Wexford Martyrs: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
ce
Refs moved from redirected title
Line 12: Line 12:
==Escape of Viscount Baltinglass==
==Escape of Viscount Baltinglass==


Pursued by Crown forces after the defeat of the Second Desmond Rebellion, James Eustace and his chaplain, Father Robert Rochford, eventually found refuge with Matthew Lambert, a Wexford baker. Lambert fed them and arranged with five sailor acquaintances for safe passage by ship for them. Lambert was betrayed, along with sailors Patrick Cavanagh, Edward Cheevers, Robert Myler, John O'Lahy, and one other. They were arrested, imprisoned, and tortured, before being executed in Wexford on 5 July 1581.<ref name="McNeill">{{cite encyclopedia |author=McNeill, Charles |title=Irish Confessors and Martyrs |encyclopedia=The Catholic Encyclopedia |volume=8 |location=New York |publisher=Robert Appleton |year=2012 |orig-year=1910 |url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08163a.htm}}</ref><ref name="Canonization">{{cite journal |title=Canonization of the Irish Martyrs |journal=The Irish Ecclesiastical Record |volume=21 |series=4th ser. |date=Jan–Jun 1907 |pages=175–90 |url=https://archive.org/details/s04irishecclesia21dubluoft}}</ref>{{rp|181}}
Pursued by Crown forces after the defeat of the Second Desmond Rebellion, James Eustace and his chaplain, Father Robert Rochford, eventually found refuge with Matthew Lambert, a Wexford baker. Lambert fed them and arranged with five sailor acquaintances for safe passage by ship for them. Lambert was betrayed, along with sailors Patrick Cavanagh, Edward Cheevers, Robert Myler,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Robert Meyler {{!}} |url=https://kevinmicheal.com/saint/robert-meyler/ |access-date=2023-03-15 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Robert Meyler |url=https://www.holyirishmartyrs.com/robert-meyler |access-date=2023-03-15 |website=Holy Irish Martyrs |language=en}}</ref> John O'Lahy, and one other. They were arrested, imprisoned, and tortured, before being executed in Wexford on 5 July 1581.<ref name="McNeill">{{cite encyclopedia |author=McNeill, Charles |title=Irish Confessors and Martyrs |encyclopedia=The Catholic Encyclopedia |volume=8 |location=New York |publisher=Robert Appleton |year=2012 |orig-year=1910 |url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08163a.htm}}</ref><ref name="Canonization">{{cite journal |title=Canonization of the Irish Martyrs |journal=The Irish Ecclesiastical Record |volume=21 |series=4th ser. |date=Jan–Jun 1907 |pages=175–90 |url=https://archive.org/details/s04irishecclesia21dubluoft}}</ref>{{rp|181}}


The authorities heard of the plan beforehand and Matthew was arrested together with his five sailor friends. Thrown into prison, they were questioned about politics and religion. Lambert's reply was: "I am not a learned man. I am unable to debate with you, but I can tell you this, I am a Catholic and I believe whatever our Holy Mother the Catholic Church believes." They were found guilty of treason and hanged, drawn, and quartered in Wexford on 5 July 1581.{{fact|date=February 2020}}
The authorities heard of the plan beforehand and Matthew was arrested together with his five sailor friends. Thrown into prison, they were questioned about politics and religion. Lambert's reply was: "I am not a learned man. I am unable to debate with you, but I can tell you this, I am a Catholic and I believe whatever our Holy Mother the Catholic Church believes." They were found guilty of treason and hanged, drawn, and quartered in Wexford on 5 July 1581.{{fact|date=February 2020}}

Revision as of 04:46, 25 March 2023

The Wexford Martyrs were Matthew Lambert, Robert Meyler, Edward Cheevers, Patrick Cavanagh (Irish: Pádraigh Caomhánach), John O'Lahy, and another martyr whose name is unknown. In 1581, they were found guilty of treason for aiding in the escape of James Eustace, 3rd Viscount Baltinglass; for refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy which declared Elizabeth I of England to be the head of the Church; and for conveying a Jesuit and other Catholic priests and laymen out of Ireland. On 5 July 1581, they were hanged, drawn and quartered in Wexford, Ireland. They were subsequently beatified by Pope John Paul II.[1]

Background

In the Pale the predominant religion was Catholic, and the Catholics saw a growing threat from the Protestant-dominated government, a perception supported by their marked decline in participation within the kingdom's government. English-born Protestants increasingly occupied positions of authority. The people of the Pale resented taxes on their property for the government's military policy against the Gaelic nobility of Ireland and rebellious Hiberno-Normans. Troops were also billeted upon their lands. James Eustace's father, Viscount Roland, had been imprisoned by the Elizabethan administration for his opposition.[2]

During the summer of 1580, James Eustace, Viscount Baltinglass, apparently prompted almost entirely by religious motives, raised an army in County Wicklow, in support of the Earl of Desmond's separate uprising in Munster. The Viscount's allies included the coalition of Irish clans led by Fiach McHugh O'Byrne. At first the uprising was successful, but Baltinglass did not coordinate his efforts with those of Desmond and could not sustain the conflict. He and his followers were outlawed. Forty-five were hanged in Dublin. James Eustace escaped to Munster, where Desmond was still in revolt. After Desmond was killed he left for Spain.[2]

Escape of Viscount Baltinglass

Pursued by Crown forces after the defeat of the Second Desmond Rebellion, James Eustace and his chaplain, Father Robert Rochford, eventually found refuge with Matthew Lambert, a Wexford baker. Lambert fed them and arranged with five sailor acquaintances for safe passage by ship for them. Lambert was betrayed, along with sailors Patrick Cavanagh, Edward Cheevers, Robert Myler,[3][4] John O'Lahy, and one other. They were arrested, imprisoned, and tortured, before being executed in Wexford on 5 July 1581.[1][5]: 181 

The authorities heard of the plan beforehand and Matthew was arrested together with his five sailor friends. Thrown into prison, they were questioned about politics and religion. Lambert's reply was: "I am not a learned man. I am unable to debate with you, but I can tell you this, I am a Catholic and I believe whatever our Holy Mother the Catholic Church believes." They were found guilty of treason and hanged, drawn, and quartered in Wexford on 5 July 1581.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b McNeill, Charles (2012) [1910]. "Irish Confessors and Martyrs". The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton.
  2. ^ a b Webb, Alfred (1878). A Compendium of Irish Biography. Dublin: M. H. Gill & Son.
  3. ^ "Robert Meyler |". Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  4. ^ "Robert Meyler". Holy Irish Martyrs. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Canonization of the Irish Martyrs". The Irish Ecclesiastical Record. 4th ser. 21: 175–90. January–June 1907.