with all my soul pardon all my accusers. If the judge or 
 jury did any thing amiss, I pardon them with all my soul, and all 
 persons directly or indirectly. I am very willing and'readv to suffer 
 this death. 1 pray God pardon me my sins, and save mj soul. 
 
 And as to what is said and commonly believed of Roman catholics, 
 that they are not to be believed or trusted, because they can have 
 dispensations for lying, perjurv, killing kings, and other the most 
 enormous crimes, 1 do utterly' renounce all such pardons, dispensations, 
 and withal declare, that it i's a most wicked and malicious calumny 
 cast upon catholics, who do all, with all their hearts and souls, hate 
 and detest all such wicked and damnable practices ; and in the words 
 of a dying man, and as I hope for mercy at the hands of God, before 
 whom I must shortly appear and give an account of all my actions, 
 I do declare, that what I have said is true ; and I hope Christian cha- 
 rity will not let you think, that by the last act of my life, I would 
 cast away my soul, by sealing up my last breath with a damna- 
 ble lie. 
 
 Then they were at their private devotions for about an hour. 
 
 When they had ended their prayers, and the ropes were about 
 their necks, there came a horseman "in full speed from Whitehall, 
 crying as he rode a pardon, a pardon, and with difficulty he made 
 through the press to the sheriff, who was under the gallows to see 
 execution performed. This pardon expressed, How the king most 
 graciously, and out of his inclination to clemency, had granted them 
 their lives, which by treason they had forfeited, upon condition they 
 would acknowledge the conspiracy and lay open what they knew 
 thereof. They all thanked his majesty for 'his inclination of mercy 
 towards them ; but as to any conspiracy, they knew of none, much 
 less were guilty of any ; and therefore could not accept of any pardon 
 upon those conditions. 
 
 In fine, after a short recollection, the cart was drawn away, and 
 they were permitted to hang till they were dead ; and then were cut 
 down and quartered. Their quarters were given to their friends, by 
 whom they were interred in the church-yard of St. Giles in the Fields. 
 Divers catholics dipped their handkerchiefs in their blood, which, as 
 \ve are credibly informed, have been instruments of great cures. It 
 was very observable, that Sir Thomas Armstrong, who was present 
 at the execution, and expressed a more than ordinary joy on that 
 occasion, was himself five years after, on the self same day, brought 
 to suffer the same death, in the same place. F. White-bread suffered 
 in the 61st year of his age, and the 4-kh of his religious profession. 
 
 Two other priests of the same society died in prison not long after 
 
 the beginning of this persecution, viz. father Edward Mico, socius to 
 
 the provincial, accused and apprehended by Oates, and hurried 
 
 away to prison, whilst he was labouring under a viglent lever. He 
 
 Vol. II. e
 
 210 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 perished in Newgate, December the 3d, 1678, being found dead on 
 his knees, says a manuscript in mv hands, oppressed with the weight 
 of his irons. And rather Thomas Momford, alias Bedingfield, who 
 in like manner perished in the Gatehouse, December 21, the same 
 year. And in the February following, father Francis Nevill, an anci- 
 ent missioner of the same societv, being now 84 years of age, and 
 having spent 48 of them in the English mission, was apprehended in 
 the house of a ratholic gentleman, and flung down stairs by the pur- 
 suivants ; and so brought to his end. Also F.Thomas Jenison, of 
 Hie same societv, accused by Gates of the plot, after enduring tor a 
 twelvemonth the incommodities of his prison, died on the '27th of 
 ijepte niber, 1 d 7 9 . 
 
 R, 
 
 200. * Richard Langhorne, Esq. 
 
 -ICKARD Langhorne was an eminent counsellor at law, an upright 
 and religious man ; who being a zealous catholic, was pitched upon 
 by Gates and his associates as a proper person to impeach as a ring- 
 leader in their pretended plot. He was therefore apprehended among 
 the first that fell into the hands of those miscreants ; and committed 
 to Newgate, Gctober the 7th, 1678, and after above eight months 
 close imprisonment, was tried at the Gld Bailey on Saturday the 14th 
 of June, 1679. Here Gates swore, 'That he " Mr. Langhorne" was 
 ' acquainted with the consultations for killing the king, and was 
 
 * consenting to them ; and that he had in his custody the patents for 
 ' the lords in the Tower " Powis, Stafford, Petre, Arundel and Bel- 
 ' lasis/' and one for himself to be advocate of the armv. And Bed- 
 ' loc swore that he had seen him register treasonable letters relating to 
 ' the plot. Jn answer to this evidence he called the same witnesses 
 ' that had been brought the day before " bv the five Jesuits " to prove 
 
 * Gates perjured. And whereas Gates had* named Mrs. Grove's house, 
 ' in which he said he lay during the time of the consult, he produced 
 ' Mrs. Grove to testify he never was thereabout that time, which was 
 
 * confirmed by 1ier maid. He argued also many things relating to the 
 ' improbability of the evidence, but the times were not \et cool 
 ' enough to bear reason : so that lie was brought in guilty, a'nd con- 
 ' clemned with the five Jesuits, who were tried the day before him. 
 ' He was reprieved for some time in hopes that he would make dis- 
 ' coverics ; but he persisted to the last in affirming that he could make 
 
 * none, and that all that was sworn against him was false. He spent 
 ' the time allowed him in writing some devout and well-composed 
 ' meditations.' So far the continuator of Baker's Chronicle. 
 
 Mr. Langhorne was drawn to Tyburn on the 14th day of Julv 
 1679, where he delivered to Mr. How the sheriff the speech which 
 he had prepared, desiring it might be published. Tis extant in print 
 (published with Mr. Langhorne's memoirs and devotion*) and con- 
 tains, 1 . An ample declaration of his allegiance to the king. 2. A 
 solemn profession of his innocency, as to all the matters of which he- 
 was accused by Gates and liedloe/ 3. A declaration, that he believed 
 
 * From his printed trial, and dying speech ; and from Baker's Chronicle, p. 7u<j.
 
 RICHARD LANGHORSE. 211 
 
 ft would be a damnable sin in him, to conceal any treason or treason, 
 able design whatsoever against his majesty's person and government. 
 & that no power m earth or even in heaven could dispense with him to 
 tell a he or to commit any sin, or do anv evil that good might come 
 of it. All which, as he solemnly professed in the presence of God" 
 and as he hoped tor any benefit from the passion of Christ, was under- 
 stood by him in the plain and ordinary sense and acceptation of the 
 words, without any evasion, or equivocation, ur mental reservation. 
 After which he goes on as follows. 
 
 ' Having made this declaration and protestation in the most plain 
 ' terms that I can possibly imagine to express my sincere loyalty and 
 *' innocency, and the clear intention of my sod, I leave it to the 
 ' judgment of all good and charitable persons whether they will he- 
 ' lieve what is here in this manner attained, and sworn by me in my 
 / present circumstances, or what is sworn by my accusers. 
 
 < I do now farther declare, that I die a member (though an un- 
 
 * worthy one) of that holy catholic and apostolic church of Christ, men- 
 ' tioned" in the three holy and public creeds of which chun-h our Lord 
 
 * Jesus Christ is the invisible head of influence, to illuminate, guide, 
 -' protect and govern it by his holy spirit and grace, aud of which 
 ' church the bishop of Rome, as the successor of St. Peter, the prince 
 ' or the apostles, is the visible head of government and unitv. 
 
 ' I take it to be clear, that my religion is the sole cause which 
 ' moved my accusers to charge me with the crime, i'or which upon 
 ' their evidence I am adjudged to die, and that my being of that reli- 
 ' gion which I here profess, was the only ground which could give 
 ' them any hope to be believed, or which could move my jury to be- 
 
 * lieve the evidence of such men. 
 
 ' I have had not only a pardon, but also great advantages, as to 
 ' preferments and estates offered unto me, since this judgment was 
 ' against me, in case I would have forsaken my religion, and owned 
 ' myself guilty of the crime charged against me, and charged the 
 ' same crimes upon others: but blessed be my (iocl, who bv his grace 
 ' hath preserved me from yielding to those temptations, and strcngth- 
 ' enect me rather to choose" this death, than to stain my soul with sin, 
 ' and to charge others, against truth, with crimes of which 1 do not 
 "* know that any person is "guilt* . 
 
 ' Having said vvhat concerns me to sa\ as to myself, I now humbly 
 ' beseech Cod to ble.ss the king's majesty with all temporal and eternal 
 
 * blessings, and to preserve him and his government from all treasons 
 ' and traitors whatsoever, and that his majesty mav never ("all into 
 ' such hands, as hjs royal father of glorious memory fell into. 
 
 ' J also humbly beseech thee, (.) God, to give true repentance and 
 ' pardon to all my enemies, and most particularly to the said Mr. 
 ' Gates and Mr. Bedloe,. and to all who have been anv ways accessary 
 ' to the taking away of my life, and the shedding of my iiiuoccnt 
 ' blood, or to the preventing the king's mercy from being extended 
 ' unto me ; and likewise to all those who rejoiced at the judgment 
 
 * given against me, or at the execution of the &id judgment ; 
 'audio all those who are or shall be so unchrisluuly ty
 
 212 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 * as to disbelieve, and to refuse to give credit unto mv now protesta- 
 ' tions. 
 
 ' And I beseech thee, O my God, to bless this whole nation, and 
 ' not to lay the guilt of my blood unto the charge of this nation, or of 
 
 * any other particular person or persons of this nation. Unite all, O 
 ' my God, unto thee and thy church, by true faith, hope, and charity, 
 ' for thy mercies' sake. 
 
 'And for all those who have shewed charity to me, I humblv beg, 
 ' O my Jesus, that thou wilt reward them with all blessing;, both tem- 
 ' poral and eternal.' 
 
 So far his printed speech, of which he could speak but a small part 
 at the place of his execution. 
 
 When the hangman was putting the rope over his head, he took 
 it into his hands and kissed it. Then after having spoken something 
 to the sheriff, he asked the executioner whether the rope was right 
 er no ? He said, yes ; and asked him whether he did forgive him ? to 
 which Mr. Langhorne replied, I freely do. Then he betook himself 
 to his prayers, recommending himself to God in silence. The writer 
 said to him, The Lord have mercy on your soul. Mr. Langhorne an- 
 swered, The Lord in heaven regard your charity. Then crossing him- 
 self he prayed again. Blessed Jesus, into thy hands I recommend ?//// 
 aoul and spirit ; noiv at this instant take mt into paradise. I am desir- 
 ou& to be with my Jesus. I am ready, and you need stay no longer for 
 me. So the cart was drawn awav, and he was executed. 
 
 After these trials and executions, and the dying protestations of 
 so many men, to whose lives and morals nothing could be objected, 
 the people began by degrees to open their eyes, and not to give such 
 full credit to the oaths of those profligate wretches Gates and Bedloe. 
 So that when sir George Wakeman, and the three monks Mr. Corker, 
 Mr. Mar.;h, and Mr. Kumley were brought upon their trial at the Old 
 Bailey, July the 16th, both judge and jury plainly discovered that no 
 regard was to be had to the swearing of those 'miscreants ; and the 
 prisoners were all brought in no/ guilty. And from this time the 
 credit of the plot very much declined. However, the persecution 
 against catholics still continued, by which many priests were con- 
 demned to die for their character, of whom we shall now treat, accord- 
 ing to the order of time in which they suffered. 
 
 201. * William Plessington. 
 
 VV i L LI AM, or as others call him, John Plessington, was born at 
 the Dimples near Garstang in Lancashire. He was descended of the 
 ancient family of the Plessingtons of Plessinglon near Blackburn, being 
 .a younger son of Mr. Robert Plessington, who in the time of the civil 
 wars was governor for the king of Greenow castle, and suffered impri- 
 sonment and loss of his estate for his loyalty. The son, after having 
 made some proficiency in grammar learning (whether at home or 
 abroad I have not found) was sent to the English college of St. Alban, 
 
 * From a short manuscript account of him, and from his printed speech.
 
 WILLIAM PLESSINGTON. 213 
 
 the martyr in Valladolid, where he finished his higher studies, and 
 was made priest. What time he came upon the mission into England, 
 I have not yet learnt, nor the particulars of his missionary labours 
 only that his residence was chiefly with Mr. Massey of Pud'dington in 
 Cheshire ; and that his zeal in his" function (joined to a certain candour, 
 nnd agreeableness in conversation) as it made him esteemed and loved 
 by the good, so it raised him enemies amongst those that were not 
 good, who caused him to be apprehended, and prosecuted on the 
 score of his priestly character. 
 
 He was brought upon his trial at Chester, upon an indictment of 
 high treason, for having taken orders in the church of Rome, and re- 
 maining in this kingdom contrary to the statute of 27 Elizabeth. The 
 witnesses that appeared against him were, Margaret Plat, George 
 Massey and Robert Wood. These swore they had seen him exercise 
 his priestly functions ; and upon their testimony he was brought in 
 guilty, and received sentence of death as in cases of high treason. 
 One of these witnesses was crushed to death, by an accident, not long 
 after. Another died in a hog-stie ; and the third lingered away in 
 anguish and misery. 
 
 As to Mr. Plessington, he was kept in prison nine weeks after his 
 condemnation; and then on July the 19th, 1079, was drawn to the 
 place of execution, at West-Chester, and there spoke to the people as 
 follows : 
 
 ' Dear Countrymen, 
 
 ' I am here to be executed, neither for theft, murder, nor any 
 ' thing against the law of God, nor any fact or doctrine inconsistent 
 ' with monarchy pr civil government. I suppose several now present 
 ' heard my trial at last assizes, and can testify that nothing was laid 
 ' to my charge but priesthood ; and I am sure that you will find that 
 
 * priesthood is neither against the law of God nor monarchy, nor civil 
 'government, if you will consult either the Old or New' Testament 
 ' (for it is the basis of religion;) for no priest no religion, St. Paul 
 
 * tells us in Hebrews the viith, and 12th. The priesthood being chang- 
 ' ed, there is made also of necessitv a change of the law, and conse- 
 ' quently the priesthood being abolished, the law and religion is quite 
 ' gone. 
 
 ' But I know it will be said, that a priest ordained bv authority 
 ' derived from the see of Rome, is bv the law of the nation to die as 
 ' a traitor ; but if that be so, what must become of all the clergymen 
 ' of the church of England ? for the first protestant bishops had their 
 ' ordination from those of the church of Rome, or none at all ; as ap- 
 ' pears by their own writers ; so that ordination comes thence deri- 
 ' vatively to those now living. 
 
 ' As in the primitive times, Christians were esteemed traitors, and 
 ' suffered as such by national laws, so are the priests of the Roman 
 ' church here esteemed, and suffer as such. But as Christianity then 
 
 * was not against the Ia\v of God, monarchy, or civil policy ; so now 
 ' there is not any one point of the Roman catholic faith (of which faith 
 ' I am) that is inconsistent therewith, as is evident by induction in 
 ' each several pcint.
 
 $H MEMOIRS, fee. 
 
 ' That the pope hath power to depose or give license to Hiurde* 
 
 princes, is no point of our belief. And I protest in the sight of God 
 ' and the court of heaven, that I am absolutely innocent of the plot so 
 
 much discoursed of, and abhor such bloody and damnable designs ; 
 
 and although it be nine weeks since I was sentenced to die, there is 
 
 not any thing of that laid to my charge, so that I may well take: 
 
 comfort in St. Peter's words, 1 Pet. iv. 13, Ifi. Let none 'nf you st/ftir 
 ' as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as a buy body in 
 
 other mens' matters : yet if any man suffer as a chrixtian, let hint not 
 f be ashamed or sorry. I have deserved a worse death, for though I 
 
 have been a faithful and true subject to my king, I have been a 
 
 * have. 
 
 ' But as there was never sinner who truly fepented and heartily 
 
 * called to Jesus for mercy, to whom he did not shew mercy ; so I 
 ' hope by the merits of his passion, he wjll have mercy on me, whs 
 ' am heartily sorry that ever I offended him. 
 
 ' Bear witness good hearers, that I profess that I undoubtedly and 
 
 * firmly, believe all the articles of the Roman catholic faith, and for the 
 ' truth of any of them (by the assistance of God) I am willing to die ; 
 ' and I had rather die than doubt of any point of faith taught by our 
 *holy mother the Roman catholic church. 
 
 ' In what condition Margaret Plat, one of the chiefest witnesses 
 "against me, was before, and after she was with me, let her nearest; 
 
 * relations declare. 
 
 * George Massev, another witness, swore falsely, when he swore 
 ' I gave him the sacrament, and said mass at the time & place lie men- 
 
 * tioned ; and I verily think that lie never spoke to me, or I to him, or 
 
 * saw each other but at the assizes week ; the third witness, Robert 
 Wood, was suddenly killed, but of the dead why should I speak ? 
 ' These were all the witnesses against me, unless those that only de- 
 ' dared what they heard from others. I heartily and freely forgive 
 
 * all that have been or are any way instrumental to my death, an4 
 f heartily desire that those that are living may heartily repent. 
 
 ' God bless the king and the royal familv, and grant his majesty a 
 * prosperous reign here, and a crown of glory hereafter : God grant 
 ' peace to the subjects, and that they live and die in true faith, hope, 
 ' and charity. That which remains is, that I recommend myself to 
 ' the mercy of my Jesus, by whose merits I hope for mercy. O Jesu, 
 
 * be to me a Jesus.' Which having said, and recommended his. 
 departing soul to God, he was turned oil' and executed. 
 
 S02. * Philip Evans, Priest,SJ. 203. John Lhyd,Pries(. 
 
 -I- HIIIP Evans was born in Monmouthshire in 161-5, was educated 
 at St. Omer's, and entered into the society the 7th of September .1,66 5 a 
 
 ' * From Flams Anrlo-Bavaricus, p. lib. Short memorandums npon thciv 
 death, published iii priut, &c.
 
 PHILIP EVANS. 213 
 
 heing then 20 year?, old. After having finished his noviceship and his 
 higher studies with great satisfaction to his superiors he was made 
 priest, and sent upon the English mission in 1675. South Wales was 
 the province assigned him, which he diligently cultivated ibr near four 
 years having the character of an unwearied labourer in the vineyard, 
 zealous in gaining souls to Christ, and fearing no dangers, where the 
 glory of his Lord, and his neighbour's salvation called him forth. 
 When the persecution broke out, on account of Oates's plot, he* was 
 advised by some friends to withdraw himself, his zeal having made 
 him so well known in that country, and withal so obnoxious to' the 
 persecutors; but he would not hear of any such coiinsti, but chose 
 lather to risk his life, like a good shepherd, with and for In 
 than run away like the hireling, and leave them to the mercy of the 
 wolves. He was apprehended not long after by justice. Logh'er; and 
 upon his refusing the oaths, was committed to Cardiff goal ; where 
 ibr above three weeks he was kept alone in a dungeon or cellar under 
 ground, no one being suffered to come near him, or speak to him : 
 till at length Mr. John Lloyd, a virtuous priest of the secular clergy, 
 was committed to the same prison, and from that time till death was 
 his constant companion. Five months passed before any could be 
 induced to appear as witnesses against these confessors ot Christ, till 
 at length two poor wretches, a mother and her daughter, appeared 
 against father Evans, and some others against Mr. Lloyd ; and the/ 
 were both found guilty by their jury of the high treason of priest- 
 hood. 
 
 When the sentence was pronounced, F. Evans with a chearful 
 countenance bowing himself down, returned thanks to the judge, and 
 so with great joy went back with his companion to his lodging in the 
 goal. However their execution was deterred for some time; yea so 
 long, that it was thought they would not suffer ; and they had even 
 liberty sometimes to go out of prison, and to recreate themselves ; 
 when behold on a sudden orders came for their being executed the 
 next day. My author "Floras Anglo-Bavaricus, p. 179." tells us, 
 that when these orders came, M. Evans was actually abroad, engaged 
 in an innocent recreation ; and that when the jailor called upon him 
 to acquaint him with the news, and to bring him back to prison ; he 
 unconcernedly replied, What hastt is there ? let me first play out my 
 game ; and so he did, and then returned to the prison. Here he could 
 scarce contain himself for joy; which he expressed as well by taking 
 up his harp, (for he was a musician) and playing upon it, as by seve- 
 
 ral other tokens of a soul perfectly transported with the thoughts of 
 the happiness now so near at hand, of dying for his faith and charac- 
 ter. And now the irons were put upon his feet, which he joyfully 
 kissed ; and many catholics flocking to the prison, he took that oppor- 
 tunity of making'them a short exhortation to constancy in their faith 
 and patience in their sufferings. 
 
 ' On the next day being the 22d of July 1679, about nine of the 
 
 * clock in the morning, the under .sheriff Mr. Charles Evans came to 
 ' the cellar .in the goal, where the confessors were kept, and immcdi- 
 
 ately a smith was sent for to take off their irons, which were so hard 
 t set yn, that the smith was above an hour in taking off .Mr. Evans's
 
 216 MEMOIRS,- &c, 
 
 ' alone, which was not done without great pain to him ; notwith stand' 
 * ing which he never gave the least sign of impatience or trouble, 
 ' but encouraged the man to go on with his work, without fear of 
 ' hurting him. When they were brought out of the cellar, they de- 
 ' sired to walk on foot to' the place of execution, but were refused, 
 
 post of the gallows, and remained praying 
 
 * there a good while : when they had done, they asked which was to 
 'die first? the sheriff answered, Mr. Evans ; he bowing, spake these 
 ' lew words : 
 
 ' I need not tell you why we are brought here to suffer ; our sen- 
 1 tencc of condemnation is a sufficient witness, that it was not for a 
 ' plot, or any other crime, but for being priests ; consequent! v I do 
 ' die for religion and conscience sake : I shall not speak much of the 
 ' goodness of my cause, because I think it will be needless ; but it is 
 ' so good, that 1 would not give the happiness of dving for it, for all 
 ' the crowns of the world. Sure if a man ever speaks truth, it must 
 
 * be at the hour of death, therefore I hope nobody will doubt of what 
 
 * I say. If I have or had any enemies in the world, which I do not 
 ' know that ever I had any in my life, I do heartily forgive them, for 
 any thing done or said against me ; and if 1 have offended any body,, 
 ' I am heartily sorry for it, and ask them forgiveness. I pray God 
 ' bless and prosper the king. I beg the prayers of all, and in parti- 
 ' cular of the catholics here present. That" done, he kneeled down 
 ' again with some friends about him, and having said some prayers, 
 
 * he took his leave of them, and went up the ladder ; upon which he 
 ' spoke again these words : sure this is the best pulpit a man can have 
 
 * to preach in, therefore I cannot forbear to tell you again, that 1 die. 
 
 * for Cod and religion sake ; and I think myself so happy, that if I 
 
 * had never so many lives, 1 would willingly give them all for so good 
 
 * a cause. If I could live, it would be but tor a little time, though 
 
 * I am but young ; happy am I that can purchase with a short pain an 
 
 * everlasting life. I do forgive all those that have had any hand in 
 
 * my death, accusation or condemnation : I ask again forgiveness of 
 ' every body ; I give thanks to all those that have been kind to me, 
 
 * and to you Mr. Sheriff. Adieu Mr. Lloyd, though for a little time, 
 lor we shall shortly meet again. Pray for me all ; and 1 shall return 
 ' it, when it please'th God that I shall enjoy the beatifical vision. If 
 
 * any of you that see me die thus willingly 'for my religion, have any 
 ' good thought upon it, I shall think myself happy. Then he made a 
 
 * stop, and after a little while, said w ith a clear and chearful voice, 
 
 * in manus tiuts, Dominc commendo spirititm ineiim ; and so giving the 
 ' sign, the executioner turned him over, and the ladder being very 
 ' short, it stirred with him ; then Mr. Richard Jones, one of tjie she- 
 ' riff's bailiffs, took his legs from it, and turned them after his body. 
 ' All that were present can justify, that lie never looked better, nor 
 
 * more chearfyl than he did then : all this will be testified (if need be) 
 
 * by credible persons as well protestants as catholics/ says the printed 
 ' account of his death.
 
 NICHOLAS POSTGATE. -glT 
 
 ' During the time of Mr. Evans's execution, Mr. Lloyd stood by 
 ' with as much constancy and chearfulness as any man could have ; 
 ' and before he went up the ladder, he said these words following 
 1 more distinctly and heartily than ever he did in his life, by the re- 
 ' port of those that have known him these many years. 
 
 ' My fellow sufferer has declared the cause of our death, therefore 
 ' I need not repeat it ; and besides I never was a good speaker in my 
 
 * life. I shall only say, that I die in the true catholic and apostolic 
 ' faith, according to these words in the creed, / believe the holy cutho- 
 ' lie church; and with those three virtues, faith, hope and charity. I 
 ' forgive all those that have offended me ; and if I have offended any 
 -' body, I am heartily sorry for it, and ask them forgiveness. I beg 
 
 * the prayers of all, and in particular of the catholics here present, 
 ' desiring them to bear their crosses patiently, and to remember that 
 
 * passage of holy scripture, Happy are they that suffer persecution for 
 'justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Then he went up the 
 ' ladder, and there gave thanks to all those that had been kind to him, 
 ' and in particular to the sheriff; then he made a little stop; after 
 ' which he said, Mr. Carne, you have been always my benefactor, 
 ' pray for me now ; then he knocked his breast three times, and said 
 ' in Latin, Lord have mercy upon me a sinner, and, into thy hands, 
 1 Lord, 1 recommend my spirit ; so gave the sign and was turned over.' 
 They suffered at Cardiff in Glamorganshire, July 22. Father 
 Evans was 34- years old when he suffered, of which he had spent l-Jp 
 in the society. 
 
 204. * Nicholas Post gate, vulgb Posket, Priest. 
 
 i-N i CHOI. AS Postgate was born at Kirkdale house, in the parish of 
 Eyton, in Yorkshire, about the end of the sixteenth century. His 
 parents were catholics, and great sufferers for their religion. He 
 performed all his studies in the English college of Douay, where he 
 was admitted convictor (being already grown up to man's estate) in 
 1621 ; took the college oath the 12th of March, 1623 ; was promoted 
 to minor orders December 28, 1624: to the order of sub-deacon De- 
 cember 18, 1627 ; to the order of deacon, March 18, 1628, and 
 made priest the 20th of March the same year. He has a very fair cha- 
 racter in the diary, or journal of the college ; from whence he was 
 sent, with prope'r faculties, upon the English mission, the 29th of 
 June, 1630. His missionary labours were employed in his native 
 country of Yorkshire, for about 50 years, with great benefit to innu- 
 merable souls ; many hundreds, some say a thousand, having been 
 reclaimed from their'errors or vices by his ministry. His residence, 
 at least for the latter part of his life", was, as we learn from Mr. 
 Ward, (Canto IV. of the reformation) who says, he knew him well, 
 upon a lingy moor, called Blackamoor, about' two miles from Mul- 
 grave castle, and five miles from Whitby. This author writes of him 
 as follows : 
 
 * From the Douay diary, and otber monument*. 
 Vol. II. r t'
 
 213 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' Nor spar'd they father Posket's bloocf, 
 
 * A rev'rend priest, devout and good> 
 
 ' Whose spotless lite in length was spun 
 ' To eighty years, and three times one. 
 
 * Sweet his behaviour, grave his speech> 
 ' He did by good example teach. 
 
 ' His love right bent, his will resign'd, 
 ' Serene his look, and calm his mind. 
 ' His sanctity to that degree 
 ' As angels live, so lived he. 
 
 ' A thatched cottage was the cell 
 ' Where this contemplative did dwell ; 
 
 * Two miles from Mulgrave castle 't stood, 
 ' Sheltered by snow-drifts, not by wood. 
 
 ' Tho' there he liv'd to that great age, 
 
 ' It was a dismal hermitage. 
 
 ' But God plac'd there the saint's abode, 
 
 * For Blackamoor's greater good. 
 
 The holy man was apprehended by one Reeves an exciseman, an 
 implacable enemy of catholics, at the house of Matthew Lythis at 
 Little-Beck, near Whitby, and was with his harbourer committed to. 
 York goal. When his trial came on, he was indicted for high trea- 
 son, not as a plotter, but as a priest. The witnesses that appeared 
 against him were Elizabeth Wood, Elizabeth Baxter, and Richard 
 Morrice. These deposed, that they had seen him baptize, and exercise 
 other priestly functions ; and upon their evidence he was found guilty 
 by his jury, and condemned to die, which sentence was no wa) un- 
 welcome to him, who had been learning to die all his life-time. 
 
 The day allotted for his triumphant exit, was the 7th of August, 
 1679 ; on which day in the morning, amongst other visitors, went to 
 see him, Mrs. Fairfax, wife to Mr. Charles Fairfax of York, and Mrs. 
 Me"ynel of Kilvington. These ladies having done their devotions, 
 went together to his room, to take their last leave of him, and to crave 
 his blessing. The confessor seeing them in great concern, whereas 
 he was chearful, came up to them, and la\ ing his right hand upon 
 the one, and his left upon the other, they being both at that time big 
 with child, he spoke these words to them : Be of c;ood heart, child- 
 rcn, you shall both be delivered of sons, and they -^ili be both saved, 
 Immediately after he was laid upon a sledge, and drawn through 
 the streets to the place of execution, where he suffered with great 
 constancy. The two ladies were soon after brought to bed of sons, 
 who were both baptized, and both died in their infancv. This, savs 
 tlie reverend Mr. Knaresborough, in a paper which I have now be- 
 fore me, was told me by Mrs. Fairfax, one of the parties, the 5th of 
 October, 1705. 
 
 At the gallows he spoke little ; the substance of his words was, 
 
 * I die in liic catholic religion, out of which there is no salvation j 
 
 Mr. ^luirirt', you know I die not for the plot, but for my religion x 
 
 I pray God bless the king and the roval familv. Be pleased, Mr. 
 ' Sheriff, to acquaint his majesty, that "I never "offended him in any 
 
 * manner of way. I pray God give him his grace, and the light o{
 
 CHARLES MAHOXY. si* 
 
 ' truth. I forgive all that have wronged me, and brought me to this 
 ' death, and I desire forgiveness of all people.' He was executed 
 according to sentence; his quartered body was given to his friends, 
 and interred. One of his hands is preserved in Douay college. 
 The following inscription was put upon a copper plate, and thrown 
 into his coffin. 
 
 ' Here lies that reverend and pious divine, Dr. Nicholas Postdate, 
 ' who was educated in the English college at Douay. And after he 
 ' had laboured fifty years, (to the admirable benefit and conversion 
 ' of hundreds of souls) was at last advanced to a glorious crown of 
 ' martyrdom at the city of York, on the 7th of August, 1679, having 
 * been priest 51 years, aged 82.' 
 
 The unhappy Reeves, who apprehended him, never had the o20 
 reward which he looked for; but after having suffered for some time 
 an extreme torture in body and mind, was found drowned in a small 
 brook. 
 
 H, 
 
 205. * Charles Mahomj, Priest, O. S. F, 
 
 E was born in Ireland, and entering amongst the religious of the holy 
 order of St. Francis, made his solemn profession, and was advanced 
 to the sacred dignity of priesthood. Other particulars relating to his 
 life and conversation, I have not found ; only, that as he was return- 
 ing from abroad to his native country, he was drove upon the coast 
 of England j and travelling through ^Vales in the heat of the perse- 
 cution, and being found out to be a priest, was committed to prison, 
 and brought upon his trial at Denbigh, upon an indictment of high 
 treason, for taking orders in the church of Rome, and being found in 
 this kingdom. At his trial he confessed himself to be a priest, and 
 was thereupon condemned, and sent to Ruthin to suffer. On the 12th 
 of August, 1679, he was dravyn in his habit to the place of execution, 
 where he spoke as follows : 
 
 ' Now God Almighty is pleased I should suffer martyrdom, his 
 holy name be praised, snice I die for my religion. But you have no 
 right to put me to death in this country, though I confessed myself 
 to be a priest, for you seized me as I was going to my native country, 
 Ireland, being driven at sea on this coast; for I never used my 
 function in England before I was taken : however, Cod forgive you, 
 for I do, and shall always pray for you, especially for those that 
 were so good to me in my distress. I pray God bless our king, and 
 defend hfoi from his enemies, and convert him to the holy catholic 
 faith. Amen.' 
 
 He suffered with great constancy, being cut down alive and 
 butchered, according to sentence, as "I remember to have read in a 
 >t, which I could not since recover, His age was under forty. 
 
 manuscni 
 
 * From a short manuscript printed after his death.
 
 2-20 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 206. * John Wall, alias Francis Johnson, Priest, S.F. 
 
 JOHN Wall, called in religion father Joachim of St. Ann, and exe- 
 cuted under the name of Francis Johnson, was born in Lancashire, 
 anno 1620, of a gentleman's family, possessed at that time of about 
 ^500 a year, which he and his elder brother William (afterwards 
 condemned at London under the name of Marsh or Marshal) entering 
 into religion, was devolved to the third brother, and by him enjoyed 
 at the time of the execution of our confessor. Mr. John was sent 
 over young to the English college of Douay, where he performed all 
 his studies, and was made priest. And being now 32 years of age, 
 he took the habit of St. Francis, in the English convent of Douay, on 
 new-year's-day, 1651, and on the same day in the following year 
 made his solemn vows of religion. Such was his comportment during 
 his noviceship, and such the esteem his superiors had of his prudence 
 and zeal for regular discipline, that within half a year after his pro- 
 fession he was made vicar of the convent, and shortly after master of 
 the novices. 
 
 He was sent into England upon the mission in the year 1656. 
 His residence was in Worcestershire, where he was some time known 
 by the name of Webb, and was esteemed a laborious missioner, who 
 both by word and example gained many souls to God. He was 
 apprehended at a friend's house, not long after the first breaking out 
 of Oates's plot, by the sheriff's deputy, and others who were making 
 search for another man ; and being carried before Sir John Packing- 
 ton and another justice of peace, and refusing to take the oaths of 
 allegiance and supremacy, was committed to Worcester goal, in the 
 beginning of December, 1678. What he suffered here, and with 
 what disposition of soul, may be gathered from his own words, in 
 his narrative, p. 3. ' Imprisonment, says he, in these times especially, 
 ' when none can send to their friends, nor friends come to them, is 
 
 * the best means to teach us how to put our confidence in God alone 
 
 * in all things ; and then he will make his promise good, That all 
 
 * things shall be added to us, Luke xii. which chapter, if every one 
 ' would read and make good use of, a prison would be better than a 
 
 * palace ; and a confinement, for religion and a good conscience sake, 
 ' more pleasant than all the liberties the world could afford. As for my 
 
 * own part, God give me his grace, and all faithful Christians their 
 
 * prayers; I am happy enough. We all ought to follow the narrow 
 
 ' Way, though there be many difficulties in it. It is an easy thing to 
 
 * run the blind way of liberty, but God deliver us from all broad sweet 
 ' ways, &c/ 
 
 After five months imprisonment, he was brought upon his trial at 
 Worcester, April 25, 1679, before judge Atkins, upon an indictment 
 of high treason, for being a priest and remaining in this realm contrary 
 to the statute of Elizabeth 27 . He would neither confess nor deny his 
 priesthood, but defended himself very prudently. There was only one 
 
 * From the records of the English Franciscans at Douay ; a narrative written 
 by himself of his apprehension and trial, afterwards published iu print, ami from 
 kii printed speech.
 
 JOHN WALL. 221 
 
 witness that voluntarily appeared against him, and three others that 
 came by compulsion ; however, the jury found him guilty of" the in- 
 dictment, and the judge pronounced sentence against him in the usual 
 form, as in-cases of high treason. Upon which' the confessor made a 
 bow, and said aloud, Thanks be to God ; Cod save the king ; and I 
 beseech God to bless your lordship, and all this honourable bench. The 
 judge replied, you have spoken very well, I do not intend you shall 
 die, at least not for the present, until" I know the king's further pleasure. 
 ' I was not, I thank God for it, says father Wall in his narrative, 
 'p. 1'2, troubled with any disturbing thoughts, either against thl 
 judge for his sentence, or the jury that gave in such a verdict, or 
 
 * against any of the witnesses ; for" I was then of the same mind', a; 
 ' by Cod's grace I ever shall be, esteeming them all the best friends to 
 
 * me, in aH they did or said, that ever I had in my life. And I was, 
 
 * I thank God, so present with myself, whilst the judge pronounced 
 ' the sentence, that without any concern for any thing in this world, 
 ' I did actually at the same time offer myself and the world to Cod/ 
 
 The holy man goes on in his narrative, ' After the judge was 
 
 < gone frym the bench, several protestant gentlemen and others, who 
 
 * had heard my trial, came to me, though strangers, and told me how 
 
 * sorrv they were for me. To whom with thanks I replied, that I 
 was troubled they should grieve for me or my condition,, who was 
 joyful for it' myself: for 1 told them, I had professed this faith and 
 t religion all my life-time, which I was as sure to be true, as I was 
 t sure of the truth of God's word, on which it was grounded ; and 
 
 * therefore in it I deposed my soul, and eternal life and happiness; 
 and therefore should I fear to lose my temporal life for this faith, 
 t whereon my eternal life depends, I should be worse than an infidel ; 
 
 < and w r hosoever should prefer the life of their bodies before their 
 faith, their religion, or conscience, they were worse than heathens. 
 i For my own part, I told them, I was as ready, by God's grace, to 
 t die to-morrow, as 1 had been to receive the sentence of death to- 
 . day, and as willingly, as if I had a grant of the greatest dukedom/ 
 
 Father Wall was returned to prison, and after some time was sent 
 for up to London, as were also several other priests, who were under 
 condemnation for their character. What passed here, we learn from 
 the following letter, which he wrote after his return to the country, 
 July 18, to Mr. Charles Trinder, counsellor, afterwards serjeant at law. 
 SIR, 
 
 ' With mv service I return you thanks for the twenty shillings. 
 ' I am safe returned from London, whither I was sent to be examined 
 
 * by Mr. Gates and Bedloe, Dugdale and Prance, to see if any of 
 ' them had any thing against me, as guilty of, concerning these great 
 ' disturbances'of the times. I was very strictly examined by all four, 
 ' several times over, in that month I stayed at London ; and thank < 
 ' be to God, I Avas, after the last examination, publicly declared 
 ' innocent and free of all plots whatever, by Mr. BeHloe, who ex- 
 ' amined me last ; and he was so kind to me, that he told me pub- 
 ' liclv, that if I would but comply in matter of religion, that he 
 
 * would pawn his life for aw, that' for all I was condemned, vet I
 
 *22 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' should not die. I was also offered the same after my first cxamina* 
 ' tion, though I should have been never so guilty, it I would have 
 ' clone what was against my conscience. But I told them, I would 
 ' not buy my life at so dear a rate, as to wrong my conscience. How 
 ' God will please to dispose of all us that are condemned, none know. 
 
 * Some think it is concluded we must all die ; and yet because it will 
 not appear grateful in the eyes of rational and moral men, to sen 
 * us die merely for conscience sake, I have been several times informed 
 
 * from London, since I came down, that, if possible, some will do 
 ' their best to bring some of us, one way or other into a plot, though 
 
 * we have all at London been declared innocent after strict examina- 
 *tion. God's will be done. The greater the injury and injustice 
 
 * done against us by men to take away our lives, the greater our glory 
 ' in eternal life before God. This is the last persecution lhat will be 
 
 * in England ; therefore I hope God will give all his holy grace to 
 
 * make the best use of it. All these things have been sufficiently pro- 
 
 * phesied long since ; and I do no way question the truth; though it is 
 
 * like some will suffer first, of whom I have a strong imagination I shall 
 ' be one. God's will be done in earth as it is in heaven, and in mercy 
 
 * bring me happy thither.' I subscribe, Sir, your faithful servant, 
 
 FRANCIS WEBB. 
 
 At the bottom of this letter serjeant Trinder has added what follow s : 
 'This holy priest, sometimes called Mr. Johnson, whose true name 
 
 * was Wall, was martyred at Worcester, &c. He was equally cou- 
 
 * rageous and chearful at his apprehension, during his imprisonment, 
 'at his trial, and to his very death. A true account of all which, 
 ' might deservedly fill a volume, &c.' So he. 
 
 At length, after four months had passed from his condemnation, 
 the confessor was ordered to be executed. Father William Levison, 
 tvho visited him in prison, has given the following account of him, in 
 a letter preserved by the English Franciscans, of which I have a copy ; 
 ' Of late, says he, I was desired, and w illingl^ went, to visit our 
 ' friend, Mr. Webb "father Wall" prisoner at \\ orcester, whose exe- 
 ' cution drew near at hand. I came to him two days before it, and 
 
 * found him a chearful sufferer of his present imprisonment, and ra- 
 
 * vished, as it were, with joy, with the future hopes of dying for so 
 
 * good a cause. I found, contrary to both his and my expectation, the 
 
 * favour of being with him alone ; and the day before his execution, I 
 
 * enjoyed that privilege for the space of four or five hours together; 
 ' during which time I heard his confession, and communicated him to 
 
 * his great joy and satisfaction. I ventured likewise, through his de- 
 ' sire, to be present at his execution, and placed mvself boldlv next to 
 ' the under-sherifT, near the gallows, where I had the opportunity of 
 ' giving him the last absolution, just as he was turned off the ladder. 
 "* During his imprisonment, he carried himself like a true- servant and 
 ' disciple of his crucified master, thirsting after nothing more than the 
 ' shedding of his blood for the love of his God ; which he performed 
 ' with a courage and chearfulness becoming a valiant soldier of Christ, 
 
 * to the great edification of all catholics, and admiration of all protes- 
 ' taut*, the rational and moderate part especially, who shewed a great 
 ' sense oi' sorrow for his death ; decrying the cruelty of putting men
 
 JOHN KEMBLE. 225 
 
 * to death for priesthood and religion. He is the first that ever sufter- 
 
 * t.-d at Worcester since the catholic religion entered into this nation, 
 1 which he seemed with joy to tell me before his execution. He was 
 
 * quartered, and his head separated from his bodv, according to his 
 ' sentence. His body was permitted to be buried," and was accompa- 
 ' nied by the catholics of the town to St. Oswald's church- vard, where 
 ' he lies interred. His head I got privately, and conveyed it to Mr. 
 ' Randolph, who Will be careful to keep it till opportunity serves to 
 ' transport it to Douay, &c. The miseries we here lie' under are 
 ' great, and I hope our brothers in safety will be mindful of our condi- 
 
 * tion in their best thoughts, and beg of God we mav chearfully bear 
 ' our crosses, and if it be his holy will, courageously sacrifice our 
 ' lives in defence of our religion, which is the earnest ' desire of, &c. 
 ' William Levison, August 25, 1679.' 
 
 Father Wall suffered at Worcester, August the 22d, being the 
 Octave day of the assumption of the blessed virgin. His head is kept 
 in the cloister of the English friars at Douay ; and it was remarked 
 for some time after, that his grave, where his body lies at Worcester, 
 appeared green, whereas the rest of the church-vard was all bare, it 
 being a constant thoroughfare. 
 
 The confessor, before his death, composed a long speech, which 
 he delivered to a friend to be printed; in which he declares his faith, 
 hope, and charity, and strongly recommends these divine virtues ; he 
 professes his abhorrence, and that of the catholic church, of all plots 
 and conspiracies, or the concealing any such conspiracies, &c. he im- 
 plores God's mercy for himself, for the whole church, for the king 
 and kingdom, and tor his persecutors, whom he forgives from his heart, 
 and asks pardon of all whom he had any way offended : and finally 
 offers up his death to God, and commends his soul into his hands. 
 
 Father Levison., or Lewson, in his letter above quoted, makes 
 mention also of the sufferings of his brother Francis Levison, a priest 
 of the same order, called in religion, father Ignatius a S. Clara. ' Mjr 
 ' poor brother, says he, continues still a close prisoner, and complains 
 ' much of want. The justice who committed him, has endeavoured to 
 ' bribe witnesses to swear against him, but as yet cannot prevail with 
 ' any ; what will be the event of these proceedings only God knows,' 
 &c. After 14- months' close confinement, he died in prison a confessor 
 of Christ, February II, 1679-30. Mtatis 34-, religions 16. 
 
 207. * John Kemblcy or Kimble, Priest. 
 
 N the same day as father Wall was executed at Worcester for hit 
 priestly character and his religion, Mr. Kemble, a priest of the secular 
 dcre-v' suffered at Hereford for the same cause. He was eighty vrars 
 
 O 
 
 clergy', suffered at Hereford for the same cause. He was eighty years 
 old, according to a short printed account I have of him, and had been 
 a priest and a missioner, in a great variety of times, four and fifty 
 years. I find in the diary of Douay college, anno 162-0, John Kim- 
 We, of the diocese of Hereford, ordained priest the 23d of February, 
 
 * From Mr. Kembk-'.s printed speech ; the Douay diary ; and the testmipuitt* 
 
 t kue'A him.
 
 82* MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 singing his first mass the 2d of March, and sent upon the English 
 mission the 4th of June, where his residence \vas in his native coun- 
 try of Herefordshire. In the mission he was always esteemed a yerv 
 piou* and zealous labourer. The following account of him was sent 
 me from a worthy prelate in that part of the kingdom, taken from the 
 informations of those that had known him. 
 
 ' I have made all the enquiry I could about Mr. Kemble ; what I 
 ' could learn from those who particularly knew him, is as follows : . 
 ' He was taken at Pembridge castle, in the parish of Welsh-Newton 
 ' in Herefordshire, by captain Scudamore of Kentchurch : he was ap- 
 ' prized of some being coming to take him ; but replied, that accord- 
 
 * ing to the course of nature he had but few years to live ; and that it 
 ' would be an advantage to him to suffer for his religion ; and there- 
 ' fore he would not abscond. He was committed to Hereford goal ; 
 
 * whence, after some time, he was ordered up to London, and thence 
 ' remitted back again, to take his trial at Hereford. In that journey 
 
 -' he suffered more than a martyrdom, on account of a great indisposi- 
 ' tion he had, which would not permit him to ride but sidewards ; 
 ' and it was on horseback he was compelled to perform the journey, 
 ' at least great part of the way. After his return to Hereford goal, 
 ' he was frequently visited by captain Scudamorc's children, whom he 
 ' treated with whatever he had that was good, sent him by his friends ; 
 ' and being asked, why he gave all that to them ? he made answer, 
 ' because their father was the best friend he had in the world. 
 
 ' He was executed on Wigmarsh, by Hereford. His head wa^ 
 ' cut off", his body was begged by his nephew, captain Richard Kem- 
 ' ble, who put it into a coffin, carried it to Welsh-Newton, buried it in 
 ' the church-yard there, and erected a tomb over it. Some time after, 
 ' it happened that captain Scudamore's daughter had a violent sore 
 throat, which was apprehended dangerous, and being advised by a 
 ' devout catholic, who had preserved the cord in which Mr. Kemble 
 ' was hanged, to put that cord to her neck, upon the application of 
 ' it she was immediately cured Some neighbouring cathuiies resort to 
 ' his tomb on the '22d'of August, the day on which he suffered, to 
 
 * pav their devotions : once I myself being present, with three or 
 
 * four of the family of P , and some others, Mrs. Catharine Scu- 
 
 * damore, who for some time had be4i extraordinary deaf, and at that 
 
 * time was involved in some difficulties, of which' she could not be 
 r made sensible, by reason of her deafness, stayed at her prayers by 
 ' the tomb, after' the rest of the company were retired for their 
 
 * refreshment to an inn, not far from the church-yard ; and when she 
 ' came to them, she cried out, Lord ! I have recovered my hearing ; 
 
 * and effectually she heard as well as any one in the company. Thass 
 
 * are all the particulars I could learn, more than that he was always 
 
 * a pious and zealous good missioner.' So tar my right reverend cor- 
 respondent. The following speech was published in print not long 
 after Mr. Kemble's execution. 
 
 The last speech of Mr. John Kemble, a clergyman, r.hich he spoke in the 
 
 cart upon Wigmarsh t by Hertford, August '2 1 2, 1679. 
 * Jt will be expected I should say something ; but as I am aa 
 
 * old man, it cannot be much j not having any concern, in the plot,
 
 CHARLES BAKER. 225 
 
 4 neither indeed believing there is any. Gates and Bedloe not beino- able 
 
 * to charge me with any thing when I was brought up to London 
 ' though they were with me, makes it evident, that I die only for pro- 
 
 * fessing the old Roman catholic religion, which was the religion that 
 f first made this kingdom Christian ; and whoever intends to be saved 
 ' must die in that religion. I beg of all whom I have offended, either 
 ' by thought, word, or deed, to forgive me ; tor I do heartily forgive all 
 
 * those that have been instrumental or desirous of my death.' 
 
 Then turning to the executioner, he took him by the hand, and 
 calling him by his name, honest Anthony, said he, my friend Anthony, 
 le not afraid; do thy office, I forgive thee with all my heart, thou u-ilt 
 do me a greater kindness than discourtesy. Then he drew his cap over 
 his eyes, and after a little meditation upon his knees, and offering him- 
 self up to Almighty God, he told them, they might do their office 
 when they pleased. In conclusion, after he had thrice repeated, with 
 great fervor, those words, in manus tuas Domine comme?ido spiritum 
 meum, into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit, the cart was 
 drawn away, and he hanged at least half an hour before he was quite 
 dead, the knot of the rope not being rightly applied ; though this, as it 
 is believed, happened rather by accident than design. The protestants 
 that were spectators of the exit acknowledged, that they never saw one 
 die so like a gentleman, and so like a Christian. 
 
 208. * Charles Bafier, alias David Lswis, Priest, S.J. 
 
 (CHARLES Baker, commonly known upon the mission by the name of 
 David Lewis, was born in Monmouthshire in 1017, and brought up in 
 the protestant religion till he was about lp years of age ; when being a 
 student of the law, he was reconciled to the catholic church ; and after 
 two years sent by his uncle, a priest of the society, to the English col- 
 lege of Rome, where he was received a convictor, November 6, 1638. 
 Here he went through the course of his studies, having the character in 
 the college diary of prudent and pious ; and being made priest July 20, 
 1642, at the end of his divinity he enlered into the society -0727/0 
 1645, and made his noviceship amongst the Italian Jesuits in their no- 
 viciate of St. Andrew's. 
 
 He was sent upon the English mission anno 1648, where he offici- 
 ated in South Wales for one and thirty years, being a zealous seeker af- 
 ter the lost sheep, fearless in dangers, patient in labours and sufferings, 
 and so charitable to his indigent neighbours, as to be commonly called 
 the father of the poor. He was apprehended on the 17th of Novem- 
 ber, 1678, being Sunday morning, a little before day, by six armed 
 men, (sent by two neighbouring justices of peace) in a little house in 
 die parish of St. Michael Lantarnam, in Monmouthshire, and carried 
 that day to Abergavenny, and the next day committed to Monmouth 
 gaol, where he was kept close confined in a room by himself, (for which 
 
 * From a printed relation of his imprisonment and trial, penned by himself; his 
 printed speech ; floius Anglo-Bavancus, p. 181 j and the records ot the noviciate < 
 St. Andrew's, at Rome. 
 
 VOL. II. G g
 
 236 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 he was obliged to pay 14s. a week) locked up at night, and barred up 
 by day. 
 
 On the I3th of January 1678-9, he was removed from Monmouth 
 to Usk. It snowing hard that day, the deputy- sheriff, and the chief 
 jailor, who accompanied him, made a halt at Ragland, to warm and 
 refresh themselves ; whilst they were here, the confessor was informed, 
 that father Ignatius, alias Walter Price, lay a dying about a mile off, 
 having undergone much hardship both of hunger and cold, by flying 
 from barn to barn, from cottage to cottage, being violently persecuted, 
 and strictly searched after as a popish priest, and that by his own kins- 
 man. Father Baker, being able to do no more, sent him his best wishes 
 for his soul's happy passage out of this turbulent world to an eternity of 
 rest 5 and so went forward with his keepers to his new prison of Usk, 
 where three days after he received the news of his blessed death. lu. 
 this prison the confessor found several catholics confined for their con- 
 science, with whom he remained till his trial in the Lenten assizes. 
 
 On the 28th of March, 1679, the assizes began at Monmouth, and 
 on the following day father Baker was brought to the bar, to be tried, 
 upon an indictment of high-treason, for having taken orders in the 
 church of Rome, and remaining in England contrary to the statute of 
 Elizabeth 27. He pleaded not guilty. Five or six witnesses deposed 
 against him, that they had seen him say mass, and perform the rest of 
 the priestly functions. Father Baker made a handsome defence, and had 
 very material exceptions against the principal witnesses ; but, neverthe- 
 less, was brought in guilty by the jury, and received sentence of death 
 the same day, in the usual form, from sir Robert Atkins the judge j 
 vipon which he made a low bow, and was returned to prison. 
 
 After this he was sent up to London, and there, in Newgate, 
 trictly examined concerning the pretended plot ; Oates, Bedloe, Dug- 
 dale, and Prance, being brought to confront him, but they could not 
 charge him with any guilt in that kind. My lord Shaftsbury suggested 
 to him, that he might both save his life, and improve his fortune, if he 
 would make some discovery of the plot, or conform in matters of reli- 
 gion : but, discover plot, says he in his dying speech, I could not, for I 
 gncw of none ; and conform I would not, for it ivus against my consci- 
 ence ; wherefore he was sent back to the country, where he remained 
 three months longer in prison, and then was ordered for execution. 
 
 It was on the 27th of August, 16/9, he was drawn to the gallows 
 at Uske, in Monmouthshire, where he made a long speech to a numer- 
 ous auditory, assembled on that occasion. ' Here is,' said he, ' a nu- 
 ' merous assembly, the great Saviour of the world save every soul of 
 
 * you all : I believe you are here met, not only to see a fellow-native 
 f die, but also with expectation to hear a dying fellow-native speak. 
 
 * Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, lut if as a Christian, 
 let him mt be ashamed, 1 St. Peter iv. I suffer not as a murderer, 
 
 * thief, or such like malefactor, but as a Christian, and therefore am not 
 ' ashamed.' 
 
 He proceeds to let his auditors know, how unjustly he had been 
 charged, in a vile pamphlet, of having cheated a poor woman of 30i , 
 under a pretence of delivering her father's soul out of purgatory j which,
 
 CHARLES BAKER. 227 
 
 as he declares, was no better than mere fiction and malice, without the 
 least appearance of truth. And as to the plot, he calls God to witness, 
 that -he never heard or knew any thing of it, till public fame had spread 
 it over the country. _ And that for his part, none of the king's witnesses, 
 when confronted with him in Newgate, could pretend to charge him 
 with any such guilt : that he ever detested king-killing doctrine, as op- 
 posite to the principles of the catholic religion, and condemned by the 
 council of Constance : and in testimony of his loyalty, he heartily pray- 
 ed for the king : adding, that his religion alone was the cause for which 
 he was to die. 
 
 ' My religion,' says he, < is the Roman catholic ; in it I have lived 
 ' above these forty years ; in it I now die, and so fixedly die, that if all 
 ' the good things in this world were offered me to renounce it, all should 
 ( not remove me one hair's breadth from my Roman catholic faith, A 
 ' Roman catholic I am ; a Roman catholic priest I am ; a Roman catho- 
 ' lie priest of that religious order, called the society of Jesus, I am j 
 ' and I bless God who first called me, and I bless the hour in which I was 
 
 * first called both unto faith and function. Please now to observe, I was 
 f condemned for reading mass, hearing confessions, administering the 
 ' sacraments, &c. As for reading the mass, it was the old, and still is 
 ' the accustomed and laudable liturgy of the holy church ; and all the 
 c other acts, are acts of religion tending to the worship of God, and 
 ' therefore dying for this I die for religion; and (lying upon so good a 
 ' score, as far as human frailty permits, I die with alacrity interior and 
 ' exterior : from the abundance of the heart let not only mouths but 
 '" faces also speak . 
 
 ' Here, methinks, I feel flesh and blood ready to burst into loud 
 ( cries 5 blood for blood, life for life. No, crieth holy gospel, for- 
 ' give, and you shall be forgiven ; pray for those that persecute you ; 
 ' love your enemies ; and I profess myself as a child of the gospel, and 
 ' the gospel I obey. Whomsoever present or absent, I have ever of- 
 4 fended, I humbly desire them to forgive me. As for my enemies, I 
 ' freely forgive them all ; my neighbours that betrayed me, the justices 
 ' that 'committed me, &c. but singularly and especially, I forgive my 
 c capital persecutor, who hath been so long thirsting after my blood ; 
 < from my soul I forgive him, and wish his soul so well, that were it in 
 ' my power, I would seat him a seraphim in heaven. Father forgive 
 ' them, they know not u'hat they do. 
 
 ' And with reason I love them also, < c my persecutors," for though 
 ' they have done themselves a vast soul -prejudice, yet they have done 
 ' me. an incomparable favour, which I shall eternally acknowledge. 
 
 * But chiefly I love them for his sake, who said, bn>e your enemies , and 
 
 * in testimony of my love, I wish them (and it is the best of wishes) 
 
 * from the centre of my soul, I wish them a good eternity. O eterni* 
 ' ty ! eternity ! how momentaneous are the glories, riches, and plea- 
 
 * .sures of this world ? and how desirable art thou, O endless eternity > 
 ' And for my said enemies attaining thereunto, I humbly beseech God to 
 ' give them the grace of a true repentance, before they and this world 
 ' part.' 
 
 Then addressing himself to the catholics, ' friends,' said he, ^ fear 
 ' God, honour ycnr king; be firm in your faith ; avoid mortal sin, by
 
 228 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' frequenting the sacraments of holy church ; patiently bear your perse- 
 ' cutions and afflictions ; forgive your enemies ; your sufferings are 
 ' great j I say, be firm in your faith to the end, yea, even to death ; 
 { then shall you heap unto yourselves celestial treasures in the heavenly 
 ' Jerusalem, where no thief robbeth, no moth eateth, and no rust con- 
 ! sumeth ; and have that blessed saying of St. Peter, prince of the. 
 ' aposjles, always in your memory, which I heartily recommend to you, 
 ' viz. let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief] but if as a ckris- 
 ' tian. lei him not l-e ashamed, lut glorify God in his name.' Having 
 finished his speech to men, he applied himself to God in the following 
 prayers and ejaculations, which he pi'onounced aloud. 
 
 ' Sovereign Lord God, eternal Father of heaven, creator of all, con- 
 ' server of all, sole author of grace and glory, with prostrate heart I 
 ' adore thee ; and thee only I adore as God. The giving of divine ho- 
 ' nour to any creature of highest degree, I abhor and detest as damnable 
 ' idolatry. Incarnate Son of God, true God, thou hast purchased a 
 
 * church here upon earth with thy sacred blood, and planted it with thy 
 ' sacred labours ; a church, one, holy, catholic, and apostolic ; a 
 ' church to continue to the consummation of the world : whatever that 
 ' church of thine hath by revelation from thee, whatever that church ci 
 
 * thine hath taught me, and commanded me to believe, I believe it to 
 ' an iQta. God Holy Ghost, who maketh thy sun to shine on good and 
 ' bad, thy rain to fall on the just and unjust, I praise thy holy name, 
 ' and thank thee for the innumerable benefits thou hast been pleased to 
 ' bestow and confer upon me, thy unworthy sen-ant, the 63 years I now 
 ' have lived on earth. holy trbiity, three persons, and one God, from 
 ' the bottom of my heart I am sorry that ever I have offended thee, my 
 ' good God, even to an idle word ; yet through thy mercy, my God, 
 ' and the merits of my Redeemer, I strongly hope for an eternal salva- 
 
 * tion. Sweet Jesus receive my soul. And so he was executed.' 
 
 Father Anthony Hunter, a priest of the same society, who also was 
 ander sentence of death for his character, relates in a manuscript which 
 I have before me, that the bowels of father Baker, though they were 
 cast into a greater fire than ordinary, and several faggots flung upon, 
 them, were not consumed, nor so much as altered by the flames; so. 
 that they were taken up and buried with his body. 
 
 20Q. * JVilliam Lloyd, Priest and Confessor. 
 
 WILLIAM Lloyd, the son of Walter Lloyd, esq. was born in Car- 
 marthenshire of Wales, about the year lO'lO. He seems to have been 
 a convert to the catholic religion, and not to have gone abroad till he 
 was come to man's estate. He was received a convictor in the college 
 of Lisbon, October 1, 1635, with this character in the register of the 
 house, that he was a very hopeful young man, but labouring under a 
 continual indisposition, or pain in the stomach. However he applied 
 himself to his studies, and went through the usual course of philosophy 
 and divinity, and publicly maintained, at sundry times, theses in both 
 these faculties, .with very groat applause. He was ordained priest the 
 
 * From the diary dr regis'cr ci tbc English coilf sc of Lisbon, and from his speech.
 
 WILLIAM LLOYD. 220 
 
 26j.li of April, 1639, but remained in the college till the 2Qth of June, 
 lt)42 ; at which time he went to Paris. I have not found when he en- 
 tered upon the English mission, nor die particulars of his missionary 
 labours. 
 
 Soon after the breaking out of Oates's plot, he fell into the hands of 
 the persecutors, and was brought to his trial at Brecknock, upon an in- 
 dictment of high treason, for having taken orders in the Roman church, 
 and remaining in this realm contrary to the statute of the 2/th of Eliza- 
 beth. The witnesses that appeared against him made oath, that he had 
 administered the sacraments according to the order and manner of the 
 catholic church ; upon which he was found guilty by his jury, and 
 sentenced to die as in cases of high treason. The day was appointed 
 for his execution, but he died in bonds six days before, leaving behind 
 him the following speech, which he designed to have delivered at die 
 the gallows. 
 The last speech <)f M> . William Lloyd, a clergyman, tt-ho was tried and 
 
 condemned at Brecknock, in South Wales, anno Dom. l6~C), and 
 
 died in prison there a week l-efore lie was executed, and left this 
 
 speech in writing. 
 
 In die name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. 
 Dearly tcloved Countrymen, It is, even by God's holy providence, 
 that now I am come to the last hour of my mortal life in this miserable 
 world, and therefore am desirous to give an account to all the world, in 
 what faith and religion I lived while I was in diis world, and in which 
 T am resolved to depart out of this world, which is die only holy cadiolic 
 and apostolical faith and religion, (that is,) the very same in all points 
 as the apostles themselves lived and died in, after they received die Holy 
 Ghost, which our Saviour promised to send diem, to guide them into 
 all truth, and to remain with his church for ever; and I do renounce all 
 errors and mistakes contrary to the same faidi and religion, holding all 
 the holy word of God, written or unwritten, to be true, and revealed to 
 the patriarchs and prophets in the time of the old testament, as also re- 
 vealed by our Saviour Jesus Christ to his apostles and disciples in the 
 new testament, and by their successors declared to the rest of the world 
 in die same right sense, as the Holy Ghost, according to our Saviour's 
 promise, directed diem to teach all truth, which is the only faith in 
 which a man can be saved, and no other ; for it is said in the holy scrip- 
 ture, that there is but one faith, one God, and one baptism ; and St. 
 Paul in another place expressly saidi, that widiout faith it is impossible 
 to please God ; and every man by natural reason, may easily know, 
 that without pleasing God no man can be saved ; for no man can pos- 
 sibly be saved, in spite of God Almighty (that is) whether he will or 
 no. Therefore seeing none can be saved v.-ithout pleasing God, and 
 tiiat none can please God widiout faith ; and seeing there is no faidi but. 
 one, and that one is that which our Saviour Christ taught to his apostles, 
 it behoveth every man to find it out, and live and die in it, although 
 they lose all that they have in the world, and their lives to boot, seeing 
 dial it is of no small importance to be saved or damned for ever. And 
 to find out that apostolic faith, without which no man can please God, 
 nor consequently be saved, we must find out the eldest faith amongst 
 Christians, which was planted by our Saviour himself amongst his apos-
 
 236 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ties, winch doth still last, and will last for ever ; for our Saviour pro- 
 mised to be with his church to the world's end, and the gates of hell 
 shall not prevail against it. And this is the reason why I made choice 
 to embrace it, and all others ought to make choice of and embrace the 
 same, to live and die in, to the intent we may be saved souls for ever : 
 detesting (as I said before) all mistakes and errors contrary to the said 
 one holy catholic apostolic Christian faith, and Roman religion. Nothing 
 can be held to be a true article of faith, but what is firmly grounded 
 upon the holy word of God, taken in the right sense, by the guidance 
 of the Holy Ghost j the rest of controversies may be disputed, but not 
 believed, by divine faith. 
 
 Now do I further declare, that I being of this holy faith and religion, 
 living peaceably in the commonwealth all the days of my life, have 
 been taken suspected to be a popish priest, and have been committed to 
 prison, and sentenced to die upon that account, for serving God, and 
 administering the holy sacraments according to the rites and ceremonies 
 of the Roman church, and for nothing else proved against me ; and sub- 
 mitting myself to God's holy will, and all the penalties of the present 
 laws of the kingdom relating thereto, I am heartily willing, by God's 
 holy grace, to softer death upon that account, hoping to be a saved soul 
 by the goodness and mercy of God, and the merits and passion of our 
 Saviour Jesus Christ. And to the intent that I may depart out of this 
 world in love and charity, I do heartily forgive all that have in any wise 
 offended me, and beg pardon and forgiveness of all those that I have 
 any wise offended ; and especially, I beg pardon of God Almighty, for 
 all my heinous offences committed against his Divine Majesty in thought, 
 word, and deed, for which I am heartily sorry, and with the help of his 
 grace, if they were yet undone, I would do my best never to do them j 
 and this not only for fear of being punished for my sins, but out of die 
 hearty love I bear to my dear God, who hath created me, and redeemed 
 me with his most hitter passion, in the person of our Saviour true God 
 and man (and hath sanctified me with the grace of the Holy Ghost in 
 soul and body.) As for the subversion of government, or conspiring 
 against his majesty's life, I do sincerely protest, in the presence of Al- 
 raighty God, as I hope to be a saved soul, that I had not the least 
 knowledge of it till it was noised abroad amongst the common people, 
 nor did I at any time after know any thing of it, otherwise than by com- 
 mon report after discover}', but was daily wont to pray for his majesty, 
 and his loyal consort ; and so (God willing) intend to continue as long 
 as I have breath, begging of God Almighty to send his majesty a pros- 
 perous reign whilst he lives in this world, and after this miserable life, 
 to grant them both eternal crowns in everlasting bliss : and the same 
 everlasting happiness I wish to my own soul, I wish also to my enemies, 
 to all that are here present, and the rest of the world. Amen. He 
 was a^ed about 70 years. 
 
 There were many other priests, who, in the heat of this persecu- 
 tion, especially during the years 1679 and 16SO, were arraigned and 
 condemned, merely for their priestly character. Those whose names 
 I have been able to recover, were, 
 
 l , Placidui Adeiham, or Adland, who from a protestaht minister
 
 WILLIAM LLOYD. 231 
 
 became a monk of the venerable order of St. Bennet, and was professed 
 in the monastery of Paris. He was a great reader and admirer of th 
 works of St. Augustin ; was tried and condemned at the Old Baily 
 merely as a priest, Jan. 17, l678-(), but was reprieved and died in prison. 
 
 2. Andrew Brommich, priest, of the college of Lisbon. He was 
 tried and condemned at Stafford, August 13, lG'7p, but was reprieved 
 and survived the storm. 
 
 3. William Atkins wa? tried and condemned at the same time and 
 place. His printed trial calls him a seminary priest, but he was indeed 
 of the Society of Jesus. He died in prison, March 7, 1680-1, being 
 80 years of age, only regretting, that he was not so happy as to shed 
 his blood in his Master's cause, which he very much desired. 
 
 4. Richard Birket, priest, of the secular clergy, but of what college 
 I have not found. He was tried and condemned at Lancaster, and died 
 in prison a confessor of Christ. 
 
 5. Richard Fletcher, alias Barton, a priest of Douay college. H 
 was also tried and condemned at the same time at Lancaster, but out- 
 lived the persecution. 
 
 6. John Penketh, priest, S. J. was also tried and condemned at the 
 same time and place, but lived to see better times. He was some time 
 alumnus of the college of Rome. 
 
 7. George Busby, priest, S. J. He was tried and condemned at 
 Derbf , but pardoned by the king. 
 
 8. James Corker, priest, and monk of the abbey of Lambspring.-^ 
 He was first tried for the plot, of which he was accused by Oates and 
 Bedloe, but acquitted by the jury ; then was tried as a priest, and con- 
 demned January 17, iGjQ-SO. He was reprieved, and continued pri- 
 soner till king James's accession to the throne, and in prison reconciled 
 great numbers to the catholic church. He was afterwards made abbot, 
 first of Cismer, then of Lambspring, which dignity he resigned, and 
 ended his days at Paddington, near London, much esteemed by all that 
 knew him, for his virtue and sanctity. 
 
 p. William Nappier, alias Russel, called in religion father Mariauus, 
 a native of Oxford, and a lather of the holy order of St. Francis. He 
 was tried and condemned at the Old Bailey, at the same time with Mr. 
 Corker, but reprieved, and after a long imprisonment sent abroad; 
 where he died in the franciscan convent at Douay, in 1698, aged se- 
 venty-eight. 
 
 10. Charles Parry, priest, as I take it, of the secular clergy. He 
 was tried and condemned at the same time and place. When he heard 
 the sentence, he cried out, TV Deum Laudamus, &c. Whether he died 
 in prison, or survived the storm, I have not learnt. 
 
 1 1 . Henry Starkey. He was younger brother to John Starkey, of 
 Darley in Cheshire, e/q. was one of the first that appeared in arms for 
 the king in the civil wars, in whose service he lost 40001. and one of his, 
 legs, which was taken orf by a cannon ball. Being sent into banish- 
 ment, he resumed his studies, and by dispensation was made priest. 
 He was tried and condemned for his character, at the same time and 
 place with Mr. Corker, &c. but was reprieved.
 
 232 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 12. Lionel Anderson, c/mMunson. He was a gentleman's son of 
 Lincolnshire, of a good estate, but becoming a catholic, relinquished 
 all his worldly pretensions, and entered into the holy order of St. Do- 
 minick, and was ordained priest. He was tried and condemned at the 
 same time. and place with Mr. Corker, &c. but was pardoned by the 
 king. 
 
 13. William Wall, alias Marsh and Marshall. He was brother to 
 father John Wall, who suffered at Worcester ; was born in Lancashire, 
 studied his humanity at St. Omer's, his philosophy at Rome, his divi- 
 nity partly at Rome, and partly at Douay. From Douay he went upon 
 the mission in 1&52 ; but afterwards going over again, he became a 
 monk of the venerable order of St. Bennet, in the abbey of Lamb- 
 spring. He was arraigned upon the testimony of Gates and Bcdloe for 
 the plot with-father Corker, made a brave defence, and was found not 
 guilty ; but afterwards was tried and condemned for a priest, in the 
 company of the same father Corker, but was reprieved, and survived 
 the persecution. 
 
 With these six last named, was arraigned also Mr. David Joseph 
 Kemish, priest, but his trial was put off by reason of his sickness. 
 Whether he died in prison, or survived, I cannot learn. Also Mr, 
 Alexander Lumsden was tried on the same day with the six above-men- 
 tioned. He was a native of Aberdeen in Scotland, and a Dominican 
 friar; was found to be a priest, but being a Scotchman, the jury 
 brought in their verdict special, and he was not sentenced to die. % Be- 
 sides these, I have met with the names of some others, that felt in like 
 manner the fury of this persecution : as James Baker, alias Hesketh, 
 priest, condemned at the Old Bailey, February 2/, 16/Q-8Q. Richard 
 Lacy, priest, of the society of Jesus, who died also in prison at Lon- 
 don, March 11, the same year. Edward Turner, priest, of the same 
 society, who died also in prison at London, in i&'Sl. William Allison, 
 priest, who died prisoner in York castle. William Bennet, priest, S. J. 
 who was also condemned in this persecution, but lived to be condemned 
 a second time, under king William, and died a prisoner at Leicester in 
 1691. Bennet Constable, priest, O. S. B. who died in Durham gaol, 
 1683. Not to speak of divers of the catholic laity, who expired in like 
 manner in prison, confined for their conscience. 
 
 210. * Thomas Tluving, Priest, 1080. 
 
 JL HOMAS Thwing, son of George Thwing, esq. of an ancient York- 
 shire family, was born at Heworth near York, in the year 1635. He 
 performed his studies abroad in the English college of Douay, where 
 also he received all his orders, and from thence was sent priest upon the 
 English mission in 1665, where he laboured in the vineyard of his Lord 
 for J o years. He was apprehended in the time of Oates's plot, and was 
 accused by two knights of the post, Bolron and Mowbray, or May- 
 bury, of having been at several meetings or consults at Barnborough- 
 hall, the seat of his uncle sir Thomas Gascoigne ; and there conspiring 
 with the said sir Thomas, sir Miles Stapylton, the lady Tempest, and 
 
 * From his printed trial and speech.
 
 THOMAS THWING. 233 
 
 others, to kill the king, and extirpate the protestant religion. Bolron 
 had formerly been in the service of sir Thomas, as steward of his coal- 
 pits, and having cheated him of great sums of money was thereupon 
 discharged j and being also sued by him, vowed revenge, left his reli- 
 gion, and accused his master, and all his relations of the plot. Maybury 
 had also been a servant to sir Thomas, and had been guilty of divers 
 villanies. But now, as Mr. Salmon takes notice, in his examination of 
 bishop Burnet's history, p. 880, the great encouragement and caresses 
 Gates and Bedloe met with, occasioned others of the like stamp to spring 
 up in all parts of the kingdom, pretending to make discoveries of plots, 
 many of whom, says he, were so plainly detected, that they could ob- 
 tain no credit even in those believing times, which was indeed the case 
 of these two wretches j for their story was altogether incredible } and 
 sir Thomas Gascoigne, and the others by them accused, were acquitted. 
 Only Mr. Thwing, being a priest, did not meet with the same justice. 
 He was brought to his trial at York, July 29, 168O, and upon the tes- 
 timony of the miscreants above mentioned, was found guilty by the jury ; 
 and on the 2d of August following received sentence of death. To 
 which he calmly replied, innocens ego sum, I am innocent. He was 
 reprieved for a while, viz. till the 23d of October ; and then, by an 
 order of the council, was executed according to sentence. He was 
 drawn, hanged, and quartered at York, having first protested his inno- 
 cency of all that was sworn against him, and spoke as. follows : 
 
 This sudden news of my execution (after my reprieve) coming so 
 unexpectedly, made me fear I should have more severity shewed me 
 than has been to others ; and, consequently, that I should not have full 
 liberty to declare my mind at the place of my execution ; therefore I 
 have briefly expressed myself in writing, as follows: First, as I hope 
 for salvation of my soul by the benefit of the blood and passion of my 
 blessed Saviour, I most sincerely protest, that what Robert Bolron and 
 Laurence Mowbray swore against me, was absolutely false ; for here, 
 in the presence of the eternal God, I declare 1 never knew of any con- 
 sult at Barnbow, the least prejudicial to the king or kingdom ; nor was 
 I ever at any such consult or meeting with sir Thomas Gascoigne, Mr. 
 Gascoigne his son, sir Miles Stapylton, the lady Tempest, Mr. Ingleby, 
 or any other, where any thing was ever treated, spoken, or written, 
 about killing the kinsr, or alteration of the government ; nor did I ever 
 see or know of any list of such names of persons mentioned and sworn 
 by them against me. 
 
 Secondly, upon my salvation I declare, I never have been in my 
 whole life-time guilty, even so much as in thought, of any treason 
 against his majesty or the kingdom, it being directly contrary to the 
 principles of our faith. Thirdly, that though I have, and do declare 
 against the oath of allegiance, as it is worded, yet it is only by reason 
 of some clauses therein contained, not pertaining to allegiance; and 
 therefore, if an oath, containing nothing but slkgiance, had been le- 
 gally tendered me, I should have thought it a sin to have refused it. 
 Lastly, I acknowledge myself a priest, and to have about 1 5 years per- 
 formed a priest's function j which I am so far from denying, that I think 
 it the greatest honour imaginable. 
 
 VOL. II, H h
 
 234 MEMOIRS, Sec. 
 
 And now, dear countrymen, having made this protestation in the 
 most plain terms I could, without any equivocation or mental reserva- 
 tion whatsoever, I appeal to the eternal Judge, whether good Christians 
 ought not to believe what is here in this manner sworn by me in my 
 present circumstance, rather than what was sworn by my accusers': 
 whom, notwithstanding, I beg of Almighty God to forgive : as also 
 the jury, and all others who have been in any kind concurring to my 
 death. 
 
 Having full time allowed him, he spoke much more to the same ef- 
 fect, with a clear voice, and a countenance remarkably chearful ; de- 
 claring his innocence as to any plot, his loyalty to the king, his charity 
 to his neighbours ; and expressing his love and piety to God in fervent 
 prayers and ejaculations. He concluded with these prophetic words : 
 ' though I know the affairs of the kingdom are in a bad posture, yet I 
 ' hope they will be cleared ere long, and then the actors thereof will 
 ' be more fully known.' Just as he went off the ladder, he was dis- 
 tinctly heard to say these words, sweet Jesus receive my soul. 
 
 He suffered at York October 23, 168O, in the 46th year of his age. 
 His quartered body was interred by his friends, and a copper plate bu- 
 ried with him, with the following Latin inscription. R. D. Thomas 
 Thwing de Heworth, coll. Anglo-Duaceni sacerdos, post annos \5 in 
 missione Anglicana transactos, eboraci condemnatus & martyrio affeetus 
 est Octob. 23, lf>80. A duobus falsis testibus, ob crimen conspira- 
 tionis tune temporis catholicis malitiose impositum. 
 
 211. * William Viscount Stafford. 
 
 WILLIAM Howard Viscount Stafford, was second son to Tho- 
 ' mas earl of Arundel, and uncle to Thomas and Henry Dukes of Nor- 
 
 * folk. In his youth he was educated with all care and industry imagi- 
 ' nable, to improve in him the endowments of nature and grace. He 
 ' was ever held to be of a generous disposition, very charitable, devout, 
 ' sober, inoffensive in words, and a lover of justice. When he arrived 
 ' to years of maturity, he married Maty, descended from the ancient 
 ' dukes of Buckingham, grand-daughter to Edward, sister and sole hei- 
 ' ress to Henry lord Stafford, to whose title he succeeded, being created 
 1 baron by king Charles I. anno 1640, and soon after viscount Stafford. 
 ' Daring the time of the civil wars he suffered much for his loyalty to 
 ' the king, always behaving himself with that courage and constancy, 
 ' as became a nobleman, a good Christian, and a faithful subject. Af- 
 
 * ter king Charles lid's, restoration he lived in peace, plenty, and hap- 
 
 * piness j being blessed v, ith a most virtuous lady to his wife, and many 
 ' pious and dutiful children ; in which state he remained till the 66th 
 ' year of his age, when about Michaelmas, anno 16/8, he was accused 
 ' by Titus Oates of the plot, together with the lords Powis, Petre> 
 f Arundel, and Eellasis. 
 
 ' My lord Stafford, though he immediately heard of the accusation, 
 'relying on his own innocence, never left his family, nor withdrew 
 ' himself from his ordinary known acquaintance and affairs, till on the 
 
 From Stafford's Memoirs, published i68ij his printed trial and speech, &c.
 
 W. VISCOUNT STAFFORD. 233 
 
 f 25th of Octob.hewas sent prisoner totheKing's-Bench, and from thence 
 ' soon after to the Tower, where he remained above two years, and then 
 
 * was brought to bis trial before the house of peers, November 30, 
 ' 168O, upon an impeachment in the name of the commons of England.' 
 
 The first day was spent in allegations to prove a plot in general, by 
 the depositions of Gates, Dugdale, Smith, Jennison, &c. But as these 
 did not tovich my lord Stafford in particular, the next day the managers 
 for the house of commons, (who were of the most eloquent, andthe 
 most able lawyers in the nation,) began to attack my lord more directly 
 by the testimonies of Gates, Dngdale, and Tuberville, having first ta- 
 ken care that none of his council should stand near to prompt or advise 
 him what to answer, or \vlwff exceptions to make to their depositions. 
 These managers with all imaginable art and malice baited the good old 
 gentleman for four whole days ; who, though otherwise not the best 
 qualified, as it was thought, for such a task, and upon that account 
 pitched upon, rather than any of the other lords then prisoners, to be first 
 brought to his trial ; yet, such was the force of truth and innocence, 
 made so good a defence, (notwithstanding the grent fatigue of so many 
 days pleading, and all the eloquence employed against him) and brought 
 such and so just exceptions against the witnesses, and such proofs of 
 their being perjured villains, that every unprejudiced man that will but 
 read the memoirs of his trial, must agree that he was very unjustly 
 condemned. However, such was the iniquity of the times, and the 
 aversion to his religion, ,he was found guilty by 55 lords, and acquitted 
 only by 31 : so that sentence was passed upon him by the lord high 
 steward. ' His behaviour throughout,' says the continuator of Baker, 
 p. 705, ' was very composed and affecting ; denying in the most so- 
 ' lemn manner, and with all the marks of sincerity, every thing that 
 ' had been sworn against him.' So this protestant historian, who adds, 
 in the following page, that at his death, he behaved himself in a man- 
 ner becoming a good m~n and a good Christian, and still denied to the 
 last the treason which he had been charged with. 
 
 ' When the votes were passed, the lord high steward declared to 
 ' the prisoner, he was found guilty of the high treason whereof he u-at 
 ' impeacfted. To which my lord Stafford replied, God's holy name /v 
 
 * praised far it. I confess I am surprized at it, for I did not expect it. 
 ' But Gods Willie done, and your lordships ; I will not murmur at it. 
 ' God forgive those who have falsely sworn against me. Sentence was 
 pronounced according to the usual form as in cases of treason : which 
 my lord received with a meek and resigned countenance, and then de- 
 clared in the presence of Almighty God, he had no manner of malice ia 
 his heart to them that had condemned him, but freely forgave them all. 
 
 After his return to the tower, he employed the greatest part of his 
 time, till his end, in recollection and devotion, by which means he 
 seemed to receive a cir.iiy increase both of courage and comfort The 
 hours he spared from prayer or necessary repose, he bestowed, in part, 
 in the entertainment of his friends, amongst whom lie demeaned him- 
 self with exceeding sweetness, candour and alacrity, which was always 
 natural to him; but was more especially remarkable after he had an 
 assurance of his death; insomuch that he could not end '/.re to see any 
 in grief or dejection on his account.
 
 236 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 On Sunday the IQth of December, the lieutenant of the tower came 
 to my lord and told him, he was sorry he must bring him the ill news 
 that he must die on the 2pm of this month. To which message he 
 courageoa-ly replied, I must obey. Adding those words of the psalm- 
 ist, this is tJie day which our Lord hath made, let us rtjoke and be glad 
 in it. Then turning to his disconsolate lady, come, said he, let us go 
 to our prayers. ' And it was truly a matter of wonder, says my author, 
 ' to those who lived and were conversant with him during this short 
 ' remnant of his life, to see with what constancy and equal temper of 
 ' mind he comported himself ; what interior quiet and serenity he seem- 
 ' ed to enjoy ; what confidence he expressed in God ; what charity to 
 ' all, even to. the worst of his enemies. 
 
 ' When the hour appointed for his death drew near, he expected 
 ' with some impatience the arrival of Mr. lieutenant, telling his friends 
 ' that were about him, he ought not to hasten his own death, yet he 
 ' thought the time long till they came for him. A gentleman then with 
 c him in his chamber, put him in mind that it was a cold day, and that 
 ' his lordship would do well to put on a cloak, or coat to keep him warm ; 
 ' he answered, he would ; for, said he, I may perhaps shake for cold, 
 ' but I trust in God never for fear. After some time spent in spiritual 
 ' discourses, at length, about ten o'clock, word was brought him that 
 ' Mr. lieutenant waited for him below : upon which he sweetly saluted 
 * his friends, bidding them not grieve for him, for this was the happiest 
 ' day of all his life. Then he immediately went down and walked along 
 ' by the lieutenant's chair (who had the gout) through a lane of sol- 
 ' diers, to the bars without the tower. There the lieutenant delivered 
 ' him to the sheriffs, and they from thence guarded him to the scaffold 
 ' erected on Tower-hill. Several thousands of people crowded to see 
 ' him, many civilly saluted him as he passed, and few there were that 
 ' seemed not to have a compassion for him. 
 
 ' Having mounted the scaffold, there appeared in his countenance 
 ' such an unusual vivacity, such a cheerfulness, such a confidence, such 
 ' a candour, as if the innocence of his soul had shined through his body. 
 ' And he looked death in the face with so undaunted a resolution, as 
 ' gave occasion to many to say, grace had left in him no resentments of 
 ' nature. After a short pause viewing the people, and finding them at- 
 ' tentive to what he should say, he stepped to one side of the scaffold, 
 ' and with a graceful air, and intelligible voice, pronounced his last 
 ' speech. In which, 
 
 First, he protested in the presence of the eternal God, and upon his 
 salvation, that he was entirely innocent of the treason laid to his charge : 
 then giving thanks to the divine Majesty, for the long time he had given 
 him to prepare for death, he declared, that having well considered what 
 could be the original cause of his having been so unjustly accused and 
 condemned to death, he was convinced that it was no other than his 
 religion ; of which, he said, he had no reason to be ashamed ; for that 
 it taught nothing but the right worship of God, and due subordination 
 to the king and the temporal laws of the kingdom. That he most firmly 
 believed all the articles that the catholic church believes and trachcs, as 
 most conson?.'. '. t f the word of God ; and that with the same catholic 
 church from his heart he detested all king-killing doctrine, that his prin-
 
 W. VISCOUNT STAFFORD. 2 3? 
 
 ciples were entirely loyal: and as for indulgences, dispensations, or par- 
 ons, pretended by the adversaries of the church to be given to murther, 
 rebel he, forswear, or commit any other crime whatsoever j he pro- 
 fessed in the presence of God, and that without any equivocation or 
 menta. reservation whatsoever, that he was never taught any such thino- 
 nor believed or practised any such tiling. That if he had been really 
 guilty ot any ot those crimes of which he was accused, he should have 
 been worse than a fool, and his own self-murderer into the bargain, if 
 he had not acknowledged his guilt ; since by so doing he might have 
 saved his life : but had I a thousand lives, said he, I would loose them 
 ' all rather than falsely accuse either myself or any other whatsoever.' 
 
 'Then again declaring his abhorrence of all treason and murder, and 
 that to his knowledge he had never spoke to, or seeo Oates, or Turber- 
 ville till his trial, or ever spoke with Dugdale about any treasonable 
 matters (whom nevertheless he heartily forgave, and all others that had 
 any hand in his death) he concluded his speech as follows. 
 
 ' I shall end with my hearty prayers for the happiness of his majesty, 
 ' that he may enjoy all happiness in this world, and in the world to 
 ' come, and govern his people according to the laws of God ; and that 
 ' the people may be sensible what a blessing God hath so miraculously 
 
 * given them, and obey him as they ought. I ask pardon with a pros- 
 ' trate heart of almighty God, for all the great offences I have commit- 
 ' ted against the divine Majesty ; and hope, through the merits and 
 ' passion of Christ Jesus, to obtain everlasting happiness : into whose 
 ' hands I commit my spirit, asking pardon of any person that I have 
 ' done any wrong to, &c. 
 
 * I beseech God not to revenge my innocent blood upon the nation, or 
 ' on those that were the cause of it, with my last breath ; I do with 
 ' my last treat /t truly assert my innocency, and hope the omnipotent 
 ' allseeing just God will deal with me accordingly. 
 
 ' His speech being ended, he delivered several written copies of it 
 ( to the sheriffs, &:c. Then he returned to the middle of the scaffold j 
 
 * where encompassed by his catholic friends, he kneeled down and 
 c reverently making the sign of the cross, pronounced aloud, with ex- 
 ' ceeding devotion, an excellent prayer adapted to his present circum- 
 ' stance, to which he joined several pious ejaculations, wherein with 
 ' singular compunction and abundance of tears, he implored the divine 
 ' mercy and pardon for his sins past : he recommended his soul to his 
 ' dear Redeemer Jesus Christ ; he blessed his holy name ; and offered 
 ' his life to him a willing sacrifice of gratitude, piety, and love. 
 
 ' Remaining still on his knees, he again protested his innocence with 
 ' all the asseverations a dying Christian is capable of making. Then 
 
 * rising up he a second time saluted the people, telling them they had 
 ' as good and gracious a king as ever reigned j and earnestly exhorting 
 ' them to be faithful and constant in their allegiance to him ; praying to 
 ' God heartily to bless his majesty, and preserve him from his enemies j. 
 ' to biess the nation, to bless and be with all them there present, espe- 
 ' dally all ltn/al tal-jeils; declaring again his own innocence : desiring 
 ' the prayers of all good christians 5 begging God's mercy and pardon 
 for his sins 3 askingfurgiveuess of all, and beseeching the divine good-
 
 238 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' ness not to revenge his innocent blood upon the whole kingdom ; no not 
 ' upon those by whose perjuries he was brought thither j to whom he 
 ' wished from his heart no other hurt, than that they should repent and 
 ' tell truth. 
 
 ' Most of the auditors seemed to be touched with a sensible com- 
 ' passion for him ; some, as he spoke, put orF their hats and bowed to 
 'him, in sign that they agreed to what he said ; others by distinct ac- 
 ' clamations answered, we believe you my Lord, God bless you my Lord, 
 ' tsV.' Afterwards he applied himself to his friends about him, whom 
 he lovingly embraced, and with a pleasant voice and chearful aspect 
 took his last leave of them for this world. Then being made ready, he 
 knelt down before the block, and making the sign of the cross, recom- 
 mended himself with great devotion to the divine mercy : he kissed the 
 block, and used several devout ejaculations, such as sweet Jesu receive 
 tny soul: into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit, &c. Then 
 laid his head down upon the block, continuing still in prayer, and ex- 
 pecting the stroke of death, with wonderful courage and constancy, not 
 shewing the least sign of fear, or seeming in the least to quake or trem- 
 ble. After he had laid thus a good space, finding that the headsman de- 
 layed the execution of his office, he once more raised himself up upon 
 his knees, and with a grave and serene aspect asked, why they stayed ? 
 It was answered, for a sign. IVhat sign will you give sir ? He replied, 
 none at all; take your own time; God's will le done; I am ready. 
 The headsman said, Ihopeyouforgh>eme; he answered, I do. Then 
 blessing himself again with the sign of the cross, he reposed his head upon 
 the block; which with one blow was severed from his body. He was 
 interred privately in the Tower. He lived (58 years, and suffered on the 
 feast of St. Thomas of Canterbury, December 29, 1080. 
 
 212. * Dr. Oliver Plunkef, Archbishop of Armagh, 
 Primate of Ireland. 1681. 
 
 _L HIS apostolic man was descended of an illustrious family in the king- 
 dom of Ireland ; he was educated in the catholic religion ; and finding 
 himself called to the ecclesiastical state, went abroad into Italy, and 
 there spent almost twenty years at Rome, partly in studying and partly 
 in teaching divinity, where also he received the degree of doctor in that 
 faculty : and having acquired a general esteem by his virtue and learning, 
 the See of Armagh falling vacant, he was chosen and consecrated to it, 
 about the year 1669, and sent over to Ireland to govern the ftock com- 
 mitted to his charge, which he did in such manner, as to give great edi- 
 fication to the catholics, and to be much esteemed by the very protest- 
 ants : in proof of which we shall here put down what some protestant 
 historians have written of him, upon occasion of his trial and condem- 
 nation. 
 
 And first Dr. Bumet, who was never suspected of telling a lie in fa- 
 Tour of a papist, in his history of his own times, p. 5O2, acquaints us 
 from the testimony of the earl of Essex, that Plunket was a wise and- 
 
 __ _ . , 
 
 * From his primed trial and speech, father Corker's letters, and the historian! of 
 those times.
 
 DR. OLIVER PLUNKET. 239 
 
 coter man, who was for living quietly and in due submission to the go- 
 vernment, without engaging in intrigues of state : and that he was 
 condemned only upon the testimony of some lewd priests, whom he 
 had censured and other evidence, brutal profligate men, who found 
 how good a trade swearing was in England, and thereupon came over' 
 and gave evidence of a plot also in Ireland. With Dr. Burnet Mr. 
 Eachard also agrees in his history of England, 3d vol. p. 631, where he 
 tells us, that Mr. Plunket had an attestation of his good behaviour in 
 Ireland, under the hands of the earl of Essex and the lord Berkley, 
 when they were lords lieutenants of that kingdom. That the accusa- 
 tion against him looked very romantic, not to say malicious ; yet the 
 witnesses were so perfect and so positive in their oaths, that the jury 
 
 < that he generously applied to the king for a pardon, and told his ma- 
 ' jesty the witnesses must needs be perjured ; for these things sworn 
 ' against him could not possibly be true. Upon which, the king in a 
 ' passion said, why did you Jiot attest this at his trial? It would have 
 ' done him good then. 1 dare not pardon any one. And so concluded 
 ' with the same kind of answer he had given another person formerly : 
 1 his blood in upon your head, and not upon mine' 
 
 But the continuator of Baker's Chronicle is still more particular in 
 his account of this catholic prelate, p. 710. 'In the mean time, says 
 ' he, came on the trial of Dr. Oliver Plunket, a popish titular arch- 
 ' bishop of Armagh, who called himself primate of all Ireland. He was 
 ' a worthy and good man, who, notwithstanding the high title given 
 ' him, was in a very mean state of life, as having nothing to subsist on, 
 ' but the contributions of a few poor clergy of his own religion in the 
 ' province of Ulster, who having but little themselves could not spare 
 ' much to him. In these low circumstances he lived, though meanly, 
 ' quietly and contentedly, meddling with nothing but the concerns of 
 ' his function, and dissuading all about him from entering into any tur- 
 ' bulent or factious intrigues. But uhile the popish plot was warm, 
 ' some lewd Irish priests, and ot'hers of that nation, hearing that Eng-' 
 ' land was disposed to hearken to good swearers, thought themselves 
 ' qualified tor the employment. So they came over with an account of 
 ' a plot in Ireland, and were well received by lord Shaftsbury. They 
 ' were also examined by the parliament, and what they said was be- 
 f lieved. They were very profligate wretches, and some of the priests. 
 ' among them had been censured by Plunket for their lewdness ; so 
 ' partly out of revenge, and partly to keep themselves in business, they 
 ' charged a plot upon that innocent quiet man ; so that he was sent for over 
 ' and brought to trial. The evidences swore, that upon his being made 
 primate of Ireland, he engaged to raise sixty or seventy thousand Irish, 
 ' to be ready to join with the French to destroy the protestant religion, 
 ' and to get Dublin, Londonderry, and all the sea-ports into their hands ; 
 ' and that besides the French array, there was a Spanish army to join. 
 ' with them, and that the Irish clergy were to contribute to this design 
 ' Plunket in his defence alledged the improbability of all that was sworn 
 1 against him ; which was apparent enough. He alledged that the Irish
 
 240 MEMOIRS, &c. . 
 
 * clergy were so poor, -that he himself, who was the head of a whole 
 ' province, lived in a little thatched house with only one servant, having 
 ' never above sixty pounds a year income ; so that neither he nor they 
 
 * could be thought very likely lo carry on a design of this nature. But 
 
 * the fact being positively sworn against him, and the jury unacquainted 
 ' with the witnesses' characters, and the scene of action, he was brought 
 ' in guilty and condemned. It is said that the earl of Essex was so sen- 
 ' sible of the injustice done him, &c. as above.' So far this protestant 
 historian. 
 
 But now let us hear what a catholic, and one who was intimately 
 acquainted with him in the last scene of his life, viz. the learned and 
 truly religious father J. Corker, writes of him in a letter penned after 
 his death. ' I cannot as yet,' says he, ' pretend to give you (as you de- 
 
 * sire) a description of the virtues of the glorious archbishop and mar- 
 ' tyr, Dr. Oliver Plunket ; I am promised the particulars of his life and 
 
 * actions, both at Rome, where he studied and taught almost twenty 
 ' years ; and in Ireland, where he exercised his episcopal or rather apos- 
 ' tolical function, till he became a champion of faith : but these parti- 
 ' culars are not as yet arrived at my hands. After his transportation hi- 
 
 * ther, he was, as you know, close contined, and secluded from all 
 'conversation, save that of his keepers, until his arraignment : so that 
 
 * here also I am much in the dark, and can only inform you of what I 
 ' learned, as it were by chance, from the mouths of the said keepers, 
 'viz. that he spent his time in almost continual prayer ; that he fasted 
 ' usually three or four days a week, with nothing but bread ; that he 
 ' appeared to them always modestly chearful, without any anguish or 
 'concern at his danger, or streight confinement; that by his sweet and 
 ' pious demeanor, he attracted an esteem and reverence from those few 
 ' that came near him. When he was arraigned, it is true, I could 
 ' write to him, and he to me : but our letters were read, transcribed 
 
 * and examined by the officers, before they were delivered to either of 
 ' us. For which cause we had little other communication than what 
 
 * was necessary in order to his trial. But the trial being ended and he 
 ' condemned, his man had leave to wait on him alone in his chamber, 
 ' by whose means we had free intercourse by letters to each other. And 
 ' now it was I clearly perceived the spirit of God in him, and those 
 ' lovely fruits of the holy ghost, charity, joy, peace, &c. transparent 
 ' in his soul. And not only I, but many other catholics, who came to 
 ' receive his benediction, and were eye-witnesses (a favour not denied 
 ' to us) can testify, there appeared in his words, in his actions, in his 
 
 * countenance something so divinely elevated, such a composed mixture 
 ' of chearful ness, constancy, love, sweetness,, and candour, as mani- 
 
 * festly denoted the divine goodness had made him fit for a victim, and 
 'destined him for heaven. None saw or came near him, but received 
 ' new comfort, new fervour, new desires to please, serve and suffer for 
 ' Christ Jesus by his very presence. Concerning the manner and state 
 ' of his prayer, he seemed most devoted to catholic sentences taken out 
 ' of scripture, the divine office, and missal, which he made me pro- 
 ' cure for him three months before he died : upon these sentences he let 
 '.his soul dilate itself in love, following herein the sweet impulse and 
 
 * dictates of the Holy Ghost, and reading his prayers writ rather in his 
 ' heart, than in his book, according to that unctio ejus docet vos de
 
 DR. OLIVER PLUNKET. 241 
 
 f omnibus, St. John ii. 27. For this reason I suppose it was, that when 
 ' with great humility he sent me his last speech to correct, he also 
 ' writ n, e word, he would not at the place of execution make use of 
 ' any other set form or method of prayer, than the Pater noster, Are 
 ' Maria, Credo, Miserere, In munus tuus Doming, $c. and ibr the 
 ' rest, he would breathe forth his soul in such prayers and ejaculations 
 ' as God Almighty should then inspire him withal. He continually 
 ' endeavoured to improve and advance himself in the purity of divine 
 ' love, and by consequence also in contrition for his sins past, of his 
 ' deficiency in both which this humble sout complained to me as the 
 ' only thing that troubled him. This love had extinguished in him all 
 ' fear of death, perfecta churitas, 'foras mhtit timorem. A lover feareth 
 
 * not, but rejoiceth at the approach of the beloved. Hence the joy 
 ' of pur holy martvr seemed still to increase with his danger, and was 
 ' fully accomplished by an assurance of death. The very night before 
 ' he died, being now as it were at heart's ease, he went to bed at 
 ' eleven o'clock, and slept quietly and soundly till four in the morn- 
 ' ing; at which time his man, who lay in the room with him, awaked 
 ' him : so little concern had he upon his spirit, or rather so much 
 ' had the loveliness of the end beautified the horror of the passage to 
 ' it. After he certainly knew God Almighty had chosen him to the 
 ' crown and dignity of martyrdom, he continually studied how to 
 
 * divest himself of himself, and become more and more an entire plea- 
 ' sing and perfect holocaust : to which end, as he gave up his soul 
 
 * with all its faculties to the conduct of God ; so, for God's sake, he 
 ' resigned the care and disposal of his body to unworthy me, &c. 
 ' But 1 neither can nor dare undertake to describe unto you, the signal 
 ' virtues of this blessed martvr. There appeared in "him something 
 ' beyond expression, something more than human : the most savage 
 ' and hard-hearted people were mollified and attendered at his sight ; 
 ' many protestants in my hearing wished their souls in the same state 
 ' .with his : all believed" him innocent, and he made catholics, even 
 
 * the most timorous, in love with death. When he was carried out of 
 ' the press-yard to execution, he turned him about to our chamber 
 ' windows, 'and with a pleasant aspect and elevated hands gave us 
 ' his benediction. How he composed himself after he was taken from 
 ' hence, you yourself can give a more cciact account than I, &c.' So 
 far father Corker, to whom the holy prelate applied himself for the 
 affairs of his conscience whilst he was preparing for his exit, and who 
 was consequently the best acquainted with his interior. 
 
 Archbishop Plunket was arraigned at the King's Bench-bar, May 
 the 3d 1681, but not brought to his trial till the 8th of June. He had 
 been then a year and a half in prison : he was found guilty by the 
 jurv, upon the testimony of those perjured wretches that appeared 
 against him; when he 'heard the verdict, he cried out Deo Gratias, 
 God be thanked. The lord chief justice before he pronounced sen- 
 tence, wished him to renounce his false religion, as he called it, 
 against which he most bitterly inveighed, as ten times worse than 
 paganism : but the prisoner knew better wlut his religion was than 
 the judge ; and gave his lordship to understand that he was not dispo- 
 sed to alter it upon any considerations. He added, ( If, I were a man 
 VoL-II. ii
 
 242 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 ' that had no care of ray conscience, I might have saved my life ; for 
 ' I was offered it by divers people here, if I would but confess my 
 ' own guilt and accuse other-; : but, my lord, I had rather die ten 
 ' thousand deaths than wrongfully accuse any body. And the time 
 ' will come when your lordship will see what these witnesses are, that 
 ' have come in against me. I do assure your lordship, if I were a 
 ' man that had not good principles, I might easily have saved my own 
 
 * life ; but I had rather die ten thousand deaths, than wrongfully to 
 ' take away one farthing of any man's goods, one day of his liberty, 
 ' or one minute of his life.' After he had said this, sentence was pro- 
 nounced against him in the usual form, on the 15th of June. After 
 condemnation he writ the following letter to father Corker. 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 * I am obliged to you for the favour and charity of the 20th, and 
 ' for all your former benevolences : and whereas 1 cannot in this coun- 
 ' try remunerate you, with God's grace I hope to be grateful in that 
 ' kingdom, which is properly our country. And truly God gave me 
 
 * (tfiough unworthy of it) that grace to have fortem animum mortis ter- 
 ' rore carentem " a courage fearless of death." I have many sins to 
 ' answer for before the supreme judge of the high bench, where no 
 ' false witnesses can have audience. But as for the bench yesterday, 
 ' I am not guilty of any crime there objected to me : I would I could 
 ' be so clear at the bench of the All-powerful. Ut lit sit, there is one 
 ' comfort, that he cannot be deceived, because he is omniscious, and 
 'knows all secrets, even of hearts ; and cannot deceive, because all 
 ' goodness ; so that I may be sure of a fair trial, and will get time suf- 
 ' ficient to call witnesses ; nay, the judge will bring them in a mo- 
 ' ment, if there will be need of any. You and your comrade's pray- 
 ' ers will be powerful advocates at that bench,' Here none are ad- 
 ' milled for 
 
 Your affectionate friend, OLIVER PLUNKET. 
 
 On the first day of July, 1681, he was drawn from Newgate to 
 Tyburn: on which occasion the serenity of his countenance, the cou- 
 rage, chearfulness, and piety with which he went to meet death, gave 
 great edification to the spectators. At the place of execution he 
 spoke as follows : 
 
 I have some few days past abided my trial at the King's Bench, 
 and now very soon I must hold up my hand at the King of King's 
 Bench, and appear before a Judge, who cannot be deceived by false 
 witnesses, nor corrupted allegations, tor he knoweth the secrets of 
 hearts : Neither can he deceive any, or give an unjust sentence, or 
 be misled by respects of persons. " He being all goodness and a most 
 just Judge, will infallibly decree an eternal reward for all good works, 
 and condign punishment for the smallest transgressions against his 
 commandments : which being a most certain and undoubted truth, it 
 would be a wicked act, & contrary to my perpetual welfare, that I should 
 now by declaring any thing contrary to truth, commit a detestable sin, 
 for which within a very short time' I must receive sentence of ever- 
 lasting damnation ; after which, there is no reprieve or hope of par- 
 don. I will therefore confess the truth, without any equivocation, and
 
 DR. OLIVER PLUNKET. 24S 
 
 make use of the words according to their accustomed signification ; 
 assuring you moreover, that I am of that certain persuasion, that no 
 power, not only upon earth, but also in heaven, can dispense with 
 me, or give me leave to make a false protestation : and I protest upon 
 the word of a dying man, and as I hope for salvation at the hands of 
 the supreme judge, that I will declare the naked truth with all can- 
 dour and sincerity : and that my affairs may be betrc* known to all th 
 world. 
 
 Tis to be observed, that I have been accused in Ireland of trea- 
 son and praemunire : and that there I was arraigned and brought to 
 my trial ; but the prosecutors (men of flagitious and infamous lives) 
 perceiving that I had records and witnesses, who would evidently con- 
 vince them, and clearly shew my innocency and their wickedness, 
 they voluntarily absented themselves, and came to this city to procure 
 that I should be brought hither to my trial, (where the crimes ob- 
 jected were not committed) where the jury did not know me, or the 
 qualities of my accusers, and were not informed of several other 
 circumstances 'conducing to a fair trial. Here after six months' close 
 imprisonment, or thereabouts, I was brought to (he bar the 3d of May, 
 and arraigned for a crime, for which I was before arraigned in Ireland: 
 a strange resolution, a rare fact, of which you will hardly find a pre- 
 cedent these five hundred years past : but "whereas my witnesses and 
 records were in Ireland, the lord chief justice gave me five weeks 
 time to get them brought hither : but by reason of the uncertainty 
 of the sea>, of wind and weather, and of the difficulty of getting 
 copies of records, and bringing many witnesses from several counties 
 in Ireland, and for many other impediments (of which affidavit was 
 made) I could not at the end of five weeks get the records and wit- 
 nesses brought hither ; I therefore begged for twelve days more, that 
 I might be in a readiness for my trial, which the lord chief justice 
 denied ; and so I was brought to my trial, and exposed, as it were 
 with my hands tied, to these merciless perjurers, &c. 
 
 Then having numbered up the heads of the accusation against him, 
 and refuted them by the most solemn protestations of his innoconcy, 
 and by shewing not only the improbability, but even the impossibility 
 of his' being guilty of what was laid to his charge, he goes on. 
 
 You see therefore what condition I am in, and you have heard 
 what protestations I have made of innocency, and I hope you will 
 believe the words of a dying man. And that you may be the more 
 induced to give me credit, I assure you that a great peer sent me 
 notice, That he n-oitld save my life, if 1 would accuse others ; but I 
 answered, that I Jiever knew qf any conspirators in Ireland, but suck 
 an uere publicly known out-laws, and that to savt my life, 1 would not 
 ftdsdy accuse any, nor prejudice my own soul. Quid pradtst homini, 
 2fc. To take away any man's lite or goods wrongfully, iH-becometh 
 any Christian, especially a man of my calling, being a clergyman of 
 the catholic church, and also an unworthy prelate, which \ do openly 
 confess ; neither will I deny to have exercised in Ireland the function* 
 of a catholic prelate, as long as there was any connivance or tolera- 
 tion ; and by preaching, and teaching, and statutes, to have endea- 
 voured to bring the clergy (of which I had a care) to a due com-
 
 24* MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 portment according to tlieir calling ; and though thereby I did but 
 my duty, yet some, who would not amend, had a prejudice for me, 
 and especially my accusers, to whom I did endeavour to do good ; I 
 mean the clergymen, (as for the four lavmen, who appeared against 
 
 me r-I was never acquainted with them.) But you see how I am 
 
 rewarded, and how by false oaths they have brought me to this un- 
 timely death ; which wicked act being" a defect of persons, ought not 
 to reflect upon the order of St. Francis, or upon the Roman catholic 
 clergy, it being well known that there was a. Judas amongst the twelve 
 apostles, and a wicked man called Nicholas amongst the seven dea- 
 cons : and even as one of the said deacons, viz. holy Stephen, did 
 pray for those who stoned him to death ; so do I for those who with 
 perjuries spill my innocent blood, saying as St. Stephen did, O Lord, 
 lay not this sin to them, I do heartily forgive them, and also the 
 judgesj who (by denying me sufficient titne to bring my records And 
 witnesses from Ireland) did expose my life to evident danger. I do 
 also forgive all those who had a hand in bringing me from Ireland to 
 be tried here, where it was morally impossible for me to have a fair 
 trial. I do 'finally forgive all who did concur directly or indirectly to 
 take awav mv life; and I ask forgiveness of all those whom I ever 
 offended fjy thought, word or deed. I beseech the all-powerful, that 
 liis divine majesty grant our king, queen, the duke of York, and all 
 the royal family, health, long lite, and all prosperity in this world, 
 and in the next everlasting felicity 
 
 Now that I have shewed sufficiently (as I think) how innocent I 
 am of any plot or conspiracy ; I would I were able,- with the like 
 truth to clear myself of high crimes committed against the divine 
 Majesty's commandments, (often transgressed by me) for which I am 
 sorry with all my heart, and if I should or could live a thousand 
 years, I have a firm resolution and a strong purpose, by your grace, 
 O my God, never to offend you ; and I beseech your divine Majesty, 
 by the merits of Christ, and by the intercession of his blessed mother, 
 and all the holy angels and saints, to forgive me my sins, and to grant 
 my soul eternal rest. 
 
 After he had ended his speech, he recited the psalm miserere mei 
 Deus, and other devout aspirations : and his cap being drawn over 
 his eyes, he continued recommending his happy soul into the hands 
 of his Saviour, till the cart was drawn away. lie was suffered to. 
 hang till he expired, and then was cut down, and bowelled : his 
 heart and bowels were thrown into the fire : his body was begged of 
 the king, and was interred (all but the head and arms to the elbows, 
 which were disposed of elsewhere) in the church-yard of St. Giles in 
 the Fields ; with a copper-plate on his breast with the following in- 
 scription. 
 
 In this tomb resteth the body of the riyht reverend Oliver Plunket, 
 archbishop of Armugh, and primate of Ireland, who in hatred of religion 
 was accused of high treason by false witnesses, and for the saint- con- 
 demned and executed at Tyburn, his heart and bowels being taken oiif, 
 find cast into the fire. lie suffered martyrdom with comtamy , the first 
 f>f July, 1681, in the reign of king Charles the second. 
 
 Four years after his body was taken up and found entire, It vras
 
 DR. OLIVER PLUKKET. 245 
 
 sent abroad to Lambspr'mg ; Where Abbot Corker, 1693, erected over 
 it a handsome monument, with this Latin inscription. 
 
 Reliqui* sanctce mernorht Olireri Plnnket, urchiepiscopi Armachani, 
 Hibernue primal is, (fin in odiinn calholicce fidei luyueo suspensus, extrac- 
 tis risccribits cy in intern projcctia, Celebris tnartyr occubidt Londini, 
 primo die Julij (stylo vetejfi) anno salulis 1631. 
 
 I find no more catholic blood spilt in England for religion, during 
 the three remaining years of king Charles's reign. For no\v the 
 pretended popish plot was clearly discovered to be a mere sham, 
 and to have been imposed upon the nation, in order to usher in a real 
 conspiracy of some that called themselves true protestants ; concerning 
 which, the reader may consult the history of the Rye-House Plo* 
 written by a protestant prelate, Dr. Sprat, bishop of Rochester! 
 However," the prisons still were crowded with catholics, a 1 well priests 
 as laity, till the latter end of this reign ; even the lords that were 
 kept prisoners in the tower, could not obtain to be bailed out till 1683 : 
 in the mean time, the lord Petre died prisoner in the tower, protesting 
 to the last his innocency of all that had been laid to his charge. 
 
 As to the rest, we have not been able to give an account in these 
 memoirs, of all the sufferings of catholics, either in this or the former 
 persecutions ; nor so much as to set down the names either of the 
 priests, or laymen or women, that have endured imprisonment, banish- 
 ment, loss of goods, and innumerable other vexations for their con- 
 science; the number of such sufferers has been so great, that it would 
 be an impossible task to record so much as their names : it may 
 suffice to say, that few of that profession escaped feeling (more or 
 less) the rage of the persecutors ; and that their constancy and patience 
 in their sufferings, was little inferior to that of the most heroic sufferers 
 of the primitive ages. 
 
 Since the foregoing sheets were printed, we have been informed 
 of one priest more, sentenced to death for his character, in this latter 
 part of king Charles the second's reign : and this was the reverend 
 father Atwood r of the holy order of St. Dominick. He was reprieved, 
 and as some say, taken off the hurdle, to his great grief. He died in 
 peace in 1704." 
 
 Since the accession of king James II. to the throne, though from 
 time to time the catholics have been exposed to some passing storms, 
 vet by God's mercy the persecution has never raged so far as to come 
 to blood. The most remarkable sufferer, on account of his priestly 
 character, was the reverend father Paul, of St. Francis, alias Matthew 
 Atkinson, O. S. F. He was a native of Yorkshire, and entered into 
 the order of St. Francis in the English convent at Douay, the 27th 
 of December, 1673, being then: seventeen years of age : he was sent 
 upon the English mission In 1687, where he was noted for his zeal 
 of souls, and diligence in his pastoral functions, and brought many 
 strayed sheep back to the fold of Christ, till being accused by a false 
 convert, of being a priest, he was condemned to perpetual imprison- 
 ment, and sent 'to Hurst castle, where he remained a constant and pious 
 confessor of Christ for thirty years, till his dying day, which was the
 
 2*6 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 15th of October, 1729. He departed this life aged 74, in the 56th 
 year of his religious profession ; and lies interred at St. James's near 
 
 Winchester. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Of two priests S. J. who suffered unno 1606, wrongfully accused of the 
 gunpowder treason. 
 
 H 
 
 Henri) Garnet, Priest, S. J. 
 
 Garnet was born in the year 1554, as some say, in Derby- 
 shire, or as others will have it, at Nottingham, where his father Mr. 
 Brian Garnet was a schoolmaster. He had his first education in the 
 college of William of \Vickham, in Winchester, where he was look- 
 ed upon as the.most hopeful youth in the house ; and was to have been 
 tent from thence to New College, Oxon ; but disliking the protestant 
 religion, he chose rather to be reconciled to the catholic church, and 
 travelled abroad first into Spain, and from thence to Rome, he there 
 entered into the society of Jesus, anno 1571. After he had finished. 
 his noviceship, he applied himself close to his studies, and having the 
 advantage of the best masters, both in divine and human sciences, 
 such as Bellarmine, Suarez, Pererius, Clavius, &c. he became a 
 great proficient in all kind of learning, yet so as not to neglect 
 the better part, by a serious attention to the science of the 
 saints, the study of Christian and religious perfection. He was 
 for some time professor of the Hebrew language, in the Roman 
 college of the society, and then publicly taught metaphysics ; he also 
 supplied for a while the place of the clebrated Clavius in the school 
 of mathematics : till the year 1586, having long aspired after the 
 English mission, he was sent with father Robert Southwel to labour in 
 this vineyard. 
 
 Two years after his arrival in England, father William Weston, the 
 superior of the English Jesuits, falling into the hands of the persecu- 
 tors, and being committed to prison, father Garnet was pitched upon 
 as the most proper to succeed in that superiority. And from that time 
 tili the breaking out of the gunpowder plot, so behaved himself in that 
 post, as to be very much esteemed and loved by all those whom he 
 had to deal with. 
 
 In the year 1603, queen Elizabeth being called out of this world, 
 king James the first succeeded in the kingdom. This prince had given 
 great hopes, and even promises to the catholics before his ccming to 
 the crown, that he would put a stop to their sufferings, and grant 
 them some toleration at least of their religion : but they quickly found 
 
 * From father More's history of the English province, 1. iv. n. 15. and 1. vii. n. 
 120, &.c. Father Bai -toll's lughilfelt*, 1. iv. c. 12. 1. vi. c. 5, &o. Father Joseph 
 juiivaiiry hi-toria sccittatis, pait V. i. xiii. and a Ha&nuicrii't ivlatiou of bis ikatli 
 by an eye-witness.
 
 APPENDIX. 247 
 
 he was not disposed to make good these promises ; and that Instead 
 of repealing or qualifying any of the penal statutes of queen Eliza- 
 beth, lie gave way to new laws and additional severities, enacted 
 against all professor* of the ancient religion. The generality of the 
 catholics of the nation, though much disappointed in their hopes, 
 submitted their shoulders to this new cross after so many others they 
 had endured, and disposed themselves to bear it with Christian patience. 
 But some few there were, (and indeed very few, for I can find but 
 thirteen or fourteen in all, including such as were any ways consci- 
 ous) men unworthy of the name of catholics, who being exasperated 
 by their disappointment, were by degrees entangled by the artifices 
 of satan, and a Machiavellian politician, his instrument, (designing 
 thereby the ruin of the catholic religion in England) in a' most detest- 
 able conspiracy to blow up the parliament house ; which design was 
 to have been executeo! at the first meeting of the parliament, on the 
 5,th of Nov. 1605 ; but was discovered by a letter sent ten days before 
 to lord Mounteagle, a catholic peer, and by him communicated to the 
 king and council. 
 
 As to the religion of the conspirators, if they had any, they are 
 
 generally supposed to have been catholics : though the author of the 
 
 Protestants Plea, published in 1621, p. 56, says 'they were a few 
 
 wicked and desperately minded men, whom many protestants termed 
 
 papists; although the "true priests and catholics of England knew 
 
 them not to be such ; nor can any protestant, says he, truly say that 
 
 any one of them was such a one, as their laws and proceedings against 
 
 us name papists, popish recusants, or the like :' and p. 58, he adds, 
 
 ail these were young, except Piercy, and if any of them were 
 
 catholics, or so died, they were known protestants not long before, 
 and never frequenters of catholic sacraments with any priest, as I 
 could learn.' .So far this author. 
 
 Catesby, the chief of the conspirators, whether of his own accord 
 or at the instigation of a certain minister of state (supposed to have 
 had a great hand in the whole contrivance of this plot, and to have 
 been particularly solicitous to draw the Jesuits into some share in the 
 odium of it) laid open the design in confession to father Green way, 
 or Greenwell. alias Tesmond a Jesuit. The confessor represented to 
 him the wickedness of the project, but could not prevail upon him to 
 desist : however, Catesby consented that father Greenway should 
 communicate the case under the seal of confession to father Garnet ; 
 and if the matter should otherwise come to light, he gave leave that 
 both the one and the other might then make use of the knowledge, 
 which he thus imparted to them, and not else. Father Garnet was 
 itruck with horror at the proposal, and as he could not discover it, 
 laboured at least to divert the design ; and he so far prevailed, that 
 Catesby promised he would attempt nothing without the knowledge 
 and consent of the holy see, which father Garnet knew he would 
 never obtain : but the wretch still went on in his design, till the plot 
 was discovered ; and then taking arms with Piercy and the two Wrights, 
 attended with some servants and a few others, being pursued by the 
 high sheriff of Warwick shire, he took shelter in the house of Mr. 
 Humphrey Littleton near Stourbridge, and being there attacked by
 
 KI8 APPENDIX. 
 
 the sheriff* of Worcestershire, he was there slain with the oilier three 
 in the conflict ; the rest of the conspirators were taken, and were all 
 executed, excepting Mr. Tresham, who died in the tower. 
 
 Amongst those who were engaged in this plot was one BaU-s a 
 servant of Catesby : this man in hopes of saving his own life, insinua- 
 ted (probably at the instigation of a certain great man) that the Jesu- 
 its, and in particular father Greenway and father Garnet, -had some 
 knowledge of the conspiracy ; of which unjust insinuation 'he after- 
 wards repented himself. Upon this a proclamation was is'sued out, 
 (two months after the discovery of the plot) for the apprehending 
 of those two fathers, together with father Gerard, of whom also they 
 had conceived some suspicion. Greenway and Gerard fled beyond 
 the seas : father Garnet, who was then with father Oldcorne at J-Ien- 
 lip, the seat of Mr. Abington in Worcestershire, was soon after be- 
 trayed by Mr. Littleton, who being then a prisoner for having har- 
 boured some of the conspirators, in hopes of saving his own life, 
 discovered where the father was hid. Upon which, after many days 
 search, both father Garnet and father Oldcorne were apprehended, 
 with their servants, John Owen and Ralph Ashley, and were carried 
 to Worcester, and from thence by an order of the council sent for up 
 to London, and there committed first to the Gatehouse and then to 
 the tower. 
 
 Father Garnet was examined no less than twenty-three dif- 
 ferent times, so intent some people were to bring him in," if possible, 
 guilty of some share in the plot : yet with all these examinations no 
 sufficient matter could be discovered to condemn him, nor anv wit- 
 nesses could be found to appear against him. At length Cecil earl of 
 Salisbury, who knew more of the whole affair perhaps than any man 
 living,, contrived to lodge father Oldcorne in a chamber adjoining to 
 father Garnet, where they might through a chink converse together, 
 nnd be over-heard by two men, whom he had placed in ambuscade 
 for that purpose. This stratagem succeeded according to his wish. 
 Father Garnet was -privately informed by his keeper (under pretence 
 of kindness) that father Oldcorne might be spoke with, through that 
 chink ; and he gladly embraced that opportunity of making his con- 
 fession, and conversing with his friend, little suspecting the snare that 
 \vas laid for him : upon this occasion, being asked by father Oldcorne 
 whether he was still examined about the plot t He answered, they 
 have no proof that I ever had any knowledge at all of the matter ; 
 and there is but one man upon earth (meaning father Greenway) who 
 can prove that I had. These words were heard by the two spies an( i 
 \vere immediately carried to the council. Upon this father Garnet 
 was again examined and put upon the rack ; where when the whole 
 story was related to him, and whajL lie had been heard to sav, he ac- 
 knowledged he had been told of the plot by F. Greenway, but it was 
 under the inviolable seal of confession ; and that he had. both recom- 
 mended to father Greenway, and had used himself his best endeavours 
 to divert the design. Upon this his confession, as they called it, Sir 
 Edward Coke the attorney-general, was ordered to draw up an indict- 
 ment of high treason against him ; and he was brought to his trial at 
 Guildhall, March the 23th. before the king's delegates} his -majesty
 
 APPENDIX. 249 
 
 himself and many of the nobility being present. His . ..mies, to dis- 
 grace him, had published many falsehoods of him ; and amongst the 
 rest, that having been kept watching for six whole days and nights "(a 
 new kind of torment !) he had lost his senses : but this and other ca- 
 lumnies were dissipated by his public appearance and comportment at 
 hi* trial. The attorney-general held forth for several hours in his accu- 
 sation, bringing in all the odious topics he could against the Jesuits in 
 general, to prejudice the jury against the prisoner, and laying to their 
 charge all the plots and conspiraces of queen Elizabeth's reign, but in 
 particular charging home upon father Garnet the guilt of the late con- 
 spiracy. The father made a regular and excellent defence, both of his 
 own innocence and of his society, with that presence of mind, and that 
 graceful modesty, that many of the auditors who came thither violently 
 prepossessed against him, were now convinced of his innocence, his 
 very countenance, which was particularly venerable, pleading strongly 
 in his behalf: however, the protestant jury, either not believing his plea 
 that he had no knowledge of the plot but by confession, or rather not 
 regarding that inviolable secrecy which the catholic church enjoins to 
 confessors, brought in their verdict guilty ; and he received sentence of 
 death in the usual form as in cases of high-treason. 
 
 He remained prisoner in the Tower after sentence for about five 
 weeks, and then was ordered for execution on the 3d of May, 1606. 
 He was drawn on a sledge from the Tower to St. Paul's church-yard, 
 where a scaffold and gibbet were erected for the purpose, "nf! an innu- 
 merable multitude of people was assembled. As he was drawn through 
 the streets, his hands and eyes were lifted up towards heaven, where 
 his heart was fixed. After he was taken off the sledge, and had reco- 
 vered himself of the dizziness caused by the jogging of that incommo- 
 dious vehicle, he ascended the scaffold, and saluted the crowd with a 
 smiling countenance. It was observed that the mob, which had ut- 
 tered many reviling speeches against him, calling him by a thousand 
 opprobrious names before he came to the plr.ce, was now struck dumb 
 at his venerable aspect, which both spoke his innocence and commanded 
 reverence. Some of the ministers that were there, offered to persuade 
 him to conform in matters of religion, (as, amongst other calumnies, it 
 had been given out that he would) but he declared he would die in the 
 catholic faith, out of which there was no salvation. 
 
 It being the day of the invention, or , finding of the cross, father 
 Garnet took occasion from thence to speak to the people concerning this 
 cross which he was to take up that day ; declaring withal his innocence 
 as to the conspiracy, and his having no knowledge of it but by confes- 
 sion j that as to his part he had always detested such treasonable prac- 
 tices, and that he knew them to be contrary to the sentiments of the 
 bishop of Rome ; and he begged of all catholics never to think of any 
 such attempts, which were entirely inconsistent with their religion, to 
 fly the conversation of uneasy and turbulent spirits, and to possess their 
 souls in patience. Here sir Henry Montague the recorder of London 
 told him he was certainly privy to the design, or.t of confession. ' Mr. 
 ' Catesby,' said he, ' told you of it in private, we have it under your 
 4 hand.' * Whatever is under my hand, said father Garnet, I will not 
 VOL. II. xk
 
 250 APPENDIX. 
 
 ' deny ; but indeed you have not this under my hand. Mr. Catesby only 
 ' acquainted me in general terms that something might be done, or was 
 ' adoing for the benefit of the catholic cause, without specifying what it 
 ' was j and this is all I had from him as I hope for salvation. Then, said 
 * the recorder do you ask the king's pardon for concealing the treason ? I 
 ' do, said father Garnet, thus far, and no more, in that I did not reveal 
 f the suspicions I had of Mr. Catesby's behaviour ; though at the same 
 ' time I dissuaded him from all treasonable attempts. And I do solemnly 
 ' assure you had that wicked stratagem succeeded, I should always have 
 ' detested both the fact, and the persons engaged in it.' 
 
 After this he was brought to the foot of the ladder, where the re- 
 corder attacked him again upon the score of Mr. Catesby, pretending 
 that they had it under his hand, that he had discoursed with him in par- 
 ticular concerning the gunpowder design j which father Garnet deny- 
 ing, a gentleman there pretended to call for the paper, but it could not 
 be found ; at which the father smiling said, / believe it never ivill be 
 found. Then being stripped to his shirt, he kneeled down and prayed a 
 while in silence at the foot of the ladder ; then going up some steps he 
 prayed aloud for the king, the queen, the prince, and all the council, 
 and begged the blessing of God for all the spectators, that God might 
 make them all Roman catholics, as the only way to secure their eternal 
 welfare j declaring that for his own part he died a catholic, and desired 
 all such to pray for him, and with him. Then making the sign of the 
 cross, he said, Adorainus te Christe, &c. We adore thee Christ* 
 and we bless thee ; because by thy cross thou hast redeemed the world. 
 This sign of the cross shall be seen in heaven, when the Lord shall come 
 to judgment. Allelujah. Then saluting the blessed virgin with a short 
 hymn, crossing his hands before his breast and recommending his de- 
 parting soul into the hands of his Creator, he was flung off the ladder. 
 The executioner three several times attempted to cut the rope before he 
 was dead, that he might be butchered alive according to sentence. But 
 the people as often cried out, hold, hold, hold : so much were they 
 moved by his behaviour, to judge more favourably of him than they had 
 done, and to compassionate his case. And when his head was shewn 
 by the executioner, instead of ku~zas, usual on the like occasions, the 
 people went off in silence. 
 
 Father Garnet suffered in the 51st year of his age, and the 30th af- 
 ter his entering into the society. His head was fixed on London bridge, 
 and it was much remarked that his countenance, which was always ve- 
 nerable, retained for above twenty days the same lively colour which it 
 had during life, which drew all London to the spectacle, and was inter- 
 preted as a testimony of his innocence ; as was also an image of him 
 wonderfully formed on the ear of a straw, on which a drop of his blood 
 had fallen. His servant Owen, a lay-brother of the society (commonly 
 called Little John) was so cruelly racked in prison, that he died soon 
 after he was taken off the torture. 
 
 * Edward Oldcorne, Priest, S. J. 
 
 JtvDWARD Oldcorne, known upon the mission, by the i;,ime of Hell, 
 * From father Moie's history, 1. vii. num. 3, &c. father Bartoli, 1. vi. c. 8, &c.
 
 APPENDIX. 251 
 
 was born in Yorkshire; he performed his studies abroad, partly in the 
 College then residing at Rhemes, and partly in that of Rome, where he 
 remained above six years, and then was made priest, and sent upon the 
 mission. Before he left Rome he obtained of father Claudius Aquaviva, 
 general of the Jesuits, to be admitted into their society ; who being fully 
 satisfied with the testimonials of his virtuous life and conversation in the 
 college, was willing to dispense with the usual probation, and instead of 
 a regular noviceship to appoint him this laborious and dangerous mis- 
 sion. He came over into England in the company of father John 
 Gerard, lately admitted in like manner into the society, in the yeax 
 1588, and was sent by father Garnet his superior, into Worcestershire, 
 where he laboured for about seventeen years with admirable zeal and 
 success in the conversion of souls. The place of his residence was 
 Henlip, the seat of Mr. Abington. This gentleman's sister, Mrs. Do- 
 rothy Abington, having been brought up in queen Elizabeth's court, 
 was an earnest protestant, and violently prejudiced against catholics, and 
 especially against priests. Father Oldcorne endeavoured to reclaim her 
 from her errors, and reconcile her to the catholic religion, but in vain, 
 his arguments from scripture and tradition, however strong in them- 
 selves, did not remove her prejudices, and she seemed obstinately re- 
 solved not to give ear to his remonstrances. He was determined there- 
 fore to try another expedient to cast out this deaf and dumb devil, which 
 was fasting and prayer, and this quickly succeeded ; the protestant lady 
 flung herself at his feet, bathed in her tears, and desired to be received 
 into the catholic church, which was done accordingly, to her great satis- 
 faction. 
 
 Great were the labours of this zealous missioner in Worcestershire, 
 and the neighbouring counties, and many the. dangers he was exposed 
 to, from which sometimes he was delivered by a very extraordinary, not 
 to say miraculous providence. His labours, added to his other morti- 
 fications and austerities, impaired his health so far, that a vein breaking 
 in his breast, he had like to have died through loss of blood; and though 
 he escaped death, such a weakness was left with him, especially at the 
 return of the season of the year, that he was scarce able to stand ; he 
 was also afflicted with a cancerous ulcer in his mouth, for which he 
 could find no cure. Upon this he resolved on a pilgrimage to St. Wine- 
 fride's well, to obtain of God the recovery of his health and strength, 
 by the intercession of that holy virgin and martyr: when -behold, in his 
 way thither, lodging at a catholic house, he was told by the priest of 
 the family of a stone, which had been taken out of the aforesaid well, 
 and kept in that house. Father Oldcorne, after mass, applied this stone 
 to his mouth, devoutly recommending himself to the prayers of St. 
 Winefride, and in half an hour was perfectly cured of his canker, and 
 proceeding on his journey, and bathing himself in the well, recovered 
 also his health and strength. These particulars father John Gerard de- 
 clared he had both from father Oldcorne himself, and from the priest of 
 the family where he was cured of the canker. 
 
 After the discovery of the powder-plot, father Garnet, as we have 
 seen already, being sought after, and found at Henlip, in the same hole 
 with father Oldcorne, the latter was also apprehended and carried first 
 to Worcester, and then to London,, where he was live several time s
 
 252 SUPPLEMENT. 
 
 racked in the Tower, and once with the utmost severity for five or six 
 hours together ; and yet neither by his own confession, nor by any other 
 sufficient testimony, could it appear, that he had any manner of know- 
 ledge of the conspiracy. He was sent down again to Worcester, to be 
 there tried in the Lenten assizes. The things alledged against him, be- 
 sides his being a priest and a Jesuit, were, first, that he had invited to 
 Henlip, and there harboured and concealed his superior father Garnet, 
 xvho had been proclaimed a traitor. Secondly, that he had approved of 
 the gunpowder-treason, at least after its discovery, and had defended 
 the contrivers of that villainy. To the first he answered, that he had 
 indeed invited father Garnet to Henlip, but it was a month or six weeks 
 before the proclamation was issued out against him, and if he did not 
 afterwards discover and betray him, he did not conceive any crime in 
 that. To the second he replied, that he had no manner of knowledge 
 of the plot, till it was made public to all the world, and that he had 
 neither approved nor defended it. However, he was brought in guilty 
 by the jury, and received sentence of death as in cases of high treason, 
 and was accordingly executed at Worcester, April 7, 1606, being 
 Monday in Passion-week. He had the comfort of reconciling to God 
 and his church one of the felons that were executed with him, who died 
 with great marks of faith and repentance. Littleton also was executed 
 at the sr.me time, and in the hearing of thousands of people, publicly 
 asked pardon of God, and father Oldcorne, for having wrongfully ac- 
 cused him of the conspiracy. 
 
 Father Oklcorne at his death recommended himself in his private de- 
 votions to Almighty God, begging the intercession of the blessed virgin, 
 and the saints his patrons ; prayed aloud for the king and all the royal 
 family, for his accuser, (whom he said he heartily pardoned) for the 
 judge, jury, and all any way concerned in his death ; protesting to" the 
 last his innocence as to the plot, and so was turned off the ladder, bat 
 quickly cut down and butchered alive, anno cctatis 45, sodctatis 18. 
 His head and quarters were set up on poles in different parts of that city; 
 his heart and bowels were cast into the fire, which continued sending 
 forth a lively flame for 16 days, notwithstanding the rains that fell during 
 that time, which was looked upon as a prodigy, and a testimony of his 
 innocence. 
 
 Ralph Ashley was executed at the same time for no other crime but 
 being servant to father Oldcorne, and therefore, as it was supposed, an 
 abettor of his pretended treasons. 
 
 SUPPLEMENT. 
 
 An Extract of the Reverend Mr. Christopher Robinson s Relation of the 
 Trial and Death itf Mr. John Boast or Bost, M. A. who suffered at 
 Durham, July 24, 15Q4, Mr. Robinson Icing &n cye-tvitness. 
 
 ' \V HEN I came to the bar, the jury was giving in their verdict; four 
 ' were found guilty for felony, and three for treason (as they spoke) but 
 ' indeed for religion. Judge Beamont stood up and made a speech, &rc. 
 ' The cruel judgment was no sooner pronounced, than Mr. Boast sung
 
 SUPPLEMENT. 253 
 
 ( with a joyful heart and chearful countenance te Dsum laudamuf, &c. 
 ^ f and Mr. Ingram answered, te ceternwn Patrem, &c. Then Mr! 
 ' Boast said, qui odit animatn suam in hoc mundo, in vitam oeternam 
 ' custodit cam, &c. 
 
 _ ' Besides these two, there was a layman condemned who had some 
 ' time been a minister. This man laying aside his ministry became a 
 e catholic, and persuaded divers, as it is reported, to become catholics, 
 ' whereof one caused him to be apprehended, ate. Mr. Boast and Mr! 
 ' Ingram seeing him to fail, spoke unto him ; their words did so work in 
 ' the good man's heart, that not long after, in the presence of the pre- 
 ' sident, of the judges, and of the whole consistory, he cried out, lam. 
 ' resolved, I am resolved. The judge said, wherein art thou resolved ? 
 ' In matters of faith, said he. And by whom'? said the jud^e. Even 
 ' by these two, said he (pointing to Mr. Boast and Mr. Ingram) martyrs 
 1 before God ; martyrs. I say, before God ; for though you make as if 
 ' they died for treason, yet in very truth they die for religion : and if 
 ' it were a thousand deaths, I am very well content with them to suffer. 
 ' You would have laughed (continues my author) to hear the muttering? 
 ' of our enemies at the poor condemned prisoners. Mr. Boast, Mr. 
 ' Ingram, and Swallowel were commanded presently to be carried 
 ' away, and truly they went away rejoicing that they were to receive 
 ' such a severe judgment for God's cause, as might very well be gather- 
 
 * ed by their chearful countenances, which did joy my heart not a little, 
 ' in seeing them take such joy in bearing up their irons. 
 
 ' At four of the clock (Wednesday the 24th of July) the under- 
 ' sheriff fetched the prisoners forth, and laid Mr. Boast in a cart, and 
 ' a little new-pulled line being laid under him, he laid along upon his 
 ' back, holding his hands up towards the heavens, and so he was car- 
 ' ried toward the tree, speaking nothing, but having his mind occupied 
 ' in meditation ; except only that he gave his blessing to two or three 
 ' women, which fell down upon their knees in the street, as I heard, 
 ' whom the sheriff commanded to be apprehended. I heard this, I say, 
 ' for I left my guide to mark the things that happened in the way, be- 
 ' tween the prison and the trees, and I went myself to provide a place at 
 ' the trees, before the sheriff came, where I might both hear and see 
 ' whatever did happen. Now when the martyr was brought unto the 
 ' trees, he raised up his body, for he had all this time laid upon his 
 ' ba^k, took off his night-cap, and gav6 them thanks for the pains they 
 ' had taken in bringing him to that place. A minister standing by, and 
 ' seeing him to take all things in good part, and to behave himself so 
 ' patiently, accused him (as if he had been guilty) of ill-behaviour. A 
 < gentleman (whom I take to be Edward Musgrave, of Allston-moor,) 
 ' hearing, said to the minister, my friend, say not so, for Mr. Boast 
 ' has behaved himself very well ; he has behaved himself marvdously 
 ' well. Then they bid him come forth of the cart, which he did, and 
 ' having stood a little while on his feet, they bid him step up the ladder: 
 ' he paused a little (at the first step) and made the sign of the cross, 
 
 * and said, Angelas Domini, &c. with an Ave Maria. At the next 
 'step he paused again, and said, ecce ancilla Domini, &c. with aao- 
 ' ther Ave ; and at the third step he said, e( vcrimni caro factum est, &c. 
 
 * with a third Ave Maria. Then beiner come almost to the top of the
 
 234 SUPPLEMENT. 
 
 ' ladder, he turned himself towards the people, made the sign of the 
 ' cross, and offered to make a speech to the people j but he had no 
 ' sooner begun to speak, but the sheriff staid him, and commanded the 
 ' hangman to do his office, and to put the rope about his neck : which 
 ' being done, the hangman would have immediately turned the ladder, 
 ' but the sheriff staid him, and told the martyr, that now he should 
 
 * speak : but the martyr offering again to make the speech (which he 
 ' had designed) because the people did expect somewhat of him, was 
 ' staid again, and bidden to make him fit for God, and say his prayers. 
 ' Then the blessed martyr said, I hope in God that if you will not suffer 
 ' me to speak unto you in this world, this my death will speak in your 
 ' hearts, that which I would have spoken.' 
 
 ' At last said he, seeing you will not suffer me to speak to you, suffer 
 ' me to speak to my soul in the psalms of the prophet David. You may, 
 ' said the sheriff. Then said the martyr, holding up his hands towards 
 ' the heavens, fixing his heart upon God, and lifting up his eyes :- 
 ' Convertcrc anima mca in requiem tuam, quia Dominus lenefecit tiki. 
 ' Return, my soul, into thy rest, because God hath done well unto 
 ' thee-. And why hath God done well unto thee ? It followeth - 3 quid. 
 ' eripult anhnam meam a morte, oculos mcos a lucrymis, pedes meos a 
 ' lapsu. Because he hath delivered my soul from death. From death, 
 e what is that ? From the sting of heresy, wherewith our countiy, alas ! 
 ' is infected, plagued and pestered. So, said the sheriff, keep your 
 ' peace, speak no more. Alas ! said he, this is but the psalm of the 
 ' prophet, and therefore cannot be hurtful. Yea, said the sheriff, but 
 ' you make a commentary upon it ; say it in Latin as oft as you will. 
 ' Then the martyr seeing it was not allowed to speak English, repeated 
 ' the words of the prophet in Latin, until he came to the end of the 
 
 * psalm. Then said one, let him be sorry for his offences towards his 
 ' prince : I, said the martyr, I never offended her ; and when they 
 ' urged he had offended her, he said, I take it upon my death, I never 
 ' went about to hurt her : yea, I wish to God that my blood may be in 
 
 * satisfaction for her sins. Dispatch, dispatch, said the sheriff to the 
 ' hangman. Then the hangman turned the ladder, and the martvr 
 ' went down, saying, in manus tuas Dumine commendo spirit um meum. 
 ' The hangman having a knife in readiness to cut the rope, offered pre- 
 ' sently to cut it as soon as the ladder was turned, but the sheriff staid 
 ' him till he had hung the space of a Pater Noster, and then com- 
 ' manded the rope to be cut. Then one taking him by the feet, two or 
 ' three keeping his body as it did fall, ran with it till they carne at the 
 ' fire, which was made a good space from the trees. But by the time they 
 ' had carried him to the fire, he was well near revived, came untohim- 
 ' self and spoke ; and prayed that God would forgive his bloody butcher 
 ' when he was ripping up his belly. To be short, (for I see that I blot 
 ' the paper with tears) they cut off his members, and hurled them into 
 
 * the fire, even in his own sight, as judgment was given ; they pulled 
 e out his bowels in a most butcherly manner, cut off his head, and 
 ' mangled his sacred body, in quartering, most pitifully. This is that 
 ' cruel tragedy which 1! both heard and saw.' So far Mr. Robinson, 
 who afterwards glorified God by the like death, for the same cause of 
 his religion and priesthood, at Carlisle, Aug. Kj, 15Q6. P. S. Mr,
 
 SUPPLEMENT. 255 
 
 Ingram suffered at Gateside-head, by Newcastle, and Mr. Swallowe! 
 at Darlington. 
 
 Mr. Boast was taken at the Water-houses, within three or four 
 miles of Durham, at the house of one Mr. Claxton, whose wire re- 
 ceived sentence of death for harbouring him, (her husband being at 
 that time abroad :) however, she was reprieved by the means of friends, 
 and afterwards pardoned. 
 
 Mr. John Yaxley, a rev. priest, in a letter dated July 17, I/O/, which 
 I have now before me, relates, that when the hangman pulling out Mr. 
 Boast's heart, shewed it to the crowd, with a l-ehold the heart of a traitor, 
 a voice was heard to this effect : no, the heart of a servant of God ; at 
 which Mr. Roger Widdrington, of Carlington, (father to that very vir- 
 tuous gentleman sir Edward Widdrington) who heard the voice, was 
 so struck, (hat he was thereupon reconciled to the church. Which ac- 
 count, says he, I received from Widdrington castle, and from a brother 
 in the county of Durham. 
 
 He adds, in the same letter, that when Mr. Hill, Mr. Hogge, Mr. 
 Holiday, and Mr. Duke, were put to death at Durham, " 15)O," ' a 
 ' brook near the common gallows, " other relations call it a well," at 
 ' the time of their execution ceased to flow, and has remained dry ever 
 ' since, and is thence called Dryburne to this day. Above 20 years ago, 
 ' says he, I have been shewn the hole from whence it issued, and the 
 ' marks of its former channel. This is a constant tradition here, f 
 ' have also received the following relation of a conversion wrought then. 
 ' Mr. Robert Maire, of Hardwick, great grandfather to the present Mr. 
 ' Thomas Maire, of Larkington, married Mrs. Grace Smith, only 
 ' child to an eminent lawyer of that name, at Durham. Both husband 
 ' and wife, who were then protestants, were present at the execution of 
 ' the priests above-named, and being much moved at their courage and 
 ' constancy, were thereupon converted. The gentlewoman's father, 
 ' who was very rich, and a puritan, was so exasperated at this, that he 
 ' made his last testament, (which is yet kept in the archives of Durham) 
 ' and gave his remaining substance to the public uses and pretended 
 
 * charities of that city, unless his graceless daughter Grace, as he calls 
 
 * her in his will, should conform ; and if so, for every Sunday she went 
 ' to church, he ordered 1001. for her, till the whole was paid. The sum 
 ' which he thus gave away, and which she, rather than perform that 
 ' condition chose to forego, was about 25001.' So far Mr. Yaxley, who 
 also adds, that the Trollops, of Thornley, an ancient catholic family 
 now extinct, were, during the persecuting reigns, a great support to 
 priests ; and that it is the tradition of that country, that two priests, 
 whose names he could not learn, having made their escape out of Dur- 
 ham gaol, in queen Elizabeth's persecution, and aiming in the night, as 
 it is thought, to get to Thornley, were both of them drowned in at- 
 tempting to cross a brook that runs betwixt two great hiUs, the stream 
 of which is sometimes very violent and deep. The place, which is 
 near the common ford, is called Priest' s-pool to this dav.
 
 256 SUPPLEMENT. 
 
 Some Additions and Amendments to Mr. Knareslorougtis Account of 
 Mi'. Edward Reading, alias Bamler, from a Letter of Mr. John 
 Martin, Priest, sent out of Lancashire to the said Mr. Knaresborough, 
 July 1, 1707) quoting for his author the Rev. Mr. Barlow, and 
 the tradition of the country. 
 
 JLiE was an alumnus of the English college of Douay. Upon his land- 
 ing at Dover, falling upon his knees, he gave God thanks for his passage 
 over the seas, and safe arrival in his native country j which being ob- 
 served by the governor of Dover castle, he suspected him to be a priest, 
 and caused him to be apprehended. He did not deny his character, but 
 pleaded he had not been upon English land the space of time mentioned 
 in the statute ; and upon this plea was put on ship board, and sent into 
 banishment. 
 
 Some time after his second returfl, he was again apprehended in the 
 neighbourhood of Standish, in Lancashire, and was to have been com- 
 mitted prisoner to Lancaster castle ; but in his way thither, being lodged 
 at a place beyond Preston, he found means in the dead of the night (his 
 keepers being in drink) to make his escape out of a window in his shirt, 
 which adventure Mr. Knaresborough attributes to Mr. Whitaker. Mr. 
 Martin adds, that upon this occasion he was met by the master of 
 Broughton tower, admonished that night in a dream, that he should 
 find him in such a field. He got up fully possessed with the truth of 
 the vision, and met him in that very field, and conducted him to his 
 house, where he took proper care of him. 
 
 However, he fell a third time into the hands of the persecutors, and 
 was committed to the county gaol at Lancaster. It is true, he found an 
 opportunity here also to make his escape, but to little purpose j for hav- 
 ing travelled all the night, to his great surprize, he found himself in the 
 morning very near the town ; so that he concluded it was the will of 
 God he should suffer there, and so surrendered himself to those that 
 sought after him : for as soon as he was missing, hue and cry was im- 
 mediately raised, in order to take him. He suffered., as we have seen, 
 with admirable constancy, August 6, 1646. 
 
 M. WAUDLC, printer, Manchester-
 
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