Ven. William Andleby
Martyred at York 4 July, 1597. He was born at Etton in Yorkshire of a well-known gentle family. At twenty-five he went abroad to take part in the Dutch war (see ARMADA, SPANISH), and called at Douay to interview Dr. Allen, whom he attempted to confute in argument. Next day he recognized that Allen was right, was converted, and eventually became a priest. Mention is found of his having served at Mr. Tyrwhitt’s, in Lincolnshire, and also of his having succoured the Catholic prisoners in Hull blockhouse. “His zeal for souls was such as to spare no pains and to fear no dangers. For the first four years of his mission he travelled always on foot, meanly attired, and carrying with him usually in a bag his vestments and other things for saying Mass; for his labours lay chiefly among the poor, who were not shocked with such things. Afterwards, humbly yielding to the advice of his brethren, he used a horse and went somewhat better clad. Wonderful was the austerity of his life in frequent watchings, fastings, and continual prayer, his soul so absorbed in God that he often took no notice of those he met; by which means he was sometimes exposed to suspicions and dangers from the enemies of his faith, into whose hands he at last fell after twenty years’ labour in the vineyard of the Lord.” (Challoner). He was condemned for his priestly character, and suffered, as stated above, with three laymen, John Abbot, Thomas Warcop, and Edward Fulthrop.
York Castle
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Henry Abbot
Layman, martyred at York, 4 July, 1597, pronounced Venerable in 1886. His acts are thus related by Challoner: “A certain Protestant minister, for some misdemeanour put into York Castle, to reinstate himself in the favour of his superiors, insinuated himself into the good opinion of the Catholic prisoners, by pretending a deep sense of repentance, and a great desire of embracing the Catholic truth.… So they directed him, after he was enlarged, to Mr. Henry Abbot, a zealous convert who lived in Holden in the same county, to procure a priest to reconcile him.… Mr. Abbot carried him to Carlton to the house of Esquire Stapleton, but did not succeed in finding a priest. Soon after, the traitor having got enough to put them all in danger of the law, accused them to the magistrates.… They confessed that they had explained to him the Catholic Faith, and upon this they were all found guilty and sentenced to die.” The others, Errington, Knight, and Gibson, were executed on 29 November, 1596; Abbot was reprieved till the next July.
Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests (latest ed., London. 1878); Dasent, Acts of Privy Council (1596); Strype, Annals (1824), IV, 420.
PATRICK RYAN (Catholic Encyclopedia)
