Ven. Robert Wilcox

Ven. Robert Wilcox

English martyr, born at Chester, 1558; suffered at Canterbury, 1 October, 1588. He arrived at Reims, 12 August, 1583, and received the tonsure and minor orders, 23 September following. He was ordained sub-deacon, 16 March, deacon, 5 or 6 April, and priest, 20 April, 1585, receiving all these orders at Reims. Sent on the mission, 7 January, 1586, he was imprisoned in the Marshalsea that same year. With him suffered two other priests, Christopher Buxton and Edward Campion, and a layman, Robert Widmerpool.

Edward Campion (vere Edwards) was born in 1552 at Ludlow, Shropshire, of a good family, and was educated for two years at Jesus College, Oxford, and was afterwards in the service of Gregory, tenth Lord Dacre of the South. He arrived at Reims, 22 February, 1586, where he assumed the name of Campion. He was ordained sub-deacon at Laon, 18 September, deacon at Reims, 19 December the same year, and priest at the beginning of the following Lent, being described as of the Diocese of Canterbury. Sent on the mission, 18 March, 1587, he was arrested at Sittingbourne, and imposed in Newgate and at the Marshalsea.

Robert Widmerpool was born at Widmerpool near Nottingham and was for a time tutor to the sons of Henry, ninth Earl of Northumberland. When he had the rope round his neck, he thanked God for the glory of dying in Canterbury for the cause for which St. Thomas died. All were condemned under 27 Elizabeth cap. 2.

CHALLONER, Missionary Priests, I (Edinburgh, 1877), nos. 61-63; POLLEN, Acts of English Martyrs (London, 1891), 327; English Martyrs 1584-1603 (London, 1908), passim; KNOX, Douay Diaries (London, 1878), passim; FOLEY, Records English Province S.J., I (London, 1877-83), 478, 481; MORRIS, Troubles of Our Catholic Forefathers, III (London, 1872-7), 39.

JOHN B. WAINEWRIGHT