James Duckett
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| James Duckett | |
|---|---|
| Martyr | |
| Born | unknown Gilfortrigs England |
| Died | 1601, London, England |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | December 15, 1929 |
| Canonized | |
| Major shrine | |
| Feast | April 19 |
| Attributes | |
| Patronage | |
James Duckett was an English Catholic layman and martyr (d.1601).
Born at Gilfortrigs in the parish of Skelsmergh in Westmoreland at a date unknown, he became a bookseller and publisher in London. Brought up a Protestant, he was lent a Catholic book by a friend when serving his apprenticeship in London and decided to become a Catholic. Even before he took this step, he was twice imprisoned for not attending the Protestant services, and was obliged to compound for his apprenticeship and leave his master. He was finally received into the Catholic Church an old priest named Weekes who was imprisoned in the Gatehouse at Westminster. Two or three years later, about 1590, he married a Catholic widow, but out of his twelve years of married life, no less than nine were spent in prison for his new faith. In fact he was very active in propagating Catholic literature. He was finally betrayed by Peter Bullock, a bookbinder, who acted in order to obtain his own release from prison. Duckett's house was searched on March 4, 1601 and Catholic books found. For this he was at once thrown into Newgate.
At the trial, Bullock testified that he had bound various Catholic books for Duckett and the admitted this, but denied other false accusations in a self-possessed manner. The jury still found him not guilty, but the judge, the notorious Sir John Popham, the Lord Chief Justice, at once stood up and browbeat the jury, which reversed its verdict and Duckett was found guilty of felony. Despite the betrayal of Duckett, Bullock was taken to his death at Tyburn in the same cart as Duckett on April 19, 1601. James Duckett's son was the John Duckett who later became Prior of the English Carthusians at Nieuwpoort in Flanders and who related that on the way to Tyburn his father was handed a cup of wine, which he drank, and told his wife to drink to Peter Bullock and to forgive him. When she declined, he chided her gently until she did. On arrival at Tyburn Tree James kissed and embraced Bullock, beseeching him to die in the Catholic faith, without success.
At the same trial three priests, Thomas Tichborne, Robert Watkinson, and Francis Page, were condemned to death. For some reason their execution was remanded to the following day.
James Duckett was beatified by Pope Pius XI on December 15, 1929.
[edit] Sources
- This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913. , with considerably reworking.
- See also Godfrey Anstruther, Seminary Priests, Mayhew-McCrimmond, Great Wakering, vol. 2, 1975, pp. 89-90.
[edit] References
James Duckett, M.M. Merrick, (Douglas Organ, London 1947)
