LAURENCE BAILY, LAYMAN.*

LAURENCE BAILY was a catholic layman, who was apprehended in Lancashire, for having been aiding and assisting to a priest, who had fallen into the hands of the pursuivants, and had made his escape from them. For this supposed offence he was cast into prison, where (as we are told by Molanus, in his catalogue, p, 77) he suffered much with great patience and constancy; and being brought upon his trial, was condemned to die as in cases of felony, by the statute of the 27th of Elizabeth. He was executed at Lancaster, Dr. Worthington says sometime in August; but Molanus says, it was on the 16th of September, 1604.

THOMAS WELBOURN, JOHN FULTHERING, WILLIAM BROWN, LAYMEN.-1605.†

THOMAS WELBOURN was a schoolmaster, a native of Kitenbushel, in Yorkshire; and John Fulthering was a layman of the same country, who being zealous catholics, and industrious in exhorting some of their neighbours to embrace the catholic faith, were upon that account arraigned and condemned to suffer as in cases of high treason: as was also William Brown, another zealous catholic layman, a native of Northamptonshire, convicted of the same offence. They all were executed according to sentence; Mr. Welbourn and Mr. Fulthering at York, the 1st of August, 1605; Mr. Brown, at Rippon, the 5th of September, the same year.

This year, on the 5th of November, was discovered that horrible plot, commonly called gunpowder treason; by which Catesby, and some few others his accomplices designed to have blown up the parliament house; which, though it were indeed a most wicked and detestable enterprise (for which the conspirators were justly punished,) is most unjustly urged against catholics in general. For why should the wickedness of a handful of men, whose doings were both then, and ever since, abhorred by the whole body of catholics, both at home and abroad, be laid to the charge of such as had no more hand in the guilt, than the apostles had in the treason of Judas?

'Tis more than probable that this was originally a ministerial plot, set on foot by Cecil, then secretary of state. 'Some have been of opinion, says the author of the Political Grammar, lately published, p. 46, that the gunpowder plot in the reign of James the First, was of the same alloy, (a ministerial plot,) and the awkward manner in which the letter was sent to lord Mounteagle, the night before the execution, seems to confirm it, but much more the papers of the then minister, which have but lately appeared, by which the whole affair is brought to

* From Dr. Worthington's catalogue of martyrs, published in 1614, p. 46. + From the catalogues of English martyrs.

light. For it is evident by those papers that the minister was acquainted with the conspirators journal from the beginning; so that he might have easily stifled the design in its infancy; but that would not quadrate with his principal design, which was, to divert king James from making any approaches towards popery,) to which he seemed to be inclinable in the minister's opinion,) by engaging some papists in a desperate and horrid plot to destroy both king and parliament. This was the original of that affair, which has filled the kingdom with astonishment for above a whole century.' So far this author, who is not the only one, nor the first by a great many, who has been of this opinion, since Mr. Osborn has informed the world long ago, p. 34, that this plot was, as he terms it, a neat device of the secretary; and king James the First, himself, was so sensible of it, that he used to call the 5th of November, Cecil's holiday.

1606. This year, no less than forty-seven priests were, from different prisons sent into perpetual banishment; their names are recorded in the Douay diary, as follows:

Thomas Bramston, Philip Woodward, Abraham Sutton, William Singleton, Silvester Norrice, D.D.; Richard Grisold, Thomas Burscough, Nicholas Jees, Ralph Buckland, George Stransham, Francis Stafferton, Francis Forster, Anthony Rouse, John Roberts, Henry Chaterton, Simon Potinger, Thomas Flint, Humfrey Meridale, William Clarjenet, Thomas Hodson, Thomas Thoresby, William Arton, Christopher Lassels, Charles Newport, Richard Newport, John Lloyd, Robert Bastard, Edward Dawson, Robert Walsh. (Hibern.) John Hall, Hugh Whitall, John Starkey, John Copley, Fulk Nevile, John Siclemore, George Gervase, Thomas Garnet, James Blundel, Thomas Laithwait, Thomas Stanney, Robert Bradshaw, Thomas Green, Thomas Butler, Edward Collier, N. Pierson, Andrew White, N. Nightingal.

And with them, were banished two others, not yet priests, viz. :William Alabaster and Hugh Bowens. The same diary takes notice, December 23, that Thomas Bramston, the first named in this catalogue, died at Douay college, aged 66, after having been twenty years a prisoner in Wisbich castle for his faith, and twice banished.

HENRY GARNET AND EDWARD OLDCORNE, PRIESTS, S. J.

THIS year also, two priests of the society of Jesus were executed, accused of being conscious of the powder plot: viz: Henry Garnet superior of the English jesuits, and Edward Oldcorne. The former suffered in St. Paul's church-yard, May 3d, 1606: and, whatever some protestant writers have pretended to the contrary, both living and dying, ever maintained that he had no knowledge of that treasonable design, but through the channel of confession, which the catholic religion prohibits to discover. The latter suffered at Worcester, April the 7th. His accuser, and the only witness that appeared against him, was Mr.

Humfrey Littleton, one of the conspirators, hoping to save his own life by accusing a jesuit. But this same man being brought to the gallows for that crime, solemnly called God to witness, in the presence of thousands, that what he swore against father Oldcorne was utterly false, and in hopes only of saving his own life, by wrongfully accusing him; for which he begged God's and his pardon. But of these fathers, we propose to treat more at large, after we have received proper materials, in an appendix to this work.

ROBERT DRURY, PRIEST. 1607.*

ROBERT DRURY was born of a gentleman's family in Buckinghamshire. He performed his studies abroad, partly in the college, then residing at Rhemes, where he went through his course of philosophy; and partly at Valladolid, in Spain, to which place, he was sent from Rhemes with several others, in 1590, to the college lately founded in that city, by king Philip of Spain, for the education of the English clergy. Here he finished his studies, and was made priest; and from hence he was sent upon the English mission, in the year 1593. missionary labours seem to have been chiefly in and about London, where his learning and virtue made him considered amongst his brethren.

His

In the year 1601, queen Elizabeth, set forth a proclamation, November 7, in which, she pleased to promise some favour to such of the clergy, as should give sufficient assurance to their allegiance to her, as their lawful queen. Upon this, some of the leading men amongst them, (one of whom was Mr. Drury,) met, and drew up a declaration, or profession of their allegiance, wherein they declared, 1st. That they acknowledged queen Elizabeth for their true and lawful sovereign, with as full power and authority, as any of her predecessors. 2dly. That they were most willing to obey her at all times, and in all cases, as far as any christian priests either in this, or any other christian kingdom, are bound by the divine law and the christian religion to obey their temporal prince; to be obedient also to her laws and magistrates, in all civil causes; and to pray to God to give her a happy and quiet reign, and after this life, eternal bliss. 3dly. They declared their abhorrence of all plots and conspiracies against the queen and state; and their readiness to defend, and to persuade all catholics, as much as in them lay, to defend her majesty's person, state, kingdom, and dominions, against all invasions, or hostile attempts, made by whomsoever, or upon what pretext soever, notwithstanding any excommunication denounced, or to be denounced against her majesty, &c. They declared nevertheless, that they acknowledged and confessed the bishop of Rome, to be the successor to St. Peter, with no less ample authority and spiritual jurisdiction over all christians than that apostle had; and that they would be obedient to his holiness in all things, as far as they were bound by the

* From the Douay diary. The bishop of Chalcedon's catalogue, &c.

divine law; which they doubted not might rightly stand with that alle. giance which they had professed to their temporal princess: for as they were most ready to pour forth their blood for the defence of her majesty and their country; so were they resolved to part with their lives, rather than violate the lawful authority of the catholic church of Christ. This declaration was given up to the lords of the council, by direction, signed by thirteen of the most eminent men of the secular clergy, viz: William Bishop, Dr. of Sorbon, afterwards bishop of Chalcedon; John Colleton, John Mush, Robert Charnock, John Bosville, Anthony Hebburn, Roger Cadwallador, Robert Drury, Anthony Champney, Dr. of Sorbon, John Jackson, Francis Barnaby, Oswald Needham, and Richard Button. This declaration is said to have given satisfaction to the queen and her council; though I don't find that it put a stop to the persecution, unless perhaps with regard to the subscribers in particular, none of whom were any farther prosecuted, during the remainder of that reign. But what was judged satisfactory in point of allegiance by queen Elizabeth and her council, was not, it seems, deemed so, in the following reign of king James the first. For now, a new oath of allegiance was imposed upon catholics, by which they were to abjure and detest as damnable and heretical, a doctrine relating to the pope's power; which neither the word of God, nor the church of God had condemned for such. This oath, which is said to have been contrived by Sir Christopher Perkins, a fallen jesuit, and worded on purpose in such a manner, that the catholics might be divided in their opinions about the lawfulness of it; was taken by some of the missioners, but refused by the far greater number, and prohibited by two several breves, addessed by pope Paul the fifth, to the catholics of England.

About the time of the imposing of this new oath, Mr. Drury fell into the hands of the persecutors, and was brought to his trial for being a priest, and remaining in this realm contrary to the statute of Elizabeth 27. For this supposed treason, (for no other was objected to him,) he was condemned to die. 'Tis true he might have saved his life, if he would have complied with the new oath; but he chose rather to die, than to act against his conscience: not that he suffered death for refusing the oath, or that this refusal was by the laws punishable with death; but that being upon another account, viz: for his priesthood, sentenced to die, he had his life offered him, if he would have taken that oath, which was the case also with several other priests who suffered during this reign, who refused to save their lives by taking an oath which they judged to contain a falsehood. Mr. Drury suffered with great constancy at Tyburn, February 26, 1606-7, Anno Etatis, 39, Missionis, 14.

MATTHEW FLATHERS-GEORGE GERVASE.

17

MATTHEW, (ALIAS MAJOR) FLATHERS, PRIEST.-1608.*

MR. FLATHERS was born at Weston, in Yorkshire, and educated in the English college or seminary of Douay. I find by the records of the college, that he was presented to the holy order of priesthood, and ordained at Arras, March 25, 1606, and that he was sent with proper faculties upon the English mission, in the company of Mr. Thomas Somers, on the last day of June of the same year. It seems he fell very soon into the hands of the adversaries of his faith and character, for I have seen his name in a catalogue of priests banished this same year, 1606. However, he quickly returned to the work of his Lord, and after labouring some time in Yorkshire, his native country, he was again apprehended and prosecuted at York for his priestly character. For this, and for his functions only, (no other treason being so much as objected to him, he was condemned to be hanged, drawn, and quartered. He refused to save his life by taking the new oath of allegiance, as it was called, and being drawn to the common place of execution, without Mickle Bar, (a gate of York so called) he was butchered in a most barbarous manner,† for he was no sooner turned off the ladder, but immediately cut down, and rising upon his feet, attempted to walk, as one half stunned, but one of the sheriff's men quickly stopped his journey, by giving him a desperate cut on the head with his halberd; another violently flung him down, and held him fast whilst the executioner ripped up his breast, pulled out his heart, and so completed the butchery. He suffered at York, March 21, 1607-8.

GEORGE GERVASE, PRIEST, O. S. B.‡

GEORGE GERVASE, or Jarvis, was born at Boseham, in Sussex. His father was a gentleman of a noted family in that country, his mother was of the ancient family of the Shelleys. He was left an orphan when he was twelve years of age, and not long after was kidnapped by a pirate, and carried away to the Indies, with two others of his brethren; where he continued for about twelve years, and quite lost his religion; at length he found means to return into England. His eldest brother, Henry, a catholic, was at this time abroad in Flanders, probably for the security of his conscience, and that he might there enjoy the free exercise of his religion. Mr. George, soon after his return, went over to make him a visit, and by his religious example, and the conversation of

* From the Douay diary, and the printed catalogues of Dr. Worthington, p. 48, and Arnoldus Raissius, p. 70.

+ Statim abscisso fune in terram dejectus, ipse in pedes se erexit, et ambulare attentabat; at ex lictoribus unus telo ei capitis partem abscidit; alter eum vi magna in terram prostravit, et retinuit, dum carnifex ventrem secaret et erueret, T. W. in catalogo, p. 48. Raissius, p. 71.

From the Douay diary, T. W. in his catalogue, p. 45, and Raissius, p. 94.