# List of Catholic martyrs of the English Reformation

The Catholic martyrs of the English Reformation are men and women executed under treason legislation in the English Reformation, between 1534 and 1680, and recognised as martyrs by the Catholic Church. Though consequences of the English Reformation were felt in Ireland and Scotland as well, this article only covers those who died in the Kingdom of England.
On 25 February 1570, Pope Pius V's "Regnans in Excelsis" bull excommunicated the English Queen Elizabeth I, and any who obeyed her. This papal bull released her subjects from allegiance to her. In response, in 1571 legislation was enacted making it treasonable to be under the authority of the pope, including being a Jesuit, being Catholic or harbouring a Catholic priest. The standard penalty for all those convicted of treason at the time was execution by being hanged, drawn and quartered.
In the reign of Pope Gregory XIII (1572–85), authorisation was given for 63 recognised martyrs to have their relics honoured and pictures painted for Catholic devotions. These martyrs were formally beatified by Pope Leo XIII, 54 in 1886 and the remaining nine in 1895. Further groups of martyrs were subsequently documented and proposed by the Catholic bishops of England and Wales and formally recognised by Rome.

## Numbers in various categories

In 1874 a process was begun, containing 353 names, to which six were added in Rome, making 359. Of those:
* 54 were beatified in 1886, of whom two were canonized in 1935, and 11 in 1970.
* 9 were beatified in 1895.
* One (Oliver Plunkett) was beatified in 1920, and canonized in 1975.
* 136 were beatified in 1929, of whom 29 were canonized in 1970
* 85 were beatified in 1987.
* (So 285 were beatified at various times, of whom 43 were subsequently canonised).
* 30 were declared venerable, of whom one, John Travers, was executed in Dublin and appears in Irish Catholic Martyrs.
* (So 315 were declared venerable, of whom 285 were subsequently beatified).
* 44 were postponed ("dilati") – 36 died in prison and 8 were postponed for other reasons.

## Saints
### Canonised on 19 May 1935

* John Fisher (1469–1535), Bishop of Rochester; Cardinal (Yorkshire – London, England)
* Thomas More, (1478–1535), married layman of the Archdiocese of Westminster (London, England)

### Canonised on 25 October 1970

* John Houghton (c. 1487–1535), priest of the Carthusian order (Essex – London, England)
* Robert Lawrence (c. 1485–1535), priest of the Carthusian order (London, England)
* Augustine Webster (died 1535), priest of the Carthusian order (London, England)
* Richard Reynolds (c. 1492–1535), priest of the Bridgettine order (Devon – London, England)
* John Stone (died 1539), priest of the Augustinian order (Kent, England)
* Cuthbert Mayne (c. 1544–1577), priest of the Diocese of Plymouth (Devon – Cornwall, England)
* Edmund Campion (c. 1540–1581), Jesuit priest (London, England)
* Ralph Sherwin (c. 1550–1581), priest of the Diocese of Nottingham (Derby – London, England)
* Alexander Briant (c. 1556–1581), Jesuit priest (Somerset – London, England)
* John Payne (1532–1582), priest of the Diocese of Brentwood (Northampton – Essex, England)
* Luke Kirby (c. 1549–1582), priest of the Diocese of Middlesbrough (North Yorkshire – London, England)
* Richard Gwyn (alias Richard White) (c. 1537–1584), married layman of the Diocese of Wrexham (Powys – Clwyd, Wales)
* Margaret Clitherow née Middleton (1556–1586), married laywoman of the Diocese of Middlesbrough (North Yorkshire, England)
* Margaret Ward (c. 1550–1588), laywoman of the Diocese of Shrewsbury (Cheshire – London, England)
* Edmund Gennings (1567–10 December 1591), priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham (Staffordshire – London, England)
* Swithin Wells (1536– 10 December 1591), married layman of the Diocese of Portsmouth (Hampshire – London, England)
* Eustace White (1559–10 December 1591), priest of the Diocese of Nottingham (Lincolnshire – London, England)
* Polydore Plasden (1563–10 December 1591), priest of the Archdiocese of Westminster (London, England)
* John Boste (1543–1594), priest of the Diocese of Lancaster (Cumbria – London, England)
* Robert Southwell (1561–1595), Jesuit priest (Norfolk – London, England)
* Henry Walpole (1558–1595), Jesuit priest (Norfolk – North Yorkshire, England)
* Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel (1557–1595), married layman of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton (London, England)
* John Griffith (alias Jones, Buckley, or Griffith, or Godfrey Maurice) (1559–1598), priest of the Franciscan Friars Minor (Observants) (Gwynedd, Wales – London, England)
* John Rigby (c. 1570–1600), layman of the Archdiocese of Liverpool (Lancashire – London, England)
* Anne Line née Higham (c. 1565–1601), married laywoman of the Diocese of Brentwood (Essex – London, England)
* Nicholas Owen (c. 1550–1606), Jesuit (Oxfordshire – London, England)
* Thomas Garnet (1575–1608), Jesuit priest (London, England)
* John Roberts (c. 1576–1610), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation) (Gwynedd, Wales – London, England)
* John Almond (c. 1577–1612), priest of the Archdiocese of Liverpool (Merseyside – London, England)
* Edmund Arrowsmith (1585–1628), Jesuit priest (Lancashire, England)
* Edward Barlow (Ambrose) (1585–1641), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation) (Lancashire, England)
* Bartholomew Roe (Alban) (1583–1642), priest of the Benedictine order(English Congregation) (Suffolk – London, England)
* Henry Morse (1595–1645), Jesuit priest (Suffolk – London, England)
* John Southworth (1592–1654), priest of the Archdiocese of Westminster (Lancashire – London, England)
* John [William] Plessington (c. 1637–1679), priest of the Diocese of Lancaster (Lancashire – Cheshire, England)
* Philip Evans (c. 1645–1679), Jesuit priest (Monmouthshire – Cardiff, Wales)
* John Lloyd (c. 1630–1679), priest of the Diocese of Menevia (Powys – Cardiff, Wales)
* John Wall (Joachim of Saint Anne) (c. 1620–1679), priest of the Franciscan Friars Minor (Recollects) (Lancashire – Worcestershire, England)
* John Kemble (1599–1679), priest of the Archdiocese of Cardiff (Herefordshire, England)
* David Lewis (1616–1679), Jesuit priest (Monmouthshire, England)

### Canonised on 12 October 1975

* Oliver Plunkett (1625–1681), Archbishop of Armagh (Meath, Ireland – London, England)

### Canonised on 17 October 1976

* John Ogilvie (1579–1615), Jesuit priest (Moray – Glasgow, Scotland)

## Blesseds
### Beatified on 29 December 1886

As well as those listed below, John Fisher and Thomas More were beatified on this date, as were 11 members of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, making a total of 54.
Order of Carthusians
* William Exmew (died 1535), priest of the Carthusian order (London, England)
* Humphrey Middlemore (died 1535), priest of the Carthusian order (Birmingham – London, England)
* Sebastian Newdigate (died 1535), priest of the Carthusian order (Middlesex – London, England)
* John Rochester (died 1537), priest of the Carthusian order (Essex – North Yorkshire, England)
* James Walworth (died 1537), priest of the Carthusian order (North Yorkshire, England)
* William Greenwood (died 1537), priest of the Carthusian order (London, England)
* John Davy (died 1537), Carthusian monk (London, England)
* Robert Salt (died 1537), Carthusian monk (London, England)
* Walter Pierson (died 1537), Carthusian monk (London, England)
* Thomas Green (died 1537), priest of the Carthusian order (London, England)
* Thomas Scryven (died 1537), Carthusian monk (London, England)
* Thomas Redyng (died 1537), Carthusian monk (London, England)
* Richard Bere (died 1537), priest of the Carthusian order (Somerset – London, England)
* Thomas Johnson (died 1537), priest of the Carthusian order (London, England)
* William Horne (died 1540), Carthusian monk (London, England)
Diocesan Clergy
* John Haile (or Hale) (died 1535), priest of the Archdiocese of Westminster (London, England)
* Thomas Abel (died 1540), priest of the Archdiocese of Westminster (London, England)
* Edward Powell (died 1540), priest of the Diocese of Clifton (Wales – London, England)
* Richard Fetherston (died 1540), priest of the Diocese of Menevia (London, England)
* John Larke (died 1544), priest of the Archdiocese of Westminster (London, England)
* Thomas Plumtree (died 1570), priest of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle (Lincolnshire – Durham, England)
* Everard Hanse (died 1581), priest of the Diocese of Northampton (Northamptonshire – London, England)
* Thomas Ford (died 1582), Priest of the Diocese of Plymouth (Devon – London, England)
* John Shert (died 1582), priest of the Diocese of Shrewsbury (Cheshire – London, England)
* Robert Johnson (died 1582), priest of the Diocese of Shrewsbury (Shropshire – London, England)
* William Filby (died 1582), priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham (Oxfordshire – London, England)
* Lawrence Richardson (also known as Lawrence Johnson) (died 1582), priest of the Archdiocese of Liverpool (Lancashire – London, England)
* William Lacy (or Lacey) (died 1582), priest of the Diocese of Leeds (North Yorkshire, England)
* Richard Kirkman (died 1582), priest of the Diocese of Leeds (North Yorkshire, England)
* James Tompson (died 1582), priest of the Diocese of Middlesbrough (North Yorkshire, England)
* William Hart (died 1583), priest of the Diocese of Clifton (Somerset – North Yorkshire, England)
* Richard Thirkeld (died 1583), priest of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle (Durham – North Yorkshire, England)
Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
* Thomas Woodhouse (1535–1573), Jesuit priest (Lincolnshire – London, England)
* John Nelson (died 1578), Jesuit priest (Yorkshire – London, England)
* Thomas Cottam (1549–1582), Jesuit priest (Lancashire – London, England)
Franciscan Friars Minor (Observants)
* John Forest (died 1538), priest of the Franciscan Friars Minor (Observants) (London, England)
Roman Catholic Laity
* Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury (1473–1541), married layman of the Diocese of Portsmouth (Somerset – London, England)
* German Gardiner (died 1544), layperson of the Archdiocese of Southwark (London, England)
* John Felton (died 1570), married layman of the Archdiocese of Southwark (London, England)
* John Storey (died 1571), married layman of the Diocese of Clifton (Wiltshire – London, England)
* Thomas Sherwood (1551–1578), layman of the Archdiocese of Westminster (London, England)

### Beatified on 13 May 1895

* Adrian Fortescue (c. 1480–1539), married layman of the Archdiocese of Westminster; Member of the Lay Dominicans and Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem (Hertfordshire – London, England)
* Richard Whiting (died 1539), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation); Abbot of Glastonbury (Somerset, England)
* John Thorne (died 1539), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation) (Somerset, England)
* Roger James (died 1539), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation) (Somerset, England)
* Hugh Cook Faringdon (died 1539), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation); Abbot of Reading (Berkshire, England)
* William Eynon (John) (died 1539), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation) (Berkshire, England)
* John Rugg (or Rugge) (died 1539), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation) (Berkshire, England)
* John Beche (or Thomas Marshall) (died 1539), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation); Abbot of Colchester (Essex, England)
* Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland (1528–1572), married layman of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle (Northumberland – North Yorkshire, England)

### Beatified on 15 December 1929

As well as those listed below, 29 members of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales were also beatified on that date, making a total of 136. This beatification was attended by G.K. Chesterton as detailed in his book The Resurrection of Rome.
* Henry Abbot, layman, 4 July 1597
* John Amias, priest, 16 March 1589
* Robert Anderton, priest, 25 April 1586.
* William Andleby, priest, 4 July 1597
* Ralph Ashley, Jesuit priest, 7 April 1607
* Thomas Aufield, priest, 6 July 1585
* Christopher Bales, priest, 4 March 1590
* Mark Barkworth, Benedictine, 27 February 1601
* William Barrow, alias William Harcourt, 20 June 1679
* James Bell, priest, 1584
* James Bird (or Byrd or Beard), layman, 25 March 1592
* John Bodey, priest, 2 November 1583
* Thomas Bosgrave, layman, 4 July 1594
* William Browne, layman, 5 September 1605
* Christopher Buxton, priest, died Canterbury, 1 October 1588
* Edward Campion (also known as Gerard Edwards), 1 October 1588
* John Carey, Dublin born lay helper of John Cornelius S.J., 4 July 1594
* Edmund Catherick, priest, 1642
* James Claxton (Clarkson), priest, 1588
* Edward Colman (or Coleman), layman, 1678
* Ralph Corbie, Jesuit, 7 September 1644
* John Cornelius, Jesuit priest, 4 July 1594
* Ralph Crockett, priest, 1 October 1588
* Robert Dalby, priest, York, 16 March 1589
* William Dean, priest, 28 August 1588
* Francis Dicconson, priest, 1590
* Roger Dicconson, priest, 7 July 1591
* James Duckett, layman, 1601
* John Duckett, priest, 1644
* Thomas Felton, Franciscan, 1588
* James Fenn, priest, 1584
* John Fenwick, Jesuit priest, 1679
* John Finch, 1584
* William Freeman, priest, 1595
* Edward Fulthrop, layman, 1597
* John Gavan, Jesuit priest, 1679
* Miles Gerard, priest, 1590
* George Gervase, Benedictine, 1608
* David Gonson (or Gunston), professed Knight in the Order of St John, 12 July 1541
* Hugh Green, priest, 1642
* John Grove, layman, 24 January 1679
* William Gunter, priest, 1588
* William Harrington, priest, 1594
* William Hartley, priest, 1588
* Thomas Hemerford, priest, 1584
* Richard Herst (Hurst), layman, 29 August 1628
* John Hewitt (alias Weldon, alias Savell), priest, 1588
* Sydney Hodgson, layman, 10 December 1591
* Thomas Holford, priest, 1588
* Thomas Holland, priest, 12 December 1642
* Laurence Humphreys (or Humphrey), layman, 7 July 1591
* John Ingram, priest, 1594
* John Ireland, priest, 7 March 1544
* William Ireland, Jesuit priest, 1679
* Edward James, priest, 1588
* Edward Jones, priest, 1590
* Brian Lacey, layman, 10 December 1591
* Richard Langhorne, layman, 1679
* Richard Langley, layman, 1586
* Richard Leigh, priest, 1588
* John Lockwood, priest, 1642
* William Marsden, priest, 25 April 1586
* Richard Martin, layman, 30 August 1588
* John Mason, layman, 1591
* Thomas Maxfield, priest, 1616
* Anthony Middleton, priest, 1590
* Ralph Milner, layman, 7 July 1591
* Hugh More, layman, 28 August 1588
* Robert Morton, priest, 1588
* John Munden, priest, 1584
* George Napper (alias Napier), priest, Oxford, 1610
* John Nutter, priest, 1584
* Edward Oldcorne, Jesuit priest, 1606
* Francis Page, Jesuit, 1602
* William Patenson, priest, 1592
* John Pibush, priest, 1601
* Thomas Pickering, Benedictine, 1679
* Philip Powell, Benedictine, 1646
* Alexander Rawlins, priest, 1595
* Thomas Reynolds, priest, 21 January 1642
* William Richardson, priest, 1603
* John Robinson, priest, 1 October 1588
* John Roche, layman, 1588
* Patrick Salmon, layman, 4 July 1594
* Maurus Scott (William Scot) 1612
* Edward Shelley, 30 August 1588,
* John Slade, layman, 1583
* Richard Smith, (also known as Richard Newport), priest, 1612
* Thomas Somers, priest, 1610
* John Speed, layman, 4 February 1594
* William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford, layman, 29 December 1680
* Edward Stransham, priest, 1586
* Robert Sutton, layman, 5 October 1588
* George Swallowell, layman, 26 July 1594
* Thomas Thwing, priest, 1679
* Thomas Tunstall, priest, 1616
* Anthony Turner, Jesuit, 1679
* Thomas Warcop, layman, 4 July 1597
* William Ward, priest, 1641
* Edward Waterson, priest, 1593
* Robert Watkinson, priest, 1602
* William Way (alias May or Flower), priest, 1588
* Thomas Welbourne, layman, 1 August 1605
* Thomas Whitbread, Jesuit, 1679
* Robert Widmerpool, layman, 1 October 1588
* Robert Wilcox, priest, 1 October 1588
* Peter Wright, Jesuit, 1651

### Beatified 22 November 1987 by Pope John Paul II

* John Adams, priest, 8 October 1586
* Thomas Atkinson, priest, 1616
* Edward Bamber, priest, 1646
* George Beesley, priest, 5 July 1591
* Arthur Bell, Franciscan priest, 1643
* Thomas Belson, layman, 5 July 1589
* Robert Bickerdike, layman, 23 July 1586
* Alexander Blake, layman, 4 March 1590;
* Marmaduke Bowes, layman, 26 November 1585
* John Britton (alias Bretton), layman, 1 April 1598
* Thomas Bullaker, Franciscan priest, 1642
* Edward Burden, priest, 1588
* Roger Cadwallador, priest, 1610
* William Carter, layman, 11 January 1584
* Alexander Crow, priest, 30 November 1587
* William Davies, priest, 27 July 1593
* Robert Dibdale, priest, 8 October 1586
* George Douglas, priest, 1587
* Robert Drury, priest, 1607
* Edmund Duke, priest, 27 May 1590
* George Errington, layman, 1596
* Roger Filcock, priest, 1601
* John Finglow (Fingley), priest, 8 August 1586
* Matthew Flathers, priest, 1608
* Richard Flower, layman, 1588
* Nicholas Garlick, priest, 1588
* William Gibson, layman, 1596
* Ralph Grimston, layman, 1598
* Robert Grissold, layman, 1604
* John Hambley, priest, 1587
* Robert Hardesty, layman, 1589
* George Haydock, priest, 12 February 1584
* Henry Heath, Franciscan priest, 1643
* Richard Hill, priest, 27 May 1590
* John Hogg, priest, 27 May 1590
* Richard Holiday, priest, 27 May 1590
* Nicholas Horner, layman, 4 March 1590
* Thomas Hunt, priest, 1600
* Thurstan Hunt, priest, 1601
* Francis Ingleby, priest, 3 June 1586
* William Knight, layman, 1596
* Joseph Lambton, priest, 24 July 1592
* William Lampley, layman, 1588
* John Lowe, priest, 8 October 1586
* Robert Ludlam, priest, 1588
* Charles Mahoney (alias Meehan), Franciscan priest, 1679
* Robert Middleton, priest, March 1601
* George Nichols, priest, 1589
* John Norton, layman, 1600
* Robert Nutter, priest, 1600
* Edward Osbaldeston, priest, 1594
* Anthony Page, priest, 1593
* Thomas Palasor, priest, 1600
* William Pike, layman, 22 December 1591
* Thomas Pilchard, priest, 21 March 1587
* Thomas Pormort, priest, 20 February 1592
* Nicholas Postgate, priest, 1679
* Humphrey Pritchard, layman, 1589
* Christopher Robinson, priest, 1597
* Stephen Rowsham, priest, 1587
* John Sandys, priest, 11 August 1586
* Montford Scott, priest, 2 July 1591
* Richard Sergeant, priest, 2 April 1586
* Richard Simpson, priest, 1588
* Peter Snow, priest, 1598
* William Southerne, priest, 1618
* William Spenser, priest, 1589
* Thomas Sprott, priest, 1600
* John Sugar, priest, 1604
* Robert Sutton, priest, 1587
* Edmund Sykes, priest, 23 March 1587
* John Talbot, layman, 1600
* Hugh Taylor, priest, 25 November 1585
* William Thomson, priest, 20 April 1586
* Robert Thorpe, priest, 15 May 1591
* John Thulis, priest, 18 Mar 1616
* Edward Thwing, priest, 26 July 1600
* Thomas Watkinson, layman, 31 May 1591
* Henry Webley, 28 August 1588
* Christopher Wharton, priest, 1600
* Thomas Whitaker, priest, 1646
* John Woodcock, Franciscan priest, 7 August 1646
* Nicholas Woodfen, priest, 21 January 1586
* Roger Wrenno, layman, 1616
* Richard Yaxley, priest, 1589

## Venerables
### Declared venerable in 1886 and not subsequently beatified

* Thomas Ashby, layman, 19 March 1544 – "there was some doubt that he died as a Catholic"
* Roger Ashton, soldier, 23 June 1592 – assisted Sir William Stanley in the surrender of Deventer to Spain
* Laurence Bailey, layman, August 1604
* Anthony Bates (alias Battie), layman, 22 March 1602
* Thomas Bedingfeld (also known as Thomas Downes), 21 December 1678 (died in prison)
* Thomas Belchiam, Franciscan friar, 3 August 1538:
* Edmund Brindholme, priest, 4 August 1540
* Anthony Brookby, Franciscan, 7 July 1537:
* Brian Cansfield (or Tansfield), 3 August 1645 (died of ill-treatment in prison)
* Thomas Cort, Franciscan, 27 July 1538:
* Sir Thomas Dingley, layman, 9 July 1539
* James Dowdall, layman, 13 August 1598
* John Goodman, priest, 8 April 1642 (died in prison)
* John Griffith (or Clark), priest, 8 July 1539
* Thomas Hackshott (alias Hawkshaw), layman, 24 August 1601
* James Harrison, priest, 22 March 1602
* Richard Horner, priest, 4 September 1598
* Francis Levison, Franciscan, 11 February 1680 (died in prison)
* John Lyon, layman, 16 July 1599
* Edward Mico, Jesuit, 1678 (arrested, but too ill to be removed from sick-bed, where he died)
* Edward Morgan, priest, 26 April 1642
* Francis Nevil, Jesuit, February 1679 (died in prison)
* Clement Philpott (or Philpot), layman, 4 August 1540
* Robert Price (alias Aprece), layman, shot by Puritan soldiers, 7 May 1644
* Nicholas Tichborne, layman, 24 August 1601
* Thomas Tichborne, priest, 20 April 1602
* Friar Waire, Franciscan, 8 July 1539
* Thomas Webley, layman, 6 July 1585
* Richard Williams, priest, 21 February 1592
As stated above, John Travers was executed in Dublin and appears in Irish Catholic Martyrs. The total number of those declared venerable in 1886 and not subsequently beatified is therefore 30.

## Dilati

They "were left with their fate still in suspense, and are called Dilati. [36 of them were] "Confessors", who certainly died in prison for their faith, though it is not yet proven that they died precisely because of their imprisonment...[the remaining eight – William Tyrrwhit, James Atkinson, Matthias Harrison, Fr. Henry Garnet, S.J., John Mawson, Thomas Dyer, Lawrence Hill and Robert Green] were put off for various causes." Those 'put off' are listed below in italics.
* Robert Dymoke, layman, 1580 (died in prison)
* John Cooper, layman, 1580 (died in prison)
* William Tyrwhit, layman, 1580 (died in prison – named by error for his brother Robert)
* William Chaplin, seminary priest, 1583 (died in prison)
* Thomas Cotesmore, priest, 1584 (died in prison)
* Robert Holmes, priest, 1584 (died in prison)
* Roger Wakeman, priest, 1584 (died in prison)
* James Lomax, priest, 1584 (died in prison)
* Mr Ailworth, layman, 1584 (died in prison)
* Thomas Crowther, priest, 1585 (died in prison)
* Edward Pole, priest, 1585 (died in prison)
* Laurence Vaux, priest, 1585 (died in prison)
* John Jetter, priest, 1585 (died in prison)
* John Harrison, priest, 1586 (died in prison)
* Martin Sherson, priest, 1587 (died in prison)
* Gabriel Thimelby, layman, 1587 (died in prison)
* Thomas Metham, Jesuit, 1592 (died in prison)
* James Atkinson, layman, 1595 ("killed under torture by Topcliffe, but evidence is wanted of his constancy to the end")
* Matthew/Matthias Harrison, seminary priest, 1599 (not yet sufficiently distinguished from James Harrison)
* Eleanor Hunt, widow, 1600 (died in prison)
* Mrs Swithun Wells, widow, 1602 (died in prison)
* Henry Garnet, Jesuit, executed 1606 ("was he killed ex odio fidei, or was he believed to be guilty of the Powder Plot, by merely human misjudgment, not through religious prejudice?")
* John Mawson, layman, executed 1614 (not yet sufficiently distinguished from John Mason, 1591) 10 December 1591
* Thomas Dyer, Benedictine, c.1618–1630 – his identity 'has not been fully proved'
* Edward Wilkes, priest, 1642 (died in prison)
* Boniface Kemp, priest, OSB, 1642 (died in prison)
* Ildephonse Hesketh (alias William Hanson), Benedictine, 1642 (died in prison)
* Thomas Vaughan, priest, probably 1644 (died in prison)
* Richard Bradley, Jesuit, 1645 (died in prison)
* John Felton, priest, SJ, 1646 (died in prison)
* Thomas Blount, priest, probably 1646 (died in prison)
* Robert Cox, Benedictine, 1650 (died in prison)
* Laurence Hill, layman, 1679 (Was it due to odium fidei, or an unprejudiced error?)
* Robert Green, layman, 1679 (Was it due to odium fidei, or an unprejudiced error?)
* Thomas Jennison, Jesuit, 1679 (died in prison)
* William Lloyd, seminary priest, 1679 (died in prison)
* Placid Adelham, Benedictine, 1680 (died in prison)
* Richard Birkett, priest, 1680 (died in prison)
* Richard Lacey, Jesuit, 1680 (died in prison)
* William Atkins, Jesuit, 1681 (died in prison)
* Edward Turner, Jesuit, 1681 (died in prison)
* William Allison, priest, 1681 (died in prison)
* Benedict Constable, Benedictine, 1683 (died in prison)
* William Bentney (alias Bennet), Jesuit, 1692 (died in prison)

## Executed for their faith in England 1534–1680
### 1534–1547

During the reign of Henry VIII of England.
* John Allen, priest, 25 February 1538
* John Collins, priest, 1538
* George Croft, priest, 1538
* Martin Condres, Augustinian friar, December 1538:
* Paul of Saint William, Augustinian friar, December 1538:
* Thomas Empson (or Epson), Benedictine, 4 August 1540:
* Robert Bird, layman; 4 August 1540:
* William Bird, priest, 4 August 1540:
* William Peterson, priest, Commissary of Calais, Calais, 10 August 1540: or 10 April 1540

### Decrees of Elizabeth I

During the reign of Mary I, papal authority was officially reinstated and under three hundred of the minority Protestant population were martyred. Upon Elizabeth I's accession to the throne, an Act of Supremacy denied papal authority over the English church; but only a decade later, in February 1570, did Pope Pius V excommunicate Elizabeth and any who obeyed her, issuing the bull Regnans in Excelsis, which purported to "release[ Elizabeth I's] subjects from their allegiance to her".
In the words of the New Catholic Encyclopedia, "Without question it was Elizabeth I's intention to supplant the old religion with the new in a bloodless manner. It is significant that there were no martyrs in the first 12 years of her reign, and only five in the years 1570 to 1577." Of those five, Thomas Plumtree had been chaplain to the insurgents in the Rising of the North, John Felton had published Pope Pius V's Bull Regnans in Excelsis ("reigning on high"), excommunicating Queen Elizabeth, John Story was tried for high treason, for having supported the Rising of the North and encouraging the Duke of Alba to invade, Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of Northumberland, had led the Rising of the North, and Thomas Woodhouse had declared in a letter to William Cecil that Elizabeth "for her own great disobedience is most justly deposed".
The threat of invasion by a Roman Catholic country assisted by English subjects led the Crown to try to repress Roman Catholicism. Responding to Pius V's action, Elizabeth I's government passed anti-Roman Catholic decrees in 1571 forbidding anyone from maintaining the jurisdiction of the pope by word, deed or act; requiring use of the Book of Common Prayer in all cathedrals, churches and chapels, and forbidding criticism of it; forbidding the publication of any bull, writing or instrument of the Holy See (the death penalty was assigned to this); and prohibiting the importing of Agnus Dei images, crosses, pictures, beads or other things from the Bishop of Rome.
Later laws made illegal the drawing of anyone away from the state church; non-attendance at a Church of England church; raising children with teachers who were not licensed by an Anglican diocesan bishop; and attending or celebrating the Roman Catholic Mass.
In 1585, a new decree made it a crime punishable by death to go overseas to receive the sacrament of Ordination to the Roman Catholic priesthood. Nicholas Devereux (who went by the alias of Nicholas Woodfen) and Edward Barber (see below Edward Stransham) were both put to death in 1586 under this law. William Thomson and Richard Lea (see below Richard Sergeant) were hanged, disembowelled and quartered under the same law. In 1588, eight priests and six laymen at Newgate were condemned and executed under this law.

### 1570–1603

* William Hambledon, priest, 1585
* John MacMahon, Jesuit priest, 1594

### 1606–1680

* James Brown, Benedictine, 1645

## Died in prison

* Thomas Vavasour, physician, May 2 1585
* Dorothy Vavasour, recusant, October 27 1587
* Thomas Wood, priest, before 1588
* Anne Launder (or Lawnder), recusant, Late 1589