Peter Wright (martyr)
Encyclopedia
Blessed Peter Wright was a Catholic priest, Jesuit, and martyr
, born in Slipton
, Northamptonshire
, England
.
, along with his mother, brother and sister.
He spent ten years working in a country solicitor's office at Thrapston
in his home area. He then enlisted in the English army in the Low Countries, but deserted after a month, and for two years remained in the house of studies of the Flemish Jesuits at Ghent
. In 1629 he entered the Jesuit novitiate at Watten
. After studying philosophy and then theology at Liège he was ordained a priest there in 1636 and after a further period at Liège was sent to the Saint-Omer as professor of Moral. He then became chaplain in the years 1638-1644 to Colonel Sir Henry Gage
's English regiment in the service of Spain
and based near Ghent
.
When Gage returned to England in the spring of 1644 to aid the King, Charles I
, Wright went with him, first to Oxford
and then to the relief of Basing House, the seat of John Paulet, 5th Marquess of Winchester
. He administered the sacraments to the dying Gage on January 11, 1645. After this Wright became the marquess's chaplain in his London
house, and was seized there by a motley band of pursuivant
s who burst in on Candlemas day, 2 February 1651.
Committed to Newgate
, he was brought to trial before Henry Rolle
, Lord Chief Justice, sitting with justices Philip Jermyn and Richard Aske and others, at the Old Bailey 14–16 May. Something of the atmosphere of the times should be clear when it is recalled that Charles I had been put on trial and subsequently been executed on January 30, 1649. The evidence at Wright's trial was provided by the informer Thomas Gage
, brother of the late Sir Henry and of two Catholic priests, as well as being himself a renegade Dominican
priest. Thomas Gage had met Wright in the years when he was a military chaplain and testified against him, jut had he had already testified to obtain the death of other priests. The whole scene, about which numerous details have survived, was little like a modern court of law and bizarre moments included the Parliamentarian Lord Chief Justice rebuking the half-deranged informer for speaking disrespectfully of his Royalist soldier brother.
Wright was condemned under the statute 27 Eliz., c. 2. for being a Catholic priest in England, and sentenced on Saturday May 17 to being hanged, drawn and quartered
. His execution at Tyburn, London
on a hot Whit Monday, 19 May 1651, took place before over twenty thousand spectators. In the period of the trial and the days after his execution, Wright was if not popular, at least a respected figure in public opinion. The sheriff's officers also seem to have been relatively well disposed to him and he was allowed to hang until he was dead, being thus spared the agonies of being eviscerated alive.
Peter Wright was beatified by Pope Pius XI on December 15, 1929. His feast day is May 19
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
, born in Slipton
Slipton
Slipton is a hamlet in the East Northamptonshire civil parish of Lowick....
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, 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...
.
Biography
In older literature he was presumed to be a Protestant, but more recently record of him has been found at Slipton in 1613 as a RecusantRecusancy
In the history of England and Wales, the recusancy was the state of those who refused to attend Anglican services. The individuals were known as "recusants"...
, along with his mother, brother and sister.
He spent ten years working in a country solicitor's office at Thrapston
Thrapston
Thrapston is a small town in Northamptonshire, England. It is the headquarters of the East Northamptonshire district, and in 2001 had a population of 4,855. By 2006, this was estimated to be over 5,700....
in his home area. He then enlisted in the English army in the Low Countries, but deserted after a month, and for two years remained in the house of studies of the Flemish Jesuits at Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
. In 1629 he entered the Jesuit novitiate at Watten
Watten, Nord
-Sights:The village is famous for its old ruined abbey, and for its mill, which was restored in the 1990s. These two buildings are located on the "Mountain of Watten" . Its church dates from the thirteenth century.-References:* *...
. After studying philosophy and then theology at Liège he was ordained a priest there in 1636 and after a further period at Liège was sent to the Saint-Omer as professor of Moral. He then became chaplain in the years 1638-1644 to Colonel Sir Henry Gage
Henry Gage
Henry Tifft Gage was an American lawyer, politician and diplomat. A Republican, Gage was elected to a single term as the 20th Governor of California from 1899 to 1903. Gage was also the U.S. Minister to Portugal for several months in 1910.-Biography:Gage was born on Christmas Day, 1852 in Geneva,...
's English regiment in the service of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and based near Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
.
When Gage returned to England in the spring of 1644 to aid the King, Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, Wright went with him, first to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and then to the relief of Basing House, the seat of John Paulet, 5th Marquess of Winchester
John Paulet, 5th Marquess of Winchester
John Paulet, 5th Marquess of Winchester , styled Lord John Paulet until 1621 and Lord St John from 1621 to 1628 was third but eldest surviving son of William Paulet and his successor as 5th Marquess of Winchester....
. He administered the sacraments to the dying Gage on January 11, 1645. After this Wright became the marquess's chaplain in his London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
house, and was seized there by a motley band of pursuivant
Pursuivant
A pursuivant or, more correctly, pursuivant of arms, is a junior officer of arms. Most pursuivants are attached to official heraldic authorities, such as the College of Arms in London or the Court of the Lord Lyon in Edinburgh. In the mediaeval era, many great nobles employed their own officers of...
s who burst in on Candlemas day, 2 February 1651.
Committed to Newgate
Newgate
Newgate at the west end of Newgate Street was one of the historic seven gates of London Wall round the City of London and one of the six which date back to Roman times. From it a Roman road led west to Silchester...
, he was brought to trial before Henry Rolle
Henry Rolle
Henry Rolle was an English judge and Chief Justice of the King’s Bench.-Early life and career:Henry Rolle, the second son of Robert Rolle of Heanton Sachville, Devon , by Joan, daughter of Thomas Hele of Fleet in the same county, was born about 1589. John Rolle was his brother...
, Lord Chief Justice, sitting with justices Philip Jermyn and Richard Aske and others, at the Old Bailey 14–16 May. Something of the atmosphere of the times should be clear when it is recalled that Charles I had been put on trial and subsequently been executed on January 30, 1649. The evidence at Wright's trial was provided by the informer Thomas Gage
Thomas Gage
Thomas Gage was a British general, best known for his many years of service in North America, including his role as military commander in the early days of the American War of Independence....
, brother of the late Sir Henry and of two Catholic priests, as well as being himself a renegade Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
priest. Thomas Gage had met Wright in the years when he was a military chaplain and testified against him, jut had he had already testified to obtain the death of other priests. The whole scene, about which numerous details have survived, was little like a modern court of law and bizarre moments included the Parliamentarian Lord Chief Justice rebuking the half-deranged informer for speaking disrespectfully of his Royalist soldier brother.
Wright was condemned under the statute 27 Eliz., c. 2. for being a Catholic priest in England, and sentenced on Saturday May 17 to being hanged, drawn and quartered
Hanged, drawn and quartered
To be hanged, drawn and quartered was from 1351 a penalty in England for men convicted of high treason, although the ritual was first recorded during the reigns of King Henry III and his successor, Edward I...
. His execution at Tyburn, London
Tyburn, London
Tyburn was a village in the county of Middlesex close to the current location of Marble Arch in present-day London. It took its name from the Tyburn or Teo Bourne 'boundary stream', a tributary of the River Thames which is now completely covered over between its source and its outfall into the...
on a hot Whit Monday, 19 May 1651, took place before over twenty thousand spectators. In the period of the trial and the days after his execution, Wright was if not popular, at least a respected figure in public opinion. The sheriff's officers also seem to have been relatively well disposed to him and he was allowed to hang until he was dead, being thus spared the agonies of being eviscerated alive.
Peter Wright was beatified by Pope Pius XI on December 15, 1929. His feast day is May 19