ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL
Saints celebrated on the 13th of April
WELCOME!
BLESSED JOHN LOCKWOOD, PRIEST AND MARTYR
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| Fr Lockwood is taken to York Castle - Woodcut c/o Memoirs of Missionary Priests &.c., Ven. and Rt. Rev. R. Challoner, New Edition, Thomas Jones, London, Paternoster Row, 1842 John Lockwood, alias Lassels, was eldest son of Christopher Lockwood, esq. of Soresby in the county of York, by N. Lassels his wife, daughter of Sir Robert Lassels of Brackenbrough, in the same county. He was born in 1555, according to the Douay diary, which gives him no more than 87 years of age, when he suffered; (though I have before me some relations, which affirm that he was at that time 96 years old). He had exercised his priestly functions, according to the same diary, for the space of 44 years before his martyrdom: so it is likely he did not retire out of England till late. Whenever it was, we are assured that he voluntarily quitted an estate of four hundred a year, to devote himself to the service of God and his neighbours, in the quality of a priest and of a missioner; and that at a time, and in a kingdom, where he could look for nothing else in that quality but labours and dangers, prisons, and death. He performed his studies abroad, partly in the college of Donay or Rheims, and partly in that of Rome: but at Rome he was made priest, as appears from his answer in court, when being charged with being a Roman priest, he answered, that it was right enough expressed in his regard, for indeed, said he, I was ordained priest at Rome. He was twice at least a prisoner for his faith, before his last apprehension: for I find in Molanus, that he was sent from prison into banishment in 1610; and after his return upon the mission was retaken again, and then brought upon his trial, and condemned to die; but was reprieved, and kept in prison. How long he was confined at this time I have not found, nor how he escaped out of prison: probably he was discharged, as many others were, either upon the occasion of the marriage treaty with Spain, or by the interest of queen Henrietta Maria. He was apprehended for the last time at a place called the Wood-End, the house of Mrs Catenby, a catholic widow, where the old gentleman had lived for some years. He was cultivating his little garden, when the blood-hounds rushed in upon him, and easily secured their prey. The pursuivants were inhabitants of a neighbouring market town called Thirsk; their leader was one Cuthbert Langdale; and he and another wretch, to fill up the measure of their iniquities, appeared witnesses against him at the York assizes, and took away the life of the good old man. Some odd circumstances, bordering upon cruelty, which accompanied the commitment and condemnation of Mr Lockwood, especially considering his great age, and the peaceable and inoffensive disposition of the man, gave much offence, not only to catholics, but to many of the more moderate protestants; insomuch, that even to this day, says Mr Knaresborough¹, his execution is mentioned in Yorkshire with pity and compassion. Though as for his own part, it appears by the sequel of the story that Mr Lockwood was well satisfied with the orders of providence, and did even joyfully take up his cross to follow his dying Saviour. He took leave of his friends with a wonderful evenness of mind, and manifestly shewed by his behaviour, that he was not under the least concern at his commitment, or the consequences of it.  The great difficulty was how to convey the prisoner to York. They set him on horseback, but through weakness and age he was not able to ride: Upon this, Cuthbert gets on behind, and supports his feeble charge; but neither would this contrivance long succeed; the poor old man after a short trial fainted away, and had like to have disappointed the priest-catcher of his reward. When he was a little recovered, they jogged on again, but again the old gentleman grew very sick, and plainly told his governor, that he could no longer sit on horseback; then you shall lie on horseback, quoth Cuthbert; for to York castle you are sent, and to York castle you shall go, with leave of the Lord. Accordingly they laid the prisoner on the horse, Cuthbert still riding behind, with one hand managing the beast, and his prisoner with the other. And thus moving on by easy marches, after many a halt, and many a sick fit, and fainting away, he brought bis charge alive to York, where they made an odd appearance in the streets, and had many onlookers. A passage well remembered, says Mr Knaresborough¹ (from whom we have transcribed it,) spoke of to this day and by the ancient inhabitants of that city, with indignation and horror. Cuthbert having now performed his task, and delivered up his prisoner to the gaoler, was making haste homeward, when Mr Lockwood very friendly called to him, and at the same time pulling out his purse, Hark you Cuthbert, (says the old gentleman,) I have even given yon a great deal of trouble in bringing me to this happy place, here take that angel for your pains, and the Lord be with you. And five shillings more be gave to the other priest-catcher for his share in the trouble, so they took leave of each other, and parted very good friends. At the next assizes Mr Lockwood, with his fellow prisoner Mr Catherick, was tried and condemned; and though they were for a short time reprieved by the king, the clamours of the parliament against reprieving priests were such at that time, that his majesty, though, as it is thought, very much against his inclinations, signed the dead warrant for their execution. And accordingly, on the 13th of April, 1642, the king and the prince of Wales, with many lords and persons of distinction, being then at the manor in York, Mr Lockwood and Mr Catherick were laid on a hurdle, and drawn through the streets of York to the place of execution to suffer according to sentence. After some time employed in private devotions, the sheriff appointed Mr Catherick to walk up the ladder he moved towards it in obedience to orders, but shewed by his countenance, that the fears of death had encompassed and oppressed his soul; which Mr Lockwood observing stepped forward and planting himself at the foot of the ladder, Mr Sheriff, (says he) under favour the place is mine, I am his senior by many years, and therefore with leave I challenge it as my right to mount the ladder first. Then applying himself to Mr Catherick - My dear brother in Jesus Christ and fellow sufferer, (says he,) take courage; we have almost run our race, shall we faint and be tired when in sight of the prize? O let us run in spirit to our Saviour in the garden, and call upon him in his agony and bloody sweat. O blessed Lord Jesus! who submittest thyself to death, for the example and comfort of thy servants at the hour of their deaths, be near us we beseech thee at this moment, moderate our fears, strengthen our faith, and confirm our hopes, that in obedience to thy call we may go forth to meet thee readily and cheerfully; and thankfully drink of thy chalice, how bitter soever to nature. O Jesus! sweeten it by thy grace; help thy poor servants that call upon thee, that we may here by down our lives in obedience to thy holy will, and in defence of thy holy religion, with constancy and perseverance. Lord Jesus, once more we recommend ourselves in this dreadful hour to thee! help us by thy powerful grace, that thou, O Lord, mayest be glorified in our deaths, and thy church and people edified. This done, the holy man began to climb up the ladder as well as he could; but finding himself out of breath, he made a halt, and turning to the sheriff with a smiling countenance - Good Mr Sheriff, (says he) have a little patience with me; indeed this same climbing a ladder is a piece of hard service for an old man of fourscore and seven: however, I will do my best; for who would not take thus much pains, Mr Sheriff, to get heaven at the journey's end. Then he began again to ascend, and with the help of two men, whom he rewarded with a shilling each, he arrived at the top of the ladder. Here pausing a while to recover his breath, be enquired of Mr Catherick, how he did! In good heart, (replies he) blessed be God! and ready to suffer with constancy the death his providence has allotted me. Yes, my dear Father, I am willing and ready to follow you, thanks be to my Lord and Saviour Jesus, who by his grace has strengthened me, and by your good example has encouraged me. Mr Lockwood, overjoyed to see his companion thus disposed, prepared himself immediately for his end; and after a few words of edification to the people, and earnestly desiring the prayers of the catholics, and exhorting them to constancy and patience in their sufferings, he employed a few minutes in silent prayer, and then delivered himself up to the executioner; and whilst with hands and eyes lifted up towards heaven, he cried out, Jesus, my Saviour! Jesus my Redeemer, receive my soul! Jesus, be to me a Jesus! the executioner flung him off, and he soon expired. When he was cut down, in order to be bowelled and quartered, the hangman it seems scrupled at the butchery part, and for a time flatly refused it; and even taking a rope threatened to hang himself, rather than imbrue his hands in innocent blood. But being at last prevailed upon by a wicked woman to undergo the drudgery, he fell to work like a fury, cutting, slashing, and tearing the bodies and bowels as well of Mr Lockwood, as of Mr Catherick, hashing their entrails into small parts, and flinging them like a madman amongst the crowd. The heads and quarters of the two priests were disposed on the several gates or bars, as they term them, of the city; and Mr Lockwood's head was fixed on the north gate, called Bootham-Bar, close by the king's palace, at the manor, where his majesty then resided, insomuch that it was not possible for him to come out of the palace gate, or even look out from the east, but old Eleazor's bloody head was before his eyes, which must have affected his mind with some troublesome remembrances. From the Douay Diary, by Mr Ireland, and from the ¹Manuscript Collections of Mr Knaresborough. Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 2 |
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