Thomas Pounde
Encyclopedia
Thomas Pounde was an English Jesuit
lay brother
.
. He was the eldest son of William Pounde and Helen/Anne, the sister or half-sister to Thomas Wriothesley
, Earl of Southampton. He is reported to have been educated at Winchester College
. He was admitted to Lincoln's Inn
on 16 February 1559/60, and with the death of his father the same month, he succeeded to Belmont, and soon after was appointed esquire of the body to Queen Elizabeth
. He acted the part of Mercury in George Gascoigne
's Masque, performed before the queen at Kenilworth
in 1565. During the reveries of Christmastide, 1551, while dancing before the queen, he stumbled and fell at her feet. The queen reportedly kicked him and said, "Rise, Sir Ox". Pounde, humiliated, replied "Sic transit gloria mundi
" and thenceforward retired from court life.
Shortly afterwards he was reconciled to the Roman Catholic Church, probably by Father Henry Alway, and after some time of seclusion at Beaumond, began an active career as a proselytizer. He was in the Marshalsea Prison
for six months in 1574; in the Winchester
jail for some months in 1575/6; and in the Marshalsea again from 9 March 1575/6 to 18 September 1580, being made a Jesuit lay-brother by a letter dated 1 December 1578 from the Father-General Mercurian, sent at the instance of Father Thomas Stevens
, S.J., the first Englishman to go to India. From the Marshalsea Pounde was removed to Bishop's Stortford Castle
, and thence to Wisbech
. Then he was in the Tower of London
, from 13 August 1581 to 7 December 1585. He was in the White Lion, Southwark
, from 1 September 1586, till he was sent back to Wisbech in 1587, where he remained nearly ten years. He was again in the Tower of London, from February 1596/7 to the autumn of 1598, when he was again committed to Wisbech. From Wisbech he was relegated to Wood Street Counter
where he remained for six weeks from 19 December 1598. After that he was in the Tower again until 7 July 1601. He was then in Framlingham Castle
for a year. In 1602 he was in Newgate
, and in the following year he was indicted at York
. Afterwards he was in the Gatehouse, Westminster
, for some time, and then in the Tower (for the fourth time) for four months, and lastly in the Fleet Prison
for three months. He was finally liberated in late 1604 or early in 1605, having spent nearly thirty years in prison.
, the martyrologist) . . . with a comforte vnto all afflicted Catholyques". Written in the Tower in 1582, about the time of the trial of Edmund Campion
, the 512-line poem was probably addressed to Francis Tregian the Elder
. Long forgotten, the poem was discovered by Richard Simpson
in the 1850s in the course of his monumental labors transcribing documents of recusant history from the Public Records Office (now The National Archives) for an intended "martyrology," publishing the results in a sequence of essays in The Rambler. Simpson's transcription of the poem was published in 2009, marking the first time in its four-hundred year history that the entirety of Pounde's poem saw the light of day.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
lay brother
Lay brother
In the most common usage, lay brothers are those members of Catholic religious orders, particularly of monastic orders, occupied primarily with manual labour and with the secular affairs of a monastery or friary, in contrast to the choir monks of the same monastery who are devoted mainly to the...
.
Life
Pounde was born at Belmont (Beaumond), Farlington, HampshireHampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. He was the eldest son of William Pounde and Helen/Anne, the sister or half-sister to Thomas Wriothesley
Thomas Wriothesley
Sir Thomas Wriothesley was a long serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He was the son of Garter King of Arms, John Writhe, and he succeeded his father in this office.-Personal life:...
, Earl of Southampton. He is reported to have been educated at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
. He was admitted to Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
on 16 February 1559/60, and with the death of his father the same month, he succeeded to Belmont, and soon after was appointed esquire of the body to Queen Elizabeth
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...
. He acted the part of Mercury in George Gascoigne
George Gascoigne
George Gascoigne was an English poet, soldier, artist, and unsuccessful courtier. He is considered the most important poet of the early Elizabethan era, following Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey and leading to the emergence of Philip Sidney...
's Masque, performed before the queen at Kenilworth
Kenilworth Castle
Kenilworth Castle is located in the town of the same name in Warwickshire, England. Constructed from Norman through to Tudor times, the castle has been described by architectural historian Anthony Emery as "the finest surviving example of a semi-royal palace of the later middle ages, significant...
in 1565. During the reveries of Christmastide, 1551, while dancing before the queen, he stumbled and fell at her feet. The queen reportedly kicked him and said, "Rise, Sir Ox". Pounde, humiliated, replied "Sic transit gloria mundi
Sic transit gloria mundi
Sic transit gloria mundi is a Latin phrase that means "Thus passes the glory of the world". It has been interpreted as "Worldly things are fleeting." It is possibly an adaptation of a phrase in Thomas à Kempis's 1418 work The Imitation of Christ: "O quam cito transit gloria mundi" .The phrase was...
" and thenceforward retired from court life.
Shortly afterwards he was reconciled to the Roman Catholic Church, probably by Father Henry Alway, and after some time of seclusion at Beaumond, began an active career as a proselytizer. He was in the Marshalsea Prison
Marshalsea
The Marshalsea was a prison on the south bank of the River Thames in Southwark, now part of London. From the 14th century until it closed in 1842, it housed men under court martial for crimes at sea, including those accused of "unnatural crimes", political figures and intellectuals accused of...
for six months in 1574; in the Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
jail for some months in 1575/6; and in the Marshalsea again from 9 March 1575/6 to 18 September 1580, being made a Jesuit lay-brother by a letter dated 1 December 1578 from the Father-General Mercurian, sent at the instance of Father Thomas Stevens
Thomas Stephens (Jesuit)
Thomas Stephens was a Jesuit priest missionary in Portuguese India, writer and linguist.- Early years and studies :...
, S.J., the first Englishman to go to India. From the Marshalsea Pounde was removed to Bishop's Stortford Castle
Bishop's Stortford Castle
Bishop's Stortford Castle, which is sometimes also known as Waytemore Castle, was in the town of Bishop's Stortford in Hertfordshire .This began as a motte and bailey castle in the time of William the Conqueror. A rectangular great tower was added on the motte in the 12th century...
, and thence to Wisbech
Wisbech Castle
Wisbech castle was a motte-and-bailey castle built to fortify Wisbech, in the Fenland area of Cambridgeshire, England by William I in 1072. The Norman castle, reputedly was destroyed during a devastating flood of 1236, the original design and layout is still unknown.In the 15th century repairs were...
. Then he was in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, from 13 August 1581 to 7 December 1585. He was in the White Lion, Southwark
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
, from 1 September 1586, till he was sent back to Wisbech in 1587, where he remained nearly ten years. He was again in the Tower of London, from February 1596/7 to the autumn of 1598, when he was again committed to Wisbech. From Wisbech he was relegated to Wood Street Counter
Wood Street Counter
The Wood Street Counter, or Wood Street Compter, was a small prison within the City of London in England. It was primarily a debtors prison, and also held people accused of such misdemeanors as public drunkness, although some wealthier prisoners were able to obtain alcohol through bribery...
where he remained for six weeks from 19 December 1598. After that he was in the Tower again until 7 July 1601. He was then in Framlingham Castle
Framlingham Castle
Framlingham Castle is a castle in the market town of Framlingham in Suffolk in England. An early motte and bailey or ringwork Norman castle was built on the Framlingham site by 1148, but this was destroyed by Henry II of England in the aftermath of the revolt of 1173-4...
for a year. In 1602 he was in 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...
, and in the following year he was indicted at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. Afterwards he was in the Gatehouse, Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
, for some time, and then in the Tower (for the fourth time) for four months, and lastly in the Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison was a notorious London prison by the side of the Fleet River in London. The prison was built in 1197 and was in use until 1844. It was demolished in 1846.- History :...
for three months. He was finally liberated in late 1604 or early in 1605, having spent nearly thirty years in prison.
Poetry
That Pounde practiced verse is known from the two court masques he performed in the mid-1560s, which show that in his idle youth he was writing in Elizabeth's court. Traditionally, Pounde has been thought to be the author of a long poem which exists in a unique manuscript in The National Archives: "A challenge unto ffox the martirmonger (John FoxeJohn Foxe
John Foxe was an English historian and martyrologist, the author of what is popularly known as Foxe's Book of Martyrs, , an account of Christian martyrs throughout Western history but emphasizing the sufferings of English Protestants and proto-Protestants from the fourteenth century through the...
, the martyrologist) . . . with a comforte vnto all afflicted Catholyques". Written in the Tower in 1582, about the time of the trial of Edmund Campion
Edmund Campion
Saint Edmund Campion, S.J. was an English Roman Catholic martyr and Jesuit priest. While conducting an underground ministry in officially Protestant England, Campion was arrested by priest hunters. Convicted of high treason by a kangaroo court, he was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn...
, the 512-line poem was probably addressed to Francis Tregian the Elder
Francis Tregian the Elder
Francis Tregian the Elder was the son of Thomas Tregian of Wolvenden of Probus, Cornwall and Catherine Arundell. A staunch Catholic, he inherited substantial estates on the death of his father, including the manors of Bedock, Landegy, Lanner and Carvolghe, and the family home, 'Golden', in the...
. Long forgotten, the poem was discovered by Richard Simpson
Richard Simpson
Richard Simpson may refer to:* Richard Simpson , English Catholic priest, martyred during the reign of Elizabeth I* Richard Simpson Catholic writer and literary scholar...
in the 1850s in the course of his monumental labors transcribing documents of recusant history from the Public Records Office (now The National Archives) for an intended "martyrology," publishing the results in a sequence of essays in The Rambler. Simpson's transcription of the poem was published in 2009, marking the first time in its four-hundred year history that the entirety of Pounde's poem saw the light of day.