ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL
Saints celebrated on the 26th of April
WELCOME!
VENERABLE EDWARD MORGAN, PRIEST AND MARTYR
Edward Morgan, alias Singleton, was born in Flintshire, of North-Wales, and was educated in the English college of Douay¹; from hence he was sent into Spain (as appears by the account he gave of himself to the people at the place of execution) and there made a priest at Salamanca. From Spain he went to Rome; and from Rome he came upon the English mission.
In England, after some time, he was apprehended and committed to the Fleet prison, where he remained confined for fourteen or fifteen years, suffering much from the loathsomeness of the place, and the want of all necessaries, more particularly during the two last years; with this additional aggravation to his sufferings, that some were pleased to give it out that he was mad; which slander he willingly forgave, amongst many other injuries, which he had to suffer from the malice of his adversaries.
At length he was brought upon his trial, in this parliamentary persecution; and was condemned, barely on account of his being a priest ordained beyond the seas, and remaining in this kingdom contrary to the 27th statute of Elizabeth. No other crime was so much as objected to him. The sentence of death was pronounced upon him in the usual form, as in cases of high-treason, on the 23rd of April, being the feast of St George the martyr, the patron of England; which sentence he received with remarkable cheerfulness, and even joy.
Many protestants, as well as catholics, came to see him in prison after condemnation; and whereas the former proposed to him their queries, and their objections against the catholic religion, it was wonderful with what solidity, charity and modesty, he answered all their queries, and refuted all their objections; so that on the one hand they found themselves quite overwhelmed with the weight of his arguments; and on the other, so taken with his charitable and modest way of treating religious controversies, that they could not help having a great respect for him, and a great compassion for his case and it is affirmed that these conferences were of no small service to the souls of several of them.
As to the catholics, many of them made their confessions to him, and these as well as the rest, thought themselves happy if they could carry off any thing that belonged to him, to keep as a relic; insomuch that they cut off his very buttons, and pieces of his cloak; till he was forced to give it up to be divided amongst them; and instead of it they furnished him with a new one to carry with him to Tyburn. Many wept and lamented his case, whom he comforted with cheerful words, flowing from the abundance of a heart full of joy at the approaches of so great a happiness as that of dying for Christ; declaring to them withal, to the greater glory of God, that though by nature he was timorous, he had now no manner of apprehension of halters, knives, or fires, or whatever else he could suffer for so good a cause; and that he should be even glad to have many lives, that he might lay them all down in the service of so good a master. However, he begged that all catholics would pray for him, that he might die like a true Roman catholic priest, that is, said he, with a constant humility, and an humble constancy; that no fear may terrify me, neither any presumption puff me up, or transport me out of the bounds of a christian modesty in my words and carriage.
On the day after his condemnation he found means (which he had not been able to do for a year before) of celebrating in prison the tremendous mysteries, to prepare himself by that august sacrifice and sacrament for his death. And the divine Majesty was pleased upon this occasion to visit his soul with such spiritual delights and heavenly consolations, that he was in a manner in an ecstasy, and found all the difficulty imaginable to proceed in the divine Sacrifice; his devotion being particularly inflamed with the thought of the holy name of Jesus, from which he was obliged violently to divert his mind, crying out with blessed Xaverius, Satis est Domine. It is enough, O Lord! or he could never have finished. The dispositions which he found in his soul upon this occasion, he discovered in confidence to a priest of the Society of Jesus, who came to visit him that day and the same, or another friend of his found him the following evening in the like raptures of divine love and spiritual joys, though he had been wearied all the day with a continual crowd of people coming to visit and confer with him. The religious man, just now mentioned, asked the confessor of Christ if there was any thing in which he could be any way serviceable to him? he answered, that he should be glad of the prayers of the society; and that his prayers should not be wanting for them: but withal taking him aside, he told him, that in the extremity of want under which he had laboured, during the two last years of his imprisonment in the Fleet, he had been obliged to contract some debts to the value of about twenty-two pounds, which it would be a great comfort to him to see discharged before he died. The good Father promised be would do his best to procure him that sum of money; which he set about without loss of time; and by the contributions of pious catholics was enabled to carry him the whole sum the next day; for which in return the holy confessor promised his prayers for all his benefactors, and in particular for the Society of Jesus.
The night before he was to suffer he spent in watching and prayer. The following day, being Tuesday the 26th of April, 1642, about eight o'clock in the morning, he was brought out of prison, and laid on a hurdle or sledge incommodious enough, as well because his head was laid too low, as also because the rope which he had about his neck, was drawn so strait, that he could scarce take his breath: but this being perceived was remedied in Holborn; upon which occasion the sledge being obliged to stand, some one very courteously offered him a glass of wine to drink, which he did not refuse; and withal he took that opportunity of informing the people of the cause for which he was going to die; viz. barely for being a priest; whilst all the standers-by were in admiration at that cheerfulness and joy, which they discovered both in his words and looks.
The multitude of the people that accompanied the sledge was very great, yet no one in that great number offered to affront or insult him, but rather all shewed a compassion towards him. When they arrived at Tyburn, it was with the greatest difficulty imaginable that the sheriff's men could make room for the sledge, so great was the concourse of coaches, horsemen, and footmen, there assembled, to be spectators of the last conflict of this soldier of Christ. Yet as soon as they saw him, no other voice was to be heard in the crowd but silence, silence, all being desirous to hear his last words; and a great part of them standing with their heads uncovered.
As soon as he was put up into the cart, he sent to the sheriff, who was at a distance by reason of the crowd, to ask leave to speak to the people, declaring that he had that regard to the authority of a lawful magistrate, that he would not speak without his permission. The sheriff used his best endeavours to draw nigher, but could not, and therefore by the means of others that were nearer, gave him the leave that he desired. But first, the servant of God, before he would speak, kneeled down in the cart, and there spent some time in silent prayer: then rising up, and disposing of his hat to a friend who was near, he waited a little while till all were silent, his countenance being all the while wonderful serene and cheerful. He began by signing himself with the sign of the cross, and took for his text out of the gospel of the foregoing Sunday, those words of our Saviour, the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep, St John 10, acknowledging at the same time himself infinitely unworthy of that title, which properly belongs to Jesus Christ the true shepherd of our souls, who died for us all but withal inferring from this text that we ought also, by Christ's example, and by the consideration of his dying for us, to be willing to lay down our lives also for him and affirming, that to die for being a priest of the catholic church, is to die for the church of Christ, and consequently dying for Christ. "There is but one God," said he, "one faith, one baptism, one true church, in which is found true hope of salvation, out of which there can be none; and for this true church of Christ I willingly die; and I offer up my blood for the good of my country, and for the procuring a better understanding between the king and parliament."
Here he was interrupted by a minister, telling him to prepare himself for death and not stand seducing the people. The confessor replied, sir, this is not a proper time for me to dispute with you; I beg you would not be troublesome to me now; and so went resolutely on with his discourse (though he was several times interrupted by the same minister) proving the true church by its antiquity, universality, succession, &c. and demonstrating that the modern sects are all too new to have any claim to a succession from the apostles, or commission from Christ. His words seemed to make no small impression on the hearers; who were also astonished at his intrepidity, and that wonderful cheerfulness with which he met death.
He also gave the people on this occasion, a short account of his birth, parentage, and education; acknowledging himself to be a priest, and begging of God to forgive all who had slandered him, or been the cause of his manifold sufferings, as he besought his divine Majesty to forgive his own innumerable sins.
After he had finished his discourse and the rope was now fastened in order to execution, he cheerfully said he hoped he should now be sent to heaven in a string. A minister taking him up, said it was now no time to joke: Mr Morgan replied indeed this was no joking matter with me, but very serious; but why, should any one be offended at my going to heaven cheerfully? For God loves a cheerful giver. Then after he had recommended his departing soul by prayer to God, the cart was drawn away; and he was suffered to hang till he was dead, and then he was cut down, bowelled and quartered. He suffered in the 57th year of his age, April 26, 1642.
¹Hujus collegij alumnus. Mr Ireland's diary, April 1642
From the Douay Diary. From a Latin manuscript, by an eye-witness of his death, sent me from St. Omer's; and from Chiflet's Palma cleri Anglicani, p. 35. printed at Antwerp 1645, who declares in his epistle dedicatory to the bishop of Antwerp, that he received all his informations either from eye-witness, or from such as were informed by eye-witnesses.
Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 2
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