Edward James (martyr)
Encyclopedia
Blessed Edward JamesBlessed Edward James (born at Barton, Breaston
, near Long Eaton
, Derbyshire
, c. 1557, executed
at Chichester
, Sussex
, 1 October 1588, was an English
Catholic priest
and martyr
.
, St John's College
, Oxford, the English college
at Rheims and the Venerable English College
at Rome
, in October, 1583 James was ordained as a priest in Rome by Bishop Thomas Goldwell
, the last survivor of the English bishops who had refused to accept the Protestant Reformation.
, Sussex
, on 19 April 1586, with three other priests, Thomas Bramston, George Potter, and his fellow martyr, Ralph Crockett
, and they were charged with being Catholic priests and coming into the realm of England
, contrary to an Act of Parliament of 1584. All four were sent to London
and put in prison there on 27 April 1586, where they remained for more than two years without trial.
After the failure of the Spanish Armada
, an attempt to invade England which was defeated in July and August of 1588, the government of Queen Elizabeth I
wanted revenge, and the priests in its custody became a target. Four of these, Ralph Crockett, Edward James, John Oven and Francis Edwardes, were sent for trial at Chichester
on 30 September 1588. All four were condemned to death for being priests and entering England
, but Oven then took the Oath of Supremacy
, in accordance with the Act of Supremacy 1559
, and was reprieved. On 1 October 1588, the other three were drawn on a hurdle to Broyle Heath, near Chichester, where Edwardes recanted and was also reprieved. Crockett and James continued to refuse to recant and to take the oath and were executed, after absolving each other.
Both Ralph Crockett and Edward James were later declared venerable
by the Catholic Church. In 1929 Edward James was beatified
by Pope Pius XI
. His feast day is October 1.
Breaston
Breaston is a large village in the south-east of Derbyshire in the East Midlands of England near Long Eaton and close to the M1.-History:Breaston was mentioned in the Domesday book as belonging to Henry de Ferrers and being worth four shillings....
, near Long Eaton
Long Eaton
Long Eaton is a town in Derbyshire, England. It lies just north of the River Trent about southwest of Nottingham and is part of the Nottingham Urban Area...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, c. 1557, executed
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
at Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, 1 October 1588, was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Catholic priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
and martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
.
Education
Educated at Derby SchoolDerby School
Derby School was a school in Derby in the English Midlands from 1160 to 1989. It had an almost continuous history of education of over eight centuries. For most of that time it was a grammar school for boys. The school became co-educational and comprehensive in 1974 and was closed in 1989...
, St John's College
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
, Oxford, the English college
English College, Douai
The English College, Douai was a Catholic seminary associated with the University of Douai . It was established in about 1561, and was suppressed in 1793...
at Rheims and the Venerable English College
Venerable English College, Rome
The Venerable English College, commonly referred to as the English College, is a Roman Catholic seminary in Rome, Italy, for the training of priests for England and Wales...
at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, in October, 1583 James was ordained as a priest in Rome by Bishop Thomas Goldwell
Thomas Goldwell
Thomas Goldwell was an English bishop, the last of those who had refused to accept the English Reformation.-Life:He began his career as rector of Cheriton in 1532, after graduating BA and then MA at All Souls College, Oxford.He became chaplain to Cardinal Pole and lived with him at Rome, was...
, the last survivor of the English bishops who had refused to accept the Protestant Reformation.
Martyrdom
He was captured on board a ship at LittlehamptonLittlehampton
Littlehampton is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, on the east bank at the mouth of the River Arun. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton and east of the county town of Chichester....
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, on 19 April 1586, with three other priests, Thomas Bramston, George Potter, and his fellow martyr, Ralph Crockett
Ralph Crockett
Blessed Ralph Crockett was an English Roman Catholic priest. He is a Catholic martyr, beatified in 1929.-Life:...
, and they were charged with being Catholic priests and coming into the realm of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, contrary to an Act of Parliament of 1584. All four were sent to London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
and put in prison there on 27 April 1586, where they remained for more than two years without trial.
After the failure of the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
, an attempt to invade England which was defeated in July and August of 1588, the government of Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
wanted revenge, and the priests in its custody became a target. Four of these, Ralph Crockett, Edward James, John Oven and Francis Edwardes, were sent for trial at Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
on 30 September 1588. All four were condemned to death for being priests and entering England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, but Oven then took the Oath of Supremacy
Oath of Supremacy
The Oath of Supremacy, originally imposed by King Henry VIII of England through the Act of Supremacy 1534, but repealed by his daughter, Queen Mary I of England and reinstated under Mary's sister, Queen Elizabeth I of England under the Act of Supremacy 1559, provided for any person taking public or...
, in accordance with the Act of Supremacy 1559
Act of Supremacy 1559
The Act of Supremacy 1558 was an Act of the Parliament of England, passed under the auspices of Queen Elizabeth I of England. It replaced the original Act of Supremacy 1534 issued by Elizabeth's father, Henry VIII, which arrogated ecclesiastical authority to the monarchy, and which had been...
, and was reprieved. On 1 October 1588, the other three were drawn on a hurdle to Broyle Heath, near Chichester, where Edwardes recanted and was also reprieved. Crockett and James continued to refuse to recant and to take the oath and were executed, after absolving each other.
Both Ralph Crockett and Edward James were later declared venerable
Venerable
The Venerable is used as a style or epithet in several Christian churches. It is also the common English-language translation of a number of Buddhist titles.-Roman Catholic:...
by the Catholic Church. In 1929 Edward James was beatified
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
. His feast day is October 1.