The Year 1654

From the year 1651 till the year 1654 I find no mention of any priests put to death for their character and religion; but in the year 1654, being the first of the usurpation of Cromwell, Mr.John Southworth was drawn to Tyburn to suffer for his conscience, of whom we shall now treat.

JOHN SOUTHWORTH, Priest.^

JOHN SOUTHWORTH was born in Lancashire in the year 1592, being a younger son of the ancient family of the South-worths of Salmeshury ^ formerly possessed of a considerable estate, but which, ever since the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth^ has been in a declining condition. He was sent for his education to the English College of Doway, and was an alumnus and priest of that house, from whence he was sent upon the English mission on the 13th of October, anno 1619. The first seat of his missionary labours was his native country of Lancashire, where after some years employed in his functions he was apprehended, brought upon his trial, and condemned for being a priest, in 1627. However, he did not suffer at this time, but was reprieved, and continued a close prisoner in Lancaster Castle, where in the following year, as we have seen elsewhere, he was the man that gave the last absolution to Father Arrowsmith when he was going to martyrdom.

From Lancaster Castle he was, I believe, removed to Londott and committed to the Clink, for there I find him in April, 1630, when, as Mr. Prynne complains in his Royal Popish Favourite, pp. 18, 19, he was, at the instance of the Queen, released with fifteen other priests, and delivered to the Marquis de Chasteauneuf the French ambassador, to be transported beyond the seas. If ever he went abroad, as the author above quoted seems to question, he quickly returned again to his Master’s work, and laboured so diligently therein, that he is complimented by Mr. Prynne (p. 24), with the title of a dangerous seducer, who also informs us ‘ that he was afterwards committed again to the Clink prison by the Lords of the Privy Council’s warrant, and yet for all that, had liberty to walk abroad at his pleasure (as most priests, says this author, during their imprisonment had, the more safely to seduce, as he calls it. His Majesty’s good subjects, and open Masses in their prisons to boot), whereupon being apprehended and brought before some of the high commissioners, and refusing to give bond to appear before them, he was sent to the Clink by their warrant under the seal of the court, June 24, 1640 — to which they found him to be formerly committed by the Lords, and to be then a vagrant prisoner — to be¹ there detained under the keeper’s custody, &c. But within a few days after he was absolutely released by Secretary Windehank' s warrant.’ So Mr. Prynne.

Who goes on in the following page: — ‘ How dangerous a seducer this Southworth, alias Southwell^ was, appears by this petition of Robert White ^ sub-curate of Margaret's^ Westminster, to the Archbishop of Canterbury against him, in the last great sickness, 1636, which

‘ Most humbly sheweth that the petitioner, ever since the beginning of this grievous visitation in Westminster, &c., hath observed two Popish priests to frequent Westminster, one of whom is called Southwell [Southworth^, who is, and long hath been, a prisoner in the Gatehouse, but lives about ClerkemvelL This man, under pretence of distributing alms sent from some of the priests in Somerset House, or other Papists, doth take occasion to go into divers visited houses in Westminster; and namely, to the houses of one William Baldwin and William Stiles in the Kemp Yard in Westminster, and there finding Baldwin near the point of death, did set upon him by all means to make him change his religion; whereunto by his subtle persuasions, Baldwin easily consented and received the sacrament from him, according to the Church of Rome, and so died a Romish Catholic. And in the same manner he also perverted William Stiles, who also died a Romish Catholic. And South-well, to colour and hide these wicked practices, doth fee the watchman and other poor people thereabouts, &c. And thus, under a pretence of relieving the bodies of poor people, he poisons their souls.’

The petitioner adds, ‘ That divers poor people, newly turned Romish Catholics, do commonly frequent the Mass at Denmark House; and three of those poor people watched all night with William Stiles immediately before he died, and the next day went thither to Mass. A most wicked course, says he, if it should not be remedied.

‘ Upon this, Southwell soon after was apprehended, indicted, arraigned, and the premises fully proved against him by sundry witnesses; and yet by the Queen’s and Windebank's powerful means, his final trial was put off, to the great discontent of the people, and he not long after released.’ So far Mr. Prynne, p. 25.

Any other particulars relating to Mr. Southworth' s missionary labours, I have not been able to find for want of proper memoirs, or any more of him till his final apprehension in 1654, when ‘ upon information of one Jefferies, a pursuivant, says my St. Omers MS., whom he had in fee, he was taken out of bed at night by Colonel JVors/ey, and upon his own confession of having exercised his functions since his reprieve, he was condemned, and dragged to Tyburn upon a sledge, placed between two coiners,’ &c.

As to what passed at his trial, the only account that I have been able to find, is penned by a Protestant (who appears to have been a moderate dissenter) in a pamphlet, entitled, A letter from a gentleman in the city to a gentleman in the country^ about the odiousness of persecution^ printed in 1687, p. 27. ‘ The last Popish priest,’ says this author, ‘ that was put to death in England for being a priest of the Romish Church, was put to death in the time of Cromwell. I suppose we are not to doubt of the passionate heat which inflamed those who were then in authority against the Papists and Popery. They looked upon the Papists as mortal enemies to their government, and as fast friends and devoted servants to the crown and royal family. Notwithstanding which, when the said priest came upon his trial at the sessions house in the Old Bailey., and upon his arraignment pleaded that he was not guilty of treason, but acknowledging himself a priest of the Roman Church, it clearly appeared that those who were his judges did their utmost to preserve his life, and to prevent the execution against him of those laws upon which he stood indicted; for they did for many hours suspend the recording of his confession, making it their endeavour to prevail with him to plead not guilty to the indictment. They pressed him to this in the public court, assuring him that if he would so plead his life should be safe, and that they had no evidence which could prove him to be a priest. And when the old man [aged about seventy-two] would not be drawn to deny himself to be a priest, taking it to be a denying of his religion, and that the court was compelled to give judgment against him, the magistrate who gave the sentence [Serjeant Steef Recorder of London] was so drowned in tears upon that sad occasion, that it was long before he could pronounce the sentence which the law compelled, as he professed to give.’ So far this writer of Mr. Southworth's trial and condemnation.

As to his execution, he was drawn to Tyburn on the 28th of June., 1654. What happened upon this occasion take here from an eye-witness in a letter dated the 30th of the same month.

‘ As I arrived here I was invited to be a spectator of the martyrdom of Mr. Southworth, an ancient secular priest. He had formerly been condemned and reprieved in Lancashire, &c. At his execution, though it was a stormy and rainy day, there came thousands of people, with a great number of coaches and horsemen. He made a speech at the gallows, which I send you with these, according to a copy I had from one of the same profession, who stood under the gallows. The large particulars I have not as yet, nor seek to send, on confidence you will have them from better hands. Priests fly hence apace, as presaging a greater storm. There are others in hold, and search made after more. All are in fears and suspense, not knowing where to dispose themselves, the times are so hard. There is now another priest brought from Newcastle^ taken at Mass, with the man of the house; who may the next sessions expect their doom. There were five coiners hanged, drawn, and quartered with Mr. Southworth. He was clothed in a priest’s gown, and had a four-cornered cap.’ His speech was as follows: —

Mr» Southworth’s Speech at Tyburn.

‘ Good people, I was born in Lancashire. This is the third time I have been apprehended, and now being to die, I would gladly witness and profess openly my faith, for which I suffer. And though my time be short, yet what I shall be deficient in words I hope I shall supply with my blood, which I will most willingly spend to the last drop for my faith. Neither my intent in coming into England^ nor practice in England was to act any thing against the secular government. Hither I was sent by my lawful superiors to teach Christ’s faith, not to meddle with any temporal affairs. Christ sent His apostles; His apostles their successors; and their successors me. I did what I was commanded by them, who had power to command me, being ever taught that I ought to obey them in matters ecclesiastical, and my temporal governors in business only temporal. I never acted nor thought any hurt against the present Protector. I had only a care to do my own obligation, and discharge my own duty in saving my own and other men’s souls. This, and only this, according to my poor abilities, I laboured to perform. I had commission to do it from him, to whom our Sayiour, in His predecessor St. Peter, gave power to send others to propagate His faith. This is that for which I die, O holy cause! and not for any treason against the laws, hly faith and obedience to my superiors is all the treason charged against me; nay, I die for Christ’s law, which no human law, by whomsoever made, ought to withstand or contradict. This law of Christ commanded me to obey these superiors, and this Church, saying, whoever hears them hears Flimself. This Church, these superiors of it I obeyed, and for obeying, die. I was brought up in the truly ancient Roman Catholic apostolic religion, which taught me that the sum of the only true Christian profession is to die. This lesson I have heretofore in my lifetime desired to learn; this lesson I come here to put in practice by dying, being taught it by our Blessed Saviour, both by precept and example. Himself said. He that will be My disciple, let him take up his cross and follow Me, Himself exemplarily practised what he had recommended to others. To follow His holy doctrine, and imitate His holy death, I willingly suffer at present; this gallows (looking up) I look on as His cross, which I gladly take to follow my dear Saviour. My faith is my crime, the performance of my duty the occasion of my condemnation. I confess I am a great sinner; against God I have offended, but am innocent of any sin against man; I mean the Commonwealth and present Government. How justly then I die, let them look to who have condemned me. It is sufficient for me that it is God’s will: I plead not for myself (I came hither to suffer), but for you poor persecuted Catholics whom I leave behind me. Heretofore liberty of conscience was pretended as a cause of war; and it was held a reasonable proposition that all the natives should enjoy it, who should be found to behave themselves as obedient and true subjects. This being so, why should their conscientious acting and governing themselves, according to the faith received from their ancestors, involve them more than all the rest in an universal guilt? which conscientiousness is the very reason that clears others, and renders them innocent. It has pleased God to take the sword out of the King’s hand and put it in the Protector’s. Let him remember that he is to administer justice indifferently, and without exception of persons. For there is no exception of persons with God, whom we ought to resemble. If any Catholics work against the present Government let them suffer; but why should all the rest who are guiltless (unless conscience be their guilt) be made partakers in a promiscuous punishment with the greatest malefactors? The first rebellion was of the angels; the guilty were cast into hell, the innocent remained partakers of the heavenly blessings.

‘ Here being interrupted by some officers desiring him to make haste, he requested all present that were Catholics to pray for him and with him. Which done, with hands raised up to heaven, and eyes (after a short prayer in silence) gently shut, thus devoutly demeaned, he expected the time of his execution, which immediately followed, and which he suffered with an unmoved quietness, delivering his soul most blessedly into the hands of his most loving God who died for him, and for whose sake he died.’

The following Latin epigram was made by a minister on the death ' of this gentleman:

Relligio in varias serpit (modo mobilis) Hydras, I

Dum colit idolum quisque Deumque suum.

Nullus ibi Deus est, ubi multitudo Deorum;

Relligio varia relligione perit.

Martyr erat, vindex quia relligionis avitae,

Unica qu2e nobis ducta per aeva fuit.

Huic Deus afflavit, sonuitque tonitruhis aer,*

Fulgure martyrium testificante suum.

In pluviam versus lachrimarum est imber obortus,

Athleta ut maneat fortis agone suo.

Claviger-\ ingressum caelis dabat almus apertis,

Quippe fide ct feriis gestit obisse suis. I

N.B. — Mr. Southworth's body was sent over to the English College! of Doway by one of the illustrious family of the Howards of Norfolk; j and deposited in the church near St. Augustine's altar. In requital j of which, as I find attested in the records of the house, God \vas pleased by the prayers and relics of this martyr in the year 1656, wonderfully to recall from the very gates of death the Honourable Francis Howard of Norfolk, fifth son to Henry Earl of Arundel, and brother to Thomas and Henry, successively dukes of Norfolk, when absolutely despaired of by all the physicians, and having all the symptoms of a dying man.

Footnotes

1. Ven. John Southworth. — From Mr. Knaresborough’s Collections and other Memoirs in my hands; and from a Manusr'ript sent me from the English College of St. Omers; see also Catholic Eiicyclopcedia. ↩