ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN DECEMBER
Saints celebrated on the 1 st of December
SAINT EDMUND CAMPION, PRIEST AND MARTYR
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| St Edmund Campion (1540-81), English Jesuit, hanged in London |
His life has been published by Bombinus, and several others. What we here give is an extract out of the old English author, from whom we had our account of Mr Hanse, &c. whom we prefer to all the rest, as being more ancient, and personally acquainted with Mr Campion, and an eye witness to his death. His account was published in 1582.
Edmund Campion was born in London, where he had his first education in Christ Church Hospital. From whence he was sent to Oxford, where he was brought up in St John's college, being very much beloved for his excellent qualifications, by Sir Thomas White, of worthy memory, the founder of that house, at whose burial he made an excellent oration in Latin, having made the like before in English, at the funeral of my Lady Dudley, late wife of the Earl of Leicester; where, after he had passed with great applause through all such exercises, degrees, and offices, as the university yieldeth to men of his condition, by the importunate persuasions of some of his friends, that were desirous of his worldly honour and advancement, he suffered himself to be made deacon after their new fashion.
But for all that, our Lord mercifully withheld him from that ambitious course, which is the gulf in which many great wits have perished in these days. Therefore, having spent some more time in study, and travelled into Ireland (the history of which country he wrote truly and eloquently) hearing that there was a seminary not long before begun in Douay, he went over thither, where, under the conduct of Dr Allen, first president of the college, he applied himself with great diligence, as well to the study of divinity, as to the acquiring the knowledge of God and himself, the true science of the saints: and after many exercises, done both in the house and in the public schools, he proceeded bachelor of divinity, to his great commendation, and the honour of our nation.
Nevertheless all this while (especially being now more advanced in devotion, zeal, learning and judgment than before) the continual thought of that schismatical deaconship which he had taken, did so sorely oppress his mind, and the conceit of the greatness of that sin so burthened his conscience, that no counsel of learned friends could give him satisfaction, till he entered into religion to wipe away the same by penance and holy profession.
So making his choice of the Society of Jesus, which has ever since regarded him as one of her brightest lights, he went to Rome, where he was admitted by the general of the order, anno 1573, and after one month's stay in that city, was sent to Bohemia where he abode about seven years, and was made priest at Prague, continually during this time teaching, preaching, catechising, writing, and labouring for the church of God; whereby he became so famous, that not only other principal states, but the imperial majesty was contented often to hear him preach; till, at length, at the sute of such as knew his great talent in dealing with heretics for their conversion, his general called him thence to be bestowed upon his own country.
In his return towards England, he called at Rheims, where the college was now translated, having Father Robert Parsons in his company: where, besides other communication, appertaining to the introduction of our country to the catholic faith, he demanded of Dr Allen, whether he thought that any service he could do in England (the times being as they were) were likely to be worth all these long labours and hazards past and to come, or might countervail the wants that those should seem to have by his absence from whence he came. To which Dr Allen answered, Father, said he, first, whatever you did there, may be done by others, one or more of your order. Secondly, you owe more duty to England than to Bohemia, and to London than to Prague. Though I am glad you have made some recompense to that country for the old wound it received from us in Wickleff's time; from whom the Hussites of Bohemia learnt their heresies. Thirdly, the recovery of one soul from heresy is worth all your pains, as I hope you will gain many because the harvest is both more plentiful and more ripe with us than in those parts. Finally, the reward may be greater; for you may be martyred for it at home, which you cannot easily obtain there. So he was satisfied. And of this communication I have heard him often speak.
At last he happily landed at Dover, the day after Midsummer, anno 1580, being, by God's great goodness, delivered out of the searchers' and officers' hands, who detained him with them upon suspicion for some hours, upon deliberation to have sent him to the council. Coming therefore to London, he preached there his first sermon upon St Peter and St Paul's day, at which I myself was present, where he had a full audience, and that of persons of distinction. But afterwards, both there and in sundry other parts of the realm, far greater, through the fame and experience of his manifold virtues, and great eloquence and learning; many protestants of good nature being, at sundry times, admitted also to bear him; who ever afterwards contemned their vulgar pulpit-men in comparison of him.
He preached once a day, at the least, often twice, and sometimes thrice; whereby, through God's goodness, he converted several in most counties of the realm of the best sort, besides young gentlemen students, and others of all conditions. And by the experience he had of the good that came of preaching, he particularly recommended to Everardus Mercurianus, the general of his order, in a letter written from England, that such of the society as should be sent upon the English mission, should be able preachers. In which letter he also acknowledged the good offices done him and the society, by the missioners of the secular clergy, who had cultivated this vineyard for many years before his coming.
At his first entrance into the kingdom, he made his proffer of disputation; for such causes as he alleged in the same; and more at large afterwards, in his eloquent and learned book to both the universities, whereby the protestant preachers and prelates found themselves so deeply wounded in their doctrine and credit, notwithstanding they had patched up a few pamphlets against him, that they instigated her majesty's council to alter the question from controversy in religion, to the cause of the queen and matter of state, that so they might maintain, by force and authority, what they could not doby their learning and divinity.
Thereupon it was given out, by divers speeches and proclamations, that great confederacies were made by the pope and foreign princes, for the invasion of the land; and that the Jesuits and seminary priests, were sent in, forsooth, to prepare their ways, and such like trumpery, to beguile and incense the simple against them. Then all exquisite diligence was used for the apprehension of others, but more particularly of father Campion, whom they called the Pope's Champion.
At length, after he had laboured in God's harvest near thirteen months, being betrayed by one George Eliot, after long search, and much ado, by God's permission, he fell into the persecutors' hands, the 17th of July, 1581, being found in a secret closet, in a catholic gentleman and confessor's house, called Mr Yates, of Lyford, two godly priests, Mr Ford and Mr Collington, being with him, all lying, when the enemy discovered them, upon a bed, their faces and hands lifted up to heaven. He offered his two companions in the search, that if they thought all that ado was for him, and that his yielding himself up might acquit them, he would give himself up; but they would not suffer this in any-wise: but hearing one another's confessions, expected God's good will together, every one having penance enjoined to say three times, thy will be done, O Lord! and St John Baptist pray for me. Which blessed saint they particularly invoked, for that Father Campion was delivered, as he took it, out of the searcher's hands at Dover, by the intercession of that holy prophet, his special patron.
Father Campion being now in the power of the traitor Eliot, and the officers, and made a shew and matter of mockery to the unwise multitude and the ungodly of all sorts, shewed such remarkable modesty, mildness, patience, and Christian humility, in all his speeches and actions, that the good were exceedingly edified, and the enemies much astonished.
After he had been two days in the custody of the sheriff of Berkshire, he was carried with the rest, as well priests as gentlemen and others, apprehended in that place, towards London. At Abington, among others, divers scholars of Oxford came to see the man so famous, of which being told by one Mr Lydcot, he said, he was very glad; himself being once of that university, and asked, whether they would hear a sermon; there, at dinner, Eliot said to him, Mr Campion, you look cheerfully upon every body but me: I know you are angry with me in your heart for this work. God forgive thee, Eliot, said he, for so judging of me: I forgive thee, and in token thereof, I drink to thee; yea, and if thou wilt repent and come to confession, I will absolve thee; but large penance thou must have.
In his way to London, besides the tying of his legs under his horse, and binding his arms behind him, which was done to the others also, the council appointed a paper to be set upon his hat with great capital letters, CAMPION THE SEDITIOUS JESUIT; and gave orders, that they should stay at Colebrook a good part of Friday, and all the night, that thence they might bring him and his companions, upon Saturday, in triumph through the city, and the whole length thereof, especially through such places, where, by reason of the markets of that day, the greatest concourse of the common people was; whom in such matters their policy seeks most to please; which was executed accordingly, all London, almost, beholding the spectacle; the mob gazing, and with delight beholding the novelty: but the wiser sort lamenting to see our country fallen to such barbarous iniquity, as to abuse, in this manner, a religious man, so honourable in all nations for his learning, and of so innocent a life: so that day, which was the 22nd of July, he was delivered up to the lieutenant of the Tower.
Here, besides the ordinary miseries incident to that kind of imprisonment, doubled by the inhuman dealing and deep hatred to catholics, of the chief officer of the place, after sundry examinations, terrors and threats, by the lord chancellor, and others of the council and commission, he was divers times racked, to force out of him, by intolerable torments, whose houses he had frequented, by whom he was relieved, whom he had reconciled, when, which way, for what purpose, and by what commission, he came into the realm; how, where, and by whom he printed and dispersed his books, and such like.
At his first racking, they went no further with him; but afterwards, shen they saw he could not be won to condescend somewhat at least in religion, which was the thing they most desired, they thought good to forge matter of treason against him, and framed their demands accordingly; about which he was so cruelly torn and rent upon this torture, the two last times, that he told a friend of his that found means to speak with him, that he thought they meant to make him away in that manner.
Before he went to the rack, he used to fall down at the rack-house door, upon both knees, to commend himself to God's mercy; and upon the rack he called continually upon God, repeating often the holy name of Jesus. He most charitably forgave his tormentors, and the causers thereof. His keeper asking him the next day, how he felt his hands and feet? he answered, Not ill, because not at all.
The enemies, not contented with this, and many other accustomed ways of torture, secretly, as it is said, used towards him to afflict his body, added a thousand devices and slanderous reports to wrong him in his fame, opening all the mouths of the ministers to bark against him; sometimes publishing, that there was great hope he would become a protestant; sometimes, that he had been at church and service; another while, that he had uttered upon the rack all that ever he knew; yea, sometimes, that he had therefore killed himself in prison; which, no doubt they would have further avouched, if he had died by racking, as it was very like he should have done.
The lieutenant of the tower, at the beginning, hoping that he might be gained to their side in some points, either by sweet words, great promises of promotions, or extreme torments, extolled the man exceedingly, affirming divers times, that he was such a man as England never brought forth before: and surely, said he, it is God's singular goodness that he returned home; no doubt her majesty will prefer him to great livings. And that he might want no good pretence to yield to their desires, they often brought to him such divines as they had to confer with him, and to persuade him privately to relent somewhat to their sect: but not prevailing that way, they caused, under colour of satisfying his former challenge of disputation, divers public disputes, or rather certain light skirmishes, to bark at him and bait him. Four or five of the contrary side, all provided as well as they could, were set out against one destitute of all proper helps, and brought almost to the brink of death by the rack, now one snatching, now another; and sometimes all biting together. The masters of the game, in the meantime, when they saw Father Campion, in answering and defending himself, (for he was never suffered to oppose) to gripe the adversaries hard, parted them with their tip-staves, commanding him to silence, and threatening him with laws, authority and punishment. Thus they disputed three several times with the man of God, shewing nothing but barbarous despite, malice, and so deep ignorance in divinity, that divers of the protestants themselves were ashamed thereof, and marvelled exceedingly at the other's learning, meekness, patience and humility.
And now, by this time falling from all hope of his yielding to them, and so from all pity and good nature towards him, they practised how to make him and his companions away by some shew of justice, and that not for the new made treasons that is to say, for mere religion, but for matters of treason so called of old, against her majesty and the state; forging things for this purpose, and finding out three or four false fellows that would not stick to swear the same against a man whom they never knew nor saw in their life before his apprehension. So they caused an indictment to be drawn up against him, and a number more of most godly learned priests, comprising him and them altogether, that so whatsoever might colourably be avouched or witnessed of the rest, or of any one of them all, either present or absent, all might seem to the simple, and to the jury (deeply biassed by fear and authority) to touch him also, and every one of the others.
The 14th day of November, anno 1581, he and seven others were brought from the Tower to the King's Bench bar, and a bill of their indictment was read in the hearing of father Campion and the rest, how that in the 22nd year of the reign of our sovereign lady the queen, on the last day of May, in the parts beyond the seas, they had practised the queen's deposition and death; and the stirring up of rebellion within, and invasion of the realm from abroad, and such like stuff. Whereupon he was arraigned with the others, and commanded, as custom is in such cases, to hold up his hand; but both his arms being pitifully benumbed by his often cruel racking before, and he having them wrapped in a furred cuff, he was not able to lift his hand so high as the rest did, and was required of him; but one of his companions, kissing his hand so abused for the confession of Christ, took off his cuff, and so he lifted up his arm as high as he could, and pleaded not guilty, as all the rest did. I protest, said he, before God, and his holy angels, before heaven and earth, before the world and this bar whereat I stand, which is but a small resemblance of the terrible judgment of the next life, that I amnot guilty of any part of the treason contained in the indictment, or of any other treason whatsoever. Then lifting up his voice, he added, Is it possible to find twelve men so wicked and void of all conscience in this city, or land that will find us guilty together of this one crime, divers of us never meeting, or knowing one the other, before our bringing to this bar?
Nothing more was done that day, only a jury was impanneled for the next Monday, being the 20th of the same month; but three of the first of that impannel being esquires, doubting that justice should have no free course that day, in these men's cases, whose blood was so earnestly thirsted after, appeared not when the day came.
In the meantime Mr Campion and his fellow confessors were carried back to the prisons from whence they came. The seven that were arraigned, together with Mr Campion were Mr Ralph Sherwine, Mr Luke Kirby, Mr Thomas Cottam, Mr Robert Johnson, and Mr Edward Rishton, all priests of Douay college; Mr James Bosgrave, a young Jesuit, who, coming over for his health, had fallen into their hands, and Mr Orton, a gentleman.
And the next day, in like manner, were arraigned, Mr John Collington, or Colleton, Mr Laurence Richardson, Mr John Hart, Mr Thomas Ford, Mr William Filby, Mr Alexander Brian, and Mr John Shert, all priests, educated in the same college, though Mr Shert was made priest at Rome.
On the 20th day of November before mentioned, Mr Campion and his companions were brought back again to receive judgment; where, notwithstanding what commandment soever, or order taken to the contrary, there was such a presence of people, and that of the more honourable, wise, learned, and best sort, as was never seen or heard of in that court, in ours or our fathers' memories before us. So wonderful an expectation there was of some to see the end of this marvellous tragedy, containing so many strange and divers acts of examining, racking, disputing, subornations of false witnesses, and the like: of others, to behold whether the old honour of law and justice, wherein our nation hath, of all the world, had the praise, could, or durst, now stand its ground, notwithstanding any violent impression of power and authority to the contrary. Whether there were any Markhams left in the land that would yield up office and life rather than give sentence against such as they knew, in conscience, to be innocent, and, in truth, not touched by any evidence whatsoever. But this one day gave that assembly, and all the world, full proof of the sad fall of equity, law, conscience and justice, together with the catholic faith in our poor country.
For nothing there said by the queen's attorney, solicitor, or other counsellors, or by any of those that were at their racking, or by the suborned false witnesses, Eliot, Cradock, Sledd, and Munday, could in any well- informed man's conscience, touch any of them all, as every one of the rest, and especially Father Campion, did, point by point, prove and declare as clear as the sun; and his innocence, in particular, was so plain in all men's sight, that what colour soever might be made for the condemnation of the others, yet for Father Campion's none at all; insomuch, that whilst the jury were gone forth, divers wise and well-learned lawyers, and others, conjecturing and conferring one with another what should be the verdict, they all agreed, that whatever might be concluded as to some of the rest, it was impossible to condemn Father Campion.
But it was Father Campion that especially was designed to die, and for his sake the rest; and therefore no defence could serve: and the poor jury did that which they understood was looked for at their hands, and brought them in all guilty Mr Popham, the attorney-general, having plainly signified to them, that it was the queen's will it should be so. The most unjust verdict, says my author, that ever I think was given up in this land, whereat already not only England, but all the Christian world, doth wonder, and which our posterity shall lament and be ashamed of.
Upon this, sentence followed, that all these holy men should be hanged, drawn and quartered, as in cases of high treason, and so that doleful day was spent. Father Campion, and his happy associates, rejoiced in God, using divers holy speeches of scripture to their own comfort, and the great edification of others, and so were sent back to their prisons again, where, being laid up in irons for the rest of their time, they expected God's mercy, and the queen's pleasure.
The following day the other priests who, as we have seen above, were arraigned for the same fictitious plot, received the same unjust sentence, Mr Colleton only excepted, who was acquitted by the testimony of Mr Lancaster, witnessing, that he was with him in Gray's Inn the very day that he was charged with plotting at Rheims; where, indeed, Mr Colleton, who was sent missioner from Douay, had never been in his life. He was afterwards transported into banishment, and lived to be the first dean of the English chapter, erected by the bishop of Chalcedon.
As to the innocence of all the rest of these gentlemen, with regard to the treasons laid to their charge, and the bare-faced injustice used in the condemning of them, my author, in his preface to his accounts of their deaths, has set it in so clear a light, that it seems to be out of all dispute, that the true cause of their execution was not any treason, but their religion. And we learn from Mr Camden, in his Elizabeth, that for the greatest part of them, the queen herself did not believe them guilty: "Plerosque tamen ex misellis his sacerdotibus exitij in patriam conflandi conscios fuisse non credidit. p. 327. edit. 1615."
The time that passed between judgment and execution, which was from the 20th of November till the Ist of December, Father Campion spent in preparing for his end by godly spiritual exercises; shewing so much patience, and using such sweet speeches to his keeper and others that had to deal with him, that the same keeper having afterwards one Norton in his custody (who had been a violent persecutor of Mr Campion and his companions) and comparing together the different behaviours of his prisoners, declared, that he had a saint in his keeping before, but now he had a devil.
In the mean time the protestants did not desist to tempt Mr Campion, with proffers of life and liberty, to go over to their side, or at least, to make some steps towards them; insomuch, that the lieutenant of the Tower told Mr Campion's sister, who came to see her brother three days before his death, that if he would but yield to change his religion, he would secure him a 100 l. a year; but Mr Campion had too well studied that great lesson: what will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul? to be moved by any such offers.
On the morning of the 1st of December, he was brought to Mr Sherwin and Mr Briant, who were to be his companions in death, who waited for him in the Coleharbor prison and after mutual embraces, they were all three led out to the hurdles prepared for them; Father Campion saluting the people at his coming out with these words, God save you all, God bless you, and make you all good catholics.
They were drawn from the Tower to Tyburn, says my author, there to be martyred for the catholic faith and religion. Father Campion was alone on one hurdle, and the other two together on another, all molested by ministers and others, calling upon them by the way for their subversion; and by some also, as opportunity served, comforted; and Father Campion especially consulted by one in some cases of conscience and religion; and the mire wherewith he was all spattered, most courteously wiped off his face.
When they were come to the place of execution, where divers of her majesty's honourable counsel, with many other persons of honour, besides an infinite multitude of people, attended their coming, Father Campion was first brought up into the cart; where, after some small pause, he began to speak upon that text of St Paul, 1 Cor. iv. 9. We are made a spectacle to the world, &c. but was interrupted by Sir Francis Knowles, and the sheriffs, urging him to confess his treason against her majesty, and to acknowledge himself guilty: To whom he answered, for the treason which have been layed to my charge and I am come here to suffer for, I desire you all to bear witness with me, that thereof I am altogether innocent.
Whereupon answer was made to him by one of the counsel, that he might not seem to deny the objections against him, having been proved by sufficient evidence. Well my Lord, said he, I am a catholic man, and a priest; in that faith have I lived, and in that faith do I intend to die: and if you esteem my religion treason, then am I guilty; as for any other treason I never committed, God is my judge: but you have now what you desire; I beseech you to have patience, and suffer me to speak a word or two for discharge of my conscience. But not being suffered to go forward, he was forced to speak only to that point which they most urged, protesting, that he was innocent of all treason and conspiracy, desiring credit to be given to his answers, as to the last answer made upon his death and soul: adding, that the jury might easily be deceived, &c. but that he forgave all, as he desired to be forgiven; desiring all them to forgive him, whose names he had confessed upon the rack (for upon the commissioners oaths, that no harm should come unto them, he uttered some persons with whom he had been.)
Further he declared the meaning of a letter sent by himself, in time of his imprisonment, to Mr Pound, a prisoner then also in the Tower, in which he wrote, that he would not disclose the secrets of some houses where he had been entertained: affirming upon his soul, that the secrets he meant in that letter were not, as it was misconstrued by the enemy, treason or conspiracy, or any matter else against her majesty or the state; but saying of Mass, hearing confessions, preaching, and such like duties and functions of priesthood. This he protested to be true, as he would answer before God.
They pressed him to declare his opinion of Pius Quintus' bull, concerning the excommunication of the queen. To which demand he gave no answer. Then they asked, whether he renounced the pope? he answered he was a catholic: whereupon one inferred, saying, in your catholicism (I noted the term) all treason is contained. In fine, preparing himself to drink his last draught of Christ's cup, he was interrupted in his prayer by a minister, willing him to say some prayer with him; unto whom, looking back with a mild countenance, he meekly replied, You and I are not one in religion, wherefore I pray you content yourself, I bar none of prayer, only I desire them of the household of faith to pray with me, and in my agony to say one creed (for a signification that be died for the confession of the catholic faith therein contained.)
Some also called to him to pray in English; to whom he answered, that he would pray in a language he well understood. At the upshot of this conflict he was willed to ask the queen forgiveness, and to pray for her; he meekly answered, Wherein have I offended her? In this I am innocent: this is my last speech in this give me credit: I have and do pray for her. Then the Lord Charles Howard asked of him, for which queen he prayed, whether for Elizabeth the queen? to whom he answered, Yea, for Elizabeth, your queen and my queen. And the cart being drawn away, he meekly and sweetly yielded his soul unto his Saviour, protesting that he died a perfect catholic.
Which his mild death, and former sincere protestations of his innocency, moved the people to such compassion and tears, that the adversaries, in their printed books, of his death under Munday's name, were glad to excuse the matter.
He suffered at Tyburn, December 1, 1581, Etatis Anno 42. The gentlemen that were brought up to London at the same time with Father Campion and cast into prison, were Edward Yates, John Cotton, Edward Kaines, William Hildesley, Humphrey Kaines, Philip Law, and John James.
Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 1
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