BL. THOMAS SHERWOOD, MARTYR - 7 FEBRUARY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY

Saints celebrated on the 7th of February

WELCOME!

BLESSED THOMAS SHERWOOD, MARTYR

Thomas Sherwood [Scholar and Martyr] was born at London, of pious and catholic parents, and by them brought up in the true faith, and in the fear of God. But being desirous to improve himself in virtue and learning, he went over to the English college, founded not long before, in the university of Douay, in Flanders, where I find him, in the diary of the house, a student, in 1576. Not long after this, he returned to London, in order to settle his affairs, and procure money to help him to carry on his studies.

Whilst he was in London, he frequented the house of Lady Tregony, a virtuous catholic, who had a son named Martin, whose faith and manners were widely distant from those of his mother. This young spark suspected that Mass was sometimes privately said in his mother's house; and this, as he imagined, by the means of Mr Sherwood; which was the occasion of his conceiving an implacable hatred against him; insomuch, that one day meeting him in the streets, he cried out, Stop the traitor, stop the traitor; and so causing him to be apprehended, had him before the next justice of peace. 

Where, when they were come, Mr Tregony could allege nothing else against Mr Sherwood, but that he suspected him to be a papist. Upon which the justice examined him concerning his religion; and in particular, what his sentiments were concerning the queen's church-headship, and the pope's supremacy. 

To which Mr Sherwood candidly answered, that he did not believe the queen to be the head of the church of England; and that this pre-eminence belonged to the pope. And being further asked concerning the queen's religion, he made the like answers as we have seen above, Mr Nelson did. Upon which he was immediately committed, and cast into a dungeon in the Tower. 

In the meantime his lodgings were searched and plundered of all that he had, and between 20 and 30l. of money, borrowed for the use of his poor afflicted father, were carried off by these harpies with the rest.

He was most cruelly racked

In the Tower he was most cruelly racked, in order to make him discover where he had heard Mass. But he suffered all their tortures with a greatness of soul not unequal to that of the early martyrs and would not be induced to betray or bring any man into danger. After this, he was thrust into a dark, filthy hole, where he endured very much from hunger, stench, and cold, and the general want of all things, no one being allowed to visit him, or afford him any comfort. Insomuch, that when a catholic gentleman, "Mr Roper, son-in-law to Sir Thomas More," pitying his extreme sufferings, had, by the means of another prisoner, conveyed to Mr Sherwood's keeper some money for the use of his prisoner, the money was by the keeper returned the next day, because the lieutenant of the Tower would not suffer the prisoner to have the benefit of any such alms. And all that he could be prevailed upon to do, was to lay out one poor sixpence for a little fresh straw for him to lie upon.

In fine, after about six months' suffering in this manner, with invincible patience, and gloriously triumphing over chains, dungeons, and torments, during which he often repeated these words, Lord Jesu, O! I am not worthy that I should suffer these things for thee! much less am I worthy of those rewards which thou hast promised to give to such as confess thee; he was brought out to his trial, and condemned to die for denying the queen's supremacy; and was executed according to sentence, being cut down whilst he was yet alive, dismembered, bowelled, and quartered.

He suffered at Tyburn, February 7, 1577-8.

This year, 1578, the English seminary was obliged to leave Douay (after having sent from thence fifty-two priests, upon the English mission, besides others sent to Rome,) and to repair to Rheims; where they remained till 1594. The first of those that were ordained at Rheims, who suffered in England for religious matters, was Everard Hanse.

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

⬅️ The Holy Martyrs of England and Wales

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that we who know how courageously your holy martyr Thomas 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.