the catholics. They were both apprehended by the means of certain priest-catchers, who, to bring about their villainy more effectually, had feigned themselves catholics. Ribadaneira, who is followed by Dr. Champney and Mr. Raissius, affirms, that they were hanged up without any formal trial, before the doors of the houses where they were taken, Mr. Jones in Fleet-street, near the conduit; Mr. Middleton at Clerkenwell. And that upon the gallows on which they were hanged, the executioners had caused to be written in great letters, FOR TREASON AND FOREIGN INVASION, to make their cause more odious to the people; but that this artifice did not take, and the spectators, instead of applauding their proceedings, departed highly displeased with these tyrannical measures. Mr. Middleton desired to have leave to speak to the people, which not being allowed him, he contented himself with this short speech, I call Almighty God to witness, that I here die barely for the catholic faith, and for being a priest, and a preacher of the true religion; and I beseech the divine Majesty to vouchsafe to accept of this my death for the forgiveness of my sins, and the advancement of the catholic faith, and the conversion of heretics. A gentleman there present cried out, sir, you have spoken very well, and what is sufficient. With this Mr. Middleton was flung off the ladder; and, as the bishop of Chalcedon's catalogue affirms from the testimony of eye-witnesses, was cut down, and bowelled whilst he was yet alive. They suffered on the

6th of May, 1590.

This same year, four other gentlemen of the same character were executed at Durham, of whom we are now to speak. Wilson and Molanus put them in the following year, but they are certainly mistaken, as appears from the Douay_register, followed by Dr. Champney, by the bishop of Chalcedon, and Raissius.

82.

John

*Edmund Duke-83. Richard Hill-84. Hog-And, 85, Richard Holiday, Priests. EDMUND Duke was born in Kent, and was first a student in the English college then residing at Rhemes, where I find him promoted to minor orders, September 23, 1583; from thence he was sent to Rome, where he finished his studies, and was made priest.

Richard Hill, John Hog, and Richard Holiday, were all born in Yorkshire, all students of the college then residing at Rhemes, and were made sub-deacons at Soisson, the 18th of March, 1589, deacons at Laon, the 27th of May, and priests, at Laon, the 23d of September, in the same year. They were all sent together upon the English mission, (with Mr. Duke, who was lately returned from Rome) on the 22d of March, 1589-90. They landed in the north of England, and travelling through the country, which they were not well acquainted with, they were, upon a slight suspicion, stopped in a village, where they staid to rest themselves, and were carried before a neighbouring justice of the

* From the Douay diary, bishop of Chalcedon's catalogue, and Dr.. Champney's manuscript.

peace, who, upon examination, finding them to be priests, committed them to Durham jail. Here they had some conflicts about religion, as well with the prebendaries of Durham, as with some other ministers; in which, says my author, "Dr Champney, in his manuscript," the confessors of Christ came off victorious. But there was another more effectual way of stopping their mouths, which was to arraign and con demn them for transgressing the statute of Elizabeth 27, which forbids, upon pain of death, priests, made by Roman authority, to come over into England, or remain here. Of this transgression they were all found guilty, and upon this account alone had sentence to die, as in cases of high treason. They suffered at Durham, May 27, some say May 6, 1590. The meekness and constancy which appeared in them in this last scene of life edified many, and was admired by all. It was also taken notice of, as a thing very extraordinary, as we learn from a letter of Mr. Cuthbert Trollop, priest, that the well, out of which they took water to boil the quarters of these four holy priests, did presently dry up, and so continued for many years after..

This year put an end to all the plots and stratagems of that unwearied persecutor of the English catholics, and capital enemy of the missioners, sir Francis Walsingham, principal secretary of state to queen Elizabeth. He died miserably on the 6th of April, 1590, of an ulcer and impostume in his bowels, which reduced him to that wretched condition, that whilst he was yet alive, he yielded so insupportable a stench, that scarce any one could bear to come near him. Ribadaneira and Champney re late, that amongst other attempts he made to ruin the seminaries abroad, he once, by his emissaries, procured to have the well poisoned, which supplied the college of Rhemes with water, in order to destroy by poison all the priests and students; and that another time he caused poison to be given to Dr. Allen, the institutor and first president of that community: but the providence of God defeated these and many others of his plots, He maintained so many spies abroad, and was at such expences to bring about his wicked enterprizes, that he not only spent what was allowed him by the queen for that purpose, which was very considerable, and the salary of his place, but also his whole estate, leaving nothing to his only daughter but his debts, who, says Dr Champney in his manuscript, having renounced heresy, now embraces the catholic faith.

1591.-This year the persecution, which had something relented, began again to rage as much as ever. The first that felt the fury of it was Mr. Robert Thorp, priest, (Ribadaneira, being a stranger to the English names, calls him Therfeus) and his harbourer, Mr. Watkinson.

86. *Robert Thorp, Priest.

ROBERT Thorp was born in Yorkshire, and was an alumnus and priest of Douay college, during its residence at Rhemes; from whence he was sent upon the English mission, May 9, 1585, He employed his la

* From the Douay diary and catalogues, from Ribadaneira, chap. 7. Champney's manuscript, and the relation of the lady Babthorpe.

bours in Yorkshire, his native country. Dr. Champney, who was ac quainted with him, writes of him as follows: This holy priest, whom I knew in my younger days, and to whom I have often confessed my sins, had laboured for a long time, and with very great fruit, in the vineyard of the Lord. He was a man of low stature, of infirm health, and but indifferent in point of learning, but of great devotion and piety; but though he was naturally timerous and weak, yet he suffer⚫ed death for the catholic faith with great constancy and fortitude.'

The manner of his apprehension is thus related by the lady Babthorpe, who then lived in that country, but after her husband's decease, became a nun at Louvain. To my remembrance,' says she, it is twenty-nine years since we were committed to Sheriff-Hutton castle: the president (of the North) was then the earl of Huntington, and the archbishop's name was Piers, who had been a priest. And for the manner of Mr. Thorp's taking and death, I can remember no more, but that on a • Palm-Sunday's evening, " rather on the eve of Palm-Sunday," he was, by an evil neighbour, seen to go into Thomas Watkinson's house; or, as some said, that neighbour saw some of Thomas Watkinson's servants get palms, which was sufficient to assure them that he had a priest in his house; for they knew well that priests used much to come to his house; but they could not be sure of the time; so now thinking ⚫ they were sure of one, they went with speed to one Mr. John Gates, a justice of peace, living in Houldone, some three miles off, one who was always ready on such evil employments; who, with his company, came so early on Palm-Sunday in the morning, that, as I heard, they took them in their beds, and carried them away to York, where they ⚫ were martyred. The manner of their deaths I remember not, only this, that the good old man, "Watkinson" was offered his life if he would go to church, which he refusing, was martyred with the priest.'

This Thomas Watkinson, who suffered with Mr. Thorp, was a yeo? man of Menthorpe, in Yorkshire, a good religious catholic, who lived a kind of a solitary life, and afforded what aid and assistance he could to the missioners. He suffered with great constancy, though naturally he was also timerous, and now advanced in years.

Mr. Thorp was condemned merely upon account of his priesthood; and Mr. Watkinson, merely for harbouring priests. The former was hanged, drawn and quartered; the latter only hanged.

They suffered at York, May 31, 1591.

87.

*Monford Scot-And, 88, George Beesley,

MONFORD,

Priests.

ONFORD, or Montford Scot, was born of a gentleman's family, in the Diocese of Norwich, and was far advanced in his studies before he left England, which was in the year 1574. At which time he was admitted, by Dr. Allen, into the college lately instituted at Douay, and

* From the Douay diary and catalogues, from father Ribadaneira, chap. 7. and from Dr. Champney's manuscript history.

there applied himself to the study of divinity. He was one of the eldest sons of that fruitful mother, and stands the nineteenth in the list of her priests, according to the order of their ordination, and the thirty-first in the list of the missioners sent from thence into England. He was made priest in 1575, and sent upon the mission in 1577, before the removal of the college to Rhemes. Dr. Champney gives him this character :— He was,' says he, a man of wonderful meekness, and of so great ab'stinence and devotion, that his diet, on common days, was bread and 'water, and he would take but little more on Sundays and holidays; ' and so addicted he was to prayer, that he spent whole days and nights almost in this exercise, insomuch that his knees were grown hard by the assiduity of his prayers, as it is related of St. James; which, when one of the standers by perceived, whilst his body was quartered, he ' said aloud; I should be glad to see any one of our ministers, with their ‹ knees as much hardened by constant prayer, as we see this man's knees are. And so great and so general was the veneration that this holy priest had acquired, that Topcliff, that noted persecutor, loudly boasted, that the queen and kingdom were highly obliged to him, for having apprehended and brought to the gallows a priest so devout and so mor⚫tified. He was prosecuted and condemned barely upon account of his character, and was hanged, bowelled and quartered, on the 2d of July, 1591, in Fleet-street. He suffered with wonderful constancy, and no 'less modesty and spiritual joy, to the great edification of the spectators, ' and the admiration even of the greatest enemies of his faith and chas fracter.'

George Beesley, priest, suffered. at the same time and place, and with the like constancy, alacrity, and edification of the faithful. He was born at a place called the Mount, in Goosenor parish, in Lancashire, and was an alumnus and priest of Douay college, during its residence at Rhemes he was ordained priest in 1587, and sent upon the English mission in 1588. He was a man of singular courage, young, strong, and robust, before he fell into the hands of the persecutors; but whilst he was in their hands, he was so frequently and cruelly tortured by the unhappy Topcliff, in order to oblige him to confess what catholics he had conversed with, and by whom he had been harboured or relieved, that he was reduced to a mere skeleton; insomuch, that they who were before acquainted with him, could scarce know him to be the same man, when they saw him drawn to execution. Yet all these torments he endured with invincible courage and patience, and would not be induced to name any one, or bring any one into danger on his account. He was condemned merely for his priestly character, and remaining in England contrary to the statute of Elizabeth 27; and was hanged, bowelled and quartered in Fleet-street, July 2. Some say, that the servant of the inn, where he was apprehended, was executed at the same time, for aiding and assisting him. Mr. Beesley left behind him a brother of the same character, who, for many years after, laboured in the Lord's vineyard.

89. * Roger Diconson, or Dickinson, Priest. ROGER Diconson (whom Ribadaneira calls de Kinsonio, from which some have given him the name of Kinson) was born at Lincoln, and was an alumnus and priest of the English college, then residing at Rhemes. He was ordained priest at Laon, in April, 1583, and sent upon the mission the 4th of May, the same year. The particulars of his missionary labours, apprehension and trial, I have not found; only, that he was condemned merely on account of his priesthood, and suffered as in cases of high treason, by hanging, drawing, and quartering, with a constancy worthy of the cause for which he died,

He was executed at Winchester, July 7, 1591.

Ralph Milner, layman, suffered at the same time and place, for relieving the said Mr. Diconson. He was born at Flacsted, in Hampshire; and had a wife and eight children living at the time of his condemnation. The judge, as it were out of pity, advised him to go but once to church, that by this condescension, he might escape the ignominious death of the "gallows, and live for the good of his family: but Mr. Milner answered with true christian fortitude, would your lordship then advise me, for the perishable trifles of this world, or for a wife and children, to lose my God? No, my lord, I cannot approve or embrace a counsel so disagreeable to the maxims of the gospel. He was executed therefore according to sentence; and suffered with extraordinary courage and constancy.

At the same assizes were also condemned, † seven maiden gentlewomen, of good families, for having received Mr. Diconson into their houses to say mass to them. But the judge, who thought they would be sufficiently terrified by the sentence of death, gave them a reprieve, and so ordered them back to prison; at which they all burst out into tears, and begged, that the sentence of death, pronounced against them, might be put in execution; and that they might die with their ghostly father and pastor; it being just, that as they had a share in his supposed guilt, so they should be also sharers in his punishment: adding withal, that they trusted in God, that he who had given them the grace to do what they had done, would also strengthen them to suffer death with courage and constancy for the holy catholic faith.

Some time this year, 1591, (the particular day or month I have not found) William Pikes, a layman, suffered at Dorchester, as in cases of high treason, for being reconciled to the church of Rome, and denying the queen's spiritual supremacy. He was, as I learn from a written relation of the reverend Mr. Manger's, born in Dorsetshire, and dwelt in a village called Moors, in the parish of Parley, four or five miles from Christ's Church, in Hampshire. He was hanged, cut down alive, bowelled and quartered. Being cut down all alive, says a manuscript relation in my hands and being a very able, strong man, when the ex'ecutioner came to throw him on the block to quarter him, he stood

* From the Douay diary and catalogues, from Dr. Champney's manuscript, and from a relation sent over from England, recorded by father Ribadaneira, c. 7. + Septem nobiles virgines. Champney in MSS. Ribadaneira in Appendice, c. 7.