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RICHARD SERGEANT, ALIAS, LONG, AND WILLIAM THOMSON, ALIAS, BLACKBURN, PRIESTS.*

RICHARD SERGEANT, who sometimes screened himself under the names of Lee and Long, was born in Gloucestershire, of a gentleman's family, and was an alumnus and priest of the English college then residing at Rhemes; though he received the order of priesthood, according to Mr. Stow, at Lyons.† He was a man of learning, and after he had for some time, laboured with fruit in gaining souls to Christ, was apprehended, cast into prison, tried, and condemned, barely for being a priest, and remaining in the kingdom, contrary to the statute of 27 Elizabeth.

And William Thomson, sometimes known by the name of Blackburn, born in the parish of Blackburn, in Lancashire, alumnus and priest of the same college, after many labours in the vineyard of his Lord, in administering, in the midst of dangers, the holy sacraments to catholics, and reclaiming heretics from the way of perdition, was, in like manner, apprehended, tried, and condemned, for having been made priest by the authority of the see apostolic, and remaining in England contrary to the statute. They were both drawn, together, to Tyburn, and there happily finished their course, being hanged, bowelled, and quartered, April 20, 1686.

This, or the next month, we find two more priests of the same college, (whose histories are given below,) executed for the same cause, in the Isle of Wight.

ROBERT ANDERTON AND WILLIAM MARSDEN, PRIESTS.‡

ROBERT ANDERTON, born of an honourable family in the county palatine of Lancaster, and William Marsden, born in the parish of Goosenor, in the same county; both performed their studies in the college of Rhemes and Mr. Anderton, in particular, has the character, in the manuscript history, of having been a man of great learning, vir doctissimus. Being advanced to the dignity of priesthood, they were together sent over to labour in the vineyard. But, going on shipboard, whilst they were sailing for some other part of the kingdom, a storm arising, drove them upon the Isle of Wight. Where, being suspected to be priests, they were apprehended, and carried before a justice of the peace; and, upon examination, they not denying their character, were com

From the Diaries and Catalogues of Martyrs of Douay College, and from a manuscript history, kept in the same college, of affairs relating to the catholics during the reign of queen Elizabeth, by Dr. Champney,

It appears by the college journal, that he was ordained, not at Lyons, but at Iaon. ✦ From the Diaries, Catalogues, and Manuscript History, above quoted.

mitted to prison. When they were brought upon their trial, they made it appear, that they were cast upon the shore against their will, and had not remained in the kingdom, before their commitment, the number of days mentioned in the statute; and therefore could not be guilty of the treason, or liable to the punishment of that statute. But this plea, how just soever, was overruled, and they were found guilty by their jury, and had sentence to die, as in cases of high treason; and this barely for their being priests, made by authority derived from Rome, and coming over into this kingdom. In consequence of this sentence, they were executed in the Isle of Wight, on the 25th of April, according to a manuscript catalogue kept in Douay college, which I believe to be the same as was drawn up by order of the bishop of Chalcedon, to be presented to the pope. The constancy and cheerfulness with which these two holy confessors offered themselves to the worst of deaths, and their behaviour on this occasion, gave great edification to the catholics, and astonishment to their adversaries.

FRANCIS INGOLBY, PRIEST.*

FRANCIS INGOLBY was son of Sir William Ingolby, knight. He was born at Ripley, in Yorkshire; was an alumnus, and priest of Douay college, during its residence at Rhemes, and was ordained and sent upon the English mission, anno 1584. He laboured with great fruit, in the northern parts of this kingdom, in the worst of times; where, at length, he was apprehended, tried, and condemned, barely for being a priest, ordained by authority derived from the see of Rome, and remaining in this kingdom. He suffered at York, on the 3d of June,

1586.

JOHN FINGLOW, OR FINGLEY, PRIEST.+

JOHN FINGLOW, or Fingley, was born at Barneby, near Houden, in Yorkshire; had his education in the English college, then residing at Rhemes; where he was ordained priest, March 25, being Easter Eve, 1581; and was sent upon the English mission, the 24th of April following. After many labours, in gaining souls to Christ, in the northern parts of the kingdom, he was apprehended and committed to York gaol; and being brought upon his trial, was condemned, for high treason,

* From the Douay diary, catalogues, and MS. history.

+ From the diary, catalogues, and manuscript history, above quoted.

for being a priest, made by Roman authority, and for having reconciled some of the queen's subjects to the church of Rome. He was hanged, bowelled, and quartered, at York, August 8, 1586. Some say, 1587. He suffered, says Molanus, in his catalogue, p. 14., with that generous courage, which seems to have been natural to the seminarists, from the very beginning, and with an ardent zeal for the confirmation of religion. Ingenita seminaristis jam inde ab initio generositate, and ardore in religione confirmanda.

JOHN SANDYS, PRIEST.*

JOHN SANDYS was born in the diocese of Chester, was educated in Douay college, during its residence at Rhemes, were he was made priest, and sent upon the English mission, anno 1584. After having, for some time, diligently applied himself to his missionary functions, he was apprehended, tried, and condemned, for being a priest; and was drawn, hanged, bowelled, and quartered at Gloucester, August the 11th, (some say 2d,) 1586.

In October following, I find three priests executed together at Tyburn, of whom, thus writes Mr. Stow, in his chronicle. The 8th of October, John Lowe, J. Adams, and Richard Dibdale, being before condemned for treason in being made priests by authority of the bishop of Rome, were drawn to Tyburn, and there hanged, bowelled, and quartered.'

JOHN LOWE AND JOHN ADAMS, PRIESTS.†

JOHN LOWE was born at London, and was, for some time, a protestant minister; but, being converted, he went abroad, and was first an alumnus of Douay college, and afterwards sent from Douay to Rome, in 1576, where he was made priest; and from thence returned upon the English mission. Here he was apprehended and cast into prison, and, at length, tried, condemned, and executed, as in cases of high treason, barely for his priestly character and functions.

He suffered at Tyburn, October 8, 1586.

JOHN ADAMS was born at Martin's Town, in Dorsetshire, and performed his divinity studies in the English college, then residing at Rhemes; from whence he was sent priest upon the mission, anno 1581. He was one of those priests that were banished in 1585, and, upon that occasion, returned to the college; but, after a short stay, went again

From the diary, catalogue, and manuscript history, above stated. + From the Douay memoirs above quoted.

into the vineyard, where he was again apprehended. Other particulars relating to him I have not found, only Molanus signifies, 'that his constancy was proof against the artifices and promises, by which many sought to divert him from his generous resolution of laying down his life for his faith. Multorum elusis artibus, qui constantiam de more catholicorum variis promissis mollire conantur.

He was condemned barely for being a priest, and was executed at Tyburn, October 8, 1586.

RICHARD DIBDALE, PRIEST.*

RICHARD, or as he is called in most catalogues, Robert Dibdale, was born in Worcestershire, was an alumnus and priest of the English college, then residing at Rhemes, and from thence, anno 1584, was sent to labour in the English vineyard, which he diligently cultivated for some years, till, falling into the hands of the persecutors, he was tried and condemned to die for his priestly character and functions. And, in consequence of this sentence, was, together with Mr. Lowe and Mr. Adams, drawn to Tyburn, and there hanged, bowelled, and quartered, October 8, 1586.

Of him thus writes Mr. Davies, an ancient missioner, in a manuscript relation sent over to Douay, anno 1626. Mr. Richard Dibdale, priest, was executed with Mr. John Lowe. I met him once at Sir George Peckham's, of Denham, besides Uxbridge, where he practiced the office of an exorcist; for there were three persons bewitched and possessed, two maids and one man. Out of one of the maids he brought forth a great needle at her cheek, and two rusty nails, and pieces of lead; her name was Ann Smith. The other was called Fid, who, after the apprehension of Mr. Dibdale, became concubine to Bancroft, called archbishop of Canterbury, and had a child by him, as I have heard. I left him there upon Ascension Eve, and coming to London, I was apprehended by Newal and Worseley, two pursuivants, on Ascension Day, in the morning, saying my prime, bound and sent to the compter, in Wood street, and two gentlemen that were taken with me; the third gentleman who brought me a missal, escaping, by giving the pursuivants 31. The same Mr. Dibdale I also met twice or thrice at the old Lord Vaux's house, who then lived at London. More of him I cannot say of my own knowledge.'

Of the same Mr. Dibdale, and his exorcisms, thus writes the learned and pious Diego de Yepez, confessor to Philip II., king of Spain, and bishop of Tarasona, in his Spanish history of the persecution of England, 1. 2., chap. 13. 'Wonderful, says he, were the things that happened in the exorcisms of certain persons possessed by the devil, made by Mr. Dibdale, priest, who was since martyred, and by others, in the

* From the same memoirs, and from a manuscript in my hands,

house of a certain catholic, where many persons of distinction met, with great profit to their souls, to see and hear things far exceeding the forces of human nature, which obliged them to reverence the works of God, and the virtue and power which Christ our Lord has bequeathed to the ministers of his church. The martyr Dibdale obliged the devil to bring up by the mouth of one of the possessed persons, balls of hair, and pieces of iron, and other such like things, which it was impossible could ever naturally have gone into, or afterwards have come out of, a human body. The devil also, upon this occasion, told what relics of the saints each one had privately brought with him, and obeyed the prayers and exorcisms of the church, confessing and declaring, to their own confusion, the virtue which the sign of the cross, holy water, and relics, (as well of the ancient saints, as of those that suffer in these days in England for the catholic faith) have against them. All which, though some incredulous and hardened heretics slighted, yet others that were not so much biassed by passion, but more reasonable, were convinced by the evidence of what they saw, and thereupon renounced their errors.' So far this prelate.

The same author, in this and the following chapters, relates several other remarkable histories, which happened in these times, of persons possessed by the devil. As of a young man in Derbyshire, who, being a catholic in his heart, to save his worldly substance (for he was rich,) outwardly conformed to the established religion, and received the protestant communion; which he had no sooner done, but he fell into a great trouble of mind, followed by strange fits, which, as it was not long after plainly discovered, proceeded from an evil spirit possessing him. Also of another young man, in Hampshire, to whom the like happened upon his going, though but once, to the protestant church. He was delivered by a catholic priest, a prisoner for his faith, who having reconciled him by confession, and given him the holy communion, sent him home perfectly cured, giving him withal, as a defence against the devil, the cassock of another priest, who had suffered martyrdom a little before; which,' says my author, the young man kept with great reverence and devotion, and showed it to the person who related this history to me; and he is living at this day, with great edification to all that know him.' He relates, also, of a third person, a student of Oxford, who was strangely obsessed by the devil, frequently persuading him to make away with himself. His friends would have it, that he was mad, and sent him to Bedlam. After some time, by the means of a catholic gentleman, who recounted this history to my author, he was, by degrees, convinced of the errors in which he was brought up, and reconciled to the catholic church; and having made a general confession, and received the holy communion, was perfectly cured both in soul and body. But returning to the university, that he might not lose his place, which he enjoyed before in his college, he concealed his being a catholic, and went to the protestant service; which he had no sooner done, but the devil returned again, molesting him as before; and shortly after, he hanged himself in despair. A fourth history, which the same author gives from the testimony of his English friends, is of one Mr. Bridges, a student of Middle Temple, who being possessed by the devil, was brought to Mr. Fox, the protes

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