The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-07-05

! Otdi oio
Henry VIII. with consumae mparliality,
burnt three Pfoteslarts and hanged four Cath
o!ics for different errors in religion on the
same day and same place. Elizabeth burnt
Two Dutch Anabaptists for some theolog cal
tenets, July %, 1875, Fox the maryrologist
vainly pleading with The queen in their favor.
La 1879, the same Protestant queen cut off
the hand of Slubbs, the author Of tract
against popish connection, of Singleton, the
printer, and Page the dispenser OF the book.
Camden saw it done. Warburton properly
says it exceeds in crnelly any thing done by
Charles !. On 4lh Of June, Mr.. Elias Thack-
er and Mr.. John Capper, two ministers ofihe
Brownist persuasion, were hanged al 81. Ed
mundsbury, for dispensing books against the
Common Prayer. With respec. 10 the great
part Of the Catholic victims, the law was full.
| ly and literary executed after being hanged
up, they were cut down alive, dsmemberet,
ripped Up, and their bowels burnt before their
faces after which they were beheaded and
quartered. The time employed in this butch
cry was very considerable, and in one in.
stance, lasted more than half an hour.
The uncandid excuse for all ,bssis, that
the greater part of these men were put 10
death for political, moi for religious crimes
That is, a law is first passed making it high
treason for priest 10 exercise his function in
England, and so, when he is caught and
burnt, this is not religious persecution, bnt
an offence against the State. We are, hope
all too busy 10 need any answer 10 such chill.
dish uncandid reasoning as this.
The fatal number of those who suffered
capitally in the reign of Elizabeth, is stated
by Dodd, in his Church History, 10 be one
hundred and nineiy.nine; further inquiries
made their number 10 be Two hundred and
four; fifteen of these were condemned for
denying the queens supremacy one hun
dIed and tweny-six for the exercise of priest
ly functions; and the others for being recon-
ciled 10 The Cotholic faith, or for aiding and
assisting priests. In this list, no person is
included who was executed for any plot,
real or imaginary, except eleven, who suffer-
ed for the pretended plot of Rheims plot
which DR.. Miner justly observes, was so
daring forgery, that even Camden allows
the sufferers 10 have been political victims
Besides these, mention is made in the same
work of ninety Catholic priests, or laymen,
who died in prison in the same reign -
"Adout the same time" he says, 81 find
fifty gentlemen lying prisoners in York Cas-
tie; most cf them persisted there, of vermin,
famine, hunger, thirst dirt, damp, fever.
whipping, and broken hearts, the inse para.
BILE circumstance ofprisons in those days
These were every week, for twelve. month
together, dragged by main force 10 hear the
established service performed IN the castle
chapel" The Catholics were frequently,
during the reign of Elizabeth, tortured in the
most dreadful manner. In order TO extorl
answers from father Gampion, he was laid
on the rack, and his limbs stretched little,
TO show him, as the executioner termed il,
what the rack was. He persisted in his re-
fusal; then, for several days successfully,
the torture was increased, and on The last
two occasions he was so cruelty rent and
Torn, that he expected 10 expire under the
torment. While under the rack, he called
continually upon God. In the reign of the
Protestant Edward W., Joan Knel was burnt
TO death, and the year after, George Parry
was burnt also. In 1875, two Prolesiants,
Peterson and Turwarl, Gas before stated J
were burnt 20 death by Elizabeth. In 1899,
under the same queen, Lewes, Protestant
was burnt 10 death at Norwich, where Fran.
cis'Keu was also burnt for religious opinions
in, 1889, under the same great queen, who,
in 1891, hanged the Protestant Hacket foI
heresy, in Cheapside, and put TO death
Greenwood, Barrow, and Penny, for being
Brotgnists. Southwell, Catholic, was rack.
ed ten times during the reign of this sister
bloody Queen Mary. In 1892, Mrs. Ward
was hanged, drawn, and quartered for assist.
ing Catholic prizes, TO escape in box
Mrs Lyme suffered the same punishment fol
harbouring a priest; and in 1856, Mrs. CIth
eroe, who was accused of relieving priest
and refused TO plead, was pressed TO deasf
iu York Castle; a sharp s:one being placed
underneath her back.
/ Have not Protesants perseculed both
Catholics and their fellow Protesiants in Ger.
many, Switzerland, and Geneva, France,
Holland, Sweden, and Englandl Look to
the atrocious punishment Of Leighton under
Laud, for writing against prelscy; first, his
ear was cut off, then his nose slit, then the
other ear cut off, then whipped, then whip
ped again. Look 10 the horrible cruelties
exercised by the Protestant Episcopalians on
the Scottish Presbylerans in the reign ol
Charles H., whom 5000 are said TO have
perish ed in that persecution. Prosecutions
of Proiesian,s BY Protestants, are amply de.
tailed BY Chandler, in his History Of Persecu.
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