Saint EDMUND GENINGS, Priest., 1591

THE FOOL'S ROBE

On December 4, 1591, Father Genings and his companions were brought upon their trial, and a jury was empanelled to find them all guilty, yet nothing could any prove against them but that one of them had said Mass in Mr. Well’shouse, and that one of them had heard the said Mass. Many bitter words and scoffs were used by the judges and others on the bench, particularly to Father Genings, because he was very young and had angered them with disputes. And the more to make him a scoff to the people, they vested him not now in his priestly garments (in which they had before carried him throughthe streets), but in a ridiculous fool’s coat which they had found in Mr. Well’s house. On his return to Newgate, Topcliffe, Justice Young, and others called on him and offered him life, liberty, a benefice, and promotion if he would go to church and renounce his religion. But finding him constant and resolute they were highly offended, and thrust him into a dark hole, where he could not even see his hands nor get up or down without rjsk to his neck. Here he remained in prayer and contemplation without any food tili the hour of his death.

“And Herod with his army set Him at nought and mocked Him, putting on Him  a white garment, and sent Him back to Pilate.”—Luke xxiii.11.