ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN DECEMBER
Saints celebrated on the 3rd of December
WELCOME!
BLESSED EDWARD COLEMAN, MARTYR
Edward Coleman was a minister's son, born in Suffolk, and educated in the university of Cambridge, who afterwards become a zealous convert to the Catholic faith. According to Baker's Chronicle [a protestant source], this gentleman was secretary to the duchess of York, a great bigot in his religion, and of a busy head. This engaged him in many projects for the restoring of popery here, or at least procuring a liberty of conscience for those of that profession. He had been engaged in a correspondence with P. Le Chaise, the French king's confessor, since the year 1674; in the course of which, he was continually entertaining him with schemes and projects for advancing the interest of the French king, and the church of Rome. These letters being seized, were produced at his trial, which came on at the Old Bailey, November 28, 1678.
"The evidence against him, were Oates and Bedloe, with his own papers. The two first charged him with having been privy to several consults for killing the king, and to another for raising rebellion in Ireland, and that he had received a commission from the general of the Jesuits, to be secretary of state. As to his letters, they shewed beyond contradiction, that he had been busy in projects for introducing popery; and some warm expressions which he had let fall, were made use of to represent him as a more dangerous person than he really was. But all this had no manner of relation to the plot, there not appearing throughout all his letters, the least intention of hurting the king, or of using violence of any sort, to compass his undertakings, but much that implied the contrary.
He pleaded this himself, when he came to make his defence. As to Oates and Bedloe, he observed, (which was very true) that when he appeared before the council, Oates did not know him. Oates excused himself, by alleging the weakness of his sight, the candlelight, and Coleman's change of wig and habit; but he said, as soon as he heard him speak he knew him. He observed also, that when Oates first appeared before the council, he charged him only with a letter, and some matters so slight, that the council was ready to let him go at large; whereas, had he known these things he now charged against him, that was the proper time to mention them. Oates answered this, by complaining of the great fatigue he had undergone for two days and nights before, in seizing Jesuits, &c. which, he said, had so exhausted his spirits, that he did not know what he said. This was a wretched evasion, but it went down at that time. In the third place he said, that whereas Oates had swore he was privy to a consult about the 21st of August, in London, he offered to prove that he was then out of town, having left London on the 15th of that month, without ever returning till the 31st, late at night.
"As to Bedloe, he could only answer him, by solemnly protesting he had never seen him till then in his life; and concluded his defence with an asseveration, that he had seen Oates but once before, and Bedloe never." (Baker's Chronicle, page 692.)
"The chief justice, in summing up the evidence, says Mr Salmon, in his examination of Bishop Burnet's History, p. 792, did not much insist upon the testimony Oates had given of Coleman's design to kill the king; but said it was plain, that Coleman intended to bring in popery, and subvert the protestant religion, by requiring the assistance of a foreign power; and that he who subverted the protestant religion, by consequence brought in a foreign authority; that this was acting in derogation of the crown, and in diminution of the king's supremacy, and an endeavour to bring the nation under a foreign dominion, namely, the pope's; and though he might hope to bring in popery, by procuring a dissolution of the parliament, and a toleration, it was to be supposed, other methods would have been taken, if these had failed, by his confederates at least, if not by himself; and he who enters upon an unlawful act, is guilty of all the consequences that attend it, though he did not design them; whereupon Coleman was convicted.
"The chief justice having pronounced the sentence, Coleman declared his innocence as to any design against the king's life; and said, he renounced all the mercy that God could shew him, if he had not discovered all he knew to the house of commons; or if he ever made, or received, or heard of any proposition towards invading the king's life, his crown or dignity; or to procure any invasion or disturbance, in order to introduce any new form of government, or bring in popery by force; and in this he persisted till he died." So Mr Salmon, agreeably to Mr Coleman's printed trial.
The continuator of Baker's Chronicle adds, "that before his execution, many were sent to him from both houses, with promise of a pardon, if he would make discoveries; but he either would not, or, which is as probable, could not make any such. So that some time after, (on Tuesday the 3rd of December, [1678]) he was executed, and suffered with great composedness and devotion, denying all that had been sworn against him. There went about an idle story, that he refused to confess upon promise of a pardon from the duke of York; and that when he found his death unavoidable, he cried out in a passion, there is no faith in man! But it was very plain, and he could not be ignorant, that the fury of the times was such, that the king had it not in his power to pardon him, if he had been ever so willing." So far the protestant historian.
Mr Coleman's last Speech
"It is now expected I should speak, and make some discovery of a very great plot. I know not whether I shall have the good fortune to be believed better now than formerly; if so, I do solemnly declare, upon the words of a dying man, I know nothing of it. And as for the raising of sedition, subverting the government, stirring up the people to rebellion, altering the known laws, and contriving the death of the king, I am wholly ignorant of it; nor did I ever think to advance that religion (which people think I am so zealous of) hereby. I thank God I am of it, and declare I die of it; nor do I think it prejudicial to king or government. But though I am, as I said, a Roman catholic, and have been so for many years, yet I renounce that doctrine, (which some, wrongfully, say the Romish church doth usher in to promote their interest) that kings may be murdered, and the like; I say, I abominate it."
Here he was interrupted, and told, if he had anything to say by way of confession, or sorrow for his guilt, he might proceed; otherwise it was unseasonable to go on. He said, he had nothing to confess, that he had never any intention to subvert the government, or to set any thing contrary to law, but what every man of a contrary religion would do in a peaceable manner if he could. He added, that the witness who swore against him did him wrong; and as for Bedloe, upon the word of a dying man, he never saw his face before his trial. He also declared, upon the word of a dying man, that he knew nothing of the death of Sir Edmund Godfrey, for that he was a prisoner at that time. Then after some private prayers to himself, says the conclusion of his printed trial, the sentence was executed; he was hanged by the neck, cut down alive, his bowels burned and himself quartered.
From his printed trials and letters; the compendium, or short view of the trials relating to the plot; his dying speech; the continuator of Baker's Chronicle, p. 691, 692, &c.
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