Edward Campian was born in Kent, of a gentleman's family, was an alumnus and priest of Douay college, during its residence at Rhemes; from whence, he was sent upon this mission, in 1587. He was apprehended, prosecuted and condemned to die, merely for his character and exercising his priestly functions in England; and for this supposed treason was hanged, bowelled, and quartered, on the same day, and at the same place, with Mr. Wilcox, and with the same courage and cheerfulness.

Christopher Buxton was born in Derbyshire, and brought up in Mr. Garlick's school at Tids well in that county; from whence, he passed over to the college then residing at Rhemes, and there, for some time, prosecuted his studies. Dr. Champney, in his manuscript history, with Raissius and Molanus, in their printed catalogues, call him a priest of Douay college; but as I find not his name in the old Douay catalogue of those that were sent priests from Rhemes upon the mission, I rather believe the account given by the bishop of Chalcedon, who calls him alumnus and cleric of the college of Douay, during its residence at Rhemes, but priest of the college of Rome. He was condemned for the same cause as Mr. Wilcox and Mr. Campian, viz. for coming into England, being a priest, and remaining there contrary to the statute; and suffered at the same time and place, and with the like courage. He was the youngest of the three, and was obliged to stand a spectator of the barbarous butchery of his companions: but, when the persecutors, thinking, perhaps, that his constancy had been shook with the sight of this scene of blood, offered him his life upon condition that he would conform to their religion, he generously answered, that he would not purchase a corruptible life at such a rate; and that, if he had a hundred lives he would willingly lay them all down in defence of his faith.

Robert Widmerpool, who suffered at the same time, was a gentleman, born at Widmerpool, in Nottinghamshire, who was, for some time, tutor to the sons of Henry Piercy, earl of Northumberland. The cause for which he was condemned to die, was his hospitality to priests, and in particular, his having introduced a priest into the house of the countess of Northumberland. At the place of execution, he, with great affection, kissed both the ladder and the rope, as the instruments of his martyrdom; and having now, the rope about his neck, began to speak to the people, giving God most hearty thanks, for bringing him to so great a glory, as that of dying for his faith and truth, in the same place where the glorious martyr, St. Thomas of Canterbury, had shed his blood for the honour of his divine Majesty. Some of the people, at these words, cried out, away, away with the traitor; but he, not moved at all, with their clamours, looking round him, and recommending himself to the prayers of the catholics, was flung off the ladder, and so happily exchanged this mortal life for immortality.

RALPH CROKETT AND EDWARD JAMES, PRIESTS. *

RALPH CROKETT was born at Barton, upon the hill in Cheshire, performed his studies at Rhemes, and was an alumnus and priest of the college then residing in that city: from whence, he was sent upon the English mission in 1585. The particulars of his missionary labours, or of his apprehension and trial, I have not found, only, that he was prosecuted and condemned upon the penal statute of 27 Elizabeth, and had sentence to die, as in cases of high treason, barely upon account of his priestly character and functions.

He was drawn, hanged, bowelled, and quartered, at Chichester, October 1, 1588.

Edward James was born at Braiston, in Derbyshire, and was, for some time, student in the college of Rhemes; from whence, he was sent to Rome, 1588. Here he was made priest; and from hence he was sent upon the English mission. He was apprehended, prosecuted, and condemned, barely upon account of his priestly character; and was hanged, bowelled, and quartered, on the same day, and at the same place, with Mr. Crokett.

Their quarters were set upon poles over the gates of the city; through one of which a catholic man passing early in the morning, found one of these quarters which had fallen down, which, by the size, was judged to be Mr. Crockett's, (he having been a tall man, whereas, Mr. James was of low stature.) This quarter was carried off, and sent over to Douay, where I have seen it.

JOHN ROBINSON, PRIEST.f

MR. ROBINSON was born at Fernsby, in the North Riding of Yorkshire. His character, in Dr. Champney is, that he was a man of extraordinary christian simplicity and sincerity; in a word, a true Israelite, in whom there was no guile. After having lived some time in the world, in a married state, becoming a widower by the death of his wife, he went over to Rhemes, where the college then was; and there applying himself to his studies, was, at length, made priest, and sent upon the mission. He no sooner came to England, than he was apprehended in the very port, and sent up to London; where, after some months imprisonment, he was brought to the bar, and condemned to die upon account of his priestly character. Dr. Champney relates of him, that he was used to say, If he could not dispute for his faith, as well as some others, he could die for it as well as the best. He was sent down to suffer at Ips

* From the bishop of Chalcedon's catalogue, and the Douay Journals.

+ From the Douay catalogues, Champney's manuscript, and the relation of the Reverend Mr. Joseph Haynes.

wich, in Suffolk, where he was hanged, bowelled, and quartered, October 1, 1588. Concerning him, thus writes the Reverend Mr. Haynes, Mr. John Robinson, a secular priest, being, in the year 1588, prisoner in the Clink at London, when the rest that had been there prisoners with him (whom he called his bairns, and they, for his age and sincerity, called him father,) were, for the catholic faith, sent into divers parts of the kingdom to be executed; the good old man, being left alone, lamented for divers days together exceedingly, until at last, a warrant was sent from the council to execute him also. The news whereof, did much revive him; and to him that brought the warrant, he gave his purse, and all his money, and fell down on his knees and gave God thanks. Being to set forward in his journey, they willed him to put on boots; for it was in winter, and as far as Ipswich in Suffolk, where he was sent to suffer. Nay, said the good man, these legs had never boots on yet, since they were mine, and now surely they shall perform this journey without boots, for they shall be well paid for their pains.'

He left behind him, a son, Francis Robinson, who was also a priest, and a true heir of his father's virtue.

The next that occur, in the catalogues of those that suffered this year, 1588, are Mr. Hartley and Mr. Weldon; of whom Mr. Stow, in his Chronicle, writes thus; The 5th of October, J. Weldon and W. Hartley, made priests, at Paris, and remaining here contrary to the statute, were hanged, the one at the Mile's-End, the other nigh the theatre; and Robert Sutton, for being reconciled to the see of Rome, was hanged at Clerkenwell.

other priests, he was shipped off into banishment. Upon this occasion he returned to Rhemes, to the college; but after some short stay there, set out again for England, being more afraid of being wanting to the cause of God, and the salvation of souls, than of a cruel death, which he was certainly to look for, if he fell again, as most probably he would, into the hands of the persecutors. In effect, he was again apprehended, some time in or before the year 1588, and then brought upon his trial, and condemned to die, upon account of his priestly character. He was executed near the theatre, October 5, 1588, his mother looking on, as Raissius relates, "Catalog. Martyr Anglo Duac, p. 52," and rejoicing exceedingly, that she had brought forth a son, to glorify God by such a death.

On the same day, John Weldon, priest" of the college of Douay, according to Champney and Molanus," condemned for the same cause, was drawn to Mile's-End-Green, and there executed. About the same time, (some say the same day,) Richard Williams, a venerable priest, who had been ordained in England, before the change of religion, was also, for religious matters, hanged at Holloway, near London.

Robert Sutton, layman, suffered on the same day at Clerkenwell. The cause of his death, was purely his religion, viz: because he had been reconciled to the church of Rome. His life was offered him, at the gallows, if he would acknowledge the queen's ecclesiastical supremacy, as I learn from the copy of a letter, which I have in my hands, written by Mr. William Naylor, who was an eye-witness of his death. I saw says he, one Mr. Sutton, a layman, and a schoolmaster, put to death at Clerkenwell, in London; to whom the sheriff promised to procure his pardon, if he would but pronounce absolutely the word all; for he would that he should acknowledge the queen to be supreme head in all causes, without any restriction; but he, " Mr. Sutton," would acknowledge her to be supreme head in all causes temporal, and for that he would not pronounce the word all, without any restriction, he was executed. This I heard and saw.' So for Mr. Naylor.

JOHN HEWIT AND EDWARD BURDEN, PRIESTS.*

THESE two were both priests of Douay college, during its residence at Rhemes. The former fell into the hands of the adversaries of his faith whilst he was as yet only deacon, and was sent into banishment in 1585, when returning to Rhemes, he was made priest, and sent upon the mission. The latter, who was a native of the bishoprick of Durham, and educated in Trinity college, Oxford, was made priest in 1584, and sent into England in 1586. They were both condemned upon account of their priesthe and were hanged, drawn, and quartered at York, the former on October, the latter on the 29th of November, 1588.

This same year also, William Lampley, layman, suffered at Gloucester, for the catholic religion.

JOHN AMIAS AND ROBERT DALBY, PRIESTS.-1589.*

JOHN AMIAS, (Some call him Ann,) was a native of Yorkshire, an alumnus of Douay college during its residence at Rhemes, where he was made priest the 25th of March, 1581, and sent upon the English mission on the 5th of June of the same year, together with Mr. Edmund Sykes. ROBERT DALBY was a native of the Bishoprick of Durham, an alumnus also and priest of the same cellege, sent upon the mission in 1588. They both fell into the hands of the persecutors, and were condemned to die the death of traitors, upon account of their priestly character. They suffered together at York, on the 16th of March, 1588-9. Dr. Champney, in his manuscript history," ad annum Elizab., 31," gives the following account of them. This year, on the 16th of March, John Amias and Robert Dalby, priests of the college of Douay, suffered at York, as in cases of high treason, for no other cause but that they were priests, ordained by the authority of the see of Rome, and had returned into England, and exercised there their priestly functions for the benefit of the souls of their neighbours. I was myself an eye-witness of the glorious combat of these holy men, being at that time a young man, in the twentieth year of my age; and I returned home confirmed by the sight of their constancy and meekness, in the catholic faith, which, by God's grace, I then followed, for there visibly appeared in those holy servants of God, so much meekness, joined with a singular constancy, that you would easily say, that they were lambs led to the slaughter.

They were drawn about a mile out of the city to the place of execution, where being arrived, and taken off the hurdle, they prostrated themselves upon their faces to the ground, and there employed some time in prayer, till the former, "Mr. Amias," being called upon by the sheriff, rose up, and, with a serene countenance, walked to the gallows and kissed it: then kissing the ladder, went up. The hangman, having fitted the rope to his neck, bid him descend a step or two lower, affirming, that by this means he would suffer the less. He then, turning to the people, declared, "That the cause of his death was not treason, but religion; but here he was interrupted, and not suffered to go on. Therefore, composing himself for death, with his eyes and hands lifted up to heaven, forgiving all who had any ways procured his death, and praying for his persecutors, he recommended his soul to God, and being flung off the ladder, quietly expired, for he was suffered to hang so long till he seemed to be quite dead. Then he was cut down, dismembered and bowelled, his bowels cast into a fire that was prepared hard

From the Douay diary, the bishop of Chalcedon's catalogue, and the manuscript history of Dr. Champney, who was an eye-witness of their death.