CAMPI AN, Edmund, an English Jesuit, was born at London, of indigent parents, in the year 1540, and educated at Christ’s Hospital, where he had the honour to speak an oration before Queen Mary on her accession to the throne. He was admitted as a scholar of St John’s College in Oxford at its foundation, and took the degree of master of arts in 1564. About the same time he was ordained by a bishop of the church of England, and became an eloquent Protestant preacher. In 1566, when Queen Elizabeth was entertained by the university of Oxford, he spoke an elegant oration before her majesty, and was also respondent in the philosophy act in St Mary’s Church. In 1568, he was junior proctor of the university. In the following year he went over to Ireland, where he wrote a history of that kingdom, and turned Papist; but being found rather too assiduous in persuading others to follow his example, he was in consequence committed to prison. He, however, soon found means to make his escape, and landing in England in 1571, proceeded thence to Douay in Flanders, where he publicly recanted his former heresy, and was created bachelor of divinity. Soon afterwards he went to Rome, where, in 1573, he was admitted of the society of Jesus, and was sent by the general of that order to Vienna, where he wrote his tragedy called Nectar et Ambrosia, which was acted before the emperor with great applause.

From Vienna he went to Prague in Bohemia, where he resided in the Jesuits’ College about six years, and then returned to Rome, whence, in 1580, he was sent by Pope Gregory XIII. with the celebrated Father Parsons, to convert the people of England. From Pitts we learn that, some time before, several English priests had undertaken to convert their countrymen; that eighty of these from foreign seminaries, besides several others who had been converted in England, were actually engaged in the pious work with great success; and that some of them had suffered imprisonment, chains, tortures, and ignominious death, with becoming constancy and resolution; but seeing at last that the harvest was abundant, and the labourers few, they solicited the assistance of the Jesuits, requesting, that though not early in the morning, they would at least in the third, sixth, or ninth hour, send labourers into the Lord’s vineyard. In consequence of this solicitation, the above two were sent to England. They arrived at Dover in an evil hour for Campian; and were next day joyfully received by their friends at London. But he had not been long in England before Walsingham, the secretary of state, being informed of his uncommon assiduity in the cause of the church of Rome, used every means in his power to have him apprehended, but for a long time without success. However, he was at last seized by one Elliot, who found him in the house of Edward Yates, at Lyford, in Berkshire, and conducted him in triumph to London, with a paper on his hat, on which was written “Campian the Jesuit.” He was imprisoned in the Tower, where, Wood says, he underwent many examinations, abuses, wrackings, tortures, and, according to Pitts, exquisitissimis cruciatibus tortus. It is to be hoped, for the credit of our reformers, that this part of the story is not true. The poor wretch, however, was condemned on the statute 25 Ed. III. for high treason, and executed at Tyburn, with two or three of his fraternity. However criminal in the eye of the law might be the zeal of this Jesuit for the salvation of the heretics of this kingdom, biographers of both persuasions unite in giving him a great and amiable character. “All writers,” says Wood, “whether Protestant or Popish, say that he was a man of admirable parts; an elegant orator, a subtile philosopher and disputant, and an exact preacher, whether in English or the Latin tongue; of a sweet disposition, and a well-polished man.” Fuller, in his Church History, says, “he was of a sweet nature, constantly carrying about him the charms of a plausible behaviour, of a fluent tongue, and good parts.” His History of Ireland, in two books, was written in 1570, and published, by Sir James Ware, from a manuscript in the Cotton Library, Dublin, 1633, folio. He wrote also Chronologia Universalis, a very learned work; and various other tracts.