Anne Line
Encyclopedia
Saint Anne Line was an English
martyr
who was executed during the reign of Elizabeth I
for harbouring a priest
. She was born in 1567, the second daughter of Heigham, Esq., of Essex, a strict Calvinist
, and was, together with her brother William, disinherited for converting
to Catholicism
. Some time before 1586, she married Roger Line, a young Catholic who had been disinherited for the same reason. Roger Line and William Heigham were arrested together while attending Mass
, and were imprisoned, fined, and finally banished. Roger Line went to Flanders
, where he received a small allowance from the King of Spain, part of which he sent regularly to his wife until his death around 1594.
Around the same time, Father John Gerard
, S.J. opened a house of refuge for hiding priests, and put the newly-widowed Anne Line in charge of it, despite her ill health. By 1597, this house had become insecure, so another was opened, and Anne Line was, again, placed in charge. On 2 February 1601, Fr. Francis Page was saying Mass in the house managed by Anne Line, when men arrived to arrest him. The priest managed to slip into a special hiding place, prepared by her and afterwards to escape, but she was arrested, along with two other laypeople.
She was tried at the Old Bailey
on 26 February 1601. She was so weak that she was carried to the trial in a chair. She told the court that so far from regretting having concealed a priest, she only grieved that she "could not receive a thousand more." Sir John Popham, the judge, sentenced her to hang
the next day at Tyburn
.
Anne Line was hanged on 27 February 1601. She was executed immediately before two priests, Fr. Roger Filcock
, and Fr. Mark Barkworth
, though, as a woman, she was spared the disembowelling that they endured. At the scaffold she repeated what she had said at her trial, declaring loudly to the bystanders: "I am sentenced to die for harbouring a Catholic priest, and so far I am from repenting for having so done, that I wish, with all my soul, that where I have entertained one, I could have entertained a thousand."
It has been argued (by John Finnis
and others) that Shakespeare's poem The Phoenix and the Turtle
was written shortly after her death to commemorate Anne and Roger Line and that it allegorically takes the form of a Catholic requiem for the couple.
Anne Line was beatified
by Pope Pius XI
on 15 December 1929. She was canonised by Pope Paul VI
on 25 October 1970, as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales
. Her feast day, along with that of the other thirty-nine martyrs, is on 25 October. However, in certain Catholic dioceses of England & Wales, such as the Diocese of Leeds
, she shares a feast day with fellow female martyr saints, Margaret Clitherow
and Margaret Ward
on 30 August.
Her name is sometimes misspelled as Ann Line.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
who was executed during the reign of Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
for harbouring a priest
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
. She was born in 1567, the second daughter of Heigham, Esq., of Essex, a strict Calvinist
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
, and was, together with her brother William, disinherited for converting
Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...
to Catholicism
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. Some time before 1586, she married Roger Line, a young Catholic who had been disinherited for the same reason. Roger Line and William Heigham were arrested together while attending Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
, and were imprisoned, fined, and finally banished. Roger Line went to Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, where he received a small allowance from the King of Spain, part of which he sent regularly to his wife until his death around 1594.
Around the same time, Father John Gerard
John Gerard, S.J.
John Gerard, S.J. was an English Jesuit priest, operating covertly in England during the Elizabethan period in which the Catholic Church was subject to persecution. He was the son of Sir Thomas Gerard of Bryn, near Ashton in Makerfield, Lancashire, who had been imprisoned in 1569 for plotting the...
, S.J. opened a house of refuge for hiding priests, and put the newly-widowed Anne Line in charge of it, despite her ill health. By 1597, this house had become insecure, so another was opened, and Anne Line was, again, placed in charge. On 2 February 1601, Fr. Francis Page was saying Mass in the house managed by Anne Line, when men arrived to arrest him. The priest managed to slip into a special hiding place, prepared by her and afterwards to escape, but she was arrested, along with two other laypeople.
She was tried at the Old Bailey
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
on 26 February 1601. She was so weak that she was carried to the trial in a chair. She told the court that so far from regretting having concealed a priest, she only grieved that she "could not receive a thousand more." Sir John Popham, the judge, sentenced her to hang
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
the next day 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...
.
Anne Line was hanged on 27 February 1601. She was executed immediately before two priests, Fr. Roger Filcock
Roger Filcock (Blessed)
Blessed Roger Filcock was an English Jesuit priest. He was beatified as a Catholic martyr by Pope John Paul II on 22 November 1987.-Life:...
, and Fr. Mark Barkworth
Mark Barkworth
Mark Barkworth was a Catholic priest and martyr .He was born about 1572 at Searby in Lincolnshire. He studied for a time at Oxford, though no record remains of his stay there. He was received into the Catholic Church at Douai in 1593, by Father George, a Flemish Jesuit and entered the College...
, though, as a woman, she was spared the disembowelling that they endured. At the scaffold she repeated what she had said at her trial, declaring loudly to the bystanders: "I am sentenced to die for harbouring a Catholic priest, and so far I am from repenting for having so done, that I wish, with all my soul, that where I have entertained one, I could have entertained a thousand."
It has been argued (by John Finnis
John Finnis
John Finnis , is an Australian legal scholar and philosopher, specializing in the philosophy of law. He is Professor of Law at University College, Oxford and at the University of Notre Dame, teaching jurisprudence, political theory, and constitutional law...
and others) that Shakespeare's poem The Phoenix and the Turtle
The Phoenix and the Turtle
The Phoenix and the Turtle is an allegorical poem about the death of ideal love by William Shakespeare. It is widely considered to be one of his most obscure works and has led to many conflicting interpretations. It has also been called "the first great published metaphysical poem". The title "The...
was written shortly after her death to commemorate Anne and Roger Line and that it allegorically takes the form of a Catholic requiem for the couple.
Anne Line was beatified
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
on 15 December 1929. She was canonised by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
on 25 October 1970, as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales
Forty Martyrs of England and Wales
The Forty Martyrs of England and Wales are a group of men and women who were executed for treason and related offences in the Kingdom of England between 1535 and 1679...
. Her feast day, along with that of the other thirty-nine martyrs, is on 25 October. However, in certain Catholic dioceses of England & Wales, such as the Diocese of Leeds
Diocese of Leeds
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds is a Roman Catholic diocese of the Latin Rite centred around Leeds Cathedral in the city of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 20 December 1878, with the splitting of the Diocese of Beverley which had covered all of Yorkshire...
, she shares a feast day with fellow female martyr saints, Margaret Clitherow
Margaret Clitherow
Saint Margaret Clitherow is an English saint and martyr of the Roman Catholic Church. She is sometimes called "the Pearl of York".-Life:...
and Margaret Ward
Margaret Ward
Saint Margaret Ward was an English Catholic martyr who was executed during the reign of Elizabeth I for helping a priest to escape from prison. Her date of birth is unknown, but she was born in Congleton, Cheshire....
on 30 August.
Her name is sometimes misspelled as Ann Line.
Source
- St. Anne Line at Catholic Encyclopedia