Saints celebrated on the 31st of May
BLESSED ROBERT THORP, PRIEST AND MARTYR
Robert Thorp [Thorpe] was born in Yorkshire, and was an alumnus and priest of Douay college during its residence at Rheims; from whence he was sent upon the English mission, May 9, 1585. He employed his labours in Yorkshire, his native country. Dr Champney, who was acquainted with him, writes of him as follows:
This holy priest, whom I knew in my younger days, and to whom, I have often confessed my sins, had laboured for a long time, and with very great fruit, in the vineyard of the Lord. He was a man of low stature, of infirm health, and but indifferent in point of learning, but of great devotion and piety; but though he was naturally timorous and weak, yet he suffered death for the catholic faith, with great constancy and fortitude.
The manner of his apprehension is thus related by Lady Babthorpe, who then lived in that country, but after her husband's decease, became a nun at Louvain:
To my remembrance, says she, it is twenty-nine years since we were committed to Sheriff-Hutton castle: the president (of the North,) was then the Earl of Huntington, and the archbishop's name was Piers, who had been a priest. And for the manner of Mr Thorp's taking and death, I can remember no more, but that on a Palm Sunday's evening, "rather on the eve of Palm Sunday," he was, by an evil neighbour, seen to go into Thomas Watkinson's house; or, as some said, that neighbour saw some of Thomas Watkinson's servants get palms, which was sufficient to assure them that he had a priest in his house: for they knew well that priests used much to come to his house; but they could not be sure of the time; so now thinking they were sure of one, they went with speed to one Mr. John Gates, a justice of the peace, living in Houldone, some three miles off, one who was always ready on such evil employments; who, with his company, came so early on Palm Sunday, in the morning, that, as I heard, they took them in their beds, and carried them away to York, where they were martyred. The manner of their deaths, I remember not, only this, that the good old man, Watkinson was offered his life if he would go to church, which he refusing, was martyred with the priest.
This Thomas Watkinson, who suffered with Mr Thorp, was a yeoman of Menthorpe, in Yorkshire, a good religious catholic, who lived a kind of a solitary life, and afforded what aid and assistance he could to the missioners. He suffered with great constancy, though naturally he was also timorous, and now advanced in years.
Mr Thorp was condemned merely upon account of his priesthood; and Mr Watkinson, merely for harbouring priests. The former was hanged, drawn and quartered; the latter only hanged.
They suffered at York, May 31, 1591.
From the Douay Diary and Catalogues, from Ribadaneira, chap. 7. Champney's manuscript, and the relation of Lady Babthorpe.
Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 1
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