The Year 1594

JOHN SPEED, Layman.

In the beginning of this year, or, according to the English account, in the latter end of 1593, on the 4th of February, John

Speedy layman, was executed at Durham. His guilt was being aiding and assisting to priests, whom he used to serve in guiding and conducting from one Catholic house to another. He died with constancy, despising the proffers that were made him to bring him to conform.

WILLIAM HARRINGTON, Priest.¹

WILLIAM HARRINGTON was born of a gentleman’s family, at a place called St. John's Mounts in Yorkshire. He performed his studies abroad in Doway College during its residence at Rhemes. Here he was made priest, and from hence he was sent upon the English mission in 1592. When, how, or where he was apprehended, or any other particulars of his sufferings or missionary labours, I have not been able to learn, only that he was * condemned to die on account of his priestly character and functions, and for this, and no other treason, was put to a most cruel death.

‘ The 1 8th of February ' says Mr. Stow in his Chronicle, ‘ one named Harrington^ a Seminary priest, was drawn from Newgate to Tyburn^ and there hanged, cut down alive, struggled with the hangman, but was bowelled and quartered.’ So far Mr. Stow, where it is to be noted that what the historian mentions of Mr. Harrington' s struggling with the hangman after he was cut down cannot be drawn to an argument of his not being resigned to die, but only shows the efforts which nature will be sure to make in a man whose senses are stunned by having been half hanged, and therefore, by the motions of his hands and body, strives to resist that unnatural violence which is offered by the hands and knife of the executioner.

Mr. Harrington suffered at Tyburn, February 18, 1594.

JOHN CORNELIUS, alias MOHUN,

Priest, SJ.^

JOHN CORNELIUS, alias MOHUN, was born at Bodmin^ in Cornwall, of Irish parents, and brought up at school in the same town, from whence he was sent to Oxford by Sir John Arundell, who was much taken with his rare genius and diligence in learning; but Mr. Cornelius, liking the old religion better than the new, left Oxford, and went beyond the seas to Rhemes (the English College having been lately translated thither from Doway), and was there received by Dr. Allen, the institutor and first President of that Seminary of martyrs. After some stay here, he was sent, in 1580, to Rome to finish his studies in the English College of that city, where he remained for some years, and had the honour once to make an oration in Latin, and speak it in the Pope’s Chapel on St. Stephen's Day. Here he was made priest, and from hence was sent upon the English mission, where he laboured with great fruit for about ten years. He was a man of a most mortified life, and greatly addicted to prayer and contemplation, but withal zealous and diligent in his pastoral functions, and had a notable talent in preaching, so that he was admired and loved by all that knew him.

Mr. Manger relates of him, from the testimony of a worthy gventleman who was familiarly acquainted with him, ‘ That he was very powerful in dealing with those that were possessed; and that from one, in the presence of the same gentleman, he forced the devil to bring forth from her inward parts a piece of a rusty knife of an inch and a half in length, which he took out of her mouth, and a bag of sand of the fashion of a pincushion and bigness of a little penny purse.’ He adds also, from the same testimony, that when Mr. Cornelius was saying Mass for the soul of John Lord Stourton (who had died unreconciled, but with great desire of the sacraments, and more than ordinary marks of sorrow and repentance), he had a vision, after the consecration and elevation of the chalice, of the soul of the said Lord Stourton, then in purgatory, desiring him. To pray for him, and to request of the lady, his mother, to cause Masses to he said for his soul. This vision was also seen at the same time iq8²

JOHN CORNELIUS by Patrick Salmon ^ a good religious soul, who was then serving Mr, Cornelius at Mass.

Mr. Cornelius was apprehended in the house of the widow of Sir John Arundell (upon the information of a wicked servant) on the second Sunday 2ihtv Easter ^ in Aprils i594> by Mr. Trenchard, Sheriff of Dorsetshire; and with him Mr. Thomas Bosgrave, a Cornish gentleman, a kinsman of Sir Jo/zw Arundell, was also hurried away to prison, because, seeing Mr. Cornelius in the hands of the officers hurried away without any hat, he clapped his own hat upon the confessor’s head, saying, The honour I owe to your function may not suffer me to see you go bare-headed. Upon which the Sheriff told him he should bear him company; and, as we shall see by-and-by, for this offence he afterwards also suffered with him. John, or, as others call him, Terence Carey, and Patrick Salmon, both natives of Dublin, and servants in the family, were also committed to prison upon this occasion, as aiding and assisting Mr. Cornelius.

The confessor was first carried to the Sheriff’s house, where some Protestant ministers strongly attacked him on the subject of religion; but Mr. Cornelius maintained the Catholic cause with such strong argument, that the Sheriff, fearing the influence his words would make upon those that were present, put a stop to the dispute. Shortly after, the Council being informed of all that had passed, the confessor was ordered to be sent up to London, where he was examined by the Lord Treasurer, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and others of the Privy Council, who strove to extort out of him first by words, and afterwards by the rack, the names of such Catholics as had harboured or relieved him; but his constancy was proof against all their efforts, and he refused to the last to make any discovery which might redound to the prejudice of his benefactors. Upon this he was sent back into the country, there to take his trial, and there to die. The three last days before the assizes he spent wholly in prayer and pious exhortations to his fellow prisoners, without eating, in a manner, or sleeping, and so prepared himself for his conflict. After this he was brought to the bar with his three companions, where they were all found guilty by their jury; Mr. Cornelius of high treason, for being a priest and coming into this kingdom and remaining here; Mr. Bosgrave and the other two of felony, for aiding and assisting Mr. Cornelius, knowing him to be a priest.

After the jury had brought in their verdict, the three laymen cast themselves at the feet of Mr. Cornelius to crave his blessing, and they were all sent back to prison, sentence not being to be pronounced till the next day. They prepared themselves for it by prayer, and animated one another by pious colloquies, in which they passed that night, and on the following day they were all sentenced to die. It was observed that Judge Walmesley pronounced the sentence with tears in his eyes. Mr. Cornelius would have spoken to the judges after sentence was given, but was ordered to be silent. However, the judges assured them all that their lives would be saved if they would conform and go to the Protestant church; which they all stoutly refusing, were sent back to prison, there to prepare for their last end.

They were condemned on the 2d oijuly, 1 594, and on the 4th were carried out to their martyrdom. Mr. Cornelius was drawn on a hurdle to the place of execution; the other three walked on foot. The confessor animated them by the way to suffer death with courage and constancy; and, indeed, it appeared by their countenances that they went to the gallows with as much content and satisfaction as if they had been going to a feast. Mr. Cornelius made also the best use he could of his time in favour of a malefactor who was to suffer with them, whom he so effectually exhorted to faith and repentance, that the man declared aloud. That he looked upon himself happy that he was to die in such good company.

The first that was ordered up the ladder was John Carey, a man of great courage. He kissed the rope when it was to be put about his neck, saying, O precious collar! then made a profession of his faith, for which he declared he died, and so was turned off. The next was Patrick Salmon, a man much admired and beloved for his virtues. In dying he admonished the people. That the only way to secure their eternal welfare was to embrace that faith for which he and his companions laid down their lives. Mr. Bosgrave was called upon next, who, being a man of reading, made a speech to the people of the certainty of the Catholic faith, which was heard with great attention, the ministers standing by, and not offering a word in vindication of their religion. And now it was come to Mr. Cornelius's turn to ascend the ladder, at the foot of which he knelt down and prayed a little while, then kissed the ground, and aftervvards the feet of his companions who were still hanging; then addressing himself to the gallows, he saluted it with those words of St. Andrew, O bona crux diu desiderata, etc. — O good cross, a long time desired, & c. And going up the ladder, offered there several times to speak to the people, and was as often interrupted. Then he declared what had hitherto been kept a secret, viz.. That he was admitted into the Society of Jesus in London by the Superior of the English Jesuits, and was to have gone over with others to make his noviceship in Flanders had he not been

JOHN CORNELIUS prevented by his apprehension. After which he prayed aloud for his persecutors and for the conversion of the Queen, and so was flung off the ladder, and shortly after cut down and quartered. His quarters were set up upon four poles, but afterwards were taken down by the Catholics and buried with the bodies of his companions. His head was nailed to the gallows, till it was removed at the desire of the town, apprehending the scourges of God upon them, as they had experienced before on the like occasions. Yet we are told that the following year a dreadful plague ensued amongst them, which carried off so many that the living were not sufficient to bury the dead.

Mr. Cornelius and his companions suffered at Dorchester ^ July 4,

Since this was written, I received from the English College of St. OmeEs a copy of a manuscript concerning Mr. Cornelius, the original of which is kept in the archives of that College, in which are added the following particulars relating to the life of this holy servant of God. That he every day said Mass at five o’clock in the morning, and never without tears; that whenever he read the Passion of Christ in the Office of the Holy Week, he wept exceedingly; that he was sometimes in an ecstasy at his prayers; and that a gentleman who came to him for counsel found him on his knees, his hands crossed before his breast, his eyes cast up to heaven, but without motion, and the whole man so absorpt in God, that the gentleman for some time doubted whether he was alive or dead, and not without difficulty brought him to hear and see him. That he always wore a rough hair shirt, and used frequent disciplines, and for many years fasted four days in the week; that his charity for the poor was such as to give them all that came to his hands, committing the care of himself to God’s providence; that he preached regularly twice a week; gave catechistical instruction for about an hour almost every day, and read some pious lessons for about half an hour in the evening to such as more particularly aspired to perfection. In fine, that the mortification of his senses and his recollection in God was so great, that for three whole years that his lodging was in a room, the window of which looked upon the parish church, he had never observed it, nor knew whether the house in which he lived was leaded or tiled. The m.anuscript adds, that upon more occasions than one his face was observed to shine with a certain heavenly light.

A copy of a letter written hy Father Cornelius, half an hour before he was called out to suffer, to his ghostly child Mrs. Dorothy, the eldest daughter of the Lady Arundell, who had consecrated her virginity to God, and promised by vow to be a religious woman of the Order of St. Bridget.

‘ He that loveth his life in this world shall lose it, and he that hateth it shall find it. If I find it, by the grace and infinite mercy of God (though very unworthy and miserable), with exceeding great satisfaction and never-ending pleasure, I shall remember you. In the mean time, whilst the soul remains in this body, pray you for me, for I have a great confidence that we shall see one another in heaven, if you keep inviolable the word you have given, first to God and then to St. Bridget. I heartily recommend you to my poor mother, and the promise of your vow, concerning which I have written to you three or four times, and wonder that you have taken no notice of it. The devil is always upon the watch: be you also watchful. Signify your will to me that I may carry with me your resolution to St. Bridget. I don’t forget those whom I don’t name. God be your keeper.— John, who is going to die for a moment, that he may live for ever.’

JOHN BOST, Priest.³

Mr. BOST, or BOAST, was born of a gentleman’s family, in the town of Penrith {viilgo Pei'eth), in the county of Cumber-land. He was educated in one of our universities at home, where he also took the degree of Master of Arts, and was contemporary with and much esteemed by Tohie Matthews, who, at the time of Mr. Bosfs execution, was Bishop of Durham (afterwards Archbishop of York), and who, extolling his excellent parts, is reported to have said upon that occasion. It was pity so much worth should have died that day. But Mr. Bost left both the university and the kingdom and all hopes of worldly preferment for conscience’ sake, and being reconciled to the Catholic Church, was received into the College lately translated from Doway to Rhemes; and after some time spent there in his studies, was made priest, and sent upon the English mission in 1581. Here he laboured for several years with

JOHN DOST great zeal and much fruit, insomuch that he was in a particular manner sought after by the persecutors; and the Earl of Huntingdon in particular, then Lord President of the Norths and a most bitter enemy of the Catholics, of all the priests in those provinces, was most intent upon the apprehending him; so that when the said Lord President was promised by one Francis Ecclesjield to have two of the gravest priests of the North betrayed to him, he desired the traitor rather to be sure of Bost. At length, after many narrow escapes, he was betrayed by the said Ecclesjield into the President’s hands in this manner: The traitor having intelligence that Mr. Bost was in the house of Mr. William Claxton^ “ in the Bishopric of Durham,'' signified the same to the Lord President; and, to be more sure of his game, went thither to confession and communion; and having thus hypocritically and sacrilegiously abused the sacred mysteries, he went forth, like another to accomplish his wicked project, and meeting Sir William Bowes and others, went along with them to the house in order to apprehend Mr. Bost. The holy man ^ was so well concealed, that after a long search they could not find him, so that they thought they had been deluded; but the traitor bid them pull down the house or burn it, for he was sure the priest was in it; upon which they began to make breaches in the walls, and at length discovered their prey.

Mr. Bost, being thus apprehended, was brought before the Lord President, who made upon that occasion a prolix speech concerning the long search that had been made for him from time to time for the space of some years, all which while by his cunning tricks he had deluded the diligence of his officers whom he had employed to apprehend so notorious a traitor, but that now, to his great satisfaction, he had taken him at last. To which speech Mr. Bost in the end replied with a smiling countenance: And after all this, my Lord, you have hut gotten Boast, — alluding to the Earl’s boast in having used such diligence for his apprehension. The confessor was. shortly after sent up to London, where he was for a long time kept prisoner in the Tower, and often most cruelly racked, insomuch that he was afterwards forced to go crooked upon a staff. At length, after a hard imprisonment, and many torments endured at London, he was sent back again into the North, there to be tried and executed.

He was a man of great courage, learning, and wisdom, and no ways defeated or overcome by his sufferings. When he was brought to the bar for his trial, Mr. George Swallowell (who had lately been a reader of the Protestant Church, and was now arraigned for the Catholic religion), somewhat wavering, and being upon the point of yielding through fear, Mr. Bost in the public court so effectually encouraged him to stand firm to the Catholic faith, that he immediately declared himself sincerely penitent for his staggering; and Mr. Bost^ putting his hand on his head, publicly absolved him. Upon which, some of the bench cried out. Away with Bost, away with the traitor! Sentence was passed upon Mr. Bost as in cases of high treason, merely upon account of the exercising his priestly functions in England^ and in consequence of this sentence he was drawn to the place of execution, and there was scarce turned off the ladder when he was immediately cut down, so that he stood on his feet, and was cruelly butchered alive. At the taking out of his heart, he spoke aloud thrice, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus forgive thee, as Thomas Forcer, Esq., a grave Catholic gentleman, for a certainty affirmed to Mr. Trollop, the author of the manuscript relation of Mr. Bosfs martyrdom.

He suffered at Durham, July 24, 1594; some July 19.

JOHN INGRAM, Priest.⁴

Mr. INGRAM was born of a gentleman’s family, in Warwick-shire. His parents were Protestants, but he was happily reconciled to the Catholic Church; and for recusancy ejected out of New College, Oxford, and going abroad, was received alumnus in Doway College during its residence at Rhemes, from whence he was sent to the English College of Rome, where he finished his studies and was made priest, and from thence was sent upon the English mission. His missionary labours seem to have been in the North, upon the borders of Scotland, where at length he was apprehended, and sent up prisoner to the Tower of London, and there at several times most cruelly tortured by Topcliffe; but he would by no means discover the names of any who had entertained or assisted him, which was what the tyrant pretended to extort, so that Topcliffe in a rage said. He was, of all others, a monster for his taciturnity. At length he was sent back again into the North to take his trial. Here, [in York Castle or in Durham Jail^ he wrote two letters, of which I have copies in my hands, to the Catholics in other parts of the same

JOHN INGRAM prison, worthy of one who was going to be immolated for Christ. In the first, he earnestly exhorts them to constancy and perseverance in that holy profession for which they suffered, and arms them against the temptation of being staggered by the unhappy fall of two, whom he calls Iscariots^ who had lately gone forth from them, and admonishes them of that of the apostle, that if himself or an angel from heaven should preach any other gospel to them than what they had received, he ought to be anathematised. Then he tells them, ‘ I say now to myself and you. Let he that stands take heed lest he fall; and. Hold what thou hast, lest another take thy crown. Pray, therefore, I conjure you, in the name of my sweet Saviour for my constancy, courage, and zeal in my holy enterprise; For the spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak. Desire Almighty God to overpoise the multitude of my sins with His precious blood, one drop of which is sufficient to wash away the sins of the whole world. I am not as yet condemned, nor, to my knowledge, my blessed brother, [Mr. Bost,'\ of whose security temporal I have no hope. As for my own part, I am altogether in the same estate I was in before my departure; and I take God to witness that I have neither named house, man, woman, or child, in time of or before my torments. I look for my trial on Thursday, and consequently for my death, to God’s honour. Pray for me earnestly.’

In the latter he writes thus: ‘ My dear concaptives, if the vessel of election St. Paul vouchsafed not only, by way of paper, to comfort oftentimes the Christians of the primitive times, but also to give his temporal benefactors a sweet surrender of thanks, it will fit me to imitate him in like matter and manner; first, to ascertain you that in my pained body my spirit is not pained, nor in any disaster, distress, or durance. For St. Paul testifies. That the passions of this time are not condign of the future glory which shall be revealed in us. And, for my part, I have long since imprinted in my heart. Not to fear those that kill the body but cannot destroy the soul, but rather to remember these golden sentences which have issued out of the mouth of all verity: He that hateth his life in this world keepeth it for life everlasting. And, He that confesses Me before men, I will confess him before My Father, who is in heaven. And although in my native country I have taken great pains in God’s vineyard, yet I doubt not, if God will strengthen me, through yours and my patron’s prayers, I shall purchase for our Babylonic soil more favour by my death. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church. To those that made that bountiful offer of a thousand crowns for my life, as my Lord Chamberlain in my presence imparted, I return a thousand thanks, in sign of gratitude, meaning (if God will give to a miscreant and wretched sinner constancy, forgiveness of my sins, and grace to die for His glory and His Spouse’s consolation) to make the return of my bloody sacrifice for their oblation. To all my spiritual children wheresoever they are now sorrowing, I most heartily send greeting, with humble request to God for their constancy in the true way of salvation. My carnal friends I salute, and wish, as to my own soul, conversion from impiety and irreligiosity to virtue and St. Peter^s sheepfold. I love them most entirely, but my Creator in a far higher degree; For he that loveth father or mother more than Me^ is not worthy of Me, saith our Saviour Christ. I send this, my last, written in haste; for I fear I shall have no means hereafter. Therefore I desire God Almighty to protect you all and bless and establish you to suffer persecution for justice’ sake. Thus, in post haste, in visceribiis Christi. Adieu.’

Mr. Ingram was tried and condemned at the same time with Mr. Post, and for the same cause; that is, for his character and functions only, and not for any other treason.

He suffered, with great constancy, at Newcastle, July 25, 1594.

GEORGE SWALLOWELL, Layman.⁵

George SWALLOWELL was bom in the bishopric of Durham,2ind brought up in the Protestant religion,and for some time officiated in the double capacity of reader and of schoolmaster at Houghton-le-Sprmg, in the same bishopric. Going one day to visit a Catholic gentleman imprisoned for his recusancy, and falling into discourse on the subject of religion, he was so close pressed by the gentleman upon the article of his mission and that of his prelates, that he was forced, by way of a last shift, to shelter himself under the Queen’s spiritual supremacy, and to derive their commissions from her authority. The gentleman exposed to him the absurdity of making a woman, whom St. Paul did not allow to speak in the church, the head of the Church and the fountain of ecclesiastical jurisdiction; and treated so well both this and other points of controversy, that Mr. Swallowell, who was none of those

GEORGE SWALLOWELL who are resolved to be rebels to the light, yielded to the strength of his arguments; and, not content privately to embrace the truth, he not long after publicly professed from the pulpit. That he had hitherto been in error ^ hut zvas nozv convinced that they had no true mission in their Church, and therefore he zjcould no longer officiate there.

Upon this he was apprehended and committed to Durham Jail, and after a year’s imprisonment was brought to the bar at the same time with Mr. Bost and Mr. Ingram, priests, and stood between them. At first, through fear of that cruel death to which he was condemned, he yielded to go to the church, and to conform to what the judges required of him. Whereupon Mr. Bost, looking at him, said, George Swallowell, zvhat hast thou done? At these words of the confessor of Christ, ‘ he was struck with a great dump and confusion, and desired the judge and the Lord President (who at that time was the Earl of Huntingdon) For God's sake to let him have his zjoord again. To which the judge replied, Swallowell, look zjoell zvhat thou doest; for, although thou he condem?ied, yet the Queen is merciful. But still he craved to have his desire granted. Then the judge answered. If thou he so earnest, thou shalt have thy zvord again; say zvhat thou zvilt. Then presently he recalled what he had formerly yielded unto, and courageously said. That in that faith zvherein those tzvo priests did die he zvould also die, and that the same faith zvhich they professed he did also profess. With that Mr. Bost looked at him again, and said. Hold thee there, Swallowell, and my soul for thine; and with these words he laid his hand upon his head. Then the Lord President said, Azvay zvith Bost, /or he is reconciling him. Upon this his judgment was pronounced, which was to be hanged, drawn, and quartered at Darlington.'

Upon the day designed for execution, he was brought two miles off the place on foot, and then was put into a cart, where he lay on his back, with his hands and eyes up to heaven, and so was drawn to the gallows. To terrify him the more, they led him by two great fires, the one made for burning his bowels, the other for boiling his quarters; and withal four ministers attended him to strive to bring him over to their way of thinking, but he would not give ear to them, or stay with them, but went presently to the ladder, and there fell down upon his knees, and continued for some time in prayer. Then making the sign of the cross, he went up the ladder, and having leave of the Sheriff to speak, he said, / renounce all heresy, and spoke some other words which were not well heard by the people, with which the Sheriff being offended, struck him with his rod, and told him that if he had no more to say, he should go up further, for the rope should be put about his neck; which being done, Mr. Swallowell desired, if there were any Catholics there, they would say three Paters^ three Aves^ and the Creed for him; and so making the sign of the cross upon himself, he was turned off the ladder. After he had hung a while, they cut the rope and let him fall, and the hangman, who was but a boy, drew him along by the rope yet alive, and there dismembered and bowelled him, and cast his bowels into the fire. At the taking out of his heart, he lifted up his left hand to his head, which the hangman laid down again; and when the heart was cast into the fire, the same hand laid itself over the open body. Then the hangman cut off his head, and held it up, saying. Behold the head of a traitor. His quarters, after they were boiled in the cauldron, were buried in the baker’s dunghill.

He suffered at Darlington {vulgo Darnton), July 26, 1594.

EDWARD OSBALDESTON, Priest.^

This gentleman was of the family of the Oshaldestons of Oshaldeston^ in the parish of Blakehurn, in the county palatine of Lancaster. He had his education in Doway College during its residence at Rhemes. Here he was made priest in 1585, and from hence was sent upon the English mission, April 27, 1589. After labouring here some years, he was apprehended by the means of one Clark y a fallen priest, at Towlerton, in Yorkshire y on the 30th of September y 1594, and committed to York Castle. His letter to his fellow prisoners gives an account of his apprehension, and the dispositions he was then in, and therefore deserves to be here inserted.

‘ I was apprehended at Towlerton by Mr. Thomas Clarky the apostate priest, upon St. Hierome's Dayy at night — a thing much more to my comfort than at any other time, for that I had such a special patron to commend myself to, and such a stout champion under Christ; and besides, it pleased God, much to my comfort, to let this sign of His love fall unto me that day above all others. For it was God’s great goodness to call me to the honour of priesthood, and that upon St. Hierome's Day I said my first Mass and consecrated the blessed body and blood of my Saviour Jesus Christy and received Him with great reverence and devotion, and ever since⁶

EDWARD OSBALDESTON have honoured St. Hierome. And the morning before I came forth, I made my prayer to blessed St. Hierome, and in his merits I offered myself a sacrifice to God, and recommended myself to him to direct me to His will and pleasure, and that I might walk aright in my vocation, and follow St. Hierome as long as God should see it expedient for His Church and most for His honour and glory; and if it pleased Him still to preserve me, as He had done before, I never would refuse to labour, or murmur at any pain or travail; and if it should please His Majesty to suffer me to fall into the persecutors’ hands, that then it would please His infinite goodness to protect me to the end; which I have no doubt but He will, after so many and so great goodnesses and gifts as He hath bestowed on me over all my life, which are without number and inexplicable. W^herefore my hope and trust is much helped that now He will be most sure unto me, since this is the weightiest matter that I ever was about in my life: and so considering this, and infinite others such like, I find great comfort, and fully trust in God’s goodness, and distrust only in myself; but in Him that comforteth me I can do all things. And this actual oblation of myself that morning, and this that ensueth, maketh me very comfortable, and bringeth me into many good and heavenly cogitations, feeling His strength so much as I have done in lesser matters, and further off from Him than this is. Therefore I nothing doubt, by His grace, but He will grant me to finish that which was for Him and by Him begun — which I pray God I may worthily do when His good will and pleasure is, and not before; and that I may not wish or desire any thing in this life but what may bpt please Him and honour Him and our Blessed Lady His Mother and all the court of heaven the most, and edify the people, and strengthen them in the way to Jesus, the King of bliss.

‘ The manner [of my apprehension] was thus: — Abraham Sayre and I came to the inn a little before Mr. Clark, and we all came before night. I knew him not fully, for I thought he had been in the South; but at supper I looked earnestly at him, and I thought it was he, and yet I still persuaded myself that he knew me not, and if he should know me, he would do me no harm, which fell out otherwise; God forgive him for it. For when we were going to bed, he went and called the curate and constable, and apprehended us, and watched us that night, and came with us to York, and stood by when I was examined before the Council, but said nothing then that I feared; and he was present afterwards when I was called again; and since I have been nothing said unto; what will follow God knoweth; but I will not be partial to myself, but prepare me

209 o for death, and what else may befall unto me. Now I pray you, for God’s sake, what you hear or learn let me know; and what is the best course for me to take in all points, and how my brethren have behaved themselves in this case that have gone before me; and, for myself, I yield me wholly to obedience to you in that blessed society and number in the Castle, and desire in all points to live in discipline and order, and as the common live, and what I have or shall have it shall be in common. And therefore, I pray you, direct me in all things, both for my apparel and diet and every thing; and as my brethren have gone before me, so would I follow in the humblest sort.’ So far the letter.

As to other particulars relating to Mr. Oshaldeston, I have found none; but only that being brought upon his trial, he was condemned to die as in cases of high treason, on account of his priestly character and functions, and suffered at York, the i6th of Novembei', 1594.

Footnotes

1. Ven. William Harrington. — From the Douay Diary and Catalogues, and from Stow’s Chronicle; see also Gillow; Catholic Encyclopcedia; Month, April 1874. ↩

2. Ven. John Cornelius, alias Mohun.^ — From a Manuscript relation in my hands penned by the Rev. Mr. Manger; and from the Bishop of Tarrasona’s History of the Persecution of England; and from a relation sent out of England three months after Mr. Cornelius’s martyrdom; see also Foley Records, iii.; Troubles, ii.; D.N.B.; Month, May 1922, Jan. 1923. ↩

3. Ven. John Boste. — From two Manuscript relations sent me from Douay, the one formerly sent over by the Rev. Cuthbert Trollop, archdeacon, the other by the Rev. Father Thuresby, of the Society of Jesus; and from letters written out of England in 1594, recorded by the Bishop of Tarrasona in his History; see also Lives of E. M.; C.R.S., i.; D.N.B. Also infra, Appendix II. ↩

4. Ven. John Ingram. — From the Bishop of Chalcedon’s Manuscript Catalogue; and from two letters of Mr. Ingram to his fellow-prisoners, copies of which are kept in Douay College; see also Lives of E. M.; Troubles, hi.; C.R.S., i. ↩

5. Ven. George Swallowell. — From a Manuscript in my hands; and from Bishop Yepez’s History of the Persecution, who had his information from letters sent over from England two months after Mr. Swallowell’s execution; see also Lives of E. M.; Troubles, iii.; C.R.S., i. ↩

6. Ven. Edward Osbaldeston. — From a Douay Manuscript, and a copy of a letter written by Mr. Osbaldeston, which I have in my hand; see also Lives of E. M.; Catholic Encyclopcedia. ↩