ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MARCH
Saints celebrated on the 26th of March
WELCOME!
SAINT MARGARET CLITHEROW, MARTYR
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| Margaret Clitherow is pressed to death - Woodcut c/o Memoirs of Missionary Priests &.c., Ven. and Rt. Rev. R. Challoner, New Edition, Thomas Jones, London, Paternoster Row, 1842 |
On the 26th of March (some say the 25th) of this [1586] or the foregoing year, for authors are divided about the time, Mrs Margaret Clithero [Clitherow], whose maiden name was Middleton, a gentlewoman of a good family in Yorkshire, was pressed to death at York. She was prosecuted, under that violent persecution raised in those times, by the Earl of Huntingdon, lord president of the North. The crime she was charged with was relieving and harbouring priests. She refused to plead, that she might not bring others into danger by her conviction, or be accessory to the jurymen's sins in condemning the innocent. And therefore, as the law appoints in such cases, she was pressed to death¹.
She bore this cruel torment with invincible patience, often repeating in the way to execution, that, this way to heaven was as short as any other. Her husband was forced into banishment. Her little children, who wept and lamented for their mother, were taken up, and being questioned concerning the articles of their religion, and answering as they had been taught by her, were severely whipped; and the eldest, who was but twelve years old, was cast into prison. Her life was written by the reverend and learned Mr John Mush, her director, who, after many years labouring with great fruit in the English mission, after having suffered prisons and chains, and received even the sentence of death for his faith, died at length in his bed, in a good old age, in 1617.
¹After she had prayed, Faweet (one of the sheriffs) commanded them to put off her apparel, when she, with the four women, requested him on their knees, that, for the honour of womanhood, this might be dispensed with, but they would not grant it. Then she requested that the women might unaparrel her, and that they would turn their faces from her during that time. The women took off her clothes, then quietly laid her down upon the ground, her face covered with a handkerchief, and most part of her body with a linen habit. Two sergeants parted her hands and bound them to two posts, in the same manner as the feet. A sharp stone was put under her back; upon her was laid a door and about seven or eight ewt., which breaking her ribs, caused them to burst forth of the skin. See Lingard's Hist. England. Not F.F. Ell.
In this also, or the foregoing year, Robert Bickerdike, gentleman, was executed at York, for religious matters, October 8, (one manuscript says, July 23). He was born at Low-Hall, in Yorkshire, and suffered, as in cases of high treason, for being reconciled, says this MS. to the church of Rome, and refusing to go to the protestant [government enforced] church.
The reverend Mr Ralph Fisher, in a manuscript relation, which I have in my hands, recounts the following particulars of him: "Robert Bickerdike, gentleman, was born in Yorkshire, near to the town of Knaresborough; but his dwelling was in the city of York; who being brought before the magistrate there for matter of conscience and religion, was examined, among other things, if the Pope, or his agent, the king of Spain, should invade England, whether he would take the queen's part, or the pope's? To this Mr Bickerdike did make answer, if any such thing came to pass, he would then do as God should put him in mind. Upon this answer, he was first arraigned at the London hall of the city of treason; but the jurors being men of conscience, found him not guilty. Whereupon the judge being grieved that he was freed by the jury, caused him to be removed from the gaol or prison of the city to the castle; and there again indicted him of the aforesaid treason; and, by a new jury, he was found guilty of treason and the judge, whose name was Rhodes, gave sentence, that he should be hanged, drawn and quartered. And so constantly he suffered according to the same sentence: which was, for that he would do as God should put him in mind."
On the 1st of December, of this same year, 1586, Richard Langley, esq. born at Grinthorp, in Yorkshire, was executed at York, for harbouring and assisting priests.
This year also, as I find in an ancient catalogue, John Harrison, priest, of the college of Rheims, died in chains, obiit in vinculis. He was ordained and sent upon the mission in 1585.
In the beginning of this year, viz. February 8, 1587, Mary Queen of Scotland and dowager of France, was beheaded at Fotheringhey castle in Northamptonshire, after an imprisonment of eighteen years. As her constancy in the catholic religion was the chief cause of her death whatever might otherwise be pretended; so is she usually reckoned amongst those who suffered for religion.
Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 1
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