List of Catholic martyrs of the English Reformation
The Catholic martyrs of England are men and women who died for the Roman Catholic faith in the years between 1534 and 1680. Certain of them have officially been recognized as martyrs by the Catholic Church.
Catholics in England and Wales were executed under treason laws. Legislation of the 16th century made treasonable refusing to assent to the royal supremacy over the Church that had been asserted by Henry VIII, or being or harbouring a Catholic priest. The standard penalty for all those convicted of treason at the time was execution by being hanged, drawn and quartered.
Groups with official recognition by the Catholic Church include:
List of Catholics executed for their faith in England 1534 - 1680
1534 - 1560
- Ralph Barnes, monk, 1537
- Elizabeth Barton, Benedictine nun, 1534
- John Beche, Abbot of Colchester, 1539; beatified 1895
- Thomas Belchiam, Franciscan friar, 1538
- Arthur Bell, Franciscan friar, 1543
- Richard Bere, Carthusian monk, 1537
- Robert Bird, priest, 1540
- William Bird, priest, 1540
- Laurence Blonham, monk, 1537
- Edward Bocking, Benedictine, 1537
- Edmund Brindholme, priest, 1544
- Anthony Brookby, Franciscan, 1538
- Thomas Brownel, Brigittine brother
- Edward Burden, priest, 1538
- William Burraby, priest, 1537
- James Cockerell, Prior of Gisborough Priory, 1537
- William Coe, monk, 1537
- Lawrence Cook, Carmelite. Prior of Doncaster Friary, 1540[1]
- Richard Coppinger, Benedictine, 1558
- Thomas Cort, Franciscan, 1537[2]
- Martin Coudres, Augustinian monk, 1544
- William Cowper, monk, 1537
- George Croft, priest, 1538
- John Davy, Carthusian, 1537
- John Dering, Benedictine, 1537
- John Eastgate, monk, 1537
- Richard Eastgate, monk, 1537
- Thomas Empson, Benedictine, 1540
- William Exmew, Carthusian monk, 1535
- John Eynon, priest, 1539; beatified 1895
- Hugh Faringdon, Abbot of Reading, 1539; beatified 1895
- Richard Featherstone, Archdeacon, 1540
- John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, 1535; canonized 1935
- John Forrest, Franciscan friar, 1538
- Adrian Fortescue, Knight of St. John of Jerusalem, 1539; beatified 1895
- John Francis, monk, 1537
- John Haile (or Hale), priest, 1535
- Richard Harrison, Abbot of Jervaulx, 1537
- William Haydock, monk, 1537
- Nicholas Heath, Prior of Lenton, 1537
- John Henmarsh, priest, 1537
- Robert Hobbes, Abbot of Woburn, 1537
- John Houghton, Prior of the London Charterhouse, 1535; canonized 1970
- John Ireland, priest, 1544
- Roger James, Benedictine, 1539; beatified 1895
- Henry Jenkinson, monk, 1537
- Thomas Kendal, priest, 1537
- John Larke, priest, 1543
- Robert Lawrence, Prior of the Beauvale Charterhouse, 1535; canonized 1970
- Richard Laynton, monk, 1537
- Robert Leeche, layman, 1537
- Hugh Londale, monk, 1537
- Matthew Mackerel, Premonstratensian abbot, titular bishop of Chalcedon, 1537
- James Mallet, priest, 1537
- Richard Masters, priest, 1537
- Humphrey Middlemore, Carthusian monk, 1535
- Thomas More, layman, 1535; canonized 1935
- John Paslew, Abbot of Whatley, 1537
- Paul of Saint William, Augustinian monk, 1544
- William Peterson, priest, 1540
- John Pickering, Benedictine, prior of York, 1537
- John Pickering, priest, 1537
- Walter Pierson, Carthusian, 1537
- Edward Powell, priest, 1540
- Thomas Redforth, priest, 1537
- Richard Reynolds, Brigittine monk of Syon Abbey, 1535; canonized 1970
- Hugh Rich, Franciscan friar, 1534
- William Richardson, priest, 1540
- Richard Risby, Franciscan friar, 1534
- John Rochester, Carthusian monk, 1537
- John Rugg, Benedictine monk, 1539; beatified 1895
- Adam Sedbar, Abbot of Jervaulx, 1537
- Robert Singleton, priest, 1544
- Thomas Slythurst, priest, 1560
- John Stone, Augustinian friar, 1538; canonized 1970
- William Swale, monk, 1537
- John Tenant, monk, 1537
- John Thorne, Benedictine monk, 1539; beatified 1895
- William Thyrsk, Cistercian, 1537
- William Trafford, Abbot of Sawley, 1537
- John Travers, monk, 1539
- Richard Wade, monk, 1537
- Friar Waire, Franciscan, 1539
- James Walworth, Carthusian monk, 1537
- Augustine Webster, Prior of the Axholme Charterhouse, 1535; canonized 1970
- Sister Isabel Whitehead, Benedictine nun
- Richard Whiting, Abbot of Glastonbury, 1539; beatified 1895
Decrees of Elizabeth I
After Elizabeth I's accession to the throne, the religion of the country was changed again to make it Protestant. Within England, however, there were still many people who did not agree with this and continued to remain loyal to the old faith. The threat of a foreign invasion from a Catholic country that could be assisted by a rebellion of English subjects led the Crown to try to stamp out Catholicism with repressive measures.[3]
Elizabeth I's government had passed a number of anti-Catholic decrees in 1571, including the following:
- forbidding anyone from maintaining the jurisdiction of the pope by word, deed or act
- compulsory use of the Book of Common Prayer in all cathedrals, churches and chapels, as well as the forbiddance of criticism of it
- forbidding the publication of any bull, writing or instrument of the Holy See (the death penalty was assigned to this)
- the importing of Agnus Dei, crosses, pictures, beads or other things from the Bishop of Rome was forbidden
Later laws:
- to draw anyone away from the state religion was forbidden
- non-attendance at a Church of England church was legally forbidden
- raising children with teachers that were not licensed by an Anglican diocesan bishop was not allowed
- the Catholic Mass was forbidden
In 1585 a new decree was issued that made it a crime punishable by death to go overseas to receive the sacrament of Ordination to the Catholic priesthood or permanent diaconate. Nicholas Devereux (who went by the alias of Woodson) and Edward Barber (see below Edward Stransham) were both put to death in 1586 under this law. William Thompson and Richard Lea (see below Richard Sergeant) were hanged, bowelled and quartered under the same law. In 1588, eight priests and six laymen at Newgate were condemned and executed under this law.[3]
1561 - 1600 List
- John Ackridge, priest, 1585
- Thomas Ackridge, Franciscan, 1583
- John Adams, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
- Thomas Alfield, priest, 1585
- John Almond, Cistercian, 1585
- John Amias, priest, 1589
- Robert Anderton, priest, 1586
- William Andleby, priest, 1597
- William Baldwin (Bawden), priest, 1588
- Christopher Bales, priest, 1590
- Thomas Bedal, priest, 1590
- George Beesley, priest, 1591; beatified 1987
- Thomas Belson, layman, 1589; beatified 1987
- Robert Bickerdike, layman, 1586; beatified 1987
- William Blackburne, priest, 1586
- Alexander Blake, layman, 1590; beatified 1987
- John Bodey, priest, 1583; was executed at Andover by being quartered. At his execution he said
Indeede, I have been sufficiently censured, for I have been condemned twice; if you may make the hearing of a Blessed Mass treason, or the saying of an Ave Maria treason, you may make what you please treason... I acknowledge her as my Lawful Queen in all temporal causes, and none other... Ye shall understand, good people all, I suffer death not for not granting her Majestie to be supreme head of Christ's Church in England, which I may not and will not grant; I pray God long to preserve her Majestie in tranquility over you, even Queen Elizabeth, your queen and mine; I desire you to obey none other.[3]
- John Boste, priest, 1594; canonized 1970
- Marmaduke Bowes, layman, 1585; beatified 1987
- Richard Bowes, priest, 1590
- John Bretton, layman, 1598; beatified 1987
- Alexander Briant, Jesuit priest, 1581; canonized 1970
- James Brushford, priest, 1593
- Edmund Burden, priest, 1588; beatified 1987
- Christopher Buxton, priest, died Canterbury, 1588
- Edmund Campion, Jesuit priest, 1581; beatified 1886, canonized 1970, was a well known scholar at Oxford who had developed a great reputation in England. He went abroad and became a Jesuit priest, and after his return he was apprehended at Oxfordshire, brought to London and lodged in the Tower. Great pressure was put on him to recant. He was brought to the Queen and the Earl of Leicester. He was told that he could even become the Archbishop of Canterbury if he recanted.[3] When this failed he was tortured on the rack twice and then afterwards brought to trial. He was condemned to death and hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn.
- William Carter, layman, 1584; beatified 1987
- James Claxton (Clarkson), priest, 1588
- James Clayton, priest, 1588
- Margaret Clitherow, laywoman, 1586; canonized 1970, was pressed to death at York.
- Henry Cole, priest, 1580
- Laurence Collier, Franciscan, 1590
- John Collins, priest, 1584
- Henry Comberford, priest, 1584
- John Cornelius, Jesuit priest, 1594
- Thomas Cotesmore, priest, 1584
- Thomas Cottam, Jesuit priest, 1582
- Richard Creagh, archbishop of Armagh, 1585
- Ralph Crockett, priest, 1588
- Alexander Crowe, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
- Thomas Crowther, priest, 1585
- Robert Dalby, priest, York, 1589
- William Davies, priest, 1593; beatified 1987
- William Dean, priest, 1588
- Robert Dibdale, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
- Francis Dicconson, priest, 1590
- Roger Dicconson, priest, 1591
- George Douglas, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
- Anthony Draycott, priest, 1570
- Edmund Duke, priest, 1590; beatified 1987
- John Feckenham, Benedictine, abbot of Westminster, 1585
- Thomas Felton, Franciscan, 1588
- James Fenn, priest, 1584
- John Finch, 1584
- John Finglow, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
- Richard Flower, layman, 1588; beatified 1987
- William Freeman, priest, 1595; beatified 1929[4]
- Thomas Gabyt, Cistercian, 1575
- Nicholas Garlick, priest, 1588; beatified 1987
- Edmund Gennings, priest, 1591; canonized 1970
- Miles Gerard, priest, 1590
- William Gibson, layman, 1596; beatified 1987
- Nicholas Grene, priest, 1571
- - Gretus, priest
- Ralph Grimston, layman, 1598; beatified 1987
- John Griffith (alias Jones), Saint, Franciscan friar, 1598
- William Gunter, priest, 1588
- Richard Gwyn, layman, 1584; canonized 1970
- William Hambledon, priest, 1585
- John Hambley, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
- Everard Hanse, priest, 1581, a native of Northamptonshire, was a church of England clergymen who had gone abroad and been ordained a catholic priest. He declared his loyalty to the pope, and was hanged and disembowelled.
- Robert Hardesty, layman, 1589; beatified 1987
- Nicholas Harpsfield, priest, 1575
- William Harrington, priest, 1594
- John Harrison, priest, 1586
- William Harrison, priest, 1594
- William Hart, priest, 1583, was found guilty of being a priest and reconciling people to the Catholic Church.
- William Hartley, priest, 1588
- Thomas Harwood, priest, 1586
- Richard Hatton, priest, 1584
- George Haydock, priest, 1584; beatified 1987
- Thomas Hemerford, priest, 1584
- John Hewitt, priest, 1588
- Richard Hill, priest, 1590; beatified 1987
- John Hogg, priest, 1590; beatified 1987
- Thomas Holford, priest, 1588
- Richard Holiday, priest, 1590; beatified 1987
- Robert Holmes, priest, 1584
- Richard Horner, priest, 1598
- Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel, layman, 1595; canonized 1970
- Thomas Hunt, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
- Edward James, priest, 1588
- John Jetter, priest, 1585
- Lawrence Johnson, priest, 1582
- Robert Johnson, priest, 1582
- Edward Jones, priest, 1590
- John Jones, Franciscan priest, 1598; canonized 1970
- Joseph Lambton, priest, 1592; beatified 1987
- William Lampley, layman, 1588; beatified 1987
- Richard Leigh, priest, 1588
- James Lomax, priest, 1584
- John Lowe, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
- Robert Ludlam, priest, 1588; beatified 1987
- William Marsden, priest, 1586
- Roger Martin, priest, 1592
- Cuthbert Mayne, priest, 1577; canonized 1970, was executed under the 1571 legislation after he was caught entering the country in possession of an Agnus Dei as well as a copy of a 1575 bull of Pope Gregory XVI.
- Thomas Metham, Jesuit, 1592
- Anthony Middleton, priest, 1590
- Robert Morton, priest, 1588
- Thomas Mudde, Cistercian, 1583
- John Munden, priest, 1584
- John Nelson, priest, 1577, was executed at Tynburn for denying the Queen's supremacy and refusing to take the oath.
- George Nichols, priest, 1589; beatified 1987
- John Norton, layman, 1600; beatified 1987
- John Nutter, priest, 1584
- Robert Nutter, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
- Antony Page, priest, 1593; beatified 1987
- Thomas Palasor, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
- William Patenson, priest, 1592
- John Payne, priest, 1582; canonized 1970
- Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland, layman, 1572; beatified 1895
- William Pike, layman, 1591; beatified 1987
- Thomas Pilchard, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
- Polydore Plasden, priest, 1591; canonized 1970
- Thomas Plumtree, priest, 1570
- Edward Pole, priest, 1585
- Thomas Pormort, priest, 1592; beatified 1987
- Humphrey Pritchard, layman, 1589; beatified 1987
- Alexander Rawlins, priest, 1595
- John Rigby, layman, 1600; canonized 1970
- Christopher Robinson, priest, 1597; beatified 1987
- John Robinson, priest, 1588
- John Roche, priest, 1588
- Stephen Rowsham, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
- John Sandys, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
- Montford Scott, priest, 1591; beatified 1987
- Thomas Sedgwick, priest, 1573
- Richard Sergeant, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
- Martin Sherson, priest, 1587
- John Shert, priest, 1582
- Ralph Sherwin, priest, 1581; canonized 1970
- Thomas Sherwood, layman, 1579; beatified 1886, had been a student at a seminary in the Low Countries at Douai, and was arrested on suspicion. When the question was put to him, he answered that he believed the pope rather than the queen was pre-eminent. He was therefore tortured (in order to get him to give the location where he heard Mass), and then hanged, cut down while still alive, disembowelled and then dismembered.
- Richard Simpson, priest, 1588; beatified 1987
- Peter Snow, priest, 1598; beatified 1987
- Robert Southwell, Jesuit priest, 1595; canonized 1970
- William Spenser, priest, 1589; beatified 1987
- Thomas Sprott, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
- James Stonnes, priest, 1585
- John Story, Chancellor to Bishop Bonner, 1571
- Edward Stransham, priest, 1586
- Robert Sutton, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
- Edmund Sykes, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
- John Talbot, layman, 1600; beatified 1987
- Hugh Taylor, priest, 1585; beatified 1987
- Gabriel Thimelby, priest, 1587
- Richard Thirkeld, priest, 1583
- James Thompson, priest, York, 1582
- John Thompson, Jesuit
- William Thomson, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
- Robert Thorpe, priest, 1591; beatified 1987
- Edward Thwing, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
- Thomas Watkinson, layman, 1591; beatified 1987
- Roger Wakeman, priest, 1584
- Sir Edward Waldegrave, 1561
- Henry Walpole, Jesuit priest, 1595; canonized 1970; he had been present at the execution of Edward Campion, and his clothes were sprinkled with Campion's blood at the execution.[3] After his witness, Walpole himself then gave up his law practice and followed in Campion's footsteps. He was later executed at York in 1595.
- Edward Waterson, priest, 1593
- Margaret Ward, laywoman, 1588; canonized 1970, was hanged at Tynburn for helping a priest to escape from prison.
- William Way (alias May or Flower), priest, 1588
- Henry Webley, layman, 1588; beatified 1987
- Swithin Wells, layman, 1591, canonized 1970
- Richard Weston, Jesuit
- Christopher Wharton, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
- Eustace White, priest, 1591; canonized 1970
- Robert Wilcox, priest, 1588
- Richard Williams, priest, 1592
- Thomas Wood, priest, 1588
- John Woodcock, Franciscan, 1646
- Nicholas Woodfen, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
1601 - 1680
- Placid Aldham (Adelham), Benedictine, 1679
- William Allison, priest, 1681
- John Almond, priest, 1612; canonized 1970
- Edmund Arrowsmith, Jesuit priest, 1628; canonized 1970
- Ralph Ashley, Jesuit priest, 1606
- William Atkins, Jesuit, 1681
- Nicholas Atkinson, priest, 1610
- Thomas Atkinson, priest, 1616; beatified 1987
- Edward Bamber, priest, 1646; beatified 1987
- Mark Barkworth, Benedictine, 1601
- Ambrose Edward Barlow, Benedictine priest, 1641; canonized 1970
- Thomas Bedingfeld, Jesuit, 1678
- Arthur Bell, Franciscan priest, 1643; beatified 1987
- William Bentney (alias Bennet), Jesuit, 1692
- Richard Birkett, priest, 1680
- Thomas Blount, priest, 1647
- Richard Bradley, Jesuit, 1645
- Matthew Brazier (alias Grimes), Jesuit, 1650
- James Brown, Benedictine, 1645
- Thomas Bullaker, Franciscan priest, 1642; beatified 1987
- Roger Cadwallador, priest, 1610; beatified 1987
- Edmund Cannon, priest, 1651
- Brian Cansfield, Jesuit, 1643
- Edmund Catheriok, priest, 1642
- Walter Coleman, Franciscan, 1645
- Benedict Constable, Benedictine, 1683
- Ralph Corbie, Jesuit, 1644
- Robert Cox, Benedictine, 1650
- Christopher Dixon, Augustinian, 1616
- Robert Drury, priest, 1607; beatified 1987
- James Duckett, layman, 1601; beatified 1929
- John Duckett, priest, 1644
- Thomas Dyer, Benedictine, c.1618-1630
- Robert Edmonds, Benedictine, 1615
- Philip Evans, Jesuit priest, 1679; canonized 1970
- John Fenwick, Jesuit priest, 1679
- Roger Filcock, priest, 1601; beatified 1987
- Matthew Flathers, priest, 1608; beatified 1987
- Thomas Foster (Forster), Jesuit, 1648
- Andrew Fryer (alias Herne or Richmond), priest, 1651
- Henry Garnet, Jesuit, 1606
- Thomas Garnet, Jesuit priest, 1608; canonized 1970
- John Gavan, Jesuit priest, 1679
- John Gerard (Jesuit), priest, Jesuit, 1637
- George Gervase, Benedictine, 1608
- John Goodman (Jesuit), priest, 1645
- Hugh Green, priest, 1642
- Robert Grissold, layman, 1604; beatified 1987
- William Harcourt, Jesuit, 1679
- James Harrison, priest, 1602
- Henry Heath, Franciscan priest, 1643; beatified 1987
- Ildephonse Hesketh (alias William Hanson), Benedictine, 1644
- Thomas Holland, priest, 1642
- Thurstan Hunt, priest, 1601; beatified 1987
- Thomas Jennison, Jesuit, 1679
- John Kemble, priest, 1679; canonized 1970
- David Joseph Kemys (Kemeys), monk, 1680
- Richard Lacey, Jesuit, 1680
- Francis Levison, Franciscan, 1679
- David Lewis, Jesuit priest, 1679; canonized 1970
- Anne Line, laywoman, 1601; canonized 1970, an aged and infirm widow was first flogged and then hanged at Tyburn for having entertained a priest.
- John Lloyd, priest, 1679; canonized 1970
- William Lloyd, priest, 1679
- John Lockwood, priest, 1642
- Laurence Mabbs, Benedictine, 1641
- Charles Mahoney (alias Meehan), Franciscan priest, 1679; beatified 1987
- Thomas Maxfield, priest, 1616
- Edward Mico, Jesuit, 1678
- Robert Middleton, priest, 1601; beatified 1987
- William Middleton (alias Heathcote), Benedictine, 1644
- Thomas Molineux, Jesuit, 1681
- Edward Morgan, priest, 1642
- Henry Morse, Jesuit priest, 1645; canonized 1970
- George Napper, priest, Oxford, 1610, beatified 1929
- Francis Nevil, Jesuit, 1679
- Richard Newport, priest, 1612
- Francis Page, Jesuit, 1602
- Placid Peto, Benedictine, 1642–1643
- John Pibush, priest, 1601
- Thomas Pickering, Benedictine, 1679
- William Plessington, priest, 1679; canonized 1970
- Nicholas Postgate, priest, 1679; beatified 1987
- Philip Powel, Benedictine, 1646
- Thomas Preston (alias Roger Widdrington), Benedictine, 1640
- Francis Quashet, priest, 1642
- Thomas Reynolds (alias Green), priest, 1642
- William Richardson, priest, 1603
- John Roberts, Benedictine priest, 1610; canonized 1970
- Alban Bartholomew Roe, Benedictine priest, 1642; canonized 1970
- William Scot (Maurus Scott) 1612
- Thomas Somers, priest, 1610
- William Southerne, priest, 1618; beatified 1987
- Saint John Southworth, priest, 1654; canonized 1970
- John Sugar, priest, 1604; beatified 1987
- John Thulis, priest, 1616; beatified 1987
- Thomas Thwing, priest, 1679
- Thomas Tichborne, priest, 1602
- Cuthbert Tunstall, priest, 1616
- Thomas Tunstall, priest, 1616
- Anthony Turner, Jesuit, 1679
- Edward Turner, Jesuit, 1681
- John Wall, Franciscan priest, 1679; canonized 1970
- William Ward, Saint, priest, 1641
- Robert Watkinson, priest, 1602
- Thomas Whitaker, priest, 1646; beatified 1987
- Thomas Whitbread, Jesuit, 1679
- Edward Wilkes, priest, 1642
- John Woodcock, Franciscan priest, 1646; beatified 1987
- Thomas Woodhouse, priest, 1572
- Roger Wrenno, layman, 1616; beatified 1987
- Peter Wright, Jesuit, 1651
No precise date of martyrdom available
- Richard Adams, priest
- Thomas Belser, priest
- William Bannersley, priest
- Humphrey Browne, Jesuit
- George ab Alba Rose, Augustinian
- James Gerard, priest
- John Hudd, Jesuit
- Thomas Moyne
- John Pearson, priest
- John Penketh, Jesuit
- Cuthbert Prescott, Jesuit
- Ignatius Price, Jesuit
- Charles Pritchard, Jesuit
- Thomas Ridall, priest
- John Rivers (alias Austen Abbot), priest
- Francis Simeon, Jesuit
- James Swarbrick, priest
- Charles Thursley, Jesuit
- Thomas Vaughan, priest
- John Young, priest
- Boniface Wilford, Benedictine
See also
Notes and references
Notes
References
- Colin Pendrill, The English Reformation 1485-1558, Heinemann, 2000
- New Catholic Dictionary, 1910