BL. ROBERT DRURY, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 26 FEBRUARY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY

Saints celebrated on the 26th of February

WELCOME!

BLESSED ROBERT DRURY, PRIEST AND MARTYR

Robert Drury was born of a gentleman's family in Buckinghamshire. He performed his studies abroad, partly in the college then residing at Rheims, where he went through his course of philosophy; and partly at

Valladolid in Spain, to which place he was sent from Rheims with several others, in 1590, to the college lately founded in that city, by king Philip of Spain, for the education of the English clergy. Here be finished his studies, and was made priest.

From hence he was sent upon the English mission, in the year 1593. His missionary labours seem to have been chiefly in and about London, where his learning and virtue made him considered amongst his brethren. In the year 1601, queen Elizabeth set forth a proclamation, November 7, in which she was pleased to promise some favour to such of the clergy, as should give sufficient assurance of their allegiance to her as their lawful queen. Upon this, some of the leading men amongst them (one of whom was Mr Drury) met, and drew up a declaration, or profession of their allegiance, wherein they declared, 

1. That they acknowledged queen Elizabeth for their true and lawful sovereign, with as full power and authority as any of her predecessors. 
2. That they were most willing to obey her at all times, and in all cases, as far as any christian priests, either in this or any other christian kingdom, are bound by the divine law and the christian religion to obey their temporal prince; to be obedient also to her laws and magistrates, in all civil causes, and to pray to God to give her a happy and quiet reign, and after this life eternal bliss. 
3. They declared their abhorrence of all plots and conspiracies against the queen and state; and their readiness to defend, and to persuade all catholics, as much as in them lay, to defend her majesty's person, state, kingdom and dominions, against all invasions, or hostile attempts, made by whomsoever, or upon what pretext soever, notwithstanding any excommunication denounced, or to be denounced against her majesty, &c. 
4. They declared nevertheless, that they acknowledged and confessed the bishop of Rome to be successor to St Peter, with no less ample authority and spiritual jurisdiction over all christians than that apostle had, and that they would be obedient to his holiness in all things, as far as they were bound by the divine law; which they doubted not might rightly stand with that allegiance which they had professed to their temporal princess: for as they were most ready to pour forth their blood for the defence of her majesty and their country; no were they resolved to part with their lives rather than violate the lawful authority of the catholic church of Christ. 

This declaration was given up to the lords of the council, by direction, signed by thirteen of the most eminent men of the secular clergy, viz. William Bishop, Dr of Sorbon, afterwards bishop of Chalcedon; John Colleton, John Mush, Robert Charnock, John Bosville, Anthony Hebburn, Roger Cadwallador, Robert Drury, Anthony Champney, Dr. of Sorbon, John Jackson, Francis Barnaby, Oswald Needham, and Richard Button. 

This declaration is said to have given satisfaction to the queen and her council; though I don't find that it put a stop to the persecution, unless perhaps with regard to the subscribers in particular, none of whom were any farther prosecuted, during the remainder of that reign. 

But what was judged satisfactory in point of allegiance by Queen Elizabeth and her council, was not, it seems, deemed so in the following reign of king James the First. For now new oath of allegiance was imposed upon catholics, by which they were to abjure and detest as damnable and heretical, a doctrine relating to the pope's power; which neither the word of God, nor the church of God bad condemned for such. This oath, which is said to have been contrived by Sir Christopher Perkins, a fallen Jesuit, and worded on purpose in such a manner that the catholics might be divided in their opinions about the lawfulness of it was taken by some of the missioners, but refused by the far greater number, and prohibited by two several breves addressed by Pope Paul the Fifth to the catholics of England.

About the time of the imposing of this new oath, Mr Drury fell into the hands of the persecutors, and was brought to his trial for being a priest, and remaining in this realm contrary to the statute of Elizabeth 27. For this supposed treason (for no other was objected to him) he was condemned to die. 

"Tis true he might have saved his life, if he would have complied with the new oath; but he chose rather to die, than to act against his conscience: not that he suffered death for refusing the oath, or that his refusal was by the laws punishable with death; but that being upon another account, viz. for his priesthood, sentenced to die, he had his life offered him, if he would have taken that oath; which was the case also of several other priests, who suffered during this reign, who refused to save their lives by taking an oath which they judged to contain a falsehood."

Mr Drury suffered with great constancy at Tyburn, February 26, 1606-7, Anno Ætatis 39. Missionis 14.

From the Douay Diary, the bishop of Chalcedon's Catalogue, &c.

Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 2

⬅️ The Holy Martyrs of England and Wales

PRAYER:

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

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.