Nicholas Horner

Nicholas Horner (died 4 March 1590) was an English Roman Catholic layman, hanged, drawn and quartered because he had relieved and assisted Christopher Bales, a seminary priest. He is a Catholic martyr, beatified in 1987.

Life

Born at Grantley in Yorkshire, he appears to have been following the calling of a tailor in London when he was arrested on the charge of harbouring Catholic priests. He was kept for a long time in a cell, contracted blood poisoning in one leg, and had it amputated.

He was afterwards set free, but when he was again found to be harbouring priests he was convicted of felony, and as he refused to conform to the public worship of the Church of England, was condemned. On the eve of his execution at Smithfield, he had a vision of a crown of glory hanging over his head; the story of this vision was told by him to a friend, who in turn transmitted it by letter to Father Robert Southwell.

References

Attribution

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Nicholas Horner". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. The entry cites:
  • Joseph Gillow, Bibl. Dict. Eng.. Cath., s. v.
  • Richard Challoner, Memoirs, (Edinburgh, 1878), I, 166, 169, 218
  • Pedro de Ribadeneira, Appendix to Schismatis Anglicani (1610), 25
  • John Morris, Troubles, 3rd series.