much, that when a catholic gentleman, "Mr. Roper, son-in-law to Sir Thomas More," pitying his extreme sufferings, had, by the means of another prisoner, conveyed to Mr. Sherwood's keeper some money for the use of his prisoner, the money was by the keeper returned the next day, because the lieutenant of the Tower would not suffer the prisoner to have the benefit of any such alms. And all that he could be prevailed upon to do, was to lay out one poor sixpence for a little fresh straw for him to lie upon.

In fine, after about six months' suffering in this manner, with invincible patience, and gloriously triumphing over chains, dungeons, and torments, during which he often repeated these words, Lord Jesu, O ! I am not worthy that I should suffer these things for thee! much less am I worthy of those rewards which thou hast promised to give to such as confess thee; he was brought out to his trial, and condemned to die for denying the queen's supremacy; and was executed according to sentence, being cut down whilst he was yet alive, dismembered, bowelled, and quartered.

He suffered at Tyburn, February 7, 1577-8.

This year, 1578, the English seminary was obliged to leave Douay (after having sent from thence fifty-two priests, upon the English mission, besides others sent to Rome,) and to repair to Rhemes; where they remained till 1594. The first of those that were ordained at Rhemes, who suffered in England for religious matters, was

EVERARD HANSE, PRIEST.—1581.*

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MR. HANSE was born in Northamptonshire, and performed his higher studies in the university of Cambridge; then was made a minister, and promoted to a good fat benefice. But, by God's great providence and mercy towards him,' "he had not been above two or three years in that state, before he" fell into a grievous sickness, in which, as well by that chastisement, as by some special miraculous admonitions from above, he 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 disputes," he reconciled himself to the church, forsook the ministry, abandoned his wrongfully-begotten benefice, and so passed over to Rhemes. 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 the unspeakable 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

* From a Douay MS. But chiefly from the same author from whom we have transcribed the martyrdoms of Mr. Maine and Mr. Nelson.

of the same college. He said his first mass on the 2d of April, of the same 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 England; where he had not 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 28th, 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 dissimulation, told him, that the cause of his return was to gain souls; and that he was made priest at Rhemes.

'Recorder.
'Mr. Hanse.
• Recorder.

'Mr. Hanse.

" Recorder.

Then you are a subject to the pope?

So I am, Sir.

Then the pope hath some superiority over you?
That is true.

What! in England?

'Mr. Hanse. Yea, in England; 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 things, 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; which was far from his and every catholic man's mind. But upon his former answer, to bring him, by course of questions, into the compass of some of their new 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, as also err in his private doctrine or writing, but that in judicial definitions, and in deciding matters of controversy, he did never err. This plain speech, notwithstanding, the enemies gave out that he should say, the pope could not sin.

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Then they proceeded with him further, and demanded whether the pope had not judicially proceeded in the deposition of the queen? And, thereupon they read a piece of the bull of Pius Quintus; those words especially in which he declared her to be an heretic, and a fautor of heretics, and deprived her of all regal authority, and pretended right of these dominions, &c. Did he not err, said they, in this? I hope, said Mr. Hanse, he did not. 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 affirm 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 the first statute of the last parliament, upon which they intended to indict him, Mr. Recorder asked whether he spoke the foresaid thing to persuade other men that heard him to be of his mind? Mr. Hance replied, I know not what you mean by persuading; but I would have all men to believe the catholic faith, as I do.

This being done and said on each side, order was given to one present, that was learned in the law, to draw up an indictment of treason against Mr. Hanse, upon the new statue made in the last parliament, which was out of hand done. The effect whereof was, that the said Hanse being one of the pope's scholars, and made priest beyond the seas, was returned to seduce the queen's majesty's subjects from their obedience, and that he had affirmed the pope to be his superior here in England, and had as much authority in spiritual government, within this realm, as ever he had before; saying further, that he hoped Pius Quintus erred not in declaring her to be an heretic, excommunicating and deposing her majesty, and acknowledging that he uttered so much to have others think therein as he did, &c., which indictment being openly read, and Mr. Hanse thereon arraigned, he was ordered to hold up his hand; he held up his left hand, whereupon the recorder blamed him, attributing it to some pride or superstition, that, being a priest, he would not vouchsafe, or might 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 wherewith the blessed man was exceedingly laden, for being admonished, he forthwith stretched forth his right hand.

And being asked whether he was guilty of the things contained in the indictment, after a few words, wherein he said he was not altogether guilty in those things as they were set down, he yet acknowledged the substance and the sense thereof, with great courage and constancy. Whereupon the sentence of death was pronounced against him in the form well known to all men. This done, he was returned to the prison from whence he came, where minister Crowley, and others, came to attempt to overcome his constancy; but after much talk, and many persuasions to relent in some points of religion, and to acknowledge his fault towards her majesty; when they saw they could not prevail against the blessed confessor, they forged, to his disgrace, and to make him odious, that he should affirm to them in talk, that treason to the queen was no sin before God. Which slander they were not ashamed to put out in print.

He was condemned upon the 28th of July, 1581; and upon the last day of the same month he was drawn to Tyburn; where being put into the cart, he, with a cheerful countenance, preferred himself to be a catholic priest, and most glad to die for testimony thereof. And being willed to ask the queen's mercy, and demanded whether he took her for his sovereign, he answered, that he did take her for his queen, and that he never offended her majesty otherwise than in matters of his conscience, which their new made statutes had drawn to matters of treason. And whereas, said he, I understand it has been given out, that I should say, treason was no offence to God, I protest I neither meant nor said any more, but that these new made treasons, which are nothing

else, indeed, but the confession of the catholic points of religion, were no offences to God.

Then the ministers called upon him to pray with them, and to desire the people to assist him: He answered, that he might not pray with heretics; but desired humbly all catholics to pray for him and with him, And so whilst he was praying devoutly to himself, the cart was drawn away; 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, O! happy day! And that it was the current fame, that his heart being cast into the fire, leaped of itself out of the 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 smoke."

Mr. Hanse, the day before his death, wrote the following letter to his brother, who was a priest of the same college.

BROTHER,

'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 other, but God will send good 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 offered, 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 things, you find ungiven away, upon my poor kinsfolks. A pair of pantoffles I leave with M. N. for my mother. Twenty shillings I would have you bestow on them from me, if you can make so much conveniently; some I have left with M. N. I owe ten shillings and two shillings, I pray you see it paid. M. N. will let you understand 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 forget them. The day and hour of my birth is at hand, and my master saith, Tolle Crucem tuam & sequere me. Vale in Domino.

Pride obitus.

Yours,

EVERARD HANSE.

* Cumque Carnifex cor ejus adhuc palpitans manibus attrectaret, in hanc supremam prorupit vocem, O diem felicem! Imo quod magis mirere, cor ejus ja ignem missum magno impetu exiliisse habet fama consentiens, cumque rursus fasce coopertum ligneo in ignem conjectum esset, secundo tanta vi delatum contra fascem ascendisse, ut illum tum loco moveret, tum in fumo ipso herere tremulum faceret. Raissius in Catalogo, p. 14, 15, ex Diario Collegii Anglorum.

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. Rushton, 1, 3. de Schismate, 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 the 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 through the streets, loaded with heavy irons, to the bar, in the company of theives, his companions sighing, and almost all the people being moved to commiseration; he alone was cheerful, and dragged his chains along with a smiling 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 they from my sufferings; and it is just they should laugh that win.'

He was condemned to perpetual imprisonment; and immediately, upon hearing his sentence, fell upon his knees, and with hands and eyes lifted up to heaven said, allelujah, allelujah. He was sent back to Newgate, and there fed with the bread of sorrow, having his hands, feet, and neck chained in such sort, that he could neither sit down, nor stir out of his place all the day; and every night being put down into a horrid and darksome dungeon. Douay diary, ad annum, 1581.

Of Mr. Hanse, thus writes Mr. Stow, in his annals or chronicle, anno 1581. Everard Hanse, a seminary priest, was in the Sessions-Hall, in the Old Bailey, arraigned, where he affirmed, that himself was subject to the pope in ecclesiastical causes, and that the pope hath now the same authority here in England, that he had an hundred years past, with other traitorous speeches; for the which he was condemned and executed.' So Mr. Stow, who adds, that, at the same sessions, were brought from the Fleet, Gatehouse, Newgate, and the Counters, sundry prisoners, indicted for refusing to come to the church; all which, being convicted by their own confession, had judgment accordingly, to pay twenty pounds for every month of such their wilful absence from the church.'

But this was not the only, nor the greatest severity that the English 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. Bridgewater in his collections, published under the title of Concertatio Ecclesiæ Catholicæ: Some of which we will here set down.

I. William Tyrwhite, 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; but all in vain; he was hurried away,