The English Martyrs 1535–1680: a statistical review

Abstract

The mills of the papacy grind slowly. It is close on a hundred years since, in 1874, the Cause of the English Martyrs was officially opened. From those who suffered between 1535 and 1681, 360 names were submitted to the Holy See. Twelve years later, in 1886, 316 of these names were approved; the remaining 44 were postponed for further consideration (dilati). Of the 316 approved, 54 were beatified; the remaining 262 were declared worthy of veneration. In 1895, nine more martyrs were beatified, making a total of 63; 253 remained Venerable. All those beatified on these two occasions suffered during the first third (1535–83) of the period of persecution. In 1923, a Commission was appointed to sit at Westminster; and, in 1929, the process of beatification was renewed: 136 more martyrs were then beatified, making a total of 199; 117 remained Venerable. Of these 136, all but four suffered during the last two thirds (1584–1681) of the period of persecution. The proportion of the number of those beatified in the two groups (63:136) is close to the proportion of the number of years in the two periods (48:96). This may be coincidental, rather than fair or ‘wooden’.

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