St. Eustace White

ST. EUSTACE WHITE

One of the 40 Martyrs of England & Wales

CATHOLIC MARTYR & PRIEST

b. 1560 (Louth) - d. 10 December 1591

Hanged, drawn, quartered & martyred at Tyburn

Feast Day 25^th October
Canonised by Pope Paul VI, 1970

Fr. White was imprisoned in London on 18^thSeptember 1591 where for 46 days he was kept lying on straw with his hands closely manacled. On 25^th October the Privy Council gave orders for his examination under torture. Fr White was tortured by the notorious Topcliffe who suspended him in manacles for over 8 hours on 7 different occasions. It is reported that the sweat from his body formed pools under him, such were his agonies.

  

Introduction

At the height of his pain he cried out: 

"Lord, more pain if Thou pleasest, and more patience". 


And to his torturer he said: 

"I am not angry with you for all this, but shall pray to God for your welfare and salvation". 

On approaching Tyburn he said...

"In manus tuas, Domine"

 (Into your hands,O Lord)

He suffered deprivation of food and clothing. On 6^th December together with Edmund Gennings, Polydore Plasden, and Swithin Wells he was condemned to death for being Catholic.

Background

On 1 Sept., 1591, he was betrayed at Blandford, Dorset, by a lawyer with whom he had conversed upon religion. For two days he held public discussion with a minister, and greatly impressed the Protestants present. He was then sent to London, and lodged in Bridwell, 18 September, where for forty-six days he was kept lying on straw with his hands closely manacled. On 25 October the Privy Council gave orders for his examination under torture, and on seven occasions he was kept hanging by his manacled hands for hours together where it was noted that there was a pool of sweat beneath his body; he also suffered deprivation of food and clothing. 

The following was contained in a letter written to Father Henry Garnet from prison, 23 November 1591......

"The morrow after Simon and Jude's day I was hanged at the wall from the ground, my manacles fast locked into a staple as high as I could reach upon a stool: the stool taken away where I hanged from a little after 8 o'clock in the morning until after 4 in the afternoon, without any ease or comfort at all, saving that Topcliffe came in and told me that the Spaniards were come into Southwark by our means: 'For lo, do you not hear the drums' (for then the drums played in honour of the Lord Mayor). The next day after also I was hanged up an hour or two: such is the malicious minds of our adversaries."

.
Martyrdom

At his execution, telling the people that his only treason was his priesthood, he thanked God for the happy crown to his labours. Having been hanged by the neck from the Tyburn Tree he was cut down alive and rose to his feet, as he staggered he was tripped up and dragged to the fire where two men stood upon his arms, pinning him to the ground. Whilst still conscious the executioner butchered him and the remains of his body were thrown onto the fire.

"Christian people. I was yesterday condemned as a traitor, for being a priest and coming into this country to reconcile and use other my priestly functions; all which I confess I have done in saudry places of this realm for some years together. I thank God that it hath pleased Him to bless my labours with this happy end, when I am now to die for my Faith and priesthood".

He bore this suffering for refusing to deny that the Catholic Church was the one true church established by Christ. 


After being cut down alive from the Tyburn Tree 
Fr. White rose to his feet. They stood on his arms to pin him down and the executioner cut out his heart whilst he was still conscious...

Sweet Jesu!"

"Sweet Jesu!"

...he cried over and over again, 
until the end.

He won his crown at Tyburn in 1591, a mere 31 years of age.

ST EUSTACE WHITE – ORA PRO NOBIS

______________________________

PRAYER TO SAINT EUSTACE WHITE

  St. Eustace White pray for me that the graces achieved through your 
suffering and martyrs blood may result in the conversion of my heart. 
Pray that I may serve and be strong in faith as I journey on the road of purification 
which will lead me to the sainthood that all 
Catholics are called to strive for whilst on Earth.

When my will fails me, pray to my Lord and King to guide me along the narrow path. 
Do this for me so that I do not fall into any sin which would separate me from Him. 

Saint Eustace White
Pray for Us

ST EUSTACE WHITE – PRAY FOR US