be done on earth as it is in heaven: and with that he began, with a loud voice, that hymn of joy and thanksgiving, te Deum laudamus.

Four days before his death, he was sent for by the high sheriff and two ministers: what passed between them was kept private; nor had the catholics any opportunity of learning it from himself, for, from that time he was kept in a dungeon by himself, waiting with patience, and preparing himself for his passage into eternity.

On the 22d of August he was pinioned down on the hurdle, and drawn with Mr. Lacy to the place of execution. Here he employed himself in silent prayer, till his companion had happily finished his course; then, being called upon by the officers, he cheerfully went up the ladder, and addressing himself to the multitude of spectators, which was very great, he began to make an exhortation to them, but was interrupted, and ordered to desist. Upon which, going up a little higher on the ladder, and lifting up his eyes towards his heavenly country, to which his soul aspired, he pronounced these words of the royal prophet, Heu mihi, quia incolatus meus prolongatus est: habitavi cum habitantibus Cedar, multum incola fuit anima mea! and so was flung off the ladder, and yielded up his soul to his creator.

JAMES THOMPSON, PRIEST.*

MR. JAMES THOMPSON was born and brought up in Yorkshire, in the west part thereof, and about the city of York. From thence he went over to the college lately translated from Douay to Rhemes, where he was made priest, and sent back to England in 1581. He was apprehended on the 11th of August, 1582, in the city of York, in the house of Mr. Branton, a catholic, then prisoner for his conscience in the Kitcote, and being examined by the counsel,† what he was, he frankly owned himself to be a priest. At which, when some seemed to be surprised, because he had been for some years before well known in that city, and they could not imagine how he should be made a priest, he told them, he had been beyond the seas, and was ordained there; though his stay was but short, not above one year, because the state of his health obliged him to return home sooner than he had designed.

They bid him tell them sincerely, whether his returning to England was not in order to reconcile the queen's subjects to the church of Rome? He answered, That the cause of his returning into England was that which he had already told them; for he had laboured under a very ill state of health, from Candlemas till the beginning of May. But withal, says he, I will tell you, ingenuously, that I returned in order to do some service to my country. They asked him, if he had reconciled any? he answered, That where opportunity was offered, he had not been want

From Dr. Bridgewater's collections, in his Concertatio Ecclesiæ Catholicæ, &c., fol. 101. And from a manuscript account sent over to Douay, by the Reverend Mr. Ralph Fisher.

+ Senatus.

ing to his duty. They asked how many, and what persons he had reconciled? he desired to be excused from answering a question by which he might bring others into danger. Then they asked, whether he acknowledged the queen's majesty for the supreme head of the church? He answered, That he did not acknowledge her for such. Very well, said they, you need say no more; you have said enough. He answered, Blessed be God.

Yet, not content with this, they further asked him, whether he would take arms against the pope, if he should invade the kingdom? he replied, When that time shall come, I will show myself a true patriot. But, said they, Will you fight against the pope now? He answered, No. Upon which, after many reproaches and injuries, they ordered him to prison, and commanded that he should be loaded with double irons, where he remained for seventeen days, and then, chained as he was, was led through the streets from his first prison to the castle. Here he was put to the common side, amongst the felons, where he remained some time; and then, through the interest of friends, was removed to a chamber, where he had the company of two other priests, prisoners for the same cause.

On the 25th of November he was brought to the bar, tried and condemned; and had sentence of death pronounced upon him in the usual form, as in cases of high treason: at the hearing of which, he was so transported with joy, that he seemed to have quite forgot the pains of his disease, under which he had so long laboured. After sentence, he spent his time, night and day, either in prayer and meditation, or in labouring to gain souls to God and his church: in which he had good success, by the divine blessing, and the opportunity of the place: for, being put again into the company of felons, after his condemnation, he prevailed on some of them, by his exhortations and good example, to renounce their errors and sins, and in spite of the devil and his ministers, to die good catholics and true penitents.

When the day of execution was come, and the hurdle, upon which he was to be drawn to the gallows, was before his eyes, being asked by one how he found himself affected, he answered,-That, in all his life, he had never been so joyful. A minister upon this occasion, offered to talk to him; but Mr. Thompson would not have any thing to say to him and the rest that were to suffer with him, (though not for the same cause) followed his example, and plainly told the minister, that they would, by no means, give ear to his doctrine. When he was come to the place of execution, he there prayed for a long time, and with great fervour; and then going up the ladder, he spoke to the people, declaring, That he died in the catholic faith; and for the catholic faith; calling God to witness, that he had never been guilty of any treason against his queen or country: so, after he had again prayed for a while, commending his soul to his Creator, he was flung off the ladder, and was observed, whilst he was hanging, first, to lift up his hands towards heaven, then to strike his breast, with his right hand; and, lastly, to the great astonishment of the spectators, distinctly to form the sign of the cross. He suffered at York, the 28th of November, 1582.

WILLIAM HART, PRIEST.-1583.*

MR. HART was born in the city of Wells, in Somersetshire, and brought up in Lincoln college, Oxford, where his happy genius and great talents were much admired. From thence he passed over to Douay (disliking the religion and manners of Oxford) to pursue his studies in the English college in that university. From whence, in the year 1578, he removed, with the rest of the students, to Rhemes. In this journey, his courage and patience was admirable, when, labouring under a violent fit of the stone, he nevertheless went the whole way on foot, bearing the most acute pains, joined to the labour of the journey, with a wonderful calmness and evenness of mind, to the great edification of his companions. To whom, during his whole stay at Douay and Rhemes, he was a perfect pattern of modesty and piety. His disease still growing upon him, his superiors sent him to Spa, to try the waters there-but all in vain; the physicians declared that there was no remedy for him but cutting: he submitted, in hopes of thereby prolonging his life to labour in the Lord's vineyard, offered up what he was to suffer, as a penance for his sins, and underwent all with great courage; having his soul so fixed in God by prayer, that he scarce seemed to take any notice of so painful an operation, at which, both the surgeon and others that were present, were much astonished.

Some time after his return to Rhemes, he was sent by superiors to Rome, to the English college there: which at that time, and for many years before and after, was chiefly supplied with students from Douay and Rhemes. Here, continuing to apply himself with great ardour to his studies, and making daily progress in the science of the saints, having attained to great perfection, both in virtue and learning, he was made priest, and sent upon the mission. In England, he diligently employed his talents to the greater glory of God, and conversion of many souls, chiefly in and about York: for, besides, a singular piety towards God, a great love for his neighbours, and an extraordinary zeal for the catholic faith, which were from the beginning very eminent in him; his carriage and behaviour was so winning, as to make him agreeable to all and his eloquence (for which he was called another Campion) joined to an extraordinary gift he had in preaching, was such, as easily made its way into the hearts of his hearers. His devotion was great to the tremendous mysteries; which, whilst he celebrated, he was often observed to shed abundance of tears; and his charity was very remarkable towards numbers of poor catholics that were prisoners in those days, for their conscience and who, in York, especially, were daily perishing through the many incommodities of their imprisonment, joined to the hardheartedness and barbarity of their keepers. These, he daily visited, refusing no labour nor danger for their comfort and assistance; encouraging them to suffer with patience; procuring them what assistance he was able; hearing their confessions, and administering the sacraments to them.

* From Dr. Bridgewater's collections, fol. 104. And from the Douay records.

The night that Mr. Lacy and others were apprehended, who had been assisting at mass in York castle, Mr. Hart was one of the company; but he escaped by getting down the wall, and made his way through a muddy pool, or moat, in which he was up to his chin in water and mire. But within six months after, God was pleased he should fall into the hands of the persecutors, who rushed into his chamber the night after Christmas day, when he was in bed and asleep, and seized upon him. At the first surprise, and perhaps not yet fully awake, he bid them keep off and not touch him, for he was an anointed priest; adding withal, that he would dress himself immediately and accompany them. As soon as he was dressed, they carried him to the house of the high sheriff, where they kept him till day; and then he was brought before the lord president of the north, who having examined him, sent him prisoner to the castle, where he was lodged in a dungeon, which was his only chamber till his dying day: and, whereas, he could not help discovering, both by his countenance and words, the great joy of his soul, in suffering for such a cause, they loaded him, on St. John's day, with double irons to tame his courage; but all in vain: for, in proportion to what he suffered for Christ, he found still greater consolation from Christ.

During his confinement, he had several conferences with some of the chief of the protestant ministers in York; namely, with dean Hutton, Mr. Bunny, Mr. Pace, and Mr. Palmer: in which, these gentlemen had no reason to boast of their success; though they were pleased to publish that they did not doubt but that he would easily be brought over to their side.

When he was brought to the bar, the judge asked him, why he had left his native country to go beyond the seas? He answered, For no other reason, my lord, but to acquire virtue and learning; and, whereas, I found religion and virtue flourishing in those countries, I took holy orders (to which, I perceived myself called by a certain impulse from God) to the end, that, renouncing the world, I might be more at liberty to serve my Maker. They asked him, how he had employed his time since his return into England? He answered, In instructing the ignorant, and administering the sacraments, for the benefit of the souls of our countrymen. They told him he was guilty of high treason; first, for quitting the kingdom, without the leave of her majesty, and adhering to her capital enemy, the pope. Secondly, For withdrawing her majesty's subjects from their obedience, by reconciling them to the church of Rome; as he had done Mr. John Wright, and one Couling. Mr. Hart replied, that his going out of England could be no treason, since he went to no other end, but to improve himself in learning and virtue; that his obedience to the pope in spiritual matters, was no ways inconsistent with his allegiance to his queen; and that he called God to witness, that he had never, in his life, entertained so much as a thought, derogatory to the authority of the queen, whom he acknowledged his lawful sovereign; or tending to withdraw her subjects from their obedience; and, that neither Mr. Wright nor Couling, nor any other, could say, that he had ever spoken so much as one word to them to dissuade them from their obedience to her majesty.

However, upon these two heads, an indictment of treason was drawn

up, and a jury impanelled, who, as directed by the judges, brought him in guilty. And accordingly, he had sentence to die, as in cases of high treason. He received the sentence with a perfect conformity to the will of God, using those words of holy Job, Dominus dedit, &c. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; as it has pleased the Lord, so has it been done may the name of the Lord be blessed: adding, that he was in good hopes that now, a short time would put an end to his mortal life, and all its miseries, to be succeeded by true and everlasting joys.

The six last days before execution, he prepared himself for his exit by a rigorous fast, spending withal, whole nights in prayer and contemplation, and ardently wishing for that happy hour that should eternally unite him to the sovereign object of his love. When he was brought out of his dungeon, on the day he was to suffer, he took his leave of the catholic prisoners, earnestly recommending his last conflict to their prayers: then addressing himself to the chief jailor, he bid him farewell, thanking him for his kindness; though, indeed, he had met with little, or no kindness or favour from him. Being fastened down upon the hurdle, he was drawn through the streets to the place of execution, having his eyes fixed upon heaven, and his soul in silence, attentive to God. Before he came to the gallows, he was met by two ministers, Mr. Bunny and Mr. Pace, who made it their business to affront him, and to persuade the people that he did not die for his religion, but for treason. As soon as he arrived at the place, he cheerfully went up the ladder, and began to pray in silence. They asked him if he prayed for the queen? he answered, That he had always prayed for her, to that day, and as long as he lived, would not cease to pray for her: that he willingly acknowledged her for his sovereign, and professed a ready obedience to her, in all things which were not inconsistent with the catholic religion. Then, Mr. Bunny stepped out, and read aloud to the people, the bull of Pius Quintus; by which, he had excommunicated the queen? &c, pretending thereby to prove that Mr. Hart must needs be a traitor; and, that the business of his coming over, was, to withdraw her majesty's subjects from their allegiance. Mr. Hart answered, in short, that, Far from having any such thoughts, he had ever prayed for the queen's safety, and the happy state of the kingdom. But Mr. Pace was particularly troublesome to the holy confessor, continually loading him with reproaches and injuries. To which, Mr. Hart, made no other reply than this, Good Mr. Pace, be so kind as to let me be quiet, this short time I have to live; which he several times repeated. Then, lifting up his eyes to heaven, he began the psalm, ad te vevavi oculos meos, &c., but, was again interrupted by the ministers, calling upon him to join with them in prayer, which he refused to do, telling them, that his faith and theirs, was not the same. But he desired the catholics to pray for him, and to bear witness that he died in, and for the catholic faith, and not for any crime whatsoever, or treason against the state. With that, he was thrown off the ladder; and, according to sentence, was cut down alive, and quartered. And though the lord mayor and other magistrates, who were present at the execution, sought to hinder the catholics from carrying home with them any relics of the confessor, yet, some