Going Gently Into that Goodnight

English Martyrs' Gruesome Torturous Execution

Keeping in the spirit of my review of A Man For All Seasons, I thought it would be fitting to delve deeper into the English Reformation, focusing on other English martyrs like St. Thomas More. The documentary, Faith of Our Fathers: In Search of the English Martyrs, brings viewers on a journey to various parts of England where famous martyrs lived and died for the Catholic faith. Fr. Marcus Holden and historian Fr. Nicholas Schofield take us back in time by showing us the houses where secret masses were said, numerous relics of the martyrs, hiding holes in houses where priests were sheltered, and the like. Along the way they paint a very real picture of the times of the martyrs as they unfold the history of these martyrs, whose witness still bears fruit to this day in England.

The English Reformation began when Henry VIII broke with Rome and became the head of the Church of England entirely for political and personal reasons. This tore at the very fabric of the lives of Englishmen, who were then faced with the terrible decision to either remain faithful to the Pope (and to God) or to their King. St. Thomas More’s famous words after his being condemned rang true for many more Englishmen throughout the land: “I die the King’s faithful servant, but God’s first.” 

The way in which they executed the martyrs grew more gruesome over time. Rather than simply beheading these holy men, they typically dragged them through town on a mat behind horses. Then, they would hang them until they were close to death, cut them down, disembowel them and cut out their hearts. Lastly, they would quarter and decapitate them (all while they were still alive). The Tyburn Tree in London was responsible for executing a third of the over-300 martyrs during the 200-year period of persecution. Also explained is the important role the printing press had played in both the spreading of the Reformation and it’s Catholic countering. What is also most important is that the printing press has served as a means of keeping alive the stories of the martyrs so their witness wouldn’t die with them, spreading devotion that served as a light in the darkness.

In an age where Catholics often begrudge mandatory weekly Mass attendance, it’s inspiring to think of people who would go so far as to construct special homes with secret rooms to celebrate mass in the face of death. I can almost imagine should Mass be made illegal, how many Catholics would easily fall out of the ranks of attendance. After all, if I consider a cold a valid reason to miss mass, risk of death should be all the more excusable, right? This is why martyrdom is such a powerful witness to Christ. It shakes us to our very core. It takes a whole new level of Faith to accept death rather betray it, even for show. We would all like to think that should we be challenged in this way, we wouldn’t waiver. Logically, though, it doesn’t seem consistent that living life with a lukewarm Faith could produce a martyr in the end. These martyrs lived holy lives dedicated to God and the Catholic Faith, which seems to a likely precursor to martyrdom. However, I don’t presume to deny the abundance of grace God surely showers down making a last minute conversion not beyond possibility. For instance, in the tragedy of the Coptic Christians martyred on the beach, one man converted due to the witness of those beside him. But, I digress.

Now, I will share stories of two martyrs who stuck out to me in the documentary. At some point during the English Reformation, there were small communities where Anglicans lived somewhat peaceably alongside Catholics, fostering an atmosphere of tolerance for Catholic practices. In order to get into any great trouble, one would have to be reported, so a great deal of trust must have been placed in their Anglican fellow Englishmen. Ambrose Barlow was one Benedictine priest, and he was reported by an Anglican priest because the Catholic Easter services were gaining more attendance than the Anglican services. He was then hung, disemboweled, and beheaded as his head was sent back into town, placed on a pike to discourage treason (being Catholic). Another priest, Edmund Arrowsmith (no, not related to Steve Tyler), had been ministering to the people for sixteen years in Lancaster. Advising a married couple seeking blessing from Rome, he suggested the couple separate for the time-being. The man and woman grew vindictive and reported him to authorities. He was then executed. His image is often accompanied by that of John the Baptist because both men were martyred for defending the sanctity of marriage.

Ruins of Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire, England

Another sad development during the English Reformation was the absolute destruction of monasticism and religious life. Fr. Holden and Fr. Schofield take us to Ampleforth Abbey in Yorkshire, where we learn about the monastic life prior to the reformation. The friar explains that the monastery was not only a place of worship for the people in the community, but they also were centers for hospitality, education, medicine, agriculture, and technology. In short, they served as a mini welfare state for the communities in which they thrived. We then visit the ruins of one such monastery, and it’s sad to think that England went from housing 825 monasteries and convents to none over a span of just 5 years. Considering the role religious communities played in the community at large, this must have struck a mortal blow to the souls of the Englishmen around these monasteries.

I learned plenty from this film, and it has spurred an interest to learn more about martyrs like Edmund Campion and Edmund Arrowsmith. The only issue some may have with the documentary is that it requires at least a cursory knowledge of the time period and the martyrs mentioned. It seems to be directed toward an English audience, but it is not beyond comprehension of those like me who are ignorant of much English history and culture. One important take away from this documentary is that when discussing martyrs, we not only celebrate their deaths as witness, but their lives as well. Their lives were also extraordinarily holy as they lovingly nurtured the delicate Catholic faith in England under constant peril of death. The blood of the martyrs is indeed the seed of the Church, even today. A guide in the film admitted he was a convert from Anglicanism mostly due to his learning about the Catholic martyrs and being moved by their witness. It is important, then, to continue to keep alive today the memories of the martyrs in the past. More importantly, we must keep in our hearts and prayers those martyrs in the Middle East who are dying for Christ today—men, women, and children. Let’s not let their witness die with them but allow their witness to take root in our hearts so we might aspire to but a speck of the fortitude they possess. As we lie comfortable in our beds, let us think of those families sleeping in the dirt tonight, knowing they may face death in the coming hours—willing to go gently into that goodnight.

Coptic Christian Martyrs Executed by ISIS (2015)

Additional Resources:

1. Arrowsmith, Edmund, St.
New Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 1. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. p724-725. COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale, COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale, Cengage Learning

G. FITZHERBERT

2. Monasticism: III. Modern Monasticism (1500-1960)
New Catholic Encyclopedia Supplement 2010
Ed. Robert L. Fastiggi. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2010. p808-811. COPYRIGHT 2010 The Catholic University of America