BL. EDWARD STRANSHAM, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 21 JANUARY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JANUARY 

Saints celebrated on the 21st of January

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BLESSED EDWARD STRANSHAM, PRIEST AND MARTYR

The Manner of Execution at Tyburn 

Mr Edward Stransham (Transham), whom Mr Stow, in his annals, calls Edmund Barber, from the name under which he disguised himself upon the mission, was born at or near Oxford, and educated in St John's college, in that university, where he took the degree of bachelor of arts, in 1575-6. Not long after this, he left the university and the protestant religion, and went over to Douay, where I find him in June, 1576: and going afterwards to Rheims, (the college being translated thither) he was ordained priest in December, 1580, and sent upon the mission on the last day of June, 1581, with three others; one of which was Mr Woodfen, who afterwards suffered with him.

The account that both Mr Rishton and Dr Bridgewater give of these two missioners, is short, but very full and expressive. The former writes as follows: "At London, Edward Transham, a priest of remarkable zeal and piety, and endowed with the grace of the word; and his companion Mr Woodfen, a man of equal merit and constancy, glorified God by a most precious death and confession; whose bowels they plucked out whilst they were yet alive; and whose quarters they set up for a prey to the fowls of the air." (p. 347).

The latter writes thus: "Mr Edward Transham, and Mr Nicholas Woodfen, catholic priests, after they had given many and various arguments of their piety, charity and christian fortitude, in gathering together the scattered sheep of Great Britain; the time being now come, in which they were both to glorify God by an illustrious confession of their faith, and confirm their brethren by the voluntary shedding of their blood, being approved by the testimony of faith, they offered their souls and bodies a living and holy sacrifice to God their creator and redeemer."

They suffered at Tyburn, January 21, 1585-6, barely for being priests. They are mentioned by Mr Stow, in his annals, who calls Mr Woodfen by the name of Devereux. "Nicholas Devereux," says he, "was condemned for treason in being made a seminary priest at Rheims. Also, Edmund Barber, made priest as aforesaid, was likewise condemned of treason and both were drawn to Tyburn, and there hanged, bowelled and quartered."

From Athene Oxon. Diary of Douay College. Rishton, 1. 3. de Schismate Angl. in fine, and Dr Bridgewater's Concertatio Ecclesiæ Catholicæ &c. fol. 204.

Dodd gives in the second Vol. of his Church History, a very short notice of each of these gentlemen, and relates that they both suffered at the same time, on January 21, 1588, In fact, he places the deaths of several of the Missionaries two or three years later than they are stated to have occurred in the Memoirs; and his dates in several other instances do not exactly accord with those given by Doctor Challoner. Edt.

Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 1

⬅️ The Holy Martyrs of England and Wales

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that we who know how courageously your holy martyr Edward confessed the faith, may experience his goodness as he intercedes for us with you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.