ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL
Saints celebrated on the 8th of April
VENERABLE JOHN GOODMAN, PRIEST AND MARTYR
John Goodman was born in the diocese of Bangor, in North Wales, from whence he is called Bangoriensis, in the diary of Douay college. He was the son of William Goodman; was brought up in the protestant religion, and sent to the university of Oxford, where he spent a long time in his studies, and was at length made a minister after the protestant manner.
But growing dissatisfied with his religion, by the remonstrances of some friends, he left both his gown and his country; and going beyond the seas, was, at Paris, received into the church by the Reverend Mr Richard Ireland, then residing there; and by him, recommended to Dr Kellison, the president of Douay college, where he arrived February 12th, 1621, and was admitted amongst the alumni of the college.
In the year 1622, September the 24th, I find him presented to the four lesser orders; which he received at Cambray, from the archbishop of that see. After which time, he continued studying divinity in the college, till May the 6th, 1624; when he went from Douay to St Omer's in order to be received into the Society of Jesus, and to make his noviceship at Watten. But whether his health would not suffer him to go on, or what other reason it might be, the sequel of his history ever presents him as a secular priest. I have not found where he finished his studies, or where he was ordained priest; for I meet with his name no more in the Douay Diary or catalogues.
In England, after his coming over upon the mission, he behaved himself in such manner as to be remarkable for his zeal; so that William Prynne, in his Royal Popish Favourite, (p. 23,) calls him a noted priest. He was apprehended in 1635, but discharged, upon giving bond for his appearance; of which, the same author loudly complains, in a small tract, entitled, Hidden works of darkness brought to public light. He was taken up again, in 1639, and committed to the Gatehouse, from whence he was again released by a warrant from secretary Windebank, September the 17th, 1639.
But he was retaken not long after, and brought to his trial, and condemned in the beginning of 1640. The following account is taken from Mr Nelson's Impartial Collections (vol. 1, p. 738):
Monday, January the 25th. Mr Hide reports from the conference with the lords the king's message about Goodman the priest, and the expulsion of the priests and Jesuits as follows:
His majesty having informed himself by the recorder, of the names and nature of the crimes of the persons convicted at the last sessions; and there finding that John Goodman was condemned for being in orders of a priest merely, and was acquitted of the charge of of perverting the king's people in their belief, and had never been condemned or banished before. His majesty is tender in matters of blood in cases of this nature, in which queen Elizabeth and king James have been often merciful; but to secure his people, that this man should do no more hurt, he is willing that he be imprisoned or banished, as their lordships shall advise; and if he return into the kingdom, to be put to execution without delay. And he will take such fit course for the expulsion of other priests and Jesuits, as he shall be counselled unto by your lordships, &c.
The effect of the aforesaid conference of the lords and commons, was, that the lords at their petition resolved to concur with the commons in a joint remonstrance to his majesty, both that Goodman might be executed, and the laws put in execution against all other priests and Jesuits.
Friday, January the 29th. This day the two houses waited upon his majesty with their remonstrance, which the lord keeper, Littleton, delivered to the king, and was in the following words:
May it please your Majesty.
Your loyal subjects, the lords and commons, humbly represent to your gracious consideration, that Jesuits and priests ordained by authority from the see of Rome, remaining in this realm, by a statute made in the 27th of queen Elizabeth, are declared traitors, and to suffer as traitors.
That it is enacted in the first year of king James, that all statutes made in the time of queen Elizabeth, against priests and Jesuits, be put in execution; and for a farther assurance of the due execution of these laws, the statute of the third year of king James invites men to the discovery of the offenders by rewarding them with a considerable part of the forfeiture of the recusant's estate; so that the statute of queen Elizabeth is not only approved, but by the judgments of several parliaments in the time of king James, of happy memory, adjudged fit and necessary to be put in execution. That the putting these laws in execution tendeth not only to the preservation and advancement of the true religion established in this kingdom, but also the safety of your majesty's person, and the security of the government, which were the principal causes of the making of the laws against priests and Jesuits, &c.
Then they proceeded to inform his majesty, that some priests and Jesuits had been executed in the time of queen Elizabeth, and king James. That the reprieve of John Goodman the priest, had given great disgust to the city of London. That it was found that the said Goodman had been twice formerly committed and discharged; that his residence afterwards in or about London, was in absolute contempt of his majesty's proclamation; that he hath been sometime a minister of the church of England, and consequently he is an apostate; and they humbly desire that a speedy course may be taken for the due execution of the laws against priests and Jesuits. And lastly, that Goodman the priest be left to the justice of the laws.
Wednesday, February the 3rd. This day the two houses were ordered to attend his majesty in the banqueting-house, at Whitehall, where he delivered himself in these words.
Having taken into my serious consideration, the late remonstrance of the houses of parliament, I give you this answer.
I take in good part your care of the true religion, established in this kingdom, from which I will never depart. It is against my mind that popery or superstition should any way increase; and I will restrain the same by causing the laws to be put in execution. I am resolved to provide against the Jesuits and priests, by setting forth a proclamation with all speed, commanding them to depart the kingdom within one month, &c.
Lastly, concerning John Goodman the priest; I will let you know the reason why I reprieved him. That, as I am informed, neither queen Elizabeth, nor my father, did ever avow, that any priest in their time was executed merely for religion, which to me seems to be this particular case. Yet seeing that I am pressed by both houses to give way to his execution; because I will avoid the inconveniency of giving so great a discontent to my people, as I conceive this mercy may produce; therefore, I remit this particular cause to both houses. But I desire them to take into their consideration the inconveniency which, as I conceive, may fall upon my subjects, and other protestants abroad: especially since it may seem to other states to be severity; which having thus represented, I think myself discharged from all ill consequences that may ensue upon the execution of this person. So far the king.
The next day his majesty communicated to the house of lords a petition sent to him by Mr Goodman, of the following tenor.
To the king's most excellent majesty.
The humble petition of John Goodman condemned, humbly showeth, That whereas your majesty's petitioner hath been informed of a great discontent in many of your majesty's subjects, at the gracious mercy your majesty was freely pleased to show unto your petitioner by suspending the execution of the sentence of death pronounced against your petitioner for being a Roman priest; these are humbly to beseech your majesty, rather to remit your petitioner to their mercy, than to let him live the subject of so great discontent in your people against your majesty for it hath pleased God to give me the grace to desire with the prophet, that if this storm be raised for my sake, I may be cast into the sea, that others may avoid the tempest.
This is, most sacred sovereign, the petition of him that should esteem his blood well shed, to cement the breach between your majesty and your subjects upon this occasion. Ita testor.
This uncommon greatness of mind, as it very much moved the king, so it seems to have softened the parliament into some sentiments of humanity towards the prisoner. For certain it is, that we hear no more of this affair; only we find, that Mr Goodman, instead of a more quick despatch at Tyburn, was permitted to linger away in prison by a more tedious martyrdom; and that he died a confessor of Christ, on the common side of Newgate, in some part of the year 1645 [April 8, 1642].
From the Douay diary, and Mr. Nelson, (a protestant historian,) in his Impartial Collections, vol. 1, p. 73 &c.
Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 1
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