The Year 1597

WILLIAM ANDLEBY, Priest, THOMAS WARCOP, and EDWARD FULTHROP, Gentlemen,¹

WILLIAM ANDLEBY was a gentleman by birth, born at Etton, in Yorkshire, and brought up in the Protestant religion, and in a great aversion to the Church of Rome, following withal the liberties of the world and the flesh, which are so much condemned by the old gospel, and so little restrained by the new. When he was about twenty-flve years of age, his curiosity carried him abroad to see foreign countries. In his travels he came to Doway, where Dr. Allen had not long before instituted an English College or Seminary for supplying England with pastoral missioners. Mr. Andlehy had heard much of the man, and was desirous of seeing and conferring with him, making no doubt but he could convince him of the absurdity of the Roman Catholic religion. Dr. Allen received him very courteously, and treated with him upon the controverted points of religion, with that strength of argument, joined with that candour and sweetness of temper, that Mr. Andlehy was quite silenced and confounded. However, though he acknowledged himself unable to answer, yet he would not yield up the cause or consent to embrace the Catholic faith, but after some days’ conference took his leave of the doctor with the design of going to the wars, which the Hollanders were then engaged in against the King of Spain. The doctor told him. Since he saw his conferences had not been able to conquer the hardness of his heart, he would try another means, which was by having recourse to prayer, and imploring the Almighty Master of hearts to vouchsafe to touch his with His Divine grace, and open it to receive His saving truths. And so they parted.

Dr. Allen was as good as his word, recommending to God by fervent prayers this strayed sheep, when, behold! the wonderful change of the right hand of the Most High! Mr. Andlehy, of his own accord, returns the next morning bathed in tears, and desires of the doctor to be instructed and received into the Catholic Church. The doctor, glorifying God for His wonderful work, received him with great joy; and as Mr. Andleby desired to make his confession to no other than Dr. Allen himself, he heard his general confession, and received him into his college, where, after some years’ probation and an exemplar application to piety and learning, he was at length presented to holy orders, and was ordained priest at the same time with Mr. Sherwin^ Mr. Laurence Johnson, and others, by the Bishop of Cambray, at Gateaux Cambresis, the 23d of March, 1577, and was sent upon the English mission the 14th of April, 1578, the last of those that went from Doway before the removal of the college to Rhemes.

His missionary labours were in his own country of Yorkshire, and his zeal of souls was such as to spare no pains, or fear no dangers, where he could be serviceable to any. For the first four years of his mission, he travelled always on foot, meanly attired, and carrying with him usually in a bag his vestments and other utensils for saying Mass; for his labours lay chiefly amongst the poor, who were not stocked with such things. Afterwards humbly yielding to the advice of his brethren, he used a horse, and went something better clad. Dr. Champney alleges as an instance of his zeal and industry in helping souls, that whereas many Catholics were kept prisoners for their conscience in Hull Castle, and no one was allowed to have access to them, or speak to them, otherwise than in presence of the keeper, who was a bitter enemy of their religion, Mr. Andleby and Mr. Atkinson (who afterwards suffered under Ying James I.), with incredible labour and danger, in spite of moats and walls, gates and bars, found means several times to come at them, and to comfort and assist them.

Wonderful was the austerity of his life in frequent watchings, fastings, and continual prayer. He never spoke but where the honour of God and his neighbour’s good required it. His recollection was so great that even upon his journeys he was always in prayer, mental or vocal, with his soul so absorpt in God, that he often took no notice of those he met; by which means he sometimes was exposed to suspicions and dangers from the adversaries of his faith, into w^hose hands he fell at length after twenty years’ labours in the vineyard of his Lord, and was condemned, barely on account of his character and functions, and hanged, drawn, and quartered at York on the 4th of 1597.

Thomas Warcop and Edward Fulthrop, For gentlemen, were executed at the same time with Mr. Andleby; the former for having harboured or entertained Mr. Andleby in his house; the latter for being reconciled to the Catholic Church.

JOHN BRITTON— PETER SNOW

Footnotes

1. Ven. William Andleby, or Anlaby. — From the Douay Diary; the Bishop of Chalcedon’s Catalogue; and Dr. Champney’s Manuscript History; see also Lives of E. M.; Catholic Encyclopcedta. ↩