SCAVENGER'S DAUGHTER AND RACK

 

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TORTURE OF CATHOLIC PRIESTS BY ENGLISH GOVERNMENT AGENTS DURING THE REIGN OF QUEEN ELIZABETH I AND BEYOND 

In the Tower of London,
the Catholic priest was
was subjected to the "Scavenger's Daughter"

Torture of Catholic priests by the English government during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The rack (stretching) and the Scavenger's daughter (compression) were employed to extract information about fellow Catholics (Source: Memoirs of Missionary Priests &c., Bishop Richard Challoner, originally published 1741)

A number of priests were most cruelly racked

In the Diary of Edward Rushton, a Catholic Priest, who was imprisoned during four years in the Tower of London, upon account of his priestly character, the following entry occurs under the year 1580.- "December 10th, Thomas Cottam and Luke Kirby, priests, suffered compression in the Scavenger's Daughter, for one hour and more, the former of whom bled profusely at the nostrils."

 - Ed. (ibid)

 Father Thomas Pormort was arrested by English government agents in August 1591 and was committed to the Tower [for being a Catholic priest], where he was several times cruelly racked, to extort from him, by force of torments, the names of those who had harboured or relieved him. But his constancy was proof against all their torments, although, by the violence of them, his body was all disjointed, and his belly broken. So they proceeded to his trial, and condemned him to die... (Challoner)

The Tower of London today

In the Tower Thomas Sherwood [Catholic martyr] was most cruelly racked, in order to make him discover where he had heard Mass. But he suffered all their tortures with a greatness of soul not unequal to that of the early martyrs and would not be induced to betray or bring any man into danger. After this, he was thrust into a dark, filthy hole... (Challoner)

Father Christopher Bales was arrested shortly after November 2, 1588, was arrested, racked and tortured by Topcliffe, and hung up by the hands for twenty-four hours at a time; he bore all most patiently. (Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913)

Father Robert Nutter, in 1585, was
loaded with chains and tortured

Father Robert Nutter [Catholic priest and martyr] was taken to the Tower, in February, 1583-4, where he was put down in a dungeon, for seven-and-forty days, loaded with chains for the greater part of the time, and twice tortured... in 1600 he was condemned, (barely upon account of his priestly character,) and executed [by hanging, drawing and quartering] at Lancaster, July 26.

In London, Father John Cornelius [priest and martyr] was examined by the lord treasurer... and others of the privy council, who strove to extort out of him, first by words, and afterwards by the rack, the names of such Catholics as had harboured or relieved him; but his constancy was proof against all their efforts, and he refused to the last to make any discovery which might redound to the prejudice of his benefactors... He suffered [was hung, drawn and quartered] in 1594. 

Father John Cornelius was 
tortured by the government 
to extract information about 
fellow Catholics in England.

Father Monford Scott was prosecuted and condemned, barely upon account of his [priestly] character, and was hanged, bowelled, and quartered, on the 2nd of July, 1591, in Fleet Street. He suffered with wonderful constancy, and no less modesty and spiritual joy, to the great edification of the spectators, and the admiration even of the greatest enemies of his faith and character. (Challoner]

Father George Beesley, priest, [martyred in 1591]... had been a man of singular courage, young, strong, and robust, before he fell into the hands of the persecutors; but whilst he was in their hands, he was so frequently and cruelly tortured in order to oblige him to confess what Catholics he had conversed with, and by whom he had been harboured or relieved, that he was reduced to a mere skeleton; insomuch, that they, who were before acquainted with him, could scarce know him to be the same man, when they saw him drawn to execution. Yet all these torments he endured with invincible courage and patience... (Challoner).

After many tortures in the worst London prisons, Father Miles Gerard and Francis Dicconson were... "taken to Rochester, where they were hanged and quartered" [13 April 1590], says Father John Curry, S. J., writing shortly afterwards, "and gave a splendid testimony to the Catholic Faith". 

Elizabeth I. was Queen of England and Ireland
from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603.
Most barbaric torture of Catholic priests and
Catholic lay faithful
took place during her reign.

On the 5th of December, 1580, Father Robert Johnson was from some other prison translated to the Tower, where he was at three different times most cruelly racked: and in the November following, he was brought to the bar and condemned with Father Campion and others; though his execution was put off till the 28th of May, 1582. Being brought from the hurdle, he was commanded to look upon Father Shert, who was hanging, and then immediately cut down: and so being helped into the cart, he was commanded again, to look back towards Mr Shert, who was then in quartering. And after he had turned, and signed himself with the sign of the cross, saying, In nomine Patris, &c. And so the cart was drawn away, and he finished this life, as the rest did. They all hanged until they were dead, and so were cut down and quartered.

Two days after, viz: on the 30th of May, 1582, four more reverend priests. Mr William Filbie, Mr Luke Kirby, Mr Laurence Richardson, whose right name was Johnson, and Mr Thomas Cottam, suffered for the same cause, at the same place. All these are mentioned by Mr Stow in his annals.

Another version of the Scavenger's Daughter
torture instrument

Father Alexander Briant was placed under arrest, April 28, 1581. After fruitless attempts to extract information at Counter Prison, London, he was taken to the Tower where he was subjected to excruciating tortures. To the rack, starvation, and cold was added the inhuman forcing of needles under the nails... Together with six other priests he was arraigned, November 16, 1581, in Queen's Bench, Westminster... and condemned to death. The details of this last great suffering, which occurred on December 1 following, like those of the previous torture are revolting. Through either malice or carelessness of the executioner he was put to needless suffering. His face is said to have been strikingly beautiful even up to his death. (Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913)

Pictured above: The Execution of Edmund Campion, Alexander Briant and Ralph Sherwin: engraving by Giovanni Battista Cavalieri (after Niccolò Circignani's frescoes in the chapel of the Venerable English College in Rome), and published in Ecclesiae Anglicanae Trophaea (Rome 1584).

~ Stonyhurst Collections ~

Father Ambrose Edward Barlow
was held in Lancaster castle
prior to his execution.

On Friday, the 10th of September, Father Ambrose Edward Barlow was brought out to suffer according to sentence, and laid upon the hurdle, on which, he was drawn to the place of execution, carrying all the way in his hand a cross of wood, which he had made. When he was come to the place, being taken off the hurdle, he went three times round the gallows... He was hung, disembowelled and quartered for being a Catholic priest.

In June, 1580, Father Luke Kirby [a Catholic priest] was arrested ... and committed to the Gatehouse, Westminster. Transferred to the Tower, December 4, he was subjected to the "Scavenger's Daughter" for more than an hour, December 9. He was condemned, November 17, 1581, and from April 2 till the day of his death was in irons. (Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913)

St Margaret Clitherow's martyrdom

Many lay Catholics were martyred during the same period. Margaret Clitherow, for instance, "was arrested in 1586 for harbouring Catholic clergy. She was executed by being crushed to death on Good Friday 1586... It took her 15 minutes to die as she was crushed with rocks and stones. Her body was left for six hours until the weight was removed." (The Catholic Herald, paper edition, issue March 21 2014)

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