THE WITNESS OF TRADITION
St. Richard Reynolds - Bridgettine monk
Martyred on May 4th 1535
St. Richard Reynolds was hanged, drawn and quartered with St. John Houghton.
Here is today's reading taken from:
Mementoes of the Martyrs and Confessors of England and Wales
by Henry Sebastian Bowden
The Witness of Tradition
INTERROGATED by Chancellor Audley as to why he persisted in an opinion against which so many lords and bishops in Parliament and the whole realm had decreed, Reynolds replied:
"I had intended to imitate our Lord Jesus Christ when He was questioned by Herod and not to answer. But since you compel me to clear both my conscience and that of the bystanders, I say that if we propose to maintain opinions by proofs, testimonies and reasons, mine will be far stronger than yours, because I have all the rest of Christendom in my favour.
I dare even say all this kingdom, although the small part holds with you, for I am sure the larger part is at heart of our opinion, although outwardly - partly from fear and partly from hope - they profess to be of yours."
On this he was commanded, under the heaviest penalties of the law, to declare who held with him. He replied,
"All good men of the kingdom hold with me," and added, "As to proofs of dead witnesses, I have in my favour all the general councils, all the historians, the holy doctors of the Church for the last fifteen hundred years, especially St Ambrose, St Jerome, St Augustine and St Gregory."
St. Richard Reybolds was dragged to Tyburn on a hurdle and gained the martyrs crown on 4th May 1535.
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