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BL. GEORGE SWALLOWELL, MARTYR - 26 JULY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JULY

Saints celebrated on the 26th of July

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BLESSED GEORGE SWALLOWELL, MARTYR

George Swallowell was born in the bishopric of Durham and brought up in the protestant religion; and for some time officiated in the double capacity of reader and of school-master, at Houghton Spring, in the same bishopric. 

Going one day to visit a catholic gentleman, imprisoned for his recusancy, and falling in discourse on the subject of religion, he was so close pressed by the gentleman upon the article of his mission, and that of his prelates, that he was forced, by way of a last shift, to shelter himself under the queen's spiritual supremacy, and to derive their commissions from her authority. The gentleman exposed to him, the absurdity of making a woman, whom St Paul did not allow to speak in the church, the head of the church, and the fountain of ecclesiastical jurisdiction; and treated so well, both this and other points of controversy, that Mr Swallowell, who was none of those who are resolved to be rebels to the light, yielded to the strength of his arguments. And not content privately to embrace the truth, he, not long after publicly professed, from the pulpit, that he had hitherto been in an error. but was convinced, that they had no true mission in their church, and therefore he would no longer officiate there.

Upon this he was apprehended, and committed to Durham jail, and, after a year's imprisonment, was brought to the bar, at the same time with Mr Bost
 and Mr Ingram, priests, and stood between them. At first through fear of that cruel death to which he was condemned, he yielded to go to the church, and to conform to what the judges required of him. 

Whereupon, Mr Bost, looking at him, said, George Swallowell, what hast thou done? At these words of the confessor of Christ he was struck with a great damp and confusion, and desired the judge, and the lord president, (who at that time was the Earl of Huntington,) for God's sake to let him have his word again. To which the judge replied, Swallowell, look well what thou doest; for, although thou be condemned, yet the queen is merciful. But still he craved to have his desire granted. Then the judge answered, if thou be so earnest, thou shalt have thy word again; say what thou wilt. 

Then presently he recalled what he had formerly yielded unto, and courageously said, that in that faith wherein those two priests did die, he would also die; and that the same faith which they professed, he did also profess. With that, Mr Bost looked at him again, and said, hold thee there, Swallowell, and my soul for thine; and with these words, he laid his hand upon his head. Then the lord president said, away with Bost, for he is reconciling him. Upon this, his judgment was pronounced, which was, to be hanged, drawn, and quartered, at Darlington.

Upon the day designed for execution, he was brought two miles off the place on foot, and then was put into a cart, where he lay on his back, with his hands and eyes up to heaven, and so was drawn to the gallows. To terrify him the more, they led him by two great fires, the one made for burning his bowels, the other for boiling his quarters; and withal, four ministers attended him to strive to bring him over to their way of thinking; but he would not give ear to them, or stay with them, but went presently to the ladder, and there fell down upon his knees, and continued for some time in prayer: then making the sign of the cross, he went up the ladder and having leave of the sheriff to speak, he said, I renounce all heresy; and spoke some other words which were not well heard by the people, with which the sheriff being offended, struck him with his rod, and told him, that if he had no more to say, he should go up further, for the rope should be put about his neck which being done, Mr Swallowell desired, if there were any catholics there, they would say three paters, three aves, and the creed for him and so making the sign of the cross upon himself, he was turned off the ladder. After he had hung awhile, they cut the rope and let him fall; and the hangman, who was but a boy, drew him along by the rope yet alive, and there, dismembered and bowelled him, and cast his bowels into the fire. At the taking out of his heart, he lifted up his left hand to his head, which the hangman laid down again; and when the heart was cast into the fire, the same hand laid itself over the open body. Then the hangman cut off his head, and held it up, saying, behold the head of a traitor. His quarters, after they were boiled in the cauldron, were buried in the baker's dunghill.

He suffered at Darlington, vulgo Darnton, July 26, 1594.

From a manuscript in my hands, and from bishop Yeper's history of the persecutions, 1.5, c. 5, who had his information from letters sent over from England, two months after Mr Swallowell's execution.

Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 1

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that we who know how courageously your holy martyr George  confessed the faith, may experience his goodness as he intercedes for us with you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.






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