Martin Sherson

Martin Sherson (1563–1588) was an English Roman Catholic priest.

Biography

A native of Yorkshire, he matriculated at St John's College, Oxford in 1575 at the age of twelve, becoming "a poor scholar of George Mannering who taught Rhetoric there". He arrived at the English College at Reims, 1 April 1580.

He was confirmed by Bishop Goldwell, 11 June 1580; left for Rome, 20 March; and entered the English College, Rome 8 May 1581, aged eighteen, where "through an over-zealous application to study and prayer he began to spit blood". He returned to Reims, 22 June 1585; and was ordained: sub-deacon in the chapel of the Holy Cross in Reims Cathedral, 21 September by Louis de Brezé, Bishop of Meaux; deacon at Laon, 14 March; and priest at Laon, 5 April 1586.

He left for England, 16 June, and was imprisoned in the Marshalsea before 22 December 1586. He was still there in March 1588, and died there soon after, aged twenty-five.

From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia

Martin Sherson — English priest and confessor, one of the Dilati (see ENGLISH MARTYRS), b. 1563; d. 1588. A native of Yorkshire, he matriculated at Oxford from St. John's College in 1575 at the age of twelve, becoming "a poor scholar of George Mannering who taught Rhetoric there"; arrived at the English College at Reims, 1 April, 1580; was confirmed by Bishop Goldwell, 11 June, 1580; left for Rome, 20 March; and entered the English College, 8 May, 1581,aged eighteen, where "through an over-zealous application to study and prayer he began to spit blood". He returned to Reims, 22 June, 1585; and was ordained sub-deacon in the chapel of the Holy Cross in Reims Cathedral, 21 Sept. by Mgr Louis de Brezé, Bishop of Meaux, deacon at Laon, 14 March, and priest at Laon, 5 April, 1586. He left for England, 16 June, and was imprisoned in the Marshalsea before 22 December, 1586. He was still there in March 1587-8, and died there soon after, aged twenty-five. Fr. Morris is in error in saying he died in February 1587-8, aged twenty-eight. "He was a young man of good abilities and well trained in piety and obedience. He was of moderate height, had a slight beard, a pale, oval face, and a rather large head."

POLLEN, Acts of the English Martyrs (London, 1891), 271; MORRIS, Troubles of our Catholic Forefathers (3rd series, London, 1877), 36; KNOX, Douay Diaries (London, 1878); FOLEY, Records Eng. Prov. S.J., VI (London, 1875-83), 125, 147; Catholic Record Society publications, II, V (London, 1905 ); FOSTER, Alumni Oxonienses.

Bibliography

Attribution

John Hungerford Pollen, Acts of the English Martyrs (London, 1891), 271;
John Morris, Troubles of our Catholic Forefathers (3rd series, London, 1877), 36;
Thomas Francis Knox, Douay Diaries (London, 1878);
Henry Foley, Records of the English Province of the Society of Jesus, VI (London, 1875–83), 125, 147;
Catholic Record Society publications, II, V (London, 1905 );
Joseph Foster, Alumni Oxonienses.