ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN DECEMBER
Saints celebrated on the 10th of December
SAINT SWITHIN WELLS, MARTYR
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| Saint Swithin Wells |
Swithin Wells [Swithun], gentleman, was the sixth son of Thomas Wells, Esq., of Brambridge, near Winchester, and brother to that worthy confessor, Gilbert Wells, Esq.. renowned for his immoveable constancy amongst many, and great persecutions which he suffered under queen Elizabeth for the catholic religion.
Mr Swithin was virtuously educated from his infancy, and carefully instructed in all manner of learning fitting his age and condition. He was good natured, pleasant in conversation, courteous, generous, courageous, and every way a gentleman in his comportment. He took to wife a virtuous gentlewoman, who was condemned with him, but did not die with him, being reserved to suffer a longer and more lingering martyrdom in prison.
As Mr Wells grew more mature in age, so he did in virtues. And although he was much delighted in hawking, hunting, and other such like gentleman's diversions, yet he so soberly governed his affections therein, as to be content to deprive himself of a good part of those pleasures, and retire to a more profitable employment of training up young gentlemen in virtue and learning, with such success, says my author, that his school hath been, as it were, a fruitful seminary to many worthy members of the catholic church, whereof one hath already gained the crown of martyrdom; others yet remain, some industrious and painful workmen in the happy harvest of souls, and some strong and immoveable pillars to support the catholic cause against so many grievous storms and tempests as are daily raised against it.
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| An engraving of Newgate Prison, London |
We have already seen in what manner Mr Wells was apprehended, imprisoned, and condemned to die; and how he refused to save his life by renouncing his religion. The following letter, which he wrote to his brother-in-law, Mr Gerard Morin, (a constant professor of, and sufferer for the catholic faith,) whilst he was in prison, before his condemnation, as it excellently expresses the interior dispositions of his soul, deserves particularly to be here recorded.
The comforts which captivity bringeth, are so manifold, that I have rather cause to thank God highly for his fatherly correction, than to complain of any worldly misery whatsoever. Dominus de cælo in terram aspexit ut audiret gemitus compeditorum, &c. Potius mihi habetur affligi pro Christo, quam honorari a Christo. These, and the like, cannot but comfort a good christian, and cause him to esteem his captivity to be a principal freedom, his prison a heavenly harbour, and his irons an ornament. These will plead for him, and the prison will protect him. God send me, withal, the prayers of all good folks to obtain some end of all miseries, such as to his holy will and pleasure shall be most agreeable. I have been long time in durance, and endured much pain; but the many future rewards in the heavenly payment, make all pains seem to me a pleasure and truly custom hath caused, that it is now no grief to me at all to be debarred from company, desiring nothing more than solitariness; but rather rejoice, that thereby I have the better occasion, with prayer, to prepare myself to that happy end for which I was created and placed here by God, assuring myself always of this one thing, that how few soever I see, yet am I not alone, Solus non est cui Christus comes est. "He is not alone who has Christ in his company." When I pray, I talk with God, when I read, he talketh to me, so that I am never alone. He is my chiefest companion, and only comfort. Cum ipso sum in tribulatione.
I have no cause to complain of the hardness of prison, considering the effects thereof, and the rather, because I fasten not my affection upon worldly vanities, whereof I have had my fill to my great grief and sorrow. I renounced the world before ever I tasted of imprisonment, even in my baptism; which being so, how little doth it import in what place I be in the world, since, by promise. I vowed once never to be of the world, which promise and profession, how slenderly soever I have kept heretofore, I purpose, for the time to come, God assisting me with grace in my commenced enterprise, to continue to my life's end. The world is crucified to me, and I to the world. God forbid that I should glory in any thing but in the cross of Christ. I utterly refuse all commodities, pleasures, pastimes, and delights, saving only the sweet service of God, in whom is the perfection of all true pleasures. Vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas præter amare Deum. "Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity besides loving God." I am bound and charged with gyves, yet am I loose and unbound towards God; and far better I account it to have the body bound, than the soul to be in bondage. I am threatened hard with danger of death, but if it be no worse, I will not wish it to be better. God send me his grace, and then I weigh not what flesh and blood can do unto me. I have answered to many curious and dangerous questions, but I trust with good advisement, not offending my conscience. What will become of it God knows best, to whose protection I commit you.
E carcere et catenis ad regnum,
Tuus dum vixero.
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| Gray's Inn Place (James McNeill Whistler) |
Mr Wells received the sentence of death with undaunted courage, and religiously prepared himself for it. The morning he was to die, his wife (who had also received the like sentence for the like guilt of harbouring priests,) was brought out of prison with him and Mr Genings, in order, as it was supposed, for execution; but she was remanded back to prison by the sheriff, there to wait the queen's pleasure. That which would have afforded great joy to another, was grievously afflicting to this good lady, who lamented to see herself left behind, and not suffered to bear her husband and her ghostly father company in so glorious a death. She lived ten years a close prisoner in Newgate, exercising herself there in fasting, watching, and continual prayer, and died most holily, in 1602.
Mr Wells was carried to be executed, with Mr Genings, in Gray's Inn Fields, over against his own door. In the way, seeing, by chance, an old friend of his, he could not forget his wonted mirth; but saluted him in these words, Farewell, dear friend; farewell all hawking, hunting, and old pastimes; I am now going a better way.
At the place of execution, he was first witness of the bloody butchery of Mr Genings; but so far from being terrified by it, or desiring any respite or delay of execution, he rather expressed a desire to have his death hastened. Despatch, said he, Mr Topcliffe, despatch, are you not ashamed to suffer an old man to stand here so long in his shirt, in the cold. I pray God make you, of a Saul a Paul, of a persecutor a catholic professor. And in these and other like sweet speeches, says my author, (p. 109,) full of Christian piety, charity, and magnanimity, he happily consummated his course, the 10th of December, 1591.
From Mr John Genings's relation of the life and death of Mr Wells, and from Dr Champney's manuscript history.
Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 1
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