Edward Waterson (? – 7 January 1594 (
NS)) was an
English Catholic priest and
martyr. He served the hidden Catholics in England during the reign of
Elizabeth I. Edward was arrested in 1593 and executed at
Newcastle upon Tyne. He was
beatified
Beatification (from Latin ''beatus'', "blessed" and ''facere'', "to make”) is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their nam ...
in 1929.
Life
Born in London, Waterson was brought up in the
Church of England. As a young man he travelled to Turkey with some English merchants. In 1588, on his return, he stopped in
Rome and was brought into the Catholic Church there by
Richard Smith Richard Smith may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Richard Penn Smith (1799–1854), American playwright
* Richard Smith (silent film director) (1886–1937), American silent film director
* Richard Smith (screenwriter), Scottish screenwriter, ...
. The Pilgrim-book of the
English College records his stay there, 29 November-11 December, 1588. Waterson proceeded to
Reims
Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne.
Founded by ...
, arriving there 24 January, 1589. He received the tonsure and minor orders on 18 August, 1590, subdiaconate on 21 September, 1591, diaconate on 24 February, 1592, and was ordained priest 11 March 1592.
[Burton, Edwin. "Ven. Edward Waterson." The Catholic Encyclopedia]
Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 3 February 2019
In summer 1592 Waterson returned to England, where legal restrictions on Catholics were severe, in order to minister to hidden Catholics.
Joseph Lambton, a young Catholic priest who was on the same ship, was arrested upon landing, but Waterson escaped. However, he was captured by the authorities in midsummer 1593. Lambton was executed 31 July 1592. The sheriff then took part of the quartered remains and showed them to Waterson in an effort to frighten him, but Waterson viewed them as holy relics. Waterson was held until just after Christmas (
OS), when he was
hanged, drawn and quartered
To be hanged, drawn and quartered became a statutory penalty for men convicted of high treason in the Kingdom of England from 1352 under Edward III of England, King Edward III (1327–1377), although similar rituals are recorded during the rei ...
, as a traitor. When he was tied to the hurdle to be drawn to the place of execution, the horse would not move, so he had to be brought on foot. While incarcerated in the Newgate prison, Newcastle, he had attempted to escape by burning down his cell door.
"Records of Newgate Prison" St Matthew's Guild History of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
See also
* Catholic Church in the United Kingdom
The Catholic Church in the United Kingdom is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in communion with the Pope. While there is no ecclesiastical jurisdiction corresponding to the political union, this article refers to the Catholic Church's ge ...
* Douai Martyrs
The Douai Martyrs is a name applied by the Catholic Church to 158 Catholic priests trained in the English College at Douai, France, who were executed by the English state between 1577 and 1680.
History
Having completed their training at Douai, ...
Notes
References
* Challoner, Richard (1742) ''Memoirs of missionary priests, as well secular as regular, and of other Catholics of both sexes, that have suffered death in England on religious accounts, from the year of our Lord 1577 to 1684'' London
OCLC 6346793
* Pollen, John Hungerford (1908) ''Unpublished documents relating to the English martyrs. Vol. I, 1584-1603'' (vol. V of Catholic Record Society Series), Catholic Record Society, London
OCLC 14013058
* Knox, Thomas Francis (1878) ''The first and second diaries of the English College, Douay : and an appendix of the unpublished documents'' David Nutt, London
OCLC 1749433
* Holtby
Holtby is a small village and civil parish in the unitary authority of the City of York in North Yorkshire, England. The population at the 2011 Census was 166. It lies close to the A166 about east of York.
History
The village is mentioned ...
, (1877) "Account of Three Martyrs" in John Morris, (1877) ''Troubles of our Catholic Forefathers'' (series III) London, Burns & Oates
Burns & Oates was a British Roman Catholic publishing house which most recently existed as an imprint of Continuum.
Company history
It was founded by James Burns in 1835, originally as a bookseller. Burns was of Presbyterian background and he g ...
OCLC 61914439
* Daw, Christian (2000) ''The Forty four: The martyrs of the Venerable English College Rome'' Saint Michael's Abbey Press, Farnborough, Hampshire,
{{DEFAULTSORT:Waterson, Edward
1594 deaths
16th-century English Roman Catholic priests
Martyred Roman Catholic priests
English beatified people
Executed people from London
People executed under Elizabeth I by hanging, drawing and quartering
16th-century Roman Catholic martyrs
16th-century venerated Christians
Year of birth unknown
One Hundred and Seven Martyrs of England and Wales