The English Martyrs, 1561-1600, sharing their lives and spreading devotions, including Sts Edmund Campion, Richard Gwyn, Margaret Clitherow

(A list of) English Catholic Martyrs executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I including some of the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales.  After Queen Elizabeth I's accession to the throne, the official religion of the England and Wales was changed again to make it Protestant. However, many people continued to remain loyal to the True Faith. The threat of a foreign invasion by a Catholic country assisted by English subjects led the Crown to try to stamp out Catholicism with repressive measures.  Elizabeth I's government had passed a number of anti-Catholic decrees in 1571, including the following: forbidding anyone from maintaining the jurisdiction of the pope by word, deed or act; compulsory use of the Book of Common Prayer in all cathedrals, churches and chapels, as well as the forbiddance of criticism of it; forbidding the publication of any bull, writing or instrument of the Holy See (the death penalty was assigned to this); the importing of Agnus Dei images, crosses, pictures, beads or other things from the Bishop of Rome was forbidden.  Later laws: to draw anyone away from the state religion was forbidden; non-attendance at a Church of England church was legally forbidden; raising children with teachers that were not licensed by an Anglican diocesan bishop was not allowed; the Catholic Mass was forbidden.

In 1585 a new decree was issued that made it a crime punishable by death to go overseas to receive the sacrament of Ordination to the Catholic priesthood or permanent diaconate. Nicholas Devereux (who went by the alias of Woodson) and Edward Barber (see below Edward Stransham) were both put to death in 1586 under this law. William Thompson and Richard Lea (see below Richard Sergeant) were hanged, bowelled and quartered, and all took arrows to knees, under the same law. In 1588, eight priests and six laymen at Newgate were condemned and executed under this law. 

Catholic Martyrs 1561–1600:

John Ackridge, priest, 1585
Thomas Ackridge, Franciscan, 1583
John Adams, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Thomas Alfield, priest, 1585
John Almond, Cistercian, 1585 (Features in ‘The Primary Series: Saints and Martyrs for children – Volume One’ by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

John Amias, priest, 1589
Robert Anderton, priest, 1586
William Andleby, priest, 1597
William Baldwin (Bawden), priest, 1588
Christopher Bales, priest, 1590
Thomas Bedal, priest, 1590
George Beesley, priest, 1591; beatified 1987
Thomas Belson, layman, 1589; beatified 1987
Robert Bickerdike, layman, 1586; beatified 1987
William Blackburne, priest, 1586
Alexander Blake, layman, 1590; beatified 1987
John Bodey, priest, 1583
John Boste, priest, 1594; canonised 1970
Marmaduke Bowes, layman, 1585; beatified 1987 (Mentioned in St. Margaret Clitherow film by Mary’s Dowry Productions)
Richard Bowes, priest, 1590
John Bretton, layman, 1598; beatified 1987
Alexander Briant, Jesuit priest, 1581; canonised 1970 (An account of his life in a film on DVD from Mary’s Dowry Productions)
James Brushford, priest, 1593
Edmund Burden, priest, 1588; beatified 1987
Christopher Buxton, priest, died Canterbury, 1588; beatified 1929[5]
Edmund Campion, Jesuit priest, 1581; beatified 1886, canonised 1970. (An account of his life in film by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

William Carter, layman, 1584; beatified 1987
James Claxton (Clarkson), priest, 1588
James Clayton, priest, 1588

Margaret Clitherow, laywoman, 1586; canonised 1970 (An account of her life in a film by Mary’s Dowry Productions)
Henry Cole, priest, 1580
Laurence Collier, Franciscan, 1590
John Collins, priest, 1584
Henry Comberford, priest, 1584
John Cornelius, Jesuit priest, 1594
Thomas Cotesmore, priest, 1584
Thomas Cottam, Jesuit priest, 1582
Richard Creagh, archbishop of Armagh, 1585
Ralph Crockett, priest, 1588
Alexander Crowe, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Thomas Crowther, priest, 1585
Robert Dalby, priest, York, 1589
William Davies, priest, 1593; beatified 1987
William Dean, priest, 1588
Robert Dibdale, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Francis Dicconson, priest, 1590
Roger Dicconson, priest, 1591
George Douglas, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
Anthony Draycott, priest, 1570
Edmund Duke, priest, 1590; beatified 1987
Gerard Edwards (alias Campion), priest, 1588; beatified 1929[5]
George Errington, layman, 1596; beatified 1987
John Feckenham, Benedictine, abbot of Westminster, 1585
Thomas Felton, Franciscan, 1588
James Fenn, priest, 1584
John Finch, 1584
John Finglow, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Richard Flower, layman, 1588; beatified 1987
William Freeman, priest, 1595; beatified 1929[6]
Thomas Gabyt, Cistercian, 1575
Nicholas Garlick, priest, 1588; beatified 1987
Edmund Gennings, priest, 1591; canonised 1970 (The account of his life in a DVD by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

Miles Gerard, priest, 1590
William Gibson, layman, 1596; beatified 1987
Nicholas Grene, priest, 1571
Ralph Grimston, layman, 1598; beatified 1987
John Griffith (alias Jones), Saint, Franciscan friar, 1598
William Gunter, priest, 1588
Richard Gwyn, layman, 1584; canonised 1970 (The account of his life in a DVD by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

William Hambledon, priest, 1585
John Hambley, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
Everard Hanse, priest, 1581
Robert Hardesty, layman, 1589; beatified 1987
Nicholas Harpsfield, priest, 1575
William Harrington, priest, 1594
John Harrison, priest, 1586
William Harrison, priest, 1594
William Hart, priest, 1583
William Hartley, priest, 1588
Thomas Harwood, priest, 1586
Richard Hatton, priest, 1584
George Haydock, priest, 1584; beatified 1987
Thomas Hemerford, priest, 1584
John Hewitt, priest, 1588
Richard Hill, priest, 1590; beatified 1987
John Hogg, priest, 1590; beatified 1987
Thomas Holford, priest, 1588
Richard Holiday, priest, 1590; beatified 1987
Robert Holmes, priest, 1584
Richard Horner, priest, 1598
Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel, layman, 1595; canonised 1970 (His account in a DVD by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

Thomas Hunt, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
Francis Ingleby, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
John Ingram, priest, 1594
Edward James, priest, 1588
John Jetter, priest, 1585
Lawrence Johnson, priest, 1582
Robert Johnson, priest, 1582
Edward Jones, priest, 1590
John Jones, Franciscan priest, 1598; canonised 1970
Luke Kirby, priest, 1582; took arrow to knee sometime while he lived; canonized 1970 (Features in a DVD ‘The Primary Series: Volume One – English Martyrs for children’ by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

William Knight, layman, 1596; beatified 1987

Joseph Lambton, priest, 1592; beatified 1987
William Lampley, layman, 1588; beatified 1987
Richard Leigh, priest, 1588
James Lomax, priest, 1584
John Lowe, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Robert Ludlam, priest, 1588; beatified 1987
William Marsden, priest, 1586
Roger Martin, priest, 1592
Cuthbert Mayne, priest, 1577; canonised 1970
Thomas Metham, Jesuit, 1592
Anthony Middleton, priest, 1590
Robert Morton, priest, 1588
Thomas Mudde, Cistercian, 1583
John Munden, priest, 1584
John Nelson, priest, 1577
George Nichols, priest, 1589; beatified 1987
John Norton, layman, 1600; beatified 1987
John Nutter, priest, 1584
Robert Nutter, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
Edward Oldcorne, Jesuit priest, 1561 (Appears in ‘St. Nicholas Owen: the priest hole maker by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

Edward Osbaldeston, priest, 1594; beatified 1987
Antony Page, priest, 1593; beatified 1987
Thomas Palasor, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
William Patenson, priest, 1592
John Payne, priest, 1582; canonised 1970
Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland, layman, 1572; beatified 1895 (Features in a DVD ‘The Shining Pearl of York by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

William Pike, layman, 1591; beatified 1987
Thomas Pilchard, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
Polydore Plasden, priest, 1591; canonised 1970 (His account in a DVD from Mary’s Dowry Productions)

Thomas Plumtree, priest, 1570
Edward Pole, priest, 1585
Thomas Pormort, priest, 1592; beatified 1987
Humphrey Pritchard, layman, 1589; beatified 1987
Alexander Rawlins, priest, 1595
John Rigby, layman, 1600; canonised 1970
Christopher Robinson, priest, 1597; beatified 1987
John Robinson, priest, 1588
John Roche, priest, 1588
Stephen Rowsham, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
John Sandys, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Montford Scott, priest, 1591; beatified 1987
Thomas Sedgwick, priest, 1573
Richard Sergeant, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Martin Sherson, priest, 1587
John Shert, priest, 1582
Ralph Sherwin, priest, 1581; canonised 1970 (Features in God’s Champion, St. Edmund Campion: a Hero Returns and St. Alexander Briant DVDs by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

Thomas Sherwood, layman, 1579; beatified 1886
Richard Simpson, priest, 1588; beatified 1987
Peter Snow, priest, 1598; beatified 1987
Robert Southwell, Jesuit priest, 1595; canonised 1970

William Spenser, priest, 1589; beatified 1987
Thomas Sprott, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
James Stonnes, priest, 1585
John Story, Chancellor to Bishop Bonner, 1571
Edward Stransham, priest, 1586
Robert Sutton, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
Edmund Sykes, priest, 1587; beatified 1987
John Talbot, layman, 1600; beatified 1987
Hugh Taylor, priest, 1585; beatified 1987
Gabriel Thimelby, priest, 1587
Richard Thirkeld, priest, 1583
James Thompson, priest, York, 1582
John Thompson, Jesuit
William Thomson, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Robert Thorpe, priest, 1591; beatified 1987
Edward Thwing, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
Lawrence Vaux, priest, 1585
Thomas Watkinson, layman, 1591; beatified 1987
Roger Wakeman, priest, 1584
Sir Edward Waldegrave, 1561
Henry Walpole, Jesuit priest, 1595; canonised 1970
Edward Waterson, priest, 1593
Margaret Ward, laywoman, 1588; canonised 1970 (Her account in a DVD film by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

William Way (alias May or Flower), priest, 1588
Henry Webley, layman, 1588; beatified 1987
Swithin Wells, layman, 1591, canonised 1970 (His account in a DVD film by Mary’s Dowry Productions)

Richard Weston, Jesuit
Christopher Wharton, priest, 1600; beatified 1987
Eustace White, priest, 1591; canonised 1970
Robert Wilcox, priest, 1588; beatified 1929[5]
Robert Widmerpool, layman, 1588; beatified 1929[5]
Richard Williams, priest, 1592
Thomas Wood, priest, 1588
John Woodcock, Franciscan, 1646
Nicholas Woodfen, priest, 1586; beatified 1987
Richard Yaxley, priest, 1589; beatified 1987

The English Martyrs of this Era are remembered by the Catholic Church, especially in England, Wales and the USA.  

In 2007 Mary’s Dowry productions created a new form of film media to present the lives of the saints. Mary’s Dowry Productions recreates stunning silent visuals, informative, devotional narration, and original contemplative music that touches your spirit to draw you into a spiritual encounter with the saint. Watch with your spiritual eye, listen with your spiritual ear. Our films seek to offer a window into the lives of our saints. Using your spiritual senses we invite you to shut out the world, sit prayerfully and peacefully and go on a journey of faith, history and prayer with our English Saints. Closing the distance of time between Elizabethan England and the present day, encounter these inspiring martyrs. 

 Our films on specific Martyrs are available worldwide on DVD through

www.marysdowryproductions.org/shop/

 

May the English Martyrs pray for us and for England and Wales.