Saints celebrated on the 16th of July
WELCOME!
BLESSED ROBERT GRISSOLD, MARTYR
Robert Grissold (or Griswold) was born at Romington, in Warwickshire, and was servant to Mr Sheldon, of Broadway, in Worcestershire. He was, says my manuscript, simple and upright in his actions; unlearned, but enlightened with the Holy Ghost, feared God, hated sin, led a single life and chaste, was kind to his friends, mild in conversation, devout in prayer, bold and constant in professing the catholic religion, and heartily loved and reverenced catholic priests. When his cousin Clement Grissold apprehended him going upon the way with Mr Sugar, he said to him, Cousin, if you go your way, you may: I will not, answered he, except I may have my friend with me. Then the constable, Richard Smith, or his cousin said; That you shall not, for he is a stranger, and I will carry him before Mr Burgoyne: then said he, I will go with him to Mr Burgoyne, for he knoweth me very well; and I hope he will do my friend no wrong, when he heareth me speak.
"Thereupon he went with Mr Sugar (who was then called Mr Cox) to the justice Mr Burgoyne, who after examination sent them both to the prison of Warwick. Where Robert Grissold had occasion offered him to get away, yet for the sake of Mr Sugar, and zeal for martyrdom, he would not; but there with Mr Sugar remained a whole year, and with him suffered imprisonment, and afterwards death.
"In the second year of king James in England, and upon the 14th day of July, at the assizes holden at Warwick, he being arraigned, was asked by the judge Kingsmill, If he would go to [government enforced protestant] church?
To whom he answered, I will not, my lord.
Then thou shalt be hanged, quoth the judge.
I beseech you, my lord, let me have justice, and let the country know wherefore I die.
Thou shalt have justice, I warrant thee, said the judge, and the country shall know that thou diest for felony.
Wherein, quoth he, have I committed felony?
Thou hast committed felony, saith the judge, in being in the company, in assisting and relieving a seminary priest, that is, a traitor.
I have not therein committed felony, answered he.
Then a justice of peace said to him, Grissold, Grissold, go to church, or else, God judge me, thou shalt be hanged.
Then God's will be done, quoth he.
After that the judge asked him again, If he would go to church!
I have answered you, my lord, enough for that matter, I will not.
Then thou shalt be hanged, said the judge.
I crave no favour of you, my lord, in this action, answered he.
What, said the judge in a great rage, dost thou crave no favour at my hands?
No, my lord, said he, I crave no favour at your hands in this action.
Thereupon the judge afterwards condemned him to be hanged for accompanying, assisting, and relieving a seminary priest: and while he pronounced judgment against him he faltered in his speech, and trembled with his hands. The next day after the judge had condemned him, he sent to him in his chamber, where he proffered him life, if he would promise him to go to [government enforced protestant] church; which he utterly refused.
"In the morning before he suffered death, he continued an hour in prayer, and requested of all the catholics to say a Pater and Ave for him, in the honour of God, and of Saint Catherine his patroness, that by the intercession of that blessed virgin and martyr he might obtain of God courage and fortitude to suffer death. And seeing a catholic woman in the prison weeping for his death, he said to her; Good woman, why do you weep? Here is no place of weeping, but of rejoicing for you must come into the bridegroom's chamber, not with tears, but with rejoicing. The woman answered, I hoped you should have had your life.
I do not want it now, said he, for I should be loath to lose this opportunity offered me to die; but yet God's will be done. Then a catholic maid said, It is well said, friend Robert, for it is nothing to suffer death for so good a cause. Whereupon he said to the catholics there present, Look that ye all continue to the end.
"As he was going on foot to the gallows, one willed him to go a fair way, and not to follow through the mire of Mr Sugar, who was drawn on the sledge before him: to whom he made answer; I have not thus far followed him to leave him now for a little mire. And so through the mire he went after him. When he came to the place of his martyrdom for a good while he prayed very devoutly on his knees; and although he was by nature so timorous and weak, that he once swooned at the sight of his thumb being only pricked with an awl, yet at the gallows he was by the grace of the Holy Ghost so much strengthened, that at the sight of Mr Sugar's bleeding body, when quartered, he was no way terrified; but (on the contrary) was so stout and courageous, that when a catholic woman stepped between him and Mr Sugar's dead body, whilst it was in quartering, lest the sight should terrify him, he took her by the arm, saying, Stand away, for I thank God the sight doth nothing to terrify me.
"Afterwards the under-sheriff said to him, Grissold, thou dost thyself wrong; for thou art guilty of thy own death. No, quoth he, sir, you do me wrong, in keeping me so long alive after Mr Sugar, for I should have suffered with him; and I only desire to be with him. Then seeing the halter, with which he was to be hanged, lying on the ground, he was exceeding glad, and giving God thanks, he went and dipped it in Mr Sugar's blood and going up the ladder he said to the people, Bear witness, good people, that I die here not for theft, nor for felony; but for my conscience. Then he freely forgave all his persecutors, and the hangman; and devoutly said his Confiteor, often calling upon the name of Jesus. Lastly, he commended his soul into the hands of Almighty God; and so being turned off the ladder, he hanged until he was quite dead. His dead body, by the under-sheriff's permission, was buried near the gallows. And thus this blessed martyr for the short transitory pain of death, which he willingly suffered for a work of charity, and for the professing the catholic religion, hath gotten everlasting joy in the kingdom of heaven." So far the author of the manuscript relation of his death, who seems to have been an eye-witness of his and Mr Sugar's sufferings, or at least to have had his informations from eye-witnesses. He suffered July 16, 1604.
From Arnoldus Raissius, in his catalogue of the Douay Martyrs, printed in 1630. And from an old manuscript relation of their martyrdom, sent me from Warwickshire.
Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 2
Robert Grissold (or Griswold) was born at Romington, in Warwickshire, and was servant to Mr Sheldon, of Broadway, in Worcestershire. He was, says my manuscript, simple and upright in his actions; unlearned, but enlightened with the Holy Ghost, feared God, hated sin, led a single life and chaste, was kind to his friends, mild in conversation, devout in prayer, bold and constant in professing the catholic religion, and heartily loved and reverenced catholic priests. When his cousin Clement Grissold apprehended him going upon the way with Mr Sugar, he said to him, Cousin, if you go your way, you may: I will not, answered he, except I may have my friend with me. Then the constable, Richard Smith, or his cousin said; That you shall not, for he is a stranger, and I will carry him before Mr Burgoyne: then said he, I will go with him to Mr Burgoyne, for he knoweth me very well; and I hope he will do my friend no wrong, when he heareth me speak.
"Thereupon he went with Mr Sugar (who was then called Mr Cox) to the justice Mr Burgoyne, who after examination sent them both to the prison of Warwick. Where Robert Grissold had occasion offered him to get away, yet for the sake of Mr Sugar, and zeal for martyrdom, he would not; but there with Mr Sugar remained a whole year, and with him suffered imprisonment, and afterwards death.
"In the second year of king James in England, and upon the 14th day of July, at the assizes holden at Warwick, he being arraigned, was asked by the judge Kingsmill, If he would go to [government enforced protestant] church?
To whom he answered, I will not, my lord.
Then thou shalt be hanged, quoth the judge.
I beseech you, my lord, let me have justice, and let the country know wherefore I die.
Thou shalt have justice, I warrant thee, said the judge, and the country shall know that thou diest for felony.
Wherein, quoth he, have I committed felony?
Thou hast committed felony, saith the judge, in being in the company, in assisting and relieving a seminary priest, that is, a traitor.
I have not therein committed felony, answered he.
Then a justice of peace said to him, Grissold, Grissold, go to church, or else, God judge me, thou shalt be hanged.
Then God's will be done, quoth he.
After that the judge asked him again, If he would go to church!
I have answered you, my lord, enough for that matter, I will not.
Then thou shalt be hanged, said the judge.
I crave no favour of you, my lord, in this action, answered he.
What, said the judge in a great rage, dost thou crave no favour at my hands?
No, my lord, said he, I crave no favour at your hands in this action.
Thereupon the judge afterwards condemned him to be hanged for accompanying, assisting, and relieving a seminary priest: and while he pronounced judgment against him he faltered in his speech, and trembled with his hands. The next day after the judge had condemned him, he sent to him in his chamber, where he proffered him life, if he would promise him to go to [government enforced protestant] church; which he utterly refused.
"In the morning before he suffered death, he continued an hour in prayer, and requested of all the catholics to say a Pater and Ave for him, in the honour of God, and of Saint Catherine his patroness, that by the intercession of that blessed virgin and martyr he might obtain of God courage and fortitude to suffer death. And seeing a catholic woman in the prison weeping for his death, he said to her; Good woman, why do you weep? Here is no place of weeping, but of rejoicing for you must come into the bridegroom's chamber, not with tears, but with rejoicing. The woman answered, I hoped you should have had your life.
I do not want it now, said he, for I should be loath to lose this opportunity offered me to die; but yet God's will be done. Then a catholic maid said, It is well said, friend Robert, for it is nothing to suffer death for so good a cause. Whereupon he said to the catholics there present, Look that ye all continue to the end.
"As he was going on foot to the gallows, one willed him to go a fair way, and not to follow through the mire of Mr Sugar, who was drawn on the sledge before him: to whom he made answer; I have not thus far followed him to leave him now for a little mire. And so through the mire he went after him. When he came to the place of his martyrdom for a good while he prayed very devoutly on his knees; and although he was by nature so timorous and weak, that he once swooned at the sight of his thumb being only pricked with an awl, yet at the gallows he was by the grace of the Holy Ghost so much strengthened, that at the sight of Mr Sugar's bleeding body, when quartered, he was no way terrified; but (on the contrary) was so stout and courageous, that when a catholic woman stepped between him and Mr Sugar's dead body, whilst it was in quartering, lest the sight should terrify him, he took her by the arm, saying, Stand away, for I thank God the sight doth nothing to terrify me.
"Afterwards the under-sheriff said to him, Grissold, thou dost thyself wrong; for thou art guilty of thy own death. No, quoth he, sir, you do me wrong, in keeping me so long alive after Mr Sugar, for I should have suffered with him; and I only desire to be with him. Then seeing the halter, with which he was to be hanged, lying on the ground, he was exceeding glad, and giving God thanks, he went and dipped it in Mr Sugar's blood and going up the ladder he said to the people, Bear witness, good people, that I die here not for theft, nor for felony; but for my conscience. Then he freely forgave all his persecutors, and the hangman; and devoutly said his Confiteor, often calling upon the name of Jesus. Lastly, he commended his soul into the hands of Almighty God; and so being turned off the ladder, he hanged until he was quite dead. His dead body, by the under-sheriff's permission, was buried near the gallows. And thus this blessed martyr for the short transitory pain of death, which he willingly suffered for a work of charity, and for the professing the catholic religion, hath gotten everlasting joy in the kingdom of heaven." So far the author of the manuscript relation of his death, who seems to have been an eye-witness of his and Mr Sugar's sufferings, or at least to have had his informations from eye-witnesses. He suffered July 16, 1604.
From Arnoldus Raissius, in his catalogue of the Douay Martyrs, printed in 1630. And from an old manuscript relation of their martyrdom, sent me from Warwickshire.
Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 2
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