Biography

William was born at "Hanton", Yorkshire (probably Houghton

Houghton

-Buildings:* Houghton Hall, a country house in Norfolk, England * Houghton Hall, East Riding of Yorkshire, a stately home in Yorkshire, England* Houghton House, a ruined house in Bedfordshire, England-Australia:...

 or Tosside, West Riding); suffered at York, 22 August 1582. He married a widow, named Cresswell, whose sons, Arthur and Joseph, became Jesuits. Little is related of his family by his biographers. He had a brother Ralph of Preston in Amounderness, a sister Barbara, and nephews (apparently her sons) Robert and William (Cal. S. P., Dom. add. 1566-79, London, 1871, p. 562). He held a position of emolument under the Crown, possibly as coroner, till about 1565. One of this name, probably a relative, was a coroner for the West Riding in 1581-2 (Dasent, "Acts of the Privy Council", xiii, 358).

After fourteen years' persecution for his faith, which included imprisonment at Hull, and after the death of his wife, he went abroad and arrived at Reims, 22 June 1580. On 25 September following he went on to Pont-à-Mousson

Pont-à-Mousson

Pont-à-Mousson is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.Population : 14,592 . It is an industrial town , situated on the Moselle River...

, and thence to Rome, where, after obtaining a dispensation, he became a priest. The dispensation was necessary before ordination, as Lacy had been married twice, once to a widow. On 10 May 1581, he was at Loreto

Loreto (AN)

Loreto is a hilltown and comune of the Italian province of Ancona, in the Marche. It is mostly famous as the seat of the Basilica della Santa Casa, a popular Catholic pilgrimage site.-Location:...

 on his way to England.

He was arrested after a Mass said by Thomas Bell, afterwards an apostate, in York Castle, 22 July 1582. He suffered great hardships, being loaded with heavy irons, confined in an underground dungeon, and subjected to numerous examinations. He was arraigned on 11 August, probably under 13 Eliz. cc. 2 and 3. With him suffered Blessed Richard Kirkman, born at Addingham, in the West Riding

West Riding

West Riding could refer to:Areas:*West Riding of Yorkshire, England*West Riding of Lindsey in Lincolnshire, England*West Riding of County Cork, Ireland*West Riding of County Galway, IrelandTransport companies:*West Riding Automobile Company...

. He arrived at Douai

Douai

-Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying...

 in 1577 and, after the transference of the English College to Reims, was ordained priest on Holy Saturday, 1579.

On his return to England in August he seems to have found a refuge with Robert Dymoke

Robert Dymoke

Robert Dymoke, Dymock or Dymocke, of Scrivelsby, Lincolnshire was Queen's Champion of England and a devout Catholic recusant and named a martyr after his death.-Life:...

, hereditary Champion of England (died in Lincoln gaol for his faith, 11 September 1580), at Scrivelsby, Lincolnshire. He was eventually arrested on 8 August 1582 by Francis Wortley, J.P.

Justice of the Peace

A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...

, and seems to have been arraigned a day or two after under 23 Eliz. c. 1. After condemnation the two martyrs shared one cell in a turret till 10 August, when Blessed Richard was removed to an underground dungeon.

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