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 R°bt- 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 Martin1, 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, D7 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

0 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 girt1, 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, late '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 o££agland } 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. JST. 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 HANTSE.

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 godly1 ' 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. J»lin 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- ffe.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 conspiracys 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 Pau£s 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 nece»»ity,

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 deafh, 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, saying1, 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, giving1 ' 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 minisT ' 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 A»ithout 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.? fm»i 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* a«d 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, and1 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 lift1, 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 ah1 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, aud die year following ordained priest. Returning into England he was apprehended