Saints celebrated on the 11th of July
WELCOME!
BLESSED THOMAS HUNT, PRIEST AND MARTYR
Thomas Hunt was born in Norfolk, and was a secular priest of the English College of Seville; who being sent upon the English mission, and there falling into the hands of the persecutors, was committed prisoner to Wisbech castle; from whence be he, with five more, made their escape some few months before his second apprehension and execution.
The history of the apprehension and the subsequent events are as follows:
In the month of July 1600, search being made in and about Lincoln after certain malefactors who had committed a robbery, the searchers found, at the Saracen's Head, in Lincoln, Mr Sprott and Mr Hunt, strangers to the people of the house, and close up in their chambers; whom they vehemently suspecting to be the men they were seeking after, took them up upon suspicion, and strictly examined what were their names? their places of abode? what business they followed? what had brought them thither? what acquaintance they had in that city or neighbourhood, &c. So that, to be rid of the importunity of these questions, and of the suspicion of being robbers, they confessed, that they were catholics, who had come thither in hopes of living there more quietly for a time, than they could do where they were more known. The officers searched their mails, and found there the holy oils, and two breviaries, which gave suspicion that they were priests. Whereupon they were brought before the mayor, and examined by him upon these four articles.
I. Whether they had been at the [government enforced protestant] church within these ten or twelve years?
2. If the pope should invade the realm, whether they would take part with him or with the queen?
3. Whether they did take the queen to be supreme governess of the church of England?
4. Whether they were priests or no?
To these questions they both returned the same answers in substance, viz. to the first, that they were brought up from their infancy, in the catholic faith, and were never at the protestant church. To the second, that when such a case shall happen, which is not likely, they will answer it. To the third, that the pope is supreme head upon earth of the catholic church throughout the world. To the fourth they answered as before, that they were catholics, and further they thought themselves not bound to answer.
Nevertheless, upon this last article they were immediately arraigned, it being the time of the summer assizes, before judge Glandvil; and an indictment was drawn up against them, that they were seminary priests, and consequently traitors and though their being priests was neither proved nor confessed, nor any witnesses produced to avouch it, the judge directed the jury to find them guilty; which they did: though, as it seems, with great repugnance of conscience, perfectly compelled to it by the sharp words of the judge, who was very positive in the matter, and told them, they must needs bring in their verdict so. Soon after, the judge gave sentence of death, according to the usual form as in cases of high treason which the servants of God joyfully heard, giving God thanks for so great a favour, and pardoning their persecutors. But both before and after their condemnation, they were attacked by some protestant preachers upon the articles of their religion, whom they so confuted and confounded, that the magistrates commanded the ministers to hold their peace. These made use of their own far stronger arguments of hurdles, halters, knives, and fire, which these two servants of God courageously met, and gloriously conquered. They were executed at Lincoln, some time in July, 1600.
"Not many days after," says Dr Worthington, in his relation printed and published in the beginning of the following year, p. 89, "Mr Glandvil, their judge, received also his own judgment: for, riding abroad for his pleasure, near to his own house, with one man, suddenly in the plain field, he fell from his horse to the ground, the horse not stumbling at all, but running away a great pace. The servant stepped quickly to his master, and assaying help him up, found him dead; whereat he, being much astonished, he posted as fast as he could to the next village, crying, that his master was dead. The people, in haste, running to the place, found it so: and not knowing who else could be charged with it, they presently apprehended the same servant, upon suspicion that he had murdered his master; but, upon viewing the corpse, they saw evidently, that no man had done this act; for they found part of his brains strangely coming forth, both at his nose and mouth, not having any other hurt in his head, but towards the right side, behind, a great dimple or hole, wherein a child might have put his fist; yet neither his skin, nor his hat, broken at all, nor a hair of his head wanting, to any man's judgment. They found likewise his right shoulder sore scorched, like burned leather, as black as pitch; and from thence along upon his arm, a great gash, as if it had been made with a knife, but not deep; and in the calf of his leg, on the same side, they found another hole, about an inch broad, and three inches deep; and (which is most strange) not so much as a thread of his hose, nor of his other apparel, could be found to be broken. The horse that run away, with much ado was taken, but could by no means be brought near to the place where his master fell down." So far the printed relation.
The execution of Mr Sprott and Mr Hunt is mentioned by Howes upon Stow, in his chronicle.
Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 2
PRAYER:
Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that we who celebrate the anniversary of the death of your holy martyr Thomas may by his intercession be delivered from all evils that threaten us. 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.
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