The Venerable Nicholas Horner, Layman

Today, 4 March, is the anniversary of the martyrdom in 1590 of the Venerable Nicholas Horner.

A native of Yorkshire, a tailor by trade and a zealous Catholic, he did all he could to bring others to the faith. Having come up to London to be treated for a disease in his leg, he was committed to Newgate for harbouring priests. There the heavy fetter on his leg and the deprivation of all medical aid made an amputation necessary. During the operation, he sat on a form, unbound, a priest (John Hewett, who was afterwards himself a martyr) holding his head, and he was comforted by such a vivid apprehension of Christ bearing His cross that he uttered no sound but a prayer. Set free by the efforts of his friends, he worked at his trade at lodgings in Smithfield. Again cast into Bridewell for harbouring priests, he was strung up by the wrists till he nearly died. At length, condemned solely for making a jerkin for a priest, he was hanged in front of his lodging in Smithfield on 4 March 1590. After his sentence, whilst he was at prayer, he saw, above his shadow on the wall, a half-circle of radiant light. Assured of the reality of the sign, "lord, thy will be mine," he exclaimed, and died with every sign of joy.

-from Fr Bowden's Mementoes of the Martyrs as reprinted in Contra Mundum, the parish newsletter of the Congregation of St Athanasius in Boston.