And now he was upon the point of receiving his degree of bachelor of arts, but there was an oath first to be taken of the queen's supremacy, which he boggled at; and upon this quitted the university. Yet I do not find that he embraced forthwith the catholic religion: on the contrary, we are told, that for some time after he exercised the office of a minister at Cank, in his own country, and there he'd forth against the pope, and the catholic faith; but the Father of mercies did not suffer him to continue long in this way, but by his heavenly light opened the eyes of his soul to see the beauty of truth, and inflamed his heart with the love of it. Insomuch, that he became a true convert, and a hearty penitent, and, forsaking all his worldly hopes, went abroad to Douay, to the English college, where, after two years spent in the study of divinity, he was made priest, and was sent upon the English mission, in 1601, to labour there in seeking after the lost sheep.

After his coming into England, says my old manuscript, he travelled afoot very much in Warwickshire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire, to serve, help, and comfort the meaner and poorer sort of catholics, with the sacraments of the holy catholic church. He was in his life chaste and innocent; in conversation humble and mild; in helping the poor and distressed pitiful and charitable, in his diet very spare and temperate; and in prayer fervent and continual.

In the first year of the reign of king James in England, Mr. Burgoyne, a justice in the county of Warwick, on the 8th day of July, being Relick-Sunday, sent a warrant to search the house of a catholic, dwelling in Romington, for the apprehension of a seminary priest, and the searchers finding none there, went to search, in the same town, the house of Robert, Heury, and Ambrose Grissold, "or Greswold," three unmarried brethren, catholics, for many years living and keeping house together; and in searching thereof, a constable, called Richard Smith, and one Clement Grissold, nephew to the aforesaid brethren, apprehended, on the highway, Mr. Sugar for a seminary priest, as he was going with a catholic serving-man, nephew to the aforesaid three brethren, and cousin to the said Clement, who, with the constable and one John Williams, brought both him and Mr. Sugar to Mr. Burgoyne the justice, who examined them and sent them to prison at Warwick, where they lay together a whole year, and suffered imprisonment.

And at the assizes holden at Warwick, the 13th and 14th of July, in the second year of king James's reign in England, Mr. Sugar was arraigned, and by Judge Kingsmill condemned to be hanged, drawn, and quartered, for being a seminary priest. In the morning when he was to suffer death, he said to his friends that came to visit him, Be ye all merry, for we have not occasion of sorrow, but of joy; for, although I shall have a sharp dinner, yet I trust in Jesus Christ I shall have a most sweet supper. He also desired God to forgive the judge, and all his apprehenders and persecutors. As he was drawn on the hurdle to the place of his martyrdom, he gave money to fifty poor folks, and prayed very devoutly. An English minister at the gallows asked him, How he did believe? His answer was, I believe as my mother the catholic church doth. Then he demanded of the minister, Who it was that first converted our country, when it was called Britain, to the catholic reliVOL. II.

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gion? To whom the minister answered, I never heard this question asked before; but who converted it say you? Mr. Sugar told him, that it was the successor of St. Peter, the apostle, viz: pope Eleutherius, who sent Damianus and Fugatius, two learned and godly men, by whom Lucius, King of Britain, and his people received the true christian catholic faith and religion. But this new religion, said he, crept into this country in the time of king Henry the VIII.

After this he was a good while on his knees, and prayed; and that being done, he was stript to his shirt, and going up the ladder, he said, I thank God, I can climb pretty well to day. As he stood upon the ladder, he very cheerfully said to the people, Be it known unto you, good people, that I come hither to die for my conscience. The undersheriff answered, Thou diest, not for thy conscience, but for treason. To which he replied, You do me wrong, there is none can touch me for treason; it is for conscience I die. Then a boy of about eighteen years of age put a rope about his neck. The martyr blessed the rope with the sign of the cross, saying, I came into the world with the sign of the cross, and with the sign of the cross I go out of it again. How dost thou prove that? said the under-sheriff; for thou wast not born with the sign of the cross. I make account, said Mr. Sugar, that I was not in this world as a christian till I was signed with the sign of the cross in baptism; for then I first received my spiritual birth. Afterwards the under-sheriff willed him to pray for the king. To whom he said, I never denied to pray for him, and thereupon he prayed thus; God bless the king, the queen, the young prince, and all the council; God forgive the judge, the justice, Mr. Burgoyne, and all that did apprehend me; and you too, (looking on the sheriff,) as I would that God should forgive me. Then the hangman said, I pray you good father, forgive me too. I forgive thee, boy, with all my heart, said he; then looking on the people with a cheerful countenance, he said to them, Good people, I die willingly, for I shall get a place of joy, and I beseech Jesus to receive my soul, and I beseech all the company of angels, martyrs, and saints to accompany my soul to that blessed place. I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ; and I beseech God, that all that are here present may be partakers of that joy to which I am going. Then he desired our blessed Saviour to receive his soul, saying, Jesus, Jesus, receive my soul; unto which the people answered, Amen, Amen. Lastly, being asked if he was ready, viz: to die, he said, I am ready in Jesus. Thereupon he was turned off the ladder, and was cut down before he was fully dead; then he was opened, his bowels were burnt, his head was cut off, his body was quartered, and his quarters were set upon the gates of Warwick. Thus he having willingly, cheerfully, and constantly suffered death for his priestly function, and for the profession of the catholic religion of Christ, hath thereby, obtained a crown of eternal glory in heaven for our Lord saith, Apoc. ii.—Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.'

He suffered, July 16th, 1604.

ROBERT GRISSOLD, OR, GRESWOLD, LAYMAN.*

ROBERT GRISSOLD, who was born at Romington, in Warwickshire, and was a servant to Mr. Sheldon, of Broadway, in Worcestershire, was, says my manuscript, simple and upright in his actions; unlearned, but enlightened with the holy ghost, feared God, hated sin, led a single life and chaste; was kind to his friends, mild in his conversation, devout in prayer, bold and constant in professing the catholic religion, and heartily loved and reverenced catholic priests. When his cousin Clement Grissold apprehended him going up the way, with Mr. Sugar, he said to him, Cousin, if you will go your way, you may: I will not, answered he, except I may have my friend with me. Then the constable, Richard Smith, or his cousin, said; That, you shall not, for he is a stranger, and I will carry him before Mr. Burgoyne: then said he, I will go with him, to Mr. Burgoyne; for he knoweth me very well; and I hope he will do my friend no wrong, when he heareth me speak. Thereupon, he went with Mr. Sugar, (who was then called Mr. Cox,) to the justice, Mr. Burgoyne, who, after examination, sent them both, to the prison of Warwick. Where Robert Grissold had occasion offered him, to get away, yet, for the love of Mr. Sugar, and zeal for martyrdom, he would not; but there, with Mr. Sugar remained a whole year, and with him, suffered imprisonment, and afterwards death.

In the second year of king James in England, and upon the 14th day of July, at the assizes holden at Warwick, he being arraigned, was asked by the judge, Kingsmill, If he would go to church? To whom, he answered, I will not, my lord. Then thou shalt be hanged, quoth the judge. I beseech you, my lord, let me have justice, and let the country know wherefore I die. Thou shalt have justice, I warrant thee, said the judge, and the country shall know that thou diest for felony. Wherein, quoth he, have I committed felony? Thou hast committed felony, saith the judge, in being in the company, in assisting and relieving a seminary priest, that is, a traitor. I have not therein committed felony, answered he. Then a justice of peace said to him, Grissold, Grissold, go to church, or else, God judge me, thou shalt be hanged. Then God's will be done, quoth he. After that, the judge asked him again, If he would go to church? I have answered you, my lord, enough for that matter, I will not. Then thou shalt be hanged, said the judge. I crave no favour of you, my lord, in this action, answered he. What, said the judge, in a great rage, dost thou crave no favour at my hands? No, my lord, said he, I crave no favour at your hands in this action. Thereupon, the judge afterwards condemned him to be hanged. for accompanying, assisting, and relieving a seminary priest; and while he pronounced judgment against him, he faultered in his speech, and trembled with his hands. The next day, after the judge had condemned him, he sent to him in his chamber, where he proferred him life, if he would promise him to go to church; which he utterly refused.

From an ancient manuscript relation of his martyrdom, of which I have a copy sent me out of Warwickshire.

"In the morning before he suffered death, he continued an hour in prayer, and requested of all the catholics, to say a Pater and Ave, for him, in honour of God, and of St. Catharine, his patroness, that, by the intercession of that blessed virgin and martyr, he might obtain of God, courage and fortitude to suffer death. And seeing a catholic woman in the prison, weeping for his death, he said to her; Good woman, why do you weep? Here is no place of weeping, but of rejoicing for you must come into the bridegroom's chamber, not with tears, but with rejoicing. The woman answered, I hoped you should have had your life. In do not want it now, said he, for I should be loth to lose this opportunity offered me to die; but yet God's will be done. Then a catholic maid said, It is well said, friend Robert, for it is nothing to suffer death for so good a cause. Whereupon, he said to the catholics there present, Look that ye all continue to the end.

As he was going on foot to the gallows, one willed him to go a fair way, and not to follow through the mire, Mr. Sugar, who was drawn on the sledge before him to whom, he made answer; I have not thus far followed him, to leave him now for a little mire. And so, through the mire, he went after him. When he came to the place of his martyrdom, for a good while, he prayed very devoutly on his knees; and athough he was by nature. so timorous and weak, that he once swooned at the sight of his thumb being only pricked with an awl, yet at the gallows, he was by the grace of the holy ghost, so much strengthened, that, at the sight of Mr. Sugar's bleeding body, when quartere l, he was no way terrified; but, (on the contrary,) was so stout and courageous, that when a catholic woman stept between him and Mr. Sugar's dead body, whilst it was in quartering, lest the sight should terrify him, he took her by the arm, saying, Stand away, for I thank God, the sight doth nothing terrify me.

Afterwards, the under-sheriff said to him, Grissold, thou dost thyself wrong; for thou art guilty of thy own death. No, quoth he, sir, you do me wrong, in keeping me so long alive after Mr. Sugar, for I should have suffered with him; and I only desire to be with him. Then seeing the halter with which he was to be hanged, lying on the ground, he was exceeding glad, and giving God thanks, he went and dipped it in Mr. Sugar's blood: and going up the ladder, he said to the people, Bear witness, good people, that I die here not for theft, nor for felony; but for my conscience. Then he freely forgave all his persecutors, and the hangman; and devoutly said his Confiteor, often calling upon the name of Jesus. Lastly, he commended his soul into the hands of Almighty God; and so being turned off the ladder, he hanged until he was quite dead. His dead body, by the under-sheriff's permission, was buried near the gallows. And thus this blessed martyr, for the short transitory pain of death, which he willingly suffered for a work of charity, and for the professing the catholic religion, hath gotten everlasting joy in the kingdom of heaven.' So far the author of the manuscript relation of his death, who seems to have been an eye-witness of his and Mr. Sugar's sufferings, or, at least to have had his information from eye-witnesses.

He suffered July 16, 1604.

LAURENCE BAILY, LAYMAN.*

LAURENCE BAILY was a catholic layman, who was apprehended in Lancashire, for having been aiding and assisting to a priest, who had fallen into the hands of the pursuivants, and had made his escape from them. For this supposed offence he was cast into prison, where (as we are told by Molanus, in his catalogue, p, 77) he suffered much with great patience and constancy; and being brought upon his trial, was condemned to die as in cases of felony, by the statute of the 27th of Elizabeth. He was executed at Lancaster, Dr. Worthington says sometime in August; but Molanus says, it was on the 16th of September, 1604.

THOMAS WELBOURN, JOHN FULTHERING, WILLIAM BROWN, LAYMEN.-1605.†

THOMAS WELBOURN was a schoolmaster, a native of Kitenbushel, in Yorkshire; and John Fulthering was a layman of the same country, who being zealous catholics, and industrious in exhorting some of their neighbours to embrace the catholic faith, were upon that account arraigned and condemned to suffer as in cases of high treason: as was also William Brown, another zealous catholic layman, a native of Northamptonshire, convicted of the same offence. They all were executed according to sentence; Mr. Welbourn and Mr. Fulthering at York, the 1st of August, 1605; Mr. Brown, at Rippon, the 5th of September, the same year.

This year, on the 5th of November, was discovered that horrible plot, commonly called gunpowder treason; by which Catesby, and some few others his accomplices designed to have blown up the parliament house; which, though it were indeed a most wicked and detestable enterprise (for which the conspirators were justly punished,) is most unjustly urged against catholics in general. For why should the wickedness of a handful of men, whose doings were both then, and ever since, abhorred by the whole body of catholics, both at home and abroad, be laid to the charge of such as had no more hand in the guilt, than the apostles had in the treason of Judas?

"Tis more than probable that this was originally a ministerial plot, set on foot by Cecil, then secretary of state. Some have been of opinion, says the author of the Political Grammar, lately published, p. 46, that the gunpowder plot in the reign of James the First, was of the same alloy, (a ministerial plot,) and the awkward manner in which the letter was sent to lord Mounteagle, the night before the execution, seems to confirm it, but much more the papers of the then minister, which have but lately appeared, by which the whole affair is brought to

⚫ From Dr. Worthington's catalogue of martyrs, published in 1614, p. 46. ↑ From the catalogues of English martyrs.