Eighty-five martyrs of England and Wales

George Haydock and Eighty-four Companion Martyrs
George Haydock and Eighty-four Companion Martyrs
	Plaque honouring Haydock in the church of St. Andrew's & Blessed George Haydock, Cottam, Lancashire.
Died	Between 11 January 1584 (William Carter (martyr)) - 12 August 1679 (Charles Mahoney), within England and Wales
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	22 November 1987, by Pope John Paul II
Feast	4 May, 22 November, various for individual martyrs
Attributes	martyr's palm; knife in chest; noose in neck; book or bible; crucifix; chaucible; Eucharist; various religious habits; crown of martyrdom

The Eighty-five Martyrs of England and Wales, also known as George Haydock and Eighty-four Companion Martyrs, are a group of men who were executed on charges of treason^[1] and related offences in the Kingdom of England between 1584 and 1679. Of the eighty-five, seventy-five (sixty-one priests and fourteen laymen)^[2] were executed under the Jesuits, etc. Act 1584.

They are considered martyrs in the Roman Catholic Church and were beatified on 22 November 1987 by Pope John Paul II.

^ Many were convicted under extremely biased political trials, if they had a trial at all. All were subjected to the religiously oppressive regimes of the Tudor and Stuart periods. A part of the Protestant purge that lasted for several hundred years. Burton, E., "Accusations of Treason", Catholic Encyclopedia (1912). "The martyrs themselves constantly protested against this accusation of treason, and prayed for the queen on the scaffold. In very many instances they were offered a free pardon if they would attend the Protestant church, and some priests unfortunately yielded to the temptation. But the fact of the offer being made sufficiently shows that religion, not treason, was the ground of their offence."
^ The 25th Anniversary Mass of the 85 Martyrs of England and Wales, Diocese of Westminster

[1] Many were convicted under extremely biased political trials, if they had a trial at all. All were subjected to the religiously oppressive regimes of the Tudor and Stuart periods. A part of the Protestant purge that lasted for several hundred years. Burton, E., "Accusations of Treason", Catholic Encyclopedia (1912). "The martyrs themselves constantly protested against this accusation of treason, and prayed for the queen on the scaffold. In very many instances they were offered a free pardon if they would attend the Protestant church, and some priests unfortunately yielded to the temptation. But the fact of the offer being made sufficiently shows that religion, not treason, was the ground of their offence."

[2] The 25th Anniversary Mass of the 85 Martyrs of England and Wales, Diocese of Westminster

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