The Douai Martyrs is a name applied by the Catholic Church to 158 Catholic priests from Great Britain who studied at the English College, Douai and were subsequently executed by the Kingdom of England between 1577 and 1680.
History
Having completed their training at Douai, many Catholic priests returned to England and Wales with the intent to minister to the Catholic population there. Under the Jesuits, etc. Act 1584 the presence of a Catholic priest within the realm was considered high treason. Missionaries from Douai were looked upon as papal agents intent on overthrowing the state. Many were arrested under charges of treason and conspiracy, resulting in torture and execution. In total, 158 members of Douai College were martyred between the years 1577 and 1680."The Martyrs of Douai", Diocese of Westminster The first was Cuthbert Mayne, executed at Launceston, Cornwall on the 29 November 1577.Rowse, A.L., Tudor Cornwall, New York, 1969 The last was Thomas Thwing, hanged, drawn, and quartered at York in October 1680.Kenyon, John Philipps. The Popish Plot, 1972 Each time the news of another execution reached the College, a Solemn Mass of thanksgiving was sung.
Many people risked their lives during this period by assisting them, which was also prohibited under the Act. A number of the "seminary priests" from Douai were executed at a three-sided gallows at Tyburn near the present-day Marble Arch. A plaque to the "Catholic martyrs" executed at Tyburn in the period 1535 - 1681 is located at 8 Hyde Park Place, the site of Tyburn convent.
They were beatified between 1886, 1929 and 1987, and only 20 were canonized in 1970. Today, British Catholic dioceses celebrate their feast day on 29 October.
Bl Alexander Crow Bl Anthony Middleton Bl Anthony Page Bl Christopher Bales Bl Christopher Buxton Bl Christopher Robinson Bl Christopher Wharton Bl Edmund Catherick Bl Edmund Duke Bl Edmund Sykes Bl Edward Bamber Bl Edward Burden Bl Edward James Bl Edward Jones Bl Edward Osbaldeston Bl Edward Stransham Bl Edward Thwing Bl Edward Waterson Bl Everald Hanse Bl Francis Ingleby Bl Francis Page Bl George Beesley Bl George Gervase Bl George Haydock Bl George Napper Bl George Nichols Bl Henry Heath Bl Hugh Green Bl Hugh More Bl Hugh Taylor Bl James Claxton Bl James Fenn Bl James Thompson Bl John Adams Bl John Amias Bl John Bodey Bl John Cornelius Bl John Duckett Bl John Hambley Bl John Hogg Bl John Ingram Bl John Lockwood Bl John Lowe Bl John Munden Bl John Nelson Bl John Nutter Bl John Pibush Bl John Robinson Bl John Sandys Bl John Shert Bl John Slade Bl John Sugar Bl John Thules Bl Joseph Lambton Bl Lawrence Richardson Bl Mark Barkworth Bl Matthew Flathers Bl Montfort Scott Bl Nicholas Garlick Bl Nicholas Postgate Bl Nicholas Woodfen Bl Peter Snow Bl Ralph Crockett Bl Richard Hill Bl Richard Holiday Bl Richard Kirkman Bl Richard Newport Bl Richard Sergeant Bl Richard Simpson Bl Richard Thirkeld Bl Richard Yaxley Bl Robert Anderton Bl Robert Dalby Bl Robert Dibdale Bl Robert Drury Bl Robert Johnson Bl Robert Ludlam Bl Robert Nutter Bl Robert Sutton Bl Robert Thorpe Bl Robert Wilcox Bl Roger Cadwallador Bl Roger Filcock Bl Stephen Rowsham Bl Thomas Alfield Bl Thomas Atkinson Bl Thomas Belson Bl Thomas Cottam Bl Thomas Maxfield Bl Thomas Palaser Bl Thomas Pilchard Bl Thomas Pormort Bl Thomas Reynolds Bl Thomas Sherwood Bl Thomas Somers Bl Thomas Sprott Bl Thomas Thwing Bl Thomas Tunstal Bl Thurstan Hunt Bl William Andleby Bl William Davies Bl William Filby Bl William Harrington Bl William Hart Bl William Hartley Bl William Lacey Bl William Marsden Bl William Patenson Bl William Southerne Bl William Spenser Bl William Thomson Bl William Ward Bl William Way St Alban Bartholomew Roe St Alexander Briant St Ambrose Edward Barlow St Cuthbert Mayne St Edmund Arrowsmith St Edmund Campion St Edmund Gennings St Eustace White St Henry Morse St Henry Walpole St John Almond St John Boste St John Kemble St John Payne St John Southworth St John Wall St Luke Kirby St Ralph Sherwin St Robert Southwell Ven Edward Morgan Ven Thomas Tichborne Bl Alexander Rawlins Bl Edward Campion Francis Dickinson James Bird James Harrison John Finglow John Goodman John Hewitt Matthias Harrison Miles Gerard St Polydore Plasden Richard Horner Robert Leigh Robert Morton Robert Watkinson Roger Dickinson Bl Thomas Felton Bl Thomas Ford Thomas Hemerford Thomas Holford William Dean William Freeman Bl William Gunter Bl William Richardson
The Douay Martyrs School in Ickenham, Middlesex is named in their honour.
See also Douai Bible Douai, France List of Catholic martyrs of the English Reformation
References
External links English-Scottish-Irish-Welsh Martyrs