JOHN MAWSON, MARTYR
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| The Manner of Execution at Tyburn |
I find John Mawson's name in the list of those that suffered this year [1612] for the catholic religion but with little or no particulars. He was apprehended whilst he was actually hearing Mass: but as this is not capital, by our laws he must have suffered on some other charge. Whether it was for being reconciled to the Roman catholic church; or for assisting priests; or for being instrumental in the conversion of others, &c. my short memoirs do not inform me of - only that he suffered at Tyburn, upon the penal statutes then in force against the English catholics.
This year, 1612, according to B. W. in his manuscript concerning the English Benedictine congregation, Thomas Hill, D. D. who from a seminary priest, educated in the colleges of Rheims and Rome, became a monk of the said congregation, was condemned to die for his priestly character; but was not executed. He died afterwards at Douay in 1644, in the 84th year of his age, the 53rd of his priesthood, and the 33rd of his religious profession. He was the author of a little book of motives to the catholic religion, entitled, A Quartron of Reasons, &c. which archbishop Abbot undertook to answer.
During the three following years, 1613, 1614, and 1615, though the catholics were still great sufferers, on account of their recusancy, by heavy fines, close imprisonments, &c. yet I find none put to death for their religion. In the latter end of 1615, I find in the Douay diary, Mr Smith, Mr Blount, and Mr Brown, priests, sent into banishment from Wisbech castle, and in the same year Father Robert Edmonds, O. S. B. died a prisoner for his faith in the Gatehouse. But in the year 1616, the sword of persecution was again unsheathed, and no less than four priests and one layman were put to death upon the penal statutes.
Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 2
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