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reviling words,and slapped him on the cheeks, after an uncharitable manner and all the commissioners rose up and went away, giving commandment to leave him so all night; at which, when they saw he was nothing moved, they ordered he should be taken from the torment, and sent him again to Walesboure; where, not able to move hand or foot, or any part of his body, he lay, in his clothes, fifteen days together, without bedding, in great pain and anguish.

These torments, and the man's constancy, are 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 epistle that he wrote to the fathers of the society in England; "where, after having acquainted them with a vow he had made, that if God should be pleased to deliver him, he would enter into their society within one year next ensuing. He writes thus:" The same day that I was first tormented on the rack, before I came to the 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 calling upon the most holy name of Jesus, and upon the blessed virgin Mary, (for I was saying the rosary) my mind was cheerfully 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, God, he knoweth; but true it is, and thereof my conscience is a witness before God. And this I say, that in the end of the torture, though my 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-past. I continued still with perfect and present senses in quietness of heart and tranquility of mind. Which thing, when the commissioners did see, they departed, and in going forth of the door, they gave orders to rack me again the next day following, after the same sort. Now when I heard them say so, it gave me in my mind, by and by, 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, methought my left hand was wounded in the palm, and that I felt the blood run out but in very deed there was no such thing, 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 made 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 signify to the ministers (who, at his apprehension, had scoffed and mocked him, saying that he was ashamed of his vocation) that he was not 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. Sherwine had finished their course, 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, 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-I am not guilty of any such thing; I was never at Rome nor at Rhemes at that time when Dr. Saunders came into Ireland,' the time of the pretended conspiracy." To this end he spoke and protested, as he would answer before God.

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'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 all catholics did, and the catholic faith doth; and thereupon protesting himself to die a true catholic, as he was saying Miserere mei Deus, he was delivered of the cart, with more pain, by negligence of the hangman, than either of the others; who, after his beheading, being dismembered, his heart, bowels, and entrails burned, to the great admiration of some, being laid upon the block, his belly f 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. The 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, bowelled, and quartered.

The learned and truly pious father Lewis, of Grenada, in the abridgment 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. Bridgewater, in his Concertatio, desired, before his death, to be received into the 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.

JOHN PAINE, PRIEST.-1582.

He was born in Northamptonshire. In what college he was educated, in either of our universities at home, I have not found: But he

* From a printed account, by an eye-witness of his death, published in 1582, and from the diary of Douay college.

was admitted into the English college of Douay, in 1575, ordained priest the following year, and sent upon the English mission at the same time with Mr. Cuthbert Maine, and there laboured with great fruit. His residence was chiefly in Essex, at the house of the lady Petre. He was apprehended 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 Essex; of which take the following extract, from an unexceptionable witness.

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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 come forth half dressed, not telling him to what end; but being afterwards 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; but he was delivered to certain officers there attending, to be conducted 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 devices have been heretofore concerning the change of religion, and yet none have prosperously succeeded; but, of all others, this seemeth the best, which I have heard, said he, sometime mentioned, by the Earl of Westmoreland, Dr. Allen, and Dr. Bristow, that fifty men, well appointed, with privy coats and daggers, should espy some opportunity when the queen was in her progress, and kill the queen's majesty, the Earl of Leicester, and Mr. Walsingham, and then to proclaim the queen of Scots. Also that he should say, it was no greater sin to kill the queen, than to despatch a brute beast.

This being read, Mr. Paine denied the indictment, and defied all treasons; protesting that he always, in mind or word, honoured the queen's majesty above any woman in the world; that he would gladly always have spent his life for her pleasure in any lawful service; that he prayed for her as for his own soul: that he never invented or compassed any treason against her majesty, or any of the nobility of England.

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However, Eliot swore that the indictment was true," and to this positive deposition" Mr. Morrice, the queen's counsellor, joined several presumptions from Mr. Paine's having gone beyond 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 his having spoken with traitors in Flanders, viz: with the earl of Westmoreland, 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 sufficient token of a traitor, nor yet to be made priest by

the bishop of Cambray; for so were many others, 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 the college, it had as yet 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 things: that Mr. Tempest was an honest 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 councellor, Sir Christopher Hatton.

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He refelled Eliot's deposition. First, taking God to witness on his soul, that he never had such speech with him. Secondly, he brought two places of scripture, and a statute to prove, that without two sufficient 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. 2dly, of a rape and other notorious lewdnesses. 3dly, of a breach of contract, and cozening the lady Petre,' "widow of Sir William Petre," of money. 4thly, of changing often his religion. 5thly, of malice against himself; adding, that he was also attached of murder and such like acts; and was a notorious 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 for himself; who answered, That he had said sufficiently; alledging, that it was against the law of God and man that he should be condemned for one man's witness, notoriously infamous. Then the 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 what treason is. But, says he, if it please the queen and her council that I shall die, I 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 all was but treachery in seeking of his blood. In fine, judge Gaudy pronounced the sentence of condemnation; and, afterwards, exhorted him to repent himself, although, said he, you may better instruct me herein. Mr. Paine demanded the time when he should suffer: 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. All Sunday, till five of the clock, one Dr. Withers and Dr. Sone were with him, persuading him earnestly to change his 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 foolish babbling, did much vex and trouble him. I, 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 his leave of me.

The next morning, the 2d of April, about eight of the clock, he was

laid on the hurdle, and drawn to the place of execution; where, kneeling almost half 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,

First. He made to them a declaration of his faith, confessing one God in essence or substance, and trinity in persons; and that the word was incarnate for man's redemption, &c., because I had informed him that the common people thought him to be a jesuit, and that they said the jesuit's opinion' was, that Christ is not God.

Secondly. He desired God to forgive him all the sins of his life past, and to have mercy on all sinners.

Thirdly. 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.

Fourthly. 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 Almighty 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 treason to the Lady Pool. He said that he knew no such person. 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, bone Deus! My brother is, and always hath been, a very earnest protestant; yet I know he will not say so falsely of me and then he desired 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 admiration, 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 to 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 Catholic 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

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