Father Edward Oldcorne was racked in the Tower of London, “five times, and
once with the utmost severity for several hours,”[172] in order that,
haply, information might be extracted from him that would prove him to be
possessed of a guilty knowledge of the Plot. But this princely soul had
nothing of that kind to tell, so that King James and his Counsellors
wreaked their lawless severity in vain.[A]
[Footnote A: Torture, for the purpose of drawing evidence from a prisoner,
was contrary to the Law of England. Brother Ralph Ashley, the servant of
Father Oldcorne, who, I maintain, carried the warning Letters to Father
Henry Garnet and Lord Mounteagle, was tortured, but without revealing
anything apparently. Brother Nicholas Owen, the great maker of priests’
hiding-places and secret chambers in the castles, manor-houses, and halls
of the old English Catholic gentry, was tortured with great severity; but
he, too, seems to have revealed nothing. Owen “died in their hands,” but
whether he was tortured to death or committed suicide in the Tower is a
mystery to this day. One would like to see this mystery bottomed.]
On the 7th day of April, 1606, at Redhill, one mile from the City of
Worcester, on the London Road, “the silver cord was loosed, the golden
bowl was broken, the pitcher was crushed at the fountain, the wheel was
broken on the cistern.” For on that day, at that spot, the happy spirit of
Edward Oldcorne mounted far, far beyond the fading things of time and
space.[173]
It may be objected that Father John Gerard’s relation of the last dying
speech and confession of the great Jesuit Priest and Martyr is hostile to
the hypothesis that Oldcorne penned the great Letter, “_Litteræ
Felicissimæ_.”
Gerard’s reported words are these; but, I contend, we have no absolute
proof that they are the _ipissima verba_ of Father Oldcorne, though he may
have uttered some of these words, and something resembling them in the
case of the others.——See Gerard’s “_Narrative_” p. 275.
“He declared unto the people that he came thither to die for the Catholic
faith and the practice of his function, seeing that they neither had, nor
could prove anything against him which, even by their own laws, was
sufficient to condemn him, but that he was a Priest of the Society of
Jesus, wherein he much rejoiced, and was ready and desirous to give his
life for the profession of that faith which he had taught many years in
that very country, and which it was necessary for everyone to embrace that
would save their souls.[174] _Then being asked again about the treason and
taking part with the conspirators_, he protested there again that he never
had the least knowledge of the treason, and took it upon his death that he
was as clear as the new-born child from the whole plot or any part
thereof. Then commending his soul, with great devotion, humility, and
confidence, into the hands of God and to the Blessed Virgin, St. Jerome,
St. Winifred, and his good Angel, he was turned off the ladder, and
hanging awhile, was cut down and quartered, and so his innocent and
thrice-happy soul went to receive the reward of his many and great
labours.” (The italics are mine.)