Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

charity for the poor was such, as to give them all that came to his hands, committing the care of himself to God's providence; that he preached regularly twice a week; gave catechistical instructions for about an hour almost every day, and read some pious lessons for about half an hour in the evening, to such as more particularly aspired to perfection. In fine, that the mortification of his senses, and his recollection in God was so great, that for three whole years, that his lodging was in a room, the window of which looked upon the parish church, he had never observed it, nor knew whether the house in which he lived was leaded or tyled. The manuscript adds, that upon more occasions than one, his face was observed to shine with a certain heavenly light.

A copy of a Letter written by father Cornelius, half an hour before he was called out to suffer, to his ghostly child, Mrs. Dorothy, the eldest daughter to the lady Arundel, who had consecrated her virginity to God, and promised, by vow, to be a religious woman, of the order of St. Bridgit.

'He that loveth his life in this world, shall lose it; and he that hateth it, shall find it. If I find it, by the grace and infinite mercy of God, (though very unworthy and miserable), with exceeding great satisfaction, and never-ending pleasure, I shall remember you. In the mean time, whilst the soul remains in this body, pray you for me; for I have a great confidence that we shall see one another in heaven; if you keep inviolable the word you have given, first to God and then to St. Bridgit. I heartily recommend you to my poor mother, and the promise of your vow, concerning which, I have written to you three or four times, and wonder that you have taken no notice of it. The devil is always upon the watch: be you also watchful. Signify your will to me, that I may carry with me your resolution to St. Bridgit. I do not forget those whom I do not name. God be your keeper.

Yours,

JOHN, who is going to die for a moment, that he may live for ever.

JOHN BOST, PRIEST.*

MR. BOST, or Boast, was born of a gentleman's family, in the town of Penrith, (vulgo Pereth.) in the county of Cumberland. He was educated in one of our universities at home, where he also took the degree of master of arts; and was cotemporary with, and much esteemed by, Tobie Matthews, who, at the time of Mr. Bost's execution, was bishop of Durham, (afterwards archbishop of York,) and who, extolling his excellent parts, is reported to have said, upon that occa sion,-It was pity so much worth should have died that day. But Mr.

* From two manuscript relations sent me from Douay; the one formerly sent over by the Reverend Cuthbert Trollop, archdeacon; the other by the Reverend Father Thuresby, of the Society of Jesus, and from letters written out of England, in 1504, recorded by the bishop of Tarrasona, in his history, l. 5, c. 5.

Bost left both the university and the kingdom, and all hopes of worldly preferment for conscience sake, and being reconciled to the catholic church, was received into the college lately translated from Douay to Rhemes; and after some time spent there in his studies, was made priest, and sent upon the English mission, in 1581. Here he laboured, for several years, with great zeal, and much fruit: insomuch, that he was, in a particular manner, sought after by the persecutors: and the earl of Huntington, in particular, then lord president of the North, and a most bitter enemy of the catholics, of all the priests in those provinces, was most intent upon the apprehending him. So that when the said lord president was promised, by one Francis Ecclesfield, to have two of the gravest priests of the north betrayed to him, he desired the traitor rather to be sure of Bost. At length, after many narrow escapes, he was betrayed, by the said Ecclesfield, into the president's hands, in this manner the traitor having intelligence that Mr. Bost was in the house of Mr. William Claxton, in the bishopric of Durham," signified the same to the lord president; and, to be more sure of his game, went thither to confession and communion; and having thus hypocritically and sacriligiously abused the sacred mysteries, he went forth, like another Judas, to accomplish his wicked project, and meeting Sir William Bowes and others, went along with them to the house in order to apprehend Mr. Bost. The holy man was so well concealed that, after a long search, they could not find him, so that they thought they had been deluded: but the traitor bid them pull down the house or burn it, for he was sure the priest was in it; upon which, they began to make breaches in the walls, and at length discovered their prey.

66

Mr. Bost being thus apprehended, was brought before the lord president, who made, upon that occasion, a prolix speech, concerning the long search that had been made for him, from time to time, for the space of some years; all which while, by his cunning tricks, he had deluded the diligence of the officers, whom he had employed to apprehend so nefarious a traitor; but that now, to his great satisfaction, he had taken him at last. To which speech, Mr. Bost, in the end, replied, with a smiling countenance; And after all this, my lord, you have but gotten Boast, (alluding to the earl's boast,) in having used such diligence for his apprehension. The confessor was shortly after sent up to London; where he was, for a long time, kept prisoner in the Tower, and often most cruelly racked, insomuch that he was afterwards forced to go crooked upon a staff. At length, after a hard imprisonment, and many torments endured at London, he was sent back again into the north, there to be tried and executed.

He was a man of great courage, learning, and wisdom and no ways defeated or overcome by his sufferings. When he was brought to the bar for his trial, Mr. George Swallowell (who had lately been a reader of the protestant church, and was now arraigned for the catholic religion,) somewhat wavering, and being on the point of yielding through fear, Mr. Bost, in the public court, so effectually encouraged him to stand firm to the catholic faith, that he immediately declared himself sincerely penitent for his staggering; and Mr. Bost, putting his hand on his head, publicly absolved him. Upon which, some of the bench

eried out, Away with Bost, away with the traitor. Sentence was passed upon Mr. Bost, as in cases of high treason, merely upon account of the exercising his priestly functions in England. And, in consequence of this sentence, he was drawn to the place of execution, and there was scarce turned off the ladder, when he was immediately cut down, so that he stood on his feet, and was cruelly butchered alive; at the taking out of his heart, he spoke aloud thrice, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus forgive thee; as Thomas Forcer, Esq, a grave catholic gentleman, for a certainty affirmed to Mr. Trollop, the author of the manuscript relation of Mr. Bost's martyrdom.

He suffered at Durham, July 24, 1594; some say July 19.

JOHN INGRAM, PRIEST. *

MR. INGRAM was born of a gentleman's family, in Warwickshire. His parents were protestants; but he was happily reconciled to the catholic church, and, for recusancy, ejected out of New College, Oxon, and going abroad, was received alumnus in Douay college, during its residence at Rhemes; from whence, he was sent to the English college of Rome, where he finished his studies, and was made priest; and from thence was sent upon the English mission. His missionary labours seem to have been in the north, upon the borders of Scotland: where, at length, he was apprehended, and sent up prisoner to the Tower of London, and there, at several times, most cruelly tortured by Topcliff, but he would, by no means, discover the names of any who had entertained or assisted him, which was what the tyrant pretended to extort; so that Topcliff, in a rage, said, He was, of all others, a monster for his taciturnity. At length, he was sent back again, into the north, to take his trial. Here, "in York castle, or in Durham jail, "' he wrote two letters, of which I have copies in my hands, to the catholics in other parts of the same prison, worthy of one that was going to be immolated for Christ. In the first, he earnestly exhorts them to constancy and perseverance in that holy profession for which they suffered; and arms them against the temptation of being staggered by the unhappy fall of two, whom he calls Iscariots, who had lately gone forth from them; and admonishes them of that apostle, that if himself, or an angel from heaven, should preach any gospel to them, than what they had received, he ought to be anathematized. Then he tells them, I say now to myself and you, Let he that stands take heed, lest he fall. And, hold what thou hast, lest another take thy crown. Pray, therefore, I conjure you, in the name of my sweet Saviour Jesus, for my constancy, courage, and zeal in my holy enterprise. For the spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak. Desire Almighty God to overpoise the multitude

* From the bishop of Chalcedon's manuscript catalogue, and from two letters of Mr. Ingram, to his fellow prisoners; copies of which are kept in Douay college.

[ocr errors]

of my sins, with his precious blood, one drop of which, is sufficient to wash away the sins of the whole world. I am not, as yet, condemned, nor, to my knowledge, my blessed brother," Mr. Bost, of whose security, temporal, I have no hope. As for my own part, I am, altogether in the same estate I was in before my departure; and, I take God to witness, that I have neither named house, man, woman, or child, in time of, or before my torments. I look for my trial on Thursday, and consequently for my death, to God's honour. Pray for me earnestly.'

[ocr errors]

In the latter, he writes thus: My dear concaptives, if the vessel of election St. Paul vouchsafed, not only by way of paper, to comfort oftentimes the christians of the primitive times, but also, to give his temporal benefactors a sweet surrender of thanks; it will fit me to imitate him in like matter and manner: first, to ascertain you, that in my pained body, my spirit is not pained, nor in any disaster, distress, or durance. For St. Paul testifies, that The passions of this time are not condign of the future glory which shall be revealed in us. And, for my part, I have long since imprinted in my heart, not to fear those that kill the body, but cannot destroy the soul. But rather to remember those golden sentences, which have issued out of the mouth of all verity. He that hateth his life in this world, keepeth it for life everlasting. And, he that confesses me before men, I will confess him before my Father, who is in heaven. And although, in my native country, I have taken great pains in God's vineyard, yet, I doubt not, if God will strengthen me, through yours and my patron's prayers, I shall purchase for our Babylonic soil, more favour by my death. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. To those that made that bountiful offer of a thousand crowns, for my life, as my lord chamberlain, in my presence, imparted, I return a thousand thanks, in sign of gratitude, meaning, (if God will give to a miscreant, and wretched sinner, constancy, forgiveness of my sins, and grace to die for his glory, and his spouse's consolation,) to make the return of my bloody sacrifice, for their oblation. To all my spiritual children, wheresoever they are now sorrowing, I most heartily send greeting; with humble request to God for their constancy in the true way of salvation. My carnal friends, I salute, and wish, as to my own soul, conversion from impiety, and irreligiosity to virtue, and St. Peter's sheepfold. I love them most entirely, but my Creator, in a far higher degree: for he that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me, saith our Saviour Christ, I send this, my last, written in haste; for I fear I shall have no means hereafter. Therefore, I desire God Almighty to protect you all, and bless and establish you to suffer persecution for justice sake. Thus, in post haste, in visceribus Christi. Adieu.

Mr. Ingram was tried and condemned at the same time with Mr. Bost, and for the same cause: that is, for his character and functions only, and not for any other treason.

He suffered, with great constancy, at Newcastle, July 25, 1594.

[blocks in formation]

GEORGE SWALLOWELL was born in the bishopric of Durham, and brought up in the protestant religion; and for some time officiated in the double capacity of reader and of school-master, at Houghton Spring, in the same bishopric. Going one day, to visit a catholic gentleman, imprisoned for his recusancy, and falling in discourse on the subject of religion, he was so close pressed by the gentleman upon the article of his mission, and that of his prelates, that he was forced, by way of a last shift, to shelter himself under the queen's spiritual supremacy, and to derive their commissions from her authority. The gentleman exposed to him, the absurdity of making a woman, whom St. Paul did not allow to speak in the church, the head of the church, and the fountain of ecclesiastical jurisdiction; and treated so well, both this and other points of controversy, that Mr. Swallowell, who was none of those who are resolved to be rebels to the light, yielded to the strength of his arguments. And not content privately to embrace the truth, he, not long after publicly professed, from the pulpit, that he had hitherto been in an error, but was convinced, that they had no true mission in their church, and therefore he would no longer officiate there.

Upon this he was apprehended, and committed to Durham jail, and, after a year's imprisonment, was brought to the bar, at the same time with Mr. Bost and Mr. Ingram, priests, and stood between them. At first through fear of that cruel death to which he was condemned, he yielded to go to the church, and to conform to what the judges required of him. Whereupon, Mr. Bost, looking at him, said, George Swallowell, what hast thou done? At these words of the confessor of Christ, 'he was struck with a great damp and confusion, and desired the judge, and the lord president, (who at that time was the Earl of Huntington,) for God's sake to let him have his word again. To which the judge replied, Swallowell, look well what thou doest; for, although thou be condemned, yet the queen is merciful. But still he craved to have his desire granted. Then the judge answered, if thou be so earnest, thou shalt have thy word again; say what thou wilt. Then presently he recalled what he had formerly yielded unto, and courageously said, that in that faith wherein those two priests did die, he would also die; and that the same faith which they professed, he did also profess. With that, Mr. Bost looked at him again, and said, hold thee there, Swallowell, and my soul for thine; and with these words, he laid his hand upon his head. Then the lord president said, away with Bost, for he is reconciling him. Upon this, his judgment was pronounced, which was, to be hanged, drawn, and quartered, at Darlington.'

Upon the day designed for execution, he was brought two miles off the place on foot, and then was put into a cart, where he lay on his

* From a manuscript in my hands, and from bishop Yepez's history of the persecu tions, l. 5, c. 5, who had his information from letters sent over from England, two months after Mr. Swallowell's execution.

« AnteriorContinua »