+ Blessed RICHARD DIBDALE, Priest, 1586

CASTING OUT DEVILS

Biography (also known as Robert)

BORN in Worcestershire, ordained at Rheims, he began his labours in the English Mission in 1584. He was specially renowned as an exorcist. At Sir George Peckham's, Denham, near Uxbridge, and other places, by the virtue and power which Christ has bequeathed to the ministers of His Church, the martyr showed his mastery over evil spirits. They were forced to leave the bodies of the possessed, and to bring from their mouths pieces of metal and other things which could never have entered a human body. In obedience to the prayers and exorcisms of the Church, they declared, to their own confusion, the virtue of the sign of the Cross, holy water, and relics, both of the ancient saints and of those suffering in England in those days for the Catholic faith. These manifestations were slighted indeed by some incredulous and hard-hearted heretics ; yet others who were not so biassed by passion, but more reasonable, were convinced by what they saw, and thereupon renounced their errors. Father Dibdale was condemned to die for his priestly character and functions, and accordingly was, together with BB. Lowe and Adams, driven to Tyburn, and there hanged, drawn, and quartered, October 8, 1586.

"He gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out."—MATT. X. I.

Saint MARGARET CLITHEROE, laywoman, 1586

A VALIANT WOMAN

WIFE of John Clitheroe, sometime Sheriff of York she was thirty years of age and already married when a growing dissatisfaction with the Protestant religion led her, after due inquiry, to embrace the Faith. During the following twelve years of her Catholic life her house was a refuge for priests, whom she received at her own peril and unknown to her husband . With this help she brought up her children in the faith and her eldest son for the priesthood. She managed to hear Mass almost daily, communicated twice a week, and fasted rigorously. For her persistent recusancy she was repeatedly cast into prison, even for two years together and more, but her sufferings only increased her fervour. " Were it not" she said, " for her husband and child she would rather stay there always, apart from the world with God" Still, when at liberty she was most attentive to the care of her house, and with her servant took part herself in the humblest menial work. She was exposed to much ill-usage even from Catholics, who misjudged and censured her, but her constancy and patience never failed. Her husband said she had only two faults, fasting too much and refusing to go to Church.

Her children rose up and called her blessed :her husband and he praised her. Many daughters have gathered together riches : thou hast surpassed them all.    Proverbs xxxi.28-29

Saint MARGARET CLITHEROE, laywoman, 1586

ON March 10 1586, when she had been at liberty some eighteen months-, her husband was summoned before the Council at York, and in his absence his house was searched. The priest there in hiding escaped, but Margaret and her children were taken prisoners. Enraged at their failure the searchers stripped a Flemish boy of twelve years, staying in the house, and threatened him with rods till he showed them the priest's chamber, and where the Church stuff was kept. At her trial, lest her children might be forced by evidence to be guilty of her blood, she refused to plead, giving as a reason however that she had committed no offence. Two chalices were therefore produced and religious pictures, and two ruffians clad themselves in the priestly vestments and began playing the fool, pulling and hauling themselves before the judges, while one, holding up a piece of bread, said to the martyr, " Behold the God in whom thou believest." At her second examination she again refused to plead, saying that there was no evidence against her save that of children, whom you can make say anything for a rod or an apple. The judge urged her to demand a jury, but in vain, and on her refusal she was sentenced to be pressed to death. "

Herod questioned Him in many words, but Jesus anwered him nothing. Luke xxiii. 9

+ Saint MARGARET CLITHEROE, laywoman, 1586

THE WINE PRESS ALONE

Biography

FORBIDDEN to see husband or child, pestered by successive ministers, and herself charged with gross immorality, Margaret learnt at length, on March 24, that she was to die on the morrow, that year Good Friday. She had prepared herself for this by fasting and prayers but she begged for a maid to be with her during the night! for " though death is my comfort,'' she " the flesh is frail," but as no one could be admitted the keeper's wife sat with her for a while. The first hours of the night Margaret passed on her knees in prayer, clothed in a linen habit made by herself for her passion. At three she rose and laid herself flat on the stones for a quarter of an hour, then rested on her bed. At eight the Sheriffs called, and with them she walked barefoot, going along through the crowd to the Tolbooth. There turning from the ministers she knelt and prayed by herself. Forced to undress, she laid herself on the ground clothed only in the linen habit, her face covered with a handkerchief, her hands outstretched and bound as if on a cross. The weighted door was laid on her ; at the first crushing pain she cried, "Jesu, Mercy,'' and after a quarter of an hour passed to her God.

The Ouse Bridge on which the Tolbooth

I have trodden the wine-press alone. Isaiah lxiii.3