List of Catholic martyrs of the English Reformation

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This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (January 2012)

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 recognised 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 established 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:

Contents

[edit] List of Catholics executed for their faith in England 1534 - 1680

 This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2012)

[edit] 1534 - 1560

[edit] Decrees of Elizabeth I

During the 4½-year reign of Mary I, Catholicism had been officially favoured and Protestants were heavily persecuted.[3] After Elizabeth I's accession to the throne, the religion of the country was changed again to make it Protestant. However, many people continued to remain loyal to the old faith. The threat of a foreign invasion by a Catholic country assisted by English subjects led the Crown to try to stamp out Catholicism with repressive measures.[4]

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 images, crosses, pictures, beads or other things from the Bishop of Rome was forbidden

[edit] 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.[4]

[edit] 1561 - 1600 list

[edit] 1601 - 1680

[edit] No precise date of martyrdom available

[edit] Notes and references

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c The Observant Friars of Greenwich at British History Online places certain executions in 1534, citing Bourchier, Hist. Eccl. de Martyrio Fratrum
  2. ^ The House of White Friars, Doncaster at British History Online
  3. ^ The Book of Martyrs, Chapter XVI, Wikisource, accessed January 2012
  4. ^ a b Chapman, John H. "The Persecution under Elizabeth" Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, Old Series Vol. 9 (1881), pp. 21-43. Retrieved 2012-02-19.
  5. ^ a b c d The Oaten Hill Martyrs at RC.net
  6. ^ Bl. William Freeman at Catholic Online

[edit] References

  • Colin Pendrill, The English Reformation 1485-1558, Heinemann, 2000
  • New Catholic Dictionary, 1910
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