Thomas Pormort: Difference between revisions
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On 25 April, 1590, Pormort became prefect of studies in the Swiss college at Milan. He was relieved of this office, and started for England, 15 September, without waiting for his faculties. Crossing the St. Gotthard Pass, he reached Brussels before 29 November. There he became manservant to Mrs. Geoffrey Pole, under the name of Whitgift, the Protestant archbishop Whitgift being his godfather. With her he went to [[Antwerp]], intending to proceed to [[Flushing]], and thence to England. |
On 25 April, 1590, Pormort became prefect of studies in the Swiss college at Milan. He was relieved of this office, and started for England, 15 September, without waiting for his faculties. Crossing the St. Gotthard Pass, he reached Brussels before 29 November. There he became manservant to Mrs. Geoffrey Pole, under the name of Whitgift, the Protestant archbishop Whitgift being his godfather. With her he went to [[Antwerp]], intending to proceed to [[Flushing]], and thence to England. |
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He was arrested in London on St. James's Day (25 July), 1591, but he managed to escape. In August or September, 1591, he was again taken, and committed to [[Bridewell]], whence he was removed to [[Topcliffe]]'s house. He was repeatedly racked and sustained a rupture in consequence. On 8 February following he was convicted of [[high treason]] for being a seminary priest, and for reconciling John Barwys, or Burrows, haberdasher, to the Catholic Church. He pleaded that he had no faculties; but he was found guilty. |
He was arrested in London on St. James's Day (25 July), 1591, but he managed to escape. In August or September, 1591, he was again taken, and committed to [[Bridewell]], whence he was removed to [[Richard Topcliffe|Topcliffe]]'s house. He was repeatedly racked and sustained a rupture in consequence. On 8 February following he was convicted of [[high treason]] for being a seminary priest, and for reconciling John Barwys, or Burrows, haberdasher, to the Catholic Church. He pleaded that he had no faculties; but he was found guilty. |
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At the bar he accused Topcliffe of having boasted to him of indecent familiarities with the Queen. Hence Topcliffe obtained a ''[[mandamus]]'' to the sheriff to proceed with the execution, though [[Archbishop Whitgift]] endeavoured to delay it and make his godson conform, and though (it is said) Pormort would have admitted conference with Protestant ministers. The [[gibbet]] was erected over against the haberdasher's shop, and Portmore was kept standing two hours on the ladder, while Topcliffe vainly urged him to withdraw his accusation. |
At the bar he accused Topcliffe of having boasted to him of indecent familiarities with the Queen. Hence Topcliffe obtained a ''[[mandamus]]'' to the sheriff to proceed with the execution, though [[Archbishop Whitgift]] endeavoured to delay it and make his godson conform, and though (it is said) Pormort would have admitted conference with Protestant ministers. The [[gibbet]] was erected over against the haberdasher's shop, and Portmore was kept standing two hours on the ladder, while Topcliffe vainly urged him to withdraw his accusation. |
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Revision as of 15:07, 6 July 2008
Thomas Pormort (b. at Hull about 1559; executed at St. Paul's Churchyard, 20 February1592) was an English Roman Catholic priest. He was beatified in 1987.[1]
Life
He was probably related to the family of Pormort of Great Grimsby and Saltfletby, Lincolnshire. After receiving some education at Cambridge, he went to Reims, 15 January, 1581, and from there, 20 March following, to Rome, where he was ordained priest in 1587. He entered the household of Owen Lewis, Bishop of Cassano, 6 March, 1587.
On 25 April, 1590, Pormort became prefect of studies in the Swiss college at Milan. He was relieved of this office, and started for England, 15 September, without waiting for his faculties. Crossing the St. Gotthard Pass, he reached Brussels before 29 November. There he became manservant to Mrs. Geoffrey Pole, under the name of Whitgift, the Protestant archbishop Whitgift being his godfather. With her he went to Antwerp, intending to proceed to Flushing, and thence to England.
He was arrested in London on St. James's Day (25 July), 1591, but he managed to escape. In August or September, 1591, he was again taken, and committed to Bridewell, whence he was removed to Topcliffe's house. He was repeatedly racked and sustained a rupture in consequence. On 8 February following he was convicted of high treason for being a seminary priest, and for reconciling John Barwys, or Burrows, haberdasher, to the Catholic Church. He pleaded that he had no faculties; but he was found guilty.
At the bar he accused Topcliffe of having boasted to him of indecent familiarities with the Queen. Hence Topcliffe obtained a mandamus to the sheriff to proceed with the execution, though Archbishop Whitgift endeavoured to delay it and make his godson conform, and though (it is said) Pormort would have admitted conference with Protestant ministers. The gibbet was erected over against the haberdasher's shop, and Portmore was kept standing two hours on the ladder, while Topcliffe vainly urged him to withdraw his accusation.
References
- POLLEN, English Martyrs 1584-1603 (London, 1908), 187-190, 200-2, 208-10, 292; Acts of the English Martyrs (London, 1891), 118-20;
- CHALLONER, Missionary Priests, I, no. 95;
- GILLOW, Bibl. Dict. Eng. Cath., s. v.;
- Harleian Society Publications, LII (London, 1904), 790;
- KNOX, Douay Diaries (London, 1878), 174-7
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
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