Thomas Cottam
Encyclopedia
Blessed Thomas Cottam was an English Catholic priest and martyr from Lancashire
, who was executed during the reign of Elizabeth I.
, and received his M.A. on 14 July 1572, before leaving for London
, where he became master of a grammar school. It was there that he met Pound and decided to head to Douai
to become a priest.
He was ordained a deacon at Cambrai
in December of 1577 and, desiring to become a missionary to India
, went to Rome
and was received as a Jesuit novice at Sant' Andrea on 8 April 1579. That October he came down with a fever and was sent to Lyons to recuperate. From there he went to the English College, Rheims, considering himself accepted for India, if his health improved after a visit to England. He was ordained around 28 May 1580, at Soissons
and left on 5 June with four companions for England. Betrayed by an English spy named Sledd, he was immediately arrested at Dover. Through a ruse by Dr. Ely, one of his fellow-travelers, Cottam reached London safely; however, the good deed put the doctor at risk, and Cottam voluntarily surrendered himself.
He was initially committed "close prisoner" to the Marshalsea
, where it is thought he said his first Mass. After being tortured, he was removed on 4 December 1580 to the Tower, where he endured the rack and the scavenger's daughter
. Cottam was arraigned with Edmund Campion
and others and on 16 November 1581, he was sentenced to death. His execution was deferred until 30 May 1582, when he was executed at Tyburn
.
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, who was executed during the reign of Elizabeth I.
Life
Cottam was born to Protestant parents, Laurence Cottam of Dilworth and Anne Brewer, but was converted as an adult by Thomas Pound. He studied at Brasenose College, OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, and received his M.A. on 14 July 1572, before leaving for London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he became master of a grammar school. It was there that he met Pound and decided to head to Douai
Douai
-Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying...
to become a priest.
He was ordained a deacon at Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
in December of 1577 and, desiring to become a missionary to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, went to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and was received as a Jesuit novice at Sant' Andrea on 8 April 1579. That October he came down with a fever and was sent to Lyons to recuperate. From there he went to the English College, Rheims, considering himself accepted for India, if his health improved after a visit to England. He was ordained around 28 May 1580, at Soissons
Soissons
Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones...
and left on 5 June with four companions for England. Betrayed by an English spy named Sledd, he was immediately arrested at Dover. Through a ruse by Dr. Ely, one of his fellow-travelers, Cottam reached London safely; however, the good deed put the doctor at risk, and Cottam voluntarily surrendered himself.
He was initially committed "close prisoner" to the Marshalsea
Marshalsea
The Marshalsea was a prison on the south bank of the River Thames in Southwark, now part of London. From the 14th century until it closed in 1842, it housed men under court martial for crimes at sea, including those accused of "unnatural crimes", political figures and intellectuals accused of...
, where it is thought he said his first Mass. After being tortured, he was removed on 4 December 1580 to the Tower, where he endured the rack and the scavenger's daughter
Scavenger's daughter
The Scavenger's daughter was a type of torture device invented in the reign of King Henry VIII of England. Extant documents reveal, however, that the device was rarely used.-History:...
. Cottam was arraigned with Edmund Campion
Edmund Campion
Saint Edmund Campion, S.J. was an English Roman Catholic martyr and Jesuit priest. While conducting an underground ministry in officially Protestant England, Campion was arrested by priest hunters. Convicted of high treason by a kangaroo court, he was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn...
and others and on 16 November 1581, he was sentenced to death. His execution was deferred until 30 May 1582, when he was executed at Tyburn
Tyburn
Tyburn is a former village just outside the then boundaries of London that was best known as a place of public execution.Tyburn may also refer to:* Tyburn , river and historical water source in London...
.