God loves a cheerful giver

 A Welsh priest who won his crown on England’s soil

Edward Morgan was born in Flintshire in the early part of the 17^th century.

While little is known of his early life he studied for the priesthood in Rome, Valladolid and Madrid, finally being ordained at Salamanca in 1642.

Returning to England he was apprehended and incarcerated in the Fleet Prison where he was to spend the next fourteen years during which time his physical and mental condition deteriorated to such a degree that, at one stage, there were fears for his sanity.

His piety, however, was not dimmed, far from it.

Such was the zeal of this holy man that he forgave his tormentors and proved an inspiration to his fellow prisoners.

Receiving his sentence on the feast of St George 1642, he was overcome with such joy that he exclaimed “Enough, O Lord, enough”.

His journey by cart to the scaffold was borne with an abundance grace and humility and he won over the sympathy of the crowd that followed his way of the cross.

Once at the scaffold the Venerable Edward stood on the cart and preached a sermon based on The Good Shepherd and told the mob that all should be prepared to die for Christ just as He had died for us.

As the noose was placed around his neck he smiled and said that he hoped to be sent to Heaven wearing a rope.

When rebuked by a Protestant minister he responded: “What offence is there in going to Heaven cheerfully?”

The Venerable Edward Morgan won his martyr’s crown on April 26^th 1642 – Ora pro nobis!

Posted by Linen on the Hedgerow

Oxford lecturer strangled in bed

Today is the anniversary of the tragic yet glorious death of Father Anthony Brookby OSF, one time lecturer at Oxford's Magdalen College and one of the few members of the clergy who was not afraid to speak out against the actions of Henry VIII.

                                                                   It would take a brave man to oppose this king

Preaching at St Laurence's Church in London, the Venerable Anthony Brookby, made clear his disgust at the King's proceedings and, as a result was arrested and thrown into what is described as "a loathsome dungeon".
We can only imagine what that meant.
 Frequently, the martyrs were confined in dungeon cells that had hatches at street level and all the ordure of a 16th century London came pouring into their cell.
Damp, dark, foul and rat infested.

This saintly man was then promptly racked to such a degree that most of his joints were dislocated and, as a result, he was totally helpless not being able even to lift hand to mouth.

For twenty five days he was tended by an aged woman who looked to his needs and fed him.

Finally, when the courts realised that he was not capable of a public execution they despatched an executioner to his cell who then barbarously murdered the Venerable Anthony in his bed and with his own Franciscan girdle.

Tyburn actually came to this saint and he died for the faith and won his crown on 19th July 1537


                                Venerable Anthony Brookby - Ora pro nobis


Posted by Richard Colins - Linen on theHedgerow