Belson, Thomas, Bl.

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BELSON, THOMAS, BL.

Martyr; b. ca. 1565 at Brill, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England; d. July 5, 1589, hanged at Oxford. He studied at Oxford, then for a time at the English College in Rheims (1584). On a visit to Oxford he was arrested with his confessor Fr. George nichols, Fr. Richard yax ley, and Humphrey Pritchard, a servant. They were sent to London for examination by Walsingham and were repeatedly tortured in Bridewell and the Tower. Thereafter they were returned to Oxford for trial. Belson was found guilty of felony for assisting the priests. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on Nov. 22, 1987 with George Haydock and Companions.

Feast: Feb. 12; Feast of the English Martyrs: May 4 (England).

See Also: england, scotland, and wales, martyrs of.

Bibliography: c. kelly, Blessed Thomas Belson (Chester Springs, Penna. 1987). r. challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, ed. j. h. pollen (rev. ed. London 1924). t. f. knox, First and Second Diaries of English College, Douai (London 1878). j.h. pollen, Acts of English Martyrs (London 1891). d. de yepes, Historia Particular de la persecución de Inglaterra (Madrid 1599).

[k. i. rabenstein]