Subj : August 29th - Bl. Richard Herst To : All From : rich Date : Mon Aug 28 2017 10:06:28 From: rich August 29th - Bl. Richard Herst, English Martyr ON the day following the martyrdom of Bl. Edmund Arrowsmith at Lancaster there suffered in the same town Bl. Richard Herst, whose story is one of the most remarkable in the histories of the English and Welsh martyrs. He was hanged, ostensibly for willful murder. Richard Herst (Hurst, Hayhurst) was born in a year unknown, near Preston, probably at Broughton, and was a yeoman farmer, comfortably off. Being a recusant, on a day in 1628 the bishop of Chester sent a pursuivant, Norcross, with two men, Wilkinson and Dewhurst, to arrest him. They found him ploughing, and as Norcross handed him the warrant, Wilkinson struck at him with a stick. A girl at work in another part of the field, seeing this, ran to summon her mistress, who came running out with a farm-servant and another man. The process-servers turned to meet this diversion and Wilkinson knocked the two men down, whereat the girl (unfortunately the name of this spirited young woman is not known) hit Dewhurst over the head. The pursuivant's men then ran away, but Dewhurst, "partly on occasion of the blow, partly also to apply himself close to Wilkinson, made more haste than good speed, and ran so disorderly over the hard ploughed lands, as that he fell down and broke his leg". The fracture mortified and 13 days later Dewhurst died of it, after declaring that his fall had been quite accidental. Nevertheless Herst was indicted for murder before Sir Henry Yelverton and convicted, in defiance of all evidence, the known facts of the case, and the finding of the coroner's jury; the criminal jury was unwilling to bring in a verdict of guilty, but the judge told the foreman in private that it must be done "for an example". A petition of reprieve was sent to King Charles I, supported by Queen Henrietta Maria, but the contrary influence was too strong; his life was offered him if he would take the oath which had been condenmed by the Holy See, which fact alone shows the humbug of the murder charge. Three short letters are extant from Bl. Richard to his confessor. In one he says, "I pray you remember my poor children, and encourage my friends about my debts; and let it appear that my greatest worldly care is to satisfy them as far as my means will extend"; in another, "Although my flesh be timorous and fearful, I yet find great comfort in spirit in casting myself upon my sweet Saviour with a most fervent love, when I consider what He hath done and suffered for me, and my greatest desire is to suffer with Him. And I had rather choose to die a thousand deaths than to possess a kingdom and live in mortal sin; for there is nothing so hateful to me as sin, and that only for the love of my Saviour." On his way to the gallows, he looked up to where Bl. Edmund Arrowsmith's head was displayed above the castle; "I look", he said, "at the head of that blessed martyr whom you have sent before to prepare the way for us", and then turned to the minister who was questioning him, and said, "I believe according to the faith of the Holy Catholic Church". He spent some time in prayer at the foot of the scaffold and then, seeing that the hangman was fumbling over fixing the rope, called up to him, "Tom, I think I must come up and help thee". He left behind in the world six young children, and one yet unborn. Saint Quote: My hope is in Christ, who strengthens the weakest by His Divine help. I can do all in Him who strengthens me. His Power is infinite, and if I lean on him, it will be mine. His Wisdom is infinite, and if I look to Him for counsel, I shall not be deceived. His Goodness is infinite, and if my trust is stayed in Him, I shall not be abandoned. -- Pope Saint Pius X Bible Quote: Now seeing the constancy of Peter and of John, understanding that they were illiterate and ignorant men, they wondered: and they knew them that they had been with Jesus. [Acts 4:13] DRB <><><><> Each new day brings an opportunity Each new day brings an opportunity to do some little thing that will help to make a better world that will bring God's kingdom a little nearer to being realized on earth. Take each day's happenings as opportunities for something you can do for God. In that spirit, a blessing will attend all that you do. Offering this day's service to God, you are sharing in His work. You do not have to do great things. --Twenty-Four Hours a Day --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 # Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) * Origin: Region 15 HQ (1:15/0) .