ton in his catalogue gives this short account of his conduct, during the seven years of his mission in England, that he was remarkably laborious in gaining souls to God. Strenuam navavit lucrandis animabus operam, p. 51. In the year 1610, he fell into the hands of the persecutors. The particulars of his seizure, and of what passed from that time till his death, are here abridged from a manuscript, penned by a catholic gentleman, who was a fellow-prisoner with him in Oxford jail.

A true Relation of the Martyrdom of Mr. George Nappier, &c., in a Letter to a Clergyman.

My Rev. Friend,

According to your request, I have here set down all the particulars that befel Mr. Nappier, from the time of his apprehension, until his exit out of this world.

And first, I have heard him say, that he had made it his prayer to God, that if by the disposition of divine Providence he should fall into the enemies' hands, he might not be taken in his friend's house, because of the penalty of the laws against harbourers of priests-and it seems that God was pleased to hear his prayer. For being seen by a young fellow to go into a catholic woman's house, on the 18th of July, towards evening, the knave ran in great haste to the vicar's house, to give notice and concert measures with him for seizing the priest.

The informer met with a cold reception at the first, the parson's daughter flatly refusing to tell whether her father was at home; and the mother being no less reserved, and unwilling to let the man come under her roof.-Some few days before, it seems, a quarrel had happened between this blade and the person; so that his furious knocking at the door, and calling for the vicar in haste, with such disorder in his looks and speech, joined to the fright that both mother and daughter were in from a dream of the latter the night before, that her father was murdered, affected the good women in such manner, that they held fast the door and refused him entrance. The fellow perceived the mistake, and bid them be easy, for that he came upon another sort of an errand, to do a piece of good service to the church, and assist the vicar in seizing a popish priest just gone into one of his parishioner's houses. Upon this they began to listen to the man, and the parson was called down; who commended the young man's zeal, but was of opinion that nothing was to be done that night, but that they would take care to have him secured early in the morning; and accordingly a constable was engaged to be ready for that purpose,

Mr. Nappier having assisted the family, and performed his devotions very early, according to the custom of those times, took his leave, and was making the best of his way on foot, (his usual way of travelling,) through the enclosures, supposing all quiet at that early hour, when to his great surprise, two or three sturdy young fellows came up hastily towards him, and bad him stand. You must go back with us, says one; You are a priest, says another, we will have you

before a justice. The good man made no words on it, but went quietly with them.

And first, they charged the constable with him, and bade him carry him before Sir Francis Eves. When he came, the justice ordered the constable to search him. It must be here observed, that Mr. Nappier had his pix with him, and in it, two consecrated hosts-and as he owned to me several times, when he heard Sir Francis give the constable orders to search, he was under the greatest concern, for fear lest the blessed sacrament should fall into their hands, and be exposed to some profane or sacrilegious treatment. And he farther assured me, not without tears in his eyes, that whereas the search was most strict, even so far, that his shoes were pulled off in the presence of the justice, that nothing might escape them. And, whereas also, in searching of his pockets, the constable, to his feelings, had his hands many times, both upon the pix, and upon a small reliquary, yet neither of them were discovered, to the great surprise and no less joy of the good man. A passage he never spoke of during his confinement, without blessing and praising the divine goodness for this merciful, may I not venture to term it with him, even miraculous preservation? For after all their labour, they only found his breviary, his holy oils, a needle-case, thread, and thimble. Sir Francis said he was but a poor priest, and I verily believe, says he, no great statesman, and bade the constable take him into his custody, and look well to him. The constable replied, He should take a special care of his not making his escape, and would, therefore, set him in the stocks, till his worship should otherwise dispose of him. But Sir Francis forbade him, and ordered the constable to let him have a bed, and what else he called for, and Sir Francis used him very kindly at his own house, as did my lady. She provided me a mess of good broth, said Mr. Nappier, for my supper; and in the morning, when I was again brought before Sir Francis, in order to receive my mittimus, my lady provided for me a mess of milk, with cinnamon and sugar, for my breakfast; and that being the 20th of July, they carried me to Oxford jail.

The prisoner was brought to the bar the next assizes, which happened soon after his commitment, and was tried before Mr. Justice Crook, upon an indictment of high treason, for taking priestly orders by authority derived from Rome, and remaining in England, contrary to the laws.

The judge asked him whether he was a priest? The prisoner answered, If he were such, the law did not compel him to discover himself; but if, my lord, says he, you have witnesses to prove me a priest, let them be called.-Once more the judge said to him, Will you deny that you are a priest? Mr. Nappier replied, if any man will prove me in orders, let the court produce him; and then, my lord, I shall submit to the penalty of the law. The judge then directed his discourse to the jury in these, or the like words Gentlemen, you hear the prisoner will not deny himself to be a priest: and, therefore, you may certainly believe he is a priest. For my part, if he will but here say that he is no priest, I will believe him. But indeed, these instruments of his priestly functions, "the oil boxes," do plainly show him to be

in orders; and, therefore, you have evidence sufficient, that he is guilty of the indictment. Upon which, the prisoner was brought in guilty, by the jury.

His relations made great interest to obtain a reprieve for him, and his execution was respited till the month of November, and, probably speaking, had not some back friends, more especially, the vice-chancellor of Oxford and some others, interposed, his reprieve might have been continued from time to time, and he either transported, or permitted to languish away his life in durance, as many others had done before him. But two faults he was guilty of, which according to the divinity of these men, were crimes unpardonable. There was a poor wretch tried at the same assizes for felony, and found guilty, whose name was Falkner. Some few days before his execution, he was reconciled by Mr. Nappier, and had all the helps that a dying man could expect, as far as circumstances of time and place would allow. In short, at the gallows, the matter was discovered, the poor man declared himself a catholic, abjured the errors of his former religion, as well as begged pardon of God, and of all the world for the sins of his past life; and with great appearances of repentance, and a devout behaviour, submitted himself to the executioner.

The people stormed; the ministers threw all the blame upon the condemned priest, made a heavy route, called for justice, and went straight away to Abington, to make complaint to the judges. The high sheriff and vice-chancellor were ordered to examine into the fact, and lay before their lordships, a true account of the whole proceedings, with the names of the persons concerned in the perversion of this poor fellow. Mr. Nappier was sent for to Christ Church, and strictly examined by the vice-chancellor and the high sheriff, about the whole affair. To these, he gave this fair account: that he had no discourse nor acquaintance with Falkner, till they had both received sentence of death; and he was removed from his former chamber to the condemned hole, where he found the said Falkner. 'Here he applied to me, (said Mr. Nappier,) for my advice and instruction, how to make a happy end, and save his soul. I was glad of the opportunity, encouraged him in his resolutions, and, on my part, endeavoured, by all proper means to improve these pious motions of the holy spirit, in order to bring him to a true repentance and confession of his sins. In a word, Mr. Nappier told him, without more ado, that he was the person, whom God had pleased to make use of, for reconciling the poor wretch to him and his church, and, that as he was the only person concerned, he desired that no other might be questioned or troubled about it

The high sheriff and vice-chancellor gave him to understand, that they were to lay this whole matter before the judges, who were highly displeased with what they had already heard, and that as soon as they had received this farther confirmation by his owning the fact before them, they persuaded themselves it would put a stop to the reprieve, and hasten his execution. Their will be done, says Mr. Nappier, I did nothing but what I thought a strict duty, and so far I am from repining any ways at what is done, that if you please, Mr. Vice-chancellor, with my hearty commendations to my good lord judges, you may as

sure them, that if they will come back to Oxford, and give me the same opportunity, I will do as much for their lordships.'

The vice-chancellor asked him, whether he would take the oath of allegiance he told him with all his heart, as far as it related to the obedience due to princes in temporals only; and would acknowledge upon oath, if he pleased, that king James was his liege sovereign, and that he was vested with as much authority over all his subjects, catholics as well as protestants, as any of his predecessors whatsoever. They insisted upon his taking the oath of allegiance, as set forth in the act of parliament, and upon this condition they promised him his life should be saved. But this he refused. Then they persuaded him to peruse Mr. Blackwell's treatise of the lawfulness of this oath, and the vice-chancellor called for the book. Mr. Nappier took it, and gave it a reading, but some few days after sent back the book, and told Mr. vice-chancellor, that he still continued in his former resolution, the oath of allegiance, as it stood worded, he would not take.

It was soon after noised about, that Mr. Nappier was to be executed in a few days. However, nothing was done till the return of the judges from their circuits. Then indeed judge Crook, (as the report then went,) managed matters in such sort with the council, that a warrant was sent to the high sheriff for the execution of the prisoner. But here, by the unwearied endeavours of his relations, his majesty was again petitioned, and another short reprieve was obtained til the 9th of November, upon condition, that in the interem he should confer with the vicechancellor and other learned divines. The vice-chancellor happening to be at London during most of the time, Dr. Hammond and the pro-proctor had instructions to discourse with Mr. Nappier upon the subject of the oath of allegiance, &c. And it is said of him, that these conferences were managed with so much calmness, humility, and candour on the part of the prisoner, that these gentlemen were not a little moved with his meek and modest behaviour, and made their report in such favourable terms, as plainly showed their great unwillingness to have him suffer.

Some few days before the expiration of the reprieve, the vice-chancellor returning, sent again to have the prisoner brought before him, and interrogated him upon the old chapter, was he yet disposed to take the oath of allegiance? The prisoner offered him a draft of an oath of fidelity, which he was ready to take. But the vice-chancellor told him in plain terms, that nothing would satisfy but the parliamentary oath. If he would take this, he would use his best endeavours to save him, and not otherwise.

On Thursday, the 8th of November, the discourse was revived, that he was to die, and that the next day. The report was brought to the catholic gentleman, prisoner in the same jail, and the good man himself was not kept in ignorance. A special friend of his, "a priest," sent him word that day, that he purposed to sup with him. Mr. Nappier understood the message; and as this confirmed him in his opinion that his dissolution was at hand, so it extremely rejoiced him to have the comfort of a priest, and the benefit of the church's absolution to prepare him for his death. He shut himself up under a stricter confinement

upon this notice, and employed the remainder of the day in devotion; but withal desired his fellow-prisoner, "the writer of this relation," to order a breast of mutton for supper, and to invite two poor catholics to sup with him, which was done accordingly.

Thus far we have only abridged the account given by this catholic gentleman. What follows is set down in his own words, copied from the original.

Little did he eat at supper, only a piece of pigeon-pie, and after, a few stewed prunes, which one of his sisters had brought him; and very merry he was that evening. And being at supper I said unto him, Mr. Nappier, if it be God's holy will that you should suffer, I do wish with all my heart, that it be to-morrow, it being Friday, and said, that our Saviour did eat the paschal lamb with his disciples on Thursday at night, and suffered the Friday following, and therefore I wish, if you must die, it might be to-morrow. He answered me very sweetly, saying, Welcome by God's grace; and I pray God I may be constant, praying us all to pray for him. And thus much I must let you understand, that every time that he heard news that he should suffer, he would give to some poor body that was catholic, some of his clothes, and I would say unto him, methinks you might make reservation of them again, if you should not die; he would say unto me, Oh no, for I have more upon my back than I brought into the world, and if I live, I will put myself to God's providence. And truly if he had lived he had left himself little more than he brought into the world, for he had given almost all away. After supper he and the other good men withdrew themselves to a secret place to confer on some special matters, and when they had made an end, they took their leaves of one another, and so did all the company, and every man to his chamber.

The next day being Friday, and the 9th of November, about six in the morning, the under-sheriff sent to the keeper's wife, and willed her to let Mr. Nappier know, that he should prepare himself to die, for that was the day, between one and two in the afternoon, that he should be executed. The poor woman took it very grievously, and fell a crying, and came to me. I hearing her cry much, marvelled what the matter should be, and came and met her at my chamberdoor, and asked what the matter was? who answered me crying, Oh, the blessed man must die this day, and I cannot find in my heart to go tell him of it. I answered her again, welcome by God's grace; for now I am assured it is God's will to have it so, and therefore I will go unto him myself, to let him understand the news. And so I went to his chamber, and knocking at his door, he came and opened it, and I saluted him, and asked him how he did? And he answered me, saying, Well, I thank almighty Jesus. And I asked him how he slept in the night? and he said very well, I thank God. Then I said unto him, that the bell had tolled, and rung out also: and he asked me what I meant by those speeches? I said unto him again, that now he must put on his armour of proof, for he must fight that day a great battle. He took me into his arms and embraced me, saying, it was the best news that ever was brought unto him, and I was most heartily welcome for declaring of it unto him, saying further, that he found himself