OF

THE CATHOLICS OF ENGLAND

BY

PROTESTANTS.

1585. In this year, the Rev. John Bennett, after being kept in a filthy prison, loaded with irons, and twice cruelly tortured, in order to make him confess whom he had reconciled, was, with thirty other priests, sent into perpetual banishment. Mr. Henry Pugh, a Flintshire gentleman, was cast into prison and cruelly tortured. Several priests also lost their lives in prison this year, for their character and religion. Among these were Mr. Thomas Cotesmore, Mr. Robert Holmes, Mr. Robert Wakeman, and Mr. James Luman. The three latter were killed by the stench and other incommodities of their respective prisons. Of Mr. Wakeman, Dr. Bridgewater says, that he was translated from one of the prisons to Newgate, and there lodged near a most stinking hole, where the prisoners emptied themselves and their chamber utensils, by which he suffered so much, during two whole years, that he was at last killed by the stench of the place. He likewise relates of Mr. Holmes, that falling into the hands of the persecutors, he was kept prisoner for two months in a certain dark hole, designed for keeping coals, which had on both sides of it houses of office; that lying here on the bare floor, without any bed, he was brought to death's door; and though, at the earnest suit of his friends, he was changed to a more commodious prison, yet being too far gone to be recovered, died within two days. He also informs us of Mr. Ailworth, a secular gentleman, who, for his constancy in his faith, was not only cast into prison and there put into irons, but also thrust down by the jailer into a nasty dungeon, or rather a common sewer, where he perished by the stench within eight days. The same author, in his short view of the sufferings of the Catholics, at the end of his Concertatio, acquaints us, that in this same year, 1585, no less than fifty Catholic gentlemen's houses in Lancashire were searched in one night, under pretence of looking for priests, but so as to plunder the houses, and send away the masters to divers prisons, where they suffered great hardships for their faith. This author names particularly Mr. Travers, Mr. Holland, and Mr. Barlow, the last of whom was, at that very time, so ill as not to be able to sit upon his horse; yet this could not dispense him from being sent to prison. And, indeed, such was the case of the Catholics at this time, not only in Lancashire, but all over the kingdom, that the jails were every where filled with them, and that barely for their recusancy; insomuch that the old prisons not being sufficient to hold them, new ones were built in many places, and all this for people whose conscience was their only crime.

It was in this year (the 27th of Elizabeth) the bloody statute was passed, by which it was made high treason for any native of her majesty's dominions, made priest since the first year of her reign, by authority derived from Rome, to return into this kingdom or remain here; and felony for any person to harbour or relieve any such priest, knowing him to be a priest. By which statute, as we have shewn in the preceding page, most of those that suffered for religious matters were arraigned and condemned. The Catholics, perceiving the storm that was hanging over their heads, sought to divert it by an humble and dutiful address to the queen, presented to her majesty by Mr. Shelley, of Sussex, one day as she was walking in her park at Greenwich. But this address had no other effect than the causing the gentleman who presented it to be cast into the Marshalsea, where he died a close prisoner, for no other fault but presuming to present an address to the queen without the knowledge and consent of the lords of the council.

These new laws terrified the Catholics to that degree, that many of them resolved to expatriate themselves, that they might enjoy the free exercise of conscience.Amongst others who took this resolution was Philip Howard, earl of Arundel, eldest son to the Duke of Norfolk, who, by the contrivance of Leicester, was beheaded in 1572. Before his departure, he wrote a dutiful letter to the queen, to be deli

vered when he was gone. His design, however, miscarried, as he was betrayed by one of his domestics, and seized just as he was going on shipboard. Being brought back to London, he was committed to the Tower, and afterwards fined by the Star Chamber ten thousand pounds, an immense sum in that day, and to be imprisoned during the queen's pleasure. His relations, friends, and servants were at the same time committed to different prisons. After some years' confinement he was tried and condemned to death, but was not executed. He lingered ten years in prison, when death relieved him from his sufferings. The chief crimes objected against him were the harbouring and relieving priests, and corresponding with the unfortunate Mary queen of Scots.

This same year, 1585, Henry Piercy, earl of Northumberland, who had been sent to the Tower the year before, upon occasion of his friend the lord Paget's privately retiring beyond the seas for his conscience sake, after many efforts of his enemies (of whom the earl of Leicester was supposed to be the chiefest) to bring him in

guilty of some treason, was found shot through the reins and groin. Great industry was used to persuade the nation that he was felo de se, but it was violently suspected that he was made away by Leicester. This Henry was brother to Thomas Piercy, earl of Northumberland, who, with Charles Nevile, earl of Westmorland, took up arms in the north for the Catholic religion, in 1569, and was beheaded at York, in 1572.

In this year also, no less than seventy priests were banished the kingdom, solely 'on account of their religion. The names of twenty-one of them may be seen by referring to page 25 of this volume. Three of them afterwards returned to England and were executed.

As to the names and number of the Catholics, as well clergy as laity, who, under the reign of Elizabeth, were either deprived of their livings, or suffered loss of their estates, imprisonments, banishments, &c. for their religion, it is impossible to set them all down. Dr. Bridgewater, in a table published at the end of his Concertatio Ecclesia Catholicæ, gives us the names of about twelve hundred, who had suffered in this manner before the year 1588, that is, before the greatest heat of the persecution; and yet declares, that he is far from pretending to have named all, but only such whose sufferings had come to his knowledge. In this list three archbishops (taking in two of Ireland); eighteen bishops consecrated or elected; one abbot; four whole convents of religious; thirteen deans; fourteen archdeacons; sixty prebendaries; five hundred and thirty priests; forty-nine doctors in divinity; eighteen doctors of the law; and fifteen masters of colleges: one queen, eight earls, ten lords, twenty-six knights, three hundred and twenty-six gentlemen,

and about sixty ladies and gentlewomen. Many of these died in prison, and several under the sentence of death.

**1600. In this year, on the 19th of January, sixteen priests and four laymen, among whom were an Irish prelate and a Franciscan capuchin, were removed out of divers prisons in and about London, and sent to the castle at Wisbeach. Fifty Catholic prisoners in York castle were also dragged by force to the hall in the castle to hear Protestant sermons. This continued throughout the year. The chief of these prisoners were, Mr. George Raines, priest, William Middleton, of Stockeld; William Stillington, of Kelfield; Richard Danby, of Cave; Richard Fenton, of Burnwallis; Thomas Gelstrop, of Burrowby, esquires. Michael Jenison, of James Rosse, of Igmanthorp; William Gascoign, of Thorp, gentlemen.

1606. In this year forty-seven priests were sent from different prisons in England into perpetual banishment. Their names may be seen page 37.

1610.-Molanus, in his appendix to his Idea togata Constantia, published in 1629, gives the names of the following priests sent into banishment this year with Mr. Somers, who afterwards suffered for his faith. Messrs. Richard Newport, Philip Woodward, Thomas Leak, Cuthbert Johnson, Oswald Needham, N. Green, John Pratt, John Lockwood, John Ainsworth, Robert Chamberlaine, Edward Millington, Gilbert Hunt, N. Sadler and N. Hutton, O. S. B. Thomas Priest and Michael Walpole, S. J. v

1613, 1614, and 1615.-In these three years the Catholics were great sufferers on account of their religion by heavy fines, close imprisonments, &c. but none were put to death. In the latter year, Mr. Smith, Mr. Blount, and Mr. Brown, priests, were sent into banishment from Wisbeach castle, and father Robert Edmonds, O.S. B. died a prisoner for his faith in the Gatehouse.

1623.-In this year the projected match between prince Charles and the infanta of Spain was broken off, and the laws were ordered to be put in execution against all priests and Papists recusants; many priests were apprehended and committed to prison, the lay-gentlemen all over the kingdom were obliged to pay their 207. per month for their recusancy, and the poorer sort their shilling every Sunday. After the death of king James the first, his son Charles, the first of that name, ascended the throne. This prince in his own nature seems not to have been inclined to persecution, at least not so far as to come to the shedding of blood for religion; yet such was the iniquity of the times, and the importunity of the parliaments, ever complaining of the growth of Popery, and urging the execution of the laws, that he gave way to all manner of severities against his Catholic subjects, and issued out proclamation upon proclamation for the executing the laws against them. So that the generality of Catholics had a very bad time of it under his government.

1630 to 1641.-Though no blood was shed during this period, the other penalties were frequently inflicted upon priests and other Catholics. Severe proclamations were issued out against them, heavy fines laid upon them, and the prisons were filled with them; insomuch, that in the compass of one year only, there were at least twenty-six priests of divers orders seized and committed to that prison alone called the Clink; to say nothing of those that were elsewhere confined.

1642. In the December of the preceding year, seven priests were condemned at once at the Old Bailey, on the 8th, and were to have been executed on the 13th. At the desire of the French embassador, the king being willing to have them reprieved and banished, sent a message to both houses of parliament, to know their thoughts upon the matter. This message being sent December the 11th, from the lords to the house of commons, and there read, it was singly voted upon these following priests: "Resolved, that John Hammon, John Rivers, alias Abbot, Walter Coleman, and N. Turner, priests, shall be put to execution according to law."(See Nalson's Impartial Collections, vol. ii. p. 731, 732, &c.) However, his majesty having been pleased to grant his reprieve to all the seven, on the Tuesday following, December the 14th, both houses agreed to join in a petition, that his majesty would take off the reprieve, and order all the seven to be executed. To which his majesty, on December the 16th returned his answer, that he would take the matter into consideration.

This reprieve of the condemned priests, who were shortly after reduced to the number of six, by the death of one of them, was perpetually objected to the king by the parliament, till his majesty, answering from York their petition concerning the magazine of Hull, &c. told them, "Concerning the six condemned priests, it was true, they were reprieved by our warrant, being informed that they were (by some restraint) disabled to take the benefit of our former proclamation; since that we have issued out another, for the due execution of the laws against Papists, and VOL. III.

34

have more solemnly promised, upon the word of a king, never to pardon any priest without your consent, who shall be found guilty by law; desiring to banish these (the six), having herewith sent warrants to that purpose, if upon second thoughts you do not disapprove thereof. But if you think the execution of these persons so very necessary to the great and pious work of reformation, we refer it wholly to you, declaring hereby, that upon such your resolution signified to the ministers of justice, our warrant for their reprieve is determined, and the law to have its course." So far the king. And my lord Clarendon, in his history, vol. 1, part ii. p. 490, tells us, that this unexpected answer did not a little disturb the parliament, because the king, by referring the matter to them, removed the SCANDAL from himself, and laid it at their doors; and certain it is, that we hear no more of this affair, and that these condemned priests were all suffered to linger away their lives in Newgate, though no less than eight of their brethren were executed in different parts of the kingdom within the compass of that one year, 1642.

1643.-This year the parliament made and published several rigorous acts and ordinances against delinquents, as they called 'them, and Papists, by which all, whether Catholics or others, that had already, or should hereafter, assist the king against the parliament, were to have their estates seized and sequestered into the hands of committees named to that purpose; and all Catholics, as such, without any other offence, were to forfeit two-thirds of their whole estates, real or personal, unless they would take an oath, by which they abjured the pope, transubstantiation, purgatory, worship of the host, &c. In this year also several ordinances of the lords and commons were issued to sequestrate two parts of all the estates of every Papist, or which any person held in trust for the use of any Papist, this to be let, set, sold, couverted, and applied to the uses of the parliament, towards supporting of the war. These ordinances were rigorously enforced by the commissioners appointed to put them into execution.

1644. This year the civil wars continuing, two priests of the venerable order of St. Benedict lost their lives by the savage cruelty of the parliament soldiers, of whom thus writes father B. W. in his manuscript: "Father Boniface Kempe, alias Kipton, professed at Mount-serrat, in Spain, with father Ildephonse Hesketh, in the civil wars in 1644, were taken by parliament soldiers, and driven on foot before them in the heat of summer, by which cruel and outrageous usage they were so heated and spent, that they either forthwith or soon after died." In the same year, Mr. Price, a Catholic gentleman, was murdered at Lincoln in hatred of his religion. The day after that town had been taken from the cavaliers, some of the parliament common soldiers meeting with Mr. Price, asked him if he was Price the Papist? "I am," said he, " Price, the Roman Catholic." Whereupon one of them shot him dead upon the spot.

1678-9.-Besides the persons tried and executed for the vile fabricated plot of the infamous Titus Oates, eighteen priests were tried and condemned for their religion only. See their names, p. 36.

During the remainder of Charles the Second's reign, the prisons were crowded with Catholics, as well priests as laity; even the lords that were kept prisoners in the Tower on account of Oates's diabolical plot, could not obtain to be bailed out till 1683; in the mean time lord Petre died a prisoner in the Tower, protesting his innocence to the last of all that had been laid to his charge.

On the accession of king James II. to the throne, though from time to time the Catholics were exposed to some passing storms, yet, by God's mercy, the persecution never raged so far as to come to blood. The most remarkable sufferer, on account of his priestly character, was the reverend father Paul, of St. Francis, alias Matthew Atkinson, O. S. F. He was a native of Yorkshire, and entered into the order of St. Francis in the English convent at Douay, the 27th of December, 1673, being then seventeen years of age. He was sent upon the English mission in 1687, where he was noted for his zeal of souls, and diligence in his pastoral functions, and brought many strayed sheep back to the fold of Christ, till being accused by a false convert of being a priest, he was condemned to perpetual imprisonment, and sent to Hurst Castle, where he remained a constant and pious confessor of Christ for thirty years, till his dying day, which was the 15th of October, 1729. He departed this life aged 74, in the 56th year of his religious profession, and lies interred at St. James's, near Winchester.

For a list of the penal laws passed after the dethronement of James II. and the establishment of the Calvinist Dutchman William III. by the "glorious Revolution," which freed the nation from the Pope and Popery, and saddled it with wars, and the concomitant blessings, national debt and taxes, and corruption and slavery, see the first volume, page 290.

WHO WERE PUNISHED

FOR HERESY

I UNDER

Henry 8th, Edward 6th, and Elizabeth.

IN 1535, 27th of Henry 8th, on the 25th of May, 25 individuals were condemned of heresy at St. Paul's church, London. They held (Stowe says), first, that in Christ, there are not two natures; secondly, that Christ took neither flesh nor blood of the virgin Mary; that children born of infidels shall be saved without baptism; fourthly, that the sacrament of Christ's body is but bread only; fifthly, that whosoever sinneth wittingly after baptism cannot be saved. Fourteen of them stood stiffly in their opinions, and were burned, two in Smithfield, and the rest in other parts of the kingdom.

In 1538, the 30th of the said king, four Anabaptists were condemned on the 24th of November, for denying that children ought to be baptised, or, if they were then, that they must be baptised again when they came to age, and other such absurdities of sectaries in those days.

In the same year and 29th day in the same month, a Dutchman and Dutchwoman were condemned and burned in Smithfield, for hold similar opinions with Lambert, one of Fox's saints.

In 1540, and 32d of the said king, two men were burned for denying that Christ took flesh of the blessed Virgin, and that there ought to be no public magistrates.

In 1549, the 3d of Edward 6th, archbishop CRANMER, and other assistants, condemned certain Anabaptists, to the number of five or six, whereof some of them recanted, and carried fagots at Paul's cross, Colchester, and other places.

In 1550, and 4th of the said king, on the 2d day of May, Joan Knell, alias Boucher, commonly called Joan of Kent, for defence of her opinion against the flesh of Christ, which she held with such assurance of her salvation, that, jesting at the Protestants, she said, she died for a piece of flesh, as Anne Askew had done a little before for a piece of bread. She was condemned and burned at Smithfield by bishop CRANMER and his assistants. "And at her burning (saith Stowe) preached at the stake Dr. Story, to have converted her, but she, not regarding his doctrine, said he lied like a

&c."

In 1573, and 15th Elizabeth, Peter Burchet, a gentleman of the Middle Temple, was on the point of being condemned by the then bishop of London, Edwin, in St. Paul's church, for divers heretical opinions, but, on the persuasion of others, he was induced to recant and save himself.

In 1575, and 17th of the same queen, on the 3d of April, twenty-seven persons were condemned by the Protestant bishop of London and his assistants, for holding that it was not lawful for a Christian to take an oath, and that no man may be a magistrate, or bear the sword. Four of these recanted and bore fagots at Paul's cross; the others were kept in prison for their obstinacy.